What struck me most about last week’s editorial, “Children are harmed most in right-wing culture crusades,” was not the message itself, which may or may not have merit, but the insults, name- calling and stereotyping that it stooped to in attempting to make its point. As any consumer of mainstream media — on the left or the right — knows, this type of ad hominem attack writ large is an unfortunate and increasing byproduct of the devolving discourse among fellow citizens in this state and country. Instead, allow me to offer a reminder that the object of the editorial’s disdain, people variously disparaged as “right wingers,” “conservative parents,” “Republican Party elites,” “anti-truth parents” and “problematic parents” are also our neighbors, fellow Pennsylvanians and Americans. Whether we do or don’t agree with each other’s point of view on any range of subjects, our ability to maintain a civil discourse about the issues themselves — not about each other as people — is what sets us apart, particularly as members of an academic community which values inclusion, critical thinking and problem solving. In the absence of that kind of objectivity, editorials that take a tone like this are doing no more than pandering to their base — whoever that is — and adding to the decline. Stepping back, it would not have surprised me to find the usual suspects in the mainstream media plumbing these depths of insults, name-calling and stereotyping, but I certainly expect better here.Et tu The Pitt News?
The future development of Oakland is predicated on how a few facts of life are balanced.
First off, Pitt has a desire and need to expand, especially after taking onits largest ever first-year class. Second, private developers like Walnut Capital stand to make a fortune from this expansion. And the final fact, though often ignored, is perhaps the most important — the interests of Oakland residents do not often align with that of the former two parties.
The recent flurry of housing and community development proposals for the neighborhood, including Walnut Capital’sOakland Crossings projectandvague plansto redevelop a string of recently cleared lots on Bates Street, present a great opportunity for the community.
But these projects could also permanently solidifyresidential flightfrom Central Oakland and send a clear message — residents come second to the motives of Pitt, private developers or a combination of the two. These organizations need to take community input seriously, not just as a public relations formality, if Oakland is to remain a truly vibrant neighborhood and not just endless blocks of high-density student housing.
For example, more resident housing — as opposed to student housing — has beenconsistently requestedby community members. Yet, for all the land involved in the Oakland Crossings proposal, there’s little reason to believe it will do anything besides push non-students with lower incomes to even further margins of the neighborhood. The plan essentially turns swathes of land designated by the Oakland Planning and Development Corp. as“homeowner preservation priority”into mixed use zoning. What right does Walnut Capital have to impose their grand top-down planning, essentially throwing out years of work by OPDC?
Even worse, Walnut Capital’s plans for the area including McKee Place, Boulevard of the Allies and Halket Street do not include any sort of affordable housing mechanism, such as inclusionary zoning, that would help with resident retention.
Another longtime request by Oakland residents has been a proper grocery store. The Oakland Crossings projectdoes meet this criteriaby turning 3401 Boulevard of the Allies, which currently houses a Panera Bread and was formerly home to a Quality Inn and Suites, into a grocery store. But there’s no guarantee that it will be affordable or truly match the needs of the community — concerns never mentioned by Pitt.
It’s also worth noting just how much the Oakland Crossings project has been driven by the interests of a private developer.Not one elected officialappears to have had a hand in the initial drafting of the proposal, though it did pass through Mayor Bill Peduto on its way to Pittsburgh City Council, where it’s awaiting approval.
This isn’t to say that Oakland should remain frozen in time — blighted buildings and the lack of a real grocery store are things that should be remedied. The neighborhood could also stand to become more walkable, which the Oakland Crossings plan addresses with apedestrian bridgeover the boulevard and an increase in green spaces.
But when residents speak up about how major housing and community development projects will negatively affect them, perhaps we should listen. Pitt and Walnut Capital are not Oakland — rather, they’re just parts of it.
Fans wonder if Pitt’s defense will live up to their expectations at Saturday’s Pitt vs. GT game. Head coach Pat Narduzzi says defense isn’t just about “schemes” — it’s about “attitudes.” (Kaycee Orwig | Senior Staff Photographer)
Pitt football wrapped up its non-conference schedule with awin over UNHlast week and as head coach Pat Narduzzi put it, “[the] preseason is over.”
The Panthers (3-1, 0-0 ACC) will travel to Atlanta, Georgia, for an ACC tilt with the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (2-2, 1-1 ACC) this Saturday. Pitt boasts theNo. 1 offensein the ACC through four weeks, scoring an average of 52.5 points per game. But the offense has yet to play an ACC opponent and it’ll be interesting to see if this success translates to conference play.
Georgia Tech has theNo. 8 defensein the conference but did hold the ACC juggernaut Clemson Tigers to just14points a few weeks back.
An offense that’s proven to show some firepower and a defense that’s shown flashes of greatness should provide fans with an exciting matchup this weekend. Here’s what to watch for in the clash between the two ACC hopefuls.
Will Mark Whipple open up the playbook a little bit more?
Offensive play-caller Mark Whipple has kept his cards pretty close to his chest through non-conference play, most likely to keep his best plays until the team needed it most. Through four games, the team has run pretty basic offensive plays and it’s been good enough to hangmore than 40 pointsin each of the first four games.
Screen passes, attacking the middle of the field with deep posts and inside zone runs have defined the Panther offense thus far. But now that ACC play is here and each game is crucial in Pitt’s quest for a conference title, Whipple may dig a little bit deeper into his bag of tricks if the offense is struggling.
Should Whipple and the offense stumble out of the gate, expect some new plays from the Panthers because Pitt can’t afford to lose any games from here on out.
Who will get the bulk of the carries this weekend?
The running game has been bleak this year. Narduzzi has tried multiple combinations of different running backs with little success. Junior running back Vincent Davis and sophomore running back Israel Abanikanda haven’t lived up to the hype from training camp, leaving fans scratching their heads and looking for answers.
First-year Rodney Hammond stepped in last weekend and put up 100 yards of rushing and three touchdowns. His style of run is different from Abanikanda and Davis — he’s not the most elusive running back, but when a defender meets him in the open field, Hammond is looking to put his opponent’s backside into the turf. This certainly caught Narduzzi’s eye.
“He’s strong, physical, runs low to the ground, spins and twists and just fights for those yards,” Narduzzi said. “He’s a tough runner, and it does give him an opportunity to go play more. You’ve got to make sure he’s good in the protections and all that stuff, but he did a nice job.”
It’s tough to imagine Narduzzi shifts the bulk of the carries Hammond’s way due to the opponent that his stellar performance came against. But if Abanikanda and Davis can’t put it together in the coming weeks, Hammond could be the next guy up.
Will the Pitt defense start playing like fans expected them to?
The Panthers’ offensive firepower thus far has been enjoyable through four weeks. But the defense, against their two tougher opponents, actually played quite poorly. Against Tennessee and Western Michigan, the Panthers gave up acombined 78points and it could have been more had Tennessee taken advantage of more mistakes.
Against UMass and UNH, the defense looked stout and how many expected them to play this year. The defensive front has been strong but has still had its fair share of lapses, including a 70-yard run to set up UNH’s only score.
But the glaring weakness has been the secondary’s play.
Opposing wide receivers are consistently finding themselves with yards of separation after blowing by the Pitt defensive backs. Pitt likes to jam up the receivers at the line of scrimmage, to give their linemen a chance to disrupt the pocket before the receivers have a chance to run their route.
This strategy comes with drawbacks. If the line isn’t able to collapse the pocket quick enough, receivers can blow by the defensive backs — something that happened often against Tennessee. Georgia Tech’s offense and their quarterback, first-year Jordan Yates, are good enough to take advantage of these coverage lapses.
If they do, Narduzzi will have to adjust. But to Narduzzi, defense isn’t always about schemes — it’s about an attitude.
“You can go out there and it’s not a matter of where you have your guys placed and what you look like structure-wise,” Narduzzi said. “It’s about how you play. Started off in an attack mode [against UNH], and I just like the aggressiveness of our guys and just taking it over, as opposed to waiting, playing on your heels.”
Pat Narduzzi vs. Geoff Collins
The Panthers and Georgia Tech most recently met at the conclusion of last season and one of the biggest storylines came after the final whistle. The Panthers won the game with a late-game touchdownand Georgia Tech head coach Geoff Collins took his frustration out on Narduzzi.
When the two met at midfield after the game for the customary post-game head coach handshake, Collins was very short with Narduzzi and ripped his hand away quickly. This sparked a response from Narduzzi, yelling back at Collins before making his way to the locker room.
But fans hoping to see a rumble at midfield this week are out of luck, according to Narduzzi.
“We’re good,” Narduzzi said. “You get upset after games … But we talked at Media Day face-to-face and he apologized, and it’s over … We’ll have a nice pregame talk. There will be nothing to that. He’s a classy guy and I appreciate him apologizing. I know how tempers go. I didn’t take it personal.”
Prediction: Pitt wins a nailbiter (31-28)
This is a game the Panthers need to win, not just for this season, but for the program going forward. Redshirt senior quarterback Kenny Pickett will need to keep his offensive tear going to pick up the slack for the running game and he’ll have his work cut out for him.
Pitt will also need to take care of the football. Georgia Tech has been prolific in forcing turnovers and taking care of the ball this year — if Pitt gives the ball away, don’t expect the Yellow Jackets to give it back.
But the defense should be able to win the battle up front and put the offense in a good position to win the game. This game will come down to the secondary holding up long enough to give their defensive line a chance to put Yates under pressure.
If the Panthers can do these three things, they should win the ballgame.
The game will kickoff in Atlanta at noon on Saturday, airing on ACC Network.
Pitt men’s basketball roster looks “vastly different” than last year and includes many transfers and sophomores. (Pamela Smith | Visual Editor)
Pitt men’s basketball is in a much different place than it was six months ago. Six scholarship players left and one more was still serving a suspension while he awaited a hearing on three felony charges. Head coach Jeff Capel spent the following months repairing a broken roster and trying to breathe some life into a program deflated by a 2-10 limp to the end of the regular season.
Capel did reloadand now Pitt’s roster looks vastly different than it did around this time last year, but there are few known commodities. Senior guard Ithiel Horton has two years of Power Five basketball under his belt and Nike Sibande is a proven scorer at the college level, but outside of those two the questions run wild. Who the Panthers will or won’t be this season is largely a mystery.
The Panthers have a roster comprised primarily of transfers, inexperienced sophomores and a one-man recruiting class that, because of its size, is the lowest rated of Capel’s tenure, according to 247Sports.
So what can fans expect from the 2021-22 Panthers? Not even the head coach can tell you that yet. He knows what he’d like to see but said that this team’s identity won’t reveal itself until after they’ve logged minutes together on the court.
“Obviously we want to try and hang our hat on being tough, being good defensively and hopefully we can be better offensively than we’ve been over the first three years and be a little bit more versatile,” Capel said.
This team will have some factors working in their favor as they try to build such an identity. Most obviously, the COVID-19 pandemic is in a more manageable state than it was a year ago, allowing programs to get back into comfortable patterns.
“There’s normally a rhythm of a season and for as long as I can remember being involved with it, it’s been that rhythm,” Capel said. “As a player, as a coach, it’s been that rhythm. Last year … it was the first time since 1993 that the rhythm was incredibly disrupted. And so I think it threw everyone off.”
But it wasn’t just COVID-19 that negatively affected the Panthers’ play last year. Over the offseason, players and coaches from the 2020-21 team cited chemistry issues as a reason for their declining quality of play down the stretch.
But Horton — now the elder statesman of this motley crew — said those issues are in the past and that this year’s team is working on preventing those same concerns from arising in the first place.
“I think a lot of our guys mesh,” Horton said. “Last year we didn’t have a lot of off-court gatherings like we do this year. A lot of our guys started to get to know each other, our interests. That’s what’s helping this year a lot … It was just a disconnect there last year that isn’t there this year.”
He said even transfers like Jamarius Burton, a senior guard who arrived at Pitt by way of Wichita State and Texas Tech, have taken serious time to get to know the rest of the team.
Horton said he and Burton bond over books and he credited Burton with helping him quit social media, which Horton said helped his focus and maturity.
There’s plenty to be concerned about with this team, purely from a basketball standpoint. Is sophomore guard Femi Odukale, the presumed starter at point guard, able to make the leap from exciting first year to everyday star? Can the Panthers mesh enough to be as good as they hope defensively? Is there enough depth in the front court? Will they be able to shoot enough?
All these concerns are secondary. With so much turnover, Pitt is trying to keep things simple and lay a base from which they can grow. A veteran roster last year meant expectations but those high hopes have fallen back to earth. The Panthers are back to square one, built around youth and they’re ready to start with a nearly clean slate.
Sibande thinks the results will come, but wins will only stack once this team is able to carry their camaraderie from off to on the court.
“What excited me about this group is our togetherness.” Sibande said. “We’re still getting to know each other, but I’m excited to get comfortable with each other, get more comfortable with each other and learn from each other … I think that if we can do that, we can lock in and be a good team.”
The No. 2 Panthers (13-0, 3-0 ACC) returned home to Fitzgerald Field House on Wednesday night to take on the University of Virginia Cavaliers (8-5, 1-2 ACC) for both teams’ third ACC match of the season. Backed by a raucous Volley Pitt student section,the Panthers handily defeated the Cavaliers in straight sets— extending their undefeated start to the season.
According to fifth-year outside hitter Kayla Lund, being back at home was a key factor to Pitt’s dominating performance. The Panthers played just three of their first 12 games at home this season prior to Wednesday’s matchup, causing them to embrace a road warrior mentality.
“We were really happy with the crowd turnout,” Lund said. “We think that they gave us a lot of energy, a lot of good runs … getting to be back home with this environment, with our Pittsburgh people meant a lot to us.”
The Panthers didn’t hesitate to get the crowd involved early, bringing everyone to their feet with a 4-0 run to start the first set. Senior outside hitter Leketor Member-Meneh made the most of her opportunities early, scoring two emphatic kills in the frame’s first four points.
While the Panthers never relinquished their early lead, the Cavaliers refused to quit, going on a 4-0 run to put them only one point down late in the frame. But Pitt stormed back with a 7-1 run of their own, finishing on an ace from first-year setter Rachel Fairbanks to take the first set 25-19.
Pitt found success on the serve in the first frame, scoring five points on aces. Member-Meneh and Lund both lit up the scorebook early, combining for six kills and nine digs in the set.
The second set started off sloppy for both teams, with three of the games first five points coming on attack errors. UVA found themselves up 3-2 early but it was all Pitt from there on, going on a relentless 16-2 run behind four kills and two block assists from senior middle blocker Serena Gray.
After its run, Pitt appeared to take their foot off the gas, committing several errors to bring UVA back into the fray. It ultimately proved to be too little, too late as the Panthers cruised to a 25-15 victory in the second frame. Playing at their highest level and remaining focused for the whole game is something that Lund says the Panthers need to continue improving on for the rest of the season.
“We had some good runs then maybe got a little soft or let up at times,” Lund said. “Our goal was to really keep to our standard and I thought for the most part we did a decent job with it. Every once in a while, we slipped up a little bit.”
Once again, the two teams were locked early in the third set. After both teams traded 3-0 runs, the Panthers managed to pull away and never look back. A five-point run put the nail in the coffin, as the Panthers completed the three-set sweep with a 25-15 victory in the final set.
Gray led the Panthers with one of her best performances of the year, tallying nine kills and four block assists on .692 hitting. The Panthers had particularly strong performances on the serve and on defense, notching 10 aces and 44 digs as a team while holding UVA to a .097 hitting percentage.
According to Gray, the team’s performance was much more consistent than their win against UNC last weekend.
“I think there was definitely a rise in maturity in this game,” Gray said. “I think when we played against North Carolina on the road we got a bit too comfortable. We definitely underestimated our opponent, they’re a very talented team. I think here we executed our gameplan, kept the pressure, it was a good step up.”
Both Gray and Member-Meneh have put together standout performances for the Panthers this year as transfer students. Head coach Dan Fisher said that impact transfer players have become the new normal for top tier, and his team has reaped the benefits of the change.
“A lot of the top teams have transfer players that are making a big impact,” Fisher said. “We have a lot of depth, our practices are competitive, I definitely think they’re helping our team a lot.”
The Panthers will look to continue their undefeated start in ACC playat home against Dukeon Friday at 7 p.m. The game will air on ACCNX.
Students could receive free flu shots at the HealthyU fair located at the William Pitt Union on Wednesday. (Romita Das | Senior Staff Photographer )
Apples aren’t the only way to keep the doctor away. At the HealthyU fair outside of the William Pitt Union on Wednesday, students had the opportunity to pick up free face scrubs, get their flu shot and stock up on condoms — and even pick up some apples, too.
The HealthyU fair this year focused on the eight dimensions of wellness — emotional, environmental, financial, intellectual, occupational, physical, social and spiritual wellness. The fair had more than 20 booths and also offered free flu shots to University students.
Coryn Kline, a first-year nursing student who attended the event, said she was glad to see the University prioritizing the health of its students.
“I think this fair shows that Pitt really cares about its students and that they want to provide resources for them,” Kline said.
Taylor Goss, a first-year nursing student, said she likes how the fair shows the many different areas of health students can focus on.
“I really like that Pitt is focusing on the different aspects of health, because I think a lot of times students forget to focus on themselves and this is a good reminder,” Goss said.
Ricardo Solis — the community initiations manager forHealthy Ride, the local bikeshare system — ran a booth at the fair. He said his organization promotes overall physical wellness, as well as health equity through the use of bikes.
“Our organization really cares about health, and we understand that sometimes healthy options can cost a lot which is why we encourage riding bikes because it is a great way to stay fit and it is also affordable,” Solis said.
Solis also said HealthyRide was at the fair to promote itspartnership with the Universityto provide the first 30 minutes of bike rides for free.
Another booth at the fair was for theStudent Health Service. Emmaline LaRocque, a peer health educator and junior psychology major, played a game with students by having them pretend water was 80 proof alcohol and then guessing how many shots were in a random pour. She said it was important to show people the risks of consuming alcohol.
“Some people just seriously underestimate the serving sizes of alcohol and we are just here to help people be aware of serving sizes and help them keep track of how much they may be consuming,” LaRocque said.
LaRocque said the booth also handed out condoms and promoted the idea of a “positive sex language in the lounge.”
“One of our more popular programs that we have is sexual allowance, which talks about same-sex practices and working on making it all inclusive, by using better language to incorporate individuals that would identify outside of the gender binary,” LaRocque said.
Emily Brown, an undeclared sophomore, said she came to the fair for all the free items, but was surprised by all the resources the University had to offer.
“I definitely did come to the fair for all the free stuff, but there are actually a lot of interesting groups over here, and I am happy that there are so many resources available to us so that we can feel good and be healthy,” Brown said.
Another booth at the fair was for Pitt’sFinancial Wellness Program, which emphasized the third dimension of wellness — financial — that the fair promoted. Joel Philistin, the director of financial wellness, said it was important to attend the fair this year since many students aren’t aware of their financial situations or how to budget.
“The first financial decisions that are made for most students are in the 18 to 22 year old range, and it’s a time where we can make some mistakes that can last with us for years after,” Philistin said. “So to help students we provide them with the knowledge and tools they will need to prevent negative financial impacts in the future for them.
Philistin also said many students were interested in the programs they had to offer and added that just like his booth, the other booths were there to make sure students knew there were organizations there ready to support students.
“Students have been reacting really well, a lot of students have expressed their concerns about having to budget for groceries and pay bills, and these are things they aren’t used to which is why we are here at the fair to help guide them,” Philistin said. “I think that’s why a lot of the other booths are here as well to help provide the resources to students to set them up for success.”
Brown said she would recommend other students to attend the fair next year.
“Whether it is just to get free stuff or see all the resources available I would definitely tell other students to show up next year because I think it is really helpful for people to see all the options, especially like the free therapy options the counseling center provides,” Brown said.
LaRocque previously worked for The Pitt News as a staff writer.
The opportunity to perform is not one musicians take lightly — for many, making music is the easy part and getting the masses to hear it is more difficult. But Pitt-based new age rock bandDionysuswill get the opportunity to share its music at Fall Fest after winning Battle of the Bands on Wednesday night.Pitt Program Councilhosted the event as part of the lead up toFall Feston Oct. 10, a free day of concerts and music for all Pitt students headlined by pop artistLauv. The winner of the event, Dionysus, will be the official student opener for Fall Fest, followed byGeorge Clanton, provided by WPTS Radio, and direct support openerElias Khouri.
At Battle of the Bands, each participant was given ten minutes to set up, and then ten minutes to perform as many songs as they pleased. According to Keely Rehman — PPC’s Interest Exploration Director, as well as one of the event judges — the performers would be judged based on overall performance, crowd interaction and adaptability to the Fall Fest stage.
Melodic hip-hop artist Michael Eastond, a junior political science major who goes by the stage nameLil Mike, started off the night. Lil Mike was joined by his producerRocky Oberti, a junior computer engineering major. According to Lil Mike, the two met in Market Central during their first year at Pitt.
“We started freshman year,” Lil Mike said. “We met at Market, one of my friends brought me over to his table and that’s how we met.”
Lil Mike said getting the opportunity to perform at Fall Fest would be a tremendous achievement for him and Oberti, as the two have worked tirelessly on their music.
“It would mean a lot to me and Rocky,” Lil Mike said. “We invest a lot of our time into this, a lot of our money into this, we’re really passionate about it.”
Following Lil Mike was the bandFunky Lamp, who defined their music as alternative with a little bit of funk. The band is composed of entirely first-years — undecided Ben Orr, undecided Rocco Condenzio, bioengineering major Jason Bonavita, pre-physical therapy major Holly Miller and chemistry major Dominic Brazzle. Orr, who plays guitar, said they lack a significant amount of experience but have quickly built chemistry in their time together.
“We’ve been practicing for just a few weeks,” Orr said. “Just been doing weekend kind of jams and we got pretty good chemistry going.”
Miller, the group’s vocalist, said the group takes a creative approach to their songwriting. The group utilizes their “funky” lamp to create songs based on its changing colors.
“We have this lamp that changes color so to inspire us we would go out to the Nordenberg patio and try to make some music and change the color,” Miller said. “Say, ‘oh it’s orange, so let’s make an orange song.’”
Closing out the night was new age rock band Dionysus, composed of junior engineering major Myles Naylor, senior finance and accounting major James Boston, senior political science major Christian Ryan and senior finance major Joe Stanton. According to Boston, the band’s bassist, the group started playing together during the COVID-19 pandemic and has grown since then.
“We started during COVID. We picked this thing up as something we could do while everything was shut down,” Boston said. “We kept sticking with it and just came out here to give it a shot.”
Boston said winning the competition would be amazing for their group, as they wanted to give back to the Pitt community through their music. Ryan, the band’s guitarist, is also an enthusiastic fan of Lauv.
“It would be fantastic, our guitar player Christian is a big fan of Lauv so he’d be excited for sure,” Boston said. “We definitely would be honored, thankful for it, would be a step in the right direction to do some good stuff for Pitt and get some good music out there.”
After the third and final performance, the judges convened briefly and selected Dionysus as the winner. Boston said he was excited about the result, but made sure to emphasize it was the collective effort from the group that led to this outcome. “Super excited, first of all thankful, wouldn’t have happened without my buddies in the band. It’s a team effort 100%,” Boston said.
Even though Lil Mike and Funky Lamp were not selected this time around, this will not be the last Pitt students see of the two acts. Both groups said they intend to compete again in the spring for a chance to open atBigelow Bash,PPC’s spring music festival.
Not only will the runner-up acts attempt to perform in another PPC-organized event, but they may organize an event themselves. Despite coming out victorious, Boston said he admires the other two acts and expressed his desire to perform with them in the future.
“Shoutout to Funky Lamp they did a great job, and shoutout to Mike as well he also did a phenomenal job,” Boston said. “I honestly would love to maybe get a concert going with both of them, [it] would be awesome to try and collaborate and do something for Pitt students.” While the idea of a collaboration looms in the future, Boston said Dionysus’ focus is set on their opening performance less than two weeks away.
“Practice, practice, run through, run through,” Boston said. “We have some room for improvement, hopefully, we can just have a good time at Fall Fest and bring some entertainment and some good vibes.”
When it comes to personal health information, most people want to know that their information is kept as secure and private as possible. According to Pitt, students, faculty and staff can rest assured that this is true with COVID-19 vaccination information stored by the University.
“While vaccination disclosures are not protected by theHealth Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, the data is stored in a secure system that meets HIPAA’s security rule,” a University spokesperson said.
More than 90% of the campus community is currently vaccinated, according toThursday’s updatefrom the COVID-19 Medical Response Office, including 95% of undergraduate students, 92% of faculty and 91% of staff.
Student Affairsspokesperson Janine Fisher said all COVID-19 vaccination data — including vaccination cards submitted online by students, faculty and staff — is stored in theUniversity Data Warehouse. She also said the Data Warehouse receives information from COVID Tracker, the University’s primary application for monitoring compliance withvaccination and testing measures.
Besides the Data Warehouse, Fisher said Pitt’s Student Health Service stores student vaccination data for COVID-19 — as well as all other student vaccination data — inMedicat, an electronic health record system designed specifically for colleges and universities. The SHS maintains medical records for seven years.
SHS places further restrictions on the circumstances in which SHS staff may access students’ private health records, according to Fisher. She said SHS staff may only access protected health information when it is absolutely necessary.
“Access to PHI (which includes vaccination records) in SHS is restricted to the minimum necessary to achieve the intended purpose of the use or disclosure of PHI related to treatment, associated payments, or any other routine healthcare operation related to the patient care,” Fisher said.
Fisher added that SHS strictly monitors requests for personal health information from other health care agencies, health plans or clearinghouses and will only release the minimum amount of PHI that is necessary or required in individual cases — and only with patient permission.
“The SHS has very detailed policies and procedures to preserve the confidentiality and security of PHI created, received, obtained, maintained, used or transmitted by the SHS and to protect this information from unauthorized access or disclosure,” Fisher said. “Release is only permitted with the written authorization of the patient.”
Pitt chosenot to mandatevaccination against COVID-19 this year, but only allows building access to those who are vaccinated or complete weekly testing. Unvaccinated community members who do not comply with testing requirements are banned from campus buildings.
The University enforces this policy by requiring students to swipe or tap their Panther cards at building entrances. Catherine Resetar, a senior accounting major who works forthe building safety concierge program, said an alarm will sound if a noncompliant student tries to swipe in.
Resetar has worked for the building safety program since last fall. She said her job is to make sure students are wearing masks properly, swiping their IDs at the door and staying out of campus buildings if they are noncompliant with Pitt’s COVID-19 guidelines.
Resetar said all people who enter Pitt buildings need to be marked as compliant by the University with no exceptions — even those who can prove their vaccination status on the spot.
“If the alarm goes off, they can’t show us a picture [of their vaccine card] or something,” Resetar said. “Sometimes they’re vaccinated, it just hasn’t gone through the system yet, but we can’t.”
Students described this struggle earlier in the semester onsocialmedia, reporting that they were not able to attend class — despite being vaccinated — because their records had not been verified by SHS. According to Fisher, these issues have largely been resolved by this point in the semester.
“For the most part, the records are up to date and any data missing is due to records not being uploaded,” Fisher said. “The delay in verification of records was due in part to records not being complete, dates missing, illegible vaccination cards and the large number of reviews required.”
Resetar said when a student enters a building without swiping their Panther card, she can only ask them to come back and do it, and may not stop people from entering a building if they don’t swipe their card.
“People will just walk in really fast,” Resetar said. “We’re not supposed to chase after them or anything, so if they keep walking, there’s nothing we can do.”
Despite this challenge, Resetar said most students are receptive when asked to swipe their card or adjust their mask. She said she felt confident in the security and effectiveness of Pitt’s COVID-19 protocols.
“For the most part, it’s working,” Resetar said. “Most people follow the rules, no problem.”
Collab columns consist of multiple columnists offering their own takes and experiences on a topic. This week, we’ll discuss how music can create a deeply personal experience tied to the moments we hear it.
“Depressing” music can make you feel better// Lucas DiBlasi, Senior Staff Columnist
Music has an incredible crosscultural ability to have a profound impact on people. Nearly everyone has favorite musicians — artists who’ve created songs and albums that they will remember until they die. For some people, music is a way to connect with others, to dance and sing and drum together or to set a lovely ambience over dinner. Others use music as a vehicle to bring back happy memories, and some just put on a catchy song to make their day a little brighter as they drive to work.
But there’s a specific type of music that has had the deepest impact on me — sad music. Don’t get me wrong, I love happy music, but there’s something that a depressing song can do that can have a very positive impact on your life. When you connect deeply to a heart-wrenching song, like Bon Iver’s“Skinny Love”or Iron & Wine’s“The Trapeze Swinger,”you can realize that those artists must have been feeling the same emotions you feel right now.
Somehow, across time and space, through a short piece of audio, you can realize that you’re not the only person to go through an excruciating breakup. You can realize you’re not the only person to feel crushing anxiety about the future and regret about the past. In short, music like this can make you feel less alone when you are at your loneliest. The most depressing songs, paradoxically, can make you feel better.
Even if sad songs can seem like the epitome of self-wallowing, and the furthest from a dance tune as you could possibly get, they can create a sense of community. Make some time for a sad song when you feel down, because they remind us that some experiences, however lonesome, are shared. That makes them a little less lonesome, and makes music a little more wonderful.
Mac Miller’s music changed the way I think about life // Grace DeLallo, For The Pitt News
Music is brought into our lives at the genesis of our existence. Music touches humanity in inexplicably profound ways — the spectrum of emotions it makes us feel produces a certain magic that is precious and intimate. My own experiences with these same sensations have wholly impacted my existence.
Mac Miller was never one of my favorite artists. I didn’t listen to all of his songs, buy his merchandise or display his picture on my wall. I enjoyed his music but lacked the passion I felt for other bands and artists.
Then, “Swimming,” Mac’s fifth and final album before his death, came out and that changed — a connection was forged.
A mere month following this release, Mac Miller was found dead due to an overdose. I felt a strange sadness wash over me — the kind that leaves you realizing the person gone will never be able to live the life they so desperately wanted to.
Mac had a lust for life that lifted his music into the hearts of millions. When he wrote “Brand Name,” he foreshadowed his death to the world by declaring that he did not want to die young. Mac used his music to relay his fears and aspirations to the people willing to listen, making art out of the most human of experiences. With songs about drugs, sex, partying, depression and loneliness, his lyrics transported me into a world where the complexities of life conversed with me. The growth he demonstrated in his albums showed how he matured — that his experiences resonated deep within him as he tried to get better and learn how to not only survive, but thrive in this world.
I asked myself how this same person could be gone?
My cousin Shaun died on Jan. 9, 2020. When I first received the call that detailed his passing, I didn’t feel much emotion. I honestly thought I was a bit broken, because how could I not feel sorrowful about this family member’s tragic passing? This is a person I have known all my life. He hid the younger cousins’ eggs at Easter, wanted to sit and know how life was and play games during the holidays. It wasn’t rational.
I went back to my dorm, showered, crawled into bed and listened to Mac Miller’s song released that day — “Good News.” Putting my headphones on, I soon slipped into a trance that would touch my sadness and unlock it within me. Mac brought Shaun’s death to life.
As I listened more and more, I began to realize the synchronicities of their lives and deaths. Shaun, like Mac, had passed of an overdose. It was like the universe was trying to tell me something. I cried and found messages that seemed fated to reach me in my newfound grief.
I no longer listen to Mac’s music without immense emotional investment, for I hear his music as a reminder of Shaun. Although they are no longer with us, music has breathed a kind of furthered existence into both of them. Mac Miller’s music allows me to keep a piece of my family alive — and for that, I cannot ever be grateful enough.
The Smiths’ sadness is a vehicle for my happiness // Breanna Jones, For The Pitt News
I could not live without music.Everyone that knows me is aware of this fact.
Music brings me, as well as others, a multitude of incredible sensations and moods. An intense euphoria radiates throughout my entire body and an untroubled disposition fills my mind. But it’s beennoted that many people do not necessarily need a song describing merriment to feel some kind of joy in their hearts. A study from 2008 conducted in Japan and published in “Frontiers in Emotion Science” found that listening to sad music canraise levels of the hormone prolactin, which produces a “consoling psychological effect.”
If you are familiar with the 1980s indie rock band The Smiths, you know about their reputation as one of themost depressing bandsto ever exist. Their lyrics describe many themes such as heartbreak, loneliness and depression. Despite this, their British punk melodies have brought me an immense amount of happiness, providing me with plenty of the “happy hormone” prolactin.
The sad lyrics in The Smiths’ musicalsoprovide me with a deeper understanding of my own thoughts and feelings. It is incredible to have an artist perfectly articulate how you feel, when you could not describe it yourself. It allows me to dive deeper into my mind, exploring my own thoughts and feelings to understand them more. At times, it can be difficult to explain how I truly feel, but this is no issue when I listen to The Smiths.
I feel less alone.I have especially listened to their music in times of mental instability where I feellost or confused. It has gotten me through a lot of rough times when I thought that nobody could truly understand my inner sadness.
A song that is always number one on my Spotify Wrapped — a personal chart with statistics on your most listened-to music — is “I Know It’s Over.” This tune describes the immense pain of depression, as does most of The Smiths’ music.
The Smiths never cease to impress me. Despite many of my friends wondering why I listen to such “sorrowful” music, I continue to share the understated incredibility of The Smiths.Their despairing music brings me more contentment than sadness.
Just a theoretical question to start us off today — would you eat your sister’s heart? Even if it was cooked?
In Exeter, Rhode Island, George Brown’s family became seriously ill in1883. First his wife died, then his first daughter, then his second. His son Edwin soon fell ill as well.
Although Edwin’s doctor diagnosed him with tuberculosis, the townspeople believed the dead — specifically Edwin’s sisters and mother — were sucking the life and energy from Edwin, making him sick. Remember, this is also a time when tuberculosis was sorampantthat you could throw a rock and probably hit someone with tuberculosis.
Gravediggers exhumed George Brown’s wife and first daughter in 1892 and noticed that their bodies were properly decomposed, which makes sense for two people who died nine years prior. But when gravediggers exhumed Mercy Brown, George’s second daughter, they were shocked at her appearance.
The townspeople reported that she was well preserved, that her nails and hair had grown and that she bled when poked with a shovel. So obviously, she was a vampire. And obviously, the only way to solve this problem was to cut her heart out, burn it and feed it to Edwin. He died two months later.
Mercy’s decomposition was not abnormal. Buried during the winter, Mercy’s rate of decomposition slowed due to low temperatures, explaining her preservation. Her hair and nails appeared to grow because after death, dehydrationcausescells to shrink and skin to retract, creating the illusion of growth.
Other vampiric or spooky occurrences like this one have been debunked by scientists. Bacterial gas buildup causes bloating after death which can cause blood to fill the lungs, esophagus and mouth, making villagersbelievea corpse was feasting on blood. Folklorist Paul Barber alsosaidbloated bodies can appear as if they’ve recently eaten, and “screams” could be caused by the expulsion of the bacterial gases.
The coolest part about this whole story though? Newspaper clippings detailing Mercy Brown’s vampirism reached Bram Stoker, who was touring in the United States at the time.Many arguethat Mercy’s stories inspired the famous “Dracula.”
Archaeologistsexhumed graves and found that vampire repelling tactics were prevalent in other areas as well. Some towns, such as in Maine and Massachusetts, simply flipped corpses facedown and called it a day. Other places such as Connecticut, Vermont and dear old Rhode Island would burn the heart and inhale its fumes. InPoland, skeletons were found with sickles around their necks — which would decapitate the vampire if they were to rise — or rocks in their mouths.
Anthropologists are also still trying to uncover the cause of vampire burials. Some archeologistsarguethat vampire burials were given to individuals who died from deadly diseases. Tactics such as placing stones in the victim’s mouth were thought to prevent them from rising again and infecting the living.
At a gravesite in Kałdus, Poland,researchersfound that there was no correlation between “anti-vampire practices” and evidence of disease — which was a common theory. Instead, the researchers believe “anti-vampire practices” were done on those “who died suddenly without Christian sacraments, like unbaptized children, people who committed suicide, babies born with teeth, or newly postpartum mothers.”
Going back to my original question though — Natalie, if you’re reading this, I love you very much and you’re a great sister, but I would rather die of tuberculosis than eat your heart. It’s not you — I bet your heart is great, but I just can’t get past the idea of eating a heart. Sorry.
Gabrielle Union praises another gorgeous and talented lady on her social media account. Check out her post here. 'Today’s #WCW is the immensely talented @khosingema. She plays Fikile Bhele on Netflix’s series Blood & Water (if you haven’t watched season 1, RUN DON’T WALK! Season 2 just started, and we are already deep). Khosi is only 21 years old and is already killing the game,' she began her post. Someone said: 'Not only does her natural skill as an actress shine through on the show, but also this young woman does it all! When she’s not stunning on Blood & Water, she’s STUNTING as a model and singer. Her passion for the arts quickly motivated her to break into the industry so much so, that when she landed the role for Blood & Water, she quickly moved from her hometown in Gauteng, South Africa to Cape Town to start filming. When she’s not working, she’s advocating for clean beauty and healthy eating habits. Let us lift her up in the light of goodness and hold her there.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Gabrielle Union-Wade (@gabunion) A fan said: 'Love her on Blood and Water and her co star Ama aka Puleng,' and a commenter said: 'I loveee blood and water just finished season 2 it’s SO good!' Someone else posted this: 'Literally just started watching this week!!!' and a follower said: 'This is beautiful. She truly is talented.' A follower dropped this message: 'I TOTALLY LOVE HER!! Shine @khosingema Rise South Africa!!' Not too long ago, Gabrielle Union just praised Tarana J. Burke. Check out the emotional message that she shared on her social media account below. 'Today’s #WCW is the true definition of a pioneer, and I am proud to call her my friend… @taranajaneen. I was lucky enough to spend the other day with her chatting about both our books, live from D.C., and each time I am in her presence - I swear I get stronger, smarter, and more inspired,' Gaby said. https://ift.tt/eA8V8J
Violent song lyrics increase negative emotions and thoughts that can lead to aggression, according to a study published in the May issue of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (Vol. 84, No. 5).
The study challenges the ancient Greek “catharsis hypothesis” that claims that expressing aggressive emotion will later decrease aggressive behavior. Instead, researchers from Iowa State University and the Texas Department of Human Services found that aggressive music lyrics increase aggressive thoughts and feelings, which might perpetuate aggressive behavior and have long-term effects, such as influencing listeners’ perceptions of society and contributing to the development of aggressive personalities.
With each generation exposed to these negative influences birth a generation who is defying these negative standards by replacing them with a more progressive perspective of life and creations. Artists such as R&B sensation H.E.R., Jasmine Sullivan or even hip-hop artists like Kendrick Lamar are pushing this new direction of lyrical and musical content. Yet there is a new artist on the music scene who is a college graduate with a degree in psychology that is pushing this progressive mindset and agenda to the fullest.
BT The artist also known as the “Street Activist” has created a platform that ignites and challenges change by defining his music genre as “Progressive Music.” When asked BT explains; “Progressive Music is music that leads and informs along with entertaining. It’s bringing back the culture of hip hop to its origin. A time when artist such as Public Enenmy, X Clan, KRS One and the list goes on who spoke about our culture and why we should be proud. It also goes back to the days when MCs motivated the crowd. Where entertainment was for fun and a getaway from the hard times derived from poverty, drug abuse and addiction. All of which are present in today’s society and increasing to the levels similar to what has been documented in the 80’s. What happened to having fun or making statements in music that made you think and ponder? I created Progressive music to be the difference that makes a difference and invite other creatives to do the same like so many of us are doing.”
Whether you know BT the Artist or not his popularity is growing with each day. His website: www.bttheartist.com is ranked 41,000 by Alexa. His social media numbers are growing daily. He presently has almost 50K IG followers and his website gets about 2 million hits daily. With over 37 thousand links to articles written on him around the world BT the Artist is the next best-kept secret in hip hop and urban music ready to explode on the scene. Songs such as “Change,” “Walk with Me,” “Different” or even the basketball anthem “Swish” is igniting his buzz and interest within the music industry executives. “I am loving how my album is coming along” explains BT. “It has a little something for everyone. I especially can’t wait to drop the song I did with hip hop iconic producer, DR. Period. That song is straight fire!” He continues; “they say music is a universal language and soothes the savage beast. I just want to let you have fun and think about what could be instead of what is. Change starts from within and if my music can help ignite that mission accomplished.”
A Boston native, BT the artist is already set up with his own clothing line RG Pillar designed by Mr. Reid who is also creative on many levels. RG Pillar reminds us to be and look like the pillar of society that we are. In short, Mr. Reid likes to say; “You are what you wear and what you wear reflects you.” RG Pillar takes the influences in the current market and makes it his own set a standard of excellence in fabric and design that reminds you that you are descendents of Kings and Queens.
So far BT has taken New York by storm in Times Square not once but twice. He first performed July 5th, 2021 in Father Duffy’s Square (Red Steps) for a new campaign that is showcasing Americans who believe …I can, You can, We can, as @Ameri_Ican. Confirming that our individual power ignites our collective power. That was such a success he was then invited to perform for UBC TV during Harlem Week in their Kid Zone. The reception was so well he was invited back to perform a second day for the Police Commissioner of NYC. He then was invited by Ieasha Sekou of Street Corner Resources to perform again in Times Square for Fashion Week 2021 created by James Moore called, The Fashion Experience. The clothing line was to promote peace and stop gun violence within our communities.
The “Progressive Music” movement has begun or better said it has been re-ignited. Include the influx of veteran pioneers reentering the market with songs that are raising the bar of lyrical content while adding the hot topics of social responsibility and accountability to the new undercurrent of progressive change and the marketplace is being primed for change. Compound all of the above with the musical direction of BT the Artist and artists with the same agenda and soon whether the industry embraces it or not all the signs and new generations are singing the tune of the legendary song, “Change is gonna come” and “Progressive Music” is here to stay.
Artist and filmmaker Streetlord Rook is making his claim for best independent filmmaker with his upcoming film, “One More Flip” and feedback after the premiere proves he may just be right.
Detroit, Michigan, artist, and filmmaker Kwende Ried has a telling history in both industries. Being the youngest of the Streetlordz rap group under the alias Rook aka Rookie, he has worked with artists like Baby, BG, Juvenile, E40, Shyne, Beanie Sigel, Freeway, and Stevie J among others. After the group was involved in a 40-million-dollar marijuana drug conspiracy, he adopted the name Streetlord Rook and continued dropping urban trap hits for the culture.
In 2000, his film company, Chedda Boy Films debuted, “Envy” staring Ray J, LisaRaye Mcoy, and Maia Campbell, which was the first of four films that were released over time. Recently, he premiered his new upcoming film, “One More Flip” starring Sada Baby, Royce da 5’9, Payroll Giovanni and Mena Monroe at Emagine Royal Oak, and the turn out as confirmed by the Senior Director Of Event & Sales, Kyle Sinclair, was beyond that of mega-franchise films such as AVENGERS: END GAME. Already breaking a record before the film was even released globally, Streetlord Rook took his ingenuity a step further to become the first artist to launch a NFT for film and soundtrack.
“One More Flip” is accompanied by one of the best-composed soundtracks with the lead single “Don’t Trust These Hoes” featuring Sada Baby and Payroll Giovanni adding hype to the work of art. “One More Flip” will be released worldwide on October 1st, exclusively on Amazon Prime. Show your support by checking out his new independent film “One More Flip” when it goes live.
This time last year, I was alone in my single dorm room, with only my tears and thoughts by my side. I was a first-year student, enduring the first couple weeks of college and I felt completely lost and alone. I didn’t know how to navigate my way through college, let alone in the middle of a pandemic.
Not much has changed since then. I still don’t know what I am doing, but I’ve learned two very important things in the past year that can help all of my fellow students, not just first-years, navigate their way through college so they don’t feel as alone as I did, and sometimes still do.
Put yourself first
This is something that took me a very long time to find out and, to be honest, I am still learning how to do this. Many times I hold myself responsible for other people’s problems. I am the type of person who wants to fix things, especially issues going on in the lives of people I care most about. Whether it’s relationship issues, friend drama or just knowing people I care about are struggling, I get consumed in trying to help and be the problem solver.
But being the “superhero” in everyone else’s lives does more damage to me than I thought. I start losing focus on myself and I put more anxiety and pressure on myself because of things that are going on around me that have absolutely nothing to do with me. I catch myself not sleeping enough, fixating on the wrong things and not giving myself the self-care I need. Feeling pressure to fix everyone else is holding me back from fixing myself and my anxiety. I’ve spent many nights crying over how burnt out I already feel, but I realized I only feel that way because I am spending all of my energy on other people and not putting myself first.
I am not saying you shouldn’t care about your friends and what they are going through, it is an admirable trait to have, but a little bit of distance and separation from their problems can help you figure out your own, which in turn can help you be a better friend. Be your own superhero before you can be anyone else’s.
Put yourself in the right environment
No one can prepare you for the environment that college puts you in. Trying to balance school, extracurricular activities, work and friends fills up your time more than you can imagine, and you must put yourself in a positive environment so nothing comes crashing down on you out of nowhere.
One of the biggest pressures of college is going out on the weekends. Whether it’s at parties, bars and restaurants or school activities, there is pressure to create a social profile for yourself, and if you don’t, you may be feeling left out. If I’m being honest, a lot of us may sit around during the week miserable and anticipating the weekend to roll around. I remember at the end of last year, I was ready to go home. I was so burnt out from school and the social life I had at college, that I couldn’t wait to go home for the summer and relax. I have this same feeling now, only a little over a month into the fall semester.
To be truthful, I indulge over the weekends. I go out, hang out with friends and try to forget the week of school that just happened. I try to distract myself from school and any other issues going on in my life like work and occasional drama, only to realize that that doesn’t go away once Friday hits. I need to learn that I don’t have to go out and be social every weekend — it is draining.
I value the nights where I can just lay in my bed or watch movies with my roommates. I am getting so burnt out from trying to distract myself from everything going on around me, when in reality I’m only making it worse for myself. Going out with your friends is still fun and it is nice to be able to enjoy yourself after a hard week of school, but don’t become dependent on those few nights of distraction to make everything feel better. You can find peace in chill nights and they can be beneficial to your mental health and prevent things from crashing down around you.
I have grown a lot over the past year, but I can still see glimpses of the girl I was. The girl that felt alone at times and didn’t know what she was doing. What we are doing isn’t easy — being a young adult trying to navigate through college is difficult. But it also isn’t impossible, and I hope some of my advice helps people who feel like me know they aren’t alone and they can get through this feeling, even if I am still trying to myself.
They’re dark, they’re dangerous and they’regay. It’s October and The Pitt News Staff is kicking off a monthlong series of monstrous movie recommendations with the age-old classic — vampires. Grab your garlic and your stakes and take a look at what we have in store for you.
What We Do In The Shadows (Amazon Prime) // Sinéad McDevitt, Digital Manager
Vampires might be creatures of the night, but Taika Waititi’s mockumentary “What We Do In The Shadows” shows they can have fairly normal problems as well. The film follows four vampire roommates living in a shared flat in New Zealand, trying to get used to the modern world.
Starring Waititi himself and frequent collaborator Jermaine Clement, the film is an absolute riot following the afterlives of these four main characters. The cast includes Viago (Waititi), who was accidentally sent to New Zealand by a servant while attempting to pursue the woman he loves, Vladislav the Poker (Clement), a character based onGary Oldman’s performance as Dracula, Deacon Burke (Jonathan Brugh), the rebel of the group — which in the case of vampires means enjoying knitting, amongst other things and finally, Petyr (Ben Fransham), a pastiche of Nosferatu.
This mishmash of different eras of vampires are then thrust into the modern, leading to hilarious situations that you should really just see for yourself. And if you watch the film and want more? There’s a spin-off series on Hulu foryou to checkout too.
Speaking of gay vampires, our bisexualdhamphirAlucard is here to kill all the demons you need. With some help, of course! If you’re yearning for the monster-hunting trio to beat all monster-hunting trios — Alucard (James Callis), Sypha (Alejandra Reynoso) the magic wielder and Trevor Belmont (Richard Armitage),wielder of whipsand sexy biceps has you covered.
“Castlevania”is a Netflix original show based on the Japanese video game of the same name. Basically, I could summarize this show in four phrases — squeal-worthy fight scenes, Catholic trauma, Alucard’s daddy issues and Armitage’s swoonworthy voiceover for Belmont. But to give you a better idea of the plot, it centers around Alucard’s father, Dracula, who has gone mad after Catholic priests burn his wife at the stake. He releases demons on the world in revenge, and our heroes must find a way to stop them. There really isn’t a main character in this show I don’t like. They’re all complex and usually more than a little bit crazy. Heroes or villains, the characterization is some of Netflix’s best, including their live action shows. The writing has on more than one occasion made me cry. And the stellar animation is worth the four-season watch on its own.
Jennifer’s Body (Amazon Prime) // Nadiya Greaser, Staff Writer
“Jennifer’s Body” is my only movie recommendation for the month of October. High school movie? “Jennifer’s Body.” Campy slasher movie? “Jennifer’s Body.” (Read this inHannah Gadsby’svoice) lesbian content? “Jennifer’s Body.” Vampire movie? “Jennifer’s Body.”
Horror is full of movies that hate women or fetishize them (paging Stephen King) or make them into manipulative monsters, and writer Diablo Cody’s feminist critique of the role of women in horror is both a refreshing correction to the genre and a funny, campy and vampy play on the trope of “man-eaters.” Director Karyn Kusama both pokes at and pays homage to classic horror films, but ultimately creates something distinct. Megan Fox and Amanda Seyfried lean into the comedic and often intentionally cringey dialogue with sincerity and an ironic self-seriousness that highlights Cody’s arch comic sensibility.
At some point in the collective reckoning with misogyny in Hollywood,both Megan Fox and “Jennifer’s Body” received overdue apologies and critical reevaluation. Both were heavily criticized at the time of the movie’s release for being too sexy and not funny, but time and distance (and better taste) have revealed what was always there — a self-aware, subversively queer, and supremely funny skewering of both horror and high school.
Twilight (Netflix) // Hayley Lesh, Staff Writer
When it comes to vampires, nothing can top the cult classic that is “Twilight.” Whether you are Team Edward or Team Jacob, this vampire franchise possesses a sense of nostalgia (and cringe?) that makes it fun to rewatch.
In case you need a little refresher (or you’ve been living under a rock), “Twilight” centers on the shy and awkward Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) after she moves in with her father, Charlie (Billy Burke). While Bella is not too fond of her new home, she is quickly captivated by the mysterious Cullen family. More specifically, Bella is captivated by Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson). When Bella discovers that Edward is a vampire, she finds herself entangled in a world of danger, romance and excitement.
While I cannot say that “Twilight” is a cinematic masterpiece by any means, it is a great movie to watch when you need a good laugh or just can’t think of anything else. Plus, you’ll definitely appreciate the many quotable scenes that take place throughout the movie.
(@Pitt_VB) 
