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THURSDAY FEBRUARY 14, 2019
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U. engineers make energy-saving device LEONARD TAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Homes are not the only things heating up this week, as a team of Rutgers engineers have been creating an energy-saving alternative to traditional indoor heating inside clothing. The team consists of Rajiv Malhotra, an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Hyun-Jun Hwang, a postdoctoral associate, and Harish Devaraj, a graduate student. They have created this technology in hopes of solving one of the flaws with indoor heating: wasting too much energy. When it is colder, people try to stay warm with either a heater or a central heating system that most homes have, Malhotra said.
“If you think about it, you’re heating everything in the room. You’re heating up the couch, heating up the table, my clothes hanging there, heating up the carpet and all my furniture. These have a thermostat,” he said. “Everything in that entire room is heated to that set temperature according to the thermostat. So we’re wasting a lot of energy doing that.” In other words, the thermostat would not be able to stop the heating process when an individual is warm, but instead until everything else in the room is at that temperature. The focus of the team’s creation is to alleviate such energy waste by only heating up the person. “Estimates are that we waste 40 percent of the energy in building SEE DEVICE ON PAGE 4
The Science and Engineering Resource Center on Busch campus is home to many classrooms for science and engineering classes. The research team’s development of heating patches on clothes could help to reduce energy waste in such buildings. CASEY AMBROSIO / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Pro-Medicare event held at Rutgers center JAKE MCGOWAN CORRESPONDENT
The New Jersey Universal Healthcare Coalition (NJUHC) held a Medicare for All barnstorm event at Rutgers’ Labor Education Center yesterday. A barnstorm event is a gathering of volunteers who talk about the plan for Medicare for All and organize to knock on doors and make phone calls to the community, according to NJUHC’s website. The goal of the event was to convince Congressman Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), who represents New Brunswick in the House of Representatives, to support Medicare for All, according to an event flier. “Today we are all here to crank up the pressure on Congressman Frank Pallone of CD-6. Congressman Pallone has been elevated to a very powerful position. He now chairs one of the most important committees in the house (Energy and Commerce Committee), the committee that will inevitably be dealing with this issue, and we need to urge him to step up,” said Charlie Kratovil, a Rutgers alumnus and a 2018 independent candidate for mayor of New Brunswick.
Pallone already supports universal healthcare, according to his website. He believes, as the ranking member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, that all Americans should have access to high-quality, affordable healthcare and advocates for legislation that will help achieve these goals. Kratovil provided opening remarks at the event. “We should understand by now that this is not only a political issue, this is a human rights issue, right here in our countr y. It’s also an economic issue. Right now, we’re paying more and getting less, and we deser ve better,” Kratovil said. Other issues with the American healthcare system were addressed. Current issues include high costs for health insurance and high copays and deductibles for people who do have insurance, said NJUHC member Herb Tarbous. The event coincided with actions taken in Congress, as Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) and Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.) introduced a Medicare buy-in bill on Wednesday, according to The Hill. “The new measure would allow people to purchase Medicare plans SEE CENTER ON PAGE 4
Congressman Frank Pallone (N.J.-6) is currently the chair of the Energy and Commerce Committee. Pallone has previously stated support for universal healthcare, but the New Jersey Healthcare Coalition is urging him to support Medicare for all. WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
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February 14, 2019
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Campus Calendar THURSDAY 2/14 Center for Counseling, Alcohol and Other Drug Assistance Program and Psychiatric Services presents “Mindfulness Meditation” from noon to 1 p.m. at Douglass Student Center on Douglass campus. This event is free and open to the public. Rutgers University Libraries presents “From Cooking Pot to Melting Pot: New Jersey’s Diverse Foodways” at Alexander Library on the College Avenue campus. This event is free and open to the public. FRIDAY 2/15 The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation presents “Visiting Filmmaker Series: Person to Person” at 10 a.m. at Rutgers Cinema on Livingston campus. This event is free and open to the public. Entomology presents “The Discover y of the L yme Disease Agent” from 11 a.m. to noon at Thompson Hall on Cook campus. This event is free and open to the public. Rutgers University Libraries presents “Data Visualization and Machine Learning with Python” from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. at Alexander Library on the College
Avenue campus. This event is free and open to the public. SATURDAY 2/16 Rutgers Theater Company presents “Moi, Méduse” at 2 and 7:30 p.m. at Victoria J. Mastrobuono Theater on Douglass campus. This event is $10 for students. SUNDAY 2/17 Zimmerli Art Museum and Mason Gross School of the Arts Extension Division present “Music at the Museum” from 1:30 to 4 p.m. at Zimmerli Art Museum on the College Avenue campus. This event is free and open to the public. The Catholic Center presents “Catholic Mass” from 11 a.m. to noon at the Catholic Center on the College Avenue campus. This event is free and open to the public. Department of Genetics presents “Genetic variation and adaptation in and out of Africa: Understanding the evolution of human common traits” from 10:30 to 11:30 p.m. at Life Sciences Building on Busch campus. This event is free and open to the public.
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February 14, 2019
UNIVERSITY
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Rutgers couple launches online wedding business CATHERINE NGUYEN NEWS EDITOR
This Valentine’s Day, a Rutgers couple celebrates the 22nd anniversar y of the launch of their online wedding business, according to Rutgers Today. Erik and Beth Kent first met when they were sophomores in an art history class at Voorhees Hall on the College Avenue campus. Both communication majors, they received their bachelor’s degrees in 1992 and married two years later at Rutgers’ Kirkpatrick Chapel. In 1995, they visited other alumni from the University — Diane Rintzler and John Yen — and it was then that they discovered their friends were using the internet to research wedding venues and vendors in New Jersey. Erik Kent said that was when he had an “Aha!” moment. “When Beth and I got married, we did our research the traditional way: bridal shows, newspaper ads and bridal magazines. But this was something new,” he said. It was something they could construct from the ground up, so the couple decided to start a business together. Though they planned their wedding the
traditional way, they launched the website NJWedding.com, which was the first resource of its kind to assist couples hoping to get married in the state. The website works by matching couples with services typically involved in weddings, such as caterers, florists, DJs, banquet managers and photographers. “We’re not wedding planners,” Erik Kent said. “What we do is to allow engaged couples to search for various services and make appointments directly with them. Essentially, we’re building a community of wedding professionals who advertise their services with us.” This Valentine’s Day marks 22 years since they first launched the business. At the time, Erik Kent was managing sections for Worrall, a chain of community newspapers. Beth Kent, meanwhile, was working as a bookkeeper/manager at an agency that Erik’s family owned in Newark, New Jersey. The online wedding business was an extension of both of their work. Currently, the two are part of a $1.8 billion industry, with more than 47,800 weddings recorded in the state last year, according to their website. They run the business from home in the town
of Belle Mead, which they share with their three children. They first started the business by reaching out to vendors from their own wedding, then creating further networks from there. The first response was from Wayne Owens, who was a minister that officiated their marriage and had still remained close to them over the years.
Twenty-two years later, more than 300 business owners and ser vice providers are on the website, posting photos, blogs and adver tisements to potential clients. The couple has even expanded their business with the addition NJParenting. com, which helps families plan
birthday parties, Bar and Bat Mitzvah ceremonies, Sweet 16 celebrations and more. “We’ve probably had a part in helping brides and grooms connect to vendors thousands of times over the past 22 years,” Beth Kent said. “I love being a part of something that contributes to so many happy wedding days.’’
Beth Kent (left) and Erik Kent (right) first started their online wedding business by connecting with vendors from their own wedding. Now, 22 years later, more than 300 business owners and service providers are part of the website. RUTGERS.EDU
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February 14, 2019
DEVICE Estimates suggest people waste approximately 40 percent of their energy in building heating CONTINUED FROM FRONT
heating ... but what we actually want to do is heat us,” Malhotra said. The team has currently been developing patches made up of silver nanowires to embed inside clothing. These patches have been tested to ensure that it can function properly under the everyday conditions of being on a human being, Malhotra said.
“So when you wash this, you can expose it to humidity, sweat, a higher temperature and repeated up and down cycling of the current,” he said. While the team has not contacted any companies with this idea, they have plans for commercialization. The principle of using electrical conductors to produce heat is not a relatively new concept, as previous
This is needed when working production and use, there was teams have worked on the idea as well. What the University’s team with materials such as clothing, much better heating efficiency showed, though, was the ability to which are produced not as small and durability. The team’s research brings the produce these electrical patches on quantities in lab settings, but in idea of nanowire an industrial patches closer to level. “There have “What we showed was that we can make these not just being a practicality, it allows the been people on lab scale, but we can make these using processes as production of who were such patches to developing easily transferable to an industrial scale.” keep up with the this in the production of past. What we RAJIV MALHOTRA clothing on an showed was Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering industrial level, that we can Malhotra said. make these “There should be an efficient not just on lab scale, but we can large swathes inside factories. make these using processes Malhotra said similar processes way of heating us without easily transferable to an industrial could be done for the patches. having to heat ever ything else,” When going through their Devaraj said. scale,” Malhotra said.
Charlie Kratovil, who is a Rutgers alumnus, provided the opening remarks for the barnstorm event. He said that Medicare for all was not only a political issue, but also a human rights and economic issue. FACEBOOK
CENTER
700,000 New Jersey residences currently do not have their own healthcare plan CONTINUED FROM FRONT
after turning 50, instead of waiting until 65,” according to The Hill. Sudip Bhattacharya, a graduate student in the Department of Political Science, said that healthcare is a human right and thus should be a required government program. “I support Medicare for all because I believe healthcare is a human right. To lead a life of dignity, people need healthcare,” Bhattacharya said. New Jersey has a fair amount of residents without healthcare. Seven hundred thousand New Jersey residents currently do not have health insurance, according to NJUHC’s website. A single-payer system may also help employers and employees save money, Tarbous said.
“Because single-payer healthcare is provided by the government, it’s no longer attached to your job. That actually helps the employers as well as the employees. Now
“Congressman Pallone has been elevated to a very powerful position.” CHARLIE KRATOVIL 2018 Independent Candidate for Mayor of New Brunswick
the employers don’t have to be in the healthcare business, buying and providing health insurance,” Tarbous said. The implementation of universal healthcare does not come without costs, according
to Forbes. The European Union (EU), for example, is beginning to face issues with its long-standing single-payer system. “As their economies languish, many EU members, especially those in Southern Europe, have begun relying on debt to finance their increasingly unsustainable welfare systems,” according to Forbes. Medicare continues to remain a highly contested political issue, as shown by the new Medicare buyin bill introduced in Congress. Although many congressional Democrats are likely to support Stabenow’s health care bill, it is unlikely to pass through the Republican-controlled Senate, according to The Hill. Bhattacharya said that until significant reform is passed, the American healthcare system will remain flawed. “As you see now, what’s happening, oftentimes people have healthcare emergencies and they can’t scrap the funds necessary to get a simple procedure done without falling deeper into debt. I just feel that’s unjust,” he said.
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February 14, 2019
Rutgers study finds South Asians screen for tuberculosis at lower rate GOPNA SHEKARAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER
A recent Rutgers study on South Asian populations in New Jersey found that only 54 percent of respondents had been screened for tuberculosis. The study, conducted by doctors at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and Saint Peter’s University Hospital, which specifically focused on South Asians who were not born in the United States, sought to understand the attitude toward tuberculosis, as well as how it could be prevented and controlled in the future.
“The first step of the process was to understand how much the community knows about latent tuberculosis,” said Sunanda Gaur, the co-director of the South Asian Total Health Initiative and member of the research team. Latent tuberculosis is a dormant form of the disease that is not infectious and does not have any abnormal symptoms, according to the study. If it is contained correctly, it can be managed and not pose a problem. If disturbed, though, it can surge up into the highly infectious and active form of tuberculosis, which can cause
symptoms such as fever, coughing up blood and chest pain. In the United States, it is estimated that approximately 13.6 million people have latent tuberculosis. From surveys done between 2011 and 2012, approximately 17 percent have latent tuberculosis, according to the study. In order to learn more about the population and their understanding of tuberculosis, the study was conducted through a series of community surveys during health fairs in New Jersey that were geared toward the South Asian population.
The study primarily focused on subjects from India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Maldives, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka. The surveys asked the subjects questions regarding their opinions toward tuberculosis, if they had ever been tested and questions to gauge their general knowledge on the topic. The results showed that of the sur veyed population, only 54 percent had been screened for tuberculosis. Of those who were tested, most were young, educated and in higher economic standing. “We found in our study that most people get tested when their family members get diagnosed,” said Sabah Kalyoussef, a pediatric disease specialist and member of the research team. As a result, many people who may have a latent form of the
disease may not know because their family may not have had any active cases, she said. One of the purposes of the study was to end certain misconceptions about tuberculosis, Gaur said. “People had a lot of misconceptions about what tuberculosis is. I don’t think people understand the seriousness of the illness,” she said. To combat this, she said their next course of action is to implement ways of educating the general population as well as the physicians involved in their treatment. This education can be done through community inter ventions and engagement, as well as social media awareness. “Our main goal here is to start a conversation about the importance of treatment,” Kalyoussef said.
Doctors at Saint Peter’s University Hospital, located on 254 Easton Ave in New Brunswick, conducted a study where they surveyed South Asians in New Jersey about their opinions toward tuberculosis and whether they had been tested for the disease. GOOGLE MAPS
Rutgers alumnus goes on ‘Jeopardy’ win streak BRENDAN BRIGHTMAN NEWS EDITOR
The winner of “Jeopardy” Monday and Tuesday night was Rutgers alumnus Eric Backes, who has won a total of $76,901 so far, according to an article by Rutgers Today. The episode on Monday night was originally taped on Jan. 14.
student, he was on a three-way team that won the Cook/Douglass Trivia Bowl in 1999, and they each received $100 gift cards to Menlo Park Mall, according to the article. Backes and his wife, whom he met at Rutgers, have recently moved to Round Rock, Texas with their two children, according to the article.
“It took me a while to keep my hand from shaking as I clenched the buzzer.” ERIC BACKES Rutgers Alumnus
On Wednesday, he will return as the ongoing champion. “It took me a while to keep my hand from shaking as I clenched the buzzer,” he said. “I kept thinking, ‘I can’t believe I’m here.’” Backes graduated from Livingston College in 1999. As a
The contest was very competitive, and Backes struggled with questions concerning Shakespeare and science. “It became a matter of buzzing in at the right time,” he said. “Then it’s all about betting correctly when you get a Daily Double to put yourself ahead of everybody else.”
Rutgers alumnus Eric Blackes (right) poses with Alex Trebek, the host of the game show “Jeopardy!” When Blackes was a student at Rutgers, he was part of a team that won the Cook/ Douglass Trivia Bowl in 1999. RUTGERS.EDU
OPINIONS
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February 14, 2019
Valentine’s Day marks anniversary of tragedy
F
eb. 14: Valentine’s Day. Love is in the air. Bouquets of roses are sold by the minute. It is not yet LAILA AHMED spring, but flower petals cover the sidewalk. Grand gestures are planned and perfectly executed (for instance, my professor is flying 2,872 miles, amid a snowstorm, to see his wife). Dresses and tuxedos are brought back from the dry cleaners. Reservations are made weeks in advance. Secret admirers are no longer “secret.” Valentine’s Day is all about expressing your love and affection to your significant others. It is that one day a year where those who forget to remind their significant other how much they love them remember to tell them that they are over the moon for them. That one day where those who do not often express their love to those they cherish, do so with a box of chocolates or bouquet of roses. The one day you realize how much adoration you truly have for that one valuable person. But, Valentine’s Day does not spark feelings of love or invoke that sensation of butterflies and joy for all (and no, I am not referring to those like myself who are single). Instead of love in the air, grief and sorrow are imminent. Dresses and tuxedos are brought back from the dry cleaners, but to be worn to the cemetery. Instead of bouquets of roses being given to loved ones, roses are placed by the graves of 17 individuals. For the families, friends, but most importantly of all, the students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Valentine’s Day will forever be a reminder for them to remember their loved ones. For them though, they are remembering the people they have lost. They are remembering the 17 students and teachers whose aspirations and futures were stolen from them because of one heinous act. On Valentine’s Day 2018, students and educators from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School experienced one of the most catastrophic days of their lives. Students who wanted to receive chocolate roses received, instead, a death sentence from Nikolas Cruz, who felt it was acceptable for him to take 17 lives of the students and teachers in the high school he was expelled from. Seventeen people. Someone’s father, someone’s wife and someone’s child were taken in Parkland, Florida on Feb. 14, 2018. For the Parkland community, Feb. 14 does not incite in those mourning the feelings of love expressed on Valentine’s Day anymore. The families, friends and students of this school do not get to have Valentine’s Day. Valentine’s Day has become an annual reminder to the Parkland community of a horrifying experience and a day to remember and grieve over those it lost. No one knows when their last day may be. Remember to tell the people you love how much you love them. Do not wait for one day a year to remind those you are head over heels for how you feel. In honor of a day filled with grief, love, but more valuable, hope, I ask you to remember the lives of those who were loved. Someone’s father. Someone’s wife. Someone’s child. I urge you all to take 18 minutes of your day. One minute for Alyssa Alhadeff. One minute for Scott Beigel. One minute for Martin Duque Anguiano. One minute for Nicholas Dworet. One minute for Aaron Feis. One minute for Jaime Guttenberg. One minute for Christopher Hixon.One minute for Luke Hoyer. One minute for Cara Loughran. One minute for Gina Montalto. One minute for Joaquin Oliver. One minute for Alaina Petty. One minute for Meadow Pollack. One minute for Helena Ramsay. One minute for Alexander Schachter. One minute for Carmen Schentrup. One minute for Peter Wang. And finally, 1 minute for humanity.
THE UNAPOLOGETIC WRITER
Laila Ahmed is a School of Arts and Sciences first-year majoring in Information Technology and Informatics and English. Her column, “The Unapologetic Writer,” runs on alternate Thursdays.
Quote of the Day
“I love being a part of something that contributes to so many wedding days.” Beth Kent, Rutgers Alumna, See more on UNI
UNIVERSAL UCLICK
US needs new immigration paradigm TAMING TRIBALISM CONNOR O’BRIEN
I
the balance of future immigrants to the well-off and highly-skilled. The long-celebrated trope of those with little means but the currency of ambition building a future here would largely be relegated to our history textbooks again. The president’s push to reduce all types of immigration is no accident of the political process, but central to his broader economic thesis. While he has attracted attention mostly for his grim depiction of illegal immigration, he has long argued America should dramatically reduce legal immigration too, particularly low-wage immigrants from poorer nations. These immigrants, he argues, lower Americans’ wages, make us less safe and undermine what he views as American cultural values. It should come as no surprise that these claims are empirically and outrageously false. Study after study refutes the idea that immigration hurts natives’ economic prospects, reveals that immigration actually lowers crime rates and shows that immigrants assimilate incredibly well into American society. It used to be the case that the political party claiming to stand for free markets and individual liberty applied that thinking to one of humanity’s most fundamental political questions — the movement of people in search of opportunity — but sadly this tendency has been eroded by misguided populism and toxic nationalism. Now more than ever, the country needs not just a political force to stand up for those already here, but to unabashedly say that America should take in many more immigrants than current law allows. As our native birth rate declines and the Baby Boomer generation retires, an influx of immigrants would provide a boost to tax revenue, which makes the social safety net that we have come to enjoy more fiscally sustainable. While the rate of small business creation has been declining here since the 1970s, immigrants, who start businesses at a much higher rate than native-born Americans, could inject new life into American entrepreneurship. Finally, rather than accept a new era of sluggish economic growth economists have dubbed “secular stagnation” or borrow trillions of dollars to fight it, we could grow our economy in the long run faster simply by issuing more visas. A long-running Gallup survey late last year showed the proportion of Americans who want to increase immigration is at an all-time high, while the share of those wanting to reduce immigration levels is at an alltime low. No national voice has yet emerged to meet this ascendant constituency. For the sake of global freedom, and yes, our own national interest, it is about time someone does.
t was not very long ago that American elites were largely united in viewing immigration as an unmitigated force for good in our society. Immigration, they argued, enriched our culture, spurred business investment and accelerated the overall rate of economic growth. This consensus was not just an American one, but a global one, as the European Union gradually opened its borders between member nations. This consensus manifested itself in a series of bipartisan immigration reforms that, while flawed themselves, generally made the country more open to newcomers. After immigration had been all but shut down for decades following World War I, the Immigration Act of 1965 repealed many restrictions, significantly increasing legal immigration with overwhelming support from both political parties. Years later, former President George H.W. Bush signed the Immigration Act of 1990, significantly boosting annual immigration. Even former President George W. Bush’s ill-fated 2007 effort at comprehensive immigration reform — supported by then Speaker Nancy Pelosi — contained an enormous guest worker program. But today, we find ourselves in a very different place as our collective fury is channeled toward the narrower issue of illegal immigration. Our national dialogue remains focused on whether we ought to erect a long row of steel beams with the hopes of encouraging migrants fleeing oppression, violence or poverty to just stay home instead. Yet, as Democrats work to hold the line against President Donald J. Trump in part to ensure the 11 million unauthorized immigrants in this countr y are not robbed of their futures (a noble, commendable stand), we lose out on the broader, more philosophical questions of what we want our immigration system to look like. What kind of immigration framework best embodies American values? How do we best ser ve the “national interest” and how do we weigh those interests against the rights of those whose only fault was being born somewhere else? More directly: Should we reduce or increase immigration? Trump has certainly presented his vision for the future of immigration in America, and it is about as dark and backward-looking as you might expect. The RAISE Act — which he introduced in White House in 2017 — is a culmination of this vision. The bill Connor O’Brien is a School of Arts and Sciences contains the most dramatic and sudden cuts to immigration in a century, slashing legal immigration senior majoring in economics. His column, “Taming levels by 50 percent. Furthermore, it strongly shifts Tribalism,” runs on alternate Thursday’s.
February 14, 2019
Opinions Page 7
Price gauging by Big Pharma companies must be confronted CAPITALIST CULTURE STACEY NUNDA
“
T
he Big Pharma companies think they own Washington. Well, they don’t own me.” Last Sunday Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Mn.) took to the snowy stage of Minneapolis and proclaimed herself a candidate for the 2020 presidential elections. Among many other pivotal topics, Klobuchar brought up the tycoon-like behavior big pharmaceutical companies, or Big Pharma, have had on the U.S. population, specifically discussing Alec Smith, the late son of Nicole Smith-Holt who died after he tried to ration his insulin. Smith, 26 years old when he died, was a type 1 diabetic struggling to afford the vital medication needed to keep him alive. It is stories like this that make us question the tactics of Big Pharma companies and their ploy to capitalize on the not-so-fortunate lower and middle classes. If I lacked any knowledge of a chronic disease like diabetes, Klobuchar’s words most likely would not have resonated with me the way they did. As I sat on the couch next to my mother, Klobuchar’s speech began to sink deep into the memories that I had of my grandmother. When I was about 4 or 5, I would watch her administer a shot of
insulin into the side of her thigh. Every day I wondered if it hurt, but she was strong. I knew this not because of the nonchalant look across her face as the needle passed the surface of her skin, but from the joke that always came after: “If you keep staring, I’ll give you one too.” It seemed more like a threat if you did not know her and could not hear the sweet innocence in her voice, but an empty threat all the same. I thought back to the time my mother had bought all three of
A mother to see her son’s life flourish? Modern-day capitalism. We live in an age where anything is profitable so long as it is in demand. In this case, it is the one true necessity that can be sold for monetary value besides clean water, food and shelter: medicine. People get sick. This aspect — unless ratified by a future utopian society that creates the ultimate drug — will always hold true. Medicine will always be in demand. People need to be able to regulate their health. Big
“... corporations built atop a capitalist foundation prey on the sick and sink their teeth into the wallets of lower and middle-class America.”
us McDonald’s. Again, I watched as she swiped away the excess salt, wondering all the if’s and analyzing every why. Today, as I am older and more capable of understanding, I think back to Klobuchar and Smith, and all of the Big Pharma companies that have made access to medicine far more difficult through hikedup prices. I think back to my grandmother. Why would anyone want to make it harder for another life to keep living? For a grandmother to see her grandkids grow?
Pharma companies have fed on this fact for years. They have found a way to monopolize medicine cabinets and get away with temporarily dealing with the controversy. In a CBS News report on Smith’s passing, it was stated that the “price of insulin ... tripled between 2002 and 2013. Since 2008, three of the top makers raised the list price of insulin at least 10 times.” Here we have what is called a “moral dilemma.” On one end, there are doctors rooting for our health. Medical professionals prescribe
these drugs in which they have advocated for our self-improvement. On the other end, corporations built atop a capitalist foundation prey on the sick and sink their teeth into the wallets of lower and middle-class America. Whose morals are up for bid is the unanswered question. My guess is that whoever or whatever is feeding into the con of Big Pharmaceuticals is completely missing the mark. They are disregarding individuals like Smith, throwing away the best interest of their customers ... of patients, and prioritizing profit. With that being said, I would like to show my personal gratitude toward Ms. “Minnesota Nice” and her impactful words. Thank you, Klobuchar. Thank you for standing up on that platform in Boom Island and amplifying the voice of SmithHolt. Thank you for proclaiming to the crowd in not-so-sunny Minnesota that the underdogs always have a chance. But most importantly, thank you for continuing a conversation even though not everyone may be listening. Big Pharma companies cannot and should not play even the slightest role in determining who lives and who does not. It is past the point that these corporations get to put a price on life. Stacey Nunda is a School of Environemental and Biological Sciences sophomore majoring in environmental planning and design. Her column, “Capitalist Culture,” runs on alternate Thursday’s.
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Page 8
February 14, 2019
Transform your room from standard setup to stylized space CASSIDY SMEDLEY CONTRIBUTING WRITER
A bedroom should be a relaxing sanctuary where students can collapse into bed after a long day of classes and soak up some good vibes. But the unchangeable dreary white walls, cramped floor space and headache-inducing overhead fluorescent lights that come standard with most college residence halls stifle any attempts at de-stressing. Even though little can be done to open up the limited layout of a traditional room for more space, students can still customize their living environment through decorative accents and personalized wall ornaments. These four room themes are sure to liven up any dull space and serve as a starting point for students seeking to redecorate for the spring semester.
NATURAL AND CHILL
A natural and chill themed room features décor that is minimalistic, yet serves as a breath of fresh air when one walks into their room. Succulents are ideal plants for college students to keep, since they require low maintenance care and
intermittently across the upper walls and ceiling.
come in different types. For the walls, these window murals from Amazon show an illusion of a beach, nature or city view right in one’s own room that the street and parking lot views most of the windows in our residence halls can’t provide.
ECLECTIC SUPER-FAN
MODERN NIGHT OWL
For the students who would consider falling asleep by midnight to be an unusually early bedtime, those obnoxiously bright ceiling lights really seem to hinder late night productivity (or Netflix binges). Try opting for a light-up wall sign which basks the room in a neon glow. Wall tapestries also fit this room style’s artistic aesthetic. Society6’s collection of tapestries include a range of illustrations, photographs, landscapes, typographies and more that are anything but basic and can fill up an empty wall. Since no room is complete without a desk lamp, a color-changing LED novelty lamp will add a modern spark to this decorative staple.
BOHO AND WHIMSICAL
Sometimes when students return to their room at the end of
Succulents can be incredibly low maintenance, while still being decorative. They are just one of a few ways to spruce up the utilitarian rooms offered in our residence halls. UNSPLASH the day comfort is the only thing on their minds. There are plenty of options for bohemian-style bedding, and adding a few whimsical decals makes for an unexpected twist on this theme. Instead of traditional golden fairy lights, look for silver ones for a dreamy
feel that come with clips or hooks where students can hang up their favorite photos, artwork or Polaroids and string them around the border of their room. For a truly unique accent to give off an ethereal vibe, place glow-in-the-dark star stickers
Students can also transform their rooms into individual reflections of their interests by showcasing their pop culture knowledge in as many ways as possible throughout the room. In order to open up more space than residence hall rooms typically provide, hang geometric shelves onto the walls to allow room for one to display albums, movies, books, etc. Adding an assortment of entertaining throw pillows can quickly bring more life to a room, and Redbubble features designs from a wide range of popular and niche interests. For a customizable touch, students can write out their favorite quotes or lyrics onto a cinematic light box which also brightens up the room. Essential oil diffusers can also be used in each of these themed rooms to dispense natural scents into the air, although time stated that there is inconclusive research on their health benefits and advised users to be cautious of allergic reactions.
DIVERSIONS
February 14, 2019
Mark Tatulli Horoscopes
Lio
Over The Hedge
T. Lewis and M. Fry
Non Sequitur
Wiley
Pearls Before Swine
Stephan Pastis
Page 9 Eugenia Last
Happy Birthday: Build your own opportunities. Pick something you enjoy doing and turn it into a prosperous venture. Clear a space at home to make room to explore the possibilities. Give yourself credit where due, and turn your everyday world into the adventure you want it to be. Change is apparent, so reach out and do your part to make it happen. Your numbers are 7, 18, 22, 25, 32, 40, 48 . ARIES (March 21-April 19): Op- LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Look portunity is within reach, but it’s for any chance to learn, travel or to up to you to take a closer look and spend time with people you find ento make it happen. Open your eyes, tertaining, interesting and motivatyour mind and your heart to what’s ing. Stay away from individuals who available and choose what’s best bring you down or take advantage of you. Choose to surround yourself for you. 4 stars with positive people. 5 stars TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Put your best foot forward, and you’ll SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): find not only a place you enjoy, but Look into something that interests one that offers benefits as well. Pick you. Learning something new will and choose instead of waiting for set you on a path that will help you someone to do the honors. Your suc- explore your creative attributes and cess depends on taking action. 3 stars encourage you to try things you never thought possible. Live life to the GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Don’t fullest. 3 stars trust anyone who is promising something unrealistic. Opportunity SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. is within reach, but it has to come 21): Put more time and effort into through your own efforts, not a fast- physical fitness, activities that make cash scheme someone tries to lure you feel alive and interactions with you into. Trust in your ability to use people who share your zest for life. Emotional matters will crop up if your skills wisely. 3 stars the people you usually associate with CANCER (June 21-July 22): Ex- no longer share your passions. 3 stars perience new people, places and pastimes. Attend an event that will CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): offer knowledge and information Let go of whatever isn’t working for that will encourage you to branch you anymore. If someone makes a out and update your qualifications. change you don’t like, follow the path A partnership looks promising and that you find more comfortable. It’s should be looked at and discussed OK to go your own way or to do your own thing. 3 stars with interest. 3 stars LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Celebrate something special with someone you love, and it will change your life moving forward. Kindness and consideration, along with charm and a promise that is too hard to resist, will result in new beginnings. A joint venture is favored. 4 stars
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Question anything that seems suspicious. Someone will withhold information or play emotional mind games with you if you appear gullible. Don’t overreact, but speak up if you feel you are being treated unfairly. Take charge and do your part. 5 stars
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Talks will lead to positive change, and actions will lead to reaching your goal. How you react to those you encounter will determine how you change your life moving forward. Take better care of yourself physically and emotionally. 2 stars
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Be careful when dealing with people who tend to be manipulative. Listen carefully, and don’t be afraid to say no to anyone who is asking for too much or trying to tempt you to take part in something that isn’t right. 2 stars
©2018 By Eugenia Last distributed by Universal Uclick
Universal Crossword ACROSS
68 Ctrl and Alt
1 Skewered Thai dish
69 Belief system
6 Yank until 2016 10 ”Waterloo” band
DOWN
14 Patsy profiled in “Sweet Dreams”
1 Inhales, with “down”
15 Seized car, informally
2 Appeal
16 Russia’s ___ Mountains
3 Ice Breakers alternative
17 Aluminum giant
4 “I’ll take that as ___”
18 *Result of oversleeping
5 Nay’s opposite
(read each starred answer as
6 Guthrie of folk
a clue for a single letter!)
7 Chem lab substance
20 Dull routine
8 Check a box, say
21 Minor employee
9 Childish rebuttal
22 Drunk as a skunk
10 “Rain Man” condition
23 2018 World Cup winner
11 Muffin type
26 Simplifies
12 Boxer’s comeback?
28 *Vice president, e.g.
13 Cher, voice-wise
33 Shortage
19 Rose support
34 Pony up
21 Tree on Lebanon’s flag
35 One waving a baton
24 Auction actions
38 “My guess is ...”
25 Tech review site
48 Adidas subsidiary
42 NYSE debut
27 Feeling sore
49 Bluffer’s bold words
43 “Hey Jude” syllables
29 Like some patches
50 Paved the way?
45 *Balancing point
30 Animated shopkeeper
51 San ___ (town north of
52 Oakland’s Oracle ___
31 Hanoi’s country, familiarly
53 “Aida” and “Otello”
32 Add color to
54 Q-tip, e.g.
54 Military raid
35 ___ drop (stage flourish)
55 -ish
57 Stimpy’s pal
36 Gorilla or gibbon
56 Cracker brand
59 Name that anagrams to “Ira”
37 Geological stretch
58 Barely makes (out)
60 *Pen pal’s exhortation
39 Moses’ brother
61 Always-increasing number
62 Former sporty Ford, briefly
40 Crackle companion
62 Dr. Mom’s specialty
64 On the subject of
41 Rescue
63 Chocolate purchase
65 Shrek, for one
44 Very different (from)
66 Surgeon’s beam
46 Heart on a bicep, say
67 Classic clown
47 Cleveland’s lake
Yesterday’s Solution
Tijuana)
Yesterday’s Solution
Page 10
February 14, 2019
STREAK Rutgers will face Liberty, McNeese State, Teas A&M this weekend CONTINUED FROM BACK
Sophomore infielder Myah Moy scored 2 runs in the Knights’ 12-4 win over the Black Knights in the Mercer Invitational. CASEY AMBROSIO / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER / FEBRUARY 2018
“I think that great preparation will be key. The girls were really enjoying themselves (in Georgia) and we took a lot of notes on how to make improvements,” Butler said. “Winning is contagious. We just have to keep the girls focused and really keep preparing, making sure that we’re going into each game with a game plan.” Another team Rutgers will see twice in College Station is the Cowgirls (3-3). They are coming off a strong 2018 campaign, finishing the season at 41-21 with an 18-9 in conference record. McNeese State has looked streaky this season, with four of its six games so far being decided by 5 runs or more, including two wins and two losses. If the Knights are hoping for a high-scoring day against the Cowgirls, they might want to get their hits early while they can, as their opponent has a good relief pitcher in Saleen Flores. She has a ver y impressive 1.62 ERA on the season. Flores has only allowed 2 earned runs in her eight innings on the mound, one coming from a ranked Arkansas team. The real challenge in the series for Rutgers will be against the one-loss ranked Aggies (4-1). Texas A&M is showing no signs of slowing down after finishing last season at 44-18. The Aggies have won all of their games this year by mercy rule in only five innings. They scored
9 or more runs in each of their wins, once scoring 10 runs in a single inning. Eight of the starting nine hitters for Texas A&M are hitting over .300 with six starters hitting over .500. This offensive powerhouse is led by third basemen Riley Sartain. Through five games, Sar tain has seven hits, 3 home runs and eight RBI’s. If the Knights are going to win, their pitchers will have to avoid putting Sartain on base. Butler is excited for the challenge against the Aggies and is looking for ward to Saturday’s game. “It’s going to be a fun atmosphere. I’ve been to Texas A&M before and they have a great home crowd. It’s going to be loud and we’re really excited,” Butler said. “The game will mimic what a conference game will be like at Michigan or Ohio State, so I think it’s going to be a great preparation for the team to play in that environment, in that stadium with the crowd.” Butler also mentioned how the expectations in Texas will not change from how Rutgers has played in Georgia last week. The Knights will face some difficult challenges this weekend, especially against a ranked opponent, but the team does have the ability to string several wins together this weekend. For updates on the Rutgers softball team, follow @TargumSports on Twitter.
SKID Knights have chance to clinch bye in Big Ten Tournament CONTINUED FROM BACK Gustafson, the leading scorer in the NCAA, picked up 19 of her 29 points in the second half en route to the Hawkeyes blowout 78-52 win over the Buckeyes. Coming into Thursday’s matchup, Ohio State has a 2-6 road record with wins against the Golden Gophers and the Nittany Lions. The Buckeyes come in led by 6-foot-4-inch freshman forward Dorka Juhasz. A Hungary native, she is averaging 11.8 points and 8.3 rebounds, leading her team in both of those categories. The Buckeyes’ backcourt features 5-foot-10-inch Carly Santoro, a graduate transfer from Bowling Green. She is the second leading scorer on the team, averaging 11.3 points per game. Her counterpart is Carmen Grande, another graduate transfer. Grande, a former Ball State player, is averaging 7.3 points per game and leads the team in averaged assists per game, with 4.8. Grande and Santoro have a notable size advantage over Rutgers’ guards junior Ciani Cryor and graduate student Charise Wilson. Fifth-year senior forward Stasha Carey will have to get going early for the Knights. She
finished with 15 points on 6-13 shooting against Maryland, but only had two points on 1-5 shooting in the first half. If Carey forces Ohio State to alter its game plan, Rutgers has a chance to defeat its opponent. This is a big game for graduate student guard Sierra Calhoun. She spent two years with the Buckeyes, averaging 10.6 points per game over that time span before transferring to the Banks. She started her third game this season on Sunday and is averaging 4.4 points per game in 16 games played. This will be the first time she sees her old team, with the second coming on March 3 in Columbus. The Knights have a golden opportunity to at least clinch a bye until Friday of the Big Ten Tournament during these final six games. If they get a few other things to fall their way, they may be able to snag the No. 1 seed in the tournament. Currently, Rutgers sits one and a half games behind the Terrapins for first place in the conference while the Knights have one game at hand. For updates on the Rutgers women’s basketball team, follow @TargumSports on Twitter
Graduate student guard Sierra Calhoun is averaging 19.3 minutes this season. She started against Maryland, last weekend. DUSTIN NILES / PHOTO EDITOR / FEBRUARY 2019
February 14, 2019
Page 11 GYMNASTICS RUTGERS-MICHIGAN STATE, SATURDAY, 2 P.M.
Fresh off historic outing, RU hits road ALEX FABUGAIS-INABA CORRESPONDENT
After one of the most successful nights in program history, the Rutgers gymnastics team is ready to take on its next Big Ten foe in East Lansing, Michigan. The Scarlet Knights will compete against Michigan State on Saturday at 2 p.m.
Rutgers is definitely not hiding the fact that it is going into Michigan with a lot of confidence, producing the program’s second-highest team score of 196.050 at the Rutgers Athletic Center (RAC) last weekend. Competing against No. 25 Penn State, the Knights won every single event, recording season highs in three of those events
with 15 routines that matched or set new career bests. Leading Rutgers was sophomore Belle Huang, who tied the school record of 9.925 on the balance beam to claim the event title, going along with her 9.900 win on floor. Senior Riahanah Ali captured the vault title with a career high 9.850, adding to her first all-
Senior Jenna Rizkalla Registered a 9.875 on floor exercise in last weekend’s meet against the Nittany Lions. MICA FINEHART / FEBRUARY 2019
around score of 39.000 in a collegiate meet. Claiming her second consecutive uneven bars title, junior Shannon Farrell stuck her dismount and got to wear the Stick Queen jersey with a personal best of 9.900. “We have all the pieces in place right now,” said head coach Umme Salim-Beasley. “Other than the landings and the handstands and the connections, now we’re at a point that we can add a little polish and little bit of showmanship to what we do.” Throughout the season, the Knights usually spend the week leading up to competition working on a specific aspect of their routines. When they struggled with their connections, they practiced until they could get it right. When the team’s landings were shaky, it practiced on sticking those, too. This time around, it’s all about maintaining their routines to the same standard as in competition. “This week, definitely doing the same things,” Ali said. “Lots of landings. We did good ones, but there’s still more that we could do. Bigger chests and just being consistent now. We know that we can do it, just keep doing it for every meet for the rest of the season.” The Spartans are a step down from the Nittany Lions, but will still give Rutgers a run for its money. Sitting at the bottom of the conference, Michigan State has yet to win against a Big Ten team and the Knights may be its only chance to turn that dream into a reality. Three of the Spartans’ four Big Ten competitions have been against nationally ranked teams with their season-best team performance of 195.225, coming out of their loss to then No. 14 Ohio State.
Comparing the past two competitions from Rutgers and Michigan State, the Knights have produced team scores higher than their Big Ten counterpart. But, the Spartans are more consistent in producing above the 194 mark, which is something Rutgers is continuing to work toward. If the Knights are able to continue their momentum from their success against Penn State, Rutgers will begin to assert itself as the greater Big Ten contender. This season, the Knights are not focusing on the external factors or rankings of other teams, which has helped the team zone in on its routines and avoid worr ying about anything other than themselves. “We bring our energy with us,” Salim-Beasley said. “If it’s the home crowd or an away crowd, we bring the energy within ourselves. We’re not going to prepare any differently this weekend because it doesn’t matter who we’re competing against, we’re competing against everybody in the country and we’re competing against ourselves.” The last time Rutgers traveled, its team score dropped by nearly 3 points and it wasn’t thrilled about the judges’ scores. Even though they’re traveling to Michigan with no home crowd to support them, the Knights are ready to raise the bar with a lot of cheering along the way. “Well, we’re just going to have to bring the energy ourselves,” Huang said. “That’s just what happens at away meets. It’s obviously not as loud, but it’s still just as much fun.” For updates on the Rutgers gymnastics team, follow @TargumSports on Twitter.
UNDERDOG No. 4 junior 133-pounder Nick Suriano faces Michigan’s No. 1 Steven Micic on Sunday in Rutgers’ last home meet of the season. Suriano has compiled a 19-2 record this season, including 67 dual points. CURSTINE GUEVARRA / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER / FEBRUARY 2019
TWITTER: @TargumSports WEBSITE: DailyTargum.com/section/sports
RUTGERS UNIVERSITY—NEW BRUNSWICK
SPORTS THURSDAY FEBRUARY 14, 2019
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“It doesn’t matter who we’re competing against, we’re competing against everybody in the country and we’re competing against ourselves.” — Gymnastics head coach Umme Salim-Beasley
ONLINE AT DAILYTARGUM.COM
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL NO. 20 RUTGERS-OHIO STATE, TONIGHT, 7 P.M.
Rutgers looks to snap skid against Ohio State SAM MARSDALE STAFF WRITER
Sunday was a tough performance for the then No. 20 Rutgers women’s basketball team at home in its 62-48 loss to then No. 10 Maryland. But there is a bright side for the Scarlet Knights (17-6, 9-3) who don’t play any team with a conference record above .500. Rutgers welcomes Ohio State to Piscataway for a Thursday night matchup that tips off at 7 p.m. at the Rutgers Athletic Center (RAC). Since their 10-game winning streak was snapped, the Knights have dropped 3 of their last 5 games. In losses against Iowa, Minnesota and more recently against the Terrapins, Rutgers has had trouble with teams that have more size in their backcourts. That is something the team is going to need to change if it has any hope at a run at hoisting a conference championship trophy in Indianapolis, Indiana next month. The Buckeyes (10-12, 6-7) also played on Sunday in Columbus, Ohio against the then No. 16 Hawkeyes (19-5, 10-3). Ohio State got a heavy dose of Iowa’s Megan Gustafson, just as the Knights did in Iowa City last month. Sophomore guard Arella Guirantes is averaging 11 points per game this season. Against the Terrapins last Sunday, she finished with 20 points. DUSTIN NILES / PHOTO EDITOR / FEBRUARY 2019
SEE SKID ON PAGE 11
SOFTBALL TEXAS A&M INVITATIONAL, TOMORROW, 11 A.M.
Knights can extend win streak in Texas MATTHEW BROWER CONTRIBUTING WRITER
The Rutgers softball team will head to College Station, Texas to par ticipate in the Texas A&M Invitational. There the Scarlet Knights (3-2) will face Liber ty, McNeese State and No. 22 Texas A&M in a fivegame series. Rutgers’ series will begin and end with the Flames (1-4), who have lost their last four games in a row. Despite its recent cold streak, Liber ty is not a team to overlook, as 5 of its star ting 9 batters hit .300 or better. The Flames’ top batter is infielder Jaclyn Amader, who is hitting .471 with eight hits, two doubles and three RBI’s in five games. While Liberty’s hitting stats have been impressive, their scores have not, scoring only 3 runs in their last four games. The reason for this comes from the Flames leaving a whopping 31 runners stranded during its losing streak. Momentum can be important for a team, whether it has a winning streak, like the Knights’ three-game one or a losing streak like Liberty. Head coach Kristen Butler has her plan to keep the momentum rolling throughout the season. SEE
Senior infielder Jess Hughes hit two home runs in two straight at-=bats in Rutgers’ 3-2 win over Army, last Sunday. She had RBI’s and scored 4 runs in that game. THE DAILY TARGUM / APRIL 2018
STREAK ON PAGE 11 NBA SCORES
EXTRA POINT
Brooklyn Cleveland
148 139
Washington Toronto
120 129
Philadelphia New York
126 111
Memphis Chicago
110 122
Milwaukee Indiana
106 97
Houston Minnesota
111 121
KIERAN MULLINS, junior attackman on the men’s lacrosse team, was named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week. He scored 6 goals and recorded three assists for a 9 point outing in the Knights’ win over the Red Storm, last weekend.
KNIGHTS SCHEDULE
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
SOFTBALL
BASEBALL
TRACK AND FIELD
vs. Ohio State
vs. Liberty
at Miami
Princeton Invitational
Today, 7 p.m., Boston, Ma
Tomorrow, 11 a.m., College Station, TX
Tomorrow, 7 p.m., Coral Gables, Fla.
Saturday, All Day, Princeton, N.J.