Vol. 82 No. 13

NOV. 18, 2014 - DEC. 1, 2014

VOL. 82 | NO. 13

W E FO MU R ST Ne MO AC ws V H | P EM E Y ag B O e3 E U R

Thanksgiving. Black Friday.

Hannukah. Christmas. In celebration of the holiday season, we cover diverse customs in our community.

Inside Inside like us! facebook.com/gsusignal

follow us! twitter.com/gsusignal

New York, New York

housing changes

Premature jollying Stocking stuffers To the house at the end of the block: Turn off those damn Christmas lights! It’s too early!

Find the perfect heart-warming gifts for your entire family this holiday season

Georgia State’s marching band prepares to perform at this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

News | Page 4

Opinions| Page 8

A&L | page 12

Sports | page 18

Corvias Campus Living will bring 1,142 new beds and renovations to Georgia State housing

DAILY NEWS AT WWW.GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM

News 2

Opinions 7

Arts & Living 9

Sports 17

2

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2014

NOV. 13 Grand theft auto

Turner Field Parking

Nov. 12 Choice words

Piedmont North

A report for harassment was filed after a Georgia State student said she was threatened by another student. The case is being handled by the Dean of Students.

Wrong place at the wrong time

Turner Field Parking

A Georgia State student said he parked his car at 6:40 p.m. and went to class. When he returned at 9 p.m. his window had been broken and his backpack with a MacBook had been stolen from the front passenger seat. This case is being handled by investigations.

Theft

KEY

Battery/assault CTWs Intoxication

A report was filed for theft of motor vehicle after a Georgia State student said she parked her vehicle at 10:30 a.m. and later returned to discover it had been stolen. The case is being handled by investigations.

Party lot parking M Parking Deck

A report was filed for underage drinking after patrol officers observed a Georgia State student and a non-student drinking in the parking lot. They were cited and released on a copy of charges.

Disorderly coworkers Aderhold Learning Center

A Georgia State staff member said he was verbally abused by his fellow co-worker. A report was filed for abusive language. The case is being handled by investigations.

Photo of the week PHOTO BY RUTH PANNILL | THE SIGNAL Georgia State’s Marching band gears up for their performance in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

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www.georgiastatesignal.com/news

MONEY for men

MATTHEW WOLFF Staff Reporter

T

hrough the month of November, one facial-haired trend is gaining popularity throughout the country and may also prove beneficial in support of men’s health.

Movember, a non-profit organization raising awareness about men’s health, asks men throughout the country to cultivate mustaches throughout November. This non-profit is different from No-Shave November, another organization that asks men to grow hair throughout the month of November to raise awareness for cancer.

Ceramics student Ty Nicholson said he hadn’t heard of Movember but did know about No-Shave November.

“I thought about shaving but then I remembered it was November,” Nicholson said. “That and [I had a] fear of looking like a child again.”

Movember vs. NoShave November The two organizations have different rules about what styles of facial hair should be grown in November.

See below for a comparison of the two organizations.

Movember 1. Asks ‘Mo Bros’ (men) to start the month with a clean shaven face after signing up on the website 2. For the entire month of Novem-

ber men must spend their time growing and grooming their facial hair into a mustache 3. Mo Bros cannot fake it — no beards, no goatees and no fake mustaches. Strictly just real mustaches.

4. Must use the powers of having a mustache in order to create conversations about men’s health and to raise funds for prostate cancer, testicular cancer and men’s mental health 5. Each Mo Bro must act like a gentlemen.

No-Shave November 1. Encourages month-long growth

of all body hair to help raise funds for the American Cancer Society.

2. Beards, mustaches and leg hair are all acceptable for No-Shave November. In fact, the organization encourages others to ‘skip that waxing appointment.’

3. The idea is to donate the money you would normally use to purchase shaving products to put towards cancer patients who can’t grow their hair.

4. It is not limited to one individual — each person can create a group of No-Shave November participants.

Senior Andy Debusk said he didn’t know details about either charitable organization but knew of No-Shave November’s popularity.

“I know a couple other people that are doing it, so it’s fun to compare beard growth with other people,” he said. “In a way it’s kind of a bragging rights thing.”

Debusk also said he likes the idea of not shaving for a month because it is an excuse to grow out facial hair and it’s a mark of being young and a student.

“In the future if I get a real job where I have to shave every day, I won’t be able to ever grow a beard again until I’m retired,” he said. “Might as well grow a cool beard now!”

Growing for a cause This year, Georgia State Athletics is supporting the Movember organization and movement.

Graduate Assistant Katey McCandless is in charge of the fundraising partnership between Movember and Georgia State Athletic’s marketing team. She said this is the second year the department has participated as a team.

“We like to build relationships where we can,” McCandless said, “And this just seems like a great organization.”

McCandless also said the marketing team is spreading the word about the movement and organization by asking the Athletics staff and coaches to grow mustaches.

Last year, Athletics marketing raised approximately 200 dollars among themselves and the facilities’ staff last year. This year they hope to exceed that amount.

continued on page 6 >> (Movember)

PHOTOS BY RALPH HERNANDEZ | THE SIGNAL DONATE $10 TO PANTHERS’ MOVEMBER TEAM IN NOVEMBER AND RECEIVE A T-SHIRT.

ATHLETICS MARKETING AND FACILITIES STAFF RAISED ABOUT $200 LAST YEAR.

4

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2014

university

USG announces

NEWEST

campus housing

partner LAUREN BOOKER Associate News Editor

T

he University System of Georgia (USG) selected and announced Corvias Campus Living, a development and construction property management firm, as its newest campus-housing partner on Nov. 12, according to a USG release.

The University System’s PublicPrivate partnership plans to maintain affordable on-campus student housing, according to the USG’s website.

Hank Huckaby, the University System’s 12th chancellor, said in the release quality that safe and affordable housing is a top priority.

“We expect our initiative will generate innovation, operating efficiencies and best practices in student housing to improve the quality of the oncampus housing experience for our students,” he said.

Seven months ago a competitive bid process began between various development companies.

University System reached a new agreement with Corvias for $517 million to develop 3,683 new beds and manage 6,195 existing on-campus beds at nine institutions for the next 65 years, according to the release.

Below are the participating campuses listed in the release.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College Armstrong State University College of Coastal Georgia Columbus State University Dalton State College East Georgia State College Georgia Regents University Georgia State University University of North Georgia

Renovations for Georgia State Geoff Eisenacher, Vice President of Partnership Development for Corvias Campus Living, said Corvias is focused on offering affordability and addressing long-term and short-term maintenance needs through the partnership.

“First and foremost [we are] ensuring that the existing and the new facilities are in really good condition for

the life of the 65-year partnership and then introducing a series of design innovations and efficiencies that we and the private sector can just deliver very well,” he said.

He also said phase one of the plan involves transferring existing dorms University Commons and Patton Hall at Georgia State into the partnership in addition to creating over 1,000 beds for the university as a whole.

“This phase one with the Board of Regents was established before this process started and so each campus identified which of the particular housing facilities were included in phase one,” Eisenacher said.

Eisenacher also said phase one calls for capital repair and reinvestment for the existing housing locations on the nine campuses involved in the new housing partnership.

Corvias’ plan structure allows for reinvestment to be put into housing at various periods throughout the partnership term.

“With Patton Hall and the University Commons, there are specific projects that are to be done in the first year at each facility that are outlined,” he said. “And we will look forward to working with the campuses over the next few months to make sure that we execute on that scope and make sure those are projects that the campuses really see worthwhile.”

Eisenacher said Georgia State has also asked for a certain amount of retail shelf space in facilities.

“It is at this point kind of in deliberations on whether that will be retail shelf space or a food service shelf space,” he said. “...There is space in the first floor of the facility and it will be likely one of those two options.”

Corvias will work with Georgia State over the specific plans over the next two to three months. The decision for more beds in the future is up to the Board of Regents and individual campuses, according to Eisenacher.

“I know they are calling this a phase one and I think there’s an assumption that there will be additional phases in the future. But that’s all kind of evolving at this point,” he said.

Maintaining quality and affordability Charlie Sutlive, head of USG communications, said Corvias as a conces-

GRAPHIC BY ANNA YANG sionaire has had extensive experience in multi-family and student housing.

“They are a provider of military housing,” he said. “They plan to use Georgia and local based contractors and suppliers in the construction on new housing throughout the state.”

He also said they have had a successful track record with developing, financing and managing housing.

The Public-Private Partnership will also help keep the cost of student housing low and affordable, according to Sutlive.

“We expect our campus housing partner will bring innovative design ideas to improve the overall quality of our campus housing experience,” he said.

Rental rates for student housing will be based on the Board of Regents and vary among the campuses. There is also a rental rate and limit that must be maintained every year, according to Eisenacher.

Sutlive said students need access to safe, quality and affordable housing options while they attend school.

“It is an ongoing challenge to build and finance large projects such as student housing to keep costs affordable,” he said. “We are always looking at ways to keep costs down and still provide quality education and student services.”

Future plans for the university Each campus will be tailored needs unique of the individual institutions in order to attract, educate and graduate growing numbers of students, according to the release.

“The University System will retain oversight of the campus-housing partnership, have a governance process in place and campuses will continue to be responsible for residence life program-

ming for students,” the release states.

Jerry Rackliffe, senior vice president for finance and administration, said Georgia State is excited about the partnership.

“It will help us provide affordable housing for our students while also using Corvias’ expertise and investment to maintain our current housing,” he said.

Within the partnership Georgia State will be involved with designing the university’s upcoming housing facilities. They will also provide student life, security and financial administration for the housing, according to Rackliffe.

“Corvias will only be developing housing for Georgia State University as we will continue using current processes for academic and other buildings,” he said.

Ciara Frisbie and Anna Yang also contributed to this report.

5

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2014

Local

Georgia sales tax dependency may hurt economic recovery JENNY GUADALUPE Staff Reporter

T

he Great Recession of 2008 was such a low point the U.S. economy that the state of Georgia is still being impacted today.

It can even be felt with students who say they feel the need to ‘pinch the penny’ every purchase they make.

Atlanta taxes an extra 1 percent on goods purchased within city limits. This means that around Georgia State campus students are paying 8 percent total, according to the Department of Revenue.

Sophomore Soo Kim said she remembers when the recession hit as if it happened yesterday. She also said the effects are just as fresh.

“I’m a little older, so I remember.

Even though the recession is supposed to have ended, it seems that we’re all still struggling,” Kim said. “I wonder when this will all be behind us.”

Six years later Georgia State Department of Economics Professor David Sjoquist and Tulane University Economics Professor James Alm measured how the revenues of different state governments have fared after the 2008 crash, according to an article in Georgia State’s State and Local Government Review.

In the study, Sjoquist and Alm measured economic recovery which is a measure of how much a state’s economy produces goods and services (output). The results state that Georgia produced 95 percent of its 2007 pre-recession output.

However, the other states that were growing even more slowly by this measure were seeing higher rates of revenue recovery, according to the report.

Revenue Recovery is measured by how much a state is collecting back from its economic output via taxes, fees and other charges that states col-

lect, according to Pew Trusts’ website.

This revenue then pays for public expenses in the state, according to a university release about the study.

Sjoquist and Alm found that when compared to all other states whose economic recovery was even slower than Georgia’s, the state’s revenue recovery still somehow emerged as third lowest in the nation.

The state is still recouping less money for public services than it did in 2007 and this is despite the economy improving overall, according to the study.

The study also revealed that the culprit for this surprising imbalance could be Georgia’s reliance on sales tax as a primary means to generate state revenue.

“The correlation between recovery ratio and the share of own source revenue from sales taxes is -0.38. That is, states that have a greater reliance on sales taxes had slower recovery,” Sjouist said in the release. “Georgia has the 37th highest relative reliance on sales taxes, suggesting that sales tax reliance is an important factor in explaining Georgia’s lack of revenue recovery.”

Georgia collects four percent sales tax on purchased goods and each county determines its own rate, according to the Georgia Department of Revenue. (View graphic to see sales tax by county in metro Atlanta.)

Rising junior Steven Smith, who was previously aware of the study, said there is concern to be drawn from the study’s findings and how it will economically impact students who are looking for jobs after graduation.

“We’re paying a lot for goods even though the economy is not fully recovered from the recession [sic],” he said. “What happens after graduation if the economy still hasn’t picked up and sales tax around here is still high?”

Smith also said he wants to know where the results are appearing if

6% 6%

7%

6%

Cherokee

Cobb

Gwinnett

Fulton

Douglas

7%

Dekalb

Clayton Fayette

Rockdale

7% 7%

Henry

6% Sales tax by county in metro Atlanta GRAPHIC BY EMILY LASHER | THE SIGNAL

7%

individuals from Georgia are being heavily taxed.

“My question is why are we being taxed so much without having the income to back it up? And that goes for adults in the whole state, not just students,” he said.

Although Georgia is one of the states that relies more on sales tax and experienced smaller recoveries, the dependency might not be the singular death knell for a robust economic recovery, according the study’s results, Sjoquist states within the report that the pattern of recovery is mixed.

“There is no single explanation for recovery that applies to all states beyond growth in the states economy,” he said.

Sjoquist and Alm’s report sug-

7%

gested a re-evalulation of state tax policy, given the evident positive correlation between a reliance on sales tax and weak revenue recovery. This argued that the recovery may be larger if a state adopted discretionary tax changes.

However, beyond the question of sales tax dependency it could be that revenue hasn’t recovered because the nation hasn’t recovered.

States could ultimately be at the mercy of national recovery in the post-Great Recession economy despite policy change efforts, according to the report.

“At this point, any short term recovery in state budgets must largely await national economic policy,” the report states.

Local

Rescuing the pups

Fourteen Pit Bulls were found in an abandoned house on Demooney Road in Fulton County, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution. Officials are investigating the possibility of the dogs being used for fighting. Arrests were made after an anonymous tip Friday morning. The identities of those arrested have not yet been identified.

National

Spikes in St. Louis guns sales

Gun stores surrounding Ferguson, Missouri have seen drastic sales increase, according to ABCNews. The spike is a result of the anticipation surrounding the upcoming grand jury decision to possibly indite Darren Wilson, the officer that shot Michael Brown. A representative of Metro Shooting Supplies in nearby Bridgeton said home defense shotguns and high capacity semi-automatic pistols are in high demand. In the last two weeks the store has sold about 250 Smith & Wesson M&P9 pistols.

Global

Bieber faces Argentinian charges

Justin Bieber could possibly face criminal charges in Argentina after the entertainer allegedly ordered his bodyguards to chase and assault a photographer outside a Buenos Aires night club, according to Fox News. Argentinian judge Facundo Cubas has given Bieber 60 days to appear in court before an international arrest order is issued.

Bieber faces one year in prison if convicted.

Technology

Learning management system Desire2Learn to become Brightspace after fall semester SAMUEL ROTH Staff Reporter

G

eorgia State students and faculty will have to depart with Desire2Learn, a website name they’ve grown accustomed to, in order to make way for the university’s newest spring 2015 addition — Brightspace.

Desire2Learn will go offline starting Dec. 19 until Dec. 26 while the system is being updated. Once it relaunches it will come back online as Brightspace, according to the website.

A main concern this could potentially raise is the issue of final grades being posted and distributed once the semester ends.

Justin Lonsbury, Manager of In-

structional Design and Training for the Center for Instructional Innovation (CII), said the planned dates for when the website will be down will not affect final grades.

“No, final grades will not be affected by the updates to the learning management system. Grades are due by 5 p.m. on Dec. 18,” Lonsbury said.

“The learning management system updates will take place on the following day, Dec. 19. Students will receive their grades on schedule.”

Lonsbury also said the change is occurring because Desire2Learn is changing the name of the management system.

“Desire2Learn, [the vendor], has changed the name of the learning management system that they offer from Desire2Learn to Brightspace...

Although the name of the company is not [changing],” he said.

CII will be in charge of updating and creating new online information to help make the transition easily to research, according to Lonsbury.

“CII will provide continuity related to the name change by creating web pages that will come up in searches for either “desire2learn” or “brightspace” and by making sure existing web addresses that bring students to the system today will continue to bring students to the system after the name change,” he said.

Chad Marchong, senior systems engineer in support for the campus learning management system, said the change will be easier on all affected by publicizing the name of the change in advanced.

“Keeping the system name used on campus consistent with the name used by the vendor should also make it easier for students and faculty to

find support resources that are available from both Georgia State University and other areas of the web for the Brightspace learning management system,” he said.

Marchong also said the updated version of the learning management system will be beneficial.

“A number of [the] system features will receive incremental updates that provide more flexibility.

Additionally, the Center for Instructional Innovation will begin supporting faculty in customizing their courses,” he said. “This will allow faculty to better emphasize the areas of their course that they want to draw attention to and will also allow them to personalize the look and feel of courses.”

Georgia State’s Center for Instructional Innovation’s website states that classes already enrolled

in will remain the same for students who have already selected their schedules for Spring 2015.

“This will still be the same learning management system you know today with some cosmetic improvements and added functionality,” the website states.

Along with faculty personalization, changes will include widgets, navigation bars and homepages, according to the Center for Instructional Innovation website.

Lonsbury said the change will not come at any additional price to the school or for the oncoming semester.

“The name change is simply part of an incremental update to the learning management system that is already being provided to students and therefore there are no cost increases related to this change,” he said.

6

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2014

SGA

SGA announces the merge of Student Center and University Center STAFF REPORTER

G

eorgia State’s Student Government Association (SGA) announced a major change to the Student Center and University Center that will occur by Jan. 1, 2015 during its fifth General Senate Body meeting held on Nov. 13.

As of Spring 2015, the two buildings will be officially labeled two distinct wings — Student Center West and Student Center East.

The announcement came after a year-long push by the organization for the name change. However, the Student*University Center Advisory Board made the decision by voting earlier this year.

Additional highlights Sebastian Parra, vice president of Academic Affairs, announced that he wants to push for free Georgia State courses online. However, Parra was informed

by Dr. Risa Palm, Georgia State’s senior vice president of Academic Affairs, that because of a high dropout rate and reportedly bad business model the plan could not be put into effect.

Parra said he will meet with Georgia State’s newly hired Chief Innovation Officer Phil Ventimiglia to continue pushing for what he called ‘creative ways to approach higher education.’

1.

A resolution to provide every student who utilizes Academic Advisement with a Academic Policies Information Sheet was passed. The bill was proposed by Parra and was sponsored by Senators Gregory Lafortune and Toni Le. The resolution would allow for the Academic Affairs Committee to create the sheet and would be available through their advisers. The sheet would provide condensed information of various academic polices.

2.

Camryn Bradley, vice president of public relations, announced the media campaign for increased SGA awareness among students was moving forward. New t-shirts have been ordered but there are still no updates on the organization’s website.

3.

A second resolution proposed by Senator David Jackson Jr., which seeks the approval of SGA to host North Side Middle School’s (NMS) eighth grade field trip to Georgia State’s campus on Dec. 5, passed with SGA approval. The bill, which would provide Jackson with the volunteer manpower to give NMS students a tour on campus, did not contain any stipulation of lunch being provided by SGA funds.

4.

Freshman Liaison Anthony Nguyen was chosen to assume the vacated Head Freshman Liaison position after winning by a majority vote from SGA members. Three candidates stated their case to the organization and provided details on their related experience and qualifications for the position.

5.

Movember “It was right around Nov. 1, so it was already shave the date time,” she said. “This year we put together a social media plan, and I designed t-shirts. We got started at the beginning of October.”

During the Nov. 14 men’s basketball home-opener, fans received a ‘Ron Hunter Movember’ t-shirt for a $10 donation to the organization.

Hunter, head coach of the men’s basketball team, had a full-grown mustache for the event.

Each donor could choose one of four different t-shirt designs depicting a variety of mustaches on the face of Coach Hunter.

McCandless said she is hoping the last basketball game will raise enough money so that in the future, a Georgia State basketball game will become a registered Movember event on the charitable organization’s website.

Donations for the Movember organization will continue to be accepted throughout the month at other Georgia State Athletic events including volleyball and women’s basketball.

Awareness for men’s health

Daisy Williams, nurse manager at Georgia State’s Health Clinic, wants people to know the clinic is prepared to treat all medical issues under relating to mens’ health.

>> continued from page 3

“

You have to do it on a regular basis in order to know what’s normal... You need to know what your ‘normal’ is.”

-Daisy Williams,

Nurse Manager, Georgia State Health Clinic Williams said acne and sexually transmitted infections (STI) screenings are some of the more frequent reasons male students visit the health clinic.

In addition to treatment, the clinic also provides education about men’s health. Male students can learn about substance abuse, safe sex, and how to conduct a self examination for testicular cancer, according to Williams.

Williams said she feels as though students who are aware of the clinic are coming in when they have issues. She also said health services is currently updating their websites in order to provide all information possible about the services available to students.

“It’s good that the students are realizing they can come to the clinic,” she said.

Early detection is the best way to address a concern, according to Williams.

“Early detection is always the best if there is a concern and if there isn’t then you have peace of mind.

When you know that everything is OK you can go on with your life.”

Williams also said students should not worry about not being able to afford the services of the Student Health Clinic.

“If you don’t have insurance, don’t worry about it. Still utilize the clinic,” she said. “We are open. This clinic is for them, we will see them, we will work with them.”

If there are any services the Student Health Clinic may not provide, the staff can refer visitors to a specialist, according to Williams.

However, she also said that it is also important for men to become or remain proactive.

“You have to do it on a regular basis in order to know what’s normal for each and every one of us,” she said. “You need to know what your ‘normal’ is.”

www.georgiastatesignal.com/opinions

Dollars and sense with Mitch

Give thanks

(while supplies last) Could Black Friday be a dying trend? Let’s hope so.

I MITCHELL OLIVER Columnist

Mitch is a senior finance major and student financial advisor.

“My goal is to have more college students financially literate.”

Leave your questions for him online at georgiastatesignal.com Follow him @madmoneyATL

n a strange turn of events, it seems a prediction I made last year is actually coming to fruition. This, however, is bad news.

What was that prediction? I wrote a piece on Black Friday last year and I made an offhand joke that if the retail trend continues, stores will open so early that they won’t even need to close for Thanksgiving at all!

Well, here we are, Black Friday 2014: Consumapalooza ‘14, the Desperation of Retail America 2014, Degradation of Consumerism 2k14, whatever you want to call it.

And with it, the ever-exiting social media spectacle of “who’s opening when on Black Friday!” Let’s kick things off with a retail shakeup. This year, in another desperate plea for relevance, JCPenny has upped the ante for department store retailers by opening at 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. Now, I’m not trying to pick on JCPenny here. Everyone knows they’ve been picked on enough. But there is no logic to this “strategic competitive move” as consumer analysts call it. Joey Thomas, a JC Penny spokesperson, stated in an interview with Huffington Post that they are opening at 5 p.m. because they opened early last year for the first time and the “response from customers was overwhelmingly positive.”

Apparently, the response was SO positive that in January of this year, JC Penny decided to close 33 of its stores and lay off 2,000 employees. It looks like opening early on Thanksgiving for JC Penny wasn’t enough, but how could it ever be?

Does 4-5 hours of extra sales really make these companies millions?

Enough to turn around their failing brands?

More retailers are jumping back to 6 p.m. for opening this Thanksgiving. This is back 2 hours from the 2013 norm of 8 p.m. which many consumers thought to be intrusive already. In a few years employees will have just enough time to grab a plate

Stores open early for Black Friday:

JCPenny opens at 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving Radio Shack opens at 8 a.m. on Black Friday K-Mart opens at 6 a.m. on Black Friday

to go before heading into work at noon on Thanksgiving.

Carol Spieckerman, a retail consultant with NewMarketBuilders, sees this herd mentality. “I think 6 may be the new 8 just because every year there has to be something new,” she said. “It becomes an ‘Everybody’s doing it’ type of dynamic.”

Plus there are the anomalies. Radio Shack, that out of touch electronics store that is bleeding profits, is opening at 8 a.m. for some reason.

K-Mart, not to be outdone, plans to open at 6 a.m. because they want you to have more time to choose not to shop at K-Mart apparently.

This brings me to my point. Some companies see opening early on Black Friday as a competitive move, some sort of marketing strategy to bring in millions more in sales, a tactic to help their floundering profits — but it’s not. They are simply doing this because the environment is so ridiculously competitive that they have no other option. This can be attributed to a number of things, but mainly it’s the growth of online shopping.

And with that, the silver lining: Amazon. Amazon is always open, holiday or not. On top of that, the online stores of many retailers is becoming more popular each holiday season. Slowly, more and more consumers are shifting their purchases online. 20 or 30 years from now, this Black Friday ethics discussion will all seem irrelevant since brick and mortar stores will be a primitive, unprofitable platform for retail. The future is online retail and with its emergence begins the creative destruction of big box retailers as we know it.

Until then, let’s keep supporting the companies who pick people over profits. Costco, Nordstrom, Patagonia, Dillard’s, TJ Maxx and Marshall’s are all stores choosing to stay closed this Thanksgiving. Let’s show them a little love with our wallets and maybe other retailers will finally see that it’s just not worth it. People over profits!

Stores closed on Thanksgiving: Costco Nordstrom Patagonia Dillard’s TJ Maxx Marshall’s

Student

V X Do you think stores should open early for Black Friday?

Aliscia Ray Journalism

Andre Phillips Psychology Senior

I think they should so people could get those sales. You know, some people want to go early and beat the rush, so I feel they should open it up early.

Senior

No. Mainly because I have to work on Thanksgiving Day myself because I work retail. It’s a holiday you’re supposed to celebrate with your family and if you don’t celebrate it, it’s still something that should be respected. That’s how I feel about companies, but you know, people want to shop on Thanksgiving Day? We have to open up on Thanksgiving Day!

Chason Smith Physics

Sophomore Yeah, because I like to go shop and then I want to go home and sleep and eat. I don’t really want to be bothered by the crowd, but that’s just me though.

Xoe Little English Junior

I have no opinion. I don’t go Black Friday shopping, so I have no idea.

8

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2014

Give thanks this holiday season

C

MIA MCDONALD Columnist Mia does amateur photoshoots, maintains the title of bookworm and hangs out with friends and family.

Follow her @MiaMore09

ongratulations everyone!

We’ve made it to the official midterm of the fall semester and the year’s almost over.

Let’s face it, some of us have mentally checked out of classes since before midterms started and our holiday break countdown began the moment you took or graded your last midterm. Though you’ve been anticipating your break, have you really reflected on what you’re grateful for?

The Thanksgiving holiday isn’t only about a week long vacation; it’s a time to let all of your grace and blessings resonate.

As college students our wishes or prayers are usually for things like tuition being paid, housing being covered, passing that really difficult and demanding class or having free time to enjoy yourself.

Not that those areas don’t deserve attention, but there are greater needs to be grateful for.

As you’re walking to class take the time to look around you and soak in your surroundings. Those panhandlers could easily be you; could you imagine not knowing where you’re going to sleep

“

If you’re upset because your car isn’t brand new, look at the number of people boarding the MARTA bus or walking.

or where your next meal is going to come from or when your next meal is?

If you’re upset because your car isn’t brand new, look at the number of people boarding the MARTA bus or walking. You’re only a part time student? There are people who can’t even afford to consider college as an option. Your family isn’t able to travel? Some people don’t have any family members to visit. The list of examples could go on and on, but I think you get the point.

No, I’m not perfect and yes, I’m guilty of complaining of the things I don’t have, but when I look at some of my peers, coworkers, professors or anyone else struggling I’m immediately humbled.

We focus so much on what

we’re lacking individually that we don’t realize we’re taking so much for granted; someone as close as your best friend or roommate can easily be praying for the “nothing” or “little” that you have.

So how do we alleviate this feeling of being short-changed? Instead of saying thank you, go give someone else reasons to say “thank you.” Visit the local soup kitchens, churches, homeless shelters and help serve Thanksgiving Day dinners.

Your roommate can’t afford to travel back home? Invite them over to your family’s dinner. Regardless of your religion or belief, try to be a blessing to someone.

I hope you all enjoy your break and I wish you all the happiest of Thanksgivings!

To the house at the street corner...

An open letter to over-zealous holiday decorators To the house on the street corner down a block:

I NICOLE MOTAHARI Opinions Editor Nicole is a double major in biology and English.

When she’s not writing, she enjoys listening to musical theater and watching British TV with her family.

am writing to the public in regards to the fact that your house is covered in holiday lights two weeks before Thanksgiving. Seriously? Even the Santa Clause Winter Wonderland guy down the road hasn’t plugged his yard in yet.

For some reason, I find your garish ice-blue lights strangely revolting yet optimistically hopeful.

If I close my eyes, I can almost smell pine trees and fireplaces.

However, in a little more than a week, it will be the time for Thanksgiving; you know, the strange holiday that precedes the actual Winter Holiday season? It revolves around a turkey and is frequently overlooked by marketers who like to skip straight over to Black Friday and Christmastime.

Apparently, the holiday tradition of getting together as family, eating until you have to change to elastic waistband pants and passing out in front of the television over Thanksgiving football is dying in favor of running out

Now hiring columnists

and shopping till 7 a.m. the next morning. Don’t forget to pick up the Christmas tree on the way home!

Don’t get me wrong — the winter holiday season has been one of my favorite times of year.

No matter what religion you are, it’s lovely to see everyone bustling about under the stupor that capitalism and commercialism have induced.

Yet despite that, there is still something that gives a certain cheer to the air, regardless of marketing. Everyone cuddles closer together, sharing body heat in the frigid weather, entwining their mittened and gloved hands as they snuggle up with peppermint mochas and gingerbread lattes.

Regardless, it is thanks to people like you, House on the Street Corner, that the rest of us must brace ourselves for the onslaught of mistletoe and silver bells raining down upon us as we march through the non-existent flurries that pass for something called “snow” here in Georgia.

We must bravely don our tastefully elegant holiday wear, bring out the winter coats and

prepare for the barrage of awkward questions from Aunt Sue and Uncle Jim: “No, I don’t want to become a writer. Yes, I did hear that Cousin Melvin graduated top of his class with a PhD in astrophysical engineering and neuroscience. Betty Ruth won the Nobel Prize? Oh how lovely!” *insert discreet eye roll here, make some polite excuse to leave, then hunt down the waiter with the champagne and shrimp cocktail* With little choice in what we listen to on the radio, we must smile and sing along as cheery songs brainwash us with messages about fat men in red suits, cookies, latkes, spinning clay tops and babies singing Kumbaya.

Not to mention candles; you can’t forget the scented candles.

Winter Garden, Christmas Spice, Peppermint Schnapps... oh wait no, that last one’s just a figment of my imagination.

So thank you, House with the Garish Holiday Lights, for reminding us of the true spirit of the Holidays.

Yours truly, Nicole Motahari

Editorial

Who are you, Desire2Learn?

D

esire2Learn, or Brightspace, or whoever you may be in the future — we are getting tired of you.

For those of you who are new to Georgia State this year, you may not know this, but the educational tool instructors use for online classes has had two different systems in the past two years. In 2012, we had ULearn. In 2013, we had Desire2Learn. In 2015, we will have just a name change: from Desire2Learn to Brightspace. And in 2016, The Signal is willing to bet there will be yet another change.

The company that operates the learning management system said existing course content will not be changed. There will just be newer features added.

So basically it’s going to be the same thing, just with a different name and a few upgrades.

For some newer students, this may not even be a big deal. But for instructors who have to learn the system all over again and go through another training session just to know how to use program, it is incredibly inconvenient, especially when instructors have just started to understand Desire2Learn.

The previous change from ULearn to Desire2Learn drove many people nuts. Instructors had to learn all over again how to upload files and use the system to the best advantage. For other instructors, they don’t use it at all. Students had to type in a new address for the same program and learn how to access the program.

Some instructors just opted to use their own website or another one that came with the course.

This, too, can cause confusion for students.

And the funny thing is, there weren’t even many drastic “changes” to Georgia State’s new learning management system per se; the program just offered more functionality with an interface designed differently. Desire2Learn allowed easier access from mobile, integrated Dropbox to submit assignments and more.

A similar change is going to happen with Desire2Learn — the interface will just have a new design with a new name slapped on it.

Changing the name of the domain is just as if a person were to go and legally change their name every year. Why would you go through the bureaucracy of that? To try out new identities every single year? Because that’s exactly how we are perceiving it even if you are claiming to still have all your original features, Desire2Learn.

When Facebook updated their interface throughout the years, people groaned and grumbled — but at least Facebook kept their name the same!

People got used to the changes. That’s because Facebook let their users know they were still the same entity, aiming to achieve the same overarching goal.

When a company has a new name, people will assume there are drastically different things to accomplish. People will look at the new brand with skepticism and feel like they need to get to know something new all over again.

That said, Desire2Learn is actually a program with much potential. The user-interface is simple and easy to use. Dropbox folders allow students to easily submit their assignments from home. Instructors can make quizzes online and we don’t need to find another source entirely to create them.

Instead of completely changing the name and brand, the company should just upgrade the design bit by bit and provide in-site tutorials on how to use the new features. That would create less confusion.

We wouldn’t have to say, “Oh, sorry about calling you Desire2Learn. I forgot you changed your name.”

You’ve got the opinion.

We’ve got the soapbox.

To be a guest columnist, send in your thoughts to signalopinions@gmail.com. To be a (paid) staff columnist, download an application from georgiastatesignal.com/ employment and turn it in to Dr. Bryce McNeil at 405 University Center.

www.georgiastatesignal.com/artsandliving

The Strangers and the Scholars ZACH ITZKOVITZ Staff Reporter

A

s the new Gregorian year approaches, three quarters of Americans will stroll through their local communities to find their religious traditions mimicked. Jingle Bell Rock and Winter Wonderland have already begun to saturate the frigid air, warming it with a traditional charm.

The other quarter will drive through their neighborhoods just like any other time of year, the difference being sequential lights that accentuate to create skeletons at night. Passing these and the occasional infant Jesus, five to eight million American Jews are wished a “Merry Christmas” despite the fact that their coinciding holiday is Hanukkah.

Hopefully, they appreciate the good sentiment.

PHOTO BY NADIA DELJOU | THE SIGNAL During the eight days of Hannukah, Jews light the menorah, or chanukiah, one candle at a time for each night.

Immortal Culture A Light in the Dark Ari Solomon, 21, has undoubtedly received such a wish. He was raised Jewish and continues to celebrate Hanukkah every winter.

“We light the menorah all eight nights,” Solomon said. “I know a lot of families will give presents every night. Usually, if my parents are in a good mood, me and my siblings will each get one present apiece. It really depends on if we actually need anything.”

The menorah is a nine-branched candlestick — eight candles for each day of Hanukkah and a central candle, the shamash, to light the others. A widespread symbol of Judaism, the menorah has a somewhat obscure history. Solomon explains how the menorah earned its place among central Jewish relics, recounting violence between a small Jewish rebellion and the invading Seleucid

Empire — champions of Hellenistic culture.

“So, the Maccabees, the Jewish rebels, rebelled and overcame them against all odds,” explains Solomon.

“And when they got to the temple, the Holy Temple, they found that it was desecrated. The oil for the Menorah has to have a certain seal on it, so they found one jar left — enough to last one night,” he described.

“The Jews lit the Menorah and it lasted eight nights. So nowadays we light the Menorah for eight nights to commemorate that.”

Hanukkah, sometimes called The Festival of Lights, does celebrate the vitality of an insufficient oil supply but more importantly affirms the miraculous and resilient vitality of the Jewish People.

The candles illuminate surroundings and each other — a beacon of life in the dead of night.

While Christmas cuisine includes eggnog and roasted turkey, Hanukkah has its own brand of festive recipes.

Solomon describes the foods common in his home on Hanukkah.

“We also make the traditional foods like the latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot which are the jelly donuts,” explains Solomon. “My mom at least makes the latkes homemade; sufganiyot, not always. She also buys for us large bags of chocolate gelt and expects us to play dreidel for them, but we have kind of grown out of that.”

Dreidel, another Hanukkah tradition, resembles innocuous gambling in which gelt (chocolate candy coins) replaces money. The dreidel is a spinning top with four sides, each of which is marked with a different Hebrew letter: Nun, Gimel, Hey and Shin. The purpose of the game is to reap the pot of gold that is chocolate, although as Solomon mentioned, spinning tops and chocolate coins seem more alluring at a young age. The love of chocolate, however, is

notably chronic.

The holiday season sees the expression of culture in many ways — lines at the shopping mall to sit in Santa’s lap and make requests coincide with humble, religious services and prayer. The former seems superficial compared to the latter and has garnered accusations of materialism and vanity on Christmas, a holiday with humble roots. Hanukkah does not elude this blemish, but both holidays have reached a fork in the road: culture diverges from spirituality and manifests as seemingly absurd traditions.

Where spirituality requires introspection, tradition does not. For Solomon, Hanukkah is tradition-focused. He notes other Jewish holidays that entail sacrifice and self-reflection.

“I’d say [Hanukkah] is more of a traditional one,” said Solomon.

“This holiday is not so heavily spiritual like other holidays; for example, Yom Kippur. You have to fast for 25 hours, you can’t wear leather shoes, you can’t bathe, you can’t use any oils.

There’s a lot of stuff you can’t do because it’s supposed to be your spirit versus God.” Yom Kippur is a Hebrew phrase meaning “Day of Atonement.” As this suggests, Yom Kippur is an ascetic holiday, a kind of cleansing. It is similar to the Sacrament of Penance in Catholicism in which confessions of wrongdoing are the first step towards reparation.

As in many religions, levels of observance vary. More “old-school” Jews are inclined to adhere rigidly to traditional sacrifices while the majority of American Jews are more open to changes in tradition and less bound to ritual concessions. This discrepancy creates distinguished denominations, or sects, within Judaism.

Solomon sees these divisions as a challenge to strength and unity.

“I feel like it doesn’t lead to one strong community,” Solomon explains. “It leads to a lot of smaller communities, which may be strong on their own, but I feel that one big, strong one is the ideal.”

Strength in Strata The diversity of observance within Judaism confounds any universal Jewish ideology. This has a wormhole of implications, namely that Judaism is difficult if not impossible to define. How then can Jews identify as Jews with confidence?

Solomon acknowledges this confusion and explains the ambiguity of Jewish ethics.

“It’s open to interpretation, I’d say,” Solomon explains.

“Back in the day, you had rabbis and Jewish leaders arguing about what certain Jewish laws are--what sort of morals we have. And they came to conclusions, but the answer is, in modern application at least, there’s no one definitive answer for any question.”

Many religious traditions are driven

by simple answers to complicated questions, breeding controversy and, historically, bloodshed. As Solomon reveals, Judaism’s ambiguity may be its greatest asset.

“I think that’s a way to reduce segregation and bickering,” Solomon notes. “Let’s say I believe in moral A. You may not completely agree with it, but we don’t argue about it. We each have our own interpretation of it.”

Judaism is as mysterious to outsiders as it is to Jews themselves. It may be troubling to stand so firmly with such weak footing, but the Jewish people have been doing it for three and half millennia — they are no closer to plunging towards the fertile dust from which they came.

10

Traditions and holidays: A different perspective Written by Jade Johnson

D

uring the holiday season, Americans aren’t the only ones who celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas. A variety of people with different cultural backgrounds have embraced the American traditions while maintaining their own identity.

It might be a surprise to some that it’s not all about turkey, ham, yams and macaroni and cheese.

It’s also a time to blend different cultural customs and practices within the American heritage.

However, there are some

groups of people who do not recognize Thanksgiving and/ or Christmas due to religious beliefs or other reasons. For example, some individuals of the Islamic faith will keep their own practices and not immerse themselves into westernized rituals.

To counter this, there are plenty of cultural backgrounds that have assimilated themselves into the lifestyle. The following cultures interpret the holiday season in a unique way comparable to that of the quintessential American style.

THANKSGIVING In Bosnia

Bosnia is a European country located in Southeastern Europe. Only for a few families will Bosnian meals not be made. Instead, they stick to a standard American dinner with turkey, stuffing, gravy with mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie for dessert.

Members of the Bosnian community have adopted Thanksgiving even though it is not formally celebrated in Bosnia. Some families here in the States will do a big dinner the day of.

Many will take advantage of the free time off from work, the highly discounted shopping prices and simply enjoy the company of family members.

However, their Thanksgivings aren’t what most people would expect.

“Comparably, the feasts are similar to American Sunday dinners but with a little more food. Turkey may be served but more so than not, Pita is made.

Pita is usually a dough wrapped around with different ingredients inside,” said Georgia State student Esmir Karic, a computer information systems major.

“These ingredients could contain meat, potatoes or a variety of other options,” Karic said. “Burek, pita specifically wrapped with meat inside, is my favorite dish.”

Burek recipe

What you’ll need: ground beef, 1 chopped potato, 1 chopped onion, 1 package of Phyllo dough, a quarter of butter, ground allspice, paprika, salt and pepper.

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Put ground beef in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes. Drain fat and stir in allspice, paprika, salt and pepper. Then transfer the beef to a large bowl and stir in potato and onion.

3. Unroll the Phyllo dough and transfer 2 sheets of the dough to a clear, flat surface; stack the sheets on top of each other. Spoon 1/8th of the ground beef mixture down one long edge of the dough. Roll the dough into a tube, encasing the beef. Shape the tube into a snail shape.

4. Place the roll on an ungreased baking sheet and brush melted butter on top. Repeat and placing finished rolls up against one another to keep them from unrolling.

5. Bake Burek in preheated oven until golden brown for 20 to 30 minutes.

In Somalia Somalia is an African country bordering Ethiopia. Somalia is a predominately Muslim country, so a handful of Somalis do not celebrate Thanksgiving, a day acclaimed for giving thanks. They believe they should be thankful everyday not just for one particular day.

For finance major Layla Aden, her family doesn’t do anything “special” for Thanksgiving.

“Normally we’ll eat American based foods like lasagna, baked fish, chicken and apple pie,” Aden said. “A couple [of] Somalia dishes that we eat during dinner are Injera with chicken stir-fry and baklava for dessert.”

3.

4.

5.

Baklava recipe

What you need: 1 package of Phyllo dough, 1 cup of butter, 1 cup of water, 3 cups of white sugar, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, half a cup of honey and chopped nuts 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter the bottoms and sides of your pan.

2. Toss the chopped nuts with cinnamon, then set

6.

7.

aside.

Cover Phyllo dough with a dampened cloth to keep from drying out as you work. Place two sheets of the dough in pan, butter thoroughly. Repeat until you have 8 sheets layered.

Then sprinkle the top layer with the cinnamon covered chopped nuts.

Next, top with two more sheets of the Phyllo dough, butter thoroughly again and sprinkle the nuts on the top sheet.

Using a sharp knife cut into diamond or square shapes all the way to the bottom of the pan. It’s now ready for the oven.

Make the sauce while the baklava is baking. Boil sugar and water until sugar is melted. Add vanilla and honey. Simmer for about 20 minutes.

Remove baklava from oven and immediately spoon sauce over it. Let it cool and serve.

In the Phillipines

A lot of food is cooked during Thanksgiving in a Filipino household, especially Adobo, a traditional meal cooked with meat (often chicken or pork) in vinegar, salt, garlic pepper, soy sauce and other spices. Usually one family is the host and cousins of the family are invited.

“Regardless of where we go for dinner, my dad is the one that cooks the food with some assistance from everyone since he is a great cook,” said chemistry major Luigi Pangilinan. “I’m not sure about other Filipino families, but I wouldn’t doubt that they do the same thing as us. Filipinos love to cook food and have a great time with family and friends.”

In Mexico The Mexican way of celebrating Thanksgiving is pretty similar to the American way.

Families will get together at one family member’s home. One person cooks or at least everyone contributes something to dinner.

“Traditional Mexican cuisines to be made are tamales.

Drinks like ponche, a fruit punch beverage made up of boiled

fruits, is served,” said student Ali Salcedo, a speech major. “Flan or buñuelos, fried pastries with sprinkled cinnamon and sugar on top, is served for dessert.”

Families will usually sit together and everyone will talk and catch up with who they haven’t heard from in a while. After dinner, conversations are continued over coffee.

“

11

CHRISTMAS In Somalia

Because a majority of Somalis are Muslim, they do not celebrate Christmas. They associate the holiday with Christians. Instead of celebrating Christmas, Muslims celebrate Eid al-Fitr and Eid al Adha. These holidays are not always in the winter, as they move around based on the Arabic calendar.

Eid al-Fitr signifies the end of Ramadan and Eid al-Adha is the celebration at the end of Hajj, the last month of the year when Muslims make the pilgrimage to Mecca to fulfill the 5th pillar of Islam.

“Every Eid, we go to the

mosque in the morning to attend a mandatory Eid prayer. Once we fulfill that, I personally spend time with my family,” said Georgia State student Abdulrahman Mussa, a computer information systems major.

Kids stay up the night before Eid waiting to open gifts from their parents. This is similar to the Christmas tradition of staying up all night on Christmas Eve waiting to open presents.

“Only difference is there is no Santa during Eid,” Mussa said.

“The children will receive their gifts knowingly from their parents or from other relatives.”

“

It might be a surprise to some that it’s not all about turkey, ham, yams and macaroni and cheese.

Baklava is a common dessert that Somalis eat during holiday dinners.

In Bosnia

Christmas is arguably a little different.

Many Muslim Bosnians do not celebrate Christmas, but there also non-Muslims who do. Other Bosnians are Catholic or Orthodox and celebrate Christmas on its respective day: The 25th of December for Catholics and the 7th on January for Or-

thodox Christians.

“I have known Bosnians to exchange presents during Christmas but don’t traditionally celebrate it in the American sense. I would say this is only because of assimilation by living here in the States,” Karic said.

In the Phillipines

Christmas is one of the biggest holidays in this island country.

“Filipinos are actually recognized for celebrating the world’s longest Christmas season,” said Pangilinan. “They start with Christmas carols in September and last until Epiphany, a Christian feast day that falls on Jan. 6.

Various Filipino ethnic groups celebrate the Christmas traditions differently. On Christmas Eve, Dec. 24 is observed with Midnight Mass and a traditional Nochebuena feast. Christmas day is typically when all family members attend several Masses; even non-church goers attend this.

Time is usually spent at a family member’s home, opening presents either early in the morning or after lunch. Family pictures are taken and a huge dinner is cooked.

In Mexico

Religion can play a big part in celebrating Christmas for Mexican families. Some families will celebrate Christmas on the 24th of December instead of the traditional 25th. They will set up the scene of the birth of Jesus at church, pray and have a celebration with dancing.

“Mexicans who are very religious will participate in an event called Las Posadas, a nine-day celebration that originated in Spain,” Salcedo said.

The event is celebrated by Catholic Mexicans from the 16th of December to the 24th. Those engaging in the event walk around their neighborhoods and reenact Mary and Joseph looking for shelter in Bethlehem. Songs are sung and another celebration is had.

PHOTOS BY JADE JOHNSON | THE SIGNAL PAGE DESIGN BY JAMAAL HICKS | THE SIGNAL

The Holiday Gift Guide: Do’s & don’ts of gift-giving v x Boyfriend/ 12

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2014

Written by Nichole Place

T

he holidays are just around the corner, which means spending time with family and eating 20 cookies a day. And even though no one likes to mention it, we know that it’s all about the presents.

But rarely do we ever know what to get for others and many times the wrong gifts are given to the wrong people. But this year don’t be left in the dark. Be ready to give the perfect

gift by knowing the dos and don’ts.

Finding the perfect gifts can be tricky. You never want to end up as the bad gift giver. But if you follow these do’s and don’ts, you’ll be gift giving champ this year. Just remember, it’s important to know what role you play in people’s lives. Keep in mind that gift giving IS a competition and if you don’t know how to wrap a gift, pay someone else to do it.

Mom

It’s hard to determine what moms want and we often just end up giving them a nice card that will normally say something like “Thanks mom,

for doing mom stuff.” And moms usually accept it because they’re our moms, and they love us even though we aren’t always thoughtful.

Dad

(of two weeks) So you just started dating someone way too close to the holiday season, and now you are in a dilemma. You’re still in that awkward “I definitely like you, but I only want to spend $20 on you” stage.

Shopping for that person that always walks out of their room the same time you do to try to strike up a conversation is hard. We both know you weren’t planning on getting them anything; but they’ve been hinting at what they’re getting you and now you’re obligated.

Hats/shirts with their favorite sports team logo or a funny saying on it.

Do:

Do:

Something they have been eyeing in stores (bracelets, hats, etc). Also, throw in some of their favorite candy.

It says “Hey, I know what you like. Aren’t you glad you’re dating me?”

A mug full of candy or a gift card topped off with a nice card. You don’t want to get them anything too nice, but you also don’t want to feel like a bad person for not getting them anything at all.

Do:

A “world’s best mom” always love the typical Hallmark type gift. They also love being reminded that you think they’re the best mom because there’s a lot of competition.

Socks or button up shirts.

Those are the kind of things your mom would give to him. He will most likely wonder why you got him such a strange gift and leave you with an awkward “thank you.”

Anything with crude humor. It may be funny in theory, but leave the raunchy jokes for dad.

(that likes you a lot more than you like them)

Dads are pretty hard to shop for.

Mine always says “Anything I want you can’t afford” which is normally true. Statements like this can leave most of us clueless for what to get.

Don’t: Don’t:

Do:

Roommate Girlfriend

Parents of your S.O. Finding the perfect gift for the parents of your significant other can be harmful to your relationship with them if you do it wrong. How much they think you like them depends on this gift. Ask your significant other for their opinions and ideas.

Don’t: Don’t: Engraved lockets, grammed towels or with your faces on reads “#1 couple.”

monot-shirts it that Unless er are into that. Then by all means, smother away.

Anything really expensive. You don’t want to be not trying to make them your best friend.

The unexpected gift giver Do: We all know the people who you never expect to give you anything and then they do. These people might be old friends, classmates or relatives you never talk to at family parties. They give you something and

you’re not prepared to return the favor. This is where you say, “Oh, thank you, I have your gift at home,” which is not a total lie. I officially deem this situation acceptable for re-gifting.

Don’t:

Do:

Don’t:

Key chains with their names on it. Don’t make it seem like you didn’t put any thought into their gift or you will be in bad standing with them.

Find anything you can (old lotion bottles, movies you meant to watch and never did, etc.) and throw it into a bag fast.

Shop around. If you take too long the jig is up and they’ll know you didn’t get them anything.

A combined gift card to their favorite restaurant and a holiday card to add a little personal touch.

PHOTO BY RUTH PANNIL & JADE JOHNSON | THE SIGNAL A great heart-warming gift for a mother is a “World’s Best Mom” mug.

13

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2014

Black Friday Top places to shop on Black Friday

Guide

BEST BUY

Written by Morayo Oyewole

B

lack Friday is becoming more of a sport and less of a shopping event as the years progress. This is the time to get the best deals on holiday gifts for all the important people in your life. There

are ways to maneuver through the chaos of one of the busiest shopping days of the year. In order to maximize on the best deals for the season, having a strategy for holiday shopping is crucial.

SHOP BEFORE Do your research beforehand about specific sales. Many sales occur before Black Friday starting at the beginning of November. Certain stores and retailers have more information on sales online. You can also go to the mall or store a few days before Black Friday to plan which places to shop first so you don’t waste time.

Sale!

ARRIVE EARLY Depending on where you’re trying to shop, you need to be at the store long before midnight.

Doorbuster sales happen often and more discounts are offered as “early bird specials.” Don’t be surprised if there’s a long line starting extremely early to get into a store.

Patience is important.

DRESS

APPROPRIATELY Dressing the right way while shopping will make the experience easier.

If you plan on arriving early, there’s a good chance you’ll have to wait outside until doors open. Bring a coat that will keep you warm but is easy to carry inside. Stores will be warm with everyone running around so wear a lightweight shirt underneath your coat so you won’t get overheated.

Wear comfortable shoes because you will be on your feet majority of the

time. If you’re going to be trying on clothes, make sure to wear an outfit that is easy to take off; the less layers, the better.

HOURS:

There are doorbuster sales on different electronics which are priced as low as

TAKE ADVANTAGE MACY’S OF LAYAWAY

$ $ $

Many stores, especially for electronics, offer layaway plans during the holidays. You can pay in installments and walk right in on Black Friday and take home your item that day. Layaway payment has certain rules on how many pay installments are required and how often so please read the regulations before you agree to anything.

HOURS:

incredible sales on Black For clothing necessities, this department should be

DON’T FORGET CYBER MONDAY! If you want to completely skip Black Friday in fear you’ll get knocked over in a stampede for 70 percent off sweaters, then online shopping is right for you!

Many stores still have deals the following Monday on their websites. Shopping online is more time efficient and less stressful.

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HAVE FUN Yay!

Even though it will be a hectic weekend, remember: it is only shopping. Don’t stress yourself over not getting everything on your list and know which gifts are priority. Make a friendly competition out of the weekend to see who can save the most money on deals.

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2014

14

Lifestyle

My kind of holiday Some of the ways my family puts a different spin on the season by incorporating cultures from our origin countries

T INGA MASIC Columnist

Inga is a journalism major, film minor. She enjoys writing, watching movies and television, listening to music (usually cher), being by a beach as much as possible, and spending time with friends and family.

he debate that people shouldn’t be allowed to combine different cultures when celebrating holidays is a controversial topic. However, I don’t believe it should matter. During the winter, my family enjoys contributing cultural characteristics from my home country, Bosnia and Herzegovina, but also taking part in the customs that are consistently seen here in America.

Since I am a Muslim, I don’t necessarily take part in what most people do for Christmas and Thanksgiving.

In my home European country, the food is very unique compared to the cuisines here in America.

We have foods like “cevapi” (grilled dish of minced meat, a type of kebab), “Pita” (thin, flaky dough that can be filled with minced meat, cheese, potatoes and even spinach) and of course, “Baklava.”

These are the meals that I usually see sitting at my table when having my Thanksgiving meal with my family.

I lived in Germany most of my adolescent life and in the town that I lived in, Aachen, the residents celebrated unique customs. For instance, given that the town was so small, we all gathered together and walked around, each holding personalized lanterns to symbolize the beginning of winter.

I moved to the states when I was about 7. I grew

up with children raving about what plans they had for Christmas, like putting up their tree or making a list of the presents they wanted.

Listening to this created an overwhelming feeling of isolation for me. I felt like I was being left out on such a tremendous concept: all the songs and characters (Rudolph, Frosty the snowman, The Grinch and most of all, Santa) created this world of pure merriment and I wanted to be part of it.

Since I was and still am faithful to my religion, my mother tried her best to incorporate the fun aspects of Christmas into my sister’s and my life without losing who we initially are as Muslims.

Whatever we do to get in the Christmas spirit, it is always in a neutral manner in respect to usual Christmas traditions. My family never involved themselves in the religious areas of Christmas.

We respect it, but we don’t believe in it. So instead, we keep it simple by doing the nonreligious customs.

During the holiday season we do the usual putting up of the Christmas tree, receiving and giving presents and listening to all the famous Christmas tunes. We brighten the outer frame of my house with lights. All of is this is simply just to celebrate winter and the wonders that come with it.

When you grow up around multiple cultures,

the best way is to combine customs from each culture.

This way you are able to create your own unique celebration that can grow into a tradition. Whether you combined a variation of foods or decorate the house in different types of decorations, it just indicates how open America is to multicultural holidays.

In my opinion, everyone deserves to be able to celebrate holidays the way that they choose. We have the right to express ourselves and our cultures how we see fit. The beauty of holidays is that we spend time with the ones we love and partake in activities that makes us happy.

Thanksgiving: A moral dilemma Many celebrate Thanksgiving Day in the US, but is it in good taste?

E SYDNEY CUNNINGHAM Columnist

Sydney is a Journalism major, French, & Women’s Studies minor. She’s often drinking coffee, reading when she can, watching films and television (specifically Buffy), and crying over Fiona Apple. She also writes sometimes.

Follow her @SydneyMCun

very child who has grown up in America is familiar with the images of the pilgrims and the “Indians” sitting down for the first Thanksgiving.

The pilgrims are donned in buckles and good tidings while the Native Americans are gracious and painted savage, all sitting down during the pilgrim’s first harvest to create peace and feast.

That story is sweet to sing about and the plays put on in early childhood are cute for parents to see.

However, it’s not the truth.

It’s a tragedy with rose colored glasses.

Recently, Seattle chose to celebrate Indigenous People’s Day in placement of Columbus Day. Due to shared history, the discussion has bled onto Thanksgiving Day and what it all means to celebrate or not celebrate.

Christopher Columbus began the taking of land

and wealth from indigenous peoples, and many followed in his footsteps, taking more and more of the land. This created a racial underclass. Columbus died in bed of syphilis that he contracted from raping Native American women.

I guess all of that might be harder to rhyme with than “In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue.”

Columbus is not alone in these crimes. For hundreds of years native people were manipulated, stolen from and moved from their land for European use.

For food and crop skills, we gave them disease. Through blankets and animals, the Europeans infected the Native Americans with smallpox. This was not a tragedy then. To most of the Pilgrims and Europeans, the Natives were heathens, savages, treacherous and satanic.

It’s arguable that Thanksgiving has trans-

formed where it’s not about how it began. In our modern day society, celebrating involves eating turkey, watching football, the parade and getting ready for Black Friday.

The erasure of a desecration of a culture and livelihood is something that can’t be covered with a public relations spin. Nothing exists without context. America was never discovered. How can you discover a land that millions have already made home?

That’s not to say if you celebrate Thanksgiving Day, you are somehow on the moral ground of the settlers. That is far from the truth. Holidays mean different things to different people.

When my family celebrates Thanksgiving, it’s an excuse to spend time together and have a meal that doesn’t come equipped with microwavable instructions.

A lot of people commemo-

rate the day harmlessly with no thought to the history.

Yet, that’s part of the problem.

Shoving the truth that’s glossed over under the rug and smiling with your stuffing is understandable. No one wants to get around a table and discuss the disenfranchisement of millions of people, but forgetting the tragedy doesn’t do any service to the lost people.

The truth can be ugly, but that doesn’t keep it from being the truth.

Today there are more than half a million Native Americans in the United Sates. A large population live on reservations and the conditions in these reservations are comparable to the conditions of developing nations.

Many earn only social security, disability or veteran’s income. The lack of job opportunities mean many are unemployed.

High amounts of Native

Americans are homeless or in overcrowded conditions, some not even connected to a sewer. Health is poor in these communities.

There are large percentages of alcoholism, heart disease, diabetes and tuberculosis.

Native Americans are a race with the biggest percentages of suicide.

As far as I’m concerned, this doesn’t mean Thanksgiving shouldn’t be celebrated. Maybe it should but not in the vein that it is.

Thanksgiving is a perfect opportunity to remember the millions our country treats wrong. Instead of romanticizing the image of the friendly Pilgrim and Native American, we should mourn the lives taken and respect the gone with no sympathy given to the killers.

Thanksgiving Day should be about looking our past dead in the face and striving toward a better future.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2014

15

ALBUM REVIEW

No cheer here

The absolute worst holiday albums ALEX KUGACZEWSKI

Staff Reviewer

I

t’s that special time of year again when holiday jingles infect the airwaves months in advance of their heralded festivities.

From “Here Comes Santa Clause” to “Frosty the Snowman,” we’ve all heard the spirited songs of Christmas joy. But some artists, as if possessed by the Grinch himself, have turned these jolly tunes into searing, smoking lumps of coal. These are the worst holiday albums.

Listen at your own peril.

Weezer, “Christmas With Weezer”

Whatever spirits possessed Rivers Cuomo and company to commit to this idea may forever be a mystery but the end result certainly isn’t; “Christmas With Weezer” is an insipid record and no type of justification could possibly save it. Released in 2008, Weezer had already depleted the grace of fans and critics with an extended string of painfully mediocre releases and this shoddy display of Holiday spirit resounded just as you’d expect.

“We Wish You A Merry Christmas” is exactly the dreadful opening it shouldn’t be with Rivers’s lackadaisical vocal delivery killing the song from the first verse. Things don’t get any better. Song after stupid song, Weezer trudges through the material with the absolute minimal amount of effort. Lasting less than 15 minutes, this miserable EP still can’t end fast enough.

Sure, it may have been a matter of fun and games for the band to lifelessly record old Christmas jingles that didn’t need re-recording, but for the countless fans burned time and time again by bitter disappointments, “Christmas With Weezer” may have been the final insult.

Bob Dylan, “Chistmas in the Heart”

Legendary folk rocking troubadour Bob Dylan has released his fair share of legendary albums throughout history, but “Christmas in the Heart” isn’t one of them. Marred by countless poor decisions in adaptation and execution, Dylan’s holiday celebration feels much more like a crippling hangover than any joyous Christmas Eve. “It Must Be Santa” serves to encapsulate everything wrong with the album, laying the fabled poet as low as possible with its mind-numbing refrain: “Ho, ho, ho, cherry nose / Cap on head, suit that’s red / Special night, beard that’s white / Must be Santa, must be Santa.” Typing those lyrics in such proximity to the name Bob Dylan is almost as difficult as hearing it performed on tape.

Thankfully, “Christmas in the Heart” isn’t a total disaster. This unfortunate excursion into frosty splendor transferred its profits to a handful of charitable organizations including Feeding America and the United Nations’ World Food Programme. It’s a shame that Dylan couldn’t have spared some of that charitable spirit with his fans.

August Burns Red, “Sleddin’ Hill”

As every experienced holiday reveler knows, few things go together better than the spirit of giving and down-tuned guitar riffs. After all, how nice is it that we can receive our very own stocking full of hackneyed conceptualizations and uninspired covers? It’s very nice, according to August Burns Red. Take the band’s hilariously awful cover of “Frosty the Snowman” made entirely their own with an out-of-place breakdown mid-song. It’s a move so sure of itself, so utterly, confidently stupid that it actually collapses the spectrum of musical quality in on itself, leaving the listener simultaneously captivated and dumbfounded.

So, sure, if you want a headbanging sleigh ride through the snow, go ahead and pick up a copy of this album. Just don’t blame your reviewer when you’re laughed out of your own house.

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V/A - 5OFOFO Five Years of Friends of Friends

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Cinefest

FILM REVIEW

‘Interstellar’ confuses and frustrates Release Date: Grade: C Verdict: “Interstellar” has several interesting underdeveloped and

FERNANDO MATTOS Staff Reviewer

T

here is a strange sensation of emptiness after “Interstellar” ends. In almost three hours of running time, Christopher Nolan tries to tackle multiple ideas that could very well fit within a trilogy but which become confusing in a single movie.

The film tells the story of a group of explorers who undertake a quest to look for a new planet. This planet is supposed to be a place where people can move to before life on Earth becomes unsustainable.

In this new work, Nolan shows a maturity in his directing. As opposed to other contemporary filmmakers, Nolan does not rush his shots.

He is capable of drawing beautiful images and

always allows enough time for the viewer to admire them.

One early sequence, for instance, shows Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) chasing an air drone with his kids. The aerial shots of Cooper’s truck racing across farm fields are aesthetically pleasing and draw the viewer into the story.

Overall, the film does not disappoint visually. The first planet visited by the characters, for example, is made up of an infinite, shallow ocean filled with giant waves. The combination of these three seemingly different elements — shallow water, no visible boundaries and monstrous waves — create an environment that is as much as beautiful as it is intriguing.

Throughout the film, Nolan presents situations with great dramatic potential, but everything seems to be solved too easily.

The result is a movie that moves at a pace where viewers can never truly engage with one situation, as if Nolan were in a rush to solve a problem and move on to the next big effect.

The idea of being stuck on a planet filled by water, where each hour equals to seven years on Earth — thus making people fail to age at the same rate of their loved ones — creates one of the best dramatic and visually engaging sequences of the film. However, the situation is solved in a few minutes, never allowing time for the audience to feel any of the anxiety, suspense or loss Nolan seems to aim for.

After a few of these scenes, the movie loses its drama since the viewer already knows everything will be fine again soon. The characters

Guardians of the Galaxy Synopsis: Brash space adventurer Peter are always carried into the next special effect without time to feel the consequences of their actions.

This story pace hurts the acting. Anne Hathaway and Matt Damon, for example, are stuck in characters that never give them enough emotional baggage to work with. Dr. Mann, played

by Damon, is a character who has all the revenge elements to become a strong power in the story, but his participation comes and goes in few minutes without enriching the film.

Nolan makes clear his attempt to say something about time and relationships with this story. However, he seems to only orbit around these themes, sometimes getting closer only to get farther away again a few moments later but never diving into them.

Showtimes:

Rated: PG-13 Running Time: 122 minutes

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2014

16

Downtown Events

Sudoku

Word Search

A Christmas Carol Alliance Theater Celebrate the Alliance’s 25th anniversary staging of the beloved Dickens classic and the all-Atlanta cast you’ve come to treasure. A magical tradition for the whole family, and a great way to celebrate the season.

Emory Point’s Holiday Shop and Stroll Noon Emory Point will transform into a winter wonderland for the Holiday Shop & Stroll; the holiday shopping, dining and entertainment event is not to be missed! The Holiday Shop & Stroll will kick off with a special Q100 event on Friday, November 28. In addition, a holiday gift guide will be available on-site and online.

HOLIDAY BAND

Shakers and Stirrers Atlanta Business networking mixer GALAXY HANUKKAH Make quality business connections and mingle with top professionals.

Enjoy complimentary light nibbles and drink specials until 7 p.m. Only those who sign up in advance online will receive the list of attendees.

holiday pottery sale Callanwolde will hold its annual holiday pottery sale, which will take place in the indoor courtyard at Callanwolde. Find functional, decorative, and sculptural oneof-a-kind ceramic works created

by Callanwolde’s renowned pottery program instructors and assistants.

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New York state of mind

www.georgiastatesignal.com/sports

Georgia State’s marching band will perform at this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Written by Michael Johnson

PHOTO BY RUTH PANNILL | THE SIGNAL The marching band has been planning and practicing for the Thanksgiving Macy’s Day Parade since receiving an invitation last spring semester.

T

The band’s directors and members are excited to perform in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and excited about what their performance will mean for Georgia State as a whole.

“On most levels, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is something that everyone grows up watching,”

Day Parade 2014

ROUTE

77th St.

Did you know?

Band has had several other notable -

59th St.

-

college bands in the nation Directors National Association

42nd St.

Band Directors National Association

Healthcare of Atlanta Parade

34th St.

6th St.

Putting Georgia State on the map

Macy’s Thanksgiving

7th St.

The Georgia State Band has worked hard in its five years of existence to create a culture of excellence within the program. Associate Director of Athletic Bands David W. Vandewalker said the band’s focus on excellence and entertainment has contributed greatly to its success, and the invitation to march in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is testament to that.

“Things have escalated in an achievement and success context at a pretty rapid pace compared to many

Vandewalker said. “It’s a great opportunity to represent the university, it’s a great honor to represent the university and therefore we feel a lot of responsibility to do that in a very engaging, entertaining and highly excellent way.”

For those tuning in to this year’s broadcast of the parade, they can expect to see the Georgia State Marching Band performing with some of the biggest names in music today, such as Idina Menzel, Nick Jonas and Meghan Trainor.

Dr. Phillips isn’t worried about not impressing though.

“You know, we’re actually not allowed to talk about it. We were told in our meeting that we’re not allowed to talk about our televised production with media,” Phillips said. “All I can say as a teaser and a cliffhanger is I can guarantee you it will be something you’ve never seen before, and yet, at the same time, it will be extremely familiar. It will be pretty exciting.”

8th St.

Spirit of the family

others when you consider that the other bands that are performing have been around for decades,” Vandewalker said. “The goal fits with the model of the ensemble: to entertain with excellence. It has been the key driving-force behind creating the culture of the band since it began.”

The members of the Georgia State Marching Band agree that creating a family atmosphere and a sense of community for the larger Georgia State student body is also an important part of the band’s identity. Senior music education major and drum major Ansley Ivey believes that the band has done a lot to foster this attitude.

“I have noticed since we are a newer program, we did not have a sense of tradition and camaraderie,” Ivey said.

“Last year was a growing year for the band. We did a lot to try and find our identity.”

“There’s actually a band family happening,” she continued. “We can all attribute it partly to the trips we have been afforded through the program, excellence becoming a tradition with our family around that.”

It is a spirit that has infected the band at all levels, according to freshman band member Harrison Spradlin.

“I joined the marching band because being part of a bigger group of people means a lot to me, and having done that in high school, I believed that if I continued in the marching band I would have a better experience my first year of college,” Spradlin said.

Central Park West

he marching band is not a stranger to being invited to play major, televised events, such as the 2012 Presidential Inauguration for President Barack Obama. The next logical step, according to Director of Athletic Bands Dr. Chester B. Phillips, was to aim for a major, nationally televised parade.

“In the third year we went to the Presidential Inaugural parade in D.C., so we hit that very early and then we thought, ‘Man, where do we go from here?’” Phillips said.

The answer was the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, an event that has become a tradition to watch on Thanksgiving Day. The parade is watched by more than three million New Yorkers live and fifty million viewers on television.

Phillips said the application process and preparation for their performance has been a long time in the works. Almost 18 months to be exact.

“So the application was put in right at the beginning of February and we found out maybe about eight weeks later we were accepted. And then we have had from April of 2013 to now to get ready,” Phillips said. “They usually do a year and a half ahead to announce who was selected so we have known a year and a half. We have had 18 months to prepare, and I can’t believe it’s next week.”

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2013 18

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2014

From Long Beach to Georgia

Volleyball’s Kitan Ajanaku has provided a significant scoring and blocking boost to the Panthers AKIEM BAILUM Sports Editor

T

he 2014 season has been one of note for Georgia State volleyball. The Panthers currently stand at sixth place in the Sun Belt which would qualify them for the conference tournament this November in San Marcos, Texas. A huge reason for the team’s success has been junior middle blocker and right side hitter Kitan Ajanaku.

“It’s been a really exciting season,” Ajanaku said. “We are in the running to go to the conference tournament, and last year it wasn’t even a possibility for us really at this point in the season. So it’s really exciting that our destiny and our future is really in our own hands.”

Back in Oklahoma

Ajanaku played her high school volleyball at Bishop Kelley High in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She was listed as a Top 150 recruit by Prep Volleyball and led her team to four consecutive state championships. She also played basketball and competed in the high jump while at Bishop Kelley.

“The difference between [Georgia State] and Oklahoma, really, is we’re in a big city. I grew up in the suburbs, so it was more of a small town. But, I love it here. It’s exciting.

There’s so much diversity,” Ajanaku said.

After a successful high school volleyball campaign, Ajanaku began her collegiate career at Long Beach

State in California, a school that has won five national championships and has appeared in 24 straight NCAA tournaments. She redshirted in 2011 and only played in 15 sets in 2012.

Her first year with the Panthers was in 2013 and she saw that Georgia State volleyball could evolve into something big. “[Georgia State] is a lot newer program that’s growing. It’ll be exciting to look back, honestly, 10 years from now, and see a lot of players that I’ve played with or players that come after that as All-Americans and to have that history here and be part of the beginning of it,” Ajanaku said. “It’s not as much of a historical program, but it’s more of a growing program which is exciting.”

Ajanaku’s 2014 season

This season for Georgia State, Ajanaku has compiled 179 kills which ranks at third on the team behind fellow juniors Deidra Bohannon and Eliza Zachary (366 and 313 kills for the athletes respectively). She is also third on the team in points scored with 88 as well as second in hitting percentage at .272, right behind Zachary’s .319.

“To have as many kills as she has and a high hitting percentage, she is definitely learning the game of volleyball and executing at a high level,” Head Coach Sally Polhamus said.

“When you have two middle blockers [Ajanaku and Zachary] that are top three point scorers, everyone

knows where that ball is going to go on a perfect pass.”

Ajanaku credits her productivity on the court to attending practice and improving her game.

“Every day, I go to practice and I really try to get better,” Ajanaku said.

“As a student athlete, you’re supposed to be thinking about school and, in my case, volleyball. But I can’t lie that volleyball takes up a lot more of my mind. I’m always so excited to get in the gym and play for my teammates. We all go to practice every day to get better.”

The Panthers’ junior middle blocker has also provided a huge defensive presence with 44 blocks this year.

“She has become a stronger blocker throughout the fall season,” Polhamus said.

Leading through encouragement

As a junior, Ajanaku says she also feels an added responsibility to be a leader by example.

“I’m one of the older ones on the team, so I do feel the responsibility to provide the amount of points that I’m supposed to provide for the team and lead the team,” Ajanaku said.

In addition to leading by example, Ajanaku is also a vocal leader for the team in its matches. Even when on the bench, Ajanaku can be seen yelling words of encouragement to her Panthers teammates, regardless of whether they are leading or trailing in a set or in a match.

“She is definitely a passionate

Kitan

Ajanaku From Long Beach State to Georgia State, redshirt junior volleyball player, Kitan Ajanaku, plays middle blocker and right side hitter.

REDSHIRT JUNIOR

5’11” MIDDLE BLOCKER/ RIGHT SIDE HITTER

PHOTO BY RAVEN SCHLEY | THE SIGNAL leader,” Polhamus said. “She is consistent and she is very inspiring to her teammates. She works hard to get to know her teammates and how to communicate with all of them.”

Pushing towards the tournament

Her vocal leadership and consistent play will be much-needed attributes for Georgia State as the team fights its way toward a Sun Belt tournament berth.

“To make the tournament, we definitely need to keep winning,”

Ajanaku said. “That’s going to help us a lot with seeding in the tournament. Once we get to the tournament, we’re looking to win the tournament championship and go to the NCAA tournament.”

Ajanaku says reaching the NCAA tournament would be a major step forward for the volleyball program.

“I think it’s been a while since Georgia State volleyball has been to the NCAA tournament,” Ajanaku said. “It would be awesome to start that trend and that tradition and have that be our vision for the future of Georgia State.”

Harden’s breakout year: Junior wide receiver Donovan Harden gives insight on his career-best season

Q&A

JARED OLIVER Staff Reporter

E

ven with a rough football season nearing a close for the Panthers, wide receiver Donovan Harden is having one of the best seasons on the team and in his career.

Harden has been a major addition to the team this season after transferring from Illinois State University. He joined the team in the 2012-13 season but was not able to play despite working out and practicing with the team.

The new wide out suffered a knee injury that forced Harden to undergo knee surgery. Harden was able to participate in the upcoming spring practices for the 2013-14 season.

In the second game of the season, Harden was able to find the end zone for his first touchdown as he ran for 68 yards through the New Mexico State defense.

Following the New Mexico State game, Harden was one of the most productive players on offense, creating an immediate impact despite his recent recovery from knee surgery.

with Donovan Harden What do you believe it is successful?

PHOTO BY RALPH HERNANDEZ | THE SIGNAL Harden had two back-to-back games with at least 10 receptions along with scoring at least two touchdowns.

At South Alabama, Harden brought in 132 yards with two touchdowns.

The next week against in-state rival Georgia Southern, Harden hauled in 11 receptions for 186 yards and four touchdowns. These two weeks put Harden in the national spotlight as a new nomination for the Biletnikoff Award, which honors the most outstanding receiver in the country.

The Signal sat down with Harden to speak with him on the success.

DH: Just having faith and believing the whole time. I look to my dad a lot. I look to my family and call them every weekend. They made sure that they kept me up. They made sure my spirits weren’t down. I just have to work hard. You know there’s nothing handed to you.

Describe the success of you and quarterback Nick Arbuckle this season having such a connection?

DH: A few teams try to go cover one man against us and I feel like I do pretty well against man coverage or man press, so Nick puts the ball on the money and in the right position to make plays.

Do you believe that you are the DH: I mean it’s hard to say. I’ll leave that up to you guys, but I know I have a lot of great group of receivers around me that make me better and makes my job better. I don’t think anyone is explosive as Rob [Davis], fast as Avery [Sweeting], smart as Quez [Linquez Blair]. We have a few play-makers out there as well (Joel [Ruiz]). So it’s just me out there. It’s a lot of guys out there that make me look good.

In your opinion what do you believe needs to change for a successful 2015-16 season?

DH: I mean we just have to turn it around. I mean I don’t think we’re doing too much wrong. At the end we just can’t give up at the end. At the end of the day we have to go back into the lab, after even a hard loss, just continue to chip at the rock and it’s going to break eventually.

Having back to back games with 10 plus receptions and a combined 318 yards in two weeks, what does this mean to you personally?

DH: It’s a good feeling. Like I said, when I had the knee injury, I was a little down, not even sure I was going to be able to play the same. So after those games, it’s kind of a relief. I’m just really thankful, but there’s a lot of work to be done. I feel like I can do a lot better.

Having one of the best seasons of your career, what does this mean to you?

DH: It just means that I want more.

It makes me more hungry, because I have another season left, which just makes a lot more stats to be broken.

Most of the offense is coming back; are you excited about that?

DH: I’m very excited we got a good group of guys coming back!

1923

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2014 TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2013

PANTHER OF THE WEEK

STAFF PREDICTIONS GUEST PICK OF THE WEEK Student Picker

GEORGIA STATE ATHLETICS

Rashid Alarape Men’s Soccer

The Panthers may have been eliminated from the Sun Belt Men’s Soccer Tournament, but Rashid Alarape’s goal against rival Georgia Southern in the final game of the regular season allowed the Panthers to earn a 1 0 victory over the Eagles and a two seed in the tournament.

Alarape hails from Stone Mountain, Ga. He comes from a soccer family as he has a brother who currently plays for Howard University, which is a conference rival. His father also hit the pitch in an Alabama A&M uniform.

In 2012, he was named offensive player of the year while at Archer High School. Alarape also once trained with the Sporting Clube de Portugal Academy.

This season saw Alarape play in 15 matches including ten starts.

He was tied for the team lead with four goals. He became the first Panthers true freshman to be named to first team all-Sun Belt since 2001.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

FOOTBALL

Nov. 24 Georgia State

Nov. 20 Kansas State

GEORGIA STATE

vs.

Thomas

STAFF:

Akiem Jeremy Bryan Jared

GUEST PICK: Hannah

vs.

West Virginia

MEN’S BASKETBALL

SUN BELT

Nov. 21 Georgia State

Nov. 22 Louisiana Monroe vs.

New Mexico State

GEORGIA STATE

Hannah Wildes

NATIONAL

vs.

Colorado State

NATIONAL Nov. 22 Davidson vs.

North Carolina

Nov. 22 Georgia State vs.

Clemson

Sun Belt Standings STANDING

FOOTBALL

VOLLEYBALL

1st

Georgia Southern 7-0 | Overall: 8-3

UALR 19-0 | Overall: 25-4

2nd

UL Lafayette 6-0 | Overall: 7-3

Arkansas State 15-4 | Overall: 20-8

3rd

Arkansas State 4-2 | Overall: 6-4

Texas State 14-4 | Overall: 19-11

4th

Appalachian State 4-2 | Overall: 5-5

UT Arlington 13-6 | Overall: 23-8

5th

South Alabama 5-3 | Overall: 6-4

Appalachian State 9-9 | Overall: 19-9

6th

Texas State 3-3 | Overall: 5-5

UL Lafayette 8-10 | Overall: 19-11

7th

Troy 3-4 | Overall:3-8

Georgia State 7-11 | Overall: 9-18

8th

UL Monroe 2-4 | Overall: 3-7

South Alabama 6-12 | Overall: 11-17

9th

New Mexico State 1-5 | Overall: 2-8

10th

Idaho 1-6 | Overall: 1-9

UL Monroe 3-15 | Overall: 9-22

11th

Georgia State 0-7 | Overall: 1-9

Troy 1-17 | Overall: 9-21

Georgia Southern 6-13 | Overall: 7-22

THE FINAL SCORE Men’s Soccer

Amiri Abraham gave Georgia State an early lead in its semifinal matchup of the Sun Belt tournament against Georgia Southern before the Eagles responded with a pair of goals to claim the match 2-1. The Panthers finish the season with an 8-10 record.

Cross Country

Hannah Stefanoff finished 35th at the NCAA South Regionals with a personal best time of 20:40.5 to finish the cross country campaign for the Panthers. Georgia State did not finish with a team time. This was the last cross country race of Stefanoff ’s cross country career, but the scene now shifts to the indoor track & field schedule which begins in early December.

Women’s Basketball

This year’s season opener for Georgia State began in more auspicious fashion than last year’s as the Panthers were victorious over the UNF Ospreys by a final score of 72-59. Brittany Logan had 13 points and nine rebounds to finish one rebound shy of a doubledouble. The Panthers’ home opener will be on Nov. 24 against Thomas.

Volleyball

The Panthers’ weekend road trip through Texas would result in a pair of defeats to Sun Belt opponents. Georgia State lost to Texas State in four sets on Friday and were swept by UT-Arlington on Sunday. The season concludes this weekend with home matchups against Troy and Appalachian State.

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