Thursday, September 16, 2010
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Fighting Gravity comes back to earth
JAMIE CHUNG / SPPS
Brothers of Pi Kappa Alpha react to Fighting Gravity’s third place finish.
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Feb. 12, 2009, Blacksburg Pi Kappa Alpha brothers perform for the first time at AnchorSplash
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June 9, 2010, New York, New York: Fighting Gravity auditions for “America’s Got Talent”
MICHAEL MCDERMOTT / COLLEGIATE TIMES
GORDON BLOCK associate news editor It was not meant to be. Fighting Gravity, a blacklight dance team of 13 Virginia Tech students who are all brothers in the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity, fell short of victory in the Wednesday night finale of NBC’s “America’s Got Talent.”
The team came in third place, ahead of vocalist Prince Poppycock but behind 10-year-old opera singer Jackie Evancho, the runner up, and blues singer Michael Grimm, who took home the grand prize. The act received glowing praise from judges Howie Mandel, Sharon Osbourne and Piers Morgan following the announcement. Osbourne asked for front row tickets to their first show in
Las Vegas. At the Pi Kappa Alpha house on Oak Lane in Blacksburg, the loss was greeted with groans, cheers and a few four letter words. More than 80 people were crowded into the backyard of the fraternity’s house, where a sheet was set up on a wall to project the show. Fighting Gravity first performed at AnchorSplash, a Greek life talent show, in spring
July 19, 2009, Los Angeles, California Pi Kappa Alpha brothers perform at the ESPY’s 2009 afterparty in Club Nokia
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July 13, 2010, Hollywood, California: Fighting Gravity is one of 48 groups that perform on the next round of “America’s Got Talent”
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Aug. 31, 2010, Hollywood, California: Fighting Gravity is one of 24 groups that perform in the semi-final round of “America’s Got Talent”
Sept. 7, 2010, Hollywood, California: Fighting Gravity is one of 10 groups that perform in the next round of semi-finals of “America’s Got Talent”
Sept. 14-15, 2010, Hollywood, California: Fighting Gravity finishes third after performing in the final round of “America’s Got Talent”
2009. The group advanced through multiple rounds of competition that spanned most of the summer before reaching the final round in Los Angeles. Many of the fraternity’s members were stunned the group didn’t reach the top two. Following the announcement, Carter Gradwell, the chapter’s vice president, said he was proud of his fraternity brothers.
Feb. 18, 2010, Blacksburg Pi Kappa Alpha brothers perform at AnchorSplash again
“It’s a shame they didn’t take it all,” Gradwell said. “But the No. 3 act in America — that’s not too bad.” The group, as one of the final 10 acts on the show, will appear in the “America’s Got Talent” nationwide tour beginning Oct. 1. The group will appear in Richmond, Va., at the Landmark Theatre on Oct. 28, and Constitution Hall in Washington D.C. on Nov. 4.
LIANA BAYNE associate news editor The University of Virginia’s Board of Visitors announced plans Tuesday to dedicate a memorial to Virginia Tech student Morgan Harrington in October. Harrington, a junior education major from Tech, went missing from a Metallica concert at John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville on Oct. 17, 2009. She was last seen alive on the evening of Oct. 17, on the Copeley Road bridge. Harrington’s body was recovered from a remote area of a farm about 10 miles from UVa on Jan. 25 after months of searching. A $150,000 reward is still being offered for information that leads to a resolution in the case. The Copeley Road bridge has become the site of an informal memorial for Harrington since her
disappearance. UVa plans to dedicate a plaque on the bridge on the one-year anniversary of Harrington’s disappearance on Oct. 17, according to a press release from UVa. The dedication will begin at 2 p.m. The plaque will read, “In loving memory of Morgan Dana Harrington (1989-2009). A student at our sister institution, Virginia Tech, Ms. Harrington was last seen alive on this bridge on October 17, 2009. University of Virginia, dedicated October 17, 2010.” The plaque will also feature the “2-4-1” symbol made popular by the Harrington family during the search for Morgan Harrington. After the dedication, Newcomb Hall will host a showing of the film “A Gift for the Village” and a reception. Jane Vance, an interdisciplinary studies instructor at Tech who mentored Harrington, created the film.
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The Copeley Road bridge near the University of Virginia has become an informal memorial site for slain Virginia Tech student Morgan Harrington, who disappeared from a Metallica concert.
UVA’S BOV ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF HARRINGTON DISAPPEARANCE
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2009-10 SEES FEWEST DISCIPLINE REFERRALS TO OFFICE OF STUDENT CONDUCT SINCE 2005 GORDON BLOCK associate news editor University administrators have no definite explanation for a substantial drop in caseload at Virginia Tech’s Office of Student Conduct for the spring 2010 semester. According to data compiled in the office’s annual report for the 2009-10 school year, the office handled 973 cases in the spring 2010 semester, a drop from the 1,666 cases the office took on during the fall 2009 semester. The 973 cases is the lowest semester total since the office handled 1,008 cases during the spring 2005 semester, when the department switched its recordkeeping to track each student charged with a violation. “There’s nothing that stands out that seemingly dropped,” said Rohsaan Settle, associate director for
the Office of Student Conduct. “I can’t quickly identify what is the rationale that the numbers are different.” One area with a lower number of violations was underage possession and consumption of alcohol. The office of student conduct handled 226 alcohol-related violations in the spring 2010 semester, down from 551 violations in the fall. For most school years, spring semesters have a lower caseload, reasons including the end of football season, increased student knowledge of university policy and cold weather during the early portions of the spring semester. “Weather plays a large factor,” said Steve Clarke, director of Tech’s College Alcohol Abuse Prevention Center. “When it’s colder, people stay inside. People see less going on.” Clarke noted his office had more referrals later in the spring semester.
“We had a really harsh winter, and then boom, we had the warmest spring we’ve had in years,” he said. Student conduct records show 201 offending students had their alcohol classes from the spring scheduled for the fall 2010 semester, and Clarke said about 120 have yet to finish their classes. “Once you get past April 15, it’s really tough to get people through these classes,” Clarke said. The center runs three different alcohol classes: Making Positive Choices, Motivational Interviews, and Positive Alcohol Choices and Strategies. For the entire 2009-10 year, the center saw 889 offending students taking alcohol-related classes, up from 738 students in 2008-09, an increase of 17.6 percent. “There hasn’t been a big fluctuation in drinking behavior,” Clarke said. “It suggests more of the activity of the referral agents rather than the students.” Referrals for the spring semester were down from almost every refer-
ral agent compared to the fall semester, with referrals from residential advisor staff taking the largest drop. Referrals from Communication Network Services, Tech Police and Blacksburg Police also saw large drops between fall 2009 and spring 2010. Residential advisor staff rang up just 168 referrals in spring 2010, after submitting 312 referrals in fall 2009. The overall number of violations reported by residential advisor staff has taken a substantial drop in only the past three years, from 1,173 referrals in the 2007-08 school year, to 530 in the 2008-09 school year, to 480 in 2009-10. Carl Krieger, assistant director of Residence Life, said residential advisors are informed of university policy and how to refer violations to the Office of Student Conduct before the start of the school year and consistently trained throughout the year. “They aren’t allowed to look at a university violation and look away,” Krieger said.
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university editor: philipp kotlaba, liana bayne, gordon block newseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865
september 16, 2010
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Christiansburg loses bid for data center
Pa. student cuts dean’s throat
CHRISTIANSBURG — Microsoft Corp. strongly considered building a $499 million data center in a Montgomery County business park before its decision last month to choose another Virginia location, disappointed county officials revealed Wednesday. The software giant was poised to take advantage of the county’s ample utilities including plentiful electricity and water at Falling Branch Corporate Park in Christiansburg, the area’s population of college-trained professionals and local government-paid financial incentives, which would have included a rebate of roughly 90 percent of real estate and business personal property taxes for 20 years, officials said. But the region was passed over — the project will be built in Boydton, in Southside — for reasons Microsoft did not fully explain. Officials said they discerned that two liabilities of the Montgomery County location were: -Electricity available at the Falling Branch, while plentiful, was not derived from green source. -The park sits atop karst formations, a common geologic feature in which ground may become unstable due to eroding limestone. Microsoft’s needs were exacting. “They were looking for close to perfection on everything,” said County Administrator Craig Meadows.
Twenty minutes before Gov. Jay Nixon was to have a press conference this morning at Metropolitan Community College-Penn Valley, a student wearing a bullet-proof vest slashed the throat of a college dean, police said. The dean collapsed to the floor. Students and faculty rushed to his aid and applied pressure to the wound while others tackled the suspect and held him until police arrived. The dean was taken to a hospital following the 9:40 a.m. attack at the Humanities Building on the campus at 3210 Southwest Trafficway. Nixon’s talk was planned for 10 a.m. It was canceled. Nixon had just arrived at the airport when the incident happened, a spokeswoman said. Before the attack, the suspect had walked into a large room with multiple computer labs where the press conference was to be held “acting crazy,” one witness said. He briefly grabbed the microphone and said “Check, check, check” and “Can you hear me?” before leaving the area near the podium. Shortly afterward, the ran out of the room, into the hall and cut the throat of the dean, who was walking with other administrators. The suspect appeared to be under the influence of drugs, police said. Other students described him as having demonic tattoos and said he had written symbols on a wall poster before the incident began. College officials, including Chancellor Mark James, were waiting to greet the governor and witnessed the attack, authorities said. Nixon had planned to discuss details of $57.6 million in funds awarded to expand high-speed broadband access in Missouri, including at seven community colleges. He is scheduled to talk more about the topic this afternoon in Springfield, Mo., and Camdenton, Mo.
-jeff sturgeon, mcclatchy newspapers
CORRECTIONS JUSTIN GRAVES -Contact our public editor at publiceditor@ collegiatetimes.com if you see anything that needs to be corrected.
Joseph Gooding, an aerospace engineering major, looks over information packets between talking to companies during Wednesday’s engineering job expo in Squires Student Center. The two-day event drew a multitude of companies to Virginia Tech’s campus. photo by daniel lin
Media contests new method to woo customers ERIC FRAZIER mcclatchy newspapers CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Next month, if all goes as planned, about 300 smart-phone-carrying contestants will spend a Saturday shooting video, snapping pictures, tweeting, updating Facebook and otherwise digitally socializing at preset locations around Charlotte. Their goal: to win Carolina Panthers tickets by beating opponents in an “Amazing Race”-style social media contest. The Oct. 23 competition — called Panthers Purrsuit — marks the latest, and perhaps most ambitious, local twist on a staple of the social media age: contests drawn up by companies or charities to pull in Twitter followers and Facebook fans.
Usually, retailers mount such contests. But in a sign of the increasing reach and clout of social networks, all kinds of businesses — even NFL football teams like the Panthers — are getting involved. Despite having almost 50,000 fans on Facebook anda more than 9,000 on Twitter, the Panthers say they want more. They want to build the kind of generational loyalty that older teams like the Cleveland Browns or Pittsburgh Steelers enjoy. They figure social networks, with their appeal to the young, can help. “That is the future fan of the Carolina Panthers,” said Mike Mahoney, a sponsorship sales executive with the team. “You can never have too many fans.” The Allen Tate real estate firm signed on as title sponsor. President
Pat Riley said selling real estate is all about building relationships, and so is social media. He wants to keep in touch with clients, even after the sale. “People only buy homes every 4.3 years in America,” he said. “We need to make sure when you buy a house that you understand we’re not here today and gone tomorrow.” A recent Twitter search turned up tweets about all sorts of social media competitions in North Carolina. The Biltmore Estate congratulated the winner of a Christmas wine label design contest. A Charlotte notary public service talked up its essay contest, offering a free wedding package to the writer of the best “how-we-met” essay. A shopping center offered a $20 Visa gift card to the person who came up with the best names for two new swans
in its lake. Charlotte Jewish Day School generated significant buzz on Twitter and Facebook recently with its campaign to win $500,000 through a Facebook contest run by Kohl’s department stores. To vote for the school, supporters had to click a button agreeing to let Kohl’s access their friend lists and information they’ve given Facebook about their hobbies and preferences — not an uncommon way for corporations to use contests to gain information about potential customers. With help from high-profile local Twitter-users like Nathan Richie, head of the Social Media Charlotte networking group, the school made its way into the top 10. Voting ended Friday; winners will be announced later this month.
-christine vendel & mara williams, mcclatchy newspapers
september 16, 2010
page 3
Food author engages Burruss ......radio for
everyone PAUL KURLAK / SPPS
Barbara Kingsolver and her husband Steven L. Hopp address the crowd Tuesday night in Burruss Hall.
COMMON BOOK AUTHOR BARBARA KINGSOLVER SPEAKS ON LOCAL AND ORGANIC FOOD MOVEMENT MAJONI HARNAL features reporter Authors of “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life,” Barbara Kingsolver and her husband Steven L. Hopp, spoke at Virginia Tech about their book and sustainable farming. With an introduction by Daniel Wubah, dean of undergraduate studies, and famed poet and professor Nikki Giovanni, Kingsolver and Hopp opened their presentation to roaring applause. Large-scale sustainability projects are occurring every day and Tech is no stranger to them. With events such as Sustainablity Week and Recyclemania, the Office of Sustainability is making efforts to reduce Tech’s negative impact on the environment. Kingsolver’s book, this year’s university common book, falls right into place with Tech’s efforts to go green. The book chronicles the lives of Kingsolver and her family as they spent one year eating food bought locally and their investigations of the food industry. To illustrate the theme of the book, D2 held a dinner before the event serving a vast array of food from exclusively local sources. The book is being used by many faculty members to educate Tech students about what it means to eat organic, be sustainable and soften the impact on the environment. Thus it was logical that the authors, who live south of Blacksburg in Abingdon, Va., to discuss their book about local sustainability efforts and answer any questions from
the crowd. The authors read excerpts of their book, highlighting key themes such as eating with the seasons, the food industry’s dependence on oil and initiatives to reduce global hunger. Both Kingsolver and Hopp also expanded on efforts they have made in and around their community, including their restaurant that uses ingredients from local sources only. Beginning with casual ease and a quick joke, Kingsolver talked about her pride in Tech’s efforts to educate the citizens of the state. “Surprised” and “flattered” that their book was chosen, Kingsolver and her husband were excited to speak on their book and elaborate as necessary. Kingsolver read from the book, saying “Many bright people are in the dark about their food.” “We can’t know what we haven’t been taught,” she continued, about the issue that the book aimed to tackle. Both authors touch upon key facts mixed in with the narrative as “dorky sidenotes” according to Kingsolver and Hopp. The so-called “dorky” notes mention alarming facts such as the statistic claiming each piece of food travels an average of 1,500 miles from farm to a dinner plate. Furthermore, the recent oil spill in the Gulf equates a mere day of oil required to put food on a plate in today’s food industry. The presentation brought together an array of audience members, ranging from students who read the book in class to New River Valley community members, eager to hear and eager to
share. Heads nodded emphatically as Kingsolver made a point or supplied examples of America’s “culture of greed; of ‘what do I want’ versus ‘what do I have.’” Kingsolver also tackled the idea that education has come to mean moving away from farms and agriculture. Her words were new for some but extremely familiar to others. David Christian, a freshman business major, said he had learned about sustainability in the past. Like many other incoming students, Christian was required to read the book and attend the lecture for one of his classes. Rosemarie Sawdon, a member of the New River Valley community who was been growing much of her food for more than fifty years, said the book reinforces her way of life. “I’m proof of what eating well means for your health,” she said enthusiastically. Sawdon has been heavily involved in the local organic movement and has long held an interest in sustainability. Ann Groves, another community member, came from a family of sustenance farmers in New England and has always lived the lifestyle. She is currently talking to her friends and neighbors about trying to set up a half-acre potato farm cooperative in south Blacksburg. Groups such as the Environmental Coalition at Virginia Tech have instigated many green projects, while students from a combination of majors helped with the construction of the solar powered Lumenhaus exhibited on the Drillfield. Events such as Sustainability Week will feature talks, workshops, recycling projects and film presentations to educate and inform.
Celebrate Active Commuting! Join us on the Drillfield, Wednesday, September 22 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. Free Breakfast Free bike safety checks Transit Information
Discount Coupons Health Information Free Bike Registration
...And much more! Participants in the event include: Blacksburg Transit Recreational Sports East Coasters Bike Barn NRV Bike Association Yield 2 Life VT Sustainability Office Sustainable Blacksburg U Car Share Town of Blacksburg Bring this ad to East Coasters or Bike Barn in Blacksburg and receive 15% off any bike helmet or light!
To learn more about the Active Commute Celebration or about Virginia Tech’s Alternative Transportation programs visit www.tcs.vt.edu or contact Debby Freed at dfreed@vt.edu or 231-0248.
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editors: michael bealey, garrett ripa sportseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES
september 16, 2010
Mulherin focused on making impact for team look MATT JONES sports staff writer Ask Virginia Tech’s star cross country runner Will Mulherin about his individual goals. He’ll stress the importance of a team title, instead. “I want to win a team title,” Mulherin said. “I probably want a team title more than I want my individual titles. I really want that team title.” His thoughts are echoed by 10thMULHERIN year head coach Ben Thomas, who believes this team has the potential to be one of the best he’s had at Tech. “With cross country, it’s not just one or two people that have to do well,” Thomas said. “It’s five guys on the day that have to do well. If we can put that together and everyone has
one of their best races, then we can be amongst the best in the ACC.” Knowing he has one of the best runners in the Atlantic Coast Conference should make Thomas’ job that much easier. Mulherin, coming off a season in which he garnered All-ACC honors as a sophomore, is setting his personal goals even higher for his junior year. “I want to be in the running for ACC champ in cross, I think that would definitely be one of the coolest ACC titles you can get,” Mulherin said. “It means you’re the best in all the distance, not just one event.” Mulherin comes from a family of runners. Both his older brothers, Tim and Ben, ran cross country in high school. They thought about running in college, but decided against it, instead paving the way for their younger brother to shine at the next level. Mulherin’s journey to Tech has been nothing short of amazing. He start-
ed running competitively in eighth grade for his junior varsity team, and it wasn’t until his senior year at Tabb High School in Yorktown, Va., that he felt he could run at the collegiate level. “I think senior year I was flip-flopping on it, if I wanted to do it at all,” Mulherin said. “Then at (Virginia’s state cross country championships) I got third, and that’s when things started to accelerate. I kind of got pushed into it, kind of fell into it after that.” Mulherin had decided to come to Tech before he knew he wanted to run in college. “I actually applied early decision to Tech, got in, then coach Thomas gave me a call because I was already coming here,” Mulherin said. Thomas has been especially pleased with Mulherin’s rapid improvement in just two years with the team. “To come in and go from what he ran on the track in his senior year of high school, and two years
later be fifth at the NCAA outdoor track championships is pretty special,” Thomas said. “Very few people have made that kind of improvement that quick, and he’s taken it all in stride.” A key to Mulherin’s success is his consistency, something his teammate and fellow junior Michael Hammond believes is critical. “He’s never the guy to be one day way out front killing a workout, then the next day be way off in the back, he’s always kind of in the same spot. That’s definitely something to learn from for everybody on the team,” Hammond said. Thomas had the same to say about Mulherin’s consistency. “He shows up everyday. He’s always there, he’s an ultra-consistent guy, always on time,” Thomas said. Hammond and Mulherin have the same goals going into this season, and they are aiming for some high honors. “ACC title in cross country, All-
American in cross country,” Hammond said. “Really, we’re both gunning for the same goals this year, so we’ll see how it turns out.” Mulherin will try to balance his running schedule with his work as an engineering major again this year. “It’s really tough,” Mulherin said. “I have a lot of homework, and not as much time to do it as the other people. I try to get to bed early, but it’s difficult sometimes. The way I see it is, I’m an engineer until they kick me out.” Thomas said Mulherin is in a special class of runners. “He has the potential to be as good as anyone I’ve coached,” Thomas said. “Obviously to be 20 years old and already be an All-American, that’s pretty special — obviously the sky’s the limit. If he can continue to stay healthy over the next two years he has the potential for a national championship, and that’s certainly something we’re going to go after.
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editors: scott masselli, gabi seltzer opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES
september 16, 2010
The Collegiate Times is an independent student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903
Suggestions for proper Facebook page etiquette As
I’m scrolling through my newsfeed, I often find myself asking “Why would you post that on Facebook?” Like most people I know, I’m on Facebook pretty frequently — whenever I sit down at a computer, it’s the first thing I check. Being that it’s become so popular in recent years, interest in defining a sort of universal “Facebook etiquette” has also been on the rise. I thought I might as well take a stab at creating my own set of do’s and don’ts — OK mostly don’ts. First of all, and it almost goes without saying, don’t post anything you wouldn’t want your boss, pastor or grandma to see. We’ve all heard that Facebook is used by prospective employers to check out potential job candidates. I can’t attest to whether this is true, but in general it doesn’t seem like a bad rule of thumb to follow. Moving on to some issues that are of lesser consequence. These aren’t things you should avoid because they’ll potentially cause you to lose out on a job or deeply offend your sweet old grams, but things that are just, in general, annoying. Take it easy with the requests for your farm, restaurant, desert island or whatever. They are a classic Facebook annoyance. If you’re like me and you can’t stand to let the little notification “You have 1 Farmville Gift Request” just hang out on the side of the page forever, you spend a lot of time clicking “ignore” on every little request that comes your way. Also, spare us all the explicit details about what a crazy night you had last night — especially if last night was a Tuesday. Let’s leave the, probably highly exaggerated, tales of drunken escapades to Texts From Last Night. Being that Facebook is in no way anonymous (like TFLN is), it looks less hilarious and more pathetic. Try not to be such a downer. This is probably my biggest pet peeve — the people out there who seem to only post status updates when their lives are apparently falling apart around them and they’re sinking into a deep and unrelenting depression. It’s OK to vent a little, for example, “Stressing out about this exam tomorrow!” But when I actually notice that you complain a lot from just skimming over my Facebook
while working on my Spanish homework, that’s pretty serious. The worst is the people who give you a play-by-play of every time they get any sort of minor cold or sickness. And, of course, those people are sick basically every other week. I hear a more positive outlook does wonders for a person’s health. On top of this, please do not commit the dreaded Facebook over-share. It just makes everyone feel awkward. I’ll take a hundred bland “Going to the beach today!” statuses over one “He broke my heart, and now I have to find the will to pick up the pieces.” Gross. Sidenote: Who else thinks it’s extremely awkward when someone changes their relationship status from “in a relationship” to “single” and then right beneath it someone else will comment “Oh no, what happened?” I feel like Mr. or Ms. Newly-Single isn’t going to want to hash out all the details of their break-up right there for the world to see, you know? Overuse of smiley faces and especially hearts is another Facebook crime and one that is far more widespread than anything else on this list so far. If every single one of your statuses ends in a heart, you’re taking it just a bit too far. The standard perpetrators of this crime are also likely to be the kind of people who obsessively post bad music lyrics as their statuses. That isn’t so much a Facebook crime as a general embarrassment. So these are a few suggestions about general Facebook etiquette to follow — none of them are hard-and-fast rules, nor are they meant to be taken very seriously, but hopefully you’ve found yourself, at least once while reading this column, saying “Oh, I hate when people do that!” Happy Facebooking, everybody, and let us hear some Facebook pet peeves of your own.
LIZZ WENSKA -regular columnist -sophomore -political science major
Your Views [letter to the editor]
Modified foods not as harmful as presented Josh Trebach’s column “Genetically modified foods need government regulation,” (CT, Sept. 15) is a misinformed, alarmist piece of journalism. His claims that GM foods present “definite risks” are based on poor logic. He asserts that GM foods can create antibiotic resistance. He uses the technique of insertion of antibiotic resistance as a focal point for how this can occur. Yes, scientists use inserted antibiotic resistance as a marker for insertion of the proper gene. Josh then makes the unfounded leap that this resistance can be transferred into bacteria. According to an article by the European Federation of Biotechnology’s Task Group on Public Perceptions of Biotechnology, there is no known mechanism for genetic transfer of this sort. Additionally, Josh makes a further leap to posit that kanamycin resistance can translate into penicillin or other drug resistance. This is simply not possible. Kanamycin interferes with protein synthesis in a very specific manner.
Penicillin interferes with cell wall synthesis. The resistance to penicillin is most frequently conferred by a penicillin-digesting enzyme. Kanamycin resistance is conferred by an enzyme that modifies kanamycin by adding a phosphate group, inactivating it. The two are mechanistically unrelated to the extent that a mutation in a gene conferring resistance to one would simply not confer resistance to the other. Another, more minor, point he makes is antibiotic resistance propagated in this fashion would cause susceptibility to certain viruses and illnesses. Antibiotics do not affect viruses. Certainly, there are arguments against GM foods. Personally, I do not subscribe to any of them. However, the articles mentioned from the London Times and Spectrum Magazine would allow a more convincing argument than the arguments Josh chose to carry most of his message. The points on which he chose to base his argument illustrate his lack of proper understanding of basic biology. William Hendrick Graduate Student
we’re YOUR newspaper. send a letter to the editor and express your views. send an e-mail to opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com with your letter or guest column attached.
MCT CAMPUS
University motto invitation to serve community, world R
ecently I’ve been thinking about several topics worthy of examination — the need to build collaborative partnerships among many segments of our community, the critical need to focus on public policy and the gradual shift in culture that seems to be happening at Virginia Tech — a shift away from insularity and toward integration. Today, my purpose is to probe our university’s motto and what it means by focusing on the first two topics mentioned above. I’ll begin with the second topic — the critical need to focus on issues related to public policy. This need seems even more relevant when reading recent editions of the Roanoke Times, which have featured two of the issues members of our community will be addressing in the coming two weeks: the increase in poverty and joblessness in the US and the less-than-effective attempts to help Haiti recover from the devastating earthquake in January. By mentioning them, my first goal is to raise awareness. Without a raised level of awareness, these issues will remain below most members of the community’s radar. They will not be seen, which means they will continue to go unremarked upon and, more importantly, un-acted upon. In the next two weeks, many major events will occur on campus, but at least two relate to these two issues: Sustainability Week, which runs from Nov. 18 to Nov. 25, and the three-day event called “Local Food, Global Hunger: Learning, Sharing, Serving,” which runs from Sept. 30 to Oct. 2. Each of these events addresses these issues and offers both opportunities to learn about them from a number of critical perspectives, and, at the
end, an opportunity on Oct. 2 to actually take action. Both the learning and the doing are important. Both are part of the educational process and both are essential components to a fuller understanding of “Ut Prosim.” The activities during Sustainability Week — which is a true example of teamwork between Tech, the local community and the town — and those later in the month offer practical, hands-on ways to get involved. On Sept. 30 on the Drillfield, many people from across Tech and the New River Valley will gather to share ideas and practical advice on sustainable agriculture for the common good and then later that evening, some of these same ideas will surface during a performance by the Jen Chapin Trio at the Lyric. On Friday and Saturday, discussion and learning shift to doing. Friday, people who do, who raise the food and serve the hungry through work at food pantries and backpack programs, will gather at the NRV Competitiveness Center in Fairlawn to share the best practices. Jen Chapin, who is on the board of an international nonprofit called “WHY,” which focuses on hunger, will also attend and speak. And on Saturday the work comes back to Blacksburg. In Squires Student Center’s Commonwealth Ballroom, we are hoping 2,000 people will gather to pack food with members of Stop Hunger Now, another international nonprofit organization. The goal is to mix, seal and box 285,000 packets of food, which is enough for more than 1.2 million meals. The food will proceed to Miami where it will board a ship to Haiti.
The devastation from the earthquake in Haiti remains beyond most people’s imagination. Only two percent of the rubble in the capital city has been removed, and it has been nine months since the earthquake. Without rubble removed, buildings cannot be rebuilt, roads cannot be resurfaced and transportation and industry remain severely incapacitated. Anyone who attends any of these events will be part of the larger issue of moving away from insularity toward integration. I believe once people truly see what is happening and realize they have the knowledge or skills to help, it remains difficult to continue to stand on the sidelines and do nothing. And, if you realize that Tech’s motto “That I may serve,” is really an invitation — not a command — then my hope is with knowledge and awareness will come the desire to live out our motto and make service a part of your routine. This year, we’re focusing on Seasons of Service. The work on Oct. 2 is part of the Fall Day of Service. This event is open to everyone who wants to help. Just visit VT-ENGAGE’s website www.engage.vt.edu/stophungernow and sign up. Join us and members from many organizations across the NRV to first learn and then serve. Help stop hunger. Now. In so doing, live out what it means to be a Hokie.
JIM DUBINSKY -guest columnist -director of CSECP
Lack of student motivation part of America’s national decline R
ecently, Newsweek published its list of “The best countries in the world.” Finland, Switzerland, Sweden, Australia, Luxembourg, Norway, Canada, Netherlands, Japan and Denmark occupied the top 10 spots, respectively. The list was based on five categories: education, health, economic dynamism, quality of life and political environment. Conspicuously absent was the U.S., where citizens tout their country as “the greatest nation on earth.” Unfortunately, that expression is now less of a national treasure and more of a self-righteous, blindly nationalistic refrain. Canada, the victim of so many jokes, is, according to Newsweek, a better place to live than the U.S.. The same goes for Japan, an American military protectorate. The most pertinent question is: How have we reached this point? One of the categories that stands out in Newsweek’s article is education. If the United States is losing its place at the pinnacle of international society, surely education can serve as a clear foundation for the problem. In the past decade, the United States has increased funding to schools dramatically. No Child Left Behind, a program created by the George W. Bush administration, simply threw money at the broken public school system. Why, with so much money going to education, have we fallen short of producing measurably better student scores? With American high schools
ranked ninth in terms of percentage of adults with a diploma, and college diploma ranking at seventh, our educational system is clearly in disarray. Given the exorbitant amount of money we spend on this category, it is safe to say the system is inefficient. Americans must become aware of the ugly truth. We cannot continue to blame teachers and principals for the current state of affairs. Plenty of money has already been wasted trying to address these issues, despite a lack of conclusive evidence to support their existence. Perhaps there is a larger problem, a much more fundamental, nearly unmentionable issue — a lack of student motivation. In the U.S., our assumption has been that student motivation is the responsibility of teachers. This is a misconception, because teachers do not have that kind of control over their students. In reality, motivation is weak because students do not like school, do not work hard and as a result, do not do well. It would be a stretch to blame the entire state of the nation on our educational system, terrible though it may be. Instead, student motivation is really just part of a larger problem — a breakdown in traditional values. When I say traditional values, I am most certainly not talking about religious values, abstinence or anything remotely related to morality. Instead, the breakdown has occurred in a different place — our work ethic. For the past two decades, the American dream has changed from having a decent job, a family, health
care and a semi-early retirement, to getting rich quickly no matter what rules must be broken or what senator has to be bought off. And for the past two decades, the hill upon which Reagan’s “city” rests has slowly eroded. In an early August speech, President Barack Obama said Americans “Won’t settle for No. 2.” Can they settle for 11th? This is the reality of our nation’s place in the world. America is a nation that believes in gross wealth gained at the expense of the poor. In a time where the government should be asking us to make sacrifices the “greatest generation” would have silently shouldered, we will vote for whichever candidate promises to make it easier for us. And who will pay for our ease? Young Americans with poorer education than the U.S. has ever had. If we intend to conquer the great problems of our time, we must face them with the spirit of our grandparents and great-grandparents. American pride was not given to them. It was earned in historic battles against racism, communism and radical nationalism. In order to prevail, America will have to give away its toys and greed for its future. We won the Cold War, a series of battles over values. Can we win this war? Only with a great deal more sacrifice than we are currently willing to make.
ADAM SMITH -regular columnist -sophomore -philosophy major
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ACROSS 1 *Bag 5 *Pump output 8 *Follow 13 Longtime portrait studio __ Mills 14 Strasbourg street 15 For this reason 16 *Road surface 18 *Holdup causes? 19 More than frown on 20 Morrie Turner comic strip about ethnically diverse kids 21 D-Day carrier 22 “__ Tonic”: 1945 Bugs Bunny title 23 Green source, briefly 26 Give as a task 28 *Rain protection 32 Southern stretch? 34 Yours, in Tours 35 On Vine St., say 36 Like many cameras 38 Retailer offering video streaming 40 Legendary work, often 41 Miller __ 43 Emit, as a sigh 44 *Grilling site 45 Musical satirist Tom 47 “Indubitably!” 48 D-Day month 49 Pep 51 To some degree 55 Bridge supports 59 *Cola holder 60 *Range target 61 __ ease 62 Braves, on scoreboards 63 1998 skating gold medalist Lipinski 64 *Warehouse aids 65 *Guinea pig food 66 *Location DOWN 1 Cleans (up) using Bounty 2 Greenspan concerned with green 3 Batman’s hideout
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september 16, 2010
page 7
No apology, but Bush forfeits his Heisman Trophy MICHAEL LEV mcclatchy newspapers
MCT CAMPUS
Former USC head coach Pete Carroll gives Reggie Bush words of encouragement. Bush was involved in an NCAA investigation leading to a two-year postseason ban for USC and him giving back his Heisman.
Reggie Bush finally relented. After refusing to so much as apologize for the actions that led to sanctions against his school, the former USC tailback announced Tuesday that he will return his 2005 Heisman Trophy. Yahoo! Sports had reported last week that the Heisman Trophy Trust would strip Bush of the award after the NCAA determined he was ineligible. Bush beat the Trust to the punch. “One of the greatest honors of my life was winning the Heisman Trophy in 2005,” Bush said in a statement through his current employer, the NFL’s New Orleans Saints. “For me, it was a dream come true. But I know that the Heisman is not mine alone. Far from it. I know that my victory was made possible by the discipline and hard work of my teammates, the steady guidance of my coaches, the inspiration of the fans, and the unconditional love of my family and friends. And I know that any young man fortunate enough to win the Heisman enters into a family of sorts. Each individual carries the legacy of the award, and each one is entrusted with its good name.” “It is for these reasons that I have made the difficult decision to forfeit my title as Heisman winner of 2005. “The persistent media speculation regarding allegations dating back to my years at USC has been both painful and distracting. In no way should the storm around these allegations reflect in any way on the dignity of this award, nor on any other institutions or individuals.” When he took over as USC president in late July, C.L. Max Nikias announced the school would return its copy of Bush’s Heisman and remove all recognition of him. The trophy was gone by early August, and Bush’s oversized No. 5 jersey no longer adorned the peristyle end of the Coliseum alongside USC’s other Heisman winners when the Trojans opened their home schedule Saturday. New USC athletic director Pat Haden, whom Nikias hired, described Bush’s act as “a very noble thing. We did what we were going to do return our Heisman,” Haden said. “This was clearly Reggie’s decision. My own personal view is, he made the right
decision.” Haden was among those hoping some good could come of the Bush episode, which began when reports surfaced that he and his family accepted about $300,000 worth of improper benefits from a would-be sports agent. After a multiyear investigation, the NCAA in June saddled USC with sanctions that include a two-year bowl ban and 30 lost scholarships over three seasons. Bush’s coach at USC, Pete Carroll, now with the Seattle Seahawks, said in a statement: “It is my hope that this situation serves as a teachable moment to all involved, especially for the young athletes and university and high school administrators of tomorrow.” To that end, Bush said he planned to work with the Heisman Trophy Trustees “to establish an educational program which will (help) student-athletes and their families avoid some of the mistakes that I made. I am determined to view this event as an opportunity to help others and to advance the values and mission of the Heisman Trophy Trust.” The Heisman Trust declined comment. The runner-up in 2005, Texas quarterback Vince Young, said recently that he wouldn’t send the trophy back if it were given to him. But he didn’t sound too interested in claiming it after Bush became
the first Heisman winner to return the award. “Reg will continue to be the 2005 award recipient,” Young, now with the Tennessee Titans, wrote on his Twitter page, “and I will continue to be honored to have been in the 2005 Heisman campaign with such a talented athlete.” USC coach Lane Kiffin was a member of the Trojans’ staff in 2005, when Bush rushed for 1,740 yards and scored 19 touchdowns. Kiffin offered sympathy and support for his former charge. “I respect any decision that Reggie made,” Kiffin said. “I’m sure it was extremely hard for him. I know talking to him earlier in the process ... this has been extremely difficult on him and something that has hurt him a lot.” As far as his current players are concerned, Kiffin said Bush’s decision has no impact on them. “This has nothing to do with this team,” Kiffin said. “This has nothing to do with the direction of this program. That’s the past. Obviously we’re suffering from it, and we’re moving forward and making the best of the situation.” Said quarterback Matt Barkley: “That’s outside of my control. I respect his decision. “There’s nothing I can do about it. I still think he was a great player when he played here.”
8 weekend september 16, 2010
editors: lindsey brookbank, kim walter featureseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES
Kat Mills, mother and long-time performer, talks music features reporter One of Blacksburg’s own, Kat Mills, juggles being not only a mother, but also a singer, songwriter and guitarist. Mills, a longtime New River Valley favorite, will be performing at Gillie’s Late Night tonight at 7 p.m. As a 20-year veteran of the music scene, her dream is to sing back-up in a national tour, but for now, Mills enjoys being a “big fish in a small pond.” Mills has played at Gillie’s many times in the past, and according to Brittany Stone, the restaurant’s manager, the singer and venue are a “natural pairing.” Mills can be seen around Blacksburg grabbing a bite to eat with her daughter, Ida, and occasionally performing at the farmers market.
Because she has been singing since childhood, Mills has a varied musical background. She has been involved with choirs, school bands and musicals, and even started playing the guitar at 13 years old. “That’s when it shifted to something real,” Mills said. Mills continued to dig deeper into reading music, playing several instruments, and studying harmony, composition and music history. However, she said her most important lessons have come through experience. While in high school, she began writing songs and started her solo, acoustic career. Early in Mills’ career, she had a breakthrough after creating the song “Telephone Man.” At the time, Mills felt she had found her voice. Quitting her job in 2000 to devote her life to music, Mills’ choice to go
[Thursday, September 16] W h at: M u sic —Kat M Ills W h ere: G illie’s W h en : 7 p .m . Co st: Free
[Friday, September 17] W h at: SG A O ran g e E ect Tailg ate W h ere: To m p so n Filed W h en : 5:30-6:30 p .m . Co st: Free W h at: Stu d en t A lu m n i A sso ciatio n Sp irit Rally W h ere: Step s o f Cassell W h en : 6 p .m . Co st: Free W h at: M u sic — 80’s p arty w ith D J G o o d O ld N eo n W h ere: G illie’s W h en : 9:30 p .m . Co st: Free, 18+ W h at: M u sic — BA LLY W H O ! W h ere: A ttitu d es W h en : 8 p .m . Co st: $6 in ad v an ce, $8 at door , 18+
solo was based on practicality, because there would be no schedules to work out or money to divvy. However, Mills has worked with others in the past. She was in a folk duo in high school, a disco band in college and a bluegrass band for five years. Working solo and with other musicians, Mills has toured extensively along the east coast, performing anywhere from coffee houses to larger venues, such as FloydFest. Mills said she enjoyed aspects of both the intimate nature of a small setting and the screaming fans of the latter. “I love being wherever it is, as long as people show up and are respectful,” Mills said. “I want to feel a connection to listeners and to the divine, no matter the venue.” She said her pipe dream is to open for a big-name performer such as
Tom Petty on a national tour but still feels blessed for the family, community and music she has in her life. Mills’ greatest influence is Bob Dylan. “It sounds cliche, I know,” Mills said. “Dylan’s lyrics take you places. You will find wisdom there.” From her days at Vassar, north of New York City, to her life as a mother, which put her music on the backburner for awhile, Mills loves the life she has made for herself. “My daughter has given me a new life I never would have known. She’s teaching me to be a better person every day,” Mills said. For now, Mills is gearing up for yet another performance tonight. “Each (song) is like a little piece of my time on this planet, and I like COURTESY OF KAT MILLS/SPPS getting to live those moments again when I sing them.” Local favorite and FloydFest performer, Kat Mills, will play at Gillie’s tonight.
Loop In
MAJONI HARNAL
t he
Wondering what’s going on around the ‘burg? Che ck out the events of the upcoming week.
[Saturday, September 18] W h at: Su stain ab ility Week-M o v ie. G aslan d W h ere: Th e Ly ric W h en : 7 p .m . an d 9:15 p .m . W h at: M u sic — D o c G reen b erg’s Patien t Jazz W h ere: G illie’s W h en : 7 p .m . Co st: Free
[Sunda y, September 19] W h at: Su stain ab ility Week-Free Co m m u n ity M eal W h ere: Field Sto n e M eth o d ist Ch u rch W h en : 6:30 p .m . Co st: Free
[Tuesday, September 20] W h at: M u sic-- W ith o u t A Fig h t W h ere: A ttitu d es W h en : 8 p .m . Co st: $5, 18+ W h at: M u sic-Sarah Lee G u th rie an d Jo h n ny Irio n W h ere: G illie’s W h en : 8 p .m . Co st: $12 in ad v an ce, $15 at d o o r W h at: Su stain ab ility Week-Vo lu n teer Tree Plan tin g W h ere: H o ltzm an A lu m n i Cen ter Po n d W h en : 11:30 a.m . -3 p .m . Co st: Free
[Wednesday, September 21] W h at: Co m ed y Clu b W h ere: A ttitu d es Bar & Cafe W h en : 7 p .m . to 2 a.m . Co st: $7, 18+ W h at: Su stain ab ility Week-Ch ef Ro u lette W h ere: Blacksb u rg Farm er’s M arket W h en : 3 - 6 p .m . Co st: Free