NYU’s Daily Student Newspaper
washington square news Vol. 40, No. 56
tuesday, may 2, 2012
nyunews.com
Occupy takes NYC on May Day
Study points to improved prospects for seniors By Emily Yang
By Tatiana Baez
For CAS alumna Elissa Pineda, the process of finding a job was overwhelming. Moving to Austin, Texas after graduating last December, Pineda said she walked miles upon miles to job interviews for positions that did not appeal to her. After seven months of research, she found a job in the field she wanted. But this year’s college graduates can expect better job prospects at entry-level positions, according to a recent survey by a consulting firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc. Using the information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and surveys and responses from human resource departments at 4,600 employers nationwide, the firm published its annual College Grad Job Outlook about two weeks ago. The study attributed the economic rebound to the source of the job growth, pointing to the fact that
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Jonathan Tan/WSN
Thousands of demonstrators marched to Wall Street from Union Square yesterday.
Occupy Wall Street, union workers, immigrant coalitions and student movements rallied yesterday in celebration of May Day. Also known as International Workers’ Day, May Day is a recognized worldwide event on May 1 that celebrates workers’ past struggle for the eight-hour work day. OWS joined celebrations yesterday throughout New York City, which culminated in a huge rally in Union Square with city officials, immigrant and organized worker group advocates and musical guests such as Tom Morello, Dan Deacon, Das Racist and Immortal Technique. After the protest in the afternoon, thousands of demonstrators marched to Wall Street.
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Christopher Marlowe reintroduced to theatergoers in new play By Olivia George “Once upon a time,” begins Christopher Marlowe, played by Christopher Fahmie, kicking off this filmnoir spectacle with one of many clichés. In “Christopher Marlowe’s Chloroform Dreams,” Marlowe is the lovelorn private eye, armed with only a pen against a world of henchmen and heroin. Katharine Sherman’s new play includes every convention of old detective movies, topped off with the tipped fedora on the hero’s head. Some performances are best enjoyed with no prior knowledge of the play. This is not one of them. Before attending, there are a few things theatergoers should know: the show is based on real events; it is based only loosely on those events (Marlowe’s real life colleague, Thomas Kyd, translates to the young, bespectacled tagalong Tommy the Kid); and Marlowe met a premature end when he sustained a stab wound to the head. This is not exactly common knowledge, but then again Sherman is catering to a very select audience. The theater itself, The Red Room, further caters to a select group, with only about 40 seats, and the people that fill them all seem to know each other and the performers. The room, black and red and chipping all
over, is reminiscent of the East Village in the ’80s — a charmingly desolate bohemia, when everyone was an artist or a poet. Everyone in this play seems to be a poet as well, though Marlowe is the only good one. This is both appropriate and unfortunate. While his prowess with language entrances, the play suffers when he leaves. After his silvertongued verses about a girl who pricks her finger on her sewing wheel, it becomes difficult to listen to the girl as she shoots up and painfully spouts, “It feels like pins and needles and then everything goes numb.” Too many clichés appear where they have no business in the story of such an acclaimed wordsmith. It is possible that Sherman fell back on them because of an incomplete understanding of Marlowe. This is demonstrated by her use of Marlowe’s most famous poem, “The Passionate Shepherd to His Love.” The play’s Marlowe frequently quotes the work in an attempt to prove his deep affections for the woman he loves. The poem, however, turns Marlowe into a lustful man hoping to seduce a woman for whom he cares little. “Christopher Marlowe’s Chloroform Dreams” is playing through May 5, Wednesday through Saturday, at the Red Room in the Kraine Theater, located at 85 E.
Fourth Street. Tickets are $16 in advance and $18 at the door. Olivia George is a staff writer. Email her at theater@nyunews.com.
via offoffbroadway.broadwayworld.com
Playwright Katharine Sherman incorporates an abundance of clichés in her new play.
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Washington Square news | tuesday, may 2, 2012 | nyunews.com
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Compiled by the
WSN staff
WISH WEDNESDAY
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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,
Allie Foutc h CAS senio rI “I wish th at Rowling w J.K. ould hurry up and p book two ut on Pottermo re.”
vna vano Poli I latin Gal | man fresh have a h to “I wis ine div nd tion a n e v r inte ass p lus.” calcu
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 sports John axelrod, cole
riley special issues kristina bogos multimedia james kelleher copy jordan melendrez social media agent nicole gartside
TODAY
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12:30 p.m. | La Maison Française | 16 Washington Mews
6:30 p.m. | Grey Art Gallery | 100 Washington Square East
PEN World Voices Festival of International Literature La Maison Française at NYU hosts a literary luncheon as part of this city wide festival.
3 7 p.m. | powerHouse Books | 37 Main St. at Water Street, Brooklyn
Gallery Talk by John Torreano
Chad Harbach
Professor of art and art professions John Torreano will discuss graphic drawing techniques found in the current exhibit of French drawings at the gallery.
“The Art of Fielding” author will celebrate the launch of the novel’s paperback edition with a reading and signing.
opinion page
opinion editor olivia gonzalez deputy opinion editor ATTICUS
BRIGHAM, SANCHAY JAIN
advertising business manager
REBECCA RIBEIRO circulation manager
chloe coffman
university sales coordinator
Emilia Mironovici
SNAPSHOT
ON THE WIRE
Bouncy Bear When a black bear in Conway, Ark., refused to climb down a tree in a residential neighborhood, authorities turned to a rather unconventional method. Police blew up two bouncy houses below the tree, then shot the bear with a tranquilizer to put it to sleep. Then they sprayed the bear with a fire hose until it fell from the perch and landed on the edge of the bouncy house, breaking its fall. Conway police spokeswoman La Tresha Woodruff said the bear was not hurt and that they will be releasing it back into the wild. — The Associated Press
Brown University
PHOTO BY JAMES KELLEHER
Kaitlyn O’Brien, MICHAEL RYAN, Melissa Ynegas
advising editorial adviser
keith leighty EDITORS-AT-LARGE
jaywon choe kelsey desiderio russell steinberg KIRSTEN CHANG francis poon terka cicelOVa
Female applicants face lower acceptance rates
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.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Corrections: WSN is committed to accurate reporting. When we make errors, we do our best to correct them as quickly as possible. If you believe we have erred, contact managing editor Jaewon Kang at managing@nyunews.com or at 212.998.4302.
— tHE BROWN DAILY HERALD
A man in a peculiar automible cruises on Sixth Street past the West Third Street McDonald’s.
sales representatives
Graduate students hurt by UNC’s inability to increase stipends — The Daily Tar Heel
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JOBS continued from PG. 1
STRIKE continued from PG. 1
New study points to improving job prospects for Class of 2012 the job market has grown by 4,051,000 new jobs since February 2010. From this growth, the 20 to 24 age group has seen the highest increase in the availability of jobs. According to the report, accounting and finance, engineering, computer science, sales and marketing, education and health care and social services are professional fields that most graduates have been able to enter. Despite this growth, the job market will still be very competitive, said John Challenger, CEO of Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc. He suggested geographically extending the job search to include a wider scope of opportunities. “You will find pockets of places around the country where unemployment is low,” he said. “Being open to looking in those areas is a smart strategy.” Trudy Steinfeld, assistant vice president at the NYU Wasserman Center for Career Development, said she has noticed there has been more job availability for graduating seniors. “We see it for our students at NYU: Job listings are definitely up,” she said. “We think we have a great talent pool to give to organizations.” Though it is still too early to have the specific statistics, Steinfeld said a large number of students who are graduating in May already have positions in communications, education, social science and social services.
She added that next year’s job pool is looking like it will be improving. Still, she cautioned that the job market is unpredictable. “We don’t know how they might impact all different kinds of monetary and political situations,” Steinfeld said. CAS senior Kathryn Jones said she was worried about the job market in the beginning of senior year but has recently received job offers, which have made her more hopeful for the future. “I didn’t know if I would get a job when I graduated because everything anyone said about the economy was just horrible,” Jones said. “I don’t know if it’s because of the economy or if people were just too pessimistic but I’m grateful either way.” Additional reporting by Jessie Schultz. Emily Yang is city/state editor.
File photo by Lauren Strausser
There has recently been more job availability for graduating seniors.
NYUAD sophomores, NYU alum win global competition By Jordan Melendrez A team of four NYU Abu Dhabi sophomores and an NYU alumnus won the Hult Global Case Challenge last weekend with their proposal to provide solar lighting to one million homes in Africa by 2031. The NYUAD team consisted of sophomores Madhav Vaidyanathan, Songyishu Yang, Muhammad Awais Islam and Gary Chien and alumnus Neil Parmar from Canada. The Hult Challenge is a worldwide competition hosted by the Hult International Business School in conjunction with the Clinton Global Initiative and the Center for Innovation, Experience and Leadership. It challenges teams from universities across the world to create solutions to economic and social issues in energy, education and housing. “Winning, if anything, has made me even more committed to my developmental goals,” Vaidyanathan said. “I was privileged to be working with some of the most exceptional students. I have learned much from their analytical skills.” NYUAD Chemical Engineering professor Ramesh Jagannathan, who served as the team’s faculty adviser, said the team worked tirelessly to collect information about the project’s substance and logic. In fact, the members went to Africa twice to meet with non-governmental organizations and Kenyan communities to conduct research. They used their studies to formulate a final presentation. The NYUAD team started by competing against 15 other institutions in a Dubai regional event. The final round took place in New York City, where the team was pre-
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sented the grand prize by former President Bill Clinton and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus. “Through making access to electricity affordable and bite-size, I am confident their model will be widely scaled and adopted through communities across Africa and beyond,” Hult Global Case Challenge founder and CEO Ahmad Ashkar said in the press release. Part of the $1 million prize will be given to the nonprofit organization, SolarAid, which will work with the student group to provide rural regions in east and southern Africa with an alternative to the kerosene lamp. Richard Turner, director of marketing and fundraising for SolarAid, said the thorough research of the NYUAD team set the group apart from the six other finalists who presented in New York for the third and final round of judging. “Their solution was comprehensive,” Turner said. “Their focus was about the customers. Their solution builds that trust. Their solution was taking it even further. That’s what really resonated with us.” Julie Avina, assistant vice chancellor for campus life at NYUAD, said the community was proud of the students’ accomplishment. “When we began the journey that is NYUAD we set the bar high,” Avina said. “Our students clearly met and surpassed this bar with their great commitment to such an important project and their wonderful win at the Hult Global Challenge.” Jordan Melendrez is a contributing writer. Email her at university@nyunews.com
May Day celebrations take over New York City Earlier in the day, Occupiers held smaller protests throughout the city before coming together in Bryant Park. “Part of the reason that May 1 is already so historic is that it represents the coming together of so many previously disparate movements who have been pushed apart by the unfortunate wedge-issue political dialogue of our time,” said Aaron Bornstein, a fifth-year GSAS student and member of the OWS movement. The Occupy Los Angeles movement called for an Occupy May Day General Strike in December, and dozens of cities around the world including New York, London, Sydney and Kuala Lumpur answered the call. Chris Francis, a member of Community Voices Heard, which aims to improve lives of low-income class in New York City and state, stood with his group to protest harsh
working conditions for African Americans. “Corporations force us to work basically in slavery, and we’re forced to work next to people that are getting paid when [we] are not [getting paid],” Francis said. “Hopefully the government will stop encouraging this slave labor.” Occupiers also protested against recent police brutality toward demonstrators. “Several people have already been killed protesting for eight-hour work days, and the government turns a blind eye,” said Alia Thabit, a member of grassroots project called Art In Odd Places. Even those uninvolved with the movement gathered around Union Square to encourage the protesters yesterday. “People need to stand up for their rights,” said Philadelphia resident Sid Laurer, 56, who works near Union Square. “If these people don’t, no one will. People need to
wake up and realize that these problems are real.” But Midtown resident Mary Handsie, 38, said she did not think protests achieve anything. “The only thing it’s doing is causing noise and chaos when everyone is trying to lead a normal work day,” she said. Gallatin professor Peter Rajsingh said Occupy’s continual expansion will depend on how successfully the movement can get people to gather around an actionable social message. “Occupy is trying to foster spontaneous and novel forms of social engagement, flat organizational structures, etc,” he said. “Successful social movements through history have needed to define themselves by clear, understandable goals, a strong normative frame and linear teleology.” Tatiana Baez is a staff writer. Email her at cstate@nyunews.com.
Student groups join to raise awareness of public health issues By Julie DeVito and Sarah Skirmont The Public Health Student Group at NYU held a fair yesterday in the Kimmel Center for University Life to raise awareness of local and global public health issues. The fair featured booths with organizations including the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the Academy of Medical and Public Health Services, the NYU Langone Medical Center, the NYU Master of Public Health program and UNAIDS. Scott Spiegler, a Steinhardt graduate student in Public Health who works at the New York City Department of Health, was one of the organizers of the event. “Our idea was to create an event geared toward undergraduates to help spread awareness about public health issues and organizations in New York City,” Spiegler said. “The idea also came to fruition just as our program was being merged to create the new Global Institute of Public Health. The event was a way to not only spread awareness and promote public health in the city, but it served as a platform to publicize our new institute.” He added that students, especially undergraduates, should be aware of the health status of communities within the city. The event also showcased a documentary called “A Closer Walk” by Eric Sawyer that details the global impact of the AIDS epidemic. At the fair, LSP freshman Sharleen Salim represented the nonprofit organization she volunteers with called Health Leads,
which aims to mobilize college students to connect patients and their families. “We work one-on-one with families that need assistance like access and resources that they wouldn’t be able to access themselves,” Salim said. “If they have an overweight child but they don’t have money to pay for healthy food, we get all their info and have them apply for food stamps.” Kris-Ann Blagrove, a CAS senior and event attendee, said the fair reminded her of the possibility of Public Health as a path of study. “I am from Jamaica, [and] health issues are a big thing there, where people aren’t exactly getting the attention needed,” she said. Elizabeth Fortier, Steinhardt graduate student and a volunteer at the event, said she was surprised to see that even communications and engineering majors had come to the event. “I don’t know if this will change their mind,” Fortier said. “It is trying to promote a master’s level of public health so it may spark some interest. I think it has been successful.” Spiegler said he was pleased with the turnout. “The public health community is vast and far-reaching, and in New York, it serves as a major hub for the entire community,” he said. “Our idea was to show undergrads why public health is so important and to also educate others on what we at NYU are doing in contribution to the field.” Julie DeVito is university editor. Sarah Skirmont is a staff writer. Email them at university@nyunews.com.
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Washington Square news | tuesday, may 2, 2012 | nyunews.com
BEAUTY AND STYLE College Group at the Met gets fabulous for private student party By Hilary Presley
via facebook.com
In March, the College Group at the Met hosted a party called An Oasis at the Met.
The annual Metropolitan Museum of Art gala, which celebrates the newest Costume Institute exhibit, is the Academy Awards of the fashion world, where celebrities and fashion icons alike dress to impress in the latest jaw-dropping couture. While tickets to the gala are the most coveted in the city, the College Group at the Met is hosting a private event for students on May 15 that will include a panel discussion, music, design workshop and a tour of the new exhibit, Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations. The exhibit is a playful and imaginative multimedia conversation between two Italian designers separated by decades but joined by strikingly similar views of fashion and femininity: Elsa Schiaparelli and Miuccia Prada. Designing during the ’20s and ’30s, Schiaparelli revolutionized the way women dressed through her eccentric flair and liberal use of a signature magenta hue. She playfully toyed with typical ideas of femininity and beauty and was heavily influenced by the Dada and Surrealist art movements, as seen in her Tear dress and Shoe hat. Although not directly inspired by Schiaparelli, Prada shares her playful spirit with her coveted flame-heeled shoes, water-colored nymph handbags and banana print drop waisted skirts. Impossible Conversations juxtaposes the two designers through seven galleries that unite their pieces in unique themes, including Waist Up/Waist Down, Ugly Chic, Hard Chic, Naïf Chic, the Classical Body, the Exotic Body and the Surreal Body. Video clips and select quotations are also peppered throughout the exhibit, giving
it the aura that an actual conversation was being held between the two — further emphasizing the designers’ similar viewpoints and values. “Both of [the designers] had careers which tended to expand on the notions of good taste, refinement, injecting a strategy of provocation into their collections in a way that we though was interesting,” exhibit curator Harold Koda said. The College Group at the Met aims to give students a special private party at the Met to view the new exhibit. The evening will include musical guest disc jockey Speakeasy and a panel discussion with industry insiders Leandra Medine, Lynn Yaeger and Scott Schuman, among others. CGM assistant college marketing coordinator Katherine Nemeth said the panel will “explore the meaning of chic and how the concept changes with time.” Private tours and design workshops will also be conducted throughout the evening, lending to a more intimate atmosphere. Nemeth said the group’s goal is to “create opportunities for all students, from all academic majors and backgrounds to explore and encounter the Museum’s collections in new ways.” The event will be held Tuesday, May 15, 2012 from 8 to 11 p.m. with the panel discussion from 7 to 8 p.m. Admission is free with a valid student ID but space is very limited. RSVP to metcollegegroup@metmuseum.org, noting if you would like to attend the panel. Hilary Presley is a staff writer. Email her at bstyle@nyunews.com.
Plan for a fashion-filled weekend with these five events By Shannon Loughran 1) Goods for Goods Gala, Center548, 548 W. 22nd St. May 10 (6:30 to 10 p.m.) The organization Goods for Good will be holding a gala to raise money to help support causes in Malawi, Africa. Goods for Good aims to provide school supplies for children, materials for community centers and business and leadership training for locals in Malawi. The gala will feature a short film about the organization’s recent work in addition to an auction filled with items for all interests. Some items include tickets and backstage passes to meet designer Jason Wu at his upcoming New York Fashion Week show, a tasting and tour of Eataly and two premium tickets to the upcoming Madonna concert in November. All proceeds will directly benefit goods for good causes in Malawi. Though tickets cost $220, the amount will provide ten children with school supplies for a year. Tickets can be purchased at galaforgood.eventbrite.com. 2) Vivienne Tam Sample Sale, 260 W. 39th St., 11th Floor May 2 to 4 (10 a.m. to 6 p.m.): Stock up on designer wear for summer at the Vivienne Tam spring sample sale. With pieces priced at 75 percent off, affording an entirely new summer wardrobe will be a breeze. 3) Helmut Lang: Sculptures, 24 Washington Square North May 5 to June 15: Before leaving campus for the summer, be sure to make one last stop in Washington Square Park. Designer Helmut Lang has designed a series of sculptures that will be on display in the park as part of the Frieze Art Fair. Helmut Lang: Sculptures is his second exhibit and will feature totem-like structures composed of materials such as rubber, plaster, sheepskin, tar and foam in a black-and-white color scheme. After leaving fashion in 2005, Lang showed his first exhibit in 2011 that consisted of 12 sculptures made of 6,000 pieces from his archives. The pieces were altered and transformed into large pole-like structures. This is one exhibit that should not be missed. 4) NARS Nail Polish, 413 Bleecker St. May 4 and 5: Celebrate the newest NARS nail polish collection with complimentary manicures. The collaboration with fashion designer Thakoon presents six new eye-catching shades that are perfect for summer. With the purchase of one from the new Spring 2012 collection, receive a complimentary manicure at the NARS flagship boutique. Call 646.459.2323 for an appointment. 5) Rebecca Minkoff Sample Sale, 260 Fifth Ave. May 9 to 13 (Wed to Sat 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sun 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.): Don’t miss out this Rebecca Minkoff sample sale. Apparel, footwear and handbags are 30 to 70 percent off. Summer is all about bright neon color and Minkoff is right on trend. Be sure to check out Minkoff’s new web series premiering today on shine. yahoo.com for the next 12 Wednesdays. Through personal online profiles, Minkoff will be giving virtual makeovers and style advice. Shannon Loughran is beauty and style editor. Email her at sloughran@nyunews.com.
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via goods4good.com
courtesy of Christopher Macsurak
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courtesy of Maegan Tintari
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Via flickr.com
nyunews.com | tuesday, may 2, 2012 | Washington Square news
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edited by SHANNON LOUGHRAN BSTYLE@nyunews.com
Avoid acne and aging with organic beauty products By Kristina Bogos When it comes to applying beauty products to their skin, customers often think twice about the ingredients and origin of their products. But with the global green movement taking the world by storm, it’s no surprise that consumers are now turning to organic beauty products as makeup alternatives. Composed of vitamins, nutrients and agricultural products from plants, organic beauty products are designed to rid the skin of traces of harmful chemicals left behind from the application of synthetic makeup products known to raise estrogen levels in pregnant women and cause allergies for the fetus. Kaia House Organics, an organic beauty brand located in the Lower East Side, opened in 2010 to offer customers the best beauty products that are more animal and environmentally friendly than its synthetic competitors. Consumers favor products at Kaia House Organics for its higher potency of vitamins, minerals and natural ingredients that rejuvenate the skin and maintain its healthy glow. “If a beauty product is not organic and has a lot of chemicals, the skin will eventually react,” Kaia House founder Danna Nashaat said. “You will age quicker, acne may come back even stronger, and you will see the wear and tear on your skin. Plus, the skin absorbs 64 percent of what gets put on your skin directly to the blood stream, so it is more dangerous to have something highly toxic on your skin than to eat something with high toxicity because the kidneys and livers will flush it out.” Following an ingredient-by-ingredient basis, Kaia House ensures every product is safe as well as effective. Some of its most popular products include the Charcoal Detoxifying Cleanser ($16) packed with vitamins, nutrients and activated charcoal to remove bacteria from the skin. The Chemically Naked Shea
Head-To-Toe! butter ($16) is an all-in-one body moisturizer, hair cream, lip balm and baby skin cream that softens and hydrates skin. All of Kaia’s products reduce the body’s dependency on chemicals to prevent skin irritations and insensitivity. “The skin is one of our most sensitive organs and if we put a lot of chemicals on it, we’re slowly destroying it,” said Jovana Obradovic, a Steinhardt senior and Kaia House public relations and marketing associate. “Some of the more commonly used chemicals such as parabens and SLS have proven to have cancer-causing properties, something I gladly avoid whenever I can.” Sephora makeup consultant and beauty expert Kirsten, who could not provide her last name because of company policy, acknowledged the benefits of using both organic and inorganic beauty products. “Organic beauty products are easier for the body to absorb, and the end result is more potent and safe for personal use,” she said. “However, we carry great non-organic beauty products if you want to take more of an aggressive treatment for any condition you’re treating, such as anti-aging.” To determine if a beauty product is organic, Kirsten advises customers to look for products with ingredients such as argan oil, shea butter, organic bamboo and Amazonian clay. To ensure a product is certified organic while shopping at Sephora, simply look for products with a green circle stamped with the Sephora “S.” “Natural and organic products are not regulated when it comes to cosmetics, so Sephora has their own guidelines and qualifications that they put each product up against when we put the seal,” Kirsten said. So do your skin and health a favor and switch over to organic beauty products. Kaia House Organics, located at 9 Clinton St., is even offering NYU students a 30 percent discount until
Must-stop shops for this season’s hottest looks By Rachel Sanderson As warmer days and the end of school quickly approach, lower Manhattan is the place to plan for a summer retreat. Two newly opened stores, Zimmermann and Warm, located in SoHo and NoLiTa, respectively, have the perfect summer essentials for anyone heading to the beach. Whether you are looking for a swimsuit for summer beach trips or a laid-back outfit to don on a hot summer day, these fashion boutiques will have exactly what you are looking for. Known for its trendy and luxurious swimwear worn by the likes of fashionable celebrities including Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Kate Bosworth, Australian company Zimmermann recently opened its first New York store. Just as light and airy as a salty ocean breeze, the store is a serene paradise adorned with beautifully crafted swimsuits and ready-to-wear pieces. The space may be minimally decorated, but Zimmermann’s unique and innovative swimwear provides enough color to the shop. Between swimsuits with bold prints and interesting patterns and neutral colored dresses in textured fabrics, Zimmermann offers an array of pieces suitable for fashion-driven beachgoers. Despite all the appealing aspects of this new store, Zimmermann’s pieces do carry a hefty price tag. Basic swimsuits start
around $100 but other more intricate designs can cost over $250. For anyone willing to pay for the pricey yet beautiful swim and ready-towear pieces, the SoHo store is the shop for summer Husband and wife Rob Magnotta and Winnie Beattie opened Warm as a beach retreat within the city. Surfers at heart, the duo provides an experience as tropical and effortless as a relaxing day spent on a Hawaiian beach. A slightly worn wood floor and bright decorations add character to the quaint store. Summer necessities from contemporary designers such as Vanessa Bruno, Roseanna and M. Patmos can be found at the boutique. In addition to beach-ready maxi dresses and lightweight blouses, Warm has alluring accessories and jewelry pieces that will add a bohemian vibe to any outfit. The boutique also caters to shoppers with children; a screen and projector playing films provides entertainment for kids while their parents can indulge in a little retail therapy. For those living on a college budget, Warm may not be the best place to visit every week; pieces can range from $100 to over $400. Warm is a perfect oasis for summer shoppers prepared to splurge. Rachel Sanderson is a staff writer. Email her at bstyle@nyunews.com.
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the end of May. To claim the discount, show your NYU ID in store or enter NYU30 online at checkout. Kristina Bogos is deputy features editor. Email her at bstyle@nyunews.com.
via kaiahouse.com
Do summertime in style with an atypical tote
By Rachel Perlman Canvas totes with a personal touch are a perfect alternative to expensive designer bags. As usual, department stores and designers want in on street trends and have created canvas tote bags with phrases saying “Karl Who?” or a painted Hermès Birkin. To create your own stylish and ironic tote bag, follow these steps to make a nautical bag reminiscent of summer days. As the school year comes to a close and finals lurk in the not-so-distant future, the prospect of summer sun and relaxation helps everyone make it through these last few days. If you manage to find time between caffeine shots during late-night sessions at Bobst, make yourself a summer accessory in preparation for the break. Materials: 1. Canvas tote 2. Red acrylic paint and paintbrush 3. Brads in nautical shapes (available at Mi chael’s craft stores) 4. Fabric tape Steps: 1. Lay the tote bag on a flat surface. 2. Place three pieces of tape vertically down the bag, equidistant from each other. 3. Paint in one direction in the negative space between the pieces of tape and let the bag dry for ten minutes. 4. Take a brad of any shape you desire and puncture it through one side of the bag. 5. From the inside, fold down each side of the prongs on the brad so they lay flat. 6. Repeat step five in a sporadic manner all over the front. If you wish, repeat design on both sides. Rachel Perlman for WSN
Rachel Perlman is a contributing writer. Email her at bstyle@nyunews.com.
Perosnalize your tote using fabric tape and paint.
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The new york times crossword & daily sudoku Edited by Will Shortz Across
1 Barbers’ aids 6 Like some batters
10 Hurry it up
35 Garden decoration 37 Woman’s journalism? 43 NutraSweet rival 44 “___ Hall” 45 Spiral shape 48 Branches of study 51 “Is there something more?” 52 Lob’s path 53 Woman’s package? 56 You’re being attacked while under it 58 “Vive ___!” 59 Man’s plank? 63 Magazine revenue source 66 Sea lettuce, e.g. 67 Something many a celebrity carries in public 68 Towering
69 Pay attention to 70 Skirmish 71 Utah’s ___ Canyon
Down 1 Foldout bed 2 Telephone key 15 Added, in with no letters commercialese 3 Highest peak in 16 Pizarro foe Turk. 4 Nuts-and-bolts 17 Flirty one 5 Tiny bit 18 Man’s labor? 6 Splitsville 20 Christina of resident? “Sleepy Hollow” 7 Bygone muscle 22 Barbecue grill car brand 8 [Damn, this is frustrating!] 23 Woman’s 9 Talk and talk flippant remark? 10 In great supply 28 Wrangler rival 11 Powerless 29 “___ Miss 12 Lint catcher Brooks” 13 Enmity 30 Golden, in 19 Have México 21 Fish salted for 31 Not stay rigid bacalao 23 Andean 32 Sweet-talk stimulant 24 River to the ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE Rhine T W E R P S P A D E V P S 25 Iditarod transport S A N E R A I D E D A R I 26 River near the P R O B I N G Q U E S T I O N Leaning Tower P L U M E U L M W O V E 27 Sound from a S U B S E T B O S O X pound C A F S R I S E L F 31 Conk O S L O A G O R O O M B A 33 Cambodian S P A N I S H D O U B L O O N money T S K T S K S U P D O W N 34 1974 John H E A P S T U S L O Wayne film H I R E E E A T I N G 36 Advanced deg. E R I Q D O T V I O L A for musicians F E A T H E R O N E S N E S T 38 Bash on a beach T N T Q U I L L E N O T E 39 Make Y E A S T A L E X A N A X 40 Right away 14 Available for mugs
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Puzzle by Joe DiPietro
41 One of the Flying Wallendas 42 Actress Lamarr 45 The Clash’s “Rock the ___” 46 American Leaguer since 1954 47 When mastodons became extinct
57 Sheepskin 49 Like some amusement park holder passes 60 Dolt 50 “Told ya!”
61 Warm lining
53 Crash site?
62 Laundry day brand
54 Floss brand 55 Big name in travel guides
64 And the like: Abbr. 65 Look over
For answers, call 1-900-285-5656, $1.49 a minute; or, with a credit card, 1-800-814-5554. Annual subscriptions are available for the best of Sunday crosswords from the last 50 years: 1-888-7-ACROSS. AT&T users: Text NYTX to 386 to download puzzles, or visit nytimes.com/mobilexword for more information. Online subscriptions: Today’s puzzle and more than 2,000 past puzzles, nytimes.com/crosswords ($39.95 a year). Share tips: nytimes.com/wordplay. Crosswords for young solvers: nytimes.com/learning/xwords.
nyunews.com | tuesday, may 2, 2012 | Washington Square news
OPINION
edited by olivia gonzalez opinion@nyunews.com
politics
staff editorial
Romney will not win 2012 election
OWS fading despite renewed energy
By Joseph Rauch I have said this to my friends and family for almost a year now, but I mentioned it in passing in one of my last posts so I thought I would try to sew up the issue once and for all. Republican presidential nominee candidate Mitt Romney is not going to win in November. Yes, I know how absolutely obnoxious it sounds to try to predict an election, but I am really willing to take bets at this point. It is not that President Barack Obama is going to beat Romney, it is that Romney is not able to win and has already defeated himself with his record, comments, demeanor and the way Americans perceive him. Romney will always be perceived — and with good reason — as an almost comical exemplar of an outof-touch rich person. Despite his efforts to appear relatable, he has always done the opposite, whether it was bragging about forcing Ted Kennedy to mortgage one of his homes, raving about how much he enjoys cheesy grits in a move that even his supporters saw as
phony pandering, claiming that his speaking fees of over $300,000 were modest or saying that he did not follow Nascar but knew several team owners personally. Romney also fell into another perceived exemplar of the rich Wall Street fat cat during his time at Bain Capital — a company that basically bought up other dying companies and then gutted them for profit. The popular picture of him making it rain with his colleagues does not help either. He has also changed his position many times. A Republican politician even made a joke recently about how it is easy to like Romney because he has probably been on your side at some point. The fact that he passed universal health care in Massachusetts has also been beaten to death by the media but is nevertheless valid. No matter how much Romney tries to avoid the topic, the idea and the irony of him passing a bill that exceeded the original aspirations of what people now pejoratively call Obamacare while simultaneously denouncing the health care bill will continue to
surface repeatedly during debates and further interviews. It was very painfully clear that Republicans were never excited about him from the beginning of his campaign and desperately wanted someone else as the nominee. I will pile it on further by pointing out that former Republican nominee hopeful Rick Santorum is not even going to support Romney, adding more insult to the fact that the guy whose last name was predominantly synonymous with leftovers from fudge packing actually managed to compete with Romney. Now the time has come where Republicans will have to rally behind Romney — the guy they never wanted in the first place but are willing to settle for since the idea of doing nothing to stop Obama from winning is even more nauseating than voting for Romney. To sum things up, if you really think Romney can win, it might be better to just save your energy and wait another four years. Joseph Rauch is a contributing columnist. Email him at opinion@nyunews.com.
transparency
New information site infringes on privacy By Liz Beras Privacy, (n.): The state or condition of being alone, undisturbed or free from public attention, as a matter of choice or right; seclusion; freedom from interference or intrusion. The concept of privacy is at risk in today’s society. With the ever-growing technology sector, including social media platforms on the Internet, it is difficult for anything and anyone to remain private. Although much of the information posted on the Internet is intended to be resourceful, at times it can infringe on one’s privacy. A new network of sites created by online start-up company FindTheBest Inc., serves as a comparison search engine to help individuals sort through information on the Internet. On findthebest.com, one can filter information based on chosen factors and make comparisons on virtually anything in the categories listed from education to electronics. While it is great that FindTheBest allows users to compare information to decide for instance, what the best travel destination or plastic surgeon is, it also provides a thorough comparison of salaries in different industries. The sister website of FindtheBest, FindTheData, goes further by providing the salaries of government employees. This is
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seemingly an invasion of privacy to post the name, employer and salary information of an individual. FindTheBest should remove this information if they wish to maintain their credibility as a site. FindTheBest reports that they have 8 million unique visits a month, growing at approximately 15 percent. However what this number does not include is the purpose of the visitors. If an increasing number of disgruntled government employees are visiting the site to contest their salaries posted on findthedata.org, this predicament will not be beneficial to the long-term success of the site. FindTheBest obtains all its information from three main sources: government and third-party databases, primary source manufacturer sites and expert sources (business or individuals updating their own listings). To date, FindTheBest refuses to remove any information including salaries as they say it is public record and available elsewhere on the web. When contacted about the matter, a managing editor at FindTheBest explained that the salary information should be available to the “American taxpayers in the interest of transparency.” FindTheBest, however, is flawed in their argument. They have taken public
record information and made it readily accessible by posting it on their site. Government employees have a right to privacy and should not be stripped of this right simply in the interest of transparency. Government employees are taxpayers too and should not have angst that their salary information could surface with a simple Google search of their name. If the premise were that all incomes even remotely paid for by taxpayer money should be public, then in short, the salary of every employee at every corporation ever bailed out by the government would be released. Yet, this is not the case; if such salary numbers were released there would undeniably be an uproar. Furthermore, the targeting of government employees is evidently unfair. A line must be drawn in order to create a shared value for FindTheBest as a business and the consumers of the site. FindTheBest team has created an impressive pragmatic platform that brings a whole new meaning to decision making. Nevertheless, it is important not to overlook impact, positive and negative, that such information has on individuals. Liz Beras is a staff columnist. Email her at opinion@nyunews.com.
Yesterday marked the annual celebration known as International Workers’ Day, or May Day, around the world. It is recognized as a holiday to commemorate workers’ struggles for normal, fair eight-hour work days. Particularly popular in New York City, the day was an opportunity for Occupy Wall Street to gain a second wind and remind New Yorkers that we are still fighting for equal pay and fair treatment as workers. May Day is an essential part of American history that should be remembered and celebrated each year. The labor force has had to fight for centuries to slowly improve conditions, and International Worker’s Day reflects how far they have come and how much work is still ahead of them. The large turnout and fanfare accompanying this year’s May Day is reflective of one fact: These days, many Americans are not only thinking about these issues but are also galvanized enough to speak out together against problems the system has. OWS is largely responsible for inspiring this fervor. What OWS has accomplished in this regard is highly commendable. However, while the movement has been highly effective in creating mass support for the redistribution of wealth in our country, it has also struggled to organize itself around one message and has used opportunities like May Day to bolster more support and rejuvenate itself. While the movement’s message is important to the progress of our country, single day holidays cannot give the movement the fire that it had at its inception. Overall, there seems to be a growing disconnect between the people who are involved in OWS and the people in charge of the government. Vibrant discussions about a variety of reforms heard in Union Square on a daily basis are not met with proposed changes from Congress or President Barack Obama. For OWS to leave a sustained mark on the nation, these two agendas need to intersect at some level. Similar to the Tea Party in 2010, members of OWS will have to enter the political arena for the upcoming congressional elections.
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 | tuesday, may 2, 2012 | nyunews.com
SPORTs
edited by daniel hinton sports@nyunews.com
Mets can buy time by exercising club option By John Axelrod
Prior to Opening Day, most baseball fans expected a dismal season from the New York Mets. They expected a last place finish in the National League East and for the team to trade all of its assets by the July 31 deadline. Led by third baseman David Wright, the Mets have played surprisingly well through April, starting the season 13-10. Wright is hitting .389 with three home runs and 14 RBI and has reached base in nearly half of his at-bats. Despite his current status as the most recognizable face of the franchise, Wright’s future with his first and only major league team remains in the balance. The Mets front office currently has three options to deal with their top player: sign him to a long-term contract, trade him or pick up his $16 million team option for next season. In an interview with The New Yorker last May, majority owner Fred Wilpon refused to call Wright a superstar. The Mets, however, have since said they would like to lock up Wright long-term and keep him as the face of the franchise. They have always valued Wright as a better long-term option than recently departed star shortstop Jose Reyes because Wright is less prone to injury. But the Mets’ front office is in no rush to handle the Wright situation because they hold all of the cards. Wright has publicly said he would like to be a Met for life, and there does not seem to be any rush to lock him up before he bolts for free agency. The Mets also have the luxury of picking up his option through the 2013 season. Because of all their leverage in this situation, the Mets’ best course of action is to let this season pan out and start negotiations in the offseason. If Wright stays healthy, he will be
rewarded with a lucrative contract. The Mets cannot afford to lose their best hitter. He is a marquee player that simply raises the level of talent in the lineup and helps sell tickets. Others have made the absurd argument to trade Wright this season for a few top-tier prospects. Trading the Mets’ best and most marketable player will drastically weaken the team’s overall talent and finances at a time when both are severely limited. It will also further alienate an already disgruntled fan base. The chief executives of the franchise, Wilpon and his son Jeff, have been very unpopular among fans and received terrible publicity during the recent settlement with victims of Madoff’s Ponzi scheme. While trading Wright would likely give the Mets some of baseball’s best prospects, they would not receive a player that would be able to replace Wright’s production in the near future. Wright is in his prime at 29 and should have several more years of solid hitting as the centerpiece of the Mets’ lineup. Trading Wright this season would be the equivalent of forsaking any chance of success in the next few years. A trade would also show fans that the team’s owners are either too cash-strapped to pay their star players or that they believe the Mets will not make the playoffs any time soon. As a result, attendance would drop even more than it already has. The Mets can eventually sign Wright to a long-term deal, but they have the luxury of waiting a year or two to see if he stays healthy and maintains his current level of play. Until then, fans should appreciate a good start and hope this is not Wright’s last season in Flushing. John Axelrod is a deputy sports editor. Email him at jaxelrod@nyunews.com.
Courtesy of Keith Allison
Third baseman David Wright currently leads the New York Mets in RBI, walks and batting average.
Outer boroughs feature top sports events of the summer By Daniel Hinton
via flickr.com
Among the world’s top three in tennis, Novak Djokovich prepares to take the U.S. Open this year.
1. New York Mets versus New York Yankees Commonly known as the Subway Series, the rivalry between New York City’s major league baseball teams has been one of the few benefits since the inception of interleague play during the 1997 season. Despite polar opposite expectations entering the season, the Mets and Yankees are third in their respective divisions, but you can expect the standings to change by the time they play each other. After a surprisingly good April, the Mets, 13-10, currently sit one and half games out of first place. As expected, third baseman David Wright leads the team in nearly every offensive statistic — batting average (.389), RBI (14), on-base percentage (.494), slugging percentage (.569), walks (16), runs (15) and hits (28). Despite a 0-2 record, staff ace Johan Santana has posted a 2.25 ERA, 10.88 K/9 and 1.13 WHIP. The Yankees, New York’s perennial offensive powerhouse, are in the top five among all major league teams in runs scored, batting average, on base percentage and slugging percentage. While center fielder Curtis Granderson has maintained his production from last season, second baseman Robinson Cano has hit only one home run and four RBI in 87 at-bats. With the American League’s best batting average (.396) and seventhbest OPS (1.031), Yankees legend Derek Jeter continues to lead the franchise in his 18th season. The first series will take place at Yankee Stadium, accessible by the 4 train, from June 8 to 10, and Citi Field, accessible by the 7 train, will host the second series from June 22 to 24. 2. Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest The most popular competitive-eating event in the world happens every Fourth of July at the original Nathan’s Famous hot dog stand in Coney Island. According to legend, the contest has occurred annually since 1916, but its popularity has skyrocketed in the past decade. Last year, more than 40,000
spectators watched in person and another 1.95 million people watched on ESPN. Japanese competitive eater Takeru Kobayashi won the contest six consecutive times from 2001 to 2006, but finished second between 2007 and 2010. Kobayashi’s American rival, Joey Chestnut, has won four of the past five competitions, including a tie-breaker victory in 2008. Chestnut, who is currently ranked first in the world by the International Federation of Competitive Eating, will try to retain the coveted Mustard Belt by consuming dozens of hot dogs within 10 minutes. 3. U.S. Open At the end of the every summer, the best tennis players in the world compete for a Grand Slam in Flushing, Queens. Novak Djokovich won the men’s singles title last year after a comeback against Roger Federer in the semifinal match and a four-set victory over Rafael Nadal in a rematch of the 2010 final. In the women’s singles final, Samantha Stosur defeated Serena Williams, who has won three singles titles and two doubles titles at the U.S. Open. Djokovic, Nadal and Federer are the top three tennis players in the world, but John Isner, who is the topranked American player at No. 9, can bring the title to the United States for the first time since Andy Roddick won in 2003. Isner lost to No. 4 Andy Murray at last year’s Open in a fifth-set tiebreaker but has already defeated Federer and Djokovic in separate tournaments this year. The U.S. Open takes place at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center from August 27 to September 9. The tournament is one of the most popular sports events in the world, let alone New York City. Daniel Hinton is sports editor. Email him dhinton@nyunews.com.
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