SPRING 2016 HOUSING GUIDE INSIDE THE DAILY
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TWednesday, H E S T U D E N T February N E W S PA P E17, R O2016 F T H E U N I V E R S I T Y O F M I S S I S S I P P I S E R V I N G O L E M I S S A N D OX F O R D S I N C E 1 9 1 1
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Taylor did great but Kendrick deserved Album of the year
The wild ride that was the 2016 Grammys
Ole Miss baseball opens Friday
Smoking ban challenging to enforce on UM campus HANNAH RINEHART
thedmnews@gmail.com
Since the University adopted a campus-wide smoking ban in 2013, the University Police Department has issued less than 200 citations. The policy bans smoking for students, faculty, staff and contractors on all grounds owned by the University. University Police Department Chief Tim Potts said after the policy was originally passed, there was a learning period on the campus, but that time is long gone now. Giving out citations for smoking on campus, however, is harder than it seems, Potts said. Since Aug. 1, 2015, the UPD has only issued 73 citations. Since the University originally enacted the policy in 2013, the UPD has given a total of 179 citations. The fine for violating the smoking ban is $25. “It’s a policy that’s tough to enforce,” Potts said. “We typically try to stick to warnings at first.” Although Potts has only been working with the UPD since June 2015, he is no stranger to enforcing smoking restrictions.
“I came from a University with a no-smoking policy,” Potts said. “I know how important the policy is, and I am very comfortable with trying to enforce it.” Potts said football game days are particularly high-traffic days for smoking on campus in the fall semester. Potts said he assigns several UPD officers to patrol the Grove on game days, but they usually only issue warnings. “We’ll just go through the Grove telling people to put their cigarettes and cigars out, and, if they listen to us, we usually do not have any problems,” Potts said. “Your attitude goes a long way in determining what is going to happen.” Potts said enforcing the smoke-free policy depends on everyone. If a student sees someone smoking on campus, but does not want to get personally involved, all the student has to do is call in and tell UPD, and they will take care of it. This includes tips about areas where students try to secretly smoke on campus. Potts said he feels that the University made a smart move when deciding to become a smoke-free
PHOTO BY: CAMERON BROOKS
SEE BAN PAGE5 A student smokes a cigarrette on campus, an acitivity that is banned by the University, but hard to stop.
Supreme court justice was a ‘friend to this University’ LOGAN KIRKLAND
dmeditor@gmail.com
COURTESY: UNITEDSTATESSUPREMECOURT
The most recent conversations and debate topics of the presidential election sparked when Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, appointed by Ronald Reagan in 1986, died on Saturday Feb. 13, 2016. Scalia, known for his unique legal opinions, often enforced a very literal interpretation of the Constitution, often calling himself a textualist, according to law professor Ronald Rychlak who had met Scalia on
multiple occasions. Scalia served as a speaker at many universities, making his last visit to the University of Mississippi in 2014. Rychlak said although many people disagreed with Scalia’s opinions and decisions, there are very few people that knew Scalia personally and did not like him. “He was a friend to this university, and he certainly brought an intellectual viewpoint to the courts,” Rychlak said. Rychlak said there are two
polarizing opinions when it comes to interpreting the Constitution. He said there are people who believe the Constitution needs to be a living, breathing document that morphs and adopts for the needs and issues of the current day and those who believe the Constitution should be interpreted literally in the terms it was originally set in. “Scalia had a pretty clear vision,” Rychlak said. “Scalia would try to tether all current law to the constitution as written.”
SEE JUSTICE PAGE5
opinion
PAGE 2 | THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN | 17 FEBRUARY 2016 | OPINION
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Kendrick Lamar deserved Album of the Year
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Kendrick Lamar and his dancers walked out dressed in blue prison clothes, hands and feet in shackles. A saxophonist played in an iron cage. Lamar THE DAILY
MISSISSIPPIAN S. Gale Denley Student Media Center 201 Bishop Hall, P.O. Box 1848 University, MS 38677-1848 Main Number: 662.915.5503 Business Hours: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
moved his chains around so he could grab the mic, and an amazing performance began. 26 seconds into the VidMe video of the performance at the Grammys, a woman can be heard saying, “That’s so racist.” If that’s not missing the point, I don’t know what is. Last night, Lamar lost the Album of the Year award to Taylor Swift. It would be dishonest to say that Swift isn’t talented. She’s taken the music industry by storm and is, arguably, one of the most powerful women in music today, along with Beyoncé and Adele. Kanye’s claim that he made her famous is a misunderstood joke at best and a cruel, inappropriate jab at worst. That said, Swift did not deserve this year’s Grammy for Album of the Year.
The Daily Mississippian is published Monday through Friday during the academic year, on days when classes are scheduled. Contents do not represent the official opinions of The University of Mississippi or The Daily Mississippian unless specifically indicated. ISSN 1077-8667
Lamar is nothing short of visionary. His four albums have been critically acclaimed, and his second album (after five mixtapes), “good kid, m.A.A.d city,” was famously snubbed at the 2013 Grammys, losing Best Rap Album to Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’s “The Heist.” Macklemore sent a text message to Lamar later where he said, “You got robbed. I wanted you to win. You should have.” Listening to “1989” is fun. Swift pulls her famous charm and special brand of entertaining and drama into every track. It’s a joy to hear. But listening to “To Pimp a Butterfly” is an experience. Every track is beautiful, and Lamar’s lyrics are packed with social consciousness. He has reached acclaim from old school
The Daily Mississippian welcomes letters to the editor. Letters should be addressed to The Daily Mississippian, 201 Bishop Hall, P.O. Box 1848, University, MS, 38677-1848, or e-mailed to dmletters@olemiss.edu. Letters should be typed, double-spaced and no longer than 300 words. Letters may be edited for clarity, space or libel. Third-party letters and those bearing pseudonyms, pen names or “name withheld” will not be published. Publication is limited to one letter per individual per calendar month. Letters should include phone and email contact information so that editors can verify authenticity. Letters from students should include grade classification and major; letters from faculty and staff should include title and the college, school or department where the person is employed.
devotees and modern consumers of the genre. This isn’t a music review, however. As a third-wave feminist and music lover, I am both conflict-
SEE LAMAR PAGE 3
Correction The headline on page eight of Tuesday’s The Daily Mississippian incorrectly said the women’s basketball team lost in overtime to Texas A&M. The game didn’t go into overtime.
opinion
OPINION | 17 FEBRUARY 2016 | THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN | PAGE 3
LAMAR
continued from page 2 ed and frustrated. I’m happy that Swift is breaking records. She’s officially the first woman to win two Album of the Year awards. “1989” is an excellent album, and, in my opinion, her best. She has broken records and become a force to be reckoned with. I cannot ignore racial issues faced during awards season, however. Last year, Beck’s album “Morning Phase” beat Beyoncé’s self-titled album. There’s no denying Beck’s talent; he’s a visionary and oneman musical innovator. He wrote and composed his entire album by himself. But the Beyoncé album wasn’t just an album— it was a phenomenon. She dropped it with no hints, and she made the world stop for a moment and live in the unbeatable phenomenon that is Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter. Beck thoroughly earned his Grammys for Best Rock Album and Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical, but the Album of the Year should have been Beyoncé. History has repeated itself when Lamar lost to Swift.
They’re both incredibly talented, but “1989” cannot compete with the social awareness and timeliness of Lamar’s album. Despite racial issues being at the forefront of the nation’s mind, love songs and party jams won over thoughtful lyrics. I do not think this event is wholly racially motivated. The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) has a history of favoring sentimentality. Some have suspected the Beck won in 2015 as compensation for his defeat at the 2001 Grammys when Steely Dan miraculously beat Beck’s “Midnight Vultures,” Eminem’s “The Marshall Mathers LP,” Radiohead’s “Kid A” and Paul Simon’s “You’re the One.” This cannot be said of Swift. She won Album of the Year at the 2010 Grammys. Her award isn’t one of sentimentality. The NARAS picked a sugary-sweet pop album— albeit a wonderfully written one— over an album that contained significant cultural and social significance. Even President Obama considers “To Pimp a Butterfly” his favorite album of the year. Time will tell which album will hold up. Likely, we may hold “Blank Space” up in nostalgia much like our parents do with their 1980s pop sensa-
AP PHOTO: MATT SAYLES
tions, but the socially conscious nature paired with how exquisite Lamar’s album is deserves to be revered.
“Best Rap Album” was the minimum recognition allowed. Lamar deserved the grand prize.
Holly Baer is a senior religious studies major from Flowood.
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PAGE 4 | THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN | 17 FEBRUARY 2016 | NEWS
JUSTICE
continued from page 1 Rychlak said Scalia believed it was his job not to make law, but to look at the laws and interpret them as they were originally written. He said Scalia would often joke about the difference in opinion he would have with other justices. “He goes ‘So, what am I left with?’” Rychlak said. “ ‘A dead, rotting constitution?’” The process of appointing a new supreme court justice could prove to be a difficult task, as many conservative senators could possibly delay that process, Rychlak said. “I think it shows immediately the importance of (appointing a new Supreme Court Judge),” Rychlak said. Rychlak said the court can still function with few-
Science cafe highlights UM involvement in gravity discoveries
er than nine judges. He said the biggest problem will be the distraction of guessing, speculation and campaigning surrounding the pending appointment. Rychlak said the most important thing to remember is that the United States government is designed to run on checks and balances, along with the separation of powers. “We don’t have kings,” Rychlak said. “So, when something happens, you lose a president, you lose a supreme court justice, our government continues to function. It’s not the end of the world.” Rychlak said Scalia was often referred to as someone with strong conservative ideals, but was not advancing a political agenda. “I think it’s wrong to say he was a conservative,” Rychlak said. “He had a vision of the PHOTO BY: TAYLOR COOK constitution that lead to conMarco Cavaglia, associate professor of physics and astronomy and assistant spokesperson of the LIGO Scientific Collaboration, servative answers.” explains the detection of gravitational waves at the Lusa Cafe Tuesday night.University of Mississippi campus.
KELSEY SIMS
thedmnews@gmail.com
It’s not often that scientists discover something new about something as well known as gravity, but then again, Einstein predicted this 100 years ago. Last week, scientists from the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory announced they finally detected gravitational waves from the convergence of two black holes at two different COURTESY: OLE MISS COMMUNICATIONS (KEVIN BAIN) research facilities in WashU.S. Supreme Court Justices Antonin Scalia and Elena Kagan speak to Richard Ger- ington and Louisiana. Katherine Dooley, assistant shon, law professor and former dean of the law school on a visit in 2014. professor of astronomy and physics, and associate professor of astronomy and physics Marco Cavaglia and a group students and research assistants, are a part of the organization that made this discovery. Tuesday evening at Lusa Bakery Bistro and Bar, Dooley and Cavaglia participated in the Oxford Science Café, an organization that holds a monthly meeting to talk about important developments and issues in various scientific fields. Their presentation, titled “Observation of Gravitational Waves from a Binary Black Hole,” discussed how the LIGO Collaboration made this discovery after a century of trying to prove the existence of gravitational waves. The small bakery was packed with not only members of the Oxford community, but also people from locales ranging from Southern Mississippi to Italy. Sophomore accounting major Duncan Ploetz showed a particular enthusiasm for the
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subject. “I’ve been interested in astrophysics since high school,” Ploetz said. “I guess I wanted to meet the people that made the discoveries before they are written down in books.” The University of Mississippi branch of the LIGO began in 2007 with Cavaglia as its founder. “I got involved in LIGO about eight or nine years ago when I moved to Ole Miss,” Cavaglia said. “At that time, I was doing gravitational studies, but more on black holes and cosmic rays. But when I moved here, I got interested in the LIGO experiment.” During the presentation, Cavaglia discussed how gravitational waves were created by the combination of two black holes. “Basically, we have one black hole weighing 36 solar masses and another that’s a little bit smaller, weighing 29 solar masses,” Cavaglia said. “When they come together, you would think the black hole would weigh 65 solar masses, but it only weighed 62. This means that 3 times what the sun weighs of energy got released in the form of gravitational waves.” He went on to say LIGO uses a interferometer to detect the stretches in space-time with light. This machine was the first component of UM-LIGO’s part in the discovery of gravitational waves. Dooley began working with the interferometers during a fellowship at California Technical Institute, one of the main research facilities that took part in this discovery. Dooley specialized in researching ways to improve their tech-
nology to make it more sensitive to gravitational waves. About six months ago, Dooley came to Ole Miss and joined with Cavaglia at UM-LIGO. “The University was looking for an experimentalist in gravitational research, and that fits my background,” Dooley said. The second component was data analysis that Cavaglia called “detector characterization.” He and a senior physics major, Hunter Gabbard, deal with this aspect of the project. “I mainly study seismic noise and create algorithms to predict when things like earthquakes will happen,” Gabbard said. “This is so we can tell when something will interfere with the detection of gravitational waves.” Gabbard began studying with UM-LIGO his freshman year under Cavaglia and has since been part of fellowships in Paris and the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. He also collaborated with Dooley to write their paper on this discovery. This discovery has opened many doors for future study of space and gravity. “We hope that this discovery will lead to more detections in the future,” Cavaglia said. “Hopefully, it will eventually be on a daily basis.” Dooley shared her enthusiasm for future detections, saying it might be possible to eventually figure out the composition of neutron stars because of this discovery. “I hope (this discovery) inspires more students to enter science,” Dooley said. “It’s been really fun to see the response from the public so far, how it’s captivated everyone.”
news
NEWS | 17 FEBRUARY 2016 | THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN | PAGE 5
Making men of excellence
GRAPHIC: CLARA TURNAGE
BAN
continued from page 1
PHOTO BY: ARIEL COBBERT
Men of Excellence is a community service organization whose main purpose is to help improve the minority male image on the University of Mississippi campus.
DEVNA BOSE
dbose1@go.olemiss.edu
Men of Excellence, a group dedicated to empowering minority students, has recently hosted a variety of events, including a Legacy Walk and a Tupac Monologue in conjunction with the campus-wide Black History Month celebrations. The Legacy Walk led students to various locations that served as relevant sites in relation to the admission of James Meredith, the first African-American student to enroll at the University of Mississippi. At each stop, there were 62 seconds of silence to represent the year of his enrollment: 1962. The Tupac Monologue discussed the role of hip-hop culture and its effect on political and cultural change in America. Participants explored the potential and realized influence of hip-hop on sociopolitical awareness and activism. The Tupac Monologue explored methods to combat the sociopolitical problems facing the black community using hip-hop. The group expanded significantly last semester under the direction of senior general studies major Justavian Tillman. Tillman, also the president of the Black Student Union, is a long-time member of Men of Excellence. He said he is proud of the organization’s growth but looks to improve it. “I heard about it my freshman year and decided to ap-
ply,” Tillman said. “This is the first time in three years that we have over 20 committed members.” The organization’s goal is to create programs that will help improve the minority male image at the University and prepare them for the years beyond college. “Men of Excellence is an organization created to provide excellent educational, cultural, and social, community services and intellectual programs that will enhance the personal, professional, and social growth of African-American males,” Tillman said. The organization teaches members about professionalism, but Men of Excellence also educates their members important skills like resume and cover letter building, ty-
ing a tie and interviewing. “These qualities are essential for anyone to learn when preparing for the real world. Our goal is to improve the male image at this institution,” Tillman said. “Our guys having these skills prepares them for the real world and the next step after graduation.” Men of Excellence secretary Kweisi Fountain said the group is an organization composed of African-American and Latino men who hold a 2.5 gpa or higher. “Men of Excellence has a strong sense of brotherhood while maintaining a positive and active image in the community and on campus,” Fountain said.
campus. A lack of secondhand smoke on campus makes for a much healthier environment for all students and faculty. “What people choose to do with their time at their homes is their business,” Potts said, “but Ole Miss is a smoke-free environment.” When the University adopted its smoking ban, cigarette disposals were removed from campus. Landscape Services Supervisor Tom Dickerson said the University’s landscaping services tried for a long time to keep up with the cigarette waste around campus, but the task eventually became too great. “We had fought it for a long time,” Dickerson said. “Finally, we just came to a point where we couldn’t fight it any more. It’s not as bad now. If we come across them, we’ll clean them up.” In summer 2012, the Universi-
ty conducted a study of its litter, and cigarette remains comprised 29 percent of the survey on campus, more than any other type of litter. The same study indicated 95 percent of cigarette filters are made of cellulose acetate, a slow-degrading form of plastic that can be environmentally problematic. “The reality if enforcement can only go so far,” said Shannon Richardson, assistant director for the Department of Campus Recreation and co-chair for the Smoke-Free Campus Policy Implementation Committee. “We only have so many officers on foot and obviously, whatever the bigger problems are at that time are going to take precedence over a smoking violation.” If any student or faculty member wants to quit smoking, Ole Miss offers a smoking cessation program located in the pharmacy in the Student Health Center.
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PAGE 6 | THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN | 17 FEBRUARY 2016 | LIFESTYLES
Playlist of the week: Mississippi musicians at work ALICE MCKELVEY
amckelve@go.olemiss.edu
Hey guys! I’m Alice, and each week I’ll be sharing with you a new playlist of music I think you should listen to. I’ll keep my Spotify updated and posted on thedmonline.com weekly. I’ve always been told our state’s culture is so rich because there’s nothing much else to do, so we focus on the arts and music instead and find beauty in the red dirt, looming pines and dirty Mississippi water. This week’s playlist is all about Mississippi music—and not just your traditional country music so many people assume our state is famous for (looking at you, Jimmie Rodgers). This playlist has everything from the quiet, folksy Water Liars, the sludge-rock of Dead Gaze and Bass Drum of Death and the indie-rock of Nossiens, from Hattiesburg and the Oxford/Jackson-based Colour Revolt among many others. Who knew our state was so talented? This playlist starts off fairly slow and acoustic with Water Liars, Andrew Bryant and El Obo, but progresses into heavier styles with Colour Revolt, Dead Gaze, Bass Drum of Death, Dream Cult and Unwed Teenage Mothers. And don’t worry; we’ve made sure to put in some Dent May and Young Buffalo, too. For those of you who are blues fans, we’ve covered Junior Kimbrough, Leo “Bud” Welch and Cedric Burnside, too. This playlist by no means features every Mississippi band—if it did, you’d be listening for years before you reached the end. But these are definitely some notable ones and features some bands that I truly love. I think what I love most about this playlist is the camaraderie between most of these bands. It’s a small world, but I think Mississippi is just a little bit smaller. I have the honor of knowing most of the members of the bands on this playlist, and they’re some fine folks. Give this playlist a listen if you want your mind to be blown by our homegrown talent.
THE PLAYLIST
“Linens” Water Liars “June Heat” Bella Machine “The Free” Andrew Bryant “BTK” El Obo “Brother In The Night” The Weeks “Planted” Young Valley “Kerosene Heater Blues” The Holy Ghost Electric Show “She’s got Somethin’ On Me” Cedric Burnside, Lightnin’ Malcolm “Praise His Name” Leo “Bud” Welch “Meet Me in the City” Junior Kimbrough “Mattresses Underwater” Colour Revolt
graphic illustration by: Alice Mckelvey
“This Big World” Dead Gaze “Jungle” Water Spaniel “Eastover Wives” Dent May “Crawling After You” Bass Drum of Death “No Idea” Young Buffalo “Nothing Will Ever Get Any Better” Unwed Teenage Mothers “Mountain Tower” Carlos Danger “Surface” Dream Cult “Out of State” Nossiens
lifestyles
LIFESTYLES | 17 FEBRUARY 2016 | THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN | PAGE 7
Was the 58th-annnual Grammys all it should have been? AUSTIN HILLE
ahille1234@gmail.com
Monday marked the reoccurrence of what many call the biggest night in music — the 58th-annual Grammy Awards, revealing the best of all things music in 2015. In case you missed it, here are the highlights of what certainly was a highly eventful night. The show opened with an appearance by Taylor Swift, who performed “Out of the Woods” from her hit album 1989. Though the show’s production showed effort, the performance was somewhat awkward, stiff and lackluster. Perhaps with the addition of some more detailed choreography, the show would have been up to par, but sadly, this aspect was severely overlooked, and Swift suffered because of it. After a brief introduction from the night’s host, twotime Grammy award winner LL Cool J, the recipient of the Best Rap Album award was
and Sam Hunt a performed “Take Your Time.” You can’t go wrong with the combination of these two
announced. Against some of the toughest competition in the history of the category, Kendrick Lamar, with his album “To Pimp a Butterfly,” came out on top to take the award. Lamar’s album has become a standard within the hip-hop community. His aspiration for deeper meaning and lyrical aerobatics in all his verses more than earned him the recognition he received Monday night. Following this presentation, Carrie Underwood
incredibly talented vocalists, who easily captivated the audience with their musicality and powerful light show. The Weeknd gave his performance of two hit songs, “Can’t Feel My Face” and “In the Night.” After seeing the live performance of these two radio hits for the first time, it is more than clear that the use of computer-enhanced vocals are a key part of the pre-recorded tracks. The Weeknd’s voice certainly does not live up to what listeners hear on the album. This was only worsened by the lack of attention put into the production of the show. While there w a s a n atER
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tempt to incorporate somewhat of a lighting scheme and melodic theme, ultimately, it was all in vain. The Best Country Album award went to Chris Stapleton for his project, “Traveller.” The win says a lot about the country genre, as Stapleton’s project represents more of an old school, soulful approach. After Lionel Richie received the MusiCares Person of the Year award, artists including Demi Lovato, Luke Bryan, John Legend, Tyrese Gibson and Meghan Trainor performed a moving and energetic tribute to him. The performance was a fun, seamless mix of Richie’s biggest hits. Eventually, the man himself made an appearance for a surprise performance of “All Night Long.” Next, Little Big Town took the stage to perform their Song of the Year nominee “Girl Crush.” With their uniform costume design and an interesting circular stage set up, the band certainly did justice to
SEE GRAMMYS PAGE3
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@BeingOxford sparks controversy, conversation Long-time Grovers adjust to new rules
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• Rebel Radio Manager PHOTO BY: THOMAS GRANING
Many decade-old tents have had to pull up their roots and relocate after new regulations made it difficult to hold spots in the Grove. At the beginning of the 2015 football season, the Athletics Department implemented several new changes to tailgating in the Grove. The biggest alteration broke the tradition of spot-saving the day before gameday by clearing the Grove at 6:30 p.m. on Friday and allowing everyone to enter an PHOTO BY: LOGAN KIRKLAND James Thomas, a University of Mississippi assistant professor of sociology and anthropology, ignited a lively discussion across town when he recently took over a popular Twitter account. hour later. Sophomore risk manageWith that in mind, Thomas, Thomas began a contentious maybe even uncomfortable ment and insurance major TayLOGAN KIRKLAND lor Daniels, however, said the assistant professor of socioloconversation surrounding for the community into the dmeditor@gmail.com new Grove rules make Friday gy and anthropology, started race-relations in and about Twitter-verse. James Thomas asked David a conversation that reached the University of Mississippi “You can gauge to see to night proceedings more chaotMcDowell, the creator of the more than 3,000 people. campus and city of Oxford. what degree are people ready ic, despite the University’s inTwitter account @BeingOx“White supremacy is the With over 3,000 people fol- to have these conversations,” tentions. “I feel like it has kind of ford, if his politics would be most enduring threat to na- lowing the@BeingOxford ac- Thomas said. too radical before curating it tional security in U.S. histo- count, Thomas said his weekAs soon as he made the first stepped on tradition because of for a week, but McDowell as- ry,” Thomas tweeted his first long stint as guest curator tweet, Thomas said he decid- too many regulations,” Daniels said. sured him it would not be a day as @BeingOxford. was a good opportunity to put problem. From that statement, things that are unfamiliar and
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South Carolina flooding affects Ole Miss students PHOTO BY: LOGAN KIRKLAND
LANA FERGUSON
thedmnews@gmail.com
In South Carolina, the recognizable beeps from the National Weather Service’s Emergency Alert System blared through the speakers and warnings of flooding from Hurricane Joaquin followed. Preparation for the storm began. Rainfall lasted days throughout the state, flooding many areas quickly. As of Thursday, 17 deaths had been reported, hundreds were still without power and large stretches of Interstate 95 remained shut down along with more than 250 roads and 100 bridges. Right now, it is estimated that the cost of the flood could exceed $1 billion and the damage is still not complete. The sun may now be shining
with Joaquin’s exit, but residents of the South Carolina low country are still awaiting their fate. The low country is downhill from cities that have already flooded, so the water is predicted to flow in that direction and cause more damage. Anna Outten, junior journalism and political science major, said she has been nervously checking in with her family in Charleston, South Carolina throughout the week to stay updated. “I think it was just really hard to feel like my family was suffering, and I was so far away I could not do anything,” Outten said. “I’m really thankful that although there has been a lot of flooding right around my house, that my family and home are okay, which I know is not the reality for many people in
my home state.” Outten said the water around her house was knee-to-waistdeep, even causing one of her neighbor’s cars to float away. “I’ve been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from my friends here and from the University as a whole,” Outten said. Wess Helton, Lexington, South Carolina native and freshman international studies major, has been receiving pictures and videos of the damage and flooding from friends in his hometown and at the University of South Carolina. “My mom texted me the night before it was going to get really bad saying ‘Pray for us,’ and I initially thought she was overreacting, but I was concerned for my friends and family’s safe-
SEE FLOODING PAGE 5
AP PHOTO: JASON LEE
Jimmy Sanders checks on his flooded home in Bucksville, S.C., by boat.
Pick up an application at the Student Media Center, 201 Bishop Hall, during business hours, 8-5, M-F. Previous Student Media experience required. These are paid positions that require a minimum 2.5 GPA, and full-time student status.
lifestyles
PAGE 8 | THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN |17 FEBRUARY 2016 | LIFESTYLES
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this highly controversial piece from their most recent album “Pain Killer.” Following a short tribute to Earth, Wind & Fire by Pentatonix and Stevie Wonder, the Song of the Year award was given to Ed Sheeran for his hit song “Thinking Out Loud.” Although it is not too much of a surprise Sheeran took the award, this year had some tough competition for the category, making it a big win indeed. The next big performance of the night was that of Kendrick Lamar, which was absolutely superb. Through the use of superior choreography and a breathtaking performance
house performance with something quite different. With the aid of electric instruments and a powerful live band, they played hits “Where Are Ü Now?” and “Love Yourself.” Bieber continues to work towards successfully redefining who he is as an artist. Meghan Trainor received the Best New Artist award for her highly successful work in 2015. Her first album, Title, made quite a splash this past year, dominating airtime for months at a time. Alabama Shakes eventually made their way to the stage for a powerful performance of “Don’t Wanna Fight.” The Georgia band did not disappoint, delivering that familiar raw musical talent present on all their records. As the night wound down, Taylor Swift received the Album of the Year award for 1989. As many have remarked, 2015 has been the year of Taylor, and anybody who has turned on the radio should know this award comes at no surprise. The show wasted no time, and went straight into the Record of the Year award, which was given to Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars for the 80s-throwback funk record “Uptown Funk.” Pitbull closed out the night with a lively and energetic performance. It was an exciting night in Los Angeles as music’s biggest stars presented, performed and, in some cases, shared social commentary the stage to present and perform, but now the hype is gone, and the event is over. Predictions for next year are already rolling in, and before we know it, we will be in the throes of Grammy season again.
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continued from page 7
from all participants in the exhibition, Lamar once again proved himself to be one the greats. The award for Best Rock Performance went to the Alabama Shakes for “Don’t Wanna Fight.” This really came as no surprise to those still following modern rock. The band has basically dominated the genre since the release of their latest album, Sound and Color. To follow up this announcement, arguably one of the biggest names in music right now, Adele, took the stage to perform “All I Ask” from her most recent smash album “25.” The show, though simple, was special in its own way. Through the use of warm lighting and focus on Adele’s iconic voice, the moment was beautiful. Justin Bieber, Skrillex and Diplo followed Adele’s power-
Sudoku #7 8 1 3 7 4 9 4 5 7 2 6 8 9 6 2 5 1 3 7 2 5 4 9 1 3 4 9 8 2 6 1 8 6 3 5 7 2 9 1 6 3 4 5 3 8 1 7 2 6 7 4 9 8 5
GRAMMYS
lifestyles
LIFESTYLES | 17 FEBRUARY 2016 | THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN | PAGE 9
The budget-friendly guide to the Oxford Film Fest ALEX PRESLEY
thedmfeatures@gmail.com The 13th-annual Oxford Film Festival presents students with more opportunities to experience films from around the world in their own college town than any other single event in town. For those looking for inexpensive entertainment and culture in Oxford, there are several smart options this weekend. Music, literature and film will all be under the same roof at the Thacker Mountain Radio Show, held at 6 p.m. at The Lyric Oxford Thursday night – and it’s all free. This week’s set will include live music from Oxford singer-songwriter Cary Hudson, Memphis funk artist Hope Clayburn and a live reading by novelist Dennis Covington. Covington’s latest book is “Revelation: a search for faith in a Violent Religious World.” A community short film, “Once A Month,” directed by Alice Walker will show immediately following. Friday and Saturday afternoon, animation and experimental blocks will be held at Shelter on Van Buren and are also free. A wide assortment of short films will run back-to-back from 1-2:45 p.m. on Friday. Although animation usually carries a juvenile connotation, many of the films contain weighty subject matter. They include the story of a son rescuing his father from Abu Ghraib prison, a lonely robot who breaks from confinement, and a reflective piece on Hurricane Katrina. Saturday’s experimental film block at 1 p.m. will consist of avant-garde films that play with artful demonstra-
tion and complex themes. This year, the festival will be the first in the state of Mississippi to feature virtual reality films, which use technology to virtually place viewers within the story. Thursday through Sunday, The Powerhouse will screen the fivefilm set at no charge. All panels hosted by Oxford Film Festival are free as well. A discussion with actor and author Greg Sestero is slated for 7:30 p.m. Friday. Sestero stars in “Dude Bro Party Massacre III,” which will be shown at the Oxford Film Festival both Friday and Saturday night. He is also notable for his role in 2003 cult favorite “The Room,” which he details in his book, “The Disaster Artist.” The book is currently being developed into a movie that will star brothers James and Dave Franco. The first event on the schedule for this action-packed long weekend is the Food and Film Community Party, held 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Powerhouse. The gathering will be centered on specific cuisine accompanied by short films that explain their background. The Red Carpet Kickoff is on Thursday night, and films will run until late Sunday afternoon. If you have a little money to spare, tickets for Oxford Film Festival are still available for access to all events, and discounts are given for students. The festival’s website, oxfordfilmfest.com, also has an online feature that can be used to build a schedule of events and can be sent directly to mobile devices.
COURTESY: OXFORDFILMFEST.COM
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PAGE 10 | THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN | 17 FEBRUARY 2016 | SPORTS
sports
Ole Miss to renovate baseball stadium for players, fans
PHOTO BY: CAMERON BROOKS
Swayze Field will be renovated through the Forward Together campaign.
BRIAN SCOTT RIPPEE
Bsrippee@go.olemiss.edu
Ole Miss announced a $13 million renovation to Swayze Field on Tuesday. The project is part of their $200 million Forward Together campaign, which helped construct the new Pavilion, among other projects around campus. “I started hearing beeping outside, and saw a big crane in front of the stadium and
got all excited,” head baseball coach Mike Bianco said. “I thought ‘Boy, Ross Bjork does not mess around— 9:30 and there’s already a crane outside.’” Granted, the crane was just being used to clean the windows at Oxford-University Stadium, but there was still plenty of reason for Bianco’s excitement. “I’m excited when I start to think about it,” Bianco said. “We’re sitting in a stadium that I consider the best facili-
ty in college baseball already.” There were renovations done to the stadium in 2009, but most of the improvements were directed towards the fans. “Most of it was done because we outgrew the old stadium. We had to put more seats and we wanted to put some premium seats,” Bianco said. “This upgrade is really centered around the student athletes and their experience here.” The project will include a
new locker room, training room, players’ lounge, meeting room and indoor batting cages, along with a pitching tunnel and a weight room. Improvements were made to some of these facilities as a part of the 2009 construction but mostly involved additions and improvements to the already-existing rooms and facilities, as opposed to constructing new ones. Fans will not be left out of this renovation either. Improved seating is again apart
of the agenda. “There will be some seating upgrade options for our fans,” Bianco said. “Behind home plate the vision is to build a dugout club down there and bring the backstop a little closer to home.” The renovations will hopefully be completed by the start of the 2018 season. Ole Miss is still in the process of deciding who will lead this construction process.
PHOTO BY: KAMERA GRIFFIN
A passenger gets off the Blue line on the Square Monday evening.
The Voice of Ole Miss
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sports
SPORTS | 17 FEBRUARY 2016 | THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN | PAGE 11
COLUMN
Opposing fans will have their accusations, don’t listen to them Rebels fall to A&M ASSOCIATED PRESS
COLLIN BRISTER
thedmsports@gmail.com
Ole Miss football isn’t what it was 10 years ago. Ole Miss football isn’t what it was five years ago. The program is in its best position since Johnny Vaught roamed the Rebel sideline. They’re not the doormat of the SEC anymore, and it’s driving people insane. What Hugh Freeze has done at Ole Miss in his four years is unprecedented. He changed the culture of a program that was dead. He made Ole Miss football a national brand. He recruited like nobody in the history of Ole Miss football has recruited. He made Ole Miss more than a punch line. Ole Miss is new. They’re not Alabama, LSU or Ohio State. They haven’t won a national title in the past 30 years. They don’t have conference championships galore in their trophy case. They’re not the blue-bloods of college football, so their success leaves people puzzled and confused. Many are puzzled and confused because, for the longest time, Ole Miss fans and administration were okay with winning six or seven games a year and making the Liberty Bowl, and now they’re not. Ole Miss has a coach that legitimately believes he can win big at Ole Miss. Ole Miss, for the first time in my 22 years on this earth, is committed to being more than the sixth-place team in the SEC West. So, opposing fans throw around accusations regarding Ole Miss. They say that they’re paying recruits. They say that they’ve done
PHOTO BY: ROYCE SWAYZE
File photo. Athletics Director Ross Bjork announced several key updates for Ole Miss sports during a press conference. most everything illegally. They don’t realize Beverly Nkemdiche wanted her son, and consensus No. 1 prospect Robert Nkemdiche, to play with her other son Denzel. They don’t take time to realize that Laquon Treadwell’s high school teammate Anthony Standifer was in Oxford during his recruitment. They don’t realize Laremy Tunsil was always interested in Ole Miss. Always. This year, they didn’t realize Ole Miss was a fluke lateral play from winning the SEC West. They refuse to acknowledge Ole Miss played in the Sugar Bowl and dominated. That’s taboo to them; Ole Miss should just be Ole Miss. The recent NCAA investigation hasn’t helped Ole Miss in the public perception realm, sure. That being said, the investigation reportedly has nothing to do with Ole Miss paying players, the oftused allegation by opposing fans. It concerns some academic misconduct during Houston Nutt’s tenure, some secondary violations and the Laremy Tunsil saga from
last fall. It has nothing to do with Ole Miss and rumored bagmen roaming the streets of Starkville. The NCAA investigation is huge for some programs, however, because it’s their only way to slow Ole Miss down. The NCAA investigation is huge for others, because they can’t stand the see the apple cart upset in college football. Opposing fans will have their accusations of Ole Miss and their program so long as the Rebels are successful. Rival fans will accuse Ole Miss of cheating until they’re blue in the face. They don’t matter. At all. Message board heroes don’t matter. At all. So, Ole Miss will keep doing what they’re doing. They’ll keep recruiting at an elite level. They’ll keep being a force to be reckoned with in the landscape of college football, and they’ll keep pissing people off. The Rebels are relevant in college football, and they’re not going anywhere.
COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — Danuel House scored 13 points to lead four Texas A&M players in double figures, and the Aggies snapped a four-game skid with a 71-56 win over Mississippi on Tuesday night. The Aggies trailed by double digits in the first half before rallying to take the lead. They led by 5 at halftime and were still up by that amount before scoring the next eight points to extend their advantage to 53-40 with about 15 1/2 minutes remaining. House got A&M going in that stretch with a 3-pointer and Jalen Jones added a dunk to help Texas A&M (19-7, 8-5 Southeastern Conference) push the lead. Mississippi (16-10, 6-7) missed six shots in that span, with four coming on layups and never threatened again. The Rebels were led by Stefan Moody’s 17 points. Tyler Davis added 11 points for A&M and Anthony Collins and D.J. Hogg had 10 apiece. Ole Miss couldn’t do much in the second half offensively and made just 2 of 20 shots in a stretch in the second half that ended with about one minute remaining. The Aggies used a 6-0 run at the end of that span to stretch the lead to 71-54. Texas A&M dropped out of the top 25 this week after a loss at LSU that was its fifth in six games. Their last three games had been close, with the losses coming by a combined nine points. Early on it looked like they might be headed for another defeat with Ole Miss jumping out to a 20-11 lead af-
ter a 3-pointer by Moody with about 12 minutes left in the first half. The Aggies found their offense soon after that, using a 13-5 run to cut the lead to 2524. Admon Gilder opened that spurt with a 3-point play and House capped it with another one. Tomasz Gielo made a 3-pointer for the Rebels, but A&M responded with three consecutive dunks to take a 30-28 lead about 4 1/2 minutes before halftime. The game was tied a couple of minutes later when the Aggies scored eight straight points, with the first six on free throws, to make it 40-32. But Moody hit a 3 at the buzzer to cut the lead to 5 at halftime. After Texas A&M built the big lead in the second half both teams went on scoring droughts. The Aggies finally broke theirs on a jump shot by Tavario Miller about two minutes after their last basket. Mississippi scored for the first in almost 3 1/2 minutes after that on a bucket by Sebastian Saiz that cut the lead to 56-46. Jones collected his fourth foul with about eight minutes left and went to the bench. He returned with about 3 1/2 minutes left and finished with six points and nine rebounds. Moody was shaken up with about 10 minutes left when he was knocked to the ground on a foul by Hogg. He remained on the ground for a couple of minutes before getting up and making both free throws and he seemed to be OK after that.
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PAGE 12 | THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN | 17 FEBRUARY 2016 | SPORTS
sports
Ole Miss baseball set to open this weekend at home BRIAN SCOTT RIPPEE
Bsrippee@go.olemiss.edu
Ole Miss is slated to start the baseball season Friday, and head baseball coach Mike Bianco said he is excited for the season opener. “I think when you look around the field, it’s got to be one of the most athletic teams we’ve ever had,” Bianco said. It was a frustrating year for the Rebels in 2015. Coming off of a trip to Omaha, Ole Miss did not return much experience and lacked depth, especially in the form of pitching. It cost them and was reflected in their 30-28 record. “Last year one of our weaknesses was our pitching depth, and after a few injuries, that became quite evident,” Bianco said. “We just showed our lack of depth on the mound.” That problem was fixed in the offseason— the Rebels signed 11 pitchers in 2015. Ole Miss returns junior righthander Brady Bramlett to anchor the weekend rotation. Bramlett will take the ball in the opener on Friday afternoon. “I’m thrilled to be in that position and I’m confident,” Bramlett said. “It will be a special year for our staff and our team.” Juniors Chad Smith on Saturday and Sean Johnson will compliment Bramlett on Sunday, both of whom came to Ole Miss from community college. Neither has pitched in the SEC before, but have plenty of confidence from the
Rebels’ ace. “We’re in the toughest conference in the country. Anybody can beat anybody on any given day,” Bramlett said. “But I have no doubt in my mind those two guys will be successful. Honestly, anybody on our staff has the ability to step on the mound and get the job done.” Experience will not be lacking this year in the field either; Ole Miss returns seven of nine starters in the field from a year ago. “It seems like last year’s weaknesses may be this year’s strengths,” Bianco said “We’re as old and experienced as we’ve probably ever been as a position group.” The left side of the Rebel infield will look the same as it did a year ago. The Rebels return Colby Bortles at third base and pre-season All-American Errol Robinson at shortstop. “I think you always feel good when you return guys on the left side of the infield like Colby and Errol,” Bianco said. Sophomore Tate Blackman will start at second base, and sophomore Will Golsan will replace Sikes Orvis at first. Blackman said he had high expectations even before his Ole Miss career began but struggled in his freshman campaign. Bianco, however, is optimistic he’ll rebound in 2016. “Just a year ago I think we were up here talking about his preseason accolades before he even stepped on the field as a college baseball player,” Bianco said. “It was a tough year for Tate, but he’s swung
FILE PHOTO: KAYLA BEATTY
Errol Robinson throws the ball during a game last season. it as well as anyone in the fall and early spring. I’m just very proud of him.” The outfield to begin the year will feature juniors Connor Cloyd in left, J.B. Woodman in center field and senior Cameron Dishon in right field. Bianco said there will be several different outfield lineups to begin the year and said freshman D.J. Miller could see time in the outfield because of his strong offensive
Founded in 1897, Phi Kappa Phi is the nation’s oldest, largest, and most selective honor society for all academic disciplines on the undergraduate and graduate level as well as professional education.
presence. It’s an outfield that Bianco said reminds him a lot of the 2014 outfield with its speed and adds to the athleticism Bianco feels this 2016 team has. As the season approaches, the experience this team has will be a luxury it did not enjoy a year ago, and that experience from a year ago also brings motivation. “Last year didn’t end up
how we wanted it,” Robinson said. “We still kind of feel that fire of losing so early in the regional. I feel like it’s kind of fueling us to be better this year.” Ole Miss opens the season on Friday against Florida International at home. First pitch is set for 4 p.m.
Phi Kappa Phi’s mission is “To recognize and promote academic excellence in all fields of higher education and to engage the community of scholars in service to others.”
Membership in the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi is earned and by invitation only. Invitations will be sent by email this week to eligible students, and applications must be submitted online by Thursday, March 24, 2016. The Spring Initiation Ceremony will be held at the Gertrude Ford Performing Arts Center on Thursday, April 7, 2016 at 3:00 pm. The Ole Miss Chapter of Phi Kappa Phi wishes our returning scholars and future initiates great success this academic year! 36345
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