Thursday, March 30, 2017 Volume 101 Issue 44
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Budget cuts kill Eaglepalooza JULIUS KIZZEE sports editor For the past 13 years, Eaglepalooza has been known for the vibrant music that it brings to Hattiesburg. Due to educational budget cuts made by Mississippi legislature, the annual musical festival has been canceled. “We will be able to be more intentional in direct areas of the students,” said Student Government President Cameron Cloud. “Eaglepalooza was an event of 13 years of tradition, but we will be able to better to focus on student organizations and directly affect the student body. It’s bittersweet, but SGA is going to do huge things this year. We’re still going to be present in the community.” Cloud believes that even though Eaglepalooza is gone, the community will be able to recover from the loss of such a staple in the Hattiesburg community. “It has a lot to do with the budget,” Cloud said. “We have a budget we get presented at the beginning of
the year and it predicts what we get for the year. The cut was so large that we didn’t have the $45,000 to run Eaglepalooza.” Former SGA president Caroline Bradley is not just looking at the money. Bradley, who has been in the Student Government Association for almost her entire college career, said Eaglepalooza was more than a concert. “It is a great recruitment tool, so from the potential student side, not having the concert equals a loss of a great selling point,” Bradley said. “For current students, a campus tradition that brings the community together is gone. I think the loss is going to hurt, but hearing the feedback and getting ideas for bringing Eaglepalooza back are encouraging. It shows us that this community wants to work together to get it back.” The social media community was outraged by the news of cutting one of the biggest music events in the entire state of Mississippi. Last year, Keri Hilson rocked the stage, with Echosmith coming to the Hub City
the year before. Cloud said what is most important to him is transparency. Throughout his campaign for SGA president, a position he has held for just under a month, he advocated for clear communication and he followed through with SGA’s announcement of the cancellation of Eaglepalooza. “I ran my campaign on transparency,” Cloud said. “I was the bearer of bad news. It was the only option. I’m confident people will express their concerns on this issue. “Either cut Eaglepalooza or lessen the quality of the investment of student organizations or other areas of SGA. Eaglepalooza was the best choice for that.” SGA is looking for options to mitigate the loss of Eaglepalooza. “Unfortunately, cutting Eaglepalooza was one of the first things to cut in the statewide budget cuts,” Cloud said. “We work through them, work as a community and move forward.” Stay with The Student Printz for more updates on the story.
Coutesy Photo|
HB 1322 ‘beer bill’ passes in Miss. KENDRA PARKS printz reporter On July 1, Mississippi craft breweries and beer enthusiasts will celebrate the
passing of House Bill 1322, which will “authorize small craft breweries to sell light wine or beer they produce on the premises of the brewery.” Gov. Phil Bryant signed the bill
Daisy Stutts | Printz Southern Prohibition Taproom on March 30, 2016.
on March 15. A portion of the bill “authorizes small craft breweries located in Mississippi that produce no more than 60,000 barrels of light wine or beer annually to sell on the
premises of the brewery light wine or beer produced at such brewery for consumption on or off the premises of the brewery,” according to HB 1322. Previously, under the three-tier system, producers sold their products only to wholesale distributors who then sold to retailers and only retailers could sell to consumers. This system was established to prevent vertical integration among the tiers listed. “Beer distributors in the state carry all the craft brewery brands and sell them to licensed retailers,” said President of the Mississippi Beer Distributors Association Richard Brown. “With the craft breweries wanting to have limited craft brewery sales, we wanted to maintain the integrity of the three-tier system as much as possible.” Mississippi Beer Distributors Association, the Mississippi Manufacturers Association and the Mississippi Brewers Guild worked together over several years to pass this legislation.
HB 1322 will protect the distributors and retailers. Small craft breweries are only allowed to sell 10 percent of beer or light wine or no more than 1,500 barrels produced annually at the brewery, according to djournal.com. “Licensed Retailers can only sell what they purchase,” Brown said. “By allowing a brewery, who is a manufacturer, to on-site sale, you get into the business of the independent Mississippi beer distributors and beer realtors, which were all involved in the bill. However, everybody came up with a proposal that both sides could accept.” The bill will benefit the three-tier system because it will insure the sale of popular beer to distributors. “It will allow us to experiment with more products [and save] money in the long run by not releasing something to the market that is not going to be a big seller,” said President and CEO of Biloxi Brewing Company Mark Cowley. “[We can save money] by doing a limited release from the brewery.” continued online |
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INTRODUCTION THURSDAY, MARCH 30, 2017
MEET THE STAFF SPRING 2017 Daisy Stutts
Cam Bonelli
Photo Editor
Executive Editor
daisy.hunt@usm.edu
cambonelli93@gmail.com
Jhaimee Bullock
Jack Hammett
Design Editor
Managing Editor
jhaimee.bullock@usm.edu
jackhammett92@gmail.com
Sarah Anne Schloemer
Kaitlyn Watkins
Web Master
News Editor
sarah.schloemer@usm.edu
kaitlyn.watkins@usm.edu
Nan Beauti
Hiba Tahir
Copy Editor
Entertainment Editor
afnan.beauti@usm.edu
hiba.tahir@usm.edu
Julius Kizzee Sports Editor
southernprintz@gmail.com
studentprintz.com
Chuck Cook
Amber Cobbins
chuck.cook@usm.edu
amber.cobbins@usm.edu
Printz Advisor
OPINIONS 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.
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.
Printz Designer
FIND US ON THE WEB The Student Printz @studentprintz studentprintz.com
NEWS THURSDAY, MARCH 30, 2017
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USM celebrates 107th Founders’ Day KAITLYN WATKINS
news editor
This year marks the 107th anniversary of The University of Southern Mississippi’s founding. On March 30, 1910, Mississippi Normal College, which later became USM, was established. The Alumni Association designated March 30 as MSC Day in 1955, when the university was called Mississippi Southern College. According to the university’s website, this day was to be observed by all students, current and former, “to build up a little more custom and tradition concerning the college.” Since then, MSC Day has been renamed as Founders’ Day and has been continued to be celebrated each year. The Founders’ Day of 2010 celebrated the centennial of the university with the dedication of the Centennial Gateway, a spring convocation ceremony and a large community-style picnic. “Founders’ Day is an important celebration because Southern Miss has come so far since its legislative founding in 1910,” said Jerry DeFatta, executive director of the Southern Miss Alumni Association. “Our journey thus far is a testament to the resilience and determination of our students, faculty, staff and alumni
through the years. On Founders’ Day we celebrate the Southern Miss spirit.” The Student Alumni Association (SAA) holds events during Founders’ Week each year for students, according to Nicole Ruhnke, Assistant Director for Communication for the Southern Miss Alumni Association. The SAA is the student chapter of the Southern Miss Alumni Association which helps to promote spirit and enthusiasm by protecting the traditions and history of Southern Miss. On Monday, the SAA hosted a “Thank You Station” in the Thad Cochran Center in which students could send thank you notes to faculty and staff in order to show their appreciation for all of their hard work. Tuesday, the Southern Miss Trivia Cab gave free rides on a golf cart to anyone who answered USM trivia. The Founders’ Week Faceoff in Spirit Park on the same day allowed students to cast their vote in the faceoff by taking a selfie with Seymour or another campus celebrity. A “casual networking event” called “Mingle Like You Mean It” was held on Wednesday night in the RC’s Lounge. This event gave students the opportunity to connect with successful young alumni from Southern Miss. The Founders’ Day “State of the
University” address given by USM President Rodney Bennett will be held Thursday on the Gulf Park campus. A live streaming of the speech will be available online for viewers across the state and beyond. Hattiesburg students, faculty and staff can gather in Bennett Auditorium to watch the live video at 3 p.m. “Next year’s Founders’ Day ceremony will be hosted in Hattiesburg, with the location of the ceremony alternating between campuses each year,” Bennett wrote in an email to the campus community. “The program will be streamed online for those who are unable to attend in person. I encourage you to join us as we reimagine Founders’ Day and celebrate our rich history and promising future across the state of Mississippi and beyond.” Service Pin Receptions will also be held on both the Gulf Park and Hattiesburg campuses on Founders’ Day for individuals by private invite only. New Southern Miss Hall of Fame student members are honored and other university awards are presented on this day every year. To conclude the various Founders’ Week events, the SGA will host Founders’ Fest in Spirit Park on Friday from 5 - 7 p.m. Founders’ Fest is a free talent show featuring
Courtesy Photo | USM students with all food proceeds and donations benefitting scholarships for USM students with
disabilities. For more information regarding Founders’ Day events, visit usm.edu/about/founders-day.
Marlins Bar and Grill closes: ‘This is a great thing’ KAYLA THIRY
printz reporter
On March 25, Marlins Bar and Grill located on Highway 49 in Hattiesburg announced on Facebook it would close its doors. Owner Corey Cooley posted a video accompanying the announcement stating that March 29 would be the bar’s final day of business. Marlins was open for three and a half years. The restaurant offered live music, entertainment and an event space, according to its website. Cooley said in the beginning he was excited and happy about the challenges owning his own business would bring. “I woke up every single day for a long time and felt happy,” Cooley said. He said, however, the excitement wore off about a year ago and that Marlins no longer fulfilled him. “I realized that I wasn’t working and hanging onto to this place for [myself] anymore,” Cooley said. “I was working it with a chip on my shoulder and was working it to prove people before me that I could do it.” Cooley said it turned more into proving his success to other business owners and other people rather than himself. According to Cooley, no offers to buy the building have been
made, but he is hopeful that someone will buy it soon. “I don’t see this as a closing,” Cooley said. “I really see this as a moving out of the way.” Cooley said he is hopeful that another person who is more passionate will be able to make a great environment for the Hattiesburg community. “This is not a sad thing – this is a great thing,” Cooley said. “I want to thank everyone for the constant support you all have given me.” Kendra Haywood, a senior special education major, said she is sad to see Marlins close. She said she went there for the first time on her 21st birthday. “I was nervous because I had never been there,” Haywood said. “Everyone was so nice and welcoming. I made a lot of friends that night.” She said the environment Marlins had made her feel safe and welcome. “I really valued the security I felt there,” Haywood said. “I’m not a club person, so Marlins always seemed like the perfect fit for me.” Haywood said she is hopeful that a new bar will have the same atmosphere as Marlins and that she enjoyed how close it was to campus. “It also didn’t hurt that they had $1 drinks on Tuesdays.” Haywood said, “I wish the owner luck in following his passion.” Tyler Bullock, a sophomore
Courtesy Photo | sociology major, said he is sad to see Marlins go. “Marlins was a place where my friends and I could get together and enjoy a brwveak from the stress of college and work,” Bullock said. The Farewell Fest commemorating the closing started Sunday and ended Wednesday night with a closing party that honored all the businesses’ employees, customers and musicians.
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FEATURE THURSDAY, MARCH 30, 2017
Professor discusses diversity in first graders AUTUMN BROWN
printz reporter
Karen Kozlowski, assistant professor of sociology, presented a lecture titled “How Peer Groups Become Racially Segregated as Early as First Grade— And What That Means for Their Academics” on March 23. The Department of Anthropology and Sociology hosted this lecture at The University of Southern Mississippi’s Hattiesburg campus. According to the department’s event page, the presentation, “addressed how, even as early as first grade, students come to identify friends who are demographically similar to themselves and what consequences this might have on the academic achievement and skills development of different student groups.” The lecture is a part of Kozlowski’s dissertation “Doing School:” Learning Behavior, Classroom Interactions and the Racial Achievement Gap.” In her research, Kozlowski observed two racially diverse schools in North Carolina. She found that first graders did not select their friends strictly because of race. However, the first graders bonded “with students on the basis of attributes that happen to be correlated with race and socioeconomic status. Two of those factors that seem to matter are academic skills and perception of being a misbehaving student.” Keia McInnis, a Hattiesburg resident who attended the free event, said she was alarmed at Kozlowski’s quantitative findings. “I’m shocked,” McInnis said. “When I was in first grade, I didn’t think I
chose friends based on the grades I made, let alone race. Not to mention, I was really surprised to hear how some teachers profile students of color.” In a simple statement, McInnis continued, “This really blew my mind.” In addition, Kozlowski reported that students bonded with classmates who were their “academic equals”. Friendship groups were segregated by supplemental educational services, which refers to free extra academic help that is provided to students in subjects such as language arts and math. “Teachers also reinforced the highSES and low-SES divide in who was seen as smart by disproportionately calling on higher-SES students (most of whom were white),” Kozlowski said. This is not the only instance where teachers played a role in subtle segregation. Friendship groups, as Kozlowski pointed out, are connected to race and ethnicity in regard to how teachers constructed who was a misbehaving student. Kozlowski, says that, on average, students of color and lower-SES students were disciplined more than their white counterparts— some of which had higher-SES scores. “Teachers regularly reprimanded black students when they misbehaved relative to white students, which I think subtly shaped the perception of the students in class about what kind of students they were and what kind of students were like them.” McInnis is taken aback by this, stating. “You see it in the news – police officers profiling black people,” McInnis said. “I never thought it happened in a classroom – in first
grade. They’re just kids.” Kozlowski said there are clear socioeconomic disparities in academic skills among children, too. “One of the ways I saw this happening was in how parents assisted their children with homework,” Kozlowski said. There is a clear distinction between how higher-SES parents and lowerSES parents assist their children when it comes to homework, according to Kozlowski. While the higher-SES parents went through “a detailed step-by-step process” of how they aid their children with (math) homework, lower-SES parents were confused by the (math) problem. “They would be less detailed in their assistance,” Kozlowski said. “This different kind of assistance produced in children different scripts for solving similar problems once they got to school, which seemed to affect their confidence and engagement with school, which affected how other children were drawn to them as friends.” On a macro-level, Kozlowski said more equitable opportunity in the economy will particularly serve the most disadvantaged students. At the school level, Kozlowski recommends educators to subject themselves to some scrutiny to avoid (unintended) prejudicial attitudes. “At the school level, teachers and administrators need to be aware of the way their interactions or other aspects of their practice (maybe their curriculum or instructional style) might facilitate stereotypes or other unequal outcomes,” Kozlowski said. Kozlowski is an Assistant Professor
of Sociology. In 2016, she attained her Ph.D. at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. Kozlowski’s research specializes in sociology of education--specifically, how and why socioeconomic status and race correspond to students’ educational experiences and outcomes. Her work examines explanations for the racial achievement gap, how
diverse elementary school students learn how to become successful in school, how educational contexts shape students’ health and stress, how schools shape whether students identify and challenge perceived social injustice, and the impact of educational policies on communities and students.
Meet Cameron! SGA President
ASHLEY HOBSON printz reporter Before Spring Break, The University of Southern Mississippi student body elected Cameron Cloud as its new SGA President. This week, over coffee in the library, I got to sit down and get to know the Cam behind the campaign. The meeting started off as many others, with a handshake and an introduction and also a mutual exchange of “thank God the week was over.” However, I quickly got the sense that Mr. Cloud was just as interested in what I had to say as I was in what he had to say. It seemed that every few questions I would ask of him would be interrupted with a few that he would ask of me. It was not long before the “interview” between reporter and President had turned into just a conversation. Cameron Cloud, a Biological Sciences and Communication Studies double major with a minor in Spanish, has grown up on and around our campus here at USM. He has served as SGA Eaglepalooza Assistant Director, SGA Freshman Forum Member, an Honor’s College Ambassador, Lucky Day Scholar, Most Outstanding Freshman Male 2016, GEWW Crew Leader, Vice President of Big Brothers Big Sisters as well as a member of Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity. Cam’s experiences here at USM so far have primed him for this new position, which he claims is unlike anything he’s attempted before. More than that, the people he has met in this community have shaped who he is not just as the new SGA President but also as just a regular USM student. Because, when you get down to it, that’s all he really is-a student just like you and me. When you get past his majors and his awards you see that Cam is just another student trying to
figure it out as he goes. He has his doubts about his career path. He struggles with balancing sleep and homework (a struggle near and dear to my heart). Cam even, at times, doubted his ability to succeed throughout his SGA campaign and struggled with being vulnerable to allow students to see who he really was. “There were some days where I just laid in bed and prayed, ‘God, get through today,”’ Cloud said. We’ve been there Cam, we’ve been there. There is, however, a solid fact I determined about Cam within the first ten minutes of speaking with him. Cam genuinely cares about people. Arguably, it’s the single factor that drives his lifehis love for every human around him. It is this love for people that justifies his major’s and career choices. It was this that pushed him to run for SGA President, a position that would give him the unique opportunity to be the voice of those that had not been heard before. “I wanted to go out and have a conversation with every student I could,” Cloud said. “I wanted to hear their ideas. I wanted to listen to them. One student even asked why we couldn’t have Soar online voting for elections, and that was something I had never thought of. That’s just one example of an idea that came purely from talking to students. I love it.” Cam decided, in what he calls a “leap of total faith,” to run for SGA President an entire year before he had originally planned. “I just woke up and thought, ‘OK! Let’s do this,”’ he said. So with less than a week to prepare, Cam built a campaign on the foundations of relationship, inclusivity, transparency, and community. A campaign built to reflect who Cam is as a person as well as his beliefs, shaped by the community and people he’s been with all along. continued online |
FEATURE THURSDAY, MARCH 30, 2017
HIBA TAHIR
entertainment editor As we near the end of March, I’m slowly but steadily making my way down my list of proposed challenges, beginning with #8 – two makeup-free days.
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I thought this challenge would be difficult, if not downright impossible. Since starting college, I have never been seen without a full face of makeup. To me, a “full’ face generally consists of just foundation and eyeliner. Occasionally, I’ll also wear
mascara, lipstick or lip paint, bronzer, highlighter and/ or eyeshadow. Usually, I am ready within 10 to 15 minutes, depending on how anal I feel about the straightness of my eyeliner. I don’t know when I started to feel as though I couldn’t face the world without
My skin was briefly in love with me
I am fortunate enough to be blessed with good skin. I’ve never had acne, and on the rare occasion that I get a pimple, it’s usually just a stress zit. How I’ve managed this, I have no idea. I attempt to be the sort of organized person who remembers to use a facial scrub at least once a week, but thanks to my schedule, that ends up being more like a once-a-month thing. Also, in all my 21 years of living, I think I’ve only removed my makeup twice before going to bed (and one of those times was the night before this challenge started). Long story short, I have good skin, but I definitely shouldn’t. However, I don’t think my skin has ever been better than it was during this challenge. As a result, I’m going to attempt to take my makeup off before bed more often, and maybe forgo it entirely some days.
an oil and emollient layer between us, but it’s become as necessary to my life as Chacos and oversized T-shirts are to a srat girl’s. So, yes, I thought this challenge would be difficult, but it wasn’t anywhere near as difficult as I expected it to
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be. Even though that the first morning of my challenge was agonizingly awkward, I learned a lot of things about myself and even uncovered some benefits along the way. Here are just a few of the things that happened:
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I saved ridiculous amounts of time and money.
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I was relatively stress-free.
One thing I actually really loved about this challenge is that I was able to brush my teeth in the morning, change clothes and leave. What normally takes me an hour and 30 minutes took me roughly 40 minutes. Also, the first thing I thought as I rummaged through my makeup bag the morning after the challenge is that I was, yet again, running out of eyeliner and foundation and would have to replace both soon. If I’m shopping on the lower end of the scale, this puts me back roughly $30, which is a bit disheartening when you think of all the mozzarella sticks $30 could buy.
Along with the time I saved, I also saved myself a lot of grief. I didn’t have to check my lipstick every couple of hours. I didn’t have to worry about leaving stains on my cups and straws. I didn’t have to worry that as I wiped the crumbs off my face after eating I’d also accidentally wipe off the foundation around my mouth. I could rub my eyes without worrying about leaving raccoon eyes behind. (I did get a little carried away with this one and nearly knocked a contact out, but that’s neither here nor there.)
So all in all, it wasn’t so bad, and I’m a bit more confident about the challenges that remain. What will I try next? Well, I’ll planning to begin my five-day taco bell diet on Friday, and I’ll soon begin training for my 5K run. Should be interesting.
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ENTERTAINMENT THURSDAY, MARCH 30, 2017
#ATLOrgy: Sex party goes awry TICHINA WILSON
printz reporter
“A-Town,” “The Big Peach,” the “Empire City of the South” – these are just a few nicknames for the city of Atlanta, Ga. You know, the state that is the country’s top producer of pecans, peanuts and Vidalia onions. Now the city is making headlines for something else people are apparently willing to pay for: orgy parties. One Atlanta woman is making orgies the talk of the town. Cidney Green reportedly raked in several-thousand dollars after she billed her 27th birthday celebration. It all started when the Marietta native marketed the ATL Orgy as an X-rated birthday celebration for her. It wasn’t long before the event earned the hashtag #ATLOrgy on social media. Blogs report that Green is a phone sex operator and the face behind the “Total Liberation” blog, where she discussed having numerous boyfriends who knew of one another. According to Inquistir.com, Green posted of the orgy on her website, Kundalinikak, “this will encompass everything I love and adore… Great vibes, Good Ratchet Music, Amazing Food and Swangin’ Balls!” One might ask how much it costs to
get all that and more. Single ladies had a prepaid fee of $99.99 with single men and couples ponying up $175. The site was later updated to state the event was sold out. According to the flyer trolling around social media, there was a no refund policy, and Green, the organizer, would not be liable for any misconduct during or following the event. Guests expected an environment where “sex is allowed and nudity is 100 percent encouraged!” Green told Rolling Out Magazine that she is into nudity, voyeurism, porn and is polyamorous. She said she was recruited by a friend to help promote Sunday night events for swingers at a club in the Atlanta area. “Before this I was already known for being very open about sexuality, talking about sex … saying what everybody is thinking, especially women,” Green said. According to Green, the event went through a couple of organizational hiccups before the final venue was chosen, but tickets were sold. Perhaps the reported 35 guests who were down for their idea of a slumber party did not see the “no refund” policy as a red flag. Keyboard warriors on Twitter said Cidney Green failed to show up to the event.
Many internet users suspect this was a ploy to conduct research for a term paper. Let’s hope Brown received an A+. Apparently, only men showed up to the festivities. Take a moment to imagine the looks of disappointment on their faces. During the event, those who claimed to be in attendance took to social media to voice their dislike for the lack of women present. “My bro down @ the #ATLorgy right now, he told me he just loss $300 in a dice game. They eating wings waiting on the girls to come he said,” @Squadelujah tweeted. “Bruh this #ATLorgy so weak. I spent 300 for my flight & 175 for my ticket... to show up to a room full of dudes. I want a refund,” @CxCo_ tweeted. The user even went on to ask where the condoms were. Green said in the interview with Rolling Out before the event that they had ordered 300 condoms, lube as well as security. Many believe that events such as these contribute to Atlanta’s STD rates that are steadily climbing. “Of ALL the places to have an orgy, you pick the Mecca of HIV in America? #ATLOrgy,” @myvoicemysound tweeted. “ATL orgy party? ….well this seems like a good time to point out ATL is top 10 on the STD list,” @black_virginian
Courtesy Photo | tweeted. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2013, 513 of every 100,000 people were living with diagnosed HIV in Atlanta. The state of Mississippi was not far behind, with 367 of every 100,000 people were living with diagnosed HIV. In 2016, cities in Georgia and Mississippi were on the list of the top ten cities with HIV. Atlanta alone consistently ranks among the top cities for its sex economy and STD infection rates. Its HIV epidemic can be compared to thirdworld countries. According to Rolling Out, clubs in
the Atlanta area offer $50 two-month memberships for couples with nightly entry fees of $70 on Friday and $80 on Saturday. Single women are charged $50 for a three-month membership with a $15 night fee, and single men are charged $150 for a two-month membership. While the money paid for a membership may seem expensive to some, the expense of HIV treatments are far more hefty. Reports from 2014 show that 30 percent of those living with the virus are uninsured. The risk of skipping the medicine can risk the chance of HIV multiplying rapidly.
Family-safe YouTube content should not be censored ASHLEY HOBSON
printz reporter
Last week, YouTube started flagging content from the LGBTQ community as “inappropriate” and removed this content from under-18 viewers’ feeds. The hashtag #YouTubeIsOverParty started trending, and YouTube released a statement on Twitter concerning the “mistake” on Monday.
“Some videos have been incorrectly labeled, and that’s not right,” YouTube tweeted. “We’re on it! More to come.” YouTube then unrestricted some videos, but not before YouTubers could screenshot their feeds and compare the restricted feed directly next to the normal feed. The restricted version of YouTube is meant specifically to aid parents, schools and kid-friendly organizations in
creating appropriate viewing experiences for children under 18 years old. If it is meant to aid parents in filtering content, then why do parents not have more say in what is being filtered? If this content is going to be kept from children under 18, that is a decision for those adults raising them, who are able to gauge more clearly their needs and maturity levels. It should not be left to a corporation to decide what users should
be able to view. To date, YouTube offers no personalization for the restricted feature. Instead, a panel of faceless and nameless employees are trusted to make decisions for every YouTube user no matter the age. Or worse yet, a logarithm is trusted to make the decision based on data (like video titles). YouTube, or any other corporation, should not be given the power to filter such a sensitive subject when each user’s opinion will differ from the next. Instead, YouTube must allow all users the same opportunity and offer more personalization of feeds by reconfiguring its restricted feature. Obviously, videos with explicit or inappropriate content are removed with YouTube’s restrictions. However, videos with no explicit or inappropriate content at all were also removed – but only for the LGBTQ community. Taking the purpose of the restricted function into account, the question we should be asking is not how is this happening, but instead why is it happening? Whenever you enable YouTube’s restricted mode, you are sent to the YouTube help page. There are no ways to choose specifically what you want to filter out of a feed. Instead, there is only the statement, “We use many signals – such as video title, description, metadata, Community Guidelines reviews and age-restrictions – to identify and filter out potentially mature content.” At first glance it appears that the
videos that are filtered out are those that have an LGBQT “term” within the title. For example, YouTube vlogger Fiona had videos such as “My YouTuber Lesbian Crushes,” “What People Say When You Come Out as Bisexual” and “Gay Girl Interviews Straight Guy” were blocked. Videos such as “An Honest Chat About Being Single” and “How to Dump Someone” were still viewable under restricted mode. However, the Chicago Tribune reported that a video simply entitled “Her Vows,” in which two women are married, was also blocked. The video “contains no nudity, violence or swearing. There’s no revealing clothing. No one is engaging in activities that have a ‘high risk of injury or death.’ And yet, YouTube had deemed the video unsuitable for people under 18,” according to the Chicago Tribune. For a good reason, this made it seem as if YouTube targeted the LGBTQ community as inappropriate as a whole instead of as individual posters. While they claim it was a mistake, how do they explain only videos with LGBTQ content being restricted? Many individuals turn to YouTube for not only tutorials but also as a haven to find like-minded individuals offering experiences and advice. The problem is that if these same videos are instead titled “How to Deal with Your Lesbian Breakup,” they would be flagged and hidden from the very audience that needs it most.
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SPORTS THURSDAY, MARCH 30, 2017
Softball season: Do or die ANDREW ABADIE
printz reporter
The Lady Eagles season will solely depend on the team’s ability to find consistency in their offense. The Lady Eagles are one game over .500 after a 21 - 5 win over Jackson State on Wednesday. In their last 10 games, the Lady Eagles have lost six of those, with their longest win streak being only at two games. With a 3-6 start in conference play, it is now imperative to build positive momentum after upsetting South Alabama, but dropping a contest against Mississippi State. They have struggled against many lower-end softball teams and have played inconsistent in the first half of the season, but they have the ability to defeat any team, which they have shown. Pitching has proven to be the most consistent aspect of the team.
However, no elite pitcher has emerged from the team. Transfer Kim Crowson has become the most dependable pitcher having a 1.67 ERA and leads the team with 42 strikeouts. Pitchers Samantha Robles and Jillian Johnson each have had their share of brilliance and disappointment. Robles and Johnson both have losing records of 3-5 and 4-5, but post a 2.73 ERA and a 2.99 ERA, respectively. Despite the minor pitching problems, the heart of the Golden Eagle problems lie in their hitting. The team is currently hitting a .241 batting average. Except for Lauren Holifield’s .302 average and team-leading seven home runs, the team lacks stability. The team averages six hits and just over three runs per game. This shows that the team either needs to capitalize in scoring runs or the team need to hit more home runs to suffice for the
low hits. The team needs to adjust to the type of offense that they can benefit from, based on how their offense has played. The team must define their hitting style — and trying to hit home runs is not their answer. The teams on-base percentage of .349 is the high point of the team. If the Golden Eagles can find a surge and have that rise to over .400, then the team could base their hitting style as a small-ball type of team. This could help them drive in more runs more efficiently, or at the very least, increase their chances of scoring in games. If this team can find a groove, making an NCAA Regional is still within their cards. Yet, this all goes back into finding an identity in their offense and sticking with it. All statistics are current as of Mar. 28, courtesy of Southern Miss Athletics.
Julius Kizzee | Printz USM softball coach Wendy Hogue walks during a contest against Miss. St. on Mar. 28.
USM clutches victory against New Orleans KYLE WILLIAMS
printz reporter
The Golden Eagles hosted the University of New Orleans (14-12) Wednesday, winning 8 - 4 and improving to 21 - 5 on the season. “We really talk about playing the game and not the opponent,” said Head Coach Scott Berry. “If you’re good at anything, people want a piece of you and that doesn’t keep you from how you prepare and play.” Junior Taylor Braley kick-started the Southern Miss offense in the bottom of the second inning with a double to left field. After a walk and a sac fly, second baseman Storme
Cooper recorded his first career home run, collecting three RBIs, giving Southern Miss a 3 - 0 lead. The next four innings would prove unproductive for Southern Miss as they accumulated one hit and no runs while the Privateers recorded two runs on three hits to cut into the deficit, 3 - 2. The highlight of the game came from the Golden Eagles’ performance in the seventh inning. “We just tried to put the ball in play and have runners in scoring positions,” said shortstop LeeMarcus Boyd. After a pitching change in the bottom of the seventh inning for the Privateers, Boyd delivered a
solo home run to left field to give Southern Miss a one-run lead, 4 - 3. Boyd’s home run would spark momentum for the Golden Eagles as Dylan Burdeaux doubled off of an 0 - 2 count. Daniel Keating would deliver an RBI double to bring home Burdeaux, then Hunter Slater would single to bring home Keating, 6 - 3. Seven of the eight runs Southern Miss scored came off of two-out RBIs. The Golden Eagles recorded 10 hits on the night while capping the Privateers to only seven. Southern Miss looks to claim its 22nd win of the season Friday against Western Kentucky. The first pitch is set for 5p.m.
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Julius Kizzee | Printz The USM baseball team has won 14 out of their last 16 games, including three straight at home.
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