Tech graduate meshes screen printing and architecture see page five Wednesday, December 2, 2009
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Restaurants move to enact smoking ban GORDON BLOCK news reporter Businesses must now begin to gauge the effects of a new statewide ban on smoking in restaurants. The ban, which went into effect Tuesday, ends smoking in “any place or operation that prepares or stores food for distribution to persons,” according to the bill. Restaurants may still permit smoking, but only in separately ventilated areas. Compliance with the ban will be assessed during regularly scheduled health inspections. Hookah bars, such as Blacksburg’s She-Sha Cafe and Hookah Lounge, are not exempt from Virginia’s ban. Washington D.C. already has a smoking ban in place, but that ban has an exemption for hookah bars. According to a Virginia Department of Health Web site, hookah bars will
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I feel for the people who want to smoke, and I feel for the people who want to be seated as far away as possible. DAVE CAMPBELL ASSISTANT MANAGER MACADO’S
be required to “cease preparation and service of food and serve only prepackaged foods and bottled or canned drinks.” However, as of 6:30 p.m. Tuesday food was still being served and prepared in the same area people were smoking hookah. She-Sha declined to comment Tuesday, and also denied the Collegiate Times’ requests to take photographs. In April, after the smoking ban passed the state legislature, She-Sha owner Paul Santos said he needed more exact
LUKE MASON/SPPS
Customers at The Cellar Restaurant step outside for a smoke break. enforcement specifications from the Virginia Department of Health before deciding on a course of action. Bobby Smell, a manager at Boudreaux’s on North Main Street, said
Bug forces VT Alerts upgrade CLAIRE SANDERSON news staff writer Students will not receive messages from the VT Desktop Alerts software until they download a new version, following the discovery of a software bug in the existing version. Because it receives many messages per day, the software must sift through them to decide which are valid and which are coming from someone who may be trying to trick the system. “The Desktop Alerts software works by constantly receiving messages through the central alerts system,” said Carl Harris of Tech’s Communications Network Services. “When it receives these messages, it validates
news reporter The Entrepreneur Society will sponsor a small business pitch contest today at 6 p.m. The contest will consist of 20 teams, each giving a “pitch” speech for a company idea. The speeches are limited to five minutes, and the winning team will receive $500 toward its business startup. The competition is open to spectators and will be held in 1860 Litton Reeves Hall. Tony Yang, president of the Entrepreneur Society, said that similar contests held at other universities inspired the event. “They have ones like this at Princeton and MIT,” he said. “UVa just had their first one ever ... so we thought, if all these business schools can do it, Virginia Tech can too.” Yang described the contest as being the “American Idol for entrepreneurs.”
Dave Campbell, assistant manager at Macado’s Bar and Grill, said it might take a few weeks to gauge public response to the ban. “I haven’t heard any of our customers say they won’t come in because of the ban,” Campbell said. He added he was personally undecided about his feelings about the ban. “I feel for the people who want to smoke, and I feel for the people who want to be seated as far away as possible,” Campbell said. Other questions remain over potential citations from violating the ban. “We are not sure what authority we would have,” said Gary Hagy, director of the Division of Food and Environmental Health Services, to WSLS 10. “This is new to us,” he said. “These are some of the things are going to have to work out with our council and everyone else involved over the next few months.”
Get the point?
them to make sure the messages are legitimate.” However, one of the ways in which the application does so is to verify the date header. “When the calendar rolled over to Dec. 1, it triggered a bug that made the system think that every message was invalid,” Harris said. The update was developed by the morning of Dec. 1 and is now available for students, said Director of Web Communications John Jackson. Though students without the new update cannot receive desktop alerts, other alerts systems are still working properly. “Almost everyone gets alerts through the multiple avenues,” Harris said. “At least some of them are going to work.”
Entrepreneur group to host contest for best business pitch LIANA BAYNE
that he doesn’t mind the new ban. Smell noted that before the only place the restaurant would allow smoking indoors was at the bar, where he worked. “It would bother me a bit,” Smell said.
“I guess it comes with the territory.” The outside of The Cellar displayed a small “No Smoking” sticker on its door. Kevin Long, the restaurant’s owner, said he was happy with the new ban. “My thought is it’s time that we do this,” Long said. He said that the ban allowed the restaurant to move some patrons downstairs, an area that previously had too much smoke. “I’d say the feedback has been 80 percent positive, and 20 percent negative,” Long said. However, enforcement of the ban could quickly become an issue, said Mark Allen, a bartender at Sharkey’s Wing & Rib Joint. “We might have to tell people a couple times,” Allen said. “This could be a thing people need to get used to.” Nina Terry, a bartender at Top of The Stairs, agrees. “Some gentle reminders might be necessary,” she said.
A panel of judges, headed by Bob Summers, CEO of the Corporate Research Centerbased company EnergyWare, will hear the teams’ pitches. Another company, Venture Capital, is also involved in the contest and the Entrepreneur Society. Yang said that Venture Capital helps small businesses with loans to get started. It, along with Sharkey’s and a member of the Entrepreneur Society who owns a small business are sponsoring the monetary prizes. Another contest will be held in the spring. “This is more of a warm-up for the legit one,” Yang said. The prize for that contest will be around $5000 along with a free office space inside the CRC for the summer. VT KnowledgeWorks, a technology incubator that helps small businesses grow to medium-sized businesses, will sponsor the larger competition sometime in the spring.
CALLIE HYDER/SPPS
A nurse in McComas Hall gymnasium prepares to administer an H1N1 vaccine to Tech students during the previous session on Nov. 18.
Tech offers additional H1N1 vaccines on Wednesday LIANA BAYNE
H1N1 facts & stats
news reporter The H1N1 flu vaccine will once again be available today in the McComas Hall gymnasium between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Nancy Moore is the director of pharmacy for Intravene, the company providing the vaccination. She said that “several thousand” H1N1 doses would be available. Moore said about 2,000 Virginia Tech students attended the last clinic on Nov. 18, and the company expects about thesamenumbertoattendtoday. University spokesman Mark Owczarski said that about 4,000 vaccines were given out on Nov. 18. “The desire to attend has been strong,” Owczarski said. “And the fact that we’ve been fortunate enough to have Intravene as a reliable source has been a good thing.” Additionally, vaccines that are essential to register for classes for next semester will be available. Students can get hepatitis, tetanus, polio and the measles-mumps-rubella vaccines along with the HPV vaccine Gardasil. The H1N1 vaccine will be available for $19.96 and other vaccines will
Sept. 1, 2009 165 colleges report 1,640 new cases
CALLIE HYDER/SPPS
A new supply of H1N1 vaccine vials will be supplied from Intravene.
[
check it out
]
Head over to McComas Hall gymnasium between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. to be vaccinated.
range from $30 to $150. No seasonal flu vaccines will be offered. Moore said that Intravene is “always working” with the Virginia Department of Health, the organization that controls distribution of the H1N1 vaccine within the state.
Moore said if Intravene runs out of the vaccine it is “always working with the student health department at Tech to come back once we get more.” Owczarski said that there had been a high demand for the H1N1 vaccine from parents, students, and employees. “I think as long as we can provide it, people will come get it,” Owczarski said. Owczarski said that he expected the vaccinations to go quickly. “They’re first come, first serve,” he said. “So come early to get in line.”
Oct. 23 President Obama declares swine flu outbreak a national emergency Nov. 12 1 million doses of new vaccines are delivered or in transit to Virginia’s vaccination sites Nov. 21 29,348 hospitalizations and 1,224 H1N1 deaths in USA since Aug. 30
Don’t forget to visit members of the CT on the Drillfield from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. today!
2 news
new river valley news editor: zach crizer university editor: philipp kotlaba newseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865
december 2, 2009
COLLEGIATETIMES
Correction
-The Dec. 1 article “Budget struggle to have no effect on admissions,” said there was a 10 percent increase of in-state student applications at Virginia Tech. There was actually a 10 percent increase for in-state enrollment statewide. The Collegiate Times regrets this error.
WASHINGTON
[
nation & world headlines
Obama to convene jobs summit and consider new stimulus WASHINGTON — The nation’s 10.2 percent unemployment rate gets renewed attention this week as President Barack Obama hosts a jobs summit on Thursday, a day before the Labor Department reports new job numbers that are unlikely to show significant improvement. Obama invited academics, business and labor leaders to a White House seminar to hear their suggestions on what might spark them to begin hiring again. Meanwhile, on Capitol Hill, there’s growing Democratic support for a new “jobs bill” to provide more economic stimulus next year. Ideas Congress is weighing include potential tax credits for employers for new hires, a payroll tax holiday for employers, and big government work programs like those of the 1930s, with today’s efforts likely to boost inner city jobs and reverse years of neglect. Democrats worry that the jobless rate will keep rising ahead of congressional elections next year, threatening the majorities they now hold in the House of Representatives and the Senate. Weighing against new jobs programs, how-
ever, are trillions of dollars in projected federal budget deficits over the next decade, which threaten long-term economic stability. The roughly 130 attendees at Obama’s jobs summit will divide into six discussion groups — on “green” jobs, boosting small business employment, government infrastructure spending, fostering growth of U.S. exports, business competitiveness and workforce development/training. “The president is open to all good ideas to supplement the steps we’ve already taken to put Americans back to work. There are limits to what government can and should do, even during such difficult times. That is why we have invited representatives from across the private sector to discuss how we can work together to continue to spur job creation,” said Jennifer Psaki, a White House spokeswoman. Two issues sure to come up are whether more stimulus spending would boost employment and whether tax cuts, credits or holidays would help spur job creation. by kevin g. hall, mcclatchy newspapers
Accused White House party crashers say they were invited
pick up.
WASHINGTON — The couple who made their way into a White House state dinner and met the president, vice president and other high-level officials said Tuesday they were not gate crashers and were “shocked and devastated” by those accusations. Tareq Salahi, making his first television appearance since the dinner that President Barack Obama hosted for Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday, insisted in an interview on NBC’s “Today” that the couple was cooperating with a Secret Service investigation of the matter and “the truth will come out.” Salahi, maintaining that, for his wife, Michaele, the experience had been “the most devastating thing that has ever happened,” said Tuesday: “We’re greatly saddened by all the circumstances ... portraying my wife and I as party crashers. I can tell you we did not partycrash the White House.” Insisting that there is more to the story of their appearance at Obama’s first state dinner, Salahi maintained that the explanation will exonerate the couple from any allegations of misconduct. “We were invited, not crashers,” Michaele Salahi said, “and there isn’t anyone who would have the audacity or the poor behavior to do that. No one would do that and certainly not us.”
Tareq Salahi, maintaining that he had e-mails that support his claim, said, “I am certain we will be completely exonerated.” The e-mails are “clear to us,” he said in the “Today” interview from the couple’s home. “Based on the timeline, I think the American public is actually going to be extremely surprised with all the details that went from beginning to end into what was supposed to be a lovely, beautiful evening — a lifetime memory.” “A lifetime memory,” his wife echoed. Robert Gibbs, the White House press secretary, said in a televised interview this morning that there was no way to view this incident other than as an unauthorized intrusion. “This wasn’t a misunderstanding,” Gibbs said in an interview aired by MSNBC Tuesday morning. “You don’t show up at the White House as a misunderstanding.” The White House says the Secret Service is investigating what happened at the dinner, where two people who were not formally invited managed to make the rounds, shake the president’s hand in a receiving line and pose for photographs with Vice President Joe Biden and Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel. by mark silva tribune washington bureau
]
DETROIT
GM’s Henderson resigns as company’s chief executive DETROIT — General Motors Co. Chief Executive Fritz Henderson has resigned, marking the loss of the company’s second CEO this year, a source told the Detroit Free Press. GM Chairman Ed Whitacre said in a brief statement to reporters that he will become interim CEO while a search is made for a permanent successor. Whitacre said the board accepted Henderson’s resignation today. He said Henderson had done a remarkable job. But “we all agreed that some changes needed to be made going forward,” Whitacre said. In a statement, the Obama administration said, “This decision was made by the board of directors alone. The administration was not involved in the decision.” Henderson became GM’s top executive in late March after the Obama administration asked CEO and Chairman Rick Wagoner to step down. Henderson worked with the U.S. government to take GM through bankruptcy about 60 days later. The Obama auto task force briefly considered ousting Henderson when it asked Wagoner to step down in March. But former task force chief Steven Rattner told the Bloomberg Washington Summit last month that finding a replacement for Henderson was considered too difficult at the time, with a new CEO search likely taking six months. Henderson remained on as CEO as the automaker emerged from bankruptcy as a company whose majority owner is the U.S. government.
The U.S. Treasury has pumped around $50 billion into GM to keep it alive. Gerald Meyers, a professor at the University of Michigan School of Business, has known Whitacre for years. Meyers described him as a demanding boss who “takes no prisoners.” Henderson, Meyers said, “didn’t stand a chance with Ed as his boss. If it was Jesus Christ, he would have bowled him over.” Along with all of the changes, Whitacre, the former head of AT&T, was named chairman. On Nov. 13, former auto task force chief Steven Rattner explained the appointment of Henderson to CEO this way: “We felt that in that period of disruption, to find somebody new that we would have the confidence, that would be able to succeed was very problematic and likely a six-month process at the minimum. And we liked Fritz, and we felt that Fritz had more energy and more drive. ... He was being groomed to be CEO, and he deserved a chance.” Whitacre and Henderson seemed to clash since the first board meeting in August. The Whitacreled board undid a deal to sell GM’s Opel division, a deal put together under Henderson’s watch. Whitacre has also made public comments that have seemed contradictory to what Henderson’s plans for the future entailed. GM’s board was meeting Monday and Tuesday. by tim higgins detroit free press
NEW YORK
EPA postpones decision on ethanol blend for further testing NEW YORK — The Environmental Protection Agency said Tuesday that it will make a formal decision next year on whether to allow a15 percent blend of ethanol in domestic gasoline, after initial tests showed that cars can run on the fuel. The move toward raising the limit from the 10 percent blend laid out in 1978 drew praise from hard-hit ethanol producers, while players in the petroleum industry lauded the agency’s decision to put off a final ruling for now. The EPA had faced a Dec. 1 deadline to issue a decision on the proposal, submitted by ethanol-industry group Growth Energy, but said that it will await further field testing by the Energy Department. “While not all tests have been completed, the results of two tests indicate that engines in newer cars likely can handle an ethanol blend higher than the current 10 percent limit,” according to the EPA. “The agency will decide whether to raise the blending limit when more testing data
is available.” Meanwhile, the agency said that it’s begun the process to craft the labeling requirements on gasstation pumps and elsewhere that will be necessary if the blending limit is raised. Overall, the EPA mirrored support by members of the Obama administration for ethanol. “It is vitally important that the country increase the use of renewable fuels,” the EPA said in a letter to Growth Energy, the ethanol industry group co-chaired by former presidential candidate Gen. Wesley Clark. The ethanol industry maintains that the move to allow 15 percent blends of ethanol in gasoline, called E15, would create 136,000 permanent jobs and 500,000 construction jobs with no impact on engine performance or durability, while cutting the need to import as much as 7 billion gallons of oil a year. by steve gelsi marketwatch
opınıons 3
editor: debra houchins opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com/540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES
december 2, 2009
The Collegiate Times is an independent student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903
Our Views [staff editorial]
Smoking ban sends wrong message The editorial board is comprised of three nonsmokers and one smoker. One of the nonsmokers reminds the sole smoker to quit every time that person lights up. Nonetheless, we all agree the statewide ban on smoking sends the wrong message for all the wrong reasons. Proponents of the smoking ban argued it’s a matter of employees’ health. One study published in the British Medical Journal six years ago found that workplaces where smoking is common – bars, restaurants, bowling alleys – have a major occupational hazard of secondhand smoke that can, in fact, be detrimental to a person’s health. Still we feel this topic is not one that needs to be legislated but one that should remain the establishment’s choice. A bar’s owner, for example, should consult patrons and employees alike in order to find the best solution for them. If everyone feels banning smoking will increase business and improve the atmosphere, then they can decide to follow through. A common rebuttal to this argument is that it’s also the right of the non-smoker to avoid secondhand smoke. Here the issue of choice is important. Just like it should be the owner’s choice to allow or ban smoking, patrons should choose to frequent or abandon establishments. If a bar that allows smoking starts to see an exodus of former patrons, maybe the issue will be reexamined with that in mind. Unfortunately this issue has become more complicated in recent months with the weak economy. Employees of places where smoking is common are less likely to quit over issues with secondhand smoke. Finding a new job is stressful enough and in this economy it can be near impossible. Staying at the job out of necessity and ignoring health concerns is an important scenario to consider but not one that removes personal freedom. This ban also raises the question of our treatment of smokers. You may have seen the stickers on Virginia Tech buildings that tell
smokers to keep back 25 feet. It has become a matter of us quite literally pushing smokers away. This stems from the distinction of public buildings versus private businesses. With the smoking ban we have now crossed that threshold. If this continues, where do you think legislation will end? The label “smoker” carries a connotation that is increasingly negative. Smokers are becoming cultural outcasts. The crowd of people standing outside a building smoking seems separated from everyone else and snide remarks are commonly overheard. When did “smoker” become synonymous with “heathen,” and why has our culture demonized people for making choices affecting their own health? Already in Virginia it is against the law to text while driving. Is it absurd to think smoking could be next? Fumbling for a cigarette and lighter, hanging one hand out the window, taking eyes off the road to extinguish the butt – does this sound like distracted driving? It’s a stretch, yes, but we ask this question to prove a point. It may not seem absurd now, but what about when anti-litter advocates see it as a way to cut down on roadside ashtrays? The point is, incrementally the debate will start to sound more and more one-sided. Coalitions will come together and paint the smoker as the enemy. At its core, the smoking ban is not an issue of secondhand smoke but personal freedom without threats of legislation. It’s a frightening thing when you blindly choose to follow the path of least resistance. Belmont, Calif., has been trying to pass an ordinance that even bans smoking in private homes. Now that’s absurd – but maybe not after smoking is banned everywhere else. Just like a smoker’s vice can start with one puff, personal freedom can be removed just as easily — so here’s to not getting addicted. The editorial board is comprised of Debra Houchins, Sara Mitchell, Peter Velz and Bethany Buchanan
Your Views [letter to the editor]
Food must be taken seriously Dieting takes up such a big proportion of people’s lives today. While some people are dying from starvation in other counties, Americans enjoy overwhelming food consumption with the help of capitalism. We try to diet for our health and outward appearance. As the quantity of food available to people in America increases, the value of food decreases. I first realized this problem when I saw the people in Wrap World in West End Market throwing whole packs of tortillas away because it was not strong enough to wrap food inside. It’s understandable in the business’s point of view. The seller should serve the customer the best product. However, I don’t agree with it personally. Children who die every day from starvation wouldn’t care
about eating a broken wrap. As a result of capitalism, the quality of the food that fits to the taste of people is increased with the higher price. Then people start to eat the type of food that they want to eat. They try to consume necessary nutrients by taking supplements such as vitamin C, or they even take pills for diet and digestion. I heard about some people who took invalid diet pills that they bought from the Internet and got injured. An unbalanced diet by eating certain foods and consuming necessary nutrients by taking additional supplements is right behind the enjoyment of overwhelming food consumption. We should value food highly and improve diet by changing eating habits, not relying on supplements.
HYUNG JIN AHN freshman general engineering major
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MCT CAMPUS
Holiday inclusiveness an effect of students’ attitudes G
rowing up as children there was a pattern to the holidays from New Year’s, Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, the Fourth of July, Labor Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Each holiday came with its decor and traditions and as kids, it was another day off, depending on the holiday, a chance to decorate or do fun activities, a wealth of different candy and foods, the opportunity for gifts and spending time with family. While this would be typical for someone growing up in the United States, there would be different holidays in other areas, such as Bastille Day for the French, Boxing Day for the British Commonwealth and others. In addition, you have other occasions that are viewed as high religious observances such as the examples of Good Friday, Eid al-Fitr and Yom Kippur, among others. With so many different holidays and observances, it can be confusing to understand the different nuances of each. This confusion raises the question of how the university responds to the needs of students, faculty and staff who observe such religious holidays. The university does provide flexibility to the faculty, but the responsibility lies with the student to seek out the necessary accommodation. The critical aspect is planning ahead so that things can be done in advance i.e., the student needs to be aware of the dates up front and speak with his faculty about it. Each religious observance will have a different meaning for the student and he needs to articulate that to his faculty. We as faculty need to be open and accommodating to the different requests. The same can be said for supervisors who also need to be mindful of the needs of their faculty and staff. This has been a challenge in the past as different students, faculty and staff have faced difficulties when exams, projects or major campus events take
place on religious holidays. Some have faced unnecessary obstacles because of the lack of information and understanding. A lot of this happens as a result of the lack of knowledge that the holiday is taking place. While the University Registrar does an excellent job in providing guidance at the start of the academic year as a reminder to faculty, it is something that needs to be stressed throughout the year. While the university is accommodating to the needs of the community as it observes certain religious holidays, what happens with other holiday observances? Let’s look at the current time period, as it is the start of December. In the U.S. and in a number of other places around the world, this is the time associated with different images. In some areas, it is very religious with the depictions of Joseph, Mary, Baby Jesus or the usage of the Menorah, or the Kwanzaa candles, while in others it is multicolored lights, decorated trees, the usage of evergreens and other traditional customs. It is filled with holiday music and different foods. In other areas, it is a time to prepare for the upcoming New Year. Each of the images will have different meanings to each of us, and each of us will display those images according to practice and traditions. With so many nuances and viewpoints, how do you ensure that the holidays are inclusive to everyone? My response is that the holidays are inclusive because each of us as individuals celebrates them in different ways, if one even celebrates them at all. If anything, we must always strive to allow individuals to celebrate or not celebrate their traditions freely. It is this choice that allows for the concept of inclusion of different viewpoints, but not the stifling of a celebration. Any holiday period points to the richness of our diversity and the fact
that one can or cannot celebrate as one sees fit. For some these holiday times are very religious in nature while for others, they hold more secular meanings. Each meaning is correct and should be allowed to flourish. It is an individual choice when it comes to the celebration of any holiday. We head down a slippery slope when we begin to decide how members of the community are supposed to mark an occasion. If we begin to decide what is appropriate or not appropriate then it raises many more issues and concerns. Could we see the following: no outward display of your religious preferences such as wearing a cross or a Star of David, for example? No private prayer before starting your meal in the dining hall? We can go on and on in this regard and we begin to get into constitutional issues of freedom of speech and religion. I think that most individuals on a college campus are aware of their own biases and needs when it comes to the different holiday celebrations. If individuals are uncomfortable because of something taking place, then they should be able to bring those concerns forward and be heard. In the end, any holiday celebration, from All Hallows Eve, to the Summer Solstice to Chinese New Year will have different meanings for members of the university community. It is through these different meanings and the choice that we have to celebrate or not celebrate that we get to the spirit of inclusion rather than the spirit of exclusion.
RAY PLAZA -regular columnist -faculty -special projects coordinator
Evolution does not preclude God E
volution, in all honesty, is no less a theory than Newton’s Laws of motion. In reality, the only reason it has not been considered a law is that no one can show you in real time the speciation of say, an ape into a human being. But just because you cannot see something happen does not mean it exists or not; Christians should understand that concept best of all. The theory of evolution can best be compared to a very large and complex puzzle depicting the planet with over 5,000 pieces, nearly complete, save five or six missing pieces. While most reasonable people feel safe assuming that the puzzle does indeed depict a planet (that the evidence provided points toward evolution’s legitimacy), there are a couple of diehards that refuse to give in and will use any uncertainty or loose seam, no matter how meaningless or negligible, to pervade further doubt. “Maybe it’s a dog,” they’d say, “you can’t know for sure without the remaining pieces!” Yes you can — it is called deductive reasoning. Ultimately, however, even if you admit that evolution cannot be proven fully and only partially, that partial argument has greater evidentiary fortitude than its counterpoint, creationism. And that is undeniable. The number of holes that could be punched into Christianity are so numerous they seem endless. First, there is the issue of different biblical translations; second, the different books and their legitimacy (such as the Vulgate versus NIV or King James); and even if you get past that you still have to contend with different interpretations of the faith, as well as different religions entirely. I am afraid the statement, “I have faith” just won’t hold up in the court of valid arguments. Besides, if you are arguing with an atheist what meaning does that even have?
One might even say that those who argue for creationism or its doppelganger, intelligent design, realize how tenuous and flimsy their arguments for these beliefs are. It is important to note that intelligent design hasn’t gone through the peer review that hard science has. Interesting — so apparently those who support intelligent design either fancy themselves too superior to submit to that crazy field of science or they recognize that what evidence they do have is relatively shaky and generally built off of conjecture, faith and interpretation. Unfortunately, feelings don’t mean much in the way of hard evidence in the scientific field. The real issue is that people believe evolution precludes God, and it does not. In fact, anyone who is knowledgeable about both the Bible and Darwin’s theory could easily bridge the perceived gap between them. But that is the issue; antagonists of evolution base their arguments on ad hominem approaches and ignorance. Statements that claim the theory of evolution or natural selection led to Hitler’s genocide or eugenics do not make any sense when attempting to dismantle the theory itself. OK, so Hitler exploited a theory and used it to substantiate evil, kind of like how Christians back in the day used the Bible to rationalize slavery. I guess if you are going to claim that argument is valid, that because evolution has been used to substantiate evil, then the Bible and the Christian faith will have to run with it. Attacking Darwin personally says nothing of the validity of his work. A president is not ineffective as a head of state simply because he had an affair, just like an inventor’s invention is no less functional or useful simply because he was a racist. Who honestly expects to be taken seriously with arguments like these?
These are nothing more than angry cheap shots, attacks, vacuous accusations that hold no bearing on the theory itself. They are invidious and meant to force people into a discriminatory corner with passion and a serious paucity of evidence. At the end of the day, creationism stems from a religion and has no place in the scientific classroom. Teach creationism and all that jazz in an appropriate environment, a religious setting where faith is the name of the game and undeniably concrete genetic evidence is not. What the public actually knows about evolution is overwhelmingly minute compared to what it thinks it knows, and even less substantial when compared to what is actually known about the process of natural selection and speciation. If you want to be taken seriously when ranting against a theory as well fortified and uniformly supported as evolution, you are going to have to do better than faith, personal attacks and the Bible. You will at times be speaking to people that give no credence to those things, and so if you have nothing else to offer you cannot expect to be persuasive. Try actually reading “On the Origin of Species,” not a biased critique by some errant and frustrated naysayer. Then go back and examine the Bible and discuss your issues with a qualified theologian with a doctorate and an understanding that expands beyond a strictly English translation for the good book. You might be surprised.
JOHN DRIESSNACK -regular columnist -junior -biology major
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Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis ACROSS 1 Puzzle with blind alleys 5 Prepared, as hash 10 Some blue birds 14 “Tosca” tune 15 __ worse than death 16 Beekeeper played by Peter Fonda 17 Family guys 18 1948 Porter musical inspired by “The Taming of the Shrew” 20 Hose reaching to the patella 22 Race of Norse gods 23 Numbers to crunch 24 007 et al.: Abbr. 26 1925 musical that spawned the unsuccessful “Yes, Yes, Yvette” 30 Auto speed letters 33 One way to read 34 Maned Oz visitor 35 It’s often framed 36 Make cents 37 Lifts with effort 39 Casanova 40 First mother? 41 Atmospheric prefix 42 Christmas song leapers 43 Stage scenery 44 1953 musical with the song “No Other Love” 47 Auction calls 48 Eye, in Paris 49 Comparably large 52 Fraternal group, familiarly 56 1964 musical starring Carol Channing 59 Excellent 60 Furry “Star Wars” critter 61 Typeface type 62 Some watch faces 63 Texting exchanges: Abbr. 64 Wisdom unit? 65 Ill-gotten gains
By Fred Jackson III
DOWN 1 Identity hider 2 Elvis __ Presley 3 Fan mag, e.g. 4 Let go tactfully 5 1860s-’80s territory on the Canadian border 6 “... assuming it’s doable” 7 Port container 8 Aliens, for short 9 Obama or FDR 10 Football feints 11 “Unhappily ...” 12 Rumored Himalayan 13 One dealing in futures? 19 Gobbled up 21 Hourglass flow 24 Bickering 25 Pontiac muscle cars 26 Tom, Dick and Harry, e.g. 27 Martini garnish 28 Sextet plus three 29 Fairylike 30 Native New Zealander 31 Fuddy-duddy 32 Explosive ’50s trial 37 Obey
12-2-2009 5/26/09 Tuesday’s Monday’s Puzzle Solved
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38 Pitchers’ stats 39 Attendance check 41 Cisco, to Pancho 42 Hall of Famer Aparicio 45 Register single 46 Stevenson’s ill-fated doctor 47 Swindles 49 Interrupter’s sound
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50 Puts in stitches 51 Online journal 52 “East of Eden” director Kazan 53 Nuts or crackers? 54 Reverse, on an edit menu 55 Cream of the crop 57 Skip, as stones 58 Miners dig it
features 5
editors: topher forhecz, teresa tobat featureseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES
Screen printing art helps launch Tech graduate into teaching roles RYAN ARNOLD features reporter
HUSSEIN AHMED/SPPS
Adjunct architecture professor Chris Pritchett puts the finishing touches on a screen print creation by clearing ink smudges.
Shaking Chris Pritchett’s hand is like gripping five crayons. His digits are perpetually splotched with dried colors. It’s a hygienic state that some might call unclean, yet it reflects his very contentment. Pritchett, adjunct professor in the College of Architecture and Urban Studies, is proficient in an artistic technique called “screen printing.” On a finely-threaded mesh screen, inks are forced through a stencil design onto materials such as paper or canvas. There are many resulting products from simple business cards to complex posters. Pritchett first explored screen printing as an undergraduate Virginia Tech architecture student. His devotion to the medium has ultimately propelled him to faculty positions at Tech, and he’s currently pursuing a role at two different institutions in Stockholm, Sweden. Pritchett’s initial move to Blacksburg was a reactive decision. In 2000, he followed his then-girlfriend, now current wife, Elizabeth Gilbert from Charlottesville to Tech. He was interested in sports medicine, but no such program yet existed. He had no backup. “It was kind of like throwing a dart at a dartboard,” he said. He enjoyed drawing, though, and chose an appropriate discipline, however misinformed of its benefits. “At the time I thought architects made a lot of money,” he said with a laugh. In his fourth year of the undergraduate architecture program, Pritchett was in a design studio class that frequently traveled to Chicago. A supplementary course called “What Makes a Town” prompted students to study something unique to three specific Chicago neighborhoods. The various styles of graffiti Pritchett found intrigued him.
“I needed to document that somehow,” he said, “and I didn’t think it would be the proper way to display it if I just printed it off from a plotter.” A fellow student taught Pritchett how to screen print the Chicago wall art. After the graffiti, Pritchett completed another project which involved the homeless. “You can’t walk a block in Chicago without somebody asking you for money,” he said. “I try to be empathetic, but at the same time I’m not into giving money away.” He made a habit of carrying around a sketchbook, sharing his spare change only after beggars penned a drawing. He screen printed the illustrations and displayed them in the Cowgill Hall lobby and other local venues such as the Jacksonville Center for the Arts in Floyd. “They hit a chord that I hadn’t anticipated,” Pritchett said. “People really enjoyed them.” During his final fifth year, Pritchett curbed his production of traditional hand drawings. “I screen printed half of my (undergraduate) thesis,” he said. Having developed his skills, Pritchett offered to host a summer screen printing workshop at Tech in 2005 after finishing his bachelor’s degree. Observing its success, School of Architecture and Design Director Scott Poole and Associate Professor of architecture Kathryn Albright created a screen printing course for credit with Pritchett at the helm. There are other courses in the school also driven by faculty interest, Poole said, including pottery and fabrics. “It doesn’t take a lot of resources on our part to support someone doing that,” Poole said. “It takes very little, actually, and it’s very rewarding to see how they flourish in those roles.” Pritchett balanced the screen printing course with another job in Radford. He worked alongside two Tech alumni designing and building both small residential projects and home additions. Pritchett took a hiatus from work
after he decided to return to school for a graduate degree. In 2007, he worked with Poole and other architecture faculty to set up a two-year Master of Science program with a screen printing focus. “Most of my (master’s) thesis was analog printing with digital technologies,” Pritchett said, “which is, you know, me making things with my hands but also using the most modern technologies.” While screen printing dates back thousands of years, its contemporary design stencils are often crafted using Adobe software such as Photoshop and Illustrator. At the tail-end of his graduate studies, Pritchett got a taste of professorship. A faculty member with traveling obligations asked Pritchett to temporarily instruct his students. School of Architecture and Design Director Scott Poole approached Pritchett again this past spring and asked him to teach an architecture design studio the following semester. “Probably 25 percent of our faculty are adjuncts,” Poole said. “And when we find someone who’s a really good influence and might be interested in teaching ... we try to provide them with an opportunity.” Pritchett accepted the invitation, although he admitted to being intimidated. “I didn’t want to take on a job where I was going to do people harm,” he said. Making a bad screen print of a poster is disappointing, Pritchett explained, but that graphic failure doesn’t affect another’s personal wellbeing. “I figured if I don’t tell these guys the right thing or if I don’t push these guys hard enough, I’m doing them harm,” he said. “That’s a year out of their life — nine months out of their life — that I haven’t helped them.” But he said he thinks he has helped them, and one of his second-year architecture students, Bob Vance, agrees. Vance said since Pritchett is graphically based, the students have been
challenged to communicate their design projects in engaging ways. “Architecture is great,” Vance said, “but if you can’t, you know, convey your thoughts well on a board in a presentation, then it doesn’t really matter because no one understands what you’re doing.” Pritchett currently teaches screen printing, and Vance is one of nearly 30 students. But next year Pritchett will step down to once more follow his wife — this time to Sweden. She is a molecular nutritionist, and the University of Uppsala located in Southern Sweden offered her a position. Pritchett is exploring two opportunities in nearby Stockholm. One is a teaching position at the Royal Institute of Technology. He’s been in contact with a Tech graduate who now heads the institute’s School of Architecture. And specifically regarding screen printing, Pritchett hopes to garner attention from Iaspis, a residency exchange program that strives to create a global artistic dialogue. He’d have a small studio space and slim funds to execute his screen printing ideas. “For international people, it’s invitation only,” Pritchett said. “So there’s no way that I’ll be invited because they don’t know who I am. So I am in the process now of putting together packages where I’m going to send them stuff every week for the next six months just to let them know that I’m interested.” One of the first packages includes portraits, predominantly of students. Pritchett asked interested participants to take headshots in a photo booth. From that reel of pictures, he’s used the screen printing process to transform them into saintly figures. And those images likely won’t be the final tokens of his tenure at Tech. He and his wife plan to keep their house and return stateside after one year. “I hope to continue a relationship with Tech,” Pritchett said. “I’d like to pick up where I left off.”
Left to right: Using enlarged photobooth headshots of his students, adjunct professor Chris Pritchett combines collaging with screen printing to create poster-sized portraits that depict his subjects as saintly figures. ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF CHRIS PRTICHETT
Enterprising roommates build multi-touch LCD, market their business to west coast
COURTESY OF AARON BITLER
Roommates Aaron Bitler and Brady Simpson created a multi-touch LCD, or liquid crystal display, screen which acts as an interface that users can engage and navigate without the use of a mouse or keyboard. WALTER VALENCIA features staff writer Senior Aaron Bitler and junior Brady Simpson probably didn’t foresee that living together would spark a technology business in their apartment. And their majors wouldn’t suggest it either; Bitler is a communication major while Simpson is a history major. During the summer break and throughout the school year, Bitler and Simpson built several multi-touch LCDs, or multi-touch liquid crystal display monitors, using a combination of commonly available parts such as wood and metal hardware and dismantled LCD television pieces. An LCD monitor is a device that
uses liquid crystals in front of a light source to project an image in full color. Multi-touch users engage the LCD by touching the screen to initiate an action instead of using a mouse or keyboard. A multi-touch LCD is a special monitor similar to the touch screens commonly found at gas station pumps or the self-checkout lanes at grocery stores. However, instead of being limited to a single-touch function with a finger to initiate a transaction, a multi-touch LCD allows for several touch points simultaneously. Bitler was the type of kid who dismantled the family VCR to see how it worked and then reassembled it. So when he saw the Microsoft Surface promotional videos pushing its multi-
touch software, he was intrigued. In the videos, Microsoft promoted a new method of computing that it believed was the next step for inputting computer commands beyond the mouse and keyboard. The software piqued his interest in constructing a multi-touch LCD screen. Through online searches, Bitler found instructions and crafted a low quality multi-touch LCD screen. Unimpressed with his first finished product, Bitler decided to build the highest quality device his finances allowed. He began by dismantling his $500 32-inch LCD television for spare parts. Minus a television, Bitler now possessed the multitouch LCD he had envisioned. Bitler’s original goal was to use the
device as an entertainment novelty during parties. Simpson liked how Bitler’s “toy” impressed their guests with demonstrations of how the multi-touch interface worked. After conducting his own research, Simpson saw the bigger picture of where this technology is headed. He proposed they create a firm that manufactures multi-touch LCDs. Simpson would handle the business affairs while Bitler was in charge of manufacturing. “I realized that this could be a huge business venture and make a lot of money,” Simpson said. “After Aaron and I had visions of grandeur and doing tons of research, we thought it would be a great idea to start a company to build multi-touches.” An early example of a multi-touch LCD in action was during the 2008 presidential elections when a CNN anchor stood in front of the broadcast network’s “Magic Wall” to cast election projections and illustrate results. The movement of the anchor’s hands prompted immediate computer reactions on screen, which looked like something out of a science fiction movie. His touch prompted quick onscreen animations as he manipulated a map of the U.S. in relation to election news. The technology cemented its place in popular culture when shows like “Saturday Night Live” parodied its use. Pamplin College of Business instructor Jean Lacoste spoke during her Introduction to Business Information Systems class about multi-touch technology and played a Microsoft Surface promotional video during one of her lectures. She said computers are shifting from using a mouse to click an icon on a computer screen through what’s known as a “graphic user interface” to multi-touch. “Multi-touch technology and Surface, particularly, has a lot of potential for the future,” Lacoste said. “Surface and the multi-touch has a natural user interface, which I think makes it more useful. The natural user interface has the same potential the GUI had. “When we went to the graphic user
interface, you didn’t have to learn how to type anymore, have to memorize these command strings, so now we’re going another step where you don’t have to use a mouse at all,” Lacoste said. This computing trend inspired Bitler and Simpson to manufacture and sell multi-touch LCD monitors through their company, “3M8.” The company was officially recognized in Alexandria, Va., with the help of Simpson’s father, a practicing attorney who also serves as the corporation’s legal counsel. While one roommate’s father helped with the legal aspects of the business, the other provided his craftsmanship. Bitler enlisted his father’s woodworking experience to design and build the frame that houses the multi-touch LCD. But a physical screen cannot operate on its own. Multi-touch LCD is only useful when paired with complementary software that highlights its capabilities. Simpson knew this and saw an opportunity to contact software companies. Based in San Jose, Calif., software company 22 Miles showed interest in the 3M8 product. Constant online and telephone communication led to
a meeting in Norfolk. It concluded with 3M8 agreeing to send a prototype to 22 Miles for review. “After our meeting was when we started seeing eye-to-eye with 22 Miles,” Simpson said, “and they started seeing there could be some profit in it for them without having to spend $15,000 for Microsoft Surface for their clients when they can spend a third of that with ours and at the same time give our company recognition and publicity.” The unit 3M8 shipped to 22 Miles this fall arrived damaged, but the software company was impressed by the craftsmanship of Simpson and Bitler’s product. Business is on standby as both navigate the waning weeks of the semester. Simpson and Bitler are settling damage claims with their shipper. They will fly to California during winter break to fix their damaged multi-touch LCD, and 22 Miles is going to further evaluate its software’s integration with 3M8’s hardware. “We hope to get a partnership with 22 Miles ... so it simultaneously puts both our names out there,” Simpson said. 3M8 hopes that 22 Miles can take its product from its apartment floor to the market shelves.
sports 6
editors: joe crandley, alex jackson sportseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES
december 2, 2009
Cross country finishes outdoor, ready for indoor COURTNEY LOFGREN
BEN THOMAS HEAD COACH
sports staff writer
LUK EM ASO N/S PPS
“
We have a really great group of individuals and I think next year they should come back and put together something special.
The Virginia Tech men’s and women’s cross country teams finished eighth and 15th, respectively, in their final competition on Saturday, Nov. 14 at the NCAA Southeast Regional Invitational in Louisville, Ky. Prior to their fall season finale, both teams were recently hit hard when many of their runners came down with illnesses. “We had some great individual efforts, but we never quite got it together as a team,” head coach Ben Thomas said. “It mainly came down to things like illness. “We had guys getting the flu at the wrong time, on the day of the race,” he said. “Our top five didn’t actually get to race together in the past two important meets, which were the championship meets.” “I think we have a really good team,” said junior Matt Kroetch. “We’ve had a rough streak at regionals every year. Our team seems to get hit especially hard with illnesses. I don’t know if it’s for any particular reason or if it was just a bunch of bad luck.” One of the few bright spots for the team was senior Devin Cornwall, who finished 18th and earned all-region honors in the 10,000-meter race. This was the first all-region title for Cornwall after he fell short in each of the last two years. “I wanted to place high enough to help the team to move on to nationals,” Cornwall said. “About halfway through the race, I realized that this was the last time I had a chance to make all-region.” Even though Cornwall finished the highest he ever has, it was a bittersweet moment for him as his cross country career is over because the team did not advance to nationals. “On paper leading into the year, we were a very good team, but I guess it just didn’t work out,” Cornwall said. Kroetch placed 30th and had a personal best time at the course in Louisville of 31:41. He also saw his cross country season career come to an end. “I tried to enjoy the meet when I went there,” Kroetch said. “Knowing this was going to be my last meet. I’ve been improving over the last few years, and I’m really glad with the way things turned out.” For now, the runners will look forward to the start of the indoor track season. “We have a good young group of guys coming back,” Thomas said. “And our recruiting is going well. We’re looking to get more cross country runners for our women’s side.” Kroetch agreed. “We have a really great group of individuals, and I think next year they should come back and put together something special,” he said.
Professional Hokies continue success NICK CAFFERKY sports staff writer JOSH MORGAN - WIDE RECEIVER In just his second year in the league, Morgan has carved out a role in Mike Singletary’s offense. Morgan has started 10 games this season and has had at least one catch in every game he’s played in. He also leads all 49ers’ wide receivers in catches and yards. In last week’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Morgan caught six balls for 43 yards, adding to his career-high totals in both receptions and yards. He currently has 30 catches on the year for 348 yards and one touchdown. While it is true that his numbers have dipped over the past five games because of the addition of former-holdout Michael Crabtree, Morgan is producing well in a predominantly run-based offense. AARON ROUSE - SAFETY After spending the first two seasons of his career in Green Bay, Rouse was cut by the Packers after week two this season. Soon after he was cut, though, Rouse was picked up off of waivers by the New York Giants after its starting strong safety Kenny Phillips had to be put on injured reserve. Rouse made an immediate impact for the Giants tallying six tackles in his first four games in limited time. In week nine, Rouse made his first start for the Giants after veteran C.C. Brown was torched on a consistent basis, aiding a four-game losing streak for the G-men. Since adding Rouse to the starting lineup, the Giants defense has made some improvement. In the past two games, Rouse has been much more active, racking up nine and eight tackles against Atlanta and Denver, respectively. He has 36 tackles and one pass defended on the season. DAVID CLOWNEY - WIDE RECEIVER Despite contributing very little last year with only one catch, Clowney is showing great improvement lately with the New York Jets.
CLEM MURRAY/PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER
Former Hokie Aaron Rouse (left) makes a play during the New York Giants’ game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Nov. 1.
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on the web See what Hokies made All-ACC first team and read about Ryan Williams winning ACC Rookie of the Year in the sports blog at www.collegiatetimes.com.
]
He has developed a decent rapport with rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez and is being targeted more and more every week. Clowney has appeared in eight games this year and got his first start against Buffalo on Oct. 18. After a slow start, Clowney has become more involved, catching 12 balls in the last six games. On Oct. 25, Clowney scored his first career touchdown against the Oakland Raiders. BRANDON FLOWERS CORNERBACK Flowers seems to be yet another Hokie cornerback to make an immediate impact in the NFL. After a rookie season in which he started 13 games, Flowers has become the Kansas City Chiefs’ No. 1 cornerback. Flowers has started all 10 games he has played in this year and has collected 42 tackles and two interceptions. He also has 14 pass deflections this season, with a career-high of three coming against Oakland three weeks ago.
DUANE BROWN - OFFENSIVE TACKLE Since coming into the league last season, Houston Texans’ tackle Duane Brown has been solid as a rock. Brown started all 16 games last year and has started all 11 games this year. Brown has the very important task of protecting Matt Schaub’s blindside. Schaub currently ranks second in the NFL with 3,242 passing yards. With his team’s record at 5-6, Brown has the chance to be on the first winning team the franchise has ever had. MICHAEL VICK - QUARTERBACK After so much talk about his return to the NFL and how exciting he would be in the “Wildcat” formation, things have been very quiet for former Hokie Michael Vick. He is only playing around five plays per game, and his success in the potent Philadelphia Eagles’ offense has been minimal. The former Hokie offensive star is just three for nine passing this season and is averaging an unimpressive 4.3 yards per carry on 15 rushes from behind center. Though he has been very quiet on the field, it is clear he isn’t very happy being used exclusively as a gadget player, and it is very likely that he will not be an Eagle next year. Vick’s mentor Tony Dungy has hinted that the Buffalo Bills might be a good fit for Vick, but that is nothing more than a rumor at this point. Only time will tell how effective Vick can be on the football field post-confinement.