THE BLACKOUT: WIKIPEDIA STYLE PAGE 3
THE A&T
IT’S GAME TIME! CHECK OUT OUR REVIEW OF SEASON 5 PAGE 8
FREE
REGISTER
VOLUME LXXXV NO. 13
JANUARY 18, 2012
NCATREGISTER.COM
SERVING THE AGGIE COMMUNITY FOR OVER 80 YEARS
WEDNESDAY
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF NORTH CAROLINA A&T
DREAM IS ALIVE IN AGGIELAND
PHOTO BY KENNETH L. HAWKINS, JR. • THE A&T REGISTER
ERIEK CHILDS, sophmore from Winston-Salem, volunteers with kids at the Childrens Museum on Monday, Jan.16, 2012.
T
he Greensboro Children’s Museum is one of the most popular volunteer sites for Aggies and children alike on MLK day. “This is the crown and jewel of all of our other community service sites,” said Nichole Florence, associate director for programs at N.C. A&T State and Co-Chair of the Committee Responsible for the MLK University Observances. Since 2009, the museum has opened its doors for the children in Greensboro. Inside the children get to partake in all of the fun but educational exhibits. STORY BY SYLVIA OBELL ❙ MANAGING EDITOR PHOTO BY MCT CAMPUS ❙ PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY KELCIE C. MCCRAE ❙ EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
ONLINE
theYARD
theWORD
theSCORE
theSCENE
BREAKING NEWS, POLLS
WIKIPEDIA CALLS FOR BLACKOUT
OBAMA SHOULD NOTICE GOP
TRACK COACH CALLS IT QUITS
‘RED TAILS’ FLIES INTO THEATRES
Keep up with breaking news on our Web site. Slideshows, videos and more are available online.
Wikipedia among others will shut down their sites today in protest to the stop of the Online Piracy Act.
Editor-in-Chief Kelcie C. McCrae discusses GOP primaries and Obama’s road to re-election.
Director of Track and Field program Tony Veney resigns.
Scheduled to release to theatres this Friday, the new film Red Tails has seen its share of ups and downs.
www.ncatregister.com
PAGE 2
PAGE 6
PAGE 7
WEATHER
PAGE 8
WEDNESDAY
45° Low: 25° High:
THURSDAY: Cloudy | High 48° FRIDAY: Cloudy | High 53°
theYARD 2
The A&T Register | ncatregister.com | Wednesday, January 18, 2012
MLK From page 1 Usually the museum is only open to its members or those who pay an admissions fee. However, according to Florence, on MLK Day A&T dissolves the cost so the children are able to come for free. In fact the entire community service event is coordinated by A&T. “Before 2009 we had kids come on campus and we would facilitate events for them to participate in,” said Florence. “We partnered with the museum because aesthetically it was so much easier for the children to play.” Florence also added that, “the museum has been a great help providing the support that we need.” The museum’s marketing director, Althea Hall, agrees that the partnership between them and A&T has been a good one. “We’re really happy that we’ve done this,” she said. “A&T is part of the culture and fabric of Greensboro. We feel honored to host such an event.” The museum is geared towards providing an educational opportunity for children as well as fun. Each exhibit has an educational component. In addition to partaking in the exhibits the children were also taught about Martin Luther King Jr. and encouraged by the mentors/volunteers to “dream big.” “I chose to come here because kids are our future,” said SGA president Christian Robinson. “Seeing us college students
THE A&T
REGISTER Box E-25 1601 E. Market Street Greensboro, NC 27411 Newsroom: NCB 328A (336) 334-7700 www.ncatregister.com
(ABOVE) CHRISTIAN ROBINSON, SGA PRESIDENT helps a kid pull the fire-fighter boot off while volunteering on Monday, January 16, 2012. (LEFT) NORTH CAROLINA A&T THEATER DEPARTMENT performs at the Childrens Museum and dance with kids during the openeing ceromony before kids toured the museum on Monday, Jan. 16, 2012.
PHOTOS BY KENNETH HAWKINS, JR. • THE A&T REGISTER
and getting a chance to talk to us exposes them to such possibilities. They can meet me and learn that I go to A&T and then think to themselves that they may be able to go to A&T too one day,” Jamaal Conyars has been bringing his 6-year-old daugh-
ter to this event for the past five years. He too feels like the mentors/volunteers have an impact on the kids because he feels other adults talking to them besides their parents can be impactful. A&T students were able to
EDITOR IN CHIEF: Kelcie C. McCrae MANAGING EDITOR: Sylvia Obell OPINIONS EDITOR:Trumaine McCaskill SPORTS EDITOR: Karmen Robinson SCENE EDITOR: Ashley Vaughn NCATREGISTER.COM EDITOR: Jonathan Veal COPY EDITOR: Chuck Johnson COPY EDITOR: Justine Riddick PHOTO EDITOR: Kenneth L. Hawkins, Jr. STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS: Tracy Durandis
sign up to volunteer through the Office of Career Services using orgsync.com. The first 40 volunteers to sign up were chosen and broken up into two shifts: 12:30 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. – 4:15 p.m. C.A.S.E. hours were given. Volunteers were placed at various exhibits such as a Curious George town, trains, fire trucks, police cars, play kitchens, grocery stores, a theatre stage, face painting, a reading room and more. “One little girl told me she couldn’t read and we ended up reading a whole book together. That was the highlight of my day,” said Isiah Guinyard, a junior elementary education major. This year the committee reached out to children through the school systems, resulting in a more diverse group kids. “We saw lots of kids of all races come together and play, which goes with what MLK preached,” said Meagan Morgan, a junior computer science major. It seemed that everyone from the museum staff to the volunteers to the parents and their children enjoyed what this event had to offer. VPIA Mitchell Brown even added that he wished his town had something like this to offer children on MLK day. -smobell@ncat.edu and follow her on Twitter @YngBlkandFancy
inBRIEF
Ronald McNair breakfast scheduled for next week The 26th Annual Ronald E. McNair Commemorative Celebration Breakfast will take place Jan. 28 at the Memorial Student Union in Stallings Ballroom. It will be from 8:30 a.m. to noon. The tribute march will start out-
side of the student union and end outside of McNair Hall. It will take place immediately following the breakfast. It is sponsored by the Tau Omega Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
Hotep to speak at A&T for MLK celebration in Harrison N.C. A&T’s MLK Celebration keynote speaker will be author, educator, and writer Lasana Hotep. The event will be held Thursday at 7 p.m. in Harrison Auditorium. It is free and open to the public. The speaker has contributed to numerous publications such as African-American Men in College (JosseyBass 2006), The State of Black Arizona (2008), Be a Father
to Your Child: Real Talk from Black Men of the Hip Hop Generation (Soft Skull 2008) and the Black Male Health Handbook: A Blueprint for Physical, Mental, and Spiritual Health and Wellness (TBD 2008). He started and coordinated the African American Men Student Success (AAMSSU) program at Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona.
Towns to speak for Feb. 1 The annual celebration to pay tribute to the A&T Four will be sponsored by N.C. A&T. The 52nd Sit-In Anniversary Celebration will include a breakfast, Feb. 1 at 6 a.m. in Williams Cafeteria.
GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Taylor Wilson REPORTERS: Cheri Farrior, Dashawn Fleming, Kalyn Hoyle, Necole Jackson,Meagan Jordan, U’Leasa Joseph, Jenell McMillion, Helesee Scott, Alexis White ADVERTISING& BUSINESS MANAGER: Courtney Jackson BUSINESS STAFF: Kevin Best, Jonique Lynch, Jackie Maxwell, Victorri Taylor, Jeff Watts CONTENT DIRECTOR: Anjan Basu FACULTY ADVISER: Emily Harris
The theme is “Legacy to Legacy: Shared Leadership.” The keynote speaker will be the Commissioner and CEO of New York State Homes and Community Renewal Darryl C. Towns.
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.
CAMERON SCHOOL of BUSINESS Master of Science in Accountancy at UNC Wilmington The MSA program prepares leaders for the changing business world. This 10-month, full-time program begins August 2012.
APPLICATIONS ARE DUE APRIL 1.
EEO/AA Institution
For more information, visit www.uncw.edu/msa or call 910.962.3903
Reporters, photographers, designers! We want you! Contributers meetings are Wednesdays at 5 p.m. GCB A328.
theYARD
The A&T Register | ncatregister.com | Wednesday, January 18, 2012
3
Wikipedia and others plan 1-day blackout LOS ANGELES — Most people probably haven’t paid much attention to the huge corporations waging war in Washington over legislation designed to crack down on online theft of movies, music and other content. But the conflict will hit consumers in the face Wednesday, when Wikipedia and several other websites intend to go dark to protest the proposed changes. Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales announced Monday that the hugely popular online encyclopedia would be unavailable for 24 hours to protest the Stop Online Piracy Act and related legislation, which opponents say could lead to censorship or
the complete shutdown of some websites. Wikipedia plans to join Reddit, Boing Boing and hundreds of other sites in the so-called SOPA Strike, an attempt to publicize their complaints about proposals supported by the movie and music industries and other media companies. “Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor, it must be demanded by the oppressed, MLK. On Wednesday, Wikipedia demands,” Wales said via Twitter on Monday, Martin Luther King Day. In a statement announcing the shutdown of the Englishlanguage version of the site, Wales said the legislation would “harm the free and open Internet and bring about new tools for
censorship of international websites inside the United States.” The Motion Picture Association of America and others driving the legislation said real progress had been made toward creating a law that would protect intellectual property. The advocates said misinformation is inflaming passions on the Web while doing nothing to solve the problem of piracy. “It’s part and parcel of a campaign to distract from the real issue here and to draw people away from trying to resolve what is a real problem, which is that foreigners continue to steal the hard work of Americans,” said Michael O’Leary, the executive leading the MPAA’s campaign for the bills. He called Wednesday’s plan an example
The 44tthh Legislative Assembly Student Senate Presents:
DESSERT WITH THE DEANS
of the “gimmicks and distortion” that have been used in an attempt to block the legislation. The protesting websites which reportedly also will include Mozilla, WordPress and TwitPic _ plan to act Wednesday despite the Obama administration’s signal last weekend that it wanted changes in the legislation. “While we believe that online piracy by foreign websites is a serious problem that requires a serious legislative response, we will not support legislation that reduces freedom of expression, increases cybersecurity risk or undermines the dynamic, innovative global Internet,” said a statement from three White House officials: Victoria Espinel, intellectual property enforcement coordinator; Aneesh Chopra, U.S. chief technology officer; and Howard Schmidt, cybersecurity coordinator for the national security staff. Internet operators _ including giants Google Inc. and eBay Inc. _ have opposed the legislation because, they said, it would let companies move to block websites and, in one version, take away their user addresses if they are deemed to have misappropriated any content. The Internet companies said the proposed legislation SOPA in the House and the Protect Intellectual Property Act in the Senate would allow operators no real due process before government actions could be taken against them. They said the result would be censorship and a strangling of the free flow of information that represents the soul of Web freedom. Lobbyists for the Internet companies said they believed their concerns had not been heeded in early rounds of the legislation. The blackouts and an outpouring of protests from everyday Internet users could turn the tide.
“A lot of people feel that nobody has been listening and this is a way to get people to listen,” said Maura Corbett, spokeswoman for Net Coalition, which represents Google, eBay and others. “This is more than a stunt. This is saying, ‘Please listen to us.’” O’Leary of the MPAA rejected the idea that Internet purveyors’ concerns had not been heard. He noted that SOPA’s sponsor in the House had just agreed that one of the most contentious provisions which would have allowed wholesale blocking of an offending website’s domain name would be removed. “So now they’ve pivoted and started complaining about something else,” O’Leary said. “We are interested in working with people who want to find a real solution, not just maintain the status quo, because with that, the criminals have the advantage and that is just not acceptable.” Steven Tepp, chief intellectual property counsel for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, shares that opinion. “When it comes to fighting these sites dedicated to the theft of intellectual property and the theft of American jobs,” he said in an interview, “the Chamber of Commerce is not backing down.” O’Leary said “responsible and legitimate” businesses could not afford such “stunts.” Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said Sunday on “Meet the Press” that he plans to bring the legislation to a vote next week. Tiffiniy Cheng of the Massachusetts-based Center for Rights said Internet operators big and small continue to see problems with the legislation. Her group launched a SOPA Strike website to track the protest plans and counted some 5,000 sites from individuals’ Facebook pages
to giants such as Wikipedia that plan to take some action Wednesday to protest the legislation. She denied any suggestion that big Internet companies were the driving force behind the protest. Her group started talking to groups about the legislation in November, and the protests spread online. “It’s gone ablaze on the Internet and now it’s sort of out of our hands,” Cheng said.
events
James Rainey
MCT Campus
Wednesday
18
Flag Football Holland Bowl 4 p.m.
The Black Male
The Memorial Room 7 p.m.
thursday
19
NSBE General Body Meeting McNair Auditorium 6 p.m.
Aggie Livewire Auditions
Memorial Student Union Room 005 7 p.m.
friday
20
SUAB Friday Night Flix Memorial Union 7 p.m.
Wednesday January 18th, 2012
saturday
Golden Belles
21
Stallings Ballroom 6 p.m.
Hey Aggies! Monday-Wednesday: 2 LARGE 1-topping pizzas $14 Every day special: LARGE pizza Any way you want it $10! Every day deals: $7.99 1 LARGE 1 topping OR 1 MEDIUM 2 topping
(336) 954-7575
Erica N. James Scholarship Ball Exhibit Hall 7 p.m.
sunday
22
New International Student Orientation The Memorial Room 2:45 p.m.
monday
23
Chi Sigma Iota General Meeting Proctor Hall Room 311 5 p.m.
tuesday
21
Faculty Senate Meeting
Smith Hall Multi-Purpose Room 3 p.m.
Finer WomanHood Week The Memorial Room 7:20 p.m.
SUAB Sneaker Gallery Stallings Ballroom 7 p.m.
theWORLD 4
The A&T Register | ncatregister.com | Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Huntsman ends GOP bid, endorses Romney Steven Thomma MCT Campus
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – Jon Huntsman dropped his struggling campaign for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination Monday and endorsed rival Mitt Romney. The former governor of Utah and ambassador to China bowed to the inevitable, hastening the end of a beleaguered campaign that had little money, next to no popular support and no prospect for significant gains in any states coming up on the primary calendar. “Today I am suspending my
campaign for the presidency,” Huntsman said. “I believe it is now time for our party to unite around the candidate best equipped to defeat Barack Obama. Despite our differences and the space between us on some of the issues, I believe that candidate is Mitt Romney.” Romney didn’t attend the hastily arranged event. Huntsman, 51, was joined by his wife, Mary Kaye, his daughters and his father at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center, the site of a GOP candidate debate Monday night. He went out criticizing un-
named rivals and others for the attack ads that have flooded the airwaves in Iowa, New Hampshire and now South Carolina. “This race has degenerated into an onslaught of negative and personal attacks not worthy of the American people,” he said. “At its core, the Republican Party is a party of ideas, but the current toxic forum of our political discourse does not help our cause. It is just one of the many reasons why the American people have lost trust in their elected leaders.” A favorite of many editorial pages The State, South Caro-
lina’s largest newspaper, which McClatchy Newspapers owns, endorsed him only Sunday Huntsman long touted his conservative credentials as a taxcutting governor. But he never caught on with the conservatives who dominate the party, for several reasons. First, his acceptance of President Barack Obama’s nomination to serve as ambassador to China along with praise for Obama at the time made him suspect to zealous anti-Obama conservatives. Second, his low-key demeanor rendered him all but invisible in the nationally televised de-
bates that have dominated the campaign. Third, his statement that he believes that human activity contributes to global warming “I believe in evolution and trust scientists on global warming. Call me crazy.” was out of line with conservative orthodoxy. Though a fellow Mormon, Huntsman often sparred with Romney. He joined with rivals who called the former governor of Massachusetts a flip-flopper, saying Romney “has been on three sides of every major issue” and that he lacked a “core.” Huntsman skipped the Iowa
caucuses, betting everything on New Hampshire, only to come in a distant third behind Romney and U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas. He bravely called that thirdplace finish a “ticket to ride” in next-voting South Carolina. But he’s in a distant last place in polls here, a state that holds the first-in-the-South primary Saturday. He’s also in last place in Florida polls, a state in which he initially based his campaign in hopes of establishing it as a firewall that would restore his effort should it falter in any of the first three voting states.
Romney rivals seek S.Carolina theme, race to stop him CHARLES BABINGTON & THOMAS BEAUMONT Associated Press
CHARLESTON, S.C.— With a week left to halt Mitt Romney from sweeping to a third straight victory, his GOP rivals are struggling in South Carolina for a theme, momentum and most crucially, one strong challenger to consolidate conservatives’ misgivings about the front-runner. The dynamics that lifted Romney to wins in Iowa and New Hampshire seem to be working for him here, even though South Carolina is often described as too evangelical and culturally southern for his background. In some ways, the former Massachusetts governor is lucky, benefitting from a fractured opposition that has divided the anti-Romney vote for months. In other ways he is benefiting from shrewd and well-organized supporters. He uses TV ads to shore up his weaknesses and to batter the rivals he sees as most threatening. In Iowa, the target was former House speaker Newt Gingrich, who plummeted under the barrage. In South Carolina, it’s former Sen. Rick Santorum, a longtime champion of homeschooling, anti-abortion efforts and other social conservative causes. Santorum nearly won the Iowa caucus, and some consider him the best bet for unifying the anti-Romney vote. But a private group that supports Romney is pounding Santorum in South Carolina with TV ads and mailings. So is Rep. Ron Paul, the libertarian-leaning candidate who helped attack Gingrich in Iowa. A group of social conservative leaders meeting in Texas voted Saturday to recommend Santorum as the Romney alternative. But a portion of them preferred Gingrich, who denied Santorum a two-thirds majority on their first head-to-head ballot, said Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council. Perkins said the group’s actions did not constitute an endorsement, adding that some participants will remain Gingrich supporters. He declined to say how he voted. “Santorum was the preferred candidate by a significant majority,” former presidential candidate Gary Bauer told The Associated Press by telephone from Texas. “They were all looking for the best Reagan conservative,” he said. “It came down to things like, who do you most trust.” The Texas vote is obviously good news for Santorum. But it’s unclear how much impact it will have in South Carolina’s primary on Saturday. The state is known for campaign surprises, and there’s still time for twists and turns. Undercurrents of anti-Romney sentiment, perhaps fueled by his Mormonism, could be stronger than they seem.
But on the surface, at least, Romney is well-positioned with a week to go. If he wins South Carolina, only a seismic change in the campaign will keep him from becoming the nominee. “Romney is in good shape now, but the race is tightening,” said LaDonna Ryggs, Spartanburg County GOP chairwoman. Romney’s campaign events run like clockwork, while his opponents often suffer glitches and modest crowds. Gingrich, in particular, has left people scratching their heads. Then on Saturday, Gingrich’s scheduled telephone conference with voters never took place. The dial-in number was invalid. Perry has faded. Once seen having a good chance to beat Romney in South Carolina, the drawling Texan is drawing small crowds at cafes and restaurants. Saturday morning in Mount Pleasant, about half the people at Page’s Okra Grill didn’t bother to stop eating or talking while Perry spoke in a corner. The TV attack ads in South Carolina skip Perry. It’s a sign of his perceived insignificance, although he could benefit if the others slice each other up. Some people think Santorum is rising, but the attack ads might slow him. Santorum’s boyish looks have always boosted his image as a principled crusader for unborn children and other causes. But the ads being aired by Paul’s campaign and the pro-Romney group depict him as a conniving, old-fashioned politician who grabbed federal money for his state whenever possible. “Some people are going to be swayed,” said Alexia Newman, a South Carolina GOP activist and Santorum supporter. “If you know about his records, you know the ads are false,” she said. But that requires Santorum to break through the noise and clutter of political commercials flooding the airwaves. The pro-Romney PAC, Restore Our Future, is running $1 million in ads in the state this week, and more than $800,000 next week. No single issue is dominating the primary. That makes it harder for any one Romney opponent to catch fire. Religion and the military play bigger roles here than in Iowa, and especially New Hampshire. Romney has worked hard to address both. As for religion, Romney has tried to portray himself as a moral and faithful man, without going into details of Mormonism. Romney’s campaign has produced a Web ad in which an anti-abortion activist endorses him. Romney supported abortion rights as Massachusetts governor. Romney’s main worries might involve currents he can’t see. South Carolina has a reputation for dirty campaign tricks, although many Republicans here say it’s mostly a thing of the past.
Photo by andy jacobsohn • mct campus
SUPERMAN OR NOT? A day before the New Hampshire Primary, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, former governor of Massachusetts, speaks to a crowd of business leaders and owners during the Nashua Chamber of Commerce breakfast series in the ballroom of a Radisson Inn in Nashua, New Hampshire on January 9. S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley endorsed Romney, which has baffled analysts.
Analysis: S.C. race tough one to call James Rosen
MCT Campus
WASHINGTON – As the campaign for South Carolina’s first-in-the-South Republican presidential primary enters its final week, many GOP activists and analysts in the state warn against portraying the state as an ultraconservative bastion dominated by single-minded evangelicals. While true in some ways, they say, such a simplistic depiction ignores shifting demographic, religious and historical trends that belie pat predictions about the outcome of Saturday’s voting. “We’ve got a lot of different Republicans,” said Danielle Vinson, a political science professor at Furman University in Greenville, S.C. “The national stereotype is they’re all religious conservatives. There’s some truth to that, but we’ve also a military contingent, a strong business establishment and evangelicals who don’t always vote in a bloc. A lot of them are looking at who can win against Obama and not necessarily who’s a reflection of their own religious beliefs.” As recently as the 2000 primary, Bob Jones University, the influential fundamentalist school in Greenville, released a statement detailing why Roman Catholics aren’t true Christians. “If there are those who wish to charge us with anti-Catholicism, we stand guilty,” the university said. “But we are not Catholic-haters.” Now, two Catholic candidates, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and former Sen. Rick Santorum, are competing for evangelicals’ votes. And re-
cent polls show that a Mormon, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, also could capture a sizeable portion of their support. With more than six of 10 likely Republican primary voters describing themselves as evangelicals, the candidates’ stands on abortion, school prayer, illegal immigration and other of their core issues definitely matter. Yet Republicans in past presidential primaries here have picked winners _ including relative moderates Bob Dole and John McCain _ over true believers or hard-core conservatives such as the Rev. Pat Robertson or former TV commentator Pat Buchanan. Since the South Carolina GOP’s first presidential primary in 1980, voters have chosen their party’s eventual nominee in all six contested races. Three of the victors — Ronald Reagan in 1980, George H.W. Bush in 1988 and George W. Bush in 2000 — went on to become president. “That is something that we cherish,” said Glenn McCall, one of the state’s three members of the Republican National Committee and one of two African-Americans on the RNC. “We know how to pick conservatives, but we also know how to pick the nominee for our party,” said McCall, who has not endorsed a candidate because of his party post. “Folks are not looking for purity. Purity is not a winning strategy in this election.” That kind of talk buoys Romney, who finished fourth in South Carolina’s 2008 primary, far behind McCain. Gingrich, a former U.S. representative from Georgia who
served as speaker of the House, hopes that the election’s focus on the country’s economic problems will prompt South Carolina voters to favor his experience confronting complex federal budget issues and his reputation as an ultra-smart creator of innovative solutions to difficult problems. That reputation is likely to help Gingrich with the state’s large group of tea party supporters, who think federal spending is out of control and view the government’s mounting debt as a crushing burden. Gingrich is counting on tea party and other GOP activists being willing to overlook his two divorces, his extramarital affair with his current wife, Callista, when she was a congressional aide, and his consulting payments of $1.6 million from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, whose lending practices some Republicans blame for the subprime mortgage collapse. “It does bother me, but I can’t expect perfection from anyone,” Joe Dugan, state coordinator for the South Carolina Tea Party Coalition, said of Gingrich’s past lapses. “I feel that Speaker Gingrich underwent a transformation in his life in 2009, and he’s a different person now,” Dugan said. “If I’m going to do a proper vetting of the candidates, I have to look beyond their mistakes in the past and emphasize the good they can do in the future.” Not everyone is so forgiving. The Rev. Marshall Watkins, associate pastor of the Sanctuary Southern Baptist Church in Greenville, is among them. “If I’m going to be consistent with the way I thought of (President Bill) Clinton and what he did (in the Monica
Lewinsky scandal), I feel like I can’t condone Gingrich on moral and family issues,” Watkins said. “His baggage is just too much for me.” Watkins, who is leaning toward Santorum over former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, said he can’t support Romney because of his faith. “Although they’ve tried to put up a face of being familyoriented like evangelicals, there are still Mormons who hold to the old views of having more than one wife,” Watkins said. “I just can’t deal with that. And Roman Catholics and Southern Baptists believe in the Holy Trinity; the Mormons don’t believe in the Trinity.” A number of analysts and GOP activists in the state are baffled by Gov. Nikki Haley’s endorsement last month of Romney. “I have no earthly idea why she did it other than she just thinks he’s the best-organized and has the most money,” said David Woodard, a political scientist at Clemson University in Clemson, S.C. In declaring her support for Romney, Haley cited his strong executive experience in the private and public sectors, and his ability to defeat President Barack Obama. Haley, a former state legislator, was elected South Carolina’s first female governor in November 2010 on a wave of strong conservative support, boosted by an endorsement from Sarah Palin, the former Alaska governor and McCain’s 2008 running mate. But Haley’s support could prove a mixed blessing for Romney. Her approval ratings have fallen as low as 34 percent in a Winthrop University poll last month.
theWORLD
The A&T Register | ncatregister.com | Wednesday, January 18, 2012
5
Captain’s conduct blasted House GOP maps strategy as divers find more dead on payroll tax debacle DONNA CASSATA
GREGORIO BORGIA & NICOLE WINFIELD
Associated Press
GIGLIO, Italy —The captain of a cruise liner that ran aground and capsized off the Tuscan coast faced accusations Sunday from authorities and passengers that he abandoned ship before everyone was safely evacuated and was showing off when he steered the vessel far too close to shore. Divers searching the depths of the partially submerged Costa Concordia found the bodies of two elderly men still in their life jackets, bringing the confirmed death toll to five. At least 15 people were still missing, including two Americans. The recovered bodies were discovered at an emergency gathering point near the restaurant where many of the 4,200 on board were dining when the luxury liner struck rocks or a reef off the tiny island of Giglio. The Italian news agency ANSA reported the dead were an Italian and a Spaniard. Still, there were glimmers of hope: The rescue of three survivors — a young South Korean couple on their honeymoon and a crew member brought to shore in a dramatic airlift some 36 hours after the grounding late Friday. Meanwhile, attention focused on the captain, who was spotted by Coast Guard officials and passengers fleeing the scene even as the chaotic and terrifying evacuation was under way. The ship’s Italian owner, a subsidiary of Carnival Cruise lines, issued a statement late Sunday saying there appeared to be “significant human error” on the part of the captain, Francesco Schettino, “which resulted in these grave consequences.” Authorities were holding
WASHINGTON (AP) — When last seen in Washington, House Republicans were furious with their own leader, Speaker John Boehner, and angry with their Senate Republican brethren over how the showdown over the Social Security tax cut turned into a year-end political debacle. The holidays and three weeks away from the Capitol have tempered some of the bad feelings, but several GOP lawmakers’ emotions are still raw as Congress returns for a 2012 session certain to be driven by election-year politics and fierce fights over the size and scope of government and its taxing, spending and borrowing practices. In the week before Christmas, House Republicans revolted against the Senatepassed deal to extend the payroll tax cut for two months for 160 million workers and ensure jobless benefits for millions more long-term unemployed. Facing intense political pressure, Boehner, R-Ohio, caved, daring tea partyers and other dissenters to challenge his decision to pass the short-term plan without a roll-call vote. None stepped forward to stop him. “A lot of us who went into battle turned around and no one was behind us,” freshman Rep. Mick Mulvaney, R-S.C., said last week, sounding like the fight was still fresh and insistent that leadership had abandoned them. “A lot of us are still smarting,” he added. The two-month extension that Senate Republican and Democratic leaders Mitch McConnell and Harry Reid had characterized as a draw ended up as a big victory for Presi-
Associated Press
Photo by Sinibaldi Andrea • LaPresse/Zuma Press/MCT
RESCUErS WORK to enter the capsized cruise ship Costa Concordia in search of more survivors on Sunday, Janaury 15 in Giglio, Italy.
Schettino for suspected manslaughter and a prosecutor confirmed Sunday they were also investigating allegations the captain abandoned the stricken liner before all the passengers had escaped. According to the Italian navigation code, a captain who abandons a ship in danger can face up to 12 years in prison. A French couple who boarded the Concordia in Marseille, Ophelie Gondelle and David Du Pays, told the Associated Press they saw the captain in a lifeboat, covered by a blanket, well before all the passengers were off the ship. “The commander left before and was on the dock before everyone was off,” said Gondelle, 28, a French military officer. “Normally the commander should only leave at the end,” said Du Pays, a police officer who said he helped an injured passenger to a rescue boat. Coast Guard officers later spotted Schettino on land as the evacuation unfolded. The officers urged him to return to his
ship and honor his duty to stay aboard until everyone was safely off the vessel, but he ignored them, Coast Guard Cmdr. Francesco Paolillo said. Schettino insisted he didn’t leave early, telling Mediaset television that he had done everything he could to save lives. Questions also swirled about why the ship had navigated so close to the dangerous reefs and rocks that jut off Giglio’s eastern coast, amid suspicions the captain may have ventured too close while carrying out a maneuver to entertain tourists on the island. The ship’s owner, Costa Crociere SpA, issued a statement late Sunday saying it was working with investigators to determine what went wrong. “While the investigation is ongoing, preliminary indications are that there may have been significant human error on the part of the ship’s master, Captain Francesco Schettino, which resulted in these grave consequences,” the statement said.
dent Barack Obama at the end of a year in which Republicans had forced him to accept a series of spending cuts. Grievances are certain to be aired at a House GOP retreat in Baltimore later this week. The strategy and agenda session also will be a gripe session for some of the 242 House Republicans. “It might be a little more spunky than normal,” said Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah. Senators come back to Capitol Hill on Jan. 23. The wave of Republicans who lifted the GOP to the House majority in the 2010 elections emerged from their first year frustrated by the limitations of divided government and the recurring, down-to-thewire fights over spending — in April, the squabble was over keeping the government operating, and in August lawmakers dueled over increasing the nation’s borrowing authority. And at year’s end, there was another rhetorical shoot-out over keeping the government running. Tea partyers who came to Washington intent on deep cuts to counter the growing deficit railed against the budget numbers and the all-too-frequent fights. “There was a Groundhog Day quality to 2011,” said freshman Rep. Nan Hayworth, R-N.Y. Boehner, who frequently had to rally the disparate elements of his caucus, was a bit bruised by the year’s final act. Still, he remains well in control of his caucus, with Republicans recognizing that any leadership challenge or internal strife now would be politically disastrous. In the coming year, House Republicans remain doubtful about accomplishing anything
more than the must-do spending bills and a year-long extension of the Social Security tax cuts, unemployment benefits and a reprieve in the cuts to doctors for Medicare payments. Congress faces a Feb. 29 deadline to agree on a new extension, no easy task after last year’s deep divisions but politically inevitable as lawmakers would be loath to raise taxes in an election year. Uncertain is the fate of a highway bill and reauthorization of a farm bill, legislation that could mean jobs in a struggling economy but measures also likely to get caught up in the typical fight over how to pay for the programs. Republicans are pinning their hopes on November’s elections and the tantalizing possibility that the GOP holds the House, wins four or more of the Senate seats needed to seize control and the party’s nominee ousts Obama. Controlling both the presidency and Congress would be a mandate for significant change. Rep. Tom Rooney, R-Fla., bemoaned the failure last summer of the so-called “grand bargain” between Obama and Boehner for massive spending cuts, the promise of overhauling the tax code and reductions in entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare. The bipartisan deficit-reduction supercommittee fared no better in the fall. “It’s hard to see us getting out of the mess we’re in until there’s another election,” Rooney said. The year of brinksmanship produced little legislation that became law while approval ratings for Congress dropped to single digits. The House passed 384 measures in 2011, the Senate 402, according to the Congressional Record.
theWORD 6
The A&T Register | ncatregister.com | Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Slouching GOP might hinder Obama Although this has been an election season of mediocrity within the GOP, President Barack Obama should not get too comfortable, for his road to re-election may not be an easy one. With the GOP primary election season starting off with seven run of the mill candidates, and with three primary elections over, two candidates have already waved the white flag including House Representative Michele Bachmann and former Utah governor Jon Huntsman. Despite the absence of two candidates, there is still not a clear front-runner who the Republican Party will name their candidate in March. Although former Pennsylvania Governor and two-time presidential hopeful Mitt Romney is leading the pack, so far the races have been slow. Maybe it’s premature to say that Romney will not blow out
the remaining contenders as the road to Super Tuesday progresses, however if the results from both Iowa and New Hampshire are an KELCIE indication to MCCRAE how the rest of the season will be, then it is going to be a long road to March 5. If the road to Super Tuesday continues on this path, President Obama may have a good chance of returning to the White House for another term, however he has to hit the streets like he did four years ago. This month, Obama is wringing in an approval rating of about 48 percent. This is notably low for a president who is seeking reelection in the fall. In January of 2004 when former president
George W. Bush was gearing up for his re-election, his approval rating was about 60 percent. By no means is this an indicator that president Obama is heading down the road of failure, nor does it suggest that Bush was an outstanding president, which we all know is false; instead it is a guage that Obama needs to go back to his grass roots. Statistics prove that most presidents who have sought after re-elections have had higher approval ratings the January prior to the vote, but there has been one president who had a low rating and still came out victorious – Bill Clinton. Under Clinton’s administration the economy was stable, people were living by comfortable means, and the job market was average. Fast-forward to the Bush era, and all his efforts went to waste.
Arguably Bush is the reason for the hard times this nation is facing now, and Obama is reaping the backlash. In December the national unemployment rate was 8.5 percent— just about .5 percent lower than the start of 2011. Despite this decrease, the black community’s unemployment rate continues to grow. At 15.8 percent, it is nearly twice as high as their white counterparts. With Obama’s Jobs Act not going anywhere, he must now go back to the drawing board and create a plan that will gain the support of both parties and put an overwhelming majority of people back to work. In 2008, black Americans flooded the polls to elect the first black president, and now he may be losing the support of those who put him in office. -kcmccrae@ncat.com And follow her on Twitter @Kelcie_McCrae
Amber Rose is the pot calling the kettle black When the name ‘Amber Rose’ is said, I wonder what is the first instant thought that comes to one’s mind. For some it may be: ‘whore,’ ‘gold-digger,’ ‘stripper,’ ‘industry girl,’ ‘Kanye made her famous.’ It could be anything, but I’m sure more negative thoughts come to mind than positive. Well now, Rose is trying to damper Kim Kardashian’s name along with hers. But my question is, do they not have the same story? Most know Rose because she was in a long-term relationship with rapper Kanye West. A couple years ago everyone started seeing this gorgeous bald white girl who had the body most would die for. She never spoke and rarely smiled yet, was always in the latest fashions and even started sitting front row at some of the biggest shows during fashion weeks. Rose has now used her voice to try to tell people her story, and that story includes her being a stripper at the young age of 15 to try and make a living and survive. Ever since her and Kanye broke-up, Rose actually is everywhere talking about everything, which happened years ago. One would think she would be focusing on the future with Wiz, instead of dwelling on the past. But her future is not that
interesting to most, so she is smart, trying to stay relevant in the industry by dropping juicy details of what caused her ASHLEY and Kanye’s VAUGHN relationship to fail. Recently the urban socialite confirmed rumors of Kanye having an affair with starlet Kim Kardashian. This affair gained a lot of attention because when the rumors were floating around, Kanye was in a relationship with Rose and Kim was then with football player Reggie Bush. Rose has talked in several interviews calling Kim a “homewrecker” and even a “hoe” for being in a relationship and choosing to sleep with Kanye, knowing he was in a relationship as well. Rose even goes on to say, “She [Kim] was sending pictures, and I was like ‘Kim just stop, don’t be that person.’ I thought at least she would be woman enough to respond to me. She never responded.” So while Rose is trying to
paint Kim Kardashian to be a home-wrecker, and that she sleeps around to get ahead in the industry, one has to stop and ask “Amber didn’t you do the same thing?” Nobody would know her if it was not for Kanye, and yes he may have been horrible in the relationship, but she could have easily left him; that is if she didn’t have another motive. Now Rose is trying to show everyone that she is happy, and Wiz is a better man than Kanye will ever be. Do not bite the hand that fed you your career. It seems as though Rose is trying to prove that she is so happy while throwing others under the bus. This is very immature, childish and hypocritical of her. If she is so over Kanye why use everyday to talk about him? If he treated her so horrible, and she did not expect anything from him, why stay with him so long? If Wiz is such a perfect guy, why does she talk about Kanye more than she talks about her current relationship? Rose is creating her very own sob story while she thinks she is creating her own career.
“Rose is creating her very own sob story while she thinks she is creating her own career. “
Conveniently Rose is working on her debut album, and has recently released a new single, the same week she dropped the confirmation of the Kanye and Kim rumors. There is no difference from Rose to any other industry girl who is trying to capitalize from the fame she received from being with an industry guy. There is nothing wrong with trying to keep the money coming in, but there is a problem when one is trying to dirty another’s name because her image isn’t the cleanest. It’s a commendable effort for one to try and clean up their image they first had when entering the Hollywood industry, but do not try to erase how you got there. Just like Kim will always be remembered for having a sex tape with R&B singer Ray-J, the same goes for Amber Rose. No matter what Amber Rose does in the industry to try and erase her first impression in everyone’s mind she will probably always be remembered for being the gorgeous bald, white girl who had the body most would die for that was on Kanye West’s arm. This entire story is nothing but the pot calling the kettle black. The pot (Rose) just needs to put a lid on it. -anvaughn@ncat.edu.com And follow us on Twitter @ATRegister
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
can be sent to theatregister@gmail.com In attempting to write a short piece describing my experience as a current 2011 Teach For America corps member I couldn’t find the exact words to give an accurate account of what has transpired in my life over the past six months. To say that this has been a challenge is an understatement. Despite the vast challenges I have encountered in life prior to Teach For America, my corps experience has pushed me beyond what I thought I was capable of. It is no longer about me as an individual, because I now have to hold a daily responsibility to educate, inspire, and transform the future leaders of America. I take on the role as not only a teacher, but a mother, counselor, nurse, mentor, coach, and the list goes on. I am inspired to do this because I want to say that I was a vessel in ensuring that students across the United States receive a quality education. This means that my students
Letter to the Editor
and I are on a mission to ensure that they get to and through college. I am honored to be a part of this movement. When I look back over the last six months and how I have been responsible for 96 students, I see the growth and role that I have played in ensuring that they get “to and through college.” This is astounding to me on so many levels, especially because this time last year, I was working to educate my fellow Aggies about the state of education in America and the role we could all play in order to ensure that students of color in low income communities have access to better educational opportunities which in turn would translate into better life opportunities. It was through these same conversation that I along with 14 other Aggies decided to play an active role in changing the face of education for students and helping them reach their truest potential despite their zip codes and socio-economic status which much too often
society deems as the true factor of whether a child can and will succeed. I joined this movement and am witnessing firsthand the impact I am having on my students’ lives. Being a part of Teach For America is challenging but it is also humbling and truly an experience that has changed my life. Being a corps member is hard work to say the least. On top of being a teacher for my students, I also stay after school in order to coach the cheerleading team or to help a student. While this is extra time, it is worth it because of the impact this has on students’ lives. And isn’t that the point of it all? The goal for me as a corps member is to educate my students by preparing them with the knowledge and skills necessary to accomplish their goals, have a tangible impact, and develop myself in the process. I am a 6th grade English Language Arts teacher at a KIPP school in Houston, Texas and I am proud to say that I am a
vessel in the movement to close the achievement gap, ensuring that all students receive a quality education, and get not only “to” but “through” college. The preeminent political and ideological leader of India, Mohandas Ghandi stated, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” I am a proud to say that I am upholding his vision by being a 2011 Teach For America corps member. My question to you, my fellow Aggies, is will you dare to do the same? There are millions of students who need leaders, role models, social change agents, and people like you to ensure that they beat the odds stacked against them, receive a quality education, gain access to better life opportunities, and ensure that one day they too can do the same for the next generation. So I ask again, will you do the same? Sincerely, Current 2011 Teach For America corps member Janae Brown
1. What are a few things you would like to see in the New Year? Guy #1- I would like to see people become more focused on their own life instead of the lives of others. I think in the last few years people have become so addicted to Twitter, Facebook, reality shows, and everything else that they have lost their own identity. I think the greatest thing that could happen is for all these social networks and reality shows to fade away and people get back to what is really important. I miss the days where Twitter was not a reliable source for quoting someone. Where black sitcoms with real black actors and positive messages were shown more than ignorant reality shows with ignorant people who deliver no message except for how to act like a coon. If people could grow out of a simple mindset this year, I would be a very happy man. Guy #2- I would love for people to start paying more attention to the political process. I think people are going to vote for Obama just because of his skin color but it would be nice for people to vote for more than just the simple minded things. I think if we paid more attention to the people running the country then we will be fine as a people. Guy #3- I would like to see an end to the recession. I see so many people struggling with that and it is sad to see people lose their jobs, college graduates not finding work, or just working at a job that demands a lot, but plays a little. I think if the recession takes a strong turn a lot of people will feel better, and I like to see people feel good. 2. Are most relationships in college based on love and trust or just lust? Guy #1- Depends on when you meet that person. I would say freshman and sophomore year people are just living life and seeing where their adventures take them. This normally leads to a physical and lustful type of relationship. Both parties are probably too immature to have a serious relationship, and if not that then they are probably just too young to have anything real. However, once you get older, get to know yourself a little better, and have a stronger focus on life, you become more selective on who you let into that life. This is when you see people find the relationships they would like to see last beyond graduation. So I think college relationships have two different phases. Guy #2- I’ve been in a relationship since high school so my personal view might be different than others. However, I do know that there is a lot of lust
around this age group. Of course you have some exceptions, but for the most part I think a lot of people are just looking for a physical attraction oppose to the real thing. If people, especially females, could control their hormones a little better, then you would be able to see more people finding real love opposed to just the fake thing. Guy #3- I think both. I think when we first enter college all we want to do is mess around. So a lot of people see an increase in their “body count” between their freshman and sophomore year. After a while, guys get tired of it and girls become wiser to the lies guys tell. We then become selective of whom we let in our beds because we are tired of the childish games. This is when you see guys and girls going out less and spending more time with their significant other. Thus love develops because they know this relationship will last beyond college. 3. What do you think is the biggest excuse girls use to stay in a bad relationship? Guy #1- I think girls hold onto bad relationships because they think the guy is going to turn into something she wants him to be opposed to what he really is. A lot of females see the potential in a guy and they think they can help bring that out of him. So they stay in relationships and wait until that miraculous day comes and it never does. And years later they look at the relationship as a waste of time but in reality if the relationship didn’t go anywhere that is the woman’s fault for wasting her own time. Most girls lie to themselves and that is normally why they stay in a bad relationship. This only makes a bad situation much worse. Guy #2- Girls use everything as an excuse. Bad timing, good sex, money, and a lot of other things are reasons girls stay with a bad guy. However I think the biggest reason is because of the time girls put into the relationship. It is hard to let go of someone who you have invested a lot of time in. So many girls will wait until they hit absolute rock bottom before walking away. So to answer the question more directly I think time spent is the biggest excuse girls use. Guy #3- I think sex makes things so complicated for women. It is easier for guys to separate the two but for a lot of women once you spread your legs for a guy, he’s stuck with you for a while. Regardless of how terrible he treats you, you’re going to stick with him because you gave him a piece of you. However, if many girls realized guys do not think about sex the same way you would be able to just move on a lot easier. Sex makes it harder for any girl to just move on.
Mad about something? Got a question to Ask a Black Guy? Want something else in the paper?
Well, write for us! Contributor’s Meeting Every Wednesday
5 p.m. in GCB Room 328 And follow us on Twitter: @ATRegister
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 are 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, January 18, 2012
Veney resigns, Daniels takes over karmen robinson Sports Editor
After being hired just seven months ago as director of track & field programs, Tony Veney turned in his letter of resignation to Athletics Director Earl Hilton on Dec. 14. Veney was hired by A&T to replace former director Roy “Spaceman� Thompson after the death of Andre Milandu in 2010. The Athletics Department has gone through quite a bit of changes in the last year hiring four new head coaches and now they will be in search of
another one. Members of the track team were notified via email. Word of Veney’s resignation also spread through
VENEY Twitter. Runners said there were no signs or any indication that Veney would be leaving. “It was a shock to all of us,� said Sherice Walker, junior hurdler. Walker was on the team to endure both coaching transitions. No one knows Venery’s ex-
act reasons for resigning. him. One of the permanent “I really encoaching spots, however, joy Coach D,� has belonged to James DanWalker continiels, who will now serve as ued. “He’s been interim director of track and through everyfield programs. thing.� “I’ve been here like the “Our focus is bricks,� Daniels said jokmoving forward DANIELS ingly. and winning,� He has been an assistant said Daniels. coach for A&T’s track proAfter a good performance gram for the last ten years. in last week’s Virginia Tech The Hampton University Invitational, the Aggie track graduate is no stranger to run- team will travel back to Virning and operating a track pro- ginia to compete in the Hokie gram successfully. Invitational this weekend. Most of the runners on the “Nothing has really team had previously run for changed,� Walker said. Daniels and were recrutied by The track team continues
to be optimistic about the indoor season and the quickly approaching outdoor season keeping their minds on one thing: winning a championship “While we were looking forward to utilizing coach Veney’s vast experience in track and field to elevate our track and field programs and events, we understand and respect the personal decision he had to make for he and his family,� said Hilton in a press release. -klrobin2@ncat.edu and follow her on Twitter @KayRob_
Still months behind schedule and counting karmen robinson Sports Editor
Kenbridge Construction Company could owe N.C. A&T over $200,000 in liquidated damages. Liquidated damages refers to a certain amount of money that must be paid when there is a breach in the contract. In this case, the breach is that it is mid-January and the press box has yet to be completed. “I’m very disappointed,� said Andrew Perkins, A&T’s Vice Chancellor of Facilities. Construction of the press box began in April of 2011. The original date of completion was set for Aug. 16, 2011. After that fell through, both Kenbridge and A&T hoped the $4 million project would be completed before the October 15 homecoming football game. That plan also did not happen. Then the plan was to have it finished by November, and that did not hap-
pen either. As a result, A&T charges Kenbridge $1,500 everyday the press box remains incomplete, including Saturdays and Sundays, which comes to $10,050 per week. This setback marks the only late construction project in over 12 years, according to Perkins. The construction of the press box has gone through a fair share of inconveniences, including inclement weather and hiring new contractors, costing the construction company a significant amount of money. “That’s not our problem,� Perkins said. “The owners are responsible for providing me a quality product.� Although Perkins was disappointed with the crew he decided to stay with Kenbridge and new management was brought in to finish the press box. The previous superintendent of the construction site was
Leonard Jones, who is now no longer working for Kenbridge. Chuck Kresge replaced Jones. Kresge explained the contractors are working to put in finishing touches including furnishing ,and he went on to say, “We are where we are,� and left it at that. “I could’ve fired them, but I felt it was important to stick with them. They provided new leadership teams,� Perkins said. Perkins continued to say that once the press box is finished and goes through a variety of inspections, there will be a ribbon cutting ceremony and open house for select guests. Although Kenbridge has missed a few target dates of completion, the new target date, according to Perkins is Jan. 25. And that’s just a week away. -klrobin2@ncat.edu and follow her on Twitter @KayRob_
Photo by karmen robinson • the A&T register
the press box as of Jan. 18. The front of the press box still has no windows and the insides still need to be furnished.
Contributor
15 CASE hours will be given for a NEW backpack filled with the following items: Scissors (any kind) Crayons (24 pack) Colored Pencils (12 pack) Markers (8 pack non-permanent) Please bring all supplies to Murphy Hall, Room 102 by 4pm on January 27th
For more information (336) 256-2212 | orient@ncat.edu
TEAM
MEAC
OVR.
2-3 3-2 1-2 1-6 1-2 3-1 0-5 6-0 4-1 2-3 2-2 2-2 4-2
6-12 8-10 4-10 4-16 4-12 9-8 4-14 14-5 7-12 4-15 4-11 7-12 8-10
Hampton Coppin State Delaware State Howard Maryland Eastern Shore North Carolina Central South Carolina State Norfolk State Bethune-Cookman Florida A&M Morgan State North Carolina A&T Savannah State THIS WEEK’S GAME: Saturday vs. Morgan State Baltimore, MD 4 p.m. Monday vs. Coppin State Baltimore, MD 7 p.m. NEXT WEEK’S GAMES: Saturday vs. UMES Corbett Sports Center 4 p.m.
MEAC
OVR.
3-2 0-3 5-0 3-3 1-5 2-4 2-1 3-2 5-0 5-1 0-4 2-2 0-4
6-11 3-13 13-3 8-9 6-11 7-10 4-10 8-10 12-5 13-6 3-14 7-10 2-15
Bethune-Cookman Delaware State Hampton Norfolk State Savannah State South Carolina State MD Eastern Shore Coppin State Florida A&M Howard Morgan State North Carolina A&T North Carolina Central
symone kidd
The Office of New Student Programs will be supporting by collecting backpacks & school supplies.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
TEAM
Marc Hill
Back to School Drive  January 12-27, 2012
AGGIES RUNDOWN
woMEN’S BASKETBALL
Aggie 101:
OFFICE OF NEW STUDENT PROGRAMS Â
7
Personable, smart, and talented are just a few words to describe the Aggie starting senior point guard Marc Hill. Characterized as one of the toughest point guards in the game, Hill was born and raised in Bowie, Md. Inspired by his older brother and coached by his father, Hill picked up a basketball at the age six. In 2008, he received a scholarship to attend A&T for his acquired skills on the court. At 5’8 he continues to show critics that his height is not HILL an impediment to his success. Hill has been dynamic over the years and not only is he talented athletically he is also a music and graphic design artist. Hill found his love for music and art at an early age. “My inspiration to write music comes from everyday life. Things that I see and experience,� said Hill. Music is a big part of his life and it is also the main thing that gets him hype before a game. “I listen to up beat music - no R&B; it has to fit a certain feeling - my mood of that day.� Now averaging 29.2 minutes per game and 10.7 points per game, Hill is described by teammate Adrian Powell as a “fearless leader.� As a senior captain there are experiences of highs and lows that spectators of the game will see. Two weeks ago, the Aggies took on Bethune-Cookman that resulted in with Hill making two layups and a free throw to help his team take a 5651 lead with 26 seconds left in the game. Unfortunately, A&T suffered a loss with Hill’s two missed key free throws.
“Of course you feel a little bit of pressure,� said Hill. Feeling bad after the game but not in agreement that his missed free throws were the exact reason for the loss; he headed to the gym to practice some extra shots. Hill is no stranger to final minute scoring situations as he made huge free throws in last year’s game against rival N.C. Central University. Not letting the loss get to him Hill was able to contribute 10 points in last Monday’s overtime win against Florida A&M University. He also scored 12 points with five assists in the road game win against Howard University this past Saturday. Despite his biggest struggle of getting to class after traveling for road games, Hill has been able to maintain good academic standing. Hill said it has been his biggest accomplishment while being a student athlete. His academic goal is to graduate in May with honors and receive a bachelor’s degree in graphic gommunication. Never settling always wanting to do better, Hill has become more aggressive throughout his four years on the team. Feeling that he and his teammates are a great fit and full of talent they will need to focus heavily on offense and discipline. Hill also helped lead the Aggies to victory over the Howard Bison Saturday in the Aggies’ first conference road game of the season. The next Aggie men’s basketball home game is Saturday, Jan. 28 against UMES at 4 p.m. -sckidd@ncat.edu and follow us on Twittter @ATRegister
THIS WEEK’S GAME: Saturday vs. Morgan State Baltimore, MD 2 p.m. Monday vs. Coppin State Baltimore, MD 4:30 p.m. NEXT WEEK’S GAMES: Saturday vs. UMES Corbett Sports Center 2 p.m.
AROUND SPORTS
FOXBORO, MassÂÂ. —For too long, Broncos fans were stuck in the past. Nothing in the present could match those consecutive Super Bowl titles from the late ‘90s, and nobody on the roster could provide the level of excitement delivered by John Elway. Until this season. Tim Tebow did more than rescue a season. He revived a franchise while transporting Broncos fans from the past to the present. For a dozen seasons after Elway retired, Broncos fans wallowed in nostalgia. That’s over. Tebow has jolted. This was a flawed edition of the Broncos, and all those flaws were on display in Saturday’s 45-10 smackdown by the Patriots. The Broncos couldn’t run, couldn’t pass and, most of all, couldn’t defend the pass. Tom Brady might have thrown for 700 yards and 10 touchdowns if he’d been in a greedy mood. Still, the season was fascinating. The Broncos provided heartpounding drama, winning four overtime games. They were sometimes brilliant, as in the victory over the Steelers, and sometimes painful to watch, as in the regular-season finale against the Chiefs. This extreme inconsistency must end if the Broncos want to continue to climb. Tebow knows this. “Absolutely,â€? he said about improving, “throughout the season, throughout games, you definitely would love to be more consistent. You look at great teams and usually they are. You have a few lows, a few highs, but for the most part they stay consistent.â€? Count on this: During a long offseason, Broncos fans no longer will be talking about long-ago glory days. They will be talking about the 2012 season. Those who love the Broncos finally live in the present tense.
8
hotlist
thescene
The A&T Register | ncatregister.com | Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Derwin
Melanie
Malik
Jason Pitts
Tasha Mack
Jan. 18th to 24th
This season Derwin is trying to raise his son with ex-girlfriend Janay, while trying to have another child with wife Melanie. He also is struggling to prosper on the football field because of the turmoil coming from Malik refusing to throw him the ball. This season Derwin seems to be returning to the good guy we all love
Melanie started the season off with drama. She revealed she aborted a baby, that wasn’t by Derwin. She is trying to be superwoman with trying to help raise Derwin’s child by Janay. She also has fallen out with Tasha Mack because of her relaptionship with Derwin as a past client. Melanie is sure to continue to bring the drama.
Malik’s life seems to be falling apart this season. He is no longer the big QB on the field, his coach is trying to get rid of him. His girlfriend has relapsed on alcohol and drugs and she seems to be in a worse situation than most would have thought. His mom is trying to cover up his slack, but she notices the end of his career may be coming sooner than later.
Tasha Mack is dealing with the battle of being a mother, a friend and a manager. Melanie is not talking to her because she was dropped by Derwin as a client and Malik refuses to throw him the ball. Malik is not listening to her because he is focused on his girlfriend. She is also realizing her job is not really needed anymore in all three positions.
Jason Pitts saves the humor for the show this season. He also has the most change with his story line. There is no more Kelly Pitts. He is raising his daughter all by himself, and on the first episode he got married. Brandy Norwood has been added to the cast as his love interest. She drugged Pitts and forced him to marry her to teach him a lesson. This will be a good season!
The Game is Back! ashley vaughn Scene Editor
The popular television series, “The Game,” has returned for its second season on the BET network. The series left us last season with the big cliffhangers of Derwin finding out Melanie had an abortion, Malik’s career being on its last leg, and his girlfriend relapsing on alcohol. With the show making its debut on the BET network last season, many changes had occurred with things that were happening on the show. The show definitely took a turn for the worse. But it still brought in record number of viewers, and that continued throughout the season, bringing a strong promise for a season two on the network. The season premiere debuted last week, once again with strong numbers. The show had many eyebrow raising moments, and a few unexpected changes. Kelly Pitts’ role was
removed, and there has not been a real reason given as to why her character was let go or if the actress left on her own. To fill her spot a character played by singer Brandy Norwood was added; she is Jason Pitts’ new love interest. In the first episode the two meet and show a strong disdain for each other, but by the end of the show Brandy’s character has drugged Jason and forced him into marriage, to “teach him a lesson.” This lesson was stemmed from Brandy’s character thinking Jason would not date a black girl. How forcing him into marriage makes sense with this situation, I do not know, but this is how the writers chose to introduce her to the viewers. Also, in the first episode viewers see Malik’s girlfriend pass out from an alcohol overdose and he is trying to save her life. Of course Tasha Mack does not like this, because she is more focused on Malik’s struggling career. Lastly, the big story
of Derwin and Melanie is filled with nothing but ups and down. We learn that Melanie aborted her baby that was fathered by ex fling Trey Wiggs. While the couple is trying to move on from the huge situation, it is Derwin’s son, DJ’s birthday and Melanie is trying to be a supportive step-mom and help host the party. While the party is going on, Derwin goes to his car to get the gifts he bought for his son, and up drives Trey, before any words could be said, Derwin punches him in the face, and leaves him lying on the ground. That is how the episode ends. This season will be nothing but drama, drama, and more drama. Like last season, it was established the show is not the same as it was on the CW network. The humor on the show is saved by Jason Pitts’ character, but everyone else is going through nothing but the most exhausting, crazy situations. I do not expect to see all the
loving, realistic moments we saw on the show prior to it being on the BET network. Instead of the show being a great black television series that everyone loved, now it has equated itself to a dramatized soap opera. I expect nothing but twists and turns in every episode, instead of a steady consistent story line. The drama will continue to get bigger and bigger, making sure people continue to watch to see the drama unfold into a big mess. “The Game” is just that, a game to see how long they can get this show to last on television. Everyone will continue to watch, because it is like a train wreck that gets worse the longer it is on its tracks. This season should be no surprise, it will be just a continuance of where it left off last season; a big mess of crazy drama. Continue to watch this show, and remember what it used to be.
on screen
-Anvaughn@ncat.edu and follow us on Twitter @ATRegister
B
The struggle for AfricanAmerican actors to become main stream is something that has gone unnoticed, until now. Red Tails, a movie directed and financed by George Lucas, is finally making its debut this weekend and has stirred major issues that African American movies and the actors that play in them experience. There are a few AfricanAmerican actors that have made a name for themselves in Hollywood. Terrance Howard, Denzel Washington and Jamie Foxx are a few. Even though there are some black actors that are displayed in predominantly white films, most African Americans are
20
Questions
trapped in the never ending cycle of low-budget movies. Most weekends, a person can catch them on BET and they are indeed low-budget and display the typical stereotype of African-Americans males: in jail, in a gang, or with a lot of women. Most of these movies hardly ever make it into theaters. This is the problem that Lucas has stressed to the community. African-American actors will never make a big name in Hollywood because they are stuck in the low-budget movies that no one will finance. There are not a lot of African- American movies out, aside from the typical story line Tyler Perry movies, because it is believed to be money wasted and not grossed in the end. No one wants to pay their
II
presS Pause
“Fame”
So the girl who many thought never had a voice, now is trying to sing. Amber Rose has recently released a single for her debut album. The single is called “Fame” but before you even press play on this record, I will save you and press pause. Amber Rose has no singing abilities and is talking on this song and she tries to save the song with a feature by Wiz Khalifa. It has a dancing beat, but you will have to force yourself to dance to this one.
‘Red Tails’ aviates into theaters Contributor
red tails As the war in Europe continues to take its toll on Allied forces, the Pentagon brass has no recourse but to consider unorthodox options including the untried and untested African-American pilots of the experimental Tuskegee training program. Just as the young Tuskegee men are on the brink of being shut down and shipped back home, they are given the ultimate chance to show their courage. Against all the odds, with something to prove and everything to lose, these intrepid young airmen take to the skies to fight for their country. -A.V.
Amber Rose
movie preview on tuskeegee airmen: red tails
Necole jackson
The A&T Register’s guide to what’s going this week in arts and entertainment.
-A.V.
II
presS Pause
Beyonce “Party”
money to see the typical African- American movies anymore and that’s why it’s so hard for African American male actors to make a name for themselves. Amazing movies like Red Tails could be a failure because no one will support it. This is the problem that Lucas has brought to light. People always stress the importance of being at a Historically Black College or University and what we owe our race. Even though people get tired of hearing this, issues like these are why it needs to be stressed more. As a HBCU, we need to support movies like these that struggled to be financed because it was an all-black cast. We need to go see movies like these to help African American male actors to make a name for
themselves. We also need to see movies like these because it’s something that displays our past struggles and what our ancestors had to experience to progress. Even though African Americans can attend an HBCU, that doesn’t mean they know their history. I urge all students to support the Black Arts. George Lucas emphasized that struggle that African American movies and actors face and action needs to be enforced. This is something that shows our progression and what these influential Tuskegee Airmen have done to pave the way for today. George Lucas worked for twenty-three years to display this story and there is no reason why students should not be able
to spend $10 to go see it. This is the first step for seeing more African American movies and actors in our theaters. Some interesting facts many may not know with involving this movie, is how it was a struggle to find funding for this film. The producers Rick McCallum, Charles Floyd Johnson and George Lucas had to come up with the money for the movies themselves. Also, many may not know that “Boondocks” creator Aaron McGruder was also involved with the making of this movie. -nmjackso@aol.com and follow us on Twitter @ATRegister
1. Did someone you know tell you that Jay-Z and Beyonce’s baby’s name, Blue Ivy, is an acronym for some illuminati stuff? 2. Did the person who told you have a GPA higher than a 2.1? 3. Did you tell that person that just because it’s in a book, that doesn’t make it correct? 4. Seriously, how was Jay-Z chosen to protect the bloodline of Christ?5. Or Beyonce, for that matter? 6. Is it because she’s so bootylicious? 7. Did you hear that Beyonce and Jay rented an entire floor of the hospital? 8. Since when could you rent a hospital 9. Did you know the next Nxlevel white party is going to be at Moses Cone? 10. Did you know Burger King is trying out delivery? 11. You think the value menu will be available for delivery? 12. What’s the minimum charge? 13. Can we order online? 14. How much fatter does Burger King want America to become? 15. Did you know there was a TV show called “600 Pounds and aVirgin”?16. Is anyone surprised? 17. How many of you broke up with your on-campus jawn/boo-thang/bae over Christmas Break?18. Was it because you ran into your high school crush? 19. When is Aggie Fest? 20. Better question: is it GHOE yet?
This song was a great song when the ‘4’ album had just been released, but that was last summer. It is now winter and the radio stations are still playing this like it just was released. It’s time to press pause on this song. At this point partying is old. The starlet just had her baby, I’m sure we will not be hearing music from her for awhile, enjoy the older classics and press play on her other good music.
-A.V.
Come be a part of theScene Contributors Meetings every Wednesday at 5 p.m. in GCB 328A