NOVEMBER 2014 VOL XIV ISSUE II SYRACUSE NEW YORK Your student fee
A UNIQUELY COMMUNAL DINING EXPERIENCE WHERE THE ONLY THING MORE STIMULATING THAN THE COLLISION OF FLAVORS IN OUR SIGNATURE DISHES IS THE COMPANY OF THOSE AROUND YOU. 116 WALTON ST., SYRACUSE, NY 13202 (315) 373–0031 | SMALLPLATES.COM/SYRACUSE
BACKDROP
CONTENTS NOVEMBER 2014 DON'T MESS WITH 24 THE CLIQUE The administration's plans to cut funding for the successful Posse Foundation seemed to arise out of the blue. Shocked and frustrated, scholarship recipients refuse to let their voices go unheard.
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FROM THE EDITOR FEEDBACK PEEPS CLICKBATE
COSMIC CHILL 38
There's nothing stuffy about the polished knit looks that popped up all over runways this fall. We're launching knitwear into the next millennium with cool takes on the season's hottest pieces.
CREATIVE STEALING 48
An old trend returns to the airwaves this year. Lawmakers crack down on artists who use—and abuse—their creative license in a kind of sampling that does more than just test the waters.
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Cover Designed by Abby Legge Photograph by Allen Chiu
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NOISE ARTS & MUSIC
JERK THIS What you should hit up and bitch about this month. BACKDROP Marshall Street Murals TOTALLY UNSCIENTIFIC POLL Shaving Grace
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SEX Suck It
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FRAMED The Moment
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BITCH OPINIONS 16
FIFTEEN MINUTES OF FEMININISM Female celebrities are flying the feminist flag, but do their words carry any weight?
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DON'T MAKE ME YAK Grow a pair and say what you really feel—with your name attatched.
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TRIGGER HAPPY Content warnings flood college syllabi, raising questions of education, trauma, and sensitivity.
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BOOTY BOOM Breaking down why women are breaking it down, from one ass reference to the next.
SELFIE-CENTERED Looking at the big picture of the frontfacing phenomenon. THE KENTCELLOR What he did, what he should have done, and what he should do now.
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TAKE A HIKE Climb your way to greatness.
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REWIND Pokémon
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ALTRUIST Taylor Swift
60
AMPLIFIED The Overnighters
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SYNAPSE Cuisine Conscious
BACK OF BOOK 62
DISCOVERSYR Books and Melodies
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SPEAKEASY Eli Saslow
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OBITCHUARY The 90s
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CLOSET CASE Tats ink in the most permanent fashion accessory.
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FORM AND FUNCTION Student Association
SMUT FEATURES 30
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"GET IN LOSER, WE'RE NOT GOING SHOPPING" It's the death of the sales, man. A CHOCOLATE TRADITION Syracuse's sweetest family heirloom operates with the purest of intentions.
GAWK FASHION 46
STRIPPED Attack of the backpack.
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Michelle van Dalen EDITOR
Kelley Rowland
Maia Henderson
MANAGING EDITOR
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
EDITORIAL
Heather Rounds ASST. FEATURES EDITOR Susanna Heller ARTS AND MUSIC EDITOR Hugh Ferguson ASST. ARTS AND MUSIC EDITOR Collin Gordinier OPINIONS EDITOR Eric King ASST. OPINIONS EDITOR Erin G. Kelly STYLE EDITOR Leigh Miller ASST. STYLE EDITOR Lauren Yobs F.O.B. EDITOR Ryan Harper RESEARCH EDITOR Rebecca Shafer COPY EDITOR Gigi Antonelle FACT CHECKER Michaela Quigley FACT CHECKER Rachel Lockhart FRESHMAN INTERN Chazz Inniss FRESHMAN INTERN Nicole Engelmen FEATURES EDITOR
WEB
Laura Cohen WEB EDITOR Cori Rosen ASST. WEB EDITOR Haley Schluter WEB DESIGNER Shawna Rabbas
DESIGN
Abby Legge Hannah O'Connell, Kristie Cordon, Kitty Caissy, Adam Jameson DESIGN DIRECTOR DESIGNERS
ART
Adrian Hatch Katrina Ragland STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS Allen Chiu, Kelli Mosher, Sam Maller, Rina Matsuno–Kankhetr ILLUSTRATORS Ryan Brondolo, Dylan Cownie, Hannah Moore, Bobby Davison ILLUSTRATION DIRECTOR
PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR
PUBLIC RELATIONS
Kaitlynn Cooney Carrie Eager, Kelsey Chipman, Hanna Bird, Anagha Das PR DESIGNER Elizabeth Ching
COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR PR REPRESENTATIVES
DIGITAL DIRECTOR
MULTIMEDIA
Jacob Pirogovsky ASST. MULTIMEDIA EDITOR John Pflieger SOCIAL EDITOR Jensen Cannon SOCIAL EDITOR Aidan Meyer
BUSINESS
Maria Ingaglio Anna Goodell AD REPRESENTATIVE Marisa Stark AD REPRESENTATIVE Sara Spelfogel PUBLISHER
AD DIRECTOR
MULTIMEDIA EDITOR
CONTRIBUTORS
Emma Baty, Micaela Mueller, Benjamin Farr, Joshua Race, Sarah Schuster, Tamara Rasamny, AbbyLeigh Charbonneau, Riddley Gemperlein–Schirm, Kerry Wolfe, Tess Kornfeld, Jeff Kurkjian, Remington Bennett, Katie Drozynski, Ryan Drum, Jenny Hale, Thomas Dilandro, Katy Beals, Chaz Delgado, Sofia Zavala
Melissa Chessher ADVISER
Through its content, Jerk is dedicated to enhancing insight through communication by providing an informal platform for the freedom of expression. The writing contained within this publication expresses the opinions of the individual writers. The ideas presented in this publication do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Jerk Editorial Board. Furthermore, Jerk will not be held responsible for the individual opinions expressed within. Submissions, suggestions, and opinions are welcomed and may be printed without contacting the writer. Jerk reserves the right to edit or refuse submissions at the discretion of its editors. Jerk Magazine is published monthly during the Syracuse University academic year. All contents of the publication are copyright 2014 by their respective creators. No content may be reproduced without the expressed written consent of the Jerk Editorial Board.
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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
NO IFs, ANDs, or BUTTS My name is Michelle van Dalen, and I have been butt shamed. At a party last year, an acquaintance walked up to me just to tell me that her ass was “better” than mine. She stood there waiting for my response. Completely caught off guard and shocked that anyone would make such a shallow comment, I stared at her and scoffed—and others around me did, too. But disrespectful comments like that are far from uncommon, and they extend past everyday conversation into the media we consume. A study published in August found that half of analyzed TV episodes—from shows like The Simpsons, CSI, and Family Guy—negatively referenced a character’s weight at least once. Before the guys out there remove themselves from this finding, listen up: Male characters were both the target and the source of the majority of these comments. Criticisms about your body don't deserve your time— no ifs, ands, or buts about it. So this month, we look at the booty from all angles. Flip to page 20 to read about how Nicki Minaj’s “Anaconda” and Meghan Trainor’s “All About That Bass” both objectify and criticize the booty. If the Harajuku Barbie’s music vid left you feeling empty, find solace in Taylor Swift’s creative approach—bad dance moves, booming confidence, and all (page 59). And if you’re totally over the conversation, settle on page 46 to find out which bangin’ accessory gives you a new reason to flaunt your rearview. Forget about that bitchy remark someone made last week. Tweet us @jerkmagazine #JERKTHX and let us know what you’re truly grateful for this month. For me, it’s good books, Big Bold Red, and the freedom to stand up for a cause—flip to page 24 to see which students on campus do it best. Keep on Jerking,
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FEEDBACK New issue, new website, AND new videos? Yeah we know we’re killing it, but we like hearing you say it too. Ben Glidden @ beneg92 (Sept. 15) “Love the new @jerkmagazine website. Great layout and fun content. Check it out- jerkmagazine.net” Ingrid Montalvo, @ montalvoingrid_ (Oct. 8)
"No, I actually didn’t know. I learn something new everyday. Thanks @jerkmagazine! #hangovers” SHOW US SOME LOVE Jerk Magazine 126 Schine Student Center Syracuse, NY 13244
@jerkmagazine jerk@jerkmagazine.net jerkmagazine.net
Syracuse SPJ, @ SyracuseSPJ (Sept. 30) “How did the media cover @Oprah? @jerkmagazine used social media posts to break down her visit for #NewhouseStudio: ow.ly/C7Y9H”
*Correction: In our October issue, we incorrectly stated that Lars Schillinger is a PhD student. He is, in fact, a doctor. Jerk sincerely apologizes for this mistake.
kels @ kelsss_13 (Oct. 3) “Bravo JERK magazine, you outdid yourselves #toofunny #imnotshmacked because #CuseIsDead http://www. youtube.com/watch?v=8t2oX_vVr8E&sns=tw … via @youtube”
FOLLOW, DON’T LEAD
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Jerk contributors Photographs by Katrina Ragland
KATIE DROZYNSKI / Grad / "Creative Stealing" I learned a lot writing this feature for Jerk. I heard “Hotel California” violated with absurd lyrics and I read more about Weird Al than I ever thought I’d have to, but I think I learned most about the fine art of barely meeting deadlines. Sorry, editors!
REMINGTON BENNETT / Sophomore / "Obitchuary" When writing my Obitchuary about the 90s' sad demise, I got a little distracted. At first I thought, "Why don’t I watch an episode of Friends to get my 90s ideas flowing?" But one episode turned into a season—which then turned into four seasons. It’s okay though, it worked out somehow.
SOFIA ZAVALA / Junior / model, "Cosmic Chill" Modeling for Jerk was a life-changing experience. Allen Chiu really understood me, which helped me understand myself. When I peer into the lens of his camera, I see a part of me I never knew existed. Although I am but a simple Paraguayan woman on the outside, beneath my chest beats the heart of a lion.
JOSHUA RACE / Freshman / "Murals on Marshall" I always think that I love writing, so the next project will be easy. What I forget is that I don't love the process of the next project so much as I love having done it. I do like writing, I just don't like working. So says everybody, everywhere right?
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JERK THIS
MIDTERM ELECTIONS Nov. 4 At the very least, learn who the fuck’s going to tell you what to do.
RAY LAMONTAGNE AT THE LANDMARK THEATRE Nov. 8 HE is the best thing.
SYRACUSE BEER FEST
THE COMEBACK
Nov. 7 Drink to forget that winter is coming.
Nov. 9 After an eight-year hiatus, the title says it all.
HIT BITCH INFECTED MUSHROOM AT WESTCOTT
Nov. 13 The only event with more drugs than an ESF party on 4/20.
NATIONAL BLOG POSTING MONTH
Fantastic. More Facebook self promotions and acronyms (NaBloPoMo) to not care about.
WWE LIVE AT THE ONCENTER WAR MEMORIAL
LIGHTS ON THE LAKE STROLL
Nov. 2 Feast your eyes on men in undies pretending to hurt each other.
Nov. 12 Slow down there, one holiday at a time please.
CALL OF DUTY: ADVANCED WARFARE
DUMB AND DUMBER TO
Nov. 3 Beating a dead horse and then repeatedly shooting it with a rifle.
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Nov. 14 After The Newsroom and an Emmy, a schlubby Jeff Daniels is just wrong.
BACKDROP
MAKE ART, NOT WAR
Syracuse University campus organization uses alley mural as new platform.
By Joshua Race : Photography by Jenny Hale Down the back alleyway of Marshall Street, across from Funk `n Waffles and Hungry Chuck’s, lives the vibrant mural made last April by Syracuse University’s Students of Sustainability. Members of the 2-year-old student group that emphasizes environmental awareness and responsibility for SU students created the mural as its first official project. As people bustle past Chuck’s, they see the mural that boldly replaces what used to be a dark, black wall that the city originally painted over in response to vandalism. Today, the wall lights up the far side of the alley, giving the street new warmth and brightness. SOS had around 15 members at the time it produced the mural. Even as a low-budget project funded by Sustainability Initiatives, the mural was SOS’s biggest project yet. The mural consists of a tree with an octopus morphing out of its branches, a Syracuse Orange-themed planet, the sun, and a solitary human. “It’s about being connected, being passionate about what you love, and empowering the community,” says Christine Edgeworth, co-president of SOS. According to Edgeworth, "the octopus represents how everything is connected and how environmental and non-
environmental actions affect the world around us." The central tree is made up of a weekend’s worth of recycled glass bottles from Chuck’s. Students made the moon portion of the mural—which has been vandalized again— out of old records that Funk `n Waffles donated to the project. SOS hopes that people passing the mural will recognize their part to play: working with the world, not against it. To emphasize the organization’s central belief, a Leonardo da Vinci quote is painted beside the octopus: “Learn how to see. Realize that everything’s connected to everything else.” The group intends to connect students with both the natural world and the people around them. “Our influence on the environment will never change, it’s just how we use that influence,” Edgeworth says. JM
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CLICKBATE What We're Getting Off To On The Web This Month
JERKMAGAZINE.NET We know you have it bookmarked, but just in case.
All Bagels Everything
Is Twerking Dead?
We Jerked it with our favorite rising food porn star, @everything_bagels. Check the website to meet the Instagramming junior who helps you get your daily dose of digital carbs when there’s no Dunkin’ in sight. You'll finally know who gets to eat all those damn bagels.
Miley, Taylor, and white people: Have they pushed twerking to its brink? We took to the streets to find out. Watch your classmates twerk away on camera and see what they have to say about the dance move that's making grandparents roll over in their graves before it ends up there itself.
WHILE YOU'RE CLICKING AROUND... Pizza The App Enter: the application that redefines what it means to have the whole world at your fingertips. Download the app, save your payment and shipping information, and from then on out, you’re living the dream. Press the button for cheese or pepperoni— your choice—and the pizza gods send your preference from the nearest restaurant. That’s it. Welcome to the future: where people value laziness over pizza quality.
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@EverydaySexism Dealing with arguably the most topical subject of today, this project sheds light on how present sexism, harassment, and micro-aggressions still are. From catcalling to backhanded compliments, our friends 1 from across the pond use their work as an eye opener for all men and an empowering reminder to all women. With Twitter trends and book deals, this feed is traveling faster than Michael Phelps on a freeway.
TOTALLY UNSCIENTIFIC POLL
SHAVING GRACE From Mr. Peach Fuzz to Grizzly Adams, the “men” on campus sympathize this month over efforts to prove their masculinity—obviously measured by their volume of facial hair grown. Jerk took to Bird to ask 50 students about their thoughts on that prickly dirt patch the kid at the table next to them likes to call his mustache.
APPARENTLY PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY DOING THIS FOR A CAUSE. WHAT IS IT?* 44%
A. Celibacy Awareness Month. (44%)
38%
B. Mental health, prostate cancer, and testicular cancer. (38%) C. 1850s Appreciation Week. (10%)
WHICH CELEB'S SCRUFF ROCKS THE FUZZ BEST? Alex Trebek’s mustache. (14%) Walter White’s goatee. (36%) Ron Swanson’s mustache. (16%) Ryan Gosling: Hey girl, if you're a beard, I'm a beard. (34%)
WHERE'S YOUR FACIAL HAIR? Can’t grow it—body of a 20-year-old, upper lip of a fifth grader. (66%)
10%
D. Amish rights. (8%)
LADIES, IS FACIAL HAIR ATTRACTIVE?
NO,
I will pay you to take this razor to your scruff. (78%)
8%
WHY WON'T YOU SHAVE? Fuck it, I’m lazy—it's the facial equivalent of wearing sweatpants to that 8 a.m. (42%)
WHAT'S THE PERK OF HAVING FACIAL HAIR? Food storage— a haven for lone Cheetos crumbs. (56%)
*Correct answer: B. Movember has helped raise over $559 million for men’s health issues. JERK
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SEX
This month we went to our readers to find out about their hickey stories—the mark that's taught men across the country what the hell cover up is and women how to effectively use infinity scarves.
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BRUSH IT OFF
My parents were very reluctant to let me go to after prom senior year, so it wouldn’t have looked good if I came home with a smattering of hickies. I had heard that you could rub them away with a hairbrush—perhaps I had a faulty technique. When I got home, my parents weren’t concerned so much with my hickies as they were with the red rash and irritation all over my neck.
FOREIGN EXCHANGE
While studying abroad in Italy, I took a trip to Pompeii during one of the hottest weekends of the year. After a night of whirlwind romance with a European man, I woke up with one of the worst hickies of my life and of course, neither my friends nor I had brought any scarves. I shamelessly wore that hickey around one of the saddest, most moving places in the world.
SCARLET LETTER
I had a rather unfortunate hickey about the size of a baseball on my neck the week I volunteered at my old elementary school’s Colonial Week. While dressed in full colonial garb, my fourth grade teacher noticed my hickey, smirked, and proceeded to hit on me like I was some hussy. Not exactly setting a great example for the impressionable students.
BLIND SIDE
As a member of student council in high school, I was expected to attend graduation for the senior class when I was a junior. Before the ceremony, my boyfriend and I had a quickie, I put my hair in a braid, and I drove us both there. After multiple conversations with administrators, teachers, parents, and the principal, I was informed that I was sporting a hickey bigger than a ping pong ball that my boyfriend hadn’t seen in the car.
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FRAMED
ART IMAGE
The Moment Yue Wang grad, illustration major "It is one painting of a series of four paintings. They are all girls at the window in different situations. I want to express the sensitive, fragile, and rich inner world of females. The characters all have paradoxical personalities. They are sensitive but cold and detached, or innocent but ruthless, or they are attractive but do not notice their attractiveness. I am obsessed with the surreal sensation."
To showcase your work on "Framed," email art@jerkmagazine.net. JERK
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BITCH
FIFTEEN MINUTES OF FEMINISM The ladies of Hollywood often make claims about their feminist tendencies, but they have minimal influence on real women's issues. By Riddley Gemperlein–Schirm : Illustration by Hannah Moore Shailene Woodley told Time in June that she wasn’t a feminist because she loves men. “I think the idea of ‘raise women to power, take the men away from the power’ is never going to work out because you need balance.”
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Woodley’s reasoning is flawed. It’s clear she doesn't understand what feminism is. Let this be the last time we have to define it for you: Feminism is the belief that men and women deserve equal rights and opportunities. That’s it.
BITCH There’s no denying the link between pop culture and feminism and that in general, we care a lot about what celebrities think and say. The issue is that children and adults alike form opinions about themselves, their ideals, and their morals from celebrities who offer their thoughts on feminism and other subjects without fully knowing the nitty, gritty, details of what they’re talking about. It might be idealistic to expect the general public to pay more attention to credible sources of feminist knowledge—like scholars, activists, authors, politicians, professors, and the average woman— but they’re the ones who deserve our attention. These people aren’t in the limelight because society doesn’t let them be. Instead we give more attention to Taylor Swift declaring her feminism than Gloria Steinem, author and pioneer of feminism, whose recent talk at The New School in New York received little press. It’s not right to claim that Hollywood women and men haven’t been objectified in their lives, but they’re more or less removed from everyday society. They don’t have to worry about equal wages, paid maternity leave, affordable health care, easily accessible birth control, and other fundamental problems in the same way that we regular people do on a day-to-day basis. Feminism doesn’t, and shouldn’t, need celebrities. The feminist movement has and will continue without the sage
wisdom of Woodley or T-Swizzle. This isn’t to say celebrities can’t have a meaningful impact on feminism. Take Emma Watson, whose speech at the United Nations launch of the campaign He For She—which urges men to take up feminism and fight for gender equality—was so emotionally stirring one CNN headline read, “Emma Watson gives feminism new life.” Watson’s point was clear: Every woman, or even every person, should be a feminist and “afforded the same respect” to make decisions about their lives, bodies, careers, relationships, and everything else encompassing basic human rights. Watson explained that men should fight for gender equality not just for women, but for themselves; they should fight the facts that people value a father’s role as a parent less than a mother’s and that they tell boys not to express their feelings. Just as important was Watson’s other message: Those who have the most power to influence change and shape opinion aren’t celebrities, but what she calls “inadvertent feminists.” For Watson, they were her parents, teachers, and mentors who didn’t assume she could do less just because she was a girl. These are people who enact change in small—but no less important—ways, like allowing their son to cry without being made to feel emasculated or never using the phrase “like a girl” to connote weakness. Inadvertent feminists are exactly the people we should pay attention to. They’re moms, dads, professors, friends, grandparents—people with tangible and lasting influence, and far more impact on our daily lives than some celebrity. As Steinem once said, “A feminist is anyone who recognizes the equality and full humanity of women and men”—no IMDb page or bestselling album required. JM
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BITCH
DON'T MAKE ME
YAK
What goes around, comes around—the simple principle of Yakarma. By Jeff Kurkjian The biggest issue facing our generation is our inability to communicate face to face. Facebook, Twitter, and Snapchat have taken over the lives of college students all over the country and hindered our ability to carry out interpersonal interactions. We can go back and forth all day about the pros and cons of these social media platforms with varying levels of success. But at least these sites and apps maintain a level of transparency—that is, we know the authors of every post. Yik Yak, the newest app in the long line of smartphone fuckery, fails at this. The App Store describes Yik Yak as a local bulletin board showing the most recent posts from other users around you. The app's success stems from its anonymity, but that feature also contributes to its greatest weakness. Keith Ablow, a psychiatrist and member of the Fox News Medical A-Team, wrote an article on this most recent social media explosion, in which he declares Yik Yak “the most dangerous app” he’s ever seen. And he's right: this app has danger written all over it. As if cyberbullying wasn’t already a problem in grade school, Yik Yak has gained popularity in middle and high schools throughout the country. Several Chicago schools banned the app from their Wi-Fi networks after an Alabama teenager posted school shooting threats on Yik Yak 18 11.14
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and a Massachusetts school was shut down after two different bomb threats. So who does all this “Yakking”? Almost everyone. At Syracuse University it’s everyone from frat stars to lonely chemistry students on the sixth floor of Bird Library. This is the 2014 version of the Plastics’ burn book that everyone wants to get in on. Students even use the app to attack our new chancellor, Kent Syverud. Some Yaks are funny —“Kent would’ve paid for the new U2 album” or “Kent loves Nickleback.” Others are horrible ones that you can look up on your own. It is easy to poke fun at public figures on all forms of social media. However, Michelle Sagan, a junior public relations major, says that people are directly targeted on Yik Yak. “It was awful last year, using people’s actual names,” she says. “When someone posts about a sorority or a fraternity, that’s not as bad as when people use individual names to bring people down.” Yik Yak is a cop out. It’s easy to join—no login necessary—and even easier to contribute: just type what’s on your mind and forget about any repercussions. The pain the app causes its victims offsets the cheap thrills it gives its users. Perhaps the worst aspect of Yik Yak is its inability to hold authors accountable for their posts. It is the most cowardly form of expression. JM
BITCH
TRIGGER HAPPY Warning: The article you’re about to read may contain sensitive or offensive material. By Tamara Rasamny When her professor played a movie depicting a rape scene, Bailey Loverin, a University of California, Santa Barbara student, had to remain seated and watch the film. Normally, this wouldn't be a problem. Unfortunately, though, Loverin was a victim of sexual assault. While other students in class watched what seemed like any other movie, Loverin had to sit and endure these scenes, which undoubtedly reminded her of her traumatic experience. This is when Loverin came up with the idea of trigger warnings. You’ve seen them since before you can remember: content warnings explaining that there may be graphic content or explicit information below. Recently, however, warnings have appeared somewhere new: college syllabi. These trigger warnings alert people about content that may contain triggers, or anything that could remind someone of a traumatic experience. Miriam Elman, an associate professor of political science at Syracuse University, agrees with trigger warnings acting as that: warnings. Elman says she agrees with these cautionary statements giving students a heads-up of sensitive information, but she disagrees with allowing students to “opt out” of class
discussions and content. College is, after all, designed to challenge people’s views and help them overcome adversity. Salon.com writer Brittney Cooper writes in her article "No trigger warnings in my class: Why you won't find them on my syllabi" that since education is supposed to expose students to different ideas and actually make students feel uncomfortable, trigger warnings take away from that experience and remove the introduction of unpleasant, but very real, information. But trigger warnings are not aimed for those who may feel “uncomfortable.” There is a huge difference between feeling uncomfortable and actually experiencing something traumatic. The conversation about trigger warnings can be extremely murky. No distinguishable line defines which content a trigger warning should and should not precede. But it’s not about where we should have them; it’s about having them in the first place. Trigger warnings can prevent people from experiencing what Loverin had to sit through. Many students could be spared the distress caused by unexpected triggers with the simple, harmless warning added to the top of a syllabus. The extra ink is definitely worth it. JM JERK
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BITCH
BOOTY
BOOM Butts are back, and they're bigger than ever—but you can't celebrate one body type and slight others. By Tess Kornfeld + Illustration by Bobby Davison Growing up, I was conditioned to think the ideal female body type resembled the quintessential porn star: thin frame, big boobs. The 90s bitch in me often sang along with rappers who praised big butts. Throughout my teenage years, butts hogged the spotlight with “My Humps” and “Dance (A$$).” In those songs, however, the butt was its own entity, separate from the rest of the female body. A 2012 study in the European Journal of Social Psychology proved that our brains have been trained to see men as a whole, while women are reduced to their sexual body parts. In the past year, it seems the female derrière has carved out a new niche for itself in the music industry. It turns out that the women connected to these butts have something to say. More than a decade after Sir Mix-A-Lot’s hit, women are singing about their own butts on their own terms. Instead of trying to become model thin, women are celebrating their curves—some do so privately, and others not so privately. We’re looking at you, Kim Kardashian. We have to remember, though, that praising certain body types while condemning others in the process is not okay. According to Nicki Minaj, her latest single "Anaconda" is about embracing your curves and your body type. However, in her 20 11.14
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music video she spits, “Fuck you, if you skinny bitches,” while giving Drake a lap dance. Nicki is celebrating what she has, but what kind of message does that present to people who are skinny and want to be proud of their bodies as well? It’s a double standard. And women have enough of those to deal with already. That’s not the only thing wrong with the booty boom. On the surface, Nicki Minaj’s “Anaconda” and Meghan Trainor’s “All About That Bass” celebrate voluptuous bodies. However, hidden behind their big booties is the message that female bodies are still purposed for male pleasure. Minaj raps, “Say he don’t like ’em boney, he want something he can grab, so I pulled up in the Jag and I hit him with a jab,” and Trainor sings, “Boys like a little more booty to hold at night.” While Minaj and Trainor are innovative and showcase their confidence in their bodies, in the end, they both bring the butt back to men. Now females are their own biggest obstacle in booty liberation. But we can’t say that progress has not been made. We're still looking for the empowering song that praises all women, big butt or lack thereof. It’s 2014, and it’s about time that happens. Until then, let's at least leave the body shaming out of it. Jm
BITCH
SELFIE CENTERED
We all know what happened to Narcissus. By Kerry Wolfe : Illustration by Hannah Moore Scroll through your Instagram. Browse can contribute to body dysmorphic disorder, your Facebook newsfeed. Stalk your an illness that causes low self-esteem and favorite celebrity. And brace yourself for a convinces people they have an unusually nonstop stream of #selfies. flawed appearance. According to research We’ve been taking pictures since the conducted by psychiatrist Dr. David Veale, it 1850s, but over the past few years we’ve causes people to obsess over body shifted subjects, framing ourselves as the imperfections. In London, 19-year-old center of attention. It isn’t enough to simply Danny Bowman made international capture a moment. We have to enter it and headlines when he dropped out of school prove our presence by pointing the camera and secluded himself in his house for days at our over-filtered faces. in pursuit of the perfect selfie. When he This egotistical trend shows no signs of didn't get it, he tried to kill himself. stopping. It has grown beyond conceited Flipping to the front-facing camera teenagers striving to break 100 likes. threatens mental health, but it can also Singers turn the lens on themselves, using cause physical harm as people put their cheering fans as a backdrop. themselves in danger for the sake of an Celebrities swarm together, reaching their epic shot. A Polish couple in Portugal died arms at awkward angles to fit as many big falling off a cliff while trying to take a selfie. names into the frame as possible—Ellen’s Tour de France cyclists were injured when Oscar selfie was more star-studded than the spectators turned their backs to the Ke$ha’s last vajazzle. race and their faces to the camera—which Our selfie obsession mirrors our vanity caused some bikers to crash into the and showcases our narcissism. A 2013 unobservant crowd. A Spanish man caused British study shows that people who flood trouble with his attempt to take a selfie in social media with selfies actually have the middle of the running of the bulls, more shallow relationships. It’s the visual leading police to fine him over $4,000. equivalent of people who won’t stop talking It’s time we refocus and take ourselves about themselves. out of the frame. Taking and posting The current selfie culture does more pictures isn’t the problem. So go ahead, than just make your Facebook friends sick capture that concert. Snap some shots at of seeing your face: It’s also a mental health sunset. But first, turn the camera away risk. Taking and publishing excessive selfies from you. Jm JERK
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THE KENTCELLOR
We break down Kent Syverud's first months at Syracuse University, controversy and all.
By AbbyLeigh Charbonneau : Illustration by Ryan Brondolo I met Chancellor Kent Syverud last May. He may not remember me—I spent the better part of my day in his home, passing out hors d'oeuvres in my food service uniform for some posh event. While we were setting up various food stations for the evening, the chancellor came downstairs. He was amicable—he stopped to let me introduce myself and play with his dog, and he even took the time to ask me my year and major. This was in the spring, before the rash closing of the Advocacy Center, before his e-mail simultaneously discrediting and substantiating the number one party school ranking, before the closing of Castle Court, and before cutting more than half of the Posse scholarship program. Our encounter in May left me believing that he cared about SU students and reassured me that he had only the best intentions for this university. But now I can see that good intentions can’t make up for bad execution. Since he assumed his post in January, the largest stain on Chancellor Syverud’s record is the closing the Advocacy Center and its realignment with the Counseling Center. Though this was already set motion before Chancellor Syverud came into office, it was under his oversight that the decision went into effect, with little explanation and
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no student input. On June 4, the change was mentioned—and hardly explained—in an attachment on one of the chancellor’s many emails, stuck haphazardly on a laundry list of minor changes around the university. Within days, a petition started by 2014 alum Erin Carhart, a dual major in Women and Gender Studies and Policy Studies, gathered thousands of signatures, and the hashtag #BringBacktheAC dominated many of our newsfeeds. Concerned students waited weeks for the chancellor’s response, which came in the form of “Listening Sessions” where students could express their opinions. As it was the middle of summer, no students were on campus, so obviously these sessions failed at their sole purpose: to listen to students. The phrase, “You had one job,” comes to mind. As for the forums that were held in fall, Syrverud couldn’t be found at any of them. Embittered students rightfully felt deprived of a voice in the decision-making process. The forums were, after all, a cheap attempt to placate the crowds without really listening to anything being said. Counter efforts of the Syracuse community culminated in the Sept. 17 protest, The Rally for Consent. Students and community members held signs
BITCH with slogans like “No More Decisions About Us Without Us”, chanting on the quad before swarming Syverud’s office to read him their list of demands. After two panicked administrators tried to shoo the crowd away—saying the chancellor was “in a meeting”—Syverud popped out of his office long enough to congratulate the students on their protest and pinky promise to do better next time. In August, The Princeton Review came out with their annual categorical rankings for schools, with SU crowned the number one party school in America. Before students could get too excited about their bragging rights, the chancellor, who took nearly a month to address concerns about the Advocacy Center, responded within 24 hours.The e-mail response, with the subject line “Boundaries,” was a mottled message to the SU community. The chancellor began the e-mail by discrediting the ranking, only to give it a level of legitimacy when he promised to crack down on the party scene. In the first few weeks of school, flashing police lights became a staple of the Euclid scene, and people began feeling even less safe than before. The chancellor followed this by shutting down Castle Court. Despite the solo cup graveyard that annually blanketed the ground post-MayFest and the few instances of safety problems, the shutting down of the party scene seemed like a temporary solution to a permanent, campus-wide problem. The most recent incident that has marred the chancellor’s tenure is cutting the funding for Posse, a program that provides scholarships for students from urban areas. Previously, SU has had Posse programs in Los Angeles, Miami, and Atlanta. Syverud recently announced that they would be cutting the programs everywhere but Miami. More than 100 students called
for an increase in funding for the program while trending the hashtag #ITooAmSU on Twitter. There have since been seminars on the discussion of race and diversity at SU, but the budget cuts remain unchanged.
"In the future, the chancellor needs to listen to students and implement their recommendations." -Erin Carhart At this point in the chancellor’s career, it’s obvious he cares about Syracuse University. He has done a lot to improve our campus—pushing forward initiatives to make the campus appear cleaner and more modern, giving a much-needed makeover to Bird Library—improvements that are nice, but overall, superficial. They simply don’t address the real needs of students. He has made a point to hear student input throughout the protests that have popped up on campus this semester. We know now that the chancellor hears SU students, but there’s still little evidence he’s listening to them. Carhart believes the chancellor can redeem himself in the eyes of the students, but it will need to start with open ears and an apology. “In the future he needs to show he really cares about the students,” she says. “And the way he’s going to do that is to listen to students and allow students to be part of the decision making process, and take our recommendations seriously and implement them.” At this point, it’s in his hands. If there’s anything that the rallies and protests of this semester have made clear, it's that the student voice wants to be heard, and it has one question: Chancellor, are you listening? JM
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DON'T MESS WITH THE CLIQUE This fall, Syracuse University administration announced its plan to cut back on funding for Posse Foundation scholarships. Now, Posse students speak out against stereotypes and mispresentation. Photography by Chaz Delgado At around 4 p.m. on Sept. 19, about 150 students gathered outside of the Life Sciences complex in protest of one of the many unwelcomed changes that greeted students this fall. Earlier this fall, Syracuse University announced its plans to drastically reduce its Posse scholarships. Currently, SU is one of three universities in the country supporting multiple Posse programs. Nationally, Posse recruits students from nine cities to attend more than 50 top-tier universities. For the past three years, Syracuse has partnered with three cities— Miami, Los Angeles, and Atlanta. For the opportunity to pursue a Posse scholarship, students must first be nominated by someone from their school, like a teacher or a counselor. After an extensive application and interview process, 10 students are selected from each school to receive the four-year, full-tuition scholarship. Students are selected based on factors beyond SAT scores and GPAs. Posse recognizes students from urban communities with strong leadership qualities who will succeed in a college setting. The overarching idea behind the program is that a group of 10 students from the same hometown will attend college together, provide one another with an invaluable support system, and form a “posse” of sorts.
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Since Posse’s installation at SU, it has proven a success. The students are active members in all aspects of campus life, involved in organizations and holding leadership positions. Yet, the greater SU student body still seems to misunderstand that this scholarship isn’t based on students’ ethnicities or socioeconomic standings, but on their previous academic success and other personal qualities. SU administration decided, as of next fall, it will reduce its program involvement to only Miami. This news was not met well. The September protests organized by Posse students led the administration to reevaluate their decision. The university will recruit from Atlanta for one more year, but the LA program will be cut as planned. SU will only continue to consistently recruit Posse scholars from Miami. School officials have claimed that the funds will be re-appropriated to other programs that promote excellence and allow students from other diverse backgrounds to come to SU. However, Posse does exactly this. It selects the brightest students from a pool of thousands. It fosters the academic excellence that the SU administration claims it needs to reallocate funds for. Minimizing Posse will not only be counterproductive to the administration’s goals, but it will reduce the diversity Posse promotes. JM
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KENNEDY PATLAN Hometown: Miami, FL Major: Public Relations Year: Freshman "Posse is incredible because of the way that it brings an unlikely group of people together. I would have never met such incredible people had I not been given this opportunity. The greatest thing is that everyone has their own story. It’s great to get to know people beyond that story."
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SMUT WILLIAM DE LA VERA Hometown: Miami, FL Major: Entrepreneurship & Emerging Enterprises Year: Freshman "I feel like the Posse program is misrepresented in the media. I read all these articles and they say that Posse is a minority scholarship. They say that Posse is a diversity scholarship, but it’s not. At the end of the day, Posse is a leadership scholarship. When I check my financial aid it says: Syracuse University Leadership Scholarship."
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SMUT CHINEDU UBACHUKWU Hometown: Los Angeles, CA Major: Undecided, plans to declare major in information management and technology Year: Sophomore
+ "Nothing was freely given as far as my education goes; it was earned. My mom worked really hard to help us be successful and make me the best that I could be. I was a competitive student, a public speaker, and I played two sports. I wasn’t the smartest, but I was really well rounded. I worked hard to get where I am, and I don’t want people to assume I am here as a minority quota. Posse is a metropolitan scholarship—saying it is a minority scholarship dumbs it down."
BRITTANY ORTIZ Hometown: Miami, FL Major: Television, Radio & Film Year: Sophomore
+ "People see my face and think Posse is a handout. Often I am the only face of color—especially in my Newhouse classes—and when people hear I am a Posse scholar they say, ‘Oh, that’s a minority scholarship.’ However, most Posse scholars have worked twice as hard to get here. We have had a struggle that most students haven’t experienced because most of us don’t come from financially privileged homes."
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SMUT CHAZ DELGADO Hometown: Atlanta, GA Major: Television, Radio & Film Year: Sophomore
+ "Since I’ve gotten on campus, people have been less than open-minded about the Posse scholarship. People have said things to me like that they wish they were a minority so that they could get into college easier. I don’t think they realize the weight of what they say, how offensive it can be. But these things are microaggressions. People tell me that I got in because of the color of my skin. But I didn’t. I got this scholarship because of my grades, my extracurriculars, my community service, my leadership activities, my talent."
JULIE-ANN ELLISTON Hometown: Miami, FL Major: Broadcast & Digital Journalism Year: Freshman
+ "Diversity is an aspect of Posse, but not the only aspect. I recognize that Posse scholars can give off the impression that Posse is only a minority, low-income scholarship, like with the protests and focusing on race. Now with the Hannah Strong incident and Kent’s changes, Posse is taking on even more of a racially charged undertone. I see how the administration and student body would think that’s all Posse is about."
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SMUT DULCE MORALES Hometown: Los Angeles, CA Major: International Relations Year: Freshman "When I first came to SU, it was a whole new environment and I was nervous I wouldn’t adapt. But as cliché as it sounds, I had my posse. I think I have adapted well and I feel grounded now."
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GET IN,
LOSER
WE'RE NOT
GOING
SHOPPING
As Americans engage in more experience- and entertainment-based outings and cut back on shopping trips, shopping centers have to readjust. With this shift in interest, malls either sink or swim. By Emma Baty : Illustration by Adrian Hatch
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On a Friday afternoon at 3 p.m., half the stores in the ShoppingTown Mall in Dewitt are closed, with metal security gates pulled down in front of them. Despite all the light from the corridor-length glass ceiling, the storefronts remain mostly dark. Those stores aren’t even really stores anymore. Every other tenant is a Tae Kwon Do studio or a CrossFit center. There’s even a driver training school. One business, the Delphi Healing Art Center, has a sign posted that says, “closed for vacation back on Monday at 10:00 a.m.” in black marker. The food court only has three restaurants. An employee at one of them messes around on her phone mid-shift, but in her defense, only two people sit in the entire eating area. Four security guards sit in the mall security center together, chatting amongst themselves. One employee at Gertrude
Hawk Chocolates says that even though the mall still gets busy around holidays, the other eight months of the year it’s practically empty. It wasn’t always like this, though. ShoppingTown was just another mall built in the 50s and 60s after World War II when American sprawl was so popular that malls were just a necessary side effect. “People found a field, built a mall, and it was almost an overnight success,” says Amanda Nicholson, the associate dean for undergraduate programs at the Whitman School of Management. Today, however, malls all over the country are suffering just like ShoppingTown. Within the next 10 years, roughly 15 percent of U.S. malls will fail or be converted for other purposes, according to Green Street Advisors, an REIT and real estate analytics firm. Shopping malls no longer meet the JERK
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SMUT needs of the public, the retailers, or the communities they’re in. According to Rick Caruso, C.E.O. of Caruso Affiliated, a real estate company that specializes in shopping centers, if they don’t change in the next 15 years, they will become extinct. One major problem is that malls are enclosed and separated from other elements of the city. “Malls are an anomaly in the history of architecture,” says Lawrence Davis, associate professor of architecture at Syracuse University. “There are few examples of taking stuff that was in the center of the city, separating it, and putting it out by itself.” Davis compares it to a Polynesian island surrounded by a lagoon. People would have to get in their canoes and go out of the lagoon to go to the next island. They can’t walk from one to the other. This is also true for malls because they’re so disconnected from the cities near them. In addition to geographic setbacks, malls also compete with online retailers. Everything that can be found in a specialty store in a mall can be found online. Instead of making a trek to that isolated island, consumers open their laptops and find what they want within minutes. Maybe this increase in internet shopping is one reason people are spending less time in malls. Teenagers especially, who claim a history of being the most common group of mall-goers, are making fewer shopping trips and spending more money on food than on clothing for the first time ever, according to Piper Jaffray's semiannual market research project, released in the spring of 2014. Malls' proximity to each other also threatens their preservation as a cultural centerpiece. So many malls were built so close together that they have developed a predatory structure, with one swallowing
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the other's profits. For example, one person spends $1,000 at malls annually. If three more malls pop up within a 30-mile radius of that person, that same person is not going to spend $4,000 annually at malls. That same money is now going to be split between those four malls, essentially hurting all of their business, according to Nicholson. “The mall is not dead, but there’s no question that it’s struggling compared to where it used to be, especially in certain areas,” Nicholson says. The Northeast is one of those areas. The recession played a big role in the decline of malls. During the recession, this region suffered a manufacturing drain. Many companies started to export their jobs, posing a problem for retail centers that depend on that cash to stay in business. The recession forced people to learn to bargain hunt. Even though other retailers were hurting during this time, discount stores and off-price retailers like T.J. Maxx continued to succeed. People started to find good deals in those types of stores and they got hooked. Even when the recession ended, they didn’t return to the malls where they used to shop because they were used to the discounts. “We trained a lot of people in those five years, or they trained themselves, to shop for bargains,” Nicholson says. “Our lust for bargains got even greater.” However, one mall that survived this change in shopping culture is Destiny USA. In 2011, Destiny started to expand. The goal was to add more dining, entertainment, and outlet malls. Destiny USA grew by 100 stores in three years, many of which were outlets. “We really wanted to create a unique mix and experience to make people feel like they could come to this indoor environment but feel like they’re in this
SMUT outdoor climate and still have access to all helped keep them relevant. It is this shift of the stores and all of the entertainment from shopping to entertainment that helps they could ever want,” Nicholson says. Destiny grow despite the current climate As malls across the country struggle to for U.S. malls. lure shoppers, Destiny is projected to hit 29 “We have a lot of people that come here million visits this year, putting them second and they don’t always shop,” Wallace says. only to the Mall of America in Bloomington, “You can spend a whole day here and not Minn. Sara Wallace, director of marketing set foot inside of a store or purchase any for Destiny USA, places the credit on clothing, apparel, accessories, or whatever Destiny’s combination of shopping, dining, it may be.” and entertainment. This echoes a national cultural shift. The “You want to entice average shopper is no every member of the longer satisfied with just family to come,” Wallace going to the mall. They says. “We’re so much more need to be entertained; the first year than a shopping center every moment of their now and we’re targeting in 50 years that time must be occupied. entire families with the The key to keeping no new malls entertainment that we malls alive will be how were built in the have, with the dining they choose to market United States combinations.” themselves in the future. Currently 260 retailers Although online shopping occupy Destiny’s kiosks is easier, people still need and more are expected to to be drawn to malls by the open. Besides offering a actual physical shopping wide array of shopping experience. “In our current options, Destiny also environment the big advertises many dining decrease in argument and debate is and entertainment bricks and mortar versus online searches possibilities not typical of online shopping. You can containing the average shopping have a sensory experience center. Most malls don’t “shopping mall” at a shopping center and have a P.F. Chang’s and The you can find a lot more or “mall” Melting Pot right below a in your size in a great from dec. 2004 ropes course and a value at these stores,” bowling alley. Mall-goers to dec. 2013 Wallace says. usually can’t go to The Going forward, Cheesecake Factory after perusing through developers need to rethink the idea of what the Salvatore Ferragamo and Tod’s outlets malls should be. “Mix it up to please your or send their kids to play mini golf while consumer. In the end, the consumer is they browse in Five Below. queen. The only person who really has a Destiny no longer considers itself a mall, vote in this is the person who opens her or even a shopping center, but a tourism checkbook or credit card. That’s the only destination. This is a large part of what has person,” Nicholson says. JM
2007:
64%
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A Chocolate Tradition Syracuse’s sweetest family heirloom operates with the purest of intentions. By Micaela Mueller : Photography by Katy Beals
About five miles from Syracuse University sits a small, old-fashioned candy shop. Upon walking through the door, the quaint shop instantly feels like home. Chocolate and candy cover every inch of space, the smell of sugar fills the air. One hundred thirteen years ago, Robert Andrianos emigrated from Greece and opened The Hercules Candy Company in East Syracuse. In 1972, Robert passed the business down to his son. Unfortunately,
circumstances took over and the business was closed down for a generation. Robert’s grandson Steve, who learned the art of making candy from his father at the age of 12, wouldn’t let the shop go down without a fight. He aspired to, and eventually did, resurrect The Hercules Candy Company, bringing back a place that once brought joy to the people of East Syracuse. By 1977, Steve saved $500 and reopened the store with three simple ingredients:
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Steve Andrianos waits for chocolates to dry in the shop's basement, where he watches movies to pass the time.
chocolate, sugar, and hope. Using all the same utensils and equipment as past generations, he preserved the process that originated with his grandfather. To this day, every piece of candy in the store is handcrafted without the use of machines. The Hercules Candy Company prides itself on its handcrafted techniques and the use of pure ingredients. For over a century, the Andrianos family has used the purest form of chocolate to make their products. It contains sugar, cocoa butter, fresh whole milk, chocolate liquor, lecithin, and vanilla. Although these may seem like basic ingredients, other candymakers often substitute them for cheaper, less pure alternatives. After hand-mixing the ingredients, the chocolate is molded and crafted individually by hand. Some of their most loved products include hand-dipped, chocolate covered potato chips, chocolate drops, peanut
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clusters, and almond bark. “If a customer arrives in a less than jovial mood, once they hit the sample box, they’re usually pretty happy,” Steve says. The Hercules Candy Company sells most of its candy between Thanksgiving and Easter when customers come in as part of their holiday traditions. The store’s unique charm and high quality candy bring an influx of people who line up out the door and wrap around the street, waiting to buy traditional “mom and pop” candy. The Hercules Candy Company has come a long way since its reopening in 1977. Despite the difficulties of maintaining a business, the owners’ passion for chocolate and candy drives them to continue providing their customers with sugarcoated joy in their original 1901 home on West Heman Street in Syracuse. Owners Steve and Terry Andrianos put their passion simply: “Candy makes people happy.”JM
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Raspberry–filled chocolates sit out to harden in the shop's basement factory space.
Steve Andrianos spreads outs chocolate in the shop's
Karen Button, who has worked at the shop for more
basement, where he makes candy almost every day.
than 20 years, cleans chocolate molds.
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GAWK
Sweater: Zara $129; Skirt:
• JERK 38 11.14Union, Fashion ASOS $42
GAWK
cosmic chill Even the coziest knits radiate icy vibes this season, from chunky wool pants to oversized mohair sweaters. Embrace the impending frost and ease into a look that’s out of this world.
Stylist: Leigh Miller Photographer: Allen Chiu Makeup Artist: Stephanie Jacobs Model: Sofia Zavala GO BEHIND THE SCENES AT JERK • 11.14 39 JERKMAGAZINE.NET.
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Sweater: Zara $80;
• JERK 40 11.14 Pants: ASOS $67
GAWK
Sweater: Zara $60;
• 11.14 JERK 41 Skirt: ASOS $67
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Turtleneck: Zara $80; Skirt:
• JERK 42 11.14 Leith, Nordstrom $78
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Shrug: Cold Picnic, Urban Outfitters $78; • 11.14 JERK Dress: ASOS $143 43
GAWK
Sweater: Zara $100; Pants: KNITZ By For Love & Lemons, • JERK 44 11.14 Urban Outfitters $154
GAWK
Cardigan: ASOS $95; • 11.14 JERK 45 Dress: Zara $80
STRIPPED
baby got
Back With all the packs on the rack this season, your booty shouldn’t be the only posterior asset you flaunt. Illustrations by Ryan Brondolo
1
Futuristic Brands that do it best: Solid Gray, Pangolin Pair it with: Denim button-down + bomber jacket + black jeans + white sneakers What it says about you: “I think ahead of the curve.”
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STRIPPED
2
Utilitarian Brands that do it best: Herschel, Tumi, JanSport, Fjällräven, Quiksilver Pair it with: Band T-shirt + wool blazer + distressed jeans + beanie + ankle boots What it says about you: “I don’t sacrifice style for practicality.”
3
Minimalist Brands that do it best: Rebecca Minkoff, The Row, Coach, Rabeanco, Whistles Pair it with: Boxy sweater + tailored black pants + mid-length camel coat + booties What it says about you: “I only have the patience for clean and simple.”
4
Collegiate Brands that do it best: Loeffler Randall, Kate Spade, Lane Crawford, Topshop Pair it with: Cropped sweater + high-waisted skirt + tights + loafers What it says about you: “I spend almost as much time planning my wardrobe as I do studying for exams.”
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NOISE
Creative Stealing An old trend returns to the airwaves this year. Lawmakers crack down on artists who use—and abuse—their creative license in a kind of sampling that does more than just test the waters. By Katie Drozynski : Illustrations by Dylan Cownie New music has always had its roots in the music that came before it. Without Mozart there would have been no Mahler. Without Lead Belly, no Led Zeppelin. And without Dead or Alive’s “You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)", the world might never have
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been graced with Flo Rida’s “Right Round.” The tradition of building on the musical ideas of others is a foundation of the progression of the art form, but when the tune is lifted from the source, does it threaten creative license?
NOISE Frank Ocean is no stranger to this concept. He first came under fire for copyright infringement when he sampled The Eagles’s “Hotel California” for the track “American Wedding” on his 2011 mixtape, Nostalgia, Ultra. Don Henley, drummer and vocalist for The Eagles, claimed that Ocean disregarded copyright laws and requested that the rapper stop performing the song live. Ocean rebutted that because his mixtape was offered online for free, he wasn’t financially benefitting from the project and thus wasn’t breaking any copyright laws. Many rappers and DJs that offer their music online free-of-charge as mixtapes make this argument. Mashup artist Girl Talk, born Gregg Michael Gillis, combines 10– to 30–second samples of Top 40 hits from the past 40 years to create his music. He offers his records as downloads from his website, donation optional. According to the doctrine of fair use, since he’s not directly profiting from those samples or detracting from the earnings of the sampled artist, Girl Talk’s mashups are considered legal. “I haven’t seen anything that determined mashups are copyright infringement,” says David Rubin, professor of communications law and the dean emeritus of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. “That’s art.” In the case of “American Wedding,” however, Ocean could still be in hot water for lifting the melody completely. He didn’t entirely transform “Hotel California.” Instead, he simply substituted new lyrics, which fall under a separate copyright than the melody. In hip-hop and rap, the pervasive strategy of dubbing fresh lyrics over old songs is known as interpolation. It’s often used as a defense in compulsory license cases in which an artist has been
denied the right to create a cover of a tune. “If it’s the tune and the beat that get you going, Frank Ocean’s is the same,” Rubin says. “It would be hard to determine if Frank Ocean would be hurting The Eagles’s sales.” Mashup artists like Girl Talk make music that is considered transformative, which protects it even more. Under fair use, any small amount of work, be it a book or painting or song, that’s sampled and transformed through an artistic process is protected. Ocean is also the subject of two other copyright infringement cases. His song “Super Rich Kids” from his 2012 album Channel Orange samples Mary J. Blige’s “Real Love.” But the suit, brought to Universal Music Group by TufAmerica, doesn’t cite Ocean’s tune as the source of the infringement. In a twist of fate it claims that Blige illegally sampled The Honeydripper’s “Impeach the President” from 1973. TufAmerica claims to own 3.15 percent of “Real Love” as a result of a “consequence of a series of agreements relating to ‘Impeach the President.’” This sample within a sample could cost Ocean and Universal “compensatory or statutory or punitive damages in an amount to be proven at trial.” “If you think it’s fair use, you’d better be prepared to defend yourself,” Rubin says. Ocean is among several artists under fire from TufAmerica, a company that also owns eight record labels. The company is suing Jay-Z and Rock-A-Fella Records for infringement over 2009’s “Run This Town” claiming that they illegally sampled Eddie Bo’s “Hook & Sling.” The Beastie Boys were also targeted by Tuf for suspected copyright infringement on their 1989 album Paul’s Boutique. The suit, which the Boys are expected to win, came a day before the
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NOISE
"IF YOU THINK IT'S FAIR USE, YOU'D BETTER BE PREPARED TO DEFEND YOURSELF." —DAVID RUBIN
Communication Law Professor
death of member Adam "MCA" Yauch in May 2012. Even the man, the myth, Kanye himself has fallen victim to litigation over the use of the same song in 2010’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy with closers “Lost In The World” and “Who Will Survive In America?” Kanye West samples incessantly. He has incorporated melodies from James Brown to Brenda Lee to King Crimson. He even sampled Nina Simone’s haunting rendition of “Strange Fruit” for his 2013 critically acclaimed album, Yeezus. The eccentric icon is indiscriminate in his sources and it makes for pretty compelling combinations. “I think this is why the music industry is so awesome,” says Josh Podrid, audio arts graduate student at Syracuse Univeristy and aspiring producer. “There are the artists that want the fame and money and there are the ones that make music because it’s what they’re passionate about. I think Kanye falls in the middle of that.” If there’s anyone who can handle the financial backlash of sampling, though, it’s West, the man charging $120 for a plain white “hip-hop t shirt.” Ricky Spicer, the former child music star and source of the “I’m Fallin’ in Love” refrain on Yeezus’s “Bound 2,” sued West along with Rock-AFella Records, Universal Music Group, Island DefJam Music, and Rhino Entertainment for using his voice without 50 11.14
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permission. Spicer performed the sampled “Bound” with the boy group the Ponderosa Twins Plus One. West would be required to pay Spicer a fee for the use of his tune or cease performance and recording of the song if it’s decided that his sampling does not constitute fair use. The doctrine of fair use and copyright law allow for the use of sampled material only if the amount of material borrowed is “not significant.” It never states, however, what the value of significant is. Girl Talk uses certain segments from different songs to compose his mashups, whereas West used the same short snippet several times throughout the song. “There’s a pretty thin line between using a four-second clip of a song and the whole chorus,” Podrid says. Fair use also covers projects that do not cause significant financial harm to the party being sampled. This is the argument that Ocean took in the case against Henley. No one who wants to hear “Hotel California” is going to settle for “American Wedding.” Anyone who wants to hear “Bound” isn’t going to be satisfied by the shred of the tune in “Bound 2.” It’s not unheard of to start remembering the lyrics to Weird Al Yankovic’s “The Saga Begins” when Don McLean’s “American Pie” comes on the radio, though. Parody is
NOISE covered completely under copyright law, so Weird Al can sample, like he does with “Polka Power;” assume the style of an artist, like he did with Devo's sound in “Dare To Be Stupid;” or use the entire composition for a lyrical adaptation, like in “Amish Paradise.” Rapper Coolio was not pleased when he heard his infamous “Gangster’s Paradise” revamped by Weird Al into an anthem for the Pennsylvania Dutch. Despite Yankovic’s assertions that Coolio gave the green light to the song, the Coolio camp denies giving the comedian permission. Yankovic isn’t required to ask artists for permission to parody their tunes, but makes a point to do so out of respect. “The idea of a rap song focusing on the Amish community is just ridiculous in itself,” Rubin says. Most artists find his bizarre adaptations to be a high form of flattery. According to a blog post on Yankovic’s website entitled “The Gaga Saga,” Lady Gaga, in April 2011, refused him permission to release his parody of her hit “Born This Way.” After an ordeal involving a hasty rough recording of the song for Gaga to approve, Gaga’s manager denied its intended release on Alpocalypse. Yankovic was covered in his parody under fair use and went on to publish the song online and postpone the release of his album. In the spirit of the song, Yankovic encouraged listeners to donate to the Human Rights Campaign, supporting a good cause while simultaneously ensuring that he would reap no financial benefit that could be used against him, should Gaga’s camp have taken him to court. “It’s just a good PR move,” Rubin says. The video of “Perform This Way” spread like wildfire over Twitter and YouTube, gaining over 2 million views shortly after its upload. The video made it all the way to the
Majesty of Little Monsters, where it was discovered that Gaga herself never got to preview the tune. As a self-described “huge Weird Al fan,” Gaga gave the go-ahead and Al was able to include the song on this album, continuing to donate any proceeds from the single to the Human Rights Campaign in the spirit of the “important gay rights anthem” on which it was based. “You could also say that it’s a tribute,” Podrid says. “There’s a certain degree of tribute that the artist is giving the original creator of the song.” It’s possible for artists to ask permission of the creator to use their work. The user can pay a flat fee to the original artist that usually falls between $250 and $10,000. The other option involves paying the creator of the source material a royalty for each use. That usually rakes in between one-half cent and 3 cents per usage. Sure, the Kanyes and Jay-Zs of the world can afford it, but basement DJs and fledgling musicians might not be able to swing the capital to acquire permission. “It will probably always continue to be done,” Podrid says. “It’s a resource for amateur musicians to get started, and that’s the positive to it. It motivates you to learn how to make the beats yourself and in that sense certain uses of samples can be kind of progressive.” Whether the ubiquitous use of samples is damaging or encouraging creativity in the music industry remains to be seen. Inspiration, however, has always come and will continue to be garnered from musicians who have come before. “If someone comes in with influence from a previous work, whether it’s conscious or not, and they make it sound like their own, that’s transformative,” Podrid says. “It’s like the telephone game. That’s how things evolve.” JM
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TAKE A hike Cold weather often calls for indoor seclusion. This month, make the best of chilly temperatures and explore the great Central New York outdoors. Get trekking with these tips on what to wear, where to go, and who to follow along the way.
trail tales
Last New Year’s Day while the rest of us were nursing our first hangover of 2014, Adam Wruck, a sophomore at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, was busy accomplishing a feat marginally more impressive than making it out of bed before 6 p.m. By 8 a.m., Wruck and his friends had arrived at the base of Mount Washington, which stands at an impressive 6,288 feet tall. Wruck calls the New Hampshire mountain “home to the world’s worst weather,” but they didn’t let the minus 15– degree temperature deter them. This group of friends had experience hiking through all kinds of weather conditions and had come prepared, dressed head to toe in outdoor gear with trekking poles in tow. Wruck and his cohorts knew that they had a long, cold day ahead of them. They planned to hike 12 miles: six up the mountain and six down. After about two hours of hiking, things took an unexpected turn as a winter weather front moved in. The mountain was coated in a fresh layer of
powdered snow, but Wruck and his friends weren't about to lose this uphill battle. They continued climbing. Two hours later and one mile short of the summit, Wruck and his pals entered the thick of it. With only one mile left, turning back was not an option. But by that time, a substantial amount of snow had accumulated. “At this point, the snow reached mid-thigh,” Wruck says. “We practically crawled up the last quarter mile until we reached the summit.” Even then Wruck and his company couldn’t catch a break—at the peak, the air cooled to minus 25 degrees, with a minus 20–degree windchill. Despite the subzero weather, Wruck has fond memories of his time at the peak of Mount Washington. “The top of the mountain was sublime. It was one of the most triumphant moments I’ve ever experienced,” Wruck says. As they descended the mountain, Wruck and his company realized that they were the only crew to reach the top that day—and the first to do so in 2104. JM
difficult
Main Trail HIGHLAND FOREST 28 miles from SU (36–minute drive) difficult
morgan hill long loop MORGAN HILL STATE FOREST 26 miles from SU (40–minute drive) moderate
vista TRAIL GREEN LAKES STATE PARK 10 miles from SU (22–minute drive) easy
WEST BRANCH TRAIL PRATTS FALLS 16 miles from SU (24–minute drive) easy
TINKER FALLS TRAIL LABRADOR HOLLOW UNIQUE AREA 22 miles from SU (26–minute drive)
app attack TAKE A HIKE WITH YOUR PHONE
Purchase these applications to find new trails, learn about the area, document your trip, and test out workouts. But don’t look at your phone for too long—you might miss the scenic views along the way.
ALLTRAILS
FREE
TRIPLEBLAZE
FREE
New to the area? Don’t sweat it. Discover hikes near you with AllTrails, your go-to app for appeasing your appetite for adventure. Hiker reviews and comments help you prep for what you’re getting yourself into. Choose from preprogrammed trails often explored by avid hikers or tread away from the beaten path and create your own. Designed specifically for the thrill seeker in you, this app clues you in on the nearest caves, campgrounds, and trails. No matter what gets your adrenaline pumping, Tripleblaze suggests products to bring on your trip whether you’re a newb or an expert. Read and share gear reviews and learn what equipment best suits you.
MAPMYHIKE
The hiker’s answer to MapMyRun, MapMyRide, and MapMyWalk, this app lets you log every part of your uphill battle. Record all the movements you make on your strenuous trip, check out your incline, and keep up with your calorie burn throughout the entire trek. Made for the fitness fanatic in you.
SUMMIT SEEKER
You gotta plan accordingly if you want to conquer the world’s tallest summits. Whether you plan to travel the globe one mountain at a time or hike the highest peaks in the country, this app helps you document your progress and share your feats with friends using its texting feature. Remember: you deserve those bragging rights.
FREE
$0.99
The Best Hiking Instagrams
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The Real Hiking Viking
AMERICAN HIKING
INSTAGRAM, @therealhikingviking
INSTAGRAM, @americanhiking
This “bearded warrior” takes you on a photo journey through his thousand-mile, oh-so-hairy adventures. This year, along with his team of outdoorsmen, he’s aiming to complete a 3,100–mile trek from North America to Mexico to Canada.
Environmental preservation and outdoor trekking go hand in hand. The American Hiking Society gives you the best of unnecessarily filtered photos straight from nature preservers. With this account in your feed, conservation may be your new thing.
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4
HIKE OR DIE
TEAM.TURNT.UP
INSTAGRAM, @hikeordie
INSTAGRAM, @team.turnt.up
Two guys take trudging through the woods, Just when you thought hiking couldn’t get across mountains, or wherever their boots any better, the “turned up team” added a may lead them to a whole new level. Aside dog to the equation. This hiking team from surreal snapshots of their worldwide brought along their canine companion as adventures, the duo also produces videos they hiked the Appalachian Trail. With a that bring their viewers with them every pooch by their side, who knows where step of the way. they'll end up next.
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MY HIKING ADVENTURES
HIKER GALS
INSTAGRAM, @myhikingadventures
INSTAGRAM, @hikergals
A self-proclaimed “Mountain Mama” and her adorable little girl began their hiking journey from the womb. Now, with her munchkin strapped to her back, the mom continues to make her enthusiasm for trail traveling a family affair.
Empowering women through the exploration of the great outdoors, these gals from the Northwest have already hiked 900 miles together. Check out everything from their on–the–trail eats to what they don on their feats.
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shit to bring YOUR CNY HIKING ESSENTIALS WATER BOTTLES
hiking boots
The classic Nalgene wide spout is the way to go and runs between $7 to $15. Avoid bottles with thin nozzles for overnight—water will freeze if it's cold.
If there's one thing you shouldn't cheap out on, it's your hiking boots. Miserable feet equal miserable hike. The key to happiness is comfortable, headlamp waterproof, high-top hiking boots. Brands like Kane, There’s nothing cool about Merrell, Cushe, and Asolo being lost and blind in the offer good pairs for around woods. A basic Black $150. If you’re planning on Diamond headlamp will set doing some moderate rock you back about $50. scrambling, opt for an approach shoe, a hybrid between hiking boots and climbing shoes, from brands such as Evolve, Five Ten, and Adidas. TIP: Break them the fuck in before you go.
socks Keep your feet warm and odor-free with SmartWool socks, which usually cost between $15 and $25.
swiss army knife The blade is the jack of all trades, from opening your beer to spreading your peanut butter. Basic models run for $15, make it fancy for up to $200.
backpacks For a day trip, 20–liter packs should do, 30 liters at the most if you're packing heavy. REI offers great packs for the money, usually ranging from $70 to $100. The most important thing is that it's comfortable and fits properly on your back.
Layers When it gets chilly, a layering system is your lifeline. You’ll want some sort of fleece and a layer of synthetic warmth, like a puffy down jacket, which are both lightweight and warm. Patagonia, Eddie Bauer, North Face, and First Offense offer options with varying prices. WARNING: When down gets wet, it no longer insulates.
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REWIND
POKEMON ´ By Ryan Drum : Illustration by Adrian Hatch
When we weren’t watching Return of the remakes to include “Mega Evolutions.” In King or listening to “Lose Yourself” on 2003, Torchic’s final evolution was Blaziken, our third generation iPods, we spent Mudkip’s was Swampert, and Treecko’s was time in 2003 in a place called Hoenn. This Sceptile. This November, that all changes as mystical world filled with forests, caves, Mega Blaziken, Mega Swampert, and Mega and powerful creatures was the setting of Sceptile enter the fray alongside numerous Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, two games other fan-favorites on steroids. that singlehandedly made spending our One of the most iconic features of allowances on a Gameboy Advance totally Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire were the worth it. Now, more than a decade after “secret bases.” Finding rare furniture its release, a new generation of Pokémon and items for these little homes often Masters and nostalgia-seeking Millennials commanded more time than actually will have the chance to walk, bike, and jog battling Pokémon. The feature was beloved through the Hoenn region once again when by Pokémon fans, but was mysteriously Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire omitted from all other Pokémon games. hit shelves Nov. 21. With Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, The official remakes to the 2003 we finally get our bases back. More furniture, classics bring back everything that made the ability to share bases with friends, the originals so memorable while also and the chance to turn your base into a introducing a slew of new features. Though private Pokémon gym make for welcome the games’ details remain largely secret, additions to an already awesome feature. various official trailers, leaked videos, and Screenshots have confirmed that flat screen Japanese magazines have confirmed the TVs, beanbag chairs, and water slides will big similarities and differences we’ll see make their debuts as well. between the classics and the remakes. Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire have Players are once again tasked with been anticipated for years. Sure, the choosing their character between the fire- Pokémon we know and love will be heftier, spitting chicken Torchic, the water-shooting the bases swankier, and the graphics fancier, amphibian Mudkip, and the tree-loving but something tells me that once we hear gecko Treecko. An already difficult choice is that music, pick our starter, and fight our made even more complex as Omega Ruby first battle, this game will bring out the kid and Alpha Sapphire mark the first Pokémon in us all the same. JM
FLASH
REVIEWS
We judge albums by their singles.
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Artist
Albums
Songs
Release Date
Les Sins
Michael
"Bother"
Nov. 4
iamamiwhoami
BLUE
"Fountain"
Nov. 10
T V On The Radio
Seeds
"Happy Idiot"
Nov. 18
Rating
ALTRUIST
TAYLOR SWIFT By Eric King
THE DEAL: Unsolicited awards show dancer Taylor Swift has been on the country music radar ever since her self-titled first album dropped in 2006, much to the joy of teenage girls with cowboy boots and flannels and no reason to wear them. The country princess ascended to worldwide fame with three hitfactory albums: Fearless, Speak Now, and Red, each one poppier than the one before. During her transition from slammin’ screen doors to creating indie records, the fashion world sanctified her as a patron saint of crop tops, miniskirts, and the red lip. Her latest single, “Shake It Off,” shook off any remaining country influences and twerked its way right into the top ten. THE ISSUE: Now people are asking, Who the hell is this girl? Is she country? Is she pop? She cries at awards shows when she wins and her lyrics are limited to getting her feelings hurt by boys. She makes it hard for mainstream audiences to take her seriously and more importantly, genuinely. She dates men publicly, so obviously she can’t be a good role model for young girls. THE (big) ISSUE: There are a lot of factors at play here. People like to compartmentalize. Audiences like to put artists into boxes based on characteristics and sound. When the artists don't stay put, audiences revolt. It happened when Lady Gaga dove into EDM with Artpop. It happened when Sutton Foster went from Broadway to TV. And when Julia Roberts showed up at the Emmys, that was weird for everyone. Women like Taylor
Swift also make great straw men: uppermiddle class, white, blonde, pretty, legs for days, and, of course, sweet as sugar. No one wants to believe that naturally blessed people also have to work for their success.
THE DEFENSE: 1989, which dropped Oct. 27, is Swift’s first real pop album. She spent Red testing the waters of pop, seeing if she was ready to tackle it. Four number one singles prove that she is. Perhaps we will see a new breed of pop star in Miss Swift, one who doesn't have—and doesn't need—a big ass, big boobs, and killer dance moves. She won’t let genre define her. People get wound up because she comes from country music—and if you don't like country music, you hate it. Personality-wise, Swift may be an unintentional gossipmonger, but she’s also one of the world’s most fervent supporters of being yourself. She’s a loyal and fierce defender of people’s feelings. She is accessible. Her awkward honesty rivals only that of Jennifer Lawrence. In September, she acquired a personal Tumblr and tumbles like a superstar. And after seeing the light that is Lena Dunham, she now calls herself a feminist, giving a big ole “fuck you!” to those who say she isn’t a good role model for young women. Her music veers increasingly from boy-centric to Taylor-centric, demonstrating less of a dependence on men and a stronger sense of self. Who wouldn't want their daughter listening to that? For now, people will bitch about her cat Instagrams, and Taylor will just keep dancing around the kitchen in the refrigerator light.JM
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AMPLIFIED
THE OVERNIGHTERS By Collin Gordinier : Photography by Katy Beals
Band members: Zach Clidonna (Bass), Rob McCall (Lead Vocals/Guitar), Jake Toscano (Guitar), and Nick Toscano (Drums) · Where they’re from: Syracuse (Zach’s from Utica)—LeMoyne University · Started playing/writing: 2 years ago · Sound like: Incubus, Third Eye Blind, Three Doors Down Q: How did you guys meet? Jake: Me and the drummer are brothers. Rob and I have known each other since elementary school. Zach: We met from different bands. We kinda formed our thing from there. I went to Le Moyne and that’s where I met Rob and became better friends with him. Q: Explain the name. Rob: So you know how colleges host “overnights”? One of my friends was like, “Did you see the overnighters last night?” and we kinda looked at each other with that look, y’know? Q: What inspires your music? Zach: I definitely get a lot of drive for my playing from what these guys make. There’s some good chemistry here. We bounce off of each other. We listen to other bands around here, too, and flatten a lot of stuff out. Jake: I like to write the guitar part first and then add lyrics later. Everything flows naturally from there. Rob: I incorporate lots of storytelling. 60 11.14
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Q: You have a professional blunt roller like Waka Flocka Flame. Who is it and why? Rob: Samuel L. Jackson. He’d provide comic relief and be real sassy. I’d like to mess with him. Jake: Charlie Sheen or Rob Lowe. Q: You’re making an awesome mixtape for your son á la Guardians of the Galaxy. What music do you put on it and what do you call it? Jake: “In Da Club” by 50 Cent. That song is gonna last forever. Zach: This is tough. My whole mixtape would just be albums. I dunno, “Funky Cold Madina” or “Born to Run” by Bruce Springsteen. “Hey Jude.” That’s one of the most beautiful Beatles songs. Q: You invite a girl over to “study,” with fingers crossed you score. What movie or song do you put on to seal the deal? Rob: I was gonna say Marley and Me, but I’d cry the whole time. I’d play “Only Love” by Ben Howard or watch Good Will Hunting—not because it’s sexy, but because it’s so good. JM
SYNAPSE
CUISINE CONSCIOUS No boundaries exist when it comes to food and drink. The two unite people across cultures out of their necessity, deliciousness, and unfortunately, sometimes the lack thereof altogether. Get some facts, fodder, and fun out of this month’s media montage on all things edible.
NON-FICTION: The Heineken Story Remembering last night’s shenanigans always proves difficult, but Barbara Smit manages to recount 150 years of the European enterpriser’s rise to the top of the world’s collective bar glass. Out Nov. 6, The Heineken Story narrates numerous tales of competition and betrayal in pursuit of a social network hazier than Jesse Eisenberg and Justin Timberlake could ever imagine.
FICTION: You Have to Fucking Eat Nothing teaches children how the hell to do something correctly like a picture book does. That’s why You Have to Fucking Eat is an inappropriate must-read for youngins and grownups alike. On Nov. 12, picky eaters will finally be put to the test—and anxious parents to rest—with this humorously tangible take on learning to eat one’s veggies.
FILM: Food Chains From human rights abuses to unpaid labor, this documentary exposes exploitation in Florida’s tomato fields in the name of our fast food-focused society. Food Chains follows the Coalition of Immokalee Workers as members hold a six-day food strike outside Publix, a supermarket chain that refuses to pay an extra cent per pound of tomatoes to ensure fair labor.
TV: Sarah Graham's Food Safari Bring a taste of Africa to your kitchen table and follow foodie extraordinaire Sarah Graham’s feasting journey. The television series will fill both your stomach and heart as you watch Graham travel throughout the continent sharing stories and meals. This month, tune into the Food Network to see how food can fill more than just your stomach.
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NOISE DISCOVERSYR
BOOKS &
Melodies Print upstairs, tunes downstairs.
By Benjamin Farr : Photography by Thomas Dilandro
Nestled across from a barber shop and a tattoo parlor on James Street in Eastwood, Books and Melodies is a sprawling book and record store with multiple packed rooms, little to no organization, and an unnaturally quirky personality for such a drab building. Started in 1985 by a couple who scoured estate sales for goods to sell, the shop continues to hold its own in terms of incredible selection and a staff to match. Now solely staffed and owned by Johnny D. Goode, patrons of the store agree that it is in its best incarnation yet. “People really liked that they could visit the store and 62 11.14
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browse. Other owners used to chase people, yell, and bang on their cars for not buying anything,” Goode says. Walk into Books and Melodies, and one thing is immediately clear: This is a place that oozes personality. Each room has its own theme. The record basement, with its exposed pipes and scent de dungeon, stands in stark contrast to an all-beige, shelved room upstairs that’s lit only by oldfashioned green ceramic lamps. A stroll from one expanse to the other reveals an array of smells, from the $1.50 Saturday Evening Post bin’s old print accents to the reggae paraphernalia’s more herbal tones.
DISCOVERSYR
Music is cluttered & mixed in random areas.
Antique lamps lighten up the electric space.
Books & records on display in the dimly-lit basement.
Goode recommends washing up after a day there, just to get all the psychic energy off you. Prices, selection, and organization are wholly dependent on employee’s moods and senses of humor. A popular sale from last year required that one wear nothing but a sleeveless flannel in the dead of winter to get 44 percent off a purchase. If you have a shopping list that includes artwork from Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, young-adult fare, a vinyl copy of Rumors, and Oboe sheet music, then you’re in luck. Even in an era teeming with e-books and iTunes, Goode believes in the
importance of the product he sells. “In two or three years the Internet will crash and books will be the only way you can read,” Goode says. Customers share these values. An elderly man can't be bothered as he browses, pausing only to say: “Here to read, not talk.” When you shop at Books and Melodies, you become part of the store. You gain membership in a place brimming with personality, where punk bands practice and people brew ideas. One such idea: a speakeasy in the basement. The store's psychedelic ambiance and unorthodox organization lends itself to the exploration of new ideas. JM
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SPEAKEASY
Pulitzer Prize winner and Newhouse alum Eli Saslow talks about being first, being sick, and being downright determined. By Sarah Schuster
JERK Magazine: In the type of reporting covered in your Pulitzer Prize–winning series on food stamps, how do you fight sounding bureaucratic while staying true to the story? Eli Saslow: Most things in the world are not simple, and the biggest problems that our country faces are never simple. If we’re writing about those things in reductive or basic ways, we’re not doing anybody justice. If you don’t know a lot about something, it’s easy to feel like you’re certain about it. The best journalism questions that assumption and fills it with new storylines. JM: What’s more important: being first or reporting in-depth stories? ES: They’re both important. It’s important to be first. It might be because I’m not good at it, but it’s not the kind of journalism that I do. The other kind of journalism is to write the story that’s most lasting and most memorable. A year later, you remember the stories that take you to an intimate place. JM: What are some of your favorite memories from Syracuse? ES: My sophomore year I was a train
wreck. I was working at The Daily Orange all the time, barely keeping my grades respectable, and putting my body through the wringer every weekend. I was sick for six months straight. Best kind of sick ever. I was depleted, but I was doing what I wanted to do. JM: What was your favorite story you wrote while you were at Syracuse? ES: One of my best friends at Syracuse was Chico Harlan, who works for the Washington Post now, too. We did a story together my senior year about an SU basketball player named DeShaun Williams who terrorized the campus for years. He punched out Otto the Orange, ripped off the door of his girlfriend’s apartment, and then fell asleep during his trial. Chico and I wanted to do a story that went deep into his character and his time at Syracuse. I’m sure there are things about the writing I would cringe at now, like the scene of him getting a blowjob at a bar. We were afraid he would come on campus and find us. That story got him kicked off the new team he was on. More than any other story and any other thing, this propelled me to do the journalism that I wanted to do. JM
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OBITCHUARY
xx
THE 90s CAUSE OF DEATH: Excessive Nostaglia Jan. 1, 1990 – 2014 By Remington Bennett The 90s lived a beautiful 10 years of uninterrupted bliss. She was born right out of an era that celebrated the mullet and brought five students together to spend their iconic Saturday morning in detention. The decade was a middle child—so she had a lot to live up to. Little 90s could not just create its own Brat Pack without being compared to her older sibling, the 80s. In a desperate attempt to stand out, she painted everything neon and put Robin Williams in a dress. The 90s had a good run. Some of her major successes include Angelina Jolie’s chola eyebrows, thigh-high socks, plaid skirts, and the pinnacle of human perfection: 1997 Leo Dicaprio. The 90s did not force people to drink Kool-Aid. As if. It was all about Surge. Lindsay Lohan had a twin that no one ever saw again, and Dawson cried on a deck. Up until this point, 90s’ life had been all that—get it? The 90s hit her peak of cartoon excellence and pop divas, but as the turn
of the millennium approached, people went crazy. The 90s’ last wish as a decade powerhouse was to retire and live out her final years in peace—maybe get a condo in Boca Raton. However, people could not accept the 90s’ demise and tried to bring it back with incessant BuzzFeed quizzes, endless Thought Catalog listicles, and excessive nostalgia. People thought this wistfulness would revive her. In actuality, the continual throwbacking drained every ounce of life the she had left, sending her straight into an untimely grave. The passing of the 90s broke the hearts of Full House fans and Millennials everywhere. Everyone will mourn the 90s and all she did for Jennifer Aniston’s career. She showed us that frosted tips are never okay— no offense, JT—and that you can’t convert to Judaism just for the jokes. Sadly, we all must move on. She is survived by denimon-denim outfits and dusty Beanie Babies collections in your parents’ basement. JM
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CLOSET CASE
DRESSED TO THE BONE
Sometimes temporary fashion statements just don’t cut it. These inked aficionados made things permanent with statements that go beyond skin deep. Photos by Rina Matsuno-Kankhetr
"My side-rib tattoo is a quote written in my mom’s handwriting. I got it after coming home to Seattle from Syracuse for the first time. After being so far away from my family, I had figured out what was truly important to me. The quote acts as my daily reminder to handle my struggles with grace and a smile. It also prompts me to greet hurtful people and situations with love—never bitterness."
—khianna
calica
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"My tattoo is Benjamin Franklin's 'Join, or Die' political cartoon, drawn to suggest that the colonies should create a unified government. I really enjoy what the cartoon came to represent to the American Patriots—eternity, vigilance, unity, and prudence. I’m a military veteran, and I consider this a patriotic tattoo that suggests America should be unified against oppression."
—shawn
weismiller
"I got my jumping deer tattoo when I was 17. I chose the spot because I loved this blues musician, Stevie Ray Vaughan, who had a phoenix tattoo on his chest. My back tattoo is part of Psalm 42 in Latin, minus the religious reference. Translated: 'just as the deer desires the spring of water…'. To me, it means that whatever motivates someone in life should be as primal as the need for water."
—rachel
bass
FORM & FUNCTION How To Dress Like An SA Representative
Orange and blue striped tie: There's no sharper accessory than school pride.
iPad: Your notes are obviously too advanced for pen and paper.
Full suit: You may or may not be meeting with the chancellor today.
Business cards: If they don't remember your name, they won't remember to vote for you.
Reusable SA cup: Gotta represent that wastecutting initiative you just proposed.
Ultra-polished shoes: The shinier your shoes, the more you care about your constituents.
PHOTOGRAPHER: Rina Matsuno-Kankhetr STYLIST: Leigh Miller MODEL: Ivan Rosales
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