NYU’s Daily Student Newspaper
WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS Vol. 42, No. 33
THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 2014
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Bill protects interns from workplace harrassment
Research aims to find cure for PTSD
By CASSANDRA CASSILLAS
INSIDE THIS
ISSUE
Fans take in iconic “Game of Thrones” memorabilia. The HBO show had a special pre-screening of season four at the Skirball Center for the Performing Arts, which premieres on April 6.
STORY ON PAGE 4
During the Canadian Depression Research and Intervention Network Conference on March 26 and 27, NYU psychiatry professor Alexander Neumeister announced the start of a research project aimed at finding a cure for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. “The research was inspired by the fact that there is no evidence-based treatment developed specifically for PTSD patients,” Neumeister said. Neumeister said the cause of PTSD is the lower level of cannabinoids, or neuro-chemicals that are found in the body as well as in marijuana. Neumeister said there is a high incidence of people suffering from PTSD and using marijuana. He concluded through a study done on animals that it might be more than the patients using marijuana in a recreational sense, but that they may be using it to replace the cannabinoids they are lacking. “People with PTSD use marijuana at a very high rate,” Neumeister said. “It became very
PTSD continued on PG. 3
‘Winter Soldier’ doubles as chilling political thriller By JONATHON DORNBUSH and CLIO MCCONNELL
Superhero movies necessarily straddle the line between extravagance and realism. When that particular superhero is Steve Rogers, aka Captain America, who fought as a medically enhanced super soldier in World War II and was frozen solid for 70 years before waking up in the present day, it would be easy to fall onto the unrealistic side. Thankfully, “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” is a skillful exercise in balance. During this installment — directed by brothers Anthony and Joe Russo — a major shift takes place in the ever-expanding
Marvel Cinematic Universe. Unlike “The Avengers,” in which the first half is plot development and the second half is a long series of stunning fight scenes, “Winter Soldier” deftly alternates action with storyline. In many ways, “Winter Soldier” feels like a political thriller, despite the superhuman elements. The political organization in question is S.H.I.E.L.D., the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division, whose mission is to protect civilians from otherworldly threats, such as the titular Winter Soldier. The film taps into the realworld issue of governmen-
tal invasion of privacy, using technology to spy on citizens as a way to keep the peace. As Cap states early on in the film, “This isn’t freedom, this is fear.” The action follows suit in this attempt to keep the film more grounded in reality than previous MCU films. With less CGI fighting between gods and aliens, the action focuses on impressively choreographed handto-hand combat. Though Captain America has super abilities, he is not invincible, and the stakes feel legitimately high from the first action sequences. Essential to “Winter Soldier’s” success is the caliber of the actors’ performances.
COURTESY OF WALT DISNEY MOTION PICTURES
Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson star in the film. While Rogers is still a relatively one-note do-gooder, Chris Evans begins to shade in more
CAPTAIN continued on PG. 5
Student poet publishes book
Childish Gambino takes stage
Miss. abortion ban unjust
CAS sophomore Moumita Basuroychowdhury won first prize in a poetry competition.
Donald Glover’s moniker performed at the Hammerstein Ballroom on Saturday.
Legislators in Mississippi passed a ban on abortions after 20 weeks on April 1.
POET on PG. 4
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HARASSMENT continued on PG. 3
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COURTESY OF MOUMITA BASUROYCHOWDHURY
New York City Council voted unanimously to amend the New York City Human Rights Law to extend protection from sexual harassment to unpaid interns. The legislation, voted into law on March 26, is in response to a widely publicized case in 2013 when a Syracuse student and former Phoenix Satellite Television intern, Lihuan Wang, was unable to file a sexual harassment suit because she was unpaid. New York Sen. Liz Krueger first introduced the legislative amendment in October of last year. “With the growing prevalence of unpaid internships and the extreme pressure on young people to build up resumes and references in a tough economy, the law needs to change to protect this extremely vulnerable class of workers,” Krueger said in a press release. James Vacca, city councilman and one of the prime sponsors of the bill, said he hopes the bill will benefit the New York City community. “Interns are a vital part of the workforce, and they deserve to receive the same protections as all other employees,” Vacca said. “Every worker — paid and unpaid — should have the right to do their job in a harassment-free environment. I am proud to sponsor this legislation, which will give a voice to all interns who are subjected to discrimination.” Steinhardt sophomore Fabian Luna said she does not understand why there had to be a court ruling before interns were protected. “The new amendment is great, but I feel like as people, there shouldn’t have been any excuse for being treated poorly,” Luna said. “It makes me mad that courts sided with companies over interns because of loopholes.” Tisch senior Christina Isnardi
By CAREN DOUEIRY
GAMBINO on PG. 5
HOUSE on PG. 7
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TODAY ON CAMPUS Comedy Show FIJI has teamed up with other fraternities and sororities to present a comedy show to raise money for Seth Rogen’s Hilarity for Charity campaign. The show is at 9 p.m. in the Global Center for Academic and Spiritual Life, room C95. Tickets are on sale at Ticket Central for $7.
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Movie Night The fifth annual Tax Movie Night at the law school will be at Vanderbilt Hall, room 204, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. There will also be a presentation by Duke law professor Lawrence Zelenak.
“The Student Prince” A Buddhist monk enters the Jogyesa Temple in Seoul, South Korea.
PHOTO BY DANIEL COLE
The production of “The Student Prince,” an operetta about the life of Prince Karl Franz in the mythical kingdom of Karlsberg, will be at the Frederick Loewe Theatre at 8 p.m. Tickets are $5 for 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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Professors to study Afghanistan education By CLAIRE SCIMECA
Three NYU professors received a grant to study the education system in Afghanistan. International education professor Dana Burde, statistics professor Joel Middleton and politics professor Cyrus Samii will examine the transition of community-based schools in Afghanistan from nongovernmental organization control to governmental control. The study is backed by a $258,000 grant from the Danish International Development agency and a four-year U.S. Agency for International Development grant of $2.8 million. According to a March 26 press release, the study aims to asses two primary areas. The first of the areas includes an evaluation of intervention programs to ensure access to education for girls. The second area is an assessment of teacher hiring models and the handover process in its ability to support sustainable access to schooling. In a previous study Burde and Leigh Linden, a professor of the University of Texas at Austin, conducted in Ghor Province, Afghanistan, Burde said community-based schools provide an extremely large benefit for Afghani girls. “We showed that community-based schools made the difference between girls either gaining access to an education, or never having that opportunity,” Burde said. “We showed that community-based schools virtually eliminate gender disparity in educational access in remote Afghan villages.” Researchers will look at 220 villages that had community-based schools but
HARASSMENT cont’d. from PG. 1
City Council passes bill to fight sexual harassment
recently led a campaign at NYU which ended with the Wasserman Center for Career Development changing its website to exclude internships that violate state and federal labor laws. She also recently testified at a civil rights committee meeting involving the current intern sexual harassment issue. Isnardi said interns deserve the same protections as other employees. “While campaigning at NYU, I met a few interns who were sexually harassed or discriminated against based on their race or sexual orientation at work,” Isnardi said. “I’m relieved to know that my peers and I can now work toward our dreams with our rights cemented in law, and I look forward to pushing other cities to follow suit.” Cassandra Cassillas is a staff writer. Email her at news@nyunews.com.
PTSD continued from PG. 1
Prof. announces project to fund PTSD research
now are under control of the government and examine various indicators of quality in order to determine how these schools should move forward and how foreign aid may be able to help. CAS sophomore and international relations major Isabella Kopij is skeptical about the study’s usefulness. She predicts that once Western forces withdraw from Afghanistan it is only a matter of time before the Taliban or another extremist group seizes control of the country and many of its schools, especially in rural regions. “It does not matter if American organizations espouse ‘equality for women’ and ‘better education’ in Afghanistan, because whatever extremist movement will take over Afghanistan (since it’s such a damaged and defenseless nation) will turn such concepts against the Afghan people, calling out these ideas to be Western propaganda,” Kopij said. But Burde said she is optimistic that the study will help smooth the transition in schools and advise the government about how it should govern them. She said she hopes the study will increase access and achievement in schools among both boys and girls, as well as helping the schools to be sustainable in the long run. “We will be thrilled if our research goes some small way toward helping the government of Afghanistan accomplish its goals to increase universal access to quality education,” Burde said. Claire Scimeca is a staff writer. Email her at news@nyunews.com.
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clear then, based on animal study, that it might be more than [being addicted to the] product because the animal studies showed that memory processes changed during exposure to marijuana.” The research consisted of finding drugs that increase the levels of those neuro-chemicals. “The new medications should help patients not necessarily forget but be less anxious, scared or threatened by the events they were exposed to,” Neumeister said. Kate Hendry, a PTSD patient who attended the conference, said she was relieved by the current results of the research. “I was happy to hear professor Neumeister state that current antidepressants don’t work very well for PTSD,” Hendry said. “I have been telling my doctors for years that medications don’t work for me, but that is always the first course of treatment.” Brain-imaging studies have already been done on animals and humans to prove the relationship between cannabinoids and molecular changes. The next studies consist of verifying the efficacy of the drugs. Two kinds of tests will be simultaneously conducted before the drug is released. In June, one test will be done to be sure the drug is safe and tolerable, followed by clinical trials, analyses and reports to the U.S. Food and
BRYAN NELSON FOR WSN
Neumeister’s research includes brain-imaging studies. Drug Administration. The other test will involve studying brain images to verify that the drug goes to human brains in sufficient concentrations and allows the increase in the amounts of cannabinoids needed for regular brain activity. Hendry, who had several ineffective drugs prescribed to her in the past, said she is willing to overcome her distrust of health care and to help in clinical tests, hoping to find an effective treatment. “I would be willing to participate in research or try the drug before its use becomes widespread, assuming I was also closely monitored and the risks of side effects were explained to me,” Hendry said.
CAS freshman Edward Mojica said the research for this drug could be life-saving for people who sacrifice their life for others. “I think it’s a great use of research because so many veterans return home with that disorder,” Mojica said. Neumeister said the drug should be available to PTSD patients within the next decade. “We are still at the beginning of the process,” Neumeister said. “I would think in an ideal world, the drug will be available to everybody in about six to eight years from now.” Caren Doueiry is a contributing writer. Email her at news@nyunews.com.
Businesses rated based on breastfeeding policies By ANJANA SREEDHAR
A team of Wagner students have created an initiative to rate New York City restaurants and other establishments based on how friendly they are to breastfeeding mothers. The initiative, known as Latch, won first place and $10,000 at the National Invitational Public Policy Challenge hosted by the University of Pennsylvania on March 23. What at first started as a public policy class project evolved into a team endeavor pursued outside the classroom. After one of its members, first-year master’s student Grace Boone, completed a paper on breastfeeding policies and shared it with her classmates, the Latch team was formally created. Ruchi Hazaray, Latch cofounder and a first-year MPA student, expressed the need for organizations like Latch from the perspectives of public health and policy. “As we learned more about the huge public benefits of breastfeeding and reasons behind why moms stop breastfeeding, we realized that [a] lack of places to nurse away from home was a big con-
COURTESY OF RUCHI HAZARAY
Wagner students won $10,000 for their initiative. cern for moms,” Hazaray said. “From there came the idea of leveraging existing infrastructure across the city to provide more friendly, safe and sanitary places for moms to nurse when they are away from home.” Latch rates organizations by placing signs on the establishment’s entryway after ensuring that they have courteous staff and welcome breastfeeding moms. There will be a sign on every facility the establish-
ment provides for breastfeeding mothers, such as private rooms and outlets for pumping. Latch currently has eight participating businesses, including restaurants, coffee shops and nail salons. They hope to expand to include 150 establishments by next March. “We really want to add different kinds of establishments — food establishments, non-food establishments [and] public spaces like libraries and community centers
to ensure that moms can find anything that best suits their [needs],” Hazaray said. The Latch team will use the $10,000 toward community management, marketing and establishing a legal structure. They hope to build strategic partnerships with more organizations and hire community volunteers to establish their brand further. The members said they hope to be a convenient resource for new mothers to tap into. Priya Chidambaram, a Steinhardt sophomore studying public health, said initiatives like Latch are meaningful for health policy and women’s health. “Putting more responsibility on businesses to create a friendly environment for nursing mothers is a new approach to this hugely debated issue, and I think it could be the approach that finally works,” Chidambaram said. “Nursing your children is a completely natural thing. When a taboo is placed on it to the point where women feel they have to feed their children on the floor of a public restroom, it’s time for something to change.” Anjana Sreedhar is a staff writer. Email her at news@nyunews.com.
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Student poet wins publishing deal By MADELEINE BALL
When CAS sophomore Moumita Basuroychowdhury bravely submitted her personal diary to the Oblongata Chapbook Contest, she did not expect anything to come of it. However, Basuroychowdhury’s won first prize — a publishing deal. Basuroychowdhury’s first book, “Live Nude,” was released on Amazon and Barnes & Noble on Feb. 28. “Live Nude” is a 48-page book of poetry with a few short stories that draw from entries in Basuroychowdhury’s diary. The Oblongata Chapbook Contest is a national competition held by the Medulla Review Publishing. The contest was open to works of experimental poetry, fiction and nonfiction. Basuroychowdhury’s competitors included many experienced and published poets and authors. “Live Nude” was created during Basuroychowdhury’s Impossible Writing class in fall 2012. “I was supposed to send in an assignment but I accidentally sent in my diary,” she said. “A classmate complimented it. Most of what is published now was submitted to the contest.” Basuroychowdhury started writing at the beginning of high school
and said she knew she would be a writer from a young age. “I was aiming to write a book farther down the line,” she said. “I didn’t think I would have a published book of poetry because I didn’t think I was a poet.” Basuroychowdhury, who is currently studying at NYUDC, describes her style as surrealist. She cites poets Sylvia Plath and Charles Bukowski as inspirations for her work. “These influences really shape my writing,” said Basuroychowdhury. Seth Borenstein, a professor of journalism at NYUDC and Basuroychowdhury’s current teacher, is very impressed with his student’s poetry. “[Her poetry] is vivid and vibrant, it uses verbs strongly, and doesn’t rely on adjectives and adverbs,” Borenstein said. “If you’ve read her poetry, you’re not surprised that she won.” Borenstein was also surprised to find out that Basuroychowdhury was a poet, especially as an economics major. “She does not fit the stereotype of a poet,” he said. “She is a little shy, and in the world of economics, we don’t expect strong and vivid writers.” CAS junior Omid Golmohammadi is familiar with Basuroychowdhury’s poetry. He said that
“Mowgli” is one of his favorite poems from the book. “Mowgli” is a poem about a little girl in which the narrator’s strong personality shines through. “I see her fierce stubbornness, her immense curiosity and her independence,” Golmohammadi said. Another of Golmohammadi’s favorites from the book is the short story “Clock Tower.” “It was just such an amazing piece of social commentary told from the point of view of a clock tower,” Golmohammadi said. “By the end of it, I was actually sad and I felt for a clock tower. And that is what good writing is supposed to be like.” Basuroychowdhury keeps 10 different journals and avidly posts her work on Tumblr. She said she plans to submit her work to more contests and is interested in trying slam poetry. She advises aspiring poets to carry around a journal and to never be afraid to have someone else read what they have written. “Chances are, it’s good,” Basuroychowdhury said. Madeleine Ball is a contributing writer. Email her at features@nyunews.com.
Student brings film crew to Calif. By SIDNEY BUTLER
Tisch senior Nora Unkel raised enough money to fly the cast and crew of her thesis film to California to shoot in the Sacramento-Davis area. The team filmed footage for “The Goblin Song,” a fantasy-musical based on a 19th-century poem, “The Goblin Market.” The production received a multitude of donations from the community surrounding Unkel’s hometown, Davis, Calif. “We got $15,000 in kind donations from the businesses of the Davis area,” Unkel said. “I’m so grateful to my incredible community at home.” In addition to donations from her hometown, Unkel utilized resources on the web to reach out to others, as well as using her own savings. “We raised $11,000 on Indiegogo and I provided $11,000 myself from the last four years of working various jobs,” Unkel said. Unkel’s film is a musical fairytale with a dark twist. It tells the story of two sisters who fall under the spell of the alluring Goblin King, but must break free when things take a dark turn. The fantasy world of the film left lots of room for creative interpretation by film cinematographer Cory Fraiman-Lott. “So often the cinematogra-
COURTESY OF STEVE FOGEL
The film draws inspiration from a centuries-old poem. pher, especially on student films, [is] limited to real-life resources, but this genre opened a lot of doors for me to make the scenes look as interesting as possible,” Fraiman-Lott said. “In the goblin’s lair I had a lot of fun playing with the moonlight and the texture of the goblin’s skin.” Beginning this project when she was a freshman, Unkel collaborated with her current crew early on in her film career. She had no trouble convincing friends and classmates to help fulfill the other crew positions for this next step of the project. Unkel’s narrative film profes-
sor, Ezra Sacks, also supported the project. “She had a terrific crew, I didn’t know how it would turn out, but I knew it would get done and done well,” Sacks said. Although Unkel overcame the location problem, “The Goblin Song” did have another challenge — having the actors sing live on set. Film composer Tisch senior Ben Nelson drew inspiration from “Pan’s Labyrinth” and “Sweeney Todd” to compose songs that accurately reflected the mood in each scene. “Performance played such a role in the music that we thought it would be best to have live singing on set,” Nelson said. The performances in “The Goblin Song” played as big a role as the set design and costumes for the film. The goblin costumes and the production design consisted of romantic elements of Victorian England. “After three years of preparation, it was as if my idea was taken from my imagination and put on screen,” Unkel said. “It was one of the best moments of my life to hear, ‘That’s a wrap on “The Goblin Song.”’” “The Goblin Song,” which will be completed by Aug. 15, will be submitted to various film festivals. Sidney Butler is a contributing writer. Email her at features@nyunews.com.
Skirball ‘GoT’ premiere thrills By BAILEY EVANS
Days before its much-anticipated release, the “Game of Thrones” season four premiere screened at the Skirball Center for the Performing Arts on April 2. The screening was packed, with an entrance line of dedicated fans that extended around the block. Many students waited in line for the premiere for several hours outside of Skirball, passing the time by sharing their excitement over social media and using a special “Game of Thrones” hashtag. “It’s been about a year since we’ve seen the show, so we’re pretty pumped,” Poly sophomore Christian July said. In addition to the exclusive premiere screening, event attendees were treated to DVD giveaways, show trivia and exclusive photo opportunities with props from the show, including the iconic Iron Throne. Roberta Cutillo, a Program Board member and LS freshman, said she was impressed with the large turnout at the event and the enthusiasm of the attendees. “It was really successful,” Cutillo said. “It’s a really popular show, and because we got it before the release of the fourth season it helped [the turnout] a lot.” The dramatic fantasy series, based on the books by George R.R. Martin, has received attention for its dedicated and passionate fan base, a large portion of whom are college students. “Game of Thrones” is known for its cliffhangers and the frequent, often violent, deaths of favorite characters, so fans were eagerly awaiting for the premiere to
resolve many of the unanswered questions from the third season. “I think the storyline itself is great, but also you really get attached to the characters, and they’re not afraid to kill them off,” July said. Many students, such as Steinhardt junior Megan Dan, were excited to see the premiere of season four in a theater and to have the chance to bond with other die-hard fans of the show. “I love that we got to see it in such a big audience,” Dan said. “I’ve never watched an episode of anything with such a big crowd. I wish they would do this more with a lot more shows.” The popularity of “Game of Thrones” seems to be indicative of a bigger trend found on college campuses today — students are often eager to share their new pop culture obsessions, in the form of a television show, book series or band, and they quickly gains popularity across campus. There are certain qualities present in “Game of Thrones” that many of these trends seem to share. “It’s got the sex, the setting, the beauty, it’s got everything,” July said. “It’s not afraid to push the limits.” As for the premiere screening, the end of the episode was met with loud cheers and a roaring wave of applause. Fans left Skirball with new “Game of Thrones” merchandise and high hopes for the upcoming season, which will premiere on HBO at 9 p.m. Bailey Evans is a staff writer. Email her at features@nyunews.com.
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Cloud Nothings fail to exceed expectations By JOHN AMBROSIO
Ohio punk trio Cloud Nothings’ latest, “Here and Nowhere Else,” is probably one of the most frustrating albums you will hear this year — both because of its angry, punk-rock aesthetic and its lost potential. Much in the tradition of their Midwestern post-punk forefathers Husker Dü and the Replacements, Cloud Nothings shoot off like a rocket on the opening track “Now Hear In,” and they spend most of the album demolishing one blistering punk-rock anthem after another. As an example of the band’s musicianship, the album is pretty impressive. Dylan Baldi’s cigarettechoked vocals sound great, the thump of TJ Duke’s bass makes for a nice, rich low end and Jayson Gerycz’s frantic drumming is better than it has ever been — some of the best in today’s indie scene. Yet while the contributions of each member are substantial, “Here and Nowhere Else” fails to become more than the sum of these parts. The biggest problem with this album is that it sacrifices riffs, dynamics and just about everything else for raw speed. Instead of maintaining the layered, jangly guitar sound and interesting drum fills that make songs like “Fall In” so catchy, the songs on “Here and Nowhere Else” are stripped down to the bare essentials — a progression of power chords, simple bass lines, drum beats and shout-along choruses. While this formula may work for other bands, Cloud Nothings have already proven that they can do
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so much more, which makes this album feel like a step backwards from 2012’s “Attack on Memory.” That being said, “Here and Nowhere Else” has its moments. The fantastic single “I’m Not Part of Me,” with its lightningfast hooks and tension-building bridges, is possibly the most infectious song Baldi has ever written. More than that, it firmly establishes the central theme of the album, which is derived from Baldi’s post-breakup experience of learning to cope with the here and now. Other songs, like the sevenminute punk epic “Pattern Walks,” bring together all of the elements that make Cloud Nothings’ sound so appealing — razor-edged guitar tone, fuzzed-out bass, spacey interludes and frantic drumming, all played with the aggression and treble turned up as high as they can go. However, many of these satisfying songs are bookended by what feels like filler, and these moments detract from the album as a whole. Ultimately, the album is not the group’s best effort. The album’s weak moments prevent it from being the great work it could have been. “Here and Nowhere Else” proves that while aggression and speed are essential elements of punk rock, they are not the only elements that go into making a great record. John Ambrosio is a contributing writer. Email him at music@nyunews.com.
Gambino brings stage to life By ADAM KARGENIAN
Donald Glover has showcased his talents across a diverse array of mediums since his graduation from NYU, and while his role on NBC’s “Community” is maybe his most notable, his longest standing and most controversial act has been his musical career, which he began under the stage name of Childish Gambino. Performing at the Hammerstein Ballroom on Saturday night, Gambino drew quite a number of fans from a variety of demographics — all three balconies were packed. The moment Gambino took the stage for his set, it was easy to see why thousands of fans came out for the show. On stage, Glover’s acting background shone through — he knows how to channel emotion when he performs. He jumped around, pounded the keys and got downright groovy with his moves. He hid nothing while owning both the stage and the crowd. He was wired. At other times he seemed softer, as heard in the lyrics of “3005,” “I’ve lost all hope of a happy ending/Depending on whether or not it’s worth it, so insecure, no one’s perfect.” Yet in the same set he showed his vigor. In a fit of rage during his song “The Party,” Gambino ordered several girls who were lounging on couches in the performance to get off the stage. He rapped a line about having multiple girlfriends, then stared wide eyed at the crowd, as if saying, “Yeah, I can’t believe I did it either.” After working through the majority of his latest album
ADAM KARGENIAN FOR WSN
Childish Gambino breaks it down at Hammerstein Ballroom. “Because the Internet” and singing an exceptional version of “Urn,” Gambino exited the stage to the crescendo of “Earth: The Oldest Computer.” Afterward, he returned for an encore, but he might as well have come on for another set. Gambino went back to his “Culdesac” mixtape, rapping “Do Ya Like” over Adele’s looping croons and performing a mashup of “So Fly” and “I Got This Money.” Steve G. Lover, Gambino’s brother, also came out to perform “One Up.” In total, 10 songs were performed during the encore. Gambino finished with a fiery rendition of “Bonfire” before spitting a freestyle and exiting the stage a second time. As great as the set was, the real magic happened in the private after-show at The Cutting Room. During the private set it seemed as if the rapper’s mask had been lifted. He was not Childish Gam-
Johansson devours role in ‘Skin’ By IFE OLUJOBI
You are walking down the street, and a beautiful woman approaches you in a white van. She’s friendly — she asks you questions about yourself and compliments your features. It’s raining, and she offers you a ride home. You take it, and the two of you have a pleasant conversation. You get to your place and she wants to come inside. What do you do? If that woman is Scarlett Johansson, you let her in, as many unsuspecting men do in Jonathan Glazer’s newest film, “Under the Skin.” But what happens when the men cross the threshold into darkness is a hypnotic, horrifying and visually stunning representation of death and humanity unlike anything else in theaters today. Johansson plays an otherworldly being in the form of an unnamed woman with short black hair, killer curves and heavy makeup, who seduces strange men and consumes them for energy. Many of the scenes were filmed with the use of hidden cameras, capturing the disguised Johansson’s casual interactions with
non-actors. These interactions can be humorous, but what happens once she has them in her clutches is dark, uncomfortable and scary in a way that audiences have to see to understand. Most of the film is difficult to describe without spoilers or inadequate descriptions of the masterful cinematography and special effects, but the method in which Glazer presents the story, loosely based on the novel “The Crimson Petal and the White” by Michael Faber, is worthy of discussion and praise. Rather than showing a deranged alien woman preying on innocent men, Glazer uses haunting symbolic imagery to portray the woman’s murder streak and saves the harsh realism for the moments when these men affect and hurt her. Bolstered by a sharp and evocative score by Micchau and the Shapes frontwoman Mica Levy, “Under the Skin” is a visceral film-going experience — it is not for the faint of heart, but worth taking a risk for a work of art that does not present easy answers or traditional plot devices. With a 107-minute running time mostly free of dialogue, the film
begins with a visual bang but requires an investment of attention and thought from start to finish. After careful consideration, the audience finds that Johansson’s character is not a monster. Certain scenes test this theory — there is a pivotal moment in which a family meets its demise on a beach and her character shows no remorse — but after the woman has been void of emotion for so long, she develops compassion for a deformed victim and longs to relate to another person. It is in her search for humanity that she finds the greatest challenges and is forced to pay the ultimate price. Audiences see her as the alien — the other — but by the film’s devastating conclusion, the viewers are forced to question the implied goodness of humanity and their own inclination to take advantage of and destroy that of which they are uncertain. “Under the Skin” opens April 4 in New York. Ife Olujobi is film editor. Email her at iolujobi@nyunews.com.
bino — long gone was the serious, wide-eyed, smirking persona that had electrified Hammerstein two hours ago. He was a smiling Donald. Perhaps it was the company he had invited. Glover invited rappers Ab-Soul and Joey Bada$$, as well as the singer Lion Babe, to the event. Each artist performed one of his tracks over a jazz backdrop before collaborating with Glover on other songs. The highlight of night was the cover of Michael Jackson’s “Rock With You,” which Glover sang with Lion Babe. Yet, for most of the aftershow, Glover sat against a pillar to the right of the stage, letting the others take the spotlight. A small smirk crept onto his face, growing into a full grin that the crowd could not help but mirror. Adam Kargenian is a contributing writer. Email him at music@nyunews.com.
CAPTAIN continued from PG. 1
Captain America sequel latest in Marvel franchise facets of the character than audiences have previously seen. Samuel L. Jackson is given his meatiest turn as Nick Fury and does impressive work in the role, while the filmmakers dig deeper into Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow. Robert Redford delivers a commanding performance as Alexander Pierce, transforming what could have been a small cameo into an exciting role that helps move the machinations along. Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson — the Falcon — brings an easy humor to many scenes. While not fully explored, the pathos be-
hind the titular Winter Soldier, played by Sebastian Stan, brings the horrors of Rogers’ past into the present. A far greater threat looms behind the Winter Soldier himself, however, creating an atmosphere of great peril that is more thrilling than even the universal scope of “The Avengers.” “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” strives not only to push its hero into new territory, but also the entire Marvel movie franchise. Jonathon Dornbush is an editor-at-large. Clio McConnell is arts editor. Email them at film@nyunews.com.
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WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 2014 | NYUNEWS.COM
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THE NEW YORK TIMES CROSSWORD & DAILY SUDOKU Crossword ACROSS 1 Pretty hard to find 7 Front 13 Orville Wright or Neil Armstrong 14 ___ Avenue (Mets’ community website) 15 Sign at a neighborhood bar, part 1 17 Spars 18 Server of Duff Beer to Homer Simpson 19 Dry Idea alternative 21 Big, clumsy guy 22 Indeed 23 Quite a bit 24 Part 2 of the sign 28 Crowd drawer, often 29 Severely consternate 30 Go up, up, up
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62 “Anything Goes” composer 63 U.S.O. Care Package recipients 64 Coldly determined
DOWN 1 Redundantsounding refreshment 2 Formed, as schoolyard teams, say 3 “Hit ’em where they ___” 4 Turns bad 5 Subject of many a viral video 6 Hardest substance in the human body 7 Forgery 8 Org. offering group practice membership 9 Ring of rebels 10 Columbus stopping point of 1493 11 Active when the TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE sun shines A V I A T E C A F 12 Provide, as a N A S S A U R I O right S T R E P O R T E R S 16 Slacks off E Y E S A I D E S 17 Pre-Columbian N G A S P I R E civilization O U S A S S I S T 20 Like some blonds R E P L I C A R A W 22 Blond V O I L E I C E C A R B O N S S H E 23 Staple of Chinese cuisine A R K I S T N A K E D 25 Many a tune in L A S A D “The Sting” Y G A S I D I O M P E R C E L L I S T S 26 Challenging employer for a S E A N C E C L O G maid O L D E S T T E E S 27 Seek to espouse
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NYUNEWS.COM | THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 2014 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS
OPINION
EDITED BY PETER KEFFER OPINION@NYUNEWS.COM
ADAM’S ANGLE
N.J. should not restrict sale of Tesla vehicles By ADAM FAZLIBEGU
Tesla Motors has until April 15 to continue selling its cars through company-owned stores in New Jersey. After then, its stores will be used as galleries where shoppers can view Tesla’s Model S but cannot purchase one or even inquire about pricing. The New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission justified its decision to prevent Tesla from selling directly to the public by citing a law from the 1970s that prohibits direct sale from company to consumer. CEO Elon Musk wants the law amended because he believes dealerships are ill equipped to properly sell electric vehicles. Tesla is no ordinary company — New Jersey must not stifle its growth by succumbing to the demands of the monied dealership lobby. The law constraining Tesla was enacted to protect dealerships — and the powerful people who own them — in their dealings with the car companies they work on behalf of. The law prevented auto companies from pressuring franchises into selling the dealerships back at a heavily discounted price. Musk rightly points out that this protection only benefits estab-
lished players and hurts newer entrants into the market. Tesla prefers to sell its revolutionary cars directly to customers because the dealership experience is catered toward the sale of traditional, combustion engine vehicles. Musk contends that dealerships prefer to sell well-known nameplates with proven reliability — a mentality that has led to the demise of small, innovative companies like Tucker and DeLorean. Dealerships gain most of their profit from servicing conventional cars, even when unnecessary. Because the Model S requires significantly less maintenance than its gasoline counterpart, Musk fears that dealerships that carry traditional cars and Teslas will push the traditional choice in fear of hurting profit margins. Worse still, Musk claims that New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie reneged on a promise to take the 1970s law to the
state legislature to be amended. Soon after, Christie allegedly cut a deal with the auto dealer lobby. President of the New Jersey Coalition of Automobile Retailers Jim Appleton denied any such deal and commented that the decision was not made because of Tesla’s involvement, but rather the obligation to adhere to pre-existing laws. When the New Jersey law protecting dealerships against auto companies was created decades ago, the existence of a viable electric car manufacturer seemed unlikely. Though the law may have protected consumers and dealerships in the past, it is outdated and detrimental to new carmakers and should be revised. By committing to the law that protects big dealerships, the New Jersey legislature is yielding to the power of money. The legislature passed the 1970s bill to protect the rights of the smaller, more vulnerable party — it must heed its precedent and extend the same treatment to Tesla. Outdated rationale should not punish forward thinking. Adam Fazilbegu is a staff columnist. Adam’s Angle is published every Thursday. Email him at opinion@nyunews.com.
VITTORIO’S RAZOR
Gentrification conversation must be fair By VITTORIO BISIN
Use of the word gentrification has become taboo in New York City. A more nuanced analysis of the effects of gentrification, however, reveals a less critical judgment of its merits. Gentrification, like all agents of change, does much good, most of which counteracts the harm done to a neighborhood’s original residents. Director Spike Lee’s impassioned speech on the ills of gentrification, specifically as it has altered his old neighborhood of Fort Greene, has not helped the conversation on gentrification escape its one-sidedness. How would you feel about selling your house in Fort Greene that your grandparents purchased decades ago for $60,000? And if I gave you a million dollars? This is a question that many homeowners of gentrifying neighborhoods may be asking themselves. Families stand to benefit from selling their homes — sometimes, for more than a dozen times the original price — so they often do. If they did not profit from the transaction, they would not complete it. Furthermore, individuals who choose not to sell receive advantages inherent to gentri-
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fied areas: crime rates are low, drugs are scarce, public schools perform well and streets are clean. Conversely, gentrification hurts renters, who are hit with drastically increased rents that they are unable to afford, often forced to relocate to a cheaper neighborhood. Compared to homeowners, tenants face the negative costs of gentrification — relocating — without obtaining the benefits — potentially $940,000 in profits. Recently, city governments have attempted to help renters affected by gentrification by freezing rising property taxes. But more can be done. The example set by renters in Chinatown in 2005 who successfully organized a union in an attempt to soften the blow of gentrification is a thoughtful approach to the problem. Rhetorical arguments that mask the costs and benefits of gentrifica-
tion echo those made by Lee. While visiting the Pratt Institute, Lee was asked by an audience member about the positive side of gentrification, a question to which he gave no substantive reply. Lee’s speech was filled with obscenities and interesting jargon, such as “Christopher Columbus syndrome” — hip, wealthy Brooklyn residents who displace neighborhood natives. While many of his arguments were undermined by logical incoherence, the majority of them were personal romanticizations of a character-filled past, similar to the one he depicts in his movie “Do the Right Thing,” that do little to contribute to the productive conversation on gentrification. Still, Lee did not address the elephant in the room: his Upper East Side apartment had been put on the market for $32 million earlier this year. Neighborhoods evolve and gentrification is inevitable, so change must be analyzed through a lens that fairly considers both the advantages and disadvantages of progress. Vittorio Bisin is a staff columnist. Vittorio’s Razor is published every Thursday. Email him at opinion@nyunews.com.
STAFF EDITORIAL
Abortion ban establishes war on women in Miss.
The Mississippi State Legislature passed a ban on abortions after 20 weeks on April 1. The bill was approved with strong support, and Gov. Phil Bryant is expected to sign it into law soon. “This measure represents a great effort to protect the unborn in Mississippi,” Bryant said. He is right — the bill is a boon for Mississippi’s unborn. Too bad the unjust ban yields negative consequences for women. The law marks a dangerous attempt to bypass the standards established in Roe v. Wade with a “no-exceptions rule” after 20 weeks, including cases of rape or incest. The law only allows abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy when there is a grave threat to the mother’s life. Perhaps because Mississippi has the worst education standards in the entire nation, its state legislature used a standard for calculating gestational weeks not used by any other medical professional or doctor in the entire country. It seems that the predominantly white male legislature has some form of female medical expertise unknown to the rest of the nation’s medical community. In the past, Mississippi offered little support for women seeking abortions. Only one legal abortion clinic exists in the state, and even it refuses to conduct the procedure after 16 weeks. Limited access to safe abortion clinics poses a threat to the health of Mississippi women, forcing them to turn to alternative methods. Since many of Mississippi’s surrounding states have similarly restrictive abortion laws, women may turn to illegal, unsafe procedures. Texas also offers few opportunities for women seeking abortions, and a recent state ruling has only made the situation worse. The decision imposes unfair costs on health clinics that offer abortions, and has the potential to put half of them out of business. The law requires abortion clinics to have ambulatory surgery centers even though the clinics, with support from medical associations, claim such centers are unnecessary. Mississippi is not alone in its deficient mentality on women’s rights. Mississippi is not the only state that has been passing prolife laws. But if last year’s ruling in a federal appeals court on a similar Arizona bill is any indication, the Mississippi ban will not stand untested for long. Because Arizona’s 20-week law directly challenged Roe v. Wade’s suggested 23 to 24, it was deemed unconstitutional. This law does not come as much surprise for a heavily conservative state that has tried every tactic to get around the precedent set in Roe v. Wade. Unlike other state laws that have been struck down by federal appeals courts, it is not so certain whether the court for Mississippi will do the same given its conservative-leaning justices. The war on women has been firmly established in Mississippi — only a Supreme Court ruling will put an end to it.
Email the WSN Editorial Board at editboard@nyunews.com. EDITORIAL BOARD: Peter Keffer (Chair), Christina Coleburn (Co-chair), Omar Etman (Co-chair), Nina Golshan (Co-chair)
Send mail to: 838 Broadway, Fifth Floor New York, N.Y. 10003 or email: opinion@nyunews.com WSN welcomes letters to the editor, opinion pieces and articles relevant to the NYU community, or in response to articles. Letters should be less than 450 words. All submissions must be typed or emailed and must include the author’s name, address and phone number. Members of the NYU community must include a year and school or job title.
WSN does not print unsigned letters or editorials. WSN reserves the right to reject any submission and edit accepted submissions in any and all ways. With the exception of the staff editorial, opinions expressed on the editorial pages are not necessarily those of WSN, and our publication of opinions is not an endorsement of them.
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NYUNEWS.COM | THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 2014 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS
SPORTS
EDITED BY FRANCISCO NAVAS SPORTS@NYUNEWS.COM
Wrestler places third in tournament By BRITTANY YU
Spring break was off to a great start for CAS junior Brandon Jones after he was named the University Athletic Association Athlete of the Week for the fifth time in his career on March 17. Just a few days earlier, he finished third overall at the NCAA Division III Wrestling Championship in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Originally from Iowa, Jones transferred to NYU from Iowa State University after his freshman year. He joined the team for the spring portion of the 20122013 season and, while his wrestling may not have shown it, the transition was a difficult one. “The initial couple months that I got out here were tough being thrown into the city and not knowing anyone,” Jones said. “I am still overwhelmed by some aspects of the city lifestyle such as the pace of life and stress in getting places.” However, Jones overcame his discomfort and focused on wrestling. “I do enjoy the energy of the city and how determined everyone is here,” Jones said. “It kind of molds you into a person that is focused on achieving your goals.” Jones said being mentally prepared is something he honed in on this year. Preparing both physically and mentally gave him an edge over his opponents and helped contribute to his 23-3 record this season. “I think the most critical aspect of wrestling is having an
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Jones has several wrestling titles under his belt. edge when it comes to mental toughness,” Jones said. “If you can go out there and mentally break your opponent, you are going to win.” A self-proclaimed mama’s boy, Jones thanks his parents for his interest in wrestling. In fourth grade, after his parents decided he had too much energy for them to handle and needed to channel it elsewhere, he started wrestling. “I was always rough and aggressive as a little kid,” he said. “So I naturally grabbed hold on the physical aspect of wrestling.” Jones has gone on to earn All-American honors two years in a row and has competed at Nationals both years as well, finishing fifth in last year’s tournament and third in this year’s. Despite all he has accomplished in his wrestling
career, he is still gunning towards his ultimate goal of being a national champion. “Stepping in and becoming a two-time All-American has been the most rewarding part of my career here [at NYU], although I still am working towards a national title,” Jones said. Next year will be his last chance to win that coveted title, and he is already looking forward to the 2014-2015 season. There will be many returning starters, and Jones said the team has the ability to shake up expectations and surprise spectators. With a final statement, Jones wished to clear up a common misconception about wrestlers. “No, our cauliflower ear is not contagious.” Brittany Yu is a contributing writer. Email her at sports@nyunews.com.
Kendo team boasts strong season By SEAN BILLINGS
CAS sophomore Sung Hun Choi has led the NYU Kendo team to victory in several intercollegiate tournaments, including first place in the team division of the Harvard Invitational Shroyuhai Intercollegiate Kendo Tournament in late March. Choi is one of the team’s more experienced members, having been well-practiced in Kendo well before his freshman year at NYU. Kendo, which means “way of the sword,” is a Japanese sport that has a base in martial arts. Competitors wield bamboo sticks in place of swords. The NYU team, which competes at the club level, has seen its share of success recently. Choi said the team’s performance at the recent tournament was its greatest accomplishment — the placement marked the first time a team from the East Coast had won in more than a decade. Choi also said it is important to maintain the team’s values and respectability. The team also won first place at a tournament at Cornell University, which Choi called the biggest collegiate tournament for Kendo on the East Coast, as well as Columbia
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Choi is one of the most experienced members of the team. University’s tournament. The team plans to compete in two more tournaments in April. “We are all practicing hard to prepare ourselves,” Choi said. Choi recalled that his own experience in joining the team was a positive one. “I got into Kendo at NYU by Googling if NYU had a Kendo team,” he said. Despite knowing little about the team when he joined, Choi said his experiences with his teammates have been highlights of his college career. Bonding during practice and outside of the club, the group is like a family. “Everyone on the team was very
welcoming when I joined,” Choi said. “It’s been really fun coming to practice for Kendo.” He stressed the openness of the team to newcomers and said the NYU team is one of the most well-funded Kendo clubs in the country. “Many of our members started Kendo during college, including our current president and captain,” he said. “Joining the Kendo club has been one of the best decisions I’ve made here at NYU, and I hope that others can say the same in the years to come.” Sean Billings is a staff writer. Email him at sports@nyunews.com.
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