WELCOME BACK STUDENTS www.studentprintz.com
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Thursday, August 25, 2016 Volume 101 Issue 1
printz
4 8 11
Parking
Trouble parking Wednesday?
Celeb feud
Swift thwarted by Kimye’s video
Locker room
“We got some bells and whistles.”
Alumna Bowie boasts gold, silver, bronze JULIUS KIZZEE sports editor Tori Bowie, the former Southern Miss long jumper, went to her first Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro this summer, putting her stamp on the track and field events. On day eight of the Rio Summer Olympic Games, Bowie took place in the first final of her Olympic career in the 100-meter. In her 100-meter semifinal before, she placed first with a time of 10.90s and showcased dominance among her peers. But even after shaving her time down to 10.83s in the 100-meter final, she placed second after ducking her head and lunging out to the finish line. In her 200-meter race against the likes of Elaine Thompson of Jamaica, Dafne Schippers of Netherlands and Marie-Josee Ta Lou of Côte d’Ivoire on day 12 of the Olympics, Bowie had the odds stacked in her favor when the Associated Press projected that she would claim gold in the event. Although her time was only the 243 fastest of all time, Bowie was able to savor the last
James Lang| USA TODAY Sports
few meters with outstretched hands and claim her time of 22.15s and a bronze medal. Aside from the dramatics of Schippers’ near-collapse at the end of the race and Elaine Thompson’s jubilation, Bowie was just as her personality – quiet, unassuming and professional. Day 14 – Bowie’s last day on the Rio track as a participant – was a day that would showcase her teamwork on a 4x100 race including Allyson Felix, English Gardner, Tianna Bartoletta and Bowie herself. On an exchange during a preliminary race, Felix and Gardner dropped a baton during an exchange. The time was made up after a U.S. protest, and the U.S. afterward ran a 41.76s, which was the second fastest time worldwide this year. After that small debacle, the U.S. cruised to a 41.01s finish, the second fastest of all time. In her races, Bowie was not always the first one out of the blocks. She was not always the first one down to the halfway point. It was the last-second, outstretched effort that propelled her past the competition on the track.
Tori Bowie flies across the finish line in the women’s 4x100m relay final in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro on Aug. 19. James Lang-USA TODAY Sports
Thursday, August 25, 2016 | Page 2
Meet the Staff Fall 2016
INTRODUCTION
A welcoming word from Dr. Bennett
Cam Bonelli
Executive Editor
catherine.bonelli@usm.edu
Jack Hammett
Managing Editor
Nan Beauti
Copy/Feature Editor
Garrett Minta News Editor
Hiba Tahir
Entertainment Editor
Julius Kizzee Sports Editor
Hunt Mercier Photo Editor
Courtesy Photo |
Jhaimee Bullock Design Editor
Sarah Anne Schloemer Web Master
Hannah Heneghan Designer
Amber Cobbins Designer
Chuck Cook Advisor
chuck.cook@usm.edu
Advertising e-mail printzad@usm.edu
The Student Printz
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I am delighted to welcome each of you as we begin another great year at The University of Southern Mississippi. Whether you are a new or returning student, I am excited that you have chosen to be a Golden Eagle, and I look forward to the contributions you will make as you write your own Southern Miss story. I challenge you to continue on your journey here with two things in mind – where you are going and how you are going to get there. As you navigate your path toward graduation, each choice you make will shape future opportunities. I encourage you to approach your academic, personal, and professional endeavors with your education and career goals in mind and to remember the power of investing in people. Throughout your journey, consider ways to build productive working relationships and maintain connections with classmates, professors, and supervisors. You have been given an invaluable gift that not all people receive – the ability and means to seek higher education. As a result, I challenge you to maximize your time here – to work hard, to play hard, and to finish strong – so that when you graduate, you can go out into the world and use your education and experience to make our communities better because you were here. I challenge you to focus on completing your degree in four years and to keep an eye toward the future – think about what you want to do with your life and what you will need to accomplish here in order to move toward that end goal. The University of Southern Mississippi has much to offer each of you. We have more than 140 undergraduate degree options and more than 200 graduate degree programs. Our students – including each of you – can engage in undergraduate and graduate research that results in real-world solutions to current problems. We have more than 280 student organizations and host an average of 500 events each month. These are only a few examples of what is available to you here. But I want you to remember something important: you also have much to offer this University. USM is built on the caliber of its people, and you are part of the Golden Eagle family. I challenge you to step out of your comfort zone, become engaged in University activities, share your voice with others, and embrace your contributions to our University. You have the power to shape our future, and The University of Southern Mississippi needs for you to do that. I look forward to hearing about your success as you explore your potential and make your unique journey To The Top!
EDITORIAL POLICY
OPINIONS
The views represented in The Student Printz’s columns and editorials do not necessarily represent those of the faculty, staff or administration of The University of Southern Mississippi. We welcome letters to the editor representing similar and contrasting opinions. To be eligible for publication, all submissions must include name, class distinction, major, phone number and email address. Submissions should be emailed to printzeditors@gmail.com by 5 p.m. on the Friday before publication. Please limit them to 500 words or less. The Student Printz reserves the right to refuse publication or edit any material on the basis of clarity, space or journalistic ethics.
Opinions expressed in The Student Printz are those of the writer and not necessarily those of The Student Printz, its publication manager, USM, the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning or the USM Board of Student Publications.
NEWS
Thursday, August 25, 2016 | Page 3
Parking management: “It’s not our property anymore” TICHINA WILSON
printz reporter
On the first day of the fall 2016 semester, students trying to park on campus found a shortage of open spots. Those who usually parked in the gravel lot located across from the Jr. Food Mart convenience store on Hardy Street found out today that the lot is no longer available for university use. University of Southern Mississippi Parking Management Communication Officer Crystal Bunch said the lot belongs to the City of Hattiesburg. “It is not our property anymore and
has not been for over a year,” Bunch said. “It is the property of the city. Last year [the city] didn’t have it blocked off.” Some students voiced concerns about having to arrive on campus an hour earlier to find a parking spot – unsuccessfully. Ajanae Tolliver, a senior psychology major, said campus is congested. “It doesn’t make sense to close down potential parking areas when we are in need,” Tolliver said. “People have to get to class. How do you get to class when you can’t park on campus?” Parking Management said it is aware
USM engineers new program set for next year GARRETT MINTA news editor In 2017, The University of Southern Mississippi’s School of Computing will offer a computer engineering program that will focus on multiple facets of computer technology such as Internet of things and prototyping. Internet of things is a way of connecting different devices. According to Director of the School of Computing Andrew Sung, the Internet of things connects devices to other devices, such as the effect of a smart grid. Sung said some practical applications are smart cars that show drivers where accidents are and offer different ways to reroute drivers. The other main focus is prototyping. According to usability.gov, which is managed by the Department of Human Health Services, prototyping is “a draft version of a product that allows you to explore your ideas and show the intention behind a feature or the overall design concept to users before investing time and money into development.” Prototypes are used to show whether or not a designed product will have functionality. Students participating in the program aim to design and build these products quickly. Computer engineers, according to the University of Houston’s website, predominantly build PCs, workstations and supercomputers, but they may also work with smartphones, appliances, planes and cars. According to Indeed.com, a job-seeking website, jobs available to those getting engineering degrees are chiefly software engineers for various companies. Other job-seeking tools such as Learn How to Become and
Career Builder also show hardware engineering employment positions as a possibility for computer engineering majors. The university is set to hire two new faculty members for the program. Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Inc. (ABET) will accredit the engineering program. According to Senior Director in Global Communications and Marketing Danielle Baron, the benefits of accreditation are numerous. “Graduates from an ABET-accredited program have a solid educational foundation and are capable of leading the way in innovation, emerging technologies and in anticipating the welfare and safety needs of the public,” Baron said. “It also opens many doors and widens careers prospects and opportunities, as many large companies prefer or require that their new hires have graduated from an ABETaccredited program.” Baron said that more companies prefer to have ABET-accredited program graduates. “It also opens many doors and widens career prospects and opportunities, as many large companies prefer or require that their new hires have graduated from an ABETaccredited program.” ABET’s accreditation process takes about 18 months and involves setting up interviews with students and faculty, displaying models and prototypes of what will be taught and reviewing the results of available materials before passing a verdict. The program is set to be offered in 2017. Visit the USM School of Computing’s website for more information.
of the current parking inconvenience to the students. However, it claims the existing parking spaces offer enough spots for everyone. According to USM’s Parking Management website, parking permits for students, faculty and staff are $162. Penalties for parking in the wrong zone, parking in a handicapped space or parking a non-registered vehicle on campus can accumulate fines up to $200 per offense. Senior anthropology major Mark Kudron said he was foregoing parking this semester and biking to campus as an alternative. “I made sure that I’m biking this semester because last semester, for me, it wasn’t necessarily the most horrible thing ever,” Kudron said. “But I feel like [for] students that are paying for parking – the options should be better.” On Aug. 17, Parking Management sent a mass email to students regarding parking on campus and virtual permits. “The University has implemented a
license plate recognition (LPR) system and has switched to a virtual permit parking system on all Universitycontrolled properties,” Parking Management wrote. “Physical permits will no longer be issued. Students are allowed to have two vehicles assigned to their virtual permit; however, both vehicles are not allowed to park on campus simultaneously.” Senior anthropology major Eve Carter said last semester parking during the spring semester “super sucked.” “I always ended up far away [from my class],” Carter said. “This new system with the tags [makes] me kind of nervous.” Parking Management wrote that anyone who registers a vehicle after Sept. 9 will be charged an additional $5, and students will now receive e-citations, electronic citations via email, for parking violations. “Students should park in their designated zones: Commuter, Resident, Village, Fraternity and Open Zones,”
Cam Bonelli| Printz The gravel parking lot across from campus on Hardy Sreet sits unocupied. Parking Management wrote. “The inconsistency of parking made me get a bike,” Kudron said. “With parking, you never know what the situation is going to be. It’s not so bad in the fall or spring. It is [steadily] going up.” Carter said she ended up parking at the baseball lot. “There [are] always parking [spots] there,” she said. To contact USM Parking Management for more information about student parking, citations or permits, call 601266-4943.
FEATURE
Thursday, August 25, 2016 | Page 4
Black Olympians balance race, triumph
Erich Schlegel | USA TODAY Sports
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Gabby Douglas made history in the 2012 London Olympics as the first African-American woman to become the individual allaround champion in gymnastics. Americans, black and white, thought there would never be another Gabby Douglas, and they were right. In the 2016 Summer Olympics, Douglas was not the only AfricanAmerican woman or AfricanAmerican female gymnast to win the gold. This summer, female African-American Olympians Simone Biles, Simone Manuel and The University of Southern Mississippi’s own Tori Bowie garnered positive attention from Americans and the media with their athleticism. After NBC Olympic commentators compared Biles to male Olympic athletes,19-yearold first-time Olympian Biles, individual all-around vault and floor gold medalist, said, “I’m not the next Usain Bolt or Michael Phelps. I’m the first Simone Biles.” The media has compared Biles to her teammate Douglas, but Biles does not shy away from showing her love for Douglas. In an interview with The Root, Biles said she and Douglas were like sisters.
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Robert Deutsch | USA TODAY Sports
Douglas showed the same appreciation for Biles, saying she was glad to see more AfricanAmericans performing gymnastics – a predominately white sport, according to The New Yorker. “I think it’s amazing, because a lot of little girls don’t think they can do it, but if they see me and Simone, it gives them that little bit of hope that I think we had when we were younger,” Douglas said. Twenty-year-old Olympic swimmer Simone Manuel inspired the masses by becoming the first African-American woman to win an individual gold medal in swimming. In past years, pools were segregated. The YMCA’s National Safety Around Water program Spokesperson Janet Wright said African-Americans were not allowed to swim in the ’40s or ’50s. “If your grandparents didn’t know how to swim, then they didn’t teach your parents, and if your parents didn’t swim, then you might not be a swimmer,” Wright said. In her post-race remarks, Manuel said winning meant a lot to her and that she hopes to be an inspiration to others. “This medal is not just for me,” Manuel said. “It’s for some of the African-Americans who have come before me and been an inspiration. I hope I can be an
inspiration to others, so this medal is for those who come behind me and get into the sport and hopefully find the love and drive to get to this point.” USM’s own track and field athlete Tori Bowie made the Golden Eagles proud when she claimed a gold medal in the 4x100 meter relay, silver in the 100-meter dash and bronze in the 200-meter dash. Beginning her athletic career as a successful NCAA All American long jumper, she recently became a sprinter in 2014, inspired by other female runners. “I got kind of motivated from watching these ladies,” Bowie said. Four years later, Bowie is celebrated all around Mississippi, specifically at Southern Miss. USM President Rodney Bennett boasted her success during Golden Eagle Welcome Week, telling incoming freshman, “You can be the next Olympian. We’re not black bears nor are we bulldogs; they stay on the ground. We are Golden Eagles, and we soar.” The Rio Olympics have proven to be inspirational for all races. Simone Biles, Simone Manuel and Tori Bowie made history and dominated in their respective events, proving that representation, especially in predominantly white competitions, matters.
FEATURE Hattiesburg offers unique amenities for everyone Thursday, August 25, 2016 | Page 5
NAN BEAUTI copy/feature editor To Hattiesburg locals, it is evident that high schools and universities are back in action. Morning traffic is heavy, businesses are booming and new faces are appearing around town. Black and gold can be seen at almost every corner of the Hub City – home of the Golden Eagles. As they settle in, newcomers and returners to Hattiesburg will likely look for recreations to keep them busy. With its subtropical climate, Hattiesburg has many outdoor activities to offer such as biking or jogging on the 39-mile Longleaf Trace. The Hattiesburg Zoo and Paul B. Johnson State Park are among the local spots for outdoor ventures. Nightlife in Hattiesburg is also lively. Places like Roper’s, Brewsky’s, Club Memories, Benny’s Boom Boom Room, The Thirsty Hippo, Shenanigan’s Bar and Grill, Marlins Bar and Grill and La Fiesta Brava offer food, drink and opportunities to socialize. Hattiesburg gained its status as the Hub City for multiple reasons – one among them is that it is generously peppered with restaurants, businesses and neighborhoods that provide people young and old with pleasure, leisure and entertainment. As of now,
the Pine Belt is experiencing a surge in new restaurants and renovations meant to suit locals and attract visitors. Freshman kinesiology major Payton Conner’s favorite restaurant in town is Newk’s Eatery, which boasts a fastcasual dining experience featuring low-cost salads, sandwiches and pizzas. “A good place to eat would be Mugshots, a nice sports bar with good food and sports,” said freshman forensic science major John Valadie. “Buffalo Wild Wings is also a good place to eat and relax, especially with the renovations. I’ve been hearing about Ed’s Burger Joint.” Chain restaurants are not students’ only options. The Hub City is home to a diverse pastiche of ethnic restaurants such as Mexican, Middle Eastern, Thai, Chinese, Japanese and more. Hattiesburg additionally offers games and entertainment not typically associated with a small town. Lazer Mania, Hub Bowling Lanes, Extreme Skate Zone and Updown Trampoline Park, which is set to open this month, can be labeled as such. For the social scene and students’ favorite picks, the Keg & Barrel tops the list. The restaurant features a New Orleans chef, live music, hundreds of different craft beers and now an
Olivia Cagle | Printz Brittany Baker sits with Hunter Joplin at a T-Bones cafe table.
added back patio with string lights stretched above. Compadre’s Taqueria & Mexican grill is an authentic Mexican restaurant on Hardy Street that recently went through renovations to improve its interior. Its signature tacos and fried ice cream offer students in the area a filling dinner or a quick snack. Hattiesburg has no shortage of food, entertainment or drink. It is no wonder Livability rated Hattiesburg one of the top 10 best college towns.
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Olivia Cagle | Printz Students gather for the back to school luau at Marlin’s Bar and Grill.
Page 6 | Thursday, September 3, 2016
FEATURE
GCRL casts net for curious students JACK HAMMETT managing editor
Courtesy Photo | USM Website
Before he passed away, my father often woke in the pre-dawn hours to prepare for a journey in his aluminum fishing boat. He rattled his tackle box in the living room, soon leaving behind the musk of dark coffee. He always returned with too many fish, some we would never eat. Such early mornings were the crux of Frank Hernandez’s marine ichthyology class, who piled onto the Jim Franks,
the newest vessel The University of Southern Mississippi christened in 2016, and similar vessels for day-long stints on the Gulf Coast waters this past July. Teaching assistant and 20-year Armed Forces veteran Jeremy Johnson cast out the otter trawl soon after R/V Jim Franks departed from the Farley State Marina under the 8 a.m. sun on July 27. He and his students reeled in the net and on a sorting table spread their findings – a slick pile of pogie and shrimp to be used as bait. Somewhere close by, a dolphin fin crowned from the waves.
Weaver said the class emphasizes the idea of interconnectivity in the ocean and in its communities. “The research we do here has a much greater impact on the larger society,” he said. “A lot of what we do in the fisheries side of the house is the conservation of species, making sure that the fisheries live on for successive generations. We want to make sure– from an ecological standpoint – that we’re being as conservative as we can with what we catch and what we keep.” Not long into the morning, students began reeling in sharks with rods and reels. Weaver held up the specimens, asked students to identify them and pointed to parts of their anatomy, later unhooking the creatures and releasing them. Their shadows wriggled away, fading blue and quickly disappearing. Weaver said maintaining the local populations of certain species of fish is a kind of balancing act. “We want to keep the populations high,” he said. “Red snappers are a really contentious thing out here. [Their] season is strictly, strictly limited, and it’s kept on a very tight leash. A lot of the data we’ll collect from this, we’ll use for successive classes to give them an idea of where the populations are, what we’re catching in what areas and how we can optimize that for classes in the future.” These ventures into the Gulf additionally serve practical purposes. Hernandez said the skills and experiences gathered during the course are “critical for any student interested in disciplines such as marine biology, marine ecology or fisheries biology and will serve students well as they apply for graduate schools or jobs related to these fields.” “During the course, the students collect fishes in a variety of habitats, e.g. coastal reefs, salt marshes, seagrass beds, estuaries, tidal ponds and barrier island beaches,” he said. “[Students] learn how to deploy a wide range of sampling gear and how to estimate fish abundance by quantifying the catch data using standard fisheries methods.” Hernandez said the trips also serve to teach students about the factors that affect fish habitats and populations, as well as to identify specimens through dichotomous keys, external morphology and internal structure. Academic Programs Coordinator Darcie Graham said the GCRL Summer Field Program exposes students to lab and field work. “The field-based courses are essentially lab classes on steroids,” she said. “The program is also a cultural experience, as it attracts students from all over the country who are interested in gaining field experience at the GCRL.” Several hours and multiple shark catches later found us motoring back to shore, awash in the day’s salt and sunlight. Some students slept in the shade of the upper deck. There was a feeling of accomplishment in seeing the earth’s other side and, for a day, peering into its most intricate natural cycles. The Gulf Coast waters wait as all waters do. They wait just as they awaited my father in his many trips adrift. The sea, and perhaps even our cultures, will outlive us all, never to be harmed beyond self-repair.
FEATURE
Thursday, August 25, 2016 | Page 7
Move-in checklist: Back-to-school essentials NAN BEAUTI copy/feature editor The new semester is in full force, and moving in may still be in effect for some students. As roommates agree on who brings the couch and who brings the television, the essentials for living space in college are not to be forgotten. As most dorm rooms and apartments come furnished, it is convenient for students to make a list of the remaining items to bring. Most people look for college living essentials that are compact, economical and durable. Many contemplate what they should bring and sometimes bring more than necessary. Necessary
supplies, however, include bedding basics, towels, a backpack, a laptop and a cell phone and chargers, according to The Daily Meal. The site also emphasizes desk supplies are important for a busy college student, freshman to senior. Scissors, a stapler, paper clips, tape, file hangers and a calculator are commonly used items. The Kansas City Star tips students and parents on dorm room essentials to save space in the trunk for affordable items like storage bins, a one-cup coffee maker for 8 a.m. runs to class and a desk lamp for late night study sessions. Some students make a list of what to bring while others rely on the last minute “throw in the bag” technique. Senior criminal justice major
Raylin Parrish, who lives in Hillcrest Hall, said her major essentials include food, a shower caddy, flip flops and toiletries. “I wait until the last minute and just throw everything into a suitcase,” she said. As a senior, Parrish has accumulated the things she needs for living away from home throughout the years and no longer shops for dorm essentials, however she still looks for helpful bargains. “My essentials for my apartment are definitely a lamp to cut down on electricity, product bins, a shoe organizer and extra sheets,” said senior forensics major Kaylin Jones, who lives in Eagle Flatts student apartments. Jones keeps school supply
shopping simple by buying only notebooks and pencils when she moves in. She said she primarily shops for college living essentials at Ross, Dirt Cheap and Target. Junior polymer science major Julian Richardson sees a difference between the important and the not-so-important. He suggested that clothes, shoes, toiletries, bedding, water, trashcan, shower curtain, posters and a laundry hamper are musts for living in the dorms. “Don’t bring a TV, mattress or anything you don’t use a lot,” he said. “In the dorms, there are televisions in the lounges.” Other stores include Kohl’s and Walmart. These retail giants provide inexpensive alternatives that best meet the needs of
students. For electronics, college students can receive discounts at Best Buy. Additionally, Kirkland’s offers many home and room décor for the decorative student. Students who have forgotten essentials can always shop online for their items or visit a local store that features arrays of college living essentials. DormCo is an online retail business for college dorm essentials where students can shop for anything college. Dormsmart.com is a similar website that features dorm bedding and accessories for the room. Preparing the perfect room for the school year will help students stay on track in convenience and comfortability.
USM students not immune to ‘lures’ of Pokémon Go HIBA TAHIR entertainment editor With a global platform and interactive map, students of The University of Southern Mississippi can participate on campus in a global phenomenon. On July 6, The Pokémon Company published Pokémon Go for iPhone and Android. The app integrates augmented reality that simulates a real-world experience of catching Pokémon and has reached massive popularity. According to app analytics company Sensor Tower’s predictive model of the App Store and Google Play, users have downloaded the game more than 7.5 million times. In the U.S. alone, the app has accumulated more than $1.6 million per day, although that estimate reflects iOS earnings only. Students at USM are not immune to the app’s popularity. Junior international studies major Charles Brown makes time to play in spite of his full-time work and class schedule. “There were tons of local players during the summer, so I imagine there will be probably at least double that number [when classes start],” Brown said. “It gets pretty monotonous once you’ve caught most of the available Pokémon. Taking over gyms can get boring too. But finding or hatching that one rare Pokémon that’s been eluding you makes it all worth it. There’s no telling how many more [players will join] when the second generation of Pokémon are released.” Junior psychology major Abby Hill said she is not a huge fan of the app, but she enjoys playing the game on campus alongside her boyfriend. “I’ve never been into Pokémon – even as a child – but my boyfriend was the biggest fan,” she said. “I went with him to try out the app when it first came out. We rode our bikes to literally every spot on campus that
had something.” Brown and Hill said they found the heaviest traffic by the fountain at the center of campus, where they encountered several other players. “Everyone was friendly,” Hill said. “We didn’t make any friends, per se, just the expected yell across the courtyard to ask if a ‘so and so’ is over there.” “There are three intersecting Pokéstops [at the fountain], so players just sit there and rake in [rewards],” Brown said. “We just talk a bit – compare what we’ve caught, what level and team we are. Now everytime I see one of them, there’s always a small bit of acknowledgment or small bit of catching up and talking about the game.” The Pokémon Company is set to release Pokémon Go Plus, a wearable wrist device that alerts players of nearby Pokémon by flashing and vibrating, Sept. 30. The device is intended to make it easier to play without constantly staring at a smartphone screen, which has been cited as the cause of several recent mishaps related to the app. According to the Auburn Citizen, a driver at Auburn University was injured in early July after running off the road and striking a tree while playing and driving. Multiple armed robbery suspects targeted players inattentive of their surroundings in Missouri, according to The Verge. According to Daily Mail, two men in California fell from a cliff after crossing into a fenced-off area in order to catch Pokémon. “I think people just need to realize this is a game,” Sgt. Rich Eaton of the San Diego County Sheriff ’s Department told the Los Angeles Times. “It’s not worth your life. No game is worth your life.” In spite of these and other similar incidents, Mobilocity Principal Analyst J. Gerry Purdy believes the number of players will likely continue to grow.
Hannah Heneghan | Printz A USM student loads up Pokémon Go on her iPhone. “Perhaps [the game is just a fad], but it’s likely to draw in young kids and teenagers for a long time, especially if Niantic adds new features to users interested[in the app],” Purdy said in a recent opinion piece for RCR Wireless. Purdy believes the game’s true importance lies in its AR integration. “AR was a niche area in smartphones until the release of Pokémon Go,” he said. “The most important thing that the Pokémon game has done is to get people to accept augmented reality as part of their normal use of a
smartphone. As a result . . . you’ll soon see augmented reality show
up in a number of different places, especially business apps.”
8/26 - Flow Tribe with
Mississippi Shakedown
8/27 - Earphunk with
Gravy
9/10 - The Weeks with
Dream Cult
9/21 - The Lacs
Page 8 | Thursday, August 25, 2016
ENTERTAINMENT
‘Suicide Squad’ sends ‘damaging’ message JACK HAMMETT managing editor What was once the “Suicide Squad” hate train has become something of a runaway, speeding endlessly along the tracks of social media and rolling over any amount of faint praise begrudging critics may give. It’s easy to find oneself climbing aboard. But a movie sparking such a significant amount of outrage should be judged with an understanding of its context. That is to say, “Suicide Squad” isn’t bad just because it’s a bad film. It’s bad because it panders to an audience that’s unaware of itself. It teaches its audience that women are “crazy” and that “crazy” people should be laughed at. It tries to tell us that women’s importance is defined by their relationships to the men around them. Directed by David Ayer and
Courtesy Photo |
starring Will Smith, Margot Robbie and Cara Delevingne, “Suicide Squad” opened Aug. 5 in U.S. theaters and grossed $267 million worldwide on its opening weekend. The film currently holds an aggregate rating of 26 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. I would normally judge a film on its own merit without taking note of its context in popular culture. However, this film is the exception if ever there was one. The movie’s history speaks for itself. Since late 2014, there’s been a weekly – almost daily – landslide of goofy Jokerrelated news on social media. And I don’t mean D.C. teased the movie at intervals. I mean I played whack-a-mole with Jared Leto’s highlighter-colored tire head on Facebook for more than a year. Headlines ranged from “Jared Leto used his Joker voice at a concert” to “Jared Leto
sent used condoms and anal beads to his ‘Suicide Squad’ co-stars.” This kind of media bombardment got suspicious quickly. Then I and others realized that Leto’s behavior was an attempt at building up to something that would hopefully be as memorable as Heath Ledger’s Joker. Here’s the problem with that: Heath Ledger is dead, rendering the attempt awfully insensitive. Furthermore, making the Joker role a competition of who can be the “craziest” is a middle finger to those of us who deal with mental illness day to day. Even before its release, the movie, its crew and its ideas were exploiting mental illness in an entirely ableist fashion. Jared Leto and those working with him apparently weren’t self-aware enough to realize that plenty of social media users saw through their transparent cringe marketing.
Swift/Kardashian feuds fuels greater criticisms HIBA TAHIR entertainment editor Minds everywhere imploded this summer when Kim Kardashian released footage of Taylor Swift approving Kanye West’s “Famous.” The rapper’s lyrics went along the lines of, “I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex,” ending the line with, “Why? I made that b**** famous.” He did not include the end of that line when reading the lyric to Swift. The 45-second clip rehashed an ongoing feud over the lyric. In it, Swift approved part of the contested lyric. Once Kardashian released the footage, Swift quickly fired back and noted that she did not approve the entire lyric. “Being falsely painted as a liar when I was never given the full story or played any part of the song is character assassination,” Swift wrote in her rebuttal. “I would very much like to be excluded from this narrative, one that I have never asked to be a part of, since 2009.” Questions of legality and fairness aside, Swift’s painfully ironic character assassination claim falls flat on its face. Swift has built her long and illustrious career entirely around what can only be described as character assassinating. Swift’s victims are
a long list of exes that includes everyone from boy band singers like Harry Styles and Joe Jonas to actors like Jake Gyllenhaal and Taylor Lautner. Not above Swift’s reproach are the girls she was left for; her hit “Bad Blood” is a thinlyveiled attack of Katy Perry, who allegedly stole three back-up dancers from Swift mid-tour. “She basically tried to sabotage an entire arena tour,” Swift said in a 2014 Rolling Stone. “She tried to hire a bunch of people out from under me.” “Better Than Revenge” is about Camilla Belle, whom Joe Jonas left Swift for in 2008. “She’s an actress,” Swift sings in the song. “She’s better known for the things that she does on the mattress.” “No need for revenge,” Belle wrote on her personal Instagram immediately following Kardashian’s reveal. “Just sit back and wait. Those who hurt you all eventually screw up themselves and if you’re lucky, God will let you watch.” I have to agree with Belle on this one. On a micro level, I can identify with Swift as a writer. I know what it’s like to be a Taylor in a world of Kims. I know that the best material for any artistic creation is a strong emotion, and unfortunately, vengeance is the strongest emotion of all. I totally get that, and I’ve been a
perpetrator myself many times. However, I also understand the need for distancing. I don’t name characters after people I know in real life, I definitely don’t leave secret messages that reveal identities and I understand that the most valuable part of the process is the writer’s own reconciliation with the internal effects of those negative emotions. I don’t believe any of that should be publicly displayed. The fact that Swift publicly displays it reveals that she cares less about the art and more about getting even. Swift has had it coming for many, many years now, but the exact manner in which she received her due is what makes this feud so much more than just a petty argument. Swift’s response to Kardashian’s reveal is hypocritical at best. At worst, it’s a grim assessment of greater social problems that allowed so many to side with Swift’s “innocent white girl” facade against a black rapper. So many were willing to take Swift’s word over Kanye’s with literally no proof. In a world where systemic racism has conditioned Americans to find black men threatening, Swift could have gotten away with her claims, and police officers can get away with shooting unarmed people. That should disturb everyone.
FEATURE
Thursday,August 25, 2016 | Page 9
Punk band leaves lasting legacy in Miss. JACK HAMMETT managing editor The world of Mississippi punk is a glowing fragment of the scene at large, but it doesn’t necessarily reflect that scene’s impersonal nature. Touring bands leave impressions. Every punk here is family. So when a local band buys the farm, the impact rolls over the entire community. Exit Mississippi hardcore punk thunk The Limbos, which singer Tyler Ricketts and drummer Nathaniel Hill said is influenced by Japanese groups like Kuro and Coma. The band brought with them an aggressive sociopolitical approach to songwriting that kept everyone grooving at shows. Such merit didn’t go unrecognized, as the group saw wide attention from DIY zines and online outlets – a testament to the band’s relevance even after its decision to split, which came when Hill decided to move to Kansas City roughly a year after the group’s formation. Ricketts said the band’s original vision was to play punk music, do punk stuff with people they love and show what Mississippi punk was all about. “Nathaniel had some music and lyrics that he made a while back and wanted to play them,” he said. “He gathered around some Mississippi punks that were not currently in punk bands and brought us together to play it live.” The band’s absence, however, hasn’t kept people from talking, the most notable instance being a recent write up in DIY outlet MAXIMUM ROCKNROLL. “I was actually really surprised when people were into our music,” Hill said. “Whenever the other members and friends would tell me anything people mentioned about us online or in a zine,
Cam Bonelli | Printz The Limbos perform at the Porn Hall in fall 2015. it blew my mind every time. It’s still crazy to me that some people honestly really liked our band when all I ever wanted to do was play a few shows and make cassettes.” Which was exactly what the gang did, to a personable and memorable effect. According to Hill, the members were “about as chill as a band [could] possibly be with each other.” “It was a short-lived bunch of fun, which is exactly what I wanted it to be,” Hill said. “We acted like a-holes to each other, which is what I’m pretty sure what you’re supposed to do when
you’re in a band. . . . Everyone worked super hard to make s••• happen. They all put forth the effort to get us on shows, organize tours and get our names outside of Mississippi. I hope it was as chill for them at some point as it was for me for the entire duration of the band.” Ricketts said The Limbos played the majority of their shows in Hattiesburg and Jackson but spent time playing all across the Southern states. “When we went on our weekend tour, we played in Tallahassee, Birmingham and New Orleans,” he
said. “One weekend we traveled out to Denton, Texas to play a show at this park. . . . It was punk music happening in the middle of a soccer field, if you can picture that. Almost all of our shows, though, have been house shows, besides a few of them being at venues.” As mentioned, bands in small communities like the one in Mississippi tend to make the biggest impacts. Ricketts said he hopes bands such as The Limbos can inspire new artistic projects in smaller scenes. “Mississippi has a small punk scene compared to many other places,” he
said. “Starting any sort of DIY-induced motion makes a huge difference in our scene – for example, a band, zine, art project, photography – the list goes on and on. I hope at any of the shows we played, someone saw us and was inspired to pick up an instrument, start singing, start a band or at least have an idea for a band they would like to start.” Ricketts said before Hill moves on to Kansas City, the group may release “one or two more things.” Whether physically or not, it seems The Limbos will stick around for some time.
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OPINION
Page 10 | Thursday, August 25, 2016
Gun control not aimed in right direction ALYSSA BASS
printz reporter
According to the Gun Violence Archive, there have been 33,809 on record gun-related incidents since the beginning of 2016. Following a summer full of gun-related crimes by civilians and by the police force, the American people are rightfully wondering if gun control will ever become a reality. Though gun reform should have happened years ago, I highly doubt that our country, more specifically the federal government, is willing to take steps toward gun control in the near future. In a 2013 Gallup poll asking why gun owners owned guns, 60 percent of gun owners polled cited personal safety as the number one reason. It makes sense that people feel safer having a gun or any other weapon. However, gun owners tend to develop a hero complex whenever gun violence makes headlines. They claim that America must continue to allow open carry laws so that those who open carry can protect everyone else whenever foreign terrorists cross their paths. While that is noble and courageous, the problem is that these gun toting, self-proclaimed
heroes are never there when we need them. Studies show that we should actually be more afraid of other Americans. According to the New America Foundation, U.S. citizens have committed 80 percent of terrorist attacks since Sept. 11. Despite that, no matter who has the gun, we put our trust in police to protect us. But after a summer of infamous police brutality cases, trust in officers has wavered. Coincidentally, officers have to play a guessing game with civilians. After the deliberate shooting that ended in death for five Dallas police officers, Dallas Police Chief David Brown struck down the hero with a gun myth and said, “It’s been the presumption that a good guy with a gun is the best way to resolve some of these things. We don’t know who the good guy is versus who the bad guy is if everybody starts shooting, and we’ve expressed that concern.” Brown went on to urge federal lawmakers to do their jobs because “officers have a full plate.” When speaking of gun control, people tend to think of the possible bad result it could have on our national security, and everyone seems to always want to point the finger at foreign
forces like ISIS. One would think that lawmakers would have run to their desks to propose strict gun legislation after the Orlando tragedy, but that was not the case. Not too long after the Orlando shooting, executive director of the National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action Chris Cox wrote, “Radical Islamic terrorists are not deterred by gun control laws.” For many gun owners, that is reason enough to not support gun control. However, that does not mean that we should continue to do nothing on the federal level while we wait for another mass shooting that’s bound to happen. Luckily, not all government officials are taking gun control lightly after the large number of mass shootings. NPR reported in July that gun legislation on the state level has actually increased, but the effects vary. In a paper published by Harvard Business School, researcher Deepak Malhotra wrote, “If you have a Republican legislature in your state, and you have a mass shooting, the net effect if you look at the actual bills that get passed is there’s a significant increase in bills that loosen gun restrictions.”
We need tougher gun laws, and all of America knows this. But somewhere along the way, most of us, especially our lawmakers, became desensitized to gun violence because it happens so often and with little to no noticeable change in gun laws. We owe it to gun violence victims to put restrictions on gun sales and usage, and it’s ultimately up to the federal
government to make it happen. Even if Clinton, who favors strict gun laws, is elected president, there is a strong chance that the Republican-controlled Congress will strike down any law that includes gun restrictions. Because federal Republican and Democratic leaders can’t get on the same page, the future of gun control is bleak.
Courtesy Photo |
Nominees alienate voters in wake of controversies GARRETT MINTA
news editor
It is no secret that this political season has been quite the conundrum. We have two of the most controversial candidates running for president in recent memory, and both are controversial for entirely different reasons. At the Democratic National Convention (DNC), Bernie Sanders officially nominated Hillary Clinton as the
Democratic nominee for president. She won the nomination and will be running against Donald Trump in the general election. Sanders’ nomination of Clinton came hot on the heels of the DNC email scandal, which implicated former chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz as colluding with the Clinton campaign and showing a blatant bias against Sen. Sanders. A bigger issue that was finally
settled was the question of whether or not Clinton would be criminally charged regarding the infamous email scandal. If you are not up to speed, news broke that Hillary Clinton was sending and receiving classified and unclassified emails from a private email server that she set up in her home. After this information was discovered, she wiped the server clean, destroying thousands of emails and documents of public record. According to Cornell University Law School, Title 18 U.S. Code § 2071 states, “Whoever willfully and unlawfully conceals, removes, mutilates, obliterates, or destroys or attempts to do so, or, with intent to do so takes and carries away any record, proceeding, map, book, paper, document or other thing, filed or deposited with any clerk or officer of any court of the United States, or in any public office or with any judicial or public officer of the United States, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both.” Whether or not Clinton’s actions are in violation of this law or any other regarding the destruction of government documents is up for interpretation. FBI director James Comey said that
the FBI would not be recommending charges against Clinton. Comey’s decision was finalized when Attorney General Loretta Lynch did not seek an indictment against Clinton. Lynch’s refusal to charge Clinton came at an odd time, as former President Bill Clinton wandered onto Lynch’s plane at a Phoenix airport. Both said the conversation was completely benign and that it happened to be bad timing. Poor form. Trump has been in the limelight as well. First, for more distasteful remarks including Second Amendment activists and then for calling on Russian hackers to leak more Clinton emails. The Second Amendment comment was at a rally in Wilmington, North Carolina where, according to CNN, Trump said, “’Hillary wants to abolish – essentially abolish – the Second Amendment. I tell you what, that will be a horrible day if Hillary gets to put her judges in. Right now we’re tied.’” Whether this was said in jest or as a serious threat is irrelevant. It is dangerous and reckless to say those sorts of things as a public figure – especially as a public figure running for president, mind you – to say these things. According to CNN, the U.S. Secret
Service has spoken with Trump in regards to the comment. These types of conversations should not need to take place with someone on the cusp of becoming the most powerful figure in the country, but apparently they do. While both wings of the political system have had their issues and seem to still flounder, one who feels disenfranchised by both sides may look to the independent scene to see what it has to offer. Gov. Gary Johnson and Gov. Bill Weld have polled over ten percent, which could offer them a place on the debate stage in September. The Commission on Presidential Debates has finally set their requirements to be invited to the debate stage, and some find the hurdle a bit much to overcome. The CPD said that it would require the candidates to poll at or above 15 percent to be invited. Currently, as it stands, according to Real Clear Politics, the standings are 41 percent Hillary, 37 percent Trump, 10 percent Johnson and 4 percent Green Party candidate Jill Stein. On its website, the CPD explained its reasoning for these requirements. “The nonpartisan, voter education goal of the CPD’s debates is to afford the members of the public an opportunity to sharpen their views, in a focused debate format, of the leading candidates for President and Vice President of the United States,” the CPD wrote. While there has been a lot that has happened on both sides of the aisle, the goal is still November. That is when all of this will finally end – but do not be bullied into voting for one side or another. As the Secretary of State said, “Vote your conscience.”
SPORTS
Thursday,August 25, 2015 | Page 11
University upgrades locker room at $1.4 million price tag
Julius Kizzee | Printz
Coaches Derele Nicholson (left) and Lytrel Pollard (right) play a game of pingpong during the locker room unveiling on Aug. 24. JULIUS KIZZEE sports editor Southern Miss unveiled its new locker room renovations on Aug. 24, soon after the first football practice of the school year. The renovations cost the athletic program approximately $1.4 million and will be used immediately. “The [team] did a phenomenal job in this hub and in the graphics throughout of capturing the essence of Southern Miss football,” said Athletic Director Bill McGillis. “The athletic department had been working on the revamping of
the locker room since February of this year after the team came off of its 9 - 5 season and berth in the Heart of Dallas Bowl against Washington.” The lockers include individual players’ names, hometowns and the previous school they attended as a place holder above their locker for an individualized look. “A lot of attention was paid to the detail of the locker,” McGillis said. “We gave them one heck of a challenge.” The six-wall project also includes quotes from former players and opponents, a mural of Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre and another mural of Pro
Bowl linebacker and Super Bowl champion Jamie Collins. The second wall in particular was one of McGillis’ favorite to expound upon. “We wanted to capture history,” McGillis said. “We wanted a second wall that told today’s story of the last 20 years of championship football that represented who we are – the winningest program in Mississippi in 20 year. Bowl games, bowl wins and total wins, it’s Southern Miss not anybody else.” With new facilities combined with a bounce-back season, the team is hoping to make the right strides when it comes to things
like recruiting and player retention. “I know the players that are going to follow [through] are going to benefit from it,” McGillis said. “I know that it is going to be a game-changer in recruiting.” In a way to emphasize the project’s individuality, McGillis added a custom-designed pingpong table specifically for Southern Miss. It is the only custom-designed pingpong table made by Killerspin in the country. “The only program in college football to have a custom pingpong table from Killerspin, a company out of Chicago,” McGillis said hinting in a joking tone. “In
addition to having a championship football team, I’m fully expecting to having the strongest table tennis team in America right here at Southern Miss.” Not only is the locker room being renovated, the program is funding the addition of the Jeff Bower Academic Center for athletes, which is still under progress. Also, a special developmental nutrition center for athletes is in the works. “We got some bells and whistles, and we got some more bells and whistles coming,” McGillis said. “They don’t invest in this level if they don’t believe in this football.”
SPORTS
Page 12 | Thursday, August 25, 2015
Student-athletes combine brain with brawn JULIUS KIZZEE
sports editor
It is rumored that Vince Lombardi once said, “If you are five minutes early, you are already ten minutes late.” But, how important is school tardiness to a student-athlete? After all, a student-athlete has to focus on fighting for a starting position, maintaining a physically healthy body, being able to dissect their playbook and last but not least – go to class. “Basically just scheduling your time and your day wisely,” said senior defensive linemen Dylan Bradley. “I see football as just like school, because you have to be sharp. You have to rest.” Two highly-touted freshmen, Jacques Turner and Lorenzo Dantzler, have been taken under Bradley’s wing. As a senior, Bradley has already had first days back to school after a summer filled with football workouts. With his last one possibly behind him, he can only tell the younger guys the importance of making the grades to stay on the field. “I tell them every day to go to class,” Bradley said. “You’re not here just to play football – you’re actually
here to get a degree. When football is done, you can always depend on that degree. Football never lasts forever. That’s what I tell them.” Bradley is one leader on the team and another leader is senior quarterback Nick Mullens. The star gunslinger was named to the Conference USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll in 2014 and 2015. Combined with his success on the field, Mullens feels as if he has found a combination in brains and brawn. “Take care of your business,” Mullens said. “You see so many guys that are good enough to be real – real contributors – and for whatever reason they don’t take care of their business.” The success of these two athletes is directly correlated to the repetition of doing the same thing year after year. As seniors, these players have seen others around them fall by the wayside if they cannot focus on both school and football. With repetitions, these two have found a nice rhythm balancing the ball and life. “It’s nice to get back in the swing of things,” Mullens said. “To be able to get back in a rhythm when school gets in session – it’s really kind of the start of the season. It’s almost game week, so that’s my mindset.”
Only a week out from taking the field in Lexington against the Wildcats, school can intrude the momentum that these players have built up over the summer break. Offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson said he has seen the transition returning to the classroom can be a rough one, especially on the first week of classes. “I’ve never been anywhere where this day was a good practice day, because there are just so many distractions,” Dawson said. “Not that it was terrible, but it wasn’t great. Typically, that’s been the case the first day of school.” When asked to fast-forward to a time where academics can take a backseat to NFL aspirations and life beyond Southern Miss, Bradley said he is very near-sighted with his goals. “It’s always in the back of my mind,” Bradley said. “But right now, my focus is to beat Kentucky – to help my team beat an SEC team for the first time since 16 years ago.” With academics and football as the primary focuses on the first day of school and onward, these two seniors will try to lead the team to a finish line beyond a 9 - 5 record and a high team grade point average.
Julius Kizzee | Printz Nick Mullins throws football during the season’s first practice.