March 7, 2013
W W W. V S U S P E C TAT O R . C O M
Inside This Issue
Escape...
- OPINIONS: “Kiss friday classes goodbye” - FEATURES: “ri-ri goes from bottles to babies,
Coming soon: spring break Check out our spring break tab for vacation planning tips and more!
Bieber goes insane”
- SPORTS: “VsU tennis team ready for long road trip”
Today at VSU
VOLUME 84 ISSUE 21
On the Web
w w w. v s u s p e c ta t o r. c o m Check out our music columns: Rebecka McAleer’s Additive Noise for the best music you’ve never heard and Anthony Drake’s On the Record for album reviews!
NAACP to host HOPE forum
Spirit of Africa:
ZETA Phi BETA iNTErEST MEETiNg - Uc Theatre, 7:30 p.m. come learn about a sorority that is committed to serving the campus and community while respecting the principles of finer Womanhood, scholarship, service and sisterly love. find out how to get involved with the annual fashion show and impersonation show.
Allison Ericson s ta f f W r i t E r abericson@valdosta.edu
VAgiNA MONOlOgUES Student Union Theater, 7 p.m. Women’s and Gender studies presents Eve Ensler’s Obie award-winning play based on interviews with over 200 women about their memories and experiences of sexuality. tickets are on sale in carswell Hall and the student success center. prices are $5 for students and $10 for nonstudents. AUdiTiON: VSU girlS rOck - Uc Theater, 7-9 p.m. singers, dancers and poets are welcomed to entertainment auditions for an upcoming night of celebrating women on campus. SciENcE SEMiNAr - Powell hall, 4-5 p.m. dr. renee arias, of the Usda-ars national peanut research laboratory in dawson, Ga., will present “disease control in the peanut a Genetic approach.”
Weather Today Sunny 63 H 35 L
Friday Sunny 69 H 40 L
Saturday Sunny 70 H 44 L
Question of the week Are you ready for midterms? A. No! I think I’m gonna fail. B. Yep. I’ve been preparing for weeks. C. My classes don’t have midterms. D. I’ve already taken all of my midterms. Vote online at www.vsuspectator.com!
Last Week’s Poll Results What are your thoughts on advising? Got my schedule planned and ready to go.
42%
other
25%
Advising is pointless.
17%
My adviser is too hard to see.
16%
Ritsuki Miyazaki / The SPecTAToR
From left:Ron-Aique Shakir, senior psychology major; Cienna Baptiste, senior chemistry major and Brenda Enfua, senior communications major look at inventions by African Americans during Sankofa at the UC Wednesday night.
Exhibit celebrates African heritage Ritsuki Miyazaki s ta f f W r i t E r rmiyazaki@valdosta.edu
VsU african american studies presented the sankofa african american Museum on Wheels on Wednesday, which showcased african american history. the exhibit will be from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. today in the University center Magnolia room. angela Jennings, the owner and the curator of the museum, established sankofa in 1995 as a way to teach her nephew and other young people about the history of african americans and their unique and rich heritage. sankofa was named after the
Ghanaian term, which means We were forced “use the wisdom of the past to build the future.” here to build this the exhibit displays pictures, books, paintings, fetters and innation and were not ventions by african americans able to speak the from the 1860s to the present. Jennings collected the items language — now we on exhibit as she traveled can see the accomthrough the U.s., Virgin islands, West africa and Europe. plishments of the Jennings is from denmark, enslaved Africans. s.c. and has traveled to over 2,000 different universities to in- ANgElA JENNiNgS, troduce african american dias- OwNEr/crEATOr Of SANkOfA pora and experience. this nation and were not able to “i’d like students to know speak the language—now we how african americans came to can see the accomplishments of america, and we’re the only the enslaved africans.” people that were not brought during the exhibit, Jennings here voluntarily,” Jennings said. presented stories and dramatiza“We were forced here to build
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tions about selected periods and historical figures to allow those in the audience to experience both the pain and the pride of the history portrayed. during Wednesday’s exhibit showing, many VsU students were shocked by the graphic pictures of lynching. “that was very extreme,” akua twenewaa, a junior psychology major, said. “How can human beings be so cruel to do such a thing even to a baby?” Other students agreed with the impact of the exhibit. “i’m from Ghana and it was really interesting to see what impact it makes on other countries from different perspectives,” Jolene abrokwa, a junior psychology major, said.
HOpE—most students have it, lose it and don’t know much about it. not the verb, but Georgia’s HOpE scholarship. VsU’s naacp chapter will host their second panel discussion at 6 p.m. on Monday in the U.c Magnolia room to raise HOpE scholarship awareness. the panel discussion was designed to inform the Valdosta community on Gov.nathan deal’s new HOpE recommendations. “HOpE helps out Valdosta and surrounding areas by allowing students to receive funding for the continuing in higher education that may need financial support in efforts to attend colleges,” tyler Barker, naacp’s employment and economic empowerment committee chair, said. the discussion will have many guest speakers to inform students and interact with them by answering questions and concerns. VsU is one of the many south Georgia schools affected by the new recommendations. “there are newly proposed changes to HOpE that will affect students of south Georgia like no other area,” Barker said. spreading HOpE awareness will assist students financially and help them to maintain a qualified Gpa. to broaden awareness, the naacp has asked the surrounding schools Wiregrass technical college, aBac and thomas University students to attend. “We've worked with Mr. doug tanner, our director of the financial aid department in the past on improving access to See HOPE, Page 2
SGA: ‘Our job is to better VSU’ Stephen Cavallaro OpiniOns EditOr sjcavallaro@valdosta.edu
&
Joe Adgie sOcial MEdia EditOr jmadgie@valdosta.edu
despite maintaining a budget of over $17,500, sGa adhered to the warnings of fellow senators during a meeting on Monday. it happened after the ras of centennial Hall requested $1,000 for food for an upcoming carnival, despite already having a budget for activities. senator Yannick Gill discussed the danger of allocating funds for fun. “there haven’t been that many events this year, and i’m pro-events right now, but i’m not pro-wasting money,” Gill said. “they do have a budget, and this is something they campaigned for, and secondly, on a good day, they might get about 50 people.” Gill also explained the consequences of approving the proposal. “You have to think about the idea of audit,” Gill said. “clubs that are using money on a lot of things outside of their own budget are losing funds, and why? [VsU] is looking through to see
where we can save money. if they audit us to see where we’re spending money on, and it’s nothing but food, they’ll ask why we’re spending so much money towards this.” after several drawn out recounts, the notion to allocate $750 towards food for the carnival was not approved. ryan Baerwalde, sGa president, explained the organization’s viewpoint after the motion was rejected. “Our job is not to provide funds for different carnivals and cookouts,” Baerwalde said, “Our job is to better VsU.” By comparison, another group received $500, for an event called “March Madness,” hosted by the distinguished Women of Excellence, a new organization on campus that lacks a budget. Gill explained that this event received money as it is for the betterment of women, while centennial was just putting on a fun event.
NOTES: William Mast was voted in as senator. Scott Doner, VSUPD director, made an appearance, speaking about the services offered to students by the police. Discussions also involved Relay for Life and SGA Week.
Graphic by: Joe Adgie/The Spectator
News
PAge 2 | vSuSPeCTAToR.CoM
MARCH 7, 2013
Tips for Surviving Advising “Students
Sign up with your adviser as early as possible.
Know what classes you need before advising
need to be sure that their advisers are lifting As the old saying goes: VSU has a great tool the flag on the early bird under Banner called their catches the worm. DegreeWorks accounts that tracks your so they can progress towards your Depending on your register on department, designated degree. time. ” appointment times - VeroniCa Graham, reCords Coordinator, reGistrar
Compiled by Anthony Pope
Know what time you are able to register Depending on your class standing, there are different times each student is able to register. You can find out what time you can register by viewing the
The tool also tells you Academic the classes you have Calendar taken and need to take on the Registrar’s in order to graduate. website.
can fill up quickly so be sure to sign up with your adviser as soon as possible.
Debate Team triumphs over Miami Joe Adgie sociAl MediA editor jmadgie@valdosta.edu
VsU’s speech and debate team has scored a national championship, the fourth for the university in less than two years. the team defeated the debate team of the University of Miami, something that members of the team view as a major accomplishment. “it allows us to realize that we’ve come a great way,” Keven rudrow, executive secretary of the debate team, said. “the better the teams we debate against is just a good example of how far we’ve progressed as a team.” the team debates current
events at the competitions, and that some people will fail in ortheir side on a particular issue is der for some people to be sucgiven by officials. cessful, is that a good thing or a “that’s one of the more interbad thing? it really questions the esting aspects of it,” Yannick way we think.” Gill, president of the debate Gill had several different topteam, said. ics that he disYou really get to hit cussed-- topics “We’ve had to debate several that, according to your opponent rather him, controversial changed issues, one of than your coaches every round. them being eutalked and the university’s about“We thanasia, and the privatiyou don’t real- research. zation of the jailly get to - YanniCk Gill, president ing system, we choose, so you of the debate team talked about have to be fracking, nuclear completely objective.” waste and energy, so just a vari“We talked about capitalism, ety of topics,” Gill said. and what are the effects of capithe groups are given their talism on an ever-globalizing topics 15 minutes before the acworld,” rudrow said. “Are the tual debates, something that is effects bad, is this whole idea welcomed by both rudrow and
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Jostens sells championship jewelry and accessories Neil Frawley A s s t. s o c i A l M e d i A editor ndfrawley@valdosta.edu
Jostens combined their graduation sale, titled “Grad Finale,” with 2012 football championship merchandise tuesday and Wednesday. However, while purchase is no longer available outside of the bookstore, dedicated Blazer sports fans can still shop online at Jostens website to find all the products that were available at the setup. the products that Jostens of-
HOPE Continued from Page 1
“ There is nothing
like school spirit! I am honored to support our Blazers in all their glory. ” - Quinesha Claiborne, sophomore mass media major
fers include both men's and women's championship rings, key chains and necklaces. in addition to Jostens' sale, VsU also has championship apparel available for purchase. in contrast to Jostens, the bookstore
has apparel representing both the tennis and softball championships and not just football. "there is nothing like school spirit! i am honored to support our Blazers in all their glory," Quinesha claiborne, sophomore mass media major, said. "i like how the shirt shows the championships’ years, but i prefer the shirt in black," douglas Pritchett, freshman undecided major, said. After what was described as a "very good turnout" by loretta lizzotte, Jostens representative, the booth unfortunately will be gone after Wednesday.
Gill. “You really get to hit your opponent rather than your coaches and the university’s research,” Gill said. rudrow agreed that coming together for educational purposes was all worth it. “it really sparks educational debate,” rudrow said. While the prestige of VsU facing off against a big school such as Miami can be considered a big deal, Gill explained that the team could not think that way during the debates. “it’s not really a factor that you can let yourself think about,” Gill said. “every person’s another man, it doesn’t matter what letters they have behind their name. they’re no different than me.”
March 7, 1876 Alexander Graham Bell patents the telephone Bell, at 29-years-old, receives a patent for his revolutionary new invention, the telephone. Source: http://history.com
HAPPY ‘TATOR DAY!
information about HoPe and other important information regarding financial aid,” Barker said. the state of Georgia offers HoPe to billions of qualifying students every year. For many students, keeping HoPe is crucial in furthering their college careers. “i have to have a 3.0 to have HoPe, that’s why i’m not opposed to pulling all-nighters,” Kaitlyn Alston, a freshman legal assistance studies major, said. Barker said, “VsU students can help with H.o.P.e by continuing to raise awareness about the current state of the HoPe scholarship to other students who may not know and continuing to research more about their financial aid opportunities especially when it relates to tuition and financial accessibility.”
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Services Pregnancy Wasn’t Part of the Plan
News
marcH 7, 2013
vsuspectator.com | page 3
Upcoming Events March 11, 6:15 p.m. Speaker Tom Watson is giving an open lecture. Screening classroom, Mass Media Building March 11, 7:30 p.m. VSU Faculty Jazz Combo performs a tribute to the late Dave Brubeck who passed away in December at the age of 91. Whitehead Auditorium March 11, 7-8:30 p.m. Inca Archaeology, Ice Mummies and the Anthropology of Sacred Mountains UC Theater
Dr. Constanza Ceruti is the only female Andean high altitude archaeologist in the world. For more information contact Dr. Susan Wehling (swehling@valdosta.edu) at 333-5948. March 12, 7:30 p.m. The Georgia Sea Turtle Center: Integrating Rehabilitation Research and Education Magnolia Room, UC Speaker Dr. Terry Norton, director and veterinarian March 14, 6:30 p.m. Center for Applied Social
Police Briefs Mar. 3 Student was harassed by her roommate in their off-campus apartment. Victim wants to file a report with VSU PD. Mar. 4 Dan Anderson with Miller Plumbing reported a 10-15 to their storage buildings over the weekend. VSU police made arrest for misdemeanor possession of marijuana.
Mar. 5 VSU officer James Holcomb was dispatched to the area of Drexel Park regarding a subject believed to be in violation of a criminal trespass warning. Student reported that she believes her roommate may have stolen some “things” from her. Grey “Giant” brand bike stolen from the area of Bailey Science Center yesterday.
Sciences presents Faculty Research UC Theater Presentations include Dr. Catherine Oglesby, Dr. Joyce Chan, Dr. Wilson Huang and Dr. Chris Meyers. For more information, call 333-5492. March 23, 9 a.m. to noon Fourth Science Saturday Nevins Hall “What a Wonderful World” includes planetarium shows, a sun observation, exploring GPS, diving into the microscopic world, geocaching, etc.
CALLING ALL WRITERS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS: THE SPECTATOR WANTS YOU! Contact Editor-in-Chief Amber Smith (amsmith@valdosta.edu)
or Managing Editor Jennifer Gleason (jlgleason@valdosta.edu)
for more information!
Correction: The photo accompanying the article “Sigmas to paint campus blue with KDR” in the Feb. 28, 2013 issue of the Spectator was taken by Arianna Elizabeth Scott. The photo credit was stated otherwise. The Spectator welcomes any suggestions or corrections. Please send any information of this type to Amber Smith, Editor-in-Chief, at amsmith@valdosta.edu.
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OpiniOns
PAge 4 | vsusPeCtAtoR.CoM
MARCH 7, 2013
Our point of view...
Kiss Friday classes goodbye M
aybe it’s time to kiss friday classes goodbye. if this proposed idea is made into a reality, it’s safe to say that there will be mixed emotions. there are many factors in consideration when thinking about this pending proposal, and for some this news won’t leave them happy. Consider upcoming seniors with more hours left than a tight schedule could accommodate. for those who find graduating on time important, we doubt they’d want this change to happen.
Or maybe you are that upcoming sophomore who has already planned for next semester to somehow avoid a fifth work day like the plague. it just depends. Depending on your major, not having friday classes may not even be fathomable. this is why before any decision can be made, more research should be done regarding how this potentially affects curriculum, department scheduling, students and faculty. However, if the wrinkles can be ironed out, we at the Spectator, along with a majority of
students, wouldn’t mind saying good riddance. first of all, everyone knows that during registration friday classes are generally the last to be picked up, proving that students ideally don’t want to be on campus an extra day if not necessary. this might hold true for faculty too--what professor would rather spend the day teaching than have an extra day to plan and prepare? Secondly, nationwide, faculty members share the frustration of low attendance from students in friday classes. Students would
Friday classes are generally the last to be picked up, proving that students ideally don’t want to be on campus an extra day rather spend that day doing other productive things, traveling home or just catching up on sleep. Less face-to-face time with professors is certainly more preferable, but the work-load should remain the same.
Southern University of Baton rouge, La., along with several other schools around the country, has already taken to the four day schedule. "a three-day weekend is much more energizing," Demetrius Sumner, SU student
government president, said. "if it proves to be a cost saving, then it's a double whammy." if friday classes were to end, many will take advantage of more time for family, work, and extracurricular activities. regardless of what’s decided, the decision should be well-researched and consider student input, since it ultimately affects us in the long run. it’s time for VSU to pucker up.
This editorial was written by Eric Jackson (epjackson@valdosta.edu) and it expresses the general opinion of the editorial staff.
Outsourcing a way of life People Poll: Quasha Ross S ta f f W r i t e r qlross@valdosta.edu
Outsourcing has become a way of life here in america and is something our country has become quite fond of. Outsourcing means exactly what it sounds like—going out to find a source that can supply a specific need. for instance, businesses can obtain products such as machine parts for certain equipment through outsourcing. Many companies outsource in order to lower firm costs, conserve energy and make efficient use of worldwide labor. for years, americans have grown accustomed to the idea that many jobs and skills are being distributed to distant countries. While these essential components of the U.S. economy are being exported overseas, other countries are thriving financially from the business that the U.S. is sending them. Not only are our products being produced abroad, but our services are also which has created a problem.
Due to outsourcing, highly skilled american workers are losing their jobs because the labor costs are cheaper overseas. another big issue is that U.S. companies are finding it much easier to hire outside business in order to provide specialized work, but they opt out of bringing their own companies up to speed on specific techniques and skills. While our country’s big businesses give work to foreign countries, they limit our country in the process. Let us just say that we are now outsourcing our knowledge. today, the United States has an advantage within industries that are comprised of highly skilled workers. these workers possess a strong wealth of knowledge that contributes to the United States’ lead in a flourishing economy. By having such a high de-
Has separation of church and state gone too far? Why? mand for knowledge from foreign countries, these countries benefit from the influx of knowledge and eventually use it for the advancement of their own economy. Based on the given facts here, we can all agree that outsourcing definitely puts a damper on our education. there have recently been shifts in enrollment of college students. Students are now leaning toward other majors such as business, as opposed to seeking out computer science or engineering majors. Students are afraid that if they do pursue a career in these fields mentioned, their jobs could possibly be outsourced overseas for
a much cheaper price. if america continues to outsource, it may go from being a choice to being our only option. Outsourcing seems to be a way to put faith in foreign entities, believing that they can do a better job and produce better quality than we can here in the United States. Yes, outsourcing has provided a great deal of growth to U.S. corporations; it has allowed them to cut costs and compete effectively in global markets, but outsourcing has only been beneficial to short term growth. america needs something to sustain the economy for the long haul, and outsourcing is not the answer.
Assimilation causes division Taylor Stone S ta f f W r i t e r tnstone@valdosta.edu
if the next three sentences strike you as anything other than “normal,” or if you answer "no" to any of the following questions, you are most likely among the majority of americans who openly embrace the concept of multiculturalism--even if you know absolutely nothing about it. 1. Have you ever been annoyed by the fact that you are forced to select a language before completing a financial transaction at every atM machine in the U.S.? 2. Have you ever been troubled while attending a lecture that seems to focus primarily on the degradation of Western culture or highlight only the injustices that have taken place throughout american history? 3. Does it seem odd to you that individuals who were once labeled "illegal aliens" are instead now referred to as "undocumented workers?” if you wanted to answer "yes" but would instead answer "no" if asked these same questions in a public forum, it would most likely be due to the fear of being labeled a racist, xenophobe, hatemonger, or some similar derogatory term. this unfortunate reality is one of the many barriers that continue to prevent an honest and fact-based discussion of
multiculturalism and the well-intentioned goals that every society should embrace and strive for. Multiculturalism refers to the idea that "outside groups" with proud and long-held cultural identities can freely migrate into and peacefully coexist with a pre-existing majority society/cul-
When one individual makes a personal attack against another during an intellectual debate, it's a sure sign that he or she has officially lost the argument and conceded defeat ture, while not pursuing (and in some cases rejecting) assimilation into that culture's identity. in turn, the dominant/majority society subverts their own identity and willingly accepts the "outside group" in the name of tolerance and/or "ethnic diversity.” Over time, however, this can lead to dangerous and even deadly consequences.
angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany, has said that attempts to build a multicultural society in Germany, “has failed, utterly failed,” arguing that immigrants haven’t done enough to integrate themselves into German society. David Cameron, British Prime Minister, stands against multiculturalism in Britain, arguing that housing extremist ideologies will lead to islamic terrorism. "We have even tolerated segregated communities behaving in ways that run counter to our values,” Cameron said. “all this leaves some young Muslims feeling rootless. and the search for something to belong to and believe in can lead them to extremist ideology.” On a micro-level, simplistic forms of multiculturalism can work wonderfully--because it occurs organically. i challenge anyone to point to a successful business or a thriving family that doesn't have at least a couple of individuals who are extremely different from the "majority" of its other members in any variety of classifications. family and business decisions are made on one's own volition based on individual circumstances and scenarios. On a macro-level, and when mandated by a governmental authority or central planner, multiculturalism can only be successful for short periods of time before human nature and reality take hold (i.e. Great Britain and Germany for the most recent ex-
amples). after that, multiculturalism can only be propagated as a viable societal model via academic theory or through manufactured statistics and false claims. Does this mean that all societal majorities are evil conglomerates of racists?--of course not. in fact, one could easily make the case that the american Civil War was a "textbook example" of the unintended consequences that always arise whenever multiculturalism is forced upon a society. the sub-culture of slavery and those who supported it was antithetical to the majority-culture's societal identity--the two cultures could not peacefully coexist because their core values were incompatible. Slavery literally tore apart the fabric of american society to the point where the dominant culture was forced to take violent and necessary action to preserve its own existence. When one individual makes a personal attack against another during an intellectual debate, it's a sure sign that he or she has officially lost the argument and conceded defeat. So let's be serious here--if a family moved in next door to you and communicated with each other using only text messaging and roasted buzzard carcasses in their front yard every morning for breakfast, would you be excited about inviting them over for dinner? if you say "no" then that makes you a bird-hating pro-illiteracy zealot.
Sports Editor: eric Jackson Photo Editor: Cody Hicks Multimedia Editor: Von Kennedy Web Designer: rebecka Mcaleer Copy Editor: Shambree Wartel Cartoonist: Garrison Muelhausen Social Media Editor: Joe adgie Faculty Advisers: Dr. Pat Miller, Dr. ted Geltner, Keith Warburg
"it hasn’t gone far enough...religion breeds upright virtues, but it also breeds bias towards other view points, something the founding fathers tried to prevent."
Jamal Bunch sophomore business Admin major "Yes it has gone far enough. i feel as though over the years government has taken more control to do away with god."
Kyler Dessay senior psychology major "it’s fine the way it is, People still have the right to operate under their own belief system."
Cody Smith sophomore accounting major " i believe, as of now, the separation of church and state is okay. religion is based on a personal spiritual relationship and should not have to be tied into business or school."
Nathan Calvert sophomore music education major "i don’t think it has gone as far as it should have, because laws are still in the books concerning marriage. Which in my opinion is a purely religious institution."
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features
MARCH 7, 2013
vsuspeCtAtoR.CoM | pAge 5
Profs, students immerse in ‘Second Life’ John Preer A S S T . f E AT U R E S E D i T O R
jhpreer@valdosta.edu
Second Life technology has been sweeping college campuses around the nation, and VSU has been no exception. Second Life is a Massive Multiplayer Online video game and 3-D website that allows users to interact in a virtual world. it has become widely used by both instructors and students. Second Life allows instructors to provide and create activities that would be impossible to do in a regular class room setting. VSU has been using the Second Life technology for the past three years. in May 2010, VSU purchased a virtual island equivalent to 16 acres of land that features replicas of West Hall and faculty offices. VSU paid for the island in
cash, and also pays a monthly maintenance fee. The professor who initially saw the potential for Second Life to be used in the classroom was Dr. Cindy Tandy. Dr. Tandy, an associate professor in VSU’s division of Social Work, has been using the extraordinary networking capabilities that Second Life features. Dr. Tandy first started using the Second Life program about two years prior to VSU purchasing the island. Dr. Tandy, along with other professors in the foreign language department, has integrated the Second Life program into her classes. Students can setup free accounts and create personalized avatars to navigate the extensive virtual world. Dr. Tandy and the other VSU professors give their students assignments that require them to
Photo Courtesy of VSU The virtual world Second Life gives students and faculty a place to visit and brings something different and new to the university.
explore the Second Life world and interact with other students and simulations that are spread all throughout the virtual world. Dr. Tandy expressed her initial enthusiasm for the game after being part of a conversation between educators from various states and countries. it was then
that Dr. Tandy realized the many advantages Second Life had to offer. “instructors can do things in Second Life that can’t be accomplished in a brick and mortar classroom,” Dr. Tandy, said. Dr. Tandy noted that although she is impressed with the amount of students using the program,
she would also like to see a surge of faculty involvement. She argues that the program provides teaching applications and simulations that would not be accessible in a standard class room setting. Arguably one of the best features that Second Life boasts, is its insatiable capacity for growth. Currently VSU only has one island, which is fairly small compared to some universities that have three or four. if more students and faculty begin to use the program, more virtual land will have to be purchased in order to accommodate the growing population. New expansions could feature more campus building simulations and activities for visitors to interact with. Also, there is a student theater art gallery where VSU students can display their artwork. How-
ever, Dr. Tandy feels as if this area could use some more development and submissions from students. There is an entire building in Second Life for artists to network and expand their scope, but the facility is not experiencing nearly as much interaction that it deserves. Dr. Tandy mentioned that the more someone plays Second Life, the more useful and personalized it becomes. She stressed that Second Life was not merely a game, but a virtual experience that should be viewed as an extension of the real world. The avatars that roam this virtual realm are not fantasized versions of the people that created them, but rather renditions of real people that you can converse with, play games and learn from.
LASA brings flavor to campus KAPsi to continue ‘Legend’s’ legacy Brian Hickey S TA f f W R i T E R
bdhickey@valdosta.edu
Have you ever wanted a less formal environment to speak Spanish freely amongst other Spanish majors and minors? The Latin American Student Association has created a way for students to do just that. Every Tuesday and Thursday at 1 p.m., students with the common interest of becoming more fluent in Spanish meet at what is called the “Spanish Café.” This event is located in the Student Union on the second floor in the conference room but that is susceptible to change, and will be displayed in the Student Union’s announcements. Newly founded, the Spanish
café aims to provide students with a more relaxed atmosphere and fun setting to come and speak casually with other students, learn and enjoy themselves while doing so. “We allow students to come in and we have games that they can even play and we just speak,” Gomez said. “We even tutor students in Spanish, in vocabulary, grammar, or whatever they need help with.” The name of the cafe itself is a tactic used to stir interest amongst students on campus. “What we originally had planned [was] to have it as just a free range open area where people could come hang out, speak, have a good time, which is usually what people do at cafés,” Gomez said. “We chose that
name just because we wanted people to feel welcomed and that it’s a place to come hang out.” Students with no Spanish classes or background should not feel discouraged about attending, as the Spanish Café also wants for students with no educational pursuit in the language to come out and participate. interest has sparked amongst students who have not yet attended, but have heard of the café and what it has to offer. “Being able to speak freely in Spanish would be a pretty cool thing to come together with,” Percy Broussard, junior mass media major, said. “if more people are able to be more comfortable together and learn together—that would be a great experience.”
Debuting on the web this week is Anthony Drake’s “On the Record,” a brand new column about music reviews. To read it, check out the Web Spectator at vsuspectator.com. While you’re there, also read Rebecka McAleer’s “Additive Noise” and Veronica Dominicis’ preview for CORE’s canoeing and kayaking trip and John Preer’s coverage of CAB’s comedy show, featuring comedians Mr. Lav Lub and Mr. Ray Lipowski. Here’s good news for you! The Spectator is always accepting writers, photographers, videographers, advertising representatives and much more. To get involved or to find out more information, email editor-in-chief Amber Smith at amsmith@valdosta.edu.
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Isaiah Smart S TA f f W R i T E R
itsmart@valdosta.edu
Jeremiah Wiggins, president of the Lambda Phi Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity, inc., will keep the legacy going this year with the “i Am Legend” themed Kappa week. Starting Sunday, Kappa week will begin with “The Kalling,” will start the week at Union Cathedral. The church is located at 1050 E. Hill Avenue, and service begins at 10 a.m. Then, join the KAPsi cavalier for a movie night at 7 p.m. in the Student Union Theater with a showing of “The Dark Knight Rises.” On Monday, “The Awakening,” will give back to Valdosta with the HOPE for South Georgia Community initiative. The event will be hosted at 6 p.m. in the UC Magnolia Rooms. The service will be concluded by encouraging students to enjoy karaoke night at 9:11 p.m. at Applebee’s on St. Augustine Road, featuring D.J. Big Nick.
On Tuesday, the “fiery nupe” collaborated with Creative Media to bring the “Kampus Kontender Talent ShowKase” that will be held at 6:30 p.m. in the Student Union Theater. The event will also feature the Act Like a Nupe Stroll-Off with $1 entry fee. “One major thing KAPsi hopes to gain through the week is unity,” Wiggins said. “Not exclusively among Greeks, but unifying other on-campus organizations as well.” On Wednesday, “The Survivor,” Wiggins, alongside NAACP, Black Student League, CWVSU and CMVSU will bring “Rise Up: BeKoming Legendary.”
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The event will be held at 7:11 p.m. in the Student Union Theater and will celebrate the “legends” on campus as nominated by the collaborating organizations. Rise Up will also enlist a panel of students to speak on how peers can continue to exceed standards and be legendary at VSU. “Battle of the Legends,” will conclude the week Thursday with “Greekdom” set for 7:11 p.m. in the Student Union Ballrooms B & C. for more information about Kappa week 2013, email fierynupes@yahoo.com.
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Student strives to sing, stay fit
Tracie Mattox ( from left) and singer Allison Forbes dive into their love for music as they share each other’s company.
if you’re searching for an individual with a passion for their interests, then look no further than allison forbes. Known to most as ally, forbes is a beautiful singer and devoted fitness extraordinaire. forbes came to Valdosta from smyrna, Ga., where she quickly fell in love with the campus and college life. Growing up, she was close with both her parents and got along with her little brother. starting at a young age, forbes was surrounded by the musical stylings of her father. Being a band member for most of his life, he would wake her up every morning by playing guitar. Being in this atmosphere quickly gave forbes an appreciation and love for music. for a little over a year, forbes has been a group member of a cover band called Black Lily. forbes and friend, tracie Mattox, can be seen and heard all over Valdosta. the two grace the stage with beautiful melodies and a good atmosphere that is sure to impress. “it’s so cool to see people
dancing and singing along,” forbes said. the two have both played with various other people, but have stuck together to combine forbes’ voice and Mattox’s flawless acoustic guitar. “i prefer taking the stage with her than without,” Mattox said. “we mesh so well.” Growing up, forbes was not only surrounded by music, but fitness. Her dad, a Dowling Payne cancer survivor, always found a way to fight through the process and stay fit—an act that truly inspired forbes. she currently teaches yoga and Pilates at VsU Campus recreation and takes on fitness endeavors of her own. friends of forbes come out to her classes and to see her perform. Danielle fawaz is one of her loyal supporters. “ally can totally calm people down in class,” fawaz said. “and there is never a dull moment when we hang out, we play off each other.” this summer forbes is moving back home to teach at gyms
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‘RiRi’ goes from bottles to babies, Bieber goes insane Photo Contributed By Joseph Flowers
in atlanta and to continue working toward her own fitness goals. forbes keeps a motivation board and quotes around her home to keep her moving toward her goals. Her activities include hiking, biking, running, Pilates, lifting weights and yoga. Her daily schedule is full of staying active and a healthy lifestyle. as an exercise physiology major, forbes has dreams of owning her own gym franchise one day. as a student at VsU, forbes loves the variety of people on campus. she has so many different types of people come into her classes that she never would have met otherwise. “there are so many different groups, everyone can find a place to fit in,” forbes said. forbes is a woman with drive and determination. she is constantly keeping herself and others motivated. in the future, students are encouraged to join her in the gym or hear her musical talent in venues all around Valdosta. “i’m just easy going,” forbes said with a smile.
H
ello world—anthony here bringing you a full Pop addict. Let’s see what’s been going on in the entertainment world this past week. after the Oscar’s last week, most of Hollywood is making the wise decision to lie low for a week, but there are always a few celebrities who just can’t stay away from the ratchetness, case in point: Justin Bieber. the barely legal Bieber got his Huggies in a bunch last weekend when he threw a 19th birthday party for himself at a London nightclub at which bouncers wouldn’t let his underage friends, one of which was Jaden smith, in. after Bieber tweeted “worst birthday” ever, his legion of fans across various social networks threw themselves a pity party to try and cheer him up. finally Bieber responded by posting a blank picture with a very long caption to instagram, because that’s where cool celebrities go to reach out to their fans. “the funny moment when people believe i brought underage people to a club,” the post read. “U think will [smith] is letting his 14-year-old in a club, i don't think so. 2nd i love how the
club wanted to give the press another reason to why we didn't stay at their weak ass club so they wouldn't look bad for me walking in and right back out..i said ‘worst bday’ but that was due to dummies pushing over my fans and being overly aggressive. Btw it wasn't the worst bday cuz all my friends from back home flew in i was just mad in the moment.” He lost me when he decided to use the phrase “weak ass.” Justin is barely 18years-old, and is overseas popping bottles like he’s Jay-Z. someone hand him a Anthony juice box and tell him to have a seat. from bottles to babies, apparently r&B diva rihanna, has babies on the brain. in an interview with eLLe, a magazine in the UK, the superstar discussed her relationship with everyone’s favorite anger management patient Chris Brown, as well as her desire to start a family one day. “i will probably have a kid,” rihanna said. “and i’m praying i can go on vacation for a good month. and i’ll have set some
things up so i don’t have to tour for the rest of my life, even though i love touring. i want health and happiness in five years. i want to be healthy and happy.” Maybe all that kush riri has been smoking has finally gone to her head because that could be the only explanation for her wanting to have a baby by the guy who beat her face to a bloody pulp, but stranger things have happened. Because i’m bound to believe that Britney spears is the empress of the universe, i feel the need to include some happy news that came out of the Pope spears clan this week. Brit Brit’s little sister, Jamie Lynn, got engaged to her boyfriend of two years Jamie watson. at just the ripe young age of 21, maybe this was Jamie Lynn’s way of trying to get us to forget that she got knocked up at 16 and was kicked off her show “ Zoey 101.” as always be sure to tune into Pop addict next week to catch up with all the happenings in the world of entertainment.
Pop Addict
Slang Dictionary ratchetness: foolish behavior deemed unacceptable by the majority Kush: a strain of marijuana
Fine Arts reaches out to all students for art gallery Sarah Turner s ta f f w r i t e r
seturner@valdosta.edu
On Monday, the fine arts Department will give away a total of $500 at their most anticipated event of the year, the 15th annual Juried student art Competition. the competition is open to all
students at VsU, not just art majors. Only VsU students are allowed to participate. students entering the event were required to have their project turned in by tuesday. today students will check into the gallery to see if their work was accepted. Declined work should be picked up at this time. students were able to have up to five entries, and there was no
entry fee. students may enter with graphic design, illustration, interior design, animation, drawing, sculptures, and many other projects. students are also allowed to work with another student on one project, as long as only one student’s name is listed on the entry form. “i love it because of the diversity of media, ideas and
kinds of art,” Julie Bowland, fine arts director, said. “it is unpredictable and fun.” the art competition will also host their awards ceremony on Monday, and the judged projects will remain in the art gallery until april 5. at the awards ceremony, first through fourth place awards will be given out—first place winner will receive $150. five honorable
mentions will also receive $20 each. alan Mactaggart, chair and professor of art and humanities at Georgia regents University, will judge the competition. Mactaggart has been in charge of art departments for over 40 years and has had exhibitions in Morocco, italy, Bulgaria and england. Mactaggart has never been to
Valdosta and said that he will be looking for excellence and outstanding efforts. “in art, it really shows whether it was done quickly or if it was done with outstanding craftsmanship and lots of labor,” Mactaggart said. if there are any questions concerning the event, contact Julie Bowland at jabowland@valdosta.edu.
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Harlem Globetrotters to visit VSU Neil Frawley S ta f f W r i t e r ndfrawley@valdosta.edu
On tuesday,Valdosta State's own P.e. Complex will once again be the setting to the spectacular Harlem Globetrotters. "the Harlem Globetrotters are a world renowned organization," Herb reinhard, athletics Director said. "We are glad to work with
them again. they always put on a great show. the fans that buy the tickets and come to see them always leave with a smile on their face." However, for the first time in their 87-year history, the Globetrotters will be asking fans to dictate the game in what they are calling the "You Write the rules tour." “We are asking the fans to go to harlemglobetrotters.com and
vote on the rules of the game. they just go the website ‘HarlemGlobetrotters.com’ and click on vote and they can choose several options detailing what they want to see in the game," tay “firefly” fisher, team member, said in an earlier press release. there are five rules that voters have to choose from. these include: "tWO ball basketball" (game is played with two balls),
a 4 point shot, double points (ever basket counts twice), a penalty box, or five on six (six opponents on the court). “the Globetrotters are innovators, we are known for doing things in our game that you don’t see at your typical basketball game,” fisher said in a New Orleans press release. “People don’t need to love basketball to enjoy a Globetrotter game. On top of the new
rules, everyone can expect to see high-flying dunks, dribbling on the floor, singing, dancing… a little bit of everything.” But there is more to this year's tour than just entertainment as they have also partnered up with the Susan G. Komen foundation. "We want to bring awareness to breast cancer, so we are playing with pink basketballs (for) all 270 games on our tour," "Dizzy" Grant, team member,
said in a Missoula press release. "We're also selling pink merchandise at our merchandise stands at each game, and we will donate a portion of the proceeds to the Susan G. Komen foundation." Students interested in attending can long onto the Valdosta State athletics' page. "We're look forward to it. it should be a good show,” reinhard said.
2012-2013 ALL-GSC WOMEN’S & MEN’S BASKETBALL SECOND TEAM Pos Center Forward Forward Guard Guard
Name Seneca Walton
School Delta State North Alabama Valdosta State West Florida West Georgia
Nichelle Filmore
Brittney Nelson Hanna Vette Mone Peoples
Class. Sophmore Junior Senior Senior Senior
Ht. 6’1 6’1 6’1 5’9 5’8
Pos
Name
School
Class.
Ht.
Hometown
Guard
Rashaun Claiboure
North Alabama Junior
6’4
Darrow,LA
Forward
James Anacreon Valdosta State Senior
6’7
Birmingham,AL
Guard
Patrick Diop
Valdosta State Junior
6’3
Rochester,MI
Forward
Josh Sparks
Valdosta State Senior
6’9
Tarkio,MO
Forward
Steven Samuels West Alabama Senior
6’5
San Francisco,CA
Hometown Clarksdale,MS Birmingham,AL Rochester,MI Tarkio,MO San Francisco,CA
Want to be a sports writer? email: epjackson@valdosta.edu
Blazers suit up for GSC tourney Shane Thomas S P O rt S W r i t e r shanethomas@valdosta.edu
Valdosta State men’s basketball will test its mettle in the Gulf South Conference tournament which tips off tonight in Birmingham, ala. the No. 4 seeded Blazers will look to prolong their season on friday against No. 5 seed Delta State. Head Coach Mike Helfer and his team did not close out their regular season as well as they hoped, as the Blazers lost their final two games to Christian Brothers and aforementioned Delta State by 30 points combined. “i thought we played two games as hard as we’ve played all year,” Helfer said. “We just could not make a shot. But, even when we lost like we did, our
hustle, our effort, our energy was phenomenal in both games.” the Blazers’ offense sputtered and their opponents took advantage from the opening tip. Getting off to a good start on the road is imperative in Gulf South Conference play. in the first halves of the their last two contests, the Blazers shot a combined 18-of-61 from the field for 29.5 percent, and missed 19 of their 23 three-point attempts, managing just 55 total points. “We have guys that can make shots that just aren’t shooting it with confidence,” Helfer said. “Hopefully, that turns around in the tournament. We’ve gotta have the mentality that we can go out there and make shots.” the Blazers were also plagued by foul trouble during the twogame losing streak, as the Blazers were whistled for 43 total
personal fouls. Blazer guard Patrick Diop has been affected the most by the whistle as he fouled out of both contests. Diop, who played a seasonhigh 41 minutes against UWf, was on the floor for 40 total minutes over the last two games; a major concern for Coach Helfer as his team enters the tournament. “if you get your third [foul], you can’t pick up your fourth 30 seconds later,” Helfer said. “Hopefully, we can get through to him the importance of having him on the floor.” Senior forward Josh Sparks also understands what having Diop on the bench does for the team on the floor. “Our offense runs through Pat,” Sparks said. “He’s our point guard. the fouls have been tough on us, but we’re just
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gonna have to play through it.” this is a Blazers team that was not expected to make much noise this season, projected to finish sixth in the GSC in preseason polls. “from here on out, we’ve gotta win or we’re done,” Sparks said. “With the chemistry we’ve built, i think we’re only going up from here and i expect us to be GSC tournament champions.” the No. 4 seed Blazers head to Birmingham, ala. on friday to take on No. 5 seed Delta State in the quarterfinals of the GSC tournament. the winner will play the winner of Game B between top seed alabama-Huntsville and No. 8 seed West Georgia. tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. at the Pete Hanna Center. follow Shane on twitter: @itsathomasthing
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VSU tennis team ready for long road-trip Ray Pack Jr. S P o RT S W R I T E R rspack@valdosta.edu
A seven match road trip is on the horizon for the Valdosta State men’s tennis team. The tennis team will be traveling from Georgia to Alabama to Florida for this testing road trip. This trip will consist of a match up against the No.1 Armstrong Atlantic State. “We’re probably not gonna be to confident going into the match, their the best team in the country. So its gonna be very tough, but I hope we can at least win a couple of matches. Its gonna be very hard to win the whole thing,” Konstantine Kutschenko, lone senior tennis player, said. Tammo Haake, sophomore tennis player, agrees with his teammate that it won’t be an easy match. “Tough to say, I mean three losses in the row against Barry, Lynn, and Columbus. Armstrong won the championship last year. Tough to play against them anyways, we play away. I mean we have to play our best,” Haake said. The road trip consists of three
conference games against: Shorter, Alabama-Huntsville, and North Alabama. These conference games will be critical to the seeding in the Gulf South Conference competition. “We have not played Shorter since the 80's. I do not know what to expect they always had a good team. Huntsville has a new coach, new players and they put a lot of money in the program, They should be vastly improved since last year. North Alabama is about the same from last year, that is our guess,” Coach John Hansen said. Kutschenko is confident when it comes to Gulf Conference match-ups. “All three games are really important especially against North Alabama and AlabamaHuntsville. Its gonna be really important for us to win these matches,” Kutschenko said. “Next week we should win all three matches.” Haake anticipates victory. “I hope we do well. Last year we won against them, first time we play against Shorter, it would be nice if we could win all three of them before spring break,” Haake said.
Following spring break, the men come back to take a trip to Pensacola to end their road trip against: Concordia College – New York, Mississippi College, William Carey. “Pensacola is always a fun trip, usually some teams we never seen before, that is always fun. Concordia could be one of those teams that win the National Championship this year. Very very good team. I do not know a thing about (William Carey), its to early to start researching,” Hansen said. Kutschenko, who has tennis elbow (inflammation of the elbow), participated in a limited practice today, but he is confident to play in Pensocola. “After the three matches next week we’re all going to need some rest. Everybody is tired now, last three matches where pretty intense for all of us. We are going to make sure we are ready again for the matches in Pensacola,” Kutschenko said. Follow Ray on Twitter @ThatsJohnDoe
(Above) Mario Navarro serves during the 5-4 win over West Alabama last Sunday. Navarro was defeated by Columbus State’s Quentin Rayniere 7-6 (7-3), 1-6, 10-6 Tuesday afternoon. (Right) Alina Nagel returns the ball during a match. Nagel was defeated by Columbus State’s Carolin Weikard Tuesday afternoon 6-3, 6-0. Photos by Eric Jackson
Blazer sluggers lose 8-4 to GSW Courtesy of VSU Athletics AMERICUS, Ga. - Stephen Eldridge hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the fifth inning to propel Georgia Southwestern to an 8-6 victory over Valdosta State in non-conference baseball action at Hurricane Stadium Wednesday evening. John Duran led off the fifth inning with a double and, two batters later, moved to third when Michael Coffey singled.
Eldridge proceeded to hit the ball over the wall in left field, the first home run allowed by Valdosta State (8-7) on the year, to give the Hurricanes (6-12) its two-run margin of victory. GSW opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning when it plated three runs. With one out, Duran singled and moved to second on a Jarrod Taylor base hit. A walk loaded the bases before an Eldridge base hit drove home Duran and Taylor.
Zach John relieved VSU starter Josh Mann and gave up a sacrifice fly that gave Georgia Southwestern a 3-0 advantage. After a Josh Sanders double in the second inning gave GSW a four-run advantage, VSU evened the game with four runs in the third. Dan Hoover and Will Wilson each walked to open the inning before an error on a Hunter Thompson ground ball loaded the bases. Ryan McClellan walked to force home Hoover and, two bat-
Club rugby team prepares for future, set for Saint Patrick’s Day Tournament Alex Tostado S P o RT S W R I T E R ajtostado@valdosta.edu
The Valdosta State rugby club team heads to Savannah relying on more than just St. Patrick’s luck. The team is playing in their third straight St. Patrick’s Day tournament after winning the previous two. “I think with the team we have put out this semester that we are strong, we are fast and we are getting better each game,” Derrick Howard, captain and founder of the Valdosta State rugby club team, said. The team will travel to the coast on Saturday and play in the tournament that lasts until Sunday. “We are looking good. I think we are going to go in and not lose a game,” Howard said. “I think we are a force to be reckoned with.” Admittedly, the rugby team has a lot of growing to do and
the team is still in the process of learning the game. “When you play against men’s teams, a huge chunk of their team is smart and they don’t make dumb decisions,” Howard said. “We are just lucky that we are so young and fit and athletic that we often make up for our mistakes,” Howard said. Besides just having a young team, another problem facing the team is not having that one authoritative figure. “one of our biggest issues is we need to find a coach,” Howard said. “It’s not easy being a player-coach.” The next issue facing the team is recruitment. Howard will be done at VSU in the fall and is focused on the team’s future. “My main goal is to focus on recruitment and making sure that it grows when I leave,” Howard said. “We are kind of in the replacement stage of our leadership.” Howard decided to bring VSU a rugby team after he spent a
summer playing with the Augusta Rugby Club. “They made me fall in love with rugby,” Howard said. “After I came back to school that fall, I was thinking ‘why don’t we have a team? This is something that is awesome… so I’m going to make a sport that I can play at my school.’” “It started out as five guys on the Front Lawn and then it grew and now we have about 40 players on the team.” The rugby team is always accepting new members from beginners to advanced skill level players. The team practices on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7:30 pm at the North Campus field. “Anybody that wants to come out and play, it’s not really a tryout team,” Howard said. “It’s also a lot of fun to come out and watch.” Follow Alex on Twitter @Alex_Tostado12
ters later, Bryant Hayman also walked to score Wilson. Jake Montgomery was hit by a pitch to plate McClellan for the third Valdosta State run of the inning while a Jake Fields single plated McClellan to even the game at 44. A Wilson error in centerfield briefly gave Georgia Southwestern the lead once again, but the Blazers scored two runs in the fourth inning to gain a one-run advantage.
Cooper Lemonds pinch hit for Wilson to open the frame and singled before being lifted for pinch runner Will Austin. Austin stole second and scored as a Thompson sacrice bunt was throw away, a play that allowed Thompson to move to second. After a ground out moved the base runner to third, Hayman singled to bring him home for a 6-5 Valdosta State lead. Fields had three hits and an
RBI to lead Valdosta State while Hayman drove in two on the game. Ben Watson (0-1) took the loss as he allowed four runs, three earned, on four hits in 2.1 innings of relief work. Valdosta State returns to action Saturday, March 9 at 3 p.m. when it travels to Pensacola, Fla. to take on No. 8 West Florida in Gulf South Conference action.
James Washington
Commentary
Irving, and after trading away Carmelo Anthony, the Denver Nuggets are arguably better than were when he was a member of the team. on the opposing side, however, if the NBA used franchise tags, there may still be franchises in Seattle and New Jersey, and we may not be witnessing a potential buyout to move the Sacramento Kings. In the early 2000’s, the Kings were a force to be reckoned with in the Western Conference of the NBA. Now, they are a bottom-feeder struggling to find their niche. Many teams struggle tremendously due to lack of marketing after stars leave their respective cities. on one hand, I can’t blame the player. The desire to win immediately is too large to ignore a potential move to perennial contender. But, in the end, I find myself looking at it from a business standpoint, and stars fill seats. Losing stars leads to financial slumps, and a franchise tag in the NBA would be a major step in helping struggling franchises avoid these drops.
Tag, you’re it
S TA F F W R I T E R jawashington@valdosta.edu
At the end of a season, the concept of a team sport is completely thrown out the window by players in favor of “my” money. Many athletes are willing to drop everything in one city and move elsewhere in search of immediate success. I do not see anything wrong with this, but it is incredibly easy to see why team owners are upset. The National Football League has a creative way to avoid total disappointment of the owners. In the NFL, players that are nearing the end of their contracts may be designated by their team as a franchise player. Any player that is given this label is given a one-year deal that is equal to either the average of the top five players at his position in the league (salary-wise) or 120 percent of the franchised player’s salary from the previous year. What the franchise tag does is prevents a certain team from losing a valued player to a free agency if the team and player
cannot agree on a new contract. Take notes, NBA. over the last 20 years, the National Basketball Association has fallen victim to teams that many would refer to as powerhouses. In a 30-team league, there are usually only few teams that pose threats for championship runs. And, in contrast to college basketball, since the NBA’s playoff system set as four rounds of seven-game series, it is rare that these one of these powerful teams fails to reach the championship plateau. Just to put things in perspective, with a franchise tag in place, we may never have seen LeBron James team up with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami. We may have never seen Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen joining forces with Paul Pierce in Boston or Kobe Bryant teaming with Shaquille o’Neal in Los Angeles. In some instances, teams are able to move on after losing their star players. Cleveland has started a rebuilding process around Kyrie
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The Spectator
Spring Break Tab 2013
Page 2
The Spectator | www.vsuspectator.com
March 7, 2013
Worst spring break spots Best spring break spots Compiled by: Hailey Nelson
Colonial Williamsburg: Williamsburg is a huge tourist attraction where families, and their kids, come to learn about the olden days. This place would be great to visit with grandparents but not so much for spring break. Bermuda Triangle: Also known as the Devil’s Triangle, this place is popular for being the hot spot of paranormal activity. Hopping on a boat here means you better not plan on coming back. Bora Bora: If you’re thinking of going to a low-key place this summer that isn’t very expensive, Bora Bora isn’t the place for you. An average nightly stay can cost anywhere from $825 -$1,100. So, if you don’t own a yacht or have money to blow this spring break, it’s probably best you immerse yourself in a different kind of paradise. Santa Claus, Ind.: Believe it or not you can spend spring break at Christmas Boulevard, where Holiday World seems to always be jolly with Christmas cheer. But as much as we all love Christmas, there is a time and place for it and this town in Indiana is no place to have spring break--unless Santa’s on water skies.
Compiled by: Von Kennedy
Yosemite National Park: Yosemite National Park is a great place to go to during the summer, however the temperatures can range from 32 to 66 degrees in March and you may find patches of snow throughout the spring. This place doesn’t have ideal tanning weather. Clearwater, Fla.: We all love to go visit our grandparents, but when it comes to Clearwater, there’s just no escaping them. Clearwater is known for having a large population of elderly people. So if you don’t plan on playing shuffle board with your grandma over spring break don’t bother coming to Clearwater.
New Orleans: Only about six hours from Valdosta and known for its wild events during Mardi Gras, New Orleans is perfect for someone who wants to have fun and experience the culture of this city. Myrtle Beach, S.C.: With sand and sun omnipresent this time of the year and beauty all around the city, Myrtle Beach is a diamond in the rough location for spring breakers this year. Gatlinburg, Tenn.: Gatlinburg is pure fun. You won't have any problems finding something to do; it is more likely you will run out of time/money before you see everything.
Biloxi, Miss.: When the state of Mississippi comes to mind, a flashback into its tumultuous history is not far behind. Contrary to things that have happened there 70 years ago, Biloxi is a prime area to visit on spring break. Great weather, beaches, unique nightlife and Casinos. What more could you ask for? Atlanta: Atlanta is where most VSU students are from, why would students want to go home? I’ll tell you why, outside of pleasing your parents with a periodic visit home, Atlanta is home to more clubs and bars than the amount of traffic on I-75 during rush hour.
Blue Ball, Penn.: If you plan on throwing on a bikini and a pair of flip flops this spring break don’t even think about going to Blue Ball. Located right in the middle of Amish Country, it is known for being a very conservative tourist trap. So trying to go out and get a nice tan here won’t go over too well with the locals.
Savannah, Ga.: Not only is it a beautiful city, but it is the home of the biggest St. Patrick’s Day celebration in the country. Spring break starts on March 15, St. Patrick’s Day is March 17, Savannah is three hours away. You do the math.
Sandals Resort: If you’re looking to hit on a cute, single girl or guy over spring break don’t book your stay at Sandals Resort. Here the only thing you’re gonna see is middle-aged couples on their honeymoons.
South Padre Island, Texas: The drive to South Padre Island in east Texas is 17 hours, but with great friends you’d want it to never end. Located in the Gulf of Mexico, more than 16,000 partiers go there each year to unwind. If you don’t mind driving almost half way across the country, you will not be disappointed in the entertainment and night life. For more information on South Padre island, visit http://whosyourpadre.com for spring break events.
Baltimore, Md./Washington D.C.: If you don’t mind unseasonably randomness of snow right now and you want to indulge in pure bliss in one of the prettiest areas of the country, the Baltimore/DC area is the best place to vacation for fun.
The Spectator | www.vsuspectator.com
March 7, 2013
The Valdosta Spring Break Survival Guide
5
Spring Break Fun Sites
Compiled by Stephen Cavallaro
Grand Bay Travel down the half-mile boardwalk and climb the 54-foot tower. A piece of Valdosta history and a variety of outdoor activities await you. Open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Night Life
Wakeboarding One of Valdosta’s newest attractions. Experience a variety of water sport activities. The compound is open daily from noon to dusk.
Embark on a plethora of activities downtown and in the City of Remerton: The Bleu Pub, Glo Ultra Lounge, Ashley Street Station, Milltown Groove, Lucky’s Bar & Grill and Mulligans Pub.
Motorsports Visit the South Georgia Motorsports Park in Adel. Check out the dragstrip and racetrack. Several events will take place during the break.
Wild Adventures Enjoy rides, animals, live entertainment, dining, shopping, and games. The fun begins at 10 a.m. and lasts till 7 p.m. on Saturdays and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays.
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The Spectator | www.vsuspectator.com
March 7, 2013