An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903 www.collegiatetimes.com
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
COLLEGIATETIMES 109th year, issue 82 News, page 2
Arts & Entertainment, page 5
Opinions, page 3
Sports, page 6
Study Break, page 4
you & the cut
Pushing through
Sequestration limits market for graduates CAMERON AUSTIN news blog editor
The dooms-day automatic spending cuts, commonly called sequestration, went into effect on March 1, not only taking away $85.4 billion from Virginia’s state budget, but potentially limiting job prospects for Virginia Tech graduates as well. The major areas of cuts to the state budget include military, education, public health and, especially important to Tech, potential cuts to work-study programs and research grants. Mark Owczarski, with University Relations, said no one is really sure how the effects of sequestration will be felt at Tech. “Virginia Tech could very well be impacted by this, in ways that we’ll see in the coming days, weeks and months,” Owczarski said. Eighty percent of the $450 million that goes into research at Tech is funded by federal grants. That money could be affected by sequestration and will vary by individual government institutions. Grant funders could ask for money back or lower the amount of money given out to institutions such as Tech. “It’s really just too early to tell,” Owczarski said. “Every grant will have its own story on how we will treat it.” But for those who will not be at school much longer, the noticeable effects could be even worse. Kevin Shedlick, a senior international studies and geography double major, has decided to postpone his job search for a government position and head into graduate school instead. “I had applied to some internships within the state department and intelligence community, and once the sequestration took effect, they actually called me to say they were going to have to cancel their internship programs for the summer,” Shedlick said. And Shedlick is not the only one distressed. He said his co-worker already had a planned internship over the summer with a government agency in D.C., and they cancelled it completely. “It made me decide to go into graduate school instead of the job force. It’s just not a good time and would be hard to find a job,” Shedlick said. He is hoping by the time he finishes graduate
COURTESY OF HOKIESPORTS.COM
BY DAVID COOPER | sports staff writer
After Clemson pulled its swimming program after her freshman year, Heather Savage got another chance All athletes come to the point in their careers when they have to make a decision to push ahead or to call it quits. The better athletes become at their sport, the more time and effort is needed to continue to get stronger, faster and quicker. This ultimately leads them to question whether it is worth continuing. The great athletes are the ones who see that barrier as a challenge and are motivated to break through it. Virginia Tech senior swimmer Heather Savage knows all too well about the everyday challenges of trying to improve. Savage has been on the Virginia Tech Hokies’ swim team for three years and has accumulated an astounding number of accolades and awards. Savage has earned victories in almost every event, from the 500
meter freestyle, to the 100 meter backstroke. Last season, as a junior, her efforts in the 100 fly earned her All-American honors. She ended up swimming the 100 meter butterfly in the NCAA Championships, finishing 7th. On top of her national achievements, Savage currently holds the ACC record in the 100 meter fly. Although Savage has had great success during her swimming career, there were times when she had to make a decision whether it was time to let the sport go or look for another option and continue on the path to success. Savage fell in love with the water at a young age but did not start swimming competitively until middle school. “I learned how to swim when I was a baby,” Savage said. “We live on a lake at home so I’m always in the water but I started swimming competitively in 7th grade.” Although Savage started her competitive swimming career relatively late, she knew right away it was the something in which see SWIMMER / page six
see CUTS / page two
Lyric hosts Banff Mountain Film Festival Farmer’s Market MADELEINE GORDON features reporter
As a part of its world tour, the Banff Mountain Film Festival will come to The Lyric on March 13. Hosted by Blacksburg Blue Ridge Mountain Sports, the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour will feature some of the most notable films from the 2012 festival. “It’s a collection of films of daring athletes, breathtaking locations and great adventures,” said Wyatt Lifsey, Blue Ridge Mountain Sports manager. Lee Landers, a Blue Ridge Mountain Sports employee, has been to previous world tour showings in other locations and described the collection of films as inspiring. “It’s a motivational series of short films that will (make you want to) get off the couch and go do something,” Landers said. “(The films are) an individual’s take on their own personal experience based on their background, whether it be in rock climbing, bouldering, skiing, snowboarding or white water rafting.” According to Landers, the filmmakers are trying to relay their inspiration to a standard audience to expose it to a sport it may have never encountered or fully understood before. The actual Banff Mountain Film Festival is a nine-day event hosted by the Banff Centre in Canada that brings together a variety of mountain escapades from all over the world. After the Banff Mountain Film Festival concludes in November, a selection of the best fi lms goes on an inter-
receives funding
more info When: March 13 Where: Lyric Theatre Sponsor: Blacksburg Blue Ridge Mountain Sports national tour. According to Banff ’s website, the films in the world tour travel to 32 countries, reaching more than 245,000 people at over 635 screenings. According to Lifsey, independent fi lmmakers submit their films to the Banff Centre, which then selects the films for the film festival in November. The selection of films is then narrowed down further for the world tour. Lifsey said they will be choosing a variety of films to showcase a wide range of interests — anything from adventure to cultural films. “I always try to pick videos that relate to the area, like sports that people do or maybe some sports that people don’t get to see everyday like white water kayaking,” Lifsey said. Lifsey selects the fi lms by viewing numerous trailers and meeting with a Banff representative to discuss which films have done the best at other world tour locations. According to Lifsey, this is the fourth year the Blacksburg Blue Ridge Mountain Sports has hosted the event. The organization wanted to bring the world-renowned tour to Blacksburg because it felt the area was lacking a film festival of this nature. “Showing these films is a great alternative for the community
KEVIN LOHR news staff writer
COURTESY OF WYATT LIFSEY
to do on a weekday night,” Lifesey said. “Blacksburg has a great outdoor community, and the film festival inspires people to get out there, play, and enjoy what is around us and what nature has given us.” This year, the proceeds from the world tour event in Blacksburg will benefit the Mountain Lake Conservancy, a nonprofit organization that helps manage and protect the 2,600 acres of the Mountain Lake property. In addition to benefiting a local nonprofit, Landers believes one of the goals of the fi lm festival is to promote outdoor adventure. “Being in such close proximity to the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Appalachian Trail,
the fi lm festival will generate enough interest and sustain the interest to maintain an outdoor presence within the community,” Landers said. Tickets for the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour are still available and can be purchased at the Blacksburg Blue Ridge Mountain Sports on South Main St. or at The Lyric Theatre. “Anybody should come out and see it. It isn’t just for the outdoor crowd — it is a great, all-around event,” Lifsey says. “It’s a great way to help out (the Mountain Lake Conservancy) and see some awesome films that you might not otherwise get to see.”
Blacksburg’s Farmer’s Market recently received a $10,000 grant that will be used to explore how the market can better serve the needs of low-income residents of the area. Friends of the Farmers Market plans to conduct a series of studies in order to help improve the accessibility of locally-produced foods to those with limited access. The surveys will be funded by the $10,000 Sustainable Communities Innovation grant, awarded to them by the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program. Ellen Stewart, coordinator for FFM, and Jessica Schultz, a member of Americorps Vista and VT Engage, are spearheading the project. “The agriculture in this region is thriving, but we know we’re not reaching the low income people, so I think we found a feasible way to at least study why we’re not reaching them,” Schultz said. Because Montgomery County is largely rural, it is likely to have what Schultz calls “food desert” zones. Th is means that, over time, affordable and accessible food tends to move closer to those people who live in a higher income bracket, leaving certain areas of the county “arid”
more info Blacksburg Farmer’s Market happens Sat. at 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. through March 31. After that it will also happen every Wednesdayt. of fresh produce and groceries. Because many lower income residents tend to buy property where the land is cheaper, which are the more rural areas, they then have to travel further and further just to get to the grocery store. Although the issue of food security has received increased awareness over the past few years as a recognized need in the Appalachian region, efforts to stem the issue are limited. Currently, programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which functions like food stamps for the Blacksburg farmers market and other participating organizations in the Montgomery County area, are widely used. SNAP participation rates were measured at 8,000 people in January. The wide use of SNAP led Schultz and Stewart to believe it was time for a form of greater action, and so they drew up a plan of action and applied for the see GRANT / page two
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news
march 5, 2013 COLLEGIATETIMES
editors: mallory noe-payne, priscilla alvarez, dean seal newseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865
Cuts: Effects to Tech still unknown WHAT’S GETTING CUT While many effects of federal cuts are still unknown, some specifics have been released by the Obama administration on how these slashes in funding could directly affect all aspects of spending in Virginia.
WORK-STUDY Last year, 564 Tech students participated in work-study programs 2,210 fewer students would receive aid for tuition costs
MILITARY 840 fewer students will receive work-study emoplyment in VA
90,000 civilian Department of Defense employees in VA will be furloughed
PUBLIC HEALTH The state would reduce the budget for substance abuse treatments, vaccinations, medical testing and emergency response programs
$$$$
There are 78,000 Department of Defense naval civilian employees in Norfolk, VA alone
Vaccination programs will lose $241,000
FILE 2010 / SPPS
Various baked goods on sale at the Blacksburg Farmer’s market.
TEACHERS & SCHOOLS
The average Hepatitis B vaccine costs $75-&165
$14 million of federal funding will be cut from the budget of primary and secondary schools
ENVIRONMENT Pollution prevention and fish and wildlife protection services will face large cuts.
Schools and faculty who work with children with disabilities will lose $13.9 million in funding
Grant: Market to conduct study from page one
In 2009, Virginia spent $10,928 in state and federal money on each student
Clean water and air and pollution prevention programs will lose $3 million
ANDREA LEDESMA / COLLEGIATE TIMES from page one
school the job force will be better suited for government jobs and agencies. Charles Taylor, director of undergraduate studies for the political science department, says President Barack Obama had used a “scare tactic” in order to persuade action from Congress and prevent sequestration from happening. However, it did not
work. “Sequestration is really going to be noticed by people,” Taylor said. “You can’t cut that much out of a state’s budget without it being noticed. That’s going to make a real difference for people, especially in Northern Virginia and Tidewater.” But Taylor also reinforced what Owczarski said — that no one really knows what it will mean
just yet. “One of the real problems is we don’t know exactly what will be affected,” Taylor said. Governor Bob McDonnell sent a letter to Obama and Virginia’s congressional delegates saying Virginia is already feeling the adverse effects of the sequestration. “When fully implemented, they could force Virginia and other
states into a recession,” he said in his letter. With extreme budget cuts, many are worried that Virginia’s economy and job force will not be able to recover from the massive deficits that are being put in place. “Armageddon really is here,” Taylor said. Follow the writer on Twitter: @CAustinCT
Library adds technical classroom CAITY GONANO news staff writer
Newman Library, in collaboration with the College of Science, has opened their first SCALE-UP classroom. The project, funded by alumni, was able to take shape in the last few months and has been open for classes since the beginning of February. In Newman 100S, students will find eight tables of nine, flat screen TVs, laptops and white boards that line the room. The goal of the new classroom is to establish a more hands-on, interactive learning environment, where students are able to work at tables with other students and get feedback from professors who are able to walk freely around the classroom. White boards give students and professors the chance to share ideas more freely. Students are encouraged to come to class with ideas to share in their smaller groups among each table, while
THE
making it visible for the entire class to see. The concept of the SCALEUP classroom came to Virginia Tech in 2011 when the College of Science raised money to have one put into Derring 3076. It has worked so efficiently for its department that it approached Newman over a year ago asking if it would be interested in including another SCALE-UP classroom on campus. Robin Panneton, associate professor for the department of psychology, co-taught a class of graduate students and undergraduate students a few semesters ago in the Derring classroom. She said the classroom gives professors the opportunity to communicate with and blend student personalities to create the best fit for group projects and group discussions. “If there is a weakness somewhere in a group — you get them with a strength from somewhere else,” Panneton said. During her semester teaching,
more info Newman Library’s new classroom will be opening after an official ribbon cutting ceremony Thursday, March 7. It will be available to students after Spring Break. she saw increased attendance and professor interaction, stemming from the idea that students who work together tend to feel more comfortable in groups. Time in the Newman classroom will be split 50/50 between the College of Science and Newman. From 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., classes will be held in the room. In the evening, the room will open for students to use as a general study area and will be open all day on weekends. Eventually, it looks to hold classes from all majors in the room. Brian Mathews, associate dean for Learning and Outreach at Virginia Tech, who worked closely with the construction plans
and implementation of the classroom, sees great opportunity to try out different learning styles. “(It’s) a hybrid type of classroom setting where we can take a computer science class and a tech writing class that may overlap on an assignment,” he said. In the next few weeks, students will be seeing changes, including large screen TVs on the second floor and study walls. Mathews explains the reason for the recent changes saying, “If it’s aesthetically pleasing but also technology rich and collaborative friendly, that’s the kind of behavior we want to encourage.” Follow the writer on Twitter: @caitygonano
grant. The grant money will be used to first develop surveys which will assess the needs of low income shoppers. It is necessary to know whether those consumers are not being reached through marketing tactics, location or price, Schultz said. “We have a really strong connection with local farmers and we have really strong connections with the customer base,” Stewart said. “FFM’s connection with Tech also really strengthens our case.” Tech’s student population provides both a work force for the project, and a large group of impassioned individuals to help. “We’d like to involve as many students as possible, both graduate and undergraduate,” Schultz, who is a student herself, said. “We consider them to be a very valuable resource both in idea generation as well as getting people out to administer the surveys.” In addition to student volunteers, both Stewart and Schultz will be heavily involved in conducting the surveys, as well as several other connections from local food pantries, churches, and local service organizations. Ellen placed the estimate of the number of people involved in the project around 30. The surveys will be conducted at grocery stores, convenience stores and even other farmer’s markets around the county to see how many people they are serving. The surveys will be developed throughout the spring and conducted during the summer and fall.
Once the actual surveying phase is over, the data will be analyzed and can hopefully answer the questions of where farmers should be selling their food and where local food is most widely available in the county. Evidence from the surveys could be used to support community planning efforts. For Stewart, the project is all about exploring the link between sustainable agriculture and how a community can provide support to one another and added support to the food system. “This particular stream of funding involves connecting sustainable agriculture with community benefits,” Stewart said. SARE, who is funding the project, researches sustainable agriculture methods with a particular focus on connecting agriculture with community. Although the grant will go a long way in helping complete the project, both Schultz and Stewart confirm that it is not enough just yet. “It is not enough money for a project that is going to take a year and a half,” Stewart said. “There are a lot of costs involved.” Friends of the Farmer’s Market is a nonprofit organization that oversees the Blacksburg Farmer’s Market. It has an all-volunteer Board of Directors, several of whom are vendors at the market. In addition to running the market, the organization also works to educate local residents about growing their own food. It will continue to apply for additional grants to support the project.
March Madness is just around the corner
grab some friends and compete with your fellow Hokies for prizes and bragging rights. Deadline to register for the online bracket contest is thursday March 21 at 11:59 Am.
Come out on top during the madness!
opinions
editors: josh higgins, shawn ghuman opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865
march 5, 2013 COLLEGIATETIMES
what you’re saying
The Collegiate Times is an independent student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903
On “Thursday night games are a hassle”
Collegiate Times Editorial Staff
Q: It pains me that
someone does not have a passion for the university that they attend.I understand that once a year, you are inconvenienced by the opportunity to showcase our passion and pride for Virginia Tech. Once a year, the nation is able to tune in to a single college football game on ESPN. That once a year, on a Thursday night, we are able to fill Lane Stadium and show the country what the pride and spirit that we have has Hokies. The complaints you logged about students and cadets, having an internal dilemna to attend or be illprepared for class or other obligations seems to be a personal mismanagement of their own time. It is March 1st. The football schedule beginning in at the end of August has already been published. If you are unable to account for an event that is scheduled at least 7 months in advance, it seems to me that you have lost your right to complain about your workload and the “unneccesary burden” that these games have placed on you.We have an athletic director that makes decisions based on how much money can be made for the athletic department. Taking a game out of Blacksburg to play in Atlanta surely isn’t making any money for the town, but is drawing a pretty penny for the athletic department.
John: In all actuality,
Thursday night games are a hassle. Try driving on I-81 coming back from an out-of-town meeting: the return trip just got 2 hours longer. Yay! I loved the games as a student. Sure, some bozos would come to class half or completely lit, especially afternoon classes after 2pm, but they were few and far between. The biggest problem is traffic. Too many people trying to leave campus, just as hoards of football fans are arriving...not to mention all the local residents running their normal routines. That said, I lament the loss of the game though, as inconvenient as it is... because we lose out on the best national TV exposure the football program can get. Let’s face it, outside of Alabama this year, we have no real opportunity for a national broadcast with the remainder of our schedule. Yippee, we host UNC and Pitt. Hello Raycom regional. We travel to the U, and all 47 of their fans will be in the stands.If we were replacing the Thursday game with a sure-fire primetime Saturday night nationally-televised game? Sure! That’s a solid trade. But, as it is, at least a third of the games this year won’t be televised other than on a delay, and the remainder will be local/ regional ACC broadcasts, at best, unless someone on our schedule suddenly becomes better and ranked...along with us.Regardless, VT has to win games this year. Last year was painful to watch... Let’s Go Hokies!
Anonymous: I dont
particularly enjoy football of any kind but the Thursday night game is a tradition and it only happens once a year, its not a weekly inconvenience for you all season long. You could say the same thing about relay for life or the Victoria’s Secret party we had it does make the traffic and stuff kinda suck but its fun and really keeps the community together. The Thursday night game is an institution here, and shouldn’t be changed.
Anonymous: You can’t
argue eat local shop local and say you don’t want a Thursday night game. As an employee of a small business in the Blacksburg area, Thursday night games are some of the biggest business we receive.
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MCT CAMPUS
Technology can get you ‘catfished’ D
ue to the overwhelming amount of access we have to technology, many of us have become private investigators. According the Wall Street Journal, the average person spends 405 minutes per month “stalking” others on Facebook. Today’s technology has given us a pass on actually getting to know people in real life because media provides this information for free. Facebook has become the ultimate tool to help us take a glimpse of someone’s life with just knowing as little a their name and current location. It is scary to know how much this basic information can give away about our lives. I remember once in chemistry class, a girl next to me saw a cute guy and two seconds later she had pulled up all his information on Facebook. I was impressed by the fact that all she saw was his school jersey and his last name, but it dawned upon me that technology really has given us a chance to bypass the concept of “hello my name is...”
These days, no introduction is needed to approach people. We just assume the door is wide open and we
“
We just want to be friends with them and are too scared to take an actual step.”
walk through it. What happens when you walk through the door and there is no way out? Sometimes, when people use online profiles to learn about others, they completely disregard the possibility that someone could be the complete opposite of who they claim to be online. A prime example of this is seen on the new reality show on MTV called “Catfish.” The show is about people who have online relationships through Facebook or other social networking sites. These people spend a given amount of time “getting to know” each other and end up developing strong feelings. However, when they finally meet face
to face, they are unpleasantly surprised about 90 percent of the time. While this is a television program and many times we say “That’s never going to happen to me,” we are wrong. We use these online profiles every day to learn things about people. Sometimes, due to curiosity or boredom, but other times, we just want to be friends with them and are too scared to take an actual step. We get so caught up in the pictures they have on Instagram or the tweets they post every 15 minutes that we actually convince ourselves that we know them. However, to truly get to know a person, spending actual face time is necessary because you might find something the Internet cannot. Some might say these media handles are good ways to communicate with people, which to some extent is true. Social networking is a great secondary source in getting to know someone. However your primary method in
forming a relationship with a person should be face to face though a conversation. Without those real life encounters, you will have no idea what you’re in for. How else will you be able to interpret their facial expressions, body language and reactions to awkward situations? My advice to people is that out of the 405 minutes you spend on Facebook, take out an hour to go meet the person you’re “stalking,” and maybe you will find what you’re looking for. And if you don’t, at least you will have saved the five remaining hours that you would have spent stalking them. One hour of faceto-face interaction is more meaningful than the seven we spending snooping online. While media handles are a great tools, step out of the box so you don’t get “catfished.” JP SINGH -regular columnist -junior -biology
Even Nascar can change stereotypes
T
he last Daytona 500 should be NASCAR’s wakeup call. For years, NASCAR has been one of the most gender exclusive sports out. But two weeks ago, it featured a fresh face in the traditional lineup of drivers that the entire sport can learn from — Danica Patrick. Typically, NASCAR has always been a sport devoid of any women; the only women you even see on the track are the stereotypical glamorous, blonde “driver’s wifes,” in the stands hoping and praying for her hubby’s million dollar win. Patrick is far from typical. Once thought of by many as a novelty item who was nothing more than a pretty face for the racing world, Patrick took the pole position on NASCAR’s biggest stage. This is indeed a new precedent in the world of stock car racing. In the world of sports, particularly NASCAR, women have never been on the same level as men — perhaps Patrick’s performance in the race illustrates the poten-
tial women have to succeed in sports, breaking through the glass ceiling. What does this mean for the sport? It means the beginning of a new era for NASCAR. Now that Patrick has proven women can race, I believe we will begin to see more women among the ranks of excellent drivers.
“
...the race — even though she finished in 8th place — is a “take that” to men who have dominated racing since its beginnings.”
Partly what makes this a big deal is that her success in the race — even though she finished in 8th place — is a “take that” to men who have dominated racing since its beginnings. Th is also sheds light on
we’re YOUR newspaper. send a letter to the editor and express your views.
the conservative nature of its fan base. NASCAR has always sported fans that usually wouldn’t take kindly to big changes like this one, which I find to be one of is pitfalls. From the outside, it seems to be an insular group, and I think Patrick’s presence in the race really shook them up. Th ings have defi nitely changed for NASCAR, and show no signs of stopping, whether they like it or not. Its meager beginnings in North Carolina as a circuit, where working-class men would race their everyday cars, has now grown into a multimillion dollar franchise, but it’s diversity is lackluster. In an attempt to appear diverse, NASCAR has created an initiative to promote diversity in the sport, “Drive for Diversity.” I don’t think it has truly come to fruition until the last race, where the organization was force-fed something new, perhaps leaving a bitter taste in its mouth.
What NASCAR has needed for the past several years, has been a makeover — a complete changeup, something beyond “diversity initiatives”, and to recruit female drivers, along with ethnically diverse drivers. Th is will be difficult for NASCAR, because it may pose too big of a change over a short time period. What will make or break NASCAR is whether it will broaden its horizons, and make a legitimate push for diversity of not only race, but also gender like the rest of society. If it don’t take away anything else from this last race, maybe the viewer ratings — which were the highest in five years for the Daytona 500, according to Sports Media Watch — will surely send it a wake up call. ANDREW WIMBISH -regular columnist -junior -English
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march 5, 2013
The Madness is near...
Regular Edition Today’s Birthday Horoscope: An especially fun year lies ahead, with abounding love, confidence and playfulness. Creative education builds career skills. If you want to learn something, teach it. Out of the box thinking about finances allows for new opportunities. Your powerful team is with you.
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Copyright 2007 Puzzles by Pappocom Solution, tips and computer program at www.sudoku.com
By Stephen Edward Anderson
Week ending March 8th, 2013
Top Tracks Heart Attack • Demi Lovato
1
Thrift Shop (feat. Wanz) • Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
2
When I Was Your Man • Bruno Mars
3
Harlem Shake • Baauer
4
Stay (feat. Mikky Ekko) • Rihanna
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ACROSS 1 Sonar pulses 6 Subj. for Aristotle 10 Staff note 14 Gridiron strategy 15 First name in design 16 Like much lore 17 Field operation run by idiots? 19 Diamond homecomings? 20 Thrice, in Rx’s 21 Do the honors 22 Hallmark 23 Track meet category for joggers? 27 To __
28 Thick 29 Stone measuring 5.5 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale 32 Dojo discipline 33 Gaelic John 36 Views from Hamilton? 41 __ alai 42 Appoint 43 Be intimate with 44 Scrabble 10pointer 46 Liqueur flavoring 49 Hook on a raft? 54 Reunion attendees
3/5/13 55 Face-saver of a kind 56 Italian counterpart of the BBC 58 Sitter’s concern 59 Obsessive cleaners? 62 Jay with jokes 63 Ecua. rejoined it in 2007 64 Alternate version, in scores 65 Petrol pick 66 Slog (through), as tedious text 67 Sharp
DOWN 1 Soft “Yoo-hoo!” 2 Chip maker 3 Surgery opening? 4 Disparity 5 “Never mind” 6 Place of cover 7 Learned 8 Bark up the wrong tree 9 Cartoon cat 10 Quagmire 11 Learning 12 Juicy fruit 13 ’80s-’90s NFL commentator Merlin 18 Cooked 22 Try to buy 24 Date source 25 Groggy words, perhaps 26 Part of an old boast 29 Vb. target 30 Princess’s nighttime problem 31 Casa Grande residents 32 Sixpack with no special qualities? 34 Yucatán year 35 Sydney is its cap. 37 Pecks and feet, e.g. 38 Flamboyant surrealist 39 “Yes!” 40 Its headquarters are in Delft 45 Body work?
46 Do some film editing 47 Griffin’s rear 48 Old trail terminus 49 Jean de La Fontaine story 50 Attracts 51 Rubbernecked 52 Word on a coin
53 Weird Al Yankovic song parody 57 “Indeed!” 59 Flabbergast 60 Type of beer orig. brewed in England 61 Ultra-secretive gp.
Friday’s Puzzle Solved
(c)2011 Tribune Media Services, Inc.
Get your NCAA Bracket inside the CT on March 19th.
3/1/13
editors: emma goddard, nick smirniotopoulos featureseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865
arts & entertainment
‘21 and Over’ lacks humor, originality
Movie Rating
Screenwriters of “The Hangover,” Jon Lucas and Scott Moore, are back at it again with “21 and Over.” Unfortunately, they’re also responsible for such gems as “Ghosts of Girlfriends Past” and “Four Christmases,” which end up being better indicators for the quality of this film. “21 and Over” is essentially a remake of “The Hangover” for the collegeage audience: a responsible guy is coerced into a night of debauchery by his friends, only to have events predictably spiral out of control. Jeff Chang (Justin Chong, who played the pining sap Eric Yorkie in the “Twilight” series) is a straight-A student who goes out with his old friends Casey (Skylar Astin, the delightful male lead in “Pitch Perfect”) and Miller (Miles Teller) for “just a beer” to celebrate his 21st birthday and reconnect. Jeff has an interview for medical school the next morning, but the night quickly goes downhill as he gets drunker than expected.
One might think that after “The Hangover, Part II” — which, to be fair, Lucas and Moore did not write — was so harshly criticized for unoriginality, that filmmakers would shy away from making another film with the exact same premise. But “The Hangover, Part II” did make over $580 million worldwide, and the lure of even a fraction of that money is always going to trump critical success in Hollywood. “21 and Over” is also Lucas and Moore’s directorial debut, which is painfully clear from the awkward pacing and overuse of
“
The script feels like a collection of skits or episodes, rather than a coherent whole.”
montages. These failings are most commonly seen in action movies, where the director tries to fool the audience into thinking that the scene is a lot more exciting than it actually is. Yet, the same thing happens in this film, as Lucas and Moore try to keep the
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The film’s premise isn’t inherently terrible, but after superior movies like “The Hangover” and “Superbad,” the plot feels tired and overused. The movie is also simply not funny enough to make you ignore its lack of creativity — every joke feels like something recycled from funnier comedies. If you have $10 to spare and want a film that won’t make you think too much, “21 and Over” isn’t a terrible choice. But this type of movie has been done before … and done better. KATIE WHITE -regular movie columnist -junior -history major
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Aries (March 21-April 19) Don’t go, yet. Postpone the celebration. Take care of household matters irst. Share expenses, but don’t fund a friend’s experiment. Keep your temper, and everything goes according to plan.
Cancer (June 21-July 22) Don’t fall for a sob story, make expensive promises or impulsively purchase anything. Pour yourself into the tasks at hand, and save your money. Go out later, and relax with someone you adore.
Taurus (April 20-May 20) Invest personal energy in a career project. Passions demand attention, so give in to them and savor it. Don’t try to buy someone’s affection. Postpone travel for a few days.
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) Avoid an argument over a household issue. Don’t run away from the problem or overspend, even for good reasons. Share private information in private. Change the agreement to suit. Gamble only for love.
Gemini (May 21-June 20) Impulsiveness causes accidents, especially in love and romance. It’s better to take it slow. Remember to do a chore you promised. Play by the book, despite annoying regulations. Focus on what you’re doing.
super wild party scenes af loat. But they also didn’t have much to work with; the script feels like a collection of skits or episodes, rather than a coherent whole. This is a problem that also arose in “The Hangover,” but that movie director, Todd Phillips, had enough experience to overcome most of that and keep the film consistent. It’s also unsurprising that most of the characters in the movie are eccentric stereotypes. From the overachieving Asian-American student, to the lazy white college guy, to the sorority sisters — every character is onedimensional and far from believable. It’s just not possible to get invested in such trope characters, even during the few moments that the film attempts to foster emotiona l sincerity. Ultimately, the only interesting part of “21 and Over” is its background story of being edited for release in China. Apparently, Jeff is changed to a Chinese student that decides to transfer to an American college, where he is led astray by corrupt Westerners. He then decides to return to his homeland, now a better (and more obedient, one might assume) person. That’s a radical change from the buddy-story where Jeff learns to let go of his strict lifestyle — but again, China is a huge market, and no studio is going to give that up at the expense of artistic integrity. The fact that a side-story is more interesting than the film itself is indicative of the quality of “21 and Over.”
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Take control of your inances. Study is required, and the possibility of error is high. Costs are up there, too. It’s not a good time to be lippant. Apply your energies to your career.
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Hold on to what you have, and defend your position. Avoid an argument by being respectful. Avoid reckless driving. A friend has helpful connections. Emotional responses tell the story. Maintain objectivity, if possible.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Don’t tell everyone the news. Let another person represent you. Get with your partner now. You don’t need new stuff ... repurpose old stuff instead, and put savings aside. An old trick doesn’t work.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) A domestic disagreement could disturb the peace. Don’t buy gifts or toys yet. Don’t sell or give away anything belonging to a loved one. Hold your temper, and proceed with caution.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Run a reality check instead of forging ahead blindly. Don’t forget to do what you promised. Watch out for hazards; easy does it. Avoid launches and communication blitzes; get into organization and planning.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Work could interfere with travel. A partner provides elbow grease. Negotiations hit rough waters, but don’t spend out of guilt. Avoid speaking out in anger ... take a walk to cool down. Allow yourself a luxury.
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) You love to win. Restraint is advised, rather than rushing ahead. Success comes slowly today. Face it, and heal. Create new inancial options. Wait for a better time to play.
march 5, 2013 COLLEGIATETIMES
5
New Releases Movies
Books
Friday, March 8
Tuesday, March 5
“Oz: The Great and Powerful:” A small-time magician is magically transported to the Land of Oz, where everyone thinks he is the prophesized great wizard. Starring: James Franco, Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz, and Michelle Williams
“Sum it Up,” by Pat Summitt The all-time winningest coach in NCAA basketball history tells the story of her toughest victory yet: her battle with early-onset Alzhiemer’s disease.
“Dead Man Down:” The director of the original “Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” series makes his Hollywood debut, telling the story of two strangers who seek revenge and become irresistibly drawn to each other. Starring: Noomi Rapace and Colin Farrell
“Frost Burned,” by Patricia Briggs This seventh installment of the New York Time’s bestselling “Mercy Thompson” series follows Mercy as she searches for her new mate Adam Hauptman after he’s abducted.
tip of the week
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march 5, 2013 COLLEGIATETIMES
sports
editors: matt jones, zach mariner sportseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865
Hokies look to upset Blue Devils Swimmer: Transfer finds new home from page one
JAMES O’HARA sports staff writer
Tonight, Virginia Tech’s men’s basketball team travels to famed Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, N.C. to face off against the No. 3 Duke Blue Devils. In these teams’ last meeting, the Blue Devils (25-4, 12-4 ACC) were coming off a disappointing 83-81 loss to Maryland and proceeded to thrash the Hokies 88-56. The star of that game was senior guard Seth Curry, who scored 22 points, despite the efforts of the crowd to rattle him with taunts based on his father, Hokie-great Dell Curry. This time however, the Blue Devils are coming off one of their best wins of the season, over then-No. 5 Miami — their main competition in the ACC. The win also marked the return of forward Ryan Kelly from a two month absence due to a foot injury. Kelly went off against the Hurricanes, finishing with a career-high 36 points and TREVOR WHITE / SPPS knocking down seven of nine Tech forward Cadarian Raines has his shot blocked by Duke’s Mason Plumlee. three-pointers. Kelly also helped teammate, and ACC Green certainly has the ability these remaining contests. player of the year candidate, to break it. The stakes for both teams Mason Plumlee by keeping The Hokies will also be using entering this contest are low, if opponents from being able to their last few games to begin to not non-existent. double team him. get an idea of what next year’s The Blue Devils are a lock to A key question for Duke will team will look like without make it into the NCAA tourbe just how much Kelly can Green to hold them together. nament as a high seed, while contribute down the stretch. To that end, there was an the Hokies are not even on the While it is unlikely he will be encouraging sign against radar for the CBI. However, this is one of the last as effective as he was in his Clemson, as Robert Brown spectacular return, he is still a broke out of his months-long remaining chances to see Erick Green play in a Tech uniform, key cog on a national title con- funk, scoring 13 points. tender. If Kelly can stay on the Tech will need Brown and fel- barring a miracle run in the ACC court, then the Blue Devils will low sophomore CJ Barksdale to tournament. And in a historic building like again look like the consensus #1 become significant contributors they were in November. next season and will be looking Cameron Indoor, anything can Meanwhile, the Hokies (13- for both to make progress in happen. 16, 4-12 ACC) are coming off a senior night victory over Clemson, sending off star guard and lone senior Erick Green with one last win in Cassell Coliseum. Green was yet again the star of the night, scoring 29 points and raising his nation-leading points per game average to an even 25. While Green wants to focus on the team, he is closing in on two impressive individual marks. First, if he can hold onto the national scoring title, he will be the first ACC player to win it since 1957. Second, he is within reach of the school record for points in a season. The record, set in the 1989-90 season by prolific scorer Bimbo Coles, is 785 points. With two games left to go Green has 725, leaving him just 60 points, or 30 points per game, away from Coles. While it is not a slam dunk,
relatively late, she knew right away it was the something in which she wanted to invest her time. “I love that swimming poses a new challenge every day, and it’s kind of like you have to get over that mental barrier every day when you get into the pool and you always have to be pushing yourself to be better,” she said. That attitude is why her coaches and teammates love her. Virginia Tech’s Ned Skinner, currently in his 15th season as the Hokies head coach, has coached Savage for the past three seasons. “Her work ethic is amazing,” he said. “She is probably the most disciplined female in the weight room that we have ever had at Virginia Tech. She is a fast runner, a great jumper, and just an incredible athlete on top of that. All of those things put together are why she is so good,” said Skinner. Besides the challenges that come during every practice, there also came a time when Savage’s swimming career was almost cut short. Savage came out of Canandaigua Academy in New York and began her swimming career at fellow ACC school, Clemson. After swimming her
entire freshman year at Clemson, the school decided to initiate a two year phase-out plan of their program. Savage was faced with a difficult decision. “I sat down with my coaches and family and I talked about it and because I didn’t start swimming until later in life anyway, I really
“
Her work ethic is amazing. She is probably the most disciplined female in the weight room that we have ever had at Virginia Tech.” Ned Skinner Head coach
didn’t want to swim for two more years and not get to swim my senior year. After thinking about it, I decided that I wanted to keep going because I wanted to finish out my four years of college swimming,” said Savage. Her current coaches and teammates are glad of her choice to continue her swimming career at Virginia Tech. Fellow Tech swimmer, Rachel Sepanski, has been Savage’s teammate for the past three seasons and acknowledged all the great aspects she brings to the
team. “Heather is a really good trainer so it is always good to have someone there who can push you,” Sepanski said. “She is always a good person to work with and she is always ready to compete.” Savage was voted as a team captain by her peers for the past two seasons and has emerged as a great leader for the Hokies. “Not only does she lead by her performances but she leads in her desire to help her teammates as well. Nothing is more important to her than being a teammate and I just think she is fantastic in that regard,” Skinner said. As Savage heads into her last postseason as a Tech swimmer, she is reminded about all the great memories she has had with the Hokies but also looks forward to what the future has in store. Planning to attend pharmacy school after graduation, it’s still unknown if she’ll pursue swimming at the next level. “We’ll see,” she said. “I’m going to see how I feel at the end of this season and decide from there.” W hatever Savage decides to do, she knows that any obstacle can be overcome with perseverance; she learned that from her time in the pool.
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