Wednesday, March 30, 2011 Print Edition by Collegiate Times

New faces spring into action for Tech JOSH PARCELL sports reporter If there’s one thing Virginia Tech football is known for, it is consistency. The Hokies have won 10 or more games in seven straight seasons, winning Atlantic Coast Conference titles in four of them. From 2006-10, the coaching staff remained completely intact. Of the Hokies’ nine assistant coaches last season, five had been with the program for at least 15 years. For the better part of the past four seasons, Tyrod Taylor left a legacy as one of the greatest quarterbacks in program history.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

When the Hokies take the practice field tonight for their first spring practice of 2011, they will have a much different look than the team last seen being demolished by Stanford in the Discover Orange Bowl. Longtime assistant Billy Hite and offensive line coach Jim Cavanaugh have been moved to administrative positions, making room for Shane Beamer and Cornell Brown on the staff. Both Beamer and Brown are former Hokie players in their 30s, signaling a movement toward a younger core of assistants. Believe it or not, Taylor — the all-time passing leader in school history — is gone. It is now up to redshirt sophomore Logan

Thomas to replace him. What the 6-foot-6, 250pound Thomas lacks in pure passing ability, he makes up for in natural athletic ability. Thomas also has innate qualities as a leader that have head coach Frank Beamer excited about his potential as the starting quarterback. “There’s not any question that Logan has demonstrated ability,” Beamer said. “His leadership, the type of person he is, he’s perfect for the position. He has a lot of the same qualities that Tyrod had.”

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Rumors about naked race running rampant

JOSH SON / COLLEGIATE TIMES

FACEBOOK-ADVERTISED UNDERWEAR RUN TO TAKE PLACE DESPITE CONFUSION OVER POTENTIAL BAN JAY SPEIDELL news reporter Despite a confusing event name, a group not affiliated with Virginia Tech is continuing to plan an underwear run for charity Thursday night. The event, advertised on Facebook as “BANNED: Wiggio.com Nearly Naked Group Run at Virginia Tech,” has more than 1,000 potential attendees and involves students stripping down, donating their clothes to Goodwill, and taking a lap around the Drillfield in their underwear. “Virginia Tech administration found

out about the run because a lot of students were talking about it and tweeting it and putting it on Facebook. I think they were worried about it being kind of a raucous event with the fact there’s going to be some streaking involved,” said Dana Lampert, CEO of Wiggio. Contrary to Wiggio’s claims, the administration has no problem with the actual content of the event. “There’s lot of ways the students can demonstrate and exemplify the spirit of Ut Protism, everything doesn’t have to be super formal. They can be fun, which a lot of groups do,” said Guy Sims, assistant vice president for stu-

dent affairs. “I think it’s just misinformation, and I don’t fault off-campus groups asking a question and when someone says they can’t do it, misinterpreting the, ‘why?’” The description of the event is strongly worded, reading, “We’re told by the Virginia Tech administration that they don’t want you, your groups and friends running on YOUR campus. So much for having fun and doing good at the same time, eh?” Lampert defended the event, saying the event is intended to be an underwear run as opposed to a naked run. He also said that in light of the perceived ban, Wiggio was withdrawing their involvement and letting the students run the event. “We’re not really sure why they decided to ban it from taking place,

but what we’re doing at Virginia Tech is we’re taking our foot off the gas and saying hey, now it can be a student-led initiative,” Lampert said. “It’s a good cause and a good event, and we’re really hoping that the students rally behind it and make it happen anyways.” Tech administrators said no ban is in place. “So far, as far as I know, no formal student group came through to request this event,” Sims said. “Nobody has been denied something like this, but I think people were directed, ‘This is where it should happen,’ and nothing has happened as far as I know.” Sims said that somebody came in to inquire, but that individual was told races could not be held on the main campus and events must be sponsored

by a student group. There was no follow-up. Wiggio is a Boston-based company not affiliated with Tech or any student groups. “It’s a matter of who does it,” Sims said. “An off-campus group cannot just come on campus and say, ‘We’re doing something.’ If they were sponsored by a student group, then we’d begin the process of, ‘How do you make something like this work on campus?’” The Nearly Naked Run is set to proceed as planned, and there are no plans to block it from happening. “It’s really all for charity, we’re encouraging students to show up at the route that’s provided and take off their clothes, and all the clothes they take off will be donated to charity,” Lampert said. “Then there will be a run for the

students to participate in.” The clothes will be collected and donated to the local Goodwill. The event is designed to promote Wiggio, which is advertised as a private alternative to Facebook groups with more comprehensive features, including phone and video conferencing, mass texting and voicemails and file sharing. “We’re a free web application that’s pretty popular at colleges, a way to communicate within private groups,” Lampert said. The event is national, but focused on several university campuses. “I think it should be a pretty wellattended event,” Lampert said. The Nearly Naked Run will take place tomorrow at 9 p.m. in front of Torgersen Hall on Alumni Mall.

State budget to assist BT develops new program, Bus Tracker to expand public universities ERIN CHAPMAN news staff writer

MALLORY NOE-PAYNE news staff writer A drop in state funding for Virginia Tech was reduced following lastminute budget amendments in Virginia’s General Assembly. Tech’s allotment amounted to $131,163,530 for the 2011-12 school year, a decrease from $144,882,297 for the 2010-11 school year. That total was reached after the General Assembly added an additional $3 million in funding. On top of this additional $3 million appropriation, Tech received $733,310 in financial aid assistance. If signed by Gov. Bob McDonnell, the newly passed budget will increase the total state funding of higher education for the first time in eight years. While general funds for higher education statewide increased 5.8 percent from the original budget, Katherine Collins, director of government affairs for Tech’s Student Government Association, said the increases may not be enough. “We were generally happy, it’s an unfortunate situation because although they did increase, it’s never quite enough,” Collins said. “Higher ed is on the top of the list right now but it’s still not getting as much as it could.” The increase comes as extra federal higher education funding, provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, is set to stop in 2012.

If no changes were made to the budget, the cut would have been 12 percent for the next fiscal year, according to Dan Hix, finance policy director of the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia. The recent increases from the original appropriations cut that drop in half. “That’s the good news. The bad news is that even with that increase, we are still 7 percent below where we are this year,” Hix said. Governmental advocates for higher education spoke positively about the budget. “The economy in general, both the U.S. and Virginia, is starting to turn the corner and higher education is at the forefront of the reason why it’s turning that corner,” said Tom Kramer, executive director of Virginia21, a higher education lobbying organization. Hix said the increases showed a change in priorities. “It was the first time in many years that higher ed was probably, if not the highest priority, one of the top priorities in the General Assembly session,” he said. When asked why that might have been, Kramer pointed to “the broad coalition of organizations and people that really have come together to make the case for higher education.” Collins praised McDonnell for being “focused” on tuition rates. “Gov. McDonnell has kids in the higher education system currently,” Collins said. “He’s paying the bills too.”

Tech ﬁned for Clery violation ZACH CRIZER managing editor The Department of Education fined Virginia Tech $55,000 Tuesday for failing to issue a timely notice to the university community during the April 16, 2007, campus shootings. In a letter to Tech President Charles Steger, the DOE said it intends to fine Tech $27,500 for each violation of the Clery Act, a federal law that requires colleges to inform students of campus crimes.

The fine is the maximum possible fine per violation. A previous report found that Tech violated two portions of the law, failing to provide a timely warning and failing to follow its own timely warning policy. While the findings of the report cannot be appealed, the university has until April 29 to ask for a hearing on the fine. The university’s statement on the findings said all appeals options will be exercised.

At the same time the VT Bus Tracker program is planning to take its platform to an open-source information format, the Blacksburg Transit has begun to implement its own program which will allow riders to use a cell phone to receive the next scheduled times a bus will leave an individual stop. The Blacksburg Transit’s BT 4 U program, which launched in February, is currently in the development phase and only running for Hethwood and Corporate Research Center stops. Once the test phase has been completed, it will expand in the fall to include all Blacksburg-based routes. Riders can text the stop number and the route code to info@bt4u.org or go to the mobile site bt4u.org from a mobile phone. The mobile site allows riders to see route codes and stop numbers for a particular stop they are interested in from Google maps. Tim Witten, Blacksburg Transit special projects manager, said everything in the pilot program, which is funded by a $50,000 grant from the American Recovery and Reinvestment program, has been running smoothly with only a minor glitch during daylight savings. Over four days the program averaged 120 users per day who were texting to receive information on buses. During this planning stage, Blacksburg Transit is also looking at how accurately it can get the departure of the bus from the predicted departure. Currently, 80 percent of the estimates have been within two minutes of actual departure. “We need to make sure the software is stable and that it has the capacity to be able to support everyone who wants to use it in the fall. We are easing into it to make sure it works,” Witten said. Over the summer, signs will appear at the top 85 to 100 most frequently used stops and will display the stop number and route code. Blacksburg Transit riders may already be familiar with VT Bus Tracker. Started by a group of students in the computer science department, the program is another way for riders to get up-todate information on bus arrivals and departures. While the BT 4 U program is designed for students to find out when a bus will leave an individual stop, the Bus Tracker program is geared toward giving students information about when a bus will arrive at an individual stop. VT Bus Tracker has recently teamed up with an investing and marketing firm that will take its original program and sell it to interested buyers. “This is will provide us money to keep Tech’s Bus Tracker running,” said Alex Obenauer, one of the three original Bus

KEVIN DICKEL / SPPS

Signs like this one are planned to be at every BT stop with user instructions for the new BT 4 U program. Tracker developers. “The marketing firm will focus on the business aspect and we can focus on development.” The new VT Bus Tracker plans provide a desktop-optimized browser client that will work in Chrome, Safari, Firefox and Internet Explorer 7. Users will soon find an updated application for Droid and iPhones, as well as a mobile web app that will work on any device with a browser that can run Google maps. The Bus Tracker also announced this week that it would release its program on an open-source license during its new development phase, and that once it had developed its new version, the information that is going to be turned open-source will no longer be relevant to the program. A press release from the Bus Tracker said a main reason for taking its information open-source is to have the ability to apply the program to other transit systems outside of Blacksburg. “Once we’ve developed the open source code in to a new product, that

new product no longer remains open source (but the original is always open source and available),” the release said. “Getting the open source code from the VT Bus Tracker project to be able to work with multiple transit agency’s (sic) is no small task, and a lot of time also has to be spent on making all of our applications better — right now we’re in the process of getting our first few transit agencies on board, after the Blacksburg Transit and developing our new product.” The release said a unique feature of the Bus Tracker program will be that once it is applied to other transit systems, a user who opens the new app in another location will automatically be given bus schedules for that location, provided that the transit system in that location has purchased the Bus Tracker technology. Obenauer and Witten said that while both programs provide rider with bus data, they do work differently. Currently, BT 4 U only functions off

of text messaging and has no plans to develop a native app for the program. The Blacksburg Transit is developing an interactive voice program so a rider can call a number and receive information. Witten cited the constantly changing marketplace as something that Blacksburg Transit staff is currently unable to keep up with. “I really believe that ultimately there will be many apps, so you can pick the one that fits best with your lifestyle and you can pick the one that works best for you,” Witten said. Obenauer said he believes there is a market for both programs to coexist. “BT 4 U is great when you are already at the stop wondering when the next bus will arrive, (but) Bus Tracker is good for when you don’t want to leave your apartment or dorm to find out when the next bus will be at the stop,” he said. BT 4 U is also looking to take data that it currently shares with Bus Tracker so that other developers could possibly write a program.

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march 30, 2011

COLLEGIATETIMES

nation Amazon launches cloud music service

On VCU’s advancement to the Final Four: Anonymous >>

LOS ANGELES — Amazon catapulted ahead of its digital music competitors by launching a music locker service late Monday. The service, called Amazon Cloud Player, lets users upload their music to an Amazon server and play songs from any Web browser or by using an application on mobile phones or tablets that use Google’s Android operating system. Apple Inc. and Google Inc. are rumored to be busy building similar services but have not yet launched them. Apple’s plans, which observers have dubbed SkyTunes, would involve the company’s existing MobileMe cloud service. MobileMe lets users upload documents and access them from any

Screw that, as Hokies we have as much in common with VCU as we do any other team in the final four. I’m not jumping ship for another school just because our athletic programs are in a bit of a rough spot. If you want to jump on the VCU bandwagon go for it. We’ll be waiting here when you decide to come back because VCU’s success is fleeting. Tech may have not won a championship recently but we consistently produce far better teams than VCU. When Tech finally gets into a championship opportunity it will be because we have talent not blind luck like VCU.

Anon >> Lay off the criticism. The guy’s actually got a solid point. As a Richmond native and a Hokie I’ll be hoping like hell VCU wins. Nothing against our team. We just didn’t have what it took to make it this far.

Anonymous >> Perhaps instead of rooting for these teams, Tech fans should ask Seth Greenberg to start scheduling these teams. I bet any one of the 3 CAA teams in the tourney would love to come to Blacksburg for an early season match up. Certainly better competition than Campbell and USC Upstate.

On Kenneth Feinberg: Anonymous >> In all fairness McDonnell was a good commencement speaker. I may not support his policies but he was a delight to listen to last year.

Anonymous >> Wow, doesn’t get much more PC than that. An arbiter who presides over the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund. Still, I wonder how many looney comments would be on here if he regularly donated $300K to Republican candidates instead of Democrats.

crime blotter

Web browser, but does not currently let users play music files. Apple has been negotiating with music labels and publishers to obtain the licenses that would allow music to stream from its servers, according to people at several major record labels. Apple’s plan for a locker service is viewed as a largely defensive maneuver to neutralize Google, which is negotiating with record labels for the licenses it needs to launch a music service for Android devices later this year, according to people knowledgeable about the negotiations. Amazon’s announcement, however, beat both Apple and Google to the punch. And its service appears to be designed to compete aggressively with

its slower-moving rivals. Its service gives users, for free, 5 gigabytes of music storage — the same as the original iPod, which Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs touted as “1,000 songs in your pocket” when introducing the device in 2001. Customers who buy a digital album from Amazon’s online MP3 music store would get 20 gigabytes for free for one year. It’s unclear whether Amazon plans to charge for cloud storage after the one-year promotion. Apple currently charges MobileMe users $99 a year for 20 gigabytes of storage. -alex pham, mcclatchy newspapers

world Dozens killed in attack on Tikrit building BAGHDAD — At least 55 people were killed Tuesday and 95 injured when gunmen posing as Iraqi security troops stormed the Salahuddin provincial council building in the city of Tikrit and took dozens of people hostage, including members of the council. The gunmen executed at least three members of the council and set their bodies on fire, before detonating the explosive belts they were wearing, killing the remaining hostages and all of the hostage takers. No group took responsibility for the attack, though suspicion immediately fell on the Sunni Muslim insurgent group al-Qaida in Iraq.

Witnesses said U.S. troops responded to the attack and entered the building with Iraqi forces trying to rescue the hostages. No U.S. casualties were reported. At least three of the gunmen were wearing explosive suicide belts, Iraq’s Interior Ministry said. Tikrit, about 90 miles north of Baghdad, is the hometown of the late dictator Saddam Hussein. A barrage of mortar fire that struck near the building preceded the attack, police said. After the barrage, armed men dressed in Iraqi security force uniforms arrived, saying they’d been sent to protect the building, according to a police official who spoke only on the condition of anonymity because

he wasn’t authorized to talk to reporters. The men, however, turned out to be insurgents and they began shooting people as they entered the building, the police official said. A car bomb exploded as the real security forces arrived. Three highranking officers, including the provincial police chief, Col. Emad Ofan, were killed. Mazin Abdul Hameed, an Iraqi journalist who was at the scene before the car bomb exploded, said evidence indicated an intense firefight.

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location

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Printing Services

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03/28/2011

03/08/2011-03/11/2011

Vandalism to the garage doors (graffiti) Larceny of bicycle

outside GLC

Inactive

arrestees

-laith hammoudi, mcclatchy newspapers

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march 30, 2011

New networks no longer revolutionary perennial problem with revolution is that revolutionaries are A cute in the jungle before they’ve won, but quickly become decrepit and sadistic once in power. Aspirational Che was sexy but empowered Castro was cruel. Actually, Che had been cruel, too, so one might have known, but the illusion was at least possible. This is a familiar dilemma, and it is often said that the only response is constant revolution. Thomas Jefferson contemplated periodic American revolutions, though not of a violent nature. A joke that never seems far from the American stand-up comedy circuit goes, “Diapers and politicians should be changed often, and for the same reason.” So it is natural to have sympathy for WikiLeaks. We can easily see it as the sexy revolutionary in the digital jungle. In the back of our minds we might assure ourselves that if digitalopenness revolutionaries storm the capital and then turn out to be jerks, some other band of rebels can always come along to overthrow them. But the digital jungle is different, and this is why I cannot be sympathetic to WikiLeaks. One problem is that people usually can’t see sudden digital revolutions coming. Facebook went from a cool novelty to a nearly global universal imperative in just a few years. It wasn’t as if the Red and White armies were fighting in the streets to give you a clue as to when to expect the change. Instead, it sneaked up on you. Whether you like Facebook or not, the point is that your freedom of choice was quickly reduced. Digital power is tenacious because of what are called “network effects.” It’s hard to leave Facebook because of all the connections that would have to be broken, all the data you’d lose access to. Digital structures tend to have an all-or-nothing quality, just like a digital bit. A design like Facebook will either fall by the wayside or become a universal standard, and if it’s a universal standard, it becomes harder to unseat than a government. So when you look at a digital phenomenon starting to take off, you must not assess it as if it is cute Che in the jungle. You must think of it as the politburo. If a digital system turns out to be a winner, it won’t have time to grow up before it comes to power. Since WikiLeaks is relatively small, it is cute, still in its jungle phase. But what if it turns into Facebook? I am not saying that it is certain to become so influential, but the potential is there. The scenario I fear for WikiLeaks is this: General communication in governments and companies will become phony and banal, as it is on Facebook, except when it’s pointlessly nasty and gossipy, as it also is on Facebook. But it will not be diplomatic. Meanwhile, genuinely consequential communication will take place hidden within a bunker, close to a powerful computer server that outsiders cannot penetrate. This is the new pattern of the distribution of power among human beings. Digital technology has re-patterned human influence. Certain big computers on the Internet have become all-seeing eyes, gathering dossiers on the rest of the world. Some of these are called socialnetworking servers and some are called hedge-fund servers, and now we have the secret encrypted core of the WikiLeaks server to contend with as well. But in all cases, small groups of people gather close to these special servers and speak in secret. When this happens, wealth and power are determined by proximity to the right computer. Decent government seems to persist only when there is a strong middle class, and it is sadly the case that computer networks have been used to redistribute wealth and power away from the middle class, at least in the United States and Europe. The mechanisms by which the middle class in the United States has been undercut usually involved computer networks. It started with Wal-Mart, the giant retailer, using computer networks to fine-tune distribution systems so perfectly that it no longer mattered where something was manufactured. It’s hard to be too upset with this development, since it also funded the peaceful ascendance of

China, a process that has gone more smoothly, at least so far, than anyone had dared to hope. But then the same principles were applied directly to finance, and that allowed financiers to create profits without risk to themselves, which is precisely the same thing as concentrating wealth in a new aristocracy. There are new aristocracies in finance, but also in culture. Publishers, music companies, and movie studios have become subservient to the companies that run the central cultural computers, like Apple, Facebook, and Amazon. (This is perhaps a good juncture to interrupt my warning about WikiLeaks to say that computer technology is essential for human survival, even if it is often being used badly. While it is not in the scope of this small warning to describe how things could be better, I do want to assure the reader that compassionate uses of information technology exist and are not occult or obscure.) If the systems promoted by WikiLeaks should bloom, then a similar new kind of power will appear in politics. What are these aristocracies like? One word says it: nerdy. The whole world is getting a case of Asperger’s syndrome. I am a nerd and I like nerds, so it’s tempting to entertain the thought that a world run by nerds would not be so bad. If only that were so. What actually happens when computers are used to concentrate power is that power becomes over-concentrated. The only braking mechanism on accumulation of wealth by financial computers was the imminent failures of the countries that support the currencies. So now one hears nerd financiers speaking among themselves of creating new extra-governmental currencies. Another thing that happens is that people who didn’t used to be nerds have to learn to act like nerds to get by. Teenagers learn to represent themselves as data on a social-networking site, and so to live their lives as to fit into the categories imbedded in the system. The term “advertising” is used to describe the process of access and influence-buying in a world of computerized power. While you arduously tend your fake self on Facebook, the company compiles a secret dossier about you and everyone else so that access to you can be sold to political campaigns, teeth-whiteners, or finance hucksters. You are the product, not the customer. Meanwhile, the things you might offer online — your creative work, your opinions, your advice — are all made worthless in terms of real money. This is all to say that the WikiLeaks design, if it gets big, would not promote general openness, but a redistribution of where secrets would be kept. It would also make secrets more secret. In a world remade by WikiLeaks, the government and corporate activities you could see because of the celebrated openness would be similar to the openness in social dynamics you get to see on Facebook. Sometimes interesting, occasionally touching, useful, and substantial, but overall banal. The real news, the real power, would be hidden in a descendant of Julian Assange’s encrypted server. Computers immunize people who use them for power. When financiers use computers to concentrate wealth without taking on risk, they don’t go to jail. Digital information is perfectly sterile, fungible, erasable and concealable. WikiLeaks as a small rebellious group is one thing, but as a prototype for larger events, it is creating the prototype for digital immunization in politics. The dictators of the world are watching WikiLeaks, and while they might not like the occasional Facebook-like embarrassments that emerge about them during these early stages, they are also learning new tricks. If someone like Assange can accumulate power with a digital strategy, what else might be done? I dread the answers to this question.

JAROM LANIER -mcclatchy newspapers

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Benefits of Earth Hour limited, not productive ver the weekend, Earth Hour came and went while many O Hokies in Blacksburg were preparing for the annual ring dance. While I appreciate and agree with the aims of Earth Hour, it’s pretty obvious to note how little it actually accomplishes in the grand scheme of things. What I’d like to point out is that while accomplishing little, Earth Hour may even be counterproductive to its very goals of increased environmentalism. For those who don’t know, Earth Hour is an annual event organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature that asks households and businesses to turn off all non-essential lights and appliances. It is an attempt to conserve energy and symbolize a commitment to putting forth environmental awareness beyond the hour. Many nations have gone beyond this to shut down coal-fired power plants for the hour, such as the Philippines in 2009. Without a doubt, Earth Hour’s global expansion is astonishing. In all continents of the world, businesses, households and government run landmarks have participated in this event, shutting down things like subway stations, television channels and the Parthenon. What bothers me is that it seems as if this given hour is in large part nothing more than a show, particularly when carried out on a large scale. On an individual level, perhaps families and young people alike, as well as millions in the world, very consciously turn off their lights with a deep-rooted interest in reducing carbon emissions for that hour. However, I find this harder to believe in the context of large cities and iconic landmarks, such as the Empire State Building, Big Ben and the Eiffel Tower. Turning the lights off at these landmarks and in cities only puts a tiny dent in overall energy consumption measured over all other hours.

However, doing so definitely brings in a lot of press — and I suspect this is a major reason for participation. The city governments and landmark owners that participate in Earth Hour get to publish photos of what their hour looked like, distributing breathtaking comparisons of their cityscapes with and without light. I must admit, when I realized that Earth Hour had passed I Googled it and stumbled on news articles about all the cities around the world that had participated. The photos are astonishing — showing places ranging from Sydney, Australia to Las Vegas, Nev., cast in shadows with minimal street lamps lit. It’s as if they are seeking a gold sticker and the opportunity to pat themselves on the back for having proclaimed their awareness of the negative effects human consumption is having on the planet. Why this is counterproductive, though, is that a false feeling of accomplishment probably results after having orchestrated the city or landmark’s big effort to turn off lights in major landmarks such as the Sydney Opera House and the Parthenon. I’m sure this calls for effort on the part of city officials, which could easily be going towards doing other perhaps less statement making but more productive changes that would allow for a reduction in energy. The participants of Earth Hour take pride in this hour because of the fact that they reduced carbon emissions and energy use by a fraction of their usual consumption, all to turn everything on again when the clock struck the next hour. At Virginia Tech, I can honestly say that I have not heard one thing about Earth Hour, although I have no doubt that environmentally conscious groups — such as the Environmental Coalition — indeed encouraged participation in some form. If environmentalism is really going to be taken seriously, the fad

nature of it needs to be alleviated, if not eliminated all together. Events like Earth Hour, while well intentioned at the core, only promote large statement-making actions, that in reality look like they are causing more change than they really are. With the background of the event encouraging a prolonged commitment to environmentalism, it seems that this symbolism can’t go very far. Judging by the fact that it has been going on for years and carbon emissions or energy use do not seem to be slowing down at all, I think it’s safe to assume few long-term commitments have been productive as a result of Earth Hour’s symbolism. This is not to say that the one hour period of time each year has not shown very large drops in energy consumption, though, this is far from the truth. Millions of people across the world participated and businesses advertised to spread the word, such as YouTube advertising a special logo featuring an on/off button that turned the screen’s background black. We all need to remember that environmentalism is not a one-time event, nor should it be regarded as a trendy moment that will come and go. It’s going to take much more than large-scale traditions to evoke any real change or even a real commitment to environmental practices, which is why more everyday changes need to be promoted on a consistent basis. Earth Hour on the other hand, cannot be viewed as an excuse or fulfillment of one’s duty to get their “green” good deed accomplished for the year.

NOOR KHALIDI -regular columnist -junior -economics major

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Bachmann a legitimate contender for 2012 Republican nomination resident Obama’s presidential term is halfway over and P Republicans are trying to get a jump on the Democrats as prospective Republican candidates begin campaigning in key primary states like Iowa. One of the up-and-coming possible candidates is Michelle Bachmann. Bachmann, a Tea Party favorite, has expressed interest in running for the presidency in the 2012 elections, stating that she may form a presidential exploratory committee within weeks. Bachmann gained notoriety during the rise of the Tea Party Movement and during the 2010 congressional elections, during which she raised $13.5 million dollars in campaign funds, according to The Washington Post. A U.S. representative from Minnesota, Bachmann considers her political success during the past election as an opportunity to make a presidential run, going against well-known Republican candidates such as Sarah Palin, Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee and former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich. But does Bachmann have the credentials for the presidency? Sure, her success in the past election could demonstrate some potential as a viable presidential candidate. However, her Tea Party roots might be the demise of her political campaign. The Tea Party’s extremely conservative views might turn off moderate or nonpartisan voters consid-

ering voting red in the upcoming election. Additionally, Bachmann has had some controversy in the past. After Obama gave his annual State of the Union address, Bachmann released her own response to openly oppose his message, going beyond the official Republican State of the Union response, according to The Washington Post.

“

America has decided they’re in for 2012. So, that’s my question for you today in Iowa. Are you in? Are you in for 2012? Are we going to make it happen? Are we going to take our country back? MICHELLE BACHMANN REPUBLICAN

Moreover, Bachmann has only served three terms in government positions, along with tenure as a tax attorney for the Treasury Department. She just might not have enough political experience to deal with the pressures and requirements the presidency entails. However, Bachmann has also done some things that might aid her in pursuing the presidency. She organized the Tea Party Caucus in the House of Representatives, which may prove imperative in gaining support

from the ever-growing Tea Party Movement. Additionally, her time as a tax attorney may have provided her with enough expertise and experience to approach economic policy and attempt to deal with the immense national debt. Bachmann has also exemplified eloquent public speaking abilities, which may be a major factor in gaining support for angry Republicans and swing voters during the next election campaign. According to CNN, Bachmann demonstrated her charismatic speaking skills by rallying the audience during a conference in Iowa this weekend. “America has decided they’re in for 2012,” she said. “So, that’s my question for you today in Iowa. Are you in? Are you in for 2012? Are we going to make it happen? Are we going to take our country back?” As for now, it is uncertain how well Bachmann will fare in the upcoming election. But one thing’s for sure: Although Bachmann has a few characteristics that might inhibit her run for the presidency, she definitely has the ability to be a strong Republican contender in the primaries.

JOSH HIGGINS -regular columnist -freshman -political science major

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 direct 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, visit reprints.collegemedia.com. Subscription rates: $65 semester; $110 fall/spring. The first copy is free, any copy of the paper after that is 50 cents per issue. © Collegiate Times, 2011. 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.

march 30, 2011

page 4

Spring: Thomas takes quarterback spot, leadership role from page one

Also, offensive coordinator Bryan Stinespring was relieved of play-calling duties in favor of quarterbacks coach Mike O’Cain. According to Beamer, the move was made, in large part, because of O’Cain’s closer relationship with Thomas. Thomas can rely on a pair of experienced receiving targets as he gets used to the role. Seniors Jarrett Boykin and Danny Coale enter their fourth year as starters. Both are sure-handed pass-catchers that have a knack for bailing out slightly errant throws with spectacular grabs. Up-and-comer Marcus Davis is also poised for a breakout year at receiver after showing flashes of brilliance late in 2010. His best game came at North Carolina, when he caught four passes for 81 yards and two touchdowns. “He certainly has made some great plays for us,” Beamer said. “I think he’s got a great future.” Not many programs can boast about losing two underclassmen running backs to the NFL Draft. Even fewer can plug in another potential star the

next season. That’s what the Hokies will do with David Wilson, who steps in for the departed Ryan Williams and Darren Evans. Wilson rushed for 619 yards last season and five touchdowns despite being fourth on the team in carries per game. He spent the winter helping the Hokies indoor track and field team win the ACC championship. Throughout spring practice, he’ll pull double duty between the two sports. “He’s going to be with football whenever he can,” Beamer said. “I really like when guys have great ability to excel in other sports.” The new-look theme continues defensively, where several familiar names are in new places this spring. Chris Drager, who started 12 games last season at defensive end, was moved back to tight end this winter. Coupled with the graduation of Steven Friday, it means there will be two new starters at defensive end. Zack McCray, who was a prized recruit in 2010, is expected to step into one of the starting spots.

Opposite him will be sophomore James Gayle, who had four sacks last season. In the offseason, Gayle won the Excalibur Award, the program’s highest honor for weight training accomplishments. “We have two guys there that played a lot last year...how quick they can get in there…and be successful is the key,” Beamer said. Antone Exum has officially moved to rover after spending 2010 as more of a freelancing nickel back. The Hokies are chock full of talented linebackers. The problem could be finding a place for all of them. Bruce Taylor enters the spring at mike linebacker, where he earned second team All-ACC honors last season. He replaced Barquell Rivers in the lineup. Rivers missed the entire 2010 season with a ruptured quadriceps tendon. Rivers will remain at mike, along with sophomore Jack Tyler. At the backer (outside linebacker) position, the battle to start is between Tariq Edwards, Chase Williams and Telvion Clark. The coaching staff

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Logan Thomas, Tyrod Taylor’s successor at quarterback, evades Tech defenders in an August scrimmage. has praised all three in the past, but Edwards has the most game experience of the trio, with 21 tackles in 2010. “I told the kids the other day that spring is when you get your playing time,” Beamer said. “If you want to run

out on the field next fall you better play good in the spring.” For the sixth consecutive season, Tech will have a new starting placekicker. The early favorite for the job is redshirt sophomore Cody Journell, a

TURN OFFS:

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28 TV revue since ’75 29 Acting instructor’s deg., perhaps 30 Start to knock? 34 Pop music’ s Lady __ 37 Surround securely 41 1929 women’ s air race, as dubbed by Will Rogers 44 Rail rider 45 1944 invasion city 46 Spot for a hoop 47 WWII espionage gp. 49 Oktoberfest cry

WORD BANK Elephant Zebra Cheetah Lion Tiger Prairie Dog Gorilla Chimpanzee Orangutan Sea Lion Polar Bear Panda Lemur Flamingo Rhino Antelope Panther Cobra

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35 Instinctive, as a feeling 36 Company with a web-footed spokescritter 38 Short relative? 39 Recede 40 Change, as one’ s locks? 42 Elect to a Hall of Fame, say 43 Nina of “Spartacus” 48 “What did I tell you?” 50 Disorderly mound 51 Women’ s mag 52 Put into words 53 African viru s 54 “Hop __”: Dr . Seuss book 55 ABC’s Arledge 56 High-fives, e.g. 57 Divided Austrian state 58 Joe’ s “Midnight Cowboy” pal 59 Up to this point 64 Subdivision unit 66 Andean tuber 67 Mormons’ gp. Tuesday’s Puzzle Solved

71 Speak at length 72 Soup veggies 73 Job opening

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ed Mix cs Dis

march 30, 2011

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

food & drink

COLLEGIATETIMES

Taco Bell overcomes meat allegations Bargain fast food chain ﬁnds beneﬁts in legal beef NICK SMIRNIOTOPOULOS staff writer Taco Bell has turned a potentially icon-threatening lawsuit into a marketing strategy. The fast food chain is campaigning against an Alabama lawsuit from January. The suit claimed the restaurant chain does not use USDA approved ground beef, alleging that Taco Bell’s meat consists of only 36 percent beef and 64 percent fillers and preservatives. Taco Bell attempted to set the record straight with an ad campaign that released the true composition of its meat formula, which contains 88 percent beef and 12 percent added ingredients. The restaurant used the lawsuit as an opportunity to market one of its products, the Crunchwrap Supreme, which sold for 88 cents, to remind consumers of the percentage of real beef used. Maranda Smith, the assistant manager at Blacksburg’s Taco Bell, said the marketing strategy has positively affected business.

“

The beef is the same as it has always been, I assume. MARANDA SMITH ASSSTANT MANAGER AT TACO BELL

“The store actually sold 5,000 (Crunchwrap Supremes) in about a week,” Smith said. Smith also confirmed the advertisements are meant to show that Taco Bell’s meat is made of 88 percent beef, with seasoning and water added. “The beef is the same as it has always been, I assume,” Smith said. According to TacoBell.com, the 12 percent of added ingredients include water, Mexican spices, flavoring like cocoa powder, chili pepper, onion and tomato powder, oats, caramelized sugar, soy lechtin, yeast and citric acid. The website claims these ingredients, which are safe to consume, are used to help contribute to the meat’s flavor, moisture, consistency and quality. The website also states that Taco Bell’s beef is USDA approved, and its main supplier is Tyson, a food service distributor. Regardless of the advertisements, consumers have formed their own opinions on Taco Bell and its food. Tommy Bowles, a Harrisburg native, rarely goes to Taco Bell because there is not one in his town. However, when he visits Blacksburg, he always stops in. Bowles and his wife were unaware of the advertisements. “We hardly ever eat it, but we like it,” Bowles said. “I especially like the spicy part of it.”

Fast food tacos: salty but tasty, lower quality cuisine a teenager, elegant family dinners with a variety of As foods were not always at my disposal. So, I often succumbed to the typical, fast-paced American lifestyle and indulged in fast food to save money and time. I always knew fast food was not good for me, but I preferred, like many other Americans, to turn a blind eye to the nutritional information and the sparing media criticisms to enjoy the good taste complemented by cheap prices. However, nutrition has recently become more of a hot-button issue for fast food restaurants, with most places readily displaying their ingredients and information, making it

available to customers. This gradual change has caused me to eat fast food minimally. Taco Bell, my childhood favorite, has recently gotten a lot of media attention for its television advertisements trying to clarify issues with its meat. The new media buzz aroused particular interest on my part and enticed me to revisit the restaurant to give its food a taste test. After arriving at Taco Bell and surveying the menu, which had changed a fair amount since the last time I had been there, I decided to be health conscious and order two Fresco soft tacos. As a part of Taco Bell’s DriveThru Diet, these tacos replace shredded cheese with tomatoes and

onions, giving it a fresher, healthier taste. But the vegetables were the least of my worries. I was particularly curious about the meat’s taste. While the meat had never actually changed, the media attention surrounding the controversy made my taste buds a little more critical of the beef I once coveted. While taking the first bite, my taste buds immediately noticed the salty taste accompanying the beef. The taste that I had previously craved, or simply ignored, now did not satisfy me the way it used to. The tacos were enjoyable, but I suppose my taste buds had matured, expecting and savoring higher quality meat. Taco Bell’s meat mixture may con-

sist of 88 percent real beef, but just because it is real does not provide its taste with credibility. After all, how much can you expect from a $1 taco? In order to make the tacos cheap, Taco Bell just buys cheaper beef, which usually means a higher fat content. In addition to the high fat content, there is a tremendous amount of sodium in the tacos, which creates that salty aftertaste my clever taste buds had boldly perceived. To keep the beef from going bad, Taco Bell, just like other fast food joints, has to use sodium as a preservative, resulting in me almost getting my day’s worth of sodium, with 580 milligrams in each soft taco.

While Taco Bell may be offering healthier choices with its Fresco options and serving real beef, it is still a fast food restaurant — it has its limits regarding good nutrition and healthy ingredients. If you are on a tight budget and looking for tasty food, then Taco Bell is not a bad choice. However, if you want to avoid preservatives and focus your attention on nutrition and consuming natural, healthy ingredients, then you will have to avoid fast food joints, Taco Bell included.

NICK SMIRNIOTOPOULOS -staff writer -freshman -university studies major

6 sports

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

march 30, 2011

Tennis team faces stiff weekend competition ALEX KOMA sports staff writer When college students travel to Florida in late March, it’s normally to have a good time. However, the Virginia Tech men’s tennis team’s latest visit to the Sunshine State was no picnic for the Hokies. The team was tasked with facing No. 46 Florida State and No. 29 Miami this past weekend. Entering the latter part of its Atlantic Coast Conference schedule, these road matches posed considerable challenges for Tech. “Both of these teams are ranked really high, so they came in with lots of confidence,” said Jim Thompson, Tech’s head coach. “(Florida) is always a tough place to get acclimated to, since it’s 87 degrees there and we come back to snow here in Blacksburg.” In Friday’s match against Florida State, the Hokies won a tough one, 4-3, after initially dropping the doubles point and first singles match. Junior Patrick Daciek and sophomore Lucas Oliveira each won their crucial matches at the No. 2 and No. 6 spots, respec-

tively, to help give the team the win. “Patrick played the same guy last year, so his composure was really high,” Thompson said. “Lucas also really gave us a huge win at number six and seems to have gotten his confidence back recently.” Daciek has had an up and down season so far, going 6-7 in his singles matches, but has started to improve as he’s recovered from early injury troubles. “This spring I’ve been dealing with rib and wrist injuries, but lately I’m getting back into match toughness and bringing as much energy as I can,” Daciek said. Redshirt senior Pedro Graber also played a pivotal role in the team’s win, as it was his victory over Florida State’s Blake Davis that clinched the victory for the Hokies. “In the beginning, I was disappointed that I let the first set slip away,” Graber said. “By the end, I knew it was only me and him (left playing) but I knew I had more experience, so I was confident about my chances.” While a lot went right for the team against the Seminoles, the match against Miami on Sunday began under less auspicious circumstances.

“

These matches are our biggest of the season, as they’ll determine whether we’re in the top four or top eight of the ACC PEDRO GRABER SENIOR

“Our flight to Miami got cancelled, so we didn’t get a chance to practice on their courts,” Daciek said. “But it’s rare that everything always goes your way, so you can’t use it as an excuse.” The poor start certainly didn’t help the Hokies, as they dropped the match to the Hurricanes by a score of 6-1. “Miami is a really tough team, and they came out playing well, so momentum went their way early,” Daciek said. “I had six match points in my match alone, so things really could’ve gone either way.” The team’s failure to win the doubles point was one of the main factors in the loss. “Our doubles teams played well in both matches, but this is definitely an area we still need to improve on,” Thompson said. “Part

of their struggles is due to the fact that the No. 3 team (of Daciek and Trpimir Kujundzic) haven’t played many matches together, so the No. 2 team really feels the pressure to perform.” The team will need to improve on their game if it hopes to be competitive in their next two matches at home against rivals North Carolina and Duke. “Every match in conference is important, especially when they’re at home against highly ranked opponents like these,” Thompson said. “We’ve had some wars with these teams in the past, especially with Carolina, so these will definitely be big matches for us.” Seniors such as Graber are particularly intent on taking advantage of their last opportunity to face these strong ACC opponents. “These matches are our biggest of the season, as they’ll determine whether we’re in the top four or top eight of the ACC,” Graber said. “This is my last chance to beat UNC, and we’ve come really close before, so I hope we can accomplish that this weekend.” Tech will host the Tar Heels Friday, LUKE MASON / SPPS April 1 and the Blue Devils on April Junior Luka Somen is currently ranked No. 45 nationally in singles. 3.

Softball keeps up its winning ways

look down. LUKE MASON / SPPS

Kenzie Roark struggled against the Eagles, but is 10-5 on the season. ASHLEIGH LANZA sports staff writer

pick up.

The Virginia Tech softball team (4-2 ACC) swept Boston College (3-3 ACC) in a three-game series this past weekend to improve to 24-8 on the season. “Boston College swept UVa last week and they were coming in here on a high — for us to bring them down was great,” said senior Kristina Cruz. Tech started the series on Saturday by winning a doubleheader against Boston College, 9-1 and 11-10. The Hokies scored five runs in the first inning of the first game, thanks to a combination of hits and two errors from the Eagles. An inning later, Tech added two more runs to the scoreboard. Boston College’s only run came in the fourth off a home run, but Tech ended the game an inning later when two runs scored and the runahead rule was put into effect. Sophomore Jasmin Harrell (W, 10-2) only allowed four hits and struck out six. “I feel that I did pretty well,” Harrell said. “I was supported by our team’s hits and runs.” Junior Kristen Froehlich and sophomore Betty Rose had two hits each, including Rose’s double that scored a run and ended the game in the fifth. After their opening win, the Hokies rallied from behind to win the second game, 11-10. Boston College loaded the bases in the first inning but only scored one run, allowing Tech to come back in the bottom of the first. After three walks to load the bases, the Hokies were able to gain the lead, 2-1, thanks to a single from Froehlich and a sacrifice fly from Rose, each drove in a run. In the top of the second, senior pitcher Kenzie Roark gave up a leadoff triple, a hit and a wild pitch, which led to a 2-2 tie. She then walked three to load the bases before giving up a grand slam, allowing the Eagles to take the lead, 6-2. After walking another batter, head coach Scot

Thomas pulled Roark for Harrell. “Am I happy about my performance?” Roark said. “No. But can I dwell on it? Absolutely not.” Tech came back in the bottom of the second to load the bases on three walks and scored a run on a fourth walk. However, the Hokies ended up leaving the bases loaded and were still down, 6-3. The Hokies rallied in the bottom of the third, taking a 7-6 lead they would never relinquish. Twenty walks were recorded between all of the pitchers in the game. “We set a record for walks between pitchers,” Roark said. “A lot of it had to do with umpires because you don’t see that many walks and definitely not that many home runs.” Harrell (W, 11-2) gave up three hits and four walks while striking out three. Tech finalized the sweep with a 4-2 win over Boston College on Sunday afternoon. “We did a much better job yesterday on attacking the ball and being ready to come up to bat,” Cruz said. With the game tied 2-2 entering the bottom of the fifth, pinch hitter Marra Hvozdovic hit a hard single down the third base line that tipped off the third basemen’s glove, allowing pinch runner and sophomore Sarah Ashby to score from second base. This gave the Hokies a 3-2 lead and would be all the scoring they needed to secure the victory. “We didn’t always have a clutch hit when people were on base, but we had the clutch hit when we absolutely needed it,” Harrell said. Roark, who struggled all weekend, pitched the first three innings before being taken out for Harrell (W, 12-2) in the fourth. Tech will play Florida State (16-17, 2-4 ACC) this weekend in Tallahassee with a doubleheader Saturday at 1 p.m. and a game Sunday at noon. “Regardless of record, the game is in Tallahassee,” Cruz said. “It’s always big, and it’s a big trip for us, but coming out of there with three wins would be great.”