JANUARY 24, 2018 VOLUME 102 ISSUE 17
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News
State scores “B” in Human Trafficking Laws
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Entertainment
Grownish, End of the F***ing World gerner positive reviews
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Sports
Lady Eagles take down Middle Tennessee
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Hannah Beaver, Printz The fountatin a
Second snowfall of season surprises Hattiesburg Morgan Clark news editor
The southern part of the United States experienced the second snowfall in the winter season last week, falling down on the night of Tuesday, Jan. 16 and the following morning, causing roads to ice over and operations to be put to a halt. The University of Southern Mississippi and local public and private schools shut down services due to the severe cold temperatures. USM sent out
phone calls, text messages and emails to all students and faculty of Southern Miss, alerting them that classes on Jan. 16 would close operations at noon with the Gulf Coast location closing operations at 2 p.m the same day. Later that day, the university’s Eagle Alert sent out messages saying that classes for the next day had been cancelled due to inclement weather. Classes were resumed on Jan. 18 at 11 a.m. Southern Miss’ messages offered advice from the Department of Transportation, including ways to drive on icy roads.
“Slow down. Should winter weather conditions become present, ‘black ice’ can form. Allow more space between your vehicle and the one in front of you,” the Department of Transportation recommended. “Brake early and gently to avoid skidding, and never slam on the brakes. Avoid distractions, such as talking or texting on a cell phone. Stay alert.” Hattiesburg officials worked to salt and sand the roads in attempt to prevent accidents on the ice. However, the city is not as equipped as some Northern states
would be for these conditions. “It’s a challenge for us to get ready for it, and I’m sure it’s a challenge for some other cities around us as well,” said interim public works general manager Colton Hill to the Hattiesburg American. “We are going to deploy industry standards for providing safe routes for travelers.” Local Hattiesburg businesses and restaurants closed either early or entirely. Some medical clinics also closed early. Forrest General Hospital remained open for any impending emergencies.
The low of five degrees Fahrenheit is a record low for the city. The low for the day was three degrees Fahrenheit. ? Snow levels were only about two inches compared to the steady snowfall of over 5 inches Hattiesburg had on Dec. 8, 2017. “[It feels] like when you only order one burger at McDonalds, but they give you two on accident. But the second burger is really bad and makes all the roads ice over,” USM junior Psychology major Austin Stringer said.
JANUARY 24, 2018
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EDITORIAL POLICY 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.
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Robert St. John to bring new brunch spot to Hattiesburg Morgan Clark news editor
Hattiesburg’s restaurant scene will have a new addition to the Midtown area, helping the area to continue to grow and economize the city. The Midtowner will be a cute brunch spot and is owned by Robert St. John, Hattiesburg’s notable restaurateur and
chef. St. John is the owner and operator of The Purple Parrot Café, Crescent City Grill, The Mahogany Bar, Tabella and Ed’s Burger Joint in the current Midtown region. St. John has owned restaurants and provided the Hattiesburg public with above par food for over 30 years now and plans to possibly open four new restaurants in following years, according to his column in the Clarion Ledger.
“Thirty years is a long time, but I love what I do for a living,” St John said. “It’s not work to me. It never has been. I get to do my hobby every day and get paid for it.” The growing success and integrity of St. John and his teams have allowed for the creation of his new restaurants like The Midtowner. “A lot happens in a restaurant over a 30-year span. We have grown and
expanded. We have had extreme highs and vaulted to heights I never dreamed of,” St. John said. “The highs are great, the lows are challenging, but both are fleeting. It’s the time spent in the middle — in the day-to-day grind — that makes a long-lasting and fulfilling business existence. Ultimately, it’s the people.” What is known of The Midtowner is that it will serve as a brunch spot. St.
John wanted to add restaurants to the other ones he already owns including Crescent City Grill, The Mahogany Bar, Tabella, The Purple Parrot Café and Ed’s Burger Joint. The opening date for The Midtowner Restaurant has not been released but is expected to be in the near future. At this rate, Hattiesburg will be seeing many more openings from St. John.
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Mississippi receives “B” for Human Trafficking Laws Ashley Hobson social media editor
It has been announced that the state of Mississippi received a B on this year’s State Report Card for the Protected Innocence Project produced by Shared Hope International. Shared Hope International is a non-governmental non-profit organization formed over 20 years ago by U.S. Congresswoman Linda Smith. The organization aims to prevent sex trafficking as well as bring justice to those who have been victimized through the trade. Shared Hope releases yearly grades for the 50 states as well as the District of Columbia. States are “graded” in six separate categories that includes the Criminalization of Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking (possible 10 points), Criminal Provisions Addressing Demand (possible 25 points), Criminal Provisions for Traffickers (possible 15 points), Criminal Provisions for Facilitators (possible 10 points), Protective Provisions for Child
Victims (possible 27.5 points), and Criminal Justice Tools for Investigation and Prosecution (possible 15 points). The points earned in each category to supply a total out of a possible 102.5. Mississippi’s grade is an improvement from five years ago, but is actually a lower score than the one the state received in 2016-an overall score of 89 out of a possible 102.5 in 2016 compared to 88 out of 102.5 in 2017. The score is a result in Mississippi’s lower earnings for the Protective Provisions for Child Victims, a 22 in 2016 compared to a 21 in 2017. Human trafficking, classified as the action or practice of illegally transporting people from one country or area to another; typically for the purposes of forced labour or commercial sexual exploitation, is often seen as an international problem, but occurs at a local level much more than residents realize. The Clarion Ledger reported in 2016 that the interstate system of Mississippi was aiding the practice of
human trafficking. They also reported that the selling of girls had become more profitable to gangs than the selling of drugs because, “girls can last a lifetime.” It was not until 2013 that Mississippi passed the law known as the AntiHuman Trafficking Act in attempts to deal with the problems within the state. Governor Phil Bryant released an executive order on December 9, 2014, which formed the Governor’s task force a few months later in 2015. According to the MEMA website, the “task force [meets] to examine existing research, and/or to commission new research on the topic of human trafficking. It will also review Mississippi laws, administrative practices and law enforcement training pertaining to the topic. Additionally, the task force will identify opportunities to strengthen Mississippi human trafficking statutes.” Mississippi’s score from Shared Hope International improved from a D to a B after the Governor’s task force was formed.
One of the major recurring factors that causes Mississippi to remain in the B range is law enforcement’s lack of human trafficking training. The Mississippi Law Enforcement Training Academy offers the course, but does not require it. Sarah Bendtsen of Shared Hope International said the state’s score could improve if training became mandatory. Training is an essential component of identifying cases of human trafficking. Shared Hope International released statistics that revealed the most common ages for victims entering trafficking are between 14 and 16, and are mainly female victims being sold to male buyers. To an untrained eye, it’s possible that the minor female will be prosecuted for prostitution instead of being seen as a victim of human trafficking. This thought is supported by Sandy Middleton, the Executive Director of the local Center for Violence Prevention, the state’s only shelter for human trafficking victims.
Many assert that there’s still not enough being done on the frontlines to help victims at a street level. According to the Clarion Ledger, Pearl Assistant Police Chief Dean Scott, a member of the Central Mississippi Human Trafficking Task Force, says “funds and other mandates stop at the department and executive level and never reach the street level where help is needed.” Scott also explained that there’s a breakdown in communication when it comes to who should be investigating cases of human trafficking, revealing that it’s often difficult to get Child Protective Services in investigate a potential case. Scott also stated that in these situations, it’s often safest for the minor to be placed in juvenile detention that to leave them at the scene. This only further criminalizes the victim instead of punishing those truly responsible. Shared Hope International also released an Analysis and Recommendations for the state. These 40 amendments can be found online.
JANUARY 24, 2018
Dear World, I Stutter: Former Southern Miss student publishes book Ashley Hobson
Social Media Editor Dear Southern Miss, one of your graduates wrote a book. It’s really good, but even more important is what the author is saying. The author, USM graduate James Hayden, wrote the series of 25 open letters to individuals who have been or will be on his journey with stuttering. Letters include “To My Speech Therapists,” “To My 10 Year Old Self,” “To My Unborn Children,” “To My Parents,” “To Other People Who Stutter” and “To My Friends.” Hayden asserts that his time at Southern Miss was instrumental in helping him to accept his stutter, though he states in “Acceptance, Peace, and Stuttering” that there are still days he struggles to maintain peace about his stutter. “Yes, I have accepted and embraced my stutter, but to say I would deny the magic pill every day would be a lie,” Hayden said. “Those days are extremely rare and few and far between, but they are still there nonetheless. Maybe one day I can have both acceptance and peace, but for now, all I have
is acceptance. And that’s OK. My lack of peace does not and will not discourage me from embracing acceptance or advocating for stuttering any chance I get.” That is not to say Hayden just woke up one day and had completely accepted his stutter. Hayden attended speech therapy as a child, and again as a student at Southern Miss through the SpeechLanguage Hearing Clinic from 2013-2015. “It was one of the best decisions I have ever made,” Hayden said. “I know I would not be where I am today if it wasn’t for my time there.” Hayden also states in one of his letters, “For me to completely wish my stutter away, I would be wishing a big part of me away...When I say, ‘I stutter,’ I control it, and my stutter is just one of [the] numerous things that makes me, me.” Hayden, who graduated in May of 2015, says that he hopes this book “could help any USM student who stutters or knows a person who stutters as well as give the speech pathology students a better insight to the mind and heart of a person who stutters.” Hayden
also encourages others to embrace students who stutter, stating, “If we focus on what is being said instead of how it is being said, then hopefully any and all misconceptions and stigmas associated with stuttering will be a thing of the past.” Hayden, who has been previously published by the Stuttering Foundation, has a select few of his “letters” published on the online platform, The Mighty, under his personal account. These letters are just a small preview to the struggles, feelings, circumstances and day-to-day battles experienced by Hayden and others who have a stutter. Hayden recounts one such circumstance in the letter titled “What It Feels Like When I Stutter,” where he was forced to speak in front of a large group of coworkers, many of them he had yet to meet, unexpectedly. “I hated that my stutter was able to introduce itself to them before I could introduce myself to them. I’ve [had] been at that same job for nearly two years now and I can say with confidence that no [one] care nor cares that I stutter.” Hayden’s book is available for purchase or download on Amazon.
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Students offer advice on applying to graduate school Nate Schumann Features Editor
For students who are currently seniors at Southern Miss, graduation may be around the corner, but some will choose to further their education and attend graduate school. Not everyone knows how much forethought and preparation is involved in applying to graduate school. Fortunately, some students with experience in applying to graduate school have offered advice for interested students. Andrew Giovengo, who graduated from Southern Miss in December with a B.S. in physics and is currently in the process of applying for graduate school, cites selecting schools that offer graduate programs in your chosen discipline as one of the first steps of the process. Certain programs sometimes emphasize certain aspects of a discipline, which makes research into schools and programs highly important. Given that each school typically has an application fee, Giovengo notes that money also affects the selection process. Depending on the amount of funds at your disposal, this may limit the number of schools you can apply for, so having a small list of schools you know you would like to attend is beneficial. Before someone can submit an application, however, that person generally needs to take the Graduate Records Examination, or GRE, which assesses a student’s critical thinking, analytical writing, verbal reasoning and quantitative reasoning skills. For the GRE, the General Test portion costs $160 for students
within the United States, and the Subject Test portion costs $150. Much like other admission tests, such as the ACT or SAT, the GRE can be taken multiple times. Schools have various admissions requirements when it comes to GRE scores, so prepare accordingly. After receiving their scores, students must send their scores and transcripts to the schools they are interested in attending. Sending either of these costs a small fee per school. They may also take a few days to process. Once the scores and transcripts have been sent, students may begin the actual application process. Most schools require three recommendation letters from prospective students, so establishing and maintaining relationships with professors is important for students wishing to attend graduate school. The application itself often involves filling out personal information, writing essays and sometimes sending in a resume or CV. “Make a trip to USM Career Services to work on your resume, personal statement, and purpose statement,” Giovengo said. “Some schools require a personal statement. Some require a purpose statement. They are different, but Career Services will help you with that.” Different schools and programs have different deadlines, so being aware of those deadlines is important. Graduate school, of course, is not only for those who are graduating this school cycle. Students who have graduated with their bachelor’s may return to school years later to pursue a higher degree. Tara Rigdon, who graduated with a B.A. in Education of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing from
Southern Miss in 2003, returned to Southern Miss in 2014 to earn her master’s degree in Educational Leadership and Administration, which she completed in 2015. Rigdon said both students soon to graduate with bachelor’s degrees and returning students alike will have to juggle multiple responsibilities within their lives. “Personal obligations don’t stop
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for schooling. Work doesn’t stop for schooling,” Rigdon said. “I had to give up some things to make time for [schooling] because it was that important to me.” Rigdon noted that the choice to return to school was not one she made lightly, and she cautioned others to give the decision ample consideration. “Carefully consider the options
and choose what is best for both your career and your family,” Rigdon said. “My master’s and doctorate are both best for me, but you must be sure it is something you can commit to. This isn’t a decision to make on a whim. It will make or break you. It is tough. Be ready to put in the work. However, that said, the end is most definitely worth the means.”
JANUARY 24, 2018
Lanie Leach printz reporter
After a long and glorious winter break, I had to leave the comforts of my home, a place where I had no school-related responsibilities. I was sleeping in until 10:30 every morning, but now I am back to waking up earlier and getting ready for school every morning (except Thursdays because I thankfully don’t have school on Thursdays.) As a new semester has started, there are a few things I am having to get re-used to. First of all, I had to get
really acclimated to the ice, which was a very new thing for me and most of the people at USM. Walking outside my dorm, inside my dorm, under the Lucky Day arc, or right before the back entrance to the Fresh I almost met my maker every single time I tried to go anywhere. Why? Because ice covered anywhere that was shaded. I ended up becoming a homebody until my first class, so that I would not have to end up falling on the ice. I saw a few people bust it on the ice covered walkways. I dared not to laugh because
I knew karma would come and get me, and then I’d end up busting it in front of a ton of people. The way people slipped on the ice was like a long, hardfought battle of slipping and catching themselves until they were ultimately defeated by their newest enemy. Props to people from the North because I have no idea how you guys do it during the winter. What became a not-so-new difficulty was finding all of my new classrooms. I have always struggled with this; from Kindergarten to my second semester of college, nothing has changed with that. I have
always been terrified of ending up in the wrong classroom and not making it to my class on time. Luckily, they are all in the same vicinity, so I was not speed walking as much as I was last semester. I got super nervous that I was going to end up in the wrong classroom and have to leave during the beginning of a lecture- no thanks. I also had a hard time getting used to going to class because the break was so gloriously long. I had gotten so used to being lazy, so when school started it was a total wake up call. Luckily, I never ended up
missing a class. Here’s to small accomplishments. My second semester of college will probably end up being a bit easier than the first. I’m not having to get used to new surroundings or worry about where everything is anymore. I feel more in control than last semester, so that makes everything feel a little easier. All in all, my first week of classes went pretty well. I got an extended break, and I did not end up in any of the wrong classrooms. Thankfully, my teachers seem great, and I feel like this semester will go pretty well.
Seven books bringing diversity to your 2018 bookshelves Hiba Tahir
managing editor Publishing has made great strides in recent years. One advancement I find particularly thrilling is the inclusion of increasingly diverse titles, particularly in the Young Adult category. Here are just a few of many exciting YA releases to look forward to in 2018: Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi This first installment in a fantasy novel trilogy by a 23-year-old Harvard graduate is one of the biggest YA debut novel publishing deals ever, according to Deadline Hollywood. It’s unusual in that it incorporates African culture and characters. A Girl Like That by Tanaz Bhathena #1 New York Times bestselling author Jodi Picoult called this book “fascinating and disturbing.” It’s about two teens who end up dead in a car together on a highway in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Multiple perspectives attempt to explain why, and in doing so, reveal just how wrongly everyone misjudged the hijabi protagonist. Love, Hate, and Other Filters by Samira Ahmed This debut features an IndianAmerican Muslim teen grappling with issues like cultural divide and Islamophobia in the wake of a terrorist attack. Publishers Weekly called it “alternately entertaining and thoughtful,” and “eminently
readable, intelligent and timely.” On the Come Up by Angie Thomas Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve heard of Angie Thomas’ tremendous and topical debut The Hate U Give, a #1 NYT Bestseller for several weeks. Thomas’ sophomore novel is sure to be just as amazing. Tyler Johnson Was Here by Jay Coles Speaking of The Hate U Give, Coles’ debut has been described as “The Hate U Give meets All American Boys.” Booklist called it “unforgettable” in a review that also said, “Coles’ exploration of brotherhood, grief, friendship and familial ties is as moving and relevant as its exploration of racism.” A Reaper At the Gates by Sabaa Tahir This wildly anticipated end to the An Ember in the Ashes trilogy is sure to be amazing, and the newly redesigned covers are incredible. In an interview with Mashable, Tahir said that she wanted to see a brown girl in a position of power in the redesign. “How often have I seen book covers with a hero dead center?” Tahir said in the interview. “All the time. But how often is that hero a [person of color]? Not often enough. I wanted this beautiful brown girl to be in that classic hero’s pose— center stage, looking right at you, like a badass.” My So-Called Bollywood Life by Nisha Sherma This debut has been pitched as “the romance of Stephanie Perkins meets the quirk of Maureen Johnson, then gets a Bollywood twist.” Honestly, what more can you ask for?
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JANUARY 24, 2018
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College freshmen relate to show Grown-ish Lanie Leach printz reporter
With college around the corner right after senior year of high school has come to a close, we are left thinking that we are “grown” and ready to take on the world. Newsflash: we really are not- but don’t tell us that because we will deny deny deny. This mentality is ever-present in the new show Grown-ish that premiered on Freeform. A spinoff of the ABC show Black-ish, Grown-ish follows the eldest of the Johnson children Zoey, who is played by Yara Shahidi. As Zoey enters college, she finds that she really might not be as grown as she once thought she was. Zoey faces relatable challenges such as discovering new relationships, finding where she belongs and making difficult choices. To me this show has proven to be a true grasp on how college is for freshmen. I appreciate the fact that Grown-ish covers more sensitive topics on the show such as drug abuse, procrastination, parties and sex. The show does so in such a manner that no vulgar actions or scenes are found within the show. All of it is implied, so there’s never a truly uncomfortable scene. In the first episode, Zoey explains how often her dad calls her during Zoey’s first few days away from home. This was one of the funniest parts because it shows her dad
crying in his closet and telling her how much he missed her while Zoey rolled her eyes. Episode one also introduced us to Zoey’s newest friends and how she got off to a pretty bad start with her roommate. The only true problem I had with this episode was that she had a class at midnight. I know there are night classes, but midnight was pretty darn late. This does end up being the class where she makes the majority of her friends. Episode two faces the problems of college parties and procrastination. Zoey finds herself at her first college party and witnesses people drinking and doing drugs. In this episode, Zoey finds herself low on time (how relatable.) In a panic, she tells her friends who respond nonchalantly with, “Here’s some Adderall.” Sadly, this is way too common on college campuses. Adderall is being taken by students without a prescription to help them finish their work on time. Zoey initially responds with, “Isn’t this cheating,” but ends up taking the Adderall and finds herself stuck online shopping. She takes it a few more times and ends up getting her work done, but is not too proud of her choices. The episode showed an acceptable way to handle the drug rather than glorifying it. In episode three, Zoey ends up trying to figure out the exact definition of “hooking up.” Is it just making out, or is it something more? This conversation takes
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two find out and stop talking to Zoey. She swears off boys until meeting a new basketball player walking around campus. The episode ends there, and we are left waiting to be rescued from the anticlimactic cliffhanger of episode
three. All in all, I think Grown-ish is very relatable to college studentspossibly more for girls rather than boys. Grown-ish airs on Wednesday nights at 8/7 central on Freeform.
The End of the F***ing World offers new spin on dark humor Will Veazey printz reporter
Netflix’s latest original series “The End of the F***ing World” opens with an uncanny dialogue by a seventeen year old boy. His name is James, and he wants to kill someone. James has for some time messed around with murder. Up to this point, never murdering anything besides, rodents, cats and dogs. However, at the start of the show, James has decided that he wants to kill something bigger: a human. When this internal dialogue ends, we are introduced to Alyssa, who would become his chosen one for his first murder. The cinematography of the show is very interesting, making use of still shots and strategically using color to further admonish the mood of the scenes. A deep, cardinal red is the color, signifying blood and death, that really impressed upon me at the outset of the show. I had a sincere appreciation for the originality and artistic nature. The show feels like directors Quentin Tarantino and Wes Anderson got together and made it. The development of James and Alyssa was stellar in its pacing. We truly understand neither of them completely in the beginning. With most TV shows or movies, this initial understanding of the characters is enough. However, The End of the F***ing World takes it so much further in a manner that I wasn’t quite anticipating. James very slowly begins to fall in love with Alyssa and realize that he is not a psychopath. Alyssa, after realizing that brief sexual encounters was not what she actually wanted in life, also falls deeply in love
with James. The culmination of the show occurs when James and Alyssa decide to “house sit” for a man who has already killed multiple people. Notably, this fact was unbeknownst to James and Alyssa when they decided to stay at his place. When he comes home, he assaults Alyssa, and James protects her by killing him. It is after this that James realizes that he is truly not a psychopath. Alyssa has a hard time coming to grips with what they’ve done despite being innocent of any crime. However, I thought this portrayal of guilt was very engaging and accurate. Most people wouldn’t instantly realize, “Oh yeah, everything’s fine we are justified in what we’ve done.” No, most people, regardless of the circumstances of the killing, would feel immense guilt over what they’ve done, and it is this guilt that for a time drives James and Alyssa apart. The emotion displayed is truly gripping, and at times I found myself wanting to cry for both James and Alyssa. After they killed the man, they begin to go on the run. They decide that the best place to go would be to go to Alyssa’s father’s house, who at this point has a sort of mythic image in her eyes. She believes that he’s a great father. Meanwhile, the man’s mother comes by his house and finds the body, and an investigation ensues. The story reveals Alyssa’s father when they make it to his home, and it doesn’t take long before the viewer realizes that he is not at all what Alyssa dreamt he was. I found this very interesting because as humans we give things that we don’t fully understand qualities that satisfy us. In the end of the story, the cops have found Alyssa’s father’s place as a result of him calling the police on them to obtain the award for locating them.
Alyssa is detained by a policeman, and James runs away with a shotgun. As he runs, Alyssa is screaming and crying, begging him to stop and come back. The camera cuts to a shot of James’s face with Alyssa and the policeman in the background, and James’s voice overplays the scene. What he says is my favorite line of the series: “I’ve just turned 18, and I think I understand what people mean to each other.” After
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he says this, a gunshot goes off. The screen goes black. I desperately hope they don’t make a second season for this show. The story was an absolute novelty during a time when most new shows are recycled versions of the same story. This was fresh and really left an impression on me. This show is about the nature of love, the nature of people and what true freedom is. As loud as the rallying
cry will be for another season, the audience must understand that there was truly never going to be a happy ending to the story of James and Alyssa. We have to understand that the story was an account of freedom and love prevailing for as long as it can with the entire world against them. I’d rate The End of the F***ing World a 9 out of 10.
JANUARY 24, 2018
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Recent weather events show evidence of climate change Ashley Hobson social media editor
Mississippi experienced record snowfall just a few short weeks ago in December of 2017. Even more outstanding is the fact that South Mississippi closed schools, government buildings and basically the state due to snowfall not once but twice - just five weeks apart. Residents of the South are used to unpredictable weather patterns that cause them to wear scarves and gloves when leaving for work and shorts and flip-flops when returning home. Winter days are below freezing on Monday and pushing into the upper 70’s by the end of the week. Wearing shorts on Christmas Day is not an unusual occurrence. Temperatures well into the 100’s have been recorded with humidity indexes up to 110, and residents turn up the AC and make sure everyone knows that they will not be air-conditioning the whole street by closing the door. But let some snow fall and you have a unique opportunity to talk about climate change and weather patterns in a way that people might listen. Years of the heat index relentlessly rising has made Mississippians immune to heat, but we really, really hate the cold. Snow in the South only caps off a year of outrageous weather for pretty much the entire planet in 2017. Hurricane Harvey caused major damage to Houston, Texas, in August of 2017 and has been recorded as the costliest tropical cyclone, topping the cost of damage caused by Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans in 2005. However, this wasn’t the weirdest or the worst weather Mother Nature produced in recordbreaking 2017. The Seattle Space Needle was struck by lightning while it was snowing. The likelihood of lightning
occurring while it is snowing is just .04 percent, a phenomenon which usually occurs once every 30 years. Chicago lacked snow this year while New York experienced two of the heaviest snowstorms in more than 60 years less than four months apart. It snowed 31.2 inches in one day, blasting previous records. Georgia, a state 937 miles away from Tornado Alley, led the nation in number of tornadoes for 2017. This was largely due to a two day tornado outbreak that saw a confirmed 35 tornados and left at least 100 million dollars in damage in its path. To compare, Georgia had recorded just 30 confirmed tornadoes per year for the past 20 years. California’s Sierra Nevada Mountains were starving for snow in April of 2015. This year, resorts had to dig gondolas and lifts out of the mountains of snow they used to soar above just to make them usable. The hottest day on earth was also recorded in 2017 when the low for the day in Khasab, Oman, was 111.6 degrees Fahrenheit. This low occurred at night in complete darkness when the sun was bearing down on the opposite side of the planet. To compare, Death Valley in California averages just one day a year where the low is greater than 100 degrees. To make things more local, Jackson experienced the highest snowfall since 1982 with many parts of Mississippi experiencing more snow than they had in the past 100 years. This wasn’t hard to achieve though with the yearly snow average in Hattiesburg being just .5 inches, and usually being more sleet/ ice/wintry mix than actual snow. To be fair, 2016 was recorded as being hotter than 2017, but 2017 was hotter than 2015. What makes this so alarming is that 2017 was missing an important
component of previously record-setting years. There was no El Niño for 2017. El Niño is a climate cycle that begins in the Pacific Ocean but has an impact on weather patterns across the globe, including the weather of South Mississippi. In years without El Niño, trade winds help push warm water away from South America. This helps the water off the coast to stay cool and the marine life to flourish. Likewise, the winds push warmer water closer to the coast of Australia. What happens in an El Niño year is the opposite. Instead of warm water gathering off the coast of Australia, the winds move the opposite direction and warm water gathers around the coast of South America. This also causes winters in North America to be warmer than in
years without El Niño. To recap, El Niño causes warmer weather. Last year was the 2nd warmest year on record, but there was no El Niño. This is concerning for several reasons. Usually, years with El Niño experience more active tropical storm seasons, Northern states have warmer weather and the Southern states have more rainfall and below average winter temperatures (like snow in South Mississippi.) 2017 had no El Niño, yet the Southern states experienced snow. The Gulf Coast had an extremely active hurricane season with the climax of Hurricane Harvey in August. The absence of an El Niño to explain this weather means that the weather is simply changing in ways it shouldn’t. To put this in perspective, 17 of the
18 warmest years have been recorded since 2001 according to NASA. This means that the incoming freshman class of 2018 have grown up with each year being hotter than the last. El Niño’s have been declared for 12 of those years. Currently 97 percent of scientists agree that the largest contributing factor to climate change is humans. When 97 percent of doctors recommend a toothpaste, we all buy it. When 97 percent of scientists recommend we implement rules and regulations to save the planet, we look for a second opinion. Unless Mississippi begins to take some preventative measures, the “freak” weather of 2017 could become more and more common, which could also mean more and more snow, ya’ll.
Courtesy Photo
H&M receives backlash for racially insensitive hoodie Caleb McCluskey printz reporter
Protests in South Africa forced H&M to close down shops across the country and hire a “diversity leader” to repair damages. One has to actively avoid media to not know what is happening with H&M and the controversy surrounding the clothing brand. The company ran online ads of black child Liam Mango wearing a hoodie with the words “Coolest Monkey in the Jungle” in bold text, which caused a great deal of backlash. The backlash H&M currently faces includes lighter issues such as musicians G-Eazy and The Weeknd cutting ties with the brand to more pressing issues like having their storefronts in South Africa ransacked by followers of the well-known socialist group the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) of South Africa. The protests turned violent quickly, and the leader of the group Floyd Shivambu approved greatly. He took to Twitter and said, “Well done fighters who physically confronted racism,” and, “Racism must fall and we will never tip-toe around racists.” H&M’s response via Facebook lacked substance. They claimed it was unintentional, which is fairly believable. The statement said, Courtesy Photo
“Our commitment to addressing diversity and inclusiveness is genuine, therefore we have appointed a global leader, in this area, to drive our work forward.” Is the hoodie truly racist? The intention certainly was not to be racist, but one anonymous USM student said, “Kids like animals. They also like being cool. Are people saying no black kid is allowed to like monkeys?” Junior nursing major Joshua Robinson said, “It was at the very least negligent on the part of H&M, but it does not warrant such a violent reaction from the public.” It all boils down to the simple fact that the sweater is just clothing, but H&M should not have been blind to the connotation that monkey holds throughout history. Terry Mango, the mother of the boy featured in the ad, said that she saw no racism in the hoodie and only saw her son modeling a sweatshirt that has “monkey” on it. South Africa has a very racially charged political climate, and it has come to the point where a hoodie can incite so much hate and violence. This violence only works to tear people apart. That is not to say there are not racial issues that need to be dealt with; they simply should not need violence. Martin Luther King Jr. said in a 1964 lecture, “Violence as a way of achieving racial justice is
both impractical and immoral… It solves no social problem: it merely creates new and more complicated one.” Violence against violence will only solve the problem momentarily, but in the long term will build cracks and scars that fuel tensions more. Should a “diversity leader” be necessary? In a world where anything can be misconstrued, most companies should automatically be questioning the choices they make in branding. No amount of PR can stop groups from calling something racist, but trashing stores maintained by the people you are supposed to be helping is not the way to bring about freedom and peace.
JANUARY 24, 2018
www.studentprintz.com
Kenyatta S. Ross, Photo Editor Cortez Edwards (1) finishing with a double-double with 13 points, 10 assists, and 6 steals against Rice.
Golden Eagles remains perfect at home with win over North Texas, 85-78 Andrew Abadie printz reporter
Southern Miss stays perfect at home after defeating North Texas 85-78. The Golden Eagles held off a 50-point second half from the Mean Green and improved the home record to 9-0. The win also puts the team back over .500 at 1110 overall and puts the team at .500 in conference. “You have to give [North Texas]
credit for attacking, they never let up,” Head Coach Doc Sadler said. “Overall, I’m just very happy. That’s a good basketball team, especially on the road. They have been hard to beat on the road. I knew it wasn’t even close to being over when we got up by eighteen.” In the first half, the Golden Eagles held a 12-9 lead with junior Eddie Davis putting up eight of those early points. From there Southern Miss went on a 14-0 run with juniors Tyree
Griffin and Cortez Edwards hitting back-to-back three pointers in the run to give the Golden Eagles a 24-9 lead. In the final minutes of the half, the Mean Green closed the lead but another three-pointer from Griffin gave the Golden Eagles more cushion as the team closed the half with a 42-28 lead. At the start of the second half Southern Miss extended its lead to as much as 18 points at 56-38. However, North Texas chipped
away at the deficit after switching into a full court press that forced the Golden Eagles into making several mistakes. North Texas put together a 12-5 run and crept within five at 70-65 with 2:12 left to play. Within the final minute free throws from Griffin and Edwards helped clinch the win for the Golden Eagles. Southern Miss as a team was 26-for-31 from the free throw line which proved to be the difference. Four Golden Eagles posted
double-digits with Griffin leading them with 27 points and Edwards posting a double-double scoring 19 points and bringing in ten rebounds. “I feel that we are starting to figure things out,” Griffin said. “We’re moving the ball pretty well and people are making shots at home but we just have to find ourselves on the road now.” Southern Miss hits the road to play Louisiana Tech on Jan. 27 at 6 p.m.
Lady Eagles defeat Middle Tennessee, 61-53 Grant Chighizola printz reporter
Courtesy Photo Shonte Hailes (5) becomes C-USA’S player of the week after a career preformance.
Led by a 20-point offensive performance by sophomore Shonte Hailes and solid rebounding, the Southern Miss women’s basketball team (11-7, 3-2 C-USA) defeated the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (11-8, 3-3 C-USA) in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, extending their win streak to three games. In the first two quarters, the Lady Eagles maintained slim leads over the Blue Raiders, taking a 34-28 lead into halftime. The team shot 52.2 percent from the field in the first half, led by Hailes with nine points and senior forward Megan Brown with seven points. Though the Lady Eagles scored only 12 points in the third quarter and 15 points in the fourth quarter, they were able to maintain a lead during the entire second half, thanks to 11 second-half points
by Hailes and five turnovers from Middle Tennessee. Hailes, who earned a doubledouble with 20 points and 13 rebounds, was the team’s leading scorer, followed by Brown with 10 points. Southern Miss also benefited from 19 bench points in the victory. Junior transfer Kyle Felton led all bench scorers with nine points. “Today, as a whole, we played with a tremendous amount of heart and soul,” said Head Coach Joye Lee-McNelis. “It made a difference when we were able to score when we needed to score, to get to the rim when we needed to and get some fouls.” The Lady Eagles will look to extend their winning streak to four games when they take on the Charlotte 49ers at home on Jan. 25 at 6 p.m.