NYU’s Daily Student Newspaper
WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS Vol. 42, No. 16
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2014
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
‘Branched’ perplexes viewers
The world needs to call North Korean crimes what they are.
The Off-Broadway play offers a unique take on naturality. STORY on PG. 4
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Multipurpose cosmetics make life easy
DPRK guilty of genocide
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Think tank analyzes Instagram future
Study shows HIV program success
By KAVISH HARJAI
The 2014 Instagram intelligence report of Stern professor Scott Galloway’s L2 Think Tank, a research company dedicated to assessing the presence of brands in social media, found that Instagram garners 15 times the number of clicks on advertisements than other platforms normally do, including its owner Facebook. For this study, L2 collaborated with Olapic, a visual e-commerce start-up that curates consumer-generated photos and organizes them based on the brand they represent. The study analyzed the presence of 249 brands, 93 percent of which have an Instagram account. Instagram continues to amass a large pool of users. It currently has 150 million monthly users that were obtained twice as fast as Facebook had attained the same number of users.
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By ANJANA SREEDHAR
Schoolboy Q challenges West Coast hip-hop with “Oxymoron” release The rapper performs in New York City. His most recent LP is one of many released on Feb. 25.
STORY ON PAGE 5
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An NYU Center for Drug Use and HIV Research study released on Feb. 21 said programs such as drug counseling, needle exchanges and rehab have a higher effect on the reduction of HIV transmission and death of heterosexuals as opposed to any other solution. According to the study, little research has been done on the relationships between high-risk groups — males having sex with males and drug users — and heterosexuals. The study’s objective was to determine whether HIV/ AIDS transmission among said high-risk groups influenced the chance of transmission to heterosexuals. The study also sought to understand the effects of prevention programs on different populations and the correlations of epidemics between these groups. UCLA AIDS Institute researcher Steve Shoptaw acknowledges the
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Fusion honors women in film Fashion sites mix style with By MARISSA ELLIOT LITTLE
The board of the Fusion Film Festival — launched 11 years ago — received a record-breaking 445 submissions this year, firmly establishing the festival as the premier studentrun film event at NYU. The scale and magnitude are unparalleled by organizations across various media and disciplines. Next month, the success will continue for co-directors and Tisch students Natalie Erazo, Darian Lanzetta, Nicole Quintero and Lucy Ross, with support from faculty advisor Susan Sandler. The three-day festival will conclude by naming the first
Fusion Film Festival Woman of the Decade — outgoing Tisch dean Mary Schmidt Campbell. During her tenure, Campbell has made great strides to increase the number of female students at Tisch. Before this closing ceremony, Fusion will host a variety of events, ranging from typical festival fare such as screenings and industry panels to pitch meetings and master classes. This year, one panel topic will be women in animation. Another panel will comprise writers and producers from the television shows “House of Cards,” “Nurse Jackie” and “The Americans.”
Susan Margolin, president of Documara Entertainment Group, will discuss film distribution at a brunch. There will also be a screening of “Gregory Go Boom,” the Sundance award-winning short by NYU alumna Janicza Bravo featuring Michael Cera. Ross said the workload is comprable to a full-time job. “But then you see your peers’ work on the big screen and have your breath taken away,” Ross said. “It just really makes you step back and go, ‘Wow. This is why we do this. This is why I’m here.’” Quintero also said despite the hard work, the
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affordability for students By MAGGIE O’NEILL
With department store and boutique prices as high as ever, dealhunting is looking more attractive, especially if it can be done online. There are many websites that make it possible to find the perfect, affordable outfits. Piperlime.com is useful when looking for pieces to add to your wardrobe, carrying discounted items from brands such as Free People, French Connection, Marc by Marc Jacobs and Kate Spade New York. There are typically between 90 and 100 brands to choose from under the website’s sale section. The shipping is free with a $50 minimum purchase, which you can
take advantage of when stocking up on spring staples. Steinhardt freshman Skyye James said she is an avid Piperlime user. “When I was packing for a summer program, I had a huge list of summer clothes to get,” James said. “My friend introduced me to Piperlime and they had everything for awesome prices.” Another place to search for apparel and accessories is hautelook.com. Hautelook, a Nordstrom company, has no membership fee, free shipping on orders over $100 and an easy, hassle-free return policy. The discounts are also alluring — you can find a Calvin Klein dress marked
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Zorzi Students can attend a seminar led by William Zorzi, the screenwriter of the HBO series “The Wire.” The event will be held on the eighth floor of 239 Greene Street from 5 to 7:30 p.m.
“Exit Zero” “Exit Zero” will be screened today at the Michelson Theater from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. A discussion will be led by Christine Walley, the director of the documentary, after the screening.
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The Color Bind
This week’s snapshot theme is home. Here is today’s interpretation.
PHOTO BY WARD PETTIBONE
Wagner associate professor Erica Foldy will launch her book “The Color Bind: Talking (and Not Talking) About Race at Work” today. The event will be on the second floor of 295 Lafayette St. at 6 p.m. TODAY’S EVENTS ARE FREE FOR NYU STUDENTS.
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About WSN: Washington Square News (ISSN 15499389) is the student newspaper of New York University. WSN is published Monday through Thursday during NYU’s academic year, except for university holidays, vacations and exam periods. Corrections: WSN is committed to accurate reporting. When we make errors, we do our best to correct them as quickly as possible. If you believe we have erred, contact managing editor Michael Domanico at managing@nyunews.com or at 212.998.4302.
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INSTAGRAM continued from PG. 1
HIV continued from PG. 1
Think tank study endorses advertisements for Instagram
The results of the report indicate that Instagram will make $250 to $400 million in revenue this year, which could be augmented if Instagram allows companies to utilize increased advertising strategies such as a “push to buy” button or direct links to their website. Currently, Instagram does not allow these features. The study also indicated that adding consumer-generated photos, such as those taken with Instagram, of a company’s goods would increase the amount of consumers from 5 to 7 percent. Laura Selfridge-Black, marketing associate of L2, said the consumer generated photos add a social aspect to products. “A lot of people already have a tendency to show their new shoes on Instagram or their new coat, so in that way I can see it making all these products more available and seeing more people buy it for that reason,” Selfridge-Black said. However, students have raised concerns about an increased advertising presence on Instagram. LS freshman Amelia Zack said her Instagram is dedicated to showcasing her life, and an increased advertising presence would negatively affect her user experience. “Even though the app is only a picture and video source, having advertisements or products would discourage me from using the app,” Zack said. “Many apps that showcase pictures of products with links to their website already exist. Adding the complexity of the advertising comple-
ment to the app would dilute my experience.” For certain brands, however, follower count increased after using Instagram sponsored posts. “A few people did not like the content but overall the response was very positive,” SelfridgeBlack said. “The first Instagramsponsored posts were released Nov. 1, 2013, and were targeted only by age and gender.” Many companies used sponsored ads, but Michael Kors excelled by amassing 33,000 new followers 18 hours after the sponsored ad was released. All the brands that participated saw a 32-percent increase in the number of consumers that were able to recall the ad. Stern freshman Meghna Pakala said advertising on Instagram would be more beneficial and attention grabbing than on other social media platforms. “With Instagram, everything is visual and pictures definitely capture more attention than tweets or Facebook posts,” Pakala said. “If there was a direct link to goods from Instagram posts, I can only imagine how quickly I would be materially rich and cash poor.” Despite these findings, Facebook remains quiet on their future strategy regarding Instagram. Selfridge-Black said this may be because Facebook wants to maintain the original use of Instagram, which is to share and post photos without any commerce-related motivation. Kavish Harjai is a news editor. Email him at kharjai@nyunews.com.
Drug rehabilitation proves effective in fight against HIV
importance of the study’s findings but said there are other human variables to consider when examining HIV transmission. “We know that there are often lots of other variables that determine health in people, especially those who use drugs and are at risk for HIV,” Shoptaw said. Shoptaw said he and his colleague Pamina Gorbach were awarded a grant to study the interaction between drugs and the immune system of gay and bisexual males who are substance abusers. “We’ll also be looking at larger variables like incarceration and different sorts of things that are affecting minority gay men,” Shoptaw said. Despite the research’s focus on heterosexual men, there has been an increase in HIV among young homosexual and bisexual men in urban areas, according to a study done by the CDC in 2012. Tisch sophomore and LGBTQ student leader Mars Marson
said more research exclusively on HIV transmission in the LGBTQ community is necessary. “I don’t think the findings reduce stereotypes because [they weren’t] based on finding out how HIV was spread to different communities or how to prevent it,” Marson said. Steinhardt sophomore Veronika Gadow said it is important to study these groups and apply insights from the study to the larger issue. “Historically speaking, the fact that research only began after HIV/AIDS affected the heterosexual population is detrimental, but the fact that they’re doing research and that they’re claiming that little research has been done about finding links between the transmission of HIV/AIDS opens up the possibility for new research,” Gadow said. Anjana Sreedhar is a staff writer. Email her at news@nyunews.com.
In his 2014 State of the Judiciary address, New York’s Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman announced the Pro Bono Scholars Program, which allows thirdyear law students to take New York’s bar exam during the February of their spring semester instead of the July after graduation. In exchange, students must serve the state’s poorer citizens through pro bono collaboration
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Third-year law students can take the bar exam in February.
with a law firm, corporation or service provider. Pro bono collaboration means students are unpaid, but the exchange will fulfill academic requirements through curriculum integration in New York’s 15 law schools. Facing the lowest number of first-year applicants since 1977, law schools across the country are adapting their curricula to fit current economic realities. “We know that the landscape for legal education and legal employment is undergoing major structural change across the nation,” Lippman said in his address. “Rather than discarding the third year of law school, why not give law students choices that can make all three years of law school more meaningful and worthwhile?” In response to these challenges, Lippman and New York’s courts developed a program that provides valuable experiential learning and confronts the state’s problem of under representing poor defendants.
ABU DHABI
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The annual Abu Dhabi Festival, slated to begin on March 2, will include programs aimed at drawing attention to underprivileged groups, particularly impoverished women and children. — THE NATIONAL LONDON
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The London Fire Brigade has reported that intentionally-started fires in London have dropped by a staggering 87 percent over the past 10 years. Officials have attributed this in part to a reduction in the number of abandoned vehicles in the city, giving fewer opportunities to arsonists. — BBC LONDON PRAGUE
VIA WIKIPEDIA.ORG
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Research proves measures for preventing HIV are effective.
Law students to take bar exam earlier By ANDREW SPOHN
ON THE WIRE
Trevor Morrison, dean of NYU School of Law, said he applauds Lippman’s efforts. “Chief Judge Lippman is widely and justly admired as a leader in the effort to see that legal services are available to underserved populations,” Morrison said. NYU Law, a school known for its emphasis on public service, is now in the process of meeting the implementation standards set by the committee. “One of our top priorities will be to ensure that our implementation of this program is consistent with the rigorous academic standards that characterize all of our offerings at NYU Law,” Morrison said. “We will strive to [ensure] that the work our students perform is of the quality and type that meets the needs of the clients they serve.” Even though his class is not eligible, Andrew Neidhardt, a third-year student at the law school, said he would be glad to have this opportunity.
“It’s becoming increasingly clear to the legal profession that students are ready to begin their careers earlier than the traditional time frame allows,” Neidhardt said. “I am eager to begin practicing law after five semesters in the classroom.” In addition to accelerating job placement and work experience, Neidhardt said the program provides an avenue for concerned young law students to assist the state’s public-interest organizations in aiding the poor. “I know enough to understand that we are in a crisis of underfunding and mass incarceration,” he said. “I imagine that innovative legal aid offices would be able to find ways to train new lawyers to help with their caseload. If your goal is to help others, this program makes it easier to do that sooner.” Andrew Spohn is a staff writer. Email him at news@nyunews.com.
The Mayor of Prague has announced his desire to construct a memorial honoring first Czech President Vaclav Havel, who died in 2011 after years of human rights campaigning following his presidency. Prague officials are reportedly seeking a viable location for such a memorial. — PRAGUE POST SHANGHAI
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An amendment was passed in Shanghai on Feb. 25 that allows parents to have a second child if one of the parents is an only child. — BUSINESS STANDARD TEL AVIV
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The culinary event Open Restaurants will commence on Wednesday. The top chefs of Tel Aviv will be opening their restaurant doors to show the community the inner workings of their cooking. — THE NEW YORK TIMES
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NYU’s Fusion Film Festival highlights female talent
product of Fusion is well worth it. “We have created a platform for female filmmakers and storytellers to show their work and be celebrated,” Quintero said. “We’re getting our message out there.” The co-directors agreed that there is a lack of recognition for women in film and that the festival’s mission is to change that. They noted that, while many women are involved in the film industry, there are not enough opportunities to honor their work. “[Fusion is a] necessary response to the disparity between genders in the film industry,” Erazo said. Yet, while Fusion strives to recognize women in film, the co-directors stress that the festival wants to encourage collaboration in the industry.
“We are the champions of gender collaboration,” Erazo said. “People still know us as the ‘women’s festival,’ when we really just want to be known as a collaborative festival.” The co-directors hope that audiences and those in the industry will begin to appreciate film the way their festival does. “One day, the industry won’t be so focused on the ‘who’ and will be more focused on the ‘what,’” Ross said. “Great work is great work, whether it’s made by a dude or a dame is irrelevant when the story is authentic and inspiring.” The Fusion Film Festival opens March 6 and will run through March 8. All events are free and open to the public. Marissa Elliot Little is a staff writer. Email her at film@nyunews.com.
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The female-centric festival kicks off on March 4.
Comedy troupe North Coast impresses at People’s Improv By DYLAN JARRETT
For many college students, especially those living in New York City, attending a comedy show is like a rite of passage. It is easy to know someone in an improv group, which leads to a constant flood of invitations to comedy shows on Facebook. However, comedy performances are often hit or miss. While it is fun to perform improv, watching it can be risky. On the rare occasion that a group nails their show, the audience is rewarded with a solid night of hilarity. Comedy troupe North Coast had one such show over the weekend. A group that specializes in longform freestyle improv rap, North Coast has been performing in New York for two years. Six members joined by a beatboxer participated in their latest show at the People’s Improv Theater. The PIT has a distinctly cool vibe. In the front room is a bar with mood lighting where audiences can hang out before the show. There are two theaters in the building, one on the main floor and one in the basement. On Saturday night North Coast performed in the Underground theater. Fellow improv group Gadget, which also focuses on long-form improv, opened for North Coast. Rather than creating short, disconnected scenes (think “Whose Line Is It Anyway?”), the Gadget performers constructed an elaborately-woven narrative consisting of scenes that all related back to
the main plot of a circus, a renaissance fair and a particularly cunning elephant. The audience was receptive from the start, cheering on the performers in between bursts of laughter. North Coast then took the stage. They explained their routine — an improvised “hip-hopera,” a freestylerap story — and asked for a one-word suggestion from the audience. When someone suggested “circumference,” audience members surely doubted the groups ability to riff on the given subject. But North Coast did not disappoint, immediately jumping into a math class setting. Whether they were rapping about the teacher’s wife leaving him or mathematical formulas, the rhymes never failed to impress — just try asking anyone what rhymes with Pythagorean theorem. North Coast’s ability to maintain running gags throughout the entire show was equally
amazing, lending the performance a sense of continuity that is so often missing in improv shows. The members of the group clearly know one another well. The individual performers build upon each other’s jokes seamlessly, often shouting things in unison. The show also maintained the feeling of slapdash high energy and intensity that makes improv so much fun to watch. Best of all, each North Coast show is different, so returning for next month’s performance will provide comedy fans with a whole new set of laughs and a guaranteed great time. North Coast performs at the People’s Improv Theater, 123 E. 24th St., on the last Saturday of every month. Dylan Jarrett is books/theater editor. Email her at djarrett@nyunews.com.
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North Coast delivers laughs with their long-form improv.
Eccentric family comes to life in comedic ‘Branched’ By TALI KUHEL
No family is superior to the Jenkins-Laurences in the production “Branched: A Comedy with Consequences.” They eat a strict Paleo
diet, dress meticulously, speak in positive affirmations and even have nightly educational events in their living room, such as violin concerts performed by their only child, Benjamin (Michelle David).
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The premise of “Branched” may be too outlandish for some.
Tamara (Tara Westwood) is the vehement matriarch, who shamelessly quotes from the series of self-empowerment books she has written. Tamara is adamant about making sure her family lives a “natural” life, so she schedules family affirmations and lap time, where each family member sits on the others’ laps. Next on the agenda, her husband Martin (Andrew Blair) rubs her neck and whispers encouragements about their family’s superiority as their five-year-old son fondles her breasts. If this sounds like a far cry from the natural, it is — that is what this play is fighting to prove. The audience is forced to ask whether hyper-attentive and overbearing parenting methods are healthy for any family. The story of “Branched” unfolds from the birth of a new baby, some sort of bizarrely inhuman child-tree creature, that highlights the weirdness of their extreme natural lifestyle. It seems as though Tamara is so obsessed with living naturally
that the humanity is wrung out of her family’s lives. As the story progresses, Martin has an affair with Benjamin’s teacher, Belinda (Marguerite Stimpson). Benjamin eventually breaks down from the weight of his father’s secrets and it does not seem like “the power of the universe” or Tamara’s self-affirmations are making the slightest bit of difference. The small cast successfully portrays their caricatured personas, most notably Westwood’s rendition of Tamara’s Amazonian personality, which contrasts neatly with the submissive kindergarten teacher Belinda. Unfortunately, the elementary educator turned rule-breaking adulteress wilts under the intensity of Tamara’s presence. Martin’s excessively upbeat personality is on full blast while he is at home and disappears when he is with Belinda. Played with earnest high energy, Blair gives an enjoyable performance. However, Benjamin, a child played by an adult woman, is a
more difficult character to represent. Michelle David should be applauded for pulling out all the stops while attempting to embody a five-year-old boy, successfully adding a bit of humor to the play. Overall, “Branched” forces the audience to ask interesting questions. Robert Ross Parker’s unique stage direction works well for the small playhouse, in which cast members are very aware that the audience can see what happens between scenes. The high kicking, lunging and prancing of the four actors as they move props around only adds to the experience. The tree-baby situation is still a bit baffling, perhaps too overthe-top even for this all-natural themed production. Violet Theatre Company’s production of “Branched: A Comedy With Consequences” is playing at HERE in SoHo, 145 Sixth Ave., through March 8. Tali Kuhel is a staff writer. Email her at theater@nyunews.com.
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St. Vincent showcases bold, challenging sound on LP
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Clark is more confident than ever, and her boldness reverberates throughout the record. She morphs a space-age groove into a metal anthem on the phenomenal “Huey Newton” without batting an eyelash. The lead single “Digital Witness” finds her questioning millennial reliance on constant validation through social media. With a bouncing brass section backing an ’80s power pop chorus, it is easy to see how David Byrne’s theatricality has rubbed off on her. The fearlessness on this record also translates into some of Clark’s most emotionally direct material. Stretchy synth closer “Severed Crossed Fingers” reflects on a gut-wrenching missed connection while
“Prince Johnny” tells the story of self-destruction with a woozy beat and slick guitar. Clark’s “I Prefer Your Love” is the album’s most poignant song, a tender ballad of unconditional love written during her mother’s bout with illness. She has created a record that is her best commercially and features some of the most accomplished and intricately constructed music of her career thus far. In an age where popularity in the music business can lead to transparency, “St. Vincent” is a triumph and one of the most challenging pop releases in quite some time. Sal Maicki is a contributing writer. Email him at music@nyunews.com.
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SCHOOLBOY Q “Oxymoron”
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to capitalize on her success by taking a more sonically mainstream route on this record. “St. Vincent” is her most accessible release to date, but not because it was manufactured in a way to appeal to the masses. The artful weirdness and witty lyricism associated with Clark are still very present, even amplified at times. Producer John Congleton makes an effort to preserve the sound he and Clark have cultivated over her previous two solo LPs. Described by Clark as “a party record you could play at a funeral,” the album seamlessly merges bouncy pop and heavy rock. What sets the album apart from her previous releases is a newfound sense of extroversion.
BECK “Morning Phase”
world saturated with social media. This LP, Annie Clark’s fourth solo release under the moniker St. Vincent, is by no means depressive. Instead, it is her most invigorated and personal work to date. “St. Vincent” comes fresh off the heels of an incredibly fruitful past few years for Clark. After multiple world tours, an acclaimed collaborative album with David Byrne, guest stints on “Portlandia” and a gig at Diane von Furstenberg’s Spring 2014 fashion show, Clark has been propelled to celebrity status in the realm of alternative music. Parting with label 4AD for the Universal subsidiary Loma Vista, Clark took the opportunity
ST. VINCENT “St. Vincent”
By SAL MAICKI St. Vincent’s self-titled LP, released Feb. 25, opens with a discription of her wandering completely naked through a Texan desert. “Am I the only one in the only world?” she ponders with careful trepidation over a stuttering beat provided by Dap Kings percussionist Homer Steinweiss. What begins as a lament on existential loneliness quickly escalates into chaos when she realizes a rattlesnake is following her and the frenzied hell of a St. Vincent guitar solo is unleashed. “Rattlesnake” is a fitting opener for an album that grapples with the heavy themes of isolation and longing in a
Beck’s ‘Morning Phase’ Schoolboy Q shows multiple steady yet underwhelming sides with ‘Oxymoron’ By CHRIS FELDSINE
Beck’s music has always seemed strangely impersonal. This quality is particularly unusual, as one would assume that the singer-songwriter genre necessitates openness. While one would expect an idiosyncratic artist such as Beck to suffer from some insecurities, the artist has never seemed to be the misfit that he represents himself as. Indeed, it is difficult to determine who, precisely, Beck is. Is he the sardonic outcast of “Odelay?” Is he the pensive loner of “Mutations” and “Sea Change?” Is he the musical shapeshifter of “Guero” and “The Information?” There may not be a single, definitive Beck. Beck’s most poignant incarnation shines through on his newest release “Morning Phase,” released Feb. 25, which the artist has called a companion album to 2002’s haunting “Sea Change.” “Morning Phase” is a gently baroque record, exceptionally well-wrought and superbly produced. Meditative
and melancholic, the album contrasts with the flippancy and peculiarity typically associated with Beck. Every song coalesces so seamlessly that the record does not appear to be a collection of distinct songs so much as an extended musical collage, oscillating between quiet acceptance and tempered hope, yet never settling into a single mood. It is a calculated effort, a tour de force in a minor key. The producer’s vision for “Morning Phase” is realized successfully — the album makes it seem impossible for a better-executed record to be released this year — but this vision plays it too safe for an artist like Beck. The sense of tranquility that permeates each track is less compelling than the soul-rending anguish that prevails on “Sea Change.” Beck has matured on “Morning Phase,” but this sophistication is not aesthetically satisfying in comparison to the emotional nirvana that usually exists in rock music.
“Morning Phase” instead feels like a reminiscence — pained and fond. An album such as this, which keeps the emotional dial turned to “wistful,” is bound to overstay its welcome in the music mainstream. The sound is beautiful at fleeting moments, but “Morning Phase” is not nearly as affecting as it should be. The Beck heard on this new album enjoys life much more than the singer with whom fans have become acquainted. On past albums, however, Beck has proved that he is capable of much more. He has produced projects with the highs, lows and catharses of masterpiece albums like “Mellow Gold,” “Odelay” and arguably even the complex “Sea Change.” It will be exciting to witness the moment when Beck reaches these heights again. Chris Feldsine is a staff writer. Email him at music@nyunews.com.
By PETER SLATTERY
Of all the artists that make up the L.A. rap group Black Hippy, Schoolboy Q might be the hardest to pin down. The media generally labels Kendrick Lamar as the de facto leader of the group, Jay Rock as the burly voice of the street, Ab-Soul as the intellectual young buck and Schoolboy Q as … who, exactly? The oddball? The jester? The druggie? On Schoolboy Q’s third studio album and major label debut “Oxymoron,” released Feb. 25, the diversity of content and sounds shows that labeling Schoolboy Q would not make sense. He is angry, joyous and despondent all at once. Spoken by Schoolboy Q’s daughter Joy, the first words of the album opener “Gangsta” begin the project on a strange note. “Fuck rap,” Joy declares in her tiny voice, “my daddy a gangster.” Though a toddler proudly pronouncing profanity in baby talk is obviously a bit contradictory, there is a deeper thematic connection that binds the project together. As “Oxymoron” unfolds, the listener quickly understands that Schoolboy Q has had a tough past. Apart from some interludes about women and sex, the album primarily describes Schoolboy Q’s experiences dealing and abusing drugs. These are stories that any run-of-the-mill rapper could write, but “Oxymoron” has important nuances. Joy’s voice is the counterbalance to the street narrative, emerging in unexpected places on the album.
Schoolboy Q’s daughter is an encouraging force in his life, compelling him to take his responsibilities seriously, a dichotomy best explored in the soul-bearing track “Prescription/Oxymoron,” which complicates the album in a thought-provoking way. Though most of Schoolboy Q’s raps are not particularly lyrical, his straightforward stories create a compelling narrative that drives the album. “Break the Bank” and “Hoover Street” put listeners in a drug dealer’s mind with gripping vividness while in “Blind Threats,” the rapper reaches a new level of introspection. While Schoolboy Q does not often feature shrewd metaphors, his nonchalant lines about drugs and crime consistently hit the listener in the gut. Songs like “Break the Bank,” “Collard Greens” and “Man of the Year” immediately stand out, while ill-fitting, cacophonous tracks like “Los Awesome” could probably have been cut. “Oxymoron” is a great listen during parties and late nights, but the album cover suggests that there is more to the music than that. It is not just Schoolboy Q smoking at a party or selling drugs on the street — it is his daughter Joy wearing a chain and one of her father’s signature bucket hats. It stops fans in their tracks and gives them pause. It is thoughtprovoking — a contradiction, an oxymoron. Peter Slattery is a staff writer. Email him at music@nyunews.com.
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WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2014 | NYUNEWS.COM
The New York Times Syndication Sales Corporation 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10018 For Information Call: 1-800-972-3550 For Release Wednesday, February 26, 2014
THE NEW YORK TIMES CROSSWORD & DAILY SUDOKU Crossword ACROSS
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NYUNEWS.COM | WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2014 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS
OPINION
EDITED BY PETER KEFFER OPINION@NYUNEWS.COM
HUMAN RIGHTS
North Korean crimes constitute genocide By PETER KEFFER
A commission at the United Nations accused the North Korean government of committing crimes against humanity in a report released on Feb. 17. The investigation documented an extensive list of crimes — “extermination, murder, enslavement, torture, imprisonment, rape, forced abortions and other sexual violence, persecution on political, religious, racial and gender grounds, the forcible transfer of populations, the enforced disappearance of persons and the inhumane act of knowingly causing prolonged starvation.” It is important that the phrase “crimes against humanity” never loses its meaning. It refers to acts so monstrous that they devalue the dignity of every single human being — living, dead and not yet born. Despite the propriety of this comprehensive phrase, it fails to capture the crushing expanse of the Kim dynasty. There is, and has been, a genocide in North Korea. The UN is too timid to acknowledge it. The 1947 draft of the Genocide Convention defined genocide as the “destruction of racial, national, linguistic, religious or political groups of human
beings.” Joseph Stalin objected to the inclusion of political groups, and the phrase was deleted. Accordingly, the U.S.S.R. was not held accountable for the murder of 20 million innocents during the Great Purge. The document now defines genocide as an act “committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group.” Those who think that this definition shields North Korea from prosecution for genocide are mistaken. The phrase “in whole or in part” closes the gap available to Stalin in the years after World War II. A literal interpretation of the document allows for political killings to be considered genocidal, and they should be. The North Korean government holds around 180,000 people in gulag-like political prisons where they suffer enslavement, torture and rape.
A million people are thought to have died in this captivity. A further 3.5 million have died during a famine caused by government policies. The comparisons to Nazi Germany are appropriate and the parallels are direct. Still, there is no mention of the word genocide in the entire report from the UN commission. Its absence prompts further questions. There is a legal duty embedded in the convention to “prevent and punish” genocide. This duty can be, and has been, easily avoided by misleading words. Former President Bill Clinton knew that genocide had engulfed Rwanda in April 1994 but his administration labeled it “black on black violence” to justify his inaction. Leaked minutes show that American and British diplomats used the term genocide in private. Clinton apologized to the Rwandan people from the steps of Air Force One. He said, “never again must we be shy in the face of evidence.” There is an omission in the UN report and the world’s superpowers cannot shy away from acknowledging it. Peter Keffer is opinion editor. Email him at pkeffer@nyunews.com.
PUBLIC HEALTH
Fight to end child obesity needs bigger push By KENNY KYUNGHOON LEE
As child obesity increases, pediatric surgeons in the United States are faced with a new predicament — the lowering age of weight-loss surgery recipients. According to the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, one of many concerns with pediatric weight-loss surgeries is that there is no data available on how the abrupt change in nutrition could affect long-term brain development and sexual maturation. Despite possible side effects, the demand from families to operate on younger children is increasing. This trend is consistent with the view that child obesity poses a great health risk to our society. According to the American Heart Association, one-third of American teenagers today are overweight or obese. If this trend continues, 18 percent of U.S. health expenditures will be spent on treating child obesity by 2030. Some studies link poor parenting to child obesity. According to a University of Illinois study, easily distressed parents who are dismissive of their children’s emotions are more likely
SUBMITTING TO
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to resort to comfort feeding. They are also less likely to organize family mealtimes that promote a healthier diet. However, only blaming parents will not solve the impending crisis. Child obesity is a complex social problem, and poor parenting is not solely accountable for the epidemic. A November 2013 Gallup poll shows that lowerincome families have the highest rate of obesity. This phenomenon is mainly due to socioeconomic factors. According to the Food Research and Action Center, poor neighborhoods often lack access to physical activity resources and healthy, affordable foods. Moreover, many parents from low-income families cannot afford to enroll their children in organized sports. Even for middle-income families, the situation is tough. We live in a culture where fast food chains, sugary sodas and high-calorie snacks
compete for children’s appetites. Parents can enforce healthy eating habits at home, but they have no control over what their teenage children eat when they are with their peers at the mall or at school. For such reasons, it is difficult to treat teenage obesity with the focus only on parental efforts. Many parents try to encourage healthy habits, but some are forced to choose surgical measures as a last resort to relieve their children from various consequences of high-level obesity, such as diabetes, high cholesterol, liver damage and sleep disorders. It takes an entire society, not just a family, to tackle obesity among American teenagers. Poor parenting is a contributing factor to child obesity, but society risks oversimplifying the issue if all the blame is put on parents. Large-scale social changes are necessary for long-term improvement. Although First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! campaign has made some positive impact, it is time to start a bigger move to fight child obesity. Kenny Kyunghoon Lee is a contributing columnist. Email him at opinion@nyunews.com.
STAFF EDITORIAL
City must bolster efforts against homelessness
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced last Friday that his administration will transfer over 400 children from two cityowned homeless shelters that have been continuously cited for inadequate living conditions over the past decade. De Blasio and his administrators said the children and their families had begun to move from the Catherine Street shelter in Lower Manhattan and the Auburn Family Residence in Brooklyn and would ideally be placed in subsidized permanent housing or satisfactory temporary housing. City inspectors reported both shelters for numerous health and safety violations including — but not limited to — lead exposure, mold, insufficient heat, vermin and the presence of sexual predators. The transfer is part of an effort to improve services for the growing population of homeless children in the city. While removing the 400 children from the Catherine Street shelter and the Auburn Family Residence represents a movement in the right direction, there are still over 22,000 homeless children that remain in New York City shelters. The New York City Department of Homeless Services estimates that over 52,000 people live in homeless shelters as of Feb. 21. According to the Coalition for the Homeless, the figure represents a 71-percent increase from when former Mayor Michael Bloomberg assumed office in 2002. The number of homeless youth staying in city shelters is the highest it has been since 1983, with over 22,625 children seeking nightly refuge in shelters. The city government has a moral obligation to provide safe, decent and appropriate shelter for its homeless population. De Blasio’s recent announcement is a strong step toward fulfilling this, yet there are many more steps to be taken. More emphasis should be placed on preventing homelessness, rather than simply managing it. The United to End Homelessness Coalition has produced a manifesto of proposed policy initiatives which de Blasio should look over. Providing an attorney for low-income tenants facing eviction could save New York State $67 million dollars in shelter costs. A South Bronx pilot program has already saved the city more than $700,000. Clearly, there are both economic and moral incentives at play here. The focus on providing a safe haven for homeless families is crucial to the rehabilitation of the city’s homelessness programs. Given that around one-third of the nation’s homeless live with untreated mental illness, the safety of vulnerable populations in shelters should be top priority. Several incidents in the two recently closed shelters highlight the dangers of housing children with the homeless population at large. These include multiple hostage situations, as well as violent and sexual assaults on children. By providing safer shelters, de Blasio is giving the homeless the security they need to move forward in their lives.
Email the WSN Editorial Board at editboard@nyunews.com. EDITORIAL BOARD: Peter Keffer (Chair), Christina Coleburn (Co-chair), Omar Etman (Co-chair), Nina Golshan (Co-chair)
Send mail to: 838 Broadway, Fifth Floor New York, N.Y. 10003 or email: opinion@nyunews.com WSN welcomes letters to the editor, opinion pieces and articles relevant to the NYU community, or in response to articles. Letters should be less than 450 words. All submissions must be typed or emailed and must include the author’s name, address and phone number. Members of the NYU community must include a year and school or job title.
WSN does not print unsigned letters or editorials. WSN reserves the right to reject any submission and edit accepted submissions in any and all ways. With the exception of the staff editorial, opinions expressed on the editorial pages are not necessarily those of WSN, and our publication of opinions is not an endorsement of them.
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NYUNEWS.COM | WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2014 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS
BEAUTY & STYLE
EDITED BY DANA RESZUTEK BSTYLE@NYUNEWS.COM
Multi-use products help to simplify morning makeup routine By REBECCA RIDDLE
When it comes to getting ready in the morning, having a quick and efficient beauty routine can save time and help you out the door quickly. Start your day effectively by trying some of these affordable, multipurpose beauty products.
e. l. f. Shimmering Facial Whip ($1) This soft, iridescent highlighter can be used on your cheeks, as well as your eyes and lips. Dab the whip onto your cheekbones to add a subtle glow to your face, onto your eyelids for a foolproof eyeshadow or onto your lips for a pink shine. At just one dollar, this multifunctional product’s price cannot be beat. Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure ($7.50) Painting your nails is generally not a quick task. However, you can speed up the process by using this nail polish, which offers the benefits of basecoat, color, topcoat, growth treatment and strengthener in one easy step. The Complete Salon Manicure line comes in a large variety of colors and lasts longer than ordinary polish alone.
CoverGirl Invisible Concealer ($6) Concealer is great for hiding under-eye circles and blemishes, but it can also double as a primer for eyeshadow. Apply concealer evenly to your entire eyelid before applying shadow to ensure your makeup lasts all day. CoverGirl’s lightweight formula is a classic that covers without caking.
Aquaphor Healing Skin Ointment ($6.30) This moisturizing ointment can be used to treat dry, cracked skin on your heels and elbows, as well as to help heal severely chapped lips. You can also apply it on top of your lipstick as a high shine gloss. Be sure to use sparingly, as this product can become greasy if overused. Organix Moroccan Argan Oil ($8) Apply a few drops of this powerful product to your hair before using heat styling tools in order to protect it from damage, all while taming frizz and adding shine. Organix is a great alternative to expensive salon brands that can cost more than three times as much. Turbie Twist Hair Towel ($10 for set of two) Wrap your hair in this absor-
bent microfiber towel as you apply your makeup. This technique will help your hair dry faster and save you from blow-drying. Using a microfiber towel rather than a traditional cotton towel on your hair also helps eliminate static and frizziness.
Rimmel Glam Shadow Quad ($6) These eyeshadow palettes offer four coordinated shadows that are designed to be all you need to create a complete look without having to pick out colors on your own. To get even more out of this product, try wetting an angled eyeshadow brush and using the darkest shadow as eyeliner. Burt’s Bees Lip Shimmer ($5) Combining color, shimmer and moisture in one, this product is great when you want to add a pop of color without having to spend the time carefully applying an opaque lipstick. Each color is soft enough for daytime wear and has the added benefit of nourishing vitamin E and coconut oil. Rebecca Riddle is a contributing writer. Email her at bstyle@nyunews.com.
SITE continued from PG. 1
Websites provide students with budget-friendly options for designer duds
down over $60, BCBGeneration boots priced almost $90 cheaper than the in-store price or a $50 bottle of Chloé perfume for under $30. However, some students are not sold on Hautelook. CAS sophomore Chelsea Liston said she was not impressed with her experience on the website. “The concept was intriguing, but, in actuality, it wasn’t worth it,” Liston said. “The discounts were released daily at certain times which never worked with my schedule.” Yoox.com can help you find new trends for lower prices. Yoox carries very high-end designers, such as Dolce & Gabbana, Fendi, Gucci, Miu Miu and Roberto Cavalli. Yoox does not have
a membership fee and shipping is free with orders over $150. Bluefly.com also carries designer labels. While the prices are still relatively expensive because of the status of the brands Bluefly carries, it is always worth checking out to see if pricier items have been marked down to more studentfriendly prices. Rather than going to the store and paying $440 for a particular Longchamp bag, you could order it from Bluefly for $375. While still expensive, the discount is preferable than paying the original price. Maggie O’Neill is a contributing writer. Email her at bstyle@nyunews.com.
VIA HAUTELOOK.COM
Hautelook offers discounted apparel and accessories.
Fresh, natural application of makeup gains popularity By LORENA TAMEZ
Throughout the vast media array of beauty blogs, advertisements and red carpet images, the smoky eye has been defined as a basic beauty routine. As this trend spread and rapidly became the norm for makeup, the bold look began to be understood as synonymous to attractiveness — the more products used, the more beautiful one felt. However, the smoky eye has recently been challenged. Women are replacing the daily use of bold makeup with a fresher alternative, accepting a more natural appearance. This more natural makeup seems to show the capability of cosmetics to accentuate beauty rather than cover up and change a person’s look through heavy products such as dark eyeshadow, bright blush and thick, false eyelashes. The idea of a fresh-faced look seems to be an honest attempt to stop concealing one’s natural features, but some have put this trend to practice in ways that are not appreciative of the bare face. Although we may be nearing a time of purer looks, we seem to be approaching it the wrong way.
The “fresh face,” which intended to appreciate natural beauty, can require even more time to achieve than a standout look. The problem is that the natural look does not always mean less makeup. The fresh-faced look can be created by following various online tutorials that instruct do-it-yourself makeup aficionados in methods such as contouring and concealing, forming a natural beauty look that involves significantly altering one’s natural features. Not to say that makeup as a whole should be looked down upon, but makeup is an art form, an expression of individuality and, like any other type of art, should be admired as a form of inspiration and creativity. Makeup is not a necessary tool. What the natural makeup look should be teaching is not how to alter your face shape, but to accept and highlight one’s natural traits. LS freshman Breana Roberts has mixed feelings about the use of makeup. “I think it really depends on your environment and where you are,” Roberts said. “If someone wants to wear makeup they should — it is ultimately up to
you how you want to appear to the world.” The increasing popularity of a more natural makeup routine should not only encourage us to embrace our natural beauty, but to also accept and appreciate makeup as a mode of creativity. Whether it is having the confidence to go without makeup for the day or to work a daring look, cosmetics should always be seen as a complement to, not just a replacement for, our features. Lorena Tamez is a contributing writer. Email her at bstyle@nyunews.com.
DANIEL COLE/WSN
A more delicate style of makeup offers a natural look.
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