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FRIDAY FEBRUARY 7, 2020
135th YEAR ISSUE 31
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1884
Homestead Center hosts Health New restaurant owners commit to keeping Oby’s unaltered MARY CAITLYN WRIGHT Expo, highlights natural remedies STAFF WRITER
Rosalind Hutton
BAYLEE HILL
STAFF WRITER
The Homestead Education Center, a nonprofit company that helps create healthy communities, will host a Natural Health Expo to offer education and resources to Starkville residents at Trinity Presbyterian Church on Saturday, Feb. 8 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. According to Andrea Bhatia, event coordinator at The Homestead Education Center, the expo will teach people how to take initiative and improve their health without prescription drugs. The event offers information about fitness, minimally processed foods, local chiropractors and local therapists. This is the second year the event has happened. There will be 13 presentations in total from various speakers. The presentations will be split by rooms, with 45-minute presentations in one room and 20-minute presentations in a different room. Admission is free, and all are welcome to attend. It will be held at Trinity Presbyterian Church, but it is not limited to one religion. The Church is only the event venue. The presentations will not be related to religion. “The goal of this expo
is to really connect local people to local resources and just bring awareness to what is available that they may not have explored before,” Bhatia said. Alison Buehler, director of the Homestead Education Center, said there will be presentations on stress relief, mindfulness, working out and healthy food. “To keep yourself well, you have to learn a lot of preventative methods,” Buehler said. Tyra Rowell, founder of Issues of Life, Inc., a Starkville-based counseling center, will speak about redefining thoughts and mindfulness. Rowell’s talk will start as a meditation session and end with an opportunity for discussion. “A lot of people are intimidated by meditation, but it is very good for you when you want time to yourself and to reconnect,” Rowell said. “We have so many things we have to do, but it helps to put on relaxing music and not think about anything at all.” Rowell founded Issues of Life, Inc., a non-profit company that provides Christian counseling. It helps people who want therapy but might not have insurance or the funds to go to other counseling services. She does not charge for counseling but asks that clients donate to EXPO, 2 her non-profit.
In 1976, Starkville native Don O’Bannon opened Oby’s, a New Orleansstyle eatery. The 55-seat restaurant quickly became a local favorite and grew into the 175-seat restaurant customers frequent today. After 43 years in business, O’Bannon retired and sold his company to Ayer Spencer and David Calhoun. Spencer attended Mississippi State University from 1990 to 1994 and said he always had a love for Oby’s during his time spent at MSU. Spencer and Calhoun became friends at college and have been franchising since 2001 when they began working with O’Bannon. Spencer and Calhoun worked with O’Bannon until 2005 when they opened the Oxford Oby’s location. Spencer said O’Bannon talked about retiring throughout the years, and Spencer asked to be the first to know when O’ Bannon
Lany Wallace | The Reflector
After 43 years as a Starkvillle dining staple, Obyʼs cajun food restaurant, located at 504 Academy Rd., is seeing a change in ownership.
decided to sell Oby’s. “A couple of years ago, we started talking about it,” Spencer said. “We had been back and forth over the years. Finally, I think he got to the point where he was serious and wanted to retire. David and I said that this
was our baby and we weren’t going to let someone else get it, it’s going to be ours. We made it work and got down here last week to get acquainted with everybody. We are looking forward to the opportunities it presents.”
Davis Edwards, a senior communication major, said he likes the restaurant and hopes it will have the same feel to it. “I was a little skeptical about the new ownership deal,” Edwards said. OBYʼS, 2
Rosalind Hutton
VSA celebrates new year with Tết Fair HANNAH BLANKENSHIP NEWS EDITOR
Mississippi State University’s Vietnamese Student Association is ringing in the Vietnamese New Year with their game and food-filled “Tet Fair” at 5 p.m. Feb. 8 at St. Joseph Catholic Church on Main Street. Amy Pham, president of the MSU VSA and sophomore food science, nutrition and health promotion major, said the Tet Fair, or “Hoi Cho” in Vietnamese, is a celebration of the Vietnamese New Year which was on Jan. 25.
“In the Vietnamese culture, there’s a thing called ‘Hoi Cho’ which is a fair. It means fair, and what they do is that. They have a stage and a general area, and they normally do fan dances and line dances and things like that, which we will not be doing, but we will be doing little fair games as well as selling food, which they do that at the fair,” Pham said. Austin Luong, VSA vice president and a sophomore biochemistry major, said the Tet Fair celebration is common within Vietnamese cultures. He had some friends attend the celebration in Jackson.
Pham said this is the MSU VSA’s first Tet Fair, and she is excited to bring the celebration to Starkville. “For the Lunar New Year’s fair, it’s usually in the Jackson area and New Orleans, that’s usually where it’s bigger, but we’re trying to create it in the Starkville community,” Pham said. Traditionally, various gambling card games are played at the Tet Fair, Pham said, but the VSA is modifying the games to be fun for all ages. Winners will receive a raffle ticket and be entered to win one of several prizes provided by the VSA.
Other games will include throwing a ball in a bucket, pin-tail-on-the-rat (in honor of the year of the rat), a Vietnamese picture and dice game, a card game called 13 and karaoke. “Karaoke is very big in Vietnamese culture, and also, it’s just fun,” Luong said. Luong said there will also be paper flowers on which attendees can write what they want from the new year. The flowers will then be pinned on a large paper tree. Members of the VSA will prepare food that will be sold at the fair. VSA,2
MSU Speech and Debate Council dominate the floor in regional and state tournament ELLA SCHALSKI MANAGING EDITOR
Alicia Brown| Courtesy Photo
The MSU Speech and Debate Council placed first in the Debate Team Sweepstakes at the Southern Forensics Championship on Jan. 24-26.
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The Mississippi State University Speech and Debate Council hosted the Southern Forensics Championship at the Colvard Student Union and various buildings around the Drill Field from Jan. 24-26. This tournament served not only as a regional competition with 27 universities coming from across the United States, but it also served as the state championship for
FORECAST: Temperatures will start out close to average for early February. As high pressure builds into Mississippi, temperatures will warm up through the weekend and into next week. Saturday and Sunday could see an isolated rainshower, but most of the region will stay dry. The high pressure will begin to breakdown on Sunday.
Courtesy of Campus Connect Meteorologist Kris Boone
Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi. MSU Speech and Debate students competed in three different speech and debate divisions: Novice, students who have participated in eight or less tournaments; Junior Varsity, students who have participated in nine to 16 tournaments; and Varsity, students who have participated in 16 or more tournaments. In this tournament, MSU placed first in the Debate Team Sweepstakes, earning the most points out of all of the other schools. MSU also placed third in the
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Overall Team Sweepstakes which combined their points from speech and debate. Alicia Brown, senior chemical engineering major and president of the MSU Speech and Debate Council, noted how well the team has been competing together. “I can’t remember the last tournament when we haven’t performed well as a team. We’re usually in contention for a sweepstakes. Often, in debate, we get first,” Brown said. DEBATE, 2
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EXPO
Since many people are intimidated to go to a counselor, Rowell also hosts a talk show on Facebook Live and YouTube Live where she talks about issues someone may encounter and how to get through them. Event Coordinator Bhatia said The Homestead Education Center does more
than only the Natural Health Expo to support and educate the community. The nonprofit also hosts retreats and nature events for preschool children and homeschool families every Wednesday. Every November, Homestead raises money for community needs through the Helping Hands Project.
Bhatia said the projects range from providing books for children to putting a roof on the J. L. King Center, a community center in Starkville. The Helping Hands Project raised around $91,000 over the last five years. Through the Natural Health Expo, Homestead
aims to help the community as much as possible. Bhatia said a lot of people are unaware of the local resources available. Last year, she discovered many of the attendees did not realize there were many people interested in health and alternative methods in the area.
Homestead Director Bueler said she believes it is important to get a head-start on healthy habits. “The average person who is 65 is on something, like, five medications. That’s particular to our area, and it does not have to be,” Bueler said. “For younger people, if they can learn about natural
DEBATE
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health ahead of time, they will save themselves a lot of money and heartache.” According to Bhatia, the Expo is a low-waste event, and it is encouraged for attendees to bring a water bottle. More information about the Health Expo can be found on the Homestead Center’s website.
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Many MSU Speech and Debate students also took home individual awards. Brown finished as an octo-finalist in the varsity division. She also placed fourth for the Speaker Award and was named Mississippi Champion. After SFC, there are three major national tournaments coming up for the team. As a team, they will attend debate nationals. Mia Robertson, a sophomore political science major who was the Mississippi Champion, winner of the Persuasive Speaking contest and placed fifth in Extemporaneous Speaking, qualified for the Interstate Oratorical Contest, the oldest speech contest in the US. Brown said she is excited about the future of the team because of younger members like Robertson. “I think we have a really bright future … I recently learned that Mia
Robertson is in the top three in the nation in JV Debate, and Tyler Melvin, also a JV debater, I believe he’s somewhere in the top ten. Both are excellent debaters coming up behind (graduating members),” Brown said. Cheryl Chambers, an instructor in the Department of Communication and Head Coach of the MSU Speech and Debate Team, also said this season has been great and anticipates even more success from the team in future competitions. “This season, we’ve done great. We’ve had a few tournaments where we’ve brought home first or second place (sweepstakes) in debate or overall,” Chambers said. “We just got back from a debate last weekend, so we do travel a lot, and we, again, got first place in debate (sweepstakes), so I anticipate that my
students will keep up the record that we’ve had of just performing well and continuing to really show off the talent we have at MSU.” While the team does place a lot of emphasis on tournaments, they are also involved with hosting other events and activities on campus. Every fall, they bring students together from different political organizations to host “State Debates” where they debate different political viewpoints. In the past, they have hosted the Student Association candidate debate as well as different speaking contests. On Mar. 6 and 7, Speech and Debate Council will host their fourth annual Cowbell Classic. Cowbell Classic is the Speech and Debate tournament for students from 25 different high schools in Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee.
Chambers said Cowbell Classic is a perfect way for students who are interested in joining Speech and Debate Council to experience what the team does at the collegiate level as well as earn service hours. “College students are perfect to judge (the high school students) even if they don’t have any experience. Anyone who is available during that time, who would want to work a shift, judge a few rounds, we would appreciate their volunteering. It would count as service hours,” Chambers said. With it being the fourth year Speech and Debate Council has hosted Cowbell Classic here, Brett Harvey, MSU’s Title IX/EEO Director and Debate Coach of the Speech and Debate Council, said it has grown more and more since it began. “It’s been growing just a
little bit every year. We have some very good, strong schools and some strong competitors show up,” Harvey said. “We view it as a chance to have a fun, wellrun tournament for them but also as a recruiting tool to help them see a little bit of MSU and Speech and Debate here.” Some students who are now part of the Speech and Debate Council also participated in Cowbell Classic; however, Harvey emphasized students do not need prior experience before joining. “We draw students from all across the country. We draw students who have extensive speech and debate experience from high school, and people who have never done it before. Many of our best students, like Tyler Melvin, Tyler is amazing, and he never competed at all in high school.” Harvey said there are
VSA
two things students can get from joining Speech and Debate Council. “One is learning to analyze complex issues and present them persuasively to a wide range of people. That’s the obvious one, but the less obvious one is learning how to be successful at something where you have a degree of independence,” Harvey said. “Right? You’re in that room on your own, and you’re responsible for you, and at the end of the day, your success is a function of how much work you put in. Learning to do that is really important.” Anyone interested in joining the MSU Speech and Debate Council can contact Cheryl Chambers at cchambers@comm.state. edu or at 662-325-9161. Interested parties can also check out their YouTube Channel at Hail State Debate or their Instagram @MSU_SpeechandDebate.
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The food will include Pho, or rice noodles with soup; spring rolls, or rice noodles, corn and shrimp rolled into rice paper with peanut butter sauce and for dessert; Che, a pudding/ milk drink with fruits,
coconut water; and jellies, Pham said. VSA faculty adviser Darrel Sparks, an associate professor of biochemistry at MSU, said the food prepared by members of the club is always delicious.
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“It’ll all be fresh, excellent food. It’s always very, very good,” Sparks said. Tickets will cost $1, as will the games. Food will be for sale at various prices. Proceeds from the event
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will be split evenly between the club and the club’s philanthropy, Messengers of Love. “With Messengers of Love, the idea behind it is to raise money for educational purposes for students in Vietnam, so starting from very, very young, especially in rural and impoverished areas in Vietnam, which is a lot, trying to make sure they have opportunities to get educated all the way up through college,” Sparks said. MSU VSA did celebrate the Vietnamese new year last year, but then, it was a members-only event. Pham said she wanted to expand the event to include the public. “I wanted to make
things more where anyone can go to this event and make things bigger,” Pham said. “A lot of our members have been wanting to have authentic Pho because they haven’t been at home in so long, some of them don’t go home that much, so having this event can really bring the community in as well as make people aware of MSU VSA.” Pham said she was just looking forward to the community aspect of the event. “I’m just really excited to see people having fun and trying to be together as a family celebrating and having fun and getting everyone comfortable around each other, whether they’re strangers, or friends
OBY’S “I was worried things would be different. I haven’t been to the restaurant since the new owners, but I can’t wait to go.” Since the change in ownership, questions have been raised if anything was going to change. Spencer reassured customers that nothing is going to change. “95% of our menu is the same,” Spencer said. “I don’t plan on changing anything there. Like they always say, ‘if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.’ It has been successful in Starkville for a long time ... Your favorite menu items and other things are not going to change.”
or family,” Pham said. Sparks concurred, stressing the welcoming spirit of the members of VSA and the value of celebrating Vietnamese culture. “I think it’s good because, once again, the purpose of VSA is to bring people together who obviously have an interest in Vietnamese and Asian in general culture, but more than that it’s just an opportunity to connect people and have fun, and VSA has always been very welcoming to everybody so it’s just letting you have an opportunity to interact with an excellent group of students and celebrate the new year that the Vietnamese normally would,” Sparks said. CONTINUED FROM 1
Spencer did mention he hoped to expand the catering services of the restaurant. “If we do anything, we are going to streamline it to make the operations go a little bit quicker. We are going to focus on the catering side of the business. It is something that we have done well within Oxford, and I think that Starkville should carry the same opportunities,” Spencer said. Savannah Sims, a freshman psychology major at MSU, said she loves the atmosphere of Oby’s and is excited to see what the future holds for
the restaurant. “Everybody is always really friendly, and there are always a good amount of people there,” Sims said. “Oby’s is my absolute go-to on the weekends.” Spencer said he believes there has to be something special in a restaurant for it to survive in the dining business for 43 years. “You have to be doing something right, and Don has always put emphasis on quality,” Spencer said. “If it is a product he doesn’t like, it doesn’t matter how much it cost him, he would get rid of it. He pays attention to the details, and that’s so important. It is staying in business that long, taking care of your people, from the people that work for you to the customers. We understand not only the value of the customers, but the employees as well. If the employee is happy working for you, then that makes your job a lot easier and motivates them to take care of that customer.” Spencer said he wants toRooms reassureForpeople Rent! he and For Calhoun know the MSU Students value $375 thatand Oby’s $425 holds throughout the community a Month! ofOnly Starkville. 7 minutes from campus, Space “I don’t people for 4 tenants, 2 full want baths, Beautiful thinking since the hardwood and that ceramic tile floors, Privacy fence, Lockedchanged, garage and carport, ownership that Large livingisroom with fireplace, Sunconcept going to change,” room and Laundry room, Smart Bus Spencer said. “We definitely Access, and Pet friendly (for a fee) plan on keeping it going For more information call along as(662)312-5630 it always has.”
THE REFLECTOR FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2020 @REFLECTORONLINE
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ctor 2/7/20 Crossword
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An In-Class Distraction
Across
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February 4 Puzzle Solutions
CLUB INFO Student organizations may place free announcements in Club Info. Information may be submitted by email to managing@reflector. msstate.edu with the subject heading “CLUB INFO.” The deadline for Tuesday’s paper is by 3 p.m. on Thursday. The deadline for Friday’s paper is by 3 p.m. on Tuesday. MSU student organizations may place free announcements in Club Info. Wesley Foundation Worship Night / Insight -- Tuesdays 7:30 to 8:30pm. Worship music & Bible study. Next
to Campus Book Mart. @ MSStateWesley/ StateWesley. org Community Night -Thursdays 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Coffee bar 6:30 p.m. Community groups 7 p.m. Worship 8pm. Next to Campus Book Mart. @ MSStateWesley / StateWesley. org. Got questions? Try Alpha. Alpha explores the basics of Christianity with conversation and videos. An open, honest space to ask, talk, & think together about faith, life and God. Thursdays 6:308:00 p.m. at Wesley. Next to Campus Book Mart. Text 662.435.3393 for more info. SRooms for Rent for MSU
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Students. $375-$425 a month per room. Only 7 minutes from campus. Space for 4 tenants. Beautiful hardwood and ceramic tile floors. Privacy fence, locked garage and carport, large living room with fire place, sunroom and laundry room, Smart Bus access. Pet friendly (for free). CALL 662.312.5630
Publicize your club! Email managing@reflector.msstate.edu
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OPINION
FACE-OFF: Which smartphone wins the struggle for supremacy?
Apple offers accessibility and beauty Android frees the user to be themselves PAYTON BROWN
cellular device to capture a picture works more efficiently than any type of handheld camera. Business Insider’s Rafi Letzter outlines how “iPhone’s shoot more like mature, practiced photographers” than the naïve, vibrant photos produced by elite Android devices. The simple, careless ability of an Android camera and its captured pictures look childish next to the precise, muted colors that come through an iPhone camera lens. The light exposure defines the look for each phone’s given filter and the iPhone’s careful camera carries its renowned darker composure. The security of an iPhone provides a sense of protection to Apple users which an Android user might not feel. Ad-targeting is underscoring and ubiquitous when applications are open on an Android user’s device. Constant data mining occurs, and the obtained information is sent to Google servers, according to Kari Paul of Market Watch. Apple’s tighter control over its App Store and its regulation of what is sold allow a safer virtual environment for customers. Paul’s dissertation continues with the exposé of Android and its 2018 ordeal in which apps were infecting devices with malware. Additionally, who could
STAFF WRITER
After the Blackberry and Motorola flip-phone craze, the Apple industry appeared on the mobile radar in the year of 2007 with the release of the first iPhone. With the release of this technologically diverse device came a storm of notoriety for the brand, especially in America. While the iPhone may have caught the attention of the public eye, it soon gained an opponent whose amenities challenged Apple’s. The war between the iPhone and its threatening competitor, Android, soon became a conversation topic as the two brands consistently spent the following years attempting to advance one another. As the two companies continue to surpass one another, it raises a question: iPhone or Android? Androids rose to the surface of local society with the emergence of the T-Mobile G1. Android introduced qualities into the market which the iPhone tended to neglect and increased each product based on the lack of function on the iPhone. According to Jessica Dolcourt and Kent German from CNET, 85% of the world’s population uses Android devices today. Such a high percentage would assure many that Android should be awarded the superior title. The percentage given, however, does not reflect the victor in this debate. After all, if 85% of the world believed the Earth is flat, that does not make a flat Earth. Apple’s simplistic composition, pristine photo quality and secure platform give the company wellrespected placement in the United States and its superior stance over the Android phone. Apple’s minimalistic composition provides an easier layout for those who struggle to comprehend the complexities of modern technology. Chris Matyszczyk from Inc.com said the Android layout is “too often like a PC” with a lot of complicated gadgets. Someone who lacks experience in advanced technology would still be able to figure out the basic way to use an iPhone. Androids require familiarity with the system and are not as easy to navigate. The attention to detail and pinpoint layout of an iPhone allows a relaxed feel for users whereas Android adds complexities which make it seem more like homework than an item for leisure. Photo quality is an important competent in devices today, as using a
forget the infamous attempt by the FBI to bypass Apple’s security by asking the company to create a backdoor into their system? As reported by Leander Kahney with Wired, Apple’s CEO Tim Cook refused to comply, citing worries that the backdoor “could be misused, leaked, or stolen, and once in the wild, it could never be retrieved.” Therefore, Cook and his team stood up to the federal government to protect the security of its customers. That is impressive dedication, to say the least. Android exemplifies many great qualities in today’s modern technological age and has advanced our society with consistently newer, better mobile machinery. The bar set by an Android is always impressive and intimidating, but it can never match the comfort of an Apple product. Apple accommodates 70% of the United States population, according to Luke Dormehl from Cult of Mac, and continues to defeat Android products in the market, regardless of their additional perks which the iPhone may lack. Whether it is the aesthetic of an iPhone which pleases many or simply just the composition, the phone reigns superior over its competition and will remain in this position for much time to come.
1. Released in 1941, what is the only Disney animated feature film
CONTACT INFORMATION 325-7905 editor@reflector.msstate.edu Managing Editor/Ella Schalski managing@reflector.msstate.edu News Editor/Hannah Blankenship
with a title character that never speaks? 2. Daniel Peggotty is a character from which Charles Dickens novel published in 1850? 3. What is the proper term for a group of parrots? Answer: 1. “Dumbo” 2. “David Copperfiled” 3. Pandemonium
“Do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day’s own trouble be sufficient for the day.” Editor in Chief/Mia Rodriguez
to be an expression of my personality. It took a few years before I realized an Android phone would let me do this out of the box, without the endless workarounds and compromises. My iPhone never broke, but I needed an upgrade going into my senior year of high school, so I chose an Android. I went with a Samsung Galaxy S4 and never looked back. I have used an Android ever since and only upgraded once since then. Apple users love accessibility and simplicity. They enjoy a glossy, responsive aesthetic and care about the quality of the camera. They consider themselves creative, unique and want a phone that matches their personality. I am not bashing Apple users. In fact, if you reread that statement for Android users, you reach the same conclusion: We all want a phone which works for us and achieves more than it did two decades ago. I do not hate Apple’s software. On the contrary, their ease of use and creative features are superior to Androids in several areas. My problem is with the company and their unwavering brand loyalty. You should not be paying nearly $1,000 for a locked phone with sub-par ram. You should have expandable memory, a standard headphone port that works while it is charging and other features Androids have had for decades. I would love it if more Apple users detached themselves from the brand loyalty for a second and realized how much they are being ripped off. I am exhausted by how accepting Apple users are with their products that come with a premium price tag. Start making more demands out of what you are paying for. The endless lines for yearly upgrades that are only marginally better hold us back from progress. StatCounter also measures worldwide use, and iOS is only 25% of the phone user population with the remainder of the world using Android. The reason for this is simple economics. Multiple companies manufacture competing Androids compared to Apple’s singular source. There is also the luxury price point of iPhones that privileged Americans forget about. Androids are cheaper, have better hardware specs because of competition and are more accessible to foreign entities. Boiling it down, Android is an open-source system akin to Linux, whereas iOS is a shiny closed system you have to pay too much for.
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Jesus of Nazareth
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I hate the endless feuds between Apple users and everyone else. As a Business Information Systems student, I have seen the “Mac vs. PC” debate for ages. I am tired of it, but I refuse to bring previous frustrations into this argument. The subject of this article is to look at mobile operating systems, not Apple-branded products or the cult-like appreciation of Apple’s successful brand. Although their non-mobile products play a part in this debate, my goal is to approach this rationally. If you use an Apple product, I am not going to make you fall out of love with it. I plan to give you numbers and share my anecdotes. All I want to do is show you the mindset of an Android user, not put smudges on the glossy aesthetic you associate with Apple. Pew Research Center found 81% of all U.S. citizens owned a smartphone in 2019.
Rosalind Hutton
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BRANDON GRISHAM
is a junior majoring in business information systems. Contact him at opinion@reflector. msstate.edu.
According to StatCounter, 57% of those 265 million mobile users have Apple cellphones that run iOS. Remaining smartphone users in the U.S. mostly go with Android, the alternative operating system. I am one of those users, and I have been since 2014. Ironically, my first smartphone was an iPhone 3G. I was 13, and it was the same brand my older sister used. It was also an iPod, capable of playing videos and music which was an important factor for me. I was entertained for a bit, but I was not a fan of their locked architecture. I was not allowed to change a lot about the phone because iPhones only allow importing or exporting media. That media was also subject to the ludicrously expensive whims of iTunes, and I was a broke teenager. It took me less than a month to figure out how to jailbreak it. For those who are unaware, jailbreaking allows for the installation of homebrew applications Apple does not allow on their pristine platform. I installed emulators, changed the startup screen, customized the dock to be infinite along with various other tweaks. After customizing my phone, it stopped being a locked system and started
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THE REFLECTOR FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2020 @REFLECTORONLINE
LIFE & ENTERTAINMENT
5
Bedon’s new album ‘Morning’ was worth the wait JACKSON BELL
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
All artists dream of the day they release their debut album. For up-and-coming artist Bedon Lancaster, this dream is now a reality with the release of his debut indie rock album, “Morning.” Memphis, Tennessee native and former Starkville Battle of the Bands winner, Lancaster is a 22-year-old senior at the University of Mississippi in Oxford, Mississippi. Bedon said his love for music stemmed from the church he went to as a kid, Redeemer Presbyterian, where his dad was a preacher. “I attribute my entire love for music to the church…The people who played there are the best musicians I know,” Bedon said. Bedon has worked on this album for a while now. He traveled to Nashville, Tennessee any chance he could get to work with executive producer Adam Lochemes. In fact, the house shown on the cover of the album is Lochemes’ house where they recorded the entire album. The two finished the album in December and polished it up for its Jan. 24 release. Bedon’s content on this album is relatable in a refreshing way. He focuses on how he has changed, grown and matured from his past relationships. Tristan Peavy, a good friend of Bedon and a student at Mississippi State University who works for the student organization Music Maker Productions, felt this was true about the album. “He does a very good job of capturing the emotions that come from
“I want
this album to affect someone the way music affects me… I want it to become a part of someone, not just me.” Bedon Lancaster relationships in college,” Peavy said. On the song “Untitled,” Bedon sings, “Baby, baby, look how we’ve grown into two completely different souls of our own.” A lot of the lyrics on this album exhibit the confrontation and resolve of past relationships. The vulnerability he displays allows the listener to connect with him not only as an artist but also as a person. It gives the listener a sense of security as he or she can relate and share the emotion he lays out on this record. The use of vocal variation on this album is tremendous. Throughout the album, very effective vocal stacks are used on Bedon’s voice which adds a beautiful layer to the tracks; however, on songs
Courtsey Photo| Bedon Lancaster
Bedon Lancaster, musical soloist and winner of Battle of the Bands in 2018, performs at the Missihippi Music & Arts Festival. The local artist released his lastest album “Morning” on Jan. 24.
like “Magnolia” and “Blue 1,” he uses extremely raw vocals evoking raw emotion. It allows the listener to really feel what he is saying, not just hear it, adding to the vulnerability of the album In some points on this record, Bendon utilizes vocals while not necessarily saying anything. At the end of the opening track “Birds,” there are very rich vocal stacks of him simply singing “Oooh-oh.” These serve as an amazing resolution to the first track as well as a transition into the album he is presenting to everyone. The use of these vocal variations attributes to his immense artistic ambition. In terms of the soundscape, Bedon progresses from sounds of sorrowing gloominess
to sounds of hopeful joy throughout the album. The sounds he exhibits transition very well from track to track while still not sounding mushed together, like one big song. There is a very diverse sound palate for each song yet they all flow very nicely altogether. Most songs contain melodies from an electric guitar, but there are a few acoustic tracks with simple yet very effective drum patterns. He also incorporates the saxophone, trombone and trumpet. The occasional trumpet horns on the opening song “Birds” create this subtle sense of richness to start the album. There are spurts of only instrumentation containing blends of instruments which coexist wonderfully. The diversity of
soundscapes on the album showcase his creativity and artistic ambition. You have tracks like “Untitled” which gives off a vibe of people dancing at a nineties dinner party. You also have tracks like “Magnolia” which sound very sorrowful. Overall, the soundscape of this record sounds very intentional and extremely polished. Lancaster spoke about the creative process of making the album. “The album could have been released sooner, but we allowed it to mature over time by implementing a larger scale of production and experimentation, especially with synthesizers,” Lancaster said. With this record, listeners can feel the artist’s emotions and Lancaster’s love to express them
through music. The album’s content and the sound he and Adam Lochemes created, blend well. The musician allows the listener to go inside his mind by the display of vulnerability throughout the album which is part of his biggest goal with this debut. “I want this album to affect someone the way music affects me…I want it to become a part of someone, not just me,” Lancaster said. He lays out a part of himself to share with everyone because of the feelings he displays and the artistry he has developed from a love for music which stems from the church he went to as a kid. “Morning” was an album which, in hindsight, was very long in the making but well worth the wait.
Matheny resumed his job at William Carey. Soon after, he was offered his current job at MSU and felt it was an opportunity he could not pass up. Since then, Matheny has cherished his time as a Bulldog. “I really do love it. I love my work, I love my colleagues, I love my students, but when William Carey called to offer me an associate deanship, I felt like it was a position I just couldn’t refuse,” he explained. He had a hard time picking a favorite show, but he greatly enjoyed his first show at Theatre MSU, “Pinocchio,” because it marks the time when he was getting to know the students here. He also demonstrated a love for children’s shows. “Being able to expose a child to theatre who has maybe never experienced it gives them a sense of wonder. It is different from a movie because you have to use your imagination and be personal with it, and so, seeing them react in a different way than they would if they were watching a movie or playing a video game is really special,” Matheny said. Melanie Harris is a communication instructor at MSU and works closely with Matheny. They have known each other for over 20 years, and they have both been part of Mississippi’s theatre community. Harris said she is sad to see Matheny go, but grateful for his time at MSU and excited for this new chapter he is embarking upon. Harris explained Matheny has played a vital part in theatre at MSU. “First and foremost, he has brought sheer,
unadulterated talent, talent that is completely balanced with humanity, humility and maturity. He is always collaborative and wants to work together. He has become this sort of rock at the center of what we are doing. We know he is going to make the best decision. He is just so dependable, and so steady,” Harris said. Dr. Rickey Travis, dean and professor in the College of Arts & Sciences, has also appreciated Matheny’s contribution to Theatre MSU. Travis pointed out that his impact goes beyond the students and colleagues with whom he works. “The expectations he has for students and for his colleagues and himself have been translated into the productions we see. Other than the students, it is us, the ones who attend the productions, who are the most direct beneficiaries of his work,” Travis said. It is fitting for Matheny’s last show at MSU to be “Mamma Mia,” a show which is a sort of celebration in and of itself. Matheny said he is impressed with the talent pool he is working with, and the students have exceeded his expectations since the first rehearsal. He expounded on his vision for the show, explaining he wants it to be very engaging for the audience. “This show is about fun. It is also a balance. Theatre is supposed to teach, as well as to entertain, and there are lessons to be learned in this show as well. At the same time, our mantra has been that we want the audience to have fun. By the end of this show, I am hoping people want to get up and dance. It is going to be a party,” Matheny said.
Tim Matheny leaves his mark on Theatre MSU SARAH MORGAN JOHNSON STAFF WRITER
As he prepares to step into his new role as associate dean at the Noonkester School of Arts & Letters at William Carey University, Tim Matheny, assistant professor of theatre at Mississippi State University, has a love for people and theatre that will be missed. Born in Tennessee but a self-proclaimed Mississippi native, Matheny attended college at William Carey in Hattiesburg after growing up in Brandon, Mississippi. Although he got a small taste of theatre through performing skits at his church, Mathey said his first true taste of theatre was when some friends in college invited him to take part in the theatre program. He assisted with props for a show. After helping with props, he was hooked. He soon auditioned for and started acting in the following show. Matheny said it was the character development aspect of acting which truly captivated him. “I really enjoyed the whole process of finding a character and telling a story and becoming someone else. It wasn’t so much the applause or the appreciation of the audience but the process that got me,” Matheny said. Matheny then changed his major to theatre. After graduating, he moved to Lexington, Kentucky to work as a student minister at a small church and attend seminary. At this point in his life, Matheny said he felt unsettled. “Every day that I was on campus at seminary, I just got an overwhelming sense
Mary Madeline LaMastus | The Reflector
Tim Matheny, assistant professor of theatre and a director of Theatre MSU, holds a poster for his last production at MSU, “Mamma Mia!”
that this was not where I was supposed to be. And it was weird because you’d think that if God is telling you something, it is probably to go to seminary, but it was so clear that it wasn’t where I was supposed to be,” Matheny said. A friend told him about a master of fine arts program at the University of Louisville, and Matheny moved there. He spent
three years getting his degree. During this time, Matheny saw his life going in a different direction than he previously thought. “The whole time I was in Louisville, my idea of ministry and what ministry could be shifted. I didn’t necessarily feel called to ministry in a church, but I wanted to train people, and since I had fallen in love with theatre, I thought,
well, God is going to use theatre,” Matheny said. He knew he wanted to teach theatre, and he accepted a position at William Carey. A few years into his teaching career, he and his family served as missionaries in Moscow, Russia. After three years of being overseas, they ran into some visa issues, forcing the family to return to the United States where
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THE REFLECTOR FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2020 @SPORTSREFLECTOR
SPORTS
Spotlight: Rickea Jackson leads Bulldogs in win over Georgia LYDIA PALMER STAFF WRITER
The Mississippi State University Women’s Basketball Team played the University of Georgia Monday night. The Bulldogs pulled out a win with a 14 point spread, beating UGA 67-53. The best quarter for MSU was the second, in which they scored 23 points. The Bulldogs seemed to have had an off-night shooting from the field. They had less than a 50% shot accuracy percentage; however, the Bulldogs led for 28 minutes of the game and were only trailing for 11 minutes. Taking the lead once in the second quarter and holding it for the remainder has something to say about the team’s defense. “Really proud of my team tonight,” Coach Shaefer said. “Proud of our defensive effort.” Rickea Jackson, a freshman forward from
Detroit, Michigan, seemed to be the only player that had a good night, scoring a total of 12 points in each half. She scored a total of 24 points out of the team’s overall 67 points. The only other player on the team to score in the double digits was sophomore Jessika Carter with 15 points. “She’s extremely talented,” UGA head coach Joni Taylor said. “She played really well the first time they played against us as well. She plays like a guard and can score at all three levels.” Georgia’s top scorer for the night was No. 23, Que Morrison, a junior who scored 18 points for the game. “As much as we can disrupt them, we want to do that,” Taylor said. “(MSU runs) double drive. They’re probably one of the best teams in the country at it.” Starting the night with the tip-off, the lady Bulldogs played great defense throughout a rough contact
first half. During the half, Georgia’s No. 2, Gabby Connally, had a collision and had to go to the hospital for stitches. She did not return for the remainder of the game. The Bulldogs pulled ahead and stayed there after a steal from No. 24 Jordan Danberry who passed to No. 10 JaMya Mingo-Young. Mingo-Young scored a layup, putting the Dawgs ahead 17-15 in the second quarter. After this breakaway, the defensive work of MSU exploded, and they were able to hold Georgia to 25 with a nine-point lead of 34 at the end of the second quarter. No. 5 Rickea Jackson showed her skill and leadership tonight as she led the team with 12 points at halftime, ending with a block on a shooter from Georgia right as the buzzer went off. Jackson set two new personal records during the game against the UGA. Jackson set her new season-
Adam Sullivan|The Reflector
Rickea Jackson drives through the lane against Georgia. Jackson scored 24 points in the game. This season Jackson has scored 320 points.
high points after her previous record of 22 against Auburn on Jan. 30. She also shot her highest number of free throw attempts and scores during the game against UGA. As a freshman, Jackson is getting a lot of time on the court. During this game against UGA, she played 38
minutes, just short of her best which was 39 minutes in a game she played at the University of South Carolina. Jackson also sits at the top of the list of the team’s top scorers for the season. She has scored 320 points so far. Carter is close
behind her with 310 points. “She’s learning what the shot is that I want her to get and not to settle,” Coach Shaefer said about Jackson. “She’s obviously a lot more comfortable playing now, and she understands that I need her to do a lot more on offense.”
Mike Leach adds five more weapons to the Bulldog Air Raid HUNTER CLOUD SPORTS EDITOR
As ink flowed through the pens used to sign national letters of intent on Wednesday, Mississippi State University added five more players to its 2020 recruiting class. In total, MSU has signed 26 players since December 2018, according to a press release from the MSU Athletic Department. Rufus Harvey, a Starkville native, was part of that class and will be an option for a wide receiver. Head coach Mike Leach is known for his use of the Air Raid offensive scheme to attack defenses and said that he has the ability to create an offense.
“He’s a playmaker,” Leach said. “That guy kind of jumps off the screen and is really dynamic with the ball.” Leach said his meetings with the players on the recruiting trail reinforced MSU providing athletes an opportunity in this state. The meetings also stressed the importance of football to Mississippians. Leach said he searched every corner of the state. “I ‘cob-webbed’ it all over the state; top, bottom, sideways, crossways, the whole thing,” Leach said. “I hit some great places, and, to be perfectly honest, seldom knew where I was as I was going there. It was exciting, and I look forward to seeing
even more.” Making the move from the west coast to Mississippi was one both Leach and transfer quarterback KJ Costello, a player from Stanford who is originally from Rancho Santa Margarita, California, had to experience. In his time with the Cardinal, Costello threw for 6,151 yards and 49 touchdowns. Leach said the quarterback starting position will be up for grabs as Garrett Shrader and Jaylen Maben will most likely be competing with Costello for the spot. Leach said when Costello entered the transfer portal, they contacted him. During his time at Washington State University, Leach coached
against Costello, and his coaching staff knew about him. “We were quite familiar with one another,” Leach said. “KJ is kind of a stranger to Mississippi, but he wasn’t really a stranger to most of our offensive staff.” In regards to in-state players, Leach said they had a commitment to not only MSU academics but also to MSU football. “The other thing that’s exciting about Mississippi State, a lot of these guys starting back before I got here, and really, probably before that if you count their parents, have had an excitement toward Mississippi State Football,”
Rosalind Hutton
I WANT YOU TO JOIN THE AIR RAID Leach said. That in-state connection is something Leach would like to use in recruitment for the program during his tenure with the Bulldogs. Leach said he would like to get the best players in the area and then extend out if he can.
“In this state, the players from Mississippi have a real identity with Mississippi State,” Leach said. “I think it’s important to stay closer because that’s the smartest way to do it because there’s a lot of people here who would like to stay close to home.”