Vol. 54, Issue 3 November 6, 2015 Oak Grove High School www.thewarriorbeat.com
THE WARRIOR BEAT MS General Election
INSIDE
By: Lucy Pruitt, Editor, @LucyLu_too
November 3, 2015 marked one of the most important political election days that current students in Oak Grove have seen to date. From public school funding changes to the races of the most important leadership seats in the land, Mississippi election results are in, and the voters have spoken. One of the most controversial of decisions finally settled on Tuesday was the issue of Initiative 42. The proposed constitutional amendment would have given the power to fund public schools to the Mississippi Judiciary system, taking all power away from the legislature, but for the second time in Mississippi’s history, education policies affecting the legislature’s decision on public school
I see Paris, I see France NEW TRIPS >
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And then there were four...
NFL UPDATE > PG 3
Candidate catchup A DEBATE OVERVIEW >
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jOBS 1.0 & 1.1
STEVE JOBS MOVIE REVIEWS > PG 5
Battle of the Beards REMEMBER MOVEMBER >
PG 8
Black Eye friday
DEADLY HOLIDAY SHOPPING > PG 9
Twilight: Life & Death
GENDER SWAPPING VAMPS > PG 10
Evolution of TSwift
COUNTRY BUMPKIN TO GLAMSTAR>PG 11
funding failed. This time with 331,875 votes and a majority of 52% of the precincts voting against Initiative 42. Governor Phil Bryant (Rep.) was among the many incumbents who will hold on to their state offices. Winning over 66% of the vote, Gov. Bryant easily beat his two opponents who both ran low budget campaigns, though funding may not have mattered at all considering Bryant’s popularity throughout the state. Lieutenant Governor Tate Reeves (Rep.) will join Gov. Bryant once again in the State Capitol, winning 60% of the overall votes, and he is quickly becoming the favorite to be elected Governor in 2019. Lt. Gov. Reeves ran against former Madison County Supervisor, lawmaker, and even at one point Republican, Tim Johnson. When announcing his decision to exchange his Republican party membership to a Democratic party membership, Johnson also told the public his plans to run against incumbent Republican Tate See GE on PG2
The running dead: Catch me if you can By: Grace Mozingo Staff Reporter @gracewilmo
Yes friends, it is that time of year again. The time for those who love spooks and scares, the candy and costumes, haunted houses and ghost stories, and, of course, the Zombie Run. The third annual undead-themed race will take place on noneother-than Halloween, where contestants learned a new meaning to “running for your life.” The dubbed
survival run (or walk) was hosted by the OGHS Drama Department, fitted with its own gruesome cast of moaning, lifeless students. The ghoulish race began at 8:30 a.m., though registration started at 7:30 in the morning, at the OGHS walking track. For participants, they got to experience the thrill of being chased by zombies through a forest. And if a survivor was caught by one of the undead? Well of course the runner would See Zombie Run on PG2
FEAR THE WALKING DEAD Caroline Green and Bailey Walters await their victims at the third annual Drama Zombie Run.
ALY ABLE PHOTO
Mississippi universities lower flag By: Hannah Lee Staff Reporter @hanblanklee
The debate over the flag’s public display has become a nationwide issue, and although states such as Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee have decided to take the emblem off of license plates and state properties, the rest of the nation has not budged. But recently on October 26, 2015, students in the Associated Student Body of the University of Mississippi called for the flag’s removal. After a three hour debate that was featured on CNN, student senators voted 33-15 in favor of furling the flag. Interim chancellor Morris Stocks stated, “I understand the flag represents tradition and honor See Flag on PG2
TO THE TOP? Not for the Mississippi state flag anymore. Both Southern Miss and Ole Miss have lowered the controversial flag from their flagpoles.
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2 news
coming
UP Soccer in Gulport November 7 Warrior Classic November 7 Basketball vs H’Burg November 9 Progress Reports November 11 Veterans Day November 11
“See ya at the Savoy” in the PAC at 7 November 12,13,19 Powder Puff Football November 12 Veterans Day Breakfast November 13 Football Playoff November 13 Soccer @ Laurel November 14 Basketball vs McComb November 17 Thanksgiving Holidays November 23-27 Thanksgiving Day November 26 Thanksgiving Classic November 28
I see Paris, I see France
In June of 2017, students will have the opportunity to travel to Europe. By: Alyssa Bass Staff Reporter @sassyaly_
For many students, going out of the country may seem like a distant dream that only may be visited in college to study abroad; however, Oak Grove students have been given two opportunities to travel the world with EF Tours in June of 2017, thanks to Spanish I teacher Jamie Mattocks and SPED teacher Carmen Swilley.
Flag
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to some. But to others, the flag means that some members of the Ole Miss family are not welcomed or valued. That is why the university faculty, staff, and leadership have united behind this student-led initiative.” The flag has been taken down in several cities throughout Mississippi, more recently on the USM campus, but it is still uncertain as to whether the state as a whole will advocate to redesign the flag. Despite the forward
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Reeves. Reeves seemed unbothered by the party switch, because as per usual sensus the Republican ticket remained the voter favorite. Withstanding FBI investigations into his campaign finances, Incumbent Stacy Pickering will keep his office as State Auditor. With 60% of the vote, Pickering easily beat Professional Civil Engineer and the owner of Pritchett Engineering & Planning, Jocelyn Pritchett. Overall, many of the chief positions in Mississippi were won in reelection of incumbents, but Mississippi can still expect to see new faces, policies, and bright ideas coming in with Senators
beat’s bits Fusion for Fusion
November 6, 2015
Inspired by her students’ wanting to travel to Paris, Mattocks decided to offer students the chance to go to Madrid, Paris, and Rome for nine days to see things like the Royal Palace in Madrid, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, and the Colosseum in Rome. However, the trip comes at an expensive but reasonable price of $3,820 that pays for everything but souvenir money. On the other hand, frequent traveler Swilley is taking students to the Alps, Provence, and Barcelona for 10 days. Students will
movement the Ole Miss campus feels they have made, not everyone is pleased with the downfall of the flag. Governor Phil Bryant expressed his belief that “college students react a lot emotionally” and cited a law that stated, “The state flag shall receive all the respect and ceremonious etiquette given the American flag.” To some, the Confederate symbol on the Mississippi flag represents Southern pride. To oth-
ers, it symbolizes a long history of racial prejudice. Despite the rallies and protests against the flag, many still support it, and there is talk that in some of the areas in which the flag has been taken down (such as Ole Miss), people are attempting to have it back up again. The modern meaning of the flag holds a different definition for every person, and it seems as if both sides of the issue are set on their own beliefs.
Continued from PG1 and Representatives, as they all try to change this state for the better.
MYCAH KENNEDY PHOTO
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HOTTY TA-TA Students at Ole Miss protest, asking that the university remove the Mississippi state flag from its campus.
Zombie Run
become a zombie too. Each runner receives three flags that they must wear on a belt. Then, as the survivors are jogging/running/walking the course, one of the walking dead monsters will attempt to snatch it from the racer. Those who finish the race with at least one remaining flag are considered survivors. Those who lose all of their flags will join the ranks of zombies during the apocalypse. Think of it as a warped game of capture the flag, but add the undead and a 5k race. The top survivors were Tanner Woolebrite, Graham Gustafson, and Jordan Townsend respectively.The top three zombies/ runners were Jonathan Martin, Brandon Clark,
NEWS
On Thursday, October 22, a group of billionaires decided to make a collaborative effort to fund companies specializing in the production of energy using nuclear fusion. The group consisted of three founders and co-founders of companies such as Amazon, Microsoft, and PayPal with the intention of saving the world from pollution while producing massive quantities of energy. The group of investors are investing in many companies in attempt to tackle the crisis more efficiently.
be able to see the Chapel Bridge in Lucerne, the Cinque Terre, and the French Riviera. Seeing this beauty comes at the price of $3,590. Mattocks and Swilley both agree that students and parents should travel on one of these trips. Students are urged to convince their parents to let them travel in the summer of June 2017. Because of the advanced notification of each trip, there is ample time to fundraise for one of these exciting trips of a lifetime.
Transfer of Power...Steering
The Italian car company Ferrari has gone public as of Wednesday, October 22. Ferrari’s stock reached $60 per share, more than expected on the release day. Ferrari kept 10% of their of company while the rest of their stock is now owned by Fiat Chrysler. The company’s IPO was an attempt to gain profit; however, the market this month has shown the door to such companies. Even though the company’s stock has dropped by $4, Ferrari is still racing past the competition.
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and Cade Patterson. All in all, the fundraiser has been a hit for the last two years, with veterans coming back to partake in each go around. “My favorite part was watching the zombies return after the run and take pictures with the runners. The zombies did such a great job with their makeup and acting like the undead. Seeing the runners’ faces as they come by is priceless,” Carmen Swilley, a teacher here at OGHS, said. This year’s race had the biggest turnout of all three runs. With nearly 130 participants, the OGHS Drama Department was more than thrilled to scare the masses, especially the living.
By: Noah Farrar | Staff Reporter | @MrFarrar24
Tel Your Friends
SkyTran, an aerial mass transit system company, has begun creating the reality of The Jetsons. As of October 31, SkyTran has been undergoing construction in Tel Aviv at the campus of Israel Aerospace Industries, one of the company’s partners. The company is starting small in Israel beginning with a SkyTran track that spans 900 feet and moves at 60 mph. The company hopes to see and establish SkyTran systems all throughout the nation.
November 6, 2015
Ready, set, spike: Volleyball domination By: Katie Williams Staff Reporter @kt_williams_43
This year the varsity volleyball team has had a very successful season and boasts a record of 26 wins and only 7 losses. With the help of the new facility, the varsity team has used effective conditioning and practices along with the help of their very experienced coach to have a more cohesive and hardworking team this year. Ms. Seymour was an excellent setter at USM and her assistance, alongside the six seniors, benefitted the team to lead them to the playoffs and hopefully to state. Senior Lauren Pitts is very proud of this year’s team and cannot wait to see how well the juniors will continue to do next season. She says the junior class is easily the “strongest grade volleyball has.” She contributes this year’s success to how close they are as friends and not just teammates; the team has had many bonding activities even after the regular season ended, and that is why she believes this year has been the most fun. On
The leaves are changing, the weather is getting cooler, and the college football regular season is coming to an end. After the 9th week of college football, the College Football Playoff Committee released the first set of playoff rankings. The top four teams on these rankings are the projected teams to participate in the playoffs. These teams are as follows: #1 Clemson, #2 LSU, #3 Ohio State, and #4 Alabama. Clemson is
Beat the bobcats Senior Lauren Pitts and Junior Presley Davis celebrate winning point off of a serve.
LEE CAVE PHOTO
October 14, the varsity had seniors’ night and won against Hattiesburg. The Junior Varsity and the 9th grade teams made posters and presented the seniors with flowers to celebrate their last game of the season. Varsity volleyball can only continue to flourish with new faces and new facilities to benefit their potential of having another successful season. With three juniors and five sophomores, Junior Varsity has an amazing record with 13 wins, 2 splits and only 1 loss. The new facility allows them more time to practice,
and sophomore Hannah Grace Talbot says, “We do not deserve that. Wow, the technology is amazing and having volleyball fourth block makes it very easy to practice more, and conditioning has really helped and made us stronger and faster.” She contributes this year’s JV’s success to, “The leadership from this year was very good mainly because the grades were closer as friends.” She says that, “If we continue to work and improve we have the ability to be great and surpass this year’s record next season.”
one of the 11 undefeated teams in the top 25. LSU is also one of those teams, but LSU deserves there rank, unlike Clemson. Clemson has only played two teams with a winning record, and they inched by them. LSU has squeezed by #20 Mississippi State, demolished unranked Auburn, brought the hurt on Syracuse, out-manned South Carolina, and ran down the throat of the Florida Gators. LSU is also the major favorite for winning the SEC championship, but first they must squeeze by #4 Alabama and #18 Ole Miss. Considering the fact that both of these games
are played away, LSU might have a tough time winning out this season. Alabama should have their hands full with LSU running back Leonard Fournette this weekend. Alabama might be in for a tough game if their defense plays similar to how they played Ole Miss in week three.
ceiver as shutdown corner Aqib Talib and the rest of the Broncos defensive backs refused to give the receivers any space to make plays. Although the Packers running game finally showed up, the final score was 29-10 in favor of the Broncos. Continuing their strong offensive season, the New England Patriots soundly defeated the Miami
Dolphins on Thursday. Tom Brady continued to play the best football of his career and is showing no signs of slowing down. The future hall of famer threw for 356 yards with 4 touchdowns, connecting with receiver Julian Edelman for two scores, tight end Rob Gronkowski for one, and running back Dion Lewis for another. Between the unbeaten teams (the Broncos, Patriots, Bengals, and Panthers), the Patriots are without a doubt the most complete team. Tom Brady and Bill Belichick are always contenders for the Super Bowl, but this year, the offense is on fire, better than it was in their 2007 run which ended with a championship. The Patriots have a long season ahead of them, but they are the best team in the league.
And then there were four...
By: Drew Herring Staff Reporter @drew_herring2
This week in the NFL was one of many surprises, beginning with one of the most anticipated games of the season- the 6-0 Green Bay Packers led by star quarterback Aaron Rodgers taking on Peyton Manning’s 6-0 Denver Broncos at Mile High Stadium in Denver. Personally, I thought for sure that the Packers would be the ones to overcome what has been the best defense in the league, but my guess was completely off as the Broncos handed Rodgers the worst game of his professional career, finishing with just 77 yards passing and 31 yards rushing. Rodgers struggled early and often to find an open re-
beat’s bits Mets vs. Royals
RAPETTI’S SPORTS CORNER
By: Christian Rapetti Staff Reporter @c_rapetti
Clemson, who do you think you are?
By: Alec Hudson Staff Reporter @AlecHudson13
sports 3
SPORTS
After their 95-87 victory over the Boston Celtics, Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker have reached a milestone in NBA history. This win was the trio’s 541st together, pushing them ahead of Boston Celtics/NBA legends Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish for the most wins by a trio of all time. Duncan recently became the player with the most wins for one team ever. This is just another record for Duncan’s career which will land him in the Hall of Fame.
Gregg Popovich
Longtime head coach of the San Antonio Spurs Gregg Popovich has recently been named head coach of the USA national team for 2017 through 2020. Popovich has won an astounding 5 NBA championships and has coached players from all over the world. Popovich said, “I am extremely humbled and honored to have the opportunity to represent our country as the head coach of the USA national team.” There is no better man for the job.
For this edition of Sports Corner, I am going to talk about the 2015 World Series. I am just going to get this out of the way right now: I am not a fan of the New York Mets or the Kansas City Royals. But being that I have been a New York Yankees fan my whole life, I prefer the Royals over the Mets. That being said, I thought the Mets were going to win the title this year. Their starting pitching staff completely surpassed the Royals’ relief pitching staff. That of course is not the only reason the Mets should have won over the Royals. By the way, the Royals won if you did not catch on yet. I believe the Mets had a stronger lineup too. Although I will give the Royals’ lineup credit where it is due. It seems like all the problems the Mets faced came from their shaky defence, insert “99 Problems” reference here. Being that the Royals are “professionals,” they already knew this, and they used the Mets’ weakness to their advantage. But how about the fact that this World Series was guaranteed to reward fans that have waited a generation to celebrate? So depending on which of the two teams you are a fan of, this was a really big year. The Mets came very close to winning the title, but like my granny always says, “Close only counts for horseshoes and hand grenades.” I never fully understood that, but it seems relevant right now. She also says, “Never leave the house without wearing clean underwear.” Will do, Grandma, will do. So in closing, yes I hate the Mets, which means this year was a great year for me.
By: Drew Herring | Staff Reporter | @drew_herring2
Timberwolves Lose Coach
Flip Saunders was an NBA coach for 35 years in which he collected over 1,000 victories. On Sunday, October 25, Flip Saunders passed away after his long battle with cancer. Saunders had planned to remain the head coach of the Timberwolves, but his condition, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, suddenly worsened, taking his life Saunders was honored in the pregame ceremony before the Timberwolves played the Lakers.
4 opinion
By: Katie Williams Staff Reporter @kt_williams_43
On nights other than one of the most recent GOP debates, Fox is a place where Republican politicians can find a warm welcome, and where conservative viewers can have their pre-existing ideas reinforced. The network is also an important political actor that exists in part to serve the interests of the Republican Party. Not only was nearly every question confrontational, most of them were aimed at people within the party directed towards each candidate’s most glaring weakness. So for the next eight or nine months until Republicans have their nominee, Fox is going to be tough on its candidates. Fox is the definitely the place to go if you want to see these candidates tested. You certainly would not want it moderating a general election debate, but during the primaries, it can serve a vital function. Sometimes, Fox is telling Republican viewers what they want to hear, but other
times it’s telling them what they need to hear. Carly Fiorina was once again the breakout star of the night at the GOP debate, taking on Republican front-runner Donald Trump with finesse and capturing the crowd with polished answers and a powerful charge against abortion. Fiorina earned perhaps the biggest applause of the night as she skewered Planned Parenthood. “This is about
OPINION
Candidate catchup: A debate overview
November 6, 2015
the character of our nation and if we will not stand up and force President Obama to veto this bill, shame on us.” Fiorina, along with Ben Carson, Chris Christie, and Donald Trump all made an impression at the GOP debate and the polls show that tremendously. Hillary Clinton is now viewed as the “most likely candidate” to emerge as President. With Biden out of the race, Clinton’s numbers rose to dominate 58% of the vote. Clinton now also ranks as the most favorable candidate within her party. Overall 75% of all Americans agree they could see her as the next president, including two-thirds of all Donald Trump and Ben Carson’s Republican supporters. Clinton also won widespread praise this week when she walked away unscathed from an 11-hour grilling by a Republican led Benghazi committee. “I came here because I said I would,” Clinton told the panel. “And I’ve done everything I know to do to try to answer your questions. I cannot do any more than that.”
Initiative 42: Is it really better for schools?
By: Lucy Pruitt Staff Reporter @LucyLu_too
One of the most difficult facets of democracy is communicating to the public all of the effects that high profile initiatives can bring to the everyday citizen. So much confusion in the advocacy of a very well known proposed Mississippi constitutional amendment dubbed “Initiative 42,” led me to delve into my own research of the subject before the state voted on Tuesday, November 3, 2015 to reject the proposal. In short, Initiative 42 is a constitutional amendment that would have taken the power to fund the Mississippi Adequate Education Program (MAEP) away from the Mississippi legislature and given it to the Mississippi judicial branch. There would have been increased funding of many public schools that the Initiative assured would not come from higher taxes or the defunding of other important programs, such as community colleges, universities, prisons, etc. because of a seven
year funding phase-in period; however, what advocates neglected mentioning is that this statement is only accurate during the phase-in period. After the Initiative is in full effect, the constitution would authorize the same full funding each consecutive year that includes an adjustment for inflation, and MAEP funding will be constitutionally protected from cuts. So when state revenue cannot support inflation-adjusted MAEP funding and keep other programs intact themselves, programs would be cut and taxes would be increased. Those who advocated for Initiative 42 believe that a constitutional amendment is needed to ensure full funding of the MAEP, so the constitutional amendment proposed by Initiative 42 states, “The chancery courts of this state shall have the power to enforce this section with appropriate injunctive relief.” Supporters of the proposition give little weight to those words, but this change would have given full power of funding the MAEP to potentially one individual in the judicial branch of the state government.
So whether all of the advocation for more public school funding is honorable or completely unfounded, Initiative 42 was most definitely not the way to go about it. The way to fix many failing public schools in the state of Mississippi is not to continue throwing money at the problem; many of these schools are even more funded than Oak Grove through means supplemental to MAEP. Initiative 42 would not have only left the problem of failing schools unsolved, but it could have possibly devastated the entire Mississippi economy.
No one man should have all that power
By: Abby Nguyen Staff Reporter @2busybeingabby
When Donald Trump announced that he was going to run for president all of those years ago, you could say that I was laughing to keep from crying. What was originally thought to be a cruel joke is now our country’s sad, sad reality. With businessmen and neurosurgeons running for president, the United States is beginning to see a very distinct separation between the classical politician and his opposition. Compare Kanye and Sarah Palin. Kanye aside, Dr. Ben Carson and Donald Trump are currently among the pool of “publicly influential candidates.” So many people assume that the political experience is about being powerful and charismatic, and while that is most definitely part of the job, the old days of “relationship politics” are far past over. Charm offensives are not enough to push sluggish political reforms into motion, to forge friendly relations with
THEWARRIORBEAT The views and opinions expressed on this page are of an editorial nature and do not necessarily represent the views of The Warrior Beat staff, advisers, school faculty, or administrators of Oak Grove High School or the Lamar County School District. Oak Grove High School 5198 Old Highway 11 Hattiesburg, MS 39402 601.264.7232 www.oakgrovehighschool.org
foreign powers, or to draft initiatives that will spearhead social change. In all reality, the average American’s understanding of how real policy making works is grossly oversimplified. In a democracy where voting is the key to power, I see why America thinks that personal relationships between people are important. And while those people against the system of career politicians would love to argue with me about how no job could possibly prepare you for a job as insane as the Chief Executive, I say that there are definitely jobs that prepare you more so than others for being President. The connections that age-old politicians
develop throughout their careers are strengthened when they reach the Oval Office and thus allow them to execute business with as much expediency as possible, while the Trumps and Kanyes of the White House are expected to forge meaningful, helpful connections with other powerful people, and then draw upon their power to make meaningful change all within one, maybe two terms if they are lucky. I would love to have dollars with Donald Trump’s face on them as much as the next girl, but as far as the effectiveness of publicly popular candidates go, “no one (inexperienced) man should have all that power.”
EDITORS Lucy Pruitt Abby Nguyen STAFF REPORTERS Christian Rapetti Noah Farrar Alyssa Bass Hannah Lee Grace Wilkes Mozingo Drew Herring Lauren Parker Katie Williams Alec Hudson DESIGNER Elizabeth Magee PHOTOGRAPHERS Mary Morgan Gratwick Mycah Kennedy ADVISER Simmons
opinion 5
November 6, 2015
jOBS 1.0 By: Drew Herring Staff Reporter @drew_herring2
There were many differences between the new movie focusing on Steve Jobs’ life and his impact on the world new and the old. The movie from 2013 featured Steve Jobs being played by Ashton Kutcher; the most recent movie features Michael Fassbender as the CEO of the company so many of us have come to know and love. In my opinion, Kutcher played the part infinitely better than Fassbender. Kutcher was the perfect cast for the role because of his own personal involvement in the technology industry. Kutcher invests large amounts of his money into newly founded companies. For example, he invested heavily in Twitter and Facebook when they were small companies that had great visions for the world of media and technology. This draws a comparison between Kutcher and Jobs, which is part of the reason that I believe this movie was miles ahead of the newer film. The 2013 movie gave the viewers a look into Jobs’s life and habits- not very many of
which were moral. In the beginning of the movie, Jobs often takes drugs and has sex with different women. After the few scenes that show this behavior, Jobs begins to be consumed with his work. He is constantly thinking of new ways to make his product better, faster, and more popular; however, he is at times his own worst enemy. He burns many bridges with people who wanted desperately to help him further his product by not taking no for an answer. For example, on more than one occasion, Jobs fires employees who claimed that they could not do what he wanted done, such as giving the Apple computer more fonts. In the new movie about Jobs’ life, Jobs is viewed as more of an icon. Jobs is portrayed as nothing but a tough businessman/superstar, while the older movie allows the viewers to see Jobs’ human side and how he handled different adversities in his life. When I first heard Ashton Kutcher would be the one to play Apple icon Steve Jobs, I have to admit that I was extremely skeptical. Even though the roles he usually plays are inherently different, Kutcher’s Steve Jobs was spot on.
jOBS 1.1 By: Alec Hudson Staff Reporter @AlecHudson13
What is there to say about Steve Jobs besides he is possibly the most influential person in modern day technology. It is very fitting for Hollywood to make a new movie about him. The best part about Steve Jobs, Ashton Kutcher is not involved in the cast!!! When they made Jobs, 2013, there must have been a talent drought when it was time for casting. Sure Ashton Kutcher was great in That ‘70’s Show, but really: a shaggy not so serious person as Steve Jobs? Just not fitting. Right? The new movie has many great actors involved in it. Michael Fassbender plays Steve Jobs. He was involved in some high production movie and television classics such as HBO’s Band of Brothers, X Men: First Class, X Men: Days of Future Past, and 12 Years A Slave. They also cast one of my favorite comedian/actors, Seth Rogan, to play Steve Wozniak. Sure Seth Rogan is known for his comedic roles in movies such as The Interview and Neighbors, he managed to pull off the very serious role of Steve Wozniak very convincingly. He looks, and
sounds, very similar to Wozniak. In the 2013 movie Jobs, Wozniak was played by Josh Gad, and he failed. I do not how he managed to fail, but he did not look, sound, or even act like Wozniak. Enough with all of the 2013 casting errors, let me show you the failures of the 2013 movie. Another failure of the 2013 movie is that the movie started out in 2001 when Jobs was pitching the iPod idea. The writers must have gotten lazy because they did not focus on Job’s entire life or business career; Jobs was developing computers and technology long before 2001. The iPod was not Apple’s first invention, and they obviously thought the company’s origins were not important. The 2015 movie gets everything correct; they tell Job’s entire life story. They also include Wozniak throughout the entire movie. In the 2013 movie they depict Wozniak as not having played a major role in the development of Apple. In my opinion, Wozniak played a bigger role in Apple than Jobs did. If you really want to learn a thing or two about Steve Jobs, don’t waste you time on Jobs. It is worth paying the outrageous ticket price and seeing Steve Jobs.
pgrade or dow grade?
By: Noah Farrar | Staff Reporter | @MrFarrar24
Being a lover of pizza, victim of time restriction, and stingy with my paychecks, I tend to avoid expensive pizza expenditures. But no longer will we high school students have to watch our budgets to consume a nice pizza anytime in the week, for Little Caesars Pizza is here-in the old Bops and Penn’s building- to save your budgetary-constricted appetite. Not only is Little Caesars gentle on the budget, but it also considers your time; Your pizza is ready to go the moment you order- how considerate!
Pizza, Pizza! upgrade
downgrade Bakin’ Bad
Breakfast cravings? Usually these cravings are satisfied by a wholesome stack of pancakes or some bacon and eggs, but this breakfast food company has expanded their flavor collection too far. Kellogg’s has created the perfectly disgusting treat for your breakfast needs, Frosted Maple Bacon. The culmination of sweet and salty has been taken out of proportion, and now bacon is in the form of a paste mixed with syrup, coated in bread and glazed in frosting. Luckily it’s only here for a limited time. How it made its way into the scrumptious line of products is unbelievable.
I tend to attach myself to technological advances and Force Touch is one advancement I couldn’t live without. Apple has caused me to fall in love, yet again, with their products. Force Touch adds a certain flare to using everyday technology, one that boosts efficiency and makes it hilariously enjoyable to take images of friends at spontaneous moments. Force Touch takes those images and makes a moving memory similar to the newspaper in Harry Potter-who wouldn’t want that world to come true?
Forced Affection upgrade
downgrade SPOILER ALERT: Glenn There, Done That
The Walking Dead is the show of the century, but after the fatal episode on October 25, I have begun to question the logic and blasphemy inside the producer’s mind. The death of Glenn symbolizes the death of my viewing of the series. No longer will I await Sunday evenings but rather dread them. Glenn contained all that was good in the decaying, zombie ridden world, and now he’s become one of the walkers. The series has lost one of its star children, but at least Daryl Dixon remains as a member of the cast.
November 6, 2015 77
66 features
H I P S T A
Facial Hair -rugged look
The French Hipster: PARIS
Interests: Haning out by Canal Saint’Martin Must have items: Eats: Baguettes (always) Massive EP collection and your and any and everything own electro band from the local market that know has Special Hipster Point: heard of Chainsmoker
Glasses -ironic/trendy Visible Tattoos -adds some roughness
Music
Led Zeppelin Techno Daft Punk Rush Weezer Blue Oyster Cult Dragonforce AC/DC Stan Bush Tribe Called Quest
Kale Lover 2011 The vegan’s cruelty-free canvas bag is always overflowing with organic veggies and his wistful smile is the only thing that hints at just how hungry he really is.
Skinny Jeans & Cut-offs
The American Hipster: NYC
Interests: Making your own everything Must have items: Eats: Kale Satchel, glasses that they don’t need, Special Hipster Point: some shoes made of You rent unique spaces organic fibers to host dinner parties
Fleet Foxes Iron and Wine Beach House Bon Iver alt-J The Kooks St. Vincent MGMT Moon Taxi Bahamas
By: Abby Nguyen Staff Reporter @2busybeingabby
Interests: Surfing the pavement in Surry Hills Eats: Kimchi Must have items: Special Hipster Point: Fringe, Rayban You would never admit sunnies, Insta you’re a hipster
Movies
The Japanese Hipster: Tokyo
BECOME MOVE GRAPHIC
Interests: Vintage hunting Eats: in Shimokitazawa Special Hipster Point: Must have items: You run a fashion blog Fringe, Rayban trying to get Insta famous sunnies, Insta
BY: ELIZABETH MAGEE
Evolution of the Hipster Chic Traveler 2012 She travels to Instagram and Instagrams to travel. She can make a few days of travel look like a month long vacation-at least to her followers.
Is it hipster to be a hipster?
The Aussie Hipster: Sydney
teresting perspective on “hipster” vibes and serves as a fantastic place to create fresh memories with good friends.
Many consider 2008 the year of the hipster. This was when we began to accept the nerdy, vaguely attractive individuals that were so marginalized. All of a sudden, it was cute to wear glasses and clothes from your grandfather’s closet. Hipsters are the different ones, the ones that do stuff before everyone else is doing them, and as more and more coffee-house-frequenting, Ray-Ban-glasses-wearing, fauxsophisticatedly speaking, wannabe hipsters try to be hipster, the more confusing it is to point out an actual hipster. The real hipsters are the ones who do what they want because they want to. There are now two very different definitions of what it means to be hipster. One definition pertains to the kids mentioned above: the ones that try entirely too hard to be different. No, I don’t think you’re cool because you have an unexplainable affinity for record players and vinyl. No, I don’t want to hear about your trip to the flea market to buy
more of the above mentioned vinyl records. And then there is the other definition: the actual visionaries that do not try to fit into the overdone mold of hipsterism. For the girls that post Instagram pictures every time they do anything remotely basic-hipster, everyone sees through the interesting persona you try so desperately to put on. Though I am admittedly guilty of committing all of the sins I previously criticized, I still consider myself a hipster, and by hipster, I don’t mean either of the two definitions. My brand of hipster is something that meets a happy middle ground between the basic, “try so hard to be hipster” hipsters, and the real hipsters. I unashamedly spam coffee houses not because of their coffee quality, but because of the ambiance and how cute my selfies turn out in the distinctly coffee house lighting. I go to flea markets not only because I love buying flea market stuff, but also because being able to say, “Oh, I got this ole’ thing from a flea market downtown,” just feels so good. So I guess being a basic hipster because I want to be a basic hipster is pretty hipster after all.
Festival Flower Girl 2013 Flower crown in her hair and maybe a metallic tattoo or two to match, she lives for festivals. Her closet is not short of long flowy dresses and floral, lace kimono.
Mountain Man 2014 With a beard that says he lives in the wild and a body that says he may or may not get seaweed wraps, he’s natures pretty boy. Just think of all that beard oil!
ELI BAYLIS/ HATTIESBURG AMERICAN PHOTO
Coffee Shop Sophisticate 2015 Spearheading the menswear movement in his standout frames and killer sock collection, he enjoys reading, as well as watching people watch him read. PASTE IMAGES
M E M E S
Mulit-use digital watch
Vintage -old look
holds its own charming quality. It is almost impossible to go into T-Bones without ordering something off of their menu. The scent of delicious grilled sandwiches (like Harry’s Triple Cheese) perfuse every inch of the store, enticingly savory. A glass display holds a number of tempting desserts (including a personal favorite: the chess squares) accompanied by a wide selection of hot and cold brews. To the right of the cafe, however, lies vinyls from the classic Abbey Road to the more recent Hozier. For the bibliophile, notable authors such as Chuck Palahniuk and Amy Poehler are wedged in between more obscure titles that can’t be found in a normal bookstore setting. T-Bones offers its own in-
H I P S T A
Interests: Going to pop-up galleries & pop-up vendors Must have items: Eats: Tapas Short skateboard Special Hipster Point: “Growing Communities” You work in a shared studio veg box space off a random lane
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Skinny Jeans -for skinny legs
For those in search of the perfect hipster hangout, fret no more. Located at the end of USM’s campus and the beginning of downtown Hattiesburg, the records store/cafe is a particular favorite among hipsters of all ages. Local university and high school students alike have found a safe haven among the tiny tables where they can study for upcoming exams in peace. Perhaps the most appealing aspect of the downtown cafe is the live music played by local alternative bands. Yet beyond the music, each facet of the store
The British Hipster: LONDON
Fashion
Messenger bag -tech gear(lots)
P L E A S E
By: Hannah Lee Staff Reporter @hanblanklee
Geeks and hipsters: mortal enemies locked in an eternal struggle over irony versus earnestness. But, how different are they?
Graphic T’s -bands, games
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Survival Guide T-bones: The Hippest Hang in H’Burg HIPSTERS AROUND THE WORLD
GEEK vs HIPSTER
Glasses -because they need them
The
Conversation Starters What’s your alter ego up to these days? How many soul mates is it normal to meet in the deli aisle? I just wanted to let you know that I’m fine with sports. This might sound too forward, but can you foster these disabled cats?
Conversation Stoppers I actually don’t know who the Avett Brothers are. What do you think hummus is like?
HASHTAG TRUMP 2016!!!!! Do you have time to hear about all my accomplishments? MEME IMAGES
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8 features
November 6, 2015
Why are you so addicted to coffee? Excuses to justify your addiction
By: Abby Nguyen Staff Reporter @2busybeingabby
If anyone ever needed an excuse to be addicted to a crippling drug, here is the chance! A new study published by Molecular Psychiatry compared the DNA samples and coffee drinking habits of more than 120,000 men and women, and the results were groundbreaking as far as justifying insane coffee addictions go. The study found that there might be something resembling a connection between heredity and a person’s inclination for caffeine. Apparently, there are a number of genes responsible for a person’s ability to process and crave coffee.
There are two genes responsible for processing the caffeine, two that control how much the drinkers are rewarded from caffeine, and two that dictate caffeine metabolism. The test subjects that drank the most coffee had some genetic similarities. Human bodies have a tendency to regulate the amount of caffeine that a body can handle. Unfortunately, the body cannot be blamed for all of those insane coffee cravings. Culture and environment also play a huge part in answering questions like, “Why do I willingly pay five dollars every morning for ambiance and a cup of brown, addictive liquid?” or “How does Starbucks make billions of dollars a year selling boiled bean juic-
es?” The answer, while partly due to heredity, is admittedly very deeply entrenched in how cute Java Moe’s coffee cups are when paired with a favorite sweater and a cozy scarf.
True gent: Beard game proper Remember Movember!
By: Abby Nguyen Staff Reporter @2busybeingabby
Ahh November, the month that marks the return of the pumpkin spice latte, the social acceptance of Uggs and sweaters, and last but most certainly not least, the commencement of “No Shave November”! No Shave November, yes you guessed it, is a month long period during which men do not shave their beards. While No Shave November originated from an online trend, a group of young Australian men decided to take to the internet and turn the trend into a full fledged movement. They reconstructed the
tradition, renaming the practice as “Movember,” a combination of the words “moustache” and “November.” The Movember movement is devoted to changing the face of men’s healthcare and perceptions of male vulnerability. It aims to bring attention to specifically male health issues such as depression in men, prostate cancer, and other male associated diseases. After its founding, the these moustachioed Aussies began encouraging men to register their beards and raise money for the organization. When the movement first took off in 2004, the Movember Foundation made just about $40,000. Last year alone though, Movember raised over $126.3 million in one month when over 800,000 men from 15 countries registered to grow their beards out in honor of Movember. So now when you either see a man working the lumberjack look or you are a man sporting the lumberjack look, know that they are not just lazy with their razors. Remember that men have weaknesses and are subject to many crippling diseases too. Often, society assumes the weakness of women, and therefore assumes the strength of
men. The Movember movement brings attention to the fact that men, like women, have moments of weakness and vulnerability. Good beards, like the men that sport them, can change the world. Happy Movember gentlemen, and remember to always beard on!
Where are they now?: William Wild By: Lauren Parker Staff Reporter @laurenparker24
Oak Grove High School. Hattiesburg, MS. This school is known for producing the best and brightest students, and looking at the success of its alumni, it is clear that OGHS is a special place. One example of a shining Oak Grove graduate is William Wild. In high school, William was no ordinary student. He was involved in an array of clubs such as Mu Alpha Theta, National Honor Society, and Beta Club, and he also competed on the OGHS Speech & Debate team, in which he earned his NSDA Degree of Outstanding Distinction. Wild excelled in his many AP classes, and earned the title of National Merit Scholar. Teachers and faculty voted him “Most Intellectual,” and he ended his high school career on the Oak Grove High School Hall of Fame and as a Star Student. In 2009, he graduated as valedictorian of his class, then attended the prestigious
Ivy League school Princeton University in New Jersey. William went on to study chemistry at Princeton. Maintaining an immaculate academic record, he also served as the community action coordinator for the Pace Center for Civic Engagement and as a mentor for the Princeton University Chemistry Outreach Program. He later earned his degree in chemistry with a certificate in Materials Science. Recently, William has ventured into new endeavors. He works as an alumni trustee with the Princeton-Blairstown Center with which he helps provide experimental education to at-risk urban youth, but he also has another important job. Earlier this year, he migrated to Menlo Park, California, to work along Mark Zuckerberg at the Facebook Headquarters. As a product development specialist, he helps manage pre-release product quality for iOS News Feed and Interface. He says that the staff is like one big family, and they, including Zuckerberg, partake in group activities outside of office
WILLIAM WILD PHOTO
Face in the Yearbook to the Facebook HQ
hours. Wild also describes working with Facebook as very rewarding and enjoyable experience because the future of technology and the internet is truly in his hands. William has done some big things since his time at Oak Grove High School, but he could not have done it without the extensive preparation and instruction each and every student attains here.
By: Abby Nguyen Staff Reporter @2busybeingabby Thanksgiving: a holiday in which you can break out your favorite pair of “eatin’ pants,” snack on drumsticks, sit back, relax, and watch your relatives launch fighting words passive aggressively over a beautiful turkey. While I love placing bets on which family member is going to cry first, I acknowledge that not everyone’s idea of a happy holiday is the same as mine. For many, Thanksgiving and Christmas are the only times distant family members will ever get together, and because everyone is so determined to make peace by Christmas, Thanksgiving is typically pretty explosive. It is when that aunt can ask that other aunt about how her son who dropped out of law school to pursue his dream of being a Broadway dancer is doing or when Grandma can ask your secretly gay cousin about when she is going to settle down and have kids. Well, if you, unlike me, grow tired of the same hostile, battlefield environment that so many families walk defenselessly into every Thanksgiving, you will be glad to know that there is indeed an alternative to meeting up with your psychotic family: Friendsgiving! Now, you can actually spend Thanksgiving with the people you are thankful for rather than the ones thrust upon you by circumstance. The rules of Friendsgiving are simple. The host is responsible for making the turkey and of course, by extension, the gravy but nothing else. The most responsible friend is in charge of coordinating a potluck and bringing fancy snack foods. Oh, and there absolutely has to be potatoes. The allowance of vegetarian nonsense like “tofurkey” is up to the discretion of the friends, but there is no compromising when it comes to potatoes. The most important rule is this: you cannot tell your mother how much more superior Friendsgiving is to that family feud thing your bunch does every year. Follow all of these steps, and maybe, just maybe, you can pull off a Friendsgiving as successful as Monica, Chandler, Phoebe, Rachel, Ross, and Joey’s.
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November 6, 2015
Dressy Code: Your step-by-step guide By: Katie Williams Staff Reporter @kt_williams_43
The casual beam of confidence is about feeling comfortable in the clothes you wear, if you are comfy in your clothes, your outlook and your day will improve immensely. If you are saying every morning, “Umm, I’m not sure if this looks good on me... It’s not really my style. I just want to feel accepted,” which only makes you look awkward and sometimes desperate, then you are going about dressing the wrong way. So instead of wasting all of your energy on hiding yourself behind clothes to copy another or trying to disguise what you do not like with something that clearly is not a part of your personal style, make an effort to accentuate your best assets. Fall, or whatever Mississippi calls anything below 70 degrees, has finally arrived and, with it, comes the change in clothes but the steady constant loom of dresscode still remains throughout the halls. Many students have trouble ‘fancying up’ dresscode, but I am here to tell you that the issue of expressing your individuality might just be easier now that the weather has
changed. With new styles and different fashions coming up as winter approaches, now is the time to start looking at ways to enhance your outfits, even with the dress-code at school. Step 1: Accessorize. While you can not alter the foundations of dresscode, you can always accessorize with jewelry, belts, bags and my personal favorite, jackets. Find a statement piece to enhance your outfit that is still comfortable, and your day will brighten. Step 2: Shoes. There are no restrictions on shoes, so pick
shoes that stand out. Whether they be boots or fashionable flats, choose shoes that make news, and you will definitely feel more confident. Remember that it does not have to be Uggs to be fashionable; you can be very stylish in clothes you selected that no one else has. Do not copy others just to accepted, find pieces that express you. Step 3: Hair and Makeup. This one really only applies to girls but guys can take it either way. There are so many hairstyles and clips that take only 5 minutes out of your routine in the morning.
I love makeup and sometimes picking up a bright color of lipstick or eyeliner can make your day. Plenty of videos and ideas for braids or cool makeup tips can be found from others or you can create your own. Have fun with your outfits, we are in high school; it does not have to be expensive or from a boutique that everyone else goes too. These ideas to ‘dress up’ dresscode are just a few simple steps that you can use to express your personality, not break the rules of dresscode, and feel confident in yourself everyday.
Move it or lose it: Hallway Etiquette By: Hannah Lee Staff Reporter @hanblanklee
By now, we have all become well-acquainted with Oak Grove’s hallway traffic, some of us more so than others. As soon as the bell rings to dismiss for our next block, we escape the tedium of our classes to join the familiar crowd. It is pretty easy to distinguish the different types of students that roam these halls. There are the timid, slightly lost ones, the excited, run-to-class ones, and then there are the rest of us: the ones who do not care and are so consumed by our cellular devices that we rarely look up to notice any hallway occurrences. The latter, the classic texting and walking, is probably the most dangerous. There are, however, the few of us that are just trying to make it through the day class by class, who wait impatiently behind the groups as they update every second of their school days through social media. How anyone has so much to tweet about goes beyond me. The point is, we have managed to lose
our hallway manners, and so it is out of the goodness of my heart that I bring you five basic rules of hallway etiquette: First, walk with determination and speed. It only takes one slow walker to stagger an entire hallway full of people, so walk at a steady pace with a sense of determination. Do not slouch, and keep your head held high. You will not only look the part of a queen, but you will also feel much more confident. Dropped something? Slide to the right. This one is for the klutz, the one whose binder falls open and papers fly everywhere. We love you, but do not drop it like it is hot. No one wants to see your mid-drift, and the more of you that is revealed, the more likely we are to kick you (completely by accident, of course). So do us all a favor, and move to the side, where you will be safe and sound along with all your flyaway papers. Buddy system: works every time. While everyone enjoys a good group, no one enjoys blockage. Congestion in the hallways leads to a complete stop in the flow of high school traffic. Walk in pairs instead; you will
get some quality one-on-one time. Do not hit-and-run. Take responsibility for your actions. If you casually brush shoulders with someone, apologize and move on. Do not start an unnecessary dispute that really none of us care for. Please, stay in your lane. The hallway is split into two directions. Do not disrupt the flow by walking in the wrong one. Remember, kids, eat your vegetables and mind your manners.
NATALIE KEILHOLZ PHOTO
Black eye Friday: Throwing punches for price-cuts By: Alyssa Bass Staff Reporter @sassyaly_
This year, Black Friday is on November 27 - the day after Thanksgiving; the day when everyone is supposed to be thankful for what they already own and not stress over material items. Nevertheless, this has not stopped anyone from participating in Black Friday. According to Urban Dictionary, the definition of Black Friday is: “A day that should be renamed “Black Eye Friday” due to the fact that thousands of Americans forget the spirit of the holiday season by trampling people and giving black eyes while buying stupid gifts that you didn’t even mean to buy from stores that purposely hold sales on the same day as all other stores, yet another example of how greedy Americans are.” This Urban Dictionary user certainly is not wrong. However, Black Friday did not always have a negative connotation. Harvard historian Nan-
cy Koehn said factory managers in the 1950’s started calling the day after Thanksgiving Black Friday because so many employees would call in sick. In the early ‘60s, police in Philadelphia began using “Black Friday” to describe the crowds of shoppers and traffic that would flow into the city post-Thanksgiving—making their jobs, and consequently their lives, temporarily more difficult. It wasn’t until the 1970s and ‘80s that retailers began to emphasize the connection between the day after Thanksgiving and the start of the commercial holiday season. Year after year, shopping for holiday gifts has only seemed to become more of a hassle due to expensive prices, which is undoubtedly why so many people participate in Black Friday. However, good deals on Black Friday often come for not only a monetary price, but also a deadly one. People have become more willing to fight with strangers just to get a good deal; people have been pepper sprayed, stabbed, and trampled to claim an item. There is even a website that has recorded the number of casu-
alties and injuries on Black Friday since 2006, called Black Friday Death Count. According to the website, there have been a total of 105 deaths and injuries. Luckily, the National Retail Federation found that Black Friday sales decreased by 11 percent in 2014, so hopefully the trend will continue this year. If not, hopefully shoppers will be able to have a fun Black Friday without unnecessary violence.
10 entertainment
November 6, 2015
Twilight: Life and death “About three things I was absolutely positive. First, Edward was a vampire. Second, there was a part of him . . .blah blah blah,” you probably know the rest. If not, then you must have been hiding under a rock for the past ten years because Twilight has been nothing but everywhere. So, assuming that you are not a fan of the blood-sucking, teen-angst series, here is a quick summary of the Stephenie Meyer’s worldwide phenomenon: hormonal and overly klutzy girl meets reclusive but beautiful boy. Said boy turns out to be a creature of the night, though the pair still fall in love because what’s more romantic than marrying your food? After four books, a bunch of neardeath experiences, and a pack of Native American werewolves, Bella Swan (the aforementioned human girl) and Edward Cullen (vampire) live happily forever after. Thus began the immortal teen craze. And with vamp-mania came the criticism. The list of complaints about Twilight is long, but one recurring insult that seemed to stick out for author Stephenie Meyer was that the woeful tale was a crude jab at feminism. The story was too
‘damsel-in-distress,’ and the often weak-willed protagonist did not strengthen Meyer’s case. But still, the author insisted that the story was not a gender-based work, and if the roles were reversed the premise would remain intact. So she did just that. The original Twilight could be summarized completely on Bella being saved various times, and that has only added complaint. “She’s also been criticized for being too involved with her love interest, as if that’s somehow a girl thing. But I’ve always maintained that it would have made no difference if that human were male and the female vampire—it’s still the same story,” Meyer’s said. On the decade anniversary of the first book’s release, fans were astonished to find a gender-swapped version of the famous love story called Twilight: Life and Death. Instead of Bella and Edward, we were given Edythe and Beau. And it actually worked. Though the plot is exactly the same, save for a few changes here and there, the point Meyer’s was trying to get across rings true. The brooding knight-in-shining-armor of the story is not a guy, and the clumsy, relatively helpless main character is now an awkward teen boy. The story, while sounding cli-
By: Hannah Lee Staff Reporter @hanblanklee
GRACE MOZINGO PHOTO
By: Grace Mozingo Staff Reporter @gracewilmo
WHAT’S APPENING
che, does do justice in breaking the mold and capably draws readers’ attention to our gendered expectations. Now don’t get me wrong, this book definitely had its fair share of ups and downs. Mainly downs. But the message that was trying to get across stood firmly in the world of vampires and werewolves and hormones. All in all, I recommend this to anyone who is already a fan of the series. Those who could appreciate an attempt at spreading awareness to feminism while also enjoying a sulky immortal romance should try it out also. If you do not fall into either of those categories, then steer clear. It will only come back to bite you.
Humans of Hattiesburg
Special edition: Miles Doleac By: Lucy Pruitt Editor @LucyLu_too
One of the most accomplished and versatile talents Hattiesburg has to offer, Miles Doleac has truly earned the title of an outstanding Human of Hattiesburg. From appearing in American Horror Story: Freak Show to writing and directing his own films, this Hattiesburg-built triple threat has hit it big in wellknown movies and performances, along with a few of his own writing. Sitting down to interview Doleac for this article was truly unlike any other interview. Instead of scribbling and running through questions, I found myself forgetting to take notes, completely wrapped up in his ways of storytelling recounting his journey to
becoming such a successful actor, director, and singer. Like one might guess, Doleac did not have an easy path into the film and production industry. Before his big break in Hollywood, he went through periods of being a student, a waiter, a Starbucks barista, a professor, and even a buggy driver in the French Quarter of New Orleans-which he highly recommends to those who wish to meet an abundance of fascinating people. During a time when he was discouraged in his acting career and studying at Tulane University, he met various artists making independent films and was invited to join. Bookings started becoming more common, and while working alongside independent filmmakers he was nearing the end of his Phd. “Being around these wonderful artists I thought ‘Wow. I could do that, so I wrote a script based on my own experiences in academia.” There birthed The Historian, Doleac’s first film that was written, directed, and starred-in by Miles himself. “The Historian was one of those moments when I sort of took the reigns of my own destiny. Honestly, that really resonates in this business.”
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ENTERTAINMENT
Currently working on his third episode in the Julie Plec series Containment, Doleac’s next endeavor is the Hattiesburg Civic Light Opera’s production of Into the Woods that he will direct early next year. He hopes to accentuate the darkest side of the Sondheim production by acting on his wishes to make the show have a “steampunk-meets-Bladerunner, dystopian-post-apocalyptic” vibe. Though at one point he says he was “lost in the proverbial woods,” he remains a strong believer that “if you follow your bliss you will never be un-fulfilled,” and who knows, maybe it will just happen to become a thriving career one day.
Whether we are waiting in the doctor’s office or stealthily avoiding conversation at lunch, everyone needs a good app. Those of us who have accepted the progression in technology have found solace in our smartphones. With the latest updates, graphic designers and game developers have had a busy time of keeping up. One of the most artistic apps of the year is Monument Valley, an app that follows the story of a lost princess in a geometrically puzzling enigma. It is described as “an illusory adventure of impossible architecture and forgiveness” and was praised by numerous critics. At the 2015 GDC awards, Monument Valley was awarded with best visual art, innovation award, and best handheld/mobile game. If you are searching for an app to create your own visual art, however, Instagram has just released a new joint app called Boomerang that serves as a GIF-making platform. The app takes a short burst of photos and “stitches” them together to produce a replayable mini-video. These are played at twice the speed and can be uploaded to Instagram, Facebook, and other social media services. The app was released on October 22, and many have compared it to Apple’s Live Photos, though most will agree that the former is far superior. This is the third of a series of apps Instagram has released and is similar to its sister app, Hyperlapse. Each in the trilogy has received high ratings and generally positive consumer reviews.
By: Christian Rapetti, Staff Reporter, @c_rapetti
Star Wars Will Shatter Box Office Records
“Hello,” I’m back
Simon Cowell Joins AGT Judges
Everyone knew Star Wars: The Force Awakens was going to do well, but it has done better than everyone predicted before it has even been released. It only took three or four hours for the film to set a new record in Australia for the most first-day tickets sold in that country. The new record was reported to be seven hundred percent higher than the previous record. There is no doubt the film will reach $1 billion.
International superstar Adele released her new single “Hello” on October 23rd, and it is predicted to post the largest ever United States digital sales week for a song. The current record holder is “Right Round” by Flo Rida with six hundred and thirty-six thousand downloads the first week. “Hello” sold roughly four hundred and fifty thousand in the first two days. This makes the third song Adele has had at number one.
The unforgivably honest talent judge Simon Cowell is joining NBC’s hit show America’s Got Talent next season as one of the judges. It has been announced that Cowell will be replacing Howard Stern for the eleventh season of the competition series. Cowell spent nine years as a judge for the incredibly successful American Idol, so his credentials are not really a concern.
entertainment 11
November 6, 2015
Evolution of Taylor Swift
By: Lauren Parker Staff Reporter @laurenparker24
In 2006, curly-haired, cowboy-boot-wearing Taylor Swift entered the country music spotlight when she released her first single “Tim McGraw.” In 2015, the Grammy winner now tops the pop charts and owns the fashion scene with her chic short cut and crop tops. It is clear Taylor has come a long way since her days singing about the teardrops on her guitar and boy troubles… Well, at least the former is true. Her first album Taylor Swift debuted in 2006 with great success. Two songs “Our Song” and “Should’ve Said No” both reached number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. During this time, Swift toured all over the country to endorse her album as well as leading lengthy meet-and-greets. Toward the end of 2006, Taylor started opening for major country singers such as Rascal Flats, Brad Paisley, and Tim McGraw. She later won the Horizon Award for Best New Artist at the CMAs and was nominated for Best New Artist at the 2008 Grammys. In 2008, Taylor released Fear-
less. The music in the album has been described as “loud, lean guitars and rousing choruses” with a little “bit of fiddle and banjo tucked into the mix” as well as exploring the difference between “fairy tales and the reality of love.” From this album, “Love Story” became second-best-selling country song ever, and “You Belong with Me” topped the charts at number two on Billboard’s Top 100. Selling over 8.6 million copies, Fearless was the top-selling record of 2009. Speak Now, Swift’s third album, was released on October 25, 2010 and is described as an album that “expands beyond country-pop to border both alternative rock and dirty bubblegum pop.” Speak Now gained instant popularity and climbed to number one on the US Billboard 200
chart. In 2011, Swift also had a change in style. She ditched her legendary locks for bangs and then later a short straight cut, and she also threw out the cowboy boots and adopted a trendier wardrobe filled with at least a dozen pairs of highwaisted shorts. Swift released Red in 2012, and in this album, her songs experiment with dubstep, heartland rock, and dance-pop. The album sold over 1.21 million copies in the first week, and the hit single “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” climbed to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, making it Taylor’s first. She travelled with the 86-date Red tour all around North America, New Zealand, Australia, and Europe, and it was viewed by over 1.7 million fans. This album did not win any awards at the CMAs, and The New York Times viewed this as
a persuasion to “country music’s cash cow, its creative engine, its ambassador to the world” to stay in the country genre. The New Yorker, however, questioned whether the snub at the CMAs was what drove her toward a complete transition into the pop genre. On October 27, 2014, Swift released her most recent album 1989, which would officially mark her transition from country to pop. This album would include the number one hit singles “Bad Blood,” “Shake it Off,” and “Blank Space.” Swift states that she was inspired by the music in her birth year, hence the title 1989, as well as John Hughes films. Rolling Stone described 1989 as “deeply weird, feverishly emotional, [and] wildly enthusiastic.” From May to December 2015, she will tour with the 1989 World Tour with artists Vance Joy and Shawn Mendes opening for her. In the past nine years, Taylor Swift has gone from the girl-next-door to an American icon. She has racked up seven Grammy Awards, released 71 top 100 singles, and sold over 40 million albums worldwide. At the rate this girl is going, Taylor will never go out of style.
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November 6, 2015