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133rd YEAR ISSUE 27
TUESDAY JANUARY 23, 2018
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1884
Liaison service aids students with autism NICOLE LEE
STAFF WRITER
Russ Houston | Courtesy Photo
From left to right: Vance Rice, Michael Jordan and Emmitt Johnson Jr. stand next to the new safe drop box. The dropbox can be used to drop off extra medication or illegal drugs to be safely disposed of and taken off the streets.
First responders equipped to reverse overdoses
DEVIN EDGAR STAFF WRITER
“When you’re talking about a non-beating heart, all you have is seconds,” said Vance Rice, chief of police at Mississippi State University Police Department. This is why he said being able to administer Narcan, a drug to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, is a critical component of serving the MSU and Starkville community.
MSU is the first university in Mississippi to have both the opioid antidote, Narcan, and a medication dropbox safe, issued by the Mississippi Department of Mental Health. MSU’s addition of the medication dropbox safe s one way the university is aiding its students, employees and local community in combating the opioid epidemic. The dropbox provides a safe, secure location for individuals to discard unused
or unwanted prescriptions 24 hours per day, seven days a week. It is located in the police department’s front lobby, on 25 Walker Road. The drug “take back” box will help combat the epidemic. Whether it is prescription narcotics or any other kind of drug, Rice said the department will accept it in the box. Having this will allow the drugs to be disposed of properly, and further prevent people from abusing their prescriptions. Rice said Narcan and
other similar drugs like Naloxone were previously limited to paramedic usage only. In situations of an overdose, he continued, if law enforcement arrived to the scene even seconds before a paramedic, they had to rely on an AED (Automatic External Defibrillator to shock the heart. “Oftentimes, a bad overdose will stop a heart, and cause the victim to go into cardiac arrest,” Rice said. “In those cases, we
have AEDs, but that doesn’t always bring them back. We needed something to reverse the effect of the overdose, which is what Narcan does. The sooner you get that administered, the sooner the victim can start recovering.” In 2012, the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics reported 90 percent of overdose deaths were caused by prescription opioids and narcotics. Of those deaths, more than half of them were accidents. NARCAN, 2
“It’s not fair to ask students with autism to advocate for themselves, just like it’s not fair to ask someone in a wheelchair to walk up some stairs,” said Jordan Spencer, school psychologist and autism liaison supervisor. The autism liaison service at Mississippi State University provides students with autism the opportunity to succeed at the collegiate level. Students in the program are accepted on their own merit under the same specifications as other applicants and graduate with standard degrees from MSU. Upon their acceptance to MSU, students with autism receive support from liaisons to help them adjust to college life. Autism spectrum disorder is a pervasive, developmental disorder in which people experience communication and interaction deficits. As a result, many people with the disorder engage in restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior. Because the severity of the disorder varies, it is classified as a spectrum according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Autism liaison Alex Clarke said people with autism typically have limited interests and sometimes lack proper social skills.
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Former MSU soccer star relives draft day TAYLOR RAYBURN SPORTS EDITOR
In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on a Thursday afternoon, Mallory Eubanks walked onto a stage, put a scarf on and became the highest draft pick in Mississippi State University soccer history. Eubanks, a senior from Lexington, Kentucky, was born in Greenville and grew up a life-long MSU fan. She was drafted by the Washington Spirit. “Mal has dedicated and sacrificed so much to earn this extraordinary opportunity,” MSU soccer head coach Tom Anagnost said. “She has been a consummate professional since day one. She has set the standard for our program and is a role model
TUESDAY
for every current and future student-athlete at Mississippi State. Our Bulldog family is incredibly proud of her.” Eubanks said the Spirit took a timeout with the 16th selection in the draft, so she thought they were going to try and trade the pick. “I got super excited and my heart was going 100 miles an hour, and I took a long walk to the stage and it was a dream come true,” Eubanks said. “To go up there and get the scarf and know that I was selected by a professional team.” After being drafted she did media interviews, met her new coaches and another player who was drafted by the team. She then celebrated with her family and MSU teammate Catalina Perez. Eubanks talked about the
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way her phone blew up with celebratory text from friends and teammates after the news broke. “My teammates were really excited,” Eubanks said. “I got a lot of congratulatory texts. Everyone has been so supportive and I am so thankful for all of them. Hard work has really paid off, and I could not have done any of this without them pushing me every single day.” However, the celebration was short-lived as she had to return to Starkville the next day. Eubanks was a player who excelled off the field as much as she did on it. She was the soccer program’s first player to be named the SEC Scholar Athlete of the Year when she received the honor in 2017. SOCCER, 2
Blake Williams |MSU Communications
Mallory Eubanks fends off an Auburn Tiger player. Eubanks became the highest-drafted player in Mississippi State University soccer history.
FORECAST: After a wet Monday, the rest of the school
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THE REFLECTOR TUESDAY, JANUARY 23, 2018
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NARCAN
BAD DAWGS Thursday, Jan. 18, 2018 12:24 p.m. Student slipped on a patch of ice at the intersection of George Perry Street and Bailey Howell. Subject refused medical attention. 7:40 p.m. Davis Wade Stadium had a water leak in a mechanical room due to busted pipes. Friday, Jan. 19, 2018 2:27 p.m. Student reported being harassed by her ex-boyfriend. 11:11 p.m. Student was issued a referral for smoking marijuana in Rice Hall. Sunday, Jan. 20, 2018 3:46 a.m. Non-Resident/Visitor was issued an arrest citation for possession of marijuana in Dogwood Hall parking lot. 8:14 p.m. Student reported fake profiles of her online.
Noting such an alarming statistic, Rice said he fortunately has not seen an issue with opioids on MSU’s campus “day-in and dayout,” like he has seen with other drugs. Downers are not usually a college student’s drug of choice, stimulants are most likely to be abused by students on campus. However, he said, just because he has not seen an alarming, campuswide issue, does not mean opioids are not used. “These prescription drugs like codeine and other painkillers can get out there because of something as simple as leaving it in a medicine cabinet,” Rice said. “If someone isn’t using them anymore, but they still have a bottle or two left, there isn’t anything stopping a maintenance worker or family member from grabbing it, selling them or taking them.” Not limited to police departments, the Starkville Fire Department can also administer Narcan on the
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scene of an overdose. Although fire departments in Mississippi were the last of firstresponders to be allowed to carry and administer this drug, Starkville Fire Department Chief Charles Yarbrough said it was something which needed to happen. “Usually, we (SFD) get to the scene within three to four minutes of the initial call,” Yarbrough said. “Paramedics arrive within five to six minutes of the call. Sometimes, ambulances may not even get dispatched to the scene immediately. So, in those cases, this will allow us to really save lives.” However, Yarbrough said, “you can’t just skip right to administering the drug once the agency carries it.” All fire fighters will have to attend a training class to teach them how to safely administer the drug, what dosage is needed in different cases and proper protocol on how to safely handle a victim after they
come off their high. “We really have to go over things to keep our fire fighters safe,” Yarbrough said. “Administering Narcan reverses their high instantaneously, and after coming down from it, the person will often be very combative. They don’t realize their heart was already stopped, or that they were on the verge of dying. They just know their high, that could have cost them a lot of money, was taken away.” Although the bill allowing all law enforcement agencies to carry and administer the drug passed in August, SPD, SFD and MSU Police Department are not carrying the drug yet. Oktibbeha County Coroner and OCH Emergency Medical Services Director Michael Hunt said the city and county is in agreement of the benefits this drug brings to the local law enforcement agencies, but the process of actually getting the drug in
SOCCER She is a kinesiology major and has a 3.91 GPA. With her commitment to school never wavering, she came back to Starkville to take the one class this semester she needs for her major. She said she will hopefully not have to worry about life post-soccer for a long time, but wants to go to physical therapy school. She did an internship this past fall, fell in love with pediatric physical therapy and said she could follow that path post-soccer. As of last Saturday, she did not know when she was going to Washington, but
the department’s hands will take longer than anticipated, due to the drug having steep prices and a short shelf-life. Paramedics and EMT’s at OCH have used the IV form of Narcan for many years, Hunt said, but law enforcement agencies need the nasal spray form of the drug. “To get 100 units in the field, it will cost about $9,000, and our law enforcement agencies don’t have money to cover that cost just laying around,” Hunt said. “It also has a short shelf-life, and if officers don’t use it by the time it expires, then it is essentially a waste. At this point, local enforcement agencies just need to make an agreement with OCH.” Overall, Rice said if there are ever any situations where the drug is needed, MSU Police Department will have the means to save someone, where previously, it was not always possible. “This results in so many saved lives,” Rice said. “That’s what really matters.”
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with the season starting on Feb. 9, she expects to be up there training in the next few weeks. “My goal is to, obviously, get on the team and start making a difference,” Eubanks said. “To get some valuable minutes and hopefully have a huge impact on the Washington Spirit. Hopefully, I can get on the field and make a big impact on the team.” She said she is anxious and nervous as she faces tougher competition at the next level. “It is a new challenge and every challenge will just push
me, and I think it is exciting that I will be able to push myself to see how far I can go and how much better I can be,” Eubanks said. As a player who played forward, midfield and defense at MSU, she said the Spirit’s coaches talked about using her versatility at the next level. “He talked a lot about me being on the flank, on the outside in a lot of one-onone situations,” Eubanks said. “He said I could be anywhere on the outside, like an outside mid or outside forward creating things, but there is also an opportunity for me
to go in the back and play an outside defender, which is exciting.” She talked about the value she got from playing some defender this past season. “I actually got to go in at outside back in the Ole Miss game,” Eubanks said. “Which was a good experience to see that I could do it and give myself confidence.” She said she is excited about joining the Spirit, and feels like the team is a good fit for her and her style of soccer overall. “The formation that Washington plays and the style of play is a good fit for me,” Eubanks said. “It is how I see myself as a player liking
to play.” She is the second player in MSU soccer history to be drafted, and the highest pick the program has had. As a life-long MSU fan, she talked about how her selection showed how far the program has come. “Just being able to do something like that for Mississippi State is awesome,” Eubanks said. “It shows how the program has grown a lot. From my freshman year to last year, with the new coaches and everything coming together, it shows the growth and formed the starting point for where this program can really go.” MSU has had a huge part
of her story and her life. She grew up wanting to come here and spent four years here as a player. She talked about what she will take away from her time in Starkville. “Just all of the memories from my time with my teammates,” Eubanks said. “Just the experiences I had here, mostly off the field. When you look to your time with soccer, you don’t look at all the wins or the losses. Sometimes you don’t even remember the soccer on the field. It is all about the people and the process, and I think Mississippi State is really special. When I look back, I will remember every single person that was a part of it.”
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This week in Starkville An In-Class Distraction WILL WELLS
LIFE AND ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
y w A variety of events will dtake place on Mississippis eState University’s campus and throughout Starkville this sweek. t Two campus organizawtions will recruit new memtbers throughout the week. The Career Center will offer ”resume criticism in advance of next week’s Spring Career Days. Graduate students can attend the weekly grad stusdent night at Two Brothers Meats on ThurssSmoked day, while all students can enjoy a lip sync competition eon campus Friday. Students will also have the opportunity to attend a political desbate sponsored by the MSU ,Speech and Debate Council on Wednesday. e Resume Criticism What: The Career Center’s staff will host “Resume .Blitz,” an opportunity for MSU students and alumni to have their resumes criticized in anticipation of the Spring Career Days happening next week. When: 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday in the Thompson Hall Annex. Ladies’ Social Circle recruitment What: The Ladies’ Social Circle will recruit new members at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Interested individuals can
pre-register online, or show up at any of the meeting times. When: 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday in McCool Hall, Room 203. State Debates What: The MSU Speech and Debate Council will host a debate between debaters recruited from the College Democrats, the College Republicans and the Young Americans for Liberty. Audience members will have the opportunity to submit questions to be asked at the debate. When: 6 p.m. on Wednesday in Bettersworth Auditorium in Lee Hall. PAWS Interest Session What: Members of MSU’s Peers Assisting With Students organization will host an interest meeting to answer students’ questions about their organization. When: 12 p.m. on Thurs-
day in the Colvard Student Union, Room 329. Grad Night at Two Brothers Smoked Meats What: The Graduate Student Association will host its weekly grad student night at Two Brothers Smocked Meats. All MSU staff and graduate students can attend. Students and staff should bring their MSU ID. Live music will begin at 10 p.m. with weekly food specials available. When: 6 p.m. on Thursday at Two Brothers Smoked Meats. Lip Sync Battle What: Mississippi State’s Center for Student Activities will host a lip sync competition as a part of the Dawgs after Dark event series. Any MSU student can attend and participate. When: 9 p.m. to 12 a.m. on Friday at the Dawg House in the Colvard Student Union.
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OPINION
We should not loosely label every tragedy as terrorism DAVID SIDES CONTRIBUTING WRITER
In response to an opinion article published on Monday, Nov. 20, I would like to offer a more rigorously defined version of what terrorism is. I do not refute the claims made in the previous article concerning who perpetrates the majority of mass shootings, but rather I would like to point out there is a clearer way to define terrorism. Notice I do not say terrorist, given the definition of a terrorist is simply “an advocate or practitioner of terrorism as a means of coercion.” Terrorism, as put forth by the State Department, is defined in Title 22 Chapter 38 U.S. Code § 2656f as “premeditated, politically motivated violence perpetrated against noncombatant targets by subnational groups or clandestine agents.” I will concede the definition of terrorism is not agreed upon internationally in governmental or political scientific spheres, and I will also state we must view this definition through a widened lens of the current sociopolitical climate. However, we can break this definition down into four important parts generally agreed upon: premeditated, politically-motivated, violent and against noncombatant targets. As stated in Jonathan Matusitz’s book Terrorism and Communication: A Critical Introduction, “premeditated” means the act of violence was planned beforehand, in order to ensure maximum harm. “Politically motivated,” or more generally referred to as “ideologically motivated,” shows the motive must be in pursuit of political, religious or ideological goals. Violence is a bit more difficult to define, but can be simplified to mean committing acts of harm against others. Finally, one must consider
the victims of the attack. According to the U.S. Code, they must be noncombatant targets, meaning they are not military or private personnel who are employed to engage in combat. I know you are thinking, “Why does it matter? Are people like Stephen Paddock and Devin Kelley really not domestic terrorists? Why does it matter if we label them as such?” The simplest reply to these questions is we label people as terrorists because they meet the definition of one who commits an act of terrorism. When the State Department labels a domestic or foreign entity as a terrorist individual or organization, it is because they meet these criteria. The problem with labeling mass shooters such as Stephen Paddock and Devin Kelley as terrorists is we are missing the motive angle. Yes, they committed what appear to be premeditated acts of violence against civilians, but why did they do it? Unfortunately, this question will most likely never be answered because both chose to take their own lives after their shootings. I must note, however, it is possible to label someone a terrorist post-mortem. In a situation such as the mass shooting in Las Vegas, it is the protocol for the FBI to analyze the perpetrator’s actions prior to the attack, such as what books they read or what websites they visited. This analysis can shed light on a previously unknown motive, which would allow the perpetrator to be correctly labeled as a terrorist. According to Michael Goodwin with the New York Times, while Former President Barack Obama was in office, he would frequently receive criticism from right-wing establishments for not quickly denouncing acts perpetrated by Islamic individuals as acts of terrorism. Instead, he would wait until the most important aspect of the crime, namely motive, came to light. These days, we see the
Jenn McFadden, The Reflector
same complaints towards President Donald Trump, except going the opposite way. People are quick to denounce Trump for not labeling mass shooters, like Stephen Paddock, “terrorists” the day the crime is committed, pointed out by Jason La Miere from Newsweek. Whether or not these two presidents have been consistent in their labeling of individuals as terrorists is not for me to determine, but it is important to point out it should not be acceptable for our elected officials to use this term loosely. Just in case we are still not clear on how this definition functions in practice, let us look at some examples. The main ones I will focus on are the Sept. 11, 2001 attack on the World Trade Centers in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington D.C. and the June 17, 2015 shooting at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina. We can quickly run through each characteristic for both attacks. Was the Sept. 11 attack premeditated? It most definitely was, as it took months, if not years of training for the attackers to learn how to fly their
respective planes, as well as to plan the attack. Was it ideologically motivated? It was clearly a political and religious statement by the extremist group al-Qaeda in denunciation of the U.S. Finally, was the violence committed against noncombatants? For the most part, yes, it was. Although the argument could be made otherwise concerning the attack on the Pentagon, the attacks on the World Trade Centers were obviously directed at civilians. Now let us look at our second example: Dylann Roof ’s 2015 attack on an African-American church in Charleston, South Carolina. Was his attack premeditated? According to statements by friends and family, Roof had been planning to commit an act of violence for some time. He originally chose the College of Charleston as his target, but later settled for the Episcopal Church due to less security. Was it ideologically motivated? We do not have to guess about this one because Roof told investigators he committed the shooting in order to start a race war. In addition, excerpts from his
website show his actions were inspired by his white nationalist views. Lastly, was his violence committed against noncombatants? Yes, Roof chose the church in particular because he knew there would be little to no security. He picked out a Bible study consisting of mostly older African-American individuals because he knew they would make for easy targets. If we can take this definition and run it by the information we have concerning an event, it should not be too hard to label an individual as a terrorist or not. There are always, of course, exceptions. Whereas events such as the 2017 Congressional baseball practice shooting and the 2012 assassination attempt of Gabrielle Giffords were clearly politically motivated, some motives are not clear or are absent entirely. In the case of the June 14, 2017 shooting at a UPS facility in San Francisco, California, perpetrator Jimmy Lam committed suicide before being apprehended by police. An 18-year veteran of UPS, Lam had no history of violence, nor did he have any serious grievances against the
company or his coworkers. Although he did file an overtime complaint in March 2017, this was described as “not unusual” by his Teamsters’ union. After murdering three and injuring five, Lam took his own life, leaving mourning families and political scientists without answers. This example is an issue at the forefront of the gun control debate, as well as the argument over the labeling of terrorists. On Oct. 1, 2017, Stephen Paddock of Mesquite, Nevada, fired into a crowd of 22,000 concertgoers from his hotel window at the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas. At 64 years old, Paddock’s hobbies included real-estate investment, online gambling and not much else. Although married and divorced twice, Paddock had no history of violence. Furthermore, Paddock’s brother, Eric, stated Paddock had no known political or religious affiliations. Ten minutes after beginning to fire at the unwitting people below, Paddock stopped shooting at 10:15 p.m.. When SWAT team members finally breached his suite at 11:25 p.m., Paddock was found dead on the floor from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, but without a suicide note or further explanation for his actions. When considering issues such as mass shootings, suicide bombings and other attacks on innocent victims, it is almost impossible to stay impartial and unbiased. If we agree on a definition of a term of who is considered to be a terrorist, it behooves all involved to critically consider the evidence before making a decision based on race, religion or political affiliation. As I have expounded upon, crimes such as these have a fairly narrow set of criteria to meet in order to be considered terrorism, and it is not a valid assessment to label someone a terrorist if they do not meet the criteria set forth by the State Department.
Part two: what is missed in the conversation about mass shootings
STEVEN WEIRICH
is a senior majoring in economics. Contact him at opinion@reflector.msstate.edu.
In my first article on this topic, I discussed the history of the suicide epidemic in Micronesia during the middle of the 20th century. I felt there were some lessons Americans could learn about our mass shooting problem by examining this epidemic. I want to go more into depth on explaining those connections in this second piece. As I said previously, the suicides rose during the 1960s through the 1980s in Micronesia, and they were heavily concentrated among males between the ages of 15-24. The suicides were also eerily similar in the way they were committed, because they were nearly all an augmented form of hanging. I also brought up how this case was used by Malcolm Gladwell in his book The Tipping Point. He focused on how events like these suicides
can influence social behavior regarding these “tipping points.” According to W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne in the Harvard Business Review, tipping points have their roots in epidemiology, but generally, they are known as any time the convictions and energies of people are engaged to the point where a new idea or practice will spread quickly. Basically, the suicide epidemic in Micronesia became so serious because a concentrated group of males discovered a new practice to deal with perceived societal slights. It seemed startling and confusing to outsiders to observe so many young men killing themselves over seemingly small offenses, much in the same way we puzzle over why America has experienced so many mass shootings in recent years. It is in this reflection on “tipping points” where I believe we can find the missing element to our conversations. Let us revisit why mass shootings are so appalling and absurd. We are talking about people, often men, who have made a conscious choice to slaughter large groups of people, many of whom they do not even know.
The most accurate example of this is probably the Las Vegas shooting committed by Stephen Paddock. According to a report from CBS, Paddock spent time scouring the Internet looking for the ideal crowded venue to carry out his shooting. It is clear Paddock not only made a conscious choice, but spent extensive time finding the right place to commit this act of violence. Yet it has proved nearly impossible for the FBI and the Las Vegas police to identify a specific reason for why he decided to murder those 58 people. It is in looking for the answer to this question where I offer this explanation: just as suicides became a commonplace occurrence among young men in Micronesia, so too have mass shootings become a form of perverse self-expression for some men in the U.S.. In essence, mass shootings have started to beget more mass shootings. For this small group of men, they have been given a type of go-ahead signal from the mass shooters before them. I feel this is important for us to understand because it cuts to the heart of the problem.
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There are tons of people in the U.S. who own firearms, and frankly, there are also a great many people who suffer from some sort of mental illness. However, the majority of the people in these two groups do not go around committing such atrocities. Thus, I think it is unfair for us to only focus on these two groups and make sweeping generalizations about how to put an end to mass shootings. This is not to say we should not pursue public policies to help address the problems which can arise in the market for gun sales.
In fact, this is not even an unpopular opinion among many in the U.S.. According to a Gallup poll from October 2017, 60 percent of participants said gun laws in the U.S. should be made stricter, while only five percent thought they should be less strict. The public support would also likely be there for reformations on how we respond to and treat mental illnesses. However, it is time for us to recognize in this epidemic we face, public policy changes may not be the cure-all so many of us have hoped for. We are
confronting a phenomenon which has rooted itself into the underbelly of our society, and it could prove to be far more difficult to eradicate than we would like. Like the suicides in Micronesia, we have crossed the “tipping point” where the practice of committing a mass shooting has become commonplace simply because it has been carried out so many times before. Ultimately, it is in grasping this phenomenon where we can make the most progress in our decisions on how to confront our mass shooting epidemic.
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LIFE & ENTERTAINMENT
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Dawgs after Dark continues with a Rave at the Perry MATTHEW LEE CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Mississippi State University’s Center for Student Activities sponsored a late-night rave at the Perry Cafeteria on Saturday. Students came to enjoy food, chill with friends, dance to amazing songs and have an exciting time. The “Rave at the Perry” is part of Dawgs after Dark, a series of programs the Division of Student Affairs is sponsoring this semester. There is a Dawgs after Dark event happening every weekend this semester, students can find the full schedule on OrgSync. Associate Director of Residence Life Dante Hill said, if the events are popular, students can expect them to last far into the future “There are plans to keep late night events going for each semester, depending on how well Rave at the Perry went,” Hill said. Hill said the events help the Center of Student Activities to accomplish a few different goals. “We chose to do this because we wanted to make more late-night events available to students, and it’s
Emma Moffett | The Reflector
Philip Vanderleest, also known as DJ GLOtron, was the DJ for the “Rave at the Perry” on Saturday. The event is part of the Division of Student Affairs new program series, “Dawgs after Dark.”
just good to have something for the students to do on the weekends,” Hill said. “These events are also an effective way to promote other activities, such as resident advisor applications that went
live recently.” Several students said they had nothing planned before learning about the event, and were glad there was something to do on campus.
One student who attended the event, Deja Lind, junior human development and family science major, said she is glad an event was scheduled for the weekend.
“It is a good event to come to when you don’t get to go home on the weekends,” Lind said. Lind said it is a fantastic way to hang with friends and meet new people and
she plans on going to other weekend events. Kenzie Bloom, the area coordinator for residence life, said having the event was a great opportunity for students. “It is a fantastic opportunity to have something available for students to do on a Saturday night,” Bloom said. Philip Vanderleest, also known as DJ GLOtron, has been a DJ for 9 years and is a MSU alumnus, holding a degree in aerospace engineering. Vanderleest said he was thought the events are offering students unique ways to have fun in Starkville and hopes all the events are a success. “Dawgs after Dark is a wonderful opportunity to get together, dance and see other people that students don’t normally get to see every day and it’s a terrific way to have fun,” Vanderleest said. The next event the Center for Student Activities will sponsor as part of Dawgs After Dark will be a lip sync competition. The event will be taking place at 9 p.m. Friday in the Dawg House on the first floor of the Colvard Student Union.
Review: ‘Runaways’ does not live up to its potential EMMA DRAY BRASWELL STAFF WRITER
“Runaways” is an interesting television show. Going into episode one, I had both high and low expectations simultaneously. It sounded like a great idea with a lot of potential. The thing is, “Runaways” is a Marvel show, and, when it comes down to it, Marvel movies are infinitely better than Marvel television shows. There were things I enjoyed about the show, but there were easily just as many things I thought could have gone better. I enjoyed the concept of the show: teenagers with different backgrounds all ending up being friends. While this is slightly cliché, I appreciate it being done superhero-style. With so many different types of characters, the show makes relating to a character so much easier. Overall, the Breakfast Clubstyle friend group was an interesting mix.
With the six teens in the show, I was surprised only five of them obtained powers. Alex Wilder, who was probably my favorite character in the show, was the only teen in the group who was not given any real superpowers. I thought this was odd and a little unfair. I mean, sure, he was smart, but brains are not a cool superpower. Real, ordinary people can be very smart. While some of the other powers displayed by the group were rather strange, their uniqueness was generally impressive. There is Molly, who has the classic super strength, but there is also Gert, whose quirky dinosaur-controlling ability matches her quirky personality. The pet dinosaur looked extremely fake. So, while the idea of Gert’s unique power was interesting, the execution was a bit questionable, not to mention the fact they hardly had a problem sneaking
JM, TR it around the city of Los Angeles. I am still not completely sold on Karolina’s power, because even at the end, I was not positive what all the character could do. She sparkled and glowed, and somehow this energy also gave her the ability to fly? Nico and Chase had the most interesting powers, because they managed to
maintain a unique quality, while also being done well. With Chase building the technology to use in fights and Nico having dark magic in her blood, the characters played off each other well and the combination was well-used in the show. The season had quality characters, but there were some things which could have been done better.
After watching the 10-episode first season, I really felt like not much had happened. I mean, the kids find out their parents are murdering people, and the parents do not figure out until the end that the kids even know anything. Nothing happens until just about the last episode, and even then there is not some epic fight.
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The ending is not the only anti-climactic part, it is the whole show. The audience is being built up for the final moment, for this huge smack-down between the kids and their parents, or maybe even the kids and the ultimate villain, and then… nothing. While this show was without a doubt a step up from most of Marvel’s television shows, it still was not amazing. I love Marvel’s movies, but there is obviously a noticeable difference in their films and their television shows. The show was decent overall, but it lacked strength in many aspects it should not have. I will probably end up watching the second season when it comes out, if I do not forget, but I certainly will not be hanging on the edge of my seat for it.
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THE REFLECTOR TUESDAY, JANUARY 23, 2018 @REFLECTORONLINE
JSCO brings big time talent to a small stage
crowd completely stilled and the lack of music bated their breath until the music started once more. In one moment, you could hear the raw music; then, just as the song trails
out, there were soundboard effects which made you think you are listening to a finely tuned recording instead of the live, exposed instruments. Attendee Noah Slack said he is glad Starkville businesses offer locals the opportunity to see such talented musicians on such an intimate level. “It’s awesome when local groups come that can be good representatives of the community reputation in Starkville which can be reflected by music,” Slack said. “They need to keep doing these local venues.” Indeed, the local listeners enjoyed the raspy lyrics from frontman Jake Slinkard, with his accompanying bandmates’ talented playing, and seem excited to follow this band as they grow and follow their aspirations. Seven songs from the night’s set are to appear on the group’s new album, which is in the works and scheduled to be released later this year. I am very, very impressed by the control and talent of the group, and am anxiously looking forward to following this band on a journey which can only go up from here.
Paddington takes hardened criminals and helps them embrace their loving side. Living by his Aunt Lucy’s words, Paddington believes, “if we are kind and polite, the world will be right.” This mantra shared multiple times in the film embodies an idea simple and often overlooked. This film is an inspiration to children and adults. It highlights the positive side of life and the importance of being kind and helpful for others because it is the right thing to do for the greater good of humanity. This theme rarely rears its head into major modern
films. Most films released are focused on self-gratification, fighting evil or winning in some way, shape or form. Few films remind the world life is about more than success and is, instead, about making the world better with each day we are given. The final engaging theme of the movie is about the nature of people. Paddington quotes Aunt Lucy once more saying, “If you look for the good in people, you’ll find it.” 2017 was a year of the cynics. Everything and everyone were looked upon with a negative lens. The reality is, people are multifaceted and even the people you despise have redeemable qualities. It may be hard to admit or adjust to this idea, but few people in this world are entirely evil and are unable to feel and express any form of empathy, compassion or kindness to others. Paddington lives his life looking for the good in people, and even when he may be disappointed, he is content knowing he did what was right by looking for the good. These qualities Paddington embraces are beyond admirable and inspirational. “Paddington Bear 2” was not just another cliché children’s film. Instead, this movie exceeded expectations and is a classic for generations to come.
LEAH WORLEY STAFF WRITER
Jake Slinkard and Company, or JSCO for short, took over the downstairs venue of NineTwentynine Coffee Bar in downtown Starkville on Friday evening. After hearing nothing but good things about the band, I had to see what all the fuss was about. Their warm-up was odd at first. The keyboardist Brendan Edwards was synthesizing and toying with the soundboard to create a more techno-vibe I had not expected from the band. As the rest of the group joined in playing a couple of warm-up tracks, the initial wariness faded as all instruments synced into the obviously well-rehearsed music. Almost as soon as they started, they disappeared from my view, as the crowd swelled into the room. I had heard a lot about the group, but honestly had not expected the buzz. In fleeting glances, I could see the expressive jammers eating up the attention, while a fog machine made them seem larger than just a local
Emma Dray Braswell | The Reflector
929 Coffee Bar hosted the local band Jake Slinkard and Company, or JSCO, Friday as a part of Music Makers Production as a part of their “Live from the Basement” performance series.
group. I could hear them subtly catering to the modern listeners with skill mimicking the slightly older American Rejects sound. At different moments
throughout the set, it felt like they had the charisma of The Lumineers. The Indie-Rock vibe appropriately matched the coffee shop scene, while still showing the listeners
the group is truly meant to play on bigger stages. The break in one of their songs was so well timed and so dramatic that once the music stopped, the standing and shuffling
Review: ‘Paddington 2’ defies expectations EMMA MOFFETT STAFF WRITER
“Paddington Bear 2” was as surprising and enjoyable as the recent snowfall in Starkville. I had not expected to genuinely enjoy the movie. Instead, I assumed I would spend most of my time making fun of the plot holes in the film. However, after 15 minutes, I found the movie drawing me in, as it was layered both with humor, and a deeper meaning everyone can relate to. One reason this film succeeded was because of the excellent blending of animation with reality. Typically, films with animation lack the cinematography and graphic depth many serious films capture. However, this movie offered a wide range of layouts and perspectives, both visually engaging and beautiful to look at. In many ways, this film provided the artsy style of a Wes Anderson film with the childlike elements of a Disney classic. The animation is finetuned, and an excellent example of how far graphics have come. Even a children’s movie is able to create a talking bear which blends in perfectly with the rest of the human cast. The complexity and variety of expression Paddington used, added to his “human’ nature” and
ability to connect with the audience. Overall, “Paddington Bear 2” was exceptionally filmed and visually engaging on all fronts. The film also left me amazed by the depth and quality of the story. Children’s movies, even when adorable, usually fail to capture my attention and engage my mind. These types of movies usually follow easily predictable and cliché plots which can be guessed from the very beginning of the story. While the very end of “Paddington Bear 2” had a cliché rescue scene, the rest of the movie was far from cliché. Ultimately, “Paddington Bear 2” encapsulated how life is a combination of tragedy, hilarity and emotion. The essential elements of this movie are present from the first scene of the film. In a “Mission Impossible” style rescue scene, Paddington is saved from danger by an older bear couple who resolve to raise him. The moment is sweet, adorable and completely improbable, which is the film in a nutshell. The character of Paddington Bear embodies everything wonderful and pure about human nature, despite the fact he is not human. This film picks up from the first film and follows his
JENN MCFADDEN, THE REFLECTOR
new life in London. His days are devoted to making the lives of those around him better in every way possible. He helps his neighbors and cares for everyone in such a genuine and selfless way to warm even the coldest of hearts, in both the audience and the film. A central plot point in the movie is Paddington trying to save money to buy a vintage pop-up book of London to send to his dear Aunt Lucy, one of the bears who raised him, for her 100th birthday. His primary flaw is his unfortunate habit of making a mess of things. Whether
accidentally shaving the back of a man’s head, or dying the entire prison’s uniforms pink, he makes mistakes regularly, but he is always willing and ready to do what he can to amend these problems. In a world of film where most of the focus is on the dark side of life, Paddington is a breath of fresh air and can be an inspiration to both children and adults. Everywhere Paddington goes, he makes the world a better place and changes the lives of those he encounters. His street in London cannot function without his daily help, and the prison he is sent to thrives with his presence.
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THE REFLECTOR TUESDAY, JANUARY 23, 2018 @SPORTSREFLECTOR
SPORTS
With Tennessee out of the way, MSU’s path through the SEC clears MELISSA WEITZEL is a senior majoring in political science and histoy. Contact her at sports@ reflector.msstate.edu.
The then ranked No. 3 Mississippi State University women’s basketball cemented their spot at the top of the SEC with a tough 71-52 win over the then ranked No. 6 University of Tennessee Lady Volunteers on Sunday afternoon in Knoxville, Tennessee. The loss for UT brings their record to 16-3 overall, and 4-2 SEC record after an 84-70 loss on Thursday to No. 5 Notre Dame (182, 6-1 ACC). With the loss to MSU, Tennessee’s stretch of four straight games against top 20 opponents ended with a 1-3 record. As for the Bulldogs, MSU extended their
winning streak and overall record on the season to 200, tying last year’s program record for best start in school history. It also makes head coach Vic Schaefer’s record as MSU’s coach 14451 and gives him a 73.8 winning percentage. This is the highest percentage by any head coach in MSU women’s basketball history. MSU’s victory now maintains firm control of their own destiny in the SEC, with a one-game lead on the University of Georgia (17-2, 5-1 SEC) and the No. 11 University of Missouri (17-2, 5-1 SEC), who are tied for second place. The Bulldogs are also one of only two teams in women’s basketball to remain undefeated on the season with the other being the No. 1 ranked University of Connecticut (18-0, 7-0 AAC). In the NCAA’s first Top 16 Committee Rankings, MSU is ranked second
Lindsay Pace| The Reflector
MSU players huddle up during their 76-45 victory over Ole Miss earlier in January.
behind UConn and would be the No. 2 overall seed in the tournament if the season ended today. However, while the NCAA ranked MSU No. 2, both the AP and Coach’s Poll placed State at No. 3 behind the University of Louisville (20-1, 6-1 ACC), who were defeated for the first
time this season Sunday night with a 50-49 game against No. 12 Florida State University (18-2, 6-1 ACC). Louisville’s loss led to MSU moving up in the rankings, on Sunday, to fall in line with the NCAA. Their now No. 2 ranking is the highest ever AP poll ranking in program history
With this in mind, many people are already looking forward to the national championship rematch in Starkville between the No. 10 University of South Carolina Gamecocks (16-3, 5-2 SEC) and MSU on Feb. 5. The game is already being promoted in Starkville, and with good reason. MSU has lost eleven straight games to the team and their head coach Dawn Staley, including three games last season. However, all three of the losses were on the road, so a packed Humphrey Coliseum can only be seen as a positive advantage for the Bulldogs. Though this rematch does not have the gravity of an SEC tournament title game or a national championship, it is an important game for pride and confidence moving forward. MSU’s 20-game winning streak came to an end last year against South Carolina, along with its SEC
tournament championship and national championship hopes later in the season. However, for the Bulldogs to maintain their top position headed into this game, MSU still must play three more times against top-tier SEC foes. Most notably, MSU must travel to face Mizzou on Feb. 1, who will be looking for an upset and the opportunity to match conference records. Missouri had impressive wins over South Carolina and No. 21 California earlier in the season. It is a tough one-two punch for the Bulldogs in early February, but so far, the ladies have shown themselves more than up to the task. Until then, MSU will face Florida on Jan. 25 and Ole Miss on Jan. 28. The game against Florida will take place at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Humphrey Coliseum in Starkville and SEC Network will broadcast it.
Men’s tennis improves to 3-0 over weekend HUNTER CLOUD STAFF WRITER
No. 14 Mississippi State University men’s tennis overcame adversity twice over the past weekend to improve to 3-0.
Sam MacDonald| The Crimson White
Abdul Ado hits a jump hook over an Alabama defender in MSUʼs 68-62 loss of Alabama.
Peter’s heroics, Bulldog’s 20-point rally falls short in Tuscaloosa TAYLOR RAYBURN SPORTS EDITOR
TUSCALOOSA, AL. — Mississippi State University trailed by 20 to the University of Alabama at one point in their men’s basketball game on Saturday night, but with 6:50 left in the game, MSU (14-5, 2-4) turned a blowout into a late-game thriller as they tied the game for the first time since the opening tip. The Bulldogs battled the Crimson Tide (13-6, 5-2 SEC) for the final six minutes of the game in a back and forth game that was tied multiple times. In the end it was not enough as the Bulldogs fell to Alabama by a score of 68-62. “I was really proud of our fight of our guys roaring back and gave us a chance in the last five minutes,” head coach Ben Howland said. “It is a tough loss considering how we fought back and gave ourselves a chance.” With freshman phenom Collin Sexton out for Alabama, MSU looked to be in a good spot to pick up a solid conference win. That was not the case early as MSU went into halftime down 4122. At halftime, Alabama shot 51.6 percent from the field and MSU shot 32 percent. Alabama out-rebounded MSU 20-17 and assisted 12 times compared to MSU’s two. The second half was a different story. In the second half, MSU shot 41.9 percent from the field, compared to Alabama’s 31 percent. MSU out-rebounded Alabama 21-20 in the second half. MSU made five threes in the second half compared to the two they made in the first half. “You have to play for 40
minutes,” Howland said. Lamar Peters, a sophomore guard from New Orleans, Louisiana, sparked the comeback for MSU. He scored three straight threes for MSU in the second half to bring them within single digits. He finished the night leading MSU in total points with 17 points. “Got a couple good looks and just tried to make a couple plays for the team,” Peters said. “I got hot at the right time. That is what we needed and it was able to bring us back and give us a chance to win this game.” Aric Holman stood out for MSU with a doubledouble, he scored 11 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Quinndary Weatherspoon also played well, scoring 11 points and grabbing nine rebounds. Braxton Key, who scored 19 points, a game-high, led Alabama along with center Daniel Giddens, who scored 13 points. Also a note, junior guard Xavian Stapleton sat out this game with a onegame suspension. Howland said it was for “behavior unbecoming of a Mississippi State basketball player.” Stapleton will rejoin the team Saturday and will not miss any more games for this incident. This was his second one-game suspension of the season as he sat out MSU”s loss to Florida for an arrest earlier in the season. MSU will be on the road once again on Tuesday in their primetime matchup with the No. 18 University of Kentucky (14-5, 4-3 SEC). The game is at Kentucky in Rupp Arena and ESPN will broadcast the game. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m.
BEHIND EACH OTHERʼS SUPPORT, MSU COMES BACK AGAINST USF
It was a warm Friday afternoon when the No. 14 Mississippi State University Bulldogs men’s tennis team (3-0) took on the University of South Florida. USF (0-2) started out fairly strong on court one during doubles play. Head coach Matt Roberts recalled the match. “I just think Nick and Foshey just didn’t execute enough to stay up in that match, they just missed to any first serves returns,” Roberts said. With the score tied at one, and the Bulldogs winning court two 6-2, but losing court one 6-3, it came down to Florian Broska and Giovanni Ordani to win court three. Broska, a freshman from Eitelborn, Germany, describes the tiebreaker as a thriller, and ended with a MSU win of 7-6. Down 1-0 in the match, the Bulldogs got off to a great start winning three singles pairings early on. Broska was one of the players who won both sets pretty decisively 6-2 and 6-0. The win was
Blake Williams| MSU Communications
Giovanni Oradini, a sophomore from Rovereto, Italy, won the match that clinched Mississippi Stateʼs win over the University of Miami (Fl).
huge for him and the team, as he was able to support his teammates. “I guess for everybody it was huge to see, and created the momentum,” Broska said. Coming down the stretch was a dead sprint for both teams, USF lead on courts two and three, but the victory by Foshey on six clinched the victory for the Bulldogs. The match today was a way for the team to improve and take pressure off of the doubles point. “Today was huge for them, because losing a doubles point, and then winning the match five to two is huge because it makes you feel less pressure when you play doubles,” Roberts said.
MSU OVERCOMES ADVERSITY AGAIN AGAINST MIAMI
MSU found themselves
in a position all too familiar when they split the first two doubles pairings against the University of Miami (FL) (12). On court one, the pair of Niclas Braun and Trevor Foshey struggled, losing six games to one. Just like Friday’s game against the University of South Florida, the team lost the doubles point in a hard-fought tiebreaker on court three. Head coach Matt Roberts said the team needed more confidence. “Obviously, we have got to get more confident in doubles, especially at one,” Roberts said. “We are just tight on big points. The guys have got to get looser, and just understand it’s just a point, and to not put too much pressure on yourself.” Despite the deficit, the Bulldogs won three singles matches to make it 3-1. Braun was one of
the players who won the singles match, and in just two sets. He described the importance of getting his win. “I think I helped the team out, I got the first or second set overall, so the team could get confidence,” Braun said. “I thought we worked very well together today.” In set three, Giovanni Ordani clinched the match for the Bulldogs as they won by a score of five to two, Roberts described the importance of Ordani winning the match after all the emotion he has gone through. “I would say that was the big moment of the day that we really enjoyed seeing,” Roberts said. MSU will play the University of Wisconsin at 9 a.m. Jan. 27 in Stillwater, Oklahoma, as part of the ITA kickoff weekend.
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THE REFLECTOR Tuesday, January 23, 2018
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