VolumeVolume 42, 42, Issue Issue 1515

April 11,April 11, 2011 2011maconstatement.commaconstatement.com

PLAYERS | Page 6 MAD MEN | Page 7 PEOPLE | Page 8TEXTING | Page 4 NAME | Page 5

GRADUATION PHOTOGRAPHSThe Macon State College

Offi ce of Student Life off ers its congratulations to the Class of 2011. All candidates for graduation are eligible to receive a FREE 5 x 7 framed photograph in a cap and gown (provided by Student Life).

The Graduation Photo Event and a light reception will be held Monday, April 18, 2011 in the Student Life Center Lobby (Macon campus). The photographer will be on site 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. and 4 – 7 p.m. Please call (478) 471-2710 for additional information.

INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL

The International Student and Studies Association (ISSA) is looking for people to participate in the fashion and talent shows of the International Festival on Saturday, April 16.

- If you have any cultural attire and are interested in being in the fashion show to represent a country, please contact Angela Clayton at angela.clayton@maconstate.edu.

- If you are able: to play live music, perform a cultural dance, or prepare a cultural performance, please contact Neil Bagaoisan at neilxavier.bagaoisan@maconstate.edu.

ISSA’s mission, as a club, is to promote cultural diversity on campus and in the community. Everyone is invited to join ISSA for an evening of exotic foods, fashion, talent, and fun on April 16 at 5 p.m. in the Student Life Building. This event is open to students and the community. Your participation in the talent or fashion show would be greatly appreciated!

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Tuesday, April 19th, at the Warner Robins Campus, from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Macon State College will hold not only a blood-drive but an event so enormous that its rightful title had to be Health Expo and Blood Drive. So what makes it a Health Expo as opposed

to simply being a blood-drive? This event will include free food all day, semi-pro wrestling, a CPR Challenge, Stress Reduction Workshop, free messages, a bone marrow drive, and a blood-driveamong plenty of otheractivities. The Health Communications class

Warner Robins Campus hosts the Health Expo and Blood Drive

Japan’s earthquake may have shortened our days

One month after the 8.9 earthquake hits Japan, the quakes continue to devastate the country

Photo courtesy os U.S. Geological Survey

By Jessica SpencerStaff Writer

On March 11 a powerful earthquake struck Japan’s east coast. NASA scientists have stated that the quake shortened the length of our day and shifted the Earth’s axis. When the 9.0 magnitude

earthquake struck Japan it subsequently tilted our planet and sped up the rotation causing our days to become shorter. Dr. Michael Torbett, a professor of Physics at Macon State, agrees that the quake in Japan has indeed tilted our axis by

about six inches, but that this type of occurrence is not new. “It’s a common thing,” he said. “It’s going to happen and can be caused by many other natural events; not just earthquakes.” Torbett also agreed

that the Earth’s rotation has sped up by 1.8 micro seconds and that most natural events can produce this sort of reaction in our planet as well. Some natural events he pointed out were currents in the

By Christina KingStaff Writer

JAPANcontinued on page 12

HEALTH-EXPOcontinued on page 10

e-mail us at statement@maconstate.edu

staff478-757-3605 FAX 478-757-2626 OFFICE: SLC-120 www.maconstatement.com

LETTERS POLICY: The editor of the Macon Statement will try to print all letters received. Letters should be, at maximum, 250 to 300 words long. The writer must include: full name, professional title if a Macon State employee or Georgia resident, or year and major if a student. An address and phone number are required with all letters sent, but this personal information will not be published. The student newspaper reserves the right to edit letters for style, possible libel, or length. The newspaper

will not, under any circumstance, withhold names. Please address all correspondence to Letter to the Editor at editor@maconstatement.com. Where current events are concerned, priority will be given to those letters written by students, faculty, and staff of Macon State College.

DISCLAIMER: The Macon Statement is the recognized student newspaper of Macon State College and is published biweekly (Mondays)

during fall and spring semesters. Opinions and ideas expressed in the student newspaper are those of the individual artists, authors, or student editors, and are not those of Macon State College, its Board of Regents, the student body, or the advertisers. The Macon Statement is paid for, in part, through student activity fees. For a review of all Macon Statement policies, see The Macon Statement Handbook at http://www.maconstate.edu/studentlife/statementmedia.aspx

April 11, 2011April 11, 2011 maconstatement.com maconstatement.com2222

Editor-in-Chief: Norma Jean PerkinsManaging Editor: Summer LeverettCopy Editor: Alexis MeeksCopy Editor: Marian Brewer

Layout Editor: Lily Billingsley Photo Editor: Kimberly WaddeltonSports Editor: Kaleb ClarkWebmaster: Harry Underwood

Staff Writer: Tracey BakerStaff Writer: Christina KingStaff Writer: Jessica SpencerStaff Writer: Allison L. Boutwell

Your opportunity to speak your mind, and get free food is right around the corner

The Macon Statement has a deal for you. Speak your mind (anonymous, of course) in an eight-question survey. The value of the return on the completion of the survey is immeasurable.Chick-fi l-A is just down

the street and you can munch down on a real treat. It isn’t everyday that a newspaper pays YOU for just giving your opinion. The supply is limited so keep your eyes open and be ready. The staff of your student newspaper is serious about

getting your opinions. We really do value those opinions and we want to make sure you realize that. Every student at Macon State College is a fi nancial supporter of this student newspaper. That being said, tell us any question you would like to have answered.

Do you wonder if Lake Kneedeep will EVER be fi nished? We can let you know. Are you tired of walking all around the new Education building and want to know when the walk ways will fi nally be complete so you don’t have to keep getting all

that exercise that you don’t want? Guess what? We can get that answer for you. We are limited on answers though. We cannot tell you if you will ace all of your fi nals. Nor can we tell you the exact numbers you will need to win the lottery jackpot. But give us a try on anything else.

&EDITORIALSEDITORIALS OPINIONSOPINIONS

By Norma Jean PerkinsEditor-in-Chief

April 11, 2011April 11, 2011 maconstatement.com maconstatement.com 33OPINIONSOPINIONS

The Student Media Advisory Board is now accepting applications for editor of the student newspaper, “The Macon Statement”. The list of qualifi cations and the application process is designed to promote participation from all members of the student body and to secure the services of an individual who is motivated to provide positive leadership to the members of the staff .

Candidates must:* Be enrolled at

Macon State College for a minimum of 6 credit hours and have a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.5.

* Have successfully exited all Learning Support requirements.

* Be willing to complete training as assigned, including the Macon State College Recognized

Student Organization training session and mandatory student newspaper fundamentals training sessions.

* Work with the Student Media Coordinator to schedule staff training sessions in the various aspects of newspaper production.

* Have strong communication skills and ability to motivate staff .

* Be computer literate and should be willing to learn more computer skills.

* Maintain offi ce hours (19.5 hours per week)

* Be willing to work closely with the Student

Media Coordinator and the Student Media Advisory Board.

* Understand that Dean of Students will be asked to provide information related to the candidate’s disciplinary history

It is preferred that candidates:

* Have previous experience with the student newspaper or other newspaper (high school, college, or other)

Application process:* Candidates are

required to submit three examples of previously published work. All writing samples should be submitted in hard copy. One sample should be a graded paper from a class.

* Candidates must submit a statement describing his/her vision for the student newspaper.

* Candidates must

submit a current resume. * Resume, copies

of previous work and vision statement must be delivered to the attention of Michael Stewart, Assistant Dean of Students, Student Life Center, Room 112, Macon Campus, by the deadline of Wednesday, April 13, 5:00 p.m.

* The chair of the Student Media Advisory Board will convene a meeting of the Board for review and selection of the successful candidate. The Student Media Coordinator will advise the successful candidate in writing of his/her appointment.

The successful applicant will receive a stipend roughly equivalent to the salary of a student assistant working 19.5 hours per week.

Lately I have noticed a growing trend at Macon State, MSC Facebook groups or pages.

Run and hide people, because Macon State has joined the social networking world.

Actually, I am quite proud of the MSC students and staff for taking the initiative to connect

the college to a social medium.By connecting with students

through Facebook, the many groups and clubs that are affi liated with the school can express who they are and what their goals are.

Face it people, we know that many of the students don’t pay attention to their student emails, MSC Vista or even the News and Events column on the college’s website.

By using Facebook, not only are the students very active in checking their page statuses, they are also getting updates on a pretty regular basis. Plus, it’s just cool in a purely geeky way that our groups are on Facebook.

So to keep this part short, have fun MSC students and staff , and go get connected to our school.

Here’s a rundown of MSC’s groups, associations, clubs, departments, etc. that are connected on Facebook:

Macon State College American Society for QualityMSC ARS- Chapter of Sigma

Tau DeltaAssociation of Information

Technology Students (AITS)MSC Association of Nursing

Students MSC Baptist Collegiate

MinistriesMSC Baseball ClubMSC CIT ProgramMSC Dynamic Expressions

(D.E.)MSC English Studies

Organization (ESO)MSC Fall Line ReviewMSC Gay Straight AllianceMSC International Students

and Studies Association (ISSA)The Macon StatementMSC LibraryNational Society of Leadership

and Success (Sigma Alpha Pi)MSC Offi ce of Student Life MSC Phi Beta Lambda-

Business ClubMSC Pre-Law SocietyMSC Public Service AssociationMSC Residence LifeMSC Gaming ClubMSC School of EducationMSC School of Information

TechnologyMSC SGAMSC Skin Divers ClubMSC Soccer Club MSC (SAAB) ChapterMSC Student Veterans

Association MSC Tennis ClubMSC-TVMSC Upper Level English

MajorsMSC Women’s Studies (WSA) If I forgot to mention

somebody, either your Facebook group has disappeared or I couldn’t fi nd it.

All queries can be emailed to editor@maconstatement.com.

Statement Editor-in-Chief applications being accepted

Do you Facebook? Well Macon State College doesBy Alexis Meeks Copy Editor

April 11, 2011April 11, 2011 maconstatement.com maconstatement.com44 COLLEGE LIFECOLLEGE LIFE

By Shanna Dixon JOUR 3131

The College Store Magazine recently reported that sales of digital textbooks are sharply increasing for college stores nationwide; especially in stores operated by lease companies.

“For both fall and for winter again this year, we’re seeing tenfold increases in digital sales,” Jade Roth, vice president for books and digital strategy for Barnes & Noble College Booksellers, Inc., a major player in college store outsourcing options, said.

Sue Reidman, vice president of corporate communications for Nebraska Book Company, another college store leasing company, disagrees, stating that only about 3% of students served by their stores purchase digital textbooks.

Gary Shapiro, vice

president for intellectual properties at Follett Higher Education, whose company leases college stores and has invested millions on their digital

book business model, agrees with Reidman.

“There’s still a lot of legs left in print, especially in the rental business and in custom, too,” Shapiro

stated. The only thing the three

major leasing companies appear to agree upon is that traditionally printed textbooks will maintain

market dominance for at least the next year.

John Callahan, vice president of marketing and sales for Nebraska Book’s contract management division, fi nds the digital textbook business to be infl ux.

“It’s one thing to put devices and technology in the hands of a student. It’s another to make that all adaptable from a course-material

standpoint to the student,” Callahan said.

Clayton State University student Jacquelyn Bailey is not ready to turn digital for her required course-materials.

“An e-reader isn’t something I can aff ord, and I don’t like to read on a screen,” Bailey said.

Martha Daley-Weeks, the president of the Georgia Association of College Stores, a professional trade organization of which the Macon State Bookstore is a member, concurs.

“Right now, most students seem to be focused on textbook rentals, which can save students money upfront on textbooks in the format they are most comfortable using,” stated Daley-Weeks.

The College Store Magazine is a trade magazine of the college store industry, published bi-monthly by the National Association of College Stores.

Macon State’s Department of Recreation and Wellness will sponsor a drinking/texting and driving simulation to take place on April 12 at the lakeside patio outside of the Professional Science Building.

According to James Hagler, the director of the Recreation and Wellness Program at MSC, the fi rst half of the day the simulator will replicate drinking and driving conditions and the second half of the day will be allotted for the texting and driving simulation.

Most students are well informed on the dangers of drinking and driving, but the simulator provides students with insight into the dangers that the distraction of texting poses as well, which is an issue Hagler remarked upon.

“This simulator provides students the knowledge of what can happen when you do either one.

The people who work the simulator will give citations to the driver for all their violations, the same as if an offi cer was following the person, and write them up for everything they did illegal while driving under the infl uence or texting and driving,” Hagler said.

According to the National Safety Council’s website, 28 percent of crashes in 2008 were due to the use of cell phones or similar mobile devices. The estimates were based on a 2003 Harvard Center for Risk Analysis study.

Driving fatalities in Georgia during 2008 mirrored national estimates of crashes caused by cell phone or mobile device distractions. Twenty-eight percent of driving fatalities involved drivers that were alcohol-impaired according to the Governor’s Offi ce of Highway Safety in Georgia.

A sample of Macon State students revealed

some students that never texted while driving and others that admittedly text and drove. The former believed it was not worth the risk; while

the latter believed they could safely manage their attention to driving or texting accordingly.

One Macon State student spoke adamantly

against texting and driving. “I do hope that Macon State College students and drivers in general take it seriously, though. Car accidents can kill and there are cooler ways to die than from getting in a car crash from sending a text message,” Catherine Vane, a junior and a public service major, said.

The event should be an eye opening experience.

The simulation is open to the public, but priority will be given to students to try their hand at the simulator. Those interested should go stand in line for an opportunity to experience how drinking and texting impairs driving response and judgment.

The Health and Wellness Organization, UNITE International provides the simulator. According to their website, UNITE International believes that prevention through awareness is the best way to combat the epidemic of drinking and driving.

Sharp growth in digital textbook sales reported nationwide

Drinking/texting and driving simulation event

By R. Todd SmithJOUR 3131

April 11, 2011April 11, 2011 maconstatement.com maconstatement.com 55

A recent study shows a trend of parents steering away from popular names.

The concentration of names that top the list is dissolving and the bulk of the population’s names are becoming diverse and dispersed according to Laura Wattenburg, the author of “The Baby Name Wizard.”

So, it’s no longer odd to have a diff erent name. But by today’s standards, what makes a name diff erent?

The social security baby names website posted the top 1000 names for boys and girls for 2009. The top 20 names of boys and girls names respectively represented only 15.58 percent and 12.42 percent of the total babies born that year.

Many factors aff ect the popularity of a name. The dominating factors include information and technological advances that allow the general public access to records, social changes that shape ideas, and America’s tendency to value individualism.

But what happens when good names go bad?

When a name falls dramatically because of changes in association, society tends to drop the name.

People that share a name with the infamous Hurricane Katrina that ravaged the gulf coast felt the changes with the association fi rsthand.

After Hurricane Katrina hit the Louisiana and Mississippi coast the name Katrina plummeted in popularity. In 2005 the name ranked 246 and dropped 134 places the following year. In 2009 the name Katrina ranked 815 on the social security

baby names database, dropping a total of 534 places in fi ve years.

A name is what you make it.

Depending on the individual’s situation, a strange name has strengths and weaknesses. When a person has a strange name they should decide whether or not their name hinders their professional life or compromises their reputation?

A former resident of Bonaire, Georgia named Seventeen Burdine passed away in 1998, yet he never thought it necessary to change his name. Burdine was named for his birth order; he was the seventeenth of 19 children. Burdine found his name to be benefi cial.

“Anyone you talk to, they don’t ever forget it.” Burdine said of his name during a 1993 interview.

Other names which are distasteful or off ensive prove diffi cult to live with. In 2008, headlines were made when a father was denied the request to have his son’s name, Adolph Hitler Campbell, written on a birthday cake at a New Jersey bakery.

For such cases that constitute a name change the person should contact the clerk of the superior court located in the county of residence and complete the necessary paperwork. After the paperwork is fi led, the name change information is published publicly to allow the public to contest the petition. Lastly, a judge fi nalizes the procedure.

To see where your name ranks in popularity visit the social security baby names website at www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/.

Graduation can be a time of great joy and achievement for students, but that feeling of accomplishment can sometimes be accompanied with feelings of anxiety and uncertainty about what the future holds.

For many students the dilemma remains the same; do I search for a job here in middle Georgia or do I branch out and go elsewhere in the country?

For some students such as Sarah Durden, an English Education major from Warner Robins, the dilemma has never really been much of one for them. “My husband and I each have our families in the area and are really happy here. For right now the plan is to stay

in Warner Robins in the hope that I will fi nd a teaching job at one of the local schools,” Durden said. “It is our dream to move to Florida one day though, but still not any time in the near future,” Durden continued.

Other students cannot get out of the middle Georgia area fast enough. Nicholas Bell, a Communications and Information Technology (CIT) senior from Byron, has plans for graduate school that do not include staying in Georgia.

“All of the schools I am looking at are out of state and I am really just trying to look at all available avenues right now,” Bell said. “I have recently been considering fi lm school and Florida State University has a great program and off er in-state tuition for graduates

from Georgia and other neighboring states,” Bell continued, “it would be a great opportunity, but we will see what happens.”

The middle Georgia area continues to grow each year and the increasing number of graduates from local colleges gives hope that the area will continue to grow with educated young professionals to keep our towns fl ourishing.

The prospect of graduate school is also promising to recent graduates. Whether they stay in the middle Georgia area or look elsewhere to continue their education or career, prospective graduates should rest easy in knowing that there are plenty of options available after obtaining their degree from Macon State.

What’s in a Name? Should I stay or should I goBy Shanna DixonJOUR 3131 By Katie LaConte

JOUR 3131

Rest of the World

GoodGrief!

Looneyville, MN

Los Angeles

Washington, D.C.

New York

Alaska

Middle Georgia

COLLEGE LIFECOLLEGE LIFE

April 11, 2011April 11, 2011 maconstatement.com maconstatement.com66

The Macon State College Company of Players will present “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead,” a play by Tom Stoppard, on Tuesday, April 12, Wednesday, April 13, and Thursday, April 14, and on Tuesday, April 19, Wednesday April 20, and Thursday, April 21. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., shows begin at 7 p.m. in the Macon State Arts Complex Theater. Directed by Jason Levitt. This production is sponsored by the Macon State Offi ce of Student Life. Admission is free and open to the public. About the play: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead is an absurdist, existentialist tragicomedy by Tom Stoppard, fi rst staged at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1966. The play expands upon the exploits of two minor characters from Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the courtiers Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. The action of Stoppard’s play takes place mainly ‘in the wings’ of

Shakespeare’s, with brief appearances of major characters from Hamlet who enact fragments of the original’s scenes. Between these episodes the two protagonists voice their confusion at the progress of events of which - occurring onstage without them in Hamlet - they have no direct knowledge. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosencrantz_and_Guildenstern_Are_DeadCast: Rosencrantz - Paul Roadarmel Guildenstern - Julie Allen The Player - Mark Richter Alfred - Immanuel Burney Tragedians/Soldiers - Faatima Vasses, Madysen Kovac, Hannah Chandler, Sabrina McHarg, Katherine Rugen Hamlet - Han Htet Ophelia - Erika Lloyd Gertrude - Ashley Gordon Polonius - Wesley Brown

Macon State Company of Players Presents “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead”

News Bureau

COLLEGE LIFECOLLEGE LIFE

April 11, 2011April 11, 2011 maconstatement.com maconstatement.com 77

New episodes of the AMC Network drama “Mad Men,” a popular show with college students, after running the past four summers, will not air at all in 2011. A winner of three Emmy Awards for Best Television Drama, “Mad Men” is being pushed back to early 2012. “While we are getting a later start than in years past due to ongoing, key non-cast negotiations, ‘Mad Men’ will be back for a fi fth season in early 2012,” AMC said in a press release on Tuesday, March 29. According to The Daily, and other internet-based entertainment sites, the term “non-cast negotiations” refers to disputes between Lionsgate, the show’s production company, and the show’s creator and

producer, Matthew Weiner. Lionsgate sources state that they want to reduce each show’s running time by two minutes to allow

for additional revenue from commercials and to reduce the cast budget to save on

production costs. Mr. Weiner was quoted in “The New York Times” as saying that these proposed changes would

make “Mad Men” a “different show.” “I don’t understand why,

with all of the success of the show, they suddenly need to change it,” Weiner said. Clayton State University

student Victoria Jackson agrees. “I was looking forward to watching

‘Mad Men’ again this summer. Why fi x it if it isn’t broken? This is very disappointing,” Jackson said.

AMC has been very successful with “Mad Men,” which, for a cable show, has had strong ratings and substantial critical acclaim. In a recent article about how good television can be better and more engaging than fi lm, critic A. O. Scott cites “Mad Men” as an example. “How many fi lms have approached the moral complexity and sociological density of ‘The Sopranos’ or ‘The Wire,’ and engaged recent American history with the nerve and insight of ‘Mad Men?’” “Mad Men” stars Jon Hamm as an advertising executive in the turbulent

1960s.

CAMPUS & COMMUNITYCAMPUS & COMMUNITY

New season of popular show ‘Mad Men’ delayed until 2012By R. Todd SmithJOUR 3131

The annual Macon State CollegeSpring Digital Video Festival 2011

set for april 21-26

The annual Macon State College Spring Digital Video Festival will take place over two days on the Macon Campus: from 2 to 3:15 p.m. Thursday, April, 21, in the Learning Support Auditorium, and from 2 to 3:15 p.m. Tuesday, April 26, in the Arts Complex Theater. The festival will feature fi nal student video projects from the spring 2011 Advanced Video Production class at Macon State. Each student video runs from 8-12 minutes. Some of the video titles for this year’s festival are “Audition” by Robert

Kenny, “The Infringement” by Mark Hazen, “Writing Each Other’s Lives” by Paul Roadarmel, “The Challenge” by Nathan Chase, “Talking Hands” by Lily Billingsley, “Just a Dream” by Christopher Wright, and “The Mountain” by Erma (Kim) Halstead. This event is free and open to the public. Please feel free to stop by at any time during either of the programs. Light refreshments will be served. For more information, please contact Dr. Patrick S. Brennan at patrick.brennan@maconstate.edu or (478) 471-5776.

April 11, 2011April 11, 2011 maconstatement.com maconstatement.com88

On April 2-3, the Blue Storm baseball club took on Georgia Southern at Luther William’s fi eld for their fi nal non conference series of the season.

Summary During the fi rst game of the series, Blue Storm’s ace starting pitcher, Brandon Byram, pitched a complete game while shutting out Georgia Southern. Blue Storm took an early lead thanks to third basemen Jake Wood, who singled in the fi rst inning to score Devon Crouse. With a lead of 1-0 in the fourth inning, Dillon Mitchell hit a line drive double scoring Travis Grimes who had reached with a single. Shortstop Devon Crouse led off the fi fth inning with a single and was knocked in by a hard single by Clae Mathis- which increased Blue Storm’s lead to 2-0. Later in the inning, Wood reached by a single and scored thanks to a throwing error by Georgia Southern’s catcher which ended up being the fi nal run scored in the game.

Summary Shane Smith was Blue Storm’s starting pitcher for game two of the series. Smith gave up 7 runs on 3 2/3 innings pitched. He was relieved by Wood, who pitched 3 1/3 innings without allowing any earned runs. Wood got the ball rolling in the fi rst inning by reaching fi rst and by scoring the fi rst run of the game, thanks to an RBI double by Mathis. Next up to bat, came catcher Tyler Sailors, who drilled a single, which scored Mathis- giving Blue Storm an early lead of 2-0. To lead off the third inning, second basemen J.P. Mitchell reached fi rst base because of an E-5. Georgia Southern paid for the error, when Mitchell scored from third thanks to a couple of walks followed by a passed ball. The tides turned in the fourth inning when Smith gave up six runs, but Dillon Mitchell lit up the bottom of the fourth by sending a ball over the outfi eld wall for a home run. In the bottom of the sixth inning, Dillon Mitchell singles in Sailors to lower Blue Storm’s defi cient to 5-7, but no runs were scored afterword and Georgia Southern took the win. However, the outcome of the game could have been in Blue Storm’s favor had the umpires not made a questionable call regarding a possible baulk against Georgia Southern.

Summary Clae Mathis took the ball for Blue Storm in game three of the series. Mathis allowed 4 runs on 6 innings pitched and was relieved by left handed Dillon Mitchell who pitched 2 innings, allowing 6 runs which were contributed mostly by errors. Wood came in to relieve Mitchell in the middle of the ninth inning. Blue Storm fell behind in the fi rst inning, but they showed patience to fi ght back. After back to back singles by Sailors and Travis Grimes, and a well placed bunt single by Kurt Thornburg, both Dillon Mitchell and J.P. Mitchell received RBIs by means of walking in a run. With the score tied at 2-2 in the bottom of the third inning, Grimes stepped up to the plate and knocked in Mathis which pushed Blue Storm ahead by 3-2.

To add to their lead in the bottom of the fi fth, Grimes singled to score Mathis making the score 4-2. Georgia Southern tied the game in the top of sixth with a home run and a sac fl y, making the score 4-4. Blue storm battled to take back the lead in the bottom on the eighth in the form of Devon Crouse’s RBI single, which scored Dillon Mitchell. After rallying to regain the lead, disaster struck Blue Storm in the top of the ninth. Following a throwing error to fi rst by Sailors, Blue Storm fell apart defensively and gave up six runs where the score rested at Georgia Southern’s 10 to Blue Storm’s 5.

Long stretch to fi nish out spring 2011

Blue Storm’s fi nal four series are for all the marbles. Each and every game won or lost will contribute to whether they advance to the play offs because every game until the end of the season is a conference game. Blue Storm has a current conference record of 1-3, so if they plan to win their conference they can not afford to loose another series this season.

4/09 Kennesaw State* Macon 1 p.m.4/09 Kennesaw State* Macon 3:30 p.m.4/10 Kennesaw State* Macon 1 p.m.4/16 Emory University* Macon 2 p.m.4/16 Emory University* Macon 4:30 p.m.4/17 Emory University* Macon 1 p.m.4/22 Oxford College* Covington 5 p.m.4/22 Oxford College* Covington 1 p.m.4/23 Oxford College* Covington 3:30 p.m.4/30 Chattahoochee Tech* Marietta 1 p.m.4/30 Chattahoochee Tech* Marietta 4 p.m.

Last series before a long stretch for Blue Storm baseball By Kaleb Clark Sports Editor

Photo by Kayla Barton

SPORTSSPORTS

April 11, 2011April 11, 2011 maconstatement.com maconstatement.com 99

Behind the scenes at Ma-con State: How does Ma-con State stay so pretty? Have you ever wondered how Macon State always seems to look so good, inside and out? It’s almost like little fairies keep the restrooms and halls clean during the day and do lawn maintenance at night.I interviewed two of these

little fairies, or staff mem-bers, at Macon State, about their jobs and about them-selves.

Glenda McGriff, Custo-dianGlenda McGriff has worked with Macon State for six and a half years. Her job consists of the upkeep to the Professional Sciences and the Jones buildings, including the restrooms, making sure the rooms are ready and “presentable,” as she put it, for conferences and work-shops that will take place in the PSC building, mop-ping, cleaning the warming kitchen in the PSC build-ing, as well as emptying the trash cans.“Pretty much, I multitask during the day,” McGriff said. “I’m doing a little bit of this and that, anything that needs to be done as far as what’s still here, or an offi ce needs something – [I] check – so I multitask during the day.”McGriff said that as far as her hobbies go, she simply looks forward to the week-ends, when she can relax with her family, and she

enjoys cooking during the holidays. She likes learn-ing new recipes.When asked what she has always wanted to do, McGriff replied: “I want to just be the best person that I can be. I’m a merci-ful person, I’m always a caring, a helpful person,” McGriff McGriff also mentioned she wants to make a differ-ence in life. “When things get a little overwhelming, and I have someone to come up to me and tell me how they appreciate what I do, well that makes a big differ-ence,” McGriff said when asked about what she likes about her job and working at MSC. “When I work, I work with a passion; I take my work seriously,” she added.“I thank Macon State for allowing me to be a part of the upkeep of the campus,” McGriff said when asked if she had any other com-ments. “I’m very thankful

that I’m making a differ-ence also. I’m one that’s making a difference.”Derrick Catlett, Head ArboristDerrick Catlett has worked at Macon State for six years come fall. His job consists of tree and shrub management and tree in-ventory with a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) inventory, which he describes as “a GPS with database collection behind it.” Catlett oversees the ir-rigation system and chemi-cal applications (fertilizer, insecticides, herbicides, etc.). Catlett also does most of the updates on the Waddell Barnes Botanical Gardens website. “I like listening to good music. I love camping. I have a canoe, and a pon-toon boat and a fi shing boat, so it’s safe to say I like being on the water,” Catlett said when asked what his hobbies were. “Other than that, I hang out with my wife and my pets,

(and) do a little gardening in my yard.” Catlett did mention, however that he is a workaholic.“Travel the world, see the world…I haven’t been over the Mississippi River. So yeah, going over the Mississippi River has always been a real good goal,” Catlett said about what he’s always wanted to do. “If I go that far, then I’m probably going to make it to the Grand Canyon and the Redwood Forest, all in one. I’m just going to do a loop. Maybe end up skiing in Denver in the end, fl y home.”When asked what Catlett likes about his job and working at MSC he re-sponded rather quickly: “Couldn’t ask for a better job, being outdoors and the fruits of your labor to see the beautiful landscape, that says a lot in itself,” Catlett said. Catlett said that people may stop and talk about the plants if they see him.

Paul Roadarmel has a hobby that you don’t hear about often: he juggles. Roadarmel said he was at a conference when he fi rst became interested in juggling. A booth at the conference was giving away squishy balls, and Roadarmel picked some up. One of the people in the band at the conference knew how to juggle and showed Roadarmel. “It was really kind of a spur of the moment thing,” Roadarmel said.Roadarmel said that jug-gling is more of a hobby, something he does for himself right now, though he did juggle at the Bizarre Bazaar, a fundraising event of the Crossroads Writers Conference. “It took a lot of stick-to-it-iveness to actually learn

how; it took me about a solid week of…spending quite a bit of time working on it each day,” Roadarmel said. “I’ve shown people the pattern, and people have picked it up in fi ve minutes before – it drives me crazy – and I’ve shown other people, and they still haven’t gotten it, so I think it comes down to a personal aptitude…I think anyone can [learn to juggle] if they’re willing to put the time and effort into it.”Roadarmel recom-mends using items that are heavier and items that will not bounce or roll away to learn with. “The most dangerous it’s ever gotten has been drop-ping [pins] on my toes and hitting myself in the head,”

Roadarmel said; although he did mention a time when he broke the welding on a stairwell on the MSC Macon campus trying to

walk a slack line. Roadarmel mentioned that he would like to have street corner performances in downtown Macon on First Fridays, maybe with a friend who plays guitar.

Behind the scenes at Macon State: How does Macon State stay so pretty?

Interesting People: Paul Roadarmel‘Ready, Set, Go’

By Allison L. BoutwellStaff Writer

By Allison L. BoutwellStaff Writer

Staff Reports

Derrick Catlett

Paul Roadarmel

“Ready, Set, Go,” a conference to help new teacher education graduates get ready for their fi rst day in the classroom, will take place from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 17, in the banquet hall of the PSC building. The one-day conference, sponsored by the Georgia Educator Support Alliance at MSC, is designed to be an action-fi lled day of practical information and experiences to help new education graduates prepare for a successful start to the school year as they begin their fi rst teaching jobs. Jadun McCarthy, Bibb County’s Teacher of the Year and a fi nalist for state Teacher of the Year, will speak.

The conference is especially designed for graduates or soon-to-be graduates who have already been placed under contract for next school year and those expecting to be hired. The registration fee is $35 for Macon State teacher education graduates and $65 for teacher education graduates of other colleges or universities. The fee includes a light breakfast, lunch, and materials. Door prizes will be given. This conference is made possible, in part, by a grant from the Peyton Anderson Foundation. For more information and to register, contact Lisa Collins at Lcollins@etcmcn.org or (478) 471-5380.

ON CAMPUSON CAMPUS

April 11, 2011April 11, 2011 maconstatement.com maconstatement.com1010 ON CAMPUSON CAMPUS

designed this event, butthey reached acrossinterdisciplinary aisles toget help with the event. Last year’s blood drive generated over 151 usable units of blood and this year’s goal is 200 units a blood. So, partnering alongside student organizations and with the support of the School of Nursing and Health Sciences the blood-drive has the ability to offer more activities means to educate the community and make coming out to the event lots of fun. Christopher Tsavatewa, assistant professor of health administration, is a faculty adviser for this event; and when asked why he felt it was

important to help students create this event, he said, “As a professor, I am impassioned to see students utilize their knowledge, skills, and abilities developed during matriculation towards a worthwhile community event like the Health Expo and Blood Drive. We have very competent student leaders on this campus and experiences like this may give them opportunities unavailable to them elsewhere.” The leaders for the Health Expo and Blood Drive are members of the Health Communications class and being participants of the course, knowing how to create health communication messages and develop and implement a health communication presentations are two

of the goals that are being emphasized by Tsavatewa. The event is the students in the class, putting theory and classroom lectures into practice in a way that is fun and serves to refl ect their future aspirations in the health care profession. On April 19th the event is set to have lots of activities and free giveaways.The Health Communications class will be attendees of the event, but outside help is always needed. Anyone of any major who would like to volunteer to help alongside the dedicated students already signed up is encouraged to contact thomas.cote@maconstate.edu to volunteer.

Activities this year include: Blood DriveBone Marrow DriveCPR ChallengeStress Reduction WorkshopFree MassagesSelf Defense ClassZumba ClassPersonal Health Records EducationCommunity Health EducationHealth Screenings VisionSkin Cancer Blood Pressure Chiropractic Dental Allied Health AdvisingHealth Clinic Information

Honors Nursing PresentationsWii/Xbox Tournament Infl atable Activities Obstacle Course Jousting Giant Boxing GlovesDunking Booth (w/professors)Soccer GolfCheer DemonstrationSemi-Pro Wrestling Free Food All DayFood Sponsors for the event include:Tasty Crust PizzaWaffl e HouseOutback SteakhouseMarcos PizzaButcher Boyz Meats

Macon State Student Support Services (SSS) is a federally funded TRIO Program that provides opportunities for academic development, assists student with basic college requirements and services to motivate students toward the successful completion of their postsecondary education.

The goal of the SSS program is to increase the college retention and graduation rates of its participants and help students make the transition from one level of higher education to the next. Yolanda Petty, director of SSS said, “I am here for the students. I am willing to assist students in every way possible to help them embrace their

dreams and turn them into reality.

As director, Petty is in charge of the overall program ensuring they are in compliance with the Federal program guidelines as well as Macon State guidelines. Petty came to Macon State in Sept. 2005 as an advisor in the Academic Advising Center. Petty was asked to be interim director for the program and she decided to apply for the position. Petty has received accolades for fi ve years of service to Macon State.

Kevin Johnson is the Guidance Specialist for SSS. He provides academic and career advising to students. He also plans cultural events and assist students with academic matters. Johnson’s goals are to expand the TRIO

programs at Macon State to include Educational Talent Search and other TRIO programs, to boost participation in SSS to be a change agent and promote servility. Johnson said “I will go the extra mile for all students and I demand 110 percent from all SSS students. My primary goals are to SSS, but I am available to all students. My overall goal is to maximize the human potential in all students”

Johnson is new to the Macon State faculty. He was serving students at Middle Georgia College in Cochran as the Multicultural Advisor coordinator and Academic Resource advisor for the Academic Resource Center. Johnson is an alumnus of Middle Georgia College.

SSS provides tutorial services, academic success

skills workshops, college success skills workshops, personal development workshops, mentoring, assistance in securing admission and fi nancial aid for enrollment in graduate institutions, guidance on career options and College Completion Challenge Grant scholarships.

Andrew Hill is a participant of SSS and said that, “SSS has actually given me other avenues of where to study, how to study in ways that I would not have known about. It also has helped in making the transition from high school to a college in being a professional person.”

Ericka Turovsky said “SSS has enlightened me, motivated me to continue my education, and has been a super support group for me. I

have learned from other SSS students. SSS has provided me employment to be able to have a Christmas for my children. The staff has been like a family to me. They really have looked out for my interest as well as other participants.”

If you are a Macon State student enrolled in at least six credit hours or more, qualify as a low-income, fi rst-generation or have a documented disability evidencing academic need, SSS may be able to help you. 71 percent of all participants have maintained good academic standing, according to Petty. To apply for SSS, you can apply directly by stopping by the front desk with the secretary, Versie Rouse or email Rouse at versie.rouse@maconstate.edu.

Want better grades, contact Student Support ServicesBy Tracey BakerStaff Writer

HEALTH-EXPOcontinued from front

Sponsors include:

April 11, 2011April 11, 2011 maconstatement.com maconstatement.com 1111

Black Ops Tournament for spring semester has large turnout

The Association of Information Technology Students (A.I.T.S.) held their spring semester tournament on March 29. 24 players were registered, and there was a good turnout of students that just came to observe. The Black Ops tournament kicked off at 4 p.m. with a presentation from a sponsor of the event. Elliot Fitzgerald of Ox Planet Media Productions and Flashover Games gave a speech telling participants about his companies, and how he got to be where he is today. Fitzgerald and Ox Planet Media Productions were proud to present the fi rst episode of “Recon 7”, a new Halo-themed

machinima series, to players in the tournament before it was available for viewing to anyone else. Fitzgerald also said that Ox Planet was looking for interns with experience in media creation, editing and production to work on future projects. After the presentation, Chris Hudson of A.I.T.S. started pairing off players to get the fi rst round under way. The games began and as each round progressed players were eliminated. “First round, 24 individuals competed in six matches. Second round, 24 individuals competed in six matches and some were eliminated. Third round, approximately 12 individuals competed in three matches and six were eliminated. Fourth and fi nal round was a single-

elimination set, and in the end only six people were left. This was fortunate in (that) the number of prizes we had was appropriate for the number. The last two game-sets were a pair of 3-way free for all games to determine fi rst and second place. The last round itself was a 4-person free for all

to determine the remaining four winning positions,” Hudson said. The winning participants in the fi nal round, in order from fi rst to sixth, were: Dusty Enfi nger (1st), Ken Landry (2nd), Albert Maine (3rd), Preston Markert (4th), Bruce Scruggs (5th) and Tyree

Singletary (6th). The sponsor, Flashover Games, gave away the top three prizes. Enfi nger got to pick a free video game. Landry and Maine each grabbed a pair of MLG Gunnar gaming glasses. The other winners got Moe’s Bucks or a 4GB fl ash drive.

By Kayla BartonStaff Writer

Photo by Kayla BartonAll participants in the Black Ops tournament, March 29, 2011.(Back row) Winners: Preston Markert (4th), Bruce Scruggs (5th), Elliot Fitzgerald (sponsor, not winner), Dusty Enfi nger (1st), and Ken Landry (2nd). (Front row) Offi cers of AITS: Professor Yerby, Kevin Commodore, Albert Maine (3rd), Charles Garrett, and Chris Hudson.

SAAB appoints new president Macon State a Tree Campus USA College

In Feb. 2011, Deterrious Sidney was appointed SAAB President. Sidney is a freshman pursuing a degree in Political Science. SAAB at Macon State is a University System of Georgia initiative under the African American Male Initiative (AAMI). SAAB Advisors, Kevin A. Johnson and Yolanda D. Petty appointed Sidney to the President’s position “This election was more of an unusual one, I was more like appointed and called upon to this position and I accepted the challenge,” stated Sidney. As the new president, Sidney has stated that there will be various changes made. For this year, Sidney is dedicated to a strategic plan to get this chapter where it needs to be plus more. “My vision for SAAB is to be the leading force in community service on and

off campus,” Sidney said. SAAB, which stands for (Student African American Brotherhood) has a local chapter located here on the MSC campus. SAAB `s mission is to give encouragement to students as well as the community to reach a higher representation of African Americans and Latino males with plans for graduating college. Petty, one of the advisors for the SAAB council board, has stated that there will be some transformations made now that SAAB has a new president. “The fundamental change that we expect to see in regard to SAAB’s new leadership is an increased presence on campus. We want SAAB to positively impact Macon State’s campus,” Petty said. If you would like to know more information about SAAB at http://www.saabnational.org/

Macon State College has earned Tree Campus USA recognition for 2010 for its dedication to campus forestry management and environmental stewardship, the nonprofi t Arbor Day Foundation announced. This is the third year Macon State has been named a Tree Campus USA. Tree Campus USA is a national program that honors colleges and universities and their leaders for promoting healthy management of their campus forests and for engaging the community in environmental stewardship. Tree Campus USA is a program of the Arbor Day Foundation and is supported by a grant from Toyota. “By encouraging its students to plant trees and participate in service that will help the environment, Macon State is making a positive impact on its

community that will last for decades,” said John Rosenow, chief executive and founder of the Arbor Day Foundation. “One goal of the Tree Campus USA program is to help create healthier communities for its citizens through the planting of trees, and the city of Macon will certainly benefi t from Macon State’s commitment to Tree Campus USA.” Macon State met the fi ve core standards of tree care and community engagement in order to receive Tree Campus USA status. The standards are: establish a campus tree advisory committee; evidence of a campus tree-care plan; verifi cation of dedicated annual expenditures on the campus tree-care plan; involvement in an Arbor Day observance; and the institution of a service-learning project aimed at engaging the student body. The Arbor Day Foundation launched Tree

Campus USA in the fall of 2008 by planting trees at nine college campuses throughout the United States. Twenty-nine schools were named a Tree Campus USA in 2008, and in three years the number of schools has more than tripled. More information about the Tree Campus USA program is available at www.arborday.org/TreeCampusUSA. Or contact Mark Derowitsch, 888-448-7337 or mderowitsch@arborday.org.

By Amiya GastonJOUR 3131

Staff Reports

ON CAMPUSON CAMPUS

April 11, 2011April 11, 2011 maconstatement.com maconstatement.com1212 COMMUNITYCOMMUNITY

The artwork of three students from MSC, Lily Billingsley (senior, CIT major), Kelly Geeslin (senior, CIT major) and Jody Maichele (senior, psychology major) was chosen by a committee to represent Take Back The Night.

The artwork for the poster, tee shirts and the cover of the program was a collaboration by Billingsley and Geeslin. Maichele designed the artwork for the inside of the program.

Take Back The Night (TBTN) is a national organization that works to stop sexual violence and it has many with local affi liations. Take Back The Night Macon is sponsored by Crisis Line & Safe House of Central Georgia.

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. The campaign theme for this year for the Macon TBTN is, “It Is Time To Get Involved” and Dottie Staff ord, of Crisis Line & Safe House of Central Georgia, would like to invite everyone to volunteer to work on any

of the following teams: crime investigations, hospital, support.

The national website for Take Back The Night.org details when and why the organization began.

“The fi rst Take Back the Night event in the United States for which we have received documentation took place in Philadelphia in October of 1975. Citizens of Philadelphia rallied together after the murder of young microbiologist, Susan Alexander Speeth, who was stabbed by a stranger a block from her home while walking alone.”

The growth of Take Back The Night has been phenomenal. The need to insure funding was an important part of TBTN’s growth. “In 2001, Katie Koestner led the initiative with others committed to the mission of TBTN to establish the international headquarters and charitable 501 (c)3 foundation of Take Back The Night.”

According to RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network), their website www.rainn.org refl ects the following

statistics that give a startling look at sexual assaults. Of the assault victims, “44 percent are under age 18 and 80 percent are under age 30.” In fact, RAINN indicates that every two minutes, someone in the U.S. is sexually assaulted.

Do not think that females are the only victims of sexual assault.

Again, according to the published statistics by RAINN, “About 3 percent of American men – or 1 in 33 – have experienced an attempted or completed rape in their lifetime.”

Events like the candlelight march to be held on April 14 in downtown Macon will be one of many across the U.S. and the world.

TBTN states on their website “Over the last 30 years in the United States, Take Back the Night has returned its focus to eliminating sexual violence in all forms, and thousands of colleges, universities, women’s centers, and rape crisis centers have sponsored events all over the country.”

Three MSC students’ art was chosen for Take Back The NightBy Norma Jean PerkinsEditor-in-Chief

ocean, the earth itself, and the atmosphere. He called this event the ‘Conservation of Greater Momentum’ also known as Newton’s Second Law. “It’s like when a skater goes into a spin with her arms out and when she pulls them in she goes faster,” he explained. One NASA research scientist, Richard Gross has stated on the NASA website that this is

a change that happens all the time. He said, “Over the course of a year, the length of the day increases and decreases by about a millisecond, or about 550 times larger than the change caused by the Japanese earthquake. The position of Earth’s fi gure axis also changes all the time, by about 1 meter (3.3 feet) over the course of a year, or about six times more than the change that should have been caused by the

Japan quake.” While Gross and Torbett both agree that these changes are very natural and should in no way effect our daily goings, it’s interesting to consider the possibilities. If our planet wasn’t accustomed to these sorts of changes could we maybe fi nd ourselves walking with a tilt?

Or even fi nd ourselves living with unusual day/night times? Next time you’re walking around Macon State take a moment to imagine it. For more information on the Japan quake you can follow NASA’s further studies on their website: http://www.nasa.gov.

JAPANcontinued from front