The Warrior Beat, December 2014 by Michael Simmons

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! > PP. 6-7

thewarriorbeat

Vol. 53, Issue 4 December 12, 2014 Oak Grove High School www.thewarriorbeat.com

OGHS

INSIDE

RANKED #7 IN STATE BY NICHE.COM

By: Jenna Claire Staff Reporter @jenta12

CLARK ON ACT:

Teacher takes college entrance exam > PG 8

MARY MORGAN GRATWICK PHOTO

ON THE GRIDIRON

Senior quarterback Cameron Myers gets by a South Panola defender to gain yardage thanks to a block by senior guard Michael Ritter. The Warriors lost to the South Panola Tigers 21-27 in overtime in the MHSAA 6A State Championship.

Warriors lose heartbreaker By: Jonathan Brent

AMERICAN HORROR STORY:

Is there a moral to the story? > PG10

BASKETBALL CHEER:

The MVPs of basketball games > PG 8

VOLLEYBALL:

Warriors to represent at All-Star game > PG 3

TBONES:

The hipster headquarters > PG 9

Staff Reporter

@jonathanlebrent

In what was definitely the craziest weekend in Oak Grove sports history, the Warrior football played in an instant classic for the 2014 State Championship. Unfortunately, they came up just short Sunday night. Yes, Sunday night. The 13-1 Oak Grove Warriors took on the 14-0 South Panola Tigers in Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Mississippi, in a game that started this past Friday night. The game began with a three and out for the Warriors on offense. The Tigers then drew first blood on their fourth offensive play from scrimmage on a 50-

yard screen pass from Tyler Pogue to Cole Rotenberry to put Panola up 7-0. Then, the craziness really began. As the teams set to kickoff after the touchdown, all power in the stadium and all along the campus of Mississippi State University shut off, reminiscent of Super Bowl 47 last February in New Orleans. After about ten minutes the fans were asked to evacuate to under the stadium due to bad weather. Then, fans waited hours under Davis Wade Stadium only to hear the news that the game would be suspended until Sunday afternoon at 4:00 due to the severe weather in the area. Although the delay hurt the attendance of the crowd for the re-

mainder of the game on Sunday, the Warriors saw it as an advantage. “I think it made us refocus a little on defense and calmed some of the younger guys down,” senior JC Keys said. “The black and gold did just that.” On their second drive Sunday afternoon, the Warriors marched down the field through the air. Senior quarterback Cameron Myers hit Charles Hartfield for 54 yards before firing a 26-yard touchdown pass to Peter Harper. The score tied the game at 7-7 with two minutes left in the first quarter. The Warrior defense then forced its first turnover of the game with an Isaiah Spencer sack for a fumble recovered by Derrious Richmond.

Oak Grove High School has recently been ranked seventh overall in the state of Mississippi among 14,431 public high schools. This ranking is an honor according to Niche.com, a rankings and reviews website. A high ranking indicates that the school is an academically advanced institution that houses high-achieving students. Oak Grove High School was ranked higher than any other school in the district and in the Pine Belt. Principal Helen Price is very proud of the accomplishment. “I couldn’t be more proud of the hard work and dedication of our teachers, students, staff and administration. At Oak Grove High School, it is truly a tradition of teamwork and going the extra mile that continues to make the difference in our schools and community,” Price said. This ranking puts Oak Grove on the map for prospective students and faculty and is yet another title the Warriors can proudly claim.

See Football on PG4

OG speech and debate remains undefeated By: Katie Williams Editor

@katiewilliams97

Undefeated. The OGHS Forensics team has remained undefeated throughout the first half of its season. The speech and debate team looks to continue its success in the second half of the year with five competitions in the third nine weeks. The team is also looking good going into the Emory-Barkley Forum competition in Atlanta in January. This competition is perhaps the biggest competition the OGHS team will travel to before nationals in May; it is one of the only competitions they attend that will allow the debaters to experience national competition. All 21 team members who applied were accepted to go to Emory, including four freshmen. The team features a very strong set of junior varsity debaters. They

are able to hold their own in competitions and even win against varsity opponents. “This is the strongest group of JV competitors I’ve had in the 12 years that I have been here,” coach Shane Cole said. Many JV debaters will move up to a varsity standing in the second semester. Mr. Cole cites no standouts with all of his team doing so well. “This year I’m lucky that there are no stand outs because they’re all standing out and doing exactly what they need to be doing. I’m proud of all of them and how they act like a team. That is how you do well in our world,” Cole said. He also stated that leadership and cooperation are found in all team members, from seniors down to freshmen. Members of the team can qualify for three different national competitions. Qualifications for the National Catholic Forensic League

competition are in February. The NSDA National Championship Qualifiers happen on three different weekends during the year. At the first of three held in November, junior Lucy Pruitt qualified to represent Mississippi as a Senator in Congressional Debate. The third major national tournament is the Tournament of Champions which takes the winners of major tournaments around the country and allows qualifiers to compete against each other. The team already has three entries into that competition: Pruitt in Original Oratory, Jillian Walters and Evan Woods in Duo Interpretation, and Kenneth Eaton and Jermaine Van Buren in Duo Interpretation. “This has been an incredible year, and the team, from top to bottom, is the strongest team we’ve ever had. My seniors are strong in both leadership and competition and that goes all the

way down to our eight freshmen that are the strongest freshmen class we’ve ever had,” Cole said. The team hopes to finish its year in April with an 8th state championship title.

SUIT UP

MYCAH KENNEDY PHOTO

Junior Caitlin Leiva performs her poetry program at the Debate Showcase held Monday, December 8, at OGHS.

2 news

coming Warrior Club now selling gear

By: Grace Mozingo Staff Reporter

The Oak Grove Warrior Club is now selling offical Warrior Gear to the public. With the release of the new Warrior logo last spring, many people are excited to see new apparel now available to the public. Since the early 1900s, Oak Grove has been more than just a school; it has been a community. The Oak Grove community has been thriving ever since, even through the transition from a once rural area to a 6A school. Now Oak Grove is known for setting trends and examples of not only academics, but also people defining what pride is. The Warriors are finding new ways of displaying that pride by being the first high school in the area to offer collegiate-type merchandise known as Warrior Gear. This gear will help display the school spirit that the Warriors have become known for all across the state. Warrior Gear is a tangible symbol of the inspiring changes Oak Grove has undergone over so many years. It is inspiring to think that less than fifty years ago the baseball players gathered on a cemetery to prac-

Speech & Debate Isidore Newman Tournament Wind Ensemble Performance in Natchez JV boys, varsity girls & boys basketball vs. Tylertown V boys & girls soccer vs. Brandon Dance MHSAA State Competition DECEMBER 12 Speech & Debate Isidore Newman Tournament Varsity girls basketball @ Pearl Varsity boys basketball @ Moss Point JV girls soccer vs. OLA Cheer MHSAA State Competition DECEMBER 13 9th Grade Girls Basketball vs. Laurel @ home JV Girls & Boys Soccer @ South Jones Debate Showcase DECEMBER 15

tice. During the six game season, all games would be played away because there was no field to use. Now, there are state of the art fields and equipment for athletes to use as Oak Grove is becoming a force to be reckoned with on the field. These vast changes to the school and the release of the new Warrior Gear show the strength of Oak Grove, thanks to the Warrior Club. Oak Grove fans can celebrate once again as the addition of new items will help bring fashion to sports with everything from polos and pullovers to hats and toboggans. The new apparel not only includes various options of clothing and other items, but also covers a wide range of options for men, women, and children, which can all be found on the official Warrior Club website. “I’m really excited to see how the new clothes will look,” Lemanuel Barnett, sophomore, said. “I think it will definitely amp up the sense of spirit for all sports fans, and OG fans in general.” While Warrior items have always been available for the sports fans, the release of the new logo last year prompted the club to officially develop the new merchandise. The

original idea for the new line of gear stemmed from many Warrior Club board meetings. The club was originally founded by a group of parents who wanted to boost the athletic programs for both their children and those who would follow. In 1994, the club was formally chartered as OGHS’s sole booster organization. Today, the club still provides funding support for all sports. The Warrior Club fundraises through gaining memberships, working concessions, selling advertisements, accepting donations and more. “The Warrior Club is always willing to help with any activity or project at OGHS, whether it is having a clean-up day at the football stadium, baseball facility, softball field or at any of the concession stands, we are willing to assist,” Sandi Brock, president of the Warrior Club, said. Since its founding, the Warrior Club has strived to help unify the community and all Oak Grove sports. With this addition of merchandise for OGHS supporters, the club has once again shown their school pride, leaving an impact that we be remembered for generations.

Varsity Girls & Boys Soccer vs. West Harrison @ home DECEMBER 16

Deadline to buy a yearbook 1st & 2nd Block Exams Varsity Girls & Boys, JV Boys Soccer vs. Petal @ home DECEMBER 19 Varsity Boys Soccer @ Oxford Tournament DECEMBER 20 Christmas DECEMBER 25 Senior dues ($120) and junior dues ($70) will increase JANUARY 1

THE GEAR

3rd & 4th Block Exams 9th Grade Basketball vs. Meridian @ home DECEMBER 18

Sign-up for the 2015 trip to Athens is continuing. Sign-up for the 2016 trip to Scottland and Ireland is in need of students to sign up by JANUARY 1 Freshman and Sophomore Beauty Review JANUARY 20 Junior and Senior Beauty Review JANUARY 22 Mu Alpha Theta after school competition February 3 Powder Puff Football moved to the spring STAY TUNED!

December 12, 2014

OG students selected to write for inaugural Red Clay Report By: Samantha Papp Staff Reporter

@samantha_papp

In 2015, the Mississippi Scholastic Press Association plans to publish its inaugural issue of the Red Clay Report. The report will feature articles written by high schoolers across the state, and each yearly edition will focus on a different issue. The first issue will focus on education, a topic that MSPA president Maggie Mallette thinks will be “really accessible” for high school journalists. “There are a lot of issues with Mississippi’s education system,” Mallette said. “But there are a lot of things good things we can highlight.” Several students from Oak Grove’s Warrior Beat were selected to write for the Red Clay Report. These students include Alyssa Bass, Drew Herring, Christian Rapetti, Grace Mozingo, Tia Bullock, Taylor Parsons, Casey Ford, and Katie Williams. “I am honored to have been chosen to write for the Red Clay Report,” sophomore Grace Mozingo said. “I will be collaborating with Katie Williams and Alyssa Bass on an article about Common Core, and I am very excited.” The first edition of the Red Clay Report will be published in Spring 2015.

Math League: Counting their way to the top By: Christian Rapetti Staff Reporter @c_rapetti

A new club at Oak Grove, the Math League has had a very successful start. The math league is a group of students that represent Oak Grove at math competitions where they compete against different schools in their district. There are four districts across the Pine Belt area. Oak Grove’s district consists of PCS, Sacred Heart, Columbia Academy, and Lawrence County. This was Oak Grove’s first year in the Math League, and they placed

beat’s bits

second overall, behind PCS, in a nail-biting final match at the “Super Bowl.” The outcome came down to the last question as both teams were neck and neck. “I think everyone’s goal for next year is to win first place. It’s really the only way we could improve,” junior Marli Bryant said. For their second place finish, the team received $1,500 and CamelBak water bottles. The Math League has fourteen members who are members of Mu Alpha Theta. Senior Cole Sisson, senior Nick Scior-

tino, and sophomore Ruby Liang were all recognized on the All-League team. Sisson was also named Oak Grove’s Most Outstanding Player. Whitney Necessary, the sponsor of the Math League, said that she liked that the students get recognition for their hard work and success. “This was our first year, so we really didn’t know what to expect. I was very happy with our results,” Necessary said. The team was also pleased with the outcomes. “I am very excited about the final outcome of our

NEWS

first season. All of our team did their best and worked extremely hard,” senior member Katie Williams said. Despite being so new to the Math League, Necessary has been the sponsor of Mu Alpha Theta for six years. Even though they placed second, she believes that the team will need more practice to achieve first place. She went on to say that she is unsure if the Math League will be competing next year because it will depend on student interest.

By: Christian Rapetti | Staff Reporter

Local Police Get Upgraded

Syrian Refugees

China Pre-Screening Hong Kong Candidates

President Barack Obama has called for new standards for federal programs that arm local law enforcement officers with military equipment. Obama also wants police across the country to wear cameras at all times. He is trying to create a way to figure out how to improve relationships between communities and local authorities. These changes have have a direct correlation with the ongoing situation in Ferguson, Missouri, but efforts toward these changes started after 9/11, when the government decided that local authorities should play a bigger role in counterterroism. Critics to this idea think seeing officers in armored trucks doesn’t exactly say, “We’re here to help.”

The United Nations (UN) has run out of cash to fund a program that has been feeding more than 1.7 million Syrian refugees. Millions of Syrians have had to flee to refugee camps in neighboring countries because of Syria’s years-long civil war, and the UN’s World Food Program has played a big part in making sure they have enough food to get by. Earlier this year, the UN told the public that they were running out of money and donors could not manage to get the cash in on time. The program is on hold for now, but the UN will jump to the chance to help if the funds come in.

In Hong Kong, citizens have been protesting for months for open elections for the country’s next leader. China promised Hong Kong would get the elections for the first time in 2017. Frustration with the government has escalated as protesters surrounded government headquarters. The founders of one protest group said they are surrendering to police, and urged protesters to retreat. The group “Occupy Central” is one of the activist groups. It jumpstarted the protests in the beginning but has become less prominent with students leading so many protests alone.

December 12, 2014

Bleacher Report

By: Jonathan Brent | SPORTS EDITOR

Well, the first College Football Playoff matchups are officially set, and no team from Mississippi will be taking a part in either of them. Ole Miss defeated Mississippi State to win the cherished golden egg, 31-14 on November 28. Supposedly, Taylor Parsons is writing her column about that game: not gonna lie, I’m kinda scared to see how that turns out. Although Ole Miss may have ruined a Mississippi team’s hope of playing in the inaugural College Football Playoff, there’s nothing to be ashamed of. Both Mississippi State and Ole Miss will be playing in New Year’s Eve Bowls and receiving hefty checks to go along with them. The #7 Bulldogs will take on #11 Georgia Tech in the Orange Bowl while the #9 Rebels will face #6 TCU, a team that some thought deserved a spot at the playoff. These two bowls are, in my opinion, the best two bowl games other than the playoff matchups with four great teams stacking up against each other. A win for either Mississippi team might mean a chance at a top five season, something that hasn’t been done in many decades. As for the playoffs, #1 Alabama will face #4 Ohio State and #2 Oregon will take on #3 Florida State, aka the most hated team in the country, all on New Year’s Day. As expected, there was controversy regarding the teams that should or should not have made the playoff. TCU thrashed Iowa State 55-3 yet still dropped two spots in the polls in to the #5 spot, leaving them out of the playoffs. The Horned Frogs were one spot ahead of Baylor, a team who beat TCU head-to-head this year. The fact that the Big 12 doesn’t have a conference championship game this year probably cost them a spot in the playoff this year. Like I’ve said before, hopefully this will lead to an 8- or even 16-team expansion as opposed to 4. I personally hope Oregon wins it all. It’s un-American to pull for Florida State or Ohio State, and who really likes Alabama? Go Ducks. Meanwhile, the Saints are still playing terrible football, trying their hardest to throw their season away one game at a time. Somehow, the Saints are still tied for their division lead with an unbelievable 5-8 record after being embarrassed 41-10 this past Sunday. Don’t get me wrong, I’m as big of a Saints fan as they come, but I still think it’s a crime that one team out of that division is more than likely finish under .500 and still host a playoff game. It’s the time of the NFL season where the superstars start to prove their dominance. Le’veon Bell, Tom Brady, Jamaal Charles, Aaron Rodgers, and Andrew Luck are all on absolute fire right now, leading their teams to playoff runs. Most importantly, my fantasy team is on fire right now as well, and the final four this Sunday is gonna be something incredible. Watch out, Jake Roberts, you’re going down. Until next time.

Soccer kicks it up a notch By: Luke Anderson Guest Reporter

@lukeaanderson_

This entire season, the girls’ soccer team has been successful in all of their games. With almost half of the season over, the girls’ soccer team still remains undefeated. This does not mean that all of their games have been a cakewalk, though. For the past four years, Gulfport has always beaten Oak Grove, but this year, the girls did not let the Admirals win again. They were victorious with a 2-1 win. This past weekend, the girls played on the road in Brandon. Battling fatigue from a late night at the State football game and a different field to play on, the girls fought ahead and secured easy wins against Germantown (2-0) and St. Andrews (4-1). “Turf is always a little bit more difficult to play on but I was excited that our team kept playing like we usually do, and we were able to win our two games,” junior defender Lauren Pitts said. This year, the girls’ soccer team is composed of girls from eighth graders to seniors. The young girls actually make a significant

impact to gameplay. Freshman Lonnie Mulligan, who plays mostly forward or center mid, is one of the team’s leading goalscorers. Maggie Starns, who is only in 8th grade, also starts at forward or center mid. Because of the already huge talent of 8th and 9th graders, the Warriors will continue to be successful in the coming years. This team has continued to find success even with such a young squad. The guys’ team has also had success on the field. Their current record is 3-3-2. This success has been struck with some big losses though, such as games against Oceans Springs and Bay High. “Some of the biggest keys to winning our games are working as a team, and controlling the ball in the middle of the field. Also we need to have more focus on scoring goals,” senior center back Cameron Barnhill said. “If we work as a team and our injured players recover, I believe that we can beat Brandon and maybe even go all the way this year.” The team is hopeful that they can recover from losing these games early and finish

WARRIOR ATTACK

sports 3

MARY MORGAN GRATWICK PHOTO

Freshman defender Sarah Anderson attempts to steal the ball from an attacker for Resurrection. The Warriors won the match 5-0.

out the rest of the year strong. The Warriors lost one of their best midfielders last Saturday, when Jeremy Myers broke his leg. When going to block a punt from the goalkeeper, an opponent slid at Myers and injured him. Unfortunately, Myers is not expected to be able to recover in time to play again. The Warriors will have to work hard to fill the gap he left.

This Friday, the Warriors take on their biggest rivals, the Brandon Bulldogs, at home, with the girls’ game starting at 5:30 and the guys’ game starting at 7:00. They are expecting a large turnout for their biggest game of the season.

New head coach sets big basketball goals By: Drew Herring Staff Reporter

@drew_herring2

There is a tradition of excellence constant in all sports teams at Oak Grove High School, and the basketball team is certainly no exception. With leadership, natural talent, and a great work ethic, the

UP AND DOWN THE COURT

boys basketball program currently has a record of 8 wins and only 2 losses. First year head coach LaRon Brumfield is very impressed with the way his players have handled themselves in victory and defeat on the court. “We have a great group of guys this year. They are hard workers and impres-

ALEXA FISHER PHOTO

Senior Ashton Pierce goes up for a layup over a Hattiesburg Tiger. The Warriors lost 60-76.

sive players. This year has been a year of change since it is my first year as the head coach. The transition from assistant coach to head coach has been difficult but exciting, and the team has responded in a big way,” Brumfield said. There are many strong aspects of this team, but Coach Brumfield believes that the leadership he has received from his seniors has been of the greatest assets. “When you have a group like this with a lot of young players and you give them seniors who work hard day after day, it makes everyone play better. My seniors have been great role models for the younger guys,” Brumfield said. The Warriors’ last victory came against Dexter on December 6. The Warriors fought hard and came out victorious, 79-48. The Warriors’ next game was against the Hattiesburg Tigers, in which the Warriors lost

60-76. Brumfield sets goals for each season specifically. “My goals for this year are simple: We want to be champions. We want to win more games than we did last year (12), win the conference, win South State, and we want to win the Golden Ball. If any group of players can be victorious, it’s this one,” Brumfield said. Coach Brumfield has brought a wealth of knowledge to the team in his first season as head coach. “The team looks better and better with every passing day. We have done well so far in the season, and we will continue to improve and do our best to get the win at the end of the game,” Brumfield said. This program is certainly full of talent.

Two players, coaches named to Volleyball All-Star Game By: Jonathan Brent Staff Reporter

@jonathanLeBrent

Fresh off of one of the best seasons in school history, the Oak Grove Volleyball team just received exciting news about two of its players and their great seasons. Juniors Grace Duggan and Alexa Fisher were recently named to the Mississippi All-Star Volleyball game in Jackson in July. Duggan and Fisher were just two of twelve girls selected to play for the south squad, which was selected by coaches all around. On top of that, head coach Kelsea Seymour and assistant coach Abbie Hendley were chosen to coach the south team.

Duggan finished the season with almost 4 digs per match and a serving percentage over 80 percent for the season as a defensive specialist for the Warriors. Fisher was the Warriors’ setter this year. She finished the year leading the district in assists with over 400. She also served over 40 aces with one of the top serving percentages on the year. Coach Seymour just completed her third year as coach of the Lady Warriors. She led the team to a 17-7 record this year as they made an appearance in the South State Championship for the first time in nearly a decade.

“It’s such an honor to be chosen for something like this. I can’t wait to get out there and play this summer,” Duggan said. “And being able to play under our wonderful coaches

STARS ON THE COURT

is going to make it even more special,” Fisher added. The game is scheduled for July 15 at Millsaps College, a game that the South won 3-0 last year over the North.

SUBMITTED PHOTO

Grace Duggan, head coach Kelsey Seymour, and Alexa Fisher are all smiles after being named to the All-South Team.

December 12, 2014

sports

Marathon weekend for the Warriors at State

3 1

10 A WEEKEND TO REMEMBER

1. Coach Bobby DeLeon congratulates freshman kicker Brennan Sobiesk on making a field goal. > 2. The Warrior student section sings the Alma Mater before the game. > 3. Senior Deonte Spates rushes the ball. > 4. Senior Peter Harper scores a touchdown for the Warriors. > 5. Senior Alexander Schwartz hollers smack talk at South Panola. > 6. Junior Adam Parsons reacts after the game Sunday night. > 7. Senior JC Keys focuses in on the action. > 8. Students prepare for the Warrior Walk, fathead of Mikel Anderson in hand. > 9. Senior quarterback Cameron Myers rushes the ball. > 10. Senior Josh Abram catches a pass. > 11. Junior Rachael Perkins cheers loudly for the Warriors from the sidelines. > 12. Senior Devoskia Poole greets elementary students before leaving town for the game in Starkville. > 13. Senior Cameron Myers rushes for a touchdown to tie the game against South Panola.

Photos by Mary Morgan Gratwick Captions by Jonathan Brent

Continued Football from PG1 However, the Warrior offense could not translate the turnover into points thanks to sacks from the Panola defense. The two offenses then traded punts and turnovers before Steven Collins missed a 29-yard field goal for South Panola after a Cameron Myers interception. Myers then drove the Warriors down the field with his arm and his legs to set up a 22-yard field goal for freshman Brennan Sobiesk. The field goal put the black and gold in the lead 10-7 going into halftime. The Tigers opened up the second half with two quick scores. One a 27-yard touchdown pass by Pogue, the other a 77-yard touchdown run from Darrell Henderson. The scores put the Tigers up 21-10 with three minutes to play in the third quarter, but the Warriors battled back. After possessions with no scoring for either team, the Warriors marched down the field with eight minutes to play in the game. The drive resulted in another Sobiesk 22-yarder to make it a one-score game at 21-13. The Warrior defense then came up with a huge stop to give the offense a chance to tie the game with just three minutes left. Cameron Myers did just that. A 24-yard scamper to the endzone with 1:40 to play made it 21-19 as the Warriors attempted a two-point conversion to tie. Myers then hit Deonte Spates for the conversion to tie the ballgame and send it to overtime. The Warriors then opened overtime with the ball. On third down and five, Cameron Myers threw his fourth interception of the game, which gave the Tigers a chance to clinch the championship. Tiger running back Darrell Henderson, Mississippi Gatorade Player of the Year award winner, took the direct snap in for a 10-yard score on the first play for Panola to win the championship for the Tigers 27-21. The game was an absolute heartbreaker for the Warriors. Although the season didn’t end as the Warriors would have liked, there is still much to be proud of. “This season has been unforgettable. People constantly doubted us because of our youth, but we proved them wrong by making it to the State Championship again. Heart and the hunger to win truly drove us through the entire season,” senior Drew Burnham said. There’s no reason the black and gold can’t do the same thing next year either. “I think we definitely have a chance to make it back again, I’ll have to step up as a leader as a senior and we’ll take it one game at a time. I see no reason why we can’t do the same thing next year, except we’ll win it all,” Junior Deontae Hayes said. After summer workouts, the Warriors will be ready to kick off the 2015 season next August, looking to continue the winning tradition.

December 12, 2014

opinion 5

Dead or alive?

TAYLOR PARSONS ARTWORK

Chivalry alive and well

“

By: Emily Burnett Staff Reporter @emily_a_burnett

Treat others as you would want to be treated.” This Biblical phrase, the “Golden Rule,” is often embedded in young children’s minds from the very beginning of their lives. So, why don’t most women assume that men are trying to treat them nicely through compliments and good deeds? Men have always been taught their own set of rules like holding the door or paying for dates. My parents, like most American parents, taught my brothers how to be gentlemen, and they taught me how to discern whether a gentleman is honest or not. So yes, in some cases, chivalry is dead, but in the majority of cases, men are honestly attempting to be chivalrous. Women are just dissecting a man’s every move to find flaws and ulterior motivations. A woman convinced that chivalry is dead is sure to reject any type of chivalry in an attempt to prove that

she is correct, and men just are not what they used to be. Although some men have other intentions, it is unfair for women to deem all men animals. If every woman automatically assumed that all men are no longer chivalrous, that would just open the door for men to treat women like garbage. Women are the leading cause of the endangerment of honest chivalry. Many women claim that chivalry is dead without realizing that men aren’t the only ones capable of chivalry. I see chivalry constantly in malls, where people don’t hesitate to hold doors open for others walking in; Walmart, where people offer their spot in line to others with fewer groceries; and in restaurants, where people offer seats in the waiting area to the elderly. Men do not have ownership of chivalrous practices. Chivalry is for everyone, not always in flirtation but in common decency. Opening a door or giving a compliment does not automatically equal flirtation. Chivalry is not dead; it is merely changing.

OPINION

Chivalry:

Chickvalry over chivalry

By: Abby Nguyen Staff Reporter @2busybeingabby

irls since pretty much the beginning of time have been exclaiming, “Chivalry is dead!” And for the most part, I agree with them. Of course, there are always going to be little isolated pockets of men who are still classified as chivalrous, but for the most part, I would argue that men have outgrown chivalry, and perhaps it is for the best. Hit young adult novels or romcoms aimed at teenage girls tell us what young girls want. Arguably the most popular fictional heart throb is Augustus Waters from the Fault in Our Stars. Augustus wiggles his way into the hearts of readers because he treats Hazel as a friend and an overall equal, and then moves onto treating her as his girlfriend later. Ladies and gentlemen, chivalry is dead and we should be glad! Merriam Webster defines chivalry both as the qualities of an ideal knight and then as an honorable and polite way to treat women. There are a couple of things wrong with these definitions. Firstly, one

of the definitions refers back to men from the Middle Ages and the second problem is that the other definition refers only to being courteous to women. Everything about chivalry proves that it is grossly outdated. With the feminist movement gaining more and more traction everyday, the idea of chivalry is quickly losing popularity. From the Edwardian era to the Augustinian one, it is clear that women are changing what they expect for men, and men are changing how they feel they should show affection to the ones that they love.The feminist movement is comprised of men and women alike that are tired of practicing the double standards that chivalry endorses. Asking men to be more “courteous” to women than they are to each other projects the image that it is totally socially acceptable for women to be rude to each other, and for men to only be courteous to women because they are women rather than because they are people. What was originally intended as a means of showing affection has morphed into a means of near deprecation and sexism. Let us declare chivalry dead, and rightly so.

pgrade or dow grade?

By: Grace Mozingo, Staff Reporter

There possibly is not a person alive who has never heard of Star Wars. The series has more than stood the test of time, and ever since the release of the first teaser trailer for Episode VII, the buzz has not stopped. But with all this hype, people seem to forget that the movie is not actually coming out until next December. Until then, may the force be with you.

Star Wars Trilogy upgrade

downgrade Frozen covers, just “let it go” This past November marked the one year anniversary of every girl’s favorite princess movie: Frozen. Yes, the movie is fantastic. Yes, I like the song “Let It Go.” Yes, I am absolutely overhearing renditions of the song, and that includes: the chipmunk voice-edited versions, the bizarre cartoons with way too many rainbows, and the howling dogs. It should have just been a “big summer blowout.” No shave November is finally over. Once again, I can finally recognize who I am talking to. It cannot be comfortable, nor does it look comfortable. So unless you’re Burt Reynolds, just don’t. And people, think of the loss of jobs over lack of razor sells. The economy is already bad enough. So, hold your razors high, and welcome December.

Shave it off

upgrade

downgrade Ray Rice is back Back in February, a video of Ray Rice first punching and then dragging his then-fiance’s limp body from an elevator surfaced on the Web. Soon after, Rice was suspended and then eventually dropped from the NFL league. But on November 28, it was announced that Rice had been reinstated into the NFL and he “remains hopeful” that he will be once again on the field. Since his reinstatement, five teams have been interested in adding Rice to their roster. Rice’s wife also agrees that he should be given a second chance at the game, but I just cannot seem to agree with her.

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 EDITORS Taylor Parsons, Katie Williams STAFF REPORTERS Samantha Papp Casey Ford Christian Rapetti Lucy Pruitt Abby Nguyen Alyssa Bass Mary Morgan Gratwick Olivia Diaz Emily Burnett Hannah Lee Grace Wilkes Mozingo Jonathan Brent Jenna Clair Lee Drew Herring DESIGNERS Tia Bullock Andrew Rigel PHOTOGRAPHERS Mary Morgan Gratwick Mycah Kennedy ADVISER Joy Davis

6 features

December 12, 2014 7

It’s the most wonderful time of the year ABC Family Holiday Line-Up lucy pruitt staff reporter

It’s everyone’s favorite season. Sparkling lights, Christmas trees, ornaments, and caroling all make for the perfect winter wonderland, but what really completes the perfect holiday spirit? ABC Family’s 25 Days of Christmas, of course. Already 12 days into the annual marathon of classic and modern Christmas movies, we have much more to look forward to. We have the constant repetition of many movies to thank for that because many of the best movies haven’t even been played yet. Many of the greatest holiday movies in my opinion, such as The Polar Express, Miracle on 34th Street, and Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas, are the grossly under played while lackluster or even irrelevant movies like The MistleTones, Santa Baby, and Willy Wonka are scheduled to play on televisions across America even more than average. Similar to the phenomenon experienced when songs on the radio are overplayed, too many viewings of one holiday movie can cause something of resentful feelings towards the whole season. Suddenly every Christmas carol is headache inducing, and the holiday spirit is lacking in sparkle. Because let’s be honest, no one really needs to watch National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation eleven times over the holidays. So to ensure that we always feel the joy of the season, and to avoid excess Christmas cheer, here’s a list of the movies to be shown for each day at certain times:

Friday, December 12 (4:30–5:30 PM) Jack Frost (5:30–7:30 PM) Scrooged (7:30–9:30 PM) The Santa Clause (9:30 PM–12:00) Miracle on 34th Street Saturday, December 13 (3:00–5:30 PM) Miracle on 34th Street (5:30–6:00 PM) Mickey’s Christmas Carol (6:00–8:00 PM) The Santa Clause (8:00–10:00 PM) National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation Sunday, December 14 (1:30–4:00 PM) Fred Claus (4:00–6:00 PM) National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (6:00–9:00 PM) Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas (9:00 PM–12:00 AM) Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas Monday, December 15 (4:30–7:00 PM) Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (7:00-7:30 PM) Disney’s Prep and Landing (8:00–9:00 PM) The Year Without a Santa Claus (9:00–11:00 PM) The Polar Express Tuesday, December 16 (4:30-6:30 PM) Rudolf and Frosty’s Christmas in July (6:30–8:30 PM) The Polar Express (8:30–11:00 PM) Home Alone (12:00-2:00 AM) Santa Baby 2: Christmas Maybe Wednesday, December 17 (3:00–4:30 PM) Mickey’s Twice Upon a Christmas (4:30–5:30 PM) The Year Without a Santa Claus (5:30–6:30 PM) Santa Claus is Coming to Town (6:30–9:00 PM) Home Alone Thursday, December 18 (3:00–5:00 PM) Prancer (5:00–6:30 PM) Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas (6:30–8:30 PM) The Santa Clause (8:30–11:00 PM) Fred Claus Friday, December 19 (3:30–6:00 PM) Fred Claus (6:00–8:00 PM) Home Alone (8:00–10:00 PM) Elf (10:00 PM–12:00 AM) National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation Saturday, December 20 (4:00–6:00 PM) National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (6:00–8:00 PM) Elf (8:00–10:30 PM) Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas (10:30 PM–1:00 AM) Home Alone Sunday, December 21 (3:00–4:00 PM) Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town (4:00–5:00 PM) The Year Without a Santa Claus (5:00–7:30 PM) Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas (7:30–10:00 PM) Home Alone Monday, December 22 (3:00–5:00 PM) The Mistle-Tones (5:00–5:30 PM) Frosty’s Winter Wonderlad (5:30-6:30 PM) Rudolf’s Shiny New Year (6:30–7:30 PM) Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town Tuesday, December 23 (2:30–4:30 PM) Holiday in Handcuffs (4:30–5:00 PM) Frosty’s Winter Wonderland (5:00-7:00 PM) The Santa Clause (7:00–9:00 PM) Home Alone Wednesday, December 24 (3:00–5:00 PM) The Polar Express (5:00–7:00 PM) Home Alone (7:00–9:00 PM) National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (9:00–11:00 PM) Elf Thursday, December 25 (4:00–4:30 PM) Disney’s Prep & Landing (4:30–5:00 PM) Disney’s Prep & Landing (5:00–7:00 PM) National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (7:00–9:00 PM) Elf

Hub City Holiday Must-Dos

katie williams EDITOR

| historic downtown victorian candlelit christmas |

Mississippi Power and the Hattiesburg Historic Neighborhood will present the 38th Annual Victorian Candlelit Christmas this weekend. The event is free to the public and will feature carriage rides through historic downtown, holiday tours of historic homes, and over 15,000 luminaries. This is a longtime event that attracts visitors from throughout the region.

| lewis lights | The Lewis Lights have been a family tradition for many local families for years. In this display, there are over 225,000 lights and 300 pieces of handmade woodwork. The display is in Purvis, Mississippi, and is open from 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. during the Christmas season. The Lewis family asks for a donation in place of charging a flat fee.

C hristmas Movies Made for TV alyssa bass staff reporter

| holiday in handcuffs | In this ABC Family original movie, Melissa Joan Hart plays a waitress and struggling artist who kidnaps one of her customers who is played by her co star Mario Lopez to fool her parents into thinking that Lopez is her fiance during the Christmas holidays. | santa baby | In this 2006 ABC Family movie, Jenny McCarthy stars as a successful business woman and also the daughter of Santa Claus. When Santa becomes ill, Jenny returns to the pole to take his place and uses her business skills to revitalize the workshop elves while also reconnecting with her first love. | grumpy cat’s worst christmas ever | In the movie, Grumpy Cat, the internet sensation is a lonely and sour cat waiting to be adopted in the mall pet shop who surprisingly begins to learn the meaning of Christmas after bonding with a 12-year-old girl.

| a diva’s christmas carol | In the year 2000, VH1 remade the Charles Dickens classic A Christmas Carol starring Vanessa Williams. Williams plays a bratty pop singer lacking Christmas spirit. While performing in New York City, Williams is visited by her very own ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future hoping to turn her life around for the better. | christmas in the city | To help her daughter get in the Christmas spirit and help save her father’s candy shop, Ashley Williams attempts to find work in the city at a toy store in this Lifetime original movie. However, she runs into trouble when she finds out that the store manager, who is played by R&B singer Ashanti, has replaced Santa with a handsome male model and young attractive male elves, destroying the Christmas spirit. It’s up to Williams to bring the true meaning of Christmas back to the toy store.

| 12 men of christmas | Kristin Chenoweth acts as a public relations executive in New York City who finds herself in Montana after being betrayed by her boss and fiancé. While in Montana, Chenoweth helps Kalispell Search and Rescue Team gain funding in a rather creative way. | three days | Kristin Davis plays a wife who is tragically killed days before Christmas. An angel gives her widowed husband ,played by Reed Diamond, a chance to relive the last three days she was alive in hopes of him discovering the gift his wife needed the most from him. | a carol christmas | In 2003 Hallmark remade the Dickens classic A Christmas Carol with former Saved by the Bell actress Tori Spelling as a nasty talk show host who is in need of Christmas spirit. The movie also stars Gary Coleman as the Ghost from Christmas Past and William Shatner as the Ghost from Christmas Present. | a charlie brown christmas | Based on the comic strip Peanuts, A Charlie Brown Christmas is a musical animated television special that made its debut on CBS on December 9,1965. Charlie Brown finds himself depressed during the holiday season until he is put in charge of directing a Christmas play despite the initial criticism from his peers. | home alone 4 | The fourth installment of the famous Home Alone series first aired on ABC on November 3, 2002. The film brings back Kevin McCallister from the past movies as he tries to save his future stepmother’s house from his old nemesis played by French Stewart and his wife played by Miss Pyle.

| columbia christmas train | The Columbia Christmas Train is annual family festivity in Columbia, Mississippi. Tickets are $12 for adults and $6 for kids. Children 2 and under are free. Tickets are sold from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., and the site is also open for day field trips. This event features food vendors, specialty vendors, pony rides, live music, and a presentation of the Christmas story. The Christmas Train will operate for 14 nights from Thanksgiving to Christmas Eve. | saenger holiday movie series | On December 22 and 23, the Saenger Theater in downtown Hattiesburg will present a holiday movie series just like it did in 1929. The theater will show two kid-friendly matinee shows, The Grinch and A Christmas Carol, at 2 p.m. on those days and two evening shows, Four Christmases and Gremlins, at 7:30 p.m. on those days for adults.

Deck the Halls

What is your favorite christmas carol?

casey ford staff reporter

| cantreal barnes, 12 | “Deck the Halls”

| hatten livingston, 12 | “Mistletoe” by Justin Bieber

| Coreyshia vaughan, 9 | “Deck the Halls”

| hunter lowery, 9 | “Jingle Bells”

| nick nelson, 9 | “Frosty the Snowman”

8 features

basket(ball)

CHEER IS LIFE

December 12, 2014

Clark takes

Clark takes ACT for first time in 34 years By: Samantha Papp Staff Reporter

@samantha_papp

ABBY ANDERSON PHOTO

DROPPIN’ IT LIKE IT’S HOT

Juniors Kym Glover and Kristin Allen bust a move during their first pep rally performance.

By: Alyssa Bass Staff Reporter

@alyssatrechelle

When the basketball cheerleaders walked onto the gym floor for their performance at the pep rally for the South State football game, everyone in the bleachers immediately clapped and cheered. For the first time in the 2014-2015 school year, the basketball cheerleaders were invited by football cheerleading coach Ashley Burdine to make their pep rally performance debut, and fans were excited to say the least. The basketball cheerleaders’ performance included a series of hip hop dance moves choreographed by Taylor Simpson with a jaw-dropping jump split by junior cheerleader Kristin Allen as the big finale. After the pep rally, spectator Ally Gordy tweeted, “Can I be a basketball cheerleader when I grow up?” and many immediately hit the retweet button, thinking the cheerleaders’ performance was the highlight of not only the pep rally but also the day. All day long, students were continually complimenting the cheerleaders; it seemed as if they were finally getting the recognition they had worked for. Is it possible that their classmates had been underestimating them? The majority of students seem to be more interested in sports like football, volleyball, baseball, and the new ultimate frisbee team rather than basketball, leaving the basketball team and cheerleaders without as much credit for their achievements. Basketball cheerleading coach Jacqueline Myers said, “Some think that just because we don’t compete, tumble, or do difficult stunts, we have nothing to bring to the table. Our strong point is choreography. When we get it, we got it. Like any other cheer or dance team, it takes a lot of hard work.” That hard work includes plenty of practice. A typical basketball cheerleading practice practice includes running bleachers, 40 push-ups, lunges, and running around the entire gym. Then they have to review over 70 sideline dances and learn whatever dance will be performed during halftime. While the basketball cheerleaders don’t do as many stunts as the football cheerleaders, their past performance proved that they don’t have to do outlandish stunts to get feedback from the crowd. The students in the bleachers were completely interested and attentive during the basketball cheerleaders routine. The energy flowing from the basketball cheerleaders spread to the entire student body. While the cheerleaders only have a few dance routines at the moment, they plan on adding more and hopefully performing at more pep rallies.

any students are familiar with the ACT, the standardized test that students take on a Saturday morning (when they would probably much rather be sleeping) that is required for admission to almost every college. Hundreds of thousands of students take this standardized test; however, very rarely do people take the test when they are out of college. Andrea Clark, a teacher at Oak Grove High School, is defying the typical testing standards. She has signed up to take the ACT at Oak Grove High School on December 13. “I’m excited about taking the test,” Clark said. “I just hope my taking the test won’t be disrup-

tive.” Lauren Byrd, a senior at Oak Grove High school and student of Clark, has taken the ACT numerous times and has very rarely seen an adult take the test. “This will be my twelfth time to take the test, and I remember seeing an older woman taking the test in hopes of going back to college,” Byrd said. “When I saw her, I realized that not just high schoolers take the ACT. Our senior humanities class convinced Clark to take the test, and I’m really interested to see how the testing environments have changed for her since she last took the test.” As a humanities teacher, Clark is responsible for preparing her students for a variety of tests, including the PSAT, the SAT, and the ACT. Clark runs

Barbie 2.0

A realistic twist on everyone’s favorite doll By: Casey Ford Staff Reporter

@caseym_ford

DREAM VS. REALITY

www.bbc.com PHOTO

Traditional Barbie and normal barbie’s differences are even more evident when placed side by side.

For years, the most coveted toy by little girls around the world has been the Barbie doll. Despite her immense popularity, Barbie, with her perfect proportions and flawless features, has also become an object of criticism for some who say her image sets unrealistic standards for young girls and seriously damages their perceptions of themselves. Perhaps these unhealthy side effects of the Barbie buzz have played a part in the recent drop in demand for the dolls. In a recent profit analysis of the world’s largest toy company, Mattel, Inc., bloomberg.com posted a 22% decrease in net income to $331.8 million from $422.8 million, with world-

her humanities classes in a quite straightforward manner: students take the test, grade their tests, and analyze their incorrect answers. Clark guides the students as they strengthen their testing abilities and develop their own test strategies. During this time, Clark also takes the tests with her students, as her students often depend on her to explain confusing questions. This experience of taking the tests in class with her students has helped Clark to become quite experienced with the ACT test; yet, nothing can quite compare to actually taking the test on a test day, and this is exactly why Clark intends to take the actual ACT. “I think by taking the test under the conditions I send the kids in to take it, I will get a more wide Barbie sales shrinking 21% this quarter. Many other models have begun to take precedence over the long-reigning queen of the toy aisle, one of which is the Lammily doll. According to his website, graphic artist and researcher Nickolay Lamm created the Lammily doll as part of a crowdfunding campaign to make dolls with typical human body proportions a reality. Also known as the “real barbie,” the Lammily doll is the first to successfully do so. “Every one of our bodies is different, so we should not be aspiring to some idealized standard,” Lamm explained in an Elle interview. Lamm aimed to reflect the “typical” proportions of a 19-yearold woman, unlike the traditional Barbie doll. “I feel like there’s a very good chance that those types of dolls affect young girls,” Lamm told Fast Company. “If there’s a very good chance like that, and if the average sized doll can actually look good, like Lammily does, let’s make it then. If there’s even a 10% chance that those dolls affect body image, then let’s make it.” At 11 inches tall, Lammily sports more

realistic idea of the stress and strategies that will work under those stresses,” Clark said. “I hope that this experience will help me to better advise to students that will be taking the test in the future.” From her students’ perspectives, Clark is already adequately prepared for the test. “I think Ms. Clark knows more about the ACT in general than anyone else,” junior Drew Herring, student of Clark, said. “She always seems to have the right answer to explain to us. She’s extremely intelligent.” Clark has been preparing for the test, despite her persona amongst her students as an ACT wizard. She said that she has been taking tests during class time and practicing math at home because she “hates math.” Evidently, Clark is taking her new role as a student very seriously, and her hard work will surely pay off. Good luck, Ms. Clark!

articulated elbows, hands, and knees, as well as wider hips and flatter feet-not perfectly arched for high heels. Her neck is slightly shorter, her stomach slightly larger, and her face slightly plainer than the traditional, super skinny, airbrushed Barbie. Sold for $25 on Lamm’s website, the dolls can also come with an additional $6 “Lammily Marks” packet of 38 clear vinyl stickers representing realistic bodily imperfections. The stickers include cellulite, stretch marks, freckles, acne, glasses, blushing, adhesive bandages, moles, temporary tattoo, stitches, scrapes and scratches, bruises, cast, scars, mosquito bites, grass and dirt stains, and are removable and reusable. When Lamm’s campaign launched on March 5, 2014, more than 13,621 backers agreed to support the project and preordered over 19,000 dolls. The doll was shipped out on November 28, 2014 to all backers, and sales haven’t stopped since. Lammily looks to be a successful pioneer of “body positive” products. Perhaps she’s the first of many.

Swilley helps Warriors see the world

By: Oliva Diaz Staff Reporter

Carmen Swilley has done it again. Aside from being an inclusion teacher in Algebra II and Geometry and a sponsor for Oak Grove’s Junior Civitan club, Swilley has broadened students’ minds by taking them on trips around the world. Next summer, Swilley plans on taking several students to Greece and Turkey for ten days. The tour is to visit these places in Greece: Athens, Mykonos, Crete, Patmos, and Santorini. While in Greece, students will see sites like the Parthenon and the Temple of Athena Nike. Also, Swilley plans for the group to head off to Kusadasi, a Turkish resort town. Swilley partnered with Education First (EF), the company that provides these international trips to schools around the world. In each EF tour, a group gets a full-time tour director, a few sightseeing and walking tours, admission to sites and places, and less things to worry about. Students who sign up for the

tour don’t have to worry about steps along the way, such as flights, cruises, etc. The tour company takes care of these things. Another EF tour is coming to OG: the trip to Scotland and Ireland in June of 2016. “I think these countries will be so beautiful to see,” Swilley said. The sights seen will probably include St. Stephen’s Green in Dublin, Ireland and Stirling Castle in Scotland. Students on this trip will receive the same accommodations that students will receive on the 2015 summer trip. This trip will last approximately 10 days. A typical day on one of these trips starts with the tour guide giving the times for wake up call and breakfast at the hotel students are staying in (which is often very early, around six or seven in the morning). Next, the group eats, gets on the bus, and reaches its tour destination. After the ride, the groups usually does quite a bit of walking, sometimes several miles a day. Occasionally, the group takes a bus tour for a day. “We are busy all day,” Swilley

said. Despite how busy the schedule is, Swilley strongly encourages students to at least consider going on an EF trip during the summer. “Just go ahead and sign up,” Swilley said. “Then, save up a little spending money and invest in some comfortable shoes.” She believes there’s a bit of time left to sign up for the trip to Greece, and the Scotland/Ireland

take a

TRIP

BON VOYAGE

trip in 2016 is definitely open for any OG student interested. What Swilley likes most about these trips is watching students take on new things, such as flying or being far away from home. “Seeing students figure out different money, taste new foods, and see new sights is so exciting to me,” Swilley said.

2015 Greece trip: Sign up will close in January. Go to www.eftours.com/1539660VY 2016 Scotland/Ireland: Need 6 by January! Go to www.eftours.com/1609889CH

SUBMITTED PHOTO

Swilley and Oak Grove students visited Windsor Castle in England last summer as part of the school’s EF Tours London and France trip.

entertainment 9

December 12, 2014

ality

PARSON

The next mistake: Suffering through sequels

By: Hannah Lee Staff Reporter

@ Hannahblanklee (Instagram)

equels are primarily written and produced for two distinct reasons: to continue a storyline and/ or to make more money, the latter of which is more popular by far. However, people say that regardless of the money involved, sequels were never really meant to be made. Last minute decisions to produce a poor movie with a stellar cast end up in a crumpled ball and straight into the trash can for a reason, folks. What directors don’t quite realize is that no matter how glossy they make the movie look, no matter who they cast as recurring characters, there’s no guarantee that sequels are any good at all. Take Mulan II for example. Though everyone can agree that the first Mulan was spectacular (we were all singing “I’ll Make a Man Out of You” for months), the second movie was not quite as successful. One critic claimed, “It’s harmless, sure, but it’s also charmless.” I can’t help but agree. The first problem, as with many sequels, is switching up the cast.

Despite what Hollywood might think, it’s pretty noticeable when animated voices change. The music was also lazily written, an attempt at “cute and sweet” when it was really “sickening and worthless.” Another example of Hollywood cast mix-up is Grease II. On what planet did they think that a Grease without John Travolta is a Grease wellmade? They were terribly, terribly mistaken. Going into more recent movies, what about Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen or Pirates of the Carribean: On Stranger Tides? Remember those? Probably not, as they weren’t exactly memorable. Sequels are supposed to be the better part of any series ( think harder, better, faster, stronger), yet nearly every movie (and book) sequel ever made is overdone, cooked to a crisp and dumped with the trash, in horror movies especially. Villains are open to any cruel twists and suspenseful storylines, yet screenwriters often have trouble creating the same edge-of-the-seat deal that really captured viewers’ attentions in the first movie. Looking for comedy? Forget it. Continuity is a huge problem in movie production. All the funny one-liners and puns that made the first movie successful are simply re-

peated in a different arrangement in the second ( back to Pirates of the Carribean and The Hangover: Part II). Let’s move on to love triangles. First largely disputed in the Twilight series, love triangles have never been the epitome of a successful movie. There’s nothing exactly wrong with love triangles, but the way that they are portrayed in movies and books make me want to gag. They’re unrealistic, hypocritical, especially when the main character is supposed to be plain and with nothing special about them except for the fact that they are tragically depressed. Though widely popular, The Hunger Games, book and movie series, both fail to move past the inevitable love triangle. Don’t get me wrong, the first book is fantastic. It focuses on an Orwellian dystopian society, and the concept is amazing. However, the second as well as the third became insipid and tasteless. Peeta Mellark and Gale Hawthorne became meaningless faces who Katniss couldn’t choose between, and there was no clear-cut resolution to what happens to the Capitol after Katniss’ rebellion. Needless to say, directors and authors alike need to stay away from sequels before they make the next mistake.

Recording grilled sandwiches and hipster books By: Hannah Lee Staff Reporter

@ Hannahblanklee (Instagram)

Neon-electric lights luminesce with the words “T-Bones Records and Cafe.” From afar, I can only see faint yellow lights, but they cast a warm glow that provides a nice change to standing out in the cooler December air. As I make my way inside, I hear soft alternative music playing through fuzzy speakers. To my left, there are racks of records. To my right, there are several shelves of books, in no particular order, as well as the cafe. I choose to eat first, then

explore (as eating is a spectacular priority for me) and skim the menu. I ordered the Harry’s Triple Cheese which is basically like a fancy deluxe grilled cheese with bacon (because bacon) and after paying a reasonable price, I sat down near the window. A waitress arrived shortly, and the smell was intoxicating. The service was impeccable, and the waitress was sure to check that I was satisfied. And though I enjoyed the assistance, the food had truly caught my attention. With my mouth watering, I examined the masterpiece before me. Six inches of grilled hoagie with melting cheese dripping off the side in fat glops and bits of ba-

beat’s bits

con poking out of the sides. And the taste? Like no other. Juicy and savory with just enough of their popular Cajun Aioli sauce. After finishing off my sandwich, I checked out the books. Upon closer inspection, I realized that these books were not your everyday John Green. They were incredibly, magnificently hipster. They say to never judge a book by its cover, but by the minimal, modern covers to the colorful, vivid covers, I was hooked. They were also in no particular order, which would normally be a chaotic disarray, but in this case, it matched the “good vibes” feel that filled up the store. T-Bones had everything

By: TAYLOR PARSONS, Editor

from Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh to Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer, and they even had books that I’d never even heard of. It was a reader’s paradise. Lastly, I went to the record section. The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Coldplay they had a refined taste in music, as well as a variety (I spotted some Ed Sheeran in there). The atmosphere of the store and cafe is mellow: the perfect place to have a little downtime. T-Bones is good for not only relaxation, but it’s also the perfect place for a study date and a time out with friends. Sitting there on a usual Monday, I noticed the people around me were all unique in the way they sat, spoke, and shopped. Some were slouched over a thick textbook, poring over the same line they’d read one hundred times before. Others were taking prim bites out of the Signature Salad, humming along with the music. Even more were infusing the air with a high peal of laughter, banging the table with closed fists. The people (along with a Christmas tree placed on the stage where local bands usually play) added a warm, holiday cheer to what would normally be a silent, dim record store. Wedged right by a comic book store and right near the USM’s campus, TBones has the whole nine yards. I’d give this place a solid five-star rating any day.

ENTERTAINMENT

Remembering Paul Walker

Duggars are thankful

Actor Paul Walker died about a year ago in a fatal car accident. Most remember Walker for his role as Brian O’Connor in the Fast and the Furious movies, but his parents and family reflect on his life rather than his roles. Cody Walker, Paul Walker’s little brother, recently said that Paul loved to give back to charities as much, if not more, than he liked to act. His favorite charity Reach Out Worldwide has continued to thrive even after Paul’s death. Cody stated that the charity has impacted many lives since the passing of his older brother, and he wishes that Paul could be here to see the impact he made on Reach Out Worldwide.

After mourning the loss of a family member, Jill Duggar Dillard revealed to the world on Thanksgiving that she is pregnant with a baby boy. A week prior to Thanksgiving, Jill Duggar Dillard had to say goodbye to her husband’s cherished grandma Vergie. Although their Thanksgiving was more gloomy than most, the family still had much to be thankful for this season. Many fans of the show are happy to see the family still smiling through the tragedy and seeing the bright side of the situation.

My lack of both athletic ability and athletic interests are obvious parts of me for those who know me. However, no matter my lack of understanding for sports, I am always rooting for the Oak Grove Warriors and the Mississippi State Bulldogs. As a child, I remember my mom dressing me in my little maroon cheerleading outfit so I could go watch a football game that I didn’t understand and listen to my daddy bark at the television. Disclaimer: most fans don’t bark at the games. My dad just gets a little excited. Don’t judge. The two most important things for State fans to keep in mind are to root for the Dawgs and hate on the Ole Miss Rebels or Black Bears or Land Sharks or whatever they are. Ole Miss fans encourage the inverse. That’s just the way it works. These might as well be the rules and guidelines of being a citizen of Mississippi. With Mississippi State and Ole Miss both having such successful football seasons, many fans have rooted both teams on, combining “Hail State” and “Hotty Toddy” to create the hideous “Hail Toddy.” What people are failing to realize is that you simply cannot be a State fan and an Ole Miss fan. If for no other reason, you can’t because red and maroon clash, and that’s yucky. Let’s put it in high school terms. Rooting for Ole Miss and Mississippi State is like rooting for Oak Grove and Petal. Does anyone actually cheer on both the Panthers and the Warriors? No. People have to choose. Petal or Oak Grove. It is that simple. Rooting for two teams is completely acceptable if the teams are not rivals. Root for USM and State if you want. Root for USM and Ole Miss if you want. I mean, I guess you can root for Ole Miss and Mississippi State if you want, but I will not join you in hailing toddy. Hail Toddy is not a thing. It shouldn’t ever be a thing.

By: Emily Burnett | Staff Reporter | @emily_a_burnett

Lauren Conrad reunites with Laguna Beach Co-stars Ten years ago, Lauren Conrad and her Laguna Beach graduated from high school. After Laguna Beach, a few of the show’s stars including Conrad, were casted on the reality MTV show The Hills. It’s been years since the finale of Laguna Beach and The Hills, and ten years later, these stars met up again to form a reunion. Jen Bunney and her husband Taylor Dunphy showed up as well as Lo Bosworth, Conrad’s best friend from high school. However, neither the infamous Stephen Colletti nor Talan Torriero showed up for the Thanksgiving break reunion.

December 12, 2014

10 entertainment

May the reviews be ever in your favor

By: Lucy Pruitt Staff Reporter

@LucyLu_too

hile sitting in a theater among a sea of expectant, Peetaobsessed middle school girls, I found myself in quite the uncomfortable space. After hearing several lackluster reviews from friends a few days before, I was anticipating a slightly better movie in the trilogyturned-four-part-saga than the disappointing takes represented in the past two. One hundred twenty minutes later, a few Gale close ups, and too many Katniss

breakdowns later, I was pleasantly surprised to find that I felt moved by the The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1. By the end of the beginning of the penultimate and most political installment to the four part adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ best-selling dystopian trilogy, I was ready to become the face of my own rebellion. It’s no secret that in the first Hunger Games movie, the beloved Jennifer Lawrence, while advanced in the skill of having America fall in love with her, was subpar in her acting abilities. The second Catching Fire was proof that she was capable of a mostly

Disturbing for multiple reasons By: Abby Ngueyn Staff Reporter

@2BusyBeingAbby

American Horror Story, the wildly popular, obviously horrific, obviously American television show has enticed viewers from all around the world since the show’s debut in 2011.The show is shockingly created by the co-creators of Fox’s Glee. Anyone familiar with Glee can tell you that the show has a very unique way of communicating certain messages to its audiences. And while Glee and American Horror Story have almost nothing in common, all four seasons of the latter attempt to hit on certain problems prevalent in American society. The creators have openly revealed that the first season, Murder House, dissects infidelity; the second, Asylum, attacks the question of what it means to be truly sane;

the third, Coven, fuels discussion on oppression of the marginalized; and finally, the fourth, Freak Show, attempts to redefine what “freak” means to most Americans. And despite the controversy of the subject matter behind the television show, one thing is certain, after three successful seasons and one season currently airing, the masses have spoken: Americans love American Horror Story. However, I find something distinctly disturbing about the newest season of this acclaimed anthology outside of the torturing, murdering, and kidnapping that happens in nearly every episode. “Freak Show” is supposed to show audiences just how horrible it is to discriminate against and dehumanize people that are still actually people, but when the creators cloud up that message, “with at least one truly nightmarish vision per week,”

believable performance, but by the time Mockingjay, Part 1 rolled around it’s clear that Lawrence has honed her talents. Countless times in the movie, the PTSD-afflicted heroine Katniss Everdeen has mental or emotional breakdowns because of the neverending and exhausting tragedies that plague her life every day. Close followers and readers of the book may remember that although Katniss strings along the sweet and good-natured Peeta in the first half of The Hunger Games Trilogy, but with his being a captive in the Capitol there is no romance in Mockingjay, except for of course a kiss with Gale, mentions of a previous kiss, and a reunion kiss between Finnick and Annie. We can all agree that following all of those story lines so closely from the book was to please the young-adult-novel-reading middle schooler in all of us. Even more than the previous films, Mockingjay is full of compelling topics for conversationalists about media, war, socialism, tyranny, women’s roles, and the idea that people need a symbol to rally

around and have faith in during difficult times. A scene in a hospital filled with wounded revolutionaries overflows with pride, rebellion, and revolution. A climactic sequence of scenes in which the picture flits from a dangerous rescue mission to the filming of a propaganda video builds slow tension by comparing wartime tactics between all parties involved. These cuttings give the first chapter of Mockingjay an intense rhythm. My biggest problem with the Mockingjay’s filmography is the dizziness that shaking cameras caused while closely following actors that run through forests or into battle. This unnerving technique was constantly used in the first Hunger Games, leading critics to give low ratings because of

as New Yorker writer, Emma Nussbaum wrote, how is the message supposed to shine through? Quite frankly, it does not. Watching the show, I got a very different message, one that was actually the very opposite of what the creators tried to communicate. Throughout the series thus far, Gloria Mott, southern belle and mother of a deranged serial killer, has calmly decapacitated her house maid, who was killed by her son, and then proceeded to bury pieces of her maid as if they were tulip bulbs. Elsa, the freak show owner has strapped one of her freaks, Paul the Illustrated Seal Boy, to a rotating target. And all the while, this season has shown scenes that have either not happened yet, or won’t happen at all, where the ‘freaks’ are sold, killed, and preserved for a Museum of Morbid Curiosities. The episode cutely titled “Pink Cupcakes” vividly shows the slow and painful death of the freak show troupe’s main attraction, Siamese twins Bette and Dot. After Bette eats a seemingly innocuous pink cupcake from the man that is trying to harvest their body like animals. She later dies while still attached to her twin sister. The harrowing pain is evident in Dot’s face as she begs for her life, and the decomposition is clearly evident on her now dead sister. The real kicker within all of this truly disturbing story line though, is that all of these atrocities occur while fanciful music plays in the background. All of American Horror Story’s inhumane characters feel no remorse and end up paying no price for their truly horrific deeds. While reading reviews for Freak Show, I noticed a trend among the most faithful followers of Elsa’s circus troupe: the

most avid viewers of the show consistently rant about how amazing it is that something this horrifying can be this entertaining. Think about that for a bit. Being amused by watching people beg for their lives and then be murdered ruthlessly is not entertaining. It is very much torture. Finding something that is absolutely repulsive entertaining is what American Horror Story is teaching our generation to do. Viewers continue to tune in for new episodes because the series has taught Americans to crave unnec-

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the poor filmography. Many of the scenes in the Mockingjay, Part 1 also had some disturbing camera action. There’s nothing more frustrating than being forced to view too many close ups to the actors’ faces, unless that actor is Liam Hemsworth of course, when the purpose of the scene is to show you a new, obviously beautiful setting. The background is meant to be refreshing due to the majority of the movie being filmed in a dull, prison-like underground camp. Filled with the most inspirational, violent, and rebellious material of any Hunger Games trilogy adaptations yet, even without the kid-on-kid combat, Mockingjay, Part 1 was altogether intriguing beginning to the end, which after all is the whole point of separating the finale into two parts in this consumerdriven world we all revel in.

essary violence and depravity, and find it wholly entertaining. Being amused by watching people deemed “freakish” be mistreated and murdered does anything but show how dehumanization is wrong. While the creators had a valiant intention, they failed in a haze of gore. The season has not done anything to prevent discrimination, rather, it’s managed to teach Americans to seek and be delighted by cruelty, and that’s a true American horror story.

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