Thursday, April 5, 2012 Print Edition

Being gay in the Real World PRISCILLA ALVAREZ news staff writer “Real World: Hawaii” cast member Ruthie Alcaide came to Virginia Tech Wednesday to speak to students about LGBTQ issues, diversity and alcohol awareness.

She was known for her excessive drinking on the show in 1999 and has since traveled to college campuses to spread awareness on issues personal to her.

Alcaide spoke with the Collegiate Times to reflect on her time on “Real World,” coming out of the closet and other past experiences.

Collegiate Times: Why did you decide to come out on the show? How did the “Real World” react to that, specifically your roommates?

Ruthie Alcaide: I had already the year before I was on the show. I actually didn’t have a coming out party or anything.

My friend called me out, and it

was one of those things where I was backed into a corner and they were suspicious of me. I looked at her, and I had been hiding so long. I was watching everything I was doing, and it’s really hard because you feel like you have to pretend — talk about boys all the time, go on dates. I had covered my back for four years.

Apparently, they had had a little intervention meeting where they were going to nominate somebody to ask me if I had a

girlfriend or was bi. My whole trying to hide life flashed before my eyes, and I wondered, “What mistake did I make that you would actually think that?”

I had been carrying that burden for so long, and I was just tired of it. I just looked at her, and I was like, “Yeah, so?”

I can’t even tell you how free I felt after that. I thought I was going to lose all my friends and that never happened. see RUTHIE / page two

Ruthie Alcaide, KEVIN DICKEL / SPPS

An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903 www.collegiatetimes.com

Thursday, April 5, 2012

COLLEGIATETIMES 108th year, issue 42

News, page 2

Weekend, page 5

Opinions, page 3

Sports, page 6

Study Break, page 4

Runners lace up on campus

Live locally New student organization encourages students to embrace community, view Blacksburg as new home CHELSEA GILES features staff writer One student is looking to bridge the gap between the university and Blacksburg.

Working at the Lyric Theatre, as well as Bollo’s Bakery and Cafe, has inspired Lindsey Crocker to create Live Local — a new student organization that seeks to show how student support can benefit the community.

Crocker, a senior business management major, along with other group members, strives to raise awareness about the activities people can partici-

pate in downtown.

Live Local’s mission is to encourage students to view the town as a permanent place of living.

“If we become emotionally invested in Blacksburg, we could see it more as a home,” Crocker said.

The group created a poster titled “10 Places to Spend Your Time and Money Locally.” The list includes enjoying late night music at Gillie’s, running or biking on the Huckleberry Trail, learning how to make jewelry at Beadsburg or Sew Attitude and attending the farmers market.

PAUL KURLAK / SPPS

(Left) Nate Brandt and (right) Renee Von Guggenberg begin their weekly run with the Champs Running Club outside McComas Hall.

see LOCAL / page two

Local running clubs provide social outlet, exercise opportunity for novice and experienced runners PAUL KURLAK / SPPS

Chris Cummins, junior music major, and Elizabeth Ullrich, junior biology major, buy a slice of peach pie at Bollo’s Cafe and Bakery downtown.

many of the weekly runs.

England can attest to the club’s laid back attitude.

“It’s easy for people who aren’t As temperatures remain high, necessarily runners to go out and students are hitting the streets — get started,” he said. “We run wearing tennis shoes, that is. every week, and you can go at With beach season right your own pace. You can stop and around the corner, people are walk as you want because we all more likely to revisit their New end up and meet up back at the Year’s resolutions by taking up same place.” running.

For England, the club has Running is a rigorous cardio pushed him to commit to runworkout that builds muscle and ning. burns fat.

“It’s easy to come home from In Blacksburg, all runners — class, just crash in your apartbeginners and advanced — are ment and lose the motivaprovided two methods to rack up tion to go running, but I think their mileage per week, through Champs is a lot better for people Champs Running Club and the just getting started,” England Running Club at Virginia Tech. said.

As an extra incentive to come out and run, Champs Running Club offers members a It’s easy for people who free T-shirt and memaren’t necessarily runners bership card to receive 20 percent off of meals to go out and get started. at Champs Cafe after We run every week, and you they have completed their third group can go at your own pace. run.

The club welcomes KEVIN ENGLAND those of all running levChamps Running Club member els, and members often branch off into small groups based on ability, allowing for every runner to have Champs Running Club a custom workout.

The Champs Running Club “It’s always fun because usugives people a casual outlet to get ally you run with different people into running. The group meets almost every week,” England said. behind the McComas Hall gym every Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. before Running Club at Virginia Tech running approximately a 5K. The Running Club at Virginia The club is relaxed — so its Tech meets more frequently members range in ability, and the than the Champs Running Club structure of its runs are flexible. — members meet outside War Kevin England, a senior engi- Memorial every day at 5 p.m. to neering science and mechanics go for runs of varying difficulty major, recently joined the club and length. and makes an effort to attend see RUNNING / page two

ALLIE SIVAK

features staff writer

Group brings positivity to Drillfield DEAN SEAL news staff writer Students walking to class on the Drillfield yesterday were met with a barrage of bubbles.

The bubbles were part of Positivity Day, which was sponsored by the Health and Wellness Group of Leadership Tech.

Booths from various sponsors and clubs lined the walkways, promoting different aspects of mental health and well being.

“Our theme is relaxation.

We wanted to focus on doing something interactive, but still fun and relaxing,” said Laurie Fritsch, a health educator with Schiffert Health Center. “So we chose bubbles, not only because they’re fun, but to emphasize the need for students to take deep breaths and unwind. So far, it’s been a lot of fun — everybody has brought a good energy.”

Schiffert was one of many sponsors teamed up with Leadership Tech to put on Positivity Day. Various groups associated with both Tech and mental wellness showed support for the event, bringing activities, free food, games and features.

A popular feature of the event was a dog petting zoo, provided by students of the VirginiaMaryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, as well as an interactive yoga station provided by the yoga instructors of Tech Recreational Sports.

BRAD KLODOWSKI / SPPS

BRAD KLODOWSKI / SPPS

CJ YUNGER / SPPS

Along with several other attractions aimed to relax students, the petting zoo of dogs was popular among see POSITIVITY / page two students. All of the dogs were provided by the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine.

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april 5, 2012 COLLEGIATETIMES

Positivity: Event de-stresses students from page one

“We’re trying to create awareness for yoga,” said Jennifer Sayre, a sociology major and yoga instructor with Rec Sports. “We want people to know you can make a positive change in your life through yoga, and its unification of the mind and body.”

Sayre guided informal yoga sessions to small groups of students walking by, with Rec Sports providing yoga mats, blocks and straps.

Many groups spread their messages of positivity with tips on stress relief and their physiological advantages.

There were also representatives handing out information to students from The Raft Crisis Hotline, American Medical Students Association, Cook Counseling Center and LGBTA. The LGBTA took photos of students willing to join its Ally Campaign. Students displayed messages on a whiteboard, before being photographed in front of a rainbow-colored backdrop.

“We want to show the LGBTA has a diverse community, and even if you’re not an LGBT, you can be an A — an ally of our cause,” said

Chris Hickey, a biosystems engineering graduate student and treasurer of Queer Grads and Allies.

Leadership Tech challenged the Health and Wellness Group to put on an awareness event that would address student health issues — the group used the opportunity to deviate from the norm.

“We developed the idea last semester,” said Jill Fahrbach, a biological systems major and member of Leadership Tech. “There’s been a lot of events promoting alcohol awareness or physical health.

So we decided to promote mental health instead, and the health benefits of positive thought.”

The event came to fruition with the help of sponsors willing to spread the word on the benefits of mental wellness.

“Everything got rolling when we partnered with Cook Counseling Center,” said Ali Stowe, an education leadership and policy studies major, and graduate facilitator for Leadership Tech. “From there we were able to get great sponsors, like Raft Crisis Hotline and Big Brothers, Big Sisters. It seems to be going really great, and candy helps for sure.”

Running: Students hit trails together from page one

Aaron Richardson, a junior industrial systems engineering major, said because the club meets so often, its members are able to get to know each other well.

“With us it’s about unity really. We’re like a team and we run every day,” Richardson said. “Our main goal was just to have a club anyone can join. You don’t have to feel the pressure of being fast.”

Members run along various paths, including the Huckleberry and the Cross Country trails.

Aaron Richardson, a junior industrial systems engineering major, said the Running Club’s runs can be more challenging than those of Champs.

Richardson ran with Champs his freshman year, but became

involved in the Running Club’s expansion last year and is now the vice president.

“We’re the only available club that if you actually want a regiment and place to go every day we will be there,” Richardson said.

Members also have the opportunity to take their running to the next level — by participating in races and competitions.

Although Tech doesn’t fund the races, members of the Running Club join events based on ability and scheduling. For instance, a group of four or five members may get together to run a marathon on a given weekend.

While some members may be on the marathon-running level, runners of differing abilities come to practices.

Therefore, most — if not all — members have someone of equal caliber to run with.

Hokkaido Buffet

Ruthie: MTV star speaks out from page one

As a matter of fact, nobody cared. Man, I had been missing out and now I have to catch up.

I never had any gay friends in college because to me none of my straight friends define themselves by their sexuality, so why should I? So, I just walked around like Ruthie, not Ruthie the gay girl.

And so, that’s how I lived my college years and that’s how I tried to live my four months on the show as well. Yeah, I got asked because everyone has to know (who it is) in the house. It’s me, but its not typical. Lets not make this an issue, that’s why a lot of people to this day forget.

CT: You grew up in a conservative Filipino household. What was it like coming out to them?

ALCAIDE: I didn’t grow up with my dad because I grew up in a foster home. My dad was just a separate occasion because I was just getting to really know him after high school when I was in college. That was a completely separate event.

My foster family didn’t talk to me for two years after the show.

My foster grandmother kind of disowned me. We’re kind of close now, but it’s been a long time coming. I think it took her years and with age, I think, to finally accept me. She actually is totally fine with meeting my girlfriend.

She’s very religious, but I think she’s come to that point that she’s not judgmental — and I never thought that day would come.

CT: Once you came out, was the public reaction mostly positive or negative?

ALCAIDE: Very positive. The reaction was completely unexpected because when I went on the show, this was long before Ellen (DeGeneres) had a TV show, this is before people wrote gay characters in TV shows, this is before gay people were on TV shows besides the “Real World.” And

so when I took that risk at the time I took it, I literally thought I might put my future career in jeopardy.

Because I was still a college student you can hide behind all these pep rallies and “Take Back the Night,” but once you get out to the real world, it’s a whole different story. So when I did the show, I knew in the back of my mind that me being out might hurt me in the long run because it wasn’t as accepted as it is today.

Even in Hawaii my grandma got upset. The reason she didn’t talk to me for two years is because people were calling the house and saying I dishonored the family.

Times have changed and people don’t realize what courage it took to come out back then and risk everything for the greater cause.

I want to prove and show we’re just like everybody else.

You want to judge me, judge me for my character, but don’t ever put my sexuality into it.

That’s why I wanted to do the show. I’m Ruthie. I’m not gay Ruthie.

I almost killed myself over this and then nobody cares. That’s why it’s so important for me to spread awareness about sexuality, especially among the youth, because they all go through that point where they just want to kill themselves. Even in these more accepting times, it’s still the highest rate of suicide among youth — especially the ones that are star athletes coming out of high school, because (they) have something to live up to and it’s so much pressure.

When you care so much it takes away so much from you, and that’s what I learned in college. I don’t care anymore. It’s not that I don’t care what people think, but I cared too much about what people think, and that held me back for so many years.

editors: nick cafferky, michelle sutherland newseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865

what you’re saying On For love or money

Anonymous: ““I decided I needed to get

a degree in something. It is better to get it in anything than drop out with nothing,” Velasco said.”I took a five-year hiatus after my second academic suspension (three semesters of poor performance). Best move for me considering I’ll be finishing this semester with an outstanding GPA (thanks to Virginia Tech’s obsolete credit rule). My totaly time in school would be 5.5 years; that is, after my five year break, it took me four years to finish my degree program.Sometimes people need to take a break. You don’t **have** to do college immediately after high school.

Brian Meade: If she was doing that badly with

the basic CS courses, she never would have made it anyways so I don’t see how this is a scholarship issue. Scholarships are awards and should be given to those who work hard and maintain a good GPA. All this did was give her an earlier wake-up call. Engineering isn’t for everyone.

On Extremists raise awareness, protect essential freedoms

David: Extremists tend to tug at the boundaries too much for the comfort of all and that leads to civil unrest, or at least in the current political climate, heightened tensions. Extremests don’t cooperate. They take any opposition to their views as a challenge or threat.What this country needs are less apathetic moderates on both the liberal and conservative sides of the discussion.

Unfortunately, after decades of corruption and greed in the political system, these peoples voices stopped being heard and they gave up, giving way to the extremists. The only way this country gets back to it’s roots is for the moderates to take back the dialog of what is good for this country.

OldCorps: I remember a time when those called ‘extremists’ and ‘radicals’ by nancy pelosi were 90% of the ‘normal’ population and people who thought like her were the only ones considered radical. We need more normal, rational, logical, average people to become involved in the political process to avoid catastrophe.

Local: Student forms club from page one

“It’s not just about students spending money, it’s about spending time,” Crocker said. “You’re not just buying a cup of coffee — you’re using an atmosphere. It’s really important to be part of the Blacksburg community and what it has to offer.”

The places students choose to invest their money affects the community long term, Crocker said. Supporting corporate businesses reduces competition, which limits quality and options for customers.

Crocker was a freshman when the Blacksburg community was in debate regarding whether to build a Walmart. At the time, she said, it did not seem like an important issue. But she now understands how corporate companies negatively affect local businesses.

“We don’t have the same tax breaks and advantages that big corporations do,” said Margaret Breslau, owner of Homebody, a brick and mortar store in Blacksburg. “We have to rely on the community, and it’s different in here. We can actually speak

with you, and there’s a human connection.”

Crocker has also learned by working downtown that students’ local purchases directly affect employers’ lives — especially in the months were students aren’t in town.

Steve Miller, owner of Mish Mish — a local art supplies store — the mandatory first-year architecture summer class for freshmen is what keeps the store open.

Miller said even though traditional Mish Mish customers are mostly architecture and design students, the store is trying to reach out to the general student body.

Crocker — through Live Local — seeks to help build relationships between local businesses and students of all kinds.

“There’s a huge gap here. Some of the locals can feel very separated (from students), but they don’t necessarily want that,” she said.

“They want people to respect their establishment.”

According to Breslau, connecting with locals can be a catalyst for learning life lessons.

“I think it’s important for young

people to make connections to their community,” Breslau said.

“The values you learn are things you can take anywhere.”

She also said when people spend money locally, they show their support for the community.

Crocker echoed this sentiment.

“Where you spend your money is like voting for something,” Crocker said. “Put your money where your life is.”

Lana Juarez, owner of Matrix Gallery, said students don’t make up the majority of her client base.

She said students who have projects or papers are usually the ones who discover her store.

However, she said she recognizes the importance of students exploring the community.

“It can be slow in the summer, but we wouldn’t be in the community without the university, so we embrace it,” Juarez said.

Crocker envisions Live Local as being fully integrated in downtown. The group hosts monthly events to raise awareness and plans to serve as an add-on to Downtown Blacksburg, but with a student focus.

Downtown Blacksburg is an organization consisting of local

merchants, community members, downtown advocates and student groups who strive to support a vibrant downtown culture and sustain its economic success.

Laureen Blakemore, special events director for Downtown Blacksburg, said the organization is “the umbrella” for Live Local. She said a student group with this mission is long overdue.

“We make a lot of effort to get the students involved (downtown),” Blakemore said. “I don’t think people realize how many stores there are, and it’s only 21 steps from Squires into the town.

Take those steps and become part of the community.”

Crocker has been working with Downtown Blacksburg and attending its meetings to plan events that will draw students into the town. She wants to create a strong foundation for the group, so it will continue after she graduates.

“Blacksburg isn’t just a place you go in and out of,” Crocker said. “Take it for what it is. Once students discover what’s there, they’re going to eat it up.”

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opinions

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

april 5, 2012 COLLEGIATETIMES

MCT CAMPUS

Social media distorts Fracking endangers locals’ health truth in Martin shooting As T

he hysteria surrounding the Trayvon Martin shooting demonstrates how easy it is for the media to manipulate the American public. Initially, there was very little national outrage when 28-year-old George Zimmerman shot and killed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in Sanford, Fla. However, two weeks after the February shooting, cable news networks such as Fox News and MSNBC began a concerted effort to bombard the public about the shooting — allowing the story to infest the Internet through social media sites.

It is alarming how easy it is for social media to stir the public into a mob-like frenzy. On Facebook, groups are calling for the death of Zimmerman. “I want George Zimmerman dead,” “Kill George Zimmerman,” and “Kill Zimmerman” have appeared over the past few weeks. On Twitter, the user @ KillZimmerman and the users interacting with the account have called for a modern day lynching. Comments include “We should just get up and #killzimmerman ourselves,” and “I think they should shoot Zimmerman dead in his head in jail.”

Organizations and famous people have also joined the feeding frenzy. The New Black Panther Party increased its “dead or alive” bounty for Zimmerman’s capture to $1 million. MSNBC personality Al Sharpton recently called for an escalation in civil disobedience and alluded to coming boycotts and economic sanctions. Filmmaker Spike Lee retweeted what he thought was Zimmerman’s address, but it turns out that the address belonged to an elderly couple.

Due to threats and intimidation, the elderly couple fled their home and stayed at a hotel.

These reactions are the result of a society that frequently abandons rational thinking in favor of jumping on the emotional bandwagon parading down the road — powered by social media. However, before somebody dons a hoodie and hops into the Trayvon Martin wagon, or joins a march in protest of Zimmerman, one needs to know that the circumstances surrounding the shooting are complicated.

To begin with, the photographs that represent Martin and Zimmerman in the public eye are deceptive at best.

Even though photos exist of Zimmerman smiling and wearing a suit and tie, the only photo gracing TV screens is that of a thug-like, frowning Zimmerman wearing an orange jumpsuit.

The photos used to identify the 17-year-old Martin are far from recent, showing a cleancut, beaming 13-year-old boy.

Media outlets have access to recent photos of Martin that he used to represent himself on Twitter, but refuse to show them to the public. In the photos, Martin is wearing a wifebeater-style shirt, sporting gold teeth and a decent-sized tattoo on his arm, and making an obscene gesture to the camera.

More than 150 pages of tweets from Martin’s Twitter account

have been posted online. The name of his account was “NO_ LIMIT_” followed by a derogatory term for black people. It is hard to read his tweets, as many of them are disgusting, calling for violence, and cursing and demeaning women in the vilest of terms.

The social media circus has also used the shooting to incite racial tensions. Zimmerman, who is half Hispanic, is portrayed as the older white man who followed and murdered the young black boy. Portraying Zimmerman as a racist contradicts what friends, family and coworkers say about the man.

Joe Oliver, who worked with Zimmerman, claims his friend was remorseful and crying in the days following the shootings.

Listening to Zimmerman’s full, unedited 911 call, it sounds as if he was not entirely sure that Martin was black. When asked by the operator whether Martin was white, black or Hispanic, Zimmerman hesitated for a second before saying, “He looks black.” Only later in the call, after Martin begins to apprach Zimmerman, does he confirm that Martin is black.

The full 911 tape also casts doubt on the narrative that Zimmerman followed Martin.

Constantly played is the first half of the tape, in which Zimmerman tells police he is following Martin. Because news outlets end the tape there, one is left with the impression that Zimmerman disregarded the advice of police and continued to pursue Martin.

However, taking the time to locate and listen to the full, unedited call shows that Zimmerman was on the phone with police long after he supposedly went after Martin. In fact, it sounds like Zimmerman went back to his car and was waiting for police to show up.

This falls in line with the story one witness told, asserting that Martin approached Zimmerman and decked him.

Another witness claims to have seen Martin on top of Zimmerman, with Zimmerman’s back on the ground. And now a neighbor of Zimmerman’s is claiming that the morning following the shooting he saw Zimmerman with a bandaged nose and head. This conforms to Zimmerman’s testimony to police — that Martin punched him in the face before proceeding to slam his head on the ground multiple times.

These and other testimonies that contradict the cable news media narrative should inform people that the circumstances surrounding the shooting are complicated and unclear. Before donning a hoodie and marching against Zimmerman, it is imperative one thinks clearly and does research to uncover the truth behind the 30-second television sound bites and one-sentence Facebook remarks.

CHRIS DUNN -regular columnist -graduate student -political science

n atural gas production increases, its production process, known as hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” has become the subject of a major fight in environmental policy.

The feasibility of natural gas production has grown because of two major innovations. First, horizontal drilling allows wells to access 60 times more below-ground area while being 30 percent of the size of natural gas wells in the 1970s.

Secondly, the introduction of fracking has unlocked more gas for collection. This involves injecting pressurized water, sand and chemical additives through steel tubes more than a mile below the earth’s surface to release natural gas, which then rises to the surface within a selfcontained system.

But the economic benefit is not without drawbacks, as its negative impact on social and environmental factors can be significant. The production technique has been debated in the public and private sectors.

However, what has made fracking even more of a divisive issue is the imbalance of information between the gas producers and those whose land is affected by it. In economics, this is called information asymmetry.

Information asymmetry is when one party has better information than the other; often the information is withheld from the ignorant party in order to gain the upper hand in negotiation. This scenario produces market failures, negative externalities and social malevolence.

In the case of fracking, the gas producers are backed by special interest groups that benefit from leaving negative health and environmental concerns out of the equation. And unfortunately, the current regulations make it difficult for landown-

ers to realize the dangers fracking poses to their health and drinking water.

Googling the term “fracking,” produces pro-fracking websites that say the process creates, “more jobs, less dependence on foreign oil and a cleaner, smarter energy future for our nation.” It all sounds good, but what about the actual process? None of these sources describe anything wrong that may result from fracking practices. The talking points of special interest group America’s Natural Gas Alliance underscore this problem.

ANGA says natural gas is subject to EPA regulations that govern natural gas drilling and techniques like fracking. Yet, in 2004, the EPA study that found fracking poses “little or no threat” to drinking water was shown to be scientifically unsound and therefore required further revision. In 2005, a national energy bill championed by Dick Cheney included an exemption of hydraulic fracturing from the Safe Drinking Water Act. There are several concerns that arise from this fact.

Cheney is the former CEO of Halliburton — the company that patented hydraulic fracturing in the 1940s and remains one of the country’s largest manufacturers of fracturing fluids. This special interest of Halliburton was actively implicated in the review of the 2004 EPA report. Sounds like someone had something to hide when they took on the study.

By excluding fracking from the Safe Drinking Water Act, the government declined to require companies to disclose which chemicals were being injected into natural gas wells. A fracking well can produce more than a million gallons of wastewater often laced with highly corrosive salts, carcinogens like ben-

zene and radioactive elements like radium. Once again, special interest groups undercut the system by using political and monetary advantages to ensure the creation of policy in their best interests, not those of American citizens.

And that is my point: Free markets are driven by the ugly motive of greed. The natural gas industry is using information asymmetry to focus on the positives of increased natural gas production while hiding the social malevolence it may cause people. Issues like unhealthy drinking water, radioactivity and the burning of volatile organic compounds in wastewater treatment are being left out of natural gas energy policy.

I’m not a tree hugger, nor am I saying that we should stop investment in cleaner energy that can save us from our addiction to fossil fuels.

But there is a better way to go about developing industry. All information should be laid on the table when creating policy that affects American citizens economically and socially.

The strength of special interest groups is undermine the interests of everyone else. The government should take steps toward regulation that alleviates the problems caused by this asymmetry, not further the imbalance of information. Many Americans fear Big Brother taking over our lives, but what happens when Big Brother and Big Business join together it may be worse than we could imagine.

SHAWN GHUMAN -regular columnist -senior -communication major

Schools should respect teachers’ privacy In

February, a Philadelphia high school teacher was suspended because of a posting to her blog in which she complained that her students sometimes acted like “rude, disengaged, lazy whiners.”

In May, a Florida high school football coach was fired for sending explicit pictures to his 20-year-old girlfriend. She was not a student.

In August, a Florida high school’s “Teacher of the Year” was fired for writing on Facebook outside school hours that he considered gay marriage to be a sin and samesex unions a “cesspool.”

Most citizens view the end of work each day as a clear line in dividing their responsibilities to an employer from their rights as an individual. While at work, we accept that we must comply with work-related expectations and policies. But when the whistle blows, we consider ourselves our own masters — pursuing recreation or even legal vices as we see fit.

Increasingly, however, public school teachers are being fired or suspended for perfectly lawful activities during off-work hours when those activities are deemed inappropriate by parents or school officials.

Consider a few other such cases in the last few years: In Pennsylvania in 2010, an unidentified teacher was suspended after a third party posted a picture on Facebook showing her with a male stripper at a bridal shower.

In Georgia in 2011, teacher Ashley Payne lost a court case challenging her forced resignation in 2009. Her departure came after a parent objected to a photo she posted to Facebook showing her holding a drink while on vacation in Europe. School officials said the posting “promoted alcohol use.”

In 2009, Wisconsin teacher Betsy Ramsdale was put on leave for posting a picture of herself looking down the sight of a rifle on her Facebook site.

All of these cases involved completely lawful conduct by teachers outside of school hours. So why did they suffer consequences? As a school board member put it in the case of the Pennsylvania teacher suspended for the bridal party picture, “Everybody has a right to do what they want on their own time, but once kids and parents see it on the Internet, it becomes the school district’s problem.”

The trouble with that reasoning is that it allows teachers to enjoy the same basic rights as other citizens only so long as they don’t enjoy them in public.

Teachers have also been disciplined for lawful work they did before their teaching careers. In March, Oxnard middle school teacher Stacie Halas was placed on administrative leave after it came to light that she had been a porn actress before becoming a teacher.

And Melissa Petro, an elementary teacher in the Bronx, was yanked from the classroom and accused of conduct “unbecoming of a teacher” after she wrote a column criticizing a new rule blocking the use of Craigslist to solicit sexual encounters. In the column, she admitted that “from October 2006 to January 2007, I accepted money in exchange for sexual services.”

Immediately labeled “the Hooker Teacher,” she was fired despite two master’s degrees, five years’ experience in nonprofit work and three years as a teacher. Petro resigned rather than face a termination hearing.

And then there is the case of Shawn Loftis, a substitute teacher

in Miami until it came out that he had worked as a gay porn actor before becoming a teacher.

Loftis was fired for having violated a school district rule requiring teachers to “conduct themselves, both in their employment and in the community, in a manner that will reflect credit upon themselves and the school system.”

He was also barred from obtaining a teaching certificate for five years by the Florida Department of Education. In March, the Florida Education Practices Commission reversed that order and said Loftis could obtain a teaching certificate.

But local officials were quick to assure citizens that they would not have to hire Loftis even if he were certified.

While teachers are perhaps the most common targets of such discipline, other public employees, including police officers, city managers and prison guards, have also found themselves punished for private behavior deemed unacceptable by the public.

We demand a great deal of our public school teachers. They put in long hours in overcrowded classrooms, and yet they receive lower salaries than people in other professions requiring similar education levels.

For this sacrifice, we now demand that they live their lives according to a morality standard set to satisfy the lowest common denominator of parental sensibilities. They live under the transparent conditions of celebrities without any of the benefits, with parental paparazzi eager to catch them in an unguarded moment. They deserve better.

JONATHEN TURLEY -mcclatchy newspapers

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april 5, 2012

Regular Edition Today’s Birthday Horoscope: The communication rivers are flowing! You may find yourself floating downstream en route to adventures of the academically, spiritually and physically enlightening kind. Your people are your focus this year, with career and prosperity building. Infuse it all with love.

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Week ending March 30, 2012

Top tracks

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Boyfriend • Justin Bieber We are Young (Feat. Janelle Moneae) • Fun

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april 5, 2012 COLLEGIATETIMES

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wryly

ReILLY DELIGHTFULLY OFFENSIVE.

Browbeaten: How University of Kentucky’s Anthony Davis gave me graduation anxiety

J

ust when it looked like college sports was headed toward its bleakest year in recent history, the NCAA tournament came to the rescue with a Cinderella story for the ages.

It was a story ripped straight out of the reels of “Hoosiers” as Anthony Davis and Kentucky proved any scrappy underdog could win a championship as long as it has heart, desire and five future NBA players in the starting lineup.

Sarcastic indictment of John Callipari’s perfectly legal, if vaguely unethical, philosophy of building teams around one-and-done “student athlete” aside, the Wildcat’s accomplishment was admittedly impressive, even in the era of colleges serving as the NBA’s salary-free farm system.

Kentucky simply stomped everybody it played. Lead by 6-foot-10-inch wunderkind Davis and a crew of mostly underclassmen — the starting lineup didn’t feature anyone older than a sophomore — the Wildcats took all the excitement out of a season that initially seemed wide open.

Normally, athletic domination gets tedious — but it doesn’t typically involve Davis. A formerly “short” high school shooting guard whose pituitary glands went nuts late in his prep career, Davis moves like he doesn’t realize he’s nearly 7-feet tall, patrolling the paint in a dazzling display of agility and swatted shots.

As a true freshman, he won the Naismith Award for best national player, the Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Tournament, and was named a first team All-American by multiple publications. Someone who is the same age as the confused kids meandering around campus in lanyards was the best player in all of college basketball, and it wasn’t even close.

If Davis stayed for another year, he could start a bona fide dynasty a la Kareem Abdul-Jabar at UCLA. Of course, that sound you just heard was his agent cackling like a hyena because the only place Davis is going is to a terrible NBA team salivating to anoint

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him their savior.

Davis is the definition of a freshman phenomenon — a one-year wonder who made a brief shining pit stop in the collegiate ranks before taking his talents to the bigger stage. In that time, though, he left college basketball fans with memories of his mesmerizing skill and unselfish play, permanently endearing himself to millions of Americans.

But not me. I hate Davis.

It’s nothing personal. He seems like an affable, sufficiently modest guy who deserves his unbelievable success. Hate is probably too strong a word, as well — it’s probably more of a jealous bitterness.

Why irrationally hold it against a kid for having sharp defensive instincts and being the size of a baby giraffe?

Something about watching a freshman eviscerate the competition en route to fame and fortune in the NBA awoke my graduation anxiety and now it’s running full-steam like a sprinter hitting his stride. All my dormant feel-

ings of inadequacy have sprung to life, doing a conga line of dread through my mind during all waking hours.

I’m well aware of the inherent silliness of comparing anybody to a oncein-a-generation athlete, but it’s hard to resist that basic human temptation, especially when you’re peering ahead at an uncertain, jobless future.

Nothing makes you feel older and more unaccomplished than seeing an 19-year-old, or really anyone younger, achieve phenomenal success while you’re still groping around in the dark trying to find a way out of the cave. No one is expected to be the next Mark Zuckerberg, but that doesn’t make it any more comforting to see teenagers making it big.

At this point, a month away from losing my precious collegiate buffer to the real world, Davis, One Direction and those precocious kids from “Modern Family,” haunt my nightmares. They taunt me with their cookie-cutter pop songs and adolescent riches.

Of course, all of these young stars —

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wanna-Bieber pop singers excluded — have talents they’ve spent their lives working to perfect. I’m not as good at anything as Davis is at basketball, except finding new and creative ways to wait until the last minute to do work.

In a way, though, we aren’t so different — aside from the freakish athleticism and millions of dollars that is. We’re both entering a new stage of our lives and no matter how ready we think we are, fate will almost certainly find a way to reject our expectations like a weak layup in the post.

Davis’s Naismith Award won’t mean much to anyone in a league filled with the world’s tallest athletes. The first time he gets tossed to the floor by a hard Tyson Chandler foul, he’ll get the same lesson we all receive: College is over, hot shot.

I thought imagining Davis go through the NBA rookie school of hard knocks would bring me some schadenfreude as I struggle to come to grips with the incoming reality of post-grad life.

Instead, I’m feeling unexpected empathy with this soon-to-be millionaire.

We’re both leaving the comfort of college — and really, youth — behind for the intimidating openness of the real world.

Davis and the rest of the college athletes moving onto the pros are probably just as nervous as I am. You better believe my green-eyed monster will make an appearance when ESPN announces the details of his rookie contract, but for now, we’re something like brothers in arms.

Besides, there’s always a chance us nobodies will find fabulous success of our own. If Davis can bring the unibrow into style, anything is possible.

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Send your information and a photo to the Collegiate Times at studybreak@collegemedia.com to make an announcement.

Aries (March 21-April 19) When in doubt, get a second opinion.

There could be a change in plans, so take care. Compromise so that everyone wins. Let love be the determining factor. Relax.

Cancer (June 22-July 22) Constant interaction is bene icial today. The environment is right for making changes at home, and things could get busy. Accept contributions.

Give thanks.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Don’t say it all yet. It isn’t what you thought. You’re con ident now, with power increasing. Neatness counts.

Check for errors and changes. Things may not go as planned.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Focus on making money for the next few days, as work comes pouring in.

Handle old business to make way for new creative projects. Express your affection with artistry.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) You really get into your studies now.

Exploration and research become tantalizing. Love shines through. A quiet night with a movie could be delicious.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) Slow down and think it over. The next two days are good for treasure hunting. Complete old tasks, and conserve resources without sacri ice.

Love motivates.

Gemini (May 21-June 21) You’re entering a two-day creative cycle ... very romantic! Accept a bonus.

Disagreement inspires imagination.

Disappointments in love can be artistic fodder.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) You’re entering a two-day potential spending spree, so take care. The money’s available, and you may need it later for home repair. Evaluate a crazy suggestion.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Make sure you’re schedule is up to date. You’re in high demand among your friends; listen to their advice.

You may have to adapt as you go.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) The road ahead may be illed with obstacles. You can either ind another route or plow ahead and enjoy the adventure. Disagree persuasively.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.” The words of Helen Keller resonate with Aquarius today.

Take notes for your memoir. Create something memorable.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) Intense feelings are on the rise. Learn to take advantage of them for the best.

It may not be easy to make a choice.

Trust your instinct.

he says: Emily is the most beautiful person I have ever met. I could go on and on about how good she is or all the nice things she does but beautiful truly describes everything she is and does.

Not only is she my girlfriend but she is also my best friend. Not a second passes where I would rather be anywhere but with her. she says: He’s absolutely wonderful --sweet, funny, and always honest. He is always there for me and takes care of me, even when I don’t deserve it. I can’t imagine anyone more perfect! their first date:

We went to lunch and a bookstore on our first date (we're both nerds). We decided to get some coffee and sit and talk. By the end of our conversation we had laughed way too much for normal people. I am pretty sure we flicked more whipped cream and coffee at each other than we had actually drank.

Have a couple you want to nominate for ‘Couple of the Week?’ Email your nominations to studybreak@collegemedia.com with the title ‘Couple of the Week.’

6

april 5, 2012 COLLEGIATETIMES

ZACH MARINER sports editor The Hokies continued spring practice on Wednesday night, and even had a light scrimmage to end the evening.

“It was ragged, but it was our first scrimmage work, first time in the stadium,” said head coach Frank Beamer. “I think what I’m really pleased with is the effort and how we worked against each other, our aggressiveness and full-speed work.

As long as you’ve got effort, we’ll get better.”

Here are some notes and storylines to keep up with this spring:

OPPOSITES IN THE BACKFIELD

While freshmen Michael Holmes and JC Coleman may have similar running styles, in that they’re both quick and elusive, they couldn’t be more opposite off the field (or at least, in front of the media).

While Coleman cherished his first opportunity to speak with reporters last week, telling anecdotes

sports Spring practice notebook

editors: matt jones, zach mariner

sportseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865

about how he’s dreamt of playing for Virginia Tech for a long time, Holmes takes a different approach.

Soft-spoken and stoic, the only thing Holmes wanted to talk about was getting better.

“I just want to get better and work hard, and that’s what I’m going to do,” he said.

While following in the footsteps of the school’s all-time leading singleseason rushing performance may seem like a lot to handle, it doesn’t seem to faze Holmes very much.

“I mean, there’s a little pressure,” he said. “There’s always going to be pressure when you’re at a D-I college. I’m just trying to do my best to learn these plays and get them down pack.”

Rather than use his words to help him stand out, No. 20 lets his play on the field do the talking.

“The guy who you kind of notice a couple times is Michael Holmes,” Beamer said. “He’s got good moves, power and speed. He’s a guy you kind of notice.”

Holmes has been getting the first-

team reps so far this spring, as he and Coleman will continue to battle it out for the starting role through the fall.

O-LINE NOT YET ‘COHESIVE’

One of the biggest concerns for Hokie fans this offseason is the development of what will basically be a brand new offensive line.

Having lost four starters from last year’s team, Curt Newsome’s unit is having a bit of trouble developing a sense of togetherness at this point.

“We haven’t got to the cohesive part that we need,” said offensive coordinator Bryan Stinespring.

“We’re working toward that, and I really like this group. They know they’ve got a lot of work to do, this is going to be a journey. This is a process. You just want to see some improvement from day to day and practice to practice.

“We’re going to have to prove a great deal across the board, not just within our offensive line, and that’s what I addressed to our offense afterward. There’s going to be some bumps along the road, but we have

to keep pressing forward and stay the course.”

Although things haven’t gone extremely smooth to this point, it’s still early in the season, and Newsome likes what he’s seen from a few of his guys so far. “(Michael Via) has played every position (on the offensive line),” he said. “He started at center, he’s repped at guard in all the games, then he’s played tackle. He’s a guy who comes in there, if he doesn’t start at one of the positions up front, he can play all of them.”

While Via has stood out with his versatility, transfer Brent Benedict has stood out to Newsome for different reasons.

“I like his mentality,” Newsome said of Benedict. “He brings a physical presence. The thing with him that’s hard to judge is, he’s been in our offense for four practices. His mind is tying up his feet a little bit, but I think he brings some physicalness up there. I think he has a shot.”

While Benedict has been having some trouble learning the scheme of things at Tech, he is working with the starters as of right now.

“It’s very early on,” he said. “I am working with the ones, and I feel comfortable inside, it’s a good position for me. I’m just excited. We have a couple weeks of work left, and we’ll see how it goes.”

Another probable starter for this unit is tackle Vinston Painter, who was a highly touted recruit coming out of high school. Now a senior, Painter will finally get his opportunity to show Tech fans his abilities.

“In high school, you’re just bigger and stronger than everyone, so it’s easier,” he said. “When you get to college, it’s good-on-good, and it’s not just power and speed. You have to have technique and take the time to learn it. After you learn technique, it’s just about playing hard after that.

“I’m playing harder, I’m playing faster. Now I just have to work on my hands being inside the shoulder pads, that being the main issue I need to focus on.”

ROBERTS HAPPY TO BE BACK

After spending most of the last two seasons sidelined by injuries, Dyrell Roberts also has one last shot to show fans in Blacksburg what he’s capable of.

He’s flashed it several times over the years, returning a kickoff for a six against Alabama in 2009 and catching the game-winning touchdown in the wild Nebraska game

CJ YUNGER / SPPS

Kyle Fuller gets into his stance during practice Wednesday night.

Fuller is entering his third year as a starter in the defensive backfield. that same year.

But at this point, the redshirt senior (who received a medical redshirt after breaking his arm against Arkansas State in week three of 2011) is just feeling good to be back out there on the field.

“I feel pretty good, man. It takes time to get back into the swing of things, but after the first week of practice, I got my conditioning right and things like that,” he said. “You get little nicks and bruises, but that’s football.”

While Roberts has gone mostly forgotten due to spending so much time off the field, he thinks the tandem of DJ Coles, Marcus Davis and himself can be just as productive as the two record-setting receivers the school lost to graduation.

“Don’t get me wrong, Jarrett

(Boykin) and Danny (Coale) were great players,” he said. “We’re definitely going to miss them. They gave a lot of production when they were here. But, that’s what happens in college football. You do your time, then you move on to the next level.

“I think we have the potential to not have a drop off, and just fill in as we come and continue the success we’ve been having.”

Roberts will more than likely come back to his previous role of returning kicks, and might even spend some time returning punts, as well.

“Coach wants me to (return kicks), but right now I’m more focused on punt returning,” he said. “It’s still up in the air, we’re all kind of going at it.

I think me and Kyshoen will be the ones, maybe Kyle too, but right now I’ll probably end up doing both.”