Issue 11 | Volume 102 by The Colonnade

@GCSUnade

@TheColonnade

The Official Student Newspaper of Georgia College December 7, 2023

Single Copies Free

The race to MVP Davis Camuso Staff Writer Major League Baseball’s Most Valuable Player race is officially over with Ronald Acuña Jr. from the Atlanta Braves and Shohei Ohtani from the Los Angeles Angels taking home the awards for their respective leagues. Both of the winners won in historic fashion. According to MLB. com, for the first time in MLB history, both the National League and American League MVP Award winners were selected unanimously. “Seeing what both of these players have been able to do this season, it truly is remarkable witnessing history right in front of my own eyes,” said Chase Sammon, a junior management information systems major. Acuña Jr. capped off a historic season, as he did something that no one has ever done in MLB history. He hit 40 home runs and stole over 70 bases this regular season, making him the first player to ever join the 40/50, 40/60 and 40/70 club.

According to ESPN, he finished the season with a .337 batting average. He also led the league with 217 hits, which is the most by any player in nine years. Additionally, he led the league with 149 runs. While Acuña and the Braves may have had a disappointing playoff run, this did not take away from the remarkable season he was able to have. “I loved being able to go to Braves games this year and see Acuña put on a show for us every single night,” said Trevor Hands, a senior MIS major. Ohtani had himself a great season as well, winning his second MVP race unanimously. The star from Japan has continued to impress everyone as he amazes people with both his pitching and hitting ability. Even though he ended his year with a season-ending injury, this did not take away from the strong numbers he was able to produce. See MVP | Page 6

bobcatmultimedia.com

Remembering former First Lady Rosalynn Smith Carter Carter’s legacy in mental health advocacy outlives her

Rosalynn Smith Carter and President Jimmy Carter in 1979

Rebecca Meghani Senior Writer Former First Lady Rosalynn Smith Carter, who turned her role into a job that created lasting impacts in public policy and in individual lives that we still feel today, passed away on Nov. 19 at age 96. In her years of life,

including a 77-year long marriage with former President Jimmy Carter, she was a woman of grace and influence who was able to create her own legacy through her passion of mental health advocacy. “I do not think there has ever been another sort of leader in the mental health field who has had as much of an

impact on mental health care and access to care and how we think about mental health and mental illness as Mrs. Carter,” said Kathryn Cade, vice chair of The Carter Center Board of Trustees and a board member of The Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers. “And I think it has to do with her incredible concern about the issue

and her perseverance for more than 50 years.” During Carter’s 1966 gubernatorial campaign in Georgia, Rosalynn Carter encountered many citizens that voiced their concerns about their friends and family being housed at overcrowded psychiatric hospitals that See CARTER | Page 3

CALE’S CINEMA CORNER: “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes” Review Cale Strickland Managing Editor

Bella McComis | Digital Media Editor

I’ll admit: Before this month, I had not seen any of the “Hunger Games” movies. I know. Your jaw is probably on the floor; my girlfriend’s was when I told her. I thought I had watched the first one — half-asleep, on an ex-friend’s couch in the early hours of the morning — but halfway through “rewatching” it with my girlfriend, I realized I had barely made it to the second act.

I do not know how, but I completely missed out on them. However, I can remember reading the first book, either in late elementary school or early middle school. As I got older, I had always wanted to experience the phenomenon, even if it was years after the series’ end. And although I knew little to nothing about the Games, Katniss Everdeen or Peeta Mellark, I was excited when a prequel, “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes,” was announced.

I was eagerly anticipating the film, in part because it was going to be Hunter Schafer’s, one of my favorite up-and-coming actresses, first movie, but in part because it gave me an excuse to lean into my years-long interest in the franchise. From the euphoric highs of “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” to the humbling lows of “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1,” the past couple of weeks have been an experience. “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Song-

birds & Snakes” follows Coriolanus Snow, the big bad of the series, as he mentors Lucy Gray Baird, who is from District 12 — the District which would come to know Everdeen decades later — during the 10th Games. Snow, played by Tom Blyth, and Baird, played by Rachel Zegler, navigate the bloodbath of the Games, the anger and passion of class division and the lust and potential love of will-theywill-they-not romance. See HUNGER GAMES | Page 7

Uber rating’s attack on natural human interaction

Is the rideshare service’s rating system dystopian? Drew Oldham Opinion Editor In the past, a person could enjoy the luxury of hailing a cab, calling a taxi or getting an Uber as needed. The driver did not have to know you, and you did not have to know the driver. You rode in the car, got let

out where you wanted to go, paid your money and went your separate ways. Today, riders and drivers alike can screen each other’s ratings before their scheduled trip. Uber users are rated by their driver after they are dropped off at their destination. If your passenger rating gets low, you may become less likely to get a

ride in the future. These ratings are completely subjective and not based on any type of codified criteria, effectively allowing the driver to assign you a good or bad rating for almost any reason. Passengers are afforded the same opportunity to rate drivers, and both the driver and passenger’s average ratings that are displayed on

the Uber app are based off of the last 500 ratings one has received. On the surface, this seems like a practical protection from the experience of a bad driver or a disruptive passenger. It allows the driver to opt out if they are about to pick up a potentially risky passenger with a poor track record and allows a passenger to avoid a rude

dangerous driver. Despite the benefits this rating system offers, I am deeply skeptical of the implementation of this rating system. Rating systems such as this one are foretelling of a dystopian future where human interaction is consequence-driven and motivated by the fear of another’s opinion of you and the ability of

this opinion — however it is formed — to prevent you from obtaining needed services. Readers who have seen “Black Mirror” will recall the episode “Nosedive,” which portrays a society where humans receive a rating from one to five stars in every social interaction they partake in. See UBER | Page 9

NEWS | PG.3

SPORTS | PG.5

ARTS & LIFE | PG.8

SEXIEST MAN ALIVE

MATT RIFE

The rappers lyrics are now being used as evidence in court.

Hannah Cail, a freshman, leads GC women’s basketball to a winning early-season record.

Patrick Dempsey has been named People magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive. Is the award objectifying?

Are there limits for what comedians can make jokes about? Are audiences too sensitive?

YOUNG THUG TRIAL

HANNAH CAIL

OPINION & MISC. | PG.10

KATE VERITY, NEWS EDITOR SHADIMON SMITH, ASST. NEWS EDITOR

12.07.2023

NEWS

TEMPORARY CEASEFIRE BETWEEN HAMAS AND ISRAEL MARKED BY RELEASE OF HOSTAGES Kate Verity

fire was extended an

Although the U.S. played

tages that have been re-

addressed the Assembly

people across the globe,

News Editor

additional two days —

a role in communicat-

leased have been wom-

to brief them on how

was thankful to hear a

Tuesday, Nov. 28, and

ing and negotiating with

en and children. Hamas

the ceasefire has provid-

ceasefire was underway.

Wednesday, Nov. 28 —

Hamas over the last few

reportedly still holds an

ed room to aid the suf-

“I feel that a ceasefire

bringing the total release

months, overseeing the

estimated 140 hostages,

fering civilians in Gaza.

is absolutely necessary,”

to 70 hostages by Hamas,

release of the hostag-

most of whom are Israeli

“I reiterate my call for

Reed said. “I think the

meaning that Israel had

es is credited primari-

soldiers or able-bodied

a longer-term humani-

hostage situation and ex-

then freed 210 prisoners.

ly to Qatar and Egypt.

men, who could fight.

tarian ceasefire so food,

changing is just the start,

have

Since Hamas’s Oct. 7

water and desperately

and I really hope that it

tian leaders continued

been kept very quiet and

attack on Israel and Is-

needed medical aid can

does continue to grow

to work to extend the

were carefully guarded to

rael’s subsequent decla-

reach all those in need in

into a peaceful conversa-

peace in the region and

ensure their success due

ration of war, the Gaza

the Gaza Strip and all af-

tion. Can there be peace,

successfully negotiated a

to the fact that public

Strip has been the center

fected areas,” Francis said.

and can we achieve

seventh day of the cease-

attention on the negoti-

fire on Thursday, Nov.

ations risked jeopardiz-

of a bloody war. It is es-

30. During this time, 10

ing the safe return of the

more hostages were set

individuals held hostage.

free in exchange for 30

In addition to the 70

A temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hamas resulted in the release of Palestinians imprisoned in Israel in exchange for hostages in Hamas. In exchange for every hostage that Hamas released, Israel agreed to free three imprisoned

Palestinains.

On Friday, Nov. 24, Israel and Hamas agreed to stop all attacks through Monday, Nov. 27. The terms of the agreement stated that Israel would release

three

prison-

ers for each hostage

Qatari

and

imprisoned

Egyp-

Palestin-

These

hostages freed through

ians, per the same terms

these

as the original ceasefire.

Hamas

released

an-

other 31 people, spe-

freed by Hamas. Orig-

Qatar and Egypt report

cifically including Thai

inally,

agreed

that their representatives

citizens and Russian-Is-

to release 50 hostages

and officials had been

raeli

to gain 150 Palestin-

working to arrange a

Hamas has now freed a

ian

during

pause in the conflict and

total of 17 Thai citizens

the four-day ceasefire.

negotiate the release of

as well as two Filipinos.

However, the cease-

hostages since October.

Nearly all of the hos-

prisoners

United

negotiations,

States,

Hamas

The

efforts

dual

citizens.

war

some sort of common

timated that there have

is between Israel and

ground with these his-

been over 14,000 deaths

Hamas,

torical

in the region since this

ian people are suffering

The temporary calm

conflict began. Howev-

greatly from the war.

came to an end early Fri-

er, this week of peace

Anecdotes on all major

day, Dec. 1. NPR reports

has brought hope to

news outlets share sto-

that by Friday after-

diplomats and leaders

ries of the daily hunt for

noon, Israel had already

that a resolution to this

food and water and the

resumed the conflict,

conflict is achievable.

realities of living un-

launching over 200 air-

the

der siege in a warzone.

strikes on Gaza. The re-

ceasefire in small incre-

This short halt in the

newed assault reportedly

ments over and over, an

assault has allowed out-

killed 178 and injured

opportunity is created

side nations and groups

nearly 600. Israel claims

for leaders to focus on

to get some humanitar-

that Hamas had fired to-

strategies and terms of

ian aid into the region.

ward Israel, which con-

potential

rath-

Although diplomats like

stituted a violation of the

er than put every effort

Francis are grateful for

ceasefire, leading Israel to

into planning aggres-

the short break, they say

halt the temporary truce.

sion and war strategy.

that it is not enough to

As of Dec. 4, Isra-

In addition, the brief

significantly relieve the

el and Hamas have re-

pause in the war also

incredible

challenges

sumed war. Although

provided an opportunity

facing the Palestinians.

it did not lead to long-

to get humanitarian aid

Sicilia Reed is a senior

term resolution, the brief

extending

peace

to the people in Gaza.

Rescue work after Israeli strike in southern Gaza on Dec 4, 2023

VOLUME 102 | NO. 11

Although

mass

the

Palestin-

civilizations?”

communication

ceasefire was not without

Dennis Francis is the

major at GC. She has

benefit for the many hos-

president of the United

been keeping up with

tages and prisoners that

Nations General Assem-

the war as events have

can now return to their

bly. On Tuesday, Francis

unfolded and, like many

families and to freedom.

@TheColonnade

Editorial Board

Jennifer Crider................. Editor in Chief Cale Strickland................Managing Editor Julia Jensen....................... Art Director Kate Verity......................... News Editor Shadimon Smith......... Asst. News Editor Brennan Schmitz......... Sports Editor Emily Henderson........... Asst. Sports Editor Paige Blakemore............Arts & Life Editor Kylie Rowe........................ Asst. Arts & Life Editor Drew Oldham...................Opinion Editor Isabella McComis......... Digital Media Editor Kylie Noles........................ Digital Media Editor Avery Blair..........................PR Manager Kassie Arps.......................Ad Sales Manager William Burke.................. Faculty Adviser

*All Opinion columns are the opinion of the columnist, not of The Colonnade.

The Colonnade is looking for staff writers, editors, designers, videographers, and more. Contact thegcsucolonnade@gmail.com for more.

If you’re interested in writing for The Colonnade, email thegcsucolonnade@gmail.com.

Ad Disclaimer The Colonnade is not responsible for any false advertising. We are not liable for any error in advertising to a greater extent than the cost of the space in which the item occurs. The Colonnade reserves the right to edit or reject any advertising copy submitted for publication. There is no guaranteed placement of ads. The Colonnade does not accept advertising concerning firearms nor guarantee ads concerning alcoholic beverages.

Corrections

If you feel anything we’ve printed or posted online has been reported in error, please send an email to thegcsucolonnade@ gmail.com.

Copyrights

All stories and photographs appearing in this issue and previous issues, unless otherwise noted, are copyrighted by The Colonnade.

KATE VERITY, NEWS EDITOR SHADIMON SMITH, ASST. NEWS EDITOR

12.07.2023

NEWS CARTER

Continued from page 1 had deplorable and dehumanizing conditions for their residents. Carter was able to see these conditions in person when she and her husband visited Tommy, her husband’s distant cousin, at the Georgia Central State Hospital in Milledgeville. Then, there were 13,000 people crammed in this psychiatric hospital. Along with this, she visited and volunteered at all 12 of Georgia’s psychiatric hospitals, including volunteering once a week at the Georgia Regional Hospital. She was handson during this time, reading to children, talking to adults struggling with addictions and participating in extracurricular activities with the elderly. In a time when mental health was surrounded with negative stigmas, with a more common belief that people with mental illness should be put away in overcrowded and dangerous psychiatric facilities, Carter took mental health stances that are reflective of norms today. Her work centered around humanity and pushed to fight the stigma around mental health. Carter

worked to normalize ideas like mental health is health, stigma is deadly and people that suffer from mental illnesses deserve to be a part of our society and that no one should be given up on. “Twenty-five years ago, we did not dream that people might someday be able actually to recover from mental illnesses,” Carter said to the President’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health. “Today, it is a very real possibility.” Carter left her mark on the fight for mental health throughout her life. She had a significant impact on public policy during her time as First Lady and continued her work after Carter left the White House. When Carter was the governor of Georgia, she created and participated in a state commission to improve mental health services to the mentally and emotionally handicapped. This continued through Carter’s presidential administration, where he signed an executive order establishing a presidential commission on mental health in 1977. She acted as an honorary chair of the President’s Commission on Mental Health, where she brought forth the pas-

sage of the Mental Health Systems Act of 1980. Carter was a public advocate for mental health and fought for improvements in mental health programs throughout her life. She was the face of mental health advocacy efforts around the country, like voicing concerns in the public space and testifying before Congress for increasing the funding for mental health programs. She lobbied Congress to create a landmark law that requires insurers to provide equality in mental health coverage. After her husband’s presidential administration, Carter was unable to influence government policy in the same way, but she continued to create spaces for mental health advocacy in many forms. The Carter Center in Atlanta was founded by President and Mrs. Carter in 1982 in partnership with Emory University to “advance peace and health worldwide.” In 1996, Carter launched a fellowship program for mental health journalism and has awarded over 220 fellows worldwide, according to The Carter Center’s website. “Mrs. Carter was the first person to ever ask

First Lady Rosalynn Carter and President Carter receiving the Presidental Medal of Freedom from President Bill Clinton in 1999

me how my journalism would make an impact,” said Aaron Glantz, a fellowship recipient and bureau chief and senior editor at The Fuller Project. “It was such an obvious question that it changed my life. These days, the question of impact is regularly discussed in newsrooms, especially on investigative desks. But at the time, considering the purpose of one’s journalism was often considered taboo.” The Center’s efforts included training journalists to combat stigmas through storytelling. “From the earliest days of her time as first lady, she always believed that journalists were key to changing public attitudes about mental health and mental illness,” Cade said. “The fellows program has demonstrated that in so

many different ways.” In 1985, she initiated the Rosalynn Carter Symposium on Mental Health Policy which aims to bring together mental health organizations around the nation to work on key issues. The first topic that year surrounded the mental health stigma. The symposium became a key part of creating mental health reform around the country. Carter continued the fight for mental health advocacy through the rest of her life, transforming legislation, diminishing negative perceptions and promoting humanitarian efforts for mental health. While Carter and her husband worked together on other issues, like launching programs that monitored elections in at least 113 countries and nearly eradicted

the Guinea worm parasite in the developing world, Carter’s work for mental health was transformative in the United States. President Carter has said that The Carter Center would have been a success had it accomplished nothing but his wife’s mental health work. Healthcare experts say that her advocacy has created a framework for a significant portion of mental health progress nationwide. “Rosalynn Carter’s deep compassion for people everywhere and her untiring strength on their behalf touched lives around the world,” the Carter family said in a statement. “We have heard from thousands of you since her passing. Thank you all for joining us in celebrating what a treasure she was, not only to us, but to all humanity.”

Young Thug’s lyrics used as evidence in RICO case

Does “pushin P” actually mean pushing positivity? Cale Strickland Managing Editor Atlanta rapper Jeffery Lamar Williams, or “Young Thug,” is in the Fulton County Jail — and has been for more than a year for allegedly co-founding the Young Slime Life criminal gang in Atlanta and is facing racketeering and gang conspiracy

charges.

Williams was arrested and charged with conspiring

violate

Georgia’s

Racketeer

Influenced

and

Cor-

rupt Organizations, or “RICO,” Act, after being indicted by a grand jury last May. His label, YSL

that slime s***. Hey,

Russia”; “I get all type

in criminal behavior —

be becoming more po-

depends on their poten-

YSL s***. Hey, killin’ 12

of cash; I’m a general.”

even if the behaviors

litical in who they’re in-

tial to display criminal

s***. Hey, f*** jail s***.

Dr. Andrew Allen, an

described originated as

dicting and who they’re

intent,

Hey”; “Cooking white

associate music profes-

fantasy or as hearsay.”

seeking to prosecute, and

ly their efficacy as evi-

brick”; “I’m not new to

sor at GC, believes the

Williams’s case is not

that’s very problematic

dence of a specific crime.

this. Hey, I’m so true

practice

unethical.

the first in which a rap-

because the prosecutor

to this. Hey; I done put

“First, artistic expres-

per’s lyrics have been

yields almost-unfettered,

type of speech would

the whole slime on hun-

sion has, traditionally,

used against them. Re-

unchecked power to de-

otherwise be protected

nid licks”; “Slime or get

cide who to prosecute

by the First Amendment,

slimed”; “F*** the judge.

and under what circum-

it’s not protected when

YSL, this that mob life.”

stances,” Lamparello said.

it’s being used to sup-

prosecution

Dr. Robert Stewart is

port, or provide a fac-

plans to use the lyrics

a music therapy lecturer

tual basis for, a criminal

to draw parallels be-

at GC and sees criminal

prosecution,” Lamparello

tween

lyr-

activity in artists’ lyrics

said. “In short: Words

ics and his lifestyle.

on a similar level to vi-

have consequences. If

They hope to show that

olence in video games.

those lyrics are found to

he has participated in the

“I’m thinking about

be relevant to proving,

unlawful distribution of

all the different types

for example, the rapper’s

drugs as well as partic-

of artists that express,

intent, particularly, or

essentially, violence or

as evidence of certain

crime through their art

acts, then it’s certainly

and how many of those

going to be admissible

people maybe aren’t do-

and probative of whether

ing anything like that

the intent existed or the

The

Williams’s

ipated in murder. The

Young Thug

use of the word “slime” and hand signals in the

“Even

not

necessari-

though

that

been protected by the

cent examples include

First Amendment,” Al-

Tay-K and YNW Mel-

len said. “Second, treat-

ly, Meek Mill and even

ing lyrics as admissible

Snoop Dogg, one of

in their real life,” Stew-

acts were committed.”

with Young Slime Life.

fact is problematic on

the founding fathers of

art said. “I mean, I can’t

This could start a

The song they wish to

its very face. No one be-

West

hip-hop.

think of a video game

precedent for this to

use to prove his involve-

lieved that the members

Lamparello,

that doesn’t incorporate

be used in other cases.

ment is called “Anybody,”

of Led Zeppelin were

a criminal justice pro-

some element of vio-

“If you start opening

and it features Nicki Mi-

gallivanting off on ad-

fessor at GC, compared

lence in it, right? There’s

that Pandora’s Box, now

liams’s argument that the

naj. It includes the lyrics

ventures to Middle Earth

Williams’s case to former

shooting; there’s sword

every Quentin Taran-

practice would be rac-

“I never killed anybody,

with elves and hobbits,

President

fighting; there’s fist fight-

tino film is gonna be

ist and discriminatory.

but I got something

typical subjects of their

both are being charged

ing. There’s all sorts of vi-

used as evidence against

One of the song’s,

to do with that body”;

lyrics, but anyone writ-

under the RICO Act, and

olent media that exists.”

him for crimes that he

“Slime S***,” lyrics will

“I told them to shoot

ing about real-life sit-

finds the prosecutor’s cit-

However, Lamparello

may have committed —

be used and include

rounds”;

uations could now be

ing of the law troubling.

says the admissibility of

or may not have com-

the lyrics “Hey, this

“Ready for war like I’m

accused of participating

“Prosecutors seem to

Williams’s lyrics in court

mitted,”

Records, is being investigated for its possible connections to local gangs. On Nov. 9, a local judge ruled Williams’s lyrics could be used as evidence in his long-awaited trial, which began on Nov. 27, despite Wil-

videos from some of his songs are being used to show his affiliation

hundred

Coast

Adam

Trump’s,

Stewart

said.

KATE VERITY, NEWS EDITOR SHADIMON SMITH, ASST. NEWS EDITOR

12.07.2023

NEWS

Biden and Jingpin discuss Taiwan at APEC summit Drew Bogumill Staff Writer

President Joe Biden met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and other world leaders for the 2023 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, or APEC, summit. The leaders and representatives gathered from Nov. 11 to 17, and the conference was considered a major economic and trade summit for Pacific powers, according to senior United States administration officials. Meeting with Biden for the first time in a year, Xi reiterated his determination to unify with Taiwan. He denounced what he called futile American efforts at containing China but he also acknowledged that U.S. tech restrictions had taken a toll. Xi’s message reflected his dueling priorities during his trip, which

many had hoped would help inject stability into the relationship between China and the U.S. Xi wants to convince Washington and the world that he is willing to engage with the U.S., in part to lure back foreign investment to bolster China’s economy. “I am very much against our current relationship with China,” said Tucker Sutton, a senior accounting major. “President Xi has made it very clear that he is still a dictator, and I can not support it.” Chinese state media leaned into the depiction of Xi as a peer to Biden, showing footage of the two smiling and walking shoulder to shoulder on the grounds of the country estate near San Francisco, where they met. Other footage showed a dinner for business executives held in Xi’s hon-

or, where luminaries like Tim Cook and Elon Musk could be seen among the throngs of guests arriving to hear the Chinese leader deliver a speech. Anything that might challenge the narrative of a warm welcome for Xi was omitted. In this fashion, Biden’s comment to a reporter stating that he regarded Xi as a dictator was downplayed in an effort to preserve the cooperation, and the summit was not jeapordized by the actions. The summit caps a tumultuous year in U.S.— China relations, which reached a low point in February after an errant Chinese surveillance balloon was discovered drifting over the U.S. “After all the drama between the U.S. and China over the years, I think this summit was a positive thing,” said Toby Gaynes, a junior mass

President Biden and President Xi Jingping

communication major. “At the very least, we can be happy about the U.S.-China climate deal.” American businesses have grown increasingly leery of investing in China after a series of raids and new restrictions on foreign companies in the name of national security. Ties have also been aggravated by China’s tacit support for Russia’s war in Ukraine as well as in-

creased Chinese military activity around Taiwan. One threatening issue for the relationship between the two countries is the future of Taiwan, which is claimed as a territory by China. Xi urged Biden to reassure China that it still stands by its stated policy of not supporting Taiwanese independence and advised him to stop supplying Taiwan with weapons. Xi

recommended to Biden that the U.S. do so thorough, what he scalled, “concrete

actions.”

“I think Biden should not listen to President Xi’s advice,” said Christian Davies, a junior management

informa-

tion systems major. “I really hope we do not cut off our weapons supply to Taiwan, as China cannot be trusted.”.

SUPERMARKETS RESPOND TO The Supreme Court SELF-CHECKOUT SHOPLIFTING adopts first ethics code Connor Blakley Staff Writer Many supermarkets across the United States have started to rethink their self-checkout strategies after shoplifting continues to rise. Self-checkout has been growing in popularity in the U.S. since the early 2000s, as they help cut out company labor expenses by having the customers do the work of checking themselves out. With the rise of COVID-19, self-checkout grew even more prominent, as it offered customers a non-contact form of checkout. However, customers have found ways to exploit self-checkout to shoplift in multiple ways. Methods of shoplifting include swapping barcodes with a cheaper product, pretending to scan an item and placing it into their bags, scanning items and not paying at the end or having a fake barcode on their wrist and scanning that barcode instead of the item’s original barcode. “Self-checkout is my

preferred way of checking out at the store,” said Michael Pimentel, a junior marketing major. “I don’t purposely not scan items, but with employees not paying attention or stepping away for a moment, I can see how it can be easy for people to take advantage of the system and sneak some items into their bags.” Adrian Beck, a professor from the University of Leicester, conducted a study in 2018 regarding self-checkout theft. The data was collected from 13 retail stores and two self-checkout technology providers. 140 million scan-andgo transactions were reported, and roughly 486,000 items were not scanned throughout the study. Amid shoplifting growing, Walmart announced that they have lost approximately $3 billion. States such as New Mexico and Delaware have removed self-checkout, and Wegmans has removed the pay option on their mobile app. Costco has also upped its self-checkout se-

Kylie Noles | Digital Media Editor

curity by stationing more employees in the self-checkout area and has cracked down on theft and nonmembers using a Costco card that does not belong to them to shop. Self-checkout registers rely highly on an honor system with their customers, but with less human presence at the register, it makes it easier for customers to go against that honor code. A study found that retail stores in the United States, Britain, and other European countries lose 4% of their profit because of self-checkout lanes and apps. “I know people who have taken advantage of self-checkout,” said Cole Lochstampfor, a management information systems, or MIS, major. “I won’t name names, but I feel self-checkout can tempt people into feeling like they can get away with shoplifting because you feel less monitored.” To combat shoplifting, stores have installed cameras at self-checkout registers and notify employees whenever an item is reported as not scanned. Another method stores use is having an employee check receipts at the exit or having an employee stationed at the self-checkout area to discourage customers from shoplifting. “It is crazy how places like Walmart and other supermarkets lose out on that much money annually,” said Jared Carter, a junior accounting major. “I find it hard to sympathize with them, considering how much money they make despite their losses. It probably feels like pocket change to them.”

Carly Henderson Staff Writer The Supreme Court formally adopted its first ethics code on Nov. 13. The code was agreed upon by all nine justices, and it will hold them to a standard of ethics both inside and outside of the courtroom. While the ethics code is new, many rules that it outlines are not. The introduction to the code states that it was issued due to a “misunderstanding that the Justices of this court, unlike all other jurists in this country, regard themselves as unrestricted by any ethics rules.” Per a statemtn given by the justices, the code is based on a preexisting code applying to the lower courts but is adapted to fit the “unique institutional setting of the Supreme Court.” The code outlines behaviors and actions that justices of the court are not to engage in. “A Justice should be patient, dignified, respectful, and courteous to all individuals with whom the Justice deals in an official capacity,” the Supreme Court Code of Ethics said. “A Justice should not engage in behavior that is harassing, abusive, prejudiced, or biased. A Justice should not retaliate against those who report misconduct.”

Julia Jensen | Art Director

While the establishment of a code of ethics for the Supreme Court is being celebrated, there is no indication of how the rules of the code will be enforced. “I think it’s great that the Supreme Court has established a code to keep the justices accountable,” said Daly Kennedy, a junior political science major. “I think that people are concerned with not knowing how it will be enforced for good reason, but it’s new. They probably don’t even know themselves how it will be However, uncertainty remains over how the code will be enforced. “I don’t understand how you are going to put rules in place but not disclose how you are going to get justices to follow the rules,” said Makenzie Flenniken, a senior public health major. “Rules without a method of enforcement aren’t rules; they’re more like guidelines.” There is speculation

that the Supreme Court implemented the code of ethics following criticism from the public. Allegations of a lack of ethics in justice, a heavy topic in the media in the weeks before the code was established, have led to this assumption by the public. “It’s convenient that these rules are officially put in place following heavy conversation about how there is a lack of ethics, but at least it exists now,” said Liz Newlin, a senior mass communication major. “As someone who wants to go into law, it is very important to me that people in the field show a respect for their profession and what it represents. I think this will hold the justices accountable and brings a sort of officiality to holding them accountable.” While there are not currently any means of enforcing the rules of the code, encouragement from the public could pressure the Supreme Court to apply them.

BRENNAN SCHMITZ, SPORTS EDITOR EMILY HENDERSON, ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

12.07.2023

SPORTS

GC ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT: HANNAH CAIL Emily Henderson

but college season, has

Asst. Sports Editor

demonstrated

GC women’s basket-

both ends of the court.

ball has started their season off strong after a greatly improved season last year. So far this season, the Bobcats are 5-2, winning

remark-

able poise and skill on “While Hannah is still learning and has room to improve this season and during her time in college, she hasn’t played like a freshman,” said

five straight games. One

head coach Ross Jolly.

player in particular that

“She’s playing with con-

has stood out for GC so

fidence and consisten-

far this season is fresh-

cy on both ends of the

man Hannah Cail, who,

court while not making

despite being in her de-

as many mistakes that

Kylie Noles | Digital Media Editor

you would see the majority of freshmen make.” Cail made her first appearance for the Bobcats in GC’s exhibition game against Georgia Tech on Nov. 2. While GC came up short to the Yellow Jackets, Cail proved her spot in the lineup after scoring a team-high 17 points for the Bobcats. Since then, Cail has been able to stay consistent within the first month of season play. She has played all seven games for the Bobcats, scoring an average of 14.4 points per game. Cail has been a huge impact offensively for the Bobcats, as she has already scored 101 points this season. This is the most points scored for the Bobcats, followed by junior Ashyia Willis with 61. “Hannah has come in and immediately provided scoring for our team,” Jolly said. “She’s very talented, but she has worked extremely hard to make herself into a good bas-

James Madison University will go bowling against all odds Connor Blakely Staff Writer The James Madison University football team is making a statement in their first year in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, or FBS, and there have been a lot of talks surrounding their bowl eligibility despite their success. James Madison and the NCAA have been in a back-and-forth battle over the possibility of the university competing in a bowl game. Since joining the FBS, the Dukes have had an unexpectedly hot start in their first two seasons. James Madison finished the 2022-2023 season with an 8-3 record, which would have landed them a spot in a bowl game. This year, they started off the season 10-0 until they dropped their first loss to the Appalachian State Mountaineers in overtime at home. The Dukes have finished the 2023 season with an 11-1 record, which, if bowl-eligible, would put them in a New Year’s Six bowl game. The 11-1 season has put James Madison at No. 24 in the AP Top 25 college football poll and at No. 25 in the AFCA Coaches Poll. However, they do not qualify

for the College Football Playoff Rankings that determine whether they make a bowl game. NCAA regulations that are in place for reclassifying teams require them to sit out two years after reclassification. While sitting out for bowl games, transition teams are required to partake in orientation sessions to review the rules and stipulations of bowl games. James Madison sent an appeal to the NCAA for a waiver to reduce their bowl eligibility to

one year instead of two years. The NCAA declined the request, making James Madison ineligible for a bowl game. “It’s unfortunate for the program going through all the hard work and traveling throughout the season not to be recognized for their success,” said Cal Breitbart, a management information systems, or MIS, major. “There’s still a chance for them to compete in a bowl game, but a team that rose to the scene as quickly as they did, I feel

like they should be able to play in a bowl game.” Despite the denial of their appeal, they will actually play in a bowl game this season. Both James Madison and Jacksonville State University are being granted a spot for a bowl game due to there not being enough six-win teams for each game. “College football fans are probably more excited to see a new team, like James Madison, playing in a bowl game. Not every year a new team comes into one of their first two seasons as dominant as they have been,” said Gavin Culbertson, a sophomore accounting major. “I would say they are better than the majority of the six to seven-win schools that are bowl-eligible right now.” The football program is looking in the right direction with their 19-4 record within their first two seasons in the FBS. James Madison being bowl-eligible for the 2023 season is an even more significant step that will bring much attention to the program. News like this will open up more opportunities for recruitment, NIL and more money to the school and its football program.

Emily Henderson Asst. Sports Editor

ketball player. She has shot the ball very well while also being consistent from game to game.” After strong performances against Fort Valley State and Newberry, Cail received her first Zaxby’s Player of the Week recognition for the week of Nov. 26. Over these two games Cail, averaged 18 points and 2.5 rebounds for the Bobcats. She had her strongest performance of the season against Fort Valley State, as she scored a record-high 22 points in that game. She helped GC come back from an 18-point deficit after sinking six three-pointers in that game alone. Cail was also able to score 14 points against Newberry. “I played with and

against Hannah since we were in middle school, since she has always played up a level or two,” said Amelia Wylly, a junior forward. “She has definitely adapted well to college-style play, but I would credit that to her ability of catching onto a higher level of play very quickly.” Playing at the college level can be hard to accomplish. A lot of time and commitment goes into reaching this amount of success at this level, especially as a freshman. “A lot of time went into reaching this level,” Cail said. “Year-round skill work, conditioning, and weight room training. I’ve had the best coaches along the way, who have helped me to work and

develop my game and myself to reach this level.” As the GC women’s basketball team aims for a deeper playoff run this season, fueled by the addition of talents like Cail, the collective goal is to make a significant impact in conference play starting on January 3. “I just want to bring everything I can to the team that can help us win,” Cail said. “Being a great teammate and playing at a high level all season. I think making a deep playoff run and potentially winning the conference would be a goal that all of us have.” Cail and the rest of the GC women’s basketball team are back in action Dec. 7 at 10:30 a.m. against Tampa.

BRENNAN SCHMITZ, SPORTS EDITOR EMILY HENDERSON, ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

12.07.2023

SPORTS

(No longer the) Oakland A’s Chance Curbow

owners have voted and

bill to go towards build-

move to Las Vegas, join-

a gap of uncertainty for

merlin, Nevada, which

Staff Writer

approved the relocation,

ing the A’s new stadium.

ing the Raiders of the

the team and fans alike.

The bill was signed in

NFL, the NHL’s Golden

“We do not see this as

is where the A’s Triple-A

The Oakland Athlet-

A’s owner John Fisher must gather private fi-

June to further persuade

Knights and the Aces of

the end of the road,” said

nancing for his part of

Fisher and the A’s orga-

the WNBA. The Raid-

Sheng Thao, the mayor

the expected $1.5 billion

nization to complete the

ers also moved from

of Oakland. We all know

cost for building a new

move to Vegas, and in its

Oakland, and the oth-

there is a long way to

stadium to call home.

finalized form, it is ex-

er team to move out of

go before shovels in the

another agreement with

“I think the move was

pected to exceed the ini-

Oakland was the NBA’s

ground and that there

the Oakland Coliseum.

inevitable,” said Bruce

tial $380 million mark.

Golden State Warriors,

are a number of unre-

The A’s are one of

Smith, a senior mass

“I think that the A’s

which moved to San

solved issues surround-

ma-

moving to Las Vegas is

Francisco in 2019. All

ing this move. I have

the original American

jor. “Teams have been

a really good idea, and

three

already

also made it clear to the

leaving

it will really help boost

in Las Vegas moved

commissioner that the

past few years for better

their

said

there in 2017 or later.

A’s branding and name

opportunities, and Las

Jake Summerford, a ju-

The team is still under

should stay in Oakland,

in franchise history. The

Vegas is a huge market

nior mass communica-

contract with the Oak-

and we will continue

team was founded in

ics announced that they will be following the now Las Vegas Raiders to Sin City. This move means Oakland,

California,

has now lost all three of their mainstream sports teams, with both the A’s and Raiders moving to Las Vegas, Nevada. The move to Las Vegas needed a 75% approval rate, and all 29 other MLB

owners

unani-

communication Oakland

the

franchise,”

Oracle Park with the San

Francisco

Giants

if they do not settle on

League franchises, and soon, they will be moving to their fourth home

with a lot of potential

tion

“Oakland

land Coliseum through

to work to pursue ex-

mously voted in favor

1901 as the Philadelphia

fans. Trying to make

doesn’t have many fans,

2025, and there is a pos-

pansion

of the move. Commis-

more money and grow

and moving to Las Vegas

sibility they sign another

Baseball has a home in

Athletics before moving

sioner Rob Manfred had

the team makes sense.”

will help because teams

contract through 2028.

Oakland even if the A’s

already voiced support

Aid has already been

in the past that have

The stadium in Las Vegas

ownership

of having the A’s relo-

supplied by Nevada Gov-

moved to Vegas have

is expected to take until at

The A’s are reported

cate, so it was foreshad-

ernor

Lombardo,

gained great popularity.”

least 2028 to be complet-

by an unidentified MLB

owing

approval.

with him signing a $380

This move makes the

ed, so the move being an-

owner to have plans to

1968, and soon, they

Now that the MLB

million public funding

A’s the fourth team to

nounced now does create

possibly play in Sum-

will be off to Las Vegas.

this

Joe

major.

teams

team plays, or to share

opportunities.

relocates.”

to Kansas City in 1955. A relatively short stint there led to the team coming to Oakland in

USWNT appoints Emma Hayes as head coach

Will the USWNT bounce back from World Cup loss with Hayes as new coach? Drew Bogumill Staff Writer The United States Soccer Federation has appointed Emma Hayes as the 10th full-time head coach in U.S. Women’s National Team history. Hayes, 47, was the long-time head coach for Chelsea FC, one of the most successful women’s teams in Europe. She started her coaching career in the U.S. over two decades ago and will now take the helm of the USWNT.   “This hire is great for the Women’s National Team,” said Christian Castillo, a senior mass communication major. “This is exactly what they need after the disappointing World Cup performance.” After growing up in London and attending Liverpool University, Hayes came to the U.S. in 2001. She coached at the youth level, working with players as young as under-eight level, with numerous clubs

MVP

Continued from page 1 According

CBS

Sports, he still led the

in the Long Island area. Hayes’s first head coaching job was with the Long Island Lady Riders in the USL W-League from 2001 to 2003. She was the young-

process and made the final decision to appoint Hayes as head coach. Hayes will become the highest paid women’s soccer coach in the world. Hayes will finish the

Hayes officially joins the U.S. Soccer team, she will have four matches on the U.S. bench before the Olympics, two in June and two in July. “I think hiring a

United States Womens National Team celebrating their World Cup win in 2019

est female head coach in the league and was named W-League Coach of the Year in 2002. U.S. Soccer Sporting Director Matt Crocker led a worldwide search

2023-24 Women’s Super League season in England and then will officially join the U.S. team two months prior to the start of the 2024 Olympics in Paris. When

new head coach only two months before the Olympics is very risky,” said Ashlyn Hawley, a junior early education major. “They are going to have barely any

thing no one has ever

has their eyes wonder-

month of August. Free-

seen before, and there

ing where the reigning

man also helped push

may not be another

MVP will land next.

this Dodgers squad, as

player like him to play

While

both

award

winners received all first

With what both play-

place votes for the award,

ers were able to accom-

they did have some tough

plish in their historic

competition. In the NL,

seasons, there is no won-

Los

Dodgers

Ohtani were Texas Rang-

The stats are not even

der that both ended up

stars Freddie Freeman

done yet, either. On the

ers stars Corey Seager

winning

unanimously.

and Mookie Betts were in

mound, he finished off

and

Although Ohtani won a

the race against Acuña.

the season with a 10-5

big MVP award, he still

Betts proved to be

record, 3.14 ERA and

is in the middle of free

the toughest competi-

struck out 167 batters.

agency. The star player is

tion for Acuña, as he

“Seeing Ohtani play

due for one of the biggest

led the Dodgers out of

win after coming back

both ways at the lev-

contracts in sports histo-

a slump, helping them

from a lackluster 68-

el he did it at is some-

ry, and the whole world

win 24 games in the

win season in 2022.

.412 on-base percentage, .654 in slugging, 1.066 in OPS and 325 total bases.

Angeles

as the Blues manager in August 2012 and has won six Women’s Super League titles, one WSL Spring Series title, five Women’s FA Cups and two FA Women’s League

Cups with the team. “Just because she has not played any professional soccer herself, it does not mean she is not capable of being a good coach,” said Denise Fajardo, a junior exercise science major. “She has proved that she is more than capable of being successful as a professional coach.” Chelsea also made the UEFA Women’s Champions League Final in 2021. Hayes was named the Best FIFA Women’s Coach of the Year for 2021 and is a finalist again for the award this year. Hayes has led the club to five WSL and Cup doubles, winning the league and the FA Cup four times and the league and the League Cup once. Chelsea won the treble in the 2020-2021 season, taking the WSL, FA Cup and League Cup trophies. With Hayes joining the team only two months before the Olympics, we will have to wait and see just how this decision pays off for the USWNT.

he continued to play at a

ever again,” Hands said.

AL with 44 home runs, a

time to develop a strong chemistry and strategy.” Hayes comes to U.S. Soccer after leading the Chelsea FC Women for the last 11 seasons. Hayes was appointed

high level of consistency throughout the season. Going

Marcus

against Shohei Ohtani

Semien.

Both Seager and Semien helped lead the Rangers to a World Series

Ronald Acuña Jr.

PAIGE BLAKEMORE, A&L EDITOR KYLIE ROWE, ASST. A&L EDITOR

12.07.2023

ARTS & LIFE

The 2024 Grammy nominations

Did everyone who deserved a nomination actually get one? Ellie Smith Contributing Writer The 66th Annual Grammy Awards nominations were announced on Nov. 10, but it was observed that several of the year’s successful artists were excluded from the list. For instance, Matty Healy, the lead singer of the alternative British rock band The 1975, expressed his outrage on the social media platform Instagram. “The fact that we didn’t get nominated for a Grammy is a f*cking outrage,” Healy said. Prince Harry’s audiobook was also noticeably missing despite selling 3.2 million copies worldwide. This raised questions about the Grammys’ bias and relevance

in the music industry. Addison White, a sophomore mass communication major, thinks the Grammys might be avoiding controversial artists and playing it safe. “The 1975 had controversy not long ago, and Morgan Wallen also had his pretty recently,” White said. “While they both had very great years, I think that the Grammys want to play it safe and try just to choose artists they know haven’t had controversy lately. I don’t think that it’s fair.” After the nominations were released, music magazine Billboard also took note of the lack of country music nominations with notable missing artists. Wallen, one of America’s current top recording artists, has yet to receive a Grammy nomination in any category.

His album “One Thing At A Time” topped Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart for 28 weeks. His song “Last Night” was nominated for Best Country Song. However, he was not credited, as he did not write it. After Luke Combs’s version of “Fast Car” won the Country Music Award, or CMA Award, for Single of the Year, it fell short in the Grammy nominations and was solely nominated for Best Country Solo Performance. Laney Wilson, who has earned seven CMA Awards within the past two years, was eligible for the Grammys’ Best New Artist but did not receive a nomination. Her album “Bell Bottom Country” was passed over for Album of the Year but nominated for Best Country Album.

The way the Grammy nomination system works has raised concerns about the integrity of the board of voting members. The board comprises individuals heavily involved in the music industry who review applications sent in by artists and select nominees for different categories. “The Grammys is known to be a rather flawed system,” said Kelsey Foster, a senior music therapy major. “The board of voting members are required to vote on categories they may not be well-exposed to. History shows a lack of diversity in the Grammys, and celebrities who win the award often acknowledge other artists in the category who they believe should have won.” Artists such as SZA, with 12 nominations,

Horoscope for Sagittarius season Jennifer Crider Editor in Chief Sagittarius: Towards the end of December, the Sun and Mercury will be in Sagitarrius, making you the main characters of the month. Expect to feel extremely popular and experience an awesome social life. This is probably going to be the best birthday ever. On top of all this, you will have a lot of luck in networking, and your reputation will be better than it ever has been. Capricorn: Your social life will absolutely flourish this month, and it is likely that you will make many new friends. Although, this luck might come to a sudden stop when Mercury goes into retrograde on Dec. 13 due to Mercury’s unique ability to slow down life and force reflection. Aquarius: There will be a harmonious relationship between you and authorities. This could manifest in a positive energy at home

HUNGER GAMES Continued from page 1 The film opens with Snow and his cousin Tigris, who lives with Snow and his mother, three years before the first Games. Despite living in the shadow of Crassus Snow, Snow’s late father and a famed military general, they are poor — dirt poor — and are forced to scavenge the streets of the Capitol for scraps. A time jump reveals Snows is a student at the Academy, a prestigious school for privileged children with dreams of becoming bureaucrats; she, played by Hunter Schafer, is an aspiring seamstress. Soon thereafter, Dr. Volumnia Gaul, played by Viola Davis, and Casca Highbottom, played

during the holidays or at school with your teachers during finals. However, your natural outspoken nature as an Aquarius could result in issues in your friend group. Make sure you are listening and understanding where people are coming from when debating with others. Pisces: Although the past few months might have been difficult for you, this month will bring a lot of peace for you. Consider planning a trip that you can look forward to or taking up a new hobby. Pisces are natural-born dreamers, so turn those dreams into a reality this month. Your motivation this month will be apparent in your school work and personal life. Overall, look forward to having an incredible month filled with new experiences. Aries: This is a really good time for financial success and travel. But be careful not to overdo travel or social activities because this will lead to burnout. When

Mercury goes into retrograde on Dec. 13, you might find yourself in a lot of extreme overthinking this month or involved in a lot of philosophical relationships.

dence due to the bliss in your romantic life. Gemini: This will be a very transformative month for you, as you will be getting rid of all of the negativities

Taurus: You will feel a balance within all your relationships this month. It is extremely likely that you will attract a serious partner this month. If you already are in a committed relationship, then this connection will just be further solidified. You might experience a boost in self-confi-

that have been weighing you down and keeping you from being happy. This will become very apparent when Mercury goes into retrograde on Dec. 13. This purge of all things bad will be extremely helpful when the new year begins. Cancer: Communication will be a huge prob-

by Peter Dinklage, give Snow and his classmates an assignment which will ask more of them than their intelligence and studiousness. The Games are falling out of favor with the public. People are bored; viewership is down. Each of the Capitol students is paired with one of the 24 tributes competing in the Games. To their surprise, their grades are based on more than if their partner survives and, by extension, wins the Games; the theatricality, or lack thereof, of their performance is equally important to the Gamemakers — and to the Games’ ratings. And the 10th Games are cruel, more so than either of the competitions featured in the first two films. The reaping is no-holds-barred. People

— and children — with disabilities are chosen as tributes. It is genuinely some of the most upsetting stuff I have seen all year. Additionally, because of the bare-bones technology and weaponry and airtight, constricting arena, the violence and bloodshed of the Games is harsher than ever before. The film is harder to watch, and easier to look away from, than any of the series’ previous installments. There is not much more I can say about the film’s plot without spoiling anything. About halfway through, it takes a hard left turn from the barbarism and carnage of the Games to a full-fledged origin story for Snow. Blyth is, by far, the standout among the film’s cast of up-and-coming

stars. Zegler is great, but he is exceptional. It is hard to go toe to toe with Donald Sutherland, who plays Snow in the other films, but he is about to being as cold, menacing and calculated as any young, inexperienced actor could be. It is hard to judge Schafer’s performance, as she — unfortunately — does not get a lot of screen time. However, my favorite performance in the film might be Jason Schwartzmann’s, who plays Lucretius “Lucky” Flickerman, an ancestor of Caesar Flickerman, the iconic Games host played by Stanley Tucci. He is downright hilarious and the perfect comedic relief. “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” is all I could have asked for from my

Jennifer Crider | Editor in Chief

Some of the 2024 Grammy nominees

and Taylor Swift, with six nominations, carried the leads for most nominations. The Best New Artist category featured promising new names like Noah Khan and Gracie Abrams. Significant musicians, like Silk Sonic, Bruno Mars and The Week-

end, did not submit

lem this month. I mean, it probably already is an issue for you since Cancers are terrified of confrontation, but this will be especially significant this month. These problems withl confrontation will likely occur for what feels like long stretches. Just make sure you are not bottling up your emotions. On the bright side, this is a really good time to find new creative endevors and find a new hobby. Leo: Expect a lot of wholesome and heartwarming moments with your family over this holiday season. This month will bring a lot of balance in your home and family life. This is also a good time to try to monetize one of your creative hobbies, and if you do this, you are likely to experience financial success. Virgo: There is something in the air that will make you irresistible to everyone. This will be reflected in your romantic relationships as well as your friendships. However, this will not be the

case in your family life. Avoid topics that might cause arguments with your family because you are likely to accidentally end up in needless arguments. This fiery energy is temporary, so make sure to maintain your poised composure. Libra: Personal finances might increase, and you will be even more attracted to the finer things in life than you typically are. Treat yourself this holiday season. Although this is going to be a relatively good month for you, you might feel sensitive or argumentative with others. Avoid giving into that temptation and focus on bettering yourself. Scorpio: For most of the month of December, Venus, the planet of love and relationships, will be located in Scorpio. Therefore, this will help you make a lot of new important connections this month, and it will ignite a creativity within you. Overall, you will be the most lucky and thriving sign this month.

their work after publicly calling out the Grammys in recent years. If the Grammys do not adapt, many fear they

could

coming

face

be-

irrelevant

in the coming years.

Isabella McComis | Digital Media Editor

first in-theater experience with the franchise. I was fully invested from the opening shot to the closing credits. The set and costume designs are beautiful. The young and star-studded cast is wonderful. And, above all else, I felt like I was finally a part of something — some event, some moment — I had missed out on for years. It is hard to beat the

red-hot highs of “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” — especially Finnick Odair’s introduction in the series — but it is a close second. I cannot wait to read all the books and dive deeper into the world of Panem. Oh, and Olivia Rodrigo’s song for the film, “Can’t Catch Me Now,” is flawless and just as good as anything on “GUTS.”.”

PAIGE BLAKEMORE, A&L EDITOR KYLIE ROWE, ASST. A&L EDITOR

12.07.2023

ARTS & LIFE

Jennifer Crider | Editor in Chief

Patrick Dempsey declared as the sexiest man alive Kylie Rowe

Asst. A&L Editor This year, Patrick Dempsey has finally been named the sexiest man alive after appearing in the magazine as a special mention for years before. People Maganzine’s Sexiest Man Alive competition is a 37-year tradition that started in 1985, when Mel Gibson was the first recipient. “McDreamy deserved it a long time ago,” said Brinkley Bolton, a junior chemistry major. “I am glad he finally gets the title.” With the growth of woke culture, there have

been some discussions about whether the award for the sexiest man alive is outdated and continues the objectification of people. Because women have dealt with objectification for all of documented history, some wonder if the sexiest man alive award may be seen as “leveling the playing field.” However, most women do not want to level the playing field by objectifying men; they just do not want to be objectified. “We are not there yet, to where we can say there is gender parity,” said Amanda Respess, a mass communication professor at GC.

Respess feels that society is not in a place to be able to say that the objectification of men and women can be compared. If there were a Sexiest Woman Alive, it would likely be completely different from the current award. According to Good Housekeeping, the sexiest man alive award is chosen by focus groups and celebrity interviews and has a lot to do with the titleholder’s activism and social awareness. People Magazine also extends this award in humor and with good intentions. Some people believe that would not be the case if the award

were for women. It is likely that it would be chosen in a demeaning way and would continue the perpetuation of idealistic body standards. “As a society, I do not think we are in a place to be able to nominate a sexiest woman alive and be able to do that with humor,” Respess said. According to the interviews People did with each of the winners, especially those most recently selected, all of this is done with good humor, and the men take it exactly like that. The nomination is not just about who the sexiest and most popular is at the moment. “Chris Evans is one of

my favorite men ever,” Bolton said. “When he won, I knew he would be funny about it.” With the interviews, the men who are nominated are given the opportunity to talk about their philanthropy or upcoming projects. Evans, 2022’s winner, used his interview to, as the magazine quoted, “plug education.” “That is d*** sexy,” Evans said. 2020’s titleholder, Micheal B. Jordan, used his moment to talk about the Black Lives Matter movement and women’s activism. Both subjects are still very prominent but were all over the

media in 2020 due to the protests that were occurring across the nation in response to George Floyd’s death, making his statements appropriate and timely. “It gives them a chance to talk about whatever platform they want to talk about,” Respess said. Sexiest Man Alive continues to be something that people look forward to every year. As long as it continues being used as a positive outlet for humor and activism, it does not seem like it is going anywhere.

GC’s “The Nutcracker” ballet Sophia Ricketts Contributing Writer The GC dance department is bringing the Christmas cheer with their annual production of ‘The Nutcracker’ on Dec. 8 and 9 in Russell Auditorium. This year marks the 27th anniversary of the production at GC, and the dance department is ready to delight audiences with new choreography and costumes. Although ‘The Nutcracker’ is a familiar holiday favorite, GC adds to the performance to make it a unique experience for audiences. “Some people say, ‘Well, I’ve seen that,’” said Amelia Pelton, Director of Dance at GC. “But I always tell them, ‘Well, you haven’t seen ours.’ Ours is very different. We have so many unusual things. We ran out of Tchaikovsky music because we have so many performers, so we started adding our own music.” Along with new costumes and choreography, the dance department includes GC and the local community throughout the show. Students in the dance minor and dance department at GC perform as the main character ensemble. Additionally, students in the GC community dance program, of all ages, are involved in other pieces, and the wide variety of classes offered make for an entertaining performance. “We have a musi-

Courtesy of GC Dance Department

cal theatre piece; we have dancing reindeer; we have tap-dancing soldiers,” said Nicole Snyder, a senior, who plays Sugar Plum Fairy. “It’s just a fun and uplifting holiday show.” This year, the show includes a tap number from the musical theatre class, and the GC cheer team is performing as the Russian soldiers. Two hundred and thirty students, including about forty GC students, are involved, and those students cannot wait to bring the spirit of the season to their performance. “We just love to spread the Christmas cheer,” Pelton said. “Every year, I ask the students, ‘Why are we here? We’re here to share the love of dance.’ So many people don’t have a ‘Nutcracker’ in their hometown. We are very fortunate to have it.” Work for the ‘Nutcracker’ started with auditions in August and weekly rehearsals starting after Labor Day. For

students like Snyder, the dedication to the show gives ‘The Nutcracker’ a more personal meaning. “[The show] is the culmination of all of that work and all that drive and is very special to me,” Snyder said. “And a holiday season is not complete unless I have seen or been in a ‘Nutcracker.’” On Friday only, Russell Auditorium will host a morning performance for elementary school students from Baldwin County and surrounding Middle Georgia counties. The school performance sold out in August, and over 450 students from local schools are on a waitlist. The department has four performances planned, with public shows Dec. 8 - Dec. 10. Tickets are $5 for GC students, $15 for general admission and $10 for senior citizens, GC faculty, staff and nonGC students. All seating is general admission.

Jennifer Crider | Editor in Chief

DREW OLDHAM, OPINION EDITOR

12.07.2023

OPINION UBER

Continued from page 1 The fluctuation in these ratings impact one’s socioeconomic status, ability to obtain needed medical care and even receive basic goods and services. The ubiquity of the rating system works to make people incredibly self-conscious and very desperate to please one another. The main character of the episode, Lacie, puts immense pressure on herself to be socially proficient at all times and say what people want to hear so that they will rate her well. While it seems like it could be a good idea, in principle, to have people working this hard to please each other, it adds a visceral insincerity to the social interaction seen in the episode that is incredibly uncom-

fortable to watch. Lacie’s continued engagement in this fabricated social reality results in an accumulation of anxiety, pent up aggression and causes her to deeply internalize almost anything she actually wants to say. An additional critique I have of this rating system is the lack of solidified criteria that guide the rating that is given. This makes the rating one is given, in many cases, biased, unreliable and unfair. This is especially concerning as a result of the manner in which confirmation bias plays into the interpretation of other people’s behavior. Those who have received bad reviews are more likely to receive bad reviews in the future regardless of whether their behavior actually warrants them. This is because the driver has been primed by the passenger’s low rating to

interpret their actions and words through a more negative lens, and when you are looking to find something bad or dislikable, you will. To try to get positive ratings, people are falsely acquiescent and only engage in shallow niceties that add to the disconnect felt in an already alone and alienated society. Instead of having a real conversation with a unique individual you will likely never see again that may give you a perspective you have never previously considered, in its place is a shallow, braindead engagement loaded with insincere overthanking and a phobia of offending your driver that undermines the initiation of any meaningful conversation. Allowing ourselves to become “prsioners to the rating” and fundamentally alter the man-

ner in which we speak to others is another way deep societal disconnect is sown into our society by sabotaging a variety of microinteractions. Other interactions that are under attack include the automation of ordering from restaurants, contactless delivery and the disappearance of in-person free play in children in exchange for immersive video games. Another reality of the situation is that mean, antisocial and misunderstood people need to go places too, and American capitalism is founded upon the principle that reception of a service is dependent on your ability to pay for it rather than being contingent on you being a perfectly behaved conformist robot who suppresses all signs of individuality for a five-star rating. Embracing these rating systems in services

The Uber app

like Uber makes them more likely to be implemented by other businesses in the future and progressively infiltrate into more integral services. If you give them an inch, they will take a mile, and I have no doubt this could serve as the first step in establishing a social credit system similar to the one seen in China here in the U.S. China’s Social Credit System aims to make sure the people and businesses living or operating in China are compliant with rules and regulations by imposing rewards for compliance

and penalties for noncompliance. Once one gets a poor enough social credit score, they are “blacklisted” and cannot fly or get a speed train ticket. Sounds familiar. I fear the social reality the evolution and increased prevalence of this rating system could bring. Just imagine living in America — the land of equal opportunity — and not being able to eat at a restaurant, go to a baseball game or renew your driver’s license because your rating is not high enough?

Spineless Smith & the Dirty Birds must part ways Drew Oldham Opinion Editor

Coming into the 2023-24 NFL season, fans of the Atlanta Falcons felt something they didn’t have the luxury of feeling since their infamous 2016 meltdown in Super Bowl LI: hope. The offense was headed in the right direction with the addition of the eighth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Bijan Robinson, the highly acclaimed running back out of Texas. The defense took large strides, thanks in part to off-season acquisitions, including safety Jessie Bates from the Cincinnati Bengals. Unfortunately, this hope has quickly suffocated in the face of incompetent coaching and overwhelming underperformance from the team. The fact that this Falcons team commands a .500 record this season is inexcusable, intolerable and incomprehensible, especially since our defense has improved significantly from last season, and our offense is loaded with firepower at every skill position. Much to the Atlanta faithful’s dismay, the Falcons went on a threegame losing streak in one of the easiest stretches of their season, with losses coming to the Tennessee Titans, Minnesota Vikings, and Arizona Cardinals, all of whom have struggled over that same stretch. Over the past 13 weeks, my heavy heart has been filled with nothing but vitriolic hatred and harsh criticism for the Falcons’ head coach, Arthur Smith, and the rest of the team’s upper management. My extraordinarily talented Falcons have been reduced to a 6-6 laughingstock, who miraculously stand at the top of the “race to the bottom” that has been the NFC South this year . Instead of the easy win that should have

come against the tanking Cardinals, fans were instead subjected to another unimpressive performance. All hopes of a win were dashed out in a game-winning drive from quarterback Kyler Murray, who was seeing his first game action in over a year after tearing his ACL last season. The losing streak began in Week 8’s game, which featured a 28-23 road loss at the hands of sophomore QB Will Levis and the Titans. In this game, Levis posted 238 passing yards and 4 passing touchdowns in his first start of the season to replace the injured and underperforming Ryan Tannehill. A prime opportunity for a bounce-back game was promised with a Week 9 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings, who were fresh off losing franchise QB Kirk Cousins for the season to an achilles tear and had star wide receiver Justin Jefferson on injured reserve. To top it all off, replacement QB Jaren Hall was forced out of the game on the Vikings’ first drive due to a concussion. His replacement? QB Joshua Dobbs, acquired from the rebuilding Cardinals a mere five days prior to the game. Dobbs was so new to the team that he did not even know the names of all of his receivers or the team’s playbook in its entirety. In a clip that went viral on social media, Dobbs was seen practicing snap cadences with his linemen on the sidelines during the game. Despite such adverse circumstances, Dobbs rallied behind his team and stole a victory in Atlanta courtesy of a brilliant passing TD to WR Brandon Powell with 0:22 remaining in the game. The losing streak sent the Falcons free-falling to the bottom of the pack in a pitiful race for the NFC South title, ranking third out of four teams. If only the Falcons’ coaching staff was capable of draw-

ing up a semi-competent game plan, we would never have found ourselves in this situation. Just like every suburban dad lecturing their son after a bad outing in little league tee-ball, “I’m not mad; I’m just disappointed.” I am mad, though, and I definitely am disappointed. The Falcons have a wide array of talent on the offense in the form of former first-round draft picks Drake London, Kyle Pitts and Bijan Robinson. These players, if utilized properly, could be the components of a welloiled offensive machine. RB Robinson was drafted to be a high-volume ball carrier to spearhead the offense and open up lanes for the passing game. The times he has been entrusted to carry the ball, he is amazing at it! In the first four games of the season, Robinson was getting adequate volume, resulting in success for the team. He was averaging over 100 yards per game and fulfilling his promise of establishing himself as a threat that would alleviate pressure from the rest of the offense. In response to this success, Smith restricted his touches and said he felt he was asking too much of the rookie. He then inexplicably benched Robinson for nearly the entirety of the game against Tampa Bay Buccaneers until using him in the final drive to capture an ugly win. I guess no good deed goes unpunished if you are Robinson. In the face of embarrassing failure, Smith remains convinced that Pitts is just a really fast and athletic offensive tackle. He continues to use him as a blocker or decoy at every opportunity. Smith has used Pitts in just about every role on the offense possible besides running a route and catching the ball, the very thing he was drafted to do.

Despite being the most talented receiver on the team, London has had four games with three or fewer receptions. This is largely due to Smith’s senseless determination to continue to run the offense through Jonnu Smith and Tyler Allgeier, to no avail. Another costly error in judgment by Smith was continuing to start QB Desmond Ridder while our clearly superior backup QB, Taylor Heinicke, rode the pine. In his very forgettable career as the Falcons’ starting QB, Ridder has only recorded one career game where he threw for over 300 yards and has been a turnover machine. Smith’s blatant bias and fixated favoritism towards these players leaves the other Falcons wondering if they will ever see the ball again. Disgruntled Atlanta fans will recall the loss to the Vikings directly caused by running a failed trick play invovlving Smith and Ridder’s two interceptions in the last six minutes of the game against an inferior Washington Commanders squad. The inability to incorporate these remarkable talents at wide receiver and tight end into the offensive scheme, along with Smith’s stubbornness in starting Ridder at QB, highlights a major weakness of Smith’s coaching, which is his inability and unwillingness to adapt and evolve his game plan as circumstances change. The results of casting Smith as the Falcon’s lead man have been stagnant, to say the least. Our offense has been extremely underwhelming this season, and the culprit for these shortcomings sits on the sideline with his play-calling menu and the title of head coach. Smith has been entrusted with leading this team to new heights and is failing miserably. Smith insists on drawing up the most conser-

vative and unimpressive play calls fans have seen in quite some time. The issue is not that the Falcons lack good players but that Smith is married to an unsuccessful philosophy of doing whatever is needed to be done to get wins, no matter the cost, which — to him — means neglecting to use your most important and capable players in crucial moments of the game. It is one thing to be incompetent at your job, but as a head coach, your responsibility is also to be a leader for your players and instill confidence in the minds of your supporters. Listen to a single response to a question from Smith in any press conference, and you instead get a window into the mind of one of the most arrogant and out-of-touch coaches in the league. Smith is famous among fans at the moment for drawing up game plans that place less emphasis on star players at times, which proves disruptive for their production in fantasy football, to the point he has all but outright said, “I don’t care about your fantasy teams.” This perspective would be commemorated if the team produced results on the field, but they are not. His system does not work. Deciding not to target and incorporate his best weapons is not getting the team wins. If anything, there are games where the offense looks like it is actively regressing in the face of worse opponents. A good coach would recognize such a trend and adapt accordingly, but Smith continues to do the same thing and expect different results — the definition of insanity — and refuses to admit fault for a system that is clearly proving to be ineffective. To the Falcons’ front office, I implore you to fire Arthur Smith and put an end to this city’s suffering once and for

all. Our team is capable of winning now, but under Smith’s tenure, we are actively playing far below expectations and wasting away one of the best opportunities we have had in years to secure a division title, and make a deep playoff run. Smith’s performance as head coach has been far below expectations, and there is little to suggest there will be any changes in the future. How Smith still has his job befuddles me, as there are times where he seems underqualified to manage the graveyard shift at Cook Out, much less a professional football team. Deciding to part ways with an unsuccessful coach worked for the Las Vegas Raiders, who just fired dysfunctional coach Josh McDaniels and gave the position to Antonio Pierce. Immediately, the team won their next two games, and the players look like they are having fun along the way. Nothing about the way the Falcons play right now is fun or exciting. Our offense is stale and predictable, which makes it easier for weaker opponents to game plan against us. I am not saying firing Smith will magically solve all of our problems, but it will rid our organization of his parasitic presence. Smith is one of the most stagnant and uninspiring figures in the NFL. Without him, this team is good enough to be at least 9-3 and comfortably secure a playoff spot. Fear not, my fellow Atlantans. The firing of Smith is overdue, but there are still five games left in the season. If the front office gets its wits about it and sends Smith packing for a long, permanent and undeserved vacation to Cancun, we can utilize our talent and rally this team to an NFC South title and a long-awaited playoff appearance.

DREW OLDHAM, OPINION EDITOR

12.07.2023

OPINION

Hannah Dunn | Staff Writer

The transformative power of concerts and festivals and why everyone should attend at least one Hannah Dunn Staff Writer

“One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain,” said Bob Marley, the man considered to be the pioneer of reggae music. The quote heavily resonates with me, and I am sure many others who have been lucky enough to experience the unique magic of live music. The countless benefits of attending concerts, festivals or even local performances extend far beyond mere entertainment. For many, attending concerts provides a sense of accomplishment and pure joy. The electrifying atmosphere, rhythms and the unity of a crowd immersed in music create an unparalleled experience. Concerts also serve as hubs for new friendships and connecting with like-minded individuals.

Something that I find perfectly encapsulating when it comes to festivals and concerts is sociologist Émile Durkheim’s concept of “collective effervescence.” This concept perfectly expresses the communal energy experienced at concerts. The shared emotions and purpose create a unique sense of togetherness. Live music possesses a remarkable ability to uplift our feelings, creating an atmosphere of joy and happiness. Beyond the sonic pleasures, attending concerts offers stress relief and relaxation. The melodic tunes and beats serve as a therapeutic escape, allowing concertgoers to unwind and rejuvenate. Scientific studies reveal that concerts reduce the release of cortisol, the stress hormone, while triggering the release of endorphins and oxytocin. Researchers studying the 2015 Cheltenham Music Festival in England

found that participants had reduced blood pressure and heart rate after attending the festival. In an article published by the National Library of Medicine, these re-

cept pain signals before they reach the brain. Engaging with live music also presents a cognitive challenge, requiring the brain to process and comprehend

Jennifer Crider | Editor in Chief

Hozier performing at Shaky Knees Music Festival in May 2023

searchers explain that live music experiences can act as a natural pain reducer by triggering the release of endorphins, which help to inter-

unfamiliar sounds — a workout for the mind. This mental stimulation contributes to enhanced creativity, memory, alertness and clarity.

Live music, as evidenced by MRI scans, activates more brain regions than language alone. For this reason, many professionals prescribe musical therapy to treat depression and improve fine motor control skills in patients with Parkinson’s disease. Individuals who regularly partake in live music not only elevate their creativity and cognitive functions but also witness a reduction in stress hormone levels. Simultaneously, there is an increase in the production of endorphins, dopamine and oxytocin, fostering a sense of well-being and happiness. Notably, research conducted by Goldsmith University associate lecturer Patrick Fagan suggests that those who regularly attend live music events may even enjoy a longer life — up to nine years longer. Additionally, music allows for a profound connection

with one’s emotions. Attending concerts provides an avenue for enhanced emotional expression, transcending verbal communication. The cumulative effects of regularly experiencing live music are profound. Attendees not only boost their creativity and cognitive abilities but also reduce stress hormone levels. Social connections formed at concerts contribute to “collective effervescence,” and studies suggest potential longevity benefits. The decision to attend a concert or festival extends beyond a simple leisure activity. It is an investment in joy, connection and well-being. The transformative power of live music awaits those who embrace the experience, offering a journey that enriches the mind, soothes the soul and creates memories that resonate for a lifetime.

Matt Rife’s not so special Netflix comedy special Are sexist jokes the new standard for young male comedians? Jennifer Crider Editor in Chief Matt Rife’s comedy special “Natural Selection” was released on Netflix on Nov 23. Fans watched in shock and absolute horror when one of his first “jokes” was about domestic abuse. In response to the backlash he received, rather than apologizing like a normal, civilized human being, Rife took a vastly different approach. He posted a link to a special needs helmet, and the caption implied that he thinks his critics should purchase one. “If you’ve ever been offended by a joke I’ve told- here’s the link to my official apology,” Rife said on his Instagram story. Of course, alpha male archetypes applauded his ableist response, praising him for standing up against woke snowflakes, but many people did not feel as if that was a sufficient apology. On Nov. 30, Rife was a guest on a podcast hosted by Dr. Jordan Peterson, a controversal, extremely right-wing psychology professor turned internet personality. His willingness to go on Peterson’s show, regardless of the fact that Peterson

is a conspiracy theorist that spreads dangerous false information and has made homophobic, transphobic and racist remarks, is extremely telling of Rife’s ethics. Anyways, in the interview, Peterson asked Rife why he decided to “apologize” in the manner that he did. “Because it’s just comedy,” Rife said. “I’m just doing what’s funny to me.” Using this same logic, it could also be argued that his critics are just defending what is offensive to them. Rife wants people to humanize him, but he cannot give audiences and their reactions the same grace. His hypocracies and deflection are astonishing, as he is choosing to align himself with bigotry and abandon the backbone of his fan base instead of just admitting that he could be in the wrong. It appears to me that Rife is scared that taking responsibility for his actions would appear weak, and his egotism and obsession with male validation is preventing him from doing that. “Up until April this year, it was such a strongly prominent, like 80% women at these shows, fanbase,” Rife said on the KFCR Gang Pod-

cast on Nov. 9. “But now, I’m starting, probably around the time of my special, when we filmed that in September, shows like 50/50 now, dude. Fantastic.” During the press tour for “Natural Selection,” Rife has made statements about how this special would not appeal to his primarily female audience and how he wants to increase his male viewership. Men in the spotlight do not understand the power that fangirls posess within them. Teenage girls revert to an almost anamalistic, demonic state when it comes to their favorite celebrities, and it is an absolute marketing travesty to dismiss that demographic. Rife has repeatedly spoken about how he feels as if people do not take his “comedy” seriously due to the fact that he is theoretically attractive. Although I empathize with the anger that comes when you feel objectification, this complaint is almost more funny than his comedy. “A lot of my fans are young women who, you know, they’re not fans of stand-up,” Rife said in an interview with etalk. “They like the way my face looks. So, it’s a lot

like training them to be like, okay, you’re here for one reason, but let me show you what comedy is and how to, like, be at a comedy show.” His assumption that his looks are the sole purpose that his audience likes him is extremely self-absorbed. Also, if this is truly something that he is upset about, then he should be able to possess even a little bit of empathy for the historically most objectified group of all time: women. In the past few years, many comedians and internet personalities have been complaining about feeling censored by culture destroying, and how it is destroying, their craft. However, I would argue that it is not comedy that is dying; it is bigotry. Rife’s domestic abuse comment was not even innovative enough to argue that it was worth making. I am almost 100% sure I heard one of my classmates in middle school make that exact joke. There are a million things in the world that a person can joke about without insulting a group of people and their traumatic experiences. If a person is not creative enough to do that, then

maybe a career in comedy is not meant for them. “The subject matter all just comes down to intention,” Rife said in an interview with Variety Magazine. “Like, what is your intention? Are you trying to upset somebody? Or are you trying to make light of a certain subject?” Intention does not change the impact the words hold. If he truly did not have harmful intentions, then he would have not responded to the backlash with a post that was clearly posted with the goal of angering people. Personally, I believe jokes about certain topics, such as domestic abuse, should be reserved for the people who have experienced that trauma. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Abuse, one

in four women in the United States experience some form of violence from their partner. Although men can also be victims of domestic abuse, the rate of women who are victimized is exponentially higher. Rife is ignorant and jaded from his perspective as a straight white male in a patriarchial society, so it is impossible for him to fully comprehend the experience and the fear that women face on a daily basis. Obviously, he cannot control his personal identity and the way that it has given him the upper hand in life, but he can control his sensitivity towards others by educating himself. Even if he does not agree that he did anything wrong, he can still acknowledge that his words hurt others.

Matt Rife