NYU’s Daily Student Newspaper
WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS Vol. 41, No. 28
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27, 2013
nyunews.com
STREET BOUND Homeless population on the rise
Shelterless men, women and children fill the streets of New York City as the loss of public housing and the lingering effects of economic downturn weigh on the city.
STORY ON PAGE 3
RACHEL KAPLAN/WSN
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
Village tenants plan to appeal dismissal of lawsuit against 2031 expansion plan By KEVIN BURNS
GAY MARRIAGE IS COMPATIBLE WITH CONSERVATIVE VALUES:
As marriage equality goes to the Supreme Court, the WSN editorial staff demonstrates contrary to popular belief, that same-sex marriage is consistent with conservative ideology.
RACHEL KAPLAN/WSN
JOE’S PIZZERIA SERVES AUTHENTIC PIES IN UNION SQUARE:
Joe’s, a famous West Village instution, opened a new storefront in Union Square earlier this month. The shop serves fresh, delicious pizza based on traditional family recipes.
would be a problem,” Weinstein said. “I don’t see this as a victory for the Sexton plan.” Coin advised the tenants to refer their suit to the Department of Housing and Community Renewal. With the appeal, however, it appears as though the residents will continue their battle in court. NYU spokesman Philip Lentz said the university is confident the court’s original decision to dismiss the case will stand if future appeals are allowed. “We argued before the judge that the case should be thrown out and it was. We
2031 continued on PG. 3
Film gives Snow White silent treatment By KATHERINE TEJEDA
OPS on PG. 7
JOE on PG. 8
Tenants of the NYU owned high-rise complex Washington Square Village appealed the dismissal of their lawsuit to block a portion of NYU’s 2031 expansion plan yesterday. The high-rise residents’ lawsuit aimed to stop NYU from eliminating any part of a park located in the center of the group of high-rises. It was dismissed by a New York State Supreme Court judge on March 14. NYU plans to remove the park and replace it with a smaller one in a different location, as part of its 2031 expansion plan. Justice Ellen Coin dismissed the suit on grounds that the case did not yet warrant
the attention of the State Supreme Court since the construction project is still in its early stages. NYU has not yet finalized plans or secured construction permits. Coin said the suit is currently more of a community than a State Supreme Court case. “Such oversight is more akin to an administrative function rather than determination of a justiciable controversy,” Coin said in a statement. NYU professor of history Barbara Weinstein, a member of the Faculty Against the Sexton Plan group, said she had hoped the judge would pass down a stronger decision. “I do wish the judge had been more proactive and said that building on those spaces
Bullfighting, murder and dancing. “Blancanieves,” directed and written by Pablo Berger, is an adaptation of the classic Snow White fairy tale. But this film is not the story you grew up with — it’s not a fairy tale at all. Our Snow White is a girl named Carmen, and the film takes place in Seville during the 1920s. Carmen (Macarena García) is sent to live with her father, Antonio (Daniel Giménez Cacho), and his new wife, Encarna (Maribel Verdú), after her grandmother’s passing. Encarna is your typical evil stepmother, but her ill will is also directed at her husband who, after a bullfighting accident, is
BLANCANIEVES continued on PG. 4
left completely paralyzed. Once she’s had enough of him, Encarna kills Antonio and sends her lover to kill Carmen only for her to be saved by one of six bullfighting dwarves named Rafita (Sergio Dorado). After jumping in the ring to save Jesusín, another one of the dwarves, Carmen goes on to become a famous bullfighter while Encarna searches with the infamous poisoned apple in hand. One of the most interesting aspects of “Blancanieves” is its lack of audio. The silent foreign film lacks distracting subtitles. The montage and rhythmic editing are especially effective, most notably in the scenes where Carmen and her grandmother are dancing after her communion. The quick tempo and dance movements are combined with a series of
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The fairy tale’s familiar dwarves are actually bullfighters in “Blancanieves.”
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ON THE SIDE STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS MINT.COM PERSONAL FINANCE This personal finance app is helpful for students who want to stay on budget for the rest of the semester. Users can add all their accounts and create different budgets for an array of categories. Users can easily see where they are spending most of their money and where they need to save more. Free on iPhone, Android COURTESY OF ISTUDIEZ
ISTUDIEZ This app is perfect for students who need a little help reorganizing after the break. After inputting one’s schedule, the user views a calendar of events, assignments and exams. Users can also set reminders and update their grades when they receive them. The app even has a grade point average calculator. Pro version: $2.99 on iPhone, iPad, Mac; Lite version: free on iPhone, iPad, Mac
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WSN STAFF
IN AND OF
THE CITY
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WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS Editor-in-Chief JONATHON DORNBUSH Managing Editor
AMY ZHANG Web Managing Editor
HANQING CHEN
It’s a big city and a widespread university. Catch up with our daily updates on university and city/state news headlines other publications are covering.
Deputy Managing Editor
JORDAN MELENDREZ Assistant Managing Editor
NICOLA PRING Creative Director
KALEEL MUNROE SENIOR STAFF
university TATIANA BAEZ city/state VERONICA CARCHEDI investigative NICOLE BROWN arts JOSH JOHNSON features KRISTINA BOGOS sports MARY JANE DUMANKAYA multimedia RACHEL KAPLAN copy MICHAEL DOMANICO,
WICY WANG foreign correspondent JULIE DEVITO senior editors GENTRY BROWN, DAN
HINTON, CHARLES MAHONEY, CLIO MCCONNELL, STEFAN MELNYK, LAVYA YALAMANCHI
DEPUTY STAFF
EVERNOTE Evernote can sync to multiple devices, making note-taking easy for any student. Students can type their notes into the app, link web pages, photos or videos, record voice memos and create to-do lists. Students should also check out Evernote Peek for an easy way to make flashcards. Free on iPhone, iPad, Android
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MY FITNESS PAL This app is a personal weight watcher. It allows users to keep track of the number of calories they intake each day, set a weight goal and keep track of the progress they make. Based on the user’s age, gender, starting weight and activity level, the app creates personal daily plans for the user. Free on iPhone, iPad
SNAPSHOT
university KEVIN BURNS, NEELA QADIR city/state EMILY BELL, ANDREW
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‘MAN IN WATER’ SCARE MAKES WAVES IN HUDSON RIVER The New York police and fire departments went to West 14th Street Tuesday morning in an attempt to rescue what seemed to be a man overboard, but fortunately the figure was only a NY Waterway test dummy. The test dummy is used in ferry rescue drills. — DNAINFO
books/theater OLIVIA GEORGE film JEREMY GROSSMAN entertainment ALEX GREENBERGER music ALEXANDRIA ETHRIDGE the highlighter blog SAM RULLO features HELEN HOLMES beauty & style MICHELLE LIM dining ANGEL CHANG sports FRANCISCO NAVAS multimedia REBECCA CLEMENTI,
JOON LEE
OPINION PAGE opinion editor
SMOKING BAN TURNS 10 The Smoke-Free Air Act was passed 10 years ago in New York, and the ban is still cause for celebration. But public health improvements can still be made. — THE HUFFINGTON POST ‘SECRET’ FACEBOOK PAGES CROPPING UP AT NY COLLEGES NYU Secrets is not the only Facebook group to allow anonymous posts by university students and faculty. These web pages are popular at many schools in New York, and administrators are becoming concerned. — UPI
SAMEER JAYWANT deputy opinion editors
EDWARD RADZIVILOVSKIY, RAQUEL WOODRUFF
ADVERTISING BUSINESS MANAGER
REBECCA RIBEIRO CIRCULATION MANAGER
CHLOE COFFMAN
UNIVERSITY SALES COORDINATOR
KAITLYN O’BRIEN SALES REPRESENTATIVE
ELLEN MCQUEEN SALES ASSOCIATES
MAYORAL CANDIDATES DISCUSS APPOINTMENT OF A CHIEF TALENT OFFICER As New Yorkers ponder the future of the city after Mayor Bloomberg’s departure, officials at City Hall consider appointing a Chief Talent Officer to preside over New York City’s human capital. — CRAIN’S NEW YORK
ARIANA DIVALENTINO, ALISON LIZZIO, SAM WANDER CIRCULATION ASSISTANT
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GOOGAMOOGA FEST TO RETURN TO PROSPECT PARK This three-day festival, which includes food, drink and music, is set to take place in Brooklyn from May 17 to 19. Organized by the same team who is in charge of Bonnaroo, GoogaMooga features free admission on Saturday and Sunday. — THE NEW YORK TIMES
CORRECTION
Enjoying a break from the cold, a biker takes a midday ride down Broadway.
PHOTO BY HANNAH COHEN
In the article “Eleagance dance to be held at Metropolitan” published on March 26, WSN inaccurately reported that this year was the first time the Elegance Dance would not be held on a cruiseship. In fact, the Elegance Dance was held in TriBeCa three years ago. WSN regrets the error.
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MAXIMILÍANO DURÓN, JAEWON KANG, FRANCIS POON, MERYLL PREPOSI, AMANDA RANDONE, EMILY YANG 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 Amy Zhang at managing@nyunews.com or at 212.998.4302.
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NYUNEWS.COM | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27, 2013 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS
2031 continued from PG. 1
Villager opposition to 2031 plan continues
are confident we will win the case,” Lentz said. The lawsuit filed by the tenants is one of two lawsuits against the 2031 plan. The other suit was an Article 78 suit filed in the the State Supreme Court last September. The Article 78 suit, filed by an 11-group coalition including community and city organizers, has not been decided. Lynne Brown, NYU senior vice president for university relations and public affairs, said NYU is also confident the court will side with them in the Article 78 suit. “We are very pleased with today’s ruling and also look forward to prevailing in the Article 78 case,” she said. The Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation is one of the groups challenging NYU with the Article 78 suit. Andrew Berman, the executive director at the preservation society said that though GVSHP is not affiliated with the tenants, they support the cause. “We are hopeful that between our lawsuit and any other effort the 2031 plan will ultimately not move forward,” Berman said. Additional reporting by Su Sie Park. Kevin Burns is a deputy university editor. Su Sie Park is a contributing writer. Email them at university@nyunews.com.
Environmental club focuses on student discussion By SU SIE PARK
The Environmental Studies Club held its first meeting last night after a hiatus of several years. Club members hope to build excitement for the reinstated club, which aims to extend conversation about environmental issues outside the classroom. Co-president and CAS sophomore Katie Andrew restarted the club when she saw there was no place on campus for students to discuss important environmental issues freely. Andrew sees the club as an opportunity to create a forum and facilitate discussion within the NYU community. The club also hopes to engage material they learn in the classroom by delving deeper into problems at club meetings. “Currently students do not have discussion outside of class,” Andrew said. “We just basically have class time, and there is no community where students can hear more opinions about the topics. Introductory classes are 80 people with really interesting topics ... so [there] is little
Homelessness numbers reach record highs By VERONICA CARCHEDI
More children and adults are homeless now than any time period since the Great Depression, according to a recent State of the Homeless 2013 report. Produced by the Coalition for the Homeless, the report revealed that more than 50,000 people are living in New York City homeless shelters this year, a 19 percent increase from 2012. The report focused heavily on Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s administration, highlighting that the homeless shelter population rose a cumulative 61 percent since Bloomberg took office. The Bloomberg administration has increased expenditures on homeless shelters and services by 77 percent over his term according to the report. But Patrick Markee, senior policy analyst at the Coalition for the Homeless, said this may indicate a crisis-management strategy rather than one that seeks long-term solutions. “The city is spending much more on shelter and services for homeless New Yorkers, but could save millions on shelter costs while at the same time reducing the number of children and families in shelters if the mayor would adopt permanent housing policies used by previous New York City mayors,” said Markee. Bloomberg started his term with high ambitions for tackling homelessness. In 2004, he announced a 10-year action plan called Uniting for Solutions Beyond Shelter to reduce the homeless population. The plan enjoyed some early successes, cutting the street homeless population in half and the homeless shelter population by 18 percent in 2009. However, in 2011 Bloomberg cut the Advantage Program, a rent subsidy allowing homeless people to transition to permanent housing, after losing state and federal funding. Bloomberg did not
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mention the issue of homelessness in his 2013 State of the City address. The Bowery Mission, a local homeless shelter that serves an estimated 10,000 people a year, feels the effects of this mounting problem. The shelter is entirely funded by private donation and relies on volunteers to serve 600 to 700 meals per day. It has an 82-resident maximum but has been significantly over capacity this year, housing 177 people last Saturday. “We’re in a desperate situation right now,” said James Macklin, director of outreach for the Bowery Mission. Macklin, who worked at the Bowery Mission for 23 years, said he wished the city government would revise its program to alleviate the situation. “If you’re doing a project for the city, you’re handicapped, because there are certain guidelines they force you to implement,” he said. “I think that it would be better if it would funnel some of the resources and take all of the restrictions off the people who are really helping.” Macklin also cited economic reasons for the increase in homelessness — namely poor education, high unemployment and disproportionate wages-to-living expenses. “We’re in a society today where you can either pay your rent and not eat, or eat and be homeless,” he said. The Coalition for the Homeless has proposed a plan to reduce the homeless population, which included providing permanent housing resources and removing barriers for sheltering homeless. “We are working with officials at every level of government to urge needed changes in New York City’s failed homeless policies, as well as meeting with candidates for mayor,” said Markee.
We’re in a society today where you can either pay your rent and not eat, or eat and be homeless.
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Veronica Carchedi is city/state editor. Email her at vcarchedi@nyunews.com.
time to get [in] depth,” said Andrew. Co-president and CAS freshman Brynn O’Donnell said the club provides students with the opportunity to express their opinions without pressure and focuses more on academic discussion. “Our mission is more focused on the academic side of environmental issues, while most of the clubs focus on the policy and [projects],” O’Donnell said. In its first meeting members outlined the structure of future meetings and reviewed each member’s goals for the semester. The club also discussed plans for Easter and Earth Day, methods for funding the club’s future events and plans to host panels featuring science professors and other experts. Another highlight of the night was the discussion about the environmental effects of hydrofracking, a technique used to extract natural gas by drilling into the ground that could release methane and other chemicals into the water. Andrew spoke about the possible effects of fracking on New York City, es-
pecially after the construction of the Spectra Energy Corps. pipeline which will run underneath the Hudson River. CAS junior and environmental studies major Jen Cogen said the club is a place where members can unite over their passion for environmental issues. “It’s great that they’re restarting the club,” Cogen said. “I’m excited that there is a place I can go now within NYU to get more involved in environmental studies outside of my class.” Su Sie is a contributing writer. Email her at university@nyunews.com.
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The Environmental Studies Club engages students in policy debates.
Day by day: Leadbetter tells of life without home By DANIEL HUANG For as long as many of us have been alive, Danny Leadbetter has been sitting on a crate outside the deli on 13th Street and University Place. “I have been here for over 20 years,” he states matter-of-factly, as if describing a relationship with an old friend. Leadbetter is neither confrontational nor demanding. Earbuds in, he bobs his head silently to the tune of a small pocket radio until greeted or given some change. The warm, smooth-talking charmer expresses his thanks. His easy, open personality has made him more than a few friends in the area. As if on cue, a young man walking by stops to say hello. “This here’s my boy,” Leadbetter says, visibly happy to see him. The two slap and pound each other’s hands in a special handshake. Before the man leaves, Leadbetter teases him. “You got something for me?” Leadbetters said. The man reaches into his pocket and pulls out a cigarette. Leadbetter smiles sheepishly and accepts it — obviously not the first time he’s bummed a smoke. But before he settled into this one New York City intersection, Leadbetter had a family and a career, a life filled with challenges but also joy. For a long time, his did not seem like a path headed for the streets. After college, he was approached by the Charlotte Knights — then called the Charlotte Orioles — a farm team for the Baltimore Orioles. Presented with an opportunity that many of us only dream about, Leadbetter dropped out of school and became a semi-professional
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baseball player. “Traveling all around the country playing ball,” he recalls. “Man, that was the best.” But his fondest memories from the past were not his days as an athlete but time spent with his wife. Leadbetter describes their days as a young couple playing pool, ping-pong and cards at the club. He married his wife at 19 years old. “After she passed, I took it really hard,” he admits. He describes losing his job as a medical assistant and arriving at this street corner. “I just had to try to find myself,” he said. Today, Leadbetter enjoys a healthy relationship with his daughter, who has her own family in Jersey City. He visits her once or twice a week but never stays for more than a night. “She’s always asking me why I gotta leave again, and why I don’t stay longer,” he confesses. “But I can’t do that, man. She’s got her own people to take care of, I don’t want to bother her.” It’s the first warm day of the spring and Leadbetter lifts his head to look at the sunny sky. “Just sitting here, passing the time, staying out of trouble, it’s not so bad.” He smiles again. “You gotta have a happy, happy soul or you got nothing.” In a city moving at a mile a minute, amid speeding cars and rushing pedestrians, Leadbetter has worn many hats in his life — sports star, romantic, father, beggar — but underneath it all he is just a regular guy taking it one day at a time.
Staying out of trouble, it’s not so bad. You gotta have a happy, happy soul, or you got nothing.
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Daniel Huang is a contributing writer. Email him at cstate@nyunews.com.
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ARTS BLANCANIEVES continued from PG. 1
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‘Blancanieves’ breaks fairy tale mold
shots until all is stopped by her grandmother’s heart attack. The differences between “Blancanieves” and the original classic are truly refreshing. Instead of a handsome prince arriving to save a damsel and riding off into the sunset, Snow’s love interest is the dwarf Rafita, the same man who saves her after her stepmother tries to have her killed. Though traditionally known for the singing dwarves and the true love’s kiss that awaken Snow from her deep sleep, “Blancanieves” evokes a far more realistic friendship between Snow and these men. The film’s gruesome, twisted ending attempts to show that life is not a fairy tale, and there is no magical happy ending. Ultimately, it is worth seeing this silent homage to the classic tale — especially for those who are tired of perfect love stories with happy endings. Katherine Tejeda is a contributing writer. Email her at film@nyunews.com.
NYUNEWS.COM | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27, 2013 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS
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Ambitious ‘Bible’ miniseries garners controversy BY IFE OLUJOBI
Though the United States separates church and state, religious themes permeate mainstream media. Religion, particularly Christianity, is often milked for both comedy and drama. However, The History Channel is taking a more serious approach with “The Bible,” a 10-part miniseries that airs over the course of five weeks. Translating the Bible to film is nothing new, but what makes this project different is its format and approach. “The Bible” will be the first ever project to present the text as a weekly miniseries and the first to try to cover all the main biblical stories from the Old and New Testaments in one series. Mark Burnett and Roma Downey, the series’ creators, imagined “The Bible” as a way to address “biblical illiteracy” among young people today. Despite Burnett’s noble intention to present “The Bible” as an educational source, certain political groups have already found fault with the series’ directors as well as the creators’ interpretation of the widely read text. The narrative of the series is supposed to seamlessly connect the Old Testament to the New Testament, but in the process some things are inevitably going to be left out while others will be emphasized. The episode “Passion,” which will cover the well-known story of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, is sure to draw controversy when it airs March 31. Some viewers have also been dissatisfied with the number of CGI special effects used to illustrate all the wonders and miracles in biblical stories like that of Noah’s Ark and David and Goliath. Others have pointed out the limitations that FCC content regulations place on television broadcasts — a problem that film adaptations do not face. The most controversial claim so far
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Diogo Morgado plays Jesus Christ in The History Channel’s “The Bible.” (originated by Glenn Beck) is that the actor who plays Satan, Mehdi Ouazanni, bears a purposeful resemblance to President Barack Obama. Burnett has responded that the accusations are “nonsense,” but the statement has prompted debate over the appearances of all the characters. However, the ratings for the March 1 premiere showed that no one, not even Glenn Beck, could stop the 13.1 million people who tuned in and made the first episode of “The Bible” cable’s most-watched entertainment telecast this year. Numbers have remained high through the first three weeks, and, with only two weeks left, it doesn’t seem like viewership will falter, despite mixed reviews from critics. The success of Burnett and Downey’s educational mission is yet to be seen, and while their goal may never be fulfilled, they certainly grabbed everyone’s attention in a way that only a controversial television series could. “The Bible” stands as one of the few successful adaptations of an “unfilmable” text out there precisely because of its ability to garner such controversy.
Offerman unable to save distracted ‘Somebody’ BY JAIME MISHKIN
There is somebody out there who will enjoy Bob Byington’s latest feature, “Somebody Up There Likes Me” — perhaps a lover of off-beat indie tales about the woes of entering adulthood and escaping the reality of an empty existence. For the rest of us, the film is a disjointed story revolving around a frustratingly unchanging, immature protagonist, Max Youngman (Keith Poulson). The film begins with Max finding his exwife (Kate Lyn Sheil) in bed with another man when he returns home with flowers in his hands. From then on, Max’s luck tumbles downhill as he falls in and out of relationships. He finds love again with Lyla (Jess Weixler), a waitress he works with, and marries her promptly. Things get complicated when his best friend, Sal (Nick Offerman), falls for Lyla as well. In 76 minutes, the audience follows Max over a period of 35 years. His life appears in five-year segments, divided abruptly by clips of animated clouds. These pieces feel very fragmented, though perhaps they are meant to convey the fleeting nature of life. Both physically and emotionally, Max remains a fairly static character, and, at times, he is a little boring. He is the typical indie man-child, unable to fully emerge as a passionate, hardworking human being. Max’s physical appearance does not mature either — he does not visibly age throughout the entire film. This is attributed to a mysterious blue suitcase that restores the youth of those who look inside it. Though this is one of the more intriguing aspects of the film, it goes largely unaddressed. Lyla, on the other hand, trans-
forms from an innocent waitress with a bizarre predilection for breadsticks to a disillusioned suburban wife. Weixler is intriguing in her portrayal, and she displays versatility as an actress. Though the film’s dialogue is largely comedic, at times the jokes lag and the pauses go on a bit too long. This creates an awkward void between the audience and the characters. However, Offerman’s deadpan delivery often rekindles the humor. Offerman is best known for playing Ron Swanson from NBC’s “Parks and Recreation,” and he brings the same delivery style from “Parks” to the big screen, though his character Sal is a little less sure of himself than Swanson. This adds a certain charm to Sal that Max lacks — Sal recognizes the absurdity of life and he accepts his faults. Offerman carries the film to the end, adding a dynamism that Poulson fails to provide. Cameos from Megan Mullally (“Will and Grace”) and Kevin Corrigan (“Grounded For Life”) also add unexpected moments of humor. One of the film’s greatest assets is its soundtrack — Vampire Weekend’s Chris Baio scores the film with light and melodic tunes that complement the story. But this is not enough to save the film from its many flaws. “Somebody Up There Likes Me” sends a straightforward message to audiences: life moves quickly, and it’s easy to let it pass by. Yet with its disjointed story and distant characters, the film may be easy to pass by, too. Jaime Mishkin is a staff writer. Email her at film@nyunews.com.
Ife Olujobi is a staff writer. Email her at film@nyunews.com.
‘Sleep No More’ struggles mixing theater with nightlife By LEORA ROSENBERG
A blond man in a tuxedo approaches the brunette and asks her to dance. They do, slowly. Blues music plays and a few more “Sleep No More” participants wander out of the warehouse and into the bar. Punchdrunk, the company responsible for “Sleep No More,” shocked New York with its interactive, site-specific theater piece. “Sleep No More” offers its viewers a rare chance to lose themselves in its unflinchin-gly immersive warehouses. Garbed in white masks and set loose in the McKittrick Hotel, participants follow only their own curiosity and an unspoken rule not to touch the actors. The rest is an outstanding, “Macbeth”-themed adventure best experienced alone. The show’s staff makes a real effort to isolate guests from each other. Audience members are split into groups at random and immediately asked to cover their entire faces with plain, white masks. They are forbidden to speak or whisper. In the dark, shady rooms, everyone looks the same. Punchdrunk is a detail-oriented theater company, and its staff makes few choices
arbitrarily. “Sleep No More” is about getting lost. Being separated from anyone they might know empowers audience members to abandon pretenses of disbelief and irony. Being alone allows the participant to feel truly scared in the dark hallways of the warehouse, but it also gives them the bravery to walk down these passages. The bar at the end is fun, although it cheapens the show. It’s also an unnecessary relief. “Sleep No More” is phenomenal — the company could have unapologetically insisted that they offer a chance for personal exploration, but that exploration requires isoation. Instead, they sell their awe-inspiring show short with some spiced wine and a jazz band. They’ve hired men to ask the girls to dance. The young women laughing at the “Sleep No More” bar just don’t get it. Participants slip back into their accustomed groups — it’s too easy. Punchdrunk should have left the socializing to some lesser play. “Sleep No More” plays weekends at the McKittrick Hotel (530 W. 27th St). Leora Rosenberg is a staff writer. Email her at theater@nyunews.com.
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Nick Offerman is the highlight of “Somebody Up There Likes Me.”
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Crossword Note: The answer to each italicized clue is a compound word or a familiar two-word phrase. A certain four-letter word (spelled out clockwise by the circled squares) can follow the first half and precede the second half of each of these answers, in each case to complete another compound word or familiar two-word phrase.
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the Aleutian Islands, on a map 37 Miles away 38 Tulsa sch. 39 December 31 42 H.I.V. drug 43 Old 45 Capital of 58-Down, briefly 46 Some navels 48 Places for judokas 50 Mail that isn’t opened 52 H-dos-O? 54 Striking part 55 What a “forever” stamp lacks 59 2007-08 N.B.A. M.V.P., to fans 63 “___ Dinka Doo”
1 Balkan land 7 Semi compartment 10 Former Chevy subcompact 14 Countenance 15 Burmese P.M. 16 Classico rival 17 Approval indicators 19 Calendario spans 20 Sharp-eyed sort 21 Ban 23 Greenish shade 26 Legion 27 “Public Enemies” officer 31 Repeated cry in the Ramones’ “Blitzkrieg Bop” 34 “Honor Thy Father” author
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22
35
38
12
26
28
43
11
16
25
34
55
8
15
67 Manhattanite,
e.g., informally 68 Figure who works with figures, for short 69 On 70 Kit ___ (candy bars) 71 City ESE of the 10-Down 72 Managed
4
14
No. 0220
54 57
58
59
63
64
65
67
68
69
70
71
72
60
66
puzzle by john farmer
29 Deal breaker? 30 Number of
colors on the Italian flag 32 Tormented, as pledges 33 Scraps 34 Lowly sort 36 Big bill 40 Jungfrau, e.g. 41 Il ___
44 Place savers of
a sort 47 Ale vessel 49 Santa Fe or Tucson, in brief 51 Short detail? 53 Car repair chain 55 Informer 56 Author Seton
57 Sitting spots on
Santas
58 See 45-Across 60 Steinbeck
character
61 Distort, as the
truth
62 “In which case
…”
65 It often gets
cured
66 Wartime stat
For answers, call 1-900-285-5656, $1.49 a minute; or, with a credit card, 1-800-814-5554. Annual subscriptions are available for the best of Sunday crosswords from the last 50 years: 1-888-7-ACROSS. AT&T users: Text NYTX to 386 to download puzzles, or visit nytimes.com/mobilexword for more information. Online subscriptions: Today’s puzzle and more than 2,000 past puzzles, nytimes.com/crosswords ($39.95 a year). Share tips: nytimes.com/wordplay. Crosswords for young solvers: nytimes.com/learning/xwords.
NYUNEWS.COM | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27, 2013 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS
OPINION
EDITED BY SAMEER JAYWANT OPINION@NYUNEWS.COM
FOOTBALL
Steubenville scandal reveals over-idolization By NIKOLAS REDA-CASTELAO
I remember back when I was on my school’s football team, there was this fellow who played defensive tackle on the varsity team, and he was excellent at what he did. He was a ruthless mechanism of male bravado, penetrating through the offensive line like a single man wrecking crew and torpedoing the ball-carrier. He was also a sad excuse for a young adult. I recall him having the most aggressive sexual discussions on the field and bringing a police baton to school. He was frequently written up for some form of aggressive misconduct or underage drinking and was, overall, a crude, repugnant person. So when it came time for the coaches to reprimand his behavior, did they boot him from the team? No. Rather, he was given a small slap on the wrist and even allowed the honor, after being expelled, to attend my school’s mock Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly award ceremony to receive his Best Defensive Lineman award. The way he was praised was like watching Napoleon being greeted after returning from exile. As someone who is familiar with
football culture, what happened in Steubenville and the rape of the young woman at the hands of Trent Mays and Ma’Lik Richmond is not mind-boggling to me. The least shocking part of the case is the allegations of a cover-up within the community and among the coaches to protect the players. These were football stars of a state champion high school team in a small town in the middle of the Rust Belt, so they were icons. The football team is seen as a source of pride in Steubenville as it was where I grew up in Texas. Some small towns actually place the name of the football team on their water tower, as if to encapsulate their whole identity in a group
of adolescents. What with pep rallies, large stadium games, rankings and even an ESPN spot dedicated to high school football, it does not take a wide stretch of imagination to see why the people of Steubenville are so desperate to keep faith in the sanctity of their sport and its heroes. Therein lies the issue. Rumors that the head coach, Reno Saccoccia, knew about the rape and decided to let the other coaches “take care of it” have spread. Of course he does not care about the rape — in the eyes of the community, the sanctity of their football team is far more important than the sanctity of a young woman’s body. This is because the town’s pride and dignity are invested in what are essentially the accomplishments of foolish children. But you cannot invest a community in a silly little game because then you become accessories to their moral decisions — the moral decisions of misguided boys raised in macho, patriarchal societies with no regard for accountability. Nikolas Reda-Castelao is a contributing writer. Email him at opinion@nyunews.com.
UNIVERSITY
NYU expansion answers academic needs By JOSEPH N. MANAGO
A recent article by Village Voice reporter Nick Pinto discussed the academic mutiny of some NYU faculty members over the City Councilapproved NYU 2031 expansion plan. The plan will involve 2.8 million gross square feet of new construction in the Greenwich Village area. Despite Mr. Pinto’s hyperbolic metaphor of NYU as “an insatiable beast swallowing up entire neighborhoods,” I support the university’s vision, since it is necessary for academic uses, and because, according to NYU President John Sexton, “our intellectual, cultural and educational strengths — already among the world’s greatest — are becoming the essence of New York’s global identity.” New Urbanism thought, epitomized by Richard Florida, theorizes on the central role of the “creative class” in catalyzing a city’s economic and cultural sectors. Precisely for this reason, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said last April that the city government will be contributing $15 million for a new technology campus at the Polytechnic Institute of NYU in downtown Brooklyn.
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In terms of support for the construction, Pinto listed “biology professors, eager for new labs promised by the 2031 plan.” As a former doctoral teaching fellow at NYU’s department of biology for the late Dr. Fleur Strand, I could appreciate the need for new biology laboratories — both teaching and research — at the Washington Square campus, which is often eclipsed by the hegemonic NYU Langone Medical Center. NYU’s biology department has had notable scientists on its faculty, such as my late professor of basic experimental hematology, Dr. Albert Gordon, who discovered the hormone erythropoietin, which regulates red blood cell production. Pinto revels in the suggestion of that “players in their own right” as “interlocking directorates” of power
vis-a-vis university trustees. However, this is a political smokescreen befuddling the core issue of NYU’s mission with the role of faculty power within the university. I suggest that when you think of NYU, think of Dr. Jonas Salk, M.D., virologist who discovered and developed the vaccine for poliomyelitis (infantile paralysis) in 1955. I suggest that whenever you walk, you think of NYU and Dr. Salk, and how their alumni and faculty have made monumental medical and biological discoveries to benefit humanity. As a former graduate student in the department of biology, I was vociferous in my criticism of the administration in regard to the insufficiency of research mentors. NYU 2031 will result in more biology laboratories for teaching and research in frontline studies within molecular cell biology. NYU is not some Frankenstein monster bent on the destruction of New York City. NYU is a powerhouse for the creative class and New York City’s global identity. We need to support Sexton for his vision in 2031. Joseph N. Manago is a former NYU professor. Email him at opinion@nyunews.com.
STAFF EDITORIAL
Same-sex marriage aligns with conservative values
Frank Schubert, a prominent Proposition 8 supporter, recently wrote an opinion piece for the “National Review” arguing that gay marriage and conservatism are mutually exclusive. Certainly many conservatives narrowly define marriage as a union between one man and one woman. But marriage also entails other core conservative values such as monogamy and the idea of the nuclear family. In this light, can it really be argued that the two are mutually exclusive? As evidence, Schubert cites a survey conducted by Kellyanne Conway, which found that 86 percent of those who identify as Republicans are in support of traditional marriage, and 87 percent of those who identify as conservatives also support traditional marriage. This only shows that most Republicans and conservatives do not support gay marriage. Even proponents of gay marriage agree with Schubert on this point — that gay marriage and conservatism are incompatible. They argue that extending marriage access to the gay community would be a way of secularizing or liberalizing the concept of marriage. But there is a competing effect here: since more people would be able to marry, more people would be able to participate in marriage, which is an inherently conservative institution. Marriage is a deeply rooted tradition. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, in yesterday’s oral arguments on California’s ban on same-sex marriage, raised this issue: “The one thing that the parties in this case seem to agree on is that marriage is very important. It’s thought to be a fundamental building block of society and its preservation essential for the preservation of society. Traditional marriage has been around for thousands of years. Same-sex marriage is very new.” Although gay marriage would indeed add a new component to the tradition — as Justice Alito notes — many of the traditional values would be preserved. Marriage entails an emphasis on family, stability and an implication of monogamy, all of which are strongly emphasized in Western culture. These are also direc-tly linked to Judeo-Christian theology. The contractual component of marriage serves to reinforce these ideas through a legal framework. Thus, the core tradition of marriage will only be expanded, not wiped away.
Email the WSN Editorial Board at editboard@nyunews.com. EDITORIAL BOARD: Sameer Jaywant (Chair), Raquel Woodruff (Co–Chair), Edward Radzivilovskiy (Co–Chair), Nickhil Sethi, Matt Luo, Nina Golshan, Ian Mark, Jess Littman, Marcelo Cicconet
Send mail to: 838 Broadway, Fifth Floor New York, N.Y. 10003 or email: opinion@nyunews.com WSN welcomes letters to the editor, opinion pieces and articles relevant to the NYU community, or in response to articles. Letters should be less than 450 words. All submissions must be typed or emailed and must include the author’s name, address and phone number. Members of the NYU community must include a year and school or job title.
WSN does not print unsigned letters or editorials. WSN reserves the right to reject any submission and edit accepted submissions in any and all ways. With the exception of the staff editorial, opinions expressed on the editorial pages are not necessarily those of WSN, and our publication of opinions is not an endorsement of them.
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NYUNEWS.COM | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27, 2013 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS
DINING
EDITED BY ANGEL CHANG DINING@NYUNEWS.COM
Top spots to celebrate Spanish Paella Day By DANA RESZUTEK
Today marks Spanish Paella Day, so take a trip to one of these great paella spots to taste the classic Spanish dish. TIO PEPE | 168 W. FOURTH ST. At this Greenwich Village favorite, you can choose from vegetarian, chicken or the classic seafood paella ($18-$30). For a shared appetizer, try any of their delicious tapas, including tableside-made guacamole and fried calamari ($10-$12). CAFÉ ESPAÑOL | 172 BLEECKER ST. Serving paella three ways — Valenciana, marinara and vegetarian — Café Espanol combines great Spanish food with a cozy environment. Stop by for some paella in a delicious three-course special ($11.95). LA NACIONAL TAPAS BAR | 239 W. 14TH ST. The specialty here, Paella de la Casa, is served in a sizzling pan to your table, filled with all the seafood, chicken and rice you can eat ($18). This is a great location for taking large groups of friends and trying flavorful Spanish food in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. SOCARRAT NOLITA | 284 MULBERRY ST. Socarrat offers seven unique styles of paella, including lobster, lamb and vegetarian ($22-$27). Top off your dinner at Socorrat with a dessert, such as the Spanish classic flan or rich chocolate beignets ($7-$8). LA PAELLA | 214 E. 9TH ST. For those who love seafood, this restaurant is for you. Five paella options are available, with combinations consisting of shrimp, mussels and squid. Dishes are priced per person, so this hearty meal can be shared with friends ($17.50-$19.50). CUBA | 222 THOMPSON ST. Enjoy flavorful paella filled with shrimp, scallops, calamari and a variety of vegetables ($22-$24), while listening to live Cuban music, all provided by this small yet exciting SoHo spot.
Yuji Ramen shares experimental recipes at Bowery Whole Foods By HELEN OWOLABI
Yuji Haraguchi, the owner and mastermind behind Yuji Ramen, was going for something original when he arrived at the smorgasburg space at Bowery. Ramen with bacon and eggs, salmon and cheese or roasted vegetables concocted in signature brothless style — these are some of the unique ramen dishes offered for $9 each at the Yuji Ramen: Test Kitchen in the Bowery Whole Foods, which began service March 12. “It’s very experimental, that’s why I named it Yuji Ramen: Test Kitchen,” Haraguchi explained. At his previous location in the Smorgasburg Brooklyn flea food market, Haraguchi had to prepare meals every day at a friend’s restaurant since the pop-up stations lack kitchens for food preparation on site. Moving to the Whole Foods location allowed Haraguchi to flex his creative culinary skills. For the new location, Haraguchi changed his menu so he could incorporate the Whole Foods market ingredients. The wide variety of options the market provides for meat and seafood ingredients is also what led to the creation of Haraguchi’s favorite menu item — the daily shoyu ramen ($9). “Normally ramen has a fixed broth, like a chicken broth, but over here they produce so many different kinds of meat, so it is very exciting,” Haraguchi said. CAS sophomore Mika Caruncho enjoyed the flavorful ramen. “It’s a really cool fusion of different kinds of
SALA ONE NINE | 35 W. 19TH ST. Sala One Nine offers a classic Spanish cuisine in a rustic, artisan environment. A traditional seafood paella, Paella de Marisco ($19 per person), served with shrimp, mussels, prawns and calamari, is offered in this lively Flatiron establishment. SPAIN RESTAURANT | 113 13TH ST. At West Village’s Spain Restaurant, you can add lobster to any of their two classic paella dishes ($17.50-$19.50). And for a high-priced ingredient such as lobster, that’s a delicious bargain. YUCA BAR & RESTAURANT | 111 AVE. A This East Village favorite offers a wide array Latin fusion dishes, including paella Valenciana ($22), which contains seafood, chicken and chorizo. Split this dish in the restaurant’s outdoor cafe section for a perfect combination of great food and people-watching. Dana Reszutek is a contributing writer. Email her at dining@nyunews.com.
VIA YELP.COM | COURTESY OF CAFÉ ESPAÑOL
Sample classic seafood and decadent variations of paella, including short rib and chorizo, at these restaurants today.
Helen Owolabi is a contributing writer. Email her at dining@nyunews.com.
HELEN OWOLABI FOR WSN
Yuji Ramen twists the bacon and egg mazeman.
Joe’s Pizzeria expands family business to Union Square
By UTPALA MENON LA BOTA | 41 GREENWICH AVE. Are you a meat lover? Check out La Bota, located in the West Village, which serves paella with chicken, short rib and chorizo, as well as classic seafood options ($20-$24).
food from different places and the location adds to the uniqueness,” he said. Yuji is not afraid to mess with traditional dishes, such as Shoyu ramen. He adds his own twist by changing the ingredients every day to include new arrivals from the Whole Foods market. What truly sets him apart, however, is his signature mazeman ramen. “I do mazeman style ramen, and I use different seasonings and toppings that change seasonally,” he said. Haraguchi has big plans to expand the menu and is also working to incorporate this new culinary style at a permanent location. He wants his restaurant to be a similar style to the Test Kitchen.
From Spider-Man’s alter ego as the restaurant’s delivery boy to Carrie Bradshaw’s sneaky indulgence in its famous pies, Joe’s Pizza has been hailed by many New Yorkers over its 37-year existence as a West Village institution. Nearly four decades after its 1975 opening, Joe’s Pizza expanded to include a Union Square branch that opened on March 4 in a joint venture between owner Joe Pozzuoli Sr. and his grandson Sal Vitale. The project was simply a family affair, aimed at carrying the pizzeria’s legacy forward. “Our family is big, and we reckoned that we had a few extra hands who could get involved in the business,” Vitale said. Though the team retained their old staff, the expansion allowed for new additions. Located on 14th Street on the corner of Third Avenue, the new venue replicates the original at 7 Carmine St. — a perfect duplication of1 its cozy brick walls, glass soda bottle exhibition and framed photos of celebrities. The pizzeria, which replaces former tenant Naked Pizza, also serves its original pies, including the famous mozzarella and spinach, at only $2 a slice. “We believe in putting out four
of the best pies from our original recipes and selling fresh pizza on a daily basis,” Vitale said. “It’s the real authentic deal, and we don’t want to change that with new pie formulations.” Because Union Square’s myriad eateries are competitive, Joe’s prospects in the neighborhood initially seemed questionable. “We had a bit of a soft opening between March 4 and 10,” said Joe Pozzuoli Jr., a member of the family business. Nevertheless, the new branch, which is less than a month old, has markedly proved its potential since beginning full services and delivery options, which started on March 21. “When Joe’s started out in the 1970s, we made about $150 in the first month,” Vitale said. “Now the new venue has about a few hundred [dollars] coming in and out on a daily basis.” A large part of this could be attributed to the venue’s locations near NYU and New School dorms, in addition to student-friendly prices. “The prices are not marked up, making this attractive to us,” said CAS freshman Anu Raghuram. “One gets tired of the generic stuffed crust pizzas at commercial joints, and Joe’s is probably fresher and more guilt-free than most.” Even though it carries the
COURTESY OF JOE’S PIZZA
The Pozzuoli family serves authentic pizza at Joe’s. pizzeria’s authentic legacy, the expansion may threaten to commercialize Joe’s. However, Vitale begs to differ. “We still rotate the same family recipes, staff, even the same delivery boy,” he said. “What makes Joe’s different is that we keep the business in the family, nurturing and valuing the efforts that make it run. We will always promise the original Joe’s that the Village saw in 1975.” Joe’s Pizza is located at 150 E. 14th St. Utpala Menon is a contributing writer. Email her at dining@nyunews.com.