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Friday, January 20, 2012
www.collegiatetimes.com
COLLEGIATETIMES 109th year, issue 4
News, page 5
People & Clubs, page 6
Atypical fraternity develops members
Opinions, page 7
Sports, page 4
Classifieds, page 8
Sudoku, page 8
Second-half blues
KEVIN DICKEL / SPPS
Members of the FarmHouse fraternity hold their flag in Squires.
FARMHOUSE, A NEW ‘NON-GREEK’ FRATERNITY, PRIDES ITSELF ON UNITY, OPENNESS, ANTI-HAZING PRACTICES GINA PATTERSON & NICK CAFFERKY news staff FarmHouse, a new agriculture-based organization in the Greek community, has distinctive characteristics, setting it apart from the other fraternities on campus — the most obvious being its name. Unlike most fraternities, the founding members, chose not to use typical Greek letters. “We don’t have Greek Letters,” said Chris Atkins, a junior agricultural science major and FarmHouse member. “That’s a very non-traditional aspect.” The name FarmHouse is an acronym for what the fraternity stands for and the qualities it wants its members to possess — faith, ambition, reverence, morality, honesty, obedience, unity, service and excellence. Like most fraternities,
FarmHouse holds beliefs and ideas about what ideal members should grow into. “We are based on a fourfold system on how to build men spiritually, intellectually, socially, morally and physically,” said Adam Ford, a senior agricultural science major and FarmHouse member. “It helps to grow the best men and helps to develop them. A lot of them are built out of concrete principles, which men should build their life on.” The organization was founded in 2008, when an expansion coordinator for FarmHouse visited Virginia tech to introduce the fraternity to members of a club called Block and Bridle. Tech recognized FarmHouse in spring 2009 and received a charter from its national organization in October 2011. With 30 current members, the fraternity, hopes to gain 15 new members this
Universities’ purchases of domains
2000 1500
$1200
$987
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Kansas State* UC Berkeley* Virginia Tech
*Kansas State purchased an unknown amount of domains. UC Berkeley acquired a total of 7 domains.
Yahoo News
ALICIA TILLMAN / COLLEGIATE TIMES
Kansas State spent three times as much as Tech to protect its name.
TECH SPENT NEARLY $1,000 TO PROTECT ITS NAME WHEN ‘.XXX’ DOMAINS WENT ON SALE KELSEY JO STARR news staff writer Virginia Tech spent nearly $1,000 to secure the rights to three “.xxx” domain names for 10 years — but the university has no intent to use them. Last summer, the ICM Registry, announced that it would begin releasing information about purchasing .xxx domain names to provide websites for people in the adult entertainment industry, such as playboy.xxx or penthouse. xxx, according to Yahoo! News.
The domain names can be bought through either of the two domain purchasing websites GoDaddy and Network Solutions. Upon hearing the news, many companies began purchasing the rights to .xxx domain names that resembled iconic images or brand names related to the company so they would not become affiliated with pornographic brands. The sites are not blocked, but they say “This domain has been reserved see DOMAIN / page five
to go with his 16 points. Junior guard Erick Green returned from injury to lead the Hokies in scoring with 17 points. Hudson tallied 16 points, but none of them came after halftime. Sophomore Jarell Eddie added 15. The Tar Heels outscored the Hokies 48-29 after the break to avoid a second consecutive upset. UNC fell to Florida State in Tallahassee on Jan. 14 by a wide margin. Thursday night’s win over the Hokies keeps them within striking distance of ACC-leading Duke. Tech now stands as the only ACC team winless in conference play. Next, the Hokies travel to face 17th-ranked Virginia on Sunday.
Apple unveils textbooks for iPad news editor
2500
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SEE FULL STORY ON COLLEGIATETIMES. COM
It was a tale of two halves in Cassell Coliseum Thursday night as a Hokies scoring drought derailed an upset bid against No. 8 North Carolina. The Hokies rode Dorenzo Hudson’s hot shooting hand to a five-point halftime lead, but then failed to score for more than nine minutes early in the second half. The Tar Heels went on a 19-0 run during the drought — taking a commanding lead they wouldn’t surrender. Tech fell to 0-4 in the ACC, losing to UNC by a final score of 82-68. Harrison Barnes led the way for UNC, scoring 27 points. Big men John Henson and Tyler Zeller both tallied doubledoubles. Henson grabbed 16 rebounds
MICHELLE SUTHERLAND
$3000
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HOKIES LOSE 82-68
see FARMHOUSE / page nine
Tech purchases three ‘.xxx’ domain names 3000
AUSTEN MEREDITH/ SPPS
Apple may be revolutionizing another industry — education. Yesterday, the tech giant unveiled iBook 2, which includes textbooks to be used on iPads. Although other publishers have already brought textbooks to an electronic format, such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble, Apple will be the first to bring them to a tablet. Others are only available on applications for PCs and Macs. Apple calls the new electronic textbooks “dynamic, current, engrossing and truly interactive.” Instead of being static, textbooks will feature animation, videos and interactive graphics. All features are imbedded in the textbook and can be accessed with a tap. Students can also highlight text by touching the screen and add notes on the side. Another feature can automatically make flashcards with the highlighted text on one side and the notes on the other. However, some students are not sure how they feel about reading books on an LCD screen. “I prefer print,” said Tara Wright, a freshman biochemistry major. “I think it would be distracting.” Lindsay Laird, a junior environmental policy and planning major, said she would only go the electronic route for her textbooks if they were significantly cheaper. “I would buy the (print) book because it’s easier to mark on and read,” she said. Apple has not yet released the prices of its textbooks, but online editions from other publishers can cost up to half off the price of a new copy.
Apple expects the technology to catch on in school districts and among those who use textbooks for more than one semester. Currently, students and school districts buy textbooks that become obsolete within 10 years — then they have to buy new ones, wasting money and trees. For example, “Biology: Life on Earth with Physiology,” an introductory textbook used at Virginia Tech, updates its editions every three years. Apple’s textbooks will automatically update with no extra charge. Because the iPad weighs 1.33 pounds, students can look forward to lighter backpacks. “I haven’t used (electronic textbooks), but it seems like a good idea,” said Priya Bose, a sophomore business information technology major. “It’s much lighter and seems more organized.” Preston Durrill, a chemical engineering professor, already uses an online McGraw-Hill textbook for his general chemistry class, which seems to be popular among his students. “It is a fair amount cheaper, and students almost always have their computers anyway,” he said. “It seems like a pretty effective way to learn the material. Another feature of iBook 2 is the publishing app. The app is preloaded with templates, so authors only have to enter the information and tweak it according to their tastes. With the click of a button, the book is published to the iBook collection at the price of the author’s choosing. Amature publishers aside, Apple has also partnered with McGrawHill, Pearson and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
SAVING TREES
“Biology: Life on Earth with Physiology” is used in BIOL 1006, an introductory biology course. Approximately 700-900 students purchase textbooks every semester. If new books are purchased every three years for 10 years, then 2,100-2,700 books are purchased for one class at Tech alone.
editors: chelsea gunter, patrick murphy featureseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865
people & clubs
january 20, 2012 COLLEGIATETIMES
3
Student group brings passion for hip hop to Tech
DANIEL LIN / SPPS
Student Hip Hop Organization board members gather together with a common goal in mind — to share their love of hip hop with each other and the school. In the future, the group will hold hip hop-related events.
THIS MONTH, THE STUDENT HIP HOP ORGANIZATION KNOWN AS SHHO WILL OPEN ITS ARMS TO MEMBERS EMMA GODDARD features staff writer In a world recently dominated by pop music and mainstream radio sensations, the prevalence of hip hop in today’s society seems to be less evident. But there’s one group that is trying to change this. The Student Hip Hop Organization, which first began its journey in Richmond, was created to celebrate music’s existence, art and culture. Muhammad Yasin — known by his friends as Mo — is the founder of the Virginia Tech chapter of SHHO. Yasin wished to find a home for the organization in Blacksburg to make up for the lack thereof. “The idea for our chapter at Tech is to engage all the people that love hip hop but who have no home in a sense,” Yasin said. “We want to find all of those people and let them know that there are other people who love this culture too.” Yasin became the group’s founder during his freshman year, when he decided to bring SHHO to Tech in April 2011. Unlike other chapters of SHHO, which have already experienced a longer duration within university student life, Tech’s organization is still in its early stages. As the organization works to strengthen its impact on campus, it is becoming more prominent in Virginia and is slowly making a statement nationwide. “SHHO was founded in 2006 at Virginia Commonwealth University to promote what is now its mission statement: Higher learning through hip
hop,” Yasin said. In 2011, SHHO had shown its face at Tech, the University of Virginia, VCU, William and Mary, Old Dominion University, the University of Mary Washington, George Mason University and now, its national chapter’s location, Central Florida. While each chapter has the same purpose — gaining more exposure and acknowledging the culture they love — they are each different. Since the VCU and U.Va. chapters have been active longer than the others, they have already been able to hold events. Melinda Tran, a junior business information technology major at Tech and an SHHO executive board member, said she first learned about the organization through U.Va. “I first heard about SHHO last spring when I found out about a concert that U.Va. was putting on. I learned more about the organization and immediately knew that this was something I wanted to be a part of,” Tran said. When she heard of a school organization in which she could share her enthusiasm and admiration for hip hop, Tran asked if SHHO could come to Tech. She later met Yasin and became part of the team. Yasin and Tran are working with 12 other members of the executive board to make sure that SHHO has a successful breakthrough when general membership opens to Tech’s students this month. Currently, the executive board has a meeting every Monday thats lasts about one to two hours. As the spring semester begins, they plan on having monthly meet-
ings to discuss hip hop and bond with others who share this common interest. Yasin and Tran said their friends have already expressed interest in the organization and are eager to join. However, SHHO welcomes everyone. Those currently working with the group say they hope that their message leaves a meaningful impact — even on those who wouldn’t normally consider joining. “We want people who are part of the culture to come together and celebrate it with us. We want people who are not part of it, who have no stake in it and who don’t understand it, to learn about it,” Yasin said. There are many aspects of the hip hop culture that are said to be stereotyped by those who do not understand its full meaning. Yasin also believes that a certain negative label is held against the culture, and his aim is to stop this through his work with SHHO. “It’s not that those rappers are necessarily trying to be negative,” he said. “You have to take into consideration where they’ve come from, and what they’ve become, and how they’ve turned their lives around. There’s a lot more to the picture than what people get at face value.” According to Tran, U.Va. has already seen the likes of rapper Kendrick Lamar and the hip hop duo Clipse. Similarly, Yasin said the university has also held events with the Grammy Awardwinning producer 9th Wonder, while VCU was graced by street wear and design industry mogul Jeff Staple. The events that Tech’s chapter will hold in the future will remain a mystery until the orga-
nization becomes more active on campus. However, Yasin said big things were planned in hopes of a successful spring semester. Hip hop has been a significant part of both Yasin and Tran’s lives, and they hope the culture they experience will somehow make a deeper impression on the people around them. In a university of about 26,000 students, that task seems daunting. But Yasin and his crew are determined to beat the odds. “You get out of it what you put in. The harder you work, the more rewarding it is,” Yasin said.
CHECK ONLINE For more information about the Student Hip Hop Organization, visit its website, TheSHHO.com. The group also has posters hanging around campus, featuring its hexagonal logo.
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january 20, 2012 COLLEGIATETIMES
sports
editors: matt jones, zach mariner sportseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865
Women’s basketball loses to UNC for fourth-straight loss MATT JONES sports editor For much of the season, the Virginia Tech women’s basketball team has left the court with some positive outcomes. Head coach Dennis Wolff just wishes he were seeing wins as opposed to losses. The team dropped its fourthstraight game Thursday night, this time a 56-37 loss at the hands of the North Carolina Tar Heels. The loss, which pushes the Hokies to 6-13 and 2-4 in the ACC, is particularly frustrating for Wolff, who is down to just six scholarship players. “I thought this was very similar to a bunch of other games we’ve played,” Wolff said. “We played hard, but we get to the point where we hit the wall. It’s a combination of fatigue and our limited roster.” The Hokies trailed by just four a halftime thanks to three t h re e - p oi nt ers by Monet Tellier. Ten second-half turnovers ended up dooming the Hokies in the end, however. “I told the kids in the locker room, we’ve just got to find a way to be a little more efficient on offense, get some more people involved,” Wolff said. The Tar Heels began the second half on a 9-2 run and never led by less than seven the rest of the way. Unlike their loss to Duke on Sunday, the Hokies stayed competitive throughout the first half. “I think they just came out with more fight than we did,” Tellier said. “It was a toss up between both teams at half time. They just fought a little bit harder.” Tech was without starting shooting guard Alyssa Fenyn for much of the night, as the junior was dealing with illness. Averaging 8.8 points per game, the Hokies ultimately could not handle the loss of another player. “Coach tells us in practice we always have to fight through
fatigue,” Tellier said. “We all know our numbers are down and that we just need to fight through it. Just push through.” The 19 turnovers were in large part a by-product of the short bench, yet Tellier is trying to turn the struggles into a positive. “I definitely think it’s a learning experience, and with our numbers being down it makes me want to push harder and keep playing for my teammates,” Tellier said. “I take it personally.” North Carolina head coach Sylvia Hatchell, in her 36th season at Chapel Hill, finally recorded her 600th win as a Tar Heel. Coming off three-straight losses, Hatchell and her players truly appreciated the monumental achievement. “I really didn’t think anything about it truthfully,” Hatchell said after the game. “Everything I own is Carolina blue, and it’s a privilege to be at the University of North Carolina. I can’t tell you how great it is.” The Tar Heels program provides a great example for Wolff and the Hokies' program. “To coach that team for as long as she has, 600 wins is just a phenomenal achievement,” Wolff said. “It’s an unbelievable accomplishment.” As their losing streak extends to four games, the Hokies — particularly their head coach — don’t want to hang their heads too much. With several winnable games remaining and some key players returning from injury, the Hokies could end the season on a high note. “I’m trying not to harp too much on where we’re at right now,” Wolff said. “This is a basketball game. This is who we have, and we’ve got to try and play with who we have right now.” The Hokies head back on the road Monday night when they travel to face the Miami Hurricanes. Tip off is set for 7 p.m.
CHECK ONLINE
SEE PHOTO GALLERY ON COLLEGIATETIMES.COM
BRAD KLADOWSKI / SPPS
Alyssa Fenyn (13) is pushed out-of-bounds under pressure from Candice Wood (4) and Nia Evans (20). The Hokies lost to the Tar Heels 56-37.
......radio for
everyone
editors: nick cafferky, michelle sutherland newseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865
news
january 20, 2012 COLLEGIATETIMES
Domain: Tech reserves rights to sites from page one
from registration.” Most companies have no intention of actually using these websites but will instead keep them as placeholders to avoid others to use them in the future. Each purchase guarantees the company control of the domain name for 10 years, after which they would have to renew the rights. This was the logic of Tech’s acquisition of hokies.xxx, virginiatech.xxx and virginiapolytechnicinstituteandstateuniversity.xxx, which it purchased the rights of via Network Solutions. Jack Johnson, the director
of Web communications for University Relations at Tech, oversaw the process of purchasing the rights to these domain names. “(ICM) established a process that if you were a trademark holder, you could file for trademark protection status on the trademarks that you own,” Jackson said. “We went through that process and proved we were the rightful trademark owners.” Companies who wanted to apply for these trademarks fell into two categories: Sunrise A and Sunrise B. Sunrise A was for full adult entertainers, while Sunrise B was for everyone else
who didn’t want their name and image related with adult entertainers. Tech followed the process for Sunrise B to file for protection from the use of the three aforementioned domain names. “The cost for filing for those protections was $329 per trademark name,” Jackson said. “So for a total, it was $987.” Tech will most likely have to renew these costs every 10 years if they wish to keep the trademark protections. While the official time to obtain the rights to these domain names — through the Sunrise A or Sunrise B process — was Sept. 7 to Oct. 28, Tech was
able to ensure that they would receive .xxx domain protection as early as Aug. 1, according to Jackson. “It took pretty much the entire month of August to go through the process working with Network Solutions,” Jackson said. “The whole premise was to get this done before the whole Sunrise B process began so you wouldn’t need to worry about it. It was Aug. 31 when I received the confirmation that the invoice had been paid for the trademark.” ICM was unavailable to comment.
what you’re saying On Paul uniting Tea Partiers and Occupiers
OKayyyy: Being that the majority of information
on Wikipedia is incorrect, never fact checked
Mike: Your column reminded me of this awesome
video from Occupy Wall Street: http://www. youtube.com/watch?v=uZmPWcLQ1Mk
Ron Paul and Mitt Romney are the only Repubs on the Virginia Ballot. It will be fun to see what happens with that.
Anonymous: We, the people, are ready for Ron Paul. He has stayed the course, and he is the only one who has answers and a plan for restoring of our Country and our liberty.
Gingrich’s wife reveals another scandal
Hugh Hall: Ron Paul is the only candidate calling for the basic principles our country was founded on.
DAVID LIGHTMAN mcclatchy newspapers
He has never waded from the truth.Some say his foreign policy is not sound.Let some individual or country strike us and Ron Paul will be the first to take care of the insult.Hugh
Anonymous: Ron Paul would be a terrible choice for the republican nomination: he’s to the left of Obama on national defensehe’s fine with the government letting people die on the streetshe associates with very racist and antisemetic peoplehis year one budget cut would put the economy into shock causing another great depression. The only taxes he cuts are for the rich.
anon informed: @Anonymous: I suggest you
inform yourself on his real stance with an open mind. Your statements show you are simply not well informed. A mind is a terrible thing to waste. Don’t be a tool to those who wish to oppress you. LOL @ Anonymous: Ron Paul is a racist? Would let people die in the street? As a doctor, he treated thousands of poor people FOR FREE, including scores of blacks. Turn off MSNBC and the liberal news channels, and use your brain.
MCT CAMPUS
survey put him up by 3 points and a Public Policy Polling survey showed him ahead by 6 points. Gingrich’s career has been filled with dramatic ups and downs. Many voters can’t get past his record as a disorganized, polarizing figure who made millions as a Washington insider, had to pay a $300,000 penalty for ethical lapses while he was speaker and has been scorned by many former colleagues. Many voters here already were troubled by his personal life before Marianne Gingrich’s TV tale emerged. “I like Newt, but I’m really struggling with my vote. I’m scared he has too much baggage,” said Craig LaCross, a Florence small businessman. Gingrich fires up crowds with his empathy for people’s long-simmering fury with Washington. Many of his supporters are the same folks whose rage at the government fueled the tea party movement, which helped elect dozens of Republicans to Congress in 2010. Many are out of work, or they worry deeply about financial security, in a state where the unemployment rate remains well above the national average. They’re tired of conventional politicians with conventional remedies. They want guts, gall and tenacity — all Gingrich signatures. “Romney’s OK, but we want to go past that. You ever have a boss who was tough, but made you do your best?” asked Joe Duke, a retired Florence chemist. He compared Gingrich to the late Apple Inc. cofounder Steve Jobs, who was known as a hard taskmaster. “He was a hard guy to work with, but he’d push and push,” Duke said. Romney often comes across to the
frustrated as the kind of guy who helped make their lives miserable. Tim Washburn of Aiken, who’s unemployed, explained politely that while “I don’t really think Romney put people out of work, people are getting laid off because companies wanted to make more money, and that philosophy is hurting people like me.” The Romney campaign sees Gingrich as a serious threat in South Carolina, a state it hopes to win, which would help create an aura of inevitability that the nomination is his. Gingrich has fallen from the heights before. His Republican troops pushed him out of the speakership after four years of controversy. He had a big lead in early December in South Carolina and other states. He tumbled as opponents, notably Romney, blanketed television in early voting Iowa and New Hampshire with ads that recalled Gingrich’s foibles, and as establishment conservatives from George F. Will to the National Review pronounced him unfit for the presidency. Romney launched a fresh assault on Gingrich this week, with new Web ads and denunciations. Former House colleague Peter King, a New York Republican, ripped Gingrich on Thursday for “self-serving narcissism.” Voters are listening. Beth Lechner, a Columbia teacher, is torn between the two, but she worries about Gingrich’s “baggage.” Preston Dawkins, a Florence lawyer, is leaning to Romney because “it’s the electability issue, and I appreciate someone with no skeletons in his closet.”
Analysts say primary elections are often head vs. heart decisions, since no one is picking a president, just a nominee, and often the candidates’ differences on issues are small. Should people cast a protest vote for an emotional favorite, or make a somber choice about who has the best chance to win the White House? Gingrich makes the decision tough. He talks from the gut, and he has a feel for local concerns. At a Florence art gallery, he spoke about the need to deepen local ports and build a new interstate highway in eastern South Carolina. In Warrenville, he explained responsibility by recalling a conversation with Ronald Reagan’s son Michael. When Michael was 10, he wanted a 10-speed bicycle. His mother, actress Jane Wyman, told him he could have it if he could pay for it. I’m 10, Michael replied. How can I do that? Wyman gave him a loan and made him sign a promise to pay back the money, and he did, by selling newspapers in front of a Beverly Hills church. “He got his bike,” Gingrich said. “He learned responsibility.” The crowd loved it. Gingrich gets them. “I’m very impressed,” said North Augusta retiree Emily Lamb, who was deciding between Romney and Gingrich. “It was a tough choice, but I think Romney’s a little bit to the left.” Linda Pennington of Aiken and her two friends walked out of a Gingrich rally still undecided. It may have been a rousing show, but one rally doesn’t make the man. “I’m still afraid he’s going to do something stupid,” Pennington said.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Rv0Z5SNrF4
Shawn: I absolutely agree. How many people would be alive today if he had won in 2008 and ended ALL the warring and demanded that Congress actually declare a war instead of a single man acting as king to wage war w/out consent of the people? Committing our soldiers’ lives without honest debate and following the Constitution? How many “too big to fails” would have failed so that we’d be in real economic recovery right now? How much unconstitutional crap would be gone? America needs to research this man, mocking someone who has been fighting for YOUR rights and YOUR CHILDREN’S RIGHTS for decades, standing alone while doing it, is not a wise thing to do because once you turn off the propaganda on tv and do your own research you’re going to feel bad for not supporting him earlier. Paul is amazing and has the support he does because of his integrity, his loyalty to THE PEOPLE and not corporations. No one else running can come close to saying the same.
CORRECTION
WARRENVILLE, S.C. — Newt Gingrich was surging in South Carolina hours before the state’s crucial Republican primary Saturday, but in typical Gingrich roller-coaster fashion, a late-breaking scandal threatened to derail his campaign just as it was peaking. A series of South Carolina polls released Thursday showed Gingrich closing the gap with front-runner Mitt Romney, and several showed the former speaker of the House of Representatives edging into the lead. In addition, Rick Perry endorsed his onetime rival as the Texas governor dropped out of the race. Gingrich’s commanding performance in Monday night’s debate galvanized his campaign. All week he’s been drawing the loudest, most eager crowds. He appeared to be peaking just as Thursday night’s final pre-primary debate gave him an opportunity to break through to a stunning victory Saturday, possibly upsetting the dynamic of the Republican presidential campaign. Except that at that very moment an unexpected thundercloud burst over the Gingrich campaign: ABC News released excerpts from Thursday night’s “Nightline” featuring his second wife, Marianne, saying that her husband had wanted her to stay married to him while he had an affair with a young House aide named Callista Bisek, whom he’s since married. Gingrich, she said, asked whether she would “share” him with Bisek. “And I just stared at him and he said, ‘Callista doesn’t care what I do,’” Marianne Gingrich told ABC. “He wanted an open marriage and I refused.” She said her husband “always called me at night and always ended with ‘I love you.’ Well, she was listening.” All this was occurring while Gingrich was leading the impeachment of President Bill Clinton on charges of lying in court proceedings about his own extramarital dalliances. It’s not clear what impact these revelations may have on the primary, but 60 percent of South Carolina GOP voters in the 2008 primary identified themselves as evangelical Christians, and with their social conservative values, they may find this hard to forgive in a would-be president. Still, polls showed Gingrich surging in the state. An NBC-Marist poll showed Romney leading Gingrich by 15 points Monday, but after that night’s debate, Romney’s lead shrank to 5 points by Tuesday night. On Thursday a more recent Rasmussen Reports poll had Gingrich ahead by 2 points, an InsiderAdvantage
5
In “Aung San Suu Kyi Skypes with World Regions class,” (CT - Dec. 6), Suu Kyi was born in Burma - officially called Myanmar by it’s dictatorship. The name was changed in the 1990s. The Collegiate Times regrets this error.
JUSTIN GRAVES -public editor -senior -sociology major
6
people & clubs
january 20, 2012 COLLEGIATETIMES
he she
SAID
CHELSEA GUNTER / COLLEGIATE TIMES
editors: chelsea gunter, patrick murphy featureseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865
He said: Set specific goals to start the fresh new year N
ew Year, new you. Or so they say. y The annual tradition of ma aking lists for one to achieve over making the course of the 365-day year goes g way back. Every year, we seem to make a long l list that more or less consists of the same thing — “lose weight,” “m “make better grades” and “read more,” just to name a few. But this year, I chalc lenge you to do two things: M Make more exciting resolutions and actua ally achieve them. I went to the gym yesterday and could barely even move am among the crowd of rookie weightlifters, weightlif which may or may not have included inclu myself. This yearly migration of p people from their couches to the ggym for the month of January has b been something I have unfortunately had to witness ffor or ffar ar too many yea years. I do commend them m for trying to get in better sh hape, but I would re shape, really like to see a little more long-t long-term effort out of them, even if it mea means a more overcrowd w ed facility. overcrowded If you are going to achieve yyour goal off getting g tting in shape or losing ge lo weight, you need to start by b being more specifi f c. SSetting etting actual goals g specific. will give you a sense of progress and ac chievement. achievement. Maybe you want to lose los 60 pounds by th he end of the the year. Break B eak this up Br into achiev achievable five-poun five-poundsper-mo per-month increments, and the target weight sudde suddenly beco becomes m o r e attainablle ab le. Be able. reeali realistic. L a s t ye e ar, I year, wanted to become a be b tter rrunbetter ner, and an I was h having tro trouble stick- ing to the ggoal, so I just signed up for a half maram thon. This gave me m both motiva motivation and accountability to push myself. my I sure re as hell wasn’t paying $7 $70 to half-ass the thing. On days that th I didn’t want to work out, I would just think about crossing that finish line, and the next thing I knew, I was out the door. Crossing that goal off of my list was one of the best feelings all year. While getting in shape is always a good resolution, there are much cooler ways to better yourself this year. Find ways to challenge yourself and have fun doing it. Some cool ones might be picking up a new sport, learning a new language,
cooking a meal at least once a week, learning to play an instrument or traveling somewhere you’ve always wanted to go. All too often we get into a routine. Every once and a while ask yourself, “When was the last time I did something for the first time?” If you can’t think of an answer, something is wrong. Setting resolutions to do cool things can help. College is about learning through doing new things — or so I hear. Set a resolution to make this true. Tell yourself, “I am going to join a new organization this semester.” Clubs are always looking for new members, especially at the beginning of each semester. There are few better ways to meet new friends and try new things than getting involved around campus. We only have so much time as students here, and setting resolutions can be a good way to push yourself. The number one trick to achieving any resolution, in my opinion, is to write it down. Doing so creates a contract with yourself to complete this task. Hang your list up somewhere visible so you are constantly reminded of this contract. The feeling of using a pen to cross out each item is something so simple, yet so satisfying. Finishing the entire list before Dec. 31 is even better. I have many friends who choose not to make resolutions because Jan. 1 is just another day. Why should I set goals just because the calendar changes? And then there are those who don’t make resolutions because they “know” they won’t be able to keep them. While it is a little cliche to set resolutions, people do it for a reason. There is just a feeling about starting each year fresh with unlimited potential. You don’t have to make New Year’s resolutions. In fact, you can make monthly, or even daily, resolutions. Having goals is important. While the unaimed arrow never misses, it usually ends up in the ground. If you have the mindset you will fail in your resolutions, I guarantee you will. I’ll take one good month of the year at the gym over none. Need one more piece of motivational advice? This year is a leap year, so you have 24 more hours to accomplish what you never could in the usual 365 days. The possibilities are endless, now just go out and do it.
DANE HARRINGTON - featured columnist - junior - industrial & systems engineering major
She said: Give back and find balance I
t’s worse than eating your vegetables or losing that small, yet relatable, slip of paper you just got at Hokkaido buffet in your fortune cookie. It may even surpass the pressure of where to sit on the first day of class in a room where you don’t know a soul. I’m talking about making New Year’s resolutions. Personally, the pressure has built up too much for me growing up, and I failed to make them unless they were a part of an assignment for class. In my mind, why wait until halfway through the school year to decide that since McComas has been open all year, I should probably take advantage of it before I leave college and have to pay a monthly gym membership for a facility that isn’t half as nice. In reality, wanting to work out begins long before New Year’s during the annual Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show — everyone knows that. It hits all of us as we secretly put our to-go containers from West End in the trashcan and start busting out crunches right in front of the TV. Instead of a New Year’s resolution, it should be presented before the holidays as “thinspiration” by enforcing the old “put down the last slice of chocolate pudding pie girlfriend, spring break isn’t too far away.” This year, New Year’s resolutions go beyond the typical. Last semester, my priorities in terms of school were overshadowed by extracurricular activities and relationships with friends. The new year allowed me to cut out unneeded fluff and truly focus on why I am a Hokie in the first place — Hokie football. Kidding. It has begun to sink in that “big girl” life is right around the corner. Therefore, my resolutions go beyond losing weight and saving
money. They are about enjoying life to the fullest and staying grounded. Last year, while I made many accomplishments that I am proud of, I am hungry for more. Let’s throw the term New Year’s resolutions out the window and bring in “life changer.” Beyond just writing down a few simple things, we all try to change the first month or so before losing motivation. I am ready to maintain Marilyn Monroe status all year long. It is a mindset that says, “I know where the gym is, but I’d rather be fun than skinny.” This attitude also allocates more time toward my studies and internship opportunities. If I don’t have time to go to the gym, I just eat less. It is all about portion control and crunches or planks when I have a few minutes to spare. Now that is what I call a realistic “resolution.” My next “life changer” is maintaining positivity throughout any situation. I wish people understood that although using more coupons is a good resolution, understanding the meaning of family and friendship makes those kinds of resolutions look like child’s play. A soldier recently told me that although he has already done numerous tours in Iraq and other areas under fire, one of his options for next year is to go back into combat. It felt like someone roundhouse kicked me to the chest and knocked the wind out of me. People just don’t understand the extent of what others go through, right underneath our noses. I wish I could challenge everyone to understand exactly what a resolution should mean. People should open their eyes and see
we have thousands of children nationwide living on the streets, sleeping outside and facing extreme winter weather while we keep ourselves safely nestled in the comfort of our own homes. I don’t mean to be the Debbie Downer, but as I mature, I realize that it shouldn’t take a Sarah McLaughlin commercial with the most depressing clips of animals to get us to donate money to good causes. The biggest resolution of mankind should be to make man kinder. I cannot wait to see what 2012 holds. It will undoubtedly result in countless memories, plenty of hellos and unfortunately a handful of goodbyes. Let’s face it, I am never going to look like Marissa Miller, and I’ll probably never be able to get the hang of successful coupon clipping to save money. I will, however, spend entirely too much money on clothes and jewelry I don’t need, I’ll have moments that push me and I will always care way too much about what others think. But, what I can change is how much I can give back and how I can stay cognizant of the fact that each day spent with those I love is a blessing regardless of what may happen in the future. Whether yours are deep like mine or as simple as eating less desserts, resolutions should never be just once a year Hokies, but rather a continuous self reflection throughout our lives.
KELLEY ENGLISH - featured columnist - junior - marketing management major
opinions
editors: scott masselli, sean simons opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865
january 20, 2012 COLLEGIATETIMES
Legalizing marijuana remains a popular idea G
overnment of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth” — Abraham Lincoln in the Gettysburg Address. We live in a democracy, one which many people say is the greatest on earth, including myself. In a democracy, the will of the people is paramount, and the majority rules, provided that it does not oppress the minority. But today the minority is oppressing the majority, spearheaded by the federal government. In the beginning of October, four United States prosecutors announced they would be increasing their “enforcement” of federal law in California. This increased enforcement was outlined as the use of new tactics, which include threatening property owners with civil forfeiture of their properties and any assets derived from them, such as rent payments. Apparently, there is now an accepted level of collateral damage in the drug war. These property owners are not even those who the federal government has made its enemies. They’re just local businesses operating well within the law’s capacity; they aren’t the ones selling marijuana. Why should the federal government resort to such ends to score a hit on the marijuana industry? The close loss of Proposition 19 in 2010, which would have legalized marijuana for adults 21 and older, showed just how far support for marijuana legalization has progressed in California. The words spoken on the day of defeat were not sad, but happy, and there was a resolute commitment to do it again in two years when the next round of elections came — in 2012. It seems that the federal government wants to “take out” some of the funds that will be backing this year’s marijuana legalization initiative, as well as smear the drug’s use in a national forum. These raids that have begun in California are merely a sign that the drug war is reaching its arrest-laden climax; the great push for marijuana legalization is almost over the hill and into the cities. This isn’t just a one-state issue; there have been more than a dozen raids carried out in Washington state as well. Washington had its own marijuana legalization referendum in 2010, which did not receive enough signatures to get on the ballot. Since then, there has been talk of another 2012 bid. The federal government seems to be concerned about the possibility of the passage of such a referendum. Colorado has just come under fire as well. All medicinal marijuana dispensaries within 1,000 feet of schools have been ordered to shut down. This is the best possible excuse the federal government could have found. Colorado has one of the strictest medicinal marijuana programs in the country. They actually have a licensing committee set up specifically for medicinal marijuana, and the law has a requirement that
patients must have a sustained doctor-patient relationship with whichever physician prescribes them marijuana. As of 2010, their larger facilities are not allowed within 1,000 feet of a school. That being said, the reasoning behind the shut-down mandate is what makes it an excuse. The 1,000-foot rule is part of federal law, and it is used to consider the illegal possession and sale of marijuana. For example, if you’re illegally selling marijuana near a school, there is a harsher criminal penalty because we don’t want people selling drugs to school children. But children aren’t even allowed into these dispensaries — that’s the beauty of these facilities. So the state with the mostregulated medicinal marijuana program in the country is in a storm. Perhaps this is because of the effort that has already begun to have marijuana legalization added as a constitutional amendment. It’s evident that the threats being made in Colorado are part of some larger antimarijuana-legalization policy designed by the federal government. The will of the people in these states is being trampled on by the Obama Administration, but that isn’t even the worst part. Rather, this is being done by a president who said at the beginning of his term that he would not prosecute medicinal marijuana patients and dispensaries. He lied. The hypocrisy among politicians is not limited to any party. The federal government has been providing medicinal marijuana to a select few since 1976. The program is still operating today, but it was closed to new members under the first President George Bush in 1992 and now has only four remaining members. So how does the federal government justify this contradiction? They don’t. They just pretend it doesn’t exist and that the FDA didn’t approve marijuana for the program as a safe drug approved for human use. They’re just waiting for the remaining members to die of old age because the marijuana has certainly kept their diseases from killing them. The math says that marijuana will be legalized sooner or later. A 2011 Gallup poll found that for the first time since 1969, when Gallup began asking Americans if marijuana should be legalized, more Americans think it should — 50 percent for legalization and 46 percent against. Medicinal marijuana has been getting high numbers from Gallup for some time. In 1999, 73 percent of Americans showed support for medicinal marijuana. We are the people of this democracy; we are the decision makers. The people have spoken nationwide and in states across the country. When will they wake up and hear us?
ETHAN GAEBEL - regular columnist - sophomore - computer science major
The Collegiate Times is an independent student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903
MCT CAMPUS
Ideals merge into one party M
ost people who grew up in America were taught the same thing at some point in school about their government — that our country has two major political parties, the Democrats and the Republicans. We learn that these two parties tend to oppose each other, but they often work together to get things done. This is what we were taught. But today, our country does not have two distinct political parties with significantly different views. Instead, America has one party with two different wings. The party’s wings share their view on the size and scope of government. The Democratic and Republican wings both believe in a massive federal government with broad powers in every area — economic, domestic, foreign and military — and a large and extensive bureaucracy. The two wings have different ideas on what this massive federal government should support. Democrats generally want a large welfare system and economic regulations, while Republicans typically want a large military and an intrusive government domestically. But it was not always this way. There was a time before the one-party system when there truly were two parties. The Democrats were the party of the New Deal, believing in a large and powerful federal government that was involved in the economy, as well as a large and organized military force that was heavily involved in affairs outside the country. The Republicans were the party of a more limited government, which did not get nearly as involved in economic affairs and citizens’s lives. This two-party structure was
established under presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman, who created many of the early aspects of a large government, which was involved in economic and military matters. This structure continued from the 1940s through the 1970s, during which time the Democrats were the party of big government, and the Republicans were the party of small government. The two-party system started changing in the 1980s, when Republican President Ronald Reagan expanded the size and scope of the federal government far beyond its previous
Neither the Democratic nor Republican entities question whether an ever-expanding military, as well as the plethora of war-related industries and contractors that have spawned around it in the past several decades, is a system that should be continued or one that is healthy for our democracy. It has now become an assumption by both the Democrats and Republicans that the nation will have a government as described above. There are some politicians — most notably Ron Paul (R) — who argue against these assumptions about government. And there are others among both wings who also question the assumptions about government CHALLENGE, DEBATE AND that both groups make, have led to this ideoOPPOSITION ARE THE which logical merging into one CORE OF A DEMOCRACY; party. With no sustained oppoTHEY FORCE IT TO GROW sition, this ideology AND THRIVE. SO THERE can go unchecked, and even if you believe in big HAS TO BE A CHANGE government, it is unwise unhealthy for a belief OR CHALLENGE TO THE and to go unopposed in a ASSUMPTION OF BIG democracy. Challenge, debate and GOVERNMENT.” opposition are the core of a democracy; they force it to grow and thrive. extent. So there has to be a change or Such expansion continued challenge to the assumption of under George W. Bush, and big government. the Republican Party at large Whether this comes from morphed into a big-govern- a change in one of the estabment party throughout the lished political groups, rec2000s. reating the two-party sysThe result of this progression tem or from another entity of events is the one-part sys- like a third party, the need for tem we have now, in which the an organized and sustained Democratic and Republican level of opposition to the curparties are two wings of a single rent one-party system is party. necessary. Both the Republicans and Once again, our country Democrats are now invested must grow and thrive as old in the idea of a massive gov- assumptions are challenged, and ernment with expansive pow- new ideas enter the political ers. There is no longer signifi- debate. cant opposition from either of the two groups on the nature DEVIN MILLER of having a government that - regular columnist is intrusive in the economy and in the lives of American - senior - political science major citizens.
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a senior, the “G” word scares me and my peers. Graduation means something completely different than it used to 30 years ago. At my age, my parents were already engaged, planning their wedding, had jobs and thinking about starting a family. Today, the economy is still recovering, and more students are moving back in with mom and dad. Thirty seven percent of people aged 18 to 29 years old are unemployed or out of work. More Americans have lost their job under Barack Obama than any other president in modern history. With the uncertainty of the GOP presidential candidate, things could get considerably worse if President Obama is elected for four more years. Therefore, it is important for the boomerang generation to be informed on the political implications of the next presidential and congressional elections. Thirty years ago, most students had job security after graduating from an accredited university. But today, students from top universities are struggling to find jobs.
Some parents understand the need to save money and welcome their recent college graduates back home with open arms. However, some students are sent off on their own even if they do not have job security yet. Luckily, my parents are willing to let me move back home along with my 24-year-old sister, who has a job but is staying there to save for her first apartment. Even if students have job security when they graduate, the cost of living — in the northern Virginia area especially — is not feasible with an entry-level salary. Those wishing to obtain a loan to put a payment down on their first home are also met with roadblocks because of the unstable housing market and loan process, which is put in place to ensure that less foreclosures will occur. Although your parents will always be there for you, your presence at home is a financial burden that was most likely not budgeted for. Some parents alleviate part of this burden by charging their sons or daughters rent. I have heard of parents charg-
ing up to $800 per month for recent graduates to live at home. Though that number may seem steep, it is important to understand why your parents are budgeting the way they do. As a senior, it is important to understand that the transition of moving back home will be rough. Without job security, most students will go on living their lives as college students, searching for job openings and opportunities full time. It is important to create a contract with your parents to set some ground rules and establish a fair rent, if necessary. Without this, disputes will be inevitable. Moving back home should not be looked down upon by employers, peers or parents. It is important to recognize the necessity of financial security, and it shows that our generation is finding ways to save money in the early years of our careers.
MADELINE HENNINGS - regular columnist - senior - political science major
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Regular Edition Today’s Birthday Horoscope: Take stock of your resources this birthday (don’t forget skills, health, relationships, community and networks). Partnership can be quite profitable. Long-term relationships hold a key to deeper levels. Green light means go for romance and travel.
Buy 1 Gyro w/ Fries & Large Drink Get 1 Gyro Free Piled Higher and Deeper by Jorge Cham
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4 3 9 7
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1 8 3 6
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Crossword
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Week ending Jan. 17, 2012
( ) Last week’s ranking in top five
Set Fire to the Rain • Adele
(2) 1
Turn Me On • David Guetta & Nicki Minaj
2
What Doesn’t Kill You • Kelly Clarkson
3
Good Feeling • Flo Rida
(4) 4
Sexy and I Know It • LMFAO
(3) 5
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Unscramble the letters to solve the category “Birds” Have a set of words you want to see in puzzles section? Email your lists to ctadsproduction@gmail.com.
1.
lesnggu
2.
yozc
3.
tbaenlk
4.
atrmhw
5.
gsuh
u
6.
wllpoi
i
7.
afrcepeil
8.
veol
g o k r
r o
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january 20, 2012 COLLEGIATETIMES
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FarmHouse: Frat doesn’t haze is hiring ALL editorial positions! One of the major aspects that goes along with its full disclosure to the public is the fraternity’s no-hazing policy. “We actually have a quote from our founder, Howard Doane — ‘You can’t build up men by tearing down boys,’” Ford said referring to the policy. While there is no “pledging” process, the fraternity still holds high expectations for their members upon entry. “We like the gentlemen who are interested in FarmHouse to obviously have a great GPA,” Atkins said. “You need a 2.7 to join, but we really like you to have a 3.0, honestly.” Now a part of Tech’s Greek community, FarmHouse has begun participating in other organizations’ philanthropies — it placed second
in Sigma Kappa’s “Ultraviolet Nights” event last semester. FarmHouse hopes to hold an event next fall promoting its own philanthropy. “Our philanthropy is called ‘Totally Baldacious,’” said Brent Ashley, a sophomore dairy science major and FarmHouse member. “It promotes the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. We are going to shave our heads bald to promote Leukemia and Lymphoma.” Currently, FarmHouse has a temporary house, which is located outside of Blacksburg city limits. However, this arrangement will change. “We are looking into all the options whether it’s Oak Lane on campus or coming into Blacksburg city limits,” Atkins said.
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semester. “Our beliefs and our values are very similar to other organizations, but we feel that ours are unique because we are an ag-based fraternity,” Atkins said. “But we have realized for success on campus, and in our lives, you need to be more than agriculture at times.” In addition, FarmHouse discloses all its information to nonmembers. “We always have our meetings on campus because a unique part about FarmHouse is we are a 100 percent open fraternity, which means you can come watch our rituals, meetings and every single aspect of that,” Atkins said. “The reason we do that is because we are very proud of our rituals.”
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Marijuana has few lung effects SHARI ROAN
smoke. Thus, the idea that marijuana smoke may also be harmful is reasonable. Marijuana contains many of the same chemicals as tobacco smoke. Researchers led by Mark Pletcher at the University of California, San Francisco, studied 5,115 men and women in four U.S. cities regarding their current and lifetime exposure to tobacco smoke and marijuana smoke and their lung function. The exposure to marijuana smoke was expressed by joint years, with smoking 365 joints or filled pipe bowls being equal to one “joint year.” The study showed that lung function declined with increased exposure to tobacco smoke. However, that same pattern was not seen with marijuana smoke. There was no evidence of lung function damage with seven joint years (or smoking one joint a day for seven
mcclatchy newspapers LOS ANGELES — Smoking marijuana on an occasional basis does not appear to significantly damage the lungs, according to a new study. The paper, published Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association, adds to some previous research that has also failed to find a link between low or moderate exposure to marijuana smoke and lung damage. The issue has gained some importance in recent years, however, as marijuana usage rates rise and as states considered legalization of marijuana for medical or even recreational purposes. Even a low level of cigarette smoke has been linked to a higher risk of respiratory problems, pulmonary disease and lung cancer — as has exposure to secondhand tobacco
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years.) After 10 years, there was some decline in lung function as measured by the speed at which a person can blow out air. The study should reassure people that medical uses of marijuana, such as for pain control, will not be offset by lung damage, the authors pointed out. But, they said, the study did not evaluate the effects of heavy marijuana smoking on the lungs. “Our findings suggest that occasional use of marijuana for (medical) purposes may not be associated with adverse consequences on pulmonary function,” Pletcher said in a news release. “On the other hand, our findings do suggest an accelerated decline in pulmonary function with heavier use — either very frequent use or frequent use over many years — and a resulting need for caution and moderation when marijuana use is considered.”
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4 BEDROOM RENTAL HOUSE This 4 bedroom home at 511 Houston Street is located behind the tennis courts by Cassell and Lane Stadium. Walk to classes! Talk to your friends. Rents for $1,300/ mo. Great for rising Sophmores. I bought the house with my daughter when she was a freshman. She and her friends loved it there for 3 years. Move in August 15, 2012 and move out when you graduate. Great tailgating location! Or talk to your parents about buying this house as an investment with you. Great tax breaks for parents and you establish your credit while at Tech. seargent26@aol.com. 804.840.045
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Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) There’s possibility hiding amidst the chaos. Build from the rubble to create inancial success. You’re learning quickly and can sift and sort. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) You have the advantage for a while with the Sun in your sign. With new freedom comes new responsibility. Celebrate with friends. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) Until the end of February, private time’s especially appreciated. Scratch things off your list by inishing them, or simply by deleting those you know you’ll never complete.
solutions: “Birds”
Tyingtellthe knot? the world. Send your information and a photo to the Collegiate Times at studybreak@collegemedia.com to make an announcement.
Have a DJ you want to nominate for ‘DJ Spotlight’? Email your nominations to studybreak@collegemedia.com with the title “DJ Spotlight.”
check the Collegiate Times every Wednesday for the drink of the week
1) eagle 2) robin 3) mockingbird 4) ostrich 5) penguin 6) bluejay 7) dove 8) hummingbird
Aries (March 21-April 19) You’re attracting the attention of the people who matter to you. It’s a test, and you’re passing. Stay focused. There’s more development on its way. Prepare.
Cancer (June 22-July 22) For the next month, venturing out sounds delicious. Plan some kind of adventure or escape. Your con idence and discipline will get you there. Bring someone fun.
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) For the next month, you’re lucky in love. You have extra magnetism. Avoid creative shortcuts at work, and abundance rises. Make changes elsewhere.
Taurus (April 20-May 20) Achievement and learning go hand in hand. Your cleverness can be bene icial. You imagine expanding the project, and travel looks promising. Don’t buy tickets just yet.
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) Leave your money in your wallet. Develop new leads this month. Teach as you learn. Stick to the old rules. Good manners help you gain altitude. It’s getting busy.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) Your focus shifts to domestic matters. Find romance when you least expect it. Support a loved one with a dream, and follow yours.
Gemini (May 21-June 21) Changes necessitate budget revisions. Go over the plan to igure out how to ix up your home. An outrageous suggestion gets you thinking in a new direction.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Enjoy mad romance. You’re drawn to love like a magnet. Weave glamour into your latest project. You get more than you give. Your cards are all hearts and diamonds.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) You’re on top of your game. You have extra concentration and focus for a month. Here’s where you start making pro its. You really can have it all.
DJ SMILES NEXT SHOW//
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I play music at parties because I love all genres of music (except for country haha) and experiencing the energy of a hyped crowd.
MY STYLE// Hip-Hop, House, Top 40, Dubstep