Tuesday, February 7, 2012 Print Edition by Collegiate Times

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News, page 2

Desegregation leader to speak Civil Rights activist Mr. Alex-Zan will lead discussion as part of Black History Month JACOB WILBANKS features staff writer As a 7 year old, Mr. Alex-Zan was part of the Charlottesville 12, the first group of black students to be integrated into Charlottesville City Schools in the 1950s. To commemorate Black History Month, AlexZan will be giving an interactive presentation, titled “The Skin is Just the Cover.” The motivational speaker and leader of the desegregation of V i r g i n i a’s p u b l i c schools will be speaking tonight Alex-Zan in Squires Colonial Hall from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. The reception to follow will last until 9 p.m., and admission is free. The Charlottesville 12 entered all-white schools in Charlottesville, Va. on Sept. 8, 1959, paving the way for desegregation in Virginia. The Black Organizations Council, Black Student Alliance, as well as the Multicultural Programs & Services at Virginia Tech are sponsoring the event. “Here is your opportunity to hear the story from a man that was part of making our history,” said Kristen Houston, the assistant director for Multicultural Programs & Services. Alex-Zan entered the Venable Elementary School as a second-grader with eight of the other students, while the remaining three enrolled at Lane High School. While the integration of the Charlottesville 12 has been regarded as being fairly peaceful, the children still had to face the prejudices of their peers and overcome racial discrimination. Lauren Heming, a junior accounting major and vice president of the Black Organizations Council, understands the importance of the Charlottesville 12 for Virginia. “This was big for AfricanAmericans — for everybody

in Virginia,” Heming said. “But even after that, Virginia still had a long way to go, and I think it is important to note that too.” Heming said the event, although historical, will be inspirational and entertaining. “I feel like this event is going to be a very uplifting, positive thing, where people are going to leave there feeling like they can do whatever they want,” Heming said. The event will incorporate Alex-Zan’s personal experiences and will cover topics of racism, segregation, discrimination and overcoming obstacles. Heming hopes those in attendance will be genuinely inspired and take away a new attitude toward life. “A lot of times it’s easy to feel like you’re just a number, and it’s easy to feel like you can’t do something because there might be obstacles,” Heming said. “I just want people to leave feeling like nothing can get in their way.” The event will not simply be a lecture or one-way presentation to the audience — it will involve the crowd in multiple ways. “(Alex-Zan) is very interactive, so he is going to do a lot of speaking, but I feel like he is going to call on a lot of people, get examples and that sort of thing, so it should be very interesting,” Heming said. Nikki Roy, a senior international studies and Spanish double major and president of the Black Organizations Council, said the event won’t end there. After the presentation, the event will move to the Black Cultural Center in Squires for a reception complete with food, socializing and a chance for a more personal dialogue with the speaker. “There’ll be a reception to follow, so you can talk to him one-on-one and meet and greet with people who attended,” Roy said. This is the second event as part of Black History Month at Tech. For a full list of events, visit the Multicultural Programs & Services website at mps.vt.edu.

Arts & Entertainment, page 5

Opinions, page 3

Sports, page 6

Study Break, page 4

‘Do you mind if I sit here?’ A new program at Hokie Grill gives students the ability to invite others to sit with them, or indicate they would prefer eating alone BY GINA PATTERSON | news staff writer

he colors green and red, as well as smiling and frowning faces, now dominate who sits where in Hokie Grill. The dining hall implemented new two-sided table cards on Jan. 23 that diners can use to indicate whether they want other people to sit at their table. The cards, which are located in each table’s cardholder, feature a green smiley face on one side that welcomes anyone to sit, with a red frowning face on the other showing that a person does not want to be bothered. “It helps to meet other students, to learn about other cultures and other parts of the world,” said Brian A. Grover, the associate director of Housing and Dining Services, of what the cards can do for diners. The idea behind the cards came from Kyle Gaarder, a sophomore biology major, who designed it after having a hard time finding a place to eat in Hokie Grill last fall. “Part of the inspiration was that a couple times, somebody came up to me and asked me if they could sit with me,” Gaarder said. “I said, ‘Sure,’ and we ended up having a really interesting conversation.” Hokie Grill was quickly selected to be the first dining hall to offer the cards. As Grover pointed out, student seating is one of the biggest problems Hokie Grill faces.

“If people shared tables more often, then there would be a lot more seats available,” Gaarder said. Gaarder took his idea and contacted Grover, who helped put it into effect. As a chair holder, it was easy for Grover to address the idea in a committee meeting. “We took his idea to the student advisory committee — dining services has a group of students — and kind of bounced the idea off of them,” Grover said. “They are kind of like our soundboard.” Everyone on the committee was in support of the idea, Grover said. The committee worked with dining services’ marketing department to make the table cards and advertising products. There are posters and additional cards located in all dining halls labeled civility, which explain the green and red cards. But Grover hopes to revamp the current marketing strategies. “We want to make the program successful, and the current informational table cards are just too much to read,” Grover said, even though there hasn’t been negative feedback regarding the cards thus far. Eventually, the cards may be available in other dining halls. “Maybe (they will be offered at all dining halls) later in the semester — basically Hokie Grill is a pilot program,” Grover said.

BRAD KLODOWSKI / SPPS

Study shows architecture majors are hurt most by economy PRISCILLA ALVAREZ news staff writer Recent college graduates with a bachelor’s degree in the arts, humanities and architecture are facing a significantly higher unemployment rate than students in technical fields, according to a Georgetown University study. Students graduating in liberal arts and humanities are struggling with employment because of their broadened studies. The study stated the unemployment level for the arts is 11.1 percent and the humanities is 9.4 percent. While those percentages are higher than anyone would like to see, it is actually architecture majors who face the highest rate of unemployment at 13.9 percent. The decline in jobs can be attributed to the economic recession and decreased construction. In late January, the United States Department of Commerce released a statement indicating that 2011 was the worst year for new home sales since 1963. “When money is no longer available for loans to give to developers and money is no longer available for mortgages for people to purchase the housing, you have a slump in

the architectural profession as well as construction,” said Jack Davis, the dean of the College of Architecture & Urban Studies at Virginia Tech. But the unemployment rates may not affect some. “Personally, I won’t be affected because I’m continuing to higher education, but I would have looked at it differently,” said Aaricka Hellbery, a senior architecture major. “This is influencing people to continue to the next step and consider industrial design, construction, etc., when typically they would go directly into the field.” Generally, architects graduate with the intention of going to a particular area of the country, which may have a higher unemployment rate. For example, Portland, Ore. is a highly desirable city to live in, but the chances of finding a job for architecture there are the lowest in the country. There is an underlying question regarding the high rates: Is there anything that can be done, with regard to the education of these students, to assist them in finding a job after graduating? “The education of an architect is greater than housing, it’s all types of building designs and unfortunately money is tight in all aspects,” Davis

said. ”There’s nothing relative to the education of the architect that needs to change as much as change in the financial market to support building in general.” In essence, not all college degrees are created equal. The most recent college graduates with the lowest rates of unemployment included health (5.4 percent), education (5.4 percent), as well as agriculture and natural resources (7 percent). Those with a degree in business and engineering are also among the lowest. There is a considerable difference in not only unemployment rates, but also in the income of various fields. Engineering majors will make about $55,000, compared to those in the arts who will earn about $30,000. The study asks the question, is college worth it? A college education is a large investment that, several times, leads to student debt. The lack of security in finding a job after graduation worries many students. Nevertheless, the study concludes that despite its drawbacks, a college degree is still a valuable commodity. Unemployment for those who only had a high school diploma was 22.9 percent and 31.5 percent for recent high school dropouts.

ho’s unemployed?

A break down of post-graduation unemployment by major.

Victoria Zigadlo/Collegiate Times

13.9% 11.1% 9.4% 7.0% 5.4% 5.4%

ARCHITECTURE ARTS HUMAN ARTS & LIB SCIENCES AGRICULTURE & NATURAL RESOURCES

EDUCATION HEALTH

news 2012 Owen Cup

february 7, 2012

editors: nick cafferky, michelle sutherland

COLLEGIATETIMES

newseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865

On Saturday morning, about 35 local and visiting cyclists rode in the sixth Owen Cup. The Virginia Tech Cycling Team hosts the Owen Cup annually on the weekend before the beginning of the collegiate cycling season. The race sent cyclists on back roads outside Blacksburg limits between Mt. Tabor Road and Catawba Road. A-Class riders, the most advanced type, had to race three laps, with Band C-Class riders racing two laps and one lap based on their skill levels.

DANIEL LIN / SPPS

Immediately after the race kicked off at 10 a.m., a light rain started falling. “This is almost always the hardest race of the year. Wind, rain, some kind of weather is always guaranteed,” said John DeLong, who took ﬁrst place. (pictured top, left)

DANIEL LIN / SPPS

TREVOR WHITE / SPPS

DeLong is a member of Team VeloShine, a local racing team. He graduated from Tech in 2005 and is currently a research specialist at the Center for Automotive Safety Research at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute. DeLong said the Owen Cup is more informal than most races and functions as a group practice before the start of the ofﬁcial season. “It’s a bonding thing, that’s what this is all about,” DeLong said.

TREVOR WHITE / SPPS

what you’re saying Delegate proposes state marijuana study

Stevie A "joint" resolution. hehehehehehe

Anonymous Jesus said to do unto others as we would have them to do unto us. None of us would want our child or grandchild thrown in jail with the sexual predators over marijuana. None of us would want to see an older family member’s home confiscated and sold by the police for growing a couple of marijuana plants for their aches and pains.If ordinary Americans could grow a little marijuana in their own back yards, it would be about as valuable as home-grown tomatoes; it would put the drug gangs out of business and get them out of our neighborhoods.

Colleges get less from state

Digs Strange how the libertarian chorus that chimes in on nearly ever CT article is silent here. Hokies hold on against Clemson

Scotty B There was definately an improved effort over previous games, but this team can still not put together a complete 40 minute game. I know basketball is a game of runs, but sometimes you just have to want it more than the team. Today, this team took baby steps.

Sweet sensations: Campus Cookies

Bill I know the owner (Scott) & he’s as dedicated to the business as one could possibly be; he genuinely cares about the product and how its received by the consumer. The article is pretty accurate & parents should take note... Gifting Campus Cookies will undoubtedly make your child love you more (not to mention, make them more popular amongst their friends). Just FYI, the website for Campus Cookies is: http://campuscookie.com/ and the phone # for the Blacksburg store is (540)658-2752. In my experience, they’ve been excellent in helping plan surprise deliveries, etc.

opinions

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

february 7, 2012 COLLEGIATETIMES

A changed setting may lead to healthier choices

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

ast fall, Los Angeles took found effects on behavior. a hard line on school For example, our research nutrition. In an attempt to at Cornell shows that when mold better eating habits in given the choice of either carkids, the Los Angeles Unified rots or celery, 89 percent of School District eliminated children will choose and eat flavored milk, chicken nug- carrots. But if kids are instead gets and other longtime given only carrots without a childhood favorites. But instead of making kids choice, just 69 percent will healthier, the changes sent eat them. Instead of taking students fleeing from school away choice, a better solution is to guide a child’s cafeterias. There have been reports choice. At one school we studied, of a thriving trade in blackmarket junk food, of kids had a choice of eating pizzas delivered to side doors in the regular cafeteria line and of family-size bags of or in a healthy express line chips being brought from stocked only with healthful home. Garbage cans are fill- sandwiches, salads, fruits and ing up with the more nutri- vegetables. We found that simply plactious food, even if kids ing chocolate milk in that aren’t. The lesson? We cannot line along with the other simply bully kids into eating foods attracted far more kids, healthful foods and take their and therefore decreased the less nutritious foods (such lunch money. As the federal government as French fries and cookprepares to launch a similar, ies) on cafeteria trays by though less sweeping, effort to 28 percent and increased cleanse lunchrooms of trou- healthful choices by 18 blesome foods, it’s important percent. This happened because we to analyze what works — and what doesn’t — in trying to kept chocolate milk, but also get kids to eat more nutritious because kids had a choice. They didn’t have to abandon food. Under new nutrition stan- school lunch altogether if the dards announced last week healthful fare on any particuby the USDA, fruit and veg- lar day was not an acceptable etables will have to be offered option. Oftentimes very subtle with every school cafeteria changes can have a big effect meal. Additionally, some tradi- on behavior. We found that tional lunchroom favorites, moving fruit out of stainless such as 2 percent white milk, steel bins and into an attracwill be eliminated; tater tots tive fruit bowl near the cash and pizza will be severely register increased sales by restricted, and may not even 103 percent. Using the simple principles of behavioral ecobe recognizable. The federal government nomics can move the mounshould think twice about tain of child nutrition. Moreover, kids are happy this approach. As the Los Angeles example makes with the result. The majority clear, trying to teach stu- of children fail to notice the dents to eat more health- small changes that lead them ful foods by removing other to eat more healthful foods. choices can backfire. When And even if they do notice, children (or even adults) feel they appreciate that it was restricted or forced into their choice to take the fruit a decision, they naturally or vegetable. Children will choose their rebel. Consider the example of food no matter what we two schools we studied in place in the lunch line, even Utah. One required that all if the choice is simply not school lunches include the to eat. If we impose too big vegetable or fruit of the day; a change, kids will simply the other served the fruit or bring their lunch from home vegetable only when it was or have pizza delivered at the side door. Or they may skip requested. Children at the first school lunch altogether and wait were served 60 percent for an after-school junk food more fruit, but we found binge. In an environment where that kids only consumed 1 percent more than those choice rules, we need to at the school where it was make the more healthoptional. Pushing healthful ful choice the more attracfoods on the unwilling only tive choice, not the only makes garbage cans fat- choice. Behavioral science shows ter and creates expensive this can be done at either no waste. Nationally, many schools cost or very low cost. Heavyhave tried to demonize and handed measures might be ban processed foods, soft effective at putting nutritious drinks, pizza and choco- foods on the lunch tray, but late milk. Though such it is crucial to remember this: dramatic efforts can have It is not nutritious until it is rhetorical and emotional eaten. Better nutrition and happy appeal, they are probably not achieving the goal of guid- kids at a low cost? That sounds ing children to better eating like a smarter lunchroom. habits. Choice is important to children, and having the abili- DAVID JUST & BRIAN WANSINK ty to choose can have pro- -mcclatchy newspapers

MCT CAMPUS

Wealthy rule political system T

he more I watch the Republican debates, the more I become convinced we are not living in a democracy. In a democracy, the majority rules, and the rights of minorities are respected and upheld. Everyone can vote and voice their opinions, with the most agreed-upon opinions eventually becoming policy — this is a democracy in theory. But it is useful to look at how far democracy in practice diverges from democracy in theory. If it deviates too far, then the terminology must be changed so proper thinking can follow. The immediate and most offensive aspect of the recent debates and the president’s State of the Union address, is the incessant war-mongering with Iran. Iran, compared to the United States, is a very poor country. It has about one-quarter of the economic resources per person compared to the U.S. America would quickly and easily win a war with Iran. Therefore, there is no reason why Iran would ever attack the U.S. So, why do candidates and the president discuss war with Iran so frequently? Because they have convinced their constituents Iran is a threat to the average American. It is exceedingly unlikely the Iranian government would ever harm the average American, but politicians continue to manipulate voters. They talk about Israel and terrorism, paint a racist portrait of Islam as a militaristic religion, and say war with Iran is inevitable. The last method is the best strategy for making Americans acquiesce to politicians’ goals. As war becomes destiny, harm becomes inevitable, and the U.S. government is the perpetrator. The second most offensive aspect is the discussion of taxation, specifically the low taxes the wealthy pay. Politicians and ideologues will twist themselves into knots in an attempt to defend low taxes while avoiding the question of the gross inequality in the U.S. Gross inequality, however, is the only reason anyone would care about preserving low taxes on the wealthy without having a pecuni-

ary interest in doing so. Our society has become intolerably unfair. The top 0.1 percent of the income distribution is overwhelmingly made of bosses and financiers. Wages have been stagnant or declined for the majority of Americans, while their productivity has greatly increased. Although society has held up its end of the bargain with low taxes, unemployment persists at about 8 percent, with discouraged workers and the underemployed doubling that figure. About one in five children must worry about getting food, about 15 percent of households are in poverty, and the same percentage is on welfare or food stamps. Taxation is about redistributing power from those who have a lot of it, to those that don’t have any and nothing else. The third most offensive aspect concerns the recent health care bill and social programs. These are programs that disproportionately help the poor and are disliked by the wealthy, who feel they get small benefits from them. Yet the Republican Party, with some exceptions, is openly hostile to all social programs. Again, politicians have manipulated voters into believing something that is bad for them is actually good for them. Eliminating social welfare programs will carry great benefits, they argue, such as more jobs and higher overall prosperity. But the average American is having a hard time believing this, as he sees a thin and slimming safety net as the only thing saving him from ruin. What would the U.S. look like if the best interests of the average American were served and the rights of minorities were upheld? Nobody would want war with Iran because they would be much more concerned about finding work and feeding their families. Taxes would be higher for the wealthy, and social programs would be preserved and expanded. We could call this a democracy. We live in a much different society. Special interests and the

Israeli government have strong incentives for encouraging war with Iran, as do politicians seeking votes. The wealthy have obvious incentives for opposing increased taxation and a slightly less obvious motivation for wanting to cripple welfare programs — they know they will have to pay for them. In our society, the powerful are able to get what they want because they can disproportionately influence the political system through lobbying and campaign finance. In a democracy, every man has a vote. In America, some have more votes than others. This is not peculiar to the U.S., and it is not inevitable. Politicians are ultimately responsible to the people, since the people have the vote. Transparency in campaign financing and lobbying would reduce influence from special interests. The idea of making politicians wear decals displaying the company logos of their biggest donors is not such a bad one. The most helpful practice, however, is viewing society in terms of competing power. Many blame the recent financial crisis on the government’s efforts to supply loans to the needy. As MIT economist Daron Acemoglu writes, “Why should we expect the government to be so much more responsive to subprime borrowers — often individuals and households without regular jobs or strong credit history from the bottom of the income distribution — than it was to the victims of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans five years ago?” The troubles in society have more to do with the influence of the powerful than that of the weak. This is called plutocracy tending toward democracy. We want democracy tending toward nothing. It begins with your vote in November.

BRYCE STUCKI -regular columnist -senior -economics major

Facebook stock could cause network changes L

ast Wednesday, social network giant Facebook held an initial public offering, or IPO, for investors. This was the company’s official declaration that it intends to go fully public in the coming months. And it was quite possibly the most significant business action taken by Facebook since its inception. Analysts around the world are wondering whether this momentous decision will lead to Facebook’s conquest of the Internet, or its collapse. When a company goes public, it sells portions of ownership called stocks. Every person that owns stock in a company is considered an owner, whether they own one share or one million shares of stock. These shares are traded around the clock at varying prices depending on the company. Corporations sell stocks to grow. When a company sells stocks, the money received is used to carry out business procedures such as buying new warehouses and supplies. The majority of companies in the world are privately run.

These businesses don’t have to report their performance to investors like public firms do, meaning the owners have more freedom to carry out actions they see fit for the company. Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Facebook, has made it known he prefers the privatized option, giving him the ability to control Facebook’s business decisions. Due to the nearly unmatched success of the website, I suppose he believes it is time to take the next step in allowing the company to grow. The IPO Facebook released was a shockingly small figure, at approximately $5 billion. An ABCNews.com report discussed the reasons behind this. Jeff Macke, the co-host of Breakout, said Facebook is purposely doing this to “squeeze” the most demand out of the public. He also thinks investing in this IPO is a bad idea. There are too many unknowns with this kind of company. An example of this can be seen with the release of Groupon’s IPO, which generated a giant amount of demand and plummeted — it has not

built its way back to its original price. As a daily stock market watcher and Facebook user, my reaction to this news was excited and concerned. With the changes in management that accompany this venture, there will be shifts in power and inevitable changes to the website. There is a huge amount of demand stirring on Wall Street for this company. I’m just troubled by its unknown stability. Beyond the movie, there isn’t much we know for sure about the inner-workings of this social network. How strong is its managerial hierarchical system? What are its business motives? What is it planning to do with the colossal amount of money that will be flowing into its bank account in just a few months? These questions keep me from jumping into investing in this IPO. At this point, all people know about Facebook, from a business standpoint, is that it has been wildly successful in popularity and is valued at a net worth of about $75 billion.

For a lot of people, that’s all they need to see before investing in a company. I am greatly worried investors will blindly throw money at Facebook solely because of its past success as a private company — a bubble will form. Much like the housing market, people were too comfortable borrowing and investing, and when the bubble popped, all that was left was debt. Granted, this comparison is a stretch, but if the projections are correct in the amount of possible investors, there could be many people losing a lot of money if the stock goes south. I am admittedly a pessimist, and predicting the stock market is a nefarious endeavor. There’s no telling how the Facebook IPO, or normal stock for that matter, will perform. But there is always the possibility that new funds from investors will allow Facebook employees to develop an improved website with features that make social connection even easier. But I am worried about the

converse of this situation. If the pressure from investors is too much for Facebook management to handle, desperate changes to the website could be made. Since advertisements are the main source of revenue, ads may become even more prevalent on the site. Before you start to worry about Facebook’s future, I want to reiterate that it’s impossible to predict what will happen and both possible outcomes are speculation. Not even Zuckerberg knows for sure what will happen to the website. I am excited to see the performance of this stock unfold. It presents great opportunity for investors, and creates a new outlet for trade and money exchange. I’ll be keeping a close eye on Facebook’s stock, but for the short term, I will be keeping my money in my pocket and away from the Facebook IPO.

DAVID LEVITT -regular columnist -sophomore -economics major

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february 7, 2012

GUMBY’S

PIZZA & WINGS

Regular Edition

Blacksburg’s Legendary Late Night Pizza

Today’s Birthday Horoscope: You’re not in this alone. Let others give to you sometimes! Collaboration’s a good idea. Education and research this year could include travel and first-hand experience. Financial discipline pays off. Give in to romance.

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6 7 2 4 8 1

XKCD by Randell Monroe This could be you . . .

Crossword

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Week ending Jan. 21, 2012

Top tracks

( ) Last week’s ranking in top five

What Doesn’t Kill You • Kelly Clarkson

(1) 1

Set Fire to the Rain • Adele

(2) 2

Give Me all Your Love • Madonna

() 3

Turn Me On • David Guetta & Nicki Minaj

(3) 4

Sexy and I Know It • LMFAO

() 5

word

WORDSEARCH: European Capitals Locate the list of words in the word bank in the letter grid. I

O W D

W M

W W

W O

WORD BANK Vienna Warsaw Paris Amsterdam Berlin Dublin Brussles London Kiev Moscow Minsk Madrid Rome Athens Budapest Copenhhagen Stockholm Prague

UNSCRAMBLER

in tomorrow’s paper for

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nubmat

gulsodas

budios

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karps

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s s

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PIZZA & WINGS

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arts & entertainment

Radcliffe presents ghost tale

february 7, 2012 COLLEGIATETIMES

Del Rey’s album lacks ‘artistic strength’ W

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MAPLE RIDGE & WINDSOR HILLS: Distribution Assistants wanted for early-bird (7am) distribution to Maple Ridge and Windsor Hills apartments. Apply at collegemedia.com/join; business@collegiatetimes.com can answer your questions. PERSONAL ASSISTANT NEEDED We are looking for an Office Assistant. Duties include greeting clients, answering phones, and routing mail, data entry and retrieve, scheduling and calender maintenance, Ideal candidates will have proven customer service skills in an administrative setting and experience with Microsoft Office applications email resumes to david.johnson8600@gmail. com IF INTERESTED PROGRAM ASSISTANT The Virginia Tech Language and Culture Institute in Blacksburg, Va. has an opening for a Humphrey Fellows Program Assistant. The purpose of this position is to provide administrative support to the Humphrey Fellows Long Term English Training Program. This position ensures efficient administration of the program and ensures quality of service to the fellows. The Humphrey Fellow program lasts 5 months and the program assistant will be expected to begin on February 12 and end on August 25, 2012. Please see www.jobs. vt.edu for more details and how to apply.

of haunted houses as a little kid. The gothic interior of the house made me yearn for scary movies that didn’t rely on gore, but on psychological aspects, to make it frightening. Another aspect of “The Woman In Black” I really enjoyed was the lack of use of a rack focus. There were quite a few shots where a character in the foreground was in focus and the background was blurry. If some sort of ghostly object was in the background, the camera would not refocus to make the character in the foreground blurry and the background clear. The audience had to endure a blurry background as everyone strained their eyes to figure out what exactly was moving. By not directly showing these different creepy crawlies, the suspense and fear is heightened. Radcliffe is supposed to be the father of a 4-year-old boy. His scenes with the small son come off a bit stiff. It’s hard to shake the teenage image I have of him. Still, as the movie progressed, I became more involved in the plot

and less focused on how Radcliffe was or wasn’t acting like Harry Potter. I thought overall, Radcliffe gave a good performance and came through as an adult. Although, there were moments that were a bit awkward. “The Woman In Black” isn’t going to freak out any horror buffs, but people who are a bit weary of scary movies may want to see this, as it isn’t overly horrifying. Radcliffe holds his own, and the atmosphere is chilling. It’s not the best haunted house movie ever, but it’s entertaining to say the least. If you’re bored and looking for a thrill, head to the movie theater for a matinee showing of “The Woman In Black.” Just don’t expect Radcliffe to pull the mask off the bad guy, revealing Lord Voldemort back for revenge. Although, that would be an interesting movie premise.

COURTNEY BAKER -featured columnist -senior -political science major

“Born to Die” Interscope Records released her newest album on Jan. 31 Download: “Video Games,” “Blue Jeans,” “Born to Die” Avoid: “Carmen,” “National Anthem” second half is plagued by this problem: track production that might be nice if only the lyricism was strong enough to support it. Actually, the album’s production values are one of its strong points. Producer Emile Haynie, who has done a lot of work with Kid Cudi, has crafted some really lush, atmospheric tracks here. Some parts of the album are also very good. Most notably, the lead single “Video Games” is deserving of all the praise it received months ago. When she is able to get her act together and sing this song live, it’s a showstopper. The other singles, “Blue Jeans” and “Born To Die,” are also good, though both probably cede to “Video Games” for the most memorable track from the album. Aside from those singles, “Off To The Races” is a little over the top, but somehow enjoyable in its sleaziness and pop gloss. Ultimately, Del Rey is not a terrible artist; those who continue to insist she is are probably just embarrassed they were tricked into believing she was indie’s next big thing. However, she’s also not a great artist and won’t be indie’s next big thing. Grimes already took that title, anyway. “Born To Die” is simply a mediocre pop album that strives to be something bigger than it is, but doesn’t have the artistic strength to achieve such lofty goals. If you want some mindless pop to lose yourself in for a little while, give “Born To Die” a listen or two. If you want something that’s actually innovative and interesting, wait a couple more weeks for musician Grimes’ “Visions.”

KEVIN MCALEESE -featured columnist -junior -political science major

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aniel Radcliffe has finally completed his journey at Hogwarts. So what does he do next? How could anything compare to the international phenomenon that was “Harry Potter?” Well, Radcliffe chose to star in “The Woman in Black.” In comparison to the “Harry Potter” franchise, “The Woman in Black” is nothing that will inspire fan-girls to dress up with “I Heart Daniel” T-shirts, but it establish MOVIE does Radcliffe an REVIEW actor whoas can play characters other than the orphaned wizard. “The Woman in Black” has been marketed as a horror movie, which is true to a certain extent. Radcliffe plays a young lawyer who is summoned to an eerie village to go through papers in a mansion, which is owned by a recently deceased widow. After a slow half an hour of establishing characters and back stories, we finally get to the meat of the movie. The mansion that Radcliffe must search through is haunted. It’s no big surprise. The villagers all cringe at the name of the estate, and the mansion is covered in weeds and surrounded by gravestones. How could it not have some sort of otherworldly menace? What the movie focuses on is not the what, but the why. Why is the house haunted? Why is this angry spirit so spiteful? So, “The Woman In Black” is also a bit of a mystery movie as well. I was thoroughly creeped out by the movie. The music was chilling, and the lack of music in a few parts was even more unsettling. The film is set in Victorian England, and the mood is gloomy, with the landscapes echoing the vibe of the haunted mansion. There are plenty of moments that had the audience screaming or jumping out of its seats, but is this something that is going to leave people trembling under their bedcovers at night? No. “The Woman In Black” seems to be more of a thriller than a scary movie, or perhaps a mild ghost story. The atmosphere of “The Woman In Black” was probably my favorite part. It reminded me of what I used to imagine when I thought

here should I even begin when it comes to discussing Lana Del Rey at this point? You could start from the beginning and talk about the album she released under her real name, “A.K.A. Lizzy Grant,” which was declared dead on arrival and scrubbed from the Internet. Or you could go back to the blog-hyped release of her “hit” single, “Video Games,” which really started the Lana Del Rey wars of 2011. Or you could go only as far back as mid-January to her now infamously sub-par “Saturday Night Live” debut that journalist Brian Williams even called “one of the worst outings in ‘SNL’ history.” But chances are if you’re reading this and you’ve ever used the Internet before, you’ve already heard about those things. However, I’d also say the odds are relatively high that you’ve never actually heard any of her songs. This is perhaps one of the reasons why everyone is so up in arms about Del Rey — she’s seemingly becoming a sensation overnight, without proving herself to the tastemakers and authenticity-validators who demand their approval before welcoming an interloper as one of their own. Del Rey has been struggling to break into the music industry with a variety of musical projects since at least 2008. She finally got her break this summer when she released “Video Games,” the first single from “Born To Die” on the Internet, and saw it make the indie music blog rounds. “Blue Jeans,” the other half of the single, garnered nearly equal amounts of praise from the same blogs. Each song was accompanied with a self-made video that basically rolled up everything currently popular in indie pop: heaping amounts of nostalgia, grainy film footage of scenes from the ’60s, DIY aesthetics and more. Therefore, their intended audiences ate up her videos. The Del Rey wars over her authenticity and motives were already raging by the time the slick, high-budget video for the album’s title track, “Born To Die,” was released. However, so far Del Rey was (by most counts) three-for-three in terms of generally likeable songs. Once she turned in her poor performance on “SNL” prior to her album’s release, many were finally convinced she was a talentless product of the industry music machine. Her detractors are partly right. I do not mean to say that “Born To Die” is a great album. It’s not. In fact, parts of it are terrible. “National Anthem” features some of the worst songwriting of the whole album, while also serving as the record’s most outright laughable track. Lyrics include, “Money is the reason we exist; everybody knows it; It’s a fact, kiss kiss. Money is the anthem of success, so put on mascara and your party dress.” To make matters worse, she sings these lines in a pouty half-whisper, half-rap that should have been left behind with her real name, even if Del Rey is the “gangsta Nancy Sinatra.” The song features a pretty catchy chorus, though, that will undoubtedly be imposed on the masses once it starts getting warm out. The song “Carmen” is another low point for the album. Melodramatic and ridiculous, the song tries to tell some sort of tragic story about a girl named Carmen who falls prey to the vices of fame and glamour, but it’s so overdramatic that it comes across as silly. It turns out most of the album’s

solutions:

Keep the law

“Superbowl”

101

on your side.

Lesson 4: Alcoholic Energy Drinks

1) chili 2) football 3) cheer 4) halftime 5) commercials 6) drinks 7) touchdown 8) ring

Are alcoholic energy drinks the same as a beer or a glass of wine?

ANSWER: Nope. Alcoholic energy drinks actually have double or triple the amount of alcohol as a typical beer. Alcoholic energy drinks always taste so good, but everyone say’s they’re so bad for you? Why is that?

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Fine-tune your routine, and consider a someone’s suggestion. You can’t always get what you want, but don’t let that stop you from trying. Review the instructions.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Slow morning relaxation that glides into a comfortable afternoon would be deightful. Things could seem rough, so go with an easy low. It all works out.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) There are plenty of opportunities to prove yourself today. Change your perspective and try again. Put down roots with a commitment. Work smarter, not harder.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) Distractions are coming at you left and right. Focus on what’s really important for you. Trust your intuition and a good friend. Listen consciously.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) Disruptions may threaten your busy schedule, but it’s nothing that you cant navigate. Try a new approach. Great re lexes and imagination come in handy.

Gemini (May 21-June 21) A brilliant scheme could lead to more coins in your pocket. Assess your wins and losses, and get organized. Schedule for success, and plot your moves.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Your ability to make others think is attractive now, but you may not want to overdo it. Don’t overlook a loved one’s needs. Keep up the good work.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Think things over, just not too much. Be patient with your instruction. Odds are you’re forgetting something, so write it down. It’s okay if it goes slowly.

Aries (March 21-April 19) Things could seem glued shut. Take extra time with hot, soapy water. Let things sit, and then the next time you ry, there’s progress. Use a gentle touch.

Cancer (June 22-July 22) Think of ways to make money with new technology. If you don’t try, you won’t know if it works. Finish up a big project. The rewards of diligence are sweet.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) If you don’t ight off demons, you’ll never know if you’re capable of courage. You don’t have to look far to ind them. They’re cruel to you. Succeed anyway.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) YOu’ll ind out what’s needed. Trust in your ability to overcome obstacles, just like you’ve done before. A partner helps you communicate feelings. Relax.

ANSWER: Alcohol mixed with caffeine and other stimulants often leads to a heavily charged central nervous system. These beverages create alert drunks, people think they can do everything a sober person can do when they can’t. So bottom line - stay away from them. answers from: abc.state.va.us

ga le ’s it N E H W k in r c h oo s e to d

l 4U

sports

february 7, 2012 COLLEGIATETIMES

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

Fans shouldn’t give Nowitzki free pass for laziness After bringing the Dallas Mavericks to their ﬁrst NBA title, Nowitzki came back from lockout out of shape

adies and gentlemen, I’m back. I know it’s been a while since I’ve made an appearance in sports (although I’m sure only a few of you noticed), but blame that on the Collegiate Times’ higher-ups and my conversion to news editor. I’ve been telling people that moving to news was like “growing up” because I no longer get to cover football — and the majority of my stories revolve around people getting arrested. After some time, that gets a little morbid for me, so it’s time to have some fun at the sports world’s expense. My first victim: Dirk Nowitzki. Looking at his body of work, it is hard to knock on Dirk, just because he is the

Dallas Mavericks. In his 14 years with the organization, Nowitzki has done it all and holds just about every record in the Mavericks’ book: points, rebounds, three pointers, free throws, field goals, games and minutes. If that wasn’t enough, Dirk solidified his place among the best power forwards in NBA history last year, with a truly heroic performance to win the city’s first-ever NBA title. It was a feel-good story that had the Dirk Nowitzki love fest at an all-time high. Here’s where my issue with the future-hall-of-fame forward begins. He partied. And as the months went by, that’s all he did. Don’t get this twisted. If I had been in the NBA for that many years as a super-

star and finally won a title, I’d go crazy too. My problem is how he came into this season after the summer filled with raging. Nowitzki came into this season having worked out very little and was about as out of shape as I’ve seen a player that didn’t look like Robert “Tractor” Trailer. His numbers this year have taken such a dip that you’d have to go back to his second season in the league (1999-2000) to see similar statistics. And then, as if that wasn’t bad enough, Dirk essentially took a week off because of an “injury,” but no one was dumb enough to believe that. He just wasn’t in good enough shape to play and was tired. What did fans do? They gave him a free pass. He did color commentary for fun, he chilled out and he watched his fans say,

“I mean, he did just win us a title.” Are you kidding me? Can you imagine if LeBron had done this? How bad would he be getting it? The first argument I get when I bring this up is that Dirk has a ring now and LeBron is still very much without one, but I don’t think that would have changed anything. If Lebron had won it all in May and come into the season like Dirk did, everyone would crucify him. They (myself included) would say things like, “He’s not a competitor,” and, “This is why he’ll never be like Kobe or Jordan.” My question is, why aren’t these questions being asked about Dirk? Because Dirk won his title, we put his name up there with the Tim Duncans, Kevin Garnetts and Karl Malones of the NBAs best power forwards. However, not once have I heard an analyst say he thinks less of Dirk. I do. Those guys were true competitors and wanted nothing but to win every game they played in. You’d never see one of them do this. The other argument I’ve heard in Nowitzki’s defense is that no one knew when the NBA season was going to start, and most people thought it would be canceled, so why not party? My rebuttal is this: Remember when you were a kid and it started snowing and you “knew” school was going to be canceled, so you didn’t bother doing your homework? Whenever I did that, I always jinxed it, and, sure enough, I was waiting at my bus stop at 6 a.m. And when I told my teacher I didn’t do my work, I took a zero on the assignment because it was expected of me to do the work whether I thought school was closed or not. That’s a lesson I learned in elementary school — something Dirk apparently forgot. And even if you say I can’t

MCT CAMPUS

Dirk Nowitzki celebrates during the Mavericks’ Game 6 win over the Miami Heat in last season’s NBA Finals. Nowitzki was the Finals MVP. compare those two things, how do you defend Dirk after watching Derek Fisher get back into game form quicker? Not only is he like 1,000 years old, but while Dirk was busy partying, Fisher was busting his butt to make sure there was going to be a season. Fisher admitted that those sessions took a toll on him to the point that he was worn down when training camp started. But he sucked it up, was close to ready by opening night and back to his usual self about a week in. I just don’t get it. Now, I’m not saying I want Nowitzki punished. I just want someone to stand

up with me and acknowledge that his actions aren’t defendable. I’m still a big fan of Dirk and will always consider him an all-time great, but I’m also a big advocate of being held accountable for your actions, and I’ve yet to see him stand up and admit to what we all know was the case. Man up Dirk. We’ll still love you.

NICK CAFFERKY -news editor -junior -communicaiton -@NickCaffCT

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