Taylor McCarley has emerged as one of the stars on the women’s basketball team in her second season as a Retriever.

McCarley started her UMBC career off with an excellent freshman campaign that included three America East Conference Rookie-of-the-Week awards. She capped of the year with a selection to the conference All-Rookie team. In 29 games, McCarley averaged 9.5 points per game and scored 276 points overall, which was in the top ten among UMBC freshman all-time.

Not only did she make school history with her points, but McCarley became the first Retriever to record a triple-double last season, when she did so against Binghamton University. Despite her successes, the team only managed to pick up four wins in her freshman season, but she has been a part of a nice turnaround this season. The Retrievers have already doubled their win total from a year ago, with six games still left on the schedule.

She continued her success into her sophomore season where she is currently averaging 10.4 points per game through 23 games. She is not just scoring points, but also helping her teammates score as she leads the team in assists per game with 4.3.

When McCarley is on her game she is a nearly unstoppable force for UMBC and she is often the key to victory. When McCarley scores more than nine points, the Retrievers have a winning record. In the Retrievers’ recent win over the University of New Hampshire, McCarley scored a career high 29 points, and added 10 rebounds and four assists. She led the team in all three categories.

It was not just that one game where McCarley dominated. Against Binghamton, McCarley picked up 24 points and five assists in UMBC’s 71-55 win over the Bearcats. Of those 24 points, 16 came in the second half, which more than doubled any other player on the court.

McCarley’s college career was preceded by four excellent years at the Academy of Holy Cross where she was a three time team captain and three time All-Conference player. She was also successful outside of her school team as she helped her United States Junior Nationals team win the silver medal in 2011.

The Retrievers and McCarley have just six games remaining before the conference tournament in Binghamton. The Retrievers currently hold the number six seed, but with six games to go, they could still shake up the standings. If McCarley can continue to play at a high level, then the Retrievers will be hard to stop.

Israel

Israel’s supreme court rejected the appeal by the family of Rachel Corrie – an American activist who was crushed to death by a military bulldozer in Gaza in 2003 – which sought to hold Israel accountable for her death.

The court invoked the “combat activities exception,” which absolves the Israeli military of responsibility for damages in a war zone. The ruling appears to bring an end to years of effort by the Corrie family in their wrongful death suit.

“Our family is disappointed but not surprised,” the Corrie family said in a statement released on Thursday. “Nevertheless, it is clear that this decision, affirming the August 2012 lower court finding, amounts to judicial sanction of immunity for Israeli military forces when they commit injustices and human rights violations.”

Corrie, 23, was a volunteer with the International Solidarity Movement protesting the Israeli military’s destruction of homes in Rafah, Gaza when she was killed.

An August 2012 Israeli court ruling had determined that Corrie was protesting in a closed military zone where there had recently been violence in which Israeli soldiers were attacked with a grenade.

Ukraine

Ukrainian soldiers and pro-Russian separatists resume fighting on Friday despite the successful negotiation of a cease-fire on Thursday between Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and other European leaders.

According to the Ukrainian military, 11 soldiers were killed and 40 were injured in the 24 hours following the cease-fire negotiation. The majority of the fighting took place in the separatist stronghold of Donetsk as well as in the strategic city of Debaltseve.

The cease-fire, which is scheduled to begin in two weeks, stipulates that Ukrainian forces and separatists will pull back their offensive capabilities. The agreement also gives separatist-held areas in Ukraine more autonomy, though it does not grant Ukraine any concessions on border control.

The deal did not issue any economic or military penalties on Russia for its role in supporting separatists, a role it has denied playing. However, the European Union will reportedly unilaterally move forward with sanctions against numerous separatists and Russians.

United States

In a televised address on Wednesday, Feb. 12, President Barack Obama called on Congress to formally authorize the use of military force in the war against the Islamic State, stating that congressional authorization makes the United States strongest in the fight.

Accompanied by Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of State John Kerry and Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, Obama outlined the proposal he gave to Congress earlier that day and said that the bill reflects “our core objective to destroy ISIL,” and includes authority for a “systemic and sustained campaign of airstrikes,” support and training for forces on the ground and humanitarian assistance.”

President Obama was quick to note that the Authorization for the Use of Military Forces does not call for the deployment of ground troops to the region.

“I am convinced that the United States should not get back into another ground war in the Middle East – it’s not in our national security interest and not necessary for us to defeat ISIL,” he said.

According to the text of the resolution, the president’s authority to wage a military campaign would be limited to three years and would not authorize “enduring offensive ground combat operations.”

February 12

Theft of Auto Parts – Lot 6

February 13

Theft from Buildings – University Center

February 13

Sick Student/Alcohol Violation – Nanticoke/Terrace Apartments

February 14

Overdose, Alcohol – University Center

February 15

Theft from Buildings – Dining Hall

“Better Call Saul” is AMC’s newest TV show and prequel to “Breaking Bad.” Though the show has big shoes to fill, it promises to be just as good as its predecessor.

Every few years a new TV show comes around that takes the nation by storm. Everyone you know watches it. Everyone talks about it. It’s hard to believe that anything else on TV could top it.

For a glorious 5 years, AMC’s “Breaking Bad” was this TV show. Winning awards left and right, topping charts and earning praise from critics everywhere, the writers of this show knew what they were doing. But, like all good things, it came to an end. And, despite the creation of a spinoff, “Breaking Bad” is still over. Even though “Better Call Saul” features some familiar faces, it is an entirely new show.

Despite being a different entity than its predecessor, “Better Call Saul” is similar in its format. From the wide camera angles to the brilliant lighting, the show is absolutely beautiful to watch. Cinematography has always been a strength of Vince Gilligan, the show’s creator, and “Better Call Saul” is no exception.

Writing and acting are both superb, and the soundtrack is excellent. The dialogue is fast-paced and witty, which is exactly what we would expect from a character like Saul Goodman. Though there is a fair amount of humor, the show manages to retain a dark and edgy tone.

The show is smart. The show knows its audience. It is a prequel that is pulled off masterfully.

Viewers likely know what befell Saul Goodman in “Breaking Bad.” The first episode opens with a black and white scene of a broken Goodman in the aftermath of the Heisenberg incident. Saul is living in Omaha, working in a Cinnabon and terrified of anyone who looks even remotely intimidating. “Better Call Saul” strives to answer the question: how did this man fall so low?

It will undoubtedly be entertaining to watch compassionate Jimmy McGill turn into the ruthless and sleazy Saul Goodman, but the fact that we already know his fate essentially erases any suspense we may experience. When a psychotic drug dealer holds a gun to his head, the audience knows that he will not pull the trigger. When he is dragged into the desert to be interrogated, the audience knows that he will be able to weasel his way out of it. When he slumps back to his cramped office in the back of an Asian nail salon and laments his lack of customers, the audience knows that he will soon become a successful, rich lawyer.

The beauty is in the journey, however, and the suspense is in the decisions Saul makes along the way. There is no way of knowing what will happen to the side characters in this series; there are some familiar faces that will undoubtedly play a larger role later, but most are new and their fates are unknown.

Better Call Saul airs on AMC every Sunday at 10 and is absolutely worth watching.

An officer’s conduct sparks outcry from students

On Sunday, Feb. 15 at around 8:50 p.m., the fire alarm in Patapsco Hall was triggered, prompting an evacuation of the building. UMBC Police Officer Jamie Cheatem responded to the scene, and his alleged conduct has sparked an outcry from students and an investigation by the police.

According to independent accounts from several students, Officer Cheatem responded to the alarm and attempted to find out who caused it to go off. Eyewitnesses reported that Cheatem asked the crowd “Who likes to cook?” and told them that they wouldn’t be able to go back inside if no one confessed. A student who had been cooking in the first floor kitchen of the west wing came forward.

Kyle Beggs, a junior math and statistics double major who witnessed the event said, “The police officer pretty much started harassing him and said ‘Who are you? What’s your name? What did you do?’ And the guy answered. And [Cheatem] said ‘Now turn around and tell them that you fucked up.'”

The officer also instructed the student to tell the crowd his name and that he couldn’t cook.

Only then, after the student faced the crowd and gave them his name, were the residents allowed back into the building. Until that point, residents had been standing outside in single-digit weather.

Almost immediately, students took to Yik Yak, a location-based app where users can post statuses anonymously, to give their reactions to the student’s treatment by Cheatem. One user wrote, “Why the HELL did the cop decide it’s okay to publicly shame a kid instead of letting us all inside.”

While students were upset about being evacuated and forced out into the frigid 8 degree weather, many of them, both on Yik Yak and when asked in person, voiced their support of the student and condemned Cheatem’s actions.

One Yakker wrote, “public humiliation is probably the worst way to deal with something like this.”

Majed Ammari, a freshman biology major, said, “The police force over here should be much more professional than what [Cheatem] did. I know the person who caused the fire alarm, and he’s a really nice kid. He was genuinely really sorry about what he did, and there was no reason to embarrass him in front of everybody. I felt like a policeman would set a better example than that.”

Ahmed Warshanna, a freshman jazz performance major, said, “They should be wary of what they say and how they act because a lot of people right now are unhappy with the police… I know UMBC cops and they’re nice, but that was just uncalled for.”

When asked for an official statement about the incident, UMBC’s Deputy Chief of Police Paul Dillon said, “We’ve received a complaint about alleged misconduct,” on Sunday night. Dillon also stated that he had submitted paperwork to launch an internal investigation of the officer’s conduct on Monday morning. The investigation should take a couple of weeks.

The student involved has been contacted, but has declined to comment on the situation as of the time of this writing.

Cheatem’s handling of the situation has many students upset, including Beggs. “It doesn’t matter — like, what position of power [Cheatem is] in — that’s really low to call someone out for something that was probably an accident. … It’s happened three times before this semester, and nobody’s ever been called out for it. … To call someone out for something like that is really fucking low.”

UMBC student aspires to a job in the film industry with his entrepreneurial skills.

What is your name, major, and year?

My name is Turrel David, but some people misread it and call me ‘Turtle David’ or ‘David Turrel’. I am a senior who is majoring in media and communication studies and minoring in entrepreneurship and innovation.

Where are you from (city, county, state)?

I am originally from Redlands, in San Bernardino County of Southern California. My family and I later moved to Maryland when I was seven years old.

Who do you admire and why?

I admire social entrepreneurs like Yvon Chouinard and Elon Musk because they are remarkable visionaries. They both use business to solve important social and environmental issues.

What is your career goal?

I would like to become a successful social entrepreneur. My goal is to become an expert in licensing and intellectual property so that I may create unique, officially licensed products that are made responsibly with low environmental impact. If that does not work out, I want to become a film executive at Marvel Studios or become the next president of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA).

If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be?

If I could, I would change how we overuse natural resources and I would stop human contributions to the mass extinction of other species on Earth.

Describe something about you that uniquely stands out.

I am a very curious guy who is not afraid to ask a ton of questions and I explore things that are of interest to me. I am really good at researching a new topic.

What do you like most about UMBC?

I really like the class sizes at UMBC and all the cool extracurricular activities that are offered here.

What activities do you participate in on campus?

I attend a lot of the entrepreneurship lectures and I like to participate in events that are sponsored by the Student Events Board. Sometimes, I like to work out in the RAC.

Who is the celebrity you would like to meet; what would you do with him/her?

I want to meet film producer Kevin Feige because I am a big fan of his work for Marvel Studios and he has the job that I want: president. I would just like to have lunch with him and chat about the future of Marvel.

What is/are your favorite thing(s) to do outside of UMBC?

Outside of UMBC, I love to watch movies and hang out in comic book stores. I am really into popular culture.

Where do you want to spend your next vacation?

I have always wanted to go to Tokyo, Japan, mostly because it is a very colorful place and Japanese fan culture is very interesting to me.

What is your favorite genre of television (comedy, competition, reality, etc.) and why?

My favorite genre of TV is dark action-dramas. I like shows that have complex characters and nail-biting suspense. I watch shows like Walking Dead, Homeland, Breaking Bad, Sherlock, The Fall, The Killing, Fringe, Criminal Minds and other similar ones.

What kind of music do you like?

I like music that is unique, so I am into underground hip-hop, R&B, alternative Indie music, just to name a few. I also listen to a lot of movie soundtracks. Two new music groups that I recently fell in love with are AlunaGeorge and Haim.

If you met Dr. Hrabowski (UMBC President), what would you say to him?

I would thank him for his service to the UMBC campus community and for dedicating more resources to the arts and humanities field. The Performing Arts and Humanities building is amazing.

• Kathleen Hoffman (UMBC, Mathematics and Statistics) and Asaf Keller (UMB School of Medicine)
• Tülay Adali (UMBC, CSEE) and Kelly Westlake (UMB School of Medicine)
• Charles Bieberich (UMBC, Biological Sciences) and Paul Shapiro (UMB School of Pharmacy)
• Marie-Christine Daniel (UMBC, Chemistry and Biochemistry) and Peter Swaan (UMB School of Pharmacy)
• Bradford Peercy (UMBC, Mathematics and Statistics) and Martin Schneider (UMB School of Medicine)