Tuesday, September 4, 2012 An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903 www.collegiatetimes.com
COLLEGIATETIMES 109th year, issue 6 News, page 2
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TREVOR WHITE / SPPS
The Hokies opened up their football season Monday night with an ACC divisional match against the rivaled Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. Go to www.collegiatetimes.com for results and the full game story
A wave of orange
Clery Act fines reinstated by Department of Education MALLORY NOE-PAYNE news editor
New orange effect t-shirts seen around campus and at game raise money for Student Government Association CAMERON AUSTIN news staff writer
Under the multicolored ponchos and rain jackets were over 36,000 Orange Effect shirts covering Lane Stadium for Monday nights season opener against Georgia Tech. The Student Government association sponsors the annual contest where students can submit designs for both the Orange and Maroon Effect t-shirts. This year’s theme for the Orange Effect shirts was “The Sweet Sound of Victory.” Sara Goforth, a sophomore Visual Communications Design major, won the competition for the back of the t-shirt’s design. “I pictured the Thursday night UNC game from the fall 2011
season. I remembered Skipper, the cannon, and the fireworks at the very end of the game in celebration of our win. It just seemed like the perfect combination of sound for the shirts.” Danielle Buynak, a junior English major, designed the front of the Orange Effect shirts. Buynak is also a designer for the Collegiate Time and works particularly on the Extra Point section. The SGA sponsors this competition as their main fundraising every year, and as an opportunity to pull the community together. Michael Conway, Hokie Effects assistant director, “The 66,233 people that fill Lane Stadium are only a fraction of the millions of Hokies around the nation that will be watching the games.
Hokie Effect unites the community through the fact that we are all Hokies and we are all supporting our football team.” SGA uses the funding for all different purposes. Some of the funding is used for daily operations, marketing, and improving campus life for students. Other funding has gone to help sponsor great on campus programs that embody Ut Prosim like the Big Event and Relay for Life. “It’s been amazing to see so many people around campus wearing the shirt. I feel really honored to have had the opportunity to create something like this for my school,” said Goforth. “It’s pretty incredible.” The Maroon Effect will be held on October 13th for the game against the Duke Blue Devils.
The U.S. Secretary of Education has reinstated fines against Virginia Tech for violating federal law and failing to issue a timely warning in the midst of the April 16, 2007, shootings. The ruling, issued Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, is the latest in a series of appeals which began when the DOE released a report in May of 2010, officially finding Tech’s actions during the massacre violated the Clery Act. The Clery Act is a code of federal regulations regarding the crime reporting around campuses. The act applies to all schools that accept federal financial aid for their students. Under the law, schools must disclose an emergency response plan and alert the campus community to certain crimes in a timely manner. The act does not define “timely.” Duncan overruled a previous finding by a DOE administrative court, instating a $27,500 fine which had been previously dropped. The fines had been nullified in an administrative law court of the DOE in March. Judge Ernest Canellos found Tech had met its responsibility of sending out a timely warning and cleared the school of all fines. Canellos determined an email sent to the university community at 9:26 a.m. the morning of the shootings qualified under the Clery Act and contained “sufficient information to put
the community on notice as to the incident.” Tech published a timely warning policy in its annual Clery Act security report which gave the Tech Police Department authority in issuing warnings. However, an administrative policy published on the university’s website assigned the same responsibility to university relations. Canellos chose not to fine the university for this discrepancy, saying it would not be “in keeping with the purpose of a fine action to penalize the institution for a technical deviation from its stated policy.” Additionally, Canellos said the case was the most emotional trial he had ever presided over. Canellos’ March ruling was appealed by Federal Student Aid, FSA, leading to the most recent reversal by Duncan. Duncan argued Tech’s warning, issued more than two hours after the initial shootings, was not executed on a reasonable basis, agreeing with the FSA’s argument that the email was not sent within a time frame that ensured the campus community had sufficient time to react. According to Duncan’s ruling, the university was “confronted with the distinct possibility the gunman was armed and still at large. Faced with this possibility, (Tech) should have resolved any doubts it had regarding the timing of the warning by issuing (it) before 9:26 a.m.” Duncan’s ruling also found that Tech violated the Clery Act
because of it’s unclear policies, saying that universities should not have multiple timely warning policies that are inconsistent. University Spokesperson Larry Hincker released a statement Friday in response to the decision. “The federal government has never defined a timely warning and continues to hold universities accountable even when a university’s actions are well within the department’s own guidelines,” he said. Hincker also disagreed with what he called Duncan’s “off the mark” conclusion university policies were inconsistent and undisclosed. The VTV Family Foundation released a statement Saturday in support of Duncan’s decision. “VTV is pleased that this issue has been resolved and that we — and all members of the Virginia Tech community — can now continue on together in our efforts to make colleges and universities safer,” the statement said. However, it’s unlikely the issue has come to complete resolution. Tech may still appeal, and the decision rests with President Charles Steger and legal representation from the office of Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli. According to the statement from Hincker, there is a high possibility of further litigation in federal court and Steger plans to recommend an appeal. Follow this writer on Twitter @ MalloryNoePayne
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news
september 4, 2012 COLLEGIATETIMES
editors: mallory noe-payne, victoria zigadlo newseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865
what you’re saying Editorial: Bikers need to obey rules of road
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Anonymous: Needed to be said, damn bikers have no respect for traffic or people walking around.
Here’s the quick and dirty on what happened last week in and around Blacksburg
Letter to editor: Police put a brake on bicycles
Peter: If cars actually respected cyclists and The Bruegger's Bagels and Qdoba franchises that opened at Turner Place at Lavery Hall Monday, August 27, reported having all me record opening day sales, John Barre , the Assistant Director for Dining Services at Turner Place, confirmed.
Sco F. Midkiff, professor and head of the Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering in the College of Engineering at Virginia Tech, was named the new university vice president for informa on technology and chief informa on officer by President Charles Steger. Midkiff will begin his posi on in October and is replacing Earving L. Blythe, who has held the posi on since 1991.
Virginia Tech hosted a three-day music fes val at the Catawba Sustainability Center Aug. 31 through Sept. 2, which featured Acous c Syndicate and other bands. Cosponsored by the Virginia Tech Roanoke Center and Half Acre Promo ons, the fes val was designed to encourage local ea ng and sustainability. Proceeds earned directly benefited local ar sans, musicians, farmers, and other businesses.
President Barak Obama held a campaign rally in Charlo esville, Virginia on Thursday, August 30. More than 7,500 people a ended the event, which took place on University of Virginia's third day of classes for the fall semester.
acknowledged their right to the road I might agree with this person. As it is bicyclists are given little or respect by drivers or the road system itself. Bike lanes appear, then disappear. The reconstruction of North Main St. is a case in point. It is highly hazardous to ride a bike on North Main St. since the town didn't bother to make room for bike lanes. All this talk of sustainability and 'green living' is just so much hot air by both VT and the town to make themselves feel good. Biking should be encouraged in every way possible, yet I see it as increasingly dangerous physically and now legally.
Peter: After a right-turning vehicle hit me on a crosswalk on main st while on my bike (when I had teh walk signal) i sued for damages and lost as i was a "vehicle" in a pedestrian lane. Now I walk the bike instead, dismounting right before the light and crossing whenever I like. Protections for pedestrians say that all vehicles must stop for you regardless of traffic signals. since the city favors vehicles so much, maybe you all should be grateful that cyclists are not bringing their motorized vehicles to work every day so the rest of you enjoy reduced wait times in traffic Person: Um all laws everywhere require bikes to be dismounted and walked across cross walks. Just saying. Dear Sanjay: Last year a law was passed in Virgina allowing bicyclist to treat a red light as a 4 way stop. Thus they can "run" a red light if they stop first. That being said the law also states if hit by a car when "running" a red light under this rule they are responsible not the car.
VICTORIA ZIGADLO/ COLLEGIATE TIMES
crimeblotter date
time
offense
location
arrestees
8/31/2012
10:39 p.m.
Underage Possession of Alcohol x3
Behind Lane
Student Conduct
8/31/2012
11:46 p.m.
Urinating in Public
Alumni Mall
Student Conduct
9/01/2012
12:00 a.m.
Appear Intoxicated in Public
Toms Creek Rd
9/01/2012
1:30 a.m.
Appearing Intoxicated in Public/ Underage Possession of Alcohol
Alumni Mall
Student Conduct
9/01/2012
2:24-2:30 p.m.
Larceny of a book bag and laptop computer
Torgersen
Active
9/02/2012
12:00 a.m.
Appear Intoxicated in Public
Campbell
Shane Foley, 18
Arrested
9/02/2012
1:26 a.m.
Appear Intoxicated in Public
Main Eggleston
Patrick Yeates, 18
Arrested
9/02/2012
2:22 a.m.
Underage Possession of Alcohol
Barringer
9/02/2012
2:38 a.m.
Appear Intoxicated in Public/ Underage Surge Parking Lot Possession of Alcohol
9/02/2012
2:57 a.m.
Underage Possession of Alcohol
West Ambler Johnston
9/02/2012
3:58 a.m.
Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol
Kent St
James Stuart, 21
status
Arrested
Student Conduct Rishi Verma, 20
Arrested Student Conduct
Sang Suhk, 25
Arrested
editors: josh higgins, bethany melson opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865
opinions
september 4, 2012 COLLEGIATETIMES
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The Collegiate Times is an independent student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903 Collegiate Times Editorial Staff Editor in Chief: Michelle Sutherland Managing Editor: Nick Cafferky Design Editors: Andrea Ledesma, Alicia Tillman Special Section Design Editor: Danielle Buynak Public Editor: Erin Chapman Web Editor: Chelsea Gunter News Editors: Mallory Noe-Payne, Victoria Zigadlo News Reporters: Priscilla Alvarez, Cody Owens Features Editors: Emma Goddard, Nick Smirniotopoulos Features Staff Writers: Ben Kim, Katie White, Kara Van Scoyc, Allie Sivak, Jacob Wilbanks Opinions Editors: Josh Higgins, Bethany Melson Sports Editors: Matt Jones, Zach Mariner Special Sections Editors: Cody Elliot, Gina Patterson Copy Chief: Nora McGann Copy Editors: Allison Hedrick, Kristin Gunter Collegiate Times Business Staff Business Manager: Ryan Francis Circulation Manager: Travis Neale Student Publications Photo Staff Director of Photography: Brad Klodowski
MCT CAMPUS
New BCS playoff committee GPA misrepresents lowfund high school grads needs unbiased members Over the summer, our very own president, Charles Steger, headed the BCS Presidential Oversight Committee. This committee was established to explore the possibility of a playoff system in college football, something many coaches, players, analysts and fans have been clamoring for. The committee agreed on a proposal for the 2014-2025 seasons. During these seasons, the top four teams, selected by a committee, will be seeded and placed in semifinal games played on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. The winners of these games will then play the championship game on the second Monday in January. There will be a total of six bowl games at six different bowl sites. These sites will be on a rotating schedule between seasons. The committee will also choose who plays in the four bowl games not part of the playoffs, and just like the Super Bowl, the highest bidding city will host the championship game. Ever since 2009, when there were five undefeated teams at the end of the season, I have been a proponent for a college football playoff system. This is because, in that season, even though there were five undefeated teams, Boise State, Cincinnati, and TCU were not even considered for the National Championship Game because they were from small conferences. Instead, Texas and Alabama played each other. These small-market teams should be allowed to play large conference teams in a win-and-move-on or loseand-go-home style game to determine who the real champions of college foot-
ball are. The committee decided the major conference champions would be guaranteed a spot in one of the six bowl games — the champions from the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, and SEC will receive automatic bids to bowl games. These bids are not necessarily to the two semi-final games, but those conference champions will still have an easier time than small-market teams in making it into bowl season.
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These small-market teams should be allowed to play large conference teams in a win-and-moveon or lose-and-gohome style game to determine who the real champions of college football are.”
Even though the conference champions will get automatic bids, there will still be six open slots to be filled by small market teams, or even non-conference champions, which means these darkhorse teams can play in the Sugar Bowl instead of the Pacific Life Holiday Bowl and receive more acclaim and fans. As happy as I am about the BCS implementing this playoff system, there is still one major concern every college football fan should have: Who is going to be on this committee? The members of this committee will be the most powerful people in college foot-
ball. The committee should not be full of retired coaches, or athletic directors, or conference commissioners. Sure, people in those positions know a lot about college football, but they have inherent biases. If a Big Ten team was seeded in place of a smaller conference team, and the Big-Ten conference commissioner is on the committee, I would become very wary of the integrity of this committee. These committee members can say they do not have bias or loyalty toward teams they represent, but I would never be able to ease that creeping suspicion from my mind. Instead, the committee members should be experts on college football who have no affiliation or ties to any particular college, willing spend hundreds of hours watching tape, and will not be inf luenced by the media. This will ensure only the best four teams will play each other for the title. Only then can we as fans be sure not only are the best teams playing, but the most exciting games to watch are going to be on during the playoffs. As I stated before, I am and will continue to be a proponent of a playoff system in college football, but only if it’s done right. In order to do it right, the committee members will need to be selected with the utmost care. Until we know who will be on that committee, we as college football fans should not be satisfied with the system. MARCUS WILLIAMS -regular columnist -economics -junior
we’re YOUR newspaper. send a letter to the editor and express your views. send an email to opinionseditor@collegiatetimes. com with your letter or guest column attached.
Virginia Tech is now home to approximately 5,400 new students — the class of 2016. The freshmen at Tech not only encapsulate the school’s growth, but also the school’s highly selective admissions process. However, the numbers must be put into perspective. The incoming class had an average high school GPA of 3.98, just shy of the Class of 2015 at 4.00, but still one of the highest Tech has ever had to boast. One hundred twenty four of the new students were their high school’s valedictorians or salutatorians, and 25 percent of the class had a GPA of at least 4.22. These numbers are not supposed to be a measure of college success, of course, but they do shed light on Tech’s selective admissions process and a tendency to favor students from larger schools and larger population centers. By default, the largest schools are situated within the largest population samples. They graduate large numbers of students each year, and if the socio-economic characteristics of the region are favorable, receive funding to offer better opportunities to students. These larger schools typically offer the most honors, AP, and IB classes — these are the GPA juggernauts that help students add strength to their transcripts and develop a more competitive resume when applying for college. Unfortunately, smaller and less funded schools simply cannot support expansive advanced placement programs. The result is a tendency for admissions to concentrate on the largest schools in the well-funded areas, potentially creating an unfair advantage over students who live in rural areas, smaller towns or in poorer districts. These students do not have the same options to beef up their GPA and have less to offer when applying to school. This comes at a time when the standard for getting into Tech is continuing to trend upward year after year. The competition, even with potential disparity between large and small schools, is getting tougher and tougher, and students generally bring more to the table when con-
sidering Virginia Tech as a college. SAT scores and grade point averages are at unprecedented levels for college freshmen, and some concerns may develop over whether or not these statistics accurately predict college readiness. As Tech’s rankings remain high in key areas — engineering, architecture, and business — it is necessary to attract more competitive students to foster the school’s advantage. However, caution needs to be taken to ensure prospective students are actually more competitive, and not just reaping the benefits of an artificially inflated curriculum in high school, which has become a concern in recent years. Unfortunately, Virginia’s demographics continue to shift toward more populated areas with higher incomes. The disparity in public school funding and development is a by-product Virginia can’t avoid. And as national education practices continue to rely on accountability in teachers and student performance, grades and offered courses will become more lenient and less restrictive. In order to maintain a high standard of admissions and to keep Tech in the national spotlight as a reliable academic haven, the school must approach these trends with a careful focus on where a student is from, what they have available to them, and how they performed in an environment that fostered education, not test performance. Students from smaller schools should not be considered less worthy of admission compared to students from larger schools simply because they aren’t offered the same opportunities through no fault of their own. Prospective students from large and small towns must be evaluated in ways that go far beyond a strong academic transcript in order to level the playing field. And if such a transformation occurs, Tech must make sure the integrity of incoming classes are maintained long-term to keep the strong programs strong and to foster growth in others. ERIC JONES -regular columnist -psychology -senior
College Media Solutions Assistant Ad Director: Carla Craft Account Executives: Elizabeth Dam, Emily Daugherty, Taylor Moran Inside Sales Manager: Amanda Gawne Assistant Account Executives: Andrew Newton, Jordan Williams Creative Director: Danielle Bushrow Assistant Creative Services Director: Alyssa Morrison Creative Staff: Mary Dassira, Chloe Young, Cameron Vaile, Diana Voice your opinion. Readers are encouraged to send letters to the Collegiate Times. 365 Squires Student Center Blacksburg, VA, 24061 Fax: (540) 231-9151 opinionseditor@collegiatetimes. com All letters to the editor must include a name and daytime phone number. Students must include year and major. Faculty and staff must include position and department. All other submissions must include city of residence, and if applicable, relationship to Virginia Tech (i.e., alumni, parent, etc.). All letters should be in MS Word (.doc) format, if possible. Letters, commentaries and editorial cartoons do not reflect the views of the Collegiate Times. Editorials are written by the Collegiate Times editorial board, which is composed of the opinions editors, editor-in-chief and the managing editors. Letters to the editor are submissions from Collegiate Times readers. We reserve the right to edit for any reason. Anonymous letters will not be printed. Have a news tip? Call or text 200-TIPS or e-mail newstips@collegiatetimes. com Collegiate Times Newsroom 231-9865 Editor-in-Chief 231-9867 College Media Solutions Advertising 961-9860 The Collegiate Times, a division of the Educational Media Company at Virginia Tech, was established in 1903 by and for the students of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. The Collegiate Times is published every Tuesday through Friday of the academic year except during exams and vacations. The Collegiate Times receives no direct funding from the university. The Collegiate Times can be found online at www.collegiatetimes.com. Except where noted, all photographs were taken by the Student Publications Photo Staff. To order a reprint of a photograph printed in the Collegiate Times, visit reprints. collegemedia.com. The first copy is free, any copy of the paper after that is 50 cents per issue. © Collegiate Times, 2012. All rights reserved. Material published in the Collegiate Times is the property thereof, and may not be reprinted without the express written consent of the Collegiate Times.
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september 4, 2012
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Today’s Birthday Horoscope: These last few years show what’s important. Friends and family keep you nurtured. Your career and finances grow with steady watering over the coming year. A new educational discovery sparks after October.
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Week ending August 31, 2012 By David Poole
ACROSS 1 Beatles film 5 Globetrotter’s need 9 TV choice 14 x, y and z, in math 15 Israel’s Barak 16 Curved moldings 17 Hard to spot 18 Muddy up 19 Chestnut-hued horses 20 Chicken, beef, or fish? 23 Bar order 24 Sweetie
Top Tracks We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together • Taylor Swift
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9/4/12 25 Three-time Oscar winner for Best Foreign Language Film 27 Saw 32 Membership list 33 Slangy morning cup 34 Tabloid exclusive 36 Inferior 39 Director of the last episode of “M*A*S*H” 41 Concerning 43 Hershey’s toffee bar 44 First name in daytime TV
46 Worldweariness 48 Gin maker Whitney 49 Jazz and swing periods 51 Word with crew or key 53 Gridiron call 56 Respectful title 57 French vineyard 58 Expensive bottle of wine? 64 River including Livingstone Falls 66 Major in astronomy?
DOWN 1 Boaters and bowlers 2 Auditorium sign 3 “Leading With My Chin” author 4 Film with a creepy motel owner 5 Archie’s heartthrob 6 Denny’s competitor 7 Diamonds, but not emeralds 8 Robin Williams forte 9 Tight braid 10 Gone by 11 Shop specializing in Winnie the Pooh merchandise? 12 Lotte who played Rosa Klebb in “From Russia With Love” 13 German steel town 21 Fashion designer Michael 22 Anthem contraction 26 Pontiac muscle cars 27 Slightly cracked 28 Angler’s need 29 Money set aside for garden mazes?
30 Drink brand with a lizard logo 31 Mars pair 35 __ rock 37 Alone 38 Joyce’s homeland 40 Ostentatious behavior 42 “__ With Morrie”: Albom best-seller 45 Salts on the ocean 47 Hip bones 50 Star Wars prog. 52 German sub? 53 Present itself, as a thought
54 Tolkien ringbearer 55 1975 Tonywinning play about a stableboy 59 The munchies, e.g. 60 Cruise stop 61 Dark purple fruit 62 Eternities, seemingly 63 Midterm or final 65 “Golly!”
Friday’s Puzzle Solved
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WORDSEARCH: Hokie Football Roster Locate the list of words in the word bank in the letter grid.
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WORD BANK 1 THOMAS 2 DAVIS 3 GEORGE 4 EDWARDS 5 EXUM 6 ROBERTS 7 GAYLE 8 DYER 9 TAYLOR 10 DUNN 11 COLEMAN 12 SCALES 13 FULLER 14 MILLER 15 COLES 16 WANG 17 TWEEDY 18 VIA
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september 4, 2012 COLLEGIATETIMES
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View looks good for apartment complex addition
KEVIN DICKEL/ SPPS
In addition to planned expansions that will add 38 new units, Terrace View apartments on Patrick Henry Drive recently added a new club house, fitness center, additional pool and hot tub.
Terrace View plans expansion, makes case for no additional parking spaces at Planning Commission CODY OWENS news reporter
The horizon looks good for Terrace View — though not necessarily for its residents with cars. Blacksburg’s second-largest apartment complex has proposed a development plan to add 163 bedrooms. However, the plan, which will see Terrace View expand by a rate of nearly 10 percent, does not presently include any additions to the complex’s parking spaces.
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Specifically, the development will add a bedroom to 140 townhouses and will convert 23 apartment’s storage rooms into bedrooms. The growth is consistent with Blacksburg’s goals for multi-residential growth that avoids sprawl and also fits into the town’s current zoning guidelines. But, the complex and the town disagree on the issue of parking. Iconic Development LLC, one of two real estate companies that acquired Terrace View in May 2011, conducted a study among residents
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) -- Make love a priority. You can solve any problem through partnership. Listen and learn. Count coins and pay bills for the rest of this period. Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) -- Stay out of somebody else’s argument. Delegate to a worthy partner for awhile. Work can be fun, too, you know. Infuse meetings with imagination.
Danford in attendance. Iconic produced a study on the use of parking at Terrace View Apartments. According to the study, residents presently use about three-fourths of a parking space per bedroom. The study did not include the 120 spots lining the complex’s streets. Terrace View resident Anthony Delano agrees with the assertion that resident parking is fine, but he says that visitor parking is a different story. “Parking for residents isn’t that big of a deal,” the junior human nutrition, foods and exercise major said. “When
it comes to visitors, that’s when it starts getting hairy. It always gets jam-packed on the weekends for visitors.” Delano suggested it would be beneficial to add another parking lot with half of the spots dedicated to visitors and the other half for residents. Iconic’s proposal for a PUD zoning change will go before the planning commission during its meeting tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Blacksburg Municipal Building. If no objections are raised, the Town Council will publicly vote on the issue on Oct. 9. Danford recently headed eco-friendly renovation plans
for Terrace View, which saw new designs, such as granite countertops, designer cabinets and lighting, upgraded appliances and stained concrete flooring, installed in several apartments. Iconic’s current development will include a new bus stop, improvements to existing bus stop shelters, additional bike racks and a new sidewalk along Progress Street. Also, a new community garden will be constructed. Follow this writer on Twitter @CodyOwens5
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Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- Look into the future and imagine where you want to be, then start taking the necessary steps to get there. You could be like Merlin, and live backwards into the present. Visualize it.
which indicates not all of the existing parking is presently used. However, based on town codes, the addition of parking spaces would be necessary because of the additional residential spaces. Iconic will ask for a recommendation to designate the complex a planned-unit development, also known as a PUD. Having Terrace View made into a PUD would allow development to proceed without being subjugated to the current zoning requirements for parking. A preliminary community meeting was held Aug. 31 with Iconic’s project manager Jeff
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) -Postpone expansion (translation: add to your savings). You’re entering a work phase, and your status is going up. Avoid distractions. Postpone travel and launching new ventures. Gather information. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- It’s a tough job, but someone has to do it ... extra points for being gentle. Today and tomorrow are good for fun and games. Keep track of winnings. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) -- Be a gracious host and leader, even if there’s a disagreement. Your home and family could require more attention. Check instructions again. Let friends know what you’ve discovered.
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Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) -- Plan carefully. Don’t try a new trick now. Find another way to work smarter to provide the requested services. Push past old barriers. You can do it.
Gemini (May 21-June 20) -- Dress the part. Following the rules helps. Patience is required today, so take your time. You don’t have to choose yet. Encourage your team, which has brilliant ideas.
Aries (March 21-April 19) -- You’re entering a two-day pro itable phase. New evidence threatens complacency. A breakthrough develops regarding your perspective on money and inances. A friend inspires your dream. Share the results.
Cancer (June 21-July 22) -- You’re entering a cooperative period. Communicate straight up, without arrogance, gullibility or fear. Find a way to work smarter in teamwork, and then bask in the sun with friends.
Taurus (April 20-May 20) -- You’re on top of the world, and you know it. Finishing what you promised is most impressive. Over the next few days, redesign your situation for the better.
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) -- Fierce competition could lead to career advancement. A female supplies key information. There’s a test coming, and you may need to turn down an invitation. Encourage someone.
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september 4, 2012 COLLEGIATETIMES
arts & entertainment
editors: emma goddard, nick smirniotopoulos featureseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865
Six year old shines in award-winning movie Only six years old at the time of filming, Quvenzhane Wallis positively explodes onto the scene in her debut role as the star of “The Beasts of the Southern Wild.” Wallis plays “Hushpuppy,” a little girl who lives in a fictional island community called the Bathtub, on the outskirts of New Orleans with her alcoholic father, “Wink.” In the Bathtub, rising waters, and the constant threat of storm destruction, are ignored in favor of a tradition of good food, good drink and a good time. Both Wallis and Dwight Henry, who plays Wink, are natives of the Bayou area, along with numerous others involved in both cast and crew. As Henry said in an interview with the San Diego
Reader, “I was in Hurricane Katrina in neck-high water. I have an inside understanding for what this movie is about. An outsider couldn’t have brought the passion to the role that I did.” The film clearly resonates with love for both the New Orleans area and the people who live on the fringe of its larger community. With the look and feel of a home video, this film has great effects. It lends the scenes an intensely personal feel and gives the viewer a strong connection to the characters. Indeed, when government authorities show up in the Bathtub to forcibly remove Hushpuppy and her father after a strong storm floods the area, you not only understand when they resist being taken, but you root for them as they try to escape back to their destroyed home. However, this vivid real-
ism is countered by a sense of magic which infuses the story from start to finish. For instance, Hushpuppy’s imagination populates her home with monstrous aurochs, which are prehistoric creatures. They show up because, in her mind, the f looding is connected to the melting of polar ice caps that brought these
preserved creatures to the Bathtub. This magical realism is so strong that “Beasts of the Wild” comes off as just a touch shy of a Gabriel Garcia Marquez novel. The blending of the real and surreal works startlingly well together as a way of showing the perception of a little girl who is young
enough to believe in the fantastic, but has been forced to reckon with entirely too adult situations. It is this fragile balance which makes Hushpuppy so captivating. We see her both invincible as she stares down an auroch the size of an elephant, and heartbreakingly vulnerable when she sets out into the ocean to look for her mother, who Wink says “swam away” when Katrina hit. This is a balancing act even highly experienced and older actresses would struggle immensely with. Yet it appears easy to the sixyear-old, first-time actress. In fact, early Oscar buzz is already attracting talk of a nomination for Wallis for Best Actress. Currently eight years old, Wallis would smash the record for youngest Best Actress nominee — it is held for now by Keisha Castle-Hughes, who
was 13 when nominated for her role in “The Whale Rider.” With its win of the prestigious Camera d’Or at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival and the Grand Jury Prize (Dramatic) at the Sundance Film Festival, there is also much discussion of nominations for Best Picture, Best Director for first-timer Benh Zeitlin and Best Adapted Screenplay for Zeitlin and co-writer Lucy Alibar. Given the strength of this film, it would not be undeserved for it to sweep its categories. “Beasts of the Southern Wild” is playing at the Lyric Theater through September 13. KATIE WHITE -features staff writer -junior -history major
‘Sleeping Dogs’ combines great story line with exquisite gameplay Taken out of the modern gaming context, “Sleeping Dogs” would be an absolute masterpiece of a game. In a world without franchises like “Grand Theft Auto” and “Saint’s Row,” this would be an almost unbelievable rendition of an open-world experience. But taken alongside games like 2008’s “Grand Theft Auto IV,” “Sleeping Dogs” is clearly a game with some strong influences. Despite the fact almost all of the game’s mechanics are ripped-off from other titles, the developers at United Front Games have done an amazing job in creating a world and a story that are both inherently
believable and incredibly fun. With urban Hong Kong as the backdrop for a story about an American cop going undercover as a member of the Sun On Yee triad, this is a game not afraid to confront the many stereotypes surrounding Asian culture. United Front Games manages to ride the line between parody and accuracy, as it successfully recreated a world that just feels right. The game balances incredibly grim scenes and scenarios with a story filled with interesting characters. Wei Shen is an undercover police officer with roots in the Sun On Yee, and he represents a lot more than just a skilled fighter. He’s a man with serious problems who always seem to catch up
with him. His history with various members of the triad is long, and he isn’t able to forget it. He juggles all of these insecurities while pretending to be a loyal member of one of the most dangerous triads in
‘Beacon’ repeats first album’s sound Two Door Cinema Club blew up on the indie pop scene in 2010 with the release of its debut album, “Tourist History.” That album shot the Northern Ireland group to stardom do to its incredibly catchy hooks and slick production. The group has returned with its sophomore effort “Beacon,” which starts off right where its predecessor left off. Every song off the new album sounds exactly like Two Door Cinema Club. The problem with “Beacon” is it is essentially “Tourist History” number two. The album sounds almost exactly the same sonically, with all the songs feeling like they could have belonged on the last album. That’s not to say “Beacon” is a carbon copy of “Tourist History.” It still has its own shining moments and little subtle differences from its predecessor, but these are so far and few in between that the album feels stagnant. The album opens with “Next Year,” which features an aggressive synth dance pattern followed by drums, before going silent and allowing Alex Trimble to show off his vocals. It is a nice song about falling in love with someone in different circumstances. “Sleep Alone” is the group’s first single off the album. The song starts with a booming bass quarter beat and sixteenth notes on the high-hat, to create an upbeat tempo. Alex Trimble then starts to sing, “It takes more than strength to find this peace of mind.” This song is extremely reminiscent of the songs off the previous album. “Wake Up” is the third track off the album and is quite catchy. The guitars of Trimble and Sam Halliday are screeching and crisp on the track. “It was a chance of a lifetime,” Trimble sings as he speaks to someone who missed all the good times for being asleep. This lyric is good reflection on the state of the band. The group
knows how amazing and rare its popularity is, and it definitely wants to make it last — but that is part of the problem with “Beacon.” The group seems comfortable to remain where it is, and the result is an album that is unchallenging. Whether this is a good or bad depends on whether you like the sound of Two Door Cinema Club or not. The songs on the album do seem to encompass a bit more electronic sounds than the previous album. The biggest problem with “Beacon” is almost none of the tracks sound very distinct from one another. This results in all the songs bleeding together throughout the album. “Beacon” is like going to see a super intense action film on the big screen, being entertained and somewhat enthralled during the showing, but then leaving and forgetting the whole thing a few days later. There just isn’t any real substance to the album keeping the listener engaged for a long time. The lyrics on the album are a contemplation of the group’s stage in their careers as well as whom their target audience is. The lyrics revolve around the doings of young people and all that encompasses falling in love, going clubbing, staying up late and having a good time. “Beacon” is an accessible and catchy album with a lot
of good things going for it. Fans of “Tourist History” will be extremely pleased with the album, as will fans of dance pop. “Beacon” is a good album, but it just lacks the freshness and charming spark that really made the group shine on “Tourist History.” You Might Also Like: Bombay Bicycle Club: A Different Kind of Fix The Northern English quartet Bombay Bicycle Club makes dreamy indie rock led by frontman Jack Steadman. “A Different Kind of Fix” is the band’s third album, and saw it return to its original style after previously venturing into an almost all acoustic album on 2010’s “Flaws.” Check out “How Can You Swallow So Much Sleep” to hear the group’s distinct sound of upbeat drums and guitar amidst dreamy backing vocals. Friendly Fires: Friendly Fires Friendly Fires are a three-piece electronic rock group from the U.K. Its debut self-titled album features extremely fun and upbeat songs, which are danceable and get stuck in your head for days. Led by Ed MacFarlane, the group makes unapologetic, JACOB WILBANKS -features staff writer -junior -communication major
Hong Kong. The open-world nature of the game works perfectly with the story as players are given the choice of taking on either police missions or triad missions at any time. Although
these aren’t the most varied, the strong story helps to keep the game on track. Most of the gameplay in “Sleeping Dogs” is built around a melee combat system almost exactly like the system in Rocksteady Studios’ Batman games. Wei Shen is a Kung Fu veteran, and combat is based on countering enemies and retaliating with combos, grabs and environmental attacks. These attacks are really the highlight of the fighting system, as Wei can grab enemies and throw them into objects strewn across the environment. In one area, Wei is able to push enemies onto a table saw, all of which the game portrays without any hesitation or censorship.
When coupled with overall controls that feel great, the game doesn’t stop you from enjoying it. This game is the result of years of open-world experiences which have always left something to be desired. “Sleeping Dogs” lifts mechanics from other successful games liberally and without reservation, which results in a near-perfect experience. Story, gameplay and environment meld together in a game that is far from original, but is still an absolute joy to play. BEN KIM -featured columnist -sophomore -communication major