January 26, 2012

January 26, 2012 34st.com

Pledging Secrets Debating 3D Penn Personalities' Pasts

highbrow ego food & drink feature music film arts lowbrow

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january 26 2012

3 HIGHBROW

the round–up, word on the street, overheards, true life.

"Is it merely a group of people releasing their frustration after a disastrous decade for our country?"

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14

4 EGO

ego of the week, coolest classes ever!, sound off.

6 FILM

man on a ledge, pina, van pick, pro/con 3D.

8 FEATURE

reflecting on occupy.

10 MUSIC

record stores, record players. chairlift review, cloud nothing review.

12 FOOD & DRINK korean cuisine staples, sammy chon's, ksa interview, just add this.

Kweder before Smokes.

10

13 ARTS

campus gem, artist profile. afternoon with arts.

14 LOWBROW

Come see what happens when you put dried Theta carnations in a bottle of Hoegaarden.

penn personalities past.

WRITERS' MEETING TONIGHT AT 6:30 4015 WALNUT STREET

34TH STREET Magazine January 26, 2012

16 BACKPAGE

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dilworth v. huntsman.

34TH STREET MAGAZINE Elizabeth Horkley, Editor–in–Chief Joe Pinsker, Managing Editor Adrian Franco, Online Managing Editor Hilary Miller, Design Editor Chloe Bower, Design Editor Sara Tse, Master of the Universe Zeke Sexauer, Associate Design Editor Paige Rubin, Highbrow Zacchiaus Mckee, Highbrow Faryn Pearl, Ego Ali Jaffe, Ego Tucker Johns, Food & Drink Nina Wolpow, Food & Drink

Colette Bloom, Feature Leah Steinberg, Feature Sam Brodey, Music Frida Garza, Music Daniel Felsenthal, Film Alex Hosenball, Film Ellie Levitt, Arts Megan Ruben, Arts Anthony Khaykin, Lowbrow Sandra Rubinchik, Lowbrow Alexa Nicolas, Backpage Lauren Reed–Guy, Copy Ben Lerner, Copy Patrick Del Valle, Copy

34st.com Inna Kofman, Online Editor Patrick Ford–Matz, Online Editor Elena Gooray, Online Editor Katie Giarla, Online Editor COVER DESIGN: HILARY MILLER

Contributors: Laura Francis, Benjamin Perry, Dorian Mendoza, Sunny Shen, Lin Zheng, Samantha Apfel

Contacting 34th Street Magazine: If you have questions, comments, complaints or letters to the editor, email Elizabeth Horkley, Editor-–in–Chief, at horkley@34st.com. You can also call us at (215) 898-6585.

To place an ad, call (215) 898-6581.

VISIT OUR WEB SITE: www.34st.com "Carnations: the next penicillin" ©2011 34th Street Magazine, The Daily Pennsylvanian, Inc. No part may be reproduced in whole or in part without the express, written consent of the editors (but I bet we will give you the a-okay.) All rights reserved. 34th Street Magazine is published

by The Daily Pennsylvanian, Inc., 4015 Walnut St., Philadelphia, Pa., 19104, every Thursday.

TRUE LIFE: FAKE IT TILL YOU MAKE IT As a 21–year old senior woman, I have had a decent amount of sexual experience. I have dealt with virgins, sexual aficionados, Lotharios, rough lovers and quick comers. I am not looking for chocolate, roses or dinner at a Steven Starr, all I am asking for is good sex. After countless unsatisfied nights of lying awake post– coitus I have finally decided to take a stand: I refuse to continue faking orgasms.

How often do I “fake it,” you ask? Well, if you poll any woman she will tell you she has faked it at least once. I have faked an orgasm so frequently during sex that I fear I have become proficient. I don’t go for the Meg Ryan, When Harry Met Sally, all–out screaming orgasm — the Penn Band does not come marching through

my room. I choose to start with taking deep breaths that have a hitch on the inhale, followed by soft but audible moans until my partner comes and conveniently rolls off me.

How do I know that I haven’t actually experienced an orgasm with these gentlemen’s valiant efforts? Because I have had a real live one (or two) and thus have a point of reference. My all–time best orgasm came at the hands — or, rather, the tongue—of a former fling that was an expert at cunnilingus. My entire body got chills and broke into a cold sweat, and my mind went absolutely blank. I couldn’t speak or think and it was incredible. This is what they mean by “mind–blowing.”

So my message to men — especially those seniors who only

have one semester of learning left — is to do a little research. There is a wealth of literature out there.

I’ll make it easy for you; here’s a call number: DVD 016 564. If you are uncomfortable with that then just listen to what your partner is telling you, with her body and with what she actually says.

Don’t be afraid to take charge of the situation. I can only speak for myself but if anything makes me uncomfortable, I will let you know. And remember, practice makes perfect.

As for my ladies: be kind to yourselves and don’t let your partners have all the pleasure in the bedroom. Knowing what you want is sexy. And to my next conquest, I have a list of places to consecrate — namely, the VP stacks — before I graduate.

THEROUNDUP

over heard PENN at

Nursing student: You don’t even know the ass that I wiped today!

Girl at Commons: I don’t know why everybody keeps saying that.

I’m not going to sleep with homeless guys.

SDT Girl: Passover is, like, my holiday.

Guy at Sweetgreen: This is almost as good as Saladworks!

Campus Apartments receptionist: My mom raised me pretty, not smart.

British Girl: Like, what is Boy Meets World?

GUILTY PLEASURES

BY ZACCHIAUS MCKEE

I

’m always the most awkward around new people. I feel the need to point out every personal flaw I have, which usually reverts back to my horrible taste in just about everything. It typically goes like this: “Um, hi, so … yeah, I wanted to tell you something. I, um, I like The Dixie Chicks. And uh, yeah, that’s probably a dealbreaker for most people so why don’t you just get it over with and stop hanging out with me now, k? Oh, and my favorite movie is Mars Attacks. Seriously, just don’t be my friend.”

But I began to wonder why I was worried about what others thought about me. Why did I consider some things about myself to be shameful? I don’t like admitting to people that one time I watched all five seasons of Say Yes to the Dress on Netflix. Why? I enjoyed it. I enjoyed the hell out of watching those brides choose those dresses. And I don't want to be judged for it. For too long my guilty pleasures have hidden in the confines of my room. No more, children, no more.

We spend far too much of our lives being embarrassed about the things we genuinely find amusing. Why is it that most things considered to have merit have to be serious (or, more often, depressing) in tone? What happened to fun?

“Critically Acclaimed” and “Fun, Friday Night” don’t really seem to be running in the same circles these days. If you can honestly watch The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and tell me you had more Fun–with–a–capital–F while watching Citizen Kane then congratulations, you are a miserable person. That’s my litmus test for friendship, and you failed. Good day, sir.

I’m supposed to like a lot of things. I’m supposed to like Lana Del Rey, but I’ve never been more bored than while listening to her. Give me ABBA any day. I wish people didn’t have to feel self–conscious about being interested in something that critics deem “less than significant.”

Then again, I also wish I could bake a cake filled with rainbows and smiles and everyone would eat it and be happy, but I don’t think that’s happening anytime soon.

I have many guilty pleasures because the things I like are usually considered tacky. But I don’t really understand why liking anything should be considered guilty in the first place (unless it’s illegal, that is). I’m going to try to be more open about the things I like from now on, even if most people would consider them embarrassing. So, to start … I love reading High School Musical fan fiction. And I want the entire world to know it.

34TH STREET Magazine January 26, 2012

Highbrow just got into the frat of its dreams! But now we're getting our faces hazed off. :( But at least we're not alone…

Theos wasted no time in taking their new kids down a peg. One poor pledge visited Student Health where doctors found vinegar in his eye. Either he likes his Sweetgreen up close and personal or a pledging event went awry. We're also told the boys had a photoshoot with Tabard that involved flashing their family jewels on the porch of the girls' house. Hope it wasn't too cold out!

Highbrow also hears that one dove-ly sisterhood has gotten in on the action. Rumor has it that one new member was hospitalized after she had too much to drink at a pledging event. Relax, girls, and save the real hazing for Tabard.

Next time you're dodging people asking you for change on Walnut, take a closer look. We've caught word that AXO newbies have been strongly encouraged to dress up as homeless people and travel on razor scooters betweeen classes. Thankfully Mary–Kate and Ashley made the garbage bag look cool, though we're not sure the AXO girls quite pull it off.

Need a smoke? Lucky for you, Theta girls have been carrying around cigarettes and blunt wraps in case any of their chain–smoking sisters are in need. But we're sure that's not all the Theta babies have had to do. After all, where there's smoke, there's fire…

In non–pledging news, congrats to Kappa Sig, who recently had their probation lifted, after a long stint of being watched by OFSA. Party on, boys! But if you're smart, you won't celebrate by going twice as hard on your pledges. Well, you can, but if you do, we'll find out.

One major ass of a basketball player videotaped his lady–friend giving him head and shared the footage with his whole team. What a dick move!

Pun intended.

Keep on keepin' on…

wordonthestreet

highbrow ego film feature music food & drink arts lowbrow

HIGHBROW

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highbrow ego film feature music food & drink arts lowbrow

EGO

EGO OF THE WEEK: MADDIE MACKS

She’s the former social and environmental advocacy liaison for Civic House, an Anthropology major and a proud self– proclaimed Hufflepuff.

Street: If you could go on an Alternative Spring Break trip anywhere, anytime, where would you go?

Maddie Macks: I would probably want to go to Ancient Egypt on a year when the Nile didn’t flood quite enough. It would be service–oriented. I’d go and help them stock up on food in a surplus year to avoid starvation.

no BYO–radio sign under the numbers.

Street: If you could only eat one food forever, what would it be?

MM: Pizza, hands down. I never get sick of pizza. Think about it this way: a warm slice of pizza for lunch or dinner, great. And how good is cold pizza in the morning for breakfast?

Street: What do you think is the most inconvenient truth about Penn?

MM: The televisions at Pottruck. They have numbers under them. There is no way to access those numbers. It doesn’t exist. I’m a senior and I’ve asked.

Street: What’s your secret talent?

MM: I have a hyper–sensitive nose. I can smell a gas leak, which would be dangerous, like two days before it even happens. I’ve literally saved my roommates’ lives, like, six times.

Street: You have to have a little pocket radio.

MM: Right, but even if you do, it’s so hard. And there’s

Street: What’s the best thing you’ve ever smelled?

MM: I can smell seasons and it rocks. Especially winter.

Street: How did you respond to the whole de–icer thing going around Penn?

MM: I freaked out. I was the one that tweeted “What the fuck is this?” at Under the Button at like 9 a.m.

Street: What’s the strangest class you’ve taken at Penn?

MM: Animal Archeology. We got to use the Museum’s extensive collection of animal skeletons. Which reminds me, my other secret talent is identifying animal bones.

hummus grill 34TH STREET Magazine January 26, 2012

make it a feast!

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Street: What is your obsession?

MM: I think everything, including inanimate objects, has feelings and I worry that things will get lonely. I have to eat M&Ms in even numbers so that they can all have a buddy in my stomach. It’s been a bitch for my roommates who now have to make sure they don’t leave inanimate objects alone around our house cause I’ll get really sad about it.

Street: Kill, fuck, marry: Harry Potter characters.

MM: Kill Bellatrix Lestrange because she gives a bad name to women everywhere. Fuck Sirius Black — he has a flying

motorcycle! And marry Remus Lupin. The whole brooding werewolf thing is really romantic.

Street: Which Hogwarts house would you be in?

MM: I wouldn’t just be in Hufflepuff, I’d be the proud Head Girl of Hufflepuff.

Street: What’s your Patronus?

MM: I think I would be an alpaca. If I got cold, I would not only get to fight off Dementors but weave myself an alpaca blanket, which is beautiful and soft.

Street: There are two kinds of people at Penn…

MM: The people who know what the Morris Arboretum is, and the people who don’t. Now they’re going to have to Google it.

3931 Walnut Street Philadelphia 215-222-5300 | www.hummusrestaurant.com

make it a success!

feast special feeds 25 for only $199

place orders in advance of your event offer available exclusively online

includes: falafel, hummus, pita, Moroccan cigars mixed meat, rice, Israeli & cabbage salads

General requirements? Laaaame. Try these instead — drop/add period isn't over yet!

BY ALEXANDRA JAFFE

20th Century Novel (ENGL–065): It may sound like a typical English seminar, but don’t judge this class by its cover. If you’re usually scared away from literature classes by the towering stack of required reading, this is the English class for you — because there is no reading. All the books are audiobooks.

Download the books to your iPod and do your homework on the go — or with your eyes closed.

Living Deliberately: Monks, Saints and the Contemplative Life Seminar (RELS– 356–301): This Ben Franklin Scholars Seminar has no exams, no formal papers, and very little required reading. Instead, students participate by partaking in monastic life: restricting their diet, dress and use of technology. The course summary also mentions “mind–altering chemicals.”

Needless to say, we’re intrigued.

Mural Arts in Philadelphia (FNAR–322): Get out of the classroom and take to the streets.

Join in on the Philadelphia arts scene by designing and painting a large outdoor mural. Instead of doodling those graffiti bubble letters on your desk, try your hand on a building … and get credit for it.

Learning from Children (EDUC–250): Return to the elementary school classroom to observe, reflect and analyze the way children learn. This class is perfect for college kids nostalgic for snack–time and nap–time.

Who knew that you would come to Penn and learn from five–year–olds? Become an expert in the way children learn — and Duck Duck Goose.

SOUND OFF!

Sushi with peanut butter and bananas.

Street: How’d it taste?

Like shit.

Lara, Class of 2014 Once I had a graham cracker with marshmallow and relish as a dare. It was disgusting.

Alexa, Class of 2014 I had rattlesnake once.

Street: What did it taste like?

Chicken.

Chris, Class of 2015 When I was really little I ate a worm.

Ken, Class of 2012

Learn How to Play an Instrument (MUSC–005–001): Bet you didn’t know that you could take private music lessons for credit, didja? Learn how to play something more than Chopsticks on the piano, or even try your hand at something more exotic, like African Drumming.

Audit any class: Why miss out on an incredible class just because you don’t have the time to do the work for it? Auditing means unofficially sitting in on the class without having to do the assignments or take the tests.

Penn doesn’t offer official audits, but unless the professor says otherwise or there aren’t enough seats, don’t be shy: pop a squat and open your ears. You won’t get credit, but it’s more than worth it to hear that world–renowned lecturer in action.

I ate Play-Doh as a kid.

Street: What color?

Yellow!

Cory, Class of 2012 I’ve eaten alligator. I’m from Louisiana, but it’s still weird down there.

Marie, Class of 2015 Chicken hearts.

Street: What did it taste like?

Actually really yummy. Tastes like chicken. They’re tiny and they’re really juicy.

Andrea, Class of 2014

34TH STREET Magazine January 26, 2012

Since it’s Restaurant Week, we have food on our mind 24/7. Ego went to 1920 Commons to ask, “What’s the strangest food you’ve ever eaten?”

highbrow ego film feature music food & drink arts lowbrow

THE COOLEST CLASSES YOU’VE NEVER HEARD OF

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highbrow ego film feature music food & drink arts lowbrow

LOL

FILM

MAN ON A LEDGE

Mediocre action sequences, so–so performances and predictable plotlines?

Check, check and check. Almost everything about Man On a Ledge screams ‘generic,’ save for the titular man himself. Former cop Nick Cassidy (Sam Worthington), framed for diamond theft, has escaped from prison, and subsequently threatens to leap from a building. A detective (Elizabeth Banks) tries to talk Cassidy down; meanwhile, Cassidy’s brother and his brother’s girlfriend break into a billionaire's (Ed Harris) office to steal the diamond and clear Cassidy’s name. Despite various failed attempts at suspense and an overly on–the–scene reporter, the well–paced, humorous film remains a stress–free way to pass the time away.

Directed by: Asger Leth — Sunny Shen

PINA

Originally conceived as a sort of partnership with German choreographer Pina Bausch, Pina transformed into a love letter to the dancer after her unexpected passing.

While visually stunning, with exquisitely composed sets and perhaps the most unexpectedly effective use of 3D technology in recent years, the film offers little in terms of concrete narrative. Director Wim Wenders glazes over Pina’s background in favor of an endless series of modern dance pieces and brief interviews with her company. As a tribute and visual spectacle, Pina is spot– on, but don’t expect a documentary in the traditional sense.

Directed by: Wim Wenders

Liam Neeson.

Now that we've got your attention, check out our review of The Grey online.

VAN PICK OF THE WEEK Despite any longshot hopes for less homework, most of us will end up in Van Pelt more than we'd like this semester. One thing you might not know about your schlep to the stacks: you can also check out movies. It's free, and VP's collection includes everything from obscure film noir to recent blockbusters. We've raided their archives and come up with some gems.

Here's one: Wild at Heart (1990) David Lynch’s Wild at Heart at first seems over–the–top ­— a thing fit only for the early nineties, the decade from whence it came.

Depicting the runaway of two young lovers, Sailor and Lula, the gritty action is carried out with the glitz of snakeskin jackets, fake nails and often melodramatic acting. But Lynch takes what appears gaudy and uses it to his advantage. The film has an unpolished style to it, adding to the temptations and failures of its characters as they escape from Lula’s crazed mother and the hitman she hired to kill Sailor. It’s bloody, it’s sexual and it serves up a medley of bizarre characters as well as a story that’s far too edgy for its own era.

— Laura Francis

34TH STREET Magazine January 26, 2012 6

— Tucker Johns

34st.com

Since the release of Avatar in 2009, three–dimensional technology has maintained a presence in mainstream film — despite the general ambivalence of critics and filmgoers alike, not to mention the expense of the tickets themselves. Two of our writers weigh in on the newest and most questionable frontier in recent cinematic history:

pro

con

In January 2010, with Avatar still dominating the multiplexes, it seemed every studio head in Hollywood drew up plans to release his own 3D juggernaut. After that film and a few others­, such as Alice in Wonderland, made staggering heaps of money thanks to 3D surcharges, Hollywood became positively evangelical about how the extra dimension was essential to our viewing pleasure. Yet audiences have become inundated with critical and commercial failures like Clash of the Titans, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides and Green Lantern, and many have become sick of such a transparent excuse for inflated ticket prices.

Let’s forget, for a second, the awkward, uncomfortable glasses, unusually dim screens and near–nauseating effects that accompany 3D technology. My main complaint is how little 3D actually deepens the moviegoing experience. I remember seeing Green Lantern, shocked that I had to pay nearly $40 for two tickets, and walking out predictably disappointed. Sure, the planet Oa looked cool (in a cartoonish, cheesy kind of way), but the sensational effects couldn’t distract from the clunky pacing and poor acting (sorry, Blake Lively!) that bogged down the rest of the film. Audiences agreed: Green Lantern barely recouped its $200 million budget and sold most of its tickets in regular 2D. For every Avatar, there’s a Piranha 3D, a Drive Angry and a Priest — films that will hurl an occasional rocket or bouncing yo– yo at your eyeballs and feel they’ve done their job. In fact, audiences can’t even be sure if these movies were actually shot with 3D cameras or converted in postproduction in order to capitalize on Avatar fever (which was the case with Green Lantern).

To understand the crucial difference, imagine making a movie in black and white and later adding color. It would look a little off, to say the least. But what this argument boils down to is this: studios shouldn’t even bother with the conversion. A bad movie in 3D is still a bad movie.

— By Daniel Felsenthal

— By Samantha Apfel

34TH STREET Magazine January 26, 2012

The reasons to disparage 3D technology in film are reactionary, abundant and really quite reasonable. The bulk of 3D films we’ve seen so far have failed to make a convincing argument otherwise.

Avatar, the opus that introduced the public to RealD (the technology most widely used in movie theaters), incorporated digital wizardry as if to distract audiences from flawed writing and simplistic allegorical content. A dozen other 3D films have proved even less effective. But recalling the technology’s track record is no reflection on its potential, especially for work that is culled from the vision of a filmmaker (particularly one subtler than James Cameron) and not from the financial maneuvering of a major studio. Works that have approached 3D from this perspective — such as Werner Herzog’s Cave of Forgotten Dreams and Martin Scorsese’s Hugo — have used the technology for distinctly artistic purposes. In Herzog’s case, the depth of the shots allowed the director to more accurately capture the texture of cave drawings in the south of France, while Scorsese’s 3D whiz–bangs mirror the wonder of film history, as it is embedded in the thematic content of the director’s work.

But apart from the quality of the work itself, 3D technology harkens to an older day of cinema. 3D films are viewed almost exclusively in theaters. Though this will likely change — 3D televisions are already becoming more prevalent — currently the technology accentuates the importance of the movie theater in an age when most consumers are gravitating toward using smaller screens in more convenient places. No advance in recent memory has had the potential to affect the viewing experience so profoundly.

And every new technology will seem disappointing until a talented artist makes due on its promise. For now, the doubters are only waiting to be proved wrong.

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PUNTAL/CONTRAPUNTAL: IS THERE A FUTURE FOR 3D FILM?

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small task. From a Whartonite studying the economic crisis in class to a student of one of the 90–plus professors who publicly affirmed Occupy, rejection after rejection clogged my inbox. Though even those with relatively moderate opinions were difficult to coax into an interview, I eventually found that meeting with those “Get a Job!”–chanting, newsfeed–spamming and abrasively–opinionated kids was all but hopeless.

A printed article calls for a commitment far more implicating than a blurry YouTube video or a couple of Facebook comments; it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that the most outspoken students are often the most unwilling to see their opinions published. My most valuable sources, the ones that are both knowledgeable and willing to share their opinions, seemed to be a silent minority.

34TH STREET Magazine January 26, 2012

"My most valuable sources, the ones that are both knowledgeable and willing to share their opinions, seemed to be a silent minority."

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F

or College junior Moshe Bitterman, an active member of Occupy Philly, carefully–worded emails coupled with the option of anonymity proved just persuasive enough for an interview. Though this pre–med and Urban Studies major strongly believes in the movement, his enthusiastic responses maintained a palpable cautiousness.

He expressed his concerns about the conse-

quences of a carelessly–worded statement, especially in light of the medical school admissions process.

With his hair tied back, Bitterman sipped his coffee, his eyes constantly flitting to the group sitting beside us. Before I knew it, he had walked over to the adjacent table. Noticing that the group had been there for a while, he asked them about what they were discussing. A couple minutes later he returned to tell me they were leading a Bible study. “I might check that out later,” he said.

The first thing to cross my mind was, “you are so not from the East Coast.” But I soon came to realize that this very attitude epitomized what Bitterman saw as a major factor in the movement. To him, Occupy calls for a greater engagement between the ranks of society. He explains that all individuals should ask themselves, “What is my role in society? Who am I affecting in our larger community?”

It is an idea that challenges the notion of the lazy and uneducated protestor, a character that many are quick to paint as the face of Occupy. To me, Bitterman seemed like an anomaly. He actively participated in Occupy protests, and still attends Occupy lectures and meetings. Yet, he sees himself pursuing medicine, a demanding career path that many associate with relative affluence and financial security. Meeting with Bitterman showed me the immediacy of Occupy, one that the abstract theories and economic intricacies of

many articles simply failed to communicate.

A

s wary as Bitterman was of the journalistic realm, it seemed that it was even harder to get people that opposed the Occupy movement to agree to an interview. Perhaps being labeled as lazy, jobless and uninformed is nowhere near as threatening as the title of soulless, money–hungry Whartonite. Like it was for Bitterman, the option of anonymity was a convincing factor in eliciting a positive response. I met with an anonymous junior in both Wharton, where he’s majoring in Finance, and the College. We’ll call him Michael Manning.

Manning’s parents immigrated to the States when he was just five years old.

Broke and jobless, his parents began waiting tables and saving up money for a number of years. Working their way up the ranks of the socioeconomic ladder, they now proudly pay for their son to attend the number–one business school in the nation. They embody the American Dream.

Manning’s

rejection of the movement partly stems from this inspiring past. He believes that the struggles of his own family illustrate that the path to financial stability cannot be found in a list of grievances and calls for systemic change, but rather through hard work and determination. Much like Bitterman, he painted a concrete vision of reality — one that was more constructive than the misguided accusations of laziness that are often thrown around. To Manning, Occupy protests the “earn what you kill” theory, a concept that he returned to throughout the conversation. To earn what you kill is to produce your own success, and according to Manning, our current economic system facilitates that upward mobility. This is by no means a novel idea. But what sets Manning’s ideas apart is the tangibility of his own family’s success.

This Whartonite’s story elucidated a relatively widespread criticism of Occupy.

But according to Bitterman, the most common source of rejection of Occupy Philly stems from the idea that the movement is too amorphous, lacking direction and purpose. It offers not a single solution wto any of the number of issues it raises.

Bitterman admitted, “We get a lot of scrutiny for not having a solution. But if you only attacked a problem every time you had a solution for it, where would we be as a society and a culture? Frankly, it’s not such a bad problem if you know the solution already. It wouldn’t be such a big issue.”

S

o what is Occupy truly asking for? Is it calling for change? Or is it merely a group of people releasing their frustration after a disastrous decade for our country?

Even though they Occupied their way to the cancellation of Eric Cantor’s speech and held up signs reading “Obamanation,” it can't easily be said that Occupy has done much to facilitate open discourse on our campus. It seems to contribute little more than what Jon Stewart refers to as the rants of your token liberal uncle at Thanksgiving dinner. Did Occupy bring light to the housing crisis, to bailouts, to the shrinking of the middle class? Honestly, I don’t really think so. For anyone that has b e e n f o l lowing

politics, these issues were already being discussed months before Occupy was occupying.

But after witnessing the reluctance of Penn’s student body, I found that there is more to Occupy than excessive and implausible demands. I think it’s the very fear of the students I did and didn’t speak to that lies at the heart of the movement. It’s a fear of consequences — but in this case, the consequences of prolonged silence. It’s a fear of the misfortunes of the past 12 years repeating themselves. It’s a fear that if suffering is not voiced, it will indeed go unnoticed. But I guess the real lapse in media coverage isn’t where Occupy Philly comes from, but what it has accomplished in the Penn community.

F

rom what I’ve seen, Occupy's most immediate effects have been to demonize the Wharton School as the wealth–obsessed source of all of our problems. It has divided us into humanists and economists, privileged and hard–working as if these categories are mutually exclusive.

The most bizarre effect of all is the way a movement about discourse has managed to silence so many of us. As an institution that breeds both activists and investment bankers alike, we embody the inherent impossibility of concretely defining the movement. In effect, we reveal more truth than any theory can.

There are few safe statements to make about Occupy. And it seems that most of us are afraid to make any statements at all.

Why has the heated debate of November turned into overwhelming silence only one semester later? If a campus like ours can’t sustain this dialogue for more than a few months, what does this say about our nation at large? Will the message of Occupy continue to linger in the thoughts of the rest of the world? Or will we wait for the future in fearful silence?

"The most bizzare effect of all is the way a movement about discourse has managed to silence so many of us."

34TH STREET Magazine January 26, 2012

hen it comes to Occupy Philly, there aren’t many statements that are truly safe to make. As a journalist, that’s not particularly comforting.

Perhaps what troubled me was the countless students that rejected my interview requests, or the disgruntled comments that littered the DP’s website. Whatever the case, I was soon convinced that criticism would always accompany discussion of Occupy.

Reading article after article, I found that pinpointing the real source of the movement demanded more assumptions and guesswork than factual evidence, and this process perpetuates a cycle of flimsy conclusions and discontented readers. Superficial coverage left me feeling much more detached from the Occupy phenomenon, and the movement quickly faded into the obscurity of economic intricacies that I simply could not wrap my head around.

But let’s take a look at the big picture.

To say that Occupy marked the end of a particularly painful decade for the American public is probably the single most uncontroversial statement that I can make about the movement. What started with 9/11 and two long and taxing wars ended in an economic recession that left even Jersey’s finest housewives fleeing from local malls. Occupy arose from (or gratuitously rolled around in, depending on how you look at it) the remains of a country in desperate need of change.

It’s embarrassing how little I knew about Occupy just a few weeks ago. I had only an inkling of the number of the media’s attempts to isolate its sources. In reality, I was just another victim of the college bubble, with most of my knowledge coming from the DP, Under the Button, strongly–worded status updates, and my Fox News–adoring parents.

highbrow ego film feature music food & drink arts lowbrow

PENN AFTER OCCUPY

Street looks at the movement’s participants and their impact BY MEGAN RUBEN

S

o I decided I would talk to students around campus and hear from them about the movement.

However, finding interviewees that were willing to comment on Occupy was no

Megan Ruben is a sophomore studying Art History from New Jersey .

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food & drink arts lowbrow highbrow ego film feature music

MUSIC

FOR THE RECORD Yes, people still buy them. Log out of Spotify for an hour and you can, too.

The Marvelous

a.k.a. Music

You’ve probably never noticed The Marvelous unless you’ve drunkenly mistaken it for Smokes, but this old–school record store has everything you need to expand (or start!) your vinyl collection. This underground store has a homey, intimate vibe that makes it feel like you’re pawing through your cooler older cousin’s music stash.

Here, you’ll find colorful milk crates stuffed with everything from old-school Dylan to Beirut’s latest to the Ghostbusters soundtrack — all on vinyl and all for cheap. New arrivals don’t stay on the shelves for long, so stop by every week to get your digs. And don’t forget to check out their $1 bins for all the Destiny's Child LPs you (not–so–unironically) desire.

— Frida Garza

When shopping for music in Philadelphia, you can't find a better experience than a.k.a. Music near 2nd and Market.

They always have the latest releases and the approachable staff are eager to chat and help out without a hint of pretension.

There's always a great new artist or an old classic playing over the speakers, and the store will often have limited releases of rare and local acts. While the store’s record collection isn’t very deep, it’s current and reasonably–priced (and has a metal vinyl section you've gotta scope out). If you're not quite ready to take the vinyl plunge, a.k.a. has a huge CD collection, which features an endless wall of dirt–cheap used CDs, which always yield some amazing finds.

— Dorian Mendoza

34TH STREET Magazine January 26, 2012

Repo Records

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Student Discounts 1632 South St. Philadelphia, PA I 215.790.1100 mimadabeautybazaar.com

(with valid ID) Every Tuesday and Wednesday*

• • •

Mimada Beauty Bazaar

25% off hair services $5 off eyebrows Free manicure with every pedicure

*Not valid with other coupons, package or combo discounts. Valid for service purchases only. Not valid towards the purchase of a gift certificate. offer valid for limited time only.

Situated in the holy grail of Philadelphia record shopping at 6th and South, Repo Records offers one of the best combinations of new, old and used CDs and vinyls in the city. The ground floor offers all of the newest albums in both formats as well as multiple bargain buckets with fantastic deals on used CDs. The shopping experience is completely transformed, however, when you head downstairs. The basement is filled to capacity with used vinyl from as little as 50 cents. Navigating the maze of music is no easy task, but with a little effort, one can find some serious gems.

— Benjamin Parry

Everything you’ve ever wanted to know about vinyl but were too afraid to ask those guys behind the counter.

Something — CHAIRLIFT

EP ­— like an LP, but with fewer songs.

R.P.M. — “Revolutions per minute.” One of the basic things you should know about vinyl records is that they come in three different speeds: 33–1/3 r.p.m., 45 r.p.m., and 78 r.p.m. The higher the r.p.m., the less music you can listen to, with 33–1/3 r.p.m. playing about 20 minutes on each side.

Preamp — The device that hooks up your turntable to a stereo system. This is crucial if you want to blast your tunes loud enough to be able to dance around your room.

Cartridge — It’s the apparatus that makes your records play. Don’t ask questions.

Turntable

— Those pretty record players you’ve always eyed at Urban Outfitters but didn’t think you were hipster enough to buy.

TAKE ONE FOR A SPIN Find the perfect model to kickstart a beautiful relationship with your records.

Art–pop outfit Chairlift offers a long–awaited follow–up to 2008’s Does You Inspire You? (best known for the hit “Bruises”) with Something.

During the four–year hiatus, the band’s sound seems to have matured perfectly — Something is a fully–realized expression of innovative pop.

It effortlessly jumps from strong electronic hooks like that on lead single “Amanaemonesia” to the dreamy acoustic instrumentation of “Frigid Spring.” Vocalist Caroline Polacheck’s versatile voice, with both haunting effervescence and impressive substance, is the band’s driving force and a central reason why this album is so outstanding. — By Sam Brodey

music food & drink arts lowbrow

LP — short for “long-playing microgroove record.” This is your standard 12–inch vinyl record.

ALBUM REVIEWS

highbrow ego film feature

A GUIDE TO YOUR FIRST TIME (AT A RECORD STORE)

ATTACK ON MEMORY — CLOUD NOTHINGS

Pro–Ject Debut III Audiophile Turntable Price: $369–$399, depending on color, on InSound.com Good for: If you want an intimate listening experience.

This model is pricey, but if you’re serious about your record collection, it’s worth the investment.

Crosley CR40 Mini Turntable Price: about $80 on Amazon Good for: People who like to mix it up. This cute player adjusts to play 33–1/3, 45 and 78 r.p.m. records.

NOTE: it doesn’t come with a pre-amp!

The snow’s melted, so put on those dancing shoes and check out these shows.

concerts

Who: Slutever Where: Cloud City When: Saturday, 1/28 at 7 Tickets: $5 Why you should go: Support your local punk band; break some faces.

Who: fun. and New Found Glory Where: Radio 104.5's Winter Jam at The Piazza at Schmidt’s When: Saturday, 1/28, 12-5pm Tickets: Free!

Why you should go: These high– energy groups will deliver rollicking performances.

The semi–punk rockers Cloud Nothings have grown up. Their new album, Attack On Memory, sounds a bit more mature than the frantic, sing– song–y style of their self-titled 2011 effort. The opening track “No Future/No Past” features solemn rhythms that linger for ages with a “Creep”– esque quality. Throughout the album, the band’s true colors can’t help but peek out: nasally vocals, angry lyrics (“Feeling sick/But I don’t know why/ Getting tired/Of living till I die”) and a fuzzy, electrifying sound. Check them out to get your punk fix. — Frida Garza

34TH STREET Magazine January 26, 2012

Audio–Technica AT–LP60 Automatic Price: $99.95 on audio– technica.com, about $70–80 on Amazon Good for: Starting off slow.

This straightforward turntable comes with a built–in preamp and plays 33–1/3 and 45 RPM records.

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highbrow ego film feature music food & drink arts lowbrow

FOOD&DRINK

STAPLES OF KOREAN CUISINE Although Korean cuisine features hundreds of distinctive ingredients, here are five of the most popular staples. They can be found at nearly every Korean food store, including H Mart in Upper Darby, which is easily reachable via SEPTA’s Market–Frankford line.

By nina wolpow

Gochujang — One of the most popular condiments in Korea, this sauce is a blend of chili, glutinous rice, salt and fermented soybeans. Frequently found in popular dishes like bibimbap and tteokbokki, gochujang adds heat from the chili but also carries a distinctive sweetness.

How to use: Try subbing it for your favorite hot sauce.

Ramyeon — Koreans eat more instant noodles per capita than any other country in the world, and the Korean variety, ramyeon, is traditionally spicy. The most popular brand, Shin Ramyun, features a variety of flavors — like seafood and spicy bok choy — and tastes like ramen’s hotter cousin.

How to use: Mix with broth, your favorite steamed vegetables and a little soy sauce for a cold weather pick–me–up.

Jeon — These Korean pancakes have a simple base, but can be spruced up with any number of toppings. Usually served as an appetizer or side dish, jeon most commonly feature pajeon (green onions), gamjajeon (grated potato) or kimchijeon (kimchi). When eaten for dessert, the most popular variety of jeon includes edible flowers, like hwajeon (azaleas).

How to use: With syrup — just kidding. If it were up to us, we'd eat them as is.

34TH STREET Magazine January 26, 2012

not coming back

Kimchi — Although there are hundreds of different iterations of this dish made of fermented vegetables and a mix of seasonings, the most popular variety features napa cabbage. Most Korean restaurants serve kimchi as a side dish, but it can also be found in kimchi stew, kimchi soup and hundreds of other preparations.

How to use: Add some to vegetarian fried rice for an acidic kick.

Gim — Dried, salted seaweed, gim is eaten on its own or as part of gimbap, Korea’s answer to sushi. Many restaurants serve toasted and sliced gim as a banchan (side dish) during meals, but it is most prominently featured in gimbap, which, unlike sushi, always includes seaweed as a component.

How to use: Grind up gim, melt with butter and pour over freshly popped popcorn.

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SMITTEN WITH SAMMY’S We’ve left Kentucky for K–Town and we’re

THE PENN PALATE: KOREAN STUDENT ASSOCIATION PRESIDENTS Street caught up with current KSA president Vincent Park and outgoing prez Lily Kim for a talk that ranged from pepper powder to where to find the best Korean food in Iowa. For the full interview, check out 34st.com.

Street: Do you even like Korean food?

Lily Kim: Of course! Korean food is very flavorful and quite healthy. I like that it’s not as greasy compared as other Asian foods and incorporates lots of vegetables.

Vincent Park: Definitely! I probably cook/eat Korean food about 1/3 of the time here at Penn.

Street: If you could open a Korean BBQ place in Philly, what would you call it?

LK: I might call it Dae Jang Geum (a popular Korean historical drama), but to appeal to non–Koreans, I would maybe choose a less difficult name to pronounce, like Meat 2NE1 (a popular Korean girl group).

VP: Korny Koreans. It'd sub–specialize in aphrodisiac desserts and corn–based Korean side dishes.

Sammy Chon’s is this year’s or beef is up to you. Wanna go reason to stay away from late night? If there's enough deCharles Plaza. You’ll start with mand, Sammy's will stay open tea and traditional Korean 'til 3 a.m. side dishes, or banchan ($5 at P.S. They don’t have a lilunch, $7 at dinner), like napa quor license yet, but Sammy’s cabbage, kimchi and a sweet is planning to open a bar on its black bean salad called kongja- second floor. Keep your eyes ban. Then move onto KFC — peeled.

Korean Fried Chicken, that is (4 pieces for $5.99). Sammy’s Sammy Chon's K-Town bbq is so crispy you’ll go AWOL on 911 Race St. Colonel Sanders, we promise. (215) 574-1778 In other things meaty, we’re Don't Miss: The signature Koaproponents of the barbecue gie (save room or share — it’s short ribs in K–Town’s spe- huge) cial sauce ($16.95). And you Skip: Seafood soup — the must, of course, have the Koa- broth’s a little fishy gie ($7.95), a Korean hoagie; $$$$$ whether you choose chicken

JUST ADD THIS: Upgrade Your Koja What you need: 1 Koja Noodle Platter (any type will do) 1 can black beans In a sauce pan, combine Koja and canned black beans (pour the liquid from the can in, too). Stir on medium heat, pour and serve.

highbrow ego film feature music food & drink arts lowbrow

LOL

ARTS

S CAMPUS GEM

Antillean Couple

The most devoted couple on campus?

That would be the A n t i l l e a n Couple, a 15–foot–tall cast bronze sculpture near the entrance of Urban Outfitters. Looming like a pair of totems over pedestrians at 36th and Sansom, the Antillean Couple has quite a history. It arrived at Penn in 1999 as a gift from Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Loria, who also donated the King Solomon statue and Robert Indiana's “Love” sculpture. It was created many years before, though, in 1957 by Agustin Cardenas, a Cuban–born artist who mixed with the Surrealists in 1950s Paris. Works like the Antillean Couple prove that even in his European environment, Cardenas did not shed his background and heritage; the sculpture gets its name from Antillia, the supposedly lost Caribbean island that was the target of many a 15th century expedition. Despite the Couple’s threatening heads, which almost seem to be armored with horns, the sculpture is sensual, with curves and cavities that suggest features like the tuck of a waist. So if you have time after your next Cosi lunch, take a minute to inspect these abstract, elongated figures.

After 50 years together, they have plenty to share. –Lin Zheng

Dali the Great Masturbator Recreation

Street: What are your main goals when creating a piece of work? out an Check terview AM: My main goals when ed in extend ages of creating anything are to have and im urphy’s someone look at my work and aM m A and cent work have their faces light up with r most e ARTIST enjoyment, awe or laughter. I’m on her E at kind of a people pleaser, so I love PROFIL m to entertain my audience.

34st.co

AFTERNOON WITH ARTS

Grizzly Grizzly 319 N. 11th St., 2nd Floor In a six–month transatlantic collaborative project, Matt Giel of Philadelphia and Alanna Lawley of Berlin exchanged ideas and images via G– chat, Skype and email to produce a mixed media and photographic exhibition at Grizzly Grizzly. The work plays with the medium of photography and its rapidly developing (pun intended) progression.

Giel and Lawley's project features the three–dimensional photographic works that were a product of this correspondence.

310 N. 11th St. This boutique’s collection of furniture, eclectic jewelery, robes and kimonos is reminiscent of a museum display. And it's only a block away from Grizzly Grizzly.

Lunch: Vietnam Restau-

rant

221 N. 11th Street

34TH STREET Magazine January 26, 2012

Does your weekend procrastination calendar need a little more flair? Netflix addictions are so 2011, but we hear contemporary installations and quirky antique stores are the new pink.

BY MEGAN RUBEN Nearby: Liao Collection Don’t Miss: Duett: Matt Asian Antiques Giel and Alanna Lawley

If you’re in the mood for some top–notch vermicelli, head here.

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highbrow ego film feature music food & drink arts lowbrow

LOWBROW

TRUE HOLLYWOOD STORIES: Back in the day, Hemo actually started his career off as a Swedish supermodel. Surrounded by starving, skeletal bodies, this Scandinavian hottie ditched the catwalk in an attempt to feed the hungry and the anorexic alike.

Leah Popowich is many things, but a winner is not one of them. Long before she was the assistant to Penn’s executive branch, Popowich won second place in her middle school spelling bee. She later graduated high school as salutatorian, giving no speech, and went on to compete in the 2000 Sydney Olympics, where she snagged the silver medal in archery. In 2005, Popowich was runner–up in the Miss Pennsylvania pageant, and last year, she was the second most–quoted person in The DP.

Kenn Kweder grew up in a small gated community in Connecticut with his mother, father and nine siblings. He attended the Jesus Christ Holy Catholic School and discovered his passion for music as a tenor in his church’s gospel choir. He later toured the country with a Christian rock group, singing songs about God with lyrics just ambiguous enough to also maybe be about drugs.

34TH STREET Magazine January 26, 2012

Rebecca Stein is probably one of the most talked about professors at Penn — rumors suggest this Econ whiz is a South African native who also lived in Iswael. The truth is this would–be Tabard was actually born and raised on the sunny, exotic coast of the Jersey Shore. We implore you, however, to liken this award–winning prof to Natalie Portman in Garden State rather than Snooki.

Let’s be real, she would not have been as respected if people knew where she was really from.

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There’s no argument that Dean Furda is the cat’s pajamas. But before he crushed the dreams of thousands of hopeful applicants, he crushed the dreams of tens of hopeful kitties — because this Penn alum was once a judge at cat shows. Dubbed the Simon Cowell of the feline pageant world, Furda became one of the most hated men in Mozambique, where cat shows are surprisingly very popular. However, his success as a premier judge was very short–lived, considering he had to retire after a bitter contestant (a Mr. van Tinklevossen) sought revenge on Eric J. After extensive plastic surgery, Furda is just as f(el)ine as he was before.

Growing up on the cutthroat streets of Canal Street, Charles (of Charles Plaza fame) — then known as Chen–Xi Chen — managed to quickly climb the ranks in the world of organized crime and became a household name among mobsters everywhere (think mafiosos from Rush Hour). When the opportunity to become a major don in Shanghai presented itself, this paisan eliminated his competition and easily gained the respect of his peers, even though he was technically from the States (think Lucy Liu in Kill Bill). Eventually, Charles realized how unrewarding and deplorable his life really was. And so, he fled to Philadelphia where he changed his name and identity (think Mulan in Mulan) so that he could pursue his dream of feeding drunken frat bros and sorostitutes mediocre Chinese food.

Live

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40th & Walnut St. 215.222.4212

34TH STREET Magazine January 26, 2012

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highbrow ego food & drink film feature music arts lowbrow

You Should

15

Visually explore the dialogue sparked by the Occupy Movement between Penn, Philadelphia, and the nation.

Here's a stream of Facebook, Twitter and online comments that represents the back–and–forth between Huntsman Hall and Center City's Dilworth Plaza. onter-dem n u o c e “ f ud nts a t s e d n o e t n r to ha ere thed by a few W w g n i t e n y . oi Disapp” antics emploemonstration d stration the ensuing l during ’13 Journa G n o W t , r z a rtine e Wh Ian Maent from Th comm

If you g come oc onna #occupyp c h tonites w upy Penn. Take illy then you sh out the o ho will in o ut the W uld herit the h market # justsayin ar-

by STUDENT They [OWS they hold a m protesters] seem to th ink onopoly on virtue.

ere talking about a[n] w ey th t gh ou th I t it At firs ket. Then I realized ac br t en m na ur to A NCA wasn’t March.

3 Ajay Anand, WG ‘1 harton Journal comment from The

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… coward a s i r o t onstra e Can v m i e t ? d a Y t L a n L e

by REA bsurd. Repres can’t handle with him, he a l s That is elected officia eople disagree n fp when a ause a group o tion bec tep down. s should

You did little to determine your ic status–it was determined befo own socioeconomre you were born most of you. for @ Occupier

te: "Win dailypenn Occupy upda bation period.

ter is really an incu-

by PENN PARENT Even the 1% have a vested int ere a strong middle class and shou st in the country having ld opportunities for all (think lar work toward improving ger markets).