Thursday, October 8, 2009 Print Edition

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Thursday, October 8, 2009

An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903

www.collegiatetimes.com

COLLEGIATETIMES 106th year, issue 97

News, page 7

Features, page 2

Opinions, page 5

Polling locations changing for many

Sports, page 8

Classifieds, page 10

Sudoku, page 10

Plaza nearing completion

VICTORIA JAMES news staff writer Key changes to polling locations and new voter guidelines are to streamline Election Day procedures.

With a large turnout expected for the Nov. 3 elections, which center around the gubernatorial election between Democrat Creigh Deeds and Republican Bob McDonnell, officials hope students have prepared accordingly to ensure a smooth process.

According to Randy Wertz, general registrar for Montgomery County, most voting locations in Montgomery County have remained the same except for one location that hosts Virginia Tech students.

“The biggest difference between this year and the previous was that last year was a federal election,” Wertz said.

“Everything will stay the same this year, except for the E-1 precinct, which includes Tech students.”

The E-1 precinct’s voting location has been moved from St. Michael’s Lutheran Church on Merrimac Road, to Kipps Elementary on Prices Fork Road.

Wertz said this year’s voting locations would be more accommodating for a large turnout.

“We’ll have more parking,” Wertz said. “The room we’re using in Kipps Elementary will be much larger.”

Members of the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets are helping bring order to the voting process.

“We’re going to have assistance from 100 members of the corps of cadets,” Wertz said. “They help people find parking and help disabled voters in case they need to vote curbside. They will be scattered all throughout the precincts in the Blacksburg area.”

Wertz said Montgomery County expects a 50 to 60 percent voter turnout

MARK UMANSKY/SPPS On-campus students will have different polling places depending on the dorm.

for the gubernatorial elections.

Last year, many on Tech’s campus were confused about voting locations and the time it took to vote. Wertz said his office received over 8,000 new voter registrations last year.

The influx of registered voters caused congestion at certain student polling locations, such as St. Michael’s Church.

Wertz said, “most people got through in about 15 to 20 minutes,” even with the congestion.

Voters will have the opportunity to elect statewide officials such as the governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general, as well as local offices like Blacksburg Town Council.

Deadlines for voter registration and change of address have passed, but students can still register to vote absentee if they are registered to vote elsewhere in Virginia.

According to the Virginia State Board of Elections Web site, “Absentee voting in person begins approximately 45 days before a November General Election and approximately 30 days before other elections and ends on the Saturday before the election.”

The deadline to vote absentee is Oct. 27, meaning that a student’s designated registrar must receive his absentee ballot by this date. The deadline to vote absentee in person is Oct. 31, but students must go to the registrar’s office where they are registered and vote in person.

Brittany Anderson, director of government affairs for SGA, said students do not all have the same voting location.

“This year the voting locations have been divided up,” Anderson said. “The corps of cadets vote at a different location than new dorms and Hillcrest.”

There is no on-campus voting location this year.

“The biggest challenges have been that students thought they had to vote in person if they registered by mail,” Anderson said. “The law was changed.”

An exception was made for students allowing them the opportunity to vote absentee even if their first-time voter registration was by mail.

The SGA office in Squires Student Center offers applications for absentee ballots and it will mail in the application free of charge.

ROY HIGASHI/SPPS

Workers from All Masonry build up superstructure and place Hokie Stone throughout the new Graduate Life Center Plaza, which will open Friday at 2:30 p.m.

GRADUATE SCHOOL PROJECT WILL OFFER AMPHITHEATRE, SPACE FOR GATHERINGS GORDON BLOCK news reporter Graduate students and faculty are preparing for the Oct. 9 ribbon cutting for a new plaza bordering the Graduate Life Center at Donaldson Brown.

Included in plans for the space are tables and chairs, along with a lawn bordered with benches.

“Graduate students are very excited about having an outdoor area where we can congregate,” said Laura Freeman, president of the Graduate Student Assembly.

Also included will be a stage along with a small amphitheatre,

and plans for the space include small musical and theatrical performances.

“We’ve been in conversations since the project was announced,” Freeman said. “We’re looking forward to using the space to host different events than we usually do.”

The space, which replaces a fountain, “hadn’t been used for years” and was funded entirely through donor contributions, said Karen Depau, graduate school dean.

Major contributions came through the class of 1959 and the Parent’s Fund. Construction on the approximately $300,000 project began during the summer of 2009.

“We’ve been working on this for a couple of years to secure the funding for this,” Depauw said. “No state money is going into this.”

Freeman said the student body would find immediate benefits from the location.

“This is a great place for all students,” Freeman said. “We’re looking forward to mixing up that area and bringing students out.”

Depauw said that the space would build connections between students, faculty and the community.

“People can and will be able to see how it will be a wonderful place to be,” Depauw said. “This is a space for the academic and social community.”

The ribbon cutting will take place Friday, Oct. 9 at 2:30 p.m. in front of the Graduate Life Center.

Solar house shines Homecoming campaigns

seek crowns of Tech royalty KATIE ROBIDOUX

candidates for homecoming queen king

news staff writer

RYAN ARNOLD/COLLEGIATE TIMES

Virginia Tech’s Lumenhaus is one of 20 Solar Decathlon houses lining the National Mall.

Eco-friendly competition kicks off RYAN ARNOLD features reporter WASHINGTON — Chaos replaced the serenity of the National Mall this past week.

Twenty college and university teams feverishly assembled their entries for the 2009 Solar Decathlon, a multi-category competition to create innovative and energy-efficient houses. And host Department of Energy probably didn’t expect the range of safety issues.

Mind you, everyone actually working on the sunpowered houses wore necessary protective gear including hard hats and gloves. Rather, it was the intrigued passersby who could have used armor of their own. Bikers, joggers and casual walkers veered from linear paths as their heads swiveled to absorb the scene; their risk for collisions seemed greater than those on the construction sites.

The atmosphere was definitely engaging. Semitrucks delivered palettes of various cargo while forklifts hoisted solar panels to rooftops. All this to a soundtrack of growling generators that powered countless tools and spotlights.

Beyond those processes, though, the emerging products themselves caused the most curiosity.

Virginia Tech’s entry, titled “Lumenhaus,” drew a number of people to the caution tape that lined its perimeter.

Lumenhaus’ primary faculty adviser Robert Dunay said the design has plenty of appeal.

“We are really interested in this technical, responsive architecture,” Dunay said, “so our house responds to both the conditions outside and client demands inside.”

Possibly the largest component of that logic is the Lumenhaus facade, which eases the occupant’s dependency on mechanical heating and cooling. It automatically reacts to weather conditions, moving laterally to best expose or shelter the interior space.

The two-layered system that makes up the mobile perimeter is called “Eclipsis.” The first layer is composed of translucent panels filled with a material called Aerogel, which in less than three inches provides the same amount of insulation as an apartment wall, thus saving space and materials. The second layer, a metal screen, lies atop the panels. The intricate pattern of angled circles acts like blinds to help control the temperature of the house.

The moving walls allow Lumenhaus to also serve as an open-air pavilion. Eclipsis slides along tracks imbedded in beams that extend beyond the frame of the house. By essentially removing its exterior, the house becomes more versatile and doubles the 700square-foot floor plan with wooden deck space.

And adjusting Eclipsis requires no physical labor.

The team worked alongside different control systems companies to make nearly all house elements mechanically controlled. The occupant can use the Lumenhaus remote control, an iPhone, to activate everything from Eclipsis to a kitchen light.

However, Dunay said while Lumenhaus is manually adaptable, the dwelling is programmed to automatically set the most energy-efficient defaults.

“This goes back to what the DOE wants to do,” Dunay said. “It wants to give the public information about their energy use.”

The Lumenhaus iPhone application shows users the electricity consumption of equipment including see SOLAR / page seven

Elections for homecoming king and queen are currently taking place in the lead-up to Saturday’s homecoming game against Boston College.

A barrage of bubbles, information booths and students dressed in banana suits are campaigning in advance of the Oct. 10 match on behalf of the sixteen candidates.

Students can register their vote on the Virginia Tech Homecoming Web site, which also hosts information on the candidates.

Eight candidates are running for king and eight for queen.

Matthew Darnley is a senior political science major from Pittsburgh. He is a cadet first sergeant in the corps of cadets and is sponsored by the German Club, which he leads. A member of the ROTC, Darnley is involved with other activities such as the Big Event and cochairs the annual Midwinter’s Dance.

Brian Golden, a senior from Virginia Beach and a communication major, is sponsored by Delta Sigma Phi Fraternity. He serves as the class of 2010 president. He is also a member of the Virginia Tech cheerleading team and has been an orientation leader.

Bryce Laumann is a senior and is sponsored by Virginia Tech FIJI. Majoring in hospitality and tourism management, Laumann states online his involvement in different campus organizations and dedication to academics.

Alex Miller is a senior from Maryland and is majoring in Business Management.

He is sponsored by Phi Sigma Kappa Fraternity and has held various leadership positions within it, including president. He is involved in 2010 class leadership, SGA and Student Alumni Association.

Bo Peaseley is a senior and is sponsored by the Virginia Tech Union, for which he has volunteered for three years.

He is the director of speakers and attributes establishing leadership skills to his position.

Taylor Walsh, a senior sponsored by Sigma Chi Fraternity, has been involved with various activities on campus, including playing on the varsity men’s soccer team. He is a University Honors

Matthew Darnley Brian Golden Bryce Laumann Alex Miller Bo Peaseley Taylor Walsh Alex Weaver W. Taylor Lynskey

[

on the web

Read more and vote online at vthomecoming.org.vt.edu.

Michelle Davis Hannah Goff Bonnie Graham Evelyn Kim Cassie Krause Alana Mallory Ali Miller Grace Priddy

]

student and is a member of the Society of Engineering sciences.

As a senior, he received the ACC postgraduate scholarship.

Alex Weaver is a senior from Newport News, Virginia and has a double major in communications and sociology.

He is sponsored by Omicron Delta Kappa, an honors fraternity. He is also a member of Delta Sigma Phi Fraternity and has been involved with the SGA, Student Alumni Association and VTTV. W. Taylor Lynskey is sponsored by WUVT radio station where he is the AM program director.

He is also a member of the Marching Virginians. Lynskey is a marketing management major and a member of the Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society.

Candidates for homecoming queen are similarly diverse.

Michelle Davis is a senior marketing management major and is sponsored

by Alpha Chi Omega Sorority. She is involved in campus activities, including Hokie Ambassadors, Student Alumni Association, class of 2010 Leadership, as well as being an orientation leader.

Hannah Goff is a senior human nutrition, food and exercise major and is sponsored by Hillel at Tech. She is currently president of Hillel and has also held various other leadership positions within the organization. She is also a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Pi Sorority.

Bonnie Graham is sponsored by Kappa Delta Sorority. She has been involved with new student orientation, for which she was a leader. Graham has also been involved in the Panhellenic community as a recruitment guide.

Evelyn Kim is sponsored by Alpha Delta Pi Sorority. She is involved with the SGA and has been the public relations director and a senator for Pamplin College. She is also a member of the Pamplin Multicultural Diversity Council.

Cassie Krause is sponsored by Chi Delta Alpha, a community service sorority. She has been involved with the SGA and is a wildlife sciences major.

She was also class of 2010’s class ring design chair and designed the 2010 class ring.

Alana Mallory, a senior hospitality and tourism management major, is sponsored by Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. She is minoring in leadership and social change. According to her Web site she hopes to one day own her own private event planning company.

Ali Miller is a senior sponsored by Alpha Phi Sorority. She is involved with Student Alumni Association, SGA, Nicaraguan Orphanage Fund and the Fashion Merchandising and Design Society. She also plays for women’s club lacrosse.

Grace Priddy is a senior fashion merchandising major. She is sponsored

by Delta Gamma Sorority, for which she is the current president. She is also a member of the High Techs dance team. She was an orientation leader and Hokie Camp counselor. She is also part of the New Life Christian Fellowship and College Republicans.

2 features

editors: topher forhecz, teresa tobat featureseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865

october 8, 2009

MARY ANNE CARTER -features reporter -junior -communcation major

HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN CAPE: YOU WILL NEED: -About three yards of fabric, although any heavy material will work. I used polar fleece, available by the yard at any fabric store or in the form of a blanket at Walmart and drugstores for less than $4.

-Needle and thread -Pins -Scissors -Velcro TIME: Two to three hours COST: $8 to $20, depending on your fabric source

COLLEGIATETIMES

DIY: Become your own customized caped crusader I

t’s a blanket with sleeves!” proclaimed a fanatic Snuggie hawker, the saccharine voice saturating living rooms across the nation.

This supposed wonder garment took the all-inclusive polar-fleecechoir-robe-clergy-ware market by storm this year, leading Snuggieenveloped patrons to ask, “Why hasn’t anyone thought of this before?”

No matter how genius it may seem, the Snuggie has one flaw that cannot be combated by exclusive offers. It is indeed exactly what the commercial says: a blanket with sleeves. Hideous, impractical and one-size-fits-all, Snuggies have no game outside of the living room or bedroom, causing even the most devout Snuggie disciples to molt the plush sheath when faced with

STEP FIVE

STEP EIGHT

Pin and sew the seams together, leaving a gap midway down the rectangular piece-half triangle. Next, piece seam on each side as armholes. (The back piece should be pinned to the half triangle pieces, which should be pinned to the rectangular pieces.)

STEP EIGHT: Cut two strips of fabric to use as closures. If you would rather just have a ribbon or bow closure, you can skip this step and sew ribbons to the sides of the cape to finish it. Otherwise, hem these strips so they are about one inch wide and long enough to fit across most of the chest.

STEP ONE Lay out your fabric. Take into account how long and wide you want your cape. I made a mid-length cape intended to hit at the knee, but if you are creating this for a traditional superhero look you will want it longer. If you are making a royal capelet, you will want it shorter. Cut your fabric into a triangular shape that is about 8 inches longer than the desired length. You can either make it come to a traditional point or leave a square chunk at the top, which I did to use if I ever want to add a hood and to reinforce the back.

social situations.

This season, shivering citizens should shed the Snuggie for good in favor of a true indoor-outdoor solution that will not only preserve their social status and comfort, but has been a long-standing tradition in comic strips, history books and the very television programs Snuggie commercials interrupt.

You can call it the cape, the

shawl or even “the blanket without sleeves.” But whatever you call it, this simple garment has graced the backs of warriors, royalty and villains alike. With a few hours and minimal sewing skills, you too can join the greats and rock the most archaic trend without worrying about your reputation. see DIY / page three

STEP NINE Pin and hem your armholes if you haven’t already. Then sew the strips so they join the two sides of the cape. On one side, sew them down completely. On the other side, attach them with Velcro so that you can easily put on and take off the cape.

STEP SIX

STEP TWO: Cut a second, identical triangle. Fold over the points of both triangles so that they are flat across and about shoulder width, then pin in place.

Fold over the rectangular pieces so they are tapered at the top and create a flat closure. To measure, drape the cape across your shoulders and pin it so the sides meet at both the top and the bottom. Then pin and sew along that line.

STEP THREE Cut the second triangle down the middle.

Lay it on top of the other triangle (which has taken more of a pyramid form at this point) and fold back and pin the new middle cut on each side. The whole triangle is the back of the cape, while these panels serve to connect it to the front flaps.

STEP NINE: PART 1

STEP NINE: PART 2

STEP TEN STEP SEVEN

STEP FOUR Cut two more panels that are the same length as the triangles and at least a foot wide. These will be your front flaps.

STEP SEVEN: Trim away the excess triangle piece or square chunk on your back piece. I cut mine into a semicircle to reinforce the back and provide an option if I ever add a hood.

Sew in place.

Put on the cape. Make sure the closures work, the armholes are right, etc.

Assuming it is, pin and hem the bottom of the cape. To get a straight hem, you will need to do this while it is on you or a friend because it is a circular shape. If you prefer a pieced look (which would work well for a bat) do not hem it. If you want a tattered look (for a witch perhaps), cut it jaggedly.

STEP ELEVEN: Flaunt your cape as you liberate families across the nation from the dowdy Snuggie trend.

Get a grip on Halloween finger cookies FINGER FOOD Eerie, pale and lifeless, this holiday treat manipulates your grandmother’s shortbread recipe into a festive cookie that maintains a resemblance to Michael Jackson himself (possibly to go along with the DIY Michael Jackson costumes article from last week), all the while offering distinctive flavors fresher than the pop star’s death.

MARY ANNE CARTER/ COLLEGIATE TIMES

INGREDIENTS: 1 cup sugar 1 cup softened butter or shortening 2 eggs 2 3/4 cups flour 2 teaspoons vanilla 1 teaspoon cloves 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon nutmeg 1 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup of almonds 1 teaspoon almond extract (optional) DIRECTIONS: Preheat the oven to: 320 degrees Bake time: 20 to 25 minutes or until they turn a light golden brown 1. Combine the sugar, eggs, butter or shortening, vanilla and almond extract in a bowl. Beat until smooth, mix in flour, spices and salt.

2. Chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes, until firm.

3. Take small portions of the dough and shape the cookies into fingers, rolling and prodding until they have a gnarly shape. Use a knife to draw wrinkles across the knuckles.

4. Press almonds into the tips of the “fingers.”

5. Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake at 325 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.

6. Let the cookies cool. If they have spread out too far and no longer resemble slender fingers, press them back into their shape by putting pressure on each side with a metal spoon while they are still hot.

7. Once they are cooled, play with your food!

YOU CAN ALSO TRY: Pipe around the edges of the nails with melted chocolate or red frosting for a creepy touch.

october 8, 2009

page 3

DIY: Use a homemade cape to complement your costume from page two

Bat

Magician

Any costume party is stocked with a mass of mostly naked girls donning not much more than animal ears. Cats, bunnies and the occasional mouse, these are the same “cute” animals that seem to be recycled party after party. Stand out in this batty ensemble that keeps your exposed flesh warm enough to stop your teeth from chattering while you party hop, all the while maintaining your cute image.

Any visit to a seven-year-old’s birthday party will remind you of two things that should never go out of style: birth control and magicians. Offer tricks without the treats in this mysterious getup, and work your magic at Halloween parties that are sure to be brimming with Playboy bunnies who offer you the opportunity to pull out more than just a rabbit.

YOU WILL NEED: GIRLS: Cape + black anything (leotard, dress or bathing suit) with black tights, black shoes and bat ears.

GUYS: Cape +

black shirt, black pants, black shoes and bat ears.

YOU WILL NEED: GIRLS AND GUYS: Cape + white button down shirt, black pants, black shoes.

Accessories are also important, so be sure to pick out your favorite magic trick items such as playing cards, a magic wand, or a rabbit and a hat.

Witch The go-to costume for anyone with a knack for the occult or a lazy mom, the witch costume claims more trick-or-treaters than any other. Revive this childhood favorite with a sexy twist or stick to the classic image, warts and all, and either way you have an easy, versatile costume that will never get old.

YOU WILL NEED: GIRLS: Cape + black dress, witch hat and your witchiest accessories such as a poison apple, broom, striped tights, black wig and green face paint.

Vampire Raiding bookstores like vampires at a blood drive, throngs of college students and preteens alike clung to the Twilight phenomenon this past year. They forked over their paychecks for not only the best-selling books, but movie tickets, T-shirts, ice cream cakes and posters sporting the garlic-fearing creatures that glamorize the dead life. This Halloween, ladies of the night can vamp it up with a black cape and fangs. At the same time, guys who follow suite will surely draw more than just blood to their side.

YOU WILL NEED:

GUYS (Warlocks): Cape + anything black.

GIRLS: Cape + fangs and a long dress for a classic vampire. Grab some black garb for a more modern vibe.

GUYS: Cape + you guessed it: fangs and head-to-toe black.

Superhero Batman and Superman fans can come together to agree on one thing: Regardless of which superhero is the best, neither is complete without his trusty cape. Whether you channel the Justice League or create a super hero of your own, this cape is fundamental.

YOU WILL NEED: GIRLS AND GUYS: Cape + tights and close-fitting clothing. Next, strap on some boots in the color scheme of your favorite superhero. Cut out any logos for the cape out of felt or polar fleece and attach with fabric glue.

Or, create your own superhero for any theme.

Following my love of fashion, I created my own “Fashion Police Superhero” costume with my favorite blonde wig, over-the-top pink accessories

look down. pick up.

Other Cape-Clad Halloween Costumes -Princesses -Darth Vader -Medieval warriors -Zoro -Robin Hood

-Snow White -Prince Charming -Gladiators -A spy -Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles ALL PHOTOS BY LUKE MASON/SPPS

october 8, 2009

page 4

Web site asks to ‘Meetup’ PAT MURPHY features staff writer Facebook and Twitter often monopolize digital conversations, but a new social networking site is asking its users to “Meetup” around Blacksburg.

Web sites such as Facebook connect individuals, but the networking site “Meetup” helps to connect groups of people comBRYANT with mon interests.

Currently, Meetup has 5.7 million registered members.

“Local” is what sets Meetup apart from other sites. Facebook may connect you to someone in China, but Meetup can connect you to someone down the block. Enter your zip code, and the site will allow you to explore your local possibilities.

Members of Meetup can create their own group that is usually centered on a common interest, activity or cause.

The goal is to expand the group

by connecting with new members through the site.

Roanoke resident Susan Thomas created “Roanoke Vegan + VegCurious EatUp” just over a year ago and has found it valuable to find others with a common interest.

“We’re vegan, and in our culture there’s very little discussing, if any, about veganism,” Thomas said. “Being able to create a space online for vegans to find each other in our region has been incredibly useful because there’s no other way that I know that we can find each other.”

The group meets monthly and often has potlucks where all members must bring a vegan dish to share. There have also been a few book discussions and gift exchanges among the 15 or so core members of the group. Though there has been some talk of the organization becoming more politically active, for now, Thomas said they will remain a purely social organization and welcome new members.

On Meetup, the creator of a group can make it a private organization that requires approval to join. However, there are no restrictions on who can

join Thomas’ group. In fact, a few non-vegetarians have even stopped by their meetings just to see what it’s all about. Many people are still “floaters,” Thomas said, which makes it harder to ascertain a firm group.

“We’re fairly new, so we’ve sort of been trying to establish ourselves as a core group,” Thomas said. “Our goal is to validate each other’s commitment to the cause.”

Thomas believes that Meetup can abet other groups that are not always in the forefront of society.

Astrologer Aphrodette North is the creator of another unique club — “The Roanoke Tarot Meetup.”

“We share our hopes and dreams and concerns,” North said. “We just get together and look into our lives together.”

While many groups like Thomas’ and North’s remain largely social, others are more goal-oriented, such as the “Blacksburg Media Artists” group, which Robert Bryant started.

Bryant was a part of a “Portland Media Artists” group while he lived in Maine. When he moved down to Blacksburg in 2004, he searched on

Craigslist and other sources for a similar group. Eventually, Bryant stumbled across Meetup by chance.

Unfortunately, Bryant still didn’t see a group on Meetup that was quite what he was looking for. Instead of giving up, he decided to give Meetup a try and create his own group.

“The purpose behind the group is just to create a chance to network and collaborate with other people interested in telling stories through various media arts,” Bryant said.

Bryant hopes that media projects, such as films, will grow out of his organization. After only six months, Bryant is already seeing activity and is currently working on a project with members he’s met because of the site.

However, the cost of this isn’t completely free — at least not for group creators. Those who create groups are required to pay subscription fees that can range from $12 to $19 a month based on the length of the subscription.

Price is Bryant’s only criticism of Meetup, but so far he believes that the fee has been worth it.

Ultimate Frisbee club soars high EVAN VANDERWERKER features staff writer A smooth, white disk whirled across the night sky grappling for the gaze of a legion of students as they scampered and sprinted around a makeshift field.

This collection of players, each determined to seize the pivoting plastic plate, is called VT Burn.

VT Burn is the Ultimate Frisbee team at Virginia Tech.

“The VT Ultimate Club has been around for 25 years,” said Tom Barry, senior mining engineer and former team captain.

Since its inception, the team has been captained by many different students over the years and has taken on many different names.

“Burn stands for Blacksburg Ultimate ... R ... N,” Barry joked.

Ultimate Frisbee is not the run-ofthe-mill sport, and while the team takes a lighthearted approach to playing, there is serious skill required.

“We compete in tournaments that have anywhere from six to 100 teams,” Evan “The Rookie” Klein said. Klein is a junior environmental policy and planning major and the current team captain. “And there are about 600 (college) Ultimate teams in the country.”

VT Burn is one of those teams. An official Ultimate Frisbee team must have at least seven players, and Tech’s team has about 60 regular players.

The rest are free to come and go as they please. The team is split into two factions that compete at different levels.

“We have an A and a B team,” Klein said. “The A team goes to more tournaments and higher-quality tournaments. But we all compete in the same championships.”

The A team, outfitted in green trucker hats, has proven its skills — the team placed fifth of 23 teams at club sectionals a few weeks ago, qualifying it to compete at club regionals in early October.

But qualifying for club regionals is only the beginning. The Frisbee team competes in four basic club tournaments during the fall in preparation for collegiate play in the spring.

“Right now is kind of our preseason,” Klein said.

The highest the team ever placed at collegiate regionals was last year.

“Our team tied for ninth place out of 16 teams,” Klein said. “Our goal this year is to get to collegiate nationals.”

Having an Ultimate Frisbee team compete at a national level has never happened before at Tech, Barry said.

However, VT Burn does not let its thirst for victory outshine its playfulness.

“It is more than just a sport,” Barry said. “It is a culture.”

Ultimate Frisbee is an intense game of constant darting and dashing, but despite the physical toll, the team remains good-humored.

“We play to win every game we play in,” Klein said. “But when we are on the sideline, we are joking around and having a good time.”

Chris Gyurisin, senior forestry major and VT Burn member, puts the sport into perspective.

“It is more than just bare-footed hippies running around,” Gyurisin said.

Even though Gyurisin takes Ultimate Frisbee seriously, he recognized the duality of the sport.

“There are a few hardcore teams,” Gyurisin said, “and then you sometimes see people wearing a onesie with a cowboy hat.”

look down.

pick up.

opınıons 5

october 2009houchins editor: 8, debra opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865

page B

COLLEGIATETIMES

october 8, 2009

The Collegiate Times is an independent student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903

Our Views [public editor]

We respond to nuclear letters “The Collegiate Times regrets this error.” This is a phrase that, luckily, we haven’t had to use too much this year, but unfortunately it’s being used in a big way right now. Last week, our staff as a whole made the mistake of publishing a letter to the editor that included personal attacks and large accusations.

The original letter, titled “Nuclear engineering graphic bombs” (CT, Sept. 22), was in response to a graphic from an article titled “Tech receives nuclear grant” (CT, Sept. 15).

This well-researched and well-written article on nuclear power was illustrated with a photograph of a nuclear bomb.

Unfortunately, this graphic was a bad decision on the part of our staff. Along the way, it has been compared to illustrating a story on smart-grid technology with a picture of an electric chair.

This wasn’t where the ball stopped rolling. We then published a letter in response to the initial letter titled “Consider the sources” (CT, Oct. 1). This was by an opponent to the original letter, and this letter was very accusatory.

First off, it is worth noting that the CT staff fact checks all letters and columns that are both published and not published in our paper or in print.

In this particular instance, I would say that we lost track of what a quality letter is.

Our mission to be balanced in presenting both sides of an issue was misinterpreted and ultimately not fulfilled by publishing the disgruntled letter.

When the content isn’t up to our expectations, it shouldn’t be published. That’s the step that we failed to take this time around.

Now, back to the original article and graphic. The whole piece had initially been scheduled to run the following day, but since a different story fell through, it had to be bumped up. This happens one way or another every day in the CT office, and we adapt to it.

Originally the article was going to be a design-heavy centerpiece story with an illustration of a person flicking a switch on a string of atoms that encircled the story that turned on a light bulb. Time is not a luxury we are often granted in the CT office, and we were working on a deadline to create an illustration to accompany the article.

Further, it is important to know that editors and report-

ers are not the people who make the graphics. Layout designers complete this task, and in this instance there was an unfortunate disconnect between the two.

There was concern from management that the graphic’s background of a mushroom cloud did not accurately represent the content of the article, but the concern was overshadowed in the uncertainty when it had to be bumped up.

Three letters were sent and printed in response to the article: the first was from Tech alumni Eric Danner and J. Carrington Dillon, one was from Anne Cockrell, and one was from Shireen Parsons, who was incorrectly called Shireen Pansoms. Cockrell’s letter stood by itself, but Parson’s was a response to Danner and Dillon’s letter. The response included unfounded personal attacks on the two original writers, but it represented an alternative view worth acknowledging.

The Web sites that Parson cited in the letter corresponded to her arguments, but as with any source, its objectivity should be taken with a grain of salt. The Collegiate Times acknowledges that personal attacks on Danner and Dillon should not have run in the paper. We should have asked Parsons to remove these attacks, or we should have removed them ourselves.

This was clearly a lapse in editorial judgment that should not occur again. We, as a paper, never wrote an editorial defending one point of view over the other, thus the paper never took an official stance. We laid out the letters in response and simply tried to maintain our goal of being a forum for community members and students alike to voice their opinions on any topic.

These opinions, however, are not to be attacking, libelous, or offending, and our filters were not what they should have been as far as barring against that in this instance.

As stated, the Collegiate Times regrets these errors.

JUSTIN GRAVES -public editor -sophomore -sociology major

MCT CAMPUS

Darwin’s ideas still widely used in biological theory Despite evolutionary theory having moved well beyond what Charles Darwin initially put down as a theory in “The Origin of Species” and his subsequent works, many of his principles still hold foundations for the current unifying theory of biology. As the 150th anniversary of its publication approaches, it is as good a time as any to look back at the importance of the beginnings of the theory.

The main tenets first proposed by Darwin have been summarized by biologist Ernst Mayr in “The Growth of Biological Thought,” which consists of a series of facts and inferences.

An excerpt from this series follows: “Resources such as food are limited and are relatively stable over time (fact). A struggle for survival ensues (inference). Individuals in a population vary significantly from one another (fact). Much of this variation is inheritable (fact). Individuals less suited to the environment are less likely to survive and less likely to reproduce; individuals more suited to the environment are more likely to survive and more likely to reproduce and leave their inheritable traits to future generations, which produces the process of natural selection (inference). This slowly effected process results in populations changing to adapt to their environments, and ultimately, these variations accumulate over time to form new species (inference).”

As is perhaps obvious, there are three inferences in the eight tenets (six of which are listed above), the rest being facts. And while Darwin had no knowledge of genetics, his statement about the inheritability of traits has been shown to be true for many things. It wasn’t until the 1930s to 1940s before the theory was fully accepted into biological theory, com-

bined with Medelian genetics to form the modern evolutionary synthesis.

This current theory adds many new genetic mechanisms to account for the variation in a species, but the overall slow drift of evolution is controlled mainly by the selection effect proposed by Darwin. If there is any trace of his left in the current understanding of genetic diversity, it is this mechanism for selection, which has been confirmed to the point where nearly all-working biologists accept this theory.

Modern theory is used in a variety of fields, from cell biology, genetics and paleontology to embryology. Many Web sites are devoted to making the evidence available to people with at least some scientific background. One such Web site is TalkOrigins.org, which has a very succinct categorization of the predictions and results of tests concerning evolutionary theory. It is incredible the diverse places that evolution is of great use for explanation. It discusses phylogenetic trees developed by multiple branches of science, developmental biology, molecular evidences pertaining to proteins, virus’ and their effects on DNA and RNA, and speciation, how species change over time.

This Web site also specifically addresses many of the contested, yet so often debunked, claims against the theory, including my favorite silly argument: irreducible complexity. Even Darwin had considered this at the time he was developing the theory. He states in “Origin,” “If it could be demonstrated that any complex organ existed, which could not possibly have been formed by numerous, successive, slight modifications, my theory would absolutely break down. But I can find out no such case.” Indeed, in 150 years, no

such case has been found.

So for those of you still skeptical, though I would hardly call this a good example of skepticism, these are good resources to help dispel a poor and misguided aversion to the most accepted theory in biology. It helps to make medicines and vaccines and develop our understanding of the earth’s biological history.

Darwin puts his view of the theory, and how in awe he is of nature, in the conclusion of his book: “It is interesting to contemplate an entangled bank, clothed with many plants of many kinds, with birds singing on the bushes, with various insects flitting about, and with worms crawling through the damp earth, and to reflect that these elaborately constructed forms, so different from each other, and dependent on each other in so complex a manner, have all been produced by laws acting around us.

“Thus, from the war of nature, from famine and death, the most exalted object which we are capable of conceiving, namely, the production of the higher animals, directly follows.

There is grandeur in this view of life, with its several powers, having been originally breathed into a few forms or into one; and that, whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved.”

BRIAN ROPER -regular columnist -senior -physics major -astronomy minor

Evaluating what constitutes terrorism at home, abroad This column is written on the premise that it is wrong to kill innocent people.

The principle underlying the war on Iraq is simple: It is righteous when we kill innocent people, but it is terrorism if they do so. This is applied to several aspects of the war: patriotism, freedom, democracy and troops.

Terrorism is defined in U.S. Army Field Manual as “the calculated use of violence or the threat of violence to inculcate fear; intended to coerce or to intimidate governments or societies in the pursuit of goals that are generally political, religious or ideological.”

To apply this verdict to America is inconceivable.

If we do apply this definition to America, then America is a far greater threat to Iraq than Iraq has ever been to the U.S. Thus, if we accept the logic of the supporters of the Iraq War, we should not only aid the insurgents’ attacks against an occupying army (America), but, as the logic goes, also call on them to bomb and invade Washington.

Furthermore, if we accept the doctrine of “preemptive war,” then we should arm Iran, North Korea, Yemen, Syria, Lebanon, Hezbollah and Hamas and encourage them to attack us.

If you praise Sept. 11, you are insane; if you praise the invasion of Iraq, you are patriotic.

Our love for freedom and democracy is apparent if we look at facts and not rhetoric. Estimates range from 100,000 to 1,100,000 civilians that we liberated to heaven. A study by the Iraq Body Count found that of the people killed by U.S.

air strikes, 46 percent are women and 39 percent are children (“terrorists”).

While acknowledging the civilian death toll, people claim that intent does matter, as defined in leaders’ rhetoric. If this is true, then the intent of the hijackers who drove a plane into the Pentagon was to establish a religious utopia in the Arab world. Similarly, Hitler was defending the people of Germany from the partisans.

After invading the country, we installed an American viceroy, who appointed a temporary government to hold elections. The Ba’ath party, which would be the chief political opposition to the occupation, is still banned from running in elections (“democracy”).

According to the 2009 United Nations Arab Human Development Report, “it is a crime to insult any public institution or official. It is also a crime, under Article 227, to publicly insult a foreign country or an international organization with an office in Iraq.”

The report concludes: “Bad as Iraq’s economic legacy was, it does not compare to the economic breakdown that followed the U.S.-led invasion. ... Standards of living are still lower than they were before the invasion.”

Any commentator will acknowledge Saddam’s brutality — and after six years, the lives of most Iraqis are worse (“free”).

A reporter framed this as, “The presence of the American military has also been a significant factor in the nation’s stability” in “Bomb Kills at Least 76 in Baghdad Market” (New York Times,

June 25). Meanwhile, an article in the NYT on Oct. 2 (“China Is Wordless on Traumas of Communist Rise”) lamented that China fails to acknowledge its culpability for a 1948 siege that killed 160,000 civilians.

To admit the war is for profit is still taboo. In a much-repeated campaign line by President Barack Obama, Iraq has a surplus of tens of billions of dollars. Despite this, last year the Iraqi government accepted a $744 million loan from the International Monetary Fund, which included the condition that Iraq would partially privatize its state oil sector.

Our country, one of the richest in world history, sometimes recognizes that it murders civilians and compensates families up to $2,500. As another measure of our generosity, of the 4 million refugees we created, we have allowed 17,000 to come here.

It is sheer ignorance to believe that the rest of the world does not see our hypocrisy or that our victims are unaware they are being abused.

One Iraqi reporter said he “was roaming throughout the past years of the war in our scorched land, and I was seeing with my own eyes the pains of the victims and hearing the weeping of the grieving women and orphans. Shame was chasing me, like an ugly name for my helplessness.” At a press conference, he threw his shoes at President George W. Bush, shouting, “This is your farewell kiss, you dog!” He was tackled, beaten with pipes, electrocuted, imprisoned for nine months and released as reported

in “Freed, Shoe-Hurling Iraqi Alleges Torture in Prison” (NYT, Sept. 15).

The hell visited on the Iraqi people is also visited on Americans. According to “Suicide’s Rising Toll” (NYT, Aug. 1), suicide levels for troops are at the highest level ever recorded. Another article, “For Veterans, A Weekend Pass from Homelessness” (NYT, July 25), notes that of the approximately 200,000 homeless veterans, 3,700 are veterans of Iraq or Afghanistan.

In “Generation Kill,” Evan Wright describes an incident where U.S. soldiers fire on a civilian car and check the passengers: “(Pvt.) Graves sees a small girl of about three curled up in the backseat. ... Graves reaches in to pick her up — thinking about what medical supplies he might need to treat her, he later says — then the top of her head slides off and her brains fall out. When Graves steps back, he nearly falls over when his boot slips in the girl’s brains.”

One out of three returning soldiers reporting to Veterans Affairs hospitals is being diagnosed with mental illness, including depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. And, as reported in Bob Herbert’s “The Great Shame,” female troops stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan faced 25 percent more sexual assaults in 2008 compared to 2007.

There are hundreds of bright young ROTC students who come to campus sharing an understandable and admirable dedication to getting a respectable, stable job that serves their country. A few weeks later, they march through

campus shouting: “Psycho, PSYCHO! Maniac, MANIAC!” The reasons for this chant are obvious, but it is considered unpatriotic to point this out.

If defending one’s country is brave and honorable, we must write odes to the brave and honorable Iraqi resistance, whose country actually was invaded.

The same leaders who say we should “Support the Troops” do exactly the opposite. They argue that pointing out the horrific consequences is somehow disrespectful. Or, criticism is invalid because of some irremediable flaw in the newspaper, writer and so forth. The doctrine is the same: Condemn violence from our official enemies and do not question violence we carry out.

The Iraq War is an obscenity as measured by virtually any statistic that matters to human beings. For knowledgeable people who cringe at the horror of Sept. 11, while continuing to justify the invasion of Iraq, which is a far worse atrocity, there is one simple assumption: Iraqis are not human beings.

At least we should stop lying about the Iraq War. We should say that our leaders are mass murderers, we are all guilty of subsidizing war crimes, and we do not care.

BURKE THOMAS -regular columnist -graduate student -international affairs -honors council

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6 features

LooP

editors: topher forhecz, teresa tobat featureseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES

In the

Wondering what's going on around the 'burg?

Check out the events of the upcoming week.

Thursday, October 8 What: Zac Brown Band Where: Salem Civic Center When: 7 p.m.

Cost: Reserved seating $28.50 What: Fabolous Where: Burruss Auditorium When: 8 p.m.

Cost: General $25, students $20; additional $5 per ticket day of event What: Living Darwin Where: Squires Studio Theatre When: 7:30 p.m.

Cost: Free

Friday, October 9 What: Zenobia L. Hikes Homecoming Step Show Where: Squires Commonwealth Ballroom When: 7 p.m.

Cost: Greeks $5, General Public $7 What: IT Security: Defense Against the Dark Arts Where: Torgersen Hall Room 3100 When: 9 a.m.

Cost: Free If you would like an event featured in our calendar, e-mail featureseditor@collegiatetimes.com with event details, including cost.

What: Living Darwin Where: Squires Studio Theatre When: 7:30 p.m.

Cost: Free What: Carbon Leaf Where: Attitudes When: 9 p.m.

Cost: $15 in advance, $17 at the door

Saturday, October 10 What: Virginia Strong Tour 2009 Where: Champs When: 9 p.m.

Cost: Cover

Sunday, October 11 What: University Bookstore Homecoming 5K Run/Walk Where:Margaret Beeks Elementary School When: Noon Cost: Free

Monday, October 12 What: American Indian Heritage Month Kick-Off Event Where: Squires Multicultural Center When: 6 p.m.

Cost: Free

What: Author William Kamkwamba book-signing Where: Squires Haymarket Theatre When: 6 p.m.

Cost: Free

Tuesday, October 13 What: Former Gov. James Gilmore Where: Skelton Conference Center Latham Ballroom When: 3:30 p.m.

Cost: Free What: BIO Town Hall Where: Holtzman Alumni Center Alumni Auditorium When: 5 p.m.

Cost: Free What: Class of 2011 ring unveiling Where: Burruss Auditorium When: 7 p.m.

Cost: Free What: NAACP general interest meeting Where: McBryde Hall Room 202 When: 7:30 p.m.

Cost: Free

Wednesday, October 14 What: "Is the New Testament Forged?

The Real-life Authors of the Christian Scriptures" Where: Torgerson Hall Room 2150 When: 7 p.m.

Cost: Free

news 7

new river valley news editor: zach crizer university editor: philipp kotlaba newseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES

[news in brief]

Solar: Students, faculty collaborate on house from page one

University of South Florida puts emergency alert systems to the test The University of South Florida dealt with a security scare Monday, using alert systems installed following the April 16, 2007, shootings at Virginia Tech.

After the shootings, safeguards designed to keep Tech students safer and more informed in the case of future incidents were put into place at other universities as well as Tech.

Systems like sirens, desktop warning widgets and text messaging alerts warn students of potential danger. Other universities have also tried to implement similar multi-tiered emergency warning systems.

USF experienced chaos Monday afternoon after two separate threats were made on campus, and its warning system sent students conflicting messages.

The first threat involved an armed man threatening to blow up a university bus.

The second, reported immediately after police diffused the initial situation, told of a man in a cowboy hat brandishing a hunting knife and a puppy in the main library. Both threats turned out to be non-issues.

Monday’s incidents come as the third and fourth false alarms on the USF campus after alerts of

gunmen were reported in both June and July.

Students received three alert text messages between 1:50 and 4:30 on Monday afternoon. Sirens blared as police locked down the main campus.

Some students criticized the warnings as excessive. Also, the text messages were found to be in conflict with other warnings.

One message told students to stay where they were, yet the ensuing police presence told students to clear the area.

A USF spokesman told the St. Petersburg Times Wednesday that while he believes the university needs to make sure its alerts are more precise and coordinated, they are overall beneficial to student safety.

Tech recently performed a test of its own text message emergency-alert system at 9:43 a.m.

Oct. 1, asking students to reply “yes” to verify they had received the message.

This was also the first year that VT desktop alerts were successfully implemented. Any registered user connected to the Internet network heard and saw emergency messages flash across his computer screen. by liana bayne

their refrigerator, dishwasher and washing machine. Dunay said making that data easily accessible might encourage people to alter their daily patterns, therefore saving money and natural resources.

The human resources that helped create Lumenhaus were certainly vast. Project coordinator Joe Wheeler said numerous academic departments were involved including architecture, industrial design, business, building construction and engineering.

“I had a listserv at one point that had 75 people,” Wheeler said.

Lumenhaus planning began more than three years ago after the 2005 Solar Decathlon, and many students have been loyal to the project for its duration — some even dedicated entire summers to the cause. Working on the house gives students valuable professional experience, which isn’t always provided in their educational curriculum.

Some Lumenhaus team members even adopted nomadic lifestyles as the competition has neared. Lumenhaus spent September on a lawn of the nearby National Building Museum as part of a sustainability exhibition. Students continued to erect the house, easily surpassing 12-hour days.

Hotels were not provided for students before the house relocated to the National Mall. While some caught up on sleep in a nearby Winnebago, others sprawled out on the concrete Lumenhaus floor. It wasn’t the most comfortable setup, but senior industrial design student

RYAN ARNOLD/COLLEGIATE TIMES

Architecture professor and Lumenhaus project coordinator Joe Wheeler and fifth-year architecture student Chris Taylor place glass panels that hang over the house’s front entrance.

Casey Reev appreciated the novel experience.

“Who can say they lived in an RV in the middle of D.C.?” he asked.

Fifth-year architecture student Alden Haley was unsure how he will handle the late-October transition back to Blacksburg. He, like other devoted contributors, has been out

in the field for nearly two months and will have to adjust to a classroom setting.

“I’ve got to get started on schoolwork,” he joked. “I have a feeling I won’t be very motivated to do that.”

For the time being, team members can enjoy the culmination of their efforts as the Washington Monument

and the Capitol anchor their progressive neighborhood. Construction ended yesterday, and it’s now up to the houses to perform.

The Solar Decathlon jury will begin its 10 contests today, whose criteria include architecture, lighting design and home entertainment — maybe the jurors will be charmed by the Lumenhaus Wii.

Senators seek job creation, protection in climate bill RENEE SCHOOF mcclatchy newspapers WASHINGTON — A Senate Democrat who’s been worried about the impact of impending climate and energy legislation on manufacturing said Wednesday that he’d back the historic legislation if it contains enough investment incentives and protection for American businesses.

Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, said those provisions, combined with limits on greenhouse gas emissions, would unleash private capital and create new

businesses and a vast number of new jobs.

“Once we do that,” he said, “we’ll spark a new industry in this country like we haven’t done in a long time.”

Support from Brown and other Democrats from industrial states that are heavily dependent on coal is crucial to muster enough votes to pass the bill in the Senate.

In August, Brown led a group of 10 senators who wrote President Barack Obama to say that a climate bill had to protect American manufacturing to win their support. He said Wednesday

that the Obama administration is helping to craft a plan to protect energy-intensive industries that would face competition from countries with no climate rules. Six industries fit that profile — glass, aluminum, cement, chemicals, paper and steel — and Ohio has them all.

The impact of climate and energy legislation on business will be a key part of the debate on a proposed bill, set for later this fall.

Opponents charge that mandatory limits on greenhouse gas emissions will devastate the economy and kill

jobs because it will make coal, oil and natural gas more expensive. On the contrary, Brown, clean energy business executives and administration officials said Wednesday, the bill would advance U.S. competitiveness in a new global clean-energy industry.

Brown said that climate legislation should include provisions to prevent disadvantages for U.S. manufacturers, provide long-term investment tax credits, put a price on carbon emissions, require a portion of electricity to be generated from renewable energy and help workers transition to new

jobs.

Obama and Sens. John Kerry, DMass., and Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., the bill’s sponsors, “understand ... that climate legislation simply doesn’t work for reducing carbon dioxide emissions if a company closes down in Findlay, Ohio, and moves to Shanghai, because carbon emissions will get worse, not to mention job loss,” Brown said.

Part of that protection would be tariffs on goods from countries with no similar climate laws, Brown said.

He said that White House officials were helping senators “develop all the

information we need to decide what to do at the border.”

Earlier Wednesday, Carol Browner, the top White House energy adviser, said the White House wants the energy and climate bill to contain protection for energy-intensive industries that face global competition. She also listed other elements the administration wants: a national requirement to generate some electricity from renewable energy, an economy-wide system of emissions cuts and tradable pollution permits, support for nuclear energy and consumer protection.

sports 8

editors: joe crandley, alex jackson sportseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES

Tech right side breaking through for Hokies as true freshman RAY NIMMO sports reporter Cara Baarendse may have a big sweet tooth, but her performance thus far has left her teammates and coaching staff craving more.

Baarendse, a freshman from Mason, Ohio, plays right side for Virginia Tech’s volleyball team. She’s fifth in the Atlantic Coast Conference in hitting percentage (.365), second on the team in kills (130) and third on the team in blocks (41).

“I was really surprised,” Baarendse said about doing so well as a freshman. “I just tried my hardest and the outcome obviously showed. I hope to keep on hitting well and doing good.”

Head coach Chris Riley is impressed with her progress.

“We thought it would take her a year to get where she is right now,” Riley said, “but she’s done a fabulous job. We knew she’d have to come in and learn, and she’s learned so fast and so much, so quickly. We’re very impressed with what she’s doing right now.”

Baarendse’s success stems from her unusual hitting techniques.

“She was under-recruited because of her being goofy-footed,” Riley said, “meaning the last two steps are left and right rather than right-left. It makes it harder to swing. She was athletic but sometimes limited because of that.”

While being goofy-footed made it harder to swing, Baarendse has a remedy for that as well.

“They call her ‘Noodles’ because her arms are so long,” Riley said, “and you don’t know where the ball is going.

Sometimes we don’t think she knows where it’s going either. She’s got a great wrist snap. You don’t know where the ball’s going until she hits it, then it’s too late.”

Jessica Wellman, Baarendse’s roommate and close friend on the team, discussed it with her.

“We were talking to her about it one day,” Wellman said, “and she was like, ‘Yea, I just kind of hit the ball. I don’t really have control over it, but usually it turns out real good. I’m not sure how that happens.’ It’s really funny because she works so hard, and her swings are so good.”

Baarendse didn’t start out playing volleyball as a kid, though. She participated in all kinds of sports including soccer, basketball, swimming and tennis. Soccer was her favorite, but that changed to volleyball when her family moved to Ohio.

“I just loved the game and the intensity of it,” Baarendse said. “I really enjoy playing an indoor sport. Basketball and

soccer were too much contact for me.”

While in high school, Baarendse had a decision to make. She could have gone to Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, where her older sister Jennifer went or come to Tech.

Even though she didn’t know anyone at Tech, it turned out to be the right place for her.

“I decided to come to Virginia Tech because of the coaches, the campus and the team,” Baarendse said. “When I came on my visit, it just felt right for me. I just got a good feeling. I have learned so much stuff already being a freshman that I probably wouldn’t have been able to figure out going to another school.”

Riley was excited about the decision knowing he had signed a real talent.

“I think she can be the best right side in the conference, no question,” Riley said. “With her attacking high point at over 10 feet, her block touches and her ability to play the whole game, she’s as good as anybody. In another year or year and a half, she’s going to be dominating this conference on the right side.”

Baarendse’s passion for the game separates her from other great players.

“She brings so much energy and joy,” Wellman said, “and the passion she has for this game is unbelievable. A lot of people are very technical and say, ‘I need to get this dig or kill,’ but she is like, ‘I just want to play volleyball and I love what I do.’ It really brings energy to the team that I feel the team has been lacking a little bit the last couple of years.”

“I would say I’m emotional and sensitive (on the court),” Baarendse said. “If I start messing up, I usually get quiet, whereas some people don’t. I’ll just get quiet and focus more, while other people get more hyped up. I don’t like to disappoint people, so I do my best at everything. I think the disappointment feeling is just the worst.”

Off the court, Baarendse is a bit shy, reserved and modest, but she definitely earns one of her nicknames, “Care Bear.”

“She’s a very caring person,” Wellman said. “I’m really creeped out about hair, so she always cleans it up for me. It’s funny how caring she is. She shows it in little ways.”

Wellman’s sentiments were echoed

by Riley.

“She’s probably the most caring and loving player we have,” Riley said. “She’s the first recruit to ask me to take a picture with the Hokie Bird with her. I still have that picture in my office.”

Perhaps the biggest thing Baarendse is known for is her undying love for

BRIAN CLAY/SPPS

Freshman Cara Baarendse makes a play against East Carolina University on Friday, Sept. 4. Baarendse is second on the team with 130 kills. candy.

“You cannot keep a bag of candy around the room very long,” Wellman said, “because it will be gone in about 3.6 seconds. It doesn’t matter where the candy is – she will find it, and she will eat it all. (Her favorite kind) changes weekly. She ate about four pounds of Twizzlers in a week, but last week, it was the gummy sharks that we found at Dietrick General Store.

“When we went to visit our suitemates for the first time, there was a bunch of people in there,” Wellman continued. “We all say ‘hi,’ but she

didn’t say ‘hi.’ She looks at the desk and asks, ‘Are those Gobstoppers, can I have some?’”

Baarendse and Wellman are also quite the clumsy pair.

“I’m pretty clumsy,” Baarendse said, “so I’ll end up tripping at awkward times, running into things and knocking stuff over at unnecessary times. If anything falls, you can always count it was me who knocked it over.”

“We don’t leave stuff out in our room because we trip over it so much,” Wellman said. “We have these big,

massive bags we travel for volleyball with. We were too tired to do anything with them, because we came back at 1: 30 in the morning.

“I woke up, tripped over the bag, hit the chair, and knocked over a bunch of stuff on our desk and ran into the door on my way out. Then the same day, Cara tripped over the bag, knocked over the chair and was lying on the floor. It cracks us up because we’re so stupid sometimes that we trip over random stuff.”

What does “Noodles” (or “Care Bear”) have to say about herself?

“I would say that I’m shy at first,” Baarendse said, “but once you get to know me, I’m more outgoing. I would say I’m pretty friendly and easy to get along with. I don’t like to cause arguments, so I’d rather be peaceful. My friends would probably say I’m goofy and odd. I guess you could say I’m cheesy in a sense.”

“I’m so glad I met her,” Wellman said.

“I can’t imagine a better roommate or a better friend. She’s always been there.

She’s really great to be around. She makes every event that much more laughable and fun.

october 8, 2009

page 9

Eagles always a challenge for the Hokies

look G down.

pick up.

o ahead and throw out all conventional wisdom this week Hokie fans, the Boston College Eagles are coming to town.

Dating back to the days of the Big East, the Eagles routinely managed to give the Virginia Tech football team fits. Tech generally fields better, faster, more talented teams, but BC somehow manages to motivate inferior talent to upset the Hokies.

This season is no different.

Right now, the Hokies rank No. 5 in the Coaches’ Poll, and despite a 4-1 record, the Eagles remain outside the top 25 and are given little chance to upset Tech on its home field.

Tech likely outclasses the Eagles in every facet of the game, but the annual matchup with Boston College does not usually work out the way it should for the Hokies.

The game with BC has turned into one of those rivalry games that nobody can predict, unlike the yearly beatdowns the Hokies have been putting on in-state rival Virginia lately.

Since joining the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2004, Tech has only lost eight total conference games, but three of those losses came at the hands of the Eagles — three straight during the regular season, in fact.

The last time Tech won the regularseason matchup against BC was in 2005.

While Tech may show up in the conference championship and whip the Eagles when it counts as they have the past two seasons, the Hokies hold higher aspirations for a chance at the national championship, and a regular-season loss to the Eagles will more than likely dash any hope left.

A loss this weekend would not be the first time the Eagles crushed Tech dreams of a second appearance in the national championship game.

In 2007, with now-NFL star Matt Ryan behind center, No. 2 BC engineered a miraculous fourth quarter comeback in the pouring rain in Lane Stadium. The scene of Ryan completing a pass over Brandon Flowers is seared into the brain of every Tech fan across the country, and that victory has gone down as one of the greatest wins in the history of the Eagles’ football program. That was also the last time the Hokies lost at home.

Tech defeated BC in the ACC Championship game and finished 11-2 prior to the final Bowl Championship Rankings. Tech finished third, just outside the national championship game, and a win over the No. 2 team in the country may have been enough to propel the Hokies into the big

LYRIC

BRIAN CLAY/SPPS

Tech redshirt sophomore tailback Josh Oglesby follows blockers during one of his six carries against the Duke Blue Devils last weekend. game.

On Saturday, though, Tech will be fielding a much better team on paper, and even Vegas thinks the Hokies will win by two touchdowns.

Don’t get lulled into that trap, Hokie fans. While the Eagles’ victories may have only come against the likes of Northeastern, Kent State, Wake Forest and a weak Florida State team, BC plays a tough brand of football that mirrors the lunch-pail mentality of Tech.

The Eagles will battle, and they will not simply lie down because they are playing the No. 5 team in the country.

Don’t plan on leaving at halftime to go downtown this week. BC will put up a fight, and the game will be ugly.

After last week’s unimpressive defensive performance against Duke, Tech may be ripe for a letdown after an intense four weeks to start the season.

Then again, given the recent history between the two teams, this may be just the game to get the usual mean streak back to the Tech defense. But if the defense shows up flat again, BC may again have a chance at derailing Tech’s

season.

Don’t forget about the Tech offense, either. With two excellent games in a row, the questions surrounding the offense have subsided, but Miami clearly did not show up to play and Duke is not necessarily known for its vaunted defense.

The Eagles, however, are known for their defensive units.

Every season, the Eagles put together an incredible defense under Frank Spaziani. Despite losing ACC Defensive Player of the Year Mark Herzlich this season so he can recover from cancer, BC is still impressive.

In the end, Tech will need to show up more like it did against Miami this weekend than it did against Duke, or BC may be leaving Lane victorious, embarrassing the Hokies once again in the regular season.

JOE CRANDLEY -sports editor -senior -communcation major

BRIAN CLAY/SPPS

Hokies redshirt senior linebacker Cody Grimm wraps up Duke wide receiver Johnny Williams during Saturday’s game in Durham, N.C.

october 8, 2009

page 10

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page 11

Oglesby’s achievements overlooked in ‘the hype’ RYAN TRAPP sports reporter Virginia Tech’s strength on offense has always been its depth in the running game.

Lost in the hype of the talented freshmen duo of Ryan Williams and David Wilson has been the solid play of redshirt sophomore Josh Oglesby.

Despite seeing limited carries, the second-year backup has made his presence felt on the field, never more so than in his performance against Duke last Saturday.

“I didn’t really pay much attention to (the hype),” Oglesby said. “I know what it’s like to come in and play without experience, so I knew that I’d have to step up over the season.”

Oglesby ran the ball for 59 yards on only six carries last Saturday and tallied the first two touchdowns of his collegiate career. Averaging more than six yards per carry on the season, “J.O.” is making the most of his playing time and proving to be yet another spark plug in an already electrifying Hokie run game.

“He’s figured out how to turn it loose,” said Billy Hite, Tech running backs coach. “He has no hesitation out there, and his vision is outstanding.”

Hite has had a close relationship with Oglesby since he was in high

school.

Hite, a college running back in his own right, backed up Ike Ogelsby, Josh’s father, when the two played for the University of North Carolina.

“We stayed close after college,” Hite said. “I heard about Josh over the years and was finally able to meet him his junior year of high school.”

Since coming to Tech, injuries have hampered Oglesby from playing at his full potential. A sprained ankle last year and a pulled hamstring during preseason practice this season have prevented him from getting a shot at the No. 1 tailback spot, but his persistence has helped him develop into another quality back for Tech.

“He’s always had my trust that he could see success, we’re just finally seeing him healthy,” Hite said.

“Beamer has even said there’s something different about the way he’s running.”

“J.O. can do things just as well as I can,” Williams, the current starter, said. “He can do it all, break tackles — we complement each other well.

When he had those two touchdowns against Duke, I was real proud of him.”

Since Oglesby’s emergence as a legitimate playmaker, Tech’s backfield continues to look more and more crowded. The situation could only

grow more confusing with the return of Darren Evans at seasons end, but the backfield doesn’t seem too concerned.

“It’s hard to split the carries with all the talent we have in the backfield, but there’s no bad blood between any of us,” Williams said. “We know the situation, that I’m the starter and he’s the backup, but he could easily be a No. 1 back at many schools.”

Wilson has felt the effects of Oglesby’s growing role more so than anyone. After receiving the ball 12 times against Marshall, the true freshman has been handed the ball only seven total times in last three games, but even he is benefiting from Oglesby’s presence on the field.

“Watching what he was doing, I saw how I could take advantage of my carries more,” Wilson said. “I have to just get the ball and move it forward rather then tying to impress everyone every time I get the ball.”

Oglesby’s style is exactly the type of running Hite loves to see. A hardnosed, lower-the-shoulder, run-it-upthe-gut type of player. He credits this to the experience he’s had with three seasons on the Tech roster.

“One thing I’ve learned is it’s tough to be a flashy running back in college,” Oglesby said. “Everyone’s faster, you got to take a couple hesitations out, have less cutbacks and just kind of

take what you can get.”

Rhythm plays a crucial role throughout the game for running backs. It’s crucial to their success on the field, but as a backup, a running back is expected to have instantaneous success the moment he steps out on the field. This is especially true in Hite’s system.

“I know when I’m in I could be coming out the very next play, so I always have to be ready,” Oglesby said. “I have the same mentality that I’ve always had: Just once you get out there, run hard. Getting the ball in good opportunities like I’ve had this year playing with the first team, it’s showing a little bit better.”

As the season wears on, Hokie fans will wait and see how time will be split among Williams, Oglesby and Wilson.

“I want to see (Oglesby) get a heavier load,” Hite said. “And you’ll see David Wilson before the season’s over.”

As for Oglesby’s take on the situation, he’s all smiles and has a positive attitude on his playing time.

“With the limited carries I’ve had BRIAN CLAY/SPPS I’m feeling pretty fresh, and I’m ready to carry some of the load,” he said Redshirt sophomore tailback Josh Oglesby darts through the Duke with a grin. defense in Tech’s 34-26 victory over the Blue Devils last weekend.

october 8, 2009

page 12

AP Rankings TEAM

4-0 4-0 5-0 5-0 4-1 5-0 4-1 5-0 4-1 4-0 3-1 5-0 4-1 4-1 3-1 4-0 5-0 4-1 2-2 3-1 3-1 4-1 5-0 4-0 4-1

FLORIDA TEXAS ALABAMA LSU

VIRGINIA TECH BOISE STATE USC CINCINNATI OHIO STATE TCU MIAMI (FL) IOWA OREGON PENN STATE OKLAHOMA STATE KANSAS AUBURN BRIGHAM YOUNG OKLAHOMA MISSISSIPPI NEBRASKA GEORGIA TECH SOUTH FLORIDA MISSOURI SOUTH CAROLINA

ACC Rankings ATLANTIC

1 2 3 4 5 6

CONF. OVR.

1-0 BOSTON COLLEGE 2-1 WAKE FOREST 1-1 CLEMSON 1-2 N.C. STATE 0-1 FLORIDA STATE 0-2 MARYLAND

COASTAL

1 VIRGINIA TECH 2 VIRGINIA 3 MIAMI (FL) 4 GEORGIA TECH 5 DUKE 6 NORTH CAROLINA

Tech hosts ACC title rematch ALEX JACKSON sports editor The fifth-ranked Hokies (4-1, 2-0 ACC) will look to stay undefeated in conference play Saturday when they take on the Boston College Eagles (4-1, 2-1 ACC) in Lane Stadium.

After taking care of Duke last week in Durham, N.C., to a tune of 34-26, Tech enters this weekend’s matchup with six conference games remaining on its season schedule.

The Eagles, who have lost just one game this season, will arrive in Blacksburg with revenge on their minds. The last time the two teams faced off, the Hokies defeated Boston College 30-12 in the 2008 Atlantic Coast Conference championship game.

While the Eagles made it to the conference championship last year, they began their 2009 campaign with a new head coach and lower expectations than in years past.

Still, with Jeff Jagodzinski out and Frank Spaziani in as head coach at Boston College, not much has changed.

“Playing just a very solid football team,” Tech head coach Frank Beamer said. “Very good. Very good defensively — same kind of Boston College defense, you’ve got to earn everything you get.”

Last Saturday, the Eagles defeated Florida State 28-21, improving their conference record to 2-1 on the year.

Many would say the win was thanks to sophomore running back Montel Harris, who posted 179 yards rushing and two touchdowns in the game.

Harris is the ACC’s second leading rusher, behind Tech’s redshirt freshman tailback Ryan Williams.

Harris and sophomore running back Josh Haden make up a dangerous Boston College backfield. The two have combined for over 650 yards on the ground this season.

Behind center for the Eagles is freshman quarterback Dave Shinskie.

Shinskie has been efficient with the ball this year, throwing for 616 yards, seven touchdowns and just two interceptions

on the season.

“This quarterback, Shinskie for Boston College has really helped them play so well the last couple weeks,” Beamer said.

“He’s made some great throws for them.

They’ve got two running backs there that are exceptional.

“I mean, I think they’re very, very good. Their offensive line is big. One tackle’s 6 foot 7 inches, the other one’s 6 foot 8 inches. The guard’s 6 foot 6 inches — they’re just huge.”

The Eagles’ offense will pose just as much of a problem for Tech’s 47thranked defense as Duke’s offense did last week when the Blue Devils gained 357 yard through the air against Tech.

“Sometimes you start to take for granted all the wins we get around here,” said Cody Grimm, Tech redshirt senior linebacker. “But just after barely pulling one out at Duke shows you what we need to do to win.”

To match the offense, the Eagles enter Blacksburg with the 26th-ranked defense in the nation. Boston College ranks 25th in stopping the run and 42nd in the nation stopping the pass.

If the Hokies want to put points on the board against the Eagles, they’ll need to continue the success they found last week through the air.

Last week, Tech junior quarterback Tyrod Taylor threw for a career-high 327 yards, completing 17 of 22 passes and throwing for two touchdowns against Duke.

“I think we’re getting closer to being a good, balanced offense,” Beamer said.

“We’re able to run it, we’re able to throw it, and one helps the other out. ... I think we’re getting closer all the time, and we need to be that this week.”

Tech’s ground game will also need to be prepared this week. The secondbest rushing attack in the ACC led by Williams has been dominant thus far, but last week it struggled unexpectedly.

Williams carried the ball 24 times for just 83 yards and didn’t score once last week against Duke — marking the

first time all season he hasn’t scored in a game.

Redshirt sophomore tailback Josh Oglesby was there to help. Oglesby finally found some success after a quiet early season, gaining 59 yards on six carries and scoring twice against the Blue Devils.

Oglesby knows his team needs to come to play this week, just like any other week.

“Whenever you’re back-to-back ACC champions, everybody’s gunning for you,” Oglesby said.

“Everybody’s like, ‘Oh man!

We play Virginia Tech this week.’

Everybody’s a little more souped up at practice.

I think we’re going to get everybody’s best shot.”

The Hokies have lost their three past regular season matchups against the Eagles. Last time the two teams met in Blacksburg, Tech lost 14-10 in the memorable Matt Ryan comeback game that every Hokie fan remembers.

“It’s been a hard team for us to beat, and you’ve got to go beat them,” Beamer said.

“They’re not going to beat themselves. I think they’re doing a great job coaching up there and a great job playing — so, that’s what we’ve got this week.”

The game will begin Saturday at noon in Lane Stadium and will be televised locally on Raycom Sports.

AY/SPPS BRIAN CL

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

RECORD

2-3 4-1 3-2 2-3 3-2 2-3

CONF. OVR.

2-0 1-0 2-1 2-1 0-1 0-2

4-1 1-3 3-1 4-1 2-3 3-2

MICHAEL SHROYER/SPPS

Left: Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor makes sure the offense lines up correctly behind the line of scrimmage. Right: Darren Evans, who currently is out for the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament, breaks through the defense in last year’s ACC championship.

Sat 10am-1am