Wednesday, April 14, 2010 Print Edition by Collegiate Times

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Wednesday, April 14, 2010

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COLLEGIATETIMES 107th year, issue 47

News, page 4

Features, page 2

Opinions, page 5

Sports, page 7

Classifieds, page 6

Sudoku, page 6

Disturbed deer Freshman parking to continue Colleges allowing freshmen drivers crashes through University Mall AMANDA PASQUARIELLO news staff writer

CLAIRE SANDERSON news staff writer A crazed deer disrupted mallgoers when it crashed through the University Mall on Sunday. The disoriented creature busted through the glass windows of the Easy Chair Coffee Shop before going into the main mall area. It ended its desperate journey in the Weight Club, where members of Blacksburg Police Department, and the local game warden eventually ended its life. “It was just the most bizarre thing that you could imagine happening,” said Christie Heslip, Weight Club general manager. “It was a very unexpected guest,” said Russell Chisolm, Easy Chair Coffee Shop owner. “Basically it ran unchecked through the front door, then ran through the double doors into the mall. It ran around in a zig-zag, then ended up in the Weight Club.” According to Chisolm, employee Mark Lentz was the only employee working when the deer came in at around 4 p.m. After recovering

from the shock of a deer running through the shop, he was able to clean up and get everything under control. After careening through the mall, the deer ran through the open doors of the Weight Club, where about 40 people were working out, according to Heslip. “It came through the mall and into our doors and ran into a mirror, I’m guessing because it saw its reflection maybe,” said Heslip. “It shattered the mirror then ran into the women’s locker room where we were able to barricade it with a shelf.” According to Heslip, the Blacksburg police officers and the game warden waited about an hour for a tranquilizer, but they could not locate one. “By that point, the warden decided that its injuries were too great and that it needed to be put down,” said Heslip. It is still unclear why the deer ran into the mall. There have been no confirmations that the deer was rabid, Chisolm said. No humans suffered injury.

Although the cage and parking spaces near Litton Reaves Hall are occupied by building construction, Virginia Tech has no plans to end freshman parking on campus. “Virginia Tech does not plan on revoking the privilege of freshmen to have cars,” said Richard McCoy, Tech’s parking manager. “Allowing freshmen to have cars has always been one of the drawing points for Virginia Tech’s campus.”

“

I personally do not think that it is necessary to have a car on campus as a freshman. ... Although having a car would be useful, it makes it more of a college experience not to. NORA JONES MEMBER OF SGA

A new human and agricultural biosciences building will be built on the Duck Pond Lot — known as “the Cage” — which has an anticipated completion date in winter 2012. McCoy said that although the lot will be removed, a new parking lot for freshmen would be created to take the place of the Cage, which currently splits resident parking with the stadium and Chicken Hill lots. The tentative location for the new lot is currently the cornfield behind

UNIVERSITY

PERMITTED COST

RULES

Christopher Newport University

yes

$250

George Mason University

yes*

$225

Students must park off campus

James Madison University

no*

Exceptions for medical reasons

Longwood University

University of Mary Washington

no*

Exceptions for medical reasons

Old Dominion University

Radford University

yes

$135

University of Virginia

Virginia Commonwealth University

yes

$300

Virginia Military Institute

Virginia State University

yes

$108

The College of William & Mary

yes*

Exceptions for medical/career reasons

*exceptions/rules CLAY COLLIN/COLLEGIATE TIMES

the intramural fields. “The Cage is not going to be taken out all at once,” McCoy said. “After the new human and agricultural biosciences building is built, there will still be construction ongoing for the next five to 10 years in the same area.” Parking Services does not know the cost of the new lot or the approximate number of parking spaces that the lot will have.

Eliminating freshman parking is not a foreign concept for universities in Virginia. Most Virginia universities do not allow freshmen to bring cars to campus. Nora Jones, a freshman member of SGA at Tech, does not believe freshmen need cars on campus. “I personally do not think that it is necessary to have a car on campus as a freshman,” Jones said. “Everything

is pretty much walking distance or the bus can always take you where you need to go. Although having a car would be useful, it makes it more of a college experience not to.” Tyler Campbell, class of 2013 president, said he is happy with the decision to continue allowing freshmen to have cars on campus. “Having transportation reduces wasted time spent trying to find a ride home,” Campbell said.

Obama’s nuclear summit yields pledge, mulls sanctions JONATHAN LANDAY & MARGARET TALEY mcclatchy newspapers WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama’s nuclear summit of 47 world leaders met two goals as it ended Tuesday: reaching international consensus on the need to keep weapons-grade nuclear materials out of the hands of terrorists, and re-establishing U.S. leadership on nonproliferation. Several nations agreed to dispose of weapons-grade uranium, end plutonium production, tighten port security and other voluntary steps. All participants endorsed Obama’s call to secure vulnerable nuclear materials in four years, and agreed to seek further cooperation even as they stopped short of any enforceable international agreement. “We have seized this opportunity,” Obama said in a news conference closing the summit. As a result, he said, “the American people will be safer, and the world will be more secure.” Obama conceded that when it comes to enforcement, “we’re relying on good will.” The unanimous communique expressed support for security agreements “that will not infringe upon the rights of States to develop and utilize nuclear energy for peaceful purposes and technology.” Representatives of participating countries plan to reconvene in December for an update. Another leaders’ summit is planned for 2012 in South Korea. Despite the administration’s effort to keep the summit focused on the general theme of nuclear security rather than individual countries, critics were vocal about Israel’s nuclear arsenal and Iran’s nuclear program. The head of Saudi Arabia’s delegation told the gathering that “Israel’s possession of nuclear weapons constitutes a fundamental obstacle to the achievement of security and stability in the Middle Eastern region.” Obama dodged a question about whether he would call specifically on Israel to declare its nuclear program and sign the Nuclear

MCT CAMPUS

Non-Proliferation Treaty. “As far as Israel goes, I’m not going to comment on their program,” Obama said. “Consistently, we have urged all countries to become members of the NPT.” On another topic, when asked what international sanctions against Iran can achieve, Obama said that sanctions “aren’t a magic wand” but could “change the calculus.” The gathering provided Obama an opportunity to recast how other nations see the U.S. on nuclear issues, in contrast to the Bush administration, whose strategy had included developing new nuclear weapons and expanding circumstances under which they could be used. It also was a chance for Obama to show U.S. voters another side of him. The public’s impression of him could improve if they view

him as effectively exerting leadership on the world stage. The summit featured imagery of Obama surrounded by nearly four dozen other world leaders at the largest international conference since the World War II era, and produced results. China said it will work with the U.S. and Europeans on new U.N. sanctions against Iran for its nuclear program. Last week Obama signed a new U.S.-Russia arms reduction treaty. Gary Samore, the arms control and nonproliferation coordinator for the National Security Council, said of all the agreements: “We used the summit shamelessly as a forcing event to ask countries to bring house gifts. Almost every country came with something new.” “This event has some political dimension to it above and beyond the actual content,”

said Leonard Spector, the deputy director of the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies. “There’s a solidarity, a recognition this is a problem we all confront and we should do our best.” More than 2,000 tons of plutonium and highly enriched uranium for civilian and military use are in dozens of countries, summit documents said, with 18 documented cases of theft or disappearance. Obama said Tuesday that only an applesized amount of plutonium in the hands of terrorists could kill or injure hundreds of thousands of people. “Terrorist networks such as al-Qaida have tried to acquire the material for a nuclear weapon, and if they ever succeeded, they would surely use it,” Obama told participants Tuesday. “Were they to do so, it would be a catastrophe for the world.” The president described “a cruel irony of history” two decades after the Cold War, in which “the risk of a nuclear confrontation between nations has gone down, but the risk of nuclear attack has gone up.” The nation of Georgia disclosed that Georgian authorities last month prevented an attempt by a criminal gang to smuggle highly enriched uranium. “The Georgia Ministry of Interior has foiled eight attempts of illicit trafficking of enriched uranium during the last 10 years, including several cases of weapons grade enrichment,” its statement said. “Criminals associated with these attempts have been detained. The most recent case of illicit trafficking was an attempt that failed of highly enriched uranium in March this year.” The summit produced a number of concrete agreements, including a decision by Ukraine to dispose of all of its estimated 90 kilograms of highly enriched uranium by 2012, and an accord under which the U.S. and Canada will help Mexico convert a research reactor to lower enriched fuel. Chile also has said it is giving up highly enriched uranium. Russia announced at the summit that it

will shut down its last plutonium production reactor. The U.S. and Russia signed on Tuesday a long-awaited agreement under which the former Cold War rivals each will dispose of 34 metric tons of weapons-grade plutonium and seek to get rid of additional material. “The initial combined amount, 68 metric tons, represents enough material for approximately 17,000 nuclear weapons,” said a joint announcement of the agreement signed by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. “Both countries aim to begin actual disposition by 2018, after the necessary facilities are completed and operating.” Russian President Dmitry Medvedev called the nuclear summit “a complete success.” Many nations don’t see the threat of nuclear terrorism with the same urgency as the U.S. does. Yet, said Matthew Bunn of Harvard University’s Belfer Center for Science and Technology: “Pretty much every country where there are nuclear weapons, HEU (highenriched uranium) or plutonium has more to do to protect them against the kinds of capabilities that thieves or terrorists have shown they can put together.” Securing bomb-grade nuclear materials from theft involves storing it inside highsecurity compounds protected by armed guards, gates and fences, closed-circuit TV systems and penetration-detection alarms. Individual countries are responsible for ensuring that their fissile stocks are protected. There are no binding international standards for the transportation and storage of bombmaking materials, in part because some nations see such requirements as infringements on their sovereignty. Even the U.S., with what are considered the world’s best-guarded nuclear weapons facilities, has had problems with security and accounting systems.

2Woodstock features organizer looks back on festival 40 years later editor: topher forhecz featureseditor@collegiatetimes.com / 540.231.9865

april 14, 2010

COLLEGIATETIMES

KIM WALTER features staff writer Michael Lang is a musical concert promoter, producer and artistic manager who is best known as the co-creator of the Woodstock Music & Art Festival in 1969. He released his book, “The Road to Woodstock,” in 2009, and it quickly became a bestseller. He was featured in the 1970 Academy Award winning documentary film, “Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace & Music,” as well as portrayed by actor Jonathon Groff in the 2009 movie, “Taking LANG Woodstock.” Today, Lang continues to be involved in the music industry as he works with live event production, film production and artist management under his company, The Michael Lang Organization. The MLO has worked with various artists including Snoop Dog, Madonna, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Dave Matthews Band and Bruce Springsteen. Michael Lang spoke with the Collegiate Times over the phone about his memories of the music festival before his appearance on Wednesday, April 14, in the Graduate Life Center Auditorium. COLLEGIATE TIMES: What were your original intentions for the music festival? MICHAEL LANG: I’d have to say pretty much what we got. We kind of wanted a gathering of the tribes. A weekend in the country, away from what was going on at the time. It was always our intention to have as many people as possible there, so that we could show them the music that we already loved so much. We wanted it to be for everyone. CT: What do you think music and the music industry would be like if Woodstock hadn’t happened? LANG: I don’t really think it would be too different. A lot of the artists were pretty well known, with a few exceptions. I think it might have taken the industry longer to realize how many people actually liked the kind of music that was played at the festival. But really, I feel like the artists and bands and music were on an inevitable path. People would’ve eventually been COURTESY OF MICHAEL LANG signed to record labels and everything. The new sounds and styles would’ve Michael Lang was one of the original organizers of the famous Woodstock Music & Art Fair, which took been launched; it just might have been place over a weekend in August, 1969. During Woodstock, Lang spent his time working near the stage. at a later time.

CT: Of course people wanted to come and see all the bands play, but besides that what made this event a memorable experience? LANG: I think it was the right time. We felt the need for a weekend away from all the movements, struggles and violence that were taking place in the couple years leading up to Woodstock. There was the incident at Berkley, political marches and movements. We just wanted to have a more peaceful and free environment. We wanted to take time away from something ugly and just get back to the roots, back to something that everyone could agree on and enjoy. CT: What performance was the highlight of the festival for you? LANG: Oh gosh, there were many — I don’t think I could pick just one. I was actually on the side of the stage for most of the bands, so I got to hear just about everything. I’d have to say Richie was great — he opened the show. That was really awesome. Joe Cocker’s performance was a bit of a surprise to everyone. The Who, Ten Years After ... they were great. But then there were also artists like Santana and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young who were fairly new artists, and they were really introduced that weekend. We had some great new music that a lot of people weren’t yet aware of, but wound up really enjoying. CT: Do you think it would be possible to gather so many people for a free music festival of the same caliber, at this time? LANG: Well I definitely think it would be possible to find the caliber of music that we had at Woodstock. As far as it being free to make happen — nothing’s free anymore. We didn’t have any in ’69, but now you’ve got to have sponsors, even if the bands are playing for a cause. There’s a huge expense that goes into the set up and production of a music festival. You’ve got to pay the artists. We tried in September of last year to have a production that was free to the public during Climate Week in New York City, but it was a bad year for sponsors. CT: Who would be some musical artists or bands that you would invite? LANG: Well as far as individual bands, I’m not sure, but they’d have to be groups that have stake in an issue, who really care about a movement or sustainability. There’s got to be a reason for playing besides popular-

[

check it out What: Michael Lang Where: GLC Auditorium, Room 64 When: Today, 7:30 p.m. Cost: $1 With Tech ID, $2 general admission

]

ity. For example, you’ve got something like the green movement, which is a great cause, but the concerts really just turn into a big pop show, and there’s no longevity. If you wanted to recreate Woodstock, you’d have to make it about sustainability. CT: So, you came out with your book, “The Road to Woodstock,” for the 40th anniversary, and you have been speaking at various places. What are some other projects that you’re currently working on? LANG: Well, we’re actually developing two musicals for Broadway. There’s another production type thing that’s going to start shooting in May. But the big one is we’re trying to develop something for Brazil. We can definitely go there and gather people and do something for sustainability. They’re really setting the example for what we could do here — life is busy. CT: Is there a specific reason you chose to speak at Virginia Tech? LANG: Well I think there is an interesting perspective there on what the world is now. There was a horrible tragedy that took place there, and I know it comes with a difficult healing process. I think there’s a lot of value in looking back at history and seeing the possibility of a peaceful gathering, and even more so, a peaceful world. It’s hard, but stepping back from the present issues we face, and coming together for a common purpose can do so much. CT: Without giving too much away, what do the students at Tech have to look forward to when you come to speak? LANG: I don’t know — me! Just kidding. I think it’s going to be a question and answer type of thing. I want to know what they’re interested in and what they want to know more about. I’ll go into more depth about what we did to make Woodstock happen and how we were able to put it together so successfully. Like I said, looking back, there’s a lot to learn.

april 14, 2010

page 3

Clash of the Titans: They couldn’t even follow the cheat sheet

you might also like... “Clash of the Titans” (1981) If you’re going to watch one, you need to start from the beginning. The movie is a completely different type of plot and a much better sense of accomplishment. Plus, it was considered the best in special effects thanks to its stop motion until “Tron.”

“The Odyssey” (1997) The TV mini-series that was the fair depiction of Homer’s “The Odyssey.” If you want your ﬁx of Greek myth while still getting your taste of action hero and sword-ﬁghting adventure, then this is the place for you.

“The 7th Voyage of Sinbad” (1958) One that’s a little different but sure to please, it’s about Sinbad the Sailor, how he ﬂoats off to an island, battling monsters along the way, to save a princess that’s been shrunk. Oh, did I mention this is to stop a war? Yeah, it’s that kind of movie, but it’s worth it. COURTESY OF WARNER BROS.

Played by Sam Worthington, the main hero, Peruses, scowls and ﬁghts his way through horde after horde of CGI-made mythical Greek creatures.

THE REMAKE OF THE CLASSIC 1981 FILM PACKS A LOT OF FLASH BUT FAILS TO BECOME LEGENDARY

today’s contemporary Hollywood, nothing is more enjoyable and thrilling than taking what someone else did 30 years ago and screwing it up. Adding in flashy CGI, thrilling fight sequences and over-the-top actors really brings it together for a fantastic and wasted experience. Of course, if that can’t cement you in your seat, let’s just throw in some after-the-fact 3-D to make the screen look slightly blurry. This is what the new rendition of “Clash of the Titans” has become. Taking the basic storyline from the original 1981 film, director Louis Leterrier has created something of his own visual Gorgon. Call me old-

fashioned, but I’m a firm believer in staying true to the original and this film doesn’t do that. The newest rendition takes arguably one of the more enjoyable and campier movies of the early ’80s, and turns it into an assortment of flashy action cuts taped together by a disassociated plot. If you come into this movie looking for a Greek and Roman myth refresher, try and get your money back. Most of the things you know about mythology have been obscured and warped. \But that’s all right because nothing really is supposed to make sense. All you need to understand is that man is angry with the gods, so they

HOST FAMILIES NEEDED Generous remuneration per student. students arriving to study at the VT Language and Culture Institute. Homes should be near public transit For info call 540-552-1149 or email: maryann@blacksburghomestay.com

start war. Zeus, captain of the God’s team, is played by Liam Neeson, and he does a great job looking like a lightning bolt himself as his shiny armor makes it almost impossible to see him. His brother and antagonist of the movie is Hades, played by Ralph Fiennes. Fiennes, who is constantly encased in a shower of soot and speaks as if he smoked too many Virginia Slims, is a good opposite to Neeson but a bad representation of the overall angst that he was supposed to embody. But that doesn’t matter much because the salvation for the universe is Peruses, played by Sam Worthington. Walking around either the city of Argos, where the war originated, or the countryside with his patented scowl — he is a man of many talents.

The newest rendition takes arguably one of the more enjoyable and campier movies of the early 80s, and turns it into an assortment of ﬂashy action cuts taped together by a disassociated plot.

The buzz cut and anguished battle cries serve him well however in both the battlefield and box office (amassing $112 million domestically) which makes him an “eye candy commodity.” Can he actually act? It’s hard to

say; yet in a movie beside people such as Gemma Arterton’ immortal Io, he stands his ground and holds his sword and shield high. Spoiler alert! It doesn’t matter how pretty they are or who Leterrier got to act in his movie: by the end of the film you already knew who was going to be picked off, ripped apart, turned to stone and vanquished. The movie wrote itself, and every sequence tried desperately to take the “look at me!” approach in filmmaking, ultimately distracting you from a badly designed plot and equally poor characters. Evil is vanquished, the day is saved, and Peruses gets his lady. Maybe it was written in the stars to fail. Perhaps because Warner Bros. forced a release date on Legendary Pictures while they were still in

production, meaning that they had to rush development and thereby let an opportunity for a good movie fall to the wayside. This isn’t to say that it’s a viable excuse; it’s more a lesson in survival. If you’re given a test and you even have the original that the professor handed out, don’t be afraid to look up the answers, especially if you’re in a rush. Otherwise, you have no one but yourself to blame for that impending ‘F.’

WILLIAM CASE -WOOVE contributor -senior -cinema, theatre arts major

4 news april 14, 2010

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nation & world headlines

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

Buckets carry clean water message

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Muslim woman says McDonald’s denied her a job

Twitter launches ads in the form of promoted tweets SAN FRANCISCO — Twitter Inc. has rolled out advertising on its site for the first time, a significant step in converting the social network’s explosive growth into cash. Called “promoted tweets,” the ads from such companies as Best Buy Inc., Sony Pictures and Virgin America began appearing atop search results Tuesday. But a more controversial move is expected later this year, when Twitter plans to test placing ads in users’ message stream. The advertising scheme, which was unveiled in a company blog Tuesday, quickly became one of the most talked-about topics on the Twitter site. Some said they didn’t mind ads popping up in their Twitter feed; others threatened to leave the service. The decision could mark an inflection point for Twitter, the third-most popular social network after Facebook Inc. and News Corp.’s MySpace.

DETROIT — A Muslim woman from Troy, Mich., filed a bias complaint Tuesday against McDonald’s, saying she was denied a job at a restaurant in Rochester Hills, Mich., because of her religion and ethnicity. A McDonald’s official said the restaurant chain does not discriminate and has accommodated religious headwear. A manager at the restaurant, on Crooks Road, would not comment, referring questions to a public relations company. Nasihah Barlaskar, 19, was born in the United States and wears an Islamic head scarf known as a hijab. She told the Detroit Free Press that during a job interview March 27, a female manager at McDonald’s asked her about her nationality, which is illegal, according to the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission. She said the manager then asked if she had to wear “that thing” on her head. Barlaskar said she replied: “I do. Is that a problem?” The manager then said, according to Barlaskar, that she “probably wouldn’t be able to wear that” if she were working. Barlaskar said she later was told she was not hired for the job. Barlaskar filed the complaint with the commission, the U.S. agency that deals with job discrimination. Joan Rachelson, director of operations for McDonald’s Michigan Region, said in a statement provided by the public relations firm that the restaurant has a “strict policy prohibiting any form of discrimination.” She said the allegations “are not consistent with our policies.” Barlaskar said she filed the complaint because “if no one speaks up, this will continue to happen.”

by jessica guynn, mcclatchy newspapers

CORRECTIONS JUSTIN GRAVES -Contact our public editor at publiceditor@ collegiatetimes.com if you see anything that needs to be corrected.

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nation & world headlines

by niraj warikoo, mcclatchy newspapers

Students in “BH20+” raise awareness about women in Africa who cannot easily access water. About 50 people carried buckets of water on their heads around campus. They walked from Newman Library to the Duck Pond to ﬁll their buckets, and they ended at the Pylons. photo by luke mason

opınıons 5

editor: debra houchins opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com/540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES

april 14, 2010

To be or not to be: A Shakespearean conspiracy plot F

ilm director Roland Emmerich, whose last effort was the apocalyptic “2012,” has begun shooting “Anonymous.” It won’t be another disaster movie — except perhaps for English professors. According to Emmerich, the film is “about how it came to be that William Shakespeare was not the author of his plays,” which, he says, turn out to have been written by the “Earl of Oxford.” Emmerich calls “Anonymous” a political thriller. “It’s about who will succeed Elizabeth and the cause of that thriller, the Essex Rebellion.” The film, starring Vanessa Redgrave as Queen Elizabeth and Rhys Ifans as the Earl of Oxford, will have “kings, queens and princes,” he adds. “It’s about illegitimate children, it’s about incest. It’s about all of these elements which Shakespeare’s plays have.” Except, of course, it’s also about how Shakespeare didn’t write those plays, indeed, couldn’t even write his own name. The story behind this story dates back to 1920, when J.T. Looney published “Shakespeare Identified,” the bible of those who believe that the Earl of Oxford is the true author of Shakespeare’s plays. When Emmerich says his movie will be about incest and bastards, he means that the story line follows a popular spinoff of Looney’s undocumented theory, in which the Earl of Oxford was not only the secret son of the not-so-virginal Queen Elizabeth, but also, when he came of age, her lover. There’s more fantasy: the Earl of Southampton was their illegitimate child and likely heir to the throne of England, until he was imprisoned for his role in the Essex Rebellion. And the explanation as to why Shakespeare would have gotten credit for plays and poems the Earl of Oxford wrote? The “real facts” had to be hushed up because a Tudor prince could never be seen to stoop to the lowly business of playwriting. Emmerich’s film is one more sign that conspiracy theories about the authorship of Shakespeare’s plays have gone mainstream. While dozens of alternative candidates have been proposed, the Earl of Oxford is the one whose supporters have been most vocal and visible. Leading actors, including Mark Rylance, Derek Jacobi, Michael York and Jeremy Irons, have publicly come out against Shakespeare as Shakespeare. National Public Radio’s Renee Montagne recently accepted an award for her series on “Morning Edition” calling Shakespeare’s authorship into doubt. At the New York Times, William Niederkorn has written a series of pieces questioning Shakespeare’s authorship. Elise Broach’s “Shakespeare’s Secret,” a popular young-adult novel, has recycled the story of Elizabeth’s clandestine relationship with the Earl of Oxford for the middle-school crowd. And as the Wall Street Journal reported last year, the Supreme Court boasts some of the most prominent Oxfordians in the land. Retired Justice Sandra Day O’Connor has signed a “declaration of doubt” about Shakespeare’s authorship. Justice Antonin Scalia has publicly acknowledged his belief that the Earl of Oxford wrote the plays. So has Justice John Paul Stevens, who has been declared “Oxfordian of the Year.” A quarter-century ago all this was unimaginable. In fact, Stevens, along with fellow Justices Harry Blackmun

and William Brennan, ruled unanimously in favor of Shakespeare and against the Earl of Oxford in a celebrated moot court in 1987. The objection to Oxford’s authorship was obvious: Because he died in 1604, he could not have written, sometimes in active collaboration with other dramatists, 10 or so plays after that (including “Henry VIII,” described by contemporaries as “new” when staged in 1613). What then accounts for the reversal? The facts haven’t changed; what has is our comfort level with conspiracy theory as well as our eagerness to seek authors’ lives in their works. In a literary culture swamped by memoirs, many now take it for granted that most writing — of the past no less than the present — is confessional or at least experiential, and that you had to live it to describe it. (The Elizabethans would have found such notions bizarre.) By that logic, the Earl of Oxford, who in reality was captured by pirates and had three daughters, has a stronger claim to have written “Hamlet” and “King Lear” than a professional playwright from Stratford who never set sail and only had two daughters. Since no external documents link the Earl of Oxford to the plays (in contrast to Shakespeare himself, for whom there is plenty of contemporary linking evidence), those convinced that he wrote them are stuck arguing, in circular fashion, that circumstantial evidence is to be found in the works, and that these works are necessarily autobiographical, a portrait of an aristocratic author’s life, loves and thwarted political ambitions. “Anonymous” capitalizes on the desire for a more exciting story than one in which a young man from the provinces moves to the big city and fashions out of old stories and a powerful imagination great plays and poems. And the democratization of knowledge on the Internet, a breeding ground for conspiracy theories, has been a boon for those who believe that Shakespeare didn’t write the plays. It certainly hasn’t helped that literary scholars have mostly dodged this fight, even as they’ve lost their cultural authority. All this would have come as a shock to Looney, whose advocacy of the Earl of Oxford was spurred by a hatred of democracy and modernity, and who in making his case for Oxford was also promoting the view that we needed to return to a social order in which everyone knew his and her place and the few ruled over the many. In cashing in on this fantasy, Emmerich’s film may lead moviegoers to believe that only a nobleman had the necessary gifts to write the works of Shakespeare. Sure, it’s only a movie, but try explaining that to schoolteachers who will soon be confronted by students arguing that the received histories of Elizabethan England and its greatest poet are lies — and that their teachers, in suppressing the truth, are party to this conspiracy. Emmerich’s film will also do a deeper disservice to Shakespeare’s legacy. Encouraging audiences to believe that the plays are little more than the recycled story of a disgruntled aristocrat’s life and times devalues the very thing that makes Shakespeare so remarkable: his imagination.

JAMES SHAPIRO -mcclatchy newspapers

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MCT CAMPUS

McDonnell, ‘The Cooch’ set on embarrassing Virginia I

t has been only a few months since the state of South Carolina was the butt of every political joke. The pundits scoffed at the inappropriateness of Rep. Joe Wilson’s “You lie!” outburst. The late-night comedians howled at South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford’s “I’m hiking on the Appalachian Trial” saga. Just by being from that state warranted an apology on behalf of their leaders. We here in Virginia would tell ourselves that we don’t elect buffoons to public office like they do in South Carolina. Unfortunately, it may be time for us to eat our words. Our newly elected Gov. Bob McDonnell and his sidekick Virginia Attorney General Ken “The Cooch” Cuccinelli are quickly becoming national embarrassments. The downward spiral for this dynamic duo began in the middle of February, just a few weeks after being sworn in. McDonnell issued a statewide executive order banning discrimination based on race, sex, age and religion for all state agencies. The order did not protect against discrimination based on sexual orientation. This means that McDonnell consciously decided that sexual orientation can be a factor in determining someone’s ability to perform a job. The Cooch was quick to reinforce this state sponsored discrimination by issuing a letter to all state universities (Virginia Tech included). This letter specifically asked the universities to remove all references to sexual orientation from their anti-discriminatory policies. Supposedly, this would mean Tech could only consider homosexuals for new faculty positions — probably a far cry from The Cooch’s intentions. That letter, coupled with the executive order that fell two words too short, sparked a national outrage. McDonnell and The Cooch were widely condemned on the national media while late-night comedians took shots at these easy targets. All of a sudden, the reputation of the Old Dominion became tainted. As soon as McDonnell realized how

unpopular his anti-gay agenda was, he backpedaled. In March, McDonnell issued a directive to all state agencies that they should not discriminate based on sexual orientation after all. However, this move was a day late and a buck short. The damage had already been done and Virginia had become known as a place where homosexuals may not be welcome. Also, what McDonnell issued in February was an executive order while what he issued in March was an executive directive. The difference is that an executive order carries the weight of the law while a directive does not. Apparently The Cooch didn’t think this mess made Richmond look incompetent enough. His next bold move was to file a suit against the federal government, because he didn’t like the new health care reform bill. His claim is that the individual mandate to have health insurance is unconstitutional because it just is. He also pointed to a newly passed Virginia law that makes individual mandates illegal. Unfortunately for The Cooch, every constitutional scholar says he is wasting his time. First, the Constitution allows Congress to regulate commerce. Second, the individual mandate is set up as a tax, and there are no criminal penalties for non-compliance. Third, whenever federal and state laws contradict, federal law wins because of the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution. The Cooch was fully aware that his suit against the federal government stands zero chance of doing anything, but he filed it anyway. The problem with this is that making such a suit comes at the expense of Virginia taxpayers, both in terms of court filing fees and time spent working on the case. Virginia is going through a tough financial time because of the poor economy and that money should be spent on tax cuts, repairing roads or offsetting tuition hikes — but no. The Cooch has decided that the money is best spent on a political grandstand for him so that later he can be cheered on at a Tea Party convention while speaking out against wasteful government

spending. Not to be outdone by The Cooch’s silly antics, McDonnell wasted no time to further tarnish Virginia’s image on the national stage. McDonnell proclaimed April to be Confederate History Month. He did not proclaim April to be Civil War History Month where we might honor the brave soldiers who died on both sides of the conflict. Instead, McDonnell decided to honor a historical political enemy of the United States. Maybe he didn’t think Texas’ Rick Perry should be the only governor to have a secessionist fantasy. But the true blemish comes from the wording of the Confederate History Month proclamation where McDonnell neglected any mention of slavery. Slavery was a dark and sordid practice near the heart of what the Confederacy was all about. For McDonnell not to mention it amounts to nothing more than a rewrite of history. As usual, the governor had to backpedal after this stunt. After another volley from the national media, McDonnell profusely apologized and fixed his proclamation to include a mention of slavery. However, yet again, the damage had already been done and Virginians are now seen as a people that are quick to forget the evils of slavery. It seems as if the leadership in Richmond is on a deliberate smear campaign against the good citizens of Virginia. With three-and-a-half years left in office, they aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. We should all hope and pray that McDonnell and The Cooch have learned their lesson and will not embarrass us anymore. That, or we can all hope and pray that South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint reveals himself to be a birther.

ERIC WOOD -regular columnist -graduate student -mechanical engineering major

Education is what you make it; take advantage of opportunities V

irginia Tech is so much more than an engineering school. The disappointing thing is I can’t shake the feeling that those of us who aren’t engineers forget that. Last week I was talking with a history major, and he was telling me how unhappy he was with the department of history and its inability to meet his expectations. I have heard similar verdicts from people of other departments in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, and my reply to them is always the same: either you are in the wrong program for your passions, or you simply are not taking advantage of the program you’re in. It saddens me that not everyone realizes all the things their major, their professors, this university has to offer. Of course, the most important thing is to make sure you’re in the right program — that you’re working towards a degree that will give you the skills to go after what makes you happy. All of us hear this, but many of us don’t actually listen. Too many of us are struggling through one program when our passions beg us to struggle in a different one. Our parents tell us things will get better if we can just jump through all the hoops and make it to grad school, somehow manage our way into the real world. But if you ask me, if it’s not making you happy now, it won’t make you happy a year, five years, 10 years from now, or the for the rest of your life. Think about what you’re doing. You’re free to push yourself to get a degree you don’t want but that you think you need. But after you read this, don’t ever say someone did not tell you to really

consider if what you’re working toward in undergraduate or graduate school is what will make you happy. The bottom line is, you shouldn’t be afraid to change what it is you’re doing. What you’re doing now is going to affect the rest of your life, so you might as well do yourself a favor and not settle. Find what makes you happy — not your parents, not your advisers, not your professors, what makes you satisfied and excited with your life. For those of us who have found the program that works for us, it’s our responsibility to make sure we’re taking full advantage of it. We owe it to the university and the community to do so. Most importantly, we need to talk to our professors. It can be scary and intimidating to engage with the people who, for the semester, are the experts in what we’re studying. But, setting up times to talk with your professor about the class, what they’re researching, the program you’re in, even to chat can many times be more rewarding than just sitting through lectures. If you’re lucky, you’ll get to know your professors well enough to set up independent studies where you can focus on exactly what interests you. Professors are the best untapped resources on this campus, and they have so much support to offer us. You’ll be doing a disservice to yourself and your education if you don’t take advantage of them. We need to research all that our majors have to offer us. Does your department have ties with volunteer opportunities in the community or on campus? Does it offer exclusive

competitions that give chances to win honors and scholarships? What about study abroad programs? What kinds of careers do alumni who graduate from your department end up with? What specializations do the faculty in your department represent? Does your department have its own club? Every one of us should be able to answer every single one of these questions, but how many of us really can? Aside from academics, Tech is home to hundreds of student clubs and organizations. If you can’t find one that suits your interests (which would be surprising), then start one. Clubs are outlets for students looking for all kinds of opportunities, studying, playing sports, talking philosophy, gaming, helping people in need in the community and the world, learning to become activists, you name it — there’s a club. It’s never too late to join something that could possibly be fun and satisfying to whatever motivations you have. Education is what you make of it, and if you are experiencing misery during your time here, I urge you to not blame it on the university or its programs. Every Hokie should take full advantage of the wonderful opportunities Tech has to offer, don’t let them slip by.

NICOLE FAUT -regular columnist -sophomore -history, religion and culture major

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COLLEGIATETIMES

april 14, 2010

Men’s tennis team enters ﬁnal weekend after two more wins GARRETT RIPA sports reporter The No. 21 men’s tennis team ended a two-match ACC losing streak this past weekend with victories over then-No. 18 Wake Forest and thenNo. 47 NC State. The Hokies won the doubles point against Wake Forest and then scored several upsets in singles en route to a 5-2 victory. Tech’s No. 61 Luka Somen defeated No. 42 Tripper Carleton 6-2, 6-0 and Corrado Tocci defeated No. 101 Iain Atkinson 6-1, 6-4. Will Beck and No. 117 Sebastian Jacques also picked up singles victories for Tech. “We were really happy about the way we played against Wake Forest. I thought that was a great team effort and something we really worked hard for,” said coach Jim Thompson. “They beat us twice last year. We lost in the regular season in a tough match and again in the ACC Tournament.” The victory over NC State was a tighter 4-3 contest as the Hokies came out slowly in doubles, losing two of three doubles matches. Tech’s No. 74 ranked pairing of Yoann Re and Jacques lost its second tight doubles match of the weekend, 8-5. In singles, Somen continued his streak with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Dominic Hodgson. Patrick Daciek, along with Tocci and Jacques, picked up wins to seal the match. “We may have come out a little flat in the doubles against a really good NC State team, but I’m pleased about the way our guys fought back out,” said Thompson. No. 38-ranked Re, playing in the top singles spot for the Hokies, lost twice over the weekend, adding to a five match singles losing streak. After his singles defeat against Wake Forest, Re came out very sluggish against NC State. He lost the first set 6-1 and was down 3-0 in the second before mounting a strong comeback effort against Jaime Pulgar, before ultimately falling 6-4. “I started being a lot more consistent (toward end of the match) and I cut down the number of mistakes, and I was getting back and broke him twice at the end,” Re said. “I had a breakpoint in the last game and I got unlucky ... he hit the net, and the ball fell right behind.” In a sport where mentality and confidence mean so much, nobody wants to carry a losing streak into the postseason. “For sure I lost confidence,” Re said.

JACK HOWELL/SPPS

Hokies sophomore Patrick Daciek, from Severna Park, Md., competes against in-state rival Virginia on Feb. 23 in conference play. “I came back in the last match and I hope I am going to start playing better this weekend and gain some confidence heading toward the ACCs.” “I think he started to find his game, but it’s tough when you play in our league in number,” Thompson said. “If you are a little bit off or questioning your game the guys are too good.” “He is one of the best players in our league, and he’ll finish out the year strong — I have no doubt,” Thompson said. Meanwhile, Somen is playing his best tennis coming into the final weekend of regular season play. Somen, who is the reigning ACC freshman of the year, has gone from unranked to No. 61. In regards to his impressive play,

Somen modestly said, “Nothing special, I just train, practice hard, work hard on the court and in the gym.” If Somen continues his solid play throughout the next weekend and the ACC tournament, he may have a shot to make the NCAA singles tournament. “I’m not sure, the new ranking is going to come out tomorrow so then we’re going to see if I’m in a good position or not but I’m pretty sure I’m close,” Somen said. The Hokies will travel to Clemson and Georgia Tech this weekend to finish out the regular season. Two more victories would ensure at JACK HOWELL/SPPS least a fourth-place finish in the ACC Tech junior Will Beck, from Potomac, Md., looks to connect on a backhand attempt during one of the and a solid seed for the upcoming Hokies’ matches against the University of Virginia at Burrows/Burleson Tennis Center on Feb. 23. conference tournament.

april 14, 2010

page 8

A view to cherish

LUKE MASON/SPPS

AFTER LOSING SIGHT IN HIS RIGHT EYE, PADGETT HAS BATTLED BACK AS ROLE PLAYER FOR HOKIES RAY NIMMO sports reporter Stepping up to the plate in February, Luke Padgett knew he had been through a lot. It has been nearly two years since the last time he played baseball in a Virginia Tech uniform. It was all behind him — almost. A scar constantly reminds him of the accident every time he opens his eyes. Thoughts of leaving baseball had been going, going, gone. Staring at the pitcher and waiting for the delivery, Padgett dug in and took a swing. Solid contact. The ball traveled in the air, and Padgett ran for first base – it wasn’t good enough. The ball found its way into the center fielder’s baseball mitt: one out. “He threw me a curveball,” Padgett said, “and I hit it and it made me feel good about myself. It was good. I enjoyed it.” Trotting back to the dugout, Padgett, a redshirt junior at the time, was greeted by his teammates and congratulated. He wasn’t supposed to play baseball again. “Keep your eye on the ball” resonates as the most important rule in the game, and while Padgett can certainly keep his left eye on that rubber, cork and leather sphere, it’s a bit more difficult with his right eye. A year prior to his fly-out to center field, Padgett suffered a major injury that few baseball players ever suffer. “It was Feb. 2, 2008,” Padgett said. “It was the first practice we had on the field and was probably 50 or 60 degrees — not usual Blacksburg weather. It was so nice, and I just wanted to get out there. I was in the

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first batting practice group. I wasn’t even supposed to be swinging. I always hit last in my batting practice group for some reason. It was me, Sean O’Brien and two freshmen in our group. They didn’t jump in to hit, so I jumped in behind Sean. I fouled the ball up, and it hit me in the eye.” The pitch headed toward Padgett’s thigh, but instead of dodging the ball, he attempted to take a swing. Baseball would never be the same for him. “I fell to the ground, and was just holding my face,” he said. “I had tears pouring out of my eye because it hit me directly in the eye. I thought it was blood so of course I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m bleeding. I cut my eye open.’ The trainer took me to the dugout and was like, ‘Can you see anything?’ I remember the last thing I saw was the bottom of his feet probably a minute or two after it happened.” “I’ve never coached a kid who’s lost vision through baseball,” said head coach Pete Hughes, “so I thought maybe he had a black eye or a little fracture in the orbital bone. Unfortunately it was a lot worse.” The trainer couldn’t do much, and the school doctors were not present at the time. Padgett waited, all the while his situation deteriorated. “At that point, I couldn’t see anything at all — not a flashlight, not a hand in front of my face, not anything,” Padgett said. “I was completely blind.” When doctors finally reached Padgett, they drove him to the emergency room. On the way, doctors told him that he might not see out of his eye again. Tests were done to analyze the damage, but without a broken orbital bone, Padgett was sent to an eye specialist in Roanoke. By that time, night had fallen and

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Brin g and in thi you s ad ’ll g et:

LUKE PADGETT, REDSHIRT SENIOR DESIGNATED HITTER Year 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

GP-GS 36-25 32-25 17-3 11-1

AVG .283 .237

AB R 106 16 97 8 DID NOT PLAY .304 23 4 .364 11 4

the eye specialist’s office was closed. But the eye doctor came on his own time to meet Padgett. The inside of his eyeball tore, and blood filled the eye, rendering him blind. The prognosis wasn’t looking good. Playing baseball again seemed like a miracle. “When I first got hurt I asked, ‘Am I going to be able to play again?’ and he said, ‘I’m not going to tell you yes or no, but it doesn’t look like it,’” Padgett said. There was no time to mull over a future in baseball, however. For the next week following the accident, Padgett was trapped in bed. Constantly sedated, unable to watch television or walk around, he struggled with the first part of rehabilitation. Friends and roommates gathered to watch the Super Bowl while Padgett lay in his box-spring prison. “It was probably two months before I could do anything ‘strenuous’ is what they called it,” Padgett said. “After that I got to work out on the elliptical machine. I still couldn’t lift weights. Then probably three months after it happened, I could lift weights again.” Springtime came and another visit to the eye doctor yielded another “no” to playing baseball. Padgett had been through enough already, so giving up didn’t seem like an option. “I didn’t want to believe him, so

H 30 23

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I decided to get a second opinion,” Padgett said. “So I went to Duke Eye Center. They told me they couldn’t do anything to help me. I asked if I could have surgery or if there was anything they could do. They put ink in my system and watched it flow through my eye. They said there was nothing they could do to help my vision, so it’s just going to be this way forever. They didn’t tell me that I couldn’t play. They told me that if I was going to play that I had to use protective eyewear.” Finally a breakthrough happened. Padgett’s vision was returning — although not entirely. His pupil remains misshapen and dilated more than normal. A scar that will never go away took its place in the center of his eye. Perpetual blurriness in his right eye will haunt him for the rest of his life. Seven months after the accident, Padgett returned to the baseball diamond. Much like the trees in September, Padgett wanted to turn over a new leaf. He sported a complete face shield like Little Leaguers use. “It was hard,” Padgett said. “It was real hard. I’m not sure what my vision was, but my depth perception was off in the outfield and when hitting. It took a while to get used to.” It took another month for him to

RBI 19 17 1 1 lose the facemask and convert to custom-made lenses. Taking that first pitch with no protection didn’t scare Padgett. He had confronted this whole travesty with a sense of optimism, but optimism wasn’t producing desired results. “It was different,” Padgett said. “I was terrible when I first came back in the fall. I might have gotten one hit in 60 at-bats. It was rough. It was harder on me emotionally more than anything. I could take the failing part physically. I didn’t let it bother me to where people would see, but I almost quit a few times. I talked about it with a couple teammates — first, Matt Hacker. He went to the doctor and picked up my medicine for me. I talked about it with him. Randy Buffington — he’s gone too. Sean Ryan — he’s still here. They were all like, ‘Don’t give up, don’t quit,’ even when I said I was going to.” “I didn’t think (quitting) was a good idea because it’s been a part of his life forever,” Hughes said. “Selfishly I wanted him around because he’s a such a good kid and he believes in the same things I believe in. He’s a good person, he’s a great leader, he’s a great competitor, and he’s fun to be around. Those are all qualities we like in our dugout and our program.” It was a long process regaining his

old form. Padgett played in 68 games in his freshman and sophomore campaigns. He hit .261 and knocked in 36 runs. At the end of last season, Padgett said he finally felt like he was playing halfway decent. Although he only had 23 at-bats, Padgett hit .304 last year — not bad for coming off such a severe injury. “He was not even going to apply for his redshirt last year,” Ryan said. “Then I got hurt and had to redshirt, and I was like ‘Dude we got to do this together. You know we came in together, and we got to go out and stick this through.’ He was true to his word, and he’s been working his butt off since.” Now in his fifth year, Padgett continues to contribute with an even higher .364 average in 11 games played. The success might not ever go to his head, though. He stays humble every day by looking through his eyes and seeing that scar. “It really has changed me about taking things for granted,” Padgett said. “I took baseball for granted every day. Sometimes I wasn’t doing the right thing socially. I’d be out there practicing and be like, ‘God, I just want to go home. I don’t want to be out here.’ Looking back on it now, I’d do anything to be doing the 30 minutes of conditioning to where you’re about to pass out and throw up, doing all the drills, hitting, playing doubleheaders on a Saturday in both games, being so tired afterwards that all you want to do is go to sleep. I miss that a lot.” Padgett may never have a chance to pursue his dream of playing baseball professionally because of his injury. It’s a hard pill to swallow. So, the best piece of advice Padgett can give his teammates and other athletes is to play every game like it’s your last. “Whoever said that is a smart person,” Padgett added, “because you never know when it might be.”