EdBoard: 2018’s Thistles Can AI correctly detect online Analyzing domestic violence The Tartan’s Editors list and thorns • A4 extremism? • A6 in the NFL • A10 2018 favorites • B4 FORUM SCITECH SPORTS PILLBOX

thetartan.org @thetartan The Tartan December 3, 2018 Volume 113, Issue 12 Carnegie Mellon’s Student Newspaper Since 1906 Student leases end at Fifth Neville Students speakers lead TEDxCMU mini event KIERAN WALSH of diversity in comedy. When an Junior Staffwriter improv troupe has more diversity, it contains more personal per- “Wrap up the fall season with spectives, which it can use to help TEDxCMU’s coziest event of the normalize more diverse ideas. year!” This was the tagline for The second speaker, Zheng, TEDxCMU’s Fall Mini Event, spoke about the experiences and between the complimen- he has had since coming to the tary doughnuts, coffee, and Red United States from China seven Bulls, the Christmas lights strung years ago, and the lessons that he around the railings of Giant Eagle has learned. When he first moved Auditorium, and Baker Hall’s to the U.S., he adopted the name sheltering warmth, the event cer- Michael. Afterward, he began tainly lived up to this standard. to contemplate the balance of Four students spoke at the Mini Chinese and American culture in Event: first was Sarah Boyle, a his life. junior in Drama, who spoke about After living in America for a comedy as an agent for change. few years, he learned many valu- Next, Zirui Zheng, a masters stu- able lessons. First, he learned that Anna Boyle/Art Editor dent in Information Systems dis- stereotypes can be true some- cussed his journey of self-identifi- times, which is not necessarily a JACOB PAUL a source of outrage and stress for housing options already owned cation. Third, senior in Biological bad thing. Zheng also emphasized Staffwriter many of the apartments’ current by Carnegie Mellon makes it Sciences Raashmi Krishnasamy the importance of uniqueness residents. a natural addition. The build- detailed three steps that Carnegie and being comfortable with that On Oct. 29, Carnegie Mellon Fifth Neville is a popular spot ing sits across from Residence Mellon students can take to suc- uniqueness. He explained that ev- Housing department closed a due to its close proximity to the on Fifth and is just blocks away ceed happily. Lastly, Ethan Yang, a eryone is unique, but that unique- deal purchasing the Fifth Neville Carnegie Mellon and Pitt cam- from Fairfax, Webster, and Shady freshman in the Carnegie Institute ness only shows when people are apartments for $17 million. puses. Jihoo Park, a 4th year Oak, all of which provide apart- of Technology, spoke about how comfortable being themselves. Tenants returned home that after- Architecture major who resides ment style living options through an accidental haircut got him out And when you are yourself, peo- noon to find a folder slipped under in Fifth Neville, estimates that 98 campus management. of his comfort zone. ple respect that. Lastly, he spoke their door labeled, “Acquisition percent of the building’s residents International students took to Boyle began by explaining about how the United States is Notice.” Inside was a four page are students. “There is never a Wechat, a Chinese social media that “playing to the truth” and full of unique, diverse cultures, document welcoming tenants to free room,” Park said, and to rent platform, to air their grievances. being believable to the audience and how it is our job to bring out the CMU Housing community an apartment students have to put Fan Yan, a junior in Mechanical is crucial in a successful perfor- this uniqueness and diversity in and explaining the terms of the their name on a long waitlist. Park Engineering, compared her mance. She said that stereotypes everyone. purchase. Most significant to says that Fifth Neville has a signif- experience to the Chinese gov- are important in improv com- During her presentation, tenants, CMU Housing will not be icant community of South Korean ernment’s history of suddenly edy because they make the situa- Krishnasamy explained that renewing any tenant’s contracts and Chinese students, due to its informing tenants that their build- tions believable, but they may be happily succeeding at Carnegie and they will have to move out proximity to Seoul Mart, a Korean ing is being demolished. Just days demeaning to the characters. Mellon can be achieved in three at the end of their lease. Though marketplace. before demolition a large “拆” Improv can also be used to steps: by asking yourself why you this acquisition will undoubtedly Fifth Neville’s location character, directly translating to change people’s ideas of what is are making your current choices, benefit the CMU Housing com- was also important to CMU normal and believable, Boyle ex- munity, the transition has become Housing. Its proximity to other See NEVILLE, A3 plained, and spoke on the power See TEDxCMU, A3 CMU gets $5 mil for Tracking funding for the CFA lawn cybersecurity degrees

WILSON EKERN example of the close Copy Manager relationship Carnegie Mellon has with the federal govern- You’ve probably heard of ment, with $172 million in di- the Marine Corps, the infan- rect funding to the university try wing of the United States coming from the Department of Navy, travelling across land, Defense in 2017, as well as the sea, and sky to kill people, but university’s close relationships the CyberCorps might be a little to military contractors like the less well-known. That might RAND Corporation. change soon, with the recent The cybersecurity focused $5 million National Science program, according to an Foundation (NSF) renewal to SFS factsheet, is a partner- the CyberCorps Scholarship for ship between the NSF and Service Program at Carnegie the Department of Homeland Mellon University (SFS@CMU). Security (DHS) to “attract The program, according to students to the cybersecurtiy the Carnegie Mellon CyLab [sic]/information assurance website, covers all or part of fields.” While “cybersecurity” tuition, room and board, and might sound like a defen- books for up to two years of sive occupation, the Trump graduate studies, while also administration’s national providing an annual stipend of cybersecurity strategy included $34,000. In return, the students “authorizing offensive cyber are required to do an internship operations against foreign with a government agency and adversaries,” according to an work for the government for at article published this year in Lisa Qian/Photo Editor least two years following their The Washington Post. The CFA lawn has yet to be repaired following the inauguration of President Jahanian. The lawn is currently inaccessible. graduation. If a student does The sponsorship of DHS not finish their degree in two means that students may work ADAM TUNNARD the damage caused by the tent that the inauguration, the grass has years or leaves the post-grada- on projects like the installation Operations Manager is constructed in that location.” In- not been replaced. Mattera told tion position before their time of facial recognition systems stead of replacing the grass after The Tartan that “the intent was to is up, they must pay back the at the border, which capture In the weeks following orientation events this year, “the replace the turf immediately fol- scholarship money for the time the “facial biometrics of travel- President Jahanian’s inaugura- university decided to instead wait lowing Inauguration, but the un- they didn’t serve. This means ers entering and departing the tion, one perhaps unintended until after Inauguration to replace usually wet November prevented that if a student leaves, say, a United States,” raising ethical consequence has arisen: the lawn the grass because of the tent for that work.” year into their government job, questions about governmental in front of the College of Fine Arts that event.” With December’s lowering they are required to pay back surveillance. building is more akin to a plowed Some also worried about the temperatures and increased snow- $34,000, plus a year’s tuition, The National Security field than a grass lawn after the re- cost of the landscaping work, and fall, however, Carnegie Mellon room and board, and books, to Administration (NSA), one moval of the large tent set up for whether it too would be covered Facilities Management grounds- the SFS Program Office. of the employers cited in the inauguration events. by the Board of Trustees funding keeping, who are in charge of the The ethics of locking university press release as a It is a situation that has left for the inauguration tent, as The relawn, are surely going to face students into government potential employer for students students on campus frustrated. Tartan reported the week after the continued difficulty in replacing contracts in order to afford the in the SFS program, is also The lawn is a common walking inauguration. the grass. The Tartan reached out rapidly inflating costs of higher involved in massive data collec- path and one of the first things Instead, Mattera states that the for a comment from them, but education are concerning, but tion programs. These programs, people see when they walk on replacement of the lawn is “built unfortunately, no response was these scholarships are a com- such as the mass collection of campus, but it has been almost into the university’s operating given. mon way to draw highly-skilled United State citizens’ phone grassless since even before the budget,” as “the [College of Fine Since the inauguration, people students into public service. records and mining personal inauguration, after being previ- Arts] lawn was purposefully used continue to air their frustrations According to a university data from private servers, re- ously damaged by the first-year for both Orientation and Inaugu- with the aesthetic of the lawn. press release, Carnegie Mellon ceived substantial criticism orientation events. ration, instead of using a differ- Someone unknown to The Tartan “has received approximately when the news broke in 2013. The Tartan spoke with Julianne ent location for each, to minimize even vandalized a sign that read $25.8 million through the SFS The NSA’s data collection Mattera, National Media Rela- the cost and impact to campus “Turf Renovations in Progress - program and graduated 210 programs have only accelerated tions Representative for Carnegie grounds.” Please Use Sidewalk” with the sen- SFS students who have gone since then, with the NSA col- Mellon’s Marketing & Commu- The decision to use the lawn tence “[lawn] will be physically on to work for the CIA, FBI, lecting “more than 534 million nications department, who ex- for two separate events and not re- assaulted again in 2019.” NSA and…other government records of phone calls and text plained that “the grass in front of place the grass in the time between In terms of outward organizations.” CFA is typically replaced each fall them was indeed an effective cost This program is another See CYBER, A3 following orientation because of saving measure, yet, weeks after See TURF, A3 A2 « thetartan.org/news The Tartan » December 3, 2018

FEATURE PHOTO Notes to be buried under memorial tree for Tree of Life

Lias Qian/Photo Editor In the Cohon Center Lee Lobby, messages were written on brown tags to eventually be planted with a symbolic tree following the shooting at Tree of Life synogogue, in an effort for collective community healing.

FEATURE PHOTO EXPLAINED Campus Crime & Incident JACOB PAUL had brought them over after the Nov. 19, 2018 - Dec. 1, 2018 Staffwriter Fence was repainted. The memorial is still up in Property Damage Theft of Headphones Harassment In the weeks after the Tree the Lee Lobby, and by now has A staff member reported A Carnegie Mellon student A staff member told University of Life shooting a memorial gathered nearly 100 responses. damage to a railing outside the told University Police that her Police that he was harassed by an was installed in the University On Wednesday, Nov. 28, Sarah Tepper Quad to the University headphones were stolen from the unidentified man in the Cohon Center’s Lee Lobby, commonly College of the Provost's Office Police. Tepper Quad. An investigation is Center. referred to as “the brown chairs.” and Daragh Byrne, an architec- ongoing. The memorial was designed to ture professor, met with Hughes be a safe space to reflect and at the memorial in the Lee Lobby Vehicle Damage grieve as a community. to discuss what to do next. A staff member told University Theft of Laptop Cushions are placed around They remarked on how large Police about a windshield of a A student’s laptop was stolen two large coffee tables, and a the memorial has grown. In the university-owned vehicle bro- from the Shady Oak apartments. small metal fence surrounded first days the memorial was up, ken at the Pittsburgh Technology the memorial on all sides but they recalled, the Lee Lobby was Center. Alcohol Amnesty one. The famous Jewish prov- quiet and students seemed al- University Police responded to erb “it is a tree of life to those most afraid to sit in the chairs who hold fast to it” is printed in casually. Vandalism Delta Tau Delta after being called golden vinyl onto one of the two Meditating on how everyone University Police looked into to aid an intoxicated male. A tables, along with the proverb’s deals with grief individually, vandalism in a bathroom in the student was provided with medi- Hebrew characters. A plaque is College said “Some would just Cohon Center. An investigation is cal attention and no citations were Compiled by posted on every side of the fence, read a prompt, and then read a ongoing. issued due to alcohol amnesty. NORA MATTSON asking readers to take some time couple responses and walk away, to reflect and come together in some wrote the first thing that DATA VISUALIZATION OF THE WEEK this time of healing. Students came to mind, and others really Source: Carnegie Mellon Factbook 2017-2018 were invited to write or draw on sat down and thought “do I want a card, cut a piece of thread, and to participate, and in which tie it on the fence. way...I watched some students The memorial was planned that were here for 45 minutes.” and constructed in the days Emphasizing the multitude after the tragedy by CMU Uplift, of languages that people had a small group of people who responded in, Hughes reflected seek to positively impact cam- on how beautiful it was to see pus, in conjunction with Kris- community, in all forms, coming ten Hughes, a graphic design together. “There is something professor. They felt inclined to very universal as we grieve, but help the community in some also as we think about where we way, and sought to integrate are going in the future and what themselves with the commemo- our place in all this is,” Hughes rative actions already being tak- elaborated. en by CMU Hillel, Chabad and The proverb “It is a tree of AEPi. life to those who hold fast to Adjacent to the memorial, it” references the name of the three piles of stones were placed desecrated synagogue, but it up against the glassine windows. also looks forward. Hughes em- These memorial stones were phasized that “it goes against placed on the Fence in the two all forms of hate. It is about weeks after the shooting. Hillel resilience.”

Corrections & Clarifications

If you would like to submit a correction or clarification, please Compiled by TRACY LE, NORA MATTSON email The Tartan at [email protected] or editor@thetartan. WEATHER org with your inquiry, as well as the date of the issue and the Source: www.weather.com name of the article. We will print the correction or clarification in the next print issue and publish it online.

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32° / 23° 32° / 27° 34° / 26° December 3, 2018 « The Tartan thetartan.org/news » A3 Fifth Neville tenants displaced after CMU acquisition NEVILLE, from A1 found her off-campus experience most comfortable. She explained “tear down,” will appear on the that her current bed is much outside of a building. larger than the twin beds of- Many currents residents of fered by Carnegie Mellon and has Fifth Neville moved there with significantly improved her sleep- the intent to stay until they ing habits, and that being able graduated. This is the case to sleep in her own bedroom has for Christina Chou, a junior in made her relationship with her Information Systems, who is roommate much more tolerable. outraged and disappointed with Park was already considering both CMU Housing and Neville’s moving out of Fifth Neville past management. “The reason I because his roommates are gradu- moved out from Fairfax to Neville ating at the end of the Spring se- in my second year is that I do not mester, but now that he doesn’t want to move again!” have a choice. It feels different, CMU Housing plans to and there is a level of stress. “I renovate Fifth Neville Apartments wasn’t planning on it, but now I to bring it up to CMU Housing don’t have a choice.” He contin- standards, and do not see renova- ued, “I always see CMU spending tions with people living in there money, and those are probably re- as a viable option. They have al- ally good improvements towards ready installed a fire extinguish- the University, but sometimes it er under the sink of every room makes me salty because none of and plan to “sprinkelerize” the those actually affect me in a posi- building. tive way. And now it is affecting A Letter to the Editor titled me in a negative way.” “Carnegie Mellon needs to sup- Looking forward, Chou is concerned about a decrease in port the tenants they displace” The above envelope was slipped under the doors of Fifth Neville tenants, informing that their leases would not be renewed. was published on Nov. 18, scru- availability of off campus housing. tinizing the purchase of Fifth perspective, but assured The When asked about CMU the opportunity to move back into “I understand that incoming Neville. The writer, PhD student Tartan that CMU Housing does Housing’s plans going forward, campus housing. “I was planning freshman need more space, but Daniel Xi, is concerned that the have the students’ best interest Cooley said that CMU Housing to just live [in Fifth Neville] for upperclassmen deserve the rights manner in which CMU Hous- at hand. He noted that the build- wants to provide spaces for a year and head back on-campus to live near campus as well. With ing handles this transition will ing was for sale and that anything students to thrive outside of next year cause I like the on-cam- Neville being acquired, almost all set a precedent for future prop- could have happened to it, and the classroom. He said they are pus community, compared to how surrounding apartments belong erty acquisitions, which Xi pre- that CMU Housing is managing going to continue to invest in I don’t really know my neighbors to campus housing.” sumes will continue in the future it more to the students’ needs. current and future infrastructure, right now.” Additionally, Brandon It has only been a month since to accommodate an increasing Additionally, CMU Housing is al- but did not outline any specific didn’t see the acquisition as much the deal closed. CMU Housing student population. lowing current student residents moves they seek to make. of an “ordeal,” noting that no one plans to work with students in the Tom Cooley, the Executive to be considered for Fifth Neville Not all residents are so troubled is obligated to renew a lease. Spring semester to try to make Director of Housing Services at in room selection process for next by the acquisition. Brandon Chou has previously lived in their transition as smooth as pos- Carnegie Mellon, told The Tartan semester, and many students Fu Hao Pek, a sophomore in both dormitory and apartment sible and encourages students to that he understands the students’ have expressed gratitude. Computer Science, is content with style on-campus housing, but has reach out for help. Turf renovations have no clear end Fall TEDxCMU mini event spans colleges

Nora Mattson/News Editor The sign pictured above bars students from crossing the perilously muddy lawn, and also has been vandalized with critisism.

TURF, from A1 our tour script.” because we direct everyone’s Angel continues, “when attention to the academic mall, appearance, Sophia Angel, a someone does make a comment which is stunning.” junior in Dietrich College and we talk about the event that As of now, The Tartan is a Carnegie Mellon Andrew happened which caused the unsure of exactly when the Ambassador, told The Tartan mess,” as in the inauguration lawn will be replaced. But as that when giving tours to pro- of President Jahanian. Despite outdoor spaces typically aren’t spective students, parents, and some campus displeasure over heavily used in the winter, we visitors, Andrew Ambassadors the state of the lawn, Angel says can look forward to sitting on “I personally don’t think the the College of Fine Arts lawn “do not mention the lawn un- Samara McCallum/Staff Photographer less specifically asked because state of the lawn detracts from when the weather warms, at Ethan Yang talked at TEDxCMU’s mini event about leaving his comfort zone. talking about the lawn is not in the appeal of CMU especially the very least. TEDxCMU, from A1 was diagnosed with moyamoya, a disorder caused by blocked being truthful with your answer to arteries in the brain. After a the first question and striving for stress-crying fit, he passed out $5 mil for cybersecurity scholars excellence rather than perfection. and then needed brain surgery, One day, Krishnasamy ended which left incisions on both sides up in the hospital, and she of his head. discovered that her illness was He was so worried about being partly caused by stress. She real- different that he always kept long ized that if she had asked herself hair to hide his scars. However, in why she made certain choices, his junior year of high school, his like why she was taking 15-112 as barber slipped up and gave him a pre-med student, and more im- a haircut in which his scars were portantly, been truthful with her completely visible. When he went answer, then she would have re- to school, he was bombarded with alized earlier that she was study- questions about them. At first, he ing something she was not truly was very uncomfortable talking passionate about. about it, but after a while, he grew Lastly, Krishnasamy explained to be comfortable with it. that Carnegie Mellon students Yang said that getting out should not strive for perfection of his comfort zone led to a lot because perfection is unreach- of personal growth. He left the able, citing Carnegie Mellon’s audience with this message: “It stress culture as a driver behind changed my life — try it and see students’ quest for perfection. how it changes yours.” She suggested that our students Samuel Yip, the co-president should be striving for excellence of TEDxCMU, said that these instead because excellence is speakers were chosen because Louise Zhou/Staff Artist limitless. When a student has pas- the messages of their speeches sion, purpose, and takes these were very pertinent to Carnegie Mellon students. Anyone interest- CYBER, from A1 course will be in combatting the millions. Scholarships like SFS three steps, then that student is on ed in hearing their speeches can continued expansion of such demonstrate the necessity of their way to happily succeeding at Carnegie Mellon. find them on YouTube. Yip said messages,” in 2017, a threefold programs. expanding ethics education for Yang, the fourth and final the TEDxCMU team is working increase over 2016, according to While the students do have students who have to make last- speaker at the Fall Mini Event, hard to prepare for two upcom- The Washington Post. The SFS@ their choice of government ing choices about what they spoke about how a haircut helped ing events: the spring Mini Event, CMU program does require agencies to work for, many may want to do, and inevitably end him to become more comfortable which will take place in February, that students take a single be drawn into projects like these, up in positions where the sys- with all aspects of himself. When and the main event, which is ethics course, but it is question- making choices that negatively tems they build greatly affect Yang was in fourth grade, he scheduled for March 30, 2019. able how effective this single affect the privacy and lives of the world. A4 « thetartan.org/forum The Tartan » December 3, 2018

From the Editorial Board 2018 Thistles and Thorns: a semester in review We need, but don’t At the close of every year, The students staring at their screens and Both Caliban and the Carnegie deserve, democracy Tartan reassesses the year’s events. on the verge of mental breakdowns Library are important institutions We present here a list of the people is destroyed. First-years will now for Carnegie Mellon students Sujay Utkarsh balances. Viktor Orban, the prime and happenings that are worthy of never know the comfort of being who like to read and study. It is a Assistant Pillbox Editor minister of Hungary, champions recognition. Thistles go to people and able to finish a paper and cry while bummer that people charged with illiberal democracy. Italy’s own events that had a positive effect on being hidden by the dim lighting. protecting books were responsible As the year approached an far-right party has also been the campus community and society Extra thorn for them misspelling for defacing and stealing them. end, I went down a rabbit hole. I threatening the system of checks at large; thorns go to those that have “Pittsburgh,” omitting the “h.” A thistle to the tried to psychoanalyze the trend and balances in its democracy. negatively impacted the campus and Special thistles to all that changes to Carnegie of the far-right, authoritarian The election of these leaders our society. worked together Mellon’s course add, leaders being elected or allowed just seems so hypocritical to A thistle for the eternal following the Campus drop, and withdrawal to stay in power in the last few me. I understand that there is legacy left by Stan Lee, Cupboard study that that all took place this years. Sure, there are some desperation, hope, and fear. I whose death was met revealed widespread year. The earlier course leaders like Russia’s Vladimir understand that the situation of with great sadness food insecurity here drop deadline, now Putin, Turkey’s Tayyip Erdogan, many nations like Brazil and Italy and deep reverence. at Carnegie Mellon. Oct. 8, gives students and Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro is full of turmoil. But why vote Despite the shock of his This year, the CMU 31 class days to decide to drop a who manipulated the political in someone who clearly would passing, his iconic work Pantry opened up in the class instead of the 51 students system in their favor to keep facilitate more turmoil? What is will always be regarded Residence on Fifth. Students can had previously, to encourage themselves in power. But Brazil Bolsonaro’s willingness to torture as hugely influential on modern get fresh and canned food twice people to drop classes earlier and voted for Jair Bolsonaro, a man and engage in extrajudicial American pop culture. a week by visiting the pantry. We limit their stress. In addition, who looked favorably upon killings going to do for the rate of A thorn to the tragic are excited to watch a community students can now drop a class at military dictatorships. Hungary violence in Brazil? How is turning shooting at the Tree of Life develop around the pantry! any time of the semester with no and Italy both voted for far- away migrants going to help the Synagogue. On Oct. 27, Thorns to the bizarre repercussions, up to three times in right parties, and Hungary has a Italian economy, or any European 2018, a gunman entered crime incidents near campus. their undergraduate career. supermajority with its far-right economy? If anything, European the building, shouted anti- In an ongoing stream of A thorn to Judge Brett parties. Denmark’s far-right party nations need more migrants to Semitic statements and weird and disturbing Kavanaugh being sworn in saw a surge in its support. Of help improve their economy. A opened fire, killing eleven campus crime alerts, the as Associate Justice of the course, I can’t forget to mention vote for a far-right leader is a vote and injuring seven. university was notified Supreme Court and the that Brexit happened in 2016, as against democracy and freedom. A thistle to the Carnegie of a man wearing a aftermath for survivors did the election of Donald Trump. Anyone who fails to see that or Mellon community for scream mask attempting to rob like Dr. Christine Blasey I know why this all happened. I sees it and votes for a far-right rallying together in the people at gunpoint near the Ford, who are subjected to know how history repeats itself. leader anyway doesn’t deserve wake of the tragic Tree of university. While watching the immense disrespect. But I wanted to look towards my either. Frankly, no human Life shooting. Students horror movie classic might be a Thistles to the 2018 own understanding of human does. We are greedy, selfish, engaged in discussions, fun Halloween activity, having it midterm election results! behavior and apply that to my fearful, irrational, and unkind attended vigils, painted inspire the near-campus robberies There’s much work to understanding of what freedom as a species. It’s in our nature to the fence, and held extending over the past few months be done to enfranchise and democracy means. Doing want to be led in some way and fundraisers in support of the was less than thrilling. However, all people, but large that, I concluded something. to have some direction, even if Pittsburgh Jewish community. the serial masturbator(s) would voter turnout and the Human beings don’t deserve the direction is an authoritarian A thorn to the tragic death not be outshined and made it in a representativeness of democracy and freedom. regime that doesn’t care about of Pittsburgh-born rapper few crime alerts, most notably at a the elected officials This conclusion is the first anyone. True character is Mac Miller, who was the nearby Starbucks. Both prompted were all major wins! part of a two-part conclusion, but revealed under pressure, and unfortunate victim of a drug students to be extra aware of to A thorn to the Trump I have to explain what this first when the pressure is too much, overdose in September. their surroundings. administration’s policy of part really means. Admittedly, we resort to fearmongering and His passing prompted A thistle to Carnegie separating hundreds of I am looking at this as someone a desire for stability over our thousands of fans to Mellon’s 10th president, migrant children from their more familiar with U.S. politics, valuing our basic rights. mourn his passing with a vigil i n Farnam Jahanian. Prior families and housing them but the concept applies to really However — and this is the Pittsburgh’s Blue Slide Park, which to his Presidency, Jahanian in tent cities and subpar any democracy. A basic tenet of key part of my conclusion — he named his debut album after. served as the University’s facilities. democracy is that you’re free to even if we humans don’t deserve A thistle to the Provost and Chief A thistle for the vote and you have rights. The freedom and democracy, we need Philadelphia Flyers’ Academic Officer for two increased trouble is that the authoritarian it. As much potential as there mascot Gritty, who years. He has already left his mark diversity in Hollywood. leaders are elected because is for negative change, we have with a terrifying orange on the University as Chairperson We saw the release of voters are willing to sacrifice the equal potential for positive beard and crazy googly of the Task Force by leading Marvel’s Black Panther, some of their freedom in change, and democracy provides eyes, has become an the Strategic Plan 2025, and which not only made exchange for security due to fear that. For all my cynicism, there internet darling. Gritty introducing other new programs. over one billion dollars, stoked by these far-right leaders. is a part of me that knows that has done just what a The Tartan looks forward to the but inspired a cultural In Europe, the fear stoked things will improve. It’s in our mascot should: be an instantly impact he will make during his time movement and became stems from migrants; in Brazil, nature to fear, sure, but that fear recognizable symbol that raises the as President of the University! a milestone in black representation. corruption and crime. I’m of the is shattered when we realize we Flyers’ national profile. The mascot A thorn to the recent We also saw the release of Crazy opinion that anyone willing to have made mistakes, and we work should get extra thistles for his anti- acquisition of the Fifth Rich Asians, the first dominantly sacrifice freedom and democracy to amend our mistakes. There fascist clout. Neville Apartments by Asian cast in a Hollywood movie in for security and stability out of will be a lot of damage done for A thorn to the murder of Carnegie Mellon, an 20 years, committed to telling the fear doesn’t deserve freedom and sure, but nothing is irreparable. Jamal Khashoggi, prominent action that perpetuates stories of Asians, by Asians. democracy in the first place. When we realize that we made a journalist and critic of the unethical and ill- A thorn for the tragic fire The reason for this is that mistake, we will vote to fix things some aspects of the Saudi considered displacement that destroyed the National this gives the leaders carte again. This happened in the U.S. regime, at the hands of the of Pittsburgh residents i n Museum of Brazil. The blanche to enact increasingly midterm elections, and it will regime he had critiqued. quickly developing areas. This museum lost up to 20 undemocratic policies. Many happen in Hungary, Italy, and His murder is a dark sign decision is not only controversial million priceless historical will argue that nothing truly Brazil later on. So for all those to journalists and defenders o f for its explicitly immediate and scientific artifacts in “bad” has happened, which is like me who feel disillusioned and free speech across the world. consequences but also for the the fire, many of which simply not true at all. Keep in dismayed about people and about Thistles to the new longstanding Carnegie Mellon were important parts of mind Brexit happened without the rise of far-right, authoritarian campus renovations: history of displacing local scientific and cultural research. UK Independence Party (UKIP), leaders, hold out some hope. It’s most notably La Prima communities for the sake of A thistle to Diane Turnshek and Britain’s far-right party with a difficult in an increasingly cynical in Wean Hall and the university plans. her group of researchers platform based on nativism and world and we will have to witness dining areas in the new A thistle for the $50 million in who have worked on anti-migrant fear, being in power. a lot of terrible things, but it will Tepper Quad. Now there scholarships announced during taking pictures of the In Hungary, the far-right party in get better as long as everyone are more places for us President Jahanian’s night sky to further our power is moving to amend the pays attention and cares about to get bougie coffee in- inauguration. Cindy understanding of light constitution to limit checks and what’s happening. between classes! and Ted Johnson, pollution. Here’s to a A thorn to the colossal tent both Carnegie Mellon future with reduced that took the idyllic CFA lawn alumni, made the largest light pollution, where and turned it from a place for scholarship donation we can bask in the subtle glow of students to hang out with the University has ever more visible stars. friends and study in the received. They made this A thorn to the surge of outdoors into a gigantic donation to try to open up the wildfires that have swept mud pit. Carnegie Mellon experience through California this A thistle to to students from lower income summer, displacing the shift from Culinart families, and lessen the burden of thousands from their to Chartwells. Overall, student debt for some students. homes, devastating food quality has gone up This is an effort that the University communities, and taking due to this switch. must prioritize in order to truly over a hundred lives. A thorn to the have a diverse student body. Lastly, a thistle to all Underground A thorn to the archivist the readers of The Tartan! renovation. Now, because and the Caliban owner that Thanks for another of its hipster restaurant in a conspired to sell stolen rare great year! gentrified neighborhood- books from the Carnegie Courtesy of freeimage4life via Flickr Wikimedia aesthetic, the safe haven for Library of Pittsburgh. Bernice Yu/Staff Artist Britain’s leaving the EU demonstrates a wider erosion to democracy.

Editorial Board Staff valene mezmin* Adam Tunnard* Paola Mathus* Copy Editor-in-Chief Operations Manager Visual Editor Matthew Benusa, Frank Hu caleb miller* nora mattson Anna Boyle Advertising The Tartan is a student newspaper at Carnegie Mellon University, funded in part by the student Publisher News Editor Art Editor Andy Gao activities fee. It is a weekly publication by students during the fall and spring semesters, printed Madeline Kim marika yang by The Butler Eagle. The Tartan is not an official publication of Carnegie Mellon University. Forum Editor Sports Editor Business Lindsey Shi, Gwen Wright The Editorials appearing at the beginning of the opinion section are the official opinion of The Tartan Editorial Board. Columns, Editorial Cartoons, and Reviews are the opinions of their individual creators. The Tartan Editorial Staff reserves the right to withhold from publica- Editorial Staff tion any copy it deems unfit. Pauline Ting Frank Hu Sujay Utkarsh TRACY LE Assistant Online Editor Assistant Forum Editor Assistant Pillbox Editor Visual Editor Letters to the Editor Letters must be submitted by 5 p.m. on the Wednesday before publi- MICHELLE Emma Flickinger Emiline Fromont lisa qian cation by mail or to [email protected]. Letters from within the university community take precedence. Letters intended for publication must be signed and include the author’s address. MADLANSACAY SciTech Editor Comics Editor Photo Editor Letters will be edited for grammar, punctuation, spelling, and Tartan and AP style. The Tartan Pillbox Editor Matthew Benusa Wilson Ekern Stephanie Kuang reserves the right to edit for length and ethical reasons, including such matters as defamation, Alexandra Yu Assistant Sports Editor Copy Manager Online Editor plagiarism, inacuracies, profanity, and slurs. Author’s names may be withheld at the Editor-in- Pillbox Editor Chief’s discretion upon request. The Tartan reserves the right to reject any letter. Mail: The Tartan Office: Cohon Center 314 Box 119, UC Suite 103 * Denotes executive committee © 2012 The Tartan, all rights reserved. Web: www.thetartan.org 5000 Forbes Avenue member Library of Congress ISSN: 0890-3107 E-mail: [email protected] Pittsburgh, PA 15213 December 3, 2018 « The Tartan thetartan.org/forum » A5 Anti-science: a global threat Gun dialogue beyond with it — we should still try. Small never debating stupid people sacrifices, aggregated across large because they will just drag you good guys with guns populations, can lead to some down to their level and beat you legitimate good. there. Therefore, avoiding these Frank hu But it’s hard to mobilize people at all costs seems like a Assissant Forum Editor masses, because there’s a systemic sensible thing to do. They do the hands of trigger-happy police. failure in our nation, and it is the their thing and we stick to our Again, these unfortunate This year’s California wildfire prevalence of anti-science. enlightened realm of scientific incidents alone cannot confirm season has been one of the most Greed and corruption are fact rather than their domain Madeline Kim nor deny LaPierre's core destructive ever, with nearly 1.7 motivating forces for turning a of illogical, ideologically driven Forum Editor argument. Case studies lack the million acres of land burned. To blind eye to abhorrent acts, and fiction. substantiality to draw causal make matters worse, torrential the current government is very Yet much like those who spread In 2012, National Riflerelationships. However, the rains are now causing flash floods open about its blatant disregard hate speech online, the only way Association (NRA) Executive Vice search for data to find overall that are trapping people in their for global warming and other to combat these people is to con- President Wayne LaPierre said, trends that could help us find the homes and cars. With no natural threats to our planet. We see this tinue engaging with them. We in light of the Sandy Hook school answer is discouraging. In the barriers in the way, the only at the highest level of government, cannot push all the climate change shooting, “the only way to stop a mid-90s, economist John Lott co- salvation for those stranded are with Trump having not only deniers off our platforms because bad guy with a gun is with a good authored a study that argued that the deployed water rescue teams. withdrawn from the Paris Climate thanks to the wonders of modern guy with a gun." In the numerous concealed carry deters crime. We like to think that as Accords, but also saying on technology, they will just find each shootings since — and the overall However, the statistics provided humans, we are at the mercy of the multiple occasions that he doesn’t other and create an echo chamber. dialogue on gun regulation — are shallow, only displaying the elements, that whatever mother believe in global warming. Rather, we have to continue to this quote has been used as an number of observations, mean, nature throws at us we must take We see this with other combat their anti-science perspec- argument time and time again for and standard deviation. Since in stride, because we have no say politicians, and it’s always straight tives with sound arguments, no opponents of gun control. then, opponents have deemed in the matter. This idea stems denial, or at least some serious matter how painful it may be. Taking out the word "only," a 2004 National Academies from the earliest days of human doubt. Many of them even try to People are entitled to their LaPierre's quote isn't illogical. National Research Council report civilization, when we really did actively disprove climate change, own opinions, even when it There have most certainly been a rebuttal, although the latter have to defend ourselves against such as when Sen. James Inhofe comes to objective facts. It’s fine times in which a "good guy with research does not provide such a storms and floods that were no (R-OK) brought a snowball into to disagree on something, as a gun" stopped "a bad guy with conclusive argument as Lott's. A fault of our own. the Senate chamber, using the long as you do so for a legitimate a gun," or at least mitigated report from the Federal Bureau Today’s reality is very different, fact that it was cold outside to reason. Depending on your ethics, potential damage. Stories about of Investigation (FBI) in 2014 so we need to discard the notion “disprove” global warming. Now getting rich, seizing power, or people successfully using their showed that in terms of sheer that the weather is some intangible obviously, these politicians are satisfying your own ideology may legally-owned arms to defend number of instances, unarmed event. Storms, wildfires, and other not simply stupid or irrational be sound motives. If that’s the themselves may not be on the citizens restraining shooters phenomena are all products of — at least, I hope not. They’re case, then please do so in more front pages, but a quick search were far more common than our environment, one that we bankrolled by big corporations environmentally friendly ways, can show you a good array armed citizens. Obviously, this have continuously destroyed to protect companies from ones that recognize the legitimacy of examples. For instance, in statistic alone is inconclusive; through wasteful consumerism environmental regulations; the of global warming. If, on the other Oklahoma, an armed bystander the number of unarmed citizens and destructive business practices. cheaper and dirtier the methods, hand, you find such motivations of a bar shooting intervened walking around on a daily basis From dumping industrial waste the greater the profits. We see the despicable, then speak out against and reduced the number of is more than likely greater than into the rivers to leveling the same reasoning with gun control, it. Climate change deniers, like deaths to just one: the shooter. the number of armed citizens. Amazon Rainforest, there really is where the solution is never to other dangerous minorities, are Of course, in such stories, the However, this comes to show a no limit to the damage we can do. bolster restrictions. only prevalent because we do not involvement of the bystanders crack in LaPierre's logic; perhaps As a consequence, we are hit with Willfully ignorant politicians do enough to rebuke them, as they should be applauded. However, it is not the gun that empowers harsher natural disasters, ones are only part of the problem. What’s thrive off of our apathy. such stories remain just that: the good guy but rather the good that take human lives. even more troubling is that there Just because the people in individual stories. They alone guy himself taking initiative to Scientists have warned us are people who wholeheartedly charge are myopic and gridlocked cannot be extrapolated to show intervene. ceaselessly that we are fast believe that climate change is false does not mean we have to be as causal relationships or definitive So how much weight does approaching the climate collapse, and that there’s nothing wrong well. It’s not good enough to simply statements. LaPierre's argument carry? and it seems that we have already with the planet after all. Unlike fight against climate change in a Unfortunately, most of these It's extremely difficult to say. passed the point of no return. other ridiculous theorists (such as physical sense; we also have to stories don’t have happy endings. However, I have a hard time The question now is not how we the flat-earthers), these everyday fight along an ideological front, This November, in the suburbs believing it is the only way, and can fix the planet; it’s how we climate change deniers pose a discrediting all those ideologies of Chicago, black security guard the majority of this nation agrees. can lessen the impact. We’ve all serious threat because they will do that undermine the gravity of the Jemel Roberson was reportedly Statements with such definite heard about how we can make a everything within their power to situation. So next time you see detaining a man shooting in a terms are hardly ever completely difference through our personal upend established and empirically someone openly denying climate bar. Authorities were told to look true, and this is no exception. habits, and while it’s hard to stay proven scientific thought. change, say something — the out for an armed suspect. With Looking into policies like consistent — I know I struggle There’s the old saying about future might depend on it. this in mind, Roberson — despite maintaining background checks, wearing his security guard or improving our mental health uniform — having a gun was the system to ensure guns don't fall cause for him to be killed by an into the wrong hands, doesn't stop unnamed officer. More recently, the "good guy" from getting his in Hoover, Alabama, 21-year- gun. Does it eliminate the chance old Emantic "EJ" Bradford was of the "bad guy" getting his gun? the latest "good guy with a gun" Of course not. But neither does who was mistakenly identified the status quo, and solely relying as a gunman who injured two on a strawman "good guy" hasn't teenagers when, in reality, he was gotten us anywhere in terms of a man with a legally-owned gun the dialogue on gun violence. Just who was allegedly "trying to wave because a good guy with a gun people away from the shooting" is one deterrent of gun-related just moments before he was shot violence, being competent with by police. Although a "good guy placing the burden on the "good with a gun" did stop a "bad guy guy" is not enough, especially with a gun" in these cases, the when the fate for their deed may intervener's reward was death at be a bullet in their head.

Courtesy of slworking2 via Flickr Wikimedia The rising prevalence of fires in California is an overwhelming indicator of current environmental decline. Madeline Kim/Forum Editor

Letter to the editor: The Humanities here at Carnegie Mellon University are healthy and will continue to grow in future years

In a thoughtful and well- employability resulted in sharp value of adding or integrating the What we are doing with the philosophers who do philosophy written column, Dietrich College drops nationwide in the number humanities into their research humanities is what Carnegie for its own sake. student Emma Flickinger argues of humanities majors and the and education, and this is Mellon does with all of its We are extremely excited about that we only seem to celebrate number of students enrolling in what we want. The demand for disciplines: encourage them to the energy in the humanities at the humanities when they are humanities courses. At Dietrich, incorporating ethics, rhetoric, combine freely with each other Carnegie Mellon. In the spring, we connected to other disciplines, student interest in primary majors history or epistemology into topics and all other disciplines, especially will present the initiatives we are and rarely for their own sake. that lead to a first job (e.g., like artificial intelligence, climate when doing so leads to better undertaking, both in research and Although we should certainly statistics, or information systems) change, technological disruption ways to investigate questions that in education. We will organize celebrate the humanities all by has exploded, but student interest or machine learning has increased matter. This is our secret sauce. a town hall open to all students, themselves, I don’t view our efforts in additional majors and minors dramatically. We also welcome When disciplines live inside staff, and faculty interested in the as a sign that we are letting the in the humanities has bucked the what STEM has to offer us in of silos, they go stale. We have to humanities and their future at humanities “fall by the wayside,” national trend and held steady. advancing our own scholarship in make the humanities invaluable to Carnegie Mellon, and discuss our rather I view it as a core part of Of the four departments in the humanities. What’s exciting, scholars, students, and employers. strategy openly. If we are to make an intentional strategy designed Dietrich with the highest number original, and truly valuable about In my view, the best route to Dietrich a destination for Carnegie to help the humanities thrive at of student enrollments in the Six Degrees of Francis Bacon is first this end is to join forces with Mellon-style humanities, then we Carnegie Mellon. Flickinger’s 2017-2018 academic year, three and foremost the humanities part: other disciplines whenever and need and want your help. piece did make me realize that were humanities departments. what we have discovered, with wherever we can. Our Philosophy The leadership in Dietrich and we have to do a MUCH better job Although only a tiny handful of the help of computers, about the Department has made itself Carnegie Mellon passionately of showcasing our commitment the more than 90 distinct majors world of Francis Bacon, and about so desirable to researchers in believe that reflecting on the to the humanities at Carnegie at Carnegie Mellon require a the social and power dynamics in biomedicine, computer science, human condition is crucial to any Mellon and explaining how we language, almost 45 percent of early modern England. Flickinger psychology and other disciplines education of value and that to do intend to grow them. In what Carnegie Mellon students take wonders how many people who that this academic year they will so effectively requires humanistic follows, I will begin this project, a course in Modern Languages, know about this award-winning receive over $2 million in grant inquiry. We are first and foremost but by no means finish it. a rate nearly triple the national project even know who Francis funding from the National Science a university, and we will never let Student interest in the average. Bacon was. Well, more will now, Foundation, National Institutes the humanities go by the wayside. humanities has been up and Science, technology, thanks to a collaboration between of Health and U.S. Air Force. down over the last 50 years. engineering, and math (STEM) a Carnegie Mellon literary scholar This is singular among American Richard Scheines (@scheines) After the financial crisis of disciplines at Carnegie Mellon (Christopher Warren) and a universities, but because of it, is the Dean of Dietrich College of 2008, student anxiety over are increasingly recognizing the statistician (Cosma Shalizi). the department can also employ Humanities & Social Sciences. A6 « thetartan.org/scitech The Tartan » December 3, 2018

An interview with the director of How can AI analyze CMU’s new neuroscience institute online extremism? FRANK HU the term “ideology” as a set of Assistant Forum Editor documents detailing how mem- bers of the in-group should inter- “Extremism” is a word we act with or treat members of the sometimes throw around casual- out-group. Thus, an extremist ly, using it to label any actions or ideology is simply a set of rules beliefs that seem, well, extreme. on how extremists in an extrem- Other popular phrases include ist in-group should treat those in “extremist ideology,” and “vio- the out-group. As Berger notes, lent extremism.” because extremist groups are When you hear the word very concerned with their legiti- “extremism,” what do you imag- macy, they take great caution in ine? Probably something along clearly defining the boundaries the lines of ISIS or white nation- for their members. alists, groups that are explicitly With the foundation of social extremist. But these examples identity theory, extremism can are insufficient, because it be- be broken down into three key comes incredibly difficult to cat- parts: identity, crisis, and solu- egorize extremism when we tion. Each of these three com- move away from the far ends of ponents must exist in some form the spectrum. for extremist groups to form, and How do we objectively define they progress sequentially. this nebulous term beyond “I The identity defines who is know it when I see it?” in the in-group and who is in That’s the problem that J.M. the out-group, and this divi- Courtesy of CLSP Seminars via Vimeo Berger, a postgraduate research sion follows from the very strict Shinn-Cunningham lecturing at Johns Hopkins University in 2008, when she was a faculty member at Boston University. student at Swansea University’s guidelines set forth by those in School of Law and a research the in-group. GABRIEL RASSKIN even more broadly. Within the uni- bunch of people like me, who do fellow at VOX-Pol, investigates, There is also a level of nuance Junior Staffwriter versity, I report to the dean of the human work, who study percep- researching homegrown terror- where the out-group is divided Mellon College of Science as well tion and the brain and neuroimag- ism and social media extremism into the eligible and ineligible Dr. Barbara Shinn-Cunningham, as the dean of Dietrich. Within the ing. director of Carnegie Mellon’s new institute, we have members in not Then there’s a large effort neuroscience institute, spoke with only Mellon and Dietrich but also within engineering and computer The Tartan about the potential of the School of Computer Science, science; there are people who are When you hear the word extremism, neuroscience research on campus the College of Engineering and doing development of devices to what do you imagine? How do we and beyond. This transcript has even the College of Fine Arts. If measure or even manipulate brain been edited for length and clarity. you step back even further within activity so if you have someone, objectively define this nebulous term the Pittsburgh area, the Institute for instance, with Parkinson’s, you beyond “I know it when I see it?” What is the current state will make sure the CNBC (Center can stimulate portions of the brain of Carnegie Mellon’s for Neural Basis of Cognition) con- and alleviate the symptoms. neuroscience institute? tinues. It’s been around for a very Another set of people, within in order to clarify this social phe- out-group, where the in-group long time, and supports cognitive engineering, are doing brain- We’re doing organizational nomenon into a more objective appeals to the eligible out-group neuroscience efforts that are col- computer interfaces, which has planning behind the scenes. framework. In a talk given on for recruits and supports. In the laborative between Pitt and CMU. usually been applied to help peo- We’ll be launching in the spring campus this past Tuesday, Berger case of ISIS, the eligible out- The institute is already reaching ple who have spinal cord injuries, semester. We are going around delved into his ideas of what dis- group would include Muslim out to other partner institutions. and can’t move their bodies or por- and talking to various people at tinguishes extremism in the 21st males, as there is a potential for We had two different visitors just tions of their bodies. the university and in the Pitts- century. recruitment among that popula- this week, for instance, who are There are a bunch of people in burgh community about what we Drawing upon historical ana- tion. heading neuroscience institutes in biology, they’re really looking at are about, and putting together logues — such as Pope Inno- Once the in-group and out- China to talk about the potential the brain at a cellular level. websites and things like that, so cent the Third, Hernan Cortez, group are established, the in- for collaborations, and exchange And then finally we have col- that when we launch, we have a and Edmund Ruffin — he cre- group defines a kind of crisis that of students and faculty. laborators in machine learning public space ready to go. ated a definition for extremism forces confrontation of the out- and statistics who are helping un- based on social identity theory, group. For example, a popular Could you elaborate on the ravel all the data that new tech- What sort of partnerships can which draws on in-group and conspiracy theory for anti-Sem- research that will take place? niques to measure brain activity out-group dynamics, where the ites is the idea that Jewish people we expect from the institute? Right now there’s about 40 are generating. in-group is the extremist group secretly control the world. There are partnerships both faculty, and their areas of research and the out-group is comprised within the university and then fall in three or four bins. There’s a of everyone else. He also defines See EXTREMISM, A8 within the Pittsburgh area, and See NEUROSCIENCE, A8

Data models are promising, not perfect

SUJAY UTKARSH amount of available data, reducing data is a much towards modernizing pre- Assistant Pillbox Editor it has only become more cheaper and more effective dictive models. Besides important to simplify the strategy than just increas- individual researchers Big data has become process of analyzing it. ing computing power, and working on their own vital in the modern age. This is what research- that there are a few key projects, many govern- The analysis of trends ers from the University benefits of the data reduc- ment organizations are drives company decisions, of Cordoba’s Department tion. First, by simplifying also funding big data proj- while consumer choices are of Computer Science and the data set, the model ects. For example, the E.U. analyzed to tailor adver- Numerical Analysis have could be more accurate, funded the BigStorage tisements and purchases to been working on. Their since extraneous data not project in 2015 with the an individual user. Social work focuses on produc- affecting the model are re- goal of developing new media companies track the ing models capable of pre- moved. Second, with less approaches to data analyt- pages their users are inter- dicting several variables, data to input, less comput- ics concepts, providing 3.8 ested in to personalize the based on the inputs from ing power is required. In million euros to finance the content they see. Medi- the same set of variables. turn, this ends up increas- project. cal data can be analyzed In other words, they reduce ing the efficiency and rate It is also important to to track diseases. Weather the amount of data that a at which models can be remember that there are data can be used to pre- model needs to analyze by made. many variables computers dict storms. The list goes having the computer learn With the sheer amount still won’t be able to ac- on and on. Data analysis the different qualities of of data the world produc- count for. Big data is not has become the bread and the input data. es, having more efficient infallible, and researchers butter of the information- Sebastian Ventura, one predictive algorithms is should be careful when driven era. of the researchers, points key to processing it, which making bold claims about With the ever-increasing out that the method of has driven a global trend its versatility.

Courtesy of Johnson Goh via Pixabay December 3, 2018 « The Tartan thetartan.org/scitech » A7 In Twitter’s love for ‘Big Cow,’ echoes of the 19th century OWEN FOX What’s even more unusual exceedingly rare on modern farms. over the herd of smaller brown steer weighing about 2,600 pounds. Junior Staffwriter about Knickers is his age. Steers Not only can tractor-mounted cattle congregated around him. Like Knickers, the Durham Ox lived raised for meat production are usu- cultivators turn over soil at an ex- While it’s a far cry from tilling the longer than one destined for the Last week, a controversy em- ally slaughtered between the ages ponentially higher rate than oxen soil, Knickers’s position as a cattle grisly fate of the average steer. broiled the internet that resulted of two and three. Knickers is seven ever could, tilling itself has fallen wrangler does bear more similarity When he was finally put down after in thousands of tweets, multiple ar- years old, which may help to ex- out of favor as new herbicide resis- to his plow-pulling ancestors than suffering a hip injury that refused ticles, and a bitter feud between The plain his massive size. But even as tant plants it does to his dinner-destined to heal, the ox was exactly 11 years Guardian and The Washington Post. a young cow, Knickers was contemporaries. old. The source of all this tension? too large to fit in the farm That Knickers, a seven year old A really big cow. equipment required to steer, has already grown to be 400 Knickers, an Australian Holstein process his carcass. pounds heavier than the Durham measuring six feet and four inches Ox at its death speaks to the sweep- from hoof to shoulder and weigh- ing changes brought about by fac- ing over 3,000 pounds, captured tory farming. The high demand the hearts and minds of internet for beef, combined with advances users everywhere when a photo in genetics, have allowed the of him surrounded by average steer to become as a herd of smaller cattle large as some of the big- went viral. Com- gest cattle in recorded hu- menters on Twitter man history. In fact, cows dubbed him “big today are so big, some cow,” praising Knick- ranchers are becoming ers for the heroic na- concerned. ture of his enormous “More and more stature. Before the of our commercial day was out, his customers say they’re newfound fame had concerned about their already garnered the cows getting too big,” attention of many Kevin Schulz, a cattle mainstream media breeder, told Hereford outlets, including The World in 2010. “They Washington Post and The want to lower cow mainte- New York Times. nance costs.” Writers at both papers Perhaps some ranchers were at pains to temper the fer- are anxious that their cows, like vent passion of many social media Knickers, may grow too big to users. Knickers, the Times noted, slaughter. A more practical concern is not technically a cow (a female is efficiency: larger cows require with one or more calves) but a steer “ W e more resources to keep healthy. As — a bull castrated at birth. And as have a high Anna Boyle/Art Editor The same is cattle feed becomes more expen- Jason Bittel pointed out in the Post, turnover of cattle,” true of his social media sive, many farmers seem worried Holstein cattle tend to grow a lot Knickers’ owner, Geoff Pearson, stardom. While fascination with that the emphasis on bigger and larger than the Wagyu cows Knick- told the Australian Broadcasting make chemical weed-killers an eas- pictures of large cows may seem bigger cattle is hurting their bot- ers is standing beside in the viral Corporation in October. “He was ier and more desirable alternative. like a uniquely internet-based phe- tom line. But even if proponents photo. lucky enough to stay behind.” Even without a career in plow- nomenon, enormous cattle actually of smaller cattle fail to convince But as other commentators were Steers of Knickers’ age and size ing to fall back on, Knickers has have a rich history as portrait sub- the majority of breeders, really big quick to argue, neither point really might have been more common in managed to find work on the farm, jects. In the 19th century, the rise cows like Knickers will remain an detracts from the fact of his sheer the past. The first cattle imported leading and coaching other cattle of selective breeding brought with anomaly. Most steers will simply size. Knickers nearly matches the to Australia in the 1800s were not around their enclosure. it a rise of larger and larger cows. never grow old enough for us to ap- height of the tallest Holstein steer raised for meat but for work: oxen “Whenever he wants to get up Farmers aspired to raise bigger preciate their enormity. ever recorded, and stands over used to till and cultivate soil. With- and start walking there’s a trail of cattle as status symbols and would So, large animal enthusiasts: eight inches taller than the aver- out a visit to slaughterhouse ensur- hundreds of cattle following him,” commission artists to create paint- enjoy Knickers while he lasts. And age height for his breed. At 3,000 ing their premature demise, these Pearson told the ABC. ings of them and their cows stand- hope that someday, somewhere, pounds, he weighs more than dou- animals could end up living for any- This is what Knickers is doing in ing together. another big cow will find its way ble the amount of even his heaviest where from 10 to 20 years. the picture that brought him well- One especially notable portrait into the spotlight, and into our peers. Cattle grown for this purpose are deserved internet fame: towering depicts the Durham Ox, an English hearts. First human babies with (possibly) edited genes born

AMY LU beautiful little Chinese girls, to perform gene surgery in order a baby as a “huge blow” to the insufficient to confirm whether Junior Staffwriter named Lulu and Nana, came to reproduce a natural genetic ethical standing of Chinese bio- the editing worked or caused crying into this world as healthy variation that confers strong re- medical research. Dr. Eric Topol, harm. For better or for worse, as any other babies,” said He in sistance to HIV-1 infection. who heads the Scripps Research It was also noted that the evi- Chinese geneticist He Jiankui a YouTube video posted on his He’s actions have caused a Translational Institute in Cali- dence may suggest that the edit- may have just opened the company’s channel on Monday. global outcry, with scientists fornia, described the experiment ing was incomplete and left vari- Pandora’s box of gene-editing. Before being implanted in the worldwide expressing shock and as being “far too premature.” ous changes to a patchwork of He, a researcher based in womb as embryos, Lulu and outrage. More than 120 Chinese “We’re dealing with the op- cells. Moreover, even if editing Shenzhen, China, claims to Nana’s genes were altered to scientists issued a joint state- erating instructions of a human worked perfectly, the imposed have created the world’s first prevent contraction of HIV. He ment on Monday, condemning being,” Topol explains. “It’s a big HIV-resistant gene variation is genetically edited babies. “Two used CRISPR-Cas9 technology He’s use of the CRISPR-Cas9 on deal.” known to increase risk of other A few scientists have spoken viruses and diseases. Such evi- out against the criticisms, how- dence begs the question of how ever. George Church, a famed much there was to be gained in geneticist at Harvard University, terms of protection against HIV. argued that He’s research is “jus- Professor He’s lab has altered tifiable” as a valiant attempt to embryos for over seven couples, battle HIV, “a major and growing but only one of the experiments public health threat.” has led to pregnancy. Many are The Chinese government has unsettled that the participants halted the work of He’s lab, hav- may not have given fully in- Summer Employment at Carnegie Mellon: ing ordered immediate inves- formed consent to the treatment, Teaching Assistant and Residential Counselor Jobs in tigations into the experiments. as He’s consent forms called the Furthermore, Professor He’s uni- project an “AIDS vaccine devel- the Pennsylvania Governor’s School for the Sciences versity, the Southern University opment” program. of Science and Technology in However, He maintains that Undergraduate summer employment at Carnegie Mellon University is available with the Shenzhen, said it was unaware the patients were well aware of Pennsylvania Governor's School for the Sciences (PGSS). The PGSS is a five-week of the research project and that the nature of the research, say- summer school for extremely talented high school students from Pennsylvania. Teaching Professor He has been on unpaid ing that he personally explained Assistant/Counselor appointments are available in the areas of biology, chemistry, computer science, physics and mathematics. In addition, one or two positions may be “We’re dealing with the operating available as Co-Directors of Residential Life. Academic duties of the TA/Counselor instructions of a human being. include assisting with lecture and lab courses and mentoring team research projects. Counselor duties of the TA/Counselor include living in the same dormitory as the PGSS It’s a big deal.” students, ensuring that students adhere to the PGSS disciplinary rules, providing tutorial help in the academic program, and arranging and conducting social activities. Co- Eric Topol Directors of Residential Life (a.k.a. Head Counselors) are responsible for overseeing the Scripps Research Translational Institute TA/Counselors and fostering a safe, collaborative living and learning environment for the PGSS students. leave for the past few months. the forms to each family “line by TA/Counselor applicants should have finished their sophomore year by the start of the Gene editing outside of lab re- line.” He also promised to pro- summer program. Consideration will also be given to extraordinarily qualified first-year search is outlawed or restricted vide insurance coverage for any applicants. Preference will be given to applicants with strong academic records and in many countries, including children conceived through the strong social skills. Prior experience with PGSS or a similar summer program is China. project and medical follow-up preferred, but not required. Applicants for Co-Director of Residential Life should have The CRISPR gene editing until the children reach adult- graduated from college or university by the start of the summer program. Further technique used by He was devel- hood. information is available at the PGSS web site: http://sciences.pa-gov-schools.org/. oped in 2013, and while its po- According to He, the parents tential has been widely praised, involved refuse to be identified Stipend for five-and-one-half week period: it is still considered experimen- or interviewed. He also would tal. Many unintended muta- not disclose where the parents $2,500 for new TA/Counselors, $2,750 for returning TA/Counselors tions, capable of causing genetic are from or where the work was $3,000 for Co-Director of Residential Life problems later in life, including done. Housing is included (in the PGSS dorm) as well as a food allowance. cancer, are associated with the Professor He recognized early Duties begin Wednesday, June 26, 2019, end Sunday, August 4, 2019 procedure. As explained by Feng on that his work would cause Applications are available from the PGSS Office in DH A301 Zhang, one of the key inventors much controversy. However, he or may be downloaded (pdf format) from the PGSS web site: of CRISPR, “when you change believes “families need this tech- http://sciences.pa-gov-schools.org/ one thing, something else gets nology,” He explained. Contact the PGSS Program Office at (412) 268-6669 changed, too.” If the treatment causes un- or e-mail [email protected] Several scientists have wanted side effects or harm, “I Application Deadline: March 31, 2019 reviewed the experimental would feel the same pain as they materials that He provided to do and it’s going to be my own (Applications may be accepted after the deadline until all positions are filled.) the public and said the tests are responsibility.” December 3, 2018 « The Tartan thetartan.org/scitech » A8 Neuroscience needs data science Defining extremism From NEUROSCIENCE, A6 driven science. Do you believe network level; there are people who From EXTREMISM, A6 processing systems and threat these types of techniques are work at the whole brain level. There detection AIs who can do the How are you going to the future of the field? are people who come at it from a These crisis narratives heavy lifting. behavioral standpoint and try and can range in severity from After the talk, the audience incorporate cross-disciplinarity I believe it’s a really important relate that to the brain. And all of conspiracy — the idea that raised some intriguing ques- in the institute? tool to help us understand the these different levels are intricate the out-group secretly con- tions, such as if reactions to It’s really fun — one of the things neural code in data that are being and complicated and difficult to trols outcomes for the in-group extremism can themselves be that already happens naturally with- generated today. It used to be that work on. What’s fun about CMU — all the way to apocalypse, considered extreme. in CMU is collaboration across these people who are measuring from the is people work across those scales where the out-group is seen as Another great question from different fields, so it’s very easy to brain would look at a single cell, and pretty naturally, which is unusual. a threat to all of humanity. the audience was whether or come in as a director into CMU and figure out how a single cell reacts to The final piece is the solu- not the current administration just nurture what is already hap- different inputs. From that they’d tion, where extremist groups has played a role in escalating pening. For instance, the people try and figure out what that single What role do you believe the present away to resolve the extremism. Without naming who do brain-computer interface cell was encoding. Now, people are new neuroscience institute can crisis. Solutions can range any names, Berger explained include people on the biology side up to measuring thousands of units play in the field of neurosci- from non-violent harassment that the current political rheto- who collaborate incredibly tightly at a time, and that’s a tiny percent- ence as a whole? all the way to genocide, with ric fulfills the identity and crisis with people from biomedical engi- age of what’s going on in the brain. CMU isn’t a huge university — the severity and extremeness portion of the extremism cycle neering and electrical and computer Trying to figure out from observing if you look just across the street at increasing along the spectrum. — such as Trump categorizing engineering. A lot of what my job is, their firing pattern, for instance — Pitt, there are so many more people So why is it so important immigrants as the out-group in coming into this, is to make sure what mental plan is being encoded doing neuroscience than CMU will to reduce extremism to objec- threat — without providing that those people who want to col- at a particular instance -— is a chal- ever have. We can’t compete in sheer tive components? It opens up any solutions. When people are laborate don’t have things standing lenge. We need to have people in numbers, yet we are going to play the possibility of combating left to their own solutions, the in their way. machine learning working hand in a big role. All the things that CMU extremism online with artifi- results can be catastrophic. Another thing that we’re doing hand with neuroscientists to under- is known for in the external world cial intelligences rather than This though-provoking is holding small meetings of fac- stand the kind of information likely are exactly the tools that neurosci- human monitoring. lecture explained how vague ulty who have more interest in talk- to be meaningful in this data. ence needs right now at this junc- A team of humans could concepts can be reduced to ing about other ways we can build tion: technology and analysis and never sort through all the hun- functional definitions, so long collaboration. We’ll be holding You mentioned different lev- machine learning and data science dreds of thousands of text posts as the definitions are carefully some meetings open to the public els of complexity: from single and statistics. And that is why I’m and messages sent online every thought out and supported that are scientifically intense work- cells to the whole brain. Do excited to come to CMU. day. By training AIs to recog- by legitimate evidence. As we shops, and we’ll be focusing them I’m an electrical engineer by nize the elements of extrem- move into an age where sub- on areas where there’s already a lot you find that integrating these training, so I came at neuroscience ism, we can monitor extremist jectivity is used frequently as a of strength at CMU. We will also be different levels of complexity is from an information theory kind dialogue before it becomes an defense for hate, this approach bringing in some external speakers a challenge? of viewpoint: what information is issue. is vital to the viability of our to interact with the great scientists Most scientists in academia tend in the brain, at what moment, in As Berger demonstrated society. we already have here. to study one small problem — one what place. That kind of automatic later in his presentation, all Only by identifying the sub-sub-subfield of some bigger analytic approach to understanding of these abstract ideas can be harmful agents can we curtail field — and in neuroscience that’s You also mentioned techno- the data that comes from the brain reduced to concept maps and their impact, and machines can especially true. There are people logical approaches, such as is what I think the field needs, and frameworks, which in turn help us achieve what people who work at the single unit level; what CMU can do uniquely. can be fed to natural language alone cannot. machine learning and data- there are people who work at the

Enjoying the bitter taste of coffee is in your genes

ROSE EILENBERG Participants also provided in- despite their sensitivity to Staffwriter formation about their health it, so they reject coffee and and lifestyle. achieve similar behavioral ef- A recent study published “You’d expect that people fects by drinking tea. in the journal Scientific Re- who are particularly sensitive While it remains unclear ports found that sensitivity to the bitter taste of caffeine exactly why people choose to the bitter taste of caffeine would drink less coffee,” said coffee, tea, or other caf- increased people’s coffee con- Marilyn Cornelis, who is an feinated beverages, this sumption. Individuals with a assistant professor of preven- study shows how much specific version of a gene that tive medicine at Northwestern of an impact genetics increases sensitivity to bitter University Feinberg School can have on even peo- flavors tend to enjoy coffee, of Medicine and one of the ple’s beverage flavor researchers found. In fact, study’s authors. Why then do preferences. people with the highest genet- they like it so much? ic ability to detect bitterness Reed explains that some are about 20 percent likely to people think “taste is a little drink four or more cups of cof- more nuanced than that … we fee a day. often have the idea that bitters Scientists have differing are poisonous, but in a sense, opinions on the evolution- bitters are also medicines. The ary purpose of bitterness bitter perception system is perception. “The conventional very sensitive because a little answer is that taste is a sen- bit of bitter might be a good tinel that protects us from thing.” harm. It allows us to sense The latter view might bet- toxins, poisons” explains Dr. ter explain the results of this Danielle Reed, a researcher at study. The authors believe that the Monell Chemical Senses people with genetic variations Center in Philadelphia, in the that provide extra sensitivity report. to the taste of caffeine learn The study examined data to associate it with its ben- from more than 400,000 par- efits — namely staying ticipants via the UK Biobank, awake. Indeed, Cornelis a repository of genetic data posits that tea drinkers used for medical research. do not like bitter flavors

Courtesy of Rafael Saldaña via Flickr December 3, 2018 « The Tartan thetartan.org/sports » A9 Tartan Fantasy Football: Tracy Le’s futbol stays on top

Courtesy of Danny Wild via Flickr Wikimedia Commons Courtesy of Melvin A via Flickr Wikimedia Commons Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers was a good scorer for Mattson’s newz, but couldn’t lead her to the win. Le’s futbol continued its winning streak, with Panthers quarterback Cam Newton scoring 22.54 points.

MARIKA YANG against mmichelle123. And finally, week with 125 yards rushing, and two touchdowns. Two players that that’s literally possible in Sports Editor Assistant Pillbox Editor Izzy Sio’s 112 receiving, one rushing were scoreless, including the fantasy football), beating my team team GOAT but Ironically defeated touchdown, and one receiving Jaguars defense, while four others by over 40 points. In the team’s Welcome back to our Tartan my team, Gin and Bear It. The loss touchdown. Houston Texans failed to score double-digit points. fourth win in a row, Cleveland Fantasy Football League recap! As doesn’t feel so bad because Sio is quarterback Deshaun Watson Browns running back Nick it has been the norm this season, I one of the few in the league who put up 29.40 points and Dallas GOAT but Ironically over newz, Chubb scored 24.80 points from will be recapping the action of our actually understands football Cowboys running back Ezekiel 123.92 to 86.86 84 rushing years, 44 receiving league in the past two weeks. and knows how to log onto her Elliot added 20.30 points, but yards, a rushing touchdown, and As the Sports Editor, it’s been NFL.com account. Figures. they made up a large majority of Sio’s team GOAT but Ironically a receiving touchdown. Panthers extremely embarrassing to see Week 12 saw most matchups the team’s total points. None of continues to improve, this week quarterback Cam Newton put up Visual Editor Tracy Le, who at the ending up as expected, with one the other four offensive players rising to third place after a strong 22.54 points from 256 passing start of the season didn’t know a surprising upset. This caused cracked four points, leading to win over Mattson’s newz. yards, 63 rushing yards, and two quarterback from a cornerback some shakeups in the middle of TARTAN FANTASY’s downfall. After starting the season touchdowns. and had never watched a football the standings, but in the end, Le’s with three straight losses, Sio Not that futbol needed much game before, perch at the top of futbol remains in the lead going mmichelle123 over Slugs, 87.48 has definitely steered her team to beat my team, Gin and Bear our league standings. Oh well. into the final weeks of the season, to 73.42 in the right direction. In Week It. I missed the time to bench my But since this is our last recap while Mattson’s newz remains in 12, while the team didn’t have quarterback, Jared Goff of the Los of the year in The Tartan’s final the cellar. Madlansacay’s mmichelle123 any standout performances, Angeles Rams who was on a bye, issue of 2018, I want to express bounced back from the previous GOAT but Ironically’s starters all so I got zero points from the only how amazing it has been being Last Manning Standing over week’s close loss to defeat contributed. All but one offensive position that has been reliable the Sports Editor this year. TARTAN FANTASY, 134.98 to Tunnard’s team Slugs. With the starter scored at over 13 points, for my team. Usually consistent I’m so proud of what we’ve 112.00 win, mmichelle123 moves up two and the Baltimore Ravens defense Steelers running back James accomplished, and I’m excited for spots to fourth place, while Slugs collected a whopping 18 points. Conner had a mediocre week, what comes next! This matchup between Miller’s drops to fifth place. Mattson’s newz had some finishing with only 7.50 points, In Week 11, Le’s team futbol second-ranked Last Manning Minnesota Vikings quarterback bright spots, including 26.20 and Washington Redskins running maintained its top spot in a high Standing and Qian’s seventh- Kirk Cousins led Madlasacay’s points from New York Giants back Adrian Peterson proved to be scoring affair over Photo Editor ranked TARTAN FANTASY ended mmichelle123 with 27.36 points running back Saquon Barkley, a bad pickup, as he scored only Lisa Qian’s team, who stayed in as expected. Leading the way from 342 yards through the who had 142 total yards from 4.40 points. At least I’m not in seventh place. In the most hotly to victory for Miller’s team was air, 17 yards rushing, and three scrimmage and two touchdowns, last place like I was earlier in the contested matchup, Operations Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver touchdowns. Other than Cousins, one rushing and one receiving. season — I’m perfectly content Manager Adam Tunnard’s team JuJu Smith-Schuster, who had 189 none of her other starters broke 20 Chargers quarterback Philip with sixth place. Slugs crept by News Editor Nora receiving yards and a touchdown points; Philadelphia Eagles tight Rivers also had a good week, with So that’s it for our Tartan Mattson’s team newz, winning by for 24.90 points. Not far behind end Zach Ertz was her second 20.66 points from 259 passing Fantasy Football League in 2018! less than four points and moving were Tampa Bay Buccaneers highest scorer, with only 15.10 yards and three touchdowns. But Don’t worry, we’ll be back in up in the standings to fourth quarterback Jameis Winston with points, and one of her players little production from anyone else Jan. 2019 with the final recap of place. The closest matchup of 22.88 points and Jacksonville didn’t score any points. hindered the team, including zero what went down during the last the week was between Publisher Jaguars running back Leonard However, mmichelle123 points from both the kicker and weeks of the regular season, and Caleb Miller’s team Last Manning Fournette with 22.80 points. racked up enough to beat the defense. then how the playoffs played Standing and Pillbox Editor Qian’s team TARTAN FANTASY Tunnard’s Slugs, which struggled out. I hope that by the end of the Michelle Madlansacay’s team boasted some high performances, with scoring as well. The team’s futbol over Gin and Bear It, season, Mattson will be able to mmichelle123, which was decided including the highest of either highest scoring player was Los 112.04 to 68.50 name a tight end not named Rob by just 0.06 points. Miller’s team team, 35.70 from Carolina Angeles Chargers running back Gronkowski, and Qian will know came out on top to continue his Panthers running back Christian Melvin Gordon, who put up 18.60 Le’s futbol decided to run that “running back” is a two-word winning head-to-head streak McCafferty, who finished the points after rushing for 61 yards up the score on my team (not phrase.

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After a turbulent week, the only Penalty Shouts: Nate thing the NFL can do is change Silver stops by to chat MARIKA YANG First, Silver explained to me Sports Editor the intricacies of numerical ranking systems, specifically how In less than a week, two they often feature the number scandals hit the NFL, with both one team as “the best” and the last revealing the foundational team as “the worst.” Continuing, corruption in the most popular he explained that “more often sports league in America. On than not, one plus one equals Tuesday, linebacker Reuben two, but in these rankings, Foster was picked up by the the Ohio State University plus Washington Redskins after being MATTHEW BENUSA Loyola Marymount equals poo.” cut by the San Francisco 49ers Assistant Sports Editor I thanked Silver for his original following his arrest for first- and insightful analysis and degree misdemeanor domestic This is Penalty Shouts, The quietly left. violence battery. On Friday, TMZ Tartan’s sports column inspired After our interview, Silver’s published a video of star running by the The New Yorker’s column trigger fingers turned to back Kareem Hunt hitting and Daily Shouts. This satire-fueled Twitter, and he coherently kicking a woman in a hotel room. column will focus on anything and mathematically described He was soon cut by the Kansas and everything funny in the sports and analyzed the issue with City Chiefs. Both these incidents Anna Boyle/Art Editor world that is deserving of our the NET rankings: “I think, have illuminated just how much comedic attention. philosophically, NET suffers the NFL hasn’t changed, and just in football — it’s nothing new in anthem-kneeling policy, the NFL Earlier this week, the NCAA from a ‘throw random crap how much it doesn’t care. society. But since 2014, when TMZ stands tall, because America released comically bad men’s at a wall and see what sticks’ Foster has a history of published a video of Rice beating just wants to watch football. college basketball power problem, which is often domestic violence. In February, his then-fiancé, the league has Americans want to wear their rankings (NET) using a new characteristic of doo-doo head he was arrested for a charge of tried to put up airs of changing, of colors and jerseys, get drunk with algorithm. Undefeated Ohio algorithm designers that care domestic violence against his being different. They introduced their friends, and enjoy three State University earned the more about their paycheck than ex-girlfriend. She later said she a stricter domestic violence and hours of fun and escape. number one spot after tough wins doing meaningful work for the fabricated the claims, but she assault policy, but it has proven Sometimes I wonder why against the Samford Bulldogs, only good thing left in the world: was the same victim of last week’s to be insufficient and broken. I still watch football. It’s an Cleveland State Vikings, and college basketball.” incident in Tampa Bay, when The league, a multi-billion dollar extremely violent sport. Most Fort Wayne Mastodons, and the While Silver’s use of Foster was in town for the 49ers institution, can’t seem to get of my family and friends either 8–0 Loyola Marymount Lions are excrement imagery colored his upcoming game. Washington’s access to an important video don’t understand it or don’t in the top 10 after their grueling analysis in a peculiar, brown quick pickup of Foster has been before TMZ does, or maybe the care. It leads to brain damage schedule against Florida A&M, light, the core of it rings true. The met with severe criticism, and I NFL just doesn’t care. and horrible physical injuries Central Connecticut State, new NET ratings are s---. There echo the same sentiments. What The NFL is a business, and for players. But I grew up in and Bethesda University of are a multitude of complications are they doing? According to the when there are great, talented Baltimore, a football town. the National Christian College coming from the worst ranking victim’s lawyer, the team didn’t players doing amazing things, Everyone watched the game on Athletic Association, or NCCA. system since Buzzfeed Listicles, even bother to contact her to ask the league is producing a better Sunday, purple was everywhere, It all feels like a poorly written and since the ranking’s release about what happened, indicating product. When the product is and sometimes we’d get purple sketch for Key and Peele. the NCAA has only doubled down what has become quite clear: they better and money is rolling in, icing on our Dunkin’ Donuts. I However, renowned political on its confidence in the system, just don’t care. And the fact that they are often forgiven; forgiven watched the Ray Rice case unfold, analyst and sports statistician which it will use for the national an NFL team so openly shows for past mistakes, for current but I also watched the Ravens win god Nate Silver, founder and tournament in March. The NCAA just how little they care about ones, and for future ones. They a Super Bowl. There’s nothing editor-in-chief of statistics- expects the ranking system to domestic violence is chilling, and get a fine or a slap on the wrist. like the euphoric moment of driven website FiveThirtyEight, winnow out the bad teams by to be frank, sickening. They are suspended for a couple watching and experiencing your has come to every fan’s rescue the end of the season, but the But the biggest domestic games, or fade from public team win. It’s pure joy, however again to tell us just how stupid NCAA should be prepared for a violence scandal to rock the NFL knowledge. But that doesn’t fleeting. It’s silly, it’s trivial. But the rankings truly are. Penalty corporate takeover if the ranking since the Ray Rice case in 2014 mean the NFL has changed. no matter how much our team Shouts sat down with Silver proves to be as incompetent is what happened on Friday. Just Yes, there are differences breaks our hearts, no matter how for a short interview about the as the first iteration seems to like with Rice, TMZ obtained and between the Rice and Hunt many concussions we witness rankings and what they mean. indicate. published the video of Kareem cases. Rice was initially charged or how many domestic violence Hunt from a February incident. and arrested for the initial crime scandals pepper the headlines, The Chiefs cut him, but that is just while Hunt never was. There was football continues to roll along. doing the bare minimum. This is evidence that the NFL saw the I love football. I think I always not a time to praise them, and video of Rice, but did nothing will. But weeks like these remind there never should be. They had about it until it was released to me that in the end, it’s just the police report since February outcry and backlash. Even if the football. There are many more and didn’t do anything. Who NFL hadn’t seen the Hunt video important things, like the victims would want to part ways with before Friday, as sources say, it of violence and abuse. If the a 23-year-old star running back is damning that TMZ is better at NFL continues to employ these in the middle of a Super Bowl investigating the issues of NFL offenders, the league is sending a run? The language in the team’s employees than the NFL. message that victims don’t matter, announcement is also quite The NFL carries international that money is more important disturbing, implying that they cut influence and clout. It’s connected than their lives, that domestic him for lying about the incident, to the richest people in the world. violence isn’t serious. If the NFL and not his actual actions. Its players and coaches are house- does nothing, if it stands by and The teams in both cases are hold names. For six months, they only acts for its public reputation trying to wash off the stains rule the news, the TV, and the and monetary interests, it sends on their hands, but the real pop culture world. The NFL is the same message. If the NFL issue here is with the NFL itself. such a behemoth that it believes doesn’t change, then it will have Unfortunately, violent behavior it can withstand scandal, which one less viewer. And I don’t think against women is nothing new it has. From the Rice case to the I’m alone. Anna Boyle/Art Editor An atrocity exhibition: Penguins struggle in November

BRAD PUSKAR successfully. Three of those their defense, or they will surely however. In the game against the but don’t be surprised if there’s Staffwriter losses have been in overtime or a end up out of playoff contention. Winnipeg Jets just last week, the a coaching change soon in the shootout, so they have managed Since the beginning of the Pens looked like a different team. future. The Penguins are a team The Pittsburgh Penguins were to grab a few points along the way, season there’s been a complete They played hard on the boards with a limited window for success, unable to come up with any even though it hasn’t been enough disregard for team defense, with and won loose puck battles. I’m and while firing a head coach who points for a second straight game to change their bleak outlook. the forwards lazily skating back not a fan of calling it a matter has won two Stanley Cups in the on Saturday, as they lost to the A lot of these games were lost in for defensive help, as well as a of effort, but it does really seem last three years may not inspire Philadelphia Flyers by four goals the third period, and they ended lackluster forward attack after like the team is uninterested in success in future coaches, it might to two. After a strong start that up as multiple goal losses on an dumping the puck. playing more often than not. I still soon be the only move left to make featured another Sidney Crosby empty netter by the other team. There are glimmers of hope, trust Mike Sullivan as head coach, to spark something in the team. goal, as well as Riley Sheahan’s Some of this might be attributed second goal in three games, the to the Pens losing goaltender Matt Pens could not score in the third Murray to injury and replacing period, and the Flyers took home him with two backups, Casey a decisive victory. DeSmith and Tristan Jarry. Put a It was the third time since the strong goaltender in net, and the start of November that the Pens Pens might take more of those have lost multiple games in a to overtime and then to victory. row. Since their last win, only two November was a bad month, but Penguins, Crosby and Sheahan, with some roster shuffling, it were able to put the puck into the could be an anomaly. back of the net. Last night seemed Jim Rutherford should be to be the same old problems, looking to trade away some of the where the Pens continued to give Pens’ considerable forward depth up odd man breakaways, and the to give the team any semblance Flyers took advantage. It seems of a defense, or perhaps a fair to say that if the Penguins, proven, veteran goaltender who currently in sixth place in the can mentor Matt Murray, Casey metropolitan division, can’t flip DeSmith, and Tristan Jarry. the switch soon, then a few big Beyond Kris Letang, who also names on the roster are going to looked horrible last Saturday find themselves on the trading against the Flyers. Nobody on the block. Penguins’ defensive line has been This month of November was able to do much of anything. I atrocious for the Penguins. They’ve don’t think that we’re seeing the

lost 10 games out of 14, and look end of the Crosby and Malkin Courtesy of Heather M Barry via Flickr Wikimedia Commons generally disinterested in playing era, but the Pens need to build up The Penguins struggled last Saturday against the Flyers, as their defense and goaltending lagged in the month of November. pillboxThe Tartan’s Art & Culture Magazine

12.3.18 • B6 Holiday Magic • B8 Fantastic Beasts• B12 KPDC table of contents

4 Editors’ Favorites of the Year 6 Holiday Magic: Let it Glow! 12 KPDC: Nightlife

3 Advice for Awkward People: End of the Semester 3 Brunch Buddies: Eatunique 7 Marvel’s Daredevil 8 Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Filmmaking 10 Chilling Adventures of Sabrina 11 Movies in November 14 Imagine Dragons’Origins Review 16 Horoscopes: the signs as Thanksgiving dishes 18 Comics: On brain uploads, fear of ghosts, and the holidays 19 Weekly Calendar

Publisher Caleb Miller Editor-In-Chief Valene Mezmin Pillbox Editors Michelle Madlansacay and Alexandra Yu Comics Editor Emeline Fromont Visual Editors Tracy Le and Paola Mathus Copy Manager Wilson Ekern Cover Photo Lexin Yuan

The Tartan. Box 119. Cohon Center Suite 103. Carnegie Mellon University. 5000 Forbes Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15213. www.thetartan.org. © 2012 The Tartan Advice for Awkward People Michelle Madlansacay | Pillbox Editor

Dear Michelle, Dear DONE,

It’s the last week of the semester and I have never The first thing I have to say is hang in there. You’re That can help distribute your time and efforts, been so stressed! It’s ridiculous how much work I so so close and the final stretch of the semester is and also help you make progress on all your have right now, I don’t think the workload has ever usually going to be the most difficult for everyone. assignments. Also, please prioritize taking breaks. been this bad for me. Or let me clarify, I’ve always I completely understand what you’re going You don’t want to completely burn yourself out had a lot of work. But at least all the deadlines for through, and so does almost every other student while you’re working. my assignments were spread out in the week, and on campus. Please keep that in mind. We’re all not due on the same day! This happened to me a going through this together, and struggling with I know it’s hard right now, but you’re going to couple of times this week, and it’s all just left me friends can actually be a pretty helpful way to deal get through this. This probably also isn’t the first feeling extremely overwhelmed. I don’t know how with this stressful time. The first thing I would advise time you’ve dealt with a stressful situation. But just I can go on to finish the semester. Do you think you you to do is to talk to your closest friends or family remember to stay relaxed, stay focused, and ask could help me out? Tell me what to do!! members if you start feeling really overwhelmed. for help when you need it, either from your friends, They can provide you with comfort and more family, or even your teachers — it’s definitely not Thanks, advice on how to best deal with your stress. a bad thing to ask for an extension. And trust that Reaching out to your friends is especially helpful you’ll make it through to the end of the semester in Definitely Overwhelmed, Never Ending because they’ll likely be able to relate to you, and one piece. Have confidence in yourself and your you all can work together to find ways for making abilities, and know that everything will all be fine this situation a little better. in the end.

On those days or nights when you have so many things due the next day, something that can help Best, your mental organization is to allot an hour or so to work on each assignment that you have. Michelle

Brunch Buddies: Eatunique Consistent, reliable, and fresh! Marika Yang | Sports Editor

Nestled in the middle of South Craig Street, The food: The real star here is the sandwiches. Lit or Nah: I wouldn’t necessarily characterize Eatunique is a cute cafe that offers a variety of Eatunique offers several options off the grill, like Eatunique as “lit,” but it’s a great option if you’re sandwiches, soups, and salads. It’s my go-to the Great Rinaldi, an interesting combination of looking for something near campus when you’re place when I’m near Craig Street, and it’s quite meat loaf, fried egg, and barbeque sauce, or the sick of the on-campus options. But the real kicker convenient for students who live in the Oakland Spicy Grilled Cheese and Bacon, which is made here, beyond the convenience and food, is that area off Fifth Avenue. It’s extremely consistent and with multiple cheeses that is complemented by the they take DineX. Yes, they take DineX! That makes reliable for a fresh and filling lunch in the middle sourness of banana peppers. They have several this lit times a thousand. of a busy day. vegetarian options, like the Malibu Avocado Burger or Southwest Sizzler, and deli options as The location: Craig Street is home to several food well. places, including Union Grill, Ali Baba, Little Asia, Lulu’s Noodles, and Sushi Fuku. Eatunique satisfies The vibe: Casual. Eatunique is a simple cafe. It’s a Panera-sized hole for a fast and fresh American- nothing fancy — don’t expect a hipster setting or style lunch made from real ingredients. It’s close a cute rustic layout. But what it doesn’t have in to campus, close to several off-campus housing aesthetic, it makes up in ample seating. There are options, and is a short walk from several bus stops several different areas with tables, and it’s a great along the 61 and 71 bus routes. place to meet up with friends or find your own table.

3 Editors’ Favorites of 2018 This is a compilation of everything of The Tartan staff did, watched, listened to, and read in 2018. Note: not everything listed is a 2018 release Favorite TV Show of 2018 List of Staff in Article Atlanta - Caleb Caleb Miller - Publisher Mr. Robot - Sujay Valene Mezmin - Editor-in-Chief Daredevil - Marika Adam Tunnard - Operations Manager Maniac - Matt Nora Mattson - News Editor The X Files - Wilson Madeline Kim - Forum Editor Documentary Now! - Adam Frank Hu - Assistant Forum Editor One Day At a Time - Anna Marika Yang - Sports Editor Pose - Paola Matt Benusa - Assistant Sports Editor Bob’s Burgers - Madeline Emma Flickinger - SciTech Editor The Crown - Valene Alexandra Yu - Pillbox Editor Superstore - Nora She-Ra and the Princesses of Power - Emma Michelle Madlansacay - Pillbox Editor The Bold Type - Michelle Isabella Sio - Assistant Pillbox Editor Rick and Morty - Frank Sujay Utkarsh - Assistant Pillbox Editor Brooklyn 99 - Tracy Anna Boyle - Art Editor The Good Place - Alexandra Tracy Le - Visual Editor Paola Mathus - Visual Editor Wilson Ekern - Copy Manager Favorite Movie of 2018 A Star is Born/Mission Impossible: Fallout - Caleb Favorite Book of 2018 First Reformed - Sujay Children of Blood and Bone - Sujay Black Panther - Marika, Madeline, Isabella, and Valene Wade in the Water - Matt Mandy - Matt Her Body and Other Parties - Wilson Raw - Wilson A People’s History of Computing - Adam Isle of Dogs - Adam, Nora, Tracy, and Michelle An American Marriage - Anna Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse/Incredibles 2 - Anna They Can’t Kill Us Until They Kill Us - Paola BlacKKKlansman - Paola The Hate U Give - Madeline Ant-Man and the Wasp - Frank Jane Eyre - Valene Crazy Rich Asians - Alexandra Girls of Paper and Fire - Isabella Favorite Restaurant of 2018 Favorite Event of 2018 Smoke Barbeque Taqueria - Sujay Cornell Model UN Conference - Sujay Gaucho Parrilo Argentina - Marika Row House’s Midnight Horror Films - Matt BRGR - Matt Spring Carnival - Wilson Szechuan Express - Wilson Ho9909 at Rex Theater - Adam Legume - Adam & Nora Eagles Win Superbowl LII - Anna Burgatory - Anna Frank Ocean Comes Out of Hiding - Paola My friend’s fridges - Paola The Wrecks Panic Vertigo Tour - Izzy Mercurios - Madeline Detroit ‘67 - Frank Dijla Cafe & Restaurant - Michelle Evolve World Tour - Alexandra Stack’d - Frank Tartan Productions - Valene 4 Favorite Album of 2018 Favorite Song of 2018 KOD by J. Cole - Caleb “Batphone” by Arctic Monkeys - Caleb Automata I/II by Between the Buried and Me - Sujay “Julia” by meWithoutYou - Sujay Historian by Lucy Dacus - Matt “Be Alright” by Dean Lewis - Marika Some Rap Songs by Earl Sweatshirt - Wilson “Come for Me” by Sunflower Bean - Matt Crumbling by Mid-Air Thief - Adam “Get the F**k Off My D**k” by Vince Staples - Wilson Pray for the Wicked by Panic! At the Disco - Anna and Alexandra “Desert Horse” by Melody’s Echo Chamber - Adam Negro Swan by Blood Orange - Paola “Hunger” by Florence + the Machine - Anna Bloom by Troye Sivan - Madeline “Side X” by Standing on the Corner - Paola Anastasia (Original Broadway Cast Recording) - Valene “IDOL” by BTS - Madeline DAYTONA by Pusha T - Nora “Thank u, next” by Ariana Grande - Valene Dirty Computer by Janelle Monae - Emma “ICY GRL” by Saweetie (2017) - Nora Panic Vertigo by The Wrecks - Isabella “Worst Nites” by Foster the People - Michelle Giant Steps by John Coltrane - Frank “King of the Clouds” by Panic! At the Disco - Isabella Apricot Princess by Rex Orange County - Tracy “Sing, Sing, Sing” by Benny Goodman - Frank “Happiness” by Rex Orange County - Tracy “Only” by Imagine Dragons - Alexandra

Favorite Article (Any Publication) of 2018 “Post Malone is the perfect pop star for this American moment. That’s not a compliment.” - Sujay “A College QB’s Suicide. A Family’s Search for Answers” - Marika “What Bullets Do to Bodies” - Matt “Dystopias Now” - Wilson “Detailed Maps Show How Neighborhoods Shape Children for Life” - Adam Favorite Movie of 2018 “Gritty’s First Month: The Heroic Ascendance of a ‘Ghastly Empty-Eyed Muppet’” - Anna A Star is Born/Mission Impossible: Fallout - Caleb “Resist, Refuse” - Paola First Reformed - Sujay “Bruno Latour, the Post-Truth Philosopher, Mounts a Defense of Science” - Emma Black Panther - Marika, Madeline, Isabella, and Valene “How do we talk about the Nagini casting in Fantastic Beasts?” - Frank Mandy - Matt Can’t choose - Madeline and Alexandra Raw - Wilson Isle of Dogs - Adam, Nora, Tracy, and Michelle Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse/Incredibles 2 - Anna Favorite Tartan Article of 2018 BlacKKKlansman - Paola “Mac Miller’s Blue Slide Park vigil” - Caleb and Tracy Ant-Man and the Wasp - Frank “Be Here Now” - Sujay Crazy Rich Asians - Alexandra “Nassar case shifts discourse in sexual assault” - Marika “Humanities fall by the wayside at CMU” - Matt “An ode to a mascot: something Gritty this way comes” - Wilson “Astronauts find hole in spacecraft, plug it with thumb” - Adam “Out in the sciences: ‘without limits and without fear’” - Anna and Valene “2018 midterm voting guide” - Paola “Predictive policing in Pittsburgh” - Nora “How can AI analyze online extremism?” - Emma “Movies in November” - Michelle “Sierra Burgess is a terrible person” - Isabella “Jeffree Star: Why we have to stop waiting for people to change” - Frank Can’t choose - Madeline and Alexandra

On behalf of everyone at The Tartan, thank you for reading! 5 Holiday Magic: Let it Glow!

Phipps celebrates the holiday season with their annual winter lights show

article and photos by Frank Hu | Assistant Forum Editor

This year, Phipps Conservatory is pulling out all the stops for their Winter holiday installment, appropriately called “Holiday Magic: Let it Glow!” As the name suggests, the decorations focused on using lights and colors to convey a festive mood, something that is immediately clear from the way the Conservatory is illuminated at night.

Inside, things just get better. When I visited on the last Friday of Thanksgiving Break, Phipps — which to me was always very green — looked completely transformed, resembling a Christmas wonderland more than a botanical garden. Countless Christmas trees, wrapped in brilliant lights and ornaments, were dotted throughout, and fairy lights hung from the ceiling. Even the workers who were surveying the crowd and acting as guides were dressed in elf hats and Christmas lights. Everywhere I looked, people were crowded taking pictures, giving the other- wise spacious rooms a very packed and cozy feeling.

Continuing through the different rooms, the decorations became increasingly whimsical. There were interactive diorama displays showing Phipps’ history in the South Conservatory, a giant gingerbread house, gargantuan presents, and posh tea sets decorating the Serpentine Room, penguins (not real ones) enjoying themselves in the East Room, and the massive Fir tree in the Victoria Room. Other rooms, such as the Orchid Room, Fern Room, and Stove Room had minimal decorations, but it was a pleasure nonetheless to see the colorful flowers and the carefully curated flora.

The most impressive exhibit, however, was not inside the Conservatory but outside it in the Outdoor Garden. I had never visited the Outdoor Garden before, so it was doubly shocking to see this previously unexplored outdoor space transformed into a field of lights. With curiously shaped light sculptures, strings of colorful LEDs, and even more trees both real and fake, there was something to look at wherever you turned. With the saturation of families and couples, the atmosphere felt warm and encompassing despite the cold, with hot chocolate and other treats available from vendors set up around Phipps. Admittedly, I felt a little out of place wandering solo among the crowds, but it was all well worth the visit.

Holiday Magic is around until Jan. 6th, so I would recommend going before leaving for break. When I went, the event was not free even for Carnegie Mellon students because it was the opening night and thus required the purchase of a timed ticket, but things might have changed by now. Despite the price, it was a wonderful experience, and one that I highly recommend. Whether it’s with friends, a date, or by yourself, a visit to Phipps is sure to help lessen Winter’s cold and put you in a festive mood.

6 written by Sujay Utkarsh| Assistant Pillbox Editor Daredevil Season 3 art by Anna Boyle | Art Editor

Recently, Netflix cancelled Daredevil, despite it being very critically The other thing that made all the action intense was just how much it made acclaimed as well as a fan favorite; and earlier in the year, they also can- you care about all the characters. Matt Murdock’s crisis of faith creates a celled Iron Fist and Luke Cage. It’s clear that Netflix is winding down their very compelling arc for him in the season that ended in a satisfying manner. corner of the Marvel Universe, which they cited was due to creative dif- You really feel his struggle to balance his duty as Daredevil, his life as Matt ferences. But it’s baffling that they are doing this. These shows, especially Murdock, and the religious belief that drives him. He was also incredibly Daredevil, were incredibly successful. But given Disney’s plans to create underpowered this season after a devastating injury he sustained in The their own streaming service for their own content, it was only a matter of Defenders crossover miniseries, which meant he was in constant danger and time before the Netflix universe came to an end. They will never say it’s I felt like he could die at any moment. He is matched by Wilson Fisk, AKA because of Disney, but everyone knows it’s that. So, in honor of its cancella- Kingpin, who is now second to the Joker as one of the best on-screen comic tion, I figured I would finally gush about season three of Daredevil, which I book villains. He is menacing and calculating, with an incredible amount have been wanting to do since October. of depth that has been built since the first season. You get how he ticks, and while you realize it’s horrible, it’s also fascinating to watch him. He Season 3 was easily the best season of all the Marvel Netflix shows. After manipulates the season’s other villain, Benjamin Poindexter, AKA Bullseye. a lull for the Netflix shows in the last year, season 3 came out swinging His character finds the right balance between scary and tragic, and you and knocked it out of the park. This is why the show’s cancellation blew my honestly feel bad for his character as much as you hate him. mind. They completely nailed it this season, and yet it got cancelled. Almost everything about it was perfect. This is the first season of all the Netflix There honestly was no weak character this season. Returning side characters Marvel shows where I didn’t feel the pacing all that much. There were a few Foggy Nelson and Karen Page, both of whom I typically found annoying in elements that could have been cut here and there, but there wasn’t a single the other seasons, were given a lot to do and had amazing character arcs. filler episode for once. Every subplot had something to do with the main Ray Nadeem, the FBI agent watching over Wilson Fisk, is another side story or contributed to a character’s arc throughout the season. Everything character who could have been handled in the most cliche and boring way was tight and fresh, and there was a constant sense of forward momentum possible. But the show avoids that and instead gives him excellent that made the season really intense. motivations, and as an Indian-American, I really appreciated the added details and accuracy of his family life. Father Lantom and Sister On the subject of intensity, let’s talk about the show’s action. This Maggie were great foils to Matt’s increasing cynicism with reli- season raised the bar for action on TV. I can name every single gion, and they provided this season with some of the best fight scene in every episode, because each one was a standout. dialogue exchanges. This season made a smart decision by only including one big fight per episode. This made each one more creative and It’s a shame that this show is cancelled now because intense, and they all had narrative purpose. There was there was so much potential for the show to get even one fight in episode four that floored me. It was an eleven better than it already is. But as it stands, season 3 is minute single shot that transitioned between a fist fight, a the final season of Daredevil, and it was a near plot-forwarding conversation, and a full scale prison riot. perfect and fitting conclusion to an amazing, but It’s one of the best action sequences I’ve ever seen, and flawed, show. I don’t think I can watch any other action scene on TV or film without comparing it to this show now.

7 Fantastic Beasts:

written by Izzy Sio | Contributing Editor art by Rebecca Enright | Staff Artist The Crimes of Filmmakinglayout by Tracy Le | Visual Editor I

Over Thanksgiving break, I finally saw the of Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them, hole; Nicolas Flamel and the sorcerer’s highly anticipated Fantastic Beasts: The The Crimes of Grindelwald drastically stone, with the former being more Crimes of Grindelwald with my dad and shifts what its predecessor established, significant to the plot than he actually some family friends. It was a last-minute and turns the Harry Potter franchise from needed to be and the latter serving more decision, but overall they seemed to enjoy one previously seen as untouchable and a as a cheap gaudy gemstone; Nagini, the movie and make the most of the night. fixture in the childhoods of my generation Voldemort’s future snake companion, into a “Wizarding World” that is cursed who ended up doing absolutely nothing I, however, walked out heated and angry. with the same issues as nearly every other and bringing Asian representation down studio attempting to build their own shared a peg or two; and many more that drew Rather than telling the story of the thrilling cinematic universe. down a confusing line of being necessary global adventures of magizoologist Newt to the plot and half-hearted attempts to Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) like its Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald show how the Wizarding World was all predecessor, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of shows the largest, most damning faults connected. It is not afraid to show off Grindelwald follows a chase after powerful of the filmmaking business. It is plagued Hogwarts and to bring that audience back magical fugitive Credence Barebone (Ezra by heavy studio involvement due to the into that familiar nostalgia, manipulating Miller), who is searching for answers on his arrogant, pigheaded beliefs and mindsets the feelings of the audience and hoping identity. of Warner Bros. and Harry Potter veterans that by doing so they hide the rest of the J.K. Rowling, David Heyman, Steve Kloves, movie’s problems. Credence is pursued by several bodies of and David Yates. It shows how little they the Ministry of Magic: Auror Tina Goldstein regard the public’s opinion, their inflated The plights of The Crimes of Grindelwald (Katherine Waterston) and Auror Theseus refusal to decide when they’re done, have brought on many comparisons Scamander (Callum Turner), the nefarious and their overall lack of respect for their as “our generation’s Star Wars.” If we Gellert Grindelwald (Johnny Depp), and consumers, revealing Warner Bros.’ follow this accurate comparison to the a young Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law), startling willingness to experiment on a Star Wars prequel trilogy (Episodes I-III), who sends Newt to retrieve the young franchise held so deeply in the hearts and J.K. Rowling is George Lucas, a creator man who takes Redmayne’s movie – and experiences of their audience. who doesn’t want to let go of her baby at this point, his franchise – away from and thus refusing to hear out newer, him. Even the plot summary of The Crimes The Crimes of Grindelwald is a mixed bag fresh perspectives – or worse, attempting of Grindelwald takes the focus away from of potentially compelling and interesting to and displaying a fake sense of social Newt Scamander, stating that “Albus ideas, but the film is weighed down awareness. This movie is Attack of the Dumbledore enlists his former student with copious exposition and too many Clones – panned and making audiences Newt Scamander, who agrees to help, completely unnecessary Easter eggs. The yearn for the franchise to be over despite unaware of the dangers that lie ahead.” movie has made passing references to The Crimes of Grindelwald being the Professor McGonagall that implied she was second out of five films. Villain Gellert Despite the introduction of Gellert a professor at Hogwarts before she was Grindelwald is slightly representative of Grindelwald within the final 15 minutes born, thus causing a huge, absurd plot character Jar Jar Binks; while this franchise 8 won’t destroy Johnny Depp’s career like for where they want their franchise to go. nostalgia. I still had fun with this movie, Star Wars with Ahmed Best, Grindelwald but I realized that I had fun because I still stands out as damning to the Warner Bros. and J.K. Rowling draw their love Harry Potter so much. I cherish the franchise due to Depp’s domestic violence attention away from these foundations. memories of seeing Deathly Hallows – I allegations. They expect too much from themselves saw Part 2 in Manila with my cousins, I get and lay too much groundwork for the excited for the annual Harry Potter party I However, it is through the ending of this future, and the end result feels wholly go to every year, I take pride in my houses movie that The Crimes of Grindelwald incomplete: there are too many unfinished – Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. makes its most cardinal mistake. and unnecessary subplots, huge gaps in the overall narrative, an incomplete and When I realized that this fake, A movie should never, EVER expect a uneducated script, and paper-thin, barely- manufactured recollection of my memories sequel under any circumstances. glued together characters that make up 80 was where my enjoyment of the film percent of this film’s protagonists. stemmed from, rather than this mess of Even if it’s part of the intergalactic, titanic Maybe they’re supposed to a movie, I felt like I was being looked Star Wars franchise. Even if it’s part of build to something grand, down on by Warner Bros., that my I the ever-growing, unstoppable Marvel but if the movie is just plain thoughts were regarded as irrelevant and Cinematic Universe. Even if it’s part of the awful, no one is going to pointless. magical, universally beloved Harry Potter care. franchise. To achieve the shared universe They’re not. model that a franchise is trying to build, What haunted me the every entry should feel like a building most was that blatant block: it can build to something more (it manipulation doesn’t need to), but it should be able to of my stand on its own. If studios want to build own something higher and more complex with their franchise, they need to be more patient and understanding. Stacking blocks on top of each other recklessly will only cause the tower they’ve built to eventually fall, no matter how much they want to deny it or storm through their current path.

This is why no studio has been able to “catch up to Marvel” and replicate its success: they aren’t patient. Even Marvel suffered from this fate as well through Iron Man 2, constructing storylines about S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers Initiative that drew away from Tony Stark’s story. Studios are too eager to build something more and forget about the core essential foundations to a movie: a complete script, a compelling story, and a clear focus and vision 9 written by Valene Mezmin | Editor in Chief

Before the stream of Netflix’s cheesy Christmas rom coms was released characters of Netflix’s show use was also to the world, a surprising horror hit magic to terrify their professor by great, and the was found in Chilling Adventures of drowning him in spiders, to perform contrast of Hilda’s (Lucy Sabrina. The show is based on the exorcisms, and to attack creepy Davis) meekness to Zelda’s (Miran- Archie Horror series of the same sleep demons that prey on their da Otto) unwavering support of her name, which was a darker retelling worst nightmares, which though an beliefs (worshiping the devil and all) of Sabrina the Teenage Witch, the interesting concept, was overwhel- and their expectations of their basis for the tv show of the same mingly the worst episode of the niece added to Sabrina’s name that aired from 1996 to 2003, show. At one point, someone (I won’t conflicting emotions. Harvey Kinkle starring Melissa Joan Hart. My say who) has to shoot his undead (Ross Lynch) didn’t retain the interest in the new show was zombie brother in the face before “stupid” trope that he had in the rooted in this 90s classic, which was said zombie brother starts to feed on original, which was refreshing. But a favorite of mine growing up. The humans. But wait, there’s more. The the newest addition of Ambrose star of the 90s Sabrina, besides the witches and warlocks in this show (Chance Perdomo), a witch who is title character, was undoubtedly serve the dark lord (aka the devil, housebound after attempting to Salem, a talking black cat full of sometimes referred to as Satan), blow up the Vatican, as one does, witty banter and an ongoing desire and on a witch’s 16th birthday, was my favorite. Confined to the for world domination. In fact, they must sign their name over to Spellman household, Ambrose copes Salem’s taste for world domination the dark lord and are bound to with his loneliness as Sabrina’s was about as dark as the old show do whatever he wishes if he calls on closest confidant and partner in went. Chilling Adventures of Sabrina them (which Sabrina isn’t too keen crime, or by trying to win the love has bigger aspirations. on). of a fellow warlock. With that being said, I have to applaud the show’s One of the most surprising aspects In spite of every exclamation of diversity in casting and LGBT of the new Netflix series is just how “hail Satan,” the show is rooted in representation. It truly is a Sabrina satanic, demonic, and outright dark it Sabrina’s journey in deciding who retold for modern times. is. Seriously, it goes there. Whereas she is as half witch and half mortal, the magic in the original show was supporting her friends, and being Although the overly demonic aspects conveyed with a bouncy ping sound with her boyfriend, you know, just can be a little unsettling at times, I to get out of doing homework and to like any regular teenager. Kiernan would highly recommend Netflix’s fix other silly teen problems, the Shipka as Sabrina makes the role Chilling Adventures of Sabrina for hers, and while I love Melissa Joan anyone who hasn’t seen it yet. It’s a Hart’s portrayal, Shipka’s version is fresh and intriguing retelling of the amazing in its own right in teenage witch many of us grew up portraying Sabrina’s inner loving, with just a few more deaths strength and independence. and exorcisms thrown in, sans talking The distinct character- black cat. ization of the aunts

10 Movies in November Sujay Utkarsh | Assistant Pillbox Editor

Just like October, November also had some high profile releases. Let’s talk about them. BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY CREED 2 I want to preface this review with the fact that I enjoyed this film and that This was much better than I expected it to be. It’s not as good as the first Queen is one of my top five all time favorite artists. So it was painful for Creed, but it does come close. The biggest drawback of the film is that me to accept that I simply did not enjoy this film as much as everyone else there is always the sense of a “been there, done that” feeling. However, did. Rami Malek’s performance as Freddie Mercury is one for the ages, the not every boxing movie has to be Raging Bull, and considering this is the music was amazing, and the Live Aid concert scene made my heart leap eighth film in the Rocky franchise, a franchise built around being with joy. I enjoyed a lot of the humor, and I enjoyed watching everyone on inspiring boxing movies, this is almost as good as it gets. Michael B. Jordan screen play these characters. But I couldn’t overlook just how stale, is so perfectly cast as Adonis Creed, and seeing his relationship with uninspired, and by-the-numbers the film felt, and I definitely couldn’t Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) is just an absolute treat. There is so much feeling overlook all the inaccuracies. The most glaring one was changing the year infused in both Freddie Mercury was diagnosed with AIDS for the sake of dramatic effect. performances, and I just love watching these characters, and the story itself They also portrayed Mercury as the villain in the middle part of the film, actually has great stakes. In Rocky IV, Creed’s father, Apollo, is killed in which was very off-putting. Nothing felt urgent or felt like it had any stakes. the ring by Ivan Drago, and Adonis is going up against Drago’s son in this It also felt like there were three different films crammed into one film, and film. The Dragos were actually fleshed out in this film surprisingly well, and there was no focus at all. It’s unfortunate that despite Queen’s approval of you understood the motivations and dynamics that made the family tick. So the film, it didn’t feel like a film that truly honored them. The entire film was when it came down to the fight scenes, they were all really intense because a missed opportunity that I enjoyed simply because I love Queen. I will still there was so much care that went into giving all the characters depth. All recommend the film because I am in the minority with this opinion. I just the fights were spectacular, though nothing was quite as amazing as the really wish I enjoyed this film more. long take fight in the first Creed. Sure, this film is formulaic, but it follows the formula incredibly well and has good direction, performances, and dialogue. I couldn’t ask for anything more from a Rocky film, and I would recommend checking this one out. BAD MOVIES WIDOWS First up in the bad movies list is Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Widows is the latest film from Steve McQueen, the man behind great films Grindelwald, which was an Avada Kedavra for the Harry Potter franchise. like 12 Years a Slave, Shame, and Hunger. His latest film is a heist drama It was absolutely boring, nonsensical, and just full of empty spectacle. about the four widows of a group of criminals, led by a woman named Check out Izzy’s amazing review of it on page B8. Next up is The Grinch, Veronica (Viola Davis), planning to pull off a final heist to pay back a debt which was made by the creatively bankrupt geniuses at Illumination left by their dead husbands. It’s an absolutely fantastic film from start to Animation who brought you terrible films like Minions, Sing, and The Secret finish. Every character is so rich and detailed, as is the way Chicago is Life of Pets. Their latest film is (surprise surprise) also terrible. It’s just loud portrayed in the film. The plot is incredibly unpredictable, and the film both and stupid, full of sound and color that signifies nothing. It’s just so boring subverts and reimagines the classic trope of the heist genre. One plot twist and not creative. I did not laugh or smile a single time watching this. This is in particular made my jaw drop, and it was one of those twists that I should the second bad adaptation of a Dr. Seuss story from Illumination Animation, have seen coming but didn’t. That’s the quality of writing in the film. The who I’m sure is now cursing them from his special spot in hell (he wasn’t a dialogue and script were so tight, with every little subplot and detail being very good man back in the day). It’s baffling that the used in service of deepening the characters and enhancing the story. Every animation, the supposed bread and butter of this company, is so bad. They performance was spot on, and no one felt forced or out of place. This is the don’t have a good art team and they cut costs for their animation, so all first time I’ve seen Michelle Rodriguez show that she can really be a great the character designs are not good, and it’s a visually bland experience. actress when given the right role and proper direction. All the antagonists I’m sure infants will be entertained, but everyone else is better off watching of the film were so fleshed out, with complex motivations and any other version. Finally, we have Robin Hood, the new one. I snuck into characterization, and a lot of the film was devoted to that. Daniel Kaluuya this after watching Creed 2 because there was no way I wanted to pay is quickly jumping towards the top of the list of my favorite actors, and his to see even a minute of this. Of the half an hour I saw, this is the second performance as a psychopathic gangster in this film was even better than worst film of this year, behind Disney’s A Wrinkle in Time. Robin Hood is his performance in Get Out. There was also a lot of political intrigue that I so laughably incompetent. All the performances are shockingly awful. The didn’t expect from the film. Really, there was a lot I didn’t expect, such as action and special effects are shockingly awful. The entire production is just the fact that the heist part of the film is the shortest part. It’s also shockingly awful. Films like this make me question my sanity and reality. Am incredibly well shot, with some great long takes that are used for fantastic I really watching this? Why does this exist? Who thought this was a good visual storytelling. Overall, Widows is one of the best films of the year, and idea? There are is one of the best heist dramas I’ve seen. I definitely recommend checking it certain films that should just be cancelled before they’re released, and out in theaters if you can. Robin Hood, the new one, falls into this list. There were only a few other people watching, and everyone was just bored. So don’t be like those people or me, and don’t see this movie. 11 K-Pop Dance Club’s (KPDC) Fall showcase, nightlife, brought in Kk new vibes, new looks, and tons of new dances. Each semester, KPDC hosts a free showcase in the university center, where groups of club members perform numerous dances to popular K-pop songs. Every time I attend these showcases, I’m always so amazed by how many people love K-pop. There are usually over one hundred people that participate in the showcase, all of whom have various dancing backgrounds. This semester’s KPDC showcase was Pp unique, where there was a greater variety of the types of dances that groups performed. There seemed to be a good balance of edgy, darker themed dances, like the ones to NCT 2018’s “Black on Black” or NCT U’s “BOSS.” But there were also more cutesy pop dances like the one to MOMOLAND’s “BAAM,” and even some smoother, sensual dances like for Jay Park’s “All I Wanna Do.” The variety worked perfectly with the event’s theme: nightlife. Dd KPDC also did something this year that they’ve never done before which was host an afterparty, Luminescence, along with other cultural organizations Chinese Student Association and CMU Raas- ta. The entire KPDC event was a huge success, bringing in a full house of people for both the showcase and afterparty. I can’t wait Cc to see what’s in store for next semester’s showcase! written by Michelle Madlansacay | Pillbox Editor photos courtesy of Lexin Yuan 13 origins: album review written by Alexandra Yu | Pillbox Editor layout by Tracy Le | Visual Editor

Imagine Dragons surprised many with though there are too many differences the release of their fourth album, between them to work out. The music Origins, while finishing up the final perfectly matches the lyrics, with a leg of their Evolve World Tour. Only slower, rhythmic beat as Reynolds a little over a year after the release muses about the relationship, and of their previous album, Origins also more intense and repetitive as the ex came as a surprise because most has to tell him to “go home” and “cool artists, Imagine Dragons included, out” because their relationship isn’t do not typically release new albums working. every year (their first album Night Visions came out in 2012 and Smoke With a softer and more natural, and Mirrors released in 2015). As a acoustic feel to it, “West Coast” is a huge fan of Imagine Dragons since refreshing change from what a lot of my brother introduced me to Night Imagine Dragons’ music tends to be. It Visions, I was thrilled when I found out feels more open and real as he pleads I wouldn’t have to wait much longer to make his love stay, willing to do for new music after Evolve’s release in and be anything. Although he can’t 2017. be “Superman,” he will “be your West Coast … the sun … the waves … the In “Boomerang,” lead singer Dan one you love the most.” Reynolds offers up honest lyrics about the difficulty of letting go of past “Only” and “Birds” seem to relationships. Comparing this lost love complement each other, with “Only” to a boomerang, he wonders, “Should exploring a relationship that revolves we go ahead or should we turn around “you and me / only,” but it’s around?” then follows up with “I know just a dream, and waking up from that I’ll see you tomorrow,” showing the dream in “Birds” and wishing that they struggle to move past this relationship, were still together. since he constantly comes back. An upbeat individualist anthem, “Cool Out” continues with this theme “Machine” expresses the idea of being of love and failed relationships, and one’s own entity, rather than just a how the two stand with different part of a “machine” that others can perspectives; it shows how one wants control and manipulate. “Zero,” which to hold on, while the other feels as was produced for Disney’s upcoming

14 Ralph Breaks the Internet, surprisingly thing that’s real to me is / You.” In meshes well with the rest of the album. a similar vein, “Love” broadens the Despite being a fun and upbeat song, theme of love with greater social there are definitely deeper messages implications. It discusses the state in it. Similar to “Machine,” it discusses of the world we live in and seeks to being different from the crowds in know “where did we all go wrong?”, another sense: feeling like nothing emphasizing how perceived differences and trying to break out of that to in race should not divide us and cause become someone more. In that sense, us to hurt one another since “We got both of these songs remind me of the the same heartbeat / We’re living for song “Thunder” from Evolve, where the same dreams / We got the same Reynolds discusses wanting more from bloodstream.” his life, and how he was able to make a name for himself while remaining The other songs on the album true to his identity. include “Stuck,” “Bad Liar,” “Digital,” “Natural,” and “Burn Out,” and “Bullet in a Gun” acts almost as a although I don’t have much to say counterpoint to “Zero” and “Machine,” about these five in greater detail, I do tackling the struggle in the rise to appreciate them as much as the rest of fame, and how it can be a destructive the album. industry. It talks about the ones who are unable to make the climb to the Origins is unique, but possesses top, and how they can lose their minds many qualities as a whole that are or identities in the process of trying to reminiscent of previous albums, be successful. Reynolds sings, “How making it easier to ease into the album many voices go unheard? / How many upon its release. This seems to be a lessons never learned? / How many trend with Imagine Dragons, as each artists fear the light / Fear the pain, go album adds a bit more nuance to their insane? / Lose the mind, lose the self / sound while ultimately maintaining (You only care about fame and wealth) their identity as a band. Unlike the last / Sellout, sellout, sellout” two albums, which took some time for me to adjust to and love (particularly “Real Life” takes a darker tone, with Smoke and Mirrors, which took discussing the horrors of the world, me a few years to ease into), Origins and how we often watch in shock was effortless and is probably my through the internet and news, favorite album so far, stylistically struggling to cope with these atrocities and lyrically. Imagine Dragons has we cannot control. In a desperate consistently produced a wealth of attempt to calm a struggling loved beautiful lines and verses, but Origins one, Reynolds sings, “Oh, hey, Turn went above and beyond for me. The your phone off, only look me in my whole album was emotionally potent, eyes / Can we live, yeah, real life, not just in realistically portraying real life? / I wish I had the answers / heartbreak in romance, but heartbreak Something you could hold too / Only with regards to the greater world.

15 horoscopes and puzzles Emeline Fromont | Comics Editor

horoscopes: the signs as sudoku Thanksgiving dishes

Aries Stuffing and dressing. march 21 – april 19

Taurus Roasted veggies. april 20 – may 20

Gemini Pumpkin pie. may 21 – june 20

Cancer Sweet potato casserole. june 21 – july 22

Leo Mashed potatoes. july 23 – aug. 22

Virgo Green beans. aug. 23 – sept. 22 sudoku courtesy of www.krazydad.com

Libra Cranberry sauce. sept. 23 – oct. 22 last week’s solution 11-26-18 Scorpio Cornbread. oct. 23 – nov. 21

Sagittarius Pecan pie. nov. 22 – dec. 21

Capricorn Gravy. dec. 22 – jan. 19

Aquarius Stuffed sweet potatoes. jan. 20 – feb. 18

Pisces Macaroni and cheese. feb. 19 – march 20 16 comics

Holidays by Sarah Andersen

sarahcandersen.com 17 Emeline Fromont | Comics Editor

Sure Jan by Parmita Bawankule

parmdraws.tumblr.com Brain Upload by xkcd

xkcd.com 18 calendar

friday 12.07.18

Just Trust Us Week Open Studios: Under Construction Row House Cinema Carnegie Mellon School of Art 11:30 a.m. 5 - 9 p.m.

Watch some of the most unique indie films from Come see some amazing mixed-media works countries around the world like Italy, Spain, that upperclass students in CFA have created Japan, and France, during Row House Cinema’s throughout the semester. From paintings to Just Trust Us week. The films are: Identification photography to live performances, you’ll find of a Woman, Live Flesh, Mishima: A Life in Four a little bit of everything at this event, so be Chapters, and Stavisky. You won’t want to miss sure to check it out! this!

weekend sunday 12.07.18 & 12.08.18 12.09.18

Dancers’ Symposium Presents: Luxe Scotch’n’Soda Presents: Breakfast in Bed: Ugly Sweater Cohon Center The Idiot Box Edition 8 p.m. Cohon Center Studio Theater The Mattress Factory Tickets: https://carnegiemellontickets. 7 - 9 p.m. 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. universitytickets.com Come watch the last Scotch’n’Soda The Mattress Factory is inviting you It’s that time of the semester when we can watch production of the semester: The Idiot to celebrate the holiday season with some of the school’s most talented dancers Box. The show follows six friends who them, while wearing a classic ugly at Dancer’s Symposium! Be sure to buy your live in New York City as they struggle to Christmas sweater! Enjoy some light tickets before they sell out. General admission maintain their sitcom-like lifestyle due to refreshments, mingle with people, and for Friday’s show is $8 and $10 for Saturday’s a series of unexpected events. take the opportunity to donate a lightly show. VIP tickets (pre-sale only) cost $10 for used sweater to the 19th annual Mister Friday’s show and $12 for Saturday’s show. Warning from the Facebook event: Roger’s Neighborhood Sweater Drive. This show contains content involving violence, self-harm, sexual assault, animal abuse, homophobia, racism, depiction of seizures, and mentions of eating disorders. 19 Handmade Arcade

Alexandra Yu | Pillbox Editor photos courtesy of Joey Kennedy

Handmade Arcade returns to the David L. Lawrence Convention Center this coming Saturday, Dec. 8 to display the works of hundreds of creators in the Pittsburgh area. The annual craft fair, according to the press release for the event, is a “thoughtfully curated market [that] offers an authentic, distinctive, and engaging shopping experience featuring innovative, affordable and hand-crafted products made by some of the country’s leading independent crafters.” Additionally, the Youth Maker Alley also provides a dozen Pittsburgh teens with the chance to create and share their goods. The wide range of vendors offers a variety of fantastic goods, so there is sure to be something for everyone. In addition to purchas- ing goods from the talented artists and craftsmen, there are also many opportunities for visitors to create projects such as silkscreen printing, book binding, painting, and more.

This year, Handmade Arcade will also host The Cutting Edge of Craft, its first ever fundraising event, on Friday, Dec. 7. It will cover the costs of Saturday’s free event, offering early access to more than half the fair’s vendors, an auction, and additional opportunities to craft.