NYU’s Daily Student Newspaper
WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS Vol. 42, No. 41
THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2014
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Syrian crisis comes to life on campus
Scam puts email addresses at risk
Syrian activists and journalists discussed health, education, women’s issues and the plight of refugees within and outside of Syria at #Speak4Syria, a panel hosted by the International Relations Society. Mohammed Aly Sergie, a former senior editor of the online news outlet Syria Deeply, moderated the panel, which took place on April 16. Syrian activist Qusai Zakarya shared his experience as a survivor of the chemical weapons attack that began on Aug. 21, 2013, in Moadamiya, a suburb on the outskirts of Damascus, the capital city. Zakarya said he witnessed hundreds of people running in fear and lying on the streets unable to breathe from the Sarin gas President Bashar al-Assad’s regime allegedly used. “Before I realized what was going on, I lost my ability to breathe, my chest was set on fire, my eyes were burning like hell and I wasn’t able to scream to alert my friends,” Zakarya said. “I started beating my chest over and over again until I managed to get my first breath.” Zakarya recalled an incident in which he drove injured children to a hospital with only eight doctors, three of whom had not yet graduated from medical school. “One of our neighbors started knocking on the door,” Zakarya said. “She had two of her kids, one the age of 4 and the other one the age of 6. Both of them were suffocating and they were vomiting some white liquid from the chemical exposure.” The Assad government then carried out a siege that affected many suburban areas including Moadamiya. Five days later, UN representatives went to Moadamiya. U.S. activist Kenan Rahmani, director of operations and development for the Syrian American Council, said the UN Security Council tried to provide food to civilians, which the Syrian government denied. GSAS senior Gabriella Pena, a former member of the International Relations Society, explained
Throughout the past few weeks there has been a phishing scam circling the university. Three types of emails with the same threat have been sent to students’ NYU email addresses. Students who either click on the links provided within the emails or respond to the emails with personal information are in danger of being scammed. If someone falls victim to the scam, their account will send out emails to other NYU affiliated addresses. Google then suspends the student’s NYU email address and account, and the student will lose access to NYU Wi-Fi, until the student proves he did not send the emails. Aidan Dahlin Nolan, a Tisch performance studies master’s student, said he received a couple of these emails from other NYU addresses in the last few weeks. However, Nolan said there were signs that the emails were illegitimate. “It was pretty easy to tell that
By CHRISTINE PARK
SYRIA continued on PG. 3
By MARITA VLACHOU
EDELAWIT HUSSIEN FOR WSN
The first annual Stern Art Gallery showcased talent of business students Business students displayed their artwork last night at the a gallery organized by three seniors.
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STORY ON PAGE 4
‘Promise’ suffers from unsatisfactory screenplay By LAURA WOLFORD
The cinematic love story has a long history of being a hit or miss with audiences. Whether indieor studio-financed, these types of films will generally gather an audience due to the market for the genre. Although “A Promise,” directed by Patrice Leconte, gives audiences the love story they crave, the rest of the film falls flat due to writing and editing techniques that do not support the film in the ways they should. “A Promise” is the story of Friedrich Zeitz (Richard Madden), a young man who comes to work for Karl Hoffmeister (Alan Rickman) at his family-owned steel company. As Karl’s health declines, he begins to entrust his business to Zeitz, who has proved himself a worthy protégé.
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Alan Rickman shines above the rest in ‘A Promise.’ Friedrich makes regular trips to Karl’s home, where he meets his employer’s significantly younger wife, Lotte (Rebecca Hall). Friedrich and Lotte fall in love, but
must face several obstacles before they can be together. Although the narrative appears to be straightforward, the editing transitions between scenes are too abrupt, throwing the viewer from one plot development to another too quickly and never letting them register with the audience. “A Promise” only focuses its narrative on the tension between the two young lovers, a story that is transparent and plain. The plot is only used for building the relationship between Friedrich and Lotte when it could have been so much more — since the film is set right before World War I in Germany, the undertones of unrest and discord within the country should have been more apparent, especially in the life of a man who runs a steel business. Lotte is the strongest character
of the film. Since both men love her, the story takes a natural shape around the young woman, and Hall’s portrayal does her justice. The filmmakers accentuate Lotte’s ability to light up a room and many scenes reflect this vision, each emphasizing what she means to both Karl and Friedrich and even her son Otto (Toby Murray). Despite Lotte’s magnetism, the other characters are not allowed to flourish. With all the talent in the cast, one cannot blame the flatness on unsatisfactory performances — rather, the writing is at fault. The overall structure of the narrative keeps the personal dialogue from providing the audience with a surprising, captivating story. The script has some poignant lines, but this may be due to Alan
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In the WSN edition on April 17, 1985, an article titled “Health violations cited at two NYU cafeterias” informed the NYU community that the cafeterias in Hayden residence hall and Weinstein residence hall violated the health code. The article says this was the second time that year that the New York City Health Department cited the cafeterias for violations. The violations included evidence of rodent excrement, the sighting of a live mouse and not having a valid permit to operate a food establishment posted. Both locations were fined and threatened with closure if they did not remedy the violation before the next inspection.
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TODAY ON CAMPUS TEDxGallatin Gallatin seniors will speak about a variety of topics, highlighting the diversity of Gallatin’s undergraduates, at the TEDxGallatin at 6 p.m. in 1 Washington Place.
Mayor Bill de Blasio Mayor Bill de Blasio will speak at NYU today as part of the Speakers on the Square series. He will speak at 6 p.m. in the Skirball Center for the Performing Arts.
Earth Matters
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Earth Matters — Mannahatta: Past, Present and Future will feature a talk with Eric Sanderson, a senior conservation ecologist at the New York City Wildlife Conservation Society, about the future of the environment and sustainable development. The talk will be at 6 p.m. in room 802 of Kimmel Center for University Life. TODAY’S EVENTS ARE FREE FOR NYU STUDENTS.
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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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Movie explores climate change By CLAIRE SCIMECA
In the latest effort to inform the NYU community about the effects of climate change, student activists hosted a screening of “Do the Math,” a film about social movements to protect the environment. NYU Divest, Earth Matters and the Graduate School of Arts and Science Student Government organized the event, which took place at the Kimmel Center for University Life on April 16. The movie highlights environmentalist Bill McKibben’s crusade against the use of fossil fuels, which he cites as a leading cause of climate change. He focuses on three numbers based on comprehensive, scientific studies while he dissects the math involved in climate change. The first is two, or the number of degrees Celsius that Earth can warm without significantly disturbing life as we know it. The second is 565, or the number of gigatons — billions of tons — of carbon dioxide people can emit into the atmosphere before global warming will surpass that two degrees. The third is 2,765, the number of gigatons of carbon currently
in the reserves of the fossil fuel industry. This number means that these companies already have more than four times the carbon resources necessary to alter the planet irreversibly. McKibben started a project called 350.org which has organized massive protest efforts around the world to fight against the fossil fuel industry and for cleaner, renewable sources of energy. His project is named after the amount of atmospheric carbon dioxide in parts per million scientists have concluded the planet can withstand. Today, however, levels are at 395 ppm. In a similar vein as 350.org, NYU Divest hopes to eliminate the school’s investments in fossil fuels. Gallatin junior Sophie Lasoff said divestment has worked in past social movements. “As we saw with the South African apartheid movement in the ’60s, it took many years to make divestment a reality at these schools, but once the big names started falling off, it was like a domino effect,” Lasoff said. On Monday, at NYU President John Sexton’s town hall meeting, NYU Divest revealed its divestment petition filled with more than 1,400
signatures, which helped convince Sexton to meet with the group. NYU Divest member and CAS junior Josh White said NYU has an obligation to stop financially supporting the fossil fuel industry and protect the environment. “NYU is a leader in sustainability, as indicated by its recent 30 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions,” White said. “However, its investments in the fossil fuel companies that cause climate change are hypocritical and contradictory to these efforts.” NYU Divest is working to gather support from various facets of the NYU community, including student organizations and faculty. Sumit Gupta from the GSAS student government said he feels that NYU Divest’s spreading of information about environmental issues is important. “The kind of work they are doing is something people should be aware about,” Gupta said. “It’s about making people more aware and more knowledgeable so that if they have an opinion, they state it rather than just not doing anything about it at all.” Claire Scimeca is a staff writer. Email her at news@nyunews.com.
NYU Reacts: NYPD surveillance By LARSON BINZER
Controversy broke out in 2012 when it was revealed that an NYPD unit had been spying on Muslim communities and student groups. It was announced on April 15 that this unit has been disbanded. LS freshman Meyhad Mozaffa, who is Muslim, said this kind of discriminatory spying occurs because of prejudice against the Muslim community. “[The spying] came at a time when we are finally 10 years away from the fatal and devastating attacks on 9/11, but we still have this Islamophobia in the community today,” Mozaffa said. “People everywhere … are profiling Muslims and Middle Easterners for being terrorists and always being a danger for the community.” CAS freshman Afraz Khan, another Muslim student, said he has come to expect this kind of behavior directed toward Muslims. “Over the years I’ve almost become slightly desensitized to these types of issues that come up,” Khan said. “As a Muslim in the United States who has experienced firsthand discrimination and mistreatment due to my religion, I’ve come to terms in a lot of ways with the fact that these types of challenges will continue to persist for us.” Khan also said this kind of discrimination comes from a lack of knowledge and understanding of varying religious beliefs. As a member of the executive board for Shuruq, an Islamic cultural awareness month at
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Activists give first-hand account of deepening crisis in Syria
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Mohamed Khairullah discusses role of women in the conflict. the event’s purpose. “[This event was held] to bring awareness outside of what students are reading in the media,” Pena said. After the speakers presented their speeches, the audience asked questions. In response to a question about how female voices are lacking, Prospect Park Mayor Mohamed Khairullah said women are active members in society but their voices are being muted by Syria’s patriarchal society. “Syria is a male-dominated society, but from being on the ground, I can tell you women do play a ma-
jor role,” Khairullah said. “They are very involved, uncharacteristically involved on the ground. Their story in the media is not out there. They work, they don’t talk.” Zakaya said he hopes for more support from the United States and for more awareness of the crisis to be spread. “It’s about time for the United States to start acting to support the Syrian people and put an end to the fascist regime.” Christine Park is a contributing writer. Email her at news@nyunews.com.
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Scam emails pose threat to university email accounts
VIA FLICKR.COM
The NYPD has stopped its surveillance of Muslim-Americans. NYU, Khan helps plan events to educate people and encourage religious acceptance. Khan said he has noticed less discrimination recently and the NYPD’s move to disband its surveillance unit is a positive step. “When any sort of discrimination against Muslims does occur, it still hurts just as much,” Khan said. “Complete eradication of Islamophobia and those sorts of beliefs seems like a distant goal, but I think the disbanding of this unit signifies a very important step toward achieving this goal as well as establishing a common ground of understanding of our belief system.” CAS junior Natalie McCauley said she is in support of the unit being disbanded. “Police targeting a religious group because of the action of a few radicals who happened to consider themselves Muslims is unjust,” McCauley said. “Spy-
ing on people in general creates an atmosphere of fear, and targeting Muslims was a negative message to the people of New York.” “A police force has to protect, not intimidate or discriminate against, its citizens,” she added. Despite feeling like there is heavy discrimination against the Muslim community, Mozaffa said he hopes that in the future, Americans can learn to differentiate between the Muslim community and its association with terrorist attacks. “Hearing about the events that have happened in the past is just very saddening and hopefully in the next years, we as Americans can understand that not every Muslim is a terrorist and not every terrorist is a Muslim,” Mozaffa said. Larson Binzer is a deputy news editor. Email her at lbinzer@nyunews.com.
it was a phishing email,” Nolan said. “I think the text noted that it was coming from the ‘IT administrater’ — so the spelling was a dead give away — and it wasn’t signed by anyone. Additionally, the note asked for details the [Information Technology Services] department could easily access on their own.” ITS warns students about security threats by posting alerts on both the NYU ITS website and the NYU home page. “Phishing messages appear to be sent from NYU, ITS, or other organizations affiliated with NYU requesting your personal information such as name, date of birth, password, etc,” an email from ITS said. The email said students are strongly encouraged to disregard these emails and not reply to them. The ITS department also has information on its website to help students detect and avoid phishing emails. “ITS will never request your password information,” the email said. “If a message informs you of an impending account closure or similar action unless you comply with its demands, it is often a sign that the message is a phishing scam.” However, even though ITS has
extensive information about scams on its website, some students remain unaware of the existence of the alerts posted on the NYU home page and the ITS website. CAS freshman Eugenia Efstathiou said she did not know about the phishing scam. “I’ve never heard of it, none of my friends have been scammed and no one has warned me about it,” Efstathiou said. Steinhardt freshman Chelsea Lim said ITS should warn students about the phishing scam emails. “I wouldn’t know about it if ITS didn’t send me a specific email about it,” Lim said. The computer security department of ITS did not answer inquiries about the frequency of scam emails and the reason why ITS has not sent emails to warn students about phishing emails. Nolan said the university should try to build up more security on its online platforms. “I’m not a very tech savvy person, so I’m not sure what NYU can do,” Nolan said. “Perhaps they could add in an extra layer of security there.” Marita Vlachou is a staff writer. Email her at news@nyunews.com.
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Street art highlighed in exhibit Art reveals other side of business students By KATE MARIN
The NYU Grey Art Gallery opened their new exhibit, “Energy That Is All Around,” featuring San Francisco street artists. The artists are Chris Johanson, Margaret Kilgallen, Alicia McCarthy, Barry McGee and Ruby Neri. At Kimmel Center for University Life on April 15, Johanson, McCarthy, McGee, Neri and the curator Natasha Boas discussed the growth of the project and the motives behind their work. “Energy That Is All Around” offers visitors a look at the unique aesthetics of street art from San Francisco during the late 1990s, focusing on rare pieces of artists who were a part of the Mission School movement. The graffiti promoted and represented a merge of street and studio, developing a style all of its own. The artists’ work is considered contemporary and evokes an unseen sense of both innovation and style, ultimately setting it apart from a typical representation of the street or graffiti artist. Johanson began the panel discussion by presenting several images of his art from San Francisco. The first image he shared was of a sculpture he made of an assortment of chairs he found in New York. “I found the chairs when I was going on walks across from Tompkins Square Park,” Johanson said. “There were all these beautiful chairs that had such beautiful craftsmanship to them.” This installation was featured at an exhibit in San Francisco and encapsulates the unfinished appearance that is seen throughout the work of the Mission School artists. Johanson
By DAVID BOLOGNA
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The Mission School artists’ street art is on display. said this piece of his art reveals his preference for an anti-consumerist approach and offers viewers a sense of creativity . Neri introduced her spray paint work and said she often painted on buidlings with McCarthy. “Alicia and I met in San Francisco at the Art Institute and we used to open up bus shelters and other places and do our own graffiti,” Neri said. She shared an image of horses spray-painted onto the walls of river banks and abandoned buildings, a work of art they painted in 1994. “It is a vacant building in San Francisco that I went into,” Neri
said. “A lot of buildings were being torn down at that time in preparation for residences so we utilized those spaces.” Both Neri and McCarthy displayed their work publicly throughout the streets of San Francisco while maintaining a distinguished style and perspective, bringing the studio aesthetics to the streets. The exhibit is open through July 12 at the Grey Art Gallery located at 100 Washington Square East. Kate Marin is a staff writer. Email her at features@nyunews.com.
The Stern Art Gallery held its first annual show this year to recognize the creativity and artistic talent of the student body. Two rooms featured paintings, collages, photographs and more from a variety of Stern undergraduates. The event is the first of its kind to recognize the hidden potential of some of NYU’s business students. Senior and co-founder Adrienne Liu said the idea came quite sporadically to her and her two co-founders. “We actually thought about this about a year ago, and we wanted it to get done last spring,” Liu said. The team brought the idea to Akiko Yamaguchi, the head of the office of student engagement. “None of this would be possible without Akiko Yamaguchi,” co-founder and senior Nicholas Wang said. While Yamaguchi may have helped the students throughout the process, the three put in an incredible amount of work that certainly paid off. Third cofounder and senior Noah Sperber said the past three weeks required a lot of preparation. “Every weekend has been devoted to something art gallery,” Sperber said. “Three weekends ago we gave the structures a try [and] put them through a trial run. Two weekends ago, we bought the rest of the materials and did a trial run of hanging up more art.” The range of pieces showed an astounding amount of passion, from freshman Amy Wang’s haunting painting “Calypso” to senior Emanuel Hahn’s photographs like “Front Rows to the Liberty Show,” that captured the urban beauty of the city.
Hahn expressed his personal appreciation for the event. “In school, you’re taught concepts that are fixed and entrenched in academia, but outside, you’re allowed to be creative, try new things and break the rules sometimes,” Hahn said. “So I definitely really like this art gallery, and I hope they do it every year.” Photographer Nilay Shah, a junior studying finance, discovered his father’s old camera at a young age. Shah said the event had a lot of meaning to the whole NYU community. “It’s amazing because I personally know that there’s so much talent here that has nothing to do with finance, marketing or whatever,” Shah said. “It’s a testament to the fact that we are creative people, too … and we don’t have to be these boring, finance-y, super professional type of people.” As for the future of the event, the co-founders are already one step ahead. “We’ve also prepared for it to be a sustainable event [because] we brought some younger underclassmen who help us out with setting it up so they can see behind the scenes, what work needs to get done when and what priorities are important,” Sperber said. Among those hoping to continue the legacy of recognizing Stern’s artistic side through the event is junior and featured artist Denise Zhu. “I think probably me and a few other juniors will try and take this over next year and put one on probably every year,” Zhu said. “I’m really excited to see where it goes.” David Bologna is a staff writer. Email him at features@nyunews.com.
Students give nonprofit charity personal touch By ILONA TUOMINEN
Two NYU students are working to give nonprofits a boost. Stern sophomore Josh Dean and Steinhardt sophomore Alexandra Cardinale launched Live To Give, a website that provides users with a platform to raise money for nonprofit organizations, on March 31. Live To Give uses personal stories to fundraise. The stories are told through a first-person narrative and in a specific manner that Dean and Cardinale chose after working with professional psychologists. “A story about one person is twice as effective as a story about a group of unnamed statistical victims,” Dean said. “Live To Give aims to humanize causes so that the donors can feel more connected.”
Live To Give encourages new users to join and tell their stories as well. Dean and Cardinale said NYU students in particular would benefit from using their website. “We are a socially conscious school, and Live To Give is a great way for people to express their passions and support causes they feel strongly about,” Dean said. Gallatin senior Eric FuchsStengel shared his story on the website to raise money for his environmental organization MEVO. His story has been the most financially successful so far, raising $2,610 since its launch in late March. “I believe in a better future — a future where people don’t live in polluted communities and don’t have to choose between losing their quality of life and risk-
ing that of future generations,” Fuchs-Stengel said in his story. However, Dean said it is difficult to say which one of the stories has had the biggest impact. “A story can do so much more than raise money,” Dean said. “It can bring people closer together in ways that are somewhat intangible. That is what motivates us the most.” While Live to Give exists as an easily accessible platform for students to raise money, CAS freshman Jose Morales said he questions whether students will donate to the causes. “If they can help raise money for charities, then it sounds like a good idea,” Morales said. “But I don’t think a lot of students would be able to donate, since we already don’t have much money for ourselves to spend.” Yet from working so closely
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Josh Dean and Alexandra Cardinale help nonprofits raise money. and personally with their users, Dean and Cardinale have found the whole process to be nothing but humbling and inspiring. “I have found my passion in working with people, and how much we all have in common,” Dean said. “The reason our sto-
ries will be successful is that they relate to so many people. You would never know that, however, until these stories are told.” Ilona Tuominen is a staff writer. Email her at features@nyunews.com.
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‘Bullets over Broadway’ ‘S.H.I.E.L.D.’ should look to comics fails to hit bullseye By NIVEA SERRAO
By ALYS MURRAY
It can sometimes be difficult to watch a piece of theater that misses the mark, especially when it comes close to realizing its goals. Unfortunately “Bullets Over Broadway,” the newest Broadway musical from director Susan Stroman, is one of these plays that did not hit the bullseye. The combination of Woody Allen’s witty and colorful book with a tired score piled together from the American Songbook creates a feeling of emptiness behind the showy glitz of the visually stunning production. On its surface, “Bullets” seems like an easy hit: it is a theater production about theater, with legends of stage and screen at the helm. On most levels, it fully uses its talent. The cast, led by Broadway newcomer and all-around charmer Zach Braff, knocks the New York quickness of Allen’s words out of the park with grace. Helene York shines as Olive, the beautiful and talentless girlfriend of a gangster. Nick Cordero, who plays Cheech — the actual genius behind the script that Zach Braff’s character Dave has been struggling to perfect — stands out as well. These two hold their ground among stars with resumes two and three times longer than their own. They provide the heart behind what could be caricatures, humanizing even the least relatable characters. The design, the crowning point of which is undeniably William Ivey Long’s beautiful and intricate costume work, stands out in this impressive season, even contending with technical giants like “Rocky.” And Allen’s book, bolstered by his intimate experience
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The show has a lot of talent, but lacks in other areas. with penning the film of the same name, is a joy to experience. However, Stroman’s direction could leave Allen fans feeling a bit jilted. Stroman seemed to struggle with the material at times, finding difficulty in balancing the cinematic and theatrical as well as the intimate and extravagant. Moments that had the potential to be significant were brief, while less important instances were given more time and felt instinctively wrong. The uninspired score stitches together songs from the likes of Cole Porter and the Gershwins. The songs do not bolster interactions or serve much purpose at all — they often feel more like pieces of scenery rather than exchanges between actual people. While “Bullets Over Broadway” could be better, it is still a funny, sweet and entertaining show. With endearing characters, witty one-liners and plot twists to send one reeling, “Bullets” earns its place in audiences’ hearts. Alys Murray is a contributing writer. Email her at theater@nyunews.com.
Over the past few years, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has dominated box offices, easily earning millions on each opening weekend. So when ABC announced in 2012 that it would be developing a TV show focusing on the agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., the super secret spy organization that made its first appearance in “Iron Man,” fans were excited. The series had the potential to feature characters from the movies and promised to explore elements of the larger MCU that the films do not usually touch upon. For the most part, Marvel’s “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” has kept up that promise since it premiered in September 2013. The show has had two episodes that tie in with the “Thor” cinematic universe, but it was not until “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” came out that the series exercised its relationship with its bigger and more expensive cousins. The events of “Winter Soldier” had big ramifications for the remainder of the show’s season — not to mention the Marvel Universe at large — and the result is a much more interesting show. When “S.H.I.E.L.D.” first debuted, it felt like a formulaic procedural that simply functioned within the larger fascinating MCU, leaving important questions — like what resurrected the supposedly dead Agent Coulson (Clark Gregg) — barely answered. Now, with the film’s energy to play with, the show is reenergized, finally able to present what the first half of the season set up. The show’s new life is extremely exciting for Marvel fans, but it raises interesting questions about the future of popular film franchises and television in general. While Marvel has been releasing
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The ABC show “S.H.I.E.L.D.” can expand Marvel storylines. movies almost every year, it is a great idea to compound these with a more consistent TV show. In addition to keeping audiences invested in the universe, “S.H.I.E.L.D.” draws new fans to the movies. By the end of its first 22-episode season alone, “S.H.I.E.L.D.” will have produced more episodes than movies created by Marvel Studios. The series has developed the world these movies exist in and has set up possible events for future films giving the movies a little more room to play with. But, more storylines in the show cause problems for audiences who only watch the films. Unfortunately, the series’ viewership numbers suggest that only diehard Marvel fans are watching. “S.H.I.E.L.D.” was a pretty lackluster
Quartet brings back psychedelic folk music By SALVATORE MAICKI
For fans of the Brooklyn indie rock quartet Woods, a new year most often signals a new album. Since their debut in 2006, the band has put out solid releases annually on singer-guitarist Jeremy Earl’s independent label Woodsist, with the exception of 2008, when the band recorded their breakout LP, “Songs of Shame,” which came out the next year. When 2013 went by without any new material, it felt uncharacteristic of the typically punctilious band. As it turns out, Woods was busy spending almost two years perfecting “With Light And With Love,” its seventh and most polished album release to date. “With Light” is, as with every recent release from Woods, a consistent collection of neo-psychedelic folk rock songs. In press
releases, the band described the album as featuring “singing saw, heavier emphasis on percussion, and a saloon piano.” The saloon vibe is perhaps best felt on opening track “Shepherd,” which is tinged with bluegrass steel guitar and the old-timey piano plinking. Another standout, the title track, spans just over nine minutes and glistens with urgent percussion and a guitar solo reminiscent of Carlos Santana’s heyday. This track is Woods at its most assertive, an attitude that should be further amplified on future releases. With the exception of those two tracks, however, the album’s material relies on the same formulaic approach that Woods has taken on their past four releases. Each track couples Earl’s omnipresent smoky falsetto vocals with optimistic lyrics and lo-fi instrumentals, a standard that fans of the band have
COURTESY OF WOODSIST
“With Light and With Love” is in tune with the band’s sound. become quite familiar with. Woods’ sound is one that nods to psychedelic folk music of the late ’60s, and on “With Light,” it is as refined as it’s ever been. The melodies are sharp and catchy, and the instrumentals are gritty yet gorgeous. Although this is not anything new
television show to begin with because it could not initially infringe upon what happens in the movies. So far we have only seen “S.H.I.E.LD.” react to events on the big screen. Perhaps the series should explore Marvel’s comic universe, rather than just the cinematic one. This venture would allow the films to draw on things from the TV show, acknowledging the further reaches of Marvel’s vast universe that can not all fit on film. Hopefully, if the show is picked up for a second season, it will rely more on the comics and lean less heavily on the films. Nivea Serrao is a staff writer. Email her at entertainment@nyunews.com.
PROMISE continued from PG. 1
Rickman casts spell on viewers in drama
for the band, the consistency of the tracks on this album is a testament to the time spent on it — there is no superfluous filler here. Woods proves that treading on familiar ground is not necessarily a bad thing with tracks such as “Shining,” “New Light” and “Leaves Like Glass.” “Twin Steps” brings them into ’60s boy band territory. There is not a dull moment — even the slow-moving “Feather Man,” which closes the album, remains gripping as Earl coos Woods’ musical variation of a campfire ghost story. “With Light and With Love” is not anything innovative from Woods, but it is an irresistibly optimistic and consistent offering with an impressive level of cohesiveness — despite its occasional redundancy.
Rickman’s impeccable acting rather than the writing. Karl is a supporting character to the two main lovers, but Rickman gives such an understated yet understandable performance that one cannot help but want him to keep his lady in the end. Much of his dialogue is quite amusing, as he delivers lines with the flat yet sarcastic tone that he is famous for. “A Promise” is not a bad film — it is just not a particularly captivating one. The story may be timeless, but it is too conventional even for an audience that just wants to be entertained.
Sal Maicki is a contributing writer. Email him at music@nyunews.com.
Laura Wolford is a staff writer. Email her at film@nyunews.com.
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THE NEW YORK TIMES CROSSWORD & DAILY SUDOKU Crossword ACROSS 1 Swine 6 “Giant” novelist, 1952 12 Country that calls itself the “Abode of Peace” 13 Shakespeare character who says “Unhappy that I am, I cannot heave / My heart into my mouth” 15 Like only one Best Picture in Academy Award history (1969) 16 Essay locale 17 Stylish 1960s luxury coupe 18 Louis Malle’s “___ Amants” 19 Scottish exclamation 20 Fruit juice 21 Like much music, starting in the late 1980s
23 Gold units: Abbr. 25 2000 Richard Gere title role 26 D 28 Mycobacterium, e.g. 30 One of the vertices of the Summer Triangle 31 Start to break up a fight, say 32 Boston legend Phil, to fans 35 Rembrandt van ___ 37 Foundation stone abbr. 38 Dirty dog 41 Conrad of the silents 44 Noted part of a book? 45 Eye part 46 Diamond stats 49 Operative: Abbr. 50 Subj. of 1991’s Start treaty 52 Women’s shoe style
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48 ___ whale 51 Foreshadow 53 Breviloquent 55 Reef dwellers 58 Kind of trail 59 Rejections
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NYUNEWS.COM | THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2014 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS
OPINION
EDITED BY PETER KEFFER OPINION@NYUNEWS.COM
ADAM’S ANGLE
Herbalife for gamblers, not investors By ADAM FAZLIBEGU
Herbalife, a seemingly innocent international nutrition firm, has seen its stock price fluctuate since hedge fund manager William Ackman accused the company of being a pyramid scheme in late 2012. But instead of being shut down by the government, Herbalife continued operations uninterrupted. Worse, recent backing by billionaire hedge fund manager Carl Icahn has lent the company some credibility. Now that New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is finally investigating the company, Herbalife’s stock price has dipped yet again, and hopefully for good. While investment behemoths like Ackman and Icahn can handle volatility, ordinary investors cannot. Investment decisions should not be swayed by the actions of a few fund managers. Investors should rely on personal research and stick to their beliefs about the company. Shareholders should avoid companies that are in the middle of a war between two billionaires since the stock’s volatility will certainly increase without a proportional increase in expected return. The media have made shorting
stocks seem like the work of evil speculators who want to destroy companies. This viewpoint is almost always wrong. When an investor shorts a stock, he or she borrows and sells a stock now only to buy it back later. This means investors profit on a short position when the stock price falls. More often than not, investors short stocks in order to hedge their positions and minimize risk in their welldiversified portfolio, not to purely bet against the company. That being said, Ackman’s standing against Herbalife is a rare occasion in which the media depicted the scenario accurately. Ackman shorted the stock and also took steps to expose Herbalife as a pyramid scheme. An investigation revealed that Ackman had his team organize protests
and news conferences to spread the word about Herbalife. Even if Herbalife is a pyramid scheme, the average investor should try his best to avoid the stock. Considering the ongoing investigation of Herbalife that has yet to conclude, it would be difficult for an individual with limited resources to determine Herbalife’s legitimacy. Although Herbalife appears to be an easy money-making venture if the company goes under, there is a lingering risk that the company is illegitimate and the short position will suffer. And who wants to be caught in the crossfire of two billionaires, anyway? Betting on Herbalife is as sure an investment as a trip to the casino. Herbalife’s stock price fluctuations seem random and are the result of a struggle between two super forces. Herbalife should serve as a reminder to investors that the only information that can be trusted is their own — not the insincere assurance of self-proclaimed investment gods. Adam Fazilbegu is a staff columnist. Adam’s Angle is published every Thursday. Email him at opinion@nyunews.com.
VITTORIO’S RAZOR
Euro not to blame for economic woes By VITTORIO BISIN
The 2008 financial crisis revealed cracks in the economies of many European nations. The countries may not have known of the problems or did not feel urgency to address them prior to the collapse, but circumstances eventually rendered the problems unavoidable. As weaker European economies suffered in 2008 and forced the depreciation of the Euro, countries less affected by the crisis, including the Netherlands and Finland, began questioning their allegiance to the single European currency. Now, however, six years removed from the economic upheaval, the poorer countries are joining the stronger ones in protest of the eurozone. Their response is an overreaction to a problem that should not be blamed on a continental monetary system. Italy was crushed by the collapse. Though many Italian politicians had been aware of the instability of their fiscal policies leading up to the recession — government debt was higher than GDP in 2008 — their policies remained unaltered until the country’s well-being depended
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on a restructuring. Other European nations were faced with similar urgency. Yet, in spite of the possible benefits the Euro has provided Italy in aiding recovery in recent years, the MoVimento 5 Stelle and Lega Nord parties, which comprise about 20 percent of Italy’s parliament, claim that leaving the Euro is in the nation’s best interest. The Euro and the European Union became scapegoats on which blame was projected for political and economic difficulties. A new study attempts to reverse this trend. The study found that the European Union and the Euro have benefitted most of its members, Greece being the lone exception. In explaining this, the researchers simulated time series data using macroeconomic
statistics from countries that have not joined the European Union. For instance, they estimated that if Britain had not entered the European Union, its economy would resemble a weighted blend of 91 percent New Zealand and 9 percent Argentina. Richer countries like Finland and poorer ones like Portugal have, to varying degrees of success, benefited from E.U. membership. Even countries that have not adopted the Euro but are E.U. members have benefited. Britain has seen a 25 percent jump in its GDP since joining the European Union. This analysis is easy to criticize, and many European politicians certainly have, but it is notable for exposing European misunderstanding of the European Union and the Euro. The figures presented in the study may not prevent Eurosceptics from arguing for an exit from the Euro and the European Union, but they do begin to provide a more realistic picture of the complex situation at hand. Vittorio Bisin is a staff columnist. Vittorio’s Razor is published every Thursday. Email him at opinion@nyunews.com.
STAFF EDITORIAL
NYPD requires sweeping policy changes
The New York City Police Department dropped its surveillance program that placed undercover detectives in Muslim neighborhoods on April 15. Formerly called the Demographics Unit, the Zone Assessment Unit has been a secret weapon in the NYPD’s counterterrorism efforts since 2003. The program’s exit comes amid public criticism, protests by Muslim rights groups and federal lawsuits. However, talk has circulated that the NYPD has little intention to stop deploying officers into Muslim areas in the city — it merely plans to do so without an official label. The Zone Assessment Unit’s undercover investigations were anything but conventional. Plainclothes detectives were supposedly trying to find where terrorists would blend into society so they could discover terrorist plots early. The unit mapped Muslim communities within the city and spied on individuals without any justification. Police eavesdropped on conversations in stores and recorded where people pray. Perhaps this blatant disregard for personal privacy could be warranted if it actually helped prevent a terrorist attack, but it did not. For all the resources wasted on the unit, no leads were found. The news of the disbandment of the controversial unit will also have the byproduct of improving policing tactics. Despite the abrasive strategies of the NYPD, the American-Muslim community has still served a useful function as confidential informants, providing important data about radicalism in the community. A new report from the Muslim American National Opinion Survey points toward a promising trend with increased levels in reporting and liaising with the NYPD specifically correlated to the level of fairness given to the AmericanMuslim community in relation to other demographics. While the move to abandon the controversial unit will likely improve NYPD’s public image, it fails to reflect a significant change in policy. Even if efforts are not officially labeled as the Zone Assessment Unit, the NYPD still plans to investigate any perceived threats to public safety. The anti-Muslim paranoia still exists and as a result, undercover officers will continue targeting Muslim neighborhoods for their counterterrorism activities. Dissolving the unit only signifies an improvement in the ineffective discriminatory policy. Unless officers alter their investigative practices as well, the animosity will remain. Since NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton retook office, he has made promising advances in repairing the NYPD’s image with the public. Tuesday’s decision is a welcomed announcement from the commissioner. Changing the way an institution runs, such as the NYPD, is not an easy task, especially given that the NYPD is larger than some nations’ armies. Bratton is prepared, better than most, to accomplish the task. However, he must ensure that lofty rhetoric of improved policing standards are soldered together with substantive policy change.
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 17, 2014 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS
SPORTS
EDITED BY FRANCISCO NAVAS SPORTS@NYUNEWS.COM
Table tennis team slams competition By SEAN BILLINGS
NYUNEWS.COM
NYU’s table tennis team ended another successful year after finishing fifth in the nation at the 2014 TMS College Table Tennis National Championships in Monroeville, Pa. This season marked the third consecutive year the team qualified for Nationals and the second consecutive year the team entered as unbeaten Northeast Regional Champions. The fifth place finish was the highest the co-ed team has placed since it was founded in 2006. The team remained undefeated the entire season at the regional level and was ranked 19th last year. This year’s final rankings will become available after the results from Nationals. The team was led by Stern sophomore Michael Landers, who was one of the final eight male competitors in the tournament. CAS senior and captain Kenneth Lim and CAS freshmen Li Guangyue and Da Tang finished in the top 32 of the tournament. CAS sophomore Michelle Leung led the women’s team by finishing in the top 24 of the women’s
tournament. The women’s team also won the New York City Divisional Tournament. “Our women’s team maintained their dominance in the country by once again making top eight in the nation,” Lim said. Lim, who has led the team for the last three seasons, said making the national tournament cements NYU’s position as one of the top teams in the country and shows the dedication of the team. “Even though we’re a club sport, we’re nationally ranked, and I think our success for the past few years shows how committed we are to making a name for NYU Athletics in the country,” Lim said. Lim said NYU’s rivals include Princeton and Harvard, which the team beat in the semi-finals and finals, respectively, of the Regional Tournament. Lim, who has been on the team since 2010, said the team is at the top of its game. “This season has been our best season in NYU table tennis history,” Lim said. Sean Billings is a staff writer. Email him at sports@nyunews.com.
Student athletes should unionize By DAN HINTON
The NCAA legislative council ratified a proposal to grant all Division I athletes unlimited access to on-campus dining on April 15. The decision came after University of Connecticut guard Shabazz Napier said he has gone to bed hungry some nights — an experience many other college athletes supposedly share. Napier’s post-game interview forced the NCAA and athletic department administrators to finally listen. However, the cause-and-effect between Napier’s comments and the NCAA’s most recent decision is not simple. The biggest threat to the NCAA’s foundations is the recent unionization efforts at Northwestern University. Recently, Regional Director of the National Labor Relations Board Peter Sung Ohr ruled in favor of Northwestern football players trying to form a union. Ohr determined football players receiving athletic scholarships be considered “employees” and the university — a member of the NCAA — their “employer.” The NLRB’s decision may go down as a historical moment in part because Ohr based the decision on the
existing relations between the players, their coaches and the schools they represent. Athletes practice under the direct control of coaching staffs. Meanwhile, the rules are set by universities, regional conferences and associations. Power and benefits accrue at the top of this chain. Now college athletes are attempting to change that. Every year college football generates large amounts of money for NCAA athletic departments. Although most of that money comes directly from using the players’ likenesses in advertisements, video games and memorabilia, the athletes do not receive a cut. Opponents to college-athlete unionization contend that the players receive payment in the form of scholarships. This claim is unconvincing for three reasons. First, athletic scholarships are usually used by universities as chips at the negotiation table. They argue that if athletes attend their university, they would get thousands or more toward tuition, yet this money often goes directly toward the school. Second, athletic scholarships do not negate the right of college athletes to the profits they generate. Third, the football players’ union College Athletes Players Associa-
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Players seek to organize for increased benefits. tion will collectively bargain for more than a fair wage. According to Kain Colter, former Northwestern quarterback and leader of the unionization effort, “Our number one issue is medical coverage and medical protection.” CAPA will hopefully increase the medical, athletic and academic security of the football players and other college athletes. The threat of unionization and players speaking out has already guaranteed unlimited meal plans from the NCAA — and that may just be the beginning. Dan Hinton is a contributing writer. Email him at sports@nyunews.com.