Tuesday, January 17, 2012
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COLLEGIATETIMES 109th year, issue 1
News, page 4 Arts & Entertainment, page 7
Opinions, page 5
Sports, page 3
Study Break, page 6
Sudoku, page 6
Tech supercomputer leaves others in dust HokieSpeed is a lean, green, computing machine. Virginia Tech’s newest supercomputer is the highest-ranked commodity supercomputer in the United States, according to the Green500 List — a compilation of the most energy-efficient supercomputers in the world. Although HokieSpeed is currently ranked 11 on the Green500 List, the supercomputers ranked above it are either from other countries or were made for custom uses. Additionally, HokieSpeed is rated 96 on the most recent Top500 List, an industry-standard ranking of the world’s fastest supercomputers. Wu Feng, who spearheaded the HokieSpeed project, said the supercomputer’s energy efficiency comes from a combination of both software and hardware expertise, along with two processing units working together to fulfill two different computing capabilities. Feng, an associate professor in Tech’s computer science and electrical and computer engineering departments, compared the inner workings of HokieSpeed to that of the human brain. While humans only use one-half of their brain at a time, HokieSpeed is metaphorically able to use both parts simultaneously to get more work done. “It’s something that will enable us to accelerate the discovery process,” Feng
to equal the processing power of
SUPERCOMPUTER you would need
FIVE THOUSAND MAC PROS
said. “There’s a myriad of benefits from the fact that it’s much more energy efficient and faster than anything we’ve ever had in the past, and it was done at a very low cost.” Among the possibilities with HokieSpeed are the abilities to track hurricane paths, test bridge durability, see how certain viruses evolve over time and even compute a cure for cancer. Feng said HokieSpeed’s capabilities can be used by researchers in more than just the computer science discipline. The liberal arts, business and finance departments can use it to create a variety of what-if simulations. Feng also said computing is evolving to become the third pillar of science, following theory and experimentation. “It’s becoming an indispensible tool with respect to making discovery,” he said. “This is about what we can do together as a society in moving forward our intellectual knowledge.”
LumenHAUS adds another award to its list
Tech’s supercomputer
HOKIESPEED is 22 times faster than
SYSTEM X, Tech’s previous supercomputer
Mark Gardner, Virginia Tech’s network research manager who assisted in putting HokieSpeed together and testing its components, said the supercomputer’s performance transcended the team’s goals for the system. “My initial goal was to do 100 teraflops, which was about eight times more powerful than System X,” Gardner said. “Once we reached that goal, my next goal was to reach the top 100 on the Top500.”
HokieSpeed is capable of perfoming at
TERAFLOPSwhich is
455
news staff writer
ONE
ABBY HARRIS
per 455 TRILLION OPERATIONS second
see HOKIESPEED / page four
Blacksburg dining gets facelift
OPENING OF COOK OUT AND CHANGES TO OTHER RESTAURANTS BRING STUDENTS NEW OPTIONS NICK CAFFERKY & MICHELLE SUTHERLAND news editors
COOK OUT OPENS ON SOUTH MAIN
FILE / SPPS
LumenHAUS, an energy-efficient house, was awarded twice.
TECH STUDENT PROJECT RECOGNIZED BY AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTURE PRISCILLA ALVAREZ news staff writer The LumenHAUS project, created by Virginia Tech faculty and students, has been awarded the 2012 Institute Honor Award for Architecture from the national component of the American Institute of Architects, making it the first university group to win this acclaimed award. The energy-efficient house generates more power than it uses over the course of the year. This project competed with the top designers in the world and was one of 500 entries received by the AIA.
“The creative use of materials and the flexibility of its components quickly respond to changes in the environment through automated systems that optimize energy consumption,” one of the jurors said. The LumenHAUS project also walked away with the top prize at the European Solar Decathlon in 2010 and was the first house from that competition to proceed to win the AIA award. The house was displayed in Washington, D.C., Times Square, Madrid, Spain, Millennium Park and at the Farnsworth House in Plano III.
Replacing the Hardees at 1311 South Main St. is Cook Out, a North Carolina-styled fast food chain. Although it has only been open for a few weeks, the restaurant has quickly become wildly popular among students. “I’ve been (to Cook Out) in North Carolina,” said Amanda Brown, a freshman hospitality and tourism management major. “We went to visit colleges, and my one friend just loves it down there.” Brown’s reaction to the restaurant’s opening was no less than thrilling. “When I found out one opened in Blacksburg, I was so excited,” she said. “I was jumping up and down and everyone was like, ‘What are you doing?’” Although college campuses can be very competitive environments for new restaurants, management is confident that it can carve out its own niche. “Our quality is always at the highest standard, our prices are very reasonable, and those two things alone are very good for us,” said Mike Chelenza, Cook Out’s district manager.
EL RODEO OPENS, STILL NEEDS LIQUOR LICENSE Over break, El Rodeo opened its second Blacksburg location at the First & Main shopping center. But, it is still waiting for the state to issue its liquor license. Management does not know when it will receive the license.
“It’s government issued — we cannot rush it. It’s up to them to drop it off,” said Sergio Arellano, the manager of the new restaurant. It typically takes five to seven weeks to get the license, but Arellano said it is taking longer because there was a mix up with the corporate name in the paperwork. However, Arellano said business has been “not bad at all” and expects it to pick up once the license is delivered.
GREEN’S REMODELS Green’s Grill and Sushi Bar will be closed until next Thursday for renovations, according to a sign on its door. The restaurant is pushing the counter farther back, and adding a small bar for serving beer and wine, Richard Layman, the general contractor told the Roanoke Times.
CASTLE’S KETTLE & PUB TO OPEN NEXT MONTH Anthony Faulds, the Castle’s Kettle & Pub co-owner, expects the Irish pub to open at the end of February. The restaurant on North Main Street started construction in July and originally planned to open in November.
RITA’S OFFERS CAKES Rita’s is now offering ice cream custard cakes and custard cookie sandwiches, and expects to serve up hot soft pretzels by February. “There are a lot of events with students and student organizations, and I think it will be a locally good item in the winter,” said Jim Hagan, the owner of the Blacksburg (Top) A Cook Out employee calls out an order to the newly opened, frenzied restaurant. (Middle) Virginia Tech students chow down at the new fast food joint. (Bottom) Green’s franchise. is temporarily closed for renovations. Photos by Zach Crizer, Collegiate Times
sports
editors: matt jones, zach mariner sportseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865
As
RB GREGORY
FL
blue and gold confetti rained down in the Superdome, the hearts of Hokie fans everywhere were filled with an all-too-familiar feeling. There’s always next year. Despite an impressive regular season (11-1, 7-1 ACC) and climbing as high as No. 5 in the BCS standings, Tech finished off the year with two devastating losses, in both blowout and heartbreaking fashion. Looking ahead, there are plenty of reasons to be worried about next year’s edition of Hokie football.
LOSING EIGHT STARTERS ON OFFENSE COALE
DAVIS
SE BOYKIN
COLES
RT DECHRISTOPHER
Quarterback Logan Thomas, wide receiver Marcus Davis and center Andrew Miller will be the only returning starters on Bryan Stinespring’s unit next fall. The Hokies lose 349 catches, 5,542 receiving yards and 26 touchdowns with the departure of wideouts Jarrett Boykin and Danny Coale. They also lose 162 starts on the offensive line with seniors Jaymes Brooks, Blake DeChristopher, Chris Drager, Andrew Lanier and Greg Nosal. But none of those compare to what is being considered as the offense’s biggest loss.
LOSING A 1,700-YARD RUSHER
PAINTER
RG BROOKS
VIA
David Wilson tore through the school record books this season, finishing with 1,709 rushing yards, 54 more than Ryan Williams’ 2009 mark. And that was after he ran for just 116 yards in his last two games (he averaged 132.75 through his first 12). Wilson’s speed, burst and elusiveness will be sorely missed in Blacksburg, as will his ability to turn an average run into an extraordinary play. He also leaves behind 25 total touchdowns (18 rushing, five receiving, two kickoff returns) from his three years donning the maroon and orange. Replacing Wilson will not
be an easy task, as Tony Gregory has just 39 career carries, and redshirt freshman Michael Holmes has yet to even dress out with the team.
LOSING HALF THE SECONDARY After former All-American cornerback Jayron Hosley decided to forgo his senior year at Tech for the NFL, he joined safety Eddie Whitley as the defense’s only two losses. However, they could prove to be huge ones at that, considering the rest of the team’s secondary is still unproven at this point. Hosley and Whitley started in 53 games together over the past two seasons, recording a combined 16 interceptions, 32 pass breakups, five forced fumbles and 261 tackles. What will be missed more than their numbers, however, is their leadership on that side of the ball. If you include the kicker and punter positions, Tech will lose 12 of their 22 starters from this season. While that does seem like plenty of reason for concern, one could still make the case as to why there should be optimism in Blacksburg.
LOGAN THOMAS HAS 14 STARTS UNDER HIS BELT If you watched Hokie football all season, then you saw the tremendous transformation that took place in Thomas from the Sept. 3 game against Appalachian State to his performance in the Sugar Bowl. While losing eight starters on offense would be devastating for any program, Tech fans can take solace in the fact that they’ll bring back one of the most important pieces from this year’s team. In his first year as the starter, he finished with 3,013 passing yards (second on the school’s all-time list) and 19 touchdowns, while completing 59.8 percent of his passes. He also ran for 469 yards and led the team with 11
LG NOSAL
WANG
LT LANIER
COLLEGIATETIMES
3
LOOKING FORWARD
DANIEL LIN / SPPS
WILSON
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rushing touchdowns, and he broke the school’s single-season record for total offense. Just imagine what he’ll be able to do after a full year of experience running this offense.
THERE ARE STILL PLAYMAKERS ON OFFENSE Losing Boykin, Coale and Wilson is definitely a huge blow to the offense, but there are athletes who should be ready to take their place, especially at the wide receiver position. Juniors D.J. Coles and Marcus Davis have a combined career statline of 93 catches, 1,381 yards and 11 touchdowns, and they should be up to the task of replacing Boykin and Coale. Also, don’t forget that Dyrell Roberts (63 catches, 965 yards, five touchdowns) received a fifth year of eligibility after breaking his arm against Arkansas State and will be back next season. As far as the running back spot goes, Gregory and Holmes haven’t exactly had an opportunity to showcase their ability just yet (Gregory’s never gotten reps with the firstteam O-line), but both should be fairly capable replacements. Also, it’s possible that incoming freshman J.C. Coleman and Drew Harris could see action.
BRINGING BACK NINE STARTERS ON DEFENSE While losing Hosley and Whitley is a pretty big deal, there aren’t many teams in the country that will bring back this many starters on their defense. And, as well as Bud Foster’s unit played down the stretch, they did it without three starters,
as Antoine Hopkins, Bruce Taylor and Jeron Gouveia-Winslow were all sidelined with injuries for the latter half of the season. While those three will be back next year, so will every defensive lineman (including All-ACC defensive ends James Gayle and J.R. Collins) and linebacker, as well as second team All-ACC cornerback Kyle Fuller and honorable mention AllACC safety Antone Exum. Another thing that will probably end up working in the team’s favor for the second consecutive season is their slack non-conference schedule, which features two Big East powerhouses in Cincinnati and Pittsburgh (note the sarcasm), the ever-frightening Bowling Green Falcons and FCS Austin Peay. If this team can find a solid replacement for Wilson in the backfield and work out the impending kinks on the offensive line, there’s no reason they shouldn’t be considered a front-runner for the ACC title this fall. I know Hokie fans are tired of hearing about conference championships, and this team just might have the potential to make a run in the national spotlight in 2012, but it appears to me that this program, while on the rise, is not quite there just yet.
ZACH MARINER - sports editor - sophomore - communication major - @ZMarinerCT
2012 OPPPONENTS
** ** ** * ** **
@ PITTSBURGH BOWLING GREEN VS. CINCINNATI AUSTIN PEAY DUKE GEORGIA TECH @ NORTH CAROLINA VIRGINIA @ BOSTON COLLEGE FLORIDA STATE @ CLEMSON
4
news
january 17, 2012 COLLEGIATETIMES
what you’re saying The legendary career of Danny Coale Bryan: Danny, thank you for the last 4 years. My 10
year old son wears #19 on his football team because of you. If he can grow up to be half the student athlete you are, I’ll be one happy father.
Rob G: I’m surprised the replay officials are not getting a lot more criticism. That play was the worst robbery of a touchdown in the history of the game!
There is absolutely no conclusive evidence to overturn the ruling on the field. Christine: Remarkable tips! I have been previously looking for something like this for quite a while now. Many thanks!
Neil Pittman: Sorry, but 90% ball control when the ball touches the ground is an incomplete pass. Great player, great effort, but the correct call. That play had to be overruled to an incomplete pass after earlier in the game a very close VA Tech interception was overturned because of the same type of interference with the ground. Tech fans will complain, but at least the officiating was consistent. Hokies fall in overtime in Sugar Bowl Kevin: I don’t think Frank Beamer should coach special teams anymore.
Disgruntled Alumni: Winning the ACC is a joke, losing to Clemson is an even bigger joke, scoring 13 total points against them in 2 games is beyond comprehension as eveident in the 70 pts. WVA put on them last night. Our offense is antiquated at best and for some reason that isn;t made public, Beamer and company can do no wrong, are never held accountable for failure and are basically grandfathered in until Frank has had enough. Well guess what Frank, we have had enough, do us a favor and step down, let Bud bring home a title to the program. You had a great run but it’s time to do what’s best for VT. You in charge is not. VT Alum: COAHCING COACHING COACHING...I
have been a big supporter of the current staff, but this unbelievably bad bowl performance continues this game shouldn’t have even been close. We didn’t even get out coached for once just dumb DUMB coaching decision at key points. Play calling is major issue when in the red zone not execution.
Hokies drop second straight, 63-59 to Florida State From Jay: Just your typical Greenberg team. The players change yet the same problems remain. It shouldn’t be too hard to figure out the solution...
From time will tell: I’ve been a fan of Greenberg ever since he took the team to the NCAA tournament my freshman year. Believe me, I’m usually the first guy to call for someones head. I’ve been calling for Stinespring’s for years and now starting to wonder about Frank too.
editors: nick cafferky, michelle sutherland newseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865
Huntsman bows out, backs Romney PAUL WEST mcclatchy newspapers MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — Whether Jon M. Huntsman Jr. has a political future or not, he will go down in history as the first American presidential candidate to deliver a retort in Mandarin Chinese during a nationally televised debate. Huntsman, of course, hopes he’ll be remembered for much more than that. “Today, our campaign for the presidency ends, but our campaign to build a better and more trustworthy America continues,” he said in brief remarks Monday morning at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center, scene of a TV debate that will go on without him Monday night. He left the race as he began it, with a gracious, if noticeably unemotional, speech that featured a high-minded appeal for a more civil brand of politics. Huntsman deplored the way the GOP race had “degenerated into an onslaught of negative and personal attacks not worthy of the American people and not worthy of this critical time in our nation’s history.” Left unsaid was his own, rich contribution to that toxic atmosphere. In recent months, he leveled increasingly desperate attacks on Romney — whom
he endorsed Monday morning, in the interests of party unity, as the man “best equipped” to defeat President Barack Obama in the fall. Notably, Romney, who arrives here Monday, wasn’t present to accept the backing of his long-time rival (their enmity stems from family feuds in Utah stirred by Huntsman’s father, Jon Sr., who attended his son’s valedictory remarks to a room filled with reporters, cameras and top campaign advisers). The former Utah governor didn’t completely ignore what he called “the space between” him and Romney on issues. But as he, wife Mary Kaye and four of their daughters walked off the stage, Huntsman ignored shouted questions from reporters about his own slashing comments, delivered just within the last eight days, calling Romney both “unelectable” and “out of touch.” In time, those words will be forgotten. And even before Huntsman exited the 2012 contest, his unsuccessful run was already being measured against a future try — perhaps as early as 2016. It’s unlikely that Huntsman met his own goals as a presidential candidate, and an argument can be made that he did virtually nothing to advance his future prospects.
That would be particularly true if Romney is elected and declines to offer him a decent job. On the positive side, Huntsman leaves the race with higher name ID, at least among voters who were paying close attention to his candidacy. He didn’t particularly impress fellow Republican politicians but now has a better idea of what it takes to be a successful national candidate (more than running a one-state campaign, for starters). In his remarks Monday, Huntsman alluded to the education he got over the last seven months, when he said he was stepping down “with an even greater appreciation for American democracy.” It’s the rare White House contender who gains the nomination on the first try. Even Ronald Reagan had to make multiple runs. Romney is just the latest example of the importance of lessons learned. His second time around is producing a noticeable jump in his campaign skills — and results. Huntsman’s inability to emerge in New Hampshire, a state that takes its retail politics seriously, exposed his weaknesses as a campaigner (again, Romney is proving that an authenticity gap need not be a disqualifier). No doubt Huntsman will have a better rationale for his pres-
idential ambitions, if he runs again, and a more carefully planned and executed campaign organization. Still, it’s hard to ignore the fact that he failed to measure up in his just-ended campaign, which drew a level of media attention far out of proportion to his performance. As a result, the bar will be much higher next time, and Huntsman will be under greater pressure to prove that he can connect with Republican voters. How he spends the interim also matters. If he’s lucky, he’ll be a Romney appointee. If not, he can carve out a role as a spokesman on issues — like foreign policy — that play to his strengths and experience. His speech Monday contained elements of his rather eclectic mix of ideas — from a strong desire to reduce U.S. military involvement and stop “nationbuilding” overseas to a tea partyish call for congressional term limits. Huntsman’s background as an Asia hand remains one of his most powerful credentials, particularly if foreign policy emerges as a more salient issue in a future presidential election. In that regard, his diplomatic resume could wind up being more important to his future than his dubious achievement as a Chinesespeaking footnote in campaign history.
HokieSpeed: Computing goes ‘green’ from page one
It usually takes about two or three years to put a supercomputer together, Gardner said, but the Tech team was able to assemble HokieSpeed in less than a year. “It turned out well. I’m very pleased,” he said. HokieSpeed cost a little more than $1 million. However, the world’s current fastest supercomputer costs about $1 billion to make, a thousand times the cost of HokieSpeed. “A million dollars is actually really cost-effective relative to what people have to do to build their supercomputers,” Feng said. “We at Virginia Tech are about being efficient and innovative with the resources we’ve been bestowed with, in terms of funding.” One-quarter the size of its 2003 predecessor, System X, HokieSpeed is made up of 209 separate nodes, or single computers, which work together to
give faculty across multiple disciplines the chance to work on projects that would have otherwise taken much longer to complete. Feng compared HokieSpeed’s 209 components to a large group of employees working together and communicating, while one computer works as a CEO to allocate jobs in a particular fashion based on what is most efficient. “They’re not the traditional PC desktop towers,” he said. “They’re quite powerful and energy efficient at the same time, so you can get more computing done per watt of power that you consume.” Gardner emphasized that HokieSpeed's inner workings are different from other supercomputers. “The majority of the performance in the machine is actually in the graphics processing unit, and that’s how it differs from many of the supercomputers on the Top500,” Gardner
said. According to a statement from the college of engineering on the Tech website, each of the 209 components contains two 2.40-gigahertz Intel Xeon E5645 6-core central processing units and two NVIDIA M2050/C2050 448core graphics processor units. These units are located on a Supermicro 2026GT0TRF motherboard, which gives it more than 2,500 central processing unit cores and more than 185,000 graphics processor unit cores to compute with. HokieSpeed has a singleprecision peak of 455 teraflops, which means that it can complete 455 trillion floating-point operations per second. At double the accuracy, or double-precision peak, it can complete 240 trillion operations per second. A floating-point operation is
a mathematical operation that involves numbers containing decimal points. To put this in perspective, Feng said the average Apple iPad can do only about two gigaflops, or two billion operations, per second. The funding for HokieSpeed came from a National Science Foundation grant, which currently provides for 35 professors across a few universities, including Tech. “It’s going to support 35 people initially, and then eventually we’ll open it up to as many investigators as possible,” Feng said. Feng emphasized that Gardner; CY Heshan Lin, a research scientist; and Balaji Subramaniam, a doctoral student, were key to the supercomputer’s success. “This is a really big project,” Feng said. “There’s no way I could have done it all myself without the support of (everyone else).”
crimeblotter date
time
offense
location
status
arestees
1/15/2012
2:32 p.m.
Underage Possession of Alcohol
Slusher Tower
Cleared by Arrest
Kyle Cullen, 19
1/15/2012
2:10 p.m.
Appear Intoxicated in Public
B-Lot Parking
Cleared by Arrest
Brian O’Shaughnessy, 23
1/15/2012
Noon - 10 p.m.
Larceny of a Bicycle
Eggleston Hall East
Inactive
None given
1/15/2012
11:49 p.m.
Simple Assault / Appear Intoxicated in Public
N. Main Street
Cleared by Arrest
Rory Oconnor, 22
1/15/2012
3:02 p.m.
Appear Intoxicated in Public
The Inn at VT
Cleared by Arrest
Mark Terranova, 41
opinions
editors: scott masselli, sean simons opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865
january 17, 2012 COLLEGIATETIMES
Your Views
The Collegiate Times is an independent student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903
[letter to the editor]
Nominations for Sporn Award
I
ntroductory courses are the foundation upon which all advanced study is based, and their importance cannot be overstated. Thankfully, there is an award that recognizes faculty who go above and beyond in their introductory classrooms: the Sporn Award. This award is based entirely upon student nominations, and the winner is chosen by the two student committees. It’s your chance to make your voice heard and reward professors who have made a difference in your life. We will be collecting nominations through Feb. 1. To submit a nomination, please visit Odk.org.vt.edu/ sporn.php. If you are a faculty member, please spread the word
by sending an e-mail to students or making an announcement in class. If you’re a student, take a few minutes to nominate a teacher whose passion, talent and innovation inspired and motivated you to explore a particular subject with rewarding results. Finalists will be selected by a committee consisting of student representatives from Omicron Delta Kappa and the Golden Key national honor society. The winner of the Sporn Award receives $2,000 and automatic induction into the Academy of Teaching Excellence. If you have any questions, please send them to me, Michael J. Alexander, at alexanmj@vt.edu. Michael J. Alexander Visiting assistant history professor 2011 Sporn Award recipient
Romney as Kerry: History repeating In
all likelihood, Mitt distrust toward the moveRomney is going to be ment, as well as a more symthe Republican candidate in pathetic and understanding the 2012 presidential election. view as the movement spread Rick Perry and Herman Cain to more cities and gained have significant issues with popularity. their respective campaigns, The problem with being which will ultimately keep labeled a flip-flopper as a polithem from the nomination. tician, especially as a presiAnd candidates like Ron Paul dential candidate, is that it and Newt Gingrich can’t seem displays a willingness to give to break into the top of the in to whatever views you pack. There could be surprises think will get you elected. It’s of course, but at the moment, a level of political maneuverit appears that Romney will ing that many voters strongly eventually be the Republican dislike. to challenge President Barack In the United States, votObama. ers tend to vote not so much Going with that assump- on the candidate they think tion, Romney, in a variety of has better policies, but on ways, resembles John Kerry the candidate they think from the 2004 presidential is the better leader and race. Romney is an experi- person. enced politician, just as Kerry American voters care more was when running in 2004, about trying to get to the core and they both look the part of of who the candidate is. This president. makes sense; if you can tell Each had a great deal of what type of leader and person personal wealth to draw on a candidate is, then you can during the campaign. Both better predict how they’ll lead are good speakers in terms in office, and how they’ll operof relaying information and ate in the extremely important describing and high pressure p olic y situations. points, but Flip-f lopping neither are is detrimental the most to a candidate ALTHOUGH BUSH’S because voters charismatic speaktend to see a perPOPULARITY ers in the son who is willWAS RELATIVELY political ing to comproLOW, JUST AS world, mise their core OBAMA’S IS NOW, beliefs, which is and both could be not a characterLEADERSHIP described istic of a strong MADE UP FOR IT. as dry leader. American SPECIFIC POLICIES voters tend to bordering on dull like a candidate DIDN’T PLAY as public with backbone, NEARLY AS MUCH speakers. and ideological OF A FACTOR AS Pe r h ap s consistency is a the greatpart of that aura WHO WOULD BE est simiof strength and BETTER SUITED l a r i t y leadership a sucTO LEAD THE between cessful candidate COUNTRY. the two creates. politiBoth Obama cians is and former the fact that both have been President George W. Bush described as “flip-floppers” created auras as candidates. during their respective Ideological consistency comcampaigns. bined with charisma created Kerry is of course famous that strong leader persona for for his flip-flopping during both — a level of backbone the 2004 campaign, changing that voters approve of. In the his arguments dramatically 2004 election, Bush came on certain points at different across as a stronger leader times during the campaign, than Kerry — a key part of his depending on where he was victory. speaking or how the poll Although Bush’s popularnumbers on a certain issue ity was relatively low, just as were leaning. Obama’s is now, leadership This consistent approach of made up for it. Specific polibeing inconsistent with his cies didn’t play nearly as much views became a big issue for of a factor as who would be Kerry during the campaign better suited to lead the counand may have ultimately cost try. him the 2004 election. Whether Romney is able to Romney shares this issue avoid this label is yet to be with flip-flopping to a certain seen, as he doesn’t seem to extent. Before the current elec- have acquired quite the fliption cycle, Romney was a rela- flopping label Kerry had, but tively moderate Republican, as there is plenty of time for that would be expected from the inconsistency to return and governor of a liberal state like haunt him. Massachusetts. If he eventually becomes Recently, Romney has sud- the Republican candidate, denly become a more con- then we’ll see in the nationservative candidate, trying to al election whether Romney tout his record and beliefs, just is able to avoid the label as the Tea Party movement that led to Kerry’s downand traditional economic poli- fall, or whether he repeats cies have become more popu- Kerry’s failures from the lar among the Republican past. base. Romney has often expressed wildly different viewpoints on TYLER ARTHUR certain issues. On the recent -regular columnist Occupy Wall Street movement, Romney has expressed -sophomore strong feelings of fear and -business major
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MCT CAMPUS
GOP progressively declines T
he Republican campaign trail in 2011-12 has been one of the most tumultuous races among recent election cycles, with twists, turns and drama that would shame the most shameless of reality TV programs. This kind of publicity, however, is boosting the ratings for all the wrong reasons. Sure, it’s nice to watch your favorite major news network, see the leading GOP candidate and learn who muttered something that will surely destroy their campaign. But while the GOP struggles to present a viable candidate in its own primary election, the Republican polling numbers in a general election are destined to fall behind. Now, after two primaries, it looks like the GOP is finally settling on a candidate, but is settling the best path for the White House? Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney has built himself a comfortable lead in what is best described as the GOP scratching their heads, shrugging their shoulders and saying, “Well, who else do we have?” to each other. Look at how the Republican Party has gotten to this point. How many candidates surged from “up-and-coming nobody” to “party leader and possible nominee,” only to crumble to nothing in a matter of days? The public has seen the likes of Rick Perry, Michelle Bachman, Herman Cain, Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum surge in the polls because Romney just wasn’t conservative enough. I’m even sure there are those out at voting booths wondering why Sarah Palin isn’t on the ballot. On several occasions in 2011, after an early straw poll in New Hampshire that declared Romney the early favorite to win the Republican nomination, five different candidates won a straw poll as the preferred candidate. Sen. Ron Paul started strong, and led the Conservative Political Action Conference poll and the
Tea Party Patriots poll in February 2011, but strong campaign-like action by the major news networks worked tirelessly to make Paul the forgotten candidate leading into 2012. Political consultant/unknown Fred Karger stirred the pot in April 2011, winning a second straw poll in New Hampshire, a state Romney was expected to run away with during the campaign. Karger’s name hasn’t been seen since. August 2011 belonged to Bachmann, who won the Ames straw poll in Iowa, typically a strong indicator as to who was going to rustle the most leaves in the primary. However, after much media blowback about her credentials, Bachmann was forced to answer some tough questions, and she couldn’t deliver — she dropped out of the race after several disappointing showings in straw polls and the Iowa caucuses on Jan. 4. In September 2011, Cain, the Godfather Pizza CEO, gained a mountain of support and donations, delivering results in the Florida 5 straw poll with just more than 37 percent of the vote. He maintained his support throughout October and won the Sioux Falls straw poll in early November. Multiple sexual abuse allegations from his CEO days later abruptly put a halt to his campaign shortly thereafter — Cain dropped out in early December 2011. When it seemed as if there was nowhere left to turn but toward Romney as the nominee, Gingrich stormed to the top of the polls, winning a Delaware straw poll, and the second Tea Party Patriots straw poll in December (recall, Paul won this poll in February, yet only counted 3 percent of the vote the second time around). And almost as if political momentum means absolutely nothing, Gingrich succumbed to the Romney machine in the Iowa caucuses, tallying only around half of
the Massachusetts governor’s votes. So perhaps the Republican candidacy is back to square one. Romney narrowly won in Iowa and took New Hampshire as expected. Romney as the nominee would only be a dime short of certain. What really seems certain, however, is that Republican voters still aren’t sold on the governor. He won Iowa by a hair, beating Santorum by a mere eight votes. Santorum is yet another candidate to gain support seemingly from thin air. And yet another smalltime candidate made noise in New Hampshire, as John Huntsman locked up a formidable third place. All of this points to one conclusion: the GOP is desperate to find anyone other than Romney to be their nominee. As they scramble to find a more suitable candidate than Romney and ignore Paul, the general election in November creeps ever closer and the tactics are puzzling. By this time in 2008, it was fairly clear who the major players were going to be in both primaries, and the respective parties were geared toward making a strong presidential run. This election cycle couldn’t more different — the GOP doesn’t have a clue who will run against President Barack Obama. The longer the Republican Party toys around with presenting an established nominee, the harder it’s going to be for them to win in November. There are months left of campaigning, but there hasn’t been anything resembling light at the end of the tunnel, and the GOP will pay for it dearly in a general election against an incumbent president.
ERIC JONES -regular columnist -junior -psychology major
Pets are for life, not just holidays P
eeking out from under the tree with a bright red ribbon around his neck, he was their favorite present on Christmas morning. The kids threw the ball for him until he flopped down in happy exhaustion, tongue lolling and tail whipping wildly. They paraded him around the neighborhood every day and snuggled under the covers with him at night. But as the weeks passed, it wasn’t long before he went from adored to ignored. His family was too busy playing video games or dashing off to their next appointment to bother with him. One day, the man clipped a leash to his collar. A car ride! He paced in the backseat in excitement. But when they reached their destination, he tucked his tail between his legs in fear. The man led him into a building full of barking dogs. “He’s getting too big. We just don’t have time for him,” the man said, handing the leash over to a kind-looking woman. He tried to follow the man out the door, but it closed in his face. The man left without even saying goodbye. This is the sad story of countless dogs and cats who are given as “gifts” for Christmas, only to be tossed out like stale fruitcake after
their novelty wears off. sions you can make for someone Every year following the holidays, else. shelters across the country scramble If you’re thinking of getting to accommodate the surge of aban- an animal as a “gift” to yourself, doned animals. hold off until after the holiday Yet animals who end up in hoopla is over. Animals require shelters are the “lucky” ones: vast amounts of time, attention, They will be cared for and have patience and money _ all of which a chance at being adopted by a are in short supply during this different family, one that will love season. them for life _ not just for the With parties, events and shopholidays. ping filling up most families’ Less fortunate dogs and cats are schedules around the holibanished to backyards and chained days, new animals’ needs are up like old bicycles, with nothing to often neglected, and the animals do but shiver and watch the snow suffer. pile up. Left for hours with nothing to do Others are driven “out to the and no one to play with them or country” and dumped, where they take them outside to relieve themstarve, get hit by cars or freeze selves, animals are likely to chew to death. So much for happy on furniture, scratch up curtains holidays. and carpets and have “accidents” This is why, even if you’re cer- in the house _ and then be unfairly tain that your loved one wants punished for it. and is prepared to care for an Putting a puppy or kitten under animal companion, it’s crucial the tree isn’t a “gift” for anyone. to resist the temptation to give If you’re certain that your loved him or her a living, breathing one is prepared to give an ani“present.” mal an excellent home, consider Adding a cat or dog to the fam- wrapping up a dog bowl or a leash ily means making a 15-year-plus and offering to accompany him or commitment to love and care her to an animal shelter after the for the animal, for better or for holidays to choose a loving aniworse. mal companion for life, not just for It also means finding an ani- Christmas. mal who is a good match for one’s activity level, experience, abilities LlNDSAY POLLARD-POST and personality. These aren’t deci- -mcclatchy newspapers
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january 17, 2012 COLLEGIATETIMES
There’s still time to snap your senior photos!
Regular Edition Today’s Birthday Horoscope: You’ve got the energy and resources to really make it happen this year. All the pieces are coming together: the partnerships, connections and details. Prepare more than you think necessary, and stick to your morals for sweet satisfaction.
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Week ending Jan. 17, 2012
Top tracks
( ) Last week’s ranking in top five
I Won’t Give Up • Jason Mraz
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Set Fire to the Rain • Adele
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Sexy and I Know It • LMFAO
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Good Feeling • Flo Rida
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We Found Love • Rihanna
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arts & entertainment
Molly Nilsson gives ‘History’ lesson in retro pop album
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jam. Nilsson’s voice is one of the most interesting aspects of her music. Without any modification, it registers at an ambiguously low tone and borderlines monotony. When the first few lines of the album echoed through my headphones in that deep voice, I knew the vocals sounded familiar. It wasn’t until I listened a few times and talked about it with friends that the comparison revealed itself. Nilsson reminded me of fellow Swede Karin Dreijer Andersson, member of The Knife and also known as Fever Ray. These characteristics of Nilsson’s voice add to the tracks, rather than grate the nerves, in that they lend a certain robotic, alien quality that suits the electronic instrumentation quite well. In a news item posted to her website, “History” is described as featuring “timeless melancholic songwriting, each song (presenting) a compact sound world, which twinkles with a sense of loneliness and the warmth of its opposite.” This is perhaps the most accurate way of describing the songs on this record, thematically. Nearly all of these songs deal with feelings of loneliness or heartbreak in the 21st century. Album opener, “In Real Life” — itself an expanded online acronym — describes a false sense of company via the Internet. Lyrics include, “Online I never feel alone, I never feel alive, call it what
COLLEGIATETIMES
7
Handler’s character falls short in new comedy
MUSIC REVIEW this stage of always-connected, Internet-everything existence, it’s increasingly unusual to come across an artist who turns up few worthwhile search results when you plug the name into Google. However, that’s exactly the case with Molly Nilsson. Try Googling her name, and you will be presented with a list mainly consisting of blogs posting their personal opinions about her MP3s. The result it turns out is one labeled “Dark Skies Association,” Nilsson’s record label that she founded herself to maintain artistic control over her music. It is on the label’s website that curious listeners will find most of the valuable information regarding her past and future. After scouring the places I usually search for artist biographies and news updates, I finally found what I was looking for: Nilsson, a Swedish native who now lives in Berlin and has released three albums, as well as a handful of EPs prior to the release of “History,” though to little fanfare. Her profile reached a peak when lo-fi 80s revivalist John Maus covered her song “Hey Moon” on his own album in July. She returned to relative obscurity until just after the release of “History,” when the popular music site GorillavsBear.net drew attention to her album in a post. It is fitting that Maus found a cover of Nilsson’s song appropriate for his album, as Nilsson tends to operate within similar sonic boundaries. The songs of “History” are steeped in 80s nostalgia, with a cleverly futuristic angle. Retro synthesizers form the shapes of the music, with electronically programmed drums providing a solid foundation underneath the shimmering keys, which, by the way, are the most shimmery on the brief track “Intermezzo: The Party.” “History” is most definitely an exercise in 80s pop experimentation. All the songs feature catchy hooks that worm their way into your subconscious with dance-inducing beats that wouldn’t sound out of place in a DJ set. Notable is “City of Atlantis,” an out-and-out cosmic club
january 17, 2012
you like.” The track “Hotel Home” addresses a similar sense of false relief from loneliness, its first line being, “Hotel home, you’re never on your own,” then later mentioning how she is “never at home so call on Skype.” However, it’s clear in all of these tracks that this is not a narrator who has never experienced the opposite of loneliness. She sings with a certain wistfulness for and familiarity of it, probably most obvious in “I Hope You Die,” as morbid as the song’s idea is. “History” is an album that, thematically, is decidedly 21st century by an artist clearly interested in society’s relationships with technology. While Nilsson grapples with these contemporary issues, she simultaneously crafts an ultramodern, retrofuturistic sound that blends influences from the 80s with robotic, alien sounds. The result is a recent, though underrated, album of the past year from an artist who is sure to become a mainstay on the underground music scene in the coming years.
alk show host, comedian and professional hot mess Chelsea Handler is at it again, this time with an intriguing new comedy based on her books, as well as her entertaining life. “Are You There, Chelsea?” premiered on NBC last Wednesday, Jan. 11, at 8:30 p.m., following fellow freshman comedy “Whitney.” Despite the show’s title, Handler is actually a very minimal part of the program. The character of party girl Chelsea is played by Laura Prepon, who is best known for her role as Donna on “That ‘70s Show.” Instead, Handler plays Prepon’s incredibly boring, put-together pregnant sister. So why isn’t Handler playing herself? Why is Handler, a veteran comedian, not playing a funny character? Beats me. Handler’s character, so far at least, is a blatant waste of talent. In the coming weeks, she may come around, but right now her character is pretty bland. Still, Handler’s comedic touch can be seen throughout the writing of the show. Title-character Chelsea sounds exactly like Handler with her almost Ke$ha-like party attitude. It’s only fitting that her character works at a bar and is battling a driving under the influence charge.
Unfortunately, witty one-liners can only go so far. A strong supporting cast is just as important as the stars, and “Are You There, Chelsea?” has some absolutely abysmal support. Chelsea’s best friend, and fellow waitress at the bar, makes high school plays look like Broadway. Every facet of her performance is so incredibly contrived, as if she is reading off a teleprompter. During the premiere episode, Chelsea also moves in with a new roommate who takes quirky to a whole other level. Her roommate, Dee Dee, is beyond socially awkward, which does make for some entertaining moments. However, as a whole, her character just comes across rather artificial. Sure, she’s good for a few laughs, but her character doesn’t seem real or relatable. The show’s fate is definitely still up in
the air, but not without potential. The lead character is great, and the writing is intermittently strong, but the show needs some serious fine-tuning if it wants to stay alive past its first season.
PATRICK MURPHY -senior -features editor -communication major
KEVIN MCALEESE -junior -featured columnist -political science major
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Colleen Hill Steven Carter WOULD LIKE TO FORMALLY
ANNOUNCE THEIR ENGAGEMENT Colleen Hill is part of the Virginia Tech class of 2012 and Steven Carter is a 2010 Virginia Tech graduate. Dating since the fall of 2009, they are looking forward to a fall 2013 wedding.
Keep the law
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Dr. Strangelove DEAR Dr. Strangelove: My boyfriend of three years is really protective and gets jealous when I’m even talking to other guys. But then he goes and hangs out with girls without me and doesn’t understand why I get mad. Every time I confront him about it he always makes up some excuse about why he had to hang out with the girls and always turns the arguement back to me. I feel like this is wrong — but I don’t want to hurt our relationship. What do I do? — DESPERATE LOVER
DEAR DESPERATE LOVER: What century do you think this is? The 1800’s? Since when has it been okay for a man to do something and a woman not to be able to do the same thing? Come on now. Get it together. LEAVE HIM.
reason why I buy her drinks. Let’s see how he likes that game.
should to listen to everything men tell them to do. Let’s see if my ladyfriends would like that. But, just in case you are wrong, and chances are that you are 100 percent crazy, you may want to look into getting help. Oh wait, you don’t want to hurt your relationship.
And when he confronts you about it, you can lip the tables. It’s your game now, threaten to leave him. Or better yet, make all of us who are reading this give you a little Or better yet, let’s turn this into respect, not that we have much for a reversal game. Let’s see how he you in the ϔirst place, and actually likes it when you hang out with do leave him. Foreign concept Have a relationship problem that other guys. You’re a grown woman I know — who would have you want Dr. Strangelove to help — use it to your advantage. Go out thought. you ϔigure out? Need advice on to the bars, get those free drinks what to do? Send your comments men always love buying women But on the lip side, maybe I’m and questions to studybreak@ for the sole reason of making her wrong. Maybe we all are wrong. gmail.com and title your email “Dr. smile. Yeah — cause that’s the only Maybe it is the 1800’s and women Strangelove.”
What is the rule about having open containers of alcohol in your car if you’re just transporting it?
ANSWER: Don’t have it. If you do have it put it in your trunk - where no one in the vehicle can potentially consume it.
Have a question you need answered about the law? Email your questions to studybreak@gmail.com with the title ‘Law School.’ Answers provided by Officer Carter of Fairfax County.
8
january 17, 2012 COLLEGIATETIMES
arts & entertainment
editors: chelsea gunter, patrick murphy featureseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865
Despite box office woes, recent films score decent marks “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo”
“Joyful Noise”
A
diverse gospel choir eagerly belts out spiritual tunes, but will audiences also be that willing to sing the film’s praises? Absolutely. “Joyful Noise” boasts an impressive and eclectic cast. The always-saucy Queen Latifah goes toe-to-toe with southern sweetheart Dolly Parton. To say they’re an odd pair is an understatement, but they play off of each other beautifully. The reason the two are sparring begins with Parton’s grandson, played by newcomer Jeremy Jordan. He falls for Latifah’s daughter, played by a sassy Keke Palmer. Latifah and Parton, choir rivals, do their best to quash the budding romance. The diva rivalry eventually culminates in a scene that finds
Latifah instigating a food fight, as she hurls both dinner rolls and fine-tuned insults at a stunned Parton. Amid the struggling teen romance, all of the characters are also forced to put aside their differences to compete in a national gospel competition. This challenge yields tears, heartache, hilarity and an incredible soundtrack. The nearly two-hour run time is a bit excessive, causing the film to drag at times. Still, the journey is worth it. The characters’ quips are original and entertaining, and the music is nothing short of a Grammy. Go in with low expectations, as I did, and the experience will be well worth it. Is it the best movie of the year? Nope. In the Oscar race, this horse is asleep in the stable. Still, it’s lighthearted, endearing and completely enjoyable. With cinemas full of some downers — “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” and “The Devil Inside” to name a few — the world could use a feel-good movie like “Joyful Noise.”
PATRICK MURPHY -senior -features editor -communication major
“T
he Girl With the Dragon Tattoo,” adapted from the best-selling book by Swedish author Stieg Larsson, came to theaters this holiday season. Despite the fact the Swedes adapted the book into a movie in 2009, director David Fincher decided to reimagine the series for an American audience. Daniel Craig stars as Mikael Blomkvist, the down-and-out publisher and part-owner of a Swedish magazine, “Millennium.” Because of libel charges, his career seems to be over until a wealthy business tycoon hires him to solve a 50-year-old mystery. Lisbeth Salander, a young and reclusive computer hacker played
by Rooney Mara, also becomes involved in the investigation. She is the standout in this movie, completely delving into the character of Salander. Compared to the book, “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” sticks close to the narrative. For time’s sake, some aspects of the story are changed or shortened, but for the most part, fans of the book series will be satisfied. Fincher’s “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” is more cinematic than the Swedish film. It’s obvious that the American version was made on a larger budget. Even so, the Swedish movie is still an excellent adaptation of the book. My verdict is that the American version is just as good as the Swedish one. The Swedish version has more fitting actors — Michael Nyqvist who plays Blomkvist, in particular — but the American version has better aesthetics. For those who have never seen the Swedish movie or read the book, “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” is still worth watching. Although it’s lengthy, the plot is complex and compelling, never leaving audiences disappointed.
“War Horse”
H
orse fans undoubtedly rushed in herds to see Spielberg’s most recent war epic “War Horse.” Some may have avoided it, and rightfully so, for of fear of this World War I movie being too sad. I admit, I cried a few times during the two-and-a-half hour film. “War Horse” was not as gory or as upsetting as Spielberg’s other war movies, such as “Saving Private Ryan” and “Schindler’s List.” Instead, “War Horse” leans more on the family side, omitting bloody scenes and implying char-
COURTNEY BAKER -senior -featured columnist -political science major
acters’ deaths instead of showing them. I went into “War Horse” thinking it would be another movie about a boy and his horse, with a typical storyline of a horse and it’s owner being separated, then against the odds, reunited. To some extent this is true, but what “War Horse” really seemed to be about was the acts of kindness, and evil of the Allies and the Axis powers. “War Horse” is Spielberg’s commentary on the human condition and the ordinary people who are drawn into extraordinary wars. “War Horse” is not Spielberg’s best movie in terms of acting or the storyline, but it still resonates with viewers. Its greatest asset is the beautiful scenery of the English countryside. The sweeping shots of Europe are gorgeous, and Spielberg’s eye for cinematography enhances the experience all the more. If you are willing to take the risk of crying in the theater, “War Horse” is definitely worth seeing.
COURTNEY BAKER -senior -featured columnist -political science major
“Young Adult”
F
or those who enjoyed “Juno’s” (2009) snarky dialogue and indie atmosphere, “Young Adult” (2011) is the movie to see. Screenwriter Diablo Cody wrote both “Juno” and “Young Adult.” She claimed that she wrote “Young Adult” because someone told her that she only wrote about teenagers. What sprang from this observation
is a movie about a grown woman who is still stuck in her high school days. Charlize Theron plays the main character, Mavis Gary, a 37-year-old unlikable, self-absorbed high school prom queen. Gary has absolutely no redeeming qualities. Theron is perfect for the part. With a track record of playing both likeable and cringe-worthy characters, Theron has demonstrated that she is an extremely talented actress. While Gary is detestable, Theron dives into the part, making “Young Adult” a success. Those looking for a comedy may be surprised and even disappointed by “Young Adult,” but those going into the movie with an open mind may be pleasantly surprised. At times, the plot is thin, but Theron and other cast members compensate for this with their acting, making “Young Adult” an interesting character study.
COURTNEY BAKER -senior -featured columnist -political science major
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