NYU’s Daily Student Newspaper
washington square news Vol. 40, No. 53
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 2012
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Stern to offer new degree in Shanghai
Advocates speak out against Wal-Mart By Emily Yang
New York City elected officials, community leaders and advocates gathered in front of City Hall yesterday to speak out against Wal-Mart’s operation of business in the city. This comes after The New York Times reported last Sunday that the world’s largest retailer stopped an internal investigation into allegations of $24 million in bribes that helped expand its Mexican branches. Though there has been much opposition in the past to WalMart operating business in the city because of its potential threat to union workers and small businesses, resistance has strengthened in light of the scandal in Mexico.
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By Julie DeVito and Hanqing Chen
James Kelleher/WSN
Various advocacy groups gathered in front of City Hall yesterday afternoon to express their opposition to Wal-Mart’s arrival to New York City after the retailer’s bribery allegations in Mexico.
NYU Styleta hosts Mad Men inspired fashion show in SoHo
By Keerthi Harishankar
At the MAD for Fashion charity fashion show at Greenspaces in SoHo on Sunday, ’60s style reigned supreme. The event, co-hosted by NYU and Columbia’s Styleta chapters, raised funds to benefit Fashion
Keerthi Harishankar for WSN
Students from NYU and Columbia hosted the show.
Targets Breast Cancer, a cause supported by the Council of Fashion Designers of America. “I decided to come because I’m interested in fashion but have never personally seen a fashion show before, so I thought this would be a good experience to get exposed to that,” Steinhardt freshman Inny Kim said. “I was also interested in the various raffle items, auctions and rack sales.” Event-goers were invited to peruse the auction and raffle items and munch on hors d’oeuvres. At the show’s end they could purchase the items that were modeled and also pieces from the $1 clothing sale bin. The guests’ chairs that lined the runway were a variety of office chairs, a reference to the theme and also the event space, Greenspaces — a makeshift workspace for professionals.
“Since we went with a Mad Men theme, we thought an office space would be really nice,” Stern freshman and Styleta member, Angelina Cai said. “It has a cozy ‘60s, ‘70s vibe. We also like that Greenspaces is into recycling and we thought that really fit our club and our school.” Finding the perfect space was only one piece of the puzzle. Both a logistics team and a creative team worked together to produce the event. “It took us a couple of months to do it,” Cai said. “We all work on different things. We have NYU’s modeling club here walking for us and then we put together the outfits and set prices for them ... it all comes together kind of slowly, but once it does, it’s good.” Sunday’s show was a cohesive collection that showcased how ’60s style can be adopted and interpreted by the mod-
ern girl. From dresses to separates, there was something for everyone to enjoy. The models wore apparel from varying brands — some vintage, some brand new — but each look was complete and no item ever felt out of place. It speaks to the skill of the Styleta styling team that they can update an era and not only make it fresh, but also accessible. Catherine Singer, NYU Styleta creative director, breathed a sigh of relief at the show’s end. “We had a lot of different pieces from all over the place,” Singer said. “It was kind of a task, but really fun to put them all together and try and make them look [from the] period and fit the theme, and I think we really did.” Keerthi Harishankar is a staff writer. Email her at bstyle@nyunews.com.
The Stern School of Business announced earlier this week that it will begin to offer a Master of Science in Business Analytics degree at NYU Shanghai. The degree will be offered starting May 2013 at the Washington Square campus and in Shanghai and will be a one-year program divided into five modules. It will focus on analyzing and interpreting data and using it to develop business strategy and to inform decision-making. “It is a program that appeals across many growth industries in China and Asia and other emerging markets,” said Eitan Zemel, Stern vice dean of global programs. “In
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Violets extend win streak to four By Daniel Hinton On a windy, cloudy Tuesday afternoon, NYU men’s tennis prevailed in their fourth consecutive victory. The Violets defeated the U.S. Coast Guard Academy 6-3 at the National Tennis Center in Flusing, Queens and are now 9-5 overall. “Confidence has been key to our recent success,” freshman Ting Yee Lai said. Junior co-captain Connor Witty and sophomore Steven Wu won their doubles match 8-6, but freshman duo William Smithline and Lai were on the wrong side of another tightly competitive match, losing 9-7. By dominating the third doubles match of the day, sophomore Daniel Kil and freshman CJ Leong secured an advantage for NYU coming out of doubles competition. NYU is now 21-24 overall in doubles competition this season. For most of the season, NYU has been better in singles matches, and that trend continued yesterday. Witty, who played in the first singles match of the afternoon, won his sixth consecutive individual match. Wu also extended his singles win streak, winning his seventh in a row. Leong fell in the third set and sophomore James
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Washington Square news | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 2012 | nyunews.com
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Compiled by the
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WISH WEDNESDAY
Carlo Fo spend w ng Luy, CAS jun ith friend ior | “I w ish that I s and fa and to e mily, to study an had more time njoy the to d goodnes excel academic ally s of life.” Natalia A existed b ngulo, CAS alum e instantan cause I’m literall na | “I wish that y e te East Villag ously that would always late, so if leportation devic I b es e c e ould ge a fa p artm ntas from Ne w York to ent to the foxnew tic. And not just fr t zapped om s.c T and best exas for quick we om offices in M say, my idtown, b ekend trip friend. O verseas w u s ould be lo to visit my paren t ts v e ly , .” too.”
Jared Arca
ri, C AS fresh man | “I wis h Hayden h Hayden Coo ad a kie dispense r 24/7.”
Washington Square News Editor-in-Chief amanda randone Managing Editor
jaewon kang Deputy Managing Editor
Amy zhang Assistant Managing Editor
james lanning 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,
Jessica Moody,
LSP sophomore | “I wish there w the pizza at Kimm as a kiosk for el like the sandw iches.”
BRIDGETTE DORAN
deputy staff
university eric benson, eliza-
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
Shefali Lohia, Gallatin sophomore | “I wish the girl on the floor above me would stop singing opera at two in the morning.”
sports John axelrod, cole
riley special issues kristina bogos multimedia james kelleher copy jordan melendrez social media agent nicole gartside
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This highly reviewed performance of Macbeth is just $20 with NYU ID. Tickets are available through NYU Ticket Central.
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I got you, babe Mistaking her for a wild hog, a Florida hunter Steven Egan, 52, inadvertently shot his girlfriend. Egan was hunting from a tent at the Cowart Hunt Camp in west Flagler County. He had just encountered a hog minutes before when Egan heard a noise resembling a hog. He shot his rifle, failing to notice that his girlfriend Lisa Simmons, 52, was not present in the tent. Simmons was shot through both legs with 0.30-caliber rifle bullet and was airlifted to the hospital for surgery. — The Huffington Post
The University of South Carolina
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More than $90k raised at 10th annual Relay for Life
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WALMART continued from PG. 1
ANALYTICS continued from PG. 1
Labor rights advocates speak out against Wal-Mart’s arrival to New York City Matt Ryan, executive director of a labor rights advocacy group called ALIGN: the Alliance for Greater New York, urged local and federal leaders to conduct an investigation into WalMart’s political and charitable spending and for the retailer to withdraw its interest in the city. “This is a company that will stop at nothing to increase their bottom-line and get into New York City,” Ryan said. “Until we can be sure Wal-Mart isn’t gaming the system, they’re done here.” If these bribery allegations are true, then Wal-Mart would be violating the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, which bans U.S. companies from engaging in bribery when operating in foreign countries. According to an article published yesterday by The Associated Press, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is conducting its own investigation, and the U.S. Justice Department has been also conducting a criminal probe. But Steven Restivo, senior director for community affairs at Wal-Mart, issued a statement yesterday in which he pointed that the retailer will continue to evaluate opportunities in the city. “As we seek to open new stores across the U.S., we will continue to act with integrity, provide good jobs, expand access to low prices and lead on issues that are important to our customers like sustainability and nutrition,” Restivo said. “Our track record as a good
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corporate citizen is well known and in large cities like New York. Residents continue to choose to shop and work at Wal-Mart.” However, New York State representative Inez Barron cited previous incidences in which Wal-Mart has been accused of illicit business practices, including exploitation of cheap foreign labor, violation of wage and labor laws and charges of sexism and racism. “This is a fight that we have been waging for many, many years,” Barron said. “Wal-Mart’s slogan is low prices, but there’s a high cost for those low prices.” Stern freshman Faith Namsemon said Wal-Mart should not try to conduct business in the city. “Wal-Mart should definitely not expand into New York City since Wal-Mart is already situated in so many states and other countries — they’re even trying to expand more into Africa,” Namsemon said. But Midtown resident Joann Pertz, 30, said she thinks the store is still good for convenience. “It definitely has good things for cheap, so I might go to the new WalMarts here just because they make it easy to shop there,” she said. Emily Yang is city/state editor. Email her at eyang@nyunews.com.
Stern to offer new business analytics graduate degree at NYU Shanghai addition, it leverages the very large and deep pool of technical talent in China. We know from that experience as well as discussions in China that there is a keen interest in business programs at all levels.” Zemel said this is the first accredited graduate-level program in business analytics to be offered by a leading business school. He added that the degree will provide students with the ability to acquire and manage large data sets, work with quantitative models, embed analytical work within an operational business process and foster strategic innovation. “We see the MS in business analytics as a market-driven new offering that responds to the incredible explosion of data and the new ways in which data is being used in making strategic business decisions,” Zemel said. “At the moment, there are no competitors with a comparable curriculum, modular format and global experience, in addition to top-ranked faculty.” Zemel said he thinks the program is expected to appeal to English-speaking Chinese executives in Chi-
Recent poll shows N.Y. voters prefer Obama By Kristine Itliong President Barack Obama continues to hold a steady lead over his probable Republican contender Mitt Romney in New York State, according to a recent poll conducted by Marist College Institute of Public Opinion. According to the poll, released last week, 57 percent of registered voters in New York State prefer Obama and 35 percent favor Romney while about 8 percent are undecided. It also found that in New York City alone, Obama holds a 46-point lead over Romney. In upstate New York, however, this lead drops to just 10 points. A survey of 760 New York State adults — 632 of whom are registered voters — from throughout the state was conducted via telephone exchange. “[The lead] is not a surprise,” said Mike Place, media coordinator for NYU Students for Barack Obama. “New York is a blue state and as for New York City alone, urban metropolitan areas tend to lean farther democratic than their suburban counterparts.” Place further attributed the demographic differences to Obama’s establishment of the Fair Sentencing Act, which reduces the racial bias involved in criminal penalties for cocaine offenses, increased funding for historically black colleges and universities and provisions of contraception under his universal health care legislation. Though Obama holds a strong lead over Romney, his state approval rating is beginning to waver with only 47 percent of registered voters in his favor, against 53 percent who disapprove of him.
“Preference is with respect to an opponent and approval is with respect to general feelings,” CAS politics professor Steven Brams said. “In terms of winning elections, preference ranking is what counts now that a single opponent [Romney] is clear.” He added that the president’s strategy in persuading voters is still an issue to be considered. Brams said the best move for Obama, as well as Romney, is to direct American political party bias in their favor. “The usual strategy for a candidate once past the primaries is to move toward the center,” Brams said. “I don’t think either Romney or Obama is extreme, but it’s a delicate dance to keep people satisfied with your extremes. I suspect in the end, each will try to be a centrist and try to capture the median voter.” Though Obama leads in the polls, not everyone is satisfied with him. Upper West Side resident Jackson Calina, 59, said he does not know who he will vote for in November because he does not fully support either candidate. “I’ve been consistently disappointed in this country for the past few presidencies,” he said. “I voted for [Obama] last time though and was disappointed. I was pushing for him to follow through with the Dream Act ... [but he] never did.” Gallatin freshman Sean Barnett said he will be supporting Romney when November comes. “Our focus should be on the economy and reducing spending — not adding another $1.76 trillion to the bill from Obamacare,” he said. Kristine Itliong is a deputy city/state editor. Email her at kitliong@nyunews.com.
na, as all classes will be taught in English. “My conversations with business and government leaders in China and more broadly throughout Asia have reinforced the value of this program as a means to provide the talent their industries will need to sustain and expand long-term growth,” said R. May Lee, Asia for NYU associate chancellor. Faculty will be drawn from Stern’s current Information Systems and Marketing departments. Zemel said companies like IBM are using business analytics, so the program would benefit executives in such companies and industries. Stern junior Zack Nelson said though the program may not translate well for those who plan on living in the United States, it will be advantageous to those who are interested working in Asia. “It would definitely be useful if you plan on working in the Asian region in the future, but I think a better location would be Hong Kong, Singapore or even Korea, as the economy functions more like the free market system here
file photo by Casey Kwon
The degree will be offered in Shanghai starting 2013. in the U.S.,” he said. Stern has various programs in locations overseas, including Australia, China, Denmark, Mexico, Spain, the Netherlands and Thailand. “Stern is going global because business is global,” Zemel said. “Our global reach allows us to project what we know abroad and enhance Stern’s global reputation and also allows our students and faculty to be exposed and to learn about business practices in other countries.” Julie DeVito is university editor. Hanqing Chen is investigative editor. Email them at university@nyunews.com.
Steinhardt professor introduces new series on Internet innovation By Sarah Skirmont Steinhardt professor Aaron Cohen introduced his lecture series Inside the Internet Garage about Internet entrepreneurs and pioneers last night with tech journalists Kara Swisher and Walt Mossberg. Cohen said he wanted to start the project because he thinks now is the time to start conversing about Internet history. The two speakers, who come from different backgrounds, shared their experience in the industry. Mossberg was surrounded with journalism even in his early life, while Swisher had a later start in her career. “I got involved in the student newspaper, covering politics when I got upset with the Washington Post’s errors in their stories,” Swisher said. “I called the Post and started criticizing the writing, not knowing whom I was speaking to. Larry Kramer hired me on the spot for the Post.” Later in their careers, the two gave up seemingly prestigious beats
of business and politics to cover the virtually undiscovered field of the Internet. “I took it up as a hobby more than 10 years before my column,” Mossberg said. “When I decided to give up my beat in foreign security, people wanted to know what was wrong with me.” Before technology and the Internet were part of daily life, Mossberg and Swisher said explaining technology for average readers was a serious challenge. “My personal approach to covering Washington was to think of myself as a translator because Washington was filled with jargon,” Mossberg said. “I used to call it secret handshake software. If you knew the commands, you knew the secret handshake.” Michelle Forelle, a research assistant and master’s student in the Media, Culture and Communication program, attended the event last night. “I like that we started off with journalists that have been through it all rather
than a tech expert that has done one thing really well,” Forelle said. “I feel like that is really going to embody the approach that we take to cover a lot of the tech world and not just specific things.” Cohen, who said he hopes to produce more than 100 online episodes of the series over the next few years, took last night’s premiere episode as a good sign. “They are amazing, terrific people,” Cohen said. “It turned out better than I expected.” Discussing their interviews with Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates and many other pioneers, Mossberg and Swisher described their jobs as giving a human touch to a field seemingly devoid of people and emotion. “We want to bring out the humanity in technology,” Swisher said. The second lecture of the series will be held sometime next week. Sarah Skirmont is a staff writer. Email her at university@nyunews.com.
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Washington Square news | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 2012 | nyunews.com
BEAUTY AND STYLE Blogging fashionista unveils debut D.I.Y. book in SoHo
From blank nails to inspi By Clara Yang
By Hilary Presley Do-It-Yourself projects are no longer just for Martha Stewart and kids’ arts and crafts classes. Fashionistas everywhere spot looks they love on the runways and recreate them on a budget with their own personal twist. The maven behind this trend is Jenni Radosevich of the blog, I Spy D.I.Y., who just launched her first D.I.Y. book, “I Spy D.I.Y. Style: Find Fashion You Love and Do It Yourself” on Thursday, April 19. The book launch was held at the cute and cheery SoHo Coach store where models, bloggers and photographers mingled with ice cream sandwiches in hand and flipped through the new book. Downstairs, guests could make their own CoolHaus ice cream sandwiches, picking from a unique array of ice cream and cookie flavors from salted caramel and marshmallow to bacon. Cocktails were also customizable with an endless array of mix-ins and syrups. Upstairs was a crafting table laid out with colorful pieces of leather that would soon become tasseled bookmarks. The entire theme was decidedly do-it-yourself. Having been involved in fashion magazines, Radosevich has the keen eye to spot the coolest trends and translate them into projects that can be recreated without breaking the bank. The fashion world can often be discouragingly unattainable, but this blogger proves that with a little creativity and the right tools, anyone can create a unique fashion statement. Since starting her blog in 2010, Radosevich has crafted countless party-worthy bracelets, dip-dyed denim button downs, glittered oxfords, cowboy boots and pumps. When she spots something she loves — like a color-blocked leather clutch tucked under the arms of a street style darling — she makes it easily accessible to readers through a step-by-step guide. She also emphasizes the importance of putting your own personal touch on the projects. For example, instead of duplicating the bold hue on the leather clutch, she encourages readers to get creative and swap it out for metallic gold instead. After I Spy D.I.Y. became a huge success, Radosevich compiled a book of her best crafts along with pages of inspiration and tips from fashion insiders such as Erin Fetherston, Rachel Roy and Rebecca Minkoff. She not shows readers how to create new pieces and how to breathe new life into the tried and true basics through easy embellishments. In the book, she also gives a fun guide for throwing D.I.Y. parties with girlfriends. At her own D.I.Y. party, Radosevich swirled around the showroom in a pink-feathered skirt of her own creation, giggling in excitement and signing books for guests and giving tips about how to D.I.Y. “There are so many great craft resources available in New York,” Radosevich said. Her favorite one-stop shop is M&J Trimming in Midtown, which she loves for their buckles and tassels. “Always buy extra and build up a well stocked craft closet,” Radosevich suggested for the college DIY-er. This way, whenever inspiration strikes, the crafting can begin, she added. While Radosevich makes it look easy, she is incredibly talented and her projects seem slightly intimidating. But the simple format and minimal steps are encouraging for beginners. “I think it’s really creative but it’s hard to say if I would do most of the things in here,” Stephanie Shultiz, a partygoer at the event said. “It’s inspiring to see something and make it your own. [Radosevich] opens your mind to possibilities.” Another guest, Maria Posso, said the D.I.Y. craze made her feel nostalgic for childhood crafts. The difference with Radosevich’s projects, however, are decidedly mature and sophisticated while still maintaining that fun energy of craft time. “Jenni just makes us feel good,” Posso said. Whether an experienced DIY-er or a beginner, be sure to check out Radosevich’s blog at ispydiy.com or pick up a copy of her new book and get crafting. Hilary Presley is a staff writer. Email her at bstyle@nyunews.com.
Hilary Presley/WSN
Models, bloggers and photographers gathered at the D.I.Y. book launch last Thursday.
Nails have always been part of fashion as the final touch of style. Though gel nails have become increasingly popular for their long-lasting effect, here are a few new nail designs trending this season. Flocking Manicure This fun side of nail art uses some flocking powder and regular nail polish, which allows artists to be creative from home. Flocking powder is a colored powder that gives a furry effect on the nails and can be purchased at any arts and crafts store, including Michaels. Simply coat one or two layers of regular nail polish — a base coat is recommended for protecting the nails — then throw on the flocking powder. Add on one or two layers depending on your desired thickness. Finally, decorate the nails however you want.
via xojane.com
Flocking powder, found at arts and crafts store, gives nails a furry effect.
Popular eastern threading technique increases in popularity By Keerthi Harishankar Popular in India and other parts of Asia, threading is a growing trend in eyebrow maintenance. While the title of the trend is a bit misleading, relax, no one is sticking needles in your feet. In fact, this hair removal method does not touch the skin around the eyebrow at all. Threading on all accounts is relatively simple. All it requires is one long cotton thread. The aesthetician will twist the thread on your brow repeatedly, taking out whole lines of hair at a time. But that does not mean this time-honored technique is not precise. In fact, threading specialist Anju, who decliened to provide her last name, said the thread makes it possible to be more meticulous. “[It is] easier to shape the brow with a thread,” Anju, who works at Brow Zone on West Fourth Street, said. “It’s the best technique by far, not waxing or tweezing; threading is best.” Threading pulls out the hair from the follicle, which leads to long-lasting results. Gone are the days of heading to the salon every other week for a touch up on your brows, as with threading,
you could have perfectly shaped brows for a month at a time. And the hair that grows back from threading is thinner while waxing produces dark hairs that can appear as soon as a few days after an appointment. Threading is also a great option for those with sensitive skin. Unlike waxing, which contains chemicals and other artificial ingredients, threading is all natural. It is not uncommon for people to be allergic to the ingredients of a wax or be unable to wax because of acne medications, which, leading to disastrous effects. “[Waxing] rips off the top layer of your skin which can cause redness and irritation,” Anju said. Threading eliminates any worries of skin irritation and is very affordable. Brow Zone charges $8 for the procedure and Village Studio on East Eighth Street costs $7. Tweezing also provides many of the benefits of threading, but it is a very time-consuming process. A threading specialist can finish in five minutes and have a customer out the door with new brows and a framed face. Steinhardt freshman Diana Pawell said she has done both tweezing and threading and finds them to be equally pain-
ful. But she said she prefers threading because “it’s faster than tweezing and maybe a little more precise.” Though eyebrow threading without a doubt has its benefits and plenty of fans, there are still some die-hard waxing fans, who find the pain of waxing irrelevant. “I get my eyebrows waxed because it’s easier and faster than plucking them,” said CAS freshman Daniel Korman. “It’s relatively cheap and the pain isn’t even an issue anymore because you just get used to it.” But many remain uneasy about waxing. “[I am] apprehensive about waxing because of what effects it could have on my skin,” SCPS freshman Larissa Horn said. Her fears are not baseless; waxing has been known to stretch out the area of skin near the eyebrow and make it loose and more susceptible to sun damage. Threading is clearly becoming popular for a reason — it is a cost-effective and symptomless way to get your eyebrows done. So the next time you think your brows could use some fixing, try out threading for a pleasant surprise. Keerthi Harishankar is a staff writer. Email her at bstyle@nyunews.com.
nyunews.com | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 2012 | Washington Square news
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edited by SHANNON LOUGHRAN BsTYLE@nyunews.com
ired canvases: Five graphic finger trends to try this season Neutral Tone Though bright colors can be tempting for spring, neutral tones are the ones that make your nails shine. By coating nails with one or two layers of light, neutral colors like transparent pink or light beige, nails look naturally glossy and polished. Natural but also edgy and stylish, neutral tones were greatly popular on summer and spring runways as well. This nail can be done by any nail salon or even at home. Caviar Manicure For a more edgy and chic look, try Ciate’s newest nail kit, Caviar Manicure. This kit comes with a nail polish and pearls, creating a three-dimensional finish. First, apply two coats of the nail polish. Then, simply sprinkle Caviar pearls over the painted nails. From rainbow to black pearls, there are varieties of color choices you can choose from. This kit is sold online at sephora.com and will be offered in all Sephora stores in May.
via joinbklyn.com
The Caviar Manicure kit provides nail polish and pearls for a 3-D look.
Magnetic After applying nail polish, use the magnet that comes with the polish to design a quirky set of nails. Using the magnet, add dimension, change color and create art. China glaze’s Magnetix Collection comes with a magnet that has three different designs. Crystal Nails, located at 110 MacDougal St., also provides this service as well. Ombre Another popular nail on the spring runway, ombre is a graduated monochromatic look on your nails, starting with the darkest to the lightest hue of one color. This look is not impossible but very difficult to do at home for the beginners. Stop by Marie Nails, located at 155 Prince St., to try this cool look. Clara Yang is a staff writer. Email her at bstyle@nyunews.com.
via elleandblair.com
Ombre styled nails are painted with graduated monochromatic colors.
SCPS freshman shares makeup tips, skincare advice By Keerthi Harishankar
Bringing you the best fashion tips, street beauty shares the beauty routines of students around campus. This week highlights SCPS freshman Larissa Horn. Question: What is your skincare regimen? Answer: Before I go to sleep, I wash my face with some classic Noxzema, like the stuff my mom used to use when she was in high school. And I make sure I wash off all of my eye makeup with cucumbers wipes, and then I use Neutrogena moisturizer. I make sure not to use the oily kind. In the morning, I put lotion on that has sunscreen in it since I’m an extremely pale girl and I freckle easily. Q: Any makeup tips or tricks? A: One of my best tips for eyelashes, which I actually got from “The Tyra Banks Show,” is to dip the mascara in the bottle, and you know that gunk that gets on the tip of the brush? You take that and you paint it on your eyelashes with the tip of the brush and you use the bristles to like wipe off the chunks of it, and it works. My eyelashes look so much longer because of it. Also I used to pull my eyes sideways to tighten my skin to apply eyeliner, but I saw online that [it] causes wrinkles, and I’m thinking ahead so I stopped doing that. Q: Does your makeup routine change at all for summer? A: I wear so much more sunscreen in summer, and I think I wear less makeup because it melts off easier, especially the eye shadow. At the end of a hot day I usually get creases in my eye shadow. When I go less on the eye shadow I do bolder eyeliner, usually thicker and the cat eye at the end might go out farther. Q: Any summer makeup trends you want to try out? A: I really want to try bright pink lipstick, like Nicki Minaj. Like a bright, pastel pink to match my hair. I don’t know how I’d wear it, but I definitely want to find a time and place for that. Q: Do you follow any makeup blogs? A: A lot of the makeup tips I know come from makeup tutorials I see online or on TV. I learned how to do my eyebrows online from the blog The Hairpin. The Hairpin has all different types of posts, but there’s this one writer, Jane Marie, and she does a segment called How To Be a Girl, and it’s really funny. Her videos are so cute. She does makeovers sometimes and makeup from different eras. And she gives you makeup tips for the silly girl who doesn’t really know how to do it, like simple stuff, but it’s nice to have a refresher sometimes. Keerthi Harishankar for WSN
Larissa Horn follows makeup blog The Hairpin that provides various beauty tips to its readers.
Keerthi Harishankar is a staff writer. Email her at bstyle@nyunews.com.
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Edited by Will Shortz Across 1 Says impulsively 7 Everything 13 Southwestern spread 14 Precious 15 Harm 16 Horsehide leather 17 Men’s patriotic org. 18 Lower 20 Evening on the Arno 21 Walt Frazier or Patrick Ewing 23 Some museum pieces 25 Over there 26 Danish shoe company 27 Fraternity letters 28 Horseshoeshaped fastener 30 Nickname for 42-Across
ANSWER H O O K E
U N D I D
B L E N D
A C T S
B R I E
B I E L
P O J U B A S O W H E
B I N D F A M I L Y L I F E
33 Bummed 34 The U.K. is in it, but Ire. is not 35 Rainy and cold 36 Exit key 37 Willing 39 Day-___ 42 Singer born March 25, 1942 46 Mural painter Rivera 47 Koh-i-___ diamond 48 Fill 49 Where IVs might be hooked up 50 ___ Penh 52 ___ Bees (big company in personal care products) 53 A ponytail hangs over it 55 “Yowzer!” 57 Biblical judge 58 Holders of frozen assets?
60 Withstood 62 Religious figures 63 Specifically 64 Largest city on the Belgian coast 65 Examined thoroughly, with “through”
Down 1 Meat cuts 2 Sancho Panza’s land 3 Yet to be tagged, say 4 Elvis’s label 5 1968 hit for 42Across 6 Irked 7 ___ Haute 8 “I’ve ___ it!” 9 God whose name is 6-Down reversed 10 See 52-Down 11 Putting up big numbers 12 Studio occupant, e.g. TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE 14 Recess rebuttal, U B M A B E W O K perhaps N E A C E V I V E 16 1967 hit for 42S E J U S T A F E W Across E R G A R T E N E R 19 Family room A H A A I R S fixture L A P S R E V A M P 22 ___ au vin L E A D S I N A I 24 “Valley of the E L A B A N A L Y S T Dolls” author N T O R A L A S H 27 It has fuzz T O T W I C E 29 End of many a A N K I L L I S O concert I C E I N F O R M E R 31 Pull a cork out of L A N T I R I S E S 32 Brother L Y E L O V E M E 36 Mental image, L A M E X E T E R for short?
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40
41
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36 42
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51 55
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52 56 60
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Puzzle by Peter A. Collins and Joe Krozel
38 Bouquet
39 Gave the evil eye
40 1962 Neil Simon musical 41 Not bilateral
42 Chuck Yeager and others
43 1967 hit for 42Across
44 Irks 45 The Wildcats of the Big 12 Conf. 46 Bickle portrayer in “Taxi Driver” 51 Stash 52 With 10-Down, 1967 hit for 42Across
54 Suffix with kitchen 56 Bell ___ 59 Howard of Hollywood 61 Like Beethoven’s Sixth Symphony
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nyunews.com | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 2012 | Washington Square news
OPINION
edited by olivia gonzalez opinion@nyunews.com
technology
Siri joins list of failed, yet promising concepts By Nicky Sethy During an episode of “Da Ali G Show” in which Sacha Baron Cohen interviewed Noam Chomsky, the famed comedian asked, “Why is studying language important?” Appreciating the importance of such a basic question, Chomsky replied, “Language is the core property that, basically, defines human beings.” It is hard to overestimate the importance of language in everyday life. It allows for communication, the transmission of complex ideas and the construction of music and art while providing a common medium for scientific discussion. Language has even been proposed to influence the way we all think. Given the complexity of language, it should not be surprising that two separate lawsuits, one in California and one in New York, have been filed against Apple for false advertising of its iPhone feature, Siri. In short, Siri is a kind of voiceactivated personal assistant. I am told that it can be rather helpful though I have never actually seen the program get anything right on the first try. In commercials, Siri is portrayed as a pocket-sized C-3PO — a portable friend reliable
enough to reply to your text messages for you, intelligent enough to tell you what to wear for the day and even human enough to help you be more romantic on your next date. When I first heard about Siri, it was described to me as a program that “actually talks,” which can be either accurate or inaccurate depending on your chosen definition of talking. Aside from all of the wonderous features of language that are not yet completely understood, Siri often times misunderstands basic sentences. Moreover, Siri sometimes simply Googles a phrase when it does not understand it. Yes, Siri makes words, but that does not constitute language in its entirety. It seems that this is something that happens often. A product is marketed as a triumph of science, only to be exposed later as a dud. A rather extreme example is the running shoe, which has recently been shown more to hurt rather than help. The idea seems to make sense — just put cushions under the feet, and the force of impact will be reduced. The problem is, people instinctively step harder as they feel softer material under their feet. Moreover, the arches of our feet have evolved to absorb
shock, making any kind of need for cushioning rather silly. There are countless other examples — Rosetta Stone, the Segway, New Coke or T9. These are all ideas that seem great from the outset but do not turn out so well in the end. Now, because of the enormous anticipation of a talking computerassistant, Apple is getting sued for putting out a rather lackluster invention. But imagine for a moment: Would it not be great to one day actually have a real voice-activated assistant that could do all of the things in the commercials? Or one day learn a language from home? Or even ride to class on a high-tech two-wheeler? Sadly, I doubt any of these things will happen — all of these inventions have been too harshly mocked by the media to ever be revived. It seems that our impatience often hinders scientific progress. Failures should simply be recognized as failures and nothing more. Perhaps if we were a little more level-headed and did not sue or deride every company whose product turns out to be a flop, we would have some cooler gadgets for our enjoyment. Nicky Sethy is a contributing columnist. Email him at opinion@nyunews.com.
Study Abroad
Disappointments from the hype of travel By Sika Yeboah-Sampong PARIS — A two-week spring break is just one of the perks of study abroad at NYU in Paris, and though it comes weeks after the usual New York break, it is definitely worth the wait. Most students travel during this time, opting for exotic destinations like Istanbul or more traditional spots like Rome, but what happens when these popular destinations do not live up to our expectations? Just this week, I heard a group of 20-something tourists from West London talking about the amazing places they wanted to visit in the near future. Kingston, Jamaica was on the list, and the only thing that was preventing the group from visiting was that the city — and certainly the country — was “just too dangerous.” One of the five Londoners adamantly said, “You can only go to Kingston if you stay in the resort the whole time.” Remember, none of these people had ever set foot in Jamaica, yet they were swapping horror stories about what would surely happen once they arrived on the island. Yes, Kingston has a reputation of being an extremely violent city, but London is not all butterflies and sunshine either. Every city has
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a certain image with which it is associated, but those glossy postcards of Paris’ famed Sacré-Coeur Basilica or the oversized posters of Jamaica’s sandy beaches never quite tell the whole story. I spent two days of my spring break in Venice and was absolutely underwhelmed. To be fair, the gruff and overly intrusive hotel manager, who, rather comically called himself concierge, definitely played an integral role in making the two days nightmarish, but Venice had a lot to do with it as well. For as long as I can remember my image of Venice has been one of gondolas floating up and down canals and gondoliers outfitted in the customary striped shirts and brimmed hats. I will admit, it is something of a simplistic view, but let me keep things in perspective. I have heard people talk about Venice in this way for as long as I can remember, and this was not the city I saw last weekend. Instead of feeling mysterious and quaint, the narrow streets and open squares of the city quickly lost their charm and at the risk of sounding melodramatic, my childish expectations of the city suffered a similar fate. It felt claustrophobic and between the incessant rain and the overly ag-
gressive gondoliers, the Venice of postcards and posters quickly became a distant memory. To a great extent, tourism is all about storytelling and the majority of these stories are fiction. Yes, Venice is a city of canals — that is an indisputable fact — but the charm of walking in the soft glow of Venetian gas lamps is definitely up for debate. Between the cobblestone and the dim lighting, the magic of it all is easily lost to the more immediate concern of tripping, stubbing a toe or in the case of an unexpected evening downpour, slipping on the cobblestone. It takes more than gas lamps and cobblestone to make a Venetian experience just like it takes more than staying in a Sandals resort to experience Jamaica. For me, the purpose of traveling has always been to see and experience a place for myself, but no matter how unaware of it we are, our travels are always colored by the postcards, high school Shakespeare plays and firsthand accounts, glowing or otherwise, of the destinations we have always dreamed of visiting. Sika Yeboah-Sampong is a foreign correspondent. Email her at opinion@nyunews.com.
staff editorial
Arrival of Wal-Mart threatening to local shops
In light of The New York Times’ report of a scandal involving Wal-Mart’s connection with bribery in Mexico, the issue of whether or not the big-box retailer should expand into New York City has resurfaced. As of now, there are no WalMart stores in the city because of opposition from government officials and local leaders who cite it as a threat to unions and small businesses. It certainly makes no sense for the city to reward Wal-Mart for its shady business dealings. At this point, the priority should be a thorough investigation of these practices. Until the company is cleared of the allegations, expansion is a moot point. If New York City allows the store to enter, it would appear to be tacit support of a history of corruption. The arrival of Wal-Mart would prove to be detrimental to smaller local stores that currently exist in the city. Ultimately, the retailer, with its vast resources, has the capability to offer consumers cheaper prices, a surefire way to rob popular local grocery stores or corner delis of customers. For residents of the city, the lure of Wal-Mart’s low prices and bulk goods would be difficult to turn away from, which would lead to the demise of smaller competitors. To bring local stores in New York City to their demise is to drain the lifeblood out of the city. The majority of New Yorkers rely on the comfort of their local corner grocery store as a break from the overwhelming crowds and bustle of Manhattan. More importantly, the smaller niche stores are tourist attractions. Aside from visiting the Statue of Liberty or Times Square, tourists hope to find hidden gems like small boutiques and bodegas. New York City is an extremely unique city — nobody comes here to go to places that they could visit in their hometowns. For large, blue-collar families who need essentials both cheap and in bulk, WalMart is a blessing. The ubiquity and prominence of the retailer is testament to its success. But there is neither physical space nor consumer demand for Wal-Mart in New York City. In the wake of the bribery scandal, the city should once again rebuff its advances and focus on the local shops that make it one of the most visited sites in the world. Email the WSN Editorial Board at editboard@nyunews.com.
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.
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Washington Square news | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 2012 | nyunews.com
SPORTs MTENNIS continued from PG. 1
Men’s tennis improves to 9-5 heading into UAA Championship
Dean lost in straight sets, but Lai and sophomore co-captain Tim Wu came through with clutch victories to give NYU its ninth victory of the season. Wu nearly swept his match, winning 6-0, 6-1. Lai, however, faced more difficulty but closed out the second set 7-5 and is now 7-2 in singles competition this year. Next week in the University Athletic Association Championship, the Violets will play against Carnegie Mellon University for their first round match at Sanlando Park in Altamonte Springs, Fla. Carnegie Mellon is currently ranked 13th in NCAA Division III men’s tennis. Four other programs in the UAA are in the top 30, including Emory University in second. Lai said he still thinks the Violets can challenge their conference rivals. “All of us play to the best of our abilities,” Lai said. “We have the potential to do very well in this tournament.” The final event of the spring semester will take place from Thursday, April 26 through Saturday, April 28. Daniel Hinton is sports editor. Email him at dhinton@nyunews.com.
edited by daniel hinton sports@nyunews.com
Last season’s worst NFL franchises line up for top-heavy talent on draft day By John Axelrod The much anticipated 2012 NFL draft will kick off on Thursday at Radio City Music Hall. The Indianapolis Colts will be hoping to strike gold by taking Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck to replace Peyton Manning, whom the Colts drafted first in 1998. Similarly, the Washington Redskins anticipate Heisman trophy recipient Robert Griffin III to become their first franchise quarterback since Joe Theismann in the early 1980s. Obviously the draft is not limited to the first two picks. The following eight teams must strategically decide whether to draft according to specific needs, overall talent, or both. Pick 3: The Minnesota Vikings will select Louisana State University cornerback Morris Claiborne. The Vikings have a lot of options and even more positions to upgrade. University of Southern California offensive tackle Matt Kalil is the best player after Luck and Griffin, and the Vikings certainly need to solidify their offensive line to protect young quarterback Chris-
tian Ponder and help their running game. But the Vikings should prioritize their secondary above anything else with their first pick this year. Claiborne has the potential to be a shutdown corner and is desperately needed in a division with quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers, Matthew Stafford and Jay Cutler. Pick 4: The Cleveland Browns will select University of Alabama running back Trent Richardson. Colt McCoy is not the Browns’ quarterback of the future, but they will likely wait another year before pursuing an elite QB. Because of the high risk of injury to running backs, I’m never a fan of drafting one this high. Still, the Browns desperately need to improve their rush attack. Cleveland should not pass on the most highly praised running back prospect since Adrian Peterson. Pick 5: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will select Oklahoma State University wide receiver Justin Blackmon. The Buccaneers really want Claiborne, but he will probably not fall to them. Kalil is still the most
talented player remaining on the draft board, but the Bucs are already solid at the tackle position. If the draft order remains as is, the Bucs will probably take Blackmon to pair him with recently signed Vincent Jackson and give quarterback Josh Freeman two elite targets next season. Pick 6: The St. Louis Rams will select USC offensive tackle Matt Kalil. Kalil falling to the Rams at six is my boldest prediction of the draft, and it will affect the decisions of every other franchise in the top ten. The Rams desperately need a wide receiver and will be dismayed to see Blackmon go one spot above theirs, but they cannot go wrong with Kalil. Pick 7: The Jacksonville Jaguars will select University of South Carolina cornerback Stephon Gilmore. After the sixth pick, the level of talent drops off significantly. The Jaguars are better off filling a need here than searching for the most talented player. Jacksonville is weak at the cornerback position and will take either Gilmore or Alabama’s Dre Kirkpatrick.
Pick 8: The Miami Dolphins will select Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill. Everybody knows that Miami desperately wants a quarterback, and Tannehill is the third highestranked QB available on Thursday. If the Dolphins think Tannehill has franchise potential, they will not hesitate to draft him. Pick 9: The Carolina Panthers will select Mississippi State University defensive tackle Fletcher Cox. Simply put, the Panthers need to bolster their D-line, and Cox is the top-ranked defensive lineman in this year’s draft. Pick 10: The Buffalo Bills will select University of Iowa offensive tackle Reilly Reiff. The Bills will be tempted to take Notre Dame wide receiver Michael Floyd and pair him with Steve Johnson to form a formidable duo, but they will prefer to shore up their Oline in the wake of offensive tackle Demetress Bell’s departure. John Axelrod is a deputy sports editor. Email him at jaxelrod@nyunews.com.