4-9-15 by The Pitt News

Vol. 105 Issue 147

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Pittnews.com

Thursday, April 9, 2015

Students launch new campus publication

Business school dean announced Dale Shoemaker and Elizabeth Lepro The Pitt News Staff

70 Faces Magazine launched its inaugural issue in the William Pitt Union last night. Meghan Sunners | Staff Photographer

Nerine Sivagnanam Staff Writer Pitt is getting some new faces — 70 of them, to be exact. On Wednesday night, students from all backgrounds gathered in the William Pitt Union for a night of music, poetry, art and the debut of Pitt’s newest student publication, 70 Faces. The magazine is a semiannual publication that will focus on a different Jewish

value each edition, according to Courtney Strauss, director of engagement at Hillel Jewish University Center. Lauren Rosenblatt, a sophomore and Pitt News staff writer, founded 70 Faces with the help of Anika Mavinkurve, a sophomore neuroscience major. “The magazine started when Courtney Strauss approached me asking if I would help her come up with a way for Hillel to connect Jewish students and their love for English

and literature,” Rosenblatt said. According to Rosenblatt, Strauss has been working to find ways for people to connect their Judaism to other interests in their lives — 70 Faces was the answer. This spring’s theme for 70 Faces is social justice. The magazine has not yet determined the fall theme, but it will focus on either community or responsibility.

Faces

Arjang Assad is new to Pitt, but not to life as a college dean. Pitt announced Wednesday that Assad, who is currently the dean of the School of Management at the State University of New York at Buffalo, will become the dean of the Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business and College of Business Administration. Assad officially begins the job on July 1, according to a University release, and he will succeed John Delaney, who is stepping down to assume a faculty position. Pitt spokeswoman Cara Masset would not say specifically why Pitt chose Assad over the other candidates, but Provost Patricia Beeson said in the release that Assad’s vision for the Katz Graduate School and the College of Business Administration is well-matched to the University’s aspirations. Masset would not say how many other candidates Pitt had considered or identify them. “He is committed to building the school in ways that will enhance the scholarly contributions of the faculty and enable our students to succeed in a global, multicultural marketplace,” she said in an email. In his new role, Assad said he plans to

Dean

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DEAN

work with faculty and staff at the University in “maintaining the momentum” of the business school. Assad plans to take advantage of the “huge presence of the hospital” on campus by connecting students in the health care field with the MBA program, he said. Assad wouldn’t give specific details, but he said he wants to make it easier for individuals with health care backgrounds to get an MBA from Pitt. “There are great opportunities in PittsFROM PAGE 1

FACES

Rosenblatt emphasized that the magazine is open to people of all religions and encouraged all kinds of opinions in an effort to increase diversity. Since Hillel funds the magazine, it focuses on Jewish values — but 70 Faces will not follow a particular religious model, Rosenblatt said.

April 9, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com burgh,” Assad said of the already well-developed research faculty at Pitt. “What I’ve built at Buffalo is about bringing business and health together.” Assad has previously worked as a professor at the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland. He has served as the dean of the SUNY Buffalo’s business school since 2008. Assad’s salary as dean is confidential, according to Masset. Assad holds four degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, according to the release, including a doctorate in management science from its Sloan School of Management. The University of Mary-

land also recognized Assad for his teaching with the Kirwan Undergraduate Education Award, the University of Maryland’s highest campus recognition for contributions to undergraduate education, the release said. Delaney, who has served as dean for the last nine years according to the release, announced his plans to retire in September. The Pitt News reported in September that Delaney was stepping down because he believes organizations need new leadership to remain “fresh and vital.” “In light of the arrival of the new chancellor and all of the inevitable changes that will follow, the timing for change at Katz/ CBA is appropriate,” Delaney said in a state-

ment then. Pitt formed a search committee to look for the new dean in November. Alongside higher education search firm Witt/Kieffer, University faculty, staff and alumni associated with the business school sat on the committee. Former Chancellor Mark Nordenberg, now chairman of the Institute of Politics, headed the committee. Assad said he applied for the position because Pitt’s involvement with students attracted him. “The first spark for me was an interest in working with the students,” Assad said. “I want to expand the experience students have.”

“There are seven core Jewish values, but they are all very broad and applicable to people of any faith,” Rosenblatt said. According to Strauss, the magazine’s title comes from the popular Jewish phrase that the Torah has 70 faces, meaning there are many levels of understanding the Torah. At the event, members of the 70 Faces staff handed out copies of its inaugural edition. The magazine contains 50 glossy black and white pages, which includes essays on

the politics of hip-hop and how the Millennial generation must take action to change the world, as well as a poem about the different meanings tattoos can carry. The publication also launched its website at the event. Strauss said each issue of the magazine costs about $2,500 to publish. “The publication was edited by a team of Pitt students who had final say of what to include,” Strauss said. Rosenblatt said because of the magazine’s

association with Hillel and Pittsburgh’s large Jewish community, it will get high readership. Many of the magazine’s staff members, however, aren’t Jewish. “At least half of the people who made submissions are not Jewish, so we’re definitely open to a larger audience than just the Jews in the area,” Rosenblatt said.

Faces

April 9, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

THE PITT NEWS Natalie Daher Editor-in-Chief editor@pittnews.com

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E S T A B L I S HE D 1 9 1 0

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Sarah Choflet Anjuli Das Kinley Gillette Johanna Helba Emily Maccia Sierra Smith

FROM PAGE 2

FACES

Rosenblatt said the launch event in the Kurtzman room displayed the work that the contributors sent to the magazine. “We have artwork on display, a few songs being performed and the pieces that people submitted,” Rosenblatt said. “My main goal was for the people who submitted to feel like they were really reaching a lot of people with their pieces and to give them the experience of sharing their work.” This year, Hillel funded 70 Faces, Strauss said, but the magazine hopes to receive funding from outside grants, Pitt’s Student Government Board and revenue from ads in the future. Mavinkurve knew she wanted to be a part of the project as soon as Rosenblatt brought her the idea of starting a magazine that would “let students express their opinions and experiences about different human values.” “We want to create a space where students feel comfortable sending pieces like essays, drawings, photographs, poems and even music submissions about these different topics,” Mavinkurve said. For this issue, Rosenblatt said the magazine will help generate discussion and debate on campus about issues like women’s rights and human rights in America. “When people read the magazine, they will connect some of the pieces to their own life and let it affect their thinking,” Rosenblatt said. Sophie Greger, a sophomore psychology major, hesitated to join the magazine’s board at first because she wasn’t Jewish or involved with Hillel. “It’s been an awesome experience because of how inclusive the themes of the magazine are,” Greger said.

Bridget Montgomery Sarah Mejia Michelle Reagle Megan Zagorski Sydney Mengel Amanda Sobczak

Editorial Policies Single copies of The Pitt News are free and available at newsstands around campus. Additional copies can be purchased with permission of the editor in chief for $.50 each. Opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the students, faculty or University administration. Opinions expressed in columns,- car toons and letters are not necessarily those of The Pitt News. Any letter - in tended for publication must be addressed to the editor, be no more than 250 words and include the writer’s name, phone number and University affiliation, if any. Letters may be sent via e-mail to letters@pittnews.com. The Pitt News reserves the right to edit any and all letters. In the event of multiple replies to an issue, The Pitt News may print one letter that represents the majority of responses. Unsigned editorials are a majority opinion of the Editorial Board, listed to the left. The Pitt News is an independent, student-written and student-managed newspaper for the Oakland campus of the University of Pittsburgh. It is-pub lished Monday through Friday during the regular school year and Wednesdays during the summer. Complaints concerning coverage by The Pitt News, after first being brought to the editors, may be referred to the Community Relations -Com mittee, Pitt News Advisory Board, c/o student media adviser, 435 William Pitt Union, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15260. The editor in chief has the final authority on editorial matters and cannot be censored, according to state and federal law. The editor in chief is selected by the Pitt News Advisory Board, which includes University staff, - fac ulty and students, as well as journalism professionals. The business and edito rial offices of The Pitt News are located at 434 William Pitt Union, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15260.

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April 9, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

The Pitt News Crossword, 4/9/2015

ACROSS 1 “Carrie” Oscar nominee 7 Letters about time 11 __ Fit: video exercise game 14 Acid neutralizer 15 Restaurant chain named for a Mozart opera 16 It’s often cured 17 *Skedaddling 19 Physician’s org. 20 Snack brand creator Wally 21 Karaoke option 22 Take one’s sweet time 24 Half a score 25 Auction cry 26 Lamp emission, if you’re lucky 27 *Food often served with ranch dip 30 __ Navidad 33 First-line national anthem word 34 Prefix with caching 35 With 38-Across, band with the hit “Radioactive,” and a hint to the ends of the answers to starred clues 38 See 35-Across 41 First-line national anthem word 42 Pigs out (on) 44 __ attitude 45 *Weigh, with “at” 50 Sensible 51 Stats for Mike Trout 52 Meditator’s intonations 55 Sand bar 56 Appear 57 Purveyor of many flat packs 58 Burst 59 *Real ordeal 62 Part of UCSD: Abbr. 63 Cheese that’s sometimes stuffed 64 Begin gently 65 Cut 66 Smashes 67 They’re often ruled

4/23/15

By Julian Lim

DOWN 1 Occupied, as a table 2 Nice pen 3 Firestone Country Club city 4 Spam holders 5 Lilly of pharmaceuticals 6 In a way 7 Played the part of 8 Asset in a castle siege 9 Chi follower 10 Shower problem 11 Beating heavily, as with a sledgehammer 12 Post-apocalyptic Will Smith film 13 “Perhaps” 18 __ of Mexico 23 Young Darth’s nickname 25 Singer Quatro 26 Church attachment? 27 Popular 28 Took charge of 29 Just fair 30 __ bump 31 Phishing scam, e.g. 32 Church attendees

Wednesday’s Puzzle Solved

36 “O Holy Night,” for one 37 Journalism VIPs 39 Far from fails 40 It’s often bought at an island 43 Horror movie sounds 46 Dam-building org. 47 __-skelter 48 First fratricide victim 49 Loosen (up)

4/23/15

52 1930s migrants 53 Worthiness 54 Composer Saint-__ 55 Org for strays 56 Place that gave its name to a cat breed 57 “Say that’s true ... ” 60 No for the healthconscious 61 Retired NBAer Ming

April 9, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

EDITORIAL

OPINIONS

How does emotional intelligence make you feel?

From a young age, we’re taught math, science and English in the U.S. to bolster our intellectual and academic development. While these areas are essential to a quality education, we as a society must invest more in emotional learning as well. A recent article in The New York Times by Daniel Goleman, co-director of the Consortium for Research on Emotional Intelligence in Organizations at Rutgers University, discusses the importance of emotional intelligence on both personal and professional success. When a student excels, we often credit the success his or her IQ. Obviously, people need academic intelligence to solve calculations and read critically. However, individuals cannot reach their potential without proper emotional intelligence and — perhaps more importantly — emotional stability. Think about a traditional classroom. Grades dominate as the foremost factor in examining student success. However, we cannot rely on grades to be the only measure of student potential. South Korea is a prime example of the need for balanced education. Education experts often consider South Korea’s education system to be one of the best in the world. Academically, they’re right. The darker side of the story, though, is that South Korean students commit suicide at a very high rate for a developed country. In fact, suicide is the leading cause of death for South Koreans aged 15 to 24, according to Voices of Youth, a UNICEF organization aimed at

helping children internationally exchange knowledge and ideas. If we taught students everywhere when they were young that there is more to life than grades and test scores, their stress levels would decrease, guiding them toward a long and happy life. Here in the United States, we must create more initiatives to educate students on emotional intelligence and stability. Students must learn about emotional health and intelligence from an early age. Just like with language, the earlier we teach children, the sooner emotional complexities will become less intimidating and more familiar aspects of life. Students must know boys can cry, everyone has feelings and teachers and counselors are available for both academic and emotional assistance. School can serve as an environment in which students can develop emotional skills necessary for living in the often harsh modern world. From early grades, we should ask students about how they feel. Yes, the question may seem trite to us, but learning to openly discuss personal feelings is essential — not only for understanding oneself, but also for understanding others, which is an important component of both emotional intelligence and stability. No matter how old you are, it’s never too early or too late to talk about the complexities of human emotion. So talk, realize and understand the importance of emotional acceptance and stability.

TNS

COLUMN

Shopping: The ultimate antidote to finals stress Cecille Troung Columnist

We’re nearing finals week and the end of the school year, which means all students’ and professors’ stress levels are about to crest. To combat stress, some people work out at the Petersen Events Center, pig out at Market Central or sit in the massage chairs in the William Pitt Union. Personally, I find nothing more stress-relieving than going on a shopping spree. While excessive shopping may do some damage to your bank account and encourage hoarding behavior, occasional retail therapy — shopping in order to relieve stress — can actually be good for

you. And this isn’t just my inner shopaholic talking. First of all, shopping is associated with a sense of achievement. Think about the time you gained a couple of pounds after your freshman year and none of your jeans fit anymore. The too-tight denim forced you to go to the mall to find just one new pair to hold you off until shorts season, but instead, you found that your favorite store was having a huge sale on jeans. You end up feeling elated about not having to spend much money on four pairs of great-fitting jeans. A U.K. study conducted at Brunel University London correlated the effect of shopping on the left prefrontal cortex, a part of the

brain that is linked to pleasure and positive thinking. The heightened emotions of happiness release endorphins, known as the “feel good” chemicals in your brain. The secretion of endorphins can also lead to modulation of appetite, enhanced immune response, less pain and fewer negative effects of stress. Shopping is also correlated with other neurological markers of pleasure. In 2012, a psychologist named Heidi Hartston from Oakland, Calif., used neuroimaging research to find that there are spikes in levels of reward-circuit dopamine activity related to shopping. Dopamine is a neurotrans-

Troung

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TROUNG mitter that helps control the brain’s reward and pleasure centers. Dopamine also helps regulate movement and emotional responses, and it plays an essential role in behavior, cognition, mood, attention, working memory, learning and much more. After you bought those new pairs of jeans, your brain secreted dopamine to reward you for accomplishing your mission of buying new jeans, increasing your feelings of happiness and maybe even helping you forget that you gained the “freshman 15.” Apply that to studying. Because your dopamine levels are already up and your mind is buzzing, you’re set to take on that biochemistry study guide. Yet, popular culture continues to frown upon shopping for pleasure. Kit Yarrow, a professor of psychology at Golden Gate University in San Francisco who studies consumer trends and behaviors, told USA Today that customers shun retail therapy despite its benefits. “I think it’s unpopular these days to

April 9, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com say you shop for pleasure because we’re supposed to be in some stoic state in this post-recession economy,” Yarrow said. “I think shopping serves as a healthy purpose for a lot of people. If it works for you, you should not feel guilty. Do it, enjoy it and don’t overdo it.” Buying your favorite clothes can also lead to long-term benefits. Shopping may help women maintain their mental acuity in old age, Guy McKhann, M.D., a professor of neurology at Johns Hopkins University and co-author of “Keep Your Brain Young,” said. “People who are doing really well as they get older tend to be mentally engaged, physically active and socially involved,” he said to Women’s Health Magazine. “And women are all of those things when they shop.” When you’re shopping, you’re physically active: walking through multiple stores to find exactly what you’re looking for, walking up and down stairs to get from floor to floor and carrying your items around while browsing. You’re probably getting a good amount of exercise, which is linked to lower risks of cardiovascular disease and other related health issues. You’re mentally engaged when you cal-

culate how much money you’ll spend or how much a 40 percent discount coupon takes off of a $30 top, or identifying the pros and cons of each item. You’re exercising your social skills if you meet up with friends to shop and talk about your day, or if you talk to one of the employees in the store. Shopping can be a great bonding experience, and friends can help you feel less stressed, too. It’s important to keep your mental processes active as you age. If you don’t keep using your brain, important connections between your neurons could be lost, leading to dementia or other memory issues in the future. Finally, the most shocking benefit of shopping is that it actually seems to help people live longer, as suggested by research published by the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health in 2011. The study focused on 1,850 elderly (ages 65 and older) Taiwanese people. Participants were asked how often they went shopping, and researchers got responses that ranged from “never” to “every day.” The researchers then tracked how long each participant lived by linking individuals to national death reg-

istration data. The data showed that those who shopped daily were 27 percent less likely to die in the next nine years. Frequent shopping among the elderly is not always about buying things. Rather, it’s more about seeking companionship or exercising. While some people say physical activity is the best way to be healthy, engaging in social and economic activities later in life also plays a large role in becoming and remaining healthy. Shopping captures several dimensions of personal well-being and health as well as contributing to the community’s cohesiveness and economy, and it can confer increased longevity. So next time you’re stressed about failing your finals, why not take the next Port Authority bus down to South Side with your friends? You might find the perfect new pair of boots while also improving your mood and mental acuity, getting some exercise and even lengthening your life span. As long as you’re not overdoing it, head to the mall or outlets and enjoy your lower stress levels. Cecile Truong primarily writes about college and social issues for The Pitt News. Write to Cecile at cet41@pitt.edu.

April 9, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

ARTS and ENTERTAINMENT

CUISINE

Oaklandʼs Butterjoint mixes the bitter and sweet

utterjoint, Legume’s fullservice bar, sits unobtrusively on North Craig Street in Oakland. It has mauve walls and a dimly-lit interior. With only a handful of tables in addition to the bar, it’s cozy but restrictive — a place where long waits are the norm. I had visited the gastropub four times before, so I knew getting a table would be a trying task. My friend and I arrived promptly at 6 p.m. last Friday in an attempt to leapfrog the wait for Butterjoint’s high-end bar food, which is similar to Downtown’s Meat & Potatoes. No such luck. In past visits and past experiences waiting, I had indulged in a variety of sweet cocktails — priced at around $10 — and expected more excellent drinks to go with our small meal. As we waited for a table, we looked at the cocktail list with those memories in mind. My friend was unsure what to order. Butterjoint’s drink list can be intimidating since, unlike Peter’s Pub or Garage Door Saloon, you won’t find Jägerbombs or syrupy breakfast shots. Lost amidst the vermouths and Peychaud’s bitters, my friend asked the waiter what he recommended. He pointed to the Elder Fashioned, waxing poetic about the mix of Angostura bitters, the floral notes of St. Germain (an elderflower liqueur) and “junipery” Beefeater gin. My friend’s eyes glazed over. I told her I’ve had it before, and that it’s pretty light and sweet. She went for it, prompting the waiter to turn to the bartender and say, “Nix that, she chose the Elder.” He explained to us, “I told him if you wanted a Mercy of the Bartender [listed on the menu as “a surprise classic cocktail of the bartender’s choosing”], to make it something sweet with pineapple.” I ordered a Negroni (gin, vermouth and Campari, an orange liqueur) for the first time, and we quickly received our sunset-colored drinks. My friend took a sip and her nose wrinkled in distaste. I sipped my own drink, and the astringent and bitter orange taste was overwhelming. “Tastes a bit like ... medicine,” I said, a thick coat of alcohol wrapping around my tongue. My friend agreed, holding her drink at arm’s length

Grace Kelly Staff Writer

Nicole Gye | Staff Photographer

in disdain. We swapped, and I tried hers. It was herby, the gin masking the taste of the floral St. Germain and the bitters, which were lost in the mix.

Maybe my friend would have been better off at the mercy of the bartender, and perhaps I would have, too. Actually, scratch that. This bartender would have had no mercy on us. He had a heavy hand with the

base spirits, and, if given free rein, we might have wound up comatose on the floor. My experiences at Butterjoint in the past were

quite different. The drinks were fabulous — not the punch in the face that I experienced with the Negroni. On previous visits, I ordered the sweeter Beleriand (a cherry brine cocktail), an apple shrub and a carafe of white wine. As we tortured ourselves with small sips, we returned our attention again to Butterjoint’s menu. We ordered pierogies with no sides, since the pierogies were $8 and the sides ranged from $2 to $11 extra. We sat sipping our drinks. My friend gave up on hers quite quickly, and I only continued because the small glass had cost me $10. Our waiter flitted about, checking in on us occasionally, but our pierogies were still trapped in the kitchen. After 20 minutes, we finally saw two white plates heading toward us under the glint of the dim lights. Four small golden pierogies sat under a mound of caramelized onions. The pierogies tasted as stellar as they looked. Each bite puffed with potato and the tang of cheese. The onions were rich and luxuriously melded with the creamy potato filling. As we gorged, my friend commented on how these were some pretty fine $2 a pop pierogies. I put my fork down and realized that, yes, they were fine, but were they really worth $2 each? We finished quickly, trying to slow down and enjoy each bite, but we found it virtually impossible, considering our hunger. Still craving more food, we looked over the menu again. The burgers looked good, but the basic burger started at $12. Even adding American cheese was an extra dollar. Forget that. We scanned the dessert menu instead. I haven’t had a bad dessert from Butterjoint, so with high hopes, we ordered the buttermilk panna cotta with espressosoaked figs and espresso meringue. The plate arrived, the delicate panna cotta jiggling slightly, a glistening orb of tangy buttermilk. It was topped with the figs, and chunks of cocoa-colored meringue rested like little icebergs. The first bite was extravagant, the rich figs and crisp espresso meringue providing an earthy contrast to the cream. Each following spoonful was perfection. My only complaint was Butterjoint 11 that we got maybe five

April 9, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

MUSIC

Marcus Ranii-Dropcho For The Pitt News Critics often throw around the term “atmospheric” when discussing post-rock acts of the last decade. I hesitate to describe genre pioneer Godspeed You! Black Emperor with a single word, but something like stratospheric might be a more appropriate choice. When the Canadian instrumental band reunited in 2012, ending an album-less decade with Allelujah! Don’t Bend! Ascend!, they reified themselves as one of our most vital post-rock acts. Allelujah! incorporated Middle Eastern instrumentation and motifs into an already complex style of composition, creating new avenues for expression within the genre. For anyone questioning Godspeed’s ability to create beautiful syntheses of instrumentation, Allelujah! disproved the naysayers. Three years after its fourth studio album, the enigmatic group of musicians continued

Constellation Records

Godspeed You! Black Emperor turns in brisk look at apocalypse Godspeed You! Black Emperor

Asunder, Sweet and Other Distress Grade:

its consistent discography with Asunder, Sweet and Other Distress. Unlike some of their previous releases, like 2000’s Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven, which clocks in at nearly 90 minutes, Asunder is a brisk four-song effort. The two bookending tracks, both longer than 10 minutes, frantically crash and modulate through ideas. When compared to the band’s usual 20-minute arrangements, the album feels more like an EP. But that’s not to say that Asunder feels rushed. The songs progress slowly, layering each instrumental introduction before beckoning more to join the foray of sound. Asunder effaces its four tracks into an uninterrupted whole. Instead of falling into their renowned compositional style (swelling crescendos that create suspense, followed by cathartic release), the band dives right into the heart of its abrasive sonic palette on

Godspeed

April 9, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com FROM PAGE 10

GODSPEED the album’s first track, “Peasantry or ‘Light! Inside of Light!’” The minimal opening drum kit punctuates the silence with a metallic quality. Heavily distorted power chords dominate the space, evoking a dualistic sense of dread and awe-inspiring power. The bass hums with menace in the background while a sole violin wails, eerily crying for solace that may never come. The band answers the tension with a beautiful violin arpeggio, asserting itself above the cacophonous storm. The violins embellish and lighten earlier motifs, ascending above their own decrepit circumstance. Like many of Godspeed’s other albums, notably Lift Your Skinny Fists and Yanqui U.X.O., Asunder offers a balance of downtrodden, desolate soundscapes and uplifting ones. But Godspeed mostly favors the former over the latter on Asunder. The nine-minute “Lambs’ Breath” is an often arduous ambient drone track that manages to derail the momentum from “Peasantry.” The guitars reach new peaks of distortion here, taking notes from the wailing guitars heard on Allelujah, but with an emphasis on sounding grotesque and guttural. Although the timbre on “Lambs’ Breath” and the opening of “Asunder, Sweet” is complex and detailed, the instrumentals lend themselves to passive listening, and it recedes into the background. The album redeems itself in its second half, due to the emotionally-charged buildup of “Asunder, Sweet” leading to the album’s pinnacle, “Piss Crowns Are Trebled.” Dormant violins burn brightly as walls of distorted noise resurface. The drums make a triumphant return as well, evolving the soundscape from ambient drone into a slow, methodical march. The mood is melancholy, as if mourning the loss of humanity. Then the pace changes, becoming more urgent and deliberate. The drumming beckons for attention, beating your ears senseless while the violin ensemble and guitars work harmoniously to renounce their own existence and welcome the impending apocalypse. The sonic wave grows to a colossal scale of discord and dissonance, asking the listener to atone for the troubles of mankind before destroying everything in its path. As the violin ensemble scales higher in tone, the mood becomes more hopeless.

Just as you give in to the imminent doom, the punctuation of the drums recedes. All that remains are the song’s remnants, washing calmly across a desolate landscape. The violins wail, but their echoes enunciate a strange sense of hope. Godspeed’s albums have always examined the impending apocalypse in all its terror and beauty. If nothing else, Asunder gives us the feeling of powerlessness and asks us to accept our purpose in that helplessness. It’s a helplessness that turns our perception into one of appreciation and wonder.

FROM PAGE 9

BUTTERJOINT measly pieces of meringue — I wanted more. Our spoons scraped bottom, and I was tempted to throw manners to the wind and lick the espresso syrup off the plate. Butterjoint is capable of scrumptious moments like this, but they come with the occasional bitter sip. The food is good, albeit overpriced, and your drink satisfaction depends on the mercy of the bartender.

April 9, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

BASEBALL

SPORTS

Pittʼs offensive explosion snaps losing skid

SOFTBALL

Panthers win defensive struggle Jessica Boddy Staff Writer

Sam Mersing threw a season-high six innings on Wednesday. Emily Klenk | Staff Photographer

Chris Puzia Sports Editor Pitt’s baseball game against the Youngstown State Penguins happened at the perfect time. The team’s last win came on March 25 against the Penguins, and it had not won since — until the teams played again on Wednesday. The Panthers (12-19, 4-11 ACC) snapped their seven-game losing streak with a convincing 12-1 win over Youngstown State (7-18, 3-9 Horizon) at Charles L. Cost Field. Sophomore Sam Mersing led the way for Pitt, pitching a career-high six innings and allowing one run on three hits, the first of which did not come until the fifth inning. He now holds a 3-1 season record with a 5.18 ERA. “I trusted myself, and I called the pitches I wanted to call today,” Mersing said. “I was really able to mix fastball and offspeed throughout the whole game, and that’s what

helped me get through.” Redshirt sophomore left fielder Jacob Wright jumpstarted Pitt in the bottom of the first inning with a double to the left field corner. Freshman shortstop Charles LeBlanc moved him over to third with a groundout to the pitcher, then senior designated hitter Boo Vazquez scored Wright with a groundout to second base to give the Panthers a quick 1-0 lead. Pitt head coach Joe Jordano said jumping out early was crucial, and the game itself was a must-win for a Pitt team that has struggled lately. “It’s self-imposed [pressure on the team], but yeah, I mean, we had to win,” Jordano said. “We’ve really been struggling in all phases of the game, so to have a game like this where we just came out and swung the bats and pitched and played defense, we really needed that win.” Wright continued his hot streak with a single up the middle in the third inning.

Wright, who is batting .282 this season, now has a six-game hitting streak and has reached base in his last 21 games. “I’ve just been trying to really simplify everything,” Wright said. “Earlier in the season, I was trying to do too much, I think. I just trusted myself.” Wright advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt, then stole third base on the first pitch of the next at-bat. “He has been swinging it well,” Jordano said. “He’s been aggressive on the bases. His speed in the outfield is a differencemaker as well.” Vazquez earned his second RBI of the game and the 100th of his career with a single up the middle, reminiscent of Wright’s earlier in the inning, to score the left fielder. Junior catcher Kowalczyk doubled the Panthers’ lead in emphatic fashion two batters later with a deep home run to dead

Baseball

The Pitt softball team didn’t let an afternoon downpour affect its game on Wednesday, and it weathered the storm to score just enough to beat the Kent State Golden Flashes. Both teams exhibited stellar defense during the 3 p.m. matchup, as Pitt (2614, 6-9 ACC) defeated Kent State 1-0 at Vartabedian Field. The Panthers’ effective communication and quick reflexes allowed them to render Kent State scoreless for the first game. Senior pitcher Savannah King handily rounded up three outs in the top of the second inning. She tossed a pair of popups to first and grabbed a line drive to the mound to shut down the Flashes. Freshman Kayla Harris pitched the remainder of the game as King cheered from the dugout, resting her arm for the upcoming road games this weekend. “I’m trying to make [my arm] last another month and a half or so,” King said. “I definitely want to be ready for Syracuse this weekend.” King’s teammates shut out the opposition despite her absence. Pitt exposed a Kent State weak spot in the bottom of the fourth. Junior Morgan Choe, who pinch ran for junior Jenna Modic, dashed home on a swing from senior center fielder Carly Thea. The Flashes threatened to score shortly after, however. In the top of the fifth inning, Kent State hit back-to-back singles to place runners on first and second base. Kent State senior center fielder Dani Ramos

Softball

April 9, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com FROM PAGE 12

SOFTBALL swung for a double, allowing junior Chloe Kesterson to round third base and score. Thea threw the ball home from center field to freshman catcher Giorgiana Zeremenko, who tagged out Kesterson, keeping the Flashes scoreless. The Panthers also maintained their defensive composure in the top of the sixth, executing a double play at first and second base on a Kent State bunt. Pitt finished off the inning by forcing a ground out at first base. “I thought from the defensive side of things we played really, really well,” Pitt head coach Holly Aprile said. “We got a double play when they were trying to sacrifice somebody over, which is huge.” Harris continued to pitch well into the seventh inning, and Pitt infielders Maggie Sevilla, Kaitlin Manuel and McKayla Taylor aided the momentum with two outs at first and second. Harris stepped up to end the game in a Pitt victory by striking out the final batter for Kent State to win 1-0. “Our communication was great on the field,” Harris said. “We made great defensive plays. We had one or two double plays, actually. I had total confidence in my team and defense was outstanding today.” Aprile added that her squad played lockdown defense, which complemented an effective offense. “I thought it was a really well played game,” Aprile said. “From the offensive side, we had really good at-bats. We didn’t have a FROM PAGE 12

BASEBALL

center field, his second of the season, giving Pitt a 4-0 lead. Pitt, which allowed several big offensive innings early to Notre Dame last weekend, created one of its own with the home run, plating three runs in the third inning. The home run would end Youngstown State starter Jeremy Quinlan’s day. The sophomore lasted only three innings, allowing the Panther four runs and five hits. In three of his last four starts, Mersing pitched at least three innings without allowing a hit. Read the rest online at Pittnews.com.

ton of hits but we hit efficiently. Each phase of the game worked pretty well.” Although the rain steadily increased throughout the game and ended up causing a cancellation for the scheduled 5 p.m. matchup, Pitt battled through the conditions to get the initial win. “We all came out knowing it would be rainy at some point, but just hoping that it would delay for us to get one game in,” King said. “I’m glad we all came out here and were obviously ready to play. We got the game 1-0, and everyone did a really good job.”