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Proposed bill makes it misdemeanor to not check ID CAMERON AUSTIN news blog editor
Some restaurants and servers in the state might start taking a harder look at ID’s when serving alcohol. A bill, which is now in the Virginia General Assembly, would make it a misdemeanor crime for individuals such as store clerks and waiters to not ask for identification
when serving alcohol. The bill has passed the House of Delegates and the Senate Courts of Justice Committee approved it on Friday. To become a law, it must be approved by the Senate overall and then signed by the governor. The bill is aimed to make the individual server responsible for checking IDs instead of just the businesses that are selling the alcohol.
Currently, if a business or individual sells alcohol to someone they have “reason to believe” is under 21, they could be charged with a class one misdemeanor and face up to one year in prison and a $2,500 fi ne. Th is law would increase the crime to a class three misdemeanor for failing to check an ID altogether. Chris Head, R-Botetourt County, introduced the bill
after the Roanoke Area Youth Substance Abuse Coalition approached him regarding the issue. If passed, the offense would carry a maximum penalty of $500. Kathy Graham Sullivan, RAYSAC director, said that although it may seem like the bill is meant to affect college towns, it’s not targeted at any specific population. “It’s a community effort to reduce underage drinking,”
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Sullivan said. “The bill puts the burden of proof back on the servers or the clerk.” Sullivan also hopes it will discourage servers in college communities from looking the other way when serving alcohol to a friend. “That won’t be happening any more,” she said. “They can’t.” Brendan King, a waiter at a local restaurant and Tech student, understands the
news editor
Nightime detours are scheduled through Thursday evening, detouring drivers off southbound I-81 until the Christiansburg exit. Traffic will be detoured at exit 132, Dixie Caverns onto Route 11/460 and then back onto I-81 again at exit 118 for Christiansburg. The detour will begin at 9 p.m. each night and continue through morning at 6 a.m. Crews will be removing the Friendship Road bridge. The detours are part of ongoing construction to build a truck climbing lane between mile markers 120 and 125 on southbound 1-81. Signs and message boards
BY DEAN SEAL | news editor
Access Media 3’s outages and exclusive control in many apartments frustrate student customers Internet blackouts in off-campus residences, particularly in major apartment complexes, have given rise to numerous student complaints to major Internet service provider Access Media 3. However, Access Media 3 doesn’t have a building full of maintenance men to send to your apartment unit. They don’t have sensors to indicate service failure. They don’t even have a building for you to show up at, demanding your monthly bill be reduced for inconvenience. You won’t find them any trace of them in Blacksburg. Access Media 3 operates entirely out of Oak Falls, Ill., and has limited responsibility over technical issues that happen in the Blacksburg area. According to Melissa Mercado, the marketing director of Access Media 3, few people know that the media service provider industry operates essentially the same way for all
companies: by using third party companies to complete their fiber network. Once installed, the fiber network becomes essentially a mainstay for all service providers in that area, and the service providers then partner with the third party company, relying on that company to perform maintenance of the network. So when Internet outages began at the start of this past semester, Access Media 3 hosted the customer complaints through their customer service center in Oak Falls, while having to rely upon its third party company to resolve the issue. “They had one piece of equipment that failed. It created a domino effect, and caused other equipment failures,” said Mercado. “At the end of the day, the failure would have happened regardless of who the service provider was at the time.” When asked for the name of the third party company, Mercado was unable to comment further. “That is… I’m not at liberty to say, because that’s their information,” Mercado said. “They provide service all over see AM3 / page four
Tech jumps into Harlem Shake trend MALLORY NOE-PAYNE news editor
What do a dozen people in banana costumes, a giant stuffed Pikachu and the Hokie Bird all have in common? They showed up and boogied down for Virginia Tech’s official Harlem Shake video this weekend. A couple of industrious freshmen organized Tech’s own version of the latest Internet viral sensation via Facebook. John Russell and Alex Spalding coordinated and fi lmed the effort that had around 500 people attend Saturday at 3 p.m. A Facebook event was created just last week, and had over 1,300 attendees online. BRAD KLODOWSKI / SPPS see SHAKE / page four
Tech freshmen organized a group of about 500 people who created a video that is now on YouTube.
Follow the writer on Twitter: @CAustinCT
I-81 construction expected all week MALLORY NOE-PAYNE
BRAD KLODOWSKI / SPPS
importance of checking IDs but thinks the legislation may be a little out of touch with college students. “I understand the reasoning behind the bill, but I feel like if underage teens want to drink, they will fi nd others ways to obtain alcohol,” he said.
info on the go Detours on I-81 Tues-Thurs. night 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. Southbound, exit 132 to 118 will be displayed to alert drivers to the detour information. The full project is expected to be completed in November of this year, although this specific detour will end Thursday. Follow the writer on Twitter: @MalloryNoePayne
Students go to DC for climate protest LESLI MCCREA news reporter
On Feb. 17, the largest climate-centered rally in U.S. history took place on the National Mall in Washington, DC. Approximately 40,000 people, including more than 40 Hokies, participated in the rally that was held after a march to the White House. Activists took part in this event in order to urge President Obama to take action against climate change. The Sierra Club, 350.org and the Hip Hop Caucus, which are all working to help the country transition to renewable energy sources by promoting laws to limit greenhouse gas emissions, organized the rally. “The overall theme (of the event) was to urge President Obama forward on the climate change issue and have him follow through on a lot of what he talked about in his inaugural speeches,” said the SGA’s sustainability director, Drew Gallagher. Speakers at the rally included Sierra Club Executive Director, Michael Brune, along with U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, and many other leaders interested in the cause. “I found the speakers before the march to be especially moving,” said Sam Welborn, a freshman chemical engineering and chemistry major who attended the event. According to Gallagher, over half of the Virginia Tech students who traveled with him to D.C. were freshmen and sophomores from many dif-
ferent interest groups on campus. Many attendees, such as Welborn and freshman architecture major Nevin OunpuuAdams, are members of the Environmental Coalition, which works toward a sustainable future at the local, state and national levels. “I believe that combating climate change is the most important issue facing our generation; it is a matter of social justice, ensuring long term economic stability and preserving our Earth as we know it today,” OunpuuAdams said. The environmental awareness event was given a head start last week when several leaders and activists chained themselves to White House gates, including Brune. This proved to be the first act of civil disobedience committed by the Sierra Club in 120 years of public lobbying. The issue at the forefront of the event was the Keystone XL pipeline disagreement. This export pipeline is at the height of controversy because its 1,700-mile route could cost the country millions of dollars, as well as harm the environment through which it runs. “It’s a lightning rod issue for the event,” explained Gallagher. “Th is is where people interested in climate change draw the line.” Last year, a group of about 15,000 activists gathered to speak to Obama about the same issue, which ended up delaying the Keystone XL see RALLY / page four
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february 19, 2013 COLLEGIATETIMES
editors: mallory noe-payne, priscilla alvarez, dean seal newseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865
Professors apply technology to microdrones
BEN WEIDLICH / SPPS
Wu-Chun Feng, director of the Synergy Lab, has made headlines before for his supercomputer.
Tech professor Wu-Chun Feng and his team earn a $3.5 million grant to apply their supercomputer technology to the development of microdrones DONAL MURPHY news reporter
A Virginia Tech professor is once again in the national spotlight for his work with supercomputers. Professor Wu-Chun Feng, director of Tech’s Synergy lab, and his team has received a $3.5 million grant to research simulating micro-air vehicles, MAVs, for the U.S. Air Force. Wu will be using the supercomputers to simulate fluid dynamics of the micro-air vehicles. The computations required are so detailed that the machine being used to do them has to be capable of processing very large amounts of information. “We have to figure out the
right way to take the application, decompose it to its fundamental algorithms, extractions and map them appropriately onto a CPU or GPU,” Wu said. CPUs and GPUs are the key to Wu’s success, they are two parts of a computer that his work brings together, tapping into previously untapped potential. According to Wu, GPUs and CPUs essentially mirror a human brain. “You have two kind of brains: the CPU kinds of brains and the GPU kinds of brains, and they’re good at different things — much like our left and right brain,” Wu said. Wu compares CPUs and GPUs to sport utility vehicles and drag racing cars, respectively. The CPUs are able to do a multitude of actions relatively
well, but don’t have the greatest performance, while GPUs are able to do single tasks with extreme efficiency and speed. Wu gained fame last year when he was able to build the world’s most power efficient supercomputer using the technique of GPU acceleration. However, this computing power is not yet small enough to be used in MAVs. “We’re trying to accelerate the simulation of the microair vehicles; we’re not actually putting (the computers) inside these drones, at least not yet,” Wu said. “But certainly that could be the next frontier,” Wu said. The goal of the research is to maximize performance of simulation computers such that other scientists and engi-
neers can effectively run tests of developing microdrones. Tech was able to get the grant because they already had a team together that fit the bill for such interdisciplinary research. “We happened to have a team with the complementary pieces with which to pursue that opportunity,” Wu said. His team is composed of professors Christopher Roy, Danesh Tafti, Eric De Sturler and Adrian Sandu. They contribute their expertise from the colleges of engineering, aerospace and computer science to ensure the simulations are properly optimized. “I’m one of the ‘applications’ people, as opposed to the people in the computer science or math department that deal more with the algorithms and the hardware and soft ware,” Roy said, a professor in aerospace and ocean engineering. He, along with Taft i, are tasked with working with two more colleagues at North Carolina State to determine the best approach to usable simulations. According to Roy, these Micro Air Vehicles that they are simulating have a wingspan between 3 and 6 inches. “The way we’ve decided to approach it is we all have separate codes we’re working on ... and we’re looking to develop these separately with different kinds of options and ultimately have them merge together and create a new tool that is able to very efficiently solve these kind of problems,” Roy said. Roy is excited to work with the project and apply these complex computational fluid dynamics questions into such advanced computers. According to Roy, not taking advantage of the latest technology in supercomputers would be a waste. “If we don’t change the way we do simulations ... then we’re basically leaving computing
power on the table and not using it,” Roy said. GPU accelerated computers are becoming more common, and more effective, largely due to Wu’s progress. The effective use of these simulations would help to accelerate the process which MAVs can get tested, stabilized and produced, and potentially could accelerate modern intelligence gather capabilities, according to Tech Professor Ken Stiles. “It’s going to make it even more tactical,” said Stiles, a professor of geography at Tech and former CIA officer. Currently, the U.S. Marine Corps uses hand-launched remote controlled drones which are assembled from suitcases on the ground, according to Stiles. “(Drones) totally changed the ball game,” Stiles said. When he fi rst started in imagery, results came back on weekly basis. Now, said Stiles, images are coming back in realtime, 24/7. However, Stiles worries that with these microdrones, there may be too much intelligence available and not enough manpower to both operate the equipment and analyze the gathered data, whether it’s tactical data for infantry, or policy worthy data for intelligence analysts. Regardless, Stiles is proud to have Tech receiving the grant, citing Tech’s ability to multitask and approach problems from multiple viewpoints. “You’ve got the computer science people, you’ve got the engineers, and on top of that, you’ve got the political science, national security, strategic kind of exposure for this kind of development. It’s one stop shopping at its finest,” Stiles said. Follow the writer on Twitter: @hokierealist
upcoming events Today Booth Registration for the Virginia Tech Union Winterfest 2013: all day in Squires. Winterfest
is the annual indoor winter carnival for the Virginia Tech community. The day includes inflatable games, balloon artist, video gaming competitions, face painting and food. If your organization or business would like to be involved, all you have to do is stop by Squires 225 or email LBedenba@vt.edu Each organization will be provided a table and two chairs. Forms are due by Feb. 20 by noon.
Connection University Co-Op Internship Fair: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Squires.This is
the only venue where employers are recruiting co-op and internships. The opportunities are for undergraduate and graduate students in a variety of majors. Student check-in begins at 9:45 a.m. Interviews will be held on Feb. 15. Student check for interviews begins at 8 a.m.
opinions
editors: josh higgins, shawn ghuman opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865
february 19, 2013 COLLEGIATETIMES
what you’re saying
The Collegiate Times is an independent student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903
On Tebow Bill Dies in Senate Carla Craft: It’s a shame that because some home schoolers do things differently and may not meet “requirements,” the rest of the academically on-par home schooled students have to suffer. I was home schooled my whole life and started college when I was 16, and my parents ALWAYS made sure everything I did was on record, I took the SAT and ACT, etc.. I know many, many homeschooling families who do the same, but unfortunately, there’s always a few who set the tone and begin the stereotypes... :/
Collegiate Times Editorial Staff Editor in Chief: Michelle Sutherland Managing Editor: Nick Cafferky Design Editors: Andrea Ledesma, Alicia Tillman Special Section Design Edtitor: Danielle Buynak Public Editor: Erin Chapman Web Editor: Chelsea Gunter Senior News Editor: Mallory NoePayne Associate News Editors: Priscilla Alvarez, Dean Seal News Blog Editor: Cameron Austin News Reporters: Leslie McCrea, Justin Graves, Andrew Kulak, Donal Murphy News Staff Writers: Alex Gomez, Sean Hayden, Max Luong, Cody Owens, Features Editors: Emma Goddard, Nick Smirniotopoulos Features Staff Writers: Ben Kim, Katie White, Kara Van Scoyc, Allie Sivak, Jacob Wilbanks Senior Opinions Editor: Josh Higgins Associate Opinions Editor: Shawn Guhman Sports Editors: Matt Jones, Zach Mariner Special Sections Editor: Chelsea Giles Copy Chief: Nora McGann Copy Editors: Allison Hedrick, Kristin Gunther, Mackenzie Fallon, Alexis Livingston, Kayleigh McKenzie Photo Editor: Kevin Dickel
Joel: Maybe there could be a compromise. If the school were to provide the home-schooled student a type of academic test associated with the test that is presented to inschool students, and if the homeschool student passed the test, then that student would be qualified to play school sports. Even though you may be homeschooled, your parents still have to pay property taxes for the schools and sports arenas. Homeschooled students should be allowed to use them. MCT CAMPUS
Our Views [staff editorial]
Access Media 3 needs to answer questions regarding third party. In several of the main off-campus apartment complexes in Blacksburg, Access Media 3 essentially has a monopoly on Internet services. Students don’t have the option of choosing another Internet provider, and in this day in age, students can’t get by without one. Apartment complexes exclusive contracts do have a plus side — they can make the service less costly, which is good for all parties — but when issues arise, they need to be addressed so students aren’t taken advantage of. The issue right now with Access Media 3 is that
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blackouts have been occurring and the complaints of the students are seemingly falling upon deaf ears. Complaints to Access Media 3 are being heard by a customer service department in Illinois that has no way of knowing the specifics of the situation because of sheer distance. Without knowing who the third party is that is in charge of maintaining the equipment actually delivering the service, there is no accountability on either. And until that issue is resolved, students will continue feeling like they’re getting the short end of the stick.
Harlem Shake is ruining the web I t always starts the same: a masked person is audaciously thrusting in an otherwise normal situation as an adrenaline-rushing beat begins to rise. Then the bass drops; the video cuts to chaos, as people redefine what it means to be ridiculous. The Harlem Shake is not a new idea, though. First introduced in 1981, the dance reached its peak in 2001, being referenced in many songs by New York area hip-hop artists. Yet in August 2012, Baauer uploaded a song titled “Harlem Shake” and on Jan. 30, 2013 the song became popular when the first dance montage was uploaded by user, Filthy_Frank. Throughout the second week of February, that single video sparked over 4,000 unique videos being uploaded every day, totaling over 44 million views according to a Feb. 12 official YouTube Trend Report. This trend has not just reached young adults, but everyone, from the military to firefighters, to office workers, to colleges and sports teams, to news teams and radio stations; everyone is doing it, but why? Is it because Baauer’s song subliminally controls us? I think not. It is, however because of
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“Internet points” and use them as another way to prove who is better. Trends like the Harlem Shake are used over and over again until all the Internet points dry up. You see this happen. Your newsfeed, timeline, and YouTube feed get cluttered with the same trend until it has run its course and the next one is found. This will keep continuing until we change our attitudes on the Internet. We need to stop putting a value on these Internet points. Learn that it doesn’t really matter how many people have watched you hump the air in a chicken suit, and instead use the Internet as a place to cultivate new ideas and discuss things with intelligence and common sense. It’s not fair to reduce the Internet to pictures of cats, videos of bacon being slow cooked in an oven, and fevered political arguments on Facebook; let’s graduate from the high school mentality and progress towardo something with more substance.
MARCUS WILLIAMS -regular columnist -junior -economics
Filibusters kill political efficiency
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the changing landscape of the Internet. According to the Pew Research Center, 83 percent of 18-29 year olds and 77 percent of people between 30-49 use social media websites, meaning that we are connected more than ever before, but that comes at a price. Social media websites — Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, YouTube, Pintrest, Reddit, etc. — have become the new high school. And just like high school, you have to fit in to be popular. The Internet has now become a place where the view count on your latest YouTube video, the number of followers you have and the amount of “likes” you acquire on Facebook have become paramount to creating original content. It has now become easier to just copy what someone else came up with than to come up with your own original idea. As for the Harlem Shake, it’s just the latest in the long line of Internet trends used to gain popularity online. According to another study done by the Pew Research Center, less than half of all Internet users post original photos or videos. We as a society have started to collect what I like to call
hen Chuck Hagel’s confirmation vote for defense secretary was filibustered on Feb. 14, we wanted to believe it was a surprise. Yet, the stubbornness of congressional Republicans during the 112th Congress makes us wonder what else we could have expected. Since 2007, when Republicans lost control of both chambers of Congress, Democrats have had to file a record-setting 392 motions to invoke cloture, a 60-vote measure aimed at preventing or combating filibusters. While this number may under- or overestimate the exact number of fi libusters in the Senate, the Republican conversion of the upper chamber into a supermajority-only institution is undeniable. Such behavior is somewhat understandable on policy battles — albeit highly disruptive and unproductive. When it comes to staffing top government positions, however, it is “unconscionable,” as President Barack Obama characterized the fi libuster of Hagel’s confirmation. Something is wrong when a president cannot confi rm his executive branch team with a simple majority in the Senate. Gridlock of this sort serves only to demean the authority of the president. The nature of the Hagel nomination and the inevitability of his
confirmation make it clear that top Senate Republicans aim only to embarrass the president. In nominating former-GOP Sen. Hagel as secretary of defense, Obama sought to extend at least a token sign of bipartisanship. While Hagel was not the most conservative senator by any means, he supported such anti-Democratic Party policies as the PATRIOT Act and the Iraq Resolution, authorizing the use of military force in Iraq following the Sept. 11 attacks. By fi libustering the nomination of a former colleague, Republicans have taken one of the fi rst meaningful signs of bipartisanship in Obama’s second term and rudely thrown it back at the president. Moreover, Sen. John McCain even admitted on NBC News’ “Meet the Press” that Hagel will be confi rmed once the vote returns to the Senate. This maneuver is simply a dilatory measure for Republicans — an annoying victory, if you will. But this discussion goes beyond Hagel's confirmation. What is important is not whether Sen. Hagel will be confirmed as the next defense secretary — that is all but guaranteed. What matters is the future of our democracy. One of the core principles of democracy is majority rule. The protection of minority rights is
also important, but not at the expense of governmental efficiency. The fi libuster destroys that efficiency. So what do we do? Real filibuster reform is the first step. If an elimination of the fi libuster altogether is impossible, then why not start with an elimination of the filibuster for Senate confirmations? Baby steps are a powerful legislative tool by which to achieve policy objectives. As a pragmatist, I have come to terms with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s fi libuster reform deal with Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. He achieved a set of minor changes to the filibuster rules, but I am confident this will pave the way for more meaningful reform in the future. There are those who oppose the filibuster eradication because Democrats will one day be in the minority, wishing they had them at their disposal. To them, I respond that the preservation of fundamental democratic ideals is more important than temporary political gains. If not, then our American experiment has been for naught. HECTOR QUESADA -regular columnist -junior -political science
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february 19, 2013 COLLEGIATETIMES
editors: mallory noe-payne, priscilla alvarez, dean seal newseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865
AM3: Company relies on unknown third-party provider from page one
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country.” The name of the mysterious third party company in Blacksburg is not publically available information as of now. The company that had previously provided Internet service in Access Media 3’s current domain was NTC Shentel. NTC was not available for comments regarding the matter. While the outages themselves have been stimulated some of the negative student opinion of Access Media 3, others have also expressed discontent with exclusivity of Access Media 3’s service with many major apartment complexes in the area. Nicholas Tully has lived in Terrace View for two years now, and having had experience with better services growing up, has been dissatisfied with his current means of Internet access. “I personally hate it,” said Tully, a junior public and urban affairs major. “I dislike the way you’re forced into it by contract here at Terrace View; you don’t have any other choice of Internet providers.” Various major apartment complexes currently maintain exclusive contracts with Access Media 3, making them the only service provider for the all units the complexes manage. Nicole Bowman has lived in Maple Ridge for the past year, and had a similar experience to Tully. “They didn’t give us a choice, they just said that’s who provides it, so I guess we’re stuck with them unfortunately,” said Bowman, a sophomore communication and English major. While Access Media 3 has refused to provide the names of the apartment complexes they have exclusive contracts with, students have reported that Terrace View, Collegiate Suites, Maple Ridge, Hunters Ridge, Oak Bridge and University Terrace are among the apart-
Maple Ridge Townhomes
Oak Bridge ANDREA LEDESMA / COLLEGIATE TIMES
ment complexes that incorporate Access Media 3 into their lease. No apartment complex has been willing to provide the length of their contract with Access Media 3. Some students have said Terrace View’s contract would be up for renewal in July, though Terrace View’s management was not available to confirm this rumor. According to Mercado, apart-
ment complexes favor exclusive contracts for retail service, an option available for all private cable operators as licensed by the Federal Communications Commission, for a variety of reasons. “Some properties choose to only allow one because they get a break, and they are able to pass that along to the residents,” Mercado said. “They do this in order to, pos-
sibly, and I don’t know, they have their different reasons, but there’s a possible reason that they want to pass on their savings.” Outside of the service outages, some students have been unhappy with the quality of the provided Internet service as well. According to Tully, the advertised Internet speed at his apartment in Terrace View is a bit of
a façade. “They advertise that they have 20 download, 10-upload speed, but that’s the speed if you’re plugged into the wall,” Tully explained. “The way Terrace View has it set up is account-based, so only one computer can be logged into the account online at a time. The only way to have more people to use it is to plug in a router and have the router take up that one
spot.” By using the router, Tully says he doesn’t get what he’s paying for. “Wireless connection is significantly slower than wired connection, so even though they might advertise 20/10, it’s actually more like 2/1,” Tully said. Bowman expressed similar disappointment with the consistency of her service. “There’ve been a couple days when it was just really bad, in and out Internet,” Bowman said. “That was one of the cases when I know we tried to contact them, but we didn’t really get a reason why it went out. It was really inconvenient, people had to go on campus just to do their homework.” According to Mercado, when outages occur, it may not always be a massive outage, but more localized to a complex or single unit. “There could be too many computers connected to your source, it could be your specific unit because of a wiring issue, it could be the property because of a wiring issue,” Mercado said. “Anytime there is an outage we have to get to the root of it. If a customer calls at the very beginning of an outage, its possible we haven’t identified the issue.” Mercado also stressed the need for more communication between customers and Access Media 3’s customer service. Customers can sign up to have their emails notified when outages do occur. As far as the outages go, Mercado expects the issue to be fully resolved. “This provider was able to narrow down exactly what was happening, and which equipment it was that failed,” Mercado said. “According to them… it shouldn’t happen again.” Follow the writer on Twitter: @jdeanseal
Shake: Video gets online hits from page one
Both consider the event a success, despite some negative feedback online. “It ended up being really fun, so I consider that a success,” Russell said. “I think it turned out as best it could given the fact that we’re all college kids looking for our 15 seconds of fame.” The Harlem Shake has been a recent online video sensation, and many colleges across the country are jumping on the bandwagon. Virginia created its own video, as has GMU and JMU. So far, however, Tech’s video has the most views. As of 9 p.m. Monday, the video was just shy of 150,000 views online, with almost 1,400 likes.
YouTube has even begun placing ads on the video. “It’s crazy how big it has gotten, but once you’re part of one yourself you understand how fun it is, and that’s what it’s all about,” Spalding said. There have been some complaints that the narrow frame of the shot fails to show how many people actually showed up. However, Russell and Spalding made the decision to film from the ground level instead of on top of War Memorial Chapel because the wide shot seemed empty given the entire expanse of the Drillfield. “People always think they can do a better job, but none of these critics actually go out and do it;
having an idea and making your idea reality are two very different things,” Spalding said. College Culture, an online video website, has contacted Spalding requesting that he submit the video in an online contest for the best college Harlem Shake video. If the video wins, College Culture will come out to Tech to make a video. In response to some critics saying the entire trend is a waste of time, Russell laughed, and even agreed. “Well yeah, yes it is a gigantic waste of time, but then again, a lot of things are,” Russell said. Follow this writer on Twitter @MalloryNoePayne
COURTESY OF GRACE FRIEDHOFF
A group of Tech students participated in one of the largest environmental marches on Washington.
Rally: people protest pipeline from page one
pipeline’s creation. “The Keystone Pipeline is the worst thing that could happen to the environment,” Welborn said. Sixteen other states held smaller corresponding rallies
across the country this past weekend to raise local awareness of this issue. “We have the power to take a stand for something we feel is important and show our government what it needs to do to serve its people,” Ounpuu-Adams said. “It
gives me hope for the greater climate movement and motivates me to continue working hard for it.”
Follow the writer on Twitter: @lesliemccrea
$1000 signing bonus! 6
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Good times creeping down your antenna?
arts & entertainment
Spongebob storyboard director visits Tech MAITLAND MANN
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features staff writer
People may not think of southwest Virginia as a breeding ground for highlevel celebrities; however, if you are a fan of SpongeBob Squarepants, then you are in the right area. Supervising Storyboard Director of the hit show, Tuck Tucker, will be presenting “The Art of a Drawing Story” Wednesday at Virginia Tech. Tuck Tucker grew up in Lynchburg, Va., and as a way to give back to the surrounding community, he contacted Tech to set up this presentation. As a part of his visit, Tuck Tucker will conduct a workshop with a 3-D animation class taught by Thomas Tucker, associate professor of creative technology, who is excited for his students to hear about such interact with homegrown professional in their aspiring field. Tucker will talk about the behind the scenes aspect of SpongeBob and go into detail about what it takes to transform a simple idea into an episode viewed by millions. In addition, he will show an episode where SpongeBob gets a splinter in his thumb.
The emphasis of the workshop is thinking on their feet and sketching out ideas very quickly.” Thomas Tucker Assoicate Professor
“We are going to show the animatic of it which is like a roughed out storyboard version of it,” Thomas Tucker said. “It will be all the behind the scenes drawing of SpongeBob before it’s colored and before all the smooth animation process of it.” To give an idea to how much time and work goes
into each episode, Thomas Tucker said one episode includes between 4,000 and 5,000 images. The episode will be shown again, but this time allowing to put their creative skills to the test by cutting the episode short 10 seconds. “They don’t know what’s beyond the last 10 seconds
so they will work on storyboarding their concept of what goes on,” Thomas Tucker said. “The emphasis of the workshop is thinking on their feet and sketching out ideas very quickly.” Students will get handson experience documenting what would go on behind the scenes. “You watch it on (TV) and
you don’t know because it’s so smooth,” Thomas Tucker said. “You don’t see all the magic that goes behind it; it’s phenomenal.” Brett Barber, a junior engineering major, has watched the show since he was a little kid, and still watches now and then when it is on TV. “I’ve always wondered about all the artwork that goes into making an animated movie or TV show,” Barber said. “The fact that this is about SpongeBob is an added bonus. “It’s one thing to see the show as its finished product, but a whole different feeling to get to see what happens behind the scenes,” he said. “It’s the stuff we don’t even think about. I’m eager to see what makes the show so well done.”
COLLEGIATETIMES
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New Releases Movies “Dark Skies,” Feb. 22 A young family living in an average suburban home begins to experience strange and disturbing events. Starring: Keri Russell, Dakota Goyo, Josh Hamilton
“Snitch,” Feb. 22 When a man’s son is wrongly imprisoned for drug distribution, he makes a deal with the government to infiltrate a drug cartel and win his son’s freedom. Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Susan Sarandon
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Gamers form cohesive community Romance actors BEN KIM features staff writer
Gamers are oftentimes seen as solitary and antisocial. Many people picture them alone in a basement pushing buttons on a controller for hours on end. While this isn’t necessarily false, the Gamer’s Group of Virginia Tech is a club that tries to bring gamers together. Dedicated to video games and the people that play them, GGVT is the self-proclaimed official organization for video games on the Tech campus. John-Charles Holmes, president of GGVT and a junior communication major, is without a doubt COURTESY OF NATE NAVASCA a gamer. Members of GGVT gathered for Heroes of Honduras, an that raised money for Students Helping Honduras. He isn’t solitary, antisocial or even the stereotypical gamer, but he sincerely es. Although the number of of Newerth” tournament numbers and aliases,” believes it should be easier people who attended wasn’t was one of GGVT’s first Thomas said. for gamers to find each impressive on its own, big events which featured Parker detailed his desire other on campus. the event demonstrated 15 teams and raised over to help expand the commuHolmes recounted a GGVT’s uniqueness. $200 for the Students nities surrounding games story from his freshman Hosting a tournament can Helping Honduras charity like “StarCraft,” “World of year when he was playing be an expensive proposition drive. WarCraft” and “Diablo,” “Costume Quest” alone in and the various televisions, Although it’s easy to get which prompted him to a dorm filled with non- game systems, controllers distracted by the large join GGVT as its event gamers and Madden and the games themselves tournaments and other coordinator. players. can be a problem for a club events hosted by the group, Members aren’t forced This was a situation he with limited supplies. the highlight of GGVT is to play the latest game, solved by joining GGVT, “As a club, we have only the dedication of its mem- or even a game that came which he described as a way so many materials and we bers and their desire to play out in the last decade; for student gamers to come were really hoping that games with others from the anything goes and what together, play games and people could come help Tech community. brings them all together is have fun. out,” Holmes said. “I can just get together and the fact that they are all GGVT is staying true to “As noon rolled around, go to Torgersen on Sunday gamers. the original vision for the the Smash fanatics arrived and play ‘Mario Kart 64’ for “I really like how everyone club which was co-founded with their TVs and their like four hours,” said Kyle is encouraged to come out by Eric Olson, Nate Navasca systems and people came Parker, event coordinator and get involved no matter and Alex Thomas. with their special con- and sophomore computer what games they play even “GGVT was meant to trollers ready to play science major. if it was one that none of be a friendly hub for gam- some old-school Smash “Even though I’m terrible us had ever played in our ers — both at Tech and in Brothers.” at that game, it’s still a lot lives,” Parker said. the local area — to meet Holmes called this one of fun.” “It was still a common and play games together,” of the many do-it-yourself This sentiment is shared bond that everyone likes Thomas said. moments that are an essen- by many of the club’s mem- video games.” “Its other main function tial part of the club’s suc- bers. With a Facebook General meetings are simwas to serve as a strong cess. page that is constantly ply a place for gamers to philanthropic club to help GGVT isn’t just about being updated by both the get together with their perfund charity drives of local playing games with your members and the GGVT sonal favorite games. organizations and other friends, though; the club is of f icers, d iscussions These games range from clubs at VT.” also dedicated to enriching about video games are cult-classic N64 titles to With general meetings and interacting with the constant. “League of Legends” and typically held every other other organizations within “There’s a lot of potential even “Rhythm Heaven Sunday in Torgersen Hall the Tech community. to help people meet new Fever.” room 1060, there are plen“We have lots of coop- people and discover new At the end of the day, ty of opportunities to get eration with other clubs,” games that they wouldn’t GGVT is quite literally all involved with the club. Holmes said. have otherwise come about its members. “GGVT is nothing with“We are a collective net“Last semester, we teamed across,” Parker said. work for gamers around up with a fraternity to Thomas expounded upon out its members,” Holmes campus,” Holmes said. hold a Madden tourna- the opportunities that arise said. “If you have a game that “What this means is ment. We also held a can- through the gamer comthat we try to offer a way cer awareness Mario Kart munity of GGVT, sharing you love and you want to share with people because for gamers to try and race.” his favorite memory. get in touch with each GGVT’s current philan“My favorite part of you don’t have anyone other.” thropic efforts echo the GGVT hands down is see- else to play it with; bring Last semester, GGVT held events held by the origi- ing someone meet another a TV to the meeting and a “Super Smash Brothers” nal officers like Heroes of person with similar gam- see what happens.” tournament with cash priz- Honduras. The “Heroes ing hobbies and exchange
lack chemistry Movie Rating
Expecting a Nicholas Sparks movie to be anything other than a mess of complicated love, convenient cancer and high melodrama would be futile. “Safe Haven” is simply the latest repackaging of that same old story we’ve seen from Sparks a million times before. In the fi lm, a woman named Katie (Julianne Hough) arrives in a small North Carolina town with some things she’s trying to run from, including an abusive estranged husband, Kevin (David Lyons), who’s also a police officer. Katie quickly catches the eye of a local widower, Alex (Josh Duhamel), when she charms his two daughters. Eventually, though, Kevin arrives in town with some questions, and Katie is forced to confront her past. Even at first viewing, “Safe Haven” feels like literally every other adaptation of a Sparks novel. And it’s not just the schmaltzy and unbelievable plot: it’s the generically attractive white actors, the romanticized Southern locale and, of course, the cancer. Frankly, it would be a lot more of a shocking emotional punch if someone didn’t die of cancer in a Sparks story. But even with all this, “Safe Haven” didn’t have to be as truly dull as it was. “The Notebook,” for example, shared all the same characteristics (just swap dementia in for the cancer because even Sparks has to switch up the terminal illness every once in a while). However, “The Notebook” succeeded as a very entertaining and engrossing film, thanks mostly to the strong performances and electric chemistry of stars Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling. Julianne Hough and Josh Duhamel, however, don’t bring any of that. Their performances aren’t bad, but they have no chemistry and it ends up feeling like you’re just watching two attractive people frolic around because they hap-
pened to be on a beach. Compared to the fiery and impassioned relationship of Allie and Noah in “The Notebook,” Katie and Alex are so boring it nearly puts you to sleep. The script is nothing exciting, the directing is uninspired and the music is generic. The cinematography is fairly good, but that’s probably more to do with the beautiful location than anything else. Indeed, the only surprising thing about the movie is that its plot twist ending. Sparks must have been watching M. Night Shyamalan movies while he was writing the book because this is one unexpected and truly ludicrous plot twist that only Shyamalan could have come up with, even going so far as to include a ghost. The problem with a Shyamalan-style twist is that they’ve become so commonplace that the only shock is how incredibly stupid they are. I hope that the mainstream audience will finally see that Sparks has jumped the shark with this latest story — but I’m not counting on it. The reality is that Sparks seems to have a bizarre hold over the romanticallyinclined young female audience; “Safe Haven” will do well at the box office and generate another uninspired adaptation of a Nicholas Sparks novel. In the meantime, look up the fi lm’s ending online just for a laugh, but don’t waste any money buying a ticket. KATIE WHITE -regular movie columnist -junior -history major
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february 19, 2013
There’s still time to snap your senior photos!
Regular Edition Today’s Birthday Horoscope: Today’s Birthday Horoscope: Research your financial investments, which require close attention and management this year. Domestic bliss is the overarching theme. Summer brings heightened social life and family fun. Consider your education, and either teach or take a class. Get involved with a global cause.
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Week ending February 22, 2013
Top Tracks Stay (feat. Mikky Ekko) • Rihanna
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ACROSS 1 Response to a good barb 7 Wyo. neighbor 10 Horticulturalist’s supply 14 Water delivery system 15 Relatives 16 One-named “May It Be” singer 17 *Get carried away 19 Didn’t chuck 20 The Trojans, familiarly 21 Obvious 23 Sash worn in a ryokan inn
2/19/13 25 Always 26 Everett of “Citizen Kane” 30 __Vista: Google alternative 32 Missions, to spies 35 Fly without a plane 37 Car window adornment 39 Course often taken with physiol. 40 Explode, and words needed to complete the four starred answers 42 Scottish terrier breed
43 “Midnight Cowboy” hustler Rizzo 45 Informed of the latest news 47 Korean automaker 48 Bark’s pole 50 Comedy, horror, etc. 51 12 53 “We the Living” author Rand 54 Nutty Hershey’s treat 58 Alacrity 63 Bailiff’s cry 64 *Act prematurely
DOWN 1 Elects 2 Greeting from Kermit the Frog 3 Design detail, briefly 4 Zilch 5 Unending 6 End of a quip? 7 Big name in do-ityourself furniture 8 Loud noises 9 “Even so ...” 10 Earl Grey alternative 11 *Lose it 12 Compose email 13 Fill totally 18 Prov. in the Gulf of St. Lawrence 22 Living room plug? 24 Where Flanders red ale is brewed: Abbr. 26 “Jaws” menace 27 Molokai neighbor 28 *Digress 29 CIA employees 30 Get from a shelter 31 Remaining 33 Check recipient
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34 Hillside whizzers 36 Chits in a pot 38 Jocks’ channel 41 Square oldster 44 Melville adventure 46 Portuguese lady 49 “Amen!” 52 Exhibits in abundance, as confidence 53 Corgi’s cry 54 Budge
55 Strikeout king Nolan 56 “Hunting Cantata” composer 57 Besides 59 Prefix with phobia 60 “MADtv” segment 61 Summer’s column 62 Perimeter 65 Disney gift store purchase
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sports
february 19, 2013 COLLEGIATETIMES
7
Tech baseball off to hot start
FILE 2012 / SPPS
Chad Pinder (right) had a huge weekend for the Hokies, hitting .357 with two HRs and nine RBI in four games.
Pinder, Zagunis help lead Hokies to 4-0 start, as Tech breaks into Top 25 MATT JONES sports editor
With huge expectations for the 2013 season, the Virginia Tech baseball team opened their season in style. The Hokies swept their first weekend of play, winning two games against both Kent State and UNC Wilmington. The Hokies outscored their opponents 34-12 over the four games and scored at least seven runs in each game. Tech (4-0) is now ranked No. 24 on Baseball America’s Top 25 Tracker. Against Kent State on Friday afternoon, the Hokies broke a 7-7 tie in the ninth and held on for a 10-9 win. ACC Player of the Week Chad Pinder went 2-for-3 at the plate with a home run and five RBI. Pinder homered again Saturday, as the Hokies defeated Kent State 8-1. Brad Markey, a junior college transfer, got the win in
his first start for Tech, going seven innings while allowing just one run. Devin Burke carried the Hokies to a 9-0 victory in Saturday’s second game, going six innings while striking out six UNC Wilmington batters. At the plate, Tyler Horan and Matt Dauby each had three-hit games, while Gary Schneider and Sean Keselica each homered. On Sunday, the Hokies completed their weekend sweep with a 7-2 win over UNC Wilmington. Mark Zagunis, a preseason All-American by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association, went 4-for-5 with a double and three RBI. Zagunis went 8-for-16 at the plate and stole four bases over the weekend. Tanner McIntyre and Jake Joyce combined for 12 strikeouts and allowed just three hits on the mound. Managing editor of College Baseball for Perfect Game
Kendall Rogers said during his chat Monday that he was impressed with the Hokies. “I was really impressed with the way the Hokies pitched over the weekend with Tanner McIntyre and Brad Markey both looking very good,” Rogers said. “But the offensive production isn’t surprising. ... VT has an excellent lineup with Rash, Pinder, Horan, and others. Loaded.” The sweep is just the second time since 1993 that the Hokies have opened their season with four straight wins. Tech has now won 22 straight nonconference games as well. The Hokies will hold their season opener on Friday afternoon against Temple at 3 p.m. Tech will play Holy Cross (3:30 p.m.) and Temple (6 p.m.) on Saturday, then Holy Cross again on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. All games will be broadcast on Hokies All Access.
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Travel GETTING COLD TIME to Plan your Spring Break 2010 Get Away! Learn how to travel to beautiful locations like Jamaica, Acapulco and the Bahamas on a party cruise. Find out what other Virginia Tech Hokies are headed to your destination. -Adrian Email: Awhite@Studentcity.com for more information
business manager Student Publications Photo Staff director of photography and business manager VTTV Channel 33 general manager and business manager. To download an online application, visit collegemedia. com. Applications are due 9 AM Friday February 22, 2013. Questions? Contact Kelly Wolff at emcvt@vt.edu.
tip of the week
LESSON: Spark Plugs
For Rent Help Wanted STUDENT MEDIA LEADERSHIP 13-14 Stand Out Student media is accepting applications for the following 1314 leadership positions: Bugle Yearbook editor in chief and business manager Silhouette Literary and Arts Magazine editor in chief and
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) Insecurities and fears could get in the way of your commitments. An apology can go a long way now. Love the people you’re with, and walk in their shoes. This feels liberating. Aries (March 21-April 19) Find a connection with your family and grow. Take your ideas public. You get a blizzard of calls. Be ready to answer all the questions. Practice in front of the mirror. Taurus (April 20-May 20) It’s not a good time for wandering. Keep your feet close to home and your eyes on the prize. Focus on making money rather than on spending. Physical exercise channels energy.
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Gemini (May 21-June 20) It’s of icial: Your power is intense. Focus on career ways and means. Repairs may keep you busy. Just do what you need to do and move on. Cancer (June 21-July 22) Listen to a loved one’s considerations; they may very well have a better perspective on the issue than you. When others look good, you look good. Don’t celebrate just yet. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) Fine-tune your image. Take one step at a time ... there’s no rush. Read all the new data. However, offer your opinion only if asked.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Something is missing. Make the necessary changes for ease. Romance could interfere with your deadline. It’s possible to make time for both, and cut expenses, too. Potluck picnic? Everyone’s got to eat. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) The rules stay the same for awhile. Review practical arrangements and get organized. Make a spending plan, without spending yet. You’re surrounded by love. Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) Don’t argue ... it’s not worth it. Especially since you’re likely to change your mind. Regulations could interfere with plans. Begin with commonalities, and consider new avenues. Listen to your heart.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Your ideas still have some bugs to work out, but you won’t know if you don’t try. Take detailed notes. A practical plan works better than a gamble. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Tempers are short, so choose your battles well. Sometimes it’s better to let another win. A female inds a treasure. It’s mind over matter now. Bend with the wind. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) You don’t have to carry the load alone; someone who loves you is willing to help. Or you could take it easy today, and start again tomorrow. Bubbles, good music and candles are nice.
TIP: Spark plugs DO need changing. WHY: The advent of electronic ignition and on-board computers has eliminated the need for regular tune-ups, but you still need to change your spark plugs. Many manufacturers recommend changing plugs every 30,000 or 40,000 miles (48,000 or 64,000 km) to ensure good fuel mileage and engine performance. Some new cars come with long-life plugs (sometimes called double platinum plugs) that can last for 100,000 miles (160,000 km). If your car isn’t so equipped, make the switch after 30,000 miles. The extra cost is only a few dollars per spark plug. While you’re at it, change your spark plug wires as well. Their typical life is 50,000 miles (80,000 km). Deteriorated wires can cause those high-tech new spark plugs to foul. -www.rd.com
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sports
february 19, 2013 COLLEGIATETIMES
editors: matt jones, zach mariner sportseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865
Washington Nationals could NBA All-Star weekend out of wack be NL East’s next dynasty RYAN LAWRENCE mcclatchy newspapers
One out away from playing in their first championship series in franchise history — since moving to Washington, that is — the Nationals were on the receiving end of a punch to the gut from the defending world champion St. Louis Cardinals. After taking a six-run lead in the final game of the NL Division Series, the Nationals suffered an embarrassing loss on their home field to put an otherwise memorable 2012 season to rest. But one small defeat does not encapsulate the giant leap Washington took as a franchise last summer. Less than two years from being mocked for signing Jayson Werth to a $126 million contract, the Nationals established themselves as one of baseball’s best franchises. They weren’t just a winning team for the first time since they left Montreal, and not just a one-year wonder that happened to have more wins than any other club in baseball. They saw the foundation of their franchise come to fruition, the first chapter of what looks like a very bright future. Bryce Harper’s rookie season was simply a small taste for what’s to come in his big-league career. At the age of 19 he hit 22 home runs and showed a tenacity on the bases that was reminiscent of a young Chase Utley. Fellow first-overall pick Stephen Strasburg rebounded from Tommy John surgery and re-established himself as one of the top five most talented pitchers in the game. The decision to shut down Strasburg, who turns 25 in July, probably cost the Nationals a chance to advance further in the postseason in 2012. But that’s history now, and he should be better for it in 2013. Teams that experience success for the first time can go in varying directions in the year that follows. After making it into the playoffs for the first time in 14 years in 2007, the Phillies won the World Series a year later. Cincinnati, after its first winning season in 11 years in 2010,
was swept out of the playoffs by the Phils and finished with a losing record the next season, but won its division again in 2012. The Nationals, at least on paper, appear to be a franchise that’s more likely to follow the Phillies’ path. There’s just too much talent to see them taking a step back before they can continue to move forward. Washington’s management surely didn’t sit idly this winter. Although the Braves made the division’s biggest splashes in adding the Brothers Upton, the Nationals solidified what was already a team strength. They added closer Rafael Soriano and righthander Dan Haren to a pitching staff that led the National League in ERA. Haren, a 32-year-old, three-time All-Star, replaces Edwin Jackson in the rotation. Soriano, the latest Scott Boras client to strike it rich in Washington, heads a bullpen that already has two closer-tested relievers in Drew Storen and Tyler Clippard. Like the Phillies and Braves, the Nationals also have a new centerfielder. Rather than opening the vault for yet another Boras client (Michael Bourn), Washington made like the Phillies and traded for one from Minnesota, swapping top pitching prospect Alex Meyer for Denard Span. With Span, Harper and Werth, the Nationals have a defensive outfield that will surely be the envy of their division neighbors in South Philly. Washington, however, might miss Sean Burnett, Tom Gorzelanny and Mike Gonzalez, a trio of lefthanded relievers who signed elsewhere as free agents this winter. While the trio of Clippard, Storen and Soriano is a formidable one in the ‘pen, the Nationals would surely like a lefty to attack the Ryan Howards and Chase Utleys of the National League. Final verdict: With a rotation led by Strasburg and two others who sported sub-3.00 ERAs last season in Gio Gonzalez and Jordan Zimmermann, and a lineup fueled by franchise third baseman Ryan Zimmerman, the Nationals are the team to beat in the division.
Maybe the NBA and commissioner David Stern were hoping the 2013 NBA All-Star Game coinciding with Michael Jordan’s 50th birthday would actually make people want to watch. It didn’t happen. It’s gotten to the point where the All-Star Game is overshadowed by its sister events during All-Star Weekend. I’d much rather watch Usain Bolt, Kevin Hart and Ryen Russillo joke around during the Celebrity Game than watch the actual players do to each other what they’d do to guys like me if I was ever fortunate enough to play pickup against them. Maybe it’s too eerily similar to a typical NBA game. High-scoring superstars, flashy moves and small amounts of defense are taking over the NBA, and in a few years, you might not be able to tell the AllStar Game scoreline from a playoff game’s. The MLB’s All-Star Game actually carries World Series implications. The MLS’s All-Star game usually pits the league’s best against top European clubs like Manchester United and Chelsea. The NHL’s All-Star Game features lots of scoring in a sport that typically doesn’t. The same cannot be said for the NBA. Until an East or West team hits 200 points, the All-Star Game will be pretty forgettable. Only the NFL’s Pro Bowl is less interesting than the NBA’s All-Star Game. In both, defense is basically prohibited but at least the NBA has other competitions. The dunk contest has the potential to be one of the most exciting and interesting events out there, but just doesn’t live up. If players like Kevin Durant, LeBron James and Tyson Chandler would participate, interest would skyrocket. The world knows they can throw it down and would love to see them compete in a friendly, anythinggoes setting. Instead, no-names like Terrence Ross, Jeremy Evans and James White take the stage, and while they’re certainly qualified to compete, there’s no doubting that the bigger names would put on a better show. Creativity has turned tacky with
MCT CAMPUS
Toronto’s Terrance Ross — little-known around the league — won the dunk contest.
“
Maybe it’s too eerily similar to a typical NBA game. High-scoring superstars, flashy moves and small amounts of defense are taking over the league.”
props playing more and more of a role in the dunk contest. The only reason the Rising Stars challenge might be worth watching is because mastermind goof balls and NBA legends Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal are the gen-
eral managers putting together the teams. And even that’s a stretch. Game MVP Chris Paul never looked so indifferent about winning a trophy last night, and if the players aren’t even excited about the All-Star Game, there are problems. It’s nice to see under-appreciated players like David Lee and LaMarcus Aldridge get their muchdeserved time in the national spotlight, but something needs to be done if the NBA wants people to care about the All-Star Game. MIKE PLATANIA -sports staff writer -senior -communication
2013 Virginia Tech Yearbook Portraits Wednesday February 20 - Squires Cardinal Room Thursday February 21 - Squires Yorktown Room Friday February 22 - Squires Yorktown Room 1:00 - 7:00 pm daily Senior & underclass walk-ins welcome Graduating seniors may make an appointment at bugleonline.com/appointment Free - no sitting fee! Avoid the rush - don’t wait!