Vol. 80 No. 3

DR A RE GO A& T L| U N * Pa RN C ge s 9 S ON -11

SEPT. 4 - SEPT. 10, 2012

VOL. 80 | NO. 3

BUILDING AN EMPIRE As Georgia State grows, what will the rest of Atlanta look like?

NEWS | Pages 3 - 5

PATRICK DUFFY | THE SIGNAL

Daily news updates at www.gsusignal.com

News 3

Opinions 6

Arts & Living 9

Sports 17

02

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2012

blotter

last week... discrimination and retaliation are “unfounded.”

Local

20-year-old Isaac Grubb died after falling from the upper deck of the Georgia Dome during the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game last Friday. Witnesses say the Tennessee fan was seen drinking before the game but Georgia World Congress Center employees deny that he was sold alcohol on the premises.

A federal magistrate judge dismissed a lawsuit filed against the city of Atlanta by Occupy Atlanta. Occupy Atlanta claimed that Mayor Kasim Reed revoking his own executive order that allowed the protesters to stay Woodruff Park overnight was unconstitutional.

Good Samaritan Jeff Justus pulled a man from a burning truck last Wednesday after a driver traveling the wrong way down a Spaghetti Junction ramp. Justus went to visit the trucker, 62-year-old Gary Tucker, in the intensive care unit of Grady Memorial Hospital to check on his condition.

National

Aide to Homeland Security Secretary Napolitano Suzanne Barr resigned after allegations of inappropriate sexual behavior. Barr stated in her resignation letter that allegations of sexual

Songwriter Hal David died in Los Angeles from complications after a stroke. David, aged 91, wrote for many popular artists in the 1960s.

He most popularly teamed with singer Burt Bacharach.

Republican vice presidential hopeful Paul Ryan is now redacting the claim that he ran a marathon in less than three hours. Ryan had originally made the statement during a radio interview. Ryan changed his story after Runner’s World magazine found evidence of a 1990 race time of more than four hours.

World

Two suicide bombers killed 13 people outside of a U.S.-Afghan military base last Saturday.

The blast killed a child, two women and four policemen. The explosion injured at least 78 others. According to authorities, the Taliban is claiming responsibility for the attack.

A fisherman in Scotland has found the oldest message in a bottle on record—released in 1914. It was released during a government experiment to track the undercurrent of the Scottish oceans. The Guinness Book of World Records confirmed the record last Thursday.

weather WED 85/70

THU 88/69

source: weather.com FRI 89/69

SAT 85/65

SUN 81/62

August 30 Barbara Asher Square

Officers arrested a NonGeorgia State individual for an Outstanding Non-Felony Warrant. A male who stated he had a warrant for his arrest from Cobb County approached an officer. The officer confirmed the information and the individual was arrested

Alderhold Learning Center

A report was filed for Theft.

A Georgia State student stated she left her iPhone and a phone case on a desk unattended. When she returned she noticed that it had been stolen. This case is being handled by investigations.

Gilmer Street SE

A report was filed for Vandalism. Officers observed a Georgia State student writing on a parking meter. The individual cleaned up the writing before being released.

Gilmer Street

A report was filed for Suspicious Activity/Behavior. A Georgia State student stated she obtained a Temporary

Protection Order from Cobb County against a female subject. On 8/30/12 she observed the individual but no contact was made.

August 29 Education Building

A report was filed for Theft.

A Georgia State staff member stated she received three packages containing three Apple Map Book Pro Laptops from a deliver company and she noticed that one of the computers was not in the package it had been stolen.

Student Recreation Center

A report was filed for Theft. A Georgia State student stated he laid his iPhone and head phones down on a window ledge while he played basketball and when he returned his property had been stolen.

N-Deck

A report was filed for Entering Auto Theft. A Georgia State student stated she parked and left her car and when she returned she noticed someone had broken one of her side windows and stole her book bag, but she later found the

book bag near the vehicle with no items stolen from it.

August 27 Natural Science Building

A report was filed for an Odor of Smoke. Officers responded to a complaint of an odor of smoke. An investigation ensued and it was determined the building had to be evacuated. Atlanta Fire Department responded and cleared the building of all hazards and it was reopened.

Student Recreation Center

A report was filed for Theft.

A Georgia State student stated he left his pants unattended while he played basketball and when he returned approximately forty minutes later; someone had stolen his iPhone from one of the pockets.

Alderhold Learning Center

A report was filed for Theft. A Georgia State student stated he secured his Mountain bike at a bike rack and when he returned someone had stolen his bicycle and the lock.

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NEWS

www.gsusignal.com/news

PATRICK DUFFY | THE SIGNAL The original Atlanta Life buildings sit next door to the building Georgia State recently purchased.

All but forgotten Can Georgia State save Sweet Auburn?

TERAH BOYD News Editor

B

efore the rising sun clears the buildings to heat up Atlanta, Auburn Avenue is silent, but awake. Past Piedmont, where weary students head to class, a ghost town sits. A dusty man sits on a bench in John Calhoun Park, wearing a coat, hat and threadbare jeans in the humidity. Further east a couple of aged women sit on the steps of the Big Bethel AME Church. One, in a thin dress with the straps hanging off her shoulders, stares at her hands. The other, with a leathery, dark- skinned face wears dingy socks in place of shoes. Her milky eyes watch thrashers make a nest in the “A” of the blue “JESUS SAVES” sign mounted on the steeple.

This is John Wesley Dobb’s Sweet Auburn: “the richest Negro street in the world.”

Georgia State’s “opportunity” “More recently, over the summer, the National Trust came out with a new list of endangered places and the Sweet Auburn District was one of those places listed, ” said Richard Laub, director of the Heritage Preservation Program at Georgia State.

The National Trust came to Auburn Avenue to personally relay the alarming news.

After the news, the Sweet Auburn Stakeholders, including Laub, was formed. Created

by the National Trust and the Historic District Development Cooperation (HDDC), the Sweet Auburn Stakeholders include Councilman Kwanza Hall, Rep. John Lewis, the Atlanta Preservation Center, Fulton County Commission and the Atlanta History Center.

Laub was the only person from Georgia State that was a member.

“I’m not representing the university so much as representing that place,” Laub said. “I’m not privy to the university’s design decisions or what they’re going to be doing.”

The situation intensified when news of Georgia State’s purchase of the Atlanta Life building reached the stakeholders.

After the meeting, Laub reached out to Georgia State administrators. Laub and Mtamanika Youngblood, former president of the HDDC and the chairman of its board, met with Jerry Radcliff, the vice president of finance for Georgia State.

“Jerry was very reassuring in terms of what the intentions were in regards to Georgia State,” Laub said. “He said if Georgia State goes into the Sweet Auburn historic district they are looking to rehabilitate buildings or to build buildings on empty sites that would be compatible with architecture of the area. Just saying that was a big relief for a lot of people in the stakeholder’s meeting.”

Georgia State’s move into Sweet Auburn includes 100 Auburn Avenue and the building at 60 Piedmont.

Between the two Georgia State buildings sits

the historic Atlanta Life structure. The HDDC is currently protecting the properties, hoping they can be purchased by an organization with the power to revive it.

“Georgia State University has a great opportunity here,” Youngblood said. “Those two buildings are in a dangerous place.”

Golden days The Atlanta Race Riot of 1906 caused black business owners to migrate to the area surrounding Wheat Street. Wheat Street soon became Auburn Avenue—the Mecca for AfricanAmerican prosperity. Home to the black elite, Atlanta’s African-American middle and upper class thrived on Auburn Avenue. The Atlanta Daily World, founded in 1928 by Morehouse graduate William Alexander Scott II, was the first black daily in the US. Nightclubs, a hotel, grocery stores and churches lined the street. Atlanta blacks did not need to leave the corridor of cosmopolitan Auburn Avenue to find all the comforts of big city life.

Sweet Auburn’s most powerful success story may belong to Alonzo Herndon. Herndon was born in 1858 as a slave in Walton County. Emancipated at age seven, Herndon became a sharecropper in Social Circle.

With $11 in his pocket, Herndon opened a successful barbershop in Clayton County. His business savvy led him to Sweet Auburn, where he started Atlanta Life Insurance Company. Catering to the black community of Atlanta, Hern-

don’s multi-million-dollar company made him Atlanta’s first black millionaire.

His success can still be seen on the corner of Courtland Street and Auburn Avenue. The impressive Atlanta Life building, with its unique stone façade and striking glass walls, was just purchased by Georgia State this summer.

The original Atlanta Life Insurance buildings, only footsteps away from Georgia State’s latest acquisition, are all but forgotten. Slats of particleboard keep the sun out of places where windows and doors used to be. Vines and weeds grow over cracked plaster on the walls. A dirty rain-soaked blanket, alongside empty vodka bottles, rests in one of the original entry ways. A makeshift bed for one of the city’s homeless is all the building is used for now.

What went wrong?

“Probably what was the biggest detriment to Auburn Avenue was the Civil Rights Act of 1964,” Laub said.

“It’s a little ironic that with more freedom it became a less popular place to go because African-Americans basically had freedom to go anywhere they wanted to,” Laub said.

As African-Americans enjoyed commerce and socializing anywhere in the city, Sweet Auburn lost its usefulness.

“When it was a segregated neighborhood basically all African-Americans had to shop

Auburn Avenue ...continued on page 5

04

NEWS

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2012

The Complexity of Main Street ANDRES CRUZ-WELLMANN

Associate News Editor

F

ifteen years ago, Georgia State set out to expand its campus to accommodate its growing enrollment numbers and need of modern teaching facilities.

The Main Street Master Plan was developed to change not just Georgia State’s campus, but also downtown Atlanta.

“Most of the campus master plan is to provide a general framework for physical growth of the campus,” Ramesh Vaka-

1998 Student Center 2001 Student recreation center

mudi, assistant vice president of Facilities Acquisition and Operations, said. “They are not going into specific details, such as building designs, which itself is a very involved process which can take a few years.”

Vakamudi explained that the Master Plan works as a “living document” that changes every time certain needs arise.

Master Plans normally have a five to 10 year horizon. Once that time span nears its end, the administration updates it according to its needs and feedback from students.

The original 1997 version

2002 University Lofts 2002 Helen M. Aderhold Learning Center

2004 AYSPS (built in 1904)

of the plan was intended to accommodate the growing enrollment numbers and provide adequate research space for students.

All of the concepts that were envisioned in the original plan are either in the process or have been implemented.

Such concepts include the Student Recreation Center, Helen M. Aderhold Learning Center, North Metro Center, University Lofts, Andrew Young School Of Policy Studies and the University Library Transformation.

In 2005, Georgia State be-

gan to prepare an update of the Master Plan. While the original plan expanded the campus to provide sufficient teaching space, the updated plan would provide students on-campus housing, administrative office space and student social space.

As a part of the updated Master Plan, Georgia State now wants to house 20 percent of its students.

“Where we are now, we are about 32,000 students,” Vakamudi said. “If we want to house 20 percent we need 6,400 beds.

We currently have about 4,000 beds on campus.”

2007 Citizens trust building 2007 University Commons

2011 Piedmont North 2010 Petit Science Center

MASTER PLAN PROJECTS HAVE DRAMATICLY CHANGED GEORGIA STATE’S LANDSCAPE

Currently Georgia State has about 32,000 students and 4,000 beds--8 percent less beds than its goal requires.

Despite lacking 2,400 beds, Georgia State still wishes to attain its goal of housing 20 percent of students and having around 40,000 students by 2020. Georgia State would need to provide a total of 8,000 beds.

Vakamudi said that another housing development, like University Commons, would be close to impossible. Instead, Georgia State hopes to build or acquire smaller buidings to house smaller groups of students.

“We will probably do these projects in chunks of 300 to 500 beds every few years,” Vakamudi said.

Georgia State has a current graduate student housing prototype project in the planning and design phase.

“It’s going to be a very small housing project,” Vakamudi said. “37 beds for graduate students.”

The housing project will be located next to the Petite Science Center. It will address the need for graduate students conducting experiments who constantly need to be on campus.

“We want to see if it can work, if the students like it or not, get their feedback on it,” Vakamudi said. “It’s very hard to imagine it unless you actually live in these things. If they like it we will proceed to a big-

ger project.”

The difficulty that arises with Georgia State’s location is just that: its location.

“Most of these buildings that we acquire aren’t used for general purpose classrooms because the elevators are not designed for that kind of traffic, or the restrooms,” Vakamudi said.

While Georgia State is now looking for more housing and general-purpose classroom buildings, the majority of buildings in downtown Atlanta are office buildings. These spaces are practically unusable for dorms or classrooms.

One plan is to move offices from the top of General Classroom Building and use those spaces for classrooms. Office spaces, like the Humanities Department, can be moved to office buildings, like SunTrust.

Other office spaces will be available in Dalhberg Hall once President Becker and the Provost offices are moved into the Atlanta Life Building, according to Vakamudi.

Building its own facilities would provide spaces that better address student needs, but the cost of building the facilities and finding and purchasing the land becomes more than the cost of purchasing an already existing building.

Georgia State is currently in the concept phase of their latest Master Plan. They are anticipating the release of their new concept art and maps later this year.

Master Plan on Track Financially In spite of budget cuts, Georgia State expansion has no shortage of funding

F

unding for the Master Plan has continued in spite of recent state budget cuts.

With state funding to the University System of Georgia decreasing by $54 million this year and $54 million more for fiscal year 2014, cuts have not affected the success of the Master Plan.

“These two are unrelated,” said Andrea Jones, director for communications. for Georgia State.

This is due, in part, to the Georgia State Uni-

LAURA HAAS Staff Reporter

University Commons $161 million (bonds)

SunTrust $7w3 million (Bonds)

$160 MILLION

versity Foundation, a non-profit organization founded in 1958 to support Georgia State.

The foundation was responsible for raising the funds to renovate the Rialto Center and to construct both the Aderhold Learning Center and the Petit Science Center.

The Georgia State University Foundation is responsible for raising all funds for the Master Plan. The Foundation, comprised of faculty, alumni and partners of the University, was founded in 1958 as a non-profit organization responsible for raising funds and developing partnerships to support the University financially.

“The Foundation assists in the public/private

Petit Science Center $25 million

Rialto Center $14 million

$20 MILLION

partnerships with the state and also has the ability to buy and hold property for the university for future use.”

Jones said.

Georgia State was unable to provide the names of those individuals and organizations that have donated to Master Plan projects. However, a glance at a campus map or a flip through the course packet will produce many donor names.

Petit Science Center, Helen B. Aderhold Learning Center and other campus landmarks constructed and funded as a part of the Master Plan were named for major financial contributors.

The current Master Plan, set to extend from 2004-2015, was expected to cost the University more than $1 million. Georgia State could not

produce the complete cost of the project so far, but but were able to provide donation amounts for specific projects.

“The recession has had an impact, but has also provided the university with real estate opportunities that may not have been available in a different economic environment,” Jones said.

These opportunities include the purchase of the Sun Trust Building in late 2006 for $55.2 million and, more recently, the Atlanta Life Building for $9 million.

Jones expressed confidence in the funding of future projects.

“With our clear strategic plan and a strong alumni base, the foundation has continues to raise funds and has been very successful.”

The Georgia State University Foundation responsible for funding Master Plan projects.

Aderhold Learning Center $13.7 million

$ 10 MILLION

Parking $5 million AYSHA JOHNSON | THE SIGNAL

05

NEWS

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2012

Law set to build College of Law will be the newest addition to Georgia State skyline ALEX OSIADACZ Staff Writer A vacant parking lot on the corner of J.W. Dobbs Ave and Park PL is the future home of the law building

The Alumni Association will go to 60 Piedmont.

The recently purchased Atlanta Life Building will house the President and VP offices as well as the welcome center and Honors college.

Intramurals fields will be rut near Old Wheat Street, walking distance from student housing.

A prototype housing unit for science graduate students will be built next to the Science Center

MAP COURTESY OF GOOGLE Georgia State has a number of projects still working out their final design decisions.

G

eorgia State’s College of Law will be the next to get a change of scenery as a result of the Main Street Master Plan.

The College of Law is in line for state funding for a new building, but must wait on the legislature to approve the budget next spring. The budget for the project is $82.5 million.

If approved, construction would likely begin in the summer or fall of 2013 and the facility could open for classes in 2015.

Georgia Board of Regents submitted a request to the Governor’s office for $58.8 million in bond funding. That money is awaiting approval in next session’s legislature. “[The College of Law is] soliciting donations from alumni and law firms amongst other groups to help pay the difference,” Hill said.

The new law building will

be constructed on land currently occupied by a parking lot at the corner of J.W. Dobbs Avenue and Park Place. Hill said the building will be seven floors with 130,000 sq. ft. of usable space for students, faculty and staff.

A new artist rendering of the project will be released later this semester.

Associate Dean for Administration and Finance in the College of Law, Chip Hill, explained how the new facility will be “dedicated to legal scholarship and serving the community.”

The College operates two public legal clinics and will have the opportunity to open more in its new space.

“The College of Law has grown organically in a facility not designed for law,” Hill said.

Space for guest speakers, student engagement, and community involvement are some of the current building’s limitations. Currently, the College competes for University space and resources when hosting large events.

The design process has been a “Collaborative effort” between the SmithGroup architecture firm, the Student Bar Association, and faculty members, Hill said.

Features of the new law building will include a state-ofthe-art library, a 200-seat moot courtroom and group study rooms to ensure that students have space to work.

The new building will also satisfy the University’s need for more communal space for students, according to Ramesh Vakamudi of Facilities Acquisitions and Operations.

Hill said that the new facility will serve as “a recruiting tool for attracting top notch faculty, students, speakers and more.”

While the current enrollment at the College of Law is around 675, the new building’s capacity will be around 800 in order to accommodate future growth.

“We’re planning on being [at the new facility] for several decades or possibly even a century,” Hill said.

Auburn Avenue ...continued from page 3 there.” Laub said.

The churches, hair salons and shops of Auburn Avenue were the focal point of African-

American life. The YMCA was a cornerstone of the community and politics.

“But once the Civil Rights act was passed then AfricanAmericans could go anywhere.

There was a big disinvestment in Sweet Auburn and in the Auburn Avenue corridor,” Laud said. “That’s where you would mark the beginning of the decline of that business district.”

Laub started working on the Auburn Avenue effort in the 80s.

More than a decade ago, the National Trust for Historic Preservation put Sweet Auburn on the endangered historic neighborhood list for the first time. It was number 11 in the country.

Laub, with the HDDC and other concerned groups, focused on the King Center and the southern tip of the Old Fourth Ward that contains Dr. King’s birth home to keep the neighborhood from loosing its historic status.

“Through the 90s there was a lot of work that was done on [the residential] end of Auburn Avenue,” Laud said.

For more than 30 years, the HDDC helped revitalize the Auburn Avenue residential district near Dr. King’s birth home. As it revitalized, the commercial district of Sweet Auburn continued to experience trouble.

“I have been here to see, frankly it’s been over time, but the dramatic change. The good news is that it is for the better, which doesn’t always happen in

neighborhoods,” Youngblood said. She had lived on Auburn Avenue for more than 27 years.

The success of the residential revival has not been enough to spark new business interest in the dilapidated commercial district of Sweet Auburn.

“It’s time to turn our attention back to Auburn Avenue,” Youngblood said.

More than History There aren’t many historic buildings left on the street.

“These two buildings,” Laub said, “are probably some of the key buildings on Auburn Avenue, and across the street at the Atlanta Daily World.”

The Atlanta Daily World was almost demolished, but Youngblood said it “galvanized” neighborhood leaders to save the street.

“We really can’t afford to lose any more of our historic fabric, and there is a real reason for that,” Youngblood said. “In addition to the more emotional, psychological and economic one the reality is that with the demolition of the block that is currently Renaissance Walk we were told by the Historic Preservation Commission…that we were on the presuppose of losing our landmark status.”

Youngblood fears that losing one more building will render the street no longer historic in the eyes of the government.

Although the Atlanta Trust and other organizations care for Sweet Auburn, Youngblood said that leadership within the neighborhood is the only way real ac-

tion and change can happen.

“To get folks to move, that’s leadership,” Youngblood said.

Aside from the historic value of the neighborhood, Youngblood said there is a lot to move for; people travel from all over the world to come see Sweet Auburn.

“It’s a literal gold mine, and we haven’t mined it,” Youngblood said.

“They come because they recognize that Dr. King was a unique world citizen and they want to see what birthed him,” Youngblood said. “What kind of place was the cradle and Genesis for his work and the cradle and Genesis for the Civil Rights movement.”

Many cities have tall buildings, aquariums, theme parks and big universities to attract tourists.

“That’s really all we have that’s unique,” Youngblood said of Sweet Auburn.

Youngblood is perplexed at why the economic opportunities alone do not provide enough motivation for people to invest in Auburn Avenue. After all, tourists bring money.

“It’s money we’ve left on the street—we’ve left on the ground,” Youngblood said. “So even if you don’t get the historic significance, or if you get it you don’t care, because some people don’t really care about it, which is another story. Even if you don’t get that part, I don’t see how you don’t get the money part.”

“Schools like Georgia State, because of its location, and the historically black colleges and universities, because of the their

CANDRA UMUNNA | THE SIGNAL The Atlanta Life Building is surrounded by Sweet Auburn history. historic development relationships as a result of Auburn Avenue finances, should put effort into the revitalization and awareness of Auburn’s impact on life in Atlanta,” said Georgia State alum Sheena Williams.

Williams is a graduate of the African- American studies program. Most of her studies included Auburn Avenue.

“With a prominent business area and an emphasis on its remarkable history, Georgia State can definitely utilize this to and to the schools charisma and di-

versity,” Williams said.

Youngblood was saddened

by Atlanta Life’s decision to sell its current building, but said that Georgia State buying the space did create an opportunity.

“Georgia State has always been here, but not with the force, frankly, that it’s here now,” Youngblood said. “It has the resources and it brings with it students and faculty, and opportunity to help us as we try and figure out how Auburn Avenue can be the really special place that it should be.”

Youngblood believes it takes a community—a community Georgia State is a key member of. Georgia State has students, teachers and parents that have a lot to learn from Sweet Auburn.

“There’s a lesson, there’s something there that we should be mining not just economically but intellectually as well,” Youngblood said. “We are in a position, I think, to really rally all of the stakeholders, to see and view Auburn Avenue for the opportunity it provides. We’re not just stuck in time.”

OPINIONS Editorial

www.gsusignal.com/opinions

Editorial Cartoon

Job tips

“Hey President Becker,” You should buy the Atlanta Daily World’s original building.

We know, we know…it has had better days.

Since the Atlanta Daily World moved out of its original location, it has withstood some challenges.

For starters, it was hit by a tornado in 2008.

Atlanta Daily World publisher and owner of the property Alexis Scott fears that the building is beyond repair; it has been vacant for more than 25 years.

But we see lots of potential.

It would be a bit like starting from scratch. There have been previous project ideas that suggested rebuilding the structure and keeping the original façade and foundations.

Well, if a new building needs to be constructed anyway, then what’s the point?

It would still be a landmark. The building is trashed no matter how you look at it. It can sit there and continue to rot, or it can be rebuilt to look the same to honor its great legacy.

Sure, it will cost a little money.

Money that I’m sure you can charm out of a few donors with ease. It’s a great story.

Renovation of the original building for the first black daily newspaper in Atlanta would go over well with the masses. It’s a winwin: folks on Auburn Avenue have been praying for help to rebuild their street. Members of the greater Atlanta community that have been part of the effort to rebuild Sweet Auburn will admire Georgia State’s good will. Student, alums, faculty and staff will be proud of a university that can take time to help rebuild the community it is a part of.

Plus you’re moving in across the street. It’s better than baking muffins or getting a Jell-O mold to make nice with your new neighbors.

What do you suggest that we do with the building, you ask?

There are a number of things that you could do with the newand-improved building. One idea, we think, is to put social media programs in it.

Think of the statement that would make: new student programs under a historic roof. It would be a great declaration to the community about Georgia State’s commitment to the neighborhood and to its growing media programs.

Hopefully you will see the potential too.

KEVIN MALONEY Columnist

M

any of us might like to have a nice, high wage career some day after finishing up at Georgia State. Unfortunately, these types of jobs are becoming much more competitive and harder to find for recent graduates. If this sounds overwhelming, don’t get discouraged. Here are some tips for those hoping to start a career after graduating:

Bottles & Baggies

MILES KEENLYSIDE Opinions Editor

W

e’ve all heard some one say “I don’t do drugs,” but in this day and age, how many people can honestly say it? We live in a society so medicated that who can draw the line at what is and isn’t a “drug?”

We all know that college is a time of experimentation and exploration, and it’s no secret that experimental drug use and college years go hand-in-hand. It’s a time to find yourself and learn your limits, and there is nothing wrong with trying something out now and then, as long as you keep it under control.

That being said, as the population of kids who grew up during the war on drugs “zero-tolerance” era reaches college age, they seem to have a strange fragmented concept on what qualifies as “drugs” and what doesn’t.

And it isn’t entirely their fault.

My fellow classmates and I grew

up in an era where prescription drugs are advertised on television and in magazines. Our lives are inundated with chemicals that are designed to cure what ails us and enhance our day-today experiences. Pharmaceutical companies have done such a good job of normalizing the culture of drugs that we’ve become a society where it’s acceptable to advertise drugs to people who probably don’t need them.

“Ask your Doctor about taking [insert brand-name drug here].” Really? If I’m in a situation where I feel like I need to suggest treatment options to my doctor, I must be in the wrong hospital.

I’ll bet that if you asked your typical college student if they do drugs, chances are they’d say “no,” since most of the drugs they enjoy have been normalized to a point that they don’t even register to them as a mind-altering substance. Ask them to name the drugs that they don’t do and you’ll probably come up with a list like: heroin, cocaine, meth and crack. Chances are they won’t mention Adderall or alcohol.

If I snorted meth everyday and shot up heroin every night, my community of peers would ostracize me. If I took Adderall every day and got drunk every night, I’d be a big man on campus. All four substances can have fatal consequences, yet two of them are perfectly socially ac-

The school offers job fairs companies send out representatives to scout out students as potential employees and interns. At all of these events the ratio of people looking for work and jobs available can be intimidating. This is why all job fair events should be kept a secret. If you ever see signs for a job fair, try your best to sabotage the sign in a misleading kind of way (change the dates and locations). When people ask you if you have any idea when or where the job fair is, tell them to go open a bunch of tabs on Craigslist and find work that way instead.

Not only does that make the pool of applicants smaller, but also it shows employers that you take initiative and can overcome obstacles.

1.) where

“

...it’s no secret that experimental drug use and college years go handin-hand.”

ceptable to abuse.

In the same vein, use of pharmaceutical opiates has been normalized among my generation.

It’s okay to recreationally take codeine pills, but snorting heroin is different. Chemically, these drugs have the same effect on your body but entirely different effects on your social life.

Maybe what most people mean when they say, “I don’t do drugs” is “I don’t do drugs recreationally.” And that’s a fair enough statement, unless you drink alcohol. In that case: hold your tongue, because alcohol is a drug, and you use it.

In short, my generation’s drug use has been normalized to take the profits out of the pockets of the drug dealers, and give it to the drug manufacturers. At the end of the day, it’s still all drugs.

Be careful out there, kids, and remember just because it came in a bottle instead of a baggie doesn’t make it not drugs.

Most people trying to find work send out applications and resumes. Stand out from the crowd by sending pictures of me instead.

2.)

If you’re lucky a company just call you up and ask to schedule an interview.

Congratulations! You’re almost there, but not quite yet. Interviews can make or break you, so instead of going to the interview and ruining your chances, let me fill in for you.

I’m glad to help out my colleagues by going to your interview instead.

3.) might

When you finally get that high wage career offer from an employer, don’t be so quick to accept it. What if this job isn’t for you? Again I’m here for you. I can just accept the position for you, get a feel of the place, and then I can get better insight into whether this job is right for you.

4.)

2012 Modern Media Conference Friday, Sept. 28 and Saturday, Sept. 29

23 speakers. 2 days. Everything you need to know about journalism.

OPINIONS

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2012

07

Unsolicited advice: turned up or turned out?

DESTANY CALDWELL Columnist

T

he school year has begun again and for many of us it’s back to business as usual: late nights of procrastination, treasuring precious moments of sleep—things we’re use to. For others, such as our new Class of 2016 and a few others, life has changed dramatically. No more teachers that take the time to invest heavily in each student, no more being involved in every single club, and no more parents breathing down one’s neck...at least not as much. For those newly initiated to college life, I’d like to offer a bit of unsolicited advice.

Let me begin by saying you’re only a freshman for a year, but you’re

in college for four (five or six for some). When you’re in school having the time of your life, YOLO-ing it up, it’s easy to forget that what you do now affects the rest of your life.

Just know that your grades now affect your GPA that you’ll be using to apply for internships next fall, the internship that will determine the connections you’ll make, which will determine what kind of job offer you get upon graduation. All of this stuff matters, so turn up, but don’t turn out!

Now, after maintaining that decent GPA, you’ll probably want to strengthen your resume with something else—campus involvement. In high school it was acceptable to be involved in a lot, but in college you do not want to spread yourself too thin. It is best to become involved in a few select activities, and become influential in those areas. Employers what to know what you’ve done, not what you’ve joined. By being involved in organizations that you really care about you’ll also meet others that also care, and you’ll make some important connections. These people around you are going to be the future CEOs of companies, en-

trepreneurs of tomorrow, people you’re going to want on your team.

Make a positive name for yourself on campus.

Last but not least, date selectively. I cannot stress how important your reputation is. You do not want to become known as THAT guy or THAT girl. Of course, you’re in college to have a some fun, experiment a little and do some things that you could NEVER do in your parents house, but be aware that someone is always watching. Whether it be a member of the greek organization you want to join or the president of that organization you want to be a part of, someone is aware of who you are and what you are known for on campus. When it comes to dating people, unfortunately, get very sensitive, and even if no one should care who you talk to or who you do “other things” with, there is going to be someone who wants to hold your personal life against you. Guard your reputation with your life.

Well, folks, I think I have given enough of my two cents for the moment. Heed my advice, because when you get to senior year it will be too late to go back.

The Visit

JAMES MCDOUGALD Columnist

I

ran into an old friend from high school last week. She arrived on my doorstep with my roommates in tow at one in the morning. For the first time in five years we had a beer together. I can’t say we were ever close. I can’t say we did anything more than share a common experience and mutual friends. But here she was, on my doorstep, at one in the morning.

We quickly fell into old habits, off the back porch. We traded platitudes and hugs before turning toward barbs and embarrassing stories of the past. I hate this game; it always ends in me being called conceited or suburban. But our game didn’t play out as it always had. This girl in a thin white blouse, her person crowded in designed affecta-

tions looked me dead in the eye and said the meanest thing she could muster: “You haven’t changed since high school.”

Floored.

I knew it was nothing, less than nothing, coming from a girl who’d had too much to drink, but I’ve been thinking on these words since. I was thinking about these words, as she turned from our talk and ran into the backyard to play with my roommate’s dog.

How do we measure change? How do we measure personal growth? I pay bills now. I have responsibilities—adult responsibilities. I carry more weight now than when I was a boy, and I believe when I look into a mirror this shows through my eyes.

So, why am I caught up on this slight made by a plasticine girl?

It’s two thirty in the morning and she’s shouting now, tripping through the wet grass. Every time she slips, she rises, carrying more green and brown splotches from the lawn: the dog’s bathroom. The third time she rises, I realize I had been cruel.

I don’t like the words phony, hipster or quirky; these expressions define the speaker more than the person being labeled and placed in a box. What I should have done

YOUR VOICE • YOUR OPINIONS If you were given the opportunity to choose what kind of facility Georgia State would build or purchase, what would you want?

Kate Vlasova

Major: Marketing “I think I would probably like to have a study lounge.”

China Eastern Major: Film “More dorms so the cost of living on campus can go down and I can have more options.”

Shalin Gyontishi

Major: General Science in this situation was only smile. I should have let it go. I wonder what my reaction would have been if she were a stranger, if her’s had been just another vacant face whose entire cultural relevance changed as one removes or puts on a shirt. But, when she spoke through that terse smile, “you haven’t changed since high school,” my response echoed back, “you think for someone who tries so hard, you would learn to pull your punches.” In an instant I was made a hypocrite.

I made myself as shallow, as cold as what I disliked. She was hurt then, but now she’s playing with the dog, making uneasy eye-contact.

She had only called me simple, I pointed out all the fissures in how she shows herself to the world. That she was fake.

I watched her stumble, fall and rise again in the yard. I went inside and found a clean shirt. She wasn’t a stranger. She was someone I had a shared history with. A person I shared friends with. Underneath the DIY haircut was another person trying to find out who they are. Does anyone change? Maybe, maybe not, but all anyone wants at this stage is to get out of the valley of adolescence not covered in shit.

“I would like to see more improvements at [the Petit Science Center]...because I know that a lot of universities that grow do it through their science program.”

Terry Womack

Major: Music Management “I would like to see more dorms on campus.”

Dany Delany Math Major

“I like it the way it is. Of course I’m a non-traditional student and a math major so all the classes I have are [in the general classrooms].”

Lahbadoe Pinder Major: Biology

“More classrooms. Some classes are really overcrowded, and like for me this semester some of classes I needed to get in I didn’t get in.”

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9/28 - 9/29 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. at Student Center

ARTS & LIVING

The *Conthis city

deserves MILES KEENLYSIDE KENDALL HARRIS Opinions Editor Staff Reporter

D

ragon*Con, one of the largest science fiction and fantasy conventions in the nation, took over downtown Atlanta this labor day weekend as fans celebrated an extensive canon of their favorite pop culture figures and themes.

The conference encompasses five large downtown hotels: The Marriott, the Hyatt Regency, the Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel, The Hilton and The Sheraton. Visitors to the conference often make appearances masquerading as their favorite characters. It attracts thousands of fans to Atlanta each year, clogging the streets with costumed revelry.

With Dragon*Con taking place so close to campus, the event attracts a number of Georgia State students each year.

Georgia State student Samantha Osburn was one of the students The Signal caught up with at the convention this year.

This year was Osburn’s first year at Georgia State, and also her first time attending the convention. She was dressed as Sailor Venus from the popular anime show of her childhood “Sailor Moon.”

“Sailor Venus was always one of my favorites, so its really exciting to get to portray her…I was more excited about dressing up than actually going,” Osburn said.

Her friends shared her excitement about getting dressed up for the convention.

Georgia State student Brendan Lindsay said his portrayal of Captain Jack Harkness from the cult favorite British television show “Dr. Who” took a lot of time and effort to put together, but he still managed to save money on his costume.

“It was very cheap…this

jacket you can [get] for $300 online, but I went to an ArmyNavy [surplus] and bought a 25 buck version…it’s fantastic,” Lindsay said. Although he got a bargain on his vestments, some costumed fans (or cos-players) admit to shelling out hundreds of dollars for their garments.

Lindsay’s friend and fellow student Alex Davis compares Dragon*Con to a holiday.

“This is indeed Christmas…it’s a three day long beautiful thing, it’s what we revolve our years around,” Davis said.

The excitement of planning echoed in the other student’s sentiments as well.

“Planning the costume is just as fun as wearing it,” Osburn said.

This year marked Davis’s sixth Dragon*Con. Davis first attended the conference at the age of 16 with his friend Matt Quinones. Now Georgia State students, Davis and Quinones attended this year’s convention together.

Both Davis and Quinones chose to attend the convention dressed up as different manifestations of “The Doctor” from the “Dr. Who” series.

Quinones said the he first went to the convention at the age of 14, and he has been hooked ever since.

Osburn explained that attendees get excited about imitating their favorite characters because they get to “see other people living their childhoods through us.”

All of the students shared the same sentiment about Dragon*Con: it isn’t just for nerds.

“It’s for anyone that enjoys pop culture,” Lindsay said.

Georgia State senior Camille Jenkins attended the conference for her first time this year alongside the other students. She said there was “definitely” something there for everyone.

“Dragon*Con is amazing,” Davis said. “I hope that anyone who has some kind of interest here will actually come experience it.”

ILLUSTRATION BY SABASTIAN WEE INK AND GRAPHICS BY AYSHA JOHNSON

n o C * e h T d e d n a l s ha he des t

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de n para o C * n ago and r’s Dr ruff Park a e y eet This ood d in W chtree Str e e t r a th st Pea ion of tt, down t a t c n e o l w rrio ds the he Ma towar ion near t ton and a nt , Sher ear conve in t s e h y , W in Hyatt otels. Eac n out r h u t n o Hilt arade goers p n e h io t t n in conve . march o t ar ilk il s e im v s , o dr rs of mes, pirates s e h t o War with ostu Star unk c , p s m e a o e rs St .I. J buste G t , s s o h ie , G zomb opers ow up to o r t m stor with a re sh o s m ie y it n iv a fest ntown w e and m h o t d f e of yon ing. start le that an e miss im c t a t d ar spec ve a h a h d l wou

A thanks to the real superheroes of dragon*con

TESTIMONY ACCEPTED

“Uuuuughhhghhhhhh..........” he said. “uuugghh ugghhh...”

On a dragon for con

Atlanta’s 501st legion in full force

The Ice Man cometh!

IGNORE ME!

Netherworld terror!

MILES KEENLYSIDE | THE SIGNAL

12

A&L

column

Indolence!

Optimizing time or slacking?

Metal and medicine Fraternity president balances rock and school KENDALL HARRIS Staff Reporter

A

BRITTANY BROWN Staff Writer

A

ccording to an article from the Huffington Post, students are getting lazier when it comes to their schoolwork. A student posted on Yahoo Answers that she needed a full summary and list of important parts of DC Pierson’s “The Boy Who Couldn’t Sleep and Never Had To.” She claims she didn’t have time to finish it.

“I REALLY need this! AND it’s not because I’m slacking,” she said in the post.

Pierson himself responded to her post, causing a national reaction to the situation. He lightly reprimanded her and explained that his book actually has “a ton more sex, swearing, and drugs than anything else you have been or will be assigned in high school.”

Many other people commented on the thread, both reprimanding and encouraging the student to read. The article went on to comment on school reading level statistics being quite low in the U.S. Perhaps this is because our generation has a world of knowledge right at our fingertips. One click of the mouse and most questions can be answered instantly. With resources like Google, Yahoo Answers, Ask.com and others, it could be that students are not challenging themselves anymore. A few Georgia State students, who prefer to remain unnamed, shared some ways that they cut corners in school.

“Sometimes I get overwhelmed with my workload. There are some things that just won’t get done unless I use the internet as a resource,” said a senior student.

But it can’t all be the fault of the students. After all, they are only utilizing the tools in front of them. Farmers use wheelbarrows to transport things that they don’t want to carry. Mathematicians use calculators so they don’t have to write everything on paper. None of these people are considered lazy for using the inventions that benefit them.

“I Google everything just to doublecheck myself,” a junior student said.

Perhaps students have wizened up to the fact that they can find almost any straight answer online. They know the areas of their schoolwork that they have to spend more time focusing on, and those they don’t. With the insane demand placed on students as a direct result of the economy, students have to optimize the time they have.

“Fake it ‘til you make it,” said a sophomore student.

So, perhaps the Internet needs to be accepted for what it is: a gigantic tool. It’s a body of free and useful information and knowledge. It is the responsibility of teachers to give assignments that the Internet can’t answer. That’s not to say that everything is the fault of the teachers—it’s a combination of students, teachers and demand. Of course, there are lazy students out there, but there are lazy everybodys out there.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2012

lex Morrison isn’t just the drummer for a popular local band.

He’s also the president of Georgia State’s Jewish Fraternity, Alpha Epsilon Pi, and he’s one of the friendliest people you could ever meet.

Between gigs with the Wesley Cook Band, the 22 year-old behavioral psychology major also dabbles in heavy metal, charity events and medicine. Needless to say, Morrison is a busy guy.

But he loves making music.

Morrison was thrilled when he got the chance to play drums with Wesley Cook; he was a fan of Cook’s music long before the opportunity presented itself.

The band consists of six people, and Morrison said he gets along well with all of them. He’s even known a few of them for much longer than he’s known Cook.

“I’ve actually known most of them my entire life,” Morrison said. “The bass player is one of my best friends from elementary school.”

Aside from his happy-golucky attitude, Morrison said he’s received extra help handling all of his responsibilities.

“It is tough,” Morrison said.

“I think the thing that’s helped me the most is that the last president of my fraternity basi-

cally...showed me the magic of Google.”

Morrison said he keeps his schedule organized by checking class syllabi immediately after he gets them each semester and entering important dates into his calendar.

Despite being incredibly organized, Morrison still makes time to have fun. He plays extreme frisbee in Piedmont Park in his spare time, and he’s even working on a side project.

“I still play with one of my buddies from high school,” Morrison said. “We’ve actually been trying to start a metal band for the longest time.”

The name for his in-theworks metal band is Morier, which he said means “death” in Spanish. Morrison said the name started as a joke but then it stuck because one of his favorite bands is “Death” from Sweden.

He’s now been with the Wesley Cook Band for about 2 years and enjoys working with Cook, who Morrison calls a “supreme workaholic.”

“He’s such a light and warmhearted person,” Morrison said. “…Even after playing he goes out into the crowd and introduces himself to new fans and says hi to old fans.”

He brought up a specific incident when the band played a “ridiculously long” four-hour set yet Cook still took the time to interact with his fans after-

FRANK ARSICS | THE SIGNAL Alex Morrison juggles his music, fraternity and school life. wards.

Cook’s determination seems to have rubbed off on Morrison—he’s so dedicated to the band that he once played a show with a broken hand—a tough feat for a drummer.

As for his future as a musi-

cian, Morrison said he would love to continue his music career and has always had a dream of playing in the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.

But his Plan A is to “either go into business or even medicine, ‘cause my dad was a doctor.”

Best Decorated Dorms LEAH JORDAN | THE SIGNAL

Dorm #1 Residents:

Tyler Weaver (early childhood education major) and Nick Bello

Location:

University Commons “I wanted to make this space mine and Nick’s. We have very different tastes, but it came together very well.

Modern & antiques brought together bring it together in the colors & mix anything,” Weaver said.

Dorm #2 Residents:

Andrew Winterfeld (sophomore and computer science major) and Jared Young (computer information systems major)

Location: The Lofts

“I like being here much more [than home],” Winterfeld said. “We actually have space this year!”

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2012

calendar Featured Events On Campus

Blue at the Zoo

Sept 7th 5:30 P.M-10:00 P.M Spotlight Programs Board and Georgia State Campus Events present Blue at the Zoo located at Zoo Atlanta! Enjoy free food, live music, caricature artists, and of course the animals!

Tickets are on sale at Campus Tickets in the University Center now! $5 for Georgia State Students and $10 for Non- Georgia State Students! Children under 2 are free! Georgia State is taking over the Zoo! We will also have a Student Organization Fair at the zoo!

Downtown

Metro Atlanta Chamber Strut Your Vote Fashion Show Sept 6th 2012 7 P.M.-11 P.M

The event’s goal is to increase voter registration and encourage the community to vote. This fashion show will celebrate fashion, beauty and music. Some of the ticket sale proceeds will benefit the Sickle Cell Foundation of Georgia. It’s a great cause hoping to get a message across to the people of Atlanta, so go show your support on Thursday September 6th.

13

September 3rd

Braves Vs. Rockies Turner Field (1:10 P.M.) The Braves play a baseball game right up the street at our home-team’s stadium.

Hot dogs, nachos or icecold beer, anyone?

September -11th

5th

The King and I Wed.-Fri. and Tues. 8 p.m.

Sat. 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Sun. 1:30 and 6:30 p.m. Tues. 8 p.m.

The well-known love story of a stubborn king and a determined governess comes to the Fox in Atlanta this week. Tickets range from $25-65. Students can purchase discounted tickets online.

September 9th

Park. More than 400 artists and crafters will feature their work.

Fashion’s Night Out at Lenox Square 6-9 p.m.

An evening of deals for shopping fanatics at Lenox Mall. The first 100 shoppers to visit Guest Services receive a bag full of offers and samples.

The Jesus and Mary Chain Variety Playhouse (8:30 PM) Scottish alternative rock band formed in East Kilbride, Glasgow in 1983.

Chris Isaak Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center American rock musician and occasional actor.

6th- September 7th

44th Annual Yellow Daisy Festival Thurs., Fri., and Sun. 10 A.M. - 6 P.M. Sat. 10 P.M. - 7:30 P.M.

The Yellow Daisy Festival, Georgia’s most prized Arts and Crafts Festivals, will be held at Stone Mountain

Train at Chastain Park (6 P.M.) The popular pop rock band from California is visiting Atlanta on their current tour. They will be performing at Chastain Park Ampitheatre. Mat Kearney and Andy Grammar will also be performing.

The Tabernacle (7:30 P.M) TNA Impact Wrestling World Tour presented by Direct Auto Insurance brings your favorite Impact Superstars to Atlanta.

Bolder and Fresher Tour 2012 (8 P.M.) Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre Bill O’Reilly and Dennis Miller team up for an evening of references and rants! See www.bolderfreshertour.com for ticket information and directions.

September 8th

The Battle of the Burgers and 5K (9 A.M. & 12-5 P.M.) Virginia Highlands After a 5K in the morning, restaurants team up to support Embraced, a nonprofit organization that shares gently used medical equipment, to see who can make the best burger. See w w w.b att le of t heburgers. com for ticket information and directions.

Great Atlanta Beer Festival at Turner Field (3-8 P.M. )

The Great Atlanta Beer Festival returns to Atlanta for its second year.

Over 150 beers will be featured and participants will be able to play games in Scout’s Alley and enjoy live music. College football and the Braves vs.

Mets will be shown on the big screens.

The Masquerade (5:30 P.M.) Blackberry Smoke Atlanta based band is growing to be “the premiere Southern Rock band in America”.

Chastain Park Ampitheatere Charlie Wilson American R&B singersongwriter-producer and the former lead vocalist for the Gap Band.

The Tabernacle (8 P.M.) Yeasayer American psychedelic pop band from Brooklyn, New York, formed in 2006.

Georgia State Football (4 P.M.) The Panthers face the University of Tennessee Volunteers in Knoxville at Neyland Stadium at 4 p.m.

September 9th Chukkar Farm & Polo Club Taste of Polo (1 P.M - 5 P.M )

A fundraising event for children with developmental disabilities. There is a day of polo and a showcase of Atlanta restaurants.

Park Tavern (6:00 P.M.) 99X Unplugged in the Park Presents Delta Saints Free!

September 10 How Sweet The Sound Tour (7:30 P.M.)

Verizon-sponsored How Sweet the Sound, a competition to select the best church choir in America, is coming to Phillips Arena on Sept. 10. Judges include Cece Winans, Erica Campbell and Bishop Hezikiah Walker.

September 11

The Civic Center 8 P.M. Bruce Bruce American actor and standup comedian from Atlanta, Georgia.

Cirque Motion: Awaken MICHAEL EDEN Photographer

O

n Aug. 25, a moderately sized crowd gathered inside the Playhouse on 14th Street to see a humorous, yet awe-inspiring contemporary circus performance. Once the set’s break bell rang, the lights dimmed and the four performers sprung to their feet and executed their acts of back flipping, balancing, juggling and knife wielding. Their acts did not skimp on danger.

The audience gasped at performer Tony Duncan as he ate a piece of cheese from

the tip of one of the three blades he was juggling, which was accomplished with the help of several audience members. Keith Kaplin also received some unsettling reactions from the crowd as he balanced on a board resting on cylinders that were on top of a table.

While the four performers gave the impression they were all about business, they were truly about entertainment.

MIKE EDEN | THE SIGNAL

14

reviews

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2012

MUSIC

Owl City | “The Midsummer Station”

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

LAURA APPERSON Copy Editor CROOKED COWBOY & THE FRESHWATER INDIANS

O

ANALOG & HER HOPEFUL DIARIES

HEAVENLY BEAT TALENT

MAGIC CASTLES MAGIC CASTLES

9TH WONDER TUTANKHAMEN (VALLEY OF THE KINGS)

DIIV OSHIN

NETSKY NETSKY 2

ARIEL PINK’S HAUNTED GRAFFITI MATURE THEMES

Rating: DWorst Track: “I’m Coming After You” Release Date: August 22, 2012

mimics the sound of a siren in between each “I’m coming after you.” The song paints Adam Young as the “police officer,” and the girl he loves as “under arrest.”

To put the icing on the cake, Carly Rae Jepsen, the young artist who sings the very popular “Call Me Maybe,” is featured in the seventh track, “Good Time.”

Perfect for a Disney Channel Music Video, this album is clearly geared towards those who like listening to Big Time Rush—Nickelodeon’s popular boy band—or enjoy jamming out to poorly written pop tunes.

Alanis Morissette | “Havoc and Bright Lights”

POOLSIDE

BRITTANY BROWN Staff Reporter

PACIFIC STANDARD TIME

T

APOLLO BROWN & O.C. TROPHIES

GROUNDISLAVA FEEL ME

NOW PLAYING AT

CINEFEST Seeking a Friend for the End of the World

wl City has put together another mediocre, forgettable album, “Midsummer Station,” released on Aug. 22.

After its very popular hit, “Fireflies,” which came out in 2009 on the record “Ocean Eyes,” Owl City has failed to release anything quite as impressive.

Every song on this track sounds exactly the same—and would fit in perfectly with Ryan Seacrest’s “ATL Top 40” list.

Only “Embers” and “Silhou-

ette” are paced slower than the rest of the upbeat dance tunes that make up the other songs in the album.

Even the lyrics fail to impress. The albums’ opening song, “Dreams and Disasters,” contains the cheesy and poorly written “Follow the light through the dreams and disasters/Think, of the sun, and the sound, of it rising.../I wanna feel alive forever.”

The lyrics get worse as the album goes on as Adam Young repetitively sings “Love is a high-speed chase racing down the street/I’m coming after you,” in the fifth track, “I’m Coming After You.” He even

Grade: C Best Track: “Numb” Release Date: August 28, 2012

his album is a drone compared to Morissette’s earlier work. Hearing her music in 2012 is like a blast from the past, but the 90s would not call back for this album.

Sadly, I think Morissette has gone downhill with this one.

Morissette had so many memorable hits, still popular today. “You Oughta Know,” from her third album “Jagged Little Pill,” is an angsty and fierce tune and her deeply moving “Thank You,”

from the album Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie, which brought people to tears. There’s also the famous “Hand in my Pocket,” which is one of the best tracks to listen to on a ride to the beach.

But this new album, “Havoc and Bright Lights,” is slow and drawn out. Many of the songs, such as “Havoc,” are pretty, but they go on forever without any real rise and fall. They stay in a constant frame that doesn’t move much and are great to take naps to.

For example, “Guardian,” the single released in May, just has no punch. Moris-

sette’s voice and background music are as beautiful as ever, but she has lost an edge that was so characteristic of her earlier music. The best track is “Numb,” which shows a little bit of inner struggle— always a strength for Morissette.

It seems there is no real point Morissette is trying to make; instead, she’s making one continuous comment about her life. Since the making of her last album “Flavors of Entanglement” Morissette got married and had a baby.

Maybe she is less restless and her music reflects that change.

you want to kiss her for being so on the ball. Katie, the endearingly dim friend who can’t hold a job, somehow manages not to become the butt of the joke. Fisher plays Katie with such innocence that it is hard to dislike her. However, the real star of the film is Lizzy Caplan, as the drug addicted Gena. Gena, a thirty-yearold woman still in love with her ex-boyfriend from high school, drowns her sorrows in cocaine, alcohol and one-night stands.

Gena and Katie deliver the best lines in the movie by far.

The title suggests that this is a movie about friends who endure a crazy bachelorette party the night before Becky’s wedding.

In fact, Becky’s actual bachelorette party lasts a total of five minutes before her mother breaks it up and everybody goes to bed except for Regan, Katie and Gena, who do cocaine and then rip Becky’s wedding dress. The rest of the movie follows the three friends trying to figure out how to fix the mess they’ve created.

For the few hits “Bachelorette” has, there are a lot of misses. Most of the punch lines are

funny simply because they are so ridiculous. At one point, tupon learning Regan drove Gena to her abortion appointment in high school, Katie screams, “You guys had an abortion and didn’t invite me!?”

For a movie that is marketed as a raunchy comedy, it lacks the charm that makes movies like this genuinely funny. There are few moments in the film that will make you laugh out loud because most of the time you’re cringing at the often-hurtful things the girls say to each other.

This is easily the most honest portrayal of female friendships in a movie from the past ten years.

For all the awful things that the four friends say about and to one another, there is never any doubt that they genuinely care for each other. They are flawed, overly dramatic, and utterly ridiculous characters that are meant for more of a “dramedy” setting and less of a comedy one. The best moments in the film come when the girls are serious and introspective, bringing a surprisingly poignant and real layer to this girls-behaving-badly comedy.

MOVIES

“Bachelorette” or Bust MACKENZIE SEIGLER Staff Reporter

B

Director: Lorene Scafaria Cast: Steve Carell, Kiera Knightley Synopsis: An asteroid is set to collide with the earth in three weeks, threatening to end all life.

Dodge and Penny embark on a road trip together to see her family one last time and search for his high school sweetheart. On the open road they meet strange characters, bond over past regrets and learn what humans are really capable of when the end of the world is nearing.

Running Time: 101 minutes Rotten Tomatoes: 53% (certified rotten) MPAA: Rated R for sexual references, some drug use, and some violence Showtimes: Monday – Friday: 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m., 7 p.m., 9 p.m.

Weekends: 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m., 7 p.m.

Grade: B+ Running time: 1:27:08 Rating: R Rotten Tomatoes Average Rating: 6.1/10

achelorette” is the latest movie to try and recreate “The Hangover,” but like “Bridesmaids,” the movie seems to prove that women are just as funny as men.

First-time director and writer Leslye Headland enlisted the help of producers Will Ferrell and Adam McKay to put together an incredibly talented cast. Rebel Wilson from “Bridesmaids” gives a standout performance in the film as Becky, the bride-to-be and formerly geeky friend of characters played by Kirsten Dunst, Isla Fisher and Lizzy Caplan. Dunst plays maid of honor Regan who calls Katie (Fisher) and Gena (Caplan) after learning the news that their friend was getting married to do what girls do: insult their friend behind her back.

Regan, a self-centered perfectionist, works with pediatric cancer patients. Dunst plays her perfectly, at times making you hate Regan and at times making

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A&L | REVIEWS

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2012

Live, learn, and work

TECHNOLOGY

At The Pool

with a community overseas.

Could this be the new networking site?

BRITTANY BROWN Staff Reporter

I

n Mid-July this year, UCLA grad Alex Capacelatro, along with other students, launched Atthepool.com.

The site is exploding on college campuses, launching at The University of Georgia about a week ago and Brigham Young University on Aug. 27. At The Pool is tearing down the cyberwalls of the internet by making it easier for students and young professionals to network.

The site is set up like a pool party, the founders playing host by matching people up who have similar interests and locations.

It’s organized into online “pools;” each interest has its own where other people interested are “swimming.” It’s all geared towards meeting new people (instead of stalking them) who, in theory, are people who could then meet up in real life. The hosts even threw the site’s first “real” pool party in L.A. recently, where people who met on the site could come meet in person. According to their blog, they plan to host more parties in other cities around the U.S. as the site grows.

Here’s how it starts: sign up to join, then wait to be invited. To do this, tell the people at the pool what makes you so great. Then, wait for the email invite to join the site. Honestly, it comes across as a bit pretentious in the beginning, as the site markets itself as an “exclusive” online site. It’s really not that exclusive.

Once you accept, describe yourself in five words or less (but I had six and they didn’t taze me). It’s up to the individual who they choose to meet. The choices are: only men/women who want friends, only men/women interested in dating, all of them at the same time, only two, etc. Then, pick out which pools are the most interesting. Those are the pools where you will meet other people interested in that same category.

For example, the “foodie” pool is where foodies meet other foodies.

The site also syncs up to Facebook, pulling all of the information from it so things such as interests, favorite quotes, etc. will not have to be typed all over again.

Next, upload a few thumbnails of yourself and answer some questions, like “Why are you so awesome?” The five (or six) words describing yourself are posted on the profile page, along with a big

picture and a thumbnail picture.

Voila! You’re ready to go meet people! Each person is matched up with someone new every day, and they have about a day or so to get acquainted.

The layout is simple to navigate; Facebook is more complicated than this site. However, it is a VERY new site. There are occasional browser glitches.

What’s great about this site is that there are no status updates that everyone could care less about, or 456 pictures of someone’s new red, wrinkly baby.

They also include a list of suggestions, one of them being “Don’t be Creepy”. They actually lay out how to not be a creeper, how to not offend people or be offended by people, and, overall, how to make the best of your experience At The Pool. Both hilarious and helpful, perhaps this simple list will be what keeps the site afloat and the Craigslist Personal mutants at bay.

Wondering what to do after graduation?

Peace Corps is a life-defining leadership experience you will draw upon throughout your life. The most significant accomplishment will be the contribution you make to improve the lives of others.

Submit your online application by September 30th to be considered for an assignment departing before October 2013.

Cost: Free For More Info: www.atthepool.com Grade: A

www.peacecorps.gov/apply/ For more info, contact Becky Ament rament@peacecorps.gov / 404.562.3456 Stay Connected || Facebook || Twitter || YouTube || Flickr || Tumblr || LinkedIn

INVITE YOU TO A PRIVATE SCREENING OF Main Stage at 14th Street Playhouse | 173 14th Street NE, Atlanta, GA | Friday, 9.7.12 @ 7pm

Gift bags! Coo l prizes!

Refreshments Bring your fri ! ends!

games&such

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WORD SEARCH

VEMMA VETERANS

REGENTS HEALTH MONEY DRAGON DRUG BAND TRAGEDY

STUDY YELLOWCARD ABROAD ENGAGEMENT GOOGLE SUCCESS SOCCER DECORATED FOOTBALL

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4.) Some sites are blocked from Georgia State computers. This is what?

5.) Georgia State football coach retiring after 2012 season 6.) Georgia State school getting national attention 7.) When football players practiced

1.) Which Georgia State sports team will play in Athens on August 24th?

2.) Holiday weekend coming up 3.) Block party dedicated to which class of students 5.) Group of students who went to The Olympics in London over the summer 6.) Georgia State’s mascot

Puzzle 1 (Hard, difficulty rating 0.60)

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Generated by http://www.opensky.ca/~jdhildeb/software/sudokugen/ on Tue Aug 28 01:28:56 2012 GMT. Enjoy!

Attention: Baylye Boxall The Signal, Georgia State, print issues August 28, September 4 & 11 2” x 4” for the amount of $252.00

LIBRARY. TRUST. Let us help you survive college.

Research workshops every week.

Research tutorials anytime/anywhere.

Research experts available to help.

∫

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTING FEDERAL CRIMES (for 29 years)? by Leland Yoshitsu nonfiction/documentary eBook (& paperback) Amazon, B&N Nook, eBookPie, etc. ISBN 9780985262280

including President Obama’s August 2009 White House letter to Leland (page 2): “Dear Leland …we hope that the issue you brought to the President’s attention has been resolved. However, if you still need help with a Federal agency, we are pleased to assist you.”

library.gsu.edu/researchsuccess

SPORTS

www.gsusignal.com/sports

Georgia State’s performance did not match the fans’ expectations as they fell 33-6 against South Carolina

FALLING FLAT

An analysis of Georgia State’s beatdown in the first game of their third season RHETT LEWIS Staff Writer

M

GRAHAM ROBSON | THE SIGNAL

att Hubbard’s 80-yard punt was Georgia State’s most glorious moment against South Carolina State. It spoke for the Panthers’ performance offensively on Thursday night.

The Panthers managed only a pair of field goals in their tilt with the Bulldogs, who prevailed 33-6.

Missed field goals, hurried and inefficient offense and spotty defense were the main factors that lead to Georgia State being beat down by 27 points.

At times it felt like Georgia State was lucky to even get those six points, with kicker Matt Ehasz missing just as many field goals as he made.

The offense turned the ball over three times and both Georgia State quarterbacks, Ben McLane and Kelton Hill, were under fire the entire night.

“We didn’t protect well,” head coach Bill Curry said after the game. “Both quarterbacks were having a rough time tonight.”

The defense applied no significant pressure to South Carolina State’s quarterback Richard Cue and allowed the Bulldogs to rack up close to 500 yards of offense.

Although the score indicated that the Panthers were outclassed, they were in the game until the final play of the first half.

McLane fumbled with 58 seconds remaining, which led to a 22-yard touchdown pass to South Carolina State‘s wide receiver Tyler McDonald, killing the Panthers’ momentum. The Bulldogs extended their lead to 14-3 and didn’t look back.

Despite the offensive line’s inability to subdue the Bulldogs’ pass rush, they did pave the

way for running back Donald Russell to eclipse the century mark for the third time in his career.

But the big, explosive plays eluded the Panther offense all night and they were unable to find the end zone.

“We didn’t make a lot of big plays that we needed at certain times,” Russell said. “We just couldn’t finish.”

And even though the defense gave up a large chunk of yards, they did force Bulldog quarterback Richard Cue into a pair of interceptions. They also kept the Panthers within striking distance for three quarters of the game.

South Carolina State looked like a team that has accumulated over 80 wins and four conference titles in the last ten seasons.

Georgia State looked like a team in its infant stage, whose win total remains in the single digits.

Thursday night demonstrated that the Panthers still have much to work on. And blowouts like these show that they are still a work in progress.

Curry still believes that the team is better than what it appeared to be against South Carolina State.

“We can play a lot better than we did tonight and we will,” Curry said. “We have got an excellent group of young men who understand that they have to keep plugging.”

Georgia State’s next game is on Sept. 8, in Knoxville, Tenn., where the Panthers will take on the University of Tennessee Volunteers.

The Panthers will have a tougher challenge there, as they will be playing in front of more than 100,000 Tennessee fans.

Russell, who already played away at Tennessee with his former school, Kentucky, shared tips based on his experience.

“We don’t have to pay attention to the crowd,” Russell said. “You have to stay focused as much as you can.”

GRAHAM ROBSON |THE SIGNAL Georgia State looked like a team in its infant stage, whose win total remains in the single digits.

PATRICK DUFFY | THE SIGNAL Several times during the game, Curry showed discontent towards his players.

SPORTS

18

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2012

PATRICK DUFFY | THE SIGNAL

At the third quarter of the game, the disappointed fans started to take off, leaving the student section almost empty.

Georgia State fans disappointed in season opener ISMAEL SUAREZ Sports Editor

T

he classic “Na na na na na na/ hey, hey, hey/ goodbye!” chant cascaded from the visitor’s section at the end of Thursday’s game at the Georgia Dome, as South Carolina State blew Georgia State out on and off the field.

Not only did the Bulldogs embarrass the Panthers with a 33-6 score, but their fans and band were twice as loud as Georgia State’s, despite being the away team.

“Their band was impressive,” said junior Hugo Moreno, a Georgia State student who attended the game. “They came in and took over the Dome.”

Prior to the game, Georgia State’s crowd was the louder one, as 18,921 expectant fans—including a packed student section—cheered nonstop.

Also, many tailgates were organized at the Orange and Brown parking lots outside of the Dome.

“I expected a win from our team,” Moreno said. “They had it all –the support, the crowd, the cheers and home advantage. Therefore, I expected a great performance.”

But with just one minute into the game, South Carolina State’s wide receiver Lennel Elmore set the mood by

The Russell Hustle

catching a 72-yard touchdown.

As Georgia State’s fans saw get their team get smashed on the field, their energy died.

By the third quarter’s waning minutes, the student section was almost empty.

“I simply lost interest in the game,” Moreno said. “After you, as a fan, give it all you got by cheering and your team is not responding, you get aggravated,” He said that the most interesting aspect of the game was the atmosphere.

“Honestly, I was watching the band members from each side perform and the fireworks,” he said.

Head coach Bill Curry talked about the fans leaving the game at the postgame conference.

“If we want students to stay, then we got to play well and get them to stay,” Curry said.

Running back Donald Russell recognized the team’s mistakes, but chose to stay positive and not let the fans’ disappointment affect him.

“It’s definitely something I don’t think about,” he said. “We’re going to change and make sure they stay all four quarters next time.”

Although Moreno thinks that “GSU needed to play their hearts out on that field” against South Carolina State, he said that he would give the Panthers one more chance and go to their next home game. He said he’s hopeful for some fans to keep attending.

“I believe there will be a very small

portion of the student body and alumni that will keep attending their games,” he said.

Russell and Curry agreed that in order to get fans back on the stands, the team’s offense will have to be sharper.

“We just have to work on finishing and we have to make big plays,” Russell said. “I see ourselves making that change soon.”

“When we get in the red zone, we have to score,” Curry added. “And we just didn’t do that.”

Russell is hopeful for Georgia State’s future fan base, as he believes the program will grow.

“Before you know it, they (the fans) are going to be filling up the whole Georgia Dome after a while,” he said

Student-athlete splits time between football and school

TIFFANIE SMITH

Associate Sports Editor

E

very football player has his own way of getting pumped before a game. In Georgia State running back Donald Russell’s case, he prefers to be calm rather than hyper.

“I like to listen to a few Alicia Keys and Rihanna songs,” Russell said. “Nothing too jumpy, just something to calm me down.”

That’s not the only way Russell gets ready for his games, though.

He said that head coach Bill Curry’s speeches are good stimuli.

“I love our team meetings and the motivational speeches he gives us,” Russell said. “He comes and gives us things that we could use in life. Curry is the old school and he loves to talk and tell us about his experiences.”

Although Russell hasn’t experienced nearly half of what Curry has, he is far from inexpert.

With only one year left at Georgia State, the 2011 transfer from Kentucky has left his mark on Georgia State.

He is the leading rusher with 665 yards on 128 carries and has made more touchdowns than

GRAHAM ROBSON | THE SIGNAL anyone else in the school’s history—nine so far.

He was also named to the FCS Independent Football All Conference Team selected by College Sports Madness, despite missing two games due to injury.

With Russell’s momentum grow-

ing this season, he said he hopes to accomplish more.

“I am proud and I’m happy to accomplish things, especially my first year being here,” Russell said. “I want to win more games as a team this year and we got to get that 3-8 taste out of our

PATRICK DUFFY | THE SIGNAL mouth. I’m looking forward to the season.”

After spending two years at Kentucky as a backup running back and, the Wildcats third leading rusher in 2010, Russell decided to become a Panther due to communication issues

with the coach there.

“It was some things me and the coach did not talk about and I wish things could have changed,” Russell said. “It all happened for the best and I am happy to be here. I love Georgia State and a few people seem to

love me so I’m happy.”

Russell’s football background is what got him on the field. Combining the fact that he started playing when he was four years old and that his father was also a player, football has seemed to stick with him for life.

His life isn’t only about football. Russell is a sociology major and works hard off the field.

“Whenever I have any off time I go in for study hall.” Russell said. “I check all my classes to make sure that I am doing all of my work.”

With graduation right around the corner, Russell has graduate school on his mind if football doesn’t work out.

“After graduating I am definitely trying to see where football takes me,” Russell said. “I actually wanted to come back for graduate school. It’s just trying to figure out what I want to do and I actually wanted to be a salsa dancer.”

Once he graduates, he said he’ll miss being a Panther.

“I will miss everything about GSU football,” Russell said. “To come into a program and help start a legacy means a lot to me. I have a close relationship with the team, I treat everyone like they are my brothers and I will miss them a lot.”

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SPORTS

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2012

Curry’s potential replacement HUNTER BISHOP Staff Writer

Given that head coach Bill Curry will retire after the 2012 season, The Signal believes that any of these five candidates would be a good replacement for him.

George Pugh

Brent Davis

Associate head coach/recruiting coordinator/wide receivers coach, Georgia State

Offensive coordinator/offensive line coach, Georgia Southern University

Pugh has both the coaching and familiarity needed for the next head coach of the Georgia State Panthers. He has head coaching experience at both the high school and collegiate levels, with three collegiate division titles. He has many ties to the greater Atlanta area, which is vital for recruiting.

Why we want him: His connections to Atlanta are one of the biggest pluses if Pugh were hired. He has steadily brought in high recruiting classes, and produced excellent wide receivers.

Keeping the same staff will be important, as well, as the connection to current players cannot be understated.

Jim Reid

Associate head coach/defensive coordinator, University of Virginia Reid is a solid defensive coordinator with mountains of head coaching experience. In his second year as defensive coordinator for UVA, Reid took them to third in the ACC, and 40th among all FBS schools.

Reid spent five years as the head coach of the UMass Minutemen, as well as nine years as head coach of the Richmond Spiders, leading them to their first ever 10-win season in 2000.

Why we want him: He’s an extremely experienced coach.

His reputation as a coach would have an impact for a fledgling FBS program, as well as attracting bigger names coming from a BCS conference.

Davis is an expert on the triple option, having installed and coached at previous stops. During his four years at Virginia Military Institute, his ‘keydet’ rushing offense was ranked number one in 2008 and 2009. He then returned to Georgia Southern, where he had coached previously, to run the offense.

Why we want him: Davis has had great success in the recruiting top-notch players to Georgia Southern, such as Jayson Foster and Chris Covington.

Foster won the Walter Payton award (the FCS version of the Heisman), while Chris Covington won the 2008 Southern Conference defensive player of the year. His ability to recruit in the South would be an incredible advantage.

Gary Andersen Head Coach, Utah State

Troy Reffett Defensive coordinator/ linebackers coach, University of Louisiana - Monroe Reffett is a top defensive coordinator in the Sun Belt. Reffett’s defensives have improved every year at ULM. His defense finished number one in the Sun Belt in both rushing and total defense, setting a record for fewest rush yards per game. In the overall NCAA rankings, they finished eighth in rushing and 21st in total defense.

Why we want him: He is able to make quick defensive turnarounds. His defenses force turnovers and stop the run better than any other Sun Belt program. Having direct access to the Louisiana recruiting bed would be invaluable.

Andersen is in his fourth year at USU, having spent five years at rival Utah coaching the defense. Andersen took the program from eight wins the first two years to seven in 2011, taking them to the first bowl game in fourteen years.

Why we want him: He’s a bit of a dark horse, having little to no connections to the South.

However, his record at Utah State speaks for itself.

Though the numbers are underwhelming, the fact that USU went to a bowl game in only his third year shows his quality as a head coach.

Top left: Georgia State Athletics Top right: Georgia Southern University Athletics Middle left: University of Virginia Athletics Bottom left: University of Louisiana Monroe Athletics Bottom right: Utah State Athletics

http://www.gsu.edu/studentcenter Styles

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WHATʼS HAPPENING ON CAMPUS!

www.gsu.edu/spotlight

Plaza: Brazil in Motion

Tuesday, September 4, 12:15-1 p.m., Unity Plaza This Spotlight plaza will be a grandiose display of Brazilian culture featuring a capoeira performance from Cordoa de Ouro. There will also be a colorful display of Samba provided by dancers and drummers from Dance Brasil Entertainment.

Campus Events

Good Morning Commuters

Wednesday, September 5, 8-10 a.m.

Aderhold Learning Center, General Classroom Building and Unity Plaza

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SPOTLIGHT PROGRAMS BOARD

Supported by Student Activity Fees

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Come grab some light breakfast snacks and get information about upcoming events with Spotlight Programs Board!

• www.gsu.edu/studentevents

Karaoke, Krispy Kreme and Coffee Thursday, September 6 5:30-9 p.m.

Courtyard Stage Student Center, First Floor

Come sing your heart out to your favorite karaoke tunes or listen to the talented GSU student body as they express their passion for singing. Krispy Kreme doughnuts and coffee will be served.

GSU vs. Tennessee Viewing Party Saturday, September 8 Doors open at 3:30 p.m.

Kickoff at 4 p.m.

Student Center Ballroom

Blue at the Zoo • Tickets on Sale Now!

Dress in your Panther blue and come cheer on the GSU Panthers as they go head to head with the SEC Tennessee Volunteers. Enjoy tailgate games, giveaways, prizes and a performance by Frenchy.

Tailgate food will be served, but donʼt forget to bring your own folding chair or blanket.

Friday, September 7, 5:30-10 p.m.

Zoo Atlanta, 800 Cherokee Avenue SE, Atlanta 30315 See ad in this Signal for ticket information.

Come join Georgia State University as Spotlight and Campus Events paint Zoo Atlanta BLUE! After closing for the day on September 7, Zoo Atlanta will re-open its gates for the GSU community for its inaugural Blue at the Zoo event. Students, faculty, staff and guests will have the zoo to themselves for a private event that will include music, food, face painting, stilt walkers and much more! Donʼt forget to bring your camera so you can catch a lasting memory with GSUʼs own Pounce!

Campus Events at Unity Plaza

Thursday, September 13, 12:15-1 p.m.

Enjoy performances at this Diversity Plaza by the Atlanta Chinese Dance Company, African Student Association dancers and the GSU Salsa Club while eating lunch or hanging out between classes. Plaza Days highlight a diverse range of music and entertainment from rock bands and hip-hop to classical performers. If youʼd like to perform, contact the Campus Events Music Director at cemusic@gsu.edu or 404/413-1857.

http://www.gsu.edu/cinefest

Georgia State University uLearn

Cinefest Film Theatre

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All shows free for GSU staff, students and faculty with ID. Guests $3 before 5 p.m. and $5 at 5 p.m. and after.

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Panther Prowl: YOLO

Friday, September 14, 8 p.m.-2 a.m.

Student Center Ballroom

You say, “Carpe Diem”; we say “YOLO (You Only Live Once)!”

Join us for Panther Prowl as we live out life in one night, from crashing the red carpet to getting married in “Vegas.”

This event will feature live-band karaoke, fried snack food stations, a black light party, wedding chapel, rock climbing wall, ball pit, giant tricycle track and so much more.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Homecoming 2012!

SAVE THE DATE: October 15-20 For more information, call Spotlight Programs Board at 404/413-1610.

September 4-9 • Seeking a Friend for the End of the World

September 5

Tuesday: 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m., 7 p.m., 9 p.m.

Wednesday: 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m., 9 p.m.

Thursday-Friday: 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m., 7 p.m.

Saturday-Sunday: 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m., 7 p.m.

•

The Healthcare Movie

Wednesday: 7 p.m.

September 6 Instrument

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Thursday: 9 p.m.

September 7 • The Street Fighter, Friday: 9 p.m.

Fall semester rental of lockers in the Student Center, University Center, Urban Life Building and General Classroom Building is now available in 360 Student Center on a first-come, first-served basis. The rental period will end Dec. 7.

Fees for first-time rentals are $20 per semester plus $10 for a lock. After a lock has been purchased, fees are $20 per semester. For more information, visit www.gsu.edu/studentcenter or call 404/413-1860.