Feb. 13 issue

See who are some of A&T’s highly qualified bachelors and bachelorettes.

Page 8

Men’s and Women’s basketball teams claim victories over Bethune and FAMU. Page 7

The A&T

REGISTER free

volume lXXXVI No. 14

february 13, 2013

ncatregister.com

serving the aggie community for over 80 years

Wednesday

The student newspaper of north carolina A&t

campus notebook

Concerns rise about the future of Aggie Farm karmen robinson Managing Editor The city of Greensboro has proposed a plan to extend Florida Street to run through N.C. A&T’s university farm.

The proposal has been made to provide a north-south route from Lee Street to McConnell Road by extending Florida Street a half-mile longer.

The university farm, commonly known as Aggie Farm, serves as an outdoor laboratory to approximately 900 agriculture and animal science students, both undergraduate and graduate.

If the proposal is approved, the 492-acre farm will lose 2.7 acres.

“The farm is something that we need to maintain because of what it provides to our faculty and students,” said Ralph No-

V-Day Special: Women cheat too Jenell mcmillion Register Reporter Valentine’s Day is coming up and that means chocolate, dinner, sentimental cards, gifts and flowers.

Yet, this is also the season where many couples getting exposed. It is a lovely day for the happily married or dating couples but how is it for the unfaithful ones?

Some may have seen cheaters with all of the theatrics for television. Many couples are now hiring private investigators to break down on their unfaithful spouses and spending over $1,500 to find out their spouse are cheating.

This is not another man bashing story about how some men are liars, cheaters, no good fathers, deceivers or heartbreakers.

However, it is rare to hear about the scandalous ladies in so-called presumably relationships.

Fellas, I have a couple of questions for you.

Have you noticed her dress u See CHEAT on Page 2

ble, chairman of A&T’s animal science department. “To relinquish any amount of land would reduce our ability to provide experiential learning to our students upon graduation.”

“I don’t really see any benefits,” he added.

On Feb. 11, Chancellor Harold Martin held a university and community town hall meeting to inform and hear the opinions of students, as well as members of the Greensboro community, about the proposed street extension through Aggie Farm.

“We are not going to give our farm away,” Martin said.

Everyone who publicly expressed his or her opinions of the proposal was in opposition, including junior animal science major, Jalen Speller.

“They may take 2.7 acres right now, but eventually, they [will] be asking to take more and more, and there won’t be a

farm left,” she said.

The acreage loss is only one of the negative impacts the farm could face. Other potentially detrimental impacts, stated by Martin, include an increased security risk and liability to animals due to more traffic, reduction in herd, and loss of research and teachers.

This is not the first time the city has mentioned the street extension through Aggie Farm.

It first appeared in 1960, but it was not until 2012 that there were discussions between the city and A&T officials about the proposed extension.

“We’ve had dialogue with A&T but never got a definitive answer of whether or not they would support the project,” said Adam Fischer, director of the Photos by Alicia Funderburk- The A&T Register u See FARM on Page 2

Student, Jalen Speller along with alumni and Greensboro residents address concerns about the extension of Florida st. possibly going through the Aggie Farm on Monday, February 11, 2013, in the New Academic Classroom Building.

Social Media’s impact on relationships: good or bad? erik veal Editor-in-Chief Valentine’s Day is about love and spending time with that special someone. Do not allow social networks to mess up the day of love.

Sixty-five percent of adults use social network sites. Facebook has 845 million users, and 60 percent of those users list themselves as being in some sort of relationship.

Thirty-seven percent are listed as single, 31 percent married, 24 percent “in a relationship,” 5 percent engage, and 3 percent claim “it’s complicated.”

Social media can be friend or foe when it comes to romantic relationships.

“The problem with combining social networks with a relationship is everyone tends

to get involved,” said Darius McKiver, a junior computer aided drafting and design major from Chinquapin, N.C. “Your friends and followers are telling you what your partner is posting. Instead of going straight to the horse’s mouth, you’re too busy listening to what everyone is saying.”

Other students feel that social media can make or break a relationship. Many have credited social media to finding new relationships.

Facebook has changed dating for the worse. Facebook causes people in relationships to overanalyze their partner’s online activity.

Also friends fuel jealousy, and every relationship mistake made is on record, all because of Facebook.

“For some relationships, social media is the best way

for people to show affection.

But it can [also] air out ‘dirty laundry,’ cause conflicts and be the starting place for rumors,” said Gabrielle Stuart, a junior chemical engineering major from Clinton, MD. “It is all in how you carry yourself and present yourself on these social media sites. That will dictate the effect social networks will have.”

Once upon a time, breaking up with someone over the phone or email was considered rude.

Now, changing one’s relationship status on social media has become the most common way to end a relationship. In a survey of 1,000 Facebook users, 25 percent of respondents found out their relationships were over by seeing it on Facebook first.

“I have never allowed social

media to ruin any of my relationships, but I have seen it put an end to some serious relationships. It is never worth it. Most times, it’s a matter of an ex initiating a personal message or commenting on a post that triggers most issues within a relationship,” said Joshua Johnson, a senior criminal justice major from Greensboro.

Some students believe openly displaying their relationships on social networks can be a positive.

But couples should always evaluate what they post in cyberspace and how much of their relationships they really want exposed to the public.

Email jeveal1@aggies.ncat. edu and follow the A&T Register on Twitter at @TheATRegister

House panel rejects Medicaid expansion in N.C. emery p. Delasio Associated Press RALEIGH (AP) — A House committee has rejected a Democratic proposal to use federal dollars to expand Medicaid coverage to an estimated 500,000 low-income residents for three years, with Republicans saying it is unlikely that the state could drop the new additions once North Carolina was required to start shouldering some of the cost in 2017.

A Democratic legislator who proposed the temporary expansion fully paid for by

Washington said it would allow some of North Carolina’s sickest residents to receive care, for hospitals to worry less about emergency-room treatment that patients can’t afford to pay, and lower health insurance rates for all as hospitals seek to recoup their costs for unpaid treatment.

“It would treat our sickest people during those three years at no cost to the state. There is no reason for us not to do this,” said Rep. Verla Insko, D-Orange.

But a Republican-dominated House committee voted along party lines Tuesday to reject the idea.

“You’re telling me that we’re

going to expand this to 500,000 people, which is the estimate that would be covered, for three years and then we’re just going to throw them off the boat at that time?” asked Rep. Marilyn Avila, R-Wake.

The committee then approved legislation blocking any Medicaid expansion and leaving the federal government to launch an online marketplace for private health insurance. The legislation rejecting state involvement with the federal health overhaul law appears headed toward House passage this week. The Senate approved an earlier version last week. Republicans control both chambers.

Gov. Pat McCrory said that after considering the state’s options, he’s decided the General Assembly is right.

McCrory said there was no guarantee that the federal government would live up to the law’s promise to pay 100 percent of the cost of expanding Medicaid between 2014 and 2016. Under President Barack Obama’s health care law, the federal share would fall to 90 percent by 2020.

“The results of our findings make it abundantly clear that u See MEDICAID on Page 2

ONLINE

theYARD

theWORD

theSCORE

theSCENE

SURVEYS AVAILABLE

Start planning for college expenses

Ask A Black Guy

Q&A with tennis player, Cayla Cross

Unconventional V-Day plans

Keep up with breaking news on our Web site. Slideshows, videos and more are available online.

With tuition and room and board continuously rising, what will be the next step into saving money for your children’s future in college.

This week we ask gentlemen about why their take on Valentine’s Day.

Meagan Jordan sits down with Cayla Cross and discusses her time on the court and in the classroom.

Instead of the usual Valentine’s Day plans on why not tryout one of our suggestions to swtich this V-Day up.

www.ncatregister.com

PAGE 2

PAGE 6

PAGE 7

Obama’s State of the Union Anita Kumar and Lesley Clark MCT Campus WASHINGTON– President Barack Obama returned to the unfinished business of a still struggling economy Tuesday night, outlining a second-term agenda with proposals designed to create jobs, expand the middle class and spur financial growth.

“We can fix this _ and we will,” the president said repeatedly.

In his annual State of the Union address, Obama laid out plans in four main areas _ manufacturing, education, clean energy and infrastructure _ to try to help the nation recover from the worst recession in decades at what he said would be no additional cost.

“A growing economy that creates good, middle-class jobs _ that must be the North Star that guides our efforts,” Obama said. “Every day, we should ask ourselves three questions as a nation: How do we attract more jobs to our shores? How do we equip our people with the skills they need u See UNION on Page 2

WEATHER

PAGE 8

wednesday

51° Low: 32° High:

Thursday: Mostly Sunny | High 56° friday: Partly Cloudy| High 56°

theYARD

The A&T Register | ncatregister.com | Wednesday, February 13, 2013

inFOCUS

farm From page 1 Greensboro Department of Transportation.

According to Fischer, if A&T’s Board of Trustees elects to extend Florida Street, the city of Greensboro will give A&T an estimated $280,000, which is based on the value of the agricultural land.

The board is comprised of 13 people: eight elected by the UNC Board of Governors,

Union From page 1

Photo by ALICIA FUNDERBURK • The a&t register

AUTHOR, WES MOORE speaks to fans, students and faculty about his new book, “The Other Wes Moore: One Man, Two Fates” in Stallings Ballroom.

Moore’s book was apart of N.C. A&T’s pick for Text-in-Community.

cheat From page 1 ing nicer for class? Is she wearing more makeup? Is she always with her “girls”? Is she always texting?

These are a couple of signs that your girlfriend may be cheating.

David Shelton is one of the best private investigators in Greensboro at Advanced Technology Investigation, LLC. Shelton has been in this field for over 12 years and if you are cheating, he will find you.

Over the years, he has noticed both male and female clients come into his office around Valentine’s Day about their

cheating spouses.

“What differs from women and men cheaters is that women are more discrete and know their spouses so well,” said Shelton.

The usual method that most clients take is making an appointment to discuss their case and then determining the game plan.

From that plan, he can run forensics on any of their cheating spouse’s electronic devices like cell phones or computers.

Although most people are attached to their phones, they can easily disappear in the day and at night.

Shelton lets his clients know that they can either bring the phone while their significant other is in the shower or when they are asleep and bring it out

to him to collect the data.

It is that simple.

Many women make it hard to find out they are cheating because they are good and careful with communicating unlike most men.

They are persistent with deleting text messages and history from social media sites, cell phones and laptops.

Unlike men, they usually have a change of clothes or make-up in the car.

Valentine’s Day is just one day out of the year to show your love but just remember if you get that urge to cheat, someone is always watching.

Happy Valentine’s Day! Email The A&T Register at theatregister@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter @TheATRegister

Septima Clark: The Grandmother of the Civil Rights Movement Simone Stovall Contributor Many phenomenal African American women remain unrecognized for their contributions to the progression of the Civil Rights Movement.

These women were behind the scenes working just as hard as men for little to no acknowledgment.

Septima Poinsette Clark, often referred to as the “grandmother of the civil rights movement,” was an advocate for education. The legendary humanitarian fought tooth and nail to make sure that black educators in South Carolina received the justice they deserved.

Clark is perhaps the only woman to play a significant role in educating African Americans for full citizenship rights without gaining sufficient gratitude.

Born in Charleston, S.C., Clark was the second of eight children.

She and her family struggled to pay for her high school education, but she graduated from Avery Normal Institute in 1916. She married

The A&T

Register Box E-25 1601 E. Market Street Greensboro, NC 27411 Newsroom: NCB 328A (336) 334­-7700 www.ncatregister.com

a Navy seaman, Nerie Clark, in 1919.

The couple’s first child died infancy. A son was born in 1925, but Clark’s husband died shortly after.

By teaching in segregated schools in various locations, she earned a bachelor’s degree from Benedict College in 1942. She obtained her master’s degree from Hampton Institute in 1946.

Clark not only taught young students, but also held informal literacy classes for adults as well.

She also pushed an education and equal rights agenda in numerous organizations such as the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA), Federation of Women’s Clubs, Council of Negro Women, and, most importantly, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

In 1956 when South Carolina banned membership in the NAACP, Clark lost her teaching job and pension when she refused to comply.

Hired by Myles Horton, Clark became Director of Workshops at the

Highlander Folk School in Tennessee.

When this program was adopted into the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), Clark and her cousin Bernice Robinson created the first citizenship school to educate blacks in literacy, state government, and election procedures.

Traveling throughout the South, Clark trained teachers for citizenship schools and assisted in SCLC marches and protests, working with Martin Luther King, Jr., and Andrew Young. King acknowledged Clark when he received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 by insisting that she accompany him to Sweden.

During her career in service organizations, she also worked with the Tuberculosis Association and the Charleston Health Department.

Septima P. Clark died Dec. 15, 1987. In a eulogy presented at the funeral, the president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) described the importance of Clark’s work and her relationship to SCLC.

editor in chief: Erik Veal Managing editor: Karmen Robinson copy DESK CHIEF: Justine Riddick opinions editor: Kalyn Hoyle sports editor: Symone Kidd scene editor: Necole Jackson NCATregister.com editor: Kayla McLaughlin ASSISTANT ONLINE editor: Courtney Matthews SENIOR REPORTERS: Kelcie McCrae, Jenell McMillon photo editor: Chris Martin

to get those jobs? And how do we make sure that hard work leads to a decent living?”

Obama described a nation that has made progress, ending long wars in Afghanistan and Iraq while clearing away “the rubble” of the Great Recession, but one that still needs additional help to prosper. He declared that the state of the union is stronger, but not strong.

“It is our generation’s task, then, to reignite the true engine of America’s economic growth _ a rising, thriving middle class,” he said.

“It is our unfinished task to restore the basic bargain that built this country _ the idea that if you work hard and meet your responsibilities, you can get ahead, no matter where you come from, no matter what you look like, or who you love. It is our unfinished task to make sure that this government works on behalf of the many, and not just

medicaid From page 1 North Carolina is not ready to expand the Medicaid system and that we should utilize a federal exchange,” McCrory said in a statement.

McCrory’s opposition comes even as a growing number of Republican governors are now buying into parts of the system as the financial realities of their states’ medical costs begin to counterbalance the fierce election politics of the issue. Last week, Michigan’s Rick Snyder became the sixth GOP governor to propose expanding his state’s health insurance program to cover more low-income residents.

The governor and Republican legislators also cited a recent state audit of the Medicaid program that found administrative spending is significantly higher in North Carolina than in nine states of similar size.

events

2

four appointed by the governor, and the SGA president.

“The board of trustees will make the decision that will make our students have a brighter future,” said SGA President Allaquan Tate.

“I don’t think that we should be giving any part of the farm away, but…we have to be considerate of the needs of the people in the community.”

The Board of Trustees will make its decision Feb. 22.

Klrobin2@aggies.ncat.edu follow her Twitter @KayRob_

and

the few; that it encourages free enterprise, rewards individual initiative, and opens the doors of opportunity to every child across this great nation of ours,” he said.

He proposed raising the minimum wage from $7.25 to $9 an hour. He recommended spending $65 billion on road, bridge and building repairs. He unveiled a plan to save eligible homeowners $3,000 annually by refinancing at lower interest rates.

Obama starts his second term with a stubbornly high unemployment rate _ higher for women and blacks than when he first took office _ falling consumer confidence and a mounting deficit as he faces often uncooperative lawmakers on Capitol Hill.

He insisted that Democrats and Republicans put aside their differences and take action, mostly immediately to find an alternative to looming across-the-board budget cuts that could harm the economy in weeks.

Tens of millions watched the address, delivered to a joint session of Congress.

The audit also found state Medicaid administrators used flawed or incomplete budget forecasting methods, helping contribute to a $418 million shortfall with the program last year.

“When you’ve got a house in shambles, you don’t build onto it,” said Rep. Justin Burr, RStanly, a primary sponsor of the House version of the bill.

Medicaid provides health coverage for more than 1.5 million North Carolina residents — most of them poor children, older adults and the disabled. The program spends about $13 billion in state and federal funds.

Expanding Medicaid would generate 23,000 new jobs in North Carolina through 2021 and increase disposable income by $1 billion a year statewide as doctors and hospitals increased hiring to meet higher demand for compensated treatment, an outside consultant for the state Department of Health and Human Services estimated.

Wednesday

13

Annual Spring Blood Drive Exhibit Hall 8 a.m. -5:30 p.m.

Yearbook Photos Union Room 005 10 a.m.- 7 p.m.

Relationship Program Stallings Ballroom 2 p.m. - 5 p.m.

The Ultimate Gentlemen Series Memorial Student Union 7:30 p.m.- 9:30 p.m.

thursday

14

The Moving Art

Exhibit Hall 7:30 p.m. -9:30 p.m.

Tweet-o-gram

Memorial Student Union Room 214 7 p.m.- 9 p.m.

Rehabilitation Panel Discussion Proctor Auditorium 160 6 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

friday

15

Words-N-Love

Exhibit Hall 7:30 p.m. -10 p.m.

NSBE Game Night

McNair Lecture Room 3 6 p.m.- 8 p.m.

Academic Chairs’ Forum

Dudley Hall (Mulitpurpose Room) 8 a.m. - 12 p.m.

saturday

16

Blue and Gold Marching Event Corbett Sports Center/Moore Gym 8 a.m. -5 p.m.

NC College Media Day

theCORRECTION In the ‘45th Legislative develops new bill for Spring 2014’ article in last week’s issue of the A&T Register, Vice President of Internal Affairs, Canisha Cierra Turner was quoted, “This is the first piece of legislation that has been

theBLOTTER February 6 12:50 a.m.

Cooper Hall Breaking and/or Entering Further Investigation 11:45 p.m.

Summit Ave. Service of Warrants Closed/Arrest February 7 2:45 Cherry Hall Disorderly Conduct/RDO Closed/Arrest

written, passed and enacted by a senate here at NCAT within the past five years.”

The quote should have read, “This is the most important piece of legislation that has been written, passed and enacted by a senate here at N.C. A&T in the last five years,” said Canisha Cierra Turner, Vice President of Internal Affairs.

Memorial Student Union 9 a.m.- 4 p.m.

7:30 p.m.

Barbee Hall Weapon Violation Closed/Arrest

Vandalism Closed/Cleared

February 8 2:34 p.m.

Moore Gym Parking Lot Vehicle Accident Closed/Cleared February 9 1:14 a.m.

Holland Hall Vandalism Further Investigation 8:25 Cooper Hall

staff photographers: Alicia Funderburk, Jasmine Palmer GRAPHICs EDITOR: Taylor Wilson reporters:Chanel Tucker, Liliane Long COPY EDITOR: Kashian Scrivens business OFFICE Manager: Carlton Brown business SALES Manager: April Burrage business Assistant: Ashley Jacobs CONTENT EDITOR: Anjan Basu faculty adviser: Emily Harris

sunday

17

Mister A&T Farwell Harrison Auditorium 3 p.m. -5 p.m.

February 10 7:20 p.m.

Haley Hall Simple Physical Assault Closed/Arrest 8:00 p.m.

Holland Hall Disorderly Conduct Prosecution Declined February 11 12:32 p.m.

New Fitness Center Larceny Closed/Leads Exhausted

The A&T Register is published every Wednesday during the fall and spring semesters by students at North Carolina A&T State University. One copy is available free of charge to all readers. Additional copies may be picked up at the Register’s newsroom (subject to availability). All subscription requests should be directed to the Business department.

The A&T Register has a weekly circulation of 5,000 copies on-campus and in the community and is a member of The Associated Press, The Associated Collegiate Press and the Black College Wire.

theYARD

The A&T Register | ncatregister.com | Wednesday, February 13, 2013

3

It’s never too early to plan for college expenses Gail MarksJarvis MCT Campus

CHICAGO– Look at your cute baby, and imagine the little tyke wearing a high school cap and gown about 17 years from now.

Picturing the child holding a diploma, when he or she can’t even hold a rattle yet, is probably next to impossible.

But that day will come. And if you are like most parents, as you watch Junior walk across the stage to pick up a diploma, you will be vacillating between feelings of pride and utter fear.

At that point, your child will be headed to college, and the price tag will be so shocking you’ll be tossing and turning at night.

If college prices continue to climb as they have the past few years, by the time today’s newborns go to college, the sticker price will be about $37,700 for one year of tuition, room and board at a state university and $98,200 at a private college, said Kalman Chany, a college financial aid consultant and

author of “Paying for College Without Going Broke.”

For a four-year education, it will be about $161,500 at a university in your state or $426,400 at a private college, he estimates.

To put that into perspective, many public colleges now run about $20,000 a year, and some private colleges are more than $55,000.

So maybe at this point you figure you will stick a bat or ball in the little tyke’s hands the moment he or she can hold it, in hopes they are on the road toward winning an athletic scholarship.

But let’s face it: That’s a remote possibility. Should you despair?

Remember, you don’t need the entire sum saved for college the day Junior moves into a dormitory room. And during the next 17 years, your salary probably will rise along with college costs, so the numbers won’t look as shocking as they do today.

In addition, low- and middleincome families don’t have to

pay the full sticker price if they are smart about college choices.

But if you want to make paying for college as painless as possible, you are going to have to start planning now.

For the next 17 years, you will have to keep your eye on the calendar. Before children are old enough to get braces, some savvy parents start helping them build the type of resumes that will win scholarships.

Still, don’t count on scholarships to do all the heavy lifting.

No matter how polished your child turns out to be in high school, the chances are you will have to come up with a good sum of money yourself.

So start now by saving as much as you can. Anything is better than nothing. If you start saving $100 a month for college and invest it in a balanced mutual fund that’s roughly divided half and half in stocks and bonds, you should have about $40,000 by the time you pack up the car with junior’s belongings and head to college.

But also make sure you have your priorities right. Too many

parents especially those laden with their own college loans want to spare their children college debt. So they plop money into a college savings account for their children, while neglecting to save for their own retirement. This is upside-down planning.

I’ve heard from many parents who can’t retire because they put their child’s education ahead of their own savings, and their child ends up finished with college, enjoying a Wall Street or a law firm salary, and is debtfree.

The rule of thumb for saving enough money for retirement is: Start saving 10 percent of pay in a 401(k), IRA or both, beginning in your 20s.

If you wait until your 30s, it’s 12 to 15 percent. If you happen to have an employer that offers the typical 3 percent matching money for a 401(k), you can stash away 7 percent of your own pay and with the free money from your employer you will hit the 10 percent mark.

For college savings, you can make investing easy and the

NC jobless insurance fix nears final passage Gary d. robertson Associated Press

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A Republican plan to cut jobless payments and raise business taxes to speed repayment of North Carolina’s $2.5 billion federal debt on unemployment benefits won tentative approval Tuesday in the state Senate, all but ensuring enactment this summer.

Four Democrats joined GOP senators in voting 36-13 for the House measure, which would cut maximum weekly benefits for new jobless workers July 1 by one-third and reduce the maximum duration of state benefits from 26 weeks to 20.

Businesses both large and small would keep paying higher federal taxes until the debt to the federal government is repaid. Under the accelerated plan, that would probably now be late 2015, instead of three years later if no changes to state law were made.

State taxes would go up slightly permanently, while a surcharge would remain in place there’s a $1 billion cush-

ion in the state trust fund to pay future benefits.

A proposed decline in maximum benefits to $350 per week would bring North Carolina’s amount about to the average of other Southeastern states, supporters said, while the current maximum of $535 per week is the highest in the region and has been labeled a disincentive for some to find work.

The overhaul “tries to take care of the unemployed,” said Sen. Bob Rucho, R-Mecklenburg who is shepherding the House bill through the Senate, but “it doesn’t put an excessive burden upon the employers that are struggling.” Rucho said repaying the debt more quickly gives certainty to businesses and can help them create jobs again.

The House passed the bill last week.

A final Senate vote was expected Wednesday on the bill.

If approved, it would then go to new Gov. Pat McCrory, who would be asked to sign the bill into law. The Republican said

Hey Aggies!

Monday-Wednesday: 2 LARGE 1-topping pizzas $14 Every day special: LARGE pizza Any way you want it $10!

Every day deals: $7.99 1 LARGE 1 topping OR 1 MEDIUM 2 topping

(336) 954-7575

in an interview Tuesday he supports the overhaul, which is designed to get the state trust fund on firmer fiscal footing before the next recession and avoid debt in the future.

“I firmly believe that North Carolina should not be living off of a credit card and not paying off that credit card. I plan to pay off that credit card,” McCrory said, speaking earlier in the day at a Raleigh forum organized by the Institute on Emerging Issues. “And it’s going to come to sacrifice to both businesses and people.”

Labor activists and most Democrats said the measure is weighted against displaced workers by forcing them to shoulder more of the burden.

Reductions in the duration of benefits and amount would comprise nearly three-quarters of the $3.6 billion in the cumulative changes required by the bill through 2017, legislative researchers estimated in a document.

Businesses received unemployment tax reductions several times during the 1990s, but the taxes were never restored to prepare for recessions when jobless payments outstripped tax revenues during the Great Recession, said Sen. Ellie Kinnaird, D-Orange.

“Over and over and over the employers came, as if there were no lean times ever coming up,” Kinnaird said, “and yet we are not giving employees help this time now.”

Senate Democrats offered a half-dozen amendments, five of which were defeated on party-line votes.

A sixth amendment by Sen. Floyd McKissick, DDurham, that would have reduced maximum weekly benefits to $422 per week but require all workers to pay a 0.48 percent tax on wages to help pay down the debt was

withdrawn.

A vote potentially could have harmed Democrats politically for supporting a broad tax increase.

Democrats also pleaded with the majority party to delay enactment on the bill until next January so a full year of federal emergency jobless benefits would continue.

The benefit reductions meant the benefits must be cancelled after six months, affecting 170,000 unemployed workers that would otherwise receive $780 million, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, whose acting commissioner spoke against it Monday.

“People in my district are going to be hurt significantly,” said first-term Sen. Mike Woodard, D-Durham. “They’re clearly going to have fewer dollars. Their benefits are not going to last as long.”

Rucho and others said waiting another six months would cost businesses another $400 million in taxes, but Democrats said that problem could be fixed with issuing state debt to avoid the extra taxes.

Sen. Tommy Tucker, RUnion, who owns a heating and air conditioning service company, said he was unhappy with the solution of higher taxes upon companies like his own.

He said he’ll owe more than $110,000 in unemployment taxes on his 77 employees and still may be forced to lay off one or two because of increases. But Tucker said he voted for the bill to remove the burden of the debt off businesses.

Senate Democrats voting for the bill were Clark Jenkins of Edgecombe County, Gene McLaurin of Richmond County, Ben Clark of Hoke County and Michael Walters of Robeson County.

The A&T Register holds contributors meetings every Wednesday @ 5 p.m. in GCB A328.

We are looking for writers, multimedia gurus and social media savvy individuals to join our team

most profitable if you keep Uncle Sam away from taxing your savings.

Plop either the $2,000 limit a year into a Coverdell college savings account, or if you can manage to save more, skip the Coverdell and use a 529 college savings plan offered by a state government.

Anything you save in these accounts will be tax-free for you and your child if it goes to pay for college. Tell grandparents and other relatives about the child’s 529 plan, so they can send birthday and other gifts into the college fund.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: Maybe you’ve been saving diligently since you helped the little tyke blow out the candle on that first birthday cake.

If you were making life easy on yourself, you evaluated 529 plans and chose one with low fees and solid performance, and you’ve been letting the investment experts at the plan invest your money in the manner that typically is appropriate for your child’s age.

Are you satisfied with the

529 plan you chose, and the investments you’ve chosen within the plan?

You are allowed to make changes once a year selecting a plan in another state if you want, or different investments in the plan. Remember, you don’t have to stick with the plan in your state, although many states give you an extra tax break if you do.

And you can save money if you go to a state 529 plan directly rather than using a financial adviser. According to Morningstar, the average cost if you do this on your own is about 0.60 percent, but with an adviser it’s 1.5 percent a much higher amount that will detract from the amount you amass.

Say your child received $2,000 from Grandma at birth.

In the cheap 0.60 percent-fee fund, the savings would become about $6,680 by college if the investments earned 8 percent.

The same investments in the 1.50 percent fund would be $5,720.

Website helps students find their future“sugar daddies” Denise-Marie Ordway MCT Campus

ORLANDO– The struggling University of Central Florida business major struck a deal.

Needing money, she turned to a “sugar daddy” she found on a popular website.

They had dinner. They had sex. Her take: $200.

A few months later, when she needed to buy textbooks, she went back to SeekingArrangement.com. There, she found another “date” who flew into town. No dinner this time.

They met at a local hotel and had sex.

Her earnings: $400.

“I’ve worked my whole life since high school, and that was easy,” said the 20-yearold sophomore, who would not be named for fear that her family would find out. “It was like a nice way to make quick money, and I tried not to think too much about it.”

She is among the hundreds of thousands of men and women who, either having trouble making ends meet or simply wanting to upgrade their lifestyles, are turning to the Internet for help finding “sugar daddies” and “sugar mommies.” The majority, though, are women looking to be supported by older, successful men with money to burn.

The hunt for wealthy benefactors _ discreetly or otherwise _ is as old as money itself. But people are taking it to a new level by turning to SeekingArrangement.com and other websites. And as the cost of a college education in Florida continues to rise, more Florida students are choosing this option as a way to cover their expenses, including tuition and rent, according to spokeswoman Jennifer Gwynn and founder Brandon Wade of SeekingArrangement.com.

With the exchange of money, however, comes another trade-off: an expectation of intimacy _ a dynamic that has prompted critics to compare the arrangements to prostitution and has generated heated conversations about the trend on TV talk shows and elsewhere.

Did the UCF student feel like a prostitute? It might look that way, she said, but “like every relationship, there’s a little bit of give and take.”

Many visitors to these websites demand a lot more money than the $400 she sought.

There’s Marissa, who calls herself a “starving college student” from Orlando, who asks

her prospective sugar daddy for $3,000 to $5,000 a month.

And “UCF babe,” who requires $1,000 to $3,000 a month from her guy.

Last year alone, more than 200 men and women with UCFissued email addresses signed up to use SeekingArrangement. com, Gwynn said.

She said nearly 40 percent of all of its users _ a group that doubled its numbers in 2012 to more than 2 million people worldwide _ registered with college email addresses.

Hundreds have flocked to the site from other Florida universities, too. Last month, UCF, Florida State University, University of South Florida and Florida International University made SeekingArrangement.com’s Top 20 list nationally for having the greatest growth in the number of new college-student registrations.

Like dating sites, users log on and create profiles offering details about themselves _ height, body type and hobbies, for example. But “sugar babies” also make it very clear that they have financial expectations in amounts that can go as high as $20,000 a month.

Wade rankles at the thought of his site being compared to an online house of prostitution. He said he launched it in 2006 to help socially awkward, wealthy men such as himself find dates.

“I understand that it’s a gray area, but an hour of company for sex _ that’s illegal,” said Wade, 42, a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who used the site himself before getting married a year ago to someone he met at work. “Anything that requires a relationship and chemistry and liking each other is clearly not prostitution.”

In recent years, the sugar daddy dynamic has become more socially acceptable as a number of TV shows have been created around the idea of helping pretty people meet wealthy people.

The hit novel “Fifty Shades of Grey” features a college student and her sexual exploits with a young billionaire.

Still, as with any online dating, there is a risk in meeting up with strangers. In 2011, an Orange Circuit judge sentenced a man to life in prison for raping a woman he met through the website SugarDaddyForMe.com.

Pamela Scully, chairwoman of the Department of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at Emory University in Atlanta, called the trend “sad.” She said it seems these women are making decisions under duress, primarily because of the bad economy.

theWORLD 4

The A&T Register | ncatregister.com | Wednesday, February 13, 2013

United Nations condemns North Korea nuclear test Tom Lasseter and Hannah Allam MCT Campus

BEIJING – Hours after carrying out a nuclear test in defiance of international warnings not to, North Korea warned Tuesday that it will take new unspecified actions if the United States doesn’t curb its hostility toward the rogue nation.

In a statement it attributed to the country’s Foreign Ministry, the North Korean state news agency blamed the United States for U.N.imposed sanctions intended to discourage North Korea’s missile and nuclear development programs. A continuation of that approach, the statement said, would leave North Korea “with no option but to take the second and third stronger steps.”

South Korea’s intelligence service warned that its northern neighbor might conduct another nuclear test and might repeat its December launch of another long-range missile.

The threats came as scientists began analyzing data from the test to determine the strength of the explosion and what it might portend about

the country’s ability to accumulate a nuclear arsenal. The U.N. agency that’s charged with monitoring nuclear tests around the world said Tuesday’s blast was at least twice as powerful as one the North Koreans set off in 2009 and “much larger” than the country’s first test, in 2006.

North Korea official state news media described the device as “small and light,” characteristics that seemed to indicate it could be used atop a rocket or missile, a step that would put countries such as Japan and even parts of the United States within range.

Meeting in New York, the U.N. Security Council condemned the test, calling it “a clear threat to international peace and security.” President Barack Obama also denounced the test, as did a wide range of foreign governments.

U.S. Rep. Ed Royce, R-Calif., the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, called on the Obama administration to take tougher steps against North Korea, noting that the country also had launched a multi-stage rocket in December and had posted

a bizarre video on the Internet that shows a sleeping North Korean dreaming of a nuclear attack on New York.

“The administration must replace its failed North Korea policy with one that is energetic, creative and focused on crippling the Kim regime’s military capabilities,” Royce said in a statement, referring to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. “Otherwise, the grave North Korean threat to the region and the United States will only grow.”

It wasn’t at all clear what those tougher steps might be.

The United States and the United Nations already have placed North Korea under a wide range of economic sanctions, and stronger steps, such as a naval blockade, would need the agreement of North Korea’s principal ally, China.

How willing _ and able _ China would be to impose tougher measures remains to be seen. China repeatedly has admonished its neighbor from conducting such a test, apparently to no avail.

Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi summoned the North Korean ambassador to

Beijing, warning him that China was “strongly dissatisfied” with the nuclear test and calling on Pyongyang to refrain from actions that might worsen the situation, according to a ministry news release.

But the wording of a statement the Foreign Ministry issued in Beijing condemning North Korea’s actions mirrored that of 2009, when North Korea staged a previous test and wasn’t cast away by China. It made no threat of sanctions or other consequences and urged “all parties to respond in a cool-headed manner” through dialogue.

State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said in Washington that China would be crucial in sending a message to North Korea.

“The Chinese have the most influence. ... That’s obvious, given their well-intermeshed economic relationship with the DPRK,” Nuland said, using the initials for North Korea’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

“That’s why, among other reasons, it’s so important for us to stay closely linked up with China.”

But whether China would take a tougher stance _ moving to cut off oil supplies, for example _ was uncertain. Maintaining the status quo in North Korea is important to China, not only because it provides a buffer between China and U.S. soldiers in South Korea, but also because it prevents the chaos of a destabilized nation spilling over its borders.

“It’s unrealistic for us to expect a change overnight,” Zhu Feng, a noted expert on international relations at Peking University, said in a telephone interview Tuesday night. But this most recent round of trouble, Zhu said, could well prove an impetus for Beijing to reconsider its policy.

It also remained far from clear what Pyongyang ultimately hoped to accomplish.

North Korea has long been characterized by erratic and secretive actions, and Kim, who’s thought to be about 30 years old, might be fueling the standoff to solidify his domestic standing. He was named the nation’s ruler in December 2011 after the death of Kim Jong Il, and some observers wondered whether the son was

up to the task of succeeding his father.

In the past, North Korea also has used intensely provocative behavior to gain attention on the global stage before making the case for more aid to the impoverished nation.

There were hints of that history in Tuesday’s statement from North Korea. Mixed into the bombastic language about new North Korean actions was another option: The United States could “open a phase of detente and stability.”

North Korea tied that scenario to American acceptance of Pyongyang’s “right to satellite launch,” a reference to a launch in December that was widely considered a test of its missile program.

Adding to the mystery was that North Korea had notified the United States that the test was coming. The United States attempted to persuade the North Koreans not to proceed, spokeswoman Nuland said, without success.

Nuland declined to specify how much advance notification the North Koreans had provided, saying only that the contact was made recently.

After deadly fire, fears for Carnival in Brazil Chinese world worries BRADLEY BROOKS Associated Press

SAO PAULO — Just over a week since a nightclub fire killed nearly 240 revelers in southern Brazil, Carnival festivities hit full stride Friday, raising questions about the safety of those who will pack party spaces across the nation.

In the days following the deadly blaze at the Kiss club in the university town of Santa Maria, authorities across Brazil increased fire inspections and closed dozens of clubs in many major cities, mostly citing problems with the establishments’ paperwork.

But most of the clubs have already reopened — leading fire experts to say few changes were put in place to really improve safety for patrons.

“Certainly for Carnival, we’ll still have many security problems in the clubs, because there is no possibility of having intense inspections in every corner of Brazil, and there was no time to have made necessary adaptations,” said Telmo Brentano, an engineering professor in Porto Alegre, capital of the state where the Jan. 27 Kiss club fire took place.

Brentano, an activist for the creation of federal laws on fire

safety and author of two books about fire safety engineering, said something positive may come from the blaze that killed 238 people before Brazil hosts the world’s two biggest sporting events in the next three years.

“Things will certainly be better than they are today by the World Cup and the Olympics,” he said. “The shock of the Santa Maria tragedy was so intense that now patrons of public establishments are more aware of dangers they may face if minimum fire safety standards aren’t met. There really was a great awakening on the issue.”

City and state officials in Sao Paulo, Brazil’s biggest city, and Rio de Janeiro, the center of Carnival where about 500,000 tourists are expected to visit through Wednesday, declined to comment on the specifics of increased fire safety inspections in the past week. Fire officials in Rio de Janeiro said only that their goal is to carry out 40,000 inspections in 2013.

But Brentano and other fire experts said more inspections will mean little because of Brazil’s lack of consistent fire laws.

Each state enacts its own laws and cities can create their own as well — and corruption at the state and local levels undermine the rules that do exist,

the experts said.

Police say the Santa Maria fire started when a band performing at the club lit a small flare, which ignited flammable soundproofing foam on the ceiling.

There was a near-total lack of emergency infrastructure in the club, such as a fire alarms, emergency lights or sprinkler systems.

The club had just one working door, and its single fire extinguisher was faulty.

Such conditions are common across South America’s largest nation, said Marcelo D’Amico, a native Brazilian fire protection engineer and founder of the League City, Texas-based consulting firm Orcus Fire Protection, who carries out work in Brazil.

D’Amico is not optimistic on the chances of Brazilian nightspots making great strides in fire protection before the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics, let alone this year’s Carnival.

“I am not talking about the new stadiums and buildings being built or renovated, but of the hundreds of thousands of places — restaurants, nightclubs, theaters — that people coming for the two events are going to fill to capacity and that will probably not have proper fire prevention

measures in place,” he said.

D’Amico said minimum safety features are largely lacking in Brazil, such as illuminated exit signs, sufficient emergency exits and sprinkler systems.

“I’ve been in high-rises in Brazil with no sprinklers or fire alarms,” he said. “I looked for emergency exits and was scared out of my mind when I thought about what could happen if there was a fire.”

He accused Brazilian construction companies and building owners of being less concerned with safety codes than with esthetics and budgets.

But D’Amico puts the main blame on politicians, who he said “turn a blind eye to the fact that legislation must be updated and inspectors must go into buildings to make sure fire prevention measures are in place.”

The government must adopt a “hard-line fire prevention approach and determine what has to be done and set specific deadlines to make the needed changes,” he said.

“The installation of proper fire prevention mechanisms — sprinklers, alarms, exit doors — costs a lot of money and building owners are not motivated by spending money. They are motivated by making money.”

Fear of assassinations haunt Egypt opposition MAGGIE MICHAEL Associated Press

BAMIYAN, Afghanistan — In the cave-dweller’s community called Patokhlama, on a cliff face a few hundred yards east of the niche that once held the smaller of the two Bamiyan Buddhas, is a tiny school built partly into a cave, with a small dynamo of a teacher.

Fershat _ she uses just one name _ is either 14 or 15 years

old, she’s not sure which. She teaches reading in the local Dari language.

American kids could identify with parts of her story, which she delivers in rapid-fire, excellent English that she learned in school and by talking with visiting English speakers. She struggles to get along with her stepmother, she enjoys helping the 28 students at her school.

Other parts wouldn’t feel familiar, like living in a cave with

no heat in sometimes subzero nights, with her stepmother, unemployed father, three brothers and two sisters. The kids are constantly sick, and the adults often are, too. Her mother died, Fershat said, between coughs, from something that caused terrible headaches.

The $50 a month teaching stipend she earns from PARSA, the Afghan charity that sponsors the school, is the family’s main income. On rare days, mainly in

warmer months, her father earns a dollar to two working on potato farms.

Fershat’s English skills could be valuable one day, and she pounces on any chance to use them. Her hope one day is to be an English teacher; the PARSAfunded school doesn’t have an English-language class.

“I have one goal, one dream only,” she said, “and that is to teach English to the other children one day.”

Britain opens criminal probe of horse meat contamination Henry Chu

MCT Campus

LONDON — A growing foodcontamination scandal in Britain widened into a criminal investigation Friday, with consumers worried about finding horse meat in their burgers or lasagna.

What began as the discovery of traces of horse meat in uncooked burgers labeled as beef last month escalated this week with the announcement that thousands of packages of frozen beef lasagna were being pulled from supermarket shelves because they were potentially tainted as well.

Britain’s Food Standards Agency said the Findus com-

pany found at least 60 percent horse meat in 11 of 18 lasagna products that it tested; the meat in at least one of those was entirely horse.

There have been no reports of illness because of the contamination. The standards agency has demanded that the food industry conduct tests on all processed beef products, with the results to be submitted next week.

“The evidence we have about the two cases, of the significant amount of horse meat in burgers and lasagna, points to either gross negligence or deliberate contamination in the food chain.

This is why we have already involved the police, both here and in Europe,” the agency said in a

statement Friday.

In addition to Britain, horse meat has been detected in beef products sold in Ireland and Sweden.

Officials insist that the issue is not one of safety but rather of false advertising and potential fraud. However, authorities are trying to determine whether an anti-inflammatory drug used to treat horses may be present in the tainted products.

“People have been asking whether it is safe to eat any frozen meat products at the moment. There is no reason to suspect that there’s any health issue with frozen food in general, and we wouldn’t advise people to stop eating it,” the Food Stan-

dards Agency said.

Horse meat is regularly consumed in some European countries, including France and Italy.

But Britons generally object to the idea of horse on the menu, and the scandal is dominating headlines, with Prime Minister David Cameron’s office describing the revelations as “very distasteful.”

“This isn’t really about food safety. It’s about effective food labeling. It’s about proper retail practice,” Cameron said Friday at an unrelated summit of European Union leaders in Brussels.

“And people will be very angry to find out they have been eating horse when they thought they were eating beef.”

Year of Snake may bite ANNIE HUANG

Associated Press

TAIPEI, Taiwan — As Indiana Jones might say: Why did it have to be the Year of the Snake?

When the Chinese-speaking world ushers in its new year on Sunday, its 12-year zodiac will turn from the dragon to one of the world’s most despised animals. As undeserved as the snake’s reputation might be, its last two years did not go so well: 2001 was the year of the Sept. 11 attacks and 1989 was when Chinese forces crushed pro-democracy protests around Beijing’s Tiananmen Square.

Some wonder if this one also could hold bad tidings.

“In Chinese mythology, snakes were often associated with monsters, or with incarnations of monsters, so some political turbulence can be expected,” said Taiwanese astrologer Tsai Shang-chi.

Chinese New Year remains the most important festival in the region, a weeklong round of family reunions, temple visits and gastronomic excess. It is Mardi Gras, Christmas and the Fourth of July rolled into one, marked by the clacking of mahjong tiles and explosions of firecrackers. With businesses and markets hermetically closed, it brings a rare calm to the otherwise frenetic pace of what is arguably the world’s most dynamic economic region.

In China, some couples have apparently been trying to schedule their pregnancies to avoid having children born during the snake year, in contrast to the coveted Year of the Dragon.

In Beijing, a manager with the government office that arranges appointments with obstetricians said there was a noticeable drop in appointment requests compared to those received as the Year of the Dragon approached, though she offered no firm statistics. She spoke on condition of anonymity because she was not authorized to speak to the press.

For souvenir makers, snakes have been a tough sell.

“Last year, our business was a lot better, because everybody loves the dragon, whatever his or her animal sign,” said Lin Peixiang, who owns the Beixiang Souvenir Factory in the city of Wenzhou. “This year, business is a lot worse, because only those born in the year of the snake love the animal. The snake sign is a symbol of fear.

People get scared when they see or hear the snake.”

But if many fear the snake, some astrologers and masters

of feng shui, the Chinese art of arranging objects and choosing dates to improve luck, also see good signs for 2013.

Hong Kong feng shui master Raymond Lo is trying to put a positive spin on the year.

He points out that according to astrological tables, this year’s variety is the relatively mild “morning dew” type of common water snake, less venomous than recent predecessors.

“It’s more moderate, humble and patient,” Lo said of the 2013 snake. He added that he is bullish on the year’s prospects for the world as a whole, and sees good opportunities for economic growth.

Still, Lo said, people should probably take precautions against the snake’s traditionally destructive power, perhaps by wearing monkey pendants around their necks. That goes double for anyone born in a year of the snake, he said, like incoming Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Xi’s 1953 birth coincided with the final convulsions of the Korean War. “The monkey is the only animal that really knows how to handle the snake,” Lo said.

Tsai is also largely upbeat on the new Chinese year. He believes much-needed liquidity will be injected into struggling world economies, and that babies born over the next 12 months will be both selfmotivated and agile.

On the down side, he warned, there could also be massive flooding and tsunamis.

The New Year’s season is implacably festive, and people have been out in force in cities across the region in recent days, stocking up on provisions and traditional new year symbols.

In Taipei, revelers were particularly enamored of snakeshaped paper lanterns supplied by the municipal government, as well as coins imprinted with snake logos and snake-like toys thought to bring good luck.

At the Temple of White Snakes in suburban Taoyuan county, director Lo Chin-shih presided over a glass-encased display of dozens of slithering snakes, replete with flashing pink tongues and slowly molting skin, a symbol of change, renewal and hope for a better future.

Lo said this snake year will be a time of steady progress, in contrast to the more turbulent nature of the outgoing dragon year.

“Unlike dragons that make abrupt, attention-getting moves, snakes take slow and steady steps,” he said, making it clear he considers the hiss of the Year of the Snake worse than its bite.

theBIZ

The A&T Register | ncatregister.com | Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Doctors want to grow Medicaid GARY D. ROBERTSON Associated Press

RALEIGH, N.C. — Several physicians and nurses said Monday the North Carolina General Assembly’s choice to cover more uninsured people through Medicaid should be a no-brainer because it will create jobs, save state money and make people healthier.

The medical professional spoke at a Legislative Building news conference a day before a House committee takes up a bill to prevent North Carolina from expanding Medicaid under the federal health care overhaul.

The measure, which passed the Senate last week, would block state government from covering an estimated 500,000 uninsured people through Medicaid and tells the federal government to build the

Reynolds American 4Q profit falls MICHAEL FELBERBAUM Associated Press

RICHMOND, Va.— Reynolds American, the nation’s second-biggest tobacco company, saw its fourth-quarter profit fall 54 percent on pension and trademark-related charges and other costs.

But earnings for the maker of Camel, Pall Mall and Natural American Spirit cigarettes, excluding one-time charges, rose about 6 percent as consumers bought more smokeless tobacco brands like Grizzly and Kodiak.

Smokeless tobacco sales, as well as higher prices and productivity gains, offset cigarette volume declines and increased promotional spending.

Reynolds American Inc., based in Winston-Salem, N.C., said its net income fell to $139 million, or 25 cents per share, for the threemonth period ended Dec. 31, down from $304 million, or 52 cents per share, a year ago. Adjusted earnings were 76 cents per share, beating Wall Street expectations by three cents.

Revenue excluding excise taxes fell slightly to $2.08 billion. Analysts polled by FactSet expected $2.06 billion.

Citi analyst Vivien Azer said Reynolds had a “solid finish in a tough competitive environment,” in a note to investors.

Company shares fell 33 cents to $43.89 in morning trading.

“Continued economic weakness, combined with an intensely competitive marketplace presented significant challenges for our businesses,” CEO Daniel M. Delen said in a conference call with investors.

The number of cigarettes sold by its R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. subsidiary fell about 3 percent during the quarter to 17.1 billion, compared with its estimate of a total industry decline of less than 1 percent. It sold 5.5 percent more of its Pall Mall brand and volumes of Camel fell slightly. The brands account for more than 60 percent of its total cigarette volume.

Camel’s market share remained stable at 8.6 percent of the U.S. market, while Pall Mall’s market share grew 0.3 percentage points to 8.9 percent.

The company has promoted Pall Mall as a longerlasting and more affordable cigarette for smokers who are weathering the weak economy and high unemployment. The company has said that half of the people who try the brand continue using it.

state’s online marketplace for health insurance.

The federal government will repay states all costs related to the expansion for three years, ultimately falling to 90 percent.

Republicans contend they can’t be assured the federal government will keep its word and instead be required to pay significantly more in a state Medicaid system they say is already struggling with overspending.

Dr. Charles van der Horst, an AIDS researcher at professor at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, said it makes no sense to surrender $15 billion the federal government would pay for the expanded coverage.

An outside consultant for the state Department of Health and Human Services said the expansion would generate

23,000 net jobs through 2021 and annual real disposable income of $1 billion.

“And what do you think the voters will say that we’re turning this down?” Van Der Horst asked, adding Republican elected leaders in other states support the expansion.

Without the expansion, North Carolina hospitals will continue to have pay for charity care in emergency rooms, the cost of which will keep getting passed along to patients with private insurance, he said.

“It’s morally wrong to not expand Medicaid,” said Dr. Mohan Chilukuri with Durham Family Medicine. “It fiscally doesn’t make any sense.”

Tuesday’s version of the Senate bill will be amended to address concerns from Republican Gov. Pat McCrory, said Rep. Justin Burr, R-Stanly,

who filed an identical bill in the House. McCrory supports the concept of declining to expand Medicaid right now and to start a state-based exchange in 2014, an administration official said last week.

Burr said the House version of the bill could be on the chamber floor for debate later this week.

Surgeon and first-term Rep. Jim Fulghum, R-Wake, a brain surgeon, said Monday after the news conference he doesn’t know yet how he’ll vote on the measure and wants more information about exactly how much it may cost the state.

The state is still expected to be required to spend cumulatively hundreds of millions of dollars on the expansion through the end of the decade.

He watched the news conference and said he didn’t like

the tone of some speakers.

“I didn’t hear a willingness to hear anybody else’s point of view,” he said.

Van der Horst criticized the contents of an online petition by Senate leader Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, urging supporters to sign up to “Stop Obamacare in North Carolina,” saying they were misleading.

Berger spokesman Ray Martin said the petition information is “completely accurate” and accused a professor such as van der Horst of pushing “a misleading and partisan political agenda.”

“It is not surprising to me that some of those folks would react or overreact to any statements that are made that criticize Obamacare,” Berger told WRAL-TV on Monday evening.

Struggling Caribbean islands selling citizenship DAVID McFADDEN Associated Press

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Hadi Mezawi has never set foot on the Caribbean island of Dominica, has never seen its rainforests or black-sand beaches. But he’s one of its newest citizens.

Without leaving his home in the United Arab Emirates, the Palestinian man recently received a brand new Dominican passport after sending a roughly $100,000 contribution to the tropical nation half a world away.

“At the start I was a little worried that it might be a fraud, but the process turned out to be quite smooth and simple.

Now, I am a Dominican,” said Mezawi, who like many Palestinians had not been recognized as a citizen of any country. That passport will help with travel for his job with a Brazilian food processing company, he said by telephone from Dubai.

Turmoil in the Middle East and North Africa has led to a surge of interest in programs that let investors buy citizenship or residence in countries around the world in return for a healthy contribution or investment.

Most are seeking a second passport for hassle-free travel or a ready escape hatch in case things get worse at home.

Nowhere is it easier or faster than in the minuscule Eastern Caribbean nations of Dominica and St. Kitts & Nevis.

It’s such a booming business that a Dubai-based company is building a 4-square-mile (10square-kilometer) community in St. Kitts where investors can buy property and citizenship at the same time. In its first phase, some 375 shareholders will get citizenship by investing $400,000 each in the project, which is expected to include a 200-room hotel and a megayacht marina.

Others will get passports for buying one of 50 condominium units.

“The more they fight over

there, the more political problems there are, the more applications we get here,” said Victor Doche, managing director of another company that offers four condominium projects where approved buyers are granted citizenship in St. Kitts, which is less than twice the size of Washington D.C. It’s impossible to say how many people have used the cash for citizenship programs.

Officials in both countries declined to respond when asked

by The Associated Press.

“Why do I have to speak on that?” said Levi Peter, Dominica’s attorney general. “I have no explanation to give to AP.” But Bernard Wiltshire, a former Dominica attorney general, said there were already around 3,000 economic citizens when he left government about a decade ago. The country now has roughly 73,000 inhabitants in all.

“Investor visa” or citizenship programs are offered by many nations, including the United States, Canada, Britain and Austria. But the Caribbean countries offer a fast path to citizenship at a very low cost.

The whole process, including background checks, can take as little as 90 days in St. Kitts.

And there’s no need to ever live on the islands, or even visit.

A foreigner can qualify for citizenship in St. Kitts with a $250,000 donation to a fund for retired sugar workers or with a minimum real estate investment of $400,000. The minimum contribution in Dominica is $100,000.

By contrast, a U.S. program allows visas for a $1 million investment in a U.S. business employing at least 10 people or $500,000 in designated economically depressed areas. The investor can apply for permanent residence in two years, and seek citizenship after five more. Demand in Canada is so great that the country stopped accepting new applications in July.

A Dominica passport holder

can travel without a visa to more than 50 countries, while a St. Kitts passport provides visa-free travel to 139 countries, including all of the European Union. That’s a big deal to people in countries from which travel is restricted or whose passports are treated with suspicion.

Critics say the programs undermine the integrity of national passports and have security risks. While there are no known cases of terrorists using the programs, experts say that’s a possibility with many visa arrangements anywhere.

“No level of scrutiny can completely guarantee that terrorists will not make use of these programs, just as background checks cannot eliminate the risk that dangerous individuals will not enter the country (the U.S.) on tourist visas, as students or as refugees,” said Madeleine Sumption, a senior policy analyst at the Washington-based Migration Policy Institute.

Canada imposed visa requirements on Dominica citizens a decade ago after complaining that suspected criminals had used island passports. And in 2010, Britain said it was considering visa requirements for Dominicans, prompting the island to review its 20-year-old economic citizenship program. Dominica never publicly released the results of its review and Britain took no action.

St. Kitts closed its program to Iranians in December 2011, shortly after Iranian students stormed the British Embassy in Tehran.

Iranians had earlier been a major source of applicants, according to Doche.

Some locals worry the programs could get out of hand if conditions worsen abroad.

“There could be a flood of people with our passports relocating here,” said Dominica’s Wiltshire. “What are we going to do then? Really, this program must be halted. It’s dan-

gerous to us and dangerous for our neighbors.”

St. Kitts opposition leader Mark Brantley said the citizenship program was bringing much needed revenue to the debt-swamped islands, but he said there should be better oversight and public accounting. “We do not see that sufficient controls are currently in place to ensure that bad people, for want of better language, do not get access to our citizenship,” he said.

It’s not just economic refugees who are interested in the programs.

American Neil Strauss wrote of securing citizenship in St. Kitts in his 2009 book on survivalist preparedness, “Emergency: This Book Will Save Your Life.”

“The same way we have a backup drive for our computer in case the hard drive explodes, I just felt like I wanted a backup citizenship in case the same thing happened to my country,” Strauss said during a phone call from his home in Los Angeles.

Like most economic citizens of St. Kitts, he rents out his island property.

Some other struggling Eastern Caribbean islands are looking at adopting the St. Kitts model.

Antigua & Barbuda is launching its own citizenship program to drum up money.

And leaders of both main parties on the poor island of Grenada have hinted they may revive a program that was suspended after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, due to fears that local passports could be mistakenly sold to terrorists, In Dubai, Mezawi said he keeps meeting fellow Dominica passport holders, mostly people of Iranian and Palestinian background.

“After the Arab Spring, it’s become more difficult for us to really travel around the world, even in the Arab region,” he said. “But being a citizen of Dominica, it is much, much better for us.”

Apple CEO dismisses criticism; calls lawsuit ‘silly sideshow’ John Boudreau

Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO —Apple CEO Tim Cook on Tuesday dismissed complaints from activist shareholder David Einhorn that the company has a “Depression-era” attitude about hoarding cash, called his lawsuit challenging a proxy that would limit the ability to create a special class of stock “a silly sideshow” and said his engineers have not lost their innovative edge.

Speaking at a Goldman Sachs technology conference, Cook reiterated Apple’s stand that it is seriously looking at whether to return more cash to shareholders as its cash stockpile grew to $137 billion as of the end of the December quarter, roughly two-thirds of which

is held overseas.

“Apple doesn’t have a Depression-era mentality,” he said. “Apple makes bold and ambitious bets on products, and we are conservative financially.”

Cook called the lawsuit filed by Einhorn’s hedge fund, Greenlight Capital, a “misunderstanding” and said if Apple were ever to issue preferred stock _ which Einhorn is calling for _ the company would first seek shareholder approval.

Last year, the Cupertino, Calif., company announced its first quarterly dividend since 1995 _ $2.65 a share beginning in August _ as shareholders called on Apple to reward investors with a slice of its cash.

Greenlight Capital’s suit seeks to halt a companysponsored proxy proposal that

would eliminate “blank check” preferred stock; the proposal is scheduled to be voted on during Apple’s annual shareholder meeting on Feb. 27.

“Now, we do have some cash,” Cook said, “but it’s a privilege to be in this position.

Last quarter, cash flow from operations for Apple was over $23 billion. It’s an incredible privilege for us to be in this position that we can seriously consider returning additional cash to shareholders.”

The company spent $10 billion on capital expenditures last year and will likely do the same this year, Cook said. Apple will not buy large companies simply to increase revenue, he added.

Apple’s stock price has plunged some 35 percent in recent months, which some critics attribute to increasing com-

petition from competitors such as Samsung and Google in the smartphone and tablet markets.

Cook noted that the current smartphone market of 700 million units sold every year globally, which Apple kick-started with the introduction of the iPhone in 2007, is expected to double to an annual market of 1.4 billion in four years.

“I see a market that is incredible to be in _ maybe the best market of all times,” he said. “Apple has enormous momentum.”

Speaking with Goldman Sachs’ chief Apple analyst, Bill Shope, Cook would not address rumors that the company plans to roll out a low-end iPhone. Instead, he pointed to the company’s iPod line of music players. The first one sold for $399.

5

Business highlights Compiled by Associated Press NC college bookkeeper faces embezzlement charge MONTREAT, N.C. — A Saluda woman is charged with embezzling $270,000 from Montreat College, where she worked as a bookkeeper.

The Hendersonville TimesNews reported Friday that Montreat College Campus Police arrested Tracy Anne Pace.

According to a magistrate’s order filed with Buncombe County District Court, Pace is accused of embezzling from the private Christian college in Montreat. The 43-year-old bookkeeper is set to appear in Buncombe County District Court on Feb. 21.

Annie Carlson, director of Communications & Alumni Relations at Montreat College, declined to comment about the arrest, saying the investigation is ongoing.

NC nonprofit: private school tuition affordable RALEIGH, N.C. — A nonprofit group that wants North Carolina to let corporations channel their taxes into private school scholarships says the schools cost less than people think.

Parents for Educational Freedom in North Carolina says Monday it asked more than 640 private elementary and high schools statewide how much they charged and got responses from nearly 90 percent. The group says the average yearly tuition is $6,200. The average tuition drops to $5,400 by excluding the 10 percent that are expensive college-prep and special needs schools.

The group last year lobbied for a law to allow corporations to divert their state taxes to nonprofits that would then distribute scholarships of up to $4,000 per student for private school tuition. Taxpayers spent an average of $8,400 for each public school student last year.

CPA convicted for role in $40 million Ponzi scheme CHARLOTTE, N.C. — An accountant has been convicted for his role in a $40 million Ponzi scheme that defrauded investors in North Carolina, Virginia and Ohio.

A federal jury in Charlotte convicted Jonathan D. Davey of Newark, Ohio, on four counts of investment fraud conspiracy and tax evasion. Prosecutors say Davey administered several hedge funds in the Black Diamond Ponzi scheme, soliciting more than $11 million from victims in the case.

The 48-year-old accountant, who was convicted Friday, is the 11th defendant convicted in the 2007 fraud, which prosecutors say deprived about 400 victims of more than $40 million.

Prosecutors say Davey used a shell company in Belize to funnel money toward construction of his mansion in Ohio.

Davey faces a maximum sentence of 50 years in prison and $1 million in fines.

CPA convicted for role in $40 million Ponzi scheme RALEIGH, N.C. — The U.S. Labor Department is entering the debate at the North Carolina General Assembly about the state unemployment insurance program overhaul that could be on Gov. Pat McCrory’s desk this week.

Acting Secretary Seth Harris said Monday that 170,000 people would lose or miss $780 million in federal emergency unemployment benefits if the bill becomes law. That’s because Congress passed a bill last month that extended the benefits for a year to states unless they changed their payment structure.

The North Carolina legislation would cut maximum weekly benefits by one-third, scale back maximum benefit weeks and raise taxes on business to accelerate repaying $2.5 billion owed the federal government.

Harris said families would “suffer a grievous blow” by the bill, which will be debated by the full Senate on Tuesday.

theWORD 6

The A&T Register | ncatregister.com | Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Aftereightyears,PopeBenedictXVIcallsitquits CHICAGO TRIBUNE MCT Campus

It seems fitting that he delivered the news in Latin, not in German, or Italian, or English, or the other languages he speaks.

Pope Benedict XVI is a traditionalist in the Roman Catholic Church. So, Latin? Sure.

But what he uttered on Monday certainly broke tradition. He is the first pope in six centuries to leave the helm of the church not by death, but by decision.

Eight years after he was called to lead his church upon the death of Pope John Paul II, Benedict said he can no longer muster the mental or physical strength to lead the church. At 85, he will stand aside.

And so he will be in the rare position of hearing the world’s assessment of his tenure. The eulogies, if you will. That started on Monday with the broad opinion that he has made a courageous decision for the good of his church.

Benedict stood, with uncompromising conviction, for the sanctity of life. He lent no support to Catholics who bristled at certain elements of church doctrine. His tenacious defense of the church’s teaching earned

this native of Bavaria the nickname “God’s Rottweiler.”

Like it or not, he will forever be compared with his predecessor. He could not match the charisma of John Paul II, one of the most influential religious leaders of modern times. But Benedict affirmed the direction of the church.

Those who hope for a sudden tilt under the next pope are likely to be disappointed. The cardinals who will choose the new leader were elevated to their high standing by the last two popes. They chose with purpose.

Benedict, like John Paul II, will be remembered as a powerful symbol. Much as the papacy of the former Cardinal Karol Wojtyla enabled his homeland of Poland to heal the scars of Nazi and Soviet domination in its past, so too did the former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger’s papacy lift his native Germany from its terrible wartime history.

John Paul II’s final years were heartbreaking. His oncestrapping body failed him.

Parkinson’s disease made his public appearances painful to watch. At the same time, his decision to live out his papacy in public, enduring with dignity

his human struggle against a foe he could not defeat, inspired.

One enduring legacy for Benedict will be the selection of his successor. By resigning rather than dying in office, the pope has reserved for himself an additional measure of influence over who comes next.

The pope has favored Europeans as he has elevated new cardinals, increasing the chances that the next pope will be, like him, European. If the cardinals look to where the church has grown, has found new members, however, they will break tradition. Is it possible that this time the church will be led by a priest born and bred in Latin America?

Africa? The United States?

A successor is expected to be elected by Easter, which falls on March 31, but there is no rigid timetable.

The world will watch one of the great spectacles in religious life, the secret deliberation that will conclude with the appearance of white smoke from the Sistine Chapel’s chimney, signifying that a new pope has been chosen.

And, God willing, for the first time in centuries his predecessor will be there to see it, too.

Guidelines to a successful V-Day experience KOURTNEY POPE

Register Reporter

Is Valentine’s Day a mutual holiday? Why or why not?

Guy 1: Valentine’s day is a day for the girls to get whatever they want. What guy do you know that counts down until Valentines Day? I wish it was a mutual holiday, but no. I think the men deserve some tender love and care sometimes too.

Guy 2: I guess Valentine’s day is kind of a mutual holiday.

Both people get something out of the deal. Usually for the guy it’s the company of a beautiful young lady and for the girls it’s the royal treatment and attention of a young man. Plus all the gifts and chocolate.

Guy 3: No! It is not a mutual holiday. I’ve been alive for 22 years and still have not got a Valentine’s Day gift and probably never will. Valentine’s day is just another secret plan to make me a hundred dollars broker than the day before. We need to make a day just for men so we can see how their pockets perform under pressure.

What is a reasonable spending amount for your Valentine? Explain.

Guy 1: I am not spending on nobody unless they plan on spending money on me, so zero. What people fail to realize is that as soon as Valentine’s Day is over a lot of these girls are going to get ghost on these dudes. Happened to me a long time ago. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

Guy 2: It is not about the money, it is about the chance to show someone that you love

or care for them just because you can. Money is temporary, but the memories of love and happiness last forever. Girls really appreciate when men treat them with respect and gratitude.

Guy 3: A quick $10 McDonalds or Taco Bell run seems to be enough love for one day. But seriously, a $20 dollar meal at an above average restaurant should make a college girl happy. But then again it depends on who you’re taking out. You have some females who want to eat dinner and desert. The money really should not even matter.

When you give a Valentine’s Day gift do you expect something in return or is it all love?

Guy 1: Yea, if I give a gift I am expecting some form of gift to be returned. I mean everybody knows what V-Day is an excuse for. And I know I am not the only one. We don’t have to go into detail, but nobody does it completely for the love. It is too materialistic.

Guy 2: It’s all love. I remember my first Valentine’s date in high school. I took my girl to Applebee’s with a $25 gift card I got as a birthday gift the week before. What could I have possibly expected in return?

Guy 3: I am expecting at least a kiss or something. I mean seriously, if I go all out and buy one of these girls some chocolate and some flowers and do not get a kiss I’m going to be mad salty. Can you blame me?

Want to Ask a Black Guy something?

Well send it to us!

theatregister@gmail.com Or send it to us on Twitter @ATRegister

Ladies and gentlemen it is that time of year again. The time of year when love has a price and it better be more than just a two for 20 at Chili’s.

It is also the time of year single girls dread, finding themselves scrapping the bottom of yet another tub of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream alone.

Valentine’s Day is a time that brings joy to a woman’s heart and sorrow to a man’s wallet. Women sigh and men groan as the day that can make or break relationships creeps closer.

The amount of pressure placed on this day is astounding. This celebration was once a day of expressing love and gratitude for one’s partner, but has recently become a circus.

Men are forever doomed.

Last year’s battle to go above and beyond was ridiculous.

Heaven forbid he falls short this year. That means he has 364 days of nagging to look forward to.

No matter how hard a guy works to make this particular day feel special, there are always those who just fall short.

The funny part about it is, no matter how horrible the date goes he always feels as if he has done nothing wrong. Maybe she is upset because she caught you buying her gift at the A&T Bookstore. Perhaps she is a little ticked off because you left the receipt from the Aggie C-Store in her gift bag? My personal favorite is when he signed the card to Michelle, but told Tiffany he have been over Michelle for months.

I have had my share of Valentines. Some have gone well while others went downright awful. I suggest you do the fol-

lowing to avoid a slap to the face and a bruised ego.

One is to be on time. Women cannot stand tardiness. Secondly, open the door for her. Do not just swing the door open hard and hope she catches it behind you. Trust me, it happens. He knows who he is. I loved the part when I did not catch it and he continued walking. Needless to say there was no second date.

Next, when on the date make an effort to stir engaging conversation. Engaging conversation does not include questions about her sex life. If you ask a question give her time to answer and actually listen. Do not cut her off in the middle of her sentence to turn up the radio because “this is your jam.” Again, you know who you are.

Lastly, make this date as positive as possible. Do not make her feel rushed during dinner because you were late. You knew

the movie started at 8:45, but you did not get to the restaurant until 7:50. I am pretty sure you will survive with nine minutes of credits instead of ten. Constantly asking for a time check over dinner is not going to get you a call back either.

As you can see, the rules are quite simple. I have done all the dirty work for you and all you need to do is follow these guidelines. Most of all, remember to live in the moment. Valentine’s Day should be every day. However, take the time out to dig deep and really let that person know just how special he or she is to you. If you find yourself lonely this time, “cuffing season” will be right around the corner!

-Email her at kdpope@aggies. ncat.edu and follow The A&T Register on Twitter @TheATRegister

Is homophobia another excuse for discrimination?

PAUL JOHNSON Contributor

There are many aspects of gay culture that go unnoticed or ignored. Please allow me to enlighten you. Cultural diversity cannot be ignored and each culture deserves attention and acknowledgement by the public. So here is your personal serving of gay, hot and fresh out of the oven. Bon appétit!

The notion of homophobia has been around for quite some time. But what are people so afraid of? Perhaps it is due to fear of the unknown.

For instance, the straight men who believe all gay men are attracted to them. Definitely not true! What makes them think they are so special anyways?

Want to know what I think?

Homophobia is a cover-up for

the fact that people neglect and discriminate against cultures and lifestyles they do not necessarily agree with. The term Homophobia is often used to justify discrimination and hatred.

Homophobia is not a fear.

There is also the depiction of gay culture in the media. Media seems to be the only outlet that recognizes that gay people and culture not only exist, but that gay culture will be a part of American society for years to come.

“LogoTV,” a channel in 2005, along with shows like “Glee” and “The L.A. Complex” need more public exposure.

These shows and stations are accurate and realistic because they eliminate any misconceptions of what it means to be gay or what a gay person is.

They demonstrate the side of

homosexuality that says not all gay people are the same. In fact, some of us are very flashy and flamboyant while others act just as straight as a heterosexual.

This is a principle that all people should understand.

Understanding gay culture does not stop at the big screen and mainstream media. This topic hits home as well. For example, consider gay culture at our very own school, A&T. People Recognizing Our Underlying Differences (P.R.O.U.D.), an advocacy group that caters to lesbian, gay men, bisexuals, transgender, and questioning students (LGBTQ), holds programs and meetings on varying topics that involve the gay community. The group creates a safe environment where LGBTQ students can come and be themselves.

A&T as a whole is not against gay people, but I cannot speak for everyone. Having groups like P.R.O.U.D. on campus is great. Because gay people are not accepted by everyone.

So there it is, a brief tour through the eyes of a gay guy.

Remember, we too are regular people, human people. Many of us wish to get married and have families just like any same sex couples. Do not use homophobia as an excuse to justify ignorance, hatred, and fear. Realize that no prototypical gay person exists. Finally, make sure that you respect us for who we are because, believe me when I say, we are not going anywhere.

-Email us at theatregister @gmail. com and follow The A&T Register on Twitter @TheATRegister

Letter to the Editor: Valentine’s Day Thank You During the morning of Jan. 22, I, Linda Rogers, went to the bathroom on the first floor of the General Classroom Building, between the times of 9 and 9:15 a.m.

I had loose money in my pocket in the amount of $380.00. This was all the money I had and it was the money for my car payment.

When I came out of the bathroom my money was gone.

On Jan. 28 I received a phone call at about 1:00 asking if anyone turned in the money, where I was and what time I leave for the day. I told the caller I was in room A-119 on the first floor of GCB. Two young ladies came and said they wanted to bless me.

They gave me $300 dollars and one of the young ladies said, “Miss. Linda call me if you cannot get the $80.” They left at about a quarter after one.

They called back and asked me if I had left yet. I told them I had not left.

They told me to wait.

They shared what they did with a friend and he or she gave

them $80 for me.

I began crying tears of joy.

I pray God blesses these young people and gives them success in everything they do in life.

They are true Samaritans to have blessed me.

I am in debt to them; they have made a profound impact on my heart.

Editor’s note:The opinions expressed on The Word are those of the writers and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the staff of The A&T Register. All house editorials are written and revised with input from the editorial board, staff, and is approved by the editor. All submissions must be sent to theatregister@gmail.com to be considered for submission and should be no longer than 250 words. Submissions must be received by the Sunday prior to publication at 5 p.m. to be considered. The A&T Register reserves the right to edit all submission content for clarity and grammar. Submissions become the property of The A&T Register and will not be returned.

theSCORE The A&T Register | ncatregister.com | Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Lady Aggies win six back-to-back UNIQUA QUILLINS

Register Reporter

The Lady Aggies prevailed 69-50 over the Lady Rattlers of Florida A&M to gain their sixth consecutive win on Monday.

In addition to a six game win streak, the Lady Aggies have now one 16 games this season.

For the past two years, the Lady Aggies have only been able to muster 15 wins in each season.

“We’ve taken it another step and hopefully we can keep it going,” said head coach Tarrell Robinson. Robinson also talked to his girls before the game about being accountable and dealing with holding each other accountable. He believes the ladies are doing that thus far this season. According to sophomore guard Jessica Lyons, the team is only as strong as their weakest link.

The Lady Aggies began the first half with a lot of energy and executed effectively on offense fielding a 6-0 run. Sophomore guard Ariel Bursey, and freshman center Eboni Ross helped get the Lady Aggies to an early lead. The ladies continued to execute offensively throughout the first half. With 10 minutes left in the half, the Lady Aggies were able to obtain a 10 point lead. Junior guard Amber Calvin soon increased that lead to 11 points with a shot beyond the arch.

The Lady Aggies’ defensive effort was also a major factor in their win over the Rattlers.

They were able to score nine points with forced turnovers

by Florida A&M. A&T’s size definitely contributed as well.

Florida A&M’s players were relatively smaller than A&T’s,

AGGIES RUNDOWN MEN’S BASKETBALL

and the Lady Aggies used that to their advantage to make plays in the paint. The Lady Aggies outscored Florida A&M 16-4 in the paint. “That was one of our keys to the victory,” said Robinson. The Lady Aggies ended the half 38-18.

In the second half, the Lady Aggies continued to stay consistent and executed on both ends of the court. With 14 minutes left in regulation, the Lady Aggies had their highest lead of the game with FAMU trailing by 24 points Florida A&M continued to fight, closing the gap to 19 points.

Ross was the led all scorers with 15 points and six rebounds.

Robinson says Ross is stepping up and bringing the dominant inside presence coaches have asked of her. Senior forward JaQuayla Berry also had an outstanding game with 14 points and five steals.

“If [JaQuayla] is into it and she’s working hard, then everybody feeds into that,” said Robinson. Junior guard Tracy King also hit double digits with 10 points, two offensive rebounds, and three defensive rebounds.

The Lady Aggies will go on the road next to face S.C. State, Savannah State, and N.C. Central. According to Robinson, in order for the ladies to keep this streak going, it comes down to mental preparation, perfecting their offensive and defensive schemes, and continuing to grow. “It’s going to be a tough game but we knew we just got to keep the focus from the past few games,” said Lyons.

Email Uniqua at uyquilli@aggies. ncat.edu and follow The Register on Twitter @TheATRegister

7

TEAM Norfolk State North Carolina Central Savannah State Hampton North Carolina A&T Delaware State Morgan State Bethune-Cookman Florida A&M Howard Coppin State Maryland Eastern Shore South Carolina State

CONF. 11-0 10-0 7-1 7-3 6-4 5-4 5-5 4-6 3-7 3-8 2-8 1-8 0-9

OVR. 16-10 17-7 13-10 10-13 13-12 10-13 8-13 9-16 6-18 6-19 5-20 1-19 4-18

UPCOMING GAMES: Saturday at S.C. State 8 p.m.

Monday at Savannah State 7:30 p.m.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM Hampton North Carolina A&T Howard Bethune-Cookman Florida A&M South Carolina State Delaware State Coppin State Morgan State Norfolk State Savannah State Maryland Eastern Shore North Carolina Central

CONF. 10-0 8-2 8-3 6-4 6-4 5-4 5-4 5-6 5-6 3-8 2-7 2-7 0-10

OVR. 19-5 16-7 14-9 11-11 9-14 13-7 8-14 9-15 8-16 5-17 7-15 6-14 0-23

UPCOMING GAMES: Saturday at S.C. State 6 p.m.

Monday at Savannah State 5:30 p.m.

BASEBALL UPCOMING MATCH: Friday vs. Buffalo 3 p.m.

PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER MARTIN • THE A&T REGISTER

TRACY KING fights off FAMU defender in the paint in the second half on Monday, February 11, 2013.

AGGIE INSIDER Q and A with Cayla Cross

Register reporter Meagan Jordan talks one-on-one with tennis player Cayla Cross.

independent, organized and it encourages you to keep pushing forward when you feel like giving up. It is hard maintaining a 3.0 Cayla Cross, senior acMJ: What do you like to counting major, is a native do for fun? of Bermuda. Among CC: I love to Cross’s accolades, she travel. I like to was recently selected read, and I curas the MEAC’s tennis rently volunteer player of the week. Not at Glenwood only is Cross active Ministries where in her community but I teach K-2nd she is also an academic grade how to read scholar, upholding a 3.1 and do math.

GPA. Though Cross is MJ: If you very business oriented can be any anishe enjoys Beyonce’ and Cross mal what would enjoys the television you be and why? show “Minute To Win It.” CC: I would definitely be Here is a look into the life of a lion because I am strong the 21-year-old. and aggressive.

MJ: What are your plans MJ: What made you come for Valentines Day? to A&T? CC: I got a couple of ofCC: It is common to go to school abroad in the U.S, U.K fers, but I think I am going to pass and cook myself some or Canada. I do not like the dinner and watch my favorite cold so the U.K. and Canada movie “The Parent Trap.” was out of the question. I MJ: Describe yourself in went on a college tour of three words.

HBCU’s and I liked A&T the CC: Confident, Spontanebest. ous and Persistent.

MJ: How did you begin MJ: What is your biggest playing tennis? fear?

CC: I began at the age of CC: At the moment it is ten and I hated it. My father losing someone close to me were my coach and he paid me to play. I received 10 cents back at home, because I am all the way up here and I every time I hit the ball over the net. I then entered my first don’t really have anyone.

MJ: What is your greatest tournament and won and that accomplishment? motivated me to play.

CC: It hasn’t happened MJ: What are your future yet, but I am the first of my goals in life? immediate family to attend CC: I plan to obtain my masters in accounting, receive college.

MJ:Who is your favorite my CPA (Certified Public tennis player?

Accounting), and work for CC: Serena Williams, a public auditing accountin the tennis world she is ing firm. I was offered a job my role model. I love her at PricewaterhouseCoopers aggressiveness, passion for already. the sport and her ability to MJ: Who is your Idol/ work under pressure. She is Motivation?

CC: My parents, they have unpredictable.

MJ: What is something been there for me through most people don’t know everything, and they have my about you? best interest at heart.

CC: Most people don’t MJ: How is life as a know that I am black; most student athlete? What has it people think I am mixed and taught you? speak three different lanCC: It is very hectic, your schedule keeps you extremely guages but I am completely black. busy; it taught me how to be

Saturday vs. Buffalo 1 p.m.

Sunday vs. Buffalo 1 p.m.

Friday vs. Elon 3 p.m.

BOWLING UPCOMING MATCH: Friday-Sunday Morgan State Invitational Towson, Md.

TENNIS UPCOMING MATCHES: Saturday at Elon 3:30 p.m.

Sunday at Coastal Carolina 2:30 p.m.

TRACK & FIELD UPCOMING MEET: Thursday-Saturday MEAC Indoor Track & Field Championships Landover, Md.

AROUND SPORTS Panthers to begin renovation after 2013 season Carolina Panthers president Danny Morrison said the team plans to begin renovations on its 16-year-old stadium immediately after the 2013 NFL season and estimates the project could take two years to complete.

The master plan calls for between $261 million and $297 million in upgrades, according to Morrison.

Charlotte’s City Council is backing a proposal to give the Panthers nearly $144 million from a food and beverage tax increase to pay for stadium upgrades and the team is seeking more than $60 million in state funds.

Morrison said the goal of Panthers owner Jerry Richardson has been to improve the experience for all 74,000 fans, not just those in the luxury suites.

Morrison said the Panthers would love to host a Super Bowl and the new upgrades would certainly help bring it up to par with some of the best stadium in the league.

The problem has always been an issue of hotel space in Charlotte.

8

The A&T Register | ncatregister.com | Wednesday, February 13, 2013

#TRENDING Fashion Hotpicks

The A&T Register takes a look at all the great trends from the Fashion World.

Ladies, this Valentine’s Day bless your lips with MAC’s very own Candy Yum Yum. Candy Yum Yum is a matte Hot pink with a magenta undertone that is perfect for Valentine’s Day, or any special occasion.

Back by popular demand, it is the color of the month.

Ladies afraid of bold lips and bright pinks should not to fear because Candy Yum Yum’s velvet finish and magenta undertone is sure to look picture perfect.

Your lips will sure to be the talk of the evening. Available at your local MAC stores, or online at www.maccosmetics.com

Love Connection: The Scene’s Eligible Aggies As Valentine’s Day vastly approaches, many couples scramble to find the perfect thing to do in order to not break their bank yet still show one another they care. For others, it is more about finding that perfect someone to spend this special time with. We here at The A&T Register have taken the time and pressure out of the whole ordeal. We have compiled a list of intriguing and eye-catching bachelors and bachelorettes A&T has to offer. Take a look at our undergraduate students and even faculty that possess great potential.

Happy Valentine’s Day! *Faculty Alert* Gerald Spates, Multicultural Center Dislikes: Ridged, Routine, Passive Ideal Valentine’s date: Italian Dinner, a carriage ride around the city, and roses

Greg Bodmer, senior, criminal justice major

Kennedy Stewart, freshman, biology major

Janae Crockett, senior, finance major

Danielle Smart, senior theater major

Ideal Valentine’s date: A home- cooked candlelight dinner and a movie from redbox Interests: Sports, poetry, music and theory Career goals: Become an officer in the US Coast Guard and to be stable to support a family Celebrity match: Aaliyah

Career goals: To become a Gynecologist Likes: Long legs, long hair, in shape, well proportioned, intelligent, confusing, loving Dislikes: Nonchalant attitude, pressuring, nosey Celebrity match: Meagan Good

Career goals: Established lead financial advisor for major celebrities Interests: Having fun, being spontaneous and engaging in intellectual conversations Likes: Tall, athletic build with a smile that could melt hearts

Dislikes: Narrow minded, selfish, non-artistic Celebrity match: Nate Parker Ideal Valentine’s date: A night out on the town seeing a Broadway play then ending the night with a trip to Waffle House

THE CARRIE DIARIES stars

Being single on Valentine’s Day is not the end of the world. Not having a date on the day of “love” may be challenging for some, but instead of harping on what you do not have, now is the time to appreciate why you are single and reevaluate yourself. Do not spend this day having a pity party. Here are some things you can do to spice your Valentine’s Day up!

-M.J.

Trip down memory lane Reenact your first date, or the day you two became official.

Remind each other why you were attracted and how your relationship grew into what it is today.

Be Physical & Productive Take a Yoga class to relieve some stress, or try that kickboxing class you have always been interested in. Take this time to do something you always wanted to do but never had the time for such, as an art class or a cooking class.

Couple Relaxation Enjoy a couple’s massage at a spa for a good price, or go get pedicures. Yes, boys can and should get pedicures. No one wants monsters for feet.

Home is where the heart is Be a homebody. I am not encouraging a day of hooky from class but stay in the room, order out, and watch your favorite movies together.

Be Daring Be Competitive Stir up a game of battle of the sexes, whether it’s through the Wii, or a game of cards. Have a blast with your single ladies and gents.

Switch it up Instead of going out, stay in and cook a Valentine’s Day dinner together. If you do go out, try a restaurant where you have to make your own food, or try hibachi where you get to watch it being made while drinking Saki.

Love someone else Take this time to appreciate someone. Volunteer somewhere and spread love. Go half with a platonic friend on a lunch date, or simply take this day to call someone you haven’t talked to in a while and catch up.

Role Play Switch roles for the day. Play the roles of your favorite couples in a movie and put your own spin to it. This might lead to a fun adventure later on.

Treat Yourself So no one is getting you anything? Who cares when you can get yourself something? Buy yourself that bracelet you were eyeing at the mall, or treat yourself out to your favorite restaurant.

Be Active Take a couples Salsa class, or go roller-skating during free skate at the local roller rink. Be kids at heart and go go cart racing or shoot each other down in a game of lasertag.

QUESTIONS

Annasophia Robb (SoulSurfer & Jumper) as a young 16-year-old named Carrie Bradshaw living in suburban Connecticut. The year is 1984, and Carrie’s mother has just passed away, which means Carrie has to grow up fast. Her younger sister Dorrit is more rebellious than ever, and their father Tom is overwhelmed with the responsibility of having to care for two teenage girls on his own. “The Carrie Diaries” is a hip spin on the beloved sitcom, “Sex & the City”.

“The Carrie Diaries” airs Mondays at 8p.m. ET on the CW.

ON FOX THE FOLLOWING is a psychological thriller about a serial killer, Joe Carrol, who escapes from death row and seeks revenge on those against him. Kevin Bacon makes a return to the screen in the lead role as Ryan Hardy, a retired FBI agent called in to track down Carrol. “The Following” is sure to have you on the edge of your seat every Monday at 9p.m.

ET on FOX.

For Couples Only

Spa Day & Relaxation Go out and get a mani & pedi or even a massage. Give yourself a facial, or for those who have access to a tub, run a hot bubble bath. If you can’t do anything above, simply take a relaxing hot shower and start that book you have been meaning to pick up.

20

The A&T Register’s guide to what’s going on this week on television.

ON CW

Say goodbye to average and hello to exciting: unconventional Valentine’s day ideas

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun! Have a night out with your single girls. Go to a club or a bar, try karaoke, go speed dating, or bowling. If you want something more chill, simply throw a kickback or slumber party and have a movie night.

Feb. 13 to 19

Kamaria Ellerbe, sophomore, applied engineering technology major Likes: “Tall Dark and Handsome!” God fearing, intelligent and consistent Dislikes: Sugarcoating things, overly affectionate, clingy

‘All My Single Ladies’

hotlist

theSCENE

1. How many of you guys watched the Grammys? 2. Did anybody really follow the dress code? 3. You saw Drake’s reaction to J. Lo right? 4. Do you blame him? 5. Where was Keri Hilson? 6. Where was Ciara? 7. Was Chris Brown salty that he didn’t win a Grammy? 8. You know him and Rihanna were high right? 9. Is The Dream homeless? 10.

Was Christina Milan doing a praise break that she wasn’t trapped with that failure? 11. As many hits as he records, shouldn’t he be able to afford better clothes? 12. How many side chicks are going to be disappointed this Valentine’s Day? 13. Are you mad? 14. Or are you really mad? 15. What’s up with Tristan Mean’s hair? 16. Where is SUAB at? 17.

When is Amber Rose having this baby? 18. What was that on Wiz’s head? 19. We heard someone just had a new baby, should we congratulate him? 20. Who actually went to the Aggie Farm forum?

ON E! KOURTNEY AND KIM TAKE MIAMI Kourtney and Kim are taking Miami by storm again.

This time they are sure to make a lot more noise. With Kourtney’s new born Penelope, and baby news for Kim and Kanye West, this season is sure to be one to go down in history.

Viewers can expect the occasional sibling drama, new relationships, and a few surprises this season What more can you ask for in one of the hottest cities in the world? “Kourtney & Kim Take Miami” airs Sundays 8p.m. ET on E! network.

Come be a part of theScene Contributors Meetings Wednesday 5 p.m.

GCB 328