NYU’s Daily Student Newspaper
WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS Vol. 42, No. 28
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26, 2014
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Memorial honors Triangle Shirtwaist By KAVISH HARJAI
JONATHAN TAN/WSN
Students gathered at the corner of Washington Place and Greene Street to commemorate the 103rd anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in an event sponsored by Workers United, Remember the Triangle Fire Coalition and the Service Employees International Union. The fire that broke out in a garment factory in the Asch building in 1911, killing 146 people, raised awareness of workers’ rights and working conditions. The location of the fire is now NYU’s Brown Building. Héctor Figueroa, president of SEIU affiliate 32BJ, said the annual event is a way to remember the deceased and examine current labor conditions. “Our members took part in the event today both to honor those who died in a horrible and preventable workplace accident 103 years ago and also to call attention to the fact that workers continue to labor in unsafe conditions,” Figueroa said.
People gather to remember the 146 women who passed away in the 1911 fire, which happened in NYU’s Brown Building.
By CASSANDRA CASSILLAS
The Student Labor Action Movement attempted to deliver a letter to NYU President John Sexton on March 24 regarding what it views as a loophole in the changes NYU has recently made to its student apparel licensing contracts. NYU wrote to all of its licensees on January 15 stating that, as of March 1, the university would require all licensees to sign the Bangladesh Accord on Fire and Building Safety. The accord was drafted to protect workers from preventable building collapses, fires and other accidents after the collapse of a factory in Savar, Bangladesh, that killed over 1,100 and injured more than 2,500 in April 2013.
JanSport, which is owned by VF Corporation, currently produces apparel for NYU. According to the Collegiate Licensing Corporation and the Worker Rights Consortium, JanSport has never had a factory in Bangladesh, but other subsidiaries of VF, which has not signed the accord, have produced apparel there. The letter asked the university to respond next week regarding its ties with JanSport. “We, along with worker organizations in Bangladesh, are calling on NYU to cut ties with all VF brands, including JanSport, unless VF Corporation takes responsibility for worker safety in Bangladesh by signing the Accord on Fire
SLAM continued on PG. 3
By WARD PETTIBONE
Uncertainty is at the core of “Jim Campbell: Rhythms of Perception,” a major survey exhibition of the San Franciscobased artist’s work at the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria. An MIT alumnus who started in film — and who holds more than a dozen patents in the field of video image processing — Campbell has spent the better part of his artistic career creating hightech, low-resolution works, often incorporating custom-built electronics. But to focus on the technology is to miss the point because his work is much more absorbing than a simple exploration of the topic. Many of Campbell’s works play with the distance be-
Exhibit features Bill Cunningham VIA FLICKR.COM
INSIDE THIS
ISSUE
Artist Jim Campbell makes NY debut
The famous photographer’s work shows the development of New York City and fashion. CUNNINGHAM on PG. 4
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Letter to Sexton no SLAM dunk
MEMORIAL continued on PG. 3
tween viewer and object, usually by becoming clearer as the viewer steps farther away. In addition to “Home Movies 1040,” a giant grid of LEDs, there is “Shadow for Heisenberg,” a statue of Buddha encased in glass. As one steps closer, the glass fogs until only the shadow of the statue is visible. As one steps away again, the glass clarifies. It seems magical and is also somewhat frustrating, which is the whole point. Other works are more abstract, sometimes to an absurd degree. “Color By Number” consists of two projectors displaying a pair of images, one pixel at a time. One is a self-immolating monk and the other is a flower, but all viewers see is a solid panel of pink, then green,
‘Les Mis’ returns to Broadway The musical relies on actors who are not household names to bring the classic tale to life. MISERABLES on PG. 5
then gray and so on. Behind the panels are the original pictures, with a marker tracing across them to indicate which pixel is currently being projected. Campbell’s piece “The End” is a cathode ray tube showing every image it is capable of displaying. At this point, the screen is still mostly blank, with two pixels cycling through various colors. Theoretically, it will be billions of years before all the possibilities are exhausted, according to the museum. This display is Campbell’s first solo exhibition in New York. The pieces span 29 years, from an early experimental film to a recent self-portrait, which is carved in resin and illuminated
CAMPBELL continued on PG. 5
Anniversary serves as reminder Workplace safety is brought back into the limelight. HOUSE on PG. 7
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WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26, 2014 | NYUNEWS.COM
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Danielle is a freshman studying film and television in the Tisch School of the Arts.
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WHAT INSPIRES YOU?
Taking pictures of people. I think the environment in New York is inspiring. I really like things that are new and different, so I try to take my stories and teach something interesting and new to people, to show lessons that they already know but in different ways.
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WHAT IS THE FIRST THING ON YOUR BUCKET LIST?
deputy opinion editors
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PETER KEFFER
In terms of film, it would be to walk on the red carpet and win an Oscar. In terms of travel and other things, I think I’d like to go to Santorini, Greece. I want to shoot a movie in a foreign place.
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Homelessness Kathryn Kliff, an advocate for Picture the Homeless and the board of Research, Education and Advocacy to Combat Homelessness, will be speaking today about New York City’s shelter system. The event will take place at the Review of Law and Social Change Office at 6 p.m.
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“Baseball as a Road to God”
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NYU President John Sexton will be having a reading for his book “Baseball as a Road to God: Seeing Beyond the Game.” The event will take place at the NYU Bookstore from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
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“Escaping the Allure of Order” New York City
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Harvard professor Jal Mehta, who recently released his book “Escaping the Allure of Order: Building a Strong Profession and Remaking Education for the 21st Century,” will be speaking in Pless Hall (32 Washington Place) at 4 p.m. TODAY’S EVENTS ARE FREE FOR NYU STUDENTS.
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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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NYUNEWS.COM | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26, 2014 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS
University undergoes reaccreditation process
By ANJANA SREEDHAR
Jared Cohon, former president of Carnegie Mellon University and chair of the Middle States evaluation team, conducted an open meeting for students, faculty and administrators regarding NYU’s decennial reaccreditation on March 25. Every institution of higher education needs to be accredited by the federal government, which assigns the task to regional bodies. Cohon, along with the seven other members of the evaluation team, is in the process of meeting with trustees, NYU President John Sexton, senior administrators, faculty and students.
VIA CMU.EDU
Cohon will meet with NYU administrators this week.
They will conclude meetings on March 27. After meeting with the Student Senators Council Executive Committee, Cohon emphasized the importance of engaging with NYU students. “Our session with the Student Senators Council Executive Committee [on March 24] was a high point for this visit because we love to interact with students,” Cohon said. “We’ve covered everything from dining to residential life.” CAS senior and chair of the SSC Mariam Ehrari, said the meeting with the evaluation team was productive and thorough because the committee showed knowledge of the university. “They asked the right questions, focused and emphasized the areas that matter to our students, and genuinely seemed to understand the unique nature of NYU and its current standing,” Ehrari said. “It was very clear from our meeting that the committee has been very comprehensive in their study of NYU and have left no stones unturned.” The accreditation process is based on 14 standards that cover every aspect of university operations, including student services, curriculum, faculty and
SLAM continued from PG. 1
Labor continues to divide students, university on fair practices and Building Safety in Bangladesh,” SLAM’s letter read. SLAM sent a letter to the administration on March 1 also demanding that NYU cut ties with VF until the clothing company signs the accord. Senior Vice President Lynne Brown responded to the letter on March 17. “VF does have a brand called VF Imageware which does produce in Bangladesh,” Brown said in response. “VF Imagewear does not have a license with NYU and has never produced any NYU apparel in Bangladesh or anywhere else. No VF brand has ever produced NYU apparel in Bangladesh.” A security guard deferred the group in their efforts to deliver the
FELIPE DE LA HOZ/WSN
A security guard blocked SLAM students from Sexton’s office.
MEMORIAL continued from PG. 1
the appointment promotion process. Before this reaccreditation cycle, NYU produced a self-study to examine how it measures up to the standards. Cohon said NYU takes a creative approach with its self-study. Instead of reviewing how the university is meeting each standard, it has decided to focus on interdisciplinary, multi-school programs that exist inside and out of departmental structure. In particular, the university focused on public health, humanities and the arts, data science and cities in the urban environment. Cohon said there are two parts of the final report. “Our phase in this culminates in a written report as well as a verbal exit report out by the team on Thursday morning,” Cohon said. “The written report will be submitted to the university, and the university will respond to that in writing. That response and our written report will go to the Middle States Association, which they will use to determine whether NYU will be accredited or not.” Anjana Sreedhar is a staff writer. Email her at news@nyunews.com.
letter. The group had intended to approach Sexton after his class on the 12th floor of Bobst Library and pass out flyers to his class. The security guard required the students to leave the 12th floor immediately. Gallatin sophomore and SLAM member Daniel Lightfoot said it is vital Sexton considers the relationship between VF and JanSport when making decisions on which companies produce apparel. “We don’t intend to cause any harm,” Lightfoot said. “We just want to talk to him about a pressing global problem. Thousands of factories in Bangladesh are unsafe and we want to change that.” After speaking to Sexton, the security guard agreed to deliver any paperwork to the president. Brown said the university will continue to monitor its licensees in the university’s letter. “If anything in their situation changes to lead us to believe they are producing apparel in Bangladesh, we will notify them of the requirement to sign the accord if they want to stay in business with NYU,” Brown said. Cassandra Cassillas is a staff writer. Email her at news@nyunews.com.
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Workers’ legacy remembered outside Brown Building for 103rd anniversary
A stage was set up for speakers and, instead of conventional signs, audience members held up long sticks with pieces of fabric at the end to represent shirtwaists. Around each “shirtwaist” were sashes that had the names of people who died, as well as their ages. Manhattan resident Allison Scola said she feels connected to the victim her shirtwaist represented, Nicolina Nicolose. “I’ve researched her life and I feel really close to her, and I wrote a song about her from her point of view when dying actually,” Scola said. “I come here to honor her because she gave me a beautiful song to sing.” Scola, an Italian-American, said she came to the memorial because she wants to remember what immigrants from her country went through. “I am inspired by these immigrants who came here for a better life but perished, just so someone like me today could have better working conditions,” Scola said. “I want to celebrate the people from Sicily, where my
JONATHAN TAN/WSN
Demonstrators met to commemorate the deceased.
grandparents came from, and recognize the hard work that they put in so I can live the way I live today.” Occupy Wall Street participant John Thorson said he thinks the event is important to encourage struggling workers to fight for better conditions. “This is where we meet again, because we are at the same place in history where the oligarchs have the power and, until the people are willing to work and fight for their rights, it’s only going to get worse,” Thorson said. Members of NYU’s Graduate Student Organizing Committee was also in the audience. Graduate anthropology student and member of the union Natasha Raheja said GSOC was there to continue their dedication to address labor struggles everywhere. “Our union is committed to connecting to labor struggles across the city, across the United States, across time and [to] recognizing that we are a part of a larger historical effort,” Raheja said. She also said there are many labor struggles around the world, such as in Bangladeshi garment factories, and that the public should not discount the importance of such struggles just because of distance. “We are implicated in that as consumers,” Raheja said. “We need to understand that there is a spatial distancing of production and there is a respatialization of industry but we are not absolved of the implications.” Additional reporting by Tatiana Baez. Kavish Harjai is a news editor. Email them at news@nyunews.co.
Politics Society to host policy competition
By RAHUL KRISHNAMOORTHY
The NYU Politics Society is bringing a new competition to campus this spring. The Policy Case Competition, hosted by the NYU Politics Society and sponsored by the Wasserman Center for Career Development, the Wagner School of Public Service and the NYU Politics Department, will take place for the first time on March 30 at NYU’s Grand Hall in the Global Center for Academic and Spiritual Life. Six to 12 teams of NYU students will develop an argument and prepare 15-minute presentations for a potential course of action the U.S. government could take regarding a pressing public policy issue. These issues focus on domestic policies, international relations and economic reform. CAS freshman Nikita Roach, the society’s marketing director, said the topics were chosen to encourage students to think critically about issues. “These topics are not simple ones and they were chosen specifically because they cannot produce a one-sided solu-
tion,” Roach said. “They are multifaceted and complex and require equally complex critical thought and analysis.” LS freshman William Lockwood, the society’s secretary, said competitors should focus their presentations on strong arguments rather than personal biases. “The presentations should absolutely be nonpartisan, but that’s not to say that they shouldn’t be taking a strong position,” Lockwood said. “In their research, they’re supposed to make the best possible proposals they can, regardless of their own personal preferences or political ideologies.” Following their presentations, the teams will take questions from an expert panel of judges including Sophia Kalantzakos, a former member of the Hellenic Parliament in Greece and a public policy professor at NYU, and Susan Stehlik, a professor of communication at NYU. Steinhardt senior Alec Foster said his team comprises members of Student Net Alliance, which is a group that seeks to advance the digital rights
FELIPE DE LA HOZ/WSN
The society hopes to spark critical thinking. of students. He said the team is focusing on limitations surrounding the National Security Agency’s power. “While we’re all very involved in this field, this is the first time that we’ve come together as a group to draft a political solution to mass surveillance on a national scale,” Foster said. “It’s more challenging and nuanced than we anticipated, but our understanding of the issue has grown immensely since we began.” Rahul Krishnamoorthy is a staff writer. Email him at news@nyunews.com.
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WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26, 2014 | NYUNEWS.COM
BEAUTY & STYLE
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Shoes to make Cunningham juxtaposes going out bearable fashion, architecture in exhibit By KATE MARIN
By YUJIN RYEO Almost anywhere you would want to go in this city is accessible by foot, but all this walking takes a toll on your feet. Sneakers are a must have for those who walk everywhere, but many people tend to find themselves gravitating toward fancy, uncomfortable heels or dress shoes for a special night. Rather than suffering the entire evening, switch out your evening shoes for more comfortable, trendy alternatives.
Platform Wedge Booties Wedges are generally more comfortable than heels because they provide greater stability. By evenly distributing your weight, wedge booties make walking less strenuous. They add extra height while still maintaining comfort. An added plus is that there are fewer chances for toes to be stubbed when wearing wedge booties. A sleek, black pair like Michael Antonio’s Milena wedges is perfect for an evening look and can be paired with a variety of outfits ($48).
Sneakers People might think wearing sneakers for a night out on the town is a sloppy look, but there are many kinds of stylish and sleek sneakers available to replace painful heels. High-tops such as Project Canvas’ Primary High come in multiple colors and have a simple yet sophisticated design that goes well with outfits, dressed up or dressed down ($70). It is worth investing in a sturdy pair of sneakers for its versatility.
Combat Boots The signature look of Dr. Martens’ combat boots can add an edgy vibe to a feminine going-out look. Doc
VIA WIKIPEDIA.ORG
Ditch the heels for a more comfortable night out with boots. Martens boots are versatile and can be coordinated with a grungy or girly outfit while still looking appropriate. Doc Martens can be a good investment, but is a splurge for many students at a price of over $100. Instead, try Wanted’s Zinc boot, which offers an edgy, cut-out combat boot for about half the price ($54).
For Guys For men, casual footwear has been an increasingly popular choice for evening footwear. Men can sport comfortable shoes from sneakers to boots to complement a stylish nightout outfit. Guys are given many options in color, style and fit for their sneakers from a variety of brands. For instance, Aldo’s Fortuna sneaker comes in both black and gray, which is both casual enough for regular wear and sleek enough for going out ($85). Though keeping it casual is always an easy and comfortable option, a classic loafer, like Perry Ellis’ Bradley Slip-On, offers comfort and support in its simple styling ($50). Yujin Ryeo is a contributing writer. Email her at bstyle@nyunews.com.
New York City is known for its endless number of sights to see and monuments to visit. Street photographer Bill Cunningham exploits this feature in his new exhibit at the New York Historical Society, offering viewers a vision of the limitless nature of time and history. Taking street style to a new level, Cunningham’s collection, “Facades,” combines the old with the new. His subject, Editta Sherman, is depicted at notable monuments around New York City, dressed in attire specific to the time period in which the building was constructed. Cunningham’s series of 88 gelatin prints exposes the rich past of the city and offers viewers insight to street-style photography as a means for historical documentation. Cunningham began his project in 1968, juxtaposing the city’s rich historical past aside the city’s richest outfits. By the end of his work, Cunningham had photographed over 500 outfits at 1,800 locations in New York City. He wrote a short commentary for each image, explaining the history depicted in the background. In 1978, Cunningham published his book “Facades” as a collection of these images featuring his artistic muse around the city. On March 14, this photo book was brought to life, allowing viewers to enjoy his stunning images on a much larger scale. The defining feature of Cunningham’s collection is the way in which he combines the archi-
tecture of New York City with an eye for fashion photography. One image depicts Sherman in front of the Guggenheim Museum wearing a fur hat that reflects the spirals of the structure behind her. Hats are used to mimic the architecture of many other buildings he photographs within the collection. Cunningham uses these facets of construction as inspiration for the model’s clothing and ultimately as a way to preserve the historical qualities of these notable buildings. Cunningham’s fascination with fashion bleeds through his images, making permanent the aesthetic aspects of each time period. He pairs luxurious furs and rich materials with the dreary, rough surfaces found in an urban environment. In a particularly intriguing photograph, Cunningham places Sherman, adorned in full Victorian at-
tire, on a seat in a subway car covered with graffiti. His images are often humorous because of the harsh contrasts depicted, and Cunningham establishes a powerful connection between the borders of past and present. Tisch sophomore Maria Strycharz said she enjoyed the fashion legend’s exhibition. “Cunningham has a unique talent for street style photography and this exhibit really incorporates his style with the physical aspects of New York City,” Strycharz said. “I like how fashion and architecture play off of each other in his photographs throughout ‘Facades.’” “Bill Cunningham: Facades,” is open now through June 15 at the New York Historical Society. Kate Marin is a staff writer. Email her at bstyle@nyunews.com.
VIA WIKIPEDIA.ORG
Cunningham has worked on his photos since 1968.
Tattoo trend can lead to permanent disaster
By REBECCA RIDDLE
Societies following and embracing trends and fads is nothing new. It is human nature to change tastes and experiment with new styles and looks. But what hap-
pens when a trend — something that by definition insinuates a temporary style — is applied to a permanent medium? As tattoos are becoming more and more accepted, many young people are making the decision to get
AVITAL GLIBICKY/WSN
Trends may come and go, but tattoos are forever.
inked. Additionally, tattoos are becoming increasingly based on fashion trends. Social media, blogs and fashion sites have undoubtedly changed the way people think about tattoos. A quick search on Pinterest or Tumblr leads to seemingly endless examples and ideas. Though using the Internet for ideas is one thing, imitation is an entirely different concept. Recurring themes include the infinity sign, arrows and inspirational quotes written in cursive script. Much like the bell-bottom pants of the ’70s, the big hair of the ’80s or the grunge look of the ’90s, these tattoos are examples of trends. They have become very popular in a short period of time and are recognized and accepted by the younger generation. However, unlike the trends of the past, these tattoos cannot simply be thrown into the back of the
closet and forgotten — they are a lifelong commitment. The beauty of websites like Tumblr is in their ability to change. The Internet is constantly being updated to match changes in society. Today’s youth is accustomed to this constant change — a blog post can be deleted, a pin can be taken down and new pictures can be updated. But when images on blogs are transformed into images on the skin, what will be the effect when the tastes of societies change, yet the images cannot be erased? LS freshman Natalie Hrycak, a proud owner of multiple tattoos, is surprised by the fashion trend of getting inked. “I reblog tattoos on social media all the time, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to get every tattoo I think is pretty,” Hrycak said. “My tattoos are very personal and represent things like my family
being my foundation, because I know I’ll feel the same way in 40 years. Our generation is very afraid of commitment, so it’s very ironic to me that we seem to be getting more tattoos than people in any other age range.” The most important thing to keep in mind when getting a tattoo is that it is going to be there for decades to come — no one wants to look back and permanently regret altering his or her body for the sake of a trend. Getting the same tattoo as someone else undermines its significance. A tattoo is one of the most personal decisions that can be made because, when all is said and done, it is the individual, not the trend, who will be the owner and bearer. Rebecca Riddle is a contributing writer. Email her at bstyle@nyunews.com.
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One revival more for ‘Les Misérables’ By LEORA ROSENBERG
The audience began applauding before a single actor stepped onto the stage. A wrenching and commercially successful movie rendition that was released just over a year ago has primed the crowd for this second Broadway revival of “Les Misérables.” The production opened March 23 at the Imperial Theater, the longtime home of the original Broadway production. The musical has become part of the pop culture lexicon — this show is the third Broadway production of “Les Mis” in recent years, as the original closed in 2003 and there was a short-lived revival in 2006. The 2012 film version was nominated for a slew of Academy Awards. Perhaps recognizing that the Broadway stage is not the same as the Hollywood film set, directors Laurence Connor and James Powell have differentiated this production from the widely discussed movie by choosing a decidedly star-free cast, rather than big stars like Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway. The audience is presented with actors who have experience, but are not household names. The cast struggles under the weight of this classic. Ramin Karimloo stars as Jean Valjean, the thief who emerges from his years in captivity as a rich gentleman full of mercy for France’s poorer social groups. Although Karim-
loo manages to play both the criminal and the godly man, he flubs the transformation from one to the other. In “Who Am I?,” a song that exemplifies Valjean’s intense inner conflict, Karimloo vacillates between emotions, leaving little room for growth. He leads the cast through a first act that frantically rushes through the musical’s trademark misery and struggle and skims over the deeper threads of compassion, self-discovery and hope. With the most important themes failing to emerge, the characters intended for comic relief become the crown jewel of “Les Mis.” Cliff Saunders and Keala Settle excel as the unsavory Thérnadier couple, the master of the house and his wife. They use every gesture, expression and song as an opportunity to send the audience into peals of laughter. Child actor Gaten Matarazzo shines as the gutsy Gavroche. If his shameless upstaging of the other actors is any indication, he shares some of his character’s pluck. The funny moments carry the show through to the second act, where “Les Misérables” slows to a pace that luckily relies more on plot than on character growth. With this, the production is finally able to overcome its uneven cast. Leora Rosenberg is a staff writer. Email her at theater@nyunews.com.
Band honors 40 years of punk By JOHN AMBROSIO
The So So Glos took over the house of God on March 22, rocking NYU’s Judson Memorial Church as part of the 40 Years of Punk celebration. The show, which was co-sponsored by NYU and the American Comparative Literature Association, commemorated the booking of the first punk bands at CBGB in 1974 and raised money for the Silent Barn, a punk rock venue in Brooklyn. After sets from local bands Arm Candy and Household, the So So Glos took the stage — in this instance, a priest’s pulpit — and started preaching the gospel of punk. Although they were short one member — Mat Elkins and his collection of baseball caps
were sorely missed — Titus Andronicus guitarist and Glos producer Adam Reich did a great job filling in on guitar, and the band barely missed a beat. The Glos opened with “Son of an American,” making it immediately clear that it would not be a night for simply bobbing one’s head a few feet from the stage. Less than a minute into the set, the small crowd erupted into a sea of slam dancing. From there, the Glos ran through the first couple tracks from their 2013 album “Blowout,” including “Diss Town,” “House of Glass” and “Lost Weekend,” thus getting the boring songs out of the way, as singer and bassist Alex Levine put it.
JOHN AMBROSIO FOR WSN
So So Glos frontman Alex Levine plays on stage.
Cory Monteith shines in ‘McCanick’ By NORA BLAKE
With an abundance of fastpaced police dramas on television, it might seem logical to try to translate these stories to film. Yet “McCanick,” the latest action flick from director Josh Waller, rests on undefined presumptions and ultimately leaves the audience wanting more, much like the serialized shows on network television. “McCanick’s” greatest problem lies in its sloppy delivery. The story, taking place over the course of one day, follows seasoned detective Eugene
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McCanick, played by David Morse. The film is reminiscent of a typical police story, with the usual activities one might assign to a hardened character like McCanick. But, his trials and tribulations are those that the audience could easily watch in reruns on a more evolved and less confusing television series. Through a number of flashbacks that exist for plot and character development, it is revealed that McCanick harbors a deep secret, one that involves misguided teenager Simon Weeks, played by the late Cory Monteith, and Si-
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Monteith gives a strong performance as Simon Weeks.
mon’s string of past offenses. McCanick’s growth does not register on screen, making the narrative hard to follow and less deserving of the audience’s attention. The director tries too hard to make the film a gritty and captivating character study, but the vague and underdeveloped nature hinders the success of this goal. Despite “McCanick’s” muddled storyline, the individual performances are what make this film tolerable. Morse’s uncompromising and honest character, if transplanted to a different environment, would have the potential to carry an entire film. His performance is unfortunately deluded because of his slovenly representation on screen. Supporting roles from Mike Vogel and Ciarán Hinds seem rich and interesting, but are lessened because of Waller’s choice of narration. Though merely a supporting character in the film, Monteith’s depiction of a bewildered and distressed criminal is the standout performance of “McCanick.” Weeks does not appear to be a character deserving of sympathy or empathy. In spite of this,
Monteith brings a vulnerability that allows the audience to connect with his plight. More importantly, his role is the most developed. Monteith is remembered primarily for his popular role as Finn Hudson on “Glee,” but his character in the film is a far cry from that part. Considering his struggles with substance abuse in real life, Monteith evidently explored the harrowing characteristics of an individual like Weeks and gave the character commendable conviction. Perhaps he even looked to his own experiences, allowing him to express feelings not easily accessible to most actors. Monteith ultimately gives an admirable performance that shows his diverse acting ability. Monteith brings a muchneeded sense of purpose to the film, making his final film role that much more fulfilling and honorable. However, even with a formidable and talented cast, “McCanick’s” lack of plot and character development cause the film to fall short. Nora Blake is a staff writer. Email her at film@nyunews.com.
In keeping with the theme of the celebration, the Glos then covered Richard Hell’s “Love Comes in Spurts” and the Ramones’ “Chinese Rocks.” The covers were suitably sloppy, chaotic and a testament to the phrase “good enough for punk.” However, the highlights of the show were the few tracks played from the first album, which recently made its way out of the band’s vault. After the covers, they played an explosive version of “Broken Mirror Baby,” during which they taught the audience the secret meaning of their name. The Glos ended strong with “We Got the Days,” which devolved into a debauched celebration of all things punk. In the middle of the song, the Glos brought everything down to a whisper before building back up and eventually exploding into a righteous tirade against “magazine beauty, Ritalin junkies and social butterflies.” At the end of the night, the So So Glos had reaffirmed that punk, though quickly entering middle age, is still immature, reckless and fun — just as the good lord intended. John Ambrosio is a contributing writer. Email him at music@nyunews.com.
CAMPBELL continued from PG. 1
Campbell presents first solo exhibition in Astoria museum
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Pixels and lights make up the exhibit. with more than 1,000 LEDs. In an age of high-definition, Campbell’s work is a refreshing reminder of the lo-res days of yore. The artist is first to admit how far technology has come. “Computers were so slow 20 years ago,” Campbell said. He sounded nostalgic, but it is only through modern technology that his vision can be realized. “Jim Campbell: Rhythms of Perception” is on view until June 15 at the Museum of the Moving Image, 36-01 35th Ave. Admission is free for NYU students. Ward Pettibone is a contributing writer. Email him at entertainment@nyunews.com.
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THE NEW YORK TIMES CROSSWORD & DAILY SUDOKU Crossword ACROSS 1 Crumples (up) 5 Word of comparison 9 Destroy, as hopes 13 Drop 14 Relatives of Yodels 16 Object of ancient Egyptian veneration 17 Work written between “Typee” and “Mardi” 18 “Maria ___,” 1941 #1 hit 19 Vivacious 20 Overly bold member of the “Little Women” family? 23 Salinger’s “For ___ – With Love and Squalor” 24 Granola bar ingredients 26 “No seats left,” in short
29 Result of bankruptcy? 34 “Hungry hungry” game creatures 36 Schlep 37 Siouan tribe 38 Turn away 39 See 11-Down 40 Jewish deli offering 41 Thinker Descartes 42 Intellectual range 43 Nod’s meaning, maybe 44 What blood donors do? 47 “___ fancy you consult, consult your purse”: Franklin 48 Some summer wine 49 Dueling implement 51 Motivational words for a boss at layoff time?
57 “___ that sweet?” 60 Part of LED 61 One might run Lion or Leopard 62 Squeakers 63 Bob of “Full House” 64 Metaphor for punishment 65 Spur 66 Actor Coleman or Oldman 67 World’s fair
DOWN 1 Pound sound 2 What might go on a belt 3 Parisian house of design 4 Vermont winter destination 5 Lunchbox accessory 6 Variety of poker 7 “Pardon the interruption …” 8 Singer Hendryx ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE 9 “Oy” or “ow” A T O Z B A R B G O N E R 10 Japanese P.M. Shinzo ___ C O D Y B B O Y O R O N O I D I G C H A T T E R B O X 11 With 39-Across and 58-Down, D O N O W O N E R S E R I response to a T E A R I S I T M E military command H A K E E M E X G O V 12 F.D.R.’s third veep I C I A M I D F O N D U 15 Tahitian garb G A R M E N T D I S T R I C T 21 Fancy necktie H I K E S G E N L S O N 22 Archipelago constituent, I C I E R U R S I N E maybe P I A N O S L E A H 25 Much of “The O R K R E U S E J O H N Q Daily Show” and K A R A T E C H O P L U A U “The Colbert E N O T E L E N O O M N I Report” D I N E D A L E X M E A N 26 Quick 27 “Cry me a ___” The first letters of the answers to the 13 italicized clues proceed from A to M; the last 28 First game of the season letters proceed backward from Z to N. 30 Joint assemblies
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31 Vienna’s land: Abbr. 32 Schlemiel 33 Titter 35 Like much media mail 39 “And ___ it moves” (what Galileo allegedly said in reference to the earth)
53 What might get you through a quiet stretch? 54 Kind of screen 42 Works, as dough 55 Potential flu 43 Ungodly display symptom 45 Suffix with many 56 Effect of a yodel, country names perhaps 46 Kindle or Nook 57 Rapscallion 50 I.R.S. submission 58 See 11-Down 52 TV meas. 59 Sgt., e.g. 40 Casey of “American Top 40”
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NYUNEWS.COM | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26, 2014 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS
OPINION
EDITED BY PETER KEFFER OPINION@NYUNEWS.COM
WOMEN’S RIGHTS
Too many girls worldwide remain uncounted By LIA CAIRONE
I was incredibly fortunate to be born in the United States. Growing up here has meant having the opportunity to pursue higher education and the chance to follow my ambitions. It is where I received a birth certificate — something I have recently come to appreciate as the first step in so many of these opportunities. Yet far too many girls around the world are not as lucky. Millions of girls today are being overlooked on a fundamental level and being denied the opportunity to be registered at birth in their communities. This barrier, on top of many other challenges including child marriage, physical violence, human trafficking and limited educational and economic opportunities, prevents girls from reaching their full potential. This March, Americans should step up to help girls around the globe to be counted. Living in the year 2014, in a forward-thinking place like New York, it seems impossible to imagine not having a birth certificate or all the
privileges that such a document allows — a driver’s license, the right to vote, even the ability to get on a plane. Yet millions of girls and women across the globe live every single day without even a birth certificate. In many parts of the world, girls grow up without any opportunity to obtain an education or a job, buy their own land or start their own businesses. They are essentially invisible members of society. Approximately one out of eight people worldwide is a girl or a young woman between the ages of 10 and 24, one of the fastestgrowing segments of the population in developing countries. In this, the lack of documentation for these girls and women becomes a global issue. Girls’ and women’s health and welfare
is fundamental to creating and maintaining strong economies and communities. When a society handicaps girls at birth by failing to acknowledge their very existence, it holds back entire nations from reaching their potential. For these reasons, it is time to urge U.S. Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand and Charles Schumer, as well as our congressional representatives, to take action by supporting the Girls Count Act of 2013. This new legislation aims to tackle the rights issue by encouraging countries to enact laws — including the promotion of birth certifications and national identity cards — that promote girls’ and boys’ full participation in society. It also urges the U.S. government to work with partners like the United Nations, which can help countries facilitate data collection and establish identification laws to ensure that girls are active participants in the social, economic, legal and political sectors of their societies. Lia Cairone is a contributing writer. Email her at opinion@nyunews.com.
MIDDLE EAST
University panel aggressively anti-Israel By AVITAL KAPLAN and JOSH LAVINE
The “Against Israeli Apartheid!” event on March 10 was supposed to be no laughing matter. Yet the hundred or so audience members at the panel hosted by NYU’s Students for Justice in Palestine chapter chuckled as Ali Abunimah and Max Blumenthal, two outraguous detractors of Israel, spoke. Abunimah and Blumenthal are dangerous. They are well-educated — Abunimah has degrees from Princeton University and the University of Chicago while Blumenthal has a degree from the University of Pennsylvania. They are fantastic orators and they are overflowing with charisma. These characteristics endow them with an aura of credibility. As a result, people are blind to their deceptions, distortions and slander. Blumenthal began the night with the discriminatory precondition that anyone who felt uncomfortable with the facts that he and Abunimah were about to vocalize could feel free to “click their heels together five times” in order to be “instantly transported to a Hillel house on campus, with 24hour G4S security.” What had been
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labeled as an anti-Israel panel had swiftly become explicitly anti-Semitic. Both Abunimah and Blumenthal said that Israel oppresses the minority citizens of the country. How could this be when Arab-Israelis living in Israel have the same rights as Jewish-Israelis? In fact, there are 12 elected Arab members in the Israeli Parliament. Meanwhile, Palestinians elected many members of Hamas, an internationally-recognized terrorist organization whose charter calls to destroy Israel, to the Palestinian Legislative Council in 2006. A year later, in 2007, Hamas executed a military coup in Gaza. In Judea and Samaria — the West Bank — the Palestinian Authority has control of the predominantly Palestinian areas, as delineated in the Oslo Accords. The double standard for the panel was clear. Abunimah scoffed at the claim that Palestinian rock throwing
could hurt anyone. Then, he painted a harrowing picture of a Palestinian family whose life was forever destroyed when an Israeli Molotov cocktail hit its car. To be clear, the plight of this Palestinian family is heartbreaking. However, rock throwing by Palestinians has certainly destroyed many Israeli lives. The examples — from Adele Biton to Yosef Ishran and Koby Mandell — are numerous. Those who are truly interested in human rights do not differentiate between the nationalities of the perpetrators, nor the victims, of violence. NYU students should not tolerate one-sided defamation on campus. There must be freedom of speech, but students should reject hate and intentional deception. If Abunimah and Blumenthal were truly interested in a better future for Palestinians, they would have recognized that the complexity of the situation can only be solved through honest, multifaceted dialogue. Once this notion reaches the forefront of the speakers’ minds, we can have a genuine panel on peace. Avital Kaplan and Josh Lavine are contributing writers. Email them at opinion@nyunews.com.
STAFF EDITORIAL
Workplace safety must evolve to protect labor
The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire occurred 103 years ago, and the event continues to serve as a reminder of the need for workplace safety laws. One of the deadliest industrial disasters in New York City history, the incident took the lives of 146 garment workers who perished because of blocked fire escapes. The demand for fair wages and workers’ protections increased in the aftermath of the tragedy, inciting a movement for improved labor standards. Despite the victories that have been made in the past century, threats to proper working conditions still exist. Avoiding safety hazards in the workplace is a collective effort that needs to involve employers, employees and the government. Employees need to unionize. Since the 1950s, the number of workers in unions has declined greatly. By banding together, workers are able to effectively argue for safer working conditions. To ensure employee safety, companies have to commit to regularly investigating working conditions and fixing potential hazards. The government must enforce these measures and ensure employers are following protocol. Workplace mistreatment is particularly common among the politically disenfranchised, such as illegal immigrants and migrant workers. Without legal protection, they suffer inhumane working conditions, and cases of mistreatment appear all over the world. Given that industry in the United States is constantly using new methods and technologies, it is important that safety standards are maintained and updated. In the past few years, explosions at a Texas fertilizer plant, the BP Deepwater Horizon oil rig and a West Virginia coal mine have killed 54 workers total and injured hundreds more. All of the sites involved in these accidents had histories of safety violations that companies often ignored. As new technologies develop, it is vital not only that safety practices remain satisfactory, but also that regulations are constantly improved to reflect any new risks. If we are to serve the memory of those who died in the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire, we must pressure employers to conform to domestic and international regulations. Notably, the area where the tragedy occurred ultimately became the university’s Brown Building, part of the Silver Building block. Furthermore, former WSN Features Editor Kristina Bogos highlighted some of the poor working conditions on our Abu Dhabi campus in a PolicyMic article on March 20. As such, we must also look inward and seriously question the working conditions for those building our classrooms in Abu Dhabi. Bogos called for the NYU community to object to the poor working conditions in Abu Dhabi. We reiterate both that appeal and the general need for employees to demand fair conditions from their employers.
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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