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DANIELLE BUYNAK / COLLEGIATE TIMES
An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
www.collegiatetimes.com
COLLEGIATETIMES 107th year, issue 112
News, page 2
Arts & Entertainment, page 5
Opinions, page 3
Sports, page 6
Classifieds, page 4
GOP leaders boost Griffith campaign DANIEL LIN spps Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell and other Republican heavy-hitters visited the Virginia Tech Airport Sunday on a last-minute campaign stop in support of Morgan Griffith, the Republican candidate for the House of Representatives in the 9th District. The party representatives addressed about 120 attendees and talked about Griffith’s congressional campaign as part of a national effort to regain a Republican majority. “We’re very optimistic that we’ll take back the House,” McDonnell said after his speech. McDonnell shared stories about very close elections, stressing the importance of the individual vote. “A handful of votes in each precinct are going to make a difference,” McDonnell said. “There’s so much at stake.” Griffith was the last speaker of the rally. He emphasized his grassroots campaign strategies. Since 1985, Griffith said he has personally worked polling booths in every election, and does not intend to change his plans for the upcoming election. “I’ll be working the polls until 7 o’clock,” Griffith said after his speech. Today, Griffith is running his biggest race yet, hoping to knock off the Democratic incumbent of 28 years, Rick Boucher. “His defeat sends a message not only to the Democrats but the (Environmental Protection Agency) that you can’t kill the jobs and they need to back off a little bit,” Griffith said. State party chairman Pat Mullins, Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling, Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, 7th District Del. Dave Nutter and 6th District Del. Bob Goodlatte joined the governor.
news reporter A partnership between two software companies and Virginia Tech is bringing a new security system to campus. Tech entered into a partnership with information technology center L-3 STRATIS and software development company ERIS Technologies LLC in October. This partnership will result in the creation of a platform for incident management
Tech’s Cook Counseling accredited by international organization CLAIRE SANDERSON news reporter
The software aggregates all of Tech’s data in real time. It creates an environment of situation awareness because officials already know what is occurring on campus before reaching the location. The technology is also interoperable, allowing users to zoom in and rotate the view of any building outfitted with the software. This program will “enhance the university reputation of being a leader of technology,” van Gelder said.
Cook Counseling Center announced Monday it gained accreditation for the first time since the mid-1990s. Center officials consider the accreditation a significant step forward despite a recent history filled with controversy and a stillpending lawsuit. The center was accredited by the International Association of Counseling Services, a non-profit group of collegiate counseling centers. “It’s important because until you have someone neutral come in and say you’re doing a good job, you really don’t know if you’re reaching the highest levels of the profession,” said Chris Flynn, director of the center since 2006. Flynn said Cook’s accreditation ended in the ’90s because of a failure to renew its accreditation, which stemmed from costs for the accreditation process. “The state had been going through some difficult times and was looking for any way to save some money,” Flynn said in March. According to the IACS website, accreditation involves a $700 initial evaluation fee and an annual fee of $850 to maintain the accreditation. There is also a field visit fee of $1,500. The center had then planned to reapply for accreditation in spring 2007, but the April 16, 2007, campus shootings delayed the process until Dec. 8, 2008. Flynn said this was so the center could deal with the more pressing problems the campus and the students were facing. The center also had its fair share of legal problems following the shootings. The families of Erin Peterson and Julia Pryde, two victims of the shootings, filed identical civil suits against Virginia Tech and counseling center officials. The only current center employee named in the suit is Cathye Betzel, along with former center employee Sherry Lynch Conrad. Former center director Robert Miller is also being sued. The only university officials being currently named in the suits are President Charles Steger and former executive vice president James Hyatt. Several others were
see SYSTEM / page two
see COOK / page two
DANIEL LIN / SPPS
Gov. Bob McDonnell was one of several politicians who visited Blacksburg Sunday night to campaign for Morgan Griffith.
Tech brings new security system to campus buildings SARAH WATSON
Sudoku, page 4
and response, facility management, energy monitoring and cybersecurity. “What we would like to see this do is put Tech in the lead nationally as a part of new leading technology,” said Brenda van Gelder, executive director of converged technologies for security, safety and resilience, which operates out of the Virginia Tech Geographical Information Systems office in Torgersen Hall. A dashboard, or virtual control center, will give facility managers, emergency personnel and infor-
mation technology security staff members access to two- and threedimensional views of all buildings on campus. “This will allow us to more easily access information and have a holistic picture,” van Gelder said. According to van Gelder, the software will provide geospatial data and information about resources within the buildings, including smoke detectors, fire extinguishers and defibrillators. This will give law enforcement officials the ability to view the inside of the building and
guide an individual to the appropriate resource. The technology will also allow more efficient evacuation in the case of dangerous weather conditions or even a toxic spill, van Gelder said. In addition, the system will help better allocate resources and save money. Sensors can be placed in buildings to monitor energy usage, saving money and helping Tech to become more energy efficient. “It makes the campus more secure and more safe,” said Joseph Boggs, managing member of ERIS.
Congressional Elections Around the State District Two: Glenn Nye (D) Scott Rigell (R) District Five: Tom Perriello (D) Robert Hurt (R) District Nine: Rick Boucher (D) Morgan Griffith (R)
(D) Jeff Barnett (R) Frank Wolf
(D) Jim Moran (R) Patrick Murray
(D) Rich Waugh (R) Eric Cantor
(D) Gerry Connolly (R) Keith Fimian
(I) Jeff Vanke (R) Bob Goodlatte
(D) Krystal Ball (R) Rob Wittman
(D) Tom Perriello- 43% (R) Robert Hurt- 51%
(D) Bobby Scott (R) Chuck Smith
A2
(D) Rick Boucher- 46% (R) Morgan Griffith- 47%
(D) Glenn Nye- 41% (R) Scott Rigell- 42%
A1
A3
(D) Wynne LeGrow (R) Randy Forbes
Districts
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A1-Oct. 21- Oct. 25. Survey USA. Margin of error: 4.1%
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3
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A2-Oct. 27. Survey USA. Margin of error: 4.4%
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Incumbents bolded.
A3-Oct. 15- Oct. 21. Virginian-Pilot/ Christopher Newport University. Margin of error: 4.4%
KATIE BIONDO / COLLEGIATE TIMES
Races to Watch
2 news
news editors: philipp kotlaba, liana bayne, gordon block newseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865
november 2, 2010
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virginia headlines
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Hurt seeks $1 million in TV ad suit Robert Hurt, the Republican candidate seeking to unseat U.S. Rep. Tom Perriello, D-Ivy, has filed a $1.09 million defamation lawsuit against the League of Conservation Voters, the Sierra Club and Charlottesville’s Newsplex TV stations and NBC29. Hurt’s lawsuit, filed in Greene County Circuit Court, asserts he was defamed by TV ads that call his vote in the General Assembly in favor of a uranium mining study a “shocking conflict of interest.” The ads, produced and paid for by the Sierra Club and the League of Conservation Voters, say Hurt’s father “has a financial interest in uranium mining” and has received campaign contributions from the uranium mining industry. Hurt’s lawsuit notes that the Committee on Rules of the Senate of Virginia determined that Hurt “does not have a personal interest in the consideration of Senate Bill 525 and that his obligation to vote on matters before the Senate should be honored.” Virginia Broadcasting Corp., the parent company of NBC29, and Gray Television, parent company of the Charlottesville Newsplex channels -- WCAV, WVAW and WAHU -- are also listed as defendants because they aired the environmental groups’ ad. Hurt’s suit is seeking $740,000 for compensation and $350,000 in punitive damages “for producing and airing a television advertisement that constituted defamation per se.” Hurt’s campaign spokeswoman did not immediately return a call for comment Monday. Harold Wright, general manager of NBC29, said he has not yet seen a copy of the lawsuit. The Newsplex’s general manager did not immediately return a call. Spokeswomen for the Sierra Club and the League of Conservation Voters said they also have not yet been served. “We stand by our ad,” said Kate Geller of the League of Conservation Voters.
COLLEGIATETIMES
Cook: Accredited for first time since ’90s
from page one
originally named in the suits, but a December hearing determined they were protected by the state’s sovereign immunity. A hearing scheduled for Nov. 22 will continue the case. In April 2009, Flynn received word from IACS the center had passed the written portion of the accreditation, meaning it was in line for a field visit. IACS members Cindy Cook and Tom Baez spent two full days at the center in April 2009 for the visit. “They talked with everyone in the center and then met with a group of faculty and staff from across campus. They were impressed by the support we got from the administration and they were very appreciative that we increased the number of counselors on staff,” Flynn said. Their field visit report summarized the center’s work, saying, “This is an excellent center which is providing a very good and highly regarded service to the campus and its students.” In their field visit report, IACS found many offices on campus felt Cook
has been more collaborative since the shootings. They also recognized the changes that have taken place at the center since 2007. “The campus shootings at Tech on April 16, 2007, had widespread positive and negative effects on Cook Counseling,” the letter stated. “First, the center had to undergo extensive scrutiny which both took its toll on staff and expedited some needed changes. Secondly, they were given funding for additional staff, as they were understaffed before.”
“
Even if we had 30 counselors, I am sure that we could keep 30 people very busy. CHRIS FLYNN CENTER DIRECTOR
Indeed, the center has hired seven more counselors since 2007, a move that may have played a significant role in securing its accreditation. “Our counseling center has been through significant challenges since 2007,” Flynn said in March. “We
updated to make sure that our policies were in congruence with IACS standards.” IACS recommends a counselor-tostudent ratio ranging from 1-to-1,000 to 1-to-1,500 for universities of Tech’s size. This ensures any student can find time with a counselor and counselors have time left for other functions of the center, such as outreach and education. With only 10 counselors in 2007, the ratio of students to counselors was about one counselor for every 3,000 students, well outside the IACS recommended range. In its field visit report, IACS said it was still concerned the center had too few counselors for the size of the school. Tech’s ratio is currently about 1:1,600 students. The field visit report mentioned the counselors were overworked, with two working more than 40 hours per week. “They worry that my staff works too hard, that they see too many students,” Flynn said. “They’d like to see at least 20 counselors.” Flynn said the university adminis-
tration has been very supportive in the goal of providing 20 counselors at Cook in the next few years. “We added one more position this summer, and we just got tentative budget approval to add one more,” Flynn said. University spokesman Larry Hincker confirmed the center was given several new positions. He said mental health services is a priority for the university. “If the university sees a need, it will invest in it,” Hincker said. But Flynn said unfortunately the need for more counselors is almost unending. “Even if we had 30 counselors, I am sure that we could keep 30 people very busy,” he said. Flynn said the center will continue to grow and change to address the needs of a changing student body. “The student body of today is different than it was 10 or 20 years ago — their exposure to counseling has changed as well,” Flynn said. “It’s a moving target. The needs of students change every year, and it’s always a new challenge.”
System: Assists law enforcement in real time from page one
A few of the buildings could act as demonstration centers for other universities to view. Van Gelder said Boggs approached Tech a few years ago with this idea. However, the university was unable to explore this initiative at
the time. Boggs worked with L-3 STRATIS to create the product and bring it to market. Boggs, L-3 STRATIS, ERIS Technologies LLC and Tech are currently working on a memorandum of agreement with the intention of creating a relationship between all parties.
“We’re working together to advance the area of converged technologies,” van Gelder said. Tech will be the first university to utilize this particular breed of technology. Boggs, an alumni of the College of Architecture and Urban Studies, feels a connection with the university and wants Tech to be the first to use the product.
-brian mcneill, mcclatchy newspapers
CORRECTIONS JUSTIN GRAVES -Contact our public editor at publiceditor@ collegiatetimes.com if you see anything that needs to be corrected.
“It’s the right place, the right time, the right people and the right technology,” Boggs said. Boggs is starting to load Tech data onto the software, which will take a few weeks. He said the first live demo of this software with Tech data will happen in two to three weeks.
[
nation & world headlines
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Tomas a tropical storm, Haiti on alert PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — Tomas weakened to a tropical storm in the early morning hours Monday but was expected to regenerate into a hurricane that could deliver this beleaguered county yet another devastating blow. Still stunned from a powerful earthquake and struggling to contain a deadly cholera epidemic, the government put the country on heightened alert on Sunday, sending out text messages and broadcast warnings of a possible landfall late this week. Officials and humanitarian aid workers asked the nearly 1.5 million people still living in tents, mostly in camps around the capital city, to find family or friends who could provide shelter. ``This is absolutely what the country does not need right now. It’s tragedy after tragedy,’’ said Imogen Wall, a spokeswoman for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. ``We are managing three large-scale responses simultaneously.’’ At 11 a.m. EDT Monday, the National Hurricane Center in Miami reported that Tomas had continued a predicted weakening trend overnight that dropped sustained winds from a peak of 100 mph to 45 mph. Forecasters said the storm, which appeared much more ragged on satellite images, would continue to be battered by wind shear for at least another day but was expected to reintensify as conditions improved and by Friday could be a hurricane again. There was considerable uncertainty both in Tomas’ potential strength and its track by week’s end. Haiti was smack in center of a large potential strike zone covering much of Jamaica, eastern Cuba and Hispaniola. Forecasters stressed that the timing of an anticipated turn to the north — dictated by a trough approaching from the United States — could steer Tomas to the west and more toward Jamaica or to the east, more toward the Dominican Republic, which borders Haiti. Still, with so many people still displaced by the Jan. 12 earthquake and no permanent shelters available in the heavily damaged city, the Haitian government and aid organizations were urging Haitians to prepare for the worst. In broadcast and texts, the message was to gather important papers and find people who could offer temporary shelter. -jacqueline charles and curtis morgan, mcclatchy newspapers
Proposed state constitution amendments on the ballot When you head to the polls today, you’ll see three proposed state constitutional amendments on the ballot next to the choices for the House of Representatives. Here’s the breakdown for those choices:
Proposed Constitutional Amendment Question 1
Proposed Constitutional Amendment Question 2
Proposed Constitutional Amendment Question 3
This question asks about an amendment to Section 6 of Article X. It would allow localities to grant property tax relief to homeowners who are older than 65 or who are permanently and totally disabled.
This question asks about an amendment that would require the General Assembly to provide a statewide property tax exemption for veterans. This exemption would apply to the mail residence of the veteran or his/her surviving spouse if the veteran has a “100 percent service-connected, permanent and total disability.”
This question asks about an amendment to Section 8 of Article X. It would increase the state’s Revenue Stabilization Fund (also known as the “rainy day fund”) from the current 10 percent to 15 percent of the state’s average annual tax revenues. These revenues come from income and retail taxes from the preceding three fiscal years.
opınıons 3
editors: scott masselli, gabi seltzer opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES
november 2, 2010
Why M.T. Rettorick will win the upcoming election ello there. My name is M. T. Rettorick, and I am running for H Congress.
MAHEEN KHURSHID / COLLEGIATE TIMES
Rally demonstrates liberal hypocrisy T
he National Mall in Washington, D.C., was packed full Saturday with people attending the Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear. It was a rally geared toward those who consider themselves more moderate or independent from the major political parties and to those who are typically apolitical. It was billed as a “rally for the people who’ve been too busy to go to rallies.” Although many people were in attendance just for a good time, the audience as a whole certainly leaned more to the left. The rally was full of signs directed, in a negative way, toward many nationally recognized Republicans. This was not the case, however, for the Democrats. There were signs that read “Christine O’Donnell turned me into a newt,” and “Don’t let Glenn Beck teabag our children,” and another more serious sign said “Neither Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh nor Sarah Palin represent my political views.” There was even a sign with a picture of O’Donnell and the word “teatard,” and a mock campaign sign of Palin and her daughter, Bristol, with the words “Palin, Palin 2012.” I have found all these sign examples on the Internet, as I was not at the rally, and yet I was unable to find any signs disagreeing or poking fun at Democrats. I respect the right to have such a rally. I respect the right to make a sign that says whatever you want it to say. What I disagree with is the hypocrisy displayed by the left regarding this rally and Glenn Beck’s Rally to Restore Honor in August. Beck’s rally was met with strong opposition from both the media and those who disagreed with the conservative values that represented the majority of that rally. People spoke out against the location of the event: the Lincoln Memorial. People spoke out against the date of the event, as it was on the anniversary of Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech. Some people even stooped low enough to say the rally was full of racists and radical right-wingers.
While I did fundamentally disagree with the Rally to Restore Sanity, I would have never said the event shouldn’t have taken place. I wouldn’t have resorted to name-calling either. Why were the reactions to the two rallies so different? It is because of the fact many liberals act very hypocritically toward those they disagree with. I’m not generalizing all liberals as hypocrites; I’m just generalizing about those who spoke out so strongly against the Rally to Restore Honor because they disagreed with its basic, conservative-leaning message. Both rallies had a right to take place. Attendees of both rallies had a right to be there. If you disagree with it, just don’t worry about it. Unfortunately for conservatives, only the Rally to Restore Sanity was met with minimal opposition. As conservative talk radio host and author Laura Schlessinger once said, “If you’re a liberal, anything you say is protected. If you’re a conservative, anything you say is hateful.” I certainly agree with this statement. Most people will agree the Rally to Restore Honor had a more conservative-leaning message, while the Rally to Restore Sanity had a more liberal-leaning message. Yet the Rally to Restore Honor was demonized by those who disagreed with it far more than the latter was. Here at Virginia Tech, we greatly value diversity. The Tech community is represented by many differing ethnicities, religions and political views. What Tech does not value, however, is the demonization of another group of people just because you disagree with it. It’s one thing to have a sensible argument with the people you disagree with, but it is another thing entirely to put down people of opposing beliefs just because they have those opposing beliefs. Now if only the rest of the country felt the same way.
MATTHEW HURT -regular columnist -political science major -sophomore
The election is coming up quickly, and I would like to remind you to do your civic duty and vote — for me. Because of the lack of television advertising in this election cycle, you probably don’t know anything about my opponent or me. I would like to explain to you first-hand why I am the best candidate for this job (or at least why my opponent is wholly unqualified). My opponent has voted to raise taxes across the board. If you vote for my opponent, every single dollar you earn will be taxed until you have no money left to even purchase an apple at your local grocery store. Our national debt is at an all-time high. My opponent will vote to spend more, but this time, he’s going to make you foot the bill. He will sneak into your house at night and steal the money from your rainy day fund to pay for controversial things such as the war and health care. My opponent is responsible for tens of thousands of lost jobs in our great state. If elected, he will undoubtedly close all places of business, leaving you on the streets without a job. Did you know my opponent is a rubber stamp for his political party?
If elected, you can expect him to vote exactly how he’s telling you to vote, which is wrong. In the new health care bill, my opponent is an advocate for the death panels that would determine who lives and who dies. If elected, he would certainly vote to kill everyone over the age of 65, likely by firing squad. A vote for him is a vote for octogenarian murder. One time in college, my opponent attended a religious service for a religion that was not his own. Some might say, “Well, it’s just college,” but I interpret this as an indication of a worse trend. My opponent is a flip-flopper and will do anything to get your vote. For example, one day he wore a tie, and the next, a bowtie. If elected, we can only expect him to go rogue and not vote for us. That bowtie also indicates my opponent is an elitist. The only things he eats and drinks are caviar and 100-year-old wine. If elected, he would likely spit on you and me as a demonstration of how much better he believes he is than us common folk. Marie Antoinette once said “Let them eat cake.” If elected, my opponent would surely ban cake from parties and make us eat stale bread, because either he just doesn’t like cake or, in the more likely scenario, he just does not want us to be happy.
You know your favorite sports team? He hates them. Your most hated team? Loves them. If elected, he would tax your team into oblivion and give all the money to their rivals. My opponent has never explicitly said he would not punch you in the face if elected to Congress, so it’s safe to say that if elected, you can expect a knuckle sandwich sometime in the next two years. Finally, a vote for my opponent is a vote for everything you don’t believe in. If you want more education spending, he’ll close our schools. If you want our troops pulled out of Afghanistan and Iraq, he’ll not only send more in, he’ll tell our enemies where to find them. If you want lasagna for dinner, he’ll make lasagna noodles illegal. If you want go for a hike, he’ll hunt you down and chop off your feet with a hatchet. The bottom line is if my opponent is elected to Congress, he’ll make your life worse than your scariest nightmare. In summation, all of the reasons stated above are why I am qualified to be your congressman. I mean, I couldn’t possibly be as bad as my opponent.
STEVEN RICH -regular columnist -communication major -senior
Campaign ads expose candidate personalities olitical candidates are notorious for pouring long hours into pubP lic relations and grooming their image to broadly appeal to voters. In a way, it makes sense. General elections are characterized by a mainstream ethos, and the best way to appeal to everyone is to show you are the one thing everyone wants: a “good guy.” This usually comes from putting aside policy discussions and working the “aw shucks” look. It reassures us that, even if we don’t support him, everything will still be OK if he wins because he’s “an all-right guy.” These PR stunts and photo-ops don’t mean all that much when they are used, since it is so prevalent, but a candidate’s advertising scheme may speak volumes when those reassurances are altogether missing. Republican congressional candidate Morgan Griffith’s website is the most irritating site I’ve visited since I surfed through those free online game websites insisting you can make $400 a day by working at home. No matter what link I click on his site, I’m bombarded by a pop-up ad attacking incumbent Democratic candidate Rick Boucher. Exit out of the ad and it’ll just pop back up when you click something else. I wanted to read more about Griffith’s stances, but that ad deterred any curiosity I had. I’ve never met Griffith’s media relations personnel, nor the person who produced his television ads, but I’d relate them to 5th graders bullying a classmate because of their own insecurities. As I visited Boucher’s website, I waited for a pop-up ad attacking Griffith, but I breathed a sigh of relief when none appeared. In fact, Boucher’s website does not mention Griffith even once. Instead, Boucher’s site focuses on Boucher’s accomplishments — ironically. I wouldn’t typically focus on a politician’s media relations this much. No one should vote for or against a candidate because his or her website is a mess, and Griffith’s website does
have some general information on it. But that pop-up ad is — for lack of a better word — childish, and his television ads are worse. The two Griffith ads I’ve seen are a barrage of negativity that ignore his own candidacy. Instead, the ads focus on vague accusations about Boucher. One advertisement claims Griffith is for a balanced budget. This surprised me — I didn’t realize a candidate had to declare their support for a balanced budget. Who isn’t for a balanced budget? This ad also claims Griffith will always say “no” to bailouts. Unfortunately, nothing in politics is ever that simple. There are complex pros and cons to the idea behind a bailout, explanations that one can’t delve into through an ad, and relying on hot key terms like this to gain voters implies an assumption of ignorance in Virginian voters. Griffith’s final political stance is that he will represent Virginia — which is just fluff for the 30 second clip. Griffith’s second ad is even more ridiculous than the first. This ad touts President Barack Obama’s “love” for Boucher. The ad repeats a short clip of Obama saying, “I love Rick Boucher” throughout the ad. I don’t know whether they were going for some subliminal messaging, but this ad is verging on humorous. And Griffith approves this message. Unfortunately, this message is inane and entirely unrelated to Griffith. I understand the political strategy behind focusing negative attacks on the incumbent in ads. Griffith and his staff have jumped on the bandwagon of pointing fingers, like many other candidates. But these ads indicate a 9th District candidate who isn’t strong enough to garner support through his own political history, so he relies on plaguing his ads with generalities. Are taunts and pointed fingers all Griffith has behind him? He’s held a number of political positions before this campaign, so why isn’t he reminding constituents of all the work he
has done for them? Why isn’t Griffith referring to any past political decisions he’s made? If Griffith can’t create an ad that persuades voters to follow him because of his intelligent views or stellar legislative record, then maybe he shouldn’t be running at all. In contrast, the first Boucher ad I saw revolved around Boucher and his accomplishments, with some explanation for background. He focuses on his political history and his strong connection with the 9th District. Boucher has a legislative history he’s proud of. He touts his political career because he’s made decisions that, for the most part, have pleased Virginians in the 9th District. The second Boucher ad I found fired back on Griffith’s attacks, claiming Griffith isn’t from here (Griffith lives in the 6th District), that he supported taking money away from 9th District schools to give to Northern Virginia schools and that he blocked electricity rate reform. Although more direct in its accusations, Boucher too fell into the political game. Again, I don’t support voting for one candidate or another based on their media relations, and I realize many candidates rely on this childish finger-pointing as a political strategy. However, this dichotomy presents some interesting insight if viewed critically. The fact I have to dig through negativity and childish mocking in Griffith’s campaign to figure out what his views are indicates a significant lack of accomplishment in his political career. When Griffith makes a bad decision, can we trust him as a “good guy” to accept accountability or will he point the blame to someone else?
KATHLEEN DWYER -regular columnist -English major -senior
Incumbency dangerous for health of 9th District Boucher has been in Congress 28 years. RSinceickfordefeating Republican candidate William Wampler in 1982 and Jefferson Stafford in 1984, Boucher’s seat in the House of Representatives has long been considered a safe seat. In 2008, he even ran unopposed. I don’t know about you, but I have always considered competition crucial for an election, and in turn, elections essential for democracy itself. As a long-standing incumbent of 28 years, Rick Boucher has risen in rank to become the 10th most powerful member in the House. He serves on the Committee on Energy and Commerce as the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet. For someone with so much pull in Washington, you would expect him to be able to use his influence to help serve his constituency, the people of Southwest Virginia. However, these past 28 years have not been prosperous for the people of the 9th District of Virginia. Rather than serve his constituency, Boucher has become a product of the Democratic party machine. In the past decade, Southwest Virginia has lost 18,570
jobs. It amazes me that Boucher has the audacity to claim credit for creating 5,000 jobs when so many more jobs have been lost during his term. Also, the recent successes of the Republican administration’s efforts to create jobs in Virginia have placed further shame on Boucher’s track record. How is it that Gov. Bob McDonnell and his job creation efforts have managed to create 72,000 for the state in the past 10 months, while Boucher has managed a mere 5,000 in 10 years for his district? You would expect the 10th most powerful House member to be able to do better than that for his supporters. The longer Boucher has stayed in Washington, the more disconnected he has become with his constituency. In a district that voted 59 percent for Republican John McCain in 2008 and 60 percent for Republican George Bush in 2004, you would expect to see more moderate policies from its Democratic congressman. However, Boucher has been far from moderate. Boucher voted for and helped write the cap-and-trade bill that would devastate the 9th District, in which 80 percent of the electricity is produced by coal.
The coal industry is an important job sector for a district with a 9.1 percent unemployment rate, The commonwealth’s rate is 7 percent. This district cannot afford to lose any more jobs. Cap-and-trade would result in the loss of 20 to 35 percent of coal jobs. With a mere $34,506 mean annual income, the 9th District is in the worst economic state of any state congressional district. In the midst of the worst recession since the Great Depression, this legislation is catastrophic for Southwest Virginia. Cap-and-trade would result in skyrocketing electricity prices and the loss of coal mining jobs. In an already declining economy, how could the people of the 9th District afford to pay their electricity bills? You would think Boucher would recognize how terrible this legislation is for his constituency, but too much time spent in Washington seems to have clouded his judgment and he has chosen to side with his party in Washington over the people who put him there. Luckily for the people of Southwest Virginia, Rick Boucher, in rare occurrence, has voted against his party for the extension Bush tax cuts.
For a loyal party member who votes with his party 96 percent of the time, this single vote at first seems to suggest Boucher has finally come to his senses and cast his vote with his constituency in mind. You know — the constituency that will suffer under the cap-and-trade bill he helped write and will cause rising electricity prices? However, when you look closely, notice how he voted against the same tax cuts in 2001 and 2003. The one time he flip flops and votes for tax cuts that his constituency would benefit from happens to be during his first real election in years. The people of the 9th District deserve a congressman who will vote for them even when his seat isn’t facing a serious threat. Overall, Boucher’s track record suggests he is more concerned with representing his party over the people of the 9th District. After 28 years of Boucher in Congress, it is time for voters to take a stand and elect someone who is more in touch with the values and issues the people of Southwest Virginia share. This district does not need this career politician who has rarely had to face accountability in a real democratic election, but rather a true public servant
who is more in touch with its people. Morgan Griffith is that public servant. A native of southwest Virginia and a resident of Salem, Griffith, as a freshman congressman, would not be clouded by 28 years of Washington that have driven Boucher’s concerns away from his constituency. He represents the conservative values of Southwest Virginia and will vote against legislation that would devastate this district. Boucher’s time is up. He has proven himself incapable of rising above the partisan politics of Washington. While his incumbency has given him greater influence in Washington, what good is this influence when it isn’t used to benefit his constituency by decreasing unemployment and protecting the coalbased economy that it relies on? Therefore, this coming Tuesday, I urge you to vote for the people of Southwest Virginia, and give them a congressman they can count on: Morgan Griffith.
STACIE GORDON -regular columnist -political science major -junior
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ACROSS 1 Elián Gonzalez’s home 5 Legendary brothers in law 10 Hogwarts messengers 14 What the connected have 15 Sole projection 16 Unconvincing 17 Choose deli platter items? 19 Jabber? 20 Opera set on Cyprus 21 Spiced 23Across 23 See 21-Across 24 Oater camp sight 25 Beef marinated in Jim’s bourbon? 27 Both Begleys 28 Chrysler division 30 Shooting gadget 31 Oklahoma tribe 33 Dutch physics Nobelist Simon van der __ 34 Rooster’s spread? 38 Shelled out 40 Rival of 2-Down 41 Bring charges against 45 Stumble 46 Sagittarian’s mo., probably 49 “Casablanca” nightclub income? 51 Friend of Jesús 53 Shih __ 54 Light-headed flier? 55 Ironically, what the 58-Acrosses all end in 56 Pack member 58 Ironically, the 58Acrosses in this puzzle end in types of them 60 Subj. with skeletons in the closet?: Abbr. 61 Balm 62 Within: Pref. 63 Place to keep stock? 64 Grammy winner Gormé 65 Mtg.
By Kelsey Blakley
DOWN 1 “In Cold Blood” author 2 Red Carpet Club flier 3 Arm & Hammer logo feature 4 __ socks 5 Pilot’s “E” 6 It may be blonde or brown 7 Volleyball star Gabrielle 8 Ottoman lords 9 Hot and heavy 10 Baseball’s Master Melvin 11 Bleach 12 Roots 13 British : trainer :: American : __ 18 Ayatollah, e.g. 22 Camp David Accords signer: Abbr. 25 Upscale imports 26 Source of ticking 29 Verbal thumbsup 31 Maker of the FunSaver disposable camera 32 __ Dhabi
11/2/10 Friday’s Puzzle Solved
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34 Advertising notice 35 Recycled 36 What many rural roads lack 37 Albania’s capital 38 Not completely 39 Home of Carefree Highway 42 Chip maker 43 Detroit suburb __ Pointe
9/24/10
44 Take-home 46 Like some wisdom 47 Discharges 48 Carl Sagan PBS series 50 Get __ of: locate 52 Entangles 55 Bouncing joint? 57 Wire svc. involved in many arrangements 59 Egg opening
editors: lindsey brookbank, kim walter featureseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES
arts & entertainment 5 november 2, 2010
RAPID Comedy, music and dance light up Diwali festival FIRE REVIEWS MAJONI HARNAL features reporter
read
Weird Virginia
alloween may be over, but if you still have a hunger for creepy H weirdness, then check out “Weird Virginia.” “Weird Virginia,” by Jeff Bahr, Troy Taylor and Loren Colemanis, is part of the popular “Weird U.S.” book series and bills itself as “Your Travel Guide to Virginia’s Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets.” Not surprisingly, it is a book filled with all sorts of urban legends, local attractions and roadside wonders from the commonwealth. If you’re a Virginia native, chances are you’ve heard some of the stories in the book, such as the Bunnyman of Clifton or the legacy of Edgar Cayce. Not every story is rooted in the supernatural. One chapter is devoted to strange architecture around the state and mentions the giant milkbottles of Richmond Dairy and the giant steel pencil adorning the front of the Wytheville Office Supply Store. Discounting the weirdness of the book, it is truly a great collection of Virginia history and folkore and stands on its own, even without the oddities. “Weird Virginia” supplements the stories with submitted accounts by fans of the “Weird U.S.” series, usually in the form of letters or interviews with Virginians. They shed light on the various points of view and experiences claimed by those involved with Virginia’s oddities. “Weird Virginia” is a great read, especially if you are a native. You’ll find stories you’ve grown up hearing and learn a few interesting things about Virginia you probably didn’t know.
“Weird Virginia” gets five thumbs up out of five.
buyy
Aerobie AeroPress
dmittedly, I’m not much of a coffee drinker. I don’t particuA larly enjoy the taste, unless it is buried under a heavy layer of milk and sugar. With that said, the opportunity to review a coffee press was viewed as an interesting departure from the usual repertoire of books, websites, films and video games. The contraption looked like nothing I had ever seen anyone make coffee with, but this is probably because of my lack of culture in the coffee realm. The AeroPress makes coffee the same way a French press does, by forcing hot water through the coffee grounds and into a mug. What separates it from the traditional French press is what makes the AeroPress special. It uses paper filters, rather than a metal mesh, which means coffee lovers can use finerground beans, resulting in a more flavorful brew with less risk of coarse grits getting through. The AeroPress is utilitarian as well. It has a funnel for the coffee grounds, which can be adapted to use on the opposite end in case your mug is too small to fit snugly over the end. The coffee I made wasn’t that bad. I followed the coffee tips included and used hot, but not boiling water, and I noticed the cup I made tasted much less bitter than what I was used to. It would have been nice to have a step-by-step guide for those of us uninitiated in the coffee world, but I was able to figure out how to operate the device, which cleaned up in about the same time it took to make the coffee (about a minute). The AeroPress comes with a $30 price tag, which seems to be a pretty middle-line price for similar products. If you’re a caffeine addict, this means it will pay for itself in about a weekand-a-half after saving you 10 trips to Starbucks. The Aerobie is a pretty neat device, which has convinced this coffee naysayer to try the black brew again.
It gets four beans out of five.
MATT BORYSEWICZ -features reporter -senior -history major
The Indian Student Association rang in Diwali, the Festival of Lights, with a night of lively music and dancing. Diwali celebrates the victory of good over evil — in Hindu mythology, Lord Ram returned from exile after defeating the demon king Ravan. In more recent times, Diwali is celebrated as a harvest festival, occurring in either October or November of each year, marked by lighting candles, eating sweets and spending time with family. Virginia Tech’s ISA chose to celebrate this holiday with a mixture of music and dance. Indian food and a bright display of fireworks. Comedian Rajiv Satyal emceed for the night, opening the show and providing entertainment between student performances. Satyal’s jokes touched upon many themes familiar to IndianAmericans, such as miscommunication with parents and the difficulties of balancing being Indian and American at the same time.
Although some of his material was typical, addressing the issues of immigrant families in America and cultural mismatches, Satyal earned laughter from his audience by touching upon these issues with his own voice. As Satyal wound down his initial material, he introduced the musical ensemble Dhobi Ghaat Blues. This student group made of up eight students played instruments and sang three classic songs from the previous decades. Their song choices reflected their audience — an infamous song from a 1972 Bollywood movie and another from 2006. The lead male’s vocals were the perfect choice for the genre and received loud cheers from the audience. Following the Dhobi Ghaat Blues were the children from Balvihar. A small group of Blacksburg children performed the traditional dance, Bharata Natyam, and a larger group performed to a mix of old and new songs. The children of Balvihar also acted out a skit explaining the festival for those who didn’t know its significance.
PAUL KURLAK / SPPS
Diwali, also known as the Festival of Lights, was brought to life last week on Tech’s campus through a variety of colorful performances. The rest of the night consisted of a series of dances. First up was Dhingana, a group of animated performers demonstrating a folk dance from the state of Maharashtra. Up next was another folk dance display by Tech’s Bhangra. This time hail-
ing from the north, Bhangra dancers brought to light the extremely enthusiastic and upbeat dance and music from Punjab. Their colorful outfits, accompanying props and lively Bhangra songs resonated with the crowd. Following Bhangra was Filmi Rog, a
Bollywood dance group. Hindi movies and the corresponding music are integral parts of life in India, and any cultural show would be incomplete without a Filmi number. The dance included a quick costume change, reminiscent of a Hindi movie, and a mix of fusion dance moves. Contrasting the modern moves of Filmi Rog was Indian Classical Fusion, a group of seven girls performing in the styles of Bharata Natyam and Kuchipudi. Both dances are classical types from South India and require years of training and dedication to master. ICF performed a mix of the two styles in combination with modern attire and music to entertain the younger generation. Rounding off the night was Dancilla, a recently formed dance group at Tech. Performing a variety of styles of Indian and western dance to a variety of music, Dancilla lit the stage, depicting the meaning of the holiday. A fireworks display on the Drillfield followed the show along with an authentic Indian meal.
6 sports
editors: michael bealey, garrett ripa sportseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES
november 2, 2010
Hokies secure ACC tourney bid with win over NC State
GHISLAIN DELPORTE / SPPS
Senior forward Marika Gray takes a shot at the Wolfpack net. Gray totaled four points in the afternoon contest, including a last second goal sealing a 4-0 shutout. Tech will meet UNC in the ACC tournament.
TECH BLANKS WOLFPACK 4-0, EARNS TRIP TO ACC TOURNAMENT, WILL FACE NO. 1 SEEDED UNC ZACH MARINER sports staff writer Amid a costume contest, a halftime soundtrack that featured the Ghostbusters theme song, “Thriller” and “The Monster Mash,” a soccer game took place Sunday at Thompson Field. A game that, if you’re a fan of Virginia Tech’s women’s soccer team, put you in a great mood, as Tech closed out the regular season with a 4-0 victory over North Carolina State. “If the NCAA selection show was tomorrow, I think that we should be getting a bid,” said Kelly Cagle, head coach. The Hokies (10-8-1, 4-5-1 ACC) received contributions from everyone, on a day where four different players scored goals, and controlled the flow of the game from start to finish. Despite losing three straight games in mid-October by a combined score of 8-0, Tech was able to bounce back last Thursday with a 3-0 win over Clemson and finished the season strong with the win over the Wolfpack on Sunday. “I think we’re in a great position right now,” said Kelly Conheeney, sophomore midfielder. “I think we got that spirit back that we kind of lost after we were down on such a low. This momentum’s really going to help us going into the (Atlantic Coast Conference) tournament.” Conheeney had a big day, totaling three points, with one goal and one assist. With her team already ahead 20 early in the second half, she received a pass from senior Marika Gray near midfield and broke away from the Wolfpack defense en route to her fifth goal of the season. NC State (7-12-0, 1-9-0 ACC) was no match for this Tech squad, one that put the game out of reach within the first five minutes of the game. In the third minute, senior Kelsey Billups went down with a knee injury and junior Katie Cramp hopped right off the bench, replaced Billups, and scored on a beautiful cross from Gray within the next minute. “We already knew (Katie) was going to be there,” Cagle said. “She’s a good target for us. Katie was very prepared for that, and finished an awesome opportunity.”
Tech’s second goal came in the 20th minute, when freshman Jazmine Reeves dribbled the ball along the right sideline, and beat Wolfpack keeper Kim Kern in a one-on-one situation for her third goal in two games. “She’s just such a good person. I’m happy that she’s really finding success,” Cagle said. “Some of that is that maybe we’re finally putting her in the right spots. Some of it is just growth. People come in here and mature at different times. She’s doing a tremendous job for us. I couldn’t be happier for her.” Despite the exceptional play from Cramp, Conheeney and Reeves, the day’s best performance came from Gray, who tallied four points. “Marika’s one of the most talented players this program’s ever had,” Cagle said. “She’s very quick and fast. An attacking-minded person that is just unbelievable in terms of running at players. She creates a lot of nervousness for other teams.”
Gray added a goal of her own during the final seconds of play. With the clock winding down, her initial shot was deflected by the goalkeeper yet she snagged the rebound and put the ball in the back of the net just as the buzzer sounded for the 27th goal of her career, which is two shy of tying the all-time record at Tech. Additionally, Miami’s loss ensured the Hokies an eighthplace ACC finish and a berth in the ACC tournament, which starts Wednesday. Tech will face No. 1 seed North Carolina, which is currently the No. 4 team in the country. “We’re 10-8-1. We’ve had some huge wins against top-five teams,” Cagle said. “But I think our season as a whole is going to be a much bigger determination for postseason play than just our performance on Wednesday at the ACC tournament.” While Cagle believes that the Hokies regular season finish will be enough to get them an invitation to the NCAA Tournament, one thing remains certain — a victory over the Tar Heels on Wednesday sure isn’t going to hurt their chances.