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News Page 2 Opinions Page 6 A&E Page 10 Features Page 14 Sports Page 20 Wednesday, November 14-20 • Volume XCIII Number 12 For love of a nation The Carolinian celebrates our veterans and our 2nd term President Photo Courtesy Beverly&Pack/Flickr The Carolinian Established 1919 Box N1 EUC UNCG Greensboro, NC, 27413 Phone: (336) 334-5752 Fax: (336) 334-3518 Editorial and Business Staff Derrick Foust Publisher Publisher.Carolinian@gmail.com Kaycie Coy Editor-in-Chief Editor.Carolinian@gmail.com Laura Brewer News Editor News.Carolinian@gmail.com Ashley Northup Opinions Editor Opinions.Carolinian@gmail.com Arvé Byrd Arts & Entertainment Editor AE.Carolinian@gmail.com Ian Foster Sports Editor Sports.Carolinian@gmail.com Christopher McCracken Features Editor Features.Carolinian@gmail.com Autumn Wells Advertising Manager Ads.Carolinian@gmail.com Corrections Policy The Carolinian never know-ingly publishes any mistakes. Please promptly notify us of any errors by e-mailing the Editor-in-Chief at Editor.Carolinian@gmail.com, or calling (336) 334-5752. Corrections will be published on page 2 in sub-sequent issues of The Carolinian. Mission Statement The Carolinian is a teaching newspaper that is organized and produced by students of the Uni-versity of North Carolina at Greens-boro. It is our objective to teach young writers journalistic skills while emphasizing the importance of honesty and integrity in campus media. News 2 T h e C a r o l i n i a n Nov. 14-20, 2012 WWW.UNCGCAROLINIAN.COM Decision 2012: Obama takes another four years Aaron Bryant Staff Writer President Barack Obama won a second term as President of the United States of America late Tuesday Nov. 6., winning eight of the nine battleground states. Republican nominee Mitt Romney conceded around 1 a.m. Wednesday morning, and the country waited to see what President Obama will do with a second term. Incumbent Obama defeated Republican nominee Mitt Romney on election night. The electoral results stood at 332 for President Obama and 206 for Governor Romney. Eight states that were very close in the polls went to Obama, including Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Ohio, Florida, Iowa Colorado, Virginia and Nevada. Governor Romney won North Carolina. In his concession speech, Governor Romney congratulated The First Family, saying he wishes them and the country well. Romney said later that he will not run for President again. Minorities, women, indepen-dent voters, and young voters all helped with Obamas re-election. 55 percent of all women voted for Obama. Governor Romney got only 27 percent of the His-panic vote, the fastest growing ethnic group in the country, compared to Obama’s 71 per-cent. 60 percent of voters ages 18-29 voted for Obama. 56 per-cent of Independent voters vot-ed for Obama as well. The group that did vote for Romney tended to be Caucasian, received higher income, older, and has a reli-gious background. These quali-ties have sparked debates among members of the GOP. Moderate Republicans saying they must divorce themselves of the widely perceived ideological right wing tea party, while more conserva-tive Republicans argue that Mitt Romney was not conservative enough. In his victory speech, President Obama said, “Tonight, more than 200 years after a former colony won the right to determine its own destiny, the task of perfecting our union moves forward.” The President also showed his appreciation for what he called “the best campaign team and volunteers in the history of politics.” This is due in large part to Obama For America’s highly sophisticated, data driven system resulting in its early lead in the polls as well as the dedication of volunteers. Using a hybrid of social media, emails, texts and phone calls, the team was able to propel the President to an electoral landslide. With his win, President Obama recieved a second chance to continue to fix the nation’s problems, including congressional gridlock, enhanced political polarization, ongoing war, and a tepid but persistent economic recovery. The President moved quickly on Friday to begin negotiations with congressional leaders on the sequestration, automatic expiration of the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts, and big cuts to entitlement and military spending. The country’s’ payroll taxes are set to automatically go up next year, and the debt ceiling will need to be raised as well. President Obama is in a position of leverage. Top Democrats say the President has learned from his dealings with Congressional Republicans, Courtesy artdelarue_/Flickr Supporters posted photos of the President iconically in celebration of his reelection into the oval office. and will use this information to discuss a more bipartisan deal. Obama, while on record as saying the Fiscal Cliff and Immigration reform will be his priorities in 2013, is also going to work to secure his legacy. His most historic legislation, The Affordable Care Act, is here to stay, along with his Wall Street reforms. He plans to invest in infrastructure and clean energy, raise taxes on those making over one million dollars, and will end the war in Afghanistan in 2014. He has come out against D.O.M.A. and may have the chance to appoint two or three Supreme Court justices. While 2008 was about limitless hope, 2012 was more about hope’s limits. The election was seen as a historic display of open contempt between the two major parties in American politics. Relentless attacks by both sides resulted in a lower turnout than in 2008. Now more than ever, the President must overcome his most difficult obstacle; getting both parties to work together. News WWW.UNCGCAROLINIAN.COM Nov. 14-20, 2012 T h e C a r o l i n i a n 3 Hurricane Sandy pulls shades down on city that never sleeps Courtesy Thewanderingworld/Flickr The Empire State Building remains the only lit structure in New York City as widespread power outages black out the island. Stephanie Cistrunk Staff Writer As election season wrapped up on Tuesday, families in the Northeast of the country continued to mourn the loss of family and friends who were killed by the grim Hurricane Sandy. What was once thought of as a tropical wave or storm quickly turned into a massive and fearful hurricane. On Oct. 19, weather officials reported Sandy as a tropical wave. In six hours, it had turned into a tropical storm and by Oct. 24 was a hurricane, as winds reached 74 mph in the Caribbean. As the hurricane gained strength over the waters, it turned into a Category 2 storm. Hurricane Sandy tore through the Caribbean, hitting everything from the recovering Haiti to Cuba. At least 64 people were killed in the Caribbean, with a majority of the fatalities occurring in Haiti. On Oct 28, government forecasters alerted the U.S public about the storm developing in the Caribbean, adding that a super storm could be heading towards the U.S Northeast. Government officials in states in the path of the storm began an immediate course of action for evacuations. At least 15,000 airline flights were cancelled, and over five hundred schools in the NY and NJ districts closed. States in the projected path of storm included Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, and Vermont. Utility companies, FEMA shelters, and hotels in these states began to prepare for Sandy, as the warnings had predicted massive flooding, power outages, 80 mph winds, and large amounts of rain and possibly sleet. Hundreds of thousands of Americans in states like New York and New Jersey were told to evacuate their homes and head to shelters. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie met with local officials imploring people to evacuate their homes immediately. “If you’re staying there, you’re just stupid,” Christie said. “It’s just plain stupid to stay. For any folks on barrier islands right now and you still have power, yes, I’m calling you stupid. It’s very difficult for us to order first responders to go in there and try to save folks.” On Oct. 29, around 8 p.m., Hurricane Sandy made landfall in the US near Atlantic City, NJ. Wind speeds were at 80 mph and ocean tides were over 20 percent higher than normal. Trees and power lines were brought down by the strong winds as the streets began to flood. While many decided to stay and board up their homes, most people decided to heed the possible threats of the storm and abandon their residences. Some who could not get out in time found themselves trapped in by flood waters and had to be transported in boats by rescue teams on standby. Nearby, in boroughs like Queens, NY, nearly 80 homes were destroyed in a single fire. In addition, some people died from electrocutions caused by stepping in standing water where a power line had fallen. Ocean water surged over seawalls and poured into the streets of Lower Manhattan, flooding subway stations, tunnels, parks and the electric system, which powers Wall Street. Florida, North Carolina, West Virginia D.C, and those in the New England territory also experienced massive rain and wind, resulting in some fatalities. Almost 8 million Americans were left without power for multiple days at a time. Panic See Sandy, page 4 News 4 T h e C a r o l i n i a n Nov. 14-20, 2012 WWW.UNCGCAROLINIAN.COM International News Briefs Malawi suspending anti-gay laws for now Swedish Man shoots himself inside prime minister’s residence Compiled By: Alaina Monts Bahrain police to block mosque access Fights broke out in Bahrain this week as authorities tried to prevent thousands of opposition supporters at a mosque from hearing a sermon. This unrest comes after the capital, Manama, experienced a series of bombings earlier this week. The government has also decided to take away the citizenship of 31 opposition activists. Amidst the commotion, a teenage boy was hit by a car and killed as he crossed a busy road in the area. Ali Abbas Radhi, a sixteen-year- old, was detained by police according to witnesses and his family. He later escaped and was hit by the car as police pursued him. The Ministry of Interior admitted that Radhi was killed but never mentioned the arrest. There has been little progress in dialogue between the government and the opposition parties, and violence has been at an all-time high in the past couple of weeks. The U.S. State Department has condemned the bombings, saying that the violence had “claimed the lives of protestors, of security forces, of innocent bystanders.” Victoria Nuland a spokesperson for the State Department said the violence is undercutting the “process of national reconciliation that we have strongly been urging on Bahrainis of all stripes.” More than 100 hundred civilians and six police officers have been killed by the intermittent violence since protests began in February 2011. Malawi has chosen to shelve its laws against homosexuality pending on a vote to repeal them, according to a rights group. This is a bold move for Malawi on the African continent where many countries have criminalized such relationships. In a statement given by Amnesty International, the justice minister said that while the laws are suspended, police cannot arrest or prosecute any homosexuals until the parliament votes. The current penalty for same-sex marraige is 14 years imprisonment. Malawi’s laws were brought to international attention in 2010 after two men were arrested for getting married. The two were later pardoned due to the international outcry. “Amnesty International welcomes Minister (Ralph) Kasambara’s statement and hopes it serves as the first step toward ending discrimination and persecution based on real or perceived sexual orientation and gender identity in Malawi,” Noel Kututwa, the rights group’s director for southern Africa, told CNN. Earlier this year, the President, Joyce Banda pledged to review the laws as a way to try and boost relationships with international financial donors. Critics accused her predecessor of rebelling against the international community and risking foreign aid that could benefit the poor. Many foreign donors have threatened to withhold aid if the country moves forward with the anti-gay laws. In Sweden, a man was found dead after an incident at Sager House, the official residence of the Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt. The police department of Stockholm confirmed his death earlier last week. Officials do not view the incident as a terrorist attack. According to a police spokesperson, the man involved with the incident is not connected with the Swedish government in any way. Police are continuing investigations to discover the circumstances of his death. The victim’s family has not yet been notified of the incident that caused his death. According to the UK newspaper The Telegraph, the victim was a security guard who shot and killed himself inside of the residence using his officially issued firearm. The guard was hired to protect the residence. He was discovered by a colleague after a lunch break at about 1:11 p.m. local time. Towe Hagg, a spokesperson for the Stockholm police, told reporters, “I can confirm that we have a deceased guard. He died inside Sager House.” The guard’s weapon was found next to his body. The Prime Minister was not present at his residence at the time of the incident, according to spokesperson Markus Friberg. “I can confirm that the prime minister was not in the building; he was in a meeting in another place. He and his family are fine. Police are trying to get more details about this incident,” Friberg said. sandy from page 3 arose for those in the path of Hurricane Sandy as they watched loved ones become trapped in the middle of the storm. Staten Island native Glenda Moore was ripped away from her 4 year old and 2 year old sons by a massive wall of water. A few days later, the two boys had been found dead in a marsh nearby. As Sandy proceeded, people waited with friends, family, and even strangers, praying for the end. On Nov. 1, the storm finally settled, and affected areas began to try and rebuild their lives. In total, Hurricane Sandy killed 185 people. “Sandy will end up causing about $20 billion in property damage and $10 billion to $30 billion more in lost business, making it one of the costliest natural disasters on record in the United States,” according to IHS Global Insight, a forecasting firm. The “Frankenstorm” is over, but the struggle for some to restart their lives is just beginning. News WWW.UNCGCAROLINIAN.COM Nov. 14-20, 2012 T h e C a r o l i n i a n 5 Weekly Forecast Today H: 51° L: 34° Thursday H: 55° L: 32° Friday H: 56° L: 33° Weekend H: 53° L: 34° Sunny Monday H: 54° L: 35° Mostly Cloudy Partly Cloudy Partly Cloudy Partly Cloudy Pat McCrory beats Walter Dalton in state election; NC votes in first republican governor in 20 years Elisabeth Wise Staff Writer Patrick McCrory, former mayor of Charlotte for 14 years, won the governor’s race Tuesday, Nov. 6, with 54.4 percent of the votes according to incomplete and unofficial results. McCrory’s win comes four years after he narrowly lost to Bev Perdue in the 2008 elections. Walter Dalton, stepped in as the democratic candidate for governor after Purdue surprisingly announced that she was not going to run for re-election. Dalton, a former state senator from Rutherfordton, was elected lieutenant governor in 2008, but he fell behind McCrory soon after winning the democratic primary. McCrory’s campaign outraised him 4 to 1, making it difficult for Dalton to get his message out. McCrory’s victory means he will be the first Republican governor in North Carolina in 20 years, the last being Jim Martin in 1993.The Republicans have maintained a majority in the General Assembly, which means that for the first time since the 1890s, Republicans will control both legislative and executive branch in North Carolina. McCrory will take the oath of office in January and will face the challenge of coming through on the pledges he made in his campaign. McCrory has said he will improve the economy and public education without necessarily spending more tax money and has pushed multiple reforms particularly in the education, where he wants two paths for high school students – one vocational and one preparation for a college degree. Tax reform is also a top priority, with McCrory promising to modernize the state’s tax system. On Thursday, Nov. 8 at a state government office building in Raleigh that will serve as his transition headquarters, McCrory revealed his transition team, a group of advisers and administrators who will help him transition into being North Carolina’s chief executive. The transition team will review policy issues, government operations and seek individuals from around the state and country who may join his administration. The team is also likely to help him in choosing Cabinet secretaries in state departments. The team includes Raleigh political veterans, Charlotte allies and business leaders. Top transition leaders are John Lassiter, senior chairman of transition operations, a Charlotte businessman, former city council member and Thomas Stith, transition director, who works at a private enterprise center at UNC-Chapel Hill and is a former city council member in Durham. Rep. Ed McMahan, a Charlotte Courtesy willamore media/Flickr Gubernatorial election winner Pat McCrory is pictured campaigning in Charlotte. architect, Raleigh real estate executive Mike Smith and retail company executive Art Pope are other operations co-chairmen. Senior advisers include former Lt. Gov. Jim Gardner, ex-House Speaker Joe Mavretic and Jack Hawke, a longtime GOP consultant who worked on McCrory’s campaign. McCrory told reporters, “What I’ve attempted to do on my steering committee is get a diverse group of people with ideas and individuals with varying policy philosophies”. Other election results include a majority Republican seat members in the House of Representatives with 9 to 4 Republican to Democrats. Opinions 6 T h e C a r o l i n i a n Nov. 14-20, 2012 WWW.UNCGCAROLINIAN.COM The election is over- a number of our friends are either elated or disappointed, some just downright indifferent. Now we have some breathing room between the election results and the reality of what the next four years of an Obama presidency will mean. Despite people’s groans and moans, President Obama will be our President until Jan. 20, 2017. Until then, what he does in his second term will define his legacy and impact our country in a very profound way. Obama has a lot of challenges ahead of him, and not just mending his relationship with Speaker of the House John Boehner. The biggest challenge is how we get our economy back on track. During his first term, 5.2 million new jobs were created, which is a start, but many college graduates are struggling to find work or are underemployed, which is something many of us are worried about, including myself this coming May. Related to that will be our deficit. Our deficit has grown under Obama’s presidency and it is starting to decrease a bit, but the real question will be what the Democrats do with the Bush tax cuts. As you might have heard during the debates, Republicans want to preserve the entire Bush tax cuts, including those in the top tax brackets. Democrats want to keep the tax cuts for every tax bracket but the top tax brackets, in effect raising the taxes that the wealthiest Americans pay. It is a mantra the President and the Democrats have touted since Obama’s reelection campaign. Whether this helps reduce our deficit remains to be seen, but it certainly cannot hurt. The President will be faced with difficult budget negotiations, particularly how much to cut from the budget and where to cut from the budget. I expect to see mandatory spending (mostly for Social Security and Medicare/Medicaid) to increase, while some programs in discretionary spending will either get cut completely or will take significant hits. It is not something the President, I imagine, feels comfortable with, but if he truly wants to work with Congressional Republicans, he is going to have to make some uncomfortable compromises. We will see the full effects of Obamacare under Obama’s second term. The President’s signature legislation is what has defined him in his first term, for better or for worse, and will come to full fruition in the next four years. Some of the key provisions we will see in 2013 will be extra funding from Medicare to states and increased funding for Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP.) In 2014, the law will roll out increased access to Medicaid for all lower income Americans, if your employer does not offer health insurance, you can buy into a program called the Affordable Insurance Exchange, which offers plans through private insurance companies that are ‘competitive’ (according to Healthcare.gov.). Getting out of Afghanistan and shifting money and resources to, as Obama calls it, nation-building at home, will be another key cornerstone effort of his second term. We can expect this to mean working on faltering and cracking infrastructures, schools, veteran’s benefits, and working to improve the economy. For a number of Americans, we have been in wars too long and it is time for some fixing schools here at home and not just in Iraq and Afghanistan. The President will also have to answer for Guantanamo Bay still operating and his use of drones during his first term. The President’s policies on social issues were a strong suit for him during his first term. He will need to continue those stances during his second term. His administration is the strongest for LGBT rights than any another administration in history. The repeal of DADT, national hate crimes legislation, and his open support for same sex marriage that already defined him as President benefits his continuous support. Obama and Congress will have to work on a comprehensive immigration law by 2017. This law will need to focus on how legal immigrants can earn an easier path to citizenship, and also for those here illegally, what levels of repercussions will be in place. The President and his administration have some time before the 2014 midterm elections, but with a Republican controlled House from 2013- 2015, his work is not going to be easy. For Obama, his administration is faced with many challenges on a number of different fronts, and for the country’s sake, not his party’s, I hope we can work toward collaborative measures that will improve our economy, our safety and security, and be a nation that represents the best of America. With politics being politics, it is easier said than done. Photo Courtesy nathanf/flickr Obama’s next four years depend on the second chance for cooperation. With a second term comes a second chance Samantha Korb Staff Writer Opinions WWW.UNCGCAROLINIAN.COM Nov. 14-20, 2012 T h e C a r o l i n i a n 7 The GOP rumor mill has been working overtime this year to shame women’s bodies, but the repercussions of these statements may be stronger than anticipated. It might be time to hang up your medical degree, gentlemen, or leave the science and medical information to the professionals. Before delving into the possible effects of these misinformed, and highly publicized, verbal assaults on women voters- let’s review! Missouri Representative Todd Akin stated that, “legitimate rape rarely causes pregnancies.” Paul Ryan, the GOP Vice Presidential Candidate, thought of rape as “another method of conception.” Richard Mourdock, a republican Senate candidate, felt that pregnancies resulting from rape were “something God intended.” Interestingly enough, women’s bodies do have a way of “shutting things down.” It might be of importance that while women’s bodies cannot prevent pregnancy in cases of rape- they can refuse to vote for a misinformed and misogynistic candidate. Statements like these are as old as elections themselves, and women’s bodies have long been a political “hot button.” Abortion, birth control, and basic information about reproductive health, is always on the table if a candidate needs a “shocking” one-liner. Although, what candidates do not always seem to consider, is that women hear these “one-liners.” Women do not always want to be represented by someone who would not allow abortion, or who trivializes rape. It would be interesting to see how rape were discussed by these same candidates if their own bodies were in danger. None of these candidates were elected to their desired office. While this is noteworthy, and in the aftermath of the election a lot of weight has been placed on the “woman’s vote,” it is important to pause and consider the focus placed on women’s minds now that the election is over. This transfer of interest from women’s wombs and reproductive anatomy to their ability to cast a ballot is somewhat of a phenomenon. Would this emphasis be placed on the power women wielded over the ballot if Romney had been elected? Or is it a simple solution to place the recent results on women, to put it plainly, “speaking up?” This is a dangerous train of thought, because it once again “others” women. Women have been the “other” throughout this entire political race, and while Obama’s views on women’s health care are beneficial, discussions of them were not highly publicized. Women’s health, bodies, reproductive rights, or lack thereof, were not a pivotal stance for either candidate. If women did base their votes on these platforms, and rest assure many considered them, they did so out of self-interest and self-informing. Now that the election is over, it is the “women’s vote” that may have turned some tides. What is so special about the “woman’s vote?” Is it necessary to imply such a gender binary to ballots, and if so, is it fair to suggest that only women care about women’s health? More than anything, it is important to consider the amount of disrespect women and minorities have received as a result of this election. One does not have to look far to see Facebook posts, Tumblrs dedicated to, and photos depicting a deep sense of racism, selfishness, and ignorance among all generations. America, as a whole, elected a president. American citizens, as a whole, chose not to re-elect candidates who have been made noteworthy through their violent and misogynistic “zingers.” If the focus is on “America,” then why are there so many uninformed citizens? Why are so many pointing fingers? Why are women and minorities just now being brought into the discussion? Maybe women did turn the tide, maybe minorities turned the tide, and maybe in the future, all candidates will consider these important voices and votes. Discussion of women needed beyond election This past Tuesday was a piv-otal turning point in the world of American politics. The voter rejected growth in the economy, freedom from government regu-lations, and an America with the courage to stand up to hostile na-tions like Iran. Instead, the elec-torate voted for Barack Obama. Immediately upon Obama’s victory, the stock market dropped by hundreds of points. The producers in American so-ciety – the “99 percent” that are expected to pay for the follies of his administration – imme-diately began to lay off workers. Anyone wondering if the Obama administration would finally become more “transparent” was also quickly rebuked. The media Romney’s ideology lost him the presidency found out that Iran had attacked a piece of American military equipment in international wa-ters, with the news being hidden by our executive branch until after the election. To top it off, General David Petraeus resigned as CIA director after an affair with his biographer. This also suspiciously happened right af-ter Obama’s re-election. The shock from Obama’s re-election, and the subsequent af-termath, has left conservatives wondering: what do we do now? In March of 2011 I wrote an article endorsing Newt Gingrich as the Republican nominee for president of the United States. I wrote about the myth that con-servatism was an anti-intellec-tual movement. “This couldn’t be any farther from the truth,” I argued. “Conservatism has its roots in the French Revolution, when traditional liberal artists and contemporary thinkers felt that the movement to overthrow the ruling class was ‘moving too fast’ – that activists were govern-ing emotionally, rather than us-ing reason.” The movement that conser-vatives opposed then is as ex-pansive and irrational as it is now. Many voters chose their nominee based on characteris-tics unrelated to the job, like his “coolness” factor or the fact that he hangs out with Jay-Z. Many more voters voted in support of their personal self-interests, without taking into account the needs of the country. The Ameri-can federal government is mov-ing too fast, and is giving as little critical thought to items like the federal deficit as the French gave to Napoleon. The modern right wing has also got the same treatment that early supporters of the move-ment got. In my article, I wrote that, “Conservatives like Ed-mund Burke, who initially sup-ported the Revolution, were castigated as “elites, bent on pro-tecting the bourgeois” when they decided that that the movement could no longer work.” Forget that most Democratic politi-cians at the national level are millionaires. Forget that many of America’s “millionaires” and “billionaires” are self-made and earned their money. If you do not believe that the government should transfer wealth from one segment of the population to an-other on a whim, you are now an elite. Later in that article, I support-ed the still fledgling campaign for Newt Gingrich as the Repub-lican nominee. I pointed out that Gingrich had a strong intellectu-al background and ideas to lead the United States into the 21st century. To top it off, he had the courage to stand up to the fawn-ing liberal media. The Republican instead chose another “safe” moderate, and the Obama machine made easy work of the Romney campaign. As the Grand Old Party moves forward, conservatives need to get into gear and choose a can-didate with both the intellectual capacity and the courage to ad-vance the movement to a gen-eration of voters that never saw Ronald Reagan. Refusing to do so will send the conservative ide-ology to the history books. Emily Ritter Staff Writer Chris McCracken Features Editor Opinions 8 T h e C a r o l i n i a n Nov. 14-20, 2012 WWW.UNCGCAROLINIAN.COM Following an election, there is an all-encompassing sigh of relief that blankets the nation. The world slows for a day or two while we allow eachother to absorb the results, and newly unemployed college interns catch up on six months worth of laundry and coming up with new excuses for their poor eating habits. Then life goes back to normal, for the most part. Every election, people try to convince us that “this election is the most important election of our life,” and life will never go back to normal if we do not vote for X or Y, against Z. Nonetheless, once the excitement from the results has worn down, it does in fact return to the status quo for the most part. Then comes 2012. Although I still would not recommend anyone bet their lunch money on the Mayans, this year certainly did flip the world on its axis politically. North Carolina voted in such a manner that our state should be legitimately concerned for the next two and four years. The good news is that virtually the entire United States voted in the opposite direction. If we think about our corner of the world, this election has been a magnificent roller coaster of emotions. The battle that took place in the Primary over the constitutional amendment regarding marriage, popularly known as Amendment One, divided our state. To the right were the emphatically religious who believed they were protecting, if not their religious values or the misconstrued notion that this nation was founded by religious principles, the rights of their citizens to vote on matters with the confidence that a court could not simply overturn their decision. To the left there were those of the LGBT community that knew it would only further complicate their effort to one day achieve equal rights within their homestate, those who sought to explain how the language of the bill also referred to unmarried heterosexual couples, and those who simply could not stand the fact that the rights of a minority group were being voted on as if they were a matter of opinion to begin with. The most difficult part of the night when Amendment One passed was not necessarily that we allowed minority votes to be voted on, and not necessarily that the majority of those who voted chose to uphold legal discrimination. It was, instead, that roughly 30 percent of our eligible voters bothered to show up to the polls at all, and successfully amended our constitution. Fast forward to the General Election. North Carolina almost always swings right for the President, left for the Governor, and is competitive for the General Assembly and Council of State. However, Governor Beverly Perdue is the single most unpopular Governor in the United States of America, which advantages the Republican candidate Pat McCrory. The state defected from the Solid South in 2008 and voted for Barack Obama, making it a battleground state that Barack Obama could potentially win. Because the General Assembly was governored by a supermajority of Republicans when the census was taken, the new redistricted map of our State Senate and House districts are ridiculously gerrymandered in a way that favors Republicans. These factors make it inevitable that the 2012 General Election will be more competitive than an average race in North Carolina. And then the story hits that the North Carolina had the largest voter registration drive in the entire United States, and we know that it is absolutely game time, and both sides are playing for keeps. The state and national Republican party contributed to local municipal races, such as the county commissioner race in Guilford County, and in our state judicial races. Although youth voter turnout was up, large counties such as Guilford once again voted for Barack Obama, and there were individually more ballots casted for Democrats than Republicans, our state not only cast its elecotral votes for Mitt Romney, but for Republicans almost completely down the line. For the first time in nearly a quarter century, we will have a Republican Governor, with a supermajority Republican General Assembly, Republican judges, and the ever-persistent Elevator Queen, Cherie Berry as Labor Commissioner. For liberals and progressives who were distracted by their excitement that Barack Obama was re-elected, I must compel you not to cheer too loudly - most of the most pertinent decisions facing our state will be decided in our General Assembly, and they do not share your worldview. However, progressives and liberals do have reasons to cheer, and there are much better reasons to argue that the 2012 Election was unlike any election, and will possibly change the rest of our lives. Forty percent of the nation is now represented by women. Further, candidates like Todd Akin will no longer be on the Science Committee, sharing their genius hypotheses about the human reproduction cycle in a far away land that does not actually exist, because they were replaced by women. Marijuana, a drug behind a majority of the non-violent arrests that have taken place since our nation declared a “war on drugs,” has been legalized (or at the very least, decriminalized) in Colorado and Washington state. Maine, Maryland, and Washington broke a 32-state streak by voting to legalize marriage equality and extend the rights to define legal partnership as marriage to the LGBT community. Further, Minnesota successfully defeated their own version of Amendment One. Ted Martin, the Executive director of Equality Pennsylvania, has expressed that the fundamental success for marriage equality around the nation will take root in these specific victories. Equality Pennsylvania endorsed five candidates who vocally supported gay marriage in statewide races, and all five candidates won their races. That kind of achievement will make it more difficult for other candidates to say, “I have to support you quietly, because otherwise I will lose”. In Wisconsin, Tammy Baldwin was elected as the first openly gay senator. It is absolutely vital that we continue A woman’s place is in the senate Emily Brown Staff Writer “I still would not recommend anyone bet their lunch money on the Mayans. “ to iterate she is merely the first to be open about her sexuality, and not necessarily the first homosexual senator. In Barack Obama’s home state of Hawaii (and not only to remind you that it is in fact his home state), a Buddhist senator and a Hindu representative became the first of either faith group to be elected to Congress. Buddhism is not a religion, but is a spiritual outlook and included in discourse regarding faith, so both mark progress for those interested in the nation representing more than simply the Christian spectrum. So for those disheartened or concerned for North Carolina, as I found myself in the days immediately following the election, take comfort in the fact that the nation as a whole moved to the left (or forward, if we want to be topical.) Redrawn districts can only combat a changing philosophy for so long, just as discrimination can only combat the courts for so long and voter suppression can only combat a change in demographics for so long. America is becoming more colorful, more female-driven, less fundamentally Christian and less straight. The way to handle that is not to suppress, discourage, or fraudantly cast votes. The way to combat that is not to convince well-meaning human beings to vote against their best interest. The only genuine way to handle the way that America is changing is to embrace it, take part in it, and build up a generation that you would be proud to belong to. The 2012 election was different from any election in American history, and as a North Carolinian it hurt, but as an American I enjoyed every second of it. Opinions WWW.UNCGCAROLINIAN.COM Nov. 14-20, 2012 T h e C a r o l i n i a n 9 While Mitt Romney may have lost the 2012 Presidential Election, there are many candidates who won, and only one of them is named Obama. The others are the Republicans who have been running in the 2016 shadow primary, quietly preparing their resumes for a presidential run and waiting to see if Romney would (hopefully) lose. Now that Obama has been named best in show for the next four years, another horse race begins. The Republican Party’s casting call is shrouded in historical and philosophical significance. Ever since George Bush left the White House, his battered party has drifted aimlessly on the political sea. Leaderless and without vision, the GOP decided to regale its most extremist members with talk of Birtherism, legitimate rape, and economics severed from arithmetic rather than offer sound policy critiques. In addition to lacking a leader and vision since the days of W, the Republicans are finally seeing the demographic changes that they have been warned about for decades. Obama was reelected thanks to his support among Hispanics, women, and young people, three groups which will likely see their numbers grow in the coming decades. If the party declines to appeal to these voters, they will cease to exist as a national party. The 2012 contests are proof of this. The GOP had ten seats up in the Senate versus the Democrats thirty-three. Still, the Republicans managed to lose two seats by nominating Todd Akin and Richard Murdock, both of whom were stridently anti-abortion, in Missouri and Indiana respectively. Each candidate made comments about women’s bodies and abortion that were out of step with the voters of these states, possibly costing their party the majority in the United States Senate. Governor Romney ran to the right of 2008 Republican presidential nominee John McCain on immigration issues and suffered the consequences when the votes were tallied. Hispanics now make up ten percent of the 2012 electorate and Obama carried them with 71 to 29 percent, a four percent increase from his showing in 2008. Fox News Analyst Juan Williams pointed that had Romney won just thirty-five percent of the Hispanic vote, he would have won the election. The Hispanic population is now the single most important swing category in national politics and if the Republicans want to continue on as a national party, they must temper their immigration rhetoric and policy stances. Another important voting bloc were young voters. Many pundits predicted that the surge in voting by those between the age of eighteen and thirty was a hope and change fluke. The data is telling a different story. Young voters turned out in numbers similar to 2008. These voters tend to be more socially liberal, although many of them consider themselves fiscally conservative. They were likely strong supporters of the marijuana legalization referendums that passed in Colorado and Washington State as well as the measures that legalized gay marriage in Maryland, Minnesota, Washington State, and Maine. Republicans need to do better among these voters as well and their best hope is by nominating candidates who share this generation’s social values. While the task to rebuild the GOP is daunting, it must be done for the sake of the two-party system. Luckily, there is a long list of handymen and women ready to get to work. These potential party leaders vary in age, gender, and occupation but all share a love of party and country. The most obvious name to mention is 2012 Republican Vice Presidential nominee and House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan. The forty-two year old was reelected to his Wisconsin seat with less support than in previous contests but he will likely remain an important figure in any Republican resurgence. The second name that comes to mind is New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. Elected in 2009 to be the red governor of a very blue state, Governor Christie has a personality to match his expansive waistline. Known for tough talk and jokes at others expense, Christie has received high marks as governor for his efforts to reform state government, lower the state’s notoriously high property taxes, and for bringing the Garden State GOP back from the grave. He was talked about as a presidential or vice presidential candidate in 2012 and delivered the keynote address at the party’s convention in Tampa. In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, he put aside partisan politics and offered praise for the president’s leadership. He is expected to face a stiff reelection challenge against Newark Mayor and friend Cory Booker in 2013, but if reelected, the GOP may see him as a leader who can talk tough while offering bipartisan results. The Party has many potential presidents fighting the Democratic agenda on the frontline in Washington. The leading possibility is Florida Senator Marco Rubio who has been praised for his Obamaesque oratory skills, his conservative principles, as well as his desire to see his party’s reach out to more Latinos. Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky is one of the greatest Tea Party success stories. Armed with fiscal conservative credentials and the youth supporters of his father, Texas Congressman Ron Paul, Senator Paul could make a real case for small government conservatism as the path to victory in the future. The Party’s renaissance could also come from the states where there is no lack of talent. Governor Susana Martinez of the swing state New Mexico is the first Latina governor in the country. Bobby Jindal of Louisiana has had numerous federal and state offices and is noted as being one of the nation’s leading Indian American politicians. Bob McDonnell of Virginia, Scott Walker of Wisconsin, and Governor-elect Pat McCrory of North Carolina have been named as well. While Obama may have won 2012, 2016 is just beginning and the race is anything but decided. If Republicans nominate the right leader with an articulate vision, the party could be on the cusp of one of greatest comebacks in American political history. Photo Courtesy BOB JAGENDORF/FLICKR Is Chris Christie a contender? The fight for the Republicans, 2016 Joseph Winberry Staff Writer A&E 10 T h e C a r o l i n i a n Nov. 14-20, 2012 WWW.UNCGCAROLINIAN.COM Often times when someone knows a limited amount of information about something, misconceptions are created. It is inevitable. Such a topic that carries a vast amount of misconceptions is the continent of Africa. Media masses often tend to communicate to the world most of Africa’s conflicts and portray an image that does not characterize the continent and its countries accurately. On Nov. 10, the African Student Union (ASU) of UNCG broke through Africa’s stereotypes and showed the EUC auditorium the rich cultures of their countries, the happiness and joy they carry, and the progress and advancement of Africa today. Ajaratu Cole and Kelvin Okons, the hosts of the night, lead the audience through a number of performances and videos that failed to escape anyone’s attention. The night began with a video to set the atmosphere of the room. A clip from Disney’s “The Lion King” reminded the audience of how they should feel that night, with “Hakuna Matata” or no worries as the message. This theme was exactly what the members of the ASU emphasized. Tafadzwa Gumede spoke before the performances started. “I am Africa, not the Africa you have in your mind. Let me tell you about the Africa that I am.” With these words, ASU students took the crowd through a variety of characteristics of their continent. Skits, songs and dances put attendees on their feet and took many back to their homeland. A fashion show took place with beautiful models wearing traditional clothing. Stunning patterns and colors glowed with them as they made their way through the stage. Males also participated in showing the beautiful simplicity and liveliness of African clothing. After an intermission with food and refreshments, student Taiyanna Yates sang lyrics of Bob Marley. His song “Redemption Song” echoed through the auditorium, touching the crowd. The song invites listeners to “emancipate yourself from mental slavery” because “none but ourselves can free our minds,” lines that Marley took from a speech given by Marcus Garvey in 1937. Garvey was a Jamaican political leader and advocate of Pan-Africanism movements, a promotion of Africa and its unity. Garvey’s goal parallels to that of the students of ASU. As the night went on, the audience witnessed a more modern Africa. Contemporary dances took place with quick steps and abrupt movements that created excitement and wonder throughout the room. Two students from Zimbabwe even had a chance to rap a song called “Weekend,” showing the modernization of African music. As the crowd settled down, a video segment by Olga Mabolia, ASU’s president, called “African Progress” was shown. This video projected Africa’s advancement in an accurate and efficient way. Images of Africa that the Western world is usually familiar with were shown, pictures of natives dressed in vivid clothing with faces painted and engaged in traditional dances. However, following each of these images, photographs of important modern and advanced cities were displayed. This gave the audience a chance to see all that entails the richness of the continent of Africa. War, poverty and disease are not what define Africa. Instead, advancements and contributions in technology, medicine, and world economy are attributions of the continent to the world. The beauty of its people and the tenderness of its customs are often overlooked but they play the biggest role in the continent’s history. It only took the ASU students of UNCG a little over two hours to be able to knock down stereotypes society has placed on their homeland, being an inspiration to all that there is a definite future ahead for humanity. ASU Presents: African Night Maria Perdomo Special to The Carolinian photos courtesy of maria perdomo/the carolinian “I am Africa, not the Africa you have in your mind. Let me tell you about the Africa I am”- Tafadzwa Gumede A&E WWW.UNCGCAROLINIAN.COM Nov. 14-20, 2012 T h e C a r o l i n i a n 11 With Christmas around the corner, the spirit of giving certainly sets a fire in us to help those less fortunate in our community. Lucky for us, we do not have to wait until Christmas to do some good. The Interactive Research Center of Greensboro is working in conjunction with UNCG to collect art supplies for the homeless in our community. This ongoing project will provide various materials for those in need to create their personal works of art to sell. The Interactive Research Center is the only homeless day center in Greensboro. Being a “day center,” as opposed to a night shelter, means that the homeless and disabled are not housed there. Instead, they go there for medical services, employment help, mental and health services, housing assistance, and help with finding night shelters. “What we try to do here is make sure we meet them where they are,” said Jenny Hudson, Office Manager/Guest Services of the center. The IRC officially started in December 2009 on the third floor of East Bessemer United Methodist Church’s educational building. On May 25, 2010, the facilities moved to its permanent location at 407 E. Washington Street. This move went from serving 60 people a day to over 200 people a day, five days a week. Such an increase also made the IRC change their original laundry and shower services only to the multi-service centered community it is today. There are nine people on staff at the center. With the exception of the executive director, all the staff members are homeless or have experienced homelessness, addiction, and demons in their lives. The rest of the services provided by the IRC rely heavily on volunteers. “We’ve received a huge amount of support from UNCG,” raved Hudson, “Since 2010, they have been a huge blessing for the IRC.” Recently, UNCG participated in the arts supply drive for the IRC. “Art has become a huge thing here. They are always in need of more arts supplies,” said UNCG professor Kathleen Edwards. The center accepts all kinds of arts supplies—from pencils and poster boards, to rulers and tape, to frames and paint brushes. “There is such a strong need for supplies for our people here. The money they make from their artwork go to benefit them in the long-run and could eventually help them find a job,” Hudson remarked. “Each painting is so unique. So many folks who come into the IRC have artistic talents. Drawing and painting is a great stress reliever, so it can be beneficial for them not only by raising funds, but by letting them therapeutically let everything out on paper.” With the cumulative amount of people with great artistic talent going to the IRC for help, there is an enlarged need for art supplies. Anyone who is interested in donating items or volunteer at the IRC may contact Kathleen Edwards on campus. Those interested can also directly contact the IRC at (336) 332- 0824. The center is open from Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Artistic works from any of the artists can be purchased as well.Th e IRC is looking forward to a great holiday season. They are looking for volunteers and donations for their family Christmas party. The center will host 200 families who are in need. Out of those 200 families, 120 children are in need this Christmas. Toys, clothes, and food are being accepted now. To donate items or to volunteer, please contact Teresa Hicks of the housing department of the IRC at (336) 544-5424 or teresa@gsodaycenter.org. More information can be found at their website http:// gsodaycenter.org. Megan Christy Staff Writer Tis The Season To Give Back ...Through Art megan christy/the carolinian Artistic works from any artist can be purchased as well. A&E 1312 T h e C a r o l i n i a n Nov. 14-20, 2012 WWW.UNCGCAROLINIAN.COM James Bond’s 23rd excursion opens just as the last 22 have. A breathless, death-defying chase across Istanbul serves as the prologue, wherein, in usual Bond fashion, a high-octane action scene sets the mood for the rest of the film. Yet, this is not your standard Bond film. Director Sam Mendes and screenwriters John Logan, Neal Purvis, and Robert Wade take a page from Christopher Nolan’s Batman films and decide to tear their hero down (and subsequently the franchise). They do this in order to examine if a dated, old-school super spy like James Bond can exist in this day-and-age’s superheroes and action films that take themselves incredibly seriously. This entry in the iconic franchise is dark, self-reflexive, and more emotionally impactful than any previous entry in the long running series. That is not to say it is the best, though a case could certainly be made, but it is the most daring. Mendes opens the film by cleverly including one of the franchises iconic moments (Bond stepping into frame, gun drawn, staring straight at the camera) in the narrative. It is a clever subversion of the brand identifying opening shot, and this exploration and subsequent tearing down of the tropes and themes of the franchise can be seen throughout. In that vain, the prologue plays out like no other 007 opening ever: Bond is gunned down by friendly fire, and presumed dead. Then the credit sequence comes on, which is a whirling, kaleidoscopic vision of gravestones, death, and feminine figures, all set to Adele’s powerful theme. These sequences clearly set the tone for the solemn and sometimes deeply moving film that follows. Also noteworthy is cinematographer Roger Deakins, whose dark, neon lit action scene in a Shanghai high-rise delivers one of the best set-pieces of the year. The film’s plot is fairly simple, but it packs quite the punch. Bond’s mission is to keep a computer drive that has a list of British agents from being used against them. When M (Judi Dench) is personally targeted by the villain, Bond must fight for not only the safety of his country but the legitimacy of MI6. This is a plot rife with opportunities for self-examination, not only for Bond, but also for the franchise itself, and Mendes takes every chance presented to do just that. The villain here, Silva, played with appropriate amounts of menace and self-parody by Javier Bardem, represents this new kind of action film that “Skyfall” is rebelling against. He is sadistic, bombastic, and revels in chaos. He is also clearly modeled after the Joker, yet the filmmakers use his character to probe their ultimate question: is there still room for an old school, light hearted super-spy like James Bond in this age of confusion and constant bombast? Never in the film is this idea more clearly seen than in the climatic battle. Bond must defend his home, Skyfall, against a litany of Silva’s high tech weaponry. His home stands for the old-school, thus he has to defend the house with homemade weapons. After much destruction, explosions, and the demolition of one of Bond’s most famous toys, the ultimate answer to the question posed is an emphatic yes. While the new school is busy with their empty posturing, and nihilistic threats, the old school heroes will operate within the shadows, striking at just the right time. This may not be your father’s Bond, but it is not yours either. This is a brand new take on Bond, and it is a bold, and exciting new direction for the franchise. Brad Dillard Staff Writer Skyfall: The Latest James Bond Installment photo courtesy of FromFranceDavid/flickr Bond must fight for not only the safety of his country but the legitimacy of MI6 city” MitchDeGuzman/flickr A&E WWW.UNCGCAROLINIAN.COM No. 14-20, 2012 T h e C a r o l i n i a n 1312 Skyfall: Albums are rarely as anticipated or hyped up as Kendrick Lamar’s debut studio album. Lamar has been hailed as the successor to Tupac and Dr. Dre, the savior of the West Coast rap game. Those are pretty unreasonable expectations to put on somebody, but if any young rapper is worthy of that praise it is K. Dot, who has been setting the blogosphere on fire for years, and finally reached a wider audience with his remarkable 2011 independent album “Section.80.” With “good kid, m.A.A.d city” Lamar must immediately be recognized as one of the most talented rappers currently working. And, though it is too early to tell if his album will be immortalized as one of the great rap albums of all time, it is fair to say that Lamar has crafted the best rap album of the past few years. Kendrick Lamar is apart of the Black Hippy crew (notable members include Schoolboy Q and Ab Soul, whose respective 2012 albums are also some of the best hip-hop of the year). Respectively, he is known for his storytelling abilities, and dynamic word play. Both are on display on this album, which serves as the most successful concept album since Kanye West’s 2010 album “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.” The concept here, as the subtitle of the album “A Short Film by Kendrick Lamar” points to, is an autobiographical look into Lamar’s journey through Compton, his hometown. The album opens with a 17-year-old Lamar, driving his mother’s van to see a girl named Sherane. The lyrics here are bombastic, egotistical, and sex-obsessed, mirroring the thought structure of a 17-year-old boy. Lamar raps, “It’s deep-rooted, the music of being young and dumb,” before being interrupted by the first of several voice-mail recordings that appear throughout the album. These are not merely skits, as they serve to reinforce the power of family, love and faith that helped Lamar stay away from the rampant gang violence in his hometown. This album also provides basic rap thrills, as tracks like “Backseat Freestyle” showcase Lamar’s unique rapping technique (in this case two or three different styles), while delivering a pulverizing beat (Hit-Boy strikes again). The reason this track is so effective when heard within the structure of the album is because it ties into the narrative Lamar is constructing. As the track’s title suggests, the song marks the moment when Kendrick began rapping, free styling with his friends in the backseat of his mom’s van. The words reflect this, as all of Lamar’s lyrics are braggadocio-laced rhymes: “All my life I want money and power/ Respect my mind or die from lead shower” From there the album traces Lamar’s maturation (the mid-point of the album, the track “m.A.A.d city,” is a tour-de-force), until he reaches where he is now. On the track “Real,” Lamar comes to his realization: “None of that (expletive) make me real.” Lamar is referring to the money, power, and respect that he was so desperately searching for earlier in the album. Lamar’s father, in a voice-mail, hammers home this point; “Any (expletive) can kill a man. That don’t make you a real (expletive). Real is responsibility. Real is taking care of your (expletive) family.” Lamar’s debut is an unprecedented look into the rapper’s inner life, and it is this visceral, raw description of the struggles, triumphs, and maturation of an inner city kid that makes this album so powerful. Brad Dillard Staff Writer Kendrick Lamar’s “good kid, m.A.A.d city” photo courtesy of MitchDeGuzman/flickr photo courtesy of MitchDeGuzman/flickr “Backseat Freestyle” suggests the moment when Kendrick began rapping with friends in the backseat of his mom’s van The album is an autobiographical look into Lamar’s journey through Compton, his hometown Features 1514 T h e C a r o l i n i a n Nov. 14-20, 2012 WWW.UNCGCAROLINIAN.COM The Growing Up Issue: Boy Meets World meets tattooing Spartan greatness: The Minerva statue Korey Weaver Staff Writer With its 10th Anniversary quickly approaching, the Minerva statue stands strong as a landmark on our beautiful campus of UNCG. Minerva, who is the Roman goddess of wisdom and the female arts, was chosen as our mascot by Charles McIver at the beginning of the school’s history in 1891 (the University was, at that time, called the “State Normal and Industrial School”) The school went through several name changes including: “The North Carolina College of Women” (in 1919) and “The Woman’s College of the University of North Carolina” (in 1932). In 1963, the College went from being a Woman’s College to being a Co-ed University. With this move came two major changes: The school changed its name (yet again) to “The University of North Carolina at Greensboro” and the school changed its mascot from Minerva to Spartans. One would think that with this change the legacy of Minerva would end, however, this was not the case. Since the first diploma in 1893, Minerva’s head has been on every diploma to date. The Statue outside the Elliott University Center has been a constant reminder of the schools beginnings every day for the past ten years. Even at the freshmen convocation at the beginning of every year, pins with Minerva’s head are given out to each incoming freshmen. All this goes to show you that Minerva has been, and forever will be, a large part of traditions at this school. The actual Statue of Minerva was a gift from the class of 1953(who graduated ten years before the school became co-ed). There had been a Minerva statue before however due to its quality and material, the elements took their toll on the statue rendering it short a forearm and a spear before it was finally taken down. Because the previous statue had been announced “un-repairable”, the class of 53’ decided to give a cooper Minerva statue as a gift to the University. They enlisted James Barnhill, a student who graduated in 1982 to sculpt the Minerva. On the class’s 50th anniversary in 2003, they unveiled his creation and shortly thereafter it was hoisted up and since then has stood for the past nine years for thousands of the University’s students, faculty, staff, and families to appreciate. Inscribed on the pedestal of the statue are: the several names of the University and their respective years, an indication that the statue is an 50th Anniversary gift of the class of 1953 given in 2003, a brief description of Minerva and James Barnhill’s name and graduation year, and a quote from proverbs that reads, “…incline thine ear unto wisdom and apply thine heart to understanding”. This year, as yet another graduating class is awarded diplomas from our University, I encourage every graduate to take a look at their diploma and make a mental note of the presence of Minerva on the diploma. As you make this note, remember how she has stood there through every sweltering day and through every icy night. Remember how you have seen her on the pin you received during your freshmen convocation and how she is there on the website every time you search UNCG. Take this realization with you as you graduate and be thankful that you are graduating as a Spartan man or woman and that you had the indomitable and persevering spirit of Minerva to guide you through your University experience via every resource that the school had to offer. For everyone else, begin to appreciate this institution and be glad that you will one day be able to claim that you came from the school with the Minerva statue. Minerva and her recent replacement have watched over students for a cumulation of nearly 60 years. ALEN NOP/ THE CAROLINIAN in tattooing individuals temple should be On others canvas way to aspect of young thirty five tattoos and that between ways in or her greater Features WWW.UNCGCAROLINIAN.COM Nov. 14-20, 2012 T h e C a r o l i n i a n 1514 Boy Meets World Charlena Wynn Staff Writer In the 1990s, “Boy Meets World” chronicled the life of a preteen and his two best friends from middle school until college. The series ended in 2000 with the protagonist, Cory Matthews (Ben Savage), and his longtime girlfriend, Topanga Lawrence (Danielle Fishel) heading to New York. Before the series end, Cory and Topanga married. Other characters include Cory’s older brother Eric (Will Friedle) and younger sister Morgan (Lindsay Ridgeway, beginning in 1996) and parents Alan (William Russ) and Amy (Betsy Randle). In addition, Cory’s best friend Shawn Hunter (Rider Strong), and next door neighbor and teacher George Feeny (William Daniels) completed the main cast. Throughout the series, Mr. Feeny, the high school principal turned college professor, was used as a source of advice by all the characters. Heartbreak, friendship, new family dynamics: ‘Boy Meets World’ captured them all through the perspective of young kid in Pittsburgh. Being the icon of a generation, lovers of the show can watch old episodes on ABC Family weekdays from 7 a.m. until 9:30 a.m. How interesting would it be to see what happened to everyone? Did Cory, Topanga, Shawn and Eric do well in New York or did they all come back home? Fan favorite couple, Shawn and Angela, did the two ever get back together? And what happened to Mr. Feeny after all these years? Those of the later part of Generation Y, may be able to find out what happened to their favorite characters in the near future. Disney Channel is in the works to create a sequel, appropriately entitled ‘Girl Meets World’ following the preteen daughter of Cory and Topanga Matthews. Matthews daughter Riley and her trials and triumphs through middle school and beyond will be covered by the show. The couple is also said to have an older son Elliot. Currently the network is trying to get Savage and Fishel to reprise their beloved roles. In addition, the first actress that played Morgan Matthews, Lily Nicksay, would love to join to sequel’s cast. Fans of the show, can expect to see some similarities from the former in that it seems the show’s creator, Michael Jacobs, is keeping with much of its original formula in hopes to create another successful hit. So far, the reception towards the sequel is positive. 90s fans are excitedly awaiting the shows debut after Danielle Fishel’s tweet: “Just want you guys to know that @BenSavage and I have talked and we’ve decided... Thanksgiving is going to be delicious this year!” But of course, there is debate to call the sequel another show that is attempting to do a redo like others including ‘90210’ and ‘Dallas’. Regardless of the sentiment, casting has begun to find Riley. One can only hope that the sequel continues the “Boy Meets World” tradition of bringing forth issues that are important to a generation in a new and innovative way that reaches today’s generation while acknowledging the kids of the 1990s. Disney buys Lucas Films Jonathan Waye Features Editor Star Wars fans, if you have not already heard, you may want to brace yourselves: Disney is now the owner of George Lucas’s “Lucasfilm” studio. That’s right, the entertainment mega corporation Disney is now fully in charge of one of the most iconic and legendary film franchise’s to appear on theater screens. You may want to bust out your old light sabers and Jedi robes and have a classic marathon before it is too late. Currently, the only scheduled event is the seventh installment in the long running series, which is set to release in the year 2015. Even though this is the only planned addition thus far for the franchise, Disney plans to incorporate it into nearly every media outlet. This includes everything from movie installments to cable television shows, and the obvious inclusion of the franchise in current and future Disney theme parks. In the USA Today article “Disney buys Lucasfilm for $4 billion,” Disney CEO Robert Iger was quoted as saying “our long term plan is to release a Star Wars feature film every two to three years.” The buy includes far more than Lucasfilm, however, as it also includes: Light & Magic, Skywalker Sound, and the video game developer LucasArts. The possibilities are endless when concerning Disney’s ability to market the franchise, as it includes nearly all current formats of popular media. Its marketability is evident, as just a few months ago the gaming community was introduced to “Star Wars: The Old Republic,” a new Star Wars MMO-RPG (Massively Multiplayer Online – Role-Playing Game). So exactly how much money did Disney shell out for all this? Overall, the total value of the trade was worth a staggering $4.1 billion. Apparently, Disney will be paying half this price to George Lucas in cold cash, and the remaining half will be paid in Disney stock. This trade actually makes Lucas the “second largest non-institutional” company stock holder of the Disney Corporation. So, Lucas walks away with a significant portion of Disney and $2 billion in cash. What do the fans of the series walk away with? Although long standing fans have disclosed that they feel the franchise has been on thin ice since Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, the series was a tremendous part of the childhoods of millions, The generation gap in attitudes toward tattooing Nadia Stevens Staff Writer As a member of the Millennial generation (those born 1982- 2001) and a proudly tattooed female, I can personally attest to the fact that there are certain psychological differences in the ways that today’s young people perceive themselves and their surroundings in comparison to generations prior. One aspect of popular culture in particular that seems to represent a notable disparity between us kids and our older counterparts is modern body modification. The rapid growth that the tattooing industry has experienced in the past two decades can only be attributed to an increase in the number of people who participate in it. Because members of younger generations also represent a vast majority of the members of the body modification community, it can be deduced that this facet of today’s society also represents a significant factor of separation between the old and the young. The way that different people view their bodies heavily impacts the way that they view modifying or tattooing them in any capacity. Of course there is an exponentially wide and multifarious range of ways to perceive one’s own earthly vessel, each of which has unique implications; according to one extreme, certain individuals may see their body as a temple whose natural state should be preserved and protected. On the contrary, there are others who think of it as a blank canvas ready to be used as a way to express each and every aspect of their personality. Because young adults ages eighteen to thirty five statistically have more tattoos than those aged thirty six and over, it is fair to conclude that there is a correlation between one’s age group, and the ways in which one relates to his or her own body. Not only is there a greater number of people who seek See STAR WARS, page 16 See Tattoo, page 16 Features 1716 T h e C a r o l i n i a n Nov. 14-20, 2012 WWW.UNCGCAROLINIAN.COM CAA first, focused not. SoCon decided why have over the departure established have realignment fascinating of the basketball put once announces and replacement begin near the NFL. first Bettman is he is NHL Mohegan someone is important for involved to many have no Bettman is pace look to opening take State in Monday East Special to Features: Spot-on election prediction from the world of sports Ian Foster Sports Editor The night before the Presidential election, Nate Silver’s advanced statistical model showcased on a New York Times blog called fivethirtyeight gave Obama a 90.9% chance of winning, with Obama winning 8 of the 9 key battleground states. Not surprisingly, conservatives were quick to discredit Silver’s methodology along with the whole business of bringing statistics into the matter in the first place while liberals staunchly defended it. As it turned out, Silver was exactly right, even down to predicting that Florida would be the most closely contested state. However, the notion that Silver’s projections showcased an aversion to math and science in conservatives that liberals have been screaming about for years is disingenuous. If Silver’s projections veered the other way, like they did during the 2010 mid-term elections, the left would have been left shouting “his math sucks!” The backlash leading up to the election, spearheaded somewhat by MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough, was simply the punditry reacting to an existential crisis. First of all, the simple fact that Nate Silver picked all 50 states correctly is not the issue. So too did a few pundits in all likelihood. The problem is that Silver used actual data and math to inform his predictions. In fact, his predictions were more statistical projections than predictions. Indeed, based on Silver’s own numbers, there was only about a one-in-eight chance that his projections would be 100% accurate (based on my calculations). Enough data in the world exists today that, if used properly (that is a big if by the way), national elections could be projected far in advance almost every time. This data analysis threatens the gut instinct of the political pundit. However, those pundits should not feel too bad. People like Silver, including Silver himself, have been making General Managers and analysts in baseball look bad for about a decade. Silver is a sabermetrician, a fancy word for someone who tries to project player and team performances using advanced (read: new and different) statistics. These sabermetrics, the first of which were little more than on-base percentage and WHIP (walks and hits per innings pitched), were famously used by Oakland Athletics General Manager Billy Beane in the 2002 season to rebuild a roster picked clean of its stars. In Isaac Asimov’s terrific Foundation science fiction series, a man named Hari Seldon develops a branch of mathematics called psychohistory, in which he uses advanced mathematical models to predict the course of history over millennia. At the time, the notion seemed foolish. But, statistically, it makes sense. More people equals larger sample size equals better strength of analysis. Sports are determined by individual plays made by individual players. A single poor decision or poorly executed play by a single player can effect irreversible change in a match. For example, the San Francisco 49ers thoroughly outplayed the New York Giants in last year’s NFC Championship Game. However, the Giants advanced to the Super Bowl because Kyle Williams, the 49ers’ punt returner, muffed two key punts, allowing the Giants to both force overtime and win in overtime. Statistics work as a good predictor in baseball due to constant repetition and significantly large sample sizes. Efforts to incorporate sabermetrics into football and basketball have for the most part fell short. On the other hand, elections give Silver the largest sample size yet. Near constant polls flowed out of states like Ohio, each with a polling sample from a few hundred to a few thousand. In short, if one uses the proper tools, elections are easier to pick than sporting events. This might threaten the existence of the pundit who runs on instinct and not much else. to have tattoo work done, but the quantity of ink the average person has in their skin has risen considerably as well. In the past, as a result of the types of people that were known to have them, tattoos and other types of body modification have been known to hold a very specific, sometimes negative connotation. They were generally only seen on men who were also war veterans, gangsters, or in National Geographic. In each case, the ritualistic application of ink to skin was a way of receiving, or initiating someone into some form of lifelong brotherhood or coterie. This is the image of body modification that our parent generation has grown up with rather than the understanding of it as an extension of the individual that is simply used as a tool in portraying and furthering one´s personal identity that is being cultivated to a great extent by including my own. I spoke with one such fan, and he gave a rather mixed account of his feelings after news of the purchase: “The optimist in me wants to say ‘yeah, this could be good, and they’d probably make a really cool movie, seeing as they’ve made a lot in the past. At the same time, though, the pessimist in me wants to say ‘Well…[expletive].’” This statement makes an important point, as it notes that the purchase can go in both a beneficial as well as a negative way. As it currently stands, Disney stands on some very profitable ground; that is, if they are able to manage simultaneously garnering and promoting to new audiences as well as appealing to old ones. In order for this venture to be an unequivocal success, Disney will have to, essentially, keep Star Wars’ core intact; in other words, to keep its initial story and atmosphere alive. Undoubtedly the animation for the upcoming movie releases will be stunning, as Disney is renowned for its stellar animation techniques, but the necessary ingredient for attracting old audiences will ultimately boil down to its content. Only time will tell what is in store for Star Wars fans, as well as the Star Wars Franchise; but, hopefully, Disney will be able to uphold George Lucas’ legacy, and keep the series alive in an ever expanding American pop-culture. the Millennials. Up until recent history, it has been observed as a practice of ceremonial merit reminiscent of a masculine coming of age custom. Although this facet of tattoo culture does still exist to a certain degree, as Semper Fi tattoos and gang insignia are still an ongoing tradition, the negative stigma is shrinking as the field expands and the presence and quality of tattoo studios and artists continuously grows. As time goes on, we are recognizing tattoos more and more as an important form of expression that can is widely accessed by a diverse multitude of individuals from every demographic. TATTOO from page 15 star wars from page 15 Sports WWW.UNCGCAROLINIAN.COM Nov. 14-20, 2012 T h e C a r o l i n i a n 17 So long, SoCon: College of Charleston to CAA Calvin Walters Staff Writer As basketball season begins one of the primary focuses of the offseason has finally faded from the limelight. Conference realignment. Several teams packed up shop and abandoned their old conferences for what they hope will be greener pastures. Butler and Virginia Commonwealth are the two notable programs, but even the Southern Conference felt the rumblings. Several teams in the conference were mentioned as potential replacements for teams that left the Colonial Athletic Association. Davidson, The College of Charleston, and even Elon and Furman were all rumored to possibly leave, but in the end only one team has followed through in the process. In October the College of Charleston board of trustees approved an invitation from the CAA to join the league, and gave the go ahead to begin contract negotiations. The buyout for Charleston will be $600,000 if they choose to leave within two years, and $300,00 if they wait until the 2015-16 season. It is a move that will make little impact in the short time, but could change the landscape of the conference in the long haul. Charleston will still be allowed to compete in the SoCon tournament this year as the SoCon does not have stipulations against teams The Cougars are expected to make the move for next season, meaning that the Southern Conference will have to find a replacement team if it wants to continue using the two six team divisions. The divisions themselves may have to be tweaked some depending on the geographical location of a potential new conference member. Why was Charleston so anxious to escape the Southern Conference? Well there really were several good reasons for the Cougars to make the jump when given the opportunity. Charleston has been a perennially strong team in many sports, specifically baseball and basketball and has challenged Davidson perhaps more than any other team over the last several years. They are hoping that a move to the CAA and their much larger tv contract and higher name opponents will help increase their performance, or at least their bottom line. The CAA has a much better TV contract than the SoCon, meaning more exposure and more revenues. It also means a better chance at sneaking into the NCAA tournament as an at large team. Right now the SoCon is a one bid league with only Davidson having a legitimate shot at an at large bid. The CAA though has become a recognized name throughout the country after George Mason and VCU’s runs to the final four. It is yet to be seen though whether the league can keep its multiple bid prestige without the Rams in the conference. The move to the CAA also gets the Cougars into a conference that puts basketball first, something the football focused Southern Conference does not. The good news for the SoCon though is that Davidson decided to stick around, and why wouldn’t they, the Wildcats have owned the conference over the last several years. The departure of the top two established basketball programs would have really hurt the conference. The whole realignment process has been a fascinating and crazy ride for many of the conferences and as basketball season starts, it has been put on the backburner. But once Charleston officially announces it will leave the SoCon and the hunt for a replacement commences, the fun will begin again. Mason was the leading scorer for the UNCG Spartans with a team high 17 points, also grabbing 4 rebounds and getting her hands on three steals. UNCG’s leading rebounder was Jarae Savage as she pulled down a game-high 8 rebounds and also added 10 points to the stat line. games on television, hurting the league’s exposure. Many fans cannot afford a season pass for hockey on pay per view, so the best way to attract new fans is to be on national television or networks most people have like ESPN. While hockey does have a deal with NBC, only a few games are shown each year. After the lockout, the NHL had to do a lot to build up their popularity. One of the ways the NHL did this was to hold the annual Winter Classic game every January, where two teams play an entire hockey game outside. After having the worst lockout in American sport’s history, one would imagine Bettman would not allow this to happen again. However, he did, and half the season has already been The bright spot here was easily Locke, a freshman power forward who will have to step up when starters David Williams and Kelvin McNeil struggle as they did on Friday night. Williams got into early foul trouble and ended up fouling out while McNeil notched just four points and six rebounds in canceled including the Winter Classic. Bettman and the owners are also going to war with the players over revenue sharing, as players used to get 57 percent, and now they want the players to receive 47 percent. Bettman wants the owners to control a majority of the revenue, but while he fights for what he and his employers want, the league is losing money. Heading down the Charleston, SoCon member since 1998, to move all sports to more lucrative Colonial next fall path of canceling yet another season of NHL hockey would be detrimental to the league’s popularity. Bettman has proved himself one of the most incompetent commissioners of all time who puts his and the owners’ personal interests before the good of the league. The blow to the NHL’s popularity will keep the league from growing to new heights and making it impossible for hockey to get anywhere near the popularity of the NBA and NFL. It is ironic that the first three letters of Bettman is “bet” because right now he is treating the future of the NHL season like a trip to a Mohegan Sun casino. When someone is placing a bet, it is important for them and the people involved to have faith, and right now many sports fans like myself have no faith in the direction Bettman is taking the NHL. On the other side Rachelle Coward was stat stuffing, finishing with a game high 28 points and 8 rebounds for Charleston Southern. The Spartans’ defense was great as they forced 29 turnovers overall and gained 30 points of off them. Charleston Southern did have the advantage on the rebound side as they pulled down 41 to the Spartans 35 but UNCG did grab 12 offensive rebounds 15 minutes. If Locke can consistently fill in nicely, Miller should feel a lot better about his team’s frontline depth. UNCG and High Point finished relatively even on the stat sheet, as UNCG shot 43% to High Point’s 44% and grabbed 40 rebounds to High Point’s 41. Turnovers made the slight difference here; while the Panthers only committed 13, the Spartans and their fast pace committed 17. The Spartans will look to rebound from this opening night setback as they take on Winston-Salem State in the home opener Monday night before traveling to East Carolina on Friday night. lockout from page 19 asheville from page 20 high point from page 20 SportsSports 1918 T h e C a r o l i n i a n Nov. 14-20, 2012 WWW.UNCGCAROLINIAN.COM media disagreement themathewblack/flickr Volleyball drops final two regular season matches Calvin Walters Staff Writer Joseph Abraham Staff Writer The Spartans headed into Thursday night’s contest against Elon looking to bolster their chances at finishing in second place in the North division of the Southern Conference. Instead the Phoenix came in and pushed the Spartans out of the way with a 3-1 victory. UNCG honored lone senior Ari Lysacek before the game. The Phoenix jumped out on top in the first set taking an early 5-1 lead behind a trio of Spartan errors, something that would emerge as a common theme throughout the match. The Spartans fought back, closing the gap to within one when a Morgan Freeman kill was followed by three straight Elon attack errors. Elon responded though with four of the next five points and kept the Spartans at bay throughout the remainder of the set. Fittingly the sloppy match ended on another trio of errors, first by Elon, then two by the Spartans to lift Elon to a 25- 20 victory. Both teams traded points throughout the second set with neither team opening up more than a two point lead until late. With the score at 21-19, the Phoenix secured the match with a 4-1 run to close out the set with a 25-20 victory. Once again an attack error ended the set for Elon and pushed the Spartans to the brink heading into the break. UNCG responded coming out taking an early 5-2 lead behind kills from Morgan Freeman, Karrian Chambers, and Ari Lysacek. Elon would respond later with a 5-0 run to take the lead, but three errors in a row from the Phoenix would tie the match again at 10. Elon slowly built up the lead until UNCG volleyball came into this game already securing a collection of wins for a trip to the SoCon tournament. However, UNCG racked up their fourth straight loss in a close matchup with the College of Charleston Saturday night. The score of 3-0 did not reflect how close the game was, as each set was lost by UNCG by only 3 or 4 points. The Spartans had to work hard to generate offense as they were outplayed in every category except blocking where they out blocked Charleston 7 to 4. Besides blocks, the Cougars had a higher hitting percentage, more digs and kills than UNCG. The Cougars jumped to an early 8-3 set lead in the first match. However, the Spartans had a nice run by Karrian Chambers to tie the match at 10 all. The College of Charleston would then jump out to a 16-12 lead, which prompted a UNCG timeout. UNCG came out firing after the timeout, going on an 8-4 run to tie things at 20. Like during most of the season, the Spartans had some trouble closing out the set once they or both they and their opponent get over the 20 point mark. The Cougars went on a 5-2 run to Thurs UNCG 1 Elon 3 Sat UNCG 0 Charleston 3 take the first set 25-22, and jump out to an early 1-0 lead. The Cougars dominated the second set, jumping out to a 3-0 advantage. Both teams scored 7 points to make the game 10-7 early. The closest this set got was the Cougars being up by only 1 midway through the second set. However, the Cougars would shut down the Spartans by going on 10-7 run, to win the second set 25-21. This gave the Cougars a 2-0 set lead, with them needing only one more set to win. While the score may say differently, the third set was a very competitive set as the Spartans showed great pedigree. The Cougars jumped to an early 10-6 lead before UNCG called a timeout to regroup. The Spartans would then go on a 5-1 run to cut the Cougars lead, making the score 11-10. The Cougars would dominate the next part of the set, leading 19-13. This is where UNCG’s pedigree came in, as they could have quit the game there and let the Cougars finish them, but instead fought on. The Spartans went on a small run lead by Senior Ari Lysacek’s kill that cut the Cougars lead to 20-17. While the Spartans showed some fight, it was not good enough to defeat the home Cougars, who went on a 5-1 run to win the set 25-21 to complete the shutout. Some may say that losing four straight going into a conference tournament is not the kind of momentum a team wants. However, the start of this tournament means a clean slate. If UNCG wins they keep playing, if they lose they go home, but that also goes for their opponents. The fun part about UNCG’s first game in the tournament is that it is against the same team who beat them last, the College of Charleston Cougars. While the Cougars are ranked higher than the Spartans, anything can happen. If the Spartans win they can knock the Cougars out of their last SoCon tournament, as the Cougars are going to the Colonial league. The Cougars may be feeling like they own the Spartans, but UNCG can prove them wrong and who knows, only three wins equals a SoCon title. the Phoenix looked well on their way to the sweep with a commanding 19-15 lead. UNCG showed some grit though and battled back with four straight points, forcing an Elon timeout. Two of those points came from Olivia Humphries, another from Karrian Chambers, and the other from an Elon error. The two teams traded points past the 25 required to win the set until UNCG was finally able to end the match with a victory. Karrian Chambers pushed the Spartans to their seventh set point and gave UNCG a 30-29 lead. Julia Westerbur followed that up with a set clinching victory and avoided the sweep on senior night for the Spartans. Elon could not be held at bay though as the Phoenix jumped on the Spartans early in the fourth (and final) set and never trailed. Elon used an 8-2 run midway through the set to turn what was a 9-6 lead into a 17-9 deficit for the Spartans. UNCG fought back closing to within two points at 20-18 but could not pull of the comeback and extend the match as Elon closed out the set with a 5-2 run and an attack error by the Spartans gave Elon the victory. Karrian Chambers led the Spartans with 21 kills, while Olivia Humphries supplied 15 and Morgan Freeman contributed 11 of her own. Senior Ari Lysacek finished up her final home game at Fleming with 48 assists, 3 kills and 13 digs. under the Matt Ryan era. This is the same team that scored only two points last year against the eventual Super Bowl champion New York Giants. Look, this isn’t a testament to Ryan’s play. Even with a career high 411 yards passing, the Falcons lost to the Saints this week. Rather, I’m just bringing up the Falcons and the way they historically underperform during games that matter. In their defense, the Falcons have playmakers all over the field. With wide receiver tandem Julio Jones and Roddy White and with Hall of Fame bound tight end Tony Gonzalez, pro bowl caliber Matt Ryan has plenty of weapons to throw to and score points with. Although Michael Turner is aging, he has still been able to produce, though not as well as he has usually played. The defense has played the pass well, though they are 25th in the league in opponents rushing yards per game. Even though the Falcons have the best record in the league, they are not the best team in football. It’s going to take more than barely beating losing teams to show me they can compete in the playoffs. I’m not saying they can’t, just saying they have to show me. Phoenix spoil Senior Night Charleston routs UNCG in SoCon tourney preview Falcons from page 19 Sports WWW.UNCGCAROLINIAN.COM Nov. 14-20, 2012 T h e C a r o l i n i a n 19 Gary Bettman, the worst commissioner in sports Falcons not flying high in the national media Jose Torres Staff Writer Joseph Abraham Staff Writer Every commissioner has to deal with labor agreements expiring, and the good ones handle the situation in the sport’s offseason. In the worst case scenario, commissioners try to work hard to minimize the number of games lost if an agreement is not reached by the time the season starts. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has been the example of what not to do as commissioner. Since 1993, Bettman had three lockouts and no success getting the players and owners to come to any sort of deal. Bettman’s first lockout occurred before the 1994-95 season. The main issue was the implementation of a salary cap. Half way through the year, the owners and Bettman caved in to reach a deal. At the end of the labor dispute, none of the owners’ demands were met. This resulted in the NHL season lasting 48 games The word disrespect has gotten tossed around when describing the one loss Atlanta Falcons. After starting the season 8-0, many players such as Tony Gonzalez questioned the lack of media attention the Falcons were getting on big networks such as ESPN. “It’s the national media making a big deal about us like they would if it was Philly, Green Bay, or New England? No, they’re not,” Gonzalez told Jim Corbett of USA Today. “We played Philly instead of 84 that year. After the 1994-95 season ended, the NHL faced ten years of peace until the worst lockout situation in American sports history. In 2004, Bettman and the owners once again locked out the players. The main area of disagreement between the two sides was the growth in player salaries. The owners and Bettman argued that player salaries grew faster than the revenue growth of the league. Bettman claimed that the disconnect between the growth of the league and player salaries cost the NHL up to $300 million. Bettman and the owners’ desire for a salary cap to try and solve this problem led them to not back down this time. The result was the cancellation of the entire 2004 NHL season. This is significant because it was the first time any sports league in North America had to cancel an entire season of action. Many people praised Bettman for getting the NHL to have a salary cap, but wondered if it was worth the negative effects against the league by the fans. While hockey is not viewed as America’s most favorite sport, its constant action, with just the right mix of speed, athleticism and the good old fashioned violence quite entertaining to watch. Hockey’s fan base may not be as large as that of the NFL or the NBA; it still attracts a large group of very loyal and dedicated fans. Many NHL fans were outraged that a whole season of hockey was missed. In addition, NHL lost their network deal with ESPN, which made it harder to watch hockey and beat them. And Philly was on TV all week.” I understand Gonzalez’s frustration, but let’s not crown the Falcons just yet. One of the reasons why teams like the Eagles are getting more media attention instead of the Falcons is because those teams have more intriguing story lines. Unfortunately for the Falcons, the media is out to make money and cover teams like the train wreck Eagles. So if players like Gonzalez are looking for media attention, than obviously they are playing for the wrong goals. Gonzalez does mention later in the interview on USA Today that he doesn’t care about the lack of media attention, which pretty much contradicts his earlier point. “Our goals are bigger than just getting national media attention. They’ll recognize us if we go where we want to go. I’ve day-dreamed about raising that Lombardi Trophy. I can see it in my mind.” Are the Falcons good enough to lift said trophy? Contrary to their 8-1 record, I believe the Falcons aren’t even top in their conference, let alone the NFL. The Falcons barely squeaked out wins against teams like the Panthers, Redskins, Raiders, and Cowboys. The idea usually is when teams find multiple ways to win then it proves their determination. However, barely beating sub-.500 teams shows the opposite. Yes, a win is a win but if Falcon fans want us to crown them, then they will have to do a little more to prove their worth. The Falcons obviously do not control who they face, but this year the record of their opponents through week 10 is 30-50. Even though they’ve had a stellar season, their opponents haven’t been. Looking at the rest of their schedule, the Falcons still have two games against the resurgent Buccaneers, a home game against the Saints (who just beat them), one against the Super Bowl Champions, and a Monday Night Game against the Lions. Their other two games are against the terrible Cardinals and Panthers. Even if the Falcons go through the rest of the schedule unscathed, it will not be enough for me to picture this team as a favorite to win it all. Let’s not forget, this is the same team that has not won a playoff game yet A haunting reminder for hockey fans: an empty space on the Stanley Cup represents the lost season from the last NHL CBA disagreement See lockout, page 17 See falcons, page 17 photo courtesy themathewblack/flickr 20 T h e C a r o l i n i a n Nov. 14-20, 2012 WWW.UNCGCAROLINIAN.COM Sports Season starts on a sour note in High Point Ian Foster Sports Editor With games against High Point, Winston-Salem State, and East Carolina, the UNCG men’s basketball team had an opportunity to start the season 3-0 ahead of their Greensboro Coliseum clash against Virginia Tech. Unfortunately, the Spartans dropped the first of those three in an 81-73 loss at High Point on Friday night. High Point forward John Brown went off, scoring 28 points and grabbing 8 rebounds. UNCG was led by junior Trevis Simpson with 18 points and freshman Kayel Locke with 17 points off the bench. In a sense, it was impressive that the game ended up as close as it was. The Panthers used the small but energetic sell-out crowd to power themselves to a 6-point halftime lead. UNCG seemed to settle into the flow of the game by halftime until High Point hit another level out of the break. The Panthers outscored UNCG 17-4 over the first 6:18 of the second half to take a seemingly insurmountable 56-37 lead. However, the Spartans immediately responded with an impressive 27-10 run over the next eleven minutes. Locke dominated the first portion, scoring nine points which culminated in a jumper to cut the Panthers’ lead to 63- 57 with 4:31 to go. Then, as will likely be the case with many a UNCG game this season, it was Simpson’s turn to take over. After High Point hit a three to extend their lead back to nine points, Simpson responded with a three of his own. Six Simpson points and 90 seconds later, the lead was cut to 70-68. Unfortunately, that was as close as UNCG would get, as the Panthers closed out the game hitting seven of their final eight free throws. After the game, coach Wes Miller commented on the disappointing season opener. “Obviously, this is not the result we wanted but I am proud the guys never quit fighting and made the run we did in the second half,” Miller said. “We still need to learn what it takes to win games and the effort we showed in that 12-minute span in the second half is the type of effort we need on both ends of the floor the entire game.” Expectations are high for the Spartans this year. This loss against a team in High Point which lost their two leading scorers and posted a lower season-ending RPI than UNCG last year may quell a few of those expectations. Women’s basketball falls to Bucs in opener Everick Davis Staff Writer Beginning the 43rd season for the UNCG Spartans Women Basketball Team, the Spartans looked to get off to a good start and grab the season opener against the Charleston Southern Buccaneers. The Spartans were trying to get off to a good start and improve off of last season’s 4-25 record. Our Spartans do excellent at home posting a 193-83 home record of games played at the Fleming Gym, but this game was played in Asheville, NC at the Kimmel Arena and didn’t fare as well as Spartan fans all would hope. The Spartans fell to the Buccaneers 60 to 57. The Spartans began the game banging in the paint coming out with 6 of their 11 first points down low in the post. Everything seemed to be going right as the team was forcing turnovers and got a few points off of them. After that, trouble came as the Buccaneers went on a 16 to 0 run over the next 6 minutes to gain a small lead. Even a run couldn’t hold the Spartans back as they started draining three pointers and soon it was only a two point game. Eventually both teams heading to the locker rooms with the score tied at 28 a piece. The game looked close and both evenly matched both teams looked to take an advantage coming out of the half. The Buccaneers came out the second half blazing, going on a 14 to 3 run to start the first seven minutes of the second half. The Spartans fought back and got within four points right around the ten minute mark of the second half. At this point, both teams started trading baskets as the score was 50 to 44 in Charleston Southern’s favor around the five minute mark. Down by 8 points, the Spartans went on a 6 to 0 run of their own to cut the game down to a 2 point Buccaneer lead. The Spartans and Buccaneers fought down to the very end as the Spartans cut the lead down to 58 to 57. Around this time basketball games usually turn into the free throw game. That’s exactly what happened as Charleston Southern drained both free throws. Down 3, the only chance the team had was a three pointer at the buzzer. Even after a good shot, the Spartans just couldn’t pull it out ], with the final score being 60 to 57. Freshmen point guard Lucy Fri UNCG 73 High Point 81 Sat UNCG 57 Charl. So. 60 emma barker/The carolinian Despite the best of efforts of Simpson, shown here in last week’s exhibition, UNCG fell to HPU See high point, page 17 See asheville, page 17
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Title | The Carolinian [November 14, 2012] |
Date | 2012-11-14 |
Editor/creator | Coy, Kacie |
Subject headings |
University of North Carolina at Greensboro--Newspapers College student newspapers and periodicals-- North Carolina--Greensboro Student publications--North Carolina--Greensboro Student activities--North Carolina--History |
Place | Greensboro (N.C.) |
Description | The November 14, 2012, issue of The Carolinian, the student newspaper of The University of North Carolina at Greensboro. |
Type | Text |
Original format | Newspapers |
Original publisher | Greensboro, N.C. : The University of North Carolina at Greensboro |
Language | eng |
Contributing institution | Martha Blakeney Hodges Special Collections and University Archives, UNCG University Libraries |
Publication | The Carolinian |
Rights statement | http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/ |
Additional rights information | NO COPYRIGHT - UNITED STATES. This item has been determined to be free of copyright restrictions in the United States. The user is responsible for determining actual copyright status for any reuse of the material. |
Object ID | 2012-11-14-carolinian |
Date digitized | 2012 |
Digital master format | Application/pdf |
Digital publisher | The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, University Libraries |
Digitized by | Creekside Digital |
Sponsor | Lyrasis Members and Sloan Foundation |
Full text | News Page 2 Opinions Page 6 A&E Page 10 Features Page 14 Sports Page 20 Wednesday, November 14-20 • Volume XCIII Number 12 For love of a nation The Carolinian celebrates our veterans and our 2nd term President Photo Courtesy Beverly&Pack/Flickr The Carolinian Established 1919 Box N1 EUC UNCG Greensboro, NC, 27413 Phone: (336) 334-5752 Fax: (336) 334-3518 Editorial and Business Staff Derrick Foust Publisher Publisher.Carolinian@gmail.com Kaycie Coy Editor-in-Chief Editor.Carolinian@gmail.com Laura Brewer News Editor News.Carolinian@gmail.com Ashley Northup Opinions Editor Opinions.Carolinian@gmail.com Arvé Byrd Arts & Entertainment Editor AE.Carolinian@gmail.com Ian Foster Sports Editor Sports.Carolinian@gmail.com Christopher McCracken Features Editor Features.Carolinian@gmail.com Autumn Wells Advertising Manager Ads.Carolinian@gmail.com Corrections Policy The Carolinian never know-ingly publishes any mistakes. Please promptly notify us of any errors by e-mailing the Editor-in-Chief at Editor.Carolinian@gmail.com, or calling (336) 334-5752. Corrections will be published on page 2 in sub-sequent issues of The Carolinian. Mission Statement The Carolinian is a teaching newspaper that is organized and produced by students of the Uni-versity of North Carolina at Greens-boro. It is our objective to teach young writers journalistic skills while emphasizing the importance of honesty and integrity in campus media. News 2 T h e C a r o l i n i a n Nov. 14-20, 2012 WWW.UNCGCAROLINIAN.COM Decision 2012: Obama takes another four years Aaron Bryant Staff Writer President Barack Obama won a second term as President of the United States of America late Tuesday Nov. 6., winning eight of the nine battleground states. Republican nominee Mitt Romney conceded around 1 a.m. Wednesday morning, and the country waited to see what President Obama will do with a second term. Incumbent Obama defeated Republican nominee Mitt Romney on election night. The electoral results stood at 332 for President Obama and 206 for Governor Romney. Eight states that were very close in the polls went to Obama, including Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Ohio, Florida, Iowa Colorado, Virginia and Nevada. Governor Romney won North Carolina. In his concession speech, Governor Romney congratulated The First Family, saying he wishes them and the country well. Romney said later that he will not run for President again. Minorities, women, indepen-dent voters, and young voters all helped with Obamas re-election. 55 percent of all women voted for Obama. Governor Romney got only 27 percent of the His-panic vote, the fastest growing ethnic group in the country, compared to Obama’s 71 per-cent. 60 percent of voters ages 18-29 voted for Obama. 56 per-cent of Independent voters vot-ed for Obama as well. The group that did vote for Romney tended to be Caucasian, received higher income, older, and has a reli-gious background. These quali-ties have sparked debates among members of the GOP. Moderate Republicans saying they must divorce themselves of the widely perceived ideological right wing tea party, while more conserva-tive Republicans argue that Mitt Romney was not conservative enough. In his victory speech, President Obama said, “Tonight, more than 200 years after a former colony won the right to determine its own destiny, the task of perfecting our union moves forward.” The President also showed his appreciation for what he called “the best campaign team and volunteers in the history of politics.” This is due in large part to Obama For America’s highly sophisticated, data driven system resulting in its early lead in the polls as well as the dedication of volunteers. Using a hybrid of social media, emails, texts and phone calls, the team was able to propel the President to an electoral landslide. With his win, President Obama recieved a second chance to continue to fix the nation’s problems, including congressional gridlock, enhanced political polarization, ongoing war, and a tepid but persistent economic recovery. The President moved quickly on Friday to begin negotiations with congressional leaders on the sequestration, automatic expiration of the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts, and big cuts to entitlement and military spending. The country’s’ payroll taxes are set to automatically go up next year, and the debt ceiling will need to be raised as well. President Obama is in a position of leverage. Top Democrats say the President has learned from his dealings with Congressional Republicans, Courtesy artdelarue_/Flickr Supporters posted photos of the President iconically in celebration of his reelection into the oval office. and will use this information to discuss a more bipartisan deal. Obama, while on record as saying the Fiscal Cliff and Immigration reform will be his priorities in 2013, is also going to work to secure his legacy. His most historic legislation, The Affordable Care Act, is here to stay, along with his Wall Street reforms. He plans to invest in infrastructure and clean energy, raise taxes on those making over one million dollars, and will end the war in Afghanistan in 2014. He has come out against D.O.M.A. and may have the chance to appoint two or three Supreme Court justices. While 2008 was about limitless hope, 2012 was more about hope’s limits. The election was seen as a historic display of open contempt between the two major parties in American politics. Relentless attacks by both sides resulted in a lower turnout than in 2008. Now more than ever, the President must overcome his most difficult obstacle; getting both parties to work together. News WWW.UNCGCAROLINIAN.COM Nov. 14-20, 2012 T h e C a r o l i n i a n 3 Hurricane Sandy pulls shades down on city that never sleeps Courtesy Thewanderingworld/Flickr The Empire State Building remains the only lit structure in New York City as widespread power outages black out the island. Stephanie Cistrunk Staff Writer As election season wrapped up on Tuesday, families in the Northeast of the country continued to mourn the loss of family and friends who were killed by the grim Hurricane Sandy. What was once thought of as a tropical wave or storm quickly turned into a massive and fearful hurricane. On Oct. 19, weather officials reported Sandy as a tropical wave. In six hours, it had turned into a tropical storm and by Oct. 24 was a hurricane, as winds reached 74 mph in the Caribbean. As the hurricane gained strength over the waters, it turned into a Category 2 storm. Hurricane Sandy tore through the Caribbean, hitting everything from the recovering Haiti to Cuba. At least 64 people were killed in the Caribbean, with a majority of the fatalities occurring in Haiti. On Oct 28, government forecasters alerted the U.S public about the storm developing in the Caribbean, adding that a super storm could be heading towards the U.S Northeast. Government officials in states in the path of the storm began an immediate course of action for evacuations. At least 15,000 airline flights were cancelled, and over five hundred schools in the NY and NJ districts closed. States in the projected path of storm included Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, and Vermont. Utility companies, FEMA shelters, and hotels in these states began to prepare for Sandy, as the warnings had predicted massive flooding, power outages, 80 mph winds, and large amounts of rain and possibly sleet. Hundreds of thousands of Americans in states like New York and New Jersey were told to evacuate their homes and head to shelters. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie met with local officials imploring people to evacuate their homes immediately. “If you’re staying there, you’re just stupid,” Christie said. “It’s just plain stupid to stay. For any folks on barrier islands right now and you still have power, yes, I’m calling you stupid. It’s very difficult for us to order first responders to go in there and try to save folks.” On Oct. 29, around 8 p.m., Hurricane Sandy made landfall in the US near Atlantic City, NJ. Wind speeds were at 80 mph and ocean tides were over 20 percent higher than normal. Trees and power lines were brought down by the strong winds as the streets began to flood. While many decided to stay and board up their homes, most people decided to heed the possible threats of the storm and abandon their residences. Some who could not get out in time found themselves trapped in by flood waters and had to be transported in boats by rescue teams on standby. Nearby, in boroughs like Queens, NY, nearly 80 homes were destroyed in a single fire. In addition, some people died from electrocutions caused by stepping in standing water where a power line had fallen. Ocean water surged over seawalls and poured into the streets of Lower Manhattan, flooding subway stations, tunnels, parks and the electric system, which powers Wall Street. Florida, North Carolina, West Virginia D.C, and those in the New England territory also experienced massive rain and wind, resulting in some fatalities. Almost 8 million Americans were left without power for multiple days at a time. Panic See Sandy, page 4 News 4 T h e C a r o l i n i a n Nov. 14-20, 2012 WWW.UNCGCAROLINIAN.COM International News Briefs Malawi suspending anti-gay laws for now Swedish Man shoots himself inside prime minister’s residence Compiled By: Alaina Monts Bahrain police to block mosque access Fights broke out in Bahrain this week as authorities tried to prevent thousands of opposition supporters at a mosque from hearing a sermon. This unrest comes after the capital, Manama, experienced a series of bombings earlier this week. The government has also decided to take away the citizenship of 31 opposition activists. Amidst the commotion, a teenage boy was hit by a car and killed as he crossed a busy road in the area. Ali Abbas Radhi, a sixteen-year- old, was detained by police according to witnesses and his family. He later escaped and was hit by the car as police pursued him. The Ministry of Interior admitted that Radhi was killed but never mentioned the arrest. There has been little progress in dialogue between the government and the opposition parties, and violence has been at an all-time high in the past couple of weeks. The U.S. State Department has condemned the bombings, saying that the violence had “claimed the lives of protestors, of security forces, of innocent bystanders.” Victoria Nuland a spokesperson for the State Department said the violence is undercutting the “process of national reconciliation that we have strongly been urging on Bahrainis of all stripes.” More than 100 hundred civilians and six police officers have been killed by the intermittent violence since protests began in February 2011. Malawi has chosen to shelve its laws against homosexuality pending on a vote to repeal them, according to a rights group. This is a bold move for Malawi on the African continent where many countries have criminalized such relationships. In a statement given by Amnesty International, the justice minister said that while the laws are suspended, police cannot arrest or prosecute any homosexuals until the parliament votes. The current penalty for same-sex marraige is 14 years imprisonment. Malawi’s laws were brought to international attention in 2010 after two men were arrested for getting married. The two were later pardoned due to the international outcry. “Amnesty International welcomes Minister (Ralph) Kasambara’s statement and hopes it serves as the first step toward ending discrimination and persecution based on real or perceived sexual orientation and gender identity in Malawi,” Noel Kututwa, the rights group’s director for southern Africa, told CNN. Earlier this year, the President, Joyce Banda pledged to review the laws as a way to try and boost relationships with international financial donors. Critics accused her predecessor of rebelling against the international community and risking foreign aid that could benefit the poor. Many foreign donors have threatened to withhold aid if the country moves forward with the anti-gay laws. In Sweden, a man was found dead after an incident at Sager House, the official residence of the Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt. The police department of Stockholm confirmed his death earlier last week. Officials do not view the incident as a terrorist attack. According to a police spokesperson, the man involved with the incident is not connected with the Swedish government in any way. Police are continuing investigations to discover the circumstances of his death. The victim’s family has not yet been notified of the incident that caused his death. According to the UK newspaper The Telegraph, the victim was a security guard who shot and killed himself inside of the residence using his officially issued firearm. The guard was hired to protect the residence. He was discovered by a colleague after a lunch break at about 1:11 p.m. local time. Towe Hagg, a spokesperson for the Stockholm police, told reporters, “I can confirm that we have a deceased guard. He died inside Sager House.” The guard’s weapon was found next to his body. The Prime Minister was not present at his residence at the time of the incident, according to spokesperson Markus Friberg. “I can confirm that the prime minister was not in the building; he was in a meeting in another place. He and his family are fine. Police are trying to get more details about this incident,” Friberg said. sandy from page 3 arose for those in the path of Hurricane Sandy as they watched loved ones become trapped in the middle of the storm. Staten Island native Glenda Moore was ripped away from her 4 year old and 2 year old sons by a massive wall of water. A few days later, the two boys had been found dead in a marsh nearby. As Sandy proceeded, people waited with friends, family, and even strangers, praying for the end. On Nov. 1, the storm finally settled, and affected areas began to try and rebuild their lives. In total, Hurricane Sandy killed 185 people. “Sandy will end up causing about $20 billion in property damage and $10 billion to $30 billion more in lost business, making it one of the costliest natural disasters on record in the United States,” according to IHS Global Insight, a forecasting firm. The “Frankenstorm” is over, but the struggle for some to restart their lives is just beginning. News WWW.UNCGCAROLINIAN.COM Nov. 14-20, 2012 T h e C a r o l i n i a n 5 Weekly Forecast Today H: 51° L: 34° Thursday H: 55° L: 32° Friday H: 56° L: 33° Weekend H: 53° L: 34° Sunny Monday H: 54° L: 35° Mostly Cloudy Partly Cloudy Partly Cloudy Partly Cloudy Pat McCrory beats Walter Dalton in state election; NC votes in first republican governor in 20 years Elisabeth Wise Staff Writer Patrick McCrory, former mayor of Charlotte for 14 years, won the governor’s race Tuesday, Nov. 6, with 54.4 percent of the votes according to incomplete and unofficial results. McCrory’s win comes four years after he narrowly lost to Bev Perdue in the 2008 elections. Walter Dalton, stepped in as the democratic candidate for governor after Purdue surprisingly announced that she was not going to run for re-election. Dalton, a former state senator from Rutherfordton, was elected lieutenant governor in 2008, but he fell behind McCrory soon after winning the democratic primary. McCrory’s campaign outraised him 4 to 1, making it difficult for Dalton to get his message out. McCrory’s victory means he will be the first Republican governor in North Carolina in 20 years, the last being Jim Martin in 1993.The Republicans have maintained a majority in the General Assembly, which means that for the first time since the 1890s, Republicans will control both legislative and executive branch in North Carolina. McCrory will take the oath of office in January and will face the challenge of coming through on the pledges he made in his campaign. McCrory has said he will improve the economy and public education without necessarily spending more tax money and has pushed multiple reforms particularly in the education, where he wants two paths for high school students – one vocational and one preparation for a college degree. Tax reform is also a top priority, with McCrory promising to modernize the state’s tax system. On Thursday, Nov. 8 at a state government office building in Raleigh that will serve as his transition headquarters, McCrory revealed his transition team, a group of advisers and administrators who will help him transition into being North Carolina’s chief executive. The transition team will review policy issues, government operations and seek individuals from around the state and country who may join his administration. The team is also likely to help him in choosing Cabinet secretaries in state departments. The team includes Raleigh political veterans, Charlotte allies and business leaders. Top transition leaders are John Lassiter, senior chairman of transition operations, a Charlotte businessman, former city council member and Thomas Stith, transition director, who works at a private enterprise center at UNC-Chapel Hill and is a former city council member in Durham. Rep. Ed McMahan, a Charlotte Courtesy willamore media/Flickr Gubernatorial election winner Pat McCrory is pictured campaigning in Charlotte. architect, Raleigh real estate executive Mike Smith and retail company executive Art Pope are other operations co-chairmen. Senior advisers include former Lt. Gov. Jim Gardner, ex-House Speaker Joe Mavretic and Jack Hawke, a longtime GOP consultant who worked on McCrory’s campaign. McCrory told reporters, “What I’ve attempted to do on my steering committee is get a diverse group of people with ideas and individuals with varying policy philosophies”. Other election results include a majority Republican seat members in the House of Representatives with 9 to 4 Republican to Democrats. Opinions 6 T h e C a r o l i n i a n Nov. 14-20, 2012 WWW.UNCGCAROLINIAN.COM The election is over- a number of our friends are either elated or disappointed, some just downright indifferent. Now we have some breathing room between the election results and the reality of what the next four years of an Obama presidency will mean. Despite people’s groans and moans, President Obama will be our President until Jan. 20, 2017. Until then, what he does in his second term will define his legacy and impact our country in a very profound way. Obama has a lot of challenges ahead of him, and not just mending his relationship with Speaker of the House John Boehner. The biggest challenge is how we get our economy back on track. During his first term, 5.2 million new jobs were created, which is a start, but many college graduates are struggling to find work or are underemployed, which is something many of us are worried about, including myself this coming May. Related to that will be our deficit. Our deficit has grown under Obama’s presidency and it is starting to decrease a bit, but the real question will be what the Democrats do with the Bush tax cuts. As you might have heard during the debates, Republicans want to preserve the entire Bush tax cuts, including those in the top tax brackets. Democrats want to keep the tax cuts for every tax bracket but the top tax brackets, in effect raising the taxes that the wealthiest Americans pay. It is a mantra the President and the Democrats have touted since Obama’s reelection campaign. Whether this helps reduce our deficit remains to be seen, but it certainly cannot hurt. The President will be faced with difficult budget negotiations, particularly how much to cut from the budget and where to cut from the budget. I expect to see mandatory spending (mostly for Social Security and Medicare/Medicaid) to increase, while some programs in discretionary spending will either get cut completely or will take significant hits. It is not something the President, I imagine, feels comfortable with, but if he truly wants to work with Congressional Republicans, he is going to have to make some uncomfortable compromises. We will see the full effects of Obamacare under Obama’s second term. The President’s signature legislation is what has defined him in his first term, for better or for worse, and will come to full fruition in the next four years. Some of the key provisions we will see in 2013 will be extra funding from Medicare to states and increased funding for Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP.) In 2014, the law will roll out increased access to Medicaid for all lower income Americans, if your employer does not offer health insurance, you can buy into a program called the Affordable Insurance Exchange, which offers plans through private insurance companies that are ‘competitive’ (according to Healthcare.gov.). Getting out of Afghanistan and shifting money and resources to, as Obama calls it, nation-building at home, will be another key cornerstone effort of his second term. We can expect this to mean working on faltering and cracking infrastructures, schools, veteran’s benefits, and working to improve the economy. For a number of Americans, we have been in wars too long and it is time for some fixing schools here at home and not just in Iraq and Afghanistan. The President will also have to answer for Guantanamo Bay still operating and his use of drones during his first term. The President’s policies on social issues were a strong suit for him during his first term. He will need to continue those stances during his second term. His administration is the strongest for LGBT rights than any another administration in history. The repeal of DADT, national hate crimes legislation, and his open support for same sex marriage that already defined him as President benefits his continuous support. Obama and Congress will have to work on a comprehensive immigration law by 2017. This law will need to focus on how legal immigrants can earn an easier path to citizenship, and also for those here illegally, what levels of repercussions will be in place. The President and his administration have some time before the 2014 midterm elections, but with a Republican controlled House from 2013- 2015, his work is not going to be easy. For Obama, his administration is faced with many challenges on a number of different fronts, and for the country’s sake, not his party’s, I hope we can work toward collaborative measures that will improve our economy, our safety and security, and be a nation that represents the best of America. With politics being politics, it is easier said than done. Photo Courtesy nathanf/flickr Obama’s next four years depend on the second chance for cooperation. With a second term comes a second chance Samantha Korb Staff Writer Opinions WWW.UNCGCAROLINIAN.COM Nov. 14-20, 2012 T h e C a r o l i n i a n 7 The GOP rumor mill has been working overtime this year to shame women’s bodies, but the repercussions of these statements may be stronger than anticipated. It might be time to hang up your medical degree, gentlemen, or leave the science and medical information to the professionals. Before delving into the possible effects of these misinformed, and highly publicized, verbal assaults on women voters- let’s review! Missouri Representative Todd Akin stated that, “legitimate rape rarely causes pregnancies.” Paul Ryan, the GOP Vice Presidential Candidate, thought of rape as “another method of conception.” Richard Mourdock, a republican Senate candidate, felt that pregnancies resulting from rape were “something God intended.” Interestingly enough, women’s bodies do have a way of “shutting things down.” It might be of importance that while women’s bodies cannot prevent pregnancy in cases of rape- they can refuse to vote for a misinformed and misogynistic candidate. Statements like these are as old as elections themselves, and women’s bodies have long been a political “hot button.” Abortion, birth control, and basic information about reproductive health, is always on the table if a candidate needs a “shocking” one-liner. Although, what candidates do not always seem to consider, is that women hear these “one-liners.” Women do not always want to be represented by someone who would not allow abortion, or who trivializes rape. It would be interesting to see how rape were discussed by these same candidates if their own bodies were in danger. None of these candidates were elected to their desired office. While this is noteworthy, and in the aftermath of the election a lot of weight has been placed on the “woman’s vote,” it is important to pause and consider the focus placed on women’s minds now that the election is over. This transfer of interest from women’s wombs and reproductive anatomy to their ability to cast a ballot is somewhat of a phenomenon. Would this emphasis be placed on the power women wielded over the ballot if Romney had been elected? Or is it a simple solution to place the recent results on women, to put it plainly, “speaking up?” This is a dangerous train of thought, because it once again “others” women. Women have been the “other” throughout this entire political race, and while Obama’s views on women’s health care are beneficial, discussions of them were not highly publicized. Women’s health, bodies, reproductive rights, or lack thereof, were not a pivotal stance for either candidate. If women did base their votes on these platforms, and rest assure many considered them, they did so out of self-interest and self-informing. Now that the election is over, it is the “women’s vote” that may have turned some tides. What is so special about the “woman’s vote?” Is it necessary to imply such a gender binary to ballots, and if so, is it fair to suggest that only women care about women’s health? More than anything, it is important to consider the amount of disrespect women and minorities have received as a result of this election. One does not have to look far to see Facebook posts, Tumblrs dedicated to, and photos depicting a deep sense of racism, selfishness, and ignorance among all generations. America, as a whole, elected a president. American citizens, as a whole, chose not to re-elect candidates who have been made noteworthy through their violent and misogynistic “zingers.” If the focus is on “America,” then why are there so many uninformed citizens? Why are so many pointing fingers? Why are women and minorities just now being brought into the discussion? Maybe women did turn the tide, maybe minorities turned the tide, and maybe in the future, all candidates will consider these important voices and votes. Discussion of women needed beyond election This past Tuesday was a piv-otal turning point in the world of American politics. The voter rejected growth in the economy, freedom from government regu-lations, and an America with the courage to stand up to hostile na-tions like Iran. Instead, the elec-torate voted for Barack Obama. Immediately upon Obama’s victory, the stock market dropped by hundreds of points. The producers in American so-ciety – the “99 percent” that are expected to pay for the follies of his administration – imme-diately began to lay off workers. Anyone wondering if the Obama administration would finally become more “transparent” was also quickly rebuked. The media Romney’s ideology lost him the presidency found out that Iran had attacked a piece of American military equipment in international wa-ters, with the news being hidden by our executive branch until after the election. To top it off, General David Petraeus resigned as CIA director after an affair with his biographer. This also suspiciously happened right af-ter Obama’s re-election. The shock from Obama’s re-election, and the subsequent af-termath, has left conservatives wondering: what do we do now? In March of 2011 I wrote an article endorsing Newt Gingrich as the Republican nominee for president of the United States. I wrote about the myth that con-servatism was an anti-intellec-tual movement. “This couldn’t be any farther from the truth,” I argued. “Conservatism has its roots in the French Revolution, when traditional liberal artists and contemporary thinkers felt that the movement to overthrow the ruling class was ‘moving too fast’ – that activists were govern-ing emotionally, rather than us-ing reason.” The movement that conser-vatives opposed then is as ex-pansive and irrational as it is now. Many voters chose their nominee based on characteris-tics unrelated to the job, like his “coolness” factor or the fact that he hangs out with Jay-Z. Many more voters voted in support of their personal self-interests, without taking into account the needs of the country. The Ameri-can federal government is mov-ing too fast, and is giving as little critical thought to items like the federal deficit as the French gave to Napoleon. The modern right wing has also got the same treatment that early supporters of the move-ment got. In my article, I wrote that, “Conservatives like Ed-mund Burke, who initially sup-ported the Revolution, were castigated as “elites, bent on pro-tecting the bourgeois” when they decided that that the movement could no longer work.” Forget that most Democratic politi-cians at the national level are millionaires. Forget that many of America’s “millionaires” and “billionaires” are self-made and earned their money. If you do not believe that the government should transfer wealth from one segment of the population to an-other on a whim, you are now an elite. Later in that article, I support-ed the still fledgling campaign for Newt Gingrich as the Repub-lican nominee. I pointed out that Gingrich had a strong intellectu-al background and ideas to lead the United States into the 21st century. To top it off, he had the courage to stand up to the fawn-ing liberal media. The Republican instead chose another “safe” moderate, and the Obama machine made easy work of the Romney campaign. As the Grand Old Party moves forward, conservatives need to get into gear and choose a can-didate with both the intellectual capacity and the courage to ad-vance the movement to a gen-eration of voters that never saw Ronald Reagan. Refusing to do so will send the conservative ide-ology to the history books. Emily Ritter Staff Writer Chris McCracken Features Editor Opinions 8 T h e C a r o l i n i a n Nov. 14-20, 2012 WWW.UNCGCAROLINIAN.COM Following an election, there is an all-encompassing sigh of relief that blankets the nation. The world slows for a day or two while we allow eachother to absorb the results, and newly unemployed college interns catch up on six months worth of laundry and coming up with new excuses for their poor eating habits. Then life goes back to normal, for the most part. Every election, people try to convince us that “this election is the most important election of our life,” and life will never go back to normal if we do not vote for X or Y, against Z. Nonetheless, once the excitement from the results has worn down, it does in fact return to the status quo for the most part. Then comes 2012. Although I still would not recommend anyone bet their lunch money on the Mayans, this year certainly did flip the world on its axis politically. North Carolina voted in such a manner that our state should be legitimately concerned for the next two and four years. The good news is that virtually the entire United States voted in the opposite direction. If we think about our corner of the world, this election has been a magnificent roller coaster of emotions. The battle that took place in the Primary over the constitutional amendment regarding marriage, popularly known as Amendment One, divided our state. To the right were the emphatically religious who believed they were protecting, if not their religious values or the misconstrued notion that this nation was founded by religious principles, the rights of their citizens to vote on matters with the confidence that a court could not simply overturn their decision. To the left there were those of the LGBT community that knew it would only further complicate their effort to one day achieve equal rights within their homestate, those who sought to explain how the language of the bill also referred to unmarried heterosexual couples, and those who simply could not stand the fact that the rights of a minority group were being voted on as if they were a matter of opinion to begin with. The most difficult part of the night when Amendment One passed was not necessarily that we allowed minority votes to be voted on, and not necessarily that the majority of those who voted chose to uphold legal discrimination. It was, instead, that roughly 30 percent of our eligible voters bothered to show up to the polls at all, and successfully amended our constitution. Fast forward to the General Election. North Carolina almost always swings right for the President, left for the Governor, and is competitive for the General Assembly and Council of State. However, Governor Beverly Perdue is the single most unpopular Governor in the United States of America, which advantages the Republican candidate Pat McCrory. The state defected from the Solid South in 2008 and voted for Barack Obama, making it a battleground state that Barack Obama could potentially win. Because the General Assembly was governored by a supermajority of Republicans when the census was taken, the new redistricted map of our State Senate and House districts are ridiculously gerrymandered in a way that favors Republicans. These factors make it inevitable that the 2012 General Election will be more competitive than an average race in North Carolina. And then the story hits that the North Carolina had the largest voter registration drive in the entire United States, and we know that it is absolutely game time, and both sides are playing for keeps. The state and national Republican party contributed to local municipal races, such as the county commissioner race in Guilford County, and in our state judicial races. Although youth voter turnout was up, large counties such as Guilford once again voted for Barack Obama, and there were individually more ballots casted for Democrats than Republicans, our state not only cast its elecotral votes for Mitt Romney, but for Republicans almost completely down the line. For the first time in nearly a quarter century, we will have a Republican Governor, with a supermajority Republican General Assembly, Republican judges, and the ever-persistent Elevator Queen, Cherie Berry as Labor Commissioner. For liberals and progressives who were distracted by their excitement that Barack Obama was re-elected, I must compel you not to cheer too loudly - most of the most pertinent decisions facing our state will be decided in our General Assembly, and they do not share your worldview. However, progressives and liberals do have reasons to cheer, and there are much better reasons to argue that the 2012 Election was unlike any election, and will possibly change the rest of our lives. Forty percent of the nation is now represented by women. Further, candidates like Todd Akin will no longer be on the Science Committee, sharing their genius hypotheses about the human reproduction cycle in a far away land that does not actually exist, because they were replaced by women. Marijuana, a drug behind a majority of the non-violent arrests that have taken place since our nation declared a “war on drugs,” has been legalized (or at the very least, decriminalized) in Colorado and Washington state. Maine, Maryland, and Washington broke a 32-state streak by voting to legalize marriage equality and extend the rights to define legal partnership as marriage to the LGBT community. Further, Minnesota successfully defeated their own version of Amendment One. Ted Martin, the Executive director of Equality Pennsylvania, has expressed that the fundamental success for marriage equality around the nation will take root in these specific victories. Equality Pennsylvania endorsed five candidates who vocally supported gay marriage in statewide races, and all five candidates won their races. That kind of achievement will make it more difficult for other candidates to say, “I have to support you quietly, because otherwise I will lose”. In Wisconsin, Tammy Baldwin was elected as the first openly gay senator. It is absolutely vital that we continue A woman’s place is in the senate Emily Brown Staff Writer “I still would not recommend anyone bet their lunch money on the Mayans. “ to iterate she is merely the first to be open about her sexuality, and not necessarily the first homosexual senator. In Barack Obama’s home state of Hawaii (and not only to remind you that it is in fact his home state), a Buddhist senator and a Hindu representative became the first of either faith group to be elected to Congress. Buddhism is not a religion, but is a spiritual outlook and included in discourse regarding faith, so both mark progress for those interested in the nation representing more than simply the Christian spectrum. So for those disheartened or concerned for North Carolina, as I found myself in the days immediately following the election, take comfort in the fact that the nation as a whole moved to the left (or forward, if we want to be topical.) Redrawn districts can only combat a changing philosophy for so long, just as discrimination can only combat the courts for so long and voter suppression can only combat a change in demographics for so long. America is becoming more colorful, more female-driven, less fundamentally Christian and less straight. The way to handle that is not to suppress, discourage, or fraudantly cast votes. The way to combat that is not to convince well-meaning human beings to vote against their best interest. The only genuine way to handle the way that America is changing is to embrace it, take part in it, and build up a generation that you would be proud to belong to. The 2012 election was different from any election in American history, and as a North Carolinian it hurt, but as an American I enjoyed every second of it. Opinions WWW.UNCGCAROLINIAN.COM Nov. 14-20, 2012 T h e C a r o l i n i a n 9 While Mitt Romney may have lost the 2012 Presidential Election, there are many candidates who won, and only one of them is named Obama. The others are the Republicans who have been running in the 2016 shadow primary, quietly preparing their resumes for a presidential run and waiting to see if Romney would (hopefully) lose. Now that Obama has been named best in show for the next four years, another horse race begins. The Republican Party’s casting call is shrouded in historical and philosophical significance. Ever since George Bush left the White House, his battered party has drifted aimlessly on the political sea. Leaderless and without vision, the GOP decided to regale its most extremist members with talk of Birtherism, legitimate rape, and economics severed from arithmetic rather than offer sound policy critiques. In addition to lacking a leader and vision since the days of W, the Republicans are finally seeing the demographic changes that they have been warned about for decades. Obama was reelected thanks to his support among Hispanics, women, and young people, three groups which will likely see their numbers grow in the coming decades. If the party declines to appeal to these voters, they will cease to exist as a national party. The 2012 contests are proof of this. The GOP had ten seats up in the Senate versus the Democrats thirty-three. Still, the Republicans managed to lose two seats by nominating Todd Akin and Richard Murdock, both of whom were stridently anti-abortion, in Missouri and Indiana respectively. Each candidate made comments about women’s bodies and abortion that were out of step with the voters of these states, possibly costing their party the majority in the United States Senate. Governor Romney ran to the right of 2008 Republican presidential nominee John McCain on immigration issues and suffered the consequences when the votes were tallied. Hispanics now make up ten percent of the 2012 electorate and Obama carried them with 71 to 29 percent, a four percent increase from his showing in 2008. Fox News Analyst Juan Williams pointed that had Romney won just thirty-five percent of the Hispanic vote, he would have won the election. The Hispanic population is now the single most important swing category in national politics and if the Republicans want to continue on as a national party, they must temper their immigration rhetoric and policy stances. Another important voting bloc were young voters. Many pundits predicted that the surge in voting by those between the age of eighteen and thirty was a hope and change fluke. The data is telling a different story. Young voters turned out in numbers similar to 2008. These voters tend to be more socially liberal, although many of them consider themselves fiscally conservative. They were likely strong supporters of the marijuana legalization referendums that passed in Colorado and Washington State as well as the measures that legalized gay marriage in Maryland, Minnesota, Washington State, and Maine. Republicans need to do better among these voters as well and their best hope is by nominating candidates who share this generation’s social values. While the task to rebuild the GOP is daunting, it must be done for the sake of the two-party system. Luckily, there is a long list of handymen and women ready to get to work. These potential party leaders vary in age, gender, and occupation but all share a love of party and country. The most obvious name to mention is 2012 Republican Vice Presidential nominee and House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan. The forty-two year old was reelected to his Wisconsin seat with less support than in previous contests but he will likely remain an important figure in any Republican resurgence. The second name that comes to mind is New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. Elected in 2009 to be the red governor of a very blue state, Governor Christie has a personality to match his expansive waistline. Known for tough talk and jokes at others expense, Christie has received high marks as governor for his efforts to reform state government, lower the state’s notoriously high property taxes, and for bringing the Garden State GOP back from the grave. He was talked about as a presidential or vice presidential candidate in 2012 and delivered the keynote address at the party’s convention in Tampa. In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, he put aside partisan politics and offered praise for the president’s leadership. He is expected to face a stiff reelection challenge against Newark Mayor and friend Cory Booker in 2013, but if reelected, the GOP may see him as a leader who can talk tough while offering bipartisan results. The Party has many potential presidents fighting the Democratic agenda on the frontline in Washington. The leading possibility is Florida Senator Marco Rubio who has been praised for his Obamaesque oratory skills, his conservative principles, as well as his desire to see his party’s reach out to more Latinos. Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky is one of the greatest Tea Party success stories. Armed with fiscal conservative credentials and the youth supporters of his father, Texas Congressman Ron Paul, Senator Paul could make a real case for small government conservatism as the path to victory in the future. The Party’s renaissance could also come from the states where there is no lack of talent. Governor Susana Martinez of the swing state New Mexico is the first Latina governor in the country. Bobby Jindal of Louisiana has had numerous federal and state offices and is noted as being one of the nation’s leading Indian American politicians. Bob McDonnell of Virginia, Scott Walker of Wisconsin, and Governor-elect Pat McCrory of North Carolina have been named as well. While Obama may have won 2012, 2016 is just beginning and the race is anything but decided. If Republicans nominate the right leader with an articulate vision, the party could be on the cusp of one of greatest comebacks in American political history. Photo Courtesy BOB JAGENDORF/FLICKR Is Chris Christie a contender? The fight for the Republicans, 2016 Joseph Winberry Staff Writer A&E 10 T h e C a r o l i n i a n Nov. 14-20, 2012 WWW.UNCGCAROLINIAN.COM Often times when someone knows a limited amount of information about something, misconceptions are created. It is inevitable. Such a topic that carries a vast amount of misconceptions is the continent of Africa. Media masses often tend to communicate to the world most of Africa’s conflicts and portray an image that does not characterize the continent and its countries accurately. On Nov. 10, the African Student Union (ASU) of UNCG broke through Africa’s stereotypes and showed the EUC auditorium the rich cultures of their countries, the happiness and joy they carry, and the progress and advancement of Africa today. Ajaratu Cole and Kelvin Okons, the hosts of the night, lead the audience through a number of performances and videos that failed to escape anyone’s attention. The night began with a video to set the atmosphere of the room. A clip from Disney’s “The Lion King” reminded the audience of how they should feel that night, with “Hakuna Matata” or no worries as the message. This theme was exactly what the members of the ASU emphasized. Tafadzwa Gumede spoke before the performances started. “I am Africa, not the Africa you have in your mind. Let me tell you about the Africa that I am.” With these words, ASU students took the crowd through a variety of characteristics of their continent. Skits, songs and dances put attendees on their feet and took many back to their homeland. A fashion show took place with beautiful models wearing traditional clothing. Stunning patterns and colors glowed with them as they made their way through the stage. Males also participated in showing the beautiful simplicity and liveliness of African clothing. After an intermission with food and refreshments, student Taiyanna Yates sang lyrics of Bob Marley. His song “Redemption Song” echoed through the auditorium, touching the crowd. The song invites listeners to “emancipate yourself from mental slavery” because “none but ourselves can free our minds,” lines that Marley took from a speech given by Marcus Garvey in 1937. Garvey was a Jamaican political leader and advocate of Pan-Africanism movements, a promotion of Africa and its unity. Garvey’s goal parallels to that of the students of ASU. As the night went on, the audience witnessed a more modern Africa. Contemporary dances took place with quick steps and abrupt movements that created excitement and wonder throughout the room. Two students from Zimbabwe even had a chance to rap a song called “Weekend,” showing the modernization of African music. As the crowd settled down, a video segment by Olga Mabolia, ASU’s president, called “African Progress” was shown. This video projected Africa’s advancement in an accurate and efficient way. Images of Africa that the Western world is usually familiar with were shown, pictures of natives dressed in vivid clothing with faces painted and engaged in traditional dances. However, following each of these images, photographs of important modern and advanced cities were displayed. This gave the audience a chance to see all that entails the richness of the continent of Africa. War, poverty and disease are not what define Africa. Instead, advancements and contributions in technology, medicine, and world economy are attributions of the continent to the world. The beauty of its people and the tenderness of its customs are often overlooked but they play the biggest role in the continent’s history. It only took the ASU students of UNCG a little over two hours to be able to knock down stereotypes society has placed on their homeland, being an inspiration to all that there is a definite future ahead for humanity. ASU Presents: African Night Maria Perdomo Special to The Carolinian photos courtesy of maria perdomo/the carolinian “I am Africa, not the Africa you have in your mind. Let me tell you about the Africa I am”- Tafadzwa Gumede A&E WWW.UNCGCAROLINIAN.COM Nov. 14-20, 2012 T h e C a r o l i n i a n 11 With Christmas around the corner, the spirit of giving certainly sets a fire in us to help those less fortunate in our community. Lucky for us, we do not have to wait until Christmas to do some good. The Interactive Research Center of Greensboro is working in conjunction with UNCG to collect art supplies for the homeless in our community. This ongoing project will provide various materials for those in need to create their personal works of art to sell. The Interactive Research Center is the only homeless day center in Greensboro. Being a “day center,” as opposed to a night shelter, means that the homeless and disabled are not housed there. Instead, they go there for medical services, employment help, mental and health services, housing assistance, and help with finding night shelters. “What we try to do here is make sure we meet them where they are,” said Jenny Hudson, Office Manager/Guest Services of the center. The IRC officially started in December 2009 on the third floor of East Bessemer United Methodist Church’s educational building. On May 25, 2010, the facilities moved to its permanent location at 407 E. Washington Street. This move went from serving 60 people a day to over 200 people a day, five days a week. Such an increase also made the IRC change their original laundry and shower services only to the multi-service centered community it is today. There are nine people on staff at the center. With the exception of the executive director, all the staff members are homeless or have experienced homelessness, addiction, and demons in their lives. The rest of the services provided by the IRC rely heavily on volunteers. “We’ve received a huge amount of support from UNCG,” raved Hudson, “Since 2010, they have been a huge blessing for the IRC.” Recently, UNCG participated in the arts supply drive for the IRC. “Art has become a huge thing here. They are always in need of more arts supplies,” said UNCG professor Kathleen Edwards. The center accepts all kinds of arts supplies—from pencils and poster boards, to rulers and tape, to frames and paint brushes. “There is such a strong need for supplies for our people here. The money they make from their artwork go to benefit them in the long-run and could eventually help them find a job,” Hudson remarked. “Each painting is so unique. So many folks who come into the IRC have artistic talents. Drawing and painting is a great stress reliever, so it can be beneficial for them not only by raising funds, but by letting them therapeutically let everything out on paper.” With the cumulative amount of people with great artistic talent going to the IRC for help, there is an enlarged need for art supplies. Anyone who is interested in donating items or volunteer at the IRC may contact Kathleen Edwards on campus. Those interested can also directly contact the IRC at (336) 332- 0824. The center is open from Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Artistic works from any of the artists can be purchased as well.Th e IRC is looking forward to a great holiday season. They are looking for volunteers and donations for their family Christmas party. The center will host 200 families who are in need. Out of those 200 families, 120 children are in need this Christmas. Toys, clothes, and food are being accepted now. To donate items or to volunteer, please contact Teresa Hicks of the housing department of the IRC at (336) 544-5424 or teresa@gsodaycenter.org. More information can be found at their website http:// gsodaycenter.org. Megan Christy Staff Writer Tis The Season To Give Back ...Through Art megan christy/the carolinian Artistic works from any artist can be purchased as well. A&E 1312 T h e C a r o l i n i a n Nov. 14-20, 2012 WWW.UNCGCAROLINIAN.COM James Bond’s 23rd excursion opens just as the last 22 have. A breathless, death-defying chase across Istanbul serves as the prologue, wherein, in usual Bond fashion, a high-octane action scene sets the mood for the rest of the film. Yet, this is not your standard Bond film. Director Sam Mendes and screenwriters John Logan, Neal Purvis, and Robert Wade take a page from Christopher Nolan’s Batman films and decide to tear their hero down (and subsequently the franchise). They do this in order to examine if a dated, old-school super spy like James Bond can exist in this day-and-age’s superheroes and action films that take themselves incredibly seriously. This entry in the iconic franchise is dark, self-reflexive, and more emotionally impactful than any previous entry in the long running series. That is not to say it is the best, though a case could certainly be made, but it is the most daring. Mendes opens the film by cleverly including one of the franchises iconic moments (Bond stepping into frame, gun drawn, staring straight at the camera) in the narrative. It is a clever subversion of the brand identifying opening shot, and this exploration and subsequent tearing down of the tropes and themes of the franchise can be seen throughout. In that vain, the prologue plays out like no other 007 opening ever: Bond is gunned down by friendly fire, and presumed dead. Then the credit sequence comes on, which is a whirling, kaleidoscopic vision of gravestones, death, and feminine figures, all set to Adele’s powerful theme. These sequences clearly set the tone for the solemn and sometimes deeply moving film that follows. Also noteworthy is cinematographer Roger Deakins, whose dark, neon lit action scene in a Shanghai high-rise delivers one of the best set-pieces of the year. The film’s plot is fairly simple, but it packs quite the punch. Bond’s mission is to keep a computer drive that has a list of British agents from being used against them. When M (Judi Dench) is personally targeted by the villain, Bond must fight for not only the safety of his country but the legitimacy of MI6. This is a plot rife with opportunities for self-examination, not only for Bond, but also for the franchise itself, and Mendes takes every chance presented to do just that. The villain here, Silva, played with appropriate amounts of menace and self-parody by Javier Bardem, represents this new kind of action film that “Skyfall” is rebelling against. He is sadistic, bombastic, and revels in chaos. He is also clearly modeled after the Joker, yet the filmmakers use his character to probe their ultimate question: is there still room for an old school, light hearted super-spy like James Bond in this age of confusion and constant bombast? Never in the film is this idea more clearly seen than in the climatic battle. Bond must defend his home, Skyfall, against a litany of Silva’s high tech weaponry. His home stands for the old-school, thus he has to defend the house with homemade weapons. After much destruction, explosions, and the demolition of one of Bond’s most famous toys, the ultimate answer to the question posed is an emphatic yes. While the new school is busy with their empty posturing, and nihilistic threats, the old school heroes will operate within the shadows, striking at just the right time. This may not be your father’s Bond, but it is not yours either. This is a brand new take on Bond, and it is a bold, and exciting new direction for the franchise. Brad Dillard Staff Writer Skyfall: The Latest James Bond Installment photo courtesy of FromFranceDavid/flickr Bond must fight for not only the safety of his country but the legitimacy of MI6 city” MitchDeGuzman/flickr A&E WWW.UNCGCAROLINIAN.COM No. 14-20, 2012 T h e C a r o l i n i a n 1312 Skyfall: Albums are rarely as anticipated or hyped up as Kendrick Lamar’s debut studio album. Lamar has been hailed as the successor to Tupac and Dr. Dre, the savior of the West Coast rap game. Those are pretty unreasonable expectations to put on somebody, but if any young rapper is worthy of that praise it is K. Dot, who has been setting the blogosphere on fire for years, and finally reached a wider audience with his remarkable 2011 independent album “Section.80.” With “good kid, m.A.A.d city” Lamar must immediately be recognized as one of the most talented rappers currently working. And, though it is too early to tell if his album will be immortalized as one of the great rap albums of all time, it is fair to say that Lamar has crafted the best rap album of the past few years. Kendrick Lamar is apart of the Black Hippy crew (notable members include Schoolboy Q and Ab Soul, whose respective 2012 albums are also some of the best hip-hop of the year). Respectively, he is known for his storytelling abilities, and dynamic word play. Both are on display on this album, which serves as the most successful concept album since Kanye West’s 2010 album “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.” The concept here, as the subtitle of the album “A Short Film by Kendrick Lamar” points to, is an autobiographical look into Lamar’s journey through Compton, his hometown. The album opens with a 17-year-old Lamar, driving his mother’s van to see a girl named Sherane. The lyrics here are bombastic, egotistical, and sex-obsessed, mirroring the thought structure of a 17-year-old boy. Lamar raps, “It’s deep-rooted, the music of being young and dumb,” before being interrupted by the first of several voice-mail recordings that appear throughout the album. These are not merely skits, as they serve to reinforce the power of family, love and faith that helped Lamar stay away from the rampant gang violence in his hometown. This album also provides basic rap thrills, as tracks like “Backseat Freestyle” showcase Lamar’s unique rapping technique (in this case two or three different styles), while delivering a pulverizing beat (Hit-Boy strikes again). The reason this track is so effective when heard within the structure of the album is because it ties into the narrative Lamar is constructing. As the track’s title suggests, the song marks the moment when Kendrick began rapping, free styling with his friends in the backseat of his mom’s van. The words reflect this, as all of Lamar’s lyrics are braggadocio-laced rhymes: “All my life I want money and power/ Respect my mind or die from lead shower” From there the album traces Lamar’s maturation (the mid-point of the album, the track “m.A.A.d city,” is a tour-de-force), until he reaches where he is now. On the track “Real,” Lamar comes to his realization: “None of that (expletive) make me real.” Lamar is referring to the money, power, and respect that he was so desperately searching for earlier in the album. Lamar’s father, in a voice-mail, hammers home this point; “Any (expletive) can kill a man. That don’t make you a real (expletive). Real is responsibility. Real is taking care of your (expletive) family.” Lamar’s debut is an unprecedented look into the rapper’s inner life, and it is this visceral, raw description of the struggles, triumphs, and maturation of an inner city kid that makes this album so powerful. Brad Dillard Staff Writer Kendrick Lamar’s “good kid, m.A.A.d city” photo courtesy of MitchDeGuzman/flickr photo courtesy of MitchDeGuzman/flickr “Backseat Freestyle” suggests the moment when Kendrick began rapping with friends in the backseat of his mom’s van The album is an autobiographical look into Lamar’s journey through Compton, his hometown Features 1514 T h e C a r o l i n i a n Nov. 14-20, 2012 WWW.UNCGCAROLINIAN.COM The Growing Up Issue: Boy Meets World meets tattooing Spartan greatness: The Minerva statue Korey Weaver Staff Writer With its 10th Anniversary quickly approaching, the Minerva statue stands strong as a landmark on our beautiful campus of UNCG. Minerva, who is the Roman goddess of wisdom and the female arts, was chosen as our mascot by Charles McIver at the beginning of the school’s history in 1891 (the University was, at that time, called the “State Normal and Industrial School”) The school went through several name changes including: “The North Carolina College of Women” (in 1919) and “The Woman’s College of the University of North Carolina” (in 1932). In 1963, the College went from being a Woman’s College to being a Co-ed University. With this move came two major changes: The school changed its name (yet again) to “The University of North Carolina at Greensboro” and the school changed its mascot from Minerva to Spartans. One would think that with this change the legacy of Minerva would end, however, this was not the case. Since the first diploma in 1893, Minerva’s head has been on every diploma to date. The Statue outside the Elliott University Center has been a constant reminder of the schools beginnings every day for the past ten years. Even at the freshmen convocation at the beginning of every year, pins with Minerva’s head are given out to each incoming freshmen. All this goes to show you that Minerva has been, and forever will be, a large part of traditions at this school. The actual Statue of Minerva was a gift from the class of 1953(who graduated ten years before the school became co-ed). There had been a Minerva statue before however due to its quality and material, the elements took their toll on the statue rendering it short a forearm and a spear before it was finally taken down. Because the previous statue had been announced “un-repairable”, the class of 53’ decided to give a cooper Minerva statue as a gift to the University. They enlisted James Barnhill, a student who graduated in 1982 to sculpt the Minerva. On the class’s 50th anniversary in 2003, they unveiled his creation and shortly thereafter it was hoisted up and since then has stood for the past nine years for thousands of the University’s students, faculty, staff, and families to appreciate. Inscribed on the pedestal of the statue are: the several names of the University and their respective years, an indication that the statue is an 50th Anniversary gift of the class of 1953 given in 2003, a brief description of Minerva and James Barnhill’s name and graduation year, and a quote from proverbs that reads, “…incline thine ear unto wisdom and apply thine heart to understanding”. This year, as yet another graduating class is awarded diplomas from our University, I encourage every graduate to take a look at their diploma and make a mental note of the presence of Minerva on the diploma. As you make this note, remember how she has stood there through every sweltering day and through every icy night. Remember how you have seen her on the pin you received during your freshmen convocation and how she is there on the website every time you search UNCG. Take this realization with you as you graduate and be thankful that you are graduating as a Spartan man or woman and that you had the indomitable and persevering spirit of Minerva to guide you through your University experience via every resource that the school had to offer. For everyone else, begin to appreciate this institution and be glad that you will one day be able to claim that you came from the school with the Minerva statue. Minerva and her recent replacement have watched over students for a cumulation of nearly 60 years. ALEN NOP/ THE CAROLINIAN in tattooing individuals temple should be On others canvas way to aspect of young thirty five tattoos and that between ways in or her greater Features WWW.UNCGCAROLINIAN.COM Nov. 14-20, 2012 T h e C a r o l i n i a n 1514 Boy Meets World Charlena Wynn Staff Writer In the 1990s, “Boy Meets World” chronicled the life of a preteen and his two best friends from middle school until college. The series ended in 2000 with the protagonist, Cory Matthews (Ben Savage), and his longtime girlfriend, Topanga Lawrence (Danielle Fishel) heading to New York. Before the series end, Cory and Topanga married. Other characters include Cory’s older brother Eric (Will Friedle) and younger sister Morgan (Lindsay Ridgeway, beginning in 1996) and parents Alan (William Russ) and Amy (Betsy Randle). In addition, Cory’s best friend Shawn Hunter (Rider Strong), and next door neighbor and teacher George Feeny (William Daniels) completed the main cast. Throughout the series, Mr. Feeny, the high school principal turned college professor, was used as a source of advice by all the characters. Heartbreak, friendship, new family dynamics: ‘Boy Meets World’ captured them all through the perspective of young kid in Pittsburgh. Being the icon of a generation, lovers of the show can watch old episodes on ABC Family weekdays from 7 a.m. until 9:30 a.m. How interesting would it be to see what happened to everyone? Did Cory, Topanga, Shawn and Eric do well in New York or did they all come back home? Fan favorite couple, Shawn and Angela, did the two ever get back together? And what happened to Mr. Feeny after all these years? Those of the later part of Generation Y, may be able to find out what happened to their favorite characters in the near future. Disney Channel is in the works to create a sequel, appropriately entitled ‘Girl Meets World’ following the preteen daughter of Cory and Topanga Matthews. Matthews daughter Riley and her trials and triumphs through middle school and beyond will be covered by the show. The couple is also said to have an older son Elliot. Currently the network is trying to get Savage and Fishel to reprise their beloved roles. In addition, the first actress that played Morgan Matthews, Lily Nicksay, would love to join to sequel’s cast. Fans of the show, can expect to see some similarities from the former in that it seems the show’s creator, Michael Jacobs, is keeping with much of its original formula in hopes to create another successful hit. So far, the reception towards the sequel is positive. 90s fans are excitedly awaiting the shows debut after Danielle Fishel’s tweet: “Just want you guys to know that @BenSavage and I have talked and we’ve decided... Thanksgiving is going to be delicious this year!” But of course, there is debate to call the sequel another show that is attempting to do a redo like others including ‘90210’ and ‘Dallas’. Regardless of the sentiment, casting has begun to find Riley. One can only hope that the sequel continues the “Boy Meets World” tradition of bringing forth issues that are important to a generation in a new and innovative way that reaches today’s generation while acknowledging the kids of the 1990s. Disney buys Lucas Films Jonathan Waye Features Editor Star Wars fans, if you have not already heard, you may want to brace yourselves: Disney is now the owner of George Lucas’s “Lucasfilm” studio. That’s right, the entertainment mega corporation Disney is now fully in charge of one of the most iconic and legendary film franchise’s to appear on theater screens. You may want to bust out your old light sabers and Jedi robes and have a classic marathon before it is too late. Currently, the only scheduled event is the seventh installment in the long running series, which is set to release in the year 2015. Even though this is the only planned addition thus far for the franchise, Disney plans to incorporate it into nearly every media outlet. This includes everything from movie installments to cable television shows, and the obvious inclusion of the franchise in current and future Disney theme parks. In the USA Today article “Disney buys Lucasfilm for $4 billion,” Disney CEO Robert Iger was quoted as saying “our long term plan is to release a Star Wars feature film every two to three years.” The buy includes far more than Lucasfilm, however, as it also includes: Light & Magic, Skywalker Sound, and the video game developer LucasArts. The possibilities are endless when concerning Disney’s ability to market the franchise, as it includes nearly all current formats of popular media. Its marketability is evident, as just a few months ago the gaming community was introduced to “Star Wars: The Old Republic,” a new Star Wars MMO-RPG (Massively Multiplayer Online – Role-Playing Game). So exactly how much money did Disney shell out for all this? Overall, the total value of the trade was worth a staggering $4.1 billion. Apparently, Disney will be paying half this price to George Lucas in cold cash, and the remaining half will be paid in Disney stock. This trade actually makes Lucas the “second largest non-institutional” company stock holder of the Disney Corporation. So, Lucas walks away with a significant portion of Disney and $2 billion in cash. What do the fans of the series walk away with? Although long standing fans have disclosed that they feel the franchise has been on thin ice since Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, the series was a tremendous part of the childhoods of millions, The generation gap in attitudes toward tattooing Nadia Stevens Staff Writer As a member of the Millennial generation (those born 1982- 2001) and a proudly tattooed female, I can personally attest to the fact that there are certain psychological differences in the ways that today’s young people perceive themselves and their surroundings in comparison to generations prior. One aspect of popular culture in particular that seems to represent a notable disparity between us kids and our older counterparts is modern body modification. The rapid growth that the tattooing industry has experienced in the past two decades can only be attributed to an increase in the number of people who participate in it. Because members of younger generations also represent a vast majority of the members of the body modification community, it can be deduced that this facet of today’s society also represents a significant factor of separation between the old and the young. The way that different people view their bodies heavily impacts the way that they view modifying or tattooing them in any capacity. Of course there is an exponentially wide and multifarious range of ways to perceive one’s own earthly vessel, each of which has unique implications; according to one extreme, certain individuals may see their body as a temple whose natural state should be preserved and protected. On the contrary, there are others who think of it as a blank canvas ready to be used as a way to express each and every aspect of their personality. Because young adults ages eighteen to thirty five statistically have more tattoos than those aged thirty six and over, it is fair to conclude that there is a correlation between one’s age group, and the ways in which one relates to his or her own body. Not only is there a greater number of people who seek See STAR WARS, page 16 See Tattoo, page 16 Features 1716 T h e C a r o l i n i a n Nov. 14-20, 2012 WWW.UNCGCAROLINIAN.COM CAA first, focused not. SoCon decided why have over the departure established have realignment fascinating of the basketball put once announces and replacement begin near the NFL. first Bettman is he is NHL Mohegan someone is important for involved to many have no Bettman is pace look to opening take State in Monday East Special to Features: Spot-on election prediction from the world of sports Ian Foster Sports Editor The night before the Presidential election, Nate Silver’s advanced statistical model showcased on a New York Times blog called fivethirtyeight gave Obama a 90.9% chance of winning, with Obama winning 8 of the 9 key battleground states. Not surprisingly, conservatives were quick to discredit Silver’s methodology along with the whole business of bringing statistics into the matter in the first place while liberals staunchly defended it. As it turned out, Silver was exactly right, even down to predicting that Florida would be the most closely contested state. However, the notion that Silver’s projections showcased an aversion to math and science in conservatives that liberals have been screaming about for years is disingenuous. If Silver’s projections veered the other way, like they did during the 2010 mid-term elections, the left would have been left shouting “his math sucks!” The backlash leading up to the election, spearheaded somewhat by MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough, was simply the punditry reacting to an existential crisis. First of all, the simple fact that Nate Silver picked all 50 states correctly is not the issue. So too did a few pundits in all likelihood. The problem is that Silver used actual data and math to inform his predictions. In fact, his predictions were more statistical projections than predictions. Indeed, based on Silver’s own numbers, there was only about a one-in-eight chance that his projections would be 100% accurate (based on my calculations). Enough data in the world exists today that, if used properly (that is a big if by the way), national elections could be projected far in advance almost every time. This data analysis threatens the gut instinct of the political pundit. However, those pundits should not feel too bad. People like Silver, including Silver himself, have been making General Managers and analysts in baseball look bad for about a decade. Silver is a sabermetrician, a fancy word for someone who tries to project player and team performances using advanced (read: new and different) statistics. These sabermetrics, the first of which were little more than on-base percentage and WHIP (walks and hits per innings pitched), were famously used by Oakland Athletics General Manager Billy Beane in the 2002 season to rebuild a roster picked clean of its stars. In Isaac Asimov’s terrific Foundation science fiction series, a man named Hari Seldon develops a branch of mathematics called psychohistory, in which he uses advanced mathematical models to predict the course of history over millennia. At the time, the notion seemed foolish. But, statistically, it makes sense. More people equals larger sample size equals better strength of analysis. Sports are determined by individual plays made by individual players. A single poor decision or poorly executed play by a single player can effect irreversible change in a match. For example, the San Francisco 49ers thoroughly outplayed the New York Giants in last year’s NFC Championship Game. However, the Giants advanced to the Super Bowl because Kyle Williams, the 49ers’ punt returner, muffed two key punts, allowing the Giants to both force overtime and win in overtime. Statistics work as a good predictor in baseball due to constant repetition and significantly large sample sizes. Efforts to incorporate sabermetrics into football and basketball have for the most part fell short. On the other hand, elections give Silver the largest sample size yet. Near constant polls flowed out of states like Ohio, each with a polling sample from a few hundred to a few thousand. In short, if one uses the proper tools, elections are easier to pick than sporting events. This might threaten the existence of the pundit who runs on instinct and not much else. to have tattoo work done, but the quantity of ink the average person has in their skin has risen considerably as well. In the past, as a result of the types of people that were known to have them, tattoos and other types of body modification have been known to hold a very specific, sometimes negative connotation. They were generally only seen on men who were also war veterans, gangsters, or in National Geographic. In each case, the ritualistic application of ink to skin was a way of receiving, or initiating someone into some form of lifelong brotherhood or coterie. This is the image of body modification that our parent generation has grown up with rather than the understanding of it as an extension of the individual that is simply used as a tool in portraying and furthering one´s personal identity that is being cultivated to a great extent by including my own. I spoke with one such fan, and he gave a rather mixed account of his feelings after news of the purchase: “The optimist in me wants to say ‘yeah, this could be good, and they’d probably make a really cool movie, seeing as they’ve made a lot in the past. At the same time, though, the pessimist in me wants to say ‘Well…[expletive].’” This statement makes an important point, as it notes that the purchase can go in both a beneficial as well as a negative way. As it currently stands, Disney stands on some very profitable ground; that is, if they are able to manage simultaneously garnering and promoting to new audiences as well as appealing to old ones. In order for this venture to be an unequivocal success, Disney will have to, essentially, keep Star Wars’ core intact; in other words, to keep its initial story and atmosphere alive. Undoubtedly the animation for the upcoming movie releases will be stunning, as Disney is renowned for its stellar animation techniques, but the necessary ingredient for attracting old audiences will ultimately boil down to its content. Only time will tell what is in store for Star Wars fans, as well as the Star Wars Franchise; but, hopefully, Disney will be able to uphold George Lucas’ legacy, and keep the series alive in an ever expanding American pop-culture. the Millennials. Up until recent history, it has been observed as a practice of ceremonial merit reminiscent of a masculine coming of age custom. Although this facet of tattoo culture does still exist to a certain degree, as Semper Fi tattoos and gang insignia are still an ongoing tradition, the negative stigma is shrinking as the field expands and the presence and quality of tattoo studios and artists continuously grows. As time goes on, we are recognizing tattoos more and more as an important form of expression that can is widely accessed by a diverse multitude of individuals from every demographic. TATTOO from page 15 star wars from page 15 Sports WWW.UNCGCAROLINIAN.COM Nov. 14-20, 2012 T h e C a r o l i n i a n 17 So long, SoCon: College of Charleston to CAA Calvin Walters Staff Writer As basketball season begins one of the primary focuses of the offseason has finally faded from the limelight. Conference realignment. Several teams packed up shop and abandoned their old conferences for what they hope will be greener pastures. Butler and Virginia Commonwealth are the two notable programs, but even the Southern Conference felt the rumblings. Several teams in the conference were mentioned as potential replacements for teams that left the Colonial Athletic Association. Davidson, The College of Charleston, and even Elon and Furman were all rumored to possibly leave, but in the end only one team has followed through in the process. In October the College of Charleston board of trustees approved an invitation from the CAA to join the league, and gave the go ahead to begin contract negotiations. The buyout for Charleston will be $600,000 if they choose to leave within two years, and $300,00 if they wait until the 2015-16 season. It is a move that will make little impact in the short time, but could change the landscape of the conference in the long haul. Charleston will still be allowed to compete in the SoCon tournament this year as the SoCon does not have stipulations against teams The Cougars are expected to make the move for next season, meaning that the Southern Conference will have to find a replacement team if it wants to continue using the two six team divisions. The divisions themselves may have to be tweaked some depending on the geographical location of a potential new conference member. Why was Charleston so anxious to escape the Southern Conference? Well there really were several good reasons for the Cougars to make the jump when given the opportunity. Charleston has been a perennially strong team in many sports, specifically baseball and basketball and has challenged Davidson perhaps more than any other team over the last several years. They are hoping that a move to the CAA and their much larger tv contract and higher name opponents will help increase their performance, or at least their bottom line. The CAA has a much better TV contract than the SoCon, meaning more exposure and more revenues. It also means a better chance at sneaking into the NCAA tournament as an at large team. Right now the SoCon is a one bid league with only Davidson having a legitimate shot at an at large bid. The CAA though has become a recognized name throughout the country after George Mason and VCU’s runs to the final four. It is yet to be seen though whether the league can keep its multiple bid prestige without the Rams in the conference. The move to the CAA also gets the Cougars into a conference that puts basketball first, something the football focused Southern Conference does not. The good news for the SoCon though is that Davidson decided to stick around, and why wouldn’t they, the Wildcats have owned the conference over the last several years. The departure of the top two established basketball programs would have really hurt the conference. The whole realignment process has been a fascinating and crazy ride for many of the conferences and as basketball season starts, it has been put on the backburner. But once Charleston officially announces it will leave the SoCon and the hunt for a replacement commences, the fun will begin again. Mason was the leading scorer for the UNCG Spartans with a team high 17 points, also grabbing 4 rebounds and getting her hands on three steals. UNCG’s leading rebounder was Jarae Savage as she pulled down a game-high 8 rebounds and also added 10 points to the stat line. games on television, hurting the league’s exposure. Many fans cannot afford a season pass for hockey on pay per view, so the best way to attract new fans is to be on national television or networks most people have like ESPN. While hockey does have a deal with NBC, only a few games are shown each year. After the lockout, the NHL had to do a lot to build up their popularity. One of the ways the NHL did this was to hold the annual Winter Classic game every January, where two teams play an entire hockey game outside. After having the worst lockout in American sport’s history, one would imagine Bettman would not allow this to happen again. However, he did, and half the season has already been The bright spot here was easily Locke, a freshman power forward who will have to step up when starters David Williams and Kelvin McNeil struggle as they did on Friday night. Williams got into early foul trouble and ended up fouling out while McNeil notched just four points and six rebounds in canceled including the Winter Classic. Bettman and the owners are also going to war with the players over revenue sharing, as players used to get 57 percent, and now they want the players to receive 47 percent. Bettman wants the owners to control a majority of the revenue, but while he fights for what he and his employers want, the league is losing money. Heading down the Charleston, SoCon member since 1998, to move all sports to more lucrative Colonial next fall path of canceling yet another season of NHL hockey would be detrimental to the league’s popularity. Bettman has proved himself one of the most incompetent commissioners of all time who puts his and the owners’ personal interests before the good of the league. The blow to the NHL’s popularity will keep the league from growing to new heights and making it impossible for hockey to get anywhere near the popularity of the NBA and NFL. It is ironic that the first three letters of Bettman is “bet” because right now he is treating the future of the NHL season like a trip to a Mohegan Sun casino. When someone is placing a bet, it is important for them and the people involved to have faith, and right now many sports fans like myself have no faith in the direction Bettman is taking the NHL. On the other side Rachelle Coward was stat stuffing, finishing with a game high 28 points and 8 rebounds for Charleston Southern. The Spartans’ defense was great as they forced 29 turnovers overall and gained 30 points of off them. Charleston Southern did have the advantage on the rebound side as they pulled down 41 to the Spartans 35 but UNCG did grab 12 offensive rebounds 15 minutes. If Locke can consistently fill in nicely, Miller should feel a lot better about his team’s frontline depth. UNCG and High Point finished relatively even on the stat sheet, as UNCG shot 43% to High Point’s 44% and grabbed 40 rebounds to High Point’s 41. Turnovers made the slight difference here; while the Panthers only committed 13, the Spartans and their fast pace committed 17. The Spartans will look to rebound from this opening night setback as they take on Winston-Salem State in the home opener Monday night before traveling to East Carolina on Friday night. lockout from page 19 asheville from page 20 high point from page 20 SportsSports 1918 T h e C a r o l i n i a n Nov. 14-20, 2012 WWW.UNCGCAROLINIAN.COM media disagreement themathewblack/flickr Volleyball drops final two regular season matches Calvin Walters Staff Writer Joseph Abraham Staff Writer The Spartans headed into Thursday night’s contest against Elon looking to bolster their chances at finishing in second place in the North division of the Southern Conference. Instead the Phoenix came in and pushed the Spartans out of the way with a 3-1 victory. UNCG honored lone senior Ari Lysacek before the game. The Phoenix jumped out on top in the first set taking an early 5-1 lead behind a trio of Spartan errors, something that would emerge as a common theme throughout the match. The Spartans fought back, closing the gap to within one when a Morgan Freeman kill was followed by three straight Elon attack errors. Elon responded though with four of the next five points and kept the Spartans at bay throughout the remainder of the set. Fittingly the sloppy match ended on another trio of errors, first by Elon, then two by the Spartans to lift Elon to a 25- 20 victory. Both teams traded points throughout the second set with neither team opening up more than a two point lead until late. With the score at 21-19, the Phoenix secured the match with a 4-1 run to close out the set with a 25-20 victory. Once again an attack error ended the set for Elon and pushed the Spartans to the brink heading into the break. UNCG responded coming out taking an early 5-2 lead behind kills from Morgan Freeman, Karrian Chambers, and Ari Lysacek. Elon would respond later with a 5-0 run to take the lead, but three errors in a row from the Phoenix would tie the match again at 10. Elon slowly built up the lead until UNCG volleyball came into this game already securing a collection of wins for a trip to the SoCon tournament. However, UNCG racked up their fourth straight loss in a close matchup with the College of Charleston Saturday night. The score of 3-0 did not reflect how close the game was, as each set was lost by UNCG by only 3 or 4 points. The Spartans had to work hard to generate offense as they were outplayed in every category except blocking where they out blocked Charleston 7 to 4. Besides blocks, the Cougars had a higher hitting percentage, more digs and kills than UNCG. The Cougars jumped to an early 8-3 set lead in the first match. However, the Spartans had a nice run by Karrian Chambers to tie the match at 10 all. The College of Charleston would then jump out to a 16-12 lead, which prompted a UNCG timeout. UNCG came out firing after the timeout, going on an 8-4 run to tie things at 20. Like during most of the season, the Spartans had some trouble closing out the set once they or both they and their opponent get over the 20 point mark. The Cougars went on a 5-2 run to Thurs UNCG 1 Elon 3 Sat UNCG 0 Charleston 3 take the first set 25-22, and jump out to an early 1-0 lead. The Cougars dominated the second set, jumping out to a 3-0 advantage. Both teams scored 7 points to make the game 10-7 early. The closest this set got was the Cougars being up by only 1 midway through the second set. However, the Cougars would shut down the Spartans by going on 10-7 run, to win the second set 25-21. This gave the Cougars a 2-0 set lead, with them needing only one more set to win. While the score may say differently, the third set was a very competitive set as the Spartans showed great pedigree. The Cougars jumped to an early 10-6 lead before UNCG called a timeout to regroup. The Spartans would then go on a 5-1 run to cut the Cougars lead, making the score 11-10. The Cougars would dominate the next part of the set, leading 19-13. This is where UNCG’s pedigree came in, as they could have quit the game there and let the Cougars finish them, but instead fought on. The Spartans went on a small run lead by Senior Ari Lysacek’s kill that cut the Cougars lead to 20-17. While the Spartans showed some fight, it was not good enough to defeat the home Cougars, who went on a 5-1 run to win the set 25-21 to complete the shutout. Some may say that losing four straight going into a conference tournament is not the kind of momentum a team wants. However, the start of this tournament means a clean slate. If UNCG wins they keep playing, if they lose they go home, but that also goes for their opponents. The fun part about UNCG’s first game in the tournament is that it is against the same team who beat them last, the College of Charleston Cougars. While the Cougars are ranked higher than the Spartans, anything can happen. If the Spartans win they can knock the Cougars out of their last SoCon tournament, as the Cougars are going to the Colonial league. The Cougars may be feeling like they own the Spartans, but UNCG can prove them wrong and who knows, only three wins equals a SoCon title. the Phoenix looked well on their way to the sweep with a commanding 19-15 lead. UNCG showed some grit though and battled back with four straight points, forcing an Elon timeout. Two of those points came from Olivia Humphries, another from Karrian Chambers, and the other from an Elon error. The two teams traded points past the 25 required to win the set until UNCG was finally able to end the match with a victory. Karrian Chambers pushed the Spartans to their seventh set point and gave UNCG a 30-29 lead. Julia Westerbur followed that up with a set clinching victory and avoided the sweep on senior night for the Spartans. Elon could not be held at bay though as the Phoenix jumped on the Spartans early in the fourth (and final) set and never trailed. Elon used an 8-2 run midway through the set to turn what was a 9-6 lead into a 17-9 deficit for the Spartans. UNCG fought back closing to within two points at 20-18 but could not pull of the comeback and extend the match as Elon closed out the set with a 5-2 run and an attack error by the Spartans gave Elon the victory. Karrian Chambers led the Spartans with 21 kills, while Olivia Humphries supplied 15 and Morgan Freeman contributed 11 of her own. Senior Ari Lysacek finished up her final home game at Fleming with 48 assists, 3 kills and 13 digs. under the Matt Ryan era. This is the same team that scored only two points last year against the eventual Super Bowl champion New York Giants. Look, this isn’t a testament to Ryan’s play. Even with a career high 411 yards passing, the Falcons lost to the Saints this week. Rather, I’m just bringing up the Falcons and the way they historically underperform during games that matter. In their defense, the Falcons have playmakers all over the field. With wide receiver tandem Julio Jones and Roddy White and with Hall of Fame bound tight end Tony Gonzalez, pro bowl caliber Matt Ryan has plenty of weapons to throw to and score points with. Although Michael Turner is aging, he has still been able to produce, though not as well as he has usually played. The defense has played the pass well, though they are 25th in the league in opponents rushing yards per game. Even though the Falcons have the best record in the league, they are not the best team in football. It’s going to take more than barely beating losing teams to show me they can compete in the playoffs. I’m not saying they can’t, just saying they have to show me. Phoenix spoil Senior Night Charleston routs UNCG in SoCon tourney preview Falcons from page 19 Sports WWW.UNCGCAROLINIAN.COM Nov. 14-20, 2012 T h e C a r o l i n i a n 19 Gary Bettman, the worst commissioner in sports Falcons not flying high in the national media Jose Torres Staff Writer Joseph Abraham Staff Writer Every commissioner has to deal with labor agreements expiring, and the good ones handle the situation in the sport’s offseason. In the worst case scenario, commissioners try to work hard to minimize the number of games lost if an agreement is not reached by the time the season starts. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has been the example of what not to do as commissioner. Since 1993, Bettman had three lockouts and no success getting the players and owners to come to any sort of deal. Bettman’s first lockout occurred before the 1994-95 season. The main issue was the implementation of a salary cap. Half way through the year, the owners and Bettman caved in to reach a deal. At the end of the labor dispute, none of the owners’ demands were met. This resulted in the NHL season lasting 48 games The word disrespect has gotten tossed around when describing the one loss Atlanta Falcons. After starting the season 8-0, many players such as Tony Gonzalez questioned the lack of media attention the Falcons were getting on big networks such as ESPN. “It’s the national media making a big deal about us like they would if it was Philly, Green Bay, or New England? No, they’re not,” Gonzalez told Jim Corbett of USA Today. “We played Philly instead of 84 that year. After the 1994-95 season ended, the NHL faced ten years of peace until the worst lockout situation in American sports history. In 2004, Bettman and the owners once again locked out the players. The main area of disagreement between the two sides was the growth in player salaries. The owners and Bettman argued that player salaries grew faster than the revenue growth of the league. Bettman claimed that the disconnect between the growth of the league and player salaries cost the NHL up to $300 million. Bettman and the owners’ desire for a salary cap to try and solve this problem led them to not back down this time. The result was the cancellation of the entire 2004 NHL season. This is significant because it was the first time any sports league in North America had to cancel an entire season of action. Many people praised Bettman for getting the NHL to have a salary cap, but wondered if it was worth the negative effects against the league by the fans. While hockey is not viewed as America’s most favorite sport, its constant action, with just the right mix of speed, athleticism and the good old fashioned violence quite entertaining to watch. Hockey’s fan base may not be as large as that of the NFL or the NBA; it still attracts a large group of very loyal and dedicated fans. Many NHL fans were outraged that a whole season of hockey was missed. In addition, NHL lost their network deal with ESPN, which made it harder to watch hockey and beat them. And Philly was on TV all week.” I understand Gonzalez’s frustration, but let’s not crown the Falcons just yet. One of the reasons why teams like the Eagles are getting more media attention instead of the Falcons is because those teams have more intriguing story lines. Unfortunately for the Falcons, the media is out to make money and cover teams like the train wreck Eagles. So if players like Gonzalez are looking for media attention, than obviously they are playing for the wrong goals. Gonzalez does mention later in the interview on USA Today that he doesn’t care about the lack of media attention, which pretty much contradicts his earlier point. “Our goals are bigger than just getting national media attention. They’ll recognize us if we go where we want to go. I’ve day-dreamed about raising that Lombardi Trophy. I can see it in my mind.” Are the Falcons good enough to lift said trophy? Contrary to their 8-1 record, I believe the Falcons aren’t even top in their conference, let alone the NFL. The Falcons barely squeaked out wins against teams like the Panthers, Redskins, Raiders, and Cowboys. The idea usually is when teams find multiple ways to win then it proves their determination. However, barely beating sub-.500 teams shows the opposite. Yes, a win is a win but if Falcon fans want us to crown them, then they will have to do a little more to prove their worth. The Falcons obviously do not control who they face, but this year the record of their opponents through week 10 is 30-50. Even though they’ve had a stellar season, their opponents haven’t been. Looking at the rest of their schedule, the Falcons still have two games against the resurgent Buccaneers, a home game against the Saints (who just beat them), one against the Super Bowl Champions, and a Monday Night Game against the Lions. Their other two games are against the terrible Cardinals and Panthers. Even if the Falcons go through the rest of the schedule unscathed, it will not be enough for me to picture this team as a favorite to win it all. Let’s not forget, this is the same team that has not won a playoff game yet A haunting reminder for hockey fans: an empty space on the Stanley Cup represents the lost season from the last NHL CBA disagreement See lockout, page 17 See falcons, page 17 photo courtesy themathewblack/flickr 20 T h e C a r o l i n i a n Nov. 14-20, 2012 WWW.UNCGCAROLINIAN.COM Sports Season starts on a sour note in High Point Ian Foster Sports Editor With games against High Point, Winston-Salem State, and East Carolina, the UNCG men’s basketball team had an opportunity to start the season 3-0 ahead of their Greensboro Coliseum clash against Virginia Tech. Unfortunately, the Spartans dropped the first of those three in an 81-73 loss at High Point on Friday night. High Point forward John Brown went off, scoring 28 points and grabbing 8 rebounds. UNCG was led by junior Trevis Simpson with 18 points and freshman Kayel Locke with 17 points off the bench. In a sense, it was impressive that the game ended up as close as it was. The Panthers used the small but energetic sell-out crowd to power themselves to a 6-point halftime lead. UNCG seemed to settle into the flow of the game by halftime until High Point hit another level out of the break. The Panthers outscored UNCG 17-4 over the first 6:18 of the second half to take a seemingly insurmountable 56-37 lead. However, the Spartans immediately responded with an impressive 27-10 run over the next eleven minutes. Locke dominated the first portion, scoring nine points which culminated in a jumper to cut the Panthers’ lead to 63- 57 with 4:31 to go. Then, as will likely be the case with many a UNCG game this season, it was Simpson’s turn to take over. After High Point hit a three to extend their lead back to nine points, Simpson responded with a three of his own. Six Simpson points and 90 seconds later, the lead was cut to 70-68. Unfortunately, that was as close as UNCG would get, as the Panthers closed out the game hitting seven of their final eight free throws. After the game, coach Wes Miller commented on the disappointing season opener. “Obviously, this is not the result we wanted but I am proud the guys never quit fighting and made the run we did in the second half,” Miller said. “We still need to learn what it takes to win games and the effort we showed in that 12-minute span in the second half is the type of effort we need on both ends of the floor the entire game.” Expectations are high for the Spartans this year. This loss against a team in High Point which lost their two leading scorers and posted a lower season-ending RPI than UNCG last year may quell a few of those expectations. Women’s basketball falls to Bucs in opener Everick Davis Staff Writer Beginning the 43rd season for the UNCG Spartans Women Basketball Team, the Spartans looked to get off to a good start and grab the season opener against the Charleston Southern Buccaneers. The Spartans were trying to get off to a good start and improve off of last season’s 4-25 record. Our Spartans do excellent at home posting a 193-83 home record of games played at the Fleming Gym, but this game was played in Asheville, NC at the Kimmel Arena and didn’t fare as well as Spartan fans all would hope. The Spartans fell to the Buccaneers 60 to 57. The Spartans began the game banging in the paint coming out with 6 of their 11 first points down low in the post. Everything seemed to be going right as the team was forcing turnovers and got a few points off of them. After that, trouble came as the Buccaneers went on a 16 to 0 run over the next 6 minutes to gain a small lead. Even a run couldn’t hold the Spartans back as they started draining three pointers and soon it was only a two point game. Eventually both teams heading to the locker rooms with the score tied at 28 a piece. The game looked close and both evenly matched both teams looked to take an advantage coming out of the half. The Buccaneers came out the second half blazing, going on a 14 to 3 run to start the first seven minutes of the second half. The Spartans fought back and got within four points right around the ten minute mark of the second half. At this point, both teams started trading baskets as the score was 50 to 44 in Charleston Southern’s favor around the five minute mark. Down by 8 points, the Spartans went on a 6 to 0 run of their own to cut the game down to a 2 point Buccaneer lead. The Spartans and Buccaneers fought down to the very end as the Spartans cut the lead down to 58 to 57. Around this time basketball games usually turn into the free throw game. That’s exactly what happened as Charleston Southern drained both free throws. Down 3, the only chance the team had was a three pointer at the buzzer. Even after a good shot, the Spartans just couldn’t pull it out ], with the final score being 60 to 57. Freshmen point guard Lucy Fri UNCG 73 High Point 81 Sat UNCG 57 Charl. So. 60 emma barker/The carolinian Despite the best of efforts of Simpson, shown here in last week’s exhibition, UNCG fell to HPU See high point, page 17 See asheville, page 17 |
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