Thursday, January 27, 2011
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Lords of the rink see page six 108th year, issue 7
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Q&A: Tech preps for ‘Hokie Day’ in Richmond MEIGHAN DOBER news staff writer Bo Hart, SGA president, is one of several Virginia Tech students who will participate in Thursday’s “Hokie Day,” a lobbying day in Richmond to promote university funding initiatives. Before the trip, Hart took time to speak with the Collegiate Times about the trip, and how could see HART Tech benefits from the lobbying efforts. COLLEGIATE TIMES: Can you briefly describe “Hokie Day” and what it is? BO HART: “Hokie Day” is an annual event that’s done with the alumni association, the university, the student government association, the graduate students, undergraduate students and the general assembly. It happens every year about this time — last week of January, first week of February. It’s where we go and the general assembly recognizes that it is “Hokie Day.” It is a day for Virginia Tech. We go and lobby for Virginia Tech and make sure that we just don’t keep getting cut with the budget. It’s a good time to tell stories about what it’s like to be a student at Virginia Tech, what it was like to be a student, and make sure the state recognizes that higher education is important. CT: When you go this year, what is your agenda like? Who are you planning on talking to? BH: Our agenda is we have a legislative breakfast in the morning. That’s with all of us. We have about 150 total Hokies there. That’s alumni, students, and then most of the administration will be there as well. And then starting at 9:15, we’ll all go off and we’ll meet with our delegates and senators that we’ve been assigned to and we’ll go talk to them. And then at 11:30 we’ll get a picture with the governor, but since the governor’s father just passed away he
has a memorial service tomorrow. So this year we are getting a picture with the lieutenant governor. And then we go inside the session and we’re honored by the senate and delegates that it’s “Hokie Day.” It will be publically announced that it’s “Hokie Day” and we’ll get a round of applause. We then meet back at the SunTrust building at 12:30 to have a debrief lunch and to go over the day with everybody. Then we’ll be back on the road by 2 to come be here. CT: In an announcement about “Hokie Day,” there was a statement that this year is extremely important. Is it more important than years in the past? BH: Every year is just as important. This year the governor has created a commission on higher education and that hasn’t been created in a long time. The governor feels that higher education is important. He has pledged $50 million to higher education, which is fantastic. In the years past, we’ve never gotten any money. It has always been cut. So it’s an important year and we need to make sure that we continue to get money for the students that we have. Since 2004, Virginia Tech has increased its Virginia students by 2,200 students. The state wants schools to increase in-state tuition even more. But we’ve already added 2,200 students since 2004 and we haven’t had any additional funding for the students since 2007. So we’re going to advocate that if you want us to increase our Virginia state students then we need to get funding for them. CT: How, specifically, will Virginia Tech benefit? BH: It will help because they are not cutting the budget. The governor said that we’re not going to get any more higher education cuts for the year, but there are always back door clauses and legislative bills that relate to other things like our auxiliary funds, etc., that could sneakily take away money. So we’re advocating for that to not happen.
State Funding $152.3 mil
$135.6 mil
2010-2011 Fiscal Year
2011-2012 Fiscal Year
Local buildings Q&A: Short story writer coming to Tech closed for repairs CLAIRE SANDERSON news reporter
MICHELLE SUTHERLAND additional welds to make the initial news reporter Auburn High School and the Blacksburg Fire Squad building were closed for unrelated building problems. Auburn High School, located outside of Christiansburg, was declared structurally unsound for reasons similar to Blacksburg High School, said Brenda Drake Bowdel, spokesperson for Montgomery County Public Schools. “The reason the Blacksburg High School gymnasium collapsed was for the same (problems Auburn experienced). It was bad, insufficient welding in (a) joint. It was also a seal that was not strong enough. And those two things compounded by having heavy snow,” she said. When the investigation discovered this, the county did a thorough investigation of all similar buildings. The particular style included ‘70s style structures with high bay roofs, according to Bowdel. “And so they just went in and supported that structure with some
wells redundant. Now they’re back in business.” Steel gusset plates were added with new fillet welds to make the older welds unnecessary. The problems with the Blacksburg Fire Squad’s building were completely unrelated to the high school incidents. There have been cracks in the walls of the bay, offices and bathroom for more than a year, according to Blacksburg building official Cathy Cook. “We had our structural engineer install crack monitors and we have had little to no movement for a year, until recently when one of the cracks moved a little more than we’re comfortable with,” she said. Cook said the problems stem from poor soil conditions because of the building’s location next to a creek. Soil testing is underway and repairs are being designed. The fire house is storing some ambulances in its bay and other vehicles have been moved to the other side of the bay. Repairs are expected to be finished within the next two months.
The Master of Fine Arts program will bring famed short story writer Kyle Minor to Tech Friday, as a part of its Visiting Writer Series. Minor, born in West Palm Beach, Fla., earned his big break as a writer when one of his essays won a spot in the nationally published collection MINOR “Twentysomething Essays by Twentysomething Writers,” in 2006. Since then, he has published many pieces of short fiction, including a collection of short stories called “In the Devil’s Territory,” published in 2009. Minor currently teaches at the University of Toledo and is writing both a novel and a nonfiction book set in Haiti. He was able to take some time to talk to the Collegiate Times about his life as a writer and his upcoming visit to Tech. COLLEGIATE TIMES: Can you tell me a little bit about some of your work? KYLE MINOR: My first book, the one that’s out, is called “In the Devil’s Territory,” and is a collection of short stories and novelas, most of which are set in Florida, among people who were raised as evangelical Christians and many of whom are having great trouble
with their community of origin, with the people that they came from. So, one of the stories is about a minister who is a closeted gay man who is trying to decide whether or not to stay in his marriage, and who really loves his wife, which complicates his problem. Another story is set partially during the Civil Rights era. It’s about an East German woman who escapes from East Berlin under cover of night, and she escapes by swimming this big river, three times, in very cold water, each time with an elderly relative on her back, one of whom is shot by the East German guards. Of course her story is a hero’s story, but to the narrator of the story, she’s not a hero at all — she’s the woman who came to West Palm Beach, Fla., to ruin the lives of fifth-grade boys, because he certainly feels like she ruined his. Another story is a story that’s based on a person that I knew when I was a child who murdered a homeless Achebe Indian under an Interstate 95 overpass in the 1980s. And the story is narrated from his point of view, so that’s based on a true story. And to write this story I actually interviewed many of the people who were involved in the true-life story before I began to fictionalize it. And I got the depositions from the courthouse; I like to do that kind of research. Now, I’ll also turn the story into something different than it was originally, but I want to know everything I can about the plausible things, the true things, that
surround the invention. I want to know what it smelled like, and I want to know what people were wearing, and I want to know what kinds of weapons people used and where they bought them, and I tried to answer those questions the best I could when I was writing that story. But there’s six of them in the book, and each of them sort of gets at the central question in a different way. The title “In the Devil’s Territory,” is taken from a nonfiction book by Flannery O’Connor, who is one of my favorite writers. It’s a title to one of the essays in her book “Mystery and Manners,” it’s a book of essays about writing fiction. And of course the idea that informs it is that, from a Christian point of view, the Earth itself is the territory that belongs to the devil, for now. And, while people may be walking through it feeling otherwise, inevitably, it catches up to them, and that becomes a tremendous irony when it’s set in a religious community that really, truly believes that they belong to God. And while that’s never explicitly mentioned or said in the book, that’s the theme that holds all the stories together. We try to do the right thing, but often we do the wrong thing, and we’re neither good nor bad, but we are a contradiction that’s always held in tension to varying degrees. CT: Does most of your inspiration come from your personal life? KM: Some of the things I write are
based on things that happen that I directly observe, and some of the stories are completely made up. And I think it would be difficult for someone who didn’t know me to know which was which — I hope. Some of the stories were generated in response to other works of literature. One is “The Navy Man,” and it’s an adaptation of a Chekhov story using my setting and my characters, and shifting the point of view from the point of view of a man involved to the point of view of a woman involved in an affair. So a lot of my writing is inspired by other writers, like Andre Dubus, by Katherine Anne Porter, by Chekhov — the great 19th century Russian writer — those are very much the influences on that book. Now, for the book that I’m doing now, it’s a bit different and has new influences, I’m not really beholden to those writers forever, but I certainly had them in mind when I was working on that book. CT: When did you know you wanted to be a writer? KM: I didn’t know when I was younger that I wanted to be a writer. In fact, I tried lots of other things. I worked at a radio station, I was very briefly a preacher, and I was briefly involved with publishing. I have always been interested in stories, but I began to become engaged with literature, disillusioned with religion, and I began to read. see MINOR / page four
2 news
news editors: philipp kotlaba, liana bayne, gordon block newseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865
january 27, 2011
COLLEGIATETIMES
what you’re saying //comments from online readers... On license plates for victims of the April 16 shootings:
virginia Child care director indicted for embezzlement
Anonymous>> I don’t know. I am not sure you honor the victims any more with having a license plate on the back of your vehicle. We have provided them with sufficient honor and memorialization as it is. It was a terrible event.
On the death of Sam Wendler: HokieGrad>> In respect to Sam’s family and friends we ask that people please, please stop speculating about how he died. My cousin was someone who lived more in his short time on earth than most of us will ever live in a lifetime. His FB wall is covered with positive comments and fond memories because that’s the kind of person Sam was. He was someone who inspired love out of family and friends and he should be remembered for that. It’s his life we should be concentrating on, not his death. Please think before you comment. Thank you.
On a new version of “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” which replaces the word “nigger” with “slave”: Tretty>> Political correctness: one of many ways American’s limit their own freedom.
Parent>>
CORRECTIONS
As a parent, I wholeheartedly agree with the censoring of this terrible word. If my child does not see it in the book, I will certainly be able to shelter him from it for the rest of his life. This censoring also allows us, as a society, to pretend a certain period of time never occurred.
In “Tech’s webmail to transition to Gmail by fall 2011,” (CT – Jan. 26) the request for proposal has yet to be sent to vendors for the contract to outsource Tech’s webmail system. If this decision is made, that vendor may not necessarily be Google. The Collegiate Times regrets this error.
JUSTIN GRAVES -public editor -sociology/leadership & social change -junior
A prosecutor says a former director of a Richmond child-care center deserves to go to prison for embezzlement because her victims included a church and soon-to-be parents who were eager to ensure good care for their children. Mary Beth Lloyd, 41, of the 11600 block of Drysdale Drive in Chesterfield County was arrested in October after a multijurisdictional grand jury indicted her on a charge of embezzlement for allegedly stealing more than $98,000 from Grace Covenant Child Development
Center. The center is an arm of Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church, situated immediately west of Stuart Circle in the 1600 block of Monument Avenue in Richmond’s Fan District. Lloyd entered a guilty plea to the embezzlement charge in a brief hearing Tuesday before Judge Richard D. Taylor Jr. of Richmond Circuit Court. The judge accepted her plea and scheduled sentencing for April 19. Lloyd, who has no criminal record, faces up to 20 years in prison.
Matthew C. Ackley, special counsel for the grand jury, said he would ask for prison time in the case because Lloyd defrauded the church and young parents, some of whom wrote her checks before their children were born in hopes of securing a coveted spot in the child-care center. “Her employer was a church that put complete trust in her,” he said. “She also took advantage of these parents’ anxiety and vulnerability.” -Joe Macenka mcclatchy newspapers
nation & world Leaked papers embarrass Israeli-Palestinian officials JERUSALEM — A senior Palestinian official held discussions with Israel about possibly assassinating a Palestinian national in Gaza, according to the latest secret Palestinian Authority documents that the Al-Jazeera satellite TV network released Tuesday. Handwritten notes in Arabic translated by the network record an alleged conversation between Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz and Palestinian Interior Minister Nasser Yousef in which Mofaz urges Yousef to kill a figure in Gaza. Yousef balks, complaining that Israel hadn’t provided enough incentives. The document has Mofaz pressing Yousef to explain why there hadn’t
been an effort to assassinate Hassan al Madhoun, whom he identifies as a well-known Palestinian terrorist. “We know his address. ... Why don’t you kill him?” Mofaz asked in a meeting in Tel Aviv on Oct. 1, 2005, according to the documents. Mofaz then said that Madhoun was planning to attack one of the crossing points from Gaza into Israel. “He is not Hamas and you can kill him,” Mofaz said, referring to the political movement that won control over Gaza in 2007 elections. Yousef replied to Mofaz that his capabilities were limited and that Israel had offered the Palestinian few incentives for action.
A month later, Madhoun was killed in an Israeli airstrike on his car. It was unclear whether Yousef or the Palestinian Authority — under control of the Fatah party, a rival of Hamas — played any role in the assassination. Another embarrassing revelation was a plea by the Palestinian Authority, which is based in Ramallah, West Bank, to U.S. envoy George Mitchell in September 2009 to put more effort into sealing the smuggling tunnels that linked Gaza to Egypt. -Sheera Frenkel, mcclatchy newspapers
opınıons 3
editors: scott masselli, gabi seltzer opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES
january 27, 2011
The Collegiate Times is an independent student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903
Your Views [letter to the editor]
License plates to honor victims would like the community to be aware We of the “In Remembrance, April 16, 2007” license plate that we have requested the Virginia General Assembly approve. Designed by 2010 Virginia Tech graduate, Zack Madrigal, the plate is simple and elegant. Our intent is to honor the 32 who died and the many who survived that tragic day. Virginia residents can choose to personalize their plates, transfer their existing plate or receive a six-character combination from the Commonwealth. Many non-profit organizations, the military and different colleges have specialized plates. For every license plate that is sold or renewed after the initial 1,000, organizations receive $15. Such a program allows Virginia residents to not only show their loyalty but to financially support their organization as well.VTV Family Outreach Foundation is
composed of a majority of the family members of the victims and survivors of the April 16, 2007 tragedy at Tech. Our mission is to promote and advocate for public safety and security of the nation’s colleges and universities, and to provide assistance and services to victims of campus crime and their families.State Sen. David Marsden of Fairfax County and Del. Luke Torian of Prince William County have graciously offered to patron our bills, S.B. 804 and H.B. 2245, respectively. In order to receive consideration for our request, we must collect a minimum of 350 prepaid license plate applications. Our information can be found on our website and on Facebook. Please join us in spreading the word so that all who wish to honor the 32 and survivors can have the means to do so.
Lu Ann McNabb VTV Family Outreach Foundation
‘Buy American’ law could start trade war Chinese President Hu Jintao meets with President As Obama this week, America’s new enthusiasm for trade restrictions against Chinese renewable technologies may mar the conversation. Last week, Obama signed a defense appropriation law including a “buy American” provision that prohibits the Pentagon from purchasing Chinese solar panels. The 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act restricted the use of stimulus money to purchase foreign-made materials. And now Congress is entertaining a host of other buy-American initiatives with broad application to Chinese-made renewable technologies. America needs policies that will release its potential for alternative energy, but a trade war with China is a terrible idea — for American jobs, prosperity and the environment. The Chinese have successfully challenged European and American dominance of solar panel and wind turbine manufacturing. Chinese companies now account for half of the world’s solar panel production. But American manufacturers, investors and consumers gain far more from China’s low-cost solar panels and super-efficient wind turbines than they lose. On a recent visit to China, I toured solar panel plants owned by that nation’s largest manufacturers, including Yingli, Lightway and Daqo. Yingli, for example, uses dozens of giant steel casting furnaces made by GT Solar, a Merrimack, N.H., company employing 450 workers. GT Solar controls 80 percent of the China market for this component and a significant share for other systems it sells to Chinese manufacturers. Last year, its revenues from China were $544 million. A spokesman for GT Solar, Jeff Nestel-Patt, told me that demand for the company’s products by Chinese panel manufacturers has been crucial to its survival. I saw more of GT Solar’s furnaces at Daqo’s manufacturing facility in Wanzhou, which produces solar panels and polysilicon. Daqo also does business with more than a dozen U.S. companies, in Buffalo and Rochester, N.Y.; Hemlock, Mich.; Pasadena, Texas; and Wilmington, Del. Its wire saws, used to cut everthinner photovoltaic cells, come from Applied Materials in Santa Clara, Calif. Its firing furnace comes from Despatch Industries, which operates a union shop of about 400 employees in Lakeville, Minn. According to John Farrell, managing director of Despatch’s solar business group, Chinese solar manufacturers represent upward of 80 percent of the company’s business, with more than $100 million in orders for 2011. A trade war with China, Farrell said, “will kill the solar business in the U.S. Low-cost Chinese panels are driving the widespread proliferation of solar energy. If you force people to buy from higher-priced manu-
facturers, you drive up the costs of renewable power. The U.S. industry will grow through cost reductions, not barriers.” In addition to U.S. manufacturers, U.S. investors benefit from China’s renewable energy industry. Daqo, like many large Chinese solar companies, is listed on an American stock exchange, and U.S. investors own a significant number of shares. “If China retaliates, the trade war will hurt U.S. manufacturers very badly, and, indirectly, U.S. investors will suffer if stock prices decline,” said Daqo’s chief executive, Gongda Yao. Finally, widespread proliferation of low-cost solar panels from China generates tens of thousands of installation, construction and manufacturing jobs in the U.S., as well as providing cheap, abundant energy. The same dynamics apply to wind power. Garth Heron, with the international business division of Goldwind, headquartered in Xinjiang, told me he can deliver turbines to the U.S. that produce energy at 11 cents a kilowatt-hour, a price that makes wind competitive with coal, oil and nuclear. Goldwind is publicly listed and many of its principal investors are American. Goldwind manufactures its turbines in China, but other components — pylons, propellers, high-tensile bolts, electric panels, gearboxes — are from the U.S. Typically, 50 percent to 80 percent of the end product is American made. Low-cost, efficient turbines such as Goldwind’s stimulate demand, and that creates jobs for American installers, steelworkers and electricians and profits for wind farm operators. Stefanie Spear is president of Expedite Renewable Energy, which installs wind and solar projects in Ohio. “If buy-American provisions are mandated for solar and wind, it could drive up the project costs and hurt renewable-energy adoption in the U.S.,” she said. “It doesn’t make sense to mandate buy-American when the U.S. government won’t support even a bare-bones federal energy policy such as renewableelectricity standards.” (Such standards would require utilities to get a specified amount of power from renewable sources.) The Chinese preeminence in renewable-energy development flows from its decision to increase wind and solar to 15 percent of its energy portfolio by 2020 — an ambition requiring $758 billion in government incentives and even greater investments from private entrepreneurs. We should not be erecting trade barriers designed to dampen China’s admirable commitment to renewable power. Instead, the United States needs to implement a national energy policy that creates market-based incentives friendly to homegrown renewable manufacturers.
ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR. -mcclatchy newspapers
MCT CAMPUS
Terrorism double standard distorts American opinions arah Palin’s recent denunciation of collective blame regarding the S Tucson shootings is something persecuted peoples have been claiming for years. With respect to JapaneseAmericans in the 1940s or Muslim people today, history has shown that when a few people do something wrong or are otherwise targeted for some reason, our minds find it easier to generalize against their ethnic group rather than distinguish between innocents and those who may rightfully be guilty. The fact of the matter, however, is that unbalanced people exist in all schools of thought, and history has shown that the urge to associate them with the entire group is backward and ignorant. I was pleased to find the irony of Palin’s plea to be fair and kind to people perhaps associated with Jared Loughner (e.g. Republicans) had not gone unnoticed. Many articles and links argued she herself has not been so fair in associating innocent people with the enemy, particularly with Muslims. Putting Palin aside, although I would like to think that false generalizations are behind us, a single word contradicts that optimism: terrorism. The term “terrorism” has been extremely skewed, and it deserves some clarification. Instead of calling the events of Tucson, Ariz. simply a “shooting,” as many news stations did, they are more properly identified as acts of terror. Speaking with a friend, I referred to the event in Tucson as exactly that, to which my friend replied, “Wait, he wasn’t Muslim, was he?” I was shocked. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines terrorism as “the systematic use of terror especially as a means of coer-
cion.” In layman’s terms, I understand it to mean any use of violence upon innocent civilians. We can agree that Sept. 11 most definitely falls into this definition, along with many other acts, including Tucson. That the word has lost its meaning and is associatied with a particular group fuels ignorance, hatred and collective blame. There is no doubt that some terrorist acts are carried out in the name of religion, however falsely, as well as beliefs — such as the need to overthrow a ruler or fight for someone’s supposed rights. Either way, I find that we live in a world where the type of terrorism largely making headlines is that of men with beards who claim to cite the Quran, and that has become tied to the definition of the word. The shootings at Fort Hood were called an act of terrorism, even though an American citizen perpetrated them on American soil. By the same token, Loughner’s acts can directly be defined as terrorism. The type of terrorism, of course, is not “extreme Islamic terrorism,” the term most people mean to refer to when simply speaking of “terrorism,” but a kind newly brewing in America, perhaps best understood as political terrorism. In the United States today, the political landscape is completely infiltrating our lives and causing violence in ways that many believed was only a reality in nations abroad. Until now, and maybe even still now, we liked to believe that violent hostility towards political figures and similar uproars were limited to nations such as Iran or Tunisia. But the United States may be more vulnerable than we thought. The shooting in Tucson was a trag-
ic demonstration of what increasing political hostility and animosity has brought to America. Economist and writer Paul Krugman admitted he was hardly surprised the event occurred, and was fearful it was the beginning of more to come, solely as a result of the destructive political climate brewing in America. No doubt the tensions of differing opinions between Democrats and Republicans, the fight for spots in Congress and an impending race for the presidency have fueled this, not to mention the increasing attention political pundits receive as news sources and entertainers, with the likes of Bill O’Reilly and Jon Stewart and shows such as “Sarah Palin’s Alaska.” The larger lesson to be learned here is that terrorism exists in forms we may not immediately recognize because of our generalizations and stereotypes. Terrorism is not limited to those acts committed by Muslims, and we should be open calling these acts what they truly are as we reject their violent methods. The more pertinent lesson to be noted is that political terrorism is very real and may be on the rise in the United States. Perhaps easing the incidence of collective blame may have a remedying effect on the causes of political terrorism. Either way, I wholeheartedly believe both of these issues need immediate attention if progress is to be made for our future.
NOOR KHALIDI -regular columnist -junior -economics
Gym crowding unlikely to last after January rush ccording to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, adults A should participate in a minimum of 150 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise a week. For the math-impaired, that’s two-and-a-half hours every seven days. As you can guess, Americans barely get that much exercise in a month, despite the fact this physical activity can help prevent significant weight gain and obesity. This information is common sense though, and you certainly don’t need me to harp on about the benefits of exercise. Just take a look at our gyms. Following the start of the spring semester, students have flocked in droves to McComas Hall and War Memorial. Rumors that McComas has reached maximum capacity abound, and why not? It’s not only the beginning of the semester, a period of time when students have a lighter workload, but it is also January, the month of new year’s resolutions. As someone who goes to the gym regularly, I wasn’t surprised to see all of my favorite machines taken when I arrived Tuesday night. Even War Memorial, a second choice for gym-goers because of its lack of air conditioning, was full of sweaty runners and weight lifters. The drastic increase in the gym’s population made more than a few people angry. I heard complaints about the crowd on the basketball courts, how every locker in the locker room had been taken, how
there was barely any room to walk and so on. I, however, had no complaint for one very simple reason. These newcomers will not be returning after January. Perhaps I should hesitate to call them newcomers since many of them have been at Tech for years and have used the gym at least once or twice here. However, why complain about their presence? Yes, now the swarm of people trying desperately to fulfill some half-hearted weight loss resolution for the new year is annoying. Yes, not being able to hop onto your favorite weight bench because some guy is crushing himself with a pair of 15s is grating. Honestly, for all you regular gym rats, just be patient and wait them out. I’ve been at this point before. Hundreds of well-meaning students decide to listen to all of those health statistics we’ve been hearing our entire lives and do something about their lack of fitness. After missing a few days of running or weight lifting, they take their business to the nearest fast food restaurant and never return. So take a look around, because you won’t be seeing a majority of these people in a mere 30 days. Enjoy how loud and busy the gym is now, because come mid-February, it’s going to be a lot quieter. A lot of you are shaking your heads,
perhaps wondering how such a large student body can ever hope to attend a quiet gym. Many of you are considering trying a membership at one of those “nice, adult” gyms where the peace is worth the expensive price tag. It’s up to you, of course, but New Tech Fitness (where I was a member during winter break) is just as busy once everyone returns to Blacksburg. Believe me when I tell all of you gym regulars that the very best decision is to continue heading to the gym in your normal fashion and wait for the middle of the semester. Don’t get me wrong, though. Plenty of newcomers this semester will become regulars. A lot of you will complain. They’ll use your machines. They’ll play on your courts. They’ll stuff their things in your lockers. They’ll drink at your water fountains and step on your scales. They’ll be in your way, and that’s where you’re wrong. These gyms belong to every Virginia Tech student who pays tuition and it does not matter whether they will be here for a week or the entire year. I ask that you all hang in there, newcomers and regulars alike. Besides, according to Uncle Sam, it isn’t like Americans can’t use the exercise.
COURTNAY SELLERS -regular columnist -junior -history
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january 27, 2011
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Florida Republican questions Tea Party caucus LESLEY CLARK mcclatchy newspapers
that’s really how my career started with any kind of significant publishing. CT: What do you have to say to students here who love writing, or who are considering a job in writing? KM: Two things: First is that they should read their brains out. They should read everything that they can among contemporary fiction writers and poets, the best ones. They should get a reading list from someone, in fact I have a reading list on my website, if you wanted a place to start. The second thing is they need to find a master writer, a really good writer, to apprentice themselves to. Students at Virginia Tech are very lucky, because you have an English department full of nationally significant writers — writers that other writers admire, in fact — and they’re all teaching classes on how to do it. So I think that would be a very, very smart thing to do, to take a class in fiction writing or poetry from one of the nationally recognized fiction writers and poets who teach at Virginia Tech.
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GETTING COLD TIME to Plan your Spring Break 2010 Get Away! Learn how to travel to beautiful locations like Jamaica, Acapulco and the Bahamas on a party cruise. Find out what other Virginia Tech Hokies are headed to your destination. -Adrian Email: Awhite@Studentcity.com for more information
FOR RENT Pheasant Run Crossing Townhome For Rent 2011-2012. 4 bdrm. 2.5 baths. Upgraded. Last one. www.techtownhomes. com or techtownhomes@comcast.net
OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN RESEARCH Sociology graduate student seeking participants for thesis research on bi/ multiracial identity. Recruiting Virginia Tech students to participate in interviews Only criteria: 1) must be 18+ 2) have parents of different races In addition to fulfilling my own research needs, the interview will offer an avenue for individuals to discuss their own racial identities and life experiences in a confidential environment. Contact Melissa at mfburges@vt.edu to express interest in participating or to ask any questions
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By Gary Cee
ACROSS 1 Things to make notes on 5 Gate clasp 10 Woeful word 14 Home of the Osmonds 15 Impressive display 16 Coke or Pepsi 17 Miniature data storage device 19 Like many a movie twin 20 Faraway friend who likes to write 21 Traditional stories 23 New England hrs. 24 Teen group sleepover
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Aladdin Ariel Aurora Baloo Belle Buzz Cinderella Flounder Grumpy Gus Jasmine Meeko Mowgli Pocahontas Pumba Simba Snowwhite Woody
1/27/11 27 Bolivian high points 31 Above-the-street trains 32 Secon d afterthought, in a ltr. 33 Heckl e 34 Writer’s deg. 35 Itzhak Perlman ’s instrument 38 With 40-Across, in an advantageous position (and what both words in 17- , 24-, 47- and 60Across can be) 40 See 38-Across 41 Tears to shreds
DOW N 1 It gives you gas 2 To __: precisely 3 Rhett’ s last word 4 Hit the mall 5 1971 Clapton classi c 6 Pop-up path 7 Song refrain 8 Pool shot s 9 Beast that grew two heads every time it lost one 10 King topper 11 Where romanti c couples par k 12 Crème de la crème 13 Like the se a 18 Jay-Z performances 22 “Silas Marner” foundlin g 25 Funny Foxworthy 26 Orbital high point 27 Barely open 28 Pop your pop might have like d
42 Seaman’ s call for assistance 60 Bobby V ee hit 43 Baseball’ s with the line “I Slaughter come bouncing 44 Not masc. back to you” 45 Old Mideast org. 62 Ricelike past a 46 Digs for 47 Like an actor who 63 Judges hear them doesn’t miss a line 51 “Toto, __ a feeling 64 Sicilian volcano 65 Wine glass part we’re not in 66 Occupied, as a Kansas desk anymore” 67 Hurdle (over) 52 Encl. with a manuscript 53 Gap 58 Require
DeMint’s effort to repeal the sweeping health care law passed last year. DeMint is one of three co-founders of the Tea Party Caucus, which meets for the first time Thursday.
Every Friday in the Collegiate Times.
Locate the list of words in the word bank in the letter grid.
O T L P L O P S Q O I C C K R C T K
severely injured in a shooting earlier this month. He also announced that he’s co-sponsoring his first bill, joining 33 other Senate Republicans to endorse South Carolina GOP Sen. Jim
Who will be on top this week?
WORDFIND • Theme: Disney Characters Pt. 1 G Q B V P P N O E H X A B M I S H O
MCT CAMPUS
Florida Senator Marco Rubio said he was concerned a tea party caucus could affect the grassroots nature of the political movement.
29 Suspended animation 30 Took of f the board 34 Floor-washing aid 35 Videotape format 36 Response to “You all right?” 37 Storied loch 39 Down in the __ 40 Raced 42 Wager that isn’t risky 45 Bond girl Andres s 46 Hullabaloo 47 Indigent imbibers 48 In full vie w 49 Wild W est brothers 50 Where the toys are 54 One slain by Cain 55 Westminster gallery 56 Forearm bone 57 Open-handed blow 59 __ Pérignon 61 Sheep sound Wednesday’s Puzzle Solved
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SHE SAID
And my gateway drug was Kurt Vonnegut. He was the really the first writer I got excited about when I was in my early 20s. And I read through all of his books. And so then I just started trying to find out about other writers, I started reading the writers who had influenced his books and writers that he recommended, and that led me to other writers, and other writers led me to other writers, and eventually I wanted to do it myself. So I studied with some writers, I did two master’s degrees in fiction writing, and tried to learn the craft. And my big break was in 2006, Random House did a book called “Twentysomething Essays by Twentysomething Writers,” and there was a nationwide contest where young writers could send their work, and I sent an essay called “You Shall Go Out with Joy and be led Forth with Peace.” I was one of the winners of that contest, and they printed me in that book, which was in every bookstore in the country, and
Sen. Marco Rubio — who hasn’t joined a new Senate tea party caucus — told reporters Wednesday he’s not even sure there’s a need for one. The Florida Republican — who became a darling of the tea party movement when he forced then-Gov. Charlie Crist out of the GOP Senate primary — said he still hasn’t decided about joining any caucuses, but he plans to meet with tea party caucus members to “get their sense of what they want the caucus to be about.” Caucus founder Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., declined to stop to talk about Rubio’s decision, telling reporters to call his office. Rubio said he’s not certain a Senate tea party caucus is a good idea. Rubio told a group of Florida reporters Wednesday in an interview in his temporary Senate office that tea party’s strength “comes from the grassroots. That it is not a political organization, it’s not something run by politicians or people seeking higher office, but rather it is a movement of everyday citizens from all walks of life. That’s the strength of the tea party: that it’s not a political organization run by people
out of Washington. My concern is a tea party caucus could intrude on that.” Rubio said he does plan to join the Republican Steering Committee, a conservative group that’s been long established and meets to talk policy. He noted the group has staffers and has the “infrastructure in place to provide resources that those of us who believe in center-right limited government, free enterprise can rely on.” “The fundamental question I have — and there might be a good reason for it — is what’s the difference between the tea party caucus and what already exists in the steering committee?” said Rubio, who first questioned the need for a separate tea party caucus during a CNN interview in July. Though he was embraced by the tea party and attended rallies, Rubio — a former Florida House speaker — sought during the campaign to portray himself as a bridge between the conservative movement and the Republican Party. Some activists have taken note of Rubio’s reluctance to join the caucus and expressed concern; others have said he’ll be judged on how he votes. Rubio cast his first vote Wednesday — on a resolution honoring Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., who was
HE SAID
Minor: Writers must be readers
january 27, 2010
editors: lindsey brookbank, kim walter featureseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865
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COLLEGIATETIMES
Emerson String Quartet to perform in Blacksburg features reporter n Friday, Virginia Tech will have the pleasure of witnessO ing a performance by the Emerson String Quartet at The Lyric. The group, which has consistently sold out performances at the Smithsonian Institution for 30 years, as well as numerous international venues, will be hosted by the Virginia Tech Performing Arts Center. “With musicians like this, there must be some hope for humanity,” raved The Times of London. Formed 32 years ago, the Emerson String Quartet has earned with many accolades, a variety of high profile performances and worldwide fame. The less-than-ordinary group’s talents have been chronicled on film and in print. Currently based at the State University of New York in Stony Brook, the quartet has coached chamber music, given masters classes and provided instrumental instruction since COURTESY EMERSON STRING QUARTET 2002. The Emerson String Quartet After being together for 32 years, and winning countless awards, takes its name from famed poet the Emerson String Quartet is playing a show at The Lyric Friday. Ralph Waldo Emerson. It consists of violinists Eugene Drucker and Philip Setzer, who the masses of classical music awards such as Gramophone Magazine’s “Record of the Year” alternate between playing first and lovers. Under classical music label and its title as the 18th recipient second parts. Lawrence Dutton on the viola and cellist David Deutsche Grammophon, the group of the Avery Fisher Prize, being Finckel round out the foursome. has released 30 recordings that the first chamber music group to Individually and as a group, the have won numerous prestigious receive the honor. The group regularly puts its talquartet has performed in concert awards in the musical community. The quartet boasts nine Grammy ents to philanthropic use as well, halls across the world. From Beethoven tours in Europe awards, under the categories performing benefits for a variety of to concert series at Carnegie “Best Classical Album” and “Best causes such as campaigns against Hall, the Emerson String Quartet Chamber Music Performance.” world hunger and diseases regardhas been sharing its art with Also on the quartet’s resume are ing children’s’ welfare.
‘Living for 32’ documentary goes to Sundance Film Festival MAJONI HARNAL features reporter olin Goddard was one of seven survivors in his French class on C the morning of April 16, 2007. His subsequent work with the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence led to the film, “Living for 32,” in which Goddard discusses the shooting and his recovery, as well as issues regarding gun control and purchases. The film is currently shortlisted by the Academy of Motion Pictures as one of eight contenders for the Best Short Documentary and is being screened at the reputable Sundance Film Festival from Jan. 20-30. In the aftermath of the shooting, Goddard’s father sought to find answers as to how something like this could have happened to his son. His research into laws concerning education, mental health and gun policies struck a note with Goddard, but it wasn’t until another shooting occurred that he realized he had to get involved. What shooting? “I was watching TV, and that’s when I witnessed, really for the first time, another shooting unfold on TV. Me sitting there in that chair, it just brought me back,” Goddard said. Watching another tragedy and knowing the confusion and unanswered questions that would come in the aftermath prompted Goddard to contact the president of the Brady Campaign and get involved to raise awareness about gun violence. After eight months of working as a teaching assistant in France, Goddard got a chance to think about his future and came to the conclusion that working with the Brady Campaign is what he truly wanted to do. “I want to get involved,” Goddard said. “I want to get my hands dirty and get deep.” In France, Goddard had the opportunity to watch America’s issue of gun control unfold on TV, which spurred his interest upon his return to the United States. Goddard began to tell his story. From various fundraisers held by the Brady Campaign to working with Congress, Goddard wanted to emphasize the goals of the campaign and the need for gun control. With previous experience working in the Virginia House of Delegates, Goddard became the assistant director of federal legislation at the Brady Campaign. Goddard lobbied and did advocacy work on Capitol Hill, in front of the House of Representatives. In summer 2009, Goddard spoke at a fundraiser for the Brady Campaign, after which producer Maria Cuomo Cole approached him about documenting his story. What started as a five-minute public service announcement turned into
[Thursday, January 27]
Wondering what’s going on around the ‘burg? Check out the events of the upcoming week.
MAJONI HARNAL
something deeper as Cole and director Kevin Breslin realized there was more to the story than just Goddard’s experience. “It kind of naturally grew from this five-minute piece to a 40-minute film,” Goddard said. Cole and Breslin scheduled multiple interviews for Goddard in Blacksburg. They also followed him home to Richmond and observed his work in Washington, D.C. The extended film included undercover operations Goddard carried out at gun shows, where he highlighted the ease of purchasing guns with cash, no background check required. Goddard was interested in investigating this before the film. “It was something I wanted to do even before I started at Brady,” Goddard said. Seeing a similar video made by Omar Samaha, brother of slain Tech student Reema Samaha, made Goddard realize the importance of showing others how easy it is to buy guns. As Samaha’s video only showed himself entering a gun show with cash and returning with a handful of guns, Goddard wanted to take it one step
further and film the transaction in its entirety. Furthermore, Goddard thinks a film like this is necessary, with the most recent major documentary concerning gun control being Michael Moore’s “Bowling for Columbine.” Today, Goddard is involved in a whirlwind of interviews to shed light on gun control. The excitement and nerves of having the film up for Oscar consideration has him on edge. But he is proud of what the film has accomplished. “It’s a very useful tool for educational purposes, to help brief viewers on what the issues are and also for advocacy,” Goddard said, “to get people motivated, to show them people who have had horrible things happen to them and are trying to do good with it. Putting a face to gun violence and sharing a personal story really resonates with people.”
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[Friday, January 28] What: Music: Rob Hornfeck Enterprise Where: Gillie’s When: 9:30 p.m. Cost: Free What: DJ Retirek Where: Awful Arthur’s When: 9 p.m. Cost: Free What: Emerson String Quartet Where: The Lyric When: 8 p.m. Cost: $15 students, $35 public What: Cello Masterclass: Emerson String Quartet’s David Finkle Where: Squires Recital Salon When: 3:30 p.m. Cost: Free What: MFA Reading Series: Kyle Minor Where: Torgeson 3100 When: 7 p.m. Cost: Free
[Sunday, January 30]
What: How to make your resume pop Where: Smith Career Center, room B When: 5:30 p.m. Cost: Free What: Music: Chickenwings and Gravy Where: Gillie’s When: 7 p.m. Cost: Free
[Saturday, January 29] What: Music: Kevin Jones Where: Gillie’s When: 7 p.m. Cost: Free What: Japanese Film Festival: Departures Where: The Lyric When: 3 p.m. Cost: Free What: 28th Annual Rebecca Orr Benefit Recital Where: Squires Recital Salon When: 8 p.m. Cost: $4 students, $8 public What: Music: Third Eye and Boogieburg present: Reid Speed and Grime Syndicate Where: Awful Arthur’s When: 9 p.m. Cost: $10
[Monday, January 31]
What: Faculty Recital Where: Squires Recital Salon When: 3 p.m. Cost: $3 students, $5 public
What: Guest Artist Recital: Emily Yap Chua Where: Squires Recital Salon When: 8 p.m. Cost: $3 students, $5 public
[Tuesday, February 1]
[Wednesday, February 2]
What: Vintage Steel w/ Steel Reign Where: Awful Arthur’s When: 9 p.m. Cost: $2, 18+ What: SPLASH Speaker Series: Event Planning Where: Squires 342 When: 6 p.m. Cost: Free
What: Grad. Students: Using Hokies4Hire and Other Resources in your job search Where: Graduate Life Center, Room F When: 5:30 p.m. Cost: Free
6 sports
editors: michael bealey, garrett ripa sportseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES
january 27, 2010
Ice hockey takes another shot at playoffs ZACH MARINER sports staff writer The Virginia Tech men’s ice hockey team is quietly having its best season in school history. Why so quietly? It could be because there isn’t an ice rink located on campus (a requirement for competing at the Division-I level) or the fact that hockey itself isn’t very popular in southwest Virginia. Despite the lack of recognition, the Hokies (13-10-2) are potentially a few wins away from their first ACHA Regional playoff appearance in school history. “It’s pretty big,” said Andres Morales, junior forward. “With the team expanding and growing, it’s important that we take advantage of this chance (to make the playoffs).” Morales, who also serves as the team’s president, leads the team in goals (13) and points (22). Joining him at the top of the Hokies point leaderboard are senior defenseman Joe Woermer (14 assists, 20 points) and senior forward Corey Abro (11 assists, 16 points).
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LUKE MASON / SPPS
Senior forward Alex Adagio takes a shot for the Hokies against East Carolina. If Tech continues its strong play down the stretch, they could earn their first ACHA Regional playoff appearance in the team’s history.
It’s important for us to come out and get this victory to give us a better shot at making the playoffs.” ANDRES MORALES JUNIOR FORWARD
Led by head coach Kevin Houghton, Tech competes at the Division-II level in the Southeast Region of the ACHA. They are currently ranked No. 7 in the region, and a top-10 finish will send them to the regional playoffs for the first time. Last year, Tech entered the final week of the season in the top-10, only to drop to No. 11 when the final regular season rankings were released. “After last season’s disappointing finish, we made it our initial goal this year to make the playoffs,” Morales said. “But we feel like we’re a good enough team, not only to make it to regionals, but also to nationals.” In order for the Hokies to make the national playoffs, they’ll need to finish in the top two of the 10 teams competing at the regional tournament. But it still remains to be seen whether Tech will make the regional playoffs — the team must take care of business in its last five games.
BRAD KLODOWSKI / SPPS
Hokies freshman forward Zack Walz gets ready to center the puck. Tech is currently ranked No. 7 in the Southeast Region of the ACHA. Even though all of these games will come away from Tech’s home ice at the Roanoke Civic Center, the Hokies have already faced two of their remaining opponents. Although, both of those opponents — Temple and Penn State — are also vying for a Southeast regional playoff spot, the Hokies beat No. 5 Temple, 4-1, on Nov. 19 and tied No. 8 Penn State, 2-2, on Jan. 15. Morales is confident the team will handle both teams, starting with the Owls on Saturday. “We really outplayed (Temple) the first time we played them,” Morales
said. “But right now they’re sitting higher in the rankings than we are. It’s important for us to come out and get this victory to give us a better shot at making the playoffs.” As for the other three games, Tech will face off against less stiff competition as they travel to face Rowan (913-3) this Friday, then play back-toback games on Feb. 4 and Feb. 5 with The College of New Jersey (4-15-0). If the Hokies can pull off victories in three or four of their remaining contests, the program will more than likely make history, and maybe a few waves on campus.
DANIEL LIN / SPPS
Nicholas Vukmaravich takes the puck from an East Carolina defender. The Hokies beat the Pirates on Friday 6-3 and tied them on Saturday 5-5. Tech currently sits at 13-10-2 and has five games remaining.