Wednesday, May 4, 2011 Print Edition by Collegiate Times

steps toward

FASHIONABLE FUTURES see page three to see what these four graduates look like after a DIY makeover LUKE MASON / SPPS

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

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

www.collegiatetimes.com

COLLEGIATETIMES 108th year, issue 57

News, page 6

Features, page 9

Opinions, page 7

Sports, page 8

Classifieds, page 8

Photo Essay, page 4

The Collegiate Times has ceased publication for the school year.

New video game based on Tech shootings

Attendance reward Students won internships, cash at recent lecture GORDON BLOCK

GORDON BLOCK

associate news editor Several Virginia Tech students were surprised when they were given more than $40,000 in prize sat a lecture Thursday night. The giveaway came at the end of a speech by entrepreneur and wine blogger Gary Vaynerchuk. Among the prizes given were two Super Bowl tickets, a three-day vacation for four to Las Vegas, $3,500 to spend on a cruise, a $2,000 gift certificate to Jet Blue, 25 cases of Natural Light beer, a trip to see the New York Jets play, and hundreds of dollars worth of gift certificates. The prizes also included several employment opportunities, including the choice of an internship with Twitter or Facebook, an internship with either Vaynerchuk’s Wine Library TV or Vaynermedia, and personal assistance from Vaynerchuk in finding a job. One student won $10,000 in venture capital, with mentoring from Vaynerchuk. Vaynerchuk came to Tech after a long viral campaign set up through classes taught by professor John Boyer. Boyer had used several of Vaynerchuk’s videos in his geography of wine course. Vaynerchuck emmigrated from Belarus to the United States in 1978, where he eventually took over his father’s liquor store, turning it into a retail wine store called The Wine Library. In 2006, he created Wine Libary TV, a video blog about wine, and two years later he was making an annual revenue to $60 million. As an established social media and Internet marketing expert, he started a consulting company for new startup businesses called VaynerMedia in 2009. Between 60 and 70 students greeted Vaynerchuk as he arrived at the airport in Roanoke on the day of the speech. “I think that’s what pushed him over the top to do the crazy shit he did,” Boyer said. “We did so much to raise the roof for him.” Vaynerchuk dropped his usual appearance fee, estimated around $70,000, for his visit. Vaynerchuk spoke initially for about an hour to a packed Burruss Hall. “We could’ve finished right there, and it would have been a great night,” Boyer said. Vaynerchuk then proceeded to videotape an episode of his online wine show “Daily Grape.”

associate news editor

LUKE MASON / SPPS

Boyer had planned to give out a few prizes, including books and tickets for the Fork and Cork festival, to encourage student attendance. Learning of the prizes, Vaynerchuk began announcing several prizes of his own. “It started small, and kept compounding,” Boyer said. “He tried overdoing himself.” Vaynerchuk selected prize winners based on attendant’s ticket numbers. By the end of the night, Boyer estimated that Vaynerchuk had given out between $40,000 to $50,000 worth of prizes. “He just went way too damn far,” Boyer said. Student prize recipients were amazed by the generosity of Vaynerchuk. Lauren Heilman, a senior communication major who won a pair of Super Bowl tickets, called the night “unbelievable.” “It was utterly shocking — the best graduation gift I could have asked for,” Heilman said. She said she was giving her second Super Bowl ticket to her dad, so she could “remain neutral” with her friends. “I’m keeping my fingers crossed and hope this NFL lockout thing is taken care of,” Heilman said. Geneva Auduong, a junior marketing major, took home a $500 gift certificate to Starbucks. “I was with my friend who heard my name before I did and started screaming,” Auduong said. “I didn’t even know what I had won.” Auduong, who said she only had coffee about four times a year, said she’s been contacted by friends about the prize. “I got like five or six calls or texts or Facebook chats telling me I was taking them out for coffee,” Auduong said.

A new video game depicting school shootings, including the campus shootings at Virginia Tech on April 16, 2007, has drawn student outrage online. The free game, “School Shooter: North American Tour 2012,” places characters in the feet of a school shooter. The game is a modification of popular first-person shooter game “Half-Life 2.” Players will be given weaponry similar to Tech shooter SeungHui Cho and Columbine High School shooters Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, according to the website of the game’s developer, Checkerboard Studios. Several e-mails to an address listed for Checkerboarded Studios were not returned. Players are scored based on the number of people they kill. The game ends when police kill the player. Developers have also said players will be able to commit suicide to finish their round, after “spouting a hilarious one liner.” The modifcation was pulled by hosting site ModDb following public outcry surrounding the game. The game’s developers haven’t offered a release date for

“

What got me was a lack of sensitivity to the family of those affected by this tragedy. CASEY THORTON FRESHMAN

the game. The game has brought strong opposition on Facebook. A event group for “BOYCOTT VA TECH/COLUMBINE SHOOTING VIDEO GAME” has 10,898 users listed as attending. The group’s creator, freshman engineering major Casey Thornton, started it after learning about the game. “I sent it to my Facebook friends, it got passed around,” Thornton said. “And it really blew up.” Thornton, who graduated from high school in Colorado, said he questioned his credibility in forming the group. “I’ve made it pretty clear it’s just not those direct families that were affected by (the shootings),” Thornton said. “Our entire nation was affected by this.” Tech spokesman Mark Owczarski declined to speak about the game. “This game is so despicable,” Owczarski said, “It’s beneath comment.” see GAME / page six

JOSHUA MILLER / SPPS (Top) Haley Wilkerson won an internship. (Bottom) Wine blogger Gary Vaynerchuck spoke about wine and business Thursday. Haley Wilkerson, a senior communication major, walked away with the choice of an internship with either Facebook or Twitter in California. “I never win anything,” Wilkerson said. “This felt like a dream.”

Wilkerson, who at the time was still looking for a job after graduation, said the prize had “perfect timing.” “I’ve been to California before,” she said. “I’m so excited to go back.” Wilkerson said she was still deciding

A screen shot of School Shooter: North American Tour

New policy requires students to report arrests in 10 days ELIZABETH HAYDU news staff writer A new policy at Virginia Tech requires students to report arrests to the university within 10 business days after being arrested. Undergraduates, graduates and veterinary students must agree to the new policy before they are able to view course requests or participate in drop/add. If a student does not report an arrest, he risks being charged with providing false information to a university official and violation of rules and regulations. The university is concerned that people who are not convicted because of technicalities have cases

with substance to them. Because of this, the Safety and Security Policy Group determined both arrests and convictions should HUGUELY be reported, according to Ed Spencer, vice president for student affairs. The information students provide under the new policy is kept by the Office of Student Conduct and cannot be given out without the student’s consent, unless a court subpoena or government request equal to that is made, he said. On the form that must be filled out

in the case of an arrest, there is an area that allows students to explain the circumstances of their arrest. “We’re really not interested in having more business for the Student Conduct office to have to deal with,” Spencer said. “If it is (a) minor drinking offense and that kind of thing, we just don’t have the time to process all that stuff through the system. If it is a serious thing, like an assault, we probably are going to process it.” This policy was designed based on the policy the University of Virginia implemented after lacrosse player George Huguely allegedly assaulted and killed a female lacrosse player, Yeardley Love. Huguely had been arrested prior to this event for assaulting a police officer while a student at

another university. Because of the practicality involved with police’s ability to report student arrests, UVa decided students should be obligated on their honor to self-report arrests to the university. During fall semester 2010, the Safety and Security Policy group at Tech went to UVa to learn what aspects of the system did and did not work. Students have mixed feelings about the new policy. “I think it is a good idea because it helps to protect students and faculty,” said Rachel Klein, a senior biology major, “but I know there are probably going to be issues with it because it is the first time it has been implemented here at Virginia Tech.”

“

To me, the issue with demanding that students report their arrest records is that people are wrongly arrested frequently. RICHARD STAFFORD GRADUATE STUDENT

Others are more disapproving. “To me, the issue with demanding that students report their arrest records is that people are wrongly arrested frequently. And that is why we have a court system and the presumption of innocence until the proof of guilt,” said Richard Stafford, a graduate student studying English. “Arrest is not the indication of

wrongdoing but rather conviction is the indication of wrong doing. Consequently, having undergraduate or graduate students report their arrest record seems fundamentally at odds with the principles of justice in our country.” The new policy allows university officials to go into a student’s record and use it as a base to decide whether a student needs to be talked to or charged by the university. “The primary focus is for us to use it as a means of keeping the campus as safe and secure as possible.” Spencer said. “If there is any school in the country that we want to make sure it does all it possibly can to keep its campus safe and secure it is Virginia Tech.”

may 4, 2011

page 3

Graduating seniors get new looks for their new career goals eppered with celebratory whatever and inspirational blah blah, an annual flood of state-funded jargon is set to descend on Lane Stadium in the coming weeks. As the graduating class fights their hangovers, the administration will showcase their pride and budget through longwinded speeches venerating the individuality, innovation and distinction of our graduates. In contrast, any visible “distinction” will be largely eliminated by the traditional enforcement of overpriced, synthetic wizarding garb. Although the flat hats and colored tassels are largely ridiculous, the robes themselves do more for the student body than is recognized. They hide it. For several blessed hours, jorts, jeggings and other wardrobe blunders will be out of sight. I will not spend my graduation distracted by horrific tan lines or blinding cleavage, but the

[

on the web

]

Check out collegiatetimes.com for a gallery of out-takes and detail shots.

things that truly count —downloading apps, sending snarky text messages and organizing my contacts. The beauty of the occasion is not felt by all however, as it marks the inevitable shift toward adulthood and a lifestyle where fashion free-for-alls are frowned upon. But before you consider closing your bar tab to save for a new wardrobe, check out four great looks for new graduates that will impress your boss without distressing your bank account.

MARY ANNE CARTER -features staff writer -senior -communication major

PHOTOS BY LUKE MASON AND MARY ANNE CARTER / SPPS AND CT

Omar Ahmed

Sara Mitchell the plan

Peter Velz

Amanda Wehan

The classic English major, outgoing Editor-in-Chief Peter Velz is undecided of his career path but certain that an unpaid internship in England is far more valuable than any shot at the real world yet. Besides, he can always teach when he gets back. h

the plan

After spending a semester scouring job listings for that perfect gig, outgoing Director of Photography Sara Mitchell snagged a reporting job in California — but she has to accept the heat of the desert along with the job offer.

Omar’s degree in engineering has landed him a contract with VDOT, but it is his makeover that will land him contact with the ladies. As he enters a league of professionals known more for their stutter than their swagger, Omar seeks to retain some loyalty to his inner geek while being outwardly chic.

To help her brave the heat and still look neat, we prowled the thrift store for separates that could be layered for breezy desert nights and shed for 110 degree afternoons. By pairing a navy skirt, white tank and red cardigan, we developed a classic color palette and flattering silhouette with professional panache, without compromising comfort and breathability. To complete the look, a red belt, blue flats, button earrings and gold chain necklace add flair without bulk, while a classic bob haircut provides a professional change with far less weight and maintenance than her longer locks. Talk about hotter than the Fourth of July...

the plan A fearless marketing major with serious drive, Amanda has been interning with Target for over a year. This summer, she will be moving to Charlottesville and joining its team as the youngest manager in the company. The upside — a serious paycheck and secure job. The downside — dealing with those pesky older employees vying for her position, and legs.

tthe h style

the style

the plan

By mixing subtle patterns with a cohesive color scheme and welltailored garments, we sought to pay some homage to the classic nerd’s affinity for prints in a stylish and professional context. A checked button-down shirt and vintage tie provide just the right amount of sass without compromising class, while timeless khakis are a solid everyday choice and can easily be dressed up with a jacket or dressed down by skipping the tie.

tthe he styl style In keepi keeping with the red and khaki Target dress code, we set out to find a d new look that asserted a professional edge despite her age. Although the contrast of red on khaki is generally unflattering, we found a vintage blouse and high waisted skirt with complementary hues and structured, but comfortable, cuts. To combat the toll of being on her feet for most of the day, we paired her outfit with comfortable flats and an easy-to-maintain hairstyle before finishing it off with classic vintage jewelry. Can we get a manager to aisle 11 for a total babe alert?

the style In pursuit of the London prep style and his indubitable path toward becoming a professor or unemployed hipster, we dabbled with vintage staples that assert his cultured resume and underappreciated degree. We skipped the jacket and headed straight for the sweaters, settling on a cardigan with a burgundy hue deeper than even the works of Sylvia Plath. A softly checked shirt, wool slacks and a vintage tie complete the ensemble with the sex appeal of a candle lit poetry reading and only half of the pretentiousness.

the duds

Skirt: $3.50 Tank: $3.50 Cardigan: $3.50 Belt: $1 Necklace: $2 Earrings: $1 Shoes: $3.50

tthe duds Cardigan: $3.50 Shirt: $3.50 Pants: $3.50 Shoes: $3.50 Belt: $1 Tie: $1

Shirt: $3.50 Pants: $3.50 Tie: $1 Belt: $1 Shoes: $3

total cost

$12

total cost total cost

$18

$16

Blouse: $3.50 Skirt: $3.50 Belt: $1 Shoes: $1 Earrings: $1.50 Necklace: $1

total cost

$11.50

4 photo

COLLEGIATETIMES

Hokies ďŹ&#x201A;y like a G6 in Burruss

B Miguel and Far East Movement performed in Burruss Hall on Monday, May 2. Miguel is featured in photos B, D, E and F, and Far East Movement is featured in photos A, C, G and H.

AUSTEN MEREDITH / SPPS

F G

may 4, 2011

page 5

Pakistani aid package reconsidered over bin Laden dispute DAVID LIGHTMAN & WILLIAM DOUGLAS mcclatchy newspapers Congress is seriously weighing the amount of its aid package to Pakistan as lawmakers Tuesday demanded to know more about what Islamabad officials knew about Osama bin Laden’s secret compound. There was widespread bipartisan agreement that aid to Pakistan, which last fiscal year included $2.2 billion in military assistance, should be “re-evaluated,” as Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., put it. “It needs to be looked into,” added House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, D-Md. They and others stopped short of calling for an aid cutoff, which appeared unlikely. As Graham said, “It is better to engage with imperfect people.” Lawmakers were almost uniformly upset, skeptical — and puzzled — over what Pakistani officials knew about bin Laden’s compound, which was only about 35 miles from Islamabad as the crow flies, and about a 75-mile drive. Built in 2005, the outsize fortresslike structure sat less than a mile from Pakistan’s top military school in a neighborhood populated with retired army officers. If Pakistani officials knew bin Laden was there, they never told their U.S. allies, and

if they didn’t know, that raises questions about their competence. Despite such doubts, some lawmakers defended Pakistan. “The fact is that even while all of this has been going on, they’ve allowed us to pursue our drone program,” said Senate Foreign Relations Committee John Kerry, D-Mass., referring to the use of CIA drone aircraft to fire missiles at suspected terrorists in Pakistan, which is highly controversial there. “We’ve taken out 16 al-Qaida leaders because of that. The fact that we were able to keep this place under observation for two years or more happened with their cooperation. The ability to track the couriers happened with their cooperation,” Kerry said. Still, lawmakers want answers. That process will begin in earnest Wednesday, when the Senate Intelligence and Armed Services committees question CIA Director Leon Panetta and other top officials familiar with Sunday’s mission that resulted in the death of bin Laden. Among the questions Graham wants to ask Panetta is “Do you believe killing bin Laden is an excuse to withdraw from Afghanistan faster? Should we sever our ties with Pakistan because of, obviously, some double dealing?” But they know they have to proceed carefully.

“I think we have to know whether they knew,” said Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., referring to Pakistani officials. “If they didn’t know, why didn’t they know? Was this just benign indifference, or indifference with a motive?” However, evaluating Pakistan’s role vis-a-vis bin Laden, and the future of U.S.-Pakistani relations, is complicated, Feinstein and others agreed. “Pakistan, you can’t trust ‘em and you can’t abandon ‘em. That’s just where we’re at in Pakistan,” Graham said. “It’s not in our national security interests to let this one event destroy this difficult partnership but a partnership nonetheless. Pakistan is a state hanging by a thread, and I don’t want to cut the last thread.” The White House voiced similar views. Press secretary Jay Carney said the U.S.-Pakistan relationship was “complicated but important” and that “we look forward to cooperating into the future.” He said the U.S. did need to find out more about the support network that allowed bin Laden to hide there, but cautioned that “you have be careful about tarring everyone either in the country or the government.” Asked about Graham’s comments, Carney said he didn’t

MCT CAMPUS

Senior administration ofﬁcials listen as President Barack Obama delivers a statement in the East Room. think it was a matter of trust, but more a matter of shared interests. Still, pressure is growing in Congress to send a message of anger to Pakistan. Cutting off aid might be one of the

easiest ways to do that; lawmakers could shave just enough to send a message while not damaging the relationship. And they could argue that at a time when they’re desperately seeking ways to cut the federal budget, aid packages should be re-evaluated

anyway. “We’re re-evaluating every part of the budget,” said Senate Republican Conference Chairman Lamar Alexander of Tennessee. “That’s always a healthy thing to do.”

bin Laden’s death inspires scams WAILIN WONG mcclatchy newspapers Security experts are warning Web-surfing consumers about a rise in cybercrime and scams related to Osama bin Laden’s death. Major news events are often accompanied by an uptick in cybercrime, as perpetrators seek to take advantage of Web searches for content such as pictures and videos. “I suppose this was just inevitable,” Dave Marcus, director of security research for McAfee Labs, wrote in a blog post. “The reported death of Osama bin Laden is just too good a lure for

cybercriminals and scammers to pass up.” Marcus said e-mails are circulating with links purporting to lead to photos of bin Laden’s corpse. One message teases to a video showing bin Laden disproving his death by holding a newspaper with Monday’s date. Clicking on the links generally opens files that install malware on the user’s computer. In other cases, cybercriminals have poisoned Google Images results. Facebook is also a fertile breeding ground for these scams, with malicious links being circulated on posts and messages within the social networking site. Researchers at Kaspersky Labs

said they noticed scam ads on Facebook promising free merchandise in celebration of bin Laden’s death. Users that click on the ads will be redirected multiple times, with each layer asking for more detailed personal information, Kaspersky Labs said. Experts at Websense said cybercriminals compromised the website of Sohaib Athar, the Pakistani information technology consultant living in Abbottabad who provided a real-time account of the U.S. operation via his Twitter feed. In a blog post, Websense said a malicious code was embedded into the site that installs malware on a computer. The malware installs

fake software that looks like a security tool, and prompts users to enter their credit card information to purchase a premium version of this software. Security experts said consumers should be careful searching for information on the Web, visiting only websites of credible news sources, and be wary of links in e-mails. Making sure antivirus and firewall software is updated is also helpful, as these kinds of attacks are increasingly common. “We believe the hackers laid the criminal groundwork in advance, waiting for the right news trigger,” said Rony Moshkovich, malware researcher at PC Tools.

LOCALLY OWNED

ize Parteyssn’t do tter ma

ALWAYS DELICIOUS FFF5C5

Graduation Catering still available! STARTING AT $7.75 PER PERSON Includes sandwich, 2 sides, hushpuppies, sauce, plates and utensils. Check out our full menu at Make your reservation today www.mylobcabinbbq.com

540-951-3227

6 news

university editor: philipp kotlaba, liana bayne, gordon block newseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865

may 4, 2011

COLLEGIATETIMES

what you’re saying //comments from online readers...

Game: Creators call game popular

On students’ reaction to bin Laden’s death:

from page one

Anonymous>> I think it was tasteless when Middle-Easterners publicly celebrated 9/11 and I think it is tasteless now to publicly celebrate Osama’s death. Think about how you felt when you saw that footage on TV in 2001: you probably thought the celebrators were horrible people for feeling so good about a loss of innocent life. Osama’s death isn’t exactly the same (he certainly wasn’t innocent) but I think it’s just as horrible to make a celebration out of his death. Regardless of what he did or orchestrated, it is shameful to party over a loss of life (even if it is overall a good thing for you or your country).

Anonymous>> Tasteless? Tasteless is when you swear around small children or something. You think people celebrating in the streets over the death of thousands of innocent Americans is “tasteless”? Understatement of the century. How can you possibly put those people in the same category as those of us who choose to publicly celebrate the death of Osama? He was a mass murderer of thousands of innocent people around the world. We have every right and every reason to celebrate. In fact, we should all be elated. Obviously we all have the right to celebrate or not celebrate, but those of us who choose to should never be categorized with the same animals that celebrate the loss of thousands of innocent lives.

Abbott Laboratories this week reduced the price of its popular AIDS drug Kaletra for some customers. The move, disclosed Friday during the company’s annual shareholders meeting, comes amid reductions in government spending on programs for low-income Americans with HIV. Cash-strapped states such as Illinois have curtailed eligibility for people enrolled in AIDS drug assistance programs, which also receive federal funds. Meanwhile, there has been an influx of applicants for AIDS drug assistance programs as people have lost jobs and their ability to pay for HIV

prescriptions. Starting in July, the Illinois Health Department will restrict the state’s AIDS Drug Assistance Program to “new applicants with incomes at or below 300 percent of the federal poverty level,” or $32,670 for a single individual. Currently, the qualification for the program is 500 percent of the federal poverty level, or $54,450 for a single person. North Chicago-based Abbott on Friday said it reduced the price most AIDS drug assistance programs will pay for Kaletra by 8 percent, to $5,037 per year. Kaletra is a protease inhibitor, a key ingredient in the so-called cocktails of

medicines HIV patients take to keep the virus in check. More than 7,700 patients across the country are on waiting lists for drug assistance programs, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation said, citing state and federal records. Miles White, Abbott chairman and chief executive, said the company has not raised the price of Kaletra since 2007, while some companies have increased prices on their AIDS drugs by 5 percent to 6 percent annually.

1 3 2 1 6 5 4 0 6 5 6 4 6 5 5 1 4

–bruce japsen, mcclatchy newspapers

V I O L A T I O N - A F F I D A V I T

date reported

time

offense

location

status

4/29/2011

7:00 a.m.

Follow up to Harassment

Whittemore Hall

Inactive

5/02/2011

11:49 a.m.

Larceny of a golf cart (recovered)

Hahn Hurst Basketball Facility

Inactive

arrestees

13216540656465514

CORRECTION

crime blotter

F. Kennedy. “Games like ‘Grand Theft Auto’ are fictional games with fictional characters,” Thornton said. “This is a real situation ... this is a real occurrence.” Gene Deisinger, deputy chief of the Tech Police Department, said violent games could “offer a safe rehearsal opportunity” to a small subset of users interested in attempting a school shooting. Desinger said there was “so much more to the experience of being here at Virginia Tech than the shooting.” “It’s one part of who we are as a community,” Deisinger said. “To see that constantly represented, as if that’s all of who we are, is disconcerting.”

Abbot Laboratories lowers price of AIDS drugs

I think it’s tasteless to celebrate someone’s death by partying in the streets, regardless of who it was or what they meant to our country. On some level I had some general positive reaction to the news because it is such a big deal for America. However, I was ashamed to hear about the goings-on like couch burning and firework shootings-off on Sunday night because they make Osama’s death feel like a celebration instead of a necessary if unsavory action of our military. Yesterday I was sitting on the drillfield and heard those guys driving around blasting Toby Keith and waving American flags out their windows (if you were on campus, you know who I’m talking about) and I felt ashamed to be associated with them.

JUSTIN GRAVES -public editor -junior -sociology major

June on a California law restricting the sale of violent video games to minors. Thornton said the group wasn’t about censorship. “What got me was a lack of sensitivity to the family of those affected by this tragedy,” Thornton said. He stressed the difference between the school shooter game and other violent video games. The game has drawn some comparisons to a level in “Modern Warfare 2,” where gamers playing as terrorists shoot civilians in an airport, along with “JFK: Reloaded,” which gave players the opportunity to reenact the assassination of President John

nation

Anonymous>>

In “Men of power: Plant workers reflect on value of education,” (CT - May 5), the by-product of producing up to 440,000 pounds of steam per hour at 825 degrees Fahrenheit is electricity. The Collegiate Times regrets this error.

A game developer, referring to itself as Pawnstick, said the game would not be taken down with complaints from the family members of school shooting victims, in an interview on EscapistMagazine.com. “That would be like pulling ‘Call of Duty’ off shelves because the families of soldiers might complain that their loved ones died in battle, ‘just like in the game,’” the developer said. Wat Hopkins, a communication law professor, said while video games have been given some First Amendment protection, there is limited high court legal precedent. He said the Supreme Court will rule by

8 sports

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

may 4, 2011

Men’s tennis returns to NCAA Tournament as a seven seed The men’s tennis team was anything but disappointed on Tuesday, as they were awarded a spot in the national tournament as a seven seed. “We’ve been here and done this before,” said Jim Thompson, head coach. “And we’re excited about being in the tournament — excited about the opportunity.” The team will face Vanderbilt in the first round of the tournament, a rematch of last year’s NCAA first-round match. “I think it’s going to be a tough match for sure,” said Luka Somen, a junior. “We felt that last year, even though we beat them fairly easily, it was a hard match.” Coaches agree that despite its past suc-

cess, the upcoming match will still be a challenge for the team. “We played Vanderbilt last year in the first round, so we have a lot of respect for their coach. He does a great job, and he’s a super person,” Thompson said. “They have a good team, and they’ve gotten better, so hopefully we’ve gotten better too, and it should be a good first round match.” The team heads into the national competition on the heels of the ACC Championships, where the Hokies beat North Carolina State before falling in the second round to Duke. “It was great to come back and beat a good N.C. State team that had beaten us. That’s important,” Thompson said. “We’ve been working really hard, and I think the guys have all committed to doing the best they can do before we go

For Rent

Sub-Lease

ALEX KOMA sports staff writer

LUXURY TOWNHOME FOR RENT - Heights Lane $1600/month available August, clean, spacious, modern living. Call Vince at 703.304.6060 WINDSOR HILLS APARTMENTS 1200 square ft. 2 bedrooms 1 bath with a den. First floor. $856/ month. Ready for immediate move in. Contact Jeremy for more details. 757-270-6244 or mejeremy@ vt.edu 757.270.6244

Help Wanted *****BARTENDING***** MAKE UP TO $300/ DAY. No Experience Necessary. Training Available. 1-800-965-6520 EXT210 HELP WANTED Experienced Servers, Bussers, Dishwashers, and Line Cooks. Apply after 4:00pm. Call 540-382-4253 540.382.4253 LOVE WORKING WITH CHILDREN? Looking for energetic and highly motivated employees to teach preschool through advanced classes, parties, and camps in Christiansburg. Call VA Techniques Gymnastics 540-381-5151 or email cheryl@vatechniques.com. NOW HIRING Now Hiring for Saturdays during the Summer. Apply in person to Party Central, 1701 S. Main St. between 10-3 540.953.1170

SUMMER SUB-LEASE Apartment available from May 16th until August 1st at Tech Village Center (TVC). Located above Gumby’s, 210 Prices Fork Rd. Please call if interested. 540-845-2619 SUMMER SUBLEASE 1 bedroom for sublease in a 4 bedroom apartment in The Village Phase 2 available May to AugustContact Alysha 7578224803 for more details 757.822.4803

to play in the NCAA Tournament.” Although they only made into the second round, team members said their performance in the tournament was significant. “I feel great about (the ACC Championships),” said Pedro Graber, a redshirt senior. “It got us into the NCAAs for sure and it was a good win to beat a team that had beat us before, but we always expect to do better.” Players such as Somen will help the team meet their expectations. The junior from Croatia was recently named to the All-ACC team for the second consecutive year. “I think it’s a great accomplishment,” Thompson said. “He’s been a big part of the leadership of this team…and I think it’s great that the ACC coaches recognize his skills and that he’s been one of the

best players in our league. (The honor) reflects well on our program, and I’m very proud of him.” The team is looking to advance beyond the second round after falling to Louisville last year, but the players are going to be careful not to look beyond their first match. “I think we have a great matchup against Vanderbilt and a great chance to beat them, and after that we’ll see,” Graber said. Nevertheless, the players are still confident about their chances. “I think we’re close, we’re getting better, and I’m looking forward to the NCAA Tournament,” Somen said. “I think we can do some damage there and beat some good teams, KEVIN DICKEL / SPPS so I’m looking forward to it for Tech will travel to Knoxville, Tenn. to face a No. 32 Vanderbilt Friday. sure.”

Need Summer Storage? it's summer. it's beautiful. it's blacksburg.

go camping.

Notices MOVING OUT??

UsedCardboardBoxes.com has earth-friendly moving kits for only $38. Free shipping! Use Box Bucks code VATEC to save $1

5x5 only $20-$31/month 5x10 only $36/month 8x8 only $40/month

South Main Living 2 BR 1. 5 Bath 1917 Sussex Street available in July. Pet friendly, water, sewer, and trash removal included. 12-Month Lease $800 rent & $400 deposit (540)520-9488

Events SKYDIVE! One-day first jumps from 13,500’ from 22-jumper twin engine airplane. Gift Certificates! www.skydiveorange.com 540.943.6587

By Harvey Estes

ACROS S 1 Lee followers 5 Works in the Uffizi Gallery 9 Gets ready 14 “__ Rhythm ” 15 Role for Carrie 16 Singer Gorme 17 Money for the Warsaw government? 19 Letter alternative 20 They may be precious 21 Divulge 23 Hydrocarbon suffix 24 Fluorescent bulb filler

25 Foot-tapping songs? 27 “1984” protagonist __ Smith 29 Cut it out 30 Place to be pampered 31 French mystic Simone 34 Maundy Thursday period 35 Songwriting, to Porter? 38 G-note 40 Increase in intensity , with “up” 41 Previousl y 44 W eather map features

Now Reserving for the Summer!

Prices Fork Self Storage

951 - 4208

Buy and sell your camping equipment

pricesforkstorage@yahoo.com

in the Collegiate Times Classifieds today!

WORDFIND • Theme: NBA Teams

www.collegiatetimes.com

Locate the list of words in the word bank in the letter grid.

5/4/11 46 Ardor 49 Actor ’s messages from an agent? 52 __ asada (Mexican meat dish) 53 TV’s Alf and others 54 Skin-soothing stuff 55 Bouquet s 56 Rob of “90210” 58 Grain for bagels? 60 Sport with clay pigeons 61 Auth. of many quotes? 62 Old Boston Brui n nickname 63 Newbies

M M

DOW N 1 With-the-grain cutters 2 Vacation for the vain? 3 Smoked deli meat 4 Dictators’ aides 5 Wistful wor d 6 “Wonder Dog” of comics 7 Relate with 8 Drawing support 9 Willy-nilly 10 3-Down might be on it 11 Enters carefully 12 Rachmaninoff, e.g. 13 Prime 18 Certain caterpillar’s creation 22 Was in front 25 Look from Snidel y Whiplash 26 Broken in 28 Rice University mascot

32 “__ picture paints ...”: song lyric 33 Walks with a cane, perhaps 35 Road marker 36 Shunned ones 37 Clean air org. 38 October Revolution leader 39 It can facilitate drawing 41 With the most open windows 42 Flipped 43 Convenient, shoppingwise 44 Least constrained 45 Erie Canal mule 47 Flat-bottomed boat 48 Ornamental bands 50 Lindsay of “Labor Pains” 51 Sierra __ 55 Cooped (up) 57 Fair-hiring abbr. 59 Bagel topping

Tuesday’s Puzzle Solved

64 Following 65 Remarriage prefix

4/3/11

WORD BANK Timberwolves Nets Hornets Bucks Knicks Magic 76ers Suns Trailblazers Kings Spurs Supersonics Raptors Jazz Wizzards

opınıons 7

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

may 4, 2011

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

Your Views [letter to the editor]

Emissions tax not productive am writing in response to the April 29 Collegiate ITimes article “New Economic Policies Could Help Rising Gas Prices.” While I agree with the article’s main point that the demand for oil should be offset by an interest in developing alternative sources of energy, I disagree with the main claims supporting the argument. The article cited the huge gap in gas prices between Europe, at $8 a gallon, and the United States, at only $3 a gallon. Price comparisons are not all created equal. Comparing gas prices across nations can be tricky, considering the AIRINC numbers don’t take into account different salaries in different countries or the different exchange rates. The dollar has lost considerable ground to the euro recently. Since oil is priced in dollars, rising oil prices aren’t as hard on people paying with currencies that are stronger than the dollar, as they can essentially buy more oil with their money as the dollar falls in value. There are also the varying distances people drive, public options available and different services people get in exchange for higher gas prices. For example, Europe’s stronger social safety net, including cheaper health care and higher education, is paid partly by gas taxes. In addition, a recently published Reuters story reports

there is “a huge disconnect between actual rise in demand and prices.” The article continues to say, according to the American Petroleum Institute, gasoline demand rose 6.1 percent in March, while the pump price rose 22 percent during that period. Most people believe the price of oil is the primary determinate of the price of gasoline, but the forces that influence gas prices are a bit more complicated than the numbers suggest. Considering the solution of an emission tax, the article failed to mention three such laws have been passed in Colorado, Maryland and California, dating as far back as 2006. One drawback to an emission tax is the government must correctly calculate the tax level to maximize economic efficiency. This requires a thorough analysis of all the negative social externality costs caused by each unit of pollution — assuming the levels of pollution can be calculated. Moreover, according to an Energy Information Administration source, the U.S. imports two thirds of the oil used, meaning those proposed higher prices would be paid to foreign countries. This hurts the nation’s trade deficit and affects its bounds of trade. So who are we really helping by letting the prices rise?

-Taylor Merriam -freshman -communicaton major

Weak dollar causes elevated gas prices as prices are climbing and G most Americans are feeling the pain at the pump, but in reality oil should not cost this much money. Recently, oil has been violating the law of supply and demand. Gas prices are high because of derivative trading and the value of a weak dollar. The Federal Reserve has worked to devalue the dollar because a weak dollar pushes the price of United States exports down, so it can sell goods to foreign markets at cheaper prices. One drawback to having a weak dollar is it makes importing goods into the U.S. more expensive. The oil the U.S. consumes comes from foreign companies such as the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and foreign countries such as Canada — this causes oil to be imported at higher prices. Speculation and derivative trading are also causing gas prices to be unnecessarily high. Derivatives in the market allow for investors to speculate (bet) or hedge (insurance) on certain stocks or commodities. Investors are betting that oil demand will increase because of the turmoil in the Middle East — especially with the war in Libya, which is the ninth largest world oil supplier — although actual demand has remained relatively stable. Although some people suggest a new tax on emissions, that would be unrealistic, especially with the American economy still struggling. People have to get to work, and unfortunately more

“

Although some people suggest a new tax on emissions, that would be unrealistic, especially with the American economy still struggling.

often than not in this country — even in the cities — public transportation is poor. It is faster and easier to drive to work than it is to take a bus, not to mention Americans work longer hours than any of its European counterparts. After a 10-12 hour day, I think most people want to go straight home and see their families. I would not want to spend an hour riding the bus because the U.S. needs to invest in green energy. In summer 2008, when gas prices shot up, most Americans bit the bullet and paid up — they did not drastically alter their driving patterns or fuel consumption. A new tax would only take money from the people suffering the most. An emissions tax seems like a good idea to turn the U.S. toward green energy use because filling up on gas would not hurt ordinary Americans’ budgets.

JEFF HOMAN -regular columnist -sophomore -history major

we’re YOUR newspaper. send a letter to the editor and express your views. send an e-mail to opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com with your letter or guest column attached.

Students have meaningful impact on Tech community May begins and students start taking exams, the As Virginia Tech community needs to look back at the remarkable April experienced on campus. It was a month filled with a wealth of different activities, ranging from the International Street Fair, The Big Event, Relay for Life, as well as the April 16 remembrance efforts. While these may have been the most visible, there were certainly other efforts such as different cultural shows and the Earth Day celebration. If there was a common connection between all of these events, it was the role Tech students played in these efforts as they took on leadership roles. While administrators, faculty and staff helped behind the scenes as advisers and partners, students helped make these efforts possible. What would have happened without the roles of the students? I think people who are not students forget the potential and impact students have on Tech. The old saying is true — without students, the university could not exist. While high profile events such as The Big Event and Relay for Life garnered a lot of attention and visibility for the school, while other efforts and activities took place. For example, the G.A.N.A.S. project by the Tech Chapter of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers took place during the same weekend as Relay for Life. I highlight G.A.N.A.S. because it is a student-driven initiative to make a difference for students and have an impact on Tech. G.A.N.A.S. is the Spanish word for “desire,” and the effort is focused on helping Hispanic high school students think about opportunities in the science, technology and math fields and consider applying for college. What made this G.A.N.A.S. effort different was its target area — Hispanic students from Montgomery County and Roanoke. Often times, when the university talks about recruiting under-

represented students, it tends to focus its efforts in northern Virginia and the Eastern Shore, while tending to ignore surrounding communities. While I understand the arguments for searching in these areas — because of the greater percentage of under-represented communities — there is no excuse for neglecting closer areas. The engineering students behind G.A.N.A.S. did the impossible in bringing together 27 students from local areas, from Blacksburg, William Byrd, Salem and Patrick Henry high schools, just to name a few. The students certainly faced challenges, as they dealt with a lack of cooperation from university offices and even the schools themselves. They also had logistical difficulties and a hard time finding enough hosts. Even in the face of these challenges, they came together to make it happen. The program lived up to its promise as these 27 students had the opportunity to interact with the University Provost, a faculty and staff, as well as students. If anything, they had the opportunity to experience time on campus, as they interacted with students and learned about engineering, other majors and college life. I realize some people will argue such efforts already take place with pre-college programs and fall visitation events, but I argue that the G.A.N.A.S. effort is different because of the leadership roles students play in the process. While several faculty and staff members helped behind the scenes, it was students that made it happen. Their leadership was just as significant as it was for the Big Event, for example. Imagine if Tech had more G.A.N.A.S.-type efforts taking place, and if it started to make better INROADS, organizations to develop talented minority youth, with precollege students in the surrounding area? In some respects, Tech has had success in the surrounding area with programs such as Upward Bound and Talent Search. I sus-

pect most people are unaware of the impact these programs have in making the college education dream a reality for low-income and first generation students within communities. If I have learned anything from the events of April 2011, as well G.A.N.A.S., it is the role and impact of students can play within the university and local community should not be underestimated. Sometimes student’s ideas or concepts are silenced by communities. If anything, people need to be open to listening to those ideas and help those concepts cultivate. While some may not be successful, it is part of the learning and development process. I argue it is no different for faculty members as they engage in their research projects and teaching, or staff members as they seek opportunities for leadership development. Often times, staff members are given the chance to seek opportunities to enhance themselves as faculty colleagues. While the roles may be different, there is no reason why staff members should not have the same opportunities. This presumes staff members don’t have the educational training and credentials as faculty members, but this is incorrect. It is fitting that April is slowly starting to be known across the university as Ut Prosim month. The spirit of “That I May Serve” was evident in the excellent examples of the power of student leadership roles and voices. As the community moves forward, it needs to ensure these student voices are not silenced, but are expanded throughout the entire academic year. It would have been a less impactful and meaningful April without the activities and efforts of Tech students.

RAY PLAZA -regular columnist -graduate student -curriculum and instruction major

GOP desperately seeking viable candidate for the 2012 primary op quiz: Who is Fred Karger? I doubt you’d know. Sounds like P a guy who’d sell you Sheetrock or life insurance. And yet, the folks who run the South Carolina Republican Party are very interested in Fred Karger — so interested, in fact, that they want him on stage next Thursday as a presidential candidate in the first Republican debate of the 2012 campaign, slated for airing on Fox News. They’ve invited him to Greenville even though his poll standing is so abysmally low that when pollsters query voters about the Republican aspirants, they don’t even float his name. And why should they? The guy is openly gay, which means that his prospects for winning the Republican nomination are roughly on a par with mine. But Fred Karger is crucial to our discussion today, if only as a metaphor. The GOP’s wooing of Karger is a sign of desperation, vivid proof that it’s still struggling to assemble a substantive roster of candidates in the most ill-defined Republican race since dark horse Wendell Willkie filled the party vacuum in 1940. Right now, here’s the Republican debate lineup: Rick Santorum (whose national ranking is slightly higher than Karger’s), Ron Paul (who assails Social Security as unconstitutional, a surefire electoral winner), Tim Pawlenty (who has replaced Ambien as a sleep aid), and somebody named Buddy Roemer (who served in Congress back in Madonna’s heyday). Good grief. If I want to watch minorleague ball, I’d drive to Wilmington,

Del. Four years ago, at this point in the calendar, Republicans were staging their early ‘08 debates with 10 people — including all their heavy hitters. But this time, Mitt Romney is skipping the Fox event, Newt Gingrich isn’t ready to take the ‘12 plunge, Jon Huntsman doesn’t know yet, Michele Bachmann won’t say, Mike Huckabee isn’t sure, Mitch Daniels is wavering, Haley Barbour just said no, John Thune and Chris Christie and Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio have all punted, Donald Trump won’t decide for a while whether to double-down on his freak show ... this is not how the Republicans typically do their business. Their nomination process is orderly; they generally gravitate to a front-runner, someone who tried and failed before (Ronald Reagan in 1980, George Bush senior in 1988, Bob Dole in 1996, John McCain in 2008), or someone with stellar insider connections (George W. Bush in 2000). Not this time. Romney is usually on top, drawing roughly 20 percent of the likely Republican primary voters — the worst posting for a Republican front-runner since Gallup began tracking the party contest in 1952. The void is so huge that even Rudy “9/11” Giuliani said Tuesday that he’s keeping “the door open” for a presidential bid. Yeah, he’s exactly what the restive Republicans are looking for. The first time he ran, in 2008, he spent $60 million and won exactly one delegate, which strikes me as the polar opposite of fiscal conservatism. So why the void? For starters, it’s no easy task to confront an incumbent who

figures to raise and spend $1 billion. Second, many of the likely ‘12 aspirants are having trouble raising sufficient early money, because donors are holding back. And they’re reluctant for the same reason that the Republican base is ill-disposed: The ‘12 hopefuls have more baggage than an airport carousel at Christmas. Romney is a human weathervane who’s still trying to deny his moderate gubernatorial record in order to pander rightward. Pawlenty is going the same route, having renounced his belief in man-made global warming. Huckabee ticks off the party’s antitax zealots because as a governor he raised taxes. Huntsman, who will soon step down as U.S. ambassador to China, is tainted because he (gasp) worked for Barack Obama. Gingrich and Bachmann are fun on the stump, but the only way either of them will get to the White House is with a visitor’s pass. And Trump? He seems like a passing spring squall. Conservatives who love his birther bilge will sour on him once they learn about his liberal past, notably this line from one of his books: “We must have universal health care.” So bring on Fred Karger! The party clearly needs another warm body on that stage next Thursday. Perhaps Santorum might warn the gay guy about the slippery-slope perils of “man on dog” sex. That alone might draw a few viewers away from “30 Rock.”

DICK POLMAN -mcclatchy newspapers

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, Mia Perry Features Staff Writers: Andrew Reilly, Nick Smirniotopoulos 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: Alyssa Bedrosian, Alex Koma, Ashleigh Lanza, Zach Mariner Special Sections Editor: Bethany Buchanan Public Information Director: Dishu Maheshwari Training Director: Kelsey Heiter Copy Editors: Taylor Chakurda, Thandiwe Ogbonna, Spenser Snarr, Brittany Kelly, Debra Houchins Layout Designers: Danielle Buynak, Victoria Zigadlo, Wei Hann, Maya Shah Online Director: Jamie Chung Collegiate Times Business Staff Business Manager: David Harries Distribution Assistant: Ryan Francis 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, Connor Geiran, Mario Gazzola Inside Sales Manager: Wade Stephenson Assistant Inside Sales Manager: Diane Revalski Assistant Account Executives: Maddie Abram, Katie Berkel, Kaelynn Kurtz, Erin Shuba Creative Director: Chloé Skibba Asst Production Manager: Casey Stoneman Creative Services Staff: Tim Austin, 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 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.

may 4, 2011

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

food & drink

COLLEGIATETIMES

Au gratin tomato taco bake MIA PERRY features reporter

MIA PERRY / COLLEGIATE TIMES

This classic Mexicaninspired dish with a twist is perfect for any Cinco De Mayo celebration. Ingredients: 1 lb ground beef 1 package au gratin potatoes 1 can whole kernel corn, undrained 1 can stewed tomatoes, undrained 3/4 cup milk 1/2 cup water 2 tbsp taco seasoning 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 350

Dining Services provides students with alternative to spend meal plan money NICK SMIRNIOTOPOULOS features reporter With the final days of the semester winding down, students have a lot of things to take care of, including spending the rest of the money on their meal plans. Flex dollars unused in the spring semester do not roll over to the next. This poses a problem for students who have a lot of money left over, since it will all go to waste at the end of the semester. Dining Services is faced with leftover

goods, which students can acquire using leftover money. West End Market and Owens Food Court will offer students bulk products based on leftover inventory, according to Ted Faulkner, senior associate director of Dining Services. The dining halls will sell products such as cases of Hokie Water and Coke, as well as frozen meats. But the products for sale will depend on leftover inventory. If students are interested in purchasing bulk items, they should go to West End or Owens and speak with a manager to see what goods are available.

Other bulk products offered throughout the semester include Chick-fil-A party trays and assorted candy from Hokie Grill and Owens. April Danner, D2 operations manager, has seen students take the initiative to use their remaining money. For example, many students pay for friends’ meals on their Hokie passport. Danner has also seen students pay for two meals — one for themselves and one for an unknown customer in line who doesn’t have sufficient funds on their meal plan.

#1 Again! Voted Best Apartment Community By Readers of the Collegiate Times!

Yes, you can live in a 3 bedroom Foxridge apartment home for only $314 a month* (per person). You also get 2 huge pools and a giant FREE fitness center. Park right outside your door with plenty of open parking for friends. No worries with 24 hour emergency maintenance. Ports throughout for Comcast high speed internet-discount pricing for Foxridge residents. The biggest value in Collegiate Living is Foxridge. Welcome Center open 7 days a week.

degrees Farenheit 2. In a large skillet, cook the beef over medium heat until thoroughly browned, then drain 3. Stir in the uncooked potatoes from the au gratin package, along with the powdered sauce mix. Also, add the corn, tomatoes, milk, water and taco seasoning, combining the items together 4. Transfer the contents of the skillet into a greased baking dish and cover it with foil 5. Bake dish for 65 to 70 minutes, then add the cheese on top, in an even layer. Stick the dish back in the oven until cheese is melted, then enjoy