May 14, 2014 by The Pitt News

Vol. 105 Issue 2

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University fees to increase

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Pittnews.com

A TRAIN TO CATCH

Cristina Holtzer News Editor

This fall, students at Pitt’s main and Titusville campuses could be paying more money in fees to the University. The Student Affairs Committee met Monday to propose raising semesterly fees, including the main campus Wellness fee from $85 to $105 and the Graduate and Professional Activity fee from $20 to $30. For part-time graduate students, the fee will be raised from $10 to $15. At Titusville, the Student Affairs Committee proposed increasing the Student Activities fee from $75 to $90 for full-time students and from $10 to $15 for part-time students. The committee also suggested raising the Titusville Recreation fee from $80 to $100 for full-time students and $15 to $20 for part-time. According to an official agenda of the committee’s meeting from Pitt spokesman John Fedele, student use of Student Health Services and the Counseling Center has increased 30 percent since moving the services to Nordenberg Hall last fall. “The University Administration has determined that the current Wellness fee of $85 is inadequate to keep pace with increasing costs and to further develop and expand existing programs,” the background statement to the meeting agenda states. The elevated Graduate and Professional Activities fee will “provide students more avenues to advocate on behalf of graduate and professional students on the state and federal level,” according to the background statement. The Pitt Board of Trustees will make a final decision on these proposed fee increases at its next meeting in June.

Model trains inspire wonder and invite visitors to reconnect with their youth during the Summer Flower Show at Phipps Conservatory. The seasonal display opened this past weekend and will run through October 5. Sheldon Satenstein | Visual Editor

The Andy Warhol Museum celebrates 20 years Aileen Ryan For The Pitt News

Alyssa Ferguson’s own art has been inspired by Andy Warhol’s work. Ferguson, a junior majoring in digital media and studio art, has spent countless hours at the Andy Warhol Museum, but a new addition and renovated exhibit is what she really can’t wait for. “[Warhol’s] iconic mark-making process using bright colors and replication has been imitated in many of the art courses that I have

taken at Pitt,” she said. The museum, located in the North Side, will celebrate its 20th anniversary with a black tie gala on Saturday, where 650 guests will celebrate the relaunching and renovation of the collection of Andy Warhol’s work. Tickets to the event cost $500, according to Brooke Perkins, the marketing intern at the museum. Teresa Heinz, widow of H.J. Heinz III, heir to the H.J. Heinz Company, will serve as the honorary chair of the event, and the co-chairs

will be American fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg and American art collector and film producer Jane Holzer. The collection’s renovation, which will debut at the gala, will introduce a more accurate chronology of Warhol’s work. When the museum opened in 1994, the vision was to portray Warhol’s work chronologically. Information on the website said that since the collection has expanded over the years, the installation of newer works changed the

Warhol

May 14, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

Correction: On May 7, The Pitt News reported that the course Christian-Muslim Relations was a history course in an article titled “Students fight to bring Islamic courses back.” The course is a religious studies course that is cross-listed in the history department course listings. The Pitt News regrets this error.

Centers for women encourage leadership, praise work Raechelle Landers and Cristina Holtzer The Pitt News Staff

A disparity in leadership and wages between genders has fueled the establishment of centers that recognize women. Within the last month, Carlow University in Pittsburgh and the U.S. House of Representatives both announced plans to open institutions that commend the accomplishments and leadership of women. Such institutions aim to address leadership inequalities between the genders, such as the low numbers of women in U.S. government. Women make up 18.3 percent of Congress and 20 percent of the Senate, according to last year’s Congressional Research Service Report. Additionally, the report said 32 women have been elected state governor in U.S. history. Carlow’s plans for an Institute for Women’s Leadership and Empowerment FROM PAGE 1

WARHOL original chronological flow. The exhibits now begin on the seventh floor of the museum with family photos from the 1930s, as well as Warhol’s earliest paintings and drawings. The work will move through his life as viewers descend floors of the museum, where they can view film and video gallery of Warhol’s films and TV episodes on the fourth floor. Although Ferguson won’t be attending the gala, she plans to visit the museum after the celebration is complete. “Andy Warhol’s art has inspired artists all over the world for years and continues to do so because of his unique style and famous silk screened reproductions of modern pop images,” Ferguson said. The Andy Warhol Museum first opened on May 15, 1994, drawing 14,000 visitors in just the first 12 hours, according to the museum website. It is one of the four Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh, and has attracted over 1.56 million visitors since its opening, including well-known names like Michelle Obama. The museum’s collection includes a vast array of Warhol’s work, including 900 paintings, 100

on Carlow’s campus localize the national concern for the differing power dynamics between genders. University President Suzanne Mellon announced plans for campus during her inaugural address last month. “The Institute will help empower women — at all levels — who will use their voices to advocate for inclusiveness, justice, and democratized decision-making in their lives and in the lives of others,” Mellon said in an address on April 5. Activities at the Women’s Leadership Institute are slated to begin with Carlow’s fall class schedule. Drew Wilson, Carlow’s media relations director, said that concrete plans for the leadership institute are “still being worked out” and that the university has plans to make an announcement soon with more details, such as the institute’s location. Wilson quoted Mellon’s speech when he said that the construction of the leadership institute aims to “address the social sculptures and 4,000 photographs. The latest renovation has been in the works since January, Perkins said. “During the renovation, the museum itself did not shut down. Only one floor was closed and a couple of small galleries,” Perkins said. Those who will not be attending the gala, like Ferguson, can still be involved. The museum will also host a Community Day between midnight on Saturday and Sunday at 5 p.m., when the museum will be open to the public for free. According to the museum’s website, Community Day will showcase work from its Education Department, which offers a variety of programs for museum visitors, students, teachers and the community, and will focus on families, who director Eric Shiner said are an important part of the Warhol audience. There will be a hands-on art making studio and programs exploring Warhol’s artistic practices, as well as a youth fashion show, where local teen designers will be able to show off their creations. A new exhibition will also open on Sunday called “Halston and Warhol: Silver and Suede,” which examines the interconnected lives and work of Warhol and Roy Halston Frowick, a fashion designer in the 1970s. The two artists

disparities of women.” For Eleanora Kaloyeropoulou, incoming president of Pitt’s Campus Women’s Organization, the disparities between men and women in government can be attributed to more than a lack of female confidence. “It’s not because there’s not women who can do it,” Kaloyeropoulou,a junior Africana studies and history major, said. “It comes down to women being discouraged from it. Women are told not to take the extra step.” The celebration of underrepresented and marginalized groups, Kaloyeropoulou said, is correlated with the improvement of their leadership skills. When Carlow’s institute opens, Kaloyeropoulou said she plans to attend events and work with representatives there. Recognition of women’s work and achievements will be celebrated at the national level as well.

The U.S. House of Representatives announced a decision last Wednesday to fund the construction of a National Women’s History Museum in Washington D.C. The National Women’s History Museum currently exists entirely online, but will soon occupy a physical space on the National Mall. Joan Wages, president and CEO of the Women’s National History Museum, said in a press release that the museum will “ensure the contributions American women have made to this great nation will become a part of our national narrative.” “We are delighted with the results of today’s vote! Women represent 51 percent of our nation’s population, but account for only 1 in 10 figures represented in U.S. history textbooks and only 13 of the more than 200 statues in the Capitol,” she said. “Clearly, Americans only know half of our history.” Read the rest online at Pittnews.com.

Junior Alyssa Ferguson created this painting of John Lennon using water soluble paint last spring in her Foundation of Painting class. Photo courtesy of Alyssa Ferguson

shared a focus — they were both intrigued by pop culture icons and their work reflected it. The exhibition will combine Halston’s garments and accessories with photography, video and paintings by Warhol. This weekend-long event celebrates the Andy Warhol Museum and all it has accomplished in the past 20 years. Pittsburgh native Robin Bullock, 49, said

she always enjoys her visits to the museum. “The Warhol Museum is a one-of-a-kind place that goes beyond the normal meaning of a ‘museum’ and continuously changes in order to redefine both itself and its connections to the community,” Bullock said. “The museum does an excellent job offering programs and events that anyone can attend, which really provides an interactive and unique experience.”

May 14, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

EDITORIAL

OPINIONS

Diversity class requirement has value in higher education

While Pitt continues to drop courses that reflect the growing diversification of our society — including the elimination of four classes that focused solely on the Islamic religion for the upcoming fall semester — other universities embrace heterogeneity. UCLA is one of these schools. The university recently proposed a diversity class as part of its undergraduate general education requirements in an effort to verse students on disparities between races, cultures, genders and religions. UCLA will seek to join many other universities nationwide that have already implemented diversity education classes as a core part of their curricula. For instance, Temple University requires students to take a three-credit race and diversity general education course. Through the course, students “recognize the ways in which race intersects with other group identifications or ascriptions,” according to Temple’s web-

COLUMN

site, as well as “explore what it means for individuals and institutions to exist in a multi-racial, multi-cultural world.” Pitt seems to be lagging behind. Even though Arts and Sciences majors are required to take global citizenship courses as part of their general education, the courses that fall into this category can often be vague and have little to do with specific cultures. Many undergraduates can satisfy the requirement with a general world history course instead of a course that involves cultures they will inevitably come into contact with. This leaves students with a shallow understanding of just how different global cultures and peoples are from each other. Students unfortunately lack the incentive and — with Pitt dropping cultural-specific classes — the means to become genuinely informed about the diversity they will meet in the post-baccalaureate world. With 80 percent of the student body

identifying as white, students at Pitt are not getting adequate exposure to reality. The reality being, that by 2050, there will be no racial or ethnic majority in the United States, according to U.S. Census data from 2010. Currently, people of color own 22.1 percent of U.S. businesses, women 28.8 percent and LGBT individuals 5 percent, according to the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. Hence, as UCLA Chancellor Gene Block said, “There is value to an explicit class [in higher education] that deals with the multiple cultures in the United States living together and the conflicts ... [and] the faculty owes it to the students to pay attention.” It’s time for Pitt to recognize this as well. Instead of cutting valuable culturalspecific classes because seats are not being filled, make such courses requirements, just as other schools do. Much like English composition, for in-

stance, a diversity class requirement as part of a Pitt undergraduate’s general education can involve different areas of focus. Classes in this area can concentrate on specific groups — African-Americans, Muslims, women and transgender individuals, for example — and the discrimination and stereotypes they face. A variety of class choices can ensure that students will fulfill the requirement without the risk of taking a course that lumps all these groups into one comprehensive diversity summary, which would defeat the purpose in understanding the essential differences between cultures. As an institution of higher education, it is imperative that Pitt uses general education to prepare each of its students for the realities of the world as efficiently and effectively as possible, not only for the sake of students themselves, but also for the sake of the everchanging world they will soon be entering.

Conservative rhetoric limits progress in gun control debate Bethel Habte For The Pitt News

Diren Dede was “garage hopping” — a suburban teenage shenanigan involving sneaking into open garages to loot for random objects — when he landed himself in Markus Kaarma’s garage in Montana. Seconds later, a slew of bullets from Kaarma’s shotgun killed the 17-year-old German exchange student. Kaarma’s rapid fire, which triggered criminal charges against him, reflects the counterproductive nature of the “standyour-ground” law, which has become a fixture of firearm legislation in traditionally conservative states over the last five years. So, let’s talk, starting with what the gun control debate is really about. It’s not about a Democratic versus Republican agenda. It’s not about angry words or red faces on the verge of screaming. It’s not even about Dede. The gun control debate is about fear. While only one of many unfortunate symbols of the debate on gun control, the case involving Kaarma and Dede exemplifies the restrictions that our fear-induced debates

have placed on our potential for progress as a nation. Dede’s case sheds a glaring light on the effect these politics of fear have had on state legislation. The “stand-your-ground” law — which allowed Kaarma to open fire without first observing any obvious signs of threat in his garage — enables the use of force for self-defense without an obligation to retreat first. The logic behind this law is reasonable: the best offense is a good defense. But it doesn’t leave much room for judgment on whether or not your attacker is an actual threat. In the case of Dede and Kaarma, Dede was not the armed burglar Kaarma expected, but rather a bored teen. The fear that drove Kaarma to pull the trigger is synonymous to the fear that inhibits lawmakers from preventing such tragedies. On one hand, gun supporters fear losing their ability to protect themselves in a society riddled with crime, on the other, nonsupporters fear the danger guns embody and as a whole, Americans in general fear

being forced into an agreement that denies them their rights to life, liberty and property. The only way to resolve the debate centering on gun control is to eliminate the rationale behind partisan politics. The rhetoric behind them leads constituents to believe that they have to be fearful and, therefore, are in need of protection, but not from government policy — from guns themselves. The NRA claims that Americans use firearms for self-defense more than 2 million times per year when, in actuality, it is quite rare — 67,740 times per year, according to a report by the Violence Policy Center. Yet, being one of the largest interest groups in the United States, the NRA’s claim carries weight both politically and personally. Montana ranks 14th in the top 20 U.S. states with the highest aggregation of gun violence. Nineteen other “stand-your-ground” states populate the rest of the list. With states acting as independent entities, gun regulations become centered only around the personal fears of the state’s legislators and their constituents, as opposed to a rationalized approach aimed at broader

security — like better police forces, for instance. Meanwhile, laws like the Firearm Owners Protection Act, the Tiahrt Amendment and the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act support decreased regulation in the name of personal self-defense. With the crime rate rising, along with the number of armed citizens, these laws continue to reflect the regressive nature political rhetoric has had on policy. This rhetoric has overemphasized the fear people should have for their neighbor and underemphasized the potential of government policy to protect them. Therefore, continuing to adhere to the logic of paranoia is not getting us any closer to finding an overarching solution to public safety while adhering to our constitutional rights at the same time. Without uniform regulations to satisfy both ends, we will only continue to bear the national devastation that arises from cases like that of Dede and Kaarma, after which life continues to go on

Habte

May 14, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

FROM PAGE 3

HABTE

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regardless of resolution. Dede should have had security in knowledge that a juvenile venture, though reckless and illegal, won’t ultimately result in his death, and Kaarma should have the right to feel secure in his ability to protect his land and family. Neither should have found themselves shot dead or receiving death threats in the midst of judicial penalties in the endeavor to do so.

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

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ARTS

May 14, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

E D NT N A ER TA IN ME NT

Steeltown Film Factory’s 2013 winner, “My Date With Adam,” was filmed in Pittsburgh last summer. Photo courtesy of Steeltown

Steeltown’s Film Factory seeks to liberate local filmmaking talent Shawn Cooke A&E Editor For some college students, writing can be a cruel and unusual punishment. Eight hundred words might seem like 800 lashes to those who begrudgingly fulfill their general education “W” requirement. But for Stephen Knezovich, writing in college was a much more casual exercise — something to pass the time. “It was not something I took seriously,” Knezovich said. “Just me and a couple buddies messing around, being bored and trying to entertain ourselves.” Knezovich is one of three finalists in Steeltown Entertainment Project’s Film Factory competition, which awards up to $30,000 to an amateur Pittsburgh screenwriter. The winner then produces his or her 12-page short film right in the city. On Saturday, Steeltown will host its annual “And the Winner Is” event at Point Park University’s GRW Theater Downtown, where the three final scripts will be given a live table-read, and a winner will be named. The finalists include Knezovich, Julie Jigour and Randy Kovitz.

Carl Kurlander, president and CEO of Steeltown and a senior lecturer at Pitt, is responsible for discovering these (mostly) fictionalized stories. As a writer on ‘80s mainstays “St. Elmo’s Fire” and “Saved by the Bell,” Kurlander gained decades of experience on the West Coast, but chose to return to Pittsburgh in 2001 to tap into the city’s movie making talent. The idea of a screenwriting contest was originally conceived by Kurlander and Eric Gold, a manager whose clients have included Vince Vaughn, Ellen DeGeneres and Jim Carrey. According to Kurlander, Gold told him that “there’s so much talent in this town; we need to find a way to liberate that talent.” So instead of taking the ideas of Pittsburgh writers and sending them to Hollywood for rewrites — which Kurlander joked was an early plan — Steeltown decided to let the writers produce the films themselves. In many ways, it aims to give the talent in Pittsburgh a crash course in filmmaking based around their screenplay.

“The Film Factory has been a great training ground for people,” Kurlander said. “A lot of people who work on these films ended up working on the bigger films when they come to town, because they know what it’s like to be on a set.” 2014 marks Knezovich’s fourth consecutive year participating in the 5-yearold Steeltown competition. In 2011, he was a semi-finalist for his script, “The Blonski,” about a new sandwich made to rival Primanti Bros.’ wacky formula. Knezovich’s writing career began with writing and filming short comedy sketches with college buddies, but it eventually became a more serious enterprise as he went on to earn his MFA in creative writing from Eastern Washington University. He currently works as an associate editor and mentoring director for the magazine Creative Nonfiction, and has seen his career in writing come full circle in the last 10 years. This year, the screenplay sending Knezovich to the finals is entitled “Franksgiving” and takes an alternative approach to food. The one-sentence logline goes like

this: “It’s Thanksgiving, and bowler Frank Ovitchovic has two things on his mind ... throwing strikes and feeding half the neighborhood.” Every year, Frank participates in the “Annual Thanksgiving Turkey Bowl-AThon: Bowl a Turkey, Win a Turkey,” an event in which a perfect score nets the winner 280 pounds of turkey for his neighborhood’s Thanksgiving dinner. For years, he’s succeeded with flying colors, since he is only able to bowl strikes. When Frank’s method of exclusively bowling strikes implodes, the wheels really fall off. Knezovich said the comedic story is primarily about Frank’s recovery from this “fall from grace.” For Knezovich, screenplays and stories for Creative Nonfiction have more in common than their formatting may suggest. “Stories are stories, whether they’re true or fictionalized,” he said. To give finalists exposure to people who are much more seasoned on movie sets, Steeltown assembles a panel of

Steeltown

May 14, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com MUSIC

The Mad Caddies bring unique brand of ska-punk to Altar Bar

The Mad Caddies fun and friendly atmosphere takes genre-blending to a new level. Courtesy of Laurent Louis

Stephanie Roman Staff Writer The Mad Caddies released Dirty Rice yesterday — the band’s first new album in seven years. But when they stopped at the Altar Bar on Sunday with fellow third-wave ska band Mr. Skannotto, their recent release might not have been so apparent. A label-organized album release tour isn’t exactly the Mad Caddies’ way. They get good marks for loyalty; in a 20-song set, only three were drawn from Dirty Rice. Instead, The Caddies put on an unofficial greatest hits show of Keep it Going, its reggae-inspired, fun-loving and utterly jammable effort from 2007, interspersing its best tracks among many of their catchiest and most ridiculous tunes. The Caddies dove in with a new song, “Shot in the Dark,” which sounded classically funky and danceable, and instantly put the crowd in a good mood. They immediately followed it with “Backyard,” a moderately-paced upstroke reggae sway. Vocalist Chuck Robertson crooned, “You’ve got the cure for your disease growing in your backyard, whoa-oh,” as a pleased audience bounced to the hypnotic hippie anthem and sang along. Dustin Lanker cranked his keyboard to maximum volume, cutting through his five other bandmates with exceptional poignancy, and his contributions during “State of Mind,” “Without You,” “Coyote”

and “The Bell Tower” were downright satisfying. Robertson also exposed Lanker as a diehard Steelers fan, which drew cheers from the audience in Pittsburgh — a city that’s notoriously receptive to sports talk at shows. For as many straightforward jams and Wailers-influenced slow dances, The Caddies played just as many energetic thrash, punk and more typical third-wave blends of rock and ska, like “No Hope,” “Tired Bones,” “Contraband” and “The Gentleman.” Mixing fast and slow doesn’t make for a revolutionary stage performance, though. Throughout the Mad Caddies’ 19-year history, they’ve written numerous phenomenal, unprecedented and genre-defying mashups to separate themselves from similar artists. Take “Monkeys,” which reminisces vaudevillian tappers and cane-dancers, which then cuts immediately into “Weird Beard,” an unequivocally campy pirate ballad complete with banjo, the keyboard’s accordion setting and the awfully forged gruff tones emanating from Robertson. The Caddies’ set revealed a theme of contradiction. There were odd dichotomies, like the most “hardcore”-looking kid in the crowd requesting all the hippie, peaceloving tracks and juxtaposing “Contraband” (“Contraband, I love you/ Contraband, I

Caddies

REVIEW

May 14, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

Chad VanGaalen’s latest LP satisfies with ‘bizarre fairy tales’

especially since the Lips’ front man Wayne Coyne seems to have had a midlife crisis full of accusations of being all types of crazy. But the two are hardly comparable beyond their respective levels of creativity. While The Flaming Lips have always incorporated more drone-like noise in their work, VanGaalen is the soft-spoken whisperer, singing like he’s putting children to sleep with bizarre fairy tales. Indeed, VanGaalen’s records often feel like a storybook with his homemade illustrations in the album artwork that accompany Shrink Dust bears one of VanGaalen’s violent but clearly descriptive lyrics. surreal and crass self-made illustrations. As the title suggests, Shrink Dust is a Jack Trainor warped and introverted record. In it, VanStaff Writer Gaalen calls himself a “monster” and “evil.” This language could imply that he is also going through a crisis or meditative state but has retreated inward to reflect rather than act out or compromise his art through collaboration. “Let’s go back to my cell, inCalgary artist Chad VanGaalen has single- stead of raising hell,” he softly suggests on handedly built a reputation for rivaling The the rhythmic “Frozen Paradise.” Flaming Lips as music’s biggest weirdo — His specific fantasy descriptions particu-

Chad VanGaalen Shrink Dust Grade: B+

larly stand out on Shrink Dust, which he has said partly make up the soundtrack to his homemade animated film that is currently in the works. VanGaalen will create the animation and score himself, which should come as no surprise since he already does all of his own animation for his music videos. VanGaalen exercises some of his artistic and vivid imagery on the uncharacteristically upbeat but lyrically morose “Monster.” He nonsensically describes himself with “skin that’s grown scaly and yellowish brown” with two prying hands that “grew out of my shoulders/ And I can’t explain why/ But it’s hurting my eyes.” VanGaalen has also called his latest effort a country album, a decidedly different approach than his previous four records — the last being the musically wonderful yet questionably named Diaper Island. His newly acquired pedal steel guitar adds a fresh new layer to VanGaalen’s lonely alien tunes, bringing his private universe down to a more relatable ground for the audience. The most common Americana

prairie sound is showcased in songs such as the harmonic “Weighed Sin,” “Hangman’s Son” and the send-off track, “Cosmic Destroyer.” “Oh, have mercy, on the demons that curse me/ Oh, lay it on me/ When my time has come,” he sings on “Hangman’s Son,” a reflection on mortality that begins like a Wilco ballad with the pedal steel guitar’s slow whine. Keep in mind, a VanGaalen country record will often seem like anything but country to the average listener. With songs like “Cut Off My Hands,” in which the severed limbs swim away from him “like a pair of bloody crabs,” or the ghostly echoic “Where Are You?” VanGaalen creates a folky-psychedelic subgenre of country filled with bouncy synths and other outlandish yet organic noises. The result is VanGaalen successfully finding the bridge between the warm and relatable Americana feelings with the infinitely loony but undeniably intriguing universe of VanGaalen’s songwriting.

The Pitt News Crossword, 5/14/2014

May 14, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com ACROSS 1 Bandage often signed by friends 5 Top NFL player 11 Piercing spot 14 Bjorn Borg’s org. 15 Like tall wedding cakes 16 Reason for overtime 17 AABBA, in limericks 19 TV buying channel 20 Crude from a well, slangily 21 Coat with a precious metal 22 Baton Rouge sch. 23 Love stories 27 Butter and cream cheese, e.g. 31 Type size 32 Like jackhammers 33 Evening TV viewing period 38 Alley in comics 39 Rice-__ 40 Neighbor of Arg. 41 Pass-the-buck accusations 44 Little League precursor 46 “Son of __!” 47 Resort with trails 49 Becomes foolishly passionate (over) 53 Hosp. personnel 54 Isn’t feeling up to snuff 55 Parent in the wings 60 Winter bug 61 Words on a banner for returning soldiers 64 Nourished 65 Fly 66 Newsy bit 67 Lyrical “before” 68 Shrill barker 69 “If you want to leave a message, please wait for the __” DOWN 1 Rudely abrupt 2 1975 Wimbledon winner Arthur 3 River of Hades 4 Cantina fare 5 Ready to sire, as a retired racehorse

FROM PAGE 5

STEELTOWN

5/26/14

By Gail Grabowski and Bruce Venzke

6 Scalp parasites 7 “The Merry Widow” composer Franz 8 Lead-in for school or season 9 Sleep phase initials 10 “__ on a Grecian Urn” 11 Value system 12 Theater divider 13 Tears apart 18 Writing assignment 21 Itty-bitty biter 24 Speaks one’s mind 25 Actress Rogers 26 Unreturnable serve 27 Snooty sort 28 “No lifeguard on duty” site, perhaps 29 TV host Kelly 30 Leapt 34 CD-__ 35 Letter-shaped beam 36 Lawn burrower 37 Jazzy Fitzgerald 39 Water, to Juan 42 Sunday rite 43 One may be sunnyside up

Saturday’s Puzzle Solved

44 Hint of color 45 Batter’s success 48 “Seinfeld” character who dreams up a coffee table book about coffee tables 49 Social blunder 50 Crude carrier 51 Slip away from 52 Music licensing fee-collecting org. 56 Handy bag

5/26/14

57 Fictional sleuth Mr. __ 58 Broken mirror, to some 59 Kid’s response to “Who wants some?” ... and a hint to what’s hidden in 17-, 33-, 41- and 61-Across 61 Method 62 Anticipatory night 63 “__ Abner”

experts to evaluate the screenplays and eventually select a winner. This year’s panel of experts includes Lauren Elmer, the head of post-production for A24 Films (“Spring Breakers,” “Under the Skin”), Daniel Hoyos, an independent film producer and director of the Seattle Shorts Film Festival and Kristen Bell, the festival director of Austin’s Fantastic Fest. Elmer, who graduated from Pitt’s film studies program in 2003, primarily focuses on the distribution and business angle of post-production with A24 Films. But in college, she, too, dabbled in the writing process. “I took Carl [Kurlander’s] screenwriting class,” Elmer said. “He had such insight into the industry — what LA was like.” Though she hasn’t notched any screenwriting credits of her own, Elmer’s experience in post-production has nonetheless shaped how she approaches a script. Whether it’s a new entry in the Marvel Universe or the latest Harmony Korine FROM PAGE 6

CADDIES need you so”) with “No Hope,” which takes the opposing stance and defies simple affection — “You ain’t going nowhere/ You got no chance to see/ There’s no way home.” But the best example was Robertson’s introduction to “Weird Beard.” “We want to dedicate this next song, because it’s a pirate song, to the Penguins,” he said. After “Weird Beard,” Robertson and the horn players left the stage while the rest of the band went on a five-minute funk interlude. Rarely has a club band had the bravado to perform this kind of classic rock device, but it seriously worked. Only The Mad Caddies are capable of pulling that off and keeping the audience entertained with some dirty, funky dance grooves. When recalled for the encore, The Caddies closed with only one song, but it sufficed for three. Ending with the illustrious “All American Badass,” The Caddies deposited some old-school polka on the captivated crowd, switching between a stripped down, keyboard-heavy and bouncy verse

film, a major goal for most productions is to not lose money. In fact, Steeltown’s first stipulation for the script entries, after their length, is that they’re “commercially viable.” Elmer acknowledged that it’s a difficult criterion to identify. “I don’t know if there’s a formula to writing a story that will definitely be commercial,” she said. Though she also doesn’t adhere to any particular formula when reading Film Factory entries, she does look for “compelling characters, good dialogue, interesting, out-of-the-box ideas and central conflict.” No small order. “I think it’s hard when you’re writing a short piece – you really have to pack a lot in,” Elmer said. And even though the bankability of a film can be a crucial factor in determining whether it sees the screen, Elmer points to an equally, if not more, valuable currency of audience reaction and dialogue. “What I look for is something interesting and unique,” she said. “Something that is compelling enough that even if the initial idea is a little bit strange, it will spark a conversation.” with the uptempo and furious punked-out chorus. Fists and beers went flying. Trombonist Eduardo Hernandez climbed onto and soloed on the venue’s bar. Unsurprisingly, The Caddies stole the show, but the local openers deserve some recognition. The Scratch n’ Sniffs thrashed so hard in their first song that the bassist broke a string and played the rest of his set impaired, and The Skunk 11 channeled the right amount of Less Than Jake punk combined with dance beats and carefree attitudes. Mrs. Skannotto took a different route and went for intricacy and dexterity. They were by far the most technically complex band to take the stage and offered the perfect soundtrack to observe the drunks in the pit spilling beer all over themselves. Nothing’s quite as infectious as a ska show. The protracted delay between their last album and their new one has kept The Mad Caddies from extensive touring, but the fun and friendly atmosphere they provide is gravely needed. The scene’s already here, sporting an unfathomable number of caddy hats, so it’s up to bands like The Mad Caddies to bring the music and keep it going.

May 14, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

SOFTBALL

SPORTS

Disappointing season has Pitt looking forward

Lamar Patterson to attend NBA Combine Jasper Wilson Sports Editor

The Panthers had multiple lengthy losing streaks this year, leaving players wondering what happened. Bobby Mizia | Staff Photographer

Caitlin Hinsey Staff Writer The 2014 season was a trying time for the Pitt softball team. Pitt embarked on its first season in the Atlantic Coast Conference with high hopes but ultimately struggled to string together consecutive victories, ending the season with five straight losses. The Panthers also suffered losing streaks of both eight and seven games throughout the season. The lack of success meant they fell short of reaching the eight-team conference tournament, finishing in 10th place. Overall Pitt (15-29, 6-18 ACC) struggled, but according to infielder and redshirt junior Maggie Sevilla, the team learned valuable lessons from the experience. “The competition in ACC play is some of the best in the country,” Sevilla said. “We did a lot of good things, but we know what we need to work on for next year so that we can continue to compete at a high level.” Teammate Carly Thea agreed, adding that the team’s early progress dissipated over the course of the season. “I think we came out very strong in tournament play, having all of our game-

hitting, pitching and fielding all working in sync,” Thea said. “Then when we entered ACC play, some games we were unable to bring those three things together. We came up short at some points and sometimes we were able to approach the mark.” Pitt also faced another rare and unexpected opponent: adverse weather conditions. Numerous scheduled games were cancelled due to inclement weather, including seven in an 11-day span that started in midMarch. Four were conference games called due to cold temperatures. A rule followed by the ACC states that games won’t happen if the temperatures dip below 32 degrees. Thea called the cancelled games “an annoyance” but said the team continued to prepare without expecting that games would not be played. Sevilla agreed. “It was definitely a challenge having so many games cancelled due to weather, but the weather is something that is out of our control and we did our best to keep the ball rolling and our momentum moving forward,” she said. Before starting league play, Pitt faced many opponents then ranked in the top 10 such as No. 5 Michigan, No. 7 Kentucky,

No. 1 Tennessee and No. 2 Oklahoma. Despite the final score reading a 2-1 loss, Thea said the team played “an amazing game.” Despite the season’s outcome, the Panthers had a few bright moments. One memorable highlight was when Sevilla was named the ACC Softball Player of the Week on March 31. In that week she hit .571 at the plate with home runs in three consecutive games. Sevilla finished the season with a team-leading nine home runs. Another accolade for Pitt was having two players named All-ACC. Senior Carly Thea grabbed a spot on the second team, while junior teammate Tori Nirschl made third team. Like Sevilla, both outfielders saw much success at the plate. Thea led the team with a very high .388 batting average while Nirschl finished one home run behind Sevilla. Game wise, Thea and Sevilla agreed that two of the most memorable games for the Panthers occurred opening day when they faced California State-Bakersfield in California. In that doubleheader, the Panthers triumphed in both games.

Softball

Lamar Patterson will be among the 60 professional prospects attending the NBA Draft Combine, the league announced on Monday. The event begins Wednesday in Chicago with interviews involving team personnel, while drills and other physical activities will happen Thursday and Friday. One of two Pitt players to go pro this year besides fellow redshirt senior Talib Zanna, Patterson signed with his agent, Adam Pensack, a week or two after the season ended. “Picking an agent was probably the hardest part [of the process so far]. I felt like I was picking a school all over again ‘cause it was an important decision. I wanted to make sure an agent and I were a perfect fit,” Patterson said. “Once I got that out of the way, the rest was easy.” For the last four to five weeks, he has worked out in Las Vegas at Impact Basketball, a training facility, with other potential draft picks including Schenley High School graduate and former Iowa State player DeAndre Kane, Louisville’s Russ Smith and Xavier Thames of San Diego State. Former Pitt teammate Gil Brown was also working out in Las Vegas for the last two weeks. “Just working out, getting a lot of shots up, making sure my body’s ready and I’m in tip-top shape,” he said of his routine out west. “It was a good setup. A lot of good competition.” While the idea of the next month or so affecting one’s livelihood can often add pressure to the crucial situation for many aspiring professional athletes,

Patterson

10 CLUB SPORTS

May 14, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

Pitt women’s club lacrosse completes season with perfect ending Jasper Wilson Sports Editor

Success in lacrosse, perhaps more than any other team sport, requires collaboration and a level of mutual, instinctual chemistry between teammates. The field is split into three sections, with rules allowing 15 of the 22 total players — seven per team, plus the goalie who’s on defense — in an offensive zone at once, while each person operates at full speed. The parts of the whole must fulfill their individual, positional responsibilities while remaining in sync with everyone else. A complicated task, but that’s what makes a group’s success special. Pitt’s women’s club lacrosse team entered the Women’s Collegiate Lacrosse Associates national tournament this weekend as the top seed, having won nine consecutive games and only losing one all year. The team topped the rankings as the best in the country for the majority of the 2014 season and, on Saturday, it solidified its su-

perior standing. History wasn’t on the team’s side. The women had never advanced past the quarterfinal round of the event in its 14-year history before this season. Their highest finish was fifth in 2008. They had never achieved the top seed in the tournament before, either. But none of that mattered. “We did a lot of firsts this year,” Pitt head coach Gary Neft said. They wouldn’t lose in Virginia Beach, Va., during the four-day, 16-team competition. Instead, the team beat the No. 15 Boston College Eagles 12-11 in the championship game — an ultimate first victory — with the largest audience they’d ever played for. Paul Ohanian, a staff writer for Lacrosse Magazine who covered the tournament, estimated a few hundred people attended. “The atmosphere was unbelievable. It was so loud today,” Neft said on Saturday. “It was a raucous atmosphere. One of the things I had to tell them beforehand was, ‘You gotta take all the pomp and circumstance out of this.’” Modesty is no easy task when the seniors

FROM PAGE 9

SOFTBALL “We came out strong and swept them, which put us in a good direction for the weekends to follow,” Thea said. Sevilla not only remembers the games because the team won, but also for a specific at-bat in the second contest. Thea hit a grand slam in the third inning, and the team eventually won 7-5. That instant offense helped the team start off the season strong and gave it momentum, Sevilla said. With just one player graduated, the future looks bright for the Panthers. Sevilla hopes the team will “continue to grow” and eventually transition from “a fairly young team to a veteran experienced team.” Thea, a rising senior, said if Pitt can “figure out how to be consistent” on the field, bringing together their hitting, pitching and fielding efforts, they will see great success throughout the future years. “If we do that, I am confident we will make it to the conference tournament next year. I know we are a better team than we showed this year,” she said. “We just have Lamar Patterson will participate in the to buckle down and show everyone else.” NBA Combine. Bobby Mizia | Visual Editor

The Pitt women’s club lacrosse team shows the camera what they were after beating Boston College 12-11 on Saturday: number one. (Photo courtesy of Clare Sherry)

had been vowing to one another since freshman year that this would be their year. Staying focused is also no easy task when all other teams had finished by the championship, ensuring their contest had everyone’s attention.

The attention of the other competing teams was magnified because of the event’s location. Many teams stayed around the field in Virginia until Sunday for the tournament’s award ceremony. Read the rest online at Pittnews.com.

FROM PAGE 9

PATTERSON Patterson said the realization that he’s on the cusp of what he’s wanted to do since childhood overrides the negative factors. “This is what I love. It’s more fun than pressure because, like I said, basketball’s my love. I’ve been doing this my whole life. This is what I’m good at. I see my dream is right there. It’s at arm’s reach,” he said. “I’m excited that I’m going through it right now. I can’t wait to see what the outcome’s gonna be.” The Lancaster, Pa native led Pitt in assists (4.3), scoring (17.1 points per game) last season and also threepointers made (80) at a .388 mark. He was named a second-team All-ACC selection at the end of the season. ESPNU will televise the proceedings starting at 10 a.m. EST on the second and third days of the combine and ESPN will pick up the coverage at 1 p.m. The NBA Draft will happen on June 26.

Do you like snapping photographs? Come work for The Pitt News Photo Staff! Find more information and applications online at pittnews.com

May 14, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

4909 Center Ave. Large 1 BR. New kitchen. Parking. Available July 15th or August 1st. 412521-3282. North Oakland. 2 bedroom near Sutherland Hall. Dishwasher/ washer/dryer. $1050+ gas and electric.

North Oakland, Craig Street. Safe, secure building. 1 bedroom, furnished. Newly remodeled, wall-to-wall carpeting, no pets. $775 and up. Heat included. Mature or Graduate students. 412-855-9925 or 412682-1194.

1-2-3-4-5-6-7 bedroom houses, 2 baths, 2 kitchens, hardwood floors. Available August 2014. Please call 412-287-5712. 1-9 bedroom houses, wall-to-wall, washer/dryer, dishwasher. Available Fall 2014. Call 412-609-4340.

2 and 3 Bedroom, $850 - $1,275, includes all utilities. 3211 Juliet Street. Call 412-608-8581. 2-BR duplex, Halket Place, equipped kitchen, large LR, excellent condition & location. No pets. $1050+ gas & electric. Available June 1.Call 724-799-6192.

3 bedroom home, w/d, $910+utilities, available 8/1, 3250 Dawson St, 412-4212140, Sachs Management. 3, 4 or 6 BR apartment/house, prime location, 300 block of Atwood Street, totally renovated. Available Aug 15. 412414-9629.

3263 Parkview Ave. Large 7-bedroom house. $1095+ utilities. Call Sachs Management Company. 412-421-2140. Bates St. 3BR, livingroom, dining-room, eat-in-kitchen. $1020+ utilities. Senior/Graduate students. Available August 15th. Call Ralph 412-608-2543.

South Bouquet Street 2BR sublet. $800+ utilities. 326 North Neville Street. 3BR. $1400 including utilities. Both available MayAugust. Please call 412-287-5712.

Studio, 1, 2 & 3 BRs Available for Aug! Large, close to Schenley Park and Pets Welcome. Call Today! Laura 412-5769717

12 House for Rent. Beautiful 3-BR house newly renovated-Allequippa Street. Close to Peterson Center & Pitt Dental School. Equipped kitchen, new carpeting, washer/dryer, 2 bathrooms, full basement, fencedin back yard, security system. Looking for 3 students to share/or single family. Discount on first month’s rent. Security deposit required. Students require adult co-sign. Available August 1, $1650+ all utilities. No pets. For more information, please call 412-303-5043. Email: dtm1003@comcast.net.

Shadyside/Bloomfield. 1 bedroom, large living room, eatin kitchen, carpeted, d i s h w a s h e r , fridge/freezer, stove/oven, microwave, sunporch, coin laundry. Rent $750. Call 412-6872661 or 412-496-1014 Shadyside:1 bedroom. Excellent location. Fully-equipped kitchenette, A/C, wallto-wall carpeting, Near Pitt shuttle bus stop. Between Walnut Street and Ellsworth shopping districts. No pets. Rent: $790, includes heat. 412-6281686.

May 14, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com Charming, spacious studio, big rooms, separate dining room, new kitchen w/dishwasher, all hardwood floors, near shopping district. $745, heat included. Available July-Sept. 412-5213282. Garden level. Beautiful & large 1 bedroom, all hardwood floors, new kitchen w/dishwasher, walkin closets, near shopping districts, Must See. Available August 1st. $795, heat included. 412-521-3282

2 BR, 1 1/2 Bath. Equipped kitchen and laundry. Hardwood floors, stained glass windows, large closets, bonus office room. 1 car garage included. $955+ utilities. On bus line to Oakland. T stop within blocks. Southside closeby. In Bon Air. 412-302-7087 4 BR, bath, Highland Park, 1st floor. Available immediately. 4 BR, bath, Highland Park, 2nd floor, Available May 19. 412-487-3648, or 412487-6398

A PA RT M E N T S AVAILABLE Oakland: N Craig 1BR $695, Atwood 1BR $795, Dawson 3BR $1,800 Shadyside: 1&2BRs $695-$1,495 Squirrel Hill: 2BRs $975-$1,350. MJ Kelly Realty (412)271-5550 www.mjkellyrealty.com House for rent. 129 Burrows St. 4BR w/ Equipped kitchen, central-air, laundry, 2 car garage. $1225+. Available August 1, Sachs Management Company, 412-4212140.

Looking for datenight babysitter for 3 children-7 years, 4 years and 2 months. 412-421-1011

Construction Laborer for a real estate company located in the Oakland/East Liberty area – Immediate Full Time summer employment. $11/hour. maryann@realestateenterprises.com. Gymnastics coach wanted, part-time, some experience necessary. 412-782-2221.

Garden helper needed, one day a week for approximately 2-3 hours throughout the summer. $15.00 per hour. Landscaping or gardening experience preferred. Walking distance from Pitt. Call 412-687-6916. Non-profit in Homestead, PA is looking for reliable, fun-loving Group Supervisors/Assistant Supervisors to lead groups of youth through an exciting summer curriculum. The program runs from June 9th-August 16th. Previous experience with youth preferred but not required. Please apply if you want to make a difference this summer! Send resumes and two professional references to: jmarsili@musasv.org $9-$10/hr Office help wanted. Full/Part-time, Monday through Saturday 8:00-5:00. Please apply in person. Craig Distributing Co., 313 N. Craig Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213. 412-621-7200. Restaurant counter help wanted various shifts, full or parttime, good wages, apply 3901 Forbes Ave Oakland

Servers and Buspersons needed Pittsburgh Athletic Association, full-time parttime, Must be able to work lunch & dinner shifts including weekends & holidays. Wine & bar knowledge a plus. Please call Ed 412-586-2072.

Chucks. Blow guns. Cuffs. Billies. Knives. Swords. BB, Stun Guns. Sais. Crossbows. Kamas. Throw Axes. Gold, Silver Chains. Diamond Rings. MARY’S SHOPPE. 4114B Clairton Blvd. 30 Minutes from Pitt. 412-881-2948.

I'll edit your writing and you will submit professional papers. Very experienced writer. Call 412-6830326.

*ADOPTION* Adoring Financially Secure Couple yearn for 1st baby to Devote our Lives. Expenses paid. 1-800-562-8287 *CHRISTINE & GREG*