The Print Edition

BY ALIE DALEE

Contributing Writer

One month into the new school year, Student Association Vice President Park Wynn said he is making progress on his platform issues since taking office last spring.

In April, The Reflector reported Wynn and former SA Vice President, Halston Hales, were working to improve the election process.

Wynn said he and Hales were able to work this summer on revamping the election process.

“This summer we worked a lot on reviewing the election code,” he said. “We did that with the dean of students office, with Tabor Mullen, assistant dean of students. Any changes that come through the elections code have to be passed by the senate.”

Wynn also said they plan on pre-senting the proposed election code packet during the first senate meet-ing Sept. 18, with hopes of passing

legislation to enable big changes in early October.

He said he hopes to take some of the negative student feedback surrounding previous elections to improve this year’s.

“Specifically, those changes are making campaigning a much more laid back process, we don’t want it to be as ‘in your face’ as it has been in the past,” he said. “We’ve had a lot of complaints about that.”

Along with changes to the elec-tion code, Wynn has been working on increasing productivity amongst the SA senate.

Currently, senate meetings alter-nate between legislation sessions and committee meetings, which Wynn said he hopes will increase produc-tivity.

“I really do think productivity will go up, it’s a smaller senate, it’s just out of colleges now,” he said. “We’re really looking to involve more of the college atmosphere.”

Wynn said SA has plans to incor-porate each specific academic college

in order to better meet their needs. “If there are any specific orga-

nizations, like I know engineering has a lot of organizations in their college, we’d like to see the represen-tatives talking to them and asking questions to them at their meetings about what could be beneficial to them at the senate, talk to adminis-trators on campus or pass legislation over it,” he said.

In addition to working with SA senate, Wynn has been working with the faculty senate to increase com-munication between the two senate bodies.

“The thought was that whenever we choose our committee chairman for student senate, that the five committee chairmen of the faculty senate and Dr. Meghan Millea, fac-ulty senate president, would be able to meet up about once a month,” he said.

Wynn said he believes the faculty senate has a different perspective than the student senate and more knowledge concerning academic

issues at the university. “We are hoping that by the five of

them meeting up once a month, they could give us some of those ideas,”

he said. “We’ll be able to take those back to the senate and we’re really looking forward to that.”

Parking has been an issue among MSU students this semester and Wynn has not let this problem go unnoticed.

He was able to share some of the plans SA has in the works for the future of parking that will stem from increased funds the university recently gained.

“As I said during cam-paigning last February, this sum-mer we applied for a grant from the state of Mississippi, from the Department of Transportation to gain more money for our shuttles and we actually got that grant, the university did,” he said.

BY JAMES TOBERMANN

Staff Writer

Mississippi State is currently home to students from around the country, but also many students from across the globe, including 23 students participating in university exchange programs.

Daniel Habarurema, an accounting major from Canada, said although he has been at MSU for just a few weeks, he already feels comfortable.

“It’s a great university. I like the fact that the students are really welcoming. There is a real sense of commu-nity on campus,” he said.

Habarurema said life in Mississippi is very different from Canada, though.“It’s way hotter than back home,” he said.Cécilia Piqueray, a senior fi nance major from Belgium, said she has had very pleasant experiences on cam-

pus.“Surprisingly, I think that American people are very nice, very welcoming,” she said. “I didn’t know the

people were so nice here.”Habarurema said he, too, has been surprised by the friendliness of the locals.“The fi rst thing that was special for me was that people say ‘hi’ around town,” he said. “That’s something

I really appreciate.”Aniqa Javed, a junior mechatronics engineering major from Pakistan, said leaving her country for the fi rst

time to come to Mississippi was a major change.“Culture shock was the fi rst thing I experienced when I came here,” she said. Piqueray said she has been taken aback by the quantity of fast-food restaurants in America.“It’s very different from what we have in Belgium,” she said. “Everybody cooks in Belgium.”Piqueray added that students’ lifestyles here in Mississippi vary signifi cantly from the lifestyles of students

in Belgium.

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POLICY

Reflector THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSIT Y SINCE 1884

TUESDAYSEPTEMBER 18, 2012

TUESDAY7648

7648

WEDNESDAY THURSDAY8051

FRIDAY8557

Green Zone initiative supports MSU student veterans

Wynn looks to revamp future elections, policies as VP

BY JOHN GALATAS

Campus News Editor

Mississippi State University’s Center for America’s Veterans was awarded a grant from the Aurora Foundation to take part in the military green zone pro-gram.

Ken McRae, director of the Center for America’s Veterans, said his staff got the idea from Virginia Commonwealth University, applied and received the grant to set up the military green zone.

“We were looking for grant opportunities where we could increase support of veterans on campus,” she said. “This was a great way to do it.”

The Aurora Foundation, locat-

ed in Fairfax, Va., gives grants to colleges and universities for the advancement of veterans’ oppor-tunities on campus and to help veterans assimilate into the cam-pus community. The foundation also helps veterans find intern-ships at different corporations across the country.

McRae said support, array of information, transitioning and understanding are the four main focus points of the military green zone.

“Going from a very structured environment to the college envi-ronment, sometimes our veter-ans struggle with that, and this would help them overcome some of those challenges,” she said.

The military green zone is also focused on providing veterans and dependents with benefits

that may be hard for some to find.

“There are difficulties in finding and applying for ben-efits from various government segments and organizations,” McRae said. “This will help them find those. It’s more sup-port than what you would get from the university system.”

She said the last focal point of the program is crucial in con-necting the veterans with educa-tional programs.

“Veterans have unique needs. They may be physical, they may be mental, they may be academ-ic preparation, but they are all unique to the individual and what they have gone through in their military careers,” McRae said. “Dealing with those issues is very critical to getting the

veteran through the educational system.”

Faculty and staff at MSU have the opportunity to be a part of the military green zone by becoming a military green zone mentor. McRae said being a mentor would include staff opening their offices as a place where veterans can always feel welcome.

“What we are trying to do is move a little bit of those support mechanisms out to other parts of the campus,” McRae said.

The program will officially kickoff Friday, Sept. 21 at 2 p.m. in the lobby of the YMCA building. Bill Kibler will speak, along with retired Colonel Tom Leavitt who is a member of the board of directors of the Aurora Foundation.

SPOR

TS | 8

#poofnation

SEE CULTURE, 2

COURTESY PHOTO | CENTER FOR AMERICA’S VETERANS

Student veterans’ needs are being recognized by the Green Zone initiative on MSU’s campus.

ZACK ORSBORN | THE REFLECTOR

C U L T U R E S H O C K E D

JAY JOHNSON | THE REFLECTOR

Park Wynn wants to change election policies to improve the current process.

SEE WYNN, 2

For more information on SA senate...Wynn can be contacted at [email protected]

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“Here, everybody has a car, and the ways they have fun are so different,” she said.

She elaborated on certain cul-tural differences in attitudes to-ward time and scheduling.

“In Europe, students stay out in bars until fi ve in the morn-ing,” she said. “Here it is differ-ent; everyone gets up early, but I think that’s good.”

Piqueray said university class-es in the United States are quite dissimilar from those in Bel-gium.

“There is a big, big difference. In Belgium, there is only one test at the end of the semester,” she said.

She explained she is trying to adapt to the structure of her classes.

“In Belgium, there is no

homework. I am still trying to adjust to this homework sys-tem,” she said.

Javed said she has grown to like her new atmosphere, but is still adjusting to certain as-pects of it, including the cui-sine.

“It’s very different from Pa-kistan. I miss my food,” she said.

However, Javed said she plans to return to the U.S. in the future to pursue a master’s degree at a major university.

Habarurema said he enjoys the small-town atmosphere of Starkville.

“You have time to get to

know people. There is a sense of community that I don’t nec-essarily have at home,” he said.

He also said he would like to return to the U.S. after college to work or pursue a graduate degree.

“I think you have good-qual-ity institutions here. I like the dynamics between teachers and students. The teachers re-ally want to help us,” he said.

Habarurema said he would like to explore more of the U.S., particularly the South.

“When you say ‘America,’ most people think New York or California, but there is a lot more to it than that,” he said.

CULTURE continued from 1

BADFriday, September 14• 12:21 a.m. An employee was arrested at his residence in Starkville for domestic violence.• 12:22 a.m. A student was arrested on Main Street for light use requirements and driving under the influence.• 9:58 a.m. A student reported his vehicle was damaged while parked behind Cresswell Hall.• 9:58 a.m. A student reported his vehicle was hit while parked in the Herbert Hall parking lot.• 10:37 a.m. A student reported he had been receiving harassing phone calls from an unknown person.• 10:59 a.m. A student reported her cell phone missing from Rice Hall.• 2:50 p.m. A student reported his bicycle stolen from a bike rack near Walker building.• 3:02 p.m. An employee reported an MSU weed-eater was stolen from an MSU landscape vehicle at Bost Extension lot.• 4:31 p.m. A student reported someone stole his Motorola Xoom tablet from his room in Rice Hall.• 11:44 p.m. A student was arrested on Highway 12 for contributing to a minor.• 11:56 p.m. A student was arrested for possession of marijuana in a motor vehicle.

Saturday, September 15• 10:26 p.m. A student was arrested on Russell Street for driving under the influence.• 10:29 p.m. A student was arrested on Highway 12 for minor in possession of alcohol.• 10:31 p.m. A student was arrested on Cotton Row for open container.•11:56 p.m. A student was arrested on Highway 182 for contributing to the neglect of a child.

Sunday, September 16• 8:48 a.m. A resident director reported a truck belonging to a student at Magnolia Hall had been tampered with using shoe polish.• 1:17 p.m. A non-resident/visitor was hurt while riding her bicycle at the intersection of Stone and Bully Boulevard. Subject refused medical assistance.• 4:00 p.m. A student was taken to OCH from the Phi Kappa Alpha house for medical assistance.•8:55 p.m. A student arrested on Hardy Road for running a red light, suspended driver’s license and a warrant for failure to appear.•10:54 p.m. A student was arrested on Highway 182 for possession of marijuana in motor vehicle.

Citations:• 24 citations were issued for speeding.• 1 citation was issued for driving recklessly.

DAWGSBY KAITLYN BYRNE

Managing Editor

Jerry Gilbert, provost and executive vice president, an-nounced the approval of fac-ulty and staff salary raises, discussed the construction of a new classroom building and revealed the student en-rollment numbers for the fall semester at the Mississippi State University Robert Hol-land Faculty Senate meeting Friday.

Gilbert said MSU Presi-dent Mark Keenum found about fi ve percent of staff sala-ries to be below the minimum for the market. Gilbert said Keenum committed to in-crease all staff salaries current-ly below the minimum to the minimum salary. The salary change took effect on Sept. 1.

Gilbert said Keenum also committed to create a com-mittee to develop a plan to increase professor salaries.

“Dr. Keenum and I were talking about faculty and staff

salaries this summer, and we want to create this committee to address the salaries of full professors,” he said. “We hope to have a process in place by Jan. 1 of 2013.”

Also Friday, Gilbert said MSU is making progress on the con-s t r u c -tion of a 9 0 , 0 0 0 s q u a r e f o o t c l a s s -r o o m building.

H e said the c l a s s -r o o m b u i l d -ing will be built n o r t h of the YMCA building and will be completed in January 2015.

Originally, MSU consid-ered including laboratories in the new building, but Gilbert

said those plans will not come to fruition.

“As we were going through the early discussions for the building, we talked about the possibility of having teaching laboratories in there, but we decided to forgo that idea,”

he said. “We have a new committee working on that (building labo-ratories), and we hope to have rec-ommendations from the commit-tee soon.”

In other busi-ness, Gilbert re-leased the enroll-ment numbers for the fall 2012 semester. He said the enrollment is 20,365 students, which is down by

about 59 students. “Down by 59 students

means less than a one percent decrease, so we consider that relatively fl at enrollment for

this year,” he said.Also Friday, Gilbert said

MSU has made progress in the search for a new registrar.

Gilbert said the committee in charge of fi nding a new registrar now has applicants for MSU to consider. Gil-bert said MSU plans to hire a registrar by the end of the semester.

In the meantime, he said Lynn Reinschmiedt and Lin-da Buehler are serving as in-terim co-registrars.

“We are still excited about the applicants we have gotten so far, and Lynn and Linda are doing a great job serv-ing as interims while we go through the process of fi nd-ing a new registrar,” he said.

In other business, Gilbert said Dean Sharon Oswald has been appointed as the head of a committee to search for a new dean for the College of Arts and Sciences. He said the goal is to hire a dean by the start of the next academic year.

MSU faculty senate hears salary increase plan, fall 2012 enrollment

Down by 59 students means less than a one percent decrease, so we consider that relatively fl at enrollment for this year.”Jerry Gilbert, provost and executive vice president

“

Corrections: In Friday’s Refl ector, the article on guns laws stated a person only needs to aquire a permit to carry a concealed weapon. The article did not mention persons also are required to complete an instructional course in the safe handling and use of fi rearms offered by an instructor certifi ed by a nationally recognized organization that customarily offers fi rearms training. The Refl ector regrets this error.

WYNN continued from 1

Wynn said this grant has been in the process of be-ing budgeted and will be put to use in i m p r o v i n g transportation to campus for students who live off cam-pus.

“Right now Parking Ser-vices and Bill Broyles, vice president of

Student Affairs, who helps with our b u d g e t , and Stu-dent Af-fairs has been going over the budget as to how we want to use that money,” he said. “A lot of it is go-

ing to end up going towards

shuttle routes off campus, to help off-campus students get on to campus.”

Wynn also said the uni-versity is looking to increase the number of shuttles on campus, in hopes of getting to classes easier for students.

Wynn said there is one idea in the works he is really interested in seeing put into motion.

“The idea is to have a sign in between two stops on campus where if a few stu-dents are standing by that

sign, the shuttle can stop and pick them up, on the way to their route stop,” he said.

With the approval of the grant from the Department of Transportation, Wynn said new options are being explored for the future of MSU’s parking and shuttle programs.

“A lot of really cool things are in the works now that we have that money,” he said. “I know the university and Student Affairs are really glad that we got that grant.”

A lot of really cool things are in the works now that we have that money. I know the university and Student Affairs are really glad that we got that grant.”Park Wynn

“

JAY JOHNSON | THE REFLECTOR

Glen Simmons and Ananya Sharma are graduate students at MSU

OPINION the voice of MSU studentsInDesign is very

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012 | 3REFLECTOR-ONLINE.COM

CONTACT INFORMATIONEditor in Chief/Hannah Rogers

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CORRECTIONSThe Reflector staff strives to maintain the integrity of this paper through accurate

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Editor in ChiefHannah Rogers

Managing EditorKaitlyn Byrne

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Copy EditorCandace Barnette

Copy EditorRachel Burke

ReflectorThe

Regarding the Sept. 14 opinion article enti-tled “Ron Paul is ide-

al president, wasted vote,” I agree, for the most part.

Yes, Ron Paul would be the ideal president. He would be the best president since Thomas Jefferson. I am even including Reagan’s fi rst term. First of all, Paul is the only presidential candidate of the two major parties that strictly adheres to the United States Constitution.

Because of policies pushed by President Obama and past presidents (especially in re-cent decades), we have lost many of our civil liberties that are explicitly expressed in the Constitution in areas such as, but not limited to, privacy and the right to a fair trial.

I am speaking, of course, of policies such as the Patriot Act, NDAA and, let us not forget, drone strikes, one of which targeted and killed a 16-year-old U.S. citizen.

Sure, he may have been

guilty of what he was ac-cused, but he was denied his right of due process. I ask you this: Does this sound like the policies and actions of a win-ner of the Nobel Peace Prize? I submit that it does not.

I also submit that votes for President Obama, Gov. Rom-ney or Congressman Paul are all wasted votes. In the case of Obama versus Romney, there is so little difference between the two and neither will strictly adhere to the Consti-tution, so, in the end, it does not matter which of the two wins (and one of them will win); you still get the same old policies.

Therefore, the logic of vot-ing for one simply because he “is not the other” is not valid.

Voting for the lesser of two evils is also failed logic because the lesser evil is still evil. In the case of Ron Paul, he will not be on the ballot come November, and many states, including Mississip-pi (as well as my home state of Arkansas in case you were

wondering) do not count votes for write-in candidates.

This leaves one option: Gary Johnson. The former New Mexico governor is the Libertarian Party’s nominee for president and will appear on the ballot in at least 47 states, including Mississippi and Arkansas.

He is essentially just a younger Ron Paul because they share the same values. I know Johnson will not win the presidency, but it will show the public that there is another candidate with a large follow-ing.

People will be looking for another can-didate to back if Obama gets reelected and we experience four more years of the same old thing, or if Romney gets elect-ed and, surprise, we still expe-rience four more years of the same old thing.

All said, I am voting for lib-erty. Johnson has my vote; at

least until 2016 when Ron Paul or his son Kentucky Senator Rand Paul are in the race as well, and we’ll just have to see how that plays out.

The main point of my writ-ing, though, is this: Generally, people don’t want to vote for anyone other than the two ma-jor candidates because, frankly, they do not believe anyone else can win.

That may be true for this election, but a vote for some-one else is not a loss. People

will question why someone else got your vote and will do research on that person. Eventually, they may just fi nd

that person to be better than the two major candidates and may vote for them as well.

Let’s face it, recent pres-idents and the choices for president we have now, just have not worked out for us. It’s about time we try some-thing else. Why not liberty?

LETTER TO THE EDITOR | RYAN NEWBERG

Presidental candidate choices lacking

The logic of voting for one simply because he ‘is not the other’ is not valid.”

“

As the heat from sum-mer subsides I still sweat, daily. My heart

pounds a little faster as I avoid someone. I am break-ing the law. Though there is a slight rush of adrenaline, a little cricket on my shoulder reminds me that I am in the wrong. He tells me that no excuse will suffi ce from the hammer wielded by the boys in blue.

As many of you have read, and some experienced fi rst-hand, the helmet law of Starkville is strictly enforced.

This is a hot subject right now and I cannot pass on the opportunity to opine. I am a commuter. I ride my bike and am always on the lookout as I make my twice daily ille-gal ride from the Cotton Dis-trict to the university bridge. Each time I do so I feel like Frodo Baggins, desperately fl eeing from the wraiths un-til I reach Buckleberry Ferry, where for a while I can catch my breath. I know, though, that I am nowhere in the clear yet. I could be if I wanted, but I am stubborn.

Some part of me feels it is my right to decide whether or not I should wear a helmet when I ride. I don’t live in reality with this law, though, and it may come back to bite me in the wallet one day. So be it. A part of me has half a mind to buy an old viking helmet and let that be my protection. Would this pass? My guess is no.

The deeper issue here is where does the city get the right ticket me for failure to

protect myself? If I get hit without wearing protection, that is on me. I am in no way risking the well- being of any-one but myself by abstaining. Given, I am putting a lot at risk here, as it takes one person in an over-sized Z-71 to not see me and leave me in on the road like an opossum, but that’s my call; I know the dan-ger and yield to it every day. It is my responsibility to look out for myself and I don’t take it lightly. I don’t ride at a blis-tering pace while I know I am not safely secured.

However, I do ride a little quicker on this stretch be-cause I want to get in the clear faster. Maybe if I didn’t have to keep an eye for a bike cop I could spare that eye toward other danger. Just a thought.

What really chaps me, though, is how this bike law was enforced after a few lo-cal accidents. Compare that to the amount that die at the hands of Joe Camel.

If we are going to stifl e an evil here why are we going after the little guy? A part of our right as humans is to be responsible for our own ac-tions. How can we do that if we aren’t given the chance to be in the wrong and own up? Let smokers smoke, drinkers drink and cyclists ride without protection. If they are harming no one but themselves then it is none of anyone else’s business.

If we continue to pry into the lives of others, mandat-ing for the betterment of the people, we could land on a slippery slope.

I am com-pletely non-plussed at the idea that me not wearing a helmet war-rants a fi ne. Ohio doesn’t

even require motorcyclists to wear them and we are fi ning for a bike that most can’t even ride past 15 miles an hour? That’s ridiculous. Can’t we fi nd better ways to allocate our law enforcers’ time?

I feel like issues of similar mandates have been fl oating around the country for a while now. Should I be re-quired by law to have health insurance? Should the NFL become two-hand touch due to the recent studies released that relate head trauma the contact of the sport? What about the amount of runners that die during a marathon? Should they be cleared by their doctors prior to regis-tration? There needs to be a line somewhere. I say it should be drawn at a level of understanding.

The involved person should understand his or her responsibility for engag-ing in the event.

Dear Starkville, please al-low us to take our responsi-bility back and be account-able for our own actions. Isn’t that a part of learning to be an adult?

CONTRIBUTING WRITER | MATT TAYLOR

World crises are sensational In American culture we like

to pick “fads” or “hot top-ics.” These trends usually

have a life span of a couple months, and if they are a real-ly big hit, maybe a year tops. This can even be said for pub-lic fi gures. For instance, where did the Jonas Brothers go? And do little girls still scream over Justin Bieber the same way anymore? Our tendency to move on quickly does not stop with pop sensations but also with hard-hitting, real life issues,

Recently the Haaretz Dai-ly released an article about “price-tag” persecution tak-ing place in Palestine b e t w e e n M u s l i m s and Chris-tians. Re-cently a Chr i s t i an Monastery near Jerusalem was set on fi re and anti-Christian slogans were spray-painted all over the walls. The Catho-lic Church has condemned the attack and believes those involved should be seriously punished.

The issues between Pal-estinians and Christians in the Middle East are not un-heard of. In fact there are many groups, such as Hope Equals, whose mission is to help establish peace between these people groups. This could very well be the next bandwagon movement some Americans jump on.

Many will remember the overwhelming sensation known as Kony 2012. This was a campaign to expose Joseph Kony, the leader of a guerrilla group in Uganda. There were reports this group

was kidnapping children and forcing the girls into sex slavery while the boys were trained as child soldiers for the group.

After the release of a doc-umentary, “Invisible Chil-dren,” American society went crazy over the issue.

All across the country, peo-ple were speaking out against Kony and demanding he be apprehended. There were posters and signs up all over cities and nearly everyone’s profi le picture was changed to the logo of the movement.

After Kony was captured, I don’t recall hearing much

else about the young chil-dren we were fi ghting for in the fi rst place. The fad of fi ghting against this

evil man had died out because the drama was now over. However the whole point of capturing Kony was to save the invisible children. Does anyone know where they are now?

It seems to me that once the sensation of a person or a movement is over we simply move on with our lives, but there are still very real peo-ple being affected even after cameras stop rolling.

Are we only giving to those in need when everyone else is? Do we stand up and fight for those who cannot do for themselves only when it is the cool thing to do?

There is no shock to any-one who has lived overseas that there are a lot of things going on outside of the United States.

Having spent a very small

portion of my college career in the Philippines I realized how small-minded I was. I’m not advocating apathy in the sense that we never do any-thing because we may not be important enough to make a difference, but why is it so difficult for us to see things through?

I find we enjoy being involved in the hype of an issue but don’t quite under-stand how to follow through with the grunt work. Most activists do not live a glamor-ous lifestyle.

The only experience I can offer is mission work. We have this idea that it is filled with adventure and awesome situations, which it is on oc-casion. The crucial moments, however, can be slow and te-dious groundwork for some-thing greater to happen later.

Don’t get me wrong. The publicity that is achieved with the bandwagon mental-ity is wonderful to any cause that needs help. The excite-ment or passion cannot stop there.

Rome wasn’t built in a day; the serious issues in our world won’t be fixed over-night or with 1000 tweets and Facebook status changes.

THE VENT | SARAH ULMER

Wearing helmets should be a choice

Dear Starkville, please allow us to take our responsibility back and be accountable for our own actions.”

“

COLLEGE QUARANTINE | T.J. VAUGHT

Sarah Ulmer is a senior majoring in communication. She can be contacted at [email protected].

SARAH ULMER

Do we stand up and fi ght for those who cannot do for themselves only when it is the cool thing to do?

“With the 2012 elec-

tions right around the corner, the

American public is about to make a decision on the next leader of the free world. People look at the candidate’s platforms and then usually vote accord-ingly; however there is one issue that always seems to stir up a lot of emotion and controver-sy, religion. I think too many people in the United States let religion over shadow more pressing matters such as the na-tional debt and foreign wars.

Take candi-date Romney for instance. He is a Mormon and when he became the front-runner in the GOP nomination race, polling groups were actually examining if peo-ple would vote for him based off of his religious views. Does this not strike anyone as somewhat

backward? The same thing was being done when President Obama was running for offi ce in 2008. The media focused on his church rather than his plat-form for quite some time before the election. I think religion has absolutely no place in gov-ernment whatsoever, especially when it comes to the presiden-cy. A candidate like Rick San-torum is a prime example of a

candidate who let religion dictate po-litical doctrine and at one point won a few of the GOP primaries. The last time I checked, the United States Con-stitution states,

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” If Romney is a good Mormon, that’s fantastic. If Obama is a good Christian, that’s wonderful, but how in the world are they going to fi x the

unemployment rate?When voting this fall, do not

get wrapped up in something as frivolous as the religion of a candidate because, regardless of your religious views, not every-one will agree. Instead, vote for who you think will implement the best policies to get people back to work, improve educa-tion, cut the national debt and tackle a slew of other issues. I am not trying to attack religion; in fact I think religion as a whole preaches very important values that we should all try to follow.

The religion a president or a candidate chooses to practice has no signifi cant infl uence on my vote for them. Who and how they practice their religion is a personal issue for their fami-lies and themselves.

Religion should not be the de-termining factor for your vote in the upcoming election, choose the person who you think will best lead the country and get us back on our feet.

EARTH TO AMERICA | JAMES ARENA

Religion not a deciding factor in election

I think too many people in the United States let religion overshadow more pressing matters such as the national debt and foreign wars.”

“

FOLLOW @REFLECTOPINION ON TWITTER

BULLETIN BOARDCLASSIFIEDS POLICY

The deadline for Tuesday’s paper is 3 p.m. Thursday; the deadline for Friday’s paper is 3 p.m. Tuesday. Classifi eds are $5 per issue. Student and staff ads are $3 per issue, pre-paid. Lost and found: found items can be listed for free; lost items are listed for standard ad cost.

HELP WANTED

Bartending. Up to $300 / day. No experience necessary. Training available. Call 800.965.6520 ext. 213.

Part-time position for professional audio engineer(s) for nights and weekend work. Typical shift 8 to 12+ hours. Average hours per week between 0 and 16. Late hours. Inquire at www.ameaudio.com or email [email protected].

CLUB INFO

The deadline for Tuesday’s paper is 3 p.m. Thursday; deadline for Friday’s paper is 3 p.m. Tuesday. MSU student organizations may place free announcements in Club Info. Information may be submitted by email to club_info@refl ector.msstate.edu with the subject heading “CLUB INFO,” or a form may be completed at The Refl ector offi ce in the Student Media Center. A contact name, phone number and requested run dates must

be included for club info to appear in The Refl ector. All submissions are subject to exemption according to space availability.

WESLEY FOUNDATION

Insight Bible study and worship on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. at the Wesley Foundation Worship Center on East Lee. Boulevard next to Campus Book Mart.

MSU CATHOLIC STUDENT ASSOCIATION

The MSU Catholic Student Association invites you to join us for Sunday mass at 5:30 p.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 607 University Dr. All are welcome to $2 Tuesday night dinner at 6 p.m. in the Parish Hall. Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/msstatecsa

HOLMES CULTURAL DIVERSITY CENTER

“Salsa in the Streets.” Come dance the night away in front of the Colvard Student Union on Sept. 21. Lesson starts at 7 p.m. and open dance is at 8 p.m. Lessons and music will be provided by the MSU Ballroom Dance Club. Rain date is Oct. 12 at 7 p.m.

SIGMA GAMMA RHO SORORITY, INC.

RHOad Side Service! Come out Sept. 22 to the Dawghouse at 9:45 a.m. to do community service with Sigma Gamma

Rho. Lunch afterward.

SIGMA GAMMA RHO SORORITY, INC.

Join Sigma Gamma Rho for National AIDS Awareness Day with guests from the Health Center on Sept. 18 in Union 330 at 6 p.m.

DISNEY COLLEGE PROGRAM ALUMNI

Disney will be on the MSU campus presenting the opportunity for a paid internship. Presentations will be Tuesday, Sept. 18 at 12 and 5 p.m. in Fowlkes Auditorium in the Union.

HOLMES CULTURAL DIVERSITY CENTER

The Holmes Cultural Diversity Center will host its annual Minority Student Organization, “UMOJA,” on Thursday, Sept. 20 at the Amphitheater from 7 to 10 p.m. UMOJA in Swahili means unity, and we want to take this opportunity to bring us all together as we showcase the varied attributes of students and student organizations.

MSU STUDENT CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF

MICROBIOLOGY

Contact [email protected] or like us on Facebook, “MSU ASM,” for membership information.

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LIFE & ENTERTAINMENT6 | TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012 THE REFLECTOR

People tend to be creatures of habit. People wake up, go to work or school, eat

and do commonplace activities all the time. Some people wear similar clothes all the time or practice habits like never turn-ing left like Derek Zoolander portrayed by Ben Stiller in the 2001 comedy “Zoolander.”

Ryan Culp, sophomore mar-keting major, said he is addict-ed to his Chacos, an outdoor brand sandal.

“I wear them, like, all the time, and I don’t feel good if I don’t,” Culp said.

These habits can be man-ifested in different ways and through numerous tools. Some are harmless, such as lip balm

or teeth whitening, while others could be deadly, such as drugs and possibly tanning.

These tendencies can become addictions and compulsions.

Human beings are compul-sive creatures, meaning people feel obligated to do or be some-thing not because they want to act in that manner.

According to Psychology To-day, plenty of people have cer-tain compulsions, such as shop-ping or eating.

“When a person has a com-pulsion, he is trapped in a pat-tern of repetitive and senseless thinking — indeed these behav-iors are quite diffi cult to over-come,” Psychology Today said.

Take lip balm addiction for

example. Granted, lip balm ad-diction is yet to be explained as a gateway addiction to danger-ous and potentially life threat-ening compulsions. For some people, the application of lip balm is part of their daily rou-tines. Sometimes, it becomes a vital part of their lives.

Perry Romanowski, a cos-metic chemist and author of “Can You Get Hooked on Chapstick?,” said people do not become addicted to lip balm the same ways people become addicted to alcohol or nicotine.

“It’s similar to someone biting their nails,” Romanowski said.

This could be comforting to “chap stick addicts,” but a com-pulsion still lingers.

Everyday Health said there is no denying the belief some people cannot make it without applying lip balm.

“Because your lips have no oil glands, they tend to dry out very easily,” Everyday Health said.

This is the reason that peo-ple feel the necessity to drench their lips with the product. But researchers have found that lip balm tends to dry lips out more quickly.

“What’s more, some com-mon ingredients found in lip balms (like menthol and sal-icylic acid) may irritate your lips, leading you to re-apply in an attempt to soothe the irri-tation,” Everyday Health said.

“Repeated often enough, this dryness-balm-more dryness cy-cle becomes a habit.”

People become obsessed with addictions, not only in the sense of personally experiencing a compulsion. The television net-

work TLC even runs a series called “My Strange Addiction.”

Episodes have focused on individuals with different com-pulsions, such as eating toilet paper, sucking their thumbs, pulling their hair and even eat-ing couch cushioning.

Landry McMillan, senior marketing major, said she thinks the show is a conspiracy to make people feel like their lives are normal.

No matter the reason or lip balm brand, moderation is key.

For more information, help or counseling in regard to addic-tions, contact Student Counsel-ing Services, located in Hathorn Hall, at 325-2091 to make an appointment.

Weird addictions can be harmless, causes senseless behaviorTHE WRITER’S BLOCK | MARY KATE MCGOWAN

Mary Kate McGowan is a sophomore majoring in communication. She can be contacted at [email protected].

MARY KATE MCGOWAN

BY ALEX MONIE

Contributing Writer

Similar to every Apple event since the fi rst iP-hone was released in 2007, the rumors circling the iPhone5 were numerous. Would Apple be changing the universally recognized design? Will the new model include LTE, one of the loom-ing advantages Android has over Apple. Would Siri be upgraded to read our minds? Wednesday Apple fi nally revealed its newest iPhone, and it is perhaps the most signifi cant leap forward yet. The iPhone5 will have a new design, with an extended screen at 4 inches and the overall phone being 18 percent thinner. Instead of the

traditional four rows of icons, we are going to see an additional fi fth row with upgraded apps. The entire phone is made of glass and aluminum, which allows it to be 20 percent lighter than the iPhone4S. Apple also seems to fi nally agree with the pleas of its customers and included LTE sup-port on Sprint, Verizon and AT&T. This is going to greatly increase the cellular data speeds when downloading apps and other media. Additionally, there were many upgrades to the internal tech-nology, battery life and, of course, Siri. Overall, Apple managed to deliver on many of the wishes its customers were hoping for. Starting at $199 for a 16GB, Apple once again managed to push the smartphone market forward.

iPhone 5 delivers new features

Well, folks, it’s back. The heart-warming fi lm about a fa-ther fi sh and his all-too adventurous son, Nemo, has returned. Get ready to see Marlin, Dory and the whole gang like never before! When little clownfi sh Nemo gets snatched up by an Australian dentist planning to domesticate him, Nemo’s fa-ther, Marlin, enlists the help of a forgetful blue tang fi sh and a rad bunch of sea turtles. Starring Ellen Degeneres, Albert Brooks and Alexander Gould, this Disney Pixar movie is fun for the whole family.

This comedic drama stars Channing Tatum. For the ladies, that’s really all you need to hear. For the men being dragged along, you can expect to see a high school reunion gone wild. “10 Years” follows a group of high school cohorts who really haven’t changed much since “the good ole days.” Old fl ames are rekindled when Jake bumps into his high school sweet-heart, former bully Cully looks forward to apologizing to those he terrorized in high school, Marty and A.J. continue with old rivalry habits and rock star Reeves is still too afraid to talk to his high school crush.

Reminiscent of Liam Neeson’s “Taken,” “Stolen” stars Nicholas Cage as Will Montgomery, a has-been criminal mas-termind who seeks to reconnect with his estranged daughter. However, Montgomery’s old thieving friends have other plans for his future. Because the FBI and one of Montgomery’s old partners believe Montgomery is still in possession of $10 mil-lion from an old heist, his daughter, Allison, is kidnapped and held for ransom. Montgomery must team up with his sexy partner in crime, Riley, in order to save his daughter’s life and be free from “the long arm of the law” forever.

With what promises to be a compelling plot and an all-star cast, “The Master” tells the story of a World War II veteran (Philip Seymour Hoffman) who seeks a meaningful life after becoming disillusioned by the war. He creates a faith-based organization to help men overcome post-war trauma symp-toms, his protégé being a fellow drifter (Joaquin Phonenix). As the organization gains momentum, “the Master,” as he comes to be called, must confront more psychological warfare than he was aware existed.

1. The excitement for an Ole Miss loss is equivalent to

the birth of a baby.

2. The sound of cowbells ringing is a sweet sweet,

sound to your ears.

3. You use the word “dawg” in normal conversation.

4. You avoid walking through the Drill Field at all costs

during election week.

5. You are not scared of the mighty Rebel-Black Bears.

6. 90 percent of your flex dollars were spent on Zoca’s

Nachos.

7. The Chapel of Memories is your secret getaway.

8. Naps are best on campus — benches, trees,

classrooms. Who needs a bed?

9. Mama Jean may or may not be your best friend.

10. A picnic on the Drill Field is the best way to end

any day.

11. Admittedly or not, you have been to Cowbells. And

you enjoyed it.

12. You have or plan to own a bulldog in the near

future.

13. You are never too old for late night Griffis Pizza.

Ever.

14. You are extremely OCD about the color maroon.

Purple is not maroon. I repeat, purple is not maroon.

15. You have seriously considered boycotting MSU

parking services.

16. You feel like a boss while ringing your cowbell to

“Grindin’ For My State”.

17. You have memorized the “Dawg Pound Rock”.

18. Dr. Carskadon’s birthday song makes you giggle

every time.

19. A morning without a tiramisu from the State

Fountain Bakery is not a morning at all.

20. You have had a near death-experience between

you and a biker.

21. You become a crazed fan when seeing Dan Mullen

running on campus.

22. You thorougly enjoy waiting in line for student

tickets. True Maroon.

23. You have risked your life riding on the back of the

Bully Patrol golf carts.

24. You love Shipley’s Donuts. Duh.

25. Your state has been referred to as a “land mass.”

This is Our Land Mass.

FINDING NEMO 3D(G)

project

For more information concerning this event please contact The Department of Relationship Violence and Outreach at

325-2090 or visit our office located next to The Reflector and

Sponsored by: Mississippi State University’s Department of

Relationship Violence and Outreach

September 17-19, 2012 Drill Field

The Department of Relationship Violence and

Outreach wants YOU to come and support those impacted by violence (sexual assault, rape, incest,

or domestic violence) by designing a T-shirt to hang on the Clothesline!!!

Get Carded Day

Go Dawgs!Walk-Ins Welcome

324-0014

TEN YEARS(PG-13)

STOLEN(R)

THE MASTER(R)

“What’s in Your Netfl ix Queue?” is an entertainment feature open to all students,

faculty and staff. Submit your queue at life@refl ector.msstate.edu.

CHELSEA BROCKsenior mathematics major

1. “RuPaul’s Drag Race”

2. “Intervention”

3. “Better Off Ted”

These guys are more woman than I will ever be. Shantay, you stay, Ru, shantay, you stay.

I have to watch at least three episodes of this show everyday in order to function. But I can quit any time I want.

A show that was tragically killed before its time, fi lled with science puns and big coporation parodies. AlsoPortia DeRossi.

What’’ In Youu

Queue?NETFLIXthe good,the bad,the shameful YOU MIGHT BE

AN MSU STUDENT

IF...by MAGAN FORD

BY KRISTEN SPINK

Sports Editor

Lauren Morgan and Skylar Rosson have formed their own stereotype for female athletes.

The two soccer seniors can be spotted on the fi eld quite easily due to their poofed hair and glit-tery makeup. Fans see them do-ing their handshake right before every game and it seems as if the girls have been friends forever.

However, Mississippi State soccer brought these two togeth-er, and they have been insepa-rable ever since. Morgan came to Starkville from Keller, Tex-as, where she was named to the All-District team fi ve times. An Edmond, Okla., native, Rosson earned numerous defensive play-er of the year and All-District awards.

When the girls landed in Starkville, they were not imme-diately best friends. Rosson said when she fi rst met Morgan she actually thought she was really shy. That idea did not last long.

Midway through their fresh-man year, the two realized they were both very outgoing and began to stick together. Rosson said her time at MSU would have been so different without Mor-gan by her side.

“Lauren’s my other half. I’m not as outgoing without her, so we even each other out,” Ros-son said. “I’ve been through a lot of stuff since I’ve been here, and Lauren’s someone I can al-ways count on. I can always call her, and I don’t have to keep se-

crets from her. She’s helped me through a lot.”

One similar struggle the girls have been able to help each other through is the injuries they have faced in their careers at MSU.

Rosson suffered a knee inju-ry in a preseason practice her freshman year that sidelined her the remainder of the season, and another knee injury ended her redshirt freshman year just three games into the season.

Morgan played in just one game her junior year before an injury caused her to miss the rest of the season. She is also currently working back from an injury.

Morgan said she and Rosson help each other stay positive through their injuries since they have both been through the same hardships that injuries bring.

“Growing up I only had an older brother, so she’s like a sister to me that I never had,” Morgan said. “I’d say we’re more like sis-ters than best friends because we help each other through every-thing, and we’ve been through a lot of the same stuff, so we give each other advice. Even if we don’t want to hear it, we’re going to tell each other the truth.”

When they are on the fi eld,

the seniors stand out by sporting their poofed hair and abundance of makeup. Rosson said she wore all the makeup in high school and brought the idea to State. She also started poofi ng her hair at State, so she poofs Morgan’s, as well.

The poofed hair has become so popular that it now has its own hashtag, #poofnation. Rosson and Morgan make up their pre-game handshake themselves and have added to it every year.

Morgan said the glittery make-up and poofed hair allows the girls to stand out on the fi eld.

“We wear the makeup and big hair because people don’t take us serious,” Morgan said. “When they see that we have glitter all over our face and our huge hair done, they’re like, ‘these girls don’t know how to play.’ Then we come out, and we’re really ag-gressive and knock them on the ground.”

Rosson and Morgan are not the only ones who identify with poof nation. The entire MSU soccer team feels a part of the trend. Junior forward Elisabeth Sullivan said the team loves the makeup and poofed hair.

“If they came out without the

poofs and the makeup, the whole team would question why they didn’t because it’s so a part of the team,” Sullivan said. “We would think it’s bad luck if they weren’t dressed like that.”

During games, aggressive is the perfect word to describe Morgan’s play, as she has been the fearless leader of MSU’s midfi elders year after year. Rosson has become one of the SEC’s best goalkeepers, recording an SEC-best 131 saves last season. Earlier this year she broke the MSU record for con-secutive shutouts with six blanks in a row.

Rosson and Morgan look to continue to stand out on the fi eld not only due to their appearance

but also because of their perfor-mance as the duo that hopes to lead the Bulldogs to the SEC Tournament and, along with that, an increase in trending for #poofnation.

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A win is a win no matter if the margin of victory is 60 or six.

When bowl season comes around in December, the com-mittee will not look at point dif-ferential to decide which teams go to which games. All that will matter are the digits in the wins and losses columns, thankfully for Mississippi State.

The Dogs defeated Troy last Saturday but not in impressive fashion. The 30-24 victory may not look good on paper, but what does look good is State’s 3-0 start. This is the fi rst time the Dogs have started 3-0 since 1999.

It can be easy to worry about your team after a game expected to be a blowout ends up coming down to the wire like Saturday’s game.

However, in my mind, State is perfectly fi ne. The team is right

where it needs to be at this point in the season. Stats like these, courtesy of the great MSU media relations staff, put me at ease.

With Chad Bumphis’ six catches for a career-high 180 yards and LaDarius Perkins’ ca-reer-high 180 yards rushing, it was the fi rst time ever MSU had a receiver with over 175 yards and a running back over 175 yards in the same game.

Bumphis also tied the school record with three touchdowns in the game and increased his ca-reer touchdowns to 17, tying the school record in that category, as well. Perkins is currently second in the SEC in rushing.

Junior quarterback Tyler Rus-sell is one of two quarterbacks in the U.S. with an effi ciency rating of at least 160, eight touchdowns and zero interceptions. Heisman Trophy favorite Geno Smith of West Virginia joins Russell in this

category. Russell for Heisman? Well, I guess I shouldn’t get too greedy.

The offensive line, which was a concern coming into the season, has made State the only SEC school to allow one sack or less through the fi rst three weeks of the season. Russell is able to take his time and fi nd his re-ceivers because he has not had to worry about escaping much pressure.

As for the Bulldog defense, giving up 24 points to Troy is not desirable, but let’s face it: MSU has one of, if not the best, defense in the SEC. I would be willing to put them up against the conference’s best.

Johnthan Banks, Corey Broomfi eld, Darius Slay and Nickoe Whitley are a suffocating secondary. With his four inter-ceptions on the year, Slay is tied for the lead in the Football Bowl Subdivision in interceptions. As a team, State leads the SEC with seven interceptions.

Cameron Lawrence and the rest of the linebackers have been all over the fi eld, and the de-fensive line has answered many pre-season questions and been stout so far.

In addition, the 43 points al-lowed by State’s defense through the fi rst three games is the lowest total since head coach Dan Mul-len arrived in Starkville.

State is also tied with Alabama and Kansas for the nation’s lead with a +11 turnover margin.

And if that is not enough, Devon Bell made his fi rst fi eld goal as a Bulldog last week. Can I get an “Amen?”

Think back to the Auburn game. State did not even play its

best that game but still beat the Tigers 28-10. Granted, Auburn’s talent is not quite where it has been the past few years, but it’s still Auburn.

To beat a team like Auburn by that score without even playing your best is a scary thought. It’s scary because it shows just how good State could be this year if the guys start to play up to their potential.

I know these are all statistics, and it has only been three weeks. But look around the SEC West. Arkansas is struggling, to put it lightly. Auburn is just, well, pret-ty bad. Ole Miss does not even deserve to have this sentence written. Texas A&M is good but beatable as Florida showed. That leaves LSU, Alabama and MSU.

I would say that is a pretty solid group to be in. Obviously, State still has a lot to prove, but Mullen is slowly but surely show-ing why he is such a sought-after and highly-thought-of coach. He is building the Bulldog football program to become a contender in the SEC. If he keeps this up, Atlanta won’t be just a dream for Dogs much longer. The SEC Championship will be within grasp for State.

SPORTS STAT OF THE DAY: 17: THE NUMBER OF TOUCHDOWN RECEPTIONS CHAD BUMPHIS CURRENTLY HAS,

WHICH IS TIED FOR THE MOST IN MSU HISTORY.

ON THE TUBE:BYU AT

BOISE STATE

THURSDAY, 8 P.M. ESPN

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012 | 7REFLECTOR-ONLINE.COM

Soccer This start of SEC play was a tough test for the soccer team, but the girls held their own against South Carolina Friday night. The teams tied 0-0 after two overtimes. Sunday, State dropped its first game of the year to Kentucky 3-0. In a press release, head coach Neil MacDonald said the girls must learn from this weekend to be ready for its first SEC home games this weekend. “This was a valuable learning experience for our team,” Macdonald said. “To be successful in the SEC, especially on the road, you have to be mentally prepared every match. We played two good clubs in South Carolina and Kentucky on the road, and now our younger players know what to expect from this league.”

Volleyball In their first conference matches of the year, the volleyball girls fought hard but dropped contests to Auburn and Georgia. The Dogs fell in straight sets to the Tigers with Chanelle Baker, Lainey Wyman and Sarah Nielsen pacing State with eight kills each. Sunday, MSU won the first set 24-26, but dropped the next three 25-13, 25-20, 25-23. Roxanne McVey led the team with 19 digs, and setter Paris Perret recorded 41 assists. In a press release, head coach Jenny Hazelwood said her team is still looking for consistency. “We were hesitant in our play this weekend, though we battled back and played more aggressively against Georgia. The SEC is going to be tough, and our young team has to learn that they have to go out and fight for every point.”

Cross Country In the second meet of the season, the men’s and women’s cross country teams recorded outstanding performances at the Commodore Invitational. Out of 24 teams, the MSU men placed fifth led by John Valentine, who finished 22nd. Philip Johnson, Andrew Monaghan and Cameron Vernier also finished in the top 50 for the Dogs. The women’s team finished fourth out of a field of 24 teams, including eight SEC schools. Renee Masterson led the women and finished eighth individually. Jodie McGuff and Chloe Phillips finished 24th and 25th, respectively.

This start of SEC play was a

against South Carolina Friday

game of the year to Kentucky

SPINK ON SPORTS | KRISTEN SPINK

Kristen Spink is the sports editor of The Reflector. She can be contacted at [email protected].

KRISTEN SPINK

Win at Troy keeps Bulldogs undefeated

MSU AT TROY STATISTICSKEY

Tyler Russell: 11-26 passing, 244 yards, 3 touchdownsLadarius Perkins: 23 carries, 180 yards, 1 touchdownChad Bumphis: 6 catches, 180 yards, 3 touchdownsBaker Swedenburg: 6 punts, 260 yards, 43.3 averageCameron Lawrence: 13 tacklesBenardrick McKinney: 8 tacklesDeontae SkinnerDeontae Skinner: 8 tacklesDarius Slay: 6 tackles, 2 interceptions, 1 forced fumble

Rosson, Morgan create new look for soccer team ZACK ORSBORN | THE REFLECTOR

STEPHANIE GODFREY | THE REFLECTOR

Bulldog seniors Skylar Rosson and Lauren Morgan perfect their handshake and poofed hair before every soccer game.

ADVERTISEMENT8 | tuesday, september 18, 2012 THE REFLECTOR