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NEWS

News Editor: Jake Slebodnick – J.C.Slebodnick@iup.edu

IUP, ATOD receives opioid prevention program funding “an educational and supportive outreach campaign to prevent opioid abuse and provide support to students whose lives may have been touched by friends or IUP received a grant from family members struggling with the Pennsylvania Department opioid addiction.” of Drug and Alcohol Programs “We will be offering a fourfor its Alcohol, Tobacco and part speaker series on underOther Drugs program and a new standing addiction,” Sesti said. campaign.

The series will consist of The grant is part of the $56 “Understanding Addiction” with million budIUP psychology get dedicated professor Dr. to aiding 13 Bill Meil, “The Pennsylvania Human Impact schools, three of Addiction” of them being and a panel of state schools several speaklike IUP, to ers sharing battle drug personal experiuse and create ences. Another nalaxone, or program is NARCAN, train“The Emerging ing programs.

Director, Community Health and Leadership - MARTI Institute Science of AdThe IUP Aldiction Treatcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs ment” with Antoine Douaihy, an program (ATOD) will split the associate professor of psychigrant into two major programs. atry at University of Pittsburgh Headed by Ann Sesti, ATOD School of Medicine and director director, the first program will be of Addiction Medicine Services ABE ESHELMAN

Staff Writer A.Eshelman@iup.edu @DukeOfKalos

“It will educate both faculty/staff and students on what addiction is, how it develops and what can be done about it.”

- Dr. Erick Lauber,

(IUP Website) Dr. Erick Lauber will co-direct the “Protect the Brain” campaign. Along with ATOD’s Ann Sesti, this campaign will be targeted directly to the IUP community.

Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic. Finally, there will be “Hope for the Future” with both Dr. Erick Lauber, director of community health and leadership at the MARTI institute and a certified recovery specialist.

Lauber will be co-directing the other largest campaign supported by the grant, along with Sesti: the “Protect the

Brain” campaign.

The Protect the Brain program is “a new prevention and education campaign targeting the IUP community,” Lauber said.

“It will educate both faculty/ staff and students on what addiction is, how it develops and what can be done about it.”

It will also educate students and staff on the different chemicals that enter the body whenever someone gets drunk or high and the brain and body’s reaction to those chemicals, Lauber said.

“Every one of these chemicals can also influence both short-term and long-term brain function.”

The campaign is expected to begin at the same time the spring semester begins and immediately get to work on outreach and education.

“Our objectives are to reach every student and to have everyone on campus more educated, more committed to avoiding many of these substances and more aware of how to help,”

Lauber said.

Along with the speaker series and Protect the Brain, ATOD is hosting several other events and campaigns throughout the semester.

“Health and Wellness Promotion peer educators will be hosting campus presentations and information tables on preventing opioid abuse,” Sesti said.

Throughout February, peer support groups for those affected by addiction in a loved one’s life will be hosted by certified family recovery specialists in Suites on Maple East. Throughout both February and March, tobacco cessation, or quitting, meetings will be held in Suites on Maple East.

In both February and March, training in the use of NARCAN, a nasal spray used in emergencies for treating someone who’s overdosing, in the Humanities and Social Sciences building.

Every Sunday in Suites on Maple East, all semester long, students can attend Narcotics Anonymous meetings.

Punxsutawney will increase pricing for two-bedroom, two-bathroom suites by 3 percent, which is approximately $113 to $116, as well as a 3 to 3.1 percent increase to the Punxsutawney Living Center for the 11-week summer culinary program.

As a result of the increased costs across IUP, the council approved increased fees for the international education fee, which covers certain programming for international students as well as offering assistance for academic success and for adjusting to life in the United States, and the immigration fee, which will both increase by $25 for the upcoming academic year.

Alongside the one-time increase of these existing fees, the council approved of two new onetime fees which are both optional to international students.

Those fees were enforced following a representation of international students, totaling 561

students from 56 countries, and consist of the post-completion training fee, which will go up by $100, and the STEM Extension fee, which will see a $200 increase.

IUP’s website says the post-completion fee will be paid by international students and scholars “in a non-immigrant status who elect to apply for Optional Practical Training or Academic Training.”

Both trainings will provide international students and scholars with up to 12 months to study with hands on employment and academic training.

The STEM extension fee will be paid by international students and scholars in a non-immigrant status who elect to apply for the STEM extension while participating in Optional Practical Training.

Those new and increased fees will be put toward the maintenance and reporting requirements associated with the mentioned trainings.

Council of Trustees approves no increase in student fees for 2020-21 year JAKE SLEBODNICK

News Editor J.C.Slebodnick@iup.edu @Jake_WIUP

The IUP Council of Trustees met for a quarterly meeting regarding student financing.

During this meeting, plans were discussed for how the university will either increase, decrease or keep prices for most university housing options for students for the 2020–21 academic year due to an expected lower enrollment rate.

It was determined by the council that, along with housing fees, additional fees, such as the student technology, instructional, student services, student activity, wellness, registration, campus transportation and I-Card production fees, will not increase.

Also, following a 26-month project worth $4.6 million that saw infrastructural repairs as well as commodity upgrades, Whitmyre Hall will introduce a new style of

News

(IUP Website) Despite enrollment declining for the next academic year, the IUP Council of Trustees will not raise prices for most student fees. Instead, international fees and prices for housing at the Punxsutawney campus will increase.

residential suite that will be ready for the next academic year.

The suite style is a large, single room, and the price is still to be determined.

There will also be a 3 percent increase for double rooms for the 2020–21 academic year. This

increase will be enforced only for the 2020–21 academic year.

While pricing may remain the same for IUP’s main campus, the Punxsutawney branch campus will see residential pricing rise for the upcoming year.

According to IUP’s website, IUP

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January 21, 2020

Police Blotter ALCOHOL VIOLATIONS

• Alyssa Rosamilia, 21, of Hollidaysburg was cited for public drunkenness when police found her lying on the ground and intoxicated at 3:46 a.m. Jan. 13 in the 100 block of N. Eighth Street, according to Indiana Borough Police.

• James W. Sims, 45, of Blairsville was cited for public drunkenness after police witnessed him under the influence of alcohol to the point that he was a danger to himself around 1:37 a.m. Jan. 10 in the 600 block of Philadelphia Street, according to borough police.

• Joel Singleton, 21, of Indiana was arrested for public drunkenness at 2:06 a.m. Jan. 8 in the 900 block of Church Street, according to borough police.

• Michael Scott Blair, 49, of Indiana was named in a criminal complaint for DUI when borough police responded to a report of an intoxicated male around 1:49 a.m. Jan. 8 at 380 Philadelphia St. Police discovered that Blair drove his vehicle to the location and was intoxicated to the point that he was unable to drive safely, according to borough police.

MISCELLANEOUS VIOLATIONS

• Charles Chiplis, 56, of Indiana was charged with harassment and disorderly conduct when he was identified as the suspect in a past fight at 9:04 p.m. Jan. 3 in the 400 block of Gompers Avenue. The victim claimed that a vehicle almost struck him as he was crossing the street. The passenger then exited the vehicle and physically fought with the victim until he got back into the car and left the scene, according to borough police.

• Brody A. Mezzelo, 20, of Carrolltown was cited for public urination and carrying a false identification card after Indiana Borough Police found him urinating around 2:07 a.m. Jan. 20 in the 00 block of N. Carpenter Avenue. Mezzelo was carrying a driver’s license belonging to another person depicting him as 21, according to borough police.

DRUG Violations

• Clifford Camut Jr., 27, of Bolivar was charged with possession

of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and public drunkenness when police were dispatched at 4:04 a.m. Jan. 1 to the Sheetz located at 768 Wayne Ave. for reports of an intoxicated person in the store. Police found Camut to be under the influence of a controlled substance, according to borough police.

VEHICULAR VIOLATIONS

• An unknown person hit two parked vehicles with a possibly

white vehicle around 6 p.m. Jan. 15 in the 600 block of S. Fourth Street, according to borough police. Anyone with information is asked to contact borough police at (724) 349-2121.

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Two dead, eight injured in North Philadelphia weekend shooting CATHERINE DUNN Philadelphia Inquirer TNS

Two men were shot to death in Philadelphia over the weekend in separate cases, while eight others were wounded in a string of shootings in yet another violent weekend in the city.

The shootings began Friday afternoon when a 23-year-old man was found dead with two gunshot wounds to the head inside a home on the 2200 block of East Washington Lane in East Mount Airy, police said. The victim's uncle found the man unresponsive and lying on a couch.

On Saturday evening, a 60-year-old man was shot multiple times in the chest and died on the 3000 block of North Bambrey Street in North Philadelphia, according to police.

No arrests were made in either case, and both killings are under investigation, a spokesperson confirmed Sunday afternoon. The police are offering a $20,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest and a conviction.

Five other nonfatal shootings started Friday evening and continued on Sunday.

In the first of those, three young men, ages 17, 19 and 24, were critically injured on the 800 block of North 41st Street in West Philadelphia's Belmont neighborhood about 8 p.m.

Friday. Police said all three men were taken to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center.

In another case, two 20-yearold men were wounded on the 2400 block of North Patton Street in Strawberry Mansion early Sunday, police said. One victim was shot in the stomach and listed in critical condition, and the other man was shot in his left hand, according to police reports. Both were taken to Temple University Hospital. In that case, police said they found two guns and took two people into custody who had not been charged as of Sunday evening.

About a mile south of that shooting, a 40-year-old man was shot overnight Sunday on the

(TNS) A shooting along East Washington Lane and East Mount Airy left two dead and eight injured Friday afternoon.

3100 block of Clifford Street in Strawberry Mansion, police said Sunday. He was listed in stable condition after being wounded twice: in his right knee and in his left calf. No one had yet been arrested, police said.

Another shooting, on the 2500 block of West Harold Street in Strawberry Mansion about 12:30 p.m. Sunday, wounded a 22-year-old woman in her stomach, police said. The woman was in critical condition at Temple University Hospital. Authorities had not recovered a weapon or made an arrest.

And a 26-year-old man was shot in the right knee and upper left torso shortly after 3:30 p.m.

Sunday on the 900 block of 43rd

Street in Belmont. He was taken to Presbyterian Hospital and listed in stable condition. Police had made no arrest and found no weapon.

Also early Sunday, police said, a 54-year-old man was stabbed in the chest during a robbery attempt near the 2900 block of Rorer Street in Kensington. He was taken to Temple University Hospital, and was in stable condition. No arrest was made in that case, either, police said.

And a 35-year-old man was stabbed in the chest on the 3300 block of Krail Street in East Falls on Sunday night. He was taken to Einstein Hospital and was listed in critical condition. No arrests were made.

January 21, 2020

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How to utilize IUP to stay consistent Community Calendar on your New Year’s resolutions Week of January 21 Classes begin - all day Tuesday beginning at 8 a.m.

Haven Project - Information Table on Stalking - Wednesday 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. - HUB Lobby IUP basketball doubleheader at Pitt-Johnstown - Wednesday 5:30 - 9:30 - University at Pitt-Johnstown *Can be heard on WIUP-FM - 90.1 FM, wiupfm.org or TuneIn Radio

(Flickr) While the famous phrase “new year, new me” is uttered at the turn of the year, students find themselves struggling to stick to their resolutions list. However, there are ways to stay on top of them at IUP.

HALEY BROWN Staff Writer H.Brown@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

New Year’s resolutions are notoriously difficult to keep, but forming new habits for the future doesn’t have to be so discouraging.

There are plenty of on-campus resources to help IUP students begin to build healthy, new habits and improve themselves in a myriad of ways.

If you are looking to improve your mental health or emotional intelligence, a trip to the IUP counseling center might be the perfect ticket to more stable and supported mental health for the coming year. Counseling services are provided in the Maple East Hall first floor, and the first few private sessions are free to IUP students.

There are even online mental health screenings if you need more clarity before making a visit. They also offer group therapy if going in on your own feels overwhelming.

The Counseling and Health centers at IUP might also be two great trips to make if you’re attempting a healthy weight loss journey. It is vital to ensure that your interest in weight loss is healthy, necessary and centered around safe methods of weight loss, instead of dangerous diet fads that might wreak havoc on your physical and mental health alike.

The counseling center may also be helpful if you struggle with anxiety surrounding academics or poor grades. One way many people discourage themselves before they even begin a project, studying or their homework might be by using certain words to guilt themselves into thinking there is no use in attempting the work because they believe they are likely to fail at the task at hand.

This may be aided by correcting semantics and by eliminating negative connotations associated with certain words. Procrastination is generally assumed to stem from laziness, when in reality using words like “demotivation” instead implies that there is an underlying problem causing the procrastination that can be remedied. This way of thinking cuts down negative selftalk and may be more encouraging to those who deal with anxiety when it comes to school work.

If a New Year’s resolution is to go to IUP’s student gym more, the most important component of your plan might be to find an exercise regimen you can truly enjoy doing. Finding friends who enjoy the same kind of exercise as you is guaranteed to help keep you on a regular workout schedule. This may actually also prove to be enjoyable and is key to building self-discipline and encourage you to attend your workout on even the days when you are not looking forward to

breaking a sweat.

A semester pass to the fitness classes offered in the HUB above the IUP student gym may be a fun way to determine what kind of exercise is most interesting to you or most beneficial to the type of improvements you may be looking to make. Classes are offered that range from beginner’s yoga to spin classes to HIIT programs, and there is something there for every type of fitness enthusiast.

Committing to a fitness class and making friends in those classes is another great method for keeping yourself committed to a specific set fitness schedule. The classes cost $5 for each walk-in class, and a workout pass for a semester costs $40.

If your goal for the new year is to improve your grades, study habits like the Pomodoro technique can be immeasurably helpful and such techniques have been proven to increase productivity. It would also be beneficial to make it a habit to start visiting your professors during their office hours to make sure you understand the material they discuss during lecture.

Making friends in your classes and going to the library or out with them for coffee study dates is a surefire way to improve your studying habits and keeping up with your homework. IUP also offers free tutoring for almost every course and hosts tutoring sessions in the library as well for a wide range of classes.

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If you answered yes to both of those questions, stop by our office on the second floor of the Hadley Union Building (above the food court) to get started.

Applicants do not need to be enlisted as a journalism major or minor in order to write for us.

Applicants also must possess good communication skills, meet deadlines and be available Tuesday nights for writers meetings.

If you have any questions, please contact Jake Slebodnick J.C.Slebodnick@iup.edu (News Editor) or the-penn@iup.edu.

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January 21, 2020

News

Shields receives Inclusive Professor Award after students’ nomination EMILY LOOSE

Staff Writer E.D.Loose@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

Inclusion is an important part of IUP, and some professors receive attention for their dedication to its focus in their classrooms.

In December, Dr. Mariha Shields was presented with the Inclusive Professor Award.

The award was presented to her by student Emily Eckerd (special education) who, along with other students, found her to be worthy of it.

“Dr. Shields has made a fantastic impact on IUP and her students,” Eckerd said. “She is a great professor who genuinely cares about her students.”

(IUP Website) Shields is an assistant professor Emily Eckerd (right) presents the Inclusive Professor Award to Dr. Mariha Shields, an assistant professor and the graduate coordinator for special education programs. Shields won the for the communication disorders, award in December. disability service and special education department. She teaches my job.” many opportunities to get inclasses for early childhood (Pre Before working at IUP, Shields volved in understanding inclusion.

K-4) and special education (Pre taught special education in a local This includes the “Elephant K-8). She also helps coordinate school district for 11 years. The in the Room” series, a program the graduate program in special setting taught her a lot about sponsored by the women and education. diversity and gender studies department and She has inclusion. the Center for Teaching Exceltaught at the She took the lence. The series focuses on school for skills from educating about diversity and eight years. there and inclusion in different settings.

In 2018, she worked them For Shields, being inclusive is also became into her roua simple process. She had some a certified tine at IUP. advice for other professors who mental She is not want to be more inclusive with health first just doing it their students. aid instrucfor her stu“Listen to your students, make tor. This dents to feel yourself available and consider certificate included, differentiating your instruction shows that through providing choices and she knows Communication Disorders, Special Education, either. She is product production.” how to and Disability Services Department doing it so they can be The Professor Inclusion Award respond and is one of the many faculty recnotice someone in a crisis or deal- inclusive in their careers, as well.

“I want my students to benefit ognition awards at the school. ing with mental health issues. from my courses and be able to Presented by the Center of TeachThe Inclusive Professor Award implement these inclusive teaching Excellence, these awards are was given to Shields due to her ing strategies in their own future given to show the excellence and efforts and passion in making a determination that faculty prosafe and comfortable environment classrooms.”

To Shields, no two students are vides for their students. that included everyone. the same. Disability or no disA wide range of awards can be Receiving the award was a ability, every person is different. found at “humbling” moment for Shields, Because of this, the classroom en- iup.edu/teachingexcellence/ who is also a 2001 IUP alumna. vironment needs to be accessible awards-grants-and-faculty-show“Receiving an award that was for any type of person and needs case/faculty-recognition-awards/, chosen by the students really to be adaptable to change. along with descriptions and touched my heart,” Shields Faculty and students alike have guidelines for each category. said. “It reminded me why I love

“Dr. Shields has made a fantastic impact on IUP and her students.

She is a great professor who genuinely cares about her students.”

- Dr. Emily Eckerd,

(TNS) Joe Biden is claiming Bernie Sanders’ newest campaign video regarding social security is doctored after it said he would cut the retirement program instead of expand it.

Biden: Sanders’ campaign video ‘is simply not true’ JENNIFER EPSTEIN Bloomburg News TNS

Joe Biden accused Bernie Sanders' campaign of releasing what he called a "doctored video" purporting to show the former vice president agreeing with Republican proposals to privatize Social Security.

"It's simply a lie, that video is a lie," Biden said at a campaign event in Indianola, Iowa, on Saturday. "I'm looking for his campaign to come forward and disown it, but they haven't done it yet."

He went on to lay out his plans to shore up Social Security, which he said would expand the retirement program, not cut it. Biden has proposed lifting the cap on income subject to the tax that funds Social Security and Medicare, currently $137,700.

The clash over Social Security comes as Sanders is trying to cut into Biden's strong support among older voters, who tend to favor Biden's moderate stances and vote in higher numbers than other demographic groups. The two candidates are virtually tied for first place for the first two nominating contests in Iowa and New Hampshire in February, according to the RealClearPolitics aggregation of polls.

The video, circulated on Twitter Jan. 1 by a Sanders adviser, features a snippet of a speech Biden gave at the Brookings Institution in

Washington in 2018. The Sanders campaign said Biden could be heard agreeing with House Speaker Paul Ryan about privatizing Social Security. That claim was repeated in a Sanders campaign newsletter and was judged to be false by Politifact.

The Sanders campaign responded to Biden's comments Saturday by releasing a compendium of what it claimed were Biden's "repeated efforts to slash Social Security."

"Joe Biden should be honest with voters and stop trying to doctor his own public record of consistently and repeatedly trying to cut Social Security," Sanders's campaign spokesman Faiz Shakir said in a statement. "The vice president must stop dodging questions about his record, and start explaining why he has so aggressively pushed to slash one of the most significant and successful social programs in American history, which millions of Americans rely on for survival."

At a campaign event on Saturday in Exeter, N.H., Sanders sought to dismiss friction between the candidates, which he said obscured the real issues in the presidential race, though he didn't refer specifically to Biden.

He said that if he slipped on a banana peel that would be the top headline and not important issues like poverty. "We are going to focus on the issues of working families in America and bring them together," he said.

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Privacy becomes new subject in internet battleground

Chrome also became a huge source of data, facilitating an ecosystem of Google services that kept feeding its advertising engine with more user information. The browser's search box defaulted, of course, to Google, while users could log into the platform via Gmail to seamlessly access

its products such Drive, Docs, Maps and YouTube, enabling the company to fill up ever-more jars of cookies. The dominance of the browser raised privacy concerns.

One test last year found a whopping 11,189 requests for cookies in a week of surfing on Chrome. But only recently has Google started comprehensively rethinking its privacy policies, partly due to regulatory pressure and changing consumer sentiments around data collection.

"Users are demanding greater privacy– including transparency, choice and control over how their data is used– and it's clear the web ecosystem needs to evolve to meet these increasing demands," Justin Schuh, director of Chrome engineering, wrote in the blog post last week.

Google deserves a measure of credit for adopting consumer protections that could undermine its relationship with marketers and publishers, and also raise further antitrust scrutiny. Still, such policies stop far short of ridding Google of ad-tracking altogether: They may simply end up increasing the value of so-called first-party cookies, which websites collect directly from their users, rather than through intermediaries.

One company well-positioned to keep gobbling those up from its many devoted users? Google.

what classes they’ll be taking in the upcoming semester and try to plan ahead for their school and work weeks.

“I typically try and sit down and write out what my semester will look like,” Kyle Varone (senior, marketing) said. “I try to do so with what my typical week will be, and then I just try and relax beforehand.”

The long break enables students to resume or get jobs for the month and a half if they wish to work and make money.

The break also allows students to catch up on sleep if they have early classes or busy workloads during the semester.

“I like to get back into a good sleep routine,” Brighton Plauger (senior, management information systems) said. “I like to sleep a lot, and during the break, I don’t get to sleep as much as I’d like to since I have early shifts.

“I’m also getting back into my routines following a lengthy

break by making a new routine.

I want to plan out the semester and get ready as much as I can.”

Some students get into a routine during the break and get used to the schedules of being at home or working jobs and try to get back into the swing of things by creating new, adjusted routines as change occurs.

“For me, it’s more of a trial-and-error kind of thing,” Anita Morrison (senior, early childhood/ special education) said. “There are a lot of days where I don’t get a lot of sleep because I am not used to waking up early anymore, but when the upcoming semester comes, I need to get up early again for my student teaching and my busy schedule.

“I don’t think we ever really get back into a routine. I think we just create a new one that is adjusted to our new schedules every semester but can sometimes be difficult to get used to; it often just takes time.”

AUSTIN CARR

Bloomburg News TNS

Google announced a massive shift last week in how it handles cookies, those pesky digital trackers that chase us around the internet and serve up targeted ads that are both creepy yet eerily precise reflections of our wants.

The search giant, which just helped Alphabet Inc. surpass a $1 trillion valuation, said it will eventually stop supporting third-party cookies in its ubiquitous Chrome browser.

The move won't end the Big Brother era of Big Tech, but Google is framing the decision as a significant step away from unbridled data mining.

In a blog post, Google references privacy about a dozen times, an awkward pitch for a company that built a juggernaut of a business by tapping into cookies from its billions of users.

Can Google, after pioneering and protecting an apparent invasion of privacy, sell its browser to consumers as a privacy-first service?

Google is going to try. That's because the other browser makers are embracing privacy as a competitive advantage. Apple Inc. added cookie restrictions to Safari

(TNS) Internet giant Google will stop using third-party trackers in Chrome in a step to reduce constant data-mining of users.

several years ago. Microsoft Corp. has been building a raft of tracking-prevention mechanisms into its Edge browser.

And Mozilla Corp. has made paid privacy tools a core selling point of its Firefox service, though they've failed to catch on so far, leading to job cuts last week.

When Google first introduced Chrome in 2008, it essentially marketed the new browser as an online operating system, one that would treat popular web services – email, messaging, video stream-

ing – as full-blown applications, rather than clunky web pages.

Chrome was a fast, refreshing alternative to Firefox and Internet Explorer.

In the decade since, it has soared in popularity: Chrome today boasts 63 percent worldwide market share, according to StatCounter.

Students look to get back into routine as new semester begins ANNA MECHLING Staff Writer A.Mechling@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

After a long and lengthy break, the start of the new spring semester is coming our way.

Because each semester is different class- and work-wise, that often means a new schedule for students.

Sometimes, it can be difficult for students to get back into a routine, especially when other things like class and work schedules are changing, too.

Some students take advantage of the winter semester and take online winter classes. Online classes can often help students’ caseloads and keep them ontrack within the focus and mode of school.

“Over break I work morning shifts, so I don’t get to sleep in,” Amy Daube (senior, sociology) said. “Also, having an online class over the winter break

(The Penn Archives) A new semester signals a fresh start to the second half of the year. Students have started planning on how to get a head start on it.

helped me stay motivated to do school work.

“Before I go back to school, I start ordering books since it’s often cheaper on websites like Amazon or Chegg. I make a gro-

cery list of everything I want my mom to buy me so I don’t have to buy it myself.”

Many students take the long break to plan ahead. They use the time to get organized for

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Scientists finally have answers for wave of dying murres JENNIFER LU

Los Angeles Times TNS

In the fall of 2015, two years into a heatwave in the Pacific Ocean colloquially known as "the Blob," an unusually large influx of common murres, a small northern seabird, began to wash ashore.

They overwhelmed rehabilitation centers.

They stopped laying as many eggs.

Their starved carcasses littered the coasts from California to the Gulf of Alaska.

Scientists believe they now know what went wrong. The answer involves the Blob and how it rippled across multiple levels of the marine food web, and it comes amid more reports of rapidly warming oceans.

In the winter of 2013, a mysterious blanket of abnormally warm water appeared in the Gulf of Alaska and wreaked havoc on marine ecosystems from the Bering Strait to Mexico for three long years. Species lower in the food web that prefer colder waters, which tend to be fattier, more nutritious phytoplankton and zooplankton that feed the forage fish eaten by sea lions and sea birds – were replaced by warmer water species of lower nutritional value.

A whole new ecosystem was establishing itself all the way up the food chain, said Julia Parrish, professor of marine sciences at the University of Washington and a co-author on a new study published in PLOS One that characterizes murre mortality and breeding failures during the heatwave. Parrish also directs the Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team (COASST), the largest citizen monitoring program of beached birds in the world.

Fish populations shifted to colder or deeper waters, making it harder for top predators, including two types of auklets similar to murres, to find food.

But that still doesn't explain the murres.

Common murres are the masters of their universe. One of the best adapted seabirds in

Common murre die-offs in the Gulf of Alaska Deaths in thousands

Low estimate

High estimate

The Blob (2014-2016) Exxon Valdez spill (1989) Storm (1970) 200 Source: PLOS One

400

600

800

1000

Graphic: Jennifer Lu, Los Angeles Times/TNS (TNS)

Changes in the Pacific Ocean’s ecosystem caused a large number of murres to wash ashore.

the northern hemisphere, they can outfly other seabirds and speed from shelf to coast in a few hours. Underwater, they're agile enough to catch fast-moving prey and strong enough to dive to the depth of two football fields.

If the fish move, they can move, too.

Yet half a million to 1.2 million common murres starved to death during the 2014 to 2016 marine heatwave – about 10 percent to 20 percent of the population, said John Piatt, wildlife biologist at the U.S. Geological Survey in Anchorage and the corresponding author on the study.

On a stretch of beach more than a half-mile long in Prince William Sound of Alaska, their carcasses numbered in the thousands.

Melanie Smith, a director based in Alaska for the National Audubon Society's Migratory Bird Initiative, who was not affiliated with the study, recalls seeing murres as far inland as Fairbanks.

"The murres were so desperate for food, they were going to places they never go and had never been seen before," Smith said. "They're squarely an ocean species and don't belong in freshwater environments at all. It was a clear sign something was wrong."

Reproductive rates in murre colonies from California to the Bering Sea also plummeted alarmingly. Colonies that had been stable for decades

stopped laying eggs. From 2015 to 2017, 22 murre colonies from California to the Bering Sea didn't produce a single chick.

In all his years studying the birds, Piatt said he could count on one hand the number of colonies that had failed before 2015.

"These birds are so productive and efficient," Piatt said.

"This just doesn't happen."

Altogether, the die-offs spanned three marine ecosystems over 3,700 miles of coast and lasted up to nine months in the Gulf of Alaska, where the murres were hardest hit.

"Did that get my attention?

Yeah, you bet," said Piatt, who has been studying murres since the 1970s. "This level of mortality and over this range is just mind-blowing."

Piatt suspected there was more to their plight than the redistribution of poorer quality prey, given the murres' superlative ability to find food across the lengths and depths of the continental shelf.

Piatt and his colleagues looked again at the food supply, but through a different lens.

Researchers studying models of predator fish – including Pacific cod, arrowtooth flounder and walleye pollock, which compete with the common murre for food – projected that a 3.6 degree Fahrenheit increase in water temperatures would have jacked up fish appetites by 34 percent to 70 percent.

Given that predator fish already out-consume seabirds

10- to 100-fold under normal conditions, they would have completely decimated the food supply during the Blob. Sure enough, while dead murres were washing ashore in droves, adult Pacific cod populations in the Gulf of Alaska were "silently crashing" below the surface, Piatt said.

So the murres were hit with a double whammy that exploited one of their few vulnerabilities – their high metabolism.

The small seabird, which weighs about 2 pounds, must eat 56 percent of its body mass each day to survive – a daily diet of about 60 to 120 high-fat forage fish, including sardines, herring and capelin. Without food, murres starve to death within three to five days.

Many of the dead or dying murres that washed ashore had empty stomachs and little to no body fat or muscle.

"As the bottom of the ecosystem was shifting in not good ways, the top of the ecosystem was demanding a lot more food," Parish said. The murres got caught in "an intense competition for absolutely not enough food, which is what killed them."

In many ways, the murres are the perfect climate change bellwether.

While the Blob eventually dissipated and murre populations stabilized, the heatwave offered a glimpse into how warming oceans in a warmer world push marine populations toward collapse.

This month, a study in Advances in Atmospheric Sciences reported that global ocean temperatures in 2019 were the warmest on record, a trend that has continued for the last decade.

A recent special report from the Intergovernment Panel on Climate Change found that marine heatwaves have doubled in frequency since 1982 and are expected to become 20 to 50 times more frequent if we don't curb greenhouse gas emissions.

The panel also projected that oceans will absorb two to four times more heat by the end of the century than they did in the past 50 years if global warming is limited to 3.6 degrees.

Last week, NOAA and NASA released a report that the last decade was the hottest on record worldwide.

Climate change isn't just a long-term upward trend in which each year is warmer than the last, Parrish said. Climate change also brings more extreme weather patterns, including unpredictable marine heatwaves of greater frequency and magnitude.

"We don't know whether we'll look back at this period of time as five years of die-offs being reported very frequently or as the beginning of a new normal condition," said Smith.

"Many of the species that we're talking about – both the birds and the fish – are pretty resilient," Parrish said. A murre might live for 20 or 25 years and over that period of time, lay 10 or 15 eggs, more than enough to replace itself and its mate.

But what happens if they are assaulted by another or several Blobs? In the summer of 2019, a warm mass of water appeared in the Gulf of Alaska that resembled the original Blob of 2014.

The heatwave has since shrunk in size but remains one of the five largest heatwaves on record in the North Pacific in the last 40 years, according to NOAA. "So we're all sort of sitting on the edge of our seats. ... It seems like we've just about gotten back to normal down here in the lower 48 states," Parrish said. "There's only so much a population can take before they go into free fall."

News

January 21, 2020

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MENDING YOUR MINDFULNESS Painting your canvas: How should you handle the stress of a new semester?

ALEXIS LOYA

Staff Writer A.L.Loya@iup.edu @lexisloya

The beginning of the new semester presents a blank canvas for students to fill, which can be daunting.

Every time we face a new semester, we tell ourselves, “I’m going to do better than I did last semester.” Yet, as soon as the first week of class rolls around, we’re looking through our syllabi with clammy hands wondering how we’re going to space our time.

There are unlimited possibilities of what will come, which is perhaps what makes fresh starts so overwhelming.

The first thing you should do, if you have not already, is make sure you have your schedule written down somewhere that you can

(Pexels) The semester can be related to a ripple in a pond caused by a duck. Once you begin the semester, all is calm. But once work begins to pile up, that calm flow becomes disturbed.

easily reference. It won’t be until the first few weeks of school that you truly get into the flow of your day. Include times and locations for your classes and other obligations to help you get the gist.

Since it is the start of the new year and new decade, it’s time to start incorporating some healthy routines into the day as well. Write

down what time you should go to bed and wake up every day, schedule breakfast, lunch and dinner and when you should be spending time doing schoolwork.

Lastly, don’t forget to schedule some “me” time before you’re drowning in work and burnt out before we hit midterms. Sticking to an everyday, healthy routine helps

you remain goal oriented.

Now is a great time to practice good study habits, too. Before class starts, check your syllabus for the material to be covered for class. You might want to read ahead so that it is easier to follow along during the lecture.

During class, take good notes, but not too many. Focus on what is truly important instead of writing everything down.

When you’re done with class, rewrite your notes in a more organized manner. This will force yourself to reread the material you just went over, and you’ll gain a better understanding of what you went over in class while also helping you prepare yourself for future exams.

Trust me, you’ll be glad you did.

In high school, I had a teacher who would encourage us to write things down in our planner the

second that we found out when something is due. Unless you have total recall memory, you will forget something. Let me tell you, he wouldn’t repeat due dates back to us. It’s even a good idea to copy due dates directly from the syllabus to your planner. Make this a habit before you’re tossing and turning in bed wondering if there is something you were supposed to do.

Take a deep breath, and make a promise to yourself that this semester, you will do your best. For now, focus on taking it one day at a time instead of the semester as a whole. This means practicing the above techniques until you make a habit out of them. One day leads to the next, and you’ll eventually find yourself in your own groove.

With all that said, how will you paint your canvas?

Different weather patterns leave Outer Banks horses feeling hoarse MARK PRICE

Charlotte Observer TNS

Freakishly warm January temperatures are having a strange effect on the wild horses roaming North Carolina's Outer Banks, prompting a warning to drivers.

The notoriously independent horses are sleeping on the beaches at night – in the path of recreational vehicles.

"Please be careful!" the Corolla Wild Horse Fund posted Sunday on Facebook. "We don't normally expect to see horses on the beach this time of year, but the unseasonably warm weather has them acting more like it's June, not January."

Temperatures have been in the 60s and 70s across the Carolinas for days, and that warmth will continue much of this week, forecasters say.

This is typically the time of year when wild horses stay hidden in the maritime forest, shielding themselves from cold winds. If temperatures get too warm, the bugs come out and the horses are forced to the beaches for a reprieve from being bitten, experts say.

Recreational vehicle enthusiast Daniel T. Myers III posted photos of the horses in the dark on Corova beach Sunday, warning other drivers to "keep a look out." His warning has been shared hundreds of times by 4x4 Facebook groups.

Myers said he was driving a truck on the beach when he saw the horses, and he feared an accident could occur. The beach in the Corova area "is the only way for residents and visitors to reach the areas north of Corolla," according to Outer Banks news outlet OBX Today.

"I sat there with my flashers

(TNS) With unseasonably warm temperatures in January, North Carolina horse riders are warned to keep a keen eye on horses.

on so they couldn't get hit.

Very hard to see a horse on the beach," he said in a Facebook message to McClatchy News.

"This time of year, it is rare. ...

They're out there enjoying the beach like everyone, but sleeping."

Four-wheel drives are welcomed by law on some Outer

Banks beaches, but the vehicles (and pedestrians) are required to stay 50 feet away from the wild horses, according to VisitCurrituck.com.

Collisions with vehicles have been a chief cause of death among the wild horses on the Outer Banks, including incidents of horses crossing paved highways during the height of the tourist season.

Traffic deaths involving the wild horses were common between 1985 and 1996, when 21 were killed, according to the Outer Banks Voice. Protective measures were put in place to keep the horses off major roads, including fences, the newspaper reported.

The feral horses are thought to be descended from Spanish Mustangs brought to the North Carolina coast by explorers four centuries ago, according to VisitCurrituck.com.

Opinion (The Penn archives)

What the editors are looking forward to in spring semester 1. Editor-In-Chief, Katie Mest

6. Sports Editor, Elliot Hicks

2. Managing Editor, Steven Langdon Jr.

7. Copy Editor, Marty Weaver

I have only Tuesday and Thursday classes, so I’m excited to have time to actually do fun things. I have to start looking for a job for after graduation, so hopefully that doesn’t put a damper on my spring semester.

I am most looking forward to coming back and seeing my friends. It will be a adjustment the first couple weeks, but I am definitely looking forward to do something other than watching Hulu all day. The final thing is getting back to the commentating booth with my dear old friend Jake Slebodnick.

3. Managing Editor, Jess Truby

This semester I am looking forward to hopefully securing a job for after graduation and making the best of my last semester here at IUP.

4. News Editor, Jake Slebodnick

I was blessed with classes starting around 12 on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and 11 on Tuesday and Thursday, so that’s cool, I guess. Additionally, I’m excited to get back to commentating basketball and baseball on WIUP. Yes, I will include the radio station in my testimonials.

5. Culture Editor, Heather Bair

I’m most looking forward to taking an acting and theater class since it’s out of my element. I’m also looking forward to seeing my friends again.

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This will be my last spring semester at IUP, so I plan on just enjoying the simple things in life around the campus while getting things sorted for a summer internship.

I’m excited for the film “Emma” to come out Feb. 21. I love the 2005 “Pride and Prejudice” and saw “Little Women” twice (and cired both times.) I love a light-hearted period piece, and the colors and costumes in “Emma” look sublime. Oh, I guess I’m also excited for my classes. I’m taking two English and three journalism classes, so keep me in your thoughts and prayers.

8. Grapic Designer, Teddy Jeannette

I am excited for some of my new classes and not excited for others.

9. Photo Editor, Autumn Dorsey

I’m looking forward to tapping into my creativity more.

10. Video Editor, Sean Seaman

I’m looking forward to directing and editing more sports-related videos.

11. Audio Editor, Kyle Scott

I am excited to learn new things in my classes, and have a totally tubular time here at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

January 21, 2020

Opinion

Culture

Culture Editor: Heather Bair – zzzx@iup.edu

(Facebook) “I Am King: The Michael Jackson Experience” premieres March 29 (top left), “Project Trio” premieres Jan. 28 (top right), “You & Me” premieres Feb. 14 (bottom left), and “Finding Neverland” premieres March 18 (bottom right).

KCAC Lively Arts offer variety of entertainment HALEY BROWN Staff Writer H.Brown@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

IUP’s Lively Arts Program and the Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex both have a wide range of performances and events planned for the upcoming 2020 spring semester.

From numerous musical exhibitions in Sutton Hall to revivals of the late pop artist Michael Jackson at the KCAC, there is much to look forward to within the coming semester.

Featuring talented musicians, Broadway performers and Las Vegas dancers, “I Am King” brings an explosion of energy to some of Jackson’s biggest hits for audience members of all ages.

On Tuesday, from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. in the Gorell Recital Hall on the second floor of Sutton Hall, there will be a chamber music ensemble titled “Project Trio”

Culture

which features three composers and performers that come from Brooklyn.

Their performance will showcase their classical training and an assortment of musical tastes and styles. All audience members can enjoy free admission to this unique event and are promised a surprising and high-energy musical experience.

On Feb. 3 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., the Poetry Out Loud regional competition will take place in the IUP Performing Arts Center.

Hosted by the Arts-in-Education program, ArtsPath, the 2020 poetry recitation competition allows poetry champions from participating high schools in Armstrong, Butler, Clarion, Indiana and Jefferson counties to compete for the honor of representing the region in the state-level competition, which takes place in Harrisburg in March.

The winner of the state

competition will then move up to represent Pennsylvania at the national poetry competition in Washington, D.C. the regional competition is taking place at IUP. It is free and open to the public.

On Feb. 7, the Manhattan Saxophone Quartet will present a recital in Gorell Recital Hall from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.

If you’re looking for an inarguably unique experience for a Valentine’s Day date, look no further. IUP is proud to host the Mummenchanz “You & Me” show Feb. 14 in the IUP Performing Arts Center in Fisher Auditorium from 7 to 9 p.m.

This Swiss visual theater company has dazzled and amused audiences across the globe for more than 45 years, and their performances exceed expectations.

“You & Me” features numerous short, silent skits involving performers that manipulate light and various objects to portray a

January 21, 2020

variety of scenes with a healthy sprinkling of satire.

This show shares an underwater adventure that includes an assortment of light and shadow creatures sure to excite and occasionally confuse the senses.

The performance leads the audience through innovative and strange scenes of seahorses, jellyfish and even a skit with a largerthan-life frog.

March 18, 7 p.m., “Finding Neverland,” based on the 2004 movie starring Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet, will be performed in Fisher Auditorium.

The story of how the boy who never grew up comes to life on stage as J.M. Barrie struggles with finding inspiration. Upon meeting four young boys and their widowed mother, he learns that sometimes all you need in life is faith, trust and a little bit of pixie dust.

In Toretti Auditorium on Satur-

day, March 29, from 2:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., there will be a live Michael Jackson tribute performance called “I Am King: The Michael Jackson Experience” to take the audience back to when the King of Pop dominated the music scene.

On April 18, IUP will celebrate its 21st annual Jazz Festival. Led

by James Flowers and the IUP Jazz Ensemble, the annual concert is directed by Kevin Einsmith and highlights incredible jazz pieces performed by IUP bands as well as a featured guest artist that is yet to be announced.

IUP is full of opportunities to immerse the community in a wide variety of musical, theatrical and unique performances to expand your creative experiences.

The information on these events and all other upcoming performance events on IUP’s Lively Arts website as well as the KCAC events website.

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Culture

Tips, tricks for keeping resolutions HEATHER BAIR Culture Editor H.Bair@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

(Facebook) Dick Clark’s “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” is a popular choice with those who watch the ball drop.

New Year’s celebrations mix with new, old traditions ANNA MECHLING Staff Writer A.Mechling@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

The New Year brought a new start to a new decade.

However, many things, like traditions, were kept the same.

As usual, there were many different airings on TV celebrating the countdown to New Year’s in New York’s Times Square.

The ever-so-popular Dick Clark’s “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” was broadcasted on ABC with hosts Ryan Seacrest and Lucy Hale. Fox News covered a New Year’s Eve special with host Steve Harvey, and other channels like CNN with Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen had their own special showings.

Many people around the nation tuned in to watch the festivities and musical performances by acts like Gwen Stefani, Keith Urban and Paula Abdul, just to name a few, and were eager to watch the tradition of the ball dropping in Times Square.

Many students celebrated the new year by relaxing with family and watching New Year’s celebrations on TV. “I stayed home with my family and relaxed,” Ronald Inniss (sophomore, Asian studies) said. “I watched the late-night New Year’s specials on TV for a little bit.

“It’s always a tradition in my family to watch the Times Square New Year’s Eve special on TV. We like to watch it together, count down and celebrate the new year as a family. It’s a great tradition I enjoy being a part of.”

Celebrating the new year with family and relaxing by staying in is a common activity with people.

“I celebrated with my family

this New Year,” Kyanna Price (freshman, marketing) said. “I stayed in, and I stayed up watching the New Year’s celebration on TV. “My family and I stayed up until it was midnight, and we celebrated and enjoyed family time together.”

Some people venture outside their homes and go to celebrations in major cities like Pittsburgh or New York City.

“This year for New Year’s, I went to New York City with some friends,” Dani Wade (senior, accounting) said. “I went to New York to see the ball drop.

“It was my first time going to New York to see the ball drop, and it was a really great. It was really crowded and cold, but it was a really great experience that I’ll never forgot.”

Many students enjoy spending the holiday celebrating with their close friends.

“I had some friends come in from Philadelphia and New Jersey,” Aaron Good (junior, criminology) said. “We met each other during a college trip, and we’ve been talking of meeting again.

“When they came to visit me, we binged movies, partied and had an all-around good time to celebrate the New Year. We all had a good time and enjoyed celebrating the New Year together.”

Some students travel to different places for various reasons to celebrate the New Year.

“I spent my New Year’s in a different time zone than Pa., so I watched the ball drop in New York City on TV, but it wasn’t midnight where I was at,” Sara Keller (senior, criminology) said. “I was able to spend New Year’s with family, but they unfortunately went to bed before midnight.”

With the New Year comes the tradition of making New Year’s resolutions, when people make goals for the new year and either end the year feeling accomplished or defeated. Resolutions can be hard to keep, especially when you have a busy lifestyle. Here are some tips and tricks to keeping those resolutions.

Be realistic: When making goals, they should be realistically made. Goals such as “become president” or “become a millionaire before the age of 25” aren’t very realistic goals to accomplish within a year.

They take hard work and time to accomplish. While they aren’t unreachable, it’s nearly impossible to reach them within 365 days.

Making smaller goals that lead up to the bigger picture are more reasonable.

Keep them simple: Likewise, it’s best to keep your goals for the new year simple.

Some people try to completely change their entire lifestyle in the course of one year. While it can be done, it’s difficult to overhaul your entire life. Too much too soon can cause more harm than good, especially if it is a physical change to your life.

If you want to change your life, start small. Set aside money for spending if you have a shopping problem, workout three days a week instead of one, set a certain time in the day for studying and study until that time is over. You’ll start seeing small progress which can lead to bigger progress in the future.

Track your progress: When keeping track of something, such as a to-do list or checklist, it’s easier to maintain a goal or resolution. Bullet journals, notebooks and planners are great ways to keep track. Some bullet journals and planners even have pages dedicated to checklists or to-dos. Checking off items can make you feel accomplished at the end of a day.

You can also set it up that when you check off a certain amount of work, you get a reward of your choice.

(Facebook) A popular resolution is to work out, which some may fall short on throughout the year.

Don’t beat yourself up: Even if you don’t accomplish your goals, don’t beat yourself up over it. If you feel the need to reach the goals and start feeling down that you’re not making any progress, try taking a break from them. You can start resolutions anytime during the year, not just on New Year’s Day.

Have an accountability partner: With resolutions like losing weight or working out more, it can be hard to keep the goal in mind.

By having an accountability partner, someone who can motivate you when you have low energy or don’t want to work on your resolution, it’s helpful to have someone there to cheer you on and remind you of what this goal means.

Don’t keep your goals serious: New Year’s resolutions are meant to be fun while being a serious goal you want to achieve.

If you have more than one or two goals and they’re serious, try adding a fun goal in with them.

Maybe the goal can be to have a day out with friends once a week.

Write down your goals: Studies have shown that when people write things down, they’re more apt to remember them and do them. Making a checklist or a list of your goals and hanging them up where you see them everyday can keep them in the front of your mind. Hanging the list on mirrors, by your front door or closet door, even by your bed are great spots to hang them where they won’t get lost among the clutter.

Reward yourself: When you’re rewarded for a job well done, it can feel motivating. If your goal is to lose weight, don’t reward yourself with a box of chocolates, of course, but reward yourself with something that further accomplishes your goal. If your goal is to lose three pounds in one month and you reach it, your reward can be new outfit or going out with friends to a movie. Just make sure your reward doesn’t contradict the resolution.

And remember, it’s okay to not meet certain goals. If you are happy and healthy, New Year’s resolutions can be all in good fun.

Culture

January 21, 2020

(Facebook) “Better Call Saul” premiered in 2015 on AMC and is the prequel to “Breaking Bad.”

‘Better Call Saul’ ends next year with sixth, final season YVONNE VILLARREAL TNS Los Angeles Times

“Better Call Saul” while you still can. The AMC series has been renewed for a sixth and final season.

Executive producer and showrunner Peter Gould made the announcement Thursday at the Television Critics Association press tour in Pasadena.

The final season will consist of 13 episodes, to be released next year bringing its episode total to 63, roughly on par with its predecessor, “Breaking Bad.” “Better Call Saul” is set several years before the events of “Breaking Bad,” the Emmy-winning drama that introduced us to Walter White (Bryan Cranston) and Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul). The prequel tracks the transformation of lawyer Jimmy McGill into the Saul Goodman viewers came to love in the original series.

“Green-lighting a prequel to one of the most iconic series in television history is one of the boldest swings that AMC has ever taken. But, thanks to the creative genius of (co-creators) Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould, it has also been one of the most rewarding,” Sarah Barnett, president of AMC Networks, said in a statement.

“I was so proud to be part of ‘Breaking Bad’ because ... we managed to stick the landing on those 62 episodes,” Gould told reporters. “We’re going to try like hell to stick the landing on 63 episodes ... that’s exactly what we wanted.

That’s what we hoped for.”

Gould was joined onstage by

Gilligan, the creator of “Breaking Bad” and co-creator of “Better Call Saul,” as well as the cast, including Bob Odenkirk, Rhea Seehorn and Jonathan Banks.

The show’s writers will begin work on the final season next month. Fans can catch the fifth season beginning Feb. 23. It will include some more familiar faces from the “Breaking Bad” universe, including Dean Norris, who played Walt’s DEA agent brother-in-law Hank Schrader in the original series, and Steven Michael Quezada, who played Hank’s partner.

Asked about whether he started the spinoff with some idea of how the show might conclude -whether it would sync up with the beginning of “Breaking Bad” or veer in its own direction -- Gould hedged a bit.

“How it ends, I would say, the truth is we didn’t have much of an idea of it either,” Gould said.

“Four seasons in, it was very foggy.

“During the breaking of Season 5, I think the fog started to lift.

We started to see where we think it ends. I have to say, none of it is what I would have expected when we started.

“When this season is over, I think you’ll have a better understanding of where this is all going.”

Nor would he say with certainty whether Cranston or Paul, both of whom appear in Gilligan’s recent Netflix title “El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie,” would turn up in the final season.

“That would be awesome,” Gould said. “I would love to work with Aaron and Bryan again on this show.”

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(Facebook) Two fads that people have tried is the NutriSystem and the Dukan Diet, both of which can potentially be harmful to your body.

Writer shares tips on how to lose weight the healthy way for New Year’s HALEY BROWN Staff Writer H.Brown@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

Probably the most popular New Year’s resolution, weight loss, is a tricky concept to approach in a healthy way, and the ins and outs provide plenty of pitfalls that might trap some prospective “losers” in unhealthy habits.

Fad dieting, also called novelty dieting, is a stylish-seeming weight loss plan that promises speedy results and claim to have dramatic success rates, but it is widely known that fad dieting can sometimes be dangerous, unhealthy and an impermanent solution to your weight-woes. These diets are often based on zero scientific evidence and are likely to adversely affect your physical health and in turn your overall wellbeing.

Typically, people looking to lose weight should steer clear of fad dieting and seek professional help if they are looking to make significant changes to their bodies.

Visiting a nutritionist or dietician could be a healthy first step to a safe weight-loss journey.

There are countless fad diets that provide false or temporary hope for dieters everywhere, but a weight loss plan built by a doctor or dietician is promised to be a

(Facebook) A healthy way to lost weight is exercising properly and finding the best plan for your body type, especially with the help of a trainer.

much healthier option for those looking to lose a few pounds for the coming year.

Every person’s body makeup and metabolic rate is wildly different, and no diet is guaranteed to work for every body type or metabolism. The type of changes people may be looking to make to their physique is also important for dieticians and doctors to help them build a plan.

If they are looking to cut down on total body fat while building muscle, lose no weight and build lean muscle, bulk up or even just find a better, more effective way to increase their metabolism, each

detailed goal plays a part in the search for the correct plan for that person’s body goals.

Some examples of fad diets include the juice diet, intermittent fasting, the keto diet, carb cutting and the Dukan Diet, among others that are out there.

The most popular fad diet is the juice cleanse, which involves ingesting only liquids for an extended period of time, usually ranging from three to ten days.

Usually, the dieters receive all their nutrients from juiced vegetables and fruits, but it would be more nutritionally beneficial to just eat the vegetables whole.

The fiber in fruits and vegetables is vital for a healthy digestive system, and although juicing does allow a more efficient absorption of the vitamins and minerals, the more limited caloric intake that comes from juicing would typically not be enough to support a healthy adult who usually should take in about 2,000 to 3,000 Calories daily, depending on the rigorousness of their daily activities.

Another of the most popular fad diets is intermittent fasting.

While many healthy adults swear on it as a way to cleanse their systems, it may prove to be extremely dangerous if not done correctly

or if your body chemistry and diet previous to beginning a fast is not compatible to support itself for the length of a fast.

Intermittent fasting has several options for length and frequency of fasts and includes plans that encourage 16-hour fasts followed by eight hours of normal eating and even entire days of fasting followed by an entire day of eating regularly scheduled meals.

The main problem with the intermittent fasting fad stems from the altering of mental habits and the alteration of a person’s perception of food. If restricting food becomes an issue, the dieters may find themselves obsessing over the amount of food they are consuming, avoiding eating because of food-based-anxieties, extending their fasts past the recommended lengths and even the possiblitiy of beginning to binge or purge.

If you or someone you know suffers from a possible eating disorder, you should seek help from a professional as soon as possible. A visit to a physician, dietician or mental health professional may be just what you need to get back on track and start enjoying life once again, not solely focused around Calorie consumption or body shape.

January 21, 2020

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Culture

(Facebook) Netflix’s “The Witcher” premiered Dec. 20 and is based off the saga written by Polish writer Andrzej Sapkowski. The Netflix series stars Henry Cavill, Anya Chalotra and Freya Allan

Toss a coin to Netflix’s new series ‘The Witcher’ MARTY WEAVER Copy Editor zglz@iup.edu @mrweavs This article contains opinion and spoilers.

Netflix’s “The Witcher” is by no means perfect, but it’s certainly a fun ride.

The show follows Geralt of Rivia, a witcher (basically mutated monster-hunter); Jaskier the bard, Geralt’s sometimes-companion; Yennefer of Vengerberg, a very powerful sorceress; and princess Cirilla, aka Ciri, the lone heir to the throne of Cintra.

Bit of a warning, folks: basically every conceivable trigger warning applies to this show. It’s incredibly violent and graphic, so be cautious if you want to check it out.

While you start the show assuming that everything you see is happening at the same time, it quickly becomes clear that that is not the case. Yennefer’s story starts decades before the “present,” Geralt and Jaskier’s story begins around 10 years before the “present,” and Ciri’s tale is the “present.”

Though it’s a little jarring to realize there are multiple timelines at first, I personally liked trying to piece together what’s happening when. I’m not going to go too deep into spoilers, but when I finally figured out how everything is connected, I had to pause the episode and grab my hair and groan “Oh no” over and over again. It’s wild, y’all.

This show made my Appalachian blood go wild. Henry Cavill with long, unkempt hair, golden eyes, covered head-to-toe in leather armor, going to town on

(Facebook) Henry Cavill stars as Geralt of Rivia, a witcher who struggles to find where he belongs as a mutated monster-hunter.

some real body-horror monsters?

Everything I’ve ever dreamed of.

Get that Superman stuff outta my face; I like a feral, tired gremlin trying and failing not to adopt every young person he comes across.

Yennefer gives up her womb for beauty, and then she regrets it and travels the continent in search for a cure for infertility. There’s nothing wrong with wanting children, but I thought it was a little unoriginal and more than a little misogynistic for her to specifically want the ability to bear children.

Being infertile is far more common than people think, and adoption shouldn’t be seen as an inferior choice for parenthood. I have three adopted cousins; they’re just as much a part of my family as my blood relatives. Female characters feeling like “monsters” for not being able to bear children is a tired trope that really needs to die out already. Also, Yennefer, there are so many sad orphans in your world. Just steal one! Or several!

Ain’t nobody gonna challenge your witchcraft, girl.

The part of me that falls in

love with every strong woman I see was delighted by how few shirts Yennefer wore. The much larger feminist in me was a little less so. Yes, we should definitely #FreeTheNipple, but when every episode has at least one topless woman, yet all the men in the literal orgy scene still had pants on, it starts to feel kind of yucky.

All that being said, I still like Yennefer a lot (apparently a bit of an unpopular opinion in the fandom), and I hope to see much more of her in Season 2. What can I say: I love a pretty lady with complicated morals.

Ciri gives me some big Adorafrom-“She-Ra and the Princess of Power” energy: she is young (I believe 12), posesses mystical powers and was raised believing that her kingdom was “good” when, in fact, it was responsible for countless atrocities. Ciri has to run away from her kingdom after it is invaded by the neighboring Nilfgaard. Her grandmother, Queen Calanthe (another pretty lady with very complicated morals), tells Ciri to seek out Geralt.

I want to wrap her up in a blanket and protect her from all the world’s evils – spoiler alert: so does Geralt. She learns the hard way that most people around the continent are not fans of her family. That’s on top of the entire Nilfgaardian army looking for her, as she seems to be the key to a prophecy. This prophecy was a little vague, so I’m assuming that Season 2 is going to dive into that much more.

As previously mentioned, the monsters were tough to look at.

They were absolutely dreadful and nightmare-inducing. I loved them. The striga in Episode 3 was particularly upsetting, and the way her umbilical cord dragged on the ground while she was stalking her prey was *chef’s kiss.* You really got the feeling that this world is wholly unpleasant to exist in, but some part of me wanted to lose myself in it, anyway.

It really says something about the state of the world that I would give up living here to inhabit a fantasy dimension full of war, monsters and dark magic.

As a queer person, I strive to find representation wherever I can get it, so of course Geralt and Jaskeir’s “friendship” seemed like a little more to me. Jaskier has been tagging along with Geralt “I need no one” of Rivia for about a decade, has a tendency to hang out with Geralt while the latter is bathing (two bros chilling in a bathtub 2 feet apart because… you know) and is the closest thing Geralt has to a friend in the entire show.

Jaskier also wrote an absolute banger of a ballad, “Toss a Coin to Your Witcher,” just a few hours after meeting the man. If that’s not love, I don’t know what is.

The thing is, I’m a realist, so I highly doubt it’s going to happen in canon. Since this show is based on not only video games but a Polish book series, I’m sure that the writers are more concerned with staying true to previous canon than being particularly progressive.

I’m also not going to pretend that I have any right to speak about the politics of Poland.

Sure, it would be great if everyone around the world liked the LGBTQ+ community, but it ain’t like that.

That’s what fanfiction is for.

All in all, I really enjoyed “The Witcher.” Sure, there are some problems, but I’m a firm believer in enjoying things for what they are. This show filled the dark-fantasy hole in my heart I’ve had upon finishing another Netflix original, “Castlevania.”

All I ask of the writers for the confirmed and without-a-releasedate-as-of-yet Season 2 is that we get to see Geralt in a ponytail.

Culture

January 21, 2020

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January 21, 2020

Culture

January 21, 2020

Culture

25

(Facebook) “Call Her Daddy” (top left), “Chicks in the Office” (top right), “Views with David Dobrik and Jason Nash” (bottom left) and “Lore” (bottom right) are four podcasts that can help kill the time.

Podcasts that help pass the time when walking to class, work MEGAN DONNY Staff Writer M.Donny@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

This article contains opinion.

Recently, more and more students have been opting to listen to podcasts rather than watching Netflix, YouTube or even listening to music.

During the past few years, podcasts have been on the rise.

This is due to the fact that we are always on the go. We can’t watch YouTube or television while we are constantly moving from class to class or driving.

Podcasts can be a source of entertainment, education and news. The podcasts that are fun to listen to but also inform you about world events can be great to listen to when you don’t have the time to watch the news on television.

Below are a variety of great podcasts for students to listen to.

“The Daily Show with Trevor Noah: Ears Edition” If you haven’t watched or listened to “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah” yet, you should do it immediately. While “The Daily Show” is actually a television show on Comedy Central, they also adapt each episode into a podcast that is on Spotify and iTunes.

Noah provides the world news in a way that makes you want to keep listening. He does interviews with influential people and celebrities he admires. While some podcasts that provide the news can be boring and hard to concentrate on, this podcast is hilarious and addictive.

“Ear Biscuits with Rhett and Link” These two guys started out as funny YouTubers on their channel, Good Mythical Morning.

Their channel consists of funny stories, comments, pranks and experiments. On their podcast, they delve deeper into their lives talking about their families, dilemmas and favorite foods. These two guys have been friends since childhood, which makes their banter fun and easy to listen to.

“Call Her Daddy” This podcast is for mature audiences only. This is one of my favorite podcasts run by Barstool Sports. While it is definitely not for everybody, this podcast is absolutely hilarious. Sophia and Alex are two women in their 20s who share their dating experiences and tips when it comes to

having a successful relationship.

“Chicks in the Office” Like “Call Her Daddy,” this podcast is also part of Barstool Sports. This podcast is also two women, Rita and Fran, who discuss news in pop culture. They discuss topics like celebrity relationships and breakups, popular TV shows, new music, fan-submitted questions and guest interviews. This is another podcast I highly recommend to people who are trying to stay in-the-know about recent pop culture events.

“VIEWS with David Dobrik and Jason Nash” IUP’s favorite Youtuber, David Dobrik, started his own podcast with his friend and co-YouTuber Vlog Squad member Jason Nash. Like in his vlog, Dobrik fools around with his friends and discusses their relationships and make fun of each other. I love listening to this podcast because it’s a lot like watching the vlog, except I can do it on the go.

“Pod Save America” This podcast is another news

source that focuses mostly around politics. This podcast is another good way to catch up on recent news, especially surrounding the upcoming 2020 election. The podcast is run by four former aides to president Obama, and they bring on guests like journalists, politicians and activists.

“And That’s Why We Drink” True crime is a very popular genre in the podcast world. This podcast combines humor and paranormal ghost and true crime stories. Each podcast is about an hour and 45 minutes long. They do lots of fun holiday-themed horror stories for every holiday that comes around.

“Stuff You Should Know” This podcast is definitely for people who enjoy learning new facts about history, art and other things in the world you should probably know about. It is run by two men, Josh and Chuck, who enjoy informing their listeners about things that they may want to know.

“Couples Therapy” YouTube star Casey Neistat started this podcast with his wife,

Candace. They use their podcast to discuss topics surrounding married life, managing friendships as adults with children and the common issues that married couples face. They also talk about the struggle of being a couple in the YouTube spotlight.

“lore” If myths and legends are your thing, “Lore,” hosted by Aaron Mahnke, is a weekly podcast that tells the story behind most urban legends, the true story behind ghost stories and the facts behind fiction.

“casefile true crime” “Casefile True Crime” is a podcast that focuses on the true crime in the world that chilled everyone to their bones. “Sometimes, fact is scarier than fiction.”

“TED Talks Daily” Everyone enjoys watching TED talks on YouTube. They are informative and have topics on every possible subject. The podcast brings all the TED and TEDx conference talks you could watch on YouTube to mobile listening and on-the-go format.

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January 21, 2020

Culture

Robert Downey Jr. could’ve done anything after Marvel; he did ‘Dolittle’ JOSH ROTTENBERG TNS Los Angeles Times

This article contains opinion.

“I’ve had several careers,” Robert Downey Jr. said on an early January afternoon, sitting beside his producing partner and wife, Susan, in a cavernous soundstage on the Universal Studios backlot in Los Angeles. “There was one career where I was happy to be working. Then there was one where I was so happy to be able to be working again. And now there’s one where I’m working - and it’s working.”

Robert and Susan Downey have been together through much of that journey - through rough times, good times and ridiculously amazing times - from the period when Robert was struggling to regain his footing after years of substance abuse and multiple stints in rehab and jail through his stunning comeback as Tony Stark in 2008’s “Iron Man,” the first in what would become a decade-plus string of Marvel superhero blockbusters.

Now, the two, who have been married since 2005 and co-founded the production company Team Downey in 2010, are embarking on a new chapter. Having concluded his bajillion-dollar-grossing run as Iron Man in last summer’s juggernaut “Avengers: Endgame,” Downey, 54, finds himself looking ahead to life after Marvel. But when you’ve already ticked off nearly every box imaginable for a Hollywood actor -- promising wunderkind, “Saturday Night Live” cast member, tabloid fodder, industry pariah, two-time Oscar nominee, global superstar -- what worlds are left to conquer?

“Robert is in an unusual place where, even though he’s had such a massive career, there’s such a strong association with this particular character of Tony Stark,” said Susan, 46, who first met Robert on the 2003 supernatural horror film “Gothika,” on which she was a producer. “So there’s a lot of scrutiny of: Well, what’s next?”

The answer, apparently, is talking to the animals.

In his first post-Marvel role and the latest and biggest Team Downey production to date, Downey stars in “Dolittle” as Dr. John Dolittle, an eccentric Victorian-era Welsh veterinarian who is drawn out of his hermit-like existence following his wife’s death and, with the help of his menag-

(Facebook) Robert Downey Jr. is most known for his role as Marvel’s Iron Man, but now the superhero has a new kind of power; he can talk to animals as Dr. John Dolittle.

erie of animals, embarks on an adventure to try to save the queen of England. The $175 million film opens Friday.

For the Downeys, who have partnered on both smaller films like the 2014 drama “The Judge” and big, splashy franchise fare like the two “Sherlock Holmes” films, “Dolittle” represents a leap into uncharted territory. Directed

by Stephen Gaghan (“Syriana”), the film attempts to breathe new life, through touches of oddball comedy and cutting-edge visual effects, into a property that dates back to author Hugh Lofting’s 1920 children’s book “The Story of Doctor Dolittle.”(The franchise’s history on the big screen is somewhat checkered: 1967’s musical “Doctor Dolittle” flopped but, after aggressive studio lobbing, scored a much-maligned best picture nomination, while the 1998 version starring Eddie Murphy and its 2001 sequel fared better at the box office.)

Downey - whose typically idiosyncratic take on the character was inspired by the 19th-century neo-Druid Welsh eccentric William Price - says it was never set in stone that “Dolittle” would be his first post-Marvel movie. Indeed, the film was originally slated to be released in April 2019, two weeks ahead of “Avengers: Endgame,” but was bumped back nine months and underwent extensive reshoots, with directors Jonathan Liebesman (“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”) and Chris McKay (“The Lego Batman Movie”) reportedly coming on to help work out what Downey calls a “really technically challenging Rubik’s cube from beginning to end.” (The film, which has received largely negative reviews, will do battle against Will Smith’s “Bad Boys for Life” and Universal’s best-picture-nominated “1917” at this weekend’s box office.)

“We’re not particularly strategic,” said Downey. “Also, release dates change all the time, so imagining that if I do this it’s going to wind up right here is like pretending you know what time a cat is going to scratch its nuts or something. I just thought: something light, something that’s enough of a departure for me where I feel challenged.”

Actor Rami Malek, who performs the voice of Dolittle’s gorilla sidekick Chee-Chee in the film, says that Downey jumped into the role with his usual spirit of embracing risk and cozying up to the unknown: “I’m not sure Robert knows exactly what it’s going to be while he’s doing it - and that’s the magic of it: the discovery,” Malek said.

For the Downeys, who have two young children together, “Dolittle” is just one of a number of recent and upcoming productions that are pushing the duo further into film as well as television. “We’re thinking about, how do we challenge ourselves and each other moving forward?” Robert said. “Is there something we could direct together? Is there a story from when Susan was in film school that I could write and she’d direct it?

We want to step up our game a little bit.”

The two are executive producers of the upcoming HBO limited series “Perry Mason,” with Matthew Rhys as the 1930s Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer, and this week announced a first-look deal with the network.

An eight-part documentary series called “The Age of A.I.,” hosted

by Downey, is currently running as a YouTube Original. A quirky, dystopian series called “Sweet Tooth,” based on a comic book from DC’s Vertigo imprint, is slated for Netflix.

And a number of movie projects are at various stages of develop-

ment, including a film about a real-life quack doctor who transplanted goat testicles into men to restore their virility (set to be directed by Richard Linklater), a third installment in the “Sherlock Holmes” series and a documentary about Downey’s father, the pioneering underground filmmaker Robert Downey Sr. Susan Downey says that such eclecticism is a reflection of the Downeys’ far-ranging interests.

“We don’t really make our choices based on, ‘Oh, this is commercially viable and fits this slot,’” she said.

“We sort of just look at the whole picture of, what’s the story, what’s the journey, what’s the challenge?

Does it give us the opportunity to do something we haven’t done before?”

Screenwriter and director Shane Black, who worked with the Downeys on the 2005 action-comedy “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang” and 2013’s “Iron Man 3,” has marveled over the years at how well the two complement each other. “I think they’re just two puzzle pieces that managed after many years and many tribulations to sort of find each other,” said Black, who credits Susan with being “part of Robert’s salvation.” “She may be slightly more practical in terms of coming from the producer standpoint, and she gives him the freedom to unleash creatively and spin out as far as he wants.”

Indeed, in sitting down with the couple, that dynamic quickly becomes evident. At one point, in talking about his preparation for “Dolittle,” Robert animatedly veers off into a discussion of how William Price drew controversy in his day not only for his nudism but for his belief in cremation -“which obviously discourages a lot of the airborne stuff that happens to decomposing flesh” -- before being gently reminded by Susan

that they are discussing a character in a film aimed at children. (There’s a reason Team Downey’s company logo is a nurse chasing a mental patient with a butterfly net.)

Director Jon Favreau, who remade Downey’s career when he cast him in 2008’s “Iron Man” and later directed him in “Iron Man 2” and the indie “Chef,” says the actor’s restless creative spirit will continue to propel him as he charts his post-Marvel career. “I think it might have been freeing to have that character resolved in ‘Endgame,’ so that now he can move forward as Robert,” Favreau said.

“But he doesn’t shy away from the legacy of Tony Stark. If anything, I think it helps signal-boost whatever he’s exploring and whatever he’s curious to do.”

(Amid rumors that Downey will make a cameo appearance as Stark in the upcoming Marvel film “Black Widow,” Favreau said he expects the actor to maintain his connection to the Marvel universe in one way or another. “We both feel like alumni of a university that we’re very proud to wear the ring of - and sometimes the alumni association gets a lot done.”)

As for where he will go as an actor after “Dolittle,” Downey who earned Oscar nominations for the 1992 Charlie Chaplin biopic “Chaplin” and the 2008 comedy “Tropic Thunder” - says he’s open to anything, big or small, citing the indies “Captain Fantastic” and “Honey Boy” as two of his favorite films of the last five years.

“I wonder sometimes if there isn’t a perception about me that I’m booked for the next 30 years and if you don’t call me with the next biggest movie that will ever have been made on Earth...,” he said, trailing off. “Like I’m some middle-aged supermodel who won’t get out of bed for anything less than $1 billion.”

January 21, 2020

Culture

27

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January 21, 2020

Culture

Sports

Sports Editor: Elliot Hicks – E.Hicks@iup.edu Lead Sports Writer: Jeff Hart – J.R.Hart2@iup.edu

Men’s basketball stays in top 10 after naughty, nice winter break STEVEN LANGDON JR. Managing Editor S.Langdon@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

It’s migration season as students return to good ol’ Indiana.

The IUP men’s basketball team is also soaring right now after several strong performances over the holiday season. The Crimson Hawks had some nice things over break, but there were hints of naughty happenings as well throughout the nine game span.

Nice The team had a joyous start to break picking up its largest victory of the season.

IUP welcomed the Bethany College Bison into the Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex (KCAC) and put on a scoring clinic.

The Crimson Hawks reached the century mark on their way to a 108– 41 victory. The 67-point differential was the second largest only to Lancaster Bible by 81 in 1990.

Leading the team was Armoni Foster (redshirt sophomore, criminal justice) with 19 points. He was one of five players in double digits.

The team also had 46 points off the bench.

Naughty All good things come to an end as the first loss of the season took place Dec. 21 at Shippensburg. IUP was ranked third in the nation, but a second half rally came just short losing 69–66.

After going down seven after the first half, they had to play from behind the majority of the second half. The game was focused primarily on the starting five of both teams. Both of them had 16 points total off the bench with four given to IUP.

Nice The first loss is always the hardest ,but it is how you rebound off that game that matters. For the Crimson Hawks, they did as good

Sports

(IUP Athletics) Dave Morris (left) and Ethan Porterfield (right) have become vital parts of the IUP starting lineup in their first seasons as Crimson Hawks.

as you could get.

They have won six straight games with only one being in single digits. IUP won games against Lock Haven, Mercyhurst, Slippery Rock, Gannon, Edinboro and Cal U. Slippery Rock was the game in single digits when they won 78-74.

The Crimson Hawks also had the return trip to Edinboro, where they remembered to bring their own uniforms this time. Last year when they travelled to Edinboro they forgot to bring the uniforms and were forced to wear the Fighting Scots’ away uniforms.

This infamous mistake was featured as No. 1 on ESPN’s Not Top 10. The final score of this year’s

game was 88–53.

Naughty The development of a big man has been an issue since Tommy Demogerontas (senior, school of continuing education) went down for the season with a leg injury. Chucky Humphries (senior, communications media) has been playing the four while Ethan Porterfield (kinesiology health and sport science) has been playing the center.

Both of them have not been able to replicate the size that IUP has had in the past, but as Coach Lombardi would put it, “we don’t look specifically for a Willem [Brandwijk] or Jacobo [Diaz].”

January 21, 2020

What the Crimson Hawks lack in size they make up with athleticism.

Both Humphries and Porterfield are able to shoot the ball well and average 2.8 blocks per game collectively.

It will be interesting to see how far they could ride the strong guard play.

Nice We will end this on the positive because, after all, the holiday season is a happy time for most. One player having himself a great season is Foster.

He leads the team in points with 18.2, field goals per game with 6.6, free throws per game with 3.3 and

steals per game with 1.9. On top of that, he has the game high for points in a game with 28 against Le Moyne Nov. 15.

During the break, Foster was placed on the Bevo Francis Award watch list. This award honors the top player from Division II and below. The watch list named the top 100 players.

IUP has had a player featured every year since the award was introduced in 2016. Foster joins the likes of Jacobo Diaz and Brandon Norfleet to represent IUP on the watch list.

The Crimson Hawks are back on the road Wednesday when they play Pitt-Johnstown.

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January 21, 2020

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Sports

(IUP Athletics) Rajah Fink (sophomore, management) scored nine points Saturday in a victory against California (Pa.).

Women well on their way to another PSAC tournament JEFF HART

Lead Sports Writer J.R.Hart2@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

Welcome back to the new semester, IUP family.

The start of a new academic brings about change for most students. The women’s basketball team, however, is an exception to this rule.

The Crimson Hawks have been on what some would call a stellar run since leaving for break. They have won their past 14 games, defeating all that have had the misfortune of crossing their path.

The Hawks have averaged around 71 points per game during the break, all while limiting their opponents to an underwhelming 54.6 points per game.

The Hawks displayed their brilliance on the court against PSAC ri-

val California (Pa.). Cal U came into the game ranked No. 20 in the nation. The Hawks struggled against the Vulcans last season, losing both of their regular-season matchups.

IUP exacted its revenge in superb fashion, beating Cal U 76–61.

The Hawks were down early as the Vulcans lead for a majority of the first half. The Hawks came alive late in the second quarter and went on a 9–3 run that would put them up 27–26 before the half.

After this run, the Hawks never allowed Cal U to come back. IUP put up 50 points in the second half alone. Cal U took a small 33–32 lead in the third quarter, and that was the last time the Vulcans took a lead in this matchup of gladiator programs.

IUP was led by forward Lexi Griggs (senior, nursing), who put up a season-high 22 points, and Na-

talie Myers (senior, education) who posted an impressive 18 points and 12 rebounds.

IUP is currently sitting at the top of the conference with a 16–1 record and a staggering 11–0 in PSAC matchups. IUP is the conference’s only undefeated squad and hopes to continue this spectacular play going into the playoffs.

The Hawks are having a phenomenal season and have had a hot start. IUP has silenced some of its doubters. After losing three of their star players from last season, some thought the Hawks might have struggled early.

This could not have been farther from the truth. Forward Maura D’Anna (junior, physical education) weighed in on her team’s success this season.

“Our team has great chemistry, not only on the floor but in gener-

al,” D’Anna said. “We are continuing to read each other and understand tendencies.”

Myers echoed D’Anna’s comments.

“We are continuing to work hard in practice and learn from each game. I think us sticking together as a team has been so important,” she said.

Fine coaching, top-notch talent and chemistry have all played a role in the Crimson Hawks’ success this year. Even amidst their success sitting at No. 8 in the country, IUP remains focused.

“We all have room to grow in certain areas,” D’Anna said. “It’s all about working hard at practice and translating that over to the games.”

One of the Crimson Hawks’ best qualities is their work ethic. Their players are not satisfied and continue to grow as a team and as indi-

viduals as well.

This devotion to success can be seen in all who are involved in this team. Griggs serves as one of the many examples.

When one’s team is at the top, it would be easy to become complacent with your game. Griggs would scoff at this notion and is putting in all the work for her squad.

“Personally, I would like to improve my rebounding since it is a crucial part of the game to earn more possessions for my team,” Griggs said.

This team has been unselfish and playing for each other this season, and the results can be seen on the court. Coach McConnell and this squad have a lot to look forward to as the year rolls on.

Get ready, Hawk Nation. This year has the potential to become yet another special one.

Sports

January 21, 2020

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January 21, 2020

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January 21, 2020

HOT TAKE JAKE

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(TNS) The Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers will face off in Super Bowl LIV.

Wild road of NFL playoffs leads us to Miami JAKE TAYLOR

Staff Writer J.M.Taylor8@iup.edu @JakeTaylor8726

Well, well, well. We find ourselves back in Indiana at quite possibly the worst time.

The NFL post-season is over, and the only game left to talk about is Super Bowl LIV. Luckily for everyone reading, I have some built-up reactions from the last three rounds of the NFL playoffs. So sit down, shut up and drink a beer.

The postseason had a different feel to it than in years past, considering the seeding of four NFC teams came down to an inch in the last seconds of the last game of the season. In hindsight, the No. 1 seed is facing off against the AFC’s No. 2 seed, so the outcome still is chalk.

However, the path that led here is what was different. For starters, I had picked the New Orleans Saints to win the Super Bowl for the third

straight year, assuming if they lost it would be either in the NFC Championship or Super Bowl. How fitting is it that the one quarterback who holds a lot of responsibility for these articles being labeled “hot takes” crushed my Super Bowl dreams with an outstanding performance in the Super Dome.

The Seahawks beat the Eagles in a snooze fest, so no need to discuss that game. The craziness that kicked off the playoffs occurred in the first two AFC wild-card matchups. The overtime thriller in Houston was plain and simple fun to watch. Anytime two mediocre organizations with no hope or pressure to win it all face off, it sure is to be a barn-burner.

The Titans’ “upset” against the Patriots wasn’t much of an upset.

As a matter of fact, it was joyous and called for a nationwide celebration. We finally got to see the dynasty fall. Granted, that may

have happened Week 17 in their loss to the Dolphins, but we can remember the Titans for it.

The divisional round wasn’t as exciting in the NFC with both top seeds winning. That was primarily a result of the Vikings upsetting the Saints. Everyone would have rather watched Seattle duke it out with San Francisco again and then tune in to Brees vs. Rodgers on their way to two. Thanks a lot, Kirk Cousins.

Instead, we had the pleasure to sleep through both games.

Meanwhile in the AFC, the top dog, 14–2, MVP-led Ravens got blasted by King Henry and Tennessee. After witnessing the greatness that was Lamar Jackson this year, it was a shock to see the best rushing team in the history of the NFL (3,296 yards) get outrushed by its opponent. The game really proved Jackson’s value to the team. A bad game by him met the demise of a great season.

Now onto the best game of the playoffs thus far, Kansas City vs.

Houston Texans. A game that set a record for most points scored in a half is going to be the best game, bar none. However, what made this game so enjoyable to watch wasn’t the high-flying offense or crazy turnovers. It was knowing that, up by 24 points, there was unwavering certainty the Texans were going to blow it.

Conference Championship Sunday was not as exciting as last year or controversial, but again, we can thank Cousins for that. The Green Bay Packers did not deserve the No. 2 seed or even a chance to play in that game. The Packers played a whopping four playoff teams this season and lost half those games, one being a blowout on national television against the 49ers, unlike a game that ended 48–46 between what should have been the NFC championship matchup between

the Saints and Niners.

In the wise words of White Goodman, “cram it up your cram hole, LaFleur.”

As for the AFC Championship Game, the Titans saw something they haven’t the last two weeks: an elite quarterback. Brady past his prime and primetime choke artist Lamar do not compare to the talent of Patrick Mahomes. It is extremely obvious Mahomes is the best QB in the game right now. All you have to do is watch that touchdown run and realize he’s got that dog in him no one else has.

All this football was played to set up the San Fransico 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs in Miami on Feb. 2, when Mahomes and Jimmy G will face off in Miami, looking for their first title.

A hot take Super Bowl preview will be coming out soon, so until then, go ahead and sit down, shut up and drink a beer.

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January 21, 2020

Sports

January 21, 2020

Sports

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MLB levies punishment on Astros for sign-stealing scandal JAKE SLEBODNICK

News Editor J.C.Slebodnick@iup.edu @Jake_WIUP

The MLB offseason continues to surprise us.

You could even say it’s rung in the new year with a bang.

After claims by former Houston Astros pitcher Mike Fiers, as well as additional video and audio evidence proved that they stole signs to assist in winning the 2017 World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, landing them on the MLB blacklist.

Security camera footage showed that the Astros stole signs from the Dodgers’ catchers using a monitor that was revealed in the clubhouse, and the signs would be relayed to the Astros’ dugout and tipped off to batters by the banging of a trash can.

The monitor would have the game feed which would have a primary shot from the center field camera, which the team installed, showing all the signs given to opposing pitchers.

After the revelation of this scandal and further investigation, it was proven that general manager Jeff Luhnow and manager A.J. Hinch were in on the sign-stealing system and refused to take action to prevent it. Following this discovery, Luhnow and Hinch received a one-year suspension from MLB and were promptly fired by the Astros’ organization.

Alongside Luhnow and Hinch, former GM Brandon Taubman was also suspended for one year.

The Astros were also fined $5 million and must forfeit their first and second round draft picks for the next two years.

Manfred issued a nine-page report detailing the investigation, and it can be found on MLB’s website.

On-going investigations are also underway into former Astros players and staff, including current Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora, who was Hinch’s bench coach during the World Series run. If it is found that Cora was involved, he could also face a one-year suspension from the MLB. While former Astros outfielder and recently appointed manager of the New York Mets, Carlos Beltran, will not be disciplined, he and the

(TNS) Houston Astros manager A.J. Hinch was suspended through the 2020 season by the MLB and later fired by the Astros.

Mets mutually agreed to part ways Friday in light of the scandal.

Despite the findings, the Astros owner Jim Crane says that the team’s 2017 title is not tainted and that the team was “very good leading up to it.”

Moving to some more pedestrian offseason news, one of the most surprising teams to make a splash in the free agent market this offseason is the Chicago White Sox. After finishing 2019 with a 72–89 record and missing the postseason, the White Sox took to the free agent wire and made a plethora of notable signings to fill gaps on the depth chart, notably in the catching and pitching aspects.

The team signed catcher Yasmani Grandal to a four-year contract through 2023.

Grandal, 31, spent last season with the Milwaukee Brewers where

he hit .246 with 28 home runs. In addition, he contributed his career high 1,169 putouts from behind the plate and a .993 fielding percentage, whereas their former catcher, James McCann, posted a .992.

The next move was re-signing their first baseman, Jose Abreu. He will be locked down to a three-year contract, adding both power and a decent glove to the game plan.

Their final transactions of 2019 featured two veteran starting pitchers in Dallas Keuchel and Gio Gonzalez.

Keuchel, 32, spent the first few months of 2019 unsigned but found a home in Atlanta with the Braves where he pitched in 16 games and split his win-loss record and tallied a 3.75 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP. Gonzalez, 34, spent a year and a half with the Milwaukee Brewers and started 17 games and went 3–2

with a 3.50 ERA. What some find perplexing about these signings is the fact that the White Sox targeted older arms with rather high numbers in b-side statistics.

Gonzalez posted a 4.04 FIP, which measures a pitcher’s effectiveness in preventing home runs, walks, hit-by-pitches and causing strikeouts. This was his third worst tally in that area in the past four seasons.

As a team, Chicago starters averaged a 5.17 FIP in 2019, so adding a veteran who experienced a forgettable season in that aspect raised concerns.

For Keuchel, it was more or less the fear of longevity in the organization.

The White Sox are building to make a playoff appearance this coming season as well as the next

few years, so maintaining a powerful roster is vital for this. But with Keuchel signing short-term contracts could cause a rift in playoff hopes for Chicago.

Proceeding with two more notable signings, the White Sox have signed two more veterans to oneyear contracts in both DH Edwin Encarnacion and submarine reliever Steve Cishek.

Encarnacion, 37, played with the New York Yankees in 2019 and will serve as the Sox’s primary designated hitter for the upcoming season and play behind Abreu at first base.

Cishek had a formidable 2019 season with the Chicago Cubs posting a 2.95 ERA in more than 70 appearances. The only negative spot on his record from last season is his record, going 4–6.

The best spot for him would be as the Sox’s set-up man.

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January 21, 2020

Sports

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January 21, 2020

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All-Star Weekend upcoming as season reaches halfway point TYLER COMO

Staff Writer T.D.Como@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

We’ve reached the halfway point of the season.

The look of teams this year seems to bring rise to those that may not have been so hot last year and the decline of the ones not so ready for the conquest. Though, it’s around this time last year the newly crowned Stanley Cup champs were sitting pretty low on the totem pole.

Speaking of cup champs, the St. Louis Blues (30–11–8) are leading the Central Division with a commanding lead ahead of their competitors. The Blues are currently on a two-game losing streak, unable to beat the Flyers in over time.

Following that game, St. Louis couldn’t score enough to beat the second-place team in the central, the Colorado Avalanche.

Hoping to finish on a positive note before the All-Star break, they’re tallied at 68 points on the season, eight points above Colorado. The Blues are looking to bounce back Monday night against the first-place team of the Pacific Division, the Vancouver Canucks.

The Vancouver Canucks (27–18– 4) have risen through the standings to assert themselves above the rest in their division. At the beginning of the season, they gave their fans a disappointing start, going 5–5.

But they’ve come a long way from where they began, and it’s surely showing. Canucks captain Bo Horvat is seeing to that success personally. He’s managed to tally 12 points since the turn of the new year and 42 through the team’s 49 games.

But he’s getting some assistance from teammates like Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes, who seems to be having more success than his brother, Jack Hughes, who currently has 17 points. Quinn so far has racked up 34 points on the season.

He’s helped position Vancouver

(Facebook) St. Louis’ Enterprise Center will host the 2020 NHL All-Star Game.

in first, but it’s up to the team to prove they can hold that position, especially against the stars of the Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames, Vegas Golden Knights and Arizona Coyotes. The Canucks are placed at 11th in the league with 58 points and hope to keep winning to compete with the four teams following close behind, all tied with 57 points.

On the same subject of captains, those in the Metropolitan Division have been doing exactly what Horvat has been doing. For the Washington Capitals (33–11–5), Alexander Ovechkin has scored a hat trick in both of his past two games, those two teams being division rivals, New Jersey Devils and New York Islanders. Through 1,133 games, Ovechkin passed Mario Lemieux in all-time goals scored and continues to climb as he and his team rises.

The Capitals are once again in first place in the Metro and first in the league with 71 points. The

Caps claim dominance once again and find themselves on a threegame winning streak prior to the break that comes with the All-Star Weekend.

Similarly to the Caps, the Boston Bruins (28–10–12) are in control of their division. David Pastrnak is leading the league in goals scored and has proven to be a commanding player against his foe. Through 50 games played, his skill has managed to sink the puck behind the netminder 37 times and gave some added support to his teammates with 33 assists, rallying an impressive 70 points.

In related star player news, goaltender Tuukka Rask has been placed in the injured reserve. Rask suffered a concussion from an unnecessary elbow from Blue Jackets player Emil Bemstrom. After a pass was intercepted by a Boston defenseman, Bemstrom skated across the top of the Rask’s paint and jabbed him on the side of the

helmet with his elbow, which immediately sent Rask to the ground.

It was close to a minute and some change into the game, but backup goaltender Jaroslav Halak jumped into net.

The Bruins would end up being shut out by Columbus 3–0. Following their shutout, the Bruins played Pittsburgh in back-to-back games.

They managed to claim victory in the first matchup in Boston 4–1 but couldn’t keep it up when they traveled to Pittsburgh on Sunday afternoon, losing 4–3. They go into the break leading the Tampa Bay Lightning by six points.

The All-Star Weekend is upon us. After the unveiling of players’ jerseys, the NHL announced the competitions the players would participate in. In addition to previous events such as fastest skater comp, goalie save streak, hardest shot and accuracy shot, there comes two new events. It invited all-stars from the women’s Ameri-

can and Canadian teams to play in a three-on-three competition. After the positive reaction from having a few U.S. players come to and participate in some events, the NHL is moving in the right direction by including men and women in the star-filled event.

The other new skills competition it added is called the “Gatorade NHL Shooting Stars” event. The player will stand above the crowd on a stage like platform. That platform will be placed in the crowd, and they will shoot the puck over fans onto the ice. They will fire pucks at targets placed on the ice.

Only 10 players will compete in the event: eight NHL all-stars and two women’s players from the Canadian and U.S. teams. Each player will be allowed seven shots as they stand 30 feet above the crowd.

The annual event’s 2020 edition will take place in St. Louis at the Enterprise Center. Festivities will commence Friday.

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January 21, 2020

Sports

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January 21, 2020

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39

(TNS) Carmelo Anthony (right) has made himself relevant again during the 2019-20 NBA season.

Melo’s magnificent comeback shows determination JEFF HART

Lead Sports Writer J.R.Hart2@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

“Don’t call it a comeback.”

It happened, everyone.

Carmelo Anthony is back in an NBA uniform once again, silencing his doubters.

Anthony had been away for basketball for more than a year since his abrupt departure from the Houston Rockets last October.

Melo played only 10 games for Mike D’Antoni and the Rockets and averaged around 13 points. The 10time NBA all star has averaged an elite 23.8 points per game during his time in the league.

Melo has been one of the most dynamic scorers of this generation and was one of the most offensively gifted players we had seen coming into the league after winning a national title with Syracuse.

Melo’s athleticism and post fadeaway were a dominant force in the league for many years, and

he helped lead a Denver Nuggets squad to the Western Conference Finals in which Melo had a historic playoff series where he traded blows with Kobe Bryant and the Lakers squad.

To list some of his career accomplishments, Anthony was a 10-time all-star, collegiate national champion, NBA scoring champion in 2012–13, Olympic gold medalist and all-NBA team member six times throughout his career.

Rather than being a revered player in this league, Melo has been highly scrutinized and doubted by many fans and analysts. Look no further than my article in the Jan. 24 edition of The Penn last year. There, you can see the unwarranted scrutiny and hate against one of the perennial greats in this league.

Carmelo’s legacy is now changing as he is getting another shot with a new squad. After his dismissal from the Houston Rockets, Anthony went on a sort of sabbatical,

stepping away from the game to clear his head.

After doing multiple interviews with analysts like Stephen A. Smith and Rachel Nichols, Melo has tried to convince NBA teams that he was not the perceived locker room cancer the media made him out to be.

In his interview with Nichols, Melo shared his cathartic story of his time away.

“I almost left the game. . . I take walks every day to clear my head,” Anthony said.

Melo went on the airways of first take and the jump as sort of an interview for potential landing spots in hopes of clearing his name.

It would not be easy; the NBA has changed since Melo was last a force to be reckoned with. Isolation scoring is not as heavily valued, and catch-and-shoot threes and defense have become marquee in this league, both of which are not Melo’s strong points.

The number of teams willing to take Melo was limited, and it would

have likely been on a reduced role for the all-star; however, things sometimes just go perfectly for all those involved.

The Portland Trailblazers had struggled early this season after a historic run to the Western Conference finals last year. With two of their big men in Jusuf Nurkic and Zach Collins benched with injuries, Portland needed a spark in their squad when Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum needed help offensively.

Look no further than a primed and healthy Anthony. It was a match made in heaven. Lillard and the Trailblazers for years had tried to get Melo to come to Portland, but the situation was not right for Anthony.

This time, things were different.

Portland ranks in the top five in the NBA for mid-range scoring and isolation basketball. Melo would be able to go into a system that values his skill set and would be a major contributor as a starter.

Since signing with Portland,

Melo has changed the narrative of his career entirely. Melo is averaging a solid 16.3 points per game along with 6.2 rebounds. Melo even managed to garner Western Conference player of the week in early December.

Melo has put up stellar performance of 20+ points for his squad and has helped get a struggling Trailblazers squad back on track and aiming again for the playoffs.

The Trailblazers were a disappointing 5–10 before Anthony’s arrival and now sit at a more respectable 18–26.

Some may call it a comeback by Melo, but basketball fans like myself would challenge this notion stating Melo should have been playing all along.

Sometimes, the fans and media become too obsessed with numbers and the narrative of a players.

Anthony is not the toxic teammate he was made out to be, and he is proving day in and day out that he still belongs.

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January 21, 2020

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(TNS) Travis Konecny has returned from injury to assist Philadelphia in its battle for a postseason spot.

Flyers still fighting for playoff hopes at halfway mark AUSTIN SMITH

Staff Writer A.S.Smith7@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

This article contains opinion.

The Orange and Black have proved at the season’s halfway point that they deserve to be in the 2019–20 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Like every team, the Flyers have had some struggles in the beginning of the season, and right after, they were the hottest team in November. The two biggest reasons why I think the Flyers are a decent team, though not stellar right now, is because of the loss of Oscar Lindblom and their playing capability away from the Wells Fargo Center.

Like any team, the Flyers had

dealt with injuries this season, losing Travis Konecny with a small concussion and a few others like Tyler Pitlick with another injury that wasn’t that serious. He is back now, as well as Konecny.

Then we move onto a few more.

Carter Hart, one of the best home goalies in the NHL when playing at the Wells Fargo Center, is out for 2–3 weeks when he found out he had a lower abdominal strain injury during practice. At home, he has posted a 13–2–2 record so far with a 1.69 goals against average and a .940 save percentage with one shutout as well. So, Brian Elliot and Alex Lyon must man the net for now.

The biggest loss of them all was Lindblom. He was diagnosed with

Ewing sarcoma, which is a form of cancer that affects the bones.

Lindblom was off to a hot start for the Flyers and looked like he was going to have an amazing season, but unfortunately, the sarcoma has stopped him.

Flyers Nation and the whole NHL are keeping Lindblom in their prayers and supporting him as much as possible.

Besides the injuries I mentioned earlier, playing on the road has caused trouble for the Orange and Black most of the season. They currently have a 10–13–2 record on the road, which by any means is not the worst road record but for sure in the bottom six. When you compare their home record, 16–4–4, you start to scratch your head.

The media have asked tons of times why the Flyers can’t play as well on the road, and a lot of them just don’t really know what the problem is. Some could say it could be a mental problem when playing on the road, but in today’s day and age, that should not be an excuse.

It’s also not like the Flyers have not knocked off any good teams on the road this season, which they have. They have beaten Boston, Columbus and Carolina, as well as one of the best teams in the NHL, the St. Louis Blues on the road. So, if the Flyers want to make a better playoff position than just making it into a wildcard spot, they must have the capability to start winning on the road.

Moving on to the home stance

for the Flyers has been a completely different scenario. They have knocked off countless stealer teams and honestly too many to mention. Those recent teams include Boston again, Washington and a loss but still a close one to Tampa Bay, for which I was in attendance. The all-star break is coming up, which means some rest for the NHL players but not before the Broad Street Bullies square off with the Pittsburgh Penguins for the second time this season and the Pens’ first visit at the Wells Fargo Center this season.

It should be a revenge feeling for the Flyers since they got blown out at Pittsburgh earlier. The Flyers are playing great hockey at home but still have the road blues.