WSN030314

NYU’s Daily Student Newspaper

WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS Vol. 42, No. 18

MONDAY, MARCH 3, 2014

nyunews.com

Students, speakers celebrate start-ups at festival

Gallatin fashion show relates fashion to the arts The annual display of student and staff artwork and design from the Gallatin School of Individualized Study proved more vibrant this year.

STORY ON PAGES 4-5

By KAVISH HARJAI, ANN SCHMIDT and ROBIN SHAH The Entrepreneurs Festival took place last weekend at NYU, bringing together entrepreneurs and students from across the city to provide advice and discuss their ideas, paths and mistakes. The event kicked off with the first of three keynote speakers, Glen de Vries.

De Vries studied biology at Carnegie Mellon and subsequently went to NYU Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, but ended up leaving after a few months to pursue his start-up. Now, de Vries is the co-founder and president of Medidata, a multinational technology firm that specializes in cloud-based infrastructure for firms engaged in clinical research and development.

“Medidata doesn’t make drugs, we don’t make pharmaceuticals,” de Vries said. “But we make the drugs that you use better.”

De Vries also said he was effective SHAWN PAIK/WSN

ENTREPRENEURS cont’d on PG. 3

Students start women’s Timekeeper inspires character in novel weightlifting club

By MARITA VLACHOU

By SEAN BILLINGS

CAS junior Tessia De Mattos wants to see more women in the weightroom.

That’s why she cofounded NYU’s first women’s weightlifting club Girls Who Lift. Women involved in the club hope to change some of the negative perceptions related to women’s weightlifting.

“A lot of girls get scared when it comes to weights because they think they are going to get bulky or something,” De Mattos said. “That really doesn’t happen. You just end up looking super aesthetic and ‘toned’ as the media would say.”

The club is brand new, having started this semester, and is welcoming girls who are beginners and are hoping to learn the basics of

weightlifting to experienced lifters.

The club has informational meetings that include discussion of many different topics including training programs, nutrition, technique and other such appropriate topics.

De Mattos plans to supplement these meetings with teaching and training sessions held by the members of the e-board and will focus on one of the major lifts during each session.

CAS sophomore and club treasurer Chelsea Flanagan said girls should remember that their bodies are different than men’s.

“It’s really important for girls who lift to be in contact with other women with similar

LIFTING continued on PG. 8

NYU’S beloved past Timekeeper John Votta is the inspiration for a character in a new book.

“The Skinwalker’s Apprentice,” published Feb. 24, is the first of author Claribel Ortega’s planned trilogy, “Empire Witch Series.”

Votta used to stand at the corner of Washington Place and Washington Square East with his trusty wrist watch, shouting out a countdown to students as they made their way to class.

When Ortega started writing her story, she did not know of Votta, who passed away last year at the age of 70.

“Before reading about Votta, all I knew was that my story would be about witches in New York,” Ortega said. “After learning about the Timekeeper, I

wanted to give the series a time travel element, and the entire shift of the story changed.”

Ortega extensively researched the Timekeeper to complete her series.

She read articles, interviewed NYU alumni and watched the documen-

AVITAL GLIBICKY FOR WSN

The NYU Timekeeper inspired a character in Ortega’s book.

tary about Votta to help her better portray who he was.

“I was absolutely fascinated by him and I realized that he was the missing piece of my narrative, that the Timekeeper should have his own story,” Ortega said.

Ortega added that Votta was misunderstood and underestimated. Emerald Kipp, the protagonist of the series, shares the same characteristics with Votta.

“In the Timekeeper documentary

by Samuel R. Syrop, Votta spoke about the strained relationship he had with his parents,” Ortega said.

“He talked about his father laughing whenever he looked at him and being made to feel like a joke. Since the Timekeeper is a guiding force throughout the story, I felt it was important that he and Emerald had things in common, that they con-

TIMEKEEPER cont’d on PG. 4

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ON THE SIDE

COMPILED BY THE

WSN STAFF

WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS

CELEBRATING ISRAEL EXPOSURE

These photos are centered around one theme: Israel. In January, I went on a birthright trip to Israel for 10 days. I wanted to capture the heart and soul of this beautiful country.

In the middle of one of the coldest and darkest winters in the states, I found more warmth than I could have hoped for in these photos. It surprised me how diverse and versatile the landscape in Israel is, and I tried to capture that ever-changing quality in these images.

— AVITAL GLIBICKY

Editor-in-Chief NICOLE BROWN Managing Editor

MICHAEL DOMANICO Deputy Managing Editor

CASEY DALRYMPLE Assistant Managing Editors

TATIANA BAEZ JONATHAN KESHISHOGLOU Creative Director

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Special Editions Director

LYANNE NATIVIDAD SENIOR STAFF

news KAVISH HARJAI, ANN SCHMIDT arts CLIO MCCONNELL features BRYNA SHUMAN sports FRANCISCO NAVAS multimedia FELIPE DE LA HOZ copy THOMAS DEVLIN, PAIGE MANKIN web KIMBERLY HART, BENSON TSAI,

LAVYA YALAMANCHI senior editors TONY CHAU, ARIANA DIVALENTINO, MICHELLE LIM, STEFAN MELNYK, NEELA QADIR, DANIEL YEOM

DEPUTY STAFF

news LARSON BINZER, SCOTT MULLEN,

AFEEFA TARIQ books/theater DYLAN JARRETT film IFE OLUJOBI entertainment BOB TEOH music JAKE FOLSOM the highlighter blog VALERIE NELSON features HANNAH TREASURE beauty & style DANA RESZUTEK violet vision blog GIANNA COLLIER-PITTS dining CHANDLER WEST sports CHRIS MARCOTRIGIANO multimedia HANNAH LUU, LAWRENCE WU video ALEX LINZMEIER

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TODAY ON CAMPUS

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All-University Games Show your school spirit at Coles Sports Center and watch teams from each NYU school duke it out in the All-University Games. The event kicks off at 5 p.m. and will include basketball, tug-of-war, sumo wrestling and other competitions.

JILLIAN BRANCHAUD SALES ASSOCIATES

EMMA HOWCROFT, AMY LU, ANA SCHULER, BENJAMIN SWINEHART, JESSICA TIEN

ADVISING

Jazz at Lincoln Center Members of the NYU Jazz Faculty of the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development will be performing in concert at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola at Lincoln Center. The event starts at 7:30 p.m. Legendary record producer Quincy Jones will be joining them.

Danny Glover and Angela Davis at Kimmel

This week’s snapshot theme is pride. Here is today’s interpretation.

PHOTO BY AVITAL GLIBICKY

A screening of the contemporary African political drama “Bamako” will be held at 7 p.m. in the Eisner & Lubin Auditorium on the fourth floor of the Kimmel Center for University Life. Co-producer Danny Glover and scholar-inresidence Angela Davis will hold a discussion after the film.

GOT AN EVENT? EMAIL US AT AGENDA@NYUNEWS.COM OR TWEET US @NYUNEWS. GOT SOMETHING TO SHARE? EMAIL US AT TIPS@NYUNEWS.COM.

DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

NANCI HEALY EDITORS-AT-LARGE

HANQING CHEN, JONATHON DORNBUSH, RACHEL KAPLAN, JORDAN MELENDREZ, JONATHAN TAN 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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ENTREPRENEURS continued from PG. 1

Entrepreneur festival celebrates alumni, student work, provides industry advice

FELIPE DE LA HOZ/WSN

Glen de Vries and Kevin Maney talk to students at last weekend’s festival. at leveraging his passion and embracing his personality as he developed Medidata, encouraging all entrepreneurs to use their introversion to their advantage.

The last part of his talk was questionand-answer. De Vries advised students to work with each other in the early stages of entrepreneurship.

“I think one thing that will set you up for success, is realizing that as dogged and tenacious as you are going to be, it can’t just be you,” de Vries said.

Jeff Dachis, current CEO, chairman and founder of Dachis Group, was the second keynote speaker at the festival.

The Dachis Group is a data social analytics firm based in Austin, Texas.

After his undergraduate career at SUNYPurchase, Dachis created his first startup in New York City called In Your Face, a guerilla marketing firm, while also bartending and waiting tables to start his life in New York.

“New York is hard,” Dachis said. “New York is expensive. New York is difficult to make it [in].”

Dachis proceeded to apply to NYU and attain a degree in performing arts, entertainment and media administration. After describing his successes and failures, as well as his mistakes, Dachis spoke to his audience about the future changes to the digital landscape.

“There is more opportunity ahead of us, for each and every one of you to create something that you can be passionate about and get excited about,” Dachis said.

“There is nothing better in the world than waking up every day excited to go do what you love to do. Every day.”

John Johnson, co-founder of BuzzFeed and founder of the nonprofit art and technology company Eyebeam, was the third and final keynote speaker for the Entrepreneurs Festival. Adam Penen-

berg, NYU journalism professor and editor of PandoDaily, interviewed Johnson.

Their discussion ranged from the origins and marketing of BuzzFeed to advice for student entrepreneurs. Johnson echoed the importance of teamwork and said NYU students should partner well.

“You want to be around really smart people where you can build ideas together,” Johnson said.

During the question-and-answer session, a student asked Johnson if he likes lists.

“I do like lists,” Johnson said. “We all like lists. Even whether we admit it or not, the traffic shows that we do. So, I’m not alone.”

The final event at the festival was the Pitch, a competition where the six most popular student start-ups at the NYU Ventures Showcase received the opportunity to pitch to a panel of six judges as potential investors.

The student startups included SnappyScreen, HireCanvas, One Right Water, the Reading Holiday Project, Kipin Hall and Fresco.

Kipin Hall, pitched by CAS sophomore Abhinay Ashutosh, is a software supplement for NYU Classes that won the competition. Kipin Hall received $1,000 in cash, $250 for General Assembly Class Credit and a three to six-month lease and desk space at the Varick Street Incubator.

Ashutosh said he was excited to hear feedback on Kipin Hall during the showcase.

“It was a great chance to further validate our product and we made some great connections,” Ashutosh said. “Overall, NYUEF was an amazing way to meet fellow entrepreneurs and learn from some of the best.”

Kavish Harjai and Ann Schmidt are news editors.

Robin Shah is a contributing writer.

Email them at news@nyunews.com.

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Students at NYU Prague respond to Ukrainian conflict

By EMILY BELL and JORDAN MELENDREZ

Czech Republic President Miloš Zeman expressed his disapproval of Russian military action in Ukraine on March 1, comparing the potential consequences of troop mobilization to the 1968 invasion of Czechoslovakia by Soviet and Warsaw Pact troops.

Despite warnings from U.S. government officials, Russian President Vladimir Putin mobilized troops in the Crimean Peninsula on Saturday.

In response, Ukrainian troops were placed on high alert the next day while NATO commenced an emergency meeting.

Just under 900 miles away from Kiev, students studying at NYU Prague held a small vigil in Wenceslas Square and the Prague staff raised money for Ukrainians at a bake sale.

Students gathered in two different residence halls to bake and sell treats on Feb. 25. The money was sent

to Ukraine for items such as bandages, painkillers, paracetamol and sanitizers.

Filip Chráska, a thirdyear student at the University of Economics in Prague and RA at Osadni residence hall, spearheaded the bake sale to raise awareness of the crisis in Ukraine and provide assistance.

“It is most importantly shocking that such bloodshed is happening in Europe of 2014,” Chráska said. “I don’t perceive any realistic [threats] for the Czech Republic. For me, the proximity to [Independance Square] rather means a commitment to help.”

Beyond the NYU Prague community, tourists and Czech natives began a small vigil on Feb. 20. They placed flowers, candles and papers with photos of loved ones in Ukraine under the prominent statue of St. Wenceslas.

Gallatin junior Meredith Korda heard about both the bake sale and the vigil, but was not able to attend because of scheduling conflicts.

Though she feels safe in the

JORDAN MELENDREZ FOR WSN

Prague students organize a vigil for Ukraine.

Czech Republic, Korda said her desire to travel to Ukraine was curtailed by the violence.

“It’s really interesting being this close because you definitely hear more about it, and it feels a lot more real,” Korda said. “It doesn’t feel so far away now.”

Korda said she was not surprised by Russia’s military actions, but did find them troublesome.

“The conflict was clearly always about Russia and the European Union to some extent, but I thought they would have kept their involvement more fiscal and behind-thescenes than [using the] military,” Korda said.

For CAS junior Kelsie Blazier, the social and political upheaval in Eastern Europe was not surprising either — it was almost expected given the recent unrest in the region. As a broadcast journalism major, she wants to involve herself in these events.

“I want to be on the ground with the protesters, taking photographs and filming,” Blazier said. “Now I have the urge to go cover the events because I am so geographically close, and I find the situation at hand both fascinating and frightening.”

Chráska echoed Blazier’s sentiments about feeling a sense of obligation to the situation in Ukraine, despite the distance he said was present among his Czech peers.

“One should feel obligation to any people in need,” Chráska said. “But this very case might [be] more sensitive because the scars of the history of the post-Soviet bloc are still here.”

Emily Bell is a foreign correspondent. Jordan Melendrez is an editor-at-large. Email them at news@nyunews.com.

ASA conference draws criticism from pro-Israel groups

By KAVISH HARJAI and ANN SCHMIDT

The American Studies Association’s annual conference sparked controversy as it attempted to answer questions that arose after the ASA endorsed a boycott against Israeli academic institutions. The title of their conference, held from Feb. 28 to March 1, was Circuits of Influence: U.S., Israel and Palestine.

Andrew Ross, director of the NYU American Studies program, said the conference sought to explain the United States’ relationship with the region.

“The conference brought together scholars in American Stud-

ies and Middle Eastern Studies to discuss the history of geopolitical relations between the U.S., Israel and Palestine,” Ross said.

According to the conference’s program, various panels, lunch workshops and film screenings made up the event. Lisa Duggan, social and cultural analysis professor and president-elect of the ASA, was one of the panelists at the conference.

Several organizations, such as the AMCHA Initiative, perceived the conference to be anti-Israel and one-sided. The AMCHA Initiative is an organization that combats anti-Semitism on university campuses across America.

Tammi Rossman-Benjamin, cofounder of AMCHA Initiative, said

the ASA’s conference is not about scholarship but instead it is about political activism.

“The problem is that they’re using their university position and their university freedoms, the privileges that they have as faculty members and the resources that they have as faculty members, to promote their own personal political agenda directed against the Jewish state,” Rossman-Benjamin said.

NYU President John Sexton issued a statement condemning the boycott.

“Our provost and I have made our opposition to boycotts of Israeli academics and universities clear, both in response to the re-

cent American Studies Association vote and in the past,” Sexton said. “Our rejection of these calls for boycotts stems from our belief that it contravenes a key principle of academic freedom: the right of scholars to freely associate.”

Sexton did not cancel the conference because he said he wanted to allow academics to pursue their scholarship, regardless of which ideas were being discussed.

CAS senior Avital Kaplan and CAS junior Kendra Meisler, the co-presidents of NYU’s Gesher Israel Club, said in an email that the conference was only about reiterating an opinion as opposed to having a dialogue about the issues.

“We are saddened and disappointed that NYU, whose administration formally denounced the ASA boycott, would sanction such hateful, close-minded rhetoric on university property,” they said.

Ann Schmidt and Kavish Harjai are news editors. Email them at news@nyunews.com.

VIA FACEBOOK.COM

The institution has recently supported boycotts against Israel.

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FEATURES TIMEKEEPER continued from PG. 1

Author remembers Timekeeper in debut novel, students reflect on legacy

nected in some way.”

CAS junior Luka Douridas said that the Timekeeper was an important part of the NYU community.

“He was like an uncommonly lovable, little NYU treasure that everyone was secretly proud to have around,” Douridas said.

Ortega also commented on how Votta must have affected many lives within the NYU community.

“Someone like Johnny Votta could have easily been overlooked his whole life, but he chose to do something he felt was

meaningful,” Ortega said. “However small the gesture, he touched many people by just being there.”

Douridas said including Votta in the book will help keep his memory alive.

“I think the book is a great idea,” Douridas said. “It’s a beautiful thing for a college community to memorialize a small, uncommon hero who may have been dismissed as a nuisance somewhere else.”

Marita Vlachou is a contributing writer.

Email her at features@nyunews.com.

Spotlight shines on Tisch alumnae’s choreography

By BAILEY EVANS

The Tisch School of Arts Department of Dance‘s Past/Forward 2014: Women at Work showing on Feb. 28 featured the works of seven different female choreographers, all of whom are Tisch alumnae.

Cherylyn Lavagnino, co-chair of the dance department, said it was a dream of hers to create an annual concert celebrating successful female Tisch dance choreographers.

“Women can often be underrepresented in the choreographic arena, particularly contemporary dance,” Lavagnino said.

While the concert was a part of a regular series in the Tisch Department of Dance, it was specifically designed to showcase the works of notable Tisch alumnae who went on to succeed in the world of dance and choreography.

“The alumnae were selected by our interest in the work they have made or are making currently,” Lavagnino said.

Many of the alumnae featured are already well-recognized in the world of dance and choreography, at both national and international levels.

“It’s exciting that so many of our graduates are active choreographers in the professional field,” Lavagnino said.

Selina Chau, who graduated from the Tisch Dance MFA program in 2010 and had her choreography featured in the concert, said many women have other priorities.

“I think we see fewer female dance choreographers not necessarily because we are

Art, fashion intersect at Ga

less represented, but that women are more likely to spend time in motherhood after their dance career, so they have less time to concentrate on the choreographic path,” Chau said.

Chau said she drew inspiration for her piece from her time spent in New York City, and she contrasted this experience with her time spent with the Hong Kong ballet.

“My idea came from New York City, the rhythm, the pulse, the noise and the silence of this city together with the history of classical ballet,” Chau said. “Where does classical ballet stand in this city? And what is its artistic value now? … In Hong Kong, the dance scene is quite limited, so living here not only gives me the opportunity to experience different styles of dance, but also see the other arts.”

The concert featured a diverse set of pieces choreographed by Suzanne Beahrs, Rachel Hagan, Allison Schieler, Kristin Schwab and Chihiro Shimizu. Additionally, Second Avenue Dance Company, Tisch’s student dance company, performed a piece and Mary John Frank’s film “Contemporary Dance” was screened.

“Having so many different choreographers in one show was great because the audiences gets to see different styles in one evening,” Chau said. “I think it was a great opportunity for alumni to give each other support and share our artistic voice.”

Bailey Evans is a staff writer.

Email her at features@nyunews.com.

SHAWN PAIK/WSN

By YUJIN RYEO The Gallatin School of Individualized Study showcased their annual fashion show, with the theme “Canvas to Couture,” at the Jerry H. Labowitz Theater for the Performing Arts on Feb. 28. The show’s theme revolved around the interaction of art and fashion from various time periods and artistic styles. A total of 15 students, alumni and faculty participated in the making of the show, each designer contributing their own unique interpretation of the given theme.

Prior to the show, Brooklyn-based artist Gabriel Specter took the stage and discussed his artwork and recent collaboration with Prada for their Spring/Summer 2014 collection. Specter is well-known for his public graffiti artwork in major cities around the world, which caught

INTRODUCING THIRD NORTH: JASON TRAGER AND ROSIE VAUGHN NAMES Jason Trager and Rosie Vaughn HOMETOWNS Great Neck, N.Y., Ripon, Calif.

YEAR Tisch freshmen DORM Third Avenue North residence hall ACT Spoken Word Poetry COURTESY OF JASON AND ROSIE

What is your biggest inspiration?

Well we saw these guys do a poem about Legos on YouTube, and my sister writes really amazing slam poems, so we thought it would be cool.

NOMKO BAATAR FOR WSN

The concert emphasized the work of female choreographers.

the attention of Miuccia Prada herself, who invited him to create a mural for the runway.

Specter explained that he wanted to portray the concept of strength in women through the mural, and his creation was also reprinted on Prada’s garments and accessories.

Other collections were inspired by movements including the Baroque style and the concept of “Muse in Art,” demonstrating Gallatin’s endless talent and creativity.

Gallatin sophomore Rachel Wang’s collection “Sagrada Familia Alucinante” drew heavily from characteristics of the Sagrada Familia chapel in Barcelona, and was influenced by artists of the neo-Gothic era of the turn of the century, such as Antoni Gaudí. Wang’s standout piece was a blue silk mini dress with translucent vinyl accents on the neckline and

How long have you been performing, and what made you interested in performing in the first place?

We’ve both been performing basically forever. I honestly can’t tell you why I started “performing” because it happened in Elementary School. I think I just wanted to be with my friends who were off being “performers.” I picked up poetry after my sister did because everything she does is really cool and worthy of stealing, and because it’s such an engaging and elegant way to communicate. There’s something enthralling about words and rhythms and sounds and the creation of a real moment between a performer and an audience.

Very few art forms let you look at an au-

dience and explicitly tell them what you want them to know.

What made you decide to participate in the UVL Prelims?

Well we were at the Third North Open Mic Night and they made an announcement about the UVL Prelims coming and we said, “We should do that.” We originally were going to have a group of four people sing and play around with “Bennie and the Jets,” but that kind of fell through, so we did this instead.

What was the first thing that went through your mind when you found out you were advancing to the finals at Skirball?

It’s on a Thursday?

What would winning UVL mean to you?

Spiritual validation. *Quotes attributed to Jason Trager*

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EDITED BY BRYNA SHUMAN FEATURES@NYUNEWS.COM

allatin’s annual fashion show

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P TO

Ways to celebrate Mardi Gras in Southern style

By DAVID BOLOGNA

The Big Apple is a bit far from the Big Easy, but the festivities of New Orleans can still reach the northeast. Here are the top five ways to spend your Fat Tuesday this year.

sides of the dress, mirroring the architecture of the chapel.

Tori Holbrook, a Gallatin sophomore, presented a collection titled “AMUSE,” which concentrated more on the inspirations for artists — the muse.

Along with a fashion video made by Holbrook, the collection consisted of delicate lingerie-like pieces conveying the outward confidence of the muse in contrast to an artist’s vulnerability due to public evaluation.

The fashion show also exhibited a number of original art pieces, ranging from a Yayoi Kusamainspired headwear collection to sculptural installations. Recent alumna Chloe Byrne’s fashion film caught the attention of many audience members with its “Where the Sun Hits Your Cheeks” music video, which featured sculptural accessories influenced by the honeybee. The pieces mimicked

physical features of a bee, using gold metal and honeycomb patterns to construct the pieces.

CAS senior Pria Shah was impressed by the theme of the event.

“The designers did a great job of highlighting the symbiosis of fashion and art,” Shah said. “I really enjoyed seeing how the designer’s aesthetics contrasted one another under this common theme.”

This year’s Gallatin fashion show displayed numerous interpretations of art in fashion. All collections and art pieces demonstrated high craftsmanship and originality. Overall, the show was outstanding, so be sure to check out next year’s show and experience it for yourself.

Yujin Ryeo is a contributing writer.

Email her at features@nyunews.com.

G UVL CONTESTANTS GRAMERCY: LIKE FAKE HUMANS NAME Like Fake Humans MEMBERS Rach Millhauser and Ian Fletcher HOMETOWNS Miami and St. Louis YEAR Steinhardt and Gallatin sophomores DORM Gramercy Green residence hall ACT Original song

Relax to Some Jazz New Orleans is the birthplace of jazz, so pay homage to the famous streets and visit a smooth jazz club right here in the West Village. Smalls Live, a fairly old haunt, has always been the underground place to hear jazz day in and day out. For no cover and a one drink minimum in the afternoons, or a discounted $10 cover for students at night, Smalls Live provides a true jazz experience.

Good Eatin’ It is hard to avoid gaining weight on a trip to the Big Easy — the food is just that irresistible. While exact authenticity is difficult to find here, a few close calls are made on jambalaya, gumbo and more at some of Manhattan restaurants. Great Jones Cafe between Bowery and Lafayette and Bourbon Street Bar and Grille on 46th Street are offering jazzy atmospheres this Fat Tuesday to match their Cajunstyle menus. To truly experience a New Orleans meal, though, find friends originally from New Orleans and ask them to cook for you.

Throw Me Something, Mister Though there are not any parades to attend in New York City (and who would want to in this weather), sporting the of-

ficial Mardi Gras colors of purple, green and gold is easier than ever. Mix all three colors using pieces in your wardrobe and head over to any local party store to get pairs of colorful. For a genuine parade experience, throw them out on the street to anyone who screams, “throw me something, mister.”

Eat the Cake No Mardi Gras would be complete without a traditional King Cake. This sweet pastry of braided bread and sugar is one of the most difficult finds when outside of the south, but there may be hope. Mara’s Homemade, a restaurant that recently relocated outside of New York City, makes a sincerely Southern version and even ships them out. For a pastry closer to home, visit Silver Moon Bakery or Dominique Ansel Bakery, the home of the official Cronut, for a New York version of this classic treat.

Mardi Gras Mambo The music of Mardi Gras is a crucial element of the season. High school marching bands are some of the best parts of the parades that take place in New Orleans, and DJs blast tunes that embody the spirit of the city’s people.

To celebrate the festivities throughout the day, create a Mardi Gras playlist to accompany those drab walks to class.

Make sure to include local favorites such as “Mardi Gras Mambo,” “When the Saints Go Marching In,” “Mambo No. 5” and, of course, “Second Line.”

David Bologna is a staff writer.

Email him at features@nyunews.com.

What is your biggest inspiration?

It’s really hard for us to say who our biggest inspiration is. We are really inspired by so many different artists over a range of genres. We kind of take those different inspirations and fuse them to help us write our music, but if we were to name a few… The Used, Mayday Parade, the Lumineers, the Who, the Killers and the Clash.

How long have you been performing, and what made you interested in performing in the first place?

We have been performing together for a year and a half now. We met freshman year in a software music production class.

What made you decide to participate in the UVL Prelims?

We competed last year but didn’t make it past the first round and decided to give it another shot.

What was the first thing that went through

COURTESY OF LIKE FAKE HUMANS

your mind when you found out you were advancing to the finals at Skirball?

We were really stoked and knew we needed to practice more.

What would winning UVL mean to you?

NYU is [overflowing] with so much talent so it would be such an honor. Honestly, we are just so happy to even be a part of the show and have an opportunity to perform for this great audience.

PHOTOS VIA FACEBOOK.COM, WIKIPEDIA.ORG AND FLICKR

Spend your Mardi Gras with pastries, beads and tunes from Louisiana.

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Crossword ACROSS 1 Attack with a knife 5 “Oops-a-daisy” 9 Hypermasculine 14 See 2-Down 15 Duet minus one 16 Patriot Ethan of the Revolutionary War 17 *Flying 19 “Silly” birds 20 Renter’s document 21 “No idea” 23 Mormons, in brief 24 *One placed between warring parties 29 Ivy League school in Philly 30 Encountered 31 Doc grp.

32 *Contestant’s help on “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” 36 Like some cereals

38 Colored part of the eye 39 Softly, in music 42 Born and ___ 43 Serving on a skewer 45 *King, queen or jack 47 Brian who composed “Music for Airports” 48 The “L” of L.A. 51 Squabbles 52 *Piece of furniture that might be under a chandelier 55 “There ___ is, Miss America” 58 Epic work by Virgil 59 Quick 61 Hybrid kind of battery 63 Vacation lodging purchase … or an arrangement between the two halves of the answer to each starred clue?

66 Desert flora

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE Z A G A T R A T E D

O N E T O O M A N Y

M O T O R C Y C L E

U R N S

N A U T

L I T E

B I E M A L Y I N T O S O D A N E C O L T A N I T U S S M O S B O T E S T O C K N O U T E L L A R I L E

A W O L G O B S

S W A M S O S U W R I T D A I T O N S A F M P G A S O B E D E L B S H A N I N E E D R L A S T I N S A S

P E E N

E M I T

D E N Y

S U R E E N O U G H

G L U T E N F R E E

S U P E R S T A R S

67 Battery 68 Port of Yemen 69 “America’s Finest News Source,” with “The” 70 Car parts that have caps 71 Hotel and hospital features

Edited by Will Shortz 1

2

3

4

5

14

6

7

17

9

18

24

33

25

26

34

48

52

36 40

44

47

41

45 49

50

53

62

27

28

56

57

37 42

46 51

54

55

58 61

13

31

35 39

43

12

22

30

38

11

19 21

23

10

16

20

32

8

15

29

DOWN 1 Shower unit 2 ___ and 14-Across (reliable) 3 Surrounding glows 4 Risks 5 It’s between Can. and Mex. 6 ___ lane 7 Kind of acid in soapmaking 8 World Series of Poker game 9 X-Men villain 10 Coeur d’___, Idaho 11 1963 Elizabeth Taylor role 12 Guys 13 First number dialed when calling long distance 18 Push back, as an attack 22 Hawaiian strings, for short 25 “Idylls of the King” lady 26 ___ Domini 27 Mideast bigwig: Var. 28 Early stage of industrial work, for short 29 Mexican money 32 Had a crush on

No. 0127

59 63

64

60

65

66

67

68

69

70

71

PUZZLE BY JAMES TUTTLE

33 Resident of Tehran

41 Green science: Abbr.

34 Eponym of a number series that begins 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, …

44 Not be conspicuous

35 Munchkin

49 Mined metal

37 Kindergarten basics 40 Bit of pasta, for short

46 Pitchers 50 Hilarious person, in slang 53 “Far out!”

54 Fond farewell

55 Digging tool 56 Put on the payroll 57 Perfect places 60 Ill-fated captain 61 Sgt., e.g.

62 Suffix with Dickens 64 Cubs and White Sox org.

65 Windy City trains

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NYUNEWS.COM | MONDAY, MARCH 3, 2014 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS

OPINION

EDITED BY PETER KEFFER OPINION@NYUNEWS.COM

HARRY’S TAKE

U.S. must withhold aid from anti-gay Uganda

By HARRY BROWN

The World Bank postponed a $90 million loan to the Ugandan government because of its newly adopted anti-homosexuality law on Friday. In a statement, Secretary of State John Kerry compared the situation that has befallen the LGBTQ community in Uganda as akin to the anti-Semitism laws in Nazi Germany or to apartheid South Africa. So far, the United States has not specified whether it will suspend aid to the country. The United States must follow the lead of Norway, Denmark and the Netherlands, cutting aid to Uganda and granting asylum to those at threat from the new law.

The Anti-Homosexuality Act, which was signed into law by President Yoweri Museveni on Feb. 24, creates sentences of up to life imprisonment for homosexual acts. Uganda has repeatedly tried to approve an anti-gay law since 2009. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated law — homophobia is an endemic issue across much of the continent. Homosexuality is currently a crime in 38 countries in subSaharan Africa. Amnesty International’s new report paints a depressing picture of LGBTQ Africans who are

regularly arrested, harassed and even killed because of their sexual orientation. These egregious acts go against the very founding principles of nondiscrimination in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, of which Uganda is a signatory state.

With the minimum sentence in the new law set at fourteen years in Uganda for a first-time offender and a life sentence for “aggravated homosexuality” — a term which refers to “repeat offenders” — the bill has forced many gay and lesbian people in the country to flee for fear of persecution. Even though the United States has accepted asylum seekers on the grounds of LGBTQ oppression since 1994, the road to gaining asylum is not an easy one and is fraught with legal complications.

The United States, the largest donor to the Ugandan government, last

year gave the country over $485 million in aid. This money largely went to health programs, but also to support military and police operations.

It is no longer clear whether aid from the United States will be used for its original purpose. The aid may be used to perpetuate further human rights abuses against the LGBTQ community in Uganda, a country where corruption is rampant. The United States has not yet stated whether the aid will be suspended. It must.

As Kerry rightly stated, “What is happening in Uganda is atrocious and it presents all of us with an enormous challenge because LGBTQ rights are human rights, and the signing of this anti-homosexuality law is flat out morally wrong.” It is now the duty of the United States to demonstrate its commitment to the LGBTQ community in Africa by withholding aid.

Rhetoric alone is not enough to communicate the United States’ stern disapproval of the most draconian antigay law in the world.

Harry Brown is a staff columnist. Harry’s Take is published every Monday. Email him at opinion@nyunews.com.

CHRISTINA’S CASE

Pistorius crime denotes South African trend

By CHRISTINA COLEBURN

Once lauded as a global sensation who broke barriers being the first double amputee runner to compete in the Olympics, Oscar Pistorius is now known for an entirely different reason. Last year, Pistorius fatally shot his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp four times through the bathroom door of his home in Pretoria, South Africa.

Steenkamp was a model and a law school graduate with plans to star in a reality television show. Although Pistorius said he mistakenly took Steenkamp for an intruder, prosecutors claim that he calculated her killing.

The infamous athlete is now facing one charge of premeditated murder and a firearms charge for Steenkamp’s killing, as well as two separate gun indictments from past incidents.

His trial begins on March 3.

The circumstances surrounding Steenkamp’s death are tragic, but they are far from isolated. According to an August 2012 study by the South African Medical Research Council, a South African woman was killed by her intimate partner every eight hours in 2009. This figure is more than double the rate of com-

SUBMITTING TO

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parable intimate partner murders in the United States. The study also reports that, while the overall murder of females decreased between 1999 and 2009, the percentage of women killed by intimate partners rose from 50 percent to 57 percent. Of these murders, half of the women were killed by men they lived with and 30 percent died at the hands of men they were dating.

Given Pistorius’ public profile, some predict that his case will become South Africa’s trial of the century.

While this story will undoubtedly garner significant attention, it is not the only case that should command international awareness. The Pistorius trial is indicative of a larger issue — South Africa needs to improve its police investigations and court proceedings.

These measures can help ensure that justice is served in cases that receive

less press coverage. Although laws exist to protect women, they are too often unenforced. Furthermore, the August 2012 SAMRC study found no evidence of improvement in police investigations between 1999 and 2009, a disturbing finding given the high and unchanged number of cases with no perpetrator data. Even if law enforcement officers investigate these crimes, ensuing case investigations are likely to be inadequate.

As the Pistorius trial unfolds, South Africans must remember that the conditions of the case are not uncommon. Steenkamp serves as a posthumous representation of intimate partner violence, but she was not the only woman to perish from this prevalent problem. South Africans should use the upcoming publicity as an opportunity to improve their criminal investigations and legal proceedings. These reforms would be a testament to the many victims whose perpetrators never stood trial.

Christina Coleburn is a deputy opinion editor. Christina’s Case is published every Monday. Email her at ccoleburn@nyunews.com.

STAFF EDITORIAL

Liberals should be more tactful in gun debate

The GOP majority in the Idaho House of Representatives passed a bill last week that would allow students to carry firearms on college campuses. This ruling marks the last hurdle for the bill before it is presented to Gov. Butch Otter to sign. The popular liberal response has been to condemn these measures as counterproductive to the interest of safety. Yet, the slow pace at which gun reform is introduced would suggest that such condemnations are not effective. Rather than remaining in staunch opposition to the possession of guns, liberals would do well to be conscious of how pervasive gun culture is in the United States.

After the Newtown, Conn., school shootings, an incident that shook Americans on all ends of the gun control spectrum, President Barack Obama and both conservative and liberal lawmakers vowed to toughen laws in an effort to prevent another tragedy. However, instances of large-scale public shootings continue around the United States and almost no progress has been made. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are unwilling to compromise on the issue. Liberals continue to push for blanket bans on handguns in cities such as Chicago and Washington, D.C. Moreover, California recently tried to implement a heavy restriction on carrying concealed weapons. These bills have all been struck down in federal courts for violating the Second Amendment, which confirms that a blanket ban on an individual’s right to bear arms is not a viable first step to take toward reducing gun violence.

Given the high tensions that accompany the debate on gun laws, the left should adjust its message and adopt a more tactful approach to the historically-charged issue. When liberal pundits and politicians make their case for increased gun legislation, their rhetoric must reflect cognizance of the deeply entrenched role that firearms have played in the United States.

The Second Amendment explicitly states that “the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.” This language is hardly ambiguous and, as such, gun control advocates must frame their argument in a way that does not implicate this constitutional liberty. Instead, the left should make the case for sensible gun laws that simultaneously preserve the intent of the Second Amendment while preventing senseless tragedies from transpiring.

While both liberals and conservatives can concur that averting another Newtown should be a top priority, their approach to the problem could not be more conflicting. While Idaho Democrats may be correct that the bill to permit firearms on college campuses is largely unwarranted, the state GOP has an unmistakable advantage on their side — the Second Amendment. Liberals must incorporate this constitutional right when they discuss solutions to America’s gun problem.

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 | MONDAY, MARCH 3, 2014 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS

SPORTS

EDITED BY FRANCISCO NAVAS SPORTS@NYUNEWS.COM

Nets work for .500 after dismal start

By TONY CHAU

All seemed lost.

After an active offseason that resulted in the arrival of veteran All-Stars Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, as well as 2009 Sixth Man of the Year Jason Terry, the Brooklyn Nets came into the season with championship ambitions, ready to challenge the likes of Eastern Conference elites Indiana Pacers and twotime defending champions Miami Heat.

Yet there they were, reeling from a humiliating 21-point loss to the San Antonio Spurs in front of a national audience on New Year’s Eve. The defeat left them at an atrocious 10-21 — only three teams had a worse record than they did in what turned out to be a laughable Eastern Conference.

But the wounds ran deeper than the record demonstrated. All-Star Center Brook Lopez’s foot injury put him out for the season.

Coach Jason Kidd was on the hot seat as many wondered whether he was ready to lead a team as a head coach. Kidd cemented a hall of fame career leading teams as an elite point guard, but made

the unprecedented immediate transition from player to head coach. At times, it seemed as if he simply could not hold his team together.

It turns out all that was needed was a flip of the calendar.

The Nets started the New Year off with a surprising win over the Oklahoma City Thunder, a team that many expect to go deep into the playoffs, if not win the championship altogether.

Brooklyn went on to stay undefeated through the first five games of the New Year, but it was no cakewalk. Along the way, they halted a 10-game winning streak held by the Golden State Warriors — a playoff contending team in the much tougher Western Conference — and outlasted the Heat in double overtime.

Following the five-game winning streak to start off the year, a loss to the Atlantic division-- leading Toronto Raptors proved to be only a minor bump in the road as the Nets ripped off another five-game winning streak to improve to 10-1 to start off the year through late January — the best start to the year of all NBA teams.

Since then, they have cooled off but have still been playing

much better basketball compared to their performance in the first two months of the season. Entering tonight’s game against the Chicago Bulls, the Nets are 18-8 since the turn of the calendar.

More importantly, they are now one game below .500 and are the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference. Because of the mediocrity of the conference, they are only four games behind the third seed.

The Nets’ season that seemed destined to be a major disappointment after that loss to the Spurs has been salvaged. Although reaching the .500 mark is nothing to brag about, it can still be viewed as a major accomplishment given how far in the gutter they were just two months ago.

It would be foolish to claim that they are guaranteed a deep-run into the playoffs despite the weakness of the conference. But one thing is for sure: a run at the championship seems a lot less far-fetched now than it did two months ago.

Tony Chau is a senior editor. Email him at tchau@nyunews.com.

LIFTING continued from PG. 1

NYU women’s weightlifting club encourages fitness goals,” Flanagan said.

Flanagan explained that her initiative to start lifting started in high school after finding out she medically qualified as obese.

“Since then, I have made staying healthy one of my top priorities,” Flanagan said. “I really want the ladies in Girls Who Lift to see that no matter what their starting point may be, they can reach their goals as long as they have a strong support system and a lot of personal drive.”

For now, the club will be focusing on the major lifts, including press, overhead press, squat and deadlift.

De Mattos said she knows girls can be intimidated to go to the weight room, but the club is meant to help feel more comofortable.

“I want it to be a normal thing to see a girl in a weight room and basically even out the number of girls and guys there,” De Mattos said.

As of now, there are about 55 girls listed as members of the

club. Meetings are coordinated over emails, which are sent out by De Mattos.

“One of my biggest goals for this club is to show women that lifting can be for anybody, with any schedule, eating habits or personal goals,” Flanagan said.

“It has something to offer each and every one of us.”

Sean Billings is a contributing writer. Email him at sports@nyunews.com.

SHAWN PAIK/WSN

Girls Who Lift aims to put women in the weight room.