Tuesday, October 25, 2011 Print Edition by Collegiate Times

Hokies down three starters for defense. See page six. Tuesday, October 25, 2011

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Cadet dies near Duck Pond Friday night CT NEWS STAFF Joseph Ba Ngo died at the gazebo near the Duck Pond on Friday night. Ngo was a junior biology major and a member of the Corps of Cadets in the G Company. Ngo, 20, was also a member of the Army National Guard. His body was found by Virginia Tech Police at about 11 p.m. on Friday without a pulse.

The Virginia Tech Rescue Squad performed CPR for 20 minutes before taking him to the hospital, where he was proNGO nounced dead shortly after midnight, according to J.T. Jones, the president of VT Rescue and a junior construction engineering and management major. The Virginia Tech Police

Smoot plans to retire in 2012 VIRGINIA TECH FOUNDATION CEO RAYMOND SMOOT TO RETIRE AFTER 35 YEARS AT TECH CODY OWENS news reporter Raymond J. Smoot Jr., the chief executive officer of Virginia Tech Foundation, announced his plans to retire in July 2012. He will be replaced by John Dooley, who is currently the vice president for Outreach and International Affairs. S m o o t g r a d u ated from Tech in 1969 alongside Tech president Charles SMOOT Steger and head football coach Frank Beamer. After receiving his doctorate’s degree at Ohio State University, Smoot returned to his alma mater in 1975 to work with the founder of the Virginia Tech Foundation, Stuart Cassell. During his 35 years at Tech, Smoot has been at the helm of many university projects, including the creation of the Corporate Research Center, the Center for European Studies and Architecture and the Turner Street dining hall, which is still in development. One of Smoot’s largest projects was his partnership with the City of Roanoke to restore the Hotel Roanoke and add a conference center to the complex, which is now owned by Tech. As the first full-time executive leader of the Virginia

Tech Foundation, Smoot saw its total assets increase from $11 million in 1977 to its current value of $1.15 billion. Dooley said he recognizes the hard work ahead. “I’m filling big shoes,” he said. “(Raymond Smoot’s) impact on this university and the local community has been remarkable. I’m humbled to have this opportunity.” Dooley, who has been at Tech for 30 years, has been instrumental in establishing the Inn at Virginia Tech and Skelton Conference Center, as well as aiding the university’s many international centers. On April 1, 2012, Dooley will briefly become the chief operating officer of the Virginia Tech Foundation before taking Smoot’s role of CEO in July. While Smoot will be stepping down from his current role, he will remain in a part-time role for two more years. “President Steger has asked him to continue to provide counsel to the university and the foundation,” Dooley said. What I’ll be doing is call on Ray and his experiences to help me in the early days of my role. I see a couple major projects on which his expertise and experience will be invaluable.” The replacement for Dooley’s current position will be chosen by a search committee headed by university provost Mark McNamee.

Department has no reason to suspect foul play, but a medical examiner will make the final call as to whether his death was a suicide, said Larry Hincker university spokesman. Kiefer Mattox, a junior history major and close friend of Ngo’s, said he had not noticed anything wrong in the days leading up to Ngo’s death. “I don’t think anyone suspected anything,” Mattox said. “I saw him Friday morning and he

was just fine. But hindsight is always 20/20. Now it seems so obvious.” Mattox, who is also in the Corps of Cadets, said Ngo disappeared Friday night and people were wondering where he was. “Eventually, someone notified the Tech Police and then they found him,” Mattox said. Ngo, Mattox, Joshua Kim and Bobby McDonald were four friends who called themselves “The Wolf

Pack.” “We were all together in the same company freshman year, and in the following years we were still good buds,” Mattox said. “That’s a name we came up with last semester, we were pretty much inseperable. I guess we got the name from “The Hangover.” He said he remembers Ngo as being funny and willing to do anything. “He was just a funny kid, just really goofy. Serious when he needed to be but just goofy

over all. He just did stupid funny things all the time, was always willing to help out anyone who needed it,” Mattox said. Mattox said Ngo was an active member of the LGBTA and was very involved with his Vietmanese culture. Ngo’s parents, Khoa Ba Ngo and My Hanh Nguyen, are both first generation Vietnamese, Mattox said. Ngo was from Virginia Beach. Check CollegiateTimes.com for continuing coverage.

Students celebrate Diwali DONAL MURPHY news staff writer The Indian Student Association at Virginia Tech celebrated Diwali’s 50-year anniversary on Sunday with singing, dancing and fireworks. Diwali is an event that takes place in India, said Sonal Mazumder. “It’s a festival of lights, the triumph of good over evil. We always want to celebrate this day,” Mazumder said. “In India, every home celebrates it, and we light the home with a lamp and celebrate with fireworks.” Mazumder, a graduate student studying macromolecular science and engineering, is the ISA’s first female president. “It’s great, it’s an awesome feeling,” she said of her position. As an India native, Manuj Awasthi, a graduate student studying aerospace engineering, the festival allowed him to remember his home country. “It takes my mind away from all the hectic graduate work that I do and teaching and research and everything, so it’s kind of nice to get nostalgic at times,” Awasthi said. “It feels good to have this ceremony here. It reminds me of back home.” The cultural celebration ceremony took place in Burruss Hall with traditional singing, a lamp lighting and a modern Indian dance by the Kruti Dance Academy from Atlanta, a group that performed on “America’s Got Talent.” Kumar Mallikarjunan, an ISA advisor and a biological systems engineering associate professor, spoke about the work the organization does. “Over these years the association has done a great job providing aid to incoming students from India and giving them all their help and support for those few initial days,” he said. “They also work tirelessly to provide the opportunities for anyone to learn about India.” Saloni Sood, a graduate student studying environmental engineering and ISA member, said the group has helped him adjust to life in the U.S.

KEVIN DICKEL / SPPS

Members of the Indian Student Association light ﬁreworks Sunday night. “(The ISA) has been really helpful, because I was coming from India, and I didn’t know anybody from here,” Sood said. “They have a lot of cool traditions where they get people from the Indian community to pick new students up from the airport, and that helped me to get to Blacksburg from Roanoke airport.” John Dooley, the vice president for Outreach and International Affairs, commemorated the Indian student legacy at

Tech. “Our research tells us that it was at least 70 years ago when the first Indian student came to Virginia Tech,” Dooley said. “And over those 70 years, the Indian culture and people have enriched this university.” In addition to the Diwali celebration, the ISA remembered Raju Raghavan, the director of the Institute for Particle, Nuclear and Astronomical Sciences, who passed away on Oct. 20.

Retired professor tells human Civil War stories in book KELSEY JO STARR news staff writer James “Bud” Robertson Jr. is a leading expert in Civil War history. He taught more than 22,000 Virginia Tech students before retiring last spring. Since then, he has published a new book “The Untold: Exploring the Human Side of War.” The Collegiate Times sat down with him to talk about the book, being an author and life after retirement.

COLLEGIATE TIMES: Can you give us a brief overview of what the book is about and how it differs from other books about the Civil War? Bud Robertson: It’s about human beings, the human things that humans did during the Civil War and items that are more emotional. It shows the human side

of the war as much as anything. CT: How was writing this book different from other books you’ve written? ROBERTSON: It’s a lot like you’re in a restaurant. Most books have an entree to them, this doesn’t. It’s more than 100 little hors d’oeuvres. They’re about all kinds of things: who grew a beard, the American creation of Arlington National Cemetery, Christmas in the Civil War, animals such as a dog that was the mascot for Pennsylvania regiment. I talk about women from Elizabeth Van Lew, who was a spy, to nurses such as Clara Barton, who founded the American Red Cross, and Phoebe Pember. And I talk about things behind the lines like medicine. Just the things that you don’t see a lot when you’re studying the war, things like strategy and tactics. It looks a

lot less at that and a lot more at what history is about which is the people, which I think is the most exciting part

CT: I know you received a lot of publicity for this book. How do you feel about that? ROBERTSON: It’s been great. People seem to enjoy the book a whole lot. I received an email from National Geographic just a few minutes ago, and they already ordered a second one, and this book’s only been out a week. We’ve only had a few marketing days, but it’s just gone fantastically. I think the people like history when it comes from a human standpoint and when it comes in small doses, which they have here. They have 132 different little stories they can see BOOK / page four

STEVEN STILTON / SPPS

Former Virginia Tech Professor James Robertson signs copies of his book at the Tech Bookstore Saturday.

2 news september 23, 2009 october 25, 2011

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

crime blotter

date reported 10/21/2011 10/21/2011 10/21/2011 10/21/2011 10/21/2011 10/22/2011 10/22/2011 10/22/2011 10/22/2011 10/22/2011 10/22/2011 10/22/2011 10/22/2011 10/22/2011 10/22/2011 10/22/2011 10/22/2011

10/22/2011 10/22/2011 10/22/2011 10/22/2011 10/22/2011 10/22/2011 10/22/2011 10/22/2011 10/22/2011 10/22/2011 10/22/2011 10/22/2011 10/22/2011 10/23/2011 10/23/2011 10/23/2011 10/23/2011 10/23/2011

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offense

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

10:30 p.m.-7:56 a.m. Theft of Motor Vehicle/Destruction of Alumni Mall Property 9:00-3:30 p.m. Computer Harassment Off Campus 12:00-12:00 p.m. Larceny of a table Derring Hall 8:40 p.m. Harassment Burchard Hall 11:12 p.m. Underage Possession of Alcohol Slusher Tower 2:19 a.m. Appear Intoxicated in Public/ Vawter Underage Possession of Alcohol 2:47 a.m. Appear Intoxicated in Public Duckpond 1:00-10:00 a.m. Burglary New Res East 2:17 p.m. Underage Possession of Alcohol Ambler Johnston 2:45 p.m. Appear Intoxicated in Public/ Lane Stadium Assault and Battery 2:41 p.m. Underage Possession of Alcohol Lane Stadium 3:00 p.m. Appear Intoxicated in Public/ Lane Stadium Underage Possession of Alcohol 3:10 p.m. Lane Stadium Appear Intoxicated in Public 3:21 p.m. Underage Possession of Alcohol Lane Stadium 3:15 p.m. Appear Intoxicated in Public Lane Stadium 3:30 p.m. Underage Possession of Alcohol Lane Stadium 3:37 p.m. Appear Intoxicated in Public/ Lane Stadium Underage Possession of Alcohol/ Littering 3:45 p.m. Appear Intoxicated in Public/ Lane Stadium Underage Possession of Alcohol 3:45 p.m. Appear Intoxicated in Public Lane Stadium 3:30 p.m. Appear Intoxicated in Public Lane Stadium 4:15 p.m. Appear Intoxicated in Public Lane Stadium 4:15 p.m. Appear Intoxicated in Public Lane Stadium 4:20 p.m. Underage Possession of Alcohol Lane Stadium 4:17 p.m. Larcey of a Driverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s license Lane Stadium 4:30 p.m. Appear Intoxicated in Public x2 Washington St 4:50 p.m. Appear Intoxicated in Public Lane Stadium 5:10 p.m. Appear Intoxicated in Public Lane Stadium 6:12 p.m. Appear Intoxicated in Public Lane Stadium Not Given Keg at Unauthorized Location x1 B-Lot Not Given Underage Possession of Alcohol x4 B-Lot 12:31 a.m. Underage Possession of Alcohol Perry St 1:15 a.m. Appear Intoxicated in Public Alumni Mall 2:00 a.m. Larceny/Shoplifting Dietrick Hall 12:03 a.m. Drive on Revoked or Suspended Prices Forks Rd Licenese 8:30 p.m. Simple Assault Smithfeild Road

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status

arrestees

Active Active Active Active Student Conduct Student Conduct Arrested Active Student Conduct Arrested

Christopher Stranix, 23

Arrested Arrested

Marcus Thoreson, 20 Patrick Messner, 19

Student Conduct Arrested Arrested Arrested Arrested

Olufikunmi Ajayi, 20 Nicholas Pera, 20 Nicholas Craig, 19 Ann McCutchen, 19

Wyatt Lahr, 20

Student Conduct Arrested Arrested Arrested Arrested Arrested Inactive Student Conduct Student Conduct Arrested Arrested Not Given Not Given Arrested Arrested Active Arrested Active

Brandon Smith, 34 Christopher Howell, 21 Caleb Harris, 21 Stephen Ensrud, 25 Janssen Claudio, 19

Joel Allison, 24 John Owen, 24

Zachary Baton, 18 David Wilhelmi, 28 Chala Jacobs, 28

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COLLEGIATETIMES

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

october 25, 2011

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

Your Views [letters to the editor]

Homecoming lacks diversity

a freshman engineering student, I have some concerns about Virginia Tech’s Homecoming tradition. One qualm I have about Homecoming is the lack of diversity on the court. This year’s court fails to even come close to representing the student body accurately. There are no engineers and only one person is sponsored by a non-Greek organization. This is quite appalling as Greeks only make up 16 percent of the student body, yet make up over 90 percent of the court. Surely there must be students who define what it means to be a Hokie who are not Greek. It is also shocking how there are no engineers on the court, since Tech is academically known for its engineering program, and engineers make up a significant portion of students at Tech. Because of this, Homecoming alienates much of the student body. There is no doubt that Homecoming caters to people in Greek life. Most of Tech’s Homecoming tradition revolves around who will be the King and Queen. As a non-Greek student, I don’t have much interest in who wins King or Queen. Indeed, there are many events that are part of Homecoming week that are open to everyone, such as the concerts and parades. But those events are treated as an afterthought compared with voting for King and Queen. Tech’s Homecoming tradition reinforces age-old stereotypes on popularity and social status. It is high school version 2.0, where the stud foot-

Show support for local candidates

am a 2010 graduate and have committed my life to our motto of Ut Prosim, That I May Serve, through a career in community organizing. After working on various campaigns across the country, I am now with the Sierra Club in Denver, C.O. During my years at Virginia Tech, my oncampus involvement blossomed with the Environmental Coalition. In 2008, I received Tech’s Gwin-Parker-Gwin award for my “exceptional commitment to community engagement.” During my years at Tech, I grew an appreciation for the town of Blacksburg, and in 2009, I proudly ran as a student candidate for the Blacksburg Town Council. My campaign had two pillars: community and sustainability. Since graduating last year, I have lived in six states and visited another 38. Altogether, I’ve traveled at least 50,000 miles criss-crossing the country for organizing work. Having been to countless communities, I can strongly affirm that Blacksburg is quite unique and lives up to its slogan as “a special place.” I sincerely miss and care deeply for the Blacksburg community, and I look forward to returning in the future. During my campaign, I got to know three current Town Council candidates, the two incumbents: Leslie Hager-Smith and John Bush, along with secondtime candidate Michael Sutphin. They each share the devotion and care I hold for

ball player is replaced with the handsome “frat star” as King, and the pretty cheerleader is replaced with the most popular sorority member as Queen. The people on the court, for the most part, are essentially the same person, with the same personalities, and a person that one may find on the cover of a glossy Tech admissions brochure. They all are very involved on campus but seemingly in the same sorts of activities. It is hard to find a true passion with each person behind the campaign rhetoric and slogans. At its core, the voting for Homecoming King and Queen is a massive popularity contest with no substantive value. It is high school all over again. One may say Homecoming is for everyone, but in reality it is just one massive Greek social week. Homecoming at Tech serves no other purpose. In high school, Homecoming was a week of extra spirit, and the game was a chance for alumni to come back to school, whereas they would have not for a regular game. Alumni come in droves every week to watch Tech football, and there is always tons of spirit displayed every week. The value of Homecoming week is diminished at Tech because every week is a Homecoming week of sorts. Due to this, the actual Homecoming week doesn’t feel special at all to the average student. As a school, we need to examine and more clearly define the purpose of the Homecoming week tradition.

Jason Schwartz freshman general engineering

Blacksburg, and are committed to serving the town well. Michael, especially, is closely connected with the student community, which desperately needs such representation on the Town Council. Because of the similarities of our campaign values, Michael and I split the vote and neither of us was elected in 2009. Let’s get him on board this year. The reason why I ran for Town Council was because of Don Langrehr, current Town Councilman and candidate for the 12th Virginia House District. He reached out to me as a rising student leader and has remained a personal inspiration for his amazing hard work and determination for Blacksburg and the region. I can’t beat his campaign slogan in describing for what he stands for: community, experience, results. I whole-heartedly endorse these candidates for the upcoming election because I know that they will keep our community a special place for generations to come. If you believe in our community like I do, please not only commit your vote to these amazing candidates, but also volunteer for them an hour or two in the next few weeks. If there is anything I’ve learned in my journeys since my election and graduation, a little volunteering goes a very long way.

Bryce Carter class of 2010 humanities, science and environment

MCT CAMPUS

Tariff bill will hinder US T

wo weeks ago, senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH), with significant bipartisan support, pushed through arguably one of the most important pieces of legislation of the year. That legislation was the Currency Exchange Rate Oversight Reform Act of 2011 or informally the “China Currency Bill.” The measure would allow the United States to impose tariffs on another country if the Department of Treasury found its currency to be “misaligned.” Essentially, what we import from China would become a lot more expensive. What the senators are implying is certainly true. China is no doubt a currency manipulator, greatly undervaluing their own currency to make exported goods cheaper. Even chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve System, Ben Bernanke, has confirmed this. Yet, Bernanke also stated we need to discuss the issue as adults. Here, the Senate has digressed. I’m not saying we should do nothing. On the contrary, we should continue to make our position crystal clear — an undervalued currency is unsustainable. But we must think realistically and acknowledge that attempting to force another country to do as we please, let alone the world’s second largest economy, is not as easy as it once was. It seems to me that the senators are simply trying to find a boogeyman for our economic woes. They argue that because of China’s policies, America is continually losing jobs. Well, that is true to an extent, but the question becomes, what jobs are we losing? Granted, some of the jobs lost are indeed in the high-tech sector, but for the most part, the jobs lost have been in the manufacturing fields. To be frank,

those jobs will not be coming back to the U.S. anytime soon. Companies will want to have their products made at the cheapest locations possible — and no U.S. state from California to New York will make the cut, at least for now. Furthermore, those who want to hastily punish China for currency manipulation are assuming all or most of what we import from Beijing would have otherwise been made in the U.S. That is simply not the case. In fact, China is already losing its production dominance, but not to any western nation. Countries such as Bangladesh and Vietnam are quickly taking over the manufacturing reigns. What we must do is pour our resources into our own economic future. That means consistently pushing to be more innovative. A study by the Boston Consulting Group, the National Association of Manufacturers and the Manufacturing Institute rated the top 10 most innovative nations. Here, the U.S. ranked near the top in the list dominated by western nations. Interestingly enough, out of 110 countries, China did not fare too well, coming in at 27. Though the U.S. may not be able to provide the cheapest labor or environment, we can and should continue to be the most dynamic, forward-thinking and innovative economy in the world. Instead of trying to blame others for a mess we got into ourselves, we should try to produce smart government and fiscal policies, successful research and development investments and results, increased labor productivity and a vibrant innovation environment. It would also help to push for more worker retraining and education to make the new globalized economy much

more accessible. We’ve done this before, and we can certainly do it again. China knows that an undervalued currency is hurting it in many ways. Recently, the Peterson Institute for International Economics estimated that an undervalued currency costs China’s central bank $240 billion a year — more than its entire trade surplus. At the same time, China has also allowed the currency to increase 7 percent against the dollar since June 2010. Again, I am not saying the Chinese are guilt-free. What I am saying is that we must focus on ourselves. With our economy in the precarious state it is in now, the last thing we want to do is risk a dangerous trade war with China, where each nation creates and increases tariffs against the other. Interestingly enough, the “China Currency Bill” is reminiscent of the Smoot-Hawley Tariff of 1930. Smoot-Hawley aimed to protect U.S. companies by charging a high tax for imports. Consequently, it led to less trade between America and foreign nations, which inevitably led to vast economic retaliation. There is a fear that the legislation passed by the Senate last week could be our generation’s SmootHawley. At the end of the day, China will change its economic policies when — and only when — it decides that it is in its national economic (and political) interest. If American politicians put half as much energy into solving our own economic problems as they do in scolding other nations for their success, we would get a lot more done.

AUSAN AL ERYANI -regular columnist -junior -political science major

Bank fees could rub off on Tech A

mid the ongoing coverage of the expansion of the Occupy movement from Wall Street to other areas of the country and world, we have forgotten about a recent news item that puts it all in perspective. Earlier this month, Bank of America announced that it would be charging a $5 monthly fee for debit card usage. CEO Brian Moynihan argued that BOA was justified in charging the fee as a means of making a profit because its shareholders demand it and it was giving everyone advanced notice. While this was top news for about a few days, it has gone off the radar screen. I raise this issue of BOA to see if we as a community would ever become incensed if Tech tried such a maneuver with our Hokie Passports. While every member of the community is required to have a valid Hokie Passport, imagine if Tech were to charge a usage fee for those of us who use our Hokie Passports for meals, as a charge card or even in the soda and laundry machines? How would we react? Would we merely accept it? Would we be considered disloyal to the institution if we protested against its actions? Just as BOA can think of it, I suspect that some individuals at Tech may have thought about the same thing. If such a fee were to happen, it would have a huge impact on the usage of the Hokie Passport for any other purpose than showing it as a proof of identification.

Basically, students with meal plans or anyone using their cards with Dining Dollars would be paying an additional tax to use their cards. These students would have no viable alternatives, especially if they lived on campus and were required to have a meal plan. While this scenario may appear to be far-fetched, we should not allow things to get to this point. Moynihan defended the new debit card fee because they need to make money to be profitable. With Gov. Bob McDonnell asking state agencies to plan for a 6 percent reduction for the upcoming biennial budget, the question of how Tech will handle the budget issue is an important one, as it is still reeling from the last round of budget cuts. Without resources from the state government, the only means of revenue is through student fees and tuition. We have already seen steady increases in the tuition and fees students pay to cover costs. With students already spending hundreds of dollars on textbooks, how would they feel about having to pay, for example, a $20 fee per class for teaching supplies? While this question may appear to be rhetorical, this happens today within the local school system, as families are required to purchase supplies from a sheet provided by the school. It has become so routine that

you can go into any Target, Kmart or Walmart during the back-toschool sales, pick up the list and shop. Gone are the days when schools provide the staples of the classroom. In another example, there are certain university offices that no longer have live receptionists for outside calls. Instead, you have to call and leave a message, or send an email to reach someone. This can be frustrating for those trying to speak to a live person right away, instead of having to wait for someone to call back. I don’t believe that sacrificing customer service to save additional budget dollars is worth it. The example of BOA is just one possible indicator of what may happen. I raise the issue because we often think that real world crises don’t impact us within the university. My only hope is that the institution will be sincere in engaging the university community if it were to consider any radical options to raise revenue. As a community, we need to be prepared to discuss these difficult issues when they happen.

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

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october 25, 2011

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WORDSEARCH: World Languages Locate the list of words in the word bank in the letter grid. Larry Hincker S

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ACROSS 1 Head covering 6 High poker pair 10 Lobbying group for 50-and-overs 14 Peripheral 15 Casual good-bye 16 XIX x III 17 What an inflammatory statement is intended to do 20 Long hauler 21 Medical research org. 22 Weekly check time 23 Batter ’s stickum 25 Bunsen burner, e.g.

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29 Scrape of f 33 Despise 34 Little stream 36 Lost film fish 38 What a restraining order is designed to do 41 Deserve 42 Make-meet link 43 A-lister 44 Interlock s 46 Meetings of lips 47 Rodeo shouts 50 Moon of Jupiter 54 Nest egg letters 55 Color tones 59 What a band PR man is paid to do 62 Schools of thought

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7 Secret stockpile 8 Ike’s WWII command 9 Author of muchas epístolas 10 Colleague in combat 11 Fanatical 12 Costa __ 13 Commiserate with 18 Wrinkle, as one’s brow 19 “M*A*S*H” actor Jamie 23 Scope prefix, in subs 24 Soapstones 25 Stare in wonder 26 Garfield’ s middle name 27 Land by the sea 28 __ Hopkins University 30 Payments for hands 31 Real bargains 32 Ceremony facilitator 34 Dishwashing step

DOW N 1 Soaks (up) 2 Antidote 3 Basic building block 4 Jeans pioneer Strauss 5 With “and” and 61-Down, both sides (and this puzzle’ s title) 6 Had home cooking

35 “__ be a shame if ...” 37 Places to pick your pony , for short 39 Bird that dines on stinging insects 40 CBS military dram a 45 Insulin deliverer 46 Two-tim e Olympic skating medalist Michelle 48 Country bumpkins 49 “... __ / By any other name ...” 50 Like some poetry 51 Bear in the night sky 52 CD-__: computer inserts 53 Trans-Siberian Railway city 55 Damsel’ s savior 56 Yen 57 Catchall abbr . 58 Personnel ID s 60 New Haven Ivy Leaguer 61 See 5-Dow n Friday’ s Puzzle Solved

10/21/11

Book: Civil war stories featured Robertson a ‘Blacksburg rockstar’ from page one

read, enhanced by photography done in such a way the National Geographic Society can do. They did a spectacular job with this book.

CT: Just switching topics for a second, how do you feel about being on National Public Radio with the Civil War series? Did you enjoy that? ROBERTSON: Yes, that was fun. It was just four-minute stories about the Civil War, and that’s how the book began. We started doing that for six months just to see what would happen, and I ended up staying seven years. They were extremely popular. There were members of the National Geographic Society who were extremely interested in them. Then when the National Geographic Society began talking about doing something for the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, they contacted me, and the rest, as they say, is history.

CT: So why do you choose to focus on the American Civil War? What about it fascinates you? ROBERTSON: Everything about it

fascinates me. It’s the beginning of modern America. The country we know really was born in 1865. It was settled once and for all, this conflict between federalism and state rights. It means freedom. It opened the door to freedom for 300 million American blacks. It was a war for women, it was their chance to rise up and show us they’re equals. They could not vote, in most states they couldn’t even own property. But the things they did in the war as workers, as school teachers and as nurses gave them a huge jump toward equality. It’s a very emotional and very human war.

CT: What have you been doing with your time, besides writing this book, during your retirement? ROBERTSON: I have been keeping busy. I’ve rented boats, I’ve been a speaker at alumni events and historical societies. I’ve just been busy — so busy that my wife and I haven’t had time to find a place to live. She’s from Roanoke, I’m from Blacksburg. We’re looking to move to the coast. I need to go house hunting one of these days.

CT: But you’re enjoying yourself?

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ROBERTSON: Yes, I am. But I miss the classroom. Seeing all my former students at the Tech Bookstore was just wonderful. There were so many former students there, many of whom I haven’t seen since they were in my class. I miss the teaching, but it’s a cycle. I’m moving on to the pasture, and it’s nice to see new teachers come in.

CT: What was your favorite part about being a professor at Virginia Tech?

ROBERTSON: Teaching students. Challenging them to have an appreciation for the history I love. I would make students laugh and occasionally I would make them cry. That’s when you know that you’ve made an impact as a professor. When you’re able to make them feel the emotions that the people back then were feeling.

CT: If you could come back for one day and teach one last lecture on a particular subject of your course, what would it be? ROBERTSON: The common people. The common soldiers. That’s who this war was all about.

RETIRED HISTORY PROFESSOR VISITS UNIVERSITY TO PROMOTE HIS NEW CIVIL WAR-THEMED BOOK KELSEY JO STARR news staff writer During the Civil War, the 11th Pennsylvania Regiment had a mascot: a black terrier named Sallie. Sallie would walk alongside the men both at camp and in battle, only to eventually die in battle among them on Feb. 5, 1865, at Hatcher’s Run. Sallie now has her own memorial at Gettysburg, reunited with her men. Stories like this are what fill the pages of retired Virginia Tech history professor James "Bud" Robertson Jr.’s new book, "The Untold: Exploring the Human Side of the Civil War." The book takes the focus away from things like battle strategy and tactics, and instead focuses on the people who made the war, Robertson

said. Their stories range from mascots to guns to beards to women in disguise — it's anything about the war, except the battles themselves. The book also contains original photography compiled by the National Geographic Organization, who partnered with Robertson to write this book in honor of the Civil War's 150th anniversary. On Saturday, Robertson came back to Tech for a book signing at Tech Bookstore on North Main Street. There, many former students lined up to see the professor and buy a copy of his new book. Many former students, including Barbi Fitz, a 1976 graduate, took pictures with Robertson as he signed her book.

“I liked the stories he told,” Fitz said. “He made the subject come alive.” George Daniels, the Tech Bookstore manager, never took his class when he was a student at Tech, but he wishes he did. “It’s an honor to have him here,” Daniels said. “He’s a Blacksburg rockstar. And the book is a fun read.” Robertson said seeing many of his former students return for the signing was a great feeling. During his time as a professor, he also founded the Virginia Center for Civil War Studies, said Mark Barrow Jr., the history department chair. “He was a great communicator to both the public and to his students.” Barrow said. “He could really bring the events to life.” "The Untold" is now available in stores, as well as various places online.

Today’s Radio Schedule Mixed Discs Day Art New Music New Music

7-9 AM - Tyler and Will 9AM-12PM - Jared Auwarter 12-2PM - Angela & Eddie 2-3:30PM - KILL YR IDOLS- Chris Winfield

New Music

3:30-5 PM - KV Wrenn

Jazz

5-7 PM - The Music is Decadent & Depraved

Specialty Specialty

WUVT “5 Minute” News at 5 PM 7-9 PM - Tha Soul Jonez

We Found Love • Rihanna

(3) 1

Night Art Specialty

9 PM-12 AM - The Money Shot 12-2 AM - John Sadler

Sexy and I Know It • LMFAO

(1) 2

Someone Like You • Adele

(2) 3

Mixed Discs Mixed Discs

2-4 AM - Chris Luceri 4-7 AM - Mixed Discs

Pumped Up Kicks • Foster the People

(4) 4

Moves Like Jagger • Maroon 5

(5) 5

Week ending Oct. 14, 2011

Top tracks

( ) Last week’s ranking in top five

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

arts & entertainment 5 october 25, 2011

Ten tracks for Halloween 2011 Horror trilogy remains strong “If I Had A Heart” — Fever Ray (“Fever Ray,” 2009) If there’s anyone who exudes the absolute spirit of the Halloween season, it’s Fever Ray. The track opens with a rumbling bass that immediately sets an extremely foreboding mood. Pair it with Karin Dreijer Andersson’s vocals, which have been electronically lowered to a deep, menacing growl, and you have the soundtrack to your most frightening nightmares.

“Adult Goth” — Gang Gang Dance (“Eye Contact,” 2011) Lead singer Lizzie Bougatsos’ highpitched, otherworldly vocals on “Adult Goth” really what MUSIC are create the REVIEW creepy atmosphere on this track. However, the strange synth tones and eerie samples that swirl around in the background are equally responsible for the nerve-racking mood of “Adult Goth.”

“Die Slow” — Health (“Get Color,” 2009) Health, a Californian noise rock band, makes music that is highly aggressive. “Die Slow” opens with a wash of guitar and synth, working together to build a wall-of-sound of atonal noise. The vocals creep in, spectral and haunting, adding a sense of tension to the already uneasy aura of the track.

“The Captain” — The Knife (“Silent Shout,” 2006) Karin Dreijer Andersson is back again, this time with her brother Olof, to makeup the band The Knife. On “The Captain,” a string of cold synth tones hang in the air before Andersson’s ghostly, piercing vocals crawl into the mix. Most of the creepiness that The Knife embodies can be credited to Karin’s vocals. They’re almost always pitch-shifted down or up a few octaves, creating a voice that’s sometimes masculine, sometimes feminine but always terrifying.

“Welcome” — Balam Acab (“Wander/Wonder,” 2011)

“Wander/Wonder” album opener “Welcome” starts with the thick sound of water bubbling up, wrapping around and drowning you, before being seared through with an equally terrifying thunder of a beat. The spookiness is taken to a higher level, with the ethereal operatic vocal sample that lingers in the background.

“Kindle Song” — Animal Collective (“Oddsac,” 2010) Animal Collective isn’t usually known for making music that could be described as “scary.” However, their 2010 visual album, “Oddsac,” took many cues from classic horror films. The music the band made for the album reflects those influences. “Kindle Song” features a flurry of chilling noises, while Avey Tare’s vocals sound strained and shadowy. The thunderous bass adds to the sense of overwhelming fear.

“King Night” — Salem (“King Night,” 2010) Salem has come to really define what it means to be “witch house.” Complete with religious imagery, slowed down hip-hop samples and an obsession with all things occult, Salem fits the witch house mold perfectly. Their track “King Night” is a classic example of witch house music (also called “drag” or “haunted house”), in that it’s meant to induce terror and discomfort. And in that pursuit, it succeeds.

“The Killing Moon” — Echo & The Bunnymen (“Ocean Rain,” 1984) There’s something very dark about “The Killing Moon” by Echo & The Bunnymen, a British post-punk band. The song was very prominently used in the film “Donnie Darko,” which perhaps adds a dimension of mystery and gloom. The overall theme of the song is pretty sinister, with lyrics like “Too late to beg you or cancel it /” “Though I know it must be the killing time” and “Unwillingly mine.”

“Fright Night (Nevermore)” — Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti (“Before Today,” 2010)

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Ariel Pink is known for his oddball personality and his extremely lo-fi home recording techniques, both of which are present on “Fright Night (Nevermore).” The song is almost like an ’80s-style tribute to all things Halloween — mentions of demons, Ouija boards, Freddy Krueger and black cats abound. It’s a slightly kitschy play on ’80s horror themes, but it will sound perfectly ghoulish for Halloween 2011.

“Chains” — Gatekeeper (“Giza,” 2011) Gatekeeper is a duo that splits its time between Brooklyn, N.Y. and Chicago, Ill., making extremely dark synth-based dance music that is drenched in more ’80s horror film aesthetics. Album opener “Chains” is pure terror with its samples of people screaming, animals growling and motorcycle engines roaring. Think of any low-budget, amateur horror film from the 1980s, and chances are Gatekeeper’s music will synchronize perfectly with it. One of the nice things about Gatekeeper’s music is that it’s all very much rooted in dance music, so it’s something you could put on at a Halloween party if you need something a little spookier to dance to.

KEVIN McALEESE -music reviewer -senior -political science major

“P

aranormal Activity” returns this Halloween season with its third installment of the series. Another prequel, this time dating almost 20 years before the first movie, “Paranormal Activity 3” gives fans another terrifying journey into the evil unknown. In “Paranormal Activity” and “Paranormal Activity 2” the main characters, sisters Katie and Kristi, both mention that these strange demonic occurrences are nothing new. The eerie presence that slams doors in the middle of the night, cloven MOVIE leaves hoof prints on REVIEW the floor and viciously terrorizes everyone in the house began when the two sisters were small children. Through a series of home videos taken by the girls’ pseudo stepfather, we experience a whole new layer to the mythology of “Paranormal Activity.” I was a bit skeptical about how well the filmmakers would be able to pull off an authentic “lost footage” movie filmed on ’80s cameras without making the movie unrealistic. My concerns were appeased in the first few minutes. Katie and Kristi’s mother’s boyfriend, the first person who senses something is amiss, is a wedding cameraman — remember this is before you could take videos on your cell phone. He owns multiple cameras and tripods, as well as editing equipment. So even in 1988, it’s not unrealistic that the boyfriend has access to more and better cameras than the average person. Before I compare “Paranormal Activity 3” to its predecessors, I want

to talk about it as a stand-alone movie. You don’t need to see the first two movies to appreciate the third one. “Paranormal Activity 3” is quite scary. Silence is the film’s best friend. The lack of music ramps up the suspense and makes those “jump out of your seat” moments even more heart stopping. The characters are likable — that is, they’re not the normal horror movie goons that “split up” or say, “I’ll be right back.” The body count is low, but the terror factor is high. So, where does “Paranormal Activity 3” stand in comparison to the first two? Since “Paranormal Activity 3” doesn’t offer anything particularly new or innovative, I would say it’s not as good as the first. The third movie has basically the same formula as the original. “Paranormal Activity 3” utilizes the same bigger budget that the second was allotted, but it doesn’t make as big a show of it. The discreetness of the third keeps the atmosphere authentic, ultimately offering up bigger scares. I think the producers realized that more special effects does not always mean better — it’s about time someone figured that out. In sum: It’s not as good as the first but much better than the second. Horror movie sequels often make me cringe. They typically add little to the original film, and always try to outdo the first by making the scary scenes gorier and the main characters hotter. Unfortunately, many of them end up being funnier than scary. The “Paranormal Activity” series doesn’t fall into this trap. The filmmakers know what scared people the first time around, and they don’t mess with what

works. Sure, you could say it’s not as scary because the plot is predictable, but try sitting in the dark and watching “Paranormal Activity 3” without jumping out of your seat. Even in a crowded theater, I found myself looking over my shoulder. Fans of the first movie should definitely see “Paranormal Activity 3.” Those new to the franchise should give it a watch. It’s the perfect movie to start your Halloween off right.

Star Rating: 4/5 Verdict: worth seeing in theaters COURTNEY BAKER -features movie reviewer -senior -political science major

6 sports

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

october 25, 2011

Hokies show weaknesses at 7-1 as injuries pile up If

y ou’re a Virginia Tech fan, the wins are rarely pretty. Take Saturday’s come-from-behind win against Boston College, a game in which the Hokies trailed at halftime after scoring just six points. Should we expect quarterback Logan Thomas to deliver the perfect pass or linebacker Tariq Edwards to make every tackle? Both players are redshirt sophomores, and mistakes will come with the territory. The fact that both are filling up the stat sheet — Thomas has three-straight games of 260 plus passing yards and Edwards is third on the team in tackles — is a great sign for the Tech faithful. So after three straight come-frombehind wins in which the Hokies scored at least 30 points, why are some fans casting a cloud of negativity over the program that currently ranks No. 12 in the latest BCS rankings? Because fans expect more, which is a great sign for the direction of the program. Look on any Hokies-centric online message board following a game. The number of topics criticizing Thomas and his missed assignments outweigh the topics praising the Hokies for showing resolve. The fact that people are not complacent with snooze-fest wins against Boston College reflects on the expectations of a top-flight program. Most programs would love to say they have the nation’s leading rusher, a 6-foot-6 quarterback, four senior linemen up front and a slew of upperclassmen receivers on the offensive side of the ball. However, even with a 7-1 record and control over their own ACC destiny, that’s still not enough for many. Tailback David Wilson is everything fans could have hoped for and more, rushing for 1,037 yards through eight games, truly the workhorse for an offense that’s still cutting its teeth. In the process of chasing down his predecessor Ryan Williams for the Hokies single-season rushing record, Wilson is taking the pressure off of Thomas when need be. Don’t forget about the defense, which is having a terrific year despite injuries to the starting defensive tackle, defensive end, two linebacker spots and corner. Bud Foster’s group is allowing less than 300 yards per game, good for No. 13 in the country. Coming off a year in which the Hokies were gashed in the running game, it has been remarkable how well Tech’s front seven has stopped the run. The Hokies are allowing just 85 yards per game on the ground, a true bounce back year from 2010 when they allowed 156 per game.

Don’t get me wrong, the slow starts the past two weeks are definitely concerning. If the trend continues, the Hokies are likely not going to rebound so easily, and it could come down to the final minutes to pull out a win. This week’s match-up at Duke is the final game before a key two-game stretch on Thursday nights. The Hokies travel to Atlanta to play Georgia Tech on Nov. 10, and then come back home to face North Carolina a week later. Wins in those two games will all but secure a trip to Charlotte, N.C. for a chance to make it back to the Orange Bowl. Here are three things I’d like to see the Hokies do Saturday: 1. Start fast. There’s no reason Tech shouldn’t come right out and take it to the Blue Devils. It’ll be a 12:30 p.m. start time, which gives the Hokies no excuse to start slow. The trip should be treated as businesslike, and the score should reflect that mindset. If Thomas and the offense struggle to get it together in the first half, it’ll mark three straight games that the Hokies came out sluggish. For now, the coaches are downplaying the significance of the slow starts, but I’d venture to guess that behind closed doors they’re not too happy about them either. 2. Establish the running game sooner rather than later. Wilson is averaging just more than five rushing attempts per game in the first quarter, which gives the defense a chance to settle in and see what the offense is doing schematically. Wilson is a home run threat in the truest sense, and a demoralizing run early would zap the confidence from an aggressive home team and its fans. 3. Get off the field on third down. In big situations, the Hokies love to bring the blitz. Fans love to see a linebacker or defensive end throwing down the quarterback, but the reality is it’s a risky play. Against Boston College, the Hokies allowed third down conversions of nine yards (twice) and 18 yards. While it didn’t hurt them in the outcome of the game, it’s important for the young defense to gets stops and force a punt. With so many starters out because of injury, it’ll be key for the Hokies to rest up and regroup Saturday.

MATT JONES -sports editor -junior -communication major

AUSTEN MEREDITH / SPPS

Alonzo Tweedy (28) tries to strip the ball from Andre Williams (44), as the Virginia Tech Hokies took on Boston College, winning 30-14 Saturday.