November 2007
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PBTV: ACC Championship
PBTV: Tunnel Vision: ACC Championship
SEANROD: The Future is Now
Tech Men’s Soccer Edges California 3-2; Sweet Sixteen Awaits
“This is one of the proudest moments so far,” said Tech coach Oliver Weiss after earning the first NCAA tournament victory of his tenure, “But again, we need to calm ourselves down and go on to the next step.” Christiansburg Candy Making Workshop Event
The Christiansburg Recreation Center hosted a holiday candy making workshop Monday night at the Montgomery County Government Building. Dedra Altizer, Anita Smith and Kathy Perdue instructed the workshop after working with chocolates for over 20 years as a family tradition passed down from generation to generation. The ladies hosted the two-hour workshop sharing their knowledge, recipes and helpful hints for this delicious time of year when holiday treats are eaten as quickly as they are made. Student death ruled intentional
Initial evidence suggests that Jonathon David Jones' fall from the 7th floor window of Pritchard Hall was intentional. It has been confirmed that a student has fallen from the seventh floor of Pritchard Hall. The student has been identified as Jonathan David Jones. He was rushed to Montgomery Regional Hospital, but was pronounced dead upon arrival. He was a freshman communication major and lived in Barringer Hall. Commentary: All You Need Is Love We could all use a little bit more love. Yesterday it came to my attention just how painfully obvious this is. When we first entered college, we were all sort of dropped off on the front steps of Virginia Tech with this odd expectation that we can take care of ourselves. Suddenly, in those few minutes before your parents leave you, you become an adult. It’s that same sort of odd feeling you get on your birthday when you realize you’re a whole year older. Nothing feels different, but you know something has changed. Interview with Bollo's Owner Ranae Gillie The smell of fresh coffee hits you as soon as you walk in the doors of Bollo’s Bakery and Coffee Shop. The warm aroma intensifies as you take a seat and realize that those enticing looking treats that you saw when you first walked in are made from scratch in the back. Owner and baker, Ranae Gillie, wouldn’t have it any other way. Gillie and her husband have spent over 25 years in the restaurant business in Blacksburg due to the great success of Gillies Restaurant. As the first restaurant to serve organic coffee in Blacksburg in the 1980s, Gillie’s has continued to please customers with their home-made and vegan-friendly foods. Gillie’s was recently recognized as the best breakfast in the New River Valley by the Roanoke Times. Hokies Earn Second Shot at Boston College with Win Over Wahoos
With the Commonwealth Cup, and more importantly, a berth in the ACC Championship on the line, Virginia Tech went into Scott Stadium and pulled off its fourth straight victory over Virginia, winning 33-21. “To come into a hostile environment, especially UVa, and come out with a victory, that’s a great feeling,” said senior Tech linebacker Xavier Adibi. “Just looking up in the stands and seeing everyone so quiet, it was great.” Intramural Football To Crown A Champion The Hokie Gobblers/Foxridge Apartments Intramural Flag Football Championships will take place Nov. 27 at the South Recreation Area Fields. Intramural Sports Graduate Assistant, Kyle Warren, said this championship will be the conclusion of three weeks of round robin competition, where every team is scheduled to play two games and two weeks of single elimination playoffs. Only Virginia Tech patrons are eligible to compete including students, faculty and staff, but anyone is able to attend. PBTV: Football Seniors Give Helping Hand
Interview: Robert Parker, PIO For VA Dept. Of Health
Parker is currently the Southwest Regional public information officer for the Virginia Department of Health. After becoming a Virginia Tech graduate in forestry, Parker actually started out his working career in the western part of the United States doing lumberjack work before moving back to the state in which he was born, North Carolina. The Roller Coaster Career Of Sean Glennon Lane Stadium at Virginia Tech was deafening right before the Hokies were about to take on Ohio University on Sept. 15. A video began to play to highlight specific Hokie football players talking about the game of football. When number seven’s face appeared on the screen, the deafening sound heard in the stadium before was now all boos. The once praised Virginia Tech quarterback Sean Glennon has had a whirlwind of an experience while on the Virginia Tech football team. The past two years have been filled with highs and lows. Some of his lows, though, are ones no one else has ever experienced. NFL Power Rankings: Week 11 Reluctant to make any more assumptions about the Eagles or Jaguars, it’s the TEPR (Thomas Emerick Power Rankings)!!!
Hokies Unite Again To Thank World
Thousands of Hokies gathered on Virginia Tech’s Drill Field Saturday morning to thank the world in a unique way. In an effort to thank the world for its outpouring of support following the events of April 16, the Tech community came together once again in an event called, “Hokies Thank The World”. Hokie Nation showed up in a big way as several thousand orange and maroon clad alumni, students and faculty formed the letters showing their collective gratitude. December Grads Experience Opportunity And Uncertainty December means more to Solana Vander Nat than winter break and candy canes. When she walks across the stage at this December, Vander Nat will be the first in her biological family to receive a college degree. Unlike many of her peers, Vander Nat is a first generation college student. However, like an increasing number of students, her graduation date will fall before the beginning of the new year. Interview: Susan Mattingly, Lyric Theater Since 1930 the Lyric has been a part of Blacksburg, and for the last seven of those years Susan Mattingly has been at the reins of the popular local spot. As executive director she oversees all the facets of the community’s second run theater. A Virginia Tech alumnus, Mattingly enjoys giving back to the community, which she does on a daily basis by keeping The Lyric up and running. She took time out of her busy schedule to talk to Planet Blacksburg about how she got started at The Lyric and about “the heart of Blacksburg” itself. What follows is a selection of questions and answers from a 20- minute interview. Greek Ambassador Speaks on Campus Among the stops for Greek ambassador Alexandros P. Mallias before his speech in the Haymarket Theatre in Squires Student Center Tuesday was the memorial of the April 16 victims. So when it came time to speak about the troubles in Kosovo, about Turkey’s bid for entrance into the European Union, about how Greece and the United States need to work together in international affairs, he made sure to begin it with a simple, unifying message. “My visit here is symbolism,” Mallias said. “It is one of compassion and one of solidarity.”
Hokies Steal the Show In Second Half, Clobber Winston-Salem State, 67-43 There’s likely a warrant out for Laura Haskins arrest; that is if grand larceny was taken seriously tonight. Haskins committed seven steals as she and her accomplices forced Winston-Salem State into 30 turnovers in a 67-43 blow out. A flurry of these turnovers occurred at the beginning of the second half, spurring a 31-6 run that pulled the Hokies out of a narrow halftime lead. Said Tech women’s basketball coach Beth Dunkenberg, “[In the first half] we tried to make too much to happen on our offensive end and didn’t allow our defense to create that for us.” YMCA Crafts Fair Another Success The Virginia Tech YMCA held its 38th annual Crafts Fair at the University Mall in Blacksburg last weekend. The fair showcased over 70 juried crafters and artisans from eight states, including Virginia. Although a final total was still being calculated on Monday, Terri Lynn Howard, YMCA special events director, estimated that the fair earned approximately $21,000 to help support the YMCA’s community outreach and leadership programs. “This fair will probably earn about the same as last year,” Howard said. Basketball Practice Facility Approved at Board of Visitors Meeting Despite the university's facing financial difficulties in the wake of April 16, Virginia Tech's Board of Visitors approved construction of the basketball practice facility at their meeting Monday. The 49,000 square foot facility will be located on the east side of Cassell Coliseum. The authorized cost is $20 million, according to Tom Gabbard, associate athletic director, internal affairs. Dance Around The World To Fitness The Virginia Tech Department of Recreational Sports is sponsoring “Fitness Around the World” on Nov. 13th in the McComas Hall gymnasium. Kukuwa Nuamah, a Ghanaian native who has studied dance for about 20 years, and current professor of African cultural dance at George Mason University, will teach “Fitness Around the World.” “[Nuamah] mixes forms of Latino, Caribbean and African dances into one, fun workout,” said Alison Arner, Recreational Sports’ assistant director of fitness and assessment. Commentary: College Graduation A Reality Check When I was learning to drive, my mother always said, “watch out for the other drivers because they usually don’t know what they are doing.” As I was sitting at a four-way intersection last week, a car with young passengers joined me at the intersection. I began to proceed down the road. Before I had time to gain momentum from a dead stop, the other car zoomed out in front of me. Due to my frustration, I yelled “YOU DAMNED COLLEGE KIDS!!!” After considering this statement, it finally hit me: I am about to graduate from Virginia Tech. Seminars Help Students Conquer Tough Schedules As the semester ends stress levels begin to rise due to finals. For freshmen, this is their first time dealing with the stress that final exams bring on. For everyone else, it is just another opportunity to try and remember everything we were supposed to have “learned” this semester.
Interview with WVEC News Anchor LaSalle Blanks LaSalle Blanks is the WVEC 13 News Daybreak and 13 News at Noon anchor for Hampton Roads. A native of Fairfield, Conn., Blanks graduated from Northwestern University in 1992 with a degree in radio, television and film, and he received a graduate degree in broadcast journalism in 1993. Blanks was happy to answer a few questions for Planet Blacksburg, and he even gave a tour of the station and introduced all of the top anchors and production staff at WVEC. What follows is a selection of questions and answers from this interview regarding his career experience and his reaction to the events of April 16. NFL Power Rankings: Week 10 Back by indifferent demand, it’s the TEPR (Thomas Emerick Power Rankings)!!!
He Works to Get the Word Out: Interview with Paul Lancaster Paul Lancaster has worked at Virginia Tech for over 20 years as broadcast media coordinator for University Relations. Lancaster has a long history of involvement with journalism and broadcasting. He started writing for his hometown newspaper when he was 14 and went on to graduate from Washington and Lee University with a degree in journalism. He worked at WDBJ 7 for 11 years before coming to Virginia Tech. His work at Virginia Tech has helped the university build an extensive body of work related to a variety of visual and broadcast media. In 2006 he received one of five President's Awards for Excellence for his contributions. Faith Moves In ‘Rhythm’ Inside the small crowded room, the excitement was contagious. Students from local colleges, including Radford University, Hollins University and Virginia Tech, as well as a few non-students, came together to fellowship and worship in “Rhythm.” Career Expert Shares Job Search Advice “One thing that I hope you get out of tonight is the importance of asking yourself ‘why am I different?’” Tech alumna, Susan Strayer, told an eager audience at the Holtzman Alumni Center in the Skelton Conference Center Nov. 9. By reeling the audience in with a comparison of students to iPod’s, the beginning of the speech was clearly aimed toward the college students, who were the majority of the audience. The speech, “Job Search Secrets,” was sponsored by Career Services and the Alpha Delta Pi sorority. The View From The Roof: Week 11 Finally, a good week after two miserable ones, but I’m still bitter. Sam Swank missed a field goal costing me the UVa-Wake game; Okie State couldn’t hold onto a three touchdown lead in the fourth quarter; where was the pass interference call at the end in that South Florida game? All that being said, it’s time to move on, and this week offers a great slate of games with the marquee matchup pitting Auburn and Georgia against one another. I’m looking at the Ohio State-Illinois game, though, as the game to watch since the Buckeyes barely escaped Champagne last year with a 17-10 win. Can the Illini get over the hump in Columbus and pull off the upset? Last week: 13-5 – all rankings are based on the BCS Standings – (overall record, conference record) Hokies Grab Narrow Victory In Basketball Opener, Freshmen Make Immediate Impact The Virginia Tech men’s basketball team opened up its season Friday night at Cassell Coliseum, walking out with a 69-64 win over Southern Conference opponent Elon. The freshmen duo of point guard Hank Thorns and forward Jeff Allen answered some questions concerning the roles they would have to play this season. Allen looked comfortable from start to finish, shooting 7 of 11 from the field and finishing with a team high 19 points and 10 rebounds, notching his first career double double. Thorns finished with four assists and no turnovers, overcoming some early first half nerves. “I thought after those scrimmages I wasn’t going to be that nervous but after that smoke cleared and I saw all those people…but it was fun and exciting and I liked it a lot,” said Thorns after the game. A Letter to the Editor, In recent years the issue of unauthorized (illegal) immigration has been at the forefront in the minds of politicians and the American public. A group of Virginia Tech students undertook a research project this semester to target the benefits, problems and concerns that the Virginia Tech Community has in regards to unauthorized immigration. As part of the project the students were encouraged to get involved with the issue and propose a solution to the state senators, John Warner, Jim Webb, and Governor Tim Kaine. PBTV: Tunnel Vision: FSU
Green Hokies Open Uncertain Season The Virginia Tech men’s basketball team is coming off its greatest season in a decade, but questions abound about a squad made up largely of young players. The 2007-08 Hokies roster features six freshman and three sophomores. Gone is the team’s nucleus of Jamon Gordon, Zabian Dowdell and Coleman Collins leaving many to wonder what kind of team Tech will field this season. Church Attendance Up In NRV The national statistic that church attendance is declining among young adults isn’t always true in the New River Valley. In a 2006 study, the Barna Research Group, Ltd. showed church attendance by generation. Those whom Barna president George Barna calls the “mosaic generation,” those born between 1984 and 2002, was only at 33 percent attendance. According to two church leaders in the New River Valley, however, attendance has been steadily increasing. Bush/Beamer Role Reversal Yields Same Old Rhetoric Welcome to Sports/Politics Job Swap, where prominent political figures and high-profile sports personalities trade careers. In this edition, President George W. Bush tries his hand at running the Virginia Tech football program while Head Coach Frank Beamer tackles the war in Iraq. Shred-A-Thon Serves Important Role in Keeping Your Identity Safe Person after person walked up to the monstrous truck, all carrying the exact same thing in their arms; boxes full of paper documents ready to be shred. The Triad S.A.L.T. Council of Montgomery County sponsored a Shred-A-Thon on Nov. 3, at the Christiansburg Recreation Center. The Triad S.A.L.T. is a council consisting of the local law enforcement and seniors in the community that agree to work together to reduce criminal victimizations of the elderly. Interview with ESPN’s Mike Greenberg Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism is home to one of the most prestigious journalism schools in the nation, so it is no surprise then that ESPN Radio host and anchor, Mike Greenberg began his career going to school there. Before joining ESPN in 1996, Greenberg worked for CLTV in Chicago covering all local Chicago sports, anchoring sportscasts and hosting a Sunday night program called SportsPage. He also added to his television and radio career by working for Chicago radio station’s WSCR and WMAQ, where he was able to cover events such as the Super Bowl and World Series. AICO To Showcase Native American Poetry In celebration of American Indian Heritage Month, the American Indian Culture Organization will host “The American Indian Poetry Night” Nov. 6 in the Black Cultural Center in the Squires Student Center. “This year’s American Indian Heritage Month’s events are a kickoff for the rest of the year for the club,” President Mikhelle Taylor said. The organization was recently re-established on campus after being forced into dormancy due to dwindling numbers, and is now reaching out to the community to take interest and help celebrate in American Indian Heritage Month. English Department Accepting Submissions For Research Conference By Jon Atwood The English department will host a department undergraduate research conference for the third straight year. Students in English classes have until January 25 to submit their work for the conference, which will be held on March 28. “We want to open up conversations between faculty and students and recognize the potential in undergraduates to do serious work,” said Nancy Metz, associate professor in English and chair of the undergraduate committee. “It’s also a celebratory occasion for our academic community.” PBTV: Meet Tech's National Championship Bass Fishing Team
YMCA Looks Forward To Another Successful Fair The Virginia Tech YMCA will hold its 38th annual Crafts Fair Nov. 9-11 at the University Mall in Blacksburg. This year the fair will include more than 70 artisans and crafters from eight states, including Virginia, according to YMCA representatives. Artisans and crafters will be displaying a wide array of items from many different categories, including pottery, soaps and candles, jewelry, metal works, glassworks, woodworks, art, furniture, photography, food vendors and more, according to Terri Lynn Howard, YMCA special events director. Commentary: Let’s Give Jim Weaver Two Thumbs Up, Seriously Athletic director Jim Weaver has finally done something right and it came at the perfect time. Last week some Virginia Tech students found out that they would not be allowed to purchase men’s basketball tickets for the upcoming season. Some of these students, like me, were seniors who had bought season tickets for the last three years. These were fans who supported the team before last season’s run into the NCAA tournament. The demand for student-season tickets exceeded the 1,500-ticket allotment, so the Virginia Tech ticket office used a lottery system to determine who could purchase the tickets. After hearing the outcry from those students left without tickets, Weaver decided to step in. The View From The Roof: Week 10 Why do I even try? Coming off of my worst performance, two weeks ago, I figured a rebound week was in store. As Lee Corso would say, though, “Not so fast my friend!” Penn State and Kentucky stunk it up in front of their home crowds. UVa lost to an awful NC State team and Cal and South Florida couldn’t pull off crucial conference road victories. At least I got the Oregon-USC game right. This week’s slate of games offers some more important matchups as we start the final stretch of conference play. Last week: 8-7 – all rankings are based on the BCS Standings – (overall record, conference record) Glennon’s Getup Good for 27-3 Victory 
Halloween is usually a terrible time to have a wardrobe malfunction, but Sean Glennon looked more than comfortable in his costume Thursday night leading the Hokies to a 27-3 victory at Georgia Tech. Glennon and three other players, Tyrod Taylor, Kam Chancellor and Brandon Flowers found that their jerseys were missing from the locker room come game day creating a scramble to find suitable replacements. Chancellor and Flowers ended up getting replacement Tech jerseys but the quarterbacks Glennon and Taylor elected to stick with the Yellow Jacket tops complete with hand-written names on the back and it served Glennon well all night. Roundup Makes Roommate Search Easier If you’re looking for a compatible roommate for the 2008-2009 academic year, Roommate Roundup offers a chance to mix and mingle with possible candidates, while enjoying food, refreshments and music at a ranch themed event. The 2nd annual event will be held in the Ambler Johnston 5th floor conference room on Nov. 5 for males and Nov. 8 for females. If you’ve ever had a roommate, you understand the importance of personality, compatibility and lifestyle similarity. Tech To Stay Up ‘til Dawn For Charity Up ‘til Dawn, a popular philanthropic program at colleges across the nation, is coming to Virginia Tech on Nov. 4. The event will take place in the Bowman Room of the Jamerson Athletic Center from 12-4 p.m. According to the St. Jude website, Up ‘til Dawn is a program that unites students, staff and their local communities with a goal to help the children of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The program is hosted by more than 180 campuses nationwide. Tech And Tech To Battle In Cassell The Virginia Tech volleyball team will battle Georgia Tech at home in Cassell Coliseum on Friday, Nov. 2 at 7p.m. Virginia Tech’s volleyball team has a 6-8 record in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). Georgia Tech has a record of 9-5 in the ACC. Virginia Tech played against Georgia Tech on Sept.29 and lost a very close match. Coach Chris Riley said, “We played a great match this year and lost but it’s probably one of the best we played. We’re looking forward to correcting that mistake and showing them we’re a much better team.” |
PBTV: Weekly News Wrap Up
Commentary: A Heartbreaking Day For Redskins Fans You see an athlete that has the potential to be the best at his position of all time. I saw this in 2003 when University of Miami played Virginia Tech at Lane Stadium. Despite the Hokies winning, free safety #26 for the Hurricanes was a man among boys on the field; somebody who you knew was going to be special and hoped could be on your team. That dream came true in the 2004 draft when the Washington Redskins drafted Sean Taylor. If You Love to be Confused, You’ll Love Michael Clayton Confusing story line, two hours of nothing, and then a big bang at the end - does this appeal to you? These are the elements you look forward to if you choose to watch the new dramatic thriller Michael Clayton starring George Clooney. “Accounting? I don’t want to do that.” Have you gotten your class ring yet? If so, you may have received a DVD containing ring information and videos. Mike Gallagher is the man behind that DVD, as well as many other video projects around and beyond Blacksburg. A Virginia Tech graduate, Gallagher has been living and working in Blacksburg for almost 30 years. He is the owner of King Video Productions, and he keeps busy with clients ranging from Virginia Tech to E! Entertainment. PBTV's New Show: The Hokie Hookup
Planet Blacksburg's video programming, PBTV, keeps growing with the new addition of The Hokie Hookup which is your source for quickly getting caught up on all the latest Virginia Tech sports news. This week, the Hokie Hookup crew fills you in on this weekend's upcoming ACC Championship game, the men's basketball team's matches in Alaska, the women's basketball team's recent trip to the Bahamas, and much more. Tune in for future episodes to see video from sporting events and more Hokie sports news. The New Get-Famous…Again Scheme “Don’t wait. If you are one of the first 500 callers, you will receive free shipping and handling with the purchase of (insert product).” That is just one of the many lines that late-night TV infomercials use to get you to buy their product. I stay up late most nights, so I frequently come across infomercials that I just can’t turn off. It’s not the product, though, that usually grabs my attention. It’s the celebrities hosting the show that make me put my remote control down and tune in. Commentary: Nas’ Album Title Ineffective As Nas prepares to release his newest album, the controversy surrounding the use of the “N-word” has made its way to the forefront of racial politics. Nas’s new album, due out Dec. 1, is explicitly titled N-word, but without the political correctness. MTV quoted Nas saying, “I wanna make the word easy on a mutha----as’ ears. You see how white boys ain’t mad at ‘cracker’ ‘cause it don’t have the same [sting] as ‘nigger’? I want ‘nigger’ to have less meaning [than] ‘cracker.’ With all the bullsh—that’s going on in the world, racism is at its peak. I wanna do the sh—that’s not being done. I wanna be the artist who ain’t out. I wanna make the music I want to hear.” NFL Power Rankings: Week 12 Drifting into turkey comatose, it’s the TEPR (Thomas Emerick Power Rankings)!!!
Director Looks for Acceptance with Film on Homosexuality The Lyric Theater will host a screening of the documentary film, “For The Bible Tells Me So,” on Thursday, Nov. 29 at 7 p.m. Winner of the Audience Award for Best Documentary Film at the Seattle International Film Festival, director Dan Karslake’s documentary explores the intersection between homosexuality and religion within the United States by following five Christian families who are dealing with the realization that one of their children is gay. Interview: Nancy May, A Career Path Of Longevity And Prosperity Her career took a path of its own, which started out with interests in product development and marketing analysis and later developed into the regional marketing director for Southwest Virginia. Nancy May’s self- desires allow her to maintain and represent four hospitals at once including Lewis Gale Medical Center, Montgomery Regional Hospital, Alleghany Regional Hospital and Pulaski Community Hospital. May grew up in Roanoke and graduated from Mary Baldwin College with a Business Administration degree not knowing that she would fall into the field of public and media relations. How To Prepare A Thanksgiving Dinner For Under $30 These days it may seem like $30 doesn’t get you very far. Often it can cost more than $30 to buy two DVDs, a pair of jeans at a department store or even get a good haircut. Often $30 won’t even fill the gas tank in your car or cover your Friday night tab at the bar downtown (although that’s a different story). “I wouldn’t be surprised if you couldn’t even eat a nice meal for under $30,” sophomore TJ Bauer said. “Things are just getting too expensive.” This doesn’t have to be the case though. Band Profile: Soldiers of Jah Army
This is the feeling that is embedded in the soulful words and rhythms of Virginia’s own, Soldiers of Jah Army. PBTV: Miami Recap
Successful Seniors Blow Hurricanes Out By Justin Cates Senior day in Blacksburg saw a lot of smiling faces as the 10th ranked Virginia Tech Hokies defeated the Miami Hurricanes 44-14 Saturday in Lane Stadium. Tech’s defense dominated allowing just -2 yards rushing and sacking ‘Canes quarterback Kyle Wright five times in addition to making a tremendous goal line stand that stopped Miami on four consecutive plays inside the five yard line. Fans Gather For Chilly Senior Send-off Despite the cold weather, the Student Alumni Associates still held its Beat Miami Send-Off Rally Friday night at 6 p.m. on the west side steps of Cassell Coliseum. “It was pretty cold, but I still wanted to come and cheer on the team and show my support,” said Amanda Sams, junior political science major. This was the third send-off rally of the football season and though attendance was a bit low, spirits were high. The View From The Roof: Week 12 Wow. No. 1 goes down last week and now as I sit here writing this, No. 2 has already gone down this week. With only two full weeks of regular season games left, conference championship slots are starting to fill up. One champion will be crowned this week as Michigan and Ohio State square off for the Big 10 title. Oklahoma will have a chance to clinch a berth in the Big 12 Championship with a win while the winner of Clemson/Boston College wraps up a spot in the ACC Championship. There are plenty of other good games as well this week, so let’s dig in. Last week: 13-8 PBTV: Tunnel Vision: Miami
Last Chance For Anonymous HIV Testing At Schiffert The last anonymous HIV Antibody Testing will take place today at the Schiffert Health Center. Procedures tesing starts at 4:15 p.m., when numbers are distributed by a lottery system outside the information desk. Before actual testing begins, health counselors will meet with students to ask questions about past sexual behaviors After 15 years of free anonymous HIV testing at Virginia Tech, a large state budget cut has forced the testing to end at the end of this semester. “If you believe you’ve been exposed to HIV you need to wait three to six months to be tested in order for your body to develop enough antibodies to come up positive on an HIV test,” health educator Jon Fritsch said. Rising Tides: Coastal Cities and Climate Change Crowded beaches, crashing waves, and rollerblading on the boardwalk are just a few of the activities that come to mind when visiting a coast. Sunny weather and clear sands have long been synonymous with vacation spots; allowing individuals to escape from reality and retreat into a local utopia. As sea levels continue to rise however, these vacationers may eventually find their beaches underwater and coastal attractions washed away. Men’s Soccer Advances In ACC’s For First Time, Stifles Maryland, 3-0 Virginia Tech had never won an ACC tournament game nor beaten Maryland. The Terrapins scorched into Cary, North Carolina on a blistering ten-game unbeaten streak. Ben Nason decided to flip the script with two goals en route to a 3-0 Hokie victory; advancing Tech to the ACC semifinals for the first time in school history. “Maryland’s a really tough opponent, but we have a good squad and a chance to go far,” said Nason, the senior captain who’s experienced the three previous first-round exits, “I know that I, personally, really wanted that win.” The Asylum Street Spankers The Texas based band, Asylum Street Spankers, will play at the Sun Music Hall in Floyd County Nov. 16, at 9 p.m. The band formed in 1994 in Austin, Texas, when Guy Forsyth, Christina Marrs and Wammo began playing music for tips in bars along the Llano River. The band derived its name from an old road called Asylum Street where they use to busk, or play live shows. THE Forum Explores Diversity The Alliance of Concerned Students and the Student Government Association held “THE Forum”, on Nov. 12 at the Graduate Life Center. The event was held in order to have representatives from all major student organizations on campus and faculty discuss together major issues for the university including diversity on campus, administration and faculty relations and cadet relations. Rain Puts Damper on Bruins’ Mood The Blacksburg Bruins came into last Friday night’s game at Christiansburg looking for one last regular season victory before traveling to Bassett for their opening round playoff game this week. What they found was a rainstorm, very little offense and a Blue Demon squad ready to play some football. Hokies Set To Battle The Terps In The ACC Championship As the fourth seed in the 2007 ACC Championship quarterfinals, the Virginia Tech Hokies’ soccer team is set to play the fifth-seeded Maryland Terrapins in Cary, N.C. today. Both teams have had the opportunity to lay claim to unbeaten streaks this season. The Hokies (10-2-5, 3-1-4 ACC) went 15 games without losing in the span of almost two months with 10 wins and 5 ties. This marked the first time in the program’s 36 years to have back-to-back unbeaten months. Tech’s first loss came in the last game of the season Friday at Boston College. Boston College (No. 8 overall and No. 1 in the ACC), handed Virginia Tech a 3-1 loss. Alpha Epsilon Delta Holds Hunger Benefit Luncheon Thousands of rowdy college students decked out in orange and maroon were taking beer bongs, grilling hamburgers, and playing corn hole in preparation for the greatly anticipated football showdown versus Florida State University, but in the Multipurpose Room of the Graduate Life Center it was quite a different atmosphere. What could bring students from a school so known for its team spirit away from the always popular tailgating scene? In this case, it would be to support something that in many peoples’ eyes would make an Atlantic Coast Conference football rivalry look petty, The Hunger Project. Bulletin: Notice of Incident in Town of Blacksburg At approximately 7:00 pm, on 11/12/07, a female subject was walking on the East side of Turner Street near Burger King, in the Town of Blacksburg. She was assaulted by an unknown male, approximately 6'0", 170-180 lbs, wearing all black clothing and a black mask. The suspect left the scene and has not been identified. Interview with Ronni Price Ronni Price has managed to work her way up in the journalism profession from a news writer to becoming a Web producer for two top news stations in the nation’s capital. She has also boosted her career as an anchor and news reporter right out of college. Not only has she received her master’s from Ohio State University, but immediately took on the strenuous demands of working in a fast-paced news room. She currently works for Fannie Mae as a publishing manager. Price has continued to express her passion for the media in every job that comes her way. Commentary: A ‘90s Kid Reminisces As my brother and I recently played with our little cousins and their super duper, high-tech toys, we couldn’t help but feel old. Man, what would we have done if we had an Xbox on our wrist all day? “When we were kids…” we said as we remembered what set us apart from “kids these days.” You know you grew up in the ‘90s with my brother and me because… Local Artists To Share Their Crafts The Fashion Merchandising and Design Society (FMDS) will host a showcase Nov. 14 aimed to connect students and Blacksburg residents to local artists, designers and musicians. The showcase will feature more than 15 artists and designers from the Virginia Tech and Blacksburg community. “The FMDS organization as a whole felt like there was a lack of arts in the community of Blacksburg and at Virginia Tech,” said Bramble Trionfo, president of FMDS. “We wanted to have something where the whole community can enjoy what everyone is doing.” What’s Your Fantasy? Here’s the premise: you get to own the best players in football without paying them a dime or having to deal with their disgruntled personalities, and to top it off, you don’t have to listen to millions of fans screaming at you because you charge too much for tickets and can’t put a watchable team out on the field. Sounds like a winner to me and probably to the millions of people across the world who partake in fantasy football. It’s a pretty simple concept. You have a draft where you choose real NFL players and then each week you matchup with another team from your “fantasy league.” Based on the different scoring systems such as rotisserie or points-based, you either win or lose based on the stats that the players on yours and your opponent’s team accumulate. Scholar Lectures On Women And The Law In Iran It was a few minutes before 4 p.m. on Nov. 7, Brush Mountain Room B in Squires Student Center was hardly full. However, as the start of the lecture loomed closer, the room began filling rapidly. So rapidly, in fact, that extra chairs were hastily shoved in the corners to make room for the growing audience. Students and faculty, males and females, those with Middle Eastern heritage and those without had all come, it seems, to listen to her speak. The “she” was Louise Halper, a professor of law at Washington and Lee University whose current scholarship is on law and gender in the Middle East, particularly in Iraq and Turkey. Halper was sponsored by Virginia Tech’s Department of Interdisciplinary Studies as well as the Middle East Working Group. The seminar was free of cost. Interview with Annette Clark of Alzheimer’s Association Every 72 seconds an individual in the United States is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. With statistics like these, it is easy to see why Annette Clark’s job, Alzheimer’s Association’s Roanoke regional director for the Central and Western Virginia Chapter, is so important. As an employee of the association for over three years, Clark has worked with both patients and caregivers to inform and train on how to live with dementia. She plans and directs numerous fundraisers, such as Memory Walk, to raise funds for both national research and community-based programs. Brief: Update to Stadium Lot Incident On Thursday, Nov. 8, around 7 p.m. a person was seen with a handgun in the Stadium Parking Lot. The Police have released more details in a university email, they are as follows: The suspect is a white male, around 5 foot 7 inches to 6 foot tall, and was last identified as wearing dark hat, dark windbreaker/fleece jacket, and loose-fitting blue jeans. Bulletin: Notice of Incident from VT Police At approximately 7:00 pm tonight (November 8, 2007), a person was observed with a hand gun in the Stadium Parking Lot. A person reported that he parked in the Stadium Lot and observed a subject next to a car with a handgun. The subject pointed the weapon at the victim and then fled the scene in the vehicle headed toward Airport Road. The weapon was not fired and the victim was not harmed. Local Election Results This year’s elections were riddled with upsets, close calls and some problems. Registered voters in Montgomery County were able to vote for House of Delegates, School Board, Commissioner of the revenue and others. View the article for election results. News In Brief: Police Need Help In Assault On North Main Street An individual was robbed and stabbed on around the 600 block of North Main yesterday at 6:15 P.M. The assault occurred behind the Taco Bell, Bogen's and the Campus Exxon in an alley. Deet’s Coffee College Is Another Success
Deet’s Place, Virginia Tech’s premier coffee shop, held its course on coffee brewing and grinding as part of the shop’s second annual Deet’s Place Coffee College Tuesday evening. Held in the D2 dining area above the coffee shop, the course went over how coffee gets its flavor, six essential elements in coffee brewing and grinding, and taught various hands-on methods in brewing coffee, including the Chemex, Percolation, and Mocha brewing methods. Scuba Club Hosts New River Cleanup The Scuba Club will be hosting a River Cleanup to clean up the trash that is scattered on the river bottom, as well as picking up the trash in the surrounding area on Nov. 11. “By cleaning up the river, we are immediately giving the plant and animal life a better habitat, not to mention the future of the area is brighter,” said Hannah Delp, president of the Scuba Club. Learn To Loosen Up The Thomas E. Cook Counseling Center will hold a relaxation workshop every Wednesday from 4 to 5 p.m. in 258 McComas for the rest of the school year, whenever classes are in session. Dr. Tevya Zukor, group psychotherapy coordinator and a licensed clinical psychologist, and Rob McNamara, psychology intern at the center, will lead students in relaxation techniques to ease stress and anxiety. Forum Offers Help in Preventing Date Rape on College Campuses It’s 3:30 a.m. and you’ve somehow lost your friends, your purse and your ability to think clearly. The host of the party doesn’t seem particularly concerned that you have no way home, and you’re beginning to wonder if perhaps you’ve put yourself in a dangerous situation. Many women at Virginia Tech have experienced a situation similar to the one above before. Although most women get home safe and sound, unfortunately, bad things can happen in party atmospheres. Radiothon Keeps WUVT On the Airwaves WUVT, Virginia Tech’s student-run, independent radio station, wrapped up its week-long fundraiser known as Radiothon on Nov. 4. Radiothon, which began on Oct. 29, raised approximately $7700 by 3 p.m. Sunday through pledges, online donations and contributions at the different remote sites around campus. Court Clerk Post Up For Grabs Today The Court Clerk is a position designed to be the liaison between the people and the court. The clerk is elected once every eight years and voters will decide who is fit for the position in Montgomery County Circuit Court today. Erica Williams and Allen Burke have both spent the majority of their time recently campaigning themselves for the position. Eurydice Gets A Modern Makeover By Roxanne Figueroa The Department of Theatre Arts will present “Eurydice”, a modern telling of the Greek myth, Nov. 7 -15 in the Squires Studio Theatre. “Eurydice,” written by Sarah Ruhl, is the second production of the season. The play takes the ancient myth, originally focused on Orpheus, and flips the audience’s point of view to Eurydice. “This play takes the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice as its starting point. Ruhl takes some sharp turns from there in very poetic and visually powerful ways creating a journey from this world to the underworld in which lots of surprising things happen,” director Megan Carney said. PBTV: Weekly News Wrap Up
PBTV: Interview With Peggy Frank
Time To Recognize The True MVPs “There are three seconds left on the clock and your (insert home team) have the ball, trailing 23-21. Both teams have battled it out for over three hours leaving it all out on the field, and now it comes down to this…one last play to decide who will be the victor and who will go home crying.” To most, when you think of an MVP in the NFL you think of quarterbacks like Tom Brady and Peyton Manning or running backs like LaDainian Tomlinson and Larry Johnson. However, none of these guys will have anything to do with the scenario above. In fact, they won’t even be on the field for the last play. Commentary: Gore Deserves Your Respect And You Know It Former Vice President Al Gore has been awarded this year’s Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in promoting man-made global climate change worldwide. First the 2000 election, then two Oscars, now the Nobel Peace Prize! Mr. Gore, you are certainly on a roll! “[Gore] is probably the single individual who has done the most to create greater worldwide understanding of the measures that need to be adopted,” Chairman Danbolt Mjoes of the Nobel committee said during his announcement of Gore’s win. According to CNN.com, the Nobel committee also said Gore is “one of the world’s leading environmentalist politicians.” National Hockey League Update After another couple of weeks, the NHL has had another bad hit in a game. This time the perpetrator was Philadelphia Flyer Randy Jones who hit Boston forward Patrice Bergeron from behind, knocking him into the boards. Although this hit was not as vicious as Jesse Boulerice’s hit on Ryan Kesler earlier in the month, Jones’ hit still merited a two-game suspension from the league. It is the second incident involving a Flyer this season – the other being Boulerice – and I don’t see why they are doing it. The Flyers are in first place in the Atlantic division with a 7-3-0 record; all the three losses coming away from Philly. The NHL doesn’t need to do anything about these hits because if Bergeron did not get injured on the play, there would have been be no suspension, just a two minute boarding call. It is just an unfortunate event and I wish the best for Bergeron and hope there will not be any more hits like it. Let’s get to the play on the ice… Commentary: In With The New And Out With The Old? New stores are inching their way closer to the Virginia Tech community and will soon test the strength of Blacksburg businesses. It’s obvious that Best Buy, Bed Bath and Beyond, and Staples will be a major improvement to college-shopping. The fun does not stop here, however. Surely there are many who are anxiously awaiting the opening of Olive Garden. I, myself, can’t hide my excitement and am counting down the days. Though I am a sap for good shopping, I am probably first to admit that I love the tight-knit Blacksburg community. The local businesses make up such a huge part of the community and something would be lost if one day they just picked up and ran. Walking through downtown on the way to classes is probably my favorite part of the day. The local loyalty, history, and quality of our town is something not all other towns can match. |
With a passion for working with people, Robert Parker found his niche during his working career by going into the public information field.
Have you ever completely lost yourself in music? I’m talking about when your eyes close, your walls crumble, and all troubles fade; even your heart seems to pick up the rhythms. Bob Marley portrayed it best when he said, "When the music hits, you feel no pain." No matter how heavy the world weighs on my shoulders, music has always been there to pick me back up and keep me marching forward. 
After learning about the history and processing of coffee, a person has to learn how to next successfully brew and grind it in order to enjoy the “world’s most popular drink.”
