Monday, April 16, 2012 Volume 86 Issue 23www.aggiecentral.com
A&E Feature
Crossroads Sports
Sports A&E
From TV to CUA contestant from NBC’s The Voice
performs at Cameron Village.
Page 5
Books to MoviesStudios make novels into movies in hopes that their odds are ever in their favor.
Page 8
Leading the WayOne organization
funds several charities to help better the
community.Page 3
BaseballThe men of Aggie Baseball continue their season with
mixed results.Page 7
TennisAs the season gets closer to the end, CU’s Lady Aggies pick up more wins.
Page 6
Campus TalentCU Student Housing
hosts the annual talent show at the
student union.Page 5
SGA president electedStudents choose Colton Kennedy after runoff
Dojutelegan176 - 44%
Kennedy220 - 56%
No55 - 22%
Yes199 - 78%
No75 - 25%
Yes229 - 75%
CUSGA President Runoff Election
ConstitutionalClarity Amendment
Online ElectionsAmendment
The new leader: Senior Colton Kennedy speaks to the Cameron University Student Government Association during a candidate debate. Kennedy defeated his opponent, junior Teewhy Dojutelegan, by 44 votes in the runoff election for next year’s SGA President.
Photo by Elijah Morlett
Terrorists behind Sept. 11 to stand trial
3 col x 5.5 in / 146x140 mm / 497x477 pixels
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krtcrime crime, krtdisaster disaster, krtnational national, krtworld world, krtworldnews, krt, mctgraphic, al qaeda, al qaida, al-qaeda, al-qaida, attacks, homeland security, krtterror, krtterrorintl, krtterrorus, terror, krtafrica africa, krtasia asia, krtcamer central america, krteurope europe, krtmeast middle east mideast, krtnamer north america, attack, belgium brussels, indonesia, israel, kenya, khalid sheik mohammed, kuwait, london, map, new york, pakistan, panama canal, philippines, plot, south korea, terrorism, u.k., washington, krt mct e krtaarhus mctaarhus, polli, scheibe, 2007, krt2007,
1993 World Trade Center Plans to destroy Heathrow airport, Canary Wharf, Big Ben
Plot to attack NATO's headquarters
Nov. 2002 suicide bombingof a hotel in Mombasa
Nov. 2002 failed attempt to shoot down an Israeli passenger jet in Mombasa with a surface-to-air missile
Nightclub bombing in Bali
Plans to destroy U.S. embassies in Indonesia, Australia, Japan
Plans to assassinate Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf
Plans to attack U.S. targets, like military bases
Planned assassination attempt against then-U.S. President Bill Clinton during a mid-1990s trip
Plot to kill Pope John Paul II while he visited the Philippines
Oct. 2002 attack on U.S. soldiers
Plans to destroy buildings; plots to bomb Israeli embassies abroad
Plan to blow up canal
2001 World Trade Center
2001 Pentagon
Plan for a second wave of attacks on: Library Tower in Los Angeles; Sears Tower in Chicago; Plaza Bank building in Seattle; in New York: Empire State Building, suspension bridges, Stock Exchange
The Defense Department announced on April 4 that Khalid Sheik Mohammed, accused mastermind of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, will go to trial in a military tribunal.
A Defense Department news release states that, according to Military Commissions rules and procedures, Mohammed and four others will be charged within 30 days.
“The chief judge of the Military Commissions Trial Judiciary will assign a military judge to the case, and the five accused will be arraigned at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba,” the release stated.
According to the Washington Post, the move to a military tribunal comes after the Obama administration’s initial decision to bring the trial away from Guantanamo Bay to a federal district court in Manhattan. After legislation passed in early 2011 that prohibited the movement of prisoners from Guantanamo to the United States, and a public outcry among New Yorkers about conducting the trials so close to the site of the Sept. 11 attacks, the Department of Justice handed the trial back over to military jurisdiction in April 2011.
In a press conference on April 4 about the move, Attorney General of the United States Eric Holder said he still believed a federal district court would have been the best option.
“After consulting with prosecutors from both the Department of Justice and Department of the Defense, and after fully studying the case, it became clear to me that the best venue for prosecution was in federal court,” Holder said. “...Had this case proceeded in Manhattan or in an alternative venue in the United States as I seriously explored in the last year, I am confident that our justice system could have performed with the same distinction as has been its hallmark in the last 200 years.”
However, New York Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer said in a press conference on April 4 that the move back to a military tribunal, particularly in moving the trial away from Manhattan, was an appropriate one.
“This means with certainty that the trial will not be in New York,” Schumer said. “While not unexpected, this is the final nail in the coffin of that wrong-headed idea.”
During an April 4 press briefing at the White House, Press Secretary Jay Carney said President Obama still
hopes to close Guantanamo Bay, but feels justice must be served to Mohammed and others awaiting trial.
“We have to ensure that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and others who are accused of these heinous crimes are brought to justice,” Carney said. “And this procedure is now underway to ensure that happens.”
Several groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), have been critical of the moves. ACLU Executive Director Anthony D. Romero said in a press release the military tribunals represent an unconstitutional system.
“The Obama Administration is making a terrible
mistake by prosecuting the most important terrorism trails of our time in a second-tier systems of justice,” Romero said. “Whatever verdict comes out of the Guantanamo military commissions will be tainted by an unfair process.”
Others have defended the military tribunal process, including Republican Senator Charles Grassley of Iowa in an interview with Fox News.
by Colin DuRantStaff Writer
See TERRORISMPage 2
by Elijah MorlettEditor in Chief
The votes are in and the student body has made their decision.
After two close elections, 23-year-old Colton Kennedy has been elected as the 2011-2012 Cameron University Student Government Association President.
On Wednesday, April 11, the SGA announced that Kennedy, a senior History and Mathematics major, ended the spring elections with 220 students casting votes for him, leaving Kennedy with 56 percent of the total against his opponent, junior Communication major Teewhy Dojutelegan.
“It was a tough race between me and Teewhy,” Kennedy said. “We both campaigned really hard. Overall, it was a good, clean race.”
Dojutelegan ended his campaign with 176 votes, or 44 percent of the total.
During the first election, three candidates sought the position, yet none of them were able to attain a majority, or 50 percent plus one of the total votes — a long-standing requirement of the student government.
The SGA hosted a runoff election for the two candidates who accumulated the most votes, forcing the third candidate, junior Biology major Kevin Steib, out of the race.
The runoff made an impact on campus, as more students became involved. Kennedy, for one, was pleased with this outcome.
See RUNOFF Page 2
News2 April 16, 2012www.aggiecentral.com
“More people voted in the runoff election than in the normal election,” Kennedy said. “I think we both enjoyed seeing the rise in participation of the student body in the runoff.”
According to the election committee’s final voting records, the runoff had a 31 percent increase in voter turnout.
Over his term, Kennedy expects to have a more hands-on role, hoping to visit as many departments and organizations as he can in person.
“My major goal is to help the student government get better connected with the student body, the faculty and the student organizations,” Kennedy said.
Currently, the president-elect is a Cameron Army ROTC cadet and is a member of Phi Kappa Phi, Phi Eta Sigma, Phi Alpha Theta and Pi Mu Epsilon honor societies.
Kennedy will join SGA Vice President-elect Chas Holbrook and Treasurer-elect Seth Geiger in office. Both Holbrook and Geiger ran unopposed and were confirmed to be next year’s officers on April 4.
“I think the executive board will work together well,” Kennedy said. “Originally, we were going to run as a ticket. We had this team built from the very start.”
No comment has been made over possible appointed positions. The SGA president must select a secretary, historian, parliamentarian, sergeant-at-arms, justices of the court and chairpersons for the various committees.
SGA President Cody Gardner will pass the gavel to Kennedy at the university’s annual award ceremony later this week.
“I expect Kennedy to make SGA an even better organization,” Gardner said. “I am confident he will make Cameron University proud.”
Gardner is finishing her second term as president, an uncommon feat at Cameron. She originally began her tenure in 2010, making her departure an emotional experience.
“It’s actually kind of a bittersweet feeling,” Gardner said. “I am excited Kennedy will take over and I have zero doubt that he will do amazing things. But after two years, I think no matter who replaces me, it’s a little sad.”
Gardner had one final impact on the student government. In one of the last SGA sessions, she temporarily relinquished her chair to introduce a bill seeking to amend a section of the SGA constitution for clarification.
Students voted on the amendment during the runoff election, with 78 percent voting in favor of the amendment.
The final tally was 199 votes for the change and 55 against.This is the second constitutional amendment approved this
spring. The first amendment changes the election format to an online system that will begin in the Fall 2012 semester.
The bill passed on April 4 with 229 votes in favor and 75 against.All students that ran for senator of their respective schools and
classification were elected.Each school receives eight undergraduate senators, two for each
classification. Additionally, there are six graduate senators and four senators at-large.
The new officers will be officially sworn in during Cameron University’s award ceremony at 6:30 p.m., April 19 in the McMahon Centennial Complex’s McCasland Ballroom.
RUNOFF continued fromPage 1
“The United States has a long history of successfully utilizing military tribunals dating back to the American Revolution,” Grassley said. “It’s why Congress set up the military commission process.”
Some family members of Sept. 11 victims feel that the wait has been too long. In an interview with CNN, Jim Riches, father of a New York firefighter who died on Sept. 11, said the trial has been delayed enough.
“Eleven years later and the families are still awaiting justice,” Riches said. “...For me, I can’t wait for the day justice is served on them.”
During his press conference, Holder said that despite his misgivings about the tribunal, the delays could no longer be shouldered.
“We simply can not allow a try to be delayed any longer for the victims of the 9-11 attacks or for their family members who have waited for nearly a decade for justice,” Holder said.
TERRORISM continued frompage 1
CU earns healthy campus rating
Health is wealth: Cameron students Ashley Fielding and Logan Ralston show off their Aggie Pride. The university was recently certified as a healthy campus for wellness opportunities.
Photo courtesy of MCT Campus
By Angela GoodeStaff Writer
Photo courtesy of CU Public Affairs
Cameron University has recently been certified as a healthy campus.
The Oklahoma State Department of Health gave the certification in accordance with the Oklahoma Academy, the State Chamber and the Oklahoma Turning Point Council. This certification recognizes that CU provides health, wellness and opportunities that work to improve the health of Oklahomans.
Jennifer Holland, Vice President for Student Services, said that Cameron is devoted to providing that healthy environment.
“Cameron University is committed to providing a healthy campus environment that benefits students, faculty, staff and visitors,” Vice President Holland said. “As our students graduate, they possess not only the skills and abilities to join the professional workforce, but also the knowledge and tools to maintain a healthy lifestyle.”
CU provides these life skills in the form of optional health insurance, physical exercise opportunities and therapy support.
Deanice Shegog, Director of the Student Wellness Center, said that the center provides an environment to help students with whatever health issues they may have.
“The Student Wellness Center has the philosophy of mind and body wellness, meaning that in order to have
full health, a person must have a healthy body and a healthy mind,” she said. “Therefore, we promote overall wellness through a variety of education programs, in addition to the health and counseling services that we provide. Our counseling services include hypnosis services for tobacco cessation, weight loss, managing chronic anxiety and chronic pain management.”
According to Shegog, the Student Wellness Center is in the process of adding services.
“The Student Wellness Center is currently in the process of increasing the types of services that we can provide,” she said. “Recently, we added cold and flu packs, so students can come in and get over the counter medications to calm their symptoms and let them stay in class.”
Shegog explained the medication service in detail.
“We have added some prescription medications that the medical provider can administer,” she said. “For example, a student who has strep throat can now get an injection of antibiotic for free. This service saves the student money and keeps them in class.”
According to Fitness Center Coordinator Lendi Clodfelter, the Center offers a variety of classes and programs meant to aid students.
“Student Services is now responsible for the Fitness Center and Intramurals,” she said. “We have some exciting ideas for both. Overall health is important for learning, and our goal is to provide students
access to resources to help them learn healthy habits and practice them.”
Clodfelter also said that the Center is always looking for suggestions.
“We are constantly seeking
student input and would love to hear what ideas they have or programs they would like to see added,” she said. “Send us an email, share your suggestion in the suggestion boxes around campus or give us a call.”
For more information on any other programs offered as part of CU’s healthy campus program, students can contact Deanice Shegog at [email protected] or Lendi Clodfelter at [email protected].
Crossroads 3 April 16, 2012www.aggiecentral.com
by Dianne RiddlesCrossroads Editor
Executive Director Katie Noffsker: Noffsker speaks with a potential volunteer. Noffsker thanked the Lawton-Fort Sill community for supporting local agencies through donations to the United Way.
Large need for more foster homes in Comanche County: Not much could be more important for a young child than feeling peaceful and secure. Bridge Resource Parents and the caring people within the DHS Child Welfare Foster Parent Program strive to provide this on a daily basis.
United Way is common thread with community agencies
Foster Care helps children who cannot help themselvesby Valera Ainsworth
and Sarah Brewer
The United Way of Lawton-Fort Sill is partnering with local nonprofits, businesses, government and social service agencies to address the community’s most pressing needs.
The United Way is a nonprofit, 501c3 agency that brings people and communities together in order to advance the common good.
According to the mission statement, the United Way strives to improve lives, mobilizing the caring power of communities around the world to advance the common good.
Executive Director Katie Noffsker said that one of the best ways to help a group of local agencies is through the United Way.
She also said that the United Way funds served over 300,000
people in southwest Oklahoma last year.
“That is three times the population of our community, and that was just with the 20 partner agencies,” Noffsker said.
Noffsker explained the kind of fundraisers that companies can do.
“We have partnerships where we can go into businesses and organizations, and the people can learn about what it is that we do, who we fund, what their programs are and what they do; then, it is very easy for them to do a payroll deduction,” she said. “There is no amount that can be given that is not going to make an impact — every amount counts.”
Noffsker said that pacesetter companies help take some of the burden of the $1.8 million goal off the rest of the community.
“Cameron University is a big supporter of the United
Way – one of our pacesetter companies,” she said. “Every year when campaign comes around, Cameron is one of the first to raise money and reach their goal.”
Noffsker also took the time to explain what the United Way does, and the benefits of United Way partnership.
“In addition to raising money and awareness for our agencies – being a partner agency with the United Way means that you get some extra things besides just money that we raise in the community,” Noffsker said. “For example, there are announcements that come out to the community about grant opportunities through funders – a lot of times those announcements will come to United Way and we send them out to our partners and let them know that this is a way for them to get a matching grant for their organization.
They may not have heard about it otherwise.”
Another area in which the United Way helps local agencies is actively helping to recruit volunteers.
“An individual may call and ask, ‘I want to volunteer in my community but I just want to go where somebody needs me – can you help?’” Noffsker said. “Yes we can. We bring them in, we do a quick interview with them to find out what their interests are and then we try to match those interests with a list of organizations that we have available.”
According to Noffsker, there are many different ways to donate to the United Way.
“Anyone can donate – they
can bring us cash, check or credit card – they can donate online – they can donate to us in so many different ways,” Noffsker said. “The choice is theirs, if it is time or talent that they want to donate.”
Noffsker said she was ultimately grateful to the community for its donations and its service.
“We thank the community for their support because we would not be here if it were not for the support of those who donate their time and money to the United Way.”
Information about volunteering, donating and connecting with Lawton-Fort Sill United Way on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube is available at www.uwlawton.org.
Image courtesy of United Way
Photo by Dianne Riddles
Photo by Dianne Riddles
Image courtesy of United Way
Over 150 foster homes shelter 350 children in Comanche County, but the Department of Human Services is still in serious need of more families to welcome more children into their homes.
Many of the children DHS has taken into temporary custody have endured varying degrees of crisis, ranging from death in the family to severe neglect and abuse. Child Welfare Specialist Melissa Thorson is one of five workers responsible for evaluating and approving the placement of these children at Comanche County’s DHS. She is currently overseeing 63 cases.
The increasing number of cases has directly impacted overall progress at DHS.
Thorson recalls several cases in which families were torn further apart due to the limited number of foster homes that were willing to accept groups of siblings.
“One of the saddest things for me is to see siblings separated after already being taken from their homes,” Thorson said. “Even in situations that involve neglect or abuse, it is very hard on the children to be without their parents. Despite the home environment they were taken from, most of these children still love and miss their parents very much.”
According to Thorson, DHS prefers to consider Kinship Homes as a possible safe haven for a child before placing her or him in a traditional foster home or shelter.
“This means the child knew the person prior to coming into custody,” Thorson said. “This can include other family members, friends and teachers.”
Aside from this difference, Kinship foster parents must meet the same requirements for approval as traditional foster families; the process is usually as lengthy, but slightly different.
“Kinship parents are allowed to complete a very basic initial, less extensive approval process,” Thorson said. “This process requires background checks, child
welfare checks, a home visit and references in order for initial placement to be approved.”
Not only does DHS hope to guarantee children stability and long-lasting relationships within their new homes, but DHS also encourages involvement from the community.
DHS has worked to change perceptions of the foster parents program and the community. Foster parents are now referred to as Bridge Resource Parents. Their new name draws attention to the bridge children make from their previous living situation to a safer, more lasting and stable home environment.
Several families have had good experiences as a Bridge Resource Family to be very rewarding.
Bridge Resource Families must meet several requirements, including a national criminal search, an Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation background check, a check for previous child welfare history and a walk-through of the home to check for safety hazards.
More information bout Bridge Resource Parents can be found at www.okdhs.com.
Photo by Dianne Riddles Photo by Dianne Riddles
Voices4 April 16, 2012www.aggiecentral.com
Editorial StaffEditor-in-Chief - Elijah MorlettAsst. Managing Editor - Aaron GillNews Editor - Teewhy DojuteleganCrossroads Editor - Dianne RiddlesA&E Editor - James MeeksSports Editor - Matt BerbereaCopy Editor - Alex Rosa-FigueroaAggie Central Editors - Aaron Gill, Mitch WatsonArchivist - Mitch Watson
Newsroom StaffFinancial Officer - Susan HillStaff Writers - Megan Bell, Sarah Brewer, Tyler Boydston, Kelsey Carter, Fern Cepeda, Colin DuRant, Leah Ellis, Rachel Engel, Angela Goode, Jessica Goodman, Sarah Holloway, Tiffany Martinez, Lizzy Owoyemi, Miranda RainesCirculation Manager - Matt ThompsonAdvertising Manager - Elijah MorlettPhotographer - Kelsey Carter
Newswriting StudentsValera Ainsworth, Adrian Alexander, Amanda Goemmer
Faculty Adviser Dr. Christopher Keller
About UsThe official student newspaper of
Cameron University, The Cameron Collegian is available each Monday during the year. It is printed by the Edmond Sun via the Duncan Banner. The first issue is provided free of charge. Each subsequent issue is $1.50.
Letters PolicyLetters to the editor will be printed
in the order in which they are received and on a space available basis.
The Collegian reserves the right to edit all letters for content and length. Letters should be no more than 450 words. Letters from individual authors will be published only once every four weeks.
All letters from students should include first and last names, classification and major. No nicknames will be used. Letters from people outside the Cameron community should include name, address and phone number for verification.
Letters can be sent by regular mail, by e-mail to [email protected] or they may be dropped off at our office - Nance Boyer 2060 or at www.aggiecentral.com.
Our Views The opinions expressed in The Collegian pages or personal columns are those of the signed author. The unsigned editorial under the heading “Aggie Voices” represents the opinion of the majority of the editorial board. The opinions expressed in The Collegian do not necessarily represent those of Cameron University or the state of Oklahoma.
Our student media are designated public forums, and free from censorship and advance approval of content. Because content and funding are unrelated, and because the role of adviser does not include advance review of content, student media are free to develop editorial policies and news coverage with the understanding that students and student organizations speak only for themselves. Administrators, faculty, staff or other agents shall not consider the student media’s content when making decisions regarding the media’s funding or faculty adviser.
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THE CAMERON UNIVERSITY
by Amanda GoemmerNewswriting Student
Culture of fear thrives throughout society
Discovering purpose through hardship
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by Sarah BrewerStaff Writer
The penultimate semester of my college career has been punctuated with a bitter twinge as I found myself faced with both the death of my grandfather and the widespread loss in Joplin, MO.
On Feb. 6, my grandpa called me to wish me a happy birthday for the last time. Three years ago, he was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and was told he would have just one more year to live.
My grandfather had fought and outlived his doctor’s
estimates, but had long passed the terminal stage of the disease.
We spoke for only a few minutes, but I will remember every word of our conversation for the rest of my days:
“Are you still as beautiful just like I remember?”
For whatever reason, I blushed and stammered through my reply:
“Maybe… I don’t know…” Of course I knew, though.
I inherited my face from my mother. Momma had a close relationship with my grandpa, her father. He took her to her first fishing trip, taught her how to make a proper fist — with the instruction that she was to only throw a punch when a bully had her cornered — and told her what to say to dates who might pressure her into giving more than company.
My mother has passed his wisdom on to me, but at that moment I failed to take any of her lessons to heart.
“Oh, I think so,” he said. “I know so.”
I should have given my grandpa a confidant assurance, but instead he comforted me. Now more than ever, I wish I
had answered in the affirmative; my grandpa, Robert L. Berry, slipped away 13 days later.
Our last conversation has forever changed my perception of beauty, a change that solidified in March on an alternative spring break trip to Joplin, MO.
The assignment I gave myself — to depict Joplin and its citizens as they stood during an ongoing period of recovery — required me to focus; after all, it was not the time for tears. I was determined to seek out whatever beauty there was, encapsulate it in photographs and write about my experiences; that way, other people could see what I saw.
I was initially hesitant to photograph the streets riddled with the voids where homes once stood or the skeletons of flattened buildings, but I couldn’t let the images go undocumented.
I later realized, I could only enhance the story I needed — and indeed, was obligated — to tell.
I wanted to tell a story about what it meant to persevere during hardship, how a patient ear can alleviate some of the heaviest held-in pain and how best to honor the memory of a lost loved one.
Most of all, I wanted
how truth and beauty are intertwined.
What I found in these last few weeks will never remedy the losses, but the experiences enabled me to reveal more of the beauty that sadness so often shields. I found my calling.
After a tumultuous six-year search spent vacillating between majors and career options, I know what I am meant to do with myself. I found that contributing my talent for writing and my passion for photography in a venue that allows me to showcase beauty and advocate the changes I wish to see in the world makes sense.
I think my grandpa would want it that way, too. I think he would encourage me to seek the same kind of irrefutable beauty that he saw in me in the world we live in.
Loss cannot be measured, and it cannot be weighed. Loss, however, precedes learning.
All of us, whether we are aware of it or not, are currently immersed in a culture of fear.
We turn on the television, go online, turn on the radio or open a newspaper and we are bombarded with huge amounts of fearful material constructed specifically to hold our attention. We are all drifting in an ocean of information, most of us without the proper tools needed to decipher all of the messages numbing our overloaded, information-logged brains.
There are various negative repercussions to this set of unfortunate circumstances, one of which is that we cannot see through the crap, so to speak. We allow the fear we are immersed in to rule our lives. It drives us to consume, to be still, and to act – many times – irrationally.
It is crucial that individuals be aware that news media is based upon deviant information. It is out of the norm, not the norm itself.
For example, we are attracted to crime stories because someone has committed an act that is abnormal for the members
of our society. Therefore, it is an uncommon act, and not something that represents the nature of all the other members of our society.
After the attack on the twin towers in 2001, Islamophobia began spreading through the U.S. like wildfire.
Sadly, trusted news anchors and other influential people have many times failed to mention that not all Muslims are terrorists, just as not all Christians blow up abortion clinics or go on oppressive crusades. Terrorists are extremists, and they live all over the globe.
Many American citizens have a tendency to hand over their freedom at a moments notice when standing in the face of a potential threat.
The Patriot Act, which violates many of our constitutional rights, passed without much difficulty due to the understandable fear that engulfed the nation immediately after Sept. 11. However, President Obama recently agreed to have the Patriot Act extended. How many times will
it be extended? How many of us, and for how long, will have our rights infringed upon in the name of security?
We do need to address terrorism, and punish those few fanatics who would sacrifice innocent lives in order to support their individual causes. However, we need to proceed with caution. Life without freedom isn’t worth living, even if you are safe.
After studying Paolo Freire’s “Pedagogy of the Oppressed,” I began to see that those who are living in our society today could actually consider themselves to be oppressed.
Not in the blatantly obvious way that many of us imagine when we hear the term oppression, but in our minds. Our minds, and therefore our thoughts, are in chains, and no one can break them but us.
We have to set ourselves free, and then decide whether we are willing and capable of finding a way to make a change that is apparent in our world.
In the words of a brilliant Mad Hatter, we have to begin at the beginning.
All of us need to learn about
media literacy, what it is and how to develop our skills so that we are not being controlled and molded into fear-munching zombies who are incapable of critical and meaningful thought.
Media literacy is the constant ongoing process that all individuals should be engaging in every day to ensure that the goals and beliefs that they hold are their own.
Unfortunately, many of us spend our days in a state of automaticity. That is, we place our minds on autopilot.
If we aren’t engaged in what we are doing, then we are at the mercy of those who create our media.
I have only this small bit of well-intended advice to give: Awaken; drag yourself out of the ocean and to the shore. Sputtering, lungs burning, find out if you are who you really think you are, or if you have been programmed and dozing all this time.
It can be painful, even lonely, but it is necessary for your survival.
I am sure some readers will wonder why a journalist like myself is writing about media and how dangerous it can be. To address that yet unspoken question, I have struggled with my role as a creator of media, and the impact that media may have on those who consume it.
I would like to have an affect on those who consume these words. I am hoping that those who read this will stir from their slumber, and seek to develop their media literacy skills.
I cannot force anyone into an awakening. I cannot make you do anything, not really.
However, I can point you to the tools you need to begin developing your media literacy skills.
It is simple: start researching, be engaged and most importantly, look into some of the classes offered here at CU that cover media literacy.
A&E 5April 16, 2012 www.aggiecentral.com
“The Voice” contestant performs at Village Center
Talent Show brings unique skills by Lizzy Owoyemi
Staff Writer
The Cameron University Student Housing talent show was held on April 11 at the McMahon Ballroom.
According to Jordan Scribner, a Speech Communication major and one of the contest organizers, preparation for the show began before spring break. All the contestants turned in an application and went through an audition to screen their performances. It was during the audition that people were selected.
“Before people could participate in the contest, they had to turn in an application a week before spring break,” Scribner said. “An audition process was done to screen each contestant’s performance and today was the last day of the process where the winner was selected.”
Mikaela Greene, a Resident Assistant, and Kerry Bryan, the Men’s Hall Director, anchored the show, known as the “CU Talent Show.” The night started off with the welcoming of the audience and announcement of the judges.
The judges included: Jenn Castricone, CU Secular Students adviser; CU Village Hall Director Chelsey Cates; her husband, Robert Cates; Spanish instructor Misael Santiago; and Communications professor Dr. Matt Jenkins.
This year’s show featured different performances from Carl Severson-Olson, Brett Carlton, Spenser Jones, Mary Baumann, Jeffery Humphires, Maranda Sosa-Patterson,
Tommy Loving, Jamie Hatcher, Demeatrice Latney, Ashim Bora and Brad Wolf. There were four vocals, three raps, two instrumentals and one belly dance.
There was also a raffle draw between performances, giving the audience the opportunity to win prizes from the bookstore. The audience also had the opportunity to participate in the segment “Do you have this?” before the winner was
announced. The judges ranked the each
contestant based on performance coupled with the crowd’s appeal, and the RAs rounded up the points.
The third prize of $25 was awarded to Latney, who performed a rap, “Representing S.O.S.” The winners of the second place of $50 went to Ashim Bohara and Brad Wolf with their performance “Mozart on Crack” on guitar.
Mary Baumann, with the song “Scarborought Fair” emerged the winner of the show with the $100 prize.
According to Baumann, a Fine Arts junior, she found out about the show from her friends.
“My friends are Resident Assistants for student housing,” Baumann said. “They tagged me for the event on Facebook and I decided to give it a try, but little did I know that I would win.”
Baumann said that she was glad she won, but was nervous before the show. She said she spent days rehearsing the song and envisioned herself singing with her brother, which was one of the things that motivated her. Unfortunately, she was unable to perform alongside her brother, as only students were allowed to participate.
“I am glad that I won and I’m proud of everyone that participated, because it takes courage to go on stage,” Baumann said.
Baumann said this was her first time to perform at the talent show, but she participated in the Open Mic night, another student housing event; however there was no prize. She plans to participate next semester.
CUs Got Talent: Fine Arts junior Mary Baumann won first place at the CU Talent Show.
by Tyler BoydstonStaff Writer
Bringing “The Voice”: Tje Austin, a former contestant of NBC’s The Voice, performs at the McMahon Village Center on April 10. Austin sang cover songs and his own original songs.
Lawton hosts second “Taste of home” cooking show
A former contestant from NBC’s TV show “The Voice” recently came to Cameron University to perform a set of songs and interact with students.
Tje Austin, a contestant from the show’s first season, came to perform on April 10 at the McMahon Village Center.
Austin explained that, during his time on “The Voice,” he saw the lifestyle of a celebrity while also focusing on the competition.
“It was a glimpse into the Hollywood lifestyle,” Austin said. “They really treated us like we had already made it. It was nice to not have to worry about food. They took care of everything and just wanted us to worry about the singing. They introduced us to vocal coaches, went to recording studios in L.A. and, of course, I got to meet Cee-Lo Green.”
As a part of Team Cee-Lo, Austin managed to work with the singer during his time on the show.
“Cee-Lo reminds me of a guru,” Austin said. “He’s very wise and even sage-like. He speaks very softly and you have to be really quiet to listen to him.
He’s very relaxed and chill, and also encouraging.”
Being a contestant of the show’s first season, Austin realized the risk of the show not making it to air.
“I think it was a different beast with season one,” Austin said. “They were trying to wrap their heads around it and what they really had. There was so much fun, but so much anxiety at the same time. No one knew what would happen with the show, and I thought that with my luck, the show would get cancelled before it aired.”
Austin explained his set list, which included a mix of both cover songs and songs he had written himself.
“I like sharing my original music, and I love it when I get a good response,” Austin said. “I like doing cover songs, too they’re my chance to force my favorite songs on people. It makes it fun when people hear something they can recognize. I love Coldplay, Jack Johnson, Adele. I like mellow music, but more than anything I love voices that are pure.”
Austin has managed to go to different venues each month in different areas, though he’s based
in the Texas area.“We go to events about
three to four times a month,” Austin said. “We perform a lot in Austin, but we’ve been trying to branch out and do a lot of travelling. “
Austin also the Internet to find different performances, to find more human qualities in singers.
“I always look for moments when I’m on YouTube where artists do something that make them look more human,” Austin
said “There was one I found of Usher where he drooled a little bit. I can watch and tell myself that it doesn’t only happen to me.”
In his performances since leaving “The Voice,” Austin has seen different crowds, but still manages to keep the same mindset going into each venue.
“You never know what to expect night to night,” Austin said. “Whether it’s for two people or 2,000, as long as somebody connects, then I’ve
done a great job.”Austin also gave advice
for others wishing to get into the music business, regarding rehearsals and preparation for performances.
“I don’t really know any secrets of the trade other than practicing,” Austin said. “Every show is a new show, so you really want to give it your all. You have to be under the assumption that some people don’t know who you are, and you want to convince them that you’re the real deal.”
Cooking up the stage: Jaime Dunn, culinary specialist for “Taste of Home” shows the au-dience how to make a Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake. The dessert is one of her favorites.
by James MeeksA&E Editor
On April 10th, Lawton held the “Taste of Home” cooking show. Townsquare Media Group, a radio broadcast company that airs Z94, KLAW 101 and MY 107.3, sponsored and promoted the show.
“Taste of Home” is a cooking magazine that shares recipes which people submit to the magazine as well as new recipes they develop.
Nancy Mace, promotions manager for KLAW 101, was responsible for bringing the show to Lawton, as well as for gathering sponsors to the event.
The publication also holds cooking shows all around the nation, with many different culinary specialists touring the country to teach attendees new dishes.
Before the event, attendees were able to browse a vendor show. The vendor show allowed the sponsors to set up booths
selling kitchen items such as cutting boards, Tupperware and spices.
The show featured Jamie Dunn, a culinary specialist for “Taste of Home.” Dunn explained that she travels around the country teaching audiences 10 recipes from the cooking magazine’s line.
“I do 50 shows a year, and I usually do two to three a week,” Dunn said.
According to Dunn, one of the things she loves to do while on the road is look for local restaurants
“It’s really fun on the road to find local restaurants,” Dunn said. “When I get into Texas, I get into barbecue; when I’m in Louisiana, it’s all about Cajun food.”
Dunn held a meet and greet with V.I.P. members before the show, signing autographs and sharing cooking advice.
During the show, Dunn showed attendees how to make breakfast, lunch, dinner, desserts and snack dishes.
Dunn began the show, she
explained, with one of her favorite dishes to eat and ended with one of her favorite desserts to make.
“I love cheesecake,” Dunn said. “I also love making the Strawberry Shortcake with chocolate, it’s my favorite.”
“Shotgun” Steve Kelly, Program Director for MY 107.3, hosted the event and sampled all the dishes that Dunn made.
During the show Dunn and Kelly gave away door prizes such as cookbooks and magazines. After the show Dunn held a Q&A session with the audience and Kelly raffled off her culinary creations for the winners to take home and enjoy.
Those that attended the show received a “Taste of Home” bag, which contained a book explaining how to make the dishes prepared during the show, as well as a free subscription to the magazine.
Future shows as well as recipes and to sign up for a subscription for the magazine can be found on www.tasteofhome.com.
Photo by Tyler Boydston
Photo by Colton Rowe
Photo by James Meeks
Sports6 April 16, 2012www.aggiecentral.com
CU Tennis continues strong runby Colin DuRant
Staff Writer
As the spring season begins to draw to a close, Cameron Aggie Tennis remains in full swing as the women played six matches the week of April 6 and the men played two with both teams concluding against Midwestern State in Wichita Falls, Texas.
The women managed to pick up five wins and the men went one for two on the week.
The women began their run of matches here at Cameron at the Streich-Henry Tennis Complex against St. Mary’s University on April 6. Improving on an 8-1 victory over the Rattlers earlier in the season, the women swept the San Antonio team 9-0.
Julia Puckhaber and Antonia Moberg shutout their opponents 8-0 at the No. 3 doubles spot and the women’s singles collectively failed to drop a single set.
The women took on Tarleton State later that day in a conference match that they won 7-2. The Aggies went up 2-1 against the TexAnns in doubles play to secure the early lead.
Cameron locked in the victory in singles play with Amanda Moberg, Sara Londono, Elvira Sholles, Florencia Tornero and Antonia Moberg all earning singles wins at the No. 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6 spots respectively.
The next day the women broke their streak falling 4-5 to the Oklahoma Christian Eagles at home. Only Puckhaber and Sholles obtained a doubles win at the No. 2 position defeating Gariela Carrillo and Marta Contel Miranzo 8-2.
In singles play, Puckhaber managed a 6-0, 6-4 win at the No. 2 position and Sholles also defeated her opponent 6-1, 6-3 and No. 4. All other Cameron women fell though allowing the Eagles to pick up the win.
After a few days break, the women picked up the racquets
again on April 10 against the Dallas Baptist University Patriots at home with a 7-2 win.
The women began the match with a 3-0 lead in doubles with the No. 1 pair of Amanda Moberg and Sara Londono winning 8-5, the No. 2 pair of Puckhaber and Sholles winning 8-3 and the No. 3 pair of Florencia Tornero and Antonia Moberg winning 8-5.
In singles play, only No. 1 and No. 6 fell with all other Lady Aggies securing wins allowing the team to achieve the victory.
On April 11, the Lady Aggies traveled to Wichita Falls to take on conference opponent Midwestern State where the women picked up an 8-1 win.
The women went up 2-1 in doubles play earning victories at the No. 1 and No. 3 position.
Cameron would go on to sweep singles play to lock in the triumph.
Coach James Helvey said he felt like all of the women having been performing well, but he highlighted Antonia Moberg as a stand-out.
“She has really stepped-up,” Helvey said. “She’s really turned her game around and has been going in the right direction. She’s playing fantastic doubles.”
As of press time, the women will have taken on Arkansas-Fort Smith at home on April 13, hoping to bring their 21-3 record to 22-3 before Lone Star Conference tournament seedings are released on April 16.
The men came off a longer break than the women coming into the Dallas Baptist University match at home on
April 10, after not playing since March 29. The men made the most of the homecoming match against the Patriots with a 9-0 sweep.
In doubles play, the Aggies took an early lead with the No. 1 pair of Thomas Peixoto and Nicolai Ferrigno, the No. 2 pair of Mateus Campos and Gonzalo Garzon and the No. 3 pair of Duje Janjic and Dean Wiegelt all winning with scores of 8-3, 8-3 and 8-1 respectively.
The success continued into singles play as the men winning without dropping a single set and Campos and Gerosi achieving 6-0, 6-0 victories the No. 5 and 6 positions.
The men traveled to Wichita Falls to take on Midwestern State in a match Coach Helvey didn’t take lightly.
“They were a really strong rival for many years,” Helvey said. “We’ve taken care of business with them for the past five years, but Midwestern’s got a really good team.”
The Mustangs showed their mettle against the Aggies and managed to narrowly defeat Cameron in a 5-4 decision. The Aggie men went down 1-2 after doubles play with only the No. 1 team of Peixoto and Ferrigno winning 8-3.
Peixoto, Ferrigno and Gerosi also managed singles wins, but losses at the No. 2, 5 and 6 positions allowed Midwestern State to pick up the victory.
The loss brings the men’s record to 15-8, but the Aggies will take on Arkansas-Fort Smith at home on April 13 to conclude their regular season.
Softball struggles in conference playby Miranda Raines
Staff Writer
In a three game series against Abilene Christian (24-10, 10-6) on Friday, April 5, at Cameron Field, the Aggies (15-23, 6-11) were able to pull a win out in game two of the series.
The Cameron Aggie Softball team sat at the eighth and final playoff spot as a result of the games against Abilene Christian and Midwestern State.
Head Coach Beth Watson was proud to say the women were able to take the loss of game one and turn it around in the second.
“It was a great win for us,” Coach Watson said. “Game one didn’t go our way, but we kept fighting in game two, and Kelsy (Hebert) did a great job in circle in game two. She really had them fooled out there. And they are a great offensive team.”
Although sophomore Kelsy Hebert did not get the win game two, she allowed only seven hits in six innings, before senior Carrie Dilks took over.
Some other standout players in the games Friday, freshman Micah Foutch, juniors, Drew Wright, Sonia Foutch and Amanda Karth each picked up RBI’s.
Coach Watson said Freshman Tara Martini stood out again as a crucial hitter.
“Tara Martini is proving to be pretty clutch,” Coach Watson said. “It’s always good to get some timely hitting,
and we got that today in game two.”
The next day in game three, Dilks took the loss as the Aggies fell 5-1 to the Wildcats.
Martini knocking in her second walkoff hit of the series scoring freshman Misty Dooley, in the one run of the game.
Coach Watson explained that because the Aggies could
not string together any hits, it was difficult to score.
“We really wanted to win this game and the series,” she said. “We played hard throughout. They just came up with a big hit late in the game.”
In the double-header against Midwestern State, CU dropped to 15-26 on the year with a 6-14 record in the conference, on April 10.
The Aggies suffered a 5-1 and 2-0 loss in Texas. Coach Watson said these losses were difficult to take.
“It’s tough,” Coach Watson said. “These were two games we really wanted. Anytime we play MSU we want to walk away with the victory.”
Junior pitcher Cheyenne Brown was first up in game one and allowed three runs
on two hits in one and a half innings, before being relieved by Dilks who gave up two runs on five hits.
The one and only RBI of the game for the Aggies came from junior Leah Trousdale in game one. She walked in the run after three consecutive singles in the top of the second.
The Mustangs (20-20, 10-10) came back quickly with three of its five runs in the second inning, the majority coming from two doubles.
The final two runs in game one for Midwestern State came in the bottom of the fifth, locking in the final score.
Hebert was charged with the loss in game two putting her record at 4-7 for the season. She pitched six innings, allowing six hits with only two runs. She was able to hold the Mustangs off in the final three innings, leaving them hitless.
Even with a loss it was another standout game for Hebert, Coach Watson said.
“Kelsy (Hebert) threw a great game today,” Watson said. “She has been doing that a lot lately. We just couldn’t get any support behind her. That makes it tough on the pitcher, but she battled and kept us in the game from start to finish.”
Dooley and Wright picked up back-to-back singles, but CU was unable to take advantage, leaving the women at a final score of 2-0.
More information is available at cameronaggies.com
Top of her class: Junior Elvira Sholles strikes a forehand earlier this season against Southern Nazarene. Sholles has helped the Aggies all season with a 22-2 singles record and was named the Lonestar Conference Player of the Week on April 11.
Photo by Matthew Berberea
Pitching lights out: Kelsy Hebert delivers a pitch against Abilene Christian on April 5. In her two starts this week Hebert pitched 12 strong innings, giving up only five runs.
Photo by Tory Brouwer
Sports 7April 16, 2012 www.aggiecentral.com
CU splits series with Javelinasby Aaron Gill
Asst. Managing Editor
The Cameron Aggies baseball team split the series played April 5-6 against Texas A&M Kingsville in Kingsville, Texas.
Day one for CU was an interesting one as the Aggies fell behind the Javelinas early in the day losing game one by a score of 11-3.
Cameron scored first in game one, plating two runs early in the first inning. The runs were scored as Benshell Garcia hit a two-run single to bring Josh Dawson and Nick Smith home for the Aggies.
The Javelinas responded by putting five runs on the board in the bottom of the first and kept after CU starting pitcher Justin Watley, plating three more runs in the bottom of the second after the Aggies failed to produce any runs in the top of the inning.
The Javelinas added two more runs to the lead in the bottom of the third against Aggie reliever Will Thomas. The Aggies went into the final inning trailing the Javelinas by a score of 11-2.
Kevin Lum ripped a solo shot to left and scored the last of the Aggies runs for game one.
Head Coach Todd Holland said his Aggies scored early but basically gave the game away.
“In the first game we came out and scored two in the first … then we gave it to them,” Holland said. “We made too
many mistakes.”The Aggies once again took
the lead early in game two scoring two runs in the top of the first. Andy Garcia and Brad Blumer both had RBIs for the Aggies to take an early 2-0 lead.
The Javelinas came back with their defensive efforts to keep the Aggies from scoring for the next three innings and produced three runs of their own to bring the score to 3-2, Javelinas.
The teams battled in the fifth each scoring one run as Blumer picked up his second RBI of the game.
The seventh inning was when the game really started to heat up as the Aggies took advantage of three errors made by the Javelinas. The Aggies scored four runs in the inning bringing the score to 7-3, Aggies.
Lum and Dawson both reached for the Aggies after being hit by pitches. Andy Garcia stepped into the box and doubled down the left field line bringing Lum in for the Aggies and advancing Dawson over to third. Blumer then picked up another RBI bringing Dawson home.
An error on the play also gave room for Garcia to score and advance Blumer around to third. Andy Garcia then had an RBI single to bring in Blumer for the Aggies final run of the inning.
Coach Holland said his Aggies played a whole different ball game in the second game
of the day. “Second game we came back
and won,” Holland said. “We capitalized on their mistakes. Rhodes pitched alright; it was not his best day. But, he did enough to win.”
The Aggies went into day two already with a split in the series and a split is what would remain through the weekend.
The Aggies won game one by a score of 5-3 and lost in a 14-inning defensive battle 3-2 in game two.
Holland said the Black and Gold played well in game one and should have pulled out the
win in game two.“We were able to capitalize
on their mistakes in game one to take the victory,” Coach Holland said. “We should have won the second game. We had our chances but didn’t pull it out.”
The Aggies took advantage of the Javelinas in game one by picking up five runs off four Kingsville errors.
The final game turned out to be a 14-inning battle between the pitchers. CU starter Mike Carlson went 8 1/3 innings for the Aggies, allowing six hits and two runs.
Wade Myatt took the loss for the Aggies as the Javelinas racked up three hits and only on run in 2 1/3 innings. Carlson gave up two runs early in the first and second innings but the Aggies held the Javelinas to those two until the top of the 14th inning.
Coach Holland was impressed by his pitching staff but hoped the Aggies could seal the game earlier.
“Carlson threw a great game,” Holland said. “There were times late when we should have scored and taken control, but we didn’t. I hope that
Going the distance: CU pitcher Mike Carlson delivers a pitch earlier this year. Carlson pitched into the ninth inning but the Aggies were unable to win the 14-inning battle on April 6.
ThunderstruckOKC snaps three-game losing streak then drops game to Clippers
by Matthew BerbereaSports Editor
After dropping three consecutive games for the first time this season, the Oklahoma City Thunder bounced back with two straight wins before falling 100-98 at home against the Los Angeles Clippers on April 11 at home.
OKC snapped their three-game skid against the Toronto Raptors April 8 at the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City.
The Thunder led almost the entire game, taking an early lead in the first quarter and never trailing from that point forward. They pulled away in the third quarter by going on a 24-0 run to wrap up the 91-75 victory.
Kevin Durant, who led the team in scoring with 23 points, said that tough defense was the key to getting it going on the offensive side.
“Guys got into the lane, got to the free throw line and made great passes and our defense was really good,” Durant said. “Our defense always ignites our offense. We got stops and we turned them into points.”
Next up for the Thunder was a road trip to Milwaukee to face the Bucks who are looking for the eighth playoff seed in the East.
OKC scored often and early as they jumped out to a 35-18 lead in the first quarter behind Russell Westbrook’s 10 points.
The rest of the first half was dominated by Oklahoma City as the teams went into the locker room with the Thunder leading 52-35.
The second half took a turn, as the Bucks seemed frustrated by their inability to close the gap. Milwaukee was charged with five technical fouls in the half and could never find a rhythm to get back in the game. The Thunder won by 20 points with a final score of 109-89.
Russell Westbrook led the Thunder with 26 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists.
Thunder Head Coach Scott Brooks said that his defense was the key to pulling out a win on the road.
“You don’t expect to go on Milwaukee’s floor and win by 20, but I thought our defensive mind-set was outstanding from the start,” Brooks said.
After winning two straight against opponents with losing records, the Thunder faced the LA Clippers who currently sit fourth in the West.
The Thunder were able to take an early six point lead after Durant made a driving layup but the Clippers did not go away. The two teams traded
baskets and the first quarter ended with the Thunder up 24-21.
The score remained tight in the second quarter until veteran point guard Derek Fisher hit two three-pointers to put the Thunder up by 11 points with 7:20 left in the half. As the teams left the court for halftime, the Thunder led 55-48.
At the start of the second half the Thunder were able to maintain their lead as Westbrook drained a three with just under nine minutes remaining. Again the Clippers clawed their way back behind free throws and a Blake Griffin dunk over Thunder forward Serge Ibaka. Heading into the
fourth quarter the Thunder found their lead down to four points, 80-76.
That lead disappeared in the fourth quarter when Clippers guard Randy Foye hit a three-
point shot with 8:34 left to give LA their first lead since the first quarter.
The Thunder responded with a layup by Durant followed by a three from James Harden.
The teams continued to trade baskets and with 32 second left in the game Kevin Durant hit a three to tie the game up at 98-98.
After taking a timeout, the Clippers came out and held the ball for the entire 24-second shot clock until all-star point guard Chris Paul drove to the basket for a layup with eight seconds on the clock.
Oklahoma City had one last opportunity for the win as Kevin Durant rose up for a three over Deandre Jordan but the ball found the back of the rim and the Thunder came up two points short, 100-98.
The loss marked only the sixth time all season the Thunder have come up short at home.
After the game, James Harden said the Thunder did a poor job defending Chris Paul, who scored 24 of his 31 points in the second half.
“We just got lazy in the second half,” said Thunder guard James Harden, who had 17 points off the bench. “We didn’t come out with that aggression like we did in the first half to really control him, and he took advantage of it.”
Soaring through the lane: Thunder guard Russell Westbrook elevates over Randy Foye for a layup April 11 against the Clippers in OKC. The Thunder fell to the Clippers 100-98.
Photo courtesy of Associated Press
Photo by Brandon Neris
Feature8 April 16, 2012www.aggiecentral.comF O L I O L I N E M c C l a t c h y - T r i b u n eF O L I O L I N E
BOOKS TO MOVIESMCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE
Fan totals Fan totals Fan totals Fan totals
$2.9billion $7.7 billion
$2.5billion
$226.5 million
GLOBAL BOX OFFICE TOTALS
Movie makers hoping
SOURCES: IMDB, Box Office Mojo, TheNumbers.com, Fandango, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences * Fan numbers current as of March 19, 2012
The Hunger Games
The fan base
Translating a fan base into money
Tracking the fans of novels — from book to web to theaters
ADVANCE TICKET SALES SET RECORDS
“Harry Potter”: 44.4 million
“Twilight”: 17.03 million
“Lord of the Rings”: 8.74 million
“Hunger Games”: 3.04 million
“Percy Jackson”: 1.27 million
3 books
4 movies (proposed)2008 2009 2010
2012 2013 ? ?
3 books
3 movies1954 1954 1955
2001 2002 2003
4 books
5 movies2005 2006 2007 2008
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
5 books
2 movies2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
2010 2013
7 books
8 movies’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03
’01 ’02 ’04 ’05 ’07 ’10’09 ’11
“Harry Potter”
DVDs sold (All eight movies)
245 million
“Sorcerer’s Stone”
“Chamber of Secrets”
“Prisoner of Azkaban”
“Goblet of Fire”
“Order of the Phoenix”
“Half-blood Prince”
“Deathly Hallows 1”
“Deathly Hallows 2”
$975
$879
$797
$897
$940
$934
$956
$1,328
Global box office In millions
“The Lord of the Rings”
“Fellowship”
“Two Towers”
“Return of the King”
$872
$926
$1,120
Global box office In millions“Twilight”
“New Moon”
“Eclipse”
“Breaking Dawn”
“Breaking Dawn, Part 2”: Nov. 16, 2012
$393
$710
$698
$705
Global box office In millions
“Twilight”
Production budget In millions
“Breaking Dawn,Part 2”: $136.2
“Breaking Dawn,Part 1”: $127.5
“Eclipse”: $68
“New Moon”:$50
“Twilight”: $37
“Percy Jackson”
“The Lightning Thief” $226.5
Global box office In millions
Critical acclaim
More books
2010: “The Lost Hero”
2011: “The Son of Neptune”
2012: “The Mark of Athena”
Unknown
Unknown
FacebookClicking a thumbs-up icon is all it takes to be a fan
WEBSITES USED:
Fanfiction.netWhere fans post their own stories based on thecharacters of their beloved booksFanpopAn aggregator of fan clubs
Deviant ArtWhere fans post story-based artwork
EtsyA site where users buy and sell handmade craftsWikiInformational articles written by devotees
“Hunger Games” fans
odds in their favorAdaptations of popular books on the big screen are nothing new, but in recent years movie studios have looked to maximize ticket sales by targeting the established fan bases of popular teen and young adult book series. “The Hunger Games” book trilogy is a prime example; the first of four planned movies opened Friday, taking in a record $155 million in North America over the weekend. But while its legions of online fans look impressive when tallied, “The Hunger Games” has many more people to win over if it is to match the box office success of the “Harry Potter” and “Twilight” franchises.
In a future, dystopian North America, an authoritarian government forces teens to fight to the death on live television for entertainment. Heroine Katniss Everdeen volunteers to take her sister’s place in the games.
Online movie ticket seller Fandango.com announced that “The Hunger Games” set a record for number of advance tickets sold on its site. Advance tickets were made available Feb. 22, and first-day purchases broke a record previously held by “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse.” By March 1 the overall record had been set, and on March 20 Fandango reported that 2,000 theaters sold out for the premiere.
Combining fan participation data from a variety of websites, we attempted to give a sense of “Hunger Games’” overall fan base. If all acts of fandom were summed together into one fan base index, here’s how five popular series would stack up.*
Teen Bella Swan moves to Washington and finds out that vampires are real – and one of them is pretty hunky.
A young boy discovers that the gods of Greek mythology are real and that he’s the son of Poseidon.
Author Rick Riordan is writing a five-book sequel series, “The Heroes of Olympus,” featuring many of the same characters as “Lightning Thief.”
The second book’s movie “Sea of Monsters” is set to start filming in April. The first movie cost $95 million to make and garnered $88.8 million domestically.
With more than $1 billion made, the franchise is No. 11 in a list of top grossing series — right behind “Twilight” and above “Star Trek.” Harry Potter is at the top of the list.
“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” parts 1 and 2 both made it onto 2011’s top selling DVDs at Nos. 1 and 3, respectively.
Harry Potter attends school at Hogwarts, learns magic and struggles to defeat an evil wizard.
In a land of elves and dwarves, hobbit Frodo is entrusted with a magical, dangerous ring.
Fans of a book anticipate the movie adaptation, and the movie itself, if successful, creates new fans. Looking at sheer fan volume, the movies based on J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter novels did thebest out of these four series: 43.2 million people “liked” it on Facebook, and the eight movies made $7.7 billion globally. If “The Hunger Games” hopes to make a similar splash for its first movie, the 3.04 million fans we tallied each would have to spend more than $300 at the theater to equal the first in the Potter series, “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.”
