NYU’s Daily Student Newspaper
washington square news Vol. 40, No. 45
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 11, 2012
nyunews.com
University reduces expansion plans
CAS junior receives prestigious scholarship
By Julie DeVito and Amy Zhang
By Kayana Jean-Philippe CAS Junior Rachel Anne Ness was recently awarded the 2012 Goldwater Scholarship, one of the nation’s most prestigious scholarships. CAS sophomore Jenny Yan received an Honorable Mention. The Goldwater Scholarship recognizes students who intend to pursue careers in science, engineering and math. It provides up to $7,500 for each of their remaining undergraduate years. Out of 1,100 nominations, 282 scholars were selected, including the two from NYU. “This merit-based scholarship is an undergraduate award held in high esteem by both graduate schools and scholarship programs as well as by business and industry,” Goldwater President and Executive Administrator Lucy Decher said. Goldwater has awarded 29 scholarships to NYU students to date.
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Kelsey Ledgerwood/WSN
NYU Queer Union protests FDA blood ban
The NYU Queer Union and the New York City Blood Center held a blood drive in front of Kimmel Center yesterday to protest the Food and Drug Administration’s ban on donations from gay men.
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STORY ON PAGE 3
NYU students fuse cultures with new clothing line By Sydney Wu
Men’s tennis snaps Baruch’s win streak By Daniel Hinton
The culture and aesthetic influences of New York City and Paris, two of the fashion capitals of the world, have been brought together in a new clothing line called Casual. Created by LSP sophomore Maryam Khan and CAS sophomore Nadia Draz, Casual blends the trends of New York with the high quality of clothing from Paris. Khan and Draz grew up just outside of New York City and in Paris, respectively. The two described their line as stylish and sophisticated. The style of Casual is reflective of Sydney Wu for WSN
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NYU officials plan to scale back its NYU 2031 expansion plan by about 16 percent. According to The New York Times, in a compromise with Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer yesterday, the university has decreased the former 2.2 million square feet plan in Greenwich Village by 370,000. The plans still call for the construction of four new buildings, but a 14-story building on the southern block has been reduced to seven stories. Two other academic buildings on the northern block will be shortened by 85,000 square feet. Finally, a dormitory and academic building taking the place of Coles Sports Center will be moved back from Mercer Street to allow more light to filter through to the space around the building.
Maryam Kahn and Nadia Draz design clothes with French flair.
NYU men’s tennis snapped Baruch College’s 10-match win streak yesterday afternoon in Flushing, Queens. The Violets dropped two of three doubles matches but won four of six singles matches for their fifth victory of the regular season. Freshmen Ting Yee Lai and William Smithline secured NYU’s sole doubles victory after winning the tiebreaker. “Ting Yee Lai and Billy Smithline played a great match at number one doubles, winning it in a tie breaker,” assistant coach Donald Person said. “It was great to see two freshmen win a close match. You can see
the two of them maturing on the court every match.” The Violets faltered in the last two doubles matches of the day but regained their posture in singles competition. Lai, captain Tim Wu and sophomore Steven Wu each won matches in straight sets. On Monday Steven Wu received his second Athlete of the Week award from the University Athletic Association. Junior cocaptain Connor Witty won the second and third sets to guarantee the team’s fourth victory in two weeks. “Our guys really pulled it together to win a nail-biter today,”
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Washington Square news | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 11, 2012 | nyunews.com
on the side
Compiled by the
WSN staff
Wish wednesday
“I wish I could be a lottery winner.” — Mary Thevenin, NYU Public Safety Officer
“I wish I could take all of my friends with me when I study abroad.” — Rebecca Savelsberg, CAS sophomore
Washington Square News Editor-in-Chief amanda randone Managing Editor
jaewon kang Deputy Managing Editor
Amy zhang Assistant Managing Editor
james lanning “I wish for the Yankees to win their 28th World Series Championship this year.” — Henry Man, CAS sophomore “I wish that I am able to use the opportunities I collect throughout my academic career at NYU to help the women and children of Afghanistan in their continued struggle with poverty, domestic abuse and as victims of war. As the daughter of Afghan war refugees, this wish is especially personal to me.” — Aziza Sultan, LSP freshman
Creative Director
selena chen senior staff
university Julie devito city/state emily yang investigative hanqing chen arts jonathon dornbush features jessica littman sports daniel hinton multimedia david lin copy maximilíano durón senior editor jack brooks,
BRIDGETTE DORAN
deputy staff
university eric benson, eliza-
“I wish that I will qualify for the Boston Marathon.” — Michelle Roos, Gallatin sophomore
beth maguire city/state tony chau, kristine
itliong, jessica schultz investigative feiye wang music josh johnson film stefan Melnyk entertainment jeremy grossman books/theater clio Mcconnell dining hannah borenstein beauty & style shannon
loughran sports John axelrod, cole
riley special issues kristina bogos multimedia james kelleher copy jordan melendrez social media agent nicole gartside
TODAY
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2 p.m. | Wasserman Center for Career Development | 133 E. 3th St., Second Floor, Presentation Room B
3 p.m. | Jerry H. Labowitz Theatre for the Performing Arts | 1 Washington Place
Social Media and Networking for your Job Search
Learn how to expand your network and contacts through the use of social media from Wasserman experts.
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Human Rights and the Media This panel discussion brings together innovative practitioners and thinkers who are committed to using photojournalism, multimedia and documentary filmmaking to promote social change.
SNAPSHOT
7 p.m. | La Maison Française 16 Washington Mews
Film Screening: “Indochina, Traces of a Mother” with director I.M. Kpai The director will discuss his 2011 film at NYU’s French house.
ON THE WIRE
Big spud
— Reuters
Columbia University
Columbia expands reach to Latin America — Columbia Daily Spectator
PHOTO BY Gloria Lee
opinion editor olivia gonzalez deputy opinion editor ATTICUS
BRIGHAM, SANCHAY JAIN
advertising business manager
REBECCA RIBEIRO circulation manager
chloe coffman
university sales coordinator
Emilia Mironovici
A six-ton potato replica is on its 32-state, seven-month tour — named the Famous Idaho Potato Tour — throughout the country to dispel any health misconceptions about the spud. Though low-carb dieters are against eating potatoes and the U.S. Department of Agriculture contemplated cutting the number of potato servings in school lunches last year, the potato is actually high in potassium. The American Heart Association also certifies it as heart healthy. The Idaho Potato Commission is using a giant, metal and cement model to celebrate 75 years of marketing the product that has made Idaho known as the potato state. Idaho produces 12 billion pounds of potatoes annually, which accounts for a third of annual U.S. potato production. The huge potato will be making stops in major cities including Los Angeles, Chicago and New York.
Performers on West 4th Street offered pedestrians a chance to hold and pet a python.
opinion page
University of Chicago
University students flock to Occupy after winter hiatus — The Chicago Maroon
sales representatives
Kaitlyn O’Brien, MICHAEL RYAN, Melissa Ynegas
advising editorial adviser
keith leighty EDITORS-AT-LARGE
jaywon choe kelsey desiderio russell steinberg KIRSTEN CHANG francis poon terka cicelOVa About WSN: Washington Square News (ISSN 15499389) is the student newspaper of New York University. WSN is published Monday through Thursday during NYU’s academic year, except for university holidays, vacations and exam periods. Corrections: WSN is committed to accurate reporting. When we make errors, we do our best to correct them as quickly as possible. If you believe we have erred, contact managing editor Jaewon Kang at managing@nyunews.com or at 212.998.4302.
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nyunews.com | wednesday, april 11, 2012 | Washington Square news
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CAS junior honored with prestigious science scholarship Yan said she is honored and grateful to be recognized for her work and plans to attend graduate school for molecular genetics. “The award has definitely boosted my confidence in my pursuit of a career in the sciences,” Yan said. “Hopefully in my junior or senior year I will be an even stronger candidate.” Ness plans to use her scholarship to help offset her NYU tuition and to further her interest in chemistry by pursuing a Pharm. D and a doctorate in Pharmacogenetics. “It is a great honor to win such a prestigious award,” Ness said. “I hope that winning this award will help me to get into the school of my choice for my graduate studies.” Chemistry professor Paul Gans, who taught Ness for two semesters, characterized her as personable, bright and modest with a sense of humor. “As a student, she is both brilliant and sharp,” Gans said. “She catches on very quickly and assimilates information just as quickly. By the end of the third week of her freshmen class with me, I knew that she was a winner.” Ness is currently a member of Professor Paramjit Arora’s research group. “It is uncommon for an undergraduate student to become highly proficient in research within the first year of his or her internship,” Arora said. “Rachel has been an exception to this rule.” CAS junior Jordan Johnson praised Ness’ work ethic. “She has a passion for research and an incredible talent for scientific explora-
Students protest FDA’s ban on gay men donating blood By Jordan Melendrez
Courtesy of Rachel Ness
Rachel Ness will use her scholarship toward her tuition and research. tion,” Johnson said. “She applies her background knowledge to her work in the lab as she continues to ask the questions necessary to expand the understanding of herself and others.” Her summer research advisor, Jennifer Martinez, witnessed her growth as an independent thinker and self-motivator. “She was always willing to help other lab mates and excited to learn new techniques, which is a critical characteristic of a successful researcher,” Martinez said. When Ness is not studying for tests or working in the lab, she enjoys cooking and running in marathons. Kayana Jean-Philippe is a contributing writer. Email her at university@nynunews.com.
The NYU Queer Union club co-sponsored a blood drive on Tuesday with the New York City Blood Center to raise awareness of the Food and Drug Administration’s ban on gay men. According to FDA guidelines, “Men who have had sex with other men, at anytime since 1977 ... are currently deferred as blood donors. Because of this regulation, women who have had sex with men who have had sex men are also banned.” The regulation was passed in the 1980s at the height of the HIV epidemic in the gay community. Homosexual men were banned from transfusing blood because they were more susceptible to contracting HIV or Hepatitis C. CAS freshman Zev Alexander, a member of Queer Union, took symbolic blood donations by scooping red food coloring and water with a measuring cup and pouring it into another bucket with markings indicating the amount of lives that could be saved if the
NYU announces six recipients of 2011-12 Distinguished Teaching Award By Jordan Melendrez Each year NYU presents the Distinguished Teaching Award to honor the faculty members who have established an excellent teaching reputation among their students and colleagues. Last week, this year’s six staff members were honored, each of whom were given a grant of $5,000. Students, faculty and alumni who believe their candidate has contributed to the intellectual prowess of the university submit a nomination to a school representative in the fall semester. Full-time faculty with at least 10 years of teaching experience at NYU and who have never won can be selected. After a candidate is selected from each school, an All-University Selection Committee — comprised of alumni, faculty and students — review the submissions and recommend the candidates who best represent the diversity of the university. Six professors share their thoughts of receiving this year’s awards. Ralph Katz — Professor and chair of epidemiology and health promotion (College of Dentistry) “I started teaching tennis as a 16-year-old in the mountains of New England during the summer months and just loved the challenge of problem-solving how to
get it across for each student. The failing student is my best teacher on how to teach it better. Teaching is, truly, its own reward.” Ted Magder — Associate professor of media, culture and communication (Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development) “I’ve been teaching for more than 20 years, and I’m finally getting good at it. I started to become a better teacher when I started to pay more attention to how students learn and less attention to how much I knew. It’s deeply satisfying to know that my students and peers appreciate the effort I’ve made to become a better teacher.” Bambi Schieffelin — Collegiate professor and professor of anthropology (Faculty of Arts and Science) “What I like about teaching is the interaction. I feel teaching is a conversation, a dialogue. A dialogue requires turn taking. It’s an exchange of ideas and information. If I’m learning from my students, it works. I try to stay tuned to the feedback I get.” Robert Nathan Link — Associate professor of medicine (School of Medicine) “I think the best teachers know how to engage learners interactively, have strategies to make the content interesting and can see the material through the stu-
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dent’s eyes. You just never know what will arise in this dynamic interaction, and it is really impossible to have a teaching strategy prepared in advance. My greatest heroes are physicians who teach well at the bedside.” Rohit Deo — Professor of statistics and operations research (Stern School of Business) “I love [teaching]. It’s great to be with people with different backgrounds and interests. It helps me learn, as well. You can’t assume everyone is at the same level. Everyone has different backgrounds.” Laura Slatkin — Professor (Gallatin School of Individualized Study) “One of the great pleasures of teaching in New York is that I can take advantage of the riches of ongoing New York theater, which offers another, vital feedback loop for our discussions. Perhaps it is the dynamism of the NYU student body, but it does seem to me that the students have, as a bunch, a terrifically enterprising spirit, and it has been an honor to work with them, to follow them beyond their undergraduate and graduate careers, into their various adulthoods.” Jordan Melendrez is a contributing writer. Email her at university@nyunews.com.
FDA repealed their ban. The Queer Union also had a petition for people to sign. “We are asking anyone who is able to donate their blood and anyone who cannot to help us show how many lives are wasted because of this ban,” Alexander said. The Queer Union club members held a similar event last year. They said they were very pleased with this year’s Blood Ban protest. Tisch senior Tovah Leibowitz, president of Queer Union, said the event had already exceeded her goals. New York Blood Center spokesman Jim Fox said blood centers across the country support protests against the FDA’s ban. “What the students of NYU do we think is very creative,” Fox said. “Reform takes time because people look at every conceivable angle of the issue. We think the FDA is aware that students have a hard time understanding why this restriction exists.” However, some are opposed to altering the FDA’s
restrictions, like John Ritchie, the student action director of the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property. “It’s really even hard for me to imagine how the homosexual movement could demand that blood that contains life threatening diseases be included in a blood bank,” Ritchie said. “We shouldn’t allow them to donate blood because then we would be harming other people.” CAS junior Keren Sharon, a Queer Union member, said that after an hour and a half of protesting, they calculated that 42 lives could have been saved if the ban were not in place. “We’re not here to protest blood donations, we want everyone who can donate to donate,” Sharon said. “The whole point of this protest is to show that there are people who are not allowed to donate, and it’s wrong.” Jordan Melendrez is a contributing writer. Email her at cstate@nyunews.com.
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NYU curtails expansion plans by 16 percent According to The Times, Stringer puts the final cut at 19 percent. NYU spokesman John Beckman, who puts the overall reduction closer to 17 percent, said the university is happy to have the support of Stringer’s office. “From the beginning, our focus has been to achieve an outcome that will meet the university’s academic space needs in a way that will keep NYU strong,” Beckman said. “And we’re comfortable. We’re still well on that path while addressing the concerns of our neighbors.” Though Stringer is next in line to review the plan, it still must be approved by the City Planning Commission and the full City Council. But the borough president, who will make his recommendation to the commission today, is expected to support the new plan. Tom Grey, director of the Greenwich Village and Chelsea Chamber of Commerce, said these changes were expected results from the plan’s movement through a public forum. The compromise also comes after Mayor Michael Bloomberg voiced his approval of NYU’s initial proposal on Monday. But Andrew Berman, executive director of the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, said Stringer’s vote today is only advisory and that many of the prob-
lems the expansion poses have not been solved. “We think it’s still completely insufficient and inappropriate,” Berman said. “We plan to fight them on it. It’s turning an 800-pound gorilla into a 700-pound gorilla. The university is refusing to consider alternatives in other areas of the city that would benefit from that kind of growth.” The announcement also comes amid rising faculty opposition to the plan. Irish Studies professor John Waters, who signed a petition in February protesting the expansion plan, is not pleased with the new cutback. “I think the plan was ridiculously oversized, so a reduction of 16 percent means nothing,” Waters said. “It does nothing to alleviate the worry expressed by many faculty and voted by a number of departments, that this plan represents a huge financial gamble.” East Village resident Emma Hemser, 41, also said the 16 percent cut is not enough. “No amount of cutting back will be enough unless the expansion is completely cancelled,” she said. Additional reporting by Tatiana Baez, Emily Yang and Hanqing Chen. Julie DeVito is university editor. Amy Zhang is deputy managing editor. Email them at university@nyunews.com.
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Washington Square news | wednesday, april 11, 2012 | nyunews.com
beauty and style CASUAL continued from PG. 1
From N.Y. to Paris, style gets Casual both Khan’s and Draz’s personal styles, taking what is classic and trendy and creating a fusion of the two. “It’s a combination of my love of urban street wear mixed with beautiful, well-designed, good-quality clothes,” Khan said. Both sophomores were exposed to fashion at young ages. What started as a simple joke, however, turned into an actual fashion line. Draz said, “We started doing sketches and asked ourselves, ‘Why shouldn’t we start a fashion line?’” The same age as their target audience — women in and around their 20s — Draz and Khan figured now was the best time to launch a fashion line. “We grasp a lot of things older people targeting our age don’t really focus on,” Draz said. “For example, we’re really big on social media, which is something older people tend to forget. We also have a lot of advantages being young. Obviously there are a lot of disadvantages, too, like people not taking us seriously.” The duo faced other challenges starting their company, such as applying for various codes, meeting deadlines and finding trustworthy people. “We had a problem with our manufacturer,” Draz said. “She seemed like a nice girl, really sweet, but she just didn’t take it seriously. She would never meet our deadlines. She would just think it was fine because we’re just two girls in our 20s.” They said the most gratifying result of their dedication was seeing the physical product of their creation. “When I think of stores that exist right now like Urban Outfitters, it’s really trendy,” Draz said. “It’s really fun, but everyone has it. It’s not good-quality all the time. French stores are expensive but good in quality.” The name Casual is reflective of both women’s styles and lives. “I had a moment in my life when I would just say ‘casually’ all the time,” Draz said. “More than it ever needed to be said,” Khan added. “She’d just sound silly and ridiculous, but we realized our lives are kind of silly and ridiculous.” Each piece in the line is named for one of the designers’ friends. The Maryam dress is a little red dress constructed of silk taffeta. Another memorable piece is a flowy, floral-patterned skirt, which looks feminine and classy. The Casual girl is “worldy, quirky and badass,” according Khan and Draz. “She doesn’t want to just wear what her friends are wearing,” Draz said. Casual’s website is currently being constructed. Once it is functioning, customers will be able to purchase pieces online. Draz and Khan are also hoping to launch a series of pop-up stores in the future. Khan and Draz said they are planning on traveling to Paris and London next year, respectively, where they hope to bring Casual to Europeans. Sydney Wu is a staff writer. Email her at bstyle@nyunews.com.
Refreshing products to re
By Hilary Presley After a long winter, any New Yorkers’ skin is begging for a clean start for spring. Ditch your old products and try something light and fresh to renew and brighten tired skin. Start washing, scrubbing, buffing and moisturizing for luxurious skin worth showing off this season.
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1. Lush Ro’s Argan Body Conditioner $30 – Go beyond your average body wash routine with this luxurious rose-scented shower lotion to pamper dull winter skin. Just like hair conditioner, use it after washing your body with any favorite soap. The cocoa butter, cupuacu butter, almond and Argan oils will leave skin renewed, blissfully soft and sweetly scented. 2. Lush Ocean Salt Scrub $20 to $35 – A personal favorite, this invigorating salt scrub hydrates thirsty skin, opening pores and leaving skin glowing
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via lushusa.com
and clean. Best of all, it does not dry skin out and can be used from head to toe. 3. Moroccanoil Body Soufflé $52 – For a decadent treat, try the famous hair care products new line of skin care. Infused with the same Argan oil hair loves, this new line nourishes and hydrates like no other, and antioxidants instantly restore skin. This lush lotion pampers skin, and the sweet scent smells like a heavenly vacation.
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via lushusa.com
via moroccanoil.c
Popular retailer features live music to amp By Heather Mundinger
File photo by Gloria Lee
Uniqlo’s busy flagship store is located on Fifth Avenue and 53rd street.
The iconic looks of many artists, from David Bowie to Florence Welch, demonstrate that the fashion and music industries have always had a close partnership. Every fashion week, the next season’s biggest hits can often be heard first as booming soundtracks accompany models down the runways. And now, retail stores are picking up on the trend. New York staple Uniqlo has launched a series of four live jazz events this month at their flagship store on Fifth Avenue and 53rd Street. The final event will take place this Thursday, April 12 and will showcase artists that have been carefully curated by Mobius Collective, “a music production network of musicians, producers and free thinkers,” as described by its website. The previous three jazz events have been successes and, though Uniqlo could not comment on how much revenue the events have generated, Jairo Ravelo, the current customer service supervisor for the flagship store, said the response from customers has been very positive. “The owner of the flagship loves jazz and was always interested in doing an
nyunews.com | wednesday, april 11, 2012 | Washington Square news
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edited by shannon loughran bstyle@nyunews.com
ejuvenate damaged skin 4. Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel $13 to $24 – Lighten up your facial moisturizer for spring, and ditch the heavy creams in favor of a gel. Warmer weather means skin needs to breathe, and a gel provides the same moisture without suffocating or clogging pores. 5. Boscia Clear Complexion Tonic $24 – Toner is crucial in spring and summer to deter oily and shiny skin. Washing your face too much strips it of essential natural oils, and toners work to restore balance in the skin and
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prevent pore clogging oils. Also try the brand’s blotting papers ($10) for a flawless finish. Keep makeup light and let skin breathe and glow naturally. Swap cakey foundations for tinted moisturizers like Laura Mercier ($42), and dab on a swipe of cream blush like Stila ($25) for a healthy, fresh-face glow that highlights clean skin. Top it off with a fresh new fragrance. Chloe’s L’Eau de Chloe ($65) will leave you dreaming of airy dresses and spring pastels. Hilary Presley is a staff writer. Email her at bstyle@nyuwnews.com.
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D.I.Y.
Creative cosmetic cases
By Rachel Perlman
Managing to finish a tube of lipstick or mascara used to be a miracle, considering how many I’ve lost at the bottom of my pocketbook. The zipper compartments in my bag never fit everything, so a cosmetic case became the obvious choice for inner-bag organization. I did not just want a monochromatic case, and vamping mine up with some graphic patterns seemed simple enough. Graphic prints are right on trend for the spring season, but you can personalize yours with initials or whatever you please. Materials: 1. Cosmetic case of any size 2. Thin painting tape 3. Acrylic paint 4 Small paint brush directions: 1. Put tape on the cosmetic case in order to create the desired pattern. For example, if painting a straight line, place two straight pieces of tape between the area you wish to paint. Put tape across the zipper to protect it from paint. 2. Paint in the negative space between the pieces of tape. Strokes should all be in the same direction. 3. Keep the tape on while the paint dries. Let the first color dry for 20 to 30 minutes before proceeding. 4. Once the first section is dry, place tape to create the negative space for the next part of the pattern. Painting with different colors will make the bag pop even more. 5. Repeat steps 1 through 3 until all areas have been painted. Rachel Perlman is a contributing writer. Email her at bstyle@nyunews.com.
Rachel Perlman for WSN
com
via clinique.com
via bosciaskincare.com
plify shopping experience event of this nature,” Ravelo said. “The store was built with an event room in a glass enclosure and was meant to host various live events.” Ravelo also said the store is hoping to host more events in the future, including live D.J. sets and local rock groups. The events are just one link to Uniqlo’s UT line, which are different series of graphic tees that represent varying themes and brands, from Transformers to Disney characters. Most recently, the UT line has featured various classic jazz prints. “The customer turn up from the jazz line has been great” Ravelo said. “We’ve already sold out of designs we hadn’t projected selling out of until May.” Providing a similar shopping experience a bit closer to campus is RIFF, a men’s and women’s clothing store located on the Bowery in the former location of the iconic CBGB concert venue. The store hosts in-store performances and sells music-inspired clothing, art and photography. But is live music a good marketing technique? We all know the frustrating feeling of shopping in retail stores like Hollister, Co., where the lighting is low and the music is blaring, similar to the ambiance of a live performance.
CAS freshman Emily Ong, a former Hollister employee, said, “The loud music we play in our stores is great for us employees and the teenage demographic, but its clear to see that it frustrates some of the older customers.” On the other hand, Miguel Peña, a Gallatin freshman studying music production, said, “This is a great opportunity for musicians, as customers coming in may be attracted to music they’ve never heard before, and the band will get more buzz.” Whatever the case, Uniqlo customers like Andrea Stefenson seem to be enjoying the events. “Music and shopping are my two favorite things,” she said. “The music definitely pumps me up and gets me happy about trying on all the new clothes.” In addition, Uniqlo is motivating customers to support the music by offering a free classic jazz record with the purchase of any product from the Jazz UT line. The records are all from Concord Music Group and feature famous artists such as Miles Davis and Isaac Hayes. The Mobius Collective All-Stars will perform this Thursday, April 12. Heather Mundinger is a contributing writer. Email her at bstyle@nyunews.com.
Style deals and fashion exhibits: fun ways to spend a spring day
via Wikipedia
By Clara Yang 1. April 11 (6 to 8 p.m.): Bloomingdale’s will be hosting an event called New York Nights. With music and complementary drinks, this will be a fun evening with great sales on all men’s fashion. Bloomingdale’s is located at 504 Broadway in SoHo. 2. April 11 to April 29: Uniqlo, located at 546 Broadway in SoHo, is having special promotions all month. With reduced prices this is a great opportunity for those who are not familiar with Uniqlo to try their signature products. 3. Through April 15 (Tuesday through Friday, 11 a.m to 6 p.m. and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m): Check out beautiful fashion illustrations at the new exhibit from French Institute Alliance Française, Dressed for Art. The exhibit highlights drawings and paint-
ings by fashion illustrator Jean-Phillip Delhomme. FIAF is located at 22 E. 60th St. 4. Through April 19: With special sales and discounts both online and in store at Victoria Secret, this could be the perfect opportunity for some pajama and lingerie shopping. 5. Through April 29: This month at The Body Shop, score all your beauty products and accessories at great deals. The store is offering deals such as buy three get two free, buy two get one free and buy one and get one 50 percent off. As for the fragrance offer, any purchase of Eau de Parfum or Eau de Toilette will include a free choice of 200ml of fragrance lotion, shower gel, body butter or body mist. Clara Yang is a staff writer. Email her at bstyle@nyunews.com.
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Washington Square news | wednesday, april 11, 2012 | nyunews.com
SPORTS
NEWS
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NYU community reacts to Google’s augmented reality glasses project By Hanqing Chen Google’s vision of the future is set right in the heart of the East Village. In a new advertising video titled “One Day...,” Google uses the East Village as a testing ground to demonstrate the abilities of the augmented reality glasses. These glasses would integrate the ability to text, use GPS navigation and take pictures, among a variety of other capabilities. Despite the East Village’s rather historic atmosphere as one of the oldest parts of New York, Stern marketing professor Hal Hershfield said it is an ideal location to attract early users of the avant-garde technology. “The people who live in this area, because of their age and interests, are probably more likely to be early adopters of new technology than people living in other areas of the country,” Hershfield said. “And because the Village is such a walkable area with so many businesses, it provides an ideal location to showcase all of the things that Google Glasses can do.” In the advertisement, the viewer follows the Google Glasses user through a typical day. When he wakes up, a display of the exact temperature pops up when he looks outside. As he arrives at the subway station, his glasses inform
him that the station is closed and provides him with an alternate walking route. Since the advertisement was launched on YouTube last Wednesday, it has been passed along in a frenzy on Twitter and Facebook. The excitement spurred by the video, however, is not because of its groundbreaking concept, according to Christopher Leslie, a professor of digital media at the Polytechnic Institute of NYU. “What’s exciting is to think about their convergence in an everyday fashion,” Leslie said. Other devices that have integrated themselves into everyday fashion, including smartphones and iPods, make users less aware of their surroundings. But experts are uncertain about wheth-
er Google Glasses will have the same effect. “On the one hand, there’s more going on with Google Glasses because the user doesn’t look away as is done from his or her phone,” Susana Case, a psychology professor at New York Institute of Technology, said. “On the other hand, the interaction is more seamless.” The prospect of using augmented reality glasses leaves some NYU students skeptical of its usefulness. “I don’t see it being very accessible to most people, and I expect it to be more expensive than it should be,” CAS junior Angeli Rafer said. According to Google, the glasses may be available at the end of 2012. Hanqing Chen is investigative editor. Email her at hchen@nyunews.com.
Violets above .500 for first time this season Witty said. “I think most of us were pretty satisfied with our play, and rightfully so.” In the two unfinished matches of the day, sophomore James Dean and Baruch junior Christopher Jenkins were leading in the third sets of their respective matches before play ended. NYU is now 5-4 in away matches against non-conference teams. The Violets will travel to Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., on Friday, April 13. Vassar defeated NYU 6-3 in their last matchup on October 6, 2010. The match will begin at 1 p.m.
Courtesy of NYU Athletics
Co-captain Connor Witty won the decisive match.
Additional reporting by Sebastien Van Heyningen. Daniel Hinton is sports editor. Email him at dhinton@nyunews.com.
vía YouTube
Google’s glasses allow users to virtually interact with surroundings.
The New York Times Syndication Sales Corporation 620new Eighth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10018 The york times crossword & daily sudoku For Information Call: 1-800-972-3550 For Release Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Edited by Will Shortz Across 1 Web programmer’s medium 5 Telly network 8 Hunter who wrote “The Blackboard Jungle” 12 Grammy winner India.___ 13 Glowing rings 15 Prop for Houdini 16 Subject for a Degas painting 18 Patron saint of Norway 19 Complete train wreck, in Southern slang 20 “Gimme ___!” 21 Bedsheets and such 24 Not in stock, but coming 26 Prize higher than plata or bronce 27 Stable father figure? 31 ___ lot (gorged oneself) 32 Software prototype
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34 ___ bene 36 Has no stomach for 39 Classic Xavier Cugat song … or a hint to the invitation in the circled letters 42 Field on screen 43 R&B singer Peniston 44 Unaccompanied performances 45 Impart 47 Like some vowels and pants 49 “Platoon” setting, informally 50 Fast-food franchise with a game piece in its logo 53 Locales for crow’s-nests 55 Those, to Teodoro 56 Parody singer Yankovic 60 Rebuke to a traitor
61 Snaking, like the arrangement of circled letters in this puzzle 65 Rudolph and kin 66 Paraffin-coated Dutch imports 67 Periodic table info: Abbr. 68 Dover delicacy 69 Prefix with functional 70 Host Mike of the Discovery Channel’s “Dirty Jobs”
Down 1 Feasted on 2 “La-la” lead-in 3 Least fig. 4 Milk, to Manuel 5 Scottish slope 6 Banquo, in Verdi’s “Macbeth” 7 Aircraft division of Textron 8 Green nuts? 9 Parking amenities 10 Tequila source TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE 11 “In your dreams!” O B A M A A M P S 13 Malfunction, with N O W O N P O U T “up” N T C O N C E R N M E 14 German city on E A L O H A A P P the Danube 17 Time R A O V A immemorial D N T C A R E L E S S S T A R T S A M O A 21 University of New Mexico S T O R E S A U L team S U N I T S I S E 22 Grantorto’s O T M Y P R O B L E M victim in “The Faerie Queene” A W E A R M A F I A P I K E S 23 Secret rendezvous I N O F F M Y B A C K point G O N E R E L O I 25 “The wearin’ ___ S T O W S S E N T green”
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Puzzle by Elizabeth C. Gorski
28 Queen of Thebes, in myth 29 Sgt.’s program 30 Bluesy Waters 33 Idle
35 “With the bow,” to a violinist 37 Razzle-dazzle
38 Removes cream from
40 Vegas casino magnate Steve 41 Bard’s nightfall 46 Used a divining rod 48 Gangbuster 50 Some Monopoly cards 51 Prefix with arthritis 52 Zero-star, say
54 Wedding day destination 57 Some investments, for short 58 45 letters 59 ___ Moines 62 “What am ___ do?” 63 San Antonio-toAmarillo dir. 64 Abbr. in a job ad
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, april 11, 2012 | Washington Square news
OPINION
edited by olivia gonzalez opinion@nyunews.com
culture
Experiences overseas blossom with warmer days By Joe Ehrman-Dupre PRAGUE — “The coldest winter in European History” was a phrase we heard a lot our first month here in Prague. It sounds impressive, but, trust me, we were not that impressed. Day after day of 20 degree highs and 0 degree lows was all rather disheartening. My friend in the program rightfully deduced that no one looks happy at this cold temperature. Walking to class became routine, of course, as did the process of pulling my knit scarf up over my ears and shrugging my shoulders to try and expose as little skin as possible. But, no matter how bundled up I was, being outside was never the day’s highlight. In fact, the below-freezing temperatures day and night put a huge damper on wanting to get out and do things. Simply living in Prague in that sort of weather seemed an impossibility, an idea that saddened me a great deal. I could feel myself pulling back into my comforting shell of the warm academic buildings and dormitories that we came to cherish. I suppose you could say that we all
looked forward to classes simply because it meant the commute to the academic center was over; however, that is no way to live and experience a city while one is abroad. As we all wondered how long this harsh weather could last, it finally began to break. There were days here and there when the thermometer would strike 32 degrees Fahrenheit — still 0 degrees Celsius, mind you — and the feeling of excitement was palpable. The nice weather on sunny, 40-degree days became the talk of the academic center in late February and early March, unifying the NYU in Prague student population more than our viewpoints on the Velvet Revolution and Vaclav Havel’s presidency. The end of Europe’s coldest winter was in sight. When I look back on my first few weeks here in Prague, I feel a few emotions: pride in myself for having gotten through the coldness, regret at having let the cold beat me in various aspects of my life here and a shared sense of happiness that the cold is gone and that Prague has become a much kinder, gentler place to live and study. I think
all of us at NYU Prague are excited that spring is on the rise here more and more everyday. Without weathering the coldest winter together, though, the warmth would not be nearly as entrancing or exciting. Those days of firsts: the first time wearing a lighter jacket, the first time not wearing a jacket or the first time wearing shorts — although I am still working up to that one — would not mean as much or feel as truly special and smile-worthy as they do now. Surviving the coldest winter here in Prague is undeniably similar to periods of difficulty, sadness and regret associated with all study abroad experiences. Whether weather is the culprit or not, studying abroad is a difficult, taxing period of time in specific emotional ways. At some point, something or someone will make you long for familiarity, warmth and a home-cooked meal. Having come out the other side, I can honestly say that Prague is all the sweeter after the thaw. Joe Ehrman-Dupre is a foreign correspondent. Email him at opinion@nyunews.com.
Foreign Policy
Bale’s killing of Afghans jeopardizes campaign By Richard Zhang How would we feel if someone barged into our homes and killed our families when we have done nothing wrong? We would feel devastated beyond anything language can describe. But that is exactly how the Afghans feel, after American Sergeant Robert Bale allegedly killed 17 innocent, sleeping Afghan civilians — most of whom were children and women. In regards to this despicable act of murder, the Obama administration expressed its shock and sadness and underscored that the attack in no way “represents ... the respect that the United States has for the people of Afghanistan.” Other officials tried to explain the issue by saying that Bale might have suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder when he committed the murder. But the truth is, the anti-American atmosphere has been built up in Afghanistan, and our military operation is going to get very tough. History has shown that the popularity from the local people is a crucial determinant of a successful military campaign. And the simple fact is: After the killing of 17 people, Afghans hate us even more deeply, regardless of our
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sound explanations and sincere apologies. Bale’s mental illness might be a reasonable excuse for his act of murder in a military court but not among the Afghan people. All the Afghans see is another case of a U.S. soldier killing innocent Afghan civilians. Even when my Afghan friend, Swilai Sayed, a well-educated, well-informed politics student from the University of Toronto, takes into consideration the medical conditions of Bale, she cannot help but ask, “Why would a mentally sick person be in their Special Forces? [Can’t the] USA, world’s super power, have medical staff check their soldiers’ health?” Furthermore, saying that the killing does not reflect a general attitude of Americans toward Afghans does not keep the anti-American sentiment from growing. A local Afghan villager, Gul Bushra, directs her hatred toward all Americans, who, according to her, “are always threatening [them] with dogs and helicopters during night raids.” For Afghans, the U.S. soldiers in the military operation represent all Americans. The Afghans are not going to come to America, compare the killer with other Americans and say,
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 150 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
“Oh most of Americans are nice. This killer is ill and is just one exception.” And with the accidental Quran burning and the desecration of Taliban corpses, too many exceptions have occurred within just the past two months. An Iranian friend of mine, Golnar Roughani , who is in the same university and program as Sayed, said “It is much more devastating to hear that people who first claimed that their main mission is to fight terrorism and ensure security and stability, have now themselves taken the life of these innocent people.” Indeed, on the one hand, we condemn the killing of Danny Pearl, and, on the other hand, we treat the Afghans with the same degree of cruelty and inhumanity — if not more. How can a military campaign wear the title of humanitarianism when it shows nothing but barbarity? How can such a barbaric campaign ever be justified? These are the questions that the American government has to answer to all Afghan people before having a successful military campaign. Richard Zhang is a staff columnist. Email him at opinion@nyunews.com.
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.
staff editorial
NYU 2031 reduction step in right direction
NYU’s ambitious construction project has been scaled down — slightly. The university announced yesterday that it has proposed a reduction in its prized NYU 2031 project by more than 16 percent. The original plan called for 2,275,000 square feet of construction in Greenwich Village. It will now be reduced by 370,000 square feet. Scott Stringer, the Manhattan borough president, has endorsed the proposal, claiming it strikes a balance between NYU and the residents of Greenwich Village. Ultimately, the decision to downsize the project is a step in the right direction for an equilibrium between parties. NYU needs to see its 2031 vision to fruition. Space is at a minimum, illustrated by students taking finals at inconvenient times, such as late at night, because of the absence of available rooms. In the past few years, NYU has broken records for its increasing number of incoming freshmen. As NYU President John Sexton has said, “The university has reached a tipping point. Space is required to create a vibrant intellectual community in all senses of the phrase.” For NYU to reach its full potential as an academic institution, we must take full advantage of the limited space available in New York City. However, the needs of NYU must take into consideration the larger community within which it resides. While colleges with isolated campuses do not need to worry about encroaching on other residents’ territory, NYU must be sensitive to the needs and wants of its Manhattan neighbors. Residents already display some resentment toward spoiled NYU brats. By expanding further into the area, the risk of worsening tensions increases. It remains to be seen if a reduction in the amount of construction will be enough to satisfy our neighbors. Despite having Stringer’s approval, the proposal still needs to be approved by the City Council, and the response of residents will influence their votes. However, the downsizing of the 2031 proposal is a compromise that is necessary for the wellbeing of the Greenwich Village community. Editorial Board: Olivia Gonzalez (Chair), Atticus Brigham (Co-Chair), Sanchay Jain (Co-Chair), Chris DiNardo, Emily Franklin, Matt Kao, Ben Miller, Peter Murphy and Richard Zhang. Email the WSN Editorial Board at editboard@nyunews.com.
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Washington Square news | wednesday, april 11, 2012 nyunews.com
opinion culture
Open-minds a necessity when studying abroad By Erin Marie Flannery MADRID — Living in a foreign country, communicating in a foreign language and partaking in foreign customs is a task unlike any other. It requires willpower and strength many do not realize they possess until they find themselves abroad. Unfortunately, not all who go abroad do so with the necessary open mind or level of understanding needed to not feel discouraged by the multitudes of misunderstandings and perceived stereotypes. Those who embark on this journey find ourselves fighting an uphill battle when it comes to integrating into life in a new environment because too often we begin our language studies with far greater emphasis on linguistic and grammatical accuracy with minimal attention paid to cultural aspects of language, social norms and intercultural pragmatics. One of the benefits of second language learning, as opposed to foreign language learning, is the opportunity to experience firsthand the culture behind, within and expressed by the language we are so diligently attempting to master. Little by little, teaching strategies are progressing, incorporating cultural and intercultural elements. However, they have a long way to go. As for foreignand second-language professors, it is important to
teach not only sentence formation but also sentence implementation — not to focus strictly on grammar but to initiate socio-cultural understanding — thus developing pragmatic competence alongside the far-toocentral idea of linguistic competence. There is an aspect of culture shock and developed stereotypes that boils down to a lack of pragmatic understanding. When we enter a foreign culture, or welcome foreigners into our own, we tend to hold them to our pragmatic norms, expecting simple speech acts to be manifested in the same way and with the same connotations to which we are accustomed. Unfortunately this typically causes varying degrees of stress, discomfort and misunderstandings. This is my second year living in Madrid, and I am constantly hearing complaints from fellow students about Spaniards being rude, annoying, disrespectful, overbearing and so on. Now, I am not saying that Spaniards are incapable of possessing these traits. However, more often than not, it does not come down to personality traits but rather pragmatic qualities unfamiliar to us as foreigners. We, not sharing the same cultural background, should not be holding Spaniards, in this case, to our American pragmatic standards. Instead we should be trying harder to understand and learn from these awkward social encounters in which we too often find ourselves. Ideally, pragmatic competence will continue to
strengthen its foothold in foreign and second language teaching, but until then, we are left to decipher for ourselves the foreign pragmatic code of conduct. We must work for greater cultural understanding both at home and in foreign settings. Question the perceptions we make of others’ actions, as well as how others seemingly perceive us. Spaniards, unaccustomed to the value we Americans place on time, are often viewed as rude and inconsiderate for showing up late, though culturally speaking, this is not always an intentional act of disrespect but rather the often subconscious fulfillment of a socio-pragmatic norm established in their culture. No, this is not always the case, but I have found this to be true in personal, academic and professional settings. This is just one example in a long list of cultural stereotypes rooted in social misconceptions. Language is not just words; it is a representation and manifestation of culture. Multicultural settings are best approached with open ears, open eyes and most certainly open minds. If you find yourself in an awkward situation, ask yourself, is this a question of personality or pragmatics? Erin Marie Flannery is a foreign correspondent. Email her at opinion@nyunews.com.
SPORTs
edited by daniel hinton sports@nyunews.com
Cash-strapped Mets follow ‘Moneyball’ strategy By John Axelrod Michael Lewis’s book “Moneyball,” which was adapted into the 2011 film by the same name, follows Oakland Athletics general manager Billy Beane during the 2002 season. At the beginning of his tenure in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Beane ignored the conventional wisdom of his scouts and implemented cutting edge statistical analysis, commonly known as sabermetrics, to acquire cheap, undervalued players within the constraints of a tight budget. In 2002, the cash-strapped Athletics had to replace 2000 American League MVP Jason Giambi, center fielder Johnny Damon and closer Jason Isringhausen with only a few million dollars. Relying on advice from assistant general manager and statistician Paul Depodesta, Beane chose to use cheap replacements with high on-base percentages to fill the void. The A’s won the most consecutive games in AL history (20) and tied the New York Yankees for the most wins (103) in Major League Baseball that season. Fast forward to 2012, and the New York Mets seem to base their future on Beane’s strategy. Because of rapidly declining revenues in the last few years and a titanic class-action lawsuit brought against the franchise
owners over allegations that they invested with Bernie Madoff while aware of the fraud, the once high-spending Mets have been forced to cut about $52 million from their payroll in the past year alone — the largest single-season payroll cut ever. Similar to the Athletics’ situation in 2002, the Mets had to replace 2012 National League batting champion Jose Reyes, center fielder Carlos Beltran and closer Francisco Rodriguez. Managing the Mets’ rebuilding process are some of the original architects of the Athletics’s “Moneyball” philosophy. Current Mets general manager Sandy Alderson was Beane’s predecessor and mentor in Oakland. Also sitting in the Mets front office are Beane’s former assistants Depodesta and J.P. Ricciardi. To replace the MVP-caliber production of Reyes, the Mets tapped 22-year-old shortstop Ruben Tejada. In Tejada’s brief career, his on-base percentage of .342 is one point higher than that of Reyes. To replace Beltran and Angel Pagan, the Mets turned to Lucas Duda and Kirk Nieuwenhuis. Duda has a .344 career OBP and is expected to have a break-out season as a power hitter. As a replacement for center fielder Andres Torres, Nieuwenhuis only recently made his major league debut, but he
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Sandy Alderson has been the general manager of the New York Mets since 2010. performed well during Spring Training and has a .400 OBP in nine at-bats. Other players such as Daniel Murphy, Ike Davis and Josh Thole all have career OBPs ranging from .344 to .355. The current lineup does not include a lot of prolific names, but the Mets surprisingly led the NL East division in runs scored last season. If the Mets want to continue to have the most productive offense in their divi-
sion, veterans and newer additions must continue to excel. I do not expect the Mets to be any better than .500 this year and they will struggle in an increasingly competitive division. But with only peanuts to work with, Alderson and his assistants have put together a solid team. Mets fans should shed their perennial pessimism. The Madoff cloud has finally dissipated, and the payroll will rise in the next few years.
The team is full of young competitors and there are a few promising arms in the farm system — namely Zack Wheeler and Matt Harvey. The Mets’ ownership might not be popular right now and probably never will be, but at least for the first time in a while the Mets are a winning story. John Axelrod is a deputy sports editor. Email him at jaxelrod@nyunews.com.