February 13, 2014
W W W. V S U S P E c TAT o r . c o m
Inside This Issue
VoLUmE 86 iSSUE 4
“VSU opens con ference play,” on pg. 5
- oPinionS: “more protection for pedestrians” - FEATUrES: “White gets dethroned at sochi”
On the Web w w w. v s u s p e c ta t o r. c o m
Check out “VSU debate team ranks number 13 in nation.”
- SPorTS: “Blazers battle lions, Wolves at home”
Today at VSU thrEE Evils- dr. christobal
serran-pagan with panelists dr. dana Williams, dr. tom aiello, and dr. Jay rickman will be presenting a panel on the “three social evils,” war, poverty and racism. the seminar will begin at 7 p.m. in the university center theater. up a crEEk- Kayaking oke-
fenokee meets thursday, Feb. 13 at 6p.m. at the pool. the group will be preparing for their saturday trip to the okefenokee. For only $25, students can get transportation, two meals, camping fee, and all gear needed with two volunteer coordinators.
This Day in History Slaughterhouse Dresden on this day in 1945 the German city of Dresden was demolished in the most destructive bombing campaign of the war. With a death toll of approx. 135,000 people, the disaster outmatches even hiroshima and Nagasaki. The destruction of the city, which was known as the “Florence of the elbe,” was immortalized in Kurt Vonnegut’s antiwar novel Slaughterhouse-Five. The bombing campaign lasted for two days and involved 3,400 tons of explosives dropped from 800 British and american Bombers. Source: History.com
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Campus shaken by death SGA seeks campus Student charged for the safety additions death of ‘Lizzie’ Lohmar Joe Adgie
social media editor
jmadgie@valdosta.edu
the sGa has requested safety improvements at various crosswalks and intersections around Vsu. that package, which included recommended additions to select crosswalks, school-zone speed limits and crossing guards, was voted on during monday night’s meeting. the resolution passed unanimously. “Basically, what the resolution states is here at sGa, we’re working in the best interests of the student body, not just students today but future students as well,” senator Nick Buford said. “With that, we’re basically recommending several things to the university to look at when it comes to pedestrian safety.” among the recommendations approved by sGa was a push for Vsu “to advocate to the city and county” to look at the speed limits around campus. “most of those speed limits are around 35 to 40 mph, which is too high when you have so many pedestrians crossing at a given time,” Buford said. also included was a request for lighting and signs “where there is a heavy number of pedestrians crossing to and from class,” and more specifically, at seven locations: at North campus, on the intersections of Baytree road and oak street, Brookwood and patterson, Brookwood and oak, oak and college, and patterson and college. the resolution also mentions school-zone speed limits and crossing guards, as well as several items that
Summer Yates / The SPeCTaTor
The reflection of a nearby green light casts a glow on the spot where Lohmar was struck.
were added at the request of senators. “i’m a mass media student, and i cross the street going to the uc all the time, and i press that [crosswalk] button, and i don’t know if the drivers can see that red light blinking because they still speed through that intersection anyway,” said senator ieshia lilly. lilly was referencing the crosswalk on patterson street between the university center and martin Hall, which has a warning light on its crosswalk that pedestrians can press to warn incoming traffic. “We could use what already exists at those busy intersections, and offset the timers for when people walk versus when the green lights are on, so you wouldn’t have to install any lights,” senator tamara dunn said. “that’s a free thing they could do; just offset those lights, so you have your time to walk…and then the green light goes on.” See SAFETY, Page 2
Eric Jackson s p o rt s e d i to r
epjackson@valdosta.edu
Jordan Barela a s s t. m u lt i m e d i a editor
jlbarela@valdosta.edu
Vsu student michael laslie turned himself in monday morning at the lowndes county Jail after learning that a warrant had been issued for his arrest. the warrant was issued for homicide by vehicle in the second degree, which is a misdemeanor that could result in leslie serving up to one year behind bars. He posted bond and was released around noon monday. laslie was the driver of the chevrolet silverado that struck 21-year-old elizabeth lohmar as she was crossing the road with the proper pedestrian light on Feb. 5. "He was charged with that based off the discussion with our traffic unit, the totality of circumstances, and the review of the accident,” Brian
childress, Valdosta police chief, said in an interview with WalB. “it's a misdemeanor charge, which means a judge can sentence him up to a maximum of a year." the accident occurred at approximately 12:30 p.m. on Feb. 5. the Valdosta police
“ I have always
dreamed of playing soccer at the next level, and I feel truly honored to be able to be a part of the inaugural soccer team for Valdosta State University. ” - ElizabEth lohmar
department responded to a call regarding a traffic accident at the intersection of North patterson street and east college street. lohmar was immediately transported to south Georgia medical center, where it was discovered that she had several broken bones and serious
head trauma. according to her high school (collins Hill) soccer coach, Jeff tinklepaugh, lohmar sustained injuries to her soft tissue, liver and spleen. “i guess it was too much to recover from,” tinklepaugh told the Gwinnett post. “she passed away around 3 a.m. [saturday] with her parents and family there by her side. it’s terrible. my [current collins Hill] girls are already talking about getting armbands to honor her.” Hours after extensive surgery that included removing a lung, lohmar was pronounced dead saturday morning. twenty-one-year-old laslie, who was turning south on North patterson street before the accident, was originally only charged with failure to yield to pedestrian in a crosswalk. lohmar was committed to her major, mathematics. she was treasurer of the local chapter of the mathematical association of america. along with her dedication to the field of math, lohmar was also a devoted soccer player. lohmar was part of the Vsu Women’s soccer team as a defensive full back in 2011 and in her spare time volunteered as an assistant soccer coach for Hahira middle school. "i have always dreamed of playing soccer at the next level, and i feel truly honored to be able to be a part of the inaugural soccer team for Valdosta state university," lohmar said when she was part of the team, according to the women’s soccer page at vstateblazers.com.
Student majority opposes ban Joe Adgie social media editor
jmadgie@valdosta.edu
if the university system of Georgia passes the tobaccofree proposal at their next meeting, they will do it against the wishes of the majority of students at Vsu, the results of an sGa survey reveals. the results were finalized tuesday, and a majority of students that took the survey–53 percent, to be exact, either “opposed” or “strongly opposed” the proposed ban. Fortythree percent either MCT Images
“supported” or “strongly supported” the ban, while 4 percent were neutral. these results were supposed to be sent to the usG for this week’s meeting, but the meeting was cancelled due to the huge ice storm that has crippled the atlanta area. “it’s our job to advocate on behalf of our university to the board, which we did send our results to,” sGa president Will Jimerson said. “But ultimately, there’s a group of 10 to 12 people that could decide the fate of this in a matter of five minutes.” Jimerson also relayed a message from usG chancellor Hank Huckaby, who said if the proposal is approved, Vsu would have to hire a liaison between usG and Vsu to handle the tobacco ban and the punishments for violating
the tobacco ban. Jimerson also mentioned that Huckaby was asked why the ban was going along so fast and why designated smoking areas were not an option. “His answer was designated areas do not change the quality of life, which is our aim−to make it educational for our students to stop smoking, not to give them an alternative measure to go smoke,” Jimerson said. “take it as you would like.” Jimerson also mentioned that the idea of a moderate phasing-in of the ban was “respectfully shot down.” students at Vsu have not reacted well to the proposed ban, and sounded off during the survey. “i feel as though someone is attempting to trick me,”
one respondent wrote. “i am in agreement that secondhand smoke [affects] other people’s health and, as such, a ban is acceptable. However, this policy is not about that. it is about another protectionist policy that allows for those that seek to impress their opinion onto others with no justification outside of political correctness.” “this is appalling and tyrannical,” another respondent wrote. “this is a move by control freaks to use aggressive force against people whose habits they disagree with. We should ban fried foods and soda by this reasoning. and to ban e-cigarettes is not only absurd…it is evil. people who have quit smoking are going to be punished and ostracized as well? unbelievable.”
News
PAgE 2 | vsUsPEctAtoR.com
FEBRUARY 13, 2014
Quest to fill provost position continues John Stephen Copy editor jsstephen@valdosta.edu
the prolonged hunt to find a permanent replacement for one of VSU’s highest offices appears to be coming to a close. Since the summer of 2012, VSU has been searching nationwide for a new provost and vice president of academic affairs. Now, after a rigorous selection process, three final candidates will be visiting VSU within the next several weeks to conduct oncampus interviews. all three candidates hold doctorate degrees and have extensive experience as highranking officials at various colleges across the country. the first on-campus interview will be feb.17-18 with dr. alberto ruiz, a dean at texas a&M UniversityKingsville. then, dr. Hudson rodgers, a dean at florida Gulf Coast University, will visit the campus feb. 26-27. the interviews will conclude March 3-4 with dr. Stephen Kolison Jr., an associate vice president in the University of
Wisconsin System. dr. Shirley Hardin, chair of the provost & Vpaa Search Committee, said she and her fellow committee members have worked hard to discover and recruit only the most qualified candidates. “(the candidates’) experiences are quite diverse and cover every aspect of the position description advertised,” dr. Hardin said on the committee’s website. “We are very pleased that the VSU faculty, staff, students and the community will be given a unique opportunity to meet and to interact with all of the candidates and to evaluate their strengths and weaknesses.” the position of provost holds wide-ranging responsibility and authority. the candidate who earns such a title will be directly under the president in the university’s chain of command, will serve as a member of the president’s cabinet and will act as the university’s chief executive in the president’s absence, according to a position announcement released by
VSU. the new provost will also oversee all units that make up the division of academic affairs, including odum Library and the seven colleges within VSU, such as the College of arts & Sciences and the Harley Langdale Jr. College of Business administration. furthermore, he will manage numerous administrative divisions, such as information technology and international programs. the former VSU provost, dr. phil Gunter, died unexpectedly in May 2012, and dr. Karla Hull was named interim provost for the 2012-13 school year. after failing to secure a permanent replacement during that year, VSU formed the provost & Vpaa Search Committee in July 2013. dr. david C. danahar was appointed interim provost for the 2013-14 school year while the committee searched for individuals capable of serving as VSU’s provost. “…the office of the provost & Vpaa has not enjoyed stability in leadership
for over two years,” Hardin said. “the unfortunate death of dr. phil Gunter and a failed search last year certainly contributed to this instability, making the current search all the more significant to the University.” president William McKinney commended the work of the committee and is confident that the final candidates are all highly qualified. He also said the changing landscape of higher education has made the search for a new provost quite difficult. “the position of provost is among the most challenging in all of higher education,” McKinney said. “Nationwide, fewer and fewer seasoned academic administrators are seeking the position. as a result, applicant pools are small and there is great competition for the very best candidates.” for more information on the provost search and the upcoming on-campus interviews, visit www.valdosta.edu and click the “provost Search finalists” box located in the lower right of the page.
Upcoming Events Feb. 14 V-day is hosting 1 Billion rising for Justice on the pedestrian mall from 12-4 p.m. the Society of international Students will be having a Valentine’s day sale in front of Nevins Hall from 10 a.m.2 p.m.. they will be selling bundles which include a valentine card written in foreign languages, a valentinedecorated cupcake and a flower. orders are being taken at the Center for international programs. the rho chapter of Sigma alpha omega will be helping others by accepting donated clothes, shoes and hats. the drop off location is the Christian Student Center (at the red door) at 1608 N. oak St., across from palms dining Hall and Langdale Hall. donations will be accepted until 6 p.m. Feb. 18 the department of biology
will host the yearly Clyde eugene Connell Visiting Lecture program at 7:30 p.m. in Jennett Lecture Hall room 1111. this year’s lecture will be "Genome Sequencing and personalized Medicine: What Can Sequencing your dNa do for you.” the speaker will be Michael Snyder, professor and chair of the department of genetics at Stanford University. Feb. 21 VSU will join the Valdosta tree Commission to host the annual arbor day observance and proclamation at 10 a.m. in the pinetum at odum Library. the Georgia forestry Commission will honor the City of Valdosta as a tree City USa community for its 28th consecutive year. of Georgia’s 536 cities, only 138 are tree Cities. of that number, only nine cities—including Valdosta—have received this designation for 28 consecutive years or more.
VSU debate team ranks number 13 in nation LaMarcus Wilkerson S ta f f W r i t e r lkwilkerson@valdosta.edu
VSU’s forensics (Speech and debate) team came back to Valdosta late Monday night after traveling to San diego, Calif. to compete in the Sunset Cliffs Classic. “(this was) a round-robin style tournament where only one team from the top 16 programs in the nation can
Police Briefs Feb. 11 Student reported his book bag stolen from the Student recreation Center. Feb. 10 Student reported that someone stole his 1Card and used it at Moe’s. Feb. 9 Student reported a stolen bicycle. the glass cover of a fire extinguisher was shattered in Georgia Hall. Johnny L. Crawford, 22, a non-student from fairburn, Ga., was arrested and charged with misdemeanor possession of marijuana and driving with a suspended license. Feb. 8 Someone reported the
compete against each other,” assistant coach Kevin Bryant said. “Never before has VSU been accepted to any roundrobin tournaments.” the team is led by Bryant and head coach dr. Michael eaves. dr. eaves said there are 20 students who are active in the debates. the team got to the quarter-finals with the words of sophomore Chesley McNeil and freshman Maya smell of marijuana in Hopper Hall. Nathan McCullers, 19, from Stone Mountain, Ga., and Zachery ponce, 20, from Newnan, Ga., were arrested and charged with misdemeanor possession of marijuana. Student reported that when she returned to her car in Sustella parking deck, all of the items from it had been thrown on the ground. Feb. 5 anonymous caller reported a male selling drugs in Centennial Hall. Shayla t. day, 19, of east point, Ga., was arrested and charged with underage possession of alcohol and possession of a drug-related object. Jimmy Cornell ogletree was issued a citation and was escorted off campus.
Weaver, two junior varsity debaters whose skills outweigh their experience. “there were 47 debate teams in junior varsity,” dr. eaves said. “that’s 94 debaters. they give speaker
awards to the top 10. four out of those top 10 (were) Valdosta State.”
SAFETY
that’s the only time they can be walking…it’s louder than the cars, and you can hear it.” another senator pointed out that the beeping noise would also be beneficial for blind students, who would then know the right time to cross.
Continued from Page 1 “i know florida State, at all of their crosswalks, there’s a noisemaker,” Secretary Kara fountain said. “it’s so annoying and obnoxious, but it alerts the students that
Read the rest of L a M a r c u s W i l k e r s o n ’s story on the web at w w w. v s u s p e c ta t o r. c o m !
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More protection for pedestrians I
t takes approximately 9.8 seconds to cross the pedestrian crossing at North Patterson Street and East College Street. Elizabeth “Lizzie” Lohmar, 21, was struck by a truck Feb. 5, during the 10 seconds it would have taken her to cross the road. She struggled at South Georgia Medical Center for the following three days before succumbing to her injuries. Michael Laslie, 21, was driving the truck that struck Lohmar. Laslie turned himself in to the Lowndes County Jail Tuesday morning, shortly after a warrant for his arrest was issued. He is being charged with second de-
gree homicide by vehicle, a misdemeanor charge that can carry up to a year in jail. We believe that the fault for this crime should extend beyond Laslie. City of Valdosta officials and the Georgia Department of Transportation have a responsibility to maintain safe roadways for motorists and pedestrians alike. The roads around main campus provide students with multiple areas to cross at, but many of them remain hazardously marked. The crossing on West Brooks Road is marked by little more than a zebra-striped crossing and a single spot light.
The crossing where Lohmar was tragically struck is similarly marked; a stoplight stands adjacent to the site. Patterson Street is a state road and is controlled by the GDOT, the department responsible for signage and crossings. Van Mason is the district traffic engineer for the GDOT. “If (Mason) tells us to put it up, we put it up,” Donny Carter, GDOT assistant area engineer, said. At the Spectator, we believe that the amount of protection for pedestrians is inadequate. The crossing on Patterson Street in front of
the University Center has lights to warn drivers that a pedestrian is waiting to cross, but there should be even more. “If someone has concerns that they think safety needs to be enhanced, then all they have to do is request it and DOT will do a study,” Nita Birmingham, GDOT district communications officer, said. It is time for the University to make that request. All students need to band together and say “enough is enough; we want safety.” No request has been made to the DOT at the time of this publication. Students and faculty
should email VSU President Dr. William McKinney at wmckinney@valdosta.edu. Demand that he request a study to be done on all of the roads around campus and that he strongly recommend improvements to existing crosswalks. Nicholas Buford, sophomore SGA senator, has already submitted a request to VSU to install school zone speed limits, “the offsetting of timers between green lights and pedestrian walking time” and the addition of noise alerts for pedestrians. All crosswalks should be fitted with treatments to slow traffic, highly visible signage, in-street signage and
FACEBOOK/ Lizzie Lohmar
flashing pedestrian crossing lights. Students also need to exercise extreme caution when crossing the street. Cars are not able to stop immediately, and in low visibility areas pedestrians might remain invisible until it is too late.
This editorial was written by a member of the editorial staff and it expresses the general opinion of the editorial staff.
Athletes don’t need pay Jordan Hill S TA F F
WRITER
jorhill@valdosta.edu
CBS News recently reported that Northwestern University football players are petitioning to get paid for the “job” they perform at NU, and many other university players are closely watching this ongoing battle with the National Collegiate Athletics Association. It was hard to read the article without rolling my eyes. These football players want to be paid for playing football at a college level? Sports programs at universities are clearly a source of revenue for universities, so I do see the players’ view. But aren’t most players already receiving free education and housing? Kain Colter, NU quarterback, is the head honcho of the petition at NU. “We're very grateful for the education that we get, and we put in hard work to obtain the degree at the end of the day,” Colter said.
Sports are extracurricular activities. If football players should get paid, does that mean all university athletes should be paid for playing a game? In an interview with “The Dan Patrick Show,” Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly said that paying college players is inevitable. “…If there’s an opportunity for the student-athlete to fly home when he does get an opportunity to break and see his family or have a little
money in the bank…I think everyone is looking to make that happen in some fashion,” Kelly said. Where will the money to pay athletes come from? I would guess an increase in university tuition, which would, as usual, outrage every student at the university. However, one theory is that the money will come from the revenue that the sports program generates.
In most cases, college athletes receive a free education and on-campus housing. Now players are pushing to receive pay for playing a sport in order to make it easier for them to live in today’s economy. Here’s a crazy thought: get a part-time job! I know athletes have hectic schedules, but so does every other student that attends college. Although college athletes have limitations as to how much they can make with a parttime job, I think it is enough to simply provide for them what their scholarship does not pay. Universities are paying for athletes to get an education, and now those athletes are asking for more money. Athletes, be grateful for what you have while the rest of us work multiple jobs to pay for our education. Raising the question about paying college athletes also brings to light many more questions that I don’t think the NCAA is ready to answer.
Letter to the Editor
Climate concerns Climate change is the defining issue of our time. 97 percent of scientists agree that humans are the cause. S.A.V.E. (Students Against Violating the Environment) believes that it’s time for people to become the solution. Globally, we are feeling the impacts of record-setting temperatures, most notably in the extreme weather patterns and rising sea levels. Recent chemical (West Virginia) and coal ash spills (North Carolina) add to the urgency of moving beyond fossil fuel. Yet here on our campus there’s a remarkable disconnect between the classroom and the boardroom. Shockingly, the VSU board of trustees includes science deniers, oblivious to the threat of climate change—and to the academic integrity of this institution of higher learning. Recently, the board dismissed S.A.V.E.’s request that VSU rid its portfolio of fossil fuel holdings. board Chairman Wayne Edwards, a financial analyst, cast doubt on the study that accompanied our request. But we ask you, who knows more about climate: a
team of 2,000 scientists from 154 countries who have compiled data from more than 9,000 studies, or a stock broker? Our point is that serious decisions at this institution are being made by people who lack the proper credentials. Chairman Edwards dismissed socially responsible investing as nothing more than a marketing ploy, observing that “Years ago, it was all about alcohol, tobacco, firearms, and apartheid. Now it’s about anthropogenic climate change.” That he regards these issues as little more than slogans demonstrates his contempt for higher learning and critical thinking. After all, it is from VSU’s very own professors—who, by the way, must conduct and publish valid research in order to retain their jobs—that we have learned about the damaging effects of fossil fuels. For someone supposedly concerned with market ploys, Mr. Edwards fails to recognize the fact that millions of dollars are poured into the “climate denial industry” every year. Koch Industries
alone has poured $67 million into think tanks and organizations that actively work to propagate a false global warming counter-narrative. That Koch’s marketing ploy is effective is reflected in the fact that only 57 percent of Americans recognize that global warming is caused by human activity, a 40 percent difference from the scientific community. As many readers know, VSU has begun to utilize solar power to meet its energy needs. Our school is also one of 679 signatories of the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment which reads in part, “We recognize the scientific consensus that global warming is real and is largely being caused by humans.” But this commitment does not align with the position held by Wayne Edwards and the board of trustees. Divesting from fossil fuel companies is the next step in the institution’s pursuit of its stated values. Danielle Jordan President, S.A.V.E.
Take back your health Everybody has somebody Jessica Cooke S TA F F W R I T E R
jcooke@valdosta.edu
Students, it’s time to come to your senses and take your health back−while you still can. After CAB and AKA’s Heart Day forum on Feb. 4, thoughts concerning personal fitness and health reconstruction have certainly been at the forefront of some students’ minds, especially after learning that a poor diet and lack of exercise could contribute to heart disease. According to recent scientific studies, approximately two-thirds of Americans are overweight, with obesity causing hundreds of thousands of deaths each year in the U.S. The statistics don’t lie, and our campus should embrace
this information by reaching out to our fellow students who are in fear of being a part of these negative statistics. Obesity starts with consistent urges. People typically crave specific foods (usually unhealthy foods). Of course there are other factors that cause obesity, such as too much alcohol, inactivity or the side effects of specific medications. However, we must control what’s within our power. Food places on campus contain foods that can be considered a healthy choice, but they’re not highly advertised or suggested like the un healthier choices are. Most know Chic-Fil-A for their waffle fries, nuggets, tenders and milkshakes. But how many students know that Chic-Fil-A also serves fruit
cups and bottled juices that contain a full serving of vitamin C? Moreover, Einstein’s has an entire low-fat menu that is worth looking into. The campus recreation center is open seven days a week and is packed with all kinds of exercise equipment. However, students don’t necessarily have to use gym equipment to stay active. Choosing to walk to class or taking the stairs instead of the elevator could also enhance your physical health. Students should encourage each other to make healthier choices and take advantage of the ability to be active. To start your journey to good health, go to our the Student Health Center to have a physical done and to get your blood pressure checked!
LaShawn Oglesby S TA F F W R I T E R lsoglesby@valdosta.edu
Don’t consider yourself #ForeverAlone simply because you don’t have a significant other. Who’s to say that you’re automatically disqualified from enjoying Valentine’s Day or that you’re supposed to hate the holiday because you’re living the single life? Love not only comes in all shapes and sizes but also from many unique sources and forms of affection. You may not have a girlfriend or boyfriend, but you do have a mother or father (or someone you view as a parent) that you could call to say “I love you.” When’s the last time you
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Love not only comes in all shapes and sizes but also from many unique sources and forms of affection. caught up with your best friend from high school or spoiled your pet? Although your brother or sister may have driven you insane growing up, and while you may be happy to attend college far away from your sibling, he or she may want to spend some time with you. Let people know you appreciate them this Valentine’s Day.
If you’re still lonely, you can band together with some of your single friends and attend campus events geared towards Valentine’s Day. Getting involved with these activities can keep your mind busy and create some fun for yourself. It could even lead you to a romantic relationship because you never know who might show up at these events. As a final resort, get bold and build your confidence by introducing yourself to that certain someone you’ve had your eye on. Not having someone to call your own isn’t an excuse to be down about the holiday. Single doesn’t equal having no one to receive love from or to share your love with.
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PAgE 4 | vsUsPEctAtoR.com
FeaTureS
FEBRUARY 13, 2014
White gets dethroned in Sochi this week, three participants from television is runthe Cayman islands ning cold. wore shorts and flipentranced fans flops, and the U.S. of the cold-skin, sported the “homemade death-walker insweater from grandma” Isaiah Smart fested show “the look. Walking Dead” this year’s games another gutwere revitalized on Sunday feature 12 new events, turning, thrill-seekfor the mid-season premiere the majority being ing (half) season of its fourth season. added to the snowdrags its dead foot the zombie apocalypse boarding and freestyle forward. continued on aMC at 10 skiing categories. in toOn the chillier p.m., wrenching viewers tal, male competitors side of news, the through a winding rollerwill battle for 50 sets of Winter Olympics coaster ride of disappointing medals, women will began in Sochi. decisions, victorious zombie compete for 43 sets, and the iconic beheadings and Carl’s charac- Olympic rings five events will be coter development. ed. malfunctioned durMCT Campus rick survived the prison the competition and ing the opening Shaun White reacts to his failure to receive a medal in the men’s halfpipe Rosa standoff that featured the the weather are both heatceremony, and this Khutor Extreme Park during the 2014 Winter Olympics. governor from the mid-seaing up in Sochi. the could have been a classic fashion in the opening jackets while Germany son finale and led to this Sun- sign for things to come. Olympic hotspot has been ceremonies. Canada wore dawned a four-colored winter around 60 degrees, which day’s continuation. teams flaunted unique and mittens with their modern coat with red accessories. the
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Gamers big losers in the flap over ‘Flappy Bird’ Sometimes, what is created must also be destroyed. flappy Bird, one of the most downloaded games of 2014 across iOS, Windows and android marketplaces has been removed this week at the request of its creator. Created by Dong Nguyen and developed by DotGears Studios, flappy Bird was first released in May of 2013, but the game did not reach stardom until late January of 2014. the game’s concept is pretty simple−tap to fly. as the player taps the screen, the bird flies up and down dodging pipes to gain points; once you accumulate enough points, you earn a medal. the game’s popularity stemmed from its repetitive nature, the difficulty of success and the want for bragging rights from the player. was removed from all app On feb. 8, Nguyen took to marketplaces. Users who altwitter to address the fans ready downloaded the app (and enemies) of his game; will be able to play it, but but instead of answering quesanyone who tions, he admissed the fad mitted that will never get due to reto experience it cent popuon his or her larity and device−unless, negative of course, they with Joseph Albahari comments are willing to toward him pay top dollar he has come for the flappy to hate the Birds experigame. ence. Later that day, Nguyen immediately after the app’s tweeted, “i am sorry 'flappy removal, iPhone users were Bird' users, 22 hours from listing their phones on eBay at now, i will take 'flappy Bird' outrageous starting prices down. i cannot take this anyranging from $500 and $600 more.” to as high as $90,000. Keeping his word, the app
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Students ‘filled with love’ Abbie Baggerly S ta f f W r i t e r rabaggerly@valdosta.edu A screenshot from the popular app “Flappy Bird.”
While the game was on the market, Nguyen revealed that he received a “few hundred” death threats on a daily basis via twitter. He would sarcastically and creatively reply to most of them. in an interview with forbes Magazine, Nguyen explained why he suddenly removed the app. “flappy Bird was designed to play in a few minutes when you are relaxed, but it happened to become an addictive product,” Nguyen said. “i think it has become a problem. to solve that problem, it’s best to take down flappy Bird. it’s gone forever.”
‘Monuments Men’ a monumental flop Chris Kessler S P O rt S W r i t e r ckessler@valdosta.edu
Movies based on World War ii are generally actionpacked and violent, but “the Monuments Men” trades in bullets and guns for paintings and sculptures. “the Monuments Men” tells the true story of a group of men tasked with the mission of going into Germany to rescue artwork stolen by Hitler and the Nazis. Not only did George Clooney write and direct the film, he also stars in it alongside Matt Damon, Bill Murray, John Goodman, Jean Dujardin, Hugh Bonneville, Bob Balaban and Cate Blanchett. With such a star-studded cast, i expected more. the film fails to build upon the unique and interesting story with any real excitement, beginning (and ending) with an unimaginative classroomstyle slideshow presentation. the film’s lack of focus
adds to its dullness; it’s all over the place−literally. the group is split-up and sent all over europe. One minute, we see characters in france, and the next minute the scene suddenly shifts to Germany. the film’s focus is as broad as the group’s mission to recover stolen art from Hitler. as a viewer, i found it difficult to understand exactly what the group was doing to locate the art. i believe the film would have been better as an HBO miniseries. at least then there would have been more time for character and plot development. When the film does clearly present a conflict in its plot, there is some actual tension that gains interest; however, these occurrences happen so rarely that they really fail to add much to the film besides serving as small shots of adrenaline. the comedy is awkward and dry. While it attempts to energize the audience, it never
takes away from the overall feel of the winter games and limits some accessibility for competitors. Despite the high temperatures, events have yet to be cancelled. as one of america’s favorite snowboarders, Shaun White failed to receive a medal in the men’s halfpipe competition, coming in a disappointing fourth. in terms of medal count, america trails behind Norway, Canada and the Netherlands, with nine medals total (five of which are bronze). “Hot. Cool. Yours,” is the motto for this year’s winter games. Let’s see who heats up and owns the rest of the games.
really gets all the way there. You keep waiting for that big laugh amongst all the small chuckles, but you end up holding your breath instead. there’s a running gag with Matt Damon speaking poor french that manages to get a grin and brief laugh out of me, but nothing more. Such a response sums up the entire film–a small reaction, but nothing substantial. the story of these men risking their lives to protect our culture is quite honorable, but “the Monuments Men” is nothing more than a mediocre, large-scale documentary.
If you go... Where: Valdosta Stadium Cinema When: 4:15 p.m., 7 p.m., 9:40 p.m. Cost: About $10
february is about more than flowers and candy. Sponsored by the Sigma iota chapter of alpha Phi Omega (aPO) at VSU, the third annual “filled with Love” fundraiser helps provide clothing and food to various shelters and organizations around the Valdosta community. this year, aPO has joined with the Collegiate Panhellenic Council (CPC) to expand their fundraising efforts. throughout the month of february, aPO will be col-
lecting clothing and canned food donations at locations across campus. Drop-off locations will be provided feb. 13 on the Pedestrian Mall, feb. 18 on the Palms Quad and feb. 20 at the Student Union. the hours for the drop-off locations are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. “We want to do this project to make a difference in the Valdosta/Lowndes County area,” Marcus Hill, president of the Sigma iota chapter of aPO, said. $15 t-shirts will also be available for each brother of aPO and each sister of the CPC sororities to purchase. the proceeds will go towards the purchase of canned food and clothing.
aPO is also inviting local businesses and churches to participate in this project. all donated clothing will be given to homeless shelters and LaMP, an organization that provides help to the homeless around Valdosta. the donated food will be given to Hungry at Home and Second Harvest food Bank. . On feb. 28, the brothers and sisters of aPO and CPC will come together on the front lawn and spell out “LOVe” to display all of the donations.
SportS
FEBRUARY 13, 2014
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No. 21 VSU opens GSC play this weekend Chris Webb S p o rt S W r i t e r ctrswebb@valdosta.edu
No. 21 Valdosta State (5-0) will kick off conference play this weekend, as Shorter University (1-6) comes to Billy Grant Field for a threegame series, starting with a doubleheader Saturday at 1 p.m. putting up 35 runs in last weekend’s sweep against paine (Feb. 8-9), VSU has already put up 63 runs through its first five games and is looking to continue its hot hitting against a struggling Hawks’ pitching staff. With a team averaging 6.41 earned runs a game, the Blazers have their hands full with an offense averaging over 12 runs a game. Leading the way for VSU is junior catcher Bryant Hayman, who is batting .412 with three home runs and 11 runs batted in. Hayman is showing why he was a preseason, allconference selection. protecting Hayman in the fourth spot lineup is rightfielder Jimmy Dowdell.
Stanley Gilliam/ The Spectator Pitcher Josh Mann winds up on the mound against Georgia Southwestern on Feb 2. Mann is 2-0 this season.
the senior transfer from Boston College has been solid in his role early, stepping in as the clean-up hitter with a .438 batting average and five runs batted in. Another transfer student, junior shortstop Mike reed, has settled nicely into his role, hitting second in front of Hayman; his last three games have seen him go for a
. 666 batting average, seven runs scored and eight runs batted in, earning him GSC Conference player of the Week. “Mike’s a good hitter; he’s going to hit anywhere you put him in the order,” head coach Greg Guilliams said. “Hitting in front of some good hitters, he’s going to see some good pitches to hit.”
Combine these three’s monstrous starts and have them back to back to back, it’s easy to see why VSU’s offense has been running on all cylinders early this season. “We have Mike hitting second in the order because we want him up a lot just like with Hayman, and Dowdell [is] right behind him,” Guilliams said. “those are guys
Rollins up next for VSU tennis Lia Armistead S p o rt S W r i t e r jparmistead@valdosta.edu
on Saturday, the two tennis teams will travel to Winter park, Fla., where they will each compete against rollins College. this will be the first time the Blazers have played rollins in two years, causing anticipation amongst the players. in the 2012 season, the men’s team lost to rollins 90, which was a disappointment for the team. However, at the beginning of the 2011 season, the Blazer’s dominated rollins 6-0 while keeping their number two spot in the national rankings. rollins has only played one match this season, beating out palm Beach Atlantic 7-2, and having their second
match against emory- riddle cancelled. With this statistic, the Blazers are going into the match with two wins and two losses, being only a few weeks into the 2014 season. this will be a tough match, with rollins currently ranked 9th in the Division ii top 25 national ranking and VSU not being ranked at all. However, this is a chance for the Blazers to step their game up, and serve rollins an unexpected match. the women’s team has also not played rollins in the last two years, however had closer matches than the men’s. the women’s team suffered a big loss against rollins, losing 9-0 at the beginning of the 2011 season. With a close match in 2012, losing by only three points, 6-3, the Lady Blazers have the goal of turning the tables around on this oppo-
Stanley Gilliam/ The Spectator Double partners Mario Navarro and Francisco Yim Kim prepare to return a shot.
nent. Going into this match, the Lady Blazers are undefeated, defeating GCSU and Young Harris last weekend at home. Hoping to keep their 16th spot in the national rankings, the women’s tennis team is going into this match with their heads up and eye on the price, keeping their goals for the season in mind. With the support of their fellow teammates, every player will give their all in these matches, hoping to im-
prove from previous seasons against rollins and continue working their way to nationals.
VSU Rugby
The Blazers, who are undefeated, face North Georgia College and State Feb. 22 at 3 p.m.
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we feel are going to produce over the long haul of the season.” on the mound, Dom DeMasi (1-00) (0.00 erA) will start the first game for VSU as he looks to build off his last start that saw him go six innings recording eight strikeouts and 0 runs allowed. Junior ethan Bornstein (10) (0.00 erA) starts the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader. this will be the first start of the season for Bornstein after pitching 4.1 scoreless innings out of the bullpen. For Sunday’s contest, the Blazers will send senior lefty Josh Mann (0-0) (0.90 erA) to the mound in hopes of silencing a shorter offense that has already hit five homeruns this season. the third and final game of the series will take place Sunday, 3 p.m., at Billy Grant Field. Follow Chris on twitter:@CtrSWebb
NCAA Division II Top-25 Rankings 1. Tampa 2.Minnesota State- Mankato 3.St. Edward’s (Texas) 4.West Florida 5.Mount Olive 6.Grand Valley State 7.St. Cloud State 8.Delta State 9.Franklin Pierce 10.Shippensburg 11.Texas A&M -Kingsville 12.Chico State 13.Southern Arkansas 14. South Carolina-Aiken 15.St. Mary 16.Colorado Mesa 17.Missouri Western State 18.Cal State-Monterey Bay 19.Central Missouri 20.Lander 21.Valdosta State 22.Seton Hill 23.North Carolina Pembroke 24.Catawba 25.Coker
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SportS
February 13, 2014
Blazers battle Lions, Wolves at home Shane Thomas s p o rt s w r i t e r
shanethomas@valdosta.edu
Following a 9-1 start, the Blazers have lost six of their last nine games as they welcome Gulf south Conference rival North Alabama (14-8) to the p.e. Complex thursday night. the Lions come into thursday night on a fourgame winning streak, while Blazers have lost two in a row following a 73-62 loss to Alabama-Huntsville on saturday. Against the Chargers, VsU shot a season-low 30.9 percent from the floor and dropped to 1-5 this season when they shoot less than 41 percent. “we had a lot of good looks at Huntsville and just didn’t make them,” Mike Helfer, Blazers head coach said. “we’re just going to continue to get better and try to prepare for this last stretch of games and then the tournament.” “our offense is important in terms of momentum,” Helfer added. “Hopefully we can just get a good balance (offensively and defensively) as we go into this stretch.”
the Lions feasted on the Blazers in Florence, Ala. on Jan. 9, winning decisively 97-69; the Blazers’ worst loss of the season. Junior forward Calvin Dade was particularly devastating against VsU, scoring 24 points and ripping down 14 rebounds in only 21 minutes of play. UNA also got strong games from seniors rashaun Claiborne and wes Long as the duo combined for 32 points and 14 rebounds. “[UNA] is playing very well at this time of year,” Helfer said. “they are very multi-dimensional. they have kids that can play different positions. Claiborne can play the three, the four— they actually had him at center for a few possessions.” “that’s hard to guard and every kid on their team can score the basketball. they do a good job of finding the kid that’s hot on that particular night. they’re a good team and we’re going to have to play well to win.” playing well defensively against a high-powered offensive team like the Lions will be key. the Blazers realize they need to bring energy on that end of the floor to win.
“we have to be more defensive-minded,” senior guard Jeremy McKay said. “[the starters] have to bring energy starting off so we can get good role play from guys off the bench.” with seven games remaining until the GsC tournament, no. 21 Delta state has all but sewn up the top seed. the Blazers currently sit seventh in the conference with a 6-7 mark but could find a way to move up with strong play down the stretch; the Blazers were the fourth seed in last year’s tournament. “Most coaches are just trying to get their team playing well this time of the year,” Helfer said. “we just need to focus on us and if we move up, great—that means we’re playing well.” the Blazers begin their last home stand of the season against North Alabama thursday night. tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m.
s p o rt s w r i t e r
ndfrawley@valdosta.edu
with March close on the horizon, the dog days of basketball are officially upon us. teams are quickly trying to shore up their records heading toward conference tournaments, and most importantly -- the NCAA tournament, which is looming just close enough in the distance to add significance to every game. For VsU, whom have dropped their last seven out of nine games, they will need to capitalize on the treacherous stretch of five games over a the span of nine days if they want to boost their chances to go to the big dance. the grueling stretch begins tonight against North Alabama University (12-8, 7-7 in GsC), followed by Union University on saturday (15-5, 10-4 in GsC), and then a brief road trip to pensacola, Fla. to play west Florida University (12-6, 7-5 in GsC) for a make-up game that was cancelled for inclement weather. the game was originally set to be played on Jan. 28.
After coming back from pensacola, the Lady Blazers will need to refocus quickly, as arch rival west Georgia University (6-14, 4-10 in GsC) will be paying a visit on thursday, followed by another home game against shorter University (5-15, 311 in GsC) next saturday. perhaps the silver lining for the next nine days is that four of the next five games will be played at home, giving the players added comfort to try and pick up a few key victories as before conference play ends. [we need to] turn it back around with a quick recovery, if we can. we've been gone for four straight days," Hill said. VsU split its two latest road games, beating west Alabama University 73-55 last thursday — followed by a 75-67 loss to AlabamaHuntsville on saturday. April thomas lead VsU in the win against wAU with 20 points, Kourtnee williams had 15, and Amy Duke had 10. Against AHU, four players had double figures in points, with Amy Duke leading the way with 17. Jordan waugh had 14, April thomas had 13,
1 . No.2 1 De lta S ta te (1 2 -2 ) (1 9 -3 ) 2 . We s t Ala ba ma (9 -5 ) (1 2 -8 ) 3 .North Ala ba ma (8 -6 ) (1 4 -8 ) 4 . C hris tia n B rothe rs (8 -6 ) (1 2 -8 ) 5 .Ala ba ma -Hunts ville (8 -6 ) (1 2 -9 ) 6 . We s t Ge org ia (7 -7 ) (1 5 -8 ) 7 . Va ldos ta S ta te (6 -7 ) (1 2 -7 ) 8 . Union (6 -8 ) (1 0 -1 0 ) 9 .S horte r (5 -9 ) (8 -1 2 )
Follow shane on twiiter: @itsA_thomasthing
1 0 . Le e (4 -9 ) (8 -11 ) Sierra King / The Spectator
Lady Blazers to host conference rivals Neil Frawley
Gulf S outh C onfe re nce S ta nding s
and K. williams had 10. Despite the balanced scoring, the team shot just 37.7% (2361) combined from the field. “[At Alabama] Huntsville we just couldn't buy a basket. [we] just couldn't really make baskets down the stretch. we had some tough situations— tough breaks."
Gulf South Conference Standings 1 . No.1 6 De lta S ta te (1 2 -2 ) 2 . *Le e (11 -2 ) 3 . *Union (1 0 -4 ) 4 . We s t F lorida (7 -5 ) 5 . C hris tia n B rothe rs (8 -6 ) 6 . Ala ba ma -Hunts ville (7 -7 ) 7 . North Ala ba ma
(7 -7 )
8 . Va ldos ta S ta te ( 5 -8 ) 9 . We s t Ge org ia (4 -1 0 ) 1 0 . *S horte r (3 -11 ) 11 . We s t Ala ba ma (1 -1 3 )
11 . We s t F lorida (2 -1 0 ) (3 -1 5 )
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