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Missing Blacksburg teen returns home safely CLAIRE SANDERSON news editor Blacksburg High School senior Grace Cranwell returned home this weekend after being declared missing since Friday. The 17-year-old updated her own status on Facebook at 6:27 p.m. on Monday — the first time she notified the public of anything since Friday. Her post read: “im home safely everyone :) i missed you all so much! i didnt run away but no further information will be given now.. but im safe and thats all that mat-

ters :) thank you everyone for caring” Grace’s mother, Lindy Cranwell, the graduate and international programs coordinator for the civil and environmental engineering department, posted on her daughter’s wall that she had come home at 1:01 p.m. Monday. “Yes, Grace is home,” she wrote. “She is tired, hungry, and crying but ok and home! Praise God.” Police reports indicated that Grace returned home on her own accord. Questions remain unanswered as to Grace’s whereabouts and activities this weekend.

Grace Cranwell

im home safely everyone :) i missed you all so much! i didn’t runaway but no further information will be given now.. but im safe and thats all that matters :) thank you everyone for caring Yesterday at 6:27 p.m.

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Reusable to-go Finding religion in college boxes still in beta ELIZABETH HAYDU news staff writer

JOSH HIGGINS news reporter Virginia Tech Dining Services will continue providing reusable eco-friendly to-go food containers in Owens Dining Center this year, in an effort to reduce waste from Styrofoam containers. Dining services began offering the containers during the 2010-11 academic year after the Green To-Go Pilot program was launched in April during Earth Week 2011. The Green To-Go program — launched in response to student interest in eco-friendly alternatives to Styrofoam trays — explored potential initiatives to reduce the environmental impact from campus dining facilities. “Students have been asking for an alternative to throwaway to-go containers for some time,” said Elena DulysNusbaum, the dining services sustainability coordinator. “For a few years, dining services has been exploring different avenues to reduce the amount of waste created by the containers.”

“

It’s been a unique challenge. No two dining centers have the same layout, the same special resources or the same number of seats. Elena Dulys-Newcomb DINING SERVICES SUSTAINABILITY CORRDINATOR

But the diversity of dining centers on campus has made it difficult to implement the program everywhere. “It’s been a unique challenge,” Dulys-Nusbaum said. “No two dining centers have the same layout, the same special resources or the same number of seats.” Dining services considered different approaches for a product that would work in all dining centers, finally deciding on the food-safe reusable containers being sold through the Green To-Go program. “What we’ve been trying to figure out is how to ‘do it right,’ as opposed to just to ‘looking good’ with an approach, while still making it work at as many venues as possible,” Dulys-Nusbaum said.

The containers will remain the same as last year during this year’s phase of the Green To-Go program, but dining sustainability interns will be conducting a focus group to gauge what students would most likely use. Dulys-Nusbaum said the focus group should reveal flaws in the container’s design and help dining services decide how they will continue with a green to-go container program. Students have spoken out about the impact of the disposable to-go containers and their thoughts on the Green To-Go initiative. “I think it’s a good idea because of the amount of Styrofoam that we use and the fact that we can’t recycle it anywhere relatively close,” said Kelly Aeschlimann, a sophomore political science major. “It’s really not good for the environment.” Sophomore communication major Maggie McVicar questioned the practicality of reusable containers. “I think it’s a really good idea because the Styrofoam containers are really bad for the environment,” McVicar said. “But at the same time, it’s a little impractical because if you live off campus, and you’re trying to study, you don’t really want to carry around a reusable box around all day.” Dulys-Nusbaum said there are students who will want to use the program. “The containers are a nice tool for students that do not want to create excess waste, yet need to take a meal outside of the dining centers on occasion,” Dulys-Nusbaum said. She said she hopes the program will gain momentum. “In order to conserve resources and become more sustainable as a society, we need to find ways to create less waste and send less waste to the landfill,” Dulys-Nusbaum said. “We’re not there yet with to-go waste, but we are taking steps to get there.” McVicar also expressed confidence in Tech’s program. “I think we are definitely moving forward and making a lot of progress,” McVicar said. “There’s still a lot of room for improvement, but we’re moving in the right direction.”

As incoming freshmen begin trying to find their niche on campus, they will find more than 50 registered religious groups offering spiritual comfort and a sense of community. Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist and other religious groups are represented on campus, though the majority of Virginia Tech students are Christian. Approximately 30 of the registered religious groups on campus are Christian. “We live in a compartmentalized world, so people see organized religion as structure, and individuality as freedom for the heart to believe,” said Father John Grace of the Catholic Campus Ministries. “But when they come together is when you have the good stuff.” He said he believes that for many students, there is a lack of connection between individual spirituality and organized activities. “The gap between organized religion and spirituality is another problem,” Grace said. “Spirituality tends to be very personal and individualistic. But religion means bind together.” As freshmen come in, they are faced with the decision of whether or not to join these groups, and the struggle to define their religious identity. At the same time, many returning upperclassmen are deciding how they want to continue their religious paths. “I have never found that the religious identity question is not connected to other questions of personal identity,” Grace said. “I find that a lot of times students later on in college say they want to belong (to religious groups) because of the values they hold and this is really what they believe in. Freshmen will be coming DANIEL LIN / SPPS in trying to find how they fit in in this new world of free- Students and community members exit War Memorial Chapel after the 10 a.m. Sunday service. dom, but the upperclassmen have resolved those issues of “I feel like students lose reli- the Largo Community Church munities at home because that society.” gion because their parents are in Mitchellville, Md. However, is what they have grown up However, with so many indi- no longer pressuring them to Briggs does not attend any ser- with.” Briggs said. “As a result, I vidual preferences toward reli- participate,” said Chris Briggs, vices on campus. think people are more religious gion, it is hard to tell whether a senior sociology major. “They He said a person’s individual in terms of going to services more students at Tech are join- commit acts most religions for- religious views can be changed when they are at home instead ing these groups to further bid such as heavy drinking, lots or lost in the process of trying of while they are at school. It their religious experiences or of sex, drugs, etc.” to find themselves. is also a time issue having to whether they are losing religion Briggs is a non-denomina“I think that people feel balance school, extra activities, as the years go on. tional Christian who attends more attached to their com- and work.”

Tech buildings gain physical addresses CT NEWS STAFF Finally, you can give the pizza delivery guy a real street address when you order food from on campus. The identifying system used only building names and mail code numbers, while the new system gives all buildings assigned street names and numbers. The new system will make it easier for 911 to respond to calls, aid in visi-

tor navigation, and help with campus deliveries from external vendors. “Anywhere else you go you have a street address, and it just made sense at this point in time to implement physical street addresses on campus,” said Hilary West, communications coordinator for transportation and campus services. This plan took effect on Aug. 1, and all departments are asked to have completely converted to the new system by June 2012.

“There has been a committee who has been heavily involved with the police department and various other stakeholders to assign each building on campus with a street number,” West said. “Of course some buildings are landlocked on campus and not physically facing a street, and those were worked with in order to be assigned a street as well.” A complete list of the new, official addresses can be found on the Mail Services website, MailServices.

BT stops printing paper schedules MICHELLE SUTHERLAND full service hours, which are from 7 news editor Blacksburg Transit will no longer offer paper schedules and route maps. Because of constant town construction, detours and route changes, bus users are encouraged to check online for the most up-todate riding information. Riders can expect to see buses at stops every 15-20 minutes during

a.m. to 6:45 p.m. weekdays, according to the BT website. During reduced services, buses run every 30 minutes to an hour, and some routes merge. Check the company’s website for more information. BT has also updated some routes. Hethwood now has two routes during regular service hours. Hethwood A takes riders from Stroubles Circle to Burruss Hall, and Hethwood B takes riders from

Tall Oaks/Foxhunt to Torgersen Hall. The routes will be combined at 6:45 p.m. for reduced service hours. Main Street buses enter and exit using Alumni Mall instead of Stanger. The Two Town Trolley now stops at the Kmart and Arbor Drive in Christiansburg. The Christiansburg Explorer has a new stop at the Falling Branch Park and Ride.

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news editors: claire sanderson, michelle sutherland newseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865

august 23, 2011

COLLEGIATETIMES

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Hurricane Irene takes aim at Bahamas

Mike >>

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Hurricane Irene continued on a path that would take it east of Florida, heading toward the Bahamas where it is forecast to arrive as a major hurricane. At 5 p.m. EDT Monday the storm was about 65 miles north of Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic, with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph. The Bahamas issued a hurricane warning for the central Bahamas and a hurricane watch for the northwestern Bahamas. The projected path remains to the east of Florida, keeping the core over the Bahamas and more than 150 miles off South Florida's coast and

Ummmmm more details and another photo could be helpful. What was she wearing when she was last seen? Height, weight and build? Is she a preppy-type student with good grades who is unlikely to disappear? Or does she party and run with the wrong crowd?Considering how serious this is, you would think that the family and police would give these kinds of details.

Anonymous >> Second, who cares what “type of student” she is? Are you classifying all teenagers who party to be the “wrong crowd”? Show some respect and let the police and her family do their job.

crime blotter

more than 100 miles off the Central Florida coast. That still could be close enough to bring some wind and rain to Florida during the day on Thursday and into Friday morning, the National Weather Service said. "Despite the eastward shifting, the system has the potential be so strong and large that we could still see tropical storm conditions, along with squally weather," said meteorologist Pablo Santos. "All it would take would be minor jog the west, and that could bring tropical storm winds right over us." The reason the hurricane is expected to bulk up: It is predicted to remain

north of Hispaniola over open warm water, said senior hurricane special Lixion Avila of the National Hurricane Center. That island otherwise could have weakened or even disrupted it. At 5 p.m. on Monday, Irene was in the Atlantic about 215 miles southeast of Grand Turk Island, moving northwest at 13 mph with sustained winds of 80 mph. Irene intensified into the first hurricane of the season at 5 a.m. on Monday while it was over Puerto Rico. According to initial reports, the storm knocked down lines and trees and left about 800,000 people without power.

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

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

date reported

time

offense

location

status

arrestees

8/20/2011

1:11 a.m.

West Campus Drive

Arrest

Joesph Thomas Kriz, 19

8/20/2011

1:11 a.m.

Driving after Illegally consuming Alcohol Underage Possession of alcohol

West Campus Drive

Inactive

8/20/2011

2:25 a.m.

Alumni Mall

Arrested

8/20/2011

2:40 a.m

Appear Intoxicated in Public / Underage Possession of Alcohol Underage Possession of Alcohol x 4

Pritchard Hall

Inactive

8/20/2011

10:41 a.m.-1:24 p.m.

Harassment

Hillcrest Hall

Active

8/21/2011

12:45 a.m.

8/21/2011

1:10 a.m.

Underage Possession of Alcohol

Pritchard Hall

Inactive

8/21/2011

1:49 a.m

Perry Street

Arrested

8/21/2011

2:15 a.m.

Driving after Illegally consuming Alcohol Underage possession of Alcohol x 4

Perry Street

Inactive

8/21/2011

2:17 a.m.

Turner Street

Arrested

8/21/2011

3:43 a.m.

Fake ID/ Underage Possession of Alcohol / Appear Intoxicated in Public Underage Possession of Alcohol x 3

O’Shaughnessy

Inactive

8/21/2011

9:00 a.m.

Burglary

Cochrane Hall

Arrested

Underage Possession of Alcohol x 2 Pritchard Service Dr

William Grant Nylander

13216540656465514

On the story about the search for Grace Cranwell:

Jack R O’Donnell, 18, Chris J Kang, 18

Arrested

Michael Stuart Lee Jr, 20

Ryan Theodore Kolya Pearnow, 19

Matthew Tyler Snyder, 18

opınıons 5

editors: scott masselli, sean simons opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES

august 23, 2011

Immigrant students deserve a chance in US It happened again this semester. A student came to my office and asked me to close the door. After going through this drill so many times before, I knew what would come next. In a process akin to "coming out of the closet," these students reveal to me their terrible secret: They are undocumented immigrants. I am a community college professor. In addition to teaching, my role includes mentoring students, helping them achieve their academic and career goals, and identifying the brightest ones to become role models, tutors and peer mentors. More often than not, these students cannot attain such goals because of their immigration status. Hearing the same heartbreaking stories from the best and brightest underscores for me the immense potential that is wasted by not providing them a path to legalization. The majority of my undocumented students were brought to this country as young children. They played no part in their parents' decision to immigrate to the United States. They are what psychologist Celia Falicov calls "reluctant immigrants." Some were so young when they immigrated that they believed that they were born here. Many do not discover this hidden aspect of their identity until high school or later. Many don't speak their native languages; others are bilingual and speak flawless English. Take the case of an honors student, one of the best I've ever had. Up to the moment when she came to my office and told me her secret, I thought of her as the ultimate all-American student activist: intelligent, hardworking, highly motivated, a sophisticated writer and speaker, with an incredible disposition to help others and a commitment to social justice. She hopes to pursue an advanced degree in psychology. I could not believe my ears when she "came out" to me in Spanish! She had come to the U.S. from South America when she was 8 years old. Because of her academic performance she was recruited to attend UC Berkeley and UCLA. She declined these offers because of financial hardship, opting to attend a local community college instead. While studying there, she made every attempt to legalize her situation through her abuelita — her grandma — a U.S. citizen. The family was very excited when they received a letter from the Department of Homeland Security granting the grandmother an interview that would begin the process toward the student's "legal residency." Or so they thought. Sadly, her grandmother died of cancer two weeks before the scheduled interview. After all the money paid to immigration services and lawyers, her case is now closed. The DHS would not consider the student's circumstances, and her "legalization" remains uncertain. She graduated this spring with a 4.0 grade-point average, making the dean's and president's lists. This is a small consolation for a student who could achieve any goal she chooses. But like her legalization, her future looks uncertain. Or take the case of the first student to "come out" to me. He was a gifted student, born in a remote Asian nation, brought to the U.S. as a toddler and who had since forgotten

his native language. We met when he took my general psychology class. I invited him to become the tutor for the class, and this brought him to my office, where he shared his secret with me. He had dreams of continuing his education in the field of economics but was pessimistic about his future, and I sensed helplessness in his words. I saw him regularly while he was my student and volunteered his time to help others, but I haven't seen him since. I often think of him and hope that he has found a pathway to citizenship and is on his way to becoming a great economist. There are countless such students on college campuses across America, and they come from around the world. Why are so many of them overachievers? Maybe it's because talent knows no borders. Or perhaps it has to do with the immigrant ethic of hard work, family values, honor and respect that immigrant parents instill by example in their children. The irony lies in the fact that in using these values as the path to success, these undocumented immigrants become the very embodiment of the American dream. At the same time they are unable to become citizens and contribute fully to society. We are literally allowing the talent of our undocumented students to go to waste. Those of us who work in higher education see firsthand the predicament of our undocumented students. Jose Antonio Vargas, who was brought to the U.S. from the Philippines when he was 12, described it well in a June New York Times Magazine article: "After so many years of trying to be a part of the system, of focusing all my energy on my professional life, I learned that no amount of professional success would solve my problem or ease the sense of loss and displacement I felt." Clearly, the effect on students of being undocumented can be longlasting and carries with it an untold emotional burden. This is in addition to the problems they face in finding jobs even if, against all odds, they manage to attain a degree. While U.S. universities are not producing enough skilled technical talent to make this country competitive in the 21st century economy, our undocumented talent is squandered. Currently, the only hope for legalization is the federal DREAM Act. It would allow individuals who were brought to the U.S. as children, who have lived here at least 10 years and who are in college or in the military to apply to become legal residents. Regrettably, partisan disagreements have prevented its passage. As a nation founded on immigration, it is our moral and civic duty to take responsibility, demand more from our political leaders and hold them accountable on this issue. I want to be able to tell the next student who comes to my office to reveal his or her secret identity that there is no need to close the door, and that the dream of citizenship will soon be a reality. Offering a clear path to the legalization of our undocumented students is no longer just a political issue; it is also about individual human rights and the best use of our human capital for the benefit of society as a whole.

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Travel helps to understand cultural similarities abroad For a moment, I closed my eyes and forgot where I was. The icy wind blew into my face while the welcomed hot can of coffee warmed my hand through its glove. I opened my eyes to one of the most glorious displays of colors I have ever seen. I watched with awe as the sun made its way up through the clouds to take its place in the sky. On a flagpole just a few yards away, the Japanese flag began its ascent as well. And then, Kamigayo, Japan’s national anthem, began playing with a quiet intensity that seemed to rise with the voices of the people who joined in to sing along. I haven’t seen many sunrises in my life, but I can say that witnessing one from the top of Mount Fuji must be one of the best ways to experience nature’s most reliable phenomenon. When I had left for Japan more than eight weeks earlier, the thought of climbing Fuji-san — the name most Japanese people call the mountain — had not even crossed my mind. I was going to Japan to study the language, history and culture, as well as to gain a better understanding of international agricultural trade between two of the world’s mightiest economies. My preparation for the trip included taking language classes at Virginia Tech, learning to be proficient with chopsticks and accumulate a base understanding of current agriculture trade issues between the United States and Japan. I had classes lined up through the University of New Orleans’ program at Doshisha University in Kyoto, and I had an internship planned with the U.S. Meat Export Federation in Tokyo. However, I had no idea how much I would be able to learn about Japan, other people and myself, from just a few weeks of living in Japan and interacting with the country’s people. Standing at the top of Fuji, looking down the side of the mountain at thousands of other climbers with their lights forming a winding trail up the steep, rocky facade, I was reminded of my journey and

tried to process all I had gained from my experience. Rather than focusing on the details of Japanese culture or language, I came to realize, when I reflect on my time there, I think more about the relationships I made and my new appreciation for the idea of living as a global citizen — I have a desire to experience and understand as many new ideas as I can. In Kyoto, my group developed friendships with many of the Japanese students it studied with. Through their (sometimes) broken English and our even more broken Japanese, we were able to teach each other about our respective cultures. We realized that we are all just students working toward the same goal of having careers, families and lives, while trying to lead the world in a better direction. In Tokyo, through my internship and through various meetings I had with a variety of agricultural trade players (thanks to a very helpful ag-econ professor), I came to share the goals of many of the people there. Undoubtedly, cultural differences seem striking — even the language fundamentally differs from our own. But their daily functions are similar to our own routines — families work to feed themselves and live comfortably, farmers struggle daily to provide wholesome products, and businesses attempt to find new ways to innovate to create better products. People worry about the same things we do here. They care about the safety of their food, they keep a close eye on their government, and they feel the affects of economic markets. From what I could experience from my short time there, the resolve of the Japanese people, especially in the wake of the March disasters, was inspiring. In Tokyo, as energy continues to be saved as a result of the Fukushima power plant disaster, air conditioning is turned down and people work through the sweltering heat. As donations continue to pour in to

displaced people, the Japanese are demonstrating their commitment to overcoming any challenges that come their way. My journey yielded a sense that the world is bigger than the fences surrounding my family’s farm, the town limits of Blacksburg and the borders of the U.S. Most of all, it yielded a thirst for travel and experiencing as much beyond these borders as I possibly can. Being able to share, communicate and learn across cultures is an opportunity and a gift that our generation should not take for granted. I thought of all this as I stood at the summit of Japan’s most beloved mountain. On a clear day, you could see the skyline of Tokyo from the peak, but clouds covered the sky that morning. However, I wasn’t looking toward Tokyo. I was looking beyond and eastward. As I stood there in my four layers of orange and maroon clothing, I was looking toward home and thinking of how to share my experiences. I know I haven’t done them justice in this column, and I’m not even sure I’d be able to even on my best days as a writer. Still, I could not wait to get back to this community — my home — to share how I’ve grown and what I’ve learned. No matter how far away as any of us go, we’ll always have a home in Blacksburg. A new year at Tech is upon us now, and for me and other seniors, a last. But let’s take advantage of the great opportunities we have to learn and live as a community, because no matter how much the U.S. has in common with other cultures around the world, there is something unmistakeably unique about our community.

BRAD COPENHAVER -regular columnist -senior -agricultural and applied economics major

Students should consider debt when making college decisions Most students likely believe that after graduation they will be in a better financial situation than if they had never attended Virginia Tech. But in reality, many will actually be in a worse financial position than those who skipped college altogether. Statistically, more than half of students borrow money to attend Tech with the belief that higher salaries will easily enable them to pay the loans back. Unfortunately, many will be unable to earn the projected income that justified that decision. These gloomy predictions are the conclusion of a report released last month by Moody’s Analytics. The six-page report “Student Lending’s Failing Grade” claims the debt situation from student loans is “worrisome.” The report states many graduates will be unable to make their monthly loan payment because actual income will fall short of what current students expect to make in the future. Roughly 8 percent of graduates from public universities are delinquent or defaulting on their loans. The prediction that delinquency and failure rates will rise means nearly one out of 10 students may experience financial turmoil. The Moody’s report is actually overly optimistic — it bases its findings on the assumption that the economy is recovering and more job openings will be available in the near future. But according to the few economists who actually predicted the current financial crisis, it will be years, if not decades,

before there is any semblance of a recovery in the United States. New changes to student loans were also implemented after Moody’s Analytics released its report. When the Democrats and Republicans raised the debt ceiling this month, they signed into law legislation that alters subsidized federal loans. Subsidized loans used to be interest-free, as long as a person was in school. However, starting next year, subsidized loans will no longer be interest-free for graduate students. Finaid.org estimates that this change could increase a student’s debt up to 16 percent. In a column I wrote this past spring — “Education bubble is close to popping on our faces” — I explained that a college degree is not worth “whatever the cost.” Many degrees are not worth the current cost. This is demonstrated by the fact that, according to Moody’s Analytics, nearly 10 percent of graduates in Virginia are delinquent in the repayment of their student loans. If holding a degree guaranteed high wages or a good job, so many graduates would not be falling behind on their payments. People need to seriously consider whether to even attend college. Start by reading the Moody’s Analytics report and the articles referenced in my April column (available on the Collegiate Times website) on the education bubble. Then examine the cost of tuition and fees at Tech — more than

$10,000 a year and increasing — and figure out how much debt you would have upon graduation. Use an online student loan repayment calculator to see what your monthly payment would be. Next, find the average wage for the occupation you hope to enter. Simply subtracting the student loan payment and taxes should be enough to give somebody a heart attack — the percentage of your check that goes to local, state, payroll and federal income taxes will utterly shock you. Of course this assumes you are not one of the two million degreeholding Americans who are unemployed. If you still believe that it is worth it to go into debt for a degree, try hard to limit your money burden. You can do this by working nights and weekends, completing a degree on time, and forsaking fancy laptops, cell phones, iPods and expensive clothing. The only way to live beyond your means now is to live beneath your means in the future — as the saying goes, “live like a student now, or live like a student later.” Every year, scores of new graduates find this out the hard way.

CHRIS DUNN -regular columnist -graduate student -political science major

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editors: chelsea gunter, patrick murphy featureseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES

arts & entertainment 6 august 23, 2011

Top 10 hits: Sweet summer tunes Summer 2011 witnessed an overwhelming amount of amazing music released. Plenty of highly anticipated records came out, and many were met with glowing receptions. Maybe you’ve heard of some of these artists — maybe you haven’t. Go into this list with an open mind, and you just might find your new favorite band. Without further ado, here is the list of 10 albums and/or songs you may have missed this summer that most definitely deserve your attention, presented in chronological order for your enjoyment. Album: “Cults” by Cults (June 7, 2011)

who was in Unknown Mortal Orchestra. When the band (Was it even a band? Was it just one man?) released an EP online, the group was suddenly featured on tastemaking music blogs. Later it would be revealed that UMO was the new, Portland-based band consisting of Ruban Nielson, former guitarist for popular New Zealand group The Mint Chicks. Now he makes fuzzy, lo-fi funk music with UMO that grooves in a smooth, vaguely psychedelic sort of way. Album: “Bon Iver, Bon Iver” by Bon Iver (June 21, 2011)

Listen to: “Walk At Night,” “Bumper” Hopefully you were turned on to Cults in the spring when they were included on my list of 10 songs to get your summer started. But in case you weren’t quite convinced then, they now have a full LP for you to enjoy. Despite the saccharine melodies and girl-group vibes of lead singer Madeline Follins’ vocals, the band is careful not to overdose on sweetness by roughing up the edges of their songs with samples of deranged cult leaders and lyrics about running away and bleeding out. It’s true that sonically their music is perfectly suited for summertime consumption, but it will also serve as a great bookend to the season, welcoming the changing leaves and colder temperatures alongside you.

Listen to: “Holocene,” “Michicant” It’s hard for me to say anything definitive about this album. I’ve struggled to figure out exactly how I feel about “Bon Iver, Bon Iver” since its release. I can, however, say I hate that he named it “Bon Iver, Bon Iver.” At its best, the album is absolutely beautiful. The instrumentation on this record has clearly been given more thought — Bon Iver is certainly no longer just a lone man locked in a cabin writing songs on his guitar. Horns and percussion are used effectively and artfully throughout to round out the band’s sound. At its worst, Bon Iver’s sophomore album sounds like the kind of cheesy, sappy music that plays in the background of an overly emotional scene in a bad Lifetime movie. Regardless, the record is not one to ignore — it just might take a while for it to sink in and really reveal itself.

Album: “Unknown Mortal Orchestra” by Unknown Mortal Orchestra (June 21, 2011)

Album: “We Must Become The Pitliless Censors of Ourselves” by John Maus (June 28, 2011)

Listen to: “FFunny FFrends,” “Nerve Damage” For several months, no one knew

Listen to: “Hey Moon,” “Believer” Once you listen to John Maus’ music, it will make perfect sense that

he and Ariel Pink have been friends since college and were bandmates at one time. Maus began making music after studying the subject in college and then going on to study philosophy in graduate school. “We Must Become The Pitiless Censors of Ourselves” is a strange, cloudy record that can sometimes be difficult to understand, but at other times infectiously catchy. Much like Pink, Maus shrouds his vocals in echo and reverb, bouncing them off the synthesizer tones and electronic beats that make up most of the instrumentation here. The album cover is a good visualization of what the record sounds like — stormy and dark, but with the occasional beam of light shining through. Album: “Within & Without” by Washed Out (July 12, 2011) Listen to: “Soft,” “Far Away” One of the original “chillwave” acts, Washed Out gained popularity with his widely-praised “Life of Leisure EP,” which helped create an entire genre based on hazy, beat-driven, psychedelic-tinged electronic music. “Within & Without” is Washed Out’s first LP, and it shows him looking to expand his sound a bit. He pulls in even more dance influences and a wider array of instrumentation, while still keeping the heavily reverbed, barely understandable vocals. The record is extremely easy to slip into — you put it on in the background and sort of zone out to it for a while without even realizing it. The hypnotic nature of Washed Out’s music is part of what makes it so good. Album: “uUu” by Field Trips (July 4, 2011) Since Person Pitch’s release, Panda Bear has influenced the sound of

more artists than could probably be counted. However, few of them can hold their own well or are as enjoyable as Field Trips, a German director and musician. Much like Panda Bear, the vocals here are layered in impossibly sunny multi-part harmonies that soar over the looped samples that make up the actual music of the track. Normally I would dismiss this track as yet another Panda Bear/ Beach Boys knock-off, but the songs Field Trips has crafted are simply too good to be ignored. Album: “Pleasures of the Sun” by Honeydrum (July 15, 2011) Listen to: “Skin City,” “Cruise Control” Honeydrum describes its music as “mall jams,” and the phrase entirely appropriate, given the group’s adoration of all things ’80s. The cassette release glows blurry neon with a grainy, tape-hiss aesthetic that seems to have fallen through a portal straight out of the ’80s. Fans of Ariel Pink will find a lot to enjoy here, as Honeydrum sits somewhere in the same strangely tuneful, lo-fi pop vibe, but most definitely with their own truly unique approach. Album: “Midnight City” by M83 (July 19, 2011) Listen to: “Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming,” “Saturdays=Youth” Continuing the summer’s obsession with ’80s aesthetics and sounds, M83 released the first single from their upcoming album “Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming.” The energy and obvious retro influences of the track came as a bit of a surprise, considering the more dreamy, slow-burning songs featured on their last LP, “Saturdays=Youth.” “Midnight City” features yet another appearance of the recently resurrect-

ed pop saxophone soloist, to fittingly “rad” results. This might be my favorite M83 song yet. However, I’ve never been a huge M83 fan to begin with. Album: “Psychic Summer” by Triptides (July 21, 2011) Taking a detour from the ’80s, Triptides delivers their second fulllength album in all of its ’60s surf, psychedelic-pop glory. The tracks on this album sound like they were practically recorded on the beach, however, they were actually recorded in Indiana. Most of the album is exactly what you might expect from a record called “Psychic Summer.” The album art speaks for itself. The catchy, danceable, summer-obsessed art cover is topped off with a few odd twists and turns that live up to the “psychic” part of its title. Album: “Fallout” by Neon Indian (July 27, 2011) Listen to: “Going Under,” “Outlaw” Washed Out’s most prominent partner in forging the chillwave territory, Neon Indian, is prepping the release of his own highly anticipated follow up, “Era Extraña.” Released in July, “Fallout” was the first taste of the new record made available to the public. Seeming to reflect the album’s artwork, “Fallout” is hazy and twilit — the twinkling light of the keyboards just barely making it through the overall fog of the track.

KEVIN MCALEESE - music reviewer - senior - political science major

Three-month ﬁlm recap: The good, the bad and the ugly Quirky bridesmaids, aliens of the flesh and metallic variety, wizards, superheroes and a beloved bear almost 100 years old — these are just some of the characters that came to life in theaters across the country this summer. If only all the movies could have been as interesting as the characters they featured. Original movies were sparse — stale remakes and sequels were trends. Fortunately, a few good movies did stand out in an otherwise uneventful summer movie season. “Bridesmaids” (May 13, 2011) The name of the film is “Bridesmaids,” but that does not mean that it is a movie made just for women or “chick flick” fans. One of the funniest movies of the year, “Bridesmaids” touches on everything from bathroom humor — with a disgusting but hilarious food poisoning scene — to slapstick and incredible wit from the leading actress Kristen Wiig. If you are a fan of “The Hangover” (2009), this movie is definitely worth watching. “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” (May 20, 2011) Captain Jack Sparrow came back this summer for one more adventure on the high seas (and possibly a set up for yet another trilogy of pirate movies). While “On Stranger Tides” still does not compare to the greatness of the original “Pirates of the Caribbean” (2003), it was an improvement from the second and third movies: “Dead Man’s Chest” (2006) and “At World’s End” (2007). Mermaids and Blackbeard appear in this installment, throwing the contrived plot line of Davy Jones out the window. Also, the absence of Kiera Knightley and Orlando Bloom from “On Stranger Tides” did not hinder but rather improved the story line. Don’t worry, there’s a few new love stories that did pop up — one including Penelope Cruz.

(2009) then you know the plot of “The Hangover Part II.” There is no trace of originality in the sequel. “Part II” may have garnered a few laughs, but for the most part it was almost boring to watch. Every joke and gag was just a rehash of the first movie, only instead of the boys ravaging Las Vegas, they were in Bangkok. If I wanted to see “The Hangover” with an Asian influence, I would have rented the original and ordered Chinese food. There was absolutely no reason to relocate the exact story, jokes and characters to Thailand. This is not worth watching. “X-Men: First Class” (June 1, 2011) A prequel to the previous X-Men trilogy, “X-Men: First Class” does a good job telling the origins story of well-known characters Dr. X, Magneto and Mystique. While the movie is full of fight scenes and insight into certain characters’ motives, the whole “rising superhero” plot felt old. Fans of the X-Men movies will like this, but as a casual superhero movie watcher, I am beginning to become fatigued from the onslaught of comic books turned movies. “Super 8” (June 10, 2011)

“The Hangover Part II” (May 26, 2011)

“Super 8” is both a coming-of-age and an alien invasion story. As a coming-of-age story, it is superb. The child actors are outstanding and believable. Although the movie takes place in 1979, it was able to capture the universal pre-teen struggle of love, loss and discovering one’s self. As an alien story, it was sub par by using a few clichés from previous alien movies such as “ET” (1982) and “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” (1977). However, if “Super 8” is viewed as homage to older Spielberg films, the clichés make much more sense. If you have not seen it yet, I recommend renting it when it comes out on DVD. “Super 8” is the epitome of a good summer blockbuster.

If you have seen “The Hangover”

“Transformers: Dark of the

Moon” (June 23, 2011) The third “Transformers” was disjointed, poorly written, badly acted and overall a horrible movie. It’s hard to think of something good to say about this movie other than that the special effects were quite effective, but these cannot make up for the mess that director Michael Bay made. The two-and-a-half-hour running time is about two and half hours too long. “Horrible Bosses” (July 8, 2011) If “Bridesmaids” was the funniest film of the summer, then “Horrible Bosses” comes in a respectable second place. The cast is full of A-List celebrities, which is sometimes a recipe for disaster because directors rely too much on star power to carry the movie. In this case, the recognizable faces only add to the humor. Jennifer Aniston is especially funny in a departure from her normal “girl next door” role. “Horrible Bosses” may be an exaggeration of the normal woes of a nine to five cubical worker, but its spot on when it comes to comedy. “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2” (July 15, 2011) The worldwide phenomenon that is Harry Potter came to a close this summer. Luckily for fans, the film’s series ended on a very high note. Close enough to the book to satisfy nitpicky readers and easily understandable for those who did not get a chance to read the final installment, “Deathly Hallows: Part 2” was perhaps the best out of the eight films. One highlight of the movie that some may have missed was the incorporation of music from the previous seven films — the last scene of the movie played the first movie’s opening music. This was a very bittersweet ending to an incredible era. “Winnie the Pooh” (July 15, 2011)

sweet movie that brings me back to my childhood. Similar to the 1977 “Winnie the Pooh” film, Pooh and friends have a series of adventures mostly because of the characters’ silliness. This movie’s pure simplicity leaves the movie with no hidden adult humor. “Winnie the Pooh” may not be for everyone, but anyone looking to reconnect with their inner child must watch the newest adventures of Pooh Bear. “Captain America: The First Avenger” (July 22, 2011) Because I am very curious to see the “Avengers” movie (coming to theaters in 2012), I decided to see “Captain America.” While it had everything a superhero movie should have — a likable but weak main character that acquires new super human powers, an inherently evil bad guy, and a beautiful but resourceful leading lady — that is all it had. “Captain America” falls short in that it is painfully formulaic. Also, the first hour and a half drags on, while the climax of the movie is rushed to keep it from running too long. I only recommend this to people anticipating the “Avengers” movie. By the way these superhero movies are going, my hopes for “Avengers” being decent are diminishing quickly. “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” (August 5, 2011) While this movie bills James Franco as the lead role, it is Andy Serkis who steals the show. Serkis, who played Gollum from the “Lord of the Rings” movies, plays Caesar, a super intelligent chimpanzee that uses his owner’s experimental Alzheimer’s drug on his simian friends to boost their intelligence. This beginning film promises a sequel (maybe more than one), and is a fresh and interesting take on the “Planet of the Apes” series.

COURTNEY BAKER - movie reviewer Running at just over an hour, - senior “Winnie the Pooh” is a short and - political science major

august 23, 2011

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alarming afternoon

KEVIN DICKEL / SPPS

At around 2 p.m., the ďŹ re alarms in West End Market and Cochrane Hall rang. After the students evacuated, the Blacksburg Fire Department and Virginia Tech Police were on the scene.

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august 23, 2011

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MLK Jr. to join Lincoln, Roosevelt on National Mall WILLIAM DOUGLAS WASHINGTON — Rep. Frederica Wilson had a chance recently to take a private VIP tour of the Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial, but she turned it down. Too soon, she said. “I want to get thrilled seeing it unveiled, to feel the passion,” said Wilson, D-Fla. “I want to see the glory of the statue in a finished state. I want to be wowed with everyone else seeing the finished product.” Wilson will be among an anticipated crowd of more than 250,000 spectators Sunday for the dedication of the King memorial — a tranquil monument of stone, greenery and trees along the northwest edge of Washington’s Tidal Basin that will honor the slain civil rights leader. Sunday’s ceremony, which coincides with the 48th anniversary of King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, will officially open the first monument on the National Mall honoring an AfricanAmerican. The $120 million memorial is part

of a burgeoning number of monuments in the nation’s capital recognizing African-American contributions to American life and culture. On Washington’s busy U Street corridor, the African American Civil War Museum recently reopened in a new, 5,000-square-foot home to better tell the story of the 200,000 slaves and freed African-Americans who fought in the conflict. At the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center, tourists can view two plaques placed by Congress last year to recognize the little-known fact that governmentrented slave laborers helped construct the U.S. Capitol building. Back on the National Mall, plans are under way for the National Museum of African American History and Culture, which will be part of the Smithsonian Institution’s 19-museum complex when it opens in 2015. Ground won’t be broken on the $500 million building — to be located near the Washington Monument — until next year, but curators have been busy amassing more than 10,000 artifacts

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since 2005, and expect to acquire 10,000 more by the museum’s opening day. The prized acquisitions include a silk and linen shawl given to Harriet Tubman by Queen Victoria, a biplane used by the Tuskegee Airmen, items from the popular African-American TV dance show “Soul Train,” and the original coffin of Emmet Till, the 14-year-old African-American boy who was brutally murdered in Mississippi in 1955 after he allegedly whistled at a white woman. His opencasket funeral was a focal point in the civil rights struggle. “What’s happening here is, finally, the world of museums and monuments are recognizing what we have known in the last 50 years, and that is the history and import of African-American culture is one of the most important things in our history,” said Lonnie Bunch, the founding director of the Smithsonian’s African-American museum. “The African-American experience is a constant in defining America. The African-American story is everybody’s story.”

Kathe Hambrick, the president of the 100-member Association of African American Museums, agrees, adding that interest isn’t limited to Washington. “It’s a growing phenomenon nationwide. Since Barack Obama became president we’ve seen more visitors, especially from Europe,” said Hambrick, the founder and director of the River Road African American Museum in Donaldsonville, La. “Museums are the places that hold the collective memories of people. For the first time in the last 40 years, we can look back and be included in that conversation.” But it’s been a long, slow process getting there. The original idea for an AfricanAmerican museum on the mall goes back to 1915. In 1929, Congress approved creating the museum but provided no funding for it. In 2003, Congress launched the current African-American museum project when it passed a bipartisan bill sponsored by liberal Democratic Rep. John Lewis of Georgia, a civil rights

icon and King protege, and conservative Republican Sens. Sam Brownback of Kansas and Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, both of whom have since left the Senate. “It’s been nearly 100 years since the idea of a national African-American museum was first proposed,” Hambrick said. “You ask, ‘Why so long?’ Why did slavery last so long? I don’t know.” The national King memorial, by contrast, was 14 years in the making. Situated between the Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln memorials and across from the one for Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 4-acre site conveys the essence of King’s message of justice, democracy, hope and love, according to its developers. More than 1,700 tons of imported Chinese shrimp-pink granite forms three sculptures that anchor the site. One, called “Stone of Hope,” features a 30-foot-high, 12-foot-wide likeness of King, cloaked in a business suit and arms folded. The accompanying pieces are called the “Mountain of Despair.”

A 450-foot-long crescent-shaped wall made of Atlantic green granite from Canada — quarried by a Minnesota-based company — lines a section of the memorial. Inscribed on the wall are quotes from King’s writings, sermons and speeches. The site gives a nod to nature with 182 Japanese cherry trees, seven crape myrtles and 31 American elms. “I see a very special memorial,” proclaimed Ed Jackson, its chief architect. “I see a memorial befitting the contributions he made to the country and to the world.” But like the Smithsonian AfricanAmerican museum, the King memorial has had to overcome obstacles. The federal government provided $10 million; the Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation had to raise the rest of the money through donations. The foundation is about $6 million short of the memorial’s $120 million cost — a significant amount of money, Jackson said, but not enough to prevent its opening.

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By John Lampkin

ACROSS 1 Inedible Swiss cheese part? 5 Sched. uncertainty letters 8 Greets the bad guy 14 Bard’ s black 15 “__ Latest Flame”: Presley hit 16 Bird that hangs its nest from a branch 17 *Survey response 19 Rang 20 Juliet’ s volatile cousi n

21 *Trying to remember 23 Suf fer defeat 25 Cubic roller 26 *Prospects 29 Cartoon skunk Le Pew 32 Mideast political gp. 33 UPS deliver y 34 Know-it-all 38 “Tomorrow” musica l 40 Push-up sound, perhaps 41 Longtime Dodgers manager 44 Org. with shrinks

46 Push-up garment 47 Software buyer 48 *Disposition 50 Chinese menu general 53 Beethoven’ s only opera 55 *Cocky manner 58 Draw into wrongdoing 62 __ Tomatoes: film review website 63 Word (suggested by the black shape in this grid’s center) that can precede the answers to starred clues

We share your concerns

DOW N 1 Test the weight of 2 Carry out 3 Leopold’ s co-defendant 4 Ultimate goal 5 “Not to worry” 6 Cristal maker 7 Mail an invitation for, as a wedding 8 Best-seller 9 Age opening? 10 Hairlike corn feature 11 Like a rock 12 Nicholas Gage memoir 13 Rushlike plant 18 “SportsCenter’s Not Top Plays” videos, e.g. 22 Marching syllables 24 Pre-op test 26 Play-of-color gem 27 Forearm bone 28 Lots

65 “Wait!” 66 Calendar col. 67 Weighty production 68 Oppressive boss 69 Short flight 70 Cubicle furnishing

30 19th-century Italian violin virtuoso 31 Commit 18-Down 35 Old boats 36 Memo “apropos of” 37 Pierre’ s state 39 Paper in a pot 42 Gone 43 Bone-dry 44 Pierre’ s soul 45 More than fills the inbox 49 Like staccat o notes 50 Medium’s medium 51 Expressionless 52 Playful swimmer 54 Diver ’s concer n 56 “__ girl!” 57 Former girls’ magazine 59 Ready to eat 60 Brutus’ bird 61 Eat like a bird 64 “Now I get it!”

Monday’s Puzzle Solved

8/23/11

editors: matt jones, zach mariner sportseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES

sports 9 august 23, 2011

Coaching changes headline offseason

DOWELL / MCT

Will Muschamp, former defensive coordinator at Texas, speaks at a press conference in Florida last December. Muschamp takes the reins as a head coach for the ﬁrst time this fall.

FLORIDA, MICHIGAN AND OHIO STATE HIGHLIGHT TRADITIONAL SCHOOLS EXPERIENCING CHANGES CODY ELLIOT sports staff writer The 2011 college football season is less than two weeks away, and 24 schools in the Football Bowl Subdivision will begin the year with a new head coach. Among those that made changes this off season are three programs with a lot of tradition and excellence. University of Florida hired Will Muschamp, former defensive coordinator and coach-in-waiting at Texas A&M, after Urban Meyer resigned for personal reasons in December. Muschamp has some big shoes to fill behind the departure of Meyer, who left with a 65-15 record and two BCS national championships as the Gators head coach. Rich Rodriguez was fired from the University of Michigan after a very rough three years at the head of the program. His time as head coach was filled with many NCAA investigations off the field and a failure to live up to expectations on the field. Then came the surprise — when Michigan hired little known Brady Hoke as the head coach of the Wolverines. He comes back to Ann Arbor, Mich., after coaching the defensive line there from 1995-2002. During his time away from Michigan, he was the head coach for his alma mater Ball State University (2003-2008) and San Diego State University (2009-2010). Ohio State University was among the top of the story lines this offseason while facing sanctions from the NCAA after many allegations against the team were proven true. Amid the allegations coming out against the Buckeyes, head coach Jim Tressel resigned. In stepped Luke Fickell, who played for Ohio State University from 1993-1996 and served as the codefensive coordinator under Tressel. Fickell, like Muschamp, has big shoes to fill in Columbus, Ohio, where Tressel guided them to seven Big Ten titles in his time as head coach. The ACC also experienced a few coaching changes this offseason in Miami and North Carolina, both of which are currently facing some issues with the NCAA as well. In July, after months of NCAA investigations, the Tar Heels fired coach Butch Davis. He spent just four seasons in Chapel Hill, N.C. and compiled a 28-23 record. Following Davis’ firing, the school promoted defensive coordinator Everett Withers to head coach. The school hopes to “restore integrity” after the allegations have involved not only its athletics but academics as well. While Withers is given an “interim” label right now, if he can manage this team to a quality season despite all of the distractions around them, he could find himself with the job for several years. The Miami Hurricanes also fired its head coach, Randy Shannon, who finished with a 28-22 record, after four short seasons. Al Golden comes over from Temple University after resurrecting the program from awful to bowl contender status in a short

period of time. When Golden took the job, he did not anticipate what was to come. In the past week, multiple allegations that could carry serious offenses have surfaced, and now Golden faces a tall task in coaching the Hurricanes. He faces many offthe-field distractions and rumors that include some of his current players. Golden has said he intends to stay on board at the University of Miami and help rebuild this program back to the team it once was. Also among the teams that have changed coaches this offseason are that of Connecticut University, the University of Maryland, Colorado State University, the University of Pittsburgh, Stanford University and West Virginia University. In a time and age of large numbers of coaching changes, one of the most consistent ones that remains at the helm is Virginia Tech’s Frank Beamer. In fact, Beamer enters his 25th season as the head coach of the Hokies and has had unbelievable success. He accepted the job in 1987 and is a university alumnus. While attending the school, Beamer played defensive back for the football team. He accepted the job in hopes of coaching a team to consistency each year and now is known as one of the most successful coaches in all of college football. Under Beamer, the Hokies have gone to 18 straight bowl games and seven straight 10-win seasons — the longest current streak in the country. They have also won four ACC division crowns and three Big East Conference titles, as well as earning five BCS bowl game appearances. However, this did not come without some diversity and hard times at the beginning of his career. Beamer began his first three seasons with quite a few losing records and had fans wanting him gone. However, the administration stuck behind him and knew he had the right things in mind, he just needed the talent to make it happen. Now, entering his 25th season, Beamer is the most recognizable figure in all of Blacksburg and among the elite coaches in college football. Times have changed and many programs want success immediately. If coaches can’t produce in a short window, they are ousted. When making these decisions, schools need to take a look at Tech, Penn State University (with Joe Paterno, entering his 46th year as head coach), and other schools that stuck by their coaches through the tough times early and are now among the most successful in all of college football. While the coaching world continues to increase in the amount change, Beamer and the Hokies have proven that consistency and hard work can eventually pay off in success. Follow the writer on Twitter: @VTCody

MATTHEW RYBURN / COLLEGIATE TIMES

august 23, 2011

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Classes Topp 5 Best Teachers* To 1. John Boyer, Geography

33. Patricia Amateis, Chemistry

Here are ti p s for choosi n g your t a e as well as ensuring you get ch et teachers, the grades and classes you want. e sh 2. Tsu-Sheng Chang, Engineering Science & Mechanics

Top 5 Worst Teachers

The last day to add a class is Aug. 26.

The last day to drop a class and register for pass/fail grading is Sept. 30.

X S E I K O H GO

The last day to resign from a class is Oct. 17.

4. Scott Geller, Psychology

5. Ketan Trivedi, Chemistry

Important Dates to Remember:

1. Debora Smith, Mathematics 2. Joseph Slawny, Physics 3. Layne Watson, Computer Science 4. Rich Wheaton, General Engineering 5. Dontaus Ohanehi, Engineering Education

So you know...

If a class is full, but you want to add it, then you may be able to force-add it. Contact the department offering the class to learn about the process to request a “Force-Add.” However, some departments may not allow force-adds. * as rated by www.ratevtteachers.com

DANIELLE BUYNAK / COLLEGIATE TIMES

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september 23, 2009