Wednesday, November 7, 2012 Print Edition by Collegiate Times

Wednesday, November 7, 2012 An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903 www.collegiatetimes.com

COLLEGIATETIMES 108th year, issue 41 News, page 2

Features, page 7

Opinions, page 5

Sports, page 4

Classifieds, page 6

Celebrating four more years

BEN WEIDLICH / SPPS

Local democrat and Virginia Tech alum Matt Bays reacts seconds before the announcement was made that President Obama had won the state of Ohio and the entire 2012 presidential election.

Virginia goes blue for the second straight presidential election while Montgomery Co. goes to Romney by 103 votes DONAL MURPHY & LESLIE MCCREA news staff

The room exploded in cheers and emotion as Barack Obama was declared the winner of the 2012 presidential election. The news was announced as the crucial swing-state of Ohio fell to the democratic candidate. Before that moment, the mood was tense at the Obama for America office as voter returns came in, with occasional bursts of applause and cheering with reports of victories. As the winner was announced, neighborhood team leader Jenni Gallagher gave a speech to all the volunteers in the OFA office. “I have never been more proud of my city, my county, my state or my country,” she said during her speech, standing on a chair among cheering, crying, and chattering Obama supporters. “Th is is why we win; as democrats we fight for everyone.” Gallagher has been involved in the Obama campaign since June 2011, when she started organizing in

Blacksburg; she was not active in 2008, she decided to change that. “We have worked so long and so hard,” Gallagher said. “I still want Virginia to come back to (Obama), but this is what we wanted. We won. He has done so much for us, and we wanted to pay him back, and I think we did.” Another viewer was Matthew Bays, a Tech alumnus who recently graduate with his Ph.D. Bays has been involved in registration drives and student recruitment for the Obama campaign, and continued his activity after moving to Florida for a job see OBAMA / page two

MCT CAMPUS

Bars react to election returns

Kaine takes Va Senate seat CAMERON AUSTIN new reporter

KEVIN DICKEL / SPPS

ANDREW KULAK news staff writer

After being inundated with messages from Democrats and Republicans over the last few weeks, Virginians in Blacksburg were ready for a different kind of party Tuesday night. Bars Downtown were packed with patrons who came out on a weekday evening, excited to usher in the next president of the United States and the end of a grueling election cycle.

Local residents and students alike sat side-by-side eagerly awaiting election returns from a presidential race coming down to the wire. “I think it’s always exciting when people get together to watch something besides sports, especially in a college town,” said Julia Novario, a bartender at The Cellar. While the atmosphere was low-key earlier in the evening, an energetic crowd packed the bar after the polls closed. Applause fi lled the air as a

big screen television tuned to CNN announced projections. “It’s getting much busier than usual, for sure,” a harried Novario said between pouring pints. The Free Thinkers at Virginia Tech were among The Cellar’s rush of clientele. The nonpartisan student organization decided to convene at the bar, which typically attracts professors and graduate students. “Coming together with other see DOWNTOWN / page two

After a dead heat race, Tim Kaine has pulled ahead and won the senate seat for Virginia. With a fraction of votes separating him from his opponent, former Gov. George Allen, Kaine pulled ahead, and around 10:30 p.m., CBS news declared Kaine the winner, with less then a percentage point separating the two candidates at the time. George Allen made a concession speech at 10:50 p.m. — only twenty minutes after the initial call — saying he Kaine will remain friends. “Now Tim Kaine will have the opportunity to serve in the U.S. Senate,” Allen said. The atmosphere in Richmond at Kaine’s watch party was exuberant as it waited for the new Virginia senator took the stage with the crowd chanting, “Kaine! Kaine!” Kaine has campaigned on the platform of budget compromise in the senate to prevent the automatic sequestration cuts.

BRAD KLADOWSKI / SPPS

Grifﬁth reelected to Va 9th District ALEX GOMES & DEAN SEAL news staff

Republican incumbent Congressman Morgan Griffith won the race for the 9th district, beating out Democratic candidate Anthony Flaccavento. Griffith entered a conference room full of supporters to celebrate his reelection last night in southwest Virginia. “Thank each and everyone of you so much for being here this evening, and thank you all for all the hard work and the long hours that you put in, for everyone here, and all the folks at home with their feet propped up on the couch because they just couldn’t stand up any longer,” Griffith said. Griffith was quick to address his previous efforts in office, and the successes his administration has produced. “We’ve worked hard on these last years, that’s fighting burdensome, unreasonable regulations coming out of Washington, and trying to make sure we create an environment where businesses can bring jobs back to our region, back to the United States, and to get our economy going again,” Griffith said. “I will continue that work.”

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news

november 7, 2012 COLLEGIATETIMES

editors: mallory noe-payne, victoria zigadlo newseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865

Blacksburg GOP parties dwindle with news PRISCILLA ALVAREZ & MAX LUONG news staff

Enthusiasm had already diminished among republicans around Blacksburg before the final announcement was made that Mitt Romney had lost the presidential race to Barack Obama. Silence began to dominate the once chatty room as the night progressed and more results rolled in. Around 10 p.m., people began to leave the watch party being held by state delegate Joseph Yost at the Hilton Garden Inn in Blacksburg. Residents retreated back to their homes as the night progressed and the CNN ticker began to reveal extremely close numbers. Only a few avid viewers remained at bars and clung to hope as Romney and Obama went neck-and-neck in Florida and Virginia. As the clock moved closer to midnight, even the most faithful felt their dreams for a new president slip away. Once polls revealed Obama pulling ahead in the crucial state of Ohio, it was clear he would secure a second term. The Hilton lobby and Republican headquarters in downtown Blacksburg fell silent, as Romney fell short after a long campaign. Students joined local residents at the event with relative excitement earlier in the night. Junior communication major Helen Scholar of the College Republicans was one of the red-clad students convening for the showing. She was strongly involved in the latter part of the GOP campaign,

reaching out to students via telephone. She also showed her support through her apparel. “I also bought Mitt Romney yoga pants off the campaign website to show my support,” Scholar said. Despite the win, numbers in Virginia, and Montgomery County remained close all night. According to Yost, Montgomery County has transitioned from being a strong Obama supporter to voting for his opponent Romney. “I think what really shocked me in the Blacksburg area is that this place was a huge Obama supporter in 2008 and I just did not sense the enthusiasm among the local party in the county; I didn’t sense the enthusiasm among the students,” Yost said. As of 11:30 p.m., Montgomery County was 49 percent Romney and 48 percent Obama with one precinct left to report. The final precinct left to report was the Virginia Tech Montgomery Executive Airport, largely populated by student voters. The results may mean drastic changes for twenty-oneyear-old, Riner resident Rachel Rasschaert. She could possible now have to switch her major at New River Community College. She aspires to be a nurse, but she claimed Obama’s policies will threaten that dream. “If things don’t work out with Obama care, I will change my major completely from nursing to accounting,” Rasschaert said.

CJ YUNGER / SPPS

A group of students stand in the bar at the local Republican viewing party at the Blacksburg Hilton Garden Inn, watching updates on the election.

Obama: Race remained tense to the end Downtown: Crowds

show mixed emotions

from page one

with an engineering firm. “I wanted to come up here for the homestretch, so I drove about 600 or 700 miles to be up here,” Bays said. “Over a year and a half of hard work. I left to pursue work, but they took the reigns and did so much more.” Bays was the neighborhood leader prior to graduating, and has remained a strong member in the organization. “This is about everyone. Hundreds of hours worked, all these people — some traveling from out of state,” Bays said. Another member of the audience anxiously awaiting results was Cathy Gellis, Call Bank Captain for the OFA office. “Everybody here is laughing, saying I’m gonna be the one in the corner sucking my thumb by the end of the night,” she Gellis. Gellis has been a volunteer in the area since the last election, working mostly with other volunteers to reach out to the community. “We’ve been making a lot of calls, we’ve been running call banks, and we’ve recruited a lot of volunteers so that we have people to turn out for the call banks,” Gellis said.

from page one

BEN WEIDLICH / SPPS

Jim Klagge embraces Kathy Carpenter as she cries after Obama was announced as the election winner Sally Zemmer, a Tech graduate student and OFA volunteer, has also been working her way through the general public in recent months canvassing for the office. “I supported Obama in 2008 and I believe he has done the best job that he could do as president,” she said. “I feel like he has really fought for issues that feel strongly about so I wanted to make sure he was reelected in 2012.” Kathy Carpenter, can-

vas captain for the campaign, has been working with the OFA for three years. “I am so glad and relieved for the next four years,” Carpenter said as she thanked other volunteers and wiped excited tears from her eyes. “I feel like we have been positive all night and now we are elated because all of the hard work paid off,” Zemmer said. “We were all working so that Obama can

create meaningful policy for all of our family and friends.” Others joined in the excitement such as Kafi Howard, Tech alumnae and OFA Neighborhood Team Leader. “I always wanted to be involved. I wanted to spend my extra time doing something I thought was important,” Howard said. “I am ecstatic with this outcome. It shows all the hard work we put in really made a difference.”

people who want to think things through is important to our organization,” said first year masters student in philosophy Dan Linford, the group’s SGA representative. He sat at a table with other members of his organization. “In ancient Greece, people would gather in the marketplace. Bars are places where people congregate in our society,” he said. “One of the things we promote as an organization is thinking critically,” Linford said. “The rhetoric of religion and politics is concerning to members of the group.” Poor Billy’s also saw a rush. “Usually we’re not this crowded on a Tuesday,” said Mia Chernick, hostess at Poor Billy’s and a sophomore Psychology major. “Regardless of what happens tonight, people should be celebrating, going out with friends to grab a drink or some food. Our democracy is a great thing,” Chernick said. Several groups of students supporting President Barack Obama were at Sharkey’s for trivia night, but turned their attention to election coverage between questions. “I think it’s going pretty positively for Obama,” said John Miller, a senior environmental

policy and planning major. At Top of the Stairs, opinions were more divided. While everyone could agree on karaoke, not all were in lock-step on whom they supported in the race for the White House. “Being from a single-parent family, I agree with Obama’s policies,” Courtney Jiggets, a senior chemistry major, watching election coverage at the bar. “He’s great for students. I don’t think I would be in college without him.” While Jiggets sided with the incumbent, her friends disagreed. “Romney’s economic policies will take us forward,” said Jenn Harvill, a senior history and political science major. “I’m still looking for the change Obama promised in ’08.” At the bar at Champs, more were concerned about the color of their shots than the color of the states. “For each swing state, if it goes red, we do a red shot. If it goes blue, we do a blue shot,” explained Chris Colemanm, a Tech alumnus from 2005. “Stop cheering, we’re not cheering for any candidate,” he shouted, as analysts called another state. With the presidency and congressional seats decided, the last question is who will pick up the tab.

editors: mallory noe-payne, victoria zigadlo newseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865

news

november 7, 2012 COLLEGIATETIMES

Student voters brave cold, long waits at polls

Results roll in to Tech audience in dorms

CATIE CARRERAS / SPPS CATIE CARRERAS/ SPPS

Montgomery County voters to cast their ballots bundle up in blankets provided by volunteers outside the Virginia Tech Airport.

Students in New Hall West at an election-viewing party. CAMERON AUSTIN news reporter

A rickety rusted bus with a lime green poster donning the words “Vote Taxi” rolled up to the Montgomery County Regional airport on Tuesday, carrying eager, first-time voters. However not everyone made it there in time. Two Virginia Tech students missed casting their votes at the polls yesterday after arriving one minute late. Fifth year chemical engineering majors Lindsay Myrick and Chris Wong sprinted to the end of the line at 7:01 p.m., only to be turned away by police officers and election officials. “We drove two and a half hours from Tennessee to make it home in time,” Myrick said, understandably disappointed. “I understand there has to be a cut off time, but we missed it by one minute.” Others waited in line past 7 p.m. as temperatures dropped

below zero and the sky darkened. Obama campaign volunteers began to pass out blankets, hot chocolate and candy. Freshman Meryl Ryan, a communication major, and her friend Danielle Robil, a biology major, stood in line for almost two hours before they saw the door in sight. “I can’t feel my fingers or toes,” Ryan said. First-time voters expressed their frustration with polling locations, as well as the long lines many faced. “I’m just frustrated that with 30,000 students, they didn’t have a place on campus for students to go,” Robil said. This was the first time the airport was used as a polling location. Most Tech students living on campus were either registered at the Tech/Montgomery Executive Airport, Luther Memorial Lutheran Church or the Blacksburg Branch Library.

Sarah Thibodeau, a freshman human nutrition, food and exercise major, cast her vote at the Blacksburg Library, but some of her friends walked the two miles to the airport. “Being a college student, it’s so important to vote,” she said. “Instead of complaining, say something about your politics and government.” She voted for Gary Johnson because she believes in a multiparty system. At 7 p.m., even though the polls had closed, the Virginia State Board of Election decided to pause reporting in the hopes of not influencing voters still waiting in line. “In consultation with officials from both the Republican and Democratic Party, the Virginia State Board of Elections has agreed to pause reporting until 8 p.m. to ensure voters are not unduly influenced by preliminary results,” it said in a press release Tuesday night.

The polling location saw large numbers of voters throughout the day, with students representing a large chunk of that locally. “We are skipping class right now to come out here and wait in line and vote,” said Carlos Santos, a sophomore engineering major. “Education was the important issue for me this election. I need my grants, and Pell Grants. That’s why I’m voting for Obama.” This year saw record numbers of voters in Montgomery County and across the state. There are a total of 5,428,012 voters registered with the latest numbers — about an 8 percent increase since 2008, according to the Virginia State Board of Elections. In Montgomery County, there are a total of 61,943 voters registered this election season; in 2008, there were 55,850. Follow this writer on Twitter: @CAustinCT

CAMERON AUSTIN news reporter

Streamers, pizza and a mock electoral map hung on the wall, decorated the usually plain third floor of New Hall West. The dorm hosted an election watch party, where students discussed the quickly changing outcomes, first time voting and the media’s influence on the election. Sophomore international studies major Melody McNutt, also resident advisor on the floor, was pleased with the turnout of students who came to watch the votes roll in. “It’s so nice to see our community come together, no matter what

our different views are,” McNutt said. Christina Lidwin, who is a Google intern, helped plan the party. “It’s so cool to see the younger demographic come out and support their candidate,” Lidwin said, who voted with an absentee ballot. As the media continued to report on different states, students colored in their own electoral map on the wall to keep track of who won. “This election is so important because these politicians are making policies that affect us,” Lidwin said, as she checked her Google map for updates. Follow this writer on Twitter @CAustinCT

food & drink

november 7, 2012 COLLEGIATETIMES

editors: emma goddard, nick smirniotopoulos featureseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865

Students can avoid stress eating by thinking healthy BY SARA LEPLEY | features staff writer If you find you are carrying a few extra pounds around your waistline, the culprit may not be the all-you-caneat buffet at D2 or last weekend’s liquid calories. Instead, more students are gaining weight from the preventable act of stress eating. Dr. Michael Rosenzweig, an advanced instructor for biological sciences at Virginia Tech, attributes this type of eating to hormones. “I think it’s just a natural drive for all kinds of reasons,” Rosenzweig said. “We have hormones that are being released that are telling our bodies that (we may be having) a stressful situation, even though we may not need that food.” In dormitories and apartment complexes especially, it’s common to see individuals studying while binging on food as well. With their textbooks and a bag of chips, it can be easy for students to overeat and mindlessly graze on food, consuming more than they are aware of. Considering a stressful allnighter is not an experience exclusive to college students, managing stress eating is important. With a little practice and patience, everyone can take on these healthy actions in no time.

1. Remove the temptation

4. Eat — but eat smart

Michele Lewis, an adjunct for the department of human nutrition, foods and exercise, noticed sleep deprivation sometimes causes students to eat more than they need to as a means to feel more energized. “A lot of my students are staying up pretty late doing the things they need to do (for school),” Lewis said. “I think one of the easiest ways for students to stay awake is by doing their work at dining halls that are open 24 hours a day. Because they’re there and since they’re trying to stay awake, they tend to eat a lot.” To help students steer clear of this, Tech offers an ample amount of alternative study locations. Torgersen Bridge for example, is open 24/7 during the week offering a foodfree study zone. Newman Library and dorm study lounges also work, as long as students don’t bring food with them or make trips to the vending machines.

If you are working well past midnight, your body is going to need energy, especially if you did not get enough to eat during the day. This does not, however, give us the green light to chow down an entire pizza from DX. “(Eat) a more wholesome snack and less of it,” Rosenzweig said. “Eat some popcorn without the butter. That may fill you a little bit, but it’s not going to have the grease and salt that’s associated with it.” Another healthy snack is homemade trail mix. By blending fruit and nuts, students can satisfy their craving for salt and carbs, but in moderation. As an added bonus, almonds contain B vitamins, which according to Women’s Health Magazine, is linked to relieving tension and stress. Students should also pre-portion snacks by following the suggested serving size. This is a great option for students who are prone to mindless eating.

2. Exercise This may seem counterintuitive since exercise requires time, and a lack of time is one of the major causes of stress. However, even working out in small increments can relieve stress and distract us from food. “Do something physical,” Rosenzweig said. “Run around and play basketball, because you really don’t need to eat.” The exercise session does not need to be long in order for students to reap the benefits. Just 30 minutes of physical activity can improve stamina, energy and mental well-being. Next time you can’t shake off the urge to eat, try yoga, do crunches or go for a run.

3. Create a routine One of the biggest struggles for students is fitting everything they need to do into their daily schedules. This is precisely why students are up until 3 a.m. working on term papers or studying for exams. Not planning time for work, sleep, healthy meals and exercise can have serious consequences towards physical and mental health. One way to accomplish this is to attend one of the time management workshops offered on campus, or to map out a daily calendar. Another strategy to is to create a list of priorities, thus cutting out unnecessary distractions from your schedule like Facebook and Twitter. “It really does come down to finding the best means to balance the life of a student — the eating of meals and not skipping them,” Lewis said. “(They need to find) time in their schedule to get at least 30 minutes of some kind of physical activity every day.”

5. Use the available resources While emotional eating is very natural, students should be aware of how often they are eating based on this. Stress is a key trigger for a binge eating disorder, which in itself creates more stress. However, students do not have to deal with these struggles alone. Tech offers multiple free resources that provide advice and support. Both genders can seek guidance at Schiffert Health Center, where Linda Davis serves as the on-staff registered dietician. Women also have access to the Women’s Center, which is well versed in dealing with this sort of strain. Tackling stress eating can certainly be challenging, but by utilizing the resources on campus, students can vastly improve their mental and physical health. “For women, the Women’s Center is a really great resource,” Lewis said. “For guys, there are a variety of people who can be helpful over in McComas. I found that many of my students who have tendencies toward binge eating have had great success seeing people at the Women’s Clinic.”

Drink of the week: Vesper Martini BY JACOB WILBANKS | features staff writer

“Three measures of Gordon's, one of vodka and half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it over ice and add a thin slice of lemon peel.” Read that in James Bond’s voice and it suddenly sounds infinitely cooler. Presenting the Vesper Martini in honor of the new Bond movie “Skyfall” coming out this Friday. This Bond-inspired drink is from Ian Fleming’s 1953 novel “Casino Royale.” This drink is not often thought of when people think of Bond, which usually stirs images of regular vodka martinis garnished with olives. It was, however, the first martini ordered by Bond in the first book of the series, now also famously portrayed by Daniel Craig in the movie of the same name. Kina Lillet is now simply known as Lillet for your purchasing information. Sit back and enjoy the first martini the legendary Bond ever ordered. Ingredients: 3 measures of Gordon's Gin 1 measure of vodka 1/2 measure Lillet Lemon peel for garnish Directions: 1. Shake gin, vodka and Kina Lillet over ice. 2. Pour into a martini glass. 3. Garnish with a thinly sliced lemon peel. JACOB WILBANKS COLLEGIATE TIMES

Are you ready for Basketball Season? Be sure to pick up your copy of the Collegiate Times Tip Off for a preview of our new coach, our competitors, the new players, and a new era in Virginia Tech Basketball. You cannot miss this!

editors: josh higgins, bethany melson opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865

opinions

november 7, 2012 COLLEGIATETIMES

The Collegiate Times is an independent studentrun 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 Public Editor: Erin Chapman Web Editor: Chelsea Gunter News Editors: Mallory NoePayne, Victoria Zigadlo News Reporters: Priscilla Alvarez, Dean Seal, Cameron Austin, Donal Murphy 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 Photo Editor: Kevin Dickel Sports Editors: Matt Jones, Zach Mariner Special Sections Editors: Cody Elliot, Danielle Buynak 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

Campaign advertisements do not change voter minds November 6, 2012 is the day that campaign advertisements died. Whether you are a Mitt Romney or Barack Obama supporter, both sides of advertisements have become tiresome and annoying. It has impossible to go anywhere without seeing or hearing an ad. Campaign ads were before almost every YouTube video, they were on during every television commercial break of a show, they were all over the social networks, and they were on billboards and newspapers. Sometimes the television campaign ads were even back-toback. Oh the pains of living in a swing state. Then there were the campaign advertisements that were not even associated with the candidates. Many interest groups created advertisements in their attempts to persuade viewers toward their ideas. How often do political ads even change the minds of people watching or reading them? Will an ad with Mitt Romney singing “America the Beautiful” really make people want to vote for President Obama? Doubt it. There is not a single person I have talked to who enjoyed political ads. Yes, it was an election year, so these ads were expected, but I don’t think anyone could have predicted how Virginians would be mobbed by these redundant and obnoxious advertisement campaigns. Virginia voted Democratic in 2008 and Republican in 2004, so this year’s outcome was anyone’s guess. The percentage of voters who changed their minds because

of political ads has to be slim to none. Political advertisements are as useful as the old Washington Redskins football election prediction. This prediction states that if the Redskins win their game before election day then the incumbent will win and if they lose the challenger will become president. It’s ridiculous. This year’s crop of political advertisements pulled all the possible strings when trying to attract voters. From emotional ads to outright vicious attacks on one of the candidates, President Obama and Mitt Romney both had the full range of marketing strategies covered. The advertisements were a unique marketing method for their candidate, but neither candidate embodied the most essential part of marketing a product: positivity. All the ads described how awful the other candidate was, but rarely discussed their own good ideas and ways to move the country forward. After the voting booths closed, all the absentee ballots have been opened on Tuesday and the winner announced, the campaign advertisements should disappear. They will not be missed. However, Virginia will always be a swing state, so we cannot escape the wrath of political ads. Until 2016, though, campaign ads can rest in peace. ADAM ROTHE -regular columnist -freshman -marketing major

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Election day requires attention Here in the United States we praise the merits of democracy to the world. We implore other countries to model their government after ours because our form of government upholds the very tenants of democracy and is the epitome of excellence. Yet, we don’t celebrate it because we don’t have the time. If Election Day was a national holiday, all of this would change. Over the course of history, people have fought for the right to have their hand in shaping the government. They sacrificed everything they had in order to do so. Even today, people are fighting for the chance to vote; yet here in America, the pinnacle of democracy, we couldn’t be more annoyed at the thought of having to take time out of our days to go vote. Imagine if on Election Day, there was no work or school and the whole day was focused on going out to vote. The voting locations would be decorated; there would be parades, banners, flyers, people campaigning, balloons. It

would be a festive, almost party-like atmosphere. The whole family would go, and kids who couldn’t vote would get taught about the history of voting, how the process works and the importance of voting. Afterward, you would go home and have a Super Bowl-esque election party with your friends and see who wins. I know this sounds farfetched and seems like a very romantic idea about voting, but this is how it should be. We should be celebrating that we are changing the government without radical factions rising up and taking the country hostage. That’s how it used to be, and frankly, that’s how it still is in some parts of the world. We should applaud ourselves for not having to take up banners and not fight for the lords of the land that we live on. We should be ecstatic that we are not using a guillotine anymore when people started having issues with the government. Voter turnout and gen-

eral political interest would increase astronomically. People would be excited for elections, even state and local. If we get children interested in politics early, maybe we could have people who are going into government for the love of it. People always say they can’t get to the polls; they have to work, they have to go to school, or there is not enough time and it is just too inconvenient. Having Election Day be a national holiday would eliminate all of those excuses immediately. It would show other countries the true spirit of democracy and that in itself would be more convincing than anything we could say. If anything else, just imagine the possibilities of Election Day drinking games. MARCUS WILLIAMS -regular columnist -junior -economics major

Gay rights cannot repeat history As a kid, I grew up in a loving home surrounded by the idea that God loves us as his children, and he will perpetually care for us with an indescribable warmth and compassion. I was told time and time again that our Father was an accepting God, and that even when he was pained by our sins, he maintained an equal and superlative rush of care. It was by virtue of this that I thought my support of gay rights and the freedom of personal sexual orientation was a sin. However, my fear was extinguished by an inspirational speech given by Dr. Phil Snider, a preacher in Springfield, Missouri in which he ignorantly compared a person's sexual orientation to segregation. On August 13th, the reverend stood before the City Council of Springfield and delivered a moving argument in support of a sexual orientation ordinance. Throughout the speech, Dr. Snider spends the majority of his floor time preaching as if he is opposed to the legislature. “…gay rights goes against the plain truth of the word of God,” he says. Giving homosexuals their rights is like “asking God to bring his judgment upon us.” Every sentence he uttered confuses the audience more and more, and it becomes close to impossible to remember he’s

actually in support of the ordinance. As he approaches the end of his speech, the Reverend spins his argument in the most clever and innovative way I have ever seen. He stumbles into his fi nal point, he begins to mix up the words. Rather than continuing on with points of gay rights, he begins using the word segregation. “The right of segregation is clearly established by the holy scriptures both by precept and example.” He then reveals that everything he has said during the speech has been direct quotations of white preachers in support of racial segregation in the 50s and 60s. Just as Bible belt Christians of today reject homosexuals and cast them off as sinners against God’s word, white preachers during the civil rights movement casted off African Americans as lesser people. I couldn’t agree more with this comparison and I truly believe that we are standing on the edge of the next momentous benchmark in our country’s history. The only way to avoid repeating our mistakes is to learn from the past. It’s important to understand that I am in no way taking away credibility from God’s word. I attempt to hold true to

scripture in my life as much as possible, but I can’t stand for the way it has been interpreted by both Christians of yesterday and today. Fellow gay rights activist and Pastor Brian McLaren captures this idea superbly, “Just as the Western church had been wrong on slavery, wrong on colonialism, wrong on environmental plunder, wrong on subordinating women, wrong on segregation and apartheid, we have been wrong on this issue.” Both Pastor McLaren and Reverend Snider believe in our ability to make the world a better, fairer and more beautiful place for everyone. Dr. Snider brings this to light via the teachings of St. Augusta, “If love is the only measure, then the only measure of love is love without measure.” We are all unconditionally loved by a tolerant God, and the least we can do is reflect that love without measure. As Reverend Snider left his City Council with food for thought, I will do the same. “I hope you will not make the same mistake. I hope you will stand on the right side of history.” STEVEN BRUNESON -regular columnist -freshman -communication major

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, Diana Bayless 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.

november 7, 2012

Regular Edition

GET INSIDE THE GAME

Today’s Birthday Horoscope: Despite changes, your financial situation grows this year. The winter solstice brings an awakening to the higher self. Use it to align yourself to your purpose and to how you want to make a difference. This explodes your career with possibility.

Piled Higher and Deeper by Jorge Cham Quote of the Day

“Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.” - Aristotle

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XKDC by Randell Monroe

3 5 1 7

9 1

3 2

2 6

2 3

3 1

5 2

5 3 7

Complete the grid so that each column, row and 3x3 box contains the numbers 1-9. For a greater challege see how fast you can complete the puzzle. Copyright 2007 Puzzles by Pappocom Solution, tips and computer program at www.sudoku.com

Week ending November 9, 2012

By Brad Wilber

ACROSS 1 Esther Williams number 12 One who “must have THREE DIFFERENT NAMES”: Eliot 15 Stage manager’s exhortation 16 Opposite of hence 17 1870s period costume named for a Dickens lass 18 Grille cover 19 Composer of “The Lovely Bones” music

Top Tracks Gangnam Style • PSY

(1) 1

Locked Out of Heaven • Bruno Mars

2 (3) 3

Die Young • Ke$ha

Some Nights • Fun.

(5) 5

One More Night • Maroon 5

11/7/12 20 1986-to-2001 orbiter 21 In sequence 23 Mason’s fee 26 Ones waiting for bottle openers? 27 Storm’s dir. 28 Ulster, for one 30 Indicate indifference 33 Printers’ primary colors 34 Debt-laden fin. deal 35 Derisive call 36 Pep rally climax, perhaps

WORDSEARCH: U.S. Presidents Locate the list of words in the word bank in the letter grid. W E

W L

W W D

W I

W D

W N

W T

WORD BANK 1 Washington 2 Adams 3 Jefferson 4 Madison 5 Monroe 6 Buchanan 7 Lincoln 8 Grant 9 Hayes 10 Cleveland 11 Roosevelt 12 Wilson 13 Hoover 14 Kennedy 15 Nixon 16 Clinton 17 Bush 18 Obama

37 Transfer consequence, familiarly 38 Wood used in bows 39 Grinds 40 Auto club recommendation 41 It’s for the dogs 43 Trig. function 44 Like some prescription lenses 45 Took after 50 Establish firmly 52 __ Zion Church 53 Soprano Marton 54 Milne tyke

55 Hippie era swinger? 58 Heel in a bakery 59 Life-support system? 60 Paris’s Pont __ Arts 61 Mona Lisa Vito in “My Cousin Vinny,” for one DOWN 1 Improved, perhaps, as a road 2 Mark Yom Kippur 3 Letter-shaped workbench groove 4 School subj. for an au pair 5 Seuss hallmark 6 Big ox, say 7 Au courant 8 Copier tray size: Abbr. 9 Adriatic vacation destination 10 Coming into view 11 Chicken option 12 Two-wheeled carriage with a folding hood 13 Easy 14 Forest dweller with a cap 22 Ref. work 24 “Everybody Loves __”: Johnny Cash album 25 Sovereign euphemism 29 37-Across rentals 30 Like a prime candidate for disillusionment 31 Duffer’s dream

32 Mars and Mercury 33 Mint family plant 36 Eleventh-hour panic 37 “The Horse Fair” artist Bonheur 39 String in a preschool class? 40 Subterranean rodent 42 Narrow waterway: Abbr.

43 Fluffy clouds 46 Colorful talker 47 Style, as hair into a bouffant 48 Crusader’s targets 49 Kierkegaard et al. 51 Butler’s estate, for a time 56 __ Bund: Swiss newspaper 57 Pewter component

Tueday’s Puzzle Solved

11/6/12

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sports

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

november 7, 2012 COLLEGIATETIMES

Falcons and Texans lead their respective conferences Bears, Giants and Falcons are the class of the NFC The parity of the NFC is once again revealing itself, as yet another team seems to have picked up the torch this year. The undefeated Atlanta Falcons have a stranglehold on the NFC South and of their remaining opponents, only the New York Giants (6-3) have a winning record. The Atlanta offense isn’t always astounding and its defense has been shaky at times, but it has managed a perfect balance between the two, which begets their perfect record; however, the target on an undefeatedteam’s back only gets bigger as the season wears on. Behind the Falcons is the Chicago Bears at 8-1, whose pick-six prone defense, led by Brian Urlacher, has almost scored as many touchdowns (7) as it has allowed (9). Their ground game tandem, consisting of Matt Forte and Michael Bush, is solid, and if Jay Cutler can really get going in the passing game like he did this past Sunday to Brandon Marshall, the Bears may take the NFC torch away from the Falcons. The Bears will have to look out for the Packers though, who have already thumped them once; Green Bay may have stumbled out of the blocks at the beginning of the season but it seems to have knocked all of the remaining cobwebs out of their helmets and won’t relinquish the NFC North crown so easily. The San Francisco 49ers have control of the NFC West with the No. 1 rushing attack in the league led by Frank Gore, and a stingy defense, which has allowed the fewest points in the NFL. They’ll need some more production out of quarterback Alex Smith down the stretch to feel a little better about their two-game lead over the lingering Seattle Seahawks, who are a legitimate threat with surprising rookie Russell Wilson and Marshawn Lynch pacing the offense. The New York Giants have one of the best quarterbacks in the league in Eli Manning and a sickening pass rush led by defensive ends Justin Tuck and

Jason Pierre-Paul. The Giants never seem to be consistently dominant, but they’re in every game. With the rest of the NFC East struggling, they can probably afford a few bumps in the road; all they need to do is make it to the playoffs and they’ll be just as dangerous a contender as they were last year. The Minnesota Vikings came out and surprised many people this year with Adrian Peterson exceeding expectations. Unfortunately for the Vikings, they’re in the NFC North and their recent struggles at Seattle didn’t help things. Below the Vikings, the Detroit Lions round out the bottom of the NFC North at 4-4, but are still in the top half of the NFC. This is the first season in recent memory that the Lions could be considered as “underachieving” with high expectations placed on them. Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson haven’t come close to matching their explosive chemistry of last year. The Lions dominated the Jaguars this past weekend but they’ll be facing some much tougher opponents down the stretch. The Tampa Buccaneers have shown promise with Josh Freeman playing at such a high level (his QB rating is 95.1) and his receivers, Vincent Jackson and Mike Williams, on pace for careerbest seasons; rookie running back Doug Martin looks to have a bright future, recently gashing the Raiders for 251 yards and four touchdowns. However, their offense isn’t powerful enough to offset their pass defense, which is dead last in the league. At the half-way pont, the NFC is far from decided and a Super Bowl contender could very well emerge from somewhere in the middle of the pack. Don’t be surprised if the NFC is represented in the Super Bowl by an 11th different team in 12 seasons. BROOKS TIFFANY -sports staff writer -senior -English major

MCT CAMPUS

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan attempts a pass in their game this last Sunday night. The Falcons are 8-0 through half the season.

Texans, Patriots, Ravens and Broncos pace AFC Through nine weeks of the NFL season, the AFC is wide open and can be won by anyone. Four or five teams are around the top of the standings, and it can be argued there is only one elite team in the entire conference. If the season ended today, the division winners would be the Houston Texans (7-1), the Patriots (5-3), the Ravens (6-2) and the Denver Broncos (5-3). The two wild card teams would be the Pittsburgh Steelers (5-3) and the Indianapolis Colts (5-3). The most surprising of those teams has to be the Colts, sitting at 5-3 halfway through the season. Even though Andrew Luck would give himself a C for his performance so far this year, he has looked good and passed for a rookie-record 433 yards and two touchdowns in the last week’s Colts win over Miami, who is also surprising 4-4 after the loss. The ex-Colts quarterback Peyton Manning looks to be back to himself after missing last year due to a neck injury, leading the Denver Broncos to a 5-3 record. He is also third in the league in passing yards

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and leads the league in quarterback rating. While the Broncos are having a good season, the one elite team of the AFC has been the Houston Texans. The Texans look like a balanced team with very few weaknesses. The offense is led by running back Arian Foster and has a very good defense lead by J.J. Watt, who seems like an easy decision for Defensive Player of the Year. They are coming off of their first-ever playoff birth last year and hope to go even deeper this year. The Steelers and Patriots are both 5-3, but have not been as dominant as they been in recent years. The Steelers offensive line has been a major issue thus far and the Patriots defense has been a problem. But the Steelers sit in second in the AFC North, behind a Ravens team that is surprisingly led by its offense this season. The Ravens have had injuries to key players on the defense, including future Hall of Famer Ray Lewis, and the offense has taken it up a notch this season. Before

the season, quarterback Joe Flacco declared himself an elite quarterback. While that is still a bit of a stretch, Flacco has improved this year and has become a very solid top ten quarterback. And while the defense has struggled, the return of linebacker Terrell Suggs — who led the league in sacks last year — is certainly a welcome addition. Another player that has stepped it up this year has been the receiver Reggie Wayne of the Colts. Wayne seems to have picked up where he left off with Peyton Manning. He leads the league in receiving yards and is the only receiver averaging over 100 receiving yards per game. In the last eight weeks of the season, a lot can happen. It will be interesting to see if a team can assert themselves as the best in the AFC or if it will continue to be as wide open as it is today. JIM MCNAMARA -sports staff writer -sophomore -civil engineering major

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Pet Advice of the Week:

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) Take charge. Calm down someone who’s getting agitated. You may ind your responsibilities rise this week. Love spurs you to action. Leave routine chores for another day.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) There’s money coming in, and you can get more if you act quickly. The work is hard, but pro itable. If you don’t know how, study. Share your info and sources.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Gather up as much as you can, and beware of hidden expenses. Get rid of unnecessary stuff. Others vie for your attention; your teammate scores. Strive for perfection.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) Provide information. Passion is part of the picture. Pare the super luous to increase ef iciency. Build team relationships with enthusiasm. Get projects inished and out the door.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) New income sources come to your attention. Be cautious with money now. A bond gets renewed. Delegate, and inspire action. Continue to increase your search parameters, and pro it.

Aries (March 21-April 19) Stick to your budget. Move quickly. Continue to increase your holdings (and enthusiasm) in the coming week. There’s money coming from your own productivity. Dance with any delays.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Adapt to circumstances. Put energy into the details. Stick to existing projects this week. Handle stuff you’ve been putting off. Increase skills as you test your theory. Gemini (May 21-June 20) Regain your balance by doing what you promised. Provide excellent service. You’ll be able to take on new stuff later. Review the plan. Shorten your home repair list. Cancer (June 21-July 22) Decrease your personal obligations over the coming week. You can have fun without spending much. Make the changes you’ve been contemplating. A lovely moment develops.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) Continue to increase your level of expertise. Take on more responsibility. What you’re learning contradicts what you thought. Use your secret power. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Fix something before it breaks. Organization and cleaning satis ies. Continue to decrease home expenses with conservation. Set long-range goals. You’re gaining the lasting respect of your peers. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Con irm what you’ve learned with others. Continue to increase your area of in luence this week. Make the irst move. Choose the jobs you want to do. Document the results.

“Eight million to 10 million pets end up in U.S. shelters every year. Some are lost, some have been abandoned, and some are homeless. Here's an easy way to avoid adding to that number spay and neuter your cats and dogs. It's a procedure that can be performed as early as six to eight weeks of age. Spaying and neutering doesn't just cut down on the number of unwanted pets; it has other substantial benefits for your pet. Studies show it also lowers the risk of certain cancers, Burns tells WebMD, and reduces a pet's risk of getting lost by decreasing the tendency to roam.” -pets.webmd.com

Have a question you need answered about your pet? Or want your pet featured in next week’s paper? Email your questions to studybreak@collegemedia.com with the title ‘Pet of the Week.’

news

november 7, 2012 COLLEGIATETIMES

editors: mallory noe-payne, victoria zigadlo newseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865

On the edge Virginia remained undecided several hours after polls closed at 7 p.m., and students and local residents alike watched in anticipation as each district wavered between blue and red.

BRAD KLODOWSKI / SPPS

Ninth district representative Morgan Grifﬁth (R-Va.) gives a speech.

CJ YUNGER / SPPS

BEN WEIDLICH / SPPS

Lisa Yost and other attendees of the Republican viewing held at the Blacksburg Hilton Garden Inn party look at incoming results on a laptop. Junior Stephanie Wiltman enjoys a Sunday at D2’s patriotic desert night.

KEVIN DICKEL/ SPPS

Blacksburg residents watch Virginia results roll in from local bars.

BEN WEIDLICH / SPPS

Virginia Tech alumnus and former Tech neighborhood leader Matt Bays celebrates, as Obama wins another district in Virginia.

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