February 29 by The A&T Register

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THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF NORTH CAROLINA A&T

Wanted: Black Fathers

Many A&T students are a part of a generation growing up without their dads

SYLVIA OBELL

Managing Editor

Father: (noun) 1. a man in relation to his natural child or children. 2. a man who has continuous care of a child, esp. by adoption; an adoptive father, stepfather, or foster father. 3. a man who gives care and protection to someone or something. The amount of black fathers who are absent from their children’s lives is overwhelming. The 2010 U.S. Census Bureau reports that out of the 11,354,000 black children in the U.S., 6,090,000 were only living with their mothers. In other words, more than half of the black children in the U.S. could very well be considered “fatherless.” Those numbers are way above the national average. That same year it was reported that only 27

percent of children lived in the U.S. a single-parent household. A 2004 report by the U.S. Census Bureau states that 38 percent of black children live with both parents. In other words, one or no parent raised 62 percent of black children. There are many reasons most children are living with their mothers. Their parents may have gotten divorced leaving their mother with primary custody, or they were never married nor living with each other tobegin with. Or their father was just never in the picture, and A&T students are no exception. The Stories Chelsey Mann is one of those students. She is a social work major from Raleigh, whose parents were never married. Her biological father did not come into the picture until she was nine.

“He didn’t really claim me as his child when I was younger,” said Mann. As a result Mann did not like her father growing up and did not begin to have a real relationship with him until she was in college. “I was able to put my feelings aside,” she said. “As I’m getting older I’m learning the importance of family.” Mann’s situation is quite unique. Not only does she have a biological father, but an adoptive one. “My mom married my sister’s father and he adopted me when I was three years old. I have his last name,” said Mann. Her mother and adopted father remained together until she was in the 1st grade and then the two became separated. “Even after the separation he spent time with us just not with her. He wasn’t absent in our lives as far as being a father, he just

didn’t live with us so we didn’t have that presence and experience having a father actually in the house.” Carlton Brown’s situation is similar. Although his father was physically present for the majority of his life, his emotional and mental disconnect left him feeling just as “fatherless” as those whose father was not present. “I’d say my parents are separated,” said Brown. “My father was there on and off. He left when I was four and came back when I was 12. Even though he was in the house he wasn’t emotionally connected to the family: always working 15-hour shifts, never home for dinner. We never built a connection.” The Brooklyn, New York native consumer science major shared that fathers weren’t exactly a common sighting where  See FATHERLESS on Page 3

Engineers host break dance competition SYMONE KIDD Contributor

The A&T chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers gathered break dancers in the student union to compete in the Divine Cypher Breakin’ Competition Saturday night. The event took place as a fundraiser to help engineering students attend the annual Carolina Conference. The conference this year will take place at Clemson University where engineering students from various schools compete in different engineering competitions. The breaking competition also known as a “jam” consisted of competitors, judges, spectators, a DJ, and Ox & Rabbit who was the vendor of the night selling clothes, shoes, and watches. This was the ﬁrst time a break dance competition has ever been held on A&T’s campus. “I have been here for four years and I’ve been wanting to host a jam but never had the time to do it until now,” said Matthew Diggs a senior engineering major. “It is a great way to have fun while supporting the growth of our hip-hop community and supporting students trying to make it through college in order to bring positive change to our expanding societies.” Diggs who has been a b-boy for six years was the brains behind the jam. “It was hard putting this jam together. I had a lot to do but it’s feasible and I would do it again,” he said. With plenty of energy coming from competitors and the crowd, the preliminaries kicked off the jam with everyone who signed

Aggies revamp new website for users KELCIE C. MCCRAE Editor-in-Cheif

PHOTO BY TRACY DURANDIS • THE A&T REGISTER

BRANDON “NO CENTS” MCCRIMMON competing in the 1st Annual North Carolina A&T Divine Cypher in Exhibit Hall on February 25, 2012.

After 16 years, N.C. A&T ﬁnally got a face-lift. Over the weekend the release of the new campus web site debuted to thousands. “The web site looks amazing,” said Heather Smith, a junior business management major from Raleigh. “It is a well-needed upgrade.” Monday marked the ofﬁcial release of the web site to campus. According to Barbara Ellis, vice chancellor of information technology this is only phase one of the release. “We want to use this web site as a sales channel for the university, so we are always actively talking about the great things we are doing,” she said. “Phase one expanded in scope so we could bring the entire university in.” Six months from now, the web site will continue onto its next phase and have more updates such as more pages, content, and an intranet system, which is an internal site used for students, faculty, and staff.

up competing to show the judges what he or she had in order to move on to the battle rounds. Juan from Swoon Unit, the most prestigious b-boy crew in N.C. since 1999, was one of three judges for the night. “It is a great thing when people come to b-boy battles because there is a lot of diversity and it is a celebration” said Juan. The judges were judging b-boys on their execution, foundation, style, and creativeness. There were four total battle rounds during the competition. The ﬁrst round consisted of the top 16 people who moved on from the preliminary round. In the top 16 was one of A&T’s own Johnathan Jackson, a sophomore biology major. Jackson, who goes by the b-boy name

‘J-rok,’ has been break dancing since 2009. “I really wanted to just come out and get the battle experience and meet other people to know I’m not the only one break dancing,” said Jackson. The event was not only a competition but also a time of learning as M.C. Frantic and judges helped b-boys touch up their skills before they engaged in battle. When not battling b-boys and b-girls gathered in cypher’s, circles with everyone showing off his or her skills for everyone present. There were a lot of local and nonlocal b-boys and girls that came out to the jam. “I saw an advertisement on Facebook and thought to make it a priority to

come out and support Matt,” said Brandon Allen a senior at Seventy-First High School in Fayetteville. Allen also known as “Riot” was the winner of the $250 grand prize and a qualifying spot for the Southeastern B-boy Championship. “When it comes to dancing in general I feel that dancing is a good way to express yourself without words. B-boying accepts all forms and styles of dance which makes it so beautiful,” said Allen. Diggs would love to make the Divine Cypher Breakin’ Competition an annual event on A&T’s campus to spread growth and support of the hip-hop culture. -sckidd@ncat.edu and follow us on Twitter @ATRegister

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it’s oscar time

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

Smitty and Debra Smith are black entrepreneurs that own local McDonald’s franchisees’. They recently were awarded the Golden Arch award.

Editor-in-Cheif Kelcie C. McCrae stresses the importance of getting involved in the campaign season.

Check out track star Shakia Forbes as she is featured in the Aggie spotlight.

See what actress gets ‘Help’ from this year’s Oscars.

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“Intranet is a site that is used internally by the university community,” she says. “If I had news to get to the faculty, instead of using email, I will have a HR spot on the intranet site that only university faculty, students can see.” Since 1996, A&T has operated under the same web domain for its campus site. It was run solely by individuals in information technology (IT), and now it’s under the reigns of University Relations. “It’s really just another arm of what University Relations is really all about,” said Nicole Pride, associate vice chancellor for university relations. “Being the ofﬁcial voice of the institution and overseer of brand marketing, communication strategies, etc, it makes sense that a web site to be housed with us.” Although University Relations maintains the site in order to brand it, they are still partnered with IT to make sure the upkeep is handled properly. For over a year a committee  See WEBSITE on Page 3

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The A&T Register | ncatregister.com | Wednesday, February 29, 2012

FATHERLESS From page 1 he’s from. “Coming from a broken family was kind of the norm where I was from,” he said. “All my boys didn’t really have relationships with their fathers either and we didn’t really care. After a certain point you’re just like whatever, mom’s going to feed me.” Michele Delgado, a public relations major also relatea to that

notion. At her public high school in Connecticut it was also the norm. “Nobody had their dad either so I felt more normal,” she said. Delgado’s father was completely absent in her life for the most part. Her parents were never married. He went to jail shortly after she was born for a little while. Then her parents had her younger sister two years later, after which, he found his way back to prison. “Growing up its always been

Award-winning THE A&T

Here’s what we won:

14th annual BCCA Excellence in Journalism Student Newspaper Awards: First place: Best News Coverage, Sylvia Obell, “Project Haiti Fails to deliver” First place: Best Individual Page Design, Kelcie McCrae, “Japan: A nation in crisis” Third place: Best Individual Page Design, Kelcie McCrae, “Aggie-Eagle Classic” Third place: Best Design, Broadsheet or Tabloid, Staff N.C. College Media Association convention Third place: Feature Writing, Sylvia Obell and Jenelle McMillon Honorable Mention: Photography, Kenneth Hawkins Honorable Mention: Opinion Writing, Trumaine McCaskill

my mom, my little sister, and me.” she said. “My father was in and out when I was younger because he was on drugs. The last time I saw him I was 12.” The Effects Surviving a broken home is only one half of the struggle. There are naturally residual affects. On the positive side, all the interviewees’ feel as though the experience left them more independent, stronger, and driven to succeed. For example Delgado’s father didn’t believe in her goals, now she’s one year away from being the ﬁrst person in her family to graduate from college. She attributes that to her drive. It also may make some strive to be better parents and create a better home structure for their kids. Mann says she looks at her parent’s mistakes as a learning experience of what not to do when it comes to building a family. There are negative effects as well. “It’s just critical to have a male ﬁgure. Two parents raise children a little differently than a fatherless child would grow up,” said Vivian Barnett, director of counseling services at A&T. “In a fatherless home there is a risk of a lot more negative effects. I’ve noticed an increase of suicide attempts, behavioral disorders, and just juvenile delinquent type things.” “My dad was really violent, so sometimes I feel a little unsafe when there’s a man in the

WEBSITE From page 1 For over a year a committee of seven people have undergone numerous meetings to upgrade this web site. Under a $400,000 Title 3 grant, this committee was able to pay for this new site. “This grant allowed us to do project enhance how we do business,” said Pride. “We use these dollars to get the equipment, and

house,” said Delgado. “When I was younger it would feel weird when I slept over at a friend’s house who had a father.” Brown said his situation had its negative affects as well. “I don’t really care for relationships,” he said. “I haven’t had a girlfriend for 10 years and it never really bothered me, still doesn’t bother me. Everything that you go through in life effects you, it’s nothing I really worry about, it may not be traditional or normal but it’s how I feel.” Mann has similar views. “I can’t relate to the typical family,” she said. “When it came to guys, my father didn’t know anything about any of that. He never got a chance to see me before going to prom, or meet my boyfriends. None of my friends know either one of my fathers. That made me feel different.” Mann is not alone in feeling like she lacks guidance when it comes to guys due to her upbringing. Delgado feels the same way, “I wish my dad was able to give me advice on guys. My mom can’t really give me advice because she’s still single so she doesn’t know either,” she said. Delgado and Mann may mimic the opinions of many minority girls today. They both shared that they hope to have a healthy marriage and children, but all they have really been shown is what not to do. Meanwhile you have Brown, who like many other young black men, don’t have the most positive view of relationships. They didn’t

see it growing up so to them it’s almost optional. Another thing that they see as optional: Fathering their children. “It’s easier for men to leave because it’s acceptable now,” said Brown. “It’s even in movies. If a person doesn’t want to step up to the plate they’re not going to. I have friends who have been thrown in jail numerous times for child support, but still aren’t going to pay it because they don’t care.”

some design.” Originally scheduled to only update a portion of the web site, Pride says they wanted to go beyond just one part. Initially they wanted to update the admissions, and campus life aspect of the web site. The new site was set to release last November, however due to wanting to change the site entirely it was postponed until last weekend. “We decided that we deserved

more as an institution at the time,” said Pride. “We thought it would be more effective if we did a full redesign and offer more content across the board for consistency.” The web site now offers a variety of changes. Unlike the past, when content had to be submitted to IT before posted, it now can be updated by each division by way of a site coordinator. Each college and school now has a designated coordinator to review, edit, and post web site information.

The Future So what will marriage and family life look like as the generations made up of majority fatherless children take the reigns and become adults? In this story there are young women who want a relationship but have been giving no advice or real life examples of how to keep a man; men who have more negative views of relationships than positive; and men who aren’t made to feel guilty about not being in their child’s daily life. “I think this has a huge impact on how things will be in the future,” said Barnett. “When it comes to relationships, you carry what you see. If you haven’t seen one growing up you may question them, you may not be able to accept the support of a partner.” “It’s kind of like having a bleeding soul, you know there’s something missing but you don’t know what,” she said. Mann has noticed this generation’s skewed view of parenting

as well. “I have a professor whose kids lived with her, she didn’t let them watch TV at a young age, and she read to them every night; we don’t do that anymore,” said Mann. “A lot of people in the class didn’t even understand why she didn’t let them watch TV. We’ve become used to letting other things raise our children.” Mann isn’t the only person whose noticed this generation’s acceptance of the unacceptable. The new nuclear black family very well may be a single mom with a dad whose sees his kids on the weekends. “Now a days people pat a man on the back if he pays child support. That’s not being a parent. A parent is someone who takes care of their kids everyday,” said DeWayne Wickham, chair of the journalism & mass Communication department. “There’s just too many baby daddies, too many single moms, and too many children who don’t know what a family is,” said Mann. What is clear is that thousands of black children, young men and women have or are growing up without a father. The reasons may vary from abandonment to jail to divorce, but the negative residual effects are continuing to impact the black family or lack there of. -smobell@ncat.edu and follow her on Twitter @YngBlkandFancy

As of Monday the web site had 22,000 hits, over 100,000 page views, 4.56 pages per visit, and the average user spent around ﬁve minutes on the site. “I hope this web site recruits students, the type that belong to this institution. I hope it showcases our excellence, brings more donors, and quality faculty and staff,” says Pride. -kcmccrae@ncat.edu and follow her on Twitter @Kelcie_McCrae

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The A&T Register | ncatregister.com | Wednesday, February 29, 2012

NC considers public agency for water power EMERY P. DALESIO Associated Press

RALEIGH, N.C. — State and civic leaders waging a yearslong fight over the hydroelectricity produced by North Carolina’s Yadkin River say a public power agency could attract jobs to the region rather than channel profits to current operator Alcoa Inc. They point to the success of similar public agencies in South Carolina and New York. But getting the cheap, clean energy to attract thousands of jobs would require a never-before act of Congress to give an operating license for the dams to a North Carolina entity that doesn’t yet exist. Still, leaders who favor fighting for the hydropower license Alcoa has held for decades and wants to lock up for another half-century are beginning to talk up a public power agency as an alternative. The idea of creating a public entity to operate dams that have been in private hands since the early 20th century conjures “an image of big, bad state government taking over,” said state Commerce Secretary Keith Crisco, Gov. Beverly Perdue’s top business booster. So a power agency could be centered in the six counties nearest the dams and their reservoirs instead of Raleigh. But look to the example of South Carolina, which if anything is even more politically conservative, he said. The state-owned electric and water utility, Santee Cooper, announced this month that it would cut its power rates by up to 20 percent to attract new compa-

nies or encourage existing ones to expand. With the state’s electric cooperatives passing along the discount, the offer extends statewide, including South Carolina’s rural pockets. But Alcoa is committed to extending its right to operate the four dams on the Yadkin, which flows into South Carolina as the Pee Dee River. Company figures estimate that the dams could generate revenues of more than $2 billion over 50 years, the period for which Alcoa seeks a new license. Those revenues could multiply if demand for clean power booms or the dams increase their output. The contest for who will control a key water source for one of the country’s fastest growing states and what the electricity would be used for is likely to continue for years. If the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission decides against renewing Alcoa’s hydroelectric operating license, the regulators could recommend to Congress that a state or municipal body run the dams instead. But that has never happened. The idea of a public power agency offering cheap hydroelectricity for jobs in a region where the unemployment rate is worse than the statewide average has been around at least since Perdue, a Democrat, took office in 2009. Legislation to create an entity that might someday receive the hydro license failed in 2009, when Democrats still controlled the General Assembly. Lawmakers later created a regional economic development commission with fewer powers, but

which could still own or lease property. Some of the Republicans who took over the legislature last year were among the strongest opponents to creating a public power authority that could take the place of a private company. State officials are taking the New York Power Authority as a model of a low-cost electricity alternative to Alcoa. The NYPA’s Power for Jobs program takes credit for helping creating or preserving 239,000 jobs in more than a decade to 2009. Officials looked at what economic development efforts NYPA had made with the private sector to get a better idea of what North Carolina could be doing, a Commerce Department economist explained in one of hundreds of agency emails provided to The Associated Press under a Freedom of Information Act request. Alcoa is one of the hundreds of companies that decided the NYPA’s low-cost power made a good business case for keeping jobs in New York. In the worst of the recession, Alcoa agreed in March 2009 that it wouldn’t eliminate about 1,100 jobs at its two smelters in upstate New York and would instead modernize and expand the site. The New York example was in the background last year, when Alcoa offered a jobs-forlicense deal. The country’s largest aluminum company backed a start-up steel company promising hundreds of jobs at the old smelter site — but only if state and local officials backed off and allowed the company to get its federal license. Crisco said it amounted to a

bad deal compared to the thousands of jobs that could result if a mini version of the NYPA was created for the Yadkin. The state didn’t budge and the start-up gave up. Alcoa believes the example of New York’s public power agency isn’t applicable to North Carolina, vice president Kevin Anton said. The NYPA’s dams produce far more electricity than those on the Yadkin, so it has more to offer more companies, Anton said. The New York power plants also were built and paid for by that state, so North Carolina’s efforts amount to government trying to take private property, he said. “The reality is that the Yadkin Project is much too small in terms of energy production to serve as an economic development tool capable of creating tens of thousands of new jobs,” Anton said. If North Carolina or another operator were to take over the Yadkin dams from Alcoa, the company would be compensated, though the competing sides differ widely on the cost. Meanwhile, a sustainable economic development nonprofit opposed to Alcoa’s relicensing efforts is launching an online campaign in the coming weeks to position a publicpower entity as an alternative to Alcoa as dam operator. Central Park NC also is funding a study of the feasibility of operating the Yadkin’s hydropower dams to recruit jobs. The group is soliciting bids from the state’s research universities to conduct the study, which should be completed by fall.

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Obama: No easy answers to lowering pump prices ANNE GEARAN

Associated Press

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama says there is no easy answer to the problem of rising energy prices and he’s dismissing Republican solutions as little more than gimmicks. “We know there’s no silver bullet that will bring down gas prices or reduce our dependence on foreign oil overnight,” Obama said Saturday in his weekly radio and Internet address. “But what we can do is get our priorities straight and make a sustained, serious effort to tackle this problem.” Oil prices are approaching last year’s highs as tensions increase over Iran’s nuclear program. The rise pushed gasoline prices Friday to a national average of $3.65 a gallon, the highest ever for this time of year. A spike in gas prices is normal in spring, but it came earlier than usual this year in large part because of world fears that the growing confrontation with Iran will crimp oil supplies. Iran is the world’s third-largest crude supplier. Rising oil prices weigh on the economy, pushing leisure and business travel costs higher. Every 1-cent increase in the price of gasoline costs the economy $1.4 billon, analysts say. Obama said Republicans have one answer to the oil pinch: drill. “You know that’s not a plan, especially since we’re already drilling,” Obama said, echoing his remarks earlier in

the week. “It’s a bumper sticker.” Obama is pushing what he calls an “all-of-the-above” approach to the problem of limited energy resources, meaning an attempt to seek out alternative energy sources while reducing consumption of traditional fuels. In the Republican address, Texas Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison blamed the rise in gasoline prices partly on the Obama administration, which she said has blocked some potential new sources of oil and gas. “We can’t slow down global demand for oil and gas, but we can do a lot more here at home to assure that we have the energy we need and to halt skyrocketing costs,” she said. “President Obama’s policy has resulted in an unprecedented slowdown in new exploration and production of oil and gas.” For all the political claims, economists say there’s not much a president of either party can do about gasoline prices. Certainly not in the short term. But it’s clear that people are concerned — a new Associated Press-GfK poll says 7 in 10 Americans find the issue deeply important — so it’s sure to be a political issue through the summer. The price of gasoline, which is made from crude oil, has soared with oil prices. The national average jumped by nearly 12 cents per gallon in a week, with state averages above $4 per gallon in California, Alaska and Hawaii. At $3.65 per gallon, gasoline is still below last year’s high of $3.98 and the record $4.11 set in 2008.

Black couple owns 10 N.C. McDonald’s resturants Tiffanie Jones Contributor

Debra and James “Smitty” Smith opened up North Carolina’s first McDonalds in 1959. They have now prospered in owning 10 McDonalds in the city of Greensboro. On April 23, 2012 at the Worldwide Convention in Orlando, Florida Debra and James will be awarded the Golden Arch award. The McDonalds Golden Arch award is the most important award given every two years to a McDonalds owner/operator. The award recognizes good customer service, cleanliness, positive qualities, and the successful brand of McDonalds. Running business can be challenging. “Some important tools you need is having a passion for business and turning it over to someone else. You have to have a passion for serving the customers and making sure you are doing the best job you possibly

can,” said James Smith. Debra and James Smith are proud that they can create a legend for their family. They opened McDonald’s years ago and now their son Adrian in running the business. “It does my heart wonders to pass down the business. A lot of times African Americans do not have this opportunity,” he said. On Tuesday, April 19, 2011 McDonalds had their first national hiring day, where Debra and James Smitty’s McDonalds Company for employment hired 500 people. The one thing it taught Smith was people was actually had a desire to work for McDonalds. It is no longer looked at as being the worst job. There are some people making about 80,000 to 90,000 a year driving around in company cars. People can find good employment from McDonalds. Debra and James are admired by people in the community for their outstanding service as well as starting a business and patiently watching it grow over years.

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The A&T Register | ncatregister.com | Wednesday, February 29, 2012

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Israel inks $1.6 billion arms deal with Azerbaijan AMY TEIBEL

Associated Press

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REGISTER A position with The A&T Register will help you land an internship at an off-campus media outlet. And that internship can help you land a post-graduation job.

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JERUSALEM — Israeli defense ofﬁcials on Sunday conﬁrmed $1.6 billion in deals to sell drones as well as anti-aircraft and missile defense systems to Azerbaijan, bringing sophisticated Israeli technology to the doorstep of archenemy Iran. The sales by state-run Israel Aerospace Industries come at a delicate time. Israel has been laboring hard to form diplomatic alliances in a region that seems to be growing increasingly hostile to the Jewish state. Its most pressing concern is Iran’s nuclear program, and Israeli leaders have hinted broadly that they would be prepared to attack Iranian nuclear facilities if they see no other way to keep Tehran from building bombs. Iran denies Israeli and Western claims it seeks to develop atomic weapons, and says its disputed nuclear program is designed to produce energy and medical isotopes. In Jerusalem, Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said Iran’s nuclear program will take center stage in his upcoming talks with U.S. and Canadian leaders. Netanyahu is to meet with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper in Ottawa on Friday and with President Barack Obama in Washington on Monday. Speaking to the Israeli Cabinet on Sunday, Netanyahu said a U.N. nuclear agency report last week buttressed Israel’s warnings that Iran is trying to produce a nuclear bomb. The agen-

cy said Iran has rapidly ramped up production of higher-grade enriched uranium over the last few months. Netanyahu said the report provided “another piece of incontrovertible evidence” that Iran is advancing rapidly with its nuclear program. It was not clear whether the arms deal with Azerbaijan was connected to any potential Israeli plans to strike Iran. The Israeli defense officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not at liberty to discuss defense deals. Danny Yatom, a former head of Israel’s Mossad spy agency, said the timing of the deal was likely coincidental. “Such a deal ... takes a long period of time to become ripe,” he told The Associated Press. He said Israel would continue to sell arms to its friends. “If it will help us in challenging Iran, it is for the better,” he said. Israel’s ties with Azerbaijan, a Muslim country that became independent with the disintegration of the Soviet Union, have grown as its once-strong strategic relationship with another Iranian neighbor, Turkey, has deteriorated, most sharply over Israel’s killing of nine Turks aboard a ship that sought to breach Israel’s blockade of the Gaza Strip in 2010. For Israeli intelligence, there is also a possible added benefit from Azerbaijan: Its significant cross-border contacts and trade with Iran’s large ethnic Azeri community. For that same reason, as Iran’s nuclear showdown with

the West deepens, the Islamic Republic sees the Azeri frontier as a weak point, even though both countries are mostly Shiite Muslim. Earlier this month, Iran’s foreign ministry accused Azerbaijan of allowing the Israeli spy agency Mossad to operate on its territory and providing a corridor for “terrorists” to kill members of Iranian nuclear scientists. Azerbaijan dismissed the Iranian claims as “slanderous lies.” Israeli leaders have hinted at covert campaigns against Iran without directly admitting involvement. Israel, meanwhile, recently claimed authorities foiled Iranian-sponsored attacks against Israeli targets in Azerbaijan. Such claims have precedents: In 2008, Azeri ofﬁcials said they thwarted a plot to explode car bombs near the Israeli Embassy; two Lebanese men were later convicted in the bombing attempt. A year earlier, Azerbaijan convicted 15 people in connection with an alleged Iranianlinked spy network accused of passing intelligence on Western and Israeli activities. Iran has denied Azerbaijan’s latest charges of plotting to kill Israelis, but a diplomatic rupture is unlikely. Azerbaijan is an important pathway for Iranian goods in the Caucasus region and both nations have signed accords among Caspian nations on energy, environmental and shipping policies.

Oil prices fall after 7-day surge CHRIS KAHN

Associated Press

NEW YORK — Oil prices took a breather on Monday, falling slightly as investors booked some profits after a seven-day surge. Retail gasoline prices continued to climb, adding five cents over the weekend for a national average of $3.70 per gallon. Benchmark crude fell by $1.21 to end the day at $108.56 per barrel in New York. Brent crude, which is used to price oil that’s imported by U.S. refineries, lost $1.30 to finish at $124.17 per barrel in London. Analysts say a standoff between the West and Iran over its nuclear program continues to keep oil prices around nine-

month highs. But some traders sold contracts to lock in proﬁts following a 9 percent rise since Valentine’s Day. “Some people are getting out now just because oil is at those high levels,” PFGBest analyst Phil Flynn said. Western nations fear that Iran is building a nuclear weapon and have been trying to get international inspectors into its facilities. Iran denies the claim and has threatened to disrupt oil supplies in response to any threats. Meanwhile, gasoline prices continue to rise in the U.S. The national average of $3.70 is the highest ever for this time of year. Drivers are paying an average of $4.29 per gallon in California. The price is above $4 per gallon

in Alaska and Hawaii, and it’s about $3.95 per gallon in Connecticut and New York. In some isolated cases around the country, gas is already going for more than $5 a gallon. The Oil Price Information Service said that pump prices should increase by another 5 to 10 cents in coming days to reflect price hikes last week in wholesale markets. The national average could hit $4.25 a gallon by late April, OPIS chief oil analyst Tom Kloza said. In other energy trading, heating oil fell by 3 cents to finish at $3.29 per gallon and gasoline futures lost 2 cents to end at $3.13 per gallon. Natural gas futures fell by 10 cents to finish at $2.45 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Mandela, 93, leaves hospital after surgery DONNA BRYSON

Associated Press

JOHANNESBURG — Former President Nelson Mandela was released from the hospital Sunday after an overnight stay for minor diagnostic surgery to determine the cause of an abdominal complaint, a spokesman for the country’s current leader said. Spokesman Mac Maharaj said the 93-year-old Nobel peace laureate had undergone a laparoscopy, a procedure that involves surgeons making an incision in the belly to insert a thin, lighted tube to look at abdominal organs. “The doctors have decided to

send him home as the diagnostic procedure he underwent did not indicate anything seriously wrong with him,” President Jacob Zuma’s ofﬁce added in a statement. Ofﬁcials had not disclosed where he was being treated to protect his privacy. Earlier in the day, Zuma had released a statement saying that Mandela was “surrounded by his family and is relaxed and comfortable.” “The doctors are happy with the progress he is making. We thank all South Africans for their love and support of Madiba. We also thank all for affording Madiba and his family privacy and dignity,” said Zuma,

referring to Mandela by his clan name. Mandela, who spent 27 years in prison for fighting racist white rule, became South Africa’s first black president in 1994 and served one five-year term. He now is officially retired, and last appeared in public in July 2010. On Sunday, well-wishers prayed for Mandela at Regina Mundi church in Soweto, a former center of anti-apartheid protests and funerals. In 1997, Mandela spoke at the church, calling it a “battlefield between forces of democracy and those who did not hesitate to violate a place of religion with tear gas, dogs and guns.”

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The A&T Register | ncatregister.com | Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Politics as Usual In defense of affirmative action Get on the train now KELCIE MCCRAE

Editor-in-Chief

Nearly four years ago a new norm was instilled into our society as we elected the nation’s ﬁrst president of color. Fastforward to today and the successful outcome in 2008 may be out of reach for President Barack Obama if young people continue their nonchalant ways. In 2008, Obama received 66 percent of the votes of people between the ages of 18 to 29 compared to the 32 percent McCain received. Among black people, an unprecendented 96 percent of African-Americans voted for Obama. Today, there seems to be a disconnect between the youth and the politics that surround them. Last fall during city elections, an unacceptable amount of young people did not go to the polls to vote. Although a seemingly well-rounded city council was attained, it was not through the efforts of the college aged. Greensboro city leadership has arguably more impact on the lives of the students here at N.C. A&T than the national leadership does. They make the laws that dictate everyday life around the city, such as ordinances, violations, etc. If this generation has the same apathetic views on politics as they did last November, we as a society are doomed. “Four years ago an unprecedented number of AfricanAmerican students and young men and women took part in choosing their future by working to elect Barack Obama as president of the United States,” said the director of the Obama for America National Youth

Vote Valeisha Butterfield during a phone conference. Butterfield along with the Obama campaign just launched the Obama for America ‘Greater Together’ National HBCU Student Summit last week at N.C. Central to revive the fire in young people, especially at HBCUs. If Obama is to seek re-election come November, he needs the young people’s vote, especially from blacks. According to Gallup’s approval ratings, about 46 percent of the American society approves of him. This is not to say that Obama is doing an excellent job, nor does it suggest he does not need to improve. Instead it says our president needs us now more than ever. As Super Tuesday approaches and a better gage on who his opponent will be, I challenge this generation to get back to the politics. Instead of worrying about what Chrissy, Jim, Tiny, or whoever is doing, see what you can do to help Obama and his fight to stay in the White House. “Young people will play a pivotal roll in the re-election of President Obama,” said Butterfield. Gabrielle Union is also a part of the HBCU Summit, as well as a member on the phone conference. She said, “You guys were the heart behind this campaign in 2008, and we want to do everything we can in 2012 to build on that.” Together, we must reignite the fire that was among campus in 2008. In order to do that, we must volunteer, we must register, we must vote. -kcmccrae@ncat.edu And follow her on Twitter @Kelcie_McCrae

MCT CAMPUS Contributor

For 40 years, competitive colleges and universities in the United States have taken race into account in order to increase their enrollment of African-Americans (and, to a lesser extent, other minorities). Originally justiﬁed as a way to compensate for a long legacy of racial discrimination, and later embraced as a way to provide a more diverse learning environment, afﬁrmative action has been good for the United States. It has made it easier for minorities to enter the educational and professional mainstream without compromising the rigor of American higher education. It has promoted the broader cause of racial integration. And it has encouraged the emergence of a black and Latino middle class. Those accomplishments may now be in jeopardy. This week the Supreme Court, which twice has upheld the constitutionality of some racial preferences in university admissions, agreed to hear a challenge to the University of Texas’ use of race as one factor in a “holistic” admissions policy. This comes nine years af-

ter the court, in an opinion by Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, ruled that it was constitutional for the University of Michigan Law School to pursue a similar policy in pursuit of a “critical mass” of minority enrollment necessary to promote a wide exchange of views in the classroom. But since then O’Connor has been replaced by Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr., who is regarded as more skeptical of racial preferences. Advocates of affirmative action fear that conservatives on the court are determined to overturn or gut the court’s 2003 Michigan decision and the 1978 Bakke decision before it, which held that race could be considered as a “plus” factor in the admissions process so long as there were not fixed racial quotas. We hope the court is not heading in that direction. But its conservative members some more than others have embraced a naive notion of “colorblindness” that could be used to extinguish affirmative action. That would be a tragedy. Affirmative action has always been controversial. Several states, including California with Proposition 209, have

outlawed racial preferences by government agencies, including state universities. The case against affirmative action is simple, or rather simplistic: Because it was unconstitutional to penalize African-Americans on account of their race, it must also be unconstitutional to compensate for the effects of racial discrimination by giving them an advantage. But there is a world of moral and legal distance between slavery and Jim Crow laws on the one hand and efforts, by government or educational institutions, to rectify the effects of invidious discrimination on the other. Affirmative action falls into the latter category. Despite the emergence of a black middle class, stark inequities in income and education persist, and they put minority applicants at a disadvantage with their peers in seeking acceptance to colleges and universities. Opponents of affirmative action glibly use terms like “meritocracy” and “a level playing field,” but academic success often reflects a privileged upbringing, and the playing field between black and white Americans is still far from level. Redressing racial

disparities that are reflected in lower grades and test scores is not racism, reverse or otherwise. In 1997, Texas guaranteed admission to the state university for students who graduated in the top 10 percent of their high school classes, a race-neutral initiative that nevertheless increased racial diversity. In 2004, the state allowed consideration of race, among other factors, in filling additional places in the freshman class. The challenge now before the Supreme Court was brought by an applicant who failed to secure one of those places. Among other things, she argues that Texas’ “top 10 percent” policy produced enough racial diversity to make additional consideration of race inappropriate. The court could endorse that view in a narrow holding, or it could, more broadly, revisit the question of whether it is constitutional to take race into account at all in university admissions. We hope the court reaffirms the validity of affirmative action and allow public universities to continue to undo the effects of centuries of discrimination.

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The new hottest U.S. trend: single moms MCT CAMPUS Contributor

If motherhood before marriage is the new norm for U.S. women under age 30, it’s urgent to ﬁnd out why. Politicians railing against the decline of family values won’t be much help. Evidence suggests that money rather than morality underlies this troubling trend. We need to ﬁnd out the root causes to decide how to deal with it. More than half of babies born to U.S. women younger than 30 occur outside marriage, according to a New York Times report. But the trend is dramatically different based on education levels: 92 percent of women with college degrees are married when they have a baby, compared to 43 percent of those with a high school diploma or less. The fastest growth was

among young white women. Babies born to single mothers are more likely to grow up in poverty, founder in school and have emotional or behavioral problems. If we don’t catch these problems before they start, society will pay a much higher economic and social cost down the road. Most young women say they’d like to marry if they could ﬁnd the right man. About eight in 10 unmarried new mothers say they hope to marry their children’s father some day, but fewer than one in seven has done so by the time their kids turn 3, according to sociologists Kathryn Edin and Maria Kefalas, authors of the book “Promises I Can Keep: Why Poor Women Put Motherhood Before Marriage.” So what gets in the way? The sexual revolution is a convenient whipping boy for political demagogues, who say the fact that young women don’t

need men to support their babies has been the ruination of family values. If that were the case, college-educated women with higher incomes would be more likely to give birth without marrying than less educated women. And that’s not the picture. Edin and Kefalas found that women in their 20s don’t want to rush into a wedding that’s likely to end in divorce. And when they take a good look at their babies’ fathers, they don’t always see Mr. Right. The elephant in the room is the economic predicament of today’s young men who are not college-educated. They face a much trickier job market and unstable financial future than they used to. Entry-level wages for men who finish high school have fallen 23 percent since 1973, adjusted for inflation. Some of the sharpest drops in married two-parent families are in places such as Loraine, Ohio, since the steel mills closed.

Funny how lack of money and an uncertain future can change your point of view or others’ views of you. Even if some guys want to do the right thing for their babies, they may be reluctant to make a lifelong commitment to the mothers when they don’t know where they’ll get their next paycheck. And young women who want to have babies may dodge marriage for similar reasons. It’s tempting to wish we could turn back the clock to the 1950s and make married-withchildren the norm. But the ‘50s weren’t paradise either, especially for women trapped in unhappy marriages. Instead, we need to ﬁnd ways to improve the economic status of young men to make marriage a more attractive and realistic option. And we need to deal with a new generation of kids likely to need more help with school and job skills.

How do you feel about the school shooting in Ohio? Guy #1- As a professor it scares me because I know that this could happen at any school in America. It also makes me sad because I know little kids can be so hateful to each other. I hope this teaches kids all over the country a lesson about bullying. Students are capable to do this anywhere you go. Guy #2- I haven’t heard about it. But if there was another one then I’m not surprised. Kids shoot up the school all the time. Some kids need to just stop being so emotional and suck it up. Bringing a gun doesn’t solve anything. Guy #3- It was so sad. I was bullied when I was a kid so I could understand why people would want to stand up for themselves. However, a gun is not the answer. I think our kids need to ﬁnd a new way to end issues. Do you think black men care about global issues? Guy #1- I think young black men have lost a connection to a lot of issues abroad. Many times we see issues as issues that don’t connect to us even though they very much do. I think it is sad but that is why people like me are here to show them that these issues affect us all. Guy #2- I think so. I mean there are black people all over the world and we all have a connection through our skin. I think black people know about the struggles because we all struggle together.

Guy #3- I think some do, but not enough. I think most black people want to care but a lot of us don’t pay enough attention to the news. I think we are all waiting for people to drop the information in our lap. I think global issues are important, but I know a lot of people who don’t simply because they don’t know how to get the information. What expectations do/did you have for life after graduation? Guy #1- After graduation I just knew I was going to be making 100K a year, and working as a business man somewhere. Years later, that did not work out as planned. I worked hard and my life changed completely. I did what I thought was going to make me happy at first and I was the opposite of that. Now I teach and I love it. Guy #2- I think after I graduate things will be pretty rough but Obama is making changes so I think I will be fine. I think some people try to make us afraid to graduate but I think if you believe in yourself everything will be all right after we graduate. Guy #3- I can’t lie, I’m afraid of life after graduation. With the economy still looking rough and jobs coming few and far between, I’m afraid that I will be one of those people struggling to find a job. I have faith that everything will work out in the end, but I think the country has put up walls that may be hard for me, and other college students, to overcome.

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 29, 2012

Bibbs gets 500 wins, makes HBCU history necole jackson

Patricia Cage-Bibbs, N.C. A&T’s women’s basketball coach gained her 500 career victory Monday, Feb.27 the as Aggies beat Savannah State 88-74. Because of this accomplishment, she joined the NCAA Division I 500 wins club, became the second MEAC coach to be in this club, and also became

the first to do so in a Division I HBCU. Bibbs has coached seven out of 13 MEAC Championship games and has 75 winning percentage in all of her games. Bibbs has been coaching for 27 seasons and started her college coaching career for Grambling State University, her alma mater. She won 244 games in 13 seasons and became a member of their hall of fame. While coaching for

Hampton she won 127 games in seven seasons. She has been coaching at A&T since 2005 and her career record is now 500-292. Last year, she brought the Aggies in with their fifth season winning record. She also has three MEAC tournament titles underneath her belt and won her last in 2009 with the Lady Aggies. This was the Aggies first MEAC Championship win in

INVITATIONS ARRIVING SOON Check your email.

Founded in 1897 at the University of Maine, Phi Kappa Phi is the nation’s oldest, largest, and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines. Membership is by invitation only to the top 7.5% of juniors and the top 10% of seniors and graduate students. Each year the Society distributes more than $700,000 through national and chapter scholarships and awards. Along with academic recognition, members are eligible for exclusive partner discounts and networking opportunities.

Point of Contact: Dr. Barbra F. Mosley, Chapter President (336) 285-2140 mosleyb@ncat.edu

15 years. “Then it was 100, then 200, then 300, then 400. I never really thought about 500,” Bibbs said in an A&T press release. She has won numerous awards such as the 2008 Empowerment Award, Legend Award Recipient for the Black Women in Sports Foundation, SWAC Hall of Fame and MEAC Coach of the Year for 2008 and 2009.

The Aggies play Norfolk State at home Thursday, March 1st at 5:30pm. There will be a ceremony for Bibbs for her 500th win. -nmjackso@ncat.edu and follow us on Twitter @ATRegister

Forbes right on track and jumping to success karmen robinson Sports Editor

Shakia Forbes, 22, is one of the brightest rising stars on N.C. A&T’s track team and she almost wasn’t an Aggie. Forbes transferred from Seton Hall University in South Orange, N.J. to N.C. A&T after its track and field program was cancelled. During her one-year stay with the Pirates, she won the Big East Championship in the long jump her freshman year. Usually one of the shortest competitors, the 5-foot-1-inch Forbes finds a way to triumph over her opponents. She is a two-time MEAC champion in the long jump, and finished second in the 2011-2012 indoor conference championships in the event. “She has world class potential,” said A&T head track coach James Daniels. “I really believe she can be a world class long jumper.” In 2009, Forbes showed off her athleticism and leaping ability and made the USA Track & Field team as a rising sophomore. She competed in the Junior Outdoor Championships in Bydgosczc, Poland where she took first place and jumped her personal best of 20 feet and 10 inches. After Forbes’ success overseas, she had a major setback at A&T. A stress fracture in her left foot kept her out of the long jump pit and off the runway making her unable to compete her entire sophomore season. “I don’t do well with failure,” she said. “After I jumped 20 feet, 10 inches, I made it a goal to jump 21 feet, and when I fractured my foot it kind of set me back and I haven’t reached it yet.” Although Forbes astonishes some with her small size and great jumps, that is only half of what she can do. The difficulties some studentathletes usually face have not proven to be a distraction for the senior from Ahoskie, N.C. Forbes was unsure if she

would have been able to handle both athletics and academics, but she has done so under a demanding schedule. “At first I thought it would be hard to do both,” said Forbes. “I thought I would have to focus more on one than the other, so I always thought it was interesting that I was able to excel in both academics and athletics.” As a member of Alpha Kappa Mu Honor Society, she has been able to maintain an impressive 3.92 grade point average earning her title as A&T’s co-Female Academic Athlete of the Year. “Kia has always been academics first,” said Daniels. “She’s very goal driven as a young person and she’s committed, dedicated, and coachable.” Forbes has come a long way since running the 800 and mile in high school. She was named the MEAC Track & Field Athlete of the Week and qualified for nationals this year after jumping an indoor personal best of 20 feet and 9 inches at the Penn State Invitational in February. This is the first time that Forbes has ever qualified nationals. She is currently ranked seventh in the nation in long jump. “Running track has helped me to learn that I’m going to need to have balance in my life,” she said. “It’s taught me how to be responsible, and I plan to keep progressing.” Forbes will be graduating in May with a degree in speech pathology and plans to attend graduate school at UNC-Greensboro to pursue her ultimate goal of owning a speech language therapy center in her hometown. But before walking across the stage, Forbes is focused on obtaining another championship in her outdoor season. -klrobin2@ncat.edu and follow her on Twitter @KayRob_

AGGIES RUNDOWN MEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM

MEAC

OVR.

13-2 12-3 11-4 10-5 9-6 9-6 7-8 6-9 6-9 6-10 5-10 4-11 0-15

20-10 21-9 14-13 14-16 15-14 14-14 12-18 10-19 8-21 9-20 8-19 7-21 5-24

Savannah State Norfolk State Delaware State Bethune-Cookman North Carolina Central Coppin State North Carolina A&T Hampton Florida A&M Howard Morgan State Maryland Eastern Shore South Carolina State THIS WEEK’S GAME: Thursday vs. Norfolk State Corbett Sports Center 8 p.m. NEXT WEEK’S GAMES: MEAC CHAMPIONSHIPS Winston-Salem, NC

woMEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM

MEAC

OVR.

14-1 14-2 13-2 12-3 9-6 7-8 7-8 7-8 5-10 3-12 3-12 3-12 1-14

22-4 22-7 20-7 17-11 14-14 12-14 10-17 10-17 10-16 10-18 6-22 6-22 3-25

Hampton Howard Florida A&M Coppin State North Carolina A&T South Carolina State Bethune-Cookman Maryland Eastern Shore Norfolk State Savannah State Delaware State Morgan State North Carolina Central THIS WEEK’S GAME: Thursday vs. Norfolk State Corbett Sports Center 6 p.m. NEXT WEEK’S GAMES: MEAC CHAMPIONSHIPS Winston-Salem, NC

AROUND SPORTS STILLWATER, Okla. —The Big 12 championship is Kansas’ alone. The Jayhawks powered past Oklahoma State 70-58 on Monday night, and by improving to 15-2 in conference play, they’ll own the league trophy by themselves. No letdown or hangover from Kansas’ epic and exhausting comeback triumph over Missouri on Saturday. But the leaders were at their best down the stretch. Tyshawn Taylor scored 10 straight late on his way to 27 and Thomas Robinson had 11 of his 17 after the break and Kansas needed both of them to offset the shooting of Oklahoma State guard Keiton Page, playing his final regularseason game in Gallaher-Iba Arena. Page scored 29, and he received a standing ovation when he left the game with 37.9 seconds and a hug from Taylor. Only four players scored for the Cowboys, who fell to 14-16 overall and 7-10 in the Big 12.

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The A&T Register | ncatregister.com | Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Oscar review

And the winner is...

Feb. 29th to March 6th

The A&T Register’s guide to what’s going this week in arts and entertainment.

ap exchange

Meryl streep surprises audience with Oscar win.

jean dejardin holds his Oscar after the awards.

on screen

ap exchange

octavia spencer wins her first Oscar.

Ashley vaughn Scene Editor

Sunday night, many watched as the year’s most elite actors, directors and crew were rewarded for their admirable work in the movie realm. The Oscars, where the award season ends, where history is made and where Hollywood’s most praised are left feeling like a nervous kid waiting to hear his or her name called after, “And the winner is.” Actor Morgan Freeman, who introduced the nine-time host Billy Crystal and his comedic movie parody short, opened the 84th annual Academy Awards. The parody was a good way of showcasing the nine movies that were nominated for the year’s

best film. In this parody, Crystal was edited into the movie’s most memorable moments, adding a comedic relief to the scenes. This was a great way to begin the show and introduce himself to the audience. The atmosphere of the show contained high nervous energy, great fashions, and tremendous talent. Every year the award show has a memorable moment. There have also been historic moments that will forever be remembered. Who can forget when Halle Berry was the first black actress to win “Actress in a Leading Role” for her role in “Monster’s Ball?” Another memorable moment was when Denzel won his first Oscar for his acting in “Train-

ing Day.” The latest memorable moment the Oscars created was Sandra Bullock’s win for her role in “Blind Side.” This year the world seemed to be rooting for Octavia Spencer to win for “Actress in a Supporting Role” for her role in “The Help” and that she did. The crowd was filled with smiles and tears while she made her emotional acceptance speech. Christopher Plummer received his Oscar for “Actor in a Supporting Role” for his role in the film “The Beginner.” One of the big awards of the night went to acting pro Meryl Streep for “Actress in a Leading Role” for her work in the film “The Iron Lady.” This was considered an upset, because many thought the

award would be given to actress Viola Davis for her role in “The Help.” Even Streep was surprised when she made her acceptance speech saying “When you called my name, I had this feeling I could hear half of America going, ‘Oh, come on, why her again?’...But whatever!” Another upset happened when actor Jean DeJardin for “The Artist” was awarded the Oscar for “Actor in a Leading Role.” He beat out big names Brad Pitt and George Clooney. What made this win even better was the actor spoke only two words the entire movie, for the movie was a black and white silent film. “The Artist” who won five total awards also won for the “Best Picture” beating out, “War

Horse,” “Moneyball,” “Hugo,” “The Decendants,” “The Help,” “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close,” “Midnight in Paris,” and “The Tree of Life.” Overall, the awards were entertaining to watch and definitely made a statement with some of the wins. It, once again proved why the Oscars is the finale to the award season. If you have not already, check out all the movies that were nominated to witness why they were all nominated for such a prestigious award. They are all different from one another and watching them would make an ideal movie night in the house. -anvaughn@ncat.edu and follow us on Twitter TheATRegister

It’s pilot season, when network execs hunt for the next big hits gail pennington MCT Campus

Did you hear about the new sitcom that will reunite Roseanne Barr and John Goodman? How about Reba McEntire’s return to TV, or Marc Cherry’s follow-up to “Desperate Housewives”? Before you get too excited, though, hold on a minute. None of the new network shows you’re hearing about right now is a done deal far from it, in fact. This is pilot season in Hollywood. At this point, executives of the broadcast networks have considered all the pitches they’ve heard for new series and read all the scripts they’ve received. The next step, for the lucky ones, is “going to pilot,” as the network orders one episode produced. Making a pilot episode is a big deal, and expensive, calling for casting actors, assembling a writing staff, hiring crew and creating sets. In a best-case scenario, this pilot will be picked up as a series, and the episode being produced now will be the one

Questions

shown to advertisers at the “upfronts” in May as the networks announce their fall schedules. Most pilots, however, go nowhere; the network passes, the actors and writers are released, and the sets are torn down. The pilot itself generally goes unseen. As long as you take pilot announcements with the necessary skepticism, though, they provide an interesting preview of how the next TV season could look. Which pilots the networks order also show what they’re looking for; in this case, dramas with supernatural elements seem big, along with prime-time soaps; comedies often center on unconventional families or living situations. Where there’s a rule, of course, there’s usually an exception. NBC just ordered “Hannibal,” a serial-killer thriller spinning off the Thomas HarrisHannibal Lecter character, not as a pilot but as a series of at least 13 episodes. Picking up a show without making a pilot first can be risky business, but it’s also a big money saver; in this case, NBC in need of many new series for fall was willing to take the chance. Here are some of this year’s highest-profile pilots, many of which still don’t have stars and some of which remain untitled. But remember: Don’t count on seeing them. “Downwardly Mobile” (NBC) Barr stars as the toughtalking, good-hearted manager of a mobile home park in a comedy that reunites Barr with Goodman as the park’s handyman.

“Malibu Country” (ABC) In a comedy that sounds, superficially at least, a lot like “Reba,” McEntire is a newly divorced mom of three who moves the family to her rock star ex’s house in Malibu, Calif., from Nashville, Tenn., and tries to restart her singing career. “Devious Maids” (ABC) Marc Cherry follows “Desperate Housewives” with this telenovela adaptation about four ambitious maids in Beverly Hills. Untitled Mindy Kaling comedy (Fox) Kaling (Kelly Kapoor on “The Office”) is creator and star of a comedy about a young doctor described as “Bridget Jones”-esque. Fox reportedly picked up the pilot after NBC passed; a spinoff of “The Office” featuring Rainn Wilson’s Dwight character is said to be in the works at NBC. “Beauty and the Beast” (CW) Not the fairy tale, this one updates the 1980s romance series that originally starred Ron Perlman and Linda Hamilton. “Beauty and the Beast” (ABC) This one’s the fairy tale, reimagined as a princess who makes a connection with a beast. “The Carrie Diaries” (CW) Josh Schwartz and author Candace Bushnell are executive producers of a “Sex and the City” prequel featuring Carrie Bradshaw in the 1980s. “Friday Night Dinner” (NBC) Tony Shalhoub and Allison Janney head the cast of a comedy about a traditional Jewish family. “County” (NBC) Jason Ritter, Aimee Garcia and Michael

B. Jordan work at a Los Angeles County hospital in a drama from Jason Katims (“Friday Night Lights”). “Applebaum” (CBS) A stayat-home mom becomes a private eye in a drama based on Ayelet Waldman’s “Mommy Track Mysteries” series. Director Chris Columbus is an executive producer, as is Waldman. “The Smart One” (ABC) Produced by Ellen DeGeneres, the comedy stars her wife, Portia de Rossi, as a woman who reluctantly goes to work for her beauty queen sister, the mayor of a big city. “Gilded Lilys” (ABC) A period drama from Shonda Rhimes (“Grey’s Anatomy”) is set in 1895 New York, as the city’s first luxury hotel opens. Blythe Danner stars. “Arrow” (CW) A comicbased drama from Greg Berlanti and Marc Guggenheim tells the Green Arrow story. “Elementary” (CBS) In a Sherlock Holmes update, the detective solves cases in New York City. Sarah Silverman project (NBC) In a comedy inspired by Silverman’s life, a woman readjusts to life after a long relationship. Belleville native Ken Kwapis (“Outsourced”) is an executive producer, along with Silverman, who stars. “Scruples” (ABC) A soap set in the 1970s adapts the Judith Krantz novel; her son is an executive producer along with Natalie Portman (who apparently won’t star). “Save Me” (NBC) After a serious car accident, Anne Heche starts talking to God. Alexandra Breckenridge (the sexy, spooky

Project x Three seemingly anonymous high school seniors attempt to make a name for themselves by throwing a party that no one will forget, but nothing could prepare them for what the party becomes. This movie looks like nothing but fun. A perfect movie for the college students to see. A lot of laughs, college moments in the film that most live every weekend, and we see the life through a group of kids who are trying to gain approval from the popular kids. Go and see how the party turns out.

maid on “American Horror Story”) also stars. Untitled Jimmy Fallon (NBC) Three new dads tackle parenthood even though they’re still big kids themselves. Fallon is an executive producer but won’t star. “The Frontier” (NBC) Pioneers head west from Missouri in the 1840s in a drama with Ethan Embry. Shaun Cassidy and Thomas Schlamme (“The West Wing”) are executive producers. Pilots for supernatural thrillers include “666 Park Ave” (ABC), in which a young couple manages a New York apartment building plagued by supernatural happenings; “Isabel” (NBC), about middle-class parents (Marcia Gay Harden and Kevin Nealon) whose daughter has magical abilities; and “Gotham” (ABC), in which a New York policewoman discovers an unseen world within the city. In “Beautiful People” (NBC), set in the near future, mechanical servants begin to rebel. “Revolution” (NBC), from Eric Kripke (“Supernatural”), follows survivors’ struggle to exist in a world with no sources of energy. “Do No Harm” (NBC) is about a neurosurgeon with a “Mr. Hyde” alter-ego. And in “The Selection” (CW), Elizabeth Craft and Sarah Fain adapt the Kiera Cass young-adult novel (not due out until April) set 300 years in the future, as a young woman is chosen by lottery to compete to become a queen.

1. Who lives in a pineapple under the sea? 2. Where in the world is Carmen Sandiego? 3. Where’s Waldo? 4. Where the twerkers at? 5. Where ‘da’ cash at? 6. Who let the dogs out? 7. Where the party at? 8. Who can I run to? 9. Are you that somebody? 10. How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll Pop? 11. Who wants to be a milionaire? 12. Is that your final answer? 13. Deal or No Deal? 14. Are you smarter than a 5th grader? 15. Do you know the Muffin Man? 16. ...Who lives on Drury Lane? 17. Who’s afraid of the big bad Wolf? 18. Are you afraid of the dark? 19. Can I get a AGGIE PRIDE? 20. Can you tell we’re too busy packing for Spring Break to write new and original questions?

on shelves ja rule is trying to make his come back in the hip-hop game. After being driven off from the arrival of 50 Cent, Ja Rule is now releasing his new album titled “Pain is Love 2.” Even though he is in jail for attempted weapon possession. The album has been pushed back several times due to the lack of proper promotion, but is now released.

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Rihanna feat Chris Brown “Birthday Cake remix”

The surprise of the year came with this collabo with exes Rihanna and Chris Brown. This song is nothing short of a fun dancing song. It is a good listen for both the ladies and guys. Most have heard this song, because it has been everywhere, but add this to your playlist.

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Nicki Minaj “Starships”

This song is Nicki’s new single, and it does nothing but confuse her fans. She is no longer impressing her fans with her rapping skills, instead she is trying to take over the techno scene. It’s sad that she is no longer the queen of rap.

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