The O'Colly, Monday, September 25, 2023.

Monday, September 25, 2023

OSU-Tulsa signs partnership with U.S. Army

New conformable fuel tanks are on their way.

The partnership between Oklahoma State University-Tulsa’s Next Generation Materials Lab and Infinite Composites Inc. signed a $1.6 million contract with the U.S Army to develop

conformable fuel tanks for future hydrogen-powered vehicles.

The small business innovative research direct to Phase II contract ensures the partnership will develop a conformable hydrogen tank that meets strict requirements set by the U.S. Army. The conformable tanks will allow for more efficient storage and usage capabilities.

Instead of fossil fuels, hydrogen

has become an alternate fuel source for military and commercial vehicles. The Department of Defense has created several initiatives to increase funding for hydrogen technology advancements.

The proposal submitted from Infinite Composites, Inc. was selected by the U.S Army due to the company’s focus on improving the storage technologies for hydrogen fuel.

Dr. Ranji Vaidyanathan, head of

the Next Generation Materials Lab at OSU-Tulsa, said they are developing new tanks to be more efficient.

“At present, cylindrical or spherical metallic tanks are the most commonly used storage containers for hydrogen,” Vaidyanathan said. “However, those types of tanks are not as efficient in their use of space and also tend to be very heavy, which is not ideal for use in vehicles like aircraft.”

See U.S. Army on 6

Jewish tradition’s holiest day begins at sunset Sunday

At sunset Sunday, the holiest time in the Jewish tradition begins, marking a day of deep introspection, fasting, repentance and, ultimately, atonement.

Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement, continues until nightfall Monday and is the culmination of a 10-day period known as the Days of Awe or High Holidays, which began with Rosh Hashana — the Jewish New Year — on Sept. 15.

As they participate in the solemn holiday that takes a sobering look at death, Jews will traditionally dress in all white while abiding by various prohibitions, including fasting from food and water and refraining from wearing leather, anointing themselves and bathing.

Rabbi Daniel Swartz of Temple Hesed in Scranton considers Yom Kippur to be an “extended neardeath experience.”

“The things that we refrain from are really the things that you need to do to have your regular life and to sustain your life,” Swartz said.

beginning with people recognizing they did something wrong. Then, depending on whether they wronged God or another person, they are supposed to apologize, unless doing so would hurt the other person, Swartz said. Third is a resolution to do better and act differently in the future, he said. The final step is to then act on that resolution, Swartz said.

“You can’t obviously do the fourth one during Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur because you don’t have enough data points, but you can do those first three,” he said.

“Then the hard work is, after Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur end, to then say, ‘OK, well, let’s put these into action. How do I keep doing that?’” Yom Kippur is a hyperfocus on introspection, said Rabbi Eric Mollo of Temple B’nai B’rith in Kingston.”You’re trying to cram all this reflection into one really intense 24-hour period,” he said.

Audience members were captivated during the first of three performances by the New York Philharmonic this weekend.

New York Philharmonic brings the house down

Kennedy Thomason News & Lifestyle Editor

Grandiose crescendos and enchanting melodies captivated hundreds of audience members on Friday night.

The New York Philharmonic played its first of three performances as a part of their partnership with OSU. Friday’s performance, the Bright Night Gala Concert, featured the “Concerto for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 14” by Barber and the “Third

Symphony” by Copland.

Bentley Bowman, a violin student, said the philharmonic’s performance presence was mesmerizing.

“It’s like they’re just one big instrument, and that’s always the goal, but their bows move at the same time, in the same spot, in the same angle,” Bowman said. “It’s awesome.”

The New York Philharmonic has a residency partnership with OSU, meaning the philharmonic visits OSU once a year to perform and teach masterclasses to students. As a part of their visit to Stillwater, the group also

performs a concert for fine arts students at Stillwater Public Schools.

Thursday through Sunday the New York Philharmonic taught various specialized masterclasses for OSU students.

Corianna Houng, a violin performance and music education major, was one of the select students chosen to play in the violin masterclass.

“I actually played at the one last night with Frank Huang,” Houng said. “It was amazing. Just (a) really fun and educational experience, as well as (a) performance opportunity.”

“For a day, we pretend that we’re dead, that we don’t need those things.” They intimately face death, asking, “If I died right now, what would my life come to?” Swartz said.

If the answer isn’t satisfying, it is supposed to be a motivator for change, he said.

“That doesn’t make it one of the fun holidays, but it makes it a really important holiday,” Swartz said.

To actually atone, Swartz broke the process into four steps,

“It’s 24 hours of just an intense time to repent, to pray, to reflect, to really dig deep into those things within ourselves that we need to work on the most and to challenge ourselves to move forward in the best possible way.”

Mollo said that Jews ask themselves, “If it was our time, right now, would we be judged as one of the righteous? Would we have done enough in life?”

“That’s a really tough question to grapple with, but that’s what we do for 24 hours,” he said.

“That’s why it’s so intense.”

Kennedy Thomason

Lauren King Staff Reporter

Frank Wilkes Lesnefsky The Citizens’ Voice

sports

Expectations were set not long ago. Can OSU live up to them after another mistake-filled loss?

Gabriel Trevino Columnist

AMES, Iowa — Halfway through the third quarter, Iowa State fans reigned jeers as their team settled to punt. It wasn’t because it was a culmination of several drives where the Cyclones offense didn’t score (as they had in their two prior losses to Iowa and Ohio, where they scored a combined 20 points). Iowa State was leading Oklahoma State by two possessions.

OSU lost to a team whose fans booed them off the field while it held a double-digit lead. The final score makes the game appear closer than it was after a late OSU touchdown, as Iowa State beat the Cowboys 34-27 in Jack Trice Stadium.

It was the most points the Cyclones have scored since Sept. 17, 2022, vs Ohio (43). This loss a week after South Alabama walked into Stillwater and dismantled the Cowboys in all three facets of the game. At face value, it shouldn’t be much to worry about as OSU has started seasons poor before. The Cowboys began 2-2 in 2016. They were at .500 entering the bye week in 2018 and lost the first game of conference play in 2019, but it’s the way in which OSU has lost that’s more than concerning.

OSU coach Mike Gundy didn’t name a full-time starting quarterback for three weeks, then when he chose Alan Bowman for Saturday’s game, the sixth-year quarterback struggled to complete 52% of his passes and looked panicked at times. After the game, Gundy declined to comment when he decided to tell Bowman he was “the guy.” Gundy also did not give an answer on if Bowman would be the indefinite starter. Running the ball hasn’t worked much better. The Cowboys’ 22 points per game may be the worst in the Big 12 after this weekend.

The defense, which looked strong in its first two games, have allowed teams to run them over or throw it over their heads since. Oh, and OSU is still yet to play the No. 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10 and 12 offenses in the Big 12 (entering Saturday) after allowing 34 points and 422 yards to the worst offense in the conference.

Where do they go from here?

There were improvements made, such as in the run defense and pass protection, but if it takes weeks for OSU to improve in a level of the game, how many losses will it be until the team is complete?

OSU is 3-7 since the infamous Kansas State loss last season

and is averaging just 17 points per game. If there have been problems needing to be fixed, I think they would have by now.

To put simply as to why, OSU is a much different team than in other years.

Think of it this way:

20 months ago Gundy stood on the winning stage of the Fiesta Bowl and declared OSU was among the best in college football. While that was true at the time, it isn’t now. Just as it was true that OSU was scoring

more than 50 points a game per season in the early 2010s or when its defense would allow less than 20 two years ago — OSU in 2023 is neither a great offense or defense.

Welcome to the modern age.

The transfer portal has changed everything. The Cowboys have too many players on their team who came from other schools where they didn’t do much. Now they’re expected to become All-Big 12 play-

ers after one offseason. OSU doesn’t have a Justin Blackmon or Brandon Weeden or Malcom Rodriguez or Jim Knowles. It has who it has now, not what they could be.

Gundy set the bar after the 2021 season and has yet to live up to it since.

Whatever the reason for it, it will be answered on its own as the season goes along.

Whether OSU rebounds, like it has in recent years, or if it tumbles to the end of the

season, it won’t be soon before long that the result and nexus is revealed. Is this it? Cowboys players, coaches and fans still remember the taste of glory from not even two years ago. Things have changed, so get used to it. Because no matter where OSU goes from here, it’ll be another change. And after another loss to a team it normally would beat, changes are necessary.

Column

Ethan Scott

Explosive passes, ‘mental busts’ doomed Cowboys in loss at Iowa State

defense, handing the Cowboys a 34-27 loss.

AMES, Iowa – The first breakdown was a big one.

On 4th-and-3 from the OSU 38-yard line, Iowa State receiver Jaylin Noel slipped through the Cowboy secondary without anybody picking him up in coverage. Instead of getting the ball back with an early touchdown lead, OSU gave up a 38-yard touchdown pass to Noel to tie the game.

“It was just a mental bust,” said defensive coordinator Bryan Nardo. “It wasn’t anything crazy.”

Iowa State entered the game ranked 108th in passing offense, but the Cyclones dominated the OSU pass

“Too many explosive passes,” Nardo said. “That really what it comes down to, is explosive plays. It’s just something we have to continue to eliminate.”

True freshman quarterback Rocco Brecht had totals of 233, 203 and 113 passing yards through three games, but the Cyclones had no problem throwing the ball Saturday. ISU exploited the OSU pass defense for 348 yards and three touchdowns off 27-for-38 passing from Brecht.

Brecht’s total is the second-most passing yards by a Cyclone quarterback since November 2019. ISU completed seven passes of longer than 20 yards, and 17 times it picked up at least 10 yards through the air.

“We’ve got to clean that part up,” Gundy said. “We want to do the best we can to make them work hard to earn scores.”

Some of the easy gains came from mishaps. Cornerbacks Cameron Epps and D.J. McKinney each slipped in coverage and gave up touchdowns of more than 25 yards. Others came from miscommunications in coverage.

But the Cyclones’ ability to consistently convert through the air was what was alarming, and for linebacker Nick Martin, frustrating.

“A little bit of disappointment because we lost the game, a little bit of frustration because we’re giving up things that we’ve been covering in practice,” Martin said. “I think it goes back to the mental game and letting the moment get too big.”

The Cyclones weren’t spectacular on third downs, but when they were, it was through the air. ISU went 6-for-17 on third down, and each conversion was with a pass.

“It just felt like we gave up too many third downs,” Gundy said. “We needed just a couple more stops.”

The breakdowns in coverage happened a week ago against South Alabama, then again Saturday. Nardo and Martin both said the issues are fixable. Communication, not skill or learning a new system.

“There was never a moment where we actually got beat by somebody, but it was us busting the coverage and beating ourselves,” Martin said. “We’ve just got to be more mentally prepared for situations like this and make sure that we don’t feel this feeling again.”

sports.ed@ocolly.com

Iowa State quarterback Rocco Brecht carved up the Cowboy defense for 348 yards and three touchdowns through the air.

Braden Bush Sports Editor

3 takeaways

OSU’s Big 12 opener loss against Iowa State

Ashton Slaughter Sports Assistant Editor

OSU failed to get back on track against Iowa State in its Big 12 opener.

After a blowout loss to South Alabama to cap nonconference play, the Cowboys’ game in Ames was seen as a pivotal game for the rest of their season, with opponents such as Kansas State, Oklahoma and UCF still on the schedule.

Unfortunately for OSU fans, Saturday’s game didn’t answer all their questions, even raising some along the way. However, there are still some key things to take from OSU’s 34-27 loss to the Cyclones, so here are three key takeaways.

Alan Bowman is the guy... for now

He may not be the definitive “guy” moving forward, but he was the guy on Saturday.

Although OSU coach Mike Gundy failed to expound on whether Alan Bowman would be the QB1 moving forward postgame, he did decide to end the quarterback battle for one game, concluding (for now) the three-quarterback rotation from the first three games. In Bowman’s third start (and first start where he played a full game rather than a third), he went 23-48 for 278 yards, with three touchdowns (two passing, one rushing) and two interceptions.

Overall, not bad. Not great, though. Despite Bowman being known for being a gunslinger at Texas Tech early in his career, the Cowboy offense isn’t looking for him to throw the ball 48 times, but establish

ing the run has continued to be a problem for the Cowboys.

Chunk plays galore

Oklahoma State allowed Iowa State’s offense — the same offense that scored seven points against Ohio the week prior — to have six passing plays longer than 20 yards and one rushing play longer than 20 yards.

These plays are considered “chunk plays,” and even if you look at the number of

times the Cyclones’ gained 10-19 yards on a play, the OSU defense allowed nine of those (eight through the air, one on the ground).

ISU drives that included at least one chunk play resulted in 21 of its 34 points.

Chunk plays equal points, and this showed on Saturday, with busted coverages and play designs getting the best of the Cowboy defense.

Committee of Cowboys

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TERMS: Cash, check, VISA/MC/Discover/ on day of sale. There is a 3% convenience fee to use a credit/debit card. Driver’s license required to register. Oklahoma Tax Comm. requires a copy of tax exempt certificate for exempt purchases. All items sell as is with no warranty. Descriptions are accurate to best of knowledge. Announcements made day of sale will supersede all other advertising. Seller or Auction Co. not responsible for accidents. Purchaser acknowledges that items purchased could be subject to United States laws and regulations, including those that relate to the export of items subject to export controls under the Export Administration Regulations, 15 CFR 730-774, and/or sanctions administered by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Controls. Purchaser agrees that it is Purchasers responsibility to comply with any applicable laws or regulations regarding the export of the item(s).

getting touches

There may not be a Tylan Wallace or Justin Blackmon on this year’s OSU team, but the committee of receivers and backs is a talented enough group despite not having a WR1.

In all of OSU’s games, at least eight Cowboys have recorded a catch — eight catches three times (Arizona State, South Alabama and Iowa State) and nine catches once (Central

Arkansas).

Sure, there may not be “the guy,” but De’Zhaun Stribling, Brennan Presley (who has yet to have a standout game this season), Jaden Bray and Jaden Nixon-Ollie Gordon II out of the backfield are all favorable enough pass catchers. Although the quarterback may not be a constant, the constant of the passing game this season has been the love being spread amongst the Cowboys.

sports.ed@ocolly.com

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Main

Ethan Scott

Rashod Owens (left) was one of the eight Cowboys that caught a pass from Alan Bowman (right) Saturday. In OSU’s four games this season, at least eight players have caught a pass.

Philharmonic...

ic since 2018.

Neil Gilpin, an OSU alumnus, said while he does not know much about music, the performance was amazing nonetheless.

do it without having a single mistake is amazing. That, and how that many people playing together can play together is amazing to me.”

Amazement was the consensus of many attendees.

The series of performances is the last for conductor Jaap van Zweden, who has led the New York Philharmon-

“Obviously, the main thing you notice is how in sync everything is,” Gilpin said. “There’s not one person that is a hair off. Just the way that they

The performance concluded with minutes-long applause and the playing of OSU’s alma mater. Audience members wrapped their arms around each other, swaying as they sang.

Bowman said she enjoys the residency partnership and the chance to watch and learn from top-notch musicians every year.

For Bowman, the annual visit is the event of the fall semester.

“It’s like homecoming,” she said.

Continued from 1 sports.ed@ocolly.com

Kennedy Thomason

The New York Philharmonic has a three year residency partnership with OSU that brings them to Stillwater to perform and teach masterclasses.

U.S. Army...

Continued from 1

The team has worked previously on conformable tanks for compressed natural gas applications. They developed an octagonal tank that was lightweight, durable and able to be stacked on top of another. The CNG tanks will need to be refined from the initial starting point in order to tackle storage problems.

The team has been tasked with making the production method scalable and to be able to say with certainty that the tanks will serve an agreed upon lifespan.

Matt Villarreal, CEO and cofounder of Infinite Composites, said the tanks are utilizing the latest technology.

“These tanks will be manufactured using 90% additive manufacturing processes and are designed to be lightweight, using noncylindrical geometries, making them easier to transport and use in a variety of different environments,” Villarreal said. “They are made of advanced composite materials that leverage nano-scaled reinforcements, allowing for greater strength and durability while maintaining a lightweight design.”

Infinite Composites, Inc. is an Oklahoma-based small business that provides gas storage solutions for space exploration and sustainable transportation. Infinite Composites, Inc. produces equipment and services for aerospace, transportation and industrial gas applications.

“This contract is a one of the first of its kind to be awarded to a group based solely in Oklahoma,” Vaidyanathan said. “This is an amazing opportunity for OSU, Infinite Composites and for the state of Oklahoma.”

news.ed@ocolly.com

Courtesy of OSU

Dr. Ranji Vaidyanathan, head of the Next Generation Materials Lab at OSU-Tulsa, is part of the new partnership with the U.S. Army to build conformable fuel tanks.

Tradition’s...

When Yom Kippur concludes, if

all goes well, they will wake up Tuesday by thanking God for another day, Mollo said.

“Hopefully, any Jewish person comes out of Yom Kippur with a greater awareness of what to be grateful for as well,” he said. “To give thanks in the morning just for being alive and having

an opportunity at another day.”

Following Yom Kippur, the Jewish community will celebrate a weeklong harvest festival called Sukkot, which begins at sunset Friday.After coming out of Yom Kippur with a joyful, cleansed experience, they carry that into Sukkot, Swartz said.

“You’re supposed to then take all this energy that you have from making these positive changes and feeling like you let go of these burdens, and then rejoice and be grateful and show that gratitude,” he said.

‘Expend4bles’ is the best worst movie of the year lifestyle

Michael Clark Staff Reporter Review

Everyone has a guilty pleasure when it comes to cinema.

A film that is objectively terrible in every way, yet you just can’t help but love it. My guilty pleasure is the 90s live action adaptation of “Super Mario Bros.” The film is such a departure from its material that it becomes an instant comedic classic by complete accident.

Now that “Expend4bles,” or “The Expendables 4,” has been released, the Mario movie may have some serious competition for my favorite bad movie of all time.

Let’s cut to the chase here, “Expend4bles” is absolutely awful.

The action is terrible, the story is nonsense, and despite having a budget on par with “Oppenheimer” and “John Wick Chapter 4,” the CGI looks like something straight out of “Spy Kids.” It’s a perfect storm of all the worst things an action film can be, and it’s glorious.

Throughout the runtime of the film, I found myself doubled over laughing at the insanity I was seeing unfurled upon the silver screen. While Martin Scorsese is not dead, he

is preemptively rolling in his grave due to the existence of this travesty to film. The absurdity cannot be understated.

Jason Statham does a backflip on a terrible CGI motorcycle while shooting terrorists, Sylvester Stallone is green screened onto a boat with hauntingly bad results, for some reason 50 Cent’s song “P.I.M.P” plays in the film, but 50 Cent is in the film and plays

a character who is not named 50 Cent. The implications are strange. Furthermore, the acting is completely mediocre. I can’t think of a particularly offensively bad performance here.

Jason Statham somehow beats out “The Meg 2: The Trench” with his performance. Sylvester Stallone barely appears in the film, and you can tell his heart isn’t in it. Megan Fox appears for some reason, and her char-

acter is exactly how Megan Fox has been portrayed by Hollywood for as long as she’s been around. If any of this sounds exciting to you, I would still recommend waiting for “Expend4bles” to come to streaming. There’s no way the film will last in theaters for long, and it is hard to justify dedicating an entire evening to seeing whatever this movie is. However, for what it’s worth, this

film was the most fun I’ve ever had in a theater by complete accident. I wish I could say this was the return of the terrible Bmovie action genre, but unfortunately, this is likely the last hurrah. A sickening, twisted death cry that somehow sounds like a laugh. Good riddance.

Megan Fox as Gina, Andy Garcia as Marsh and Jacob Scipio as Galan in “The Expend4ables.”

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle

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Cowboy Calendar

Monday 9/25/2023

Leon Polk Smith: Affinities in Art & Design

OSU Museum of Art until Jan. 27th @ 11 a.m. 4 p.m. https://museum.okstate.edu/art/leon-polk-smith.html

Line of Thought: The Work of Saul Steinberg

OSU Museum of Art until Sept. 30th @ 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. https://museum.okstate.edu/art/line-of-thought.html

Those Who Served Military Exhibit

Stillwater History Museum at the Sheerar Until Dec. 9th @ 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. https://www.stillwaterokhistory.org/

Trivia Night

Stonecloud Brewing Company @ 7 p.m.

Speed Bingo College Bar @ 10 p.m. - 12 a.m.

Modos De Ver : Way of Seeing

Gardiner Gallery of Art From September 18th - October 27th @ 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Tuesday 9/26/2023

Celebrate of Education

Sparrow Beginnings @ 6 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Ticket Prices: $100 per person $85 to sponsor a teacher to attend $500 for Event Sponsorship, which includes two tickets, plus additional recognition https://www.spef.stillwaterschools.com/

Cookies & Philosophy

Stillwater Public Library @ 3:30 - 4:30 p.m. Free with registration at tinyurl.com/cookiesandphil https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScSm_hmozrTKAcH5snXb5EiL-TGYHXIml7BLSKgmmsF1RCQ5A/ viewform”

Stillwater Spoken Word

Stillwater History Museum @ 6:30 p.m. https://www.stillwaterokhistory.org/

Wednesday 9/27/2023

Louie Kids’ Night

Louie’s Grill & Bar @ 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.

Live Trivia

Iron Monk Brewing Company @ 7 - 9 p.m.

Bingo Night

Louie’s Grill & Bar @ 8 p.m.

Starting A Business: Side Hustle

Stillwater Public Library @ 6 - 7 p.m. Free

Small Batch Trivia From Geeks Who Drink

Iron Monk Brewing Company @ 7 - 9 p.m.

Trivia Night College Bar @ 10 p.m.

Thursday 9/28/2023

romance and collaboration. Profit in partnership.

To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging. Aries (March 21-April 19) — Today is a 7 — Social connections may not go as planned. A change or surprise could interrupt. Communication reveals solutions. Adapt and coordinate. Conversation empowers collaboration between friends.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) — Today is a 7 — Propel a professional initiative with enthusiasm despite barriers. Things may not go as planned. Flexibility pays off. Adjust and reconfigure. Communication is your superpower.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) — Today is an 8 — Widen your exploration. Transportation channels flow with greater ease. Investigate new frontiers. Make long-distance connections. Conversation opens new possibilities. Discover intriguing solutions and tools.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Today is a 7 — Take advantage of a lucrative opportunity. Make sure that your partner is on board. Communication leads to profitable collaborations. Find a win-win solution.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) — Today is an 8 — You’re in sync with your partner. Support each other around unexpected changes or surprises. Stay flexible. Adapt and shift together. You’ve got each other’s back.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Today is a 9 — You’re growing stronger. Get your heart pumping to recharge your internal batteries. Energize a physical project to new heights. Practice your moves. Surpass expectations.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — Today is a 7 — Romantic ideals may not match reality. Plans or schedules could change. Assess conditions and communicate to resolve solutions. Love is fundamental and abundant.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — Today is a 6 — Domestic projects are satisfying. Clean house and do chores. Cook something seasonal. Or order takeout to eat on the floor of your new apartment. Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — Today is a 7 — Words come easily. Pour them onto a page. Organize and structure thoughts into a coherent progression. Creative expression flows like water. Capture your ideas.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Today is a 9 — Generate positive cash flow despite unexpected expenses or extra costs. Postpone unnecessary purchases. Balance and adjust to work things out. Communication reveals solutions. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — Today is a 9 — Pursue a golden opportunity. A dreamy situation can develop. Things may not fit expectations or ideals. Make a valuable and meaningful connection. Shine your light. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Today is a 6 — Take a private timeout to reflect on recent transitions. Changes require adaptation. Consider your response rather than blurting something regrettable. Dig and discover hidden treasure.

Amie Walker