Wednesday, February 2, 2011 Print Edition by Collegiate Times

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903

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COLLEGIATETIMES Groundhog Day: Will this year repeat the same old story? 2010-Phil saw his shadow and told his prediction to new Inner Circle President Bill Deeley.

2009- Phil saw his shadow and Inner Circle President Bill Cooper completed his final interpretation and retired at Gobblers Knob. It was 7:26 a.m.

2008-It was 29 degrees. In front of one of the largest crowds ever at Gobblers’ Knob, Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow. It was 7:28 a.m.

2007-It was a cloudy morning with light snow flurries when Phil emerged from his burrow at about 7:26 a.m. and did not see his shadow.

108th year, issue 10

News, page 2

Food & Drink, page 5

Opinions, page 3

Sports, page 6

Can’t keep him down NICK CAFFERKY sports reporter “Put in Deb-nam! … Put in Debnam!” At the end of lopsided games at Cassell Coliseum, the chant to put in the fan-favorite Paul Debnam echoes throughout the crowd. Though it rarely convinces head coach Seth Greenberg to put Debnam in the game, it doesn’t bother the senior guard — what he does on the court isn’t what makes him valuable. From his unique role on the team, to the way he ended up joining Greenberg’s squad, Debnam is truly a different breed of player. In college sports, the athletes usually follow the same mold: They get recruited during high school, make a decision on where they want to play, and play there for four years. If the athlete is redshirted, he is there for five. Debnam, however, did not follow this path. While this will be his fourth year playing for Greenberg, it is his fifth at Tech because he actually began his college career on the football team. Graduating from Prince Edward County High School in 2006, Debnam lettered in his final three years of high school in both basketball and football. Once he became a senior, Debnam received a fair amount of attention from schools about playing at the next level, but it was almost exclusively from football programs. “I didn’t get recruited by any of the top schools for basketball,” Debnam said. “UVa actually gave me a full scholarship (for football), but I tore my ACL and they pulled out on me. Virginia Tech was my next option. “If I could have done it differently, I definitely would have chosen to go the basketball route originally.” Following his freshman season on the football team, Debnam decided he wasn’t happy with playing football. “It wasn’t what I thought it would be, and I wasn’t happy at all,” he said. “The business part of it kind of took the fun out of the game for me.” Around the same time Debnam was coming to the conclusion that he no longer wished to play football, the door to playing basketball opened up. “I was just playing with some of the basketball guys over the summer and I think Deron Washington, actually, referred my name back to coach Greenberg,” Debnam said. Greenberg told Debnam he was welcome to walk on to the basketball team, but would need to quit football to do so. Since he had already decided not to return to football for his sophomore season, it was an easy choice. “It was fortunate for me because I was going to give up football anyways,”

Classifieds, page 4

Sudoku, page 4

New bus to connect Roanoke, Lynchburg MICHELLE SUTHERLAND news reporter A new service, the Bus to Rail Smart Way Inter-City Connector, may soon link Roanoke to the Lynchburg train station daily and Blacksburg to Lynchburg on weekends, providing a new way to get to Northern Virginia. WhilethetraintracksfromRoanoke to Lynchburg are being improved, it will link residents to Washington, D.C. and the northeastern corridor, said Mark McCaskill of the Roanoke Valley Alleghany Regional Commission and Leon Alder of the Roanoke Valley Area Metropolitan Planning Organization. “There has been, starting in the 1990s, various studies about how extending a passenger rail, not only through Lynchburg like it is now, but also to Roanoke and all the way down to Bristol,” McCaskill said. “The bus connector is in the context

of the greater discussion.” The tentative cost is $4 for a oneway ticket but is subject to change, according to Alder. The goal is for ticket prices to be cheap rather than to raise a profit. The passenger price, subject to approval by the Greater Roanoke Transportation Company board, depends on the amount of grant money received by federal, state and local governments as well as local partners. “Depending upon the grant, when they approve the grant, we’re not sure of the effective date (to begin the service), but it could be as early as this summer, July 1, but we’ll have to wait and see what the state and Federal Transportation Administration approve,” Alder said. The name, Bus to Rail Smart Way Inter-City Connector, is used officially for grant applications. A shorter name will be used when the service begins, he said.

FRIDAY 2/4

$60

from Blacksburg Home Ride

FRIDAY 2/4

from Christiansburg

Megabus

FRIDAY 2/4

$43

from Blacksburg

Bus to Rail

MAZIAR FAHANDEZH / SPPS

Debnam walked onto the basketball team after one football season, his original sport at Virginia Tech. Debnam said. Since joining the team, Debnam has found his niche as the emotional leader on the team. In the pregame introductions, Debnam is there to high-five the starters as they are named, and gets the team

hyped up right before tip-off. During games, it is common for Debnam to jump up and down, and be very excitable on the bench — especially when Tech makes a big play. He is always the first one off the bench to congratulate his teammates after a timeout is called

and is simply willing to do anything to help the team win. That effort isn’t just a product of game day — it is something Debnam brings to practice every day. “Yesterday he wasn’t at practice, and see DEBNAM / page six

Road to NOVA the

VICTORIA ZIGADLO / COLLEGIATE TIMES

New section of The Cellar keeps beer enthusiasts happy MIA PERRY features reporter The Cellar opened its doors to a new wing last week. The Blacksburg mainstay attracts a diverse group of people with its pizzas, pastas and sandwiches. But, perhaps what The Cellar is best known for is its wine and beer selection, which is represented in the new addition. Kevin Long, who has owned The Cellar for 23 years, said it is a specialty six-pack store. The addition features “Cellar 6pak’s,” which combine any six of the retail shop’s specialty beers for purchase. “A lot of the beers that we offer in the restaurant and bar, we’ll have here for carry-out at a discounted price,” Long said. “(Customers) can buy by the bottle and then mix and match to make their own six-pack.” The new section also includes a deli, offering all of The Cellar’s desserts, including cheesecakes and the latest culinary craze: cupcakes. In addition, the space will serve as the takeout center for the

restaurant’s pizzas and other food. When the weather turns warmer, patrons will be able to enjoy outdoor seating for both sections of the restaurant. The idea for the six-pack shop, although only open for about a week now, has been several years in the making. “It started when the space opened up, after the Record Exchange left,” Long said, referring to a once-thriving music store next to The Cellar that closed in 2006. The Cellar acquired the empty section shortly after. “We were never able to fill it with anything substantial and had no idea how to incorporate it into the already existing part of the restaurant,” Long said. But soon, the idea for the sixpack shop was born. After buying the space, the building was renovated and treated to a complete electrical upgrade and new kitchen. However, Long said the whole concept and process of creating the shop took about two-and-a-half years. “The store is really taking off

MAZIAR FAHANDEZH / SPPS

The Cellar’s new storefront, in the works since 2006, sells specialty beers from all around the world, but focuses on East Coast brews. well,” Long said, referring to the first week’s success. “The people enjoy the products we have here.” The bestselling items so far seem to be the local Virginia beers, such as Shooting Creek beers made in nearby Floyd.

“We also have a lot of really nice Belgian beers that are moving quickly, and we have some Lambics that are selling well too,” Long said. The store has specific sections for Virginia beer, as well as for beers from the East Coast, West Coast, Belgium,

Germany, Britain and the rest of the world. But, typically the Virginia and East Coast beers leave the shelves fastest. Long said the store currently has about 250 different types of beer. The beers offered will change weekly because some

are only available in limited quantities. “Once a certain type of beer is out, I may not see it again for another year, depending on the product’s production and how it is made or the fact that it’s seasonal,” Long said.

2 news

news editors: philipp kotlaba, liana bayne, gordon block newseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865

february 2, 2011

what you’re saying //comments from online readers... On Gov. McDonnell’s proposal to change retirement plan: Local Guy >> Headline should read Irks “SOME” employees. If this plan will insure the solvency of the VRS for my future, I have no problem contributing to it.

Anonymous >> There are two groups of employees, those who are members of VRS (a defined-benefit plan) and those who are members of ORP (a defined-contribution plan). ORP members receive 90.57% of their compensation as salary, the remaining 9.43% are paid by the state into a 403(b) account maintained by TIAA-CREF. The state does not carry any market-related risks on those accounts; this risk is solely the employees. The governor proposes to cut the compensation of ORP faculty members by 1.9%. There is no relationship to the health of the state’s retirement system because these employees are not part of the state’s retirement system at all. Since you need to work at least 7 years to be vested in VRS, most tenure-track faculty (not knowing if they’ll make tenure when they are hired) opt for the ORP plan instead of the VRS plan.

On energy-saving lightbulbs: Anonymous >> Get real! Manmade Global warming is a THEORY! I for one do not want the government telling me what kinds of light bulbs I can buy. Also, people are going to dispose of these bulbs in the garbage and then it will go into some landfill and leach into the soil. Nice! Now another problem created! I also understand this mercury may be a health hazard. And let’s not forget that these bulbs are very labor intensive so they will cost all of us more money. Because of this they will be manufactured in China, taking away more American jobs! Way to go Obama. With this kind of leadership we will never see unemployment under 8% as promised! Hope people understand that if he gets re-elected we’ll have four more years of this TURKEY! I wonder what we’ll be told we can or can’t buy next?? Scary!

COLLEGIATETIMES

blacksburg Commission approves new ordinance On Tuesday evening the Blacksburg Planning Commission moved to approve Ordinance 1604, which proposes clearer definitions for terms regarding demolition and alterations on historic buildings. After hearing comments from the public, the commission voted 6 to 1 to move the ordinance to the Town Council for a final review. The ordinance also advises that

the Historic Design and Review Board be allowed to approve any buildings that are built on sites that once housed historic buildings. Previously, the board functioned only in an advisory capacity, and could not dictate what was built on historic sites. Historic district resident Elizabeth Bush expressed support for the ordinance, pointing out that the

ordinance will “maintain the integrity of the district, and keep the historic district vibrant in for the future,” she said. The ordinance is tentatively scheduled to appear before the town council at its March 8 meeting. -erin chapman, news staff writer

nation Senators push for opt-out from health care law WASHINGTON — Two Senate Republicans Tuesday aim to introduce a measure that would allow states to opt out of the federal health care law, a day after a federal judge declared President Barack Obama’s signature legislative achievement unconstitutional. The bill, crafted by Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and John Barrasso of Wyoming, would enable states to shield their residents from having to buy health insurance as required by the landmark legislation Obama signed into law last March. The measure would also let states pass legislation freeing their businesses from the mandate to provide employees medical coverage and rejecting an expansion of

Medicaidbenefits. “Opting out would take the health care debate from Washington to the states and give people more say,” Graham said. In Florida Monday, U.S. District Judge Roger Vinson ruled that Congress, in passing the health measure last year, exceeded its power under the Constitution’s Commerce Clause by requiring almost all Americans to buy health insurance. Vinson sided in his ruling with Florida and 25 other states that had challenged the provision in court. Vinson’s ruling, however, went further, saying the insurance mandate makes the entire legislation void. Graham said his bill would codify an idea that South Carolina’s new

TURN OFFS:

Republican Gov. Nikki Haley raised with Obama at a White House meeting in December. Obama, in a gathering with the nation’s governors, told Haley he’d consider letting states opt out of the health-insurance law’s mandates if certain conditions were met. Obama said he might consider compromises if the states ran exchange programs, banned insurance companies from denying coverage of pre-existing conditions and enabled people to pool together for better rates. Graham and Barrasso’s bill, however, doesn’t address these conditions. -james rosen, mcclatchy newspapers

thing. ’t learned a

STUDYING ALL NIGHT and i haven LONG LINES AT WEST END SLY?? GUY NEXT TO YOU IN CLASS WHO HASN’T SHOWERED SERIOU ROOMATE YOU CAN’T STAND yep. NOT GETTING A FOOTBALL TICKET IS THIS A JOKE?!!

GET AWAY FROMTHAT.

GET TURNED ON. CHANNEL 33 ON CAMPUS WWW.VTTV.VT.EDU

opınıons 3

editors: scott masselli, gabi seltzer opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES

february 2, 2011

The Collegiate Times is an independent student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903

Winter depression common for students rriving home for winter break, family members A and friends alike are curious about Virginia Tech life. I tell them about the Hokie Bird. My classes. My friends. Our football team. I tell them about everything that makes me wish my time at this school could be never ending. In light of all this, I do not find anyone inquiring what I like the least about Tech — what I could change if I was all-powerful. Nevertheless, I have an answer to that question: the winter. At first glance, one might assume I despise the cold weather here at Tech. You know, the blistering cold and cruel gusts of wind as you walk across the Drillfield (causing many students to sport lab goggles with their outfits). To be honest, I have always liked cold weather. I enjoy bundling up before going to class. Scarves. Snowball fights. Hot chocolate. What I like most about the cold weather is how one’s bed seems to increase exponentially in comfort, a seemingly mystical effect the frigid temperatures have on a person’s sleeping quarters. Unfortunately, the winter does possess a dark side. I feel it — maybe you do, too. Waves of apathy. Difficulty sleeping. Craving for carbohydrates and sugar. I even find my music tastes changing toward songs with more somber tones. Many of us — not just students — may be feeling the pull into the bitter clutches of winter depression. Also known as seasonal affective disorder, winter depression is characterized by people feeling more depressed during the winter months than they normally would during the other seasons (sometimes SAD can, less frequently, refer to depression in the summer months). This disorder should not be confused with the normal shift to low energy people have during the winter times — that is normal, and is justifiable from an evolutionary perspective. Aside from this, those experiencing SAD have various symptoms in addition to the ones stated earlier. They include things such as overeating and weight gain. But there’s more. Difficulty concentrating. Social withdrawal. Lack of pleasure. One of the most popular theories explaining the cause of SAD is the lack of light as a result of increased cloud cover during the winter months. However, pursuing bright light therapy and serotonin drugs may not be plausible options. Oftentimes, students may become so bogged down with work that their own personal health may be placed on the backburner. Who has time for

bright light therapy or a doctor’s appointment? There’s work to be done and papers to be written. Although not only students can suffer from this, I do feel like students are in a very vulnerable position. We are trying to balance our social and academic lives, possibly all while maintaining a job on the side. We are concerned about money. Our future. Our friends. Some of us are entering relationships. Others are forever destined to be “it’s complicated” on Facebook. We are, essentially, finding out who we are as individuals. And that process can be overwhelming. All of this, along with the winter blues, can be enough to make someone feel hopeless and extremely anxious. I want people to know that communication is key. If you are feeling down, please seek help. There are a variety of resources you can utilize, be it the Cook Counseling Center or your friends. If you want to remain anonymous, the Raft Crisis Hotline provides empathy and support to people who want to talk — and can help those who are in serious life-threatening situations as well. I find that even talking to my dog can help alleviate some of my anxiety. I implore everyone to keep in mind that talking to individuals and asking, “Are you OK?” may be the one thing they need. This is true not only for people you know, but for people you do not know. That smile you give people as you hold the door for them could be what helps them get through the day. Asking about the weather could be the human contact they need that day. I can recall walking through the desolate campus in the evening one day. The ground was crawling with what Weather.com likes to call a “wintry mix” as a foreboding fog filled the air. I walked by a middle-aged woman walking her two dogs, and we had a short little chat about the beauty of dogs. As we were going our separate ways, she turned around, hesitating with her mouth open for a split second. She looked me in the eye and said, “You really made my day. Thank you.” She then hurried away, both of us surprised at what she had just said. I reflected for a moment on the impact I had on that woman’s day at that particular moment in time. Her comment stuck with me. If she is reading this right now, I want to thank her. She made my day, too.

JOSH TREBACH -regular columnist -junior -biological sciences major

Your Views

Egypt, new bill cries for new look at Internet regulation

Collegiate Times Editorial Staff Editor-in-Chief: Peter Velz Managing Editors: Zach Crizer, Katie Biondo, Josh Son Public Editor: Justin Graves Senior News Editor: Philipp Kotlaba Associate News Editors: Liana Bayne, Gordon Block News Reporters: Claire Sanderson, Jay Speidell, Michelle Sutherland, Sarah Watson News Staff Writers: Erin Chapman, Meighan Dober Features Editors: Lindsey Brookbank, Kim Walter Features Reporters: Chelsea Gunter, Majoni Harnal Opinions Editors: Scott Masselli, Gabi Seltzer Sports Editors: Michael Bealey, Garrett Ripa Sports Reporters: Nick Cafferky, Matt Jones, Courtney Lofgren, Josh Parcell Sports Staff Writers: Alyssia Bedrosian, Alex Koma, Ashleigh Lanza, Zach Mariner Public Information Director: Dishu Maheshwari Training Director: Kelsey Heiter Copy Editors: Taylor Chakurda, Thandiwe Ogbonna, Spenser Snarr Layout Designers: Danielle Buynak, Cathleen Campbell, Maya Shah, Victoria Zigadlo Online Director: Jamie Chung

Collegiate Times Business Staff Business Manager: David Harries Distribution Assistant: Ryan Francis

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he Egyptian government recently shutting down Internet access in the country has spurred an argument we have heard again and again, but this time, in regards to a different medium. The value of expression and the ability to convey your opinions, thoughts and interests are fundamental aspects of the Internet. Inherently, disabling the Internet is to disable an outlet that promotes and maintains the ability to be as expressive as you wish. Egypt’s move comes in the midst of much protesting, making it impossible to neglect the possibility that the shutdown is to limit the flow of information coming out of the country — again, limiting the power and ability of expression. This issue hits close to home, as our own government is debating the possibility of enacting an “Internet kill switch” of sorts. A bill that was introduced to Congress last year but failed to pass has been restructured and will go before Congress once again. This bill, called the “Protecting Cyberspace as a National Asset Act of 2010,” would give the president the power to shut down Internet access nationwide with the ease of flipping a switch. Masked with the purpose of enhancing the Homeland Security Act of 2002, this move could potentially bring most of America to its knees with a crippling blow not only to the Internet, but all “telecommunication systems, computer systems and embedded processors and controllers in critical industries.” This statement comes directly from the proposed bill, which would also create an agency to monitor information security, which encompasses “protecting information and information systems from disruption or unauthorized access, use, disclosure, modification or destruction.” Now, I know I have advocated for using the Internet less, but I would be lying if I said that I didn’t use it at all. In fact, if my computer is open,

I am probably on some sort of website — from blogs, to stores and the dreaded Facebook. Of course, I use it for the news too. It is safe to say that I, like many, depend on the Internet. Basically, as much as I value communication face-to-face rather than screen-to-screen, I couldn’t live without the Internet — and I would be surprised if most of the country, and our campus for that matter, would be able to handle losing one of the best outlets of expression ever created. What would we do without the Internet? What would we do without Facebook, or Scholar or online banking? Not to mention the numerous news sources, and the continuing trend of digitizing newspapers and magazines. Now that we are a predominantly cyberoriented culture, the potential of having the Internet shut down would destroy the country — perhaps. I would like to believe that if this act was approved, and if this action was ever taken by the president or “any executive department, Government corporation, Government-controlled corporation or any independent regulatory agency,” that we would revert to a more simplistic form of on-paper communication, reading, writing, etc. But really, would we be able to? I doubt it. With the situation in Egypt being at the center of the media currently, our eyes should be open to the possibility of these actions spreading to other countries. I am not saying we should be prepared to see our wireless connection disappear. I am only asking, “How would we handle it?” How does a society that depends on the Internet for information, as well as a form of expression, manage losing such a hefty outlet? The importance of the Internet in modern society is staggering. In fact, I cannot imagine a world without it. We do not have to look too far back to see the impact it can have on the world, with WikiLeaks being a not-so-distant hot topic — serv-

ing still, and probably for quite some time in the future, as a prime example of the potential the Internet holds. What the Internet provides is something that cannot be mimicked by libraries, institutions or any other physically based or tangible establishment. The anonymity and not-onpaper aspects allow for transmission of information that is unparalleled. Beyond its use as a staggeringly extensive resource, the Internet serves to connect ideas as well as people — which is really the root of the Internet’s importance and impact. With so much information available, the connectivity of online communities is what makes everything so accessible. And it is that same connectivity that makes important information and news readily available, bringing it to the eyes of those who may not have been made aware without the Internet. I hesitate to say that this is not a concern, as current actions of the Egyptian government prove otherwise. Limiting the ability of citizens to express themselves through the most powerful and widespread outlet that is the Internet, is a hostile move at best. The mere possibility of empowering our own government with the ability to shut down such a resource — what the bill refers to as a “national asset” — is a frighteningly large step in the opposite direction of protecting the freedom and value of expression. The consequences of losing this resource, or simply losing access to it, could be detrimental not only to the progression of ideas, but also to the fundamental practice and pursuit of expression.

SEAN SIMONS -regular columnist -junior -English major

[letter to the editor]

Regulate the government he tragedy in Tucson has become the latest example T of the government’s inability to regulate choices that affect the lives of others. Lenient gun laws in both Arizona and Virginia have allowed deranged young adults to end the lives and futures of promising young individuals. InaYouTubevideosubmittedin response to Adam Bellow’s book, “New Threats to Freedom,” Max Borders blames the regulations imposed by the government for discouraging him and his wife from selling barbecue sauce at their local farmers market. He argued that the government is trying to protect big business, because political leaders have their own personal agenda. When Barbara Kingsolver, author of “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle,” came to Virginia Tech, she pointed out that because large farms such as those in California are able to ship produce to Virginia at such a low cost, small farm owners cannot compete. They are, in turn, forced to close down their livelihood and their investment. One of the government’s key roles is to act as a regulator by preventing inequality and promoting equal competition. Instead, the government has taken sides, with the public and private sectors using special interests to promote personal

gain. Just as in life, we need balance in America’s economic system so that all businesses have the opportunity to succeed. Regulation should be a tool that both protects consumers and keeps businesses — large and small — in check. Large companies have the power to create jobs, and small businesses are able to keep cash flow within the local community. Regulation is necessary in order for America to achieve balanced growth. If politicians take sides, nobody will win, and our country cannot prosper. At the Tucson memorial several days after the shooting, we weren’t Republicans or Democrats, liberals or conservatives. We were Americans, who were united under one cause. Now we’ve gone back to our regular roles, as our nation stays divided on the most pressing issues it faces. Who’s going to regulate the government? The Founding Fathers thought they put in place a flexible system that was selfregulating, but instead the United States government has grown out of control. I believe we need to add more permanent checks and balances to our current laws, so the government can self-regulate and our country’s leaders can succeed without comprising their integrity.

Karl Hummel Freshman Mechanical Engineering

EPA acted irresponsibly with W.Va. mine permit removal wo weeks ago, the Environmental Protection Agency revoked the T permit of Spruce No. 1 Mine in Logan County, W.Va. The Army Corps of Engineers issued the permit for the surface mine back in 2007, but several lawmakers feared this would happen for quite some time now. The mine must now suspend all operations. The issue at hand, however, is not whether you agree with coal mining, or in this case surface mining. The real issue is the dangerous precedent this action by the EPA sets, especially in the economy’s current state. Why exactly did the EPA revoke this mining permit that was issued nearly four years ago? The process of surface mining involves dynamiting the land off of the tops of mountains. The resulting debris is then dumped into nearby valleys and gets into streams. The EPA justified, or in my opinion tried to justify, its decision to revoke the permit by saying this debris would cause too much harm to area streams. However, several lawmakers have argued the EPA still had no grounds to revoke this permit. Essentially, the Spruce No. 1 Mine had passed all the tests. It has followed all laws as well as state and federal regulations. It has repeatedly received assurance from the government the

mine could go forward with its project after passing strict and vigorous inspections. It did everything right, and yet, that still wasn’t enough for the EPA. This mine employed more than 200 people with salaries totaling more than $65,000 and with full benefits. It is no surprise good jobs like that are hard to come by these days. Now, that is 200 good jobs that will cease to exist. This action by the EPA also sets a dangerous precedent for the coal mining industry. Now, nearly as many as 30 other surface mining permits that have already been issued are being reviewed by the agency. Suddenly the EPA, under President Barack Obama’s watch, is allowed to make these moves, revoke previously issued permits, kill jobs and in turn contribute to rising energy costs. Quite frankly, this all disgusts me. The coal industry is now viewed as one of the most, if not the most, horrible industry in the country. It doesn’t matter that more than half of the nation’s electricity is derived from coal. It doesn’t matter that the U.S. has more coal than the rest of the world combined has oil. It doesn’t matter that coal companies have helped to build schools and parks on land that used to be surface mining sites. I could go on about the positives of the

coal industry, but you get the point. We have coal. Right now we need that coal. Let’s use it. As I said earlier, the argument over the EPA’s decision to revoke the Spruce No. 1 mining permit isn’t about the act of coal mining itself. It is about government bureaucrats stepping in and making a decision that should have never been made in the first place, and without considering the consequences. The EPA is just giving coal mining companies which are good, American businesses more uncertainty. Even worse, these bureaucrats, or most of them anyway, don’t even live in coal-producing regions. Maybe as a Virginia Tech student I should be able to govern businesses in California, even though I don’t live there. Hey, I’m just following the same logic. Several members of Congress have pointed to the negative effect the EPA has continuously had on our economy. As a result, those lawmakers have said it is time to remove many of the EPA’s overreaching powers, and I agree with them. The EPA may not like coal, but coal keeps the lights on.

MATTHEW HURT -regular columnist -sophomore -political science major

Student Publications Photo Staff Director of Photography: Sara Mitchell Business Manager: Luke Mason Lab Manager: Mark Umansky College Media Solutions Ad Director: Nik Bando Asst Ad Director: Brandon Collins Account Executives: Emily Africa, Matt Freedman, David George, Melanie Knoth, Craig Mullaney, Krista Silano, Ari Weiss Inside Sales Manager: Wade Stephenson Assistant Inside Sales Manager: Katie Berkel, Diane Revalski Assistant Account Executives: Maddie Abram, Kaelynn Kurtz, Erin Shuba Creative Director: Chloé Skibba Asst Production Manager: Casey Stoneman Creative Services Staff: Tim Austin, Katie Biondo, Colleen Hill, Jenn Le, Erin Weisiger Voice your opinion. Readers are encouraged to send letters to the Collegiate Times. 365 Squires Student Center Blacksburg, VA, 24061 Fax: (540) 231-9151 opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com All letters to the editor must include a name and daytime phone number. Students must include year and major. Faculty and staff must include position and department. All other submissions must include city of residence, and if applicable, relationship to Virginia Tech (i.e., alumni, parent, etc.). All letters should be in MS Word (.doc) format, if possible. Letters, commentaries and editorial cartoons do not reflect the views of the Collegiate Times. Editorials are written by the Collegiate Times editorial board, which is composed of the opinions editors, editor-in-chief and the managing editors. Letters to the editor are submissions from Collegiate Times readers. We reserve the right to edit for any reason. Anonymous letters will not be printed. Have a news tip? Call or text 200-TIPS or e-mail newstips@collegiatetimes.com Student Media Phone Numbers Collegiate Times Newsroom 231-9865 Editor-in-Chief 231-9867 College Media Solutions Advertising 961-9860 The Collegiate Times, a division of the Educational Media Company at Virginia Tech, was established in 1903 by and for the students of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. The Collegiate Times is published every Tuesday through Friday of the academic year except during exams and vacations. The Collegiate Times receives no funding from the university. The Collegiate Times can be found online at www.collegiatetimes.com. Except where noted, all photographs were taken by the Student Publications Photo Staff. To order a reprint of a photograph printed in the Collegiate Times, e-mail spps@vt.edu. The Collegiate Times is located in 365 Squires Student Center, Blacksburg, VA, 24061. (540) 231-9865. Fax (540) 2319151. Subscription rates: $65 semester; $110 academic year. The first copy is free, any copy of the paper after that is 50 cents per issue. © Collegiate Times, 2010. All rights reserved. Material published in the Collegiate Times is the property thereof, and may not be reprinted without the express written consent of the Collegiate Times.

february 2, 2011

page 4

College freshmen’s stress levels intensifying, study ﬁnds man, agreed that new college students were feeling a lot of stress, especially if they didn’t have good coping skills. “Some may freak out way more than they should while they’re getting used to how college works and how their classes are going,” Sander said. Although there’s not a wholesale “freak-out” occurring on campuses, it’s clear that economic pressures are piling on top of the normal life transitions teens experience. “Freshmen and their parents are more aware of the student loan debt they are taking on, and therefore more anxious about money,” said Barbara Cooke, lead counselor at Metropolitan Community CollegeMaple Woods and author of “Parent’s Guide to College and Careers.” “Students and parents are understandably worried about the longterm consumer debt they are taking on for college and how, in a weak job market, the student will be able to repay that debt,” she said. The national evaluation of student stress, quantified in “The American Freshman” report from UCLA’s

DIANE STAFFORD mcclatchy newspapers KANSAS CITY, Mo. — That first year of college has always been tough. But tight economic times have made it even harder. Pressures to pay for college and choose studies that will produce good jobs have stressed this year’s college freshmen at unprecedented levels. In a new report, college freshmen rated their emotional health at the lowest level in the 25 years of the survey. The data, published by the University of California, Los Angeles, mirrored observations of some high school and college counselors. “In the last couple of years of the recession, students’ parents are more stressed, and the natural idealism and optimism in the young adult population has been eroded,” said Rick Hanson, director of student counseling at Rockhurst University and a past president of the American College Counseling Association. Lauren Sander, a Rockhurst fresh-

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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

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

the stress of trying “to find something to do to make money in the future.” Her interest in elementary education may not be what she ends up pursuing, depending on the economy. Meanwhile, Jeffries said, “time management and getting good grades are the top stressors” among her fellow students. To cope, Jeffries said, she has found herself going home on the weekends “a lot more than I probably should.” The coping alternative she sees on campus is students partying hard on the weekends as a relief mechanism. The UCLA report noted that students who reported more stress also described more alcohol use. At Rockhurst, Hanson said he more often saw some freshmen struggling to hold jobs and make decent grades. “A big factor we’ve watched over the last couple of years is that they’re working more hours — 15 to 30 hours a week — to help pay for school, and particularly as freshmen they don’t understand the academic demands of college,” Hanson said. “They quickly

manage their medications, let alone their lifestyle changes. And many new enrollees struggle to get enough sleep, eat nutritious diets and engage in good study habits — some of which they may never have learned in the first place. To top it off, Hanson said, the high cost of college pushes many students to sign up for 18 academic hours — which top-notch students with good study habits may be able to handle but which spell trouble for midlevel or struggling students. “They’re in over their heads before they know it, and they don’t have the skills to handle it,” he said of some students. Cooke noted that general social trends, which have made it more acceptable to talk about mental health, may also have contributed to the self-reported findings of poorer mental health among freshmen. “There may not be as much of an element of increase in distress as they’re more open and honest in talking about mental issues,” she suggested.

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ACROSS 1 Ptolemaic constellation that is now divided into Carina (the keel), Puppis (the poop deck) and Vela (the sails) 5 Utte r 10 Exxon forerunner 14 Miller ’s product 15 Grade leader? 16 Peak 17 West Point team 18 Mountain nymph 19 Hammock support 20 Seasonal cheeses? 23 Place purveying potent pints

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49 Gallery event s 51 Troll 53 Peak 57 Feathered runner 59 Seasonal seasoning? 62 Put dow n 64 “__ under pressure”: guts, to Hemingway 65 Potent pint s 66 Japanese soup 67 Retirement plans, informally 68 Kids’ new block since 1958 69 Foreshadowing 70 “Cats” poet 71 Musical syllables

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Find out every Friday in the Collegiate Times. 32 Ki d 33 “Rubáiyát” poet Khayyám 34 One-time pal of Baker and Charlie? 35 Seasonal costume? 37 Pianist Laredo 40 Like trailers on the road 41 Ottoma n 44 “At Seventeen” singer Jani s 46 Cloverleaf cover 48 Political refugee 50 Cleverness 52 Join 54 Tippecanoe’ s partner , in an 1840 campaign 55 Last in a serie s 56 Sonoran smackeroos 57 Saint with a fire 58 Hurt severely 60 “Mon Oncle” director 61 Nymph who loved her own voice 63 Put on

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feel overwhelmed.” The UCLA study reached 201,818 freshmen at 279 four-year colleges around the country. Its results are said to be statistically representative of the nation’s 1.5 million first-year, full-time students. “Stress is a major concern when dealing with college students,” said John H. Pryor, lead author of the UCLA report. “If students are arriving in college already overwhelmed and with lower reserves of emotional health, (we) should expect to see more consequences of stress, such as higher levels of poor judgment around time management, alcohol consumption and academic motivation.” At Maple Woods, Cooke said she was seeing more entering students who were academically unprepared for college. “Any time you’re in a position where you get into it and don’t have the skills to be successful, it’s stressful,” Cooke said. Also, counselors around the country say more freshmen have learning disabilities or mental health issues. Sometimes it’s difficult for them to

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Higher Education Research Institute, said groundwork was laid in the senior year of high school as well as in the economy at large. The report charted an uptick in the number of students who said they were “overwhelmed by all I had to do” in their last year of high school, when they juggled extracurricular activities, academics and college admissions. “They’re not naive,” David Burke, director of college counseling at Pembroke Hill, said of high school seniors. “They hear and see what’s going on in this economy. They see parents losing jobs. They hear they’ll have five careers in their lifetimes. They hear about the onrush of talent from China and India. “Maybe they have older siblings who graduated from college in the last year or two who haven’t found jobs they consider appropriate. Then there’s tremendous stress about picking an affordable school and being away from home for the first time.” At Missouri State University in Springfield, freshman Kelly Jeffries, a graduate of Park Hill South High School, said she was coping with

february 2, 2011

editors: lindsey brookbank, kim walter featureseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865

food & drink New dry rose wine at local winery brings crisp flavors COLLEGIATETIMES

MIA PERRY features reporter Chateau Morrisette, a winery in nearby Floyd County, has a new wine in the works. Described as a dry rose by associate tasting room manager Dan Metzger, Rose Chambourcin is the newest wine created by the winery. According to Metzger, also a Virginia Tech political science alumnus, the slightly dry taste and pink color of the wine comes from a little bit of skin contact. Metzger is referring to grape skin. “The whole reason red wines are red is because the skins from the red grapes are left on,” Metzger said. The rose is created by bleeding off, or taking away, some of the red wine while it is still in the earlier stages of fermentation

look down.

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— before the wine becomes too red. In this case, the red wine that was bled off was from a tank of Chambourcin, or made from Chambourcin grapes. He said the winery had four different lots of Chambourcin grapes come in. After receiving the grapes, the winery’s head winemaker and several staff members were gathered to taste the wines made from each lot. “We thought that some were strong in some areas and some were strong in other areas, so what we ended up doing was blending them all together,” Metzger said. “One of them had almost like a more floral aroma, one was more grapefruity, one was more strawberry, so we mixed them all together for the final product.” And, Rose Chambourcin was born.

This is the winery’s first attempt at creating a dry rose. Using grapes from an early harvest in late September, compared to the normal harvest time in late October, the wine has been fermenting since then and is ready to be bottled. However, before the wine can be bottled, the winery has to wait for an approval on its label. The back label for the wine is set to have a small box on it that can be scanned with a smart phone, which will take the user directly to Chateau Morrisette’s website, providing information about the wine. The winery is taking advantage of a growing trend. “Dry rose seems to be taking off pretty big,” Metzger said. “Blush seems to be more of your grandparent’s generation kind of thing. Now people seem to be going dryer and dryer.”

Blush is another type of pink wine, which is sweeter, containing more sugar than a dry rose. Since the wine is still waiting for label approval and is not bottled yet, it is not ready for sale. However, it will be available to winery guests on Valentine’s Day and be paired with chocolate covered strawberries. After a trial run of about a year, the winery will decide whether to keep making the wine based on how successful it is. Because the wine is new and in its trial phase, only a very small batch was produced. Therefore, when the wine is bottled, it will only be available for purchase and tasting from the tasting room at the winery, unlike most of its other wines, which are sold throughout Virginia and in surrounding states at establishments such as Kroger and Wal-Mart.

REVIEW: Rose Chambourcin Chateau Morrisette’s newest wine, Rose Chambourcin, is not yet available for purchase, but when it is, I know I’ll be one of the first in line to get a bottle of my own. Rose Chambourcin falls under the category of a Rose. It is a wine made from red grapes but bled off within the first few hours of fermentation, giving it a beautiful pink color and light flavor. When first smelling the wine, it has quite a sweet aroma, reminiscent of another Chateau Morrisette wine, Sweet Mountain Laurel. This new edition hits your mouth with a punch of dry fruitiness, ringing with notes of

grapefruit and a bit of strawberry. But unlike most reds, the flavor seems to dissipate after a sip, without leaving a harsh aftertaste. Although Rose Chambourcin is fruit-forward, there is still some acidity behind it, which is common in many reds. This is the perfect choice for someone who likes the dry acidity of red wine but is looking for a slightly fruiter beverage.

MIA PERRY -features reporter -senior -English major

6 sports

editors: michael bealey, garrett ripa sportseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES

february 2, 2011

Debnam: Senior plays motivational role for Hokies from page one

you can kind of tell when he’s not around. Things are moving a little bit slower,” said Terrell Bell, a senior teammate. “Paul always gets things going — he kind of makes you do things you don’t feel like doing and he’s a great teammate to have around.” In a game that focuses on statistics and box scores more than anything else, the contributions of players like Debnam can often get lost. However, that doesn’t mean they don’t exist — Debnam is still an important piece of the Hokies team. “I think I play a really big part on this team, I do,” Debnam said. “People might not realize it, and think that I’m all fun and MAZIAR FAHANDEZH / SPPS games, but you can ask my teammates.” Debnam warms up before the Hokies’ recent victory over Miami.

“

TIt gets me every time. It just humbles me, honestly. The appreciation they have for what I do speaks volumes, really. It’s almost shocking that they appreciate what I do, so I love it. PAUL DEBNAM SENIOR

In that way, Debnam is almost like another coach off of the bench. Despite standing just 6-feet-3inches tall, he has spent much of the season working with junior center Victor Davila because injuries have left Davila as one of the only healthy big men on the Hokies roster. “I think Paul is just a good team-

mate. He’s good in the locker room — he’s got high energy. His teammates like him,” Greenberg said. “He’s a guy that brings a lot to the table and is good with the upperclassmen as well as the lowerclassmen.” In the times when he is sent in, Debnam has that same energy he displays on the bench. The best example came in a game against Virginia Military Institute on Dec. 9, 2009. Debnam was only in the game for a minute, but he managed to record a blocked shot, a steal and a dunk that sent the crowd into a frenzy. “I don’t ever feel like, ‘Oh no, I have to go in,’” Debnam said. “I’m excited to play obviously, and I just want to show my talents and make the most of the opportunity. It’s always fun.”

Debnam got the chance to start for the first time on his senior night last season against NC State. At that point, Debnam was aware he would be coming back for another season, so he could have waited to have his “senior game” a year later, but he didn’t want to rain on the parades of this year’s seniors — Malcolm Delaney, Jeff Allen, Dorenzo Hudson, Terrell Bell and JT Thompson. As for that love the crowd shows him, its constant chants demanding he be put in, all Debnam can do is smile. “It gets me every time. It just humbles me, honestly. The appreciation they have for what I do speaks volumes, really,” Debnam said. “It’s almost shocking that they appreciate what I do, so I love it.”

Tech to face NC State tonight in Raleigh ALYSSA BEDROSIAN sports staff writer The Virginia Tech men’s basketball team began the 2010-11 season with five returning seniors, a national ranking and NCAA Tournament aspirations. Now, 13 weeks later, the Hokies are left with eight scholarship players, an overall record of 14-6 and uncertain chances of making it to the Big Dance in March. For Seth Greenberg and company to keep hopes alive, the Hokies must continue to win big ACC matchups, beginning with Wednesday’s test against NC State on the road. The Wolfpack, 12-9 overall and 2-5 in ACC play, is coming off a tough loss, losing to in-state rival North Carolina this past weekend, 84-64. NC State was without freshman point guard Ryan Harrow, who did not play because of an illness. Harrow averages 11 points per game. It is still questionable as to whether he will play. The Wolfpack were also without senior forward Tracy Smith for 10 games earlier this season because of a knee injury. Yet even with Smith, the team’s record has continued to dip. “The five games we’ve lost were to the top five teams in our conference, four of which have been on the road,” said Sidney Lowe, NC State coach. “The one team we lost to at home was Duke. “ The Hokies come into tonight’s matchup 4-3 in the ACC, having just defeated Miami at home. They head to Raleigh, N.C., needing a win after bad conference losses earlier this season against Virginia and Georgia Tech. Smith leads the Wolfpack with 15 points per game and must be contained by the Hokies’ big men. “They’re really a gifted offensive team. You got to start with Tracy Smith,” said

Seth Greenberg, head coach. “He is so efficient when he catches the ball around the basket. He can face you, drive you, he’s got jump hooks, he’s got move fades.” Look for the Hokies to switch it up defensively and apply pressure. Tech has been impressive in the zone, and having the option of both man and zone defenses disrupts opponents. The Hokies have been inconsistent on the road, losing a heartbreaker to North Carolina early this season, yet bouncing back with a pounding of the Terrapins in College Park, Md. Just last week at Georgia Tech the Hokies were embarrassed, losing 72-57. Malcolm Delaney and Erick Green were held to less than 10 points each. “I’m not going to take anything away from Georgia Tech, but I think that was on us. I think it’s really on us,” Green said. “We turned the ball over. Silly mistakes. Not getting back on defense. Not getting in the right sets.” Injuries have sidelined JT Thompson and Dorenzo Hudson, along with Allan Chaney and Cadarian Raines. Yet this team refuses to give up, tallying an impressive record of 10-2 while playing with just eight scholarship players. “We’re not surprised at all. We knew we could do it,” Green said. “We just play hard. That’s the main thing: We play hard and get after it.” So how can Tech capture this crucial road contest? “With a win on the road, you’ve got to make free throws, you’ve got to rebound. You’ve got to take care of the basketball,” Greenberg said. “Down the stretch, you’ve got to execute. There’s no AUSTEN MEREDITH / SPPS secret formula.” Tech junior Victor Davila dunks the ball in the Hokies game this past Tip-off is set for 7 p.m., and will be televised by ESPN2. Sunday. The Hokies are looking for their second ACC road win.

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