Thursday, November 19, 2009
An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903
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COLLEGIATETIMES 106th year, issue 119
News, page 2
Features, page 5
Opinions, page 3
Local retiree cultivates holiday tradition RYAN ARNOLD features reporter Clusters of red, orange and yellow speckled the distant mountains. The changing seasons drained the deciduous forests of their pulse, yielding a sea of barren brown. Yet the air swelled with life as David Huffman strolled through his property, which boasts endless rows of fragrant Christmas trees. They flexed strong limbs with vivid shades of green. He asked me to smell the needles of a Concolor Fir and guess the scent. I couldn’t pinpoint it. “How about tangerine?” he asked. Huffman owns Spruce Ridge Tree Farm in Newport, which is a 20-minute drive from Blacksburg on U.S. 460 West.
He maintains the 30 rolling acres almost entirely by himself, and the responsibilities aren’t only when sleigh bells start to ring. Huffman tends to the expansive crops nearly yearround to ensure his fall offering looks and performs its best. After leaving a job with a Roanoke lumber company in 1989, Huffman chose to pursue a familiar hobby. Both his brother and an uncle once worked on Christmas tree farms, and Huffman decided to extend the tradition. In 1991, he planted an initial three acres of trees on land owned by his wife’s parents. “I plant them all by hand,” Huffman said. “There’s no machines.” see TREES / page five
CALLIE HYDER/SPPS
Students’ lost data still missing JENNIFER DAWOOD news staff writer Despite a massive search, the Virginia Department of Education has been unable to retrieve lost data from a flash drive containing the personal information for about 104,000 former Virginia students. The data were deemed lost on Sept. 22 after being transferred from a VDOE employee to a Virginia Tech employee. “We have no information at this point that (the device) has been found, or that anyone has accessed the data or attempted to do anything with it. It is lost”, said Charles B. Pyle, VDOE spokesman. VDOE stores sensitive information on approximately 1.2 million individuals, in addition to Virginia school students. “We take this very seriously,” Pyle said. “It’s a solemn responsibility to ensure that their privacy rights under state and federal law are protected.” The transfer of the flash drive took place on Sept. 21 at a departmental
meeting in Richmond. VDOE has a contract with the Virginia Tech Center for Assessment, Evaluation and Educational Programming to conduct research and analysis related to required federal reporting. The information on the flash drive was involved in the required research, and the Tech employee involved in the exchange confirmed the device had been lost on the following day. At the time of the device transfer, VDOE policy mandated that sensitive data put on flash drives had to be encrypted. However, the department employee failed to comply. The information included social security numbers for about 104,000 adults who either enrolled in adult education programs or took a state high school equivalency between 2001 and 2009. “Our efforts and the efforts of the folks at Virginia Tech to retrace footsteps, and every place that was visited subsequent to the meeting did not result in the flash drive being found,” Pyle said. After being unable to recover the
information, VDOE notified the individuals whose data were lost. It also created a mailing list to contact these individuals, including 77,577 former students for whom addresses were available. Letters were sent to these people informing them about the data loss that started arriving in mailboxes around Oct. 14. Since then, several thousand have returned undeliverable. VDOE also released a public statement with a phone number hotline with hopes that the 25,693 people whose addresses were not available would be properly notified. “Our call center has received several hundred calls so far,” Pyle said. Since the incident VDOE has modified their policy regarding the handling of sensitive information to prohibit the use of flash drives. “Anything that could lead to the identification of individuals has to be transferred using our secure Web portal that is designed for this very purpose, so (the information) is never on a disc or drive that could be lost, misplaced or stolen,” Pyle said.
Darwin giveaway raises eyebrows KATIE ROBIDOUX news staff writer As part of a nationwide “Origin into Schools” campaign, volunteers were on campus Wednesday to distribute 2,000 free copies of Charles Darwin’s “Origin of Species,” including a special introduction advocating a creationist counterpoint. The books, sponsored by evangelist Ray Comfort and actor Kirk Cameron, include a 50-page introduction attempting to counter Darwin’s theory of evolution. Campaign volunteers are visiting 100 of the country’s top universities in the nation to hand out a total of 100,000 copies, coinciding with the 150th anniversary of the book’s publication on Nov. 21. Comfort’s introduction is written from a creationist point of view and argues that Darwin was wrong in his conclusions on evolution. Sections claiming Darwin was an atheist and evolution is a logical precedent Adolf Hitler’s policies of genocide have ignited nationwide controversy. Biological theorist Richard Dawkins has recomended ripping out the 50 pages, and the Secular Student Alliance has urged protests at the dropoff points. Volunteers declined to comment, except that the introduction was an effort to debunk evolution. They
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on the web
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Check out our Web site at www.collegiatetimes.com for a PDF of Ian Broverman’s satirical response, “Darwigin of Species.”
expected to receive bad reviews from some readers, particularly atheists. Organizer Kirk Cameron, known for his role in 1980s TV show Growing Pains, stated the book incorporated “the history of evolution, a timeline of Darwin’s life, Adolf Hitler’s undeniable connection with the theory, Darwin’s racism, and his disdain for women” in a Sept. 21 video posting on his Web site LivingWaters.com. The campaign stresses it is providing readers with an opportunity to compare Darwin’s work and its counterpoints on a side-by-side on equal basis and free of censorship. Ian Broverman, an engineer who has worked with Tech on robotic installations, wrote a lighthearted text on the Internet called “Darwigin of Species” seeking to refute Comfort’s special introduction. “I think they have the right to promote their message, but most people have heard that message, and have made a
Sports, page 6
Classifieds, page 4
Sudoku, page 4
Power shift Tech considers new coal plant initiatives, fuels SARAH WATSON news staff writer The use of coal as a fuel source in Virginia Tech’s steam plant continues to ignite controversy and conflict as groups such as Tech’s Sierra Club chapter pressure the university to eliminate coal altogether. Tech’s steam plant provides most of the heat on campus and consists of five boilers, two of which are run on coal — the cause of much of the dispute between departments, organizations, and environmentalists in the Tech community. Haiz Oppenheimer of Green Corps was hired by the Sierra Club to help mentor its on-campus student organization and campaign to eliminate Tech’s coal use, replacing it with “more sustainable” energy sources. He admits it is not an easy task. “The coal industry has such a lock on the economy,” Oppenheimer said. Tech, by itself, produces approximately 23 percent of Blacksburg’s greenhouse gas emissions. Activists are quick to seize upon that figure when calling for the university to substitute coal with natural gas or sustainably-sourced biomass. “Neither option is all that great, but that’s what we are faced with for the next few years,” Oppenheimer said. The plant is a “balancing act,” said Dennis Cochrane, sustainability program manager at Tech. Although aware of the negative impacts of coal on the environ-
MARK UMANSKY/SPPS
Virginia Tech officials are currently exploring new sustainability initiatives, including less reliance on coal and updating equipment. ment, Cochrane said it was currently also Tech’s most reliable option. The transition from coal is not limited to trying to cap emissions. Concerns about coal’s detrimental impacts on health at Tech are also used to justify a phase-out of the fossil fuel, Oppenheimer said. He maintained that coal caused respiratory problems, including asthma, because of the pollutants — carbon dioxide, mercury, and arsenic, among others — that are emitted during the burning process. The reasons add up for members of Beyond Coal at Virginia Tech, who ask that the university elimi-
nate the burning of coal at Tech by the year 2020. Still, Cochrane said that although coal has some harmful effects, fossil fuel, at the moment, “works best for us” at Tech’s plant. The search for alternative fuels is far from over. Facilities has replaced outdated pipes and updated burner units on non-coal boilers, thereby conserving energy and reducing the number of pollutants emitted. In addition, a baghouse gas scrubber, an environmental cleaning device, was placed on an older boiler to “anticipate tighter restrictions.” see COAL / page two
Protest calls for end of coal by 2020 With chants of “No coal, Hokies,” scores of students gathered outside the Graduate Life Center at Donaldson Brown to celebrate No Coal Day on Nov 18. Approximately 60 students attended the rally, organized by the Virginia Tech Beyond Coal campaign. “Our university tagline is invent the future,” said Bryce Carter, a student and former town council candidate. “I say, let’s invent the right future.” The rally was one of many held across Virginia on college campuses such as Roanoke College and The College of William and Mary. Richard Rich, professor of politiCALLIE HYDER/SPPS cal science, spoke out against the use of coal at Tech, comparing it Students from Virginia Tech Beyond Coal protest outside of the to apartheids of the mid-to-late Graduate Life Center to call for an end to on-campus coal use. 1900s. Dodson announced that its leadRich said that universities rid develop a plan to cease coal use in themselves of investments with the on-campus steam plant within ers would meet with members businesses in South Africa, knowing a year. In the same timeframe, the of the administration, including they could make a profit, but also organization is pushing for creat- Vice President for Administrative ing an inventory of coal sources Services Sherwood Wilson and knowing that it was “wrong.” President for “With all we know about the bad and ceasing coal purchases from Associate Vice Facilities Mike Coleman, on Dec. 2. effects of coal, we need to divest mountaintops. “This is about saving the soul of “Lastly, we ask to stop burning because it’s the right thing to do,” coal in the cogeneration plant by the university,” Rich said. Rich said. Beyond Coal proposes that the 2020,” said Kara Dodson, coalition by sarah watson university commission a study to facilitator for Beyond Coal.
H1N1 vaccine goes viral
LUKE MASON/SPPS
Free copies of Darwin’s book included a controversial preface. choice,” Broverman said. “It has more of an impact on how people view religion and faith. ... It drives people away.” Student responses were mixed, with some accepting and others refusing copies altogether. Others said they took them in an effort to be polite but did not intend to read it. “I don’t plan on reading the book,” said Amanda Heffelfinger, a junior psychology major. “I just took it because I didn’t want to say no.” Gordon Block contributed to this report.
A nurse in McComas Hall gives senior aerospace engineer Andrew Plumb his H1N1 flu vaccination yesterday. The next vaccine clinic will be held on Dec. 2. photo by callie hyder
2 news
new river valley news editor: zach crizer university editor: philipp kotlaba newseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES
Students to share experiences abroad Coal: University LAURA JENSEN news staff writer
International students will share their experiences studying and living abroad as part of this year’s “International Experiences” speech contest. The event, part of International Education Week and sponsored by Phi Beta Delta, will take place tonight at 7 p.m. in Fralin Auditorium. Hosts of the event hope to promote study abroad experiences that are offered through the university, not only from American students studying in foreign countries, but also from international students currently
check it out
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What: International Experiences Speech Contest Where: Fralin Auditorium When: 7 p.m.
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studying at Tech. In order to qualify, students were asked to submit a five-minute speech discussing their experiences during their study abroad time. The winner will be awarded $50 in cash prizes. The topics range from the silly and surprising, to more serious ones as well. For example, Eric Hodges, a gradu-
ate student in philosophy, will discuss an interesting new taste he experienced while in China, having tried a restaurant’s infamous cooked snake. In contrast, another student will speak about her experience when her parents were taken hostage by terrorists. The speakers will be graded on a variety of different categories, including “the origin of the topic, quality of delivery, (and) content and promotion of international education,” said Don Black, director of the Language and Culture Institute. “I’m looking forward to some great speeches to hear about the students’ backgrounds,” Black said.
LooP In the
Stuck in the 'burg for Thanksgiving break? Check out the events of the upcoming weeks.
[Monday, November 23]
What: 'International Experiences' Speech Contest Where: Fralin Auditorium When: 7 p.m. Cost: Free
What: Singing Darwin Where: Armory Gallery When: 7 p.m. Cost: Free
What: Men's Ice Hockey vs. UVa Where: Roanoke Civic Center When: 7:30 p.m. Cost: $4
looks to future
If you would like an event featured in our calendar, e-mail featureseditor@collegiatetimes.com with event details, including cost. COURTESY OF DENNIS COCHRANE
[Thursday, November 19]
[Friday, November 20]
“Around 1,000 students go abroad every year, and from those, they have all returned with very interesting experiences.” Hosts for the night include the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences Sue Ott Rowlands in addition to Black. “We hope to encourage other students to study abroad,” said Betty Watts, an administrative assistant at the Office of International Research, Education and Development. “We want people to share how their experience has affected them on all facets of life.” The event is open to students, faculty and the general public.
What: Mannheim Steamroller Where: Roanoke Civic Center When: 4 p.m. Cost: $45, $59
[Tuesday, November 24]
What: The Pimps of Joytime Where: Attitudes When: 9 p.m. Cost: $10 Note: 18+
What: Red Panda Feeding Where: Mill Mountain Zoo When: 2 p.m. Cost: $7.50
[Saturday, November 21]
[Wednesday, November 25]
What: House of Fools and the Rosco Where: Champs When: 9 p.m. Cost: $5
What: DJ Night Where: Awful Arthur's When: 10 p.m. Cost: Cover
[Thursday, November 26] Happy Thanksgiving!
What: Frontiers (Journey Tribute) Where: Awful Arthur's When: 10 p.m. Cost: Cover
Want to catch a flick? Check out the Informant at The Lyric from Nov. 27 to Dec 2. Ticket prices are between $4 and $5. Go to www.thelyric.com for showtimes. Feeling inspired? Stop by the Experiential Gallery at 216 Kent Square to experience learning through digital and technology-based arts.
Reason #37 to buy your 2010 Virginia Tech Bugle Yearbook
Because campus won’t look the same for long. Live the tradition. Together. The 2010 Virginia Tech Bugle Yearbook
On sale now bugleonline.com
The university is currently testing switchweed as a potential fuel source to supplement coal in the on-campus power plant boilers. from page one
Additionally, No. 6 fuel oil, a thick substance, has been replaced with No. 2 oil, similar to that of diesel. Tech has made significant adjustments in the past few years, said Ben Myers, director of utilities and building systems at Tech. “Its going to be difficult, but we are moving in that direction,” Myers said. Cochrane and Myers both claimed that Tech has gone well beyond the minimal requirements for the steam plant, as established by the Environmental Protection Agency. Nevertheless, they acknowledged the need for more change to maintain the plant’s productivity and environmental health. “We are not 100 percent where we want or need to be,” Myers said. In June 2009, the Board of Visitors approved the Climate Action Commitment Resolution, calling for a reduction in greenhouse gases to 2000 levels by 2025. The resolution was pursued in place of committing to a broader, nationwide effort, the American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment. The resolution aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions of 80 percent below the 1995 levels. “President Steger made a huge and bold step,” Cochrane said. Oppenheimer also commended Steger and the commitment in principle, but expressed disappointment at the details. “It’s a great opening shot but the resolution is too generic, with vague language,” Oppenheimer said. “The plan was comprehensive, but the resolution cut out all the hard parts.” “Burning carbon fuels cannot be sustained into the infinite future,” Myers said. “We need to merge with technology.” Tech is currently testing the practice of burning coal with another material. Switchgrass, a renewable source cleaner than coal or other fossil fuels, is currently the most viable option, Cochrane said It is also native to the region, which
would reduce transportation costs and pollution. After a period of using both switchgrass and coal, the results will be measured and the situation will be assessed. Tech also hired Pepco, an energy service company, to do an audit of six buildings on campus. This audit assesses energy use and produces substantial ideas to make Tech more energy efficient. While advances in technology will open more doors for Tech in the energy sector, Director of Green Engineering Sean McGinnis believes Tech needs to take action now. “We can’t just wait for new technology, McGinnis said. “We need to act now.” He believes the focus needs to be on more immediate goals of efficiency and conservation. McGinnis said these options, including simple investments in fluorescent light bulbs and turning off lights, are easy and cheap, McGinnis said. Changes to the plant itself, however, can only be accomplished in the longer term. They would take approximately 20 years, McGinnis said. Boilers would need to be upgraded and more sustainable materials would be utilized. “This is the most costly and takes the most time,” McGinnis said. “If we just move to a new technology without focusing on efficiency or conservation, we are still throwing energy away.” Changing ideas and behaviors when it comes to personal conservation comes with its own fair share of difficulties, however. “Most people aren’t willing to change their lifestyles drastically,” McGinnis said. Whether it’s personal responsibility or collective action, leaders agree only a broad, sustained effort can achieve real environmental change at Tech. Cochrane said that teamwork is the only way for Tech to reach its objective of reducing energy usage and conserving energy that we need. “All buildings (on campus) are affected by the steam plant,” he said.
opınıons 3
editor: debra houchins opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com/540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES
november 19, 2009
Dim and Wit: For complete study materials, consider a dictionary
The Collegiate Times is an independent student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903 Collegiate Times Editorial Staff Editor in Chief: Sara Mitchell Managing Editors: Peter Velz, Bethany Buchanan Production Manager: Thandiwe Ogbonna Public Editor: Justin Graves News Editors: Zach Crizer, Philipp Kotlaba News Reporter: Gordon Block Features Editors: Teresa Tobat, Topher Forhecz Features Reporters: Ryan Arnold, Mary Anne Carter, Dan Waidelich Opinions Editor: Debra Houchins Sports Editors: Joe Crandley, Alex Jackson Sports Reporters: Ed Lupien, Ray Nimmo, Ryan Trapp, Melanie Wadden, Thomas Emerick Sports Staff Writers: Garrett Busic, Matt Collette, Hattie Francis Copy Editor: Mika Rivera Layout Designers: Kelly Harrigan, Josh Son, Lindsey Bachand, Sara Spangler, Cecilia Lam Illustrator: Mina Noorbakhsh Multimedia Editor: Kevin Anderson Multimedia Reporter: James Carty, Riley Prendergast Online Director: Zach Swasey Online Programmer: Jamie Chung Collegiate Times Business Staff Business Manager: David Harries
Your Views [letters to the editor]
Crime spoils Tech community
A
s a senior here at Tech, I’ve never felt like Blacksburg was a town with a crime problem. But, unfortunately, a few bad apples can ruin things for everyone. During a party this weekend at my apartment in Pheasant Run, a collection of items, including digital cameras, video games and an iPod were stolen from my roommates and me. What was most upsetting was the fact that my camera had an album of photos on it that were part of an academic project that I will no longer be able to complete. While I am certainly not naive enough to believe this letter will result in the return of these items by individuals who realize they might have made a mistake in stealing, especially from a house that offered them a party to attend, I hope it might bring to light a problematic issue. I have always been impressed by the overall friendliness of Hokies and how tight-knit our community is, and it’s unsettling to have to address this concern. I’ve spoken to other students, and I know larceny has become an issue here at Tech, on and off campus. The Collegiate Times’ Web site has a Campus Crime Database that cites data on reported criminal activity on campus and the specifics of each case. Larceny is far and away the most prevalent crime on campus with 362 reported cases. I’m sure I can speak for other students in saying that it is unacceptable that we should have to worry about theft from our fellow classmates. Physical items can be replaced when lost or stolen, but regaining an atmosphere of security after it has been breached is a more difficult task. Hokies have shown in the past that they can bond together for a common cause, be it a football game, the Big Event or a campus tragedy. Tech should represent excellence in academics, community service and athletics, but it should also exemplify a safe place to live; don’t tarnish Tech’s image with theft, dishonesty and crime.
ERIC SPAIN senior history & business major
Criticizing media shows naivete
G
abi Seltzer, when writing the column “News networks should be responsible with broadcasts” (CT, Nov. 16), makes an irresponsible argument when putting pressure on news organizations rather than the citizen. It is up to individuals to censor and interpret the validity of information presented to them. News stations have the freedom to choose their stories and are not obligated to follow someone’s idealistic model of what a news organization should be. First off, the column narrowmindedly makes the assumption that network news stations as a whole are politically and ideologically biased. Although some programs are biased, the writer overlooked that some network programs primarily relay the news with little com-
mentary and interviews. Each program needs to be reviewed individually. When watching any news station, whether it is Fox News, CNN or MSNBC, the viewers need to ask themselves simple questions such as: “Where is this information coming from?” “Who is giving this information?” and “Is this information based on fact or opinion?” Although that sounds rather elementary, the author did not ask herself those questions consistently. The rating system stations use is a representation of the freemarket. Our country is comparatively young, yet is a world power because of the freedom to choose. The best companies, people, markets, etc. are successful because people determine what goods and services are suitable for them. You cannot criticize the news organizations for the rating system because they are simply meeting the demands of their viewership. To argue that one news station is more biased than another is too trivial to consider relevant. Obviously liberals will argue Fox News is too biased whereas conservatives will argue MSNBC is too biased. People have the freedom to choose and naturally gravitate to stations with beliefs similar to their own. Fox News, CNN and MSNBC all have programming that is either primarily news or primarily commentary. To categorize a news station off of a single biased program such as Fox’s Glenn Beck or MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow is ignorant and irresponsible. Because certain programs are biased, an individual needs to assess news programming as a whole to be better informed. People should not expect to be spoon-fed the news, accepting it passively. It is nonsensical to turn on one news station every day while being oblivious to other stations’ programming. People should be aware each news program slants or spins most issues. Rather than complain, an individual should take the initiative to seek out more information on a specific issue from another news station or online. It is the responsibility of the individual to form his or her own opinion, rather than be uneducated and submissive. The aforementioned column blamed news networks for the fact that “people are so utterly misinformed about America’s most important issues,” leading to Americans wondering why there is little being done politically. This argument is so closeminded and naive that it cannot be taken seriously. Politics currently dominate network news headlines. It would be ineffective for each station to sit down and review in excessive detail each political story and fact-check each government plan. They simply give the viewer an overall assessment. With countless news outlets online, it is left to individuals to educate themselves in further detail. It is about time people start taking responsibility, rather than blame others for their own lack of initiative.
STEVEN SMITH junior engineering science & mechanics major
Voters need to be both responsible and educated T
homas Jefferson said, “Every government degenerates when trusted to the rulers of the people alone. The people themselves are its only safe depositories.” In light of the recent passing of the health care bill in the House of Representatives, it has become irrefutably clear that a coup d’etat of sorts has been orchestrated by our government officials. Left to their own devices, the Washington veterans have ignored the impassioned outcry of the town hall meetings and determined the future of our nation without permission from their constituents. In order to usurp control from these self-seeking men and women, we have an obligation to arm ourselves with a weapon: that of knowledge. We have actively enabled our expulsion from the government process. Our ignorance regarding issues that affect our lives has culminated in the strong “Big Brother” hand of government relieving us of our inalienable rights to choose how we live, what we live for, and how we go about achieving our goals. In an effort to gain our blind trust, the government continues to assure us of its dedication to our benefit as a nation. Yet in reality, we have entrusted our lives to men and women whose callous notions of reality lend them not to see our faces when they look out unto their citizens but, instead, a bottom line. In a recent informal survey of men
and women walking the streets of affluent Los Angeles, Steven Crowder asked citizens of this country, “Who is the vice president of the United States?” To his genuine astonishment, he found that only 34 percent could respond correctly. In the wake of a historic election with record-breaking turnouts, how can we reason to believe that those who voted for Barack Obama did not even know the name of his vice president, let alone his stances on important issues affecting our country? To test further knowledge of government officials, men and women were also asked, “Who is the Speaker of the House?” General response: no clue. Out of approximately 40 people surveyed, only a handful could correctly identify Nancy Pelosi as the Speaker of the House. In a predominately liberal arena where support for Obama was fervent and unwavering, men and women walking the streets cannot name his vice president. How ridiculous. Presidential elections have come to amount to nothing more than a popularity contest. Obama, with his eloquence and promise of saving the world from all of its problems easily could have won prom king among all sorts of awards. Yet, it prompts one to wonder, how many voters elected Obama based on his fundamental merits for the job? Wednesday, Nov. 11 marked the national holiday of Veterans Day, a day dedicated to celebrating and com-
memorating those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, so we are afforded the right to control the destiny of our own lives. As voters, we have an obligation to stay informed about the candidates we choose to elect. I value those who, equipped with the relevant information, conclude that one candidate is better suited for a government position than another, regardless of his political affiliation. I cannot respect those who take the path of least resistance, following the masses towards the party and candidate of the moment. “Enlighten the people generally, and tyranny and oppressions of body and mind will vanish like evil spirits at the dawn of day.” Thomas Jefferson. Enlighten yourselves and each other to the facts and the information that matter. Spend less time focusing your energy on staying abreast of Jennifer Aniston’s latest love interest and more time dedicated to understanding the repercussions of the government’s plans for our future.
BROOKE LEONARD -regular columnist -sophomore -economics major
American history skewed to glorify citizens, ignored truths I
t was in high school that I learned the terrible truth that is revisionist history: A lot of things that you think you know turn out not to be exactly true. In my case, it concerned the Battle of the Alamo. I still don’t want to talk about it. Revisionist history used to take decades, even centuries. These days it can be a matter of weeks or months, like that whole “Mission: Accomplished” mess. Now comes journalist-pilot William Langewiesche to suggest that some of the adulation that was directed toward US Airways Capt. Chesley B. Sullenberger III just 10 months ago may have been misplaced. Langewiesche says Sullenberger’s feat in landing a crippled jetliner on the Hudson River owed a lot to (dare we say it?) the French. Sacre bleu! The story was a sensation. US Airways Fight 1549 hit a flock of geese 90 seconds after takeoff from La Guardia Airport in New York last Jan. 15. Both engines were disabled. Within seconds Sullenberger coolly determined that his best chance was a water landing on the Hudson, an action so fraught with risk and so unlikely that pilots never train for it. But he and co-pilot Jeff Skiles pulled it off without a hitch, holding what had turned into 100,000-pound glider in near-perfect trim and pitch and speed, making a wide a U-turn and skimming it onto the river. Within minutes, on live TV, rescue boats plucked all 155 souls aboard off life rafts and the aircraft’s wings. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg immediately called it the “Miracle on the Hudson,” and the name stuck. Sullenberger and his crew, but especially “Sully,” were lionized. He attended President Obama’s inauguration. He was hailed by Congress. He tossed the coin at the Super Bowl. He did interviews with bigfoot TV anchors and
signed a $3 million book deal. Langewiesche, in his new book “Fly by Wire — the Geese, the Glide, the Miracle on the Hudson,” has no beef with any of this. Sullenberger and Skiles both are superb pilots and handled their jobs flawlessly, he says, focusing relentlessly on the task at hand. He just wishes Sullenberger at some point would have pointed out that he was flying an Airbus 320, which made the whole thing a lot easier than it looked. Langewiesche, before he became what The New York Times calls “the Steve McQueen of American journalism” at The Atlantic and now Vanity Fair, flew jetliners for a living. His journalistic specialty is disaster reconstruction, explaining in deft, clean prose what happens at the far edge of human and technological capability. This is not his best book — for that see “American Ground: Unbuilding the World Trade Center.” “Fly by Wire” was written in a hurry, expanded from a magazine article that was published just five months after the accident. He talked to Sullenberger only briefly, and Sully kept the best stuff for his own book. No fool, Sully. At age 58 with daughters ready for college, he realized he was having his 15 minutes of fame and that airline pilots don’t make what they used to — indeed, Skiles had to run a home construction company on the side to make ends meet. That’s part of the story — how changes in the airline industry have created thousands of unhappy pilots and flight attendants. Among the unhappy pilots are many whose demeanor, skills and competence are not on a par with Sullenberger’s and Skiles’. We read about some of them in “Fly by Wire.” They are pilots who just couldn’t hack it when the usual tedium of flying
commercial aircraft was replaced with do-or-die peril. It makes you wish airlines had to post pilot ratings the door. Langewiesche writes that the unsung hero of Flight 1549 is a French test pilot named Bernard Ziegler, who in the late 1970s and early 1980s talked Airbus, the Anglo-French airline consortium, into developing “pilot-proof” airliners. The Airbus 320, the model that landed in the Hudson, was the first of these. A system of redundant computers flies the plane. “(Ziegler) wanted to build an airplane that could not be stalled — not once, not ever — by any pilot at the controls,” Langewiesche writes. Many pilots still resent this system, and Boeing — Airbus’ competitor — has been slow to adopt it. Sully, a good union man who has the usual dose of pilot ego himself, might well have been able to land a Boeing plane in the Hudson, Langewiesche writes, but many pilots wouldn’t have, or they might have tried to return to La Guardia. Sully was smart and cool enough to turn on auxiliary power to his flight controls after the bird strike. He was cool and smart enough to know he couldn’t get to an airport at the altitude and speed he was gliding. Both of these were brilliant decisions, Langewiesche says. But after that, all he had to was point the plane at the broad river. Ziegler’s system took over from there. I know. It’s like that Alamo thing. I don’t want to hear it.
KEVIN HORRIGAN -mcclatchy newspapers
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editors: topher forhecz, teresa tobat featureseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES
Tech student strikes it big with self-made iPhone app
Trees: Getting to the root of Christmas
LIZ NORMENT features reporter Apple’s iPhone has made the phrase “yeah, I’ve got an app for that” commonplace among students and adults alike. With more than 100,000 applications to choose from, the company seems to have an application for virtually everything. An iPhone owner and senior computer engineering major, Paul Pilone decided to contribute to the growing list of apps. Last Christmas break, Pilone got the idea for iHomework: an application for the iPhone and iPod Touch that helps students stay organized and keeps track of school work and upcoming assignments. The idea is to store a student’s entire planner on his iPhone, which allows for better interaction with professors, up-to-date reminders about deadlines and organization of to-do lists. Pilone’s girlfriend, junior human nutrition, foods and exercise major Amanda Borcky, recalls Pilone’s dedication that Christmas break. “He worked on it the entire week,” she said. “I hardly saw him.” She was, however, able to help him out by answering his questions about her own preferences. “He’s asked me about color-coding,” Borcky said, “how to put things in order and other information I’d want in the app. I think he asked realizing I was so planner-oriented, and the idea is to convert people.” Pilone initially intended the app to be a side project. “I didn’t really know what I was getting myself into, but now it’s great,” he said. Since the initial development, Pilone’s iHomework was submitted to Apple and approved within a week, becoming available worldwide to iPhone owners last January. His application is now used by over 22,000 people in the U.S. He makes 70 percent on each $0.99 app sale, so Pilone estimates his net profit to be $15,400 on national orders. In addition to the growing popularity of iHomework internationally, adding about 100 users each month in Canada and the U.K., the initial time invested has paid off. Although time-consuming, Pilone said the development and submission was relatively inexpensive when compared to potential profits.
CALLIE HYDER/SPPS
Retiree David Huffman maintains a 30-acre Spruce Ridge Tree Farm in neighboring Newport, Va. from page one HUSSEIN AHMED/SPPS
Paul Pilone has made more than $15,000 with his iPhone app. “You can download everything you need to create it for free if you have a Mac,” Pilone said. “The only thing you have to pay is the $100 submission fee.” He relies on the use of social networking sites, such as Facebook, Twitter and a blog on the Web site he created for the app as his primary sources of advertisement. The blog offers free updates for users, which Pilone creates based on user feedback. The biggest update for iHomework has been a desktop version of the app, allowing users to sync information from their iPhone or iPod Touch to their Mac. He hopes to continue to make improvements, especially within the field of educational technology. This has been one of the byproducts since his app’s creation. “I really didn’t intend to concentrate on education,” Pilone said. “I just saw room for improvement in the other education-based apps.” His future vision for the project is to continue to advance the concept of iHomework, adding more collaboration with teachers. “I want to have more teacher interaction, for them to have the ability to send out assignments and keep track of lessons,” Pilone said. Pilone also has another app he created, this one inspired by a long car ride to Florida for spring break in 2008. Bored along the ride, he and his friends started playing the license plate game. “We were just trying to spot license plates from every state,” he said. “It made me think that the game would be more fun with sort of a road trip
app to go along with it.” In March 2009, “Plate Spotters” was released. While the app hasn’t seen as much popularity as iHomework, it’s helped to diversify Pilone’s capabilities with development. The app gains an average of 20 new downloads a month, which totals up to about 200 downloads since its inception. Pilone has seen immense support from family and friends for his app development. “My parents were really impressed that something I’d created was being used by thousands of people,” Pilone said. Recently, app development has become even more of a family affair. His brother and sister-in-law, Tech alumni Daniel and Tracy Pilone, published a book last week titled “Headfirst iPhone Development: A Learner’s Guide to Creating Objective-C for the iPhone.” Among his biggest supporters, though, is his girlfriend. “Amanda’s crazy excited about it,” Pilone said. “She tells everyone.” Pilone’s girlfriend Borcky, a former paper planner user and now a loyal iHomework patron, is proud to admit it. “I don’t even have a planner anymore,” she said. Borcky also helps with publicity by changing her Facebook status often to help advertise and telling her friends to check the app out. “If I knew of other Hokies who’d created apps,” Borckey said, “I’d download them to support them. That’s what’s great about this community.”
With approximately 1,500 trees per acre, Huffman must have sensed his endeavor wasn’t fleeting. Since the inception, Huffman said he’s typically added 3,000 to 4,000 trees annually. The most he’s ever sown is 8,000. He’s also introduced more than 10 species, and he orders the seeds from around the U.S., including Indiana and Michigan. Huffman even grows some of what he knows won’t be a commercial hit. “You can’t sell a Scotch Pine from here to the Mississippi,” he said. “But you get above the Mason-Dixon line, they go bananas over it.” Both retirees, Huffman and his wife Dreama have a century-old house adjacent to the farm, but they actually call Roanoke home. Huffman commutes from the city to care for the farm when it’s needed, which is often. “I come up here about the middle of March and start planting,” he said. Once summer flourishes, Huffman’s farm duties peak. The trees become almost a dawn-to-dusk effort. “You just don’t stick them out there and up they come,” he said. Huffman routinely mows the grass around and between the trees. It makes traversing the terrain easier, and Huffman said he doesn’t have to worry about surprises such as hidden snakes. For young trees, Huffman sprays Roundup Weed and Grass Killer around their bases. “If not, your grass is going to grow right on up through,” Huffman said, “and your tree’s not going to be any good except (starting) two feet from the ground.” Huffman said he also circles each tree with fertilizer. Toting a backpack
with a roughly 50-pound capacity, he’ll spread three to four tons total. The only aid Huffman receives is for tree trimming and stump removal. He said about 20 workers from Floyd visit the farm bearing machetes for sculpting or shovels for digging. Despite all the measures to ensure a handsome product, Huffman loses a fraction of trees to ruthless foes. A soilborne pathogen from the genus Phytophthora causes some trees to yellow and wilt. Hungry deer are Huffman’s largest concern, for they shear trees down like ears of corn, leaving a patchy trunk behind. “You just hope somebody will shoot enough of them to stay away,” he said. The few branches they don’t chew, though, are given to Mrs. Huffman to assemble Christmas wreathes. While Huffman mourns the occasional pine’s passing, he’s had several trees evoke celebration. As a member of the Virginia Christmas Tree Growers Association, Huffman usually participates in its tree and wreath competition. As a result, both the governor’s mansion and the state capitol featured winning entries from the Spruce Ridge Tree Farm in recent years. Richmond isn’t Huffman’s farthest reach, either. He’s had Virginia Tech students take trees to their homes, which were as remote as Georgia and Maine. The shopping process is a participatory “choose and cut,” where Huffman gives customers a bow saw to slice through their timber of choice. But some clientele don’t purchase single trees, and for wholesale requests Huffman calls upon a few holiday helpers from the Tech forestry club. In exchange for their services,
Huffman donates firewood from his property to the club. Scott McKee, a graduate student in forestry, said the club advertises the wood’s Spruce Ridge Tree Farm origins when it delivers it to local homes. “I’m trying to help the boys out,” Huffman said. “I’m trying to help them help me.” But the forestry boys aren’t the only ones Huffman assists. “Basically what I do is I help him with his big harvest,” McKee said. “He usually cuts about between 550 and 650 for the Boy Scouts up in Charlottesville.” A small team drags the trees to a machine for baling and loads them onto a semi truck for delivery. It takes more than three days to fill the order, McKee said. “The Boy Scouts in Charlottesville have been selling Christmas trees for 20 to 25 years,” said Daniel Hietanen, the Christmas tree sales chairman for the Stonewall Jackson area Scout council. About 25 scout troops operate seven sales lots with a total of 2,500 trees, which come from several Virginia suppliers. Huffman can rest assured his contribution is appreciated. “Last year we sold all but about 35,” Hietanen said. With all the time and resources he pours into Spruce Ridge Tree Farm, Huffman makes sure to indulge in his fruits as well. Although, he and his wife disagree on what their Christmas beacon should be. While Mr. Huffman prefers a robust tree, Mrs. Huffman makes the final decision as head decorator. “She’s got kindly, big ornaments,” he said. Tall and skinny it will be.
6 sports
editors: joe crandley, alex jackson sportseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES
november 19, 2009
New assistant coach brings energy to Cassell MICHAEL BEALEY sports staff writer
When Bill Courtney arrived on campus this past June after he signed a contract to be an assistant coach with the Virginia Tech men’s basketball team, it was a relief. In three months, Courtney was an assistant coach at three different universities. Courtney served as an associate head coach from 1997 to 2005 at George Mason University under Jim Larranaga and was credited with being an integral COURTNEY part of building the 2006 Final Four team. For the past three years Courtney was an assistant at the University of Virginia before coach Dave Leitao resigned on March 16 following a 10-18 record and an 11th place finish in the Atlantic Coast Conference last season. Courtney decided to return to his ties in the Colonial Athletic Association, and Virginia Commonwealth University coach Shaka Smart hired Courtney as an assistant on April 15. However, just two months into the job, Courtney was on the move again — back to the ACC. After losing assistant coach Stacey Palmore to Georgia in early May,
head coach Seth Greenberg contacted Courtney to fill the vacant assistant coach spot and Courtney accepted the offer June 9. “I think he’s a very good teacher,” Greenberg said. “I think he brings energy, and he connects with our players, and when you connect with your players, they get to play harder and those types of things. “Bill’s going to be a tremendous asset to our program.” At UVa, Courtney added to his reputation as a strong recruiter, landing 2008 ESPNU 19th-ranked prospect Sylven Landesberg as well as this year’s 80th-ranked freshman, Tristan Spurlock. As a freshman, Landesberg led UVa in scoring with 16.6 points per game. “I just thought he had a good network, contacts,” Greenberg said. “He’s been in this league. Our geographic footprint that we recruit, he’s basically recruited his whole life. He’s really committed to helping kids get better, and I just thought he was a good fit for what we were looking for.” One advantage for Courtney is his familiarity with the competition in the ACC. Last year, the Hokies split the two-game series when Courtney was at UVa. The Hokies won 78-75 at home, but fell 75-61 when they traveled to Charlottesville. “Virginia Tech is a very special opportunity,” Courtney said. “I think it has the chance to be a very special
program.” “He brings a lot of energy to our practice,” said junior forward J.T. Thompson. “I mean, you always hear him talking and always hear him yelling. I think he’s happy to be aboard, and we’re happy to have him.” Courtney also recognizes the need for the Hokies to compete in terms of recruiting. In 2009, Duke signed two ESPNU top-100 players, and North Carolina signed five. Already, Duke has signed two top-100 players for the 2010 class, and North Carolina has signed three, including the No. 1 player in the class, Harrison Barnes. The Hokies had an impressive recruiting campaign in 2009. This year’s class features three players in the ESPNU top-50 for their respective positions. Additionally, the Hokies welcome forward Allan Chaney, a transfer from Florida who was the 62nd-ranked player in 2008. “The job that coach Greenberg has done already has been absolutely phenomenal,” Courtney said. “I think hopefully I can come in and get us involved with players, pick the guys that are at the top level of high school basketball with some of the top prospects. You get in there, and you get in the fight — you try to get one of these guys. Eventually, when you get one, that leads to the next one, so that’s the whole thing — getting that ‘bluechip’ guy.” The Hokies look to improve on a 1915 record last year and a ninth-place finish in the ACC. Down the stretch, the Hokies faltered, losing five of their final seven games, including an 18-point loss to Baylor at home in the National Invitational Tournament. However, with key returning starters, a brand new 49,000-square-foot practice facility and new recruits, there is a palpable energy surrounding Tech basketball. “I think you’re going to see a team that works its tail off,” Courtney said. “I think you’re going to see a team that’s a lot like coach Greenberg’s first-year teams that plays with a chip on their shoulders, gets after it on the defensive end, and really plays a physical, hard brand of basketball. I think you’re going to see a team that a lot of ACC teams don’t want to play. “Virginia Tech basketball is defnitely on the rise,” he said. “Coach (Greenberg) has done an incredible job so far. With the new facility, new players — it’s a different kind of excitement around Virginia Tech basketball. I think you’ll end up seeing bigger and greater things in the future.”
Men’s tennis finishes fall season strong in singles GARRETT RIPA sports staff writer The Virginia Tech men’s tennis team concluded its fall season with a strong showing at the Virginia Tech Challenge, which took place Nov. 6-8 at the Burrows-Burleson Tennis Center. The event was a four-team, roundrobin event with Tech playing host to Arkansas, Clemson and Mississippi State. There were eight singles flights and four doubles flights. Tech had a solid showing in singles with nationally ranked No. 81 Patrick Daciek, No. 125 Luka Somen, Corrado Tocci and Sebastien Jacques winning their respective flights. However, the Hokies failed to claim a victory in any of the doubles flights. “I feel like we need to improve in the doubles,” said head coach Jim Thompson. “The partners weren’t playing together enough.” Doubles practice will certainly be a point of emphasis when practice officially begins in January. In addition to the Virginia Tech Challenge, the Hokies compiled some impressive singles wins in top-level tournaments throughout the fall. REBECCA FRAENKEL/SPPS Leading the way for the Hokies was Yoann Re, who is ranked 35th Junior Sebastien Jacques gets ready to return a serve on Nov. 7. nationally. Re will likely play first singles for Tech for the second winning the first tournament of the defeated Austen Childs from the season at the Landfall Invitational in University of Louisville, who was consecutive year. ranked 12th nationally at the time. Re compiled a 7-5 record at the Wilmington, N.C. Despite Jacque’s success, his exact “Tocci stepped up this fall,” top singles spot this fall where he spot in the lineup remains uncertain. competed against and defeated Thompson said. “Wherever I play in the lineup, I In addition, he surprisingly made some of the top collegiate players in it to the quarterfinals at the ITA want to get the best record I can get in the country. At the University of Virginia’s Atlantic Regional Championships, helping the team win,” Jacques said. Ranked Plus One Invitational, Re providing the best showing for the “We really want to be contenders for the conference championship. defeated The College of William & Hokies at the tournament. “We just have to bring it all “Corrado improved a lot in the Mary’s 61st-ranked Keziel Juneau, together for the spring season.” 6-7, 6-3, 1-0. He also made a singles offseason,” Re said. The men’s tennis team opens Because of his improvements and appearance at the 2009 NCAA Championships, being one of only strong fall showing, Tocci should be its spring season on Jan. 22 at 64 players throughout the nation to a major contributor for the Hokies the Hokie Challenge at home. Its spring schedule includes early this spring. qualify for the event. Another player who will help the bouts with top programs like the Re hopes to build on that success Hokies is junior Sebastian Jacques. University of Kentucky on Jan. 27 during the upcoming season. “I’ve never made it to the Sweet Jacques boasts a 5-2 tournament and the University of Illinois on Sixteen, so I’m going to try to do record for the fall, and like Re Jan. 29. “We do have one of the best that individually and as a team,” he also found his best success at the UVa Ranked Plus One schedules we’ve ever had,” Re said. Thompson said. “The level of In addition to Re’s success, Tech Invitational. At the Invitational, which took tennis in Blacksburg this year will sophomore Corrado Tocci stood out right from the start this fall place in late September, Jacques be amazing.”