DEC. 10 - DEC. 16, 2013
VOL. 81 | NO. 15
BREAKING
GROUND
2013 A Year in Review
As our first centennial anniversary year comes to a close, it’s time to reminisce on our accomplishments—both big and small—from January to December.
OUR PROGRESS THIS YEAR
THE CONSTRUCTION OF ATLANTA’S NEW STREETCAR
Editorial: This year Georgia State set all kinds of records on its path to become the largest, most diverse institute of higher education in the state. But not everything went according to plan. So where do we go from here?
The Atlanta Streetcar project has been at it for a year now, and the first construction phase is projected to be complete in 2014. But while workers have made progress, businesses have felt the side affects of construction.
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OUR WINLESS FOOTBALL SEASON
THE END OF THE YEAR MEANS LOOKING AHEAD
Column: We begged for just one win, but we couldn’t even accomplish that. Our associate sports editor analyzes what went wrong for the football team—and what the future looks like.
While the University has big plans of its own for the new year, Signal staff members have come up with some of their own resolutions, including regularly meditating and giving Radiohead’s Thom Yorke a hard time.
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NEWS
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2013
last week...
blotter
Local
Wendy’s employee arrested after leaving blunt in customer’s burger A Wendy’s employee who left a partly-smoked marijuana joint in a burger last week in Lovejoy, Ga., has been fired. The patron who purchased the burger had already taken a bite of the meal before noticing the smell of the drug, according to reports. The employee was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance. Following the incident, Wendy’s issued an apology.
National
Obamacare website recieves upgrades Plagued with numerous errors since its initial roll-out in October, the Affordable Care Act exchange site has seen numerous software and hardware upgrades, but user reports of continuing
difficulty continue in large numbers. The Obamacare website’s initial Oct. 1 debut has been received universally as an unmitigated disaster. Reports across numerous states indicated that the initial number of successful registrations in the health care market exchange numbered in the single digits. Recently, President Barack Obama launched a public relations defensive for his signature legislative achievement.
Dec. 3
Dec. 5
Officers noticed a Georgia State student having trouble walking. He was found to be intoxicated and underage. He was then arrested and issued a copy of charges.
Global
Nicked in the nick of time Library North
An officer was on patrol when he noticed the smell the of marijuana coming from the T-Deck parking lot. He discovered two males smoking with less than one ounce of marijuana. This counts as a misdemeanor with potential consequences being one year in prison and a fine of up to $1,000 dollars. The officer issued the males a copy of charges and escorted them out of the parking lot.
Nelson Mandela dies at the age of 95 Nelson Mandela, former president of South Africa and anti-apartheid leader died Dec. 5 at 95 years of age. Elected in the country’s first democratic elections in 1994, Mandela’s government concentrated on dismantling apartheid’s institutionalized history and disparities in equality and income. Mandela’s death has invoked a global response from leaders across the world, pausing to pay reverence.
Weather WED 56/38
source: weather.com THURS 60/42
FRI 61/49
SUN 50/29
SAT 61/32
Stumbling home University Lofts
A Georgia State student left his rented iPad unattended for only five minutes before returning to find it had been stolen. Police are handling the investigation.
Vehicle vandalism J-Deck parking
A Georgia State staff member left her vehicle parked for a little over five hours before returning to find the side door handle had been damaged and papers scattered inside. Nothing had been stolen. Police are handling the investigation.
What’s that smell? T-Deck Parking
Dec. 6
“Help!” John Wesley Dobbs
Georgia State police officers responded to cries for help and discovered two individuals injured by a vehicle. The driver was found to be intoxicated and was turned over to Atlanta Police. Grady emergency medical units assisted the injured individuals and escorted them to the hospital.
Editorial
A pragmatic look at our progress this year
O
ne hundred years after its founding, Georgia State hardly resembles the way it was in 1913. No longer are we a small business night school for white men. Rather, we’ve grown to become one of the most diverse institutions of higher education in the country and the secondlargest university in the state of Georgia. In the process it’s also become a national model that for other schools around the country. Through a concerted effort of planning and expansion,
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velopment of environmentally friendly practices at Georgia State – a true win for the university – all without raising the total cost to students. But on a sadder note, we’ve also paid witness to perhaps one of the most disheartening sports seasons in Georgia State history. Indeed, 2013 has left us feeling crushed after a grueling, winless football season and unexpectedly disappointing start for our men’s basketball team. Finally, the Student Government Association isn’t doing so hot, either. With former Execu-
tive Vice President Ashley Epperson’s recent resignation, it appears SGA has yet to recover from last year’s fiercely debated election debacle. Well, at least we’ll have the opportunity to fix that next year. On the whole, however, Georgia State has been made better by the contributions of its community in 2013, and we look forward to seeing what we can accomplish together next year. At the 2013 State of the University, President Becker made this point very well. “As we enter our second cen-
tury it’s time to build on that momentum and continue our impressive progress toward establishing Georgia State as a premier urban research university,” Becker said in October. “We will continue to invest in our students, staff, faculty and program.” Bravo. To make Georgia State’s second century as successful as its first, we’ll need that brand of idealism coupled with a sense of pragmatic planning necessary to grow. It’s what we’ve come to expect, and it’s what we deserve.
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we’ve planted down roots and seen our campus flourish with a record number of applications, enrollments, graduates and research funding coming in for our centennial year of operation. We’ve also seen the university begin progress on construction of new academic buildings for our law and business programs and promise to shutter other ones whose time has come and gone to make way for a true green space on campus. Speaking of all things green, we finally have a sustainability fee that will help fund the de-
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NEWS
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Local businesses struggle to keep doors open during Atlanta Streetcar construction BECCA LONG Staff Reporter
S
ome Atlanta restaurants are suffering business losses due to the Atlanta streetcar construction. While some are holding on, hoping for booming business once the streetcar is finished, others face temporary shutdown. Before construction started on Luckie Street, people from local businesses, the Quailty Inn Hotel and Georgia State were able to walk to Luckie Take-Out, owned by Meseret Aymut. However, the installation of the Atlanta Streetcar rails in front of the entrance to the restaurant has led to lane, sidewalk and road closures. “Ever since construction started, the mess was too big and people don’t even bother to walk to us,” Aymut said. Since access to the restaurant has been blocked by construction, Luckie Take-Out cannot pay its mortgage. Aymut said that she has to walk away from her business and cannot afford to keep doors open until the streetcar is complete. “The construction has killed us,” she said. Ronald Montrel, owner of The Food Shoppe, has also experienced a loss of business due to the construction that hinders access to the restaurant’s storefront.
PHOTO BY CANDRA UMUNNA | THE SIGNAL With the constant construction, curb appeal is currently lacking for the Luckie Take-Out restaurant. “We completely lost foot traffic and a lot of car traffic because of the construction,” Montrel said. The Food Shoppe has lost five parking spaces to the Atlanta Streetcar because a rail is being installed in front of the store. However, Montrel believes that the
streetcar will ultimately benefit business. “It is worth it in the end to stick it out,” he said. On the opposite end of the streetcar route, Mangos Caribbean Restaurant on Auburn Avenue has made business sacrifices as well.
Matthew Nelson, owner of Mangos, said that he had to take out a $25,000 loan in order to make up for the loss of business at an Atlanta Streetcar update meeting. “The streetcar has killed the business that I have,” he said. According to Nelson, businesses
on Auburn Avenue lost 20 parking spaces this past month because an Atlanta Streetcar station is being built where a public parking lot once was. Jay Cruzado, a worker at Mangos, said that a few customers got their cars towed because the construction caused confusion for them. Although the construction has created obstacles for the local business, Cruzado believes that once the Atlanta Streetcar is running, business will improve. “I do believe that once the streetcar is complete, business will go up through the roof and we will be busy from open to close,” Cruzado said. Business owners were told at the most recent construction update meeting that every streetcar holds the amount of people equivalent to 177 automobiles and that the benefits from tourism and public transportation will outweigh the immediate negative effects the local business are suffering. The Atlanta Streetcar project has provided signs stating that businesses are open during construction to attract customers for the surrounding businesses that are affected by the construction zones. Sandra Allen Walker, the Atlanta Streetcar community relations manager, acknowledged the construction on the project’s website. She said that there will be disruptions and inconveniences due to the installation of the tracks.
Campus Life
Arts and Sciences students most involved in LGBTQIA community LAUREN BOOKER Staff Reporter
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recent article in the Journal of Homosexuality shows that students at the College of Arts and Sciences are typically more involved in the LGBTQIA community than students who study business or education. “I feel like teachers and students are more accepting. They just want you to express yourself,” said junior art major Chelsea Mays. The College of Arts and Sciences at Georgia State offers the interdisciplinary discipline of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. Students can take courses focusing on LGBTQIA studies, African-American lesbian and gay Activism and feminism and queer theory. Those who major in this field can concentrate on the sexualities strand in order to further study human sexuality. Student groups working to serve the Atlanta feminist and
queer communities that are included under the Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies umbrella are Faces of Feminism, BlackOUT and SPEAK. While other colleges at Georgia State don’t offer the same amount of programs or include as many organizations directly geared towards the LGBTQIA community, many still make efforts to reach out. Georgia State’s College of Education includes an LGBTQIA awareness student organization called Counseling & Psychological Services Chapter of the Association of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Issues in Counseling. The group’s members are graduate students who want to teach counseling and psychological services to students about LGBTQIA individuals and debunk the stereotypes and myths that surround them. The College of Law has the student organization called OUTlaw. This organization strives to be a safe environment for LGBTQIA community members. They currently have 225 members.
The Byrdine F. Lewis School of Nursing and Health Professions looks atLGBTQIA members from a clinical perspective. Students majoring in a health profession can take a communication and cultural diversity course, which is a core curriculum course that explores culture to raise awareness, which then helps the student provide services to diverse persons. The college has also held an AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) awareness event that was open to the entire community and had the goal of educating others about the syndrome. This closely affects the LGBT community, since gay and bisexual men suffer from the highest number of new HIV infections out of all subpopulations, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The Andrew Young School of Policy Studies does not have a student organization, but there are students and faculty members who are devoted to making Georgia State aware of the LGBTQIA community. Christian Hill, a student of
the Andrew Young School of Policy studies, is the executive director for the Pi Alpha Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma International Fraternity and helped to organize the “No Homo Day” on Nov. 13, 2013 during the fraternity’s No Week. During “No Homo Day,” the fraternity partnered with Georgia Equality, the Alliance for Sexual and Gender Diversity and the Student Government Association to discuss the issues of sexual identity and gender discrimination, with a concentration on Greek life. “Whenever we are talking about something as controversial as gender discrimination in an all-male, all-black fraternity, we always have some reservations about doing that. But we felt that this topic was so important that we had to do it,” Hill said. “We want the community to know that our efforts extend beyond the student population.” Georgia State professors Nicholas Forge and Kristie Seelman have dedicated time and research to the LGBTQIA community.
Forge is a clinical assistant professor in the School of Social Work who has worked on a board of directors at a New York City transitional living shelter for LGBTQIA youth and young adults. Seelman is an assistant professor and co-wrote an editorial published by the Huffington Post. She and her colleague did a study on 30 transgender and gender nonconforming college students, staff and faculty members within the state of Colorado. From the study they learned some of the struggles that the participants faced while attending or working in a college. Seelman does her research with the goal of improving conditions for LGBTQIA people. The School of Public Health doesn’t have an LGBTQIA student organization but has hosted LGBTQIA awareness lectures in the past. The Center of Excellence for Health Disparities Research in the Institute of Public Health had Dr. Tonia Poteat lecture at Georgia State on the basics of LGBTQIA health disparities this past March 29.
NEWS
4
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2013
Feature
Professor Mausiki Scales introduces new style of teaching at Georgia State Mausiki Scales Profile
• Adjunct professor, African American Studies Department, Georgia State • 15-year teacher, African World Studies, Morehouse College and Clark Atlanta University • Bachelor of Arts, Tuskegee University • Master of Arts in History, Clark Atlanta University • Travels to: Japan, Europe, Caribbean, Mexico and Brazil • Born: Gary Indiana, May 25, 1968 • Children: daughter, Evail, 16; son, Memra, 14 • Primary academic interest and research: Nile Valley civilization, West African history and culture, America’s Jim Crow era and the musical genres afrobeat, blues and jazz.
Career Highlights
• Student-selected, Teacher of the Year, Morris Brown College • Student-selected, Teacher of the Year, Georgia Perimeter College • Conducted academic field research in Ghana and Senegal, West Africa • Oral history researcher/interviewer, Duke University Center for Documentary Studies • Researcher: National Public Radio program, “Will the Circle be Unbroken” • Contributing writer, Journal of Negro History • Founder/faculity advisor, Society of Maat • Musician/band director/composer, Common Ground Collective • International guest speaker and musical headliner, National Black Arts Festival, Atlanta Jazz Festival, Ghana’s Golden Anniversary Celebration and throughout America • Live musical performance with Stevie Wonder • Musical performances with vibraphonist Roy Ayers
PHOTO BY CANDRA UMUNNA | THE SIGNAL Students are an active part of Scales’ lectures and bring their own experiences to the classroom.
PHOTO BY CANDRA UMUNNA | THE SIGNAL Intro to African-American Studies professor Mausiki Scales teaches both past and present influences of black culture.
YAO SEIDU Staff Reporter
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djunct professor Mausiki Scales—researcher, historian and musician—can add another title to his profile: comedian. Borrowing from funnyman Dave Chappelle, Scales tells his African-American Studies Class that they “speak two languages: Ebonics and job interview; we’ll speak the latter in this class.” His students erupted in laughter. This studious, serious-looking, second-generation teacher is comfortable hiding behind a computer reviewing notes, preparing class visuals and stacking books and reading materials to be presented in a near-capacity student-filled classroom. But he is just as comfortable jamming in West Africa with Stevie Wonder while celebrating the 50th anniversary of Ghana’s independence. Word has been circulating around campus that this dynamo “prof ” has an uncanny ability to bedazzle student with lectures, poetry, rap, music, visuals aids and guest speakers that leave “shipmates” (students who voluntarily sign-up for social media blogs and communications) wanting to learn more about the dynamics that delivered blacks to The Americas. During a lecture, the slightly graying Chris Rock look-alike vaults from his reading, transitioning like Clark Kent to Superman, and bursts forth with his family genealogy. After “talkin ‘bout his mama,” he ends with his greatgreat-great-grandmother, who was captured and enslaved on the shores of West Africa. In this monologue—half-homage to his ancestors and half-ode to present scholars—the mix of graduate and undergraduate students in the room are riveted. Some have their mouths gaped wide-open while others are merely smiling
and nodding. But everyone is captured by the knowledge, articulation, infectious smile and sense of importance represented by time, place, being and history as shared by this gifted communicator. “How do Africans think of the former enslaved people in the Americas?” Scales asks. He entertains a handful of student comments and then decides to teach above the curriculum. “Those who were captured in the North Atlanta Slave Trade had a home were put in chains and bound for port cities in the Western Hemisphere. They were always thinking they would return home someday, “Today, as you left your home, your thoughts were of returning later today. Our (African-American’s) point of origin and cultural identity is of Africa, a return to home. When we leave home, it’s normal and natural to want to return,” Scales said. And that’s when all hell broke loose. There was a rush to be among the first to respond. Few demonstrated the patience to wait their turn to opine. The style of this professor is to welcome different points of view that—for the most part—go unchallenged but promote independent thinking and analysis. Scales was about to receive a modern-day attempted “beat-down” by mostly 20-something students who needed to let him know that Africa was not their home. “I love it, it’s great, it’s very informative,” says Jasmine Bryant, a junior, describing her class of “Slavery in The Americas” with Scales. “The degree of interaction is not something I’ve experience before. He listens and cares about what we think.” Freshman Brittney Walton calls Scales’ class “her most interesting and enjoyable this semester.” “He is very detailed about the topics that he covers,” Walton said. ”He is real cool, smooth, energetic, relatable and has been through things and been places,”
says Victor Ozieh. “He has actual experiences related to our studies, not just the book knowledge. It’s a good class; I learned a lot. He brings up new information that we haven’t ever thought about before.” Scales’ classroom success may have related to the fact that he is a scholar/musician who has appropriately infused hip hop, jazz and what’s trending among young people into the classroom. He has been student-selected “Teacher-of-the-Year” several times and is the leader of an Afrobeat band that has performed with Wonder, jazz legend Roy Ayers and other notables. With deep roots in the South— his parents are from Sally, S.C. (the Chitterling Capital of the World) and Smackover, Ark.—Scales has a sense of rhythm and historic scholarship that intersects successfully with the contemporary lifestyles of college students. “But, let’s not forget about activism; Service Learning is an important element of our African American Studies Department,” Scales, who has conducted field cultural research in small villages in Ghana, said. “My students are required to perform 15 hours service education (volunteer work) as part of their academic study. That’s an important legacy of our history, as well as allowing our students to leave behind footprints of their activism,” Scales said. “Classes are interesting, but what Professor Scales teaches is more than just academic study. Honestly, I’ve learned a lot. My perspective about black people has changed. I’ve changed over the semester. It is not just about the information he presents, but how it was delivered. He’s convincing, I am considering changing my major,”senior Kahlil Driddie said. Scales teaches Intro to AfricanAmerican Studies, Intro to African-American History, Slavery in The Americas and The History of African-American Music.
OPINIONS
Students to gain more than money from free textbooks
B
uying college textbooks may soon be a thing of the past.
AMI DUDLEY Opinions Editor Ami is a senior English major and published flash fiction writer. “I’ve constructed my premier works on coffee napkins.” Follow her @amidudley
The “Affordable College Textbook Act” (ACTA), a bill introduced in November 2013, will reduce, and, in many cases, eliminate the cost of college textbooks by expanding the use of online text. These texts will be available to the public for both adapting and sharing. With the U.S. Government Accountability Office reporting that textbook prices have skyrocketed 82 percent between 2002 and 2012, a shot at a free textbook seems reason enough to advocate the bill. This bill is offering us something far greater than monetary gain. Too often, we find ourselves scurrying about in bookstores or shuffling through Amazon.com looking for the required edition for our course. We’ve been forewarned by our professors that any other edition will be as useful to us as a blank book. While this task is quite inconvenient for us (and for some, pointless), it is necessary.When a book is published, it often generates more research on the topic. Scholars pose questions, dismembering the text only to assemble the text again with greater support. These revised texts are then shelved for the purposes of not only enriching the text, but also our knowledge of the content. This process of revision is a never-ending process, and for good reason. Take your basic biology textbook for example. Researchers are continuously breaking ground within the field of biology. To omit this information in our text would be destructive to the student and, subsequently, the future of
biology itself (since we are the future). This process, although necessary, has been quite costly for students: So much so that a recent survey by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group found that seven out of 10 undergrads admitted to not purchasing at least one textbook because they couldn’t afford the latest edition. I’ve experienced this as well and purchased the “outdated” copy in hopes of extracting the necessary information for the course through “context clues.” This proved unsuccessful for the most part and my grades were a reflection of that. With the absence of new information on the subject of the text, many of us are becoming just as outdated as the outdated paperback. And in a world where innovative advances in research can be shared through a single Twitter update, we can’t afford to miss a beat. If the ACTA is passed, we won’t have to. Through the use of OERs or Open Educational Resources, the ACTA will enable the real-time revision of text by appointed authors. These “open books” will create a sort of open document for scholars across the world, allowing them to share knowledge and contribute updates at no extra cost to the student. We can liken this to the postal service and its transition from horse, to wheel, to cursor. A mere change in delivery altered our communication forever, expanding its channels and opening doors to endless possibilities. The ACTA and its proposed change in how we access textbooks may allow our generation to witness such an innovative transition. Through this, we stand to gain something more valuable than money: knowledge.
Wrapping it up this Christmas is the best gift
R
JABARI KIONGOZI Columnist Jabari is a senior political science major. “I strive to be your weekly comedic relief.” He writes to both entertain and inform. Follow him @JoeBraxton
aw dogging” is a common term men like to use. For those of you unfamiliar with what that is, there are context clues. Anyways, this holiday season, I highly encourage you not let this happen. I wouldn’t even raw dog if it were one of my wet dreams. A very reliable source shared with me that “The CDC reports that one in every four college students has an STD.” Now do you see why I advise against it? As unreasonable as it may sound, that’s a risk not worth taking. It’s like playing a game of Jenga. The odds keep stacking up against you. And all it takes is that one wrong move for everything to come crashing down around you. Game over. Yeah, you can play again, but nobody’s going to want to put back in the same piece you pulled out. Now, look—I didn’t mean to scare you out of “getting it in,” as our generation calls it. As a matter of fact, now is a more perfect time than ever. Why? According to studies, “more than twice as many condoms are sold in the week before Christmas than the week after.” You know what that means? People are disappointed by whatever presents they did or didn’t receive, thus frustrating their sexual stimuli or appetites. I know gift cards without money may get most of you out the mood. I’m more of the “it’s the thought that counts” type of per-
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Dollars & Sense with
Mitch
Getting financially fit for 2014 Mitch is a junior finance major and student financial advisor. “My goal is to have more college students financially literate.” Leave your questions for him online at georgiastatesignal.com MITCHELL OLIVER Columnist
Follow him @madmoneyATL
A
s 2013 draws to a close, I’m here to skip the superficial New Year’s resolutions and give you some advice on making real progress: five simple changes you can do to make 2014 the best financial year of your life!
1. Start investing now! I can’t ever stress this one enough, but every day you hold off on investing will cost you. Waiting until you land a job and settle down to invest could mean the difference between retiring with $100,000 and $1 million! Try putting aside $50-100 per month into a Roth IRA now and bump the contribution amount up whenever you’re able. 2. Slim down–on debt! You may have made the decision to defer those payments until after graduation, but you should still be paying down your student loans while in college. Paying just $50 per month can make a huge difference on the interest you’ll end up paying. 3. Cut unnecessary expenses. Thinking of quitting smoking or not drinking as much this year? Think first about the money you’ll save to get you motivated! Cutting smoking can save you anywhere from $350-$1,200 per year depending on how often you smoke. Beyond that, simply cutting back on things like eating out or shopping now can help you make smarter budget decisions your entire life. 4. Get employed. Nothing makes college more enjoyable than having spending money. Check out the job fairs each semester on campus or use Career Services to land a solid college job to get you through. Remember, you can’t build wealth without income!
ILLUSTRATIONS BY AMI DUDLEY| THE SIGNAL
son. So, this Christmas, if all you have is a bit of change, let it jingle. Jingle all the way to that counter on a pack of baby nets. And get your ho, ho, ho on! Don’t act like you’re innocent reading this. Why stop at a kiss under the mistletoe?
5. Get an internship. This should be on everyone’s mind any time of year. Getting an internship or at least looking into one should be on your “absolutely must-do” list in 2014. Without one, its harder to differentiate yourself on a resume and makes it harder to land your ideal job out of college.
ARTS & LIVING
www.georgiastatesignal.com/artsandliving
Year in review PAUL DEMERRITT Staff Reporter
T
he culture of 2013 was fractured and fragmented in countless directions never before seen thanks to the explosion of conversations sparked by new media like Instagram, Buzzfeed, Reddit, Twitter and Pinterest. Trying to discern dominate cultural themes among an entertainment industry over-saturated with content is near-impossible and inevitably futile. Yet a few individuals, both real and fictional, emerged whose art and antics managed to tower over the conversational static and transform the collective consciousness of us all.
Justin Timberlake’s Triumphant Return:
2013 started off with a classy bang as Justin Timberblake finally broke his seven-year hiatus from dominating the pop charts with the release of his third album, the lauded “20/20 Experience.” Timberlake rekindled his musical companionship with Jay-Z for the release of the stellar single, “Suit and Tie,” which he debuted at the 55th Grammy Awards to a frenzied reception.
Breaking Bad:
America’s favorite meth manufacturers finally retired their lab coats and goggles after a five year run that earned “Breaking Bad” a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records as the highest-rated television series of all time. For those who are still frantically binge-watching “Breaking Bad” on Netflix, I won’t spoil the ending, but show creator Vince Gilligan gave anti-hero Walter White a fitting send-off that earned its permanent spot in TV history. Fans should not fret, as they still have the Saul Goodman spin-off, “Better Call Saul,” which features the snappy lawyer’s career before Walter White entered his life. The series will debut in the summer of 2014.
Rise of Netflix, Fall of Blockbuster:
Every generation a new form of media comes to dismantle outdated modes of entertainment, and 2013 was the year Blockbuster took its final breath. After declaring bankruptcy in 2010, the rental franchise finally closed the doors to its remaining stores after competition from Netflix and Redbox outpaced its business model. Netflix dominated entertainment in 2013 by not only providing the most popular TV and movie streaming service, but introducing its own original programming with critically acclaimed dramas such as “House of Cards” and “Orange is the New Black” that have quickly developed devoted fanbases. Netflix also gained much love after reviving a television cult classic...
Revival of Arrested Development:
Seven years after “Arrested Development” was axed from Fox’s lineup, the beloved dysfunctional family finally found a new home for their chaotic antics on Netflix. AD’s fourth season was marked with viewing parties across the globe that were packed with costume contests (who can blue themselves the most?), copious amounts of chocolate dipped bananas (and ice cream sandwiches, of course) and unlimited juice that was sure to set any party off the hook. The new season confounded both fans and critics with its dense, and often depressing, plot that brought protagonist Micheal Bluth (Jason Bateman) to his knees, setting the stage for a fifth season and maybe even a movie.
Kickstarter:
Kickstarter, the world’s largest crowd-funding platform, exploded in 2013 with projects pitched by everyone from Zach Braff to Whoopi Goldberg to Amanda Palmer, allowing users to fund their own entertainment in a complete restructuring of the entertainment business. Projects managed to fund as much as $10 million in
unprecedented donations. However, Kickstarter still has to streamline its model, as many users have issued complaints for artists not delivering on their funded promises and claims that many celebrities were exploiting users for their money instead of taking some from their private island fund.
Game of Thrones and the Red Wedding:
Without the risk of spoiling the end of season three, it is safe to say that there was no moment in 2013 television so singularly soul-crushing as the infamous Red Wedding episode of “Game of Thrones”’ third season. Numerous videos sprang up all over Youtube of fans and helpless bystanders reacting to the relentless carnage crafted by “Game of Thrones” creator/evil mastermind George R.R. Martin.
Daft Punk’s Domination:
The last the we heard of the mysterious metal-faced DJs was the soundtrack to “Tron: Legacy,” but on a surprise promo airing during a March episode of “Saturday Night Live,” the iconic robots briefly flashed on television screens and foreshadowed their 2013 takeover. Their disco-tribute fourth album, “Random Access Memories,” was unleashed upon the world in May after their single “Get Lucky” had been dominating pop charts around the globe since April. The album proved to be their most critically acclaimed release to date, due largely in part to the host of collaborations they featured with funk legend Nile Rodgers, synthpop innovator Giorgio Moroder and Animal Collective vocalist Panda Bear.
Robin Thicke has a big...
American-Canadian singer/self-proclaimed sex symbol Robin Thicke was 2013’s undisputed charttopping champion with the release of the unofficial summer anthem, “Blurred Lines (feat. T.I. and Pharrell).” The funky Marvin Gaye-inspired single peaked at number 1 in 14 countries, sold over one million copies and stayed at number-one on the Billboard charts for 12 weeks straight. Yet Thicke faced a torrent of criticism about the content of the song, claiming that it was deeply misogynist and downplayed the importance of consent. This claim was not exactly helped by the fact the music video featured dancing topless models, and the music video for his second 2013 single, “Give It 2 U,” included a literal “ass float” led by 2 Chainz that featured (you guessed it) copious amounts of booty-shaking, which leads us to 2013’s dominating culture force...
Miley Cyrus and every parent’s worst nightmare, twerking:
Twerk. Verb, informal: “to dance to popular music in a sexually provocative manner involving thrusting hip movements and a low, squatting stance,” courtesy of the Oxford Dictionary. I don’t know if there is anything audiences (excluding Billy Ray Cyrus) love watching more than a once pure, innocent Disney Channel idol falling from grace and embracing the enticing dark side of sex, drugs and twerking. Miley Cyrus’ descent to depravity started with the release of the single “We Can’t Stop,” which included the lyrics “It’s our bodies, we can do what we want to,” that were surely at least one fan’s last words. Cyrus went on to amuse her fans and horrify the FCC when she gyrated on Robin Thicke during the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards, unquestionably the most infamous live moment of 2013. After watching Madonna, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and countless others embrace similar journeys to blunt sexuality, it is mind-boggling that audiences were so shocked to see another coming-of-age pop star follow a similar path. Regardless of whether she is cast as an edgy feminist or a hell-bound deviant, Miley Cyrus was 2013’s poster child, proving that even in our great Internet-savvy, constantly self-aware age, we still just want to watch pop stars get half-naked on live television.
Pointless Resolutions JEWEL WICKER
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Staff Reporter
at healthier. Lose weight. If you have ever made a New Year’s resolution, chances are these two items made the list. Around this time of year, students are wrapping up the semester, ambitiously looking ahead to the forthcoming year by setting goals and making resolutions. But is this tradition as useless as making collard greens and black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day to ensure wealth? Courtney Smith, an accounting major, thinks so. Smith explained she cannot even remember what her previous resolutions have been. “I forget about them. [I] set them and then that’s it,” she said. “You can have a resolution, but will you really sit down at the end of the year and ask yourself if they were resolved?” Tahirah Abdul-Karim, a communications major, said she has decided to make a few resolutions, but she will not wait until Jan. 1 to start acting on them. “It’s not going to be a New Year’s resolution, it’s just going to be a resolution for my self starting now,” she said, noting that she wants to be a better friend and family member and make straight As next semester. Many of The Signal’s Arts & Living staff members were also a little hesitant about the concept of New Year’s resolutions, so we decided to conduct an experiment. We have documented all of our resolutions for 2014, and will check back at the end of the spring semester to see how many of us have slipped back into our old habits and how many of us are actually sticking to our lists.
Jewel Wicker, staff writer
1. Exercise regularly 2. Cook more 3. Take breaks when necessary 4. Volunteer (more specifically, oversee a Relay for Life team) 5. Attend at least one music festival (preferably Coachella, because Outkast) 6. Become a published music journalist 7. Manage anxiety/stress 8. Keep a daily journal 9. Have fun 10. Meditate regularly
Paul Demerritt, Columnist
1. Gym. Six days a week. No exceptions. 2. Start growing more food in my backyard 3. Get front row at an OutKast reunion 4. Work on an organic farm in some place I’ve never been to 5. Start writing and recording music instead of just keeping it in my head 6. Travel somewhere new at least once a month 7. Meditate twice daily 8. Find a job that’s actually relevant to my career 9. Try to purchase as much food as possible from local sources 10. Never take anything too seriously
Mahad Mousse, staff reviewer
1. Give soccer a chance. Even if it is boring, has low scoring, rules I don’t understand and seems to be played mostly by overpaid Europeans who think they’re soooo much better than me. 2. Strive to be less envious of others. Be it of their success, abilities, accomplishments or the fact that they happen to be wealthy European soccer players. 3. Be more willing to have non-crazy friends. Sure it may seem weird, and different. But not every friend encounter has to be dominated by discussing what limbs you would be willing to sacrifice first if caught in a death trap. 4. Learn to be more assertive when arguing for pay raises/keeping a job 5. Graduate by [YEAR TO BE DETERMINED]. 6. Give Billy Corgan less of a hard time 7. Continue to give Thom Yorke a hard time. Thom: Keep telling yourself people care about your stupid side projects or anything you about you that isn’t Radiohead Thom.
Naja McGowan, staff writer
1. Get a good internship 2. Stop procrastinating 3. Stop drinking pop 4. Blog more 5. Get all aspects of my life more organized 6. Go to a concert at least once every 2 months 7. Learn to create and actually follow a budget
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2013
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ARTS & LIVING
The post read around the world Georgia State student launched into “Internet fame” with viral blog
LEAH JORDAN Copy Editor
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PHOTO BY AFI CAKPO| THE SIGNAL
One of Nathan Hancock’s blog posts dedicated to his future family got more than 10 million views on Wordpress.
athan Hancock’s blogging hobby took an unexpected turn on Nov. 20, 2013 when his post “25 things I’ll tell my wife” went viral and, in turn, introduced him to a life of “Internet fame.” The post has been read by millions of readers in more than 100 countries. The Georgia State senior has been blogging since he started his Wordpress blog in a history class two years ago. “The first post was life laws…principles to live by. I got a response by like four people. They said, ‘That’s awesome, thanks for sharing.’ And I thought, Oh, that’s cool.” In the two years Hancock has had his blog, he has written posts about his own pet peeves, lessons in love, personal musings and general advice. “It’s never really gotten traction, not that I expected it to,” he said. Not until recently. Hancock wrote a blog post a couple weeks ago titled “25 things I’ll tell my son,” which was viewed by the same amount of people as most of his previous posts. After debuting that first post in what he didn’t yet know would end up being a series of three, his friend with a child told him she’d be interested to read what he would to say to his daughter. “It was hard, but I gave it a shot anyway. That was the one that got everybody saying, ‘Wow, this is awesome. Daughters everywhere need to hear this’ or ‘I wish I would have heard this from my dad.’” The post exceeded 20,000 views. “It turned into a warning for her to avoid people like I used to be,” Hancock said. Nobody asked him to write the third and final part of the series, “25 things I’ll tell my wife,” but he felt inspired to do it. “That’s the one that really took off. Everybody was sharing it, tweeting it… and that’s all still going on,” Hancock said. The post has over 10 million views in more than 100 countries and Hancock has gained hundreds of followers across multiple social media platforms. Hancock said that some Georgia State students have stopped him to take a photo in the courtyard, saying, “Wait, you’re that guy who blogged about your future wife, right?” The post starts off with him explaining that his parents divorced when he was just two years old, and that they’ve each been married three times. He wrote that this could be seen as unfortunate, but instead, he sees it as a blessing. “I get to start blank and be my own author without precedent,” it reads. The remainder of the post consists of 25 vows, promises, reminders and bits of advice, in numbered format. “I’ll date you forever,” “I’ll be amazed at the mother you become,”
“Expect flowers,” and “Your value is not found in me” are some of the points he makes and expands upon. Hancock has been recognized while eating in restaurants throughout Atlanta and has even had people write him personal thank you letters for what he has unknowingly changed in their lives. “People have reached out to me saying ‘Thanks for raising my standards,’ ‘Thanks for making me break up with my boyfriend who was mistreating me,’ Thank you for giving hopeless romantics everywhere hope that there are people like you,’” he said. Ryan Prisco, a junior at Georgia College in Milledgeville, saw the blog post via a friend sharing it on Facebook. After Prisco read it, he felt inclined to send it to his own girlfriend. “When I read it, I thought that he did a great job putting into words exactly how I feel. I had to send it to [her] because I wanted her to see all the things I wanted to do for her.” Hancock’s inspiration to write “25 things I’ll tell my wife” was found within all the girls he’s ever met, including best friends, acquaintances and past dates alike. He said he has listened to a lot of complaining and grieving over the years from his girl friends and was really able to benefit from it. “I have to credit everyone else I know. I envisioned any number of people when I was writing…I don’t think any one person inspired me. I thought of every girl I know…that’s where I gleamed most of it off of.” Hancock has enjoyed writing for as long as he can remember, but said he’s never had an outlet to do it besides class. His motivation for blogging is his need to write thoughts down. “I wrote the kid and wife posts originally so that I could go back to them later when I have these people in my life, but now that it’s helped so many different people...it’s awesome, but at the same time, there’s a lot of pressure that goes with that, too. Any date that I go on from now until ever, somebody’s going to be like, ‘Oh, well that’s that guy, right? So this is how he treats you, right?’ They’re going to know all my secrets, all my go-to’s. And I mean, that’s fine. Because it also holds me accountable.” Hancock isn’t sure what his next move is, but he plans to continue posting on his blog. He has written a couple of posts following the one that went viral. They did not get near the attention that his previous post did. While he wrote for himself at first, he now plans to find a balance between writing for himself and helping others via his blog. “I’m worried about how I can sustain this. How I can parlay all this into something bigger that would be more long term?” Hancock is a public relations major and knows he wants a career in writing. He ultimately sees himself as a writer on a show like Jay Leno, Ellen DeGeneres or Conan O’Brien, but hasn’t decided whether he wants his writing to be “soft and strong or fascinating and funny.” As glad as he is to be an agent for change, he said he wishes he didn’t have to be. “I think it’s a damn shame that I’ve gone viral. I think it’s stupid. The fact that more people aren’t thinking like this...the fact that what I do and how I think and how I carry myself is not normal…that’s unsettling to me. My primary goal would be to curb that.”
Read his blog at: nathanpaulhancock.wordpress.com
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Winter abroad You are one of the lucky ones. Whether you are headed to lounge on the beach or ski the slopes in some winter wonderland, here are some tips to make the trip go smoothly.
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Pack efficiently Start by creating a travel list. If you’re having trouble figuring out what to include, check out the Travelsmith Packing Checklist. It is printable, detailed and customizable, and it even comes with helpful reminders about weight limits. Also, for iOS users, check out the Packing Pro app. Keep a copy of your finished checklist and don’t delete the list in Packing Pro. This will ensure that if your luggage is lost you’ll have a
detailed list of all of its contents for reimbursement. Packing is infinitely easier when you have done laundry. When trying to decide what to pack, check out Dailydressme. com. This website gives the weekly forecast for any location along with weather-appropriate outfits from which to draw inspiration. Finally, remember to pack light. Fewer bags equate to shorter check-in and less time at baggage claim.
Navigating the airport Traveling in the airport during the winter months can be stressful, but there are many ways to make the trip smoother. Start by checking in online before you head to the airport. This is particularly helpful if you aren’t checking any luggage because you can print your ticket at home and head straight to security check. Try to avoid jackets, belts, large accessories and shoes that make going through security difficult. Opt for a loose-fitting sweater or hoodie, comfortable
pants and shoes that are easy to slip in and out of. Also, remember the “3-1-1 Rule” for carrying liquids in your carry-on luggage: three-ounce bottles or less in a one-quart plastic bag and one bag per passenger at the checkpoint. For any further help conquering the airport, try downloading the app Gate Guru, available for both iPhones and Androids. It is an allencompassing app that includes everything from restaurants near your gate to updated flight delays.
Get to know your destination Once you’ve finally made it to your destination, lounging by the pool and hanging around at the resort may seem like great plans, but those are things you can do anywhere. Every hotel has a ton of brochures with city and activity guides to choose from. Check out some of the cool traveling apps like Viator and
Tripomatic to get ideas of places to go and to plan your itinerary. Designate at least one full day to immersing yourself in the culture of your destination. Hotels and resorts may seem like they have everything that you need but it’s important to check out the landmarks and interact with the local people.
Winter
roadtrip
Whether you’re an out-of-state student going home for the holidays or you’re headed to a vacation destination in the United States, there are some essentials to an enjoyable road trip.
Give yourself time Travelling by car is always a great option and can prove to be less stressful and cheaper than flying. Give yourself some time to sightsee and explore on the way to your destination. The fun thing about road trips is that the journey can be a part of the vacation. Try visiting the Roadtrippers website or downloading the accompanying mobile iOS app so you can plot out your course and see everything along the way, including hotels, attractions, dining options and historical landmarks.
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Tighten up your food budget Binging on shitty gas station food is part of the road trip appeal, but that money adds up, especially if you’re stopping regularly. Kick it soccer mom style and pack yourself some filling snacks like protein bars, nuts, pretzels and granola bars to help reduce the temptation.
Curate a road-worthy playlist If you will be spending hours in the car, odds are you’ll need some music, since radio stations are unreliable on the road. Curating a perfect road trip playlist is a science. The songs have to be the perfect mixture of familiar and unheard of and catchy but not cheesy. Some tried and true jams for the road are “Daylight” by Matt & Kim, “West Coast” by Coconut Records and basically anything by Beyoncé.
n o ti By: Naja McGowan After weeks of studying and stressing over finals, winter break is finally here. Some students are preparing to embark on adventures in different states and countries while others have chosen to stay at home for the holiday season. Whether you are leaving or staying for winter break, there are many ways to make the most of your time in paradise or make your time here a little piece of paradise.
Winter staycation You’re stuck here, but Atlanta and its surrounding areas are a mecca of activity even in the winter months. Here are some ideas on how to have an fun staycation this winter break.
Discover Atlanta like a tourist Even if you’ve lived in Atlanta your entire life, there are new places to visit and fun places to revisit. Get a city pass and visit some of Atlanta’s mustsee attractions with a group of friends or out of town family. Take part in some winter
activities like ice skating in Centennial Park, Holiday Nights Garden Lights at Atlanta Botanical Garden or grab a cup of hot cocoa and head over to Piedmont Park for long walk. You’ll be surprised how much fun you’ll have.
Or just chill Sometimes the best vacation is doing nothing at all. Spend some time at home binge-watching TV shows on Hulu or Netflix over some hot
cocoa, or catching up on some of the activities you may have neglected during the semester, like updating your blog or finishing a DIY project.
DESIGN BY MADDIE RICHARDSON | THE SIGNAL
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Study abroad column
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2013
Diy
Sentimental gifts win over expensive nonsense No one does Christmas like the Germans CALEB ROBERTSON Columnist
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o say that Germans like Christmas would sort of be like saying Canadians like hockey. While I’m sure many Americans would call Christmas their favorite holiday, no one does Christmas quite like the Germans. They put up the Christmas decorations in Mainz Thanksgiving week (although, here it’s only as significant as the last week of November can be in a country that doesn’t observe Thanksgiving). By “decorate,” I mean they turn the whole town into a garland-decked winter wonderland. As soon as you step out of the doors of Mainz central station, you’re greeted by a small Christmas market consisting of stands that look like they came straight out of a village inhabited by elves, complete with an illuminated model of Santa and his reindeer on the roof. If you venture into the city from the central station, you’ll come to the Mainz Christmas Market, a much larger version of the small group of stands I just described. The Mainz Christmas Market is a sight to behold: Huge crowds stream through the passages created by the wooden stands mocked up to look like they came straight out of one of those claymation holiday special. Vendors selling everything from purses and wallets to wooden toys and nativities line the streets. Enormous displays of Christmas spirit, like a life-sized nativity scene and a spinning tower of traditional Christmas scenes recreated in plastic sculptures, are scattered throughout the market. At night, the canopy of Christmas lights illuminates the crowds. When my friend Nick visited last week, he said Germany was the best-smelling country he’d ever been to. This was before the markets opened. If he were here now, he’d insist that Germany should win some sort of Nobel prize for olfactory achievement. The waffles and crepes and bratwursts and smoked meats fill the air with a potpourri of smells guaranteed to stimulate the salivary glands. The key component of Christmas markets in Germany is Glühwein (mulled wine). Stands all over the market sell it in special mugs. It’s warm and delicious, and if you’re having trouble getting into the holiday spirit, this alcoholic elixir will be sure to help you along. Christmas in Germany is an experience unmatched by any Christmas experience in the USA. Heavy on good times surrounded by holiday cheer, Christmas in Germany strikes the right balance between commercialization and tradition. It’s been a beautiful experience for me so far, and we’re only a week into the season.
PHOTO BY MIKE EDEN | THE SIGNAL
Just use a wooden frame, chalkboard paint and chalk to create your very own DIY Christmas gift.
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KAYLYN HINZ Columnist I am in love with DIY ideas and decor. Between gifts and random ideas for my apartment, I try to create things on a weekly basis. Decor blogs and HGTV are my best friends! Follow Kaylyn @KaylynHinz
t is that time of the year again. You have little cash and want to get everyone in your life something as special as they are. There are two basic categories of gifts: the expensive ones and the inexpensive ones. How do you determine what gifts to get for others? The first step is admitting to yourself that you are in college, and as much as you would like to get your best friend the new Michael Kors watch, it is just not in your budget. Gather a list of all the people you want to give presents to and go from there. Whether it is a $5 gift or a $30 gift, if they love you they really do not care about the price. A lot of magazines have a variety of gift guides, but they are aimed towards people who have a six-figure income. We know this because the presents are $200 or more. Let’s get real. Gifts are meant to be personal. I know this because of the different reactions people give off. For instance, when a person opens up a sentimental gift, they cry; when they open up a materialistic gift, they just flash a devilish smile and say, “cool.” Both presents can make that person happy, but which one will be remembered? Making a DIY gift takes so much more effort than going to a store and picking one out. Here are a couple easy gifts you can make for friends and family:
DIY chalkboard
All you need is a picture frame without the glass and chalk paint. A picture frame with a nice vintage design to it is ideal, but a plain one can work as well. The size of the picture frame is important. A 5-by-7 will not work, but more of an 8-by-10. Once you have found the perfect frame you can then spray the backboard with the chalk paint. It’s that easy! Make sure you include a box of chalk with your gift. You can even write out a sweet message before you wrap it.
Feelings in Frames
Write out a poem or a letter that expresses a memory or feeling toward the person. When you are finished, put it in a nice, small picture frame. Ikea and Target are great stores to find cheap quality frames. Decorate the frame yourself. You can paint it, add appliqués—anything that reminds you of that person. Scrapbooks are a good alternative to this idea. When you break it down it is all about making the other person feel good and showing them how much you care about them. If that means buying the expensive watch, buy it; but in the long run, it is those thoughtful gifts that will matter and be remembered. Happy holidays, fellow gifters!
Sex column
Try giving experiences instead of stuff
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RACHEL KINGSLEY Sex/Dating Columnist
I believe that even though our society has become more open about sex, it’s still a highly taboo subject. If we want to become more open and accepting, we need to start with education. I write about my own experiences as a single girl dating in Atlanta. Follow her @rachelkingsley
hen it comes to the holidays and getting gifts for our significant others, we always struggle to find the perfect gift. We go online or to the mall and search for hours, sometimes days. All for what? A new watch, shirt or gadget? Instead, I want you to try something new: Focus on giving experiences—not material objects. Instead of going to the mall, try to get an experience you can both share together. Is your partner a football fan? Get great seats at an awesome home game for the Falcons. Does your partner like going to the spa? Get a couples spa day and have a nice dinner afterwards. Pool your money together and go on a romantic weekend trip—you don’t even have to leave the city. The W Hotel offers romantic weekend packages that you can have tailored to what you and your partner want.
One of my favorite gifts to give my partner is a jar filled with 365 sheets of paper with new sex positions or activities that we want to try. This makes for a fun year of new sexual experiences and adventures. For my birthday, my partner gave me a beautiful tortoiseshell watch. It was very expensive. It’s one of my most treasured items. But he also took me on a weekend trip to Savannah and Tybee Island. Walking on the beach at night, hand-in-hand with each other and having an amazing weekend was worth more to me than 10,000 tortoiseshell watches could ever be. Sometimes our materialistic society clouds the more important things in our lives, such as spending time with the people we care about. Making memories with them is something we can never buy from a store.
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REVIEWS
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2013
ALBUM REVIEW:
Free Your Mind is a passable homage to early rave culture
Grade: BVerdict: Crazy rave parties with Cut Copy are probably not very wild or crazy, but they make an effort. MAHAD MOUSSE Staff Reviewer
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egardless of what Dan Whitford’s Aussie outfit Cut Copy meant by “free your mind” or how they got there, the band’s newest release is a collection of tunes that differ significantly from their established indie-tronica future-sound. “Free Your Mind” explores the richly rave-y past of England’s second summer of love in the late 80s, tapping into the early days of acid house raves, illegal acid house parties and possibly acid. And as far as homages go, it’s not a bad one. The spacey, 20-second intro of distant radio whistling seamlessly merges into the funky, bongoinduced dance beat of the title track. If you didn’t know any better, you’d assume Cut Copy was a gaggle of pretty far-out guys with whom to party. But you do know better, don’t you?
And in a way, so does Whitford. His droning, bland vocal delivery works just fine when it’s complemented by structured synth fills and pop hooks. But when he tries to be both MC and DJ of the rave party, he sounds as if he’s trying to be the cool dad at prom—not the genuine party guy. This misstep stems from the band’s effort to utilize their usual, structured approach to new wave and synthpop with the very unstructured world of rave music. This works in the sense that all the right pieces are there: tight beats, pounding synth, unmistakable hints of Ibiza-flavored piano, jumbly sounds of dance-able chaos. But it all sounds much too clinical for the chaotic, dance floor feel they’re going for. Weirdly enough, when Cut Copy dips back into old habits—harmonizing pop songwriting with rave experiments—the band accidentally creates some of the album’s finest moments. Upbeat, hook-filled number “We Are Explorers,” dreamy track “Footsteps,”
synth-pop jem “In Memory Capsule” and the soulful “Let Me Show You Love” keep the insane club beats and psychedelic haze going. It’s only when Cut Copy tries to be rave DJs that the clunkers emerge. Opener “Free Your Mind” goes on entirely too long, building around a rather uninspired groove. “Meet Me In A House Of Love” and “Take Me Higher” are loaded with far too many ideas, sounding more like repetitive cacophonies (likely due to the band turning every sonic flitter dial available in the studio). For something that strives to be experimental, “Free Your Mind” ends up being too tame for its own good. Cut Copy tries to channel the energy of the beginnings of England’s rave culture but comes away sounding more like bored adults doing a thesis. Cut Copy is in its element when the band sticks to its strengths and ends up making much more exciting and meaningful music when it doesn’t attempt to clumsily recreate the textbook version of the past.
MOVIE REVIEW:
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
Rating: PG-13 Running time: 146 mins. Grade: A Verdict: “Catching Fire” had all of the elements that made “The Hunger Games” a huge success: action, romance and a surprise ending. PEDRO ALVARADO Staff Reviewr
C
atching Fire” is to “The Hunger Games” series as “The Empire Strikes Back” is to the “Star Wars” saga. It is the transitional story between the oppression of a group of people and the final triumph of the formerly downtrodden. The new installment starts with the format established by the previous film: Katniss’s preparation for the games. But as the story is
unfolding its many intricately laid layers, much foreshadowing is going on that generates a sense of anticipation for what’s about to happen next, as well as what’s going to happen in the next film. That being said, “Catching Fire” was a phenomenal film. It had all of the elements that made “The Hunger Games” a huge success: action, romance and a surprise ending. Unlike its predecessor, the movie makes an indictment against the inappropriate use of media to deliberately give people biased information and/or present outright lies as the truth. We see it every day in reality TV shows
and the news, but “Catching Fire” presents this media manipulation in a way that shows the viewer exactly what’s being done, how it’s being done and, most importantly, why it’s being done: to gain control over the people. The script was well written, the acting was superb and the special effects were done perfectly. Both in design and execution there was not one “over-the-top” sequence in the production. While it would have been very easy for the filmmakers to make the movie a visual spectacle and wow the audience with special effects, it was pleasing to see the effects used to help tell the story and move the picture forward.
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KEVIN MORBY Harlem River JUANA MOLINA Wed 21 ROBOT KOCH Unpaved TA-KU Songs To Break Up To PASCÄAL Fragile COSMIC COMPOSITIONS AVANT GARDE SERIES COSMIC COMPOSITIONS AVANT GARDE SERIES
BLACK HOLLIES Somewhere Between Here & Nowhere CATE LE BON
Mug Museum ORCHESTRA OF SPHERES Vibration Animal Sex Brain Music PREGHOST Ghost Story
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calendar & coupons
Finals
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2013
Campus Events
WEEK
Call now for FREE DIAGNOSTICS! DISCOUNTS FOR ALL STUDENTS (770) 365-4916
hopperscomputerrepair@comcast.net
Downtown Events Santa Central Park Atlantic Station Until Dec. 24
Bring the kids—and yourself—to visit the one and only Santa Claus at Atlantic Station. Nothing says “Christmastime” like a photo with Santa. Contact the concierge desk at 404-410-4010 for hours and more information.
A Christmas Carol Alliance Theatre Until Dec. 29
Celebrate with Atlanta’s finest actors in the staging of Charles Dickens’s classic Christmas tale. Go through the experience with Scrooge on Christmas Eve. Four ghosts will visit him offering perspectives: his old partner and the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future.
Atlanta Ballet’s Nutcracker Fox Theatre Until Dec. 29
The holiday season begins with the return of “Atlanta Ballet’s Nutcracker.” It is a fun-filled, magical adventure that continues to thrill audiences. Bring the whole family for an enchanting and memorable evening that keeps the spirit of the holiday season alive.
Callaway Gardens Fantasy in Lights Callaway Gardens Until Dec. 30
Every year, Callaway Gardens shows off its eight million lights with 15 dazzling scenes. Enjoy this magical night, because it is one of the most spectacular shows in the world. Visit www.callawaygardens.com for more information.
Cleopatra’s New Year’s Eve Ball Fox Theatre Dec. 31 9 p.m. $119
Walk like an Egyptian and celebrate New Year’s Eve in style at the Fabulous Fox Theatre’s World Famous Egyptian Ballroom. Atlanta’s best DJs will be spinning top 40, house and hip-hop mash-ups all night. There will also be a spectacular light show with sexy Cleopatras and Egyptian queens and pharaoh’s mixing your favorite drinks all night!
Global Winter Wonderland Until Jan. 5 Turner Field
This is the Atlanta’s newest family attraction for the Christmas season. This event will consist of scenes of a holiday village, animals, scenes from around the world and more. The venue will be surrounded by giant illuminated lanterns with low voltage LED’s and fluorescent lights.
Garden Lights Holiday Nights Until Jan. 4 Atlanta Botanical Garden
Enjoy a twinkling winter wonderland at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens. Imaginary Worlds features its third annual extravaganza with one million lights. Call 404-876-5859 for more information.
Atlantic Station Ice Rink Atlantic Station Until Feb. 14
For the first time, Atlanta Station is featuring its very own ice skating rink. Décor, dazzling lights and vis-
its from Santa are included. Tickets for students are $10. For more information, visit Atlantic Station’s blog at www.blog.atlanticstation.com.
Centennial Olympic Park’s Ice Rink
MAKING YOUR WORLD A COOLER PLACE Auto - Residential - Commercial - Marine
10% DISCOUNT FOR
GEORGIA STATE STUDENTS
Until Jan. 27
CONTACT:
Start your fall break with ice skating. The rink is open every day, but the hours are subject to change. The tickets are $10 per person, but if you bring your student identification it is only $7. Visit www.centennialpark.com for more information.
James Stirewalt (film specialist) (678) 598-6784 www.tintproz.com
The Gifts of the Magi Balzer Theater at Herren’s Until Dec. 22
The classic Christmas musical is in Atlanta this season. Based on the stories of O. Henry Jim and Della who are out of work with no money for Christmas in New York. The two lovers try to make the best out of the situation by secretly parting with their most precious possessions. For ticket information and show times, visit www.theatricaloutfit.org.
Christmas with Amy Grant & Vince Gill featuring the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Fox Theatre Dec. 16
7:30 p.m. Join Amy Grant and Vince Gill for their acclaimed holiday show tour. The pair will perform classic and gospel songs alongside the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.
KICK IT WITH THE CRICKET Monday thru friday 15% off all regular prices. All day 5% off if you follow us on Instagram @jrcrickets3000 20% off from 3-7 Monday thru Friday
Concerts/Shows The Devil Wears Prada & David Bromberg Dec. 12 The Ghost Inside 8 p.m. Dec. 12 6 p.m. The Masquerade
Eddie’s Attic
A John Waters Christmas
Dec. 14 8 p.m. Phillips Arena
Dec. 12 6 p.m. Variety Playhouse
Pink
SPORTS
www.georgiastatesignal.com/sports
PHOTO BY CANDRA UMUNNA | THE SIGNAL Georgia State’s swim club is receptive of a new swim team in hopes that it brings more notice to the sport around campus.
READY TO SWIM Women’s swim team to compete in Sun Belt DAVID A. NORWOOD II Sports Editor
O
n Nov. 29, 2012, Georgia State’s Athletics Department announced that it would add women’s swimming and diving team as a varsity sport. “When football was approved at Georgia State, a minimum of adding two women’s sports was also recommended,” Athletics Director Cheryl Levick said. To date, women’s sand volleyball has been added as a varsity sport, and its inaugural season was spring 2013. According to Georgia State Athletics, the women’s swimming and diving team was supposed to be sponsored as a championship sport by the Sun Belt Conference when Georgia State returned to the conference last fall. However, the team didn’t get to play this year—and neither did any other aquatic team in the Sun Belt. With the departure of several schools to other conferences, the Sun Belt did not have enough sponsoring teams to offer a championship for women’s swimming and diving, according to Sun Belt
Associate Commissioner John McElwain. “The Sun Belt Conference regulations say that four members must sponsor any particular sport in order for that sport to be part of the conference,” McElwain said. Six teams are needed to compete for a conference championship, but less than four schools offered up teams this year, including Georgia State, cutting that sport for this season. Florida International University, Florida Atlantic University, University of North Texas and University of Arkansas at Little Rock were all sponsored by the Sun Belt last year before moving to the Conference USA. Western Kentucky is in the middle of a transition year as it will be joining Conference USA next fall. Its program competed in the Conference USA this fall while other sports competed in the Sun Belt. UALR remained in the Sun Belt, but the women’s swimming and diving team joined the Missouri Valley Conference as an affiliate member this fall, according to the UALR Department of Athletics. However, while not everyone on
Georgia State’s swim club said they wanted to compete at the NCAA level, most members said they were eager to swim for the university. “Yeah, actually I would,” freshman Jade Johnson said. “I love everything about a swim team, I did all four years of high school swim team, I did summer league swim team and swim team is where I belong.” But there are some members of the swim team who are seniors and may not have opportunity to participate on the team. “How long has it taken since we’ve talked about a team, a year?” senior Victoria Herndon said. “I have about a year left, so fingers crossed we can get it going and get a swim team in here. I think the faster the better for our school, but I’m going to say I feel like it’ll take longer unless we can get more people on ball, get it going.” McElwain said the future status of women’s swimming and diving as a league sport can be best described as “undetermined.” Going into the next school year, incoming Sun Belt member Georgia Southern University sponsors swimming and diving, along with
PHOTO BY CANDRA UMUNNA | THE SIGNAL Jade Johnson practices her form during practice at the Georgia State Student Recreation Center with the swim club. Georgia State and UALR. “When we begin competition, it will include Sun Belt schools like UALR and Troy that participate in swimming and diving,” Levick said. “As we move forward, we will determine the best conference affiliation to benefit the student-athletes.” Georgia State plans to negotiate with a local pool for practice and
competition times similar to the arrangement they have with tennis. The location is yet to be determined. “Our current plan is to begin the head coach search in fall 2014,” Levick said. “There has been a strong interest expressed for this sport from our female undergraduate students.”
SPORTS
14
Q&A WITH BASKETBALL PLAYER
COLUMN ALEC MCQUADE Associate Sports Editor
Alec enjoys all sports, but baseball is his favorite. His favorite element of sports is the variety of emotions involved in the game. Follow him @AlecMcQuade
What went wrong with Georgia State football
I
t’s never just one thing. There are several things that went wrong and caused Georgia State to suffer its first winless season in its four-year history. However, it would not have been nearly as bad if it were not for the continuous problems that seemed to arise week after week. In the first two games, the Panthers produced 102 total rushing yards and zero touchdowns on the ground. Two games in, Miles pulled the plug. Running back coach Tony Tiller was reassigned to the assistant athletic director position while graduate assistant Brock Lough was promoted as his replacement. The running game only slightly improved as the rushing yards per game only reached an average of 102 yards per game and the team scored nine rushing touchdowns in the remainder of the season. The rest of the offense was never able to get going as a result of a banged and battered offensive line. The starting offensive line in the season opener against Samford Univeristy was Ulrick John, Tim Wynn, Michael Davis, Harrison Clottey and A.J. Kaplan. Kaplan was the only lineman to start in every game while the rest either missed games because of injury or quit. Yes, quit. Davis and Clottey quit following the loss to Chattanooga. After their departure, Miles began a season-long endeavor to figure out the offensive line each week to fill the holes Davis and Clottey created. If I had a dollar for every time I heard someone from Georgia State say the phrase “didn’t execute,” I’d be number one on the Forbes Fortune 500 list. It was frustrating day in and day out to hear players who spoke to the media say they “didn’t execute” and say if they simply listened to their coaches, they would win.
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2013
Unfortunately, that never happened right from the start. The season started with the special teams allowing a 100yard touchdown return on the opening kickoff against Samford. Throughout the season, there were moments when a play would come together nicely, but those usually were courtesy of senior Albert Wilson, who is versatile enough to do anything on offense. Quarterback Ronnie Bell threw five of his 11 interceptions in the fourth quarter, many of them blowing the chance at a victory against teams such as Jacksonville State and Troy at homecoming. As for why a majority of the team did not bother to execute, that’s beyond me. Whether it was a mental block or simply that the team was desensitized the pain of losing, I don’t know, and I don’t think Miles knew either. “I’ll remember them as a bunch of young men that believed in what were doing and had lapses in how to get it done,” Miles said after the final game of the season. “For some crazy reason on some occasions, they would have a breakdown.” The good news is it cannot get any worse than a winless season. Miles went 0-12 in his first season with Indiana State. The next year 1-11. Finally, by the third year, Indiana State went 6-5, giving them a winning season with two straight winning seasons the following years. There’s potential for a winning season in the next few years. The coaching is there, but now it’s Miles’ time to shine with the ability to have a recruiting class he can be proud of and not rushed in making, which is already underway. The intensity from Miles and his staff is sure to go up as Miles said, “Losing feeling should be a horrible thing that you don’t ever want to deal with. It should be like life or death to them.” So, what’s it going to be Georgia State? Life or death?
Isaiah Dennis LEAH JORDAN Copy Editor
I
saiah Dennis, a freshman on the Georgia State basketball team, graduated from Eagles Landing High School just this past year and has already been featured on ESPN’s SportsCenter Top 10 Plays. Read on for an interview with the up-and-coming star player.
How long have you been playing basketball? Since sixth grade.
Did you start dunking then?
I didn’t start dunking until eighth
grade.
Speaking of dunking, did you celebrate with friends and family for your dunk being featured on ESPN’s SportsCenter?
I really didn’t get a chance to celebrate with them, but they all called me on the phone. So I guess you could say that we celebrated on the phone.
How’d you learn to dunk?
I mean it was just natural, it was a God-given gift. I just stayed in the gym...I’m naturally athletic. It just came to me.
At 5’11”, do you think your height affects how you play?
I don’t think height really is a big factor in how good a player is, I think it’s just the heart of a person. I take heart over height all the time. People say, “I wish I was this tall,” but I’m like, nah, I’m happy with where I am right now because I like the way I play.
Are there any NBA players who influence your playing style/dunking?
It would have to be Russell Westbrook, Steve Francis and Nate Robinson.
Why do you focus exclusively on basketball? Why not baseball or the choir?
I mean, I’ve played a lot of sports. I’m pretty good at some of them and I used to be in the choir, too. I went ahead and picked basketball because it’s more fun to me. I have more fun out there playing it… It comes a little bit easier to me than most other things. I could have played football. I was really good at it.
How did you get involved in the choir?
It started off in school and then I started to sing in church as that has always been important to my family.
What’s your favorite song to sing? “This Christmas.”
PHOTO BY ANDRES CRUZ-WELLMANN | THE SIGNAL Isaiah Dennis goes in for two points early in the 2013 season.
Who are your favorite artists?
It’s kind of weird because I don’t listen to rap or anything. I listen to R&B… I listen to like Babyface or John P. Kee.
Why do you say it’s weird?
I think it is weird because everyone on the team listens to rap before games. I am probably the only one listening to R&B. I like listening to it as it just relaxes me and gets my mind right for the game.
What position did you play in football in high school?
I played cornerback and safety in
high school.
Why did you stop playing football?
...My team wasn’t that good at football, so I just stopped playing it because my basketball team was great. We ended up winning [the] state championship.
Who are your favorite NFL players?
Darrell Revis, Champ Bailey and Calvin Johnson.
Do you have a favorite NBA/NFL team?
The Denver Broncos and Oklahoma City Thunder.
Your dad played football in college. How did he react to you playing basketball over football?
To be honest, I think he was really upset. He really wanted me to play foot-
ball as I think he thought I had a better chance to succeed in [it]. The nice thing with my dad is that he always let me make my own decisions and I think it worked out just fine.
Speaking of decisions, why did you choose Georgia State?
They were recruiting me during my 10th grade year…That’s when I really got decided about this school. When it came time to make my decision, they offered me, so I knew I wanted to come here by 10th grade.
What do you want to do here at Georgia State for the next four years?
I want to play basketball for four years here… I want to be able to be a big impact on the team. I want to help my team in any way possible. I also want to get involved around campus. Don’t know how yet, but I do want to get involved.
Are your teammates your close friends?
Oh yeah, especially the upperclassmen. They showed me the ropes around campus. And I’ve got my roommate [Jaylen Hinton]. We’re really close because we’re both freshmen and came in together. We’ve got most of our classes together. Yeah, my teammates…they really became my close friends.
Is there a particular upperclassman you have a bond with who showed you around campus? LaRon Smith and Devonta White both really helped me out when I got here.
PANTHER Of The Week
GEORGIA STATE ATHLETICS
KENDRA LONG
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Kendra Long reached a career milestone Tuesday against Kennesaw State reaching 1,000 career points. Her 1,000th point came in the final minute of the game on a free throw helping solidify a 6054 victory over the Owls. Long went 6-for-6 at the free-throw line making up for the low percentage she had from the floor against Kennesaw. Long is the 21st women’s basketball player in Georgia State history to score 1,000 points. Long leads the team this season with 135 points, averaging 13.5 points per game. She has never missed a game in all of her time at Georgia State and holds the school record for 3-pointers made. Long is a senior sociology major and is a native of Atlanta, Ga. She graduated from Mays High School.
23 15
SPORTS
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2013
Sports Calendar
briefs
*CONFERENCE GAMES
Men’s basketball
Sat, Dec. 14 Men’s Basketball Old Dominion GSU Sports Arena 2 p.m. 1340 AM The Fan 3
Sun, Dec. 22 Men’s Basketball UTSA San Antonio, Texas 2 p.m. 1340 AM The Fan 3
Sat, Jan. 4 Women’s Basketball South Alabama* Mobile, Ala. 3 p.m. WRAS 88.5 FM
Wed, Dec. 18 Women’s Basketball San Jose State San Jose, Calif. 7:30 p.m. WRAS 88.5 FM
Sun, Dec. 29 Men’s Basketball East Carolina Greenville, N.C. 1 p.m. 1340 AM The Fan 3
Sat, Jan. 4 Men’s Basketball South Alabama* Mobile, Ala. 5 p.m. 1340 AM The Fan 3
Fri, Dec. 20 Men’s Basketball Georgia Southern GSU Sports Arena 7 p.m. 1340 The Fan 3
Wed, Jan. 1 Women’s Basketball Troy* GSU Sports Arena 2 p.m. WRAS 88.5 FM
Wed, Jan. 8 Women’s Basketball Western Kentucky* Bowling Green, Ky. 12:30 p.m. 1340 AM The Fan 3
Fri, Dec. 2 Women’s Basketball Santa Clara Santa Clara, Calif. 10 p.m. WRAS 88.5 FM
Thu, Jan. 2 Men’s Basketball Troy* GSU Sports Arena 7 p.m. 1340 AM The Fan 3
Thu, Jan. 9 Men’s Basketball Western Kentucky* Bowling Green, Ky. 8:00 p.m. 1340 AM The Fan 3
Georgia State defeated Young Harris 71-54 on Wednesday night at home. Redshirt junior forward Curtis Washington led the team in points with 17, tying his careerhigh. On Saturday, the Panthers lost 75-65 in overtime Southern Miss on Saturday afternoon in Hattiesburg, Miss. Redshirt junior guard Ryan Harrow lead the team in points with 20.
Women’s basketball
Georgia State defeated Kennesaw State 60-54 on Tuesday night in Kennesaw, Ga. Freshman forward/center Haley Gerrin led the team in points with 14. The Panthers defeated Kent State 56-55 on Sunday afternoon in Kent, Ohio. Junior guard Kayla Nolan led the team in points with 16.
$500 A DAY Buyback Giveaway Bring your books to your campus store to instantly get CASH*
Every book you bring is a chance to win $500**
Can’t make it to the store? Sell your books at buyback.com *Based on current market value. **NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Void where prohibited. Open to US residents age 18+. Sweepstakes ends 12/31/2013. For official rules and instructions on how to obtain a free game code, visit http://bit.ly/19QijwU.
GSU BOOKSTORE 66 COURTLAND STREET SE | gsubookstore.com
What’s
Happening ber Decem3 201 Monday Tuesday
Classes end.
Finals
Supported by Student Activity Fees
Wednesday Finals
10
Sat-Sun Finals
Finals
11
14
13 12
Finals
Winter Break
Commencement
17
2 p.m. Georgia Dome
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Campus Events studentevents.gsu.edu
Cinefest Film Theater spotlight.gsu.edu/cinefest
Spotlight Programs Board spotlight.gsu.edu
Student Media studentmedia.gsu.edu
Student*University Center studentcenter.gsu.edu
For great low prices through the Student*University Center, give gifts of tickets to movies, the aquarium, the zoo or Atlanta Hawks games, or take a holiday trip to Walt Disney World, Stone Mountain Park’s Snow Mountain, Biltmore House or Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament. Extra discounts are available online for Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament through Dec. 30. Most discount tickets can be purchased at the Information Center on the first floor of the Student Center; some are available only online; and some are available at both outlets. For more information, visit our website at studentcenter.gsu.edu/services/discount-tickets.
Share your artwork in the Gallery Lounge Campus Events is seeking student artists to display art in the Student*University Center’s Gallery Lounge in January 2014. Applicants do not need to be majoring or minoring in art. Pieces should address a social issue (for example, poverty, women’s rights, racism, LGBTQI awareness, etc.). Contact cecourtyard@gmail.com for more information or an application. Applications are due Friday, December 13, 2013.
SAVE THE DATE for Spotlight Events PANTHER PROWL, Friday, January 17, 8 p.m., Student Center Ballroom HOUSE OF BLUES, Friday, January 24, 7 p.m., Student Center Ballroom AMATEUR NIGHT, Wednesday, February 19, 7 p.m., Rialto Center for the Arts GSU BEST DANCE CREW, Friday, March 7, 7 p.m., Student Center Ballroom PANTHERPALOOZA SPRING CONCERT & THE ANNUAL FASHION SHOW, Early April | Dates to be announced
Keep up with us@GSUSPOTLIGHT
Cinefest Film Theater Closed for Winter Break, Dec. 9 - Jan. 12
RICHARD BLANCO DISTINGUISHED
THE
For gifts and holiday outings, get discount tickets to movies, theme parks, sporting events and more
Student Center & University Center closed through Jan. 5
21 & 22
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For event details, visit our websites:
spotlight.gsu.edu
Friday
Finals
9 Finals
Thursday
SPEAKER 2013-2014
Supported by Student Activity Fees
4
SERIES
FREE THURSDAY, JANUARY 23 p. m. Student Center Ballroom
in conjunction with the 30th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Convocation
Acclaimed poet Richard Blanco joined the ranks of Robert Frost, Maya Angelou, Miller Williams and Elizabeth Alexander when KH ZDV VHOHFWHG E\ 3UHVLGHQW 2EDPD DV WKH ÀIWK LQDXJXUDO SRHW laureate at his second inauguration. The Cuban-American author of three books of poetry, including two award-winners, will read some of his poetry and share the stories that inspired his work, which explores themes of cultural, gender and sexual identity. Blanco has been published in several anthologies and top literary journals and featured on National Public Radio.
Followed by BOOK SIGNING t
studentevents.gsu.edu
Good luck on finals and