October 10, 2013
W W W. V S U S P E C TAT O R . C O M
Inside This Issue
VOLUME 85 iSSUE 8
Newly crowned homecoming queen Jessica Tuggle, pg. 4
- OPiNiONS: “say goodbye to Fall Break” - FEATURES: “new hookah bar opens near campus” - SPORTS: “ex-Albany state star transfers to Vsu”
On the Web w w w. v s u s p e c ta t o r. c o m
Check out Jordan Barela’s story on the debate over guns on campus.
SGA wants change in transcript policy
Today at VSU Free ZipLine - From 3 to 5:30 p.m., Core outdoors is hosting the free zipline. Attendees are recommended to wear closed-toed shoes. the zipline will be setup next to the sustella Parking deck with signs leading the way. For more information, call Campus rec at 229-333-5898.
SGA proposed policy for students who fail courses.
reaL BeauTy - the Counseling Center hosts a seminar from 4 to 5 p.m. on how women perceive themselves and the impact it has on self-esteem. the seminar will be held in the Counseling Center Conference room in Powell Hall.
Joe Adgie soCiAL MediA editor jmadgie@valdosta.edu
“road To riches” students needing advice on business or money management can come to a forum hosted by distinguished Women of excellence at 6:30 p.m. in the student union theatre. Winshape camps - ChickFil-A is hosting a meeting about a summer job opportunity with Winshape Camps. the meeting is at 7 p.m. in odum Library room 1480. singing audiTions - Mass Choir at Vsu is inviting singers to audition for the “sunday Best” concert from 5:33 p.m. to 7:16 p.m. Auditions will be held at Centennial Hall east, room 138.
Weather Today Sunny
85 H 58 L
Friday
Mostly Sunny 86 H 57 L
Saturday
Partly Cloudy 87 H 57 L
Today in History Achille Lauro hijacking ends October 10, 1985 the italian cruise ship Achille Lauro is hijacked by Palestinian terrorists. An egyptian airliner attempted to fly the hijackers to freedom, but a u.s. navy F-14 fighter intercepted the jet and forced it to land at a nAto base in sigonella, sicily. Source: History.com
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ROTC cadets setup a demonstration between West Hall and Nevins Hall in order to raise awareness for prisoners of war and those missing in action. Cadet Colonel Dustin Prosser, senior at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, poses as a prisoner while Cadet third class Hannah Dominicis, sophomore mathematics major, gaurds the cell.
To Be A PriSoner oF wAr Blazer Corps of Cadets demonstrates in remembrance of POW and MIA Shane Thomas s P o rt s W r i t e r shanethomas@valdosta.edu
the Vsu rotC began holding a vigil in the outdoor classroom near West Hall on Wednesday to commemorate prisoners of war. the event was sponsored by Arnold Air society, an honorary subgroup of the Blazer Corps of Cadets, to raise awareness for PoWs and those missing in action. in the exhibit, an armed cadet stood guard as a cadet was held captive in a cage to simulate conditions of being a prisoner of war. students were able to see the exhibit as they walked by and were allowed to ask questions for more information. “Part of our mission is to raise awareness for prisoners of war and missing in ac-
tions, (raising awareness) not only for America but for our allies across the globe that have supported us in our war efforts from World War i up through operations enduring Freedom and iraqi Freedom,” Cadet Lieutenant Colonel Grant Atwell, said. “this is not solely an American remembrance but remembrance for all PoWs.” roughly 24 cadets, in roles of guard and prisoner were cycled through the exhibit around the clock until this morning. Cadets were not allowed to communicate and were held without food or water during captivity. “We want to make the campus here at Vsu more aware that there are prisoners of war in all armed conflicts—people who haven’t been returned back to the u.s. and those who may still be in capture or may be
signs up for the armed serdead,” Larry terrell, Cadet vices to be a prisoner of war 3rd class, said. but understands that the terrell, who spoke briefly prospect of before entering war captivithe cage, explained his To be frank, I don’t ty is always a possibility. thought think anyone wakes “to be process while frank, i in captivity. up and sees their don’t think “i’m anticiday becoming a pating doing a anyone prisoner or being wakes up bit of mediation and reflecand sees captured. tion to realize their day - Larry TerreLL that this could becoming a happen to me prisoner or being capone day,” tertured,” terrell said. “it’s one rell said. “i was already in of the things we do to serve the Air Force, and i’m atour country and protect our tempting to go back in. i’ll nation. As with everything, remember the articles of the there’s a risk, but we are Code of Conflict: keeping trained early on that we faith in my fellow prisoners, should still follow orders of always having faith in God and my country. it’s about personnel in capture.” having mental toughness for terrell believes the vigil the most part.” will serve to educate students terrell admits that no one
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See POW, Page 2
if the sGA has its way, students could be forgiven for failing a class if they pass it a second time. that, along with several other issues, was discussed at Monday night’s sGA meeting at the university Center, a meeting that was also marked by the filming of a rap video. Presently, the policy for academic forgiveness entails all classes being on a student’s record, whether they failed them or not and whether they retook them or not, with the grades of a class redo being averaged with the first attempt. Concerns have been raised about this, and tamelonie thomas, sGA senator and chair of the student Affairs Committee, expressed these concerns to the sGA. “i know a lot of students feel that they deserve (a) second chance when they go into that same course and are more motivated and go in there and do better than the first time,” thomas said. “they would like to have their best grade put on their GPA rather than an average of the two.” thomas said that the student Affairs Committee is only in the research phase of this proposal and have not heard exact opinions from students yet. the meeting also featured discussion about a future memorial service for Marcus Holmes, the Vsu student who was killed on i-75 in front of the Grove apartment complex on sept. 17. See SGA, Page 2
Students survive Paranormal team brings without Fall Break haunted history to Ga. Hillary Straba
A s s i s t A n t F e At u r e s editor hlstraba@valdosta.edu
For the first time in eight years, Vsu students have to power through the fall semester without Fall Break. Last year, the Academic scheduling and Procedures Committee approved an academic calendar change that omitted Fall Break and instead gave students a full week off for thanksgiving (previously, classes were still in session on the Monday and tuesday of thanksgiving week). despite not having Fall Break this semester, students seem happy with having a
full week off for thanksgiving. “not having a Fall Break isn’t that big of a deal,” Jewelle Pope, sophomore psychology major, said. “i am all right not having a Fall Break if it means we get an entire week off for thanksgiving.” the Faculty senate may soon propose another change to the academic calendar. the desired changes will include both a Fall Break and a full week off for thanksgiving as well as extending finals for an entire week. to make up for the lost time in the classroom, classes would begin three days earlier than it currently does in August. this is necessary to maintain the reS e e FA L L , P a g e 2
Allison Ericson s tA F F W r i t e r abericson@valdosta.edu
Vsu students, faculty and staff will receive the chance to attend a real paranormal investigation with Valdosta’s Cross the Line Paranormal investigation team. the members of CLP will be hosting Haunted Hahira nights, a paranormal investigation of the old smith Hospital on oct. 18, 19, 25 and 26. “this is for those who would like to be a ghost hunter for a night,” richard Pace, CLP investigator and website designer, said. “there will be four sessions
each night stating at 8 p.m. the cost is $15 per session with proceeds going to the Hahira Historical society.” Based out of Valdosta and created in 2010, the CLP is a non-profit investigation group that inspects and debunks paranormal claims. the team is always accepting membership applications from anyone interested in the paranormal, but investigations are restricted to members only. “We mainly investigate in Georgia and Florida but will go anywhere that we are needed,” Pace said. “We have been to Waverly Hills sanatorium in Kentucky and the
old south Pittsburgh Hospital in tennessee.” CLP’s next investigation will be hosted in Green Cove springs, Fla. at a local jail that has been closed for over four decades. to capture evidence the team relies on audio recordings, photos and personal experiences. “We use a range of equipment from digital recorders, full-spectrum cameras, night vision cameras, laser grids, thermometers and eMF meters,” Pace said. to join the team or attend Hahira Horror nights, contact Jeannie Pace at (229) 2514288 or on CLP’s website and Facebook page.
News
PagE 2 | vsusPECTaTOR.COm
OCTOBER 10, 2013
FALL
Upcoming Events
Continued from Page 1 quired amount of class time. Dr. Aubrey Fowler, Faculty Senate vice president and president elect, said he wants to stress that the changes originated as an attempt to extend finals week. “We want our cake and want to eat it, too,� Dr. Fowler said. “I think that’s the way it is across the entire university.� Dr. Fowler acknowledged that there are some who dislike the proposal; however, he says there has been an overwhelming response in favor of it. President William McKinney was contacted but said he did not want to comment until the matter had been discussed by students and faculty. This proposal would have to clear several hurdles before it could be implemented. According to Dr. Fowler, a subsection of the ASPC is scheduled to meet Friday. “Hopefully we can come to some resolution and then it will go back to the larger academic scheduling committee group,� Dr. Fowler said. “Then from there any change to the original proposal, whatever their recommendations are, will be submitted to Faculty Senate. Hopefully we should be able to vote on it in November.� While the new schedule may upset some students or faculty members, this is not a new thing for the university. From 1998 until 2004, VSU did not have a Fall Break. Dr. David Wasieleski, a professor in the Psychology and Counseling Department, has been at VSU since the university shifted from the quarter system to the semester system in 1998. In 2005, VSU implemented a Fall Break for the first time. “The whole reason it went to Fall Break in the first place is (because) that’s what students wanted,� Dr. Wasieleski said.
SGA Continued from Page 1 “We are planning to coordinate something in his memory the weekend of his 21st birthday, which is Sunday, Oct. 27,�SGA President Will Jimerson said in an email on Wednesday. “I listened to his friends to understand how we should go about this best and brainstormed idea.� Also in the meeting, the SGA’s PR committee filmed a rap that involved the entire legislative and executive boards. It is a video and rap song intended to promote the SGA as a whole. The PR committee used equipment that was borrowed from Media Services, so it
did not cost the SGA any money. This equipment was mainly used, however, to film the meeting as a whole, to put on the SGA’s YouTube channel. This was the first SGA meeting to be filmed. Valencia Warren, PR committee chair, however, was apparently not satisfied with the result of the filming. “We got a lot of bad footage,� Warren said in an email on Wednesday. Warren explained that the rap video would not be released but rather a preview of it would be released on Thursday.
POW Continued from Page 1 on the reality many members of the The hours (in the armed forces cage) should repreface during overseas con- sent a longer span of flicts. time in which people “The long term effect of are held without food this vigil will or water in inhumane help students conditions in hostile who have no military affil- countries, iation to real-Larry Terrell ize that this stuff actually happens,� Terrell said. “The
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hours (in the cage) should represent a longer span of time in which people are held without food or water in inhumane conditions in hostile countries.�
Oct. 11 CAB Carnival will be held for 4-8 p.m. on the Front Lawn The Host will be shown in the Student Union Theatre at 8 p.m. Oct. 12 From 7-10 p.m. Latin American Student Association will host
the Hispanic Heritage Month Formal in the Student Union Ballrooms. Oct. 14 Blizzards for Bucks will be held in the Student Union Ballrooms from 4-6:15 p.m.
Police Briefs Oct. 3 A student reported his bicycle missing Wed. Oct. 2, he later found his bike chained to a different bike rack with a different lock. Oct. 4 A blue Schwinn mountain bike was stolen from the bike rack outside of Georgia Hall. Oct. 5 A bike was stolen sometime before Saturday morning from outside Georgia Hall. A student reported a gold/brown Mongoose mountain bike stolen from the bike rack outside Brown Hall. Willie James Bartee, 55,
was arrested for Criminal Attempt, Possession of Tools for the Commission of a Crime, Misdemeanor Obstruction of Officers and Criminal Trespass after a witness reported him attempting to steal a bike outside Georgia Hall. Oct. 6 Brandon Mcgee, 18, was arrested in the Admissions Office parking lot for Misdemeanor Possession of Marijuana and transported to Lowndes County Jail. Custodial reported that the first floor men’s room in Patterson Hall had been vandalized.
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OpiniOns
october 10, 2013
vsuspectator.com | page 3
Our point of view...
Say goodbye to Fall Break Last week, a proposal hit the floor of the Faculty Senate about possible schedule changes designed to allow for both Fall Break and a full week of Thanksgiving break. While there has been no official decision, the responses from around campus have been interesting. Many questions have arisen regarding the matter, starting with, “Where has this discussion been the whole time?” One would as-
sume that if it were possible to have our cake and eat it too, someone would have suggested it before now. Is the new proposal just too good to be true? In both student and faculty bodies, there are voices for each side. Some miss Fall Break and the opportunity it provided to catch up or relax before midterms. Students who used Fall Break to finally study the material they’d been avoiding all semester
are clearly unhappy. This is understandable. We would feel that way too if we were convinced that school provided breaks in mind of procrastinating students. Other students who have heavier workloads or multiple midterm exams use the free time wisely, and it could be considered cruel to refuse them the study time they have earned. However, the full week of Thanksgiving break is an en-
ticing thought, especially for students and faculty with family out of town, or even out of state. Four days of break (realistically two days of travel and two days of break) makes it hard for some people to spend the holidays with their families. It doesn’t feel much like a celebration when you’re sitting alone in a dorm room because there wasn’t enough time to reach your family. The new proposal involves
faculty and students deserve to spend the holidays with their families without being asked to sacrifice the wellbeing of their grades in trade. There should be a way to do both, and we wish well those who attempt it. Please pardon us for crossing our proverbial fingers, though. Dealing with school scheduling is sailing through treacherous waters. We hope the Faculty Senate has life jackets.
moving the start date of fall semester back, providing three extra days at the beginning to let us take off two in the middle. It sounds like a good idea, but how feasible is it in reality? Given how much time Faculty Senate has spent tossing the ball back and forth about Fall Break, can we reasonably expect that a universally satisfying conclusion can be reached? It is our belief that both
This editorial was written by Rebecka McAleer (mmcaleer@valdosta.edu) and it expresses the general opinion of the editorial staff.
VSU, lacking unity Isaiah Smart S TA F F W R I T E R itsmart@valdosta.edu
The student body of VSU has had its share of changes. In 1963, Robert Pierce Jr. and Drewnell Thomas integrated our beautiful institution. In 1970, Dr. Louis E. Dunbar was hired as the first AfricanAmerican professor at the university. A little less than 50 years later, the AfricanAmerican population increased dramatically and brought most of those students from the metro Atlanta area. We have a new presi-
International students of all backgrounds feel left out and treated unfairly. These students come from around the world to attend VSU and don’t feel they have the support of their fellow students or faculty & staff. There should be a department that incorporates their concerns and needs. A Dean of Diversity Affairs should be instated to look at these very concerns. Organizations like the African Student Association feel they are respected the way other organizations are and yearn for equality. Even the lesbian, gay, bi-
understandings and miscommunication with those of higher power. Not that these students shouldn’t speak with those leaders because they should but when there comes a time where a mediator is needed or students just need another outlet there should be one. It’s not all about looks; a diversity affairs department would help campus life and student involvement immensely. How? By bringing an area like this, our administration can know what changes to make and whom they affect more precisely.
People Poll Given the recent shootings in D.C.: Is Washington the most likely place for terrorism?
Alexa Todd junior art major
Sayma Hossin junior art major
“I don’t think that it’s a hotspot now than it ever has been since it’s the capital.”
“Well in a way yes, because recently in the news there have been gun shots fired and no one would ever dare to do that.”
Want more opinions? dent, a few renovated buildings and an increase in oncampus activities. What hasn’t changed much is the administration. Similar to our government, the VSU administration is not reflective of the diversity of the institution. Students and organizations wonder why this is so. Dr. Joseph Brown was hired in 1976 as the first Assistant Dean for Minority Affairs and served the university for 24 years. Since his retirement there has not been one person named to this position as a replacement.
sexual, transgender community feels ousted. As one of the most shunned minority groups, there should be a representative that these students can talk to. Every year, SafeSpace training is provided to VSU students, faculty and staff. This training advocates for the equality and toleration of members in the LGBT community. Of course the cries have been heard the most from the African-American students. With a good number of oncampus organizations consisting of African-Americans, students often run into mis-
Our university is growing. The female population is still ahead of the male side but the administration doesn’t show it. The diverse heritage of our students and what they can offer is slowly being swept under the rug whether it is intentional or not. We need something that will make our students comfortable. We lack the unity that we have been preaching about, and here is a way to build the bridge. Express your opinions by sending the staff a tweet at @vsuspectator.
Letter to the Editor
Health center debates editorial I was extremely disappointed when I read the October 3 Spectator editorial, “Cut-backs put students at risk.” The article is misleading, is a blatant misrepresentation of the facts, and serves only to undermine students’ confidence and trust in the Student Health Center. Lynette Lewis, Valdosta Student Health Asst. Director/Administrator, and I had answered specific questions asked by the writer of the article in an email. Our answers were not referred to in the article and the article appears to have been based on preconceived notions and a conversation with a friend rather than factual information. The questions we were asked re-
lated to whether we did pregnancy tests before prescribing antibiotics and whether we offered the H1N1 flu vaccine. There were no questions regarding fees or cutbacks, which we would have answered if we had been asked. Our email response to the writer’s questions is quoted below: “Good afternoon. Below are the responses to your questions. The responses were composed by Dr. Hiatt, MD, Director and myself. Question #1. "First, I was told by another student that pregnancy tests are no longer given when a woman is prescribed antibiotics (I don't know about other medicine) at the VSU Student Health
Center." Response #1. The Student Health Center follows standard practices regarding pregnancy testing. Pregnancy testing is done if there is either delayed or missed menses or if there are other reasons to consider possibility of pregnancy, before any treatment is provided. Question #2. Second, is it true that the Health Center now offers the H1N1 vaccine? If so, is this the first semester/year that it is being offered here? Is there any specific reason for now offer ing the vaccination? Dr. Edwin Hiatt Student Health Center
Check out the Video People Poll online at: youtube.com/ValdostaSpectator
Conservation, not closure Stephen Cavallaro OPINIONS EDITOR sjcavallaro@valdosta.edu
If the recent government shutdown has shown us anything, it is that government is not necessary to enjoy the simplicity of nature. The shutdown has caused the closure of 401 national parks. As the Republicans and Democrats battle each other in Washington, one of the federal government's only money-making operations, the national parks, remains unattended. Yet there exists a simple solution that will ensure the safety of the parks that millions of Americans hold dear and also allow the government to make some money— privatization of the national parks. Privatizing publicly funded parks has been an issue debated for years. Through the National Park Service, the government dominates the national park industry. Like many centralized planned entities the National Park Service is exempt from having to effectively manage their product. Whereas the private company must run a good show in order to appeal to the typical park patron. A study conducted in Arizona by the Property and Environment Research Center compared two parks, one privately managed the other
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can ensure that our beloved national parks will be safer, more efficient, better preserved, managed and protected from both big government and corporatism. The shutdown has hit home, and 11 parks across Georgia have been closed by the feds. According to Thomas Taylor, assistant director of CORE Outdoors at VSU, if the shutdown continues, a planned backpacking trip to the Grand Canyon during the Thanksgiving break may have to be canceled. The Associated Press reported that as of Monday, the closure of the Grand Canyon has invoked federal officials to issue 21 citations, to patrons trying to visit the site. These victims must appear in federal court. But Georgia has used the method of park privatization this summer when the state turned over management of five state parks to private management. Privatizing the parks will eliminate all government red tape. No tax revenue would be necessary to fund the parks, keeping the parks out of Congress’ budget battles. This means the parks would remain open during a government shutdown. Through privatization of the national parks we are reopening the gates to freedom. We are ensuring that our nation remains beautiful for generations to come.
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managed by the government. The study concluded that in 2010 the privately managed park ended the fiscal year with a net gain. The private park had a net loss. When people think about privatizing the parks, the idea of big businesses trampling over the protected land in order to build supermalls and fast-food restaurants comes to mind. Unfortunately, commercialism is not part of the plan. The idea is to sell the parks to people in the park industry or to non-profit organizations and environmentalist groups led by America’s top “ecoterrorists.” These groups are in the park business, and their goal is to run a park successfully and attract patrons. In addition, the company would work in conjunction with the government. The process is simple. The private company manages the parks, while the land remains in the hands of the people. The company pays rent to the government through gained revenue, usually from park admissions, in addition to all park and operating expenses. Labor would be cheaper and specialized, thereby, creating and maintaining jobs. Also, workers would be paid during the months they actually work and not during the off season, which is the current case. With this idea enacted, we
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PaGE 4 | vsusPECTaTOR.COm
FeaTureS
OCTOBER 10, 2013
New hookah bar opens near campus Abbie Baggerly s ta f f W r i t e r
rabaggerly@valdosta.edu
evenings are getting smoky as the city of Valdosta welcomes Vapor Lounge, the premier place to smoke hookah. a hookah is a tobacco pipe with a long, flexible tube that draws smoke from flavored tobacco through water that is contained in a bowl. Located on Baytree road, the lounge is owned by abhishek Bais. He is originally from india and came to Valdosta in 2006. He graduated from Vsu in 2010 with a degree in business.
“it takes all the stress away from you and makes you want to chill and relax,” Bais said. “i kept the prices cheap so all the college kids could afford it and have a blast.” Vapor Lounge offers fifteen different flavors of hookah; wine; and food including gyros, wings, quesadillas, pudding shots and much more. the lounge also carries many products like hookahs, flavored tobacco, e-cigs, ehookahs, water pipes and more. Prices for hookah sessions are $7 per person for people in groups of three or less and $5 per person for groups of four or more. Vapor Lounge is also currently offering a
special this week for $4.20 per person for parties of two or more from 4-5 p.m. Bais always dreamed of owning a business on Baytree, and finally after obtaining 3 jobs and saving money within a year he opened Vapor Lounge. “as i always wished to open up a hookah lounge in Valdosta, i found a perfect spot by Baytree Pizza, and i couldn't wait to open it up with a bang,” Bais said. Bais wanted a place for students and customers to feel as though they were not in Valdosta. He wanted to create an atmosphere that made people feel as though they were sitting in the mid-
dle of Miami or L.a. opening a hookah bar was not a simple process. Bais had to obtain a tobacco license and had to have a special ventilation system installed to make sure the smoke and vapor would be extracted properly. “i kept everything in there white so everything changes color due to the change in the color of lights,” Bais said. “Plus there (is a lot) of art work done by local painters which looks really impressive.” Vapor Lounge is open sunday through Wednesday from 4 p.m.-12 a.m. and thursday through saturday from 4 p.m.-2 a.m.
Ritsuki Miyazaki/THE SPECTATOR Ryan Dugan, VSU graduate student, tries out the hookah at Vapor Lounge on Wednesday.
Rayman Legend adventure goes on
i
Ritsuki Miyazaki/THE SPECTATOR Jessica Tuggle and her father, Jessie Tuggle, celebrate the announcment of the 2013 Homecoming Queen during halftime of the game on Saturday. Tuggle was officially crowned by VSU President William McKinney.
Tuggle is queen! Jessica Tuggle is VSU’s 2013 Homecoming Queen Sarah Turner f e at u r e s e d i t o r
seturner@valdosta.edu
in the same stadium that her father dominated, Jessica tuggle was crowned by President William McKinney as the 2013 Vsu Homecoming Queen. "it was crazy," tuggle, senior sociology major, said. "i was so grateful and so thankful; words really can't describe the feeling." tuggle’s father, Jessie tuggle, is a former Vsu football star. He was also a five-time pro bowler and was inducted into the College football Hall of fame in 2007. tuggle represents Vsu in
an array of organizations. among others, she is a member of the Vsu tennis team, delta sigma theta sorority, inc. and the student athlete advisory Committee. she is also an orientation leader and a Vsu ambassador. tuggle plans to keep up her high GPa and improve on the tennis court during her remaining time at Vsu. she also has vast goals for life after graduation. tuggle’s dream job is to work as a player engagement coordinator for the NfL. she would like to help players as they enter the NfL, assisting them with time and money management.
“Get to know people. It’s more than just ‘Hey vote for me.’” -JESSICA TUGGLE
Being a part of so many organizations, tuggle stresses that finding time is key to being successful in college. “i’ve learned that time management is everything,” tuggle said. “Without it, nothing else really works. if you only have an hour to get stuff done, then that hour needs to be the most productive hour ever.” tuggle is thankful for her
sisters and her photographer, sky Neary, for helping her campaign for homecoming queen. tuggle advises young women nominated for 2014 Homecoming Queen to create personal relationships with people. “Get to know people,” tuggle said. “it’s more than just ‘Hey, vote for me’; you have to sit down with people and ask where they’re from, how their day is going and how are their classes.” tuggle encourages students to watch her and her teammates as the tennis season begins in february.
Jenners are low, is Bieber high? in news that should surprise no one, Kris and Bruce Jenner announced that they have separated after 22 years of marital bliss. that last part is debatable. in natural Kardashian fashion, Kris decided to make the announcement on the cover of this week’s us Weekly. "We are living separately, and we are much happier this way,” the former couple said in a joint statement. “But we will always have much love and respect for each other. even though we are separated, we will always remain best friends, and, as always, our family will remain our number one priority.” any true Kardashian fan (not that i’m admitting)
would know that Bruce and Kris haven’t been living together for over a year, so none of this is shocking. first Khloe and Lamar, now Bruce and Kris; is this the end of the Kardashian empire? We’ll just have to wait and see. My guess would be the family is going to take some time to re-group and then find a way to keep us talking about them for years to come. While the Kardashians can’t seem to get it together, Justin Bieber isn’t fairing too well himself. tMZ posted a photo of the Biebs at a party appearing to have a blunt in his hand. even more shocking about the photo was the fact that a
young girl who bears a striking resemblance to cutesy singer ariana Grande was sitting next to him. sCaNdaLous! it’s no secret that JB likes to get down with the sticky icky, but who would have thought sweet little ariana Grande got down like that? Neither of the two’s spokespeople have commented on the photo or story, so i guess it’s up to us to judge for ourselves. regardless, JB better slow down on the piff puffin or those smooth vocals might not be so smooth for much longer. But hey! isn’t that what auto-tune is for? While we are on the subject of children, Halle Berry
Pop Addict Anthony Pope
welcomed her second child over the weekend. the 46-year-old banger gave birth to a baby boy with her fiance olive Martinez. earlier reports had suggested the couple named the child simba. Yes, simba. Like in the Lion King. their publicists, who revealed that the name of the child was Maceo robert Martinez, quickly squashed that rumor. Check back next week to see what all your favorite celebs are up to.
t’s no surprise that i loved rayman origins when i bought it over the summer. i grew up playing sonic the Hedgehog, so i’m naturally good at platformers. i never enjoyed the rayman series until origins though. When rayman Legends announced that it would be multi-console instead of Wii u exclusive, i was excited. However, could the new rayman be better than his last adventure? the story is really light. rayman, Globox and the teensies have been sleeping for about a century. the world has been thrown into a nightmare, and Murfy must wake rayman and the crew up to save the world. they must also rescue the 10 captured princesses, all of which are new playable characters, and my personal player of choice. the gameplay is what makes this game so great. the physics take a little getting used to since they are slightly different from origins. You can glide, punch, run up walls, slide and you even have this new short-distance rolling attack, which i never found myself using, but it’s still cool to look at. occasionally, you will get to a puzzle in which you have to play as your character and Murfy. on the Xbox 360 Murfy will move to a section that he can interact with, and he is controlled with the B button. Murfy will slide platforms to you, cut dangerous obstacles out of the way or even tickle giant enemies, leaving them vulnerable. However, while controlling Murfy you have to also keep your eyes on yourself, the level layout, and any of your friends playing. sometimes this can get overwhelming if you are not careful. When you start the game you are in a HuB world filled with paintings. You enter a level by jumping into these paintings, much like super Mario 64. there are five different worlds with about 10 to 15 levels inside them. there is a bonus painting to unlock as well as a “Back to the origins” painting. this world has remade levels from rayman origins. New to the franchise are musical levels. No, you will not be singing, but the level is designed around the beat of a
song. for example in Castle rock, you will punch, jump and dodge attacks to the beat of Black Betty by ram Jam. it is crazy fun, and i can’t wait for more of these kinds of levels in the future. Now, most platformers are run from left to right and then it’s over. this is not the case in Legends. there are eight teensies lost in each
Spec Tech with Steven Setser
level as well as a secret king and queen that are in hidden doors. once you collect enough, you will unlock timed stages in which you must rescue three teensies in 40 seconds. there are 700 teensies in total. Not only that, but if you collect enough Lums in each level, you are rewarded with a Lucky ticket. these allow you to scratch off and win extra content for the game like new origins levels or 10,000 Lums for unlocking character skins. the game also features an online challenge mode. there are two daily challenges and two weekly challenges. these range from collecting a certain amount of teensies in a set amount of time to running as long as you can in an area that slowly increases in difficulty. the game also has a fun local multiplayer mini-game called Kung foot. it is like soccer in which players must knock the ball into the opposite team’s goal. this is incredibly fun with four players! When the trailer says it’s the biggest rayman game ever, it is not lying! this game has loads of content and is rewarding for finding everything. this game also fixed most of the problems i had with the first game—the bosses. the bosses are really good in this game! sometimes it can get overwhelming with everything on screen, but since there is no life counter, it’s ok. i give rayman Legends a 10 out of 10. rayman Legends is available now on Xbox 360, Ps3, Wii u, PC and Ps Vita.
Scan the QR code to read Jordan Barela’s preview on “Pops in the Park!”
SportS
OCTOBER 10, 2013
PagE 5 | vsusPECTaTOR.COm
VSU cross country team Do sports really matter? hits the road to UWG Neil Frawley
S p o rt S
writer
ndfrawley@valdosta.edu
Lia Armistead S p o rt S w r i t e r jparmistead@valdosta.edu
the men’s and women’s cross country teams take on conference rival University of west Georgia wolves in Carrolton during the UwG invitational this weekend. this is a new event wolves head coach tim Brooks has added on the calendar. with the disappointment of the pre-regionals tournament, both the girls and boys teams are motivated to achieve a better outcome at the upcoming races. After proving to be one of the Blazer's top runners, Jesse prince is very positive about the UwG invitational. VSU head coach Clinton Bell expects prince and Juilana Boehm to win their races. with the team always running in a pact, they are trying their best to receive the top three placements in the race and hoping to pull the four and five runners to the top as well. to achieve the best possible out-
UWG athletics UWG cross country team hosts this weekend’s invitational. Themen’s team finished seventh in last weekend’s Mercer Invitational.
come, the team has come up with a plan of keeping the first and fifth runners as close together as possible, in hopes of bringing the team to the number one spot. “we’re going to win. there should be some good competition there," prince said, "but we're planning to come out on top." to become number one at past tournaments, prince has the tactics of "sitting on the shoulders" of the leaders of the races for a while and taking off at the
end to gain that number one spot. the team works together in each competition, hoping to achieve their goals for the season. "expectations are high," says prince, "we have big goals." the men’s team is practicing and working hard to hopefully accomplish these goals of winning regionals and eventually making it to nationals later this season.
A few days ago, i overheard a colleague of mine say that he wouldn't mind if the SeC disbanded its football program, saying that football is overrated and the sport has no value. Actually, i didn't overhear it. My colleague and i were arguing. But that's not the point. that statement resonated with me. it hurt, actually. it really cut into me, and as we continued this debate with him taking the side basically saying that sports don't matter, it really started to make me angry (not outwardly—i kept my cool and respected his viewpoint), but i left it alone, thinking about it for days. Sports have been there for me my whole life. i was raised on them and played them, and i rooted for my teams with passion that i've felt for nothing else in my life. i've seen grown men cry because of sports out of both joy and misery. And i totally understand that sports do nothing to cure disease, and they aren't front-page news because in the end, it is just a game, and no matter who wins or loses, the sun will rise
(Left) Wide receiver Willie Downs returns a 62-yard punt for a touchdown during the Blazers 52-14 win over Florida Tech. Photo by Ritsuki Miyazaki/ THE SPECTATOR (Below-Left) Blaze the mascot glances at the scoreboard early in the first quarter last Saturday. Photo by Summer Yates/ THE SPECTATOR
Even
Odd
the next day, but sports do, in fact, matter to society and is every bit as important to people as anything else, and anyone who says they don't is wrong. in March 2009, one of the 64 teams named to the NCAA tournament was on its way to a miracle run to the iconic Final Four, but not miraculous for the tom izzo led Michigan State Spartans, although i'm sure they were quite elated as well, but for the city of Detroit, a city that had been devastated after the bankruptcy of General Motors, a company that, according to wikipedia, employs over 200,000 people. the 2009 NCAA Final Four games, whether by coincidence or on purpose, was played in Detroit, Mich. the Michigan State Spartans, the number two seed out of the Midwest region, was also at the time playing their best basketball of the year, beating not just one, but two number one seeds (Louisville and Connecticut) on their way to the championship game to play the tar Heels of North Carolina. while UNC pulled out the victory in the championship game, neither the score nor the result is the point (although a Michigan State victory would have been better for the story). More important than the result was the fact that for one month,
A N S W E R S
and the weeks and months leading to Michigan State's run to the title game, the people of Detroit had something to take them away from their issues. For one month, they could forget about the depression that so many former employees and their families were feeling. For one month, the members of that community were able to band together and root on their team and feel proud about the boys from east Lansing, Mich. representing the state of Michigan in front of the whole nation, and in other areas of the world. that is power, and that is something that nothing else can provide for group of that many people. But if you aren't yet sold, then consider the story of eric Legrand. Legrand grew up a football star from his hometown of Avenel, N.J. the 6-3, 263 pound defensive tackle chose to remain in state and go to rutgers, turning down offers to play at schools such as Miami and Notre Dame. But Legrand wouldn't be known for his life on the field, but more importantly for his life after football. on oct. 16, 2010, LeGrand suffered spinal cord injury that left him paralyzed from the neck down. read the rest of Neil’s story at www.vsuspectator.com
Sudoku
PagE 6 | vsusPECTaTOR.COm
SportS
OCTOBER 10, 2013
Ex-Albany State star transfers to VSU Eric Jackson s p o rt s E d i to r epjackson@valdosta.edu
Last time April thomas took the floor under the beamy p.E. Complex lights, she stunned spectators by dropping 27 points during a sensational performance that grabbed the attention of many, especially her new team. the former Albany state star made an unforeseen decision this past summer to transfer to a rival south region school, Valdosta state, which continues to be both equally supported and chastised. the Bainbridge native says that her fondess for red and black didn't happen overnight, in fact, her bottled yearning for VsU has been alive since as long as she can remember. 'Ap' as her friends call her, credits that love and the chance of national exposure the main reasoning behind her departure. “Honestly i've just always wanted to come here after high school,” the All-siAC selectee said. “[VsU] was that school that really had my attention and theres a lot of great players here. i'm just happy to be a part of a team with so much talent.” the daughter of sharlyn smith and Lawrence thomas, began assembling her arensal on a dilapidated, cracked basketball court outside of her grandmoth-
VSU Photo
er's house at six years old. older cousins and friends were her first naysayers; they pronounced her too small to be a helpful teammate. she normally found herself not being picked before pick-up games; this is when she developed the chip on her shoulder that fuels her today. thomas began playing basketball competively in the sixth grade at West Bainbridge Middle school. she has started every game since. Basketball wasn't the only game that she could display her elusive quicknesss and speed. After arriving at Bainbridge High school, she soon found fulfillment testing her limits and particpated in cross country, field and track, softball and soccer. After a while, the juggling required to balance playing four
April Thomas was essential to Albany State’s program for two seasons averaging 19 points a game and she left with a 3.6 GPA.
sports while excelling in school became second nature to her. thomas, once a starting center-fielder for BHs, was a major contributor in the softball team tieing a school record for 15 wins. the 2010-2011 BHs female senior athlete of the year also led the Lady Cats basketball team to a 21-7 record and a region 1AAAA sub-region championship. VsU did recruit thomas, however, didn't feel that a player of her 5'1 stature would be versatile enough for a scholarship. the time came for thomas to
make a choice where she would be suiting up next: she chose AsU over Fort Valley, savannah state, and FAMU. AsU head coach robert skinner is busy trying to refresh his squad for this upcoming season after the crucial loss. He claims thomas was the purest scorer he's had under his 23 year tuteludge. thomas admits her and skinner's relationship still is cordial but undeniably altered. “i have no doubt in my mind that he's upset about the situation,” the junior transfer said. “We still have a strong relationship. i talked to him when he
NFL legend speaks on campus Alex Tostado A s s t. s p o rt s E d i t o r ajtostado@valdosta.edu
Hall of Fame quarterback terry Bradshaw visited the Valdosta state student Union on october 8th for a benefit dinner hosted by Georgia Christian school. the dinner was to raise money for the school and the master plan that includes state of the art facilities. the four-time super Bowl champion was the guest speaker and was at the podium for nearly
an hour. Bradshaw spoke of life, love, health, riches and God for an audience of 494 people. His lessons came through his own experiences of being a former No. 1 draft pick, super Bowl champion, horse breeder, motivational speaker and father. Bradshaw drew many laughs from the spectators and was very adamant in his speaking and received a standing ovation from those in attendance, including James Flores/Getty Images the GCs president, principal, board of directors and football Bradshaw won four Super Bowls coaches. with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
After he completed his speech, two student ambassadors from Georgia Christian presented Bradshaw with a special bible in which he stated, “thank you very much. i will treasure this.” Bradshaw promptly left campus after shaking hands with the people seated at his table. Follow Alex on twitter: @Alextostado_12
came over here when they played us in volleyball. He hugged me and everything. We had a nice conversation.” skinner's heart is one of many broken following her startling decision. “i was really upset with myself for hurtting him like that then, on top of that, having these other people like 'why are you leaving?' or 'what's so different from here and over there?',” thomas said. “the only person that knows what's going to happen is God. My dad always told me before you make a decision, pray to him because he won't led you down the wrong path.” returning Blazer starting guard Kourtnee Williams orginally introuduced thomas to her former coach skinner. the two sparked an instant friendship in high school after competing against each other in an All-star game together. Now reconnecting with her pal in the backcourt, thomas arrives to VsU truly qualified for her new mission. Her freshman year at AsU she garnered the siAC Freshman of the Year honors averaging 18.5 points a game. Also, that season she was the only freshman named to the daktronics All-south region team. thomas finished fifth in the nation in scoring last season (20.2) which heightened her
buzz, echoing her name in talks regarding the nation's best. VsU women's basketball head coach Kiley Hill couldn't help but crack a smile when he got a phone call from thomas out of the blue this past summer. “i was very surprised they released her,” Hill said of AsU allowing thomas to transfer without penalty. “she has a heart of lion. Her work ethic is incredible and she is a major competitior. With a personality like that, it's good for the culture, that's why we wanted to embrace her.” Both of thomas' seasons as a ram concluded in the same fashion: being bounced out the quarterfinals of the conference tournament. the Lady Blazers hope their newly added playmaker was the missing remedy to cure them from their own recent postseason quesiness. VsU fell short last season falling in the division ii sweet sixteen game. Hill has twiddled his thumbs, trying to conjure up the best ways to defend thomas; now he's thrilled to coach someone who garners such talent. the same mind-boggling talent that he once struggled to supress. Follow Eric on twitter: @epjackson
Want to be a sports writer? email:epjackson@valdosta.edu
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