Volume 26 Issue 6

All rights reserved:

Visiting law professor explains copyright laws

by AMBER QUAID managing editor

C

opyright violation, visual arts and courtrooms, these three items were the basis of a lecture, “Appropriately Appropriated: A Primer on Visual Arts and the Law,” given by B. Courtney Doagoo, PhD candidate at the University of Ottawa. The Department of Art presented the guest lecturer on Feb.16 at 7 p.m. in the Center for Instruction.

“Professor Doagoo will discuss the purpose of copyright as it applies to cultural producers and the visual arts,” said Laura Petican, Assistant Professor for the Department of Art and Gallery Director.

“Copyright prevents the unauthorized use of works, yet very few creators actually know about the laws that affect them.”

Doagoo has learned law in both Canada and the United States, obtaining her master’s degree in New York. Her current PhD focus, fashion norms and the law. Doagoo is currently the Editor in chief for the Center for Art Law. She has attended many roundtables and conferences.

Doagoo has been teaching classes such as arts and the law, arts and cultural property law and arts and entertainment law. She states that her lecture is not intended to give legal advice but to make people “aware of these concepts and terms.”

“You’ll hear it on the news and automatically go this pertains to copyright,” Doagoo said.

This is not always the case however. There is a limitation known as fair use.

According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary fair use is defined as “a legal concept that allows the reproduction of copyrighted material for

O

photo courtesy of JEAN-MARC CARISSE

Keeping with this year’s theme of “Now and Forever Islanders,” pictured above is the 2014 Home-

certain purposes without obtaining permission and without paying a fee or royalty. Purposes permitting the application of fair use generally include review, news reporting, teaching, or scholarly research.”

Examples of fair use are basically

if one were using satire, or work independently created or using it for college classes.

“A lot of people know the term copyright but aren’t too sure what it means,” Doagoo said. see COPYRIGHT on page 3

Program partners with SES to celebrate African American History month

O

n Feb. 17, the Office of Student Success and Engagement partnered with the Texas Association of Chicanos in Higher Education (or TACHE) to host a community panel discussion in celebration of AfricanAmerican History Month. The panel discussed the aspects of race and education on a city, national and global scale.

The community discussion panel comprised of three speakers: Dr. Bilaye Benibo, Sociology Professor at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Dr. LaTricia Johnson, a Texas board-

University hosts Spirit Team Youth Clinic

by GERI LEMMONS features reporter

TACHE hosts annual discussion panel

by STERLIN KEMP news reporter

page 9

certified Superintendent and educator in the public school system in Corpus Christi, and Sharon Lewis, a certified environmental and safety compliance officer who has spent 20 years in the Environmental Affairs department for the city of Corpus Christi.

“We hope students will see the problems that are discussed on a national level pertaining to race, education, and environmental justice can be found right here in our community,” said Professor Andrea MontalvoHamid, who is an assistant professor of English and the interim president for the Island University’s TACHE Chapter. “This is not something out of

their reach, and I think it is important to bring this to light so they can see the effects of systematic, institutionalized racism.”

Benibo explained the benefits of those who choose to pursue higher education. He said with statistical evidence, that those who go into college and obtain a bachelors degree will be more employable, more financially stable, and will often live longer than those we do not.

“Education really does matter,” Benibo said. “There is every reason to be educated. Even the most bigoted person must agree that education is in the best interest of our nation.” see TACHE on page 3

INDEX NEWS 3-4 | CAMPUS 5-6 ENTERTAINMENT 7-9 | SPORTS 10-11 | FEATURES 12

n Feb. 14 the Islander spirit teams hosted a spirit youth clinic for grades K-12.

At this event the participants were split into age groups and were taught cheers, chants and dances by the cheer and dance teams. After the clinic was over the participants had the opportunity to show off their new skills at the basketball game.

This is the seventh year that they have hosted this clinic, but it is the first year that they are allowing high school to attend. The clinic serves as a fundraiser for the spirit teams to help them pay for feature expenses as the year progresses.

This clinic brought in girls of all ages and they all were very excited to work so closely with the cheerleaders and the dancers helping out. When the clinic was over each of the participants put on their matching pink shirts and stood out with the spirit teams during the game. They stood there and cheered their hearts out as the game progressed. Whether it was holding up signs or holding the pompoms the participants were very excited to cheer not only for the girls basketball team but to cheer alongside their coaches for a day.

Some sat on the cheerleader’s shoulders and some stunted during the game. They all showed off their skills in front of a crowd full of parents and loyal Islander fans. see CHEER CLINIC on page 6

Find us on Facebook:

www.facebook/IslandWaves VOLUME 26, ISSUE 6

2opinion ISLAND WAVES

a student publication of

Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi

island waves staff CONNER TICHOTA editor-in-chief

AMBER QUAID

managing editor

KELSEY FLORES copy editor

JUSTIN VU NGUYEN

advertising assistant

LUIS GOMEZ

advertising assistant

THI NGUYEN

layout assistant

KARA HERRERA layout assistant

JAMIE FINK news editor

STERLEN KEMP news reporter

GERI LEMMONS

features reporter

TREY SEAL

entertainment reporter

JEREMY PAPE

sports reporter

ELI T. BERKE

photographer

MARK MARTINEZ

distribution manager

WENDY MOORE faculty adviser

AMY KOTULSKI staff adviser

JESSE DE LEON

graduate adviser

02.26.2015

To Yik Yak or not to Yik Yak

by REAGAN ELAM contributing writer The newest app that has everyone buzzing at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi is Yik Yak. The app allows people to retrieve live feed of conversations in a specific location. The catch is that users submit messages anonymously.

Anyone around campus can join the conversation and share thoughts with people, gripe about things as well as inform people of news and events going on around in the community.

Yik Yack is popular on campus, but why is it so popular? The program is so popular, because it essentially makes a community more tightly knit. It allows anyone to connect and share information with others without having to know them personally.

The application has certain features such as “up voting” and “down voting” on users comments made on yik yak.

When Yik yak was first launched the application was for middle school, high school, and college students. Now, the application is only available for college students and adults due to cyber bullying issues.

There have been many reports that users are using the

application negatively to bully and hurt people with their comments. The recent change in the application states that if two or more users mark comments as inappropriate content, the comment will be immediately taken off of the feed. This feature prevents cyber bullies from making rude comments and getting away with it.

Yik yak has picked up 100,000 users in the last three months due to college students utilizing the application to state opinions on certain classes, professors and any subject matter that needs to be discussed. The Island University has an interesting buzz.

“There are a lot of rude comments and inappropriate content that offend students”, said student Antonia Cannon.

Should the application be taken away from our University if students aren’t using it effectively? Yik yak on this campus alone has been used negatively and should be taken away from Texas A&M Corpus Christi because students are not handling the application with maturity. Instead of it being something positive, it has turned into a place to put drama out for the whole campus to see.

photo courtesy of YIK YAK

Students continue to use it to say negative things and gripe about faculty members and rules that cannot be changed.

“I didn’t realize how mean people are on this campus, it makes a very negative impact on our university” said student Vivian Rodriguez. “I always see parties being posted on Yik Yak”.

The parties, griping and rude comments is what most people get from Yik Yak, which are all negative subjects that could

Tests suck: Online testing versus the old school pen

by ELI T. BERKE photographer

L

ast Friday, I took my first ever online test via blackboard and despite my best wishes, I bombed it horribly. The argument could be made that it was due to the unfamiliar format, that taking tests online is known for being “harder,” but in all fairness, the failure lies in the lack of studying.

Although, having the simple conclusion of blaming it all on the medium of test taking and/or the professor’s “laziness for not giving me a physical test” does bring about a few common, reoccurring questions that need a definite answer.

So let’s asses it: are online tests superior to physical test?

Online testing, or E-assessments, started around the 1970s with the PLATO system at the University of Illinois. The system was the first in integrating technology and learning.

photo courtesy of ZEBRA PENS

Flash-forward to 2015, where projectors with smart boards and online testing are becoming increasingly common thing within the classroom.

There are already some obvious benefits: lower cost long-term, instantaneous feedback for the professor and student, flexibility with scheduling and location conflicts, and etc., etc.

“I chose online testing for my general Psychology classes because it allowed for a smoother test administration in my large classes while giving students a bit more flexibility in when and where they could take the test,” said Dr. Anthony Zoccolillo, a psychology professor here at Texas A&M University –Corpus Christi and a professor who uses E-assessments. “I do not think that online testing will phase out traditional testing any more than I think online

classes will replace traditional classes.

I do think it will grow in popularity but I see it as just another tool to be used to improve the educational experience.”

But with the change in methods of test taking, there is the belief that it is less reliable. Students who dislike test taking and finding excuses to explain away bad scores is nothing new, but is there an actual change in performance associated with taking a test online, or the “test mode effect?”

According to the British Journal of Educational Technology, “paper-based test scores were greater than computerbased test scores for both mathematics and English CLEP tests (Mazzeo, Druesne, Raffeld, Checketts and Muhlstein, 1991) and for recognizing fighter plane silhouettes (Federico, 1989); while computer-based test scores were greater than paper-based

possibly hurt our University in the long run.

The Yik Yak application is detrimental due to its negative impact on our campus.

It opens doors for bullies across the world to say horrible things about people without revealing ones identity and excepting responsibility. There have been many cases that have been reported and Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi’s reputation is clearly on the line.

test scores for a dental hygiene course unit midterm examination (DeAngelis, 2000).”

Now why there are tests concerning plane silhouettes escapes me, but even with the tech savviest of people, there is a difference between testing mediums. And then there’s the preconceived notion that online tests are born out the laziness of a professor.

Although, I’m sure if asked for the test scores of those who make that claim, they would be lower than average.

“There are certain elements of online testing that do make life easier, but much of what goes into online testing makes things more difficult,” Zoccolillo said. “With online testing I have to be around and somewhat ‘reachable’ for a much longer period of time in case something goes wrong with the technology and/or students have difficulties. This often means being glued to my desk and even sacrificing some of my time at home in the case of evening test windows.

Also… I end up having to create many more test item questions. For this last online test I had 250 unique questions that were given to at least one student that had to be written, verified and checked for accuracy. That takes a lot of work to make sure that each student gets a wholly unique exam.”

Tests suck. Period. And trying to debate which is better is like debating getting a shot in the butt versus the eye. Both have their merit, and as far E-assessment’s performance compared to traditional, it seems to be more on the students and less on the medium.

When it comes down to it, it is comparing apples to oranges, and it merely depends on the appetite of the professor, and how well studied the students are.

3

news

02.26.2015

ISLAND WAVES

photo by STERLEN KEMP

TACHE Community Discussion Panel guest discuss the issues of race and education. From left: Dr. Bilaye Benibo, Dr. LaTricia Johnson and Ms. Sharon Lewis.

TACHE continued from page 1 One of the biggest focuses of the discussion panel was the issue of disparities between students of color and their white classmates when it came to educational achievements.

Benibo said that reported data in 1990, showed that of the American students between in the ages of 25-29 years old who completed a college degree, 26 percent were white, 13 percent were black and 8 percent were Hispanic. In 2013, 40 percent of white Americans obtained a college degree, while 20 percent of black Americans and 16 percent of Hispanic Americans were able to obtain a college-level degree.

“The good news is that all racial groups are experiencing increases in college education,” Benibo said. “We are all moving in the right direction but we are not moving in the right direction at the same pace. Certainly, we are not closing the gap but rather, the gap is widening.”

Johnson stressed the importance for people of color to be engaged in the lives of younger minorities.

She said there is simply not enough minorities going into the field of education and that it is important for Hispanic and Black students to see themselves in those who teach and mentor them. She provided data in the state of Texas from 2013, 9.6 percent of educators in Texas are Black, 25.2 percent of Texas educators were Hispanic and 62.3 percent of Texas educators were Caucasian.

“We encourage minorities to go into the field of education,” Johnson said. “Children need to see themselves in their teachers and in their leaders.”

The topic of race and the educational disparities between minorities and their white counterparts tends to be a discussion that many would rather avoid. Some would like to believe that in 2015, race is no longer an issue that needs to be discussed. However, statistical data proves that people of color and whites are not equal when it comes to educational achievements

COPYRIGHT continued from page 1 One of the examples Doagoo gave was the #leftshark copyright issue that someone was selling a 3D-printed model of the Left Shark costume online. NYU law professor, Christopher Sprigman, took the case and said that according to copyright laws costumes are usually not copyrightable. In this case the both parties did not pursue further legal action.

“So often creative industries teach the practical aspect of creating and not necessarily the administrative (legal side),” Doagoo said.

Another example Doagoo gave was the #monkeyselfie issue of who owns the rights to the original photograph. According to slate. com, David Slater, the owner of the camera, was in a fight with the Wikimedia Foundation, which posted his photo online in its collection of public domain images and refused to take it down. It argued

that Slater doesn’t own the picture’s copyright because he didn’t take the picture—the monkey did. And since the monkey can’t own the rights, nobody does. Doagoo explained how animal created works are not subject to copyright and Wikimedia Foundation was allowed to post the photograph.

“It certainly makes me think twice about posting stuff online,” Tyler Barnes, Texas A&M UniversityCorpus Christi graduate graphic design student, said. “Before I was an advocate of creative commons searches to find my pictures that I’m using but if people can appropriate them, then I don’t know.”

Doagoo did offer suggestions on how to help those who have been copyrighted as an artist, one being the Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts. For more information, call the Department of Art at 825-5752 or visit cla.tamucc.edu/art/.

and racial representation in the classroom.

“While times have changed and more minority groups are attending and graduating from colleges and universities, we still have quite a bit of catching up to do,” Montalvo-

Hamid said. “Micro-aggressions like, people asking me if I teach English because I speak so well for a Latina, is why we need to have conversations about the intersection of race and education.”

4news

02.26.2015

ISLAND WAVES

Reef Sanctuaries Being Expanded in Gulf

by STERLEN KEMP news reporter

T

he United States’ National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are proposing a plan to expand the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary in the Gulf of Mexico. The expansion will make the reef sanctuary perimeter from 56 square miles to 280 square miles.

The Flower Garden Banks Sanctuary is one of the only coral reef sanctuaries in the northernmost part of the United States that is federally protected. It is also a hot spot for wild marine life alongside the coast of Texas and Louisiana. Many of the species that live there include an array of different sponges, eels, urchins, shrimps, lobsters, shellfish, stingrays, sea turtles and sharks.

There are a series of coral reefs that sit about 70 miles to 150 miles outside of the coast in the Gulf of Mexico.

Some of these reef banks are in close proximity to the existing sanctuary and could use the legal protection against human activity that the Flower Garden Bank National Marine Sanctuary provides. Most of the livelihood and habitats of the marine life there are being threatened due to human activity. Boat wreckage, over-fishing, and oil and gas drilling, has caused some of the habitats to be shattered and destroyed.

With the expansion, new banks will be incorporated into the existing

photo courtesy of NOAA.gov

sanctuary. Horseshoe Bank, MacNeil Bank, the Rankin Bank, the 28 Fathom Bank, Bright Bank, Geyer Bank, McGrail Bank, Sonnier Bank and the Stetson

**********Meeting Notice**********

2014-2015 Student Fee Advisory Committee May 3, 2015 12:30 pm O’Connor Bldg. Room 328

Bank are all up for consideration.

“The connectivity among habitats is critical to sustain marine life,” said Dr. Montagna Paul, chairman of the Harte Research Institute at A&M-Corpus Christi. “Therefore, expansion of the National Marine Sanctuary will ensure that the northern-most coral reefs in the world are not only protected, but are managed in a way that will promote sustainability.”

On May 9, 2012, the Flower Garden Banks Sanctuary Advisory Council, which is made up of public officials and stakeholder groups, representatives from gas and oil industry, fishermen and divers, unanimously voted to start the expansion plan of the sanctuary as soon as possible.

Larry McKinney, Director of the Hart Institute of Research at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christ and also one of the advisers to the sanctuary, stated a lot of research and information went into considering which banks should be included. He expressed optimism for the collaboration of gas and oil companies with the developments of the expansion.

AGENDA 1. Review of existing budgets: University Counseling Center University Health Center

Vice President, SEAS

Associate Vice President & Dean of Students For more information contact Ann DeGaish, committee chair,

at ann.degiash@tamucc.edu or call 361-825-2612 Coral in the Gulf Coast reef.

“My hope is that the expansion can be a place where we can demonstrate that oil and gas companies, fisheries, and marine sanctuaries, can all coexist,” McKinney said. “If we can demonstrate that here, it would be a great example for the world.”

As more and more gas and oil companies search for addition resources of natural gas, regulations and mandates must be created to reserve the natural habitats and wildlife of the ocean. Expansion such as this one, being proposed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for the Flower Garden Banks Sanctuary insures that the legacy of marine life will continue for many more generations to come.

Public meeting will be held in New Orleans, Houston and Galveston to collect comments and concerns from residence about the new expansion, sometime in March. The meetings are also a way for the public to be notified of the expansion across the water and hopefully draw the attention of potential divers and coral reef spectators.

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campus

02.26.2015

Spring Break on a budget

by GERI LEMMONS contributing writer

W

ith spring break vastly approaching, it is nice to know what there is to do around here that can also be affordable.

In Corpus Christi there are tons of things to do on spring break to distract yourself before school starts. There are attractions, sights and so many fun things to do around Corpus Christi that will not break a budget.

Finding things and places to go do with family and friends shows them how great this city is. Fun in Corpus Christi is just around the corner.

Spring break is a time to have fun and enjoy time off with family and friends. One of the ways to do so is surrounding us. Going to the beaches in Corpus Christi is always a fun and free thing to do to pass the time.

“For spring break, my family and I are going to some of the beaches around here,” Education major Jesus Moncada said Then we are planning on driving home after that.”

“One of the cool things to do on spring break that’s not expansive is going camping on the beach.” Andi Ballard a Nursing major The beach is one of Corpus Christi’s most beautiful and natural attractions. It is nice, relaxing and presents the opportunity to go camping with friends and family right on the beach. With endless things to do there is something new to try at the beach every day.

One might find music being played on the beach at night. One of the places to go to find that is at the Surf Club. They have an open patio and great live music.

Another great thing to do while on break is to go to the House of

Rock. The House of Rock is a place where live music by new or old artists is played.

On March 17 there is an open mic night that anyone of any ages can sign up for. Sign-up start at 8:00 p.m. and it is completely free.

They also have a selection of great affordable food to choose from.

Going to the house of Rock will be an opportunity to hear great new music, have the chance to eat great food, hang out with friends and family, and most of it is not expensive.

There are also some cool museums to go to like the Selena Museum. It only costs $3 and it is open Monday through Friday from 10a.m.-4p.m.

This museum will showcase one of the brightest stars to ever come out of Corpus Christi, it will also give insight into some of Selena’s life.

Another Museum to check out is the Art Museum of South Texas.

For students it cost $4 and for Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi students with a valid student ID it is free. This museum showcases many different types of art from all types of artists. It is a fun, inexpensive and very educational way to get the opportunity to see some Corpus Christi art.

With so many events happening over the break there always something to do. There are endless things to do that will not be too expensive and that do not require having to leave the city.

Corpus Christi is full of exciting activities that will be fun for everyone. There are many ways to have fun on a budget. So with these options to choose from spring break will not be a hard thing to plan after all.

Learn about the legacy of the “Queen of Tejano” at the Selena Museum, located at 5410 Leopard St., Corpus Christi, Texas.

ISLAND WAVES

One of Corpus Christi’s many beaches.

photos by GERI LEMMONS

Career Corner

Career planning made easier with counselor aid contributed by Jeremy Gonzalez CAREER SERVICES

The future is inevitable and no one can stop it from coming. Career Services can help negotiate the difficulties associated with planning a career.

Not only does Career Services provide mock interviews, resume/ curriculum vital critiquing, and career exploration services, but professional developmental activities. In the past, Career Services has worked tirelessly to provide networking opportunities for students with such companies as: Citgo, Stripes, USAA and Christus Spohn Hospital. Career Services continues to do so by hosting the All Major Career Fair and Business Etiquette Mixer & Dinner.

On Tuesday, March 3, students will have the opportunity to participate and learn the necessary etiquette when dining with professionals.

The Business Etiquette Mixer & Dinner will be held on March 3 from 5:30p.m. to 8:30p.m. at the Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi University Center- Anchor Ballroom.

The mixer will begin at 5:30p.m . and end at 6:30 p.m. and dinner will commence at 7pm and end at 8:30pm. Tickets cost $7 and can be bought at the O’Connor building in room 216. Tickets can also be bought online at the Career Services Dept. website.

The guest list of employers will include: USAA, the Texas A&M

Health Science Center, and RH Shackelford.

The following Wednesday, March 4, the All Major Career Fair will take place at the same location (University Center-Anchor Ballroom) from 10 a.m. -2 p.m. Last year, more than 70 employers were present for the event and hundreds of students advanced their careers by attending. In addition, those who attend will have the chance to take a professional picture.

Those whom take a professional picture will be entered to win one of two tablets.

Students are encouraged to bring resumes for potential employers.

Grande Communications, Citgo and Corpus Christi Medical Center are employers who will be appearing at the All Major Career Fair along with others. Check the Career Services website for an updated list of employers: http://career-services. tamucc.edu.

Students, remember to prepare for the event by visiting with a career counselor! Career Services is dedicated to preparing students as professionals for the job market.

Our department is located on the second floor of O’Connor in room 216. As a reminder, professional attire is expected for both the All Major Career Fair on March 4 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and the Business Etiquette Mixer & Dinner on March 3 from 5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

6

campus

02.26.2015

ISLAND WAVES

The Islander Cheer demonstrates a few lifts and tricks to the girls participating in seventh annual Spirit Team Youth Clinic on Feb. 14, 2015.

photos courtesy of TAMUCC FLICKR

CHEER CLINIC continued from page 1 “The clinic is a lot of fun for our teams. It gives the community the opportunity to come out and participate and be a cheerleader for a day or a dancer for a day,” spirit coordinator Melanie Lowry said.

“They get to dance on the side lines, our girls enjoy teaching the local community and getting the word out about our team. It creates future Islander, they come back years later.

We have girls that have been coming since the first year and they just enjoy it. We love seeing the regulars and the new people.”

The spirit squads bonded a lot with the participants of the clinic. They played games like duck duck goose to help pass the time and to make things more fun for the smaller children there. When they took breaks the cheerleaders and the dancers all sat with the participants as they ate and talked during this time.

“I like interacting with the kids. I think it is just so cute watching them

dance,” said Brittney Twork who is majoring in Psychology.

Most of the parents stayed the whole time and watched on as their child were taught new things and were having fun with our spirt teams.

During the clinic the parents took pictures of their children cheering and dancing along with the spirit teams. At the end of the clinic and the game the teams got to see some of their hard work pay off. Whether it was small things here or there, or just a boost of confidence, there was growth from the start of the clinic to the end.

“My favorite part is how much they want to be like us,”English major Alexis Arreda said. “Grabbing the poms and waving them around, and them waiting to go out there is a nice thing to see. There is a lot of them so it is hard to notice little things, but when you see them get more involved and there more eager to go to the front it feels good.”

SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR ACHIEVE PARTNER

Members of the Islander Cheer tem help participants of the Spirit Team Youth Clinic build a pyramid.

To learn more or become an Achieve Partner please visit achievepartnership.tamucc.edu

7

Entertainment

02.26.2015

Spiderman Joins “The Avengers”

ISLAND WAVES

Photo courtesy of AP

Avengers assemble: Spidey swings into the MCU

by TREY SEAL entertainment reporter

H

ollywood is a dream factory.

They take written words and transform them to large, visualized epics displayed on screens across the world. As the business continued to grow, so did the parameters that it was confined to work in. Suddenly, big budget movies could not be made without the involvement of a full legal team to ensure the studios’ safety from lawsuits.

Sadly, the thought of transferring the vast universe of Marvel Comics to the big screen never crossed eponymous comic book companies’ mind which resulted in the film rights to the “X-Men” (and eventually “Fantastic 4”) being sold to 20th Century FOX and Spider-Man being sold to Columbia Pictures (which was eventually bought out by Sony) in 1999. In 1993, Marvel created Marvel Films with the purpose of maintaining its stable of televised cartoon comic book adaptations.

In 1996, the companies’ name was changed to Marvel Studios LLC as they prepared to partner with FOX to produce feature films using their properties.

Marvel then began to license its characters to studios all across Hollywood, these various licenses were spread out all over Hollywood and included Artisan entertainment (of the Blair Witch Project) holding the rights to fifteen different characters

including Captain America, Thor, Black Panther and Iron Fist.

Fast-forward to 2004 and Marvel Studios began to play cleanup as they partnered with financing firm MerrillLynch to produce eight movies with a total of ten characters over a period of eight years through a partnership with Paramount Productions (owned and operated by MTV/Nickelodeon parent company Viacom). Those characters included Ant-Man, The Avengers, Black Panther, Captain America, Cloak and Dagger, Doctor Strange, Hawkeye, Nick Fury, Power Pack, and Shang-Chi. In 2005, they regained the rights to “Iron Man” from “New Line Cinema” (owned

by Warner Bros.’ and CNN parent company Turner Entertainment).

After the success of “Iron Man” in 2008, Marvel moved forward with a plan to make independent films for Thor and Captain America as well in a lead up to a single movie that would unite the three heroes with “The Incredible Hulk”. By doing this, Marvel created a single universe that all of their movies take place in which is now known as the “Marvel Cinematic Universe” (MCU). Unlike their trademark comics where any hero from within their large stable of characters could show up at a whim, Marvel is now restricted by what characters they have legal film rights for.

Even though Sony’s 2002 “SpiderMan” was based off the character who lived in a world that contained super humans as evidenced by his villains, rights issues restrict the story to portraying Peter Parker as the only superhero in the world. This limitation has led to Spiderman building a large fan base of people that are primarily

Spiderman fans in the way that there are a lot of people that are Batman fans but are not necessarily fans of DC comics various other characters like Green Lantern and Superman among others. By bringing Spiderman into the MCU, Marvel will be able to get an even larger audience to its Avengers movies from this established fan base that desires to see their favorite webslinging hero in action.

By getting these fans that may have never had interest in any of the other Marvel movies, the company now has the possibility of a ripple effect by gaining new fans for their other properties.

Rick Richter, a Junior Media Studies major sees the move as a way to shake things up for audiences who may be getting bored of the same characters.

“I think it’s a good way to make money and keep people looking for something new and exciting,” he said.

Senior Media studies major, Ronnie Sykes is excited for the re-invention of the character.

“The best Spiderman movie is still ‘Spiderman’ 2 and that was over a decade ago,” Sykes said. “He deserves to be in a studio that is going to treat him the way he deserves to be treated; as the essential cornerstone of the Marvel universe.”

Overall, Spiderman’s involvement in the Marvel Universe is great for fans who have long desired to see their favorite web-slinger team up with “The Avengers”. However, it also stands as a rare victory for these same fans who must suffer through the broken legal entanglements that Hollywood must sift through to portray the entirety of a fictionalized world in a piece of media.

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entertainment

02.26.2015

ISLAND WAVES

by JESSE DE LEON Graduate Advisor

T

he Whooping Crane Festival is set to take flight on February 19 in Port Aransas.

For the uninitiated, the most obvious question would be, why have a festival celebrating the whooping crane? What makes this species so special?

And, more significantly, what has kept this increasingly popular event been happening in Port Aransas for the last 19 years?

The answer to all of these questions is actually an obvious one, primarily because the beloved whooping crane is assuredly one of nature’s most fascinating creatures that is rapidly becoming extinct.

According to Ann Vaughan, President and CEO of the Port Aransas Pass Chamber of Commerce and Tourist Bureau, the Whooping Crane Festival consistently draws an everincreasing number of visitors from all over the country as well as the northernmost parts of Canada and the central part of Mexico.

“We are very excited to be presenting an event that highlights so many aspects of the whooping crane,” Vaughan said. “It will be a chance to learn so much about a creature that has become synonymous with our part of the world.”

The popular gathering is a four day festival that begins on Thursday, Feb. 19 and goes through the following Sunday.

Over the course of the event, visitors can learn much about the plight of the whooping crane from some of the world’s most knowledgeable experts.

“We have speakers coming down from Canada where the cranes breed as well as representatives from the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge who will talk about the many challenges the cranes face and what is being done to conserve and preserve their existence,” Vaughan said. “We basically have every kind of whooping crane expert you can think of,” she adds with a

laugh.

In addition to the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, the International Crane Foundation, Operation Migration and Wood Buffalo National Park in Canada are just a few of the groups and organizations that will be sending representatives to offer their expertise to festival attendees. These individuals will be featured in a highly informative nature-themed trade show.

“This trade show offers something very special for area scholars like marine biology students and other individuals interested in natural sciences.

In addition to featuring a wide variety of information, displays and interactive booths, it is also the ideal setting in which to network with some of the most notable and knowledgeable people in the field,” Vaughan said. “There will be several photography workshops as well as seminars on birding for everyone from novices to highly seasoned birders.”

Vendors will not only be offering their vast knowledge, but the wide variety of booths will also present guests with

the opportunity to purchase many unusual and hard-tofind nature-related items.

And as if to prove that the Whooping Crane Festival is not all talk, it also offers plenty of unique ways that attendees can venture out to experience nature for themselves by getting on board for one of the many bus or boat tours that are also a part of the event.

Vaughan also notes that over the course of the 19 years that the festival has been offered, it has grown considerably and attracts everyone from fans of nature to avid photographers to environmentalists who see the conservation of the whooping crane in its natural environment a cause that is well worth championing.

But Vaughan does reveal her personal wish for this year’s Whooping Crane Festival.

“While it is always impressive to see so many visitors travel so far for this, I want to extend an invitation to local nature lovers as well as area students to come out and have a great time while learning about one of the area’s most fascinating species.”

photo courtesy of whoopingcranefestival.org

photo courtesy of whoopingcranefestival.org

9

entertainment

02.26.2015

ISLAND WAVES

A Tad too Square for Adult Taste

by TREY SEAL Entertainment Reporter

F

rom the moment that audiences across America first witnessed a young sentient sea sponge get hired into his dream job as a fry cook way back in 1998; “Spongebob Squarepants” has captured the hearts and imaginations of fans across the world. The show’s use of personality and culture stereotypes has constantly ensured that both children and adults had something to laugh at in every episode. The same cannot be said of many episodes that aired after 2004. That is the year that “Spongebob Squarepants: The Movie” came out in addition to abandoning its fantastic sense of humor, it also abandoned its creator Stephen Hillenburg.

As the show continued to run, “Spongebob Squarepants” faced the same problem of many shows before and after it, a lack of ideas. “Spongebob” started as a show with a limited cast. Instead of being a variety style show that introduces new locations and characters in order to create a larger world, it relied on the principle characters of Spongebob, Patrick, Squidward, Mr. Krabs and Sandy.

On occasion, new characters were introduced but with a high level of discretion from the creative team.

For example, a famous episode titled: “Boating School” introduces Spongebobs’ teacher Mrs. Puff, a widow with a high level of stress and a tendency to expand to the size of a balloon in a tense situation. There is not a single moment of “Boating School” where Mrs. Puffs’ involvement appears to be forced, she stands as a responsible, adult teacher that is challenged by Spongebobs’ ineptitude at everything but cooking. On her own, she would be a boring character but placing Spongebob into the mix makes her a humorous character due to her inability to teach him how to drive despite her desperate attempts.

In the years since 2004, “Spongebob’s” writing staff has been reckless. They’ve clearly run out of ideas as every episode seems to introduce a brand new character whose only purpose is to drive an approximately 10-minute plot point. Still confused, think about any time that a show has either thrown a relationship into the mix or added a new best friend/ neighbor/etc. to the cast such as Dill Pickles in “Rugrats.”

Sixteen years and nine seasons later, Spongebob is now the longest running Nicktoon in the channels’ history and it has shown no signs of stopping.

In order to ensure that it capitalizes on every cent of potential revenue, Paramount Pictures has released a sequel to the classic Spongebob movie: “Spongebob Squarepants: Sponge Out of Water.” In order to draw the attention of its older fans, the studio brought Hillenburg back to help conceive the story.

Sadly, it is still not enough to save this theatrical movie that minus a single celebrity actor could have aired a three-part storyline on television.

The advertising for the movie has prominently displayed the five main characters as computer animated superheroes on land in the real world.

You may be surprised to hear that this is only twenty to 30 minutes of the film’s 93 minute runtime.

Over the rest of that time, it is a traditionally animated bikini bottom that falls into the chaos after the infamous Krabby Patty secret formula disappears from thin air. Yes, it literally disappears from thin air with only the vaguest explanation for how it did that.

Spongebob proceeds to team up with Plankton (who tags along for more selfish reasons) to find the formula and restore order to Bikini Bottom. After an opening 30 minutes dedicated to establishing this plot, another 30 minutes is dedicate to the pair traveling through time in order to take a copy of the formula from the past in order to bring it back to the present.

There is not a single moment where anybody thinks about the idea that this would be nothing more than to prolong the issue by making it happen earlier and over a longer period of time. Needless to say, they fail at doing this. Then the movie transitions into the five main cast members learning the formula is being held by a pirate (played by Antonio Banderas) on the surface world. Through circumstances will not be spoiled here, they gain their superpowers and take on the pirate for the formula which leads into the movie’s conclusion.

The first thing that some may be thinking is, maybe Spongebob was never really intended for a young adult audience. The numerous references to the popular Mel Gibson post apocalyptic film “Mad Max” in addition to various double entendre jokes say otherwise. Sponge Out of Water is essentially the best episode that the show has seen since 2004 which is not saying much.

If trying to entertain a child there are far worse things than “Sponge Out of Water.”

photo courtesy of VIACOM

10

sports

ISLAND WAVES

02.26.2015

Islanders notch huge conference victory against SFA

by JEREMY PAPE sports reporter

T

Freshman guard Ehab Amin drives to the hoop for two of his game-high 22 points, which helped photo courtesy of KYLE MAZABOB the Islanders claim victory over Stephen F. Austin University 71-63.

he Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders played host to the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks on Saturday, February 14, at the American Bank Center.

The Lumberjacks came into the contest winners of 19 straight games.

They also boasted 32 consecutive conference wins.

Junior guard Brandon Pye hit a 3 to give the Islanders early momentum.

SFA’s Thomas Walkup hit two straight shots to steal the momentum for SFA. After a bit of defensive struggling, Thomas connected for two points to keep the Islanders in the game. SFA got out to an 11-7 lead, forcing the Islanders to call timeout.

After the break, Walkup continued his tough play, connecting on a quick shot to give him eight points in the early going. Sophomore forward Rashawn Thomas drove to the hoop and drew the foul, but missed the free throw.

Ehab Amin checked into the game and immediately made his presence felt, hitting a layup to cut the SFA lead to four.

After some struggles on both sides, John Jordan hit his first field goal of the game. He quickly had to exit the game however, as he drew his third foul with nine minutes left in the first half. The Islanders were able to escape the misfortune, gaining their first lead at 21-20. The Islanders got the steal, and Pye was fouled on the fast break. SFA’s Connor Brooks hit a wide open three to tie the game at 23.

The Islanders’ tough brand of basketball was on display, as they got a tough basket from Thomas after multiple offensive rebounds to regain the lead for the Islanders.

Thomas continued his dominant first half, as he connected on two free throws to double the lead. Freshman guard Joe Kilgore hit two free throws as the Islanders were in the double bonus, making the lead 29-23. He hit just his second three point of the year to extend the lead.

The lead extended to double digits as the first half ended, with the Islanders leading 35-25.

The Islanders shot 57% in the half, compared to 35% for SFA. The Islanders built the lead by virtue of stronger bench play and by exerting toughness in dominating the blocks category. The Islanders also led the points off turnovers category 13-2.

The Lumberjacks scored three quick buckets in the first minute of the second half to cut the lead to two.

The Islanders did not score a point in the first five minutes of the second

half, but they were clinging to the two point lead as the first media timeout of the half arrived. Defensive struggle was the theme of the early part of the half.

Thomas made the first two points of the half for the Islanders after a six minute scoring drought, and added a free throw. Amin got a steal and made a flashy basket, hitting a foul shot in the aftermath to bring the lead to eight. He then made it back to the foul line to bring the lead back to 10.

Amin’s dominance continued as he hit yet another shot, got a steal and connected again.

Walkup resurrected his game, as he hit a layup which then resulted in a point from the charity stripe.

SFA’s Demetrius Floyd kept the Lumberjacks in it with a three-point shot from deep. Thomas saved the momentum for the Islanders as he hit a quick basket, then got the assist to Amin after a great steal.

Jordan got back in the game, and while he struggled a bit to regain his momentum, he delivered a steal leading to a basket, extending the lead to nine going into the under eight minute timeout. Amin’s fantastic play anchored the Islanders.

Floyd hit his second and third three of the half to cut the lead to seven.

Choppy play continued as the game was winding down.

Freshman guard Ty Charles for the Lumberjacks continued the long distance party, cutting the Islander lead to just four.

The game was going down to free throws in the last two minutes.

Walkup would not let up for the Lumberjacks as he scored his 25th point of the contest.

A scramble for the ball with 44 seconds left showed the tenacity of the Islanders, as Amin came out with the ball. Two desperation shots for the Lumberjacks did not connect, as the clock would down to under 20 seconds. The Islanders held on to win 71-63.

“I think [Amin] has been ready to step up,” head coach Willis Wilson said. “We’ve got to really work at just finding a way to integrate all the right pieces. Tonight, it was Ehab’s kind of game, and I think there are going to be more nights like this for him.”

Amin led the Islanders with 22 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the floor, and 7-for-11 at the foul line.

Thomas added 20, to go along with six rebounds. The Lumberjacks’ Walkup finished with a game-high 25 points.

The Islanders next will battle Houston Baptist University at the American Bank Center on Thursday, March 5, at 7:30 p.m.

11

sports

02.26.2015

Rec sports stays proactive, safe

ISLAND WAVES

by AMBER QUAID managing editor

S

taying healthy, having fun and playing a pickup game is the goal of the Dugan Wellness Center but so is safety. The wellness center takes a proactive stance on safety and encourages students to do the same.

The wellness center has trained staff during open hours, 6 a.m. to midnight Monday thru Thursday, 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday.

“All of the recreational sports programs are volunteer participation,” Jacqueline Hamilton, director of recreational sports, said.

Hamilton reminds students of the volunteer participation because it is up to the students to be cautious and report anything that may cause concern for safety. The staff at the Dugan Wellness Center is required to have basic training in: first aid, CPR, and AED (automated external defibulator) and will assist everyone to the best of their ability. Groups across campus have taken advantage of these basic training classes as the Dugan Wellness Center offers them to students and staff for a fee. The American Red Cross is the certifying agency for these classes.

“Working here we have to take a whole bunch of safety classes,” Anthony Velasquez, a sophomore communication major, said.

In addition to that training the staff

photos by AMBER QUIAD

Safety equipment are installed and tested frequently at the DWC.

is also trained in risk management specific to their position. They are also knowledgeable about the location of supplies such as wheel chairs and biohazard disposal (for example: blood and bodily fluids). They can provide basic first-aid with such tools as adhesive bandage, gauze pads or even a bag of ice. The staff is only able to use such skills if the injury is reported and can only be used if the injured accepts help.

“We’ve had people say no before,” Hamilton said, “but if you are in pain you need to speak up.”

The wellness center has an Emergency Action Plan which breaks down the injury into nonthreatening and threatening. If the injury is non-threatening the staff may recommend going to the Health Center or emergency room based on their perception of the injury. If the staff ascertains that the injury is threatening they will call EMS

The DWC pool is usually open in the summer through November. Rec sports is waiting on students’ vote for rebuilding a new one.

right away, the University Police Department and an overseeing supervisor. Texas A&M UniversityCorpus Christi has a standardized incident report form that the injured and a witness must fill out as part of the Emergency Action Plan. This protocol ensures the safety of the student and the staff.

“While we’re helping them with whatever is within our scope, we can get started while were waiting for the EMS to get there,” Hamilton said.

The key to the success of the wellness center having low injury rates is due to their proactive routine.

“Every hour we go through check all the rooms and check the weights, check the whole perimeter,” Velasquez said.

The staff checks the machines every hour and keeps them clean.

Students are also provided gym wipes and towels. The staff also instructs a student when they are using the

equipment in a manner that will injury them. There is a full-time employee that keeps track of the equipment and will take any broken equipment and put it out of service. Another preventative measure is having officials call intermural games, this keeps good sportsmanship, fouls are called and game management which helps keep issues from escalating.

In group fitness the instructors will modify a workout to a persons fitness or mobility level.

“Were huge on prevention,” Hamilton said, “so come on over and work out.”

The Dugan Wellness Center provides many fitness and wellness programs to help students live healthier lives. This is a free service provided to the students via a fee already included in their tuition.

For more information go online at recsports.tamucc.edu.

Senior leadership vital to baseball’s success

by JEREMY PAPE sports reporter

C

oming off a 31-27 season record a year ago, the Texas A&MCorpus Christi Islanders is looking to capitalize on veteran knowledge to do even better this season, which has just begun.

“When you look at the roster, having 12 seniors, two of those in our starting rotation, and two in the back of our bullpen, and four in our everyday lineup, we have a lot of seniors that are going to be on the field more or less every single day,” Malone said.

The team came very close to a huge milestone last season, as they were three games away from a conference championship.“We didn’t get it done, but I didn’t realize we would be knocking on the door so quick,” Malone said.

With the team exceeding their own expectations last season, great expectations were heaped upon the squad for this year, Malone said the players know the team is close and the conference championship is within reach this year, but they also saw how much work it’s going to take.

Senior pitcher Jacob Dorris echoed those sentiments.

“The expectations for this year are as high as ever,” Dorris said.“After a very successful season in 2014, this year’s club is hungry to take the next step and earn a Southland

conference championship for the Island University.”

Malone, in his eighth season as head coach, mentioned his years of experience as a coach were an asset to the club.

“Being in the dugout for this many games and this many seasons [is beneficial], just because you’ve seen it,” Malone said. You know how to handle the highs and the lows.”

Dorris indicated Malone’s experience as a coach will help the team reach its goals. “[Malone] brings a sense of consistency to this program,” Dorris said. “He has been successful in our conference long before myself or my teammates were even on campus.”

Malone said this year’s group has some of the highest aspirations of any team he has coached, and he said the players have the resources to achieve their goals.

“This club, maybe for the first time, is really shooting for the stars,” Malone said. “The guys feel like it’s our turn to win a Southland conference championship.”

Part of what Malone looks for when he is recruiting for his program involves off-the-field intangibles, such as academics “Kids that are driven to do well in the classroom have the ability to take in what they’re learning, and to learn from their mistakes,” Malone said.

The Southland conference is a very competitive league, which Malone

said added to the team’s motivation.

“It’s a talented conference.

Northwestern [State University] is coming on fast, McNeese [State University] is coming on fast, and Lamar is always good,” Malone said.“Now we feel [that we are on the same level] as the teams that are always on the top.”

The schedule of a baseball season can seem unforgiving at times, a fact Malone said it keeps his team focused.

“The seniors have been through the ups and downs,” Malone said. “I think they will handle both success and failure very well.

“Experience at the pitcher position will undoubtedly play a role in the Islanders’ season. Matt Danton and Trevor Belicek are the two seniors in the starting rotation, which means they will on Friday nights, Malone said. Malone is driven each season to put a great team on the field.

“I want us to put a good product on the field every day. I want us to be aggressive and fun to watch,” Malone said.

The team will next take the field against University of Texas-Arlington on Friday, Feb. 27, at 3p.m., in the first game of a doubleheader.

12

features

02.26.2015

ISLAND WAVES

by JAMIE FINK web editor in chief photos courtesy by WELLNESSANDVANITY.COM HOUSEOFCAVIARANDFINEFOODS.COM ERICKROUSEPHOTO.COM RAMPAGES.US EOFDREAMS.COM

With students being almost half way through the semester, that means that Lenten is now upon us.

When people think about having to adjust their normal diets, they usually go for the obvious meatless options: tuna-noodle casserole, macaroni and cheese, and fish sticks.

These are the standard Lent recipes of many Catholic households that are made for Fridays during Lent.

However, Lenten does not mean that people have to go bland and boring. Here are a few recipes to help spice and brighten up the meals during the time of Lent. It is time for people to break out of the stereotypical, outdated dishes from classic Americana.

Directions 1/2 pounds (about 3 medium) zucchini, cut diagonally into 1-inch-thick pieces

2 lemons, quartered, seeds removed

4 (about 8 ounces each) skinless salmon fillets

8 sprigs fresh dill

2 tablespoons olive oil

1.

Heat broiler, with rack four inches from heat. Combine zucchini, lemons and dill on a large rimmed broiler-proof baking sheet.

Drizzle with oil, and season with salt and pepper; toss to coat.

2. Nestle salmon fillets among vegetables; season generously with salt and pepper. Broil until vegetables are tender and fish is opaque throughout, 15 to 20 minutes.

course salt

ground pepper