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NYU’s Daily Student Newspaper

WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS Vol. 41, No. 33

THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013

nyunews.com

Tisch senior fuses art with statistical data

By MADELEINE OVERTURF

A new field of art that combines statistical data and creative presentation is on the rise, allowing viewers to connect with information in an innovative way. “We are drowning in information, and we can’t keep up,” said R. Luke DuBois, assistant professor of integrated digital media at the Polytechnic Institute of NYU. “Just as data visualization helps us make sense of the ‘facts’ of our world, art made with data lets us look critically at those ‘facts.’” Doug Kanter, a senior in the Tisch School of the Arts Interactive Telecommunications Program, has used this methodology with his project Databetes. Kanter has been battling diabetes for 26 years and is currently working on a software program for people with the disease. He is currently a semi-finalist in the Stern Entrepreneur Challenge, where he could win a $200,000 grant. Available for computers and mobile devices, Databetes is inspired by Kanter’s 2011 artwork “Databetes 7729,” which visualizes all 7,729 of his blood sugar readings from November 2011. The app’s tools

By LESLEY GREENBERG

COURTESY OF DOUG KANTER

Kanter uses the stripes of the American flag to graph American casualties in the Iraq war. include a network of fellow diabetics as well as colorful visualizations that make blood sugar levels easy to read. “Medical information has historically been horribly presented,” Kanter said. “I’m really interested in tools to help patients directly because we just don’t have access to

INSIDE THIS ISSUE: REPRESENTING THE ROMAS OF THE HOLOCAUST:

NYU visiting speakers discussed the importance of understanding the untold story of the Romas in Holocaust history. KEVIN BURNS/WSN

ROMA on PG. 3

‘UPSTREAM’ PRESENTS CHALLENGING VIEWING EXPERIENCE: Director Shane Carruth’s newest film is definitely not for everyone, but can be incredibly rewarding and fulfilling. COURTESY OF ERBP

City health dept. funds app for sex education

UPSTREAM on PG. 5

LARGE OIL COMPANIES CIRCUMVENT TAXES:

It has become apparent that there is no tax for the transportation of crude oil — a loophole in current legislation. HOUSE on PG. 7

our doctors that often.” Jer Thorp, who worked for The New York Times as a data artist in residence, agrees that new data visualizations are valuable to the average American. “Most of the dialogue around data is being driven by corporate interests, and corporate desires don’t al-

ways align with the best interests of society,” Thorp said. “Artists can bring a critical voice to the discussion.” Kanter’s 2011 piece, “American Military Casualties in Iraq,” also explores the human experience through data. Pre-

DATA continued on PG. 4

The Bloomberg administration recently launched a free app called Teen in NYC Protection+, which provides information on health services for teens. The app — funded by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene — focuses on keeping teens informed about sexual health. “We want to make sure that no teen who’s sexually active doesn’t know they can go for services to protect themselves and stay healthy,” health department assistant commissioner Deborah Kaplan told CBS. The app has three sections: where to go, what to get and what to expect. In the where to go section, teens can find a local clinic that offers sexual health services such as tests for HIV, STDs and pregnancy. They can input their

APP continued on PG. 3

‘Evil Dead’ breaks horror remake curse By SHAWN FLANAGAN

It’s nearly impossible to ignore the impact the original “Evil Dead” had on the horror genre. But now, following the trend of nearly every other horror franchise from the ’70s and ’80s, “Evil Dead” has finally received the remake treatment. The remake follows a storyline that is very similar to the 1981 film. David (Shiloh Fernandez) travels with his girlfriend Natalie (Elizabeth Blackmore) to his family’s cabin to join his sister Mia (Jane Levy) and her friends Eric (Lou Taylor Pucci) and Olivia (Jessica Lucas). Soon enough, the five venture into the basement where they find dozens of dead cats and a mysterious book bound with rusting barbs. Eric reads through the book on his own and in the process awakens

a demon that begins to feed on their souls. One of the best aspects of the film is the smart decisions in the choice of characters. Mia is the first of the group to succumb to the possession of the demon. As she is a drug addict, it makes sense that at first the others pass her antics off as a relapse. Another clever choice is making Olivia a nurse in training. When the others suggest bringing Mia to a hospital, Olivia becomes offended that they think she is incapable of helping Mia, and therefore they all stay in the woods. The nature of the relationship between siblings Mia and David works quite nicely. There is also a simple yet touching narrative of a lost

EVIL continued on PG. 5

COURTESY OF FILMDISTRICT


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