Wednesday, October 2, 2013 Print Edition

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

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

COLLEGIATETIMES 110th year, issue 25 News, page 2

Lifestyle, page 4

Opinions, page 5

Sports, page 3

Rappers rock Burruss

Study Break page 6

Professor wins top honor from Popular Science KYLE BARGER news staff writer

David Schmale, associate professor in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, was named one of Popular Science magazine’s 2013 Brilliant Ten for the current October issue.

The prestigious award credited to the top innovative minds in science and engineering was given for his research using drones to study atmospheric microorganisms.

Schmale, who is originally from California, teaches Mysterious Mushroom, Malicious Molds in the department of Plant Pathology, Physiology and Weed Science.

The Collegiate Times got a chance to sit down with Dr. Schmale to talk with him about his award and what it means for his academic career.

Rap artists Wale and J. Cole perform in front of a packed Burruss Auditorium Tuesday night. The performance was hosted by the Black Student Alliance as part of the Homecoming Week celebration. Both artists released critically acclaimed albums over the summer.

Photos by Trevor White and Ben Weidlich / SPPS

Students speak their minds Libertarians at Virginia Tech, a student chapter of Young Americans for Liberty, organized a freedom wall on the Drillfield last Friday. Pieces of wood were nailed together and covered with chalkboard paint to provide a surface on which students could write.

The wall acted as a physical representation of the First Amendment right to freedom of speech. Students were able to write anything on the wall and were given copies of the Constitution for doing so.

“The wall was meant to highlight the Constitution’s relevance in hopes that students will refer to the Constitution when voting for the upcoming governor,” said Treasurer David Batchelor. “Many different constitutional issues were brought to light on the wall, including gay rights and gun laws, that are relevant to voting in this election”.

The organization will be hosting a Constitutional discussion forum this Thursday, October 3 at 7:00 in Whittemore 277.

NEWS

What was your dream job as a kid?

I always thought I was going to be a medical doctor.

In fact, I started my track at UC Davis on a pre-med

track, and then I started taking these pretty hardcore PChem/OChem courses that were pretty cutthroat, and I started feeling like this wasn’t right for me.

What was your inspiration behind researching this particular type of science?

I got a job working in a plant pathology laboratory as an undergrad as a sophomore — just watering plants, making media, and I got really excited about it.

I got my first exposure to fungi and their impact on plant diseases, and the rest is history. I decided that that was going to be my future.

Forget pre-med, I was going to be a plant doctor not a medical doctor.

Generally, explain your work and research, in particular the work that won you the magazine spot.

My research is really split into two different veins. One vein involves mycotoxicology and the other is aerobiology, which involves the flow of life in the atmosphere. see HONOR / page two

Womanspace brings speaker to challenge sexual violence MICHELLE STARK lifestyles staff writer

PHOTOS BY BEN WEIDLICH / SPPS Above: A student writes a message on the freedom wall, which was hosted on the Drillfield Friday.

Below: The wall was constructed on the Drillfield, and allowed students to express their Constitutional freedoms of speech.

LIFESTYLES

On Oct. 2, Womanspace, a club dedicated to women’s rights and gender equality, is teaming up with young feminist activist Laci Green to tackle rape culture.

Green will speak about issues including rape culture, victim blaming and ending sexual violence at the Graduate Life Center auditorium at 7 p.m.

Green is best known for creating a sex positive education project called Sex+. According to Green’s website, lacigreen. tv, Sex+ is comprised of a biweekly video series featured on YouTube, a weekly live show, daily blogging, university lectures and a peer education network.

The event, hosted by Womanspace, is free and open to the public.

M a l av i k a Sahai, Womanspace’s vice president, said Green was chosen because she led the women’s studies education segment on Youtube and has a semi-internet celebrity status.

“She’s around our age, and she’s very charismatic,” Sahai said. “We really thought she would be a good voice to bring into the university setting to give a talk, because she is so young and so influential that we figured not only would other people who are interested in women’s issues have heard of her, but possibly other people who have just watched YouTube.”

In addition to her YouTube channel, Green hosts a web

October means Breast Cancer Awareness month.

Check out ways to show your support locally. see page 2 see page 4

series for Discovery Channel’s “Discovery News” that focuses on the science and cultural aspects of the human body. Green also produced a sex education program for Planned Parenthood called “A Naked Notion.”

She is also a certified crisis counselor for the Family Violence Center where she gives advice to people who have been abused sexually or domestically. According to Green’s website, she graduated with highest honors from UC Berkeley in Legal Studies and Education in 2011.

Alyssa Seidor f, Womanspace’s president, said that because Green is a recent college graduate, she would be able to relate to and understand the social pressures college students face.

Though Green has not announced her speaking points, Sahai and Seidorf said that it’s sure to be related to the controversial topics that Green is famous for speak-

SPORTS Get to know the 2013 Homecoming Court, the motivations behind their campaigns, and what sets them apart from the other candidates.

Wondering how the government shut down works? see page 7

LACI GREEN VIA FACEBOOK

Laci Green, a feminist activist, will speak on ending rape culture.

ONLINE Catch up on news coming out of the men’s basketball media day, The baseball team shaved their heads this weekend.

Read about why.

see page 3

ing about, like consent, “slut shaming,” the bystander effect and sexism as it relates directly to college students.

These discussions may seem taboo to tackle on campus, but according to Seidorf and Sahai, these issues need to be talked about among students.

“I don’t care about talking about it in public,” Sahai said.

“Rape culture is public. It’s everywhere.”

Sahai emphasized that there are ways to stand up and make a difference without compromising one’s safety, and it starts with understanding the subtopics that Green will discuss.

Seidorf noted that the event isn’t limited to women and that men are encouraged to come to the event and learn about rape culture and sexism, which is relevant to all college students.

“If you really understand it and find your place in it, there’s a place for everybody,” Seidorf said.

Check online for constant updates throughout the day. www.collegiatetimes.com

CollegiateTimes @collegiatetimes

2

newseditor@collegiatetimes.com

October 2, 2013

collegiatetimes.com

OCTOBER IS

NEWS

Honor: Research involves drones, microorganisms

Awareness Month Oct. 1- 15

percent discount for race registration for in honor 50th year of the race

Oct. 11 Rock-a-thon fraternity Alpha Ep-

Oct. 9 GLC; Rock in rocking chairs for 50 straight hours in front of one of the dining halls.

KYLE BARGER / THE COLLEGIATE TIMES

Davis Schmale was listed in an article by Popular Science as a “Brilliant Ten” for his work in science.

Oct. 13 Oct. 15

picnic at Duck Pond from 1 - 3 p.m.

Women’s Soccer vs. Notre Dame: free “Kick it to Cancer” t-shirts for

Oct. 19 Oct. 24

Zeta Tau Alpha Crown Classic golf

Women’s Volleyball vs. North Carolina free recognizing survivors during the game

5th Annual Pretty in Pink Downtown Blacksburg Fundraiser for Virginia Breast Cancer Foundation 5th Annual Blacksburg Event 10 a.m. -8:30 p.m.

All Month:

* Pink Running Ribbons will be sold all month at Stop-In Food Stores * NRV law enforcement will be selling pink embroidered patches. Proceeds from the sale will go to Susan G. Komen Foundation.

from page one

Both of these actually intersect through our use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles or UAVs to study microbial life in the atmosphere. So some of the microorganisms that we look at in terms of their transport can not only cause diseases, but they can also produce toxins that can contaminate the food supply.

So here we have both of those veins being brought together in a major artery, if you will. The common link (is) atmospheric transport, (which involves) our use of unmanned systems or drones to study microbial life, their application to crop biosecurity, ultimately human and domestic animal health and our more recent work to study the role of microorganisms and their ability to modulate weather.

What was your reaction when you found out you won?

It’s a pretty funny story. I got an email that I was selected as one of the Brilliant Ten… This was a Friday afternoon and we were getting ready to go on a vacation the following morning with our family back to San Diego…we were having lunch,

bags were packed, we were ready to leave and of course my phone vibrates and I get an email, and the email says, ‘Congratulations, you’ve been selected as one of the Brilliant Ten.’ I was kind of stunned. I knew the nomination had been submitted, but I didn’t know, obviously, that I had been selected or even made the short list, so obviously we were pretty excited about it. It made the vacation that much better because it was really a celebration.

There’s this interesting process of interviewing and they wanted to get the story right away and the reporter actually called me while I was on vacation in San Diego and she interviewed me over the phone for about three hours. I was actually stuck in the closet of the room in the vacation house where we were staying because of all the kids that were running around making all sorts of noise.

How has your life changed since being named to the list?

The day that the article came out I just decided not to answer my phone because everybody was calling and I’ve got countless emails, some that I still have

to respond to from interest in the work…my friends and colleagues and local Crossfitters give me (a hard time), I guess… they like to tease me at the gym about being brilliant.

Besides recognition and honor, were there other benefits to winning the award?

There was no money associated with the award. I would just say it’s pretty humbling, you know. To date, it certainly has been the biggest scholastic honor that I’ve received. To me, that’s certainly important in terms of career milestones.

It was unexpected, but no I wouldn’t say that I feel like I’ve been put on a pedestal or something. I certainly was excited to receive the recognition and that’s kind of validation that we are doing really important work.

When you’re not working, what are you doing?

I’m either Crossfitting, or I’m spending time with my family — my wife and two girls.

My first and most important passion and priority is family.

Everything else comes second.

@TwitterHandleHere

crimeblotter date

time

offense

location

status

Sept. 19 - 23

9:00 PM - 8:00 AM

Follow up to Burglary/Breaking and Entering

Lee Hall

Unfounded

Sept. 7

12:18 PM

Underage Possession of Alcohol

Pritchard Hall

Inactive: Reported by Student Conduct

Sept. 12

9:45 AM

Underage Possession of Alcohol x 2

Pritchard Hall

Inactive: Reported by Student Conduct

Sept. 17

5:00 AM

Unauthorized Burning

West Ambler Johnson Hall

Inactive: Reported by Student Conduct

Sept. 19

11:02 AM

Underage Possession of Alcohol x 3

Pritchard Hall

Inactive: Reported by Student Conduct

Sept. 27 - 30

5:00 PM - 8:27 AM

Burglary/ Breaking and Entering

Center for the Arts

Active

Sept. 24

2:30 PM - 2:45 PM

Larceny of a camcorder

Owens Hall

Active

Sept. 27 - 30

5:00 PM - 8:27 AM

Burglary/Breaking and Entering

Center for the Arts

Active

Sept. 27 - 30

5:00 PM - 8:27 AM

Burglary/Breaking and Entering

Center for the Arts

Active

Sept. 27 - 30

5:00 PM - 8:27 AM

Burglary/Breaking and Entering

Center for the Arts

Active

SPORTS

sportseditor@collegiatetimes.com

October 2, 2013

collegiatetimes.com

3

Basketball notebook: Mueller, competition, balance WILL GROOMS sports staff writer

Entering the 2013-14 season, the Virginia Tech men’s basketball team is facing an uphill battle.

A revamping of the ACC landscape has moved the Hokies ever further toward the bottom of the conference for the likes of former Big East powerhouses turned in-conference opponents, Syracuse and Pittsburgh.

Additionally, the Hokies must compensate for the loss of second round NBA draftselect, and the NCAA’s leading scorer, Erick Green.

By no means, though, is head coach James Johnson ready to mail in this season.

Mueller’s Ineligibility Replacing the productivity and leadership of Green would be difficult for any team, let alone one that averaged 70 point per game in 2012-13.

Germany native Malik Mueller, expected to be the heir-apparent, had big shoes to fill. Unfortunately, his size 13s will have to wait another year to touch the floor.

Due to undisclosed ineligibility issues, Mueller will have to sit out for the entirety of the 2013-14 season.

“Malik is an unbelievable young man,” Johnson said.

“He’s going to definitely help the team in practice and from the sidelines, and I know he’s going to work extremely hard on his game this year and make himself better for next year.”

Johnson had no reservations about revealing the emotional impact of Mueller’s 2013-14

expectations not coming to fruition.

“With what we’re looking for in the backcourt, (Mueller) was defi nitely a guy that would’ve challenged for that starting position,” he said. “I can’t say more about the situation, but it’s surprising and now the spot is wide open.”

Mueller will have four years of eligibility remaining when he returns for the 2014-15 season.

Position Battles The Hokies return three starters from the 2012-13 team: senior forwards Jarell Eddie, C.J. Barksdale and Cadarian Raines. Raines was the team’s leading rebounder averaging 6.4 per game.

Johnson alluded to the fact that there will be open competition for every position. That being said, no spot is more open than point guard.

“At that point guard spot, we’re looking at Marquis Rankin and the freshman Devin Wilson,” Johnson said.

“Adam Smith is also a guy that’s competing for time at the two-guard spot and maybe some point guard in certain situations.”

UNC-Wilmington transfer Adam Smith has a big question mark hanging over him.

After sitting out for a year, Johnson discussed his progression and role on the team.

“Adam is a guy that can put the basketball in the hole,” Johnson said. “He hasn’t done it in competition for us yet, but based on his work on scout team. I think he’ll be just fine.”

Johnson’s fast style of play on both ends of the floor is an

idea that everyone competing for a spot must adhere to if they want to see minutes.

Balance The loss of Erick Green leads not only to a change in personnel, but also to a change in offensive style. There is likely no one on the team that will lead the nation in scoring like Green did or be able to create their own shot the way he was able to.

Coach Johnson emphasized that it will be a team effort.

“We don’t have a guy whose hands we can put the ball into and say ‘Go get a basket’ when we really need it,” Johnson said. “We don’t have a guy who can score 25 points per game, but I think we have four or five guys who can score 25 point on any given night.”

Senior forward Jarell Eddie agrees with the team-fi rst mentality.

“We don’t really care who scores,” Eddie said. “We’re just trying to score as many points as we can.”

The loss of Green can also be felt from an emotional standpoint. Eddie plans to step up and be a vocal leader of the team.

“There are so many young guys that are going to be looking for guidance,” Eddie said.

“As a senior, I look forward to the role of being the leader.”

A balanced attack will help the Hokies offensively. For opponents who used to only key on Erick Green, now they will have to key on a whole team.

@W_Grooms94

PHOTOS FILE 2013 / SPPS Above: Jarell Eddie (31) blocks a shot last season. He will be looked to produce on offense in 2013.

Below: Erick Green (11) led the nation in scoring last season before being drafted to the NBA.

Tech baseball team goes bald for St. Baldricks

ALI BOWKER / VTTV

Members of the Virginia Tech baseball team shave each other’s heads for St. Baldricks Foundation.

ALI BOWKER sports staff writer

For the fourth year in a row, the Virginia Tech baseball team shaved their heads in an effort to raise both money and awareness for childhood cancer research.

On Saturday, the team gathered at English Field after its intrasquad scrimmage for “Shave for the Brave,” the second of its 19 Ways initiative. 19 Ways was a program that former head coach Pete Hughes instituted in the program when he came to Blacksburg.

“I thought it was a perfect tradition to carry on, regardless of who started it,” head coach Pat Mason said. “It was about the causes that we get involved in and keeping the tradition of giving back to the community.”

19 Ways encourages the team to give back to its community and the surrounding area through initiatives such as Micah’s backpack, volunteering at various events and selling bracelets to benefit kids who have cancer.

Shave for the Brave was instituted four years ago when “Friends of Jaclyn” contacted Hughes about helping Levi

Brown, a little boy who was diagnosed with cancer. Levi was diagnosed with medulloblastoma — a malignant primary brain tumor — when he was four years old.

“I think it’s a great way to give back to those who are less fortunate,” junior catcher Mark Zagunis said. “I’m doing something I love everyday at a great university. There are just so many other things out there besides a baseball game, so anytime we can help Levi or help anyone less fortunate than us, it’s a blessing.”

Today, Levi is cancer free and has been adopted as a member of the team. Levi gets to join the team in the dugout for games and the team visits him at school a few times per year. For four years the team has been shaving their heads and raising money to support Levi and the St. Baldrick’s Foundation.

“It’s always great raising this much money for someone — especially for such a great cause,” senior pitcher Tanner McIntyre said. “To make that much money and be successful at it both years, it’s always fun and always good for (Levi) too.”

Though 19 Ways was created as a program to benefit the

Blacksburg community and surrounding areas, Mason believes that it also helps ground his players.

“I think the basis of our program is to wake up and appreciate everything we have every day, as much as expected,” Mason said. “And that’s kind of how we want to run our program. We want our guys to appreciate everything they have. (With) events like this, you can’t but help to appreciate the good things you have in your own life.”

This year the Hokies surpassed their goal of $25,000, and that number continues to grow everyday. Over the past four years the team has contributed over $65,000 to St. Baldrick’s Foundation.

“I think almost everyone can relate or has had someone who has been affected by cancer,” sophomore Ryan Burns said. “And when those things come up, you think about the people you love. Being able to see (Levi) run around here and enjoy his time with the players — it makes everything worthwhile.”

@AlisonBowker_VT

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lifestyleseditor@collegiatetimes.com

October 2, 2013

collegiatetimes.com

LIFESTYLES

Homecoming Court 2013 The 2013 Homecoming Court opens up about their campaigns. The Collegiate Times sat down with each candidate and asked what sets them apart from the other candidates.

Adil Dittmer

Anjelica Smith

Carly Ann Glenn

Caroline Blevins

Chris Atkins

University Sports Officials Association

Alpha Delta Pi

Residential College at West Ambler Johnson

Kappa Delta

FarmHouse

“All the candidates are great candidates who have contributed to the school in some way, but I think what makes me unique is the nature of University Sports Officials Association (USOA) and the things we do. I get to give back to the outside community as much as I get to give back to our own inside community. I get to work with a lot of people who are volunteering outside of the Virginia Tech community as well.”

“I think I stand out because I’ve decided to make homecoming a greater experience than just the traditional crowning. I really believe in what I’m talking about. I really believe that it’s important that all citizens over 18 value voting. Every year that I’ve been here, I’ve tried for a leadership position with a voting experience. I am really pumped about using this opportunity to talk about something that matters to me.”

“I am no better than any of the candidates, but I have different experiences from the other candidates. This is my third year as an RA. I was an orientation leader. I was the D2 Omelette Girl. I’ve served Tech in a lot of different ways, and I’ve just really enjoyed it.”

“I grew up 30 minutes away.

Being a part of Virginia Tech is something I’ve been a part of my entire life. I’ve visited and come to football games since I was little, and my brother went here. I’m very connected to the surrounding communities of Christiansburg and Blacksburg that have a huge impact on Tech.”

“What we’re doing is raising money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. I am campaigning with Nathan Orban, a gentleman who is seven years old and a leukemia survivor. If we win, he would be crowned king.”

“If you go to Facebook, Twitter or YouTube and search “King for a Cause,” you can raise money for leukemia by sharing our video.”

Chris Ullrich

Diego Utrera

Jason Berube

Janae Green

Kabemba Kapanga

G.E.R.M.A.N. Club

Hokie Ambassadors

Beta Theta Pi

Black Student Alliance

Alpha Phi Omega

“I feel like I have a wide range of things that I’m involved in.

I can touch base with a lot of different students and since I’m pretty involved, I’m on campus a lot, I feel like I’m someone who people can say ‘Oh yeah, I’ve seen him plenty of times, being boring and doing homework.’”

“Coming in as an out of town student, I’m from Knoxville, TN, I didn’t know what Tech was all about until I got here. I think that I’m somewhat unique because a lot of the students have grown up in Virginia, and Virginia Tech has been a large part of their life before coming here.”

“I’m in the Black Student Alliance and this is the first time they’ve had a candidate. I want to give every the opportunity to have a voice through me in a sense, even if they’re not in an organization or club. There’s over 32,000 people here and I want to be that representative for them.”

“I think I have the most diverse and open background. The things that I’m involved in, I think you could never pinpoint.

I’ve opened myself to so many opportunities that it would be difficult to categorize me.”

Martha Pilson

Olufikunmi “AJ” Ajayi

Taylor Lavery

Thomas Lawler

Zach Fry

Delta Delta Delta

Pi Kappa Alpha

Alpha Phi

Phi Sigma Kappa

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Alliance

“I differentiate myself by establishing confidence in others.

I tend to be more of a noncompetitive person and humble person. I feel like I’m so much happier if others are happy. A lot of times I worry about the happiness and confidence of others so what’s really driven me to take advantage of the opportunities is because I’m able to instill that confidence in people and they make a difference too.”

“I think I am the person that most defines Virginia Tech. I’ve been in the corps for three years.

I was in student government.

I’m in Greek life. I’m an international student. I can also be considered an African-African student. I’m a double major in engineering and BIT. I can relate to the majority of the student population, if not all.”

“I feel like Virginia Tech has provided me with three really unique experiences that I feel like so few people really get to have. I’m part of two Greek organizations that uphold a lot of community service and philanthropy. And the experience of being a varsity athlete and traveling with the team to see the Virginia Tech spirit and see pride since I work with alumni too.

And president of Pre-PA club has allowed me to see a strong side of students who are driven by academics and their future.”

“I think I have the best supporting organization behind me and it makes my life a lot easier to have a good time with the whole homecoming experience.”

“I think I differentiate myself from the other gentleman running because of the project I am working on that my campaign is promoting. To show that VT is a welcoming place, I started the Hokie Community Campaign.

To be a part of the campaign, just take a picture of your favorite place on campus or just of you and your friends. Next, tweet it @fry4king and answer the question ‘What does the Hokie community mean to you?’ I hope to get a lot of post and really show what Virginia Tech is all about.”

“I look around at some of the other candidates. I’m really good friends with Thomas Lawler and the stuff he does for Relay for Life is awesome. Anjelica Smith has done SGA for the past two years.

A lot of us were on orientation staff together. One thing that I kind of pride myself on is doing things the right way, being honest and straight forward, no matter how long it takes. Sometimes there’s an easier way to go around things and it’s tempting, but I always try to go about things the right way rather than taking the easy way out. I don’t know that that necessarily differentiates me from the other candidates per say, but that’s me.”

OPINIONS

opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com

October 2, 2013

collegiatetimes.com

5

The Collegiate Times is an independent studentrun newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903 Collegiate Times Editorial Staff Editor in Chief: Priscilla Alvarez Managing Editor: Danielle Buynak Art Director: Kevin Dickel Design Editors: Brad Klodowski, Andrea Ledesma Public Editor: Andrew Kulak Web Editor: James O’Hara Multimedia Editor: Nick Smirniotopoulos News Editors: Cameron Austin, Dean Seal News Reporters: Melissa Draudt, Leslie McCrea News Staff Writers: Kelly Cline, Josh Higgins, Matt Minor Lifestyles Editors: Chelsea Giles, Madeline Gordon Opinions Editors: David Levitt, Sharath Reddy Sports Editors: Jacob Emert, Alex Koma Sports Media Manager: Mike Platania Assistant Photo Editor: Ben Wiedlich Collegiate Times Business Staff Business Manager: James Dean Seal Circulation Manager: Keith Bardsley

MCT CAMPUS

Curriculum change will help students invent future T he Office of the Provost released “A Plan for a New Horizon: Envisioning Virginia Tech 2013-2018,” which features a detailed list of goals the university has for the next five years.

Specifically, the additions to the Curriculum for Liberal Education feature a new “computational thinking” requirement for all undergraduate students, as well as more of an interdisciplinary focus between colleges and majors.

The new requirements will undoubtedly serve students well in our new “knowledge economy,” in which higher degrees and tech savvy people are increasingly sought after by employers.

It may sound like an attempt by the university to steer students into studying computer science, but its purpose appears to be to deliver a unique, progressive education that is offered by very few universities — if any at all.

According to the report, Tech plans to unveil new courses geared to all majors where “computational thinking” would be required. Th is, in the long run, will undoubtedly allow students to acquire a fantastic set of skills that would complement any major or career.

The demand for programming knowledge and technological literacy could never be greater than now, with more people than ever using technology. The difference is, few will actually know how it works.

Th ink of any time you go online, use apps on a smartphone, or even use your own computer’s operating system — someone has built these applications.

The fact that Tech may start requiring students to learn the basics of programming is a tangible manifestation of the university’s tagline: “Invent the Future.”

What this means for future students is that they will receive a truly revo-

lutionary education that will pair the knowledge they gain in their major with valuable skills that courses in computational thinking provide.

It’s no doubt that nearly any company with an online presence needs employees with coding knowledge, whether that be basic web development, or some of the more complex back-end development.

Even if graduating Tech students don’t enter the workforce as an army of programmers, having a working knowledge or even an understanding of the basic concepts of programming would indeed set Tech students apart from other schools’ graduates.

The interdisciplinary focus of the plan would make way for a breadth of opportunities for students in any major. From the humanities to biology, computing has its place in any discipline offered at Tech.

Humanities students with computational thinking skills would be quite useful in maintaining the lib-

eral arts’ relevance and ensuring its preservation in forthcoming years.

As a field that has come under siege in recent memory, the humanities need this.

Thankfully, the English and history departments at Tech have met this challenge. They both conduct various projects in the digital humanities: the convergence of liberal arts study and computing.

Any student, even one with a liberal arts degree, is capable of learning to program and has a far better chance of fi nding employment in technical fields.

If the new addition to the CLE does work as intended, Tech may become a national leader in revolutionizing undergraduate education.

ANDREW WIMBISH - regular columnist - senior - english

Gun control debate needs Homecoming is more unified voice of women than a popularity contest A It’s recent article in The Washington Post was titled “Shooting Massacre Victims: thoughts and prayers aren’t enough.”

What is it going to take for our country to realize that actions speak louder than words? Who is going to stand up and force gun control onto the table and not let it get dropped without a solution that resolutely ends gun violence?

It’s not going to be politicians on their own accord.

President Obama apologized to Navy Yard victims and families, saying he has already done all that he can — which has been what exactly? Thoughts and prayers.

Two Colorado state legislators were recalled from their seats this month because of their strong efforts on gun control restrictions.

Colorado is the state in which two of the top 15 deadliest mass shootings in U.S. history have occurred, (Columbine and Aurora.)

However, in Colorado, it is political suicide to be a supporter of gun control.

The survivors of gun violence have a difficult time making a difference as well.

Their efforts have been strong, but haven’t turned the tide. Survivors and family members of victims from Aurora, Newtown, Virginia Tech and others embarked

on a 100-day tour, holding 25 rallies in 25 states while sharing their stories.

It was a fruitless effort, one that produced little-tono real action among politicians, or anyone for that matter. Meanwhile, gun rallies held by the NRA at the same time attracted thousands, serving as a slap in the face to the survivors and family members.

Unlike countries such as the United Kingdom and Australia, which immediately enacted effective gun control laws after mass shootings occurred in their nations, the United States has dragged its feet for too long.

The Navy Yard shooting is just another example of what will happen while we wait for politicians to act.

Change must come from another source. Someone has to make gun control their number one priority, in much the same way that the NRA has made the protection of gun ownership theirs.

So who should it be?

Women.

From a demographic standpoint, women are a deciding factor. It was women who got Obama elected in 2008 and 2012. Women are helping Terry McAuliffe to comfortably lead in the polls over Ken Cuccinelli.

Women came together to fight the serious conse-

quences of drunk driving by forming Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). Because of this group’s efforts, the U.S. now has more severe penalties for driving under the influence. In 2012, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced that drunk driving deaths had been cut in half since MADD’s foundation 23 years earlier.

The Center for Disease Control estimates that 25,679 people have died by gun violence since Newtown, 13 of which were at a federally protected facility, the Washington Navy Yard.

And so now it is time for women — the mothers of countless victims — to demand to be heard in the very same way that Mothers Against Drunk Driving commanded the hearts and minds of parents and politicians everywhere.

All aspects of the issue need to be addressed, from mental health to the pragmatic application of sensible gun control measures.

An understanding must be reached: safety trumps political ideology.

CAROLINE KELLY - regular columnist - sophomore - english

that time of year again.

As you walk across the Drillfield, past Squires or even if you’re trying to get some food on campus, get ready to be bombarded by shouts, flyers, candy — you name it.

Why? It’s homecoming of course.

Every October a special week is dedicated to making Hokies feel right at home in Blacksburg. Festivities range from the Homecoming football game to spirit rallies and concerts.

The most visible parts of this tradition, however, are the homecoming King and Queen candidates that vie for the student body’s attention at every turn. These students are chosen to “represent” Virginia Tech in the upcoming festivities, and are supposed to embody “what it means to be a Hokie.”

At the Homecoming game, the lucky King and Queen will find out that they won the majority of the student votes, an impressive feat.

But how much of this is just a popularity contest?

The winners get nothing tangible besides a crown and a sash. They participate in events with the rest of the court all week long, and then are presented on the field as King and Queen.

These winners also get to meet a few important people at the game, and then attend events all year long where they can

tout their titles.

So the craze is somewhat understandable. Who wouldn’t want to represent the Hokies and all of our awesome traditions? However, from what has already been seen from the Homecoming candidates this year, King and Queen aren’t going to be picked for their personal qualities or achievements — they will win because they have the biggest social backing.

Luckily, this year the candidates are more diverse and are from a pool of organizations around campus that aren’t just Greek, such as the LGBTQ, West AJ, Black Student Alliance, etc.

So while it’s not just a fraternity and sorority popularity contest, it still remains a contest of who knows and influences the most people. My only qualm is that the student body doesn’t see the candidates for who they are — they vote for them because they’ve had the best publicity.

The Homecoming King and Queen shouldn’t be picked just because of good marketing skills. If you care enough about this tradition, however silly it may be, vote for someone because you think they represent our school, not because they gave you a lollipop on the Drillfield.

MICHELE NEWBY - regular columnist - sophomore - english

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Katherine Miller

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October 2, 2013

Today’s Birthday Horoscope: Today’s Birthday (10/02/13). It could be a pro itable and romantic year, especially if you maintain your simple frugality. Career opportunities arise and partnerships thrive with loving attention (best around the eclipse on Oct. 16). Balance health and creativity with great service. Take off on an adventure of discovery with someone special. Seeds sown now blossom next spring.

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“Worrying won’t stop the bad stuff from happening. It just stops you from enjoying the good.”

- Unknown

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music downloads

ACROSS 1 Classic British two-door 5 “That’ll do, thanks” 10 TiVo products 14 Had too much, for short 15 Gulf of Guinea capital 16 “The Caine Mutiny” novelist 17 Fight fan’s accessory?

19 Skye writing 20 Where a soldier may be out 21 Do 22 Davis of the silver screen

for the week of October 1st through 4th

In the Stars (Galaxy Mix)- Icona Pop Hannah Hunt- Vampire Weekend Cool Song No. 2- MGMT Recover- CHVRCHES Feel It All Around- Washed Out

listen up

23 Augment 25 Preacher’s accessory?

28 Like preachers 29 Basketball filler 30 Spot markers?

31 “Freeze!”

32 Checkout device 36 Conductor’s accessory?

39 How villains act 40 Feature of a good essay 43 Texter’s “No way!”

46 Chemical suffix 47 Colleague of Ruth and Antonin 48 Donald Trump accessory?

10/2/13 52 When Peter Pan grew up 53 Love interest 54 “Mysterious Island” captain 56 Two-yr. degrees 57 Input, often 58 Vampire’s accessory?

61 Uncommon blood type, briefly 62 Squash variety 63 Actress Petty 64 Antiquity 65 Layered skirts 66 Help the chef

DOWN 1 Bonnets for Colonial Williamsburg reenactors 2 Skelton catchphrase 3 Across the driveway 4 Forest’s Oscar role 5 “Thus do I ever make my fool my purse” speaker 6 Golden Arches pork sandwich 7 Le Guin genre 8 Cliff nester 9 It may keep you from getting home safely 10 One in with the out-crowd 11 Spinning mass 12 Take stock?

13 ’50s-’60s country singer McDonald 18 Boot camp VIPs 22 Special Forces hat 24 Ill-fated rapper 26 Hackneyed 27 Aviation nickname 32 Hurled 33 Skulk 34 MSN alternative 35 Springfield, for one

37 Holmes adversary Adler 38 It has its ups and downs 41 Decent plot 42 Armada component 43 Below-par period 44 City west of Venezia 45 Latke maker’s need

47 Adequate, in verse 49 Public persona 50 Pricey bar 51 India’s longestserving prime minister 55 Chain links?: Abbr.

58 D.C. athlete 59 Hosp. area 60 Climber’s destination

Tuesday’s Puzzle Solved

(c)2012 Tribune Media Services, Inc.

10/1/13

WORDSEARCH: Colleges In Virginia Locate the list of words in the word bank in the letter grid.

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O WORD BANK Z L 1 Virginia Tech 2 George R D Mason U D 3 Radford W O 4 Old Dominion 5 William and O M Mary S I 6 VCU O N 7 Hollins 8 Mary Q I Washington P O 9 James Madison G N 10 UVA X G 11 Norfolk State I E 12 VMI 13 Longwood A T 14 Roanoke D U College S V 15 Liberty

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Aries (March 21-April 19) Don’t make promises you won’t keep. Friends teach you the rules. Work causes delays, so call if you’ll be late. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. Proceed with caution.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Listen to all considerations before choosing direction. Changing iscal priorities causes upsets. Work on the big picture irst. Accept fringe bene its as partial payment. Listen to powerful people you respect. Stock up on beverages.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) Use your intuition. Talk leads to opportunities and an interesting development. Look at your situation from a higher vantage point. Be a stabilizing in luence. Don’t push yourself too far too fast. Get the word out.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) Work interferes with travel. Rethink inances.

Don’t fund a fantasy. Go for substance over symbolism. Use your skills of persuasion. Ask your partner to exert in luence. Use what you’ve recently learned. An answer comes in a dream.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) Private conversations increase ef iciency. Sort out any disagreements, especially about money. Otherwise, it could get confusing. Consider suggestions irst. Then urge someone into action.

Enthusiasm wins over facts. Defer grati ication. Others request your advice.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) All isn’t as it appears. Be careful. Figure out what needs to be done. You come up with a better idea, and save a bundle. Put your will into creative projects. Postpone chores. Record the muse.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Go for solid results over symbolism. Incorporate creative ideas into a plan. Your limits get tested. You tend to overestimate your powers and under-budget your time. If you’re late for a date, text or call. Make your life easier with help from friends.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) Keep your objective in mind. Conserve resources.

Know what you’re talking about, but don’t tell everything. Listening can be more powerful than speaking. Work extra hard now. Bring a little glamour home. Candles and good conversation satisfy your spirit.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Share your dreams. Friends are right there for you. Suspend disbelief. Con irm reservations. Keep the money in mind.

Don’t tell the whole story, yet. Be patient with things that don’t make sense. There could be a confrontation.

Answers get revealed later.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) A distant friend is a big comfort. Do a job yourself and save. Exert reasonable caution. Be clever and resourceful. Recycling pays.

Clean with a vengeance. Waste not, want not. Then enjoy the fruits of your labors.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Your assumptions get challenged. Talk is cheap right now. Hold on to your money. There could be a con lict with a competitor. Discuss an impending change with your teammates. Wait overnight to sign. Ask provocative questions.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) Check instructions for errors or changes. It could get chaotic. Listen to someone who’s confused. Work gets pro itable, so pour on the steam. Be gracious even if unwarranted. Your kindness comes back to you.

NEWS

newseditor@collegiatetimes.com

October 2, 2013

collegiatetimes.com

7

With Congress deadlocked, government shuts down ANITA KUMAR, WILLIAM DOUGLAS AND LESLEY CLARK

MCT Campus

The U.S. government started shutting down early Tuesday after a bitter fight over the new health care law deadlocked the Congress and stymied every attempt to keep money flowing after the federal fiscal year ended at midnight.

It was the first such collapse of the government in nearly two decades and there was no immediate way to know how long it would last or how it would end.

The partial closure will delay Social Security payments, passport and visa applications, shutter national parks and museums and furlough hundreds of thousands of federal employees. Essential services will still be provided; the military remains on duty.

President Barack Obama declared the government had officially run out of money when the fiscal year expired at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday.

“Congress has not fulfi lled its responsibility,” Obama said in a video message sent to the U.S. military around the globe. “It has failed to pass a budget and, as a result, much of our government must now shut down until Congress funds it again.”

The White House Office of Management and Budget sent an alert to all executive branch government offices, telling them to start implementing shutdown plans: “Agencies should now execute plans for an orderly shutdown due to the absence of appropriations.”

The shutdown came after the Senate and the House of Representatives engaged in a high-stakes political showdown well into the night — sending bills back and forth across the Capitol — but never coming close to a deal. It was driven by House efforts to try to force a weakening of

the new Affordable Care Act, all of which the Democrats rejected.

“We believe we should fund the government” and that there should be changes in the new health care law, a drawnlooking House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, told reporters early Tuesday. He declined to answer questions about the shutdown.

The Republican-controlled House voted 228-201 late Monday to fund the government for two months while delaying the new federal health care law’s mandate that Americans be required to have insurance and canceling health care subsidies for members of Congress. The Democratic-led Senate voted 54-46 to reject the proposal, just as it did earlier in the day to a similar measure that would have postponed the entire health care law, the president’s signature domestic achievement.

“

Congress has not fulfilled its responsibility” Barack Obama President of the United States

As the clock ticked toward deadline, the House tried a new tactic, voting 228-199 in the early morning hours Tuesday to set up direct negotiations with the Senate by appointing a team of budget negotiators called “conferees” to work with Senate counterparts in the coming days.

The Senate flatly rejected that proposal before leaving the Capitol.

“We like to resolve issues,” said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. “But we will not go to conference with a gun to our head.”

About 800,000 of the more than 2 million federal employees will stay home after the

OLIVIER DOULIERY / MCT CAMPUS

President Barack Obama declared the government had officially run out of money when the fiscal year expired at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday. plans are implemented sometime Tuesday. But more than a million active-duty military will remain on the job and be paid, according to legislation passed by both chambers and signed into law late Monday.

Joseph A. Beaudoin, president of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association, said he was deeply disappointed in Congress’ decision “to allow politics to trump the best interests of the American people.”

“Today, in communities across our country, vital federal services are being interrupted and hundreds of thousands of federal employees have been told to stay home without pay because Congress has failed to carry out the most basic of its constitutionally mandated duties,” he said.

After the government reopens, lawmakers must decide whether employees — both those who worked and those who didn’t — should get paid following three years of frozen pay and increased workloads.

Some critical services would

remain, but others would not.

Mail delivery would continue but loan programs to small businesses, farmers and homeowners would cease.

Inspectors still would regulate food and drugs but research programs would be halted.

Taxes would be collected but judges would have to go home when the courts run out of funds. Prisoners still would be held in federal custody but money for recovery efforts following Superstorm Sandy would be reduced.

The health care law that is the focus of the dispute between Republicans and Democrats would continue to be implemented, because much of its funding comes from other sources, including new taxes and fees and cuts to other programs.

“Let me be clear about this. … The Affordable Care Act is moving forward,” Obama said. “That funding is already in place. You can’t shut it down.”

Earlier Monday, Obama placed separate calls to Boehner; House Minority

Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.; Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.; and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. He told them anew that he would not negotiate on health care as part of the budget bill.

Boehner told the president in a 10-minute call that the health care law is “costing jobs and that American families are being denied basic fairness when big businesses are getting exemptions that they are not,” said Boehner spokesman Brendan Buck.

“

Tonight, we have proof that the House Republicans have lost their minds” Harry Reid Senate Majority Leader

But Reid criticized House members for their fixation on the health care law.

“Albert Einstein defined insanity as, ‘doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results,’ ” Reid said on the Senate floor. “Tonight, we have more proof that House Republicans have lost their minds. Instead of allowing all 435 members of the House of Representatives to vote on the Senate’s bill to keep the government open for business, Speaker Boehner is once again pushing a government shutdown.”

As the day wore on, there were some signs that Republicans in both chambers were starting to differ over how to proceed. Some House members initially thought of killing the latest proposal because it didn’t go far enough, while some senators floated a proposal that would extend for one week the government’s current spending levels, which would prevent workers from being furloughed and keep government agencies and services open as lawmakers continued to haggle over larger issues.

8

October 2, 2013

collegiatetimes.com

One month in and you’ve already learned a valuable lesson.

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