The Signal Vol.82 No.11

NOV. 4, 2014 - NOV. 10, 2014

20 14

VOL. 82 | NO. 11

S TO LAC EL KE Ne EC R’S ws TI G | P ON U ag D ID e3 A E Y

The

March to March begins The men’s and women’s basketball teams enter this season with expectations of winning the SunBelt Conference Sports | Pages 10-11

PHOTO BY TAYLOR BUSH | THE SIGNAL ARCHIVES In the last game of the 2013-2014 regular season, senior guard Ryan Harrow scored 20 points against Western Kentucky University.

Inside Inside like us! facebook.com/gsusignal

follow us! twitter.com/gsusignal

Stranger danger

Education REvolution Things to ponder What if the government invested in our future and income by paying for our college education?

Freshman guard Makeba Ponder hopes to bring her proficient shooting to women’s basketball

total frat move

News | Page 4

Opinions| Page 7

Sports | page 12

A&L | page 15

Sports 7

Arts & Living 12

A student organization’s event speaker was detained for trespassing. Who’s really allowed on campus?

DAILY NEWS AT WWW.GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM

News 2

Opinions 6

Take a closer look at the various lifestyles unique to Georgia State’s Greek life

2

NEWS

last week...

Local

Two Georgia residents arrested for prostitution ring

Robert Tyler, 36 year-old of LaGrange and Donna Allen. 39 year-old of Gainesville were arrested on Oct. 27 and face sexual servitude charges, according to WSB-TV. Dunwoody police say both operated a prostitution ring in apartment complexes and posed as different online escort services. Tyler and Allen also face racketeering charges and were sent to DeKalb County Jail. Each has posted bond.

National

Boat capsizes off California coast

Four people died off the coast of Northern California after their fishing boat wave capsized it on Nov. 1, according to CNN. Out of five people on the boat, none wore life vests when they went into the 59 degree water.

However, the lone survivor, 66-yearold Phillip Sanchez, managed to swim through 9-foot swells to Bodega rock where he was rescued. The Coast Guard retrieved the bodies of the four victims and three were later identified as 79-year-old Daniel Langley, 86 -year-old Samuel Garcia and 60-yearold David Costa.

Global

Bangladesh-India electricity grid fails

Massive blackouts began in Bangladesh on Nov. 1 due to an India-Bangladesh power line electricity grid failing, according to BBC News. The black out affected all parts of the country and began at noon. The cause remains unknown, but Chowdhur Alamgir Hossain, head of the national grid, said the outage began after a glitch happened at the Indian substation that distributes the power.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

blotter Oct. 25

ing. The individual was arrested, processed and transported to Atlanta City Jail.

Univeristy Commons

Oct. 27

Underage drinking crackdown Three reports were filed for alcohol possession under the age of 21. Two individuals were arrested, processed and issued a copy of charges. A third individual was also reported for false information and issued a criminal trespass warning (CTW). This individual was arrested, processed and transported to Fulton County Jail.

Drugs and more underage drinking caught Patton Hall

A report was filed for possession of less than an ounce of marijuana and alcohol possession under the age of 21. The individual was arrested, processed and issued a copy of charges.

told a police officer about a male who grabbed her buttocks at a local restaurant. A report was filed for sexual battery, terroristic threats and a criminal trespass warning was issued. The individual was arrested, processed and transported to Fulton County Jail.

Oct. 30

More trespassing issues Collins Street Southeast

Oct. 28

Another report was filed for criminal trespass warning (CTW). The individual was also issued a CTW and escorted off the property.

Urban Life

No ID, no funds

No, you can’t camp here

Oct. 29

A report was filed for disorderly conduct, obstruction and urban camp-

Walton Street

A Georgia State student said an unknown male approached her and asked if she could deposit his check for him because he did not have identification.

The female accepted the offer and later discovered the check was fraudulent. A report was filed for theft by deception and the case is under investigation.

Oct. 26

A continuous problem

Student Recreation Center

Another report was filed for alcohol possession under the age of 21 on Oct. 26. The individual was also arrested, processed and issued a copy of charges.

Calhoun Park

A report was filed for criminal trespass warning (CTW). The individual was issued a CTW and escorted off the property.

Too much contact A person unrelated to Georgia State

Courtland Street

Photo of the week PHOTO BY NADIA DELJOU | THE SIGNAL Stacy Cohen, a tarot card reader at Atlantis in Little Five Points, performs a reading for her client.

THE SIGNAL

STAFF

Editorial Department

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OPINIONS EDITOR

Anna Yang

Senior EDITOR

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Maddie Richardson

ASSISTANT DESIGNER

Emily Lasher

NEWS EDITOR

Ciara Frisbie

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Johnny Gipson

SPORTS EDITOR

Akiem Bailum

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PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR

rschley1@student.gsu.edu

Raven Schley

Nicole Motahari

COPY EDITOR

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ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

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ASSISTANT ARTS & Living EDITOr ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR ASSISTANT Online Editor

Lauren Booker Open Open Morgan Brown

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STUDENT MEDIA ADVISOR bmcneil1@gsu.edu

MISSION STATEMENT

ADVERTISING Open

Bryce McNeil

The Signal shall provide, in a fair and accurate manner, news of interest and significance to the Georgia State University community and serve as a forum for the expression of ideas of members of that community.

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NEWS

www.georgiastatesignal.com/news

4 1 20

TAYLOR JOSEY Staff Reporter

M

illennial voters are at an all-time low with less than one in four under 30 who plan to vote in the midterm elections, according to U.S. News.

The Signal has created a breakdown profile on Gov. Nathan Deal, Senator Jason Carter and geologist Andrew Hunt, who are running against each other in Georgia’s Nov. 4, 2014 Gubernatorial election day.

Georgia uses an open primary system where voters do not have to be a member of a party to vote in the party’s primary.

State Superintendent of schools John Barge and Mayor David Pennington of Dalton both lost in the primary elections to Gov. Nathan Deal who won by a 72.1 percent majority vote, according to BallotPedia.

L A I R O T A N R E T GUBE A ID

D N A C

S E L I F O PR

Jason Carter

How to check voting status & locations:

times there are multiple precincts in one polling place, according to Campus Vote Project.

Students and faculty members wanting to check the status of their voter registration or who want to register to vote can visit the Georgia My Voter Page.

Students and faculty can also download the GA Votes app.

Once logged in, the app provides voting locations closest to you and directions.

The deadline for voter registration to participate in this year’s General Elections was Oct. 6, according to the Secretary of State’s website.

What you need to vote

All voters in Georgia must show their ID at the polls prior to voting. Acceptable Identifica-

tion is: • A Georgia driver’s license, even if expired • Student ID • Any valid state or federal issued photo ID, including a free Voter ID Card issued by your county registrar’s office or by the Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS) • Valid U.S. passport • Valid U.S. military photo ID • Valid tribal photo ID • Valid employee photo ID from any branch, department, agency or entity of the U.S. Government, Georgia or any county, municipality, board, authority or other entity of this state Information provided by Campus Vote Project.

Nathan Deal

Voters must cast their ballots in the correct precinct. Some-

Andrew Hunt

PHOTO CREDIT: WIKI COMMONS PHOTO CREDIT: WIKI COMMONS Democrat Jason Carter has been a member of Georgia’s Senate since May 2010 and was uncontested for nomination during primary elections on May 20, 2014, according to BallotPedia.

Carter has fought for public education with the protection of the HOPE scholarship for Georgia families, according to his website. He has also advocated for stronger ethics laws within the state.

E E ISSU H T N O

S:

Carter has sponsored numerous proposals that would reform the Zell Miller Scholarship and preserve HOPE for future generations to provide access to education for all.

Ensure that investing in education is Georgia’s top priority.

Fully funding incentives for new and existing highly qualified and experienced Pre-K teachers.

An economy that works for the middle class.

Expand benefits for small businesses.

Preparing the Workforce of Tomorrow.

Bring transparency, accountability and integrity to the state; provide an honest government.

Carter’s on the issues information was provided by his campaign website.

PHOTO CREDIT: WIKI COMMONS Businessman and geologist Andrew Hunt is running for election on the Libertarian ticket. He founded a nanotechnology company and previously served as its CEO, according to BallotPedia.

E E ISSU H T N O

S:

Hunt wants to create jobs to achieve less than 5 percent unemployment, according to his website.

Create a truly free enterprise system without

penalties on employers to grow jobs rapidly.

More entrepreneurs and high tech Industries to yield higher incomes and better schools.

Improve education to be a top 20 state.

Return rights and responsibility to citizens; reduce the size and scope of government.

Hunt’s on the issues information was provided by his campaign website.

Gov. Nathan Deal first took office in Jan. 2011 and is now seeking a second term, according to BallotPedia. He also beat Barge and Pennington in the primary this year.

Deal’s website states he has cut state taxes, reduced state government workforce and implemented cost-saving reforms in the criminal justice system since he entered office.

As governor, Deal has signed every pro-gun rights bill to reach his desk, including House Bill 60, a bill elating to carrying and possession of firearms.

His website says he will not support any changes to Georgia’s Stand Your Ground law.

This law says a claim of self-defense under a stand your ground law offers immunity from prosecution rather than an affirmative defense, according to FindLaw.

ISSUE E H T ON

S:

In his second term, Gov. Deal plans to work to make it easier for our state to keep the jobs we have by making it easier for Georgia companies to gain state contracts, according to his website.

Continue to prioritize education spending in Georgia starting with updating the 1985 school funding formula, according to his website.

Deal plans to continue seeking block grant funding for Medicaid so that Georgia can receive a fair share of federal dollars and avoid further state spending.

Deal’s on the issues information was provided by his campaign website.

4

NEWS

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

Campus

University

Street Preaching

Non-student detained in university courtyard

Altercation with religious protesters stirs up debate on First Amendment rights and student safety

CIARA FRISBIE & LAUREN BOOKER

News Editor & Associate News Editor

JENNY GUADALUPE & MORAYO OYEWOLE

O

Staff Reporters

S

tudents say the religious protesters in Library Plaza are becoming more aggressive during their testimonials.

On Oct. 9 a student was arrested for having an altercation with a religious picketer.

The GSUPD police blotter reports the student became angry during a religious protest taking place on Courtland Street resulting in a tear in the shirt of one of the organizers.

At the last Student Government Association (SGA) meeting on Oct. 16, Senator Justin Brightharp said he wanted to bring attention to the street preacher altercations as he has noticed the situation has gotten angrier.

“They’re here because they know if they get touched they can sue the university and it’s not worth it,” he said.

Brightharp also said there is not a concrete method to avoid street preachers since they are allowed to be on campus. “[Protesters] have [used] derogatory terms towards students. Unfortunately because our campus is open, they have a right to be here. So there are ways we have to go about it,” he said.

Freshman student Sydney Clark said they are going too far and things are getting unsafe.

“I used to only believe they were an unwanted obstacle standing in the way of me getting to class, but now I fear for my safety and situations will escalate,” she said.

Brightharp said other organizations such as the Secular Panthers are peacefully responding by giving students postcards with positive messages written on them.

Junior Krystina Leverett said she finds it very irritating to deal with protesters in the Plaza because they create more crowds and say distasteful comments.

“I am a Christian myself,” Leverett said. “However, I do not believe that is the right way to tell people about any religion. The protesting is only leading to violence and a misrepresentation of what Christianity stands for.”

Georgia State is a public university and is funded by public money through taxes, according to university administration. Since Georgia State is a public university, those who do not pay tuition still can use its facilities.

The broader university community has the right to assemble on public spaces surrounding Georgia State.

This university community includes Georgia taxpayers as well as enrolled Georgia State students, according to city ordinances and university polices.

However, students and non-students need permission to assemble on university property.

Larger assemblies need permis-

PHOTO BY SAMUEL ROTH | THE SIGNAL Religious protesters in the Library Plaza are becoming too offensive for some students. sion from the city and smaller assemblies, picketers or street preachers, need permission from administration but are otherwise allowed to assemble in Library Plaza, according to Georgia State’s policy.

Student Amy Perez said she does not think the protesters should be able to picket in the Library Plaza even if the messages are religious.

“Just because you’re carrying a Bible doesn’t make it any less harassing [to students],” she said. “It scares us.”

A Georgia State adjunct law professor who wished to remain anonymous said that even though the picketers are within their legal rights to assemble, there are still restrictions that apply.

“In order to protect students, there are manner, time and place restrictions placed on the person exercising their First Amendment rights,” he said.

Courtland Street, where the altercation took place, is in the City of Atlanta’s jurisdiction and not considered a part of Georgia State’s campus. This restricts University police from re-

moving a disruptive picketer in some places between campus buildings, according to Smith.

“If it’s on-campus property, the university has the authority to remove a person causing a ‘disruption’ to students,” he said. “ But it is important to remember that Georgia State is taxpayer funded and if [University Police] forcibly removes someone, they need to make sure that the person being removed was: one, actually on campus, and two, actually causing an unsafe environment.”

Political Science senior Duncan McClellam said there’s a line between voicing your beliefs and words of violence and hatred. He also said that in speaking with other students, many feel the picketers’ message should not be protected indefinitely.

“Obviously there is always a line when it comes to constitutional rights, but I believe that line is crossed when inciting violence or hatred. In an environment that we pay for, we should feel secure,” he said.

n Georgia State’s open campus, many individuals can be seen walking through the courtyard and Library Plaza, but not everyone is a student.

On Oct. 8 a non-student who wished to remain anonymous was detained by Georgia State police and given a Criminal Trespass Warning (CTW) that would ban him from campus for the next two years.

CTW’s are written notices that an individual must leave university property and not return during the duration of that notice, according to Georgia State’s 2014-15 Student Code of Conduct (SCC).

A video of the incident shows the anonymous individual being questioned by university police officers and then being detained and escorted off the property.

Note: The full video can be seen on The Signal’s website.

Freshman student Grant MacNeil said he was the individual who recorded the incident.

“He just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time,” he said.

MacNeil also said he is an executive board member of Georgia State’s Young Americans for Liberty organization.

The male detained said he visited Georgia State to see Minister Derrick Grayson speak about U.S. foreign policy at one of the organization’s events that day, according to MacNeil.

“This isn’t uncommon for people of neighboring schools, smaller schools [and] even the general public to hear about our meetings and want to come meet these people, because these are very important people, very famous people and very intelligent people,” he said.

The organization said that if the individual wanted to come watch Grayson speak, he was more than welcome to, according to MacNeil.

Page 55 of the SCC states that attendance is limited to Georgia State students and their guests in noticeable prominence during events.

“Now when we say he was in the wrong place at the wrong time it’s because after this meeting ended, our friend decided to step out into courtyard plaza and see if he could bum a cigarette off of someone,” MacNeil said.

The individual hadn’t approached anyone yet before Georgia State officers approached him, according to MacNeil.

MacNeil said police approached the individual and questioned why he was on campus to which the individual replied he was going to ask to bum a cigarette off of someone.

MacNeil also said officers then told the individual that he looked like he was engaging in suspicious activity.

“That was the ground they used to detain him,” he said. “That was the grounds they used for their probable cause to detain him and question him and this is where the events of the video pick up.”

University officers also never said anything pertaining to the new university-wide smoking ban, according to MacNeil.

“I don’t believe the act of looking around for a cigarette or intending to ask someone for a cigarette was the suspicious activity they were using against

him as probable cause to stop him,” he said. “If that’s the case slap me in handcuffs and throw me in jail already because I’m a very suspicious character in that regard.”

Deputy Chief Carlton Mullis, director of university police, said there were a few people stopped on campus, but Georgia State police didn’t make any arrests.

Mullis also said if people return to campus after being given CTW’s, they are subjected to arrest.

“People get a Criminal Trespassing Warning because they are on campus doing something they aren’t supposed to be doing and shouldn’t be there,” he said. “And if they come back, they are subject to being arrested.”

With a potential rise in the amounts of CTW’s handed out there is nothing university police can do, according to Mullis.

“People will come on campus and do things, misbehave or do things they shouldn’t be and they are [given] a criminal trespass [warning],” he said.

“It is a part of our way to handle what happens on or around campus.”

However, students and invited guests are permitted to be in Library Plaza, according to Mullis.

Frank LoMonte, executive director of the Student Press Law Center (SPLC), said although the video was hard to follow, it appears that the two officers held the suspect for a senior officer to arrive on scene.

“Police probably can do that as long as the detention period is very brief [and] as long as there’s a reason for it other than to engage in a custodial interrogation,” he said. “For instance, it’s possible that the late-arriving officer had seen a police sketch and wanted to compare the suspect’s face against the sketch.”

He also said that under those circumstances, a brief investigatory detention is potentially constitutional.

LoMonte also said people are not required to obey random nonsensical police orders unless there is probable cause to believe they are hiding a weapon.

“And nothing in his posture or movement suggested an imminent attack, judging by the film. Then a simple failure to obey an order to remove a hat is not grounds for arrest,” he continued.

However, colleges can legally limit the use of facilities to members of the school community in the sense of making sure students have enough desks and computers to use, according to LoMonte.

“If a person is coming onto the campus and is regularly interfering with other people’s use of the library — harass[ing] them and refusing to leave them alone when asked for instance — then it’s possible to issue and enforce a trespass order,” he said. “If the person is simply using the library during a time when it’s reserved for students, then two years seems like a pretty harsh order, but without knowing what behavior he’s accused of, it’s hard to say whether that is an excessively long punishment.”

However, MacNeil said university administration never told the organization that outside guests weren’t allowed at the Young Americans for Liberty events.

“In fact, if this were the case, it can be reasoned that many fellow student organizations would cease to function optimally,” LoMonte said. “If this is indeed a rule, the prohibition of outside guests from attending student organizational meetings, then student organizations beware.”

5

NEWS

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

Crime

SGA ROUND UP

Vehicular break-ins on campus University crime reports reveal vehicular thefts higher when objects left visible FERNANDO MATTOS

MORAYO OYEWOLE & FERNANDO MATTOS

Senior Reporter

S

ince the start of fall semester, nine cars have either been broken into or attempted to be broken into, according to Georgia State police’s daily crime reports.

The crimes reported included one at the Turner Field parking lot and one on Kimball Way near the Natural Science Center.

Ashley Broadus, a film and arts student, said even though she parks her vehicle at Turner Field, she still feels safe.

“I feel pretty safe parking there.

The bus takes you relatively close to your car and the police are generally in the parking lot all day,” she said. “I lock my car when I get to the lot and I don’t leave anything of value in sight.”

Sergeant Sharon Ware, crime prevention specialist of the Georgia State police, said these simple measures Ashley takes can make thieves less likely to break into cars.

“Most of it occurs because people leave things in plain view in their vehicles, so people that set out to steal from other individuals walk past their vehicles and see things of value in plain view,” she said. “And a lot of times, that’s how the vehicles get broken into.”

Five university crime reports state students were victims of auto theft because they left objects such as GPS systems and their cell phones in their cars.

However, the decks are patrolled at varied intervals during the day, according to Ware.

“We constantly patrol the decks and things of that nature, but we can’t sit in there for 24 hours,” she said.

Ware said another challenge is identifying those who are not supposed to be on the decks, because some of these persons can look like regular students, visitors or staff.

But parking in the university decks is still safer than leaving the car on the street, according to Ware.

“I would say it’s definitely safe to park in the parking decks of Georgia State University, but we would ask that students and staff make sure they don’t park and leave items of value in the interior of their vehicles,” she said.

Staff Reporter & Senior Reporter

A

PHOTO BY NADIA DELJOU | THE SIGNAL It is safer to leave your car in university parking decks such as M Deck rather than street parking, according to Sergeant Sharon Ware, crime prevention specialist of the Georgia State police.

Tips for protecting your car

• Never leave your car’s engine running even if you will only be gone for a minute.

• Park in well-lit areas. Avoid parking near big cars that could block the police visibility of your car. Avoid parking far away from where most cars are.

• Lock all doors and windows.

• Trust your instincts. If something does not feel right, find another place to park.

• Do not leave valuable items visible in your car. Put them in the trunk or take them with you. Do not leave your GPS on the dashboard. This also applies to aftermarket stereo systems which may call attention.

• Never hide a second set of keys anywhere on your car. Experienced thieves know all the hiding spots.

• If you have an alarm system, make sure it is working.

• Carry your registration and insurance card with you. Never leave valuable documents in your car that could help a thief identify who you are or where you live.

If the worst happens 1. Notify the Parking Lot attendant (if available); if not, report the incident to Auxiliary Services Transportation Division at 404-413-9500.

2. File a Police Report with the Georgia State Police Department by calling 404-413-3333 or via a call box. A police report should be filed even if it is the next day.

3. Contact Safety & Risk Management at 404-413-9547 or via email to jsanders26@gsu. edu. Have the Georgia State Police Department case number, description of how the incident occurred, location of the incident and vehicle specifics. You do not have to have an repair cost estimate before calling the incident into Safety & Risk Management.

Source: GSU Police

Local

Album 88 Alumni receives non-profit status MORAYO OYEWOLE Staff Reporter

W

ith the change in status to a non-profit organization, Album 88 Alumni (A88A) is now capable of making all donations tax-deductible, according to a press release from the organization.

A88A was created in response to the May 5 partnership formed between Georgia State and Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB) that would allow the company to broadcast over the university’s radio station, WRAS 88.5 FM, 14 hours a day.

The release states A88A’s goal is to return the station back to its previous student-run status.

With its new status, the group will begin applying previously made donations to donors’ 2014 returns, according to A88A’s president Zachary Lan-

SGA announces new student constitution

caster.

“From now on we will be able to make that tax-exempt statement about all donations that come in,” he said in the release.

This step for A88A was spearheaded by Lee Morin, the corporate Secretary and board member for A88A. “This recognition by the IRS validates our mission to educate the public about the value of student-controlled, college radio programming, not only for the educational opportunities such activity affords Georgia State University students, but also for the rich cultural impact such programming has upon the community and music industry as a whole,” Morin said in the release.

Reid Laurens, A88A board member and former WRAS 88.5 FM student, said the change will help further the organization’s plans in upcoming months.

“We expect this new tax-exempt

status to reinvigorate our volunteers and potential partners as we firm up our plans for the next several months,” he said.

Laurens said the organization will continue to advocate for student control over the station.

“We will continue to press for WRAS’s FM broadcast signal to be programmed by students 24 hours a day, every day — just as it was done for the first 43 years of WRAS’s history,” he said.

Promotions Directory at WRAS 88.5 Lauryn Christy said she’s excited about the non-profit status for A88A. “I’m really excited about the recent non-profit status for Album 88 Alumni. The group has some big things planned to help students network with alumni and hopefully reclaim some of the opportunities that have been lost or limited due to the GPB deal,” she said.

She also said the new status can

help expand the potential for Album 88.

“The group also aims help preserve Album 88 in every way possible.

Tax-deductible donations can help bring these projects to fruition, and expand the potential for future projects,” Christy said.

There may be an additional push for WRAS by A88A this upcoming winter, according to Laurens.

“At this time we are not ready to reveal our plans for the winter push.

We are waiting on commitments from possible partners and volunteers before we finalize those plans,” he said.

“Now that our volunteers and potential partners know that we are a 501(c) (3) non-profit, it will help us move forward with those plans.”

On Oct. 29, WRAS students met with GPB CEO Teya Ryan for the first time to discuss the changes made at the station on June 29, according to Laurens.

new student constitution which will be written during winter break was a main topic discussed at the Student Government Association’s (SGA) fourth General Senate Body meeting on Oct. 30.

SGA Senator David Jackson said the focus of the new constitution will be student representation.

“It’s all about new ideas and bettering the organization to represent the student body. You have to revise the constitution so long as you’re doing it as a means to an end to represent students totally,” he said.

Jackson also said a committee over the break will allow SGA members and students to exchange ideas without the pressure of academic work.

“Because a lot of students including us senators are busy during the year. Also, we would love to have some time when we’re not in school and we’re not pressured with school work [and] school activities to sit down and focus on getting the constitution revised,” he said.

The date will be published in advanced in order to allow students to attend the meeting, according to Jackson.

SGA voted for Jackson and the organization’s president Lanier Henson to lead the discussion over the constitution committee during winter.

Additional highlights 1) Any student is welcome to apply

for Vice President Osato A. Uzamere’s position starting Nov. 10 at 4 p.m. to Nov. 14 on OrgSync. She announced her resignation due to early graduation at SGA’s last General Senate Body meeting.

The senate will vote to approve or reject the eligible candidate on Nov. 20.

The individual taking over will be announced the same day but his or her term will not begin until January.

2) Camryn Bradley, vice president of public relations, announced new promotional items will be ordered for students and the “#OnWednesdayWeWearBlue” t-shirts will also return for basketball season.

Bradley said he plans to use Twitter and Instagram to promote the campaign and selected students who wear blue can win a prize from the SGA office.

3) Vice President of Student Life Jovan Paige discussed changing the policy for the organization’s co-sponsorship event applications. Organizations would go from submitting six weeks in advanced to four.

Students usually did not always plan so far ahead and the shortened process will make it easier for organizations, according to Paige.

Paige and Bradley are working together to feature a different school organization at each basketball game this upcoming season.

Paige said he wants to change how organizations apply to be featured at the game because students do not check OrgSync often and it is now becoming the primary source for posting campus events.

“People don’t check them everyday.

Students check their email and their Instagram more than they check their OrgSync,” he said.

Paige also said his solution along with Bradley and Vice President of Academic Affairs Sebastian Parra is to get more organizations to sign up and be featured at basketball games through social media.

OPINIONS

www.georgiastatesignal.com/opinions

Let’s have a talk about modern dating

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.

Follow her @SignalOpinions

n the Signal Office, we’re always bouncing ideas off each other, the walls and the ceiling. The topic of dating came up last week. It appears that dating has slowly become a fading habit rather than a common practice to be replaced with the new trend of “hanging out.”

Gone are the days when the boy shows up at a girl’s door with flowers and asks her “Will you be my girlfriend?” — that age old question that makes the heart flutter, the cheeks flush and the soul swoon.

Nowadays, actual communication is being replaced with texting, Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram and all sorts of various technologies, asynchronous and simply not the same as picking up the phone and actually talking with your significant other.

There was a certain charm to looking forward to that hour-long call each night, wrapping the telephone cord around your hand as you pull as far as it will go in an effort to gain some privacy (mind you, I still have to do

this!). You’d giggle and laugh as you went back and forth with “I love youno I love you more- no you hang up” until either you fell asleep or your parents yelled at you to free up the line.

There is no more of that and instead, people don’t even want to commit anymore. I’ve always been a one guy at a time kind of girl, but the general practice now calls for one to be seeing multiple people at the same time, get to know them better and then make a decision.

I can definitely see the benefit to that, since it lets you figure out if you have chemistry with someone before committing, but it can also lead to complications. Too often someone in the friendship ends up getting hurt since it is very easy for one of the members in the relationship to come across as unclear due to miscommunication or over-emotional scenarios.

To avoid this, if you are seeing multiple people at once, be open with them. Honesty is the best policy. If you’re really serious about a boy or a

girl, even if you’re not ready to commit and want to explore your options, you owe them the courtesy of informing them as such so they have the liberty to explore their options as well.

Jealousy can be a nasty emotion, so if you do make the choice of seeing various people until you find the perfect match, don’t throw a hissy fit when they choose to do the same. If they find someone they feel ready to commit to, be a lady or a gentleman and congratulate them.

Then come the questions — what’s the difference between ‘hanging out’ and ‘dating’ someone and when can you make that distinction? The answer is simple: when you sit down and discuss how you feel about each other, specifically stating that you’re choosing to be monogamous or polyamorous or whatever else you choose to be.

In my book, the moment of commitment is when you go from being more than friends to actually dating.

Yes, the conversation can be shy and

awkward, but it’s much better than the hurt of miscommunication. If you like someone, man or woman up and take that step forward into ‘The Talk.’

Even if you’re uncomfortable with the idea of bringing up the subject, it is better than the alternative of being kept dangling. If someone cares, they won’t dangle you but will be clear about their feelings in regards to you.

It’s as simple as grabbing a cup of coffee in a private corner of a coffee shop somewhere where you can either gloat or mope in peace upon receiving your answer and asking, “Are you interested in making a serious commitment to me? I understand you want to keep your options open, but time is something precious and I’d hate for us to both be wasting our time.”

If they refuse to answer you or play about the subject, the ultimate decision is yours to make regarding whether they’re worth keeping around or if you want to move on. In the end, all that matters is how you really feel about someone.

The weakly Comic by william Miracle

Submit to our Dear Signal column Find yourself with a problem you can’t figure out? Lackluster love life?

Fidgety friendship? Parental problems? Write anonymously to our new Dear Signal column and submit your letters to signalopinions@gmail.com, or drop them off in our office at 200 University Center!

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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.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

7

OPINIONS

Dollars and sense with Mitch

Let’s start an education revolution

H

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

uman Capital Contracts could become the new alternative to current public and private debt in America. While revolutionary as a concept, it is one that must be taken into consideration as a unique and efficient way to solve the growing student debt bubble.

A capital contract, in short, is modern indentured servitude. This, of course, is a very distorted parallel but is an effective metaphor. The concept is that you pay nothing upfront with no risk and instead you pay the investor (the government or a private investor) a set percentage of your future income for a set number of years (10 percent for 10 years, 5 percent for 20 years, 2 percent for 5 years, etc.).

This concept isn’t new in the world of business. Just look at Kickstarter, the hugely popular crowd funding platform that is taking the world of capital investment by storm.

Similar to a Human Capital Contract, the investors pay an inventor or entrepreneur up front in order to land either a pre-order of the future product or a percentage stake in that person’s future profits.

These profits might be zero or they could be in the millions. Caveat emptor.

So let’s tackle this concept for college students: You are a company.

You are an entrepreneur and your business is landing a career or job out of college. Right now, you have low capital because you don’t have a degree yet (or are going for a masters or PhD). This process of going to college and graduate school serves the purpose of increasing your human

capital.

What can you do with more human capital? You can become a more valuable human being, that’s what!

You become more and more of an asset not only for your future employers but for society as a whole. Increased human capital doesn’t always correlate directly to higher income but is commonly believed to grow economies and increase overall societal health.

Increasing overall human capital is essential to our success and it is why we all go to college today. So why not change the way in which we can obtain this capital? Why not make it available to everyone at no risk or upfront cost?

Here’s a revolutionary idea: What if the government were to invest in every young American’s future potential earnings (the outcome of increased capital)? What if anyone in America could go to any college they wanted for free? That’s the power of Human Capital Contracts.

Let’s see how it would work. We’ll take a simple example of a college freshman, Jane. Jane goes to Georgia State for four years and lands a job at Geico making $40,000 per year.

In her Human Capital Contract, she agreed to pay 10 percent of future income for 10 years after college. This is great for Jane because she is debt free and is making $36,000 out of college (after paying the government $4,000 per year). Over the course of 10 years, Jane will technically have paid $40,000 for her college education, but adjusting for inflation over 14 years, that tuition cost is only about $24,000 in real dollars today.

“

We as students must demand freedom. Freedom of choice.

Freedom of education. I call for a Declaration of Education, creating a real revolution.

This percentage system would work for any variation on this example. Say Jane couldn’t find work and flipped burgers at McDonalds for 10 years. She would still have to pay only 10 percent of her yearly income. On the other end, she may land a job making $200,000 per year.

While unlikely, she would technically pay $200,000 for her education.

I say technically because if you think about it, no one would “pay” anything! You would simply be repaying the investment that the government made in you. Besides, in the above extreme example, Jane would have made $2 million over ten years.

A small $20,000 per year for her is not going to break her bank.

A glaring issue with this concept is that it acts as a negative incentive to land a high paying job. Most opponents to HCCs will say that graduates will begin to aim lower and not push their limits in fear of making too much money, an ironic disincentive.

But to that I pose the question — isn’t that already happening in our current system? Aren’t students choosing cheaper schools and “safe” degrees because they feel trapped in

their student loans? I for one would be hesitant to take out a $50,000 loan and go to Emory in the case that I couldn’t find work.

The current loan system is unsympathetic against the student and simply acts as a profit-maker for private loan companies. If you make it after college, you pay off your loan. If the system fails you, you still pay off your loan! Can’t we at least consider other possibilities?

We as students must demand freedom. Freedom of choice. Freedom of education. I call for a Declaration of Education, creating a real revolution.

We as students must start asking the questions no one wants asked.

Are there no alternatives to our current loan system? Is it in our benefit to treat ourselves like companies?

Can we do this without losing a sense of self ?

Big thinkers and game changers will need to rise up to tackle these questions. The first step is to admit that the system has some flaws and that there are other options to consider. Then the discussion can begin and real change can come about.

Expelling the ‘sex’ box Male or female? Having only two gender options limits what we can do. And we shouldn’t take it anymore.

TRAJON BIBB Columnist

Trajon is a junior psychology major. He is a horror movie buff who loves watching television and movies.

But when he is not catching up on the latest show or movie, he is writing opinion columns for The Signal.

“I like to stand up for what’s right.”

Y

esterday I read an article about removing the “sex” box from birth certificates. I found this very interesting because it brings to mind gender identity and how we view the roles on men and women.

The article explained that when you are born, the doctors check off the gender box on the birth certificate as either male or female depending on your sex organ.

I asked a transgendered student, “How would it make you feel if the government removed the ‘sex’ box from birth certificates?”

His response was, “It would make things easier and cut down on sex discrimination.”

Since we are checked into this box, some people feel obligated or pressured to conform to the social “norm” of being male or female.

However, as we get older, some people stop identifying with their

given gender identity. People who feel like they do not belong in their assigned role should be able to change it without backlash from society.

The backlash from society comes from people who do not fully understand how transgendered people know who they are. People who do not understand initially think something is wrong which is not the case.

They are just figuring out their gender identity.

Persons who are transgendered feel when they get older their gender identity does not match up to their biological sex. With the right hormones and surgical procedures, some choose to get the body that matches their gender identity.

Assigning our gender so early on is troublesome because we do not know who we identify as until we are older. We are babies, so we do not know what we identify as until we are

older and gain the feeling of knowing who we are.

Society determines how males and females should act depending on their identity. Society tells us that women cannot do what men can do and vice versa.

This climate really does hinder what men and women can do in regards to doing activities. In my opinion, I think men and women can do the same thing as each other when it comes to physical activities. We just have to step out of what society wants for us and start doing for ourselves.

We are so concerned about what society thinks of us that we forget to think for ourselves and do what makes us happy. If anything, the government should “unisex” the birth certificates and give babies time to grow and the freedom to chose whichever gender they identify as later on in life.

For more, check out the following: The article on “The Necessity of Checking the ‘Sex” Box http:// w w w. n y t i m e s . c o m / r o o m f o r d e bate/2014/10/19/is-checking-thesex-box-necessary/for-starters-unsex-the-birth-certificate Emma Diltz article on Laverne Cox speech on gender identity and expression http://www.themaneater. com/stories/2014/10/7/laverne-coxspeaks-gender-identity-and-expression/

8

OPINIONS

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

Editorial

What’s a student got to do to vote around here?

T

here is always some entity, whether it be governmental or the general public, ragging on college students for not voting. But the problem is it’s ridiculously more difficult to vote than it needs to be.

Election Day occurs on Tuesdays when most students are in class or have work. It’s difficult to get to a voting precinct with you have a million and one things going on. It’s even more difficult when you are a student in Atlanta and have to commute all the way back home to vote in your district.

Even though voting may start early, you have to do your research and constantly be on the move to get your foot in the door to vote.

Then after you figure out what day you can vote on, you have to figure out where to vote, how to register and how to make sure you make it in time. For some, voting may come naturally — it’s learned in

the family and carried through generations.

But what about the immigrants with a new citizenship?

What about their generation of families that come after? They have to start fresh and learn about how to vote, but the resources are not clearly laid out.

And that’s the thing about college students too — voting is still relatively new to us.

It’s no secret that college-aged adults have the lowest voter turn-out rate. Only 45 percent of us voted in 2012, according to civicyouth.org.

However, other things to remember is it’s the first time we’re on our own. We’re managing to start paying our own bills, live off ramen and worry about securing a steady job after graduation. We are learning that we should vote, but we aren’t learning how to vote.

This stuff isn’t taught in school, folks. And if it doesn’t happen in the family, we’re on our own for this one too.

And if we don’t vote? Shame

“

And that’s the thing about college students too — voting is still relatively new to us.

on us.

The shame then starts to create a sense of contempt for the system. Some students may internalize this as “My vote won’t count.”

Voting has evolved with the introduction of a Georgia Voter app, but how much is it publicized? How many voters know they can check their voter information on their smartphones?

If they want to encourage us to vote, there should not be this many road blocks. The constitution states that we have the “right to vote.” However, the government sets it up as a privilege.

There is a sense of distrust

Michelle Nunn (D)

Budget: Did you support raising the Federal debt NONPARTISAN CANDIDATE GUIDE FOR Yes ceiling with no strings attached?

GEORGIA SENATE RACE Do you support a Constitutional Bal- info See Budget: www.vote411.org for voting anced Budget Amendment?

Yes www.campuselect.org for Governor’s race

NONPARTISAN CANDIDATE GUIDE FOR GEORGIA SENATE RACE See www.vote411.org for voting info www.campuselect.org for Governor’s race

Campaign Finance: Do you support the DISCLOSE Act, which would require key funders of political ads to put their names on those ads?

Campaign Finance: Do you support the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision, which allowed unlimited independent political expenditures by corporations and unions?

No

Economy: Do you support raising the minimum wage?

Yes

Economy: Do you support extending unemployment benefits beyond 26 weeks?

Michelle N unn (D)

David Perdue (R)

For more detailed information on candidate positions visit their respective pages at Votesmart.org.

To Volunteer see www.michellenunn.com www.vote.perduesenate.com Other gubernatorial candidates include Libertarian Amanda Swafford www.amandaswafford.net Due to limited space, we can’t include her position, but invite you to check out her website.

Created by the Campus Election Engagement Project, www. campuselect.org, a non-partisan effort to help college and university administrators, faculty, and student leaders engage their schools in the election. Key sites consulted included Votesmart. org, OntheIssues.org, Ballotpedia.org FactCheck.org, and public candidate statements. See also Politifact.Com/Georgia, sponsored by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and politifact.com.

Yes

for the voters too. We feel that if someone is “uneducated” or “immoral” or even “lazy,” they should not be allowed to vote.

But if that is the mindset we have, what standards are we going to start setting up for our other rights such as the freedom of speech?

There must be more time and education put into voting and we have to make it more simple.

In some states like Minnesota, voting is a month-long period; voters have more than six weeks to mail in their ballot for absentee voting. In other states like Alabama, there is no early voting and you must vote in person if you do not have an

David Perdue (R)

No

Yes

Yes

Healthcare: Did you support shutting down the federal government in order to defund Obamacare in 2013?

No

Yes

Unknown

Immigration: Do you support the D.R.E.A.M. Act**,

Yes

No

Unknown

Immigration: Do you support the Senate’s 2013 Supports general No Would secure immigration plan, including a pathway to citizenborder first. principles ship and increased funding for border security?

No

Unknown

No

Economy: Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth?

Yes

No

Education: Do you support refinancing of student loans at lower rates, paid for by increasing taxes on income over a million dollars? (Elizabeth Warren bill)

Unknown.

Unknown

Yes

Environment: Do you support government action to limit the levels of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere?

No--has said “in science there’s an active debate going on”

Yes*

No

Environment: Do you support government mandates and/or subsidies for renewable energy?

Yes

Unknown

**** See notes

No

****** See notes

No

Environment: Do you believe that human activity is a major factor contributing to climate change?

Gay Marriage: Do you support gay marriage?

Gun Control: Do you support enacting more restrictive gun control legislation?

David Perdue (R)

Healthcare: Do you support repealing the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare?

Unknown

Supports strong federal subsidies for student loans

Michelle Nunn (D)

No

Yes

Economy: Do you support the Dodd-Frank act, which established the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and sought to increase regulation of Wall Street corporations and other financial institutions?

approved excuse. In Georgia, we have two to four weeks for early voting.

We have all sorts of rules across the nation, according to Bloomberg Politics. And yet, there doesn’t seem to be much education on our campuses about that.

However, there does seem to be more awareness around the Presidential Election season.

There are more events on campus hosting gatherings to watch debates. We’ve seen campaigners on campus asking us if we’ve registered to vote. This should happen for every voting season.

There needs to be more “spirit” on campuses across the nation — Election Day should be treated as a holiday.

It should literally be a national holiday so more people will have time to vote and prepare for it.

We should start treating the right to vote as an actual right, not a privilege.

Iraq: Should the US recommit troops to Iraq to combat the rise in insurgency?

No

Unknown

Social Issues: Should abortion be highly restricted?

No

Yes

Social Issues: Should employers be able to withhold contraceptive coverage from employees if they disagree with it morally?

No

Yes

Social Security: Do you support partial privatization of Social Security?

No but believes escalating costs must be addressed

Yes

Taxes: Would you increase taxes on corporations and/or high-income individuals to pay for public services?

No Would lower No. Would corporate taxes replace income while ending tax with national sales tax and some tax has pledged to breaks*** oppose “any and all” tax increases. ***

* Whether Nunn supports EPA regulation depends on how much Georgia is credited for existing progress. * Would allow children brought into the country illegally to achieve legal status if they’ve graduated from high school, have a clean legal record, and attend college or serve in the military *** Nunn would tax overseas earnings of US companies, curtail use of overseas tax shelters, and eliminate tax breaks for companies moving plants overseas.

Perdue supports taxing internet sales and would replace existing income tax with national 23% tax on purchases of goods and services. **** Personally supports, but states should decide legality ****** Supports gun show background checks to prevent sales to criminals or mentally ill. Otherwise no.

JEFF THOMAS:

SPORTS

www.georgiastatesignal.com/sports

THE

JARED OLIVER Staff Reporter

T

NEW ON

KID CAMPUS

Q&A with Jeff Thomas What was it about Georgia State’s campus and the basketball team that made you commit?

JT: “I just love the city, walking around and seeing everybody. The basketball team [is]... really friendly and they’re really close together, and I really like to be in the fan part of family.”

What did Coach Hunter say to persuade you to get you to commit and make this program stand out over all other recruiting universities?

JT: “Really it is just the way he coached, you know. He told me [the] way they play.

I liked the way they ran up and down the court.”

Describe the transition from Ohio high school basketball to college basketball.

JT: “It was a very big transition for me. Everything is much quicker down here.

I have to learn how to shoot much quicker. I also will have to learn to make decisions much quicker. In Ohio, it wasn’t really this fast.”

PHOTOS BY RALPH HERNANDEZ | THE SIGNAL Jeff Thomas, the Panther’s guard, plans on starting his freshman season with a great start.

Is there a difference in physicality?

JT: “Very. It has taken me a long time to get used to the physical part. Everybody was pushing me. I wasn’t used to that in Ohio.”

Who’s your biggest mentor on the team or someone you maybe look up to?

JT: “R.J [Hunter]. I shoot the ball just like R.J. I feel like I watch the way he plays and I can learn a lot from him.”

What do you think your role will be this season?

JT: “Right just shoot the ball and rebound. Whenever I get an open shot I need to shoot and I just need to be aggressive.”

What is the biggest thing you have learned so far from being a part of the basketball team?

JT: “Don’t turn the ball over would be the biggest thing.”

What assets do you bring to this team as far as strengths and weaknesses?

JT: “My strength is shooting, I am a very good shooter. I think the biggest thing I need to work on is my defense.

I need to get used [to] the defense we run.

Where do you see this team going this year?

JT: “I can see us going big.

I believe were going to win more than one NCAA tournament game. Our goal is to win just one, but I feel like we can win more than that.”

he 2014-15 basketball season has returned with the motto “unfinished business.” Georgia State has added some key pieces to the already talented group. Out of the many newcomers that the Panthers hope will show promise in the future, freshman Jeff Thomas is among them.

The 6-foot-5, 185-pounder from Norwalk (Ohio) High School is a player that could be a major addition to the basketball team this year.

At Norwalk High, this talented player averaged 18.8 points per game. His high school finished the season 29-1 and 11-1 in their conference. He was named one of the top 25 players in the Midwest.

Thomas was ranked 351st in the entire country and is the number eight player in the state of Ohio. His star recruiting rating was a 2.3. Thomas was also a part of the Ohio Phenoms AAU team.

Thomas was recruited by several teams before making his commitment to Georgia State. Schools like Fairleigh Dickinson, Kent State, Miami (Ohio) and Wright State were in the running. Thomas finally committed to Georgia State on Aug. 31, 2013.

Jeff Thomas has the capabilities to turn heads this season and make a name for himself. He is a confident shooter and a team player. His biggest strength is having a deadly mid-range game. This can very useful for him this season and in the future.

Most college players do not have a strong mid-range shooting asset. Most college basketball players are either good at slashing the lanes or shooting it from the arc.

Thomas can shoot from three and pull up over defenders in the lane. He may be able to gain confidence throughout the season knocking down mid-range jumpers.

Like most college freshmen, communication is always one of the biggest transitions from the high school to college level. Thomas understands that he will have to improve this to gain the trust of teammates and coaches. He has already received comparisons to R.J. Hunter for the future of the basketball team.

The two guards have a similar style of play in their arsenals. Like Hunter, Thomas is a deadly shooting guard. With a long body frame and the ability to put up points, the two get hot in the season.

The Panthers next home game will be Nov. 10 hosting Shorter College. Tip-off will begin at 7 p.m.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2013 10

SPORTS

SPO

UNFINISHED BUSINESS: 2014 Men’s Basketball Preview SUN BELT PREVIEW LouisianaLafayette

(2013: 23-12, 11-7 Sun Belt) The Panthers’ biggest nemesis last season. The 2014 Sun Belt Tournament champions head into 2015 without point guard Elfrid Payton who was a lottery pick in the NBA draft. Returning is forward Shawn Long who will be looked at to carry the load this season. The Ragin’ Cajuns will face the Panthers Jan. 8 and 24 in what could possibly be the battle for conference supremacy.

Texas State

(2013: 8-23, 4-14 Sun Belt) The Bobcats finished up 20132014 in last place in the Sun Belt Conference. They lost leading scorer Joel Wright to graduation after last season. Notable returners include Emani Grant who averaged 8.9 points per game and five rebounds per game last season.

Troy

(2013: 11-20, 6-12 Sun Belt) Troy finished eighth last season in the 10 team Sun Belt Conference. Lost top three leading scorers Hunter Williams, Tevin Calhoun and Antoine Meyers to graduation. Their key returner is junior forward Kevin Thomas.

Georgia Southern

(2013: 15-19, 6-10 SoCon) 2014-2015 will be the first season for the Eagles in the Sun Belt Conference. The Eagles finished last season 15-19 which was good enough for eighth in the 12 team Southern Conference. The Eagles will be without last year’s leading scorer Jelani Hewitt.

Appalachian State

(2013: 9-21, 5-11 Sun Belt) The Mountaineers open their first season in the Sun Belt Conference.The Mountaineers were a previous member of the Southern conference. They will be led by last year’s leading scorer Tab Hamilton who averaged almost 13 points per game.

Arkansas State

(2013: 19-13, 10-8 Sun Belt) The Red Wolves come into 2014-2015 with big hopes after finishing fourth in the Sun Belt last season. The Red Wolves will have to replace the two top scorers from last season Melvin Johnson and Kirk Van Slyke.

Arkansas Little Rock

(2013: 15-17, 9-9 Sun Belt) The Trojans went 15-17 overall and 9-9 in conference last season which placed them sixth.

The Trojans will be without last year’s leading scorer Will Neighbour who put up 16.3 points per game.

BRYAN JOHNSON Staff Reporter

G

eorgia State comes into 2014 more experienced and more hungry than ever. The Panthers basketball team came up just a little short of turning what was a magical season into a NCAA tournament bid.

They went 25-9 last season with their season culminating with an invitation to the NIT tournament where they faced the Clemson Tigers and lost 78-66.

The Panthers’ season was highlighted by big moments and the magical 14-game winning streak in the middle of the season which was unexpectedly snapped by Troy on Feb. 15. Georgia State would not lose again until the Sun Belt Tournament final against rival Louisiana-Lafayette 82-81 in New Orleans which left the Panthers outside looking in for the NCAA tournament last year.

The team is now looking at that loss as motivation and have gained a new found hunger that may make them even more dangerous than the 25-9 club from last season.

“These guys are hungry,” Head Coach Ron Hunter said. “The last game we had to play in that conference tournament left a bitter taste in out mouth and that unfinished business is something we’ve talked about.”

Hunter said the team has been on-edge for two seasons making their practices even better.

The Panthers return with top scorer RJ Hunter, electric point guard Ryan Harrow and the versatile power forwards Curtis Washington and Markus Crider.

Promising Newcomers Kevin Ware: 6-foot-2-inch Shooting Guard (Redshirt Junior) Ware comes from a powerhouse in Louisville where he was part of a national championship team and the 2013 Final Four team. Ware will be returning to the court full-time after he suffered a gruesome injury in the 2013 NCAA tournament against Duke; though this game gave him national attention and support. Ware will add an athletic element on offense and has elite defender status.

Jeff Thomas: 6-foot-5-inch Guard (Freshman) Thomas is a freshman from Nor-

South Alabama

(2013: 11-20, 5-13 Sun Belt) The Jaguars finished last season 11-20 total and 5-13 in conference. The Jaguars will look to Mychal Ammons and Ken Williams to pick up the slack left by last year’s leading scorer and rebounder Augustine Rubit.

walk, Ohio and has garnered early praise from coaches and teammates as a potential star.

“I kind of see myself in Jeff just how he moves on and off the court,” RJ Hunter said of his young roommate .

The Panthers can potentially have a lethal twosome from the perimeter with another Hunter-like player.

Jordan Session: 6-foot-7inch Forward (Freshman) Session joined The Panthers from Eagle’s Landing High School in McDonough, Georgia. He averaged 21.6 points and 10.5 rebounds along with three assists per game in his senior season last year. Session should provide the Panthers with another versatile big body off the bench early in his college career.

Jalen Brown: 6-foot-8-inch Forward (Junior) Brown is a junior college transfer from South Suburban College where he averaged 13 points and 8.1 rebounds per game last season. Brown is a South Holland, Illinois native.

Brown will be yet another big body for the Panthers to throw at the competition.

The Ware Factor

Ware suffered one of the most gruesome injuries in recent sports history on a national stage in the NCAA tournament in 2013 against the Duke Blue Devils, creating a horrific scene that will not be soon forgotten by sports fans.

His team quickly rallied around their fallen teammate and went on to win the national championship.

Ware played in nine games last season before deciding to sit out the season in an attempt to rehab the injury before transferring to Georgia State in the late spring.

He will fit right in with the Panthers and allow them a luxury that they didn’t necessarily have last season as an elite defender. Ware knows that defense may be his ticket to a big role and many wins for the Panthers this season.

“I think I bring a really good defensive skill set to the team,” he said.

“I’m really a good defender on the ball and reading things, coming up with steals and things like that. I kind of feel like I’m a good fast break addition to the team. I like to get out on the fast break and cause a lot of havoc and get in the lane and score as much as I can.”

“I bring a leader to the team,” Ware continued. “I kind of get the

LouisianaMonroe

(2013: 10-17, 7-11 Sun Belt) The Warhawks finished with a 10-17 overall record from last season and a 7-11 in conference record putting them seventh in the Sun Belt last season. The warhawks will again lean heavily on senior forward Tylor Ongwae.

vibe that RJ [Hunter] and Ryan [Harrow] were the captains and that hasn’t changed. I’m just an addition to that.”

Georgia State will be able to do things defensively that last year may not have been possible. This could jumpstart an already potent offensive attack.

“You take a great defender and then you got an average defender,” Coach Hunter said. “Average becomes good with all the rest of the guys because his [Ware’s] energy kind of rubs off on some other guys.”

Hunter said that having Ware on board changes things for the Panthers this season.

Panther’s Big Three: Players to Watch RJ Hunter Averaged 18.3 points per game last season. The sharpshooting guard is now a junior and now the focal point of the offensive attack and more mature.

Ryan Harrow Averaged 17.8 points per game.

The electric Kentucky transfer enters his second season with Georgia State and has become more vocal and confident after his electric and dazzling performances of last season.

Kevin Ware The elite defender joins The Panthers from Louisville with a championship pedigree. He adds defensive nastiness to a potent offense and athleticism on the perimeter on offense and in the fast break.

Games to Watch Nov. 17 Georgia State vs Iowa State Iowa State is ranked fourteenth in the preseason polls and will be the Panthers’ first opportunity at a resume building victory and possibly the only one chance to impress for a potential at large bid into the NCAA tournament in March.

Nov. 29 Georgia State at.

IUPUI Coach Ron Hunter heads to face his former team. RJ Hunter is an Indianapolis native.

Jan. 8 and Jan. 24 Georgia State vs. Louisiana Lafayette Two old fashioned revenge games against a budding rival. The two teams will meet twice in one month.

Louisiana-Lafayette kept the panthers out of the NCAA tournament after defeating them in the Sun Belt Championship game in New Orleans.

Texas Arlington

(2013: 15-17, 9-9 Sun Belt) The Mavericks finished last season 15-17 overall and 9-9 in conference putting them fifth in the conference. The Mavericks will be replacing the top scorer in the Sun Belt last season as they lose Roger Dowell to graduation.

PHOTOS BY THE SIGNAL ARCHI

11

ORTS

IVES AND RAVEN SCHLEY | THE SIGNAL

MAKING STRIDES TO THE TOP: 2014 Women’s Basketball Preview AKIEM BAILUM Sports Editor

A

new season for Georgia State’s women’s basketball team is around the corner and with it come renewed expectations.

The Panthers enter the 2014-15 season with more experience than last year’s squad that ended the season with a record of 12-19 along with a mark of 8-10 in the Sun Belt competition.

Georgia State only has two freshmen on this year’s 15-player roster.

“I think this spring, summer and fall preseason has been different than in the past with our 12 players coming back,” Head Coach Sharon Baldwin-Tener said at the Sun Belt media teleconference. “We’re a little bit deeper than we were a year ago and a little bit more balanced than we were a year ago.”

Last season was one of ups and downs for the Panthers as they entered a new conference. In January, Georgia State was in the midst of a five-game winning streak that included a 7674 upset of Arkansas State who was ranked number one in the conference at the time.

The Panthers would then struggle down the stretch as they lost nine of their final 11 games including being eliminated in the first round of the Sun Belt tournament by a final of 78-44 to Texas State.

“I think they’re ready to start winning,” Baldwin-Tener said. “I think that the way that they’ve approached everything that we’ve been doing proves that. We’ve had some misfortunes last year. We had a lot of injuries. We had a couple of season-ending injuries.”

“But we also throughout the year would sometimes practice six or seven players,” he continued. “I think that affected us. I think we’re healthier, stronger and deeper this year.”

Baldwin-Tener is in the fifth year of her tenure with Georgia State after inking a year deal to become head coach in 2010. Her teams have made their respective conference tournaments every year they have been eligible.

This year’s team has been predicted to finish fourth in this year’s preseason Sun Belt coaches’ poll behind Arkansas State, UALR and Texas State.

Among the many veteran players on this year’s team include 4-foot-11inch redshirt senior Alisha Andrews.

She is the smallest player in the entire NCAA, but her presence on the court can be felt when her sneakers hit the hardwood. Last season, she led the conference in assists, averaging 4.6 assists per game. She also was second in steals with nearly three a game.

“Alisha has played basketball a long time,” Baldwin-Tener said. “She is very skilled. She can do a lot of things with the basketball. She’s a great passer and great ball handler. Probably because of her height she can also put a lot of pressure on the basketball when she’s guarding the basketball.”

Andrews also reached a career milestone in March when she scored

Troy

(2013: 12-18, 8-10 Sun Belt) Despite fielding a team that was tops in the Sun Belt in scoring, rebounding offense and blocked shots, the Trojans finished in the middle of the pack last season. They lost the conference’s leading scorer Joanna Harden who averaged over 25 points a game but returns a team that has only one freshman.

her 1,000th career point in a game against Western Kentucky.

“Alisha, to me, is one of the best point guards if not the best point guard in our league,” said junior guard Gaby Moss. “Really with her it’s just about keeping her healthy. But when we can have her at her best, we’re a much better team.”

Also returning from last year’s team is 6-foot-4-inch senior center Brittany Logan. She was second in the Sun Belt in rebounding in 2013 with nearly nine boards a game. Logan was also in the top ten in the conference for field goal percentage and she is the top offensive rebounder in the Sun Belt with 3.6 per game.

“Brittany has worked extremely hard this past spring, summer and fall.

I’m really excited about where she is on the court, off the court and attitudewise, she’s been a great leader for us as well,” Baldwin-Tener said. “One disadvantage for her last year was she wasn’t able to join us until August. She really had to kind of play herself into basketball shape again and do those kinds of things.”

The team also has three other seniors. They are 5-foot-8-inch guard Kayla Nolan, 5-foot-6-inch guard Ashley Watson and 5-foot-9-inch forward and guard Miranda Smith.

Juniors

Four juniors will suit up in the blue and white uniforms this year.

They are 5-foot-8-inch guard Ashlee Cole, 6-foot forward Morgan Jackson, 5-foot-8-inch guard Gaby Moss and 5-foot-10-inch guard Tatianna Jackson.

Sophomores

Georgia State also has the same amount of sophomores as it does juniors. They are 5-foot-10-inch guard Mariam Hannoun, 6-foot-2-inch forward and center Ashanti Groover, 6-foot-4-inch forward and center Jamila Mayfield and 6-foot-2-inch forward and center Haley Gerrin. Gerrin along with the senior Logan were both in the top ten in the Sun Belt in field goal percentage last season.

Freshmen

The two true freshmen for the Panthers this year are 5-foot-8-inch guard Makeba Ponder and 5-foot-11-inch forward Kennesha Nichols. Jordan Ulm, a 5-foot-7-inch guard from Lawrenceville, Georgia is also on the team as a redshirt after arriving to Georgia State as a walk-on.

Replacing Kendra Long

One player the Panthers are sure to miss is Kendra Long, the 5-foot-9-inch guard who graduated last season. Long was last year’s leading scorer for Georgia State as she averaged 13 points per game which also put her in the top-10 in the Sun Belt in 2013-14. She was also the team’s leading free throw shooter.

Long finished her career as the top three-point shooter in history as she made 221 threes from downtown.

Her 1,258 points also put her at 11th in Georgia State history.

Texas State

(2013: 16-16, 12-6 Sun Belt) After the graduation of leading scorer, rebounder and shot blocker Ashley Ezeh from last year’s team, the Bobcats need someone to pick up the load. Texas State will primarily count on a pair of juniors to fill that role in guards Erin Peoples (10.4 points per game in 2013) and Ayriel Anderson (10.1 points per game in 2013).

The Panthers hope to present a more balanced scoring attack after Long’s departure.

“Really this year we’re trying to spread out our scoring,” Moss said.

“Kendra was a main part of our scoring last year. This year’s it’s just going to take a lot more people stepping up.

So, now we not just one threat. We have multiple threats which is harder to guard.”

Team Attributes

Baldwin-Tener mentioned how she feels the team has more depth and balance than last year’s squad. The high level of experience Georgia State has should also provide the team a strong boost as it hopes to be more competitive in the Sun Belt this season.

A pair of other keys to success for the Panthers in 2014-15 will be rebounding and defense. Georgia State was in the top five in the conference in offensive rebounding percentage with .348. The Panthers also averaged 26.3 defensive rebounds for third in the Sun Belt.

Georgia State was near the bottom in giving up points as they allowed over 73 per game in 2013-14. Opponents also shot a .419 field goal percentage against the Panthers for eighth in the conference as well as a .334 three-point percentage, also putting Georgia State at eighth in that category.

“A lot of the games that we lost were simply off of missing rebounds and not playing defense. Those are all things that if we change, it has a lot of effect on the outcome,” Moss said.

New and Old Sun Belt Teams

The conference lost one Sun Belt team from last year in Western Kentucky but gained two others when Georgia Southern and Appalachian State moved from the Southern Conference into Division I basketball.

“We’ve played Georgia Southern and Appalachian State since I’ve been here and they’ve got good coaching.

They’ve got good players and I’m really excited. I think that there are a lot of good coaches in this league and I’m excited about this season,” BaldwinTener said.

One of the teams Georgia State saw from last year that is expected to a tough opponent again this year is Arkansas State. The Red Wolves were the top-ranked team in the preseason coaches’ poll were the Sun Belt runners-up to Western Kentucky and are returning junior guard Aundrea Gamble who was named the conference’s Preseason Player of the Year.

The goal for the Panthers is as it is every year: win the conference.

Where it All Begins

SUN BELT PREVIEW

Appalachian State

(2013: 13-16, 10-8 So Con) The Mountaineers ranked near the top in several defensive categories in their last year in SoCon including three-point percentage defense where opponents shot less than 30 percent from behind the arc. Returning is Maryah Syndor who was SoCon’s leading scorer with an average of 19.4 points per game.

UALR.

(2013: 18-12, 12-6 Sun Belt) Arkansas-Little Rock finished third in the conference last season and was picked by the coaches to come in second behind their in-state rival Arkansas State. The Trojans had the top-ranked defense in the conference in 2013 and returns a team that has only two true freshmen.

Arkansas State

(2013: 22-12, 14-4 Sun Belt) The Red Wolves lost by one point to last year’s conference champion Western Kentucky who was since departed the conference. Arkansas State enters this year as the preseason favorites to win the conference and junior guard Aundrea Gamble who averaged nearly 19 points a game last year and was named preseason Sun Belt Player of the Year.

Georgia Southern Eagles

(2013: 10-21, 7-11 SoCon) Junior guard Anna Claire-Knight returns for the Eagles after averaging nearly 16 points a game for what was third in SoCon. A point of emphasis for Georgia Southern will be their free throw shooting as they were ranked first in that category in their old conference last season.

LouisianaLafayette

(2013: 14-16, 7-11 Sun Belt) The Ragin’ Cajuns enter the 2014-15 season with roughly half of their team being either freshmen or players who will redshirt. LouisianaLafayette was extremely adept in forcing turnovers as the team had a turnover margin of plus-4.90 in 2013.

Louisiana-Monroe

Georgia State will play an exhibition matchup against Montevallo on Nov. 6 at 7 p.m. at the Sports Arena before opening the regular season on Nov. 15 at the University of North Florida.

The Panthers’ first home matchup of the regular season will be on Nov. 24 against Thomas at 7 p.m.

(2013: 11-20, 7-11 Sun Belt) Teams facing the Warhawks this year will be facing a team that was number one in the Sun Belt in assists, averaging just over 14 per game. They will need someone to fill the shoes of Ashleigh Simmons who graduated and averaged nearly 15 points a game.

UT Arlington

South Alabama

(2013: 4-25, 3-15 Sun Belt) The Mavericks finished at the very bottom of the conference standings last season. Despite their struggles with many aspects of their game, including turnovers, they were second in the Sun Belt in offensive rebounding last season. They will need someone to step up and replace their leading scorer from last season, Desherra Nwanguma, who averaged 13.5 points per game.

(2013: 8-20, 6-12 Sun Belt) The story for the Jaguars last season revolved primarily around the three-point shot. South Alabama was ranked first in the conference in three-point shooting percentage as well as in defending the three. A large part of that was attributed to junior guard Rachel Cumbo who was the Sun Belt’s leading three-point shooter last season.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2013 12

SPORTS SPORTS

Freshman guard welcomed into women’s basketball team BRYAN JOHNSON Staff Reporter

I

t is the reality in collegiate sports that any one player’s time on a team is finite, that for programs to continue to be successful, there must be an emphasis on recruiting future talent to replace current stars.

Freshman guard for the Georgia State women’s basketball team, Makeba Ponder, is a major part of that future talent.

Ponder comes to Georgia State from Colquitt County High School, where she made her name as one of the best shooters in the state, recording a career total of 2,071 points, averaging 24.5 per game in her senior year.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution named Ponder to their Class AAAAAA Georgia All-State team, the state’s largest classification.

While Ponder’s game is built around her impressive shooting prowess, she shows great promise in all areas of her game as she led the Class AAAAAA division in average points per game, three-point baskets (88) and free throw shooting (85 percent). Ponder was No. 13 in the state for steals with 83 overall and 3.2 per game.

The transition from high school

star to college athlete has not been easy for Ponder, an experience many athletes experience when moving into collegiate sports.

“Coming in it was kind of hard because the speed of the game and playing with girls who can all play.

I’m coming from high school where I was the star, but now everyone’s the star,” Ponder said.

The speed of the game at the college level is something that many athletes can struggle with as well as the increased level of competition and responsibility that they have to take on.

Ponder described her game as slow, and is adjusting to moving her feet faster to keep up.

“Now you got to get the shot off quicker and your moves have got to be quicker,” she said. “It isn’t what it was in high school.”

But Ponder has found support in the knowledge and encouragement from her fellow teammates like senior guard Alisha Andrews, and Head Coach Sharon BaldwinTener.

“When I do something wrong or bad, she’ll tell me to, ‘keep on, you got it,’” Ponder said of Point Guard Andrews. “And if I mess up on defense, she’ll be there to help me. She’ll push me to the spot.

“You can’t take it personally, because she’s doing nothing but helping me,” Ponder continued.

She has also been welcomed by her new coach, whom Ponder admires.

“She reminds me of my high school coach,” Ponder said of Baldwin-Tener. “She not only cares about what we do on the court, but what we do in class.”

That admiration is returned by Coach Baldwin-Tener who noted how well Ponder is adjusting to the college game.

“I think she can really shoot the basketball,” Baldwin-Tener said.

“It’s something that she’s blessed [with] and able to do. And I think she has a lot of confidence. I think that helps a freshman because you’ve got to have a little bit of confidence to get out there on the floor and play with people four years older than you. So, I think that’s helped her.”

Ponder looks to have a bright future here at Georgia State and hopes to become one of the stars for the Panthers. But she knows that as important as her talent is, playing well with the team and fitting into its system is just as important.

“It’s a fast play, kick the ball up play. They want you to shoot it. I think it’s defensive stuff too. They want the defense to be really intense,” Ponder said.

Georgia State looks forward hopefully to the future career of their new freshman point guard.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

Makeba Ponder has big expectations on her shoulders after an exciting high school career

PHOTO BY RUTH PANNILL | THE SIGNAL Makeba Ponder committed to the Panthers as a guard on Nov. 14, 2013.

Issues revealed with SGA basketball initiative “Organizations of the Game” AKIEM BAILUM Sports Editor

O

n Oct. 30, the general senate meeting of the Student Government Association (SGA) lasted only 45 minutes, but much of the talk revolved around its outreach to student organizations hoping to promote themselves at this year’s home basketball games.

After setting an application deadline of Oct. 21 at the last SGA meeting on Oct. 16, Vice President of Student Life Jovan Paige disclosed that only three organizations had applied on SGA’s OrgSync page prior to that deadline. The application was still available on SGA’s OrgSync page as of today.

“A lot of organizations don’t check their OrgSync as often as they would check their PantherMail,” Paige said.

One of those organizations was SGA itself. The other two were the 1913 Society and the Student Alumni Association.

“We just kind of attributed it to the fact that that a lot of people just didn’t know about it. So in the future we still have to promote OrgSync as the main outlet for information as far as different forms and different initiatives we’re try-

ing to get passed,” Paige said.

In addition, Vice President of Academic Affairs Sebastian Parra announced early in the meeting that the plan now stands to have 20 organizations promote themselves at events instead of the original plans for 30 organizations.

The amount of organizations rose from three to 20 because at the deadline, Paige worked with Vice President of Public Relations Camryn Bradley to push for more organizations to apply with flyers and through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

He said that 20 applicants total was an ideal number to settle on.

The official list of the Organizations of the Game made reference to SGA on two occasions. It did so once as “SGA” and the second as “Student Government Association.”

Paige said the next step in the process is for Georgia State Athletics assistant director of marketing Parker Hendricks to meet with athletic director Charlie Cobb to figure out which games will feature the student organization promotions.

Athletics would bring those dates back to Paige who said he would organize those dates where a representative of each organization would come to the SGA office and draw which game they

would promote themselves at.

The organizations would then shoot a video that would be featured on the video board at the Sports Arena at halftime.

According to Paige, he sent an email to Hendricks emphasizing his desire to have an equal number of men’s and women’s games feature the student organization promotions as was in the original proposal.

“If we couldn’t do 30, one would think that we would just have 15 go to the men’s basketball games because they’re always going to have the most attendance,” Paige said. “We still want it to remain as focused on the original ideologies of the actual bill which was the help the women’s game as well.”

Paige hoped that all of the organizations would remain involved and that none would pull out in order to have ten for each the men’s and women’s games.

“If not then we’ll do it as closely as we can,” Paige said.

Parra said at an Oct. 18 general senate meeting that his original proposal included for the student organizations to only be featured at men’s basketball games.

The Signal attempted to reach out to Camryn Bradley to share his thoughts.

He was not available for comment.

Alpha Kappa Alpha Student Alumni

Sigma Lambda Upsilon Delta Zeta

Association Black Student Alliance

Student Government Association

Quiet Storm

1913 Society

Steppers

Lean In African Student

Association Housing

Nutrition Student Network Student Philanthropy Council

Green Team

Kappa Sigma Tighter Grip

Alpha Xi Delta

Alpha Phi Alpha

Lacrosse Club

Phi Beta Sigma

PANTHER OF THE WEEK

1323

SPORTS

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014 TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2013

STAFF PREDICTIONS GUEST PICK OF THE WEEK Student Picker

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

FOOTBALL

PRESEASON

NATIONAL

Nov. 6 Montevello

GEORGIA STATE ATHLETICS

Eliza Zachary The Panthers’ junior middle blocker put up 20 kills along with a hitting percentage of .302 to lead her team to a three sets to two victory on the road against in-state and Sun Belt rival Georgia Southern. Georgia State won the season series over the Eagles with this win.

Zachary played her collegiate volleyball at Thomas Jefferson High School in which she won an Honorable Mention award in the All-South Suburban Conference. Her Northern Lights team won the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) in the 17 age group. She also competed in the high jump where she was a three-time letterwinner.

In her freshman season, Zachary started all 24 matches and was named to the AllCAA Rookie team. She was also named to the AD’s Honor Roll that year. Last season, she finished second on the team in kills with 312.

vs.

TCU

√√ √ √√

Senior Hannah Stefanoff was victorious in the women’s 5K race at the Sun Belt championships in Mobile, Ala. The Panthers finished fifth out of the eleven teams that participated.

UT Arlington won the team championship.

Over the weekend, the Panthers played a pair of matchups against Sun Belt opponents. Georgia State lost a stunner to the conference’s secondplace UT Arlington in five sets after winning the first two. The team regrouped the following day with a five set victory over Georgia Southern.

The Panthers take the court next on Friday against Arkansas State.

√

vs.

Georgia State

Cross Country

Volleyball

Nov. 8 Kansas State

Volleyball

THE FINAL SCORE

√√ √ √

Basketball

Xavier Burton

Class: Sophomore Major: Biology

STAFF: √ Akiem

√ √ √

Jeremy

Xavier

PRESEASON

Jared

South Alabama

√

vs.

Arkansas State

√√√√

Nov. 10 Shorter vs.

Georgia State

√√ √√ √

Former Georgia State forward Manny Atkins was drafted in the 34th round by the NBA Developmental League’s Sioux Falls Skyforce. This comes after he originally signed a contract to play professionally in Argentina for Juventud Sionista in the Liga Nacional de Basquet (LNB). The Skyforce are the D-League affiliate of the Miami Heat.

Football

Georgia State

Bryan

GUEST PICK:

√

MEN’S BASKETBALL

SUN BELT

Georgia State was not only pelted by heavy snow in the North Carolina mountains but also by the ferocious running attack of the Appalachian State Mountaineers. They shut out the Panthers by a final of 44-0 as Appalachian State runningback Marcus Cox rushed for over 200 yards and three touchdowns. Nick Arbuckle only had 47 yards passing.

√√ √√√ vs.

Troy

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10/16/14 3:33 PM

ARTS & LIVING

www.georgiastatesignal.com/artsandliving

Slinging philosophy with the ‘Love Samuri’

PHOTOS BY RALPH HERNANDEZ | THE SIGNAL Visual artist Jordan Norris goes by the pseudonym ‘Love Samurai.’ He can be seen in the Library Plaza as students scurry off to class.

INGA MASIC Staff Reporter

Who is that mystery man in the plaza sharing his unique, positive artwork?

S

itting on the planks of the plaza stage, Love Samurai has a message for students: “What inspires you about life and living?”

At 22 years old, Jordan Norris, better known as ‘Love Samurai,’ sits on the stage in the Library Plaza for long periods at a time holding these particular words up.

“I decided to write it out on paper and actually ask people. It was like a social experiment I came up with and I decided to keep coming because I like the reaction I was getting with people. It was very powerful,” he said.

Samurai is not a Georgia State student even though he frequents the courtyard. He has intentions to either begin his studies at Savannah College of Art and Design or right here at Georgia State with a major in animation and a minor in illustration.

“I’ve been working on an anime concept for a few years and I require animation that school can bring me in order to execute my art correctly,” Samurai said.

Samurai began doing this experiment to encourage students to open up a new state of mind and his goal is for students to think about it in a psychological manner. However, getting the answer to the question from students is not his intention.

Instead, simply knowing they will walk by his signs, read them and take away each message is enough.

“What inspires you? Believe it or not, not a lot of people know the an-

swer to that question and know that if they don’t know the answer, they can go find it. That’s why I do it. I do it for self-empowerment,” Samurai said. “I do it to initiate that spark internally. Follow your heart. Your heart will always guide you in the right place. That’s why I ended up at Georgia State.”

With the hopeful impact that he has on Georgia State’s community, the origin of his art and philosophy plays a major factor in how he views life today.

“I was always getting into like crayons and coloring books, but I would never color in the actual books. I would always draw my own stuff and finally my mom caught on and started giving me regular paper.

So I started drawing from there and never stopped,” Samurai said.

Eventually he began painting, dabbling in tattoo artistry and making graphics. No matter which art methods he focused on, they were all driven by the same final goal and stemmed from the same stimulation in the end.

“I’m inspired by the people that pass by me at school I do this at other places also like Little Five Points and Atlantic Station,” said Samurai.

“What inspires me are those people who know what I’m doing, and why I’m doing it, and those who show me encouragement and support me from a distance.”

He also incorporates various cultures within his artwork to create an impactful art piece and intensify the inspirational message. Samurai takes aspects from Hinduism, African cultures and Americanized urban with a hip-hop twist.

“My point of doing that is to show that there’s unity,” he said.

“Beauty is unity. All of these things put together is what makes this world such a beautiful place. And I’m not sure what I’m doing. I’m just following my heart.”.

The message of Samurai isn’t complex: We are all one in this world. We should have the under-

standing of the varied differences, but they should be accepted.

However, in order to succeed in that goal, Samurai wants you to start by loving who you are confidently.

“We’re all brothers and sisters and I want people to understand what love is. That’s why I follow love,” Samurai said. “Once you come into the understanding of self, then you can come into the understanding of others. You’re able to unconditionally love another like you love yourself.”

Showing that materialism should not take the place of selflove is one of the main messages that Samurai is trying to send. He believes that trying to replace happiness with belongings is where people have it wrong.

“I’m not saying that all materials are a bad thing,” he said. “I carry around a lot of material things. It may not have the same significance for other people, but trying to replace that stuff with happiness is where people go wrong.”

Fear and love are two of the only motivating forces we see in today’s world, according to Samurai.

“Either what you’re doing is out of fear or it’s out of love, whether it be for yourself or for another,” he explained. “That’s what I’m fighting against — fear — for my brothers and sisters in this world so they can live their life the way they’re supposed to better.”

“I use whatever medium I feel is necessary. I do some photography as well, so sometimes I incorporate some photo manipulation since I know photo design software. I’ll take in those photos and do something crazy with them,” Samurai said.

Love Samurai sits for hours in the plaza in order to develop an overall creation of observation, inspiration and impression.

“There is no right or wrong way to look at my stuff. It’s all in the eye of the beholder. That’s a powerful thing,” Samurai said.

SAMURAI’S TECHNIQUE

3. Software creates virtual

1. Utilizes various mediums:

product : When uploaded, he completes his work using Photoshop and Illustrator.

Samurai develops his art through mixed media and incorporates raw illustrations to achieve this.

2. Introduces Technology to the art: He then puts these illustrations into a computer through a scanner.

4. Combines different tools for the finished piece: He uses cheap 8x11 flat canvases for his work with the use of cheap paint scraps to create his final piece.

ILLUSTRATIONS BY DARIAN MATHEWS | THE SIGNAL

15

ARTS & LIVING

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

A double-edged sword To Greek or not to Greek

PHOTOS BY JADE JOHNSON | THE SIGNAL Emil Nirkis, a member of Alpha Epsilon Pi, says that his experience with the organization has been more about brotherhood than partying.

ZACH ITZKOVITZ Staff Reporter

T

o those in Patton Hall who catch a glimpse of the sunset, Greek Housing rests below; and if it’s late enough, it hides the sunlight.

From the right angle, the collection of townhomes become a silhouette, their outlines emphasized and their Greek letters hidden.

Spectacle and reality To outsiders of Greek life at Georgia State, fraternities and sororities may seem mysterious. Media portrayals like ‘American Pie’ mislead some to believe that a Greek lifestyle is limited to sex, alcohol, sports and fun.

Who would pretend that sex, alcohol, sports and fun are not in Greek life at Georgia State? They emphatically are, as they are in the rest of campus and many colleges nationwide.

However, members of fraternities and sororities at Georgia State would like Greek life to be seen for what it is, despite keeping certain secrets.

Michael Chong, a sophomore marketing major, spent time as a pledge for the Eta Gamma chapter of the Sigma Nu Fraternity. He describes how social events and individual brothers helped him become more social.

“At first, it’s really all about the parties,” Chong explained. “But as you go through the pledging process, you learn a lot. There are a couple brothers that really helped me out.”

Many who have been involved in Greek life attribute some of their closest friendships to the Greek community. Chong is grateful for the friends he made within Sigma Nu but says it

took time to build those relationships.

“At first I was kind of uncomfortable around them, but as I got to talk to them more and more, we had good conversations,” Chong explained. “At the end of the day, I liked it. I made a lot of friends there.”

Greek life at Georgia State has obvious differences from Greek life at The University of Georgia and elsewhere. With fraternity chapters older than Georgia State itself and nearly 40,000 acres of suburban campus, UGA offers a Greek environment with vast differences.

Perhaps more relevant are the student body differences — Georgia State is an icon of diversity whereas the student body at UGA is comparably homogenous. This has broad implications. With a more diverse student body, Georgia State offers a multicultural experience that is extended to its Greek organizations, helping students develop an open mind and an acceptance of others.

Emil Nirkis, a sophomore chemistry major, has been a brother of Alpha Epsilon Pi since his freshman year and says his chapter is more about the brothers themselves than the activities they participate in.

“When I was in high school, I thought it was going to be like the one at UGA where they’re just partying all the time,” Nirkis said. “The [chapter] at Georgia State is more about brotherhood.”

Strong Familial Ties On Tuesday evenings, troops of suited men emerge from the miscellaneous majority, often sharing a laugh with one another. Women in solid dresses surround each other in close

groups as they stroll. Rarely is there a lone wolf among the Greeks — a sole brother or sister. Their familial titles alone imply this phenomenon, giving members identity only in the context of the collective. A brother without brothers is simply a man — a sisterless sister a woman.

For relatively small groups, Greek organizations have complex governing bodies that often include committees and board positions of varying power.

As a Jewish fraternity, Alpha Epsilon Pi offers the position of Jewish Identity Chair. Nirkis holds this position currently.

“Currently I’m only Jewish Identity Chair, but I serve on every single committee. I don’t have any voting power, but I have a lot of people that come to me for input,” he said.

In the future, Nirkis hopes to be his chapter’s Brotherhood Chair, an executive board position in which he would oversee the effort to improve relationships between brothers.

“I’d like to be Brotherhood Chair because that’s been a position that’s been lacking in recent times and it’s important to me to get brotherhood stronger more so than anything else really,” he said.

From the Inside Relationships among Greek members are challenged by the their broad responsibilities. As students learn to manage the money of their peers as well as the logistics of sizable philanthropy events, a massive margin for error makes shortcomings inevitable.

Additionally many fraternities and sororities have a minimum GPA requirement, forcing members to stay on top of coursework. When problems

PHOTOS BY JADE JOHNSON | THE SIGNAL Members of the Alpha Xi Delta sorority, who were recruited back in September, have had an amazing experience creating an unforgettable sisterhood.

PHOTOS BY JADE JOHNSON | THE SIGNAL This is the Alpha Xi Delta sign of the sorority. eventually surface, they affect internal relationships. Chong observes these effects which elude the public eye.

“The majority of the time Greek has the most drama,” Chong said.

“People outside looking in that aren’t in Greek, I don’t know what their perspective is.”

Critics of Greek organizations occasionally refer to the system as a “payfor-friends” model wherein members pay dues to avoid solitude. The mere existence of the idea puts Greeks on the defensive and elicits justification.

Ansley Anchors is the president of the Gamma Sigma chapter of the Alpha Omicron Pi Sorority, traditionally referred to as a women’s fraternity. She resents the notion of buying friendship in the Greek community.

“You’re not paying for your friends.

You’re paying for the food and the venues and everything else,” she said.

Nirkis also defends Greek organizations from these accusations, explaining that members of Alpha Epsilon Pi who pay dues see most of their money returned in some way.

“There’s only one section of the

money you pay that you don’t see and that’s dues you pay to nationals for insurance,” Nirkis explains. “If someone were to fall off the roof at a party or something, we wouldn’t have to pay medical bills for them.”

Natalia Hernandez, a 19-year-old sophomore, notes some common misconceptions about joining a Greek organization.

“Granted, there are some people whose lives just revolve around their friends in the Greek society at their school, but that’s not true for everyone,” Hernandez said. “It’s an easy way to meet people, but that’s not the only reason why people do it.”

The benefits of involvement are extensive. Even so, demands cannot be ignored and for the dedicated athlete or the devoted musician, the requirements often preclude involvement. Collectivism seems inherent in Greek life, making it unattractive to freethinkers and collegiate bohemians. Those that do get involved wield a double-edged sword — finding the sharper edge takes time and may draw blood.

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ARTS & LIVING

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

Insight into the past, present and future

by Sydney Cunningham

I

n Atlantis Eclectic Boutique on Euclid Avenue sits a table in the back corner. Decorated in dark blue, ivy and vines, the shop’s decor takes place in an underwater realm. At the shop, you can pick up anything from rare items, local artist’s artwork, incense, jewelry, henna and tarot card readings.

Tarot card reading is a skill that is shrouded in mystery and sensationalism. Sitting down with Stacey Cohen, the skill of tarot cards and esotericism are brought to light.

Operating solely on weekends, Stacey Cohen offers the henna body art and tarot card sessions.

Tarot are playing cards that have been used since the mid-15th century and since the 18th century, they have been used in divination, occultist and mystic settings. The practice of giving tarot readings exists in a broad world where they are also used to facilitate a mental or spiritual pathway.

Cohen considers herself a jack of trades in the healing arts. Continue reading below for a Q&A with Cohen.

Q: How did you find tarot?

COHEN: Well, I am a visual

artist. Right now my art is henna, I was a commercial illustrator full time for over 16 years before I switched professions. I’m now a licensed therapist with my private practice. I do spiritual life coaching, where more esoterics and meditation can be involved.

The ‘weirder’ stuff, one might say. I also do Reiki, and soon will be getting my masters level certificate.

I started tarot at my friend’s kitchen table, and one day she brings over these circle cards. It’s actually the ‘Mother Peace’ deck, which is the deck that I still use.

She asked me to read my cards and we just had fun. I started free styling and whatever would come into my mind, I would say. Then I started taking it seriously.

Q: How did you get started working at a table in Atlantis?

COHEN: Well, when I went into

Atlantis, it was to get my work sold on consignment. And we just became friends. One summer when I was searching for a new job, I needed a way to make some money. They set me up outside with a table where I did my henna art and tarot. When the

second part of Atlantis was expanded, I moved inside the temple area in the back corner. It had AC and everything, it was great.

I work weekends, Saturdays are the staple.

I work on Fridays and Sundays as well. It’s steady and i love it. So i don’t see it as work. It’s so much fun. I figured, why don’t I use my skills? I come from the burner culture, so radical self reliance is something i hold dear to my heart. I thought, why not?

Q: Is there a specialty that you have doing readings?

Any specific philosophy?

COHEN: I consider myself a positive reader. When I do a reading, I am doing it for the greater good. With the information that comes through, it’s getting put towards that person and their spiritual growth. Even if the growth is painful, that it’s not a bad thing. If it’s challenging for the person to hear, it’s challenging for a spiritual guidance and I consider it positive. I’m not doing it for any intent except to guide.

Q: How familiar is it to the occult?

COHEN: Well, I don’t really

hang out with those people. I know enough about it to know

PHOTOS BY NADIA DELJOU | THE SIGNAL Stacey, a local tarot card reader works at Atlantis, a little shop in Little Five Points.

that it’s not for me. I would consider it using that energy and that information for one’s own benefit. That’s for dark artists. I’m doing it as a service, not for me.

conversation reaches new boundaries and the topic is changing, I will finish the reading and redraw tarot.

Q: How accurate is it? Is it “fortune telling”?

Q: Is there an inherent ideology related to tarot card reading like paganism?

COHEN: Well in many ways, it

COHEN: There are so many

can be misconstrued as such. I’ve been asked if I’m a palm reader, and I always try to draw a line between what I do and “fortune telling.” I have a friend in California I share readings with, and it affirms the reading all the more when he comes back and says how on point it is.

Q: What do you technically do physically when you read tarot cards?

COHEN: Oh, you’re talking

about the spreads. Well, when I first started I did the classic three card outline, where each card is drawn and it represents the past, the present, and the future. There are all kinds of different spreads and shapes to do to represent all types of questions and paths. For me, I intuitively go about how many cards to put down. I usually put down three, and then once I feel I’ve extracted enough information, I’ll put down more and create rows of three. If our

different ways to practice tarot and so many belief systems that one can have, there isn’t any one specifically for tarot. There are so many different types of cards and so many types of readers.

There are certain decks that are customized for paganism and themes that are coexist, but I don’t necessarily consider myself a pagan.

Q: What is the difference to you between religious higher level and a mystical higher level?

COHEN: You know like in

evangelical churches, people will claim that others ‘caught the holy spirit? And the whole talking in tongues? It’s all different lingo and different beliefs, but it’s all tapping into the same thing. No matter the label, it’s all the same source. At least to me, anyway.

Q: You are also a therapist.

How close is what you discuss during your readings to

your therapy sessions?

COHEN: I keep a box of tissues

near the table. Sometimes what we talk about can be too intense, and they can’t really process it except to cry. People cry minimally once every week at my readings, I’m used to it at all my jobs. However, I actively keep my tarot readings away from my private practice clients.

Q: Do you have any tips or advice for people who either want to get readings done or want to learn how to give readings?

COHEN: Because I rely solely

on intuition as my guide, I encourage others to be empowered by trusting their intuition. When they are choosing their deck, and they really like it, go for it. If they think they have a natural understanding of the images and what is being talked about, go with it.

I go with my intuition, I go with my gut. Any time I’ve doubted my intuition, is a time I’ve gotten myself in trouble. As far as getting readings done, if you sit down with someone and they have a bad vibe and it wasn’t someone you’d want to go get coffee with?

Don’t do it. You won’t be getting a good read. Intuition should be used both ways.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

“

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ARTS & LIVING

Empower yourself with intuition.”

- Stacey Cohen, tarot card reader

PHOTOS BY NADIA DELJOU | THE SIGNAL Stacey Cohen sits one on one with her client at the back of the store to provide a more personal tarot card reading experience.

PHOTOS BY NADIA DELJOU | THE SIGNAL Stacey Cohen begins with shuffling her cards and allowing her client to pick a few from the stack.

What is Tarot?

How it Works

There are different descriptions and different uses for tarot. Self-described witches use it, spiritual spirits use it, mystics use it and curious people use it. For each use and drive, there are many different tarot decks to choose from.

“I’m a healthy skeptic,” Cohen said. “I really enjoy studying metaphysics and esoterics but I have also been like, ‘ok, this person is just trying to get your money.’ They are completely full of it.”

“I’m still a skeptic,” she continued. “However, [I] have gone to a few fairs and met people that have hit it completely out of the ballpark. I do believe there are people who have the gift and then people who are greedy and feeding off people’s desire to know about their life.”

No matter the usage, the design of tarot is all about guiding.

“There are many ways to tap into universal information. The cards are one way. The cards are a tool. The cards are a bridge,” Cohen said.

There are two types of levels within the deck, Major and Minor Arcana. The suits that are largely imagery such as ‘The Lovers’ or ‘Death’ are Major Arcana. Minor Arcana are numbered tarot with suits such as pentacles and swords. Using this image, certain themes and life challenges are inspired and a dialogue is set up with the reader and the client.

“I use the symbols on the cards as a springboard for the reading. Wands can mean things like passion [or] direction.

Swords can be conflict or protection.

Cups are emotions and the psychology of the person,” Cohen said. “When I pull the death card out, I make sure to let them know that it doesn’t mean that they are going to die. I do not get that information. It can be really positive. It implies resurrection or resurgence.”

There are numerous ways to go about reading tarot. The client comes with a question, sits and sees what happens or they experience both.

“If you want to start with a general state of the union and then maybe some questions will come up. Generally people want to see where the cards go,” Cohen said.

PHOTOS BY NADIA DELJOU | THE SIGNAL Tarot cards come in a variety of styles, packages and categories.

PHOTOS BY NADIA DELJOU | THE SIGNAL Stacey Cohen uses to sets of tarot cards; she begins with the symbol cards.

All of Cohen’s sessions offered at Atlantis are paid in measurements of by the minute.

Visit fusionartstudio. wordpress.com, for pricing information.

columns

18

Lifestyle column

Talk to me cheap

$65.

NICHOLE PLACE Columnist

Nichole is a sophomore journalism major. She is an Arts & Living columnist for The Signal.

Follow her @GSUSignalAandL

Sex column

Yes, that’s how much they want you to believe that jacket you desperately desire is worth.

Sticker shock is not a new concept to most college students. In fact while shopping, the thought process that most of us go through is, “Oh, that’s nice, but too bad I can’t afford it,” before we even look at the price tag.

How is it fair that we spend thousands of dollars on college tuition and stores still expect us to fork up another outrageous amount for a sweater? Oh, that’s right, because we’re willing to.

Since the weather is changing, it seems to be the time again to empty our wallets into the registers at the mall. But I think we should save a little for ourselves. As students it’s important to know how to bargain shop.

There is no need to spend a huge amount of money on one item. Luckily, there are local consignments and thrift shops that offer deals on clothes that have been gently used.

Like most thrift stores, the three listed here offer a wide variety of clothes from vintage to retro to modern with prices that are hard to beat.

Because of their pre-owned status, the prices are lower than their original tag. However, be leery of small shops like these. Their sign may say “thrift store” but only because some of their clothes are older and considered “vintage.” Their prices might be higher due to limited quantity.

Every once in a while there are times when you just have to “treat yo’ self.” With stores that are higher end, it is important to know which ones offer student discounts. Never be afraid to ask if they offer a discount. Your money is precious. Make it your first priority to find the sale items. This is your safe zone; do not veer away from it or your money will be in danger.

Once you have made your way up to the register, flash your student I.D. immediately. You need that discount and don’t you forget it.

Shopping online can be tricky too.

First things first: Click the sale button. Then sort the items low to high.

Never scroll through the site freely or by the end your cart will be fuller than your wallet. Also, don’t forget to check places other than the store’s site (like Amazon.com) to find what you’re looking for. Lastly, always keep your eye out for discounts and always refuse to pay full price.

When trying to find anything specific, mainstream shops are the way to go but can drain your wallet quickly if you’re not careful. If you are shopping on a budget, thrifting is the best place to look. Just be prepared to dig.

Spending extreme amounts of money on clothes is dreadful, but being nude all the time probably isn’t the best alternative, making clothes a necessity. And since fall is here, now it is almost a social requirement to wear even more clothes. Luckily, when times get rough and our wallets are bare, certain stores and little plastic cards can save our assets from the colder months.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

LUCKY EXCHANGE OUTFIT

SHIRT: $14.99

PANTS: $13.99

SHOES: $10

PHOTO BY BRITTANY GUERIN | THE SIGNAL

LOCAL CONSIGNMENTS AND THRIFT SHOPS

1. Buffalo Exchange: 1057 Ponce De Leon Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30306; Open from 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.

2. Rag-O-Rama: 1111 Euclid Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30307; Open 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.

3. The Lucky Exchange: 212 Ponce De Leon Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30307; Open from 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.

A sex columnist’s farewell:

Top 5 tips learned along the way Readers, this is my last column as The Signal’s sex columnist.

RACHEL KINGSLEY Columnist

Rachel believes even though society has become more open about sex, it’s still a highly taboo subject. To become more open and accepting, she believes we need to start with education. Rachel shares her experiences.

Follow her

@rachelkingsley

I

started this column because I wanted to make a difference with how our readers view sexuality. I wanted to break barriers and make my readers question their own sexuality. I wanted to educate people about kink and alternative sexuality and (hopefully) normalize it. I wanted to be someone that you could come up to and ask questions (and many of you did). I wanted to see my readers as my friends — people that I could spill all my dirty secrets to and we could laugh at them together.

It’s been so much fun and I wouldn’t trade my readers for the world. But before I say my final goodbye, I want to leave you guys with a few tips I’ve learned along the way.

1. WEAR PROTECTION. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are on the rise with college students. Most of us believe we are invincible and our sexual partners would never transmit anything to us.

False. Make sure you use protection.

It literally might save your life.

2. CONSENT IS A BIG DEAL. A lot of people role-play on a regular basis by saying no (when you really mean yes). Although this can be fun, we all need to remember to stop and really ask if they want to engage sexually with you. Once you get the YES, then go forth and role-play more, you fun, role-playing people.

3. MY KINK DOESN’T HAVE TO BE YOUR KINK. This one is a good one and a rule I live by. Not everyone is going to be into what you do sexually and that’s alright. It doesn’t make you a freak.

It just means you have differences in what turns you on. The trick is to find someone who shares those kinks with you. Explore with them.

4. A NUMBER IS JUST THAT — A NUMBER. So many people assume that because I write about my escapades that I’ve had tons of partners. It’s not true.

I’ve had the same amazing partner for over three years. I change his name

on a regular basis to protect him. I think we have really skewed views of women who we think have been sexually brazen as being whores. We’re not, I promise you. We just love having sex. Can you blame us?

5. HAVE FUN! This is my number one piece of advice. Have fun with your sexuality. Do not limit yourself in your experiences or whom you share those experiences with. If you want to try something — do it! Life is too short to have bad sex.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

reviews

19

ALBUM REVIEW

NOW PLAYING AT

Run the Jewels

Cinefest

returns fun, fast and furious 1 2 3

Release Date: Oct. 24, 2014 Grade: AVerdict: Run the Jewels 2 is a grand slam for Killer Mike, El-P and the collective hip-hop audience.

ALEX KUGACZEWSKI Staff Reviewer

K

iller Mike and El-P certainly know how to make an entrance. Last year’s self-titled debut album “Run the Jewels” began by insinuating that the mere thought of the two rappers together was so terrifying that listeners would snort boosters to keep the nightmares at bay. It was exactly the type of bragrap that’s come to dominate much of the genre over the decades, but that worn approach took on a new life through the sheer power of the duo’s collaborative efforts, resulting in one of the year’s best rap albums.

“Run the Jewels 2” begins with just as big of a bang, opening with more boastful exclamations from Mike and El, assuring the audience that absolutely nothing has changed since they last set fire to their microphones: “I live for the thrill of the kill, yes it excites me / You know your favorite rapper ain’t shit and me, I might be / The closest representation of God you might see / Pay honors like your momma young sonna and take a right knee.” They’re back, and they’re meaner than ever.

As with the duo’s previous album, “Run the Jewels 2” thrives on tongue-in-cheek profanities and ego-boosting proclamations. “Offensive” is the name of the game and few rappers today work that angle more effectively than Killer Mike and El-P. It’s no coincidence that any of Run the Jewel’s latest three singles could be picked at random and show the group is back with a bitter vengeance. “Blockbuster Night, Pt. 1” wastes little time in pulverizing the audience with its verses: “bunches

and bunches, punches is thrown until you’re frontless / Oodles and oodles, bang bullets at suckas’ noodles / Last album voodoo, proved that we was fuckin’ brutal / I’m talking crazy, half past the clock is cuckoo.”

This isn’t to say that Mike and El completely neglect to conjure any social commentaries, because they do on multiple occasions. “Early (feat. Boots)” finds the duo at their best here, tackling the emotional traumas inflicted by police brutality.

“And I pray today ain’t the day that you drag me away / Right in front of my beautiful son / And he still put my hands in cuffs, put me in the truck / When my woman screamed, said “shut up” / Witness with the camera phone on / Saw the copper pull a gun and put it on my gorgeous queen / As I peered out the window / I could see my other kinfolk and hear my little boy as he screamed.”

Mike smartly approaches the topic with a stone-faced disposition, forgoing any attempt at humor where none would be warranted.

Of course, none of the group’s lyrical dexterity would matter without a competent musical backdrop to provide a study foundation.

Thankfully, El-P is up to the task.

Throughout the record, El-P’s production brilliantly brings the verbal offensive to life with intelligent sampling and murderous beats. Nowhere is this more apparent than the album’s third cut, “Close Your Eyes (And Count to Fuck),” which keeps the high-octane ride on its rails with Zack De La Rocha’s roboticized vocal samples and mechanical, surgical rhythms. The menacing low-end march of “Blockbuster Night, Pt 1.” works in much the same fashion, as it amplifies the track’s intensity, raging onwards with militant precision and threatening to turn the aural assault physical.

In other words, this is Run the Jewels at the height of its powers.

Fast, furious and undeniably fun, the duo of Killer Mike and El-P have released another round of punishment for unsuspecting listeners and grizzled veterans alike. The year may not be over just yet, but it’s hard to see another hip-hop album that could dethrone “Run the Jewels 2” as the best of the year.

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GARDEN CITY MOVEMENT

Entertainment/Bengali Cinema ASONAT Connection FOXYGEN ...And Star Power

Maleficent Synopsis: A beautiful, pure-hearted young woman, Maleficent has an idyllic life growing up in a peaceable forest kingdom, until one day when an invading army of humans threatens the harmony of the land.

Showtimes: Wednesday- Friday 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m., and 7 p.m.

Rated: PG Running Time: 97 minutes

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An evening with Aretha Franklin

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Tickets range from $65 (gallery) to $150 (pit).

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Veteran’s Day Parade Nov. 8 11:11 a.m.

Downtown Atlanta, Peachtree Street, south of Ralph McGill/Ivan Allen Blvd The 33rd Annual Atlanta Veterans Day Parade will take place in downtown Atlanta, traveling south through the city. The theme for the events this year is dedicated to honoring our Korean War Veterans. Associates anticipate a record number of parade entries and spectators.

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Atlanta Vegetarian Festival

Nov. 8 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Atlanta Metropolitan State College Mark your calendars and get ready for a day of engaging speakers, delicious food and fun for all ages. There will be a $5 suggested donation at the door, but no one will be turned away. Atlanta Veg Fest is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to support the community and promote the benefits of a plant-based lifestyle founded in compassion for animals, people and the environment.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

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