Feb. 23 Issue

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FebRuARy 23, 2011

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THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF NORTH CAROLINA A&T

unc budget cuts trickle down to a&t- Part 1 JasMine JOHnsOn Editor in Chief

Budget cuts are back in the UNC System, and are affecting A&T. During the 2011-12 academic year, the UNC System is expected to make cuts anywhere from 7 to 15 percent.

As a result, each institution within the system would make cuts. From there, departments would make cuts where deemed necessary.

For A&T that means cuts would be made from the individual colleges.

More specifically, the College of Arts and Sciences, the largest college, which makes up 55 percent of all student credits and encompasses 34 percent of all majors offered, will see a $1.6 million cut.

This current academic year,

Arts and Sciences has seen some of these cuts already. In order to combat the affect the cut could take on students and faculty, the college offered vacant positions.

Vacant positions are those that the college has reserved to be filled at any time.

This year, those vacant positions provided enough cuts so the college did not have to use other resources. Upon the end of this academic year, the college will receive those positions back to make available because it was not a permanent cut.

However, for this next academic year, the college plans to offer the same vacancies. Former Interim Dean and current Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies of Arts and Sciences, David Aldridge, thinks those positions will be taken away permanently.

There will be approximately 11.3 vacant faculty positions and one staff vacancy position offered.

Currently, the entire budget for Arts and Sciences is $21 million. Of that budget, $1.6 million will be cut next academic year.

Although Aldridge is not worried about the cuts at this point in time, he does recognize that if asked to give more than the proposed $1.6 million, students may see the differences.

“It’s not an immediate problem,” said Aldridge. “But it really robs the university of things in the future- the ability to create new programs, the ability to handle growth in programs and it also robs flexibility.”

Apart from the vacant positions Arts and Sciences plans to offer for the cuts, it also has projected reducing its operating

budget by $133,000. The operating budget is used for various entities including: photocopiers, paper, ink, computer software, etc.

The current operating budget is $720,000.

Aldridge says that most of the college’s budget is for personnel and faculty.

The proposed cuts have not been neither declined nor accepted. The Board of Trustees will make that decision.

In case the Board does not accept the recommendations, the next place Arts and Sciences will have to look is at filled positions. This is where the possible cuts could directly affect students.

“It’s largely a matter of figuring out how to make cuts with the least damage to enrolled students,” continued Aldridge.

“As long as we can stick to $1.6

million, we can offer students the classes they need. If we’re asked for another $1.6 [million] it could start to make an impact.”

There have been rumors that the College of Arts and Sciences has offered its auxiliary services to be taken by the cuts.

This would include the Blue and Gold Marching Machine, WNAA 90.1 FM station, the T.V. studio and The A&T Register.

Setting the record straight, Aldridge said those services have not been offered up as of yet.

The College of Arts and Sciences main contribution to those previously mentioned services is to sustain the personnel who oversee the respective organization.

“We are trying to sustain enrollment. Our objective is

to maintain the ability to offer courses. We are looking very hard at auxiliary programs that are not involved in the classroom,” said Aldridge.

There will be cuts made across the board for A&T’s colleges. Aldridge was not aware of other specific colleges cuts, but he admitted that traditionally, Arts and Sciences does not receive the highest number.

It is his belief that it is hard to cut the College of Arts and Sciences without cutting the ability to enroll students.

With the UNC System making cuts to its 17 institutions, there have also been rumors to eliminate an institution from the system totally.

“UNC [system] probably does have one too many institutions at this time,” said  See budget on Page 2

African Aggies Coalition tries to spread awareness to all African issues Jessica grissOM

Register Reporter

The African Aggie Coalition (AAC) hosted “A Night for Change Benefit” Feb. 18 in Stallings Ballroom.

The event was held to bring awareness to students on campus about the crises occurring throughout Africa, not only in Egypt.

The benefit began with an informative video on the conflicts arising in areas such as Darfur, Sudan and Ghana as traditional African music played in the background. The video gave students a better perspective of the danger Africa currently faces.

“We hope to bring awareness to all of the corruption occurring in Africa. Everyone seems

to be so focused on Egypt and the issues that they have forgotten the other countries that need help,” said AAC President, Sogbeye Okoro, a sophomore history major. “Many students have a very negative view of Africa and Africans in general. I want students to gain more respect and compassion for Africa as a whole.”

The African Aggie Coalition not only consists of A&T students, but Bennett College and Guilford Technical Community College students as well.

Representatives from all three institutions were present at the event. Couture Word engaged in a poetry slam at the event and spoken word poet Dezren  See aac on Page 2

News Brief:

Photo by tRACy DURANDIS

silent library: silent library presented by couture Productions took place in exhibit Hall last thursday. the event resembled the tV show on MtV.

Silent Library comes to Exhibit hall desHaWn FleMing Register Reporter

SGA President Wayne Kimball announced Sunday that UNC-System president Tom Ross will visit campus rOss Friday to address student and faculty concerns regarding recent budget cuts.

Students will have an opportunity to talk with Ross one-onone from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. in the Alumni Foundation Event Center.

Couture Productions together with Bull City Aggies hosted the A & T version of MTV’s Silent Library in Exhibit Hall on Feb. 17.

MTV’s Silent Library is a game show based in a mock library, where a group of six friends try to be silent while performing funny and absurd tasks—on each other and to themselves—in an attempt to earn a monetary reward. The members of the group are seated at a table where they draw cards to determine who endures the task.

From this point on the entire group must be silent; which is

much easier said than done.

Making noise and laughing reduces the score and reward amount. In the end the money is divided among the group members.

There was an admission fee of $1 for the audience and $20 per team. “The money raised here tonight, is a fundraiser for the mute charity; children who can’t talk,” said Jeanette Evans, President of Couture Productions.

Silent Library: Exhibit Edition, was constructed with these same guidelines, but with a twist.

Instead of just one team trying to increase their reward amount, it was made into a competition. Five teams [Tu-

nasub, Team Couture, Team Official, The Omen, and Top Chef] of five people competed for the money during five rounds. For each round, groups received one point for every task successfully completed without making noise.

However, if a team member spoke while on stage, the group was disqualified and received no points for that round.

During the first round players had to consume a cup of condiments such as relish, mayonnaise, horseradish, and olives with cottage cheese.

In this round, Team Couture was disqualified for talking on stage.

In round two, Tunasub was also disqualified for talking

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

Trying to inform students of issues that HBCU student face, the Campus Life Mentors hosted #WTDTA.

See why one editor feels as though the new proposed Voter ID Bill from the GOP is unconstitutional.

Both the Men’s and Women’s basketball teams traveled to Central and came back with wins on Monday.

The new movie starring Alex Pettyfer gives legitimate reasons why it reached number two at the box office.

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on stage and the tasks became more physical.

Groups endured arm waxes, plucked nose hairs, putting make-up on their group member with puppet hands, and holding a whiffle ball in their mouth with closed lips for 30 seconds.

During round three, no teams were disqualified, but the tasks went back to consumptions.

Cheetos with honey, olives with cottage cheese, and marshmallows with horseradish were eaten after being smeared on a male student’s stomach. After partially cleaning his stomach, the remaining  See silent library on Page 2

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The A&T Register | ncatregister.com | Wednesday, February 23, 2011

silent library From page 1

Photo by tracy durandis

NPHC organizations, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. stepped in front of Williams Dining Hall on Monday.

budget From page 1 Aldridge. “I’m not the only one who believes that. Former president [Erskine] Bowles thought the same.”

With two UNC System institutions, A&T and UNC-G, having such close proximity, stirs have been created that the two will merge into one.

“I’ve been here 31 years and those rumors predate me,” commented Aldridge. “Obviously, one university would be cheaper than two, but not a lot cheaper. Both institutions have strong identities. But nothing is off the table in these times. The university [A&T] has a strong chancellor, it will continue to press forward.”

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

Currently, Arts and Sciences receives about $8.5 million in extramural funding, mainly from federal budgets.

In order to continue on its path, Aldridge says the college will have to rely more on Title 3 types of funding and state funding.

Aldridge encourages students to help with cuts and the sustainability by working hard in the classroom and stop withdrawing from classes.

Governor Bev Perdue recently released her 2011-13 spending plan, which could directly affect the UNC System. However, her plans are to stonewall budget cuts for as long as possible and make changes so the system will see a 6 percent cut instead of the current proposed 7 to 15 percent.

two individuals had to scoop tartar sauce and mayonnaise off of his stomach.

By round four Tunasub and Team Couture did not have enough points to catch up, so they were eliminated from the competition.

Everything done in this round had to be endured for 30 seconds. A bowl with yellow contents was brought to the stage with a plunger.

A member from Team Official had to get sucked in the face with the plunger. However, the contents turned out to be yellow colored water. A member from The Omen had to be plucked in the face with the string from a birthday hat,

aac From page 1

If you ever see anything suspicious or need assistance call Campus Police

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editor in chief: Jasmine Johnson Managing editor: Kelcie McCrae news editor: Sylvia Obell opinions editor:Trumaine McCaskill sports editor: Lauren Morgan scene editor: Jonathan Veal copy desk chief: Yulanda Henderson Copy editor: Justine Riddick photo editor: Kenneth Hawkins staff photographers:

Mikell, a junior computer science major, also performed.

“I enjoy performing poetry on topics that I’m passionate about,” said Mikell. “Many students feel they can’t identify with Africa, but we should all care about the issues affecting Africa. People should make a point of becoming more aware and hopefully my poem inspires someone.”

The program ended with a reception available to all of the guests. A winner was also chosen from among the raffle tickets sold before the event began. One dollar was charged for each ticket and all of the money raised will be sent to charitable founda-

editorial cartoonist: Evan Summerville ncatregister.com: Kelce McCrae senior reporter: Charles Johnson reporters: Shequia Cole, Chanel Davis, Ashley Vaughn, Rayven Dulin, Tracy Durandis, Essence Lee, Jared Godley, Jasmine Gurley, Michele Delgado, Shanea Phillips, Deshawn Fleming, Necole Jackson, Karmen Robinson, Kamilah Blackson, Catherine Hamlin advertising& business manager: LaKeisha Brown business staff: Brea Daniels, Jasmine Dash faculty adviser: Emily Harris

and four members from Top Chef had to put balloons in their shirts and hug each other to pop them.

Round five was the challenge round. Whoever ate two cupcakes with mayonnaise icing first won the competition.

In the end The Omen won $200 as a team and $40 per person.

Quayshaun Hall, a freshman Professional Theatre major, was a member of the winning team.

“I think we had the hardest tasks,” said Hall. “When I had to eat the cup of horse radish, I was really about to throw up.”

Miranda Stanfied, a senior International Studies major stated, “It [Silent Library] was great in theory and should be done again.”

tions supporting the Congo and Sudan. The benefit had disappointing attendance despite flyers posted around campus by the African Aggie Coalition.

“Our generation is the world’s next set of leaders. We have to make ourselves aware of what is taking place around the world,” said Dede Adote, AAC member and freshman political science major at Bennett College.

“I am originally from Ghana and I see how Americans view Africa. Students need to gain a better understanding and unite to support those that are suffering.”

This is the second event held AAC. Last semester, they hosted Congo Week, and plan to host an African night before the end of the spring semester.

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.

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Sprint HBCU Tour and Filmakers Stallings Ballroom & Exhibit Hall 8 a.m.

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Exhibit Hall 11 a.m.

The A&T Register | ncatregister.com | Wednesday, February 23, 2011

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campus notebook

#WTDTA: Product of an HBCU Janae Smith Contibutor

The Where They Do That At? (#WTDTA): “I’m a Product of an HBCU” discussion was held in the General Classroom Building on Feb. 18.

The purpose of this program was to inform students on issues affecting African American students at HBCUs. Ferreli McGilvary, coordinator of first year experience, said, “I want students to walk away from the program with a better understanding of their actions, knowing that what you put on Facebook and Twitter has an ef-

fect on your future.”

Hosted by the Campus Life Mentors (CLM’s) The program was designed to make students aware of the challenges/issues that black institutions face, why these challenges exist, and what can be done on a student level to impede the progress of these issues.

It was also meant to show that an education from an HBCU is just as good, if not better, than one from any predominantly white institution.

The discussion was created to allow students to voice their opinions on topics such as academic rigor, career readiness,

social skills/etiquette, and relationships. “An open discussion gets everyone involved and does not make the student feel as though they are in class.

Their thoughts count,” stated McGilvary.

The program discussed how predominantly white institutions have a certain social stature attached to them because of a certain amount of money, and how the money received affects academics.

Stereotypes in society have caused black institutions to become looked down upon. They also discussed academic readiness.

Crystal Wight, senior, electronics technology major from Raleigh, N.C. stated, “The event #WTDTA was an initiative out of the Office of First Year Experience, hosted by the CLM’s.

However, what they [students] fail to recognize is that to every action, there is a reaction.”

“The Office of First Year Experience produces highly anticipated events and programs such as Fall and Spring Welcome Week, New Student Induction Ceremony, Campus Life Mentors.

The Office of First Year Experience is housed in the Division of Student Affairs in

the Office of Student Development,” said Andrea Gentry, a senior animal science major from Columbus, Ohio.

The Office of First Year Experience is designed to help first year and transfer students become acclimated to collegiate life at North Carolina A&T State University.

Their mission is to provide programs to maximize the student’s potential to achieve academic success and to adjust to the individual and interpersonal challenges presented by collegiate life. The office is currently located in the Memorial Student Union, Room 203.

Midwest Aggie Club Meeting Memorial Union Room 0005 6 p.m.

Couture Week, Staff Showcase Exhibit Hall 7 p.m.

SGA Senate Meetings - VPIA Proctor Hall 160 Auditorium 7 p.m.

thursday

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Spring Career Fair Corbett Gymnasium 9 a.m.

CASE Seminars McNair Hall Lecture Room 2 12 p.m.

IAMM DJ/Producer Battle Exhibit Hall 7 p.m.

friday

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off the yard

Urban charter school beats the odds Noreen S. Ahmed-Ullah MCT Campus

CHICAGO – Fire broke out in Cedric Abdul-Hakeem’s home in Chicago’s Englewood community on Dec. 31. After making sure everyone was out safely, the 17-year-old re-entered the smoke-filled home to retrieve his laptop.

“My laptop had all my applications, and most college applications are due Jan. 1,” explained Abdul-Hakeem. “I figured if my laptop burns, I’m through.”

He got his laptop. He got the applications in on time. And so far, he’s been accepted to half a dozen colleges, including Grinnell College in Iowa, where most of his tuition will be paid through scholarships and grants.

Abdul-Hakeem is yet another Urban Prep success story.

For the second consecutive year, every single senior in Chicago’s only public all-male, allAfrican-American high school has been accepted to a four-year

college or university.

In all, the 104 members of the 2011 graduating class have been accepted to 103 different colleges, including some of the country’s most selective schools.

With many acceptance letters still anticipated, the charter, which has campuses in the Englewood, South Shore and East Garfield Park neighborhoods, is hoping at least one of its students this year will land an Ivy League invitation.

“We would never advocate that anybody run into a burning building to get a computer or essay or application, but what (Abdul-Hakeem’s story) speaks to is how much our students are dedicated and focused on getting into college,” said Urban Prep’s founder and CEO, Tim King. “They recognize that with college they will have very different lives that will be transformative for them and their communities.”

Urban Prep Academy for Young Men recently celebrated its repeat with a tie-exchanging ritual in which the final three

seniors to receive acceptance letters exchanged their red uniform ties for red-and-gold ones as the other seniors did before them.

Mayor Richard Daley and Chicago Public Schools’ interim chief education officer Charles Payne were on hand. So was alum Israel Wilson, a freshman at Morehouse College in Atlanta, who said he has earned a 3.3 GPA and made the dean’s list his first semester.

Skeptics last year had questioned whether grads would actually attend college and be able to succeed in higher ed programs.

One of the school’s missions is to ensure students earn that bachelor’s degree, so King and his staff have helped secure money for plane tickets, driven students to college campuses, held workshops for alumni in the summer and winter, and checked up on them. Of the 107 seniors in 2010 – the school’s first graduating class – 101 enrolled in college, King said.

Three went into the military and another three joined the work

force.

By now, Urban Prep’s story has become a national wonder for its success in making college a reality for kids from tough, low-income neighborhoods where college rarely is an option.

In Chicago Public Schools, the high school dropout rate for African-American males hovers at 60 percent, and only 1 in 40 black male grads earn a bachelor’s degree by the age of 25.

Only 11 percent of Urban Prep’s seniors were reading at grade level when they entered the school four years ago, King said.

Through a rigorous academic environment, including required double periods of English and longer school days, and strict uniform and code-of-conduct policies, students are kept on track.

Staff also are available at all hours and weekends to drive kids home or provide extra academic help outside the classroom.

Jonathan Harvey said teachers have stayed at school till

8 p.m. and met him on weekends to help him master math.

To get to school, he has had to cross gang lines in his Englewood neighborhood, and he has learned to wait until he gets to school to put on his black blazer and red (now red and gold) tie.

“College wasn’t on my map,” Harvey said. “I didn’t think it was reachable.”

The hard work has paid off.

King said this year the average ACT score for the graduating class was 17.5 – higher than last year’s 16.1 and comparable to Chicago Public Schools’ average of 17.3.

The school has taught some students to challenge themselves.

When his college counselor told him to apply to 10 colleges, senior Alfonso Henderson sent out 50 applications.

He’s been accepted to 21 and been offered $719,000 in scholarships.

He’s still holding out, though, for his top three choices – Yale, Harvard and Wheaton College.

“I want to prove the stereotypes wrong,” he said.

Power of the tongue Open Mic GCB Aud. 7 p.m.

9:46 p.m.

Cutis Hall- Drug Violation Case Closed

theBLOTTER saturday

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Women’s Basketball Game Corbett Gym 2 p.m.

Men’s Basketball Game Corbett Gym 4 p.m.

sunday

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Mr. A&T Farewell

Harrison Auditorium 4 p.m.

February 16

8:20 a.m.

Aggie Suites- Burglary Case Under Further Investigation 1:30 p.m.

Gibbs Hall- Larceny Case Under Further Investigation 5:25 p.m.

Aggie Suites- Burglary Case Under Further Investigation 8:21 p.m.

Aggie Village- Larceny Case Under Further Investigation

February 20

No Reports

7:30 p.m.

Moore Gym- Larceny Case Under Further Investigation

February 18

February 21

6:10 p.m.

Moore Gym-Larceny Case Under Further Investigation

8:31 a.m.

Marteena Hall- Vandalism Case Under Further Investigation

11:45 p.m.

Pride Hall- Burglary Case Under Further Investigation

1:35 p.m.

Williams Café- Assault Case Under Further Investigation

February 19

10:37 p.m.

Laurel St. PVA- Weapons Violation Case Closed with Arrest

February 17

12:40 a.m.

Moore Gym- Alcohol Violation Case Closed with Arrest

monday

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Women’s Basketball Game Corbett Gym 6 p.m.

REAL Enterpreneurship Training Program Webb Hall Room 217 6 p.m.

Men’s Basketball Game Corbett Gym 8 p.m.

Tuesday

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NY/NJ Apollo Audition The Memorial Room 7 p.m.

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The A&T Register | ncatregister.com | Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Four American hostages killed by pirates MALKHADIR M. MUHUMED Associated Press

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — A pirate fired a rocket-propelled grenade at a U.S. Navy destroyer shadowing a hijacked yacht with four Americans aboard Tuesday. Then gunfire erupted, the military said. U.S. special forces rushed to the yacht only to find the four Americans fatally wounded.

The experienced yacht enthusiasts from California and Washington are the first Americans killed by Somali pirates since the start of attacks off East Africa several years ago. One of the American couples on board had been sailing around the world since 2004 handing out Bibles.

Their deaths appeared to underscore an increasingly brutal and aggressive shift by pirates in their treatment of hostages.

Killing hostages “has now become part of our rules,” said a pirate who identified himself as Muse Abdi and referred to last week’s sentencing of a pirate to 33 years in prison for the 2009 attack on the U.S. cargo vessel the Maersk Alabama.

“From now on, anyone who tries to rescue the hostages in our hands will only collect dead bodies,” he said. “It will never ever happen that hostages are rescued and we are hauled to prison.”

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton strongly condemned the killings, saying in a statement that the slayings were “deplorable” and underscored the need for international cooperation in fighting the scourge of piracy in waters off the Horn of Africa.

Pirates had hijacked the 58foot yacht Quest south of Oman on Friday.

Since then, four U.S. warships and sky-high drones shadowed the vessel’s movement as pirates tried to sail it to the Somali shore. U.S. officials negotiated with the captors via radio.

But at 8 a.m. East Africa time Tuesday, a rocket-propelled grenade was fired from the Quest at the USS Sterett, a guided-missile destroyer 600 yards (meters) away.

The RPG missed and almost immediately afterward small arms fire was heard coming from the yacht, said Vice Adm. Mark Fox, commander of the U.S. 5th Fleet in Bahrain.

Several pirates then appeared on deck with their hands up.

U.S. naval forces boarded the vessel and tried to provide lifesaving care to the Americans, but they died, Fox said. No U.S. forces were injured or killed.

Thirteen pirates were captured and detained Tuesday, and two other pirates had boarded the USS Sterett on Monday to negotiate, Fox said.

A member of a U.S. special operations force killed one of the pirates with a knife, Fox said. A second pirate was also killed, and the bodies of two other pirates were discovered on board, bringing to 19 the total number of pirates involved. The U.S. military didn’t say how those two died and it was not known if the pirates had fought among themselves.

Pirates have increased attacks off the coast of East Africa in recent years despite an international flotilla of warships dedicated to protecting vessels and stopping the pirate assaults.

But the conventional wisdom in the shipping industry had been that Somali pirates are businessmen looking for a multimillion-dollar ransom payday, not insurgents looking to terrorize people.

“We have heard threats against the lives of Americans before but it strikes me as being very, very unusual why they would kill hostages outright,” said Graeme Gibbon-Brooks, the head of Dryad Maritime Intelligence, adding that the pirates must realize that killing Americans would invite a military response.

President Barack Obama, who was notified about the deaths at 4:42 a.m. Washington time, had authorized the military on Saturday to use force in case of an imminent threat to the hostages, said White House spokesman Jay Carney.

The Quest was the home Jean and Scott Adam, of Marina del Rey, near Los Angeles. The two had been sailing around the world since December 2004.

Phyllis Macay and Bob Riggle, of Seattle, Washington, had recently joined the Adams.

“Great sailors, good people.

They were doing what they wanted to do, but that’s small comfort in the face of this,” said Joe Grande of the Seattle Singles Yacht Club, where Riggle and Macay were members.

Around Christmas the Quest joined the Blue Water Rally, an around-the-world race. But race organizers said the Quest recently left the race despite what Fox said were warnings about the dangers of sailing in Horn of Africa region.

The Blue Water Rally said in a statement Tuesday that though

yachtsmen are discouraged from sailing in the region, the only other choices are to sail around the stormy and dangerous tip of South Africa or sail back across the Pacific.

The Adams were skilled and experienced sailors, having traveled from Panama in 2005 to Fiji in 2007 and Cambodia last year.

They most recently sailed from Thailand to Sri Lanka and India, and were on their way to Oman when captured.

Motivated by million-dollar ransoms, pirates have become increasingly bold in their attacks despite a flotilla of international warships patrolling the waters off East Africa. The last time pirates kidnapped a U.S. citizen — during the 2009 hijacking of the Maersk Alabama — Navy sharpshooters killed two pirates and rescued the ship’s captain.

But Tuesday’s bloody events are apt to leave U.S. military planners in a quandary: Do they go after the pirates harder? Do they attack their bases on Somalia’s ungoverned shores? One maritime expert said it’s too early to tell.

“This is a first,” said GibbonBrooks, the analyst. “We don’t know if the situation is related to a straight execution. We don’t know if it was related to an attempt to break free. We don’t know if it was related to an accident.”

Gibbon-Brooks said the killings were “extremely unwise” by the Somalis, and that the deaths threaten what has been a successful and lucrative business model.

Two days before the hijacking, a New York court sentenced a pirate to 33 years in prison for

the 2009 attack on the Maersk Alabama, a U.S. cargo vessel.

A pirate in Somalia told the AP last week that pirates were more likely to attack Americans because of the sentencing.

“It’s a black day for us and also the Americans, but they lost bigger than us,” a pirate who said his name was Bile Hussein said. “If they still want a solution and safety for their citizens in the oceans, let them release our men they arrested.”

Only minutes before the military announced that the four Americans had died, a Somali pirate told AP by phone that if the yacht were attacked, “the hostages will be the first to go.”

“Some pirates have even suggested rigging the yacht with land mines and explosives so as the whole yacht explodes with the first gunshot,” said the pirate, who gave his name as Abdullahi Mohamed, who claimed to be a friend of the pirates holding the four Americans.

Pirates — who currently hold 30 ships and more than 660 hostages — typically win a multimillion ransom for releasing their captives, a huge sum that is shared among investors and pirates. The money is often spent on alcohol, drugs and prostitutes. One ransom paid last year was reported as $9.5 million.

Most ransoms are worth several million dollars.

Given that typical financial motivation, Tuesday’s killings left several unanswered questions, such as whether the pirates, being trailed by the Americans, believed there was no way to avoid spending years in a U.S. prison, or if the American forces spooked the pirates by approaching the yacht, or even

if the hostages had tried to retake the yacht from the pirates.

The military said U.S. forces have been monitoring the Quest for about three days, since shortly after the Friday attack. Four Navy warships were involved, including the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise.

Mohamed, the pirate in Somalia, told AP that pirate leaders had been expecting the yacht to make landfall soon.

Five cars full of pirates were headed toward the pirate dens of Eyl and Gara’ad in anticipation of the Quest reaching land Monday, he said.

Had the four reached land, they may have faced a long hostage ordeal like the 388 days that the British sailing couple Paul and Rachel Chandler spent in the hands of pirates.

The two were released in November.

“This incident is a clear message and alarm that it’s time the world community quickly steps up to stop these pirate criminal activities.

They should be treated mercilessly,” said Gen. Yusuf Ahmed Khayr, the security minister in the northern Somalia region of Puntland, a pirate haven.

The Adams ran a Bible ministry and had been distributing Bibles to schools and churches in remote villages in areas including the Fiji Islands, Alaska, New Zealand, Central America and French Polynesia.

At the Seattle Singles Yacht Club, friend Hank Curci said Riggle and Macay were carrying out a lifelong dream.

“Now that they’re gone it’s just difficult for us to accept because it’s like having a family member killed,” he said.

Egyptian workers flee Libya New Zealand leader says at least amid numerous tales of chaos 65 people killed in earthquake PAUL SCHEMM

Associated Press

SALLOUM, Egypt (AP) — This trash-strewn, windy desert plateau that marks the frontier with Libya was a tangle of small vans, station wagons and tour buses Tuesday — all ferrying home thousands of Egyptian workers who told of mercenaries, airstrikes and chaos in Moammar Gadhafi’s violencewracked country.

“Gadhafi is crazy. It’s a massacre over there,” said Ashraf Mohammed, who worked as carpenter in Tobruk, not far from the border. “They were shooting at civilians and children. We heard there were airstrikes in other cities and I have friends who can’t leave!”

Some of those fleeing said government officials had vanished in Tobruk and other towns in the east. Egyptian guards at the frontier added that Libyan soldiers appeared to have melted away from their border posts, with security taken over by tribesmen.

Mohammed was bent double under the weight of suitcases and bulky blankets as he walked back through the border checkpoints toward the waiting buses, where the names of Egyptian cities were being called out.

Full vans topped with improb-

able piles of luggage lurched away from the border and down the winding road into the town of Salloum.

Military police struggled to bring order to the swirl of vehicles, shouting for the stunned refugees to clear the way as ambulances screamed by, sirens blazing.

A neat row of white tents had been set up to the side as a makeshift field hospital by the army, each with pair of soldiers in fatigues standing at attention in front.

Dr. Amin Gabr said there had been few injuries to treat so far, but more were expected.

“There are 2 million Egyptians in Libya and many of them are now coming back to Egypt,” he said. “There have been no major injuries — all of them just abrasions and contusions.”

Gabr said his patients told him they had been beaten by mercenaries from other African countries.

Egyptians waiting to board the buses corroborated those stories.

The unrest in Libya began Feb. 15 in the eastern city of Benghazi and spread eastward to Tripoli, the capital.

“There is no security in Libya. The authority is no longer in Moammar’s hands because

he oppressed the people,” said Muftah Farag. “It is now in the hands of the people who have taken up guns. It’s not worth staying for the money if I lose my life.”

Despite days of fighting, the flood of Egyptians returning only just began Tuesday morning.

Faisal Abdel Aziz explained why it took him so long to make the journey.

“I couldn’t leave my house for four days because of all the fighting and gunfire.

Finally I was afraid I would die, so I returned to Egypt,” he said.

Egyptians weren’t the only ones leaving Libya. In one case, a party of Korean engineers from Tobruk was caught up in the unrest as they tried to drive toward Tripoli. Arriving in one town in the middle of a pitched battle, they turned around and headed for the border.

“I saw guns and crazy people.

They were following the old flag of the kingdom.

All the police stations and government buildings were burning,” said one of the engineers in halting English.

He refused to give his name because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

“All the government is gone,” he said.

JOE MORGAN AP

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand (AP) — A powerful earthquake slammed New Zealand’s already-bruised city of Christchurch on Tuesday, killing at least 65 people, and sending rescuers scrambling to help people trapped under collapsed buildings.

The 6.3 magnitude earthquake hit the country’s second-largest city around lunchtime, collapsing buildings and sending bricks and other heavy debris toppling into busy city streets.

It was the second major quake to strike Christchurch in the past five months.

Prime Minister John Key told reporters that the death toll was at least 65, and was expected to rise further.

Video footage showed some multi-storey buildings collapsed in on themselves, and others with walls that had collapsed into the streets, strewn with bricks and shattered concrete.

Sidewalks and roads were cracked and split, and thousands of dazed, screaming and crying residents wandered through the streets as sirens blared.

Groups of people helped

victims clutching bleedings wounds, and others were carried to private vehicles in makeshift stretchers fashioned from rugs or bits of debris.

Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker declared a state of emergency and ordered people

to evacuate the city center.

Troops were deployed to help people get out and to throw up a security cordon around the stricken area, Deputy Prime Minister Bill English said.

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5

Judge tosses suit against Obama’s health care plan NEDRA PICKLER

Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge on Tuesday threw out a lawsuit claiming that President Barack Obama’s requirement that all Americans have health insurance violates the religious freedom of those who rely on God to protect them.

U.S. District Judge Gladys Kessler in Washington dismissed a lawsuit ďŹ led by the American Center for Law and Justice, a Christian legal group founded by evangelist Pat Robertson, on behalf of ďŹ ve Americans who can afford health insurance but have chosen for years not to buy it.

The case was one of several lawsuits ďŹ led against Obama’s requirement that Americans either buy health insurance or pay a penalty, beginning in 2014.

Kessler is the third Democratic-appointed judge to dismiss a challenge, while two Republican-appointed judges have ruled part or all of the law unconstitutional. Kessler wrote that the Supreme Court will need to settle the constitutional issues.

Three of the plaintiffs — Margaret Peggy Lee Mead of Hillsborough, N.C., Charles Edward Lee of San Antonio and Susan Seven-Sky of West Harrison, N.Y. — are Christians who said they want to refuse all medical services for the rest of

their lives because they believe God will heal their afictions.

They say being forced to buy insurance would conict with their faith because they believe doing so would indicate they need “a backup plan and (are) not really sure whether God will, in fact, provide,â€? the lawsuit said.

The two other plaintiffs — Kenneth Ruffo of San Antonio and Gina Rodriguez of Plano, Texas — have a holistic approach to medical care and prefer to pay for their health services out of pocket, in part because insurance often doesn’t cover their chosen methods of healing.

The lawsuit argued that Congress does not have the power

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under the Constitution to require health care purchases and that the mandate violates the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993.

Kessler rejected both arguments and ruled that Congress has the right to regulate health care spending under the Commerce Clause and that the individual mandate must be viewed not as a stand-alone reform but as an essential part of the law Obama signed 11 months ago aimed at reducing overall costs. She also said that anyone who objects to having health care for religious reasons can choose to pay the penalty instead — as the lawsuit said all ďŹ ve plaintiffs plan to do.

Kessler also expressed

doubts that they can really determine whether they will never require health care. “Individuals like plaintiffs who allege now that they will refuse medical services in the future may well ďŹ nd their way into the health care market when they face the reality of illness or injury,â€? she wrote.

Judges George Steeh of Michigan and Norman Moon of Virginia — like Kessler, they were nominated to the federal bench by President Bill Clinton — dismissed suits against the individual mandate last fall. George W. Bush-appointed Henry Hudson in Virginia ruled the insurance purchase requirement unconstitutional in December, while Ronald Rea-

gan appointee Roger Vinson in Florida ruled the entire health care reform act unconstitutional last month.

The Justice Department, which has been defending the law in court, noted that the law has now been upheld more times than not. “We welcome this ruling, which marks the third time a court has reviewed the Affordable Care Act on the merits and upheld it as constitutional,� said spokeswoman Tracy Schmaler. “This court found — as two others have previously — that the minimum coverage provision of the statute was a reasonable measure for Congress to take in reforming our health care system.�

Home prices plummet in big U.S. cities DEREK KRAVITZ & JANNA HERRON Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Home prices are hitting new depths in most major U.S. cities and are expected to fall further over the next six months.

In a majority of metro areas tracked by Standard & Poor’s/ Case-Shiller, prices have fallen to their lowest points since the housing bubble burst.

High unemployment, stricter lending rules and fears that prices will continue to fall are among the reasons why few people are buying homes. A rising number of foreclosures are also weighing down prices.

And as more people get stuck in depreciating homes, housing could slow the economy.

Across the country, the housing industry is recovering unevenly. Many of the cities now setting new lows have been struggling with high unemployment, more foreclosures and, in some cases, a delayed response to the housing bust in 2006 and 2007.

Homes in more established areas — those that had little room to build during the housing boom — are doing a better job holding their value.

Coastal cities in California and Northeast are seeing much smaller price declines.

In Washington and San Diego, home prices even rose over the past year.

Still, many people who want to buy can’t. Nearly 25 percent of households cannot move because they owe more on their mortgage than their home is worth, according to Capital Economics. An additional 25 percent can’t qualify for a new mortgage because selling their homes would leave them with too little money for a down payment. “We’re likely to see new lows hit across most major markets at some point in 2011,� said Mark Vitner, a senior economist at Wells Fargo Securities. “We’re afraid of all this turning into another vicious cycle.�

Housing prices in all but one of the 20 cities tracked by Standard & Poor’s/Case Shiller fell in December from November. And the overall index declined for the sixth straight month. Washington was the only metro area where prices rose month to month.

Eleven of the markets hit their lowest point since the

housing bubble burst in 2006 and 2007: Atlanta, Charlotte, N.C., Chicago, Detroit, Las Vegas, Miami, New York, Phoenix, Seattle, Tampa, Fla., and Portland, Ore. The housing sector is struggling even while much of the economy is recovering slowly but steadily. The latest evidence of the divide came Tuesday when the Conference Board said its Consumer ConďŹ dence Index rose in February to its highest point in three years. The report suggested that many people are more hopeful about hiring and income gains over the next six months.

By contrast, the outlook for housing this year is dim. Construction of new homes is on pace for little more than half the million units a year that economists consider to be healthy. And the number of vacant homes is near a record high.

Some of the worst declines in home prices are in cities hit hardest by high unemployment and foreclosures. A home that sold for $250,000 in Detroit in 2000, for example, now sells for roughly $163,150, according to the housing report. The unemployment rate there was 11.1 percent.

One in 24 Detroit-area homes with a mortgage was at risk of foreclosure last year, according to foreclosure tracker RealtyTrac Inc. — the ďŹ fth highest rate among major cities.

Homes in Las Vegas, on average, have lost more than half their value since 2006. They now sell for less than they did in 2000. The city had a record-high 14.9 percent unemployment rate in December. It also led the nation in foreclosures last year.

Three out of every four sales in southern Nevada are foreclosures or “short sales.� These sales occur when a bank lets a homeowner sell a home for less than what’s owed on the mortgage. “You can see how many people’s dreams just didn’t make it,� said Karin Wilson, a real estate agent with Century 21 in Las Vegas.

For many, the problem is getting worse. In Phoenix, about 70 percent of all homes with a mortgage were at risk of foreclosure in January, according to the Arizona Regional Multiple Listing Service.

The median home price has dropped by half since 2008, to roughly $110,000. Prices in one central Phoenix zip code have plunged 81 percent in the past

three years.

In Tampa, foreclosures and short sales dominate the housing market. One in 20 households with a mortgage was at risk of foreclosure last year. Home buyers are mainly interested in distressed properties, real estate agents say. “They all want to steal them,� said Stephanie LeFew, owner of Tampa Home Buy Realty. “I had someone call me from Australia the other day wanting an inexpensive property for $20,000.�

Tougher lending rules have scared away some potential home-buyers. Banks have been hesitant to extend new credit.

Many are demanding that buyers put down a larger down payment. During the housing boom, people in many cases were able to buy homes with little or no money down.

In many depressed markets, a signiďŹ cant percentage of buyers are really investors and private equity ďŹ rms looking to cash in on cheap real estate, Realtors say.

The federal government is trying to deter this practice, at least in cities hit hardest by foreclosures. In Detroit, the city is using money from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to offer suburban homes to police ofďŹ cers with only a $1,000 down payment.

But locals have yet to take advantage. The average home price in Detroit fell 7.5 percent in the October-December quarter, to $73,200, the lowest in the nation, according to Zillow. com. “People don’t qualify for loans anymore, and banks have continued to price homes lower and lower,� said Mike Shannon, a suburban Detroit real estate agent who specializes in foreclosures.

Millions of foreclosures are also expected to ood the market this year. That will force prices still lower. For many, the big question is, when will prices bottom? Some have tried to time their purchases to buy at the bottom. It often hasn’t worked.

Matthew Hartman, a 38year-old sales manager in Chicago, thought he was getting a steal in 2009 when he bought a four-bedroom house for $395,000. He sold it last month for $370,000. “We kind of thought that the market was toward the bottom, especially when we moved here in August of last year,� he said. “We thought we got a great deal on this house.�

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6

New voter ID bill poses threat to constitutional right Combating voter fraud is the motive GOP leaders want the public to believe as they push for the new voter ID bill within the General Assembly. Controlling House and Senate, the Republican Party has now begun making strides to disenfranchise N.C. citizens by pushing a bill that will bar thousands to vote.

Advocates want to require every voter to present a valid photo identification card with a current address to the polls before they cast their ballot. They want this to replace the system in place that is already proven to work.

Currently, in order to obtain a voter registration card in N.C. you must already prove residency, whether that is by a driver’s license, social security card, or a bill that was paid. If an aspiring voter already has to do this, why

create an extra step to fulfill this constitutionally bound right?

The GOP claim that this will minimize the ability to commit voter fraud by having photo proof of a person; however, they must have forgotten that it is already a felony offense to cast a fraudulent vote.

The true question of the matter is why now? Why push a bill that will cost $20 million or more over the next three years in time when the state is facing a $3.7 billion budget gap. Democrats have silenced this bill over the past few years, why now is the GOP pushing for it when they didn’t even see fit to include it in their agenda for the First 100 Days?

In the 2008 election, out of the 4.3 million voters that casted their ballot, about 40 were identi-

fied as fraudulent voters according the State Board of Elections. Obviously voter fraud is not the true issue.

“Why is this a top priority KELCIE when there are MCCRAE 22,342 plus UNC-System students sitting on the edge of their seats waiting to see if their tuition is going to rise, waiting to see if their favorite professor is going to be fired,” SGA Parliamentarian Mitchell Brown said last week at the HBCU Lobbying Day in the General Assembly.

Last week alone Gov. Bev Perdue announced that there will be a 9.5 percent cut to the UNC

administration and campuses’ operating budgets. What does this mean for nearly all the 17 schools within the UNC System — tuition increases and program cuts.

And the GOP wants to put money into a solution that clearly has, yet to become a true problem. Numerous opponents have compared this new bill as a mechanism to discourage voting to the low-income, minorities, elderly, homeless, and college students by adding additional hurdles and expenses to qualify them to vote.

State NAACP President William Barber has said that this is nothing more than a step back to the poll tax.

In 1965 when the Voting Rights Act was passed, Congress made it law to prohibit any vot-

ing qualification or prerequisite to voting, or standard, practice, or procedure.

Is requiring already registered voters to obtain additional documentation the same thing as creating a voting qualification?

In NC between 700,000 to 1 million registered voters are without state-issued photo identification cards. This represents nearly all homeless people, out-of-state college students, elderly who do not drive anymore, as well as newcomers to the state.

At A&T alone there are 1,773 out-of-state students. Most in which have their respective home state identification card. Because they do not have a NC issued card, under this new bill they will not be granted their right to vote.

College students in NC have been characterized as the reason

behind the state going blue in 2008, and the GOP had to have notice to that. If the House passes this bill to go to the Senate and it gets approved more than likely Gov. Perdue (D) will veto it.

However, by the GOP now controlling the House and Senate they now have the authority to override that veto.

This new bill is nothing more than a disguised way to turn the state back red in the 2012 presidential election. By having a strong hold on voters in NC they now stand to have a chance to gain more power. The 2008 elected marked history in NC for it was the first time since the election of Jimmy Carter that it turned blue —mainly by the same homeless, elderly, minorities, and college students the GOP are trying to disenfranchise.

Celebrity parents need to grow up! Ask a Black Guy Is it just me or do celebrity parents act as if they are lifetime players of the blame game?

Anything and everything negative that happens to their child is the fault of someone or something else. The latest parent to work my nerves with their inability to accept their short comings as a parent is Billy Ray Cyrus, father of former Disney Channel star and current pop artist Miley Cyrus.

In an interview with GQ Magazine, Cyrus said the Disney original show ‘Hannah Montana’ ruined his family, and it is because of the show that his daughter has spiraled out of control.

He compared her situation, which I feel is relatively mild, with Anna Nicole Smith and Micheal Jackson, who both passed tragically and unexpect-

edly. He said he is “scared for her” and “as her daddy [he’d] like to help her or get her out of danger.”

This really just irritates LARIA the mess out LAND of me; Disney is not responsible for the actions of Miley, then or now, and he needs to point the finger at himself and his ex-wife.

As parents, it is your job to raise your children with the values and morals you want them to have. You instill within them the tools they need to be successful and if the job is done correctly you will not have to worry about your child changing or behaving improperly in certain situations.

Yes, your child is their own person and they will do what they want to do, but for the most part the voices of parents and the lessons they taught do not leave the back of their minds.

I understand there is a slightly different set of rules for entertainers, but their parents should be even more involved in their lives to keep them grounded, and on the right track.

If you ask any celebrity whose image is practically blemish free, like Raven Symone or Beyonce Knowles, one of the first things they acknowledge are the roles their parents play in their lives.

Cyrus has no excuse, especially since he was in the entertainment business himself. He knew what that life would mean for his child and he should have acted accordingly.

I have no sympathy for parents like him who wait until after the damage is done to complain, instead of being proactive from the beginning.

This interview was nothing more than an attempt to generate publicity considering he has a CD coming out this March and that is even more shameful.

This whole ordeal and others like it just proves that everyone is not meant to be a parent, and an even smaller pool of those parents should have celebrity children.

It is not privilege or a job that should be taken lightly because in the end the decisions children make are a reflection on you as a parent. Before you question the actions of your child Mr. Cyrus, maybe you should see what you did or did not do to make her who she is.

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Apple’s store slowly taking over the music industry MCT CAMPUS Contributor

As CD sales plummeted, music executives looked in hope toward a new business model: Instead of trying to sell albums for $15 to $20 apiece, offer unlimited access to songs online for a flat monthly fee. The idea, however, has yet to catch on with the masses of music fans. The main impediment for many years was that subscribers couldn’t use the services on the MP3 players that most of them owned, Apple’s iPods.

Now, with iPods giving way to iPhones and other mobile devices that support subscription services, Apple is putting a new hurdle in their path: It’s trying to grab a huge chunk of the subscription revenue.

Apple Chief Executive Steve

Jobs has never been a fan of music subscriptions, and Apple’s iTunes store has been wildly successful as a conventional retailer selling downloadable songs and albums. Starting this summer, every iPhone or iPad application that offers a subscription to video, music, news or other media will have to do so through Apple’s store, with Apple taking a 30 percent vig _ er, commission. The biggest impact of the decision appears to be on the operators of premium radio and subscription music services, who say their thin profit margins leave no room for the new fee. Executives at Rhapsody, the longest-running music subscription service, have even said they’re considering a “legal response” to Apple’s change in policy, and antitrust regulators are reported to be looking into it.

You can’t blame the music services for feeling beleaguered. The growing popularity of smartphones and tablets had kindled hopes that the time was finally right for subscriptions. Now, the maker of the most popular smartphone and tablet models was threatening to turn the easiest method for attracting and holding onto customers by letting them subscribe through the service’s app into the costliest.

But while Apple may have an outsized sense of the value it provides to content providers, it’s just acting like the big, powerful digital-media retailer it is. The unseemly aspect is that Apple competes with some of the services whose costs it’s about to increase.

Happily for Rhapsody and the rest of the subscription world, the iPhone isn’t the

only game in town, like the iPod effectively was. Shortly after Apple announced its new policy, Google unveiled its “One Pass” system for digital newspapers and magazines that charges publishers only 10 percent. Collectively, Google’s Android devices are outselling Apple’s iPhones in the United States. And the iPad’s dominance in the nascent market for tablet computers is likely to evaporate as more manufacturers jump in.

The more competitive these markets become, the less power Apple, Google or any other middleman will have to dictate terms to services such as Rhapsody. For now, though, Apple’s 30 percent fee is yet another obstacle music subscriptions will have to overcome before they can rescue the industry from the decline of the CD.

The anniversary of Malcolm X’s assassination was this past Monday (Feb. 21, 2011). With a quick reflection, what part of his legacy do you feel is the most important for black people to remember?

Guy #1- Malcolm X is nothing short of amazing if you ask me. He was perhaps one of the most intelligent men on the planet. He was perhaps just as, if not more, important as King at his time. This is why I will never forget his prison numbers. #22843! His number represents everything I live my life by. Rise from darkness into the light. The autobiography of Malcolm X changed my life and I’m sure it can do the same for others.

Guy #2- Brother Malcolm was a great man. He was one of the most intelligent brothers to grace this planet. I think the biggest legacy he left us was confidence. Regardless if you agreed with his message or not, it is hard to deny that he walked with his shoulders back and his head held high. Even in the face of death, he never turned back and he kept pushing forward. I think more than anything that is what we should remember the most.

Guy #3- Honestly, I never took the time out to read much about Malcolm. I know he is seen as a great man who did great things, but I just haven’t read enough to know for myself. But he must have been great because people talk about him all the time. So I think his legacy should live on because every story needs to be told, but I personally cannot say what that story is.

What’s the reasoning for black men looking at a female’s butt every time they hold the door open for them?

Guy #1- Because I think we have earned that right. We went out of our way to do a nice gesture for you. Do you know how many girls walk through the door without saying thank you on a regular basis? A LOT! So when we look at your butt it is our little reward for doing our good deed. It’s not like we are grabbing your butt or anything like that so I don’t see what the big deal is to be honest. We hold the door, we look, and then life goes on.

Guy #2- Some guys are just

like that I suppose. I don’t see the point in guys having to look at every girl that walks pass.

Even if they are with another female, the guys still seem to stare down every sister that walks through the door. I personally don’t understand why, but I think it is just because of a lack of maturity I guess.

Guy #3- Does it really matter? I really don’t see the big deal with me looking at your butt every now and then. I understand girls don’t want to be stared at all the time. But I think girls take some stuff men do and say too serious. Just let me glance and keep it moving. It’s just a peek. As long as we look, but don’t touch, then I think there’s nothing wrong with a man getting a few looks in here and there.

Do men actually notice, or even care, if a woman has on makeup or not?

Guy #1- Not really. At least I never notice. And I only seem to care when a girl’s face is really messed up. If she needs to wear it then do what you do. But there is no need to throw it in my face and expect me to notice. If I noticed everything you did to make yourself beautiful then that would be like me pointing out all of your flaws. I try not to pay attention that hard. I never notice because its not that big of a deal.

Guy #2- I notice when girls have on way too much. I think females who wear makeup are completely insecure with themselves. Your natural beauty should not be covered up. If your face has imperfections then fine, but there is no need to cover it up. Someone should, and someone will, like you for who you are. Regardless of how many bumps or scars you have on your face.

Guy #3- I do not pay attention enough to notice. My mother wears makeup and she has really made me see that women go above and beyond to look beautiful. So I’ve always been a fan of do what you got to do to make you feel pretty. Regardless if men find you pretty or not, if you don’t appreciate yourself, then who will? So if breast implants make you feel pretty, go for it. If you like dressing like a rock star for attention, then I love it. And if makeup makes you feel pretty, then I’m all for it.

AggieLife

Evan Summerville 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 23, 2011

Aggies defeat Eagles in rematch LAUREN MORGAN Sports Editor

In a rematch of the rebirth of the Aggie-Eagle rivalry, the North Carolina A&T Aggies defeated North Carolina Central 72-67.

Earlier this season, on Jan. 24, in Corbett Sports Center the Aggies fell to the NCCU Eagles 90-84.

C.J. Wilkerson led the Eagles to victory with a career high 41 points.

In the game on Feb. 21 the Aggies and Eagles battled in front of a sold out Crowd in the McDougald-McLendon Gym in Durham, N.C. This was NCA&T’s first game in the McDougald-McLendon Gym since 1985.

Fans, Aggies and Eagles, watched the two teams battle back and forth as the lead changed hands 19 times over the course of the game; the game was also tied nine times.

Aggie center, Thomas Coleman led the way for A&T with 21 points and 9 rebounds; Aggie forward Adrian Powell added 13 points.

Guard Marc Hill added 10 points and guard Austin Witter recorded eight points and five assists in the Aggie victory.

Nick Chasten led the Eagles with 24 points and 8 rebounds.

C.J. Wilkerson added 20 points for the Eagle and Landon Clement ended the game with 17 points.

Both teams got off to a quick offensive start and with 17:19 to go in the first half a jumper by Powell tied the game for the Aggies at 6-6.

Over the next nine minutes the Eagles pulled away from the

Aggies and led A&T 26-18.

Down by eight with 6:46 left to on the clock the Aggies outscored NCCU 11-to- 6 to end the half with a one-point advantage.

The Aggies opened the second half on a 12-6 run pushing their lead to 7 with a 44-37 advantage. They wouldn’t have the lead for long.

The Eagles quickly cut the Aggies lead and a three pointer

by C.J. Wilkerson tied the game for the Eagles at 47-47.

With just over 12 minutes left to play the Aggies and Eagles battled back and forth, with the game’s leader changing 11 times.

With 5:48 left on the clock the game was tied at 60-60.

Over the next five minutes the Aggies outscored NCCU 12-to7 to secure a 72-67 victory.

A&T never found themselves down by more than two points in the second half and led by as many as seven in the win over NCCU. The Aggie bench added 21 points in the Aggie victory, while holding the Eagle bench to just six points on the game.

The Aggies scored 38 points in the paint and was able to hold the Eagles to only 18 points.

The Aggies shot 27-for-50 on the game shooting 54 percent. They held the Eagles to shooting 39.3 percent in the second half and 44.4 percent on the game. Although A&T held NCCU to 42.6 percent shooting on the game, the Eagles shot 44.4 percent beyond the arc.

The Aggies are now 13-15, 7-6 in the MEAC. A&T is back in action against the Eagles of Coppin State on Feb. 26 in Corbett Sports Center.

7

AGGIES RUNDOWN men’s BASKETball TEAM

MEAC

Bethune-Cookman 11-3

Morgan State 9-3 Coppin State

9-4 Hampton 9-5

North Carolina A&T 7-6 Florida A&M 7-7 Norfolk State 6-7 Delaware State

5-8

South Carolina State 4-10 Howard

4-10 MD Eastern Shore 3-11

OVR. 17-11 14-10 14-12 19-8 13-15 12-16 8-18 9-17 8-19 6-21 6-21

NEXT WEEK’S GAME: Feb 26 Coppin State Corbett Sports Center 4 p.m.

Feb 28 Morgan State Corbett Sports Center 7 p.m.

Women’s basketball TEAM

MEAC

Hampton 11-1 8-3 Morgan State 8-4 Howard 7-5 North Carolina A&T 7-5 Florida A&M Coppin State 6-5 5-6 Bethune-Cookman 5-6 MD Eastern Shore 3-9 Delaware State South Carolina State 3-9 1-11 Norfolk State

OVR. 20-6 15-11 13-15 13-12 13-12 10-15 12-12 8-18 9-17 8-16 8-16

NEXT WEEK’S GAME: Feb 26 Coppin State Corbett Sports Center 2 p.m.

Feb 28 Morgan State Corbett Sports Center 4:30 p.m.

Photo by Ken hawkins Ray Lester shoots for two against their rival NC Central on Monday Feb 21, 2011 in McDougald-McLendon Gymnasium.

Carmelo now a Knick BRIAN MAHONEY

AP Basketball Writer

GREENBURGH, N.Y. (AP) — The New York Knicks were searching for a second superstar when Carmelo Anthony became available.

The price was high, but they’re certain he’s worth it.

“When you go out hunting, would you rather have a bigger gun or a little gun?” coach Mike D’Antoni said. “We got a bigger gun.”

The Knicks agreed to a trade with the Denver Nuggets for Anthony on Monday night, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press. The teams were awaiting the completion of a conference call with the NBA on Tuesday before the deal, which also includes the Minnesota Timberwolves, could become official.

Anthony will join fellow All-Star Amare Stoudemire in the frontcourt, giving the Knicks the potent duo they hoped they could assemble last summer in free agency.

Instead, they had to give up much of their core.

“We liked the way our team played this year and I looked at it and I thought we had one piece that was at the high level of the league. We always wanted two pieces at least,” team president Donnie Walsh said.

Stoudemire has led the Knicks to a 28-26 record this season.“Every team needs a 1, 1A punch,” Stoudemire said.

“And so with the ways that we both can score .... we’re very versatile, so it’s hard to guard us.”

Stoudemire said he had “no doubt” the All-Star forwards and longtime friends could play together, and said Anthony would handle the move to New York as well as he has.

“It’s what he wants. It’s what I wanted, to come to New York and play on the big stage,” Stoudemire said. “He has the same type of swag.

This is what he wants and he can handle it. We’re going to do it together.”

The Knicks haven’t made

the playoffs since 2004, but are in sixth place in the Eastern Conference in their first season since acquiring Stoudemire from Phoenix last summer. He thinks the blockbuster deal could make them better equipped to face teams such as Boston or Miami, which already have multiple All-Stars, in the postseason.

“It’s not easy and it’s not going to get any easier for us now because the target is on our back,” Stoudemire said. “Teams are going to be eager to play against us.”

They are paying a heavy price, trading Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton, Danilo Gallinari, Timofey Mozgov and a 2014 first-round draft pick to the Nuggets, who would get additional picks and cash. But the Knicks felt they had to make the move after failing last summer to land two superstars through free agency.

“Now we’ve got two guys in our stable,” D’Antoni said.

The completion of the deal is delayed while Anthony first signs a three-year, $65 million contract extension with the Nuggets before the trade conference call can be held.

It was Anthony’s refusal to take the extension when the Nuggets offered it to him last summer that forced them to explore trading their leading scorer. The Knicks hoped they could sign him next summer in free agency, but felt they couldn’t wait because Anthony wanted the extension this season, before a new collective bargaining agreement next summer could severely restrict salaries. So the Knicks agreed to trade four of their top six players.

The Knicks hope Anthony will be able to play Wednesday.

He is expected to arrive in New York to take his physical late Tuesday or Wednesday morning.

New York’s once-passionate fan base was turned off by the team’s poor play on the court and embarrassing press off it for most of the decade under Isiah Thomas’ reign. But in the third season under Walsh and D’Antoni, the buzz has come back, and it’s only going to get louder once Anthony takes the court.

AROUND SPORTS FAMU DEFEATS HAMPTON HAMPTON, Va. (AP)­— Yannick Crowder scored 16 points to help lead Florida A&M to a 58-55 come-from-behind victory over Hampton on Monday night.

The Rattlers (12-15, 7-7 MidEastern Athletic Conference) trailed 31-22 with 16 minutes left to play, but an 18-8 run gave FAMU its first lead, 4039, with just over 7 minutes remaining.

Brandon Hosley nailed a 3-pointer with 1:22 to go, giving the Rattlers a 51-47 advantage, and FAMU went 7 for 10 from the free-throw line in the final minute to preserve the win.

Hosley finished with 10 points and Jeremy Dean grabbed 10 rebounds for the Rattlers, who shot 13 of 28 from the floor (46.4 percent) in the second half.

Darrion Pellum scored 17 points and Kwame Morgan added 13 for the Pirates (198, 9-5), who allowed 19 points off of 19 turnovers.

FAMU posted a 35-7 edge in bench points as all of Hampton’s starters played at least 29 minutes.

MORGAN BEATS MDEASTERN SHORE BALTIMORE (AP) — DeWayne Jackson scored 16 points and Kevin Thompson added 13 points and 12 rebounds to lead Morgan State past Maryland-Eastern Shore 7154 on Monday night.

The Bears (13-10, 8-3 MidEastern Athletic Conference) led 25-21 at halftime and shot 61.9 percent from the field (13 of 21) after the break, increasing their lead to as many as 21, 63-42, with 2:20 left to play.

Rodney Stokes added 14 points and nine rebounds for Morgan State, while Tola Lawal chipped in 13 points.

The Hawks (6-21, 3-11) shot just 8 for 31 from the floor (25.8 percent) in the opening half and slightly improved to 33.3 percent in the second (12 of 36). UMES shot 22.2 percent from 3-point range (4 of 18) and 40 percent from the free-throw line (10 of 25).

8

The A&T Register | ncatregister.com | Wednesday, February 23, 2011

“I Am Number Four” is good for its action SHANNON BROOKS Contributor

“I Am Number Four” made its debut on Feb. 18 and was ranked number 2 in the box office earning $19.5 million. Rated a PG-13 film, “I Am Number Four” displays an outstanding amount of action, suspense, and romance.

The film is based on the popular book, “I Am Number Four,” written by James Frey and Jobie Hughes. John Smith, played by Alex Pettyfer, an extraterrestrial teenager from a distant planet called Lorien, is on the run going from one town to another to escape the Mogadorians and to hide the fact that he even exists.

The Mogadorians are fishlike creatures with spiky teeth and gills on their face that are on the rampage to destroy Number Four. John Smith is not the only one of his kind.

There were nine other extraterrestrials on earth but only five present in the movie because the Mogadorians are trying to kill them. In all, three are dead and Number Four is next on their hit list. The rest of the extraterrestrials like John who are still alive are scattered

around the earth in hiding.

Number Four’s protector/ guardian, Henri, played by Timothy Olyphant, helps him with understanding his powers and hiding his identity.

The movie begins with John enrolling in a high school and starting a new life because he has to hide his existence, depicting how imperative it is that he remains in hiding from the Mogadorians. If they destroy John, then the rest of the world would be taken over by these fish-like creatures. After a few days of attending his new high school, John soon becomes interested in a young girl, Sarah, played by Glee actress Dianna Agron, who loves photography and creates a friendship with a dorky guy named Sam, played

by Callan McAuliffe.

This movie, directed by D.J. Caruso, is a very modern and classically refreshing film with a ‘superhero’ and ‘sci-fi’ storyline. The actors portray great chemistry onscreen so there are not any awkward moments or scenes. This film also includes great amounts of action that will leave you on the edge of your seat and will make you want to know what happens next!

B+ 20

QUESTIONS

SUAB host karaoke night NECOLE JACKSON

Register Reporter

The Student Union Activities Board (SUAB) hosted Karaoke Night: So you think you can Dance on Feb. 16.

The event took place in Stallings Ballroom and allowed students to show off their singing skills.

Karaoke night started at 7 p.m. and students came in slowly, but Stallings quickly became crowded.

Anyone was allowed to sign up to do a group or individual performance. The old school Party Time Karaoke machine and a screen were used so performers could see the words to the songs.

The runway was also put down so students could dance.

Torrie Burgess, Miss SUAB, helped put the event together.

“We all planned these events over the summer and this was a really good turn out,” said Burgess. “This is something we would definitely do next year.”

Everyone was entertained.

Jason Cameron, Mr. SUAB,

hosted the show.

Performers sang songs like “Bootylicious” by Beyonce, “You Got it Bad” by Usher, “Baby Got Back” by Vanilla Ice, and “YMCA” by the Village People.

The singers interacted with the audience and got everyone clapping and singing along with them.

When performers sang slow songs, the lights were dimmed and cell phones were held up to set the mood.

Everyone enjoyed the performances while eating cupcakes that were handed out.

Some performers even had back up dancers.

While singers chose their songs and got prepared, Cameron entertained the crowd and persuaded the audience to participate too.

This encouraged members from other organizations, like Couture, to show their talent.

One of the amateur singers was Ashley Mixon, a sophomore construction management major from Charlotte, N.C. sang “Since you been Gone” by

Kelly Clarkson.

“I sing karaoke at home and I also tried out for American Idol,” said Mixon.

“Even though I have done all of this, I still felt nervous. It all changed when I started singing.

I began to feel empowered.”

Host Jason Cameron also talked about Aggie Fest during the breaks. They explained to everyone what Aggie Fest was about and how the event will be great this year. They announced that there will be a mini concert and comedy show during the week. They also announced they will be hosting a Skate Night in the parking lot.

All the students had a great time. “This karaoke night was really entertaining and was an enjoyable event,” said Tiffany Wright, a freshman nursing major from Chapel Hill, N.C. “There are a lot of talented people and they should have more stuff like this. SUAB does a lot of great stuff to get the campus together.”

hotlist

theSCENE

Feb. 23rd to Mar. 1st The A&T Register’s guide to what’s going on this week in arts and entertainment.

ON CAMPUS DJ/ PRODUCER BATTLE presented by I Am Music & Media takes place tomorrow at 7 p.m. in Exhibit Hall. Student tickets are $3 and general admission is $5.

- J.V.

BE SCENE

Contributor’s meetings every Wednesday at 5 p.m. in GCB room 328A

1. So did you hear the news that Carmelo Anthony was traded to the New York Knicks? 2. Do you think that was a dumb decision for him to leave Denver? 3. Do you think the fans ended up burning Carmelo’s jersey like the fans in Cleveland did LeBron’s jersey? 4. Did you go to the A&T and Central game Monday? 5. Did you notice that the Central greeks were having a stroll competition throughout the game? 6. Did you know that the Deltas won there as well? 7. Do you think Delta Sigma Theta Sorority runs the I-40 in stroll competitions? 8. Why do the guys have to go all the way to Durham to beat Central? 9. Why couldn’t they win when the ENTIRE school was there to support them? 10. Did you go to Silent Library? 11. Why wasn’t it in Bluford? 12. Why was everything covered in mayonnaise? 13. Did you see the cafe brawl at Alabama State University on youtube and worldstarhiphop.com? 14. Did you happen to notice that the brawl featured their football team? 15. Listening to the video, who is Samantha? 16. Do you think if our football team had as much intensity as ASU’s fight, they would finally win homecoming? 17. Did you know that it is February still? 18. Do you know that it is technically winter? 19. So you think it is okay to wear mini skirts and wife beaters before March 20th? 20. Did you have good medical insurance since you are bound to get sick?

ON CAMPUS CREATING YOUR LEGACY: PATH TO SUCCESS PANEL presented by WNAA 90.1FM takes place today at 3 p.m. in Stallings Ballroom. The event will also be screening a film

by Idris Elba showcasing his path from actor to producer.

- J.V.