YULE BALL - Friday, December 8
DECEMBER 8, 2017 VOL 46, NO. 7
It’s that time of year again! Cal U Quidditch Club’s 2017 Yule Ball is upon us and this year’s event is a Masquerade ! Join us for a night of live music, dancing, butterbeer, snacks and fun. Tickets are $5 at the door. Create your own masks as you come in!
from your staff and staff writers!
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what’s
INSIDE:
NEWS Letter From the Editor................................3 Campus Talk...............................................5
E N E T R TA I N M E N T Underground Cafe - Brighton Boys............8 Knuckle Puck Concert Review. . ...................10 Movie & Album Review...............................11
OPINIONS
NEWS In Memory of
I t ’s a sad time for the Universit y communit y as we mourn the loss of one of our fellow students. Dana Jarrett was a sophomore in the social work program. All of us here at the Cal Times and Media Suite send our sincerest condolences to the friends and family of Dana.
F.C Kansas City...........................................21
Athlete of the Week . . ..................................24
STAFF CAL T IM E S . O RG CALTIMES@CALU.EDU 724.938.4321
Preparing your O ff- Campus Proper t y for Winter Break For many Cal U of PA students the only thing on their minds af ter completing a last final exam is to get home for the Winter Break . The 2016-17 winter break is four (4) weeks. The O ffice of Student Affairs takes this oppor tunit y to remind students who intend to leave their rental proper t y for ex tended periods to make preparations before depar ture. #1 Temperature Control: Students should read the terms of their lease for any specific provisions regarding temperature control in the winter months and be sure to comply with the lease.
We Stand Together
TRUMP........................................................20
Shatara Parsons..........................................22
Did You Know?
Dana Jarrett
Airforce . . .....................................................19
SPORTS
Student Affairs
STRONG
#2 S afety Precautions: Remove valuable items from your rental proper ties. I n addition, temporarily stop mail deliver y and consider putting a few lights in the home on timers in order to give the appearance that the home is occupied to deter criminal ac tivit y. Most impor tantly lock your proper t y, even if you are leaving for a shor t period of time. #3 Notice to Landlord: Students should read the terms of their lease and determine if they are required to give notice to their landlord of an ex tended absence.
RACHAEL McKRIGER EDITOR IN CHIEF
DANIEL BEECK SPORTS EDITOR
MARI BOYLE NEWS EDITOR
JESSICA CROSSON ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
TAYLOR BARTA GRAPHIC DESIGNER
JAMES RUDOLPH OPINIONS EDITOR
CAL TIMES CONTRIBUTORS: Zoe Webster, Eddie Kuntz, Zoe Webster, Colin Kirkwood, Sam Paar, ShalenE Hixon, Jeromy Mackey and Jordan Balkovec.
JEFF HELSEL DIRECTOR OF PUBLICATIONS
POLICY: The California TIMES is a publication of the Student Association, Inc. and is distributed throughout the university campus and the Monongahela Valley area most Fridays of the academic year with the exception of holiday breaks. Any member of the university community may submit articles, editorials, cartoons, photographs or drawings for consideration. Deadlines are as follows: All written copy, announcements , e-mail (caltimes@calu.edu) and advertising submissions are due at Noon on the Monday before publication. Exceptions to these deadlines must be arranged with the editor. All submissions are the opinions of their creator(s). The California TIMES reserves the right to edit or refuse a submission as it sees fit without offering justification for content or advertising sections.
NEWS
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A Letter from the Editor In Chief By Rachael McKriger, Editor In Chief KRI6014@calu.edu Another semester down, and one more to go until summertime arrives. It’s been truly an honor to work alongside the group of editors, staff writers, contributors and photographers that are on our staff at the Cal Times. This is my second term as editor in chief of the Cal Times, and it couldn’t be possible without the work of our dedicated staff. We’re lucky to be able to print a paper issue twice a month, and provide online content throughout the whole semester. Last year, we had a bunch of new editorial positions filled, but this year that wasn’t the case. Mari Boyle returned as news editor, Jessica Crosson is taking care of entertainment for the second year in a row, Danny Beeck is owning the sports section for year two and Taylor Barta is taking care of our front page, photo spreads and being our utility man once again. However, we did add a new opinions editor: James Rudolph. James has provided amazing work, not just by laying out his section, but by providing a ton of articles
each time. Sometimes he lets me slide in a few sports opinionated articles through, but James has done amazing with political coverage. All of our editors have done a great job this year, and we’ve been proud of the content we’re putting out every week, whether it be online or in print. That’s not to say we haven’t made any mistakes, but we’ve all taken our mistakes and corrected them. We’re working hard, despite making mistakes, and we’re going to do our best, week in and week out, to make our paper perfect. We’re getting there, and we’re putting in a ton of work. I can speak on behalf of my staff that we’re dedicated to providing Cal U students with a newspaper that they can be entertained and informed with. We provide truth, and we follow our code of ethics. We’re proud to be journalists, columnists, graphic designers and photographers. I was lucky enough to attend a conference with Danny and one of our staff writers, Colin Kirkwood, about media on college campuses and beyond graduation.
We learned a lot about multimedia, and if you haven’t noticed, that’s something we’re really bringing to the table this semester, through our photos and videos. We work hard with CUTV to provide coverage on Newscenter. We also work hard with them on sports shoots, bringing Cal U sports to viewers on television and YouTube. Talk to Danny about that, he’s the media utility man. This paper is the last of the fall semester, but come the spring semester we’ll work twice as hard. We’re a good, hard-working group that is dedicated to giving Cal U a great newspaper. We’re constantly brainstorming new ideas on how to make our newspaper even better, and I’d love to hear from the people that actually read it! My email is underneath my byline, and if you have a suggestion, I’d be more than happy to hear it. Until then, we’ll brainstorm in the newsroom, and we’ll continue to provide in-depth coverage about California University of Pennsylvania.
Toys for Tots: Packing busses with joy By Daniel Beeck, Sports Editor BEE1558@calu.edu As students made their way back to the campus of California University of Pennsylvania, so too did barbies and bikes as the seventh annual Toys for Tots “Stuff-a-Bus” event took over the Natali Student Center. Emily Moyer, treasurer of Student Government and the event coordinator, has participated in the “Stuffa-Bus” event every year she has attended, but this year meant more to her. “This is the first year that I’ve actually ran the event, so it has been a little bit stressful,” Moyer said. “It’s fun to give back though, I really enjoy doing service projects and giving.” With donations worth more than $1,400 dollars, the Student Government Association (SGA) loaded a
school bus for the 96.1 KISS radio stations “Stuff-a-Bus” program that took place at the Robinson Town Centre. Members of the SGA gathered toys from the Brownsville Walmart and staged them in the lobby of the Natali Student Center before making the trek to Robinson. Vianey Almarez, corresponding secretary for SGA, helped to pick toys out for the event at Walmart, and it brought her back to her youth. “We went shopping with all of the donations that we received, and it was really fun to pick out toys,” Almarez said. “It made me feel like a kid again.” Along with the donations from SGA, the Center for Volunteer Programs and Service Learning, the Athletic Training Club, Student Activities Board, and
SAI also contributed to the cause. The help from Cal U students and clubs helped 96.1 KISS to pack 59 buses, which was a new record for the event. The donations are still being accepted, as Washington County will have drop off locations until Dec. 14. High schools across southwestern Pennsylvania donated to Toys for Tots, with South Fayette collecting over 4,000 toys, an increase from 450 last year. Donation bins on campus will be located in the Natali Student Center and Steele Hall from Dec. 7-10 during the theatre’s production of The Happy Elf.
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NEWS
Cal U hosts Central Blood Bank drive By Jordan Balkovec, Contributor BAL8279@calu.edu California University of Pennsylvania hosted a blood donation drive yesterday for the Central Blood Bank. The event took place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m in the Natali Performance Center. According to the Center for Volunteer Programs and Service Learning at Cal U they try to hold at least two blood drives for the Central Blood Bank per semester. Diane Hasbrouck, the director for the Center for Volunteer Programs and Service Learning, said that she usually sees the same students at each blood drive but every time there are more and new faces. “All the volunteering options that the volunteer center offers are all beneficial but this one, working with Central Blood Bank, seems to bring out more volunteers and walk-ins who wish to donate blood to help out,” said Hasbrouck. All participated donors, students and staff that signed up via OrgSync or walked into the event, received an ugly Christmas sweater T-shirt, various snacks and drinks that were provided, and a one hour of service credit for donating blood. “I am always looking for more service hours,” Mikayla DiCesare said, senior and member of the Alpha Sigma Alpha sorority. “We need a certain amount of volunteer hours each semester. There are always a lot of options to do that and while donating blood isn’t my favorite task because I do not like needles but I do it because it if for a good cause.” DiCesare said. She said that many of her sorority sisters also donated earlier that day but they probably had more enthusiasm about donating their blood than she did. The volunteer center had about 30 people sign up for the blood drive via OrgSync but around 10 to
15 people who walked in to donate as well. Many of the walk-ins were friends of someone who signed up to volunteer and ended up donating as well. “That is how it seems to work on this campus,” Hasbrouck said. “We get a lot of people that sign up to volunteer for events but we also get friends that tag along. It is usually those students that benefit the most from volunteering and donating.” Events such as the Central Blood Bank Drive are most helpful when it comes to receiving a lot of volunteers and walk-ins since donated blood only lasts 42 days according to CentralBloodBank.org.
Central Blood Bank is a not-for-profit organization that supplies and distributes 140,000 units of blood to approximately 50 hospitals from western Pennsylvania, northern West Virginia and eastern Ohio. Central Blood Bank is always looking to take more donations and host more events to help the nearby hospitals. “As much as I hate donating blood it is nice knowing that I’m helping someone out,” DiCesare said. “Maybe I’ll drag my sisters to donate with me again one day.”
NEWS
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President Jones hosts Campus Talk in Convocation Center By Jeromy Mackey, Staff Writer MAC3503@calu.edu The most recent of President Geraldine Jones’ campus talks on Nov. 14, allowed for students and faculty to meet and discuss any noticed issues on campus. The turnout was strong and saw students from many disciplines and class rankings in attendance. Student Government president Jonathan Hershey opened the event by discussing many of the new successful programs happening across campus. He ended his speech by introducing President Jones. Jones’ first order of business was introducing an assortment of faculty members in attendance including the provost, the vice president of student affairs, the campus police chief, and the new food service executive, Dan Argento, who had come to address any questions the students may have about AVI’s plans for the future and its current state. She also discussed some of the things happening in the Cal U community that really excited her. In a video published by the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education showcasing how state schools give back, Cal U’s fraternities, sororities, clubs and volunteer activities were heavily featured. Transitioning into the university’s volunteer events, President Jones discussed Diane Hasbrouck’s position as the director of the Center for Volunteer Programs and Service Learning. The center’s recent “Rise Against Hunger” produced 10,000 prepared meals thanks to over seventy volunteer and professional staff. Student Government Association’s annual Toys for Tots was promoted to assist in the collection of toys and donations. In addition to talking about how Cal U has been giving back, President Jones also discussed many of the opportunities given to the university and its students. The international studies department, under the organization of program chair Dr. Sean Madden, was able to host a video exchange with college students in Perm, Russia. The hour long session was summarized by Rebecca Stevens, the president of the International Experience club. “The exchange is a keystone for
Photo of Geraldine Jones courtesy of Zoe Webster Cal U students to not only see the sociopolitical interests of international college students, but also to see their personal lives,” said Stevens. After these announcements, Jones opened the session for questions. Many students had questions, quite a few regarding Greek life representation. A few leaders and members of different organization voiced concern over a recent dip in Greek life enrollment. They believed that the university could be doing more to promote and market Greek life to incoming students. Jones says she recognizes the importance of fraternities and sororities and will work with the Provost to amend the issue. The recent renovation plans for Coover and New Science were brought
up, but the focus quickly shifted to the ambiguous future of the dilapidated Morgan Hall. When asked if there were plans to restore or upgrade the fading facility, Jones responded with a simple “Yes.” Concerns over the eradication of minors and the removal of Mac computers from the Multimedia Access Center were both addressed as being incorrect miscommunications. Finally, the session ended with a representative of the Theatre department thanking President Jones for her efforts in getting the sound system for the Mainstage in Steele Hall. Jones used the comment to laud praise on the program and advertise for the upcoming holiday production, “The Happy Elf.”
NEWS
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California community enjoys Holly Day By Jessica Crosson, Entertainment Editor CRO8908@calu.edu husky to stuff and bring to life. This feature to Holly Days was one of the most popular, second to Santa Claus himself, as all 100 of the buddies were gone within the first 45 minutes of the event. Along with the Stuff-a-Buddies there were other crafts such as making reindeer food, which you throw out into your yard to attract reindeer on Christmas Eve, free balloon animals, a special movie showing in the Vulcan Theater and other activities spread throughout Natali for the community to enjoy. In the rotunda, Santa Claus himself was stationed in front of the Christmas tree for all the families to take photos and for children to let Santa know what they want
(Above): Blaze tries out Santa Claus’ role at Holly Days. California University of Pennsylvania’s annual Holly Days community event to kick off the official start of the holiday season before the campus closes for winter break was this past Sunday. Holiday cheer was spread all throughout the Natali Student Union providing the community with a variety of free events to enjoy throughout the evening festivities. The Student Activities Board provided community members with Stuff-a-Buddies where kids could choose between a reindeer, snowman, penguin, leopard or
for Christmas. Before the children left Santa one of his helpers delivered a Christmas early gift to them. Outside of the student union there were horse-drawn carriage rides available that took passengers down Third Street and back to the front of the student union. Once families came back inside they could treat themselves to free cookies and hot chocolate to warm back up. With bellies full of treats and a bag full of gifts families were able to head home with very happy children. The entire event only lasted two hours but the memories these families will take with them will last a lifetime. It is always great when the California community and the Cal U campus come together to put on a successful event. (Left): Cal U’s own, Dr. Bob Mehalik, and his family get a quick picture with Santa Claus at Holly Days.
Pictures from Jessica Crosson
CAL LIFE
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S.A.B. presents Happy Holidays event for students By Sam Paar, Staff Writer PAA6512@calu.edu
Happy Holidays was an event held by the Student Activities Board (S.A.B) on Monday, Dec. 4. A handful of students attended, and put their best foot forward in decorating their very own gingerbread house. A few chose to work as a team of two on their houses, while others made the decision to work independently. Some students took their house building very seriously, while others had fun with it and just laughed if things didn’t turn out as planned. S.A.B held this event for California’s de-stress week right before finals. They provided students with sparkling juices and coffee, as well as sugar cookies and festive trail mix. Cheery Christmas music played in the background while students piped frosting and delicately placed gumdrops. “String” made of frosting were decorated with little candies that looked like Christmas lights, and green fondant was used to make doors. The group that ended up placing in first creatively used the fondant to make a wreath. A few others made a tree on the back of their houses. Alyson Matthews said, “I thought that it was a great idea! It was good for socialization on campus, and very inclusive of everybody!” Hope Miller, when asked what she thought about the Happy Holidays event, replied “it was first experience decorating a gingerbread house! I don’t really like gingerbread, but I still had a lot of fun!”
“It was my first experience decorating a gingerbread, but I still had a lot of fun!” — Hope Miller, student
The gingerbread houses came in a box pre-made, so all the students had to do was decorate. Upon opening my own, I had some candy beads, frosting, fondant, and gumdrops. My fiend to my right had peppermints and some candy made to look like lights. After the process of unwrapping everything and getting my frosting into a piping bag, I went to work. I made a stripe on the roof, aligning it with alternating green and red gumdrops. To make the door, rolled the fondant in my hand into a ball and flattened it on the table. I carefully cut out a door using the only supplies I had: my Cal Card. I used frosting as “glue” and placed a little red ball as a doorknob. Not sure of what to do next, I “glued” on from candy sticks to the sides and back, then piped a heart in frosting and outlined it in yellow candy beads. Finally, I made a window out of frosting, and decided to call it quits.
Photo by Miranda Anderson, S.A.B.
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CAL LIFE
Brighton Boys perform at Underground Cafe By Zoe Webster, Staff Writer WEB7801@calu.edu This past Thursday, Brighton Boys performed at Underground Café and blew the crowd away with originals and covers. The Brighton Boys are a pop rock/soul band from New Brighton, Pennsylvania. Known for their inventive covers of hits from the 1950s to the present, members Alex Bobin, Nate Catanzarite, Carl Leitem, and Tyler Marinkovic successfully wow their audiences during every performance. In just under three years, they have gone on to open for sold out shows with Pittsburgh icon, Donnie Iris. The band’s music has also been featured on the Root Sports Pirates Pregame show. Their Freshman EP, “MMXV” released over two years ago, and the band has produced
new music for 2016. In The Beaver County Times, Brighton Boys have been dubbed “Powerful and Charismatic,” and were sure to receive the same reaction from the audience at Underground Café. The hit of the night was reported to be their cover of Stacy’s Mom, originally recorded by Fountains of Wayne. However, the songs from their albums “Love Sentence” and “MMXV” were new to and loved by the audience. A few listeners said the music from the album resembled indie or pop-punk, with a punk rock twist. A quick listen to their albums online confirmed this, and the covers featured on their Youtube page did as well. Underground Café members said they were glad to have the
band, as many of those who attend the weekly performances thoroughly enjoy this genre of music. The club gladly welcomes them back for future performances, hopefully presenting some new releases for the audience and continuing to please the crowd with more covers of past favorites. Besides Cal U, Brighton Boys performed at many other colleges including but not limited to, La Roche College, Penn State GA, and Fairmont State. The band will also be performing at Bar 145 in Maimisburgh, Ohio, on Dec. 23, and again at Bar 145 in Toledo, Ohio on Jan. 10. More information on the band’s upcoming shows can be found on their website at http://www. brightonboysmusic.com/shows.html.
Colin Kirkwood - “DJ Tree”
WCAL is proud to share an interview with one of their newest DJs Colin Kirkwood, aka “DJ Tree,” who was certified mid-November. DJ Tree is a Communication Major with a concentration in both Radio and TV and Public Relations, which is how he became introduced to the radio station. While he listens to rap, especially his favorite artist Eminem, DJ Tree finds himself playing 1980s tunes on his Thursday night show “The Treehouse,” which airs from 10 p.m.-midnight. He also is a contributor to the collaborative show “Locker Room Talk,” with his fellow DJs, Danny Beeck, Steven Ruffing and Dillon Gaudet. From noon to 2 p.m. on Sundays, DJ Tree and his pals discuss the latest sports news and opinions. Be sure to listen to DJ Tree on all his shows and check back in again for our next feature DJ!
CAL LIFE
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Jay Black brings laughs to Funny Freaking Friday By Sam Paar, Staff Writer PAA6512@calu.edu Stressed, tired students made their way to the Vulcan Theater on Dec. 1 to get a well needed laugh from the last Funny Freakin’ Friday of the semester. Jay Black energetically came on stage, informing the audience he was focused and on Adderall. To begin his first joke, he asked if anybody is in early childhood education. He explains that is what is wife is into, and she teaches Kindergarten. “It’s great, it’s a good job. You’re making the world a better place…But she gets Kindergarten voice, and I hear it all the time after sex.” Many laughed at that thought as he talked in an encouraging, feminine voice: “Oh no you did a very good job!” He asks if there are any Irish-Americans in the audience, in which he gets a few responses. “We’ve really got the best Holiday: Saint Patrick’s Day!” A lot of ethnic groups go out of their way to hide their negative stereotypes- we dedicated a day to reinforcing them!” He then asks if there are any Catholics in the room, to which he gets perhaps one or two responses. He jokes that they are tired people because in Catholic churches, it’s sort of like aerobics. “Sit stand kneel sit stand sit kneel!” Black jokes that Father should make a game out of it. “Jesus says sit, Jesus says kneel. Now stand…ooh Billy, Jesus didn’t say stand. You’re going to Hell.” The comedian questions if this is a political campus. “Yeah some of you are Democrats and some of you are Republicans. I can tell by your haircut…But picking a political party is kind of like trying to pick the best Adam Sandler movie.” “Here’s the thing about my act so far guys I think I have made it obvious that I am against terrorism.” The audience met him with mixed responses, varying from a few laughs to people with genuine confusion and concern on their faces. He tells the audience he lost sixty pounds, but not to applaud. He lost weight because he travels a lot. “When you’re overweight, you don’t need a scale to tell you that. You have the eyes of everybody on that Southwest flight to tell you that.” He begins to joke about Cougars, and how he appreciates what they do. He specifies that a woman can’t always be a Cougar, and breaks it down: “Lady,
you’re sixty-nine, you’re a snow leopard. If you’re eighty, you’re a saber tooth.” He explains that when he did this skit in Cleveland when he was approached by a ninety-year-old who was angry with him. She told him he forgot one, took out her teeth, and said triumphantly: “Gummy bear.” Black explains that he was once before a High School English teacher, and made a joke that het met his wife that way: she was a student. Some laughed, and some others made noises of disapproval. He tells the audience that if anybody is going into high school education, they should wait until they’re older until directly after graduation. Twenty-one-year olds are not truly adults, and he was trying to tell kids only a few years younger than himself life advice. He talks about his one-year-old “whoopsie” baby, and how chubby she is: thirty-six pounds! He and his wife like to laugh at her as she walks, because she waddles and rubs her tummy. “She is dense like a sixties ash tray!” When he asked his six-year-old daughter what she would do if two boys were fighting over her, to which he told him she would wait until the two were done fighting over her. Then, she would go home with some random third boy. “I thought women chose to be evil, but now I know you’re born that way.” As the skit went on, about halfway through, he tells the audience he wants them to ask for an encore at the end, and then he’ll do a Q&A. He brings out his ten-year-old son onto the stage instead of him, because his son also wants to be a comedian one day. He explains that his son has a speech impediment, and couldn’t speak until he was about four and a half. “I paid $50,00 to get him to talk, and now I would gladly pay
$100,000 to get him to shut up.” His son nervously told a handful of jokes, trying to make one last improv joke at the end before his dad took the mic: “I think that’s why we practice.” Before his Q&A at the end of the show, he told the audience about a time he was in a much larger college and how they had microphones set up for this segment. He said he could tell the first boy was a nerd much like himself, and the student spoke in a manner that confirmed his suspicion. Before the teen could get his question out, Black remarked, “if you keep talking that way you are going to die a virgin.” Luckily for the California students in attendance, that didn’t happen to anybody. Black expressed that was one of his biggest regrets, especially after the student said he was just going to say he liked Black’s show. Black answered everybody’s questions, said goodnight and directed everybody to his website to end the show.
CAL LIFE
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Concert Review: Knuckle Puck “Shapeshifter” Tour By Rachael McKriger, Editor In Chief KRI6014@calu.edu Home of Mr. Small’s Theater, Millvale, Pennsylvania welcomed the punk rock band Knuckle Puck to their stage on Nov. 14. Knuckle Puck is a five-member band, consisting of Nick Casasanto, Kevin Maida, Ryan Rumchaks, John Siorek and lead singer Joe Taylor. They hail from Chicago, and were formed in 2010. The band was joined by Home Safe and Movements for their Shapeshifter Tour, which is named after their album. Shapeshifter was released on Oct. 13. The album was their second full-length album, with Copacetic being released back in 2015. Homesafe, a band which includes Ryan Rumchaks, Tyler Albertson and Eman Duran, took the stage first, and featured for about 30 minutes. I had never heard of Homesafe before, but enjoyed their set. Homesafe joined the tour for its last six shows, due to the band With Confidence withdrawing after sexual harassment were alleged against one of their band-mates. My friends who attended with me, Abby and Roberto, were a bit disappointed to not see With Confidence take the stage, but Homesafe didn’t disappoint. Their music got the crowd going, and their set was met with applause despite the sudden change of acts. Homesafe will be embarking on their own tour with Life Lessons and Chase Huglin, starting in January. However, they will not be making a stop in Pittsburgh. Movements was the next band to grace the stage, and I have to admit that I was also not familiar with this band. Despite that, I enjoyed their set and even downloaded a few songs right on the spot. It seemed that a lot of the crowd was there for Movements, because as soon as they began they pushed right up to the stage. “Colorblind” was the
song that everyone in the audience seemed to know, as well as “Worst Wishes.” After about 20 minutes, Knuckle Puck hit the stage. This was my sixth time seeing Knuckle Puck, so seeing them was nothing new to me. However, with Shapeshifter only being released in October, it was nice to see a different selection of songs performed. “Gone” and “Fences” were the songs that Knuckle Puck opened their set with. After, Joe Taylor introduced himself and his band mates. They began talking about their tour thus far, and noted that Boston was the loudest city that they played in so far. “So, you guys need to beat Boston tonight,” Taylor said. “We need you guys to get loud!” After performing “But Why Would You Care?” and “Swing,” Knuckle Puck began playing songs from previous releases like “True Contrite” and “Stationary.” Members of the audience began to crowd surf
during these songs, but I wasn’t one of them! I have a mortal fear of crowd surfing, but Abby and Roberto kept insisting that I get going. No way! I was staying put, and away from those ridiculous mosh pits. Yes, I am a punk rock fan that doesn’t like mosh pits. We actually do exist! The band’s first single from Shapeshifter, “Double Helix,” was performed next. After this song, Taylor quieted down the audience and thanked them for their support during the last seven years. “You all are the reason we make music,” Taylor said. After a few more songs from the new album, Taylor and company played a fan favorite - and my personal favorite song “Evergreen.” Popular songs from the EP While I Stay Secluded, like “Bedford Falls” and “Oak Street” were performed next, with Taylor having the crowd sing most of the songs into the microphone. The band then had fans request two songs to perform. The crowd decided that Knuckle Puck were to perform “Gold Rush” and “Give Up.” Lastly, “No Good” and “Untitled” were performed as an encore performance. I’ve seen Knuckle Puck six times, but this would certainly be my second favorite show. I only put it at number two because the opening acts didn’t really blow me away. However, Knuckle Puck put on a fabulous show as always, and it always amazes me how personable the band is with the audience. However, when you’re performing in a small venue like Mr. Small’s Theater, it’s hard not to get personable with the audience. If you’re a punk rock fan and haven’t seen Knuckle Puck, then that needs to change pronto. Knuckle Puck always manages to put on a good show, and the Shapeshifter Tour was no exception.
Albums of the
Week By Eddie Kuntz
CAL LIFE
What If Nothing — By Walk The Moon Walk the Moon took the world by storm with their last album, Talking Is Hard, featuring one of the biggest songs of the past decade, “Shut Up and Dance”, as well as deep cuts that are even better than the single. What If Nothing as a whole feels fairly slow and slightly uncohesive for Walk the Moon especially compared to the songs on Talking Is Hard, but still feels like a Walk the Moon album nonetheless. They also take a step away from being a pop radio band by not focussing on writing short three and a half minute songs with normal and expected structure. From an artistic standpoint, they are doing what’s best for them, but it also may not be what’s best for their long term career and album sales. The album opens strong with “Press Restart”, but takes an odd turn immediately with “Headphones” which has the strangest lyrical content to ever come from the band, making it an extremely odd choice for the second track of the album. Meanwhile “Tiger Teeth” sounds like it comes straight out of the soundtrack for Stranger Things. The two true stand outs of the album are “Kamikaze” and “Lost In the Wild”. “Kamikaze” is a sound that Walk the Moon hasn’t experimented with too much (a bouncy song with a hip-hop vibe stretching into territory similar to Twenty One Pilots). “Lost In the Wild” is easily the best song on this album, similar to “Come Under the Covers” from Talking Is Hard, it’s a perfect closer to leave you with a great summary of What If Nothing as a whole.
Recommended Track: “Lost in the Wild”
Rating: 7.6 out of 10
Vulcan Theater Dec. 9Dec. 16 Natali Student Center
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M-F: 11 a.m., 7 p.m., and 10 p.m.
Movie Marathon Reviews with Jeromy Mackey Adventure in Babysitting is a classic movie that reflects the good aspects of 1980s campiness, but not without the annoyances that come with it. It’s a beloved cult hit for its cheesy performances and outlandish premise, and it was a thoroughly enjoyable film. Don’t look at this film too critically, and you’ll enjoy it as well.
S&S: 4 p.m., 7 p.m., and 10 p.m.
I rate this movie a 75/100.
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CAL LIFE
Toys for Tots drive 2017 at Cal U Photos: Daniel Beeck and Cal U Public Relations — See Daniel’s story on page 3.
CAL LIFE
Cal U’s Community Holly Days Photos: Jessica Crosson
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CAL LIFE
Artist Spotlight: Local Natives By Shalene Hixon, Staff Writer HIX3821@calu.edu Our final spotlight of the semester focuses on the indie rock band Local Natives. The band, comprised of Taylor Rice, Ryan Hahn, Kelcey Ayer, Matt Frazier and Nik Ewing, originated from Orange County, Cal. Ayer, Hahn and Rice attended the same high school and ended up meeting Frazier and former member Andy Hamm after graduating from UCLA. The group moved into a house together in Silver Lake in 2008, where they began working on music. On Nov. 2, 2009, their debut album Gorilla Manor was released in the United Kingdom. Shortly after, on Feb. 16, 2010, it was released in the United States. It debuted in the US Billboard 200 chart and at 4 on the New Artist Chart. The album also received positive reviews by critics, with Metacritic giving it an 80 out of 100. Also in 2009, they played shows at the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas, where they garnered quite a bit of attention from the media. In 2011, they opened for Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros on their European tour. They also played at St. Jerome’s Laneway Festival in Australia. On Mar. 18, 2011, the band announced that Hamm left the band due to unresolved differences. The group moved on, building a new recording studio and working on their second album. Their sophomore album Hummingbird was released on Jan. 29, 2013 to positive reviews. Metacritic gave it a 77 out of 100 and the album reached 12 on the Billboard Top 200. The track “Mt. Washington” was featured in Life Is Strange, a 2015 episodic adventure video game. In Oct. 2013, it was announced that Ewing had become an official member after being their touring bassist since 2012. The band began working on their third album in 2014. They released “Past Lives,” “Villainy,”
“Fountain of Youth” and “Coins” as singles off the album before its full release. On Sept. 9, 2016, Local Natives released Sunlit Youth to again positive reviews. It peaked at 8 on the US Billboard Top Rock Albums chart and at 23 on the US Billboard 200 chart. They also announced the Sunlit Youth Tour, which began on Jul. 16, 2016 and ran until Nov. 22. It took them across North America and Europe, hitting cities such as Chicago, Washington DC, New Orleans, Paris, London, Stockholm, Glasgow and Milan. Their sound has evolved over the years, but Local Natives continues to draw new fans in with their music. Check out their Spotify and iTunes pages, as
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well as their social media sites: Twitter, Facebook and Instagram- @localnatives
Natali, Suite 138 internctr@calu.edu 724-938-1578 www.calu.edu/
CAL LIFE
Page 15 Dec. 08, 2017
Album Review: Taylor Swift’s “Reputation” By Jeromy Mackey, Staff Writer MAC3503@calu.edu Though Taylor Swift’s music and public interaction continue to be polarizing, none should forget to commend her boldness. While her new album “Reputation,” has many, many, many, missteps, it’s a huge leap of courage and originality for an artist who always seems dissatisfied or confused with her own cultural identity. Her biggest mistake with this album was releasing the album’s two weakest tracks, “Look What You Made Me Do,” and “Ready For It,” as singles. It made many of her fans, including myself fear the release of the full album. There are hidden gems on this album like “Don’t Blame Me” and “New Year’s Day” whose impact was marred by the choices for single tracks. The album as a whole is a complex compilation of great, meh, and downright awful, so it is more fair to analyze some of the best (and worst) works. …Ready For It? Unfortunately, we weren’t. The hardcore rap style, along with the obnoxious bass blasts, in the verses destroys what enjoyment could be salvaged by the pretty chorus. The lyrics are simply awful in these verses too. End Game ft. Future and Ed Sheeran This is a track that grew on me. First off, the collaboration with these two artists at the top of their genres was a great artistic decision. Future’s verse is lyrically interesting, and Sheeran’s voice is unsurprisingly a joy to experience. Swift’s verses and bridge at first put me off because it was so different for her, but if you look at this song as an isolated piece, it really is quite good. Don’t Blame Me This is my favorite track from the album, and may be my favorite song Taylor has ever released. Its
catchy, sexy, and an auditory wonderland. Taylor returns to where she is strongest with a love ballad but begins to distinguish herself from her genre with the original cadences and infectious melody. Hopefully Swift sticks to this style and keeps releasing art in this vein of music, for her the sake of her career and the pleasure of our ears. Look What You Made Me Do This song is just bad. From the not it is shallow, hollow, and unpleasant. There’s a glimmer of hope with the harmonized pre-chorus, but honestly, I wish this tease didn’t exist because it makes the contrast of the horrendous chorus even that more jarring. There’s no excuse for this track. Taylor and her producers wanted to be edgy and instead created an absolute mess of a song.
This Is Why Can’t Have Nice Things After a completely forgettable middle, the album nears its end with this catchy song. For me, it’s the track most like Swift’s masterpiece 1989. Its tween bop lacking only the lyrical substance of her former album. It’s a bit repetitive and could’ve used some variety. New Year’s Day Thankfully, the album ends with one of its strongest tracks. It’s the most acoustic sounding song that Taylor has released in years, and it made me realize just how different her style is from even her Red days. Not only is it simply gorgeous, Taylor also addresses a relationship with mature and meaningful lyrics. This is Taylor’s growing up song, and let’s hope she continues this path with her next album.
Page 16 Dec. 08, 2017
CAL LIFE
Star Wars The Last Jedi: Hype and Predictions By Colin Kirkwood, Staff Writer KIR6842@calu.edu Dec. 15 is date that is on the forefront of all fans of the series from a galaxy far, far, away. The Last Jedi promises to be another fantastic installment in the third trilogy of these iconic sci-fi films. Episode 8 is anticipated to be a story that focuses on the back story of how main antagonist, Rey, has been granted Jedi powers. Fan favorites Chewbacca, Finn and Poe Dameron are all returning to grace the silver screen. Another big character who will be taking part in the film is Luke Skywalker. Luke was shown in Episode 7 for around a total of a minute when Rey finally discovered the whereabouts of his secret hideout. She then traveled there with Chewy to learn more of her newly discovered powers. Turning to the darker side of the force, Kylo Ren will also have plenty of screen time after being injured in a lightsaber battle on Starkiller Base. The mysterious character known as Supreme Leader Snoke is hinted to have a more expanded and deeper role. All of these characters are sure to come together to create another smash hit for the box office. With the release of the official trailer, plenty of speculations have been born. In this article I’m going to break down the trailer and dish out my own hot takes on what this next installment could hold. IF YOU DON’T WISH TO HEAR ANY FORM OF SPOILERS, STOP READING HERE. The trailer opens with scenes of the first order including the return of the classic “robot walkers” that first appeared in episode five. Following this are a few back and forth shots of Kylo Ren and
Rey wielding lightsabers. Moving forward into more context Luke Skywalker is shown on his hideout island discussing how he has only seen raw power
like Rey once before. He is also very apprehensive of what she can possibly do with this power. I believe that this film will divulge into the details about Rey and show her becoming twice as powerful as before. Without a doubt I feel that a temptation of the dark side of the force will be thrown her way at some point. She will be strong enough to sway from it, but my next thought may be one of the spiciest takes that has ever been published in this newspaper. Luke will fall victim to the dark side and end up fighting the young Jedi who he had just trained. I have had this concept stuck in my head for months now, and it appears to be a perfect twist. He had previously trained Kylo Ren who chose the dark side with dreams to become as powerful as Darth Vader. Luke realizes what kind of power he has been missing throughout his life and joins forces with his former student and becomes an enemy to the resistance shortly after being rediscovered. This of course has a slim to none chance of happening, but I can’t get over the idea of such a huge plot twist. And we know the series is no stranger to huge swings in plot, so this would just put the cherry on top. Besides that, things should be status quo, with no more surprises in the screenplay. Perhaps you have your own ideas on how the film will transpire? Tweet us your Star Wars predictions on our Twitter page @CalTimes!
OPINION
Page 17 Dec. 08, 2017
California University of Pennsylvania marks its 185th Commencement Dec. 15-16 Longtime MLB Executive Jack Zduriencik, Class of 1974, to address Cal U graduates A former Cal U education major and Hall of Fame catcher who has built a distinguished career in Major League Baseball returns to campus Dec. 15 and 16 as the speaker at California University of Pennsylvania’s 185th Commencement. Jack Zduriencik, Class of 1974, will deliver the Commencement address at separate ceremonies for undergraduate and graduate students. Graduate ceremonies begin at 7 p.m. Dec. 15 in the Convocation Center. Master’s degree candidates are vested in their academic hoods during the ceremony. Undergraduate ceremonies start at 10 a.m.
Dec. 16, also in the Convocation Center. Nearly 600 undergraduates and more than 600 graduate students have been invited to participate in Commencement, although not all will attend. University President Geraldine M. Jones will confer the degrees and personally greet each graduate who walks across the stage. Graduates’ families and friends are welcome to attend. Cal U’s 185th Commencement recognizes students who completed their studies in August and December 2017. Both graduation ceremonies can be viewed live online at www.calu.edu.
About the Speaker Jack Zduriencik, Class of 1974
• After coaching high school teams in Clairton, Pa., and Tarpon Springs, Fla., Zduriencik became a scout for the New York Mets, in 1983. Scouting and front-office roles took him across the country until the New Castle native came back to western Pennsylvania in 1991 as director of scouting for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
• From his early days as a minor league ballplayer to his seven-year stint as general manager for the Seattle Mariners, Jack Zduriencik built a distinguished career in Major League Baseball. Today, Pittsburgh Pirates fans hear Zduriencik’s insightful commentary during the Bucs’ pre- and post-game shows on AT&T Sports and KDKA-FM. • Zduriencik transferred to California State College in 1971 and was a two-year allconference starting catcher and team captain for Vulcans baseball in 1972 and 1973. The Chicago White Sox signed him after his junior year, and he played two seasons of minor league ball before returning to California to finish his degree in education.
• Zduriencik returned to the Mets in 1994 as the organization’s minor league operations director; four years later he was named special assistant to the general manager. He then moved to the Los Angeles Dodgers as director of international scouting and special assistant to the general manager before joining the Milwaukee Brewers in 1999. • In Milwaukee Zduriencik rose to the position of vice president and special assistant to the general manager. In 2007 he was the first non-GM to be named Baseball America’s Executive of the Year, and in 2008 he helped the Brewers make the organization’s first post-season appearance in 26 years.
For more information about Cal U’s Commencement celebration, visit www.calu.edu/events/commencement.
• His next stop was the state of Washington, where, from 2008-2015, Zduriencik served as executive vice president and general manager of baseball operations for the Seattle Mariners. • He has been with AT&T Sports and KDKAFM since 2016. • Zduriencik was inducted into the Lawrence County Sports Hall of Fame in 2009 and the Cal U Athletic Hall of Fame in 2011. He and his wife of 35 years, Debbie, reside in Treesdale, Pa. Their daughter, Kimberly Swendsen, is a nurse practitioner in Pittsburgh.
Page 18 Dec. 08, 2017
OPINION
The AR-15 and its use in Mass-Shootings By James Rudolph, Opinions Editor RUD2588@calu.edu
From the beginning of 2016 to the end of 2017, 183 Americans were killed in mass shootings in the country, while 614 were wounded. While the perpetrators have all varied in ethnicity, age, and gender, there is one familiar face involved in most of these shootings: the AR-15. Taking part in some of the largest mass shootings, AR-15-style rifles gained a lot of attention in the media, and became the example weapon gun-control activists use as a focal point to justify pushing for gun-control legislation. The AR-15 is based on the 7.62 mm AR-10, designed by Eugene Stoner, Robert Fremont, and L. James Sullivan of the Fairchild ArmaLite Corporation. The AR stands for Armalite. It was developed to be a lighter, 5.56 mm of the AR10. In 1959, ArmaLite sold its rights to the AR10 and the AR-15 to Colt. The first sale of AR-15s was made to Malaysia on Sept. 30th, 1959, and Colts first 300 manufactured AR-15s were seen in December of that year. After being marketed to various military services around the world, the AR-15 was adopted by the United States military as a semiautomatic version of the M16. Both of these weapons are nearly identical in appearance, but are internally different. After Colt’s patents expired in 1977, other companies began to copy Colt’s AR-15 rifle design, but the term “AR-15” is a Colt registered trademark, and Colt only uses the term to refer to its line of semi-auto rifles. The original version of the weapon was very lightweight, weighing less than six pounds with an empty clip. For civilian models, the AR-15 is sold as a semi-automatic weapon, and designated as a sporting rifle and a self-defense weapon for home security. As a platform, and not an individual rifle, the AR-15 runs an average from $600-$2,500. One with military specs costs
around $1,200. According to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the manufacture of the rifle doubled in the past decade to nearly 3.7 million rifles in 2015. The National Rifle Association estimates Americans own more than 8 million AR-15s, designating it the most popular rifle in America. According to the NRA, Americans choose the AR-15 for its customization, accuracy, and reliability. In addition, the multiple components someone can add to the AR-15 provides the ability to personalize your weapon. That level of customization has been one of the major points that gun-control activists use against the sale and distribution of the rifle. Twelve of the rifles the Las Vegas Shooter was equipped with were modified with a “Bump Stock,” an attachment allowing semiauto fire to fire fast, emulating full-auto fire. It replaces the standard stock, held against the shoulder, and frees the weapon to slide back and forth rapidly. Using the energy from the kickback, the stock “bumps” back and forth between the shoulder and the trigger finger, causing rapid fire, while the shooter holds their finger in place and maintains forward pressure on the barrel and backward pressure on the grip. However, in the wake of the Las Vegas shooting, the NRA is in favor of passing legislation restricting the sales of bump stocks. Research conducted by the Stanford Geospatial Center and Stanford Libraries and USA TODAY showed 12 different shootings in the US in the past 35 years that involved AR-15 style rifles, 7 of which took place between 201517. In 1984, Tyrone Mitchell used an AR-15, along with other weapons, in the shooting at the 49th Street Elementary School in Los Angeles. In 2007, Tyler Peterson used an AR-15
to kill six people in Crandon, Wis. James Eagan Holmes used an AR-15 style .223-caliber Smith and Wesson rifle with a 100-round magazine in the Aurora, Colorado shooting in 2012. The Sandy Hook elementary shooter, Adam Lanza, in 2012 used an AR-15 style, .223-caliber Bushmaster to kill his mother, 20 students, and 6 teachers. In 2013, John Zawahri used an AR-15 in the shooting in Santa Monica, Calif. In 2015, Justin Fowler used an AR-15 a shooting in Little Water; N.M. Jeffery Scott Pitts used an AR-15 at a shooting at a store in Conyers, Ga. In Colorado Springs, in 2015, Noah Jacob Harpham used an AR-15, along with other weapons, to kill three on a street. The San Bernardino shooters, Syed Rizwyan Farook and Tashfeen Malik, used two AR-15style .223 Remington rifles, along with other weapons, to kill 14 and injure 21 people in 2015. Omar Mateen used an AR-15 style, Sig Sauer MXC rifle, along with a 9mm Glock pistol, to kill 49 people and injure 50 at “Pulse” nightclub in Orlando in 2016. Stephen Paddock, as part of his stockpile of weapons in his hotel room, used an AR-15 to kill 58 people and injure hundreds at a music festival in Las Vegas in 2017. A little over a month later, Devin Kelley used an AR-15 style Ruger rifle to kill 26 people at a Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas. Regardless of the perpetrators’ goals, mindset or agendas, the AR-15 will perform its function to the full effect. To me, it’s the ready availability of these weapons that concerns me. I support the Second Amendment as a right to be shared by Americans. However, the lack of real regulation by gun-store proprietors and gun-show organizers harms the integrity of weaponsregulation Its not theAR-15’s fault specifically, but the fault of those who enforce firearm regulation. country.
OPINION
The AirForce Fails to Report
Page 19 Dec. 08, 2017
By James Rudolph, Opinions Editor RUD2588@calu.edu Claryce Holcombe filed a wrongful death claim against the Air Force over the death of her son, Bryan Holcomb. He is one of eight of Claryce Holcombe’s family members who were killed by Devin Kelley, in Sutherland Springs, Tex.; on Nov. 5. Her claim states the death of her son was caused by institutional failures of the Pentagon and the Air Force. She claims they “negligently and recklessly failed to report pertinent criminal arrest, conviction and military discharge information.” On Nov. 6, the Air Force disclosed that it failed to report the domestic violence conviction of Kelley. He pleaded guilty at a 2012 court-martial for assaulting his wife at the time, and for fracturing his stepson’s skull. The officials at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico failed to report the results of Mr. Kelly’s court-martial to the federal background database. According to federal law, a court-martial conviction should have prevented him from purchasing firearms at the store he purchased the rifle used in the attack. Following the Air Force’s disclosure, it began an internal investigation into how many other serious incidents had not been reported. On Nov. 28, officials from the Air Force said that dozens of Air Force service members that were convicted or charged with serious crimes were never reported to the federal gun background-check database, as is required by law. Officials say they only examined a portion of the cases, but cases were already beginning to surface. There have been around 60,000 incidents in the Air Force since 2002 that should have potentially been reported to the federal background-check database, but Air Force officials were unable to say how many of the cases they have gone through. Air Force officials also said they are waiting to assess whether or not to take any punitive action against personnel who failed to report Kelley’s conviction. The Air Force review is only one part of an investigation into the background-check reporting process being conducted by the military and the Justice Department. On Nov. 22, Attorney General Jeff Sessions ordered
a federal review of the background-check database by the F.B.I and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives to ensure proper procedures were being followed by the military and other federal agencies. “The National Instant Criminal Background Check System is critical for us to be able to keep guns out of the hands of those prohibited from owning them,” Sessions said. “The recent shooting in Sutherland Spring, Texas, revealed that relevant information may not be getting reported to the N.I.C.S – this is alarming and unacceptable.” Army chief of staff Gen. Mark Milley said he believes there are a significant number of omissions of soldiers’ records that should have been sent to the federal database. The inspector general of the Pentagon is examining the handling of Kelley’s court-martial conviction records and placing procedures to ensure cases from other branches are registered in the database. Air Force officials say they are fixing the problems that prevented Kelley’s conviction from being reported, and continue to register any previously unreported cases to the federal database as they discover them. The new
directive includes a requirement that personnel at the Air Force Office of Special Investigations must confirm reported cases to the federal database with either a printout or a screenshot from the database. In a statement, the Air Force said, “The error in the Kelley case was not an isolated incident and similar reporting lapses occurred at other locations. Although policies and procedures requiring reporting were in place, training and compliance measures were lacking.” Our failures in gun-control results from the failures of those in charge of regulation. These procedures are set in place to protect, not hinder the rights of an individual. It falls on people doing their jobs properly, regardless of whatever reason or excuse someone has in not doing their job.
The United States Air Force Academy Cadet Chapel. Cour tesy of Wik imedia Commons.
Page 20 Dec. 08, 2017
OPINION
Tweeting Bigotry From Across the Pond By James Rudolph, Opinions Editor RUD2588@calu.edu Over the course of his presidency, President Trump has used Twitter to spread his ideas and political agendas. However, not all his information has been accurate. On Nov 24, Trump tweeted that he “passed up” on being Time’s “Man of the Year,” but time doesn’t comment on its candidate for the award until Dec. 6th. Why the President tweeted this is unknown. On Nov. 29, Trump retweeted three inflammatory videos from a British far-right Twitter account filled with anti-Muslim content. Two of the videos contain alleged Muslims assaulting people, while one video contains an individual smashing a statue of the Virgin Mary. The videos were originally posted by Jayda Fransen, deputy leader of the Britain First political group. Britain First has been called a far-right and ultranationalist group. This is part of Trump’s effort to use the Muslim immigration into Europe as an example to why immigration is a threat to American security. He often sides and Tweets with those whose political ideology matches his, regardless of sources. Trumps re-tweet of the videos were met with outrage by both citizens in the U.K and the British government. Fransen, joining in with the celebration of Trump’s nearly 44 million followers, Tweeted, “GOD BLESS YOU TRUMP.” White House press secretary Sarah Sanders defended the president’s retweets. She downplayed and decline to comment when reporters asked questions about the videos authenticity. “This is what the President is talking about, that is what the President is focused on,” Sanders said, “is dealing with those real threats, and those are real no matter how you look at it.” In one of the videos, from the Netherlands, an alleged Muslim migrant attacks a boy in crutches. The Dutch attorney general handled the incident, which occurred in May and found the suspect was born and raised in the Netherlands. However, no comment was given on his religion, which is against policy to release. Sanders, who originally shared the videos, was found guilty of harassment in November of 2016 for abusing a Muslim woman wearing a hijab while with
her four children. She was also charged with using threatening, abusive, or insulting words or behavior during a speech she gave in Belfast. She is set to appear in court in Belfast on Dec. 4. A spokesperson for Prime Minister Theresa May publicly condemned the Tweets, saying he was wrong to share Britain First’s videos, and that Britain First seeks to divide communities and families. A senior member of May’s conservative government, Communities secretary Sajid Javid, said Trump endorsed “the views of a vile, hate-filled racist organization that hates me and people like me.” The leader of the UK opposition Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, called the retweets “abhorrent, dangerous and a threat to our society.” Labour lawmaker David Lammy said the President was “not welcome in my country and my city.” James Clapper, the former Director of National Intelligence, said he found the tweets “bizarre and disturbing.” Supporting Trump was former Grand Wizard of the Klu Klux Klan, David Duke, who Tweeted, “Thank God for Trump! That’s why we love him!” Following the retweets, Trump has continued to
call upon stronger border restrictions and a stricter travel ban. During his candidacy, he has called on the full ban of all Muslims entering the U.S. He has continuously cited Muslim immigration to Europe, and has attacked European leaders for trying to hide their “Muslim problem.” He has been particularly critical of German Chancellor Angela Merkel for her handling of Muslim immigrants. In my eyes, any point you make can be valid if the proper evidence is given. Freedom of speech protects your message, but your message is worthless without the proper evidence to back your ideas. The threat of radical Islam is very real, but not every single Muslim around the world can be held accountable for the actions of others. That thinking is counter-intuitive for any form of progress to be made of peaceful, international relations.
Jayda Fransen arriving at London’s Magistrates Court with Britain First leader Paul Golding. Courtesy of Google Images.
OPINION
Page 21 Dec. 08, 2017
NWSL’s growing pain shown through FCKC By Rachael McKriger, Editor In Chief KRI6014@calu.edu Despite multiple notable players joining the league, a TV network broadcasting their games or the on-the-field success of athletes, the National Women’s Soccer League has a huge problem. Money. Money is the root of most problems, is it not? The NWSL is learning that the hard way. Last year, after a championship win, the Western New York Flash ceased operations as a professional soccer league. They still have their academy intact, but their pro game for the women was gone. The team moved down to North Carolina, to become the North Carolina Courage. The team had immense success in 2017, making it all the way to the NWSL championship game. The Courage eventually fell to the Portland Thorns FC, but owner Stephen Malik established North Carolina as a popular venue for the women’s game. Another venue of popularity, so it seemed, was Kansas City. Home of FC Kansas City, the “Blues” won two NWSL championship titles in 2014 and 2015. During those years, the Blues had an average attendance of 2,018 fans in 2014 and 3,091 in 2015 at Swope Soccer Village. During the recent 2017 season, where FC Kansas City did not qualify for the playoffs, the average attendance was only a meager 1,788 fans. Before the season, the team took new ownership as well, with Elam Baer buying the club. However, Baer never put any real effort to bring fans back to FC Kansas City matches. In addition, the club was operating at a league minimum, paying their players under the NWSL set minimum of $15,000. Despite having talented players on the roster like Becky Sauerbrunn, Sydney Leroux, Shea
Photo of FC Kansas City cour tesy of Steve D ykes/Getty Images. Groom and Nicole Barnhart, just to name a few, the Blues never got the attention they needed. It also didn’t help that they weren’t aligned in any way with Sporting Kansas City, the city’s Major League Soccer club. Despite sharing a stadium with the Swope Park Rangers of the United Soccer League, there was no affiliation in that direction either. The popularity of women’s soccer drastically decreased, but the popularity of the men’s team grew. While FC Kansas City could barely house 2,000 fans at Swope Park Village, 19,537 fans filled the seats of Children’s Mercy Park. There’s no doubt that the popularity of women’s soccer is rising in the United States. The NWSL has a television agreement with Lifetime TV on A+E Networks — it’s no ESPN, but it’s a start — and popular players arriving to the
league are bringing attendance up. However, when teams are shutting down, there’s a real problem. FC Kansas City had a lot of issues, yes, and their owner never put in real effort to make it work. But a lot of it comes back to the fans, as well. What are we doing to promote the NWSL? Are we just supporting the women’s international game, or are we carrying all that momentum over to the domestic league? A huge year for women’s soccer will be 2019, the year of the FIFA Women’s World Cup, which will be held in France. There will be loads of momentum before and during this tournament. As fans of the beautiful game, it’s our job to carry that over to the NWSL so we don’t have more teams suffer the same fate like FC Kansas City and the Western New York Flash.
SPORTS
Page 22 Dec. 08, 2017
Parsons prepared to lead the Vulcans By Rachael McKriger, Editor In Chief KRI6014@calu.edu Shatara Parsons knew immediately that California University of Pennsylvania was the right school for her. According to the four-year senior, she didn’t choose Cal U, but “Cal U chose me.” Back at Central Dauphin High School, Jessica Strom and Katie Tetzlaw contacted her, yet her goal was to go play at a Division I school. However, her plans soon changed. “One day, I told my mom I wanted to go to Cal U,” Parsons said. “I don’t know why, but it was the best decision I ever made.” Four years later, Parsons is a leader on the team, on and off the court. In fact, Parsons just reached her 1,000th point as a Vulcan against Bloomsburg University. Along with Seairra Barrett, Parsons is one of two seniors. However, with Barrett out with an injury, Parsons has stepped up to the plate. In regards to Barrett’s injury, Parsons said this is the first time since joining the Vulcans that she had to feature on the court without her. “It’s very challenging to say the least,” Parsons said. “She’s the ying to my yang. We play amazing together. But it’s helping me become a better leader on and off the court. Being the only senior and having to be the best I can be every day for [my teammates], is a challenge that I love. I learn new things about myself. My teammates and coaches have no idea how much the impact my life.” The Vulcans have a new look this year, with many starters from last season gone, due to graduation or injury. A big task for the Vulcans coaching staff was finding a replacement playmaker for Miki Glenn, Cal U’s All-American point guard, who graduated last spring. Parsons said that junior Natalia Casals has stepped up to the plate, noting that every practice she’s learning and getting better. “Losing Miki in the first round of PSAC playoffs was one of the worst and best thing that
happened to us,” Parsons said. “It allowed our younger guards that I now play with to have experience. They had some of the best experience that prepared them for the season.” “Without Miki our younger players stepped up and we made it all the way to the PSAC championship and the Regional championship. It was hard, but we did it.” This season, Parsons’ goal is to leave everything she has on the court, personally. Her team goal is for her and her teammates to be “the best we can be, work hard, play hard and the blessings will follow.” “We are very young this year and have a lot of new people,” Parsons explained. “Being the only player with true experience is very complicated. But, we are getting it done. We are slowly but surely getting there, and the best is yet to come. I’m excited to see our growth throughout the season.” So far this season, the Vulcans have a winning record of 5-1, with their lone loss coming against Ohio Dominican University on Nov. 29. The Vulcans’ next three contests are all PSAC match ups, with the Vulcans traveling to face Bloomsburg, East Stroudsburg and Shippensburg. Parsons has faith in her team, and her coaching staff whom she is close with. She counts Coach Strom as one of her biggest supporters. “She has taught me so much about myself and life,” Parsons said. “If I need anything or anyone I know I can call her or text her at any time of the day or night! I consider my coaches family. Our relationship is like no other!” The same attitude goes toward her teammates, as well. “I love my girls and my girls love me!” Parsons said. “With every relationship you go through your ups and downs. But, at the end of the day
it’s all love. They know I will go above and beyond for them whether it’s on the court or it’s off the court. The new players are awesome! I love all of them. They always put a smile on my face.” Vulcans fans can catch Parsons and the Vulcans when they return home after their Eastern Pennsylvania swing on Dec. 17 against District of Colombia University. The game will be held at the Hamer Hall court, beginning at 1 p.m.
Photo by Jeff Helsel, SAI
SPORTS
Page 23 Dec. 08, 2017
NBA quarter season check-in By Colin Kirkwood, Staff Writer KIR6842@calu.edu
The Philadelphia 76ers continue to grow and make strides with the young roster that the team is currently fielding. Even without first year and number one overall draft pick Markelle Fultz who is rehabbing a shoulder problem, the sixers are slowly once again learning what it feels like to win basketball games. However, this marvelous transition is no accident. The process is beginning to bear the promised fruits as the wait is beginning to come to a close. One of the biggest factors in the success is the combination of two of the leagues brightest young stars, Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons. The two standouts are the sparkplug that the organization was hoping for on both days of their respective drafts. Both are averaging a combined total of 41 points a game as well as 10 assists that goes towards the third highest passing offense to date behind only the Warriors and Pelicans and the eighth highest scoring offense. But all the credit doesn’t belong to just those two. Undrafted sensation Robert Covington is quietly making a name for himself. After signing a four year, $62 million extension
a few weeks ago, Covington without a doubt has earned it. Adding an average of 15 points a game while shooting a crisp 42 percent from three-point land, “RoCo” is becoming integral. Taking a look at the quarter mark record, the club currently sits at 13-9. That record is good enough for fifth in the conference. Some of those 13 wins
come against the bigger dogs of the league that could be considered statements. One in particular that stands out would be a 115-107 victory over the western conference leading Houston Rockets on the road. Granted Chris Paul didn’t play on the Oct. 30 matchup, securing a win over one of the western conference’s top talents isn’t something to bat an eye at. This wasn’t the only statement win that has been recorded. Two wins against the seventh seeded Utah Jazz as well as the one against the fourth seeded Portland Trail Blazers. So, it has been proven that the team can hang with some of the big dogs in the league. But the schedule doesn’t do them any favors coming up. Following a home contest with Lonzo Ball and the Lakers, the team hits the road for three straight matchups against the Cavaliers, Pelicans and Timberwolves and a home game against the Thunder who are all playoff contenders. The next stretch without a doubt will help in clearing up if these young sixers are pretenders or contenders.
Photo by Al Bello, Getty Images
4th Down “Picks Under Pressure” NFL
Game
NBA
Winner
Game
Winner
Vikings vs Panthers
Vikings
Pistons vs Warriors
Pistons
Saints vs Falcons
Saints
Cavaliers vs Pacers
Cavs
Eagles vs Rams
Eagles
Spurs vs Suns
Suns
Steelers vs Ravens
Steelers
Celtics vs Pistons
Celtics
You can play along with the Sports Editor by emailing BEE1558@calu. edu and your picks might appear on the next weeks issue. Stay tuned and tweet @caltimes with your responses to my picks!
Page 24 Dec. 08, 2017
Cal Times
SPORTS
At h l e t e S p ot l i g h t Danielle
de
perrot
Class: Junior
Major: Biology (Pre-Med) Hometown: Lititz, Pa.
High School: Warwick Danielle de Perrot etched her spot in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Championships in the 200 backstroke this past weekend, helping the Vulcans earn two victories against Davis & Elkins and Fairmont State. She also helped to register a win in the 200 Medley.
From our family to yours, be safe,
Photo: Sports Information
Have fun and eat lots of goodies!