Researches say manganese ‘Facebook Parenting’ Linderella running wild in may fight E. coli • A4 father’s actions justified • A6 New York City • A8 SCITECH FORUM SPORTS

thetartan.org @thetartan February 20, 2012 Volume 106, Issue 19 Carnegie Mellon’s student newspaper since 1906 Campus seeks solutions to Pittsburgh transit troubles Greg Hanneman to exist with service reduc- ond Avenue. Lieutenant Jo- Contributing Editor tions. Of these, only the 61B, seph Meyers, who directs the 71A, and 71D would continue shuttle and Escort program Around 60 members of the to operate after 10 p.m. for University Police, said that university community met last At Tuesday’s meeting, dis- he had already been think- Tuesday afternoon to discuss cussion of Carnegie Mellon’s ing about reworking the PTC Carnegie Mellon’s options response to the proposed tran- route. amid a state funding crisis sit cuts fell into three areas: “My original thought was that has the Port Authority of direct talks with the Port Au- to run it through Oakland Allegheny County proposing a thority, possible lobbying of (at least on the return run) cut of 35 percent of its bus and the state government in Har- to provide another option light rail service. risburg, and enhancing the for any Oakland folks to get Ryan Wolfe, Carnegie Mel- university’s shuttle and Escort to campus,” he wrote in an lon’s director of Campus Ser- routes. Many of the audience email after Tuesday’s forum. vices, led an hour-long town questions concerned shuttle “I really hadn’t considered the hall meeting in the University expansions, but Wolfe cau- Greenfield possibility because Center’s Danforth Lounge to tioned that a university-run no one has ever expressed inform attendees about the service would be much small- a desire for Greenfield ser- proposed cuts and to answer er and more focused toward vice.... It’s certainly something questions about how the uni- campus than the public buses. I would explore if requested.” versity could compensate for a “We’re not even in a posi- Other attendees asked if Jonathan Carreon/Photo Editor reduction in bus service. tion to replicate the top 20 it would be possible to com- Wolfe presented an analy- routes ... with our own shuttle bine shuttle operations with sis of Carnegie Mellon’s use of and Escort system,” he said. neighboring universities or the Port Authority system and Still, he said it would be pos- adding connecting routes to how it would be impacted by sible for Carnegie Mellon the East Busway. Meyers said planned route cuts. In the six to replace a few key routes, that Carnegie Mellon and Pitt months from July to Decem- perhaps jointly with the Uni- students can already ride each ber 2011, students, faculty, versity of Pittsburgh. Service other’s shuttles with proper and staff have taken around to Greenfield and the airport ID, and Carnegie Mellon’s 900,000 rides on 100 differ- would be the top two priori- current A, B, and AB shuttles ent routes. Nearly 90 percent ties, though airport service already make stops at the East of the ridership is concen- would likely operate at re- Busway’s Negley Station. trated in the 20 routes most duced hours compared to the The financing of bus rides frequently used by members current 28X. — whether by campus shuttles of the university. “I guarantee you that, if or by the Port Authority — was Among the top routes, the there’s no 28X, we will find a also a recurring theme during Port Authority has scheduled way to get people to the air- the forum. Carnegie Mellon is the 64, 69, and 58 for elimina- port,” Vice President for Cam- set to open talks with the Port tion in September. Another, pus Affairs Michael Murphy Authority this week over the the 28X, would stop at Rob- said at the meeting. university’s next five-year con- inson Town Center and no An audience member sug- tract with the transit agency, longer serve the airport. The gested that the current Pitts- which will begin later this buses most frequently used by burgh Technology Center year.

Carnegie Mellon riders, the 61 (PTC) shuttle could stop in Jonathan Carreon/Photo Editor and 71 series, would continue Greenfield on its way to Sec- See BUSES, A3 Ryan Wolfe, the director of Campus Services, presents information about Carnegie Mellon’s bus usage. feature graphic Local journalists debate new media Incoming students Justin Mcgown college fund, exclaiming, lison later said that while he ity for journalistic slideshows Staffwriter “Print journalism is dead, ev- was glad to be invited to give that combined photography eryone!” his views and learn campus and narration. Award-win- to pay 4% more A diverse group of people Tony Norman, a Pittsburgh attitudes through the tone ning blogger Maria Lupinacci with careers in media held Post-Gazette columnist, said of questions, he found that went over how she managed a discussion called “New that he does not believe print young people lack the “ro- to achieve success in the Media/News Media” in the journalism is dead yet, but mance for print” his genera- blogosphere, and explained Steinberg Auditorium last likened mainstream media to tion held. how she believes the future of Wednesday. The six panelists dinosaurs right before the as- Andrew Schwartz, a first- journalism will be a balance of spoke in front of a nearly full teroid impact, and blogs to the year information systems and traditional and new media. auditorium about the current first mammals. However, he statistics double major who at- Deanna Garcia of Essen- state of media and the direc- believes that after mainstream tended the event, concurred, tial Pittsburgh Radio said that tions they see it taking in the media loses its profitability, a saying, “I get my information while the future of all media, future. The panel was held by series of “aspirational chang- from my Twitter feed, I sub- radio especially, seems to be the Center for Arts in Society, es” will allow the industry to scribe to Anderson Cooper, somewhat unclear, Carnegie a collaborative effort between reclaim a unique environment I subscribe to The New York Mellon students may have faculties in the College of Fine similar to that found at tech Times.” However, he enjoyed an edge. “The mix of back- Arts and the Dietrich College companies like Google. and recommended the panel, grounds and the strength of of Humanities and Social Sci- “We joke about the es- although only for those with the programs here ... may ences that explores the inter- tablished media being dino- an interest or stake in journal- mean that a student or pro- action of society and art. saurs and falling apart,” said ism. fessor here may know more The panel consisted of an John Allison, associate edi- The other panelists were about what’s going on in the editor from the Pittsburgh tor for the Post-Gazette, “but more hopeful for the future of world of new media than ... a City Paper, a columnist and we’re resilient, we’re creating media. Photographer Martha station owner or editor,” Gar- an editor from the Pittsburgh something people want.” Al- Rial explained her new affin- cia said. Post-Gazette, a reporter from Essential Pittsburgh Radio, a blogger, and a Pulitzer Prize- winning photographer. Professor of art James Duesing introduced the pro- gram, and associate profes- sor of English Kathy Newman introduced the panelists. An informal attitude prevailed, with panelists referencing each other and discussing the points others raised. The pan- el closed with questions from the audience. Chris Potter of the Pitts- burgh City Paper presented a slide show about his experi- ences integrating social media into his work. He explained the importance of distinctions between official and unofficial online presences for journal- ists by sharing a lighthearted tweet claiming that a local television reporter known for gross inaccuracies was not “a person at all, but 12 marmots bundled up in a suit.” Potter also talked at length Greg Hanneman/Contributing Editor about website design for print Carnegie Mellon’s Board of Trustees approved tuition changes for the publications. “Designers and 2012–13 academic year on Feb. 15. Tuition for incoming students will writers are making America rise by 4 percent to $44,880, while tuition for current students will rise dumber by increasing white by 3 percent. Housing and board costs will rise by $260 and $180, respectively. The total cost of attendance will rise by 3.97 percent for space and decreasing text,” he incoming students and 3.19 for current students. According to the said. He ended his presenta- email announcing the changes, this year’s tuition increase is among tion by asking for donations Carnegie Mellon’s smallest since 1975. for his newborn daughter’s Photo illustration by Celia Ludwinski/Contributing Editor A2 « thetartan.org/news The Tartan » February 20, 2012

Campus news in brief Statistically CIT awarded new grant for Research reveals offshore transportation improvement wind turbines at storm risk Speaking The Carnegie Institute Carnegie Mellon electri- A group of professors, “The U.S. Department of of Technology, along with cal and chemical engineer- graduate students, and post- Energy has estimated that As this year’s newest line of smartphones and tab- the University of Pennsylva- ing professor Raj Rajkumar doctoral fellows from Carn- if the U.S. is to generate 20 lets hits the shelves, customers may be surprised to see nia’s School of Engineering will serve as the director of egie Mellon’s department percent of its electricity from a trend towards larger devices. In fact, this year’s new and Applied Science, re- the UTC. “State-of-the-art of engineering and public wind that some 50 [giga- Samsung Galaxy Note reigns as the largest smartphone ceived a $3.5 million grant computing and communica- policy researched the risks watts] of power will have to ever released in the United States. Here are a few statis- last Wednesday which will tion technologies can signifi- hurricanes pose to offshore come from offshore turbines tics documenting the history of cell phone growth: fund research related to the cantly advance the safety and wind turbines in the U.S. At- that may be vulnerable to improvement of transporta- efficiency of transportation, lantic and Gulf Coast regions. hurricane damage,” Jaramil- tion. The grant, which spans since extending the physical Recently, the researchers re- lo said in a university press the next two years, focuses infrastructure is both very leased their findings. They release. “While no offshore 13x3.5 specifically on initial inquiry expensive and limited by ex- say that some turbines are at wind farms have been built into, and eventual develop- isting road layouts,” Rajku- risk. in the U.S., there are several Size in inches of the Motorola DynaTAC, the first cellphone sold ment of, innovative technolo- mar said in a university press Engineering and public in advanced stages of plan- commercially gies that will make trans- release. policy professor Paulina Ja- ning.” portation safer and more The center will also work ramillo is the primary author The research team pro- efficient. closely with Traffic21, a mul- of the paper summarizing the posed the development of As a result of the grant, tidisciplinary research team results, which appeared last prevention and safety mea- 3x6 a new initiative called the currently working on the de- week in the Proceedings of sures that would allow these University Transportation velopment of technologies the National Academy of Sci- turbines to measure wind Approximate size in inches of Samsung’s Galaxy Note Center for Technologies for that will deploy information ences. The group’s research direction. Ideally, such mea- Safe and Efficient Transpor- to improve safety conditions focused on the shore regions sures would help prevent tation, or T-SET UTC, will be of transportation options. with the most accessible off- serious hurricane damage in developed by Carnegie Mel- The Carnegie Mellon and shore wind resources. Those the future. 4.5x2.31 lon and Penn, and located on Penn UTC was chosen as one regions were struck by hur- Carnegie Mellon’s Pittsburgh of 22 grant recipients out of ricanes more than 90 times Compiled by Size in inches of the iPhone 4S campus. 63 applicants. between 1949 and 2008. courtney wittekind 38% feature photo Approximate percentage of size increase from the Singles gather for Valentine’s Day soirée iPhone 4S to the Galaxy Note

Sources: www.slate.com and Compiled by www.samsung.com courtney wittekind Lecture Preview Mark Goulthorpe Real Life Story Series: In Monday at 6 p.m. Defense of Logistics Carnegie Museum of Art Tuesday at 6 p.m. Mark Goulthorpe, a pro- Connan Room, fessor of architecture at the University Center Massachusetts Institute of Carnegie Mellon alumna Technology, will give a lec- Emma Friedman, the logis- ture on digital design and ar- tics manager for the U.S. De- chitecture. partment of Defense’s Phased Goulthorpe is the head of Array Radar Programs, will dECOi Architects, an archi- share her experiences in the tectural firm that has pub- competitive, largely male lished several books on digi- field of defense. tal architecture design. The Friedman will describe firm specializes in adaptive some ways in which her time architecture — architecture at Carnegie Mellon helped which changes to suit the to prepare her. As logistics needs of its users — and has manager, Friedman oversees worked on projects interna- the design, acquisition, and tionally. It was named one of upkeep of defense systems the Architectural League of internationally. The six pro- New York’s “Emerging Voic- grams that she manages have es” in 2006. It has completed a combined budget of over projects ranging from an of- $20 million. fice refurbishment in Boston to a computer display system with a surface that physically Swartz Entrepreneurial moves. Leadership Series Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. Literary & Cultural Posner Hall 153 Studies Colloquium: Barry Silbert, the founder Jonathan Carreon/Photo Editor David Golumbia, and CEO of SecondMar- Civil and environmental engineering master’s students Ankita Gupta, Catherine Hanna, and Anusha Srinivasan hung out at the Singles Soirée on University of Virginia ket, will speak as part of the Tuesday, Feb. 14. Organized by the Activities Board, the Soirée featured a dinner buffet, a jazz band, and free dance lessons. Tuesday at 5 p.m. James R. Schwartz Entrepre- Steinberg Auditorium neurial Leadership Series. (Baker Hall A53) Founded in 2004, Sec- ondMarket is an online mar- David Golumbia, an Eng- ketplace through which us- Campus Crime & Incident Reports lish professor at the Univer- ers can buy, sell, and trade was a warrant out for the man rival she was cited for carry- sity of Virginia, will deliver Suspicious Person Vandalism non-liquid assets such as in Chicago, Ill. ing a false ID. a talk titled “Why Digital Feb. 9, 2012 Feb. 13, 2012 loans, stocks, and bankruptcy The male was placed in Humanities Hates Literary claims. With over 75,000 reg- University Police re- University Police respond- custody, and later transported and Cultural Studies: The Se- istered users, SecondMarket sponded to a call for a suspi- ed to Doherty Hall for a report to the Allegheny County Jail Defiant Trespassing cret History, and What to Do is the second-largest second- cious person who was trying of vandalism. Different ob- and charged with defiant tres- Feb. 16, 2012 About It.” ary market of its kind in the to enter 411 S. Craig St. The scene words and phrases were passing. The lecture will discuss world. male said he needed to talk written in black permanent A staff member at the Mel- the field of digital humani- SecondMarket was re- to someone, but didn’t know marker on different pieces of lon Institute called the Carn- ties. Golumbia believes that cently named a 2011 Tech- who. When officers arrived, equipment in a lab. This case Carrying a False ID egie Mellon security desk to report a suspicious male wan- those in the field of digital nology Pioneer by the World he said he needed to talk to is still under investigation. Feb. 16, 2012 humanities wish to drastical- Economic Forum. It has also someone about God. He was dering through the building. ly change traditional human- been named one of “Fifty advised that Carnegie Mellon A Carnegie Mellon secu- The security officer receiving ities, that they do not place Tech Startups You Should is private property and was Defiant Trespassing rity officer found a wallet in the call recognized the male enough value on what they Know” by BusinessWeek. Be- asked not to return. Feb. 14, 2012 the computer cluster in West from the description given, would like to preserve about fore he founded SecondMar- Wing. and detained him until Uni- the latter subject. ket, Silbert was an invest- While officers were re- The wallet was turned over versity Police arrived on the Golumbia obtained his ment banker. His specialties Noise Complaint sponding to a burglary call in to University Police. During scene. The male initially gave Margaret Morrison Carnegie Ph.D. from the University of were in financial restructur- Feb. 11, 2012 an inventory of the contents the officers a false name. The Pennsylvania. He specializes ings, mergers and acquisi- Hall, they found and stopped of the wallet, a fake driver’s li- officers were able to positively in cultural studies and lin- tions, and corporate financ- University Police respond- a suspicious male in the vicin- cense was located, along with identify him. guistics, and has participated ing transactions. ed twice to Fairfax Apart- ity. Officers learned that this the owner’s real identifica- He was issued a defiant in several humanities and ments for a noise complaint. male had previously been is- tion. trespassing warning letter computing projects. Compiled by University Police cleared 30 sued a defiant trespass warn- The owner of the wallet and told that if he returned to madelyn glymour to 35 guests from a party in ing for being on campus when responded to the University Carnegie Mellon property, he the area, and the resident was he was not supposed to be. Police station to recover her would be arrested and pros- cited for excessive noise. They also found that there wallet. Upon the owner’s ar- ecuted for trespassing.

Corrections & Clarifications

The article “Budget deficit threatens bus service” Weather (News, Feb. 6) incorrectly stated that a 2007 planned Port Authority service reduction was scaled back from 35 percent to 15 percent. The scale-back actually oc- curred in 2010. Additionally, Port Authority spokesper- son Heather Pharo’s name was misspelled as Heather Pharos. The feature photo (News, Feb. 6) was incorrectly at- tributed to Jennifer Coloma. The actual photographer was Jonathan Carreon. If you would like to submit a correction or clarifica- Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday tion, please email The Tartan at [email protected] or High / Low High / Low High / Low High / Low High / Low [email protected] with your inquiry. 47 / 39 49 / 40 49 / 40 42 / 29 36 / 28 Source: www.weather.com February 20, 2012 « The Tartan thetartan.org/news » A3 Dorms compete to conserve energy Insider trader tells Kechun Mao Staffwriter students his story Carnegie Mellon is partici- pating in the three-week Cam- pus Conservation Nationals (CCN) competition from Feb. 6 to Feb. 27. CCN is the first national competition aimed at motivat- ing college students to reduce electricity and water con- sumption on their campuses. All the participant schools — about 150 colleges this year — work together to reach one collective goal: to save one gigawatt-hour of electricity consumption. In response to the nation- wide CCN, Carnegie Mellon has organized a competition among residential halls on campus. The nine buildings in the contest are Boss House, Don- ner House, Hamerschlag House, Henderson House, McGill House, Mudge House, Scobell House, Stever House, and Welch House. The resi- dence hall that conserves the most electricity will be re- warded with a pizza party. Barbara Kviz, the co-chair Juan Fernandez/Staff and environmental coordi- nator of Carnegie Mellon’s “We are finding in one changed the way she con- very few emails about this, green practices committee, particular building, in Hen- sumed energy because it had and the few outlets of infor- is in charge of the event. Ac- derson, something is going already been her habit to turn mation (posters and here-say cording to Kviz, Facilities on there that is generating a the lights off when she left the [sic]) that are being used are Management Services (FMS) tremendous amount of elec- dorm. too passive. I believe that if obtained the baseline electric- tricity,” Kviz said. “We are try- Not all students are aware we really want to get the word ity consumption before Feb. 6 ing to investigate what that is, of the competition. Alex Ger- out, we need to make a much in the competing residential because we don’t know what ber, a first-year math and eco- bigger deal of the competition halls. it is.” nomics major who also lives in and our participation in it.” The data will be compared Julie Woo, a first-year in Boss House, said in an email, He said that the website to the consumption rate dur- CIT who lives in Boss House, “No, I have never heard of the would be a very good tool to Adelaide Cole/Art Editor ing the competition in order said in an email, “I was aware contest. I would like to know better promote the competi- to determine the percent re- of this competition because I more about it, as it sounds like tion and to get students actu- Madelyn Glymour Association, which coordi- duction. saw it on the whiteboard that a promising incentive to con- ally interested in the event. News Editor nated the event, said that she On Feb. 6, FMS launched I walk past everyday [sic] on serve energy on a daily basis.” According to Kviz, the hoped the talk gave students a website where students can the way to my room. I think Zac Vennard, a senior in- website will remain active af- A man convicted of in- a personal look at insider check real-time electricity us- posting it in the dorms and ternational relations major ter the competition ends. She sider trading warned Tep- trading. age data as well as previous high traffic areas where peo- and an RA in Boss House, said said that the competition’s per School of Business stu- “His personal anecdotes data. According to Kviz, the ple walk by daily is a good way in an email, “Students can be organizers are searching for dents in a video conference were amazing. Some of it real-time data has been help- to publicize the event.” better exposed to the competi- a student who can help them on Tuesday not to make the was so emotional for me,” Cai ful in pinpointing anomalous However, she also said that tion through more promotion to improve the website’s inter- same mistakes he did. said. “I could really imagine energy usage. the competition really hasn’t in general. We’ve received face. Garrett Bauer, a propri- being in jail.... I liked how he etary trader, pled guilty to shared so much of his per- insider trading in December sonal experience. He could 2011. Bauer was the “tippee,” have talked a lot more about as he put it: The person who investment and trading, but Future of local transit up in the air trades on secrets given to him instead he talked a lot about by an insider. how he felt.”

Greg Hanneman/Contributing Editor In Bauer’s case, the insid- The questions students er was his long-time friend, asked ranged from personal mortgage banker Kenneth to business-oriented. One Robinson, as well as law- student asked whether Bauer yer Matthew Kluger. Bauer had spoken to Robinson since traded on Robinson and he had turned him in. An- Kluger’s secrets for $37 mil- other student asked whether lion, according to the federal Bauer had ever heard a trad- government’s estimates. The er refuse to trade on insider proceeds were split among secrets. To both questions, the three men. Bauer said he had not. One Since being released on student asked for the specific a $4 million bail, Bauer has names of firms that Bauer spoken at numerous busi- had gotten good deals with, ness schools about the con- but Bauer did not provide sequences of insider trading. them. “I really want to prevent you from committing my crime, insider trading, or re- “I really want ally any crime in general,” Bauer said in the short pre- to prevent pared speech that began the you from conference. “There are cata- strophic consequences which committing nobody believes is going to my crime.... happen to them.” Bauer said BUSES, from A1 either for pragmatic or ethical lon’s contract with the Port in the state with $200 million that insider trading is com- There are reasons. In a follow-up inter- Authority to a per-ride pay- from Pennsylvania Turnpike mon in the field of business, catastrophic Under the current agree- view, Wolfe said that extra ment rather than a lump sum. revenue. and he wants to ensure that ment, the university pays payments from the university But with contract nego- Senate has also launched today’s students do not en- consequences the Port Authority a preset would have little effect on the tiations in the future, the Port www.stoppatcuts.com, where gage in it, for their and oth- which nobody amount each year, no matter authority’s service level or Authority’s cuts still not final- visitors can sign a petition in ers’ sake. the actual number of rides bottom line. “They have a $64 ized, and a transit funding bill support of the bill. In his prepared remarks believes is taken. Murphy said that the million problem,” he said of pending in the state legisla- Ultimately, concrete action and during the question-and- sum works out to around the Port Authority. “Even if we ture in Harrisburg, Carnegie depends on the Port Author- answer session that followed, going to $1.08 per ride, up from 58 were able to give them a mil- Mellon’s ultimate response to ity’s final service plan — due Bauer described in detail how happen to cents five years ago. lion more dollars, that’s not any public transit cutback is to be voted on by the agency he had committed his crimes, Outside of Carnegie Mel- helping. In the grand scheme also yet to be decided. April 27 — and the state legis- how he was prosecuted, and them.” lon, Murphy said, the Port Au- of things, it’s not enough to On Tuesday, Wolfe encour- lature’s budget hearings later what the future likely holds help.” Carnegie Mellon paid aged audience members to this month and in March. for him. —Garrett Bauer approximately $1.5 million participate in the Port Author- “There are so many vari- Roshan Sriram, a first- “They have a for bus passes this year, Wolfe ity’s public hearing process, ei- ables and unknowns right year Tepper student, said Former proprietary said. ther by filling out the author- now for us to begin to even that one of the most interest- trader $64 million Carnegie Mellon’s next ity’s online comment form or formulate a strategy,” Meyers ing aspects of Bauer’s speech problem. Even contract with the Port Au- by attending a day-long hear- said in an email. “My main was his descriptions of life in thority will include the use of ing scheduled for Feb. 29 at concern right now is getting jail. “It was really interesting Sriram felt that the con- if we were able “smart cards” that users will the David Lawrence Conven- some definitive answers about [hearing about] everything ference was effective. “You to give them a tap against fare boxes rather tion Center downtown. [the Port Authority’s] fate in from his whole experience in hear about [insider trading] than showing them manually He said the university enough time that we can react the process, his whole time in a lot. It’s a very present prob- million more to the driver. Pitt has already will likely release an official thoughtfully and decisively.” jail,” Sriram said. lem in this country,” he said. dollars, that’s tested and converted to a statement through the Al- Wolfe agreed, saying that Bauer shared many de- “I didn’t know that the conse- similar system. According to legheny Conference on Com- the university is, to some ex- tails of his experiences in jail, quences were that severe. His not helping.” Wolfe, the university will be- munity Development, a non- tent, playing a waiting game. from finding a spork that he future is basically ruined.” gin a test over the summer and profit group of area business “We’re going to watch what used for every meal to being Cai agreed. She said that fully convert to the new cards and university leaders whose we see out of Harrisburg, kind issued a phone card that nev- Bauer was an important and —Ryan Wolfe over the course of next school goals include improving the of what the tone of the whole er worked. He said that if he unusual speaker to have. Director of Campus year. region’s transportation infra- situation is, and as we get clos- gets his anticipated sentence “We’re interested in prepar- Services Smart cards will tie transit structure. er to April I think we’re going of nine to 11 years, he will ing our members for careers pass validity automatically to Student Senate Chair Will to start seeing what is the like- probably be held in a mini- in finance, and I think a lot of records in the Carnegie Mel- Weiner, a junior statistics and lihood of these cuts actually mum-security prison, which times some ethical issues are thority takes in approximately lon Card Office instead of re- social and decision sciences coming true,” he said. “We’re is arranged more like a camp overlooked, and I thought $1.30 per ride but spends quiring an expiration date to double major, said that student going to probably experience than a jail. this was a good chance to em- more than $4. be printed on university IDs. government is planning a trip a certain amount of cuts. Jennifer Cai, first-year phasize the ethical issues,” Some in the audience ques- The cards will also facilitate to Harrisburg to lobby in favor Whether or not it’ll be the full business administration ma- she said. “I thought it added tioned whether Carnegie Mel- more precise ridership track- of House Bill 2112, a proposal 35 percent, it’s probably too jor and activities director of a lot of value to what we do lon should offer to pay more, ing and change Carnegie Mel- to fund public transportation early to tell.” the Undergraduate Finance as an organization.” A4 « thetartan.org/scitech The Tartan » February 20, 2012

Manganese may fight E. coli toxins Musical challenge bridges machine learning, creativity Ligia Nistor ity,” Settles said. It has fa- Junior Staffwriter cilitated the study of social influences, such as whether This month is Febru- leaving comments or collabo- ary Album Writing Month rating on a song motivates (FAWM), an annual online individual success or if those songwriting challenge for behaviors are associated with musicians to write a collec- the number of songs a user tion of songs in a month’s writes. time. Though the challenge For example, if FAWM of composing 14 songs by the newcomers receive com- end of February may seem ments in the first couple of daunting, the technology weeks after posting, they embedded in the challenge’s are more likely to continue website, FAWM.org, is de- to contribute. Ideally, every signed to give participants song will get at least one some help. piece of feedback. The creator of the chal- Anyone who publishes 14 lenge, Burr Settles, is a Carn- songs is automatically de- egie Mellon postdoctoral clared a winner. So far this researcher in the depart- month, there are roughly 50 ment of machine learning. winners. He thought of the project as a graduate student at Univer- sity of Wisconsin-Madison in “[It’s] a testbed 2004. What started as a fun for interactive extracurricular activity grad- ually turned into a platform machine for musicians to share new Courtesy of Microbe World via flickr learning Escherichia coli bacteria and similar organisms cause illness and death, and can be difficult to treat due to the toxins they release. New research by songs globally. Carnegie Mellon scientists suggests that the metal manganese can provide protection against the toxins, working as a preventative treatment against Settles explained that technology to infection. in the last couple of years, support online FAWM has spawned new re- Michael Setzer January issue of the journal on GPP130. We started a col- Researchers still need to search used for building sta- communities Staffwriter Science. laboration and my lab, espe- check if manganese can pro- tistical language models to Much of their answer came cially Somshuvra, verified and tect against E. coli. Although help songwriters overcome and creativity.” When multiple children from searching one of the then extensively characterized it is a clear protector against writer’s block. The interactive died of an E. coli outbreak most basic units of life: cells. the effect of manganese on pure Shiga toxins, there needs tools featured on FAWM.org —Burr Settles that stemmed from a Jack in The Shiga toxin entering a cell GPP130.” to be more research to see that try to facilitate creativ- the Box restaurant in 1993, will quietly take over and shut That “effect of manga- how the manganese affects ity include Titular, LyriCloud, Postdoctoral the bacteria made national down ribosomes, the cellular nese” Linstedt spoke of was the bacterium that carries the Struxxure, and Plot Spline. researcher headlines. Millions of people machines that create essential that the metal can cause a toxin. Musicians can use Titular around the world continue to proteins for the body. deterioration of GPP130, Mukhopadhyay, however, to generate song titles and Vincent Poprocky, a se- die from multiple strains of The researchers observed leaving the Shiga toxin all is confident. “It is very likely start the creative process. nior at the University of Escherichia coli and other or- that the toxin would latch dressed up with no place the manganese will also work LyriCloud displays a num- Pittsburgh majoring in in- ganisms from the Shiga toxin itself onto GB3, a fatty mem- to go. In addition to being against the bacteria,” he said. ber of semantically related formation sciences, has family of bacteria despite ef- brane found in some cells. barred from the cytoplasm, He added cautiously, howev- words, starting from a seed participated in the FAWM forts by the federal govern- The toxin would then enter the toxin was displaced to er, that it is by “no means an word given as input. When challenge multiple times. ment to fight the strain, ac- the cell, roaming around and the lysosomes where it could absolute certainty.” typing in “life,” for example, Although he plays bass in a cording to an MSNBC article. interacting with a protein be destroyed. The treated In addition to figuring out some of the words that one band, he uses the website To aid in this fight against named GPP130, which Lin- cells were 3,800 times more the effect on bacteria, the re- might receive are “delish,” for his own songwriting. The the toxin, researchers at stedt discovered in the mid- protected than those without searchers want to test the ef- “freebie,” “soul,” “taxicabs,” one-month deadline is his Carnegie Mellon may have ’90s. From there it would visit manganese. fectiveness of manganese in or “unexamined.” motivator for writing many found a friend in the element other cellular regions, and The next step was to test combination with antibiotics. These are not random of the songs that he plans to manganese. eventually the ribosomes. the effectiveness of man- Linstedt plans to study the words, Settles explained. use for solo shows this year. Shiga toxin bacteria has Without ribosomes, the cell ganese in mice. After for- manganese after the toxin They are based on automated Completing the challenge been the culprit in millions is deprived of important pro- mulating a safe dosage, the has already created intestinal analysis of song lyrics from “is a good opportunity to of deaths, especially in devel- teins; this can create major is- researchers exposed groups damage — their success in the internet and of frequently have something that you can oping nations, according to sues within the body. of mice to the Shiga toxin mice was only a preventative associated words. be proud of and show peo- a Carnegie Mellon press re- Even after looking closely along with the manganese, treatment. Struxxure helps with gen- ple,” Poprocky said. lease. Although there are cur- at this model, the research- and another group with just Human trials, while dis- erating song structures, such In a world where art- rently antibiotics to fight the ers were unaware of how the the toxin alone. Within four tant, are in sight. “These as- as verse/chorus/bridge con- ists are constantly looking bacteria, the treatment forces toxin was able to success- days, the mice treated with says will take a few months to structions. Plot Spline is a for innovation, the FAWM the dying bacteria to release fully bypass so many parts of manganese were completely a few years,” Mukhopadhyay framing device for creating challenge tries to give some more toxins. This discharge the cell. They knew that the unharmed — in contrast to said, assuming that all the a song’s plot. An example of direction, Settles said; it can prove fatal for some pa- GPP130 protein played an im- their stiff counterparts in the studies will go as planned. a generated spline, accord- helps users to come up with tients. portant role in the movement control group. Eight years after discover- ing to the website, would ideas that are plausible but Searching for a solu- of the toxin, but they didn’t This discovery is promising ing the connection between be: “Write a song in second novel, while drawing some tion, postdoctoral researcher know how to stop it. for health advancements and GPP130 and Shiga toxin, the person (“you”) in which the boundaries. Somshuvra Mukhopadhyay “The original idea can be brings enticing possibilities researchers have finally found main character is thinking Although technology has and professor Adam Linstedt, traced to a phone call from for future Shiga toxin treat- an ally in manganese. Al- out loud. The story takes been utilized as an art me- both within the department Don Smith at UC Santa Cruz, ment. Manganese is a relative- though more research must be place in the present, and the dium, Settles said, it has not of biological sciences, discov- a toxicologist working on ly inexpensive and abundant done, the manganese brings scene is a moving vehicle.” been used enough to help ered the effects of the metal [manganese],” Linstedt said metal. If the research gets past possibilities for the millions The FAWM website has humans in the creative pro- manganese. Their research via email. “He thought he human trials, it could be a fea- suffering from Shiga toxin- become a “testbed for in- cess. This project tries to use was recently published in a saw an effect of [manganese] sible treatment. induced bacteria. teractive machine learning computer science in support technology to support online of the humanities and the communities and creativ- creative arts.

Daniel Tkacik/SciTech Editor Courtesy of Somshuvra Mukhopadhyay Burr Settles, a postdoctoral researcher in Carnegie Mellon’s machine Biological sciences department researchers Somshuvra Mukhopadhyay and Adam Linstedt conducted research exploring the benefits of manganese learning department, created an online songwriting challenge and against E. coli infections. tools to assist with the songwriting process. February 20, 2012 « The Tartan thetartan.org/scitech » A5

How Things Work Personal digital assistants utilize voice recognition Niharika Singh According to the website SmartPlanet, “Japanese food” in the user’s request, it could match the user’s needs. While this might Staffwriter voice recognition technologies have make use of the keyword “food” to realize sound long and complex, Rudnicky said that been around since 1940. Scientist at Bell that the user wants to look up restaurants. “a lot of these things whittle down to a fairly Each year, companies announce a new Laboratories Homer Dudley patented a Then, it could default to this form, fill in the simple process.” slew of cell phone features. Personal digital machine called the “Parallel Bandpass Vo- missing information, and perform a search The technology behind personal digital assistants, like Siri for Apple’s newest iPhone coder,” which could recognize and output for local Japanese restaurants. If the form is assistants is still fairly new, but one of the and Iris for Android phones, have made us- sounds based on what it heard. The first tech- incomplete, the digital assistant might ask limitations Rudnicky would like to see it ing cell phones easier than ever before. These nologies of this kind could only recognize a questions or ask the user to provide more overcome is its exclusivity to smartphones. digital assistants make using a cell phone few words by comparing them to signals in details. The machines could also be more intuitive more intuitive: Instead of having to press their memories and selecting the ones that Digital assistants also continuously im- and more accurately understand a wider set buttons to give commands, one can simply best matched. prove themselves by tailoring to their us- of accents and colloquialisms. Until then, talk to the cell phone as if it were another Since then, the technology has become ers; when a user tells the phone it is wrong, Calhoun said that she will stick to “typing person. more flexible and accurate, but its basic the phone remembers this and learns from with her fingers because it’s much faster most The technology underlying these digital structure has remained the same. Because its mistakes by fine tuning its algorithms to of the time.” assistants has some of its roots in our campus. machines are not capable of understanding In May 2003, the Defense Advanced Re- human speech, the best they can do is form search Projects Agency initiated a project reasonable guesses about what certain words called Cognitive Assistant that Learns and sound like and when humans are likely to Organizes (CALO) under its Personal As- speak certain words. sistant that Learns program. The CALO pro- Madison Calhoun, a sophomore chemical gram brought researchers from several uni- and biomedical engineering major, is a long- versities, including Carnegie Mellon. time iPhone user. Calhoun said that “while Alex Rudnicky, a research professor in the the technology is an improvement over what computer science department involved with came before and is very convinient, it’s still the project, described CALO as having “re- not very good at recognizing voices.” How- volved around the notion of having a comput- ever, as more people use voice recognition er system that would know about you, things technologies, the more data these machines you liked, and provide you access to informa- gather and the more intelligent they become. tion.” CALO was run by SRI International, After voice recognition, personal digital an independent non-profit research institute assistants synthesize the information that a that conducts contract research for govern- user requests. This essentially involves a form ment and business agencies. In 2010, Apple with several slots for questions. “For each slot acquired Siri from SRI International and re- you have a question, like ‘Where do you want leased it as an app. to fly?’ ” Rudnicky explained. Personal digital assistants require the use The digital assistant’s software comes of two technologies: voice recognition and with many such forms, and attempts to fit the information synthesis. words it hears into one of them. Voice recognition helps the devices ac- For example, the software might have a curately convert human sounds into words, form for looking up restaurants nearby. This while information synthesis interprets what form might have a blank space to be filled the human user needs and finds the informa- with the type of cuisine that the user wants. tion needed to complete the request. If the digital assistant hears the phrase Photo illustration by Alan Vangpat/Senior Staff

Scitech Briefs Texting affects Space junk ‘janitor’ Study shows babies Why do some Research reveals Facebook hacker ability to accept plans to clean up understand words dinosaur fossils true cost of meat- sentenced to eight and interpret words outer space at six months look so weird? based diet months in jail

A linguist at the University Scientists at the Swiss A study performed by re- Many fossilized dinosaurs Researchers at Lancaster The hacker who breached of Calgary in Canada claims Space Center are designing a searchers at the University have been found in twisted University in England found Facebook’s cybersecurity last that texting has a negative machine that would clean up of Pennsylvania found that postures with their heads that if everyone in the United April received an eight-month impact on a person’s linguistic space junk orbiting around infants between six and nine and necks abnormally arched Kingdom switched to a veg- prison sentence this past Fri- ability to interpret and accept Earth. Since 1957, nearly months old can understand backwards. Scientists have etarian diet, the reduced day. Last April, 26-year-old words. The linguist, Joan Lee, 6,000 satellites have been words spoken to them before always thought that this oc- greenhouse gas emissions British student Glenn Mang- asked 33 university students launched into Earth’s orbit, they even learn to speak. curred from death spasms, but would be equivalent to a 50 ham stole sensitive informa- questions about their reading but only an estimated 800 are The scientists showed 33 two researchers from Switzer- percent reduction in exhaust tion from Facebook’s internal habits, including text messag- still operational. The remain- babies aged six to nine months land and Germany have re- pipe emissions from the Unit- network while in his bedroom ing, and presented them with ing satellites are classified as images placed side by side. cently come to the conclusion ed Kingdom’s entire passenger in York, a city in northern both real and made-up words. space junk. They then tracked their eye that these twisted configura- car fleet. England. The study found that The new machine will movements while a parent tions may have occurred long The scientists calculated Prosecutors described the people who read more tradi- clean up this space junk by ei- asked them questions such after the dinosaurs’ deaths. the amount of greenhouse gas incident as the most serious tional media such as books ther capturing a piece of it and as, “Where is the apple?” The After experimenting with emissions that result from the case of social media hacking and newspapers were more self-destructing by burning study found that the babies chicken carcasses, they found production of various foods, to date. Facebook, which cur- accepting of new words, while up in the Earth’s atmosphere, were more likely to fix their that a ligament in the upper and found that meat had the rently boasts 845 million us- those who read less but texted or by propelling it into Earth’s gaze on the correct image, in- spine released energy as sur- highest emissions. They con- ers, released a statement say- more were less accepting. atmosphere to burn while the dicating that they understood rounding muscles and other cluded that switching to an ing, “We take any attempt to “The people who accepted cleaning machine remains in how the word was associated soft parts decayed, causing all-vegetarian diet would de- gain unauthorized access to more words did so because space. with the object. the neck to arch backwards. crease greenhouse gas emis- our network very seriously.” they were better able to inter- The scientists believe a similar sions associated with food pret the meaning of the word Source: Sky.com news, Source: Fox News process occurred in dinosaurs production by roughly 25 per- Source: Time magazine — or tolerate the word — even European Space Agency news after death. cent. if they didn’t recognize the word,” Lee explained in a Sci- Source: Science Daily Source: Lancaster University ence Daily article. news Compiled by Source: Science Daily Daniel Tkacik A6 « thetartan.org/forum The Tartan » February 20, 2012

From the Editorial Board Good behavior absent in American children Elana Goldberg stantly concede because no one has Junior Staffwriter the time to endure tantrums. It all fits into the frame of the busy Ameri- Generally, I think children are can lifestyle. sticky and noisy, and that they spit Middle-class French parents are a lot. Perhaps those are just the pre- excited about their kids. They talk to schoolers I know, as well as the ones them, explore with them, dive into on Toddlers and Tiaras. These are literature with them, and enrich the kids that fit the hyper, bratty im- them with culture. They are granted age of the typical American toddler. several public services (such as free Sociocultural theorists state that preschool programs) that allow a child is raised by the values and them to build this special hands-on traditions of its society. In the book bond that American parents seem Bringing Up Bébé, Pamela Druck- unable to form. man observes the sociocultural dif- American parents, who don’t ferences in child-rearing between have access to free preschool and Americans and Parisians. She con- other similar child development

Jonathan Carreon/Photo Editor cludes that French parenting is su- programs, are swamped with work perior to American parenting. I can’t and rely on daycare and nannies. It help but agree that French children is impractical for American parents Correspondent’s remarks exhibit issue with society are raised to be more polite, patient, to engage in the same routine child and overall civilized. outings because there is not enough Late last month, the Pentagon re- on several accounts. Her first mistake al assault in the military. It is likely It’s rare to see a quiet, idyllic fam- time or energy in the day to do so. leased a report that stated the rate of was assuming that the 64 percent that without these programs, even ily enjoying a peaceful meal at Pa- It is not rational to expect par- sexual crimes within the U.S. Army increase in reported sexual crimes more of the alleged 19,000 victims mela’s or The Cheesecake Factory. ents to raise children by a universal — most frequently “rape, sexual as- was due to the steady increase in the would be unheard, too ashamed or Kids in restaurants can be tyrants: standard, and therefore unrealistic sault, and forcible sodomy” — has number of women in the military. unwilling to step forward. They throw forks at their parents, to expect all children to develop the increased by 64 percent since 2006. At a Pentagon press conference Trotta also fails to recognize that race around the tables, and scream same. Of these reported sex crimes, 95 last Wednesday, Defense Secretary a significant number of the victims into the waiter’s ear. This scene does However, it is undeniable that percent were committed against Leon Panetta rightfully pointed out who haven’t stepped forward are not happen in Paris. French children French parenting results in children women. that this statistic is only indicative probably men. sit quietly, eat their meals, and con- that are, essentially, easier to handle Liz Trotta, a correspondent for of the number of reports of sexual The army’s ranks are currently 86 tribute to conversation, all while than American children. In this cur- Fox News and the first woman to cov- assault within the military, not the percent men and 14 percent women; having their napkin folded on their rent state, it is not always possible er a war for a broadcast news chan- actual number of assaults that have forced sodomy among men is prob- lap. for American parents to cut back on nel, commented last Sunday that taken place. ably much more common than the In a nutshell, French parents are work hours or take the occasional these “feminists” — as she seems to Last year, there were 3,191 re- statistics of sexual assault reports re- firm and authoritative. They do not day off. call women who serve in the military ports of sexual assault within the veal, due to the emasculation of the cripple under the crying, screaming, So, unless there are more min- and those who support the notion military. Panetta suggests that the act. or demanding of their children. They utes in the day or more economical- that these sex crimes are happening true estimate is around 19,000. Trotta’s remarks reflect the larger draw clear boundaries that their ly available public services, Ameri- — have only themselves to blame. The fact that the percentage of re- societal issue of blaming rape on children know not to cross, so the can parenting won’t emulate French “Now, what did they expect?” ported sexual assaults has increased victims. obedience seems almost automatic. parenting anytime soon. Although Trotta said during a Fox News seg- so dramatically over the past six years Not only should Trotta quickly re- It appears as though American American children are sticky, noisy, ment. “These people are in close should be viewed as a good thing be- lease an apology for her comments, children today have evolved to in- and prone to cause disruptions, it contact, the whole airing of this issue cause an increase in reports does not but our culture as a whole needs to nately know that if they shed enough would be fantastic to have a dinner has never been done by Congress, it’s mean an increase in sexual assaults. change so that victims are comfort- tears, they will eventually get their conversation not interrupted by a strictly been a question of pressure However, Trotta also condemned re- able reporting these crimes and re- way. Their parents or babysitters in- wailing toddler. from the feminists.” cent increases in funding to support ceiving the help they deserve from Trotta’s statements are erroneous programs that assist victims of sexu- society. Small tuition increase reasonable for new students Taxpayer support integral President Jared Cohon emailed tuition rates next year. consideration of each year’s tuition. members of the university last week Many students’ first reaction to Michael Murphy, vice president for to birth control argument with two important announcements: tuition increases is frustration or an- Campus Affairs, hosts an annual din- tions, and all other procedures the Inspire Innovation capital cam- ger — after all, Carnegie Mellon al- ner where administrators, faculty, Carl Glazer banned by the Catholic Church. paign hit the $1 billion milestone, ready has one of the highest tuitions parents, and students discuss the un- Junior Staffwriter These doctors are also forced to fol- and tuition for the 2012–13 academ- in the country. However, the uni- dergraduate experience at Carnegie Last week, the Obama admin- low any new moral medical guide- ic year is going to be increased. The versity’s rapid rise in prominence in Mellon, particularly tuition and fees. istration backed off of its previous lines the Church adopts during their fundraising milestone is a major ac- recent decades has created financial These events, and others like them, demand that religiously affiliated tenure. complishment for the university and shortfalls relative to comparable in- should continue in future years. institutions — such as Catholic hos- Many times when patients need its supporters, and we hope potential stitutions. University leaders would University administrators are pitals or Baptist colleges — provide to be hospitalized, they do not have donors continue to invest in Carn- prefer to fund financial aid, for ex- aware of the financial and human birth control to its female employees the ability to choose the hospital egie Mellon’s future. ample, largely from the endowment, costs of tuition increases, but they for free. based on religious affiliation. In That said, most current and pro- but they are currently unable to do also have a responsibility to con- This previous demand would these cases, patients lose many of spective students were more interest- so. Only through continued fund- tinue improving Carnegie Mellon’s have lumped these institutions in their rights, since some hospitals ed in the tuition increase. Although raising successes like the Inspire In- educational quality and student with regular employers, but instead enforce a moral code that nullifies we regret the necessity of annual novation campaign will these goals experiences. left religious institutions, such as many legal documents — such as tuition increases due to inflation and be reached. This year’s modest tuition in- churches and synagogues, alone. living wills — and at times puts pa- economic pressures, we support the Additionally, we support the uni- crease is an effective balance be- Religiously affiliated organizations tients’ lives in danger. Board of Trustees’ decision to imple- versity’s leaders in their efforts to in- tween students’ finances and the currently receive taxpayer funding, No institution has the right to de- ment a relatively modest increase in volve undergraduate students in the university’s future. yet are not required to follow the cide what is moral or even best for same laws as the secular organiza- its employees, particularly when it ‘Facebook Parenting’ father does not cross the line tions receiving government hand- comes to the employees’ own health, outs. based on religious principles that North Carolina father Tommy behavior online. While it may seem Jordan’s video is a form of disci- Religiously affiliated institutions they may not believe in. There is an Jordan posted a video on YouTube on rash or extreme, Jordan’s actions pline that, while more public than have no right to force their beliefs on expectation of privacy and personal Feb. 8, titled “Facebook Parenting: neither cross the line nor become most, does not cross the line. While their employees or customers, when choice under our constitution and For the troubled teen,” of himself dis- unacceptable. the video may not be indicative of they are being supported by taxpay- currently religiously affiliated insti- cussing a recent Facebook post made The use of a gun in the video has the entirety of the relationship, the er dollars. tutions are not protecting or accept- by his daughter Hannah. For the first drawn the most ire from critics. Ac- actions in the video correspond When Congress passed the 1965 ing of this right. seven minutes of the eight-minute cording to KSLA News 12, Child appropriately to the nature of his Civil Rights Act, it was mainly fo- While there is a need to protect video, Jordan chastises his daughter Protective Services visited Jordan’s daughter’s behavior. cused on eliminating racial discrimi- religious institutions, they should for posting her complaints against home in order to make sure it was a Jordan’s daughter should be nation, but it also included a clause lose this protection when serving her parents, calling it rude and dis- safe environment for his daughter. more embarrassed of the comments about religious affiliation. Religious public needs and getting taxpayer respectful. While his daughter’s safety is in her own post than of her father’s institutions that want to hire based funding. Once an institution accepts Citing that this wasn’t the first the primary concern, she was never reactionary video. on religion or expect employees to government funding, it should be re- time she was irreverent, Jordan then in danger. Jordan never physically When everything is posted, follow a strict moral code must ex- quired to adhere to all government proceeded to shoot eight bullets into threatened his daughter during the blogged, shared, and tweeted, the plicitly state that expectation and regulations and laws like any other the laptop that he bought and up- video, only promising that she was disciplining of children is also be- demand at the time of hiring. organization. graded for his daughter. going to be grounded for an extend- coming more public. While his meth- But what if an employee changes Religiously affiliated institutions As of last Friday, the video had ed amount of time. His use of the ods are far from normal, Jordan’s ac- his or her views, or the views of the must make a choice between strictly 26.5 million views. The popularity gun, while extreme, was controlled. tions are justifiable and indicate the institution change? In a Catholic enforcing their morality, and accept- of this video demonstrates the frus- He was not in a fit of rage while frustrations parents have at a time hospital, every doctor has to agree ing government funding with all of trations that many parents feel when shooting — he very calmly shot the when children have many public to follow the hospital’s ethics code the laws and regulations that come they cannot control their children’s laptop. outlets. that bans all contraception, abor- with such support.

Editorial Board Staff Christa Hester * Josh Smith Evan Kahn Will Penman Senior Staff Co-Publisher Forum Editor Copy Manager Staffwriter Stephanie Blotner, Stephanie Guerdan, Jackson Emily Dobler * Katie Chironis * Michael Kahn Lane, Alan Vangpat Editor-in-Chief Online Editor Contributing Editor Copy The Tartan is a student newspaper at Carnegie Mellon University, funded in part by the student Rachel Bullen, Stephanie Blotner, Connie activities fee. It is a weekly publication by students during the fall and spring semesters, printed by Trib Total Media. The Tartan is not an official publication of Carnegie Mellon University. The Chan, Jay Chopra, Hannah Dellabella, Matt Editorial Staff first issue is free; subsequent issues cost $0.50 at the discretion of The Tartan. Subscriptions are Mastricova, Sage Po, Michael Setzer, Stephanie Patrick Gage Kelley * Nicole Hamilton Kenneth WOng Kelly Harrington available on a per semester basis. Stern Co-Publisher Comics Editor Business Manager Asst. Systems Manager The Editorials appearing at the beginning of the opinion section are the official opinion of The MADELYN GLYMOUR Jonathan Carreon Courtney Wittekind * Bonita Leung Layout Tartan Editorial Board. Columns, Editorial Cartoons, and Reviews are the opinions of their News Editor Photo Editor Contributing Editor Asst. Copy Manager Jennifer Coloma individual creators. The Tartan Editorial Staff reserves the right to withhold from publication Daniel Tkacik Adelaide Cole Greg Hanneman Brent Heard any copy it deems unfit. Advertising SciTech Editor Art Editor Contributing Editor Asst. News Editor Grace Chung, Seo Young Hwang Letters to the Editor are the opinions of their authors. Letters from within the University com- Alex Tapak Alex Crichton Maricel Paz Rachel Cohen munity take precedence. Letters intended for publication must be signed and include the author’s Sports Co-Editor Systems Manager Contributing Editor Asst. Pillbox Editor address and telephone number for verification; letters must not exceed 350 words. Authors’ names Adam Gruber Sarah Zakrajsek Celia Ludwinski may be withheld from publication upon request. The Tartan reserves the right to condense or reject Sports Co-Editor Personnel Manager Contributing Editor any letter. Letters must be submitted by 5 p.m. on the Wednesday before publication by mail or to [email protected]. Allison Cosby Kathy Chen Stacey Chin Pillbox Editor Advertising Manager Contributing Editor Office: University Center 314 Mail: Phone: (412) 268-2111 The Tartan © 2012 The Tartan, all rights reserved. Fax: (412) 268-1596 Box 119, UC Suite 103 * Denotes executive committee member Library of Congress ISSN: 0890-3107 Web: www.thetartan.org 5000 Forbes Avenue E-mail: [email protected] Pittsburgh, PA 15213 February 20, 2012 « The Tartan thetartan.org/forum » A7

Pipeline construction could benefit economy Letter to the editor Tuition too costly for Kyle Henson students The Keystone XL pipeline, which I do not know how to respond has been hotly debated the past few upon learning that Carnegie Mel- months, was denied its permit last lon University is touting a percent- month by President Barack Obama age increase of “only” 4 percent on the grounds that he did not have in tuition for the 2012–13 school enough time to adequately review year, which will bring the tariff whether the pipeline would be to an astounding $44,880 per an- safe. This was after a compromise num. “Sticker shock” sets in for between Republican and Demo- those of us who are old enough to cratic members of Congress resulted remember college tuition of the in a deadline for a decision on the “dark ages” of the 20th century. pipeline. I attended Carnegie Mellon af- Republican members, led by ter graduating from high school Speaker of the House John Boehner, in 1974. The tuition for the year resurrected measures late last month at that time was $2,950. My late to construct the pipeline. Boehner’s mother, piano performer and goal is to give the House Committee teacher Gloria Siegle Spiegler, at- on Energy and Commerce the power tended Carnegie Tech from 1939 to grant the pipeline’s permits in- Juan Fernandez/Staff to 1943. When she began this won- stead of the president. derful period of her youth, the tu- Construction on the pipeline is correct, a project this massive is as competitive as the foreign market Midwest and hosts a large wildlife ition was $150 per semester. 2012– should be approved because it would an easy free-market solution to cre- for oil, then the Keystone XL pipeline population. 13 tuition is more than 15 times create a number of jobs, allow the ating short- to medium-term jobs would be just half of a two-part solu- However, the pipeline is “the that of 1974. If the prices of all es- U.S. to decrease its dependence on through the construction and long- tion to increasing energy indepen- most technologically advanced and sential commodities and services foreign oil, and be environmentally term maintenance of the pipeline. dence. safest pipeline in the world,” ac- had increased by that amount, the safe. The pipeline has the potential to If tax reform is enacted, then we cording Rep. Ed Whitfield (R–Ky.), a American people could not afford The U.S. Chamber of Commerce jump-start some long-term economic will have a gateway toward a safe member of the House Committee on to live. projects that 250,000 jobs would be growth. This would be a much need- oil partnership with Canada, a na- Energy and Commerce. TransCanada I understand that most CMU created by the pipeline’s construc- ed shot in the arm for our stagnant tion with which we have a history of has designed it to have 57 improve- students receive some type of fi- tion. According to a report by ABC economy. friendly trade relations. As of right ments on U.S. standard safety re- nancial aid, but that does not News, Boehner said that the pipeline Opponents of the pipeline claim now, however, even if the U.S. were quirements. negate the fact that a quality col- would add about 100,000 jobs to our on several blogs and environmen- to enact this tax reform, we still In addition, there are 200,000 lege education is generally unaf- economy. tal awareness websites, notably wouldn’t have developed the domes- miles of comparable pipeline in the fordable. One must be fabulously More modest projections from grist.org, that it doesn’t aid U.S. en- tic oil resources needed to be inde- U.S. that have managed to operate wealthy to pay “sticker price” to TransCanada, the company trying ergy independence because much of pendent. This is why development with little or no harm to the environ- attend Carnegie Mellon University. to construct the pipeline, claim that the oil going to Gulf Coast refineries of the pipeline would help give the ment. It would be interesting to learn around 20,000 jobs would be created is set for export and not sold to U.S. United States options in the future if The pipeline would help the U.S. what changes would be made in directly through construction. markets. we want to promote energy indepen- economy in many ways without a administrator and employee com- This doesn’t include the indirect Though they would be correct, dence. large environmental impact. Con- pensation and other lavish univer- economic stimulus that the construc- the reason that this oil is being ex- The biggest objection to the Key- gress needs to approve its construc- sity expenditures if an indepen- tion would provide by acquiring sup- ported is because proceeds on oil stone XL pipeline is its environmental tion for the economic security of our dent efficiency expert examined plies, or through the money that the exports are tax free, according to impact. The pipeline’s route would country. the ledger with an eye toward cut- workers would inject back into the tarsandsaction.org. go through the Ogallala Aquifer, ting fat. economy. If the U.S. were to equalize tax which provides drinking water and Kyle Henson (kahenson@) is a staff- Regardless of which projection rates and make the domestic market agricultural support for many in the writer for The Tartan. Oren M. Spiegler Visual cigarette warnings value American public’s health Braden Kelner arguing that their freedom of speech measures in place for years, is ex- Junior Staffwriter is being infringed upon for their own tremely disturbing. self-interest. According to journalist Lara Due to the ill effects of smoking, If they truly cared about the health Salahi of ABC News, the United the federal government is pushing for of their consumers and, in turn, the States is “now playing catch-up to graphic images of emaciated lungs, overall health of the nation, cigarette more than 30 countries” that have decayed teeth, and stomachs after manufacturers would have already similar graphic cigarette label laws surgery, to be required on cigarette searched for a healthier alternative already in place. packages. or been more willing to warn poten- There is no doubt that these la- This order, which comes from the tial buyers of their product’s negative bels would encourage consumers to Family Smoking Protection and To- effects. quit or avoid these habits in the first bacco Control Act of 2009, allows the Because the companies them- place, as they do in other countries. government to regulate the tobacco selves made such little effort for Even though not all of these coun- industry. change, they now have to fight gov- tries promote freedom of speech Even though major cigarette pro- ernment regulations such as these to the same degree that the United ducers are complaining that the new graphic warnings. States does, the warnings required law violates the First Amendment’s As noted by the Food and Drug by these nations must be considered freedom of speech clause, the use of Administration on its cigarette health a model for the United States if the these labels is necessary for the pro- warnings website, “tobacco use is the government hopes to significantly tection of people’s health. leading cause of premature and pre- curb the amount of smokers in the When it comes to the question of ventable death in the United States.” country. After all, these new labels an individual’s health versus a com- Complete freedom of speech, more clearly convey the factual im- pany’s freedom of speech, the health as advocated by cigarette compa- plications of smoking. of the individual should be the prior- nies, is detrimental to the welfare of Many critics claim that if the ity. Americans. gripes of the cigarette companies This is particularly noteworthy This freedom contributes to a are heard before the Supreme Court, when the number of people who die practice that has been deemed dan- they will win the battle that they each year from tobacco-related con- gerous by various institutions, in- have been fighting for almost a year ditions averages around 443,000 per cluding a group of 22 states that re- now. year, according to the Centers for Dis- cently announced their endorsement If this were to occur, the Supreme ease Control and Prevention in the of the graphic labels. Court would clearly be showing the article Tobacco Use: Targeting the Na- The fact that cigarette companies nation that the rights of large cor- tion’s Leading Killer At A Glance 2011. are opposed to these new labels, porations are valued over the health Juan Fernandez/Staff Cigarette companies are clearly when other countries have had these and rights of individuals. A PERSON’S OPINION Compiled by Jonathan Carreon We’re hungry at The Tartan. So we asked, What snack food personifies you and why?

Nick Gasabarro Alex Lam Ian Hartwig Amanda Ko Jason Yoder H&SS Undecided Computer Science MechE Computer Science Percussion Performance First-year Sophomore First-year First-year First-year

“SunChips, because.” “Two-year-old Smartfood popcorn “Nutella and Wheat Thins, “Ice cream, because I’m really “Goldfish, because of the silly that’s been under a cushion of a because it’s the most amazing cool.” smile.” couch. No reason.” snack ever. And a glass of milk.” A8 « thetartan.org/sports The Tartan » February 20, 2012

Tartans basketball faces Emory and Rochester at home Men’s basketball tops Emory Eagles Women stifle Yellowjackets’ sting Massengale, who has been katie Knox Shaw added 13 points. McK- buckets late in the game, but on the injured list for the last Junior Staffwriter eever and junior forward Em- free throws by Caufield and two weeks recovering from ily Peel pitched in 11 and 10 Shaw helped seal the victory. a concussion. “Christian got The Carnegie Mellon points, respectively. Yellowjackets junior guard the ball, drove to the left side. women’s basketball team was “I think we just need to Kristyn Wright air-balled a He drew two defenders and dealt another loss at home focus on playing together on three at the end of the game, kicked it out to Sean. The rest last Friday night. The Tartans both the offensive and defen- but Shaw was able to rebound was history.” hosted the Emory University sive ends, as well as running the miss and run out the The Tartans’ shooting was Eagles in their second and through the offense and get- clock. excellent, hitting 48.4 percent final meeting of the season. ting good looks for everyone,” Peel poured in 20 points from the field and 50 percent The Eagles extended their McKeever said. on only 11 shots and seven of their threes. Additionally, winning streak to four games Yesterday, the Tartans rebounds. Shaw added 17 they hit 93.8 percent from the with Friday’s 83–60 win, hosted the University of Roch- points, eight rebounds, and free-throw line, clobbering while the Tartans have now ester, the No. 11 team in Divi- five assists. McKeever also the Eagles’ 59.1 percent mark. lost three games straight. sion III, winning the contest scored in double digits with On Sunday, the Tartans The game looked promis- by a final score of 67–62. The 14 points. faced another conference foe, ing early on, as the Tartans win pushed the Tartans’ re- “We didn’t do anything the University of Rochester had a quick 9–0 lead from cord to 9–15 for the season differently to prepare for this Yellowjackets. Despite dig- three-pointers by first-year and 3–10 in the University game, we just had to play as ging out of a 14-point gap, the guards Chandler Caufield and Athletic Association confer- a team,” West said. “We had Tartans could not pull a vic- Gabrielle West. The Eagles’ ence. great intensity for all 40 min- tory, losing 81–74. full-court press rattled Carne- The Tartans held on to a utes of the game.” Just past the halfway mark gie Mellon and hindered their five-point lead with clutch The Tartans’ final game of of the second half, the Tar- offensive rhythm. However, free-throw shooting. The the season is this Saturday. tans were down 52–38. Coach the Tartans managed to break Yellowjackets’ senior center Tipoff is at 3 p.m. in Skibo Tony Wingen then called for a through and find some open Jodie Luther had two clutch Gymnasium. full-court press, which stifled spots at the basket. the Yellowjackets, and the Carnegie Mellon main- Tartans made their run. tained the lead for most of the “We were consistent with first half, until the Eagles went our press defense. We also on a 15–0 run to halt the Tar- tried to give as many ball tans’ strong start. With 6:18 screens as possible and run remaining in the half, Emory pick and rolls for our big took a 22–21 point lead. The men,” Riley said. Tartans could not regain the The constant attack in the Jonathan Carreon/Photo Editor lead for the rest of the game. Sophomore guard Sean Brophy’s last-second three lifted the Tartans paint opened up the floor for The Tartans tried to battle over the Emory University Eagles, 82–79. Carnegie Mellon, and a three their way back in the sec- by Riley tied the game with ond half, but trading baskets Adam Gruber situations, we emphasized 6:52 left. with the Eagles did not close Sports Co-Editor knowing the situations, being The Tartans were up by as the gap. The Tartans needed careful with the ball, and not many as five points, after a stops on defense, but offen- After several close games always taking the first option three by junior guard Andre sive rebounds gave the Ea- that ended in defeat, the on offense,” said sophomore Moore and a floater by Riley. gles 21 extra shots to further Tartans finally pulled out a guard Rashaun Riley. But late-game turnovers did extend their lead. Although clutch victory against the fa- Senior forward Joe Krom- not help, as the Yellowjackets Carnegie Mellon handled the vored Emory University Ea- ka led the way with 18 points. regained the lead and held on Eagles’ full-court press in the gles on Friday. With the final Sophomore forward Chris- for the win. first half, it got the best of seconds of the game ticking tian Manoli and senior John Riley led the way with 18 the team in the second. They away, sophomore guard Sean Duhring put together solid points on seven-out-of-nine turned the ball over 17 times Brophy hit a game-winning stat lines. Manoli put in 17 shooting. Brophy had a dou- in the second half. three-point shot. The game points and four assists while ble-double with 12 points and “In the second half, we was tied at 79 points, but Bro- Duhring added 15 points, 11 rebounds. The Tartans put weren’t guarding the arc on phy’s shot gave the Tartans a eight rebounds, and four together a solid team-scoring defense as well in the second 82–79 lead and the victory assists. effort, with seven players half, and had no inside-out with 0.6 seconds left. But Brophy’s only field goal scoring six or more, shooting game on the offensive end,” The Tartans have lost three of the game was the biggest 53.2 percent as a team. first-year guard Aspen McK- close games since Jan. 15, but for the underdog Tartans. Their play this past week- eever said. they finally exhibited compo- “They made their free end brings the Tartans to The Tartans finished the sure in the clutch. throw and Coach decided 8–16 for the season, and 3–10 contest with four players in “We focused on not beat- not to call a timeout,” said in University Athletic Associa- double figures. West led the Kate Groschner/Staff ing ourselves. In late game sophomore guard Marshall tion play. team with 14 points, and First-year guard Chandler Caufield is second on the team in assists with sophomore guard Jacquie 48 this season.

Sports Commentary The story of Linderella running Swimming and diving at UAA Carineh Ghafafian only thing I can hope for is 437.70 and 400.40 points, wild for the New York Knicks Staffwriter to improve even further. But respectively. I am focusing on one thing at For the women’s swim- Carl Glazer for the NBA. With the end of nearly impossible to maintain. The Carnegie Mellon a time in order to maintain a ming team, first-year Debra Junior Staffwriter the NFL season, the NBA was With the return of all-star for- swimming and diving team clear view of my goals,” Ra- Lin won the consolation final ready to capture the inter- ward Carmelo Anthony, Lin’s traveled to Cleveland, Ohio, zanav said. of the 200-yard backstroke “Linsanity” is sweeping the est of the American public. game has to change. With An- last Wednesday and stayed The Tartans’ next-best at 2:06.99, a season best for nation. The story of Jeremy Basketball fans are always thony averaging over 18 shots through Saturday for the Uni- finish came from junior Dan- her. First-year Kelley Sheehan Lin, the undrafted New York aware of the up-and-coming a game, Lin will be forced to versity Athletic Association iel Glaser-Garbrick finish- also placed in the same event, Knicks guard from Harvard NBA stars before the players be a more balanced point (UAA) Championship meet. ing second in the 200-yard finishing in third place with University, has exploded in are even out of high school guard than a high-volume The men’s team took fifth butterfly with a provisional 2:08.40. the media since his perfor- — Miami Heat forward LeB- scorer. place in the conference, while time of 1:51.42. Follow- Sophomore Soleil Phan, mance on Feb. 4 against the ron James’ high school games It’s important to realize the women came in third ing Glaser-Garbrick, junior who has been swimming since New Jersey Nets. He is the ul- were broadcast on ESPN. that Lin is only human. While overall. Brandon Yee also placed in she was seven, swam in the fi- timate underdog. Two weeks Typically, the big stories he was scoring the most Swimming in his first sea- the same race, coming in nals of the 100-yard freestyle ago, he was unsure of his job involving young players cen- points for any NBA player son for the Tartans, first-year fourth place at 1:53.00. and finished sixth with a time security; now he’s the East- ter around them failing to through his first six games, Anton Razanav had a strong With a personal goal to of 52.78. ern Conference Player of the reach their potential. That is he was also shooting far too performance. Razanav won make it to the NCAA meet Junior Breanna Stillo fol- Week. He has set the record why Lin’s story is much more many shots. Lin has to accept the 200-yard backstroke on this year, sophomore Austin lowed closely behind, coming for the most points scored in enthralling. He came out of that most nights he will be Saturday; his time of 1:51.53 Bohn came out strong at the in seventh with 53.23 in the a player’s first six starts, and nowhere and captivated the the Knicks’ third-best scoring was not only a season best, UAA meet, winning the con- same race. Speaking about he single-handedly put the sports world, both in America option. He showed signs of but an NCAA qualifying time. solation final of the 200-yard her experiences and goals, Knicks back into playoff con- and abroad. In the U.S., Lin’s progress in his first game with “This season, as a rookie, I breaststroke in 2:08.20. she said, “It was an awe- tention when they were fall- jerseys have become a lead- all-star teammate forward want to make a good name for At the deeper end of the some experience being part ing by the wayside. ing seller in sports apparel. Amar’e Stoudemire, taking myself in Division III swim- pool, senior divers Eli Fatsi of the first women’s relay to Lin led the Palo Alto High Globally, multiple Asian tele- on six shots but dishing out ming as well as in the UAA. If and Mike Alexovich fin- go to Nationals last year, so School basketball team to a vision providers now carry 13 assists in 26 minutes of my times allow me passage to ished sixth and seventh on it would be great to send an California state champion- Knicks games, so the first playing time. That night, Lin nationals in March, then the the one-meter board with even bigger group of people ship, but he wasn’t recruited Taiwanese-American NBA play- showed the kind of weapon he there this year.” to a single Division I basket- er can be broadcast across the can be for his team. With his Junior Price Kinney fin- ball program. He went to world. ability to drive to the basket, ished in fourth place in the Harvard University, where Lin got his shot in the worst Lin can draw in defenders, 200-yard breaststroke with a the academic competition is of situations. He was pulled opening up his teammates time of 2:24.59, a season-best strong but the athletic prow- off the bench as a last-ditch for uncontested dunks and time for her. Sophomore Ta- ess is not. Lin played against effort by Knicks coach Mike three-pointers. tiana Duchak made the finals substandard competition but D’Antoni to save his flounder- Lin has been a godsend for with a preliminary time of still solidified himself as a ing team. The Knicks were New York, but fans must real- 2:28.50, but was disqualified good college player. desperate for a solid guard ize it’s not his scoring ability during the final run. He was undrafted out of since Chauncey Billups, now that makes him great: It’s his At her last UAA meet, se- college, but was signed last with the Los Angeles Clippers, ability to open up the floor. He nior Hannah Gonzalez swam year by the Golden State War- left the team last season. Be- won’t average 25 points per in the consolation finals for riors and struggled to stay on fore Lin, the Knicks were in game for the rest of his career. the 200-yard butterfly, finish- the team. After getting cut by bad shape. After starting the But eight assists per game is an ing strong in third place with the Warriors, he was signed season 6–4, the Knicks lost six attainable mark. The quicker a time of 2:10.87. by the Houston Rockets and straight and hadn’t reached Lin, the Knicks, and the pub- The men and women who cut before he was able to play a .500 record, until Lin and lic can understand this, the made an NCAA provisional a single game. Ironically, Lin their subsequent winning faster we can stop celebrating mark this season are waiting has since blossomed with the streak. Lin for the high-volume scorer to hear if they made the draw Knicks. He has played incredibly he has been, and embrace the for the National champion- Lin’s rise to fame could not well the past two weeks, but amazing point guard he can File photo by Jennifer Coloma ship meet that will be held in have come at a better time his scoring pace is going to be someday become. Sophomore Austin Bohn won the 200-yard consolation this weekend. Indianapolis, Ind., in March. HAIR

Oscar-nominated shorts Short films show wide variety of creative influences • B6

02.20.12 Volume 106, Issue 19 ...this week only SMBC 3 Zach Weiner, author of Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal, visits Carnegie Mellon. Jazz Nights 4 Interval Monday and Space Exchange offer weekly jazz performances. From the Top 5 NPR program records young musicians show live in Pittsburgh. Short Films 6 A review of films competing for this year’s Live- Action and Animated Short Film Oscars. Film Festival 7 ArtHang and Film Club present student films at The Frame Gallery. Hair Review 8 Drama students put on compelling performance of classic musical. Scotch’n’Soda 9 Students present a new take on a Greek classic, Eurydice. 10 Reading 8 The Creative Writing Student Series begins with “Hearts (And Other Organs).”

3 4 9 10 regulars...... diversions

3 Advice 11 Comics Everything you need to know about Check out the latest installment of Apartment roommates and girlfriends. 4H. 5 Paperhouse 13 Puzzles WRCT discusses managing hype and building Test your skills with this week’s sudoku and relationships with artists. hexadecimal sudoku. 7 Dollar Movie 14 Horoscopes AB Films presents three movies and the Discover your future through this week’s Academy Awards. horoscopes. 10 Did You Know? 15 Calendar Fifty years ago, the International Club hosted a Find out what’s happening on campus and Mardi Gras-themed “masked ball.” around Pittsburgh.

CO-PUBLISHER Christa Hester CO-PUBLISHER Patrick Gage Kelley EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Emily Dobler PILLBOX EDITOR Allison Cosby ASSISTANT PILLBOX EDITOR Rachel Cohen COMICS EDITOR Nicole Hamilton ART EDITOR Adelaide Cole PHOTO EDITOR Jonathan Carreon COPY MANAGER Evan Kahn COVER Courtesy of Christian Fleming

The Tartan . Box 119 . UC Suite 103 . Carnegie Mellon University . 5000 Forbes Ave . Pittsburgh, PA 15213 . www.thetartan.org . © 2012 The Tartan SMBC author comes to CMU Advice for awkward people Zach Weiner discusses new book, connects with audience About roommates and girlfriends

Dear Patrick, Dear Patrick, Author and illustrator of the popular daily webcomic “While the Q & A was usual, it was cool that he had Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal Zach Weiner the book preview.” My roommate got a new I just got a new girlfriend came to Carnegie Mellon last Thursday to give a girlfriend, and I have and I’m spending a lot of lecture in McConomy Auditorium, sponsored by Nerdy and humorous references abounded as mixed feelings about it. time with her, so I haven’t the Activities Board. The content of his lecture, Weiner presented the rest of the novel, and He’s never in the room been hanging out with my from a preview of his new book to a Q & A session, his comedic nature really exhibited itself. In a anymore, which is great. roommate as much. It’s solidified the reason why his work is so popular on community like Carnegie Mellon, often deemed On the other hand, I pretty clear he’s getting campus. socially awkward even by its own students, such hate seeing him happy. jealous and lonely, but humor thrives because of its geeky perspective. He used to be full of won’t admit it. How do I While McConomy wasn’t packed with attendees, contempt and rage, but get him to open up? the enthusiasm that accompanied Weiner’s entrance After the “Adventure of Your Own Choosing” now he’s mellowed, full made up for it. Weiner greeted the crowd, adorned portion, Weiner then proceeded to the Q & A portion only of hatred and anger. Sincerely, in a Carnegie Mellon scarf and socks with sandals. of the lecture. While the advance preview of his new Is there a way I can keep Can’t Appreciate book was funny and entertaining, this part of the him out of the room and Roommate’s Position His lecture consisted mainly of two parts. The first evening was much more interesting. unhappy? involved him presenting an “Adventure of Your Dear CARP, Own Choosing,” plotted out in a Microsoft Word Weiner usually focuses his comics on the topics of Thanks, document and projected for everyone to read. It science, math, love, religion, history, and phallic Need Original Tips, Well, the first thing you is the current version of a book he hopes to have humor. When asked about the prominence of Laughter Of Neighbor need to do is rub it in his written, illustrated, and published in a few months. nihilism in his comics, Weiner responded, “Nihilism Encourages Lonesome face. Really let him know is funny. It’s kind of depressing, but it’s fun to put in Yearnings how happy you are in Without giving too much away, the book involves comics.” your relationship. Let him the reader choosing among various vocations, Dear NOT LONELY, stew in his envy. At some dealing with interesting people and places named His ability to connect to the audience had less to point, it’ll boil over and he’ll after Czech curse words, and making heinous do with the subject matter of his comics and works, It may seem like a smart do something passive- decisions. When confronted with a future career and more to do with his genuine persona. “He idea to sabotage his new aggressive, like writing path, the crowd, of course, chose for the protagonist was just a very cool guy,” said Karl DeStefano, a relationship, but if they break about you in his newspaper to be an engineer. sophomore physics major. “He was very nice. Before up he’ll probably spend a column. Then, get him the show he was doing drawings and talking to few weeks moping around drunk. He’ll probably make “This is unhygienic, even for the engineering people.” In many ways, Weiner could have been a your room, complaining a tearful, heartfelt confession department,” Weiner said, quoting a passage from student at Carnegie Mellon. He was very attuned, about the noise, your mess about his feelings. You can the book detailing a gruesome fight scene. He knew both in appearance and speech, to the populace of on the floor, and his abject hold this over his head for a his audience too well. the university. despair. And that’s much long time. worse than having him out of “It was different from most lectures,” said Lauren During the talk, Weiner also described his writing the house and happy. If that doesn’t work, try Ruoff, a sophomore in the College of Fine Arts. process, often sending ideas to a “joke congress” bringing your girlfriend comprised of his friends and wife before they The key is to keep them around your apartment for become comics. When a comic that his wife did together and to make him visits. The three of you could not find funny becomes popular and receives a unhappy in other ways. For all hang out together! He lot of views, Weiner described it as, “Winning the instance, if she has a friend definitely won’t hate that. relationship.” He added, “I’m way ahead.” he hates, suggest they go Maybe the two of them on double dates together. could become besties. You Weiner really connected with the audience Convince her to take him could even try to set him up throughout his lecture. While the book preview was clothes shopping. If he with her friends. I’m sure he humorous, it was his casual talk with the audience wants to look good in front won’t mind your unsolicited that really shone through. It’s how his perspective of her, you can use that to intrusion into his personal life comes through in person and in his work, in get him to do stuff for you. one bit. addition to the subject matter and style of his Just remember: It’s more comedy, that made this lecture memorable. important that you have the Or just take him to a bar room to yourself. to cry into some whiskey, Patrick Hoskins Josh Smith | Forum Editor Don’t worry about your own encroaching loneliness, Need advice? Send queries Patrick Hoskins to [email protected]. SMBC author and illustrator Zach Weiner gave an entertaining lecture to a small but enthusiastic crowd last week. Jonathan Carreon | Photo Editor community pillbox 02.20.12 3 Lively jazz nights rekindle flame in Pittsburgh Interval Mondays and Space Exchange promise vivacious weekly performances

A city that used to be a veritable hotbed of American A documentary-style web series, called The Interval Trio Jazz, Pittsburgh has seen what could be described as & Friends, is currently being produced that focuses on a process of jazz atrophy. Cultural institutions like the the lives and sessions of the musicians. August Wilson Center and the Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild feed off a legacy of jazz, not a vibrant scene. In contrast to the Interval Monday jam sessions, Space Exchange at the Thunderbird Cafe is marked Traditional venues, like CJ’s in the Strip District, have by an approach that resembles a New York City strict age restrictions (CJ’s is closed to patrons younger artist residency, something rarely seen in Pittsburgh. than 30) and prevent jazz from being experienced across Saxophonist Ben Opie, drummer Dave Throckmorton, generations. Additionally, WDUQ, formerly Pittsburgh’s guitarist Colter Harper, bassist Matt Booth, and only jazz radio station, changed to an NPR news station guitarist/drummer Chris Parker are the core members last year. There are simply not enough lively hubs for the of Space Exchange, and they collectively oversee the cultivation of an innovative jazz scene in Pittsburgh. programming for the evenings.

In light of this seemingly atrophied jazz environment, In 2011, the group decided to approach Thunderbird two events in Pittsburgh reveal that the local Cafe owner John Pergal for a shot at a weekly residency. contemporary jazz scene is rekindling: On Mondays, Because Pergal has supported the group’s past efforts, AVA Lounge in East Liberty hosts Interval Monday, and this collaboration seemed natural. However, the group Juan Fernandez | Staff the Thunderbird Cafe in Lawrenceville hosts Space has actively argued that Space Exchange neither be Exchange on Tuesdays. billed as a jazz event nor as a jam session. As a result, local scene. Jazz is happening; now it is up to the patrons won’t find musicians casually strolling in to audiences to continue sharing the experience. On what is considered the week’s dead night for display their skills in a specific genre. Rather, they will entertainment in Pittsburgh, AVA Lounge offers one of find a variety of ensembles associated with the core Future performances at Space Exchange will the hottest jazz jams, incorporating silent film projections members, rotating in and out of the Thunderbird Cafe, feature Opie performing the works of American and an open stage. The weekly session was founded by waltzing across the boundaries of styles. composers Thelonius Monk, Anthony Braxton, and pianist Howie Alexander in July 2007, and is now known Ornette Coleman, alongside bassist Jeff Grubbs and as the premier event for jazz music in Pittsburgh due to Aiming to develop a lasting presence in Pittsburgh, Throckmorton’s “Book Exchange.” the local and nationally recognized talent it attracts. the group draws on the public interest in some of the collective’s established bands like Opie and Typically, the sessions consist of two sets. The first set Throckmorton’s Thoth Trio, Harper’s Rusted Root, and Juan Fernandez | Staffwriter belongs to the Interval Trio (Alexander, Paul Thompson, Opie’s audacious free jazz orchestra, Opek. and James Johnson III), while the second set opens up the stage to musicians in the audience. The jam Given the history of Pittsburgh’s local jazz scene, events session features both jazz standards and original like Interval Monday and Space Exchange give hope for compositions, and resident DJ J. Malls (also known as a playful and innovative scene in the future. As it stands, Jason Molyneaux) spins classic jazz vinyl during breaks. jazz enthusiasts need not fear a continued atrophy of the

music 4 pillbox 02.20.12 NPR features young musicians Paperhouse From The Top records episode at Carnegie Music Hall On hype

Making their way to their seats at Carnegie Music Sewickley, has been arranging and composing his Last October, M83’s sixth album, Hurry Up, We’re Hall last Tuesday night, the show’s attendees must own music since he was six years old. He gifted Dreaming, was released. After months of build-up, a pretty have wondered if they’d come to the right place the audience with a flashy performance of Frédéric good single, and a music video about runaway telekinetic to see From The Top, an NPR program hosted by Chopin’s Polonaise, the Romantic composer’s “let’s kids who throw a super-hip party in a warehouse (or renowned pianist Christopher O’Riley. A showcase rock out” piece for piano. Quite the little showman, something like that), critics and fans alike devoured it. for musicians under age 18, From The Top was in Voinov took moments to recoil from the piano like a Pittsburgh for a live recording. cat crouching to pounce, so that he could have the As a huge M83 fan, I was just as pumped as everyone else momentum to pound out some of the more exciting for the supposedly epic double-album that would forever The stage looked more like it was set up for a chords. change the way that I would perceive music. After listening three-ring circus than for a live taping of a radio to the album a couple of times, waiting for that moment show: Along with the music stand and grand piano, During the interview, Voinov revealed that his of spiritual awakening, I realized the awful truth of Hurry there were four microphones on stage right, a high showmanship tends to control how he presents his Up, We’re Dreaming: It was just another M83 album. A wooden chair and small table on stage left, and performances. For example, last year he arranged very good M83 album, but an album that was hyped to an a curious black box covered with a black cloth. a version of “Frosty the Snowman” for piano and absurd extent. One could almost visualize jugglers dancing about orchestra, and performed it with the Pittsburgh the stage and the young performers playing their Symphony Orchestra — dressed as a snowman. He Due to this hype, it was impossible for me to tell if I instruments while dangling from trapezes. finished the interview by going back to the piano, genuinely liked the album. I eventually got so sick of all the donning a frizzy black wig, and playing his own jazzy praise that I started to hate it on principle. On the flip side, The black box ended up being an actual magic trick: arrangement of Niccolò Paganini’s famous Caprice when my friend introduced me to M83’s debut album a The show’s announcer, Joanne Robinson, placed No. 24. couple years ago, I didn’t have some exterior force telling a red suitcase on the black box and proceeded to me how I should react to it. I felt like I was truly discovering pull out an assortment of plastic flowers and plant The show’s peak, however, was violinist Kelly something, building a relationship with the music. them in a vase on the small table. The box then Talim, a 16-year-old Illinois resident and student of got up and walked off stage — there had been a Carnegie Mellon music professor Cyrus Forough. This relationship-building is why there are so many woman handing Robinson flowers from the box. She performed Belà Bartok’s Second Rhapsody with venerated classics that continue to be played to this day: Other theatrics included one of the show’s producers seeming effortlessness. Judging her solely by that Pink Floyd’s The Wall, Led Zeppelin’s Led Zeppelin IV, cartwheeling on stage and an announcement that performance, one could rightfully say that she’s pretty much everything The Beatles ever put out. But our “coughing during the music is punishable by death.” bound to have a successful career. inability to detach ourselves from this relationship and our continued insistence on publicly extolling them has Once the actual recording began, a euphonium The show itself wasn’t flawless: While interviewing prevented anyone who came after their time from building soloist was the first to perform. It was certainly an Jameson, who was talking about how he comes from a real, individualized relationship with the music. odd opener, but 17-year-old Grant Jameson made the a long line of brass players, O’Riley made the remark, instrument — a mini-tuba of sorts — sound like a “I enjoy a line of Jamesons, now and again.” There So if you have an album you really love or a band that you lilting, brassy bassoon. The versatility he presented was also some feedback during the interview with would give anything to see live that you just have to show was astonishing. the Temple University Quartet, so part of it had to people, check yourself. Suggest it and let your friends be re-recorded. However, the phenomenal young discover it for themselves. The only way that good music What truly made From The Top different from a musicians definitely made up for the inherent pitfalls will survive the generation it was composed for is if a new classical recital were the interviews. After every of a live radio show. generation can view it as genuinely meaningful, and not young musician’s performance, O’Riley would just as a facet of culture. chat with him or her at the microphones on stage right. These interviews seemed to be planned out Evan Kahn | Copy Manager in advance, but they were still interesting. They Matt Mastricova | Staffwriter served to let the audience know a little more about From The Top, and all of NPR’s shows, air on WQED the young musicians, while adding some comedic 89.3 FM. entertainment. top 10 on WRCT 88.3 FM Two of the acts — 17-year-old violist and most played albums of the last week Pittsburgher Daniel Orson, and the Temple 1 Gonjasufi — MU.ZZ.LE University Music Prep Honors String Quartet — 2 The Black Keys — El Camino were very good, but paled in comparison to the two Brain Fruit — 1.1 best musicians of the night. 3 4 Jakob Olausson — Morning & Sunrise Aleksandr “Sasha” Voinov, a home-schooled 5 Guided By Voices — Let’s Go Eat The Factory 14-year-old from the riverside Pittsburgh suburb of 6 Sigur Ros — Inni 7 Roll the Dice — In Dust 8 El Rego — El Rego This episode of From the Top was recorded at 9 Lamb of God — Resolution Carnegie Music Hall. 10 The Jezabels — Prisoner Courtesy of Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh music pillbox 02.20.12 5 A review of Oscar-nominated short films Live-action, animated short films provide varied perspectives on growing up, making peace

Regent Square Theatre has been showing the with regrets and facing a troubled past, the film lacked 2012 Oscar-nominated short films since Feb. 10, in any compelling reason to pay attention for 31 minutes. preparation for the Academy Awards on Feb. 26. This Time Freak is an American film about an inventor who year’s Oscar-nominated shorts showcase a variety of creates a time machine, but gets caught up traveling creative influences in the field. While some are certainly around yesterday. The short was funny and the audience stronger than others, all of the contenders have a unique seemed to enjoy it, but its cuteness also made it seem a story, style, and perspective. bit amateur.

Live-Action The last film for this category was Tuba Atlantic. Directed by Hallvar Witzø, this Norwegian short follows Pentecost, an Irish film directed by Peter McDonald and the final days in the life of Oskar, a 70-year-old man who Eimear O’Kane, follows the story of Damian, a young boy is going to die in six days. He is faced with the challenge who is forced to serve as an altar boy when he would of making peace with his brother before he dies, and is rather be out playing football (soccer). This comedic film only able to do this by sending huge sound waves across portrays Damian’s tough decision between conforming the Atlantic Ocean from a giant tuba that he and his to what his parents want him to do and following brother built when they were younger. The film brought his heart. Pentecost had the audience laughing all tears to my eyes three separate times in 25 minutes, throughout the credits and into the opening of the next and it was the only film in the Live-Action category that film. received applause from the audience at the end.

Raju is a German and Indian film directed by Max Zähle Animation and Stefan Gieren. The story shows a German couple that travels to India to adopt a young boy. The couple The films in the Animation category were less faces a moral dilemma when they find out that the impressive as a whole than the live-action films. child they are adopting was not abandoned, but rather kidnapped. The film was well made and featured an Dimanche/Sunday, a Canadian film directed by Patrick excellent soundtrack, but the nuances of the story would Doyon, followed the story of a family’s Sunday routine Courtesy of FilmAffinity have been better in a feature-length film with more and a young boy’s imagination. The animation was The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore is background about the couple’s relationship. cute and the music was excellent, but by the end the a heartwarming story of healing after a tornado. audience was left underwhelmed. The two films that followed, The Shore and Time Freak, were enjoyable but forgettable. The Shore was A Morning Stroll shows the story of a New Yorker The last film of the evening, La Luna, was a coming- the longest of the short films and seemed to drag on. who walks past a city-savvy chicken on his morning of-age fable about a young boy who helps his father Despite its heartwarming message of making peace promenade. The scene is shown three separate times — and grandfather clean stars off the moon every night. once set in 1959, once in 2009, and once in 2059. Each The story was well written and humorous, and left the scene has a different animation style, which made it one audience with a positive message about finding oneself. of the more visually interesting animated shorts. Predictions Wildlife, directed by Amanda Forbis and Wendy Tilby, follows the story of a young Englishman who travels While all of the short films deserve their spots as to the Canadian frontier to become a cowboy, only to nominees, two films stood out. Tuba Atlantic will win find that he doesn’t quite fit into his dream life. His in the Live-Action category. The story was beautiful life is compared to that of a comet throughout the film, and the film was expertly produced. Humorous and and in the end, the young man sees a comet in the sky heartwarming, it was impossible to walk away from the and freezes to death in a snowy field. The story was theater without making some sort of positive comment interesting, but the film seemed to drag on for much about the film. The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. longer than 13 minutes. Morris Lessmore will win in the Animation category. It was perfect: perfect story, perfect animation, perfect The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore is message, perfect for the award. an allegory about the healing powers of books. The animation was sophisticated and impressive, and the message of the story felt very relevant when it seems Allison Cosby | Pillbox Editor like few people read novels anymore. The film was a bit cheesy at times, but it was enjoyable and delivered a The Oscar-nominated shorts are showing at Regent poignant message. Square Theatre through Feb. 23; the Academy Awards will take place on Sunday, Feb. 26. Tuba Atlantic is the story of an old man who must make peace with long-lost brother before he dies. Courtesy of IMDb

film 6 pillbox 02.20.12 The Frame Film Festival displays student work ArtHang, Film Club present wide variety of student films, transform gallery space into theater

On Friday, The Frame was transformed into a sleek trailer for “Static Shock,” a fan film by senior directing viewing spaces with seating and films projected onto display of video art. The Frame Film Festival, a combined major Stefan Dezil, which will be released in March. the wall. The work displayed on this floor varied, but was effort of Carnegie Mellon’s student organizations Rows of metal chairs sat facing the projection, and the generally abstract rather than narrative. ArtHang and Film Club, displayed the diverse and notoriously creepy underground space of The Frame was eclectic film work of students. transformed into a theater. The technology that was working to keep the show running seemed to seamlessly continue the loops The show was largely formulated by sophomore art Talia Levin, a first-year Bachelor of Humanities and Arts of video, deliver the audio needed, and run without majors and ArtHang heads Caroline Record and Michael student in directing and creative writing, explained her noticeable glitches. Bueno admitted that the Bennett; Claire Gustavson, a sophomore Bachelor of experience in Film Club while watching the projected technological aspects of the show provided a challenge, Humanities and Arts student in art and philosophy; shorts downstairs. “All that you really need to make a since each separate television had to be working and and Film Club president and senior art major Benjamin movie is people who want to do it.... Film Club is a nice also have a headphone jack. Welmond. Sophomore Bachelor of Computer Science way to know these people,” she explained. “The only and Arts student Andrew Bueno, digital media manager way you can learn [how to make films], especially in a First-year linguistics major Edward Wojciechowski for ArtHang, was the technical head who worked place that isn’t a film school, is to keep doing it over and III commented upon leaving, “I liked that the array of behind the scenes and really got the “show on the road,” over again.” films showed varied in genre. There was something for Gustavson said. everyone.” The upstairs portion of the The Frame was dedicated The downstairs portion of The Frame was dedicated to to the student work submitted to ArtHang. The This show displayed over 30 student works in an the work produced by the Film Club since 2010. These dividing walls from last week’s show were kept intact intimate and engaging space. The integration of two narrative pieces included 2010 works like “Zombie in order to create four separate viewing spaces for student groups allowed for a more thorough display of College: The Musical,” 2011 short group projects the work. Two of the sections displayed several small the many different types of film work created on campus, from Film Club, and more professional pieces like the televisions with their own DVD players and headphones and provided for a successful show. displaying videos on a loop. These devices were slightly hypnotizing to watch, as viewers walked from one TV to the next. Other sections were transformed into larger Samantha Ward | Junior Staffwriter

dollarmovie McConomy Auditorium, University Center Jesse Kummer | Staffwriter

Like Crazy A Very Harold and Kumar Wet Hot American Summer Academy Awards Thursday, Feb. 23 Christmas Saturday, Feb. 25 Sunday, Feb. 26 8 10 12 Friday, Feb. 24 10 12 7 8 10 12 Like Crazy is a romantic drama that Set six years after the sequel, the Wet Hot American Summer is one of The Activities Board is showing the won the Grand Jury Prize at last year’s franchise that helped relaunch Neil the most underrated comedies to come Oscars in their entirety in McConomy Sundance Film Festival. Jacob, an Patrick Harris’ career is back and out in the last 15 years. It stars a bevy Auditorium this Sunday. This year’s American design student, and Anna, just as funny as ever. This film follows of comedic actors including Janeane event will be hosted by Kermit and a British exchange student, fall in love the fearless duo as they embark on Garafolo, Paul Rudd, Amy Poehler, Miss Piggy. There will be snacks and over a year’s time and stay together another spectacular journey after Kumar Michael Ian Black, Michael Showalter, plenty of opportunities to make fun for a summer. After visiting family accidentally burns down Harold’s Elizabeth Banks, and many more. The of the stars from the comfort of a in England, Anna is denied re-entry father’s prize Christmas tree. It’s silly, movie shows these men and women as squeaky chair. Nine films are competing into the United States, forcing the yes, but what else would you expect? camp counselors who hilariously make for Best Picture this year: The Artist, couple into a strained long-distance Fun Fact: Danny Trejo, who plays Mr. it through the final week of summer The Descendants, Extremely Loud relationship. Like Crazy’s script was Perez in the movie, wears an ugly camp. The film is very tongue-in-cheek & Incredibly Close, The Help, Hugo, improvised almost entirely by the Christmas sweater in the film; that alone about itself. Several scenes are too over Midnight in Paris, Moneyball, The Tree actors. Fun Fact: The ex-wife of the should be reason enough to see this. the top to even describe. It’s the perfect of Life, and War Horse. Will your favorite director has stated that the movie is movie to just sit back, turn your brain movie come home with any Oscars? basically a re-enactment of their own off, and watch. And isn’t that a fantastic romantic history. thing to do around midterms?

film pillbox 02.20.12 7 Hair packs punch despite small-scale production Drama students take fresh approach on classic musical, put on compelling performance

“Vibrant. Visceral. Introspective.” his true feelings to his principal, who is scandalously But when he goes to toss it in, he can’t. This moment imagined as a Nazi. The free-spirited hippies show of indecision is emphasized by the piano’s high notes, That’s how Christian Fleming, a senior directing major, Claude a new life, unbounded and full of beauty. played by junior piano performance major Stephanie described his rendition of Hair, which was performed Mao. last week in the Helen Wayne Rauh Theater in Purnell. However, Claude’s parents pressure him to “start being Fleming was behind the scenes of the show that served an American” and get a job. The beauty of the stage And suddenly, reality hits. The playfulness of the first half as his senior thesis. “Instead of documenting the journey is exemplified in a great scene when Claude explains of the show is gone, and the impending dangers of war of a generation of youths,” Fleming explained, “we are everything he has to his parents. During this song, called quickly approach. Those in charge of the show’s props trying to create a compelling, personal story of one “I’ve Got Life,” the members of the tribe were seamlessly did an excellent job, especially in this portion of the man’s life.” This plot adjustment was intentional, and integrated into the scene as background dancers. performance, substituting canes for muskets and bent Fleming said it contributed to his desired vision for the Tischler’s voice dominated the song, from the slower wire hangers for bows and arrows. production. emotional parts to the energetic wordy bits. All too soon, the grim and gritty reality sets in as fellow As audience members filtered into the theater, they were Claude deals with a difficult dilemma in the show: He soldiers are shot while crossing trenches — wonderfully greeted by Claude (played by junior acting major Jacob wants to make change, but doesn’t want to go to war accompanied by a sharp, low crash on the piano. Some Tischler), the show’s main character, sitting silently in to do it. When he receives his draft card, however, he take their own lives with imaginative yet disturbing a hospital bed in the middle of the stage. Claude thinks begins to think seriously about his departure. Claude depictions of self-strangulation and lighting themselves back to the moment he received his draft card for the then sings “Hair,” the title song, a number dedicated on fire. The dramatics continue as Claude ends up in a Vietnam War. He is greeted by some familiar faces: From to the luscious and lengthy locks that defined the late one-on-one fight with an enemy soldier. behind a 30-foot white sheet come the 11 members ’60s. This song is the epitome of the show’s message of the “tribe,” spinning Claude’s hospital bed as they the importance of self-expression. It begins slowly, with Claude steals his opponent’s knife and fatally stabs him, parade around him. Their leather vests, bell-bottoms, ­Claude and fellow friend Berger (played by Rodney but is so horrified by what he’s done he convulses in and voluminous hair provide colorful and vibrant contrast Jackson, a junior drama major) harmonizing gradually horror and begins to cry. In the end, Claude falls victim to the drab, hospital gown-wearing man weakened by before exploding into a lively parade of expression and to the violence of war and suffers several knife gashes post-traumatic stress disorder. resistance. — accentuated with a loud piano crash, reminiscent of the slashing from the infamous shower scene in Alfred The tribe whisks him back to the time when he was In a pivotal scene, the members of the tribe surround Hitchcock’s Psycho. young and rebellious, when he adopted the title a fire with the men lining up one by one, each tossing Aquarius. With this confidence and bravado, Claude his draft card into the flames. Claude is last in line, and The tribe members return him to the hospital bed where drops out of school, not holding back in expressing as his friends cheer him on, he approaches the fire. the show began, giving their goodbyes. The light goes out on the tribe, shining only on Claude as he curls up in bed. Total darkness fills the stage as the tribe sings the last lines of “Let the Sun Shine In.”

This show is as big as the hair it’s named after, but the theater only had a 140-person maximum capacity, so scaling down the big production was no easy task. The cast of 12 tackled an impressive 24 songs, each member getting his or her own solos throughout the show. A single, static set with just the right amount of detail served as the backdrop to the show. Despite being a scaled-down version of the original, this production of Hair hit all the right notes.

Nick Guesto | Staffwriter

Courtesy of Christian Fleming Members of a hippie tribe help Claude (junior Jacob Tischler) choose between going to war or giving up on his dream to make change.

theater 8 pillbox 02.20.12 Scotch’n’Soda puts on rendition of Eurydice Adaptation of Greek classic, impressive set design captivate, unnerve audience

“The Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice is a tragic tale of love and loss,” says the director’s note in the playbill for Scotch’n’Soda’s Eurydice. The 90-minute show, which had three performances last weekend in the University Center’s McKenna/Peter/Wright room, was directed by Andy Minton (junior ethics, history, and public policy major) and Brad Sherburne (third-year architecture major).

According to Minton, the realization of this production began more than a year ago, when he first approached Sherburne with the script, written by American plawright Sarah Ruhl. The directors’ vision was immediately evident in the beautiful set. The McKenna/Peter/Wright room was transformed into an immersive world, which brought about a sense of whimsy and wonder.

Metallic objects such as ladles and eyeglasses hung from the ceiling; the quirky trinkets seemed like they were floating due to magic rather than fishing wire. The set teleported the traditional Greek myth into a more modern Courtesy of Guillermo Gomez era, although the exact time period was ambiguous. The blue palette of the set — from the wallpaper to the The Stones (played by sophomore Larissa Jantonio, junior Erika Tang, and fourth-year Christine de Carteret, in umbrellas framing the stage — was a clever nod to the order of appearance) served as an Underworld version of a Greek chorus. frequent references to water throughout the play.

Eurydice follows the story of two lovers, Eurydice (played doubt used to conjure up the idea of water. After dying, was really artistic. I felt it really captured the essence of by Jasmine Peterson, a sophomore computer science Eurydice arrives via a rain-filled elevator: Water dripped the show ... and when the back door opened and there major) and Orpheus (played by Raz Golden, a first-year from some invisible source above the stage, creating an was the waterfall — that was really, really cool,” she said. international relations and politics major). On their aesthetically pleasing effect. wedding day, Eurydice encounters a Nasty Interesting The small performance space had its strengths and Man (played by Will Weiner, a junior social and decision Although Weiner’s performance as Nasty Interesting weaknesses. It increased the feeling of intimacy, since sciences and statistics double major), who lures her to his Man was captivating and unnerving, he really shone as everyone was so close; the performance was often apartment with promises of a letter written by her late the Lord of the Underworld. The strange, childlike being, brought right into the aisles next to the audience. father (Eli Diamond, a junior drama major). with a colorful, oversized bowtie and buttons, rode down MacGillivray said, “I left feeling very incorporated into the the aisles on either side of the audience on a comically show even though I was just sitting there watching.” Unnerved by the suspicious character, Eurydice tries to tiny tricycle. Weiner was perfectly creepy and hilarious as leave but falls down the stairs and enters the Underworld, this character, and successfully portrayed the suspicious The only drawback of the space is that those sitting joining her father. She also joins three Stones: Big Stone similarities between his two characters. any further than four or five rows back may have had a (Christine de Carteret, a fourth-year architecture and difficult time seeing the stage, particularly when actors history double major), Little Stone (Larissa Jantonio, a Golden, as Orpheus, was incredibly moving with his were sitting or lying on the floor. However, given the sophomore communication design major), and Loud expressive face and entrancing voice. Since his character intricate emotions in the delicate piece, perhaps the Stone (Erika Tang, a junior economics major). is left alone in the Overworld quite early in the play, the intimate space was the right choice. majority of his performances were monologues as he The Stones function as a stylized version of a Greek expressed himself through letters to Eurydice. While For audience members who were already familiar with chorus, bringing the play back to its traditional roots. this had the potential to be redundant, Golden’s emotive the traditional Greek myth, the show was a refreshing Offering explanation and commentary, the Stones performance kept the audience interested. take on the story. “It was the traditional story of Orpheus, provide a necessary contrast to the rest of the piece, as but with a twist.... It was much more relatable,” they speak rhythmically and often in unison. The three Although the acting was on par, it was the design MacGillivray said. The directors’ efforts of more than actresses’ hard work on characterization was obvious, as that had everyone talking afterwards. First-year vocal a year’s work were worth it, as cast and crew came each Stone had a distinct personality, walk, and voice. performance major Ethan Crystal said, “With the together to create this stylized piece in a cohesive Their dark blue and green costumes were almost gothic; limitations presented by the room, especially with the manner. elements such as corsets and dark lipstick helped portray lighting, I thought they did an excellent job. I was really the darkness and bizarre nature of the Underworld. impressed.” Gabriela Pascuzzi | Junior Staffwriter The Underworld itself was denoted by a creative use of Lindsay MacGillivray, a sophomore mechanical lighting: Colder, bluer lighting separated it from the more engineering major, was captivated by the bold stylistic cheery, warmly lit Overworld. The blue lighting was no choices made by the directors. “The set and everything

theater pillbox 02.20.12 9 Did you know? Student readings start strong

There is a new tardiness policy for the First event of the year showcases student work, close community spring semester: All tardies to class must now be followed up with a letter The undergraduate English department kicked off 100 to the dean explaining the nature of the years ago the Creative Writing Student Series on Thursday lateness and asking for pardon. The night with its first event for the spring semester. The Feb. 15, 1912 Tartan jokes that Carnegie Mellon will event was loosely themed around Valentine’s Day, soon turn out “the next great American and was aptly titled “Hearts (And Other Organs).” novelist” due to all of the explanations Three students were featured readers and a few students must write. other students participated in the open mic portion toward the end of the event. A Mardi Gras-themed “masked ball” has students excited to spend Friday Held in The Gladys Schmitt Creative Writing Center 50 night in the Skibo Ballroom. Hosted by in Baker Hall, commonly known as The Glad, the years ago the International Club, the event will event had a feeling of intimacy and comfort. The feature traditional dances from various lights were dimmed and attendees sat around the Feb. 28, 1962 countries followed by a floorshow room on an assortment of couches, tables, and hosted by the Queen of Mardi Gras, rocking chairs. Instead of feeling crowded, the with prizes for the best costumes. setting made the event feel more like a gathering of good friends. The bookshelves that line the walls and the coffee maker in the corner made it obvious that Love and sex are the central themes the out-of-the-way location is a favorite of writers. of this week’s editorial section. One 25 writer criticizes the lack of condom The series is under new management this semester: years ago advertisements by major news Ila Foley, a senior creative writing major; Ines Pujos, networks, and another writer explores a senior creative writing major; and Madeleine Feb. 17, 1987 whether “true love” exists at Carnegie Barnes, a senior art and creative writing double Mellon by asking the question, “Does major, are now running the series. They recruited Carnegie Mellon exist?” readers to participate and ran a raffle after the readings had concluded. All undergraduate students in the English department are eligible to perform Jonathan Carreon | Photo Editor SciTech runs a review about a new in the series, but students can only read once per Sophomore creative and professional writing piece of musical technology: the semester. double major Anna Albi shares her work at the iPod. Toted as “sleek” and “unique,” student reading. 10 Foley felt like event was a success; she remarked years ago The Tartan writers give the device a big thumbs up for innovation and that she was “glad to see people come out,” and that Feb. 18, 2002 usefulness. The iPod can store around it was nice to see “lots of familiar faces.” Since the streamers that decorated the walls were removed 1,000 songs, costs around $400, and event is held in such a tiny space, the audience was and the lights came back up. is the size of a deck of cards. fairly small. However, all members of the Carnegie Mellon community are invited to attend and enjoy The series definitely started off on a high note. Two some original readings as well as pizza, soda, and more events are scheduled, with the final reading A 1980 Carnegie Mellon alumnus candy. taking place at The Frame toward the end of the writes a letter to the editor arguing for year. This last event in the series will showcase all of the Scottish terrier as the new mascot. Thursday’s readers were senior creative writing the senior creative writing majors. years5 ago He argues that the Scottie mascot major Brian Sherwin, junior creative writing has already been unofficially used for major Austin Moyer, and sophomore creative and Although it is nice to maintain a special bond within Feb. 19, 2007 a while and will be more effective at professional writing double major Anna Albi. Their the English department, it would be nice to see selling merchandise than a highlander prepared works, along with the pieces shared by future events marketed to the broader Carnegie or piper — which the alumnus fondly the few students who participated in the open mic Mellon community. Perhaps next time the crowd will refers to as “a man in a skirt.” portion, made for an enjoyable evening. Barnes be even larger and more varied, so more students described the night as being filled with “vivacious can watch these writers share their work. Both the men’s and women’s tennis readers and lots of crunching candy hearts.” teams came out victorious in their weekend matches. The men took on Since most in attendance were affiliated with Catherine Spence | Staffwriter year1 ago Robert Morris University and moved to the English department, there was a real sense 6–2 for the season. The women’s team of community and support for one another Feb. 14, 2011 also achieved a victory over Slippery throughout the evening. Foley described the series Rock University, moving their record to as “good community building,” and the post-show 3–1 for the season. environment supported her description. Patrons talked, joked, and ate while the pink and red Catherine Spence | Staffwriter

literature 10 pillbox 02.20.12 Apartment 4H by Joe Medwid and Dave Rhodenbaugh jmedwid@andrew

Online at www.4hcomic.com

When She’s Angry by Doghouse Diaries

[email protected] comics pillbox 02.20.12 11 Procrastination Yields Panic by Reza Farazmand [email protected]

Online at www.poorlydrawnlines.com

Hark, a Vagrant by Kate Beaton

[email protected] comics 12pillbox 02.20.12 Sudoku Puzzle: Easy Difficulty Hexadecimal Sudoku Puzzle: Very Hard Difficulty

Sudoku courtesy of www.opensky.ca/~jdhildeb/software/ Hexadecimal Sudokus courtesy of sudokugen/ www.krazydad.com/hexsudoku/ Using traditional Sudoku rules, fill in the 16 x 16 grid with 16 hexadecimal digits. Each row, column, and 4 x 4 block contains the digits 0 to 9 and the letters A to F.

Solutions from Feb. 13, 2012

Crossword Medium Difficulty Hard Difficulty

puzzles pillbox 02.20.12 13 Horoscopes What have you been up to lately? There are many people aries who would like to know, and this may be a surprise to you. march 21–april 19 Take this new information as a sign to pause and really think about your actions.

Challenge yourself this week by using only Shakespearean taurus insults whenever you get angry at someone. Start with april 20–may 20 calling someone a clay-brained minnow, and then work your way up to the juicier ones.

Spring Break is upon thee. Make haste: Fun and sun await gemini those who seek them out. may 21–june 21

This week will be filled with surprises and drama, so hang cancer in there. june 22–july 22

This week, ditch the episodes of The New Girl or anything leo on the SyFy channel, and watch nothing but day-long july 23–aug. 22 marathons of educational documentaries and Antiques Roadshow. Crossword courtesy of BestCrosswords.com Reality is such a bore. This week, avoid reality and live a virgo fantasy world created from your own delusions, sadness, aug. 23–sept. 22 and fear. Have fun. Across Down 1. Edible roots 1. Cruising vessel 5. Actress Balin 2. Bellowing 8. Mite 3. Jackie’s predecessor Your doppelgänger is running amok around campus, and 14. I smell ____! 4. Blank look libra you haven’t the slightest idea how to stop it. Leave records sept. 23–oct. 22 15. Deity 5. Borodin’s prince of everything you do to prove you are not responsible for 16. Unit in a sentence 6. Centrepiece of the human face the misdeeds committed by your doppelgänger. 17. Torpid 7. Citrus coolers 19. Armored 8. Become visible There aren’t enough urban legends floating around 20. Salon stylist 9. Fraud 22. Eyeball 10. Prince Valiant’s son scorpio Carnegie Mellon. Take some time this week to come up oct. 23–nov. 21 23. Forest makeup 11. Sharp-edged instrument with something really good in order to frighten as many 24. Saddle horse 12. Grenoble’s river first-years as possible. 26. Pert. to the thigh 13. Bowler hat 29. Giant Mel 18. NFL scores Even though change is taking place all the time, that 32. Word after Anglo 21. Swabs sagittarius doesn’t mean we get used to it. There are changes on the 33. Tawdry 25. Flutter 37. One recording the past 26. At a great distance nov. 22–dec. 21 horizon for you, Sagittarius. Stand and meet the change 40. Body of salt water 27. Demanding with your inherent grace and confidence. 41. Derive 28. Dough 42. Double curve 29. Cry of discovery Something seems to be missing. Find it quickly or suffer. 43. Let loose 30. Involuntary muscular contraction capricorn 45. Heavy napped woolen fabric 31. Half a fly dec. 22–jan. 19 48. Wrist bones 32. Versifier 53. ___ Darya (Asian river) 34. Common article 54. Divided into four parts 35. French possessive 58. Short swordlike weapon 36. Decade divs. Tune in and drop out without the LSD. Reach for the 60. Salesgirl 38. Lacking slack aquarius remote and use the moving pictures to make things better. 61. Rhododendron kin 39. Encouraging word jan. 20–feb. 18 62. The last letter of the Hebrew 44. Ogle alphabet 45. “M*A*S*H*” name 63. Peter Fonda title role 46. Astonish 64. Sharp reply 47. Pull on There’s not enough color in your life. Brighten your day by 65. Application 48. Brown-capped boletus mushroom pisces brightening your wardrobe. 66. Baby blues 49. Bicker feb. 19–march 20 50. Turbulent 51. Blender setting Nicole Hamilton | Comics Editor 52. Cruise stops 55. Queue after Q 56. Cries of discovery 57. Relocate 59. Day-___ horoscopes 14pillbox 02.20.12 MONDAY2.20.12 FRIDAY2.24.12 Cathy Wilkes. Carnegie Museum of Art. Through Feb. 26. I’m Not A Toy. The Gallery 4, 206 S. Highland Ave. A Separation. Regent Square Theatre. 1035 Braddock The museum features paintings and sculptural This exhibition showcases the toy creations of local Ave. Showtimes TBA. installations by Cathy Wilkes that focus on her personal graphic designer Chase McBryde. Each figure has been Golden Globe Winner for Best Foreign Language Film experiences. handcrafted by McBryde to convey the artist’s uniquely in 2011, A Separation tells the tale of a woman filing for contrasting tastes in contemporary toy design. divorce in contemporary Iran. Directed by Asghar Farhadi, Intimate Science. Miller Gallery. Through March 4. this story presents an intriguing narrative that examines The exhibition showcases interdisciplinary artists who TUESDAY2.21.12 guilt and innocence from multiple perspectives. incorporate science and technology into their creative processes, as well as scientists who use their technology Pittsburgh Improv Comedy Jam. Cabaret At Theater SATURDAY2.25.12 and resources to create art. Square, Seventh Street and Penn Avenue. 10 p.m. 21+ Improv comedians from all over Pittsburgh will perform JACK Quartet. Andy Warhol Museum. 8 p.m. unscripted scenes on stage. The show will pair Comprised of violinists Christopher Otto and Ari Compiled by Christa Hester | Co-Publisher comedians into random teams to generate unpredictable Streisfeld, violist John Pickford Richards, and cellist Kevin comedy. McFarland, the JACK Quartet focuses on performing new and interesting works. The quartet will perform Richer Want your event here? WEDNESDAY2.22.12 Textures, a new string quartet piece written by Pittsburgh Email [email protected]. composer and educator Amy Williams. Tickets start at Medicine for Melancholy. 720 Records, 4405 Butler St. $10. 9 p.m. This love story follows two African-American twenty- SUNDAY2.26.12 somethings as they deal with the changes of a swiftly gentrifying San Francisco. Medicine for Melancholy is Sunday Night Jazz. James Street Gastropub & part of a series of independent films being shown every Speakeasy, 422 Foreland St. 6 p.m. Wednesday in honor of Black History Month. Suggested The Pittsburgh Jazz Society (PJS) highlights local jazz donation is $5. artist Eric Johnson. The PJS presents local jazz artists every Sunday. THURSDAY2.23.12 ONGOING Sweeney Todd. Phillip Chosky Theater, Purnell Center for the Arts. 8 p.m. Through March 3. Oscar-Nominated Shorts. Regent Square Theatre. Composed by Stephen Sondheim, this award-winning Through Feb. 23. play explores love, loss, and revenge. Guest artist Joe Both live-action and animated short films will be shown Calarco directs the bloody tale of Todd and Mrs. Lovett as at Regent Square Theatre in preparation for the Academy they kill and bake their victims into pies. Tickets are $17. Awards on Feb. 26.

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Nicole Hamilton | Comics Editor Culinary historian and writer Michael Twitty gave a lecture last Thursday on the origins of African-American food, sponsored by the University Lecture Series. Twitty provided food for attendees as part of the lecture, including black-eyed peas and rice, okra soup, and plasas greens.

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