May 21, 2014 by The Pitt News

Vol. 105 Issue 3

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Wednesday, May 21, 2014

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Tom Wolf wins democratic nomination

Aileen Ryan and Cristina Holtzer The Pitt News Staff

Tom Wolf will run against Governor Tom Corbett in November after winning the democratic nomination for Pennsylvania governor on Tuesday. Wolf, Pennsylvania businessman and former Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue, ran against three other candidates: former Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Katie McGinty, Pennsylvania Treasurer Rob McCord and the U. S. Representative for Pennsylvania’s 13th Congressional District Allyson Schwartz. Wolf, 65, is chairman of the Wolf Organization, his family-owned exterior building and kitchen cabinet business. According to his website, he stepped down as CEO of the company to focus on his gubernatorial campaign.

Voter surveys predicted Wolf as the winner of the democratic primary election. Corbett, originally from Shaler Township, announced that he would run for re-election in November. A survey by Quinnipiac University in February projected that Wolf beat Corbett by 19 percentage points in the gubernatorial race. . Corbett’s low approval ratings as governor could give Wolf a chance to unseat the incumbent governor, a rare occurrence in the commonwealth’s recent history. Several Oakland residents who voted at the No. 14 fire station on McKee Place said they felt strongly about this election. Franco Pasquarelli, 29, said the governor should focus on improving Pennsylvanian roads, public safety and the education system. “I feel like every time I drive through the city, I see another public school closed down,”

Pasquarelli said. “Where are these kids going to school?” Michael J. Stack III also won the democratic nomination for lieutenant governor and will run against Republican incumbent Jim Cawley in November. Oakland resident Bill Halferty, 60, said he was disappointed with the voter turnout on Tuesday. “If you don’t vote, you can’t complain,” Halferty said. “It’s your right, and you should take advantage of it.” Halferty described this year’s election day as “poor.” At 7 p.m. when Halferty voted, he said he was the 36th person to vote at the McKee Place polling station. The polls closed at 8 p.m. “I used to be number 36 when I showed up at 7 a.m.,” Halferty said. “It’s just not the Businessman Tom Wolf won the democratic nomination for governor of Pa. same anymore.”

Faster than a Ferrari: student-built car gears up for last race Brad Hanlon For The Pitt News

Panther Racing Club’s 2014 competition car. Photo courtesy of Panther Racing Club

In three seconds, Jonathan Powers accelerated from zero to 50 mph. “It’s like a rocketship,” Powers said of the car’s takeoff. Powers, a junior mechanical engineering major, is a driver for the Panther Racing Club, otherwise known as Formula SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers). Every year since 1990, the club has designed, built and raced small formula-style cars, and this year, Powers is one of the club’s 42 members. Tom DuPree, outgoing FSAE president and 2014 graduate with a degree in mechanical engineering, said Formula SAE experi-

ence provides students with a diversified skill set, and is a major asset to a student’s resumé, especially for an engineering major. DuPree compared Formula SAE to a small business because of all the work that goes into the planning and development of the car. “Pitt’s Formula SAE program is one of the best hands-on experiences available at the University,” DuPree said. This year’s car races at speeds of around 50 mph, accelerating in about three seconds, according to business manager Ezekial Braun. An online database of sports car accelerations reports the zero to 60 mph acceleration time of a 2012 Ferrari FF as 3.4 seconds.

Racing

May 21, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

Education department to investigate sexual assault on campus Conor McAteer For The Pitt News

While Pitt isn’t under federal investigation for Title IX violations, some other Pennsylvania universities are. . The U.S. Office for Civil Rights released a list of 55 colleges and universities, including Temple University and Carnegie Mellon University, under investigation for possible Title IX violations last month. Although the U.S. Department of Education has not revealed specifics about what the investigations will include, the Department released guidelines alongside the list on how government-funded schools should handle sexual violence and discrimination. The Department will not disclose anything related to specific universities or cases. But upon request, the Department will update the information on each university’s compliance with Title IX when the investigaFROM PAGE 1

RACING Braun graduated with a mechanical engineering degree this spring, but will stick around as business manager until the season ends after their final race on May 25. Braun, too, compared the club to a small company because of duties like soliciting sponsors and producing business reports for competitions. Offseason, which runs from late May to late August, is key for the next season’s preparation. “We will begin work [on next year’s car] as soon as we get back from competition,” he said. The competition, Formula SAE Michigan, took place from May 15 through May 17.

tions have concluded and each university has come to an “agreement” with the Department on how to address sexual violence in the future. The Office for Civil Rights’ website states that Title IX “prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in all education programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance.” Title IX violations could include failure to report sexually motivated crimes, like sexual assault or rape, but no specific Title IX violations were included for any of the universities listed. Mary Koch Ruiz, Pitt’s Sexual Assault Services coordinator, said the University is educating staff and faculty about the importance of reporting crimes in an accurate and timely manner. She said the University is also informing employees about the 1990 Clery Act, which requires all federally

funded colleges and universities to disclose crime on their campuses. According to Ruiz, sexual assault counselors will inform Pitt students of any information relating to sexual assault if they seek help. “Depending on the circumstances, victims may have the options, among other remedies, to obtain no-contact orders, seek room or course changes, file student judicial or administrative harassment complaints and pursue criminal complaints,” Ruiz said. Catherine E. Lhamon, assistant secretary for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education, said in a statement that the Office of Civil Rights released the list to “bring more transparency to our enforcement work and to foster better public awareness of civil rights.” Lhamon clarified the implications of inclusion on the list.

“I also want to make it clear that a college or university’s appearance on this list and being the subject of a Title IX investigation in no way indicates at this stage that the college or university is violating or has violated the law,” she said. The Office of Civil Rights has not yet filed any criminal charges against the universities listed as of May 20. The schools are only under investigation and may be compelled to update their policies regarding sexual violence, harassment or discrimination. Though Pitt is not on the list, another Pennsylvania state-affiliated school, Temple University, is. Temple sophomore Katie Reed spoke about Temple’s handling of sexual assault on campus. “It’s not handled at all, especially at Temple, unless it’s something that was brought to the attention of the news media.

Clubs from 120 different colleges worldwide attended the competition. Although FSAE competes in other competitions, Formula SAE Michigan is the largest event of its kind in the United States according to the national website for the society of automotive engineers. Clubs at the competition become fictional manufacturing companies commissioned to create small Formula-style race cars, according to the club’s website. In the past, Pitt has placed in the top 50 finish times each of the past eight years, including placing 22nd in 2009. According to Braun, “mechanical failures” damaged the club’s competitive chances in Michigan this year. The club fell to 72nd over the weekend. With post-competition adjustments, he said the club hopes to place

well at next week’s Formula North competition. Clubs from all over the United States and Canada will compete in Formula North in Ontario from May 22 to May 25. Throughout the competition, “a jury of experts from the motorsport, automotive and supplier industries judge the design cost and business planning of all the clubs,” according to Formula North’s website. Chriselle D’Souza, a Formula North spokesman, described the competition as “an opportunity for passionate students to showcase their text-book learned skills and apply it to real world experiences.” Panther Racing placed 9th at the Ontario competition last year according to the Pitt FSAE website. While engineering majors dominate Pitt FSAE, Braun said the club is open to all Pitt

students and includes members majoring in everything from photography to psychology. The club’s influence has recruited new members at Pitt such as Michelle Banas, who joined this year. Banas, a freshman electrical engineering major, said she heard about Panther Racing through friends and the fall activities fair. “I really enjoyed this year and learned a lot,” Banas said. “I’m looking forward to sticking with the club through my college years and learning even more.” Dupree said that he has high aspirations for the club’s future without him. “FSAE at Pitt is a growing entity that will continue to increase in size and influence and hopes to one day be known to every student and faculty member at Pitt,” DuPree said.

Read the rest online at Pittnews.com.

EDITORIAL

May 21, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

Overdue ruling on marriage equality encourages tolerance in Pa A federal judge in Harrisburg historically struck down the law barring same-sex marriage in Pennsylvania on Tuesday, launching the state away from prejudice and towards equality. Provided that Governor Tom Corbett does not appeal the decision, same-sex couples in Pennsylvania may now seek marriage, and couples that have already married out of state will now have their marriages recognized in the commonwealth. U.S. District Judge John E. Jones III, who was appointed by President George W. Bush in 2002, presided over the ruling. “We are a better people than what these laws represent, and it is time to discard them into the ash heap of history,” Jones said in his opinion. Trashing these legal limits on marriage was long overdue — Pennsylvania was the last state in the Northeast to recognize marriage equality and 57 percent of the state’s voters supported doing so long before this landmark ruling, according to a Quinnipiac University poll conducted in February. It’s incredibly relieving to see the laws tossed into the “ash heap of history.”

COLUMN

According to Jones, the laws that were struck down violated the due process and equal protection clauses of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, which address the

"It's hard to feel that being gay is OK when it's illegal to marry someone." Allie McCarthy

Rainbow Alliance President fundamental rights of American citizens and the protections of these rights. In other words, the laws infringed upon citizens’ right to freely marry whomever they choose. Depending on Governor Corbett’s response, the implications of the ruling will be huge for

the LGBTQ community. The elimination of the legal distinction of marriage as being solely between a man and a woman will provide a more open atmosphere in which same-sex couples can feel accepted in their home state of Pennsylvania. “If Governor Corbett decides to follow other states like Oregon in adopting marriage equality and forgoes an appeal, I believe that this will send a very strong message to citizens that Pennsylvania prioritizes equality for all,” Dr. Helma de Vries-Jordan, assistant professor of political science at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, said in an email. She is currently working on a book focusing on the marriage equality movement and LGBTQ activism. Equality should be the primary goal. Every Pennsylvania citizen should feel that the law respects him or her equally, regardless of race, gender or sexual identity. Now that the restrictions have been removed in court, our state has taken the first step in fully promoting this idea towards the LGBTQ community — as long as Governor Corbett does not attempt to appeal it. Allie McCarthy, president of Pitt’s Rainbow

Alliance, further enforced this sentiment. “It’s hard to feel that being gay is OK when it’s illegal to marry someone,” she said, referring to the former restrictions. “But now my friend is telling me that she wants to just ‘kiss someone on the street.’” The ruling is giving the members of the LGBTQ community a reason to be proud of who they are, as opposed to the former laws that prohibited civil unions. But the ruling is hopefully just the beginning of beneficial changes in scenery for the LGBTQ community. “This has the potential to lay the groundwork for future legislation promoting equality, offering other projections for the LGBT community, for example, in the workplace and healthcare access,” she said. For now, it’s just nice to know that progress is, indeed, possible. In the meantime, McCarthy and her friends will be basking in this momentous occasion. “It’s just one of those crazy days where you can feel change finally coming and we are all really excited about it,” she said.

Traditional political discourse undermines scientific progress Jessica Craig For The Pitt News

Science and politics have been at war since their institutional origins. For centuries, each side has tried to carry on in isolation, but in the 20th and 21st centuries, politics seem to have taken science prisoner. Over the decades, science has been at the mercy of political discourse that has shaped the federal budget. Research and medicine rely on governmental agencies such as the National Science Foundation and the National Institute of Health as primary sources of funding. Political actors, however, utilize science to win political campaigns and to provide platforms for social control and power. It has now become commonplace for politicians to skew, falsify and invent statistics and scientific findings, thus undermining science to mere rhetoric. Consequently, politicians have introduced bias to a field that relies solely on unbiased findings. Worse, politicians have cast doubt on the science that propels society forward. Take the tobacco industry, for example. Historically, the politics and science involving

tobacco have intersected countless times, and each time, politicians successfully cast doubt on the scientific data for fear of it undermining their political aspirations. Tobacco products were pushed under microscopes in the early 20th century when a dramatic increase in smoking was thought by epidemiologists to be linked to mental disorders and physical deformities. Scientists and physicians began heavily investigating the link between tobacco, smoking and disease in the 1930s. After 20 years of intensive research, scientists and physicians established a confident link between cancer and smoking. But it was not until June 1957 that the then-surgeon general, Leroy Burney, released an official statement that “pointed to a causal relationship between smoking and lung cancer.” Organizations such as the American Cancer Society and the American Public Health Association felt that the surgeon general’s statement did not heed proper warning about the severity of smoking’s health affects and joined forces to persuade President Kennedy to enforce strict regulations on smoking in

1961. President Kennedy was reluctant to respond. Despite the data, the president still felt it necessary to convene his own “committee of experts” to review the science and carry out further research. It took another decade for the government to mandate that health warnings appear on cigarette boxes and regulate advertising for cigarettes nationwide. The reason for an almost 80-year delay between scientific discovery and a real political response to it is simple — the tobacco industry was a major source of financial income for the U.S. government via the tobacco tax. Not only would restrictions on tobacco trade be a major economic hit for the country, but individual politicians also did not want to portray smoking in a negative light, since the use of tobacco products by their constituents was so commonplace — 67 percent of men and 44 percent of women used tobacco products in the ‘60s. Therefore, for their own sakes, politicians could not afford to demonize tobacco, even though, according to scientific data, it was clearly detrimental to public health.

A more modern example of the battle between science and politics is stem cell research. According to the National Academy of Sciences, “harnessing the capabilities of stem cells could then help repair damaged and diseased organs or provide alternatives to organ transplants.” Embryonic stem cell therapy has the potential to cure millions of currently incurable and rare diseases such as spinal cord injuries, Alzheimer’s disease and genetic disorders by replacing diseased cells and synthesizing new human tissue. But pro-life politicians argue that stem cell research is immoral and unethical because it involves the “murder” of embryos a few days after their conception. “Murder” has become a buzzword that not only strengthens their stance, but also stirs up passions in their constituents, passions that ignore fact and embrace rhetoric. For instance, during his first term in office, President Bush banned stem cell research, stating in 2007 that “destroying human life in

Craig

May 21, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

FROM PAGE 3

CRAIG

the hopes of saving life is not ethical.” While his policy on the research was highly debated among the Democratic and Republican parties alike, President Bush’s opposition to “murder” coincidentally became a major talking point during his reelection campaign — which was, of course, successful. It turns out buzzwords mean more to voters than scientific research. Still, no matter your opinion on when human life starts, President Bush’s involve-

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

ment in the field of stem cell research not only delayed successes and advancements of modern medicine, but may have potentially cost millions of Americans their lives and lifestyles, due to his denial of funding for the revolutionary field because of stubborn party lines. If the entanglement of science and politics continues, a bleak outlook for science could result as too many American citizens take political rhetoric as fact, rather than learning the unbiased, evidence-based science. If American citizens doubted the scientific findings about smoking and disease in the

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20th century, they will certainly continue to dispute human involvement in discoveries about global warming and medical issues such as vaccines or global issues like nuclear weaponry. It is scary to think of a static world where science is overpowered by politics. Science will not be the only casualty of that war — the billions of lives saved by medical research and the American society that has relied on scientific inventions and advancements for survival and evolution will all be jeopardized by political goals. A standoff between science and politics

has proven to have detrimental side effects, but both a functioning political system and a belief in science are imperative to the survival of the nation. If each party played its part — the American voter becoming more educated about science and politicians allowing the scientists to speak about science, rather trying to filter the information between the scientist and the American people — science and politics might begin to reconcile. Until then, science will have to take a back seat to partisan politics. Write to Jessica at jnc34@pitt.edu

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May 21, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

ARTS

ENTERTAINMENT

J.B. Bernstein (Jon Hamm) looks for major league talent in unexpected places. MCT Campus

‘Million Dollar Arm’: Bernstein’s new approach to MLB starmaking Shawn Cooke A&E Editor

Call it the magic of movies — or, more specifically, Disney movies — but it’s not every day that the self-proclaimed “Least Sexy Man in the World” can co-exist in the same body as one of People Magazine’s “Sexiest Men Alive.” Disney’s latest live-action feature, “Million Dollar Arm,” manages to make this fantastical scenario a reality by casting Jon Hamm, a repeat “Sexiest Man Alive” finalist, as J.B. Bernstein, who claims to be anything but. Aside from the less-than-flattering recognition, Bernstein is more commonly known for the reality television contest he started in India called “The Million Dollar Arm.” Bernstein’s story serves as the basis for Disney’s film, which opened on May 16. It follows his unorthodox idea to find Major League-caliber talent through a 2008 Indian reality TV program, tapping into a region of the world that hardly considered baseball as a viable athletic activity – if they’d even heard of it in the first place. The show’s two winners, Rinku Singh and Dinesh Patel, signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates organization after winning the competition. Before “The Million Dollar Arm,” Singh and

Patel were javelin throwers and, just months after touching a baseball for the first time, they signed with the Pirates. Though Patel struggled in the major leagues and was released by the Pirates in 2010, Singh remains in the Pirates organization and has been marred by injuries for much of his career, missing two consecutive seasons. On May 11, Singh, Hamm and Bernstein spoke with reporters on the field at PNC Park about the story behind the film and finding talent in unexpected places. Hamm said the process of adapting a contemporary true story has now become easier than ever before. “The strangest thing about making a true story that happened in recent history is that everyone has a camera at all times,” Hamm said. “So it’s easy to find material [when preparing for the role].” Hamm also spoke about the untapped well of baseball talent that India’s massive population could provide, thanks largely in part to Bernstein’s breakthrough. “There’s over a billion people in India. There’s going to be more and more guys coming over that are going to have this experience,” Hamm said. Bernstein echoed many of Hamm’s senti-

ments and explained how the “Million Dollar Arm” method of finding players is preferable to the forced globalization of a sport. “It’s a smarter way to develop the game than it is to just go into India and force schools to carry baseball as a sport when there’s no kid out there raising his hand saying, ‘I want to play baseball, basketball or football,’” Bernstein said. The disinterest in baseball in India shouldn’t be viewed as a rejection of the sport, Bernstein said, but more as a lack of exposure. Bernstein drew an analogy to basketball and contemplated what would have happened if basketball had not taken hold in the United States. “Michael Jordan would have no idea that it’d be a good skill to be able to throw the ball in the hoop,” Bernstein said. “He would have no idea that was worthwhile because you can’t monetize it — there’s no pro sport.” Given the burgeoning population of young males in India, Bernstein said recruiting there is a logical and vital next step for finding future Major League stars. “There’s 200 million men between the ages of 15 and 25 — I don’t really know what else to say,” Bernstein said. “You’ve got tons of people walking around there who might be like Roger

Clemens and don’t even know.” Rob Ruck, a professor in Pitt’s History Department and writer of the book “Raceball: How the Major Leagues Colonized the Black and Latin Game,” also acknowledges the appeal of pitching baseball to populous Asian countries, despite the challenges associated with globalization. “Major League Baseball would love to follow in the footsteps of the NBA and, to a lesser degree, the NHL and globalize,” said Ruck. “What they’re finding is it’s a lot harder to do with sports that don’t have a long heritage of grassroots participation.” A country like India — with a vast majority of its athletic focus shifted to cricket — couldn’t be further from this grassroots heritage. Ruck said he imagines that an Indian baseball star in the vein of Yao Ming, a successful example of converting Asian talent into an NBA household name, might result in millions of new followers for the MLB and, consequently, a whole lot of money. But since there’s no real history or precedent established for an Indian baseball superstar, he doesn’t have his hopes up. “So ‘The Million Dollar Arm’ could be the billion dollar shot in revenues for MLB,” Ruck said. “Now, that’s a real long shot.”

May 21, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

‘Child of Light’: a stunning 2D artistic achievement Stephanie Roman Staff Writer

Child of Light Developer: Ubisoft Montreal Grade: A “Child of Light” is like a course in video game and art history. It mixes a hero’s journey with Perrault, Freud, Disney, the role-playing game and sidescroller. Essentially, “Child of Light” weaves a few disparate themes and genres together and presents them as a luminous and breathtaking adventure story. Conveniently, the game is available on nearly every current platform via digital download: Steam, PlayStation Network, Xbox Live and Wii U’s Nintendo eShop. Aesthetically, “Child of Light” embodies a watercolor impressionist painting. Its art style is the best of its many impressive features and seems to borrow a few elements from other highly regarded “art” games, like Jonathan Blow’s “Braid,” Fumito Ueda’s “Ico” and Clover Studio’s “Okami.” The game was designed to resemble the works of Hayao Miyazaki (the genius film director behind “Spirited Away” and “My Neighbor Totoro”) and illustrious “Final Fantasy” series artist Yoshitaka Amano — two of the most famous and influential Japanese artists alive. The game follows Princess Aurora, the daughter of an Austrian duke in 1895. Aurora’s

Princess Aurora and Igniculus battle the shadows in ‘Light.’MCT Campus

mother used to tell her stories of the lost kingdom of Lemuria, but she’s no longer around. On the night of the duke’s second marriage, the princess unknowingly falls into a slumber in the vein of “Sleeping Beauty” and awakens in the fantastical Lemuria. She thinks she’s dreaming, but eventually a seer tells her that she cannot wake. The seer, known as The Lady of the Forest, tasks Aurora with a quest of cosmic importance — she must recover the sun, moon and stars from Umbra, the Queen of the Night, who has cursed Lemuria to be a place of shadows and darkness. Banishing Umbra is the only means for Aurora to go home. It’s an old story but, to use an even older phrase, it’s never been told like this before.

Despite being produced by Ubisoft — one of the world’s highest-budgeted game studios — the studio’s efforts look much more like a small indie designer’s, along the lines of Thatgamecompany’s massive hit “Journey” in 2012. A lot of it has to do with the game’s scoring by Canadian singer Coeur de pirate, which is notably minimalist but memorable, haunting, beautiful and melancholy in its moments. “Aurora’s Theme,” which plays on the title screen, evokes a quiet and contemplative atmosphere and sets the tone perfectly. Even though it’s a 2D side-scroller, myriad paths appear throughout the map, and the

Video Game

Keys mellow out and take step back on ‘Blue’ Grace Kelly Staff Wruter

The Black Keys Turn Blue Grade: BThe Black Keys are to popular music what barbecue sauce is to a lean piece of meat: They add flavor, depth and an unabashed grittiness to an anemic and often tasteless music scene. Their torrid run with two consecutive platinum albums has created an unlikely success story, injecting the pop music bubble of synthetic and overworked tracks with the rawness of true blues rock. That being said, the Ohio duo’s newest album, Turn Blue, is somewhat of a lame horse in comparison to their past work. While The

Black Keys are challenging another posthumous release from the King of Pop for the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200, one wonders if this hype comes more from their popularity than the sound produced. Yes, The Black Keys are groundbreaking, stellar, out-of-this-pop-music-saturatedworld, and yet somehow, they still retain their humble midwestern roots and unpretentious air, which makes them all the more likable. This is all fine and dandy, but frankly, their new album can be described in one word: boring. While there were a few lively tracks such as “Weight of Love,” “In Time” and the airtime heavy “Fever,” there is a sort of dull and bland throbbing ad nauseam to the rest of the tracks. To some, the psychedelic mellowness may be a welcome divergence from the spastic energy that coiled in past tracks

The Black Keys stuck in dull blue melancholy on new record.

like “Tighten Up” and the crashing build-up of “Little Black Submarines,” — songs that gave The Black Keys an identity. Starting with the most energetic of the

Black Keys

FROM PAGE 6

VIDEO GAME game is actually much larger in scope than it initially appears. Many chests and collectibles hide away behind paths of thorns that can hurt Aurora. She eventually earns a set of wings that makes traversal fluid and rapid, but early puzzle solving vividly reflects the character’s hesitation and timidity upon entering lightless caves in an unfamiliar world. If Aurora’s left to sit in the field, her massive tangle of Ariel-red hair flickers and swirls in the wind in one of the game’s most enchanting animations. On the map, foes pace in designated areas and can be engaged at the player’s will. Battles take place on a separate screen through a variation of the “Final Fantasy” Active Time Battle (ATB) system. A meter fills up until Aurora and her party can act, and then a “Cast” window displays how long the command takes to register. Enemy attacks can be interrupted if timed properly, but it works in reverse, too. If the enemy has the upper hand, Aurora has a “Defend” command to reduce damage and prevent interruption. One of the most interesting gameplay additions comes with the archetypal companion character: Aurora meets Igniculus, a talking blue firefly, early on in the story and once they’re acquainted, the player has the means to control Aurora with the left analog stick and Igniculus with the right. Igniculus has the power to “glow,” which can heal Aurora or slow down the enemy’s ATB gauge during battle, which is extremely useful in fights in which the enemies use spells to increase their speed. He becomes an important ally, especially considering that some puzzles and areas are incompletable without his assistance. Additionally, those so inclined can utilize a second controller to make the game two-player, with the second player controlling Igniculus. The game’s dialogue is written almost exclusively in verse, in what seems to be an ode to Square’s painfully unknown “Vagrant Story” and to the rhymes of William Shakespeare. It might seem unimportant, but the depth of the text adds the final nuanced touch to this wildly imaginative fairy tale. “Child of Light” doesn’t just draw design from its artistic predecessors, but archaic “shalts” and “thous” as well, complementing an already impressive visual experience with a soulfully auditory one.

May 21, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com FROM PAGE 6

BLACK KEYS highlights, “Weight of Love” trickles onto the speakers and slow musical riffs build layers, culminating in a heavy but nostalgic guitar that introduces the vocals. It’s a mellow beginning, a song that draws the listener into the rest of the album and hits you with the weight of guitar grinds and heaviness. Auerbach builds on this with drawling lyrics that warn, “Don’t give yourself away to the weight of love.” While the lyrics lack

wittiness, that isn’t what The Black Keys are known for. The song makes up for rather placid lyrics with retro guitar solos and an emphasis on instrumentation rather than vocals. “In Time” is another one of the more memorable tracks on the album, in which Auerbach breaks out his classic falsetto vocals that are then bolstered by pumping beats and the omnipresent electric guitar. He trills, “The street is beating you bad/ It’s taken it’s time, it’s taken it’s time, oh/ Oh, where to run?” Carney’s steady drumming provides a dusky, grounding backdrop to this high-pitched edginess.

The rest of the songs have a sort of placidity that’s marked by monotonous psychedelic riffs and beats. The album could play on repeat in a smoky bar with a puddle green pool table top as the only source of color. It’s a setting that perfectly mirrors the album, an occasional bright spot in a pool of melancholy. In a sense, The Black Keys are their own worst enemy, with older songs that can’t be usurped by a rather low-key Turn Blue. Perhaps there’s more to the album’s title than meets the eye, as they turn from an energetic griminess to a sound steeped in blue melancholy.

May 21, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

SPORTS

Men’s relay Former Pitt punter gets NFL shot with Atlanta Jasper Wilson Sports Editor team prepares for NCAAs Megan Boyle Staff Writer The Pitt men’s track and field 4x400 relay team has run rampant over its competition this year and, as its season nears its climax, has no plans of slowing down. This past weekend headlined the sport’s “championship” season as the Intercollegiate Association of Amateur Athletes of America (IC4A) Outdoor Championships took place at Princeton University in Princeton, N. J. More than 90 schools from along the East Coast gathered to compete in the 138th edition of the meet. Carvin Nkanata and his fellow relay members haven’t changed their approach. “Go out there, compete and win,” Nkanata said. And by Sunday evening, they and the rest of their Pitt teammates had done that. The Panthers won the IC4As, the men’s championship, for the first time since 1940. “It’s ironic because this is going to be our last year in it,” head coach Alonzo Webb said, explaining that next year, the ACC Championships will be held on the same date as the IC4As. Senior sprinter Brycen Spratling jokingly held the winning trophy over his head before handing it off to Webb. Team members were all smiles as they huddled around the trophy for a picture on the infield. “We have a handful of seniors who have really done a lot for this team, who’ve never experienced winning a championship,” said Webb. “It’s their first championship since they’ve been [at Pitt], and it feels good.” The men’s team, ranked No. 24 in the nation, has made a name for itself over the course of the season. The 4x400 meter relay team has played a big role in the success. “We came a long way,” Spratling said. “We went from ‘kind of being a good relay team’ to winning things like Penn Relays. Read the rest online at Pittnews.com.

When he found out that he would be a professional football player, Matt Yoklic and his family were watching TV. It was Saturday evening on May 10. The NFL draft had ended, and the former Pitt punter, his parents and two brothers were at home in their family room in Gibsonia, Pa., watching something else. Then his iPhone rang. The call was from an Atlanta area code. Yoklic knew what was coming next. He had trained the last four months in case he received this call, or one like it. “The guy introduced himself, saying he was just asking if I’d like to come down to Atlanta to play. I was all for it. I was so pumped up. It was awesome,” Yoklic said. “It was good to finally get the call and figure out where I was going to be going or if I was going to be going anywhere.” Everyone else, including his mom, Jodie Yoklic, waited. “We all kind of stopped ... We heard Matt say, ‘Yes sir, I’d be honored. Thank you for the opportunity,’” Jodie said, choking up at the memory. After a few more minutes, he hung up and then delivered the news. “I’m going to be an Atlanta Falcon.” A celebration ensued with high-fives and hugs all around, as well as some tears. If not for a shoulder injury, that scene might have never happened. In early January, the 6-foot-4-inch, 220-pound graduate student explained when he realized, during the spring of his junior year of high school, that punting would be the way for him to extend his athletic career. “Baseball was probably my favorite sport,” Yoklic said. “I really wanted to play baseball in college.” That hope disappeared when he tore his labrum while making a play on a ball at first base in a game. “It came down to ‘Do I want to get surgery? Or do I want to try and punt?’” Yoklic said. “So I was kind of forced with a tough decision, but it worked out for the best.” That fall, while holding an extra point in the first game of the season, a bad snap forced him to improvise and try to get to the end

Matt Yoklic had planned to take classes this summer. Sheldon Satenstein | Visual Editor

zone. Running to his left, an attempted stiff arm caused his shoulder to pop out. A backup quarterback and wide receiver as well, he stuck to punting the rest of the season with good results, receiving an All-Quad North selection after averaging 39.5 yards per punt (1,578 yards on 40 punts) and downing five inside the 20-yard line. After coming to Pitt as a walk-on, Yoklic redshirted his first year and didn’t see any game action until his redshirt sophomore season. He didn’t get on scholarship until his junior season. “[Not having a scholarship initially] was kind of a bummer. But at the same time, it helped me grow as a person,” he said. “Not everything’s going to work out the way you want it to.” Yoklic finished his college football career having averaged a career-high 43.0 yards per punt in his last season to rank third in the ACC in yards per punt. He also totaled 70 punts for 3,008 yards and had 19 total punts downed inside the 20 and 19 punts of 50-plus yards. Unlike many of his specialist peers, Yoklic doesn’t come from a soccer background. He punted for the first time at age seven, the same age he was when he began playing football. “Obviously, at seven, you’re not going to be

changing field position too much,” Yoklic said. “I could kick it the furthest and the highest, so I was doing it all the way back then.” Unlike his teammates Aaron Donald, Tom Savage and Devin Street, Yoklic knew, barring a miracle, he wouldn’t get taken in the NFL Draft. Players in his position rarely do, since teams only keep one kicker and punter on the roster. In the last three drafts combined, five punters have been picked. Undrafted free agent signings of kickers and punters are much more common for franchises. Of the undrafted free agents signed this past month, five besides Yoklic were punters. He knew he wasn’t finished with football after Pitt beat Bowling Green in the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl on Dec. 26. There was still a chance that one of the 32 NFL teams, if not more, would want him. The hope was that Yoklic would attract the interest of a team as an undrafted free agent. Every team has a starting punter when it enters the offseason. The teams that bring a person in do so to create some competition or to use as an extra leg to keep from wearing out an older punter.

Yoklic

Pitt makes mark in first ACC season

The Panthers struggled with consistency this year. Heather Tennant | Staff Photographer

Dan Sostek Staff Writer Last season, the Pitt baseball team set a program record for wins, so it was only natural that the Panthers would face some regression this year. Between losing two of the team’s best players — catcher Elvin Soto and pitcher Ethan Mildren — to professional baseball and transitioning to the ultra-talented Atlantic Coastal Conference, the Panthers couldn’t duplicate the success of the previous season in 2014. With an overall record of 22-30 — 11-19 in-conference — Pitt fell 20 games short of last year’s output and finished sixth out of seven teams in the ACC Coastal Division, only beating out Virginia Tech. A six-game losing streak to end the season ensured Pitt wouldn’t make the 10-team ACC tournament. Pitt finished with the lowest batting average, fielding percentage and fewest hits and total bases in the entire conference. No players received postseason honors. But for players like junior outfielder Boo Vazquez, the season wasn’t necessarily a bad one. “The transition to the ACC went okay, but obviously not what we wanted,” said Vazquez, who will likely be selected in the MLB Draft this offseason. “I think there definitely were some bright spots.” Some of these bright spots were defeating then-No. 1 Virginia on a walk-off sacrifice fly and other key wins versus Clemson, UNC and sweeps of Georgia Tech and Duke. There were more positives to take from the season than Vazquez highlighted, and even more to look forward to in 2015. One of the most welcome surprises was the smooth transition for pitcher Joe Harvey, who served as a closer for the Panthers in 2013, to the starting rotation this season where he excelled, posting a 2.90 ERA and a team-best 56 strikeouts. “[The adjustment] was more of a mental makeup thing,” said Harvey, the winning

pitcher in the victory over UVA. “Mentality is the only difference between starting and relieving. For me, I just try to go out there every game and give everything I got.” And for every upperclassman performer like Harvey, there was one like T.J. Zeuch, a 6-foot-7-inch freshman right-hander who had a 2.75 ERA — the best of all Pitt starting pitchers — while also being the only Panther pitcher to throw a complete game. “[Zeuch] came out a bit anxious and nervous,” Harvey said, “but he really settled down and had a great season for a freshman.” Vazquez also cited Zeuch as an underclassman who impressed him. “[Zeuch] did very well for his first year in a very good conference, and he’ll only get better with experience,” Vazquez said. The Panthers will need pitchers like Zeuch, as well as younger hitters like Nick Yarnall and Manny Pazos to step up in 2015, since the Panthers will lose key seniors like preseason AllAmerican right fielder Casey Roche, as well as starters like center fielder Stephen Vranka, Steve Shelinsky and Matt Wotherspoon. The biggest loss might be the junior, Vazquez, who will almost assuredly hear his name called in the June amateur draft. The opportunity appeals to Vazquez, who has already heard from a number of teams. “I think every kid’s dream when they start playing baseball is to play professionally at the highest level, and that’s something that’s been a goal of mine for a long time,” he said. Losing the entire starting outfield would be a devastating blow to the 2015 Panthers team, but there is talent to replace them, like Frank Maldonado, a freshman who didn’t play this season due to injury, while Nick Yarnall and A.J. Lardo will also need to step up. 2014 was the final year with this current 17-person core of upperclassmen in tact, and while the season might not have been a success in the wins and losses column, there were flashes of the kind of talent the Panthers will boast in the foreseeable future.

The Pitt News Crossword, 5/21/2014

BASEBALL

May 21, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com ACROSS 1 A rather long time 5 Be of use to 10 Greenside golf shot 14 Kauai cookout 15 Alabama civil rights city 16 Titled nobleman 17 Baby book milestones 19 Baghdad’s country 20 Even if, briefly 21 Prepares, as a violin bow 23 Backup player’s backup 27 Dusk-dawn link 28 Steeped brew 29 Low mil. rank 31 Commotions 35 Actor Kilmer 37 Road Runner chaser __ Coyote 39 Hershey’s chocolate-andpeanut-butter products 43 Prepare beans, Mexican-style 44 Square dance lass 45 Island in a computer game 46 NHL tiebreakers 47 Zadora of “Hairspray” 50 “Wait a __!” 52 Bliss 58 Fill with bubbles 59 Purple flower 61 Cold War country: Abbr. 63 Penultimate bowling game division 66 Hired hood 67 Baseball bobble 68 Sport __: family cars 69 Sharpen 70 Steed stoppers 71 Spanish muralist José María DOWN 1 __ Romeo: Italian sports car 2 Feeling of remorse

6/2/14

By Bruce Venzke and Gail Grabowski

3 Target in alienattack films 4 Japanese fish dish 5 Long-eared beast 6 Doggie doc 7 On the ball 8 Non-domestic beer, e.g. 9 Film collie 10 Hang on (to) 11 Boisterous behavior 12 Savings option, briefly 13 ASAP kin 18 Lawsuit basis 22 Amazed 24 Distinguished soprano, say 25 Pole or Croat 26 Campground users, briefly 30 Driver’s license prerequisite 31 Frizzy do 32 Loses on purpose? 33 Summer, at ski resorts 34 Orchestra sect. 36 Chair support 38 Tech co. known as Big Blue

Saturday’s Puzzle Solved

40 All keyed up 41 Poet Ogden 42 Peter Fonda title role 48 More absurd 49 Clothes 51 Young cow 53 Sci-fi pioneer Jules 54 Artist Rousseau 55 Computer invader

6/2/14

56 Tickle pink 57 Snitch, when identifying the bad guys 60 “__ la vie!” 61 “That smells disgusting!” 62 Jack of “Barney Miller” 64 Freight measure 65 Baseball roundtrippers: Abbr.

FROM PAGE 8

YOKLIC

To keep in shape, Yoklic lifted three days a week and then kicked two to three days a week at the team’s practice facility in the South Side. He also worked out in front of scouts and team personnel at Pitt’s Pro Day on March 3. “It’s just basically a waiting game now. Everything that can be done has been done, so you kind of just have got to wait and see,” Yoklic said a couple weeks after Pro Day. “If it happens, awesome. If not, I’m ready to try something new.” He continued working towards his master’s

May 21, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

degree in higher education management during this time and interned with the life skills department in the athletic department. Unless something unexpected happens, Yoklic should be with the team, which gave him a signing bonus, through June 19, the end of minicamps and organized team activities, and then for training camp, which begins in July. Chris Kluwe, who punted for the Vikings for eight seasons and was signed by the Seahawks as an undrafted free agent in 2005, said, as a specialist, getting a signing bonus matters somewhat since there are no guaranteed contracts in the NFL, even if it’s $3000, like in Kluwe’s case.

“You do have a chance. You’re being brought in to compete. But at the same time, these are $100 million a year salary cap teams, so if it’s a couple thousand bucks then they will get rid of you if you don’t perform. It’s an investment, but it’s not a major one on their part,” Kluwe said. “It’s a good sign, but you still have to go out and play.” According to Greg Diulus, his agent, Yoklic has continued to keep his even keel even as the process reached its most important stages. “He’s the type of kid that understands. There are some players out there you have to massage the truth a little bit when you talk to them about what to expect, or what their

chances are to make a particular team, but with him, we shoot him dead straight,” Diulus said. “He knows that there are only 32 human beings on the face of the planet that get paychecks every week as a punter.” Jodie said his realistic outlook never wavered before the call, which came minutes after the draft. Yoklic, for his part, appears to be continuing to take everything as it comes, acknowledging the pressure of his situation, but not dwelling on it. “You can’t think about stuff like that. You got to worry about what’s ahead of you and be ready just to perform your best at any time,” he said. Yoklic had been signed up for summer classes in Oakland, but once he got the news, he communicated with his professors, and they understood. “That’s kind of been put on the back burner,” Yoklic said of coursework. He flew down to Georgia by himself on May 11 to sign his contract the next day. He and the other 19 undrafted free agents live in a hotel near the team facility. “It’s been a crazy ride. I’m glad. I feel like I landed in the right spot,” Yoklic said. “All you can really ask for is an opportunity, and I’m lucky enough to get one.”

May 21, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

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. North Oakland. Large 1 BR. 4909 Center Ave. New kitchen. Parking. Available July 15th or August 1st. 412-521-3282.

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. 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.

Squirell Hill. 1 BR and studios. New kitchen w/dishwasher, all hardwood floors, near bus and shopping. $745, heat included. Available July-Sept. 412-5213282.

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

Are you a healthy individual between the ages of 18 and 30? Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh are seeking right-handed individuals with no current sleep difficulties. Compensation will be provided. Study is conveniently located on campus and parking will be provided free of charge. To find out more, please call 412-383-2159, text sleepwell to 412999-2758, or visit www.veteranssleep.pitt.edu.

Construction Laborer for a real estate company located in the Oakland/East Liberty area – Immediate Full Time summer employment. $11/hour. maryann@realestateenterprises.com. WEB DESIGNER STUDENT POSITIION AT PITT MASS SPEC LAB- The purpose is to design high quality web content (e.g. art): Some items include the lab map, photos, descriptions of instruments, pictures of instruments, example of data (chromatograms, etc) requires at least 6 hours a week. Pays ~$7.50 to start. Email resumes & cover letters to coreadmi@pitt.edu.

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 Family, Loving Attorney, Beautiful Home yearns for 1st baby to LOVE & Cherish forever. Expenses paid. Rose *1-800-561-9323*

May 21, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com