7-20-2016

Volume 107 | Issue 12

cover photo by Matt Hawley

inside

page 4

TPN staff ’s shares summer recipes

page 6

TPN staff ’s suggested summer reading

page 9

page 8

The summer movie is dying fast YG hates Trump, makes a summer jam

Sunday drivers

34th Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix zooms through Schenley Park Stephen Caruso

Contributing Editor

U

sually home to those looking for some peaceful exercise, the air of Schenley Park was split by the sound of revving engines and the smell of racing fuel this weekend.

An annual tradition since 1983, the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix brought about 150 drivers to race on repurposed public roads throughout Oakland’s lush green park.

At the races’ start — and finish — line at the intersection of Panther Hollow and Greenfield roads, an announcer introduced some of the racers as their brightly painted cars flew by.

“We see the same people come out year after year,” the disembodied voice said.

George Shafer is one of those regulars. Shafer, who lives in Somerset, Pennsylvania, has been present for 32 of the Grand Prix’s 34 races. And at age 82, he isn’t slowing down, figuratively or literally.

“I’m trying to quit, but so far it hasn’t been working,” Shafer said, sitting under a tent with members of his family surrounding him. “It’s addicting.”

Shafer, a Pitt alum who graduated in 1955, started racing

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during his college days.

“I had sports cars when I went to school,” Shafer said. “[And] I like competition.”

This love carried over to his Nearly 150 race and 2,000 show cars were on display at the Pittsburgh son Craig, who was also compet- Vintage Grand Prix this weekend. Jeff Ahearn SENIOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER ing at the Grand Prix. Barb ShaThe Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix itself is a weeklong fer, Craig’s wife, was present at event. the starting line to root for the two.

Staffed by over 1,200 volunteers, it included a track race “It’s the first time we’ve gotten two cars here,” she said, at the Pittsburgh International Race Complex in Beaver Falls, visibly excited as George’s red 1951 MG TD paced his pack, Pennsylvania, July 8 to 10, along with plenty of car shows, the second of the day. Craig was participating in his race later galas and tune-ups for local and visiting gearheads throughin the day.

George Shafer, 82, has raced at the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix 32 out of 34 years. He races a 1951 MG TD. Stephen Caruso CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

July 20, 2016

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page 7

Marlo Safi on the joys of intellectual diversity

page 10

online

Cheap things to do in the ‘Burgh

TPN heads to Cleveland to cover the Republican National Convention Thursday.

Follow @ThePittNews for live updates and go to pittnews.com for a the full story

Attendees crowded winding circuit’s sides with folding chairs and coolers to catch the racing action. Stephen Caruso CONTRIBUTING EDITOR out the week.

Anthony Chef is one such gearhead.

Coming to the Schenley Park race has become a “ritual” for Chef, a Pittsburgh resident. He used his one-hour break from work — as a chef — to watch the vintage cars jockey.

“Our generation will never see this type of racing,” Chef said as cars navigated one of the 11 turns that make up the Grand Prix’s winding Schenley circuit.

Chef is a fan of this “European-style” racing, which focuses on a varied course and lighter vehicles, rather than the purpose-built oval tracks and heavy cars of modern American NASCAR racing.

“I love that it’s one of the last races that shut down the streets,” Chef said.

The Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix is in fact the only race in the United States that still uses public roads, which helps bring back racers like Shafer. At this point in his racing career, he typically competes in four to five races a year, but the Pittsburgh event is his favorite.

Not that location makes much of a difference — Shafer, who is going to Michigan in two weeks to compete in another race, is just a competitive person.

“I’d race a wheelbarrow,” Shafer said with a laugh. “[But] I might not go far now.”

Lester “Pops” Neidell knows the spirit. He’s been racing since 1970, and sees this passion as a natural by-product of owning the cars.

“I got started in sports cars, and sooner or later you want to see, ‘[can we] make it go faster’,” Neidell said, his blue 1959 Ellison parked in front of him.

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Seven different groups, separated by engine size, raced the 2.33 mile course Sunday. All the proceeds from the Grand Prix went to charity. Jeff Ahearn SENIOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER While still an active racer, Neidell isn’t competing at the Grand Prix this year, although he did last year. The 1933 Plymouth he was going to race was having engine troubles, but he decided to swing by Pittsburgh — from his home in Oklahoma — anyway.

July 20, 2016

“I’m here for the old cars,” Neidell said. There were plenty of those — 2,000 cars from all over the world lined up for show on Schenley Park’s golf course.

Pittsburgh native Dennis O’Donnell isn’t paying to be See PVGP on page 12

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drinks

& a dinner

TPN’s staff shares their favorite boozyy and refreshing summer quaffs and d one tasty meal for hot South Oakland d nightss

Michelle Reagle CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

LEMON BERRY SANGRIA

STRAWBERRY BASIL SHAG If you’re looking for a lighter summer cocktail, look no further than Homestead. Burgatory is famous throughout Pitt’s campus for their wide selection of virgin and boozy milkshakes, but don’t rule out their regular drinks. From classic margaritas and an ever-changing sangria to their house-infused jalapeno rye whiskey, the Burgatory bartenders offer a spectrum of flavors. But their best by far? The Strawberry Basil Shag: a divine mixture of Vintage vodka and muddled strawberries and basil. Only three ingredients, but this drink really packs a punch.

— Sierra Smith, Copy Chief

Alexa Bakalarski NEWS EDITOR

I tried this drink recently at a friend’s Fourth of July party.

It’s a great option for summer parties — or smaller get-togethers — and it looks a little fancy, but isn’t too difficult to make.

Ingredients: 2 thinly sliced lemons 1 cup of blueberries 1 cup strawberries, sliced lengthwise with the tops cut off 1 750 ml bottle white wine 1/2 cup light rum 4 cups lemon-lime soda Add lemon slices to a large pitcher, then the blueberries, then the strawberries, and pour the wine and rum over top of the fruit. Cover with cling wrap and place in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 hours to chill. Remove from the refrigerator and top your drink off with the lemon-lime soda. Add a few pieces of the fruit to your glass for a dose of freshness and pour sangria over before serving. Cheers!

A similar recipe can be found at kitchentreaty.com.

— Alexa Bakalarski, News Editor

GIN AND SAN PELLEGRINO I like my women like I like my drinks — chilly and with a bite. So, a gin and tonic is a staple. But as longer days and hotter weather rolls around, a touch of extra sweetness and citrus doesn’t hurt. For a refreshing summer drink, might I suggest swapping out the tonic for a San Pellegrino? Any flavor would work — clementine, orange, blood orange — but my personal favorite to mix with is lemon. Add a slice of lime on top with a generous amount of ice, and you have the perfect drink for an evening on a South Oakland porch.

— Stephen Caruso, Layout Editor Stephen Caruso CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

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SIMPLE SUMMER RATATOUILLE For all my love of cooking, I’ve never seen the Pixar film with the same name of my go-to summer dish — ratatouille. My understanding is that the movie doesn’t explain what’s in ratatouille in the first place. To make it simple, it combines the freshest summer vegetables you have in a tomato-based stew. The veggies can be cooked separately or together, and the end product can be either stewed or baked.

This version is simple and minimal to avoid any anxiety for the culinarily disinclined, but it will still fill you up and save a cow or chicken for another day.

Ingredients: 2 12 oz. cans of stewed/chopped tomatoes 1 zucchini 1 medium yellow onion 4 cloves of garlic 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon dried parsley 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes Dice garlic and onion. Seriously, use real garlic and onion, not powder or dried out crap.

Heat one tablespoon of olive oil on medium in a large pan.

Once hot, add parsley, oregano and red pepper to let them “wake” in the oil, about 30 seconds. Then, add the garlic and onion.

Let mixture cook until light brown bits appear at bottom of pan, 3 to 4 minutes. Then, add tomatoes. You can break up the

tomatoes with a wooden spoon as you cook, or leave them in chunks — your choice. Lower the heat to a simmer.

Cut off the ends of the zucchini and dice in quarters into roughly 1-inch chunks.

Heat another tablespoon of olive oil on medium in a another large pan. Once hot, add zucchini. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, or until it starts to brown slightly. Add contents of pan to tomato-spice Stephen Caruso CONTRIBUTING EDITOR mixture. If you don’t have peppers instead — or add them all for a heartier meal. a second pan, just push the A little cayenne at the start — or a dash of hot sauce when tomato mixture to the side and cook the zucchini next to it. bringing it to a simmer — can give the meal some spicy kick.

Let cook in pan for at least another 8 to 10 minutes. Season to And if the idea of a meatless meal really hurts you that badly, a taste with salt and pepper. Serve over rice. few chunks of sausage could go a long way.

And with that, you have yourself a nice home-cooked and For the truly ambitious, you could use fresh tomatoes by slicvegetarian meal, which can be changed in a million ways. Poping them up, reducing them in some olive oil over a low heat and ping over to the Carnegie Library’s herb garden and grabbing adding some tomato paste to shore up the flavor. But I’d only try fresh basil would also help season the dish — just chop it up and that if you feel as confident as the eponymous mouse. add it to the rest of the spices. Don’t like zucchini? Try eggplant or —Stephen Caruso, Layout Editor

The Pitt News SuDoku 7/20/16 courtesy of dailysudoku.com

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July 20, 2016

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TPN reads

When we’re not busy writing news, occasionally, TPN’ers find time to read a book. Here are out suggestions for the coming summer break:

The Power Broker — Robert Caro Have you heard of the Triborough Bridge? Jones Beach? The Lincoln Center? All of these accomplishments were the work of Robert Moses — New York City’s former Parks Commissioner, Triborough Authority Chairman and urban planner. “The Power Broker” reveals the story of how Moses transformed New York City from a clustered mess of boroughs into a modern city of highways and parks — and the underhanded tactics he used to accomplish this. Caro has a real gift for turning stats and accomplishments — like bridges, playgrounds and beaches — into a page-turning masterpiece of creative non-fiction. It’s the perfect lazy summer day reading for anyone interested in politics, cities or biography.

— Stephen Caruso, Layout Editor

I Am Spock — Leonard Nimoy I got into the original series of “Star Trek” last summer, after watching the two recent reboot movies with a friend. I picked up Leonard Nimoy’s memoir “I Am Spock” a few months after finishing the original series. Like many trekkies before me, Spock is one of my favorite characters, closely tied with Captain Kirk. Though I don’t read biographies and memoirs very often, I enjoyed reading how Nimoy developed the character of Spock -— and how Spock took on a life of his own. I even liked reading about the work Nimoy did outside of “Star Trek.” It’s clear that Nimoy deeply loved and cared about the series, while also setting the record straight on his 1975 memoir “I Am Not Spock.” With the original series’ 50th anniversary this year, it’s the perfect time to read up on the iconic series and the man who brought Spock to life.

— Alexa Bakalarski, News Editor

The Lord of the Rings trilogy —

Batman: The Killing Joke — Alan Moore, illustrated by Brian Bollan

I’m not going to waste my time trying to convince you that comics can qualify as literature — Pitt has an entire class for that. If your fall schedule is already full, though, just pick up a copy of Alan Moore and Brian Bolland’s classic Batman story, “The Killing Joke.” Containing one of the most controversial moments in all of comics and easily the most detailed look inside the Joker’s fractured life and psyche, “The Killing Joke” is not light material. But it’s only about 70 pages, making it great for a short car trip or a few minutes on a lawn chair. Moore, the legendary writer of “Watchmen,” goes out of his way to make readers question their understanding of DC’s greatest villain, and Bolland’s gorgeous art is a true testament to the form. With a movie adaptation premiering in theaters next week and the Joker playing a key role in August’s “Suicide Squad” film, there’s no better time to pick up this quick, exhilarating read.

— Matt Moret, Editor In Chief

Orange is the New Black: My Year in a Women’s Prison — Piper Kerman Reading is the new watching. June marks the time of year where Netflix releases its wildly popular series, “Orange is the New Black.” The series is based off of the book by Piper Kerman, who was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison for her role in smuggling drug money. While some plot points of the Netflix series differ from the book, I was pleasantly surprised by how much truth the show presents. The characters are just as vivid, the writing is engaging and the same shock and dread you feel watching Piper enter and interact with prison life comes alive on the page.

— Kate Koenig, Visual Editor

J.R.R. Tolkein For brisk reads with mythic depth, you can’t do much better for summer escapism than J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy. The movies may have immortalized the fantasy saga’s legacy — and been a staple of my upbringing — but the novels themselves offer exquisite insight into the distinct imagination Tolkien was able to communicate through a basic hero’s journey. The story of Frodo Baggins’ quest to destroy the One Ring is a throughand-through epic and an intricate adventure, and the details that Peter Jackson could only visually communicate and narratively abbreviate are vividly realized in Tolkien’s descriptions, songs and talent for pacing and suspense. This popular classic series is a well-aged, rich and timeless fantasy excursion — perfect for passing the long summer days.

— Ian Flanagan, Culture Editor

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Stephen Caruso CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

The Weirdness — Jeremy P. Bushnell To me, nothing screams “summer read” more than ridiculous comedy, gripping drama and existential life questions. So when I found “The Weirdness” by Jeremy P. Bushnell, I was pleasantly surprised to find all of this and more. “The Weirdness” follows sandwich maker/aspiring novelist/professional slacker Billy Ridgeway as he — quite literally — makes a deal with the devil. And then they share a bowl. What starts with a banana in a bar travels throughout New York City, through gritty dive bars and sleek hotels, to the most evil place one could ever imagine: Starbucks. If you’re looking for a genre-bent thrill ride chock-full of zany humor, look no further than “The Weirdness.”

— Sierra Smith, Copy Chief

July 20, 2016

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The death of the summer movie Ian Flanagan

the unnecessary — “Now You See Me 2” and a fifth “Ice Age.” Blockbusters that are actually worth something usually offset the rising norm of pushing established This summer may go down as one of the most brands and further installments no one asked for, but disappointing in recent memory — and the start of a this year’s balance is truly out of whack. downward trend for Hollywood in many capacities.

In 2014, for example, typically inexpressive pictures In the 21st century, we can’t always have the critical like “Godzilla” and “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” stood and commercial excitement of summer blockbusters aside impressive sequels like “X-Men: Days of Future like “The Dark Knight” or “The Avengers,” but usually, Past” and “22 Jump Street.” Meanwhile, originals like even if the summer is dominated by predictably popu“Edge of Tomorrow” and — the Marvel brand aside lar fare, there are box office surprises that end up being — “Guardians of the Galaxy,” which was the first nonbreakout hits of their own. Such is hardly the case for sequel to top the summer box office in over a decade, this year. ended up on many critics’ end of the year top 10 lists.

For instance, in 2009, “Transformers: Revenge of Though it’s great when a known brand or franchise the Fallen” was the landslide winner for highest grossputs out something special, it is truly rare that origiing film of the summer, but the unexpectedly high revnal films connect with critics and still turn out sizable enue of “Up” and “The Hangover” has rendered these numbers at the box office. Cultural moments like “Inlatter two the most culturally relevant and celebrated of ception” or “Inside Out” are all too rare, but the likes of that summer’s fare.

Will Miller STAFF GRAPHIC DESIGNER 2016’s summer calendar has nothing remotely compaSimilarly, last year’s “Jurassic World,” in all its de— “The Dark Knight” and “Fury Road” notwithstanding — rerable to offer. rivative glory, grossed insane numbers both here and world- boots, spin-offs and forced, pointless adaptations.

Sure, Disney’s outings summer outings have gotten overwide. But the success and adoration of “Inside Out” and even The average number of these “unoriginal” films has dou- whelmingly positive, if not ecstatic, reviews, and have easily the cult-like praise lauded on “Mad Max: Fury Road” suggest bled since 2000, and from May to August of this year, nearly connected with their built-in audiences. Regardless, not only these smaller pop culture triumphs will remain in the public 20 will hit theaters before the season is out. They range from consciousness longer than the hollow noise of endless sequels the idiotic — “Ben-Hur” and “The Angry Birds Movie” — to See Movie on page 11

Culture Editor

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July 20, 2016

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review

YG’s Trump protest is the song of the summer

Matt Moret

Editor-in-Chief “Am I trippin’? Let me know / I thought all that Donald Trump b******t was a joke,” is the year’s most relatable rap line.

Most songs with a claim to notoriety don’t come close to perfecting the mixture of political expression and thumping bass found on Compton rapper YG’s “FDT” — an acronym for something many have been shouting all year: “F**k Donald Trump.”

On his second album, “Still Brazy,” YG has created a protest song designed to make your trunk bounce so hard you just have to turn it up louder. All the while, the 26-year-old pleads with listeners to help him stop a man who threatens their communities, addressing them not as the uninformed masses found in think pieces but as people with families and communities worth protecting.

Despite its hostile presentation, “FDT” is fundamentally about unity. This song is for anybody frustrated and confused by what they see on television, regardless of background.

Trump.

While “Still Brazy” as a whole is heavily concerned with the The first line of YG’s opening verse is, “I like white folks, relationship between different races, “FDT” specifically focus- but I don’t like you.” During the track’s third verse, YG and es on how members of every race have an interest in stumping featured rapper Nipsey Hu$$le trade bars defending Hispan-

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July 20, 2016

ics, one of the primary groups Trump has written off as detrimental to the United States.

“It wouldn’t be the USA without Mexicans / And if it’s time to team up, s**t, let’s begin,” Hu$$le shouts over the beat’s lurching bassline. “Black love, brown pride in the sets again / White people feel the same as my next of kin / If we let this n***a win, God bless the kids.”

YG and Hu$$le have no interest in deepening the division “All Lives Matter” supporters insist is the product of race-obsessed liberals. For them, there seems to be just one personal characteristic that matters: racist or not — and they know which of those categories fits Trump.

Fellow Compton native Kendrick Lamar has seen his song “Alright” turn into a Black Lives Matter rally cry — he’s one of this generation’s best rappers because of his layered approach to black consciousness. But YG provides a frankness missing from much of Lamar’s work. When “FDT” comes on, there’s no room to misinterpret how listeners should feel.

If Lamar represents an evolution of Boogie Down Productions’ consciousness, YG is a revival of N.W.A.’s revolution. One attempts to overcome oppression by asserting cultural identity as the other shoves people into the streets. While See YG on page 13

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column

BE THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM

Marlo Safi

Senior Columnist Being the elephant in the room used to bother me.

As a conservative at Pitt, I assumed everyone was a liberal until proven otherwise so I could avoid the harassment, disciplinary action and discrimination by peers and campus administration that students around the country face when they don’t self-censor.

I would pretend to be a Marxist in the classroom along with casual acquaintances, and I would yearn for the opportunity to express my authentic beliefs with like-minded people.

That’s why when I was offered a generously paid summer internship with Campus Reform in Washington, D.C., a media outlet that covers liberal bias on college campuses and relays many of those stories to outlets such as Fox News, I was elated.

Not only would it embellish my resume when applying to law schools, but it would allow me to make a name for myself in the world of journalism while writing about free speech — a right I have dedicated my life to protecting. I would be assuming the same position as Kat Timpf, who is now a National Review columnist and makes regular appearances on FOX News.

The best part? I wouldn’t have to self-censor before making jokes in the office, I could

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share my Hillary memes in jest and I could even bring my concealed-carry weapon to work.

In the realm of summer internships, that was my idea of winning the lottery. After all, it has been my dream since reading my first Ayn Rand novel at the tender age of 16 to move to Washington and further the conservative cause. But after one month of writing about the evils of liberal professors and how colleges often censor and indoctrinate students, I found myself pining to return to Pitt.

Three weeks in, I realized echo chambers are no place for the educated to thrive in.

Perhaps the dissonance between my Marxist professors, socialist peers and me inspired me to seek out the great minds of conservatism and their works, and to be an individual with heretical beliefs on a campus that is rarely exposed to them.

I missed spirited debates with my fellow columnists at The Pitt News about the Second Amendment, where I found gratification in teaching someone who has never fired an AR15 about the firearm and statistics showing the safe ownership of it across the country. With fellow conservatives, this is already common knowledge unworthy of further discussion.

I missed explaining to peers who passed me off as a nutjob that the Tea Party movement isn’t a radical group, and that it’s filled See Safi on page 11

The Pitt news crossword 7/20/16

Maya Puskaric PRODUCTION MANAGER

July 20, 2016

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“SOMMER” IS IN FULL SWING AT HOFBRÄUHAUS

Hofbräuhaus Bier Garden entrance. Courtesy of Hofbräuhaus

Mark Mulkeen | Business Writer Thursday in Pittsburgh is the perfect time to trade in a typical domestic beer in Oakland for an authentic German “bier” in Southside. That’s because at Southside’s Hofbräuhaus, Thursday night is college night, a night that features $6 liters of bier, $3 half liters and $6 bier cheese pretzels.

But any night is good one for Hofbräu bier — it cannot be replicated anywhere else in Pittsburgh, as it’s licensed directly from the original Munich Hofbräuhaus and brewed under German purity law — allowing only hops, malt and water in the recipe. The restaurant and brewery itself is modeled after the Munich Hofbräuhaus, which is over 400 years old. Also known as the “Ducal Brewery,” it was built for the Duke of Bavaria, Wilhelm V. It’s tough to get tired of Hofbräu bier with a new seasonal being tapped the first Wednesday of every month. Get in before July’s end to try the “Pils” — an extra hoppy, but refreshing, golden pilsner.

Then mark your calendar for August’s “Sommer Weizen,” a dark malty wheat beer — also known as “weissbier” — with hints of banana.

But don’t forget about the restaurant’s four main biers: the premium lager, light lager, dunkel — Munich’s classic dark beer — and the Hefe Weizen, a weissbier with fruity flavors.

Hofbräu brews all of it right inside the restaurant’s main Bier Hall. The golden bier kettles tower over the main bar, constant reminders that Hofbräu bier is always served fresh.

A mix of authentic German and American

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food perfectly complements the refreshing biers.

From German sausage and sauerkraut to thinly sliced Bavarian schnitzel, the options are widespread, and the pretzels and bier cheese are a restaurant staple.

For how delicious the food and bier is, the atmosphere is enough to satisfy visitors on its own. If you’re getting tired of squeezing your way through crowded bars, the Bier Hall is your answer. It seats about 350 people, and can host large groups with long tables that can seat as many as 16 people.

The summer provides even more room to roam when the outdoor Bier Garden opens up.

Situated directly on the riverfront with a breathtaking view of the Pittsburgh skyline, and equipped with its own bar, the Garden is open day and night throughout the summer. Patrons are permitted to move freely between the Bier Hall and Bier Garden to enjoy the best of both areas. A better drinking atmosphere in city limits is hard to find, and it’s difficult to imagine summer without having a drink in the Bier Garden.

Hofbräuhaus is probably most well known for its beer, but it has something for anyone. Whether you want your nightlife to have a change of scenery, are a beer and food enthusiast who wants to get familiar with traditional German offerings or you just want to enjoy a fun atmosphere with your friends, Hofbräuhaus Pittsburgh can consistently provide an enjoyable experience that you can’t find anywhere else.

PITTSBURGH ON THE CHEAP TPN suggests the best low cost summer events

Brooke Rountree For The Pitt News

Spending a summer in Pittsburgh without much money to spend may seem daunting.

But do a little research, and you will find there are countless activities and events in the city for free — or for relatively cheap. The city’s offerings range from free movie showings to half-price admissions at various art museums.

Websites such as Living Pittsburgh and Visit Pittsburgh provide a plethora of information on what is happening in the city throughout each month, so you don’t have to put a dent in your wallet.

The Pitt News checked out some of the ‘Burgh’s discounted or free activities.

The Mattress Factory — Half-price Tuesdays The Mattress Factory is an internationally renowned installation art museum located in the Northside. The museum offers half-price admission Tuesdays, ranging from $7.50 for students to $10 for adults.

Director of Communications and Marketing Samantha Paolo said half-price admission Tuesdays “has been running for about five years and is a year-round offer.”

“It brings in a lot of students and those with a more flexible schedule,” Paolo said.

Current exhibitions include new room installations by artists David Bowen, Kevin Clancy, Wendy Judge and Lauren Kalman. This museum’s attractions include permanent displays as well as revolving exhibitions.

The Infinity Dots Mirrored Room, created in 1996 by Yayoi Kusama, is one of many permanent exhibitions found at the museum.

Upon entering, one may feel disoriented because of the mirrored walls and differently sized polka dots scattered on the floor, but this is a key part of the exhibition, which is supposed to challenge the viewer’s perception of reality.

Andy Warhol Museum — “Good Fridays” Another great museum — and a Pittsburgh staple — is the Andy Warhol Museum located on the North Shore. This Pittsburgh favorite offers half-price admission, dubbed “Good Fridays,” every Friday throughout the summer.

Good Fridays are from 5 to 10 p.m. and the usual $20 admission for adults becomes $10

July 20, 2016

while student admission is $5. The featured artist currently is Ai Weiwei, a controversial and socially cognizant artist from China.

The museum consists of seven floors, each floor contributing to a dialogue between Warhol and Weiwei. The seventh floor’s theme is “Capitalism and Communism.” Post-World War II, Warhol began turning a critical eye to the mass consumption surrounding him and began to include corporate logos into his work, the Campbell’s soup can being his most famous. Decades later, Weiwei followed in Warhol’s footsteps with his piece Han Dynasty Urn with Coca-Cola Logo, created in 1994.

As you walk through the floors, the “dialogue” becomes clearer. For example, each artist took a different perspective on “social disease,” which can be found on the fifth floor.

Warhol was infatuated with glamour, fame and the decadent lifestyle led by celebrities. Weiwei was more influenced by the activist movements occurring in America in the 1980s, an inspiration that can be seen in his work Study of Perspective, which depicts Weiwei raising his middle finger to monuments that symbolize power in a series of photos.

Brian Walker, the 27-year-old lead singer of A Day Without Love, came to the museum with the intention of catching Pokemon, but realized the art wasn’t so bad.

“I got beat up by a Snorlax in the Pokemon Gym, and that’s when I started looking at the art,” Walker said. He was particularly fascinated by how culturally aware both artists were.

“I had a faint idea of who Andy Warhol was coming here, [but] later realized how prominent his work is,” Walker said. “The deeper I go into this museum, the more I am attracted to the revolutionary aspects of both artists. In some ways, you can really feel both the communism and capitalism in here.”

Free Concert and Farmers Market in Downtown’s Market Square Across the Ohio River sits Market Square, which holds weekly events all summer long.

Every Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the plaza hosts an open-air farmers’ market with live acoustic music starting at 11:30 a.m. The crowd primarily consists of businesspeople carousing on their lunch break while enjoying the live music or standing in line for a savory treat.

Read the rest online at Pittnews.com.

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Safi, pg. 9 with disgruntled and disenchanted Americans like myself and thousands of others who are critical of not only President Obama’s failures, but former President George W. Bush’s as well.

Most of all, I missed learning from my Fourth Wave feminist friends and my antiIsrael friends about the nuances of social movements other conservatives may pass off as ridiculous or lunatic.

Being a conservative student at Pitt taught me to empathize with the people I disagreed with rather than taunt them — even when there are instances that are worthy of criticism and healthy ridicule.

More than ever, I had developed a devotion to protecting free speech because of these experiences. I became more appalled by the idea of censoring my peers who, while I may believe are misguided or haven’t done the requisite research on both sides of the issue, are championing somewhat radical and farfetched ideas that I would fight to the death to protect.

The skills I am learning at my internship are indispensable, and it is certainly a nice change to be around people who are educated in the beliefs we share. I will never complain about being able to quote William F. Buckley or Edmund Burke in the office and having a coworker able to name them. I also learned that we do have a free speech crisis on our campuses, and students at hundreds of American schools are being censored, indoctrinated and deprived of their rights to expression.

I learned that it’s not normal for me to fear the University or my peers disciplining me and my friends for being conservative. Additionally, it’s not normal for my Syrian parents, who left Syria for the right to expression endowed to them in the United States, to fear for my life when I write or say something even slightly critical of Islam or the Black Lives

Movie, pg. 7 has the overall quality of 2016 summer films seemed to have taken a nosedive — “Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping” may be the most inspired wide release I’ve seen so far this summer, and it didn’t crack $10 million domestically — but the box office figures are equally skewed.

Disney’s future places “Star Wars” films at tail end of the winter season, and live-action

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Matter movement.

But the lessons I learned at Campus Reform can only be brought to fruition when fused with the lessons I learned at Pitt.

I am inspired, more than ever, to return to campus and have open-minded discussions about the beliefs and concerns of my peers. I realized that only by being the elephant in the room can I become a better conservative, and only by being amongst those who hold different viewpoints can I inspire those same people to better educate themselves on conservatism — molding a more educated populace that will enter the workforce with a more refined version of tolerance.

Anyone can be the Sarah Palins or the Mike Huckabees of conservatism without the slightest insight into the reasoning and justifications of the beliefs of the left. That doesn’t yield successful leaders, and it only contributes to the stalemates and partisanship we have become so accustomed to in contemporary American politics.

As we enter the new academic year Pitt has deemed the “Year of Diversity,” I implore my fellow Pitt students to encourage diversity not only in character, but in thought and opinion.

Fellow conservatives — go to a Students for Justice in Palestine meeting or read a column in The Pitt News about social justice with the sincerest intentions of understanding their perspective. Liberals — attend a Pitt College Republicans meeting and listen to their opinions that the school and media frequently pervert, or question the professor who makes snide remarks towards Evangelical Christians and Second Amendment proponents in class.

Listen to opinions and respond in a civil manner with fact. Don’t let emotions dominate discussion. Purge ad hominem as an argument tool.

Be the elephant in the room.

Marlo Safi is a Senior Columnist for The Pitt News. She primarily writes about public policy and politics.

Write to her at mes26@pitt.edu reboots of their famous animated classics of yesteryear, such as “Cinderella” and “The Jungle Book,” come during the spring. Needless to say, the studio also has had no problem placing a monopoly on the summer season as well — “Finding Dory,” which is already the highest grossing animated film of all time, only recently out-grossed the latest Marvel episode, “Captain America: Civil War.” Both easily crossed the $400 million domestic mark.

See Movie on page 12

July 20, 2016

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Movie, pg. 11 The next highest grossing film in these past few months of summer so far? “The Secret Life of Pets,” which has passed $200 million with ease. The film has taken its relatively small budget and simple, animal-focused premise to the typical success of Universal Studio’s Illumination Entertainment features like “Despicable Me.” The enormous skew continues as “X-Men: Apocalypse” inched past the $150 million mark, a discouraging return for the franchise, and Kevin Hart’s comedy “Central Intelligence” rounds out the top five grossers thus far.

Disney’s stranglehold on the market led it to become the fastest studio to gross 1 billion in a year May 8, after the first weekend of “Civil War.” It beat the previous record — set last year by Universal, with the seismic help of

PGVP, pg. 3 part of the Grand Prix’s show, the proceeds of which all go to the Allegheny Valley School — for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities — and the Autism Society of Pittsburgh. But he still drove the red

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“Jurassic World” — by over a month.

While Disney’s films are not without their merits, they’re earning a disproportionate amount of the attention from domestic audiences via the company’s aggressive manipulation of nostalgia. There are three more Pixar sequels planned before the decade is out, ranging from the very necessary “The Incredibles 2” to the potentially toxic “Cars 3.” Marvel’s monopoly on the superhero game also won’t end until many more billions are made.

The most egregious example of recycling content is in Disney’s arsenal of animated films throughout the 20th century, which lend it endless recognizable properties to be revamped with modern actors and a bloated budget — simple fairy tales and children’s stories given a glossy sheen.

But Disney’s conglomerate empire does not excuse the weak output from other studios.

Though DC and Warner Brothers’ latest comic

movie “Suicide Squad” and a revived Matt Damon-led “Bourne” sequel may end up being surprises, my bet is that Seth Rogen’s clearly toke-session-inspired animated comedy “Sausage Party” may be the late cultural zeitgeist of the summer.

Without the rarity of films that are both popular and good, we would never recognize them as such. That being said, maybe Steven Spielberg and George Lucas’ omens of the forthcoming “Hollywood Crash” — the cinematic kin of the bursting housing bubble of 2008 — are worth heeding.

The prediction involves either ticket prices soaring in reaction to diminishing attendance and inflation or the other studios eventually losing too much — likely in competition to Disney — on predicted hits that flop. We’re clearly already on our way there.

And with the random success of “Deadpool” and the anticipated but muted success of

“Batman v Superman,” released February and March, respectively, this summer also proves that the steamy season is not the only fertile time for huge box office numbers.

Given the gap in this year’s mediocre numbers since May, many highly budgeted films will be seeing weak to no returns. Releases such as “Alice Through the Looking Glass,” “Independence Day: Resurgence” and “Warcraft” have struggled. While the public doesn’t always swarm toward the most valuable cinematic summer excursion, Hollywood should at least learn what will not guarantee the best commercial results — milking old brands and throwing away money and effort on pointless sequels.

With so many unpromising factors in both blockbuster quality and box office numbers, the summer of 2016 could be remembered as the beginning of the end for Hollywood, the summer movie and the blockbuster as we know it.

Studebaker he’s maintained himself to see the race.

“I’m a total gearhead,” O’Donnell said.

“It’s therapy for me ... after a couple hours working on a car I can talk to people again.”

O’Donnell, who goes to the Grand Prix every year, arrived about noon Sunday, com-

plete with a lawn chair and cooler for snacks.

He used to race in the ’60s and can easily recall the excitement he felt stepping on the gas.

“It was a rush,” O’Donnell said. “[There’s] nothing like the feeling of acceleration.”

While Neidell claims he is “known for go-

ing slow,” at his age he knows continuing to race is about staying smart.

“When you are 77 you kind of go one year at a time,” Neidell said.

But Shafer is having none of that. When asked how he placed, he flashed a wry smile.

“Me? I won,” Shafer said.

July 20, 2016

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YG, pg. 8 Lamar pulls in stylistic references from across the spectrum of black music, YG eschews the introspectiveness of conscious hip-hop in favor of gangsta rap’s blunt demands for action — all while riding a thick g-funk groove. “[Hip-hop] was all started off talking about the culture and what was going on in the communities and all that type of stuff.

That’s the grassroots of rap, hip-hop ... It ain’t too much of that s*** going on right now. Or, if people talking about it, they talking about it in a way people ain’t feeling it,” YG told NPR’s Microphone Check in June. “[Rappers] ain’t pressin’. [Rap] ain’t aggressive. And then they’re not following up, doing no real s*** behind it.”

These are distinctly different approaches to audience mobilization. Neither is inherently better than the other and both have had varying degrees of success in hip-hop, but YG’s take is refreshing in a way few mainstream rap acts are. He provides listeners with a clear motivation and relentlessly repeats his three-word mission statement.

Of course, the downside of using a platform for outright aggression is the risk of in-

pittnews.com

spiring violence.

“Still Brazy’s” version of “FDT” is missing several lines from the original, including one in which Hu$$le implies that Mexican drug lord El Chapo may assassinate Trump. Following the song’s release, members of the U.S. Secret Service contacted Universal Records to review the album’s lyrics. When the agency requested YG alter lines alluding to attacks on Trump, the rapper went a step further and cut them altogether.

As he told San Fransisco DJ Shay Diddy, inciting “ignorant s**t” was never the song’s point.

“We just wanted to get the youth involved and the people to wake up. Be proactive,” YG said. “Don’t wait until it’s too late to say how you feel, we gotta do this now.”

“FDT” isn’t about promoting violence — it’s promoting political action within a system ignoring many of its constituents.

“Reagan sold coke, Obama sold hope / Donald Trump spent his trust fund money on the vote / I’m from a place where you prolly can’t go / Speakin’ for some people that you prolly ain’t know,” Hu$$le raps before imploring previously incarcerated people to research their voting rights.

After all, every voice matters.

The quintessential “Song of the Summer” can usually be the song of any summer. Their appeal is universal and they make people revel in whatever definition of positivity fits them.

But “FDT” is 2016’s “Song of the Summer” because this year hasn’t included much of anything with universal appeal and positivity.

This has been a year of divisiveness, and no song better reflects the country’s current temperature — rising, with no end in sight.

“FDT” doesn’t transport us back to a first kiss or a trip to the beach. Instead, it makes us revisit the moment we put our head in our hands and wondered how the country reached this point.

Whether that was during Trump’s promise to build a “great wall” and have Mexico pay for it — a speech the original song samples — or when he finally clinched the GOP nomination, “FDT” doesn’t make you feel good about that day. And it conscripts you to help ensure we don’t feel that way for the next four years.

When YG threatens to crash Trump’s next Los Angeles rally, he’s demanding that everyone listening join him.

If you go, don’t bother bringing a weapon.

Middle fingers will do just fine.

July 20, 2016

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