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REGISTER volume lXXXVI No. 5

octobber 3, 2012

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Debate offers Romney best chance to rebound Mark Z. Barabak MCT Campus

The presidential race enters its final, decisive phase with a distinct tilt toward President Barack Obama and three debates looming as Republican Mitt Romney’s best and possibly last chance to reverse the Democratic trend.

After running neck and neck with Romney for months, Obama has opened up leads _ some small, others more significant _ in almost all of the eight states likely to decide the contest: Florida, Ohio, North Carolina, Virginia, Colorado, Iowa, Nevada and New Hampshire.

Obama also leads in Wisconsin, the home state of Rep. Paul D. Ryan, the GOP vice presi-

dential nominee, whose midAugust selection had erased the president’s advantage there for a time.

In all, Obama has locked up or is comfortably ahead in contests for 237 of the 270 Electoral College votes needed to win re-election, compared with 191 for Romney. That leaves 110 electoral votes still up for grabs after several states, including Pennsylvania and Michigan, have seemingly fallen from contention and settled in Obama’s column.

Whether the movement is the result of several difficult weeks for the former Massachusetts governor, as Republicans and Romney insiders suggest, or reflects a genuine inflection point, as Democrats and Obama strate-

gists believe, analysts say Romney must do something to shake up the race or he will almost certainly lose on Nov. 6.

The debates _ especially the first one Wednesday in Denver _ present Romney with a vital opportunity to turn the direction of the contest.

“Television ads aren’t going to change this race,” said Matthew Dowd, who managed President George W. Bush’s 2004 race, the last time an incumbent sought re-election to the White House. “Speeches aren’t going to change this race and staff’s not going to change this race.”

There is always the prospect of an unforeseen event, such as a domestic or international crisis, undermining support for the

president and upending his candidacy. But it is not at all clear that such an episode would redound to Romney’s benefit with Election Day so near. Even the Iranian hostage crisis, which proved a foreign policy debacle for President Jimmy Carter, initially led Americans to rally around the incumbent.

The effect of an “October surprise,” as political practitioners have come to call it, might also be mitigated by early voting. Already, ballots are being cast in more than half the states.

By the completion of the third presidential debate on Oct. 22, two weeks from Election Day, a majority of residents may have already voted in such battlegrounds as Florida, Colorado, Nevada and North Carolina.

That is why Wednesday’s first debate will be so important: It will very likely shape the narrative of the race for days afterward and set expectations for the two sides heading into an Oct. 11 matchup of the vice presidential candidates and the two Romney-Obama sessions that follow.

Obama arrived in southern Nevada on Sunday for several days of pre-debate cramming at Lake Las Vegas, a resort community in the suburb of Henderson. Romney, who has been practicing for months, was closeted with aides in Boston for another round of rehearsals.

As the challenger trailing in polls, Romney could gain the most from the debates, depending, of course, on his perfor-

mance.

Just by stepping on stage at the University of Denver, Romney could enhance his stature.

As Obama strategists anticipating the post-debate analyses are eager to point out, a challenger often gets a boost, at least in the first face-to-face meeting, just by standing alongside the incumbent and holding his own.

Contrary to efforts by both sides to lower the bar, both men are skilled in the cut-and-thrust of campaign debates.

Republicans, frustrated with Romney’s campaign, said he needed to do more than recite familiar talking points and parry Obama’s scripted zingers. They u See DEBATES on Page 2

Let’s talk STD statistics Cancer will not Stop Aggies kayla mcLaughlin Online Editor The thought of contracting a sexually transmitted disease or infection (STD/STI) can make anyone cringe, but avoiding the topic will not prevent anyone from getting it. Knowledge will.

It is no secret that most college students are sexually active. However, there are young men and women all over the United States that are having unprotected sex and contracting STDs. One out of two sexually active college students will acquire an STI by the age of 25.

That’s 50 percent of the college population.

“We should work on changing behaviors,” said Yvonne Parks, nurse supervisor at Sebastian Health Center. “We should work on educating our students more about taking care of themselves and what causes these STDs. That’s the thing that we need to get to our students and get them to understand.”

The most common sexually transmitted disease in the United States is Chlamydia. Seventyfour percent of people infected with Chlamydia are ages 15 to 24 (guesswhosgotit.com).

Chlamydia as well as all other STDs, can be transmitted during vaginal, anal, or oral sex.

Chlamydia can also be passed from an infected mother to her baby during vaginal childbirth.

Chlamydia is known as the silent epidemic. This is due to the fact that approximately 75 percent of women and 50 percent of men don’t experience any symptoms.

In 2011, there were 5,010 reported cases of Chlamydia in Greensboro (epi.state.nc.us).

This is an increase of over 2,000 since 2010, when there were

2,398 cases reported.

Gonorrhea is also a common sexually transmitted infection. Gonorrhea can be transmitted during vaginal, anal, or oral sex. There were 1,981 cases of Gonorrhea reported in Greensboro in 2011.

“Greensboro is a gate city so there are people here from all walks of life,” said Kaye Ziglar, University Health Educator at Sebastian Health Center. “We can never do too much to raise awareness. We need to focus on sex education and continue to talk about sexual responsibility, communication, pregnancy, relationships and diseases.”

Syphilis is less common, but can cause long-term complications and/or death if not adequately treated (CDC Fact Sheet). Syphilis can be transmitted during vaginal, anal, or oral sexual contact.

In 2011, there were 115 reported cases of syphilis in Greensboro.

Fortunately, if one contracts Chlamydia, syphilis, or gonorrhea, it is curable with antibiotics.

Some young people fail to realize that while being cautious and using protection, they can still be infected with uncurable STDS like herpes and HPV (humanpapilomavirus). These particular STDs can be transmitted just by skin to skin contact.

HIV/AIDS is the most deadly and non-curable disease. Individuals who are infected with STDs are at least two to five times more likely than uninfected individuals to acquire HIV infection if they are exposed to the virus

Bringing awareness to students noma vilane Contributor

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States behind heart disease.

According to the American Cancer Society, it is expected that more than 1.5 million cases will be reported this year.

Cancer is a wide group of diseases characterized by an abnormal growth of cells. The cells grow uncontrollably, invade other cells in the body, and can cause death. Over 100 types of cancer exist, typically named for the area they start such as breast, lung, and gastrointestinal cancer.

October is breast cancer awareness month. Many Aggies have had personal experiences with cancer.

Ivey Owens, a junior biology premed major, has had an extensive history with cancer. Her mom and three of her four aunts have been diagnosed with breast cancer. So when she noticed lumps in her breast, she went to her doctor.

Owens had the tumor biopsied to determine whether it was a malignant or benign tumor. She was grateful upon discovering her tumor was benign.

Owens remains vigilant for tumors due to her family history and chooses to take her family’s experiences with cancer as trials that have made her stronger.

Owens feels it is important for women to know the risks and get screened.

“As young ladies it is important to do self exams in addition to going to the doctor and getting mammograms and biopsies. My mom did self exams, but it was actually found by the doctor.”

Owens was a senior in high school when her mother was diagnosed , which led to her decision to attend A&T. “I was shocked she had the cancer, but I was prepared because of what my

aunts had gone through.” Owens’ mom had a mastectomy to help ensure the cancer would not return to her breast.

As in most cases of cancer, her mom’s surgery was followed by rounds of chemotherapy and radiation, which are used to kill off any remaining abnormal cells that could have been left behind during the procedure. Owens remained by her mother to support her.

Another Aggie plagued by cancer is alum Cherrell Brown. During Brown’s freshman year, she was repeatedly taken to the hospital for stomach issues such as abdominal pains and irregularities.

Her diagnosis of gastrointestinal cancer was missed repeatedly before a doctor realized it.

Gastrointestinal cancer forms in the lining of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract.

There are currently no programs for primary prevention of gastric cancer in the United States.

There are also no plans to start screening programs in the US due to fairly low incidences of gastric cancer. However, endoscopies are used to diagnose the cancer.

An endoscopy uses an endoscope with a light attached at the end to illuminate the organs to be viewed by a doctor.

According to the American Cancer Society, about 22,000 cases of gastric cancer are diagnosed annually in the United States. Although cases of gastric cancers have decreased in the United States, it is the second leading cause of death worldwide.

Brown was familiar with cancer because it runs in her family.

Her maternal grandmother was diagnosed with breast cancer and survived, only to later die from leukemia.

Brown’s mother is also a breast cancer survivor. Her mother was diagnosed 6 years ago and is currently in remission.

Brown had surgery and chemotherapy after her diagnosis. She did not share the diagnosis with those around her until she

was sure she would be ok.

“I hid it for a very long time. I didn’t know how to take that sympathy, and I didn’t want it.” She also felt her family was going through enough with recent losses due to cancer.

Her full schedule had to be adjusted to fit the treatments.

She became a part time student and quit one of her jobs because it was difficult to manage that amount of work and she wanted to sleep for 16 plus hours daily.

She learned a few lessons from cancer.

“My mom was strong and that strength rubbed off on me. It also made me realize not to sweat the small stuff. In comparison to cancer it’s all small stuff.”

Brown also changed her lifestyle, eliminating meat from her diet and becoming a full vegetarian this year.

She has had a few relapses but feels fortunate to bounce back from them.

She also gets yearly appointments to make sure there are no new growths.

Brown shares her story in hopes that people will take their health more seriously in order to do what they can to prevent cancer. She encourages people to eat right, exercise and adopt a positive attitude.

“It’s important to be preventive- best way to fight the ‘C-monster,’” Brown said.

There will be various Breast Cancer Awareness Programs on campus throughout the month of October, including one held by the Biological Honor Society on Oct. 29 in Barnes.

For more information on these types of cancer you can go to, www.cancer. gov. For more on breast cancer you can go to, www.breastcancerawareness. com.

–Email us theatregister@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter: @ATRegister

u See STD/HIV on Page 2

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

With the GOP constantly stating that the middle class has been “buried” these last four years, vice president Biden responds to comments.

Do you really think Michael Jordan created those shoes you stand in line for?

Despite the loss to Morgan State, running back Mike Mayhew becomes A&T all time leading rusher.

With the Fall season already in affect, primetime has been filled with familiar shows and some new ones.

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u See

DEBATES

urged him to seize the opportunity with tens of millions watching to make a clearer, more forceful case for himself to voters who don’t seem especially eager, despite high unemployment and slow economic growth, to oust the incumbent.

“What I don’t think Romney has successfully done yet is make the case he would be better on the economy,” said Dick Wadhams, a veteran Republican strategist and former head of the Colorado GOP. “Part of the reason is that the Romney campaign for too long was trying to make this a referendum on Obama, when it was always going to be a choice election.”

Given Romney’s debate performances during the primary season, when the Republican candidates met nearly two dozen times, Wadhams said he was confident the GOP nominee could rise to the occasion.

He had better, Wadhams added: “If he doesn’t, I don’t know what he can do to change the dynamic of this race.”

Despite Obama’s current edge in the polls, however, neither side is ready to declare the race over.

Although the president is ahead in the battleground states,

u See

STD/HIV

he has yet to put any of them safely away.

The surveys also suggest that undecided and still-persuadable voters have a dimmer view of the economy and the direction of the country and are not as personally enamored of the president as other voters.

That provides an opening for Romney, who, advisers point out, remains competitive despite several of the roughest weeks of the campaign.

But breaking through in the debates may prove a challenge.

Though a strong showing, or stumble, has shaken up a few races, there is no solid evidence that a candidate has ever won the White House solely as a result of a debate performance.

In the popular telling, a vigorous John F. Kennedy prevailed in 1960 by besting a pale and sweaty Richard M. Nixon in their first meeting. But Kennedy’s win could just as easily be ascribed to controversial Election Day victories in Texas and Illinois.

Twenty years later, Ronald Reagan supposedly turned around his fortunes in a masterful debate with Carter a week before the election. First, he disarmed a pointed Carter statement with a folksy retort, “There you go again.” And at the end of the debate _ in what has become a classic line _ he asked dispir-

ited Americans whether they were better off than they had been four years earlier.

But that was not why he beat the Democratic incumbent, said Stuart Spencer, Reagan’s chief political strategist.

Yes, the debate helped, Spencer said, but Reagan already had strong momentum heading into the showdown.

Most important, Spencer said, was Reagan’s performance in the weeks leading up to that night: an unswerving dedication to a simple, oft-repeated message. That is something Romney has failed to do.

Perhaps mindful of this history, the Romney camp rejects the notion the debates will be do-or-die for the GOP ticket.

“The debates ... are essentially going to be a conversation over four nights,” said spokesman and Romney strategist Kevin Madden.

At the same time, the campaign will be advertising, the candidate will be visiting battleground states and organizers will mobilize an extensive grass-roots operation.

“We’re going to reach voters ... with a whole bunch of different working levers of the campaign,” Madden said.

through sexual contact. In addition, if an HIV-infected individual is also infected with an-

other STD, that person is more likely to transmit HIV through sexual contact than other HIVinfected persons (Wasserheit, 1992).

There were 143 reported cases of HIV in Greensboro during 2011 and 52 reported cases of AIDS “A lot of people are ignorant to the fact that STDs are prominent on campuses and they believe that they won’t catch anything,” said nursing major Melanie Thompson, a junior from Raleigh, NC. “Safe sex or no sex is how I see it.”

Sebastian Health Center can provide information on sex education and also provide free condoms.

Sebastian Health Center will be conducting free HIV/ Syphilis tests from 5:308:00pm on Tuesday, Oct 16 and Nov 13. No appointment needed.

For additional information please contact Janet Lattimore at 336-285-2912 or email her at janetl@ncat.edu –Email us theatregister@gmail. com and follow us @ATRegister

Romneys likely gained from complex offshore deals, tax experts say Greg gordan MCT Campus WASHINGTON– Mitt Romney’s former private equity firm used a half-dozen companies and partnerships in the tax havens of Luxembourg, Ireland and the Grand Caymans four years ago to channel $689 million in loans to a U.S. company that it co-owned. To the average American, the deal might seem bizarre.

But some tax experts say that the circuitous paper chain likely was structured to avoid certain taxes for passive investors, including blind trusts for the Republican presidential candidate and his wife.

It’s just one of a maze of transactions involving the Romney family portfolio that were engineered in tax-neutral nations.

The gradual emergence of outlines of these deals in recent weeks is prompting some experts to challenge Romney’s pronouncement that his scores of offshore investments haven’t

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lowered his federal taxes by so much as a dollar.

“It appears likely that offshore entities helped his investments avoid taxes or adverse tax consequences,” David Miller, a prominent New York tax attorney, told McClatchy Newspapers.

The New York Times reported Tuesday that it obtained documents showing that an offshore fund in which Romney’s investment retirement account held an interest probably used a “blocker” an intermediary company that legally insulated the White House hopeful from paying 35 percent in taxes.

The release of documents from entities set up by Bain Capital Inc., the firm that Romney ran from 1984 to 1999, also are lifting a shroud from the dizzying world of private equity.

This is an industry that has racked up huge profits with help from a small army of tax attorneys.

Critics say these firms have found ways to exploit gaps between U.S. and other countries’

laws to deprive the U.S. treasury of billions, if not tens of billions, of dollars.

The offshore deals are generally considered legal, typically structured to shield pension funds, foundations and other tax-exempt organizations from U.S. taxes, and foreign investors from U.S. taxes or taxes in their own countries.

The California State Teachers’ Retirement System, for example, has since 2006 invested more than $500 million in three of the funds in which Ann Romney’s trust holds a stake.Bain said in a statement that it must navigate complicated international tax treaties and tax codes for its clients.

“So, like virtually all global asset managers, we use widely accepted, fully legal and recognized structures so that investors may receive predictable tax treatment on investment gains for their constituents,” the statement said.

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Biden defends Obama administration policies Matthew daly & mitch weiss Associated Press CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Vice President Joe Biden said Tuesday that the middle class has been “buried” during the past four years, a statement that Republicans immediately seized upon as an unwitting indictment of the Obama administration.

Biden tried to clarify his comments later in the day, declaring that Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney and running mate Paul Ryan would hurt middle-class voters.

“The middle class was buried by the policies that Romney and Ryan supported,” Biden said, attempting to squelch the controversy before it could provide momentum to the GOP heading into the first presidential debate, a session on economic policy scheduled Wednesday night in Denver.

Romney pounced on Biden’s initial comment, saying on Twitter that he agrees with the Democratic vice president: “the middle class has been buried the last 4 years, which is why we need a change in November.”

Biden told about 1,000 people in Charlotte that Romney would cut taxes for millionaires and raise them for middle-class families.

“This is deadly earnest,” Biden said. “How they can justify raising taxes on a middle class that has been buried the last four years? How in Lord’s name can they justify raising their taxes with these tax cuts?”

Romney’s running mate, Rep. Paul Ryan, said a Romney presidency is a solution for middle-class families who feel “buried” by taxes or government policies.

“We need to stop digging by electing Mitt Romney the next president of the United States. Of course the middle class has been buried,” Ryan said in Burlington, Iowa.

“They’re being buried by regulations; they’re being buried by taxes; they’re being buried by borrowing. They’re being buried by the Obama administration’s economic failures.”

Lis Smith, a spokeswoman for Obama’s campaign, said the Republican response to Biden’s remarks was “another desperate and out-of-context attack.”

Republicans hoped that Biden’s remarks would give them a boost heading into Wednesday’s debate between Romney and President Barack Obama.

In an afternoon conference call arranged by the Romney campaign, former New Hampshire Gov. John Sununu said Biden’s comment helped “set the stage” for the debate.

Of the two candidates on the debate stage, only Obama is responsible for the pain middle-class families feel, Sununu said. “Vice President Biden fi-

nally got something right when he made the admission that the middle class has been buried in the last four years under President Obama. I suspect it is probably in his debate preparation he’s been looking at the statistics that are out there. The middle class has been devastated under President Obama,” said Sununu, who served as White House chief of staff under President George H.W. Bush.

Sununu said viewers should expect Romney to refer to Biden’s remarks as they watch the debate Wednesday night.

How the middle class has fared during Obama’s tenure is a mixed picture. Many have benefited from an extension of the Bush-era tax cuts under Obama, and a new cut in payroll taxes over the past two years. A resurgent stock market has helped those who have 401k retirement accounts.

But the value of houses, the most valuable investment for many families, still hasn’t fully recovered from the housing bust that started before Obama took office in January 2009. Unemployment remains stubbornly high from the Great Recession of 2007-2009 and wages are stagnant.

A September Associated Press-GfK poll found 36 percent of likely voters think their family’s financial situation has worsened in the last four years, compared to 27 percent who see improvement. Those with annual incomes below $100,000 are twice as likely as their higherearning counterparts to say their finances have gotten worse in the last four years, 41 percent compared with just 20 percent among the higher income group.

During appearances in Charlotte and Asheville, N.C., Biden repeatedly blamed Republican policies for hurting middle-class voters.

“The last time these guys were in charge for eight years, they put two wars on a credit card, they refused to pay a single penny — a single penny — for a new entitlement program for prescription drugs and they added a trillion-dollar tax cut for millionaires and billionaires, all unpaid for,” Biden said.

“These are the facts,” Biden said, calling the Romney-Ryan economic plan “Bush economic policies on steroids.”

By comparison, Biden said, Obama’s plan asks the wealthy to pay only a little bit more in taxes.

“The middle class has done enough. They have done their part. Let’s not lay more burden on the middle class,” Biden said.

Biden has visited North Carolina several times as vice president, most recently last month to attend the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte.

Both campaigns are putting efforts into winning North Carolina, a battleground state where Obama narrowly won in 2008. Polls show a close contest this year between Obama and Romney.

events

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Wednesday

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SUAB Goes Green Exhibit Hall Lobby 12 p.m.

Why Iota?

McNair Auditorium 7 p.m.

Sigma Education Time Merrick Auditorium 7:14 p.m.

#stopPlayinGameZ

McNair Hall Lecture Room 2 7:20 p.m.

thursday

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Miss Phi Mu Alpha Pageant Memorial Student Union 6: 30 p.m.

Act Like A Lady, Defend Like A Man: Self Defense program Exhibit Hall 7:20 p.m.

Religion Versus Fraternities Merrick Auditorium 7:14 p.m.

friday

NSBE Spades Night

5

McNair Hall Lecture Room 3 6 p.m.

Swim Team Competitions Greensboro Aquatic Center 9 a.m.

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As race stands, Obama within reach of second term Thomas Beaumont Associated Press

MOINES, Iowa (AP)- Five weeks to Election Day, President Barack Obama is within reach of the 270 electoral votes needed to win a second term. Republican Mitt Romney’s path to victory is narrowing.

To overtake Obama, Romney would need to quickly gain the upper hand in nearly all of the nine states where he and Obama are competing the hardest.

Polls show the president with a steady lead in many of them as Romney looks to shift the dynamics of the race, starting with their first debate Wednesday in Denver.

“We’d rather be us than them,” says Jennifer Psaki, an Obama spokeswoman.

But Romney’s running mate Paul Ryan says there’s time for the GOP ticket to win. “In these kinds of races people focus near the end, and that’s what’s happening now,” he told “Fox News Sunday.”

If the election were held today, an Associated Press analysis shows Obama would win at least 271 electoral votes, with likely victories in crucial Ohio and Iowa along with 19 other states and the District of Columbia. Romney would win 23 states for a total of 206.

To oust the Democratic incumbent, Romney would need to take up-for-grabs Florida, Colorado, Nevada, North Carolina, New Hampshire and Virginia, which would put him at

267 votes, and upend Obama in either Ohio or Iowa.

The AP analysis isn’t meant to be predictive. Rather, it is intended to provide a snapshot of a race that until recently has been stubbornly close in the small number of the most contested states.

It is based on a review of public and private polls, television advertising and numerous interviews with campaign and party officials as well as Republican and Democratic strategists in the competitive states and in Washington.

In the final weeks before the Nov. 6 vote, Obama is enjoying a burst of momentum and has benefited from growing optimism about the economy as well as a series of Romney stumbles. Most notably, a secret video surfaced recently showing the Republican nominee telling a group of donors that 47 percent of Americans consider themselves victims dependent on the government.

To be sure, much could change in the coming weeks, which will feature three presidential and one vice presidential debate. ---A host of unknowns, both foreign and domestic, could rock the campaign, knocking Obama off course and giving Romney a boost in the homestretch.

Barring that, Romney’s challenge is formidable.

Obama started the campaign with a slew of electoral-rich coastal states already in his win column. From the outset, Romney faced fewer paths to cob-

bling together the state-by-state victories needed to reach the magic number.

It’s grown even narrower in recent weeks, as Romney has seen his standing slip in polls in Ohio, with 18 electoral votes, and Iowa, with six. That forced him to abandon plans to try to challenge Obama on traditionally Democratic turf so he could redouble his efforts in Ohio and Iowa, as well as Colorado, Florida, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Nevada and Virginia.

Romney is hoping that come Election Day, on-the-fence voters tip his way. But there are hurdles there, too.

Early voting is under way in dozens of states, and national and key states surveys show undecided voters feel more favorably toward Obama than Romney.

The Republican is in a tight battle with Obama in Florida, as well as Colorado, North Carolina and Nevada.

But Ohio’s shifting landscape illustrates Romney’s troubles over the past few weeks.

Republicans and Democrats agree that Obama’s solid lead in public and private polling in the state is for real. Over the past month, the president has benefited from an improving economic situation in the state; its 7.2 percent unemployment rate is below the 8.1 percent national average. Obama’s team also attributes his Ohio edge to the auto bailout and GM plant expansions in eastern Ohio.

Obama and his campaign have hammered Romney on his

Voter Registration Michael biesecker Associated Press

RALEIGH (AP) — The North Carolina Republican Party has fired a company paid to register new voters after fraudulent forms linked to the company were uncovered in Florida.

North Carolina GOP spokesman Rob Lockwood said Monday the party had terminated its relationship with Virginiabased Strategic Allied Consulting, a private company paid more than $3 million to register voters in at least seven presidential battleground states.

"We take any threat to the voting process very seriously," Lockwood said.

The State Board of Elections is also alerting county elections officials to scrutinize all new voter registrations because of fraud concerns.

The move comes after Florida prosecutors began reviewing more than 100 suspect forms submitted by the company's employees in several counties.

The issue has become po-

litical baggage for Republicans, who have championed new laws requiring voters to present a government-issued photo ID to combat voter fraud they claimed had been perpetrated by left-leaning groups.

Critics of the new GOP backed voter-ID laws point out that prosecutions for fraud are rare. They suggest the push is more about keeping poor and elderly voters, considered less likely to have a driver's license and more likely to vote Democratic, away from the polls.

Voter ID legislation passed North Carolina's Republican-controlled legislature in 2011, but was vetoed by the state's Democratic governor.

Johnnie McLean, deputy director of the North Carolina elections board, said that unlike in Florida there is no way for officials here to know which voter forms were collected by Strategic Allied employees. She reiterated that local elections officials are always vigilant in reviewing new voter registrations, but added that a reminder was sent out

by email to process all forms in the same methodical manner.

So far, no fraudulent forms tied to the company have been found in North Carolina.

McLean said problems sometimes arise with forms collected by people paid to register as many voters as possible.

"If you use volunteers, there's nothing to gain financially by creating fictitious registrations," she said.

Strategic Allied Consulting said in a prepared statement that it and affiliated companies had registered more than 500,000 voters in years of conservative grass-roots campaigns carried out in 40 states.

The company called recent statements by GOP officials "libelous" and claimed that the problems in Florida were caused by a single rogue employee.

"Strategic has a zero-tolerance policy for breaking the law," said Fred Petti, a company attorney.

Medicare fines over hospitals’ readmitted patients ricardo Alonso-zaldivar Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — If you or an elderly relative have been hospitalized recently and noticed extra attention when the time came to be discharged, there's more to it than good customer service.

As of Monday, Medicare will start fining hospitals that have too many patients readmitted within 30 days of discharge due to complications. The penalties are part of a broader push under President Barack Obama's health care law to improve quality while also trying to save taxpayers money.

About two-thirds of the hospitals serving Medicare patients, or some 2,200 facilities, will be hit with penalties averaging around $125,000 per facility this coming year, according to government estimates.

Medicare plans to post details online later in October, and people can look up how their community hospitals performed by using the agency's "Hospital Compare" website.

It adds up to a new way of doing business for hospitals, and they have scrambled to prepare for well over a

year. They are working on ways to improve communication with rehabilitation centers and doctors who follow patients after they're released, as well as connecting individually with patients.

"There is a lot of activity at the hospital level to straighten out our internal processes," said Nancy Foster, vice president for quality and safety at the American Hospital Association. "We are also spreading our wings a little and reaching outside the hospital, to the extent that we can, to make sure patients are getting the ongoing treatment they need."

Still, industry officials say they have misgivings about being held liable for circumstances beyond their control.

They also complain that facilities serving low-income people, including many major teaching hospitals, are much more likely to be fined, raising questions of fairness.

"Readmissions are partially within the control of the hospital and partially within the control of others," Foster said.

Consumer advocates say Medicare's nudge to hospitals is long overdue and not nearly stiff enough.

"It's modest, but it's a start,"

said Dr. John Santa, director of the Consumer Reports Health Ratings Center. "Should we be surprised that industry is objecting? You would expect them to object to anything that changes the status quo."

The overwhelming majority of penalized facilities will pay less. Also, for now, hospitals are only being measured on three medical conditions: heart attacks, heart failure and pneumonia.

Under the health care law, the penalties gradually will rise until 3 percent of Medicare payments to hospitals are at risk. Medicare is considering holding hospitals accountable on four more measures: joint replacements, stenting, heart bypass and treatment of stroke.

"People go to the hospital to get their problem solved, not to have to come back," Santa said.

Under Obama's health care overhaul, Medicare is pursuing efforts to try to improve quality and lower costs. They include rewarding hospitals for quality results, and encouraging hospitals, nursing homes and medical practice groups to join in "accountable care organizations." The jury is still out on the results.

tax policies, arguing that the former Massachusetts governor favors the rich while the president as a defender of everyone else.

The president has seen the same good fortune in Iowa. A poll released Saturday by The Des Moines Register illustrates his advantage, showing Obama with 49 percent to 45 percent for Romney. The margin of error was plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.

“It’s a direct result of the time and resources he’s been forced to spend here,” said Iowa Republican strategist John Stineman.

Indeed, Obama intently focused on the state ahead of an early voting period that began last week. He campaigned in Iowa aggressively this summer and dumped in a ton of TV advertising, much of it depicting Romney as wealthy and out-oftouch with working Americans.

Obama doesn’t just have the wind at his back in those states.

The president also appears to be in stronger shape than Romney in Virginia, which has 13 electoral votes, and in New Hampshire, with four votes, even though Romney vacations often in the state where he has a lakeside home. Romney and GOP allies are being outspent in that state considerably, a sign of trouble for the Republican challenger.

Underscoring his challenges, Romney also has been forced to spend millions of dollars a week defending himself in North Carolina, a GOP-leaning state that’s

more conservative than most of the states that will decide the election.

Polls now show a competitive race there. Democrats boast of having registered 250,000 new voters in the state since April 2011. It’s an eye-popping total in a state that Obama won by just 14,000 votes four years ago. A flood of new voters, presumably a chunk of them Democrats, could help keep that state within Obama’s reach this year.

Also, Romney’s effort to challenge Obama in Democratic-leaning Wisconsin, home state of running mate Paul Ryan, appears to have fizzled. Despite millions of dollars spent on TV in the last few weeks by both sides, polls show Obama with a clear lead in Wisconsin.

Romney’s goal of forcing Obama to defend Michigan — Romney’s native state — and Pennsylvania never materialized.

“The big strategic moment coming out of the conventions in my view was whether or not Romney and his campaign could succeed in expanding the parameters of the battleground,” said Tad Devine, a top adviser to 2000 Democratic nominee Al Gore and 2004 nominee John Kerry. “They have not been able to do that.”

All this has left Romney with an extraordinarily tight path and few options but to bear down in the states where he is competing aggressively. Time, though, is running out.

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Opening statements in Racial Justice Act cases Associated Press

FAYETTEVILLE (AP) — Race was a significant factor in the death sentences given to two black men and one American Indian woman convicted of murder who are trying to have their sentences reduced under the Racial Justice Act, a defense attorney said Monday in Cumberland County court.

The prosecutors argued that the jury selections had no racial bias and that a lead prosecutor from the time led anti-racism training during his service in the Air Force.

Regardless of changes that weakened the act, the statistics are "still powerful, still persuasive (and) still overwhelming," said defense attorney James Ferguson. "We don't have statistics alone.

We have history. We have anecdotes. We have the record of the trial. We have the showing of the implicit bias."

The inmates are Tilmon Golphin, 34, who killed a state trooper and a Cumberland County sheriff's deputy; Quintel Augustine, 34, who killed a Fayetteville police officer; and Christina Walters, 33, who killed two women in a ganginitiation ritual in Fayetteville.

Cumberland County Prosecutor Rob Thompson argued that the jury selections had no racial bias and that a lead prosecutor from the time, Cal Colyer, had led anti-racism training during his service in the Air Force.

Statistics show that whites are sentenced to death at twice the rate as blacks, Thompson said.

"Where is the righteous indignation there?" he said.

This week's hearing marks the second test of the Racial Justice Act, which lawmakers heavily revised this session. Earlier this year, Marcus Reymond Robinson became the first prisoner removed from death row under the law.

The landmark 2009 law allowed death row prisoners to use statistics to show that racial bias influenced their sentences, but the Republican-led General Assembly overrode Gov. Beverly Perdue's veto this summer to roll back much of the law.

Statistics alone are no longer enough to have a death sentence commuted, and prisoners must also introduce evidence pertinent to their cases.

theWORLD 4

The A&T Register | ncatregister.com | Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Many Iraq and Afghan vets choosing ‘second service’ ALLEN G. BREED

Associated Press

EDITOR'S NOTE: Part of the occasional series Coming Home, about veterans' adjustment to civilian life.

RALEIGH (AP) — The link between U.S. military service and running for office is as old as the republic itself. It started with George Washington, who famously wrote that, "When we assumed the Soldier, we did not lay aside the Citizen."

During the long wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, hundreds of thousands of veterans have come home and laid aside their uniforms. But not all have opted to simply blend back into civilian life.

Many have chosen to run for public office.

Several dozen veterans — some of them from earlier wars — are vying for U.S. House and Senate seats this year. And many others are seeking state and local offices across the country.

Men and women, Republicans and Democrats, they range from well-known hopefuls such as congressional candidate Tammy Duckworth in Illinois, who became a double amputee when her National Guard helicopterwas shot down in Iraq, to Arizona state House contender Mark Cardenas, a 25-year-old Iraq vet who remains a National Guardsman.

They are people like former Marine tank commander Nick Popaditch, who lost his right eye during the April 2004 Battle of Fallujah in Iraq, and who is now the Republican nominee in California's 53rd Congressional District.

"I was looking at my government and I wasn't happy with it," says the ex-gunnery sergeant, who cuts a striking figure on the

campaign trail with his shaved head and black eye patch. "So rather than complain, I decided to run myself. I thought I could do a better job, and I still feel that way."

After back-to-back wars, there are more recent combat veterans in the United States today than at any time since Vietnam.

But the number of former military members in public office has been declining for years. In 1969, nearly 90 percent of all U.S. House and Senate seats were held by people who'd served in uniform. Today, says the Congressional Research Service, it's about 20 percent. And for the first time in decades, none of the major party candidates for president and vice president has been in the military.

Seth Lynn thinks that's one of the problems with our political system these days, and he's working to change that.

Lynn, a Naval Academy graduate who spent six years in the Marines, helped found Veterans Campaign to train former service members interested in running for office.

He notes that as the number of veterans on Capitol Hill has dropped, there has been "an almost parallel decrease in America's confidence in Congress."

"I'm not saying that the two are necessarily a causal relationship," says Lynn. "But I do think that there is that ability to put your country before yourself, but also to work together across party lines, that Americans want more that just isn't happening in Washington."

There is a natural ebb and flow to this nexus between military and public service.

When World War II ended, 16 million men and women had served in uniform around the globe, and as a result postwar

politicians were often veterans. The pool of veterans grew smaller in following years, especially since the end of the military draft in 1973.

The all-volunteer military engenders a sense of duty and "selflessness" that Lynn and others feel has been sorely lacking in the political arena. He sees this quality as a motivation for veteran-candidates today.

Even though he lost a Sept. 6 Democratic primary for a Massachusetts state Senate seat, Joe Kearns Goodwin says he's more convinced than ever "that a life of service is a very worthy one."

Goodwin was a new Harvard graduate when, following the Sept. 11 attacks, he announced he was enlisting in the Army.

His parents "thought I was totally insane" then and were surprised again when he declared he was running for office.

But they shouldn't have been, given the family's proximity to politics. His mother is Doris Kearns Goodwin, the Pulitzer Prize-winning historian, and his father, Richard Goodwin, was an adviser and speechwriter for Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson.

"I was weaned on stories of the Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act, the Great Society, the New Frontier," says the 34-year-old Goodwin. His father worked on these issues, he noted, "all of which represented the ability of government to do good, when it's done well."

Goodwin served combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, and rose to the rank of captain.

"Before we went on patrol, nobody asked, 'Are you a Democrat or a Republican?'" he says.

"No one asked if you were from a blue state or a red state, a progressive or a conservative. We were just, 'What do we need to do to get the job done?'"

In California, Popaditch is making his second run for Congress — but were it not for a rocket-propelled grenade, he'd most likely still be wearing a uniform.

The son of a Korean War veteran, Popaditch turned down a college scholarship to join the Marines. In the first Gulf War, he commanded a tank during the invasion of Iraq. He left the Marines after six years, but re-enlisted in 1995 and went through training as a drill instructor. After the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Popaditch asked to be reassigned to tanks.

He took part in the second Iraq invasion in 2003. On April 7, 2004, his tank was struck by an RPG, shrapnel carving a path through his sinuses and destroying his right eye. His actions earned him a Silver Star and a Purple Heart but cost him his career.

Like former U.S. Sen. Bob Dole and other wounded vets before him, Popaditch used the GI Bill to go back to school.

Last year, he graduated magna cum laude from San Diego State University with a degree in teaching.

Misgivings about the country's direction troubled Popaditch while an undergraduate, prompting his unsuccessful 2010 congressional race. He has put his studies toward a master's on hold this year to run again.

"I think things are slipping," he says. "And they will continue to slip if we don't get involved."

Tom Cotton, the Republican nominee in Arkansas' 4th Congressional District race, compared his decision to run with his decision to join the Army in 2005.

"At that time, it was an attack from a foreign enemy, and we were in an active war. And now we're in a debt crisis that threat-

ens our future prosperity and, therefore, ultimately freedom," says Cotton, 35, who declined a commission as a legal officer to go into the infantry.

Cotton served tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, then left a position as a management consultant to run for office. He says the skills he developed in the military have served him well in the business world, as well as on the campaign trail.

"The constant ability to prioritize and reprioritize tasks, to work with imperfect information, to handle ambiguity, to build coalitions to reach a common goal," says Cotton, who defeated a fellow veteran in his primary race. "Being part of a team and helping lead a team by purpose and motivation and direction so it can accomplish more than the individual could accomplish on his or her own."

For many veteran-candidates, their military service is front and center — but that carries risks.

"I appreciate ALL of our veterans, and I respect them," says Jeffress. "But I think it's been overdone. If he (Cotton) hadn't have had that, I don't know what else he would have had to run on."

In Illinois, Duckworth's opponent, Republican incumbent Rep. Joe Walsh, said her service — which cost her both legs and partial use of one arm — demands respect. "However," he added, "unlike most veterans I have had the honor to meet since my election to Congress, who rarely, if ever, talk about their service or the combat they've seen, that is darn near all of what Tammy Duckworth talks about."

Lynn says the "single biggest pitfall" veteran candidates face is overestimating the power of the war-service narrative. The "Candidate's Field Manual" de-

veloped for Veterans Campaign hammers that point home.

John F. Kennedy's World War II heroics after the sinking of PT 109 might have helped him in the close 1960 presidential race against Richard Nixon, but George McGovern's bombing runs over Europe in same war didn't lift him over Nixon in 1972, the manual notes. By the same token, allegations of draft dodging and preferential treatment during the Vietnam War didn't stop Bill Clinton and George W. Bush from becoming two-term presidents.

In 2010, the ROTC graduate from Purdue University was home in La Porte, Ind., on "terminal leave" and trying to figure out what to do with the rest of her life. The local newspaper was full of stories about the city's fiscal crisis.

Milo wrote a series of guest columns, offering solutions.

Before she knew it, she'd been recruited to run for mayor.

Challenging the two-term Democratic incumbent, she won.

The city of 22,000 continues to borrow money to meet its obligations, but Milo says things are improving. She's focusing her efforts on economic development and has even invited residents to join her for a weekly 5k run. About 250 people now participate in Fitness Friday.

"I like my job — MOST days," Milo says.

"There's more of a focus on waiting each other out to see who can have a stronger upper hand before doing anything.

"And I just don't think that's in the spirit of our democracy," he says. "Things have got to get done to advance the football down the field."

In that respect, Wilkins says, government could stand a little more military discipline.

Missouri abuse case poses Minneapolis gunman’s family question of consent vs. crime feared mental illness bill draper

Associated Press

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Advocates for people who engage in rough but consensual sex say they fear an abuse case unfolding in Missouri ultimately could criminalize their lifestyle.

Ed Bagley faces a federal trial early next year on 11 counts of abuse against a woman authorities say he groomed to be his sex slave. Now prosecutors plan to present consensual, though violent, acts between Bagley and his own wife as evidence that Bagley has a history of sexually assaulting women.

The case will include evidence of “sadistic sexual assaults” committed by Bagley against his wife, Marilyn, prosecutors say.

“Marilyn Bagley’s ‘consent’ to the sexual assaults by Defendant Edward Bagley does not change whether the acts legally constitute assault or not. Pursuant to the Missouri state assault statute ... consent is not a defense to assault resulting in serious physical injury,” prosecutors wrote in court documents filed last month.

Some worry the government’s assertion could open up people who practice bondage, dominance, sadism and masochism — or BDSM — to criminal charges for consensual acts they’re already performing, said Susan Wright, founder of the Baltimore-based National Coalition for Sexual Freedom.

“We are following this case specifically because we were hoping this issue would not come up,” she said.

Ed Bagley, 45, of Lebanon, Mo., is accused of grooming a young woman to be his sex slave starting in 2002, then keeping her captive for years while making money from her images on fetish Internet sites and forcing her to work as a dancer at strip clubs. Marilyn Bagley, 47, is charged with five counts, including sex trafficking and forced labor trafficking.

Both have pleaded not guilty

and are scheduled for trial in February.

Prosecutors claim Bagley, known as “Master Ed,” tortured the young woman and made her available to other men who came to his trailer, either to torture or have sex with her.

Four men, who said they visited Bagley’s trailer to watch or take part, have pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges.

The case came to light in early 2009 after the woman, then 23, was hospitalized after what prosecutors said was a torture session. Then-U.S. Attorney Beth Phillips called the case one of “the most horrific ever prosecuted in this district.”

Advocates for the BDSM community say even the most brutal acts detailed in Bagley’s federal indictment are not criminal acts, as long as there was consent. But if the woman was too young or not intelligent enough to consent, as prosecutors allege, or if she initially gave consent and then changed her mind, most who spoke with the AP said that would be criminal sexual abuse.

It’s the inclusion of Bagley’s acts with his wife in the case that concerns BDSM advocates and Bagley’s attorney, Susan Dill.

“Like many people from all walks of life, my client and his wife engaged in what some might term alternative, but nonetheless, consensual sexual activity that they both enjoyed,” Dill said in an email to The Associated Press. “The assertion that their consensual, marital sex life is evidence of prior criminal activity is nonsensical.”

As in several other states, Missouri assault laws limit instances in which consent can be used as a defense against criminal charges when serious injuries occur. Exceptions generally are made for athletic activities and the victim’s occupation or professions in which the conduct and harm are reasonably foreseeable hazards.

Wright’s group contends “serious physical injury” is not well-defined under law.

“The assessment of the seriousness of harm is often affected by judges’ ‘moral judgments about the iniquity of the conduct,’” the organization says on its website in a section focusing on the consent issue.

“Courts tend to inflate the risk and harmfulness of an activity they want to denounce. For example, any injury caused during a sadomasochistic encounter has been consistently classified as serious.”

Diana Adams, a New York attorney and sexual freedom activist who represents clients in alternative lifestyles, said the landmark 2003 U.S. Supreme Court ruling “Lawrence v. Texas” that struck down a Texas anti-sodomy law “declared we had a right to consensual sex between adults in the privacy of our own homes,” but that the law is not clearly defined.

“In this kind of case, sometimes it’s selectively applied,” Adams said.

She said federal courts in Texas and Alabama interpreted the Lawrence decision in different ways in 2004. The Texas court used the case to strike down a ban on sales of sex toys, citing Lawrence’s privacy conclusion. The Alabama court, however, upheld a similar ban by saying commercial sale of the toys was an issue of obscenity, not privacy.

Wright notes that regardless of the legal precedent, prosecutors’ attempts to present acts between Bagley and his wife as evidence in the Missouri case also comes at a time when kinky sex practices appear to be gaining broader public acceptance amid the popularity of the E.L. James “50 Shades of Grey” bondage books.

“Because of ‘50 Shades of Grey,’ a lot of people are trying BDSM for the first time this year,” she said. “We want to be sure they understand they have to do these activities consensually, and to make sure they have the skill to do them safely.”

PATRICK CONDON Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Andrew Engeldinger’s parents were worried about their son’s growing paranoia. In 2010, they sought help, enrolling in a 12week class for families of the mentally ill.

For the last 21 months, the family said they reached out in hopes he would seek treatment.

It was to no avail, as Engeldinger spurned their attempts at contact.

On Thursday night, they learned he was the gunman in Minnesota’s deadliest workplace shooting.

“It’s not unusual when you’re isolating yourself, which we know that he did, that eventually the only people you have left is your family and your coworkers, and often your paranoia translates to them,” Sue Abderholden, a mental health organization executive who is serving as spokeswoman for Engeldinger’s family, said Saturday.

Police say the 36-year-old Engeldinger shot and killed Reuven Rahamim, the founder of Accent Signage Systems; employees Ronald Edberg, Rami Cooks and Jacob Beneke; and Keith Basinski, a UPS driver who made a delivery at the wrong time. Two other employees remained hospitalized, one in critical condition and the other in serious condition.

The officers who responded to what Police Chief Tim Dolan called a “hellish scene” eventually found Engeldinger’s body in the basement. Officers who searched his south Minneapolis home later Thursday found another gun and packaging for 10,000 rounds of ammunition.

Police and company representatives have not yet said why Engeldinger was fired from a job he had held since the late 1990s.

Jim Dow, a sales representative who frequently visited the business, said Saturday that he’d spoken to Accent employ-

ees and family members of victims. He said they told him that in recent months, Engeldinger had been running afoul of managers with confrontational behavior and unexplained absences from work.

“He was getting mouthy, belligerent,” Dow said. Cooks, who’s been described as Rahamim’s right-hand man, “would take him aside and tell him that’s not acceptable,” Dow said. “He’d straighten up for a while and then this would crop up again.”

Dolan said it was clear that Engeldinger targeted some victims while bypassing others.

Many of those killed or injured were management.

Engeldinger wasn’t always a problematic employee.

Barry Lawrence, an ex-employee, trained Engeldinger on a sign engraving machine and recalled that he was “sharp, intelligent.” He said though Engeldinger mostly kept to himself, he’d occasionally join his co-workers for drinks after work.

But, upon hearing of the shooting, Lawrence said he had a gut reaction.

“To tell you the truth, my first thought was Andy,” said Lawrence, who left Accent in 2003. “He was pleasant enough to work around, but he just seemed a little off all the time.

You get a feeling about people, nothing you can put your finger on.”

Abderholden, the executive director of Minnesota’s chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, said she didn’t know when Engeldinger’s family first became worried that he had a mental illness. Two years ago, Chuck and Carolyn Engeldinger — who raised Andy and his two siblings in the Minneapolis suburb of Richfield — enrolled in NAMI’s free, 12-week “Family to Family” course.

The classes, offered nationwide and taught by people who have had loved ones suffer from mental illness, include scien-

tific and medical information about causes and symptoms, as well as concrete steps for trying to deal with the sufferer. They also have guidance for family members to cope.

“Sometimes it doesn’t work, but you still are at least armed with the information to help you know what to do,” Abderholden said.

Andrew Engeldinger never sought treatment to his family’s knowledge, Abderholden said, and was never diagnosed with a specific illness. It wasn’t long after his parents took the class that he cut off contact with the family, although Abderholden said she didn’t know if pressure to seek help led to the estrangement.

Brian Jorgensen, who lived next door, said they only occasionally acknowledged each other when both were cutting the grass or shoveling sidewalks. He said Engeldinger wore sunglasses all the time.

Engeldinger was “just a quiet person who kept to himself but did not engage with us. And we didn’t engage with him either because it just felt like he didn’t want that kind of contact.”

Outside of Accent Signage on Saturday, some residents of the Bryn Mawr neighborhood laid flowers at a memorial. Another swept up leaves in front.

A father-son duo of UPS employees, Dan and Nathaniel Miller, walked around the building and prayed. Basinski’s death “hit me really hard,” Dan Miller told the Star Tribune.

Abderholden said the likelihood of violence by a mentally ill person is very low, and that Engeldinger’s family wouldn’t have had reason to suspect he was capable of such violent acts. She called the family “extremely close” and said they are distraught.

“They just have deep sorrow about what happened, and if there was any way they could bring those lives back they would,” Abderholden said.

“They don’t want to detract from the focus on those lives.”

theBIZ

The A&T Register | ncatregister.com | Wednesday, October 3, 2012

5

Why US economy is flashing conflicting signals CHRISTOPHER S. RUGABER Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Anyone puzzled by the most recent U.S. economic data has reason for feeling so: The numbers sketch a sometimes contradictory picture of the economy.

We’ve learned that: Consumers are more confident but aren’t spending much.

Fewer people are losing jobs, but not many are being hired.

Home and stock prices are up, but workers’ pay is trailing inflation. Auto sales have jumped, but manufacturing is faltering.

This is what an economy stuck in a slow-growth rut can look like, and it’s a focal point of the presidential campaign.

The U.S. economy grew at a scant 1.3 percent annual rate in the April-June quarter — too weak to reduce high unemployment. And most economists foresee little if any improvement the rest of the year.

Many Americans are reducing debt loads instead of spending freely. Builders are borrowing less and constructing homes at a modest pace.

Businesses are being cautious about hiring and expanding.

In the long run, reduced debts and rising home and stock prices will help rebuild household wealth, boost consumer spending and spur job growth. But it’s taking time.

“The U.S. outlook could best be described as one of nearterm weakness and long-term

strength,” says Chris Jones, an economist at TD Bank.

Here are some of the mixed signals recent economic reports have sent with the election now five weeks away: HOUSING After plunging when the housing bubble burst, home prices are finally rising steadily, according to the Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller index. The index rose in July compared with a year earlier. That was the second straight year-overyear gain. Still, the annual pace of new-home sales dipped in August from a two-year high in July. At the same time, sales were nearly 28 percent above the level a year earlier.

The Good News: For most Americans, a home is their most valuable asset. As its value increases, homeowners grow wealthier and typically feel more confident. That tends to spark more consumer spending — the U.S. economy’s main fuel. Rising prices also lead more people to sell homes, further energizing the housing market. More sales would likely spur further homebuilding.

The Bad News: Home construction now plays too small a role in the economy to provide much lift. It made up only 2.4 percent of the economy in the April-June quarter. That compares with a peak of 6.3 percent at the end of 2005 and a longer-run average of just under 5 percent. “Housing would therefore need to be on steroids

to provide a major boost to growth,” Paul Dales, an economist at Capital Economics, said in a note to clients.

Looking Ahead: Recordlow mortgage rates are likely to keep homes affordable. The Federal Reserve’s decision to spend $40 billion on mortgage bonds each month until the recovery accelerates should keep rates low and increase home sales. Rising builder confidence also suggests that construction will keep growing. But many Americans lack the credit to qualify for a mortgage. Or they can’t afford the larger down payments now required.

CONSUMER CONFIDENCE Americans are feeling better about the economy despite chronically weak job gains and pay levels that lag inflation. The private Conference Board’s index of consumer confidence is at a seven-month peak. A survey of consumer sentiment by the University of Michigan has reached its second-highest point in nearly five years. Both surveys found that consumers are lukewarm about current economic conditions but more optimistic about the future.

The Good News: When consumers are confident, they’re generally more likely to spend.

Both surveys also found that consumers expect hiring to pick up.

The Bad News: You can’t spend confidence. Rising confidence doesn’t always lead to

higher spending. And when an economy is healthy, consumer confidence is usually much higher than it is now.

Looking Ahead: Without more hiring and stronger pay raises, the recent gains in consumer confidence might not last.

BUSINESS CONFIDENCE Businesses appear to be less confident than consumers. A survey of chief executives of large U.S. companies has found their outlook to be at its most pessimistic level since the fall of 2009 — just after the recession officially ended. Orders for long-lasting factory goods plummeted in August. In part, that reflects Europe’s financial and economic crises, which have reduced demand for U.S. exports. Six European countries are in recession. More are expected to follow.

The Good News: A plunge in orders for commercial aircraft caused most of the drop in demand for factory goods.

That category of orders fluctuates from month to month.

It will likely rebound. In the meantime, orders that reflect business investment plans are up.

The Bad News: Business spending on equipment and software has been a big source of economic growth in recent years. Orders for such goods have dropped sharply in the past three months, threatening to further slow U.S. growth.

Looking Ahead: Many cor-

porate executives lack confidence in part because of fears that the U.S. economy will fall off a “fiscal cliff” early next year. That’s when tax increases and deep spending cuts will take effect unless Congress reaches a budget deal. Those changes could throw the economy into recession. But business spending and hiring could pick up if the budget issues are resolved.

CONSUMER SPENDING Americans spent more in August. But that was mainly because they had to pay more for gas and some other items.

Adjusted for inflation, consumer spending barely rose in August. That’s been true for most of this year.

The Good News: Americans were willing to spend more, even if much of it went in the gas tank. Consumers were even willing to save less in order to spend more. That’s another sign of confidence.

The Bad News: Income failed to keep up with inflation, which is why consumers had to dip into savings. That isn’t sustainable for very long.

The national average retail price for gas is $3.79 a gallon, nearly 50 cents higher than in early July and a record for late September. If gas prices stay high, Americans would have less to spend on other goods, from cars and furniture to electronics and vacations, that fuel economic growth.

Looking Ahead: Spending

will likely grow sluggishly without bigger increases in workers’ pay and perhaps a moderation in gas prices.

JOBS The number of people applying for unemployment benefits fell sharply in the week ending Sept. 22. That suggests that the weak job market could strengthen. Employers added just 96,000 jobs in August — barely enough to keep up with the growth of the working-age population. The unemployment rate did fall to 8.1 percent from 8.3 percent. But that was because many people gave up looking for work, so they were no longer counted as unemployed.

The Good News: Weekly applications for unemployment benefits track layoffs. So the drop indicates that companies aren’t laying off many people.

The Bad News: Falling layoffs aren’t translating into healthy job growth. The pace of layoffs in July was the lowest in a decade — even lower than when the economy was booming. Yet employers are hiring at a subpar pace.

Looking Ahead: The September jobs report will come out Friday. Economists think the economy will show a modest gain of about 100,000 jobs.

Given employers’ anxiety about the U.S. fiscal cliff and Europe’s economic crisis, few expect a significant pickup in hiring soon.

Ex-Duke player Thomas says he’ll talk with NCAA Bank of America to pay $2.43B in settlement Are you an economics major interested in writing a business story?

It would be great for your portfolio!

Come and join The A&T Register and contribute to theBiz section!

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BRETT MARTEL

Associated Press

WESTWEGO, La. (AP) — Former Duke and current New Orleans Hornets player Lance Thomas said Monday he does not think he violated NCAA rules when he purchased nearly $100,000 in diamond jewelry during his college career.

Thomas also indicated a willingness to speak with the NCAA about the purchase, which spawned a lawsuit by a New York jeweler and an inquiry by Duke and the NCAA of whether Thomas violated rules pertaining to improper benefits for college athletes.

“I’m still working on that, but I’ll eventually speak to them,” Thomas said.

Thomas has settled the lawsuit which claimed he owed nearly $68,000 to Rafaello & Co. for a purchase made during Duke’s 2009-10 national championship season. However, he said some legal details still must be worked out, after which he expects to be more willing to meet with the NCAA and comment publicly in more detail about the matter.

“I do feel bad that was something that was just lingering around the university,” Thomas said. “But everything’s going to get taken care of the right way and I hope the coaching staff and the whole university knows that those were the best four years of my life.”

“Everything will come out,” he added. “But it will come out on the better end, hopefully.”

The lawsuit, filed in January in Austin, Texas, said Thomas owed $67,800 for five pieces of jewelry he purchased at a cost of $97,800.

The invoice, dated Dec. 21,

2009, indicates that Thomas made a $30,000 down payment and agreed to pay the balance in 15 days.

Thomas started 39 games at forward for Duke in 20092010, his senior season, including the 61-59 victory over Butler in the NCAA championship game.

The NCAA has declined to comment on the settlement and what it might mean in terms of investigating the matter. NCAA rules require student-athletes and personnel at member schools to cooperate with the organization’s inquiries, but there’s nothing to compel people who aren’t affiliated with those schools to do so.

Thomas wasn’t drafted by an NBA team when he left Duke. Thomas was playing last season for the Austin Toros of the NBA Developmental League when the suit was filed. He was later called up to New Orleans, for whom he appeared in 42 games, averaging 4 points and 3 rebounds in about 15 minutes per game last season.

Rafaello & Co., which also does business as A+A Diamonds Ltd., promotes itself as a jeweler that caters to professional athletes and other celebrities. On its website, the jeweler says its customers include actor Jamie Foxx, singer Alicia Keys and New York Knicks star Carmelo Anthony.

The firm filed a similar lawsuit against Dallas Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant last year, asserting that he owed $240,000 for jewelry he purchased between January and May 2010. The purchases occurred after Bryant had left Oklahoma State and was waiting for the NFL draft.

That suit also was settled out of court.

marcy gordon

Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Bank of America says it has agreed to pay $2.43 billion to settle a class-action lawsuit related to its acquisition of Merrill Lynch at the height of the financial crisis.

In the lawsuit, shareholders alleged that Bank of America and some of its officers made false or misleading statements about both companies’ financial health.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of investors who bought or held Bank of America stock when the company announced its plans to buy Merrill Lynch in a $20 billion deal as the banking industry and federal regulators struggled to contain fallout from the financial crisis in the fall of 2008.

Bank of America’s deal to buy Merrill Lynch was forged on the same September 2008 weekend that Lehman Brothers collapsed. The transaction came into question later after Bank of America disclosed that Merrill would post $27.6 billion in losses that year. That added significantly to Bank of America’s financial woes, and the company subsequently asked for a $20 billion bailout from the government to help offset those losses, on top of the $25 billion it had already received. It has since repaid all $45 billion.

In announcing the settlement proposal on Friday, Bank of America denied the shareholders’ allegations and said that it agreed to the settlement to get rid of the uncertainties, burden and costs related to the lawsuit.

“As we work to put these long-standing issues behind us, our primary focus is on the future and serving our customers and clients,” Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan said in a statement.

The investors who filed the suit said the amount of the settlement is the largest ever

resolving such a claim.

“We are very pleased that the settlement will recoup a substantial portion of the losses incurred by (Bank of America) shareholders,” Brian Guthrie, executive director of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas, said in a statement. “The magnitude of the recovery reinforces the important role that pension funds play when they serve as lead plaintiffs in securities actions.”

Two of Ohio’s public pension funds also were among the plaintiffs in the case. Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine told reporters at a news conference in Columbus that Bank of America didn’t tell investors all the details about the huge losses that were occurring in Merrill’s fourth quarter.

“There was general reference to losses, but never was the magnitude of those losses disclosed,” DeWine said. “This would be akin to telling someone to watch out for a pothole, when they were about to fall into the Grand Canyon.”

The settlement still needs court approval and will be reviewed by Judge Kevin Castel of U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

As part of the settlement, the bank has also agreed to adopt several corporate governance policies until Jan. 1, 2015. These policies include those related to majority voting in board member elections, annual disclosure of noncompliance with stock ownership guidelines, policies for a board committee regarding future acquisitions, the independence of the board’s compensation committee and its compensation consultants and conducting an annual “say-on-pay” vote by shareholders.

Bank of America, based in Charlotte, N.C., has been dogged by litigation as the consequences of the financial crisis continue to swirl around it. Most of the legal headaches stem from Bank of America’s

acquisitions of Merrill and of Countrywide Financial, the brash company known for making high-risk mortgages.

The Securities and Exchange Commission won a $150 million settlement from Bank of America in 2009 to resolve charges that it misled shareholders when it acquired Merrill. The SEC had accused Bank of America of failing to disclose to shareholders before they voted on the Merrill deal that it had authorized Merrill to pay as much as $5.8 billion in bonuses to its employees in 2008 even though the investment firm lost $27.6 billion that year.

But a major civil fraud suit against Bank of America and former CEO Kenneth Lewis remains pending from New York state, accusing them of failing to properly disclose the Merrill losses and bonuses before the acquisition closed. The suit was filed by former New York attorney general Andrew Cuomo in February 2010, and the current AG Eric Schneiderman is pursuing it. The bank has said the charges are unfounded.

Countrywide had spiraled into disaster as investors suddenly realized that many homeowners wouldn’t be able to repay mortgages that required no proof of income or downpayment, and offered adjustable rates that made monthly payments unaffordable.

The Countrywide purchase in July 2008 made Bank of America a major player in the U.S. mortgage market. Regulators, meanwhile, portrayed Countrywide’s huge size as the result of its executives singleminded pursuit of market dominance, even if it meant taking disastrous risks.

In the legal aftermath, Bank of America entered an $8.4 billion settlement with 12 states over Countrywide’s lending practices. A class-action suit by former Countrywide shareholders cost the bank another $600 million. Bank of America has

paid out more than $13 billion for investor claims related to mortgages.

Both acquisitions turned out to be “very troublesome” for Bank of America, said Bert Ely, a banking industry consultant based in Alexandria, Va. “They’re still cleaning up the mess,” Ely said, and likely will have to continue to deal with it for a few more years.

Bank of America’s mortgage division hasn’t turned an annual profit since 2007.

After years of gobbling up other companies, the bank has been shrinking, laying off employees and selling operations.

“The challenge is trying to right-size the company” and get its earnings up to snuff, Ely said. The bank “still is not a top-notch performer. It has got more work to do,” he said.

Fitch Ratings said it views the settlement as “a positive step for (Bank of America) toward resolving its multitude of legal issues.” However, the rating agency added, given that other legal issues remain, “we believe these will continue to create headwinds for the company over a near- to intermediate-term time horizon, from the perspective of both management attention and earnings generation.”

Bank of America said Friday that it will pay for the settlement with existing litigation reserves and about $1.6 billion in litigation expense that will be recorded in its third quarter. The company cautioned that this expense, coupled with some other charges, is expected to lower its third-quarter earnings by about 28 cents per share.

Bank of America will report its third-quarter financial results on Oct. 17.

Shares of Bank of America Corp. fell 14 cents to $8.83 in trading Friday. It shares peaked for the past year at $10.10 on March 19 and traded as low as $4.91 in mid-December 2011.

theWORD 6

The A&T Register | ncatregister.com | Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Tinker Hatfield, the Michael Jordan behind Jordans DERYCK VANDERBILT-NICHOLSON Contributor

When you stand in line for those Jordans, what do you think about? Do you think of the initials MJ, Air Jordan, or maybe the iconic number 23?

With a total of five MVP awards, ten All-NBA FirstTeam designations, nine AllDefensive First Team honors, fourteen NBA All-Star Game, and three All-Star MVP awards, it’s no wonder he has been able to fuel the success of Nike’s top selling shoe in history.

“I’m not trying to stunt man”, but with 27 years and counting, I would have to disagree with Kanye about his Yeezy’s “jumping over the Jumpman”.

The statement he made at this years BET awards are even more disrespectful to Tinker Hatfield.

To sneaker heads, Hatfield is the most high, he is the mastermind and the designer behind almost every Air Jordan and the designer of each shoe Jordan has worn since 1988.

Along with sports icon Jordan, Hatfield was largely instrumental in starting not just a shoe revolution within pop culture, but helping Nike launch an empire.

The funny thing is that he wasn’t always a designer, in fact

is an architect.

Do you really know the man behind the man on your sneaker?

Hatfield, 58, grew up in Halsey, Oregon, where he was an athlete earning a track scholarship to the University of Oregon in 1970.

He set the school’s pole vault record and finished sixth in the 1976 U.S. Olympic trials. Hatfield’s track coach at Oregon was the legendary Bill Bowerman, who was a co-founder of Nike.

In 1981, Hatfield went to work as the corporate architect of Nike, designing office spaces, showrooms, and stores, unaware that 7 years later he would become the designer of the most iconic sneaker of all-time.

Hatfield recalls the best part of working for Nike is the “incredible economy scale and the power to change the world.”

He commends those that practice environmentalism, but Nike’s platform allows for such an idea to resonate and hit home affecting a huge demographic, impacting a very wide spectrum of people.

Beyond the false stories of the Malaysian workers making sneakers for 5 cents, “there is a lot of power in the scale of a company like Nike, a lot of good power.”

When designing for Jordan,

Hatfield always gives him a call or visit to talk with him about what’s going on in his life.

It’s all about being inspired by him.

Designing used to be about how he played the game, now as Hatfield and Jordan continue to design shoes, they have become more about other athletes under the Jordan brand.

Still, there is a reoccurring theme behind Jordans, to “design a really high quality, high performing, sophisticated basketball product that is befitting of Michael himself.”

This is true of the infamous Jordan XI, which was designed during Jordan’s first retirement when nobody at Nike but Hatfield believed he would return to the game.

So, the next time you stand in line, wear a brand, don’t study for class, or doubt your essential purpose at A&T, remember that education is key and seems to manifest itself even within our fashion choices.

In addition, educate yourself on what you support.

Ask yourself, “Do I know what the tree on my Timbs represents,” what does the Nautica boat emblem mean,” or “do I really know the man behind the man on my sneaker?”

-theatregister@gmail.com and follow @ATREGISTER on Twitter

Are public assistance programs causing tension amongst Americans?

DASHAWN FLEMING Contributor

Since when did it become acceptable to publicly humiliate someone at a grocery store for their method of payment?

In this instance, an EBT card or what some call food stamps. I don’t think its okay either.

A 28-year-old woman from Georgia went to a Kroger grocery store and was embarrassed not by her counterparts or the clerk, but the manager of the store when she was checking out. A disagreement ensued between two employees and the manager, regarding the eligibility of a few of her groceries (about $10 worth) for food stamps. In an effort to solve the issue, the manager simply said

“just give it to her,” but that wasn’t all he said. “Excuse me for working for a living and not relying on food stamps like you,” he told the lady in front of a store full of people.

Little did this “manager” know that this woman was doing more than just trying to work for a living, she was fighting for a living. Excuse me sir but this woman has had kidney disease since she was 11-yearsold and has been on the kidney transplant list for the past five years. Every 12 hours she has to give herself a dialysis treatment just to stay alive.

No she wasn’t a single mother out here doing it on her on, She is married. She has one child and yes her husband does have a job because of the economy, his income isn’t enough to feed his

family. And if you’re thinking she’s black, you’re wrong she’s a white woman who has to do what she has to do for her family. Maybe that’s not “working” enough for you.

Can you not see what this issue is here? So many stigmas are placed on people on welfare.

Yes, there are some people who use and abuse the system just as the manager said. Yes there are single mothers who don’t know who their children’s fathers are and use welfare to get by. Yes, there are people who make well above the poverty line that trick the system into believing they have nothing.

They force us to believe that African American’s are the main people using welfare and getting food stamps, but that is far from the case. People of all races and

nationalities have felt the negative effects of the economy. I’m sure that with job layoffs, families have been working hard to make sure their kids eat if that means putting pride aside and getting public assistance, so be it.

But one story is not everyone’s story. No, I’ve never had food stamps, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t understand the struggle. You never know someone’s struggle until you take a walk in their shoes. Can you believe the company only switched the manager to another store and gave the woman an apology and a $15 gift card?

The nerve..

-theatregister@gmail.com and follow @ATREGISTER on Twitter

The “K” Report: Mountaineers football team survives 133-point Air Raid Football games in which both teams score more than sixty points are as rare as winning lotto tickets.

On Saturday, in their first ever Big 12 conference game, the number 9 ranked West Virginia Mountaineers (4-0, 1-0) squeaked pass the number 25 ranked Baylor Bears (3-1, 0-1) at home by a mind boggling score of 70-63.

In a game featuring two extremely efficient offenses, it was a duo of sub-par defensive efforts that surrendered scoring rates equivalent to those of college basketball teams.

The two teams combined for an outrageous total of 1,507 yards, 19 touchdowns, 67 firstdowns, and a single turnover.

In the highest scoring game in Big 12 history, it was West Virginia’s senior quarterback Geno Smith who shined in the spotlight.

Smith, a four-year starter and

Heisman hopeful, complement- Heisman winner Robert Griffin ed a grand total of 656 passing III’s school passing record with yards with a seemingly 581 yards, five touchartificial 8 touchdowns downs, and an interand zero interceptions. ception.

With a stat sheet At only 5’11 188lbs, reading 45 of 51 in the elusive Mountaineer passing column, the slot receiver Stedman 6’3 signal-caller made Bailey obliterated the some commanding Bear’s defensive secstrides in his Heisman ondary, hauling in 13 trophy campaign, finpasses for 303 yards ishing with two more and five touchdowns, KALYN touchdowns than total including an 87-yard HOYLE incomplete passes. trip to paydirt early in Through four games, the fourth.

Smith has a picture-perfect 20 According to ESPN, Bailey touchdowns and zero intercep- and teammate Tavon Austin are tions. the first FBS receiving tandem With an 83.4 percent com- with 200 yards a piece since pletion rating, Smith is current- 2007. ly the closest figure to strategic Baylor receiver Terrance perfection that the college ranks Williams did what he could, has seen in quite some time. delivering with an epic perforOn the losing end, Baylor mance, snagging an astounding quarterback Nick Florence’s 17 passes for a total of 314 yards performance was anything but and 2 touchdowns. lackluster, breaking last year’s It was Williams who scored

the final of the 19 touchdowns with 3:08 remaining in the fourth, cementing the final score at 70-63.

In the midst of an era of football culture exhibiting defensive superiority and controlled statistics, football fanatics must relish and appreciate games of statistical prominence.

I mean Saturday’s game only came up eight points shy of setting the FCS scoring record set by the Weber State Wildcats who defeated the Portland State Vikings 73-68 in 2007.

In other words, even the wisest of football experts would probably have better odds of perfectly counting the blades of grass in their lawn than to accurately predict the next 60-60 college football outing.

-kdhoyle@ncat.edu and follow him on Twitter @K2FOCUSED

Who is your favorite African American contributor in history?

Guy#1 My favorite is Muhammad Ali. I mean he was the peoples champ and he stood up for what he believed in no matter the circumstance he was faced with. Ali in the ring stood for something greater than just the sport of boxing, it stood for hope.

Guy#2 I got to say Michael Jordan. I grew up watching him play for the Tarheels and the Chicago Bulls and his game had everybody in my hood wanting to be like Mike. I mean he might not have been big with civil-rights, but Jordan is Jordan.

Guy#3 He’s not really a contributor, but I always liked Denzel Washington. He stands for everything that’s good about the black community, plus he’s one of the greatest actors of alltime.

Do you prefer the term black or African-American?

Why? Guy#1 I don’t know I actually don’t mind either term. I don’t want to be called an African American until we as minorities are collectively afforded the same luxuries and respect that we deserve. So yeah, at this point I’m a black man before anything else.

Guy#2 I’m black. I’m American when I leave the country. I feel like half of the time black folks get thrown into the American conversation but don’t really get treated like everybody else. That’s just how I feel.

Guy#3 African-American.

It’s disrespectful to just call somebody black. My skin is brown, I live in America, and my ancestors were African. It only makes sense.

Do uniforms and dress code policies create a better learning environment? How? Guy#1 Yes, they definitely do. Being able to dress however you choose highlights an individual’s creativity but often times creates a distraction from the basic reasons for going to school. You go to class to learn not to floss.

Guy#2 No. Better teachers create a better learning environment. You can’t blame the clothes people wear for test scores. If I don’t study, I will fail the test whether I’m wearing a 3-piece suit or a white tee.

Guy#3 Dress codes are a dumb idea. People don’t change based on the clothes they wear.

If you dumb in Levis you dumb in Khakis. Ain’t no way around it.

Want to Ask a Black Guy something?

Well send it to us!

theatregister@gmail.com Or send it to 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 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, October 3, 2012

7

AGGIES RUNDOWN football TEAM Howard

Bethune Cookman Florida A&M Morgan State North Carolina Central South Carolina State North Carolina A&T Delaware State Norfolk State Hampton Savannah State

MEAC 2-0 2-0 2-0 1-0 1-0 1-1 0-1 0-1 0-2 0-2 0-2

OVR. 3-1 3-2 2-3 2-2 2-2 2-3 2-2 1-3 2-3 0-4 0-4

THIS WEEK’S GAME: Saturday at Bethune-Cookman Daytona Beach, Fla. 4 p.m.

NEXT WEEK’S GAME: Saturday vs. Howard Aggie Stadium 1:30 p.m.

volleyball TEAM

Photo by Chris Martin • A&T Register

Mike Mayhew, all time leader in carries, runs between the Morgan State defense and makes school history at A&T and breaks the 11 year-old rushing record previously held by Maurice Hicks.

Defeat comes with breaking history Symone Kidd

Sports Editor

Left Photo by Bianca Anthony • A&T Register

With two weekend practices in addition to regular weekday practices the Aggie football team was ready to enter the opening of conference play against the Bears of Morgan State. Despite the loss the team showed to many they have what it takes to prove their critics wrong and be a winning team.

The biggest mishaps of the night that could have helped the Aggies win were failure to convert on a two point conversion and missed field goals by freshman kicker Zach Cimaglia.

“We let this one slip away,” said Broadway. “All we have to do is make one first down and the ballgame is over. We missed the extra point and we missed the field goal. There are many things we could have done during the course of this ballgame that would have changed the outcome. We need to understand every play is important. We can’t take plays off. We weren’t as focused as we needed to be.”

Fantasia Barrino sings the national anthem for Aggie fans before the game on ESPNU.

Photo Below by Jasmine Palmer • A&T Register

Aggie Livewire shows Aggie Pride as they cheer on the football team and get the crowd involved.

Cross country to go the distance with encouragement and leadership Alanna Goddard Contributor

N. C. A&T’s cross-country team accomplished their best times while competing at the HBCU Challenge in Carey, N. C. this past weekend.

Overall the men’s team placed second with an average time of 28:46. The women’s team placed 5th with an average score of 21:16. “How they performed this weekend is how I would like them to perform at all meets,” said Coach Duane Ross, as he explained his runners’ performance and how they owned the track and stepped up as a team.

Christian Harrison, sophomore Business Management major from Glenarden, Md. and Saeed Jones, Civil Engineering major from Winton, N.C., led their team despite horrible weather conditions and wounded spirits from the last cross country event to produce personal bests.

“I’ve never led a team before, but what I did this weekend proves my team and I can run with the big name schools,” said Jones.

All eleven team runners, six females in the 5k (3.1 miles) and five males in the 8k (5 miles), accomplished their fastest times in their respective events. The meet provided an opportunity to showcase the growth the athletes have made. The coaching staff said the meet was a step toward A&T becoming the first HBCU to become Division I in cross-country.

The cross-country coaching staff has a mission to create a championship program and give stability and structure to the team. Coach Ross’ motto for the season is “The journey has just began, it is nowhere close to over.” He has a plan to take the cross-country team to the next level.

The team and coaches want support from Aggie Nation to accomplish their goals. The next cross-country event will be Saturday Oct. 6 at the Hagan Stone XC Classic. The Aggie men’s team will run at 9:30 a.m., and the women’s team will run at 10:15a.m., right here in Greensboro.

–theatregister@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter @ATRegister

Like sports?

Want to write for this section?

Come to the contributors meetings on Wednesdays at 5 p.m. in GCB A328

Last Thursday night was not only about how the game ended but breaking a school record. Senior running back Mike Mayhew broke the all-time rushing record on an 8-yard run in the second quarter. He also earned his 12th career 100-yard game with 105 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries.

“I’m happy for him,” said Coach Rod Broadway. “That’s a great milestone for that young man. He ran the ball hard tonight.

He hit downhill a couple of times and put down his pads and ran like Mike Mayhew is capable of running. I hope he can continue to keep running like that. We’re going to be a good football team if he keeps running like that the rest of the season.”

When the football season started junior running back Dominique Drake Mayhew was in the starter position, not Mayhew.

Mayhew has had to work hard during practice to earn playing time. It was evident last week that Mayhew earned his spot as he made history in front of family, friends, fans, and a televised audience.

“I’m always going to remember this experience,” said Mayhew.

“It feels good, but it would be a better feeling if we could have got the ‘W’ tonight.”

Now 2-2 overall and 0-1 in the conference there was not much time to harp over the tough loss. “We need to get back out and get it out of our system because we’ve got to go play,” said Broadway.

The Aggies have another conference game against the Wildcats of Bethune-Cookman this Saturday in Daytona, Fla. In addition to being a road game also it is also Bethune-Cookman’s homecoming. Last season the Aggies defeated the Wildcats at the Aggie Stadium 22-3.

Bethune-Cookman overall is 3-2 and 2-0 in the conference.

They are 0-1 at home from a loss to Tennessee State. Last week they defeated Hampton University on the road 38-26.

–sckidd@ncat.edu and follow her on Twitter @LifeCreating

Aggie Eagle rivalry ends in another close match Kamilah J. Blackston Contributor

Aggie fans packed Moore gym for the volleyball game against rival N. C. Central last Friday.

A&T fell short once again, losing to the Eagles in a five game tiebreaker, making their overall record 0-20.

Freshman outside hitter Brooke Stamnes said, “We fought really hard throughout the whole game, but things just didn’t go our way sometimes.”

Stamnes remained a crucial player to the game, contributing 18 kills, a personal season high, which contributed to a team season high of 63 kills. Junior setter and right side hitter Chelsea Fox added to those kills with a career high of 52 assists.

A&T started the first match serving to NCCU, rallying the entire time and remaining tied in points for the majority of the match. The Aggies battled with the Eagles from a tied 23 points all the way to 30 points to close out the first match with a score of 30-28.

The Aggies controlled the game defensively and freshman defensive specialist, Ashley Johnson, dominated by covering short, long, cross court, and off the block shots. The team’s defense and communication were strong during the game.

Leading the second game by five points the Aggies committed many service errors and faced questionable calls from referees that allowed for an Eagle come back.

Despite losing the second us the match but I’m not dismatch the Aggies came back in appointed whatsoever” Clifton match three to win by 11 points continued. with a score of 25-14. At the end The Aggie volleyball team will of game four, Aggies fell short play their next game at home to the Eagles once again with a against Bethune-Cookman on final score of 23-25.

Friday, Oct. 5 at 7 p.m.

With the Aggies and Eagles at two games each the teams en–theatregister@gmail.com and tered a tiebreaker match. Both follow us on Twitter @ATRegister A&T and NCCU rallied back and forth but the Eagles took the game 16-14. The matchup was both a school and sibling rivalry. Twins Darlene and Arlene Mitchell, past A&T players, met respectively as assistant coaches for NCCU and A&T. Though a close game, the Aggies played well with a total of 19 blocks. Senior middle blocker Andrea Evans claimed eight of those blocks, which led to a career high record. Junior middle blocker Jeana Daniels and freshman right side hitter Aleena McDaniel had a combined total of 30 kills.

Head coach Hal Clifton was appreciative of the turnout of Aggies fans to support the volleyball team. He was not disappointed in the ladies’ third performance in the new gym.

“I was hoping that the third time would be the charm.

Coming into the game, we had the right match ups, I felt like we were prepared. They were a little more experienced Photo by Bianca Anthony • having players who played for A&T Register a while and some upperclassmen,” said Clifton. “We made a couple of mistakes at really bad Senior Andrea Evans goes up for the hit times tonight that kind of cost against N.C. Central. She had 8 kills for the night.

MEAC

Northern MD Eastern Shore 2-0 Hampton 2-0 Coppin State 2-1 Delaware State 1-1 Norfolk State 1-1 Howard

0-2 Morgan State 0-3 Southern Florida A&M

2-0 North Carolina Central 1-0 South Carolina State 1-1 Bethune Cookman 1-1 North Carolina A&T 0-1 Savannah State

0-2

OVR. 16-3 11-10 6-8 4-9 3-16 0-13 0-15 4-8 3-16 4-8 2-17 0-20 0-18

THIS WEEK’S GAME: Friday vs. Bethune-Cookman Moore Gymnasium 7 p.m.

Sunday vs. Florida A&M Moore Gymnasium 1 p.m.

NEXT WEEK’S GAME: Tuesday vs. Radford Moore Gymnasium 6 p.m.

AROUND SPORTS ASHEVILLE, N.C. (AP) — Mike Dunlap is intense. And that’s one reason why Charlotte Bobcats owner Michael Jordan, who knows a thing or two about intensity, hired him as his coach.

Now Dunlap gets to leave his stamp on a team that finished with an NBA-worst 7-59 record and lost its final 23 games last season.

With Jordan watching from the bleachers at UNC-Asheville’s Kimmel Arena, Dunlap ran his team through its first training camp practice Tuesday. Players said practice was swift, the intensity omnipresent.

Guard Gerald Henderson said Dunlap had already set the tone in June when he walked on the floor as the Bobcats’ coach for the team’s first voluntary workout.

“Coach is an intense, highenergy kind of guy,” Henderson said. “We’ve been working out a lot this summer and our workouts have been high intensity, quick and very hard. That’s how he likes things. That’s how we’re going to improve.”

Center Brendan Haywood said that’s what a young team like the Bobcats needs.

“I was telling some of the young guys we need a coach who is going to be hands-on and very no-nonsense,” Haywood said.

“And I think that’s what we have, a coach who’s passionate about the game and wants guys to understand the right way to play basketball.”

Dunlap was a bit of a surprise hire.

Dunlap brings 32 years of coaching experience to the Bobcats, including 14 as a college head coach. Nine of those seasons were spent at Metropolitan State College in Denver, leading his teams to of Division II national championships in 2000 and 2002.

He was also an assistant with the Denver Nuggets from 200608 under George Karl and spent the last two seasons as an assistant at St. John’s.

The A&T Register | ncatregister.com | Wednesday, October 3, 2012

8

TRENDING FASHION HOTPICK

#

The A&T Register takes a look at one great trend from Fashion Week.

Viewer’s Fall favorites A person can only take so much ratchetness. Over the summer, we watched “Love and Hip Hop: Atlanta”, “Basketball Wives L.A.”, and “Bad Girls Club”, and we are done with the black drama. Even though these shows can be very addicting, there are other programs that feature less ignorance, but the same amount of drama. Take a look at some Fall shows that people are excited to watch.

-N.J.

MARVEL AVENGERS starring Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, and Samuel L. Jackson bring all the well known Marvel heroes together to fight against Thor’s brother and save the world. All the childhood favorites, including The Hulk, Captain America, Iron Man and more are featured in this film. This DVD is rated PG-13 and can be found at all Redbox locations.

Scandal: Back for its second season, “Scandal” brings more excitement than the first season. Olivia Pope & Associates have the nation’s capitol in the palm of their hands. With more drama, affairs, and superb acting, “Scandal” is sure to have you on the edge of your bed anxiously waiting next week’s episode. Get scandalous Thursdays at 10 p.m. on ABC. -D.F.

See some serious fashion you love or hate but don’t have the courage to call them out? This week is ‘Tell them how you really feel: Fashion Police Edition.” Cut out the Yellow Card or the Black Card and hand it to them. Tell them to try again or keep the great look going.

YELLOW CARD Whoah! What do you have on? I see the effort that has been put forth, but you didn’t quite reach the look. This is a warning. Try again tomorrow. You’re welcome.

BLACK CARD I just fell in love. Not with your face, but with your outfit! I just wanted to take time out to let you know you bad lookin’ like straight cash. Better yet, a black card.

QUESTIONS

The A&T Register’s guide to the top Redbox releases for cuddling season!

Revolution: After a blackout shuts off all electricity everything is left completely dark. Planes instantly drop from the sky. Cell phones and all other technology cease to operate. Confusion and survival instincts quickly surface, and after 15 years a trio may have the power to start a “Revolution.” Catch the revolution Mondays at 10 p.m. on NBC. -D.F.

Join the Fashion Police!

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Oct. 3 to Oct. 9

Switched at Birth: Two teenage girls, Bay and Daphne, accidentally switched at birth, finally meet their birth families after living in two very different environments. The two families attempt to live normally while the girls maintain their social lives. As the first season continues, Bay reveals a new artistic hobby and Daphne finds a new love interest. Watch “Switched at Birth” Mondays at 8 p.m. on ABC Family.

-D.F.

666 Park Avenue: At the Drake on 666 Park Avenue all of your wishes and desires supposedly come true. Set in Manhattan’s Upper East Side, dark supernatural forces live among the apartment’s residents, hence “666” in the show’s title. See if residents of The Drake have their desires fulfilled Sundays at 10 p.m. on ABC. -D.F. BOLD PRINTS will have you standing out in a good way this fall.

Yes, simplicity is key, but being daring and bold can also be fun!

Bold prints have been spotted all over Paris and Milan fashion week with top-named designers.

Be ahead of the game with this great trend.

Check out www.jcrew. com to find this and other great trends.

Happy shopping!

hotlist

theSCENE

Lupe Fiasco gets his old rap swag back BRIE-ANNE ROBINSON Contributor

With every album, an artist may surprise fans with a follow up album or part two that does not necessarily supersede the first.

Lupe Fiasco’s “Food and Liquor 2: The Great American” Rap album is a prime example of this.

Although this 17-track album is by no means bad, it possesses a distinct quality that draws fans in and opens eyes to a broader spectrum.

Once again, Lupe presents listeners with revolutionary wisdom that provokes change, understanding, and compassion.

Lupe not only indulges in the struggles of Americans but ventures into the hardships endured in Egypt, Africa, Libya and other countries.

Lupe continues the tradition of opening his album by incorporating a powerful spoken word recording of his sister entitled, “Ayesha Says,” that opens the gates to revolutionary bliss.

“Food and Liquor II” not only guides listeners down the road of revolution but leads them to the valley of love and redemption with strong collabs like “Battle Scars” featuring Guy Sebastian, “How Dare

You” featuring Bilal, and “Heart Donor” featuring Poo Bear.

Lupe introduces songs that shows Chi-town rappers compassion for humanity.

Songs such as “B**** Bad” gives listeners an anti-misogynist view on how the phrase “bad b****” contains so much bad taste with its explicit misuse and acceptance towards and amongst females.

On his track “Hood Now (Outro),” he explores different examples of how the world has been transformed by urban lifestyle, from saggy pants and gold teeth to diamond chains and upscale cars.

Lyrically, Lupe still rules with an iron-fist attacking his versus with clever, unique metaphors that paint his messages beautifully.

The artist’s ability to rap with substance sets him apart from most of today’s mainstream rappers.

His approach to the release of this album is quite contrary to the release of his previous albums.

Lupe fails to give radio a mainstream song, but hopes his album is strong enough to grab radios attention.

Although this album has many good listens, the production of some tracks leave listen-

ers confused.

Tracks such as “Strange Fruition” featuring Casey Benjamin fall short with the poor production of its chorus that is barely audible.

In all, the album does not surpass any of his previous albums but it is indeed a great listen that takes listeners through a refreshing historic journey.

-ncatregister@gmail.com follow @ATRegister on Twitter.

GRADE IS...

B

1. Did Ross and Jeezy really get into a “shoving” fight? 2. Was it because Ross wasn’t invited to homecoming this year? 3. Are you still a boss if you get into a shoving match? 4. How many people are still going to buy his music though? 5. How did you feel about Fantansia’s performance? 6. How do you agree to sing the National Anthem, then mess up the words? 7. Wouldn’t you hate to have her headlining the homecoming concert? 8. Should we shout out WSSU for having the worst homecoming line up ever? 9. How come Tap Out Thursdays is always getting shut down? 10. Why is it called Tap Out if no one is actually tapped out? 11. Does Miss A&T really talk to her stuffed animals? 12. Can Cat get any more innocent? 13. Are innocent people secretly crazy? 14. Is everybody ready for homecoming? 15. Should we ban the people who trademarked “GHOE” from homecoming? 16. How many people have their excuse notes ready? 17.Is the official homecoming store Forever 21? 18. Will you really be surprised to see someone else with your dress on? 19. How basic can you really be? 20. Seniors, can you believe how fast this semester is going?

DRAG ME TO HELL starring Alison Lohman, is a thriller that will leave you hiding behind your pillow. After evicting an elderly lady from her home, Christine finds herself affixed with a curse that will literally drag her to the underworld.

Will she get her life back, or will she reap the repercussions? This movie is located at all Redbox locations.

THE FIVE-YEAR ENGAGEMENT stars Jason Segel and Emily Hunt. This movie follows a couple who has been engaged five years and has finally begun planning their wedding. This comedy has received good reviews because of its believable plot and those as well as how easily couples who are in no rush to be married can relate.

This film looks entertaining and the two main characters have both been successful in the comedy realm. This movie is also available at all Redbox locations.

Keep calm and Write On. Contributors Meetings every Wednesday at 5 p.m. in GCB 328A