tarred & feathered
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Hokies lose to UNC, 20-17
Friday, October 30, 2009
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COLLEGIATETIMES 106th year, issue 109
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Candidates ‘tackle’ issues Deeds, McDonnell bring their parties to Blacksburg to tailgate and talk politics
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Polls don’t matter. I’ve been down in other races. The only poll that matters is the one that’s going to be taken November 3.
MICHAEL STEELE RNC CHAIRMAN
CREIGH DEEDS CANDIDATE FOR GOVERNOR
ALLISON SANDERS/COLLEGIATE TIMES
PRIYA SAXENA/COLLEGIATE TIMES
Creigh Deeds meets and greets attendees outside of Lane Stadium before yesterday’s game.
DEEDS CAMPAIGN MAINTAINS VICTORY RESOLVE DESPITE EXPECTED LOW DEMOCRATIC TURNOUT GORDON BLOCK news reporter State senator and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Creigh Deeds has been down and out before. Trailing by as many as 6 points in a SurveyUSA poll taken only a week before the primary vote, Deeds surprised many by defeating Terry McAuliffe and Brian Moran despite being outspent by both opponents. Yet with only a few days left until voters hit the polling booths, Deeds now finds himself with his toughest challenge yet: returning from what appears to be an insurmountable deficit to defeat his Republican opponent Bob McDonnell. Deeds lost by a scant 360 votes when the two matched up in the attorney general election in 2005. Speaking at a tailgate in front of Lane Stadium before Thursday night’s home football game between Virginia Tech and University of North Carolina, Deeds was confident about
The Washington Post
his chances. “Polls don’t matter,” Deeds said. “I’ve been down in other races. The only poll that matters is the one that’s going to be taken November 3.” The numbers for Deeds have been less than encouraging. A Rasmussen poll released Wednesday, Oct. 28 has McDonnell up by 13 points, and a Roanoke College poll taken Oct. 21-27 had Deeds trailing by 17 points. “This is not where he thought he would be, and it’s certainly not where he wants to be,” said Isaac Wood, assistant communication director for the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics. A major issue going into Election Day is how many voters will make it to the polls. Deeds said he felt confident in a large turnout to the polls. “I’m going to win this race because we’re going to get the right turnout,” Deeds said. Craig Brians, an associate professor of political science at Tech, predicted turnout between 35 and 45 percent. “This will be a low turnout election,” he said. Wood said motivation has been an issue for Democrats statewide. “There has been a definite lack of energy from all proposed Democrats,” Wood said. “Even other Democrats who agree with him
haven’t been motivated to work. They don’t have that same hunger and drive as in years before.” Kathleen Newbould, a senior communication major and the president of the Young Democrats at Virginia Tech, said fatigue from the 2008 presidential election might have negatively affected student political activity. “There were some key players in the Obama campaign who just were not as active this time around,” Newbould said. “I can’t explain why this was the case this time around.” Brians criticized Deeds for not reaching out more to younger voters. “They aren’t being mobilized, at least from what I’m seeing,” Brians said. “You have to cultivate those relationships.” He said that this cultivation was important in developing what he described as a voting habit. “If young people aren’t asked to vote, they won’t go out,” Brians said. “They have to be asked over and over again.” A major issue for the Deeds campaign has been how to approach a controversial master’s thesis that McDonnell wrote as a 34-year-old student at Regent University. Reported by the Washington Post in August, the 93-page thesis, written by McDonnell in 1989, drew criticism for its views on the impact of non-traditional families, working women, and his critique of a U.S. Supreme Court decision allowing contraceptive use from unmarried couples. “It puts into context his entire record,” see DEEDS / page three
I think Bob McDonnell and the team here have offered a better alternative because it empowers people, small businesses and families.
Michael Steele, Ken Cuccinelli, Bob McDonnell and Bill Bolling make a stop at the German Club.
REPUBLICAN TICKET DISCUSSES PRIORITY ISSUES DURING A JOINT VISIT WITH ITS PARTY LEADER LIANA BAYNE news reporter While Hokie football fans saw their team face off against University of North Carolina on Thursday night, state and national Republican leaders tailgating on German Club grounds hoped for their own victories on Election Day. With polls showing Republican Bob McDonnell consistently leading by double-digits over Democrat Creigh Deeds, many are left wondering if the state that elected Barack Obama last year will have a Republican governor in November. A Washington Post poll released Tuesday showed McDonnell with an 11-point lead over Deeds among likely voters. And in a Rasmussen poll released Wednesday, McDonnell was listed as having a 13-point lead over his opponent. McDonnell, running mates Bill Bolling and Ken Cuccinelli and Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele all made appearances Thursday night as they tailgated with the College Republicans and the German Club. Steele said that the state elections would reflect on national issues. “I think the people of Virginia are concerned and they’re interested in what the leadership’s going to do,” he said.
McDonnell spoke specifically about his experiences with Virginia Tech when he was attorney general of Virginia. “I love this school,” McDonnell said. “I want to see young people going out and living the American dream.” The young vote will be essential on Election Day. Compared to other demographics, 18 to 24-year-olds generally vote the least, and in a race where one million fewer people are estimated to vote than voted in the 2008 presidential election, every ballot will count. Associate professor and associate chair of political science Craig Brians said McDonnell is currently leading because “Deeds is fundamentally a weak statewide candidate.” Deeds has fallen short in part because of the negative advertising that has characterized both sides of the campaign, Brians said. While both McDonnell and Deeds have indulged in negative advertising, Brians said that Deeds has run a poor attack strategy against McDonnell’s 1989 graduate school thesis that promoted extremely conservative social values. According to Brians, however, Deeds utilized this document in the wrong way. “Deeds is a Southern Democrat, so he knows that a lot of stuff in the thesis is going to find a sympathetic voice in
a lot of the state,” Brians said. “Many people think yeah, going back to the way things used to be before integration might not be so bad. “So if you’re Creigh Deeds, do you want to say here’s something you wrote, defend it,” Brians said, “or do you want to say Bob McDonnell has supporters that don’t know what he thinks, (so) I’m going to write an ad that says, ‘McDonnell’s a flip-flopper’?” Brians said that if Deeds had merely assumed the position of being consistent in relation to McDonnell’s “flip-flopping,” he could have more effectively used the graduate thesis against McDonnell. When the Washington Post asked registered voters who would be a more effective leader, McDonnell beat out Deed by 21 points. The Republican was also voted more trustworthy and honest than his opponent by 14 points. Finally, voters thought that McDonnell “understood the problems of people like them” by 11 points. McDonnell also won the majority in see McDONNELL / page three
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2 features
editors: topher forhecz, teresa tobat featureseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865
october 30, 2009
he she
COLLEGIATETIMES
SAID
He said: Halloween in college means new tricks and treats W
hile many Virginia Tech students toiletpapered trees and vomited candy corn during last year’s Halloween celebrations, I spent the day quietly knitting. I was in Europe where the streets aren’t aglow with pumpkins and lederhosen aren’t costumes, but normal attire. My travel abroad group was on a charter bus to Italy, and we passed the time not with ghost stories, but the construction of winter scarves. I guess if we did dress up, it would have been as wrinkled, Depends-wearing grandmothers. (We did have candy, though, and Toblerone is Swiss crack.) Now that I’m stateside for the holiday, it might seem natural to double up the intensity of weekend festivities to cover lost time. But my enthusiasm for Halloween has steadily declined over the years, and my plans have yet to formulate. I do remember, however, when the event felt monumental as a child. You’d spend hours applying fake scabs and scars in hopes of frightening neighbors into spilling their entire goody bowls into your pillowcase. Then you’d spread your winnings on the floor at home and examine Kit Kat bars for poison needle marks, though you planned on eating them anyway. And oh, how things have changed. Pillowcases are now replaced by Natty cases. And while we still knock on doors with anticipation, they open to reveal not calm living rooms, but near-orgies with what looks like the cast of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” Don’t mistake my tone for disapproval, though. Even if I’m not the one chasing a she-pirate, whose outfit consists solely of hoop earrings and two halves of a handkerchief, I understand its allure. If only one or the other, I’d absolutely choose flirtation over weaving needles through yarn. But if you want that Indian princess to see your tepee or that seductive sailor to raise your mast, your getup should be interesting. It’s a direct display of your personality and if you haven’t any, then you likely won’t get any. Still, the creative process should be thoughtful, for seemingly clever gear can backlash. I again revisit my time overseas, during which I protested shaving. With six months of hair growth and an affinity for one specific flannel shirt, I was nearly a genuine lumberjack. Yet, I doubt the look would land dudes any Catholic
schoolgirl cuties (well, maybe if they were forestry majors). For one, it’s outright dangerous because you’d obviously have to carry around an axe. More compromising, though, would be the smooching, which for ladies would feel like batting around a Scotch-Brite sponge with their tongues. But hey, if they can endure picking steel wool from their teeth, at least they know flapjacks await them in the morning. And if food actually becomes part of your wardrobe, place it carefully. I’ve always thought it would be witty for someone to cover the entirety of their bare body with everyone’s favorite Easter treat, Peeps. Although they must save space for the letter “N” on their face and the letter “S” around their man zone, labels which represent opposing, uh, poles. That guy would be, in effect, a “chick magnet.” The gals would giggle, yes, but consider the night’s progression. If you are working hard on the dance floor to win over an Egyptian queen, perspiration would melt part of your yellow, sugary attire. Cleopatra won’t get down with someone whose skin looks severely jaundiced and is fly-strip sticky. If you aim to be more brazen than a chick magnet, your romantic hopes will surely be dashed. Such a guy might slip into a body-length cardboard rectangle painted white. No, they aren’t simply a piece of sidewalk chalk. At chest level would be a sliding door revealing blue plus and minus symbols. And the only action home pregnancy tests would get is angry beatings from party guests. The irony is they’d get tossed out as someone else entered donning a diaper and a RingPop pacifier, which is also a uniform for the sexless. Yet I could very well trail behind them, fashioned as a giant ball of thread, furiously knitting their next baby blanket. Or maybe I’d donate it to Batman as he escorted a chilly Catwoman home. But don’t cats love string? Maybe I will have paws on me this Halloween.
RYAN ARNOLD -features reporter -senior -has a vegetable and fruit garden
MINA NOORBAKHSH/COLLEGIATE TIMES
She said: You can sabotage sex on Halloween F
or girls on a Halloween quest to find some trick-or-treat action, it’s hard to go wrong — even if you’re wearing some ugly getup you found in your frumpy grandmother’s closet. As long as you have a short enough skirt and your ta-ta’s have a little “oomph,” you stand a good chance of bobbing for something other than apples later on in the night. You’re a chick — and you go to a school with more men than women. A Halloween hook-up certainly won’t be difficult to achieve. But sometimes, a girl can fail. Hard. In that case, a dude won’t even want to hug you, let alone share his Snickers bar with you. You must remember that there are certain costumes that will undoubtedly get you laid, such as a prostitute. But technically, that’s what every girl’s costume is around campus. In case you’re looking for a different route to getting a Halloween trick, there are some basic guidelines you must follow in regards to your getup. First, I implore you that you limit the glitter. Glitter is the bane of a man’s existence because it gets absolutely everywhere. No man wants to wake up to find himself more sparkly than girlyman vampire Edward Cullen. If you have to get your glit on, ladies, there’s always body shimmer — glitter’s more subtle little sister. As another Halloween essential, a wig can be potentially sexy — or potentially dangerous. Even if you could never imagine giving up your trendy bob, a super-long wig
can make a late-night costume change from a Disney princess into Biblical Eve relatively simple. However, the danger lurks around the corner: You don’t know exactly where that hair might end up or what it might get tangled around. The next no-no is an awkward, bulky costume. Maybe robots will eventually enslave humanity, but that doesn’t mean that a big, boxy bot costume will peak the interest of that choice guy at the party. The same with a hooped skirt a la Maria Antoinette or that retro jack-o’-lantern bodysuit. If a dude will potentially look stupid trying to take it off you, chances are that he’s not going to risk it. There are also specific costumes that will curb your holiday satisfaction. If you’re dressed as eggs, bacon or any kind of condiment, the guy might not consider you a “culinary delight” and instead associate your costume with stinky fart smell. Also, costumes that require a partner — such as two peas in a pod, two popsicles or conjoined twins — are yet another risk. Unless a guy is feeling a Halloween twofer, chances are that he’s not going to be interested, even if your partner is the hottest of all your friends. Certain characters are also guaranteed to sabotage your attempts at getting laid. Although black cats, tigers and bats can be sexy Halloween costumes, some animals just aren’t. I know a girl who went as a horse. Yes, a horse. As evident by “horse-faced,” “horse-teeth” and a slew of other negative
phrases, the horse-girl trotted home alone that night, unsuccessful in the quest to find a suitable rider. Another terrible idea for a costume is Nintendo’s Princess Peach. Though she’s got glam hair, an awesome pink outfit and that off-the-wall Japanese cuteness, everybody knows exactly why Bowser has been kidnapping her since 1985. It will take a dedicated gamer or herpetologist to take this girl home. But the worst costume idea for some spooky time is any outfit that involves going tranny. It’s a boner buzzkill. And it doesn’t matter that your Charlie Chaplin costume took months of preparation and should win you an Oscar for costume design. Going as a man is just awkward. Chaplin may be “The Little Tramp,” but nobody’s going to tramp it up with a chick who has Hitleresque facial hair. Sorry. So just remember this Halloween: It’s hard to go wrong. If you’re in doubt about successfully scoring some popcorn balls, just hike up your skirt, puff out your chest and proceed to the nearest party. Just make sure to ditch the glitter.
LAKEN RENICK -features staff writer -senior -favorite actress: Cate Blanchett
news 3
new river valley news editor: zach crizer university editor: philipp kotlaba newseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES
McDonnell: Republican’s lead Deeds: Democratic ticket seeks to turn the tide in polls surges, evades thesis fallout from page one
Deeds said. “It helps explain why candidate Bob talks about jobs and education, but legislator Bob never focused on jobs or education, and never wrote a bill to create a job or expand educational opportunities. “He was focused on the social agenda that’s described in the thesis.” The thesis made a large impact in the polls when it was first discovered, Wood said. “It’s important to remember that when the thesis first became an issue, it did move voters’ perceptions a fair amount,” Wood said. However, the initial uproar has not been able to carry Deed’s campaign. “That inability to transition from the thesis attack to a more positive message has really taken a toll on the Deed’s campaign,” Wood said. That inability, Brians said, meant Deeds missed a “golden opportunity.” “This was a spectacular oppor-
tunity he squandered,” Brians said. “Deeds had the opportunity to have McDonnell define himself, but Deeds kept repeating lines from the thesis.” Michael Steele, chairman of the Republican National Committee, said the Virginia governor’s election could be seen as a referendum for issues on a national level. “National issues have been a part of the debate here,” said Steele who was in Blacksburg to attend a tailgate held in the parking lot of the German Club. “The people of Virginia, like the people of New Jersey, are expressing their concern and their interest in what the leadership is going to do.” Others disagree. Newbould said a Republican victory would not reflect poorly on President Barack Obama should Deeds falter. “It’s not Barack Obama running for governor of Virginia,” Newbould said. “A vote against Creigh Deeds is not necessarily a vote against Barack
Obama.” “I think people need to think twice before extrapolating results of this race on the president,” Wood said. “Virginia is just one state out of the 50.” Still, Newbould stressed the importance of the governor’s race for young voters. “The governor has more of a direct impact on our life than the president,” she said. “Some people may not consider it an important part of their lives, but it really is.” Newbould said she remained confident that Deeds would be able to turn it around. “I still think we’re going to be able to pull it out and get the win Tuesday,” Newbould said. With only five days until Virginia hits the voting booth, Deeds said he had no regrets about how he ran his campaign. “I’ve run the best campaign I could,” he said.
from page one
all categories when voters were asked who they trusted to do a better job on handling issues like women’s interests, economy, jobs, transportation issues and taxes. Both candidates continue to campaign across the state. McDonnell’s stop in Blacksburg coincided with a visit by Deeds and the Democratic ticket, which was tailgating with the Young Democrats a few parking lots away. Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele spoke about the importance of young voters to those gathered at the German Club tailgate. “This election is about you more than anything else,” Steele “said. “Questions at the national level about debt will rest on your doorstep when you graduate. You have an important stake in this game.
“I think Bob McDonnell and the team here have offered a better alternative because it empowers people, small businesses, and families.” In contrast, Brians said Deeds’ weaknesses are among the only distinguishing factors between the two opponents. Both gubernatorial candidates have spoken during debates and campaigning about lowering college tuition. “If we had better education and better roads,” McDonnell said Thursday night, “a lot of other things would be stronger.” He also said he would make higher education a priority as governor. “I’m concerned about doubling of college tuitions over the last decade and saddling people with debt,” McDonnell said. Republican candidate for attorney general Ken Cuccinelli said that his
hopes for Election Day include not just securing a Republican governor, but a statewide conservative landslide. “I’d like to see a romping victory for my whole ticket,” Cuccinelli said. Brians voiced doubts that either gubernatorial candidate would be able to make big, positive differences in the state quickly. “The governor in these times can’t really do much because usually their power comes from spending money, but there’s no money to spend,” he said. “I can’t imagine in the next two years how a new governor will be able to do much of anything without generating more revenue.” McDonnell and the rest of the Republican ticket, however, remain hopeful for Tuesday’s election. “I’m going to be the jobs governor,” McDonnell said. “I understand what young people need.”
Obama signs federal gay rights law MARGARET TALEV mcclatchy newspapers WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama on Wednesday signed the first major piece of federal gay rights legislation, a milestone that activists compared to the passage of 1960s civil rights legislation empowering blacks. The new law adds acts of violence against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people to the list of federal hate crimes. Gay rights activists voiced hope that the Obama administration would advance more issues, including legislation to bar workplace discrimination, allow military service and recognize same-sex marriages. “It’s kind of starting the conversation about the whole gay rights issue, the kind we want to have, in a positive light,” said Aimee Kanode, vice president of the interior for the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Alliance of Virginia Tech. “We needed this conversation to get started.” Congress passed the hate crimes protections as an unlikely amendment to this year’s Defense Authorization Act. Obama, speaking
at an emotional evening reception with supporters of the legislation, said that more than 12,000 hate crimes had been reported the past decade based on sexual orientation. He spoke of President Lyndon Johnson signing protections for blacks in the 1960s and said this was an extension of that work. “We must stand against crimes that are meant not only to break bones but to break spirits,” Obama said. “No one in America should ever be afraid to walk down the street holding the hands of the person they love.” Susanna Rinehart is director of Education for Diversity and Inclusion, a part of the Office for Equity and Inclusion. There was little public controversy with the Principles of Community when they came into effect in 2005, Rinhart said, but there was “some hesitation because Virginia Tech has a history of being more of a monocultural institution.” “There were challenges,” Rinehart said. “I think because, homophobia is in many ways that our community struggles, there was some resistance
at first.” Legislation barring firms from firing employees on the basis of their sexual orientation could win passage in the House of Representatives by year’s end, gay rights advocates said. More than half of U.S. states currently allow employers such freedom. Obama has promised to push Congress to repeal the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy that prohibits being openly gay while serving. A Senate panel is expected to hold a hearing on that issue next month, and legislation could be debated next year. Gay rights activists also hope for repeal next year of the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, which would give federal legitimacy to gay marriages recorded in states that allow them. The amendment signed into law Wednesday was named partly for Matthew Shepard, a 21-year-old student at the University of Wyoming who died after a 1998 beating targeting him because he was gay, and whose parents were instrumental in leading the fight for such legislation. see HATE CRIMES / page four
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Hate crimes: Bill passed after 10-year struggle from page three
The law also was named for James Byrd Jr., a black Texas man dragged to his death in a racially motivated killing the same year. Rinehart had a personal experience with this issue. Just a few years after she came to Virginia Tech, Rinehart directed “The Laramie Project,” a play about the reaction to the Matthew Shepherd murder. “To have had Matthew Shepard’s mother standing on the stage of Colonial Hall and talking about the murder of her son was profoundly affecting,” said Rinehart. The measure also extends protections to those attacked because of their gender or disability. Federal hate crimes law already covers race, religion and national origin. The new law strengthened it substantially, however, by removing a requirement that a victim must have been participating at the time of the assault in some federally protected activity, such as voting, for it to apply. The Shepards’ fight took a decade. With recent elections adding more
lawmakers who are supportive of gay rights, by 2007 the Congress had sufficient votes to pass the legislation, but then-President George W. Bush indicated that he’d veto it. Obama, campaigning last year, promised to sign it. “We had a lot of hope invested in Obama and his whole administration,” said Kanode of Tech’s LGBTA. “People are going to commit hate crimes whether or not they’re protected. We’re more excited about the fact that this conversation is beginning, the fact that LGBT legislation is starting to pass and starting to come up. More of the conversation happens after it gets signed.” Kanode said she hoped that conversation will spread and this legislation will have a domino effect. Judy Shepard issued a statement saying that she and her husband, Dennis, “are incredibly grateful to Congress and the president for taking this step forward on behalf of hate crime victims and their families, especially given the continuing attacks on people simply for living their lives openly and
honestly.” She also called on Americans to look beyond legislation and work in their own lives to advance acceptance of gays. Critics of the legislation, including several Republican congressional leaders, argued that an attack against another person is an attack, regardless of motivation, and that no special categories are appropriate. Many also voiced concerns about “thought police” and fears that the new legal protections could curb free speech if those who oppose gay rights fear they could somehow be prosecuted for publicly voicing their thoughts. But the law punishes acts — not thoughts. Gay rights advocates said that the legislation will enable the Justice Department to step in when states can’t or won’t, and will make extra federal money and resources available to local law enforcement officials who need help preventing or prosecuting such attacks. They also predicted that it would affect American society in a meaning-
ful way. “It sends a number of messages across America: that hate will not be tolerated, that this Congress and administration value all Americans,” said Joe Solmonese, the president of the Human Rights Campaign, the largest gay rights advocacy group. Malcolm Lazin, the founder of another advocacy group, Equality Forum, said the legislative progress comes at a time when reported violence against gays is on the rise. Last year, he said, 29 gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender Americans were killed because of their sexual orientation, and that since Shepard’s death, more than 16,000 hate crimes have been reported. “This is really the first federal gay rights bill,” Lazin said. “So it is a literally historic moment. This is America acknowledging homophobia as a social problem.” ct news staff writer priya saxena contributed to this report
To read the town council candidates’ final responses to CT questions, please see www.collegiatetimes.com.
Black Box Theatre to formally open today DAN WAIDELICH features reporter Virginia Tech’s brand new performance space, Theatre 101, will have it’s grand opening this weekend. The ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place today at 5 p.m. Guests will be invited to tour the building and explore the space. The 8,000-square-feet theater is a state-of-the-art performance space that will seat 80 to 120 people depending on the needs of a particular show. The theater will be open to the public this week, but it has been in constant use throughout the semester for classes, rehearsals and performances. Theatre 101 is the first building at Tech to be constructed specifically for the arts, said Patty Raun, director of the School of
Performing Arts and Cinema. In addition to being a versatile performance space, the building is also environmentally friendly. It is the first structure on the Tech campus to be registered with the U.S. Green Building Council. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design designation means that Theatre 101 was built with green initiatives in mind from the beginning. Raun said Theatre 101 was always intended to be a new link between the Department of Theatre Arts and Cinema and the Blacksburg community. “When we were in the Performing Arts Building, it was hard for people get up the courage to find us,” Raun said. “Could it be in that creepy old Victorian building? Now we’re downtown on College Avenue, and we have a face.”
opınıons 5
editor: debra houchins opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES
october 30, 2009
The Collegiate Times is an independent student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903
Our Views [staff editorial]
Remember lessons from civic classes B
y college, the idea that all citizens have a responsibility to vote has been shoved down the throat of every person forced to sit through a civics class. And we, the Collegiate Times, are reiterating it. It’s a message worth repeating because of where many of our readers, the students here at Virginia Tech, are in life. College students are in a transition between listening to teachers tell us why they should vote and actually experiencing firsthand what an impact voting can have. Think about this: Tim Kaine voted the smoking ban in restaurants into effect. That’s something that is hugely personal. Sure, it may seem obnoxious to have every candidate handing out flyers around the corner or listening to their diehard fans — and yes, sometimes supporters are more like fans — complain about the opposition, but don’t let the politics involved deter you from actually voting. It’s obvious that voting in more localized elections is far less common than voting in the presidential election.
Presidential elections are more exciting. They decide who will not only lead our nation, but who will represent it to the rest of the world. The president makes big decisions that affect everyone living in the country. Local elections might be less exciting, but they affect each person’s daily life, from where we shop to where we park downtown. One of the largest topics in the town council is the big box issue—whether or not we want super-stores in Blacksburg. Think of how different (better or worse — we’ll leave that up to the readers) life would be with a Wal-Mart around the corner from campus. So, do your civic duty, the one that your second grade teacher spent two weeks drilling into your head. Even if it gets annoying to deal with the politics in political elections, the community can only improve when well-educated votes are placed. The editorial board is comprised of Debra Houchins, Sara Mitchell, Peter Velz and Bethany Buchanan.
Your Views [letters to the editor]
Blacksburg embraces all
B
lacksburg bills itself as a special place. And over the course of this campaign, I’ve gotten to know a few reasons why: It is a special place because it provides an opportunity for a math instructor to stay in the town where she got her master’s degree and sit on town council. It’s special because an architect that raised a family here is inspired to spend his time building a future for the town. It’s special because it inspires an undergraduate college student to take time away from his studies to try to make a difference. It’s special because a person charged with maintaining good relationships with the alumni community wants to do the same for the local community. It’s special because it brings retirees from New Jersey who are willing to drive a bus and want to steer our town in new directions. It’s special because a soccer mom and business owner can somehow find enough hours in the day to run for office. It’s special because a rescue squad volunteer is willing to give even more of his time to our town, as if he hasn’t given enough already. It’s special because a writer from Virginia Tech wants to pen a new story for his community. And it’s special because it welcomed two immigrants from a far-away land and now provides their daughter with the opportunity to run for town council in the place she was born and raised. It’s special because all these people are running for the good of our shared Blacksburg. Thank you to all my fellow candidates for putting so much time, effort and heart into giving Blacksburg a choice on Election Day. Please remember to vote on Nov. 3.
KRISHA CHACHRA Gaduate student Urban affairs & planning Town council candidiate
Response to Sage’s column
A
s a columnist, Michael Sage has the right to offer his opinion on any number of issues having an effect upon the Virginia Tech community. That said, I was disappointed that he took political candidate Peggy Frank’s comments verbatim against me and did not bother to verify any of her statements. And as anyone can imagine, taking
a candidate’s statements at face value five days before an election is always a risky proposition. As a Tech administrative faculty member in Tech’s Office of Economic Development, I have been involved in all phases of economic development across the New River Valley. This year in the General Assembly, with my vote, the state added $5 million to the Governor’s Opportunity Fund. I also formed a bi-partisan Tourism Caucus in 2008, and my efforts have been credited by the Virginia Hospitality and Travel Association with helping the legislature invest an additional $2.5 million in funding for tourism. What my opponent does not say is that I have been highly critical of Gov. Kaine’s lack of focus in economic development in general and particularly here in southwest Virginia. Mr. Sage also repeats my opponent’s claim that the Governor’s Opportunity Fund is used to help rural areas compete against Northern Virginia. Nothing could be further from the truth, and state law prohibits funding to be used for one region over another. In fact, in the past eight months Gov. Kaine allocated over $5 million in GOV funds to land companies in Northern Virginia. But GOV |funding is one small piece of the puzzle. The General Assembly has allocated $120 million in state funds to help land Rolls Royce into Virginia. A portion of that money will come to support professorships and initiatives here at Tech and at the University of Virginia. I was equally troubled that Mr. Sage did not bother to conduct the simplest Google search on my opponent’s claim that I cut funding for Tech. A search, had he bothered, would have shown that in 2004 my vote was critical in passing the largest investment in funding for public education and higher education. That is one of the many reasons why groups like the Virginia Education Association, Virginia21 — A Voice of a Generation and others continue to endorse my re-election. You can go to DaveNutter.com to learn more about these endorsements and others. My support for higher education was recognized at the beginning of the academic year by the president of New River Community College when I was presented a special award for my leadership.
DAVE NUTTER House of Delegates member 7th district of Virginia
MCT CAMPUS
Candidate Bryce Carter’s efficacy evident in his work T
he greater part of my last fall semester consisted of running the Virginia Tech chapter of Students for Barack Obama. My role called me to spur others to political action, which is superficially recognized as bothering a lot of people to vote. I found the inspiration to bother so many people from the sincere and still-believed truth that I could make a difference among a cacophony of opinions, distractions and individual pursuits. The belief that one can make a difference is called efficacy. Efficacy, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is the power to produce an effect. It is manifested in the way people spend their time, which, because we’ve created the cultural “work week,” can be measured. It’s easy and convenient to not believe in your own efficacy. If you don’t believe you have it, you don’t have to feel responsible for the outcomes of your efforts or how you spend your time. My organization’s efforts last fall — alongside many other politically active groups in Montgomery County — registered more than 6,000 voters. Many of these voters were students, and some were casting ballots for the very first time. We are now in a very unique position as a student body to politically engage with the community in which we spend the majority of our time: Blacksburg. We make up more than 60 percent of the Blacksburg population and have no voice on Blacksburg Town
Council. We have a chance to change this on Nov. 3. I have a close friend who has a profound and fundamental knowledge of his own efficacy. His efficacy is rooted in years of activism as a student and community organizer, and he is emboldened with unique experiences in regard to addressing issues of equity, community and environment. His name is Bryce Carter, and he’s running for Blacksburg Town Council. I had the opportunity to listen to all the town council candidates at the SGA-hosted debate last week — and it became clear which of them have a working knowledge of the concepts of “sustainability” and “community.” With the specter of “urban growth” thrown around among the candidates, I find solace in my knowledge of Bryce’s experience as an advocate for “smart growth” and his commitment to cooperation in producing change. An example of such a commitment has manifested in the Virginia Tech Climate Action Commitment, which he helped draft as a leader of the Environmental Coalition. What all the candidates did have in common during the debate was a reverence for Bryce’s ideas. Bringing the town of Blacksburg Web site to Web 2.0-standards and setting up a Student Advisory Committee to provide input in town decision-making are just two of Bryce’s initiatives that have quickly been picked up and espoused by all the candidates.
I know very few other people as committed as Bryce to serving the student community and Blacksburg in the pursuit of our common goals, and if our values can be measured by how we spend our time, the position of town council member wouldn’t even do Bryce justice. Bryce’s commitment to public service and his willingness to engage with others, no matter how outwardly friendly they may be, or whether their values align with his own, is evidence enough for me to fully support his endeavors in this election. More importantly, I am thoroughly convinced Bryce Carter deserves my vote because he does not need to be convinced of his own efficacy — he lives it. Bryce is an example of who we all hope to be within our academic fields and among our communities: respected leaders who spend their time and commit their efforts to serving their friends and families without sacrificing their values. Perhaps living our efficacy is the only way to learn how to make our envisioned hopes and dreams real. You’ll never know your own power unless you choose to exercise it.
CHRISTOPHER COX -regular columnist -senior -communication major
Bathroom graffiti reveals inner workings of male population W
ithout encroaching on the “He said, she said” column, I would like to explain something about men that most women do not know. Men are stereotypically kind of stupid, football-obsessed and completely driven by the need to get laid. This is a very crude description of a man, but there is a trait that always remains unmentioned. The trait that most women will be shocked to learn about is that inside every man is a great writer and philosopher. If you are a woman and do not believe this, I understand. There are as many stupid women as there are stupid men — and there are a lot of stupid men. What I say is true. Most men are capable of writing magnificent poetry, thought-provoking philosophy and sidesplitting jokes. Here at Virginia Tech, there is a great deal of evidence to back me up. The men’s bathroom on the second floor of McBryde is all the proof in the world I need to support this claim. First of all, it’s not just a “men’s room” as most signs would lead one to believe. It’s the “X-Men’s” room. Some collegiate-level Stan Lee added the “X-” to the front of the door. Hilarious. Now for the men who are reading this, please bear with me as I explain to the females what our public facilities look like. Unlike the women’s restroom, which has sofas, plasma screen televisions playing opera music on a continuous loop and an omelet bar, the men’s room is fairly more pedestrian. Nothing more than sinks, stalls and urinals. It is in these plain looking, foul-smelling stalls where the works of today’s Kafkas can be found. The last stall in the second floor men’s room in McBryde is known as “the counseling stall.” This is where many disillusioned young men come to think about their problems. The
“
I hope that the women who read this will understand that men cannot be classified in cultural stereotypes.
wall to one’s left while sitting on the toilet of this stall is a fantastic mural of ideas and opinions from the mind of the average male student. The name of the stall is written in pencil as “The counseling stall, need advice write down your problem and you will get an a—hole and a nice response.” The majority of real questions have either been smudged beyond recognition or are far too personal for me to share in this column. I cannot, in good conscience, expose the outpourings of the hearts of men. However, I can in good conscience share some of the advice and counteradvice given to those individuals. “‘And I set my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly, I perceived that this also is grasping for the world. For in much wisdom is much grief, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.’ King Solomon.” A slice of the Old Testament written just to the right of the toilet paper. Below this quote someone wrote, “Seek the one who can fulfill the heart.” Then there is an arrow pointing to this line that reads “Quaker oatmeal?” and one below that that says “More like Christ ... ” On this one quote, two different people have added their personal annotations to the line. One inserted “Craig” before “Christ” and another person inserted “Buddy” before “Christ.” Brilliant. To the right of these ideas, was a problem that has become illegible. I can only guess that the severity of the situation was immense to get a response such as this: “Dude, what
you need is passion! You can’t create it, you find it. You’re doing the wrong thing with your life. Quit it! Try new things until you get excited. There is something for you, I am sure of it. I will pray for you.” Warms your heart doesn’t it? If one ever needs proof for the metaphorical “brotherhood of men,” there it is. Judging by the handwriting, that same person also wrote this line: “You may wonder why a Christian is writing on the wall. ... Well, if writing on the wall can help someone, I will write on every wall.” Two notable responses to this rather pious declaration include, “What a legitimizing non-condonable excuse for graffiti ... or not,” and the other is “Getting high (on weed) keeps me from punching people like you in the face.” I don’t want to write too extensively about the drug-fueled writings of “the counseling stall” so I will only hit you with one more quote from this topic: “God is good, man is not. Man made coke, god made pot.” Wonderful. There is no shortage of opinions or ideas on these walls. If it weren’t for the rancid stench, I would almost pity the half of our population that will never see these manuscripts first hand. I hope that the women who read this will understand that men cannot be classified into cultural stereotypes. We are not all Homer Simpsons and Peter Griffins. Look around ladies — Hemingways, Davids, Charlemagnes and Lincolns surround you.
VINCENT GUIDA -regular columnist -sophomore -industrial & systems engineering major
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ACROSS 1 Tubular chocolate snack 5 Like secret rituals 11 Tube top 14 Support, in a criminal way 15 Headgear on some runways 16 Actor Vigoda 17 Drones losing their pep? 19 a.k.a., in corporate-speak 20 Kenan’s comedy partner 21 Baltic capital 22 __-Z: highperformance Camaro 23 Train former senator Dole to do without? 28 More than fortunate 30 Grandeur 31 Brand of bubbly 32 Open a __ worms 33 The first indication that I had one too many last night? 40 Tongue and liver 41 Genetic molecules 42 As you like it 45 Lydian king known for his wealth 48 Earp in a stage show? 50 Man or Mull 51 Small batteries 52 Shad delicacy 55 Pontiac muscle car 56 Skater Katarina enjoying a Camel? 60 Grant, e.g.: Abbr. 61 Do the Wright thing? 62 Swedish furniture chain 63 Sentence units: Abbr. 64 Approached 65 One with a list DOWN 1 Peddle 2 Theater award
By Dan Naddor
3 College hazing period 4 1940s Giants manager Mel 5 When many shops open 6 Fixed 7 Conspiracy 8 Exist 9 Dundee denial 10 Slalom curve 11 Elite training squads 12 “Who’s on First?” straight man 13 “Great!” 18 Nest egg components, for short 22 Start of a rule that keeps you from spelling weirdly? 24 Ballpark figure 25 Mosque VIP 26 Madcap 27 “This is __ for Superman!” 28 Mercedes rival 29 Mauna __ 32 Brain and spinal cord: Abbr. 34 Bird house 35 Cat, south of the border
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36 Santa Monica-toJacksonville rte. 37 Picketing 38 19th Greek letter 39 Frying sound 42 Aptly named mod model 43 Pearl harborer 44 Raptor’s grabbers 45 Pure 46 Chewed (out)
10/30/09
47 __ buco 49 Golden Horde member 53 Military service designation 54 New York cardinal 56 Pale 57 “__ seen enough!” 58 Actress Carrere 59 Tease
sports 7
editors: joe crandley, alex jackson sportseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES
october 30, 2009
Wrestling recruits fifth-best in nation
Young talent shines for women’s tennis team as Newman, Betts excel at weekend tournament GARRETT RIPA
NICK CAFFERKY sports staff writer The Virginia Tech wrestling team is finally starting to reap the benefits of success in the form of top recruits. After a season where the team set records in team wins (20) and the number of players sent to the NCAA Tournament (8), the Hokies brought in the fifth-best recruiting class in the nation according to WIN-Magazine. The recruiting class holds eight wrestlers from schools nationwide and features some of the top high school wrestlers in the nation. Three members of the recruiting class, Erik Spjut, Taylor Knapp and Hayden Countryman, own 11 state titles among themselves. “We’re going after anybody that’s good,” said head coach Kevin Dresser. “We have a good product here, and obviously by our results last year, a lot of kids are strongly considering Virginia Tech.” Countryman, who wrestled for Prattville High School in Alabama, achieved the rare feat of winning five state titles — something only possible if one wins the state championship in the eighth grade as well as all four years of high school. “Winning states in the eighth grade was kind of overwhelming,” Countryman said. “Alabama isn’t that great of a wrestling state, but to be able to win when I was that young, it’s kind of hard to put into words.” Just four years ago, this pull of talent would have seemed impossible. Having finished with a losing record four out of the five years between 2002 and 2007, the team turned to a local legend. Dresser coached high school wrestling for 18 years at Christiansburg and Grundy high schools, winning 13 state titles. In the three years he’s been at Tech so far, Dresser has brought that same winning tradition and intensity to Blacksburg. “He has a great work ethic, and he puts a lot of time into the team, which motivates us to work harder,” Spjut said. During the first two seasons, the team struggled under its new coach, but last year, the Hokies shocked everyone, improving by 13 wins and going undefeated in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The quick turnaround was largely a result of the freshman wrestlers.
sports staff writer
157 pounds Pratville, Ala.
COUNTRYMAN 149 pounds Lawrenceville, Ga.
KNAPP 133 pounds The Woodlands, Texas
SPJUT “With freshmen, you never know how they are going to react,” Dresser said. “Our freshmen last year were able to step it up and wrestled more like juniors and seniors.” Now in his fourth season as head coach, Dresser has turned the Hokies into a team that is seen as an up-and-coming on the national scene — something that has helped recruiting immensely. “I knew the talent that (Tech) had coming in the year before me with Jarrod (Garnett) and Jesse (Dong),” Knapp said. “I knew that it was a rebuilding year and that they were on the rise.” Even though there is a lot of optimism regarding this upcoming season, Knapp said the greatest benefits of such strong recruiting classes will be in the years to come. “To be in a recruiting class like this is promising because we know we’ll be good for a while. We are the up-and-coming team now, and by the time we are juniors and seniors, we can shoot for a national title.”
The Virginia Tech women’s tennis team gained a multitude of victories this past weekend at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Atlantic Region Championships. The event featured 26 schools representing 23 countries and was held on Tech’s campus at the Burrows-Burleson Tennis Center. The doubles champion and singles finalists qualify for the ITA National Indoor Championships to be held at Yale University on Nov. 5-8. Freshman Christin Newman, seeded fifth in singles won three matches on her way to the quarterfinals. In the quarters, Newman faced off against University of Virginia sophomore Lindsey Hardenbergh, who was seeded second. After jumping out to a 2-1 lead, Newman surrendered five consecutive games to lose the first set. In the second set, however, she kept it close, nabbing four games and forcing many deuce points. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough, and Newman lost to Hardenbergh, 6-2, 6-4. “Every game was deuce,” Newman said. “I lost every game by a point.” Midway through, Newman began to switch up pace on the ball in an effort to keep Hardenbergh off-balance. However, her serve was a major factor in the loss. “My serve usually places well but today I was getting a little tight because I was nervous,” Newman said. “I know I had to win my service game in order to prepare for her service game.” Despite the loss, Newman was happy with advancing to the quarterfinals in such a large tournament. “I’ve done really well,”
she said. “It would have been a huge upset to beat her.” Head women’s tennis coach Terry Ann Zawacki-Woods was also pleased with the performance. “We haven’t had an individual get to the quarters in a few years,” Zawacki-Woods said. “I’m definitely impressed with (Christin).” In doubles action, the Hokies had two teams reach the quarterfinals. Instead of the best-of-three set format used for singles, doubles matches only consist of an eightgame pro-set in which the first team to win eight games wins the match. Newman paired up with sophomore Shannon Betts, needing to win two matches to qualify for the main draw. After reaching the main draw, they won two more matches, landing them in the quarterfinals. Their first round victory came as an upset over the eighthseeded team from Virginia Commonwealth University. “We were like the Cinderella team,” Newman said. “We won four matches and it was our first time playing together.” Their run came to an end in the quarterfinals, however, when they lost to the second seeded Marshall University squad, 8-5. The pair would enjoy playing together again in the future. “We started understanding each other’s games and where we like to serve,” Betts said. “We will have a lot more confidence together.” Tech’s other doubles team reaching the quarterfinals consisted of sophomore Martha Blakely and junior Holly Johnson. Although seeded fifth, they lost a close quarterfinals match to the fourth seeded team from Old Dominion
LUKE MASON/SPPS
Sophomore Courtney Rauscher winds up to return the ball during competition at the Hokie Fall Invitational on Oct. 3. University. Tech had a 7-6 lead in the set, needing to win just a single additional game to claim the victory. However, ODU went on to win three straight games, earning a 9-7 victory. Tech fought hard at the end, but its opposition outplayed it. “The one girl served amazingly,” Johnson said. This tournament marked only the second event Blakely and Johnson have played together this fall. An injury originally kept Johnson sidelined.
Now that she is back, the pair looks to improve its results in the future. “I’m happy to see our doubles teams starting to come together,” Zawacki-Woods said. “Overall, there were a lot of good things and a lot we still need to work on. We will take a look at how we got beat.” The Hokies return to action at the Landings Invitational this coming weekend in Savannah, Ga. Conference dual-matches do not begin until late this February.
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8 features
editors: topher forhecz, teresa tobat featureseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865
october 30, 2009
COLLEGIATETIMES
Wrap up your Halloween costume
MARY ANNE CARTER -features reporter -junior -collects vintage hats
Toilet Paper
E
ven with Halloween right around the corner, many Hokies likely still have no idea what they will be frolicking down Main Street dressed as this weekend. For those who still are in a Halloween costume pinch, here are a few final suggestions.
Baked Potato
Fruit Roll-Ups
Butter up to this warm pocket of grease
Sweet and sticky without the mess of a gusher
Off the wall costume or a college girl’s dream? The baked potato costume offers a cozy reflective shell ideal for strobe light grinding and spur of the moment tanning. What more could a costume offer?
I’m always intrigued by the girls who find ways to sex-ify my favorite childhood memories. Nothing is off limits to them as they tarnish fairy tales, television shows and herds of innocent animals. This year, why not glorify (ruin) everyone’s favorite lunch box treat by rolling up in this fruity frock?
You wil need: Tube dress (see Fruit Roll-Ups) Aluminum foil Packing tape Yellow card stock
You wil need: Brightly colored stretch fabric Needle and thread Plastic wrap Packing tape
How-to: Slip on tube dress and wrap yourself in aluminum foil several times. Tape or pin in place. Cut butter shape out of card stock and wear as necklace, glue it to a headband, or nestle it between your steamy crevices.
How-to: Wrap a piece of brightly colored stretch fabric around yourself inside out, pinning in place so that it is as tight as possible. Sew along pins, trim away excess material and turn right-side out. Cut at desired length. Wrap yourself in plastic wrap several times, covering the stretch fabric. Tape in place.
Halloween recipes that treat with no tricks Take the edge off that sugar buzz with a savory meal loaded with harvest staples and fewer calories than your typical Halloween fare.
Fact: Everyone likes the funny girl. Fact: Even if you don’t want to admit it, everyone laughs at a good poop joke. Do the math and watch your legs divide as your popularity multiplies.
You wil need: Tube dress (see Fruit Roll-Ups) Toilet paper Safety pins Packing tape Brown, yellow or red paint optional
How-to: While wearing a tube dress, wrap toilet paper around yourself until you are covered completely. Pin in place and use tape if necessary. Paint faint streaks of brown, yellow, red or all three for a particularly foul touch.
You wil need:
You wil need: 1 1/2 cups flour 3/4 cup sugar 3/4 cup canned pumpkin 2 eggs 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1/4 cup water 3/4 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp salt 1/2 cup chocolate chips Several pinches of cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice or pumpkin pie spice
How-to: 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and coat muffin tins or cake pan with vegetable oil or cooking spray. 2. Mix wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients. Slowly fold in dry ingredients. Stir smooth. 3. Fill muffin tins or cake pan 3/4 full and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
Pasta with pumpkin sauce and fresh red pepper
Hit a brown note over this vile costume
Moist pumpkin chocolate chip bread
Compensate for a night you cannot remember with a breakfast you cannot forget. And it takes less time to make than it does to track down that other half of last night’s pizza.
1/2 cups canned pumpkin 1/2 cup vegetable Broth 1/2 cup soy or cow milk 1 tbsp of minced garlic 2 tbsp of olive oil 1 1/2 tsp sage 1 or 2 red bell peppers, coarsely chopped Parmesan, salt and pepper to taste Pasta of your choice
Time: 30 minutes Servings: Four heaping bowls of deliciousness How-to: 1. Saute garlic and red pepper in olive oil for three to four minutes. Reduce heat; add pumpkin, milk, broth and sage. 2. Simmer for 10 minutes, remove from heat and serve on a bed of pasta. 3. Grate parmesan cheese over top, add salt and pepper as needed and enjoy.
5