Tuesday, January 24, 2012 Print Edition by Collegiate Times

Clean sweep check out the story on page 5

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

AUSTEN MEREDITH / SPPS

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COLLEGIATETIMES 109th year, issue 5

News, page 1

Arts & Entertainment, page 2

Opinions, page 3

Sports, page 5

MEGAUPLOAD

CLOSURE OF POPULAR UPLOADING SITE SPARKS RETALIATION, MIGRATION TO SIMILAR SITES BY NICK CAFFERKY | news editor

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office. Anonymous is infamous for hacks like these that have been organized through the website “4chan” and sees itself as a “consciousness focused on actively campaigning for the free flow of information and accountability.” And while many people would view such acts as wrong and even go as far as to brand the group as cyber-terrorists, there are students who, at least partially, believe in what Anonymous does. “I support what Anonymous does,” said Jimmy Gilinsky, a sophomore ocean engineering major. “I mean, it’s the Internet — it’s free exchange of ideas. And the fact that the government is stepping in, that’s where the issue is. “The argument against pirating is, ‘What if you write a book and then one person buys it and then they put it somewhere where millions of people can read it for free without paying for it?’ You just described a library,” he said. “That’s literally all these sites are — they’re online libraries.” Still, even with all of the recent attention on online piracy, most students say they will not change their habits, explaining the void created by Megaupload’s downfall will be filled by another just like it. “If you really know what you’re doing with technology, it won’t matter; you’ll just torrent, you’ll use one of the 50 million other sites that are out there,” Gilinsky said. “Megaupload was the one that most people who didn’t know what they were doing went to, so I don’t think it will have as much of an impact as the government would like.” Kim Dotcom, Megaupload’s founder, remains firm in his stance that the charges are exaggerated and has hired high-powered Washington, D.C. attorney Robert Bennett, who is best known for serving as President Bill Clinton’s attorney when he was accused of sexual harassment.

PIPA and SOPA postponed after outcry MICHELLE SUTHERLAND news editor On Friday, Jan. 20, Harry Reid (D-Nev.), the Senate Majority Leader, postponed the Senate vote on the Protect I.P. Act, also known as PIPA. Shortly after, Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX), delayed the vote on the Stop Online Piracy Act, or SOPA. Both votes were originally scheduled for today. The bills would have given the Department of Justice power to order websites to remove links that direct to foreign websites with pirated American material. Existing copyright laws already give the department power to take down websites with U.S. servers and domains that have pirated material, such as Megaupload. Although the bills were mainly intended to attack foreign websites, the vague wording of the bill prompted fears of censorship. “Right now, the U.S. Congress is considering legislation that could fatally damage the free and open Internet,” Wikimedia Foundation, the non-profit organization that operates Wikipedia, said in a statement. “If passed, this legislation will harm the free and open Internet and bring out new tools for censorship of international websites inside the United States.” However, lawmakers and websites alike concede that it is important to stop the foreign piracy that robs American music and filmmakers of royalties. “Members of Congress are trying to do the right thing by going after pirates and counterfeiters, but SOPA and PIPA are the wrong way to do it,” Google said in a statement on Jan. 18.

Wayne More, an associate professor of political science with a concentration in constitutional law, also expressed misgivings. “Even the opponents of the bill concede that it’s legitimate to try and create a mechanism to prevent illegitimate encroachment on rights,” he said. “The concern here is that these two bills may create mechanisms that limit legitimate expressions of ideas. And complicating that, what’s protected and what’s not protected isn’t always clear, especially at the margins.” But supporters argue the bills are a necessary step to stop intellectual property theft. “Our industry not only fully supports free expression, (but) our livelihood is built upon a vibrant First Amendment — it is the foundation of our industry, and we would never support any legislation that would limit this fundamental American right,” said Michael O’Leary, a senior executive vice president of the Motion Picture Association of America, in a statement on Jan. 14. “As had been made clear throughout the legislative consideration of SOPA and the PROTECT-IP Act, neither of these bills implicate free expression, but focus solely on illegal conduct, which is not free speech.” The decisions to postpone voting came after a momentous push by grassroots citizens and major websites to thwart the bills. Wikipedia and other websites “blacked out” in protest to the bills on Jan. 18. Other Internet giants, such as Google, Facebook and Twitter, issued statements encouraging users to contact their senators and congressmen, urging them to stop the bill. In favor of the bill was the Copyright Alliance, which includes CBS, Burberry, Walt Disney Studios, Viacom, NBCUniversal,

Sudoku, page 4

Suspects wanted for armed robbery

SHUT DOWN In a week that was headlined by Wikipedia not belong to them — something the U.S. and others blacking out in protest to legislation Attorney’s Office contends Megaupload knew, aimed to combat online piracy, the United but neglected to act on because of the profits States Federal Government responded with a it was seeing. statement of its own, shutting down one of the Just like it was with Napster before its shutmany sites the bill is intended to attack. down in 2001, a significant percentage of Last Friday, Jan. 20, Megaupload Limited Megaupload’s viewership is made up of college was officially closed by the FBI and charged students all over the country. with a myriad of crimes from the U.S. District Virginia Tech is no different. Court, including conspiracy to commit rack“I probably used it once or twice a week for eteering and conspiracy to commit copyright TV shows, just because it would always kick infringement. you off after 72 minutes,” said Lauren Engel, “According to the a senior marketindictment, for more ing management than five years the major. “But my conspiracy has operroommate used IF YOU REALLY KNOW ated websites that it for everything WHAT YOU’RE DOING WITH — textbooks, unlawfully reproduce and distribute music, movies, I TECHNOLOGY, IT WON’T infringing copies of think even video copyrighted works, games.” MATTER; YOU’LL JUST including movBut college TORRENT, YOU’LL USE ies — often before students aren’t their theatrical the only people ONE OF THE 50 MILLION release,” said the U.S. unhappy about OTHER SITES THAT ARE OUT the shutdown; Attorney’s Office in a statement on its several organizaTHERE.” website. tions have gone JIMMY GILINSKY public with their Founded in 2005, SOPHOMORE OCEAN ENGINEERING worries about Megaupload.com has been one of what precedent many sites that users have used to illegally this could set. One group of cyber-hackers, upload and stream copyrighted media. known only as “Anonymous,” has been the It is estimated to be as high as the No. 13 most outspoken. visited site on the Internet and claims to have In a series of Tweets from one of its many up to 50 million users a day, according to the accounts, the group denounced the shut indictment. down, telling followers, “This is one of those, Megaupload is one of many websites known ‘First they came for … ’ moments. Join Us & as a “cyberlocker,” meaning it is a digital host Fight for Internet Freedom!” that shares legally obtained files that would be After that message, the group immediatetoo large to send in an email. ly went to work, hacking into and shutting However, problems have arisen from the down 14 different sites, including those of fact that the majority of its usage has been the Department of Justice, the White House, from people uploading content that does Warner Music Group and the U.S. Copyright

Study Break, page 4

the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Motion Picture Association of America. Although the political climate was not ripe for the two bills, Reid emphasized the need for lawmakers to establish intellectual property laws to protect Americans. “Counterfeiting and piracy cost the American economy billions of dollars and thousands of jobs each year, with the movie industry alone supporting over 2.2 million jobs,” Reid said in a statement on Jan. 20. “We must take action to stop these illegal practices. We live in a country where people rightfully expect to be fairly compensated for a day’s work, whether that person is a miner in the high desert of Nevada, an independent band in New York City, or a union worker on the back lots of a California movie studio.” Kelsey Jo Starr contributed to this report.

Companies in favor CBS VIACOM WALT DISNEY STUDIOS NBCUNIVERSAL

Companies opposed WIKIMEDIA FOUNDATION GOOGLE FACEBOOK TWITTER

NICK CAFFERKY news editor The Blacksburg Police Department is looking for three suspects implicated in a home invasion and armed robbery that occurred at approximately 6:25 p.m. yesterday, Jan. 23, to the Orchard Lane area of town, according to a press release. According to the alleged victim, the three men — one brandishing a weapon — entered the home and removed several items of value before fleeing the scene. The first suspect, who was apparently possessing a weapon, was described as being a black male with “cornrows.” The second suspect was said to be either Hispanic or black. The victim was unable to identify the third suspect. Police were able to make a computer composite of the first suspect and are asking anyone with knowledge of the incident in question to call 540-961-1150. Anonymous information can be given by calling 540-961-1819 or emailing clu@blacksburg.gov

Fox to start Spanish news station with RCN JOE FLINT mcclatchy newspapers LOS ANGELES — News Corp.’s Fox International Channels and RCN Television Group, a Colombian broadcaster, are teaming up to launch a Latino broadcast network in the United States. The new channel, dubbed MundoFox, will launch in the fall of this year. The Spanishlanguage channel will look to compete against Univision and the Telemundo network, both of which have big head starts. News Corp. and RCN made the announcement Monday at the National Association of Television Program Executives conference in Miami. For News Corp., the push represents the growing importance of the Latino demographic in the United States. The media giant already owns Fox Deportes, a cable sports channel that caters to Spanish-speaking viewers. “There is an increasing demand for quality Spanish-language content in the U.S. from both viewers and advertisers. Fox saw similar dynamics in play 25 years ago when it launched the Fox network, and it would be a missed opportunity not to provide an alternative for the 50 million plus Latino viewers who currently have limited options in Spanish-language broadcast television,” said Hernan Lopez, president and chief executive of Fox International Channels. RCN, which already provides programming to other Latino channels in the U.S., will be heavily involved in creating original content for MundoFox.

arts & entertainment

january 24, 2012 COLLEGIATETIMES

‘Haywire’ delivers cliched spy flick MOVIE REVIEW

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

what you’re saying Tech favored in gender inequality suit

crobatic sparring scenes, shooto u t s in the streets of Dublin, a rogue agent fighting for her life — the formula for a great action thriller, right? Wrong. Steven Soderbergh’s newest film, “Haywire,” has the same formulaic plot of almost every movie in the espionage genre. Even beautifully choreographed fight scenes and Soderbergh’s track record of great movies cannot help the fact that “Haywire” is a bore. Gina Carano stars as a skilled private agent hired by the U.S. government to complete certain missions, such as rescuing political hostages. Carano, who was unknown to me prior to watching the film, is primarily a mixed martial arts champion. Acting is her secondary niche. Because of her background, I assume that many of the stunts were actually performed by Carano and not a stunt double. The film’s greatest strengths are the fight scenes featuring Carano. Typically, action movies create fight scenes out of a pile of two-second shots. The camera never focuses on any aspect or angle too long. Whether this is to heighten the drama or conceal the fact the actor cannot actually back flip 10 feet into the air depends on the movie. However, “Haywire” lets the viewer actually see fights occur. Composed of only a few shots, the camera moves with the actors, changing angles only when necessary. I found myself understanding the rhythm of the fistfights, rather than drooling at a montage of 500 different cutaways and slow-motion high kicks. Carano turns her battles into complicated dances. Unfortunately, the negatives outnumber the positives of this movie. Wellknown actors Michael Douglas and Ewan McGregor co-star, but Channing Tatum overshadows their more-refined talents. He doesn’t have a major role, but his oafish acting steals any scene he appears in. I hate to bash Tatum; he seems like a nice person in real life. However, his acting is just abominable. I have seen extras with more talent than him. Still,

he is the one making millions of dollars from his subpar performances, so while I may laugh at him in the theaters, he is the one really cracking up. After all, I paid to see his movie. Altogether, “Haywire” is not a bad film. It is fast paced and is not bogged down with any meaningless subplots or goopy romances. What really bothered me was that I felt like I had seen this type of movie before — more than once. Although the protagonist is female, which is unique in the genre, the rest of the movie felt stale. It seems like every few months another film comes out boasting an actionpacked adventure about a secret agent who has been framed. Sure, you could make the argument that if one really looks at the different genres, there are only a few different story lines that can actually occur. Each director is merely imagining it in a slightly different way. But when I can predict the outcome of the movie in the first five minutes, there is a problem. An exception to this is a bad disaster movie like “2012” or “Independence Day.” They’re completely predictable but somehow completely irresistible to me. Again, “Haywire” is not bad. Carano shines with her spry movement and badass attitude. The editing is well done and the whole movie flows, leaving viewers little time to catch their breath. But I can’t overlook the overdone storyline. “Haywire” was good, but not good enough to keep me from staring at my watch every 20 minutes and sighing when my predictions played out. If you are a fan of this sort of movie, then you will probably enjoy it. For those who are a little more wary of seeing it, I would suggest you rent “The Bourne Identity” (2002) instead. Matt Damon may not really know how to defeat dozens of highly trained special agents, but he sure makes it interesting.

from Anonymous: When will people learn that

equal means equal, not special.These women wanted higher pay then their experience deserved just because they women. That’s not equal.Good on this jury, I hope they continue to lose appeals.

Apple unveils textbooks for iPad

From Anonymous: For the record, there is a Kindle app on pretty much every platform that is still relevant (even Blackberry! Though its relevancy is debatable) All of these Kindle apps can access Amazon digital textbooks. Apple was not the first to put textbooks on tablets. From Anonymous: This will neither revolutionize nor improve things. If you feel you are being ripped off now by exorbitant prices for text books, think about not having a used market. Think about every quarter a new edition could be required. Think about being locked in to the ipad. Don’t have one? too bad! Can’t store all your text books on your version so sorry you will need an iPad with a data plan and cloud storage. Want to view that text book on windows? Nope, Unix? Nope...This “solution” is more walled garden from Apple and students have little to gain from this other than higher costs few options. Legalizing marijuana remains a popular

From Jack: Marijuana will never be fully

‘Haywire’ at a glance Rating: R Run time: 1 hour, 33 minutes Director: Steven Soderbergh Lead actors: Gina Carano, Ewan McGregor, Michael Fassbender, Channing Tatum

COURTNEY BAKER -featured columnist -senior -political science major

Students tackle fitness resolutions ALLIE SIVAK features staff writer Each year, when the clock strikes midnight and calendars flip to Jan. 1, people everywhere feel a jolt of inspiration to change their habits and lifestyle. The cause for this sudden burst of motivation does not come from the champagne, but rather from the idea of a new year and a fresh, clean slate.

The morning after New Year’s Eve is when individuals reflect on their memories (of varying clarity) from the previous night and smile as they vow to be better human beings. According to USA.gov, Americans most commonly resolve at the start of each new year to lose weight, save money, get a better job, get fit, eat healthily, get a better education, drink less, reduce stress, quit smoking, take more interesting trips and help others more often.

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Walking through McComas Hall in the past week indicated that many chose losing weight or getting fit as their resolution. Gymgoers had to push through hordes of sweaty students to search for an open StairMaster to begin toning that gluteus maximus in preparation for beach season. Every inch of the gym is filled with women who want to fit into their itsybitsy, teenie-weenie, yellow polka-dot bikinis and men who want to be buff enough to impress them. “Working out is an especially big resolution for people in college because spring break (is) right around the corner,” said Brianna Nielsen, a senior psychology major who often makes her way to the gym throughout the year and recently began teaching Pilates classes. “I’ve definitely noticed that the attendance in exercise classes is really big right after New Year’s and right up until spring break.” Like most resolutions, eating healthily and exercising are noble goals, yet are often carried out in unhealthy or ineffective manners. “I think it’s a good way to give yourself a goal, but no one seems to follow through on their resolutions,” said Alex Bauroth, freshman general engineering major. In fact, people typically approach high-shooting resolutions at full speed initially. But soon it becomes possible again to walk around the

Now Recruiting for Fall 2012

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We’re looking for you! Are you customer service oriented with great time management skills? Windsor Hills Apartments is looking for student leaders to fill part-time positions in Fall 2012. Candidates must be committed to customer service for student leaders to fill part-time positions in Fall 2012. Candidates must be committed to customer service and must have superior time management skills. Applications are due February 5, 2012. Job Description: Organize social, recreational and educational activities Work assigned office shifts (15-20 hours per week) Complete site assessments of community Attend weekly meetings Maintain consistent hours of availability Support and enforce the property lease, policies and regulations Communicate campus activities to community Requirements: Application must showcase strong writing skills and attention to detail Sales experience preferred Full time VA Tech student 2.5 overall GPA Sophomore or Junior standing Have previously lived on campus for at least one year Good discipline standing with school and community Limit course load to no more than 18 hours Must live at Windsor Hills during employment

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gym without bumping into people, as the crowd of resolution-makers thins — usually before reaching their goal to lose weight. Like all things new, the idea of positive change is exciting at first, but as 2012 becomes less “new,” motivation to achieve resolutions may fade. “I think people’s resolutions to work out are not effective because it makes the gym really crowded, and people always get burnt out after about a month,” said Jeff Dale, a sophomore management major. With that in mind, it might be wise for people to make an additional resolution to stay on track. “People kind of taper off in exercise classes as the semester goes by,” Nielsen said. “I feel like you need to set your sights on something more than spring break. It’s got to be about feeling good and really committing to it.” At McComas, events such as Free Week, which offers free exercise classes during the first week of the semester, are geared to generate interest in new workout programs and regimens for those with “get fit” resolutions to add to their fitness routines. The lines for these classes in the following weeks, accompanied by the number of workout machines in use at the gym, will be the true sign of whether this year is any different when it comes to students following through on their goals.

decriminalized. Thank our Prison Industrial Complex for mandating growth in the number of incarcerations. Without drug laws, how would our society easily lock up people of color or other social groups deemed inadequate?

From malcolm kyle: Jury Nullification is a

constitutional doctrine that allows juries to acquit defendants who are technically guilty, but, due to their actions involving consensual adults only, do not deserve punishment. All non-violent ‘drug offenders’ who are not selling to children, be they users, dealers, and even importers, clearly belong in this category. If you sincerely believe that prohibition is both a dangerous and counterproductive policy, then you don’t have to help to apply it. When it comes to acquittals, you, the juror, have the very last word! *It only takes one juror to prevent a guilty verdict. * You are not lawfully required to disclose your voting intention before taking your seat on a jury.* You are also not required to give a reason to the other jurors for your position when voting - just simply state you find the accused not guilty.Create what you can no longer afford to wait for - PLEASE VOTE TO ACQUIT!

From AFH: Marijuana should be regulated in the same manner we do wine. It is an adult discretionary activity and we already know how to protect children from that. California is trying to do it right now.http:// regulatemarijuanalikewine.com

opinions

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

january 24, 2012 COLLEGIATETIMES

Your Views [letter to the editor]

Overpopulation not a concern for planet

osh Trebach’s article “Overpopulation: A US Issue” (Jan. 19) lacks credibility. You state that the “environment cannot sustain more people — we cannot even sustain everyone in the world today.” Your claims are unsubstantiated and misleading. There is more food being produced per capita than at any point in history according to The Economist magazine. In fact, the proportion of starving people in the world has declined from about 35 percent in 1970 to about 18 percent in 1990. As recently as 2010, the proportion of starving people has dropped to 13.6 percent. These statistics are straight from the Food and Agriculture Organization. You can judge for yourself whether you think we are in danger of “breeding ourselves to our own demise.” In addition, “carrying capacity” of the environment cannot be used to defend his claim that population is growing at a threatening rate. Carrying capacity refers to the amount of people that can be sustained in the cur-

rent environment, for example, with the current technology. The developments in agricultural technology have consistently increased food production at a higher rate than population growth. A basic understanding of economics would also help set the record straight. When a resource becomes more scarce, it becomes more highly valued. The higher price attached to that resource discourages people from seeking more of it. So in this case, if the means of human survival decline, the birthrate also will decline without any “deliberate precautions.” Frankly, your conclusion “we need to take deliberate precautions to guarantee sustainable population growth right now,” is a little startling. Not only are you basing this claim on an unsound premises, you stop just short of saying people should not be free to decide how many kids to have. And this comes after you argue against politicians being in Americans’ bedrooms. This is an outrageous suggestion, especially because it is not substantiated with facts. -Dalton Kissell senior economics major

MCT CAMPUS

Gingrich reveals his hypocrisy Marriage statistics mislead Americans As

of 2010, according to a recent report from the Pew Research Center, married couples had fallen to barely 51 percent of U.S. households with a full 5 percent drop in new marriages between 2009 and 2010 alone. The data for 2011 isn’t in yet, but if that decline continued last year, less than half of American adults are in a legal marriage now. Is marriage going the way of the electric typewriter and the VHS tape? Not exactly. The decline of marriage seems especially dramatic in comparison to the way things were 50 years ago. In 1960, almost half of 18- to 24-year-olds and 82 percent of 25- to 34-year-olds were married. In 2010, the comparable figures were 9 percent and 44 percent. Ironically, 50 years ago, what had everyone worried was the rapid rise in the proportion of married-couple households, as young people rushed to the altar. The age of marriage has been falling since 1900, but it plummeted between 1940 and 1955, when the average age of first marriages for women dropped by twice as much as in the preceding halfcentury. By 1960, half of all women were married by the age of 20. Experts sounded the alarm. The 1962 annual conference of the Child Study Association of America proclaimed early marriage part of a disturbing, “lowering of standards in the areas of marriage, schooling, employment and the formulation of long-term goals.” Educators and psychiatrists blamed the problem on parents too concerned with their children’s “immediate happiness,” insisting they exercise “selfcontrol.” Sound familiar? Dozens of articles urged young people to say no to marriage until they had completed their education, demonstrated their ability to, as the New York Times put it in a 1959 article, “afford the kind of (living) quarters they will need and want.” To almost everyone’s surprise, the next generations of youth followed that advice. Today, the average age of first marriage is almost 27 for women and 29 for men, up from 20 and 22 in 1960. This does not mean marriage is an endangered institution. True, there are more divorced people in today’s population than in 1960, but divorce rates have been falling for 30 years. It also appears that more individuals than in the past will remain unmarried all their lives — perhaps 15 percent, compared with the historical norm of 10 percent. But with more people marrying for the first time as late as their 60s, we can’t even be sure of that. As gays and lesbians gain marriage rights, the proportion of married young adults may rise. Still, the last half-century has seen a momentous change in the role that marriage plays in organizing lives. Marriage used to be almost mandatory, one of the first things people did when they left home. It was not a decision that required much deliberation or even deep knowledge of one’s prospective partner. In the 1950s, the average bride and groom had known each other for only six months. Interviewing men and women who married in the 1950s and 1960s, I was struck by the similarities in how they explained their decision to marry: “It was time to settle down”; “I was 23 and people were starting to wonder”; “You just did it, that’s all.” Alternatively, many “had” to marry; almost half of teenage

brides were pregnant at the time of their wedding. Fifty years ago, getting married was a step young people took on the road to becoming economically secure, emotionally responsible and socially respectable. Today, marriage is more often the reward acquired once couples have achieved those goals. The vast majority of new marriages are between couples that have already cohabited. Many cohabiting couples refuse to marry until they are convinced that each partner has demonstrated his or her economic and emotional reliability. There are many positive aspects to people’s more deliberative approach to marriage. Every year a woman postpones marriage, up until her early 30s, lowers her chance of divorce. This is largely due to individuals no longer feeling forced to enter or stay in a bad marriage. Domestic violence rates within marriage have fallen by more than 30 percent over the last three decades. The transformation of marriage has posed particular challenges for individuals from low-income communities and with low educational levels. In 1960, even a college-educated woman typically earned less than a man with only a high school degree, so getting married was the best investment a woman could make in her future. Even a male high school dropout was a pretty good “catch” because rising real wages usually allowed him to earn enough to support a family within a few years of finding a steady job. However, since 1969, the wages earned by men with a high school diploma have dropped by 47 percent. Last month, while more than 1 million workers with bachelor’s degrees found jobs, half a million high school graduates lost their jobs. This means that a woman whose pool of marriage candidates does not include someone with a college degree has good reason to be cautious about marrying, even if she gets pregnant. If she forgoes investing in her own education or curtails her own work hours, as a woman frequently does upon marriage, she may end up worse off economically, as well as emotionally, than if she had remained single. Couples in low-income communities now consistently tell researchers that they will not marry until they have achieved enough economic stability to give them a shot at sustaining a lifelong relationship. So the widening gap between the haves and the have-nots has been paralleled by a widening gap between the “I do’s” and the “I do not’s.” Unfortunately, not being married further exacerbates social inequality because the majority of marriages now involve two wage earners, multiplying the advantage of those who can form stable, committed partnerships and avoid divorce. Marriage isn’t disappearing. Most unmarried Americans say they want to eventually marry, and the vast majority will do so. But even in the best of times — which these are not — we’re unlikely to see people returning to early and lifelong marriage. That bus left the station a long time ago, and it’s been going in the opposite direction ever since.

STEPHANIE COONTZ -mcclatchy newspapers

ewt Gingrich, the Republican presidential hopeful, picked up momentum thanks to an upset victory in the South Carolina primary over the weekend. Since his win, Gingrich has sought to portray himself as the candidate with the most appeal for conservative voters and the most ability to unseat President Obama in a national election. Throughout debates and the buildup to the South Carolina primary, Gingrich claimed the moral high ground. The voters weren’t even distracted by former rival Rick Perry resigning his campaign for the presidency and throwing his support behind Gingrich. However, he might want to rethink the claims he made during debates about values before trying to claim superior morality, especially in light of the shocking revelation that he asked his second wife, Marianne, if they could have an open marriage. After she refused his request for an open marriage, he asked for a divorce — despite the fact that she had just been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, and the doctors had told Gingrich not to put any stress

“

on her. I don’t know whom Gingrich hangs out with, but I’m pretty sure an open marriage does not fall into the category of American “values.” Yet, in spite of the scandal, Gingrich has somehow managed to come out on top of the scandal by painting himself as the victim, garnering voters’ sympathies for despicable behavior that he himself would decry if it concerned another politician.

WHAT IS WORSE IS THAT GINGRICH HAS THE AUDACITY TO SAY SAMESEX COUPLES WHO HAVE BEEN TOGETHER FOR YEARS ARE IMMORAL AND A THREAT TO AMERICAN VALUES.” What is frustrating to see is the hypocrisy of the situation. How does Newt “Mr. Family Values” Gingrich fail to see the hypocrisy of his actions again and again, and how can conservative voters continue to support someone who clearly needs a refresher course on what “family values” really are?

What is worse is that Gingrich has the audacity to say same-sex couples who have been together for years are immoral and a threat to American values. Yes, marriage rates in the United States have been declining. A Pew poll from 2010 found four out of 10 people believe the institution is becoming obsolete. Yet, our favorite TV shows and movies still correlate happy endings with marrying mates and living happily ever after. Gay marriage is a hot-button issue precisely because the United States values marriage so much. As a country, we might simultaneously have an overdeveloped idealism and cynicism about romance, but we still like seeing happy pairs in the Oval Office. The worst about Gingrich is the hypocrisy of his preaching about preserving the institution of marriage, while simultaneously laughing in its face with his conduct. Although I am sure most Republicans really do care about family values and marriage, the South Carolina voters seem more concerned with beating President Obama. Why else would anyone vote for a man so sure and committed to denying the rights to millions of same-sex couples on grounds of preserving “values” he clearly does not

have? If the Republican Party wants to be the party that defends morality and American values, then their candidates should not be hypocritical. If Gingrich wants to run as the man who stands for the traditional institution of marriage, he might want to actually practice having a traditional marriage. Gingrich has even been a leader in denouncing extramarital affairs. In the 1990s, when Gingrich was Speaker of the House, he vocally criticized then-President Bill Clinton for committing adultery — while he was happily committing the same act against his own wife. Writer Amy Gehrt sums up Gingrich’s hypocrisy the best: “which is a bigger threat to family values — a gay couple who wants to spend the rest of their lives in a monogamous marriage, or the three-times married serial cheater who thought nothing of repeatedly tossing aside his solemn marriage vows, or of casually seeking a very untraditional open marriage?”

JEFF HOMAN -regular columnist -junior -history major

Egypt, Iran fight for democracy O

ver the past few months, I have been asking friends, family and acquaintances whether they would rather live in Egypt or Iran. I asked them to reconsider the question based on their gender and economic status. The answer was almost always Egypt. Yet, Iran is more economically developed than Egypt. It has about twice the per capita GDP and spends two to three times as much on health care per capita. An Iranian is more likely to have household access to electricity, piped water and indoor plumbing than an Egyptian — this is especially true for a poor Iranian. Egypt is more equal in terms of income and student academic achievement. It also has slightly more freedom with respect to civil liberties than Iran, according to Freedom House, but the same level of restriction in political rights. Some also argue that women’s rights are better in Egypt. Both countries suffer from high unemployment rates, especially for those in their late teens and twenties. Both have large public sectors and restrictive governments, in which women are repressed. When compared to developed countries, both are very poor and quite far behind the West in political, educational and economic freedom. But people in both countries are fighting for improvements. And since they are important players in U.S. foreign relations (Egypt

is a large recipient of U.S. foreign aid; Iran is a recipient of ire), the West should keep a close eye on the movements. In Egypt, the fight is visible and dramatic. Tired of poor living conditions, inequality and unresponsiveness, Egyptians staged protests last year, culminating in revolution. This movement was costly, however, hurting tourism and infrastructure, slowing the economy, and leading to many deaths and much disorder. Unfortunately, despite the revolution, it is unclear whether Egypt will transition to democracy. There is a risk the same political institutions will stay in place, and Egypt’s new rulers will be similar to the old. There is also a risk the new rulers may institute changes so radical they lead to a conservative backlash and coup. In Iran, the fight is hidden and slow. Young men are becoming more open to treating their wives as equals. Women in Tehran dye their hair bright, attractive colors to test boundaries and irritate morality police. President Ahmadinejad clashes with Ayatollah Khamenei over progressive reforms. Female activists work to extract concessions on divorce and family law. Filmmakers portray divorce, infidelity, class divides and failings of the justice system in their movies. In “Economic Origins of Dictatorship and Democracy,” authors Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson identify two paths to democracy. The first is the path

Egypt may be on — the path toward unstable, unconsolidated democracy. This is the path Argentina followed in the 20th century, when revolutionary governments instituted reforms so radical that they led to a conservative coup, which eventually became so oppressive that revolution occurred again. The process is broken when the ruling party favors concessions over violent repression. Without improvements, Egypt may be headed for misfortune. The other path is stable, consolidated democracy. Under this path, the ruling elite slowly concede rights to obtain increased social order. This is the long and gradual path England followed, starting with the Reform Act of 1832 (or perhaps earlier, with the Glorious Revolution of 1688) and culminating in 1928 with the full enfranchisement of women. Along the way, ruling elites were periodically threatened by the people, first with violent insurrections and eventually with public protests. Each time, rulers gave small concessions in exchange for social order. Perhaps the biggest source of hope, for both countries, is family. Over the past 30 years, fertility rates have dropped dramatically in Egypt and Iran. This is a sign that families are beginning to place more value on human capital. Both countries have high education levels, and it seems that people are having fewer offspring so they can focus on making sure their children receive strong educations, in

hopes become employed and prosper. But if that investment does not pay off, it is possible that these children will push their governments for reforms as adults — a trend already being observed in the Middle East. In “The Age of Uncertainty,” economist John Kenneth Galbraith discusses the idea of human capital leading to democracy. In the past, physical capital was the driver of economic growth. As a result, the owners of physical capital became wealthy, ruling elites. With human capital, however, the educated individual drives growth. As educated individuals become more valuable and common, it becomes harder for the elites to control them, and so, democracy slowly develops. In Iran and Egypt, it is likely the case that the elites are playing a losing game. In one country, the fight is loud and dramatic, and in the other, it is quiet and gradual. And while they are going about it in different ways, both are fighting for the same things: freedom, democracy and equality. Given a choice about where to live, Americans may have differences. But when given a choice about who to support, the side of democracy prevails.

BRYCE STUCKI -regular columnist -senior -economics major

january 24, 2012

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january 24, 2012 COLLEGIATETIMES

Wrestling comes back to beat North Carolina, 29-12 ADAM NORMAN sports staff writer The No. 23-ranked Virginia Tech wrestling team took care of business against the North Carolina Tar Heels Sunday afternoon, winning 29-12 and improving its ACC record to 4-1 for the season. After the first five matches, the Hokies were down 12-7, but they went on to win out and get a technical fall from No. 1-ranked Devin Carter (133 lbs) and a pin from No. 20 Zach Neibert (141 lbs). Although shy of breaking the record for attendance at a wrestling match in Cassell Coliseum, the 2,422 fans made their presence apparent in crucial situations, helping propel the Hokies to key wins during the meet. “We won a couple matches there because of the crowd,” said Kevin Dresser, head coach. “You know that

Hokie Nation is good. I am glad they came out; I appreciate them.” The afternoon’s first match saw unranked junior Cameron Hurd (157 lbs) almost come up with a huge upset against UNC’s 19thranked Corey Mock. After getting taken down at the beginning of the first and second rounds, Hurd came up with two big reversals to keep it close. Down by two points, Hurd went for the takedown with just seconds remaining. But he was unable to get position for the points and lost the match 8-6. Tech went 2-2 in the next four matches, including an 8-0 win by No. 8 Pete Yates (165 lbs), giving the Tar Heels a 12-7 lead. Heavyweight Chris Penny then gave Tech a big win, followed by 125-pounder Ty Mitch getting a major decision, putting the Hokies back on top. The top-ranked Carter came to the mat, dominated his opponent and

got a technical fall, using his speed to get easy takedowns and an armbar to score a majority of his points. “I knew the kid from North Carolina wasn’t that good, and I had to get bonus points for the team, so I figured I’d just run the bar,” Carter said. Coming in as the underdog, Neibert came away with Tech’s only pin of the day in the second round against 18th-ranked Evan Henderson. From the beginning, Neibert dominated the match, using Coach Dresser’s advice and tiring out Henderson. “The first couple of times it was all about scoring points,” Neibert said. “I know when you put someone in a position like that they are bound to get tired.” Shortly into the second period, Neibert got a takedown and continued working on Henderson getting another near fall. Neibert kept working at it, wearing down Henderson

enough to get both shoulder blades on the mat and to pick up the pin for the Hokies. “Its like what coach Dresser tells us: ‘No matter who you are, you can’t chop down a tree with one swing,’” Neibert said. “It was repetitive, and I kept trying it — (I) got in different positions to make him more weary of where I was being, so I set myself up and chopped away at the tree.” In the final match, Nick Brascetta (149 lbs) was down by a point and got a takedown after a reset with only five seconds left in the match to secure a win. After two consecutive impressive wins, coach Dresser was ecstatic about how Brascetta and Neibert performed. “Its great Zach and Nick are a good one-two punch for us,” Dresser said. The Hokies wrestling team faces two tough challenges next week at No. 12 Oklahoma on Friday and

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Top-ranked Devin Carter (133) gets into position against Brock LiVorio. their last home match of the season against No. 25 ODU at 6 p.m. on Sunday in Cassell. “Well it doesn’t get it any easier, it gets tougher next week,” Dresser

said. “We’ve got one more week. We’ve been grinding, and then we get a week off, and we are going to need it. But we have one more week to get it done.”

Hokies take down Blue Devils MIKE PLATANIA sports staff writer Virginia Tech showed Duke why it’s ranked No. 23 in the nation on Saturday night by defeating the Blue Devils 30-6. Duke was searching for that elusive first win of the year, but fell to 0-4 on the season and 0-2 in the ACC. After a forfeit from the Blue Devils in the 125 lbs weight class, Nick Vetterlein opened the meet for the Hokies at 197 lbs and set the tone by striking early against Duke’s Brian Self. Vetterlein scored a takedown early in the first period before finishing strong in the third. The Hokies would make a habit of starting strong and finishing stronger. Following Vetterlein was heavyweight Chris Penny, who went against Duke’s Andrew Fulk. Penny performed better than the 8-2 score showed, as Fulk’s only points came on escapes. All eyes were on Tech’s Devin Carter, who ranks No. 1 in the nation at 133 lbs Carter wrestled Duke’s Brandon Gambucci, who was no slouch. Gambucci gave Carter all he could

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handle, taking him down twice early in the first period, leading for much of the match. The third period started with Carter trailing 6-4, but he defended his No. 1 ranking by tying him early with a takedown and pinning him shortly after. The win pushed Carter to 24-1 on the year. The star sophomore was critical of himself, even after recording the victory. “Individually, I didn’t wrestle that well. Just a bad match,” Carter said. “I pulled it out — I had to — but it wasn’t good” Zach Neibert was Tech’s other ranked wrestler in action Saturday night, and he competed against Duke’s Tanner Hough at 141 lbs. Neibert followed Vetterlein’s example of scoring early by recording two takedowns in the first period and went on to win 9-3. Neibert was pleased with his performance but recognized there is still plenty of work to be done. “It’s just a stepping stone to the ACC tournament. As far as what I did individually, I still have a lot of progress to do,” Neibert said. The Hokies’ winning streak came to a halt when Nick Brascetta lost to AJ Guardado, 149 lbs. Despite the low final score of 3-1, Brascetta took

Guardado to overtime before losing in sudden death. Duke got its first points of the match and brought the score to 21-3. Tech’s Cameron Hurd had a thrilling match against Immanuel KerrBrown, in which both wrestlers traded blows throughout the first two periods. Hurd eventually pulled away late and won 13-7. Similarly, Tech’s 165-pound wrestler Matt Stephens beat the Blue Devils’ Ryan Harding 8-5 by extending his lead in the third period. The team’s final victory of the match came when Chris Moon beat Randy Roden by a score of 6-4 in the 174-pound contest. One of the few bright spots for Duke was how they finished the meet on a high note. Diego Bencomo (184) beat Tech’s John Dickson in the final match of the night, 6-3. Despite the Hokies’ dominating win, Tech head coach Kevin Dresser wasn’t very pleased with his team’s performance. “Flat, flat, flat” Dresser said. “We were flat. We got the ‘W’, but we didn’t do a good job.” By beating Duke, Tech improved to 5-3, and 3-1 in the ACC.

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Keep the law

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on your side.

Lesson 2: Your BAC

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I know that all of our BACs are different, but what affects my BAC?

ANSWER: How fast a person’s BAC rises varies with a number of factors: 1) The number of drinks. The more you drink, the higher the BAC. 2) How fast you drink. When alcohol is consumed quickly, you will reach a higher BAC than when it is consumed over a longer period of time.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) You’re the top dog, and you know it. You’re back in control, but don’t let it make you lazy. Continue growing. Change is good now. Play with it. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) There’s no time for procrastination now. Complete a project in private. Listen only to the positive voice in your head. Hot chocolate could be nice. Aries (March 21-April 19) Focus on home and family warms the hearth. It’s good medicine... take as much as you can, with tea and company. Renew your spirit to go back out into the world again.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Changes could seem abrupt to others. Why not think it over? Handle the basics, do the routines and then take a walk to get lost in thought. No need for decisions.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) An arrogant mood could take over, if you allow it to. Grand statements from the past could echo back. Own up to them if that happens. Laugh at yourself.

Gemini (May 21-June 21) You have this tendency to say yes when people ask, and then the tasks pile up. Keep checking stuff of the list, and earn some time for yourself.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Practical efforts are favored, with Mars retrograde in your sign. There could be changes. Consult with experts and partners. Rules simplify.

Cancer (June 22-July 22) Your self-discipline is impressive, but you don’t have to go it alone, you know. You have plenty of friends. Everyone wants to contribute. You would do the same.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Concentrate on great service, and the orders lood in. The workload is getting intense. Consider the previously impossible, and listen to your partner.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) You don’t need “no more trouble.” The love of your family is available, as long as you’re willing to harvest it. Fixing a leaky faucet can save money. Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) It’s easier to express your thoughts or to start a new writing project. Find an answer in meditation. Others depend on you. Share your peace of mind. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Figure out new ways to bring in income, without sacri icing your core values. Bring the money in before you send it back out. Be proud of our contribution.

3) Your gender. Women generally have less water and more body fat per pound of body weight than men. Alcohol does not go into fat cells as easily as other cells, so more alcohol remains in the blood of women. 4) Your weight. The more you weigh, the more water is present in your body. This water dilutes the alcohol and lowers the BAC. 5) Food in your stomach. Absorption will be slowed if you’ve had something to eat.

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