Thursday, January 29, 2015
Volume 99 Issue 32
www.studentprintz.com PAGE THREE
PAGE FOUR
NEWS
F E AT U R E
OPINION
SMAC to host annual concert featuring singer Kris Allen.
Vinyl makes a major comeback with younger generation.
Anderson’s adaptation a success on all fronts.
Eagle Jam
Music
PAGE SEVEN
PAGE SIX
‘Inherent Vice’
S P O RT S
Super Bowl XLIX
Writers evenly split over the big game’s outcome.
Ala., Miss. fight Campus organizations for right to marry to honor Black History Month
STATE
Lindsey Kelley Printz Reporter
Chris Lee
Printz Reporter Next week will mark the start of Black History Month and, thanks to The University of Southern Mississippi’s Office of Multicultural Programs and Services, Southern Miss students will have many opportunities to learn about African-American history and culture. The university will host and sponsor events throughout the month in honor of Black History Month. “It is important for students, all students, to learn about African-American history,” said Valencia Walls, coordinator of the Office of Multicultural programs. “We are very selective in the programs that we choose for the month. The events are created to be informative, enlightening and entertaining.” February’s events include an essay contest sponsored by Southern Miss’ chapter of the NAACP and an oratorical contest sponsored by the Xi Mu chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. The events will start Black History Month off with, “A Night at the Cotton Club,” Feb. 2 at 6 p.m. at Woods Theatre. Events will continue throughout the month concluding with a talk from Joseph Byrd of Xavier University titled, “Trials, Tribulations and How We Overcome Them” Feb. 25 at 7 p.m. in Owings-McQuagge Hall, Room 105. “I hope that through the programs, students will gain a greater respect and understanding of African-American history and
the responsibility that comes along with it,” Walls said. “There are also several programs that offer scholarship opportunities for USM students.” Much of Southern Miss’ student body and faculty have high expectations for next month’s events. “My hopes for this years Black History Month would be to
Illustration by Cody Bass
not only educate but to inspire the many students that attend The University of Southern Mississippi to make a difference,” said student Kendall Lancaster. Rebecca Tuuri, a USM professor of African-American history said, “I hope every member of the USM community will attend the events offered for Black History Month.”
“They will teach participants about not only the AfricanAmerican experience, but also American history more broadly,” she said. Here is a complete list of the month’s events: Feb. 2, 6 p.m. “A Night at the Cotton Club”-- The Woods Theatre Feb. 3, 5:30 p.m. “Come Hell or High Water: The Battle of Turkey Creek” Feb. 3, 5:30 p.m. Liberal Arts Building, room 108 (Gonzales Auditorium) Feb. 9, 7 p.m. “Knowing Your Worth: A response to the decline in African-American self respect”Union Hall of Honors Feb. 10, 11-1 p.m. “Student Soul Food Luncheon”- Fresh Food Company Feb. 10, 7 p.m. “The ArmstrongBranch Lecture Series” Bennett Auditorium Feb. 12, 6 p.m. “The LampkinHughes Oratorical Contest”- Trent Lott Center Feb. 19, noon “Aiming High: Strategies for Success in Graduate School” - TCC 218A/B Feb. 19, 6 p.m. “Mock Trial” TCC Ballroom II Feb. 23, 6 p.m. “The Eagle Awards”- Trent Lott Center 103 Feb. 24, noon. “250 Years: Black Poetry from Phillis Wheatley to the Poets of Southern Miss” RC’s Lounge (includes scholarship opportunities) Feb. 25, 7 p.m. “Trials, Tribulations and How We Overcome Them” Featuring Dr. Joseph K. Byrd of Xavier UniversityOwings-McQaugge Hall, room 105 The NAACP Essay Contest will be held throughout the month.
ON CAMPUS
UPD arrest 2 men for weapon possession
UPD arrested two people in connection with a call made by a concerned student to the police department Wednesday morning. The call regarded possible weapons presented on the Hattiesburg campus.
Campus police stopped a car fitting the description on campus and arrested two male suspects, according to a press release. The men were in possession of handguns and illegal narcotics. Charges are
pending against the individuals at this time. The press release reported both were arrested without incident, and no threats were made to anyone on the Southern Miss campus. UPD
has not released the names of the two suspects. UPD reminds everyone to contact them if you see something suspicious on campus. To report suspicious activity, call 601.266.4986.
In a groundbreaking ruling by a U.S. district judge, Alabama has become the 37th state to abolish the same-sex marriage ban. According to the site Freedom to Marry, on Jan. 23, U.S. District Court Judge Callie Granade ruled in favor of two Mobile women who had married in California, but wanted their marriage recognized in Alabama in order to adopt a child. Granade set a stay on the proceeding, set to expire Feb. 9. However, this is not Granade’s only pro-marriage ruling. On Jan. 27, she struck down the state’s ban in a second case involving an unmarried same-sex couple that wishes to marry in Alabama. Mississippi is no stranger to the freedom to marry struggle, with a recent U.S. District Court ruling on Nov. 24, 2014, that made denying the right to marry to same-sex couples was unconstitutional. That ruling was also issued with a stay and is being appealed by the state in the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. Many students believe that national acceptance of gay marriage is inevitable. A gay student at Southern Miss, who prefers to remain anonymous, said she thinks that one day it will not be an issue. “It’s going to happen eventually,” she said. “Mississippi may be the last state, but it will happen.” “I really don’t think that it’s going to happen in Mississippi for a while, purely because our state is so religiously based,” said Rebecca Guy, a senior theatre major. “The majority (of voters) is going to be against it.” Ann Marie Kinnell, a USM professor of sociology, agreed that the decision may take some time. “We’re talking about federal decisions, federal court cases for the four state area, including Mississippi,” she said. “Now that the Supreme Court has decided to pick it up, I don’t know. They held up Proposition 8 in California, but they didn’t hold up the Defense of Marriage Act.” “It’s coming down to a states’ rights issue,” she said. “The states have unalienable rights that can’t be violated. However, in 40 years we’re going to look back and see (how foolish) we were.” For more information on the states that allow gay marriage and the court proceedings, visit www. freedomtomarry.org.
INFORMATION
Page 2 | Thursday, January 29, 2015
MEET THE STAFF OF SPRING 2015
EDITORS & STAFF Kathryn Miller
Alan Rawls
Crystal Garner
Mary Sergeant
kathryn.miller@eagles.usm.edu
gregory.rawls@eagles.usm.edu
crystal.garner@eagles.usm.edu
mary.sergeant@eagles.usm.edu
Executive Editor
Joshua Campbell Sports Editor
joshua.campbell@eagles.usm.edu
Yolanda Cruz Copy Editor
yolanda.cruz@eagles.usm.edu
Managing Editor
Multimedia Editor
Parker Brewer
Cody Bass
parker.brewer@eagles.usm.edu
cody.bass@eagles.usm.edu
Design Editor
Social Media Editor
Julie Gore
Hayley Howard
Nikki Smith
hayley.howard@eagles.usm.edu
ashly.smith@eagles.usm.edu
Web Editor
Susan Broadbridge Kara Davidson
Graphic Designer
Graphic Designer
Chuck Cook
Katherine Frye
chuck.cook@usm.edu
katherine.frye@eagles.usm.edu
Lesley Sanders-Wood Advertising e-mail Advertising Manager printzad@usm.edu
Printz Adviser
Ad Designer
julia.gore@eagles.usm.edu
News Editor
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Assistant Photo Editor
susan.braodbridge@eagles.usm.edu kara.davidson@eagles.usm.edu
lesley.sanders@usm.edu
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Judicial Board parking tip: “Students can appeal a ticket or citation that they feel they should not have received. They must file for a hearing within five calendar days of receiving the citation online at the Department of Parking Management (www.usm.edu/ parking). Hearings are held once a week for students, and they have a choice to be present or not.”
Dirty Birds •
On Thursday, Jan. 22, auto burglary was reported on Fraternity Drive at 12:08 p.m. The case remains open.
•
On Thursday, Jan. 22, auto burglary was reported on Pine Haven Circle near the nursing student dorm at 4:02 p.m. The case remains open.
Source: www.alberichcrosswords.com
ACROSS 1 Out of bed, exhausted but cheerful (6) 5 Revolting Bolshevik not very matey (8) 9 TV type hosts retro party with leader of opposition often accompanied by whole kit (8) 10 Odious creature catches returning condition that stinks – what a pity! (3,3) 11 Fly with indecent courage? (10) 12 No more deliveries (4) 13 Parasites mysteriously seen on bartender’s head? (8) 16 Monk emerges from salmon pink cast of backbone (6) 17 Meets sweetheart returning to high regard (6) 19 Nobody eats half of tasty morsel at midday (8) 21 Note to self: send back royal honour (4) 22 Research centre left a bighead with highfalutin language (10) 25 Contemptible fellow in waistcoat (6) 26 Leading light left in a line without hesitation (8) 27 Like sex used to be, in a manner of speaking (2,2,4) 28 Carelessly, constantly tactless, rearranged hosiery (6)
DOWN 2 Political leader and peer produce modicum of wisdom (5) 3 Conjure up naked gardener hugging hollow oak (5) 4 Quiff cultivator finds debt reminders tiresome (7) 5 Swim round about and use lungs (7) 6 Retail operations not in rented premises (7) 7 Gloomy scientist recast emoticons (9) 8 Seeker of fast buck, eh? And histrionic removal man? (9) 14 Is marriage of Susan and Leslie overbearing without kids? (9) 15 Cranial depression? I beat it, by all accounts (3,6) 18 Mix bits of melon and blancmange (7) 19 They may be discerned dimly at night, hopelessly unable, on mindaltering substance (7) 20 Eight awful moaners (7) 23 Type of music emanating from duet on a love seat (5) 24 Queen going up batsman’s passage broadcast again (5)
Editorial Policy
The views represented in The Student Printz’s columns and editorials do not necessarily represent those of the faculty, staff, or administration of The University of Southern Mississippi. We welcome letters to the editor representing similar and contrasting opinions. To be eligible for publication, all submissions must include name, class distinction, major, phone number, and email address. Submissions should be emailed to printzeditors@gmail.com by 5 p.m. Friday. Please limit them to 500 words or less. The Student Printz reserves the right to refuse publication or edit any material on the basis of clarity, space, or journalistic ethics.
•
On Thursday, Jan. 22, auto burglary was reported on Pine Haven Circle near Scholarship Hall at 4:46 p.m. The case remains open.
•
On Saturday, Jan. 24, a fire was reported at the Alpha Delta Pi house at 10:41 a.m. The case remains open.
Opinions Expressed in The Student Printz are those of the writer and not necessarily those of The Student Printz, its publication manager, USM, the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning or the USM Board of Student Publications.
NEWS
Thursday, January 29, 2015 | Page 3
ON CAMPUS
Athletics department to present study findings Colin Cameron Printz Reporter
There will be a public Reed Green Coliseum Study Information Session Thursday, Jan. 29 at 5 p.m. in the Trent Lott Center. University of Southern Mississippi Director of Athletics Bill McGillis and the Southern Miss Athletics will reveal the study results from sports architecture company, Populous, regarding the potential renovation of Reed Green Coliseum. McGillis said the meeting will explore all of the possibilities in transforming Reed Green Coliseum that were revealed in the study and key questions about the project will be answered. “The Populous study is essentially now complete, and we’d like to share the results of the study with you and others in the community,” McGillis said. For more information, call 601.266.5017.
Jessica King/Printz
Director of Athletics Bill McGillis and Southern Miss Athletics will host a public information session on the results of a study of a potential renovation and transformation of Reed Green Coliseum Thursday at 5 p.m. in the Trent Lott Center.
ON CAMPUS
ON CAMPUS
Eagle Jam brings new talent
Nan Buti
Karyn Lewis
Printz Reporter
Printz Reporter
The third annual spring concert, Eagle Jam, will take place Jan. 31 at 2 p.m. on Pride Field. This event attracts thousands of members of the Hattiesburg and Southern Miss communities for an afternoon of music, food and fun. The Southern Miss men’s basketball game will follow the event at 5 pm. The Southern Miss Activities Council (SMAC) collaborated with the Southern Miss Student Eagle Club and Southern Miss Athletics to feature singersongwriter and 2009 American Idol winner, Kris Allen. “I am very excited to have Kris Allen,” said SMAC adviser William Takewell. “He is more of a diverse artist that we have been able to bring in recent years. For past years it has been heavily country influenced, so Kris has a wider array of music than the past years, which I’m very excited about because it’s more pop. There will also be some R&B and blues, so we’re very excited.” Eagle Jam began as a way to celebrate USM’s basketball players. “Eagle Jam is a concert that Southern Miss Activities Council started three
Veterans Center to host open house Friday
years ago,” said Gavin Snyder, a senior communications major and SMAC president. “It’s formally known as Spring Concert. When we founded this concert, we decided that since there’s no major USM concert in the spring (and) of course SGA has Eaglepalooza in the fall for the football team, (so) what if we could have that same concept as Eaglepalooza before a football game. (It) kind of (gets) everyone pumped for the basketball game.” Eagle Jam will also consist of a concert featuring DJ Alicia
Courtesy Photo
Knox, local singer and USM student Gary Stanton and Taste of ‘Burg, which will include food from Buffalo Wild Wings, Georgia Blue and The Fresh Food Company. There will be inflatables for students and community members. “I love helping with events on campus, and the spring concert is my favorite event,” said Natacha Rivera, a senior communications major and social event director of SMAC. “Kris Allen is an amazing performer and I am excited to have him perform for the Southern Miss community.”
The Center for Military Veterans, Service Members and Families at The University of Southern Mississippi will host its open house at its new location Jan. 30 from 10 a.m. 2 p.m. on Hattiesburg’s campus at 3503 Morningside Drive. The open house’s purpose serves to reveal the center and offer information about the support program for veterans, active service members, families and survivors. The program gives them opportunities to attain a degree at USM. The open house will feature tours as well as refreshments, allowing for an inviting atmosphere. “By having the open house, we will increase the exposure of the center since we’re not in the middle of campus,” said Sr. VA Certifying Official at the Center for Military Veterans Michael McGee. “We will also show students and others the impact that the center has on the university.” The Center for Military Veterans, Service Members and Families has allowed USM to be named a 2015 Top University by
Military Advanced Education and has also been awarded by Victory Media as a 2015 Military Friendly School. The university has reached certain guidelines needed to attain the “military friendly” status. The center is set to host various events such as the April spring fling and gives student veterans scholarship opportunities. The open house’s primary role will serve to educate community members involved with the military as well as student veterans. “Our location is off the path and we want all student veterans to know where we are and to know the additional services we provide other than certification,” McGee said. McGee expects at least a tenth of the 1,023 veterans at USM to attend the open house and said even if a person is not a student veteran, which is the program’s primary focus, anyone is welcome to attend, including faculty and staff at USM without having to meet any criteria. “No one will say ‘no’ because our university is military friendly not only for the military, but for everybody in general,” McGee said.
Page 4 | Thursday, January 29, 2015
FEATURE
ON CAMPUS
British Studies marks 40th year Emma Reeves Printz Reporter
The British Studies Program celebrates its 40th year at The University of Southern Mississippi. This study abroad program takes students both from Southern Miss and partnering universities on a four-week, hands-on learning experience to the United Kingdom. According to David Davies, the current director of BSP and a professor of journalism, said the program began in 1976 with USM leading several other universities in a collaboration that sent both students and professors from all over the United States to King’s College in London. Davies said the program was dedicated to experiential learning and expert British lecturers, and because of that commitment, the program grew quite large from the very beginning. In some years it has been the largest summer program for Americans in London. Erin Blackledge, a sophomore political science major who
attended BSP in summer 2014 said this alone was good for the university because it is a huge draw to Southern Miss. “British Studies is good for the university because it’s very, very good for our students,” Davies said. According to a recent press release, USM has sent over 9,000 students to London over 40 years, a number that Davies believes was made possible in part by student testimony. Blackledge, who is also an International Programs peer advisor, uses her position talk about her experience with BSP to motivate other students to attend the program. “I loved touching the history and being in the place where it happened,” Blackledge said. “I think it benefited me as a person. I feel like I can do almost anything now.” As Davies points out, students like Blackledge who share their stories, which relay both a love for the program and the personal benefits of it, are a
major reason the program has lasted these four decades. “Southern Miss has a deep commitment to international education, and so the university and colleagues all across campus have worked very hard to keep interest in the program high,” he said. Both Davies and Blackledge said there is already a big push to inform and excite students about the upcoming summer 2015 session of BSP. BSP alumni are encouraged to share their stories on the BSP Facebook page, and Davies said there is the possibility of an alumni reunion later in the spring. This year will also see the addition of a new class to the program, the History of Food. For students interested, there will be an informational meeting in Union Room B on Thursday at 3:45 p.m., and all applications are due Feb. 27. More information about the program and how to apply can be found at http://www.usm.edu/britishstudies or by calling International Programs at 601.266.4344.
Michael Kavitz/Printz
Jessica Thompson and Hannah Jones hand out study-abroad fliers in the Thad Cochran Center. USM British Studies Program will have a campus-wide recruitment at 3:45 p.m. Thursday in Union Room B, where more information regarding the program will be available.
MUSIC
Vinyl sales soar in retro rage Jesse Hammett Printz Reporter
Mention the word “vinyl” to anyone and he or she might reflect on dad’s dust-coated collection of Beatles albums from the days before color was invented. Or, if they are among the ever-growing crowd of wheelers and dealers who fuel the latest musical fascination, they will grow ecstatic and drag you to the closest rack of long play records. In an era that finds new fascination with old novelties, vinyl is hardly a matter of archaeology anymore. Vinyl records have exploded back into public appeal with no sign of slowing down. In 2014 over 4 million units were sold, a staggering 40 percent increase from 2013, according to Nielson SoundScan. But it is not reminiscent Baby Boomers who are hiking up the demand. John Watkins, a former liberal arts major, said it is the current generation of college students and teenagers building its LP collection. “I think younger people are growing to appreciate tangible items rather than everything being on a file or disc. You just get more satisfaction out of it, I guess,” Watkins said. Even though CD and MP3 sales still govern the market by a vast margin, vinyl has been rapidly climbing to cult status among college-age people, a phenomenon to which no definite explanation has been given. Mik Davis, the record store manager at T-Bone’s Records and Café, has his own thoughts on what attributed to the formation of this new demographic.
“It all began with Guitar Hero. Thankfully, Guitar Hero solidified the classics of rock in a whole new generation,” Davis said. “So, (kids) dug up Mom and Dad’s turntable and maybe even found their stash. Once the needle dropped on the record— it was only natural to want more.” Davis also accredits vinyl’s sound quality with being a factor in the recent craze, saying that long play records produce the sound quality closest to that of the moment the album was recorded. “CDs and MP3s are great for convenience and ease, but there is a tradeoff—a loss in quality,” he said. “While you may hear small amounts of surface noise upon dropping the needle, the highs are crisper and the lows can be felt rather than heard as a dull boom.” Additionally, vinyl records seem to have more appeal than just their characteristic high-grade sound, according to Davis. Records are collectible and displayable, sure to add a touch of personality to any home. Even major labels have noticed the flash and novelty of these highly sought throwbacks. Taylor Swift, Meghan Trainor and Ed Sheeran, among others, have successfully released LP editions of their most recent albums. With high-profile artists bringing further attention to vinyl, there is no doubt that sales will continue to soar. Independent musicians have had their fingers in the LP market for years, however, with bands like Neutral Milk Hotel and The Mountain Goats finding their niche among many vinyl consumers since before the recent boom.
For more than a decade, vinyl sales never reached 2 million units a year, consistently hovering around the 1 million mark. To the delight of record pressing plants, many of which were shut down
in the dismal state of the market, sales finally broke 2 million in 2009, a full 33 percent climb from 2008. Fortunately for those who are fashionably late to the retro rage, vinyl albums can be acquired
T-Bones Records offers a wide selection of vinyl ranging from classics to newly released.
easily, often purchasable for under $20 on Amazon or in a local record store. If the parents threw out their record player years ago, new inexpensive models typically start at around $50 online.
Abby Smith/Printz
FEATURE
Thursday, January 29, 2015 | Page 5
POLITICS
Obamacare slashes student workers’ hours, pay J.D. Rimann Printz Reporter
In 2013, amid the debate about the already passed Affordable Care Act, an influential MIT economist Jonathon Gruber, one of its primary designers, was asked at a conference about the process of passing the bill. His response was that “lack of transparency (was) a huge political advantage. And basically, call it the stupidity of the American voter or whatever,
All this to say that when the Affordable Care Act (ACA) passed, a large amount of its contents had gone unexamined by the media, Washington or most average Americans. This was, as Gruber admitted, by design. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Pelosi both moved to silence Republicans in Congress who suggested that the entire bill be read on the floor or that more time be taken to review it. The bill clocks in at over 1,000 pages.
Obamacare will slash the equivalent of 2 million full-time jobs by 2017, while simultaneously increasing the national debt by $1.4 trillion.
-non-partisan Congressional Budget Office
but basically that was really, really critical to get the thing to pass.” This quote – which ignited a firestorm of controversy on both sides of the aisle – was reminiscent of another quote said before the passage of the bill by Nancy Pelosi, currently the minority leader within the U.S. House of Representatives. She addressed a group of local officials and told them that, “We have to pass (the Affordable Care Act) so that you can find out what’s in it!”
Because of this intentional opaqueness and the political maneuvering that aimed to pass the bill with as little public debate as possible, it should be no surprise that Obamacare had some negative surprises and unintended side effects for many Americans – in particular for many college students who work on campus – consequences that were not discussed on the floor of Congress or mentioned in press releases from the White House. The ACA requires that any
MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, FRIDAY & SATURDAY 8:30AM-4:00PM TUESDAY & THURDAY 8:30AM-6:00PM
employee of a university who works over 30 hours a week be provided full-coverage health insurance by that university. This also applies to employees of most large corporations. This includes student workers, who formerly would not have been required to have health insurance no matter how many hours they worked each week. In an ideal world, universities and other corporations would be able to do this with no issues. In the real world, however, this legislation came in the form of a federal mandate, which meant that while the government tells universities to provide this insurance, they provide no funding or support for it. Effectively, the mandated insurance functions as an additional tax on universities and other employers. The immediate consequence of this legislation for student workers across the nation was not that they received government-mandated insurance, but instead that they saw their hours cut, in some cases quite dramatically, so they would not exceed the 30-hour limit. Investors Daily reported that over 100 schools cut hours for student workers following the implementation of this law due to its low ceiling for “full-time” employment. Southern Miss was no exception. According to Marquise Cunningham, a former student who graduated last fall with a major in computer science, student workers were told they could not work more than 20 hours a week. After Obamacare was passed, the university changed its studentemployment policy to limit workers’ hours to 20 per week. Chamara Moore, a senior English major who currently works as a resident assistant, said the law had an impact on student workers at
Southern Miss. “The maximum you can work on campus is 20 hours a week,” Moore confirmed. She said while it has not impacted her personally, it has been an issue for others who are working multiple jobs while trying to finance their education. This 30-hour provision does not only affect undergraduate student workers. Graduate students, from teaching assistants to physical trainers, cannot work more than 30 hours a week either, and have subsequently had their hours cut. Even adjunct professors have been scaled back as schools try and avoid the consequences of having too many “full-time” employees. The negative consequences of this bill for college students will not end after graduation either. According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, Obamacare will slash the
equivalent of 2 million full-time jobs by 2017, while simultaneously increasing the national debt by $1.4 trillion. This is enough money to buy every product and service in Sierra Leone, Scotland, Ireland, Cuba and Switzerland combined. The true beneficiary of all of this might be the big insurance companies. The law allows students to remain on their parent’s insurance plan until they turn 26, which is beneficial for students, but even more beneficial for big insurance companies. The lasting legacy of the ACA, according to Eric Dent, a business professor from North Carolina, may be that it is “possibly the largest transfer of wealth from government (i.e. taxpayer money) to corporations ever.” That is a legacy that students at Southern Miss, and across the nation, will be dealing with for a long time.
OPINION
Page 6 | Thursday, January 29, 2015
MOVIES
Film examines idea of change Bradley Presson Printz Reporter
How do you describe the end of an era? While people like to believe that life is shaped by isolated events that encapsulate monumental change, often the end of an era is a gradual shift from one phase of life to the next. This idea of change, particularly the end of the hippie era, is what is examined in Paul Thomas Anderson’s film adaptation of the Thomas Pynchon novel “Inherent Vice.” While I could try to condense the complex plot into haphazard, surface-level summary, honestly the plot is not what drives “Inherent Vice.” Though the multifaceted tale of a kidnapped real estate kingpin by a mysterious organization seen through the eyes of a paranoid and potentially hallucinating hippie private investigator is grossly interesting, the main plot of the film is never truly resolved, and the film is better for it. Instead, the lack of concrete answers forces the viewer to focus more on the characters and the setting, which serve as far better conduits for the
MUSIC
change the film presents. By this point, you might be asking yourself, “what is all this supposed change that I’m supposed to care about?” The change is several things. It’s the characters’ relationships, the politics of the era, the physical landscapes and the dreams of the characters. Throughout the film, the viewer observes the shifting political landscape of Los Angeles at the end of the 1960s counterculture movement through the drugaddled vision of the protagonist, private investigator Larry “Doc” Sportello. Through Doc’s eyes, the viewer watches as capitalism destroys the hippie dream. One of the most powerful aspects of the film is the magnificent acting and the relationships that the characters have. Despite a lack of insight into the history that the characters share, Anderson and his fantastic cast are able to give their relationships an incredible amount of depth without making the characters seem unbelievable or unrelatable. Every actor delivers great work, particularly Joaquin Phoenix and Josh Brolin, whose chemistry is one of the brightest moments of the film.
This is particularly exemplified in Sportello’s complicated relationship with his ex-lover Shasta Fay Hepworth. She is the one that sets the events of the film into motion, and from the very beginning, it is obvious that their relationship is a potent blend of love, nostalgia and distrust. Another strength of the film is the beautiful cinematography and set dressing, which wonderfully capture both the brightness of the Californian setting and also the dark and seedy aspects of the world being investigated. Though I have mostly focused on the “big ideas” of the film, do not let that overwhelm you or deter you from seeing this film. Yes, the film is set on a large scale and it does focus on the darker aspects of life and the inevitability of change, but it also manages to take those heavy themes and approach them with a ridiculous amount of humor and lightheartedness. “Inherent Vice” is an encapsulating experience. From the onset of the film the viewer is engulfed in the decaying dream of ‘60s counterculture, and, just like Sportello, as the journey winds to a close, you leave a different person.
Courtesy Photo
Manson suprises in new album release Brandon Allen Printz Reporter
Marilyn Manson has long been a rather controversial figure within the rock music world, but in the past decade-and-a-half or so, his popularity has waned to the point where many might describe him as a rather washed-up relic of the generation of teenagers that grew up in the mid and late 1990s. Much like Ozzy Osbourne, a large part of his act was simply terrifying the heck out of parents in their respective generations. Like Ozzy, he succeeded for a number of years before he fell by the wayside. While it could be said that albums like “Antichrist Superstar”
and “Mechanical Animals” were representative of a Manson in his prime both musically and in attitude, much of his more recent material has become rather ineffective in leaving any sort of greater mark upon the new generations of youthful listeners today. Given this unfortunate development in relation to Manson’s career, one might not really expect much of an impactful musical statement in 2015, almost 20 years after his most remembered musical offerings. However, Manson has shown he’s still at least somewhat kicking in his new album, “The Pale Emperor.” It works surprisingly well as a revitalization of his act,
Courtesy Photo
an acceptance of his age and an affirmation that he can still make pretty awesome music. “The Pale Emperor” likely owes at least some of its listenability to the production and composition talents of Tyler Bates, which might not be a well-known name among most casual listeners of the album. However, Bates’ repertoire includes many popular film soundtracks, the most recent examples being “Guardians of the Galaxy” and “John Wick.” Bates’ contributions to the album as both its producer and Manson’s electric and bass guitar player lend what Manson himself calls a “very cinematic” quality to the album. For all intents and purposes, his contributions are extremely welcome to an aging Manson recently struggling to make any more lasting or profound musical impact. With that said, it would probably be prudent to actually discuss the musical aspect of “The Pale Emperor.” From the beginning of the album, the track “Killing Strangers” presents a steadily thumping bass groove accompanied by a simplistic but plodding drum beat, until Manson’s voice enters with a rather revitalized vocal performance. It isn’t exactly a home run right off the bat, given the lyrical themes that seem just a bit too hammy: lines like “We’re killing strangers so we don’t kill the ones we love” give off rather obvious allusions to themes of war and in recent historical context, American military efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. However, from the second track “Deep Six” on, “The Pale Emperor”
starts to more consistently fire on all cylinders, demonstrating a truly revived act from Manson and his entourage. “Deep Six” itself showcases a firey and defiant energy from both the band and Manson himself, who varies his vocal performance through screams, screeches and blues-y crooning. It’s the first song to leave a greater impression on the unsuspecting listener’s ears, but it certainly isn’t the last. Much of the album following these two tracks does follow a certain blend of blues-y guitar riffs and vocal tendencies with the previously traditional Manson formula that established and maintained the extreme popularity of his 1990s albums. Because of this, many of the songs are at least effective in some capacity, though some excessive repetitiveness is apparent in tracks such as “Third Day of a Seven Day Binge.” That said, there are no absolute stinkers on the tracklist; regardless, some are clearly the leaders of the pack in this collection of compositions. One track which does succeed above many of the others is the perfectly dark and brooding “Slave Only Dreams to Be King,” which showcases a glimpse of Manson returning to his prime and his band following suit with a deliciously agonizing performance. Beginning with a sampled voice similar to that of a Southern preacher, the song gives way to discordant and smashing guitars aided by pounding drums. Manson’s own performance on the song alternates between a scratchy scream and
a more smooth and blues-y voice consistent with other parts of the album. Really, it seems like the ideal Manson and Bates were going for with “The Pale Emperor.” And it certainly doesn’t disappoint. Other highlights include “The Mephistopheles of Los Angeles,” in which Manson yells “Lazarus has got no dirt on me.” The track is one of the less heavy offerings on the album, with guitar riffs fairly consistent with a hard rock vibe, but doesn’t exactly lose any impact thanks to Manson’s own performance. “Odds of Even,” the album’s closing track, showcases a more subdued Manson and lighter sound by his band which effectively communicates a rather mopey tone evocative of the larger parts of the blues sound present on “The Pale Emperor.” “This is the house of death/Where even angels die in arms of demons” is a lyric from the track which seems itself to blend the blues and Manson’s typical shocking tendencies. To be frank, “The Pale Emperor” may not be the absolute magnum opus or return to form for Marilyn Manson, but it is definitely at least worthy of a shot by any listener still interested in Manson’s particular style of industrial metal and shock rock. In fact, it’s probably worthy of a listen by just about any person vaguely interested in rock. To that end, it’s certainly a victory for Manson in relation to the last 15 years. Perhaps he’ll return with a new album in a few years with a more refined version of the sound presented here. It definitely wouldn’t be a bad thing.
SPORTS
Thursday, January 29, 2015 | Page 7
OPINION
Super Bowl XLIX: sports writers’ gut feelings In just three days, another NFL Super Bowl champion will be crowned. Seattle enters the game after defeating Green Bay in the NFC Championship game in dramatic fashion while New England crushed the Indianapolis Colts to secure its spot in the Super Bowl. However, only one team will walk away with the Vince Lombardi trophy.
Jacob Kemp
Most assume Bill Belichick is an offensive minded
Ashley Hickman
Defense will be the key factor in who wins this Super
Wilton Jackson
Look for the Patriots’ defense to be prepared for the
coach because of Tom Brady, but he started as a
Bowl. Seattle’s defense could be just what will slow
Seahawks’ superior rushing attack anchored by quarterback
York Giants in the ‘80s. His defensive unit ranked in
The Patriots have scored at least 30 points in 42
If they can force Wilson into staying in the pocket to make
defensive coordinator for Bill Parcells and the New
down New England’s stellar passing game.
Russell Wilson and running back Marshawn Lynch.
nearly every statistical category while there, and he has
of their 73 since 2011, including postseason play,
big plays with his arm, the Patriots increase their chances
As for Pete Carroll, he was the defensive coordinator
diminishes New England’s in comparison. Seattle’s
many clutch plays in third and fourth down situations with
carried over that success to the Patriots.
for the Jets and 49ers in the ‘90s before heading to USC
and then the Seahawks, where he has taken over the NFL with the Legion of Boom.
Both coaches are master strategists and game
planners on the defensive side of the ball. Expect one of the lowest scoring games in Super Bowl history. Patriots 14, Seahawks 13
James Johnson
This year’s Super Bowl is another matchup of a great defense against a great offense. We all know about the Seahawks’ top-ranked defense and any offense led by future Hall of Famer Tom Brady is going to be high powered. But defense wins championships as Seattle proved last year, making Peyton Manning look mortal. This year, it’s Bill Belichick and Tom Brady. If the Patriots can generate a run game then they have a chance of winning. The Seahawks were the number-three ranked defense against the run and first in scoring, giving up 81.5 YPG and 15.9 PPG. The Legion of Boom will make big plays that lead the Seahawks to back-to-back championships. Seahawks 24, Patriots 17
but Seattle also has a streak of their own that almost defense has not allowed more than 30 points in all 71 games since 2011.
of winning the Super Bowl. On many occasions, Wilson has his legs rather than his arm.
Marshawn Lynch has the ability to break tackles easily
Brady will have his hands full attempting to pick apart
against opposing defenders and breaks some true ‘Beast
and Richard Sherman. Look for the Seattle defense to
blocks and tackle well to contain the duo. It will be close, but
Seattle’s defense led by Kam Chancellor, Earl Thomas make the difference.
Seahawks 24, Patriots 17
Julius Kizzee
The psychological warfare between the Legion of
Mode’ runs. New England must get good leverage off of the Seattle defense will answer the bell. Seahawks 27, Patriots 24
Joshua Campbell sports editor
In the four games Seattle lost this year, they gave up Boom and Tom Brady is the key in this game. Will the an average of 138.8 YPG on the ground compared to Patriots quarterback be able to attack the defense in just 62.4 YPG in their 12 wins. Also in those four losses, they did not intercept a single pass; whereas, they the middle of the field and on long down-and-distances? recorded 13 interceptions in their 12 wins. Or will the Legion of Boom scare the Patriots’ receivers That will be the determining factor in the Super Bowl. Can the Patriots establish a running game that keeps from coming down the middle? them from being overly aggressive against the pass? Gronkowski is my X-Factor because of the The Patriots’ offense has soared since running back Seahawks’ track record of limiting tight ends like Greg LeGarrette Blount rejoined the squad and it has made Olsen and Vernon Davis. Can the best tight end in opposing defenses think twice about selling out to stop Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski. The Patriots will strike the league and the Patriots’ receiving corps equalize that balance and Brady and Belichick will win their the Seattle secondary? fourth Super Bowl together. Patriots 17, Seahawks 14 Patriots 29, Seahawks 22
SPORTS
Page 8 | Thursday, January 29, 2015
BASKETBALL
Lady Eagles face tough road matchup against Marshall Wilton Jackson Sports Reporter
Riding a two-game winning streak, the Southern Miss women’s basketball team will go on the road Thursday to face Marshall in what should be an evenly matched contest. In the last matchup between the two, Southern Miss defeated Marshall 80-73 at home. With recent back-to-back wins, the Lady Eagles (12-6, 5-2) rank third in the Conference USA standings and have an opportunity to move up if they can score efficiently, play solid defense and win the battle on the boards. Marshall (12-6, 4-3) will be a true test for the Lady Eagles unlike their last two opponents in Rice and North Texas, who sit at 12th and 13th in the conference, respectively. Marshall enters the game coming off a solid victory against UTEP, 76-71. Currently, the Thundering Herd rank sixth in the conference and second year head coach Matt Daniel will look to earn a solid victory at home. Offensively, Marshall distributes the ball around the floor with four players averaging double figures in points this season. Any of the four can make big plays at any
point in time during the game. Marshall guard and forward Leah Scott averages 14 points per game and nearly seven rebounds per game as the leading scorer on the team. Scott also leads the team in field goal attempts, field goals made, three-point field goal percentage, free throw attempts and free throws made. However, Marshall also features a 6-feet, 3-inch center in Chukwuka Ezcigbo, who averages 10 points per game and serves as the driving force as to why Thundering Herd rank first in defensive rebounding. Individually, Ezcigbo ranks second in the conference in offensive rebounding and fifth in defensive rebounding. Guards AJ Johnson and Norrisha Victrum lead the front court for Marshall, recording a combined average of nearly 26 points per game. The Lady Eagles will have their hands full in terms of slowing down the offensive production from the Marshall guards and limiting the defensive boards. Southern Miss has all necessary weapons on offense and defense to win the game. Senior forward Tamara Jones leads the team in scoring with 16 points per game. While much of the offensive production falls on the play of
Tamara Jones goes for the basket as the Lady Eagles beat Rice last week in Reed Green Coliseum.
Jones, it will be important for guards Jerontay Clemons and Brooke Rhodes to have solid performances in the game. They must be able to score, make smart decisions and make big plays when needed. Rebounds, second chance points and turnovers will be crucial factors in determining the outcome of the game. Marshall ranks first in defensive rebounding but 13th in offensive rebounding, while Southern Miss ranks seventh in
defensive rebounding and 10th in offensive rebounding. The Lady Eagles should have a good opportunity to score after their first attempt in any possession due to Marshall’s inability to crash the boards on offense. Sophomore forward Kierra Jordan, senior forward Voche` Martin along with other Lady Eagle players must contribute in snagging all loose balls on the floor and off the rim. Defensively, Marshall ranks second in scoring defense while Southern Miss ranks fifth. The
Photo courtesy of Joe Harper
Lady Eagles must limit Marshall from going on huge offensive runs, leading within the last five minutes of the game, scoring 61 or more points and shooting 40 percent or better from the floor. In each of those categories, the Thundering Herd are undefeated. If the Lady Eagles can get the road victory, it will be good for the them moving forward down the stretch of the season that will feature other conference road tests. Tipoff is set for 5 p.m.
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