Thursday, September 29, 2011 Print Edition by Collegiate Times

‘The Way’ draws crowd DONAL MURPHY news staff writer While students cheered as Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez walked on stage at Burruss Hall last night, Sept. 28, the visit meant much more for one professor. Annie Hesp is a Spanish professor who has a very personal connection to the Camino de Santiago — the setting of Sheen and Estevez’s new movie “The Way.” see SHEEN / page two

STEVEN SILTON / SPPS

Thursday, September 29,2011

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Help wanted TECH FIRMS BOOST NEW RIVER VALLEY JOB MARKET ERIN CHAPMAN news staff writer

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Despite the recent economic downturn, President Barack Obama saw a reason for optimism in Blacksburg. In a televised speech on Sept. 8, Obama unveiled his American Jobs Act. The $447 billion plan is designed to give tax relief to the working class, and to stimulate job growth. David Catalano, the CEO and cofounder of Modea, the Blacksburg-based digital advertising agency, was invited to join a group of 20 individuals who sat in the box with First Lady Michelle Obama during the speech. Jeffrey Immelt, the CEO of General see JOBS / page two

Unemployment rates 9.1% 6.3% Virginia Nation

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Penny for your thoughts

108th year, issue 93

“If I didn’t know I would have a job I would be nervous. If I wasn’t in the core I probably wouldn’t be able to get a job.” Josh Anderson Senior, psychology “I’m thinking of going into the medical ﬁeld, so I’m worried because of what’s going on with Healthcare” “I think we’re working in the right direction. I don’t think we’re there yet.” Brandon Nave Sophomore, biology “Even if you get into medical school, you’re not guaranteed a job.” Tessa Arnold Junior, biology

6.9%

“I think it’s an issue but I think the economy is going up. Especially going to a school like Virginia Tech where they put a priority on job placement.” “I think it’s hard, and I think people put a lot of blame on [Obama].” Kelsey Thompson Junior, public and urban affairs

Montgomery County

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Students often sleep deprived, study shows PRISCILLA ALVAREZ news staff writer Only 40 percent of college students reach the daily recommended amount of sleep, according to a recent study. Medical News Today said disturbed sleep patterns are because of stress and heavy workloads. Research indicates that lack of sleep leads to heart problems, and over many years could lead to a shorter life span, impaired memory function and damaged immune system, making it more susceptible to viruses and bacteria. “In REM sleep, the deepest level of sleep, we are relearning things we’ve done during the day,” said Jack Evans, a biology professor. “Typically, an individual has six to eight REM episodes. These episodes decrease with sleep deprivation, resulting in less intake of information.” Students say it is hard to balance sleep and coursework. “I spend most of the day going to class and fulfilling things I need to do. My night is dedicated to homework and studying,” said Clara Wilson, a biology major, who gets six hours of sleep a

night. Some say an unfixed schedule is part of the cause. “I don’t have a routine yet, so I exercise and eat really late because my classes don’t end until 8:15 p.m.,” said Kristina Bettner, a freshman business major who gets five hours of sleep. Schoolwork also hinders Allie Hummel’s sleep schedule. “If I have a big test, I’ll only sleep two hours and try to get back to a normal schedule after,” the a senior accounting and finance major said. Evans said study habit like Hummel’s is not recommended. Instead, he recommended studying in small increments during the week, so memory is not impaired. The best remedy to cure sleep deprivation is allocating time at night to get at least seven hours of sleep, as well as managing time effectively. According to the Center for Academic Enrichment and Excellence, students should treat their time management like a full-time employee. Students should set regular hours when they’ll get work done. It is also recommended that students set these hours during their peak performance times.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, STUDENTS CAN ATTEND THE SLEEP DEPRIVATION WORKSHOPS HOSTED BY THE VIRGINIA TECH HEALTH EDUCATORS ON TUESDAYS, WEDNESDAYS AND THURSDAYS. FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT HEALTHCENTER.VT.EDU/ WORKSHOPS/SCHEDULE.HTM

Dancers pick their poison NICK SMIRNIOTOPOULOS features reporter

When it comes to movement, one Virginia Tech dance crew holds nothing back. Dancing’s Our Poison, a group that has had a steadily increasing presence on campus for the past few years since it was formed four years ago, seeks to spread its dancing fever to others who want to bust a move. see DANCE / page ﬁve

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

september 29, 2011

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Jobs: Modea stands out among local businesses Electric, Kenneth Chenault, the CEO of American Express, and Steve Case, the co-founder of AOL where also in the First Lady’s box. “It was a huge honor to be invited to attend the presidential address, it really speaks to what we’ve been doing at Modea,” Catalano said. You don’t think you will ever get noticed by the president, but clearly this got on his radar, which is pretty cool.” Catalano and fellow Tech graduate Aaron Herrington founded Modea in 2001. The Blacksburg-based digital advertising agency has expanded rapidly and plans to build a $10 million headquarters on the old Blacksburg Middle School property. As 521st fastest growing company in the nation according to Inc. magazine, Modea stands as an exception in today’s lagging economy.

LOCAL JOB MARKET Virginia as a whole could be considered an exception. As of August, the United States unemployment rate stood at 9.1 percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. With a 6.3 unemployment rate, Virginia was better off than the national average as of August 2011. In Montgomery County, the unemployment rate stood at 6.9 percent, down from 7.6 at the same time last year. But because its unemployment rate is higher than the state of Virginia’s, Montgomery County is considered an economically distressed community, said Brian Hamilton, the director of the Montgomery County Department of Economic Development. “The unemployment rate has gone down,” said Aric Bopp, the execu-

tive director of the New River Valley Economic Alliance. “It isn’t as good as we’d like — we are certainly hanging in there.” Hamilton said cuts from the state to Virginia Tech — one of the largest employers in the region — is a large factor affecting the unemployment rate. In an interview after the Board of Visitors meeting in April, Tech President Charles Steger said state funding dropped from $182 million in 2000-01 to $131 million in 201011. But he said overall, the local economy is growing because the area is attracting new technology companies, which will create jobs. “Our economic outlook is good,” Hamilton said. “We have a few companies expanding, and I think that at this time, our unemployment rate has peaked.” Recently, expanding or new companies have announced plans to create 1,400 jobs in the Blacksburg area, Bopp said. He also said the Corporate Research Center at Tech has announced plans for Phase II, which will bring 19 additional buildings and new companies. “(The NRV) has had a lot of success in the last two years,” Bopp said. “I don’t think that has been fully realized in the unemployment rate or in the job market.” Bopp said Modea’s decision to remain and grow is a good sign.

AN EXCEPTION TO THE RULE Catalano said Modea has been successful in part because it is in a growing industry. “Budgets for digital advertising are increasing — that speaks to the fact that we are in the right business,” Catalano said. Modea hasn’t needed to make any layoffs during the recent tough eco-

nomic times. Catalano said that with the business’ growth every year, there hasn’t been a need to make any major layoffs. But Catalano said one of the reasons he was invited to sit in the First Lady’s box was because of Modea’s growth in a town such as Blacksburg. “It really speaks to what we’ve been doing at Modea, and the fact that we have been growing and building a company, and the fact that we have been doing it in a place that people wouldn’t think is a usual place for a digital advertising company,” Catalano said. Modea has recently expanded its Kent Square offices to include space over Awful Arthur’s in downtown Blacksburg. The company also has offices in the University Gateway Center. “Youreallycanbeanywhereifyouare committed to being the best,” Catalano said. All of Modea’s current office spaces are temporary, while they wait for the construction of their new headquarters on the old Blacksburg Middle School site. Catalano said it is the environment of downtown Blacksburg — not necessarily the lower costs — that have kept the company in the area. “We don’t have huge cost savings by being here because we end up paying rates that are pretty competitive with what people would be making in the city,” Catalano said. Diane Akers, president of the Blacksburg Partnership, said Modea has been successful because of the reputation it has cultivated in the area. “(Modea) is doing a good job of creating their image as a place that people want to work and want to be involved with,” Akers said. Catalano said people have been

surprised that he has decided to keep the business in Blacksburg rather than moving it to a larger city. But he hopes it will encourage others to keep their business in the area. Because of Modea’s close relationship with downtown Blacksburg, Catalano is concerned with the number of empty storefronts. “That doesn’t speak well to creating the type of environment that we all want in our downtown,” Catalano said. “For us, it’s about the environment in Blacksburg and all the enmities that Blacksburg provides — that’s what we like about it.” But despite uncertainties, Catalano is confident about Blacksburg’s future. “I think there are great times ahead,” Catalano said. “In the next 10 years, the way that Blacksburg looks downtown will be different, and things will change as more businesses like Modea move downtown.”

OBAMA’S PLAN Obama’s plan includes incentives that he said will help put the nearly 14 million unemployed Americans back to work. These include tax credits to employers for hiring longtime-unemployed workers and a $50 billion investment for highways to bring back lost construction jobs. “I agreed with the premise,” Catalano said. “We have to increase jobs, and we have to put an economic environment in place that spurs job growth and promotes entrepreneurial activity.” Obama’s plan calls for a 50 percent cut in payroll taxes to employers for their first $5 million in payroll. Catalano said putting more money into business’s pockets by decreasing payroll taxes won’t necessarily increase

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SHOULD STUDENTS WORRY? Hamilton said prospective employees should be concerned with the job situation, even if things seem to be on the rebound. Jim Henderson, the associate director of employer relations at the Smith Career Center at Tech, said students should be prepared for the competitive job market and have a plan of action before graduation. “Pre-recession, companies were growing and expanding, and there were lots of jobs,” Henderson said. Now in the recession there are lay offs, and it is competitive for students to find those jobs and get selected.” Hendersonsaidit’s importantforstu-

dents to network and talk to different employers. “A lot of jobs are never posted — you have to talk to recruiters and companies, and find people that can connect you,” Henderson said. Kevin Cashman, a senior computer science major, expressed his uncertainties about finding a job after graduation. “I don’t have a very good GPA, so I’ll need something else to impress employers,” he said. “But I’ve had an internship which should help.” Henderson said employees that participated in the recent Business Horizons and Engineering Expo career fairs encouraged him to seek opportunities. He also said there has been an increased amount of job postings on Hokies4Hire. Being flexible with geographic location is also important for students looking for jobs, Henderson said. “There are local jobs. We have employers that are looking for students who want to stay in the area,” Henderson said. “But if you are only looking to stay in the area, it becomes more difficult — you have to go where the jobs are.” Bopp said the cost of living should be a factor students consider when looking for a job outside of the Blacksburg area. The cost of living in southwest Virginia is significantly lower than in northern Virginia. A person earning $50,000 at a job in Blacksburg would need a 47 percent wage increase to maintain the same standard of living in a city such as Alexandria, Va., Bopp said. Catalano said that while it is important for students to be prepared, picking a major that you are interested in is necessary. “People have to be happy and follow things that they are passionate about — just don’t get a degree that is marketable, especially if your passion lies elsewhere.”

Sheen: Actors show students ‘The Way’

On abuse unnoticed:

Anon>> But I thought most women were into the bad boy personality. It seems so many women fall for them, what else would they expect later on in a relationship? Even worse, they keep coming back to them after they "apologize" and make up. Then the cycle repeats.

from page one

Just my observations.

The Camino de Santiago, or the Way of St. James, is a trail in the Pyrenees mountains of northern Spain that ends at the Santiago de Compostela, a church where the remains of St. James are rumored to be buried. “The Way,” which was written and directed by Estevez and stars Sheen, follows the journey of a man, who loses his son. Along the trail, he looks for understanding and a greater meaning in life. The Camino is considered to be the third most popular pilgrimage path in the world and stretches between 450 and 500 miles, depending on where a traveler starts. It can be walked, biked or driven. “One thing that’s amazing about the Camino is that it’s hard to find a favorite place,” Hesp, who first traveled on the trail during her years as a doctoral student at the University of Michigan, said. “There are a lot of amazing moments and spaces.” Hesp eventually wrote her dissertation on the Camino and how it intersected with the concept of community. Hesp has traveled along the trail four times. She biked the path twice on her own and walked it twice, bringing students from the University of Michigan with her

PFC>> Yes, terrible. Yet symptomatic of the overarching tendency in our society to evade personal responsibility. If these abused women broke 'it' off much, much sooner then most times it would never escalate to the insane instance described above. Certainly 3rd party people should be willing to speak out but only the principals in a relationship know what is REALLY going on. The education effort should START with the women involved in any kind of abusive relationship (and I suppose the loser men who commit such behavior, though they may be beyond help). Ladies, walk, then run..away..EARLY!

Claudio>> Yes, women must walk away from abusive relationships — men too, as we too can be victims of relationship abuse. And yes, all must be taught not to treat their partners like objects. But there's nothing wrong with this initiative focusing on third parties. Relationships don't happen in a void. Both partners have friends, and friends must learn to tell the signs and intervene. Also the friends of the abuser, for that matter.If both the abuser and the abused know that abusive relationships won't be tolerated, abusive relationships will become less frequent. So kudos to the Women's Center.

Anonymous>> Thank you for being the first person to leave a comment that remotely makes sense in the context of this article.

reader>> I had a friend whose significant other was mean to her, belittled her, and obviously didn't respect her. He was also religious, clean-cut and held down a good job. I didn't say anything because I didn't want to seem like I was criticizing her relationship choices or make her uncomfortable or threaten our friendship. Several years later as they were finally breaking up she told me he had been violently abusing her all along in secret but she was afraid to tell anyone. I always regretted not speaking up and telling her that the way I saw him treating her was wrong, maybe she would have reached out to me for help. The S.A.V.E.S program can make a difference in how friends react when they see abusive red flags. I hope it helps people have the courage to say something.

crime blotter

jobs because companies can spend that money however they choose — he said the plan will affect different companies in various ways. As for Modea, he said he and his partner already keep and reinvest all of the profits within the company and its employees, so the proposal would not have a big effect on it. “That is how we’ve been able to grow,” Catalano said. So while we would get a payroll tax deduction, the rest of our taxes would increase, and I would have less money overall to invest in Modea and continue to grow it.” Catalano said there needs to be a concerted effort to enhance job growth around the county, and creating small businesses like Modea is one way to get there. “The vast majority of people who are employed are not employed through the GE’s (General Electric’s) of the world, but through small business — and Modea is considered a small business,” Catalano said.

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for her 2004 and 2006 visits. She hopes to take a group of students from Tech to the Camino at some point, but for now, she is happy that Estevez and Sheen agreed to bring the movie to Tech. Hesp first contacted Sheen and Estevez in person about coming to Tech at a conference in February. The campaign to bring the movie to Tech got a push when geography instructor John Boyer joined forces with Hesp. Boyer and his 3,000-person World Regions class posted a Youtube video on Sept. 6 asking the actors to make the visit. “Because of technology and the Virginia Tech community, we in this day and age can make contact and communicate with people who before this everybody said, ‘That’s impossible, you can’t talk to Hollywood stars, you can’t talk to prime ministers and presidents’” Boyer said. Boyer said through the experience, his students have become more connected with each other. “This class is bringing the juice big time — we’ve really stepped it up to another level here. That is frankly above any expectations I ever had,” Boyer said. “There’s a level of synergy that’s higher

They were very well spoken, I saw that the movie meant a lot to him, he’s not just making the movie for no reason at all. RICH KRAEMER ENGINEERING MAJOR

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than usual for the World Regions class.” After such a success, Boyer next hopes to have a class Skype chat with Burmese democratic leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Hesp said she is grateful for Boyer’s and his students’ enthusiasm, and she hopes the movie will be just as inspiring for them as the Camino has been for her. “I’m really excited to see the students’ reactions after the movie,” Hesp said. “For me the Camino was really life altering, and what I hope is that this movie inspires students to either go out on the Camino or chart their own path.” After the movie showing, Estevez and Sheen held a question and answer session with the students, discussing their personal experiences and anecdotes with the filming process along the Camino. They talked about their inspirations for writing and acting in the film, the effect of their Spanish heritage on the creation of the movie, and the promotion of the movie around the United States and at Tech. “We believe that the best way to get this movie out was to actually take it to the people,” Estevez said.

I thought it was pretty incredible, out of the ordinary, it wasn’t a true Hollywood story, and it had personal reasons too. BRANDON NAVE BIOLOGY MAJOR

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Follow up to Burglary Vanadlism (metal bench) Appear Intoxicated in public Appear intoxicated in public Appear Intoxicated in public Possession of Marjuana

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

september 29, 2011

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

Afﬁrmative action politically incorrect or decades, affirmative F action has helped minorities get ahead in school and the work force. It was created as a means of balancing out races and genders in everyday life, but affirmative action has not lessened the dramatic disparities in academic performance or within job force. Contrary to what many people believe, being a certain race or gender does not affect how successful a person becomes in a particular profession. A woman is no less competent than a man in the engineering field, being Caucasian does not affect the intelligence of a man, and being Mexican is not a criterion to becoming a gardener. So why is it, during the 21st century, that preferential treatment is still being applied when applications are in consideration? According to MerriamWebster Dictionary, affirmative action is “an active effort to improve the employment or educational opportunities of members of minority groups and women,” yet today every human being has the same opportunity as anyone else in the world to achieve whatever goals they have. The problem, however, is that there continues to be a significant difference in the races working professionally and gaining education globally. The realm of the engineering world has yet to change from being a male-dominated field; the fast-food industry continues to be dominated by particular races depending on the country; and highly-accredited universities such as Harvard and Stanford continue to have a certain quota of how many people from each race are accepted into their programs. In the example regarding women working as engineers, the idea of affirmative action raises the question of whether women should get priority if they chose to pursue a career for which they are a minority. Women should not be given an advantage to level out the ratio of women to men in the engineering world. Rather, engineering should be equally promoted as an appropriate career choice for both genders. The human race has undergone many changes in the past century regarding equality, especially in the United States. Blacks, who were once considered and

treated as slaves, are now able to receive the same benefits as whites, including educational and job opportunities. People with disabilities, who have a clear disadvantage among others, are no longer looked down upon and are compensated for their disadvantages with benefits such as more convenient parking spots. However, in both of these cases, a group of people didn’t receive the same treatment as others or were at a physical and/or mental disadvantage versus everyone else surrounding them. This is no longer the case. Women are not forbidden from gaining knowledge in the engineering fields, nor are they discriminated against in the workforce, and they do not have physical or mental disadvantages compared to males pursuing the same engineering goals. However, women have been looked down upon when compared to men up until the last century. For this reason, affirmative action has tried to make up for the lack of equality among men and women. Fortunately, women no longer lack the options that men have today. Women have every chance to pursue an engineering degree, and as a result have every chance to become a professional engineer. The question now is why would affirmative action be necessary to help allow women become engineers today? In simple terms, affirmative action is no longer necessary to help women become engineers — or anything. The sole reason for any form of affirmative action, especially for women, is guilt. Today’s society is trying to make up for years of the isolation, exploitation and abuse of women by giving them professions and special treatment through favoritism instead of merit. By doing so, affirmative action is being racist. Receiving anything in life should be solely based on credentials and experience.

LINA BARKAWI -regular columnist -junior -industrial systems engineering major

Driving around drunk drivers is dangerous many Virginia Tech students will tell you, there is no better ending to a long week than the promise of a weekend downtown or partying with friends. Amid all the noise and scantily clad people, one can happily forget about school and work, saving the papers and studying for a lazy Sunday instead. And if we truly want to forget, we can drown ourselves in enough mixed-drinks and beers to satisfy a full frat house. Afterward, we can all stumble down the sidewalk to our homes or pass out in the yard at a friend’s house, because driving is not an option, right? Now I’m not going to harp on how terrible drunk driving is — I’m not doing a public service announcement here. Besides, we’ve all been told enough horror stories about driving under the influence and getting caught by the police or slamming into innocent pedestrians. Obviously, we know how dangerous it is to get behind the wheel of a car after having a few drinks. In fact, I can barely find elbow room on a bus after a night out for that very reason. The only intoxicated people I notice those nights are falling over themselves at bus stops, staggering to another bar, or drunkenly holding onto one another as they make their way back home. Imagine my surprise that first Saturday night I was sober and driving a vehicle. The view was dramatically different as I was suddenly bombarded by bad drivers. I’ll admit, at first I assumed a few people were simply inexperienced drivers. What else could explain cars driving too fast or slow, or switching lanes without a turn signal? My naivety was compounded by the fact that I had never driven after having drank alcohol. Like most sober drivers, I quickly realized what was going on and adapted to the situation. There are only so many times a person can run a red light before you realize there’s something wrong. I began to accommodate drunk drivers by being even more careful than I already was. For example, I couldn’t simply look out of my rear window as I slowly reversed out of a parking space. I had to back out inch

by inch, gradually making my way out of the lot or risk being hit by a car going at an unreasonably fast speed. When lights turned green, I waited an extra few seconds just in case a car ran the light. Both of these changes in my driving on the weekend have saved my car from an accident, and I’m serious about that. Honestly, I could write an entire library on the horrible driving habits of the impaired, but why bother? It’s been done too many times, and anyway, it’s not efficient to give out safety tips to those who won’t remember them. Luckily, a lot of you who drive on the weekends without being over the legal limit have already taken these things into consideration. You pay extra attention when going around corners and look out for drunk pedestrians on or off the crosswalks. I’ve even seen several drivers stop and offer, to who I assume were plastered young people, directions to a bus stop. All of you have far more patience than I do, and you are to be commended for it. I know that a column in a newspaper isn’t going to stop anyone’s behavior, and I’m fine with that. I don’t get paid to write tickets and impound vehicles. I don’t scrape bodies off of the road. However, all of us who own a car would prefer it stay in one piece, and so in a way, this column isn’t just for drunk drivers, but for sober drivers as well. If advertisements and checkpoints won’t stop the intoxicated from operating a vehicle, then it really is up to ourselves to make sure we’re driving carefully and defensively, especially on weekends after dark. That’s not to say that some accidents can’t be avoided — we’ve all heard about cars going the wrong way down roads, flipping over guardrails, etc. Things happen that, no matter how vigilant we are, are out of our control. Nevertheless, keep an eye out while driving, and enjoy the weekend off.

COURTNAY SELLERS -regular columnist -junior -history major

MCT CAMPUS

Loans tie students down ther than cheering on the killO ing of the uninsured and convicted during the Republican debates, one candidate sparked controversy for calling social security a “ponzi scheme.” However, none of the current contenders have addressed the real scam — student loans. With the way students are piling on the debt, and the way student loans are designed — coupled with the growing inability for students to pay them back — student loan reform should be the number one issue in the next election. For years, well-meaning guidance counselors have preached the benefits of college. The practices of student loan lenders, and the massive amount of debt caused by student loans, are destroying the benefits of college degrees. Although one U.S. Census Bureau report says college graduates make $1 million more, in a lifetime, than high school graduates, it has become one of the common arguments for going to college. The report says a high school graduate only netted about 1.2 million, while a college graduate earned nearly 2.1 million. However, this study embellished the benefits because everybody in the study had a job, something a college degree does not guarantee. The report also assumes steady employment from age 25 to 64, which especially in this economy is no guarantee. In fact, one of the most common careers for someone just out of college is an unpaid internship. Want to know the real difference between a how much a college graduate makes and a high school graduate makes? It’s just $300,000. But is that money worth four years and nearly a decade of debt for money you most likely won’t see for another 40 years?

It’s bad enough that a college degree might not even pay for itself because of the student loan debt, but the loan process itself exploits students. Unfortunately, abusing students has been a bipartisan effort. In 1998, under the Clinton administration, Congress completely eliminated the ability to discharge student loan debt in bankruptcy. That means that debt from government student loans and criminal actions have the same rules. Then in 2005 under the Bush administration, amendments to the U.S. Bankruptcy Code provided the same non-discharge protection to private student loan lenders, making it nearly impossible to discharge government and private student loan debt. And other protections were removed from the code as well. In addition to removing the statute of limitations on collections and the right to refinance, as well as the protections in the Fair Debt Collection Practices and Truth in Lending acts have also been removed from student loans. Not only is it bad enough to have to owe that much money, but you have almost no rights to protect yourself. Missing a few payments and wages can be garnished without a court order; professional licenses can be suspended; social security and disability income can be garnished; IRS tax refunds can be withheld. Even the Federal Trade Commission declared in July 2010 that the debt collection and arbitration process was broken, recommending steps to fix the system. What is incredibly unethical about student loans is the cozy relationship between the government and private lenders. For example, take a look at Sallie Mae, the largest originator of student loans. The federal govern-

ment guarantees the full amount of a loan, so there is no risk to Sallie Mae. If you default on the loan, the government will want its money, so it will hire a debt collector like the General Revenue Corporation, the nations largest debt collection agency. The GRC tacks on an additional 25 percent to the loan as a collection fee and gets a 28 percent commission on the loan, which you have to pay for. Did I mention that Sallie Mae owns GRC? Nearly 25 percent of government student loans default. That might not sound so bad, but consider this: At the peak of the subprime mortgage crisis default rates were also at 25 percent, but those were loans people could walk away from through bankruptcy and in some cases bailout. With student loans there is no protection. With more students heading off to college each year, and more are borrowing to pay for it. If more students begin to default — which is very likely given the high cost of college and the low salaries after college — the crash could be worse than the one from 2008. The simple truth is that if this practice continues, it is not a question of if students will default, it is a question of when students will default. People should go to college, but we need to make it more affordable and give students more financial rights to protect themselves from predatory student loans.

JEFF HOMAN -regular columnist -junior -history major

Confidence leads to greatness here is a certain idea that’s T becoming a trendy topic for celebrities, commentators and other public figures to talk about — the idea of being happy with who you are. Now a great deal of this sentiment seems to be coming from the anti-bullying campaign that has risen in the past few years, as a number of public figures have attached themselves to this movement of increasing awareness about bullying in schools and trying to reduce it. A large part of this movement revolves around the idea being pushed by those heading this campaign, saying you should just be yourself — and being yourself is exactly what you, as a young adult, should be doing. On its face, this seems like a very good ideal to be pursued — not to be discouraged by others criticizing you for being different or not conforming, and to follow your own ideas and beliefs, avoiding mimicking those of others. These are good ideas that should be advocated to all Americans, not just the younger ones. Yet those good ideals I mentioned are more specific notions. The message of being happy with who you are is a broader one, and I would argue that it is not necessarily fully beneficial to the children and teenagers hearing it. The message of being happy with who you are is essentially a static idea. It’s saying that however you are right now is perfect, you should be happy just the way you are, and you don’t need to change yourself at all. Now this is fundamentally wrong. The idea that anyone, let alone a child or teenager still growing and developing in life, is ever perfect in any aspect of their life is an absurd, and to some extent irresponsible, idea to be teaching to kids who are

trying to figure out so much about how to live their lives. Truthfully no one is ever perfect, so to say you are perfect just the way you are is both lie, and is counter to self-improvement. The only way for a person to improve themselves is through change and an alteration of who you are at the current moment. Every person has an incredible number of flaws and deficiencies. Of course the goal should never be to become perfect in all ways, for that is impossible. And in many ways, our deficiencies and imperfections are just as important and defining as our perfections. But self-improvement should always be the goal — to strive to be something better than what you are, right now, in every way you can. The only way to become great at something is to change and improve yourself. No one in history ever achieved their level of greatness by simply being satisfied with who they were —Newton didn’t forge the foundations of modern mathematics by being satisfied with his own intellect. Michelangelo didn’t paint and sculpt some of the most famous art in history without experimenting in his craft and improving himself. And Dickens didn’t write some of the most memorable stories in western culture without striving for perfection in his field. None of these men were perfect, but they continued to strive to be better in their craft, and in doing so, they were able to become legends in those areas they strove to master. And even if you know you’ll never be great in a certain area, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t strive to be better in that part of your life. You’ll never be a perfect person, but it’s that constant pursuit of perfection that can lead a person to do

great things in life. Now this pursuit of becoming a better person does not rule out what could be described as selfconfidence — a quality I think should be a replacement for being happy with who you are. This is not confidence in the usual sense, of an attitude that is a few steps below arrogance, but confidence in the sense that the person you actually are is the person you show to others. In your interactions with other people, you don’t hide who you are or put on some sort of show to be someone else. Instead you put forth to the world the exact person you are, so the version of you on the inside is the same as the one on the outside. And there is no longer really a distinction — that is what I mean by self-confidence. Self-confidence is a quality people have attributed to both of our most recent presidents, Barack Obama and George Bush. The person they showed to the public and within their administration was very close to how they actually were. Neither erected a facade or a veil to hide who they were to the public and other people. And this idea of self-confidence is perfectly compatible with selfimprovement, because you can change and develop as you try to improve, but still display that changing and improving person to the world. A person who is truly confident in themselves displays their successes and failures at improvement and change, because that is who they really are, and there is no reason to hide yourself.

DEVIN MILLER -regular columnist -senior -political science major

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september 29, 2011

page 4

MLB postseason races remain heated through ﬁnal day of season offense. The biggest roadblock to another world championship will be pitching.

COURTNEY LOFGREN sports reporter As the Major League Baseball season officially ended yesterday, Sept. 28, the postseason is set to start tomorrow. Here is a team-by-team breakdown of what to expect in October.

Central: Detroit Tigers Justin Verlander has a chance to win both the AL MVP and Cy Young awards after leading the league in wins (24), ERA (2.40) and strikeouts (250). Verlander and Doug Fister, a midseason acquisition, combined to go 32-6 on the season. After some turmoil in the spring, Miguel Cabrera recovered to lead the team in batting average (.343) and RBIs (104). If the team can avoid inconsistency from the offense, it should be a very scary opponent in October. Expect the Tigers to make a big run in the postseason and be the league’s representative in the World Series.

AMERICAN LEAGUE East: New York Yankees The Yankees will begin their quest to earn title number 28 for the franchise. After a regular season that was filled with injuries to superstars Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez and Phil Hughes, manager Joe Girardi guided his team to its second American League East title in three years. MVP candidates Curtis Granderson and Robinson Cano, both of whom were All-Stars, led the Yankees

West: Texas Rangers After losing out on the Cliff Lee

sweepstakes in the offseason, the Rangers shocked the baseball world by holding off the Los Angeles Angels for the division title. Starting pitchers C.J. Wilson and Derek Holland both earned 16 wins on the season, which was tied for the team high. Josh Hamilton and Michael Young, both members of the American League all-star team, led the Rangers on the offensive side with a .300 and .338 batting average, respectively. Although the Rangers made it all the way to the World Series last season, don’t expect a repeat appearance for Texas. The team simply does not have enough pitching to make it deep into the playoffs. Wild Card: Boston Red Sox or Tampa Bay Rays At press time, the race had not been decided. After winning just six games in

September, the Red Sox would be lucky to even be playing in October. The Rays won 15 games in September to tie the Red Sox for the wild card heading into the season’s final day and could be dangerous in the postseason if they stay hot. NATIONAL LEAGUE East: Philadelphia Phillies The Phillies have been the National League East’s representative in the playoffs for the past five years. The Phillies “big three” on the pitching staff made up of Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels will be a nightmare for opposing teams. The team improved significantly with the midseason pickup of Hunter Pence who batted .320 and drove in 31 as a Phillie. With the strength of its pitching staff and hitters like Ryan Howard and Jimmy Rollins

on the roster, this team should make it to the National League Championship Series but fall short of the World Series. Central: Milwaukee Brewers After a magical season, the Brewers are looking to win a title in what will most likely be Prince Fielder’s last couple of weeks in a Brewers uniform. Fielder, along with NL MVP candidate Ryan Braun, will lead a Milwaukee offense that scored 708 runs this season. Expect the Brewers to make a deep run into the postseason and be the National League’s representative in the World Series. Maybe that can convince Fielder to stay in the only place he’s called home while playing professional ball. West: Arizona Diamondbacks In manager Kirk Gibson’s first full season, he led the team to 93 wins and

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is a leading candidate for NL manager of the year. The offense, led by talented right fielder Justin Upton, scored 719 runs. Ian Kennedy, a Cy Young award contender, finally proved his potential by winning 21 games with a 2.88 ERA, while closer J.J. Putz reinvented himself and earned 45 saves this season. The Diamondbacks were a dream team this season but will be eliminated in the first round of the playoffs because of a lack of pitching past Kennedy and a lack of timely hitting. Wild Card: Atlanta Braves or St. Louis Cardinals The race was undecided at press time. The struggling Braves have suffered a September collapse and must stave off a Cardinals team rallying around veterans Albert Pujols, Yadier Molina and Lance Berkman.

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september 29, 2011

Sales kick off in October ANDREW REILLY features staff writer Thinking of making a shopping trip to Christiansburg soon? You might be surprised to find that almost all of your needs can be met within a short walking distance from campus. Downtown Blacksburg offers a wide variety of stores, and they’re not just sitting by idly waiting for students to discover them. 30 Days of Blacksburg is back and bigger than ever with over 30 businesses around town offering discounts throughout October to promote their services. “Every single day of the month of October a different store gives a discount,” said Laureen Blakemore, the Downtown Blacksburg, Inc. director. “If you present your Hokie Passport, you get 10 percent off at the store.” The month-long promotion, a joint initiative by the Virginia Tech Student Government Association and Downtown Blacksburg Inc., will offer more participating locations than ever before for students to explore. Blakemore said 34 businesses have agreed to offer the discount to students starting Oct. 1 with the Gourmet Pantry. “We’ve got everything from Mad Dog to John’s Camera Corner, the Lyric Theatre, restaurants,” Blakemore said. “If one place doesn’t appeal to you, there’s quite often another on the same day.” This will be the third year the SGA and Downtown Blacksburg, Inc. have held the 30 Days event. Emily Schaeffer, SGA director of community relations, said it serves an important function in uniting the

Tech community with the town. “The idea of it is to try and bring the town of Blacksburg and the students closer together and kind of create a better working relationship between the town and the students,” Schaeffer said. Schaeffer is optimistic about this year’s 30 Days, citing high awareness among students and increased commitment by storeowners to promote the event. She said the event is especially useful for businesses trying to reach new students learning their way around Blacksburg. “It’s a really good opportunity for them to promote their store to students, especially freshmen who don’t really know that much about downtown yet,” Schaeffer said. “It’s a good event for freshmen because they get the opportunity to see what stores are there — what stores they might want to go to.” This event is only one of many community events Downtown Blacksburg, Inc. puts on each year, but Blakemore said it’s one of the most important in terms of reaching the student body. “It’s easy to jump in your car and head out to Christiansburg or the mall and things like that, but there’s a lot more going on down here,” Blakemore said. “You’re here for four years. This is your home, and it’s definitely a community feeling down here, so I think that’s something that students need to learn.” A full calendar of participating stores and special promotions can be found on various posters downtown or at DowntownBlacksburg. com. BRAD KLODOWSKI / SPPS

30 Day review any engineer would As be more than happy to tell you, college students are busy — not just a little preoccupied, but absolutely buried under an avalanche of homework, projects and exams. Never mind the countless hours spent on Stumble Upon or watching football — students will convince you there’s barely enough time to get work done, much less explore downtown. Since many will only have a few opportunities to check out the discounts during 30 Days of Blacksburg, it’s important to know what’s worth your time. With that in mind, here is a completely subjective guide to some of the best Blacksburg has to offer. No matter where you choose to spend your hardearned dollars, it’s impossible to go wrong with so many great options.

Week 1: She-Sha Cafe and Hookah Lounge (Oct. 5) What better way to kick off an event intended to bring students and businesses together than with the ultimate fusion of college life and commerce? SheSha Cafe and Hookah Lounge is a Blacksburg mainstay, popular for its multitude of tobacco flavors and relaxing atmosphere. As far as freshmen year cliches go, sitting around a hookah table with your dorm buddies

is on par with highlighter parties and being forcibly evicted by an amorous roommate. Hookah is only part of the SheSha experience. The soothing ambiance coupled with authentic Middle Eastern menu and decor create a great atmosphere that even non-smokers can enjoy. She-Sha also serves as a welcome study alternative to the library or soul-crushing Math Emporium, provided you’re not the easily distracted type.

Week 2: Pretty in Pink Fundraiser (Oct. 12) Not all of the promotions during 30 Days of Blacksburg are intended solely for promoting businesses. On Wednesday, Oct. 12, there will be a downtownwide fundraiser benefiting the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer foundation. Ten percent of sales at locations such as Gillie’s, Mad Dog, Sharkey’s and Starbucks will go toward breast cancer research. In addition, cupcakes and “pink passports” will be sold for $5 and $10 respectively for the opportunity to win prizes including tickets to the Lyric, a one-month unlimited pass to classes at In Balance Yoga and art from the Matrix Gallery. Participating locations will be marked with pink ribbons. More information, including a full participant listing, can be

voting open through

October 14

Dance: Group gives back to community from page one

(Top) People hit the books at She-Sha. (Bottom) Shoppers peruse 310 Rosemont.

found at DowntownBlacksburg. com.

Week 3: PK’s Bar and Grill (Oct. 18) Benny Marzano’s may have it beat for sheer size, but PK’s still holds the Best of Blacksburg crown for tastiest pizza, and for good reason — the stuff is delicious. While every bar in Blacksburg is technically a restaurant as per Virginia law, PK’s rides that blurry line better than most. Want to grab a drink and watch the game? PK’s has more TVs than The Architect in the “Matrix Reloaded.” Looking to grab a good, affordable meal with family in town? Head on down and try the Italian Stallion specialty pie. Need a family meal and a stiff drink? Of course you do — your parents are in town. Knock two birds out with one satisfying stone at one of Main Street’s best eateries.

boutique. Even with a 10 percent discount, 310 Rosemont is hardly light shopping. A starting point for most clothes is $50, with many reaching the $80 to $90 level. Hell, I spent $28 for a T-shirt last year. You’re paying for quality, however, and since new pledges are buying friends anyway, what’s another couple hundred for fresh digs?

Week 4: 310 Rosemont (Oct. 29) If you belong to the demographic Lance Diamond would refer to as “frat stars,” 310 Rosemont is right up your aesthetic alley. The ostentatiously pastel look is not for everyone, but students who need their fix of margarita and salmon attire, not to mention the everpopular fish belts, will feel right at home in this Main Street

WHO IS

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- Andrew Reilly features staff writer

The group began with three students who wanted to pursue their passion for dance informally by learning dance choreography and practicing together in their free time — interestingly, they never set out to start an organization at all. As the students progressed and gained a deeper passion, they noticed the lack of opportunity for dancers around the Blacksburg community, which motivated them to look within themselves to find the solution. Their solution was Dancing’s Our Poison, which hosted free weekly dance workshops as a means of enhancing Blacksburg’s dance culture by providing fun opportunities for the entire community. The workshops not only taught various dance techniques primarily used in hiphop dancing, but also blended them together into unique choreography. Since its inception, Dancing’s Our Poison has held true to its original foundational values and continued to gain more exposure for their popular dance workshops. The group currently has 14 members with two co-directors — Tim Reyes, a senior electro-engineering major, and Jaime Milo, a junior psychology and human development major. Although the group has grown a lot, it remains an unofficial Tech organization. While becoming an official organization has been a topic of discussion for some time, Reyes said remaining unofficial has helped them form their own identity, outside the confines of the university. Despite its recent growth and recognition, Dancing’s Our Poison has remained faithful to its original goal of serving the community while attempting to build upon its foundation of offering interesting, new opportunities. “Our main goals as an organization are to build up the dance community and to give back to the community,” Reyes said. Dancing’s Our Poison has worked recently to bring more professional dancers to Blacksburg. Last spring, the crew brought Swagger Crew, a hit group from “America’s Best Dance Crew,” twice to offer professional choreography. While special workshops such as this may normally cost up to $20, Dancing’s Our Poison offered them for only $2 as a way to, yet again, make these dance opportunities available to anyone who is interested. They plan to bring more professional dancers around this year, following the success from last year’s workshops. With groups like Swagger Crew offering innovation and excitement, Reyes said the workshops have had a wide variety of dancers, ranging in various levels of experience, but all sharing in the common, binding interest. “We get a big mix of people,” Reyes said. “This year, a lot more new people have been coming out, but we still have our regulars. Some of the regulars actually come out more than I do.” Even among the two co-directors, the diversity of dancers is evident. Reyes has been a member for over

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