Home Invasions

Stiner 3:27

On April 18, a man broke into a sorority house at the University of Oklahoma while the girls were in the house, sleeping. 

The man stole various pieces of women’s clothing and even took a shower in one of the bathrooms. 

However, burglaries of this nature are rare in the residential areas of OU’s campus. 

 “People normally don’t break into houses or dorms that are occupied or appear to be occupied,” Bruce Chan, the public information officer for the University of Oklahoma Police Department, said. 

Chan explains that the difference between burglary, robbery and larceny is the means by which the theft is done and whether there is an occupant in the residence. 

“Burglary, or ‘breaking and entering’, is when someone breaks into a home and steals property,” Chan said. “Robbery is when someone takes something of value from someone else through force or intimidation.” 

Compared to other universities in the Big 12, OU is one of the safest universities with only nine on-campus residential burglaries reported in 2010. According to various campus crime reports, the University of Texas ranks first in the amount of on-campus residential burglaries with 40 burglaries reported in 2010 and the University of Missouri ranks last with only 4 reported burglaries.

To prevent home invasion or burglary, a homeowner should make sure that his or her lawn is cut and there are no weeds growing in the yard. Locks on the doors and windows should be included in a homeowner’s items for home security. 

Chan says that keeping the windows and doors locked, even when at home, is a good way of preventing someone from breaking in.  

Many of the items stolen on the university’s campus are small electronics such as phones and laptop computers. The hotspots for items to be stolen are places where many students meet such as the library, the student union, or the dorms’ commons areas. 

“It is a good idea to make sure all of your property is marked,” Chan said. “It is a deterrent to a thief to steal something that can be identified by somebody else.” 

Chan also said that marking property gives police a means of identification if stolen property is recovered. 

Homeowner’s insurance allows for the homeowner to receive compensation for the property stolen from the home. 

Paul Steiner, an insurance agent for Family Insurance, says that he makes sure it is in the best interest of his client before he files a theft claim. 

“If you have a theft on your record and try to go find new insurance, it is extremely difficult because nobody wants you,” Steiner said. “ Theft, fires and liability claims, those are the bad ones.” 

Steiner says that after the claim is filed, then the homeowner will receive the difference in amount between the homeowner’s deductible and the value of property stolen. Therefore, if a homeowner has a $1,000 deductible and has $1,800 worth of property stolen, then the insurance company will send the homeowner $800. 

A claim cannot be filed if the value of the property is less than the deductible amount because then the insurance company would lose more money than the amount the property stolen was worth. 

Erin Schuster, another insurance agent for Family Insurance, says that taking pictures of personal property, especially the more expensive items, helps the claim process go more quickly and smoothly because the homeowner would have proof of exactly what was stolen. 

In the case of the burglary of the sorority house, the burglar was caught and will be in court in August. 

To find out more on crime at the University of Oklahoma visit http://www.ou.edu/oupd/

Comparison Graphs of Thefts in the Big 12

A Night of Culture

 Photo: Traditional Dance by Korean Night School by Shelby Stiner

The Korean Student Association put on a night of culture and entertainment Monday April 16, in the Meacham Auditorium. 

Korean Night was a KSA event weaving modern and traditional Korean culture through singing, dancing, skits, and even a self defense lesson. 

The show started out with a video briefly describing the history of Korea and where they had to come from to get to where they are today. 

“This night is about showing Americans what Korea really is,” KSA President Kiae Chin Lee said. “ Tonight is about sharing our culture with the students.” 

The more modern performances included popular Korean music called K-Pop and there was a screen set up translating the words for the people in the audience who did not speak Korean. 

The traditional performances included a TaeKwonDo demonstration, a traditional dance by the young students from the Korean night school as well as a skit about a woman whose powerful farts brought her lasting love. 

There was also a raffle drawing in between acts where KSA shirts and various foods were given away. The big raffle item was a pair of Dr. Dre Beats headphones. 

“I didn’t expect too much from Korean night at first,” said International Business Senior and foreign exchange student Sunyoung Park.  “ But then when I was asked to be a part of it I realized that I can help Koreans by letting people know about Korea in some way.” 

To find out more about Korean Night or the Korean Student Association visit www.ouksa.org 

A Walk for a Cure

Photo: Survivors taking the first lap of the night. By Shelby Stiner

On April 21, the University of Oklahoma hosted a walk for cancer around the South Oval

Relay for Life is an overnight event raising money for the American Cancer Society. The opening ceremony for this event began with a survivor telling her story of her fight with cancer and her road to recovery. Then all the survivors attending the event start out the event by taking the first lap around the track with the Relay for Life banner. People standing around the track cheered for the survivors, handing them gifts and giving them hugs as they went by. 

Sarah Wible, a sophomore pre-nursing major, said that Relay for Life to her means awareness.

“ Relay for Life reminds me of the struggle I’ve been through and allows me to see others that have been through my struggle,” Wible said. “ it also gives a face to those who are still struggling with this and makes people want to donate money.” 

Wible ended her last round of chemo treatment two days before Panhellenic Recruitment and said that although she was tired, she was excited for what was to come. 

“I was just excited to start a new chapter in my life,” Wible said. “Like I closed one chapter and immediately started a new one, one where no one knew me as the girl who had cancer.” 

Throughout the night there were activities such as flag football, Zumba, and a Ms. Relay pageant where men dressed up as women and walked around the South Oval asking for donations and the man with the most money raised won the pageant. 

There were also musical acts who came and sang for the participants camping out. 

“We raised over $100,000,” Audrey Leeder a Relay for Life committee member said, “ that’s $10,000 more than we raised last year.” 

To find out how to get involved with Relay for Life next year visit http://www.relayforlife.org/

Shaving Heads for Childhood Cancer

Jay Menton and Theresa James, members of Alpha Phi omega, posing with their freshly shaved heads. 

PHOTO: Shelby Stiner

A service fraternity shaves heads to raise money for a cure for children’s cancer. 

Alpha Phi Omega, a co-ed service fraternity, ran a barbershop tent on the South Oval Thursday, April 5, in order to raise money for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation. 

The St. Baldrick’s Foundation is a charity that funds research to find a cure for childhood cancer. The foundation started in 2000 as competition between two friends to see who could raise the most money for childhood cancer research by shaving their heads. St. Baldrick’s is the largest foundation for childhood cancer research, second only to St. Jude’s. 

“St. Baldrick’s grants the most amount of money in the form of research grants for childhood cancer research,” Jay Menton, Alpha Phi Omega Chair of St. Baldrick’s Day said. 

People who wanted to participate in the event paid $5 to have their head shaved and the shaved hair would then be donated to Wigs for Kids, a program that makes wigs from the donated hair for children with cancer. 

Menton said that the children affected by cancer are normally going through a time in their life where looks are very important. He says the volunteers who pledge to shave their heads do so to stand with the children in their time of suffering. 

“Our Volunteers want to show [the kids] that it’s alright to be bald, plenty of people do it,” Menton said. 

Theresa James, the fundraising chair for Alpha Phi Omega, is a perfect example of trying to show the children it’s okay to be bald. She shaved off all of her shoulder length, thick, curly blonde hair to raise money and donate to Wigs for Kids. 

“Donating my hair means someone else is going to have it, and somebody else is going to enjoy it,” James said. “And my hair will grow back.”  

Alpha Phi Omega hopes to raise $7,500 for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation. 

To learn more about the St. Baldrick’s Foundation and how to donate money visit http://www.stbaldricks.org/ 

To learn more about Alpha Phi Omega visit http://www.ou.edu/apo/about.html 

Turning Pain into a Smile

Kate Carlton is unique because she lives in pain everyday but is always a light in the world. Runtime 2:36

A Sophomore Journalism student has surgery to relieve pain from her everyday life. 

Kate Carlton is a helpful and inviting person despite having a disorder that causes her pain every day.

            Carlton is a sophomore broadcast and electronic media major in the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication. She is hoping to one day work for National Public Radio as a producer. Carlton is also a member of the Delta Gamma sorority and finds new ways every day to help and lift up her sisters spirits.

            In April 2011, Carlton was diagnosed with having symptoms of a disorder called Endometriosis. 

            Endometriosis is a female health disorder where cells from the lining of the uterus grow on the outside of other parts of the body, such as on the fallopian tubes or ovaries. This disorder causes chronic pain for the person as well as irregular bleeding and possible infertility. This disorder is believed to occur in girls who start their periods at a young age, in women who have a period that lasts for more than seven days, women who have a closed hymen, as well as women who have never had children.

            Even though doctors know the symptoms of endometriosis, they have not discovered what officially causes the disorder.

            “The weird thing about endometriosis is the doctors don’t really know much about it. Like they don’t know what causes it or when it sets in,” Carlton said. “They just know it happens and they can’t even tell you it’s endometriosis until you have surgery.”

            Since endometriosis usually occurs in women from ages 25 to 35, it is very rare that a women Carlton’s age, 19, would have been diagnosed with the disorder.

            Before surgery, Carlton woke up everyday with extreme pain in her lower back and abdomen. She would take 12 to 15 different pills a day to relieve the pain as well as stick to a limited dairy and gluten free diet.

            Although the pills numb the pain, a bump in the road while driving or even a playful poke from a friend would cause Carlton pain.

            Rachel Games, a junior elementary teaching major and Carlton’s roommate, says that Carlton does not complain about the pain she feels.

           

            “ She still remains really positive and doesn’t complain ever,” Games said. “Even when she’s in a lot of pain she doesn’t whine about it or let you know she’s hurting because she is trying to stay so positive.”

           

            One of Carlton’s jobs in the Delta Gamma house is parking attendant. This position requires the attendant to ticket and tow cars that do not have a Delta Gamma parking pass. Carlton says that she has been yelled at multiple times for towing cars but is not offended by the comments made towards her because it is her job. Before this year the parking attendant job did not exist, it is a position Carlton created to relieve stress off of her friend Hayley Hood, the Delta Gamma house manager, who was overwhelmed by they job.

            “I don’t really mind being yelled at if it is to help my friend be less overwhelmed,” Carlton said.

            Carlton’s family, roommate, and boyfriend were the only people who knew about Carlton’s disorder and her recent surgery. Carlton says she tries not to draw attention to her pain because she doesn’t want people to feel sorry for her.

Although Carlton dealt with the pain the disorder caused, when she discovered that one of the symptoms of endometriosis was infertility, she was distraught.

            “One of the best parts about being a women is having kids and when I found out there was a chance that I couldn’t have one of my own, I mourned the loss of my children,” Carlton said.

           

            Carlton and her long time boyfriend, Corbin Greer, discussed that they would adopt if they found out she could not have children of her own. Carlton also said that they planned to possibly use a surrogate if they decided they wanted a child biologically related to them.

Through the pain and struggles Carlton has gone through this year, she still remains a happy and warm person. After her surgery, instead of staying in a hotel with her mom so she could heal, she decided to come back to campus to hear about her friends Spring Break trips.

            Carlton says that she loves people and does not see the point in being in a bad mood just because she is in pain. She says that her faith in God has gotten her through many of the hard times and kept her thinking positively.

           

            “ I think she’s so strong. I mean the past year has been terrible for her and she would never tell you that,” Corbin Greer, Carlton’s boyfriend, said. “She’s in terrible pain but she would never say anything because it’s her business.”

            Carlton is hoping that after her surgery she can start working out and riding horses again. She plans on taking yoga classes at the Huston Huffman Center and returning to the sport she played in high school, barrel-racing. 

The Media's 'Lin-sanity'

AUDIO: Shelby Stiner, Runtime: 0:54

A rookie basketball player has been making headlines recently for more reasons than his exceptional skills. 

Jeremy Lin is a point guard for the New York Knicks and is the first American player of Chinese descent. This basketball season, Lin has led the Knicks to victory over top teams such as the Dallas Mavericks and the Los Angeles Lakers. This at one time D-leaguer, surprised many in the league and quickly gained a massive following that the media called ‘Lin-sanity’. 

With the Knicks incredible winning streak of seven games in a row, many media outlets were focusing on the player who seemed to make it all happen for the Knicks; however, many of the comments made about Lin were not about his playing. 

After the Knicks lost to the Hornets, Anthony Federico, an editor for the ESPN website, was fired for using the headline “A Chink in the Armor” to describe Lin’s out of character game, with nine turnovers that caused the loss. 

Federico said that headline was not meant to be racist and the idea that the headline was racist never occurred to him. Federico later apologized to Lin and others for the offensive slur. 

“This had nothing to do with me being cute or punny,” Federico said. 

Surprisingly, Federico was not the first journalist to make this kind of mistake. Jason Whitlock, a writer for Foxsports.com, tweeted “Some lucky lady in NYC is gonna feel a couple inches of pain tonight” after Lin put up an impressive 38 points against the Lakers, leading the Knicks to a victory. Whitlock was suspended from Foxsports.com for his comments. 

Judy Robinson, former minority affairs reporter for the Oklahoman and advisor of the Oklahoma Daily, says that the reasons behind these off color remarks could be because of the novelty of having a skilled Asian-American in the NBA. 

“Perhaps it’s just the novelty factor, but that undermines the whole idea that if you have some diversity training you understand that you have to be sensitive to all people and all types,” Robinson said. 

Robinson said the way for journalist and all media writers to avoid these kind of offensive remarks is through diversity training. She says that through this training, media writers will learn they cannot just be sensitive to people but understand what the stereotypes are and where they came from. 

“ You’ve got to explore where your own dark spots are and the things that you don’t, maybe don’t realize,” Robinson said. 

In the case of Jeremy Lin, he says that he forgives the people who have made racist comments about him; however, this does not erase the things that were said about him. With how fast media stories develop today, journalists have a shorter amount of time to stop and think about what they write or say. Because of this fact, when averse comments are made, media outlets will have to take swifter and firmer action against the offenders. Robinson says that even though some of the comments made may have been mistakes, there is no reason to ignore the seriousness of the comments.

“ We avoid stereotypes. We don’t encourage them.” 

Judy Robinson 

(405) 325-2842

jgrobinson@ou.edu

Life with the Girls who wear the Anchor

This is the Delta Gamma house in full swing during dinner. The first floor is a great place to hangout and relax after a long day of being in class and studying. There is always someone to talk to, something to eat, and something to share with our sisters. VIDEO: Shelby Stiner, Runtime: 1:02

I Heart Social Media

A panel of professionals spoke to the audience about how new social media is being used in journalism today. On February 14, the Gaylord College of Journalism held a speaking event called “I Heart Social Media”. 

Twitter is the newest form of popular social media. Twitter is a good way to maintain a professional network and a great way to begin a professional relationship with someone you may potentially want to work for. Blake Jackson, manager of digital communications for Chesapeake Energy, said following the people behind the scenes, shows more interest in the organization which will allow you to build a relationship with that person quicker and smoother. Lauren Parajon, a social media specialist, said as journalism students we should think about where we want to work or who we want to work for in the next five years, and start following that person on Twitter. Twitter is also a great way of discovering who’s behind the scenes of certain campaigns or businesses and start following and building a relationship with them. 

“Follow all the social media people,” Parajon said, “they are following all the people you should be following. It’s a great way to build your social media circles.” 

Not only should you as a journalist know about the popular forms of social media but also the unpopular forms of social media. Google plus sparked a great debate on the panel, half saying that Google plus was a failure and the other half saying it’s on its way up. 

“I want Google plus to be good. I’m not hating I’m waiting,” said Dave Rhea, a freelance writer. It is important to know which social media sites will attract the largest audience and which ones will be a waste of your time. Apply social media to the way you connect to your audience. 

Online resumes has become the way many people have received work in the recent years. Because of this, Kelsey Humphries, a graphic designer and blogger, said that by the time you are a junior you should work on having a personal website for yourself that is linked to your Facebook, Twitter and other social media accounts. Parajon said that she believes students should have started a LinkedIn account when they are freshman. LinkedIn is a professional social media site where people can build their resume and build a relationship with potential future employers. She said the sooner you put yourself out in the professional world, the better chances you will have a getting a job right when you leave college. 

“Use social media as a way to get your foot in the door, not as a way to get the job,” said Cassie Gilman, an associate director of the President’s Associates. 

To work in social media you must know how to write well. Since many of the social media sites have a limited amount of characters you can use, you must know how to make your stories informative but concise. You must also know how to advertise yourself to gain followers and how to advertise your company or business to gain consumers. 

“Social media encompasses every journalism major,” Parajon said, “ to have experience in Social Media is really good.” 

Search for Identity

Many Argentine families are still looking for their missing family members after they were kidnapped in the 1970s Dirty War. 

Gaylord College hosted a screening of the documentary “Search for Identity” on Tuesday, February 7. The film focused on the Las Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo and the discovery of the children of their missing family. 

 During a time of civil war in Argentina, many civilians went missing. The children of the missing people were kidnapped and given to military families.  Las Abuelas is a group of grandmothers whose mission is to find and reunite the missing children with their true families. 

Charlie Tuggle, a journalism professor at the University of North Carolina, is the director of the film. Tuggle explains his motivation behind the film in an interview via Skype. 

“The right to identity is the single right to being human,” Tuggle said. 

The documentary tells the audience that the search for the truth is something that all people should strive for. Tuggle says that he wants his film to inspire people to make a difference. 

“We can make a difference, but you don’t make a difference sitting down,” Tuggle said. 

For more information on the film visit www.searchforidentitydocumentary.com

And for more information on Las Abuelas and their mission visit www.abuelas.org.ar/english/history.htm

Relay for Life

        The University of Oklahoma will host a walk for cancer around the South Oval on April 21. 

Relay for Life is an overnight relay event that raises money for the American Cancer Society. Participants camp out around the track and each member of a team takes turns walking or running around the track. This year’s event will be hosting a number of activities such as: Zumba, live bands, DJ’s, video games, water pong, Ms. Relay and the Luminary Ceremony. 

Last year, Relay for Life raised over $90,000 in one night. This year the Relay for Life board is hoping to raise $100,000. Audrey Leeder, the Chair of Greek Recruitment for Relay for Life, said there will be a Greek competition leading up to Relay and the house that raises the most money will receive a prize

“We are going to bring more food and more activities to make the event more fun. Hopefully, that will help us raise more money,” Leeder said. 

Relay for Life begins at 7 p.m. on April 21 and ends at 7 a.m. on April 22. For more information about Relay for Life and how to get involved go to http://www.relayforlife.org/

PWOP/SOP pictures

SOP of sticker on a yellow pole in Campus Corner

PWOP of my vanity

Introducing Me!

Hi! My name is Shelby Stiner and I am a sophomore journalism major at the University of Oklahoma. This is a news blog for my Multimedia Journalism class. On this page there will be stories about events at OU, pictures and other media. I can't wait to get started!