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Vol. 105 Issue 16
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@thepittnews
Pittnews.com
Tuesday, August 26th, 2014
SAFER SPIRIT WEAR
Pitt agrees to workers’ rights accord for apparel licensees Cristina Holtzer News Editor
After a year of student pressure, Pitt willll require its apparel licensees to sign a legal document agreeingg not to manufacture products in unsafe working environments. s. The Accord on Fire and Building Safetyy in Bangladesh aims to prevent accidents like the collapse of a Bangladeshi angladeshi garment factory in April 2013. The accord promotes a garment industry “in which no worker needs to fear fires, building uilding collapses, or other accidents that could be prevented with reasonable health and safety measures.” More than 1,000 workers died in the collapse of the factory at Rana Plaza in Bangladesh, a country with significantly unsafe safe factories. “[The accord] has certain mechanismss that force companies to finance the repair and upkeep of their factories and also empowers employees by allowing ng them to form unions,” said Dolly Prabhu, president of Pitt’s Americans for Informed Democracy (AID). ). The University sent a letter to its licensees es on Friday, Aug. 22, according to vice chancellor of communications Ken Service. If Pitt’s partners do not sign the accord, Service said “they will no longer do business ness with Pitt.” The University looked over the conditions ns of the accord, Service said, and agreed that it was as time to sign the document and force those who produce ce Pitt products to do the same. Licensees will have until Oct. 1 to sign the accord, according to an AID release last week, but Service ervice said he wasn’t aware of a specific deadline for licensees too sign the accord by. Students from AID, the leading group of the No Sweat: Pitt Coalition Against Sweatshops, met with University administration sevBangladesh 2
Urban Hike offers new way to see Pittsburgh See Page 2
Mural project promotes art among youth See Page 6
First-time foray into fantasy football See Page 10
Bobby Mizia | Visual Editor
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August 26, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com
FROM PAGE 1
BANGLADESH eral times last year to urge Pitt officials to sign the accord. The No Sweat: Pitt Coalition Against Sweatshops is a conglomerate of Pitt student groups who work together to ban sweatshops worldwide. In April, students from the coalition staged a successful diein on the William Pitt Union Lawn, during which they lied down to make their bodies represent those who died in the factory collapse. Last year, Pitt AID invited Reba Sikder, a survivor of the Bangladeshi factory collapse, to speak at Pitt about her experiences. For one AID member, Sikder’s speech was an impetus to get more involved in supporting workers’ rights issues. “The entire story was very heartbreak-
NEWS
ing,” said Mihir Mulloth, a junior chemistry and neuroscience major. “She was only 18 years old. Many of us are applying to college at 18 and she was watching people she’s worked with for months or years just die in front of her.” After two semesters of dropping off baked goods, letters and petitions with more than 160 student signatures, the students from Pitt AID met with administration in April. “We were told the review of the Accord was going in a positive direction, but no more than that,” Prabhu said of the meeting. While AID members were initially frustrated with the lack of indication that the administration had read or received their petitions and letters, former AID president Erin Shields said negotiations advanced after the students made it clear that student interest was high.
Last August, the University signed on with the Worker Rights Consortium, an organization that fights for labor rights in factories worldwide. The Worker Rights Consortium drafted the accord in conjunction with many other organizations in response to the 2013 factory collapse. “We worked very hard to get them to sign on to that,” said Shield, a senior history and political science major. “They’re trusting this organization to make these recommendations that will ultimately ensure that their apparel doesn’t come at the expense of workers around the world.” To continue their student activism, Prabhu said the next step for AID will be to continue monitoring the Worker Rights Consortium and “making sure Pitt is doing as much as possible to ensure the ethical production of Pitt apparel.” “For instance, we are also promoting
the sale of Alta Gracia brand clothing at the University Store, because it is produced in a living wage factory,” Prabhu said. Throughout the negotiations, Shields and the other AID members learned how the administration works, boosting her hopes that “this cooperation can extend to other student groups as well.” Shields said she “briefly and informally” met with dean of students Kathy Humphrey to discuss a possible labor rights committee at Pitt, but that the group hasn’t really had a chance to convene and talk about what comes next after the University signed the accord. “Us pushing for the accord is part of the larger mission that Pitt stands by the Worker Rights Consortium and makes decision that are both smart and ethical, and using our power as students in order to influence that,” Shields said.
Take an urban hike, venture to parts unknown Emma Solak For The Pitt News Some hikers require heavy gear and extensive preparation, but with Urban Hikers, you can hit the trail with only a cup of joe and curiosity for Pittsburgh culture. In 2003, a group of Pittsburghers began leading organized hikes to explore different neighborhoods of the city. As a cohort, they call themselves “Urban Hike,” and their mission is to uncover lesser known features of Pittsburgh’s communities.. Emily Keebler, a long-term volunteer for the urban hiking community, said it is unclear how the name originated. “It feels kind of silly trying to explain it and not sound patronizing,” Keebler said. “People think it’s going hiking in an urban area, but it’s not. Though we love to hit green space, we mainly walk on and explore the city streets.” Once a month, the Urban Hike community embarks on open hikes that usually draw about 40 to 60 people between 25 to 45 years old.
Journeys usually begin in front of a bakery or coffee shop, so the hikers can pick up a cup of coffee or a doughnut before they begin their trek. From there, the group walks around the city, typically three to five miles, exploring restaurants, churches, shops, museums and parks. Urban Hike’s members determine the route ahead of time, usually inspired by one member stumbling upon a café or spotting some interesting architecture he or she wanted to learn more about. From there, they call local shop or restaurant owners, asking them if they would be willing to speak to the group. Though the main goal of the hikes is to get some exercise, the group still makes pit stops to learn about Pittsburgh. “We make a point of stressing to people that it’s very casual and informal, [and] that it’s a free service being offered to the public,” Keebler said. “We want people to get exercise, so we don’t stop on every corner. But there are some things you just can’t pass up without learning more.” Keebler said Brian Maloney, a college
student living in Pittsburgh at the time, founded Urban Hike as a way to teach Pittsburgh residents about their home. A main draw to Pitt for senior Philip Sweet was the chance to explore the city, and he frequently ventures off to roam around other parts of town, especially the North Shore. Like the Urban Hikers , Sweet opts for local delis and cafés on his trips, and often stumbles upon places he did not know existed, like a guitar shop or farmer’s market. Sweet said he may not be an official “Urban Hiker”, but he appreciates the group’s mission. “I would love to join the Urban Hike community,” said Sweet, a molecular biology major. “There are lots of things going on in the city that don’t reach the student population, and so much of it wants student involvement. Students should be interested in these things.” Katherine Anderson, vice president of the Pitt Outdoors Club, said the club hopes to get involved in the trend. Though the club typically participates in more “traditional” hiking, Anderson, a junior studio art major, said
members are open to local outdoors activities, too. The club has also started pairing up with Venture Outdoors, a nonprofit organization that provides services such as kayaks trips down the rivers of Pittsburgh. Besides dressing for the weather and travelling equipped with water, Urban Hikers should bring intrigue about new places. “Whatever happens, happens,” Keebler said. “We hit the city steps and see what we can find out about.”
August 26, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com
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EDITORIAL
August 26, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com
OPINIONS BARNES
With perseverance, Capitalism: The worst economic student activism system, except for all the others triggers results Matt Barnes Assistant Opinions Editor
Students often do not realize the power they have to bring change to campus. Two student organizations at Pitt have shown that student activism can work when paired with perseverance. On Friday, Pitt signed the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh. According to a release, the accord requires “regular factory safety inspections, financial accountability on behalf of companies for necessary factory repairs and gives workers the rights to form unions and refuse to enter a building they find unsafe without the risk of losing their jobs.” This move will ideally pressure Pitt’s apparel licensees to follow the practices within the accord. Licensees that fail to abide by the accord may face termination or the loss of their University license. Pitt’s announcement comes after long-term efforts by No Sweat: Pitt Coalition Against Sweatshops and Americans for Informed Democracy (AID) — student groups that remained committed to their cause since April 2013. Their primary vehicles were petitions and protests, including last April’s “die-in” in the Cathedral of Learning. Besides this humanitarian undertaking, students have spearheaded other efforts that fueled change at the administrative level.
Last spring, the University saw a vast reduction in plastic bag at campus dining facilities as a result of the “bring your own bag ” campaign led by students with a vision for a more sustainable campus. Once the University implemented the policy, students were restricted to a semester quota of 15 plastic bags. Exceeding this limit could be met with a 25 cent charge per additional bag. The policy has effectively decreased plastic bag usage on campus. Peaceful, committed student activism and a willingness to cooperate have the power to change longstanding conventions. No Sweat, AID and the many environmental groups on campus have proven that even campaigns initially met with little interest can succeed — and without hostility. Activist success relies more upon collaboration and mutual understanding between student groups and University administrators. As the new school year commences, students should avoid the fall into lethargy and apathy and instead remember the recent victories of their peers. With patience and commitment, students can make a difference on campus. Hopefully, students can replicate the magnitude of such accomplishments in coming semesters.
As the new year begins, students will again be exposed to minds that assert the dangers and evils of capitalism. These thinkers have every right to put forth such beliefs — that is what America is all about. But be weary of such cynicism. Instead, try thinking of the world’s predominant economic system in both a personal and rational manner. Then you will understand its true value. As an American, I am incredibly fortunate to live in a nation whose economic tradition centers around capitalism. It has made this nation prosperous and provided me with opportunities unrealized in centrally planned economies — a thriving free market in which I am free to use my earned money as I wish, enroll in the university I wish to attend and lead the life I wish to lead — unburdened by the dictates of inefficient and ineffective central planning. All of this stems from the economic freedom and choice that capitalism, not socialism or Marxism, provides. In a speech on Nov. 11, 1947, Sir Winston Churchill reminded the UK’s House of Commons that “democracy is the worst form of government, except for all those others that have been tried.” In a similar fashion, capitalism is the worst economic system, except for all the others. Capitalism is no different from anything else in this world. It is imperfect because imperfect men created it. Humans are not
perfect, nor are they capable of perfection. Avarice and greed are not unique to capitalism. They were present in the USSR, and they will be present in any manmade system. Since the fall of the Soviet Union, free market systems have been implemented in numerous former Soviet States. Perhaps nowhere better illustrates capitalism’s success in post-Iron Curtain Europe than in the country of Estonia. On Oct. 21, 1992, Mart Laar became Prime Minister of the newly independent nation. He was only 32 years old. Upon entering office, Laar’s economic knowledge consisted of one book: 20th century free market economist Milton Friedman’s Free to Choose, a personal statement advocating for the immense value of economic freedom. The young prime minister was so impressed that he implemented many of Friedman’s ideas, such as free markets and free trade. Rather than borrowing huge amounts of money from international institutions, Estonia sought to attract foreign investment. The most northern Baltic nation prioritized real, natural growth over shallow, artificial growth. Because of this, Estonia successfully transitioned from a poverty-stricken nation with a planned economy to a flourishing capitalist society. In fact, by the latter half of the 1990s, Estonia received more foreign investment per capita than any other central or eastern European country. Therefore, because of free markets and
private investment — not central planning and public intervention — new workplaces formed, old factories were reconstructed and new knowledge and technology were acquired, making Estonia authentically modern and increasingly competitive. In 1992, Estonia’s GDP per capita (in dollars) was $2,823. In only 20 years, GDP per capita increased dramatically, totaling $17,041 in 2012. Leaving Estonia and entering China, one will find more corroboration for the case for economic freedom. Globally, capitalism is responsible for lifting nearly one billion individuals out of poverty in the past 20 years alone. China is responsible for three-fourths of this achievement. Moreover, extreme poverty is disappearing. Between 1981 and 2010, China elevated 680 million people out of poverty and reduced its extreme poverty rate from 84 percent in 1980 to 10 percent today. Like Estonia, China has experienced great economic liberalization leading to a vast influx of foreign investment — producing remarkable domestic growth and opportunity. As evidently displayed in practice, nations that have focused on economic freedom, such as Estonia and China, have significantly grown and developed. Regimes that focus purely on abstract and utopian ideology, as those of Soviet Russia and Maoist China did, fail to provide true progress and sustainability. As Friedman once said, “A
Barnes
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August 26, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com
FROM PAGE 4
BARNES society that puts equality before freedom will get neither. A society that puts freedom before equality will get a high degree of both.” Government initiatives alone cannot solely bring about equality. Equality must also derive from those governed. If the governed are not granted freedom, no one can be equal — for equality stems
THE PITT NEWS Natalie Daher Editor-in-Chief editor@pittnews.com
Chrissy Holtzer, News Editor news@pittnews.com
Nick Voutsinos, Opinions Editor letters@pittnews.com
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Bobby Mizia, Visual Editor photos@pittnews.com
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Stephen Caruso, Layout Editor tpnlayout@gmail.com
T P N S U D O K U
from freedom — and not the other way around. There is no question that capitalist societies produce inequalities. A system based on freedom of choice with reward based on merit is bound to yield different results in different circumstances. It is this very quality that reflects capitalism’s natural effectiveness and practicality. It is the freedom to choose that makes us human. It is the profit incentive that drives us to work our hardest.
E S T A B L I S HE D 1 9 1 0
Mahita Gajanan, Managing Editor manager@pittnews.com
Danielle Fox, Assistant News Editor Harrison Kaminsky, Assistant News Editor Matt Barnes, Assistant Opinions Editor Chris Puzia, Assistant Sports Editor Sheldon Satenstein, Assistant Visual Editor Joelle Smith, Social Media Editor Becca Nagy, Assistant Copy Chief Emily Hower, Assistant Layout Editor
Copy Staff
Sarah Choflet Anjuli Das Kinley Gillette Johanna Helba Emily Maccia Sam McGinley
Bridget Montgomery Sarah Mejia Shivani Pandit Michelle Reagle Michael Wilson Megan Zagorski
It is our inherent and distinct ability to reason as individuals, not as collectives, that makes us truly free. As Winston Churchill once said, “The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings; the inherent virtue of socialism is the equal sharing of miseries.” I will take the former over the latter any day. I have made my choice. You are free to make yours. Write to Matt at mrb111@pitt.edu
Editorial Policies Single copies of The Pitt News are free and available at newsstands around campus. Additional copies can be purchased with permission of the editor in chief for $.50 each. Opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the students, faculty or University administration. Opinions expressed in columns,- car toons and letters are not necessarily those of The Pitt News. Any letter - in tended for publication must be addressed to the editor, be no more than 250 words and include the writer’s name, phone number and University affiliation, if any. Letters may be sent via e-mail to letters@pittnews.com. The Pitt News reserves the right to edit any and all letters. In the event of multiple replies to an issue, The Pitt News may print one letter that represents the majority of responses. Unsigned editorials are a majority opinion of the Editorial Board, listed to the left. The Pitt News is an independent, student-written and student-managed newspaper for the Oakland campus of the University of Pittsburgh. It is-pub lished Monday through Friday during the regular school year and Wednesdays during the summer. Complaints concerning coverage by The Pitt News, after first being brought to the editors, may be referred to the Community Relations -Com mittee, Pitt News Advisory Board, c/o student media adviser, 435 William Pitt Union, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15260. The editor in chief has the final authority on editorial matters and cannot be censored, according to state and federal law. The editor in chief is selected by the Pitt News Advisory Board, which includes University staff,- fac ulty and students, as well as journalism professionals. The business and edito rial offices of The Pitt News are located at 434 William Pitt Union, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15260.
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Moving the lives l off kids kd
Clockwise from left to right: Squirrel Hill, Oakland, Northside, youth participants. Photos courtesy of MLK Project
MLK Project honors August Wilson, strives to ‘break the cycle’ Shawn Cooke A&E Editor The vibrant painted leaves on the exterior of the Mad Mex in Oakland demand your full attention, but they don’t reveal the scope of the project that brought them to life. Oakland’s newest mural — designed by Lucas Stock — is a part of Moving the Lives
of Kids Community Mural Project’s (MLK Project) summer slate of murals, which also includes large-scale artwork in Squirrel Hill, Northside and the Hill District. MLK Project was founded in 2002 by Kyle Holbrook, a Pittsburgh native and an Art Institute of Pittsburgh graduate. Its mission is simple: to provide youth from all backgrounds an opportunity to do positive community work while learning the basic
fundamentals of art. The murals are primarily designed by professional muralists, but they’re largely painted by the kids who, in some cases, also contribute design concepts. For the most recent summer program, the youth participants were granted a $1000 stipend from MLK Project. While the organization is based in Pittsburgh, its artwork isn’t limited to west-
ern Pennsylvania. The organization has worked on murals in 15 cities, including locations in Miami, Uganda and Portugal. Matthew James, MLK’s publicist for the current crop of murals, stressed that, despite its Pittsburgh roots, the organization is equally committed to making a difference in any mural site in the world.
Murals
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August 26, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com
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Forget weak box office: 2014 was vital summer for Hollywood Shawn Cooke A&E Editor Although the box office receipts may not agree, this was the most vital summer for big Hollywood pictures over the past decade. There were no Avengers, no Batmen, no Pixar characters and no Katnisses to save the day in summer 2014. But luckily, it was also free of the boom-or-bust urgency of years past. At the present time, only one movie has a chance of passing the light milestone of $300 million domestic. “Guardians of the Galaxy” was a box office surprise on nearly all accounts. The brand was barely recognizable outside of comic die-hards, and it banked on Chris Pratt as a leading man, which, combined with the success of “The Lego Movie,” seems to be an easy argument to get behind — well, at least from a financial standpoint. But Marvel’s hardly an underdog, so the success of “Guardians” offers little consolation for the underwhelming performances
of “How to Train Your Dragon 2,” “X-Men: Days of Future Past” and to a lesser degree, “Transformers: Age of Extinction,” which were consensus picks to be the top grossers of the summer. Franchise fatigue was unsurprising for the robot romp and critical punching bag, but “Dragon” and “X-Men” were expected to capitalize on an exploding young audience and a revitalized fan base for the merged-universe geek fantasy, respectively. That didn’t quite pan out. If “Guardians” fails to top $300 million, it will be the first summer without a release reaching the mark since 2001. Even the highest grosser from that summer (“Shrek,” $267 million) would have reached $385 million, when adjusted for inflation. Reaching $300 million used to be something for the record books, but in an era in which tentpoles can earn nearly $200 million in a single weekend, we shrug at a final figure around the three-century mark. Even though this summer was without a bona fide hit, it was also mostly devoid of major flops. Aside from the horrifying
debut of “Sin City: A Dame to Kill For” this past weekend ($6.8 million on a $70 million budget), there hasn’t been anything like the devastating bombs of 2013 that infamously included “The Lone Ranger,” “After Earth” and “R.I.P.D.” None of those tankers matched their mammoth $100200 million budgets domestically, even though “Lone Ranger” and “After Earth” narrowly earned them back worldwide — not accounting for marketing costs. Although this summer might seem rather risk-averse compared to last year’s, it’s just as easy to imagine a situation in which a few of the stunners could have been dead in the water. Without the universal acclaim for “Guardians,” or even a reception on par with “Thor: The Dark World,” we could be looking at the lowest-grossing Marvel picture to date. Aside from Angelina Jolie’s return as a top-billed superstar, “Maleficent” had a marketing campaign and trailers that were nearly indistinguishable from Disney’s past live-action fantasy retellings. And, there was absolutely no
reason to believe that another live-action “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” would have been a late-summer hit of its caliber, but the marketplace was just empty enough for it to work. Years from now, the movie to best represent the summer 2014 anomaly won’t be the breakout “Guardians,” or even the stunning “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes,” but what was perhaps the riskiest blockbuster of them all, starring one of our riskiest current star properties — “Edge of Tomorrow.” Even though we’re nearly a decade removed from his PR nightmares, Tom Cruise isn’t an easy sell. The past several years seemed to hint at a huge Cruise comeback, including a killer, gasp-inducing turn in “Tropic Thunder” and his return to globetrotting box office dominance in “Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol.” Following “Ghost Protocol,” Cruise took a few steps back with the unfortunate run of “Rock of
Movies
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The Gaslight Anthem favors reliable consistency on ‘Get Hurt’ Stephanie Roman Staff Writer
The Gaslight Anthem Get Hurt Grade: B Gruff, grating vocals mixed with trills, finesse, melodious riffs and smooth chords certainly seems like a counterproductive and illogical combination. Except it’s the formula molded by New Jersey pseudo-punks The Gaslight Anthem on their new album Get Hurt. The guitars, bass and drums provide an almost delicate backdrop to the deadened and harsh tones of vocalist Brian Fallon. This scenario shouldn’t work, but since the guitars carry the melody — rather than Fallon — this new approach functions extremely well. Since its 2006 conception, The Gaslight Anthem has resisted any distinct genre classification. They somehow work a little bit of punk rock masochism, The Gaslight Anthem embrace the heartbreak on their fifth LP. a little bit of Pearl Jam, a little bit of indie-alternative and a lot of Springsteen into almost every track. Strangely, the contrast between excellent band
instrumentation and Fallon’s guttural singing,which degenerates with each new release, makes their fifth full-length album a commendable effort that doesn’t differ much from their consistent past releases. Despite this, it’s probably the weakest of their discography, but that isn’t meant to be a deterrent. Rather, because it’s more of what’s expected, it carries The Gaslight Anthem’s trend forward into already-established territory. The main difference from previous albums is that they slowed down the pace in some places. For instance, the title track begins with a minimalist, lethargic verse, full of Fallon’s croaking lyrics. It’s an area of momentous quietude amid a rock album. This crawling verse then merges into a full chorus that manages to catch your attention with its straight up symphonic beats. The guitars and bass hit hard when they hit, but they’re missed when not in play. “Rollin’ and Tumblin’,” is aptly titled for its brash and thundering nature and stands out by far as the best. The song embraces The Gaslight Anthem’s hard rock and punk roots and ultimately delivers some epic
Gaslight
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The Pitt News Crossword, 8/25/2014
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August 26, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com ACROSS 1 Short pants? 6 Boston or Chicago 10 Sound of relief 14 Mendelssohn’s Opus 20, e.g. 15 One-on-one sport 16 Con artist, for one 17 Blueprint spec ... or, allowable hours for hound sounds? 19 Naysayer 20 LeBron’s Miami uniform number 21 Mr. __!: old whodunit game 22 Initial 24 Blueprint spec ... or, job fit for a king’s silversmith? 27 The __, Netherlands 30 Regular TV show 31 Bestows 33 __ splicing 34 “Top Gear” airer 37 Gets ready for lunch, maybe 38 Scrub 40 “__ We Are”: Estefan hit 41 Look over 42 “How now? __?”: Hamlet, before mistakenly slaying Polonius 43 __ column 45 Used a plane on 47 Useful quality 48 Blueprint spec ... or a ’60s-’70s rock group conceding a poker hand? 52 Tater Tots maker 53 __ fault 54 Words of agreement 57 Improvisational style 58 Blueprint spec ... or an MGM heartthrob’s cousin from the Netherlands? 62 Manuscript encl. 63 Shell competitor 64 Soul singer Adams 65 Begun: Abbr. 66 Study, say 67 Name on a Yorba Linda library
FROM PAGE 6
MURAL
9/12/14
By Jeff Stillman
DOWN 1 Slew 2 Berry rich in antioxidants 3 “Come Sail Away” band 4 Service station? 5 Inflamed 6 Moistens, in a way 7 GI’s mail drop 8 Unfamiliar 9 “State Fair” setting 10 Crisscross patterns 11 Rajah’s tongue 12 Downed 13 Twist and compress 18 Revival prefix 23 Sheltered, nautically 24 Contemptible ones 25 Ruled out 26 GI chow 27 Cloud 28 Out of town 29 Yawn 32 One who might play under a balcony 34 Uncle __ 35 “Up hill, down __ ...”: Burns
Thursday’s Puzzle Solved
©2014 Tribune Content Agency, LLC
36 Bird was one, briefly 39 Took its toll? 40 Kettle emission 42 Ardent 44 Ideal 45 Ready to be printed 46 Many a late ’90s startup 48 “Pippin” Tony winner 49 Ocean predators
9/12/1
50 Numerical extreme 51 Circus sound 54 Goat with Iberian and Siberian species 55 Like some saxes 56 Inconsequential 59 GI show gp. 60 General on a takeout menu 61 Will Smith title role
“It’s really all about focusing on the youth there, in that community, and empowering them to be a force for positive change in their community,” James said. One of the recently completed murals pays homage to one of Pittsburgh’s most well-known and empowering artists — playwright August Wilson. Located in the Hill District, which was the childhood home for both Wilson and Holbrook’s maternal families, the mural illustrates Wilson’s life before winning Pulitzer Prizes, along with some of his most acclaimed plays. Holbrook taught the kids about many of Wilson’s plays, and the kids contributed to the design, after some additional research on their own. “Each selected their favorite play. So when it’s all said and done, there’s going to be 10 different renditions of the 10 favorite plays,” Holbrook said. The idea to also feature Wilson’s work instead of simply his life came from Sala Udin, one of his personal friends and a co-founder of the August Wilson Center. But Udin also provided some unique perspective to Wilson’s life before he was a beloved playwright. “He just gave me some insight to [Wilson] as a child — him growing up,” Holbrook said. “He also had a real insight from seeing him before he made it, before his first play and then after he was on Broadway.” Wilson’s tribute began Aug. 8 and is still in progress. “Ghost Whisperer” star and
Pittsburgh native David Conrad also joined Holbrook to talk to the kids and kick off production of the mural. But Conrad isn’t the only celebrity connection involved with MLK’s latest project. Roberto “Max” Maxwell designed the Northside mural, which was completed Aug. 15, and has also designed tattoos for Pittsburgh’s most famous rap exports — Wiz Khalifa and Mac Miller. He’s worked on numerous mural projects in the past, but this is Maxwell’s first project with MLK Murals. The Northside mural features an evocative mosaic that contrasts positive activities that lead to success with the negative outcomes associated with destructive influences. One of the prominent images is a man behind bars, but surrounding him are positive deterrents that were generated by the youth participants. “They came up with the ideas from paper drawings — it’s their actual work on the wall,” Maxwell said. He designed and painted the larger images, which make up a majority of the mural’s upper half, but the kids’ work gives it a baseline from the message’s targeted audience — Pittsburgh’s youth. Maxwell hopes the mural can encourage positive decisions, evoking the legacy of the activist who shares his initials with MLK Murals. “It’s something that Martin Luther King Jr. [advocated for] a while ago, which was breaking a cycle,” Maxwell said. “At some point you have to break that cycle — or that’s where you end up.”
FROM PAGE 7
GASLIGHT thrash to an otherwise pretty tame record. It’ll probably remind you of “Stay Lucky” from 2010’s American Slang. A little bit of sadness mixed with rock ‘n’ roll, Get Hurt surreptitiously alludes to The Gaslight Anthem’s forefathers on the deluxe edition’s bonus tracks. “Sweet Morphine” draws from The Rolling Stones and a little song of theirs called “Sister Morphine,” while another track, “Halloween,” borrows the name of a well-known Misfits jam. No, it’s not a cover, and it doesn’t even sound remotely like that hell-raising thriller. But the homage wasn’t made mistakenly.
Another tribute — “Helter Skeleton” — flirts with pop swing, making it an easily approachable tune for those unfamiliar with the band and some of its more melancholic work, such as the succeeding track, “Underneath the Ground,” which is notably morbid in its death imagery. Get Hurt is a must-listen for every punk or indie rock fan, whether tyro or aficionado. It follows a pretty consistent formula. By no means does this album break the mold The Gaslight Anthem created for themselves,but despite any lack of imagination, it’s a satisfying listen. Though Get Hurt might seem disappointing for being more of the same, you can’t blame the artists for sticking to a formula that works.
August 26, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com
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‘Edge of Tomorrow’ was the best, unexpected hit of the summer.
FROM PAGE 7
MOVIES Ages,” “Jack Reacher” and “Oblivion.” When the first promos came out for “Edge of Tomorrow,” it had “flop of the summer” written all over it. Cries of “looks just like ‘Oblivion’” flooded the Internet, and it seemed destined to be another speedbump in Cruise’s streak of duds. And yet, despite the tepid and on-the-nose “Live Die Repeat” (which will soon be the movie’s official home video title) marketing campaign, “Edge” ended up being the summer’s best major release. The catchy tagline wasn’t advertising some derivative and overly serious sci-fi “Groundhog Day” gimmick, but a wickedly smart plotting technique that made for a breezy and often hilarious recycling of Cruise. Director Doug Liman keeps things loose and never lets the repetition grow stale, tapping into Cage’s (Cruise) frustration with needing to explain mankind’s dire situation every time he gains an extra life. Much like the “Live Die Repeat” tagline suggested, “Edge” didn’t die easily at the box office. Despite starting out with an underwhelming $28.7 million from the first weekend, it has more than tripled its haul and will have crossed $100 million domestic by the time this story is published. That’s more than “Oblivion” earned, and it even turned a profit worldwide, earning an additional $264 million overseas. Without a superhero in tow, “Edge” is a rare case that defies the frontloaded blockbuster phenomenon, and its leggy run shouldn’t just serve as a testament to its quality, but it also supports the idea that studios shouldn’t be afraid to take a chance on something that isn’t necessarily a guaranteed hit.
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August 26, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com
COLUMN
SPORTS
A first-time fantasy football player’s draft experience Alex Wise For The Pitt News This school year marks the first time I’ve ever participated in fantasy sports. I’m a football fan, sure, but I’ve never gotten into the NFL enough to pay attention to every single game. In fact, I’ve always found fantasy sports a little bit contradictory, especially for people who are die-hard fans of a certain team. For example, it’s impossible for a Pittsburgher to be totally in favor of a Steelers win if they start the Ravens defense. But, much like war and taxes, being a broke college student changes a man, and throwing away $10 in hopes of winning $100 now seems like a good investment — this is why the casino loves me. So here I sit, concentrating half on writing this and half on checking Yahoo!’s fantasy sports page for updates that don’t even exist yet. You could call my first fantasy draft experience an entertaining one. The league, titled WardFest after the name of the block party my housemates and I have dreamt about starting on our street, includes 10 fans: myself, my roommates and a few other friends. Most of the members of the group are knowledgeable football fans, and the rest of us know enough to get by. Hopefully. The group is comprised of four divisions: Three are knowledgeable football minds who take fantasy football seriously, four are fairly knowledgeable football fans who don’t take fantasy football seriously, one is a semi-knowledgeable football fan who could name-drop each team’s stars and one or two other random trivia facts (this is me) and two just play because everybody else is playing. The first and second rounds of the draft went in accordance with what everybody says the first and second rounds of fantasy drafts usually look like: The top running backs and wide receivers go early, followed by a handful of quarterbacks. I fought the lifelong Penn State fan inside of me (I know, I know, light your torches and grab your pitchforks) and refrained from drafting American hero Matt McGloin, instead using my first round pick on Calvin Johnson. Judging by the middle fingers I received from a friend drafting immediately
after me, I think it was a good decision. Picking up Drew Brees was my next move, another one I’m confident about. And that was when the draft went to hell. Recognizing that Johnny Manziel might not even play, let alone start, one roommate took Johnny Manziel in the fifth round just to make another roommate angry. Then, the injured draftees came: Wes Welker wasn’t a bad person to pick up because NFL team doctors don’t believe the hype about “three concussions in nine months being a bad thing” and “serious brain damage from repeated blunt force trauma.” Somebody drafted Sam Bradford not knowing that Sam Bradford had torn his ACL just hours earlier. How he missed the countless SportsCenter updates is beyond me. Next were the suspended players: Josh Gordon happened. Matt Prater, the Broncos’ kicker suspended for drinking a few beers, happened. Ray Rice happened. I’m pretty sure that if Justin Blackmon was available to be drafted, he would’ve been drafted. Fortunately for my idiotic friends, the multiple-time offender of the league’s drug policy wasn’t even listed as a draftable player. Still, we could’ve made an entire team of guys who can’t play until at least Week 3. One of the better moments of the night involved the entire group laughing at one person for drafting the Dallas Cowboy’s defense, which was the worst defense in the league last year. Then the Cowboys lost their top three players – DeMarcus Ware to free agency, Sean Lee to a torn ACL, and Orlando Scandrick to drug policy suspension. He has since dropped the defense and picked up a running back instead. Apparently this is okay. I really don’t understand fantasy football. But the best moment came in the final round. While most of us were scrambling to find decent bench players or a second defense, one league participant went scrolling to the bottom of Yahoo!’s best available list for a certain somebody with whom he shares a name. For his sake, I won’t say his actual name. I’ll only tell you that he spent a few years at Penn State before transferring to Delaware and is now a backup for the Dolphins who will more than likely never see the field.
One of the columnist’s friends picked Sam Bradford (throwing) in their fantasy draft hours after the St. Louis Rams quarterback had injured his ACL. MCT Campus
The draft was a lot of fun. I spent a lot of time laughing at friends who drafted injured and suspended players, guys who would never see the field and guys who have the same name as the person who drafted him. But fun time is over. I have $10 invested in this league, and that’s an alarmingly large investment considering the contents of my bank account. Since I wasn’t a huge proponent of fantasy sports before and since joining only encouraged my slight growing gambling addiction, I felt it necessary to find some good in the whole
thing. Here’s what I managed to come up with: Checking for fantasy updates on Yahoo! has drastically cut into my Twitter time, which can only be healthy for a social media addict like myself. Whatever works, right? Only time and luck can make the decisions for my fantasy football team, because I sure as hell don’t know what I’m doing. And if WardFest ever pans out, I’ll be sure to let everybody know.
August 26, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com
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COLUMN
With season approaching, a few Pitt football storylines to track Dan Sostek Staff Writer A football coach’s worst enemy is turnovers, both on the field and off. This offseason, Pitt head football coach Paul Chryst faced the latter type often, losing a large number of key players to graduation. Heading into the 2014 season, Chryst and the Panthers are without the dominant force of All-American defensive lineman Aaron Donald, as well as the big, strong-armed presence of quarterback Tom Savage and the surehanded, ultra-reliable receiver Devin Street. Throw in the losses of defensive backs Jason Hendricks and K’Waun Williams and linebacker Shane Gordon, and there are countless questions that will serve as the X factors for Pitt’s success in their second season in the ACC. What can Chryst get out of Chad
Voytik? Chad Voytik, the redshirt sophomore starting quarterback for the Panthers, has received some comparisons to another former protégé of Paul Chryst, Super Bowl champion Russell Wilson. Both short in stature (Wilson at 5’11” and Voytik at 6’1”) and mobile, the two seem to have similar skill sets. If Voytik can come even marginally close to replicating the success Wilson had in his one year under Chryst at Wisconsin in 2011 — throwing 33 touchdowns and only four interceptions — the Panthers could be surprise contenders in the ACC Coastal division. If he struggles or gets injured, without a viable backup to take his place, the Panthers will sputter mightily. How can Pitt replace Aaron Donald’s production? Over the last two years, Aaron Donald was the epitome of consistent pro-
Starting quarterback Chad Voytik practices. Sheldon Satenstein | Assistant Visual Editor
ductivity on a defense known for its inconsistency. The defensive tackle took home four major national awards in 2013, including the Chuck Bednarik Award, given to the nation’s top defensive player. He also collected 11 sacks and 28.5 tackles for loss in 2013. Pitt will face difficulty replacing that level of dominance, and it will simply be impossible to do so with just one player. Instead, the Panthers will rely on a group of defensive linemen to make up for Donald’s departure. The team will count on junior Darryl Render and sophomores Shakir Soto and Tyrique Jarrett to give defensive coordinator Matt House productive snaps. If the three can simply hold their own, that’s a plus for the Panthers. How will the defensive backfield shape up? Pitt’s defensive backs struggled for a good portion of 2013, unable to adjust to the elite size and speed of some of the ACC’s top flight wide receivers. Losing Williams and Hendricks — the Panthers’ two most consistent defensive backs last year — as well as promising sophomore Titus Howard to a year-long suspension,will only complicate matters further. Redshirt junior Lafayette Pitts, after a promising 2012 season, was inconsistent in 2013, and will need to dramatically improve his play this season as the team’s number one cornerback. Senior safety Ray Vinopal came on late in 2013 and will serve as the defensive captain in 2014. Besides those two, the rest of the defensive
backfield is full of relatively unknown commodities, with the remaining players all sophomores or freshmen. Some newcomers like Wisconsin transfer Reggie Mitchell and freshman Avonte Maddox figure to make impacts at corner after their impressive performances at training camp. Sophomore Terrish Webb will start at strong safety and classmate Ryan Lewis will back up Mitchell. But without a single proven defensive back, the Panthers could potentially be involved in many offensive shootouts this season. Will playing two ways help or hinder James Conner? Pitt’s biggest surprise in 2013 was running back James Conner, a converted defensive end who would end up serving as Pitt’s most dangerous and intimidating running back, including a stellar performance in the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl against Bowling Green, where he ran for 229 yards in Pitt’s 30-27 victory. This season, the Panthers’ coaching staff plans to play Conner at defensive end as well. While Conner played a few snaps here and there last season, it will be intriguing to see whether this will limit his usage on offense, particularly with heralded incoming freshman Chris James being added to the mix at running back. If Conner can contribute even a dash of the spark he provided to Pitt’s offense in 2013 to the defense in 2014, and still maintain his contribution level on offense, he’ll be one of the most important and exciting players in the ACC.