Sept. 25,2014

Vol. 105 Issue 37

@thepittnews

Thursday,September 25, 2014

RESEARCH

Professor’s research goes galactic

Pittnews.com

HIGH ACHIEVER

Kat Prosachik Staff Writer Sanford Asher will watch the technology he developed blast off to Mars in 2020.

The products of Asher’s research, which he conducted at Pitt where he is a distinguished professor of chemistry, is set to board NASA’s next Mars rover as a component of SHERLOC (Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman and Luminescence for Organics and Chemicals). The rover will use his work, UV Raman spectroscopy, to identify molecules by utilizing ultraviolet light to excite the components that make up matter.

SHERLOC is an instrument that provides fine-scale imaging and uses an ultraviolet laser to identify molecules on the planet’s surface, according to a NASA release. Asher was the co-investigator for the SHERLOC instrument, and Luther Beegle, a research scientist and deputy manager of the planetary science section at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, was the principal investigator.

“Quite frankly, SHERLOC owes a very large amount of its selection [to be aboard the rover] to Dr. Asher’s work,”

Mars

2

Domonic Milesi, a junior computer science major, reaches the top of the climbing wall in Trees Hall.

Theo Schwarz | Senior Staff

Photographer

Spoon with a stranger: App connects cuddlers Emma Solak Staff Writer If you’ve ever wanted to spoon with an absolute stranger, now you can.

Cuddlr, similar to other location-based social meeting apps like Tinder and Grindr, can connect strangers looking for a little TLC.

According to the app’s website, Cuddlrapp.com, it gives users a list of the closest prospective cuddlers within walking distance. From there, users can send someone else a cuddle request, to which the recipient has 15 minutes to respond. If the potential cuddler accepts the request, the app provides walking directions to the location of the cuddle-mate. Post-cuddle session, users

are encouraged to rank their partners and even upload a picture of the cuddle.

Charlie Williams, developer and founder of Cuddlr, emphasizes that Cuddlr isn’t a dating app.

Rather, Williams said, Cuddlr, which was released for iOS on Sept. 18, strives to

Cuddlr

3

2

September 25, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

FROM PAGE 1

MARS

Beegle said in a release. “He’s the world’s leading expert in the field, and many of the technical and scientific questions we are going to address during the Mars 2020 operations come directly from his work.”

Once the rover returns, Asher will also help identify the minerals and organics detected, which will uncover more information about Mars’ history. After the 2020 mission, scientists hope to know more about whether the red planet was ever capable of maintaining life and, if so, what kind of molecules made up said life.

NASA chose Asher and Beegle’s SHERLOC and seven other proposals out of 58 competing submissions to be included on the 2020 rover.

William Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington, said in a release from NASA that the new technology on the 2020 rover will help astronauts gather information before ever landing on the planet themselves.

“Better understanding of the Martian dust and weather will be valuable data for planning human Mars missions. Testing ways to extract these resources and understand the environment will help

A Pitt professor’s research will be featured in a NASA mission. Courtesy of NASA

make the pioneering of Mars feasible,” Gerstenmaier said in the release.

Asher presented his idea for his research during his job interview with the department 35 years ago, according to the release.

“I’ve been working in this area for a long time,”

Asher said in the release. “I’ve been involved in all aspects of the science from laser development to theory development to building the first instrument.”

Mars

3

September 25, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com FROM PAGE 1

CUDDLR connect strangers and promote nonsexual physical intimacy.

The profiles of users don’t display anything other than a first name, a picture and a history of their successful or failed cuddles. According to Williams, this factor of anonymity encourages people to cuddle with anyone — no matter age, gender or sexuality. Users don’t even have the option to chat with each other before meeting up, like with Tinder and Grindr.

“This is by design — one weakness of dating apps and websites is that they encourage messaging to such a degree that many people don’t ever get out there and meet anyone; they just chat forever,” Williams said in an email.

With Cuddlr, Williams said, the idea is that you meet up with someone right away, in public, and have a chat. From there, you can talk about what you’d like from your cuddle, and listen to what your partner wants.

Some students are wary of the app’s purpose.

“It sounds like a ‘Criminal Minds’ episode waiting to happen,” said Julia Badyna, a sophomore neuroscience major.

Scott Feryus, a sophomore business major, echoed Badyna’s sentiments.

“You could be meeting up with a serial killer or getting catfished,” Feryus said.

“Tinder isn’t about getting up in someone’s personal space, like cuddling implies.”

The intimacy itself turned off other potential users, such as junior psychology major Kyle Kaufman.

“I’m not downloading it, because I don’t cuddle,” Kaufman said. “Cuddling is too emotionally involved.”

The app cannot guarantee that the cuddle session won’t turn into something more.

People meeting up via Cuddlr might become more physically intimate, Williams said, which is something that can’t be prevented.

“If you’re looking for hookups, there are some very good apps for that,” Williams said. “If you meet someone on the app, you’re [expected to have] a cuddle and nothing more.”

Though meeting up with a stranger might seem risky, the app has taken means to create a safe environment for users. Users can block cuddlers with whom they

don’t wish to meet up, and the user’s location isn’t shared until they have confirmed they want to meet up with a potential cuddle-buddy. Users consistently blocked will be banned from the app, according to Cuddlr’s website.

For some, cuddling with a complete stranger poses no issues.

“That actually sounds amazing. Who doesn’t love a good cuddle?” Ben Zwang, a sophomore global and supply chain management major, said. “My only question is, can you specify big spoon or little spoon?”

FROM PAGE 2

MARS

Graduate students, including David Punihaole , have worked with Asher on his research and helped analyze the spectras that are produced from UV Raman spectroscopy.

“Asher is generally considered one of the founders of UV Resonance Raman, and he’s also considered a pioneer in UV laser technology,” Punihaole said.

3

4

September 25, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

EDITORIAL

OPINIONS

Look past the ads in governor’s race, assess the platforms

On Monday, gubernatorial candidates Tom Corbett and Tom Wolf battled in the first of three debates. Currently, the Republican incumbent heavily trails the Democrat Wolf in the polls. Unsurprisingly, Corbett also trails Wolf in campaign ad spending. But Wolf is not the only candidate spending the big bucks this fall.

According to the Pittsburgh TribuneReview, Pennsylvania candidates have spent more money on ads this year overall than any other state in the country. A survey released Wednesday by the Center for Public Integrity shows that campaigns have spent about $37.8 million on commercials. These expenditures have led to more than 56,000 ads, with each ad counted every time it airs.

Wolf has spent more than $11 million on nearly 17,000 ads, while Corbett has put forth $9.5 million on about 16,000 ads. The point: candidates, parties, companies and private donors have spent millions to air the perennially cheesy campaign commercials every viewer is excited to stop seeing.

Still, there’s a reason why all this money goes to such ads — they work, they’re effective and they make a difference. This spring, Democratic gubernatorial candidates Allyson Schwartz, Kathleen McGinty and Rob McCord learned this the hard way.

It is time that candidates are pressed beyond their cheesy smiles and artificial photoshoots. As college students, we represent a potentially sizable electorate block. But, according to campusvoteproject.org, only 22.8 percent of eligible voters under 30 actually voted in 2010. Many issues in the upcoming gubernatorial elections touch our lives

and futures. Therefore, we must take the candidates and issues seriously and use our numbers to influence our futures.

The next governor will play a significant role in education funding policy, the legalization of medical marijuana, employment and job creation and energy policy.

Instead of listening to partisan talking points or taking ads for their word, voters should examine details and policy efficacy. Drop the ideology, and focus on good governance.

For example, when Gov. Corbett took office in January 2011, the commonwealth’s unemployment rate was around 8 percent. Today, it sits at 5.6 percent, an impressive decline.

But why has the unemployment rate dropped? Did it do so simply as a reflection of national trends or directly because of the governor’s policies? Has tax-exempting shale companies benefited Pennsylvanians through job growth or taken away possible revenue for other government-funded programs?

Regardless of how you answer these questions, you should still answer them, and do so with evidence and support.

Find actual data, look at budget reports, watch the debates and unbiasly assess the governor’s four years in office, asking if the commonwealth is better than it was four years ago.

So the next time you see Wolf meeting with students in front of a chalkboard or Corbett extemporaneously talking to citizens with a cameraman at the ready, use it as a reminder to look beyond the portrayal in front of you. Delve deeper into reality with an open mind and a focus on effective governance, not party politics.

CRAIG

Police officers deserve more respect, appreciation Jess Craig Columnist

Cops: heartless, cold-blooded killers.

Villainous racists who shoot unarmed, innocent bystanders. The hothead who gives you a speeding ticket for going 10 miles per hour over the speed limit when you were late for an important interview.

Cops get a notoriously bad rap. But, following the Michael Brown shooting this past summer, the anti-law enforcement sentiments have spiraled around the country — through Twitter’s #iftheygunnedmedown campaign, the outpouring of citizens’ stories detailing reluctance to call the cops and the increased presence of anti-police protests.

It’s easy for cops to be the scapegoat when something goes slightly wrong, but why is it so hard for Americans to give cops credit when they deserve it? Turn on CNN, NBC or Fox, and you will often hear how a cop shot a civilian, and maybe he shouldn’t have, but it was the heat of the moment. When major shootings hit

national news — think the Sandy Hook shooting — there is more emphasis on what the cops should have done better, rather than what they did do well.

Heroic acts of police officers usually go unnoticed, but the slightest hint of police brutality and wrong-doing instantly spreads from local to national news.

Why do cops only get national news attention when something goes wrong?

Why do we think cop and think about violence, rather than safety and protection? Why do our stomachs drop and our hearts pound when we pass a cop on the highway? Is it that cops have an authority that we envy, or is it that we all in one way or another have broken a law and fear getting in trouble?

I have never personally been in trouble with the law, never been arrested, never been close. Nor do I know any cops personally. And as a 5-foot-7-inch white girl, I am generally not a target for special law enforcement attention.

Craig

5

CARTOON

MCT Campus

September 25, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com FROM PAGE 4

CRAIG Still, there is something that makes me uncomfortable about police officers.

Everything meant to be intimidating about a cop is, well, intimidating — stance, posture, waistband of weapons, badge and every tassel and button on the uniform. And yet today, there is even talk of changing the uniform to make it appear less intimidating. But

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

Cristina Holtzer, News Editor news@pittnews.com

Nick Voutsinos, Opinions Editor letters@pittnews.com

Shawn Cooke, A&E Editor

aande@pittnews.com Chris Puzia, Sports Editor sports@pittnews.com

Bobby Mizia, Visual Editor photos@pittnews.com

Ellie Petrosky, Copy Chief tpncopydesk@gmail.com

Stephen Caruso, Layout Editor tpnlayout@gmail.com

intimidation is important when a police officer is taking down a criminal, and, for that reason alone, it should not be compromised.

However, what could be done to help resolve the spreading bad cop reputation is to bridge the gap between cops and the people cops serve through a law enforcement social outreach program. A few police departments around the country have implemented state-funded programs such as police department tours, junior police academy, Community Po-

E S T A B L I S HE D 1 9 1 0

Mahita Gajanan, Managing Editor manager@pittnews.com

Danielle Fox, Assistant News Editor Harrison Kaminsky, Assistant News Editor Matt Barnes, Assistant Opinions Editor Dan Sostek, Assistant Sports Editor Sheldon Satenstein, Assistant Visual Editor Zheru Liu, Multimedia Editor Joelle Smith, Social Media Editor Becca Nagy, Assistant Copy Chief Emily Hower, Assistant Layout Editor

Copy Staff

Sarah Choflet Anjuli Das Kinley Gillette Johanna Helba Emily Maccia Sam McGinley

Bridget Montgomery Sarah Mejia Shivani Pandit Michelle Reagle Michael Wilson Megan Zagorski

5

lice Academy, and Citizens on Patrol.

Unfortunately, government officials often cut these programs first because of tight budgets. But they might be the most important aspect in regaining the public’s trust in law enforcement and may be vital avenues to give cops a human voice so we can stop thinking of cops in terms of their guns and uniforms.

This Saturday is National Thank a Cop Day. Although there are few events to celebrate it, small and meaningful acts can be done. Perhaps, on this day,

Editorial Policies Single copies of The Pitt News are free and available at newsstands around campus. Additional copies can be purchased with permission of the editor in chief for $.50 each.

Opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the students, faculty or University administration. Opinions expressed in columns,- car toons and letters are not necessarily those of The Pitt News. Any letter - in tended for publication must be addressed to the editor, be no more than 250 words and include the writer’s name, phone number and University affiliation, if any. Letters may be sent via e-mail to letters@pittnews.com. The Pitt News reserves the right to edit any and all letters. In the event of multiple replies to an issue, The Pitt News may print one letter that represents the majority of responses. Unsigned editorials are a majority opinion of the Editorial Board, listed to the left.

The Pitt News is an independent, student-written and student-managed newspaper for the Oakland campus of the University of Pittsburgh. It is-pub lished Monday through Friday during the regular school year and Wednesdays during the summer.

Complaints concerning coverage by The Pitt News, after first being brought to the editors, may be referred to the Community Relations -Com mittee, Pitt News Advisory Board, c/o student media adviser, 435 William Pitt Union, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15260.

The editor in chief has the final authority on editorial matters and cannot be censored, according to state and federal law. The editor in chief is selected by the Pitt News Advisory Board, which includes University staff, - fac ulty and students, as well as journalism professionals. The business and edito rial offices of The Pitt News are located at 434 William Pitt Union, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15260.

Americans can think about the dangers and horrors of a police officer’s job. We can accept that cops certainly make mistakes, but, cops work to protect and serve. Cops can think about the way Americans perceive them and begin to break down the fear that their presence instills in them. It is only through mutual understanding that society can erase the bad-cop reputation, and the American public can replace a fear of cops with a trust in cops.

Write to Jess at jnc34@pitt.edu. advertising@pittnews.com

Kevin Vanover, Business Manager Advertising@pittnews.com

Kelsey McConville, Inside Sales Manager

David Barr, Sales Manager

advertising@pittnews.com

advertising@pittnews.com

Account Executives Maxwell Hine Jordan Bullock Robert Capone Rosalyn Nye Antonio Blundo Joe Leone Joe Kloecker Mackenzie Walsh Sean Leone Jordyn Aungst

Matt Reilly

Inside Sales Nicole Barrett Victoria Hetrick Julia McKay

Digital Manager Stephen Ellis

Marketing Manager Kristine Aprile

Senior Universal Account Executive

Marketing Assistant

Ad Designer Mark Janavel

Rachael Hoge

6

September 25, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

ARTS and ENTERTAINMENT

FEATURE

The Bradish Street Pinball Parlor in South Side. Photos courtesy of Chris Meyers

Pinball in Pittsburgh: a crucial fixture in the global community Jack Trainor Staff Writer Cryss Stephens stands over a noisy, flashing “Star Trek” pinball machine, one of the newest games released by pinball giant Stern Pinball, Inc. last year. It barks orders and phrases at Stephens as he approaches his 30thstraight minute on the game. His eyes flick around the glowing neon table

in stoic concentration as he bullies it, pushing and tugging at the table’s sides as the little steel ball ricochets off the game’s structures like a stray bullet.

A group of five other men stand around him, watching in silence, except for an occasional whisper or hushed gasp. One of them is Chris Meyers, owner of the Bradish Street Pinball Parlor in South Side, an arcade — fea-

turing exclusively pinball — built from Meyer’s personal collection, which includes every machine released from the Williams/Bally company from 1979 to the present.

Ten of Meyers’ machines are polished and sturdy against the wall behind the huddle, and they’ve been turned off to avoid making any sort of distraction. Some of them are considered to be

legendary in the realm of competitive pinball, a community that has found a home in Pittsburgh and is steadily growing.

“We’re pretty spoiled here in Pittsburgh,” Greg Galanter, a Pittsburgher who’s played competitive pinball since 2001, said. “There’s some pretty big

Pinball

8

September 25, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

7

Gandolfiniʼs final performance wasted in lackluster ʻThe Dropʼ Ian Flanagan Staff Writer “The Drop” Directed by Michaël R. Roskam Starring Tom Hardy, James Gandolfini, Noomi Rapace Rating: C+ The most original thing about film, compared to other storytelling media, is its ability to convey emotion through particular visual framing — shaping the mood and energy of cinematic situations with the artistic tools of cinematography and direction. “The Drop,” for all its great performances and interesting plotlines, is misshapen and contorted by its abysmally arid, lethally lackluster visual filmmaking.

Bleak and cold in tone, “The Drop” is also stylistically stiff and inert, with no character and no artistic occupation other than filling a screen for 100 minutes. Second-time director Michaël R. Roskam takes no risks and, therefore, claims

Gandolfini and Hardy give it their all, but can’t save “The Drop.”

Photo via the movie’s Facebook page

no victories, resulting in a film that contains no particularly interesting shots and consistently strains the viewer’s attention.

Unlike the faster pace of similarly themed crime films, “The Drop” has the rhythm of a Western. Maybe that’s what would have worked best for a serious film with such a curiously small scope, but it completely hinders the ability to build tension and break it properly. Instead, “The Drop” plods along aimlessly, with predictable moments of harsh violence in an otherwise

lifeless film.

Based on the 2009 short story “Animal Rescue” by Dennis Lehane, screenwriter for “The Drop,” the movie follows Bob (Tom Hardy), a quiet New York bartender. Along with Marv (James Gandolfini), Bob’s cousin and employer, he uses their business for more than serving alcohol, secretly receiving cash drop-offs for local gangsters.

But after a robbery prompts an unwanted investigation of the establishment, led by De-

tective Torres (John Ortiz), problems begin to mount for the family business. In the meantime, Bob rescues an abandoned dog with the help of Nadia (Noomi Rapace), who befriends Bob and becomes tangled in Bob’s dangerous situation.

It’s fairly intriguing material, and, if it weren’t for the impossibly bland execution, “The Drop” would have been an acceptable, if moderately clichéd, little crime film elevated by strong performances. Although the acting doesn’t save the movie’s soul, the expert work of Hardy and Gandolfini make the film feasibly watchable.

Though his character has little expression, Hardy has proved again and again that he can hold an audience’s attention, whether he’s fighting Batman or just driving a car (as he did in this year’s absorbing one-man show, “Locke”). He’s the highlight of this film, carrying its dreary weight on his capable shoulders. Gandolfini, in his final posthumous film appearance, goes out swinging in a funny, yet terrifying, supporting role that’s a swan song to be proud of.

Yet, even with a short run time, “The Drop” feels slow and insignificant. It is an extraordinary feat in wasted potential.

8 FROM PAGE 6

PINBALL stuff that goes on here.”

Pittsburgh is home to the Professional and Amateur Pinball Association (PAPA), a 30,000-square-foot warehouse in Carnegie, Pa., which has more than 450 pinball machines and hosts its annual world pinball championships that draws hundreds of players from all over the world.

“There’s only a few other cities in the world [that compare to Pittsburgh] as far as pinball is concerned,” Meyers boasts. “We have some of the best walkup-off-the-street places where you can just drop coins and play.”

He estimates that they have a little more than 120 players in the Pittsburgh Pinball League, with the annual PAPA championship tournaments drawing upwards of 700 people.

Meyers also attributes Pittsburgh’s pinball success to the fact that it’s home to some of the top pinball players in the world, which is determined by the International Flipper Pinball Association

September 25, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com (IFPA) — the leading global authority on pinball and player rankings.

“We probably have at least a dozen of the top 100 players in the world. We have two in the top 20 — just local guys that are incredible.”

Stephens is one of them: According to the IFPA’s ranking system, he places 14th in the world. Jon Replogle, another Pittsburgher, ranks 19th in the world.

When asked if he knows who the No. 1 player is, Meyers doesn’t pause before answering: “It’s a no-brainer. It’s Keith Elwin from Carlsbad, Calif.”

Having these heavyweights around is important, because their presence at tournaments raises the stakes for others and draws challengers. The ranking system is based on players’ top 15 appearances at tournaments, which happen all over the country. The potential points a player can earn at these smaller tournaments are based primarily on the number of participants that show up and their ranking. The more top100 players who participate in a given tournament, the more points can be won and, thus, the greater chance of

climbing up the rankings.

A top player cannot just sit on their number, either — after a year of inactivity the IFPA cuts scores by 25 percent of their value. After two years, points are diminished by 50 percent, and, after three years, a player loses all of his or her points, incentivizing competitive players to travel to tournaments.

Stephens, 27, estimates that he travels once every three months for pinball — though he doesn’t have to travel far for PAPA’s world championship tournament, which usually occurs in August.

PAPA’s world championship is one of the IFPA’s top three events in the world, along with the IFPA world championships and the European championships.

“The competitive aspect is way bigger [now] than it was [a few years ago],” Galanter said. In 2008, “there was probably a thousand people that would have been ranked ... now there’s 28,000 in the system.”

Though there’s a broad age range of people getting into pinball, the bulk of them seem to be those who grew up in the late 1980s or early ’90s and are

T P N S U D O K U

now in their 30s.

“It’s kind of a cult following,” Matt Schwab, a member of the Pittsburgh Pinball League, said. He hypothesizes that Pittsburgh attracts pinball because of low housing costs. “People, like myself, who grew up playing arcades in the late ’80s and early ’90s ... [now] have a larger disposable income ... and time.”

Meyers compares collecting pinball machines to classic cars: Both evoke nostalgia to a specific generation.

“What really gave [pinball] a shot in the arm is that people my age now have careers,” Meyers said. “They remember playing Monster Bash as a kid and think, ‘I’d like to own that table.’

[Despite] people asking for $15,000 for a game, you say, ‘but I want it, because I have money now.’”

With domestic and international interest in pinball rising, it seems like a matter of time until it shows up on ESPN. “We’re not at the point yet where we see commercials for pinball machines,” Galanter said. “We’re not there yet. But I think we’re headed that way.”

Today’s difficulty level: Medium Puzzles by Dailysodoku.com

September 25, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

9

t h is wee k en d Friday, Sept. 26 Cloud Nothings with Shaky Shrines William Pitt Union Assembly Room Time: 8:00 p.m.

Admission: $12 advance / $15 at door The WPTS annual fall show brings Cloud Nothings and their aggressively hooky brand of punk to the Union. Possibly WPTS’ most high-profile act to date, Cloud Nothings comes in support of their excellent fourth album, Here and Nowhere Else, which was a tiring effort in acceleration. It’s the band’s first date on their fall tour, and local psychedelic act Shaky Shrines is set to open.

Friday, Sept. 26 (through Oct. 12) “Souvenir” Studio Theatre, Pittsburgh Playhouse 222 Craft Ave. Time: Matinees at 2:00 p.m., night shows at 8:00 p.m.

Admission: $15-$27 Point Park graduate Tomé Cousin directs The REP’s second production of the season.

“Souvenir” is a two-character comedy, focusing on Cosme McMoon, an average aspiring pianist, and Florence Foster Jenkins, a wealthy but tone-deaf urbanite who helps set up recitals for McMoon.

Saturday, Sept. 27

Saturday, Sept. 27

The Afghan Whigs Mr. Smalls Theatre 400 Lincoln Ave. Time: 8:00 p.m.

Admission: $30 advance / $35 at door

13 Most Wanted Men: Andy Warhol and the 1964 World’s Fair The Andy Warhol Museum 117 Sandusky St. Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday: closed, Friday: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Admission: Free with museum admission An import from the Queens Museum in New York, this exhibition features Warhol’s recreation of the 13 most-wanted criminals at the time of 1964’s World’s Fair. He created a light scandal at the time by using his commission at the fair to display his rendering of the mug shots. Months later, he repainted the art that appears in “13 Most Wanted Men.”

The Afghan Whigs haven’t been to Pittsburgh since their more substantial reunion of 2012 (the band briefly teamed up in 2006 for Unbreakable: A Retrospective 19902006). But, in 2014, they finally have some new material to back up their tour, with Do to the Beast — their first new album in 16 years.

While the band has been playing plenty of tracks from it, this tour is also a chance to celebrate the Gentlemen at 21 reissue, due out next month.

10

September 25, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

FOOD

The Copy Chef tackles her favorite cooking tool: Crock-Pots Ellie Petrosky Copy Chief

My Crock-Pot is my best friend.

Seriously, what other kitchen appliance can have a hot meal ready and waiting for you — with minimal preparation and cleanup — when you get home after a long day of class or work?

Those of you who just answered “roommate” or “boy/girlfriend” obviously haven’t been introduced to the majesty of a slow cooker.

I received my first Crock-Pot as a gift two Christmases ago, and it quickly became my favorite acquisition from the holiday. Finally, I didn’t have to worry about putting in extra time to cook a meal when I was exhausted from a day full of running from place to place.

I could be like my mom, who often puts a roast and some vegetables in the Crock-Pot before leaving for work, and have a full meal prepared before I walked in the door.

I never realized how easy Crock-Potting dinner was until I started doing it myself. Believe me when I say that I used my Crock-Pot for a solid week. It was glorious to come home and be able to smell dinner from the hall outside my apartment.

Everyone should have that experience.

Below are two of my favorite CrockPot meals. These recipes are written for a household of one but can easily be adapted to accommodate more hungry tummies.

Chicken and Rice 1 chicken breast, frozen or thawed ½ can cream of mushroom OR cream of chicken soup ½ cup instant rice

Optional: ½ cup frozen vegetables of your choice (I like peas, corn and green beans) Place your chicken breast on the bottom of the Crock-Pot. Cover with soup.

Put the lid on and turn the Crock-Pot on low for 6-8 hours. Leave for class. Come home to delicious smells.

During the process of cooking, juices from the chicken will have thinned out the soup. Fifteen to 20 minutes before you plan on eating, pour your uncooked rice and frozen vegetables into the CrockPot. Stir to ensure the rice and veggies are covered by the soup mixture. Watch an episode of “Arrested Development” on Netflix. Pause the next episode, and dish up your creation!

Ranch Pulled Pork 1 pork chop ½ packet ranch dressing mix

Enough water, broth or beer to cover your pork halfway Drop your pork into the bottom of the Crock-Pot, and add the liquid of your choice. Sprinkle ranch seasoning over pork and liquid. Cover with the lid and set the Crock-Pot to low for 6-8 hours.

Go to work and daydream about dinner.

Come home.

At this point, the pork should be tender enough to shred between two forks. Mix the pulled pork with the liquid in the bottom of the Crock-Pot and it’s ready to eat!

I like to serve this pulled pork over garlicky mashed potatoes — or with rice — and a vegetable. It can also be put in a bun or between slices of bread and eaten as a sandwich!

I hope I’ve inspired you to dust off your slow cooker and give Crock-Potting a try.

It really is one of the easiest — and most versatile — ways to create a meal.

September 25, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

SPORTS

VOLLEYBALL

11

Pitt looks to face stiffest competition yet in LIU Brooklyn Caitlin Hinsey Staff Writer

After an 11-1 start to the season, nothing is going to get easier for the Pitt volleyball team.

The Panthers face their toughest opponent of the season Thursday at 7 p.m. when the Long Island University Brooklyn Blackbirds come to the Fitzgerald Field House.

Pitt will put its unbeaten record at home on the line after notching six straight victories between the Panther Classic and the Pitt Panther Invitational.

“I know that the team is very excited to play such a highly ranked team and knows the importance of this opportunity,” Pitt head coach Dan Fisher said.

LIU Brooklyn (9-4, 0-0 NEC) has its eyes set on continuing its strong play, and Fisher is aware of it.

“The team that is coming in this week is a team that will most likely be in the NCAA Tournament,” coach Fisher said.

“They just beat Michigan State, so we’re not taking anything for granted, and we know that this is a team coming in that is capable of beating us. It will be a good challenge for us coming up.”

LIU Brooklyn has already proven that it is capable of winning big matches, including a 3-2 win over the then-ranked

SOCCER

No. 25 Spartans.

This match victory marked the first time in Blackbird history that the team beat a ranked opponent. The victory also marked the seventh straight win for LIU Brooklyn, as well as the third straight win coming via a score of three sets to two.

Since that match, the Blackbirds have gone 1-1, their last match being a win against Western Kentucky. That win clinched a first place finish at the Spartan Invitational, as the team won the head-to-head tiebreaker against the Big Ten powerhouse Michigan State. The tournament win was their second of the season.

“They are a pretty good team, and we are doing our best in practice to get better. I think we are ready for that team,” outside hitter Maria Genitsaridi said.

With their two wins against quality opponents, the Blackbirds are starting to receive national recognition.

LIU Brooklyn was included in an article titled “NCAA Volleyball: 5 Things You Need to Know,” by ESPN’s Maria Genitsaridi (28) and the Panthers look to continue to roll. Bobby Mizia | Visual Editor Mechelle Voepel.

The Blackbirds’ roster consists of four American and eight the past two years, the senior has been the NEC Player of the international players, so it’s no surprise that their top player is Year, and, this season so far, Foit has nine double-doubles as a European upperclassman. Annika Foit, an opposite forward from Hausach, Germany, is a potential All-American. For Volleyball 13

Panthers search for first ACC victory at Boston College Kevin Wheeler Staff Writer

Coming off of three consecutive losses, the Pitt women’s soccer team has a familiar question it wants to answer.

After falling apart within the first 20 minutes of their loss against Duke last Friday — giving up three goals and digging themselves into an unrecoverable hole — the Panthers still wonder when they’ll be able to put together a full 90-minute effort. Pitt will attempt to do that on Thursday at 7 p.m. as the Panthers travel north to play Boston College.

This season has served as a learning experience for many of the young Panthers, 12 of them true freshmen. Hanna Hannesdottir, a midfielder, is one of them, and has attracted the attention of her teammates and coaching staff since preseason.

Hannesdottir’s first ACC game was just another step in her climb to a starting position.

“Coach [Greg Miller] has always been about starting hard and finishing hard, and we’ve had a taste of what happens when we don’t start off as well,” Hannesdottir said. “[On Friday], we learned that to stay in this conference and get the results we want, we have to come out ready to go right when the whistle blows until the end of the game.”

Senior captain and defender Jackie Poucel has encour-

aged her teammates to play harder all season, and now, with weak this season. the Panthers having begun conference play, energy is more Most importantly, however, Miller has reiterated the imporimportant than ever. tance of avoiding getting down early in these conference games.

“I think a lot of [effort] has to come from within,” Poucel Soccer 13 said. “It has to be a commitment to yourself and your teammates that you will work every minute you’re on the field ...

Your intensity is a mentality. It’s not some talent others can’t possess; it’s a choice.”

In the meantime, Miller will keep trying to help his players progress and play with a sense of urgency.

“The coaching staff has to continue to remind [our players] of things they’re not doing quite so well, and we have to try and stay positive and compliment them when they’re doing things that are asked of them,” Miller said. “But, at the same time, I think they’ve got to have a little more personal responsibility and know how their performance, good or bad, is affecting the team.”

The Panthers have gotten back to the basics in practice this week. To spearhead the effort issue, Miller has incorporated a significant amount of actual playing into his routine.

This will help the team become accustomed to playing hard every single day, as well as working on their transition at- Jackie Poucel fights for the ball. Megan Sunners | Staff Photack after completing a defensive stop, which has been fairly tographer

12

September 25, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

BASEBALL

Jeter epitomizes the best of Major League Baseball

Last week, Gatorade released an advertisement to pay tribute to the career of longtime endorsement partner Derek

Jeter, the legendary Yankee shortstop whose career will draw to a close within the next week. I watched the video for the first time with my roommates, one of whom isn’t a baseball fan. He noticed my reaction — I was apparently

Derek Jeter on one stop of his 2014 “farewell tour”. MCT Campus

noticeably choked up — and asked for an explanation as to what makes Jeter so special, why he’s so celebrated, why opposing organizations give him gifts everywhere he goes.

And I couldn’t articulate an answer.

I fumbled around for a while, stuttered, unable to provide anything concrete. I didn’t know where to begin.

But having had a few days to gather my thoughts, I guess I’ll have to start from the beginning and ramble aimlessly from there.

Jeter is one of the main reasons that this generation even slightly still cares about baseball. People have lost appreciation for the art of baseball in an age of hard-hitting, fast-paced, bluntforce-style sports. When I was a kid playing Little League, everybody fought over No. 2 . “I play shortstop,” argued any kid with enough coordination to play in the infield in some capacity, without getting drilled in the face with

The Pitt News Crossword, 9/25/2014

Alex Wise Staff Writer

ACROSS 1 Kid-lit classic “__, Plain and Tall” 6 Dust Bowl refugees 11 Part of many a texting request 14 Unborn, after “in” 15 “It’s a Wonderful Life” director 16 Pitcher rim 17 *Tricky puzzle 19 Tenn. neighbor 20 Commuter’s woe 21 Astronomy : Urania :: poetry : __ 22 Basic chord 24 City between Paris and Marseille 25 “Just this time ...”

27 Mensa membership consideration, perhaps 30 Most plucky 31 Myanmar, formerly 32 SeaWorld attraction 33 Stonestreet of “Modern Family” 36 Actress Wasikowska 37 *“Let me give it a shot?”

40 __ Today 41 Essentially fatfree 43 Credit report blot 44 Film with dusty streets, typically 46 Seconds flat 48 Eight dry gallons 49 “Hiya!”

51 Genesis creator 52 Pasture measures 53 User’s shortcut 55 Meditation beginning?

58 Marine pronoun 59 *Historic route west 62 Noir hero 63 Large jazz combo 64 Tourist __ 65 Origin of an eggshaped spaceship 66 Locations 67 Praise DOWN 1 Alg. or geog.

2 Razor brand 3 20 quires

a sharp grounder. “Jeter is my favorite player,” said everybody who’d ever seen him play. I tried, “I’m bigger than all of you,” but the jersey never would’ve fit me anyway.

One year, arguments over jersey No. 2 got so heated that our coach wouldn’t let anybody wear it. He threw the jersey aside, annoyed, and didn’t give it another thought.

There’s always been that type of modest hysteria surrounding Jeter, but his fame hasn’t come in flashes, nor has it been flashy. Instead, Jeter has molded his image — his character, rather — out of consistency and respectability. He was an overnight sensation that never stopped being sensational. It takes an unfathomable work ethic to be a career shortstop, never moving instead to second or third base, and Jeter is one

Jeter

10/9/14

By Robert E. Lee Morris

4 First name in shipping 5 Bee’s nectar reservoir 6 Vast expanse 7 Longtime pitcher Jim with the nickname “Kitty” 8 By its very nature, in law 9 Afore 10 “Being and Nothingness” philosopher 11 *Unvarnished facts 12 Fragrant bloom 13 Fictional falcon seeker 18 Relaxed pace 23 Left the runway 24 Apollo lander, briefly 26 General Bradley 27 AT and PS/2 computers 28 Nestlé __ 29 Calamity, and what’s literally hidden in the answers to starred clues 30 Complain 32 “Be right with you”

13

Wednesday’s Puzzle Solved

©2014 Tribune Content Agency, LLC

34 “Ah! Say no more” 35 Poet Sandburg 38 Like New Mexico’s climate, largely 39 “Darned if I know!”

42 Style 45 Cool-cucumber link 47 Poultry magnate John et al.

48 Alpine capital

10/9/14

49 Must 50 Yellowish pigment 51 Highland Games participants 54 “A Death in the Family” author 55 Agreement 56 Wealthy, in Juárez 57 Ben Gurion airline 60 King at Versailles 61 King in old Rome

September 25, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com FROM PAGE 12

JETER

of the few willing to work hard enough to accomplish that feat.

Baseball-wise, we’re not talking about your average fan favorite here.

Your fan favorite isn’t a five-time World Series champion with a .300+ lifetime batting average. Your fan favorite hasn’t been an all-star 14 times, nor has he hit safely nearly 3,500 times.

And your average fan favorite won’t spend his final MLB season on a farewell tour, accepting guitars, paddleboards, Maryland blue crabs and charitable donations from every other club. These stats, these accolades, these honors are reserved for the legends, living and dead, the brethren of baseball’s eternally beloved.

People adore Jeter, in this generation especially, because he’s baseball’s quintessential professional. He’s the greatest example of somebody who plays the game the way it’s supposed to be played: Work as hard as you can,

be the best you can be, and when success comes your way, act like you’ve been there before. Jeter has always been humble, a trait that’s becoming increasingly difficult to find in professional athletes, making it all the more valued when discovered. He’s always been outwardly appreciative of those around him and the support that New York has given him. For nearly 20 years now, Jeter has been the sports world’s reminder that not every athlete is a smack-talking, money-blowing idiot.

For that reason alone, the Captain will be sorely missed.

Much has been talked about how Jeter fits in with the rest of the Yankee legends. With the Yankees out of the playoff picture, we have to give ourselves some reason to discuss them, right? Jeter is certainly great in his own right, but where do we place a modern player on a list that includes Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio and Roger Maris? How does his legacy compare to those who came before him?

Personally, I don’t find Jeter com-

parable to his Yankee predecessors.

To our generation, Ruth is more myth than substance. We only know of his existence through history books and “The Sandlot.” The majority of us only know Lou Gehrig because we dumped a bucket of ice water on our heads in his name. We know DiMaggio and Mantle could play, everybody’s told us that, but we don’t know anything about them.

And old guys always talk about Maris hitting home runs, saying he’s “the one who really deserves the record,” but we know Barry Bonds could destroy him in a home run derby.

The point is that Jeter is the new classic Yankee, the living legend, the one for which we have a face. I’ve seen Jeter play multiple times in person and countless times on television. I’ve seen his highlights, seen his interviews, know his philosophy. To me, Jeter isn’t like the old-timers: a shaky black-andwhite film in an empty stadium. He’s a real person, a real player. He’s the face of baseball for our generation. Everybody knows Jeter now just as everybody knew Ruth then. When I’m old, I’ll sit

13 in a chair on my front porch and tell my grandchildren stories about him — “Boy, you shoulda seen that Jeter play, I’ll tell ya ... good guy, too, good guy ...” — and it’ll mean nothing to them.

In Jeter’s eyes, a tip of the cap and a round of applause would be more than enough. He’s too humble to ask for more. He’s never asked for what he’ll be given, let alone more. But a tip of the cap and a round of applause will never be enough to celebrate all that Jeter has done for New York, for baseball, for sports, for the world.

Cheers, Captain.

14 FROM PAGE 11

VOLLEYBALL well as three straight NEC Player of the Week Honors. She also won the Spartan Invitational MVP for her strong play.

Pitt will need to play its best defensive game yet if they want to stop the Blackbirds’ top hitter.

“We like to stay focused on ourselves first and figure out what we need to do in order to beat them,” opposite Mechael Guess said.

“We want to think about what we need to do personally to beat this team.”

“Like knowing what they’ll do in every rotation ... so we’re prepared to stop them and beat them,” Genitsaridi added when asked about the Pitt’s preparation.

The Panthers will look to libero Delaney Clesen, the reigning tournament MVP, to lead the team in digs once again. Clesen finished this past weekend with 51 digs.

Offensively, Pitt hopes that all the pieces of the team — hitting from the outside and middles — will come together. The Panthers’ top hitter, outside Jessica Wynn, didn’t have her best performance last time she played,

September 25, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com so she is looking to rebound and get to top form once again.

Opposite Kate Yeazel, who helped pick up the workload over the weekend with a seasonhigh 12 kills, looks to ride her momentum into the match. Middle blocker Jenna Potts and middle hitter Amanda Orchard look to remain strong for the Panthers by providing top hitting and blocking numbers.

“We really worked on blocking because we know we can get a lot of blocks on them, so we have been doing that in practice,” Guess said.

The anchor for Pitt, setter Lindsey Zitzke, provided stability both offensively and defensively for Pitt this past weekend. In the three tournament matches, Zitzke totalled 72 assists and 22 digs, while also adding service aces. She is two aces away from becoming Pitt’s program record holder in that statistic.

Despite the success last weekend at the Pitt Panther Invitational, however, Fisher still believes his team is in for a fight.

“No longer are we the favored team. With most of the teams that we have played so far, we would have slightly been the favorite,” Fisher said. “I think this is a pretty even matchup.

It’ll be a great challenge for us.”

FROM PAGE 11

SOCCER “We need to be more organized defensively, so we’re not giving up as many chances,” he said. “We want to be able to keep ourselves in the game for longer periods of time and give ourselves a chance to win games, instead of trying to come from behind. And then, you know, once we win the ball, let’s figure out a better way to get ourselves out and put more pressure on the opponent.”

Boston College (7-3 overall, 0-1 ACC) offers a bit of a different look for Pitt than Duke did last weekend. The Eagles may not have as much speed as the Blue Devils, but the level of intensity will not decrease.

They don’t have as much depth as Duke, which could benefit the Panthers in the latter stages of this contest. Poucel hopes she and her teammates get started quickly.

“BC is a strong team,” Poucel said. “Similar to Duke, they have some very talented attacking players, but I don’t think their midfield is as talented, so hopefully that relieves some pressure on us in that part of the field. We expect them to be very good, but this is also a game that we can win.”

The trip to Massachusetts is the first of three consecutive road games for the Panthers.

On Sunday, Pitt will head to Syracuse to take on the Orange, followed by a trip to Raleigh, N.C., to face the Wolfpack of North Carolina State next Saturday, Oct. 4.

This is the first time this season that Pitt will have more than a week away from home, but Miller remains optimistic.

“These are three winnable games,” Miller said. “The unfortunate part is that they’re all on the road, which makes things more difficult for us, but we have to give ourselves a chance.

If you look at the strength of the rest of our schedule, then these are the games where we have more of a chance than the other ones. We like our chances; it’s just a matter of putting two halves of soccer together.”

According to Miller, many members of this team have played without confidence and carried a timid playing style with them on the field. Hannesdottir, as she emerges as one of the young leaders of the Panthers, is not one of those players. This freshman knows how critical this road trip will be for the Panthers.

“It’s really important for everyone to be ready to bring everything they have for these next couple games,” she said. “We have nothing