WSN032212

NYU’s Daily Student Newspaper

washington square news Vol. 40, No. 34

THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012

nyunews.com

Leased dorms to receive toilet paper

Protesters rally for Trayvon Martin

By Sarah Skirmont

By Julie DeVito

Demonstrators donned hoodies and brandished signs reading “We are Trayvon Martin” to protest the death of a 17-year-old African-American teenager. He was fatally shot in his gated community on Feb. 26 in Sanford, Fla.,

by George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch volunteer.

Last night’s protest in Union Square — dubbed Million Hoodies — congregated demonstraters wearing hooded sweatshirts because Martin was wearing a hoodie the night he was shot. Protesters claimed indicated racial profiling.

Calling for the arrest of Zimmerman, the protesters yelled, “No justice, no peace,” both in English and Spanish.

Martin’s parents Tracy Martin and Sabrina Fulton were in attendance and spoke about their son’s death.

Starting next fall the university’s leased residence halls will begin receiving toilet paper, according to vice president of Student Affairs Tom Ellett.

Currently, the university offers the amenities of free toilet paper and trash bags only to residents at dorms owned by NYU. Of the 21 undergraduate and graduate residence halls in the NYU Housing system, Lafayette Street residence hall, Broome Street residence hall, Coral Towers residence hall, Second Street residence hall, Greenwich Hotel residence hall and 13th Street residence hall are leased by the university. NYU pays to occupy these buildings because they are owned by another landlord. Residents at these dorms also pay different rates for laundry and are unable to use Campus Cash

R DORMS continued on PG. 3

David Lin/WSN

Last night, hooded protesters marched against the murder of Trayvon Martin.

‘The Raid’ delivers decade’s best action film

By Stefan Melnyk

For most American film fans, the words “Indonesia” and “action” go together about as well as “Brett Ratner” and “dignity”; but every country has its own potential for greatness. Enter “The Raid: Redemption,” possibly the best action film of the decade.

Welsh director Gareth Huw Evans first traveled to Indonesia when he was hired to make a documentary about the traditional Pencak Silat martial arts technique. There he met his muse, athlete and Silat practitioner Iko Uwais, who has served as Evans’ leading man ever since. Uwais plays Rama, an idealistic young Special Forces policeman. Rama is one of a team of police sent to raid the headquarters of the city’s most powerful crime lord. Their journey to the

run-down apartment building’s top floor begins well, but it does not take long for an enemy spotter to raise the alarm and for the whole operation to go swiftly south. What follows plays like “Die Hard” on heroin.

The crime lord sics every resident of the apartment building on the increasingly desperate officers in a staggering mix of gunfire, martial arts and MacGyver-style inventiveness. The violence is brutal, gripping and exhilarating while the film’s confined setting is used to extraordinary effect. Evans used a fraction of the cost of action blockbuster travesties like “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” to create a film exponentially better than even the best of Michael Bay’s action sequences.

R RAID continued on PG. 5

R PROTEST continued on PG. 3

Violets win their first UVC regular season title

By Sara Levy At the last Tear It Up! event of the season, NYU men’s volleyball defeated Stevens Institute of Technology in five sets. The Violets are now 18-6 overall and remain undefeated in the United Volleyball Conference after 10 consecutive victories over conference opponents.

In the first set, the Violets had difficulty getting the ball over the net as Stevens defended with intense blocking.

Stevens finished the match with 15 total team blocks. Still, the Violets won the set 26-24.

Freshman opposite/setter Matthew MacDonald recorded six kills — the most in the set.

The second set was similar but much longer, as the score reached 34-32 in favor of the Violets. Junior opposite hitter Taylor Fauntleroy, who was named NYU male athlete of the week on Tuesday, had 11 kills by the end of the second set.

The third and fourth sets were not as successful for the Violets as they lost 25-20 and 25-19, respectively.

Sophomore setter Connor Mortland said the team lost its sense of urgency.

“We let our foot off the gas pedal, and it was hard to stop Stevens,” he said.

R MVBALL continued on PG. 8

Lauren Strausser/WSN

Junior Taylor Fauntleroy led NYU with 26 kills.

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Washington Square news | THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012 | nyunews.com

on the side

Compiled by the

WSN staff

Weekend Agenda 2

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Washington Square News Editor-in-Chief amanda randone Managing Editor

jaewon kang Deputy Managing Editor

Amy zhang Assistant Managing Editor

james lanning Creative Director

selena chen senior staff

university Julie devito city/state emily yang investigative hanqing chen arts jonathon dornbush features jessica littman sports daniel hinton multimedia david lin copy maximilíano durón senior editor jack brooks,

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BRIDGETTE DORAN

deputy staff

university eric benson, eliza-

beth maguire city/state tony chau, kristine

itliong, jessica schultz

Map courtesty of google maps

ALL photos via flickr

investigative feiye wang music josh johnson film stefan Melnyk entertainment jeremy grossman books/theater clio Mcconnell dining hannah borenstein beauty & style shannon

loughran sports John axelrod, cole

riley

THIS WEEKEND 1

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Thursday | 7 p.m. | Ethel Barrymore Theater | 243 W. 47th St.

Friday | 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. | Museum of Modern Art | 11 W. 53rd St.

Saturday | 9 p.m. | Terminal 5 | 610 W. 56th St.

Sunday | 8 p.m. | Caroline’s Comedy Club | 1626 Broadway

This British electro-pop duo specializes in excellent hip-hop and pop remixes.

The “30 Rock” star and stand-up comedian will perform at the famous Caroline’s Comedy Club.

“Death of a Salesman” See Phillip Seymour Hoffman star in this revival of the timeless Arthur Miller play.

Diego Rivera: Murals for the Museum of Modern Art

Jack Beats

Almost 80 years ago, MoMA commissioned Diego Rivera to create a series of murals for its walls. This spring, those murals are on display again in a must-see exhibition.

Tracy Morgan

special issues kristina bogos multimedia james kelleher copy jordan melendrez social media agent nicole gartside

opinion page

opinion editor olivia gonzalez deputy opinion editor ATTICUS

BRIGHAM, SANCHAY JAIN

advertising business manager

REBECCA RIBEIRO circulation manager

chloe coffman

university sales coordinator

Emilia Mironovici

SNAPSHOT

ON THE WIRE

Bye bye, bunny Til, Germany’s soon-to-be animal celebrity and a two-week-old bunny, met a tragic end when a TV cameraman accidentally crushed the animal to death last week. The unidentified cameraman was preparing to film the small animal zoo in Saxony to debut the bunny at a press conference. The cameraman said he did not see the bunny when he stepped backward because it was covered in hay. A zoo director said the bunny was instantly killed and did not suffer. Til was of a species of earless bunnies that is very rare. Its body will be frozen until officials decide whether or not to stuff the bunny.

— USA Today

Dartmouth College

College donations see slight drop — The Dartmouth

NYPD officers stood off against members of Occupy Wall Street early Wednesday morning.

PHOTO BY James Kelleher

Boston University

Sorority suspended, investigated by BU for alleged hazing — The Daily Free Press

sales representatives

Kaitlyn O’Brien, MICHAEL RYAN, Melissa Ynegas

advising editorial adviser

keith leighty EDITORS-AT-LARGE

jaywon choe kelsey desiderio russell steinberg KIRSTEN CHANG francis poon terka cicelOVa 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 Jaewon Kang at managing@nyunews.com or at 212.998.4302.

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nyunews.com | THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012 | Washington Square news

City church provides haven for homeless LGBTQ youth

Carina Wong for WSN

St. John’s Lutheran Church provides a shelter for the homeless LGBTQ youth in New York City.

By Tatiana Baez St. John’s Lutheran Church plans to launch its new program geared toward providing shelter for homeless LGBTQ youth in New York City by the summer of 2012.

The volunteer-staffed program would include Friday night meals, a place to sleep and activities including theater and arts programs.

In recent years, St. John’s has openly welcomed and supported the LGBTQ community on a national platform. The church’s new program acts as a step toward creating a welcoming community among all Lutheran churches.

St. John’s Reverend Mark Erson, who joined the church almost a year ago, said the program would greatly benefit the West Village community.

“St. John’s wants to add our own energy,” Erson said. “[The West Village] draws LGBT young adults.

They feel safer here.”

An estimated 25 percent of LGBTQ youth are rejected by their families, according to the Ali Formey Center, a New York City

shelter for LGBTQ youth. As a result, LGBTQ youth constitutes about 40 percent of the homeless youth population in New York City, which is currently upwards of 1,000 people.

Efforts have also been made by other religious groups to combat the rising number of homeless LGBTQ youth. Church of St. Luke in the Fields in Greenwich Village has had its doors open to homeless LGBTQ youth for the past ten years, while a temple near St. John’s is also trying to raise awareness.

St. John’s will continue the program throughout the year pending a successful summer program.

Tovah Leibowitz, a Tisch student and member of an NYU LGBT club, approved of the plan.

“This is a very positive move,” she said. “There is a huge lack of resources to deal with this problem.”

“St. John’s is sending a supportive message to LGBT,” LSP student Zev Alexander said. “Most likely, religion is related to why these kids get kicked out of their homes.”

The program has also been met with resistance from conservative groups. John Ritchie, student ac-

tion director at the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property, devalues the St. John’s initiative. “[This] charity is being used as a smoke screen to support or validate the homosexual lifestyle, which is inherently immoral and contrary to natural law,” Ritchie said.

Despite opposition, St. John’s follows the belief that “Jesus welcomed outsiders” and has openly declared itself a safe haven for people of all sexual orientations. Erson said the program is ultimately “about the community serving the needs of its people.”

Tatiana Baez is a contributing writer.

Email her at cstate@nyunews.com.

For video coverage, follow this QR code.

Leased residence halls to receive free toilet paper this fall “At each of the leased buildings, the issue of toilet paper came up,” Baackes said. “At Second Street, the issue was brought up again and Tom finally said ‘Enough is enough. I’m emailing Marc Wais as we speak, and we are getting this issue resolved this year.’ ” The operating fees of the facilities department will cover the cost of the toilet paper. But Ellett said he does not know how much this will be.

Chris Betts, a Tisch sophomore and Lafayette resident, was enthusiastic to hear the news.

“I think somehow someone forgot how essential it is,” Betts said.

“While I’d like trash bags as well, I’m so happy for toilet paper that I don’t have much to complain about. Hopefully this is the first of many progressive efforts for equal-

NYU Bike Share receives 45 new bikes

By Julie DeVito and Hanqing Chen

In a parade of purple, 45 shiny, new bikes arrived in Washington Square Park yesterday morning.

The bikes are the most recent addition to the expansion of the Bike Share Program at NYU. Members of the NYU Sustainability Office gathered in the park to assemble the bikes.

Considering the amount of student interest the program has seen thus far, Gallatin senior and Bike Share coordinator Mike Sandmel said he thought the expansion was a no-brainer.

“It’s the safest, cheapest, healthiest, most sustainable way to travel,” he said. “I think it’s good for students from other places to be able to not have to buy their own bike.”

With Green Grant from the Sustainability Task Force, Sandmel founded the program with Zachary Davidson, NYU Bike Share program assistant of energy, transportation and residential initiatives, in the fall of 2008. It brought bikes to the Green House and bike parking lot behind Tisch Hall and rented out one to two bikes a week. Since then, the program has increased to 75 bikes across ten locations and approximately 30 rentals a week.

NYU Bike Share was the first free bike-lending program in New York City and the first program of its kind at a large urban university.

The program is free to all students, faculty and staff after they have completed a mandatory safety training class.

Jeremy Friedman, NYU manager of Sustainability Initiatives, said there have been no reported injuries so far on Bike Share bikes and no reported thefts nor losses.

“Before students can check out a bike, they go through a training program which covers the fundamentals of borrowing and returning the bikes, the NYC Bike Map, rules of the road, tips for safe riding and staying visible and tips for locking up without fear of theft,” Friedman said.

The bikes, which come with bells, lights, baskets and adjustable seats, are made in Queens at Worksman Cycles, a solar-powered factory.

They are also equipped with helmets and locks.

“The idea of riding a bike around the city makes me nervous, but I’m sure city bike riders could benefit from it,” Steinhardt sophomore Emily Evans said. “Personally, I stick to walking, subway and bus.”

Julie DeVito is university editor.

Hanqing Chen is investigative editor.

Email them at university@nyunews.com.

James Kelleher/WSN

Bike Share has 75 bikes at 10 locations in lower Manhattan.

PROTEST continued from PG. 1

DORMS continued from PG. 1

because the distributor of the building controls the price.

“For at least a century, there seemingly wasn’t a great deal of attention to determine whether a hall should have TP given out at desks,” Ellett said.

Ellett said the university decided not to provide toilet paper and trash bags to leased residence halls over the years.

Olivia Baackes, president of the Inter-Residence Hall Council, said the IRHC has argued for the need to address the disparity in services among buildings for 10 years.

In the beginning of the semester, Ellett and Baackes went around to residence hall council meetings to inform students about resources available to them.

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ity among residence halls. As long as trash bags, among other things, are being considered for the future, then I’m content.”

Ellett said the university will not be offering trash bags because it was not the focus of the SSC recommendations.

Molly Huff, a Gallatin freshman and 13th Street resident, said the residents of leased dorms should never have been deprived of toilet paper in the first place.

“It’s very difficult to accept the amount I receive for how much I pay,” Huff said. “Something as seemingly minute as toilet paper should have always been provided to students, especially those in need of financial support.”

Julie DeVito is university editor.

Email her at jdevito@nyunews.com.

Protesters rally against racial shooting in Fla. “My heart is in pain, but the support of all of you really makes a difference,” Fulton said. “Our son was not committing any crimes. Our son is your son. This is not about a black and white thing, it is about right and wrong thing.”

Though no arrest has been made yet, a petition for one has collected over 600,000 signatures so far, including those of Spike Lee and Wyclef Jean.

Protester Melissa Thomas, 37, was moved to tears at the event.

“I came out here to do whatever I can for justice for Trayvon,” she said. “[I want to] let the family know that they are not alone in this. We are going to stand up and make sure that Trayvon’s murderer will be brought to justice.”

Along with Thomas’ sentiment, simultaneous yells of “You are not alone” during the parents’ speech echoed throughout Union Square.

Protester Roy Antoine, who dressed in a suit out of respect for the occasion, spoke about the significance of Trayvon’s case around America.

“We are sending a message to Florida, to the United States of America,” Antoine said. “Stop killing our black young entrepreneurs, our doctors. My son is 22-years-old and he finished university, and he is going for his masters, but that doesn’t make a difference.”

Tracy spoke not just for his son but for the many other racial profiling cases around the country.

“George Zimmerman took Trayvon’s life by profiling him,” Tracy said. “But I am here today to assure that justice is served and that no other parents will have to go through this again.”

Antoine said the protest made him realize that Trayton’s story could also be his own.

“We all have a part in organizing this,” Antoine said. “I have a son­ — a black son, and I am concerned, because that could have been my son.”

Sarah Skirmont is a staff writer.

Email her at cstate@nyunews.com.

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Washington Square news | Thursday, MARCH 22, 2012 | nyunews.com

features

edited by jessIca littman features@nyunews.com

NYU Child (not) Soldier club presents Kony 2012

By Lavya Yalamanchi NYU’s Child (not) Soldier club hosted a screening of the Invisible Children organization’s “Kony 2012” video at the Global Center for Academic and Spiritual Life last night. The presentation hosted members of Invisible Children’s Tri-State Roadie team and Ugandan advocate Akena “Boni” Boniface, who introduced the film and led a brief question and answer session.

Christine Tsai, Steinhardt senior and Child (not) Soldier member, said the club has been working with Invisible Children for several years.

“Every semester we have held Invisible Children screenings on campus although this screening is by far the most hype we have ever received,” she said.

Since the video’s release, some critics have brought up concerns such as exaggerated and questionable allocation of Invisible Children finances and oversimplification of the issue.

Members of the organization attempted to clear up some of these issues during yesterday’s discussion.

Invisible Children says funding goes toward three departments: advocacy, documenting human rights violations and direct aid.

Cheyenne Peerson, GLS freshman, said she felt the video may not be as ef-

fective as some believe.

“People don’t think much about it because it’s so viral,” she said. “There’s a lot of people that are going to repost and that’s as far as they’re going to go.”

CAS senior Bana Abera, who is majoring in Africana studies, said, “There is a deep history of slavery, European colonialism and American imperialism in that region dating back hundreds of years and continuing today.”

Abera added, “By invoking images of suffering African children, the video continues to compel young people to respond with a missionary or savior mentality.”

But others chose to voice a more positive opinion.

“I think people that are criticizing and mentioning the white savior industrial complex are people saying that the campaign isn’t doing anything, but the fact that the conversation was brought up is important,” GLS senior Arielle Feldshon said.

Child (not) Soldier events coordinator Kyndyl Miller agreed with this comment.

“The main objective is to have the world be aware,” Miller said. “Awareness is a big first step into getting something, if anything, done.”

Lavya Yalamanchi is a staff writer.

Email her at features@nyunews.com.

Steinhardt senior makes it to top three of global contest

By Brittany VanBibber Steinhardt senior Barbra Rudolph finished as one of the top three contestants in the Your Big Year contest, which selected its finalists and winner from 16 contestants in Liverpool, England last week.

The contest, which received more than 100,000 applications, was created by the travel company Smaller Earth to promote travel and social entrepreneurship. The winner of the contest will travel around the world for a year and meet world leaders, while spreading positive ideas about entrepreneurship.

Rudolph first heard of YBY in midOctober through an email from Student Universe. She said she was drawn in by the line, “Want to win a free trip around the world?”

“How could I not,” was Rudolph’s immediate response.

This year, YBY was part of the Global Entrepreneurship Congress, an annual event promoting entrepreneurship. The week-long event involves keynote speakers, debates and networking events geared toward generating innovation in business.

The conference, which was hosted

by Virgin Group chairman Richard Branson, had a theme of Unleashing the Will to Win. “The idea is to engage as many people from as many different countries in a space, and once they’re together they start to talk about entrepreneur-

ship and entrepreneurial spirit,” said Chris Arnold, founder and CEO of Smaller Earth.

This is the second year Smaller Earth has hosted YBY, which looks forward to even more applicants in future years.

In the earlier part of the competition, Rudolph had the opportunity to interview Foursquare co-founder Dennis Crowley and ask him about his biggest year.

During finals week, the finalists of YBY were required to do an elevator pitch to Branson, in which contestants were only given the time it takes for an elevator ride to propose their driving concept to Branson.

Rudolph described the experience as the most stressful seconds of her life to date.

Rudolph said she became involved because of her passion for travel.

“I think it’s one thing to donate money to a charity or cause and another to lend your hand to a cause,” Rudolph said. “[That] means more to me because the experience is real, and the connection with the people is real.”

Though she did not win this year’s YBY, Rudolph said she cherishes the experience.

“YBY has helped me realize that now is the time to do things that need doing,” Rudolph said. “Don’t wait and it’s okay to reach out.”

Brittany VanBibber is a staff writer.

Email her at features@nyunews.com.

Students celebrate Middle Eastern culture, solidarity

By Nadia Sikander While preconceived notions might lead one to believe that religion would be the prominent focus at an event hosted by the NYU Arab Students United club, music and food dominated Tuesday night’s Tarab event. Veering away from the stereotype that all Arabs practice Islam, ASU focused on cultural aspects of Middle Eastern culture, illustrating that not all Arabs fit the stereotypes seen on television.

“I just want people to see that our culture is not about terrorism and oppression,” Yasmine Abdelmoneim, a Steinhardt senior and ASU president, said.

“There’s more to our culture that what people see in the media.”

Tarab, named for a lyrical type of traditional Arab music, sought to open people’s eyes and ears to Arab culture and dispel harsh stereotypes surrounding Arabs through a celebration of music, dance and food. With their performances, which included a Dabke dance troupe, a belly dancer and student performers, ASU endeav-

ored to celebrate Middle Eastern culture and solidarity.

Baruch College alumnus Jack Yehya hosted the event.

“The media portrays a one-sided picture [of Arabs]: devoid of human elements and therefore lacking insight to who we really are,” Yehya said. “Tarab shows that we’re not threats. Rather, we’re proud members of our community.”

ASU showcased what it means to be an Arab on Tuesday with free dinner and performances by NYU students, including Omnia Hegazy, a Tisch senior and an aspiring singer-songwriter, and CAS senior Paul Rezkalla.

Hegazy honored the revolutions occurring throughout the Arab world with her song “Change This Place,” dedicating it to the many who still are not free.

“The fight for freedom is still very much real,” Hegazy told the audience.

With her graceful voice, smooth guitar playing and tabla — a type of Arab drum — accompaniment, Hegazy stunned the crowd into silence. Her words mirrored the fluidity of Arab culture,

making Arabs in the audience proud.

However, even this pride could not stop comedians Dean Obeidallah and Ramy Youssef from poking fun at their culture and addressing its stereotypes. Youssef even made light of the New York Police Department’s surveillance of Muslim students. He remembered how he suspected that his friend was working as an informant while studying at Rutgers University last year.

He sarcastically called that friend a worried companion with sincere concerns for Youssef’s family and whether they were planning any sort of overseas trips, which earned well-deserved laughs from both Muslims and non-Muslims in the audience.

“A non-Arab would come to Tarab and say, ‘Oh golly, they dance, sing, rap and tell jokes too,’” Anum Ahmed, a CAS sophomore and an attendee of the event, said. “They’re not all terrorists. That’s my favorite thing about Tarab.”

Nadia Sikander is a contributing writer. Email her at features@nyunews.com.

nyunews.com | THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012 | Washington Square news

ARTS

edited by JONATHON DORNBUSH ARTS@nyunews.com

‘Dubuque’ recovers from lackluster first act

By Olivia George

In Edward Albee’s bizarre and angry play titled, “The Lady from Dubuque,” the lights come up on a game of Twenty Questions being played at a party hosted by the selfimportant Sam (Michael Hayden) and his embittered and terminally ill wife Jo (Laila Robins).

When Jo turns to the audience — with a drink in hand — and slurs directly at us, “Don’t you just hate party games?” it becomes clear that the spectators are now guests at the party with Sam, Jo and two other couples. Unlike the characters, however, the audience is not drunk, and many of the early quips fall short of their mark.

The first act of “Dubuque” passes by without much of note. Jo is in pain, Sam is in denial and all of the guests, audience included, are extremely uncomfortable with the situation. As the party ends, everyone leaves, having been thoroughly insulted while Sam carries a wailing and crumpled Jo up to bed.

Enter the Lady from Dubuque.

The title character, also known as Elizabeth, is a classy elderly woman clad in white and pale blue, portrayed gracefully by Tony winner Jane Alexander. She and her equally refined companion, Oscar (Peter Francis James), appear only at the very end of the first act. With minimal tweaking, the play could and should begin here; very little would be lost if the play’s second half was transformed into one act.

The aged pair is supposed to be somewhat shrouded in mystery,

but with the mention of Jo’s absent mother early on, the Lady’s true identity comes as no surprise. Sam is not as quick to believe her, but Jo embraces Elizabeth with grateful recognition much to Sam’s desperate confusion.

Whatever their relationship to Sam and Jo is, it quickly becomes apparent that Oscar and Elizabeth are blatant symbols of death. Elizabeth often spreads her arms, holding her white shawl wide and looking positively angelic. And when Oscar, in one of Sam’s long white nightshirts, cradles the dying Jo and stands — smiling at the audience — he bears a striking resemblance to Jesus Christ.

Passionate performances are delivered all around in moving executions of Edward Albee’s exceptionally well-developed characters. Each possesses some gross personality flaw, but their imperfections are what make them so human and, ultimately, sympathetic. Though the audience may contemplate ducking out early, attending “The Lady From Dubuque” is simply a matter of enduring that portion of the night when not enough people — or perhaps none of the right people — have arrived.

“The Lady from Dubuque” is playing now through the extended date of April 15 at the Signature Theatre.

Tickets are $25 through March 25 and will increase to $75 after March 27. For tickets and more information, visit signaturetheatre.org.

Olivia George is a contributing writer.

Email her at theater@nyunews.com.

RAID continued from PG. 1

‘The Raid’ redeems action films with small budget Evans can confidently be added to the short list of directors who can make shaky-cam filmmaking thrilling and to the even shorter list of directors who occasionally achieve the seemingly impossible by expressing character through fight choreography. Late in the film, as Rama battles alongside an unlikely friend, the increasing trust between the two allies is reflected in the level of coordination in their joint effort. At first they more or less take turns fighting their foe — diminutive psychopath Mad Dog (Yayan Ruhian) — but slowly begin to work together until eventually they almost appear to be two halves of the same warrior.

The film, whose title was expanded from simply “The Raid” by its U.S. distributor, is essential viewing for any self-respecting film fan. If there is justice in the world, it will find a following and give the filmmaking team the acclaim they so richly deserve. And even if that

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Courtesy of Sony Classics

‘The Raid: Redemption ’ stuns with thrilling fight choreography. popular acclaim never materializes, those who experience the film will be eagerly awaiting the next endeavor to emerge from this fantastic collaboration.

Stefan Melnyk is film editor.

Email him at smelnyk@nyunews.com.

Venue:

Irving Plaza

By Josh Johnson In the last two editions of the venue review series, I profiled three venues owned by New York City concert-promoting behemoth, the Bowery Presents.

For this installment, I am going to review promoter Live Nation’s most prominent venue in Manhattan, Irving Plaza.

The biggest draw for NYU students to Irving Plaza is the location. Situated on Irving Place between 15th and 16th streets, Irving Plaza is a convenient walk from many NYU residence halls. The venue is also near Union Square, which offers many stores and food options, as well as the beautiful Union Square Park.

Until recently, one of the main problems plaguing Irving Plaza was its handling of the entry line. The venue used to offer a ticket for five dollars over face value that allowed the buyer to be in the front of the line access. Granted, if one can afford the ticket itself, then most likely one can afford the tacked on sum, but it is the principle of the practice that irks me.

But the venue must have become fed up with the undoubtedly countless pairs of eyes staring daggers at security as they usher in the skip-the-line crowd because the practice is now discontinued. Now, Irving Plaza is a traditional first come first serve venue, and for that, cheers are in order.

via flickr.com

The Psychedelic Furs performed at Irving Plaza last October.

Though Irving Plaza has a convenient location, no major line vices and a solid sound system — while not as good as the Music Hall of Williamsburg’s — that has no major problems like Terminal 5’s, the venue still is not in the same circle as the Bowery venues. Irving Plaza simply cannot book quality names to play anymore. I believe this happened for two reasons: First, ever since Ticketmaster and Live Nation merged and created the most unholy alliance since LeBron James joined the Miami Heat, Live Nation has transformed from a competitor to a little brother.

With Ticketmaster handling the Bowery Presents shows, it seems that Live Nation is being handed the left over scraps.

The second reason is Irving Plaza has lost its identity. As the venue’s website points out, Irving Plaza used to host acts including U2, Bob Dylan and Eric

Clapton. Now, Irving Plaza hosts bands that you have no idea where else to put — an island of misfit toys of the New York City concert scene. For example, here are the bands scheduled to play in April: The Pretty Reckless (fronted by “Gossip Girl” star Taylor Mansen), Steel Panther (hairmetal revivalist band) and Fountains of Wayne (famous for the hit “Stacy’s Mom”). These three bands have absolutely nothing in common, which exemplifies the venue’s lack of identity.

For Irving Plaza to become the premier concert venue that it once was, the booking needs to become more consistent. Until then, despite its location and sound quality, Irving Plaza will continue to play second fiddle to the Bowery Presents.

Josh Johnson is music editor.

Email him at jjohnson@nyunews.com

Mission accomplished for spy novel

By Christopher A. Gellert It has become increasingly difficult to write credible spy fiction after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. A fair amount of modern spy craft has shifted away from human assets to drones and satellites while espionage has grown increasingly murky with the widespread use — and denial — of torture. A sympathetic spook is hard to come by and impossible to do without acknowledging spy methods.

Yet Olen Steinhauer has done so in two previous books about tourist Milo Weaver. Weaver belongs to an elite, secret and fictional division of the CIA called the Department of Tourism, where spies use tourism to mask their identities. And Steinhauer succeeds by creating a disaffected, ambivalent hero who still has a great capacity for love.

The latest Weaver adventure, “An American Spy,” finds Weaver unemployed after the dissolu-

tion of his agency and living with his wife Tina in Brooklyn. Readers new to the series are caught up quickly by way of a preface narrated by Erika Schwartz, the head of the German intelligence agency called BDN. Deviating from the precedent set by his two previous novels, Steinhauer narrates from different perspectives. The first chapter is told by Xin Zhu, a spymaster in China’s Guoanbu.

Throughout the novel, Milo chimes in, as do his half-sister Alexandra and Alan Drummond, Milo’s former boss at the Department of Tourism.

While the use of myriad voices is a common technique in the post-modern novel, it is at odds with the genre. In espionage, the individual is simultaneously against and within the system.

This is not to say the shifts in perspective are jarring or the voices indistinguishable. But these novels have always been Milo’s story, and the technique

feels like an intrusion to hear that story from anyone but him.

One of the best things about “An American Spy” is the way it weaves family and international intrigue together. This book demonstrates that matters of the heart can have oversized consequences rather than separate affairs. Steinhauer succeeds in keeping the reader invested and attuned to not only the novel’s hero but also to the whole cast of characters.

“An American Spy,” diverting and satisfying, is an ideal read for a lazy Sunday afternoon.

And like any good Hollywood release, the ending promises a sequel, so if you fall for Milo, more likely than not you will be able to help yourself to seconds.

For now, you can indulge yourself with “An American Spy” and its two predecessors.

Christopher A. Gellert is a contributing writer. Email him at books@nyunews.com.

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nyunews.com | THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012 | Washington Square news

OPINION

edited by olivia gonzalez opinion@nyunews.com

culture STAFF EDITORIAL

Fortune cookie ice cream flavor is not racist

By Brandon Jacobi Last month Jeremy Lin ascended from being essentially the New York Knicks’ towel boy to one of the most exciting players in the league. Vermontbased Ben & Jerry’s decided to celebrate Lin’s success by creating an ice cream flavor in his honor, which includes crumpled bits of fortune cookies. But the flavor was quickly criticized as racist. Such criticism is a great example of how absurdly sensitive we have become as a culture.

It did not take long for the shop to pull the flavor and quickly offer an apology to all of those who were offended. Tally me under the ones who were not.

It is unfathomable to imagine the creators of this flavor conferring among each other on how to spread their hate of Asian-Americans across the nation. And what exactly is racist about fortune cookies? Does it signify

Mi-Fi dehumanizes the homeless

of public opinion is constantly playing the judge, jury and executioner. The only problem is that the public remains as sensitive as ever and is quick to convict anyone even toeing the line of something controversial. We seem to have this notion that people are out to get one another, and we harp on any opportunity to expose it.

It is time to take a step back and allow our common sense to guide our judgment. If we see or hear something that initially offends us, we must ask ourselves is it really offensive, or are we allowing our own biases to project onto others? We must be rational about whether or not adding fortune cookies to ice cream is really an act of racism. It will afford us an opportunity to truly think whether there was any malice behind the accused’s actions.

a demeaning aspect of Asian culture? No. As a member of the Jewish community, I’d be honored if Ben and Jerry’s decided to infuse matzah or hamantaschen into one of their flavors (though honestly I would probably never want to try it).

Those criticizing the ingredient are the true racists, as they must see some negative connotation between fortune cookies and AsianAmericans. As Dave Chappelle said about AfricanAmerican stereotypes with fried chicken, “So what?”

What is bad about harmless stereotypes about food? This is not to say that ESPN’s picture of Lin entitled “Chink in the Armor” after his first subpar game is anywhere near acceptable. I believe just as much as the next person that the authors should be severely reprimanded.

But where do we draw the line as a society?

As we continue evolving into a never-ending progressive nation, the court

New Yorkers complain about two seemingly unrelated problems on a daily basis: too many homeless people and too few Wi-Fi hotspots.

But, a New York company, Bartle Bogle Hegarty, recently attempted to remedy both problems at the South by Southwest Interactive Festival in Austin, Texas.

Members of Austin’s homeless population were equipped with MiFi devices, which allowed festival attendees to access the Internet via a password printed on a shirt reading “I am a Digital Hotspot,” and were guaranteed minimum wage in addition to donations.

BBH received both accolades and admonishment for their out-of-thebox solution. Some said it was a noble endeavor for those who need help while others called it, “Something out of a darkly satirical sciencefiction dystopia.”

While we believe that BBH’s intentions to benefit the indigent are laudable, their method for doing so was unpalatable. The initiative is dehumanizing but not a far cry from the status quo. Given the persistence of poverty, it would seem that pedestrians are already desensitized to the plight of the homeless. This initiative may merely bring ugly societal norms into the public eye.

Using the destitute as commercial projects strengthens the perception of these people as mere objects. We recognize those people advertising outside of a business as billboards, not the product itself. Without the homeless, however, there would be no Wi-Fi hotspot.

Poverty is a pervasive societal ill that requires a long-term antidote, not a temporary band-aid. Public outrage should be directed toward fixing a system that steepens the ascent from poverty rather than toward a particularly egregious example of degrading employment. We believe in making a world with less homeless and more hotspots ivn that order.

Email the WSN Editorial Board at editboard@nyunews.com.

Brandon Jacobi is a contributing columnist. Email him at opinion@nyunews.com.

Editorial Board: Olivia Gonzalez (Chair), Atticus Brigham (Co-Chair), Sanchay Jain (CoChair), Chris DiNardo, Emily Franklin, Matt Kao, Ben Miller and Peter Murphy.

The New York Times Syndication Sales Corporation 620new Eighth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10018 The york times crossword & daily sudoku For Information Call: 1-800-972-3550 For Release Thursday, March 22, 2012

Edited by Will Shortz Across

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Washington Square news | Thursday, MARCH 22, 2012 | nyunews.com

SPORTs

edited by daniel hinton sports@nyunews.com

Games heat up as seasons near end

By Sebastien Van Heyningen If your National Collegiate Athletic Association tournament bracket is in shambles at this point — as it most likely is with the upset of two No. 2 seeds — there are still plenty of other exciting games to watch as the playoffs loom in the EPL and the NBA. No. 4 Indiana University Hoosiers vs. No. 1 University of Kentucky Wildcats (Friday, March 23, 9:45 p.m. EDT on CBS) The last four games of the Sweet 16 will air on Friday night, including a rematch between Kentucky and Indiana. In their first matchup this season on Dec. 10, junior forward Christian Watford hit a three-point buzzer-beater to deal the Wildcats their first loss.

Kentucky finished the season with only one more loss. Head coach John Calipari is on another quest for his first ever National Championship after falling short with the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 1996, the University of Memphis in 2008 and the University of Connecticut in 2011. This year, the squad is full of future NBA lottery picks, including freshman forwards Anthony Davis, who is averaging a doubledouble, and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, who is projected to be among the top three draftees. On the other side of the ball, Hoosiers freshman forward Cody Zeller, who stands at

Read us on Issuu: issuu.com/ nyu.news

6 feet 11 inches, will be scoring and defending in the paint.

Chelsea Football Club vs. Tottenham Hotspur Football Club (Saturday, March 24, 8:45 a.m.

EDT on ESPN2, espn3.com and ESPNDeportes) On Wednesday Chelsea blew a 1-0 lead against Manchester City and ultimately lost 2-1. There will be no rest for the weary as Chelsea will host Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

Tottenham has played uncharacteristically poorly in its last few matches after failing to score in a loss to a mediocre Everton Club and extending their losing streak in the Premier League to three games. Yesterday Tottenham had to fight from behind to salvage a draw against another weak opponent — Stoke City. With Arsenal surging into the third spot, this match will be vital for both teams as they fight to secure the fourth and last spot in the Champions League next year.

Miami Heat vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (Sunday, March 25, 8 p.m. ET on ESPN and ESPN3) Four MVP candidates will be on the court at the Chesapeake Energy Arena, as LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and the Heat visit Kevin Durant, Russel Westbrook and the Thunder.

James is on pace for one of the best individual seasons in history. He is nearly averaging a triple-double,

Courtesy of Keith Allison

LeBron James leads the league with a 31.72 PER. scoring 27.2 points, recording 6.6 assists and grabbing a career-high 8.5 rebounds per game. Kevin Durant is also playing his way into legendary company averaging 27.5 points and 7.9 rebounds per game.

Their supporting casts are not too bad either. Chris Bosh completes Miami’s Big 3, and Oklahoma’s James Harden is the best sixth man in the league. Defense will ultimately be the deciding factor on Sunday night.

Sebastien Van Heyningen is a contributing writer. Email him at sports@nyunews.com.

MVBALL continued from PG. 1

Men’s volleyball remains undefeated within conference “I thought [Stevens junior middle hitter] Jake Modestow was going to be a hard matchup,” head coach Jose Pina said.

“In game three, Stevens exploited our lack of height in the middle, which made their wings more effective.”

Modestow recorded nine kills and 12 total attempted attacks by the end of the match.

Regarding the fourth set, Mortland added, “We were down about the third, which is probably why we lost the fourth.”

The fifth set was a thriller, as each squad had won two sets, and the UVC regular season title was on the line.

Mortland described the team’s mentality entering the final set: “We were pretty nervous.”

“We were not going in as confident, but we really picked it up, stayed disciplined and played

really hard,” he added.

Fauntleroy led the team with 26 kills, senior opposite hitter Pat Dodd recorded 19 kills and MacDonald finished with 15 kills.

“Our wings had excellent matches,” Pina said. “I am very proud of the how they were able to come back. We served really well, especially MacDonald, and we put pressure on them all the time.”

The Violets won 15-13 and earned their first UVC regular season title. NYU will host the UVC Conference Championship tournament from April 14 to 15.

The Violets will play another conference opponent in their next match at SUNY New Paltz on Wednesday, March 28, at 7 p.m.

Sara Levy is a staff writer.

Email her at sports@nyunews.com.