Vol. 89, No.14

VOL. 89 | NO. 14 01 / 25 / 22

EST. 1933

Independent, Impactful & Impartial

2 2 0 2 . . .

K C A B G N I

K O O L Y B , T C E P

X E O T T WHA

CO VE R BY TR EN T LE GA SP I| TH E SI GN AL

IN THIS ISSUE : NEW STREAMING SEASONS pg. 08 PINTO SUNSHINE pg. 11

PHOTOS BY PINTO SUNSHINE AND DENNIZN ON SHUTTERSTOCK.CO M

georgiastatesignal.com @gsusignal

Editor’s Note It is truly my honor to be the next Editor-in-Chief of this paper. The Signal has taught me so much about writing, investigation, production and what it means to be a great journalist. Over the past two years, I have had opportunities to work alongside excellent writers, and I am beyond thrilled to lead the passionate team that makes this paper a reality. I am grateful to all our readers and hope they enjoy every edition of the semester.

Best, Deena

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THE BLOTTER

January 25, 2021

WWW.GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM/NEWS

CRIME BLOTTER

JANUARY 20

“Snatched in broad daylight!”

There was a robbery reported near Petit Science Center early Thursday afternoon, the case is still active.

“You’re definitely not supposed to be here” A non-GSU affiliated person has been arrested for trespassing near Parking Deck A on Thursday afternoon.

JANUARY 18

“SHH!...People are trying to study here!”

A non-GSU affiliated

NEWS BRIEFS

person was found trespassing in Library South on Tuesday morning, they have been cleared.

distribute, tampering with evidence, obstructing police and possession of a knife or firearm.

A Georgia State student lost their property in Classroom South at 3:37 p.m. The case is now cleared.

An incident report was filed on a Georgia State student for disorderly conduct at 12:55 a.m. in Piedmont Central.

“Ow! That really hurt!”

OCT. 24

Is the party really that loud?

Come get your gas

In the RaceTrac parking lot at 11:00 p.m., a nonGeorgia State offender was arrested for several crimes, including possession of marijuana with intent to

LOCAL

NATIONAL

INTERNATIONAL

Biden and Kemp spar over healthcare issues

Flint, Michigan prosecutions blocked by new Attorney General

Ukraine and Russia reach boiling point.

The state of Georgia has filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration. This comes in response to a rejection by the White House to a healthcare proposal from Governor Brian Kemp. This waiver from the Governor’s office would require adults seeking health insurance to work a required amount of hours every week. This proposal was initially greenlit towards the end of the Trump administration, but is now being halted by President Biden. While Biden believes this waiver will limit the ability for many adults to receive healthcare, Kemp says it will give medicaid access to 50,000 more families in Georgia.

We are nearly eight years removed from the shocking events in Flint, Michigan , where toxic levels of lead were discovered in the drinking water leading to a public health crisis. In the past couple of years, prosecutors under the Michigan Attorney General’s office have been building a case against government officials and banks involved in the transition between water pipelines that led to the hazardous conditions. When prosecutors were on the verge of filing charges of racketeering, fraud and bribery, the newly appointed Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel dropped the case and fired the prosecutors.

The last few months have seen a ramping up of tensions between Russia and Ukraine, with implications affecting many other nations. Many Western countries, including the U.S., want to induct Ukraine into the NATO alliance. This would grant the country Article 5 nuclear protection. This move is seen as extremely hostile towards the Russians, who have been amassing forces on the UkraineRussia border over the past few weeks. The Russian government has come out and stated that if the U.S. were to withdraw their desire to add Ukraine into NATO, then they would likewise withdraw their troops from the border.

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Photo by Trent Legaspi

Georgia State Football wins the 2021 Camellia Bowl

Check out more of Trent’s work on Instagram : @trentlegaspiphotos

NEWS

January 25, 2021

WWW.GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM/NEWS

Pharmacies are still struggling to keep the shelves stocked as the U.S. Government begins to roll out free at home COVID tests.

PHOTO BY TRENT LEGASPI | THE SIGNAL

Top news stories of the week Free COVID-19 Tests, Ossoff new stock legislation ADAM DUFFY News Editor

F

ree COVID-19 Tests Being Sent To Americans:

The Biden administration has launched a new initiative to get rapid COVID tests sent to households across America. The website “COVIDtests.gov” launched partially on Tuesday the 17th, with the full website launch occurring the following day. Through the USPS, people can have up to four tests sent to their home address from the new website.

The discussion around sending tests to Americans has been brewing for a while. The past few months have seen a marked increase in the number of COVID-19 cases.

This rise is, of course, due to the growth of the Omicron variant. Such a large influx of new cases has led to an equal increase in the demand for rapid at-home tests. For many around the country, the government has not met these demands.

There are stories of testing lines that stretch multiple city blocks or people hunting through dozens of pharmacies for home tests.

One of the reasons why at-home tests are so difficult to come by in the U.S., our tests have to pass through FDA regulation and monitoring, unlike many other countries. This regulation reduces the supply of tests at any given time and increases their price.

This fact is in stark contrast to countries in Europe and Asia, where citizens can purchase multiple tests for around a dollar. This price is far less than the $25 per test you would spend at your local CVS. The frustration around testing came to a head when White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki mocked the idea of sending tests out to Americans at a press briefing in early December.

A few weeks later, on December 20th, President Biden announced that the United States government would send at-home tests to households.

Many have criticized the introduction due to the

timing. Americans would not have access to these free tests before the holidays and could not use them to inform their decisions during such a high travel time of year.

People also met the full roll-out of the program with controversy. The website says that the average shipping times for the tests will be around seven to nine days.

This restriction will force people to order them well before any exposure or presenting symptoms if they want to know what is safe for them to do.

New Stock Legislation Headed by Georgia’s Own Jon Ossoff:

Lawmakers have introduced new legislation that would prohibit members of Congress from buying and trading stocks. Georgia’s very own Senator John Ossoff is leading the efforts behind this bill.

Ossoff put out a tweet on January 12th, which stated, “Tonight I introduced legislation to ban Members of Congress (and our spouses) from trading stocks…3/4 of Americans agree.”

Ossoff ’s statistic is from a recent Data For Progress poll where people were asked, “Would you support or oppose Congress passing a bill that would ban members of Congress from buying or selling stocks while in office?” The data shows that 74% of Americans would support that bill, while 19% would not.

Many of Ossoff ’s fellow Senators have jumped onto this bill as well, with Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) throwing their support behind it. Even Congress members from across the aisle show their support for this legislation.

This massive bipartisan push arrived on the heels of criticism laid towards members of Congress because of their stock trades. The STOCK Act would require members of Congress to report their stock trades publicly.

Recent compilations of this data have been circulating on social media. This data shows how well the stocks of

members of Congress are doing compared to the S&P 500.

The S&P 500 is the general measure of how well the stock market is growing at any given time. If an individual’s stocks grow faster than the S&P 500, they are “beating” the market.

The data revealed that the individual stocks of 35 members of Congress, split almost evenly between parties, beat the S&P 500 in 2021.

Notable names such as Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Minority Senate Leader Mitch McConnel (R-KY) and Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) appear on the list. On average, the stocks of members of Congress outperformed most of the hedge funds on Wall Street.

The biggest worries around members of Congress trading stocks is to what degree it affects their policymaking and how many of their trades are motivated by inside information, which is illegal.

The majority of the stocks traded by members of Congress are in technology companies like Google and Facebook, distribution companies like Amazon, and in the finance sector. People have scrutinized these industries for their business practices, and many are looking towards Congress to establish regulations.

The timing of specific trades is also being examined.

The data shows that large buys and sales of stocks occur just before significant policy changes shake up the market. While insider trading is difficult to prove, the timing of some of these trades leads many to question how much inside information members of Congress are using when making their portfolio decisions.

Pelosi herself was asked by a reporter in midDecember whether or not members of Congress should be able to trade stocks while in office. In her response, she said, “No…We are a free market economy. They should be able to participate in that.”

With Ossoff introducing his bill this week, it is hard to say how far it will go in the next couple of weeks.

There is sizeable bipartisan support both for and against the legislation.

THE SIGNAL

TUESDAY, JANUARY 25, 2021

5

MARTA CEO dies at 55

Jeffrey Parker dies by suicide, Atlanta reacts.

ADAM DUFFY News Editor

M

arta CEO dies at 55.

Jeffrey Parker, the CEO of MARTA, died on January 14th. Parker was struck by a train that evening, and authorities have ruled his death as a suicide.

Parker joined as the GM and CEO of MARTA in March of 2018. Under his leadership, MARTA has been undertaking its largest expansion since its inception in 1971.

Parker announced at the most recent “MARTA Day” on January 12th that the transit authority would be adding 254 newly designed rail cars to its fleet by 2023.

In Parker’s stead, Collie Greenwood was elected interim General Manager. MARTA released a statement on Saturday, January 15th.

It stated, “In a unanimous vote, the MARTA Board

of Directors has named Collie Greenwood as interim General Manager and CEO of MARTA at a specially called board meeting on Saturday, January 15, 2022, held after the sudden death of Jeffrey Parker.”

Parker’s death garnered attention from city officials all across Atlanta. The DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond, the Atlanta-Region Transit Link Executive Director Chris Tomlinson, and Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens shared their condolences for Parker and his family.

Dickens released a statement following Parker’s death. “I am shocked and saddened to learn of the sudden and tragic death of my colleague and friend Jeff Parker. As MARTA’S General Manager and CEO, Jeff and I worked closely together when I [was The Chair of ] the Transportation Committee on

Jeffrey Parker, the CEO of MARTA, died on January 14th. Parker was struck by a train that evening, and authorities have ruled his death as a suicide.

City Council. Jeff understood that MARTA is more than just a transportation system—it represents connectivity for residents and visitors of our great city and region. My thoughts and prayers are with Jeff ’s family and friends, and with the staff and board at MARTA, during this very difficult time.”

Parker is survived by his wife Erin and daughters.

The Georgia Crisis and Access Line is available 24/7 for services and immediate help at 1-800-7154225. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is also available at 1-800-273-8255.

In July, the latter will be receiving its own emergency number, 988. This number will hopefully provide extended access and convenience to those in need.

PHOTO BY REANC ON SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

OPINIONS

January 25, 2021

WWW.GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM/OPINIONS

Happy Insurrectioniversary!

A look back at the Capitol Riot on Jan. 6th

O TERRANCE DAVIS

Staff Columnist

ver a year has passed since the insurrection on the American Capitol occurred. The incident saw thousands of Donald Trump and The Republican Party supporters storm the United States Capitol to seek retribution for the 2020 presidential election, which they believed The Democratic Party stole from them.

The occurrence was as strange as it was alarming. It was also a sign for many that American fascism is continuing to grow.

Political scientists have dissected the topic of far-right nationalism at great length these past four years, and it is not hard to see why. The Donald Trump regime marked a period of far-right and white nationalist talking points reaching a greater platform than ever.

While the Trump presidency is over and many groups like the Proud Boys have lost significant prominence, America’s right-wing only seems to be radicalizing more.

Many argue that this was a trend in their politics even before the Trump presidency.

America has a long-standing relationship with white supremacy, but that relationship has not always been consistent. The history of racial domination and the ongoing linkage between class and race in the United States creates an environment where white supremacy is normal.

Activists have argued that this country has not had much social or economic progress. However, the presence of a black president coupled with recent social justice movements (many of which call for the liberation of people of color) have caused the American right to feel threatened.

With Donald Trump and the Republican party subscribing to a conservative ideology, these movements towards progress are the exact kind of thing they would want to “conserve” American culture from being “ruined” by these moves. As a side note, the reaction to Obama is important, as the Birther Conspiracy marked the beginning of Trump’s modern political career.

One intriguing development to arise out of the Jan. 6 incident is the discovery of Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio being an FBI informant, leading to the previously mentioned decline of the group.

Our current administration is trying to bring the rioters to justice and has done a lot to keep Jan. 6 in the public’s mind. The attack is also a bit of an obsession with New York and DC-based news outlets, who have been covering every second of the January 6th investigation.

The apparent urgency with which the investigations are being held is due to the attacks supposedly betraying our democratic values.

An investigation by a House Committee found that over 50 of the attendees of the insurrection are running for public office in 2022.

This fact demonstrates not only the House Committee’s priorities in who they are investigating but our administration’s focus on the lives of working-class Americans as a whole. There simply appears to be more effort to apprehend those involved with the attacks than the multiple

public officials who supported and encouraged it.

There doesn’t seem to be much of a drive to fix those long-standing race antagonisms in the country that perpetuate the far-right ideology.

While most view the insurrection as an embarrassment for the nation, the Republican Party is perfectly comfortable with the events that transpired the day of the attacks. Their belief in a stolen election has not changed.

Their further radicalization is evident in their embrace of Kenosha shooter Kyle Rittenhouse who even got a speaking slot at the Conservative Political Action Conference. The decline and investigation of groups like the Proud Boys and the Oathkeepers is not a sign of better things to come, as the right as a whole will come to take their place.

With such darkness on the horizon, it is hard to say that the current administration is capable or even willing to stop it. Their policy upholds the same Neoliberal tendencies that have created economic insecurity and public distrust that allows fascism to grow.

PHOTO BY THOMAS HENGGE ON SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

The disadvantages of stress as a student The Hard Skill of Stress Management

N GABBY MILLER Staff Columnist

ow it is the start of the new semester, and many of us have new responsibilities we have to deal with depending on how many classes we choose to take this semester.

Some people can manage to have eight classes. Some can only manage to have three classes.

Everyone has different priorities they have to face for this semester. EEven though students don’t always have the same responsibilities, we have to do this semester, we all have one thing in common - general stress.

As students, we all experience stress in one way or another. You may have heard students having to pull all-nighters just to study for a test the next day.

Others become debilitated and do not study at all. It is a fact that each of us experiences stress in different ways in our lives.

Georgia State University has a research center in counseling and psychological services dedicated to solving problems related to stress, the Center for the Study of Stress, Trauma, and Resilience.

This research group’s sole purpose is to process the different multidisciplinary approaches to understand generalized stress and coping with it.

Learning to cope with stress is vital because students have to juggle a lot in college. In every class, we have to deal with various responsibilities expected of students. We have to do textbook reading. We have to do different types of homework, finish assignments, and study for exams and quizzes.

Balancing stress is a skill that students need to learn more than facing your priorities head-on.

It also means knowing what you can and cannot do in a day. Many people think managing stress is just balancing your responsibilities in your life.

However, it can be more difficult that way. Managing stress is also doing selfcare for yourself. It isn’t just work and no play. Sometimes you have to know your limits for that particular day.

Stress can affect more than your mental health. According to the Center for the Study of Stress, Trauma, and Resilience, stress can affect our physical, mental and occupational functioning that affect our health and health-related outcomes.

If we do not manage our stress properly and healthily, we can experience different health outcomes. Many people get physically ill if they are under intense stress. People can get colds, headaches, or even fevers from the pressure they are not managing properly.

Stress management is something we all have to do. We do not wake up one day and become a master of a skill. It takes a lot of patience and practice to master. Even in the real world, we have to learn how to manage different stress management skills because anything can cause stress.

It is essential to manage your stress correctly to avoid these things from happening to you. Stress will always be there with us, but the more we practice driving it, the easier it is to live with it.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 25, 2021

OPINIONS

7

Graduate students in Nutrition opened Panthers Pantry in 2014 after a survey discovered that 68% of GSU students had faced a type of homelessness since starting their studies.

PHOTO BY SAMEOLDSMITH ON SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

Student homelessness at Georgia State What you need to know

N LUIZA DE ABREU

Staff Columnist

ames of students have been changed to protect anonymity College student homelessness is a serious problem in the United States. Though the problem may seem hard to spot, it is right under our noses. The Hope Center for College, Community and Justice of Temple University surveyed nearly 86,000 U.S. university students and found that 32% have experienced homelessness.

Many students at Georgia State are currently experiencing homelessness or food insecurity. Panther’s Pantry is a food pantry located on the main Atlanta campus. Graduate students in Nutrition opened the pantry in 2014 after a survey discovered that 68% of Georgia State students had faced a type of homelessness since starting their studies.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic started, Panther’s Pantry has seen a dramatic increase in student visits. The pantry serves as many as 135 students in one week, while prior visits were only about 11-13 students per week.

Adela, a 22-year-old Art major at Georgia State and a regular at Panther’s Pantry, has recently been experiencing a period of homelessness over the past few months. Due to a turbulent home situation, Adela finds themselves floating in between spaces and crashing on couches.

Adela identifies as non-binary and uses they/them pronouns. Their parents, refusing to accept them, created an environment so toxic that they would rather couch-surf than be stuck in their childhood home.

Adela has had a hard time with their studies this semester, bouncing between multiple jobs and having nowhere to call home. They said it feels like school should be their main priority, but it is almost impossible to focus on studies without a place to lay their head at night.

Charles, a 23-year-old Business major at Georgia State, faced homelessness when he discovered that a family member had stolen thousands of dollars from him. He said that the relative had wholly drained his savings, leaving him with nothing and nowhere to go.

He began living out of his car. He went to school full-time during the day while also working evenings as a bartender. Charles said the hardest part of being a homeless student was the strain it put on his studies and the struggle of trying to feed himself. He said he dropped around 15 pounds during the six months while living in his car.

When it was too cold to sleep in his car, he offered to cook his friends a nice meal using whatever they had in the fridge in return for a place to stay for the night. His friends loved his cooking so much that sometimes they would ask him to stay for a few days. Charles said these were his favorite days when he had a warm meal and a couch.

It doesn’t help that there are few resources for homeless students on campus. The food pantry is a great start, but it’s not enough. Georgia State could be and should be doing more for its homeless students.

The school has resources for homelessness on the Georgia State website under a tab called The Embark Network. Still, it is merely a list of things like the phone numbers for the Counseling Center and the University Advisement Center. These are not entirely unhelpful as mental health is an important thing to take care of, especially in such a stressful situation, but it is simply not the priority for someone who has no place to sleep.

Finding assistance can be tricky because, in many cases, homelessness is not an immediate emergency but a slow burn. This reality means many students do not qualify for emergency assistance until too late.

A reallocation of funds is necessary to start fixing this problem.

The FAFSA and CARES Act grants are not enough to cover the entire cost of attendance at Georgia State. An on-campus organization dedicated to solving student homelessness would be an incredible way to increase awareness of the issue.

It is absurd for students to worry about having food to eat and a place to sleep, on top of already having to worry about classes, grades and transportation. Especially when the school has the resources to ensure all students are safe and happy.

If you are a student experiencing homelessness or food insecurity, please know you are not alone, and resources are available.

If you require emergency assistance, you can fill out an Emergency Assistance Request.

If you face food insecurity, you can visit the Panther’s Pantry. There are pantry locations on the Atlanta, Clarkston, Decatur and Dunwoody campuses.

This Week’s Spread: ARTS & LIVIN WWW.GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM/ARTSANDLIVING

New year, new seasons on Netflix, HBO and Hulu These four shows supply all the drama, romance and thrill needed to start the year off right

Kara Martin - Staff Reporter

W ith the new year being in full effect,

there is a lot to look forward to this year.

Ranging from new shows to recent seasons of some fan favorites, Netflix, Hulu and HBO are kicking the new year off with these four shows that are a must-watch.

1. Abbott Elementary: Hulu Despite this show originally airing on ABC in December of 2021, Abbott Elementary is slowly becoming the topic of discussion on many social media platforms. Abbott Elementary is a mockumentary starring Quinta Brown, Tyler James Williams and others.

Brown plays the role of a second-grade teacher, Ms.Teagues, while Williams plays the role of a substitute teacher Mr. Gregory. Although this show is a fictional story, Abbott Elementary is an underfunded elementary school located in Philadelphia and has constantly struggled to keep enough teachers for more than two years and receive the supplies they need for their students.

The “film crew” documents the condition of the school as well as the lives and commentary of teachers.

The show’s style is similar to other mockumentaries such as The Office or Parks and Recreation.

This show has a good balance of funny and heartfelt content. Viewers can watch this show on either ABC or Hulu every week.

H

NG

2. Twenty-Somethings: Netflix This Netflix Original aired in December of 2021, starring eight young adults who move from across the country looking for a fresh start in Austin, Texas.

Both halves live in neighboring houses but share a backyard where they all talk and eat together at night. Each person is there for similar reasons, such as pursuing their passions, finding themselves or finding a fresh start.

This show is quite different from many other young adult reality television series like Jersey Shore.

Roommates on this Netflix show do not have jobs in place before their visit, as many of them are seeking employment or searching to further their careers for more than just a summer.

There is a lot of fun and partying with each other, but the drama is inevitable. Still, many form genuine bonds and relationships that make this show even more endearing and captivating than the average reality show.

HBO

3. Selling Tampa: Netflix This show is another Netflix Original reality show that aired in December of 2021. With only one season out, it has already become a favorite of many. This show is a spin-off of another reality television show called Selling Sunset, set in Los Angeles.

The two shows are unrelated, but both center around the real estate industry. Selling Tampa is a reality television show starring Sharelle Rosado, her brokerage Allure Realty owner.

Her team also cast members of this show, are all minority women. Despite Florida being infamous in recent years, this show puts Tampa on the map.

These women are all about their money and business, but where there is reality TV, there is drama.

There is no telling when season two will be available but what is guaranteed is there will be shade and money to be made.

4. Euphoria: HBO This show is another Netflix Original reality show that aired in December of 2021. With only one season out, it has already become a favorite of many. This show is a spin-off of another reality television show called Selling Sunset, set in Los Angeles.

The two shows are unrelated, but both center around the real estate industry. Selling Tampa is a reality television show starring Sharelle Rosado, her brokerage Allure Realty owner.

Her team also cast members of this show, are all minority women. Despite Florida being infamous in recent years, this show puts Tampa on the map.

These women are all about their money and business, but where there is reality TV, there is drama.

There is no telling when season two will be available but what is guaranteed is there will be shade and money to be made.

PAGE LAYOUT BY EVAN KOENIGS | THE SIGNAL

ARTS & LIVING

January 25, 2021

WWW.GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM/ARTSANDLIVING

Dealing with newfound fatherhood and a pandemic, Earl Sweatshirt has crafted a work of art.

PHOTO BY BENHOUDIJK ON DEPOSITPHOTOS.COM

Earl Sweatshirt’s “SICK!” is sick.

Earl’s refusal to stagnate stylistically gives listeners an early AOTY contender DESMOND LEAKE Arts & Living Editor

E

arl Sweatshirt isn’t a rapper who wastes time.

Ever since his rap career started at 16, he’s fostered a fanbase enamored with his cryptic and depressing lyrics.

Sweatshirt’s albums feature tons of lyrical density while never overstaying their welcome. His longest record is about 44 minutes, with most of his projects being less than 30 minutes in length.

Sweatshirt’s music is infamous for its cryptic, often complex lyrics that describe his complicated feelings of grief.

His last studio album and experimental masterpiece “Some Rap Songs” saw Earl at his most abstract and depressed, rapping over looping samples of soul beats while addressing his grief at his father’s passing.

Following that, he released “Feet of Clay” EP, which kept up the depressing mood of its predecessors while also diving into even more off-kilter production, such as on the now-infamous “EAST.” “Sick!” is Sweatshirt’s latest album, recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic as a reflection of the chaos that was going on all across the world. After four years since his last studio album, Sweatshirt proves that he still hasn’t lost his edge across the album’s 24-minute runtime.

Thematically, while “Sick!” does talk about the pandemic, it does so in a way that isn’t too on the nose, forgoing the cringy one-liners and punchlines that pervaded lyrics throughout the last two years. In this way, “Sick!” will age gracefully relative to many of its contemporaries.

Lines like “Asymptomatic, but I get sick of the delays” sound cryptic enough that one could believe he would’ve written this without the pandemic.

“Sick!” follows up Earl’s magnum opus “Some Rap Songs’’ in a somewhat different direction. Stylistically, both contain some of the stylistic looping production popularized by the sLUms collective that gave SRS

its signature dark and claustrophobic feeling not as present on “Sick!” Tracks like “Titanic” feature instrumentals that wouldn’t be out of place on a trap album.

“

Thematically, while “Sick!” does talk about the pandemic, it does so in a way that isn’t too on the nose, forgoing the cringy one-liners and punchlines that pervaded lyrics throughout the last two years.

— DESMOND LEAKE

”

Arts & Living Editor

This diversity of sounds makes “Sick!” feel like a rewarding listen even though it’s only ten tracks. Compared to the sometimes muffled and subdued mixing that made up previous works. “Sick!” feels like Earl is more

confident in himself than ever before.

Standout tracks include the excellent “Tabula Rasa,” a posse cut over an ethereal looping piano beat with a vocal sample that elicits feelings of nostalgia. Earl and guest rapper Armand Hammer glide effortlessly over the production, with Earl coming to terms with the tragedies in his life and choosing to remain true to himself.

The line of the song “Featherweight, my heart was straight despite the baggage” is a summation of Earl’s growth since his last album.

“2010” in particular stands out, aided by production

by Black Noi$e giving a chaotic beat while Earl raps about his upbringing, with the year 2010 being a reference to the year he dropped his first mixtape “EARL.” The choice to release “2010” as the first single of the album feels like a deliberate choice, as Earl raps with such life and relative aggression that it feels like he still needs something to prove.

It directly contrasts the dark, muffled sounds of his previous works. Instead, Earl raps at the most confident that he’s ever been.

Earl stays in a relatively vulnerable state throughout the album, addressing his still existing insecurities in the wake of his newfound fatherhood, especially given that much of his early work painted a complicated relationship with his parents that didn’t change until recently.

In an interview with Rolling Stone, Earl said that he is still learning about parenthood since the birth of his first child. “Sick!” reflects this statement as a reflection of how Earl has evolved from the 16-year-old boy rapping about rape into the rap auteur he is today.

It doesn’t quite reach the highs of ”Some Rap Songs,” but it trades out some of the angst to give us Earl Sweatshirt at his most optimistic despite his tragedies.

ARTS&LIVING

TUESDAY, JANUARY 25, 2021

11

Five Earthfriendly changes students can make

A few easy changes students can make to help the environment COLE PODANY Staff Reporter

M

ost college students live in small spaces, many of them the size of a one-car garage. 36% of public four-year college students live in university housing, 23% live in purpose-built, off-campus housing, and most students who don’t live in on-campus housing live in nearby apartments with up to three roommates.

While 39% of college students believe that climate change is the “most pressing issue facing the world today, living in dorm rooms can make being eco-friendly challenging.

Most college students cannot easily grow all their food, change to more sustainable energy sources or harvest rainwater, but that does not mean college students have no control over their environmental footprint.

Despite the challenges associated with living in a tiny space and living on a college budget, college students can still make lifestyle changes that minimize their negative impact on the Earth while increasing awareness about climate change.

1. Re-use items:

Most students probably know the mantra of “reduce, reuse, recycle.” This old saying is still true. The average American throws away 110 pounds of single-use plastic every year, more than any other nation in the world.

Using reusable water bottles, metal straws, or reusable silicon trash bags keeps single-use plastics like water bottles out of landfills and the ocean.

2. Join a community garden:

While students might not have the space to garden in their apartments or dormitories, community gardens create a shared area to grow food, chat with local community members and learn new skills. Atlanta is home to over ten community gardens, from Peachtree Hills to Westview Community Garden.

3. Purchase from thrift stores:

College students are buying from thrift stores more than ever before.

Despite the pandemic, selling and thrifting have grown 21 times faster than the retail apparel market. While many students choose to shop at thrift stores because they like the clothes on the rack or want to support local businesses, thrift purchases tend to be significantly more environmentally-friendly than “fast fashion.”

In fact, according to the Princeton Student Climate Initiative, “The fashion industry is currently responsible for more annual carbon emissions than all international flights and maritime shipping combined.”

4. Avoid “greenwashing”: Buying more Earthfriendly products is a step most college students say they take to live a more sustainable lifestyle, but a marketing practice called “greenwashing” often makes this challenging. According to CNBC, “‘Greenwashing’ is the deceptive practice of branding a company as environmentally-friendly without adopting legitimate, sustainable operations.”

To avoid buying “greenwashed” products, students can look for vague claims, labels without certifications to support them, or flowery images of animals or open fields.

5. Buy less, make more:

While students can reuse what they already have to minimize their purchases of items with a high carbon footprint, making items from scratch removes the need to buy those items in the first place.

Those who live a “zerowaste” lifestyle find ways to make their toothpaste, deodorant and other household items.

Atlanta-based band Pinto Sunshine released their debut single “Rango,” which tells the story of a psychedelic cowboy.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PINTO SUNSHINE

Pinto Sunshine releases debut single, “Rango”

Atlanta band Pinto Sunshine releases first single GRACE BRASWELL Staff Reporter

P

sychedelic rock band Pinto Sunshine writes music that excites, working through their upbeat and groovy vibes to bring back the visceral live scene energy from the 2000s.

The band, composed of Santiago Cabeza on guitar and vocals, Chase Perales on bass, Noah Pappo on lead guitar, Priscilla Wheeler on keys and Colton Clements on drums, started officially writing music together a band around August of 2021.

However, most of the band members knew each other and played in different bands around Atlanta before Pinto Sunshine.

“I started writing some songs a few years ago,” Cabeza said.

“And then I started meeting up with Chase, and the next thing we knew, we were adding new members and playing together as an official band.”

Pinto Sunshine released their first single, “Rango,” on Jan. 14th. The song’s lyrics describe the journey of a psychedelic cowboy, and the song’s sound has influences of several different types of genres combined to create an upbeat, latin-like groove.

Cabeza based the song on a psychedelic experience he encountered. Several cacti surrounded Cabeza during the experience, which freaked him out a little bit.

Although the experience with the cacti was not the most positive, Cabeza still discussed how the trip further inspired “Rango” and other songs the band is currently working on.

“The song itself is about the journey of a psychedelic cowboy.

I was tripping one time with some cacti around me, and they were starting to like, try and get me,” Cabeza said.

“

The song begins with a funky, upbeat tempo that then transitions into a chorus that hits listeners with a punk-rock punch with underlying notes of Latininspired grooves.

”

— GRACE BRASWELL

Staff Reporter

“It was an intense trip, not negative, though. I was just surrounded by like eight cacti that were standing over me, and it freaked me out a little bit, but it was also how I got the idea for this song.”

“Rango” possesses a musical groove and depth that several songs tend to lack. The song begins with a funky, upbeat tempo that then transitions into a chorus that hits listeners with a punkrock punch with underlying notes of Latin-inspired grooves.

Like an acid trip, “Rango” layers different genres to push listeners into different zones and headspaces as the song continues.

Pinto Sunshine focuses on creating music that pushes musical boundaries by mixing, creating, and playing around with various genres, sounds, instruments and vibes to create unique and mindexpanding songs.

When writing music, Pinto Sunshine uses each band member’s music taste, abilities, and creativity to create many new and distinctive pieces.

“Usually, how it starts is I’ll come up with a riff and maybe a melody, and then I bring it to the rest of the band, and it gets put together,” Cabeza said.

“There are more songs that are going to come out that have different influences from different band members, but for ‘Rango’ in particular, we just kind of played around with a lot of different styles and ideas.”

Pinto Sunshine is working on several new songs that will be released later this year, and they will be playing at Smith’s Olde Bar on Thursday, February 24th, alongside A.D Blanco, Bummer Hill, and P.M. Tiger.

SPORTS

January 25, 2021

WWW.GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM/SPORTS

The 7-10 Falcons Season in Review What went wrong for this years’ Falcons MALIKAI COLLINS Sports Editor

T

he Atlanta Falcons concluded their 2021-22 campaign with a 7-10 record, finishing third in the NFC South division. They managed to remain alive in the playoff race until the last two weeks of this season.

Kyle Pitts showed midseason improvement after a slow start to become the second rookie tight end to reach the 1,000-yard mark in a season on the way to his first pro bowl.

The defense has shown glimpses of a solid unit with young talents like A.J. Terrell and veteran studs Deion Jones, Foyesade Oluokon and Grady Jarrett.

Terrell finished the season as Pro Football Focus’s thirdranked cornerback in the league, as he forced both the lowest catch rate in the league and the lowest passer rating when targeted.

Oluokun led the NFL in total tackles with 192 and picked off three passes after sliding into the role previously held by the previously mentioned Jones.

While both Jarrett and Jones had down years, the former pro bowlers give this defense a chance of transitioning into a dependable threat for this ball club with them on the field.

The Falcons’ passing offense was a question mark at the start of this season, with Matt Ryan regressing. They have had a couple of games where the offense seemed to find a rhythm, but they couldn’t replicate that success consistently enough for most defenses to consider this offense a real threat.

The offense struggled to score points in the second half of the season, only scoring over 25 points in one of their final nine games. Missing star receiver and Ryan’s number one target Calvin Ridley, this team failed to identify a decent number two receiver behind Pitts.

Their scoring woos led to them finishing 25th in points scored and an abysmal minus 146-point differential which finished bottom five in the league.

With this season being the team’s fourth straight losing season and three different head coaches, the problems may lie within the huddle. The Falcons should be looking at potential suitors to take over at quarterback for next season,

whether through the draft or free agency.

The weapons this team has on the offensive side of the ball, other than Cordarelle Patterson, are quite young with the right quarterback situation. This losing culture fans have bestowed upon this organization will be a thing of the past.

The Falcons’ passing game ranked 16th for passing yards with 3,987 yards. They landed in the bottom 12 of the league in passing touchdowns with 20. The team also threw interceptions with 15, which placed them at 25th and 21st, respectively.

They showed a lack of explosive plays as they find themselves at 21st in plays over 20 yards with 44 and 22nd at plays over 40 yards with seven.

This season the running game never found its stride, ranking 31st in rushing yards with 1,451 and finishing 27th in rushing touchdowns with 11. This team lacks that knockout punch mentality in the rushing game as they finished last in the league in runs over 20 and 40 yards.

The Falcons’ defense is a few solid pieces away from becoming a force to be reckoned with, but there have been more rough spots than bright ones. The Falcons ranked 18th in passing yards allowed as they gave up 3,952.

They gave up 31 passing touchdowns, landing them at the 26th spot in the league and only forcing 12 interceptions ending their season in the bottom 12. They rarely put pressure on the quarterback as they were the worst in the league at sacking the quarterback this season, finishing at 18, which was 11 less than the 31st ranking team.

The rush defense was an issue this year as well. They ranked bottom seven in both rushing yards allowed, giving up 2,242 and rushing TDs at 19.

On the upside, this team did force 14 fumbles, placing them at 11, but only 18th in fumbles recovered. They were 27th in combined tackles at 1,137 and tied for second for defensive touchdowns with two.

Team Awards: Offensive MVP- Cordarelle Patterson:

By far the most productive offensive player this season.

With the Falcons headed for their fourth straight losing season and three different head coaches, the problems may lie within the huddle.

He simply did whatever the team needed him to do. His expendability proved essential to this team’s success, especially in the absence of their most talented weapon on that side of the ball.

He led the team in rushing yards with 613 and rushing touchdowns with six.

He also led the team in receiving touchdowns with five.

He was third in both receptions and receiving yards, with 52 and 548 yards, respectively. To further his versatility, Patterson was second on the team in return yards with 434 and led the team in yards per return with 24.1.

Defensive MVP- Foyesade Oluokun:

While second-year corner A.J. Terrell was a tough choice to pass on, Oluokun put together quite the season for himself. He positioned himself perfectly into that leadership role on the defensive side of the ball.

Oluokun comfortably led the team in both solo tackles and assisted tackles as he nearly reached 200 total tackles on the season. He was second on the team in sacks with two and tied for first in interceptions with three.

Defensive Coordinator Dean Pees spoke on how valuable Oluokun was this season and why he quickly settled into his new role.

“He is very, very intelligent, and it means a lot to him.

[The middle linebacker] has to sort everything out back there, and he has to be conscientious. He is smart, he is physical and he is super conscientious. It’s important to him, and that’s what you want in that guy.”

Most Reliable- Younghoe Koo:

Koo’s leg was the early hero for this team. Whenever the game was on the line, and everything came down to Koo, he guaranteed a win for the Falcons.

He made all three of his game-winning field goal attempts this season.

He made 93.1% of all field goals that he attempted this season, which was the third-highest rate in the NFL while also going perfect on all of his extra-point attempts this season.

PHOTO BY OWAIS KHAN | THE SIGNAL

SPORTS

TUESDAY, JANUARY 25, 2021

13

Men’s

Upcoming Games

VS. Louisiana University

Away Game @ Louisiana University 01 / 27 / 22 8:00 p.m.

Women’s

Atlanta United looks to make crucial winter signings to strengthen the team for the upcoming season.

VS. Troy

PHOTO BY HARRY WYMAN | THE SIGNAL

How Atlanta United’s winter targets will strengthen the team

The new attacking talent coming into the squad can help the 17s push for a trophy JOSH JENKINS Staff Reporter

Men’s

Home Game vs Troy @ Georgia State Sports Arena 01 / 29 / 22 2:00 p.m.

VS. University of Louisiana Monroe

Away Game @ The University of Louisiana Monroe 01 / 29 / 22

3:00 p.m.

W

ith the January transfer window opening, clubs worldwide can sign players and strengthen their squads. In America, this means two months until the new season and an opportunity to prepare for what’s to come.

Atlanta United finished the year strong with a powerful surge to clinch a spot in the playoffs but fell short to the eventual champions New York City FC in the first round. The Five Stripes will look to build on that success heading into this season. With head coach Gonzalo Pineda capable of getting the best out of his players, it is vital to strengthen their core to make a deep run in the playoffs.

Atlanta’s biggest concern will be replacing Eziquiel Barco. The 22-year-old Argentine looks to seek a better opportunity with clubs all over Europe interested in his talents.

While he hadn’t set the MLS on fire, he will be a challenge for this team to replace. Thiago Almada will sign with Atlanta at the end of the window.

“An agreement was reached with Major League Soccer for the definitive transfer of the federative rights of Thiago Almada to Atlanta United FC,” Almada’s current club, Velez Sarsfield, announced publicly

on December 3, “The deal is worth US$16,000,000. The agreement will go into effect at the beginning of February 2022.”

The 20-year-old is almost a direct replacement for Barco, playing in the same positions and excelling at the same things.

Almada averages .43 expected goals/assists per 90, just losing out to Barco’s .48 at the same age (stats per brief ).

Almada also boasts an impressive injury record as he is yet to miss a game because of an injury in his three-year tenure playing in the top Argentinian league. Barco’s injuries have kept him out during crucial games in their playoff runs over the years.

Atlanta’s other primary concern is finding a backup to Josef Martinez. When he’s healthy, the Venezuelan striker is one of the best in the league, but it is apparent how much Atlanta relies on him following an ACL tear.

Martinez only appeared in 24 of the 36 games Atlanta played in, yet scored over a quarter of their goals.

If Atlanta United wants a serious shot for the trophy, they can’t depend solely on keeping Martinez fit. While still young and promising, Jackson Conway has a long way to go before becoming a true playmaker for this team.

Will Bruin of the Seattle Sounders has been linked to a move to Atlanta in recent weeks.

“I was able to confirm that Atlanta United is one of the teams actively looking to sign Sounders forward Will Bruin,” said Niko Moreno of Football MLS on Twitter While hardly the caliber of Josef Martinez, he could bring muchneeded experience and leadership to the team. Bruin has played in the MLS for ten seasons and was a part of the 2019 championship team.

The 32-year-old would be willing to take a backseat position for the team while still being a dependable piece off the bench when needed.

Despite Martinez’s age, he accumulated .42 goals/assists per 90 last season, coming off the bench for the Sounders.

Regardless of what Atlanta United does in January, there is plenty of reason to be excited about this team.

With one of the best defensive records in the league last season and new attacking talent coming in from the Superdraft, there’s no reason this team doesn’t at least replicate the success they had last season.

The Kickback

January 25, 2021

WWW.GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM/SPORTS

UPCOMING EVENTS FRIDAY

Leaders for a Cause 3:50 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Student Center West Virtual Student Involvement Fair 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

Virtual

Pop Talks 12:15 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.

SCE 206 Study Abroad 101 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Virtual

International Holocaust Remembrance Day Program with Mr George Rishfeld, Holocaust survivor from Poland 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

Speakers Auditorium,Student Center East

Wellness Walk with the Counseling Center 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Virtual Underground 12.1 Release Party 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Troy Moore Library (Room 2343, 25 Park Place)

ON CAMPUS :

JAN 28

THURSDAY JAN 27

WEDNESDAY JAN 26

TUESDAY

SUNDAY

MONDAY

Women’s Basketball vs.

Troy 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

GSU Sports Arena

Lakers @ Atlanta Hawks 1:00 p.m.

State Farm Arena

LASSO Open House 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Student Center East 211 Funding Your Study Abroad 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Virtual

Discipleship Classes 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Piedmont Central

JAN 31

SATURDAY JAN 30

JAN 29

JAN 25

THE KICKBACK

FEATURED EVENT

WANT YOUR UPCOMING CAMPUS EVENT TO BE HERE? LET US KNOW! AT SIGNALPROD@GMAIL.COM

TUESDAY, JANUARY 25, 2021

THE KICKBACK

15

GAMES WORDFIND FIND THE WORDS IN THE PUZZLE.

Words can go in any direction.Words can share letters as they cross over each other.

Atlanta United Falcons Pinto Sunshine Rango Environment Thrift Sick Stress Georgia State News Signal Panther

GAMES SUDOKU