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FRIDAY NOVEMBER 8, 2019

135th YEAR ISSUE 19

THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1884

Bully’s Battle Buddies pairs veterans with canine companions MAGGIE ROBERTS

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The Mississippi State University Women’s Basketball Team won their exhibition game against Lubbock Christian University 78-57 Monday.

Mary Georgia Hamilton | The Reflector

This fall, Mississippi State University’s G. V. “Sonny” Montgomery Center for America’s Veterans created the Bully’s Battle Buddies program to provide veterans with a canine companion.

Doug Robinson, the program coordinator for the Center for America’s Veterans, described the process of creating the program.

“We wanted to create a program where canines could become kind of that companion after individuals served,” Robinson said. “So, what we did was partnered with various organizations such as the Golden Triangle Kennel Club, Oktibbeha County Animal Shelter and Petsense as a way to pair up a dog and a veteran student.

The dog is not trained in any background, it is literally a companion for the veteran and the veteran’s family.”

When Robinson came to MSU, Bully’s Battle Buddies was in the beginning stages, and Robinson helped further develop the program. Robinson said having a canine companion can be helpful for veterans experiencing PTSD. “I interviewed an army

Kat Beatty | The Reflector

Riley McCormick enjoys the Drill Field on Monday afternoon with his alert dog Rocky that he got through the Bullyʼs Battle Buddies program at Mississippi State University.

ranger, and the story he gave me was pretty telling, and he has Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and survivor’s guilt. He lost several soldiers with him and he dealt with a lot of depression, and his therapist recommended to actually get a canine. You could

really tell the emotion in his voice, so I took away from that this is actually a way we can help our fellow veteran students at Mississippi State University,” Robinson said.

Robinson said part of the program’s goal is to take some of the expenses out of owning a pet. CANINES, 2

New club aims to improve students’ pipetting, laboratory skills

KARIE PINNIX STAFF WRITER

Special Collections | Courtesy Photo

William E. Brougher, Mississippi A&M Class of 1910, was a brigadier general in WWII and is one of the soliders whose writings will be read Monday.

MSU Libraries to host reading of letters from WWI, WWII MS residents

CHRIS LOWE STAFF WRITER

This year on Veteran’s Day, Nov. 11, Mississippi State University Libraries will host an event celebrating our nation’s veterans who served during two of the biggest wars in world history, World Wars I and II. The event, titled “Through the Lines: Letters from Home and the Front, 19171945” will entail a reading of soldier correspondence during these historic time periods, according to the MSU website’s event page.

“Through the Lines” will take place from 3-5 p.m. in the Mitchell Memorial Library’s thirdfloor John Grisham Room.

Volunteers and current veterans from MSU’s G.V. “Sonny” Montgomery

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Center for America’s Veterans will read letters from the Earl Southworth Williford Collection and the Lt. Col. Rollins Armstrong Collection.

Jennifer McGillan, the coordinator of Manuscripts at Mitchell Memorial Library and the organizer of “Through the Lines,” outlined the event as personal in addition to historical.

“These letters, drawn from manuscript collections held in Special Collections in Mitchell Memorial Library, were selected and transcribed by myself and Manuscripts Librarian Carrie Mastley,” McGillan said. “These letters, many written by graduates of the University, highlight the commonality of the experiences across the generations, such as getting

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accustomed to the pace and structure of military life, and missing their homes, families, farms and Mama’s chocolate cake.”

McGillan added that important milestones like the armistice that officially ended World War I will be covered.

Celebrating Mississippi State University’s storied history with the military is, of course, not the only goal for “Through the Lines.”

McGillan emphasized the widespread appeal of the collection and encouraged those who might want to contribute to its expansion.

“The letters shared during the program represent a small fraction of the whole, and we hope to encourage both faculty and students to use the collections for teaching and research.

LETTERS, 2

New to Mississippi State University, the Pipetting Club will allow students to practice laboratory skills outside of the classroom.

The Pipetting Club is an emerging organization on the MSU campus that was started this semester.

Taylor Ladner, Pipetting Club secretary and a junior microbiology and biochemistry double major,

said the club’s goals are to help students learn a variety of laboratory skills for research and form connections with other peers looking to develop science and research skills.

Pipetting, put simply, is a method in which a slender graduated tube, a pipette, is used to measure and transfer small amounts of liquid from one container to another.

Katie Evans, president of the Pipetting Club and a junior microbiology

major, said the problem with using a pipette is that not many science majors get the experience of using one in a laboratory setting, especially one that is automatic. Also, using a pipette aseptically to avoid transferring bacteria from one area to another can be a challenge for a student to perform correctly.

“Using these particular kinds of pipettes like the automatic ones, people don’t learn how to do that.

PIPETTING, 2

Brianna Laverty | The Reflector

Taylor Ladner, Kyla Asher and Brooke Bain, members of the new Pipetting Club, practice laboratory techniques in the Herzer Food Science Building.

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LETTERS

CONTINUED FROM 1

The letters support letter from a man recovering of those who sacrificed so numerous lines of inquiry in a hospital who compared much for our nation. and would be of interest to the food there to his mother’s “I think this is a great way scholars in multiple disciplines. and wrote about how much to honor veterans. It’s good And, while the collections he missed good, Southern, to know that the heroes of contain letters from the present and past soldiers varying in rank are being honored from enlisted men to I think this is a great way to for their bravery officers, who were from and commitment many different parts of honor veterans. It’s good to know protecting U.S. Mississippi, who served citizens.” that the heroes of the present in a variety of branches “Through the of the service, there Lines” will be the and past are being honored for is still a great deal of first in a series their bravery and commitment room for growth,” of MSU events McGillan said. commemorating protecting U.S. citizens.

Carrie Mastley, veterans, followed by assistant professor of the Fourth Annual manuscripts at MSU Cameron Moffat Veteran’s 5K on Nov. who helped McGillan Senior physics major 12, a presentation select and transcribe hosted by Shackouls the letters said in a press Mississippi cooking. It really Honors College and the release that the content of shows what was in the G.V. “Sonny” Montgomery many of the letters deals with forefront of veterans’ minds Center for America’s Veterans the soldiers’ daily lives. while they were away.” on Nov. 13 and the annual “A lot of the soldiers didn’t Cameron Moffat, a senior Veterans Recognition game on talk about the action because physics major, said he is Nov. 16 when MSU will host letters were heavily censored,” grateful “Through the Lines” the University of Alabama in Mastley said. “There was one will recognize the contribution football.

“

”

Special Collections | Courtesy Photo

Special Collections | Courtesy Photo

This letter, dated New Years Day 1943, is from a Mississippi resident and is addressed from a prison camp in Karenko, Taiwan. It is a part of Mitchell Memorial Library’s Special Collections and will be read in the John Grisham Room on Monday in honor of Veterans’ Day.

William Neill Bogan Jr., Mississippi State College, Class of 1948, sits on a staircase next to Ann Hefti. Bogans’s letter describing his induction into the Army in1943 will be read on Veteran’s Day along with letters from other MSU graduates and Mississippi residents.

CANINES

CONTINUED FROM 1

“We try to take expense out of the equation. We want the veteran to get the canine initially without any expense, and that’s where these organizations come in and have partnered with us and are able to send a check to try to cover costs like bowls, food, shots or maybe a leash and a collar,” Robinson said.

Brian Locke, director of the Center for America’s Veterans, said the purpose of the program is to give veterans an opportunity to obtain the added companionship a pet would provide.

“I think the real goal is to find a companion for the

veterans in the community.

You hear stories of veterans who may be lonely or may need a companion or a little extra something, and a lot of times a pet can kind of fill that void for some of these people. That’s kind of the thought process behind this is that if there is a need for someone to have that then we can be able to help them,” Locke said.

Locke, who was in the military police when he was on active duty, recounted his first-hand experience with the bond that can develop between canines and their owners.

“I spent a lot of time

with military working dogs and even though this is not a military working dog program, you can still see the bond between a canine handler and their dog. It is the same thing here. You can see the bond between the person and their pet,” Locke said.

Locke said they hope to see Bully’s Battle Buddies grow and impact as many people as possible.

“If it helps one, great.

If it helps two, great. And if it helps 25, even better.

Every program or event that we do, there’s always an impact. I think that this is one of those programs that

as it matures and gets a little farther along you will get to see what kind of impact it truly makes on the veterans and families who are a part of it,” Locke said.

Riley McCormick, a Ph.D. student at MSU, was the first person to go through the BBB program and adopt a canine.

“There’s been local car break-ins around Starkville, and my car was one of them, and so I was kind of looking for a dog to alert me if something like that would happen. And then I saw the post pop up, and I was like, ‘What a great opportunity to get a companion animal

and something to alert me if someone was trying to break into my car or the house,’” McCormick said.

However, owning a pet comes responsibility, and McCormick said he has had to dedicate time to help his puppy become accustomed to living in a house.

“It’s been pretty crazy. I have three kids, working full time, plus doing the Ph.D. program. Having a puppy has been really crazy, but it has been really good. Just trying to teach him, and get him potty trained, but I really like having him around,” McCormick said.

McCormick is the first

to go through this program, but he will not be the last.

He gives some advice to others thinking about going through the same process he did.

“I would suggest to someone else as long as they have the room and capabilities to have an animal in their house,” McCormick said.

Any veteran at MSU interested in participating in the BBB program, they can contact the Center for America’s Veterans Program Coordinator, Doug Robinson, at 662-325-6720 or email drobinson@saffairs. msstate.edu.

PIPETTING

CONTINUED FROM 1

It’s not something you’re taught in a class, at least not in any lower-level science class here at State.

So, when people start getting research experience, a lot of times there’s this assumption that this is so basic, that you already know

how to do this,” Evans said.

Ladner claims that although the name of the club suggests that students will only be working on pipetting, there are many other techniques that students will develop in the club that are useful in a laboratory setting,

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such as using Gram staining to identify bacteria, using streaking media to isolate bacteria and making media for lab use.

Evans said the club will have meetings twice every month, with half of the meetings scheduled to be held at the Meat, Science and Muscle Biology Laboratory where students will be able to practice laboratory skills, and the other half scheduled to be held in a classroom setting where various speakers will present information on careers in laboratory research or different research-based graduate schools.

Ladner said the club will benefit many students

interested in applying for graduate school who may not learn the necessary lab skills in their undergraduate science classes.

“In a lot of the science fields, you need lab skills for graduate school, so if you don’t have any experience and you go to graduate school, you’re going to be learning how to do that while you’re trying to conduct the research.

But, we can help students learn how to use lab skills, how to use lab material and how to use proper methods, so that they don’t have to worry about that later … so it gives them a better chance of getting into graduate school,” Ladner said.

Ladner also said the club plans to go on field trips to professional schools and research laboratories for students to experience realworld research techniques in the science field and how the techniques are used by professionals.

To encourage participation, Ladner said the club will hold mock competitions at the end of every semester in the Meat, Science and Muscle Biology Laboratory as a fun way to allow students to compete against others using skills they have learned in the Pipetting Club. Some of the competitions test skills such as who is the fastest pipetter, who is the most accurate pipetter and who can perform the best Gram staining. Students will also compete to see who can create the best agar art, an art form where bacteria is used

to make designs on media plates.

Kyla Asher, treasurer of the Pipetting Club and junior microbiology major, said the club is inclusive to all majors but it targets those who are interested in research methods and want to hone in on their laboratory skills with other students interested in the same research techniques.

Overall, she hopes the club will encourage the community within the science field at MSU. “Our overall goal is to promote Mississippi State students in their ability to gain research and laboratory skills while also helping foster connections between students with an interest in scientific research,” Asher said. “We are looking for anybody that would like to join, no specific major, just anyone that wants to learn more about pipetting and research.”

GRADUATE STUDENT COMPETITION

Preliminary Rounds

Final Round Grand Champion Competition

November 14, 2019 Fowlkes Auditorium The Union Session one - 9:00 am - noon Session two - 1:00 pm - 3:30 pm

November 15, 2019 Fowlkes Auditorium The Union 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Awards will be presented to: MS/EdS and Doctoral categories for each of the following:

Winners will be provided cash prizes including:

· Arts and Humanities · Life and Biomedical Sciences and Engineering · Physics, Mathematics, Computations Sciences and Engineering · Social and Behavioral Sciences

· Grand Champion: $1,000 · Grand Champion Runner Up: $750 · People’s Choice Award: $750 · Each of the Eight Category Winners : $250

Sponsored by the Office of the Graduate School and the Office of Research and Economic Development For more details and registration information contact: http://www.grad.msstate.edu/ The Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) is an academic competition developed by The University of Queensland (UQ), Australia for research students.

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BULLETIN BOARD

To solve the Sudoku puzzle, each row, column and PuzzleJunction.com box must contain the numbers 1 to 9.

ctor 11/8/19 Crossword

SUDOKU

An In-Class Distraction

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OPINION

Do not let Christmas overshadow Thanksgiving celebrations

KATELYN WYATT

is a junior majoring in English. Contact her at opinion@reflector.msstate.edu.

‘Tis not the season to be jolly. Here we are in the early days of November, where the beautiful leaves are falling and the temperature is not hellish, yet we cannot sit and enjoy this time of year. Christmas has already invaded, and some people are already in the Christmas spirit. For shame. It is bad enough that Halloween barely gets a spooky season because of other holidays, but Christmas definitely overshadows Thanksgiving every year. The Christmas season should not start until December. We should at least take time to be grateful before we almost kill each other in greedy, Black Friday rampages, but even

Rosalind Hutton

that madness has spread to before Thanksgiving Thursday. Did the turkeys just die in vain since you all are skipping turkey day?

According to Britt Kennedy with Florida Today, “The push for earlyearly holiday shopping is not all on the retailers, though of course they’re

not dangling electrified elves in front of us for altruistic reasons. They’re monitoring what customers want, and reciprocating. That’s what they do.”

Many people are torn on this question of when stores should put out Christmas items. Personally, I believe stores should not put out

Christmas décor before Thanksgiving, even though they seem to begin this process before the Fourth of July sometimes. Luckily, at least some people agree with me. According to Daniel Arkin with NBC News, Target listened to people with opinions like mine in 2017.

Arkin writes, “The retail giant [Target], in response to feedback from customers, will ease up on Christmas signs and displays at the front entrances of their stores until after Thanksgiving.”

Hopefully, this will happen again because too many stores, such as Target, go way too overboard with pushing for Christmas. I understand we are nearing a profitable time for businesses, but pushing for early Christmas tree fire hazards is annoying. One interesting take on waiting to decorate for Christmas is the anticipation created for this holiday when we take our time to enjoy its festivities.

Travis M. Andrews and Katherine Owen with Southern Living Magazine write, “Because Christmas is the most perfect time of the year but it could not be so if we treat it as an any-dayin-October-or-November affair. So please, hold off a few more weeks. Christmas will be here in due time, but if we start now, we’ll be sick of the most joyous holiday

before its proper time has come.”

I believe it is possible to get burnt out on a holiday.

Some of you might think that you could never get tired of Christmas joy, but yes, you most definitely can. I know I sound like I sympathize with Scrooge or that I might even be the Grinch’s first cousin, but every holiday has its place on our calendar. I do not see Christmas printed on my calendar until December, and it should be that way for every holiday.

Before December, I refuse to participate in the early Christmas carols or putting up a tree before the turkey leftovers are gone. Of course, you all should also understand that I do not hate Christmas, and I do not want to steal joy from anyone this season. I am totally fine with being all “bah-humbug” beforehand, but whenever it is eventually December, you can bet your fruit cake I dust off my absurdly festive sweaters and reindeer socks and jam out to hymns while decorating cookies.

TikTok is the new Vine Appreciate your education and its benefits Rosalind Hutton

ROSALIND HUTTON

DYLAN BUFKIN

is a senior majoring in art. Contact her at opinion@reflector.msstate.edu

is a junior majoring in English. Contact him at opinion@reflector.msstate.edu.

Once upon a time, in the land of the iPhone 5 and during the year of the “Harlem Shake,” an app was created to end all apps. This app was called Vine, and it was used to bring happiness to people all over the world. Vine, though short-lived, is still impacting lives today. Not a single person between the ages of 19 and 24 can drive past a “Road Work Ahead” sign without saying, “I sure hope it does.”

These people will pass such little gems onto their children and grandchildren.

However, there are only so many Vine compilations you can watch before you eventually run out. Since the death of Vine, there has not been anything worthy to be deemed its replacement … until recently.

That is right. The infamous app, TikTok, is climbing the ranks to stand alongside, if not surpass, Vine.

In an Econsultancy article, Patricio Robles states, “It [TikTok] has now been downloaded more than 80 million times in the US, where it is currently the top free app in the Apple App Store.”

This means that in just two years, TikTok has surpassed Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook in downloads. That alone has to say something about the content on the app.

For those of us who remember when TikTok was first launched back in 2017, you may be loath to admit it could possibly contain anything Vineworthy. In its early days, TikTok was focused more on lip-syncing, cosplay and other viral dance videos.

Though these things are still pretty prevalent on the app, there has since been

When the going gets rough in school, it is tempting to wonder what the point of all our work is, and when the only answer is “maybe a good job in the future,” it is hard to not feel downtrodden and disillusioned.

However, education is worth much more than the number of digits on your paycheck, and understanding the more human benefits of an education, apart from vocational concerns, is a key part of truly appreciating our work in college.

Everyone in college should hopefully know a college degree, in part, justifies its price tag with a promise of larger future earnings. Studies have continually corroborated this, as well. According to Diane Whitmore Schanzenbach et al. with the Brookings Institute, those with a postsecondary degree earn almost twice as much as those with only a high school diploma.

However, it is not just the degree holder that this benefits. In a similar way to herd immunity, a larger amount of highly educated members of the workforce means wage increases across the board, regardless of degree or not.

By continuing to further our education, we provide for our future families and loved ones, bolstering the economy for those less fortunate than us in the process.

On a societal level, access to education improves the outcomes for a range of different factors.

As found by the Global Partnership for Education, educated parents mean more vaccinated children, and more female education leads to fewer child brides.

alternative genres of videos pop up amongst them. In the past, Vine was confined to only around six seconds, but with TikTok you can make videos that can last up to 60 seconds. This freedom allows for more comedic opportunity, and you can capture the perfect moment in fuller detail.

Not only is TikTok full of hilarious and cringeworthy videos, but it is also one of the few social platforms where no one really cares about image.

They are just there to have a good time.

Julia Alexander with The Verge wrote an article defending TikTok as such.

“It’s a rare social app that isn’t infested with hateful rhetoric; while it’s not a perfect place, hanging out on TikTok doesn’t make me unbelievably sad or angry,” Alexander said.

TikTok is just here to make you laugh. There is no need to have any preconceived notions about it, for everyone is just there to have fun.

Let us all put the past in the past. As sad as it is, Vine most likely will not be coming back. Let TikTok fill that void in your heart.

Forget that made-up taboo that supposedly comes with downloading TikTok. It will not make you weird or turn you into a lipsyncing junky, but it will give you some great laughs.

So, stop guiltily watching those TikTok compilations on the Instagram explore page and stop re-watching the same Vine compilations over and over. Let Vine live on through TikTok, but always remember: “Hurricane Katrina? More like Hurricane Tortilla.”

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Rosalind Hutton

Furthermore, a more educated populace means less likelihood of war and fewer deaths from disasters or pregnancy.

In our personal lives, an education gives us the tools to learn valuable social skills.

According to the Center for Society and Health at Virginia Commonwealth University, the process of education can teach students conscientiousness, perseverance, personal control and how to establish social networks. Of course, the mileage may vary, but for the most part, we can maintain relationships and better understand our place in society because of our schooling.

Therefore, education is not just about absorbing chemical formulas and the date of the Norman Conquest of England, but rather, we are absorbing how to deal with the stresses of modernity while also sustaining a social life, even if that sometimes seems impossible.

In light of this, let us

consider what an education truly is. Is it nice to be able to know things? Undoubtedly.

I enjoy knowing this very much, and I am sure you do, too. However, I, as an English major, will learn different things from you, presumably a mechanical engineer.

Yet, there are core classes we must take to prove to the university we are proficient in basic knowledge of a wide array of subjects. This is not solely because it makes college last longer and more expensive, but in fact, it is because the university, rightly so, deems an approximate knowledge of many things useful.

An engineering major of any kind needs to take English composition because it betters their writing and, hopefully, illuminates a least a small part of why literature is culturally and intellectually important. In the same way, I must take, and thankfully already have, several math classes before I graduate, even though calculators and

my experience with high school mathematics already exist. Math comprises a large portion of day to day life, so it is equally as important I learn college algebra as it is a freshman engineering student must read “A Tale of Two Cities.”

Education is about broadening our horizons and shaping us into intellectually active members of society but not simply for our benefit. Intellectually active members of society start a cycle of education which provides the same learning for future generations, and their contributions, which are predicated by their beginnings in high school and college, will advance our race to the next echelons of science, culture, theology, philosophy and technology.

We learn so we may provide for our families, our friends and ourselves, but ultimately, we learn so we may better understand the world around us, which is the first step to better understanding our place in it.

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LIFE & ENTERTAINMENT

5

Shoppers are finding bargains at these local stores

MARY MADELINE LAMASTUS

LIFE & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Thrift and resale shopping has skyrocketed in popularity in the last few years, leaving the industry’s mark evident from Macklemore’s “Thrift Shop” blaring through every adolescent’s speakers, to statistics released through the Association of Resale Professionals confirming resale “continues to be one of the fastest-growing segments of retail.”

Though Starkville does not have the large variety of options available in larger cities, the college town does have some options for thrifting and discount stores.

The benefits of thrift shopping include both the affordable prices and the charitable nature of the experience since the proceeds benefit non-profit organizations. For local thrift shopping, local consumers can browse through the Palmer Home Thrift Store, the local Salvation Army thrift store and the Starkville Habitat for Humanity Restore and Warehouse.

The Palmer Home Thrift Store benefits the Palmer Home for Children, which offers care for children who are in difficult life situations.

The local Salvation Army thrift store benefits the Salvation Army USA, which aids many different public needs, such as disaster relief, domestic abuse support, advocation for human rights and assistance for the unemployed. The Starkville Habitat for Humanity Restore and Warehouse helps community members overcome difficult residential situations.

There are also additional weekly sales at these affordable stores.

Salvation Army has a punch card; after costumers spend $5 or more 10 times in a row, they will receive $5 off of their next purchase.

Tuesday sales include 10% off for senior citizens. The middle of the week brings “half-price Wednesdays”

for all clothes, shoes and purses.

Thursdays are student discount days, where students can show their I.D. card and receive 20% off of their entire purchase.

The Palmer Home Thrift store offers 10% to senior citizens on Wednesdays.

According to Lasondra Page, the store’s assistant manager, there might even be a Black Friday sale this year. Page encourages everyone in the Starkville area to visit the store and take a look at their selection.

“Some people turn their nose up because we are a thrift store, but when you come in and actually look at the things we have here—oh my, there’s a lot of goodies,” Page said.

She also offered her advice to those who are looking for these “goodies.”

“If you see it, you need to get it, because when you look back, it will be gone,” Page said.

Page made a point to emphasize the core motivation of the store.

“Everyone needs to know that everything we do is 100% for the kids,” Page said.

Price-conscious shoppers who want to find unworn items can shop at discount stores. Among Starkville’s discount store options are Bargain Hunt and Dirt Cheap.

Starkville Dirt Cheap shoppers need to be willing to dig through massive piles of random items, as the store is highly disorganized compared to most discount stores. For those who are willing to shift through the store’ app, called Dirt Cheap Deal Finder, will find it to be especially helpful in pricing the items through its barcode scanner.

Sabrina Ray, a sales clerk at Dirt Cheap, offered advice to potential costumers.

“You have to hunt to find the good deals. You need to have patience,” Ray said.

Bargain Hunt is more organized and has higherquality products than Dirt

Cheap for only a slight increase in prices. Bargain Hunt is also conveniently located in the same shopping area as the Palmer Home Thrift Store, so shoppers can go between the two fairly easily.

Last, but certainly not least, Revolution Consignment gives Starkville shoppers the option of sifting through gently worn clothes that have already been checked for quality.

Consignment stores, unlike thrift stores, profits both the consignment store and the previous owner of the item.

Revolution Consignment boasts of receiving an average of approximately 100 or more items a day, according to John Baker, a sales associate at the shop. Items are both new trends and vintage classics, appealing to an array of customers.

Mackinzie Riley, a senior biological sciences major, is passionate about thrift shopping. So passionate, in fact, that the Mississippi State University student manages her own thrifting business on the side.

Riley has been running the Starkville-based thrifting business, called Refined Rewind Thrift, through Instagram for around nine months. During this time, the account has gained 1,779 followers, and Riley has posted about 60 items through the platform.

Riley works as an interim between the thrifter and the store. She does the hard work of the “treasure hunting” through the local thrift stores, finding quality products and reselling them on the account. She noted her biggest tip for those trying out this method of shopping.

“It’s hard to look for one certain thing. I have tried that before, but what you end up finding just really varies a lot, so I don’t necessarily look at brand names. That’s what I tried at first, but some of my favorite things aren’t brand names. You have to look at items objectively. Go in with

Mary Madeline LaMastus | The Reflector

Lasondra Page, assistant manager of Starkville’s Palmer Home Thrift Store, holds one of her favorite finds from the store’s sweater collection.

an open mind, because that’s really the fun part of it,” Riley said.

Around 60-70% of Riley’s personal closet is thrifted, and she frequents the Palmer Home Thrift store the most because they have the largest selection. Riley said she loves the unique t-shirt selection and pointed out some of her favorite “finds” have been the eclectic t-shirts from these stores. Riley loves the element of surprise in the process.

“I don’t look for anything in particular when I go. It just

kind of depends. That’s what I love about it—you never know what you’re going to find,” Riley said.

Additionally, the benefits of shopping second-hand go beyond one’s closet, as Riley noted.

“It’s a really sustainable way to shop. The main thing that’s best about thrifting is finding clothes you can wear and enjoy for a long time, and it’s good to find clothes that you aren’t going to have to just keep buying,” she said.

If shoppers can find no other reason to consider

thrifting, Riley added one last benefit of this unconventional shopping method.

“It’s also a great way to find unique items that are really specific and unique to who you are. It helps you find things that everyone else isn’t wearing,” Riley said.

Thrift and discount shopping is no straight-andnarrow path, but with enough searching and dedication, Starkville shoppers will likely find some fashionable gems hidden in Starkville’s smalltown selection.

‘Moonlight and Magnolias’ brings back old Hollywood BRANDON GRISHAM ONLINE EDITOR

Modern awareness of bias and bigotry are difficult to ignore when doing a period piece.

Starkville Community Theatre kept that focus in mind with their production of “Moonlight and Magnolias.”

Christopher Walrath directed this comedic interpretation that depicts the bizarre creation of one of the most successful films of all time.

The audience is thrown into late 1930s Hollywood, becoming a witness to the troubled production of “Gone with the Wind.”

This production does not shy away from historical attitude, bringing with it a sincere look at the beautiful features and disturbing faults of old Hollywood.

The set works beautifully, but the painted mural of the “Hollywoodland” sign is a sight to behold. It perfectly serves as a reminder to the audience that this is a period piece. It does not hold back from the rough dialogue from the era. There is nothing too intense, but it sets the tone quite well.

This tone ultimately creeps into the use of the lights, costume design and props.

The performance shifts between a synopsis of “Gone with the Wind” into a fullcritique of everything it represents.

This production is aware that not everyone is familiar with “Gone with the Wind,” and it uses that knowledge to amplify the impact of the performances. The cast

Bethany Crane | Courtesy Photo

Gabe Smith (as David O. Selznick) and Ben Christmas (as Ben Hecht) star in Starkville Community Theatre’s “Moonlight and Magnolias.”

Sean Dyess, Katherine Hardin and Gabe Smith.

These performers each embodied a staple of old Hollywood, bringing something unique to the character expectations.

The performances are sharp, powerful and often hysterical. It ultimately results in a fantastic performance which serves as a love letter to filmmaking. If you are looking for a great evening, take a trip to your local theatre and witness this masterful production.

The first act opens with a comedic segue involving a screenwriter that has not read “Gone with the Wind.” The first

the book?” serves as the perfect introduction to the dilemma of the story.

David O. Selznick, a legendary producer, has shut down film production due to a terrible screenplay.

Due to this choice, Selznick is forced to summon famed screenwriter Ben Hecht and director Victor Fleming to his office. He hires them both, locks the doors and on a diet of bananas and peanuts, the three men work to create a new screenplay in five days.

While Hecht mans the typewriter, Selznick and Fleming are forced to act out the book, turning a 1036-page novel into a three-hour film. What

that digs to the core of the character’s personal stakes.

When the second act begins, days have passed, and the conversation has changed.

Twenty-one chapters in, the subject of race relations and controversy take hold. It offers a serious look into the film’s message. The men are struggling to find a compromise between personal vision, values and motivation. As the production wades through these issues, the characters formulate their arguments.

It results in a splitting examination of writing, directing and production.

The theme resonates with the quandary of creative

intent, holding a lens over the compromises of production.

By the third act, the men are pushed to the brink of their sanity. Tense politics, the filmmaking business and the subject of power are offered to the audience.

When the last page is on the reel, the trio struggles to create a proper ending. The intensity of the stakes rose in the background, leaving a pressure demanding perfection.

Once the screenplay is finished, even the audience feels a sense of overwhelming relief.

It all culminates into a spectacular performance that showcases the skill of these actors.

Sean Dyess, the actor portraying the director Victor Fleming, shared how influential this bizarre story is to the production of “Gone with the Wind”.

“This is a fantastical telling that is based on a true story. I did some research, and from what I could discern, Fleming and Selznick were more mutual acquaintances than Selznick’s friendship with Hect. It’s neat to see what could’ve conceivably be their process as it pulls back the curtain on their story,” Dyess said.

Gabe Smith, who plays David O. Selznick, discussed how different this role is from his previous work.

“I’ve had lead roles before, but I’ve never had to be the engine that drives the show. It’s a challenge to avoid the same comedic beats and keep the audience following the story,” Smith

Smith went on to compliment the performances of his costars, Christmas and Dyess.

“I’ve worked with these two before, and it has not felt like work to perform with them. They’re able to keep up, and they lap me sometimes.”

“This

production does not shy away from historical attitude, bringing with it a sincere look at the beautiful features and disturbing faults of old Hollywood.”

Smith offered his stance that anyone is able to gain something from witnessing this production.

“I think people who have seen ‘Gone with the Wind’ or at least have the historical context will get a lot out of it. My hope is that between the three of us, the relationships and the energy we have, that it isn’t necessary. That you’ll come, you’ll get it, and you can see the bond and the energy in the way that we

66-Sports SPORTS

THE REFLECTOR FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2019 @SPORTSREFLECTOR

Marcus Murphy plays for son, mom HUNTER CLOUD SPORTS EDITOR

Before the ball left the quarterback’s hands and spiraled through the air, Mississippi State University’s Marcus Murphy knew exactly where the ball was going.

As the slot receiver for the University of Arkansas ran his route, Murphy said he and the cornerback were communicating about the play. He waited for the quarterback to throw the ball, and when the receiver turned to come back to the ball, Murphy broke for it.

Leaping in front of the receiver and making the catch, a thud could be heard on the TV broadcast as the ball hit Murphy’s hands.

Murphy ran down the right sideline to the 20yard line, then the 10-yard line before cutting back to his left towards the end zone, avoiding the Arkansas quarterback. Remarkably, not a single Razorback player touched him as he had a clear path to the end zone for a 32-yard

interception return.

“When I crossed, I looked up to the sky,” Murphy said. “I know my momma watching up there.

She guided me through that whole play. I made a great break on the ball.”

A native of West Point, Murphy is a sophomore safety, who made his first career start against Arkansas. He not only returned an interception for a touchdown but also made eight tackles in the game.

It has been close to a month since Murphy’s mom died. In his first career start, Murphy was able to make his first career interception return in a season he dedicated to his mom.

The game of football gives Murphy an escape from life. Football keeps him focused, and Murphy said it makes him more passionate.

“It makes me attack life differently,” Murphy said. “I know I don’t have a choice.

Everything I dedicate to my mom and my little boy.”

Not only is Murphy playing for his mom this football season, but he is

also playing for his son.

Born missing chromosome 7, Mason Murphy, Murphy’s son, needs a bone marrow transplant to correct an issue with his red blood cells.

Before the Arkansas game, head coach Joe Moorhead asked the players to write a letter explaining why they play football.

Murphy had his selected, and it was read to the team.

Moorhead said that Murphy is someone the team is going to fight for.

“What he has gone through as a 17-18-year-old kid, it breaks most grown men,” Moorhead said. “For him to not just be able to be here at Mississippi State, but flourish. He is doing great academically and taking care of his son. He has a very bright future at Mississippi State.”

The emotions flowed through Murphy as he wrote his letter for why he plays the game because of how much his mom supported him in his career.

“I was getting tearyeyed,” Murphy said. “My momma never missed a

game. Whether it was here or overseas, she knew she was gonna make here way there.”

Starting quarterback Tommy Stevens, a graduate transfer from Indianapolis, Indiana, said he was really happy for Murphy. Stevens also said while a lot of players knew Murphy’s story, to hear everything was very moving as most people do not have to go through what Murphy has gone through.

“The fact he is still here and the fact he is pushing through is incredible,” Stevens said. “For him to have a pick-six, it was really cool.”

When Murphy stepped out of the interview room to get on the team bus, he carried with him a weight of dedicating a season to his mom and son. However, he carried the memory of scoring that pick-six with him, too. As a father and as a son, Murphy said he knows he is playing for his family.

“I know that I’m making him proud,” Murphy said.

“I know I’m making her proud upstairs.”

Gracie Byrne|The Reflector

Women’s Basketball Team makes its return HUNTER CLOUD SPORTS EDITOR

It has been around nine months since Chloe Bibby was unable to leave the floor of Humphrey Coliseum as she suffered a season-ending knee injury against the University of South Carolina.

On her return to the basketball court Bibby, a junior from Warracknabeal, Australia, scored 11 points, shooting three for four

from three-point range.

“I’ve got some rust to knock off,” Bibby said.

“It’s been a while. I’m just enjoying the moment and trying to get better with each play and each practice and slowly, I’ll get there.”

The team has a lot of rust to knock off as the team was not impressive defensively against Lubbock Christian University, giving up 41 points in the first half of the game. Bibby said it is

an area the team will have to improve on.

“I think with our defense,” Bibby said.

“That’s something that’s really a focal point that Coach Schaefer has us always practice on. We need to get better at that because we don’t have 6’7” down there being able to save our butts every time.”

Bibby said One of the reasons MSU struggled in their exhibition game was due to their

inexperience. The team lost Teira Mccowan whose presence was key to the rebounding capabilities of the team. With young guards and forwards, seven of which are freshmen and sophomores, it will take time for the team to improve.

“It’s just baby steps with us. We are a really young team,” Bibby said.

“Eventually, we are going to keep getting better. I think we’re going to be

good down there though.”

One veteran whose return to the team was uncertain is Jordan Danberry. A graduate student from Conway, Arkansas, Danberry was able to get one more year of eligibility and said she was happy to get back on the court.

“It felt good to be out there again. Especially, thinking that last year was my last year and going through those different

emotions, I was honored to be out there again tonight.”

The Bulldogs are very much a work in progress heading into their season opener. Schaefer said the team will need to correct mistakes in practice.

“We have a lot of inexperience on the floor,” Schaefer said. “I’m still trying to figure out rotations.

I tried to play everybody and give everybody a chance and so we’ll settle it in practice now.”

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Aaron Cornia| MSU Athletics

Tyson Carter dribbles past an FIU defender. Carter had 23 points and seven rebounds in MSU’s 77-69 win against FIU on Tuesday night.

Men’s Basketball wins first game LYDIA PALMER STAFF WRITER

The Mississippi State University Men’s Basketball Team had their first home game Tuesday night against the Conference USA team, Florida International University.

To close the first half of the game, the Bulldogs were leading 40-30 after a hardfought back and forth half.

They fought another hard fight, more defensively, to finish out the game and earn a 77-69 win.

The Bulldogs seemed to come out with a slow start to the game. The first half was back and forth with the Panthers in the lead for the majority of the half. Iverson Molinar, a freshman from Panama City, Panama, scored the first Bulldog basket of the night. By the second timeout of the night, the Bulldogs were trailing the Panthers 1618.

MSU closed in on FIU after this timeout until eventually gaining the lead by a score of 26-25 with five minutes left in the half.

MSU held FIU with a strong defense for the remainder of the half to finish out on top. The Dawgs started getting out-rebounded by the

Panthers but came back to have the most at the end of the first half.

“When we calmed down the pace,” Molinar said.

“When we followed coach’s instructions, I think after that we got past it.”

MSU’s Tyson Carter, a senior guard from Starkville, was the highest scorer of the half with 15 points in the first half. He ended the half by scoring as the time ran as the Bulldogs went into the locker room up 40-30. Carter played 34 minutes of the game playing as a point guard and was filling in for Nick Weatherspoon, who is out for a few games.

“Tyson was very stable,” head coach Ben Howland said after the game. “We are asking Tyson [Carter] to do so much. Without Nick [Weatherspoon] out there, he is our one experienced guard.”

The second half, like the first, was back and forth. FIU outscored the bulldogs in the second half, but not enough to close in the 10 point gap they started within the half. FIU’s head coach Jeremy Ballard said his team came to win the game, not keep it close.

“We knew it was going to be an extremely difficult task, and it was,” Ballard said. “We didn’t come up short from a

lack off effort or from a lack of trying to execute what our game-plan was about.”

In the last minute of the game, both FIU and MSU scored two baskets, with MSU’s No. 3, DJ Stewart, finishing out the game for the Bulldogs as MSU beat the Panthers 77-69.

The second half seemed to have some MSU players waking up and others slowing down. Both Molinar and Reggie Perry, a sophomore forward from Thomasville, Georgia, scored the majority of their shots in the second half. There were more MSU turnovers in the second half than the first, which Howland said could have been due to players being tired.

The bulldogs face Sam Houston State University on Friday night, who Howland said is better than FIU, with the same small-ball game that FIU has. Looking to that game, Howland said he will be light on the guys in practice leading up to that game because so many key players were on the court for an enormous amount of minutes in this game.

“There is no easy breaks for us,” Howland said. “We are going to have to bounce back and really get ready to go.”

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