Volume 88 Issue 5
February 19, 2015
What to do at STD AND HIV testing offered before Valentine’s weekend VSU
VSU helps students avoid ‘spreading’ the love
Vagina Monologues- The Vagina Monologues are back! Come out to Room 2211 in Jennett Hall at 7 p.m. to see some talented students act. Tickets are $5 with a VSU ID and $10 for general admission. All proceeds will go to One Billion Rising for Justice, The Haven’s Rape Crisis Program, and VSU’s Women’s and Gender Studies Sexual Violence Education Program. Bailando - Do you have two left feet? Come by Meeting Room 1 in the Student Union today at 6 p.m. The Spanish club is offering free Hispanic dance lessons.
Zenobia Harris
STAFF WRITER znharris@valdosta.edu Last week, VSU Health Services sponsored free HIV and STD testing as part of a week of events centered on safe sex, STD and HIV awareness. Just in time for Valentine’s Day weekend, VSU’s Health Services teamed up with Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity for “Safe Sex Week,” which featured events encouraging students to practice safe sex and get educated about STDs and HIV/AIDS. At the end of the week, the health center offered free testing for sexually transmitted
Two-thirds of all STDs occur in people 25 years of age or younger,
diseases. Starting with HIV testing on Feb. 12 in the Student Union and free chlamydia and gonorrhea testing on Feb. 13 at the VSU Health Center. “It’s important, because, let’s be real… college students are [sexually] active,” one VSU student said. “It’s important that when having sex, whether casual or in a relationship, that you and your partner get tested. “No one wants something that is fatal. It’s important to be safe and knowledgeable about stuff like this.” Chelsea Holcombe, a health educator who works with
VSU’s Health Promotions Services, also said that it’s important for VSU students to take advantage of free testing opportunities. “Two-thirds of all STDs occur in people 25 years of age or younger,” Holcombe said. “It is important to offer these services to students because many students do not have the financial means to get tested. With the help of
Weather
the South Health District/ Georgia Department of Public Health, we are able to provide this testing free of charge to all students. “We encourage all students to take advantage of the free testings because many individuals who have contracted an STD often do not exhibit symptoms. Our goal is to help eliminate the stigma associated with STDs and provide free resources and education so that students can make informed decisions about their sexual activity,” Holcombe said. A study by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention also showed that college-
aged adults around the ages of 20-24 are at a higher risk of acquiring STDs than older adults. Holcombe wants students to know that the Student Health Center provides free chlamydia and gonorrhea testing several times a semester. Upcoming testing dates are Feb. 27, March 13, April 10 and April 24 from 1:00 to 1:45 p.m. and April 2 from 6:30 to 7:15 p.m. at the Student Health Center. Free HIV testing is done once a semester. The next HIV testing will be in conjunction with World Aids Day on Dec. 1.
IDEA center offers professors space to improve Alex Corbitt
STAFF WRITER acorbitt@valdosta.edu
Today Sunny
Friday Sunny Photo illustration by Mike LaGon/ THE SPECTATOR
Saturday Partly Sunny
New form of alcohol leaves country shaken and stirred Erin Martin
Source: Weather.com
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STAFF WRITER erimartin@valdosta.edu The next alcoholic novelty is here. Powdered alcohol, also known as Palcohol, is gaining widespread attention across the country, but it’s not all good. Public concern over the new substance is growing, and many are working to have it banned in the United States. Some legislators, city officials and parents are concerned that Palcohol can be too easily misused and abused, especially at schools and on college campuses. Mark Phillips, the creator of Palcohol, along with others who support the product, says that it is no different from a liquid alcohol, and that it would be distributed in the same venues alcohol is sold in now. Phillips questions why anyone would want to ban a product with all of its benefits to society, saying it has commercial, industrial, medical, and economic uses. “Because it’s lightweight, Palcohol could really make a difference, and that’s just a few uses,” Phillips said. “It’s the tip of the iceberg of possibly many more positive money-saving, maybe
life-saving applications for powdered alcohol.” Alcohol consumption among college students has always been a big issue. On Feb. 11, VSU hosted an alcohol forum on several topics, such as how much alcohol is too much and the real-life consequences of getting a DUI. Students who attended were taught how to prevent alcoholism and recognize the signs of a developing problem. “I have a few friends who binge drink on occasions, and I don’t even think they realize it,” Asia Williams, nursing major, said at the forum. “I saw firsthand how alcohol and partying can change someone’s life completely.” Many students share a negative opinion of Palcohol, while others feel it is not so bad. “Honestly, I don’t see the problem with it,” Christine Charles, nursing major, said. “People abuse alcohol now, so they’d just do the same for the powdered alcohol.” Powdered alcohol has not been approved for public release, but its use has already been banned in five states. The Georgia legislature has not made a decision on this matter yet.
The IDEA Center, a place for other teachers to learn and communicate with others, is now taking applications for grants to help support faculty who would like to improve their classes this semester. The goal of the IDEA center, located on Georgia Avenue is to allow professors to meet with other teachers and discuss issues within the classroom and their teaching methods for the sake of improvement and innovation. “My hope is that more and more students’ learning are impacted by what faculty are doing at the IDEA Center,” Dr. Kathleen Lowney, coordinator of the center’s activities, said. The center is also there to help teachers relax and focus, with a kitchen and comfortable living room. “We also offer writing groups, where faculty who want to establish a writing routine can get together to share what they have written and receive feedback from peers,” Lowney said. “Other faculty use the IDEA Center as a quiet place to write or to grade. “We also fund about 10 to 15 Pedagogical Innovation Grants each year, whereby a faculty member wants to do a teaching innovation, applies for the grant, and then does a scholarly review of literature on it during the summer, then implements the innovation during the fall semester, and evaluates it during the spring semester.” The IDEA Center is also confidential, and anyone who uses their services is guaranteed their privacy.
Batter Batter, Swing
Jordan Barela / THE SPECTATOR
Statistics provided by The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
Inside This Issue
Check out our ‘Pop Addict’
- OPINIONS: Millennial bashing unfair, unwarranted
See Page 5 for more
- SPORTS: Blazers hope to have found silver lining
- FEATURES: Cactus Flower brings variety of authentic Mexican cuisine
Stella Henderson/ THE SPECTATOR
Ryan Smith,junior outfielder, number 25, hits a bunt during the game against Columbus State on Feb. 18. For more on the story, see page 6.
On the Web w w w. v s u s p e c t a t o r. c o m
Check out Tyra Mills’ “VSU in 5” on the web!
PAGE 2 | VSUSPECTATOR.COM
FEBRUARY 19, 2015
Upcoming Events
Check out our new and improved website: www.vsuspectator.com
Science Seminar Series Feb. 19 4-5 p.m. Powell Hall Auditorium This week’s lecture, titled “Development, Risk, and Confidence in Science Cross Nationally,” will be given by Dr. Anne Price, VSU professor.
Theatre & Dance Performance Feb. 19-21 7:30 p.m. Lab Theatre (Second Floor, Fine Arts Building) VSU Theatre & Dance will perform “Summer and Smoke” by Tennessee Williams, a story about a minister’s daughter, a young doctor, and their complex romance. Please note: This production contains adult language and themes. Tickets are free for VSU students, $15 for adults, $12 for seniors, and $10 for non-VSU students.
Fiesta! Feb. 25 5 p.m. Student Union Ballrooms The Residence Hall Association is hosting a fiesta, complete with piñatas, games, and a taco bar.
Dance & Poetry Night Feb. 25 7 p.m. Student Union Ballrooms B&C In honor of Black History Month, VSU’s poets and dancers will perform “Chasing Time,” a show celebrating black culture. There will be raffles, prizes, games, food and more.
Police Briefs Feb. 18 A police officer attempted to stop a vehicle at the Brookwood Drive entrance of the Oak Street Lot. The vehicle fled through the Oak lot and wrecked on Sustella Avenue. The driver, a 21-year-old male from Peachtree City, Georgia, was arrested and charged with DUI, reckless driving, fleeing or attempt to elude police officer, driving too fast for conditions, failure to obey a traffic control device, disregard of a stop sign, and failure to maintain lane.
commons.wikimedia.org
‘A Royal Affair’ is in the air
SGA approves proposal to collaborate with Modern Mentors and host couples pageant later in semester John Stephen
Print Editor jsstephen@valdosta.edu It’s time to break out the tiaras and dust off the tuxedos. SGA and the campus organization Model Mentors are collaborating to host a couples pageant at the end of the semester. The pageant, titled “A Royal Affair,” will take place April 30 at 7 p.m. in the Student Union Ballrooms. This event is free to the public, but donations will be accepted. Contestants will compete be fore a five-panel judge in four rounds: fashion, celebrity impersonations, talent, and a Q&A session.
The sudoku grid consists of eighty-one squares in a nine by nine grid. To solve the sudoku, each square in the grid must contain a number between one and nine, with the following conditions: Each row of nine cells must contain each of the numbers from 1 to 9 once and only once. Each column of nine cells must contain each of the numbers from 1 to 9 once and only once. Each of the nine 3 by 3 boxes of nine cells must contain each of the numbers from 1 to 9 ANSWER ON PAGE 5
· · ·
Although it is a couples pageant, Cedricka Lavender, MM event coordinator, said compet ing duos don’t have to be actual couples. MM will soon start mentoring students from J.L. Newbern Middle School, and these stu dents will perform an opening act at the pag eant. The Valdosta All-Stars, a cheer and dance team, will also perform during the pageant’s intermission. According to Alex Terrell, MM community service chair man, the purpose of Model Mentors is to encourage and inspire VSU students as well as students from local schools. After Lavender and Terrell addressed SGA at its Monday night meeting, the senators voted to donate $175 for food and drinks at the pageant as well as help set up the event.
Baby, it’s cold outside Cole Edwards
Multimedia Editor csedwards@valdosta.edu Across campus, students are preparing for a few days indoors as temperatures are expected to hit the lowest this winter. The same weather pattern that has dumped dozens of inches of snow, ice and winter terror in the northern half of the country will present South Georgia with unseasonably cold conditions over the next 48 hours. The Weather Channel is re porting a “hard freeze watch” for Valdosta that lasts from tonight at 10 p.m. until 10 a.m. tomorrow morning.
Forecasts are predicting a high of 42 degrees with a low of 22 for today and a high of 51 degrees with a low of 30 heading into the weekend. There is, however, zero per cent chance of rain throughout the weekend. Some students are offering advice to brace against the oncoming cold. “Stay indoors because the cold is harsh and merciless,” Rolando Canelon, senior middle grades education major, said. “All should fight Mother Nature’s evil ways with scolding hot liquids of coffee flavors and thick blan kets to keep her outside in her icy kingdom.”
Feb. 16 A bike was stolen near the Sustella Parking Deck.
Feb. 14 A female told police that her blue Nissan 350z was stolen near Bailey Science Center.
Feb. 12 Police arrested a 19-year-old male and charged him with DUI.
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VSUSPECTATOR.COM | PAGE 3
Different strokes:
Our point of view...
Viewers disagree on ‘50 Shades’ Kenzie Kesselring
Asst. Opinions Editor klkesselring@valdosta.edu
Alison Stephen
Millennial bashing unfair, unwarranted
M
illennials. Next in line to grab hold of that figurative brass ring. The generation with so many expectations pushed upon us that we feel as if we might spontaneously combust. Millennials. We are the generation who grew up on “Rugrats,” wind breakers and Kid Cuisines. Why is it that we get such a bad rap? In the eyes of those older than us, millennials are the equivalent of old school AOL broadband Internet– move when we want to, take forever to get working, and we are essentially useless today. We are described by those older than us as entitled, lazy, overgrown children who won’t leave the house. However, people waste so much time talking about what we don’t get right, that they fail to acknowledge the things we do get right. According to pewsocialtrends.org, a site that studies behaviors and attitudes of Americans, millennials are the “digital natives” – the generation first born into the new digital age. We are at the forefront of technological advancements. New inventions, apps, and medical research are being discovered by our generation. We are the most diverse generation
socially. More than 43 percent of millennial adults are non-white in America, the highest of any generation. Millennials are also inundated with the higher economic demands– student loans being at the forefront. While some arguments about our possible incompetence can be raised, that doesn’t give those above us the right to bash us. We are making strides in a positive direction. There are so many influential millennials, from Mark Zuckerberg and David Karp to Taylor Swift and LeBron James. There is an enormous number of people our age who have already done great things despite what year they were born. The older generations seem to have forgotten that the children of today are the leaders of tomorrow. As a society we must all accept one another’s strengths and weaknesses, whether it be that a younger person hasn’t grasped how to file taxes or that an older person doesn’t know how to work email. The next time a baby boomer yells at us to get off our phone, they should question what we’re really doing. We just might be texting our millennial colleagues about the next invention that could change life in 21stcentury America for generations to come.
This editorial was written by a member of the editorial staff and expresses the general opinion of The Spectator.
Homosexuals cannot have their cake and eat it too Jordan Barela
Digital Editor jlbarela@valdosta.edu Only in America can a person sue someone for not wanting to spread hate, slap a “violation of civil rights” defense on the lawsuit, and call it a day. In late January, a baker in Colorado was sued for refusing to put an anti-gay message on a cake. The customer came to Azucar Bakery in Denver and wanted phrases such as “God hates gays” and an image of two men holding hands with a giant, red “X.” The baker even tried to work out a deal with the customer and offered a cake with a blank Bible and frosting so she would not have to write a heinous message. This kind of backwards
ignorance can only happen in America. Yes, the customer does have the right to his opinion and his view. However, the baker should not be neglected to her right to free speech as well. For one, how can someone want to spread discrimination? And two, when someone else refuses to spread that hate, that person turns around and issues a discrimination suit? Baffling. This is not the only case involving discrimination through cakes. A same-sex couple, also in Colorado, was refused a cake for their wedding. Oh, the irony. That is a discrimination case. However, as painful as it is to admit, the bakery in the latter case does have a right
to refuse to bake a cake for the couple, because it violates what they believe in. It is unfair if one company can refuse to service based on beliefs and another company can’t. The refusal to make a cake for a gay couple is extremely wrong and does have grounds for a discrimination case, but the people that refused to do it do have the right to. A quote in a Washington Post article perfectly sums up this whole issue. Mark Silverstein, the legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union, said “There’s no law that says that a cakemaker has to write obscenities in the cake just because the customer wants it.” Case closed.
Spectator Staff Copy Editors: Opinions Editor:
Editor-in-Chief: Elan Waite Print Editor: John Stephen Digital Editor: Jordan Barela Advertising Manager: Aimee Napier Business Manager: Kristen Varney Circulation Manager: Kailyn Middleton
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Friday’s release of the movie adaptation of “Fifty Shades of Grey” has caused some controversy between women who have been anxiously awaiting the movie and women who find it to be obscene and abusive. “Fifty Shades of Grey” originally caused a lot of media buzz when the first book was released in 2012. Women flocked to their local Books-A-Million to purchase the sexually charged piece of literature. The trilogy was published throughout 2012 and 2013. The love story between the main characters, Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele, begin in book one with kinky S&M sex scenes that take up the majority of the pages in all three books. There are two sides to every coin, and “Fifty Shades of Grey” is no exception. Many women who read the books and saw the movie loved it. It encouraged them to be more liberal with their own sexuality. However, others detested the book and believed it promoted abusive and unsafe sex. The women who read the series or saw the movie and were inspired to expand their sexual palette deserve
Photo Illustration by Stella Henderson/THE SPECTATOR
“Fifty Shades of Grey,” the movie adaptation of the best-selling novel, is causing a stir among the female population. Some women approve, while some women condemn it.
a shout-out for being open to trying new things. They should remain unashamed of their love for this well-written book series. As for the women who detested the series and found it vulgar, the best advice is to put down the book and forget you ever read it. These women deserve a shout-out as well for deciding to see what the series was all about, but when they decided they didn’t like the books, that should have been the end to their “Fifty Shades” talk. Just because one group of women didn’t like the series or the type of sex being discussed in the book doesn’t mean they should shame their fellow women who enjoyed the book, movie and the non-vanilla type of sex that was explored throughout the
series. Every woman has the right to enjoy a book series and movie without being shamed by other women. The same goes for the type of sexual encounters women choose to have with their partners. Just because a type of sex and literature isn’t for one group of women doesn’t mean the same for the rest of the female population. Thankfully, this is the 21st century and women have the right to vocalize their likes and dislikes when it comes to sexual pleasure. As women, we need to stick together and support each other while keeping in mind that we are all different and that having different likes and dislikes doesn’t make either group wrong.
Counter movements are #petty Elan Waite
Editor-In-Chief ewaite@valdosta.edu We need to grow up. Today, there seems to be a recurring pattern among social movements. Step 1: Find a cause. Step 2: Create a voice through social media. Step 3: Sit back and wait for the piggy-back movement to strike. Early last year, social media was taken by storm when the hashtag #Blacklivesmatter became a trending topic. Those who shared it agreed that what could be called an attack on young black people was becoming something that could no longer be watched from the sidelines. Soon after the hashtag got a decent following, a new trend emerged. This piggy-backing movement was renamed #Alllivesmatter. This counter movement is not a single occurrence. The popular maxim “not all men” seemed to gain popularity in 2014 as well. This was in response to women expressing their discontent toward the way they were being treated. The original movement consisted of a series of videos, pictures and posts of women discussing previous experiences varying in extremes. Some discussed things like
Photo Illustration by Stella Henderson/THE SPECTATOR
Piggy-back movements have sprung up recently and weakened many important social movements.
catcalls and the pressures of sex after a date while others told disheartening personal accounts of abuse and rape. The “not all men” movement attempted to help save face for those men who were not bad people – just as #Alllivesmatter was supposed to make sure that no other race was left out. These piggy-backing movements are not helpful to the cause. It actually sounds a lot like the jealous sibling who wants mommy’s attention. It screams “No, over here mom. Look at me mom!” Both movements, while they may have a core point, just take attention away from the main issue. Why would you be mad about a social issue receiving attention? Wanting to take attention away from a movement that is
supposed to make a difference really shows how selfcentered we can be. We have to be able to get out of our own individual bubbles and empathize with others. The disappointing thing is that because the new movements come in at the height of the original’s popularity, they get as much, if not more, attention. All lives do matter, but that’s not the issue that was being addressed. Not all men are bad, but many women have experiences that have left them scarred. Instead of focusing on those whose feelings might be hurt because they don’t get to be a victim, let’s focus on those who need our help. Let’s change the world without the hissy fits .
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PAGE 4 | VSUSPECTATOR.COM
FEBRUARY 19, 2015
Students deserve to learn about different religions Jordan Hill
MGN Online
Allowing Gideons to distribute Bibles in public schools is a nationwide debate.
targeting the students by saying that if students want exposure to Christianity, their parents should take them to church. But what about the families that don’t attend church? What about the children whose only exposure to religion happens in school? Whether the students decide to read the Bible is up to them, but it is up to others to at least give them a glimpse of Christianity. Many anti-Gideons believe that if Bibles are distributed at schools, every religion should be allowed to distribute material at schools. Go ahead; allow students to discover different religions and decide on what religion does or does
not suit them. Gideons targets fifth graders and above. At this age students are not old or wise enough to understand and decide what religion they want to follow. While students should be exposed to religion, it should be at an age where they understand the information and choices to follow. There are many “should” and “should nots” when it comes to the separation of church and state, and the argument seems to be here to stay. The line is fine, but it is blurry. Students deserve to be informed about different religions, whether it comes from their home or strangers at their schools.
Banning hard alcohol will not decrease crimes
“Dr. McKinney has failed to produce a single VSU or USG policy to justify his actions, in spite of our repeated requests for said policy. ” -Mark George Former VSU Professor
the MTP, called on Georgia lawmakers to stop using Georgians’ tax revenue to glorify and celebrate the racist and slavery-advocating Confederacy. Including dozens of emails involving Dr. McKinney and assorted VSU and University System of Georgia (USG)
Kristin Whitman
Sports Editor krwhitman@valdosta.edu People will find a way to do what they want, no matter what they’re told – case in point: prohibition. Dartmouth College is a member of the Ivy League and is constantly ranked among the world’s greatest academic institutions, yet the school alcohol policy is up for debate among students, faculty and staff. President Phil Hanlon announced policy reforms intended to curb high-risk behavior, improve academics, and stop sexual assault by banning hard alcohol. Liquor containing more than 15 percent alcohol will be banned starting March 30, enforced only upon undergraduate students, even if they are of legal drinking age. Many questions arise from this new policy. Is alcohol the cause of sexual assult? Beer is still acceptable? Graduate students are allowed to consume whatever they please? Last but certainly not least, how can a 21-year-old or older
Mark George responds to USG investigation on McKinney Although I appreciate its efforts to date, The Spectator has failed to make public evidence it possesses that demonstrates, without a shadow of a doubt, that VSU President William McKinney used his position to silence me and the Mary Turner Project. Dr. McKinney’s actions came after our organization,
Opinions Editor jorhill@valdosta.edu The separation of church and state is hitting close to good ‘ole Valdosta, thanks to Gideons Bible distributers, who asked the Dougherty County school district to allow them to pass bibles out in the local schools. Whether religion and education should be allowed to intermingle is an age-old debate, but the Bible distributers continue to push school districts to allow them in schools. It is illegal for Bibles to be distributed in public school classrooms. Students may not understand that Christianity is not sponsored and sold by the government or their schools. Schools and the state also believe it infringes on the rights of parents to bring their children up in the religion of their choosing, but shouldn’t students be allowed to decide on their own? Older students can understand different religions and should be allowed to see the good and bad of each one. Many school districts complain that Gideons is
Letter to the Editor
personnel, which I secured through open records requests, that evidence shows that...... Dr. McKinney acted, in part, on behalf of Mr. John C. Hall Jr., a devout NeoConfederate who “resented” the MTP’s letter to Georgia lawmakers and who thinks black people are “savages” and genetically “different” from whites. While Dr. McKinney was actively targeting the MTP for our “political” activities, VSU was spending $43,000 to bring a Tea Party 2016 Presidential candidate (Ben Carson) to the campus. Dr. McKinney ignored the advice he received from VSU Attorney Laverne Gaskin to respect my right to “free speech” and academic freedom. Numerous VSU faculty regularly use their VSU emails for similar and equally legitimate political purposes but have not been targeted for their activities. Dr. McKinney has failed to produce a single VSU or USG policy to justify his actions, in spite of our repeated requests for said policy. Dr. McKinney’s justifications for his actions (e.g. that it was “standard” procedure) are simply fabrications created after the fact. Dr. McKinney personally ordered the deactivation of my VSU email account himself immediately after contacting Georgia’s State Representative Carl Rogers, who like John C. Hall Jr. was also upset about the MTP’s
letter to Georgia lawmakers. And finally, in my attempt to secure documents related to this matter VSU has repeatedly failed to comply with Georgia Open Records Law and has quoted extremely inflated costs for open record requests, only lowering them after I repeatedly objected and contacted the Georgia Attorney General’s office. In addition to the information above, Spectator staff members have also been provided information and statements by current VSU faculty relative to VSU email policy and Dr. McKinney’s unprecedented actions. Yet it has failed to share that information as well. Lastly, The Spectator recently reported that Dr. McKinney was “cleared” of any wrongdoing by a USG “probe,” yet failed to report that Dr. McKinney was forced by the USG to return the Mary Turner Project funds he seized from our organization. He was also forced by the USG to release my VSU email to me as well as assorted course materials I developed while at VSU. With that said, I would like to once again ask The Spectator to muster the necessary courage, share the evidence you have with the VSU community, and let it decide if Dr. McKinney’s actions were ethical and whether he should be “cleared” of wrongdoing. Mark Patrick George PhD, Mary Turner Project Coordinator
Photo Illustration by Stella Henderson/THE SPECTATOR
Dartmouth College reformed its alcohol policy to prohibit beverages that have more than 15 percent alcohol.
person be told they cannot have “hard alcohol”? This policy tells perpetrators “it is not your fault for sexually harassing others; it was the alcohol that made you do it.” But the substances are not the problem; the offenders are. If Dartmouth is trying to stop the act of binge drinking, beer should be the first thing prohibited. Beer seems to be the number one product of binge drinking. It is unfair to ban students who are of the legal drink-
ing age from drinking but to allow their 21-year-old roommate, who is a graduate student, to drink whatever she pleases. Prohibiting students who are of age will cause them to act out and want to drink these hard alcohols even more. If someone thinks that banning hard alcohol will do anything but intensify issues of binge drinking, sexual assault and victim blaming on Dartmouth’s campus, then that person is part of the problem.
MGN Online
People Poll: What do you think of powdered alcohol?
Victoria Papadelis Senior Fine Arts “I think it’s a bad idea because I feel like people would try to snort it, or they wouldn’t mix it with the right solution of water.”
Michaela Taylor Sophomore Early childhood education “I don’t feel like it should be approved or legalized because I feel that it would only attract underage college students.”
Adam Johnson Freshman Criminal justice
Parker Nichols Freshman Undeclared
Bobby Ifeobu Alumni Chemistry
“I don’t think it’s a good idea, but if you want to get hammered, I think that’s the way to go.”
“I’ve never heard of it before, but I think people would be too inclined to snort it.”
“It raises a lot of issues with it being something brand new. I don’t think it is something that is safe and something that should really be used mainstream.”
FEBRUARY 12, 2015
VSUSPECTATOR.COM | PAGE 5
‘SNL’ nearly half a century; Beyoncé spotted in not so flattering light Kayla Stroud
WEB EDIOTR kistroud@valdosta.edu Hundreds of Unretouched Photos of Beyoncé Leaked Everyone is up in arms over newly leaked, unretouched photos of Beyoncé that have made their way online. People seem to have propped her up so high that they seem to have forgotten that she is not in fact a RealDoll. People were horrified to learn that Queen B had *gasps* blemishes *gasps* and expressed their shock on Twitter. I’m curious if the reaction would be any different if she were a man. Ray J and girlfriend get in an altercation R&B “singer”/reality star, Ray J, was involved in an altercation with girlfriend, Princess Love (that’s her actual name), that left her under arrest. According to TMZ, Love allegedly beat Ray J to a bloody pulp, leaving him with cracked ribs, a busted lip and a torn ACL. Love was then arrested for domestic abuse and battery. Ray J is said to have bailed her out.
Drake Releases Mixtape Rapper Drake pulled a Beyoncé and dropped a surprise mixtape slash album on Friday the 13th. “If Youre Reading This Its Too Late” (not a typo) received too much success. According to HitsDailyDouble, the former “Degrassi” star continues his steady line of No. 1 albums with this one having almost 500K units sold in just four days. Yet, he was unable to outsell Beyoncé. Kardashian Klan Knews The Kylie/Tyga saga continues. The Kardashian’s youngest sister Kylie is involved in a “situation” with grown, littleman rapper, Tyga. Speculation has surrounded the illegal two-some for some time. Tyga conducted a recent interview denying the rumors. Kardashian/Rose Clash Rapper Wiz Khalifa’s exwife, Amber Rose, and Khloe Kardashian were involved in a cyber duel earlier this week. After hearing of Amber’s choice of words on Tyga and
Khloe’s little sister’s involvement, Khloe went on Twitter to vent, bringing up Amber’s stripper past in the process. This led to Amber going on a multiple-tweet rant that would go on into the next day. It was ridiculous, petty, but oh so glorious. Kanye West Fashion Week Speaking of Mr. West, Kanye debuted his new line of Adidas wear last week during Fashion Week. The models were forced to wear body stockings, grim faces, and Kanye’s clothes. Kendall Jenner had a prior engagement she had to attend, so Kanye had no other choice but to have Kylie walk the runway in her place. SNL Turns 40 Saturday Night Live reached a new milestone. Somehow Lorne managed to churn out 40 years of the show. SNL had a three and a half hour anniversary special that brought back dozens of
former cast members, such as Will Ferrell, Andy Samberg and Amy Poehler. The show dragged at some points but turned out alright. However, I doubt they’d be able to keep it up, SNL. Lady Gaga is engaged Lady Gaga had quite the Valentine’s Day. Her boyfriend Taylor Kinney, whom she met on the set of her “You and I” video, proposed to the pop starlet with a heartshaped diamond. A diamond that, according to Inquisitr, cost nearly $500,000. Whether Gaga loaned him that is another question. Vanilla Ice arrested for burglary Former hip-hop legend, Vanilla Ice, was arrested late Tuesday night and charged with burglary and grand theft. According to CNN, Mr. Van Winkle broke into a foreclosed house and took a crapton of loot. Winkle is said to have taken bicycles, furniture and a pool heater among other things.
Karl Zerbe: Albany inspired civil rights paintings on display in Fine Arts building
February VSU Events Timeline Black History Trivia Competition! Do you think you know everything there is to know about Black History? Well here’s your chance to prove it! The Distinguished Women of Excellence will be asking trivia questions pertaining to Black History all month long throughout Trisha Taylor’s emails. The first person to email distinguishedwomenofexcellence@gmail. com with all the answers at the end of the month will win a prize from the lovely ladies of DWE.
Volunteer at CORE Challenge Course CORE Outdoors is looking for volunteers. CORE has just finished a huge project at the Leadership Challenge Course with a new boardwalk, but with the creation of this fine structure, many trees and limbs were left. Volunteers are needed once a week - preferred Tuesdays from 1-5 p.m. If anyone is interested, please contact twtaylor@valdosta.edu with the subject “Challenge Course volunteer.”
The Vagina Monologues –Tickets On Sale! Performances at 7 p.m. on Feb. 19-21 in Jennett Hall 2211. Tickets are $5 with VSU ID and $10 for general admission. All proceeds will be donated to the V-Day Spotlight: One Billion Rising for Justice, The Haven’s Rape Crisis Program and VSU’s Women’s and Gender Studies Sexual Violence Education Program. Tickets are available for purchase in the Women’s and Gender Studies House.
Tyra Mills/ SPECTATOR The artwork of Karl Zerbe was put on display in the Fine Arts building. The theme of Zerbe’s collection of pieces is civil rights. The collection features some brush drawings and acrylic paintings inspired by the Albany civil rights movement. Zerbe died in 1972, but his work is still relevant today.
Odum Library: Alex Corbitt
STAFF WRITER acorbitt@valdosta.edu “Secret shoppers” are people whose goal is to give their opinions on customer service and review how helpful employees are with their service. For me, I was to ask certain questions to Odum Library’s staff and review their effectiveness to my questions. I went up to one of the circulation desks and asked an employee some simple questions: Where are the study rooms? What exactly do I do to check out a book? I’m interested in your popular books, where are they? Etc. The man I asked, though seemingly tired as it was later in the day, quickly answered all my questions, pointed
Is the helpdesk as helpful as it seems? Secret Shopper goes undercover for scoop
them out to me, and even asked me if he was being clear in his directions. For each question, he made gestures toward every location, what floor it was on, and the easiest way to get there. Needless to say, not only did he know the answer to my questions, but explained them in detail for me. Odum Library’s employees are very helpful and can help you with anything you need, from simple knowledge on checking out books, to knowing where anything and everything is in the library. From my experience, if you ask any of them for assistance, they will not only help you but make sure any and all of your questions are answered in detail.
Alex Corbitt/ SPECTATOR
STAFF WRITER tsfrancois@valdosta.edu The Cactus Flower Café, located at 3209 North Oak Street Extension, Valdosta, Georgia, is a delicious, authentic Mexican restaurant. They serve a wide variety of Mexican dishes from nachos with queso dip to mini chimichangas. The atmosphere of the restaurant is very modern and actually quite relaxing. The food is made quickly with large enough portions to share with friends and family. I ordered nachos that
John Preer/ SPECTATOR
Chicken chimichanga
were topped with chicken and queso dip. The nachos and queso dip are made fresh. The chicken on top of my nachos was seasoned well, and there was a lot of it. This is one of my favorite
Saturday, Feb. 21 – Day of Service The Black History Month Committee and the Office of Social Equity will sponsor a Day of Service at Second Harvest Food Bank 9 a.m.-12 p.m. on Feb. 21. All VSU students, faculty and staff, as well as the general public, are encouraged to participate. If you are interested in attending this service event, please sign up in the Office of Social Equity located in Seago House across from the University Center fountain.
The IT helpdesk and customer service desks are located in Odum library and are available to visitors everyday.
Cactus Flower brings variety of authentic Mexican cuisine Tierra Francois
Friday, Feb. 20 – Movie Night in Bailey: Get On Up! Black History Month movie night will be held at 5 p.m. each Friday evening in the Hugh C. Bailey Science Center Room 3009. Each of the movies selected has been directed and produced by a member of the black community and is educational. This FREE event is open to all VSU students, faculty, and staff, as well as the general public. Come dressed in business casual attire.
Mexican dishes, and I will definitely be returning to this café to have it again. They do serve lunch specials for under $9 that come with a soup of your choice (chili or tortilla) as well as a main dish. They also serve wine, margaritas and a variety of Mexican desserts. Flan, which is a popular Spanish dessert, is homemade at the café and is said to be the most popular dessert. I would definitely recommend anyone that loves Mexican food to try this restaurant. The café has a great
friendly family atmosphere; you are greeted as soon as you step foot in the door with a smile. Not only is the food appetizing and inexpensive, but the customer service is fast and great.
John Preer/ SPECTATOR
Mahi Mahi fish tacos
Sudoku Answer
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FEBRUARY 19, 2015
VSU hopes to play spoiler vs.UWA Shane Thomas
Sports Writer shanethomas@valdosta.edu The VSU Blazers (9-16, 4-15 Gulf South Conference) look to play spoiler when the West Alabama Tigers (18-9, 13-6 Gulf South Conference) visit The Complex tonight at 8 p.m. With their loss to Christian Brothers over the weekend, the Blazers have lost seven straight games but could have found a silver lining in the process. The Blazers trailed by 16 points in the second half before catching fire from long range. The Blazers made 10 of their season-high 14 threepointers, including six straight to cut the CBU lead to three in the final moments, but were unable to circle the wagons on the road. Playing without sharpshooter Blake Justice, the Blazers got a season-high 15 points from junior Jay Watkins, who was one of three Blazers to make at least three triples in the game. “We had some guys play with a lot of energy,” Blazers head coach Mike Helfer said. “That really got us back in the game, and then we started making shots, and it became contagious offensively for us, which got us close but we just didn’t quite get over the mountain. “Hopefully we can carry some of that confidence and energy we played that second
half with into (tonight’s) game.” Justice is likely to return to the Blazer lineup after missing the CBU game with a sprained ankle. Justice originally suffered the injury Feb. 12 at Union. “If you would’ve asked me on Saturday, I would’ve probably told you there’s no chance,” Justice said. “Over the last two, three, four days, the swelling has gone down a lot. It’s still a little bit stiff. As far as pain goes, it’s just a matter of getting the stiffness out. It’s painful but not something that’s going to keep me from playing.” Helfer is unsure of when jusitice will return. “I don’t know for sure— that’s a trainer’s decision, but I think he’ll be ready to go, and he’ll be right in there adding what we need.” During the Blazers’ last meeting with West Alabama on Jan. 12 in Livingston, Alabama, the Blazers led 3635 at halftime, but imploded in the second half, shooting just 25 percent from the floor (7 of 28) and committing 13 turnovers. The Tigers pounced and outscored the Blazers 4125 after intermission, winning 76-61. The Tigers come into tonight on a four-game winning streak and tied with AlabamaHuntsville atop the GSC standings at 13-6. According to Helfer, the Tigers have gotten more patient but remain strong offensively under new head coach Allen Sharpe.
“They’re very well-coached and very deliberate offensively,” Helfer said of UWA’s style. “It’s not like Huntsville or CBU, but they’re very deliberate once they get the lead. When they get ahead of you, they’re good at using the clock and making you guard. “That’s a sign of Allen’s coaching—he does a good job, so for us, we’ve just got to come out and battle from the get-go,” Helfer said. With three games remaining, the Blazers are guaranteed to finish with a losing record for the first time since the 2011-12 season. This season will be the second losing season under Helfer in 10 seasons. As Justice explained following Tuesday’s practice, the Blazers will play out the string of games looking to build toward next season. “One of our main focuses for the returners is building chemistry,” Justice said. “Even though we won’t make the (GSC) tournament, it’s now become about having faith in one another and playing unselfishly. “Hopefully we’ll have everybody back and have experience in the league that understand how hard it is to lose those close games and have a better year next year,” Helfer said. Follow Shane on Twitter @ItsaThomasThing
Ray Pack Jr./THESPECTATOR
Junior forward Jeff Nibo pushes through for a basket against Mississippi College’s Tory Rice at the last match up between the teams. MC took down the Blazers 87-77.
VSU readies for Rollins Jyrell Wynn
Staff Writer jdwynn@valdosta.edu
Stella Henderson/THESPECTATOR
Junior right handed pitcher Austin Glorius starts as VSU’s first pitcher of nine against Columbus State University on Wednesday, Feb 18. CSU took the game 8-3.
Cold lose for baseball
Nine piching changes makes for tough game for VSU Kailee Kivett
Staff Writer klkivett@valdosta.edu Cold weather and nine pitching changes showed for a non-conference loss for Blazer baseball against the Columbus State University Cougars last night, Feb. 18. The final score was 3-8, making the Blazers overall record 6-3 on the season. Austin Glorius started as pitcher for the Blazers. Glorius was replaced by Jared Stanley. Overall there were nine pitching changes, ending in the ninth inning with Mitchell Cody. The Cougars took the lead in the first inning when Mike McCllean hit a double that sent Brendan Collins home for the first run of the game.
Blazers tied the score up in the bottom of the first inning after Kevin Cruz hit a fly ball that allowed Michael Gouge to score VSU’s first run. In the bottom of the second inning, Mike Reed hit a single that sent Jake Graham home and enabled the Blazers to take the lead. The Cougars tied the game in the third inning and took the lead in the fourth when Carson Bowers hit a pitch that sent Ryan Ihle and Collins to score. Bowers moved on to score after a wild pitch. The Cougars continued to score in the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings to bring their total runs to eight. The Blazers did not score again until the ninth inning when Hayman hit a single that brought Mike Reed home.
CSU’s Brendan Collins collided with Blazer third baseman Michael Gouge. There were no serious injuries due to the collision. Hayden Jones made it on base four times out of four at bats. Tyler Martin led the Blazers in pitching with two strikeouts and only one walk. The Blazers will return to action Saturday, Feb. 21, when they opens a threegame weekend Gulf South Conference series against West Florida at Billy Grant Field. The two teams will play a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. on Saturday followed by a single game at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
VSU’s tennis teams are preparing for their matches against the Rollins Tars this Saturday at 1:30 p.m. on the tennis courts. The men’s team defeated the Florida Tech Panthers 9-0 on Sunday in Melbourne, Florida. The Blazers won all three matches to clinch their victory against the Panthers in doubles. Blazers Ramon Weil and Gereon Heitmann won the first match 8-5 against Tars Wade Ball and Patrick Hernandez in doubles. Francisco Yim Kim and Niklas Herbring lead Valdosta to an 8-2 win over Beau Fieldsend and Aria Solana. In the last match for doubles, Edward Nguyen and Leo Blay brought home the victory with an 8-6 win. The Lady Blazers had to forfeit two matches from the start of the match due to a dwindling roster, but still managed to claim a 5-4 victory over Florida Tech at
DeSoto Park. In doubles, Jennifer Rink and Anke Poncelet worked together to defeat Natasa Vukovic and Erin Egoroff 8-6. Bea Hernandez and Joanna Lario brought home a 8-5
“Rollins is a top 10 team that can easily beat you; you just have to prepare mentally and physically.” -John Hansen VSU head tennis coach victory for the Blazers over Chloe Chanley and Kayla Hergott. Poncelet defeated Egoroff 6-2 and 6-1 to ensure the victory for the Blazers. According to national rankings, the Blazers men’s team is ranked 10th and the
women’s team is ranked 15th. The Tars men’s team is ranked 13th and the women’s team is ranked 9th. John Hansen, coach of the men’s and women’s tennis teams, has been training his players to handle the situation. “We have the year planned out; there is nothing extra that we can do except for trying to practice,” Hansen said. “Rollins is a top ten team that can easily beat you; you just have to prepare mentally and physically to beat them.” The Blazers’ record has been about 50/50 against the Tars, beating them last year, but losing in 2013. It is a seesaw battle according to Hensen. Henson’s overall preparation method is to take each match as the next battle to survive. Although the Blazers will play their best tennis on Saturday, there is still room for improvement on the court. “We need to work on our doubles,” Hansen said.