Boiling point LATE MISTAKES DOOM TECH’S CHANCES AT SIGNATURE VICTORY OVER PURDUE
see page six
CHRISTINA NESTOR / SPPS
Thursday, December 2, 2010
An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903
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COLLEGIATETIMES 107th year, issue 125
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Town, Tech preparing for onset of winter ERIN CHAPMAN news staff writer As temperatures drop in Blacksburg, town officials and the university are preparing for the inevitable winter weather. Last winter was the second snowiest winter on record in Blacksburg, according to the National Weather Service, and the town saw a record 84 consecutive days with snow on the ground. This amount of snow led to many problems, especially for students. The town prepared for winter weather, but could not have foreseen the amount of snow. John Boyer, the assistant director of public works for the town, said the town has taken steps to ensure winter weather prevention machinery is fully functional when winter weather hits. “Last year we were using every piece of equipment that we had,” Boyer said. “There is only so much you can do with what you have.” The town has also stockpiled salt and gravel to help pre-treat roads if bad weather is in the forecast. Construction is still ongoing on North Main Street, but Boyer said it would be a priority to ensure road lanes remain open around the construction. He said if the need arises, the town would haul the snow away. One issue both Virginia Tech and the town had to deal with last winter was the sheer volume of snow that fell in relatively short amounts of time. Snow was hauled from parking lots and sidewalks to help students travel safely to and from class. Tech was well prepared for winter weather last year, although some challenges arose that had to be dealt with on an individual basis. “Considering the first storm occurred right around fall commencement, this presented a unique situation that we had to deal with,” said Anthony Watson,
PAUL KURLAK (left), JONATHAN PIPPIN (above, below) / SPPS
Last year’s record-setting snow storms had Virginia Tech crews working around the clock to clear the paths around campus (left) while Blacksburg town officials and private maintenance staff worked to make roads and apartment complexes accessible (above, below).
Tech’s associate director of facilities, buildings, and grounds. According to projected weather patterns, this year Blacksburg can expect less snow and warmer temperatures. Virginia will most likely not see the amount of snow this winter that accumulated last winter. Students can prepare for winter
weather by keeping a survival kit in case of emergencies. Watson also suggested students carry a small shovel in their cars. “Last year one of the big issues was students needing help to dig out their cars from snow piles,” he said. Students can also ease the process of snow removal around campus by
removing their cars from marked snow routes to better facilitate emergency vehicles that may need to travel during times of inclement weather. Watson and other officials remain optimistic that a less harsh winter is on the way. “Hopefully this year we will see less snow,” he said.
Colleges pressed to give credit Researchers credit third-party for previous work experience apps for Facebook’s popularity JON MARCUS
mcclatchy newspapers SEATTLE — Laid off at the start of the recession as the marketing director for a regional homebuilder, Leah Schedin quickly realized she lacked something essential for a new job: a university degree. Schedin had completed courses here and there at a community college, but never enough for a bachelor’s degree. Without one, she found, her 18 years of experience didn’t matter. “These days, you’re applying online, and you’re filtered out as soon as you get to the question about whether you have a degree,” said the 46-yearold, who’s married and has a teenage daughter. So Schedin put her talents to work finding a university where she could get academic credit for her work experience. She found one: City University of Seattle, a private, nonprofit institution that’s at the vanguard of a movement catering to the growing numbers of adult learners and military veterans who are changing careers in the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. At the end of next semester, she’ll head back into the churning job market with a four-year degree in marketing after just 18 months. Universities and colleges are being
ERIN CHAPMAN news staff writer
MCT CAMPUS
Mark Ball applied for 45 credits at CityU and was awarded 25 for his 22 years as a restaurant manager and music producer. pressed to increase graduation rates and speed up the time it takes for students to complete degrees by awarding college credit for their life and work experience. A national campaign that starts Friday will promote the sometimes-derided practice with a program to help adults prepare online portfolios of their job experience that independent faculty will evaluate for academic credit. One hundred institutions in 30 states are on board. Top higher-education
associations back the coalition, and major foundations are bankrolling it. It hopes to reach tens of thousands of people within five years. The push coincides with President Barack Obama’s goal of boosting the number of college graduates by 5 million before the end of the decade, and it comes as states and higher education institutions are moving away from strict demands for seat time and see CREDITS / page two
Everyone has a Facebook. Virginia Tech researchers think they know why. The development of thirdparty applications and an opening of membership has allowed Facebook to flourish, according to new research from two Tech professors. The joint research between Patrick Fan, an associate professor of accounting and information systems, and Devi Gnyawali, an associate professor of management, compiled data and news sources for more than a year to find out what social networking sites were doing to attract users. The study looked at more than 53 fairly large firms that are quickly growing. Fan and Gnyawali compared data to see what these sites were doing to compete with each other. Gnyawali was interested to see what factors have allowed some sites such as Facebook to become very popular, very fast. “Facebook is continuously
introducing new rules to the game,” Fan said, citing its change of membership policies and introduction of third-party applications. These third-party applications are one critical aspect that has allowed Facebook to flourish while MySpace hasn’t seen a huge increase in site traffic.
“
Facebook isn’t a fad. DEVI GNYAWALI ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF MANAGEMENT
Games such as Farmville have allowed others to build off Facebook’s foundation to interested users. Facebook also made an important change when it opened up membership to more than just college students. People of all ages are drawn to Facebook’s sleek design and easyto-use controls. More students are even finding their parents on the popular site. Junior Erin Mosher likes the layout of Facebook. “Facebook seems safer, the layout
is more organized,” Mosher said. “MySpace is harder to figure out,” she said. The third-party applications have increased user engagement on the site. “Facebook has figured out a way to engage users more and more by adding flexibility to their sites,” Gnyawali said. For Fan, privacy concerns will be of interest as social networks expand and evolve. The accessibility of the site also falls into play. “People are on these sites at all times, especially now with handheld devices,” Fan said. In the future, Fan believes it will be important to keep an eye on Twitter. “Twitter doesn’t really compete, but rather, has its own niche,” he said. The researchers saw a strong future for Facebook. “Facebook isn’t a fad,” Gnyawali said. “People will continue to use it for fun and pleasure in the future.” He said Facebook’s success would come by looking for new customers and holding off new competitors.
2 news
news editors: philipp kotlaba, liana bayne, gordon block newseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865
december 2, 2010
[
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Cavs’ Sherrill out with broken leg Virginia senior forward Will Sherrill suffered a fractured fibula in the Cavaliers’ win Monday at Minnesota and will be sidelined for an undetermined amount of time, coach Tony Bennett said Wednesday. The 6-foot-9 Sherrill averaged 6.3 points and 3.4 rebounds per game, and had started four of Virginia’s first seven games. He scored six points in 21 minutes, hitting a pair of 3-pointers versus the Gophers. Sherrill was injured midway through the second half when Minnesota’s Colton Iverson fell on his leg. “Will’s been playing well for us,” Bennett said. “I’m happy for him. He’s really been providing good leadership, and his smarts. That will be something we’ll certainly have to adjust to. Throw another one of the (freshmen) in the mix. It’ll certainly be an opportunity for them and a challenge for them. I feel for Will because he was coming along nicely, and gave us a great lift in the second half.” Freshmen Akil Mitchell and Will Regan figure to play increased roles in Sherrill’s absence. Bennett said that Sherrill probably was Virginia’s best team post defender, as well. Bennett said that he and the team await further tests to determine the severity of Sherrill’s fracture and a timetable for his recovery. Bennett said that he doesn’t intend to play freshman forward James Johnson in Sherrill’s absence. Johnson is redshirting this season. The Cavaliers (4-3) open ACC play Sunday at Virginia Tech.
COLLEGIATETIMES
Credits: More students returning to school
from page one
credit hours. There’s a growing awareness that Obama’s goal can’t be reached without encouraging older students such as Schedin. “My goal is to be back in my career,” Schedin said as she enjoyed some rare downtime in a corner of the CityU cafeteria. “I wanted to get through fast, and I wanted some credit for those years I’ve put in.” Only a handful of people take advantage of the opportunity to cash in on work experience: Just two dozen out of CityU’s 2,500 American students have sought such credits, a ratio that’s similar to what other schools report. “It’s just not happening at the pace or scale it should be, given all these people out there with learning that has occurred in other venues,” said Pamela Tate, the president and CEO of the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning, which is behind the new campaign. One reason is that many faculty members look down their noses at the practice and discourage their institutions and students from participating. “They still believe that ‘if you weren’t in my class, you couldn’t possibly know it,’ “ Tate said. The idea of credit for learning from experience also took a hit when Wal-Mart announced in June that it would team with a private, for-profit university to offer employees academic credit for things they did at work.
MCT CAMPUS
Lee Gorsuch is the president of CityU, which offers adults and returning students credit for previous workplace experiences. “People thought employees at Wal-Mart were getting college credit for learning how to use the cash register,” said Marie Cini, the vice provost at the University of Maryland University College, the online branch of the Maryland state university system. “If you use a really rigorous assessment process, that is not the case.” Credit for work experience can have its downsides. The credits are difficult to transfer if you change universities, and substituting them for introductory requirements can cause problems for students later in their careers, when they can’t keep up with classmates in writing or other basic academic skills. Experiential learning was first tried after World War I, when returning
soldiers who enrolled in college were allowed to skip straight to sophomore year as a reward for their military service. But they proved unprepared for more advanced work, and the practice largely lapsed. Low U.S. college graduation rates are helping to drive a revival. Less than 60 percent of college students earn bachelor’s degrees within six years, and the U.S. has fallen from first in the world to 10th in the proportion of 25- to 34-year-olds with associate’s degrees or higher. For a variety of reasons, increasing numbers of the nation’s 16 million university and college students are older than traditional high school graduates. Forty percent are 25 and older. A study of 48 schools by the
Council for Adult and Experiential Learning found that students who get credit for their experience are more likely to complete degrees. “All of our institutional frameworks have been created around 18-year-olds coming out of high schools without any experience. They’re the empty vessels into which we pour knowledge. But when you’re a working adult, you’re hardly an empty vessel,” said Lee Gorsuch, the president of CityU. “You learn by doing,” Gorsuch added. “We’re not anti-intellectual, but can you balance a spreadsheet or can’t you?” Even more established institutions such as the University of Maryland University College and Valdosta State University in Georgia are beginning to accept credits from experience. “It’s coming back now in a big way because there is this national push from the federal government,” Maryland’s Cini said. “We’re looking for new ways to help people realize that, even if they’ve been out in the work force and have three kids and a busy life, there are ways to get a college degree that won’t take 20 years.” Universities aren’t doing this solely out of altruism. Adult learners increasingly seek schools that give them credit for experience, according to a survey by the higher-education marketing company Stamats. That means the potential for more tuition and more applicants, which enhances an institution’s reputation.
DAILY CRIME BLOTTER
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CORRECTIONS JUSTIN GRAVES -Contact our public editor at publiceditor@ collegiatetimes.com if you see anything that needs to be corrected.
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[
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Warner, Webb differ on ending earmarks Virginia’s U.S. senators split yesterday over whether to eliminate earmarks. Sen. Mark R. Warner, DVa., voted to end the practice, while Sen. Jim Webb, DVa., voted against a proposed ban. The Senate yesterday rejected a GOP bid to ban the practice of larding spending bills with earmarks -- those pet projects that lawmakers love to send home to their states. The bill failed by a 56-39 vote. Warner was one of seven Democrats who joined 32 Republicans in favor of the ban. Voting no were 46 Democrats, 8 Republicans and two independents. The effort effectively would have forbidden the Senate from considering legislation containing earmarks such as road and bridge projects, community development funding, grants to local police departments and special-interest tax breaks. The 56-39 tally, however, was a better showing for earmark opponents, who lost a 29-68 vote earlier this year. Any votes next year should be closer, because a band of anti-earmark Republicans is joining the Senate. Kevin Hall, a spokesman for Warner, said Warner recognizes that earmarks “represent a small but symbolic piece of the budget.” He said Warner “voted ‘yes’ to take the earmark issue off the table so we can finally get to a real, and overdue, discussion about federal budgets and deficits.” Webb spokesman Will Jenkins said Webb “believes that the Congress should carry out its constitutional authority to appropriate federal funds. So-called earmarks, when properly and transparently pursued, fall within this constitutional mandate.” -tyler whitley, mcclatchy newspapers
opınıons 3
editors: scott masselli, gabi seltzer opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES
december 2, 2010
The Collegiate Times is an independent student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903
Your Views [letter to the editor]
Boys aren’t the only bullies Recent suicides have brought national attention to bullying. The suicides broke my heart. I browsed the Web for similar stories because I was curious about how often young people kill themselves as a result of bullying. I discovered some of the meanest bullies are teenage girls. Bullying isn’t just a childish, elementary school act. When you think of a bully, you think of a large kid shoving a small kid, but this is not always the case. Every time a girl calls another girl “ugly” or a “slut” they are bullying. Girls use their words to harm others, which can be just as bad as physical harm, if not worse. Research done by Lagerspetz, Bjorqvist and Peltonen at the University of Miami proved “when girls bully they use things like alienation, ostracism, deliberate and calculated random exclusions, and spreading of rumors to harass their peers.” Jesse Logan was oblivious to the repercussions of sending nude pictures to her boyfriend. After breaking up, her
boyfriend didn’t feel he should keep the pictures to himself. Anyone who has been through high school knows what happens next. Along with the embarrassment of peers seeing private photos, they called Jesse names such as “whore” and “slut.” Even after trying to cope with the harassment and anonymously telling her story on television to help others, Jesse hung herself. Girls call each other names all the time. I catch myself jokingly calling my own friends “hoes.” We are all guilty of this. Jesse Logan was a beautiful girl. She wasn’t technically sick or crazy; she was just like you and me. Girls need to be careful when singling out others. A teen girl will do almost anything to fit in, and when she doesn’t feel like she fits in, the consequences can be detrimental. I wish it didn’t take Jesse’s tragedy to make me think about how I treat other girls, but it did. Hopefully next time we want to judge another girl and call her a “slut,” we will think twice.
Hannah Wilson Senior Communication major
Greek life more than what meets the eye reshman orientation: I can still recall my bewilF derment when students in my group were talking about being Greek; I literally thought nearly 3,000 students at Virginia Tech were of Greek ethnicity. Little did I know, “Greek” was a term used to describe fraternity and sorority life, and I would eventually come to know the term well. As spring recruitment fast approaches and signups are underway, the war between non-Greek and Greek members will leave many potential new members confused about what to do. The Greek system will inevitably be equally endorsed and criticized. However, many who criticize the system have biased opinions shaped through television, movies and pop culture. Students unacquainted with the Greek system may see it as superficial, obnoxious or even hazardous. Persuading students not to join the Greek system does not cure problems on campus relating to binge drinking and illegal activity. It simply discourages leaders from joining a system that allows them to utilize their leadership abilities and provides students with creative outlets. As an incoming freshman, I gave in to the common stereotypes of sorority life and submitted to viewpoints of my parents. As an abundance of the girls in my dorm decided to rush, I made it clear I wanted to stay far away. As I watched them keep busy with exciting new events, I began to resent them (as well as my decision) more and more. As a sophomore I decided to rush, and Greek life filled the void created by my lack of involvement during freshman year. It allowed me to participate in intramural sports, develop leadership
skills, make friends and gain academic support — all in one organization. It wasn’t until after joining a sorority that I learned Greek life was not anything like the stereotypes. During my sorority’s philanthropy, I was able to see how passionate the Greek community is about raising money for different organizations in need.
“
Persuading students not to join the Greek system does not cure problems on campus relating to binge drinking and illegal activity.
Each sorority and fraternity has an individual charity and is also dedicated to helping support the philanthropy of other sororities and fraternities. The commitment of the Greek community to philanthropic events and community service is a clear demonstration of Tech’s motto “Ut Prosim — That I may serve.” Although Greek organizations are in fact social, they should be seen as more than just “paying for friends.” Money paid by members is used to fund an organization that gives students an assortment of opportunities. This can be compared to paying dues in any organization, such as a club sports team, a community service organization or a club focused on a specific major. If you are on the fence about spring recruitment, I encourage you to participate. As I look at freshmen and sophomores similar to myself, I can’t help but be disheartened by the positional leaders lost as a result of uninformed and biased viewpoints.
JACKIE MCENTEE -guest columnist
MCT CAMPUS
Obama presidency has not gone as Americans hoped it would seems strange to imagine it was only two years ago we all heard It our newly ordained president state “change has come” to America. On that cold November night in Chicago, then President-elect Barack Obama appeared to all as a hero returning from war. For those of us who were grateful the Bush administration was finally coming to an end, this new president appeared to be precisely what the country needed. Though I was never entirely excited about this president, fearing his lack of experience and less than satisfactory views on some issues, I was excited this country appeared united around a new and appealing president. The country was tired. We were tired of war, tired of losing jobs, tired of bankruptcy and foreclosure, tired of feeling America’s greatest days were over and tired of being ashamed of our president. Though Obama did not seem to hold all that I would like to have seen in a president, he did seem to have the potential to make people proud of their country again and not afraid of the future. I remember casting my ballot two years ago. I stood in the voting booth staring at the names of both candidates. I had been battling for months over who I felt would best serve the interests of this country. Sen. John McCain seemed to be a candidate with the potential to accomplish some basic things that were needed and his experience appeared to have the potential to bring wisdom back to the Oval Office. Obama had the charisma and appeal to make people proud of this country again and unite us together. Neither candidate satisfied me completely though. McCain lacked conviction on issues I felt were important and Gov. Sarah Palin was, in the best possible light, a disgrace and insult to the
integrity of the American people as a vice presidential candidate. Obama lacked experience and also conviction on important issues, both of which I felt could be dangerous for the current situation in this country. Thus I was torn and it was not until I was in the booth that I decided to vote for Obama. I did not vote for Obama because I felt he would make a better president. I voted for him because the thought of Palin being the breath of a weak, old man away from the Oval Office was terrifying. With his election victory sealed, however, I felt excited for the future. This man embodied all that I was feeling. He had conviction for change and determination to put this country’s best days in the future. As the first year of his administration came to a close, however, I realized how terribly wrong I was. At first I excused his failures. I tried to think he was doing his best in an impossible situation, that it was the Republicans in Congress who were preventing his success because of their partisan spite, or perhaps his administration was being hijacked by less than reputable people. As we now approach the close of his first two years in office, however, no more excuses can suffice. I do not blame President Obama so much for his legislative failures; there is no doubt Republicans in Congress care very little for the welfare of the American people, but instead only about ensuring their electoral victory. What I do blame him for, however, is how he transformed this country into something I am even more ashamed of than during the Bush regime. Parents are unable to care for their children because they cannot find work, and this administration arrogantly pats itself on the back for passage of so-called
“jobs” bills. Citizens are dying because they do not have health care and this administration pompously congratulates itself for ramming a worthless health care “reform” bill through Congress. This country is facing serious and potentially detrimental foreign threats in both the military and economic sphere and this president conceitedly accepts his Nobel Prize for peace. We are standing in a country whose economy is in shambles, citizens feel defeated and whose standing in the world is becoming more like a punch line than a legitimate superpower. Meanwhile, this president spends his time trying to get his buddies elected to Congress. Mark Twain once said patriotism is supporting your country always and supporting your government when it deserves it. This government is burying this country under its mountain of failures, incompetence, worthlessness, hypocrisy, ignorance and arrogance, and as a patriot this is something I cannot stand. I do not say this with happiness or glee. I love this country deeply, as it is great enough to allow me to write this column. But everything about this country that makes me love it is being attacked by those who swore to protect it. When will the American people awake from their slumber and see this great country dissolve under the weight of these failures? When will the American people decide to take this country back and stop allowing our rulers to destroy it? I can only hope it is not too late.
JASON CAMPBELL -regular columnist -sophomore -philosophy major
Several changes could improve Newman Library as study space ith finals fast approaching, I think it’s time we looked at what W is probably the best place to study on campus, Newman Library. I love the library, and like many of my fellow Hokies, I’ll be spending countless hours there in preparation for this semester’s final exams. It’s such a wonderful place to study. Yet I can think of a few real problems with Newman. One issue I have with the library regards the DVD checkout policy. Although the library has a wide collection of classic and contemporary DVDs on the second floor, the checkout policy hinders the accessibility of this wide collection. When checking out a DVD, the most time you have with your DVD is three days. Now, I would not be complaining if there was a way to renew your checkout online, but DVDs have to be renewed at the checkout counter in Newman. That’s a little inconvenient for students living off-campus, who then have to make special trips to the library. I know we live in a world of Netflix and Blockbuster (although it is greatly declining), but many students cannot afford to subscribe to Netflix or pay about $5 every time they want to watch
a movie. My solution would be to have one-week DVD checkouts, or to allow students to renew the DVDs online through their student library account. Another problem I have with Newman is its hours of operation. While the new study area is great and I love the new entrance to the library, I would have preferred if the renovation money were spent on keeping the library open 24/7. I know, I know the Math Emporium is supposed to serve as the late-night study place. However, the Math Emporium is not the best place for late-night studying. While the library is more convenient for students living on-campus who desire a place to study, the biggest reason the library should be open 24/7 is the Blacksburg Transit does not run past 11 p.m., on weekdays. Even if someone takes the bus to the Math Emporium to do late-night work, there is not an easy way to get back to the residence halls on-campus or the apartments offcampus. From the farthest major apartment complex, the library is a three-mile walk along a guided path. Cheap late-night food is also just around the corner from the library, as DX is a short walk away. Buses are not required to get home in
a timely manner and food is readily available. My final concern regarding the library is the necessity of another cafe on campus. Another on-campus coffee shop is scheduled to open in a few months. While cafes are nice hang out spots, there are already enough on campus. Au Bon Pain is right next to the library in the Graduate Life Center and another two are located in Squires Student Center. With three places to get coffee so close to the library already, does the school really need to spend money to install a fourth cafe? Plus, is a cafe the best place to study? Listening to drinks being prepared loudly and people carrying on conversations about last night’s exploits cannot possibly help academic focus. The library is still by far the best place to study, on-campus or off, but it is not without flaws.
JEFF HOMAN -regular columnist -sophomore -history major
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ASSISTANT&ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Account Executives: Gain incredible resume and life experience at student media. We’re now hiring outgoing, dedicated and confident VT students for Spring 2011. As an Account Executive at College Media Solutions, be a marketing consultant for clients, helping them reach their goals. We analyze the needs of each business. If reaching the campus or extended VT community of alumni and families can increase their business, we recommend an appropriate marketing strategy using the Collegiate Times, collegiatetimes.com, out of home advertising, VTTV Channel 33, WUVT 90.7 FM or other means. This is valuable experience whether you are pursuing a career in marketing or advertising or not. Close to 100% of student media alumni report that their experience helped them land their first jobs or advance faster in their careers. In student media, you are not relegated to a lowly intern. You have the opportunity to advance into management and student leadership as well. Your earnings are only limited by your effort and commitment. Assistant Account Executive: Entry level student positions are available at College Media Solutions, the advertising agency for student media at Virginia Tech. Responsibilities include accurate data entry, excellent customer service skills, guided selling to clients, filing and organization. Assistant Account Executives have the opportunity to be promoted within the organization. Commitment of 8-12 hours per week is required. Federal work study grants may be used for this co-curricular student activity experience.. Positions are open until filled. All training is provided Apply online today at collegemedia.com/ join Preference will be given for students who plan to return in Summer and/ or Fall 2011. College Media Solutions is a Registered Student Organization whose mission is to give students co-curricular experience while providing the funding support for student-run mass media on campus. Get a job that means something. Deadline: December 3.
ACROSS 1 Parts counterparts 11 Vital team members 15 Lemon source 16 Actor who turned down the role of Dr. Shepherd on “Grey’s Anatomy” 17 One lacking bias 18 Spotlit opera event 19 Joint with a cap 20 Stumper’s concern 21 Summer goals for some 22 Old El Dorado feature 23 Unspoken part of the Godfather’s “offers”? 25 “One sec ...” 29 Neil Young song about Kent State 31 Mister 32 Le Pew’s pursuit 33 High fashion label 34 Super vision? 35 Endows, as with power 36 Kleptomaniac film monkey 37 14th-century Florentine exile 39 Hydrocarbon ending 40 Fourth in a series 42 “Hedda Gabler” playwright 43 Undertaking 44 Closing 45 Common chuckwalla habitat 46 They may be shod 48 The boss usually doesn’t want to hear them 49 Bald eagle cousin 50 Curly hair, say 53 Quarter of a yard 57 Quotation abbr. 58 Holiday bloom 60 Kick back 61 Minor considerations? 62 Extremely, in Amiens 63 Poky activity happens at it
By Harvey Estes
DOWN 1 Lie low 2 Simile center 3 Only native Englishman ever named Doctor of the Church by a pope 4 Comic strip dog 5 1986 GE takeover 6 Comics character who said “Some days even my lucky rocketship underpants don’t help” 7 “Entertaining Mr. Sloane” dramatist 8 Fine cut 9 Zipped 10 Olympics no-no 11 Send 12 Conscience 13 Ann Landers or Abigail Van Buren 14 Legendary swimmer 22 On the block 24 Rock crew 25 Show compassion
12/2/10 Wednesday’s Puzzle Solved
(c)2010 Tribune Media Services, Inc.
26 Challenging area at Augusta National, as it’s facetiously called 27 In direct confrontation 28 __ feeling 29 Shuttle path 30 Arrest, with “in” 33 Links numbers 38 Tchr.’s notation 41 Some Cassatt works
10/2/10
45 “No kidding!” 47 Lets off steam 48 Capone associate 51 Shower 52 Hollywood canine 53 Pen repast 54 Cóctel fruit 55 Novelist Waugh 56 Place to find IBM 59 Scale tones
editors: lindsey brookbank, kim walter featureseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES
in the
Wondering what’s going on around the ‘burg? Check out the events of the upcoming week. [Thursday, December 2] What: Blood Drive sponsored by VT Corps of Cadets Where: Rasche Hall When: 8:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Cost: Free
What: Music: Sister Hazel Where: Squires Commonwealth Ballroom When: 7 p.m. Cost: $7 students, $10 general
What: Music: Jeff Willis Where: Gillie’s When: 7 p.m. Cost: Free
[Friday, December 3] What: Flu shot clinic Where: Rector Field House When: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Cost: Free
What: Music: Mood Swing (Holiday Jazz) Where: Gillie’s When: 6 p.m. Cost: Free
What: Tuba Christmas Where: Farmer’s Market Square When: 6 p.m. Cost: Free
What: Music: Nash Smith and Ganges w/ Maya Renfro Where: Gillie’s When: 9:30 p.m. Cost: Free
What: Music: Big Thunder Rumble Fish Where: Awful Arthur’s When: 10 p.m.
[Saturday, December 4] What: A Dicken’s Christmas What: Music: DJ Bat Boi Where: Preston’s Restaurant Where: Awful Arthur’s When: 6:30 p.m. When: 10 p.m. Cost: $55 a person, $100 a couple What: Pet Portraits with Santa Where: Veterinary College Complex, Room 125 Lounge When: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Cost: $10 - $20 photo packages
[Sunday, December 5] What: Holidays at Smithfield Where: Historic Smithfield When: 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. Cost: $18 adults, $9 children
What: Concert: University Choirs Where: Blacksburg Presbyterian Church When: 3 p.m. Cost: $3 students, $5 general
[Monday, December 6] What: Silent Auction by Hospitality Managament Association Where: VCOM conferecnce center: Stellar one building When: 6 p.m.
What: Movie: The Passion on the Christ Where: The Lyric When: 6 p.m. Cost: Free
What: Nikolausfeir-St. Nicholas Party Where: Cranwell International Center When: 7:30 p.m. Cost: Free
[Tuesday, December 7] What: Student Recital: Opera What: Holiday Meal Where: Squires Recital Salon Where: D2 and Shultz When: 4:30 p.m. - 7 p.m. @ D2 When: 8 p.m. Cost: $3 students, $5 general 5 p.m. - 7 p.m. @ Shultz Cost: $4.70 flex, $14.15 otherwise
[Wednesday, December 8] What: Student Concert: Low Brass Ensemble Where: Squires Recital Salon When: 8 p.m. Cost: Free
december 2, 2010
weekend
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6 sports
editors: michael bealey, garrett ripa sportseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES
december 2, 2010
Hokies drop overtime thriller to Boilermakers MICHAEL BEALEY sports editor It was a heartbreaker in Cassell Coliseum Wednesday night as the Virginia Tech men’s basketball team fell to the No. 18 Purdue Boilermakers in overtime. The Hokies struggled offensively as senior guard Malcolm Delaney had just nine points on two of 18 shooting en route to the 58-55 loss. Purdue forward JaJuan Johnson put on a clinic for the Boilermakers, scoring 29 points on 11 of 24 shooting. “Toughest night of my career by far,” Delaney said. “Open shots missed, wide open layups missed.” Tech did not lead at any point during the first half and it appeared as though Purdue’s defense would come out on top. However, junior forward Victor Davila played his best game of the season, scoring 10 points and providing some excellent defensive help. Tech went on a 9-0 run in the beginning of the second half to take its first lead of the game with less than 16 minutes remaining. The teams traded buckets down the stretch, with neither gaining more than a five-point advantage from that point. The Hokies actually had a four-point lead with 2:34 remaining in the second half, but a critical turnover by Davila and his fifth foul depleted Tech’s frontcourt. With the Hokies ahead 51-49, Johnson drained a jumper to tie the game. Tech had a chance to hit a dagger with eight seconds remaining in the game, but Delaney’s fading jumper fell short and both teams headed to overtime. “That was a heck of an opportunity we lost, but we did a lot of good things,” said Seth Greenberg, Tech head coach. “There is a very line between winning and losing, being a good team or a great team, and we have to get over that hump.” The overtime period continued the physical defensive battle between the two teams, and again the Hokies had another late lead this time, 55-54, with 1:45 remaining. Yet, another clutch Johnson jumper erased the Tech lead. The Hokies had another opportunity late to win the game. Down by two with 16 seconds remaining, Tech put the ball in the hands of Delaney. However, Delaney was never able to get a shot off as he fell to ground, resulting in a jump ball with just 3.3 seconds remaining. The possession arrow belonged to the Boilermakers and that sealed Purdue’s sixth win of the season. “For us to be able to come in here and win an overtime game like this is huge for our program,” said Matt Painter, Purdue head coach. Jeff Allen ended up leading the Hokies in scoring with 14 points. He also grabbed nine rebounds. Terrell Bell led all players with 11 rebounds and manned up with Purdue guard E’Twaun Moore for much of the game. Moore, who is the Boilermakers’ lead-
MAZIAR FAHANDEZH / SPPS
Victor Davila goes up for a dunk in the first half. The Hokies big man scored 10 points in his best game of the season. ing scorer at more than 20 points per game, finished with just 14 points on four of nine shooting. Another pleasant surprise for Tech was sophomore guard Erick Green, who played 21 minutes for Tech and scored eight points. Green missed the last two games after injuring his calf against Cal State Northridge in the 76 Classic. However, turnovers were once again the story for Tech as they committed 13, leading to 22 points for Purdue. Dorenzo Hudson was quiet for the
Hokies as he had just five points and turned the ball over four times. Hudson has now scored just 13 points in his last three games and is shooting just 25 percent from the field during that stretch. The loss puts the Hokies at 5-3 and 0-3 against the teams in the top-25. Tech’s only win against a 2010 NCAA Tournament team this season was versus Oklahoma State in the 76 Classic. Up next, the Hokies will host in-state rival Virginia this Sunday. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. and the game will be televised on FSN.
Taylor wins top ACC honor MICHAEL BEALEY sports editor Virginia Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor has been named the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year, according to a release by the ACC. The senior from Hampton, Va. has led the Hokies to a 10-2 record including a perfect 8-0 in conference play this season. He is the first Tech player to earn ACC Player of the Year honors since quarterback Bryan Randall in 2004. “First off, I have to thank the Lord
for blessing me with the ability to play football,” Taylor said. “I also have to thank my parents, my family, the coaches, my teammates and all of the Virginia Tech fans. It’s an honor to be recognized as the ACC’s Player of the Year and to see all of my hard work pay off.” Taylor has passed for 2,258 yards this season with 20 touchdowns and just four interceptions. He is second on the team in rushing with 613 yards and four touchdowns on the ground. Additionally, Taylor won the ACC’s Offensive Player of the Year award and
was named first-team All-ACC earlier this week. Taylor received 27 votes, NC State quarterback Russell Wilson was second with 19, and Clemson defensive end Da’Quan Bowers was third with eight. The Hokies will face off with Florida State Saturday in the ACC Championship, Taylor’s third career trip to the title game. “I’m more proud, though, of how this team responded from an 0-2 start,” Taylor said. “Now we have finish things off Saturday in Charlotte against a tough Florida State team.”
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