Vol. 78 No. 4

NEWS • 03

LIVING • 07

SPORTS • 11

ENTERTAINMENT • 15

PERSPECTIVES • 19

As student body grows, Former Chief Justice Sears Football loses to Lambuth in Black Box Comedy Festival Studies show that alcohol class availability dwindles. headlines Constitution Day. second game of the season. promises huge laughs. could prolong your life.

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Georgia State student, roommate killed

By LASHONDA EDWARDS Staff Writer Samuel Blizzard Jr., a 21-yearold Georgia State student., and his roommate, 26-year-old Calvin Streater, were both shot and killed in their apartment complex over Labor Day weekend.

WSB-TV reported that a friend found the two men dead in their apartment home in the Station’s Richmond Hill apartments at the 1700 block on Richmond Circle.

Fulton County Police told WSBTV that witnesses said the two men were last seen attending Atlanta’s annual Black Gay Pride event that evening before the double homicide occurred. Despite witnesses’ observations, Blizzard’s father, Samuel Blizzard Sr., told R2O off-camera that his son did not attend any of the Black Gay Pride events and that he may have been studying when the fatal shooting happened.

“The men were shot execution style. Streater had a gunshot wound to the head. Blizzard’s body is still being investigated. Autopsy results have not come in,” said Mark Guilbeau, senior investigator for the medical examiner’s office.

“After observing the crime scene, police did not find any evidence of possible forced entry, therefore the victims may have known their killer.”

Police are still working on the investigation, but no arrests have been made.

Blizzard, originally from Spring Valley, Va., was a senior finishing his last year at Georgia State. He had plans to pursue a master’s degree.

“This is not the first student to die while attending Georgia State University. In fact, not too long ago an athlete died after being hit by

a fallen light pole on the school’s campus,” said Elisha Jarrett, Blizzard’s academic advisor.

“Although several students have died I am not aware of how the school handles student deaths.”

Anitra Y. Patrick, Georgia State’s Student Assistance Coordinator, would not say much about the incident.

“We don’t have permission from Blizzard’s parents to release any information regarding the details of the shooting or his funeral,” she said.

However, Patrick’s secretary did admit that Georgia State has hosted memorials for students in the past and usually will send a school official to student funerals to pay the school’s respects.

Earlier this year, 20-year-old Georgia State Student Maxwell Fiandt was shot outside of his Pencil Factory apartment on Decatur St. Lt. Keith Meadows told Fox 5 News, “One of Fiandt’s roommates heard a scuffle outside their apartment seconds before Fiandt was shot by two males,” said Lt. Keith Meadows, talking to Fox 5 News. “They discovered a stash of marijuana in Fiandt’s bedroom… he had been selling drugs out of his bedroom to an unknown number of people.”

Georgia State also remained tightlipped about Fiandt. Family and friends held a candlelight vigil in his memory.

Georgia State has not yet said if they will send a representative to Blizzard’s funeral or if they would host a memorial. According to R2O, his funeral took place on Sept. 11. The location of the funeral is unknown. Streater’s funeral information also has not been released.

Rod McCullom Georgia State student Samuel Blizzard Jr. was killed over Labor Day weekend, along with his roommade.

Kayla Rand Money just doesn’t go as far these days with more and more budget cuts going into effect.

The price keeps rising

By DANIEL BEAUREGARD News Editor Over the past few years, Georgians have seen a drastically dwindling budget, and in order to deal with the shortfall, the state legislature has been forced to make cuts in several areas, including education.

This past year alone, the legislature cut $227 million out of the higher education budget, which in turn forced many higher learning institutions to raise tuition, in some cases up to $500 more.

According to the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute, an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit think-tank, as the state begins its 2011 fiscal year, it is facing a potential budget shortfall of between $413 million and $613 million. This shortfall is on top of the $2.5 billion in budget cuts already implemented since fiscal year 2009.

Among those cuts is the $227 million slashed from the higher education budget.

Georgia State was one of the schools that saw its tuition rise by around $500 this year, and it is likely that students may see it rise again over the next few years unless legislators are able to make up for the budget gap.

The Georgia Board of Regents, the group that manages Georgia’s colleges and ultimately makes decisions about tuition hikes, has submitted their budget for fiscal year 2012, along with reduction plans of 4 percent, 8 percent and 10 percent for the current fiscal year as well as a 10 percent reduction plan for the next year.

“We don’t really know what our tuition will look like for fiscal year 2012 because the tuition process is integrally tied to the budget process, and we will not have

a state budget appropriation until April of 2011,” Associate Vice Chancellor for Media and Publications for the Board of Regents John Millsaps said.

According to a study done by the Georgia State’s Fiscal Research Center, a branch of the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia is expected to face an estimated budget shortfall of around $1.8 to $2 billion dollars, up from the $1.6 billion shortfall faced for this fiscal year.

Georgia’s federal stimulus dollars also expire in 2012 and many speculate that fiscal 2012 could be the toughest year Georgia has seen in quite some time. 2010 is an election year and it’s likely that the election of a new governor will play an important role in how the budget is decided.

“Many, including legislators and the media, are saying that 2012 is going to be Georgia’s toughest year yet…While the University System has already phased out most of the stimulus funding from its budget, we can still expect additional reductions in fiscal year 2012, including potential reductions to help offset the loss of federal stimulus funds in other areas of state government,” Millsaps said.

Students at Georgia State have been voicing their concerns.

Among them are members of the Georgia Students for Public Higher Education. The group, formed in late 2009 to protest fee increases by the Georgia Board of Regents, came out in force this past May to protest at the Capitol.

Also at the Capitol to protest the tuition hikes this past May was James Dutton, President of the Georgia State Student Government Association.

Instead of standing outside

and protesting, Dutton and several other students went in and met with legislators.

“We spoke with them as votes, the future leaders of the state and as serious, professional adults, and told them our side of the issue,” Dutton said.

Dutton said that even though he disagrees with the tuition hikes he knows that they’re a necessary evil in some cases, but he prefers to take a more diplomatic line and try to explain how such moves would be bad for legislators politically.

“Of course, protesting in front of the building seemed much more fun than sitting in high-backed chairs wearing suits, but someone has to do it…that isn’t to say we’re against people protesting,” Dutton said. “When [the legislators] could see the ‘less civil’ response they were going to get, and could compare it to the ‘civil’ response they were getting from us, they were much more inclined to speak openly to us.”

More and more people are voicing their concerns about the problems facing Georgia’s higher learning institutions. As funding is cut, Millsaps said that part of the problem is how to maintain academic quality.

“After all other measures have been taken including hiring freezes, layoffs, cutting travel and operating expenses, increasing employee healthcare costs, finding efficiencies, the remaining source to help offset reductions and maintain academic quality is through tuition,” Millsaps said, also making a point to explain that currently state funding for each individual is around $6,000, down from around $8,000 in fiscal year 2001.

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Tuesday, September 14, 2010

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS September 14-22, 2010

STAFF INFORMATION EDITOR IN CHIEF NEWS EDITOR LIVING EDITOR SPORTS EDITOR

DATE Tuesday

SEPT. 14

EVENT Intro to Windows Movie Maker and Jaycut Room 401, Classroom South 10-11 a.m.

Intro to iMovie

Room 406, Classroom South 11 a.m.-12 p.m.

Time Flies When You Are on Facebook: Time Management and Goal Setting Lanier Suite, Student Center 12-1 p.m.

Ernest G. Welch Gallery Symposium and Reception Arts and Humanities Building 3:30-5 p.m.

Inter-Club Meet and Greet

Veterans Memorial Hall, Alumni Hall 4:30-6 p.m.

Wednesday

SEPT. 15

NEWS

ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR PERSPECTIVES EDITOR PRODUCTION EDITOR ASSISTANT PRODUCTION EDITOR ONLINE EDITOR COPY EDITORS INTERIM ADVERTISING MANAGER CIRCULATION MANAGER OFFICE ASSISTANTS STUDENT MEDIA ADVISOR

Sheena Roetman signaleditor@gmail.com Daniel Beauregard gsunews@gmail.com Noël Hahn signalliving@gmail.com Kirkland Carter signalsports@langate.gsu.edu Jhoni Jackson signalentertainment@gmail.com Syeda Hira Mahmood signalperspectives@gmail.com Elijah Sarkesian signalprod@gmail.com Beau Torres signalprodasst@gmail.com Jeremy Galloway signalwebsite@gmail.com Emma Harger Shelby Lohr Elijah Sarkesian signalads@langate.gsu.edu Brian Echols signaldistribution@gmail.com Jared Cate Michael Glass Bryce McNeil bmcneil1@gsu.edu

Research Wednesday Speaker Series feat. Steven Farr College of Education 12-1 p.m.

Intro to Podcasting

Room 403, Classroom South 1:45-3 p.m.

To Read or Not to Read: Skills to Effectively Read Textbooks Capital Suite, Student Center 3-4 p.m.

Thursday

SEPT. 16

Language and Literacy Initiative Distinguished Lecture Series Room 1199, Urban Life 1-2 p.m.

Gaining Perspective Series Room 245, University Center 3-4 p.m.

Kaiser Permanente Corporate Run/Walk Lobby of Student Recreation Center 6-10 p.m.

Friday

SEPT. 17

Department of Biology Graduate Research Seminar Series Room 600, General Classroom Building 9-11 a.m.

It’s Easy as A-B-C-D: Test-Taking Strategies Lanier Suite, Student Center 12-1 p.m.

Dahlberg Hall (currently Alumni Hall) Dedication Ceremony Alumni Hall 2 p.m.

Economics Seminar Series feat. Tim Sass Room 749, Andrew Young School 3-4:30 p.m.

Atlanta/Nürnberg: Sister Cities in Concert Rialto Center 7:30 p.m.

Monday

ResuMania! Face to Face Resume Reviews

SEPT. 20

Room 245, University Center 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Tuesday

Doughnuts with the Dean

SEPT. 21

College of Education 8:30-10 a.m.

Neuroscience Institute Seminar: Pete Wenner Room 255, Petit Science Center 10 a.m.

Major Matters Workshop

Senate Salon, Student Center 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

Interviewing Skills Workshop Room 245, University Center 3-4 p.m.

MISSION STATEMENT The Signal shall provide, in a fair and accurate manner, news of interest and significance to the Georgia State University community and serve as a forum for the expression of ideas of members of that community. Furthermore, The Signal shall provide an opportunity for students to pursue experience within a professional newspaper environment. The Signal shall also provide truthful and ethical advertising of interest to the Georgia State University community.

ADVERTISING The deadline for all advertising is 5:00 pm on the Thursday prior to the desired issue of publication. Ads must be print-ready and in PDF format; files must be delivered via e-mail at signalads@langate.gsu.edu. Please visit our website at www.gsusignal.com/advertising for more information, including rates and payment methods.

STAFF POSITIONS The Signal accepts applications throughout the year. If you are interested in working with The Signal please fill out an application (available at www.gsusignal. com/applications) and return it to the Student Media Advisor in the Office of Student Activities (Suite 330, Student Center).

OFFICE Want to see your event in this space? Contact Daniel Beauregard with your event’s name, time, date, location, and a brief description of the program. All events listed in the Calendar of Events must either take place on campus or be produced by a Georgia State-affiliated organization.

The Signal Suite 200, University Center P.O. Box 3968 • Atlanta, GA 30303 Phone: 404-413-1620 • Fax: 404-413-1622 • Web: www.gsusignal.com

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News Editor Daniel Beauregard gsunews@gmail.com

w w w . g s u s i g n a l . c o m / n e w s

Georgia State researchers unveil new tax credit calculator for small businesses

By MIRANDA SAIN Staff Writer Georgia State University researchers recently unveiled a new tax credit calculator for small businesses. The calculator, called the 50-State Health Reform Calculator for Small Businesses, aims to aid small business employers in determining eligibility for tax credits that will help cover the cost of health insurance under the new healthcare policy.

“Starting this year, the tax credit offsets some of the cost of health insurance for small businesses that qualify. Therefore, businesses need to know the level of tax credit they might be eligible to receive so that they can budget for the actual cost of health insurance after taxes,” said Patricia Ketsche, an associate professor of the Institute of Health Administration in the J. Mack Robinson College of Business.

Ketsche and Bill Custer, an associate professor and the director of the Institute of Health Administration, developed the calculator in collaboration with the Georgia Health Policy Center in the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, the Florida Public Health Institute and the Center for Mississippi Health Policy.

“We’re trying to provide information for employers about the impact and effects of health reform on their business decisions,” said Custer in a press release by Georgia State.

“There are many firms that struggle with the high cost of health insurance. To the extent that businesses can offset some of

those costs through the tax subsidy, this is good news that is important for these businesses to know. In addition, the tax credits to offset health insurance costs for small businesses are one component of healthcare reform and therefore part of our project to educate the public about what is in the Affordable Care Act,” Ketsche said.

The calculator is one tool in a series intended to help customers, employees, employers and healthcare providers understand their roles in the new Affordable Care Act (ACA).

The Georgia Health Policy Center has spearheaded the project of breaking down the ACA into policy briefs.

In a press release, Karen Minyard, the executive director of the Georgia Health Policy Center, said “This has been a great opportunity to not only partner across Georgia State University, but with other states, to bring relevant information about health reform to those who will be impacted by the law. Our group’s goal from the beginning has been to interpret, share, and apply what is learned to real world situations.”

The series of briefs are currently available on the Georgia Health Policy Center website (www.aysps.gsu.edu/ghpc).

Other topics of the briefs include state and community implications and the impact the act will have for health care providers.

“It is our intent to continue to meet the informational needs of the public with respect to health reform through briefs, presentations and other tools,” Ketsche said.

Jim Marton Associate Professor at the Institute of Health Administration Patricia Ketsche.

Beau Torres Disgruntled student Victoria Rey (right) sits in class.

Growing student population, dwindling class availability

By SONEAQUA TOLBERT Staff Writer Georgia State’s student population is rapidly increasing every school year and students are noticing the effect that this has on registration.

Many students complain about a lack of classes available, preventing them from taking as many classes as they would like each semester.

If classes fill up quickly or are only offered during certain semesters, this makes students sit on waiting lists, wait for authorizations or wait until a particular class is offered.

Kourtney Murphy, a senior majoring in business, said she feels that due to the population increase, more online classes should be offered because the selection is limited.

“Online classes would work better with my schedule because I work and go to school and I have five classes back to back on Tuesdays and Thursdays, which is tiring,” she said.

“If we had a better class selection or more online classes, it would take some of the burden off of students.”

Some students feel that there are not enough professors in some majors because the time selection for each class is insufficient.

“There is only a select time to schedule classes, and all of my classes have the same people in them because of the limited amount of professors,” said Javelyn Davis, a junior majoring in marketing.

Even students who request an authorization still face denial, especially if a department rapidly grows within a school year, such as exercise science.

Due to the growth, sometimes students are only able to take a limited amount of classes because they quickly fill up, said Larry Barden, a senior in the program.

Barden is a double major.

Journalism is his second major and he said he sometimes has other options because of this.

“Everybody isn’t a double major and what happens when I am out of options?” he said.

He also commented on the number of sessions offered and times classes are scheduled.

“There is a shortage of teachers and not enough available seats for the increased enrollment, and classes are offered at inconvenient times, which make it hard to match

up with work schedules.”

Caliph Hameed, a senior in the program, said that if there were more teachers, availability would not be a problem.

“Sometimes I have to wait semester after semester to get in a class because there is not enough room, and you can’t necessarily always get an override when there is already a waitlist.”

The Kinesiology and Health Department has 511 exercise science majors enrolled and eight professors, according to Jeffrey Rupp, the program coordinator and associate professor in the College of Education.

“Every [Kinesiology and Health] course is offered every semester, but between fall 2002 and this fall there has been a 135 percent increase in student enrollment and a 46 percent increase since fall 2007 with no additional resources, due to state and university budget reductions,” Rupp said.

Rupp said that high-demand Kinesiology and Health courses are designed to have 20 to 25 students, but because of increased enrollment, there are very large sections with about 60 to 80 students.

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NEWS

Bike swap program to launch at Georgia State

By JESSICA MORRIS Staff Writer Georgia State’s outdoor program, Touch the Earth, will launch a new bike-share program for students within the next two weeks. The program, launched in conjunction with Georgia State Bikes, is designed to promote riding from home to and around campus.

Students, faculty and staff can rent a bike for free with Panther ID and a $20 security deposit (cash or check). First-time users must watch a short video explaining locking tips and techniques for safely riding in traffic.

The rental period is for up to three days and two nights. Bike rentals are available Monday through Friday only at this time.

Renters must wait one day after returning a bike to rent another, allowing fair availability to all users.

For the pilot program four Cannondale Quick bikes were purchased: two masculine and two feminine, in different sizes. All bikes are equipped with optional U-lock, helmet, headlamp, taillight,

odometer, rear rack and pannier.

Georgia State’s Outdoor Recreation Coordinator, Carson Tortorige, has previous experience with bike-share programs and hopes to bring that experience to Georgia State.

“I started a bike-share program at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale in 2006 when I was a graduate assistant there,” Tortorige said. “I want to promote the same at Georgia State--if biking is a safe and manageable option then why not? It’s a small start, but if we could network the bike share programs between campuses maybe the city would follow or fill in the gaps, mimicking other cities like Denver or even Europe’s Yellow Bike program.”

The Touch the Earth bike shop is also available to students for services like common adjustments or emergency repair. Some basic services are free of charge. Students can find more information, like prices and a list of specific services, on the bike shop webpage at www. gsu.edu/recreation/bike_shop.html and Georgia State Bikes at www. gsubikes.com.

Jessica Morris A Georgia State student shows his PantherCard and checks out a bike.

Dr. Gregory Petsko speaks about university reform

By MISHALL REHMAN and IRIS EBEN Staff Writers

Brandeis University Dr. Gregory Petsko, professor at Brandeis University.

Dr. Gregory Petsko, National Academy of Science Member and Professor at Brandeis University, held a seminar at Georgia State on how to raise the research profile of the school.

Petsko, invited by the Strategic Planning Committee, gave administrators and professors pointers on ways to make the university a better research school.

He was the second speaker in the Strategic Planning Committee’s series of initiatives; the first was generation expert Neil Howe.

Petsko’s presentation, “Planning Ahead: Characteristics of Successful Research Universities, 2010-2025,” included a compilation of lessons learned from a postsecondary career spanning more than 35 years. Helpful tips and case studies reflected solutions based on historical, scientific and humanistic analysis.

He gave examples of schools that were small-town universities with no credible research and how they became the best in their respective fields. He also cited universities that were at the top of their research but quickly fell to the bottom. The common thread between most of these institutions, in Petsko’s view, is that whoever

picks the talent of the department shapes what the program will ultimately become. He stressed the importance of hiring good department chairs that are not only good scientists, but also good people.

“Once you set a poisonous culture in a university it’s hard to get rid of. And once you start a good culture it’s also hard to get rid of,” Petsko said.

Another point that he stressed is the importance of attracting and retaining good faculty to build up a good research program. Some of the ways he listed to retain good faculty include having good students for the faculty to work with, giving them interesting teaching to do, occasional institutional support and hiring other top quality faculty for them to work with.

“Princeton University, in the 1960s had one of the top chemistry departments in the country…they made a terrible decision to hire a toxic person for department chair who in less than 10 years drove out all the great mid-level scientists,” Petsko said.

Referring to the failings of another university’s research efforts, he warned of neglecting to apply a focused effort towards one specific research interest. By learning what not to do, Georgia State can prepare for future success by paying attention to trends.

He also emphasized the importance of each research university having its own unique niche so it can distinguish itself.

He suggested that Georgia State concentrate on specifying and researching public health due to the school’s proximity to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). He spoke about how the field is of growing importance since the elderly population is growing and the healthcare system may not be able to sustain such a large number.

“The CDC is in your backyard.

Don’t make the same mistake like other universities that didn’t utilize and create partnerships with neighboring federal research institutes,” he said.

Though he primarily focused on life sciences and how they can expand as research facilities, he mentioned how physical science is just as important. He discussed the need for a blend between the two sciences and having interdisciplinary teams working together on issues as well as discussing how both fields were becoming more based on quantitative research.

“Universities aren’t just about finding new knowledge. They are also about preserving older knowledge, because everything is cyclical and old knowledge never really goes away,” he said.

NEWS

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Tuesday, September 14, 2010

05

Los Angeles to open costliest public school

By EMILY YANG Staff Writer Robert F. Kennedy Community Schools will open this month as the most expensive public school in America.

The $578 million dollar school will house 4,200 students ranging from kindergarten through 12th grade.

RFK is in Los Angeles at the former location of the Ambassador Hotel, which is the site of the 1968 assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy.

LA is known for some of the nation’s most expensive schools.

In 2008, Edward R. Royal Learning Center opened with a $377 million price tag and in 2009, the Visual and Performing Arts High School opened with a cost of $232 million. “[The expensive schools] kind

of portray the idea that looks are more important [than education],” said Amanda Edgerton, a junior at Georgia State. “Building a better school won’t change [the problem].”

Despite the money spent on building these schools, LA Unified is one of the lowest performing school districts and has a budget shortfall of $640 million, according to the Associated Press.

Georgia State professor Oscar Moreno lived in the LA area for seven years. In order to help shape public schools, the number one investment should be education and building a school will always help with education and society, he said.

“Good education is not just the result of money,” he said. “Money facilitates so many things…use the money to produce bright minds to

Krystal Home Members of GSPHE lead a protest.

GSPHE takes a stand

By SYEDA HIRA MAHMOOD Perspectives Editor Georgia Students for Public Higher Education is a statewide student organization responding to budget cuts that are diminishing resources for public colleges and universities across the nation, especially in Georgia.

The GSPHE began in late 2009 to protest the Supplemental Instructional Fee, first set at $100 for Georgia State and later doubled by the Board of Regents.

The GSPHE Georgia State chapter, while unofficial on campus, is a coalition of multiple student organizations all sharing one main concern—stopping the fee hikes that were implemented due to the economy and the state budget gap.

The GSPHE mission is simple: to make quality, accessible, and truly public higher education in Georgia.

The Georgia State chapter of GSPHE is gaining momentum on campus. After a statewide protest held in March with more than 500 students participating, the chapter is planning several events to better inform the Georgia State community of the fee hikes. The organization will be hosting a panel discussion on Sept. 22 at 6 p.m. featuring three speakers: a professor, a student and a secondary education teacher

explaining how their departments, finances and resources are being crippled due to budget cuts.

GSPHE held a research session at the University of Georgia on Sept. 4 to outline what resources are being cut, where the money is going and how it is affecting the University System of Georgia.

GSPHE believes that the just solution is to “chop from the top” through administrative tax cuts and tax increases on the wealthy.

GSPHE will also be participating in a nationwide protest on Oct. 7 for the National Day to Defend Public Education.

The Georgia State chapter will be organizing a protest at 12:15 p.m. in the Library Plaza and the statewide organization will protest at 4:30 p.m., marching from Woodruff Park to the Capitol.

The negative effects of the budget cuts and fee hikes are not exclusive to students.

“This issue affects faculty, staff, and anyone who believes that education is a right,” said Ryan Haney, a graduate student in the College of Education.

GSPHE continues to hold weekly meetings to shape a comprehensive layout for the Oct. 7 nationwide protest. Flyers about the meetings can be found on campus. For more information, visit www.georgiastudents.org.

Google Earth The Robert F. Kennedy Community Schools is located on the spot where the namesake was assassinated.

teach your kids.”

Roughly 3,000 teachers have been laid off over the past two years, according to AP. Building RFK will provide teachers with new jobs and, for the second-largest public school district in the nation, this new facility will lessen the overcrowding of other schools.

Students need a place that is sanitary and if the money is going towards recent textbooks, then the money is going towards the right place, Edgerton said, but if it’s on “extra stuff like state-of-theart gymnasiums,” then it is not necessary.

“An ideal environment is making sure that all conditions are for learning,” Moreno said.

Funding for RFK came from voter-approved bonds and has no association with the district’s educational budget. The bonds do not cover teacher salaries or the cost of textbooks, according to AP. The priority of public schools should be giving students opportunities and not necessarily money, Moreno said.

“If I’m sending my kids to public school, I want to be assured that the person teaching my kids really has a good foundation as a

teacher and is not somebody who just ended up teaching because he or she did not have anything else to do,” he said.

RFK features fine art murals, which include a marble memorial for Kennedy, a state-of-the-art swimming pool and a public park.

Remnants of the Ambassador Hotel still remain such as the original tiles from Cocoanut Grove, a nightclub inside the hotel.

Demolition of the Ambassador Hotel began in 2005 and completed in 2006.

Classes at RFK will begin on Sept. 13.

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KKK rally in north Georgia draws protests

By SHEENA ROETMAN Editor in Chief

Reuters Ladies clad in Burqas walk down the streets of France on a rainy afternoon.

France’s burqa ban creates worldwide controversy

By SUCHI SAJJA Staff Writer France is taking a step towards what they believe is cultural preservation by voting on legislation that would ban Muslim women from wearing burqas or any other type of facial covering.

A burqa is a piece of outerwear worn predominantly by Muslim women. It covers a woman’s entire body except for her hands. In Islamic-majority nations like Turkey and Tajikistan, the law does not require that women wear a burqa.

It is even banned in schools and government buildings. However, in Islamic theocracies such as Saudi Arabia and Iran, women must be covered from head to toe whenever they go out in public or when there are non-family members in the house. Consequences for not wearing a burqa in places where it is law include lashings and other punishments.

When the United States invaded Afghanistan in 2003, much of the Western world began noticing the burqa and saw it as evidence of the Taliban’s tyrannical hold on women. In an article on the U.S. Department of State’s website, Morocco’s King Mohammed VI said, “The fate of women in Afghanistan is infamous and intolerable.

The burqa that imprisons them is a cloth prison, but it is above all a moral prison. The torture imposed on little girls who dare to show their ankles or their polished nails

is appalling. It is unacceptable and unsupportable.”

France’s recent attempts at passing legislation banning the burqa have garnered both praise and criticism from Muslims and non-Muslims alike. This makes France the third country contemplating a burqa ban, along with Belgium and Spain.

Amnesty International has openly disagreed with the ban.

“A complete ban on the covering of the face would violate the rights to freedom of expression and religion of those women who wear the burqa or the niqab as an expression of their identity or beliefs,” said John Dalhuisen, Amnesty International’s expert on discrimination in Europe.

Jean Glavany, a member of France’s Parliament, told the BBC that he fully opposes the ban because it is based on “fear of those who are different, who come from abroad, who aren’t like us, who don’t share our values.”

Mona Eltahawy, a Muslim feminist commentator, told Salon magazine that she is happy with the proposed ban.

“I support banning the burqa because I believe it equates piety with the disappearance of women.

The closer you are to God, the less I see of you--and I find that idea extremely dangerous. It comes from an ideology that basically wants to hide women away,” she said.

“They are attempting to lift a ban… On the right of women to

choose their own dress, a ban on the right of women to disagree with male and clerical authority, and a ban on the right of all citizens to look one another in the face,” said Christopher Hitchens of Slate magazine.

Georgia State students have their own opinions about the proposed bill.

“The ban is wrong and ignorant… It takes away the freedom of religion from a person who chooses to wear a burqa,” Salman Hasham said.

Grace Bielat agreed with Hasham.

“It’s completely ridiculous!

France clearly does not respect Muslim culture, or they simply do not care. What Muslims want to wear on their bodies is 100 percent their business, not the government’s,” she said.

Kamal Caleb, however, supports the ban because he believes it is what other Islamic theocracies implement.

“If a French woman were to go to a Muslim country that enforced burqas she would have to cover herself. The French are enforcing the same idea but the other way around,” Caleb said.

“I think the country of France and their government has the right to implement any laws or policies it sees fit to run its territory. If the people refuse the legislation, there is always opportunity to leave the country,” Shannin Render said.

The burqa-banning bill went

to France’s lower house of Parliament on July 13 and passed with an overwhelming majority of 335-1.

The bill prohibits burqas, veils and any other type of facial covering.

Proposed punishments include a 150 euro fine for a woman wearing any form of facial coverings and a 25,000-50,000 euro fine and up to one year in jail for a male family member who forces a woman to wear a facial covering. If the woman is under age 18 and forced by a man, the punishment will double.

“Given the damage it produces on those rules which allow the life in community, ensure the dignity of the person and equality between sexes, this practice, even if it is voluntary, cannot be tolerated in any public place,” the French government said in May. “We cannot accept, in our country, women imprisoned behind a mesh, cut off from society, deprived of all identity. That is not the French republic’s idea of women’s dignity,” said French President Nicholas Sarkozy in a 2009 speech to Parliament.

France believes that banning the burqa, veils and all facial coverings will help Muslim women better adapt to French life. Though the bill is expected to pass, it may be deemed illegal by the French constitution.

The French Senate will vote on the bill on the week of Sept. 20. If passed, it will take six months to go into effect.

About 40 Ku Klux Klan members gathered in the Gilmer County courthouse parking lot in Ellijay, Ga. for two hours on Sat., Sept. 11, according to Adam Crisp of the Chattanooga Times Free Press.

Several hundred and counterprotestors and other people were in attendance across the street as the Klan’s “Imperial Wizard” Jeff Jones spoke on topics such as illegal immigration and homosexuality.

“They are nothing but a bunch of leaches, parasites, like ticks on a dog, sucking our country dry, ” Jones said of illegal immigrants.

Klan members were dressed in either white or black hoods and robes displaying various insignia.

Members waved both the Klan’s flag and the former state flag of Georgia, which also displays the Confederate flag.

The Klan members present in Ellijay are members of the Knight Riders, a subgroup of the Ku Klux Klan.

No violence was reported, even though Gilmer County Sheriff’s spokesman Lt. Frank Copeland had decided on Friday to increase security. At least 100 law enforcement officers were present at the rally and Crisp reported that “As the Klan left, a dozen or so Georgia State Patrol troopers with riot gear walked out of the courthouse and drove away.”

While the Klan’s website lists Harrison, Ark. as the official headquarters of the Knight Riders Party, there are four regional Georgia addresses listed on a separate website, one of which is located in Ellijay.

Many of the counter-protestors were concerned with the fact that the Klan had chosen the ninth anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon as an appropriate date to conduct such a rally, a sentiment shared by the Georgia chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

“The fact that this rally is taking place on the anniversary of the bombing of the World Trade Center is reflective of the lack of sensitivity that exists within this organization,” Edward DuBose, Georgia NAACP president, told the Times on Friday.

Jake Daniels Protestors rally against the KKK.

LIVING

Living Editor Noël Hahn

signalliving@gmail.com

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Recurring Panther Prowl events drawing increasingly large crowds

By SHELBY LOHR Copy Editor Georgia State continually expands its horizons to include more than the standard expectation of academic opportunity to students of the school. One of the opportunities that Georgia State provides is the chance to mingle with fellow students through the monthly Panther Prowl celebration, dubbed by student Necy Smith as Georgia State’s “block party.”

Panther Prowl, which is created under the auspices of the Spotlight Programs Board at Georgia State, offers students the necessary respite from the stress of schoolwork. A handful of entertaining activities are made available free of charge to Georgia State students.

While activities such as fairs are created during school days, Panther Prowl is unique in that it is held in the evening, usually from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. Panther Prowl also shows its individuality in that every month has a different theme. This month, a western theme provided a country aura for the party in addition to the already present one of excitement.

Chariots, fiddle-players and wagon wheels scattered around the area reinforced this western theme.

Aside from the charactergiving garnished touches of the interior design, rodeo-type games, including a mechanical bull, were made available at the past Panther Prowl to continue the western theme. Casino games were also made available for those interested. Last month, artists creating caricatures of friends and karaoke time were a couple of the highlights of the evening. Musical performers at this “block party” also add texture to the evening.

When students arrive at Panther Prowl, they receive a wristband and a set number of tickets that can be redeemed to receive items such as funnel cakes and a drink. The event is held in the Student Center and the area outside around it.

To learn more about Panther Prowl, The Signal caught up with Necy Smith, an avid Panther Prowl attendee and student at Georgia State.

According to Smith, Panther Prowl’s status as an evening event doesn’t deter commuting students.

When asked about security, Smith emphasized that police were readily available and vigilant, so she felt safe. In fact, Smith mentioned that her friends who attend Panther Prowl often do not live on campus, which reinforced

the fact that students, on-campus and off-campus alike, would be fine at this event, despite the fact that it is held in the evening hours in Atlanta.

When asked about attendance, Smith noted that this past Panther Prowl was “better than last time.

Usually, like last month, there were packed lines that were really long.”

“Sometimes, if you’re not early enough, you could be in line for hours trying to do one thing, but this time you could do mostly all the events that they had planned,” Smith continued.

When questioned about the benefits of going, Smith said that Panther Prowl “is a lot of fun.” She continued by citing other benefits of attending such as hanging out with friends, meeting new people and enjoying the activities provided.

Smith suggests going with friends, but says that students can often go by themselves and find people that you know there to hang out with.

Panther Prowl will be made available again next month, but for now students are left with their memories of the past ones. If you’re interested in attending next month’s Panther Prowl, contact the Spotlight Programs Board or check back with The Signal for dates and times.

Spotlight Programs Board Students pose with Pounce at this year’s Panther Prowl

Schiff Hardin LLP Former Chief Justice Sears will be speaking about Constitution Day at 12:15 p.m. on Sept. 16th.

Former Chief Justice Sears headlining Constitution Day

By CHELSIE ROHLEN Staff Writer The Georgia State University Student Government Association and Campus Events are bringing the Constitution Day Celebration to campus.

Constitution Day, according to the official website, “commemorates the formation and signing of the U.S. Constitution by thirty-nine brave men on Sept. 17, 1787, recognizing all who, [through birth] in the US or by naturalization, have become citizens.” These people, who have been engrained in our minds from years of edification, include George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and Alexander Hamilton.

Also important in history is the honorable Leah Ward Sears, who this year will be speaking about Constitution Day. Former Chief Justice Sears was the first woman and youngest person ever to serve on the Supreme Court of Georgia, appointed by Governor Zell Miller.

However, that is just one of her many feats. Not only is she also the first woman to win a contested statewide election in Georgia, but in July 2005, she became the first woman to serve as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Georgia, of which she is now retired.

Chief Justice Sears’ lengthy academic credentials begin with an undergraduate degree from Cornell University and continue on with her Juris Doctorate from Emory

University’s School of Law, and her Master’s degree in appellate judicial process from the University of Virginia. In addition, she has honorary doctor of law degrees from Morehouse College, John Marshall University, Clark-Atlanta University, LaGrange College and Piedmont College, and is the recipient of the coveted, highest honor from Emory University--the Emory Medal.

After Chief Justice Sears’ 2009 retirement after 27 years of service, she joined Schiff Hardin, LLC. Today, she practices general and appellate litigation, deals with corporate compliance issues and serves as the William Thomas Sears Distinguished Fellow in Family Law at the Institute for American Values. She is married to the Vice President of Seacom, Ltd. and has a son and a daughter, who both serve in the US Peace Corps.

While Constitution Day is nationally observed on Friday, Sept. 17th, Former Chief Justice Leah Ward Sears will appear on Thursday, Sept. 16th at 12:15 PM in the Speaker’s Auditorium in the Student Center to celebrate and share her words with us.

For more information on Georgia State University’s Constitution Day Celebration and other upcoming campus events, email campusevents@gsu.edu or visit on the web at http://www.gsu. edu/studentevents.

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Get to know your letters: a guide to fraternity life Header photo by Meg Buscema. All other photos provided by the individual organizations.

By DANIEL B. RINALDI Staff Writer and NOËL HAHN Living Editor

Our exploration of Greek life continues with fraternities in this edition of The Signal. Five of the ten fraternities of Georgia State are featured here to give you a quick summary. Check back next week for the other five fraternities on Georgia State’s campus.

Alpha Phi Alpha Alpha Phi Alpha focuses on creating a sense of brotherhood within the fraternity and in turn serving the Georgia State community and the Atlanta community. The overarching purpose is to “help others succeed in life,” chapter President Matthew Braham said.

Since its founding in 1906 at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., Alpha Phi Alpha has channeled the capacity of African Americans and people of color to excel in scholarship, leadership, fellowship and good character. As a result, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., W.E.B. Dubois and other prominent figures have come from the ranks of Alpha Phi Alpha.

The fraternity established itself at Georgia State in 1968 as the first black Greek letter organization in a predominately white college in Georgia.

Now, the seven-member fraternity dedicates its time to mentoring high school students through Project Alpha, raising awareness on homelessness through Heart of the Homeless, serving children with Hands on Atlanta and participating in AIDS walks. The activities in turn increase the bonds of brotherhood and fellowship.

Also, Alpha Phi Alpha hosts parties and events to contribute to Georgia State’s social atmosphere.

Braham said each member, from all their different walks of life, contributes diverse abilities, skills and personalities to the fraternity.

“When you take all these different ingredients and abilities and put them all into one,” Braham said. “You enhance and compose them into one solid union.”

Despite its unity, Alpha Phi Alpha welcomes new members that will commit, demonstrate leadership, satisfy the GPA requirement, manage time properly and enhance the quality of the fraternity.

For more information on Alpha Phi Alpha, visit www.facebook.com/gqzetamu.

Lambda Upsilon Lambda “La Unidad Latina” Thirteen hermanos started a club at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y. in 1981 to remedy the large dropout rate of Hispanics at the university. One year later, the 13 hermanos established Lambda Upsilon Lambda “La Unidad Latina.” The fraternity quickly spread nationally.

After two years of hard work, a few Georgia State students established a campus chapter on April 2010. The seven members of the campus chapter continue to strive for the fraternity’s original intent: to remedy the large dropout rate of Hispanics.

In an attempt to fulfill its mission, “La Unidad Latina” offers mentorship programs for young people. The fraternity tutors middle school students and prepares high school students for college. To prepare high school students, the fraternity, in partnership with the Leaders of Tomorrow Center, often presents to them topics such as the SAT test, applying for Financial Aid, getting free waivers and applying to college. The majority of the time the students are Hispanic, but the services do not exclude others.

The chapter’s president, Arturo Gonzalez, said the fraternity welcomes new members who demonstrate leadership and can complete a series of community service projects.

“Once you’re a member, it’s ‘para siempre’ [forever],” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez said “La Unidad Latina” would host an event called “Salsita for You” in which performers will dance salsa and the hermanos will teach salsa dance to students. He invites all students to the student ballroom in the Student Center on Sept. 17 at 6 p.m.

For interested persons, Lambda Upsilon Lambda will hold an informational gathering Sept. 23 noon to 1:30 p.m. in the Lucerne Suite in the Student Center.

For more information contact Arturo Gonzalez at 770-314-6902.

Lambda Theta Phi The first Latino fraternity, Lambda Theta Phi, started at Kean University in Union, N.J., in 1975. The founding father envisioned Latinos to be more united in thought and action. Since then, the tradition has carried on to Georgia State campus as of fall 2009.

Lambda Theta Phi strives to cherish and cultivate the culture of the members, irrespective of background.

Five members currently constitute the chapter.

“The one thing that joins us is the pride in our culture,” chapter President Christian Bello said.

Along with promoting culture, Lambda Theta Phi holds food drives, serves in soup kitchens and donates to charitable causes such as The American Heart Association and Haiti relief efforts. Also, the fraternity organizes educational workshops based on the needs of the community such as a stress-management workshop. Aside from the community service activities, Lambda Theta Phi holds social events.

Lambda Theta Phi is not only academically and socially active, but politically active. The fraternity marched in support of the Dream Act. Bello said the act legalized undocumented people in order for them to have access to education.

Bello envisions the fraternity expanding past 10 members. To join the fraternity, one attends the informational sessions, joins the interest group and attends certain events to get a preview of the fraternity before the formal intake process.

As part of the Multicultural Greek Council, Lambda Theta Phi seeks to unite men of diverse cultures. Bello said the fraternity’s colors, brown and white, represent that mission.

For more information, contact Christian Bello at belloescobarc@yahoo.com.

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Tuesday, September 14, 2010

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MythBusters coming to Georgia State

By NOËL HAHN Living Editor

Discovery Channel Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman have been hosting MythBusters since 2002. They will speaking to Georgia State on Sept. 20th at 3 p.m. in the Student Center Ballroom.

Iota Phi Theta Three weeks after Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke at the March on Washington, 12 African-American Morgan State University students started the fifth largest predominately black fraternity in the nation, according to the Iota Phi Theta official website.

Since its establishment in 1963, Iota Phi Theta has striven to succeed in scholarship and service and to establish bonds of friendship within the fraternity and with others. Its mission has been to be innovative and unique. Its colors are choco brown and gilded gold.

The fraternity’s chapter started at Georgia State’s campus in fall 2009. Since then, its five members have been seeking avenues of service. Project Ihop emerged to serve the homeless population and hold food and clothe drives. Also, Iota Phi Theta started the Iota Youth Alliance to enhance brotherhood among African-American high school students.

Iota Phi Theta collaborates and serves with philanthropic organizations such as the National Federation of the Blind, the National Sickle Cell Foundation and the United Negro College Fund.

Along with the fraternity’s dedication to community service, Iota Phi Theta also focuses on academics.

“We’re students first,” chapter president Jeremy Clayton said. “We’re student leaders second.”

Iota Phi Theta recruits students who are active on campus as leaders or involved in other organizations, have a willingness and drive to become a better person and at least a 2.5 GPA. Since the fraternity prefers quality to quantity, Clayton said, it recruits members according to the needs of the fraternity.

Iota Phi Theta will host a series of events during Sept. 19 to 26 and hold an informational gathering on Sept.

26. The location and time of the events are pending.

For more information on Iota Phi Theta, contact Jeremy Clayton at gsuiotas@yahoo.com

Kappa Sigma Kappa Sigma is the oldest fraternity. It started in 1400 in Bologna, Italy.

Since its United States founding in 1869 at the University of Virginia, Kappa Sigma has strived to uphold the fraternity’s Four Pillars: fellowship, scholarship, leadership and service. Prominent figures such as Bob Dole, Jimmy Buffet, Ted Turner and Robert Redford have been brothers of Kappa Sigma.

The Georgia State chapter, Epsilon Omega, has had over 850 brothers since its founding in 1958. The colors are scarlet, white and emerald green, and their motto is the star and crescent. “The Star and Crescent shall not be worn by every man, but only by him who is worthy to wear it. He must be a gentleman… A man of honor and courage… A man of zeal, yet humble… An intelligent man… A man of truth… One who tempers action with wisdom and, above all else, one who walks in the light of God,” according to the Kappa Sigma national website.

This smaller chapter spends its time helping raise money for the fraternities’ national philanthropy “Military Heroes.” Kappa Sigma specifically helps the Fisher House. This organization helps out wounded war veterans.

These veterans cannot adjust to living in their home. The organization pays families to live in one of their houses so they may be close to their family. In Oct. for fraternity week, Kappa Sigma hopes to raise $1,500 for the Fisher House.

Becoming a Kappa Sigma provides the framework to build yourself into the man you want to be, according to the website.

“It’s not a brotherhood for a college semester, a year, it’s for life,” Rush Chairman Phillip Hinson said.

Since Kappa Sigma is part of the IFC, any interested men have until Sept. 16 to register for rush. For more information on the Epsilon Omega Chapter of Kappa Sigma, check out their website at gsukappasig.com/main. html.

Fans of MythBusters around campus can rejoice this Monday when Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman come to speak.

Since 2002, the two have been hosts to the Discovery Channel’s MythBusters. They use the scientific method to tackle myths from various places such as the Internet, rumors, movie scenes and news stories. While this show is mainly for educational entertainment, Savage stands behind their methods.

In an early episode, Savage explained their method as “replicate the circumstances, then duplicate the results.” Once a myth is deemed busted, plausible, or confirmed, the teams then go for the big finish, which often involves explosions.

MythBusters is shot out of Hyneman’s workshop M5 Industries in San Francisco.

Savage and Hyneman worked together for years in George Lucas’ special effects studio Industrial Light and Magic. They worked on the special effects in over 70 movies and commercials.

Savage teaches model making classes and works on his own sculptors which have been shown

in several states.

Besides MythBusters, Hyneman also is known for his robot that was too dangerours to enter in the show Robot Wars.

During the second season, three additional team members were added to tackle more myths.

This group, referred to as the Build Team, consists of Tory Belleci, Kari Byron and Grant Imahara. They work on separate myths, in the M7 studio, but both teams occasionally work together.

The schedule for new airings is very inconsistent. To see when new episodes will run, or to get more MythBusters, including bloopers and additional footage, check out the official website at dsc.discovery. com/tv/mythbusters/.

For those of you who cannot get enough MythBusters, the cast has signed on for three more years with an additional two-year option.

Savage and Hyneman will be speaking at 3 p.m. on Sept. 20th in the Grand Ballroom of the Student Center.

For more information on The Distinguished Speaker Series and other upcoming campus events, email campusevents@gsu.edu or visit on the web at http://www. gsu.edu/studentevents.

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LIVING

Facts for freshmen: advice on surviving the first year of college

By CANDICE HURSTON Staff Writer Having a bit of trouble navigating the ways of college? Consider following these seven easy steps to help you get all you can from your freshman year.

1.

2.

Maier Museum Pam Longobardi and her piece entitled Eye Test Chart: Color Blindness.

Metaphysical Materiality exhibition now on display

By NOËL HAHN Living Editor The Welch Gallery at Georgia State is holding an exhibition titled Metaphysical Materiality.

The show runs through Sept.

24 and features several artists, including Pam Longobardi, Patricia Bellan-Gillen, Margery Amdur, Carol Prusa and Peggy Cypher. These artists’ works often reflect social and environmental problems, while at the same time,

envisioning a different, happier world of nature.

These five artists pieces “min[e] the languages of science, mathematics, history and literature, these artists also provide us with visions of worlds constructed with beauty, grace and sparks of humor, imagining alternative and more positive outcomes for our relationship with nature,” according to the Georgia State website.

To check out these artists’

works, visit the art galleries in the Welch School of Art & Design.

The galleries are open Mon.-Fri. between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.

The College of Arts & Sciences Visiting Artist and Scholars Series fund and the Georgia State Student Activity Fee fund support the exhibition.

For more information about Metaphysical Materiality or future events, contact the Ernest G. Welch School of Art & Design Gallery at artgallery@gsu.edu.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Go to campus events. It may sound tedious at first, but spending as much time on campus as possible is a no-fail way to develop that “home away from home” bond with your school. Georgia State has a variety of events going on that are sure to catch your attention. Keep your eyes open for flyers advertising different functions and don’t hesitate to join in on the festivities!

Get to know your fellow Panthers. One of the great things about going to college is all the different people you’ll have the chance to meet. “It’s important to establish some kind of support network,” says senior and applied linguistics major Anthony Casagrande. “Have somebody to talk to, find things to do and get out of your dorm.”

Step out of your comfort zone and take advantage of the diverse environment you’re in. It could be quite the learning experience now and will help you to become a more open-minded adult in the future.

Don’t stress over your living situation. Whether you’re staying on campus, on your own or on your parent’s couch, don’t let your living situation become a trigger for stress. Set up a living contract with any incompatible roommates. It’ll not only make living together a lot more bearable, but will also give you a binding agreement to refer to when that last Pop-Tart turns up missing.

Join a club or organization. College is your opportunity to discover new things about yourself. Consider doing some extracurricular activities to help ease the stress classes can cause and expand your interests. The Student Recreational Center has free fitness classes and many instructional clinics that will teach you things like martial arts and dance. Clubs and organizations can also be a great way to make new friends.

Don’t pick up more than you can carry. Think about taking a lighter course load freshman year while you’re getting used to the college environment. “Don’t stress yourself. Study smart, not hard,” says junior and nursing major Ebunoluwa Adesokan. Most upperclassmen recommend no more than 15 credit hours your first semester. A lighter course load will be easier to handle along with your socializing and will cut down on problems keeping up with your work.

Speak to your professors. Talking to your professors won’t be as easy as it was in high school, especially if you’re in a class with a large amount of students. Take the initiative and visit your professors during the office hours they offer you. Whether you need additional help or just want to chat, they will be more than happy to talk to you at these times.

Do what fits you. While it’s true that college is the portal to your future and should be taken seriously, these are going to be the best years of your life. Have new experiences and make great memories.

You only get to be a freshman once. Don’t let it blow by you.

COLUMBIA PICTURES PRESENTS A GARY SANCHEZ PRODUCTION COEXECUTIVE “THE VIRGINI T Y HI T ” MATT BENNETT ZACK PEARLMAN PRODUCER AMY HOBBY PRODUCER OWEN BURKE PRODUCED

BY WILL FERRELL ADAM McKAY CHRIS HENCHY PETER PRINCIPATO PAUL YOUNG WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY ANDREW GURLAND & HUCK BOTKO

Brenna Pritchard Freshman in The Commons get to know their fellow students.

6" X 6.5"

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SPORTS

Sports Editor Kirkland Carter

signalsports@langate.gsu.edu

w w w . g s u s i g n a l . c o m / s p o r t s

Football picked apart by Lambuth

Women’s soccer winless in Nike Port City Classic

By WILL HOLLAND Staff Writer

Georgia State Sports Communications Drew Little in inaugural game. Little was 5-for-12 in passing with three interceptions.

By ZAKKIYYA ANDERSON Staff Writer The Georgia State Panthers (1-1) took the field Saturday afternoon against NAIA (No. 7) team Lambuth University (1-1) and discovered that they were capable of being “manhandled.”

“I didn’t think anybody could manhandle us physically like that,” head coach Bill Curry said.

“I learned that and it was very disappointing.”

The Panthers won the coin toss but opted to receive the ball at halftime, a decision that would come back to bite them in the end.

In Lambuth’s first march down the field, the Jackson, Tenn., team took control of the game, scoring a 23 yd. touchdown in only five minutes and 27 seconds.

Running back Marquis Williams ran in the score, but Lambuth’s kicker Nate O’jibway failed to convert the PAT, leaving the score 6-0.

Starting quarterback Drew Little gave little for the fans to cheer about as he threw his first of three interceptions on the second play of the drive.

The Eagles gained possession at the Georgia State 41, but due to a sack by Kalan Jenkins, were unable to convert on the turnover.

The Panthers’ next possession, still unable to get the running game going, only recorded seven yards.

The rush defense for Lambuth was a problem the whole game for

Georgia State.

The Georgia State defense wasn’t exactly rolling over either.

Jake Muasau, starting outside linebacker, intercepted Paul Harper’s pass, giving the Panthers good field position at the 50.

After a less than spectacular performance from Little, Georgia State put freshman Kelton Hill in with 2:30 left on the clock. Hill could not get the momentum going either, the drive resulting in another three-and-out.

Even when things seemed to be looking up for the Panthers, penalties got in the way. After Jake Muasau’s second sack at the start of the second quarter (a sack that would’ve sent the Eagles to the sideline), a late hit penalty gave Lambuth the first down.

Despite the fact that the defense for Georgia State was on the field for the majority of the game, it was also the reason why the margin of defeat wasn’t larger.

Curry said he thinks that the offense failed to carry their weight in Saturday’s loss.

“Football is a team game,” he said. “The offense has its responsibility, and it did not meet it today.”

Muasau, Brent McClendon and Mark Hogan all recorded sacks on Lambuth’s fourth drive, but the Eagles were still able to kick a 42yard field goal to bring the score to 9-0.

Marquis Williams finished with 17 carries for 149 yards, but

at the halftime he already had 11 carries for 131 yards and a touchdown. His speed was too much for the Panther defense, which spent 21 minutes of the first half on the field.

There wasn’t much for the 12,647 Georgia State fans to cheer about at halftime as their team failed to convert in all third down situations in the first two quarters.

The attendance for Saturday’s game was nearly 20,000 less than the inaugural game just last week.

However, Coach Curry doesn’t think that the atmosphere had anything to do with the result of the game.

“If you ever allow yourself to think that you have to have a certain atmosphere to play football then you’re in trouble,” Curry said.

“I don’t think that (attendance) mattered.”

In the first half, Hill and Little both shared the field pretty evenly when it came to the QB position, and Little even started the third quarter, but when Little was intercepted for the second time, Hill was chosen to lead the comeback.

On a broken pass play, Hill saw daylight and scrambled for 53 yards, getting tackled just shy of the end zone. Two plays later, Travis Evans ran in the first touchdown of the day for the Panthers, with 8:12 left in the third.

Curry’s decision to put Hill into the game—instead of Star Jackson—seemed at first to be the

right one.

“We put Hill in because he has such obvious playmaking capacity, and he knows the offense better than Star right now,” Curry said.

“He had a hot hand.”

Hill proved his knowledge of the playbook as he quickly went into the two minute offense late in the third quarter, setting up the halfback pass from Rosevelt Watson to Danny Williams.

The Panthers led 14-9, and the Panthers’ sideline immediately thrust their hands in the air, with four fingers up for Hill. But soon, Curry’s confidence in the young quarterback would ultimately cost him the game.

“We were just trying to use our weapons to the best of our ability, and when it doesn’t work, you’re wrong,” Curry said. “I was wrong.”

Shortly after Jake Muasau was named player of the game (six tackles with four for a loss, three sacks, an interception, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery), the Lambuth offense, was slowly getting closer to scoring position with little time.

With 2:31 on the clock, Robert Ferguson made a huge play in the red zone by batting down Eagle quarterback David Ingram’s pass at the line. Immediately afterward, the six-foot 225-pound junior B.A. Davis trucked up the middle for another Lambuth touchdown.

Cont. on page 14

Soccer

The Georgia State Women’s Soccer team mustered a 1-1 tie against South Alabama in the last game of the Nike Port City Classic on Sunday afternoon in Mobile, Ala., making the Panthers 4-2-1 on the year.

“We created probably the most chances we have created so far this whole year,” head coach Domenic Martelli told www.georgiastatesports. com.

“We probably had three bona fide goals that were saved by their keeper. Tonight we came out like gangbusters, [we] scored early and really dominated the game. We really showed up today to play a good game.”

The Panthers lost to Troy 2-0 just two days previous in Georgia State’s tournament opener. They created positive chances on offense, but ultimately didn’t convert.

“We saw glimpses of a lot of dangerous and exciting play from ourselves,” Martelli said. “We need to work on taking some of those glimpses and carrying them… throughout the entirety of the game.”

Coming into the Nike tournament, the Panthers had just thumped Alabama A&M 9-0, with goals from seven Panthers, including two from Jewel Evans and Stephanie Cuccia, and one from Erinique Owens, Sarah Bennett, Briana Pitre, Lyndsay Gaffney and Kellianne Collins.

Coach Domenic Martelli was happy that everyone got in on the scoring assault against Alabama A&M. “We had a lot of great goals,” he said. “We were able to use this game as a building block to prepare us for some of our upcoming Cont. on page 14

Soccer

Georgia State Sports Communications The team tied 1-1 in their game.

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SPORTS

Freshmen lead the way as the Panthers sweep the GSU Invitational

By KIRKLAND CARTER Sports Editor Freshman Anna Sinclair took her first collegiate victory as new head coach Chris England’s men’s and women’s cross country teams swept the Georgia State Invitational at Nash Farm in Hampton, Ga. Three of the first four women to finish were Panthers. Sinclair set the pace with a time of 20:21.40, while sophomore Katherine Showalter claimed third with a time of 20:32.69. Junior transfer and Cedar Hills, Utah native Kacee Houle finished fourth with a time 20:52.74.

The wins are the second for each team, as both teams swept the JSU Struts Opener to start the season back on Sept. 4, when the women claimed three of the top four spots.

Sinclair got a sniff at first place at the JSU Struts Opener as she followed Showalter to the finish line, finishing second behind Showalter, just three seconds off the pace (14:04).

Sinclair, out of North Forsyth High School in Cumming, was thrilled that her hard work is paying off.

“It feels pretty amazing right now,” Sinclair told www. georgiastatesports.com.

“Being a freshman and being in a big pond with lots of fish and still winning. It kinda came out of nowhere, but I have been working really hard for it, and I’m glad to see it paying off. I’m so happy for our team as well. We have been working really hard in practice and helping each other get through the highs and lows, and it has paid off so far this season.”

While the men weren’t able to grace the podium, they were still able to pull down the win with 30 points, 11 points ahead of Troy (41).

Two more freshmen led the way for the Panther men, with Milton-native Tyler Tomy earning a sixth-place finish (28:26.17) and Carlos Galindo finishing eighth (29:02.27). Junior Chris Harper, the winner of last week’s JSU Struts Opener, finished just behind Galindo (29:03.59).

England, in his first campaign as a Panther, is looking to build on the success.

“Not only was it great to get two wins, but both teams were very competitive and represented [Georgia State] well,” England

Georgia State Sports Communications Tyler Tomy (right) and Carlos Galindo (left) were the first two Panthers to cross the finish line.

told www.georgiastatesports.com.

“Both teams’ confidence are sky high right now. They know how to win. We will use that confidence and continue trying to build it each week in anticipation of the CAAs.” The GSU Invitational was

the first home meet for Georgia State since 2007. The Nash Farm Battlefield will be home to the 2011 CAA Championships, marking the first time that Georgia State hosts a CAA Cross Country Championship.

England’s Panthers will take their momentum into Clemson, S.C. next Friday, Sept. 17 at 5 p.m. for the Clemson Cross Country Invitational.

Come enjoy the enterta ining and in Hyneman a formative s nd Adam Sa tyle vage, co-hos show Myth ts of the Em ® of Jamie busters. Th my -nomin e multi-face experiment ated ted duo, w ation on th h o use creativ e show to popular my e discover th ths and leg e t r e u n t d h s , are sure t they have T about o captivate V audiences y ou just as since 2003.

www.gsusignal.com/sports

SPORTS

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

13

Blueligans looking to cause a ruckus at sporting events

By JEREL MARSHALL Staff Writer Several exits from Georgia State, up I-85 north, sits an apartment that houses more school spirit than the average opposing athlete can handle.

Roommates and student cheering section veterans, sophomore Nick Bray and senior Kevin Clodfelter are both excited about the next chapter in Georgia State’s school spirit group.

As president of the Blueligans (previously known as Blue Wave), Bray said he has been working hard to make sure everyone knows about the dedication the group possesses. Georgia State football will be a big part of building awareness about the group.

“We are working furiously to make sure this football season is our coming-out party,” Bray said.

“Instead of telling people who we are, we want to show who we are.”

Although Bray, his team and the athletics department have been planning for months, the Blueligans officially became a student organization about two weeks ago.

“I’ve been working with athletics since March,” Bray said.

“We wanted to make sure there was no chance that it could fail.”

Even the name didn’t come easy. After two months of brainstorming, those involved

in planning the student cheering section agreed on the Blueligans.

The name was pitched by Nelson Walker, a grad student and former Georgia State cross country runner who currently works in the marketing division of the athletics department.

Clodfelter co-founded Blue Wave with his friends David Lewis and R.J. Holston. He and his associates thought they could contribute to Georgia State sports.

“We wanted to raise attendance and raise awareness of GSU athletics around campus,” Clodfelter said.

Obviously, Georgia State has changed a lot since Clodfelter, Lewis and Holston did their part in boosting school spirit a couple of years ago. More students live on campus than ever, and with the new football team, interest in Georgia State athletics is at an all time high.

“It was hard getting students to come out, because Georgia State has always been more of a commuter school,” Clodfelter said.

“Hopefully football will be the kick start that the Blueligans need.”

The name isn’t the only thing that distinguishes the Blueligans from Blue Wave.

“They are following the same structure,” Clodfelter said. “But [Bray] has included different policies to ensure things get done.”

One thing that Bray has

Danielly Johnson Members of Blueligans cheer on at Georgia State’s game against Lambuth.

stressed is broadening the group’s aims.

“We’ve made it a priority to go to other sports,” Bray said. “Not just football and basketball.”

Bray said he thinks the students that he has recruited to help run the Blueligans can make a big difference in their success.

“We’ve put together a good team,” he said. “It’s not just a hobby. It is something that is really important to them.”

Bray has lofty goals for the Blueligans.

“Hopefully [opposing schools] will see a mass amount of blue and white when they look into the stands,” Bray said. “They are going to know we are there. We

t io n P r ia c o s s A t n e m n r e dent Gov

can become one of the best college cheering sections in all of the country.”

Bray said there is a unique attachment that the school cheering section shares with Georgia State athletes.

“We got their backs,” Bray said. “We only want the best for them. It hurts them just as much at it hurts them when they don’t win and we will be there to celebrate with them when things go right.”

Clodfelter said he thinks Bray’s high school experience has prepared him for his current position.

“When Nick started off he knew more than we did,” Clodfelter said. “We were just kind of winging

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it. He had a foundation and an idea of where he wanted to go.”

Clodfelter said it is going to take a lot of student participation for the Blueligans to be successful.

This is why the Blueligans have made joining the cheering section easy.

“All we need is your name, e-mail, and classification,” Bray said. “There are no perquisites or age requirements. We want this to be like a fraternity in terms of closeness, but its something for everybody.”

Bray said he is focused on longevity.

“Blue Wave kind of died off last year,” he said. “We can’t let that happen again.”

14

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

www.gsusignal.com/sports

Georgia State athletics reaches new audience with television series

By SONYA WASHINGTON Staff Writer Fall has turned out to be an exciting time for all students at Georgia State, especially those in the athletics department. Aside from the excitement of having a football team for the first time and kicking off all the other sporting events, the athletics department has decided to produce their own weekly television series.

While the show is recorded on campus and filmed by Georgia State staff, many people help to make the show possible. Several prominent businesses in Atlanta have shown Georgia State their support.

The athletics department has received funding from organizations such as Chick-fil-A, Georgia Power and Air-Tran.

The show will have a different theme every week. Topics will include traveling, recruiting and strategy.

Each segment will be about five minutes long and will feature the head coaches of all the sporting teams.

During their segments, coaches will detail for fans events that will be coming up, how the players fared in recent games and strategies for upcoming matches.

The segments will also give coaches a chance to showcase players that have performed well.

Players will also have a chance to give their fellow players and students advice about how they can improve the team.

The show will also allow players and coaches to see players who have performed well.

The show will be aired weekly on Fridays at 1 p.m. on www. georgiastatesports.com.

Women’s volleyball head coach Tami Audia said she thinks they can hit a wide audience.

“Our target audience for the show is, well...anybody who is interested,” Audia said. “Especially GSU students, to give them detailed information about their teams, for recruits, fans, parents and the general public.”

Head coach of the women’s soccer team, Domenic Martelli, said he is thrilled about the increased coverage his team will get as a result of the show.

“Getting this much attention and support is like having Christmas every day,” he said. “I just want my team to be thankful.”

Martelli said the added coverage will give his team a chance to prove to the country what he has known for years.

“For ten years we have always recruited good athletes,” he said.

“We have established ourselves as a Division I team in the Southeast.

Extra publicity will only allow us to show the rest of the country how good we’ve always been.”

Martelli also said that he has

some ideas for what he would like to be featured on the show.

“I would love to feature any of our All-Conference players on the show, especially Stephanie Coocha,” he said. “They really make up the backbone of the team.

Featuring any of them would be an honor, because they make me proud to be their coach.”

Martelli is happy about being able to share the ins and outs of his team like never before.

“What’s been nicest is being able to give insight about the players and also the nuts and bolts of the program like recruiting,” he said. “I want people to get excited about the team. [The show] also helps keep parents connected with their students. The girls like to know they are appreciated, and this is another opportunity to do so. It also helps us play harder and take ownership because of the exposure.”

Martelli’s Panthers are 4-2-1 after this weekend’s loss and tie at the Nike Port City Classic in Alabama.

Head coach Chris England of the cross country team said he is going to use the program as a way to make his athletes work harder.

“As the team sees the segment each week and sees news stories, it will motivate them to compete individually and support their team and it gives them recognition,” England said.

“If I could feature one student, I would pick Kaitlin Price, the women’s team captain,” England said. “She motivates the team with her actions as one of the leading runners on the team. Caitlin is also valuable because she has more experience than most of her counterparts and has been able to see the department grow and change.”

England said he hopes the show will help to keep fans updated.

“Most importantly, I want to use the show as a vehicle for reaching people who cannot attend games, so that they will know the results of all our meets and get player performance updates,” England said. “It would also give them a chance to preview upcoming events and competitions in the athletics department.”

England’s men’s and women’s cross-country teams are undefeated so far in 2010, with inspired performances from freshmen on both squads.

Brett Surrency, head coach of the men’s soccer team, said he would like to give his players a chance to reflect on games on the show.

“If I could make an addition to the show, I would do post-game interviews with players to give fans a chance to hear their thoughts and feelings on their performance,” Surrency said.

SPORTS

ATHLETIC CALENDAR September 14-22, 2010

DATE Tuesday

EVENT Volleyball vs. UGA

SEPT. 14

Sports Arena 5:30 p.m.

Friday

Men’s/Women’s Cross Country at Clemson Cross Country Invite

SEPT. 17

Clemson, SC 5:00 p.m.

Volleyball vs. Florida A&M at Clemson Classic Clemson, SC 4:00 p.m.

Men’s Soccer vs. Presbyterian Panthersville 6:00 p.m.

Women’s Soccer at Winthrop Rock Hill, SC 7:00 p.m.

Women’s Golf at University of New Mexico Albuquerque, NM Time TBA

Saturday

SEPT. 18

Volleyball at Clemson Clemson, SC 12:00 p.m.

Football vs. Jacksonville State Georgia Dome 1:30 p.m.

Sunday

SEPT. 19

Softball Fall Exhibition at UGA Athens, GA 1:00 p.m.

Women’s Soccer at Gardner-Webb Boiling Springs, NC 1:00 p.m.

Men’s Soccer at Mercer Macon, GA 4:00 p.m.

Football

Cont. from page 11

Hill came back in the game with 2:21 left for the Panthers to record another historic victory. The scoreboard now read 16-14 in favor of Lambuth.

Soon, however, all hope was lost as Lambuth’s Jamie Payton tipped Hill’s pass to teammate Darius Buckley, and Buckley ran in the interception for the Eagles.

With two minutes left in the game, down by two scores (23-14), Drew Little was put back into the game, and was quickly intercepted

by DJ Brown.

For next week’s game against Jacksonville State, the Panthers will need to focus on time of possession and keeping drives alive (Georgia

Soccer

Georgia State Sports Communications From top: Domenic Martelli, Chris England, Tami Audia, Brett Surrency

Cont. from page 11

games. I feel like everyone got some great quality minutes and some nice touches on the ball.

“Today proved that we used all our players with good playing time so we can get ready for the next four non-conference games in order to best prepare us for conference play,” Martelli said.

Before the Alabama A&M game, however, the Panthers had played in-state rival University of Georgia on Sept. 5, and the Bulldogs hung an ugly 5-1 loss on Georgia State at Panthersville.

State had a mere five first downs), but there could be some speculation as to who the starting quarterback will be.

“We really do have to study what the circumstances were,” Curry said. “A lot of times, you think a quarterback played a terrible game, and you watch [the film] and the routes weren’t run crisply. We really do have to evaluate [the quarterbacks].”

The Panthers will face their toughest challenge yet as FCS powerhouse Jacksonville State comes to the Georgia Dome Saturday, Sept. 18. Jacksonville State (2-0) upset Ole Miss in a double-overtime game in Oxford Miss., to kick off their 2010 season.

Clearly the Panthers are lacking some consistency in their game. That is to be expected in the non-conference schedule, where coaches intentionally schedule difficult, medium and easy opponents to let their teams feel out their strengths and weaknesses.

With only one game left on the schedule to tune up the Georgia State offense before the conference opener in Panthersville against Drexel on Sept. 24, Coach Martelli will be looking for a response. His team plays Winthrop in Rock Hill, S.C., this Friday, Sept. 17 at 7 p.m.

ENTERTAINMENT

Entertainment Editor Jhoni Jackson

signalentertainment@gmail.com

www.gsusignal.com/entertainment

Atlanta’s largest comedy festival promises five days of big laughs

By ANNABELLA JEAN-LAURENT Staff Writer The seventh annual Black Box Comedy Festival (BBCF), Atlanta’s largest comedy event, is celebrating 22 years of improvisational and skit comedy by gathering 12 shows, 40 performers and more than 200 comedians hailing from all parts of the country into five days of laughout-loud fun.

The event will take place Sept.

15-19 at Georgia Tech’s DramaTech Theatre and Student Center.

While many of the acts are from out of town, local troupes such as In Harm’s Way, The Village Theatre, Dad’s Garage Theatre Company and Laughing Matters are also slated to participate.

Cineprov, a weekly comedy group that mocks films from all decades, will perform on Wednesday, Sept. 15, at the DramaTech Theatre at 8 p.m.

“Atlanta’s Improvised Movie Riffing Show” is a weekly comedy show that involves a set of hilarious reenactments, voice-overs and skits.

“We basically make fun of bad movies,” Larry Johnson of Cineprov said. “We’ve been doing the festival for three years and it is always a lot of fun.”

Cineprov has created onthe-spot mockeries of movies like Showgirls, Purple Rain and Sex and the City. Its weekly performances are just $5, but fans can who dress up according to a theme can get free admission.

“We do themes,” Johnson explained. “Last month was a bikini theme, which allowed people to get in for free if they wore [swimwear]. September is ‘80s month, so we leave it up to the audience to decide what’s ‘80s for them, and they can get in for free also.”

Some acts included in this year’s festival are part of the

Relapse Theatre, a local comedy and arts facility that performs nightly stand-up comedy shows and, of course, improv.

“We have [more than] a dozen of our people taking part in the festival,” Troy Halverson, the Relapse Theatre business manager said. “Most of the acts will be improvised.”

Of the Relapse Theatre troupes, there’s Two Girls Three Eyes, Mixtape and Your Mom’s Mom, which is made up of nine local comedians that promise to “make you laugh in that uncomfortable way your own Grandma always has.”

In the slew of nationwide acts, there’s SuperCrab, a highenergy improv team from New York City which performs multiple fast-paced comedy scenes in as few as 15 minutes. They will be performing on Friday, Sept. 17, at 10 p.m. at the Georgia Tech Student Center.

Another group, Three Men and a Little Lady, which includes David Appleton, Jason Groce, Betsy Harper and Tommy Hutchins, will have a white board full of audience suggestions to go along with their performance, which is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 18, at 8 p.m. at the Georgia Tech Student Center.

Shannon Jenkins, business manager for the BBCF, has a few acts he is looking forward to himself, including two groups performing on the main stage— Switch and The Naked Stage.

“Switch features Jill Bernard of Minneapolis and Asaf Ronen of Austin,” Jenkins said. “During the show’s character-based scenes, the two improvisers will at any time swap their character’s personas. So essentially, Bernard and Ronen will be playing each others’ characters.”

Jenkins, who’s an improvisational comedian himself, is especially interested in seeing how their show turns out.

“You have to be really synched with your partner to do switch characters seamlessly during a show. So I’m interested to see how they will accomplish this difficult task,” he said.

Jenkins is also enthusiastic about The Naked Stage, a group that performed at last year’s festival.

“Their show seems more like a scripted play rather than an improv,” Jenkins said. “They only use one location for their show, and they each play one character the entire [time]. Last year, their show took place in a tree house during a family reunion. The four improvisers played distinct characters who conveyed a seamless story. It was magical and inspirational to watch.”

The Black Box Comedy Festival began cracking smiles in Atlanta in 2004. While an array of new performers are added to the roster each year, the goal of the festival remains the same. “[We started] with the simple goal of gathering local and regional improvisational theater folks to exchange ideas and raise awareness of their art form,” BBCF founder and director Matthew Arisheh Falkenberg explained.

“Since then,” he said, “the number of groups and actors involved with improv in Atlanta has quadrupled, and BBCF has [become] larger and larger each year.”

Student tickets for the Black Box Comedy Festival start at $5 for regular shows and $10 for big shows. An all access pass to all shows can be purchased for $75 and an additional $10 will include the Big Show on Saturday.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit http:// www.blackboxcomedy.com.

Beau Torres The DramaTech Theatre at Georgia Tech.

Judy Kim Truett Dietz works on his laptop the day before opening night, his chandelier in the forefront.

Dark-sided collages at Beep Beep Gallery’s Source exhibit

By JUDY KIM Staff Writer Every month, the Beep Beep Gallery, located at the cross-section of Ponce de Leon Avenue and Charles Allen Drive, hosts a new show that flaunts the work of local artists.

For September, two creatives—Mike Germon and Truett Dietz—conspired together to compile an elaborate show of intricate collages, made from scraps pulled from magazines, books and encyclopedias and other outside-thenorm pieces.

Germon studied digital media at the University of Georgia, while Dietz is a Georgia State student planning to graduate in December.

Germon freelances in the film and video industry, and recently assisted with the making of Big Boi’s music video for “Shutterbug.” Both artists are displaying an array of individual and collaborated pieces at the show, where the price range is wide. Some pieces are as inexpensive as $30, while others hit $350.

The first date of the show was this Saturday, Sept. 11, but the ex-

hibit will be on display until Oct. 2.

On opening night, the gallery had a constant flow of viewers and a large group of other artsy folks that stood outside to avoid the humidity inside the tiny gallery.

The music was pumping and there were plenty of snacks to go around.

Though the space is small, many took their time to scan each wall and the unique and compelling artwork it displayed.

Several butterfly cutouts originating from one particular piece inspired the décor for the entire space.

“You could say there are [more than] 100 butterflies in here,” Germon said.

“I like collage art because it gives non-artists hope. It’s not like painting or drawing; it’s achievable,” Marcus T. an attendee at the opening, explained. “Maybe I can do this too.”

Another attendee, Sergio Garzon, said that he’s been following Germon for three years.

“This place shows what it means to use a collage,” Garzon Cont. on page 16

Gallery

16

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

www.gsusignal.com/entertainment

ENTERTAINMENT

Scoutmob: a sensation with few snags

By CHELSIE ROHLEN Staff Writer If you’re one of the few who hasn’t heard of Atlanta-based Scoutmob, it’s about time for an introduction.

Penny-pinchers, adventure-seekers and food critics unite: Scoutmob exists to give you free coupons, some up to 100 percent off, many of which are to unique places that you haven’t tried before. The company forces you to get out there and get some fresh, steaming, discounted grub— right from your phone or e-mail.

“All of our deals are meant to be on either iPhone or Android apps, so it’s great for college students,” said Michael Tavani, Scoutmob co-founder.

“No printing, no payment.”

As the Scouts say, they’re just trying to help you be a “better local.” Business-wise, most agree that Scoutmob is a blessing. “[We have had] excellent response,” said Tavani. “We end up absolutely slamming these restaurants for three months. When restaurants would usually have a slow summer, we kind of double their normal traffic.”

Businesses collaborations coincide with the local angle, and businesses love the fresh clientele Scoutmob brings them.

“It has brought in a lot more people and new customers. It’s really successful,” said Shawna, floor manager at Spoon Eastside, a Thai restaurant in Atlanta.

She’s not the only one praising the discount.

“Scoutmob is a wonderful promotion website because the discount is complimentary,” Megan Shaw, event coordinator and assistant general manager at Spice Market at W Midtown, raved. “It’s great from a consumer and a retailer standpoint once the guest uses the deal.”

As for revenue, Shaw said she has seen an “absolute” increase.

“It gives guests a reason to come into Spice Market and return if they like what they’ve had,” she

said.

However, the sweet deals don’t end with dining. Most recently, Scoutmob has promoted coupons from Demure Clothing, Fernbank’s Martinis and IMAX events, The Seed Factory and Salon Red. Jennifer Parker, business manager of Salon Red, was in harmony with most other businesses, saying that the deal “brought a lot of new people to [the] salon that have never been before.” She also commends the website on the repeat clientele the salon has enjoyed as a result.

Although most agree Scoutmob is generally advantageous, the downside of Scoutmob is not quite obsolete, at least for small business owners.

Michael Goodrich, who runs Chocolate Pink in Midtown, said Scoutmob was “probably more expensive than other group buying places.”

Group buying competitors Groupon and LivingSocial are similar to Scoutmob, but charge for coupons upfront rather than leaving the option open for using the discount later. “[People] buy a deal, and then they pay us, the vendor, based on how many people actually sign up.

With Scoutmob, it’s the reverse. It’s free to everybody that wants the deal, but then the vendor pays for that marketing effort,” continued Goodrich.

“As a small business, the other group buying sites are probably better as far as that I would rather get paid and then give discounts rather than have to pay for advertising, basically,” he said.

Chocolate Pink, which was featured in Scoutmob’s very first week of business, is on its second go ‘round with the discount. “[The first time], like 700 people got the deal. Then [when] we came up again, we did 4,300,” Goodrich said.

With that tremendous increase, Goodrich agrees that the biggest benefit of Scoutmob is in fact the

Beau Torres The U.S. Cafe in Buckhead is offering a Scoutmob discount of 50 percent off ($10 maximum) until Oct. 23.

increased awareness it gives a business, and the speed at which it does so. However, even the speed can become an issue. “[It] can complicate your business if you aren’t ready for it,” said Radial Cafe owner, Philip Palmer. “On already busy days, Scoutmob is less helpful and tends to overwhelm you a bit.”

Also experiencing this snag are restaurant servers.

“It can be somewhat aggravating because of the time it can take to run the promo discount, especially during busy hours,” Georgia State student David Bridges vented. “Also, not all customers remember their full price before a discount when tipping on a Scoutmob tab.”

As for the users that are familiar with Scoutmob, the majority use it on a regular basis to try out new places when a discount

Gallery

is available.

Lain Shakespeare, a young Atlanta resident who often goes out to eat, claimed Scoutmob gives him “the kick in the pants to try a new place, or to revisit.” In addition, he praised Scoutmob not only for the “buzz and goodwill” it creates, but also for the money it’s saved him.

“There’s a big difference, to me, between $44 and $24. I’m thankful that Scoutmob can broker that deal,” he said.

The only (slight) disadvantage?

“Blowing up my inbox,” he complained. “But they generally have excellent copy that makes their e-mails a delight.”

So far, Scoutmob has reached Atlanta, San Francisco and New York City, but is expanding rapidly with two cities launching every month beginning in 2011. The discount has proved successful in

New York City, and patrons are satisfied with the results.

John Shaw, co-owner of Hill Country BBQ in Manhattan said he was “happy to work with Scoutmob to help them get launched in New York City, and appreciate[s] [its] ability to spread the word about Hill Country.”

Relishing Hill Country of BBQ customer Andrew DiPeri of Manhattan rattled off the merit of Scoutmob in a nutshell: “They give me big discounts on really good restaurants, and they have a function in their mobile app that puts mustaches on people’s faces in pictures—what more could you ask for?”

Get in on the deals—all free of charge—at http://www. scoutmob.com, or search the app store on your Android or iPhone.

Cont. from page 15

said. “You take magazines, newspapers, pieces of sh*t and you make it work. You use it all to speak the same language.”

The gallery itself recalls a dark, ritualistic, yet classical theme with its blackened dummy-head display, color-coded frames and an all-black chandelier made by Dietz. The collages themselves are extremely unique, and the arrangement of frames and pictures all add to the unsettling feel of the room.

Edgy, eerie takes on the Victorian era and butterflies give the Source exhibit a somewhat gothic vibe. The work of Germon and Dietz isn’t everyone’s style—it certainly strays from typical notions of artwork—but it’s definitely worth checking out.

Judy Kim Dietz and Germon’s work on display at Beep Beep Gallery.

Judy Kim Art fans check out Dietz and Germon’s works at the exhibit’s opening night.

ENTERTAINMENT

www.gsusignal.com/entertainment

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

ALBUMS IN HEAVY ROTATION 01

More Than Your Money’s Worth Forbidden Dialect

02

Trust in Numbers Lake Heartbeat (Service)

03

Crown of Thorns Rakaa (Decon)

04

The Budos Band III The Budos Band (Daptone)

Big Sean

Finally Famous Vol. 3 XXL Magazine If you like Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, you’ll love the Afro-soul of their (unfortunately) lesserknown label-mates.

05

Strange Weather, Isn’t It? !!! (Warp)

06

Phosphene Dream The Black Angels (Blue Horizon)

07

WEAREALLGOINGTOBURNINHELLMEGAMIXXX3 El-P (Gold Dust) Pretty, slower pop songs All We Grow in the vein of Bon Iver (he S. Carey (JagJaguwar) used to drum for them).

Transit Transit Autolux (TBD) This electronic Black City avant-pop artist Matthew Dear (Ghostly International) brings a funky vibe to danceable songs.

Lisbon The Walkmen (Fat Possum)

08 09 10 11 12

Jesu: Pale Sketches Demixed Pale Sketcher (Ghostly International)

13

Tomorrow Morning Eels (e works)

14

The Suburbs Arcade Fire (Merge)

15

Hidden Lands Candy Claws (twosyllable)

16

The Orchard Ra Ra Riot (Barsuk)

17

So I Ate Myself Bite By Bite Dreamend (Graveface)

18

The Way Out The Books (Temporary Residence)

19

Tall Hours in the Glowstream Cotton Jones (Suicide Squeeze)

20

Church With No Magic PVT (Warp)

Based in Athens, this five-piece makes harmonyrich, orchestral pop.

21

Sand & Lines Venice is Sinking (One Percent Press)

22

Crazy for You Best Coast (Mexican Summer)

23

River Wildbirds & Peacedrums (The Control Group)

24

Beast Rest Forth Mouth Remixed Bear in Heaven (Hometapes)

25

Mines Menomena (Barsuk)

26

Skit I Allt Dungen (Mexican Summer)

27

Frankie Rose and the Outs Frankie Rose and the Outs (Slumberland)

28

Little Songs About the Big Picture The Red River (Brave)

29

Sex With an X The Vaselines (Sub Pop)

30

Drawing Down the Moon Azure Ray (Saddle Creek)

A former drummer for Vivian Girls, Frankie Rose’s new all-girl band is a dreamier brand of garage-pop bliss.

By JEREL MARSHALL Staff Writer Big Sean, the up-and-coming Detroit rapper, has returned with his trademark punchline-heavy, laid-back raps on his latest mixtape, Finally Famous Vol. 3.

The free 18-track body of work is Big Sean’s way of appeasing hungry fans and raising awareness for Finally Famous the Album, which is scheduled for release later this year.

All of the stereotypical rap topics can be found on this piece.

Subjects include money, women and clothes, but Big Sean also takes time to talk about relationships and past life struggles.

This go around, Big Sean raps over production from the Olympicks, Don Cannon, No I.D. and the guy who signed him, Kanye West. Beats provided by Key Wane, a young Detroit producer, also stand out.

Although the Key Waneproduced “My Closet” is one of the weaker tracks on the tape, “Almost Wrote You a Love Song” and “Memories” may be two of the best.

“Almost Wrote You a Love Song” features Sean pouring out his emotions about a love-filled relationship gone wrong alongside the vocals of R&B singer Saui. The similar sounding “Memories” introduces Sean’s reflective and introspective side over a simple piano melody that’s accompanied by drums and hand claps, reminiscent of the backing heard on the classic Clipse single “Grindin.”

The sole track provided by DJ Spins, “Meant to Be,” is guaranteed to get heads nodding. The beat, filled with drum snares, takes advantage of the trend used most recently by rookie producer Lex Luger on club-bangers like “B.M.F.” and “Hard in the Paint.”

Finally Famous Vol. 3 boasts more guest spots than both of Big Sean’s previous two mixtapes combined. This project includes collaborations with Bun B, Chip Tha Ripper, Curren$y, Mike Posner, Drake, Asher Roth and others.

“Made,” a track that features popular newcomer Drake, showcases a boyish arrogance that Big Sean somehow makes cool. He raps, “I’m just waiting on my cue dog/No pledge/Said she likes all girls/I turned that b**ch co-ed.”

The addition of a solid verse from Drake makes the track one of the best listens on the mixtape.

But the thing that really makes the mixtape stand out is Big Sean’s

17

word-play. Nearly every track is stuffed with punchlines, metaphors and similes.

“I’m on that upper echelon/ You should climb up and be down with it all/‘Cause we go hand-inhand like (clap, clap, clap) round of applause,” Sean raps on the Mike Posner-assisted slow jam “Ambiguous.”

Finally Famous Vol. 3 doesn’t put him into the league with the best rappers out right now, but it shows that he may be well on his way. Big Sean definitely has big personality and it’s on full display on this effort. The mixtape doesn’t push the boundaries of rap, but hip-hop lovers of slick wordplay and bass-filled production are in for a treat.

a 12’’ vinyl-only version. And the best part? They managed to make a country record without whining, “I lost my baby,” even once. Success!

Finally Famous Vol. 3 can be downloaded for free at http:// www.xxlmag.com. Atlanta fans have an opportunity to see Big Sean perform live with Donnis on Saturday, Sept. 18, at the Loft.

Ghost Records

Ocha La Rocha Stealing Time U&L Records

By SONYA WASHINGTON Staff Writer If you’re looking for a whole new way to boot, scoot and boogie, then Ocha La Rocha is your ticket.

This Atlanta-based band, consisting of frontman Johnny La Rocha on vocals, Milton Chapman on the keys, Ryan Pitchford on pedal steel and secondary vocals, Taylor Crowell on guitar, Justin Minchew on bass and Chandler Rentz on drums, comes together to produce an eclectic mixture of twangy, toetapping, thigh-slapping country and funky, psychedelic-inclined rock. “Stealing Time,” an EP that marks the band’s second release, is a country-rock gem which combines slide guitars, piano, organ and vocals in a way that says, “We’re channeling Johnny Cash, Caleb Followill, and maybe Jim Morrison, too.” La Rocha’s raspy, crooning voice is the perfect complement to this unconventional symphony of sounds.

This album evokes images of smoky roadhouses filled with slow dancers in cowboy boots, drinking whiskey and forming their own thin atmosphere of cigarette smoke.

Unlike their first work, this EP gives all the band members shining roles and gives the sound a mature and holistic feel.

If having a unique vibe wasn’t enough, the band also chose a less conventional means of releasing the album. Instead of just releasing it on CD, OLR decided to produce

Calibro 35

Ritornano Quelli Di...

By CANDICE HURSTON Staff Writer Hailing from the great country of Italy, Calibro 35 brings to the music scene a revamping of classic Italian cinema music. Ritornano Quelli Di... (which translates to The Return of…), the five-man group’s second album since their 2008 self-titled debut, has an appeal that is both unique and surprising. Taking inspiration from the booming sounds of ‘60s and ‘70s Italian horror films, Calibro 35 takes the music that painted those violent movie scenes and reproduces it with their own little twist. The result is both an original and refreshing listen, even for unfamiliar ears.

If you’re a fans of music without vocals, you’ll especially appreciate Calibro 35’s dedication to instrumentals. Each track delivers an array of visualizations without the use of lyrics – a distinctive and uncommon feat in today’s music.

The absence of a singer may at first appear as something of a setback to some, however, the untainted flow of notes allows for more focus, enjoyment and freedom in interpretation of each track’s significance. Every one of the 13 songs has the addictive and quirky qualities of a Broadway musical, artistically stirred together with the suspenseful and swift nature of an action movie soundtrack.

You may very well find yourself playing out dramatic back-ally chase scenes in your head while listening to the high-velocity “Eurocrime!,” or even conjuring up a climatic confrontation with a rival as “The Return of the Band - Part II” builds tension in the background.

Even if you’re not accustomed to the shockumentary-style Italian cinema productions of the past, don’t let that stop you from giving this album a listen. Ritornano Quelli Di… is hardly a collection you’ll keep on repeat for random dancing marathons. But it is a memorable treat that will definitely provoke a little involuntary head nodding, shoulder rolling and hip twisting.

At the very least, you’ll certainly find it a must when you’re in need of some uplifting background music for those all-night study sessions.

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ENTERTAINMENT

LOCAL EVENTS CALENDAR August 24-30, 2010

UPCOMING ATTRACTIONS

Yelawolf opened for Big Boi on May 27 at the YAARAB Shrine Temple on Ponce de Leon Ave. September 13-19 The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

Jason Travis

DATE Tuesday

EVENT The Drums in-store at Criminal Records

SEPT. 14

1154 Euclid Ave. Free, all ages If you can’t attend the show on Wednesday (see below), try catching this U.K.-based indiepop band at Criminal Records—for free!

Wednesday

The Drums, Surfer Blood and the Young Fiends at The Loft

SEPT. 15

1734 West Peachtree St. $13 -$15, all ages Hear the pop-heavy side of indie rock and super-fuzzed garage at this show, which is $2 cheaper if you grab tickets in advance.

Thursday

Haute Mess with Yelawolf at the King Plow Arts Center

SEPT. 16

887 West Marietta St. $10 10 p.m., 18-and-up Get your dancing shoes ready for this one. In addition to well-known local DJ Megan Foxxx spinning jams all night and an opening set by Martina McFlyy, super-hyped southern rapper Yelawolf will perform.

Friday

Zenith at Kai Lin Art Gallery

SEPT. 17

800 Peachtree St., Suite D Free 7 p.m., all ages Mingle with local art-lovers at this organic and seasonal-inspired show. Featured works are influenced by nature in the fall. Walla DuVall, Dale Clifford (a SCAD Atlanta professor), Rich Stephens, John Tindel, Adam Wellborn and Jon Arge have all contributed to the exhibit. Although no acts are specifically named, there will be live music at the opening, plus cocktails (of course).

Saturday

Totally T**ties Four at Star Bar

September 20-26 Taxi Driver

SEPT. 18

437 Moreland Ave. $7 8 p.m., 21-and-up This punk-fueled annual charity benefits breast cancer research and awareness. At least six local punk-based bands will play, including the Coathangers, GG King and Predator.

Big Sean and Donnis at The Loft

1734 West Peachtree St. $20 8 p.m., all ages Catch two up-and-coming rappers before they’re too well-known to play small venues. For more on Big Sean, check out Jerel Marshall’s take on the artist’s latest mixtape on Page 17. The doors open at 8 p.m., and the show starts an hour later.

Sunday

SEPT. 19

Laura Veirs and the Hall of Flames, The Watson Twins and Led to Sea at the Earl

Monday

Semi Precious Weapons at the Masquerade

September 27-October 3 Get Him to the Greek Cinefest is located on the second floor of the University Center.

Admission is free for Georgia State students, faculty, and staff with valid Panther ID. General admission is $3 before 5 p.m. and $5 after 5 p.m. For showtimes, please visit www2.gsu.edu/~wwwcft or e-mail cinefest@gsu.edu.

SEPT. 20

488 Flat Shoals Ave. $12 8 p.m.

Laura Veirs is on her seventh album, and she’s near-perfected the art of indie folk-pop.

The Watson Twins, in addition to the duo’s own dreamy folk works, backed Jenny Lewis of Rilo Kiley on Rabbit Fur Coat in 2006.

695 North Ave. $12 6 p.m., all ages There aren’t too many glam rock bands parading around these days, but Semi Precious Weapons wears the Ziggy Stardust flag with pride.

PERSPECTIVES

Perspectives Editor Syeda Hira Mahmood

signalperspectives@gmail.com

www.gsusignal.com/perspectives

Booze is good for you

By SYEDA HIRA MAHMOOD Perspectives Editor Measuring the effects of alcohol has long been studied by doctors and drinkers alike.

During Prohibition, many doctors went to the Supreme Court for authorization to prescribe alcohol to treat upset stomachs and tuberculosis. In 1926, a Johns Hopkins researcher named Raymond Pearl published a study on how those who drink little alcohol live longer than those who drink heavily or don’t drink.

On the other hand, the dangers of heavy drinking are shouted from the rooftops because the outcomes are quite tragic and damaging.

Recently, a research study from the University of Texas found that people who drink heavily live longer than people who abstain from alcohol. Moderate drinkers, defined as those who have three drinks per day, have the lowest mortality rate in alcohol studies.

This is a tricky research topic because of how many variables must be controlled. Socioeconomic status is heavily related to how much and how often a person drinks. For example, the study conducted found that those who abstain from drinking came from lower economic classes because alcohol is expensive. Those who drink moderately are typically financially stable, so regular drinking is not a problem. Moderate drinkers also have access to better health care because of their good economic standing. A person’s ethnic background also plays a role. This is shown in how Native Americans are disproportionately

more prone to alcoholism than any other ethnic group.

Yet, even after the team of researchers controlled all the variables, the statistics are surprising.

69 percent of the participants who completely abstained from drinking died during the 20year case study period. Only 41 percent of participants who drank moderately died during the same 20-year period. 60 percent of the heavy drinkers died in the 20-year period.

Even though heavy drinking causes several types of cancer and cirrhosis, heavy drinkers are more likely to live longer than those who do not drink at all.

The condensed way to explain it is this: people who consume two drinks a day increase their HDL levels between 5 percent and 10 percent. HDL is what some physicians call “good” cholesterol that can lower the risk for heart disease and diabetes. Other studies have shown that drinking heightens insulin sensitivity, lowering the chances of diabetes and heart disease.

There is also a social factor here. There is a reason why alcohol is called the social lubricant.

Previous research shows that nondrinkers are more likely to suffer from depression than those who do drink. Social interactions are vital to having a healthy, balanced life. Alcohol eases social situations, loosening inhibition and making it easier to talk to people.

Believable? Many critics do not think so. There is still a lot of speculation and ambiguous data on this subject. For example, HDL

Dahshan Velez Recent studies find that moderate drinking leads to a healthier lifestyle.

levels may decrease the levels of heart disease, but how this process happens is still unclear. Also, it is highly possible that those who drink moderately have a healthy lifestyle all around.

Let’s face facts, now. Drinking leads to many stupid and

regrettable mistakes, and I’m sure we either know someone who has done something stupid because of alcohol or we have been that idiot ourselves. Cheating, car accidents, domestic violence and other truly horrible actions that can be prevented are often caused because

of drinking.

The one point I can take away from this research study with no qualms is the same rule of thumb I apply to most indulgence-inducing items, from chocolate to shopping.

The key is moderation.

Cheers, everyone.

Obama addresses economy, Islam

By MIRANDA SAIN Staff Writer

John Shinkle President Obama addresses the nation on the economy and religious tension.

On Sept. 10, President Barack Obama held a rare news conference to tackle the two current largest issues on the political playing field: the economy and Islam.

In terms of the economy, Obama is still playing the fingerpointing politics game.

Obama pointed the finger at Republicans, holding them responsible for the stalled passage of a small business tax-cut bill.

He asked the resisting Republicans to allow the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy to expire, accusing them of “holding middleclass tax relief hostage because they’re insisting we’ve got to give tax relief to millionaires and billionaires.”

Without a doubt, the Republicans should surrender their pride on this bill and allow some of the small businesses in America have a portion of the tax cuts. Let’s face it: the Republican theory of the trickle down effect has not worked in this economy.

Instead, it has caused employers to lay off employees and make drastic financial cuts. After all, when the consumers who spend their money on products are unemployed and broke, there is no money to “trickle” from any economic player.

Obama may be right on this, but does he really have to stoop down to the finger-pointing game again? We don’t care whose fault it is, just fix it already.

Don’t forget the midterm Cont. on page 22

Obama

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PERSPECTIVES

EDITORIAL CONTENT

Why you should be a good sport about football

By SHEENA ROETMAN Editor in Chief When Georgia State announced that the school was planning on entering the world of college football, many people were skeptical. And understandably so—Georgia State has always been a nontraditional school in almost every sense of the word.

Urban campus, commuter school, a sizeable population of older students. The list goes on. And many of those older students chose to attend Georgia State for those very reasons.

So when the school began to rebrand itself as a traditional university, many feared that the development of a football program, along with other transition initiatives such as an increased emphasis on on-campus housing, and specifically Greek housing, would change the inherent nature of the school. It wasn’t just a matter of having to deal with drunken sorority girls and obnoxious football fans; it was the fact that many students chose to attend Georgia State for the very reason that it lacked these typical college stereotypes.

And, of course, many were also concerned with cost. Anyone who’s spent a fall in the south knows that college football not only cultivates an almost-religious fervor, but also generates quite a few pretty pennies. And as the ageold saying goes: It costs money to make money.

So what kind of money did the Georgia State community invest? Start-up cost projections for Panther football called for roughly $14 million. Between 2008, when Georgia State initially began the process of building its football program, and 2010, only $85 out of between $600 and $650 in mandatory fees ($600 in 2008, $614 in 2009 and $646 in 2010) charged to students went towards the football program.

This fee alone generated over $16.5 million dollars, and while that number may seem quite large to most people, it’s actually not.

Take, for example, Florida Atlantic University. In June of 2010, FAU approved a $44.6 million dollar loan in order to build a 30,000-seat stadium. The Panthers were lucky enough to have the Georgia Dome waiting for them right down the street, and it saved Georgia State roughly $50 million.

So the football program cost a

SUBMIT A LETTER TO THE EDITOR

SIGNAL SURVEY MARTA prices are going up for students and faculty. What do you think about the increase?

Answer online at gsusignal.com.

Results wll be published next week.

STUDENT VOX How have you been affected by the fee increases at Georgia State?

“As far as tuition goes I’m not affected because everything is covered by HOPE and grants.”

- Chris Montgomery

Senior, Computer Information Systems

Beau Torres Fans flocked to the first football game of the season, where the Panthers defeated Shorter College.

lot, but it could have been worse.

To put these numbers in some sort of perspective, according to 2009 budget information, Georgia State athletics generated $13 million of the little-over-half a billion dollars used to fund the school’s existence, and that’s obviously not including football, either in costs or returns.

Most collegiate football programs, save for a few of the big guns, are not self-sufficient.

Some turn a profit, thanks to ticket sales and merchandising. But the real worth, when you get right down to it, is the fact that it simply makes the school more attractive to prospective students and, of course, investors.

Many who graduated between 2008 and May of 2010 had a valid concern in regards to cost, however.

They paid for Panther football but wouldn’t be on campus to enjoy it.

Georgia State attempted to appease these “New Alumni” by offering free season tickets for a maximum of two seasons, depending on how many years a given alumnus had paid the student athletic fee, but many are still understandably a little pissed off.

Unfortunately, however, the increased student athletic fees in 2008 and 2009 don’t and won’t ever work like a refundable deposit on

an apartment—New Alumni will not be receiving a refund check when the football program earns back the $16.5 million invested by these recent graduates. But—and maybe we just have to chalk it up to being a good sport (no pun intended)—rewards and returns come in all shapes and sizes, and do not necessarily have to be financial.

It’s important to remember that Panther football will bring attention to the school. Attention that, in turn, will bring even more money that cannot be directly traced to the football program.

Take, for example, the recent ESPN Magazine cover. Across the country, how many people, and how many people’s high schoolaged children, are now not only aware of Georgia State but also impressed with its ability to land the cover of a national sports publication?

So what being a good sport about Georgia State football really comes down to is that it’s the right thing to do for your school. It’s why alumni make donations—because they appreciate the school and its role in their lives. And lucky for the students that they do, because otherwise there wouldn’t be much of a school for anyone to attend.

“I received less money from financial aid to buy books, and as I result I had to drop two classes.”

- Michael Barry Junior, Spanish

“The increase in fees makes me want to go to another school. If we’re paying more, we should be receiving better quality education.”

- Parashar Don

Junior, Graphic Design

“I think everyone is affected by it, but compared to other public schools, the tuition here is comparatively low.”

- Zack Watts

Senior, Philosophy and History

The following guidelines must be followed when submitting a Letter to the Editor. Failure to follow them will result in your letter not being considered for publication.

Letters must be submitted either online at www.gsusignal.com/perspectives or directly to the Perspectives Editor via e-mail and must include the text of the letter in the body of the message. • Letters should be 200-400 words maximum. The Signal will allow longer letters, but only in rare circumstances. • Letters must include the full name(s) of the writer(s) and include their year and major. If the writer is a faculty member, they must include their title and department. • Letters will be fact-checked prior to publication. The writer may be obligated to make changes to the letter for publication. • Letters will be edited for grammar, clarity, length, factual accuracy and adherence to Signal policy. • The Signal reserves the right to reject letters at the discretion of the editorial staff.

PERSPECTIVES

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Tuesday, September 14, 2010

21

Hatred fuels America on 9/11 anniversary

By ASHLEIGH ATWELL Staff Writer

U.S. Census Bureau Roy Barnes carefully crafts his campaign strategy for 2010.

Roy Barnes maneuvers campaign strategy

By MIRANDA SAIN Staff Writer Georgia’s political landscape is kind of abnormal. The state is Republican red with a Democratic blue dot called Atlanta and its surrounding metro areas.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Georgia is home to about 9.8 million residents with the majority living in Atlanta and its metro areas.

This creates an interesting dilemma for political candidates.

In particular, it creates a problem for Democrats like Roy Barnes, who is vying for another run as Georgia’s governor.

In order to pull out a solid win, each party has to go into the enemy’s territory to rally supporters and more votes.

In a red state with very hostile feelings toward Washington Democrats and dwindling approval ratings for President Obama, Barnes has to find a way to disassociate himself from them in hopes of pulling out a win.

He has already done this in his campaign.

During a July gubernatorial debate, Barnes said he would favor an Arizona-type immigration law in Georgia and he condemned the Justice Department for filing suit against Arizona over its controversial law.

Barnes is apparently attempting to attract South Georgia swing voters who feel strongly about immigration.

It is surprising that Barnes would support this because of his background in law. As a lawyer, Barnes should know that Arizona’s

driving-while-brown law is not constitutionally sound. It’s hard to believe that a man who, while in office, played an influential role in removing the Confederate battle emblem from the state flag would take this stance. However, I guess things change when you’re trying to win a vote.

In August, Barnes made another move to disassociate himself from his party. He packed up and headed south when President Obama came into town.

However, Barnes may have to try a little bit harder to escape the negatively-viewed Democrat label.

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs had only praises for Barnes during a press conference held after Nathan Deal’s Republican nomination win.

Gibbs complimented Barnes by referring to him as a politician “who has a track record that Georgia can be proud of.”

Sorry, Roy, you are just going to have to try a little harder to get away from the White House than avoiding the President when he visits.

As for Barnes’ television ad campaign, Barnes’ best strategy there is to make Deal look unrecognizable to the average Republican voter. With his recent series of ads, Barnes has hit this nail on the head. Sorry Deal, nobody cares about abortion right now. We just want our jobs back!

However, for Barnes to pull out that solid lead, he will have to cross his fingers and pray that his Democratic voting base in metro Atlanta stays loyal at the polls in November as he focuses on his campaigns down south.

According to a poll from Rasmussen Reports, approval ratings for Deal currently stand at 51 percent next to Barnes at 42 percent. From these poll numbers, it seems that Barnes is making a smart move by recruiting more South Georgia votes.

In a conservatively red state like Georgia, pro-life and antigay Nathan Deal has the upper advantage. However, that is not to say that Deal has not had bumps along the campaign trail.

After winning the nomination, Barnes brought up ethical questions about Deal. He challenged the legitimacy of a business agreement Deal’s auto salvage company had with the state.

“I’m disappointed and it pains me to say that, quite frankly, but I think it disqualifies him,” Barnes said in an interview with the Associated Press.

I’m sure it did pain you a lot to oust your competitor, Barnes.

However, Deal denied the allegations and eventually released his tax records, which turned up no wrongdoing.

Deal will have to continue to deny his questionable ethics throughout his campaign. In 1995, he switched from Democrat to Republican. He has been accused of party switching for personal gains, because at the time he switched, a Republican revolution lead by Georgian Newt Gingrich was under way.

Deal may have an advantage over Barnes in a red state. However, one thing is undeniable: the race to the governor’s mansion will make for a good show of classic political backstabbing and finger-pointing.

Since the collapse of the Twin Towers almost a decade ago, the 9/11 attacks have been surrounded by a heap of controversy. Despite this, the last eight anniversaries of the attack have uneventful, save for a few vigils and tributes.

Sadly, tensions that have been brewing over the past few months might have reached their breaking points by the time this article is printed. Plans to build Park51, an Islamic community center, at the site of Ground Zero have sparked an outcry from various people. A Quran burning was scheduled and now there is a Ku Klux Klan rally planned in Ellijay, Ga. The motive behind the KKK rally is not clear, but it is safe to say that it could not have come at a worse time.

Prior to the Park51 announcement, controversy was in the air. People were reacting to the Proposition 8 ruling. Obama was being accused of being everything from the anti-Christ to Hitler reincarnate. When the plans to build the center were revealed, people went into a frenzy that rivaled the 1950s red scare.

The president was accused of being racist and his faith, despite self-identifying as a Christian, continues to be questioned. In the midst of this, Terry Jones decided that it was a good idea to schedule a burning of the Quran for Sept. 11.

“We believe that Islam is of the devil, that it’s causing billions of people to go to hell, it is a deceptive religion, it is a violent religion and that is proven many, many times,” Jones said in a CNN interview. Jones wrote a book called Islam is the Devil and his church sells merchandise with the slogan. Hatred of this magnitude is sickening and, sadly, Jones is probably oblivious to how hypocritical his statement is.

There are plenty of people that would and have made the same arguments about Christianity. After all, people used the Bible to justify slavery, colonialism, homophobia, war and a host of other deplorable actions, but I do not see anyone planning a Bible burning. Even if someone was planning to burn the Bible, they would be just as wrong as Jones.

For every person who uses religion to spread hatred, there are plenty that use it to spread love.

For every slave master who used

the Bible and the curse of Ham to enslave African-Americans, there were people using the same book and its principles to give people hope and lead them to freedom. Yes, it was Muslim extremists who sent those planes into those buildings, but Muslim students stood next to me protesting a fundamentalist hate group that infiltrated Georgia State’s campus.

Innocent people should not be punished for the actions of a few misguided bigots. I am not religious, but I cannot condone anyone’s faith and beliefs being disrespected.

Jones makes it seem like he is trying to protect Christianity by possibly burning Qurans, but I think he is just a hateful bigot who needs to practice what he is supposed to be preaching. There is a quote in the Bible: “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.”

Essentially, Jesus Christ, the very man Jones claims to follow, believes that enemies should be defeated with kindness. It does not say to burn their holy book or spew hateful words. Christ is preaching love. If Jones really cared about reforming Muslims, he would follow his prophet and pray for them and lead by example.

Although one of the Ten Commandments explicitly states that people should not believe in another god, Christ never cursed another religion. I doubt would have said “Eternal fire is the only destination the Quran can lead people to, so we want to put the Quran in its [sic] place--the fire!” but somehow Jones’ congregation thought it was good enough for their Facebook page.

I am a proponent of people exercising their First Amendment rights, but I think some people take these rights for granted and abuse them. There are people in other countries who could be killed for watching a certain movie, yet we are able to burn holy books, hold “God Hates Fags” signs outside a funeral and allow hate groups to have public rallies. It perplexes and saddens me that some people are fighting tooth and nail to be able to marry whomever they want, but people are being blatantly hateful and the government cannot do anything about it. The people of this country need a wake-up call.

John Raoux Pastor Terry Jones scheduled a Quran burning on the anniversary of 9/11, which was later cancelled.

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PERSPECTIVES

Americans continue to blend church and state

By THADDEUS MORGAN Staff Writer America was founded on the idea of separation of church and state. So, why is it that in present day America, it’s not uncommon to see things done in the name of certain religions? Americans have slowly but surely migrated away from the concept of separating religious affairs and government policies and no one seems concerned about the contradictions between the laws and actions of the nation.

Different opinions and beliefs can naturally foster conflict, regardless of laws and regulations.

However, when the government steps in to regulate citizens’ actions in the name of religion, there is a problem, particularly when a governing document specifically says that people have the right to freedom of religion. Some of the hot button topics being debated now have one common thread: the belief that one religion holds precedence over not only all other

religions, but over the nation too.

One such issue is abortion.

This divisive issue has split the country into two opposing sides: pro-choice and pro-life. Both choices sound appealing, as you may think supporting freedom of choice and freedom to live go hand in hand, but not in this case.

Those who are pro-choice believe that women should have the right to choose to do whatever they want with their bodies, while those who are pro-life believe that a woman’s right to choose to have an abortion infringes on the right of life belonging to her unborn child.

Stripping away a woman’s right to choose is often justified by Christian beliefs forced upon some who may not even accept that religion. Before there was a safe way to have an abortion, women would still have abortions, just in unsafe ways. If abortions were made illegal, what’s to say that women won’t find alternative and more dangerous means of getting rid of unwanted pregnancies?

Along with the rights of

women in America, gays and lesbians have been negatively impacted by the views of America’s religious majority. Currently, gays and lesbians in America don’t have the right to get married except in a few states. This means that all the rights and benefits that go along with marriage are denied to people in relationships with people of the same sex. Regardless of any feelings people may have towards gays one way or the other, all citizens should have the same rights.

The justification behind denying gays the right to get married is that it goes against nature and is an abomination, according to the Bible, but since when was the Bible the supreme law of the land? Laws that prevent anyone from having the same rights as their counterparts based on religious beliefs are unequal in nature and have no right being in a nondenominational country to begin with.

The conflict of religion goes deeper than just laws, however, with the current trend of

Islamophobia in America. Recently, there have been uninformed comparisons between terrorism in America and the religion of Islam, resulting in violent outbursts by Christians who hold the belief that Muslims are the enemy.

Rev. Terry Jones in Florida is one current example of religion and government becoming intertwined.

He planned to burn copies of the Quran on Sept.11, although these plans have now apparently been placed on hold. What makes this man different from any other mentally unstable person is the fact that he has enough influence to intensify the conflict between Christians and Muslims in the U.S. Even President Obama commented on Jones on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” claiming that the Quran burning planned by Jones “is completely contrary to our values as Americans.”

As President Obama said, Jones’ actions do go directly against our values as Americans, but going against our values as Americans seems common in today’s America.

President Obama himself could attest to that because of speculation about his religion during the 2008 presidential election. Although President Obama refuted allegations that he was Muslim and said that he was Christian, the issue of his religious affiliation could have affected the outcome of the election. Religious beliefs have no effect on one’s ability to run and maintain a nation. But, the term Muslim was tossed around negatively in order to tarnish President Obama’s image.

Some Americans are becoming more intolerant to other religions and beliefs, straying away from the Constitutional system that makes this nation such a great place to live. If this bigotry against other religions continues, then what will be the next aspect of life attacked by fellow citizens? One religion may be the majority in America, but what makes America great is that minorities of all kind can still have access to those same rights without prosecution.

Americans need to rethink educational policies

By SHEENA ROETMAN Editor in Chief In a New York Times article, “Making College Relevant,” Kate Zernike describes a conflict that we, as college students, are very familiar with: Is a degree going to get you somewhere, and even if it does, will it be enough to get you to where you want or need to be?

Zernike sums up the debate by asking, “What’s the return on investment, especially as the cost of that investment keeps rising? How will that major translate into a job?”

Increasingly, colleges and universities are cutting certain majors with declining rates of enrollment, like classical studies and philosophy. Students are more and more concerned with what will happen after graduation and not what’s actually happening during college.

Zernike says that colleges and universities worry “that students are specializing too early, that they are so focused on picking the perfect major that they don’t allow time for self-discovery, much less late blooming.”

As a quintessential late-

Obama

Cont. from page 19

elections that are rapidly approaching. November is already forecast to be a slaughtering month for Democrats. There is a real danger that the Democrats may lose both the House and Senate to the Republicans. In the face of that threat, throwing blame is about the only political strategy the Democrats have left.

“I understand there’s an election coming up, but the American people didn’t send us here to think about our jobs; they

bloomer, and one who is slightly bitter about it, this idea enrages and disillusions me. I can’t help but be suspicious that what colleges and universities are really upset about is the fact that students aren’t allowing themselves to waste money and time on self-discovery at school. In a bad economy, with tuition and fees rising every minute, it’s no surprise that students are more interested in working than they are spending five or six burying themselves in debt and wasting time re-learning how many sentences it takes to make a paragraph (true story).

A few years ago I was having dinner with friends, one of whom had spent most of her adult life earning three degrees – undergraduate and two nursing degrees – and even though she owes $800 per month in student loans, she says doesn’t regret it one bit. In our discussion, she supported the idea that a student goes through undergrad to get a liberal arts education and to “find yourself,” and goes through graduate or professional school (law, medical, etc) to get training for a career.

Frankly, I’d have no problem with this except for the cost of it all.

I’m not speaking simply in terms of finances. Students invest as much time in their educations as money.

Don’t get me wrong -- I am not suggesting that having a solid foundation in liberal arts is not important. In fact, I believe it to be the exact opposite, to be the most important aspect of education. My question, however, is the efficiency of the American education system.

Why are we waiting until college to enforce this idea of building a solid foundation? I remember sitting in my third grade classroom wondering why I was being taught the same things I learned in first grade. It’s unfortunate that I still get that creeping feeling while sitting in mindless classes, doing half-assed work and getting A’s for it, because even though it is not exceptional work to me, it is better than average.

Americans need to reevaluate our education system, and quickly.

Students are quickly becoming irrelevant unless we are in law school (or something comparable), and even recent law graduates are

sent us here to think about theirs.

That’s not the kind of leadership this country deserves,” Obama said. “And if the Republican leadership is prepared to get serious about doing something for families that are hurting out there, I would love to talk to them.”

That was a very humble way to sling that mud, sir.

He tried to refresh the short American memory by urging voters to look back on Bush’s economic record, saying that America lost 4 million jobs in the six months before Obama was inaugurated.

American voters do have very short political memories.

Obama made an excellent move in igniting the memory of the Bush era’s economic downfall. You can be reassured that Obama has not forgotten the economic mess that Bush left behind because he is still trying to clean it up.

On the eve of the ninth anniversary of 9/11, the president appealed to Americans for religious tolerance.

“When we start acting as if their religion is somehow offensive, what are we saying to

Brown University American colleges and universities need to be more efficient and relevant.

finding they’re not as marketable as they would like to be. Like it or not, the world is changing, and our education system is outdated and inefficient.

Grade schools need to be stricter and more difficult in their curriculum. No Child Left Behind needs to be thrown out the window and set aflame. There should be more viable options for students who can’t, or won’t, do what it takes to go to college (which is not, by any means, a bad thing).

Colleges should not be responsible for basic knowledge of history and government, our political and economic systems, basic grammar, writing, and mathematics skills, or reading comprehension. To put it simply, if a student doesn’t know these things upon enrollment, that student shouldn’t be in college level classes anyway.

We should hold ourselves to higher standards and demand the same from our educators and for future generations.

them? I’ve got Muslims who are fighting in Afghanistan in the uniform of the United States armed services. They’re out there putting their lives on the line for us. And we’ve got to make sure that we are crystal clear – for our sakes and their sakes – they are Americans.

And we honor their service. And part of their service is making sure that they understand that we don’t differentiate between ‘them’ and ‘us.’ It’s just us,” he said.

Obama’s statement comes after a continuing controversy over the proposed construction of

an Islamic community center near Ground Zero and the plans of a Florida pastor to burn copies of the Koran.

Nine years later, the wound is still fresh in Americans’ minds.

However, we must not let fear overrule rationality.

The most important point of Obama’s speech was said in a statement that needs to become ingrained into the American mind: “We are not at war against Islam.”

INSPIRING STRENGTH Becoming an Army officer allows you to empower and inspire strength in others.

When you lead Soldiers, you gain the strength to lead in life. There are many paths to becoming an Army officer. You can select from Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC); the United States Military Academy (USMA) at West Point, NY; Officer Candidate School (OCS); or the Direct Commission Program.

To learn more, call 877-218-6780 or visit goarmy.com/gsu.

2010

©2010. Paid for by the United States Army. All rights reserved.

KICK OFF

the Tradition 09/27 – 10/02

2010 HOMECOMING Schedule of Events Monday, Sept. 27 • Good Morning Commuters, 8 – 10 a.m., Unity Plaza

• Homecoming Coronation and Ball, 9 p.m., Student Center Ballroom, Free for GSU students; $5/guest

Tuesday, Sept. 28 • Homecoming Carnival, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., Hurt Park and

Saturday, Oct. 2 (Family Weekend begins) • Family Weekend Breakfast, 9 a.m., Student Center,

Gilmer St.

• CAA Blood Drive, 8 a.m. – 6 p.m., Sports Arena

Wednesday, Sept. 29 • Cinema Under the Stars, 9 p.m., Unity Plaza, Movie TBA

Free for members; $10 for non-members

• Alumni Association Tailgate, 10:30 a.m., Georgia Dome Orange Lot, Free for members; all others $5-$10

• SGA Tailgate, 11 a.m., Georgia Dome Brown Lot, Free for students

Thursday, Sept. 30 • Golf Cart Parade, 12:15 p.m., starts at University Commons & ends at the Student Recreation Center

• Homecoming Concert, 8 p.m., Tabernacle Atlanta, 152 Luckie St., GSU students receive discounted admission, Performer TBA

• Office Door Decorating Contest

• Family Weekend Tailgate, 11 a.m., Georgia Dome Brown Lot, $25/person

• Homecoming Game vs. Morehead State, 1 p.m., Georgia Dome, Halftime performance: GSU Marching Band; unveiling of Homecoming Court

• Homecoming Finale Bash, 9 p.m., Student Center, Free for GSU students; $5/guest

Friday, Oct. 1 • Distinguished Alumni Association Awards Dinner, 6:30 p.m., 200 Peachtree Events & Conference Center, 200 Peachtree St., Cost: $50/person; $375/table of 8

For more event details, go to www.gsu.edu/homecoming

What’ s Happening on Campus!

!

Y CELEBRATION A D N O I T U T I T CONS mber 16 Thursday, Septe 12:15 p.m. - 1 p.m. ium Speaker’s Auditor e Honorable Leah h T r: e k a pe S e ot Keyn f Justice of ie h C d e ir t e R , rs Ward Sea rt of Georgia the Supreme Cou

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t udent Governmen Sponsored by St ts and Campus Even

OrgSync Training for Student Organi zation Leaders 1.5-hour training se ssions at the follow ing times: • *Wednesday, Se ptember 15, 9 a.m., 2:30 p.m. or 5 p.m.

• *Thursday, Sept ember 16, 9 a.m., 12 :30 p.m. or 2:30 p.m Room 200, Arts and .

Humanities Building Session registratio n is under way.

Need more informa tion?

Visit the Student Activities Office, S tudent Center, Roo m 330.

Leadership Development

INSPIRE OTHERS WITH YOUR VISION Wednesday, September 15, Noon Lucerne Suite, Student Center Leaders are able to envision the future and consider new possibilities, but they are limited if they cannot inspire others with their vision. This session will explore ideas to help you share your vision with others.

O ACT T S R E H ING OT r 16, 3 p.m.

R E W O P EM tembeent Center p e S , y a Thursrdne Suite, Stud , their Luce ogethetsr lead to d t k r o w ple ee for Wheninpeedo ideas andteufdent leadenrfsidnence comb ter results. S ls to instill co to grea velop the skil urage them ion will to de ers and enco ies. This sess thers in othlop their abilitto empower o deve e strategies ion. shar ur organizat in yo

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Jamie Hy Co-Hosts neman and Adam Monday, of “Mythbuster Savage Septembe s” 3p r2

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Spotlight Programs Board SPOTLIGHT CINEFEST

Homecoming 2010 Golf Cart Parade Applications Now Available!

September 13 - 19: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Would your organization or department like to show your school spirit during Monday - Friday: 11 a.m., 1:45 p.m., 4:30 p.m., 7:15 p.m.

Homecoming? The 8th Annual Homecoming Saturday - Sunday: 1 p.m., 3:45 p.m., 6:30 p.m.

Golf Cart Parade applications are now available in 380 Student Center. e gia Stat They are due on Thursday, September 23, r Geor fo . e e ID fr ith ws All sho ity students w .m. by 5:15 pm.

Univers $3 before 5 p Guests after 5 p.m.

Homecoming 2010-11 Royal Court Candidates tion, and $5 informa t. e r o m efes For Thursday, September 16, 12:15 p.m. .edu/cin visit gsu Library Plaza Come and join Spotlight Programs Board as we announce the 2010-11 Royal Court Candidates.

More info:

spotlight@gsu.ed Student Centeur,- 404/413-1610 Room 380

COURTYAR

D STAGE S

ERIES Brooke “Vio s Artist ofotcalist” Alford h Tuesday, S e Violin 12:30 p.m.e-ptember 14, 1:15 p.m.