Flattered? Yes...

Once again, we here at Hillbilly Savants have been honored with another Thinking Blog Award. In a virtual game of "gotcha-last", the Weenie Wonks (their name, not mine) over at The West Virginia Hot Dog Blog have reciprocated some high praise on us. Thanks folks, for reading and spreading the word about Hillbilly Savants! We hope we'll continue to cut the mustard for you.

Playing within the rules of a Thinking Blog Award, it's now our turn to nominate five more blogs for the same award (you can read all about our first award and nominees here). It's not an easy task to choose just five blogs. As you can see under our Kith & Kin section in the left sidebar, we like blogs. A lot of blogs. In a long, excruciating process that involved a little Scotch and a fair amount of reading, here are my nominees:

1) Living Green: As a home designer professionally and as someone planning my own home construction, Aaron Doyle's real estate blog focusing on sustainable living is a great resource. It's a subject that all of us face as urban sprawl creeps deeper into Appalachia and energy consumption becomes more of a conscious decision.

2) BLDG BLOG: It's not based in or on Appalachia but this blog is probably the best blog I have ever read. If you are a fan of art and architecture, click the link.

3) Squirrel Meat's Journal: Techically not a blog, but Squirrel Meat is friend of HS and to us contributors that attended Emory & Henry College. The journal is his way of telling us what is happening as he hikes the Pacific Crest Trail. S'meat completed a southbound hike of the Appalachian Trail in 2003 and is tackling the Canada to Mexico trail on the west coast as I type.

4) Blue Ridge Muse: Just down Route 8 from me, in Floyd, Virginia, Blue Ridge Muse is full of wonderful photography and writing. I like it because Floyd is kind of like Las Vegas, word of what goes on there doesn't reach us on the main drag via the mainstream media until we find it on the blogs. Blue Ridge Muse is just one of many great bloggers from Floyd County, the arts center of the New River Valley.

5) Fretboard Journal Blog: Anyone with a slight interest in music and instruments will find this writing worthwhile.

And again, the rules from the thinking blog:

The participation rules are simple:

1. If, and only if, you get tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think,
2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme,
3. Optional: Proudly display the 'Thinking Blogger Award' with a link to the post that you wrote (here is an alternative silver version if gold doesn't fit your blog).

That was that! Please, remember to tag blogs with real merits, i.e. relative content, and above all - blogs that really get you thinking! It is the first time I am starting something with my blog so I hope it doesn't come back to haunt me.

The Virginia Tech Massacre: News Update

Below I've gathered more recent news releases on the recent tragedy at VPI, both from major news sources and from the university's own website. I want to take this moment not only to again extend our thoughts and prayers to the people of Virginia Tech and Blacksburg and to the families of the victims, but to thank the university, the staff of The Collegiate Times, and the staffs of all the region's professional news organizations for your hard work. You're professionalism and your elegant balance of necessary fact and personal images and words have been a pleasant contrast to some (though by no means all) of the national coverage, the aim of which seems to be merely to squeeze the surviving victims - I personally have stopped watching the national news, for the time being, taking up the internet as the source of my information - because unnecessary repetition and fear-mongering do nothing for my sleep. Regardless, if you any of you have information, stories, thoughts, or images you want to share with the world, please let us know - we're trying to collect whatever we can here, at least for the next several days.

Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University

• Virginia Tech's April 16th Memorial Website
• Tragedy at Virginia Tech Website
• Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund
• April 17th Convocation Webcast (hosted by hokiesports.com)
  

Tragedy in Blacksburg
Collective Site of the Richmond Times-Dispatch,
The News & Advance, WSLS, and the Bristol Herald Courier

The Bluefield Daily Telegraph

• "Students, community struggle with senselessness of slayings"
• "Students, parents overtaken by horror"

Bristol Herald Courier
(All coverage, collected)

Collegiate Times

• "Horrific Details Surrounding Massacre Trickle Out"
• "List of confirmed deceased"
• "Hospitals Handle Surge"
• "Facebook Reactions"
• "Governor Tim Kaine reacts to crisis"
• "Students respond to shooting"
• "Firsthand account"
• "Downtown remains supportive in face of tragedy"
  
• Video: Student Reactions
• Video: "Campus Crisis"
• Gallery: Photos of the Tragedy

CNN

• Warrent: What police found in Cho's room
• "Police: Cho taken to mental health center in 2005"
• "In morbid plays, Cho's characters dreamed of killing"
• "Promising, extraordinary lives cut short"
• "Friends, family recall lives of self students, teachers"
• "Virginia Tech killer a self-described 'question mark'"
• Galleries
  

New York Times

• "A Black Day in the Blue Ridge"

The News & Advance

• "Police: gunman had been accused of stalking 2 females"
• Slideshow: "Healing and remembering"
• "Convocation offered hopes of healing from Bush, Kaine"
• "'Resilient' community unites in Blacksburg"
• "N&A Gillis: 'I'm a Hokie'"
• "Tragic day will live in memory"
• Photo Gallery
  

New York Times

• "Complaints About Gunman Were Reported in 2005"
• "The Victims"
• Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (collected coverage)
  

NPR

• "Shooting Response Troubles Virginia Governor"
• Slideshow
• "Friends Pay Tribute to Those Lost"
• "Shootings Prompt Examination of Campus Security"
• "Cho's Behavior Troubled Those Who Knew Him"
• "FBI Listens to Understand Shooter's Motive"
• "Students and Teachers Fell to Cho's Gunfire"
• "Virginia Tech Paper Rises to Challenge"
• "Virginia Tech Shootings May Revive Gun-Control Debate"
• "Remembering Virginia Tech's Shooting Victims"
• "Timeline: How the Virginia Tech Shootings Unfolded"
• "Shootings Leave VT Community Seeking Solace"
• "Online Communities Focus on Student Shooting"
• "Community Still Reels From Va. Tech Shootings"
• "Bush Leads Prayers at Virginia Tech"
• "Mood Remains Somber at Virginia Tech"
• "FBI Aiding Police in Sorting Va. Tech Evidence"
• "Gunman Left Note; Past Writings Described as 'Troubling'"
• "In Blacksburg, Community Tries to Heal"
• "Students Share Virginia Tech Grief Online"
• "Virginia Tech Students Grapple With Losses"
• "News of First Virginia Tech Attack Spread Slowly"
• "'I Counted 24 Gunshots Within a Minute'"
• "A Day of Chaos for Virginia Tech Students"
• "Students, Town Reeling After VT Shootings"
• "Reflections on Columbine and Blacksburg"
• "Va. Tech Students Go to Web for Info"

Richmond Times-Dispatch

• "Amid grief, campus begins to heal"
• "At Tech vigil, a vow that, 'we will recover'"
• "Higher Education: State's colleges offer sympathies"
• Slideshow: Convocation at Lane Stadium
• Slideshow: Vigils in Blacksburg and Richmond
• Slideshow: UVA Vigil for Virginia Tech
• "Coming Face to Face With Death"
• "After escape, new perspective"
• "Detained Asian student understands police action"
• "The sympathy of strangers"
• "Fairfax County Reaction: For Koreans, shock, and dismay"
• "Saving His Own Life: Student becomes a symbol of survival"
• "Spotlight on Gun Control: Focus on Virginia's gun laws"
• "A media star - for a moment"
• "The killer: who was he"
• "Vignettes from near and far"
• "The Weapons: killer bought handgun, ammo last month"
• "Tech cancels spring game"
• "US Senate resolution"
• "Victims are heros, loved ones"
  

The Roanoke Times
(All coverage, collected)

USATODAY

• "Female students reported gunman for stalking"
• "'Signs were there,' shooter's classmates say"
• "S.Koreans fear prejudice with shooting link"
• "Professor who 'did not fear death' likely saved students"
• "Names of some of the victims of shootings at Virginia Tech"
• "Students stunned by school's response"
• "Virginia Tech gunman was hospitalized, no contact with police since late '05"
• "Virginia Tech: What prompted two-hour delay?"

WDBJ

• "Twenty-three-year-old student identified as campus gunman"
• "Ohio college students mourn dead at Virginia Tech"
• "Friends remember Blacksburg victim"
• "Gun shop owner wasn't suspicious of shooter"
• "Former Roanoke High School student among the dead"
• "Narrows community remembers Virginia Tech student"
• Victim Photo Memorial
  

WSLS

• "Tuesday Night's Vigil"
• "Local Family Mourns"
• "Thousands Gather at Vigil"
• Memorials and Services
  

Bloggers and the Virginia Tech Massacre

Since Yesterday I have been going through an extensive list of Appalachian blogs (by which I mean blogs written either by folk from Appalachia or about folk from Appalachia, specifically West Virginia, western Virginia, eastern Kentucky, east Tennessee, and western North Carolina), looking for reactions to the shootings yesterday in Blacksburg. My goal has been to sketch out our reactions, some immediate, some considered, to the tragedy that has fallen in amongst us. The list isn't comprehensive - though I'll be glad to add links if you can recommend them. It is, however, something. I hope that it matters.

American Legends

American Twentysomething 3.0

Appalachian Greens

Appalachian History

Appalachian Scribe (1, 2)

badrose

Balloon Juice (1, 2, & 3)

Bastard Sons of Pinfall Marks

BlueGrassRoots

Blue Ridge Blog

Blue Ridge Muse

Botetourt County

Brian Patton

brian's blog

Bristol Views

Change West Virginia

Cup of Joe Powell

Deliverance

Domestic Psychology

Don Surber (1, 2, 3, & 4)

Don't print this.

Feedback with Steve Adams

firedoglake

Fifth Column

Frankly Speaking

From on High

Front Porch Blog

FunditPundit (1, 2)

The Goat Rope (1, 2)

Health Care Law Blog

Hot Topics

Huntington West Virginia Blog

It's a Blog Eat Blog World

Just Another Day in Roanoke (1, 2, 3, 4, & 5)

KnoxBlab

Larry Jones doesn't like your news organization (1, 2)

The Laughing Gypsy

LeanLeft

Left of the Dial (1, 2)

LeftWingCracker

Life in West Virginia

Lincoln Walks at Midnight

Living in a Media World

Mountain 'publican

parasol party

pyzch

New River Oasis (1, 2, & 3)

No Silence Here (Survey of Several Blogs)

Random Mumblings

resonance

Ron's Thots

Shuck and Jive

There's Nothing to do Here

Thistle Cove Farm

traces of me (1, 2, & 3)

The Upfront Page

The View From the Sidelines

West Virginia Blue (1, 2, 3, 4, & 5)
Thanks Clem G.

WV Girl's Blog

Also, I want to recommend these blogs which aren't written by Appalachians, nor are they written specifically for or about Appalachia, but which have caught my eye.

BoingBoing (1, 2, & 3)

Tuned In (1, 2)

The Virginia Tech Massacre: News

Mike has already written on this subject from an angle far more intimate than I possibly could, with tremendous eloquence. But I decided to contribute what I could to those seeking information - specifically, access points to as much official information as possible. I hope it is useful - look for updates throughout the next few days here at HS.

Virginia Tech Campus Alert

Local Press

Bluefield Daily Telegraph

• "31 reported dead at Virginia Tech following shooting"
  

Bristol Herald Courier

• "Reports: Shooter Shot Himself; AP Reports 31 Dead"
• "Photo Slideshow"
  

Collegiate Times (Virginia Tech's student newspaper - right now CollegiateMedia.com is providing their coverage - once the articles are given permanent sites, we'll re-link - ultimately, this will probably be the site of first concern)

• Coverage of the Shooting
• Images

The Roanoke Times (Probably the best, most up-to-day coverage of the events in Blacksburg from the professional press corps is available here; both local and AP reports)

• "At least 33 killed in shootings at Virginia Tech"
• "Steger: Virginia Tech is 'Shocked and Indeed Horrified'"
• "Eyewitness reports from the Virginia Tech shootings"
• "Virginia Tech shooting: Statement of Gov. Tim Kaine"
• "Gunman, 30 Others Killed in Va. Shooting"
  

Richmond Times-Dispatch

• "31 dead at Va. Tech: 28 wounded in shooting"
  

WUVT (Virginia Tech's student radio station with available webcasts; I'm not sure if there will be permanent coverage or not - we'll have to wait and see)

• Coverage of the Shooting
  

WDBJ7

• "Information for Parents of Virginia Tech Students"
• "Virginia Tech Death Toll Now at 31"
• "Memorial Services and Events Related to VT Shootings"
• "Virginia Tech Injuries Reported by Hospitals"
• "Instructions for Virginia Tech Students & Faculty"
• "Hospital: 17 Being Treated for Gunshot Wounds"
• "Senator Webb Comments on School Shootings at Virginia Tech"
• "31 People Now Confirmed Dead at Virginia Tech - Shooter Described as Young, Asian Male"
  

WSLS

• "31 Dead: VT Deadliest Campus Shooting in US History"
• "Photos from Virginia Tech"
• "Tech Sets Up Meeting Places and Counselors"
• "Tragedy That We Consider of Monumental Proportions"
  

National Press

BBC

• "Gunman kills 30 at US University"
• "Virginia Shootings: Eyewitness Accounts"
• "In Pictures: Virginia Shootings"
  

CNN

• "Gunman killed after deadly Virginia Tech rampage"
• Gallery
• "Students describe panic and confusion after shooting"
• "Campus police tactics stem from Columbine tragedy"
  

New York Times

• "Virginia Tech Shooting Kills at Least 31"
  

NPR

• "Gunman Kills 30 on Virginia Tech Campus"
• "Virginia's Governor Heads Home After Shootings"
• "White House Statement on Va. Tech Shootings"
• "Virginia Tech President Issues Statement"

USAToday

• "At Least 31 Dead in Virginia Tech Shooting"
• Gallery

Washington Post

• "32 Killed in Virginia Tech Shootings, At Least 24 Injured"
• "Virginia Tech Shootings" (photos)

More Will Come Later - if you have found particularly good new stories, blog entries, press releases, photographs, anything to help us help the Appalachian people and their friends comprehend and come to grips with today's events, please let us know - you can comment or e-mail us, your choice. Our prayers and thoughts are with you, Hokies.

UPDATES: One more . . . if you're looking for someone or know the status of someone that was in Norris Hall at the time, check here. It's a blog / message board for those seeking information.

. . . and a couple of message boards, normally based on VT athletics, that are full of first hand accounts from students and faculty. TechSideLine Lounge and T.S.L. Political Board

. . . To add to the list of resources, there is a Wikipedia page collecting facts and links: Virginia Tech Shootings . . . It should, at the least, serve as a unified source for the myriad facts coalescing on the internet.

. . . The Town of Blacksburg has released several statements/stories in its "e-News" site:

• "Governor Kaine Declares State of Emergency To Coordinate Response to Shootings at Virginia Tech"
• "Meetings and Events Cancelled for Tuesday"
  
• "Shooting on Virginia Tech Campus"

. . . Hokies United is organizing a candlelight vigil and building a wall for students to write on.

Ruination Day

“There’s been a shooting on campus. You all get the hell out of here! Go home!”

Those were the words of my boss as he broke the news to me and my coworker that a gunman was on the loose at Virginia Tech, a couple of blocks away from our office. At about that time, we received a call from a friend that works within the local police department, “…reports are there is an Asian kid wearing a bulletproof vest, carrying multiple guns. Eight people are dead and 24 injured”.

By now, we know that those number of individuals shot dead in cold blood stands at an official 31. ABC News is reporting 32 dead. It’s the second worst school fatality event since 1927 when bombings killed 45 in Michigan. Local hospitals are overrun with injuries. To complicate medical logistics, wind gust of up to 60 mph kept the med-evac helicopters grounded. Besides the shooting victims, scores of students leaped from second and third story windows to escape the classrooms that they were trapped in. One bus driver for Blacksburg Transit was making his rounds this morning when he reported, on local television, that he saw people running toward the bus, others carrying students with their legs dangling, broken from the jump. To his credit, the bus became a makeshift triage as it sped toward the hospital. It appears that most of the student casualties in one particular engineering computer lab were the target of this sick individual’s rage. Police reports refer to the lab as a bloodbath.

As a personal note, when I was informed about the shooting, I grabbed my phone. My wife and brother were in class at the time. My wife, as I would later find out, left her phone at the house. She made it off campus before buildings were locked down. My brother was on his way home after being told to leave campus during class. I just found out from a phone call that a friend of a friend was shot. His status was not known, other than he was transported to a hospital [as of 9:00pm, was pronounced dead]. Not all victims were students. The town is in a state of shock, disbelief, anger and grief. For those that don’t know, Blacksburg is a small town with a big college. I’m sure over the next few days I’ll learn of more people I know that knew someone injured, shot or killed. Until last summer, when an escaped prisoner shot and killed two law officers, the largest crimes that took place were mainly drunken student fights and vandalism. Who knows if I ever made eye contact with any of the victims on my walks around campus and downtown?

Today, the Appalachian spirit of semper liberi, living free, has been shattered for our community and region. Sure, we’ll have certain civil liberties under scrutiny for the coming weeks but I’m thinking more of our quality of life. Students, faculty and staff at Virginia Tech lost a piece of their freedom from fear today. They lost their, albeit false, sense of security in small town America. Events that we think only take place in large cities and overseas war zones have found their way to our mountains.

Two poetic writings have been rolling through my head this afternoon as the death toll has risen:

No man is an island, entire of itself;
every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.
If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less,
as well as if a promontory were,
as well as if a manor of thy friend's or of thine own were:
any man's death diminishes me,
because I am involved in mankind,
and therefore never send to know for whom the bells tolls;
it tolls for thee.

John Donne
Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions, no. 17
(Meditation)
1624 (published)

And Don McLean’s ending of innocence epic, American Pie…

A long, long time ago...
I can still remember
How that music used to make me smile.
And I knew if I had my chance
That I could make those people dance
And, maybe, they’d be happy for a while.

But February made me shiver
With every paper I’d deliver.
Bad news on the doorstep;
I couldn’t take one more step.

I can’t remember if I cried
When I read about his widowed bride,
But something touched me deep inside
The day the music died.