2/13/17 Issue

@HSUORACLE www.hsuoracle.com

Henderson State University – Monday, February 13, 2017 – Volume 112, Issue 4

A LOVING COVER FOR VALENTINE’S From blood drives to books, the university promotes real love this Valentine’s day.

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THE ORACLE

THE ORACLE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF – Emily R. Bell FACULTY ADVISER – Mike Taylor SPORTS/ONLINE EDITOR – Pete Tubbs OPINIONS EDITOR – Dax Guilliams PHOTO EDITOR – Joshua Bradley GRAPHIC DESIGNER – Natasha Cribbs BUSINESS MANAGER – Kansas Tye

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Have an opinion on an issue or response to what we said? Just want to rant about something for a while? Write us at ORACLE@HSU.EDU. We want to hear what you think. Hell, if it doesn’t suck, we’ll publish it in next week’s issue. Try to keep it between 400 and 600 words. Just like your Tumblr, we ignore anonymous submissions.

COVER Medley of true love components just in time for Valentine’s Day. Photo by Emily Bell

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MISS HS-WHO? Read about the feats and (potentially) rewarding stress behind the pageant scene for Miss HSU contestants.

BLOODY VDAY

Many students gave a different kind of red-colored gift from the heart last week on campus.

LOVING YOU

Student reporter, Jacob Glasgow, reveals the creative Arkansas roots behind the making of dramatized true story, “Loving.”

SAMURAI DAX

Dax Guilliams showcases the latest game, Nioh.

ORACLE ONLINE Our online format has more stories and full galleries of the latest games, news, and events. Go to hsuoracle.com and check out these latest stories:

• Who’s your favorite artist featured at the Grammy’s? Online poll • Full galleries of both last week’s blood drive and Blind Date with a Book ongoing event at Huie Library

COMIC ARTISTS Eager to share your skewed sense of humor with the rest of your peers? Email us your digital comic strips or scanned hardcopies to ORACLE@HSU. EDU. But first, check out our policies for comics online at hsuoracle.com.

ADS AND ADS

For online or print ads, email us at kt194294@reddies.hsu.edu or call the business office at 870-230-5288 to get in touch with our business and ads manager.

Feb. 13, 2017

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REDDIE NEWS

Women of the world: Miss HSU happening now Story by Elizabeth Lau, Student Reporter Graphic by Natasha Cribbs, Graphic Designer Searching for the perfect dress, experimenting with countless hairstyles, picking the perfect platform, and practicing public speaking skills all while attending classes and working.

This is a day in the life of a Miss HSU pageant contestant.

Eight women are currently preparing for the chance of winning a crown, scholarship, and the title of Miss HSU. The winner of the pageant may continue and compete for the title of Miss Arkansas. She also continues to help the community by advocating the cause of her choice. This includes volunteering their time by bringing awareness to, raising money, and/or implementing a program that will help address a particular problem.

Pageants involve a lot of time, money, and intellect. Picking a meaningful platform is a major part of the process. Some platforms that have been chosen include: cyber safety, FFA advocating, and “Reach A Reader.”

Getting ready for a pageant can also take a toll on some nerves.

“This is my first pageant, so I’m pretty nervous, but excited,” contestant Parker Hutson, junior mass media major said.

Academic advisor, Leah Sexton, has spent months putting the pieces together for this event. She is the coordinator for the pageant.

She picks the entertainment, keeps in touch with the former Miss HSU winners, and helps guide the current contestants on their journey for the crown.

When it comes to creating friendships with their opponents, junior English major, Ashley Marx finds it comforting.

“Everything is so much more fun when you’ve got friends by your side. I already knew a few girls competing, but I’ve gotten to know

so many sweet souls through the pre-pageant process. I couldn’t ask for a better group, truly,” Marx said.

The girls spend a lot of time together throughout the preparation for the pageant, sometimes resulting in relationships being formed. “It really helps to make friends too because it can calm your nerves when you’re around friendly people you know,” contestant, Arielle Michael, junior

pre-pharmacy/chemistry major exclaims.

The women also put forth a lot of physical preparation. Tanning, preparing talents, preforming mock pageants, exercising, dieting, and getting to know the other contestants are only a few of the ways the women get ready for the big day. Several of the women also find peace by staying in touch with their spiritual side.

“I will most definitely have my Bible backstage with me for encouragement and reassurance,” contestant Olivia Moore, sophomore biology major proclaims.

Whether it’s praying, working out, or practicing public speaking, these women put a lot of effort into this pageant and the things they stand for. The winner will be in the public eye for quite a while and is expected to be held to high standards as the face of the university.

The portrait of the new Miss HSU 2017 will be framed and placed high in the hall of the Garrison Center to be admired and to hopefully inspire future contestants who aim to represent their school in this prestigious fashion. Respectively, her portrait can be found alongside past winning contestants including last year’s winner Mariah Brown.

The pageant will be held Feb. 16 at 7pm in the Arkansas Hall auditorium. Miss Arkansas 2016 Savannah Skidmore will be making a special appearance. Admission is free, although donations are accepted.

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REDDIE NEWS

SAB EDIT Michael Beasley, Students Activities Board The Student Activities Board has some new activities lined up for the rest of the semester.

As a first order of business, the board has plans to liven the campus up with entertainment from rap duo The Ying Yang Twins.

The ‘Twins’ are slated to arrive on campus Apr. 1, 2017. The event is free for Henderson students as long as they come with their ID cards.

“I am really excited to see all the people they will bring out,” Raymond Sims, junior business marketing major, said. “I hope they perform ‘Bedroom Boom’ too.”

Some other events that the Student Activities Board have planned for the semester are as follows: “Reddie Feud” (Feb. 28), movie night (Mar. 3), the title will soon be announced, and Big Money Bingo (Mar. 16).

“I am a huge fan of the movie night here on campus,” Jae-Kur Lockhart, junior nursing major, said. “My friends and I usually attend the Friday showings.”

Get your read on

Reddie to donate Photos and captions by Emily Bell, Editor in Chief

The board has also constructed a new panel.

They have implemented the help of new vice president of membership Darlisha Stigall, senior human services major. They also have a new secretary/treasurer Wendy Fernandez, junior biochemistry major.

“I am delighted to have these two new executive members on board,” Telvin James, junior social science education major, said. “I have the utmost confidence that Ashlyn White, senior accounting major, joins the Blood Donor Challenge they will meet and exceed all of sponsored by the Arkansas Blood Institute last week. our expectations at their selected positions.”

According to James, organizations can also host their own movie nights through the activities board as long as you contact them a week prior to the showing.

The next board meeting will be Feb. 23 at 6pm in room D2O2 and it is open to all students who are interested in joining, and also for those who just want to come by to learn more about upcoming events on campus.

Madison Willis, freshman business management major gives blood for the first time through the university.

Photos and captions by Emily Bell, Editor in Chief Huie Library is hosting a promotional reading event, “Blind Date with a Book.” The books are each wrapped with a short summary of the book’s theme.

This semester, rating cards are inside the books for students to share their thoughts on their “blind dates.” When a student is done reading their book, they can bring the rating card with them when turning in the book to enter a contest. The winner will receive a Starbucks giftcard.

The contest will continue and the books will be available until Feb. 21.

February 13, 2017

ARTS&MUSIC

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A time for Loving Story by Jacob Glasgow, Student Reporter Mildred Loving sat on the edge of the metal cot pressing the wrinkles out of the coarse, thin sheets with her palm. Her husband, Richard, was just a few cells down the hall, maybe asleep by now.

As Mildred sat there in the low light behind the bars, she couldn’t help but be terrified. This was a place for criminals. And she was, by Virginia law, a criminal. So was Richard.

What would happen to them? To their unborn baby? She didn’t know.

Had they known the stakes of the crime? Maybe. But that hadn’t stopped her from taking her vows five weeks ago. No, she loved Richard. She knew that.

But that was the crux of the problem here.

That was the terrible crime both of them had committed.

Love.

And it was about to shake the foundation of the nation to its core.

In 1958, Mildred Loving, a black woman, and her husband Richard Loving, a white man, were married.

Just a few weeks later, Virginia police raided their home and arrested the couple on grounds of unlawful, interracial marriage.

What followed was a series of trials and tribulations that would eventually land their case in the Supreme Court. In a

1967 landmark decision, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Lovings, ending all laws nationwide that banned interracial marriage.

Almost 50 years later, Jeff Nichols, an Arkansas film director, decided to take on the story of the Lovings and turn it into a major motion picture.

“Loving” was released in theatres in 2016.

Jeff Nichols was born in Little Rock and has been active as a film director since 2006, directing movies such as “Mud” and “Shotgun Stories.”

His roots in Arkansas left him with a desire to bring an honest representation of the South to the table show something more than just the stereotypical hillbilly backwoods.

When first approached with the idea of putting the Lovings’ story on the big screen, Nichols saw

the importance of making the movie authentic.

In an interview, he described the film as his duty to tell this couple’s story right. Nichols chose the cast of “Loving” around the idea of capturing the essence of real-life people.

“These are not characters on a page. They are people, and we have to do right by them.”

In fact, what makes “Loving” so special is its focus on Mildred and Richard themselves. It doesn’t waste away time with boring legal jargon or courtroom monologues.

The love between these two people is very much the focus of the film.

As far as acting goes, “Loving” hits it out of the ballpark. Ruth Negga nails the role of the shy yet determined Mildred Loving. It’s no wonder she is nominated for best actress in the upcoming Oscars.

I felt like I was actually learning while watching something genuinely entertaining. And that’s rare.

Nichols made sure to show the historical significance of a little-known true story.

“This is a very important part of our history that not many people know about,” he said.

It’s a story that shaped our country forever. It shows just how far we’ve come and just how much further we still have to go.

Simply put, “Loving” tells a story that people need to hear. It’s totally worth the watch.

Photo by Grey Villet, 1967 “I miss him. He took care of me.” - Mildred Loving. Photo courtesy of Life magazine, public domain Google images.

6 Nioh Yeah

OPINIONS

Opinion by Dax Guilliams, Opinion Editor Graphic by Natasha Cribbs, Graphic Designer Ever since I played the first demo for “Nioh,” I’ve been eagerly waiting for the release of the game and it’s finally here.

“Nioh” is the newest game from Team Ninja, the company that made the “Ninja Gaiden” series and this is easily the best game that they’ve ever made.

The game is comparable to the “Souls” franchise at first glance, but “Nioh” is so much more than just another “Souls” game.

“Nioh” takes place in Japan during the year 1600. The story follows William Adams, the first westerner to become a samurai.

However, this game is a fictional retelling of the life of Adams. In “Nioh,” Adams is hunting down an evil sorcerer named Kelly who travels to Japan to steal the power of the guardian spirits.

Adams learns the way of the samurai to hunt down Kelly and slay any evil spirit that stands in his way.

What “Nioh” really excels at is the combat. This game has some of the most intense combat of any game I’ve ever played.

Everything is so fast and precise.

The best part is that it doesn’t take a long time to get a hang of the combat.

The most interesting mechanic in “Nioh” is the Ki Pulse system. After attacking, by pressing one button when your character is surrounded by blue light, you get all of your stamina back and you gain a bonus to attack if you have the upgrades that cause it.

Each and every weapon type you can equip in “Nioh” are extremely good. Every class of weapon is powerful, has a ton of good moves and have gimmicks that drastically change combat.

Since each weapon type has three stances, you basically have three weapons in one.

The weapon I enjoyed the most is the Kusarigama. This weapon allows you to attack at close ranges with a sickle or at long ranges with the chain at the end of the sickle.

Plus, the weapon is also tied to the same stat that Ninjutsu is, so I was able to make Adams fight like an actual ninja by using a ninja weapon and various ninja tools and abilities.

“Nioh” is also a very challenging game. Just like with the “Souls” games, enemies are very strong and there are traps that deal large amounts of damage or even kill you.

But the game never feels unfair.

Sometimes in the “Souls” games, you get killed by a trap out of nowhere. In “Nioh” there are plenty of traps, but they’re easy to avoid if you play carefully.

Most of the difficulty comes from the boss battles. The bosses in “Nioh” are incredibly challenging, but in a way that allows you to figure out their strategies and defeat them.

The weakest part of “Nioh” is the story. Some of the characters are interesting, but there are so few cutscenes of them doing anything of note.

Most of the time, you start a mission that you would expect to play a cutscene, but it almost never does.

Cutscenes appear at the strangest times and barely anything happens in them.

Even though the story is weak, “Nioh” is still one of the most amazing games I’ve ever played.

As much as I enjoy the “Souls” games, I think “Nioh” does a better job when it comes to the gameplay, the challenge and the combat.

I think Team Ninja has set the bar higher for games like these and even the creators of the “Souls” games will have to step it up in the future.

If you’re a fan of the “Souls” games, you’ll more than likely love “Nioh” due to how similar it is to those games.

However, even if you didn’t enjoy those games, “Nioh” is still so different from them that you should still give it a try.

Feb. 13, 2017

GAMES

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Keep your mind sharp and9, 2017 your hours FOR RELEASE FEBRUARY less numbing puzzle. Answers Los Angeles with Times this Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis in next week’s issue.

ACROSS 1 Subj. for a nonnative speaker 4 __-top: Beatles’ style 7 Much of “Star Wars” FX 10 Clumsy type 13 __ Michele, 8-Down co-star 14 “The Princess Diaries” princess 15 Tetris shape 16 Sporty truck, briefly 17 War film with a cast of 60-Across?

21 “Rock and Roll All __”: Kiss hit 22 Reckon 23 Custardy dessert 24 Thrown for a loop 26 Cool, once 27 Campus groups 28 Newspaper with a staff of 60-Across?

31 Dough for ramen?

32 Square __ 33 Traveler’s aid 37 “Hamlet, thou art slain” speaker 42 Political __ 43 Big name in big tractors 44 1969 hit song by a group of 60-Across?

50 Write in code?

51 Actress Ramirez of “Grey’s Anatomy” 55 __ d’Alene 56 Mideast sultanate 60 Off-putting sorts?

63 Pie choice 64 Like bread knives 65 Well-to-do 66 Unpredictable DOWN 1 Twisty-horned antelope 2 Photo app effect 3 Founder of Taoism 4 Sport for Ronda Rousey, for short 5 Aromatherapy array 6 Outmoded public convenience

By Alan DeLoriea

7 Center of moral corruption 8 TV show with mashups 9 Down with something 10 Wanted one 11 Bothered a lot 12 Fronded plants 18 Mediocre marks 19 Sonnet, e.g.

20 Do maintained with a pick 25 Kids’ summer activity 27 “Another word for nothin’ left to lose,” in a Joplin hit 29 __ Aviv 30 Genetic messenger molecule 33 The Scooby gang’s Mystery Machine, e.g.

34 Ode preposition 35 Spell 36 QB’s mishap 38 Dream state letters 39 Technical foul signal, in basketball 40 West ender?

Last week’s answers

2/9/17

Wednesday’s Puzzle Solved

FOR RELEASE FEBRUARY 7, 2017

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis

ACROSS 1 Gownlike Roman garment 6 Like teary eyes 11 Sculpted physique, briefly 14 Sky blue 15 Asteroids game company 16 Actor Vigoda 17 Zero or one 19 Japanese carp 20 Trunk of the body 21 Orchard rows 23 Internet ©2017 Tribune Content Agency, LLC 2/9/17 destination 27 Good 53 Reddish horse 41 Place Housekeeping 54 Source of 45 Centipede home? publisher since cartoon 46 Stimulated 1911 47 “Oh, now __ it!” Earhartexplosives 28 Pilot 56 Other, south of 48 All-in-one 29 Leaning-on-thevacation horn soundsthe border 57 Castle defense 49 Eliot’s weaver 31 Hawk’s claw 58 Basic class with 51 Canned meat 32 Wintry temps 33 NYG rival ineasels the used in Hawaiian NFC East 59 Tiny time pd. cuisine 61 Siegfried 52 “The Good36 Pinball excess

By Gerry Wildenberg collaborator Dinosaur”37 Mountain bleaters 38 Ball-and-mallet Lyricist Gershwin 62 PDX info:4Abbr. dinosaur game 5 Free from doubt 39 Foxy 6 Madrid mother 40 Business 7 Bluesman convention Redding handouts 8 “Othello” schemer 41 Clods 9 __ Lanka

2/7/17 Monday’s Puzzle Solved

8 Mixed bag of baseballs

SPORTS

Story by Tyler Freeman, Student Reporter with additional reporting by Pete Tubbs, Sports Editor Henderson State baseball won their home opener and also the opening game of the HSU Invitational on Thursday night, by a score of 7-0 against Nebraska-Kearney.

The Reddies started Bryant Haralson on the mound, and he opened the top of the first by striking out the lead off batter on three pitches. The Reddie offense garnered one run in the bottom of the first. Alan Hall reached on a bunt single and scored on a sacrifice fly by Hayden Lessenberry.

Haralson continued his impressive pitching performance over the next few innings, as he threw 7 scoreless innings while striking out 11 batters.

The Reddie offense remained quiet until the fourth inning, when Joe Myers led off with a single and came around to score on a wild pitch, to set the score at 2-0.

The Reddie offense came to life in the fifth inning scoring 5 runs, as the bases were loaded after two singles and Luke McGuire was hit by a pitch. With two outs, Brentten Schwaab hit a single that plated two runs, which extended the lead to 4-0. After two more singles in the bottom of the fifth, the Reddies plated three more runs to set the score at 7-0.

Foxx Smith came into the game in relief of Haralson, pitching two scoreless innings. Alan Hall led the Reddies going 3 of 4 from the plate while also scoring 2 runs.

On Friday, Henderson played its second game of the HSU Invitational, falling to Northwest Missouri State, 10-6 in 15 innings.

The Reddies started Luke Tebbetts on the mound, and he threw 6 innings while giving up 9 hits and 5 runs on the afternoon.

The Bearcats struck first, scoring one run in the top of the first. The Reddie offense struck back in the bottom of the second, scoring 2 runs on 2 hits.

The Bearcats took the lead 3-2 in the top of the fourth on a 2-run home run.

The Reddies tied the score at 3, in the bottom of the fourth as Joe Myers scored on a ground out by Brentten Schwaab.

The Bearcats retook the lead in the top of the fifth by a two-run homerun, that was a blown call by the homeplate umpire. All Reddie fans, including head coach Cody Hooten, believed the ball to be foul by about 5 feet down the left field line.

The Reddies scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth as Colton Coffman and Luke McGuire came across the plate to set the score at 5-5.

The Reddies grabbed the lead in the bottom of the seventh, as Coffman scored again on an RBI by Dylan McCain. The Bearcats grabbed one run in the top of the eighth to tie the game at 6, which would be the score heading to extras.

Both offenses were silent until the bottom of the fourteenth, when Jordan Taylor hit a ground rule double with one out. The bases would be loaded after an intentional walk to Lessenberry and a single by Jackson Martin. Dylan

McCain would line into a double play to end the Reddies threat.

In the top of the fifteenth, the Bearcats scored four runs on three hits and two walks. The Reddies gave a valiant effort, but came up a little short.

The final game of the invitational began at noon Sunday. The top of the first saw Truman State score twice with their own Brendan Trimble and Mason King.

When it came time for the Reddies’ first at-bat, they took it as a chance to lay the ground work for a potentially successful game. There were a total of six scores for the men in red at the bottom of the first.

Alan Hall scored off of a Parker Jones double to start the pile-up of scores.

Jones then made his own score after Jordan Taylor’s right field single. Taylor scored soon as a result of Hayden Lessenberry advancing to third on a throwing error.

After Kearon Redmon singled, Dylan McCain advanced to second and forced Lessenberry himself to cross the plate. McCain scored shortly after Nolan Ryan reached on a fielder’s choice which sent Redmon to third and him to home. Kearon Redmon scored the final point of the first inning which resulted from a Turner Sparks fly ball to center field.

The fourth inning saw the next group of scores from Truman State’s Jason Priest and Wyatt Fones. A three inning gap came between scores, the next of which occured in the top of the seventh from TSU’s Priest and Charlie Kreh.

The Reddies decided to get themselves back on the board in the bottom of the seventh when Taylor rocketed a homer over the right field fence. Lessenberry and McCain then scored off of a Ryan single to left which was followed by a McGuire score from a Sparks single.

The Reddies’ win-loss record now stands at 5-2. The men are certainly holding their own on the diamond, and more fastball fun is sure to come in the still-young season. The men’s next game is Tuesday at 6 P.M. against Arkansas Tech University.

Reddies Baseball Upcoming Games Arkansas Tech Home SNU Home SNU Home OBU Home OKBU Shawnee, OKLA. OKBU Shawnee, OKLA. Central Baptist Home Harding Home

Feb. 14 Feb. 17 Feb. 18 Feb. 21 Feb. 24 Feb. 25 Feb. 28 March 3

6 P.M. 6 P.M. Noon, 3 P.M. 6 P.M. 1 P.M., 4 P.M. Noon 6 P.M. 6 P.M.