11/21/17 issue

Henderson State University - Tuesday, November 21, 2017 Volume 113, Issue 11

Whodunit?

HSU Drama does it again with their performance of “the mousetrap” panic! at the parking lot - p.3

it’s a trap! - p.6

kevin, louie, harvey, etc. - p.9

Playin’ basketball - p.12

Students struggle to find parking.

Pete reviews Agatha Christie’s “The Mousetrap.”

A student’s opinion on Hollywood’s darkest days.

Jordan Williams summarizes the season in b-ball.

oracle@hsu.edu

HSU Oracle

@hsuoracle

2

Reddie news

A.O.K Registered Story by Rylee Maxwell, Student Reporter

Editor in Chief — Pete Tubbs News editor — Ashley Smith Graphics/ Ads designer — Jacob Glasgow page layout designer — Aaron O’Quin Photo Editor — Joshua Bradley Director of A&M/ Copy Editor —Emily Bell Opinions/ Online editor — Dax Guilliams Sports editor — Jordan Williams Arts & Music Editor — Abbie Beaver LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Write us at ORACLE@HSU.EDU if you have any questions, comments, or if you just want to rant about something. Hell, if it doesn’t suck, we might publish it in next week’s issue.

Just do us a favor and keep it between 400600 words. Just like your Tumblr, we ignore anonymous submissions.

ORACLE ONLINE

Our online format has bonus content like exclusive galleries of the eclipse viewing and a video from Rec Fest.

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COVER

Photo by Pete Tubbs, Editor in Chief

Registration for classes comes around every semester for students at every campus. Henderson is no different and has its own way of doing things. Every classification of students gets a separate day to register for the following semester.

Seniors and athletic students go first and can register before anyone else. When it’s your classes turn, you must register on the day assigned or you could miss a class you need. Some students (like me) stayed up until at least 2 a.m.

When preparing for registration it is important to schedule a meeting with your department advisor.

Even though they are not officially submitting your schedule, they can still help you. The advisors can help guide students through the classes that they will need to be successful. The advisors go through a checklist of the classes that students have already taken.

Then they proceed to see what is next on your list for the major you’ve chosen. From there, students can pick and choose what they think their semester should

look like.

Hopefully, registration will go smoothly, unlike this week. Many students were actually having problems adding classes to their schedules.

Rachel Jones, HSU student, said “I refreshed my browser every 5 or so minutes to see if I was allowed to register. The website would not let me in to register classes.”

Unfortunately, some students could not register from their computers. For some reason, students had to log into their myhenderson accounts by phone to add classes to their upcoming schedules.

Devin Kroger, a sophomore said, “I stayed up until 3:30 in the morning refreshing my browser repeatedly, and nothing happened. I soon heard from a friend that if I logged on my phone I could add my classes.”

All in all, registration is very stressful, but it is needed to make it through college. Just start by making the call to the advising building and scheduling the appointment.

November 21, 2017

3

Spring Fling

Pave Paradise and put up a parking lot Story by Zac Walthall, Staff Reporter Graphics by Jacob Glasgow, Graphic Designer

According to a survey conducted by the United States Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, and the American Community Survey, approximately ninety percent of American households own one or more car. In a worldwide list published by Nationmaster, the United States is ranked number three, right under Monaco and San Marino, with 797 cars per 1,000 people.

This presents itself as an issue at the university, an intimate, state-funded school seeking growth. Students have found themselves at a loss, traversing endless rows of lifted trucks and hand-me-down sedans, desperately searching for a temporary home for their motor vehicle. As the countdown to class dwindles, they break into a frenzy, peeling down the pavement and narrowly missing other students as they frantically hunt for a parking spot.

This is the most prominent in the fall semester, as the influx of freshman spills over from the Smith and University Place lots and overflows into the surrounding areas. However, as the year goes on and more incoming freshmen decide either that college isn’t for them or to take refund check and bounce, the extremity of the situation subsides with the sharp student decline. Unfortunately, this does not eliminate the problem entirely.

Seeing a number of statuses on social media sites, I took to the public forum in order to reach out to those that had experienced difficulties. I received several anecdotes from both current and former students, most of them complaining about how the situation had either garnered them tardies in a class that places high importance on attendance, or how they had received tickets for parking in prohibited areas trying to scramble to the aforementioned classes.

The most shocking was a group of students who all approached me separately, all telling the same story of a member of administration approaching them in an unmarked, student parking lot and demanding that they move their car. According to the students, the

administrator in question asserted that they needed the spot “to do [their] job.”

All reported being extremely confused, but submitting to the authority figure regardless, as they were much more concerned with the state of their education than a parking spot in the Russell Fine Arts lot.

Taken aback by this story, the first place I looked for solutions to this problem was none other than the administration where I met with Dr. Brett Powell, the vice president for finance and administration. When prompted about the recurring incidents on campus, he began by discussing the parking issues inherent on every campus, especially those who are attempting to expand, like Henderson.

He was acutely aware of the issue, stating that it is not uncommon for any higher learning institution to be plagued by such a predicament and citing that it is much more difficult to find a close spot at a larger, less intimate university. We went on to talk about possible solutions from the administration’s point of view, and Dr. Powell shared a couple of his long term goals that, when enacted, would provide more area for student vehicles.

First, he talked about expanding the commuter lot behind Arkansas Hall, adding about twenty-five new spaces. Then, he described his ultimate goal: a plan to consolidate three buildings on the north side of campus into two, and to tear down the remaining structure and turn it into a new lot, creating about fifty new spaces to park.

He followed this up by urging students to let their administration know about the problems on campus, as no one had approached him about the issue until I had emailed him asking for an interview. Dr. Powell even encouraged everyone to contact either him or campus police if they found themselves continuously dealing with parking nightmares.

Satisfied with what I’d gleaned from the interview, I now turned towards the other side of the issue. Not completely content with believing that the problem

was perpetuated solely by the administration, I took to the parking lots to see if the persisting issue was being fed by the student body as well.

I took up residence in several lots on campus on random days, logging the traffic influx based on the proximity to the start of class. At different times during the day, I noticed that twenty minutes before class began, several cars would lazily coast in, finding a spot with relative ease.

Fifteen minutes before was similar, with the spots closer to the buildings around which they were built being filled up rather quickly. There was a sharp increase ten minutes beforehand, in which the largest group began filing in, fighting for places in the back recesses of the parking areas.

The escalation of population also came with a terrifying increase in average speed of incoming motorists, with the students that chose to arrive around five minutes before class began cruising the lots at approximately thirty miles per hour. This created an interesting predicament, as the already-aggressive drivers became increasingly dangerous as they patrolled more and more filled rows of cars.

Most would settle for parking illegally, but there are the select few who would continue onward, spewing curses, beating on their wheel, and committing several near misses as they sped through campus.

Next, I decided to take a poll of the cars that parked on campus. Each student, when registering for classes, is required to get a parking sticker for their vehicle.

These stickers, which identify whether the automobile belongs to faculty, on-campus student, commuter, or resident of one of two university-owned apartment complexes, come with a certain set of rules attached to them. For example, those who receive a sticker that allows them to park at the Ridge Pointe complex are not allowed to park anywhere else on campus from 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM, according to the University Police’s Parking Lot Description, Rules, and Safety page

4

A big yellow

taxi TOOK MY SPACE AWAY

under the “Campus Safety� tab.

Determined to collect enough data for my study, I took to campus and observed the parked cars, tallying the stickers in the Arkansas Hall, Russell Fine Arts, University Place, and International House lots. I surveyed each lot three separate times on different days, creating a sample size that was indicative of our university.

It would seem like the biggest issue is the number of students that either have outdated credentials or none at all. These students, regardless of where they park on

campus, put themselves in danger of receiving a ticket from the university police, which will likely result in yet another social media tirade against Henderson State University.

As it stands, students with outdated or no credentials at all are not technically allowed to park on campus, as university police have no idea who to contact if something were to go awry.

To conclude, though the administration is seeking to make more available parking for the student body, this is not a one-sided issue. By choosing not to reg-

ister your car with the university police department, you are opening yourself up for the possibility that you might receive a ticket for parking illegally.

By choosing to leave your dwelling with barely enough time to get to campus, you are not only completely ruining your opportunity to exercise convenience when parking, but also you are contributing to increasingly dangerous traffic jams on campus.

Exercise caution and careful planning in order to find a place to park, and the administration will take care of what is left.

November 21, 2017

5

The delph & beyond

Christmas events near you: Event Summary by Pete Tubbs, Editor in Chief Graphic by Jacob Glasgow, Graphic Designer

It’s finally Christmas, and one thing that central arkansas is good at is celebrating the ever-festive season. There are countless things to do within a reasonable distance that will definitely turn even the most cynical person from the Grinch to George Bailey. Even though some have passed, there’s still time for yuletide and cheer to abound.

Little Rock: KLOVE Christmas The special concert will take place on Nov. 25 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. and will feature Steven Curtis Chapman, Plumb, We Are Messengers, and Marc Martel.

Tickets are $22-$103 and the event will take place at 426 West Markham Street.

Hot Springs: Hot Springs Children’s Dance Theatre Company Presents “The Nutcracker” On Nov. 25 at 1:00 and 7:00 p.m. at LakePointe Church on 1343 Albert Pike Road, Tchaikovsky’s masterpiece will be presented with a youth cast mixed with professional performers.

Loblolly Holiday Preview Party Loblolly Scoop Shop will preview all of their holiday flavors on Nov. 27 from 6:30-10:30 p.m.. Tickets are $20 and will include access to flavors such as pink peppermint, gingerbread, eggnog, and cranberry orange sorbet.

“It’s a Wonderful Life in Hot Springs” Holiday Celebration The second annual celebration will feature fine art galleries and studios with art demos, exhibits, and events from Dec. 1-4. You can shop for art, donate cash to the Jackson House, and see work by Jimmy Leach, Bill Sorrells, and Virgil Barksdale. Other galleries that will have special events are the Artists Workshop Gallery, Gallery Central, Justus Fine Art Gallery, Legacy Fine Art Gallery, and the Whittington Gallery & Studios.

Miracle on 34th Street the Play presented by the Pocket Community Theatre The classic Christmas film will be translated to the stage from Dec. 1 to Dec. 10 at 170 Ravine St. and will be directed by Stephen Fryar. Performance dates are Dec. 1&2 7:30 p.m., Dec. 3 2:30 p.m., Dec. 8&9 7:30 p.m., and Dec. 10 2:30 p.m.. Tickets are general admission $10 and students through age 12 $5.

Hot Springs Christmas Parade On Dec. 4 in Downtown Hot Springs, this year’s “The Magic of Christmas” themed parade will begin at 6:30 p.m.. Trophies awarded will be Best Decorated Float, Best Use of Theme, Best Use of Special Effects, Best Choreographed, and Most Decorated Non-Float.

Cookies with Santa at Graffiti’s Restaurant On Nov. 29 from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. on 7811 Cantrell Road, you can stop by Graffiti’s and get your picture taken with Santa. Cookies are $1 each and you can enjoy wine and appetizers in the main dining room.

39th Annual Arkansas Craft Guild’s Christmas Showcase From Dec. 1-2, over 100 artists will offer an array of hand crafted work including pottery, woodworking, fiber art, glass, photography, gourmet foods, etc.

Hours are Friday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 101 East Markham Street. Tickets are only $5 at the door.

Ballet Arkansas Presents “The Nutcracker.”

If you want another showing of “The Nutcracker,” head over to the Robinson Center at 426 West Markham. Tickets are $21-$73. Times are Friday Dec. 8 at 7 p.m., Saturday Dec. 9 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., and Sunday Dec. 10 at 2:00 p.m..

Arkansas Chamber Singers Holiday Concert On Dec. 15 and 16 at 7:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. respectively, Christmas at the Old State House will be held at 300 West Markham Street. Tickets are free.

Arkadelphia:

Put some chestnuts over the fire and let Jack Frost nip at your nose

The Polar Express: A Special Holiday Showing On Nov. 30, there will be an entire afternoon of Christmas festivities for the whole familyy to enjoy in Downtown Arkadelphia. Starting at 4:30p.m., there will be train rides and face painting. Presentations of donations for nonprofits and charities will be at 5:30 p.m., the Nickelodeon kids choir will perform at 5:45 p.m., the ugly sweater contest is at 6:00 p.m., and the movie begins at 6:15 p.m.. The price of entry is one non-perishable food item that will go to the Ecumenical Food Pantry.

Christmas Open House Tons of businesses participated in the holiday open house on Sunday, Nov. 19 from 12-4 p.m.. The participating businesses included the Arkadelphia Arts Center, Smarty Pants Boutique, Young Forever, Hardman Interiors, The Farmhouse, Knit Unto Others, Shuffield Music, Print Mania, Take a Load Off, 67 Grill, Kelzek Fine Jewelry and Gifts, Factory Connection, Mary & Martha’s, Slim & Shorty’s, JavaPrimo, Christi’s Gifts, Adorn Boutique, Compass Healthcare, Caddo Valley Flea Market, and Rebel Child. Photos with Santa was available from 1-4 p.m. at Southern Bancorp.

26th Annual Festival of Christmas OBU’s “gift to the community” features vocal ensemble performances by Ouachita Concert Choir, Ouachita Singers, Women’s Chorus, and Ouachita Sounds. The Festival will take place from Dec. 1 to 2 from 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Jones Performing Arts Center at Ouachita Baptist University. Admission is $20.

“Let There Be Peace on Earth:” Arkadelphia Christmas Parade On Dec. 7 at 5 p.m. on Main Street the annual Christmas Parade will happen! Deadline for float entry is Nov. 30. Call 870-246-1460 of 870-260-2053 for more information.

Enjoy the holidays, peace on earth and good will to us all!

6

ARts & MUSIC

The Mousetrap Review and Photos by Pete Tubbs, Editor in Chief

Before this year, I had never read or seen anything based on Agatha Christie’s works. Now, however, I can feel myself becoming a superfan.

With the recent “Murder on the Orient Express” film and the drama departments presentation of the famed play “The Mousetrap,” the solution to the world’s problems is clearly more Christie.

I’m ashamed to admit it, but I’ve only been to one of the plays here at HSU before last week. That all changed when last Wednesday I found myself at a dress rehearsal for “The Mousetrap.” This presentation featured actors Savannah Reynolds, Adrian Hinojosa, Colin Perry, Anna Brantley, Dakota Mansfield, Jacey Russell, and Joseph Kalinowski.

As soon as I sat down, the lights dimmed and spooky music began to play over the speakers, I knew I was in for a treat.

To start off with, I must say, the sound design for the play was phenomenal. I appreciated the gusting wind when the windows were opened and the eery sounds of the radio every time its dial was turned. It may seem like a small thing, but these touches ensured that “The Mousetrap” was an immersive experience.

At the beginning of the play, we meet the Ralstons, a relatively newly married couple played by Reynolds and Hinojosa who have just opened up an inn. As the defacto star of the show, Reynolds as Mollie Ralston absolutely knocked it out of the park.

I don’t think there could’ve been a better lead actress. She’s at once a character you want to root for and one that you suspect has more to her past than meets the eye.

Hinojosa as Mollie’s husband Giles is a good foil for the main character. At certain times throughout the show, I didn’t know whether the audience was to like him or not, and that’s a testament to the duality that Hinojosa gives to his character.

Anyways, as guests began to arrive at the inn during the worst snow storm in years, there is soon news that a killer has targeted the inn. This leads to Sergeant Trotter, played Kalinowski, to protect the guests and find the murderer.

Once these revelations came about, the play became immediately enjoyable. All of the guests have

their own unique personaliies, and all of the actors have their respective chances to shine.

Anna Brantley as Mrs. Boyle was pitch perfect playing someone who doesn’t particularly enjoy anyone else and isn’t afraid to tell them, either. Mansfield is spectacular here as well as good natured Major Metcalf.

The character of Christopher Wren, played here

by Colin Perry, could’ve easily crossed the line into annoyance. However, Perry walks the line gracefully.

Wren becomes a fully embodied charcter other than the caricature that he so easliy couldve become.

Kalinowski’s Trotter was enjoyably straight-forward. Every time he was going over clues or interrogating the guests, I was genuinely interested in his insights.

There is a standout actor, and it’s LaDarius Jamerson as the kooky and mysterious Paravicini. From his first scene onward, he stole the spotlight from everyone around him.

His voice is commanding, and he plays Paravicini as a spry old prankster. He was hilarious, but just like all of the other characters, one suspects he has some secrets as well.

There was one character that I didn’t connect with, however, and that was Miss Casewell who was played by Jacey Russell. I enjoyed the performance, but I think that Casewell was by far the most thinly sketched character in the play. Sorry Agatha, but nobody’s perfect.

With all of these performances, a helluva set, and fantastic lighting, “The Mousetrap” really was a fun little caper. I don’t scare easily, but every time the lights dimmed, I did feel a bit spooky.

Once the plot kicks into high gear, I was on the edge of my seat. Christie’s potboiler of a play really does know how to push those suspense buttons.

There was a couple of minutes toward the end that dragged for me. The play is nearly two and a half hours long, and I think a couple of things could’ve been omitted for times sake.

I do understand how every scene added to the mystery of the affair, but it’s dangerous to mess around with too dense plotting when you’ve got a bunch of

Agatha christie’s classic gets the hsu drama treatment tired college students in a low lit room. I do have to say, those final twenty minutes had me invested much more than I thought I’d be, though. I don’t see how anyone could nap during the explosive and riveting finale.

All in all, HSU Drama’s presentation of “The Mousetrap” was a truly exciting experience. From the makeup to the sound design to the performances, it was exceptionally well rounded.

Yes, I will go to more plays in the future, but I do want to make a request. Please do another Christie play!

Jamerson, Hinojosa, and Reynolds as Paravacini and the Ralstons, respectively.

November 21, 2017

7

A starved community thrives: one post grad’s life as a professional artist Story and Photos by Emily Bell, Copy Editor and Photographer

Lagaly’s newest album, “Nostalgia.”

As a student in the arts, the starving artist trope is often a sad reality many artists face after college.

It seems we go from “broke college student” to “will draw for food” all too quickly. However, these same dedicated artists later claim how much it was worth it.

Still in his “starving artist” portion of life, freshly graduated composer Dustin Lagaly already sees the worth in the work he creates.

As is the case with many artists, Lagaly got his start in music while young. His father was a self-producing musician before becoming a medical doctor, and by sixth grade Lagaly got into playing saxophone. After that, he was already making his own music.

“Since I was a little kid, I’ve always had music in my head,” he reflected. “But I never wrote anything down, it was never on paper.” Instead, Lagaly created his music through a program called Midi Magic Studio.

“It sounded like garbage, but I was really happy with it. It was my creation,” he said. He remembers eagerly showing his family and friends at school each new song he created. He sees this point in his life as the start to his composition.

“I didn’t think of it as a career at the time, or anything I would legitimately pursue, but it was fun. I enjoyed doing it.”

In high school, he took a lot of courses in computer

sciences, programming and developing, and achieved full-ride to UALR for computer engineering. However, in his last semester, he decided to turn it all down and pursue a degree in music composition at Henderson.

“It’s really served me well,” Lagaly began. “It helped me to realize my passion for music.”

Lagaly does believe that he would have been financially comfortable and stable had he pursued computer engineering, but he knows he wouldn’t take it back if he could.

From there, Lagaly’s fascination spiraled into years of self-motivated musical education and exploration. By high school, he already reached out to major electronic music organizations with sheer dedication to his craft.

The non-profit organization, OverClocked ReMix (OCR) was the first professional music community he encountered. Combining his love of videogame culture and music, Lagaly fantasized about becoming a strong member of the biggest videogame music remix

organization.

The organization produces album remixes of popular videogame soundtracks. Professional composers and musicians from around the world submit remixed tracks to game-specific albums.

Lagaly’s first submission was a Final Fantasy XI remix. It was not accepted.

“It was a steaming pile of garbage,” Lagaly laughed.

“Not at all surprised they didn’t accept it.” It took him a couple of years of working through Fruity Loops studio to raise the quality of his work.

Lagaly’s tracks were finally accepted into OCR, his first being “Mr. Soccerball,” an Animal Crossing remix in 2011. But his success with the organization didn’t stop there.

After years of writing for OCR, Lagaly was asked to become an official member on staff. He was set to direct his first album, “Eevee EP.” Since then, Lagaly has directed two albums, and written for a total of seven albums. He was even sent to Anime-Con in Atlanta,

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Dustin Lagaly

Spring Fling

A MAN WITHOUT REGRETS

GA last year to discuss OCR’s work on a panel.

Lagaly also branched out to the organization Chiptunes=Win, an Arkansas-originated company. Founded and managed by Brandon and Erin Hood. Although they are not composers themselves, the couple greatly admires chiptune and videogame music, thus creating a platform for composers everywhere.

Chiptunes are also known as 8-bit music, and is synthesized electronic music made from sounds chips used in vintage computers, consoles, arcade machines, and the like.

Lagaly has written several songs for Chiptunes=Win’s albums, and has grown close with the founders over time.

“They’re really good people,” Lagaly commented on the couple’s work. Although the music can be attained for free, it is offered as “pay what you want.” The money received from the music produced goes back to the artists in their times of need.

“It’s become a home to a lot of chiptune artists, myself included.”

Lagaly hasn’t put all of his energy towards compilation albums and remixes, however. His first personal album, “Beep Boop,” released in 2012, portrayed a wide variety of the skills he sifted from his talent since junior high. Now, he’s about to do it again.

“Nostalgia,” his second album to be released Dec. 1, will contain a rich selection of songs both old and new. Some come straight from his past, but they never got the proper release he hoped they would receive. A few are entirely new, but their tones still contain a lingering sense of his original influences and styles. A small popular few will receive a fresh addition in a fittingly nostalgic sense.

In a recent podcast interview, Lagaly described the music in his latest album as having “a lot of heart.” When speaking about the album, he seems to speak of it with a broken happiness, further instilling that sense of nostalgia he often seeks.

It’s been five years between his first album and “Nostalgia.” Although Lagaly continued his work with OCR and Chiptunes=Win during that time, his personal work dwindled. A year ago, he left OCR’s staff, did not submit a track to the Chiptunes=Win’s annual compilation album, and found it difficult to write anything to completion.

Depression hit Lagaly earlier, which lead to his dropping out of his communities and projects. He had a bout of depression years earlier when he had to drop out of college and move out of state.

Lagaly has compared his depression to being trapped in a hole. In his words, he felt “broken.”

After years of struggling creatively, Lagaly has brought himself back, but knows there’s more room to improve ahead of him.

“A lot of things have changed since then… It hasn’t be easy, it’s been stressful, but the main thing that helped me was finally finishing my degree,” Lagaly said, having graduated last semester. “I can finally close that chapter, and it’s a huge relief.”

Additionally, Lagaly realized what an amazing, supportive community and fanbase he has. From friends, family, his girlfriend, and countless peers in his career, their support has driven him to overcome his depres-

sion.

“It means a lot to know that you have people rooting for you, and they remind you that you’ve got talent, that you know what you’re doing, and that you can do it,” Lagaly said. “Having that reminder helps a lot.”

If anything has been proven by artists like Jack Conte and Amanda Palmer, it’s that artists absolutely need to rely on their creative communities of peers and fans to survive and to thrive. Lagaly sees the necessary and beneficial value in the community he’s helped create.

Now more than ever, Lagaly is reaching out to fellow artists with whom he’s networked and befriended throughout his career. Even though he’s been out of touch for years with some peers, their responses to his return were overwhelmingly supportive and encouraging.

He has spent some time posting about his depression publicly, and his fans reactions were only of love and understanding. If anything, admitting such a personal darkness to his fanbase made his connection with them more real.

Lagaly isn’t interested in popularity or the shallow end of fame, but in creating and maintaining genuine, meaningful connections with others.

His music supports this in how it has reached so many people around the world.

Although he struggles to consider himself a truly beloved professional musician at times, the fact remains blatant in his work.

Lagaly has spent some time reflecting on his past and the decisions he made to get here. He is without regrets when it comes to his career, and seems to harbor a renewed hope for his future.

“I think that the path I chose was the right way to go, and was definitely a more wholesome experience.”

November 21, 2017

OPINIONS

Hollywood shuffle: Opinion by Kara Amato, Student Reporter Photos courtesy of Wiki Commons

The first man to accuse Kevin Spacey of sexual misconduct went public on Oct. 29: actor Anthony Rapp said Spacey made sexual advances when he was 14 and Spacey was 26.

A little more than a week later, following a series of other claims of groping and sexual harassment made by various men, the actor was cut out of a major film and replaced with Christopher Plummer. He was fired from Netflix’s original series, “House of Cards,” for which Spacey had previously scored five Emmy nominations.

He was also removed from a planned Gore Vidal biopic in which he was expected to star for Netflix. It’s a staggering turnaround for Spacey, 58, a two-time Oscar winner and Tony winner.

At a news conference in Boston, Heather Unruh alleged that the Oscar-winning actor assaulted her son last year when he was 18. Unruh claimed that her then-18-year-old son met Spacey, and the actor bought him “drink after drink.”

Unruh’s son had told the actor he was of legal age to consume alcohol, but, his mother said, “whether

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On the domino effect caused by the rampant sexual misconduct of some of Tinseltown’s biggest stars.

he was over 21 or not, Kevin Spacey had no right to sexually assault him. There was no consent.”

According to Unruh’s statement, Spacey “stuck his hand inside my son’s pants and grabbed his genitals,” and despite her son’s efforts to extricate himself, “the violation continued.”

Unruh then claimed that Spacey was pressuring her son to accompany him to a private after-hours party to continue drinking. The encounter ended only when the actor made his way to the bathroom and a stranger approached Unruh’s son and inquired if he was OK before advising him to run.

After leaving the restaurant, Unruh said that her son ran to his grandmother’s house where he woke his sister and – together – called their mother at her Boston-area home. Unruh arrived in Nantucket the next day.

“Nothing could have prepared my son for how that sexual assault would make him feel as a man,” Unruh said. “It harmed him and it cannot be undone.”

Now, after Spacey’s misguided attempt at an apology to Rapp, his denial of other allegations, and addi-

tional claims from just last year under investigation, some doubt he will ever be able to work again.

Comedian Louis C.K. is among the latest group of celebrities to face such allegations. On Nov. 9, the New York Times reported that five women, including writers and comedians, had accused him of sexual misconduct, with most alleging the comedian had masturbated in front of them. The next day, he admitted that all of the stories were true.

Louis C.K. had already been pulled from the lineup of an HBO comedy show and had canceled the premiere for his movie “I Love You, Daddy,” which was ultimately shelved. On Friday, Netflix said it would not produce his next comedy special.

With more reports coming out on additional Hollywood figures, such as Harvey Weinstein and George Takei, there has been a surge in reports against famous, even beloved celebrities. Since Bill Cosby’s numerous rape and sexual assault cases, more victims seem encouraged to come forward.

At this point, it seems it’s only a matter of time before even more celebrities’ pasts come to light.

10

OPINIONS

Opinion by Dax Guilliams, Opinions Editor Image courtesy of Netflix

Welcome

Out of every Marvel Netflix show, the one I’ve been excited for the most is “The Punisher.” And baby, it did not disappoint.

With the first couple of episodes, it seems like “The Punisher” isn’t going to go against the formula these

Back

shows follow, but it does change things up and ends up having one of the best narratives of them.

I was worried that the show would be nothing but gritty violence with no meaning to what the characters were doing, but “The Punisher” ended up having some of the best character development I’ve seen on a show.

The greatest strength of “The Punisher” is the acting. There is not a single bad actor in this movie. There isn’t even a single average actor as everyone did a tremendous job.

Jon Bernthal’s portrayal of Frank Castle, aka The Punisher, is the absolute greatest performance of any Marvel character I’ve ever seen. He is so full of emotion and everything he does keeps you hooked.

And when I say he’s full of emotion, I mean every emotion. He’s full of rage and sadness, but he also feels happy around certain people and even makes a couple of jokes.

I was so happy to see that they gave the character a sense of humor. So many people who write The Punisher write him as an angry killing machine instead of a human who has experienced hell, but still holds on to what sanity he has left.

Ebon Moss-Bachrach plays Microchip, The Punisher’s hacker ally and if it weren’t for Bernthal’s incredible performance, he would have stolen the show.

Also, Deborah Ann Woll reprises her role as Karen Page and her character has never been better. Her relationship with The Punisher is so well-written and it really helps build both of their characters.

I didn’t really like Karen in “Daredevil” because I know what she did to him in the comics, but she is a much greater character in “The Punisher.”

All of the actors who play the villains are good, but some of those characters aren’t very interesting. Rawlins, while

Frank

not being a terrible villain, still isn’t as impressive as I thought he would be.

Thankfully, he’s not the only villain, but I’m not going to spoil any of those people.

The violence, while very graphic, is pretty fun to watch because of how those scenes are shot. And while some of it is a little mindless, it’s fine because “The Punisher” is a violent character and a violent series.

But the show isn’t an excuse for violence as there are deeper meanings all throughout the show. A big part of the series is how important families and friends are to people and what they go though when they either lose them or have to make sacrifices to protect them.

There’s also the message that war veterans are still treated very poorly and they suffer from so much trauma.

I’m not gonna pretend “The Punisher” is incredibly deep, but it’s deeper than you would expect and there’s a lot going on in this series.

“The Punisher” is incredible series, but it still has the flaw of having too many episodes. “The Defenders” had the perfect amount of episodes to tell a great narrative without being too long. “The Punisher” has just a little too many episodes.

Thirteen episodes was a bit much because there are some scenes that are just there to eat up time. It would have been better if the show was shortened to ten or eleven episodes so all of the important scenes were closer together.

I also wished the Gnucci’s had a more important role than just being there for The Punisher to kill at the beginning of the series. Just having them get billed up for a future season would have been nice since they’re one of the main mafia families “The Punisher” fights.

“The Punisher” is easily one of Netflix’s best series and one of the best things related to Marvel.

Most of my expectations were met with this series and it did the character so much justice. Bernthal is now one of my favorite actors for his portrayal of the character and I look forward to seeing him in more roles, but I also look forward to continue seeing him as The Punisher.

12

SPORTS

The Season

thus far

Checking in on the basketball teams

Story by Jordan Williams, Sports Editor

With basketball season coming into full swing, the Reddies have taken to the hardwood, and with a new season comes a fresh start. Men and women’s teams played an exhibition game at their home court, but since then have hit the road on their way to a never ending stretch of early season away games.

Starting off just a bit sluggish the men’s basketball team is off to a 2-2 start to the season. Their first game against Wichita State University was nothing short of a blow out with the final score being Wichita State 90 – Henderson State 53. The killing didn’t just take place in the overall score, but on the boards as well. Wichita nearly doubled the rebounding totals grabbing 47 total rebound compared to HSU’s 26.

At the the Northern Sun Showdown Showcase in Lancaster, Texas HSU came out with an even split winning after the first game against Minnesota State University Moorhead 93 – 80. Then, the Reddies took a loss to Minot State University 78-50.

We took on the Northwestern Oklahoma State University in Alva, only to be served another loss with the final score being 77-63. Northwestern Oklahoma was locked in converting on 48.3% of the field goal attempt (28-58) and 33.3 % of their 3 point attempts (8-24) compared to our lackluster field goal percentage of 37.3% (19-51) and our attempt to convert from behind the arc, then attempting only 13 3 point field goals while only making 3.

Our second win came against Southwestern Oklahoma State University in a closely fought game that saw the final score 76 -73 with late free throws from Josh Jones and Chris Parker putting the game out of reach and put a notch in the win column for the Reddies.

The Reddies are currently ranked 7th in GAC standings but aren’t standing out in any major statistics. We rank 5th in opposing 3 point percentage with .302% but are second to last in 3 point percentage with .263%.

We are currently 3rd in blocked shots averaging 3.7 in our first four contests, but when looking at Southern Nazarene who ranks first in the GAC standing for blocks with 7.5, it doesn’t really seems like that great of

a feat. Though the season might be off to a slow start, there is still time to turn it around. What our team lacks in size we make up for with quick guards and versatility in our frontcourt, with players such as Brad Nairn able to play as both a wing and forward.

We have the ability to play great defense and get easy points in transition from doing so, we just haven’t displayed the effort needed to do so as of late. All in all, if we can pick up our defensive rebounding and keep opposing players off the offensive boards we can still muster up a good season.

The women’s team had a bit of a low start, as well as only one win in their first four contests. That being said, they have played some competitive games as they have yet to lose any games this season by a double-digit deficit.

Starting off the season in the Southwest Baptist Showcase we split the two games losing our first to Southwest Baptist University 82-73 but bouncing back and beating Northwest Missouri State University 75 – 63, holding Northwest Missouri to a lousy 40.7% field goal percentage in the 12 point win. Our next game against Northwestern Oklahoma State was a bitter loss, as a clutch late free throw from Northwestern and a missed last second shot attempt from Torrie Thompson saw the clock wind down with the final score 72 -71.

We saw yet another game slip away against Southwestern Oklahoma State University unable to recover from a 3rd quarter in which Southwestern Oklahoma scored 26 points while we scored 13, the final score was 80-72.

Though they may be off to a slow start, the women’s team has a chance to play amazing ball through the rest of the season. It was evident in the close victory at the exhibition match how much this team loved to move the ball around to find the open shooter or make the extra pass on what is already good look for an even better look.

We defend well as a team, but our man-to-man defense could use a little tweaking. Quicker players are taking advantage of our ability to guard inside and getting free throws; while doing so as we have allowed

an average of 22 opposing free throws per game in our first 4 games alone.

Our perimeter defense is solid right now and if it can continue at the same pace it would be a huge luxury for our team, as there is no better way to keep an opposing team out of game than stifling their ability to make 3 point field goals. The only thing that should truly worry anyone right now is sophomore guard Pink Jones.

While she is averaging 25 minutes a game while leading the team in scoring with 14 points a game and playing some very efficient basketball, she has yet to attempt a 3 point field goal in the first four games. This is a glaring mark as she may be making up for this lack of 3 point scoring with her ability to get through the free throw line.

This season, it’s imperative that she starts at least attempting 3 point field goals to add some much needed fire power to the offense down the stretch of games.

Women’s Basketball Schedule

Paul Quinn SNU OKBU Fort Smith Bacone Rogers East Central SEOSU ATU UAM OBU Harding SAU SWOSU NWOSU

HOME HOME HOME HOME HOME HOME Ada, Okla.

Durant, Okla HOME Mont.

THERE HOME HOME HOME HOME

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