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133rd YEAR ISSUE 25
FRIDAY JANUARY 12, 2018
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1884
SA unveils new myState polling tool Dylan Bufkin staff writer
The Mississippi State University Student Association is unveiling a new online tool to increase student feedback in hopes to find more ways to improve campus life. The SA Executive Council has set out to achieve a common goal this semester: a more inclusive SA to bring about a more consistent and beneficial relationship between the SA senators and their respective constituents. Ben Mackin, director of special interests for the Student Association, was one
of the minds behind the SA’s new polling tool. “We have students come up here (to the SA offices) all the time,” Mackin said. “We have students e-mail Tyler (the SA President) all the time with complaints or ideas or anything really. So, when we go to administrators with these problems and we want solutions or have a solution in mind for the administrators, a lot of the time they want a quantifiable way to show that students are sharing these problems.” The new polling system is to appear on the myState homepage under the long-
Winter conditions cause pipe panic around Starkville JorDan DarensBourg staff writer
The deep freeze in Starkville and across much of the nation caused many pipe issues, occurring on campus and around Starkville during the holiday break. At many points during the holiday break, temperatures were below freezing for an extended period of time, causing pipes throughout the city to burst, resulting in damage. One of the areas to suffer damage was an underground water main serving Dogwood, Deavenport and Nusz Resident Halls. Sid Salter, chief communications officer for Mississippi State University, said although there was no damage done to the buildings themselves, precautions had to be taken. “State Health Department regulations require that after a pipe break of this nature, the water had to be tested for safety to make sure it was free of contaminants and safe for consumption,” Salter said. “The impacted area was put
under what is called a ‘boil water notice’ from the State Health Department until those tests were completed and the water was declared safe by state inspectors by noon on Monday, Jan. 8.” Jamie Dyer, associate professor of meteorology in the Department of Geosciences at MSU, said pipe bursts are caused by water expansion when the water freezes. Dyer said keeping faucets and shower heads dripping can help prevent pipe bursts. “A pipe bursts because water expands when it freezes,” Dyer said. “To prevent it, they need to insulate the pipes, so that the water doesn’t freeze.” As a result of the water main burst on campus, Salter said certain accommodations had to be made. “The university provided alternative housing for any students or residence hall staff impacted by the situation, then provided bottled water for consumption after students were allowed to return to their rooms until the boil water notice was lifted,” PIPES, 2 Salter said.
dormant “myState polling” section. The first question will pertain to the use of block meals at retail locations, like Moe’s or Starbucks. Mackin hinted at the possibility of using the Student Life tab on myState for similar polling purposes, as well as the possibility of polling to be used by the SA Senate for legislative purposes. As the director of special interests, Ben also gave previews for several upcoming events during the semester: a political debate in late January, trips to the Mississippi Capitol building to meet legislators known as “Cowbells to
the Capitol,” Block-forBlock drives throughout the semester and an LGBTQ+ Pride Week in the spring. Many initiatives created last semester will have a lasting impact on MSU students for the foreseeable future. Both President Tyler McMurray and Vice President Layton Little heralded the updated ID cards as a big step forward for both SA and the student body. Starting in Fall 2018, the back of the ID’s will now have the suicide prevention hotline, campus police department and counseling center phone numbers.
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As a way to honor and cherish the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., Mississippi State University’s Maroon Volunteer Center and Volunteer Starkville are pairing up to dedicate the holiday to service. The MLK Jr. Day of Service is celebrated all over the country on Jan. 15, according to the Corporation for National and Community Service, the organization leading the service effort. According to their website, “the MLK Day of Service empowers individuals, strengthens communities, bridges barriers, creates solutions to social problems and moves us closer to Dr. King’s vision of a beloved community.” According to Megan Franks, MSU assistant director of student leadership and community engagement, volunteering is a significant way individuals can become more involved with the holiday. “MLK (Jr.) Day is an important activity to participate in because it is
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Jan. 3, 2018 Starkville Board of Aldermen terminate Parks and Recreation Director Herman Peters
Jan. 4, 2018 Wat er main break af fects two MSU dorms Jenn McFadden, The Reflector
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immobile artists direct the trackers by signaling a response through nodding, blinking their eyes or making sounds. “The tracker leaves their ego at the door, they have no co-creation,” Lefens said. “They make no suggestions. They’re not art teachers. They’re not therapists. They simply offer menus and manipulate tools based on exact directions from the immobile person. According to Lefens, a tracker becomes the assistive technology allowing a disabled person to artistically express ideas
FORECAST: Another shot of cold air moves in for the
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J.L. King Center
Starkville Habitat for Humanity
in an unhindered manner. “When [the artists] see for the first time that they could gain absolute authorship of every step of the process, they would sit up and come to life,” Lefens said. EXPRESS Yourself professional artist Candance Stephenson said the program releases her, if only for a moment, from the physical constraints of her wheelchair. Stephenson said her physical disability is similar to being involuntarily confined, and relying on others to release her. EXPRESS, 2
an opportunity to honor Dr. King’s legacy through serving others,” Franks said. “MLK (Jr.) Day of Service is a great way to learn about your community and bring individuals together for a good cause.” Franks said there are various activities in the area volunteers can participate in, such as minor construction, painting, gardening, cleaning and organizing donations. Individuals can register to volunteer on the MLK Day service’s website. Volunteers are asked to check-in at The Mill Conference Center at 8 a.m., which includes breakfast and a free t-shirt. Afterward, volunteers can go to one of the 19 service locations. Franks said transportation will be provided to those who require it. A free breakfast to honor MLK Jr. will also be available to those not volunteering. MSU’s 24th annual MLK Jr. Day Unity Breakfast begins at 8 a.m., with the doors opening at 7:30 a.m. Seats are limited to first-come, first-served.
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Odd Fellows Cemetry
Heritage Museum Palmer Home Thrift Shop
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A streak of blue paint flew across the room, landing on a blank canvas. As the paint splattered, a mute boy began to wiggle with delight in his wheelchair. With an occasional nod of instruction to the woman throwing paint, his masterpiece began to unfold. “How would a person make a real painting with total control if you can’t move?” Tim Lefens, founder of Artistic Realization Technologies said in an online TED Talk.
EXPRESS Yourself at Mississippi State University uses the techniques of Artistic Realization Technologies to provide a means for Mississippians with the most severe disabilities to express themselves through art. Trained individuals, called trackers, act as neutral arms executing the vision of the physically challenged through guided tracking and exacting technologies. The foundation of the artistic process is accomplished through a series of yes or no questions asked by the tracker. The
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to continue working on legislation. Little explained internal training needed to improve to limit the learning curve for new senators and to create a more seamless transition between terms. Legislatively, Little discussed a new bill aiming to improve paratransit systems to help transport disabled students across campus, as there is only one bus capable of doing so now. Little said his goals for the Senate this semester is to focus on encouraging the senators to be more immersed in the student body.
MSU host MLK Day breakfast, volunteer events
what i miss?!
EXPRESS Yourself liberates Mississippians with a disability nicole lee
In addition, academic advising is now centralized between all colleges, and training is now available to all advisors willing to participate, which the SA hopes will lessen the confusion and frustration students may feel during advising. This change is directly linked to the Senate’s efforts last semester to pass a bill in favor of adding an advising training policy. Little was optimistic for the SA Senate’s spring semester. As elections were moved toward March, this is the first year the senators will have a full spring semester
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Starkville Parks and Recreation
Jenn McFadden, The Reflector
Reader’s Guide:
Policy: Any person may
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SA GOALS
BAD DAWGS
“I continually tell them [the senators] that they need to focus externally on the student body as a whole and the needs of the students, and not focus internally on what they think might be beneficial to Senate or just to SA in general,” Little said. McMurray talked about
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the SA’s goals as a general entity. Many of the goals were improvements to preexisting programs. Some of which were healthier dining options, increased mental health programs, growing the online syllabus bank and continuing the safe-ride Cowbell Carts program.
However, when it came to specifics, McMurray talked about continuing to improve students’ ability to use Old Main to its fullest potential, listening to students’ voices and improving academic advising. While McMurray is devoted to this semester,
she is ensuring she leaves the MSU SA in a strong position for the future senators and executives. “For this semester, we want to make sure there are proper foundations in place for the next administration to be able to accomplish anything they want,” McMurray said.
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Saturday, January 6, 2018 11:37 a.m. Employee reported a missing iPhone. Sunday, January 7, 2018 1:30 a.m. Student was arrested on Hwy 182 and Research Park for first DUI. 1:53 a.m. Student was arrested on East Lee Blvd for disorderly conduct and public drunkenness. Monday, January 8, 2018 4:07 p.m. Student was arrested in Starkville for disturbing the peace. Tuesday, January 9, 2018 Employee reported two desktop computers and an iPad missing from Mitchell Memorial Library.
MLK DAY Bria Henderson, a member of the diversity and outreach cabinet of MSU student association, spoke on the importance of MSU students volunteering with members of the community. “Dr. King’s legacy is one of unity and service,” Henderson said. “It is commendable that the students of Mississippi State University and the Starkville community would use his holiday to promote the unity and service that Dr. King spent his life working for. The Unity Breakfast and Day of Service preserve Dr. King’s legacy and further promote his mission.” A special program begins at 9 a.m., where Former State
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Rep. Tyrone Ellis will speak. This summer, Ellis retired after serving 38 years in the House of Representatives. Ellis, who is from Starkville, started the job in 1980. While he was a representative, Ellis served on numerous committees for Mississippi. Henderson said Ellis is committed to serving the Starkville community, even after he has stopped serving officially. “I think it is wonderful for former Representative Ellis, who has spent so much of his career working on behalf of this community to be a part of such a large community and MSU event,” Henderson said.
Kayleigh Phillips | The Reflector
An EXPRESS Yourself tracker presents the completed masterpiece to the professional artist. The original painting was created by only using eye movements and yes and no questions.
“I live in a box at home. I have someone put me to bed. I have someone to give me something to drink. Here I can come outside of my box,” Stephenson said. “It frees me.” Case manager and EXPRESS Yourself tracker, Judy Duncan, said the purpose is to give the artists control and the ability to make their own decisions. “This levels the playing
field for them,” Duncan said. “It’s an opportunity for them to be creative, they just have to use someone else’s hands to do it.” She said everything from the size of the canvas to the tools used to paint is a result of the artist’s decision. “We consider the participants in the program to be professional artists because they paint and sell their work,” Duncan said.
“They are professional artists.” Like many of her peers at EXPRESS Yourself, professional artist Amanda Williams is confined to a wheelchair. Unable to exhibit energy in her physical body, her eyes display distinct perception which seems to declare, “Yes, I’m here!” Tim Lefens describes the clarity in an immobile artists’ eyes as evoking an
overwhelming desire to communicate freely. “I was shocked by what (their eyes) were apparently saying to me,” Lefens said. “Just like ‘I’m in here, can you see me?’” According to Lefens, the paintings allow the artists to communicate freely. “This is a way of telling people that you’re in there,” Lefens said. “We’re on a mission to create more of these islands of liberation.
PIPES Additionally, Salter said the university’s water system is much like those of major cities with complex water systems affected by the sub-freezing temperatures. “The State Capitol Building in Jackson is experiencing similar issues today from water main breaks in the City of Jackson,” Salter said. “It’s a tribute to MSU’s Facilities Management and Housing and Residence Life that there wasn’t additional damage here.” The freezing temperatures also affected MSU students living offcampus. Kelley Murphree a senior from Huntsville, Alabama, said upon arriving back in Starkville after winter break, her house has felt more like a construction site than her home. “It’s been crazy,” Murphree said. “We’ve had plumbers and builders in the house for six days now,
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replacing pipes and fixing bathrooms. I feel like my house is not my own and I have no privacy. It’s hard to focus on school with construction going on in your house.” Murphree also said while her house now has new insulated pipes, she will more than likely keep the heat on at all times to keep the pipes warm and prevent further upheaval, even if it means a higher energy bill. MSU Maroon Alert issued a weather warning Thursday morning describing a wintry mix flowing through northern Mississippi. It cautioned MSU students and staff to be cognizant of the winter weather conditions and potential weather-related hazards on the roads. Lows over the weekend will dip into the teens, potentially wrecking even more havoc on underground noninsulated pipes.
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BULLETIN BOARD
An in-class distraction
ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY...
...in 1932, the first female senator was elected to office. Senator Ophelia Wyatt Caraway, a democrat from Arkansas, had been appointed to fill the vacancy left when her husband died two months earlier. With encouragement to run from a senator from Louisiana, Caraway was elected. She was reelected again in 1938. When she lost her seat in 1944, former President Franklin Roosevelt appointed Caraway to the Federal Employees Compensation Commission.
history.com
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p.m. Tuesday. Classifieds are listed at $5 per issue. Student and staff ads are listed at $3 per issue, pre-paid. Lost and found items: Found items can be listed for free; lost items are listed at standard ad cost. CLUB INFO The deadline for Tuesday’s paper is 3 p.m. Thursday;. The deadline for Friday’s paper is 3 p.m. Tuesday. MSU student organizations may place free announcements in Club Info. Information
may be submitted by email to club_info@ reflector.msstate.edu with the subject heading “CLUB INFO,” or a form may be completed at The Reflector office in the Student Media Center. A contact name, phone number and requested run dates must be included for club info to appear in The Reflector. All submissions are subject to exemption according to space availability.
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OPINION
An extended College Football Playoff will not work especially one year when two Southeastern Conference teams made it to the championship. The College Football Playoff was essentially created to prevent two things from happening. The purpose of the new playoff format is to not only try and avoid a rematch of two teams, but also to ensure the best four teams have a shot at the national championship. One of the differences between the National Football League and college football is a NFL team could lose to a really bad team in the regular season without it affecting their standing too badly because as long as they make playoffs, they still have a shot at the championship. The loss Ohio State suffered to Iowa this past season is one of the reasons they did not make the playoffs. This one game had huge implications on their season. With each regular season game playing such an important role in qualifying
HUNTER CLOUD
is a freshman majoring in communication. Contact him at opinion@reflector. msstate.edu.
The drama of an overtime thriller, the passion of a fan base with fans traveling hours to watch their team--the cult that is college football is what it is because of the fans and the players. The challenges the college football world face are that there has to be a balance between the interest of the fans who shell out the cash for the games and the safety of student athletes who play the game. Before 2014, the Bowl Championship Series rankings were in place to determine which two teams would play in the national championship game. This caused a lot of controversy,
a team for the playoffs, an expansion of the playoffs would take away some importance of regular season games. The implications of huge games mean fans get to see the best entertainment on the field, which they pay for. Another reason not to expand the college football playoffs is some teams will play 16-game seasons, and the biggest concern should be player injury. The more games there are, the more chances there are for young students to have head trauma, which can have catastrophic consequences because brains do not fully develop until the age of 25, according to Rita Sather and Amit Shelat with the University of Rochester Medical Center. Not to mention if we moved to an eight-team playoff, there will be two teams outside of it who strongly believe they deserve to be in the playoff. Soon enough, there would be a year-long playoff where all 129 teams play in a bracket to determine the real national
Jenn McFadden, The Reflector
champion, if we really want to be fair. While I am joking, it would open the door for even more controversy. If the playoff ever expands, I believe it would have a better chance of succeeding with a six-team
playoff where the top two teams get byes. This could have ensured University of Central Florida, Ohio State University and Auburn University a shot to prove why they deserved or did not deserve to be in the playoffs.
As a nation full of people crazy about sports, we need to remember: this is college, these are young men and these are student athletes. We need to take care of our student athletes first, and do what is best for them.
Pop radio is consciously New tax law encourages U.S. neglecting hip-hop and rap companies to move overseas
ZACHERY ABUNEMEH
is a junior majoring in political science. Contact him at opinion@reflector. msstate.edu.
In August 2017, Drake’s record-setting streak of 431 consecutive weeks on the Hot 100 was finally snapped, according to Trevor Anderson at Billboard. The eight-year streak started with the song “Best I Ever Had,” cementing Drake as a superstar. Drake’s streak also legitimized hip-hop as a dominant music genre. Including Drake, eight of the top 10 longest streaks on the Hot 100 are either a hiphop artist like Lil Wayne or an artist with major hip-hop influence like Rihanna. Thanks to artists like Drake, hip-hop’s popularity has surged in recent history, and according to Hugh McIntyre with Forbes, hiphop has finally dethroned rock ‘n’ roll as America’s favorite music genre. Now more than ever, hip-hop is pop music. Despite the overwhelming evidence of hip-hop’s popularity, there are pop stations all over America which do not play hip-hop at all. If there is a rapper holding the number one song in America, they will not play it. If a song features a rapper, they will censor their work and even edit them out. Even if the song belongs to the rapper, they will do a remix, strip the song of all of the rapper’s lines and replace it with the featured pop artist who is usually the singer of the chorus. For example, “See You Again” by Wiz Khalifa has been remixed to mainly feature Charlie Puth. Stations who edit out rappers and hip-hop artists sometime use the tagline “Today’s Best Hits, Without The Rap” which draws controversy. As pointed out by Lauren Nostro at Complex
Media, one such station is 94.7 in Washington D.C. In 2013, Complex reported the station justified their actions by saying “rap does not appeal to [our] demographic-women ages 18-49” and “typically, rap music appeals to a large male audience.” This answer was not sufficient because there is no logic behind the radio station’s decisions. Hip-hop is the most popular music genre today thanks to its ability to appeal to all demographics. Thus, to assume hip-hop is geared towards men more than women is absurd.
extremely controversial and rap about very taboo topics which will not, and should not, be played on the radio. However, there are plenty other rappers and other hiphop artists who make radiofriendly hits ready for mass consumption. Like all other music genres, there are wrinkles in hip-hop separating different styles. Chance the Rapper and Childish Gambino are far safer to play on the radio than Eminem and Lil Wayne, because each falls into different sub-genres of hiphop. Overly simplifying hip-
Jenn McFadden, The Reflector
The only justification I can deduce is some pop stations hate hip-hop because the negative perception hip-hop has carried since its infancy. Hip-hop has always been seen as “scary black” music performed by “scary black” men. As Laurel Reinhart with Daily Nexus states, the negative perception of violence, drugs, and misogyny associated with hip-hop, at its core, “is a reflection of the way our society perceives black men.” Hip-hop still scares the older generations of America, despite its dominant popularity. It is difficult for America to accept hip-hop as the face of American music. On a certain level, the criticism some hip-hop artists receive is well-deserved. There are some rappers who are
hop as violent, gangster rap strips the nuance away from the beauty of hip-hop. In the end, radio stations reserve the right to play or not play whatever they wish. No one can force a country station to play hip-hop and vise versa. Unlike rock or country stations, though, a pop station’s niche is not one genre, but it is whatever the American people deem popular. America has spoken: hip-hop is what they want to hear. The refusal to play any hip-hop by some stations is outright disobeying their listeners. It does not make any business sense or logical sense to block hip-hop from the airwaves, so I am still waiting for a station to justify this practice. For now, though, hip-hop seems to be too “black” for some stations.
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The passage of the GOP’s tax bill back in December generated intense debate over which groups would benefit the most and the least from the bill. One of the central changes in the plan is the reduction in the corporate income tax rate, which will fall to a 21 percent tax, compared to the current 35 percent rate. According to an article by Bill Peccarelli for The Hill, the corporate tax cut is the largest part of the package, which is expected to result in a windfall of billions of dollars for companies over the next decade. The hope expressed by many GOP lawmakers is the tax cut will encourage corporations to relocate or build more of their operations in the U.S. instead of sending them to other countries, where the corporate tax rate is often lower. This would be a reasonable outcome to expect if it were not for another section of the tax reform package. With their new plan, the GOP decided to create what is known as a territorial system for dealing with corporate taxes from American companies with subsidiaries in other nations. Basically, a territorial system means U.S. companies will pay a special minimum tax on income generated from their overseas locations, while much of it would remain
million it would have been if the 10 percent tax were applied to every country in which your company is located. The second important detail is the “routine” rate of profit return stipulated in the tax plan. Companies will only have to pay taxes on profits above the rate of return, which for now is set at 10 percent. Per an article by David J. Lynch in the Washington Post, this is a lavish rate of return from the perspective of the corporations. It means if companies face even a 9 percent rate of return on their profits in a foreign country, they will pay zero taxes to the U.S. because it does not meet the 10 percent requirement. Thus, companies will now have an incentive to relocate any tangible assets. For example, factories which may not have high rates of return in other countries because there they may not have to pay any taxes, while in the U.S., they would be expected to pay the 21 percent rate. With incentives like these, large corporations will have even more reasons to move certain operations to other nations. This will do little to help American workers, who have been highlighted by Republicans as the group most in need of a boost in regard to tax reform. It will also stand in stark contrast to the nationalist rhetoric of the Trump Administration, especially since one of his favorite talking points has been bringing back American jobs. GOP leaders like Paul Ryan can drone on about the beauty of their tax reform, but with the new territorial system, their promises are looking hollow.
REFLECTIONS Maya Angelou
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Life Editor/Will Wells
325-7905 editor@reflector.msstate.edu
News Editor/Josh Beck
STEVEN WEIRICH
is a senior majoring in economics. Contact him at opinion@reflector.msstate.edu.
exempt. According to Curtis Dubay at the Heritage Foundation, this differs from America’s current system, which applies the corporate tax rate to all income, even if it is generated in another country. So, a company would only pay taxes on foreign income if it was repatriated back to America. Dubay states the territorial system is the better of the two and should promote more investment and potentially raise wages for American workers. Again, there is a chance this change could benefit the U.S., but in my opinion, the incentives created in the plan are all wrong. First, the plan stipulates U.S. companies will pay what is called a global minimum tax on their overseas profits, currently set at 10 percent. This is an important detail because it means companies are not going to be taxed based on which country their operations are in, but rather on an average of all their foreign profits. According to a piece by economist Kimberly Clausing in Fortune, this will not be an effective tax, “since it enables companies to use taxes paid in higher-tax countries to shield income booked in tax havens from the minimum tax.” For example, if your corporation has $20 million in profits located in the Cayman Islands (a wellknown tax haven) as well as $20 million in a higher-tax nation like Belgium, then your global average profits will be $20 million, while your total foreign profits are $40 million. Consequently, your tax bill to the U.S. government will be only $2 million, instead of the $4
Online Editor/Collin Smith multimedia_editor@reflector.msstate.edu Advertising Sales/Johnson Cooke
Letters to the editor should be sent to the Meyer Student Media Center or mailed to The Reflector, PO Box 5407, Mississippi State, MS. Letters may also be emailed to editor@reflector. msstate.edu.
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The Reflector is the official student newspaper of Mississippi State University. Content is determined solely by the student editorial staff. The contents of The
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LIFE & ENTERTAINMENT
G L GLOW O GLOW W W O L G O W F L GFEST E T S E S F T T FEST S E
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Glow Fest brightens the Colvard Student Union EMMA MOFFETT STAFF WRITER
The Center for Student Activities will host Glow Fest on Saturday in the Colvard Student Union Ballroom. The event will take place from 8 to 12 p.m., and will feature a variety of games, including glow in the dark mini golf, ping-pong and fuse ball. The event will also include a DJ, a photo booth, airbrush tattoos, free food and t-shirts for the first 250 students to arrive. Everything will be glow in the dark, with black lights set up throughout the ballroom and glow sticks provided to attendees. A Mississippi State University student ID is required to check in. Glow Fest is the first of several events coming to MSU this semester as part of a series called Dawgs After Dark. Other events in the series will include a magician, a comedy performance, poetry nights, movie nights, lip sync battles, rollerblading and glow in the dark Frisbee on the drill field.
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The Student Association is partnering with the MSU Department of Housing and Residence Life for a range of events, including a rave in the Perry. They are also working with the Joe Frank Sanderson Center, which
will be putting on regular events for both students and members of the community, including events like Futsol Friday and Slamming Saturday. Amelia Rogers, associate director for the center for student activities, said
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Jenn Mcfadden, the reflector
Glow Fest has something for everyone and is a unique on-campus activity many students have never experienced. “We are doing this in the ballroom, which adds kind of a fun flavor to it. When have you ever played
mini golf in a ballroom?” Rogers said. “I think it will be a really fun opportunity to engage students in a new and exciting way.” Although MSU will close Monday in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Rogers said she is hopeful
many students stay in town over the long weekend and attend Glow Fest. “We feel like this is a great way to start the spring semester and are hoping for a large turnout,” Rogers said. “We really encourage everyone to come and have a good time.” Joel Lindsey, a junior majoring in petroleum engineering from Ocean Springs, said he loves attending events on campus and always makes an effort to go with his friends. “I am always interested in any event with free food and the chance to get a free shirt,” Lindsey said. “I definitely plan to get there early so I can enjoy everything before it gets too crowded.” Rogers, previously the assistant director for the center of student activities, said she hopes students attend Glow Fest and take advantage of all the fun activities planned. “It’s a fun opportunity, whether you like mini golf, or you just want to come dance and hang out,” Rogers said. “Glow Fest gives students an opportunity to come, hang out and have something to do on Saturday night.”
Review: a talented cast shines in “The Greatest Showman” EMMA DRAY BRASWELL STAFF WRITER
I am a moderate fan of musicals overall, generally either liking or tolerating the genre, so I had low expectations for “The Greatest Showman.” While I had never seen anything directed by Michael Gracey, he certainly impressed me with this film. Of course, he had an entire cast of talented people to back him up. I was thoroughly surprised at how well Hugh Jackman performed the role of P. T. Barnum, or the “circus king,” because it was a complete 180 from the characters he frequently plays. It was quite impressive Jackman could portray this character remarkably well when most actors stick to character types they are familiar with. While I do not know much about Zac Efron, apart from his role in “High School Musical,” his singing and acting abilities certainly astonished me. He sings in some of the best tracks of the movie and portrays exponential character development throughout the film. Between the love story Efron and Zendaya’s characters share and the progressive way Efron’s character, Phillip, regards money in the beginning and the end, Efron has a lot
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to sink his teeth into. Zendaya portrayed my favorite character in the film, Anne Wheeler, a girl with a dream beyond her time and a part the world needed to accept. Through and through, Zendaya’s performance as Wheeler was remarkable, whether she was dancing, singing or walking the trapeze. The only performance I was not entirely sold on was the “world-renowned opera singer.” Rebecca Ferguson portrayed Jenny Lind well, but it was still disappointing to hear a so-called “worldrenowned opera singer” sing something other than opera.
I was further disappointed when I realized it was not even Ferguson’s voice. Essentially, the character of Jenny Lind is a famous opera singer who does not perform opera and was not cast by a singer at all. While Ferguson acted the part well, it did not make sense to cast her as the famous opera singer if she was only going to lipsync. Despite this, the music in the movie was catchy and well composed. As soon as I was out of the theatre, I wanted to listen to the soundtrack again. With such constructive and inspiring meanings, the
music really does complete the film. The entire score for this movie was beyond what I had imagined going into it. With amazing voices to create the track, it was quite impressive. Not only did the soundtrack highlight each singer’s talent, but there was meaning behind each song. From the first song to the last, the musical told a wonderful story of people trying to accept and respect themselves. “This is Me,” my favorite track by far, was incredibly inspiring. The song is sung by The Bearded Lady, played by Keala Settle, and it hits home hard. It conveyed the idea of everyone being equal, and no one deserves to be judged by their
outside appearance. The song was the most powerful in the musical, and it certainly put Settle on the map with an extraordinarily talented voice.
“With such constructive and inspiring meanings, the music really does complete the film.” -Emma Dray Braswell Instead of thinking in a box, like the rest of the
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world, these characters are taught to live life to the fullest, to continue dreaming while they are still awake. They trade shame for self-worth, which is a concept “The Greatest Showman” executed marvelously. “The Greatest Showman” was well put together, with each character carrying a significant message which was consistently communicated throughout. “The Greatest Showman” was not simply a musical. With brilliant actors, particularly catchy songs and a great storyline uniting history and a message of acceptance together, “The Greatest Showman” was the best musical I have seen in a long time.
6 LIFE & ENTERTAINMENT THE REFLECTOR FRIDAY, JANUARY 12, 2018
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Column: 2017 was a great year in film COLLIN SMITH ONLINE EDITOR
A big part of the New Year is reflecting on the previous year. For me, part of this means looking back at my favorite movies of the year. Keep in mind, this is a list of my favorite movies of the year, not necessarily the best. Like many lists, this is purely subjective, so my list is going to look completely different from your list. It is also worth noting I did not see every film that came out last year. I hope to see some films like “The Florida Project,” “I, Tonya” and “The Post” before the Oscars roll around in March, but I have not been able to yet. Sitting at number 10 is the smash hit “Baby Driver.” I was looking forward to this movie from the moment I saw the trailer, and it did not disappoint. Director Edgar Wright brings this stylish and sleek film to life with his unique directing style and a killer soundtrack. With as much energy as the film has, Wright brings us wonderful and complete characters who are easy to root for. This film is welldeserving of your time. At number nine sits the smash horror movie “It.” I was surprised by much I enjoyed this movie. I was as scared as I was completely engaged in the story. Bill Skarsgard is incredible as the killer clown, Pennywise. There are a few moments which had me backpedaling into my seat, but what really anchors this film are the kids. Every one of them nailed it, and really helped ground the film. Finn Wolfhard and Sophia Lillis are the two standouts. You will be as equally invested in the kids as you are with the scares. If you are a horror movie lover,
Best of 2017
&
ES I V O M this one is for you. The James Franco comedy “The Disaster Artist” comes in at number eight. This movie is as heartwarming as it is hilarious. Telling the true story of the making of the infamous movie “The Room,” “The Disaster Artist” is excellent. Franco absolutely disappears as Tommy Wiseau and delivers the best performance of his career. The movie does an excellent job of showing how ridiculous the whole situation is, while still making viewers feel bad for Wiseau. This movie was such a pleasant surprise, and really deserves a spot on this list. Next is the film “Lady Bird.” The more I think about it, the more I enjoy this one. This movie relies on the performances, and they are
m l fi
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all stellar. Saorise Ronan is immaculate as Lady Bird, and I think she has a real shot at winning an Oscar for this role. The film almost feels like a documentary, in the sense it felt like I was watching someone’s real life. This movie felt real, honest, uplifting and even heartbreaking at times. Director Greta Gerwig delivers an honest take on what it is like to be a teenager, and it is truly something special to watch. Coming in at number six is the third and final installment of the recent Planet of the Apes trilogy, “War for the Planet of the Apes.” The biggest fault is the title is slightly misleading. There is not much of a war in this movie, but instead, you get a brilliant character piece on Caesar. The script and directing are flawless, and the visual effects are the best I have
seen. Andy Serkis plays Caesar and delivers an outof-this-world performance. This film provides an incredible ending to a severely underrated trilogy. Coming in at number five is Hugh Jackman’s final performance as Wolverine in the movie “Logan.” This is an incredibly emotional movie. I found myself crying multiple times throughout the film, and I certainly was not expecting this reaction going in. “Logan” is up there with “The Dark Knight” in terms of redefining the superhero movie genre. Both Patrick Stewart and newcomer Dafne King add an extra layer to this amazing character piece. Director James Mangold finally delivers the Wolverine movie we have desperately wanted for years. Number four is Christopher Nolan’s latest
Masterpiece, “Dunkirk.” I think this movie is a masterpiece, and one shot away from perfection. Nolan does an incredible job of telling an incredible story in an interesting and engaging way. The cinematography and score alone make this film worth seeing. With very little dialogue, Nolan crafts one of the tensest and captivating movies I have seen in a while. Coming in at number three is “The Big Sick.” I love this movie. This movie is like a big warm hug every time I watch it. Not only it is a truly funny comedy, but this movie has so much heart. Kumail Nanjiani wrote and stars in this movie, and I cannot wait to see what he does next. What really elevates this film to the next level is the fact it is the true story of how Nanjiani met his wife. If you want to feel good about life, “The Big Sick”
should be the next film on your list. Number two is one of the smartest films I have ever seen, “Get Out.” This movie is terrifying, both socially and mentally. What Director Jordan Peele has done is given us a social thriller, and it works on every level. The script is air-tight, the performances are excellent, the comedy is perfect and everything clicks. I firmly believe is it one of the best movies of the year. The end of the movie provided one of my favorite theater experiences ever, which only adds to how much I love this film. Even if you are not a horror fan, you need to watch this movie. Finally, coming in at number one is “Blade Runner 2049.” This is the kind of movie to inspire future directors. It is the kind of movie which makes me love movies. Denis Villeneuve does an incredible job of building a world that feels lived in. The cinematography is out of the world, the score is beautiful and the acting across the board is wonderful. Harrison Ford delivers his best performance in years, and Ryan Gosling cements himself as one of my favorite actors today. This movie inspired my first think piece and countless hours of conversations with other people who have seen it. Without question, this is my favorite movie of the year. As I mentioned earlier, this list is purely subjective. I would love to hear what you would add to the list or take off, and what your favorite movie of the year is. If you would like to share your thoughts on my list or share your own list, email life@reflector. msstate.edu.
Chew on This: spectacular semester starters COURTNEY O BRIEN STAFF WRITER
Welcome to 2018 and a new semester at Mississippi State University. For some of us, it will be our last semester here; for others, it may be your first semester. Either way, you are going to need to know how to cook. I have gathered some spectacular recipes which are both easy to make and delicious, making settling in for a new semester much easier.For those who have yet to gain the “freshman 15,” I can help you out with these easy fiesta beans. After
tasting these beans, you will be amazed they can be made in about 10 minutes. This recipe makes enough to feed 12 people, so if you need a last-minute appetizer to take to a group gathering or want to make a quick meal with lots of leftovers before retreating to your room to study for a few hours, this recipe is perfect for you. It is nice to make some comfort food and just keep it in the freezer for rough days. For those who have already gained the freshman 15 or more and are hoping to drop a few pounds this semester, this easy garlic chicken recipe is a
great replacement for greasy fast food. The chicken is flavorful and filling. I like to use boneless, skinless chicken, which is more expensive. You can use wings, thighs or another type of meat if you prefer. Just be careful of how long you choose to cook your meat, as the amount of time needed to cook depends on the size of the pieces being cooked. Last, but not least, everyone needs snacks. I love making snacks to put in the fridge all week.These snack wraps can last a good week,
and the recipe makes 60 wraps, so they will last for quite a while. I like to have about four for lunch. A few wraps can also make a quick and easy snack between classes. You can use whatever meat you want. This recipe is just a guideline. I like to do it with honey ham or turkey pastrami. Hopefully, these recipes will help you get back into the swing of things this semester. If you want to know where to eat in the area, have recipes you would like to share or ideas for future columns, feel free to contact me at life@ reflector.msstate.edu.
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Welcome Students! Welcome to Starkville!
We invite you to make us your Church home while at MSU
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EASY FIESTA BEANS
2 16-ounce cans of refried beans 2 15-ounce cans of unsalted pinto beans 1 cup of salsa 1 1/3 cups shredded fiesta blend cheese 8 sliced scallions Rinse the pinto beans.Preheat the broiler. Combine the beans, salsa and 2/3 cup cheese in a saucepan.Cook over medium heat, stirring for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the mixture is hot and the cheese is melted. Spoon the bean mixture into a 4-quart baking dish, and sprinkle the remaining cheese and scallions. Broil until the cheese is lightly browned, but not burned or crusted.
EASY GARLIC CHICKEN
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 4 teaspoons of garlic 4 tablespoons of brown sugar 1 tablespoon of olive oil 1 teaspoon Tony Chachere’s (optional) Preheat oven to 450°F, and spray a pan with cooking spray. In a small pan, simmer the oil and garlic on low. Remove from heat, and add the brown sugar. Add any additional spices. Place chicken on the baking sheet and smother with the mixture. Bake uncovered for 15-30 minutes, or until juices run clear. Cooking time will depend on the size and thickness of your chicken.
SNACK WRAPS
12 flour tortillas 1 8-ounce package cream cheese 1 head lettuce 6 ounces of sliced salami 2 cups shredded carrots 2 cups sliced tomato Spread cream cheese evenly over the tortillas.Top the
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SPORTS
SHOW UP and
SHOW OUT COME TO THE NEXT MEN’S BASKETBALL GAME IN THE HUMP AT 2:30PM
The issue of student attendance: men’s basketball is back, you should be, too
TAYLOR RAYBURN
is a junior majoring in communication and economics. Contact him at sports@ reflector.msstate.edu.
If you go on Twitter during an 11 a.m. Mississippi State University football game or during a men’s basketball game, you will see an inevitable tweet about student attendance. While student attendance is an issue for football and other sports, the main focus of this column is not just on the students, but the overall attendance problems men’s basketball is facing and why. I have researched a lot of official attendance records, and while the numbers are lower than they were 10 years ago, it is not by a large amount. More importantly according the NCAA’s official website, MSU’s attendance rank among the nation only jumps to 55th compared to last year’s 69th. However, those official numbers are deceiving, because they include the tickets sold, but not necessarily seats filled. You will often see a tweet making fun of announced attendance at low attended games because of how obviously inflated the number is. I covered nearly every men’s and women’s basketball game over the break, as well as one or two before the break. During these games, the Hump was nearly empty, and the student section is now a shell of its former self. I remember growing up watching MSU basketball and hearing people talk about the Hump’s intimidating environment. Led by Rick’s Rowdies, a
playoff of then head coach Rick Stansbury’s name, which was the name of the then packed student section, the crowd helped the team win their games. Compare those games to now, and it is almost night and day. At most games, the lower bowl of the Hump is about 60 to 80 percent full, with the upper bowl is almost completely empty. I cannot remember the last time the student section was completely full. I talk to other reporters on the MSU sports beat, and they talk about how much better the crowds were in the past compared to now. Not just the student crowd, but also the general crowd.
“They (the MSU men’s basketball team) deserve good attedance. Not only because of their play, but also because a big crowd makes a difference.” One reason for less attendance is due to the dawn of technology and the ability to watch something on TV. Additionally, TV provides an easier way to gather people together. I believe young people, and for some reason MSU students in particular, just do not care about basketball for the most part. This is a disappointment because this team is really good, and deserves a crowd every night. Student attendance is not just a problem at MSU, but a country-wide issue. The Wall Street Journal reported before the 2014 football season, college attendance at football games had been down 7.1 percent since 2009. While the statistic is on football, it illustrates the overall issue of college attendance dropping. Secondly, the Hump’s
student section is not in the best spot. I traveled to Oxford to cover the Ole Miss vs. MSU game last Saturday, and they do not start spring classes for a couple weeks, yet their student section was almost full. The difference? It is on the sidelines, and not the baselines. Duke has a student section on the sideline as well, a lot of schools do. I understand the reason for not moving the sections, as it would be a disaster to rearrange all the season ticket holders, but if people want student crowds there, this would help tremendously. The third reason for lower attendance is the team has been subpar for years now. I was talking to the recently graduated Ethan Lee on Twitter, and the thing he noted was in his four years here, MSU men’s basketball did not have a winning season. While this may have been true, this is no longer the case. MSU is 13-3 and beat a then-ranked University of Arkansas team. They have proven to be at least a middle-of-the-road, if not good SEC team this year. They deserve good attendance. Not only because of their play, but also because a big crowd makes a difference. Overall, there are not a lot of things the university can do. They do things to promote basketball, like bringing head coach Ben Howland around the library to promote games around finals last semester. The team and the athletic department do their part to try to get students involved. However, it is now on us, the student body, to show up. Students set the tone for crowd energy and noise across all sports. This has been the case at every school and pretty much since the dawn of time, or in this case, college sports. It is time for the Hump to become the intimidating atmosphere it once was. MSU basketball is back, and you should be, too.
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Julie Darty is the 12th volleyball coach in MSU history. She comes from Jacksonville University, where she was head coach for three years.
“She has a vision for our program,” Darty officially introduced as new volleyball coach HUNTER CLOUD STAFF WRITER
Fierce, eager, personal and unafraid to step down from a challenge, are all traits athletic director John Cohen found in new volleyball head coach Julie Darty, as Mississippi State University introduced the new coach on Wednesday morning. “She has a vision for our program and she’s eager to enhance our volleyball brand here at Mississippi State,” Cohen said. “She comes to us with eight years of volleyball coaching experience, including two years in the Southeastern Conference.” Darty, 31-years-old, laid out her first vision, with the first step being to make the team great, and as a result of that, she believes the team will be tougher competition and will not go down easy. “Some of the pillars that we are going to focus on: we’re going to be great,I think we’ve got to toughen up. If we’re going to get beat, we’re going to be tough to beat,” Darty said. Darty said she wants the Newell-Grissom to be as tough as it was when she remembers from her time at the University of South Carolina. “I love the volleyball facility,” Darty said. “I think it’s a really hostile environment if we can get it loud and be proud to play there. So great, just durability as competitors, as people.” Her next step is for her student athletes to carry themselves with grace and gratitude. She wants her players to become better people, and to have confidence in their abilities. As far as playing style, she said she will focus on passing. “The first couple of practices, I might bore them to death,” Darty said. “We might not lift our arm to swing at a ball for a really long time, until we pass the ball at a really high level.” Darty said she will hit the
recruiting trail this Friday and knows she has her work cut out for her. However, she has connections to club volleyball and will hit those pockets of talented players hard.
“We’ve got so much potential; we’ve got so much growth. We’re at ground zero, and I think that’s a good place to be.” -Julie Darty, volleyball head coach
“I have some really great connections with clubs that I have good relationships with, and one of the themes that we’re going to talk about, once my staff gets here, from a recruiting standpoint is making it saturated,” Darty said. “We’re going to saturate the places that love us already, and we’re going to leave maroon and white in their gym, in their club.” Darty thinks the players will connect with her because she wears her heart
on her sleeve. She started meeting with her players on Wednesday afternoon, in an effort to build the relationships with her current players. “I’m going to get to know them as people. Then I want to get to know them as players, too. That’s why I have that first question about who they are as a competitor,” Darty said. “On the sidelines, I don’t get too crazy. I like to keep it simple my energy is consistent. I’m going to be the same person for them all the time.” Darty understands this program will be a challenge, but she sees it as an opportunity to start something great at MSU. She views her new position as a new beginning that has the possibility of becoming something special. “I’m young, so I don’t think it’s the right thing to do to open the history books and look back at the history of the program,” Darty said. “ I think it’s a fresh start and a clean slate. We’ve got so much potential; we’ve got so much growth. We’re at ground zero, and I think that’s a good place to be. There’s a lot of work to be done.”
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