Vol. 89 No.8

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A Georgia State-related person reported a theft near the College of Education around 9:50am, the case is still active.

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SEPT. 28 - DUNWOODY CAMPUS

Sexual Offense

A sexual offense that occurred on August 31 was reported on September 28 the case is still active.

Two sexual offenses from earlier in the month of September were reported on the 30th to have occurred at Piedmont Central, the cases are still active.

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Georgia State records it’s first win in an eyecatching show.

Falcons fly away from London with a win… barley

British police to end investigation into Prince Andrew.

Even without their two star wide receivers, The Atlanta Falcons fight back the New York Jets in a 27-17 win over in London UK. The Falcons now sit at a 2-3 record.

UK police have announced they will not take any action against the royal after a review prompted by a Jeffrey Epstein accuser. V Giuffre claims she was trafficked by Epstein to have sex with the Prince in 2001, all while she was still a minor by US law. She is also suing the prince in US court.

In a 55-21 smackdown against the University of Louisiana - Monroe, QB Darren Grainger threw 4 touchdowns for 230 yards in the Panthers win.

Panthers have proven that they are still in it for the long run.

NEWS

October 12, 2021

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This year’s mayoral elections changed because of the new demographics of Atlanta.

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Top news stories you’ve missed this week!

Some of the most important events around Atlanta recently KENNETH LOCKETT III Managing Editor

I

n the hustle of daily life, it’s often difficult to sit down and read or watch the news. The news is often dark and negative, but it’s still a fundamental part of our everyday lives. Here are some important news stories from the past week that you might have missed.

Georgia State Parking v Student Government update: After a tense week of back and forth, the University department and the Student Government on the Atlanta campus finally reach another agreement, but students aren’t so ecstatic.

“Isn’t that what they said last time, SGA says one thing, and they do another,” Alex Smith, a Political Science major, said. “SGA does this every year, [and] it seems like it’s all pretty words with no action behind it.”

SGA will announce plan details at their biweekly Atlanta Senate meeting on Thursday, October 14th, at 7:15 pm.

Capital Police Whistleblower:

Many Americans were horrified by the January 6th insurrection. On that day, many asked themselves, where is the national guard?

A high-ranking Capitol Police official anonymously pointed the finger at Capital Police leadership in a 16page letter to congress. The letter claims that two assistant chiefs did not share vital intelligence with other leadership members and did not act as the violence increasingly got out of hand.

Navy engineer charged with attempting to sell military secrets:

The United States accused Jonathan Toebbe of trying to sell information about the design of United States nuclearpowered submarines. He tried to give these secrets to a suspected foreign agent who was an undercover FBI agent.

The government further accuses him of selling this information for at least a year to a foreign power. However, the nation’s name was not listed in the court filings.

Local Elections are heating up in Georgia:

As November quickly approaches, local elections are ramping up, here are just some from Atlanta.

Atlanta Public Schools – School Board – 9 Open Seats – November 2 City of Atlanta – Mayor, City Council and Municipal Court Judge – November 2 Fulton County – ESPLOST – Local Ballot Measure – November 2 You can determine your voter status and make changes to your Georgia voter registration at https://www.mvp.sos. ga.gov/MVP/mvp.do.

Atlanta Mayoral Debate – Fights over crime and corruption:

The top five candidates for Mayor of the City of Atlanta met on Sunday for a debate hosted by WSB-TV and the Atlanta Police Foundation. The critical points of the discussion were public safety and corruption, which aimed at some of the contender’s records.

Former Mayor Kasim Reed vowed to repair the relationship between Atlanta Police and City Hall. Reed also stressed that due process would be apparent should an officer be involved in a situation. He also promised a $200 million budget boost to cover overtime work.

Felicia Moore wasn’t far behind in her approach to the sky-rocking crime rates; the current City Council president said she would hire more officers and create a communication line between City Hall and the Police Department.

The current Councilperson explained a more communitybased system explaining his plan to handle generation poverty. They said in an interview, “We need to restructure our public safety system…. We can’t arrest ourselves out of this problem.” Students here at Georgia State resonated with that message.

“That is the key issue most of the candidates are forgetting

about, crime has gone up the past year or two, and nobody is asking why, only how to fix it,” Criminal Justice major Carmela Jones said. “Crime is going up, for multiple reasons, the big one being that people are out of work and can’t feed themselves or their family. And companies aren’t paying enough for rent and food.”

COVI-19 prevention pills headed to the FDA:

The FDA was asked on Monday by Merck, a New Jerseybased drugmaker, to approve its COVID-19 treatment pill.

If approved, it would only be weeks before the pills would hit the market.

The drug would mark the first non-injection COVID-19 vaccine option. These pills would those who have not gotten the vaccine another treatment option. However, this option would only be available if approved by the FDA.

College Football gets shaken up this week:

This week reminded sports fans just how crazy college football can bring. The Bulldogs are ranked as the number one team in the country for the first time since 2008.

The last time UGA ranked number one during the regular season was 1982, almost 45 years ago.

Both the USA Today coaches poll and the AP Sports media poll place the team in the top spot after Alabama lost to Texas A&M. Georgia is rolling at 6-0 after their 34-10 smackdown against Auburn on Saturday.

Speaking of smackdowns, the Georgia State Panthers laid one on ULM in their 55-21 win. This victory marks the first win of the season and the most points in the program’s history.

The last time was during the team’s first season in 2010 against Savannah State. The team is on bye-week as they prepare for the Homecoming game against Texas State on October 23rd.

NEWS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2021

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Letter to the Editor: The welfare of the students requiring it A Letter from Student Government

IRA LIVNAT Atlanta Campus Speaker, Student Government Association

O

n September 24, 2021, Vice President Brad Freeman and I met to discuss the current parking crisis. During that meeting, we covered many topics, including reducing the non-budget card parking price to the budget card parking price until budget cards are available, i.e., from $5.00 to $3.50. We spoke about providing every student with access to every parking deck or lot. We talked about a deck that GSU owns but has not developed or fixed for many years. Finally, we spoke about why GSU might spend money to effectively ruin T-deck with the new helix rather than develop a new deck that is just sitting vacant and unused.

Students who park using a budget card only pay $3.50, while students who don’t have budget cards pay $5. Earlier this year, the parking office announced that it had “sold out” of the budget cards, which effectively left hundreds, if not thousands, of students waiting to receive their budget cards. For every day that the university failed to deliver the budget cards, students waiting to receive the cards were paying an extra $1.50 per park.

During that meeting on September 24, 2021, Vice President Freeman agreed to reduce the rates to $3.50 for all students who could produce a student ID if the budget cards had not arrived by the following Monday, September 27, which was the date by which Vice President Freeman promised they

would arrive. Accordingly, on the 29th, I checked with the office to find out budget cards had not yet been delivered.

As of today, students who don’t yet have budget cards due to the university’s actions will have been unfairly charged a $1.50 premium for nearly 40 days. This is simply unacceptable. Student Government has been working closely with university officials to rectify this situation.

While I am proud to announce that, after much deliberation and conversation, parking has finally lowered the price to $3.50 for non-budget card parking, there is a real question as to what will be done about the students who have been unfairly charged a $1.50 premium per day for the last 40 days. Previous Student Government Administrations may have ignored this injustice, but our Student Government is not that of the past. As I’m sure everyone is about to learn, this is a new kind of Student Government As early as August 25, I had requested data regarding parking frequency and use of decks and lots. Finally, on October 8, I received 2 gigabytes of documents and data. Later that day, I met with a top university official to discuss solving the problem once more. In that meeting, SGA and the

department reached an agreement regarding how the department will make things right. After nearly three months, I am proud to say that this agreement, which is unlike any other made between students and administrators, will make things right. The details of this agreement will be released in a joint meeting with the parking department on the 14th at 7:15 PM. I want the students to know that they have not been forgotten, that though it has taken time, their student government has been fighting for them since the beginning, and that we will make this right.

More than that, though, I want to put all university departments on notice: Our SGA is vigilant. We are always watching. We are always listening. We are always waiting for that moment when our advocacy, problem-solving, and services are required. We are unwavering, we are relentless, and we will not hesitate to act, the welfare of the student body requiring it.

Students First, Ira Livnat Speaker of the Senate Student Government Association

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2021

5

THE SIGNAL

Georgia State Football Loses Despite Fair Catch Rule in Fourth Quarter

After a convincing win on the road last week, the Panthers are looking to bring that energy back to Centre Park Stadium for their homecoming matchup.

PHOTOS BY HARRY WYMAN | THE SIGNAL

PHOTOS BY HARRY WYMAN | T

OPINIONS

October 12, 2021

WWW.GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM/OPINIONS

The Heart Beat Bill is unconstitutional Atlanta’s court rules this unconstitutional

I GABBY MILLER Staff Columnist

n 2019, a new bill came to Ohio, Georgia, Louisiana, Missouri, Alabama, Kentucky, South Carolina and Texas. This bill would prevent women from having abortions after the first six weeks. The Atlanta courts ruled this unconstitutional.

Some lawmakers have proposed that they designed The Heartbeat Bill to protect lawmakers. However, this idea ignores the agency of women.

Women usually do not even know they are pregnant until the six-week mark. This fact makes the bill inherently unfair.

Abortion is an impossible decision for many and takes time to figure out. Many women need time to figure out this choice for themselves.

This step could be an equally traumatizing moment in a woman’s life because there is no guarantee that people support women.

No one ever looks at others’ circumstances in life. It is more like they blame the women for getting pregnant and making them take responsibility for it.

The Heartbeat Bill also violates Roe v. Wade court case ruling, which legalized abortions in the United States. It comes across as unconstitutional because of the unfairness it brings women.

Some women have to take the procedure because they could die if they gave birth. By enforcing this law, it would cause more deaths.

There has always been a debate surrounding whether unborn fetuses are considered alive. However, this debate is pointless, as unborn lives are not actual lives at the beginning of a woman’s pregnancy.

Women do not know if a pregnancy has developed until the twelfth week of pregnancy. This point is known as the safe-mark. Even though miscarriages and stillbirths can still happen after that, the safe-mark exists for a reason.

An unborn life can officially become life after the safemark. This bill ignores this undeniable fact.

It is good that the Atlanta courts ruled this bill unconstitutional because it targets a woman’s choices.

Not everyone can care for children, and some women do not want children at all. This bill prevented women from having a choice in having kids at the end of the day.

PHOTO BY SHEILAF2002 ON DEPOSITPHOTOS.COM

Haiti’s opposition to a 3rd-world democracy.

Why Haiti is poor

I TERRANCE DAVIS

Staff Columnist

t is hard to think about Haiti. Many in the United States only know it for its political instability and abject poverty. The root of these issues, though, is a familiar pattern of behaviors for the militaristic, imperialist state that is the United States.

Since gaining its independence in 1805, Haiti has been a prime target for exploitation, as the island is rich in many natural resources like gold, sugar, coffee and silver.

Traders give the people of Haiti who produce these materials little if any, money for their hard work. It has left Haitians among the poorest populations of people in the world. However, Haiti’s natural resources also made it valuable, The people of Haiti have not experienced a democracy (even by America’s lax standards) for over 100 years, leaving their fates and lives to be affected by the interests of foreign powers. In 1915, the US invaded Haiti with 300 marines, resulting in a President selected by the Senate and occupation of the island that lasted 19 years.

The explicit goal of President Woodrow Wilson was to control Haiti’s economy completely, as it existed inside of the United States’ sphere of influence. The people of Haiti were enraged by a foreign power exerting violent control over them and their country.

Still, this began an almost two-decade period marked by oppression, political unrest and the deaths of around 20,000 Haitian people.

After the occupation, Haiti’s struggled to stabilize, as the nation was often the puppet of an imperial superpower. The post-occupation period saw a revolving door of different presidents, violent repression and bloody conflicts with the neighboring Dominican Republic like the Parsley Massacre.

After this occupation, the country saw some semblance of stability, albeit from the autocratic Duvalier regime. Francois “Papa Doc” Duvalier was first elected president of Haiti in 1957. Duvalier was a rural doctor who ran on a platform claiming to fight for Haiti’s poor, black population.

Although initially seen as a populist reformer who fought against the wealthy, mixed-race elite, Duvalier would quickly become more and more totalitarian, exiling opponents and extending his power through constitutional rewrites.

After a 1958 coup attempt, Papa Doc clamped down harder than ever on his opposition and created the Tonton Macoutes. This paramilitary police force became notorious for spreading fear and terror throughout Haiti.

Military police violence carried over into the presidency of Francois’ son, JeanClaude Duvalier. He continued his father’s brutal regime and crippled Haiti’s infrastructure, making conditions worse for the people through the siphoning of funds.

One important thing to note is that while United States support for the regime was not unequivocal, The United States gave plenty of aid to the Duvalier regime due to their anti-communist position and relative strategic location to Cuba.

As anti-Duvalier protests intensified in the 1980s, Baby Doc stepped down from his position, following a speech by the Pope at the time, which inspired a rise in Catholicism and riots in Haiti’s streets.

This moment of political action led to the rise of Jean-Bertrand Aristide, a former priest. He advocated liberation theology and opposed the exploitative trade deals that first-world nations used to hurt Haiti.

After winning 67% of the popular vote, Aristede served as Haiti’s first democratically and popularly elected president. This victory was short-lived as a military coup was launched against the Aristede government, ending the presidency after eight months. Outside of another Aristide presidency thwarted in another 2004 coup (which is said to have been US-backed).

Since Aristede, Haiti has had a series of presidents who are only ideal to the United States and other foreign interests, including the recently assassinated Jovenel Moise.

Most Haitians hate this current system, which is why we see a seemingly permanent political dissent that can only be met with more paramilitary action to keep the masses controlled.

As people living in America, there is not much we can do individually to end the exploitation of the Haitian people. What we can do, however, is understand that America funded Haiti’s situation with the help of our tax dollars.

THE SIGNAL

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2021

OPINIONS

7

The concern with on-campus contact tracing and testing is not privacy; it is the conversion of students into customers.

PHOTO BY HARRY WYMAN | THE SIGNAL

The university commodity

Public health surveillance methods are here to stay.

A

TREVOR KOSLOSKI

Staff Columnist

s we move towards October, the Mayo Clinic’s estimate of Georgia attaining 20,000 new daily COVID-19 cases throughout September seems needlessly dour. Testing data suggests a seven-day moving average peaking at 7,000 – a more achievable number than 20,000, but an attainable number still easily surpassing our previous record-highs in January.

You are probably aware that Georgia State has been conducting coursework primarily in-person this semester, following a national tide of reopening with the arrival of (essentially promising) vaccines. You are less probably aware of the public health apparatuses which accompanied this return to campus.

The modes of surveillance by which our nebula of institutions have tracked and worked to curb the pandemic are not a novel topic of conversation, sure. However, any meaningful discussion over the last year has been nonexistent.

In these discussions, we encounter the same deficiencies which made the National Security Agency’s repository of text messages and emails a punchline – which filed Edward Snowden away as a kitschy bit of memorabilia, trotted out on rare occasions.

Plainly: we are concerned with a “liberty” we do not understand and a “privacy” which realistically weighs little on our lives, on our political existence. We note the massive means of collecting data funded and constructed via the pretenses of a pandemic, though we return to the same stale questions, that is.

Privacy and liberty are fantastic. Yes, I will let you treasure these concepts – as will every actor involved in these modes of surveillance, too.

“Big data” does not care about you in particular; let us be clear on this point. You, as the individual, are almost entirely irrelevant to the larger schema. The intimate details of your walk to and from class or your proximity to others are of no interest here.

Instead, what is of interest is extrapolated from the aggregate data on you and 2,000 others’ walks to class.

What is at stake is the creation of types and trends, not with the goal of some extraction of your strange, dearly-held secrets – but instead towards a much bleaker, much more practical purpose: developing a world which can extract the most value out of you, the consumer.

Our anxiety towards contact tracing at Georgia State should not be one of them robbing us of our “privacy,” some clerks thumbing through our daily tasks. It should be the more mundane but potent fear of Georgia State joining the clientele of analytics firms interested in remaking the university as a tightly-run business.

We would be narcissists to assume that the opacity of data collection on COVID-19 has the goal of unraveling the most well-kept stories of being.

The past provides us with a much less exciting use for our data.

However, a less exciting utility stunts our quality of life.

The long-term use of contact tracing, of granular data collection on students, is the same as any data collection done via apps like Facebook Pixel or Google AdSense.

These “public health apparatuses” signal a clear inroad for the university to enhance its operations not as a school but as a private entity – using data on its students to treat them as consumers.

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

The coolest corners in Little Five Points Shopping in the artistic Little Five Points Written By: Grace Braswell - Staff Reporter

Little Five Points, one of Atlanta’s most diverse and artistic scenes, is the type of place that is perfect for a night out with friends, window shopping or just simply grabbing coffee. Although there are countless stores, these are the best places in this indie corner of town.

Psycho Sisters: Psycho Sisters, a vintage clothing store, offers trendy clothes from just about every decade imaginable. As the brands and styles at Psycho sisters are very diverse, the clothes sold are perfect for costumes and everyday life.

Psycho Sisters opened in 1991 and has been serving Atlanta ever since. Whether customers want a plethora of cute thrift finds, flirty flapper fits or hot and hippy 60’s clothing, Psycho Sisters has it covered.

Along with clothing, Psycho Sisters also sells various fun accessories, including unique sunglasses, wigs and jewelry. Their hours are from 12 pm to 8 pm Monday through Saturday and 12 pm to 6 pm Sunday.

Criminal Records: When it comes to music in Atlanta, Criminal Records has you covered. Locally owned and independently operated, Criminal Records caters to music lovers and record enthusiasts alike.

The owners have lined the walls with a wide variety of music. Artists such as Lunar Vacation and Grouplove have used the space as a concert hall, creating a very intimate space for fans to come and listen to sets.

Apart from music, Criminal Records also offers a large selection of DVDs, books, graphic novels, toys and clothing. Located at the front of the store is a “local’s only” section, showcasing what some local Atlanta artists have been producing and releasing lately.

Criminal Records is open Monday-Friday from 11 am to 9 pm, Saturday from 12 pm to 9 pm, and Sunday from 12 pm to 7 pm.

Junkman’s Daughter: Junkman’s Daughter is one of those places where just about anyone can find something they love. From books to clothes and political merchandise to the tobacco shop in the back of the store, Junkman’s Daughter offers a well-rounded selection of paraphernalia.

With Halloween right around the corner, Junkman’s Daughter is the perfect place to find dress-up clothes that are both trendy, original and hot. They also sell a plethora of jewelry, accessories and wigs to complete any look.

Junkman’s Daughter’s unique and extensive collection of items gives customers a reason to browse shelves for hours, perusing witty books such as Snoop Dogg’s “From Crook to Cook” or “How to be Sober and Keep your Friends.”

Junkman’s Daughter is open Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday from 12 pm to 7 pm and Friday and Saturday from 12 pm to 8 pm.

NG

Java Lords: If you’re out shopping in Little Five Points and need a pick-me-up, Java Lords provides a wide selection of coffee and booze perfect for any craving patrons may be wanting. Located right next to 7 Stages Theatre, Java Lords offers an inclusive and welcoming atmosphere for anyone needing a place to study, catch up with a friend or just simply grab a drink.

Java Lords offers many seating arrangements, including an outdoor patio, bar area and indoor seating. The shop provides fair-trade, a good amount of local wall art, organic coffee, liquor and baked goods. Java Lords is open Monday-Sunday from 10 am to 10 pm.

Crystal Blue: Crystal Blue provides a very expansive selection of anything metaphysical for anyone needing crystals, tarot cards, or spiritual meditation. This shop located in Little Five Points provides customers with healing crystals and the knowledge of how to use them, incense, meditation supplies, spirit guides and books, and essential oils.

Crystal Blue is open from Monday to Saturday from 11 am to 7 pm and Sunday from 12 pm to 7 pm.

Rag-o-Rama: When visiting Little Five Points, thrift shopping is a must. Stores such as Rag-o-Rama and the Clothing Warehouse have patrons covered when it comes to cute and trendy everyday thrift apparel.

Rag o Rama carries a broad selection of name-brand clothes, graphic and vintage tees, clothes for going out, staying in and everything in-between. As people can bring their clothes in to sell in-store, Rag o Rama contributes to the idea of sustainable living and recycling cute and barely worn clothing. Their store hours are Monday through Sunday, 11 am to 8 pm.

Clothing Warehouse: When it comes to adorable decade everyday wear, Clothing Warehouse has patrons covered. Clothing Warehouse provides whether you need some cute overalls, flare pants or just a cute vintage tee. Their store hours are from Monday through Thursday from 11 am to 8:30 pm, Saturday and Sunday from 11 am to 9 pm and Sunday from 12 pm to 7 pm.

PHOTOS BY HARRY WYMAN AND PAGE LAYOUT BY EVAN KOENIGS I THE SIGNAL

ARTS & LIVING

WWW.GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM/ARTSANDLIVING

Columbus never really discovered the Americas as he only disrupted the natural lifestyle of the Indigenous Americans that were already there.

October 12, 2021

ILLUSTRATION BY YLIVDESIGN ON DEPOSITPHOTOS.COM

The dark reality of Christopher Columbus’s voyage

Indigenous people all over the nation are working to end the false narratives behind Columbus’s discoveries KARA MARTIN Staff Reporter

W

ith Columbus Day still being recognized as a national holiday, many who know the truth about Christopher Columbus wonder why the occasion continues to be celebrated.

Originally, Columbus Day was observed on October 12th of each year but following the year 1971, it is now acknowledged on the second Monday in October.

As the infamous rhyme states, Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean blue in 1492. He began his journey with hopes of finding what he called the “Indies”, which is known as Japan, China and India. In October of that year, Columbus would end his voyage in what he thought was Asia but were actually the Americas.

Through Columbus’s “discoveries” he was honored and celebrated by being given his own holiday, which many people know as Columbus Day. What some people do not know is what discoveries Columbus really made when he docked in the Americas.

Columbus did not actually discover the Americas as there were already Natives, known as Taínos, occupying the land upon his arrival. Columbus and the Taínos would trade goods with one another, but Columbus was in search of gold to bring back to his people in Spain. Desperate to find more gold, Columbus schemed and plotted ways to expand his riches.

After eventually making it back to Spain, Columbus was a known name and hero. He was seen as the courageous explorer that sailed through the unknown seas and made it back to tell the world. Columbus brought back some of the things he acquired while in the Americas such as spices, cotton, tobacco, gold and even some indigenous Americans he kidnapped.

Spanish monarchs, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella sent Columbus back to search for more gold. Sending him off with 17 ships and over a thousand men for his second trip, Columbus would also make his promised return for the 39 crew members he left in Hispaniola. He left his men to fend for themselves and build a colony, instead, they were all killed by a local native chief.

Following this loss suffered by Columbus, he and his crew went on a rampage to find more gold on the island. This upset the chief and the people of Hispaniola which resulted in

fighting and bloodshed from both parties. Columbus would go above and beyond to assert his dominance over the natives and executed three of the chief ’s captains in a public beheading.

“

In the end, Columbus never really discovered the Americas as he only disrupted the natural lifestyle of the Indigenous Americans that were already there. He took not only their land but their people, resources and way of life.

— KARA MARTIN

”

Staff Reporter

After all the gold had run out, Columbus did what any colonizer would do and convert the native people to his way of thinking and eventually enslave them for his own monetary gain. This part during Columbus’s journey is what made him

look more like a villain rather than a hero that everyone makes him out to be.

In the end, Columbus never really discovered the Americas as he only disrupted the natural lifestyle of the Indigenous Americans that were already there. He took not only their land but their people, resources and way of life. Columbus and the rest of his colonizers also brought diseases that would contribute to the countless murders of indigenous people What people are celebrating, whether they realize it or not, is a man and a holiday that embraces genocide, capitalism and overall oppression.

Many people today credit Columbus for creating some of the world’s largest contributors to capitalism such as Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk. Despite these multi-millionaires not being actual enslavers, they do benefit from the sweat and tears of their underpaid, overworked employees. These people work in unfavorable working conditions for the sake of keeping food on the table and the economy to continue to run.

With many knowing the true legacy of Columbus, historians and other individuals are pushing to get rid of Columbus Day and instead make it Indigenous Peoples’ Day. This indigenous holiday would celebrate the rich history of the Indigenous Americans rather than Columbus’s false discoveries.

Luckily, some places across the nation have already adopted Indigenous Peoples’ Day in place of the original holiday in respect of the native population. The day has been celebrated on October 11th each year since 1990.

Despite the holiday being a day to uplift and recognize those that have been oppressed by hundreds of years of colonialism, some argue that it is erasing history and Columbus’s legacy.

In reality, it is only highlighting the real facts and overwriting history that has been whitewashed.

The fight to have Indigenous Peoples’ Day celebrated nationwide is still an uphill battle. Residents of Dekalb County as well as organizations such as Beacon Hill Black Alliance for Human Rights plan to form a protest in hopes of the removal of a genocide cannon located in downtown Decatur Square.

Even with the current recognition of Columbus, it does not stop indigenous people from celebrating, honoring and remembering the lives of their people.

ARTS&LIVING

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2021

11

DEATHLOOP and the art of repetition

Dying again and again has never been so fun, DESMOND LEAKE Associate Arts & Living Editor

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t has been a quiet year for games due to COVID-19 delaying the industry’s production cycle. As a result, many companies have put triple-A games on hold.

In a sea of delayed games, “DEATHLOOP” sticks out as one of the significant Triple-A releases to come out this year.

“DEATHLOOP” is easily one of the most intriguing games of the year due to its unique mix of FPS gunplay with the signature elaborate level design that Arkane Studios has made famous.

“DEATHLOOP’s” premise is a simple one.

The main character, Colt, is on the island of Blackreef, which is in a time loop.

Colt wants to break the time loop, which requires Colt to kill eight different targets before the day ends to break the loop. The new head of security, Julianna, serves as the antagonist and is trying to maintain the loop by killing Colt.

The time loop concept isn’t cutting edge narrative-wise. However, the relationship between Coly and Julianna elevates the premise.

Colt and Julianna are the only ones who have any memory of the time loop, which leads to them forming a kinship as they are trying to kill one another. Their voice actors are perfect for their roles and add a great charm to the game.

The core gameplay loop of DEATHLOOP revolves around figuring out the most optimal way to kill all eight targets within the span of the time loop. The player can explore four distinct areas at four different times of the day, totaling 16 different levels.

The levels are highly detailed, and exploring different times of day opens new opportunities,

such as being unable to access one of the targets until playing during the nighttime.

The day resets upon finishing the night, alongside all your progress in the loop. The player only keeps all the weapons and powers acquired from previous loops.

The fun part of the game is figuring out just how the player will dispatch their targets.

Want to eliminate your targets by sneaking in silently and assassinating them?

Or maybe the player wants to rush in guns blazing? The game seeks to inspire player agency to figure out how to break the loop in the way they see most fit.

The way “DEATHLOOP” manages to keep players on their toes through the many loops they will endure is in the form of the “Protect the Loop” mode.

In this mode, another player takes control of Julianna and goes into another player’s game to stop Colt from breaking the loop. These invasions are frantic and chaotic and make it so going through repeated loops isn’t too monotonous.

“DEATHLOOP” isn’t without its shortcomings.

The game is easy aside from the Julianna invasions. The primary enemies don’t stand much of a threat, nor do the targets. The PC performance also leaves room to be desired, as the game stutters quite a bit, and the first week was rife with crashes due to poor optimization.

“DEATHLOOP’s” unique formula and gameplay loop make it one of the most exciting Triple-A releases of the year.

The time loop has been done by many games before. However, few games execute it quite as well as “DEATHLOOP.”

Games like “DEATHLOOP” will be available for SteamDeck users when it launches in December

ILLUSTRATION BY OLIVIA MADRZYK | THE SIGNAL

Say hello to the Steam Deck, an alternative to the Nintendo Switch.

The first portable gaming PC will hit markets in December COLE PODANY Staff Reporter

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team, the video game distribution service run by Valve, is developing the Steam Deck, a handheld gaming PC that can run everything from indie titles to fans’ favorite AAA games. Steam is releasing the handheld console, which features full PC functionality, in December 2021.

The device differs from other popular handhelds, like the Nintendo Switch, in that it boasts much faster hardware and can run an enormous array of games.

Almost any game that players can enjoy on PC can also play on the Steam Deck, while the Nintendo Switch can only play Nintendo titles.

The Steam Deck’s processing power bears more similarities to next-gen consoles like the Xbox Series X and Playstation 5 than the Nintendo Switch.

The Steam Deck comes in three different versions: 64GB, 256GB and 512GB, costing $399, $529 and $649.

The 256GB model features an exclusive Steam Community bundle with purchase, while the 512GB comes with anti-glare etched glass.

“We think Steam Deck gives people another way to play the games they love on a high-performance device at a great price,” Valve founder Gabe Newell said in a press release. “As a gamer, this is a product I [have] always wanted. And as a game developer, it’s the mobile device I [have] always wanted for our partners.”

Given that few other companies offer options for handheld gamers and the Steam Deck is the first handheld gaming PC, Steam anticipated the popularity and hype that quickly surrounded their innovative new console.

The company requires fans to reserve their device on Steam’s site before placing orders in December. However, securing

a Steam Deck hasn’t proven easy for everyone.

After Steam opened pre-orders for the Steam Deck in early July 2021, Steam’s servers went down for almost an hour, preventing some hopeful Steam Deck owners from reserving their device and creating controversy.

“Your company should be better than this,” Beth Brockman, a fan who hoped to buy the device, shared on Twitter with a screenshot of an error screen.

Gabe Howell and Mike Harrington founded Valve in 1995, and the company has since grown to earn the label of the tech company with the highest profits per employee. Today, the 26-year-old company carries a value of over $3 billion.

While Steam Deck reservations cost only $5 from Steam’s website, scalpers on eBay have begun reselling them for thousands of dollars. Some people, fearful that Steam would run out of reservations, bought these items even though sellers priced them at over 200 times the original price.

Both eBay and Steam quickly took steps to counter this behavior. eBay claimed they would ban those who breach their policies, including those who resell Steam Decks 30 days before the handheld’s release.

“We understand how frustrating it can be for gamers to see overpriced listings for presale hardware,” an eBay spokesperson said in an interview with Eurogamer.

Steam continues offering reservations for their Steam Decks for $5 long after the temporary outage, allowing anyone interested to reserve their device. Those who place their orders later will receive their devices months after those who

ordered in July. S Steam has stated on their site that they plan to adjust inventory to account for reservations.

While the Steam Deck’s reservation system initially proved challenging for many people hoping to purchase the device, Steam has a few challenges of its own to face, including potential competitors.

No other company has ever managed to threaten Nintendo’s longtime hold on the handheld gaming market. Still, Steam strives to do so even as other hopeful companies begin to develop handheld offerings.

In October 2021, a user posting on GBA Temp, a gaming forum, discovered a leaked image and product description for the Lenovo Legion Play, a potential competitor for the Steam Deck.

The company published the leaks to the MWC 2021 Barcelona site, suggesting that developers unveil the handheld there.

“Designed for AAA gaming, the Lenovo Legion Play is the first Android cloud gaming console,” the leaked product description read. “The console lets users play hundreds of cloud games, stream their game library, or play mobile games.”

The product description for the Lenovo Legion Play asserts that developers designed it for AAA gaming, making the potential device a commendable adversary for the upcoming Steam Deck. While the Steam Deck can play PC games and integrate players’ Steam libraries, the Lenovo Legion Play can only play mobile games that run on Android OS.

SPORTS

October 12, 2021

WWW.GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM/SPORTS

The catch rule is known to impact the outcomes of college and professional football games.

PHOTO BY HARRY WYMAN | THE SIGNAL

Georgia State fell to one of sports’ most controversial calls The 34-24 loss to Auburn went beyond the scoreboard ANDREW FREEDMAN Sports Editor

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ew rules have shifted sports and frustrated fans quite like football’s catch rule, a rule that impacted the outcomes of several college and professional football games.

Just a few weeks ago, the Auburn Tigers’ defense held Georgia State to a scoreless second half as they avoided an upset with a 24-24 win over the Panthers. It was a display of heart and a courageous comeback for the Tigers. But the country took notice once again as the game’s turning point came with 1:11 left in the ball game.

Setting the scene, the ball is on Georgia State’s 30-yard line with the then-winless Panthers just four stops away from upsetting the then-No. 23 team in the country on the road. The Tigers are in the midst of a drive that has gone 68 yards and is looking for a touchdown to take their first lead of the entire afternoon. Auburn pulled starting quarterback Bo Nix for TJ Finley, and they’re moving the ball. Georgia State’s defense is feeling fatigued, but know how close they are to the biggest win in the program’s history.

Finley found his intended receiver, John Samuel Shenker, down the middle for what looked like a 19-yard pass to put the Tigers at Georgia State’s 11-yard line.

Again, the intended receiver. Shenker never caught the ball.

Georgia State’s sideline had a much better view than most at Jordan-Hare Stadium with the sun beginning to set.

As Yahoo! Sports’ Nick Bromberg wrote, “Georgia State players immediately thought that the ball went through Shenker’s hands. And they were right.”

Shortly after the offciiating crew, all of whom were part of the SEC, ruled the pass complete, the play went under review. 86,650 people watch as the pass went through Shenker’s hands, dropping the ground before he was able to gain control of it. It was never a catch, nor should it have been ruled a catch.

Was this because of home field advantage? Perhaps.

But, it also comes as a result of playing higher-level competition.

Georgia State head coach Shawn Elliott has seen a few things in college football in his 25 years as a coach and shared a brief opinion on the call after the game.

“

They certainly put it in the end zone and made plays to take that drive down there.

They had a little bit of help on that review where the ball was incompete, should’ve been put back on the 30-yard line,” Elliott said. “But when you play in the SEC, you’ve got to take the hits, you know.

”

— SHAWN ELLIOTT

Georgia State football head coach

“They certainly put it in the end zone and made plays to take that drive down there. They had a little bit

of help on that review where the ball was incompete, should’ve been put back on the 30-yard line,” Elliott said.

“But when you play in the SEC, you’ve got to take the hits, you know. And they gave us a real gut punch on that call so we appreciate that.”

Elliott spent six years as a coach for the South Carolina Gamecocks and is well-acclimated to the officiating crews tendencies.

Maybe the catch goes another way for the Panthers, but Auburn wasn’t worried about it. They went on to score a touchdown to cap off a 98-yard drive before picking off Darren Grainger on the ensuing Georgia State drive. Both sides couldn’t believe what had happened.

Section 4, Article 1.A of the NCAA Football Rulebook states that, “The ball is in player possession when a player has the ball firmly in his grasp by holding or controlling it while contacting the ground inbounds.”

The catch rule has often shaped football games––some coaches would say for better and others would say for worse. Maybe Auburn doesn’t get the momentum they need for a touchdown with less than a minute to go. But they did, and it was because of an incomplete pass that was ruled complete after quite a fluky review.

Georgia State moved on and has walked away from two of their last three games, but the feeling for the players dosn’t change what was an exceptional performance for both teams on the field.

Now, the Panthers and Tigers are in different positions because of a single play that altered their seasons.

Eliott’s squad is coming off a dominant 55-21 home win over the Lousiana-Monroe Warhawks, their second victory in as many weeks. On the other hand, Auburn has split their last two games, with the loss coming to the Georgia Bulldogs this past weekend.

If Shenker’s play is properly ruled incomplete, both teams would sit at 3-3. Now, the Panthers are looking to keep their eyes on the prize. They’ll face the Texas State State Bobcats next Saturday as they look to extend their record to 3-4.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2021

SPORTS

13

Report card: where the Falcons sit after five weeks Can the defense stop enough opponents to make a run?

MALIKAI COLLINS Staff Reporter

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hrough the first five games, the Atlanta Falcons are 2-3, and have faced two teams with playoff appearances last season, both of which resulted in losses.

Other than the first game of the season, the Falcons offense has shown flashes of a high-scoring offense that can compete in shootouts. They’ve also seemed stagnant at times, struggling to push the ball down the field and capitalize on opportunities. Over the past four games, the Falcons haven’t faced a defense ranking in the top half of the league for points allowed and have only scored 30 points in one game thus far.

They’re averaging 21 points a game this season which is in the bottom third of the NFL. Atlanta’s 319.8 yards per game is seventh-worst and they stand at 20th in passing yards with 931 and passing yards per game with 232.8. The run game has been subpar through the first four games, currently sitting at 2 in rush yards with 347 and rush yards per game with 86.8. In their first win of the season, they escaped the New York Giants with a game-winning 40yard field goal from Younghoe Koo. Defense has haunted the Falcons for the last few years, but this group seems to be picking up right where they left off through five games. The only two teams that haven’t put up 30 on the Falcons are the New York Jets and the Giants, both average offenses, at best. The Falcons defensive unit has allowed 148 points on 383.3 yards per game.

The Falcons rank third-worst in sacks and, before Sunday, had not intercepted a single pass this season until Jaylinn Hawkings picked off Jets rookie quarterback Zach Wilson in London. A bright spot for the Falcons offense is forced fumbles, where they sit at 12th best in the league with five while maintaining the innate awareness to recover two of them. They are 19th in quarterback hurries with 13 and another bright spot in the Falcons defense has been pass deflections with 20, which gives the Falcons a top seven ranking.

Offensive Bright Spot Calvin Ridley

Ridley’s quick-cut ability is shown through his exceptional route running, allowing Matt Ryan to trust him to as a number one target. Ridley’s speed and route running puts him in the position to be at the right place at the right time to make a play that will spark the Falcons offense.

Defensive Bright Spot Foyesade Oluokun

Oluokun’s 48 tackles are tied for fifth in the NFL and he also has a sack and a forced fumble from the outside linebacker position. His knack to shoot gaps and blow-up plays and instinct to sniff out the ball carrier to generate stops put him on pace to finish the season with nearly 100 tackles.

Swiss Army Knife

Cordarelle Patterson

He’s doing just about everything the Falcons need him to do, catching touchdown passes, running the ball at a decent rate, and doing what he does best, returning kicks and punts. He has run for 173 yards and a touchdown. But the former wide receiver has also caught 31 passes for 295 yards and four touchdowns. Following the first five games, Patterson is on pace to finish the season with almost 1,000 yards receiving and 500 yards rushing.

Five Game MVP Younghoe Koo

It’s only right their Pro Bowl kicker receives the MVP after still not missing an extra point or field goal through the first five games. While the second-longest kick he had this season was only from 40 yards, he attempted the kick in the waning seconds of a tie game to give the Falcons their first win. Koo’s accuracy is on point and arguably the most reliable component of this team.

With 12 games left to play, the Falcons’ secondary needs to step up for this team to kick it up a notch and begin the transition from a bad team to an average team. The strongest aspect of this team has been their passing game and their special teams, but the passing game has been average at best. Depending on how this season goes, the rest of the year could determine the future of Matt Ryan’s tenure in Atlanta, considering poor offensive line play, lack of mobility and age.

ILLUSTRATION BY PAIGE VEAL | THE SIGNAL

October 12, 2021

GAMES SUDOKU

THE KICKBACK

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2021

GAMES

15

COMIC

Your Comic Should be Here!

UPCOMING EVENTS FRIDAY

Pumpkin Painting 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Unity Plaza

Alpharetta Lifesouth Blood Drive 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Alpharetta Campus AA Patio Area

Atlanta Senate Meeting 7:15 p.m. - 10:15 p.m.

SCW 462

Peer Advising w/ Study Abroad 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Dahlberg Hall, 3rd Floor

Men’s Soccer vs. East Tennessee State 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

GSU Soccer Complex

Baldwin Book Club 3:00 p.m.- 4:00 p.m.

Student Center West

Symphonic Wind Ensemble Live In Concert 8:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Florence Kopleff Recital Hall

OCT 15

THURSDAY OCT 14

WEDNESDAY OCT 13

TUESDAY

Softball - Blue/White World Series Game 1 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Robert E. Heck Softball Complex

SUNDAY

MONDAY

Softball - Blue/White World Series Game 2 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Robert E. Heck Softball Complex

Soul Food Sunday 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Location

Good Morning Georgia State, Homecoming Edition!

9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

Decatur: SC Cafe

OCT 18

SATURDAY OCT 17

OCT 16

OCT 12

THE KICKBACK

Swim Practice 5:30 p.m. - 6:45 p.m.

The Aquatic Center in the Student Recreation Center

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Open an account today at centerparc.org and put down roots with us.

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