Volume 58 issue 13

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Volume LVIII, Issue 13 | November 13, 2013 SAC and ΦM show that EveryBODY is Beautiful , page 3

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Transcript of Volume 58 issue 13

Page 1: Volume 58 issue 13

Volume LVIII, Issue 13 | November 13, 2013

SAC and ΦM show that EveryBODY is Beautiful,

page 3

Page 2: Volume 58 issue 13

Two fraternities showcase new members Iota Phi Theta and Phi Beta Sigma host probates

Brandon Short, [email protected]

malika l. harriS, manaGinG [email protected]

JoE millEr, [email protected]

EriCk riChman, layout Editor

tom inGram, Copy Editor

CathErinE SaavEdra QuintEro, mEdia Editor

tEEfuh ChoiCE, CampuS lifE Editor

hannah daviS, artS&EntErtainmEnt Editor

ElainE hoffmEiStEr, loCal & World Editor JuliE kuralt, WEB Editor

SEan ruSSEll, WEBmaStEr

latErika pEak, SoCial mEdia ConSultant

daniEllE daviS, offiCE manaGEr

Bo lovE, diStriBution manaGEr JoShua JarrEtt, layout aSSiStant

Staff WritErS

franChESCa rEnfroE, Brandi phillipS, JakE hall, Erika GaldamEz, JuStin minGE, JarEd BrEWEr,

Sharifa JaCkSon, dana volkovinSky, Sam SaChS

photoGraphy and art

SaBrina andErSon, Jay armStEad,raChaEl niElSEn, aShlEy kimBEll, trEvor mEhrkEnS, Carly mCminn,

SkyE WilliamS, Jazmin mCCoy

4225 univErSity avE.ColumBuS, Ga

[email protected]

plEaSE SEnd uS your CommEntS and SuGGEStionS.

lEttErS to thE Editor Should BE 400 WordS or lESS, may BE EditEd for Grammar

and ContEnt and muSt inCludE ContaCt information.thE viEWS EXprESSEd in thiS

puBliCation arE not nECESSarily thE viEWS of thE SaBEr or ColumBuS StatE univErSity

Columbus State University

The Saber Letter From The Editor

Cover Photo: Carly McMinn

Teefuh ChoiceCampus Life Editor

On Nov. 7, four new Greeks were welcomed to CSU’s Greek life. Around 7 p.m. the members of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity hosted a probate at the clock tower for the lone Leslie Thomas. Even with the cold weather, the audience could feel the warmth of pride and joy that emanated from the members and onlookers as Thomas was publically accepted into the brotherhood of Phi Beta Sigma. After congratulations were said, onlookers made the journey to University Hall for Iota Phi Theta’s probate around 8 p.m. The members of Iota Phi Theta had three young men put on an entertaining show as the audience witnessed their transformation from regular men to members of this organization. Greek life may not be for all, but witnessing the look of accomplishment on each those four young men’s faces will be a testimony to the sincere love a person can have for their Greek organization.

I’m currently in my fifth year at CSU, and I’ve noticed one thing in my time interacting with students, faculty and staff: The students and the faculty/staff do not have the same opinions on where the university needs improvements. Students will think that we need fewer fees, while faculty and staff will want more fees to satisfy the amount of new programs for their departments. Students want certain campus locations to stay open later, while those locations attempt to figure out how to pay a full staff of workers to stay open for the two or three people to come in during later hours. Students want organizations to put on different programs, while the organizations think their current ones are doing just fine. While it may be easy to chalk up the differences in opinion to a generational gap or different roles, I believe there’s another issue at play here: a lack of communication. Often while talking to administration or students, the two groups seem completely confused by the decisions and opinions of the other side. Administration seems blindsided by student complaints, while students’ minds are boggled by administrative decisions. One way this could be alleviated is for students to know the way that they can get their opinions up the chain of command. An easy way is to send an email to upper administration. Another way is to get your opinion to the SGA President, Chelsee Pike. Part of her job is to be the representative of the students, and the more student opinions she has, the better chance she has to sway the higher-ups. You can also get your voice out via The Saber. Letters to the Editor are a quick way to express discontent about administration. I know through discussions that many faculty, staff, and administrators, including Pres. Mescon himself read The Saber regularly. Make sure to make your voice heard and get your views out to the right people.

- Brandon ShortEditor-in-Chief

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On Wednesday, Nov. 6, CSU’s recreational center’s multipurpose room was filled wall to wall with students, faculty and guests to celebrate individuality. Just after 7 p.m., the first annual EveryBODY is Beautiful fashion show was held. The Student Activities Council, The Offices of Diversity Programs and Services, and the wonderful ladies of Phi Mu Fraternity presented the show. A long runway was positioned in the middle of the room and all the lights were turned off besides the few strobe lights positioned at the end of the runway, and the follow lights meant to make the model the center of attention. And at all times, the models made sure to keep the audience attentive. The show went through a number of different themes, such as summer time fine, where the models showed off their best sundresses to a jewelry themed section where the models presented their flashiest and most creative accessories. It was constantly repeated throughout the show that this wasn’t just an ordinary fashion show, it was a movement. In this ever-increasing society of airbrushed beauty queens and rail thin models, it can cause a distorted perception of reality. Constantly from television, to magazines, to the mannequins in clothing stores, girls are bombarded with the idea of women being skinny, and flawless. More than ever, girls and women are under increasing pressure to be what others judge as beautiful. This event attempted to reverse this engrained thinking. Female students from all different walks of life participated in the event. Black, white, Hispanic, short, tall, athletic, women of smaller stature, and women of bigger physique boldly and proudly flaunted themselves for the whole school to see. Self esteem and confidence were gained with each

brave step down the runway. Kia Andrews, senior marketing student, and official hostess of the event told the crowd of over 400 guests, “We’re trying to prove that regardless of the stereotypes, these ladies are beautiful inside and out. Imperfections are what make us unique.” The overall idea was to encourage women to embrace their natural, beautiful selves. Hopefully the daring models that boldly defied the norms inspired the attendees and this will be a huge leap in reversing this continuing stigma that’s slowly been destroying women.

Columbus State University|The Saber Campus Life Nov. 13, 2013 | 3

Cougars hit the catwalkCSU highlights universal beauty

Sharifa JacksonStaff Writer

Photo: Carly McMinn

Participants for the EveryBODY is Beautiful fashion show display their confidence by strutting down the cat walk.

“I got my first tattoo when I was 20. A scarab beetle,” Jonathan De Young, a junior Professional Writing major, said on the ink decorating his upper right arm. “My family has always been big on Egyptian mythology. Talking about it

always brought us closer together,” he explained. DeYoung has two other tattoos. Both are Egyptian symbols. The ankh represents life while the other symbol represents forever. “Egyptian mythology depicts renewal and regeneration of the human spirit. Whenever I get down I look at my tattoos and I’m like I can do this,” he explained. “The thing about tattoos is that they are addicting. Once you get one, you’ll always want more,” he said. DeYoung followed this by saying, “I believe that tattoos express emotions. They can help show how you were feeling or thinking at a specific time. Tattoos are memories, beliefs.” He also offered up a piece of advice saying, “Don’t get anything stupid. And don’t turn your skin into a billboard.” DeYoung is looking forward to getting more tattoos. “I eventually want to have an entire sleeve of tattoos pertaining to Egyptian mythology. I want a desert scene with the pyramids of Giza and the sun shining above it,” he said, describing his future tattoo plans. “There’s also the vulture. I definitely want a tattoo of one of those. They’re viewed as mother-figures, or protectors. It would be like a good luck charm. Vultures are even known to help block out the sun in the desert,” he added. “I’ve also thought about getting tattoos symbolizing the two children I hope to have. I’ve drawn inspiration from King Tut’s sarcophagus for those tattoos,” DeYoung said.

Tattoos with TalesWhat does your ink say about you?

Danielle DavisOffice Manager

Photo: Danielle Davis

Junior, Jonathan DeYoung, proudly displays all three of his tattoos.

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4 | Nov. 13, 2013 A&E Columbus State University|The Saber

The College Kitchen

Now that it is getting colder everyone one is wishing they had pockets, rights? Well, maybe not everyone and innuendo aside it is always nifty to find a pocket where you were not expecting one. Like this Pesto and Cream Cheese stuffed Chicken. The chicken is not sliced all the way open so the pesto and cream cheese goodness stays in the chicken and not all over the plate.

Hannah DavisArts & Entertainment EditorPhoto: Brandon Short

Get stuffed on this pesto chicken

Materials:-baking sheet-non stick cookie spray

Ingredients:-1 1/2 tablespoons preferred store bought pesto-3 tablespoons cream cheese-salt and pepper to taste-4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless-1 egg white-1/2 cup breadcrumbs, store bought or home made

Instructions: 1. Coat baking sheet with non stick cooking spray and preheat oven to 400 degrees.2. Combine pesto, cream cheese, and pepper.3. On the larger end of the chicken breast cut a small hole with a small sharp knife. Carefully cut a pocket in the breast without cutting the chicken open. This will create the pocket for the stuffing.4. Fill pocket with 1/4 of the pesto mixture. If needed, use a tooth pick to secure the opening. A dab of salt works as well.5. Beat egg white in a small bowl and spread bread crumbs on another plate. Dip each breast in the egg white and then the bread crumbs. 6. Place the chicken on the prepared baking sheet and cook about 20-30 minutes.

Written by Thornton Wilder and directed by CSU’s Larry McDonald, “Our Town” gives its audience a glimpse into the inner workings of small town life. And with small town life, of course comes small town love. George Gibbs, portrayed by sophomore Theatre Performance major Mickey Cole, and Emily Webb, portrayed by senior Theatre Performance major Destiny Stancil, are neighbors as well as classmates who become friends, fall in love, and then get married. The stage their story was told on was bare save for a few pieces of interchangeable furniture throughout the entire show. I was thrown off by this at first, but after only a few minutes I got used to it. After all,

it was the playwright’s vision. This lack of props and scenery made the actors’ performances that much stronger. They really had to rely solely on their ability to convey meaning through actions and words. The show itself clearly strives to show the importance of appreciating life while you have it. Wilder wrote, “You have to love life to have life, and you need to have life to love life.” It’s not until the main character dies that she realizes how little she really appreciated the life she had. At that point, the play had done what I believe it was written to do, help its audience understand the true meaning of life. The actors opened up after the

show sharing how they felt about the performance. “It went well. We lived through it,” said Ellie Styron, a junior theatre performance major, who portray George’s mother, Mrs. Gibbs. “I love when an audience appreciates all the hard work we put into a show,” said Destiny Stancil. “Everyone in this cast is amazing. So come out, see our shows, and support us,” said Mickey Cole.

CSU Theatre travels to “Our Town”Audience watches eagerly as the story unfolds

Danielle Davis Office Manager

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Campus Life

Columbus State University|The Saber A&E Nov. 13, 2013 | 5

A mug says a lot about a person. “Worlds Greatest Dad” or the crowd favorite “Do not attempt conversation until contents of this mug are finished.” Sometimes the kitchy phrase on the mug is not quite right. What if you are not the world’s greatest dad? Or maybe you are a morning person? With a sharpie, an oven, and some well placed creativity, the perfect mug can be yours. Or at least now you can broadcast your willingness to carry on a conversation in the morning with a “Good Morning Sunshine” and not an “Oh what fresh hell is this?” After some intense research, Dollar Store mugs seem to work the best, and the discerning mug modifier will probably want to wipe down the mug with rubbing alcohol before alterations are made. After the preferred design has been scribbled onto the mug, bake the mug in the oven on 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Allow the mug to cool inside the oven to prevent cracks. Now the mug is coffee or tea ready. Just be sure to hand wash.

Hannah DavisArts and Entertainment EditorDo It Your Damn Self

I’m not a player, I just crush a lot

College, Love & a PenCollege, Love & a PenFranchesca Renfroe

Staff WriterPhoto: Jay Armstead

“I have a crush on you. Well, a sort of affection. You’re intelligent, sexy and quite funny. The girls flock to you and the guys want to be you. I am enamored by you. Yes, I definitely have a crush on you.” Crushes are tricky. You have all these romantic feelings for someone and they are completely hidden. Caution, you may suffer from day dreams and sweaty palms whenever your crush is around. The stars shine in their eyes and the sun revolves around them. How did this happen? Feelings can come around when a person least expects them to. That includes people they may not necessarily know well. Now here comes the scary part, telling your crush you like them. It may seem like expressing your feelings is impossible, but it is possible. Many people are left wondering ‘what if’ because they never took that chance to tell their crush how they feel. Not expressing your feelings could lead to you being put in the dreaded friendzone. No one wants that. Now, how will you go about expressing yourself to your crush? The students of CSU had plenty to say when it came to their approaches on their crushes: “Sometimes you have to take the matter into your own hands and let it be known before its too late or the friendzone hits. So I say just be flat out on your objective. If you go the friend route then she/he will see you as a friend. That’s just my opinion though. I’m a blunt girl. It’s either win it all or lose it all,” said Latifah Choice, a CSU student. “Well my crush and I had a love for art and freshman year we both went tagging and then she moved away 3 times and came back so when she came back, I told

her (not asked), that she was going to let me take her out. The shock value of “did he just tell me what to do?” made her not refuse. So we went and created a piece on a wall like we did back in freshman year. At the end, I took her hand with the can [of spray paint] and we both signed our piece of art. I said ‘you know where this is going’ and she knew. As far as success, she introduced me to her family and she’s meeting mine this weekend so yeah...that’s a success in my book,” said Hugo Valdez, an art student.

Crushes are complicated, but they can end really well if you just take the chance. If it doesn’t work out than at least you know for sure instead of always guessing. Go for it! To my crush: You’re a hilarious guy. And, I cannot wait to get to know you more. I’m taking this chance. When I’m ready to tell you how I feel I hope we have a mutual understanding. Signed, College, love and a pen

Everybody has a crush at some point.

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6 | Oct 30, 2013 Campus Life

The Saber | Columbus State University

6 | Nov. 13, 2013 A&E Columbus State University|The Saber

From the Wall in the North to the Red Dunes of Dorne, the land of Westeros is full of political intrigue, magic, violence and, of course, lots and lots of medieval wick dipping. George R.R. Martin writes this modern fantasy series. Hailed as a present-day Tolkien, Martin’s “A Game of Thrones” manages to combine many complex topics into a harmonic blend of love, lust and plotting in a way that has not been seen since Tolkien’s own epic series. One unique quality of the “A Song of Ice and Fire” series is that the book follows many different points of view from within each event or situation, giving itself a depth of drama and humanity not normally seen in current novels. When his advisor dies, King Robert Baratheon goes northward to recruit his friend Eddard Stark to fill the position. The

circumstances of the previous advisor’s death are questionable, and Eddard begins to investigate the death and motives behind murdering the former Lord. His investigations end rather abruptly when he uncovers a dark secret, while the king is simultaneously killed during a boar hunt. Quickly, events take a turn for the worse and Westeros is plunged into war. As the Queen Cersei can tell you: “If you play the game of thrones, you win or you die. There is no middle ground.” The ensuing drama of sabotage, dueling, and deal making lead to a number of increasingly complicated entangling alliances, with honor, glory and wealth on the line for everyone involved. Beneath the sheets of the typical fantasy tales involving combat and chivalry, a web of scheming and seedy plotting and

negotiations takes place, driving the plot to a startling conclusion to a first book. “A Game of Thrones” combines events of political upheaval and corruption with knights and medieval fantasy violence, with a small dash of flopping in the hay every few chapters, to up the personalities of the characters and get the readers attached on a supremely emotional level. There is a popular saying within the book, “Valar morghulis.” This means that “all men must die,” and for those who have experienced either the show or the books, the audience knows that, above all else, Martin delivers this promise. Try not to get attached, because when your favorite characters get stabbed in the heart, you’ll die with them.

Starks and Stripes:Is winter coming or just Cersei?

Sam SachsStaff Writer

Due to Thanksgiving Break and Finals the last issue of the Saber will be November 20th

Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag

Let’s ReviewLet’s Review

It seems like just last year we were seeing a commercial for the last installment in the Assassin’s Creed

franchise. Oh wait, it was just last year. The Assassin’s Creed franchise is one of Ubisoft’s most profitable, and they manage to pump out a new one every year. This year is no different, as Oct. 29 saw the release of the sixth main addition to the Assassin’s Creed series, “Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag”. While an entirely new game every year seems like a bit much, it should be noted that Ubisoft actually employs multiple teams of employees that each work on a separate game. So while it may appear that “Black Flag” only spent a year in development, in reality it was being worked on as they were releasing the previous game in the series “Assassin’s Creed III”. This lengthy amount of development becomes apparent as you play through the game and realize that the game world is incredibly large compared to past Assassin’s Creed games.

“Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag” does not stray far from the tried and true formula that the past games have created, as the player takes control of an assassin from the past and kills famous historic people. You really cannot get any better than that. This time the game places you in the shoes of Edward Kenway, a pirate-assassin in the early eighteenth century that battles against the always-present Templars. The game’s storyline is very well done, and flows so well that mentioning any other details about it may be counted as spoilers. Basic controls and objectives for the game remain the same from past installments, use stealth and cunning to assassinate your targets from the shadows. Or you can just leap out at your target wildly swinging your sword and hoping that you get a lucky shot. It is really your choice. This game adds quite a few new gameplay mechanics to “Black Flag” that make the game stand out from the rest. One of these is sailing, which was present in “Assassin’s Creed III” as well, but never with this kind of depth. You spend a good portion of the game on Edward’s ship the Jackdaw, engaging other ships in naval

battles and traveling to different areas. Ubisoft went all out with the naval battles, which first begin with you observing the enemy ship from a distance to determine how big of a threat it is or what they may be carrying on board. You can choose to either sink the ship from a distance, or instead board the ship and force the crew to submit. Both have their pros and cons, but honestly it is just so cool to take on an entire battleship’s crew on your own. While some have complained the game has more or less rehashed its combat mechanics, it seems to be balanced by the fact that the amount of content you have to explore is ridiculously large. Not only that, but there is a surplus of side-missions that sometimes completely fill up your map (in a good way). This makes the familiar combat system even seem fresher as the game gives you so many new things to kill. The immense amount of things to do in the game makes it absolutely worth the price, and any fan of the Assassin’s Creed should pick this up as soon as possible, matey.

Justin MingeStaff Writer

Photo: assassinscreed.ubi.com

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Columbus State University|The Saber A&E Nov. 13, 2013 | 7

We are always aware of what happens around and on campus. Even when we don’t necessarily plan on it, we know about everything either by word of mouth or advertising. But what happens at the Schwob School of Music is always kind of a mystery. Music majors tend to stay in the Schwob School of music bubble and not interact too much with non-music majors. This article might help to understand exactly why that is. A typical Schwob Student will get up very early in the morning in order to do one of a few things. They either go to practice their instrument, catch the shuttle to take the earliest core classes possible or practice for a skills or theory exam that is happening that day. All of these things tend to take up a lot of time and energy and are completely necessary for survival at the Schwob School. Practicing at least 3 hours a day for a music major is a must. It’s like breathing and eating. Because without practicing, we would never improve as musicians, we believe in the saying “practice makes perfect.” Unfortunately, perfection does not exist but in the world of non-popular music. Perfection is striven for everyday not only by the performers, but also by the employers. If we want to someday get a job

doing what we love, we have to be better then the other guy, and that means more practicing. The reason why they have to take the earliest Core classes possible is because a typical music major has two and a half hours of rehearsal every day, music classes such as theory, skills, piano and music history as well as private lessons with applied professors. And these classes aren’t offered a million times per day, they are only offered at one time which means that music majors have to fit every other class around those classes (either really early or really late). So, when you see music majors get very stressed on main campus it’s not because they are mean or have a bad attitude, its simply because they have a lot on their plate. At this point you might be asking, what’s so hard about music major classes anyway? In classes such as piano and skills they have to learn to do their assignments in front of the rest of the class. In piano, they are asked to play their assigned excerpts one by one, so if there is a mess up, the whole class gets to know about it. Skills is similarly stressful because the teacher does not have time to hear each student separately outside of class, so they have to sing in front of everyone. And there is nothing worse then

getting judged by your peers. They also get to perform with a large ensemble such as the Wind Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, University Singers, Chamber Singers or CSU Philharmonic a few times every semester. This is added pressure because if they are not prepared, the audience will not enjoy the concert and the conductors will not be happy. So on top of their solo repertoire, music classes, core requirements and daily practicing, they also participate in large ensembles. At this point, there is not much time left for things like eating, sleeping or, dare I say it, a personal life. That being said, you wonder why they got themselves into such a hard profession especially considering the fact that classical music isn’t as popular as it used to be. It’s because they love it. It’s because striving to make this world a more beautiful place through music is what makes them tick. Musicians are artists and we whole-heartedly believe that music can change the world and make a difference even if it takes a long time for the rest of the world to agree. They just know that music has the power to bring beauty and life back into this world and they just have to work hard enough to make that happen. No pressure.

A day in a life of a Schwob studentWhat a Schwob Student goes through on a regular basis and why they do what they do.

Dana VolkovinskyContributing Writer

Financial crises are not rare. Even more common than the crises are books decrying the great iniquities that permit and presage financial collapses in which those who

were previously wealthy emerge enriched and those who were previously poor are pushed deeper into abjection. What is rare, however, is the novel that explores as forcefully and poignantly those iniquities today as it did when first published eight decades ago. B. Traven is the pseudonym of an author whose identity is shrouded in conjecture. Some hopeful fans have suggested that Traven is the American Ambrose Bierce who disappeared in Mexico during a civil war. Others have proposed that he was the illegitimate son of Kaiser Wilhelm II. These identifications are unlikely. More likely is that B. Traven is the pseudonym of German stage actor, journalist and anarchist identified as Ret Murat, who was arrested in 1919 and sentenced to be hanged. Murat escaped, somehow, and the story goes that he managed to change identities and flee to Mexico where he lived under various aliases, often claiming to be an American. Scholars dispute almost every detail of Traven’s life, but what is beyond contest is the remarkable body of work left behind by the man (or the group of people writing under the name Traven, as another theory suggests that his novels are experiments in collective fiction writing). “The Treasure of the Sierra Madre” is Traven’s most well known book, and was adapted into an Academy Award winning

movie by John Huston starring Humphrey Bogart. The story follows a group of desperate men in Mexico as they struggle to find fortune—or at least a life in which they can enjoy luxuries greater than a flea motel. Traven’s novels are studded not with gems stones but brass tacks of insight. For some, these lines may seem to glitter amid the stilted dialogue; however, the stilted writing points to the very quality that makes these books not simply endure but proliferate, to swell up with prescience. Traven trucks not in naturalism, as other politically minded authors of his era. Instead, Traven writes allegories. He’s a kind of Hermann Hesse among the working class; for Traven, there is no time to study sutras when all around you the bare facts of reality impose starvation and abjection. “The Treasure of the Sierra Madre” balances sardonic humor, exploiting the absurdity of the three main character’s place in the world, with a great social tragedy. When the bureaucracy cannot connect its brutal fist to the jaws of our protagonists, their fellow poor and hopeless are quick to take advantage. Even more good news: the bulk of Traven’s oeuvre is available in the Schwob Library on main campus. Listen, now: I’ve checked, and you guys are not reading Traven. Fix that by checking out some Traven, and then go check out the way the people of Iceland handled the most recent financial collapse by imprisoning guilty bankers and drawing up a new constitution. A book you will not find in our library, but perhaps Traven’s best novel, is “The Death Ship”. The scope is international, and the prose varies between arrestingly stark and arrestingly beautiful—never mind that the novel is boiling over with Traven’s great ironic insights. This book is worth tracking down. I’d loan it to you, but, ever since I decided to write this Traven review, I just can’t stop reading it.

And if I can’t find a job?Subversive reading for frustrated students Tom IngramCopy Editor

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8 | Nov. 13, 2013 Local & World Columbus State University|The Saber

How far has America, the land of the free and home of the brave, come on the subject of gay rights? Our military has had an unsavory relationship with the LGBT community. In the last few years, with the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, it seemed like gays in the military and the LGBT community were making leaps and bounds. Today, with the Georgia National Guard, there is an issue of continued discrimination. In the last week, the Georgia National Guard indicated that it will continue to ignore the directions sent by the Defense secretary, Chuck Hagel. Hagel dictated that the Georgia National Guard must begin recognizing same sex couples for spousal benefits. The Pentagon guarantees benefits for gay couples, so why will the Georgia National Guard not adhere to the law? After the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) was passed, Pentagon policy changed which allowed same sex couples the same housing, healthcare, and other benefits that straight couples have always been entitled to. Chuck Hagel says, “This is wrong. Not only does this violate the states’ obligation under federal law, their actions have created hardships and inequality by forcing couples to travel long distances

to federal military bases to obtain the ID cards they’re entitled to.” Georgia is not the only state which fails to recognize benefits for same sex couples. States like Indiana, Florida, and Oklahoma are joining Georgia in its effort to deny these couples justification under the National Guard. In Oklahoma, the governor even ordered their National Guard to stop processing requests for gay married couples, which means the couples have to seek help from other institutions. Their ID cards, which allow couples to acquire benefits, must be picked up from federal bases, which can be hundreds of miles away from where they live. Here at CSU, we have a large population of people who are in the military or identify closely with the military. What does this mean for the gay students associated with the military? Alexis Riddle, a CSU freshman who one day wants to be a military psychiatrist and study PTSD, believes that the National Guard is wrong on all fronts. “Considering I have gay friends in the military, some who are in the National Guard, I feel that that decision is outrageous. It’s 2013 and the world is diverse, get over it. Gay people are still people, no matter their

sexual orientation. It really shows how far we haven’t come on the subject of gay rights,” says Alexis. Meshia Wimbish, a student who identifies closely with the LGBT community also feels very strongly about it. Meshia notes that, “If you’re willing to put your life on the line for the country, they should at least respect your lifestyle choices. That’s a big commitment. If I was in the military, it would be scary. Why, on only the basis of my sexual orientation, would I be penalized for loving who I do?” The Guard stands by their choice to deny gay couples benefits. Georgia’s Department of Defense has made a statement which posits that since the state of Georgia does not recognize same sex marriages, they will not allow any same sex couples to seek benefits within the state run bases. Gay couples who look for military benefit ID cars within the state of Georgia, or any of the eight other states that ignore the federal decision, will be referred to the federal bases. Georgia is denying spousal benefits under federal law to keep gays unequal. It shows that not much has changed for gays in the military in Georgia. They’ve made it incredibly complicated to live life comfortably.

Taking a step backThe Georgia National Guard refuses to recognize same sex couples

Jared Brewer Staff Writer

Photos and firearmsInstagram and Pinterest are adding new features Instagram and Pinterest are the two most popular picture media applications out there. They help us express who we are and share our thoughts with our friends and family. These applications have become a part of our social psyche and anyone who doesn’t know what they are or how to use them is considered “out of the loop.” What makes these applications so popular and most importantly, what are some of the new additions to these apps that may change how we use them, for better or for worse? Pinterest announced on Tuesday Oct. 29 that they will be adding a new feature called “related pins” right to the home feed. This add-on will essentially be a way for the company to hone in on what unique things you’re into and recommend things that are similar. Pinterest is doing this in an effort to encourage more pinning and to show people that the company is genuinely interested in its users. Perhaps this is why Pinterest has become so widespread in the past few years and is now worth upwards of 3.8 billion dollars.

Instagram is also going through some changes, perhaps not for the better. The popular photo-posting application, bought last year by Facebook, has become the best place to buy and sell firearms online. There are people posting pictures of firearms and actually instituting potential deals out in the open, which leads to transactions being conducted in the comments. In case you were wondering: this is completely legal. “There is no federal law prohibiting sales of firearms over the Internet,” a Dept. of Justice spokeswoman told the Daily Beast. But this loophole may create many problems because without the usual background check that is needed for a regular purchase of a firearm, any person will be able to get their hands on a gun. Even though this type of action

isn’t strictly illegal, the government can still investigate any person posting or purchasing firearms if they are under suspicion of breaking the laws of the state. Another new addition to Instagram will be ads. This means that sponsored photos and videos will be appearing on people’s feeds by brands that they don’t necessarily follow. The company hopes that ads will give people a new perspective on certain brands as well as help a variety of brands to advertise their products. All in all, there are many new changes coming that can either enhance or ruin the current application experience.

Dana VolkovinskyContributing Writer

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Twinkle twinkle millions of lightsFantasy in Lights comes to Callaway Gardens

Columbus State University|The Saber Local & World Nov. 13, 2013 | 9

How far will our government go? In the last few weeks, governments, both foreign and domestic, have been raging. It has been revealed that our government, specifically the National Security Agency (NSA), has been spying on Germany since about 2002. It is no great secret that since the Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (PATRIOT) Act of 2001 was signed by then president George W. Bush, the U.S. government has been allowed to monitor some aspects of citizens’ private conversations and activities. Put into effect after the Sept. 11 attacks on the twin towers, the legislation flew through Congress on an updraft of fear, confusion and desperation. Twelve years later, many Americans seem to have forgotten about this legislation’s significance, that is until the recent scandal with Germany erupted. Today, Germany and other

foreign governments are up in arms. Apparently, the NSA has been monitoring the telephone and cell phone calls of German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Questions sprouted about President Obama’s involvement. Because the NSA and the president keep in close contact, it is possible that he could have known about these proceedings all along. When Germany asked Obama if the NSA had been spying, the answer was yes. Chancellor Merkel and President Obama had a private conference, and while no information was leaked by either government, some informational sources say that Obama apologized and stated that if he had known about the spying, he would have stopped it. Others suggest that it did not begin or end with Germany, but also included over 35 other foreign governments. This spying may have a long term negative impact our relations with Germany. There has even been talk of Germany

taking legal action and suing the United States. After all was said and done, then came the question of morality. Why would America spy on allies like Germany? It has sparked controversy around the world. Even the French government has asked about the actions of the NSA. Because American government works so closely with France and its government, the speculation from the French government could cause a few large problems. Is there something that the U.S. is trying to prove? Where do we draw the line? Some critics believe there is no end to the spying by the NSA; they abide by no laws. A few government officials, notably Peter King, a Republican of New York, believe we should be unapologetic. According to this faction, we are gaining new and useful information and should not be regretful in any way. As involved citizens and

students, the spying scandal can have long lasting effects on our school and our lives outside of our school. Our school works closely with many other countries. How can we expect to have good foreign relations within our school if our country has none? As future employees, we should not be forced to be immersed into a world where our government knows no bounds.

We know no boundsNSA spying program goes overboard

Jared BrewerStaff Writer

Illustration: Trevor Mehrkens

It takes 36 minutes to drive to Callaway Gardens from CSU. Only 36 minutes to get to one of the biggest Christmas light events in America. Is it worth it? Deck the halls yes. The annual event known as the Callaway Gardens’ Fantasy in Lights is a tour of miles of Christmas lights centered around 15 various themes, such as the 12 Days of Christmas or the Nutcracker or Snowflake Valley. Festive music plays in the background as participants drive past around 8 million Christmas lights for about an hour. The event opens officially on Friday Nov. 22 this year and runs until Dec. 30., with participants having more choices than ever on how to view the spectacle. The methods of transportation include coming in your own car, which can have the benefit of friends and hot chocolate and blankets, or riding in the Jolly Trolley, which gives the poor driver a break but can get pretty cold. Price of admission for this event is a little steeper depending on when tickets are

purchased. It’s always best to buy tickets beforehand to cash in on the discounts when it comes to Fantasy in Lights. After all, it’s better to pay $17 for the advanced tickets rather than the full $28 adult ticket price. Kids get in for $8.50 with the advanced discount. Celebrating its 22nd anniversary, Fantasy in Lights is making 2013 is a special year. There are numerous themed nights, the most relevant to this campus happening right at the beginning, on Friday Nov. 15. This day is College and University Night, and students and alumni are requested to wear their school colors, so if you want to represent CSU now is the opportunity. Other special nights include Bicycle Night on Nov. 16, and the annual March of Dimes Night Walk on Nov. 17, where viewers walk through the exhibits and raise money for the March of Dimes charity to boot. As a bonus, there’s more to do at Fantasy in Lights than just seeing the twinkling. Hot refreshments are sold in the plaza by Robin Lake, including hot chocolate

and cider, perfect for cold evenings. Afterwards, a quick visit to Christmas Village will help with the Christmas shopping since it’s packed with crafts, ornaments and other festive goodies. It’s a Christmas shopping paradise. There are some drawbacks to this seasonal event, however. Anyone who has had prior experience with the light show will point out that occasionally, especially as Christmas draws closer, there will be long lines of cars waiting to drive through the gardens, or people will be cramming onto the Jolly Trolly like plums in a pudding. And occasionally the music will be cheesy, but it’s all in good fun. The swans on the lake are waiting, so don’t forget to buy tickets early. And bring some people along, it’s much more fun when there’s a crowd of friends and family.

Elaine HoffmeisterLocal & World News Editor

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Arts&Entertainment

The Saber | Columbus State University

10 | Nov. 13, 2013 Local & World Columbus State University|The Saber

This Week in History: Columbus State UniversityBrandi PhillipsStaff Writer

Have you ever wondered how the college you are attending started from the bottom and somehow became ranked number 46 out of the top 100 regional universities in the South? It is the Saber’s pleasure to give you a quick tour of the Then and Now of CSU. Founded in Sept. 1958 as a two year college, Columbus College, as it was then called, was initiated by a board committee at the Columbus Chamber of Commerce in 1949. With excitement and determination, locals in the early 1940s through early 1950s began raising money to build the college and the administration. It was not until 1958 that a law proposed the legal establishment of junior colleges in Georgia. Nevertheless, the cheerful citizens of Columbus remodeled Shannon Hosiery Mill on Talbotton Road to suit their needs, and started with 15 faculty members and almost 300 students. It is funny how things change, isn’t it? “Columbus College” relocated to the present location via a rapid expansion process in 1963. In 1965, the Board of Regents approved consideration of Columbus College to become a four-year institution, while also approving Thomas Y. Whitely as the first president of Columbus College. The Columbus community banded together to continue raising funds and the brand new university became eligible to receive state funding. Whitely led the institution until 1962, from the period when it was a remodeled mill on Talbotton Road to where it is now. Besides being the first president of CSU, he handed out the first bachelor’s degrees to its first graduating four-year class in 1970. Another laudable act of Whitely’s occurred in 1963, when he admitted the first black students in the fall – two years after the desegregation laws were passed in Georgia. Whitely retired in 1979 and Francis J. Brooke took the wheels, becoming the new driving force of Columbus College. In 1980, Brooke sat in a high position – with many lows awaiting him. The college was facing decreasing enrollments and shrinking budgets, thus forcing him to eliminate several faculty positions. Sadly, Brooke was not in the position for long when faculty began protesting, which led to his resignation by the end of 1987. Vice President, Frank D. Brown, was appointed as the college’s third president in 1988. Brown accomplished recovering more faculty jobs and the enrollment numbers went sky high again. Because of Brown, in 1996, Columbus College was renamed Columbus State University. Currently, CSU has received many education and athlete partnerships in Columbus and across the state of Georgia. The university has received state recognition for the degrees and programs offered as well as sporting, theatrical and musical credibility. CSU played a role in renovating downtown Columbus because of the dormitories and buildings sporting CSU’s brand name. CSU is continuing its tradition of providing quality education at affordable prices in West Central Georgia.

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Columbus State University|The Saber Sports Nov. 6, 2013 | PB

Columbus State University|The Saber Local & World Nov. 13, 2013 | 11

Obamacare is in the news practically every day, but have you been keeping up with it? If not, then the only impression you might have of the controversial act is that it’s more crippled than a two-legged dog. But it turns out that there is more going on here than bad press and political opportunism; these are facts on the successes and failures of the new system to help get a grasp on the situation. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, more commonly known as Obamacare or the Affordable Care Act, is designed to be a major overhaul of the healthcare system. Signed into existence in March 2010, on paper the act looks to improve the availability and quality of health insurance, and lower the rate of uninsured people in America. Beginning next year everyone has to have health insurance or a penalty will be paid; however, one of the benefits of this new system is that insurers will no longer be able to reject clients or overcharge them based on an existing health condition. As a bonus, children can remain on the policy until they hit 26. The average monthly premium for the middle of the road health coverage under the Affordable Care Act is expected to be approximately $328. But when it comes to putting this new coverage in place, everything has been far from rosy. President Obama apologized last week to the more than 12 million Americans whose health insurance has

been canceled due to the Affordable Care Act, despite the assurances made that Americans could keep their original coverage if preferred. The president promised to deal with both the preemptive loss of coverage and the unstable Obamacare website. The Obamacare website, Healthcare.gov, has also been making headlines lately. After a launch on Oct. 1 that was nothing short of a fiasco, complete with glitches and mass failures, the website has been a leading factor in delaying the progress of Obamacare. There are hopes that the website will be running smoothly by the end of Nov., but problems still persist which disable the purchasing and processing of insurance. Right now the biggest concern regarding Obamacare is the possibility of it eliminating jobs. It was estimated that

the movement could eliminate over half a million jobs, but so far this threat has not come to pass because of the early failures to implement the Affordable Care Act. Interestingly, in Oct. over 200,000 jobs were created in areas that would have been sensitive to the effects of change in health coverage, indicating that businesses have not yet reacted to the changes being put in place. Another projected downside of the plan is the predicted upsurge of patients waiting to be treated since healthcare will be more widely available. While reports of Americans losing their insurance and being laden with more expensive options are all over the news, the reports can be exaggerated depending on which political party is propagating. Many times the increased costs are not that much more and the coverage is better than the existing plan. At this point hundreds of thousands of people have already signed up for Obamacare, but the numbers are still short of the projected 7 million expected within the next few months. Some sources say that despite all of the problems and bad press Obamacare has accrued, many uninsured Americans are showing a growing interest in it. It’s not the end of democracy, just an enormous project which has been difficult to hatch into a healthy viable option for uninsured Americans.

Elaine HoffmeisterLocal & World News EditorLike it or not, here it comes

Everything you need to know about Obamacare

“Beginning next year everyone

has to have health insurance or a penalty will be

paid.”

“In the end it’s not socialism, just an enormous project which has been difficult to hatch into a healthy viable option for uninsured

Americans.”

Must do’s for college students

Danielle DavisOffice Manager

To face cooler weather and shorter daylight hours

1. Wear a jacket, people. Don’t let the warm weather fool you. We’re well into fall and approaching winter. 2. Buy some warm, comfy clothes. Sweatshirts, hoodies, you name it. 3. Do a little baking. It never gets old, trust me. 4. Find a good fall TV series to watch. Nothing like getting overly invested in a fictional person’s life. 5. Buckle down in your classes. The semester is almost at a close. Don’t be THAT student.

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Bad ways to handlecriticism:

12 | Nov. 13, 2013 Rear End Columbus State University|The Saber