WSN050312

NYU’s Daily Student Newspaper

washington square news Vol. 40, No. 57

Thursday, May 3, 2012

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Publishing made espresso quick

City taxis get apple green makeover

Beginning in September 2012, the NYU Bookstore will offer a service that allows customers to self-publish their own books at the Broadway location.

The machine called the Espresso Book Machine can print books consisting of few or many pages in minutes and is designed to be a lowcost, automatic device.

“There have been a number of college stores that have installed an EBM in the past year, along with some good independent bookstores,” Phil Christopher, the director of the NYU Bookstore, said. “We felt that the technology was stable and advanced enough to install one here.”

The bookstore placed the machine onsite within the last few weeks and is currently downloading software. It will work on training and promoting during the summer before officially launching the system in September.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced last Sunday that New York City’s new livery cabs will be apple green.

The livery cabs are meant to provide efficient cab service to places that are not in the general business districts of the city. Since the cabs are typically limited to calls dispatched by radio, this will be the first time they will be hailed by people on the street.

According to Bloomberg, the color of the newly dubbed Boro Taxis will serve northern Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and the Bronx.

“The Big Apple has long been used to define New York, and green apples taste great,” said Bloomberg at a press conference last week.

The Taxi and Limousine Commission will issue a total of

By Julie DeVito

R ESPRESSO continued on PG. 3

By Tatiana Baez

Emily McDermott/wsn

Internships Abroad Many students take advantage of NYU’s study abroad programs but have difficulty finding internship opportunities. However, assimilating and enjoying the culture can, at times, be more important.

STORY ON PAGE 3

Tony-Award winning Tisch alumna transitions to web talk show

By Jessica Littman

Tisch alumna Rachel Helson is no stranger to awards ceremonies.

At age 20, while a student at NYU, she was the youngest person to be nominated for a prestigious Tony Award for producing the acclaimed Broadway show “Reasons to be Pretty.” Last month her web series, “StalkTALK,” was nominated for a Webby Award for Best Television Writing.

While at NYU, Helson majored in acting at the Stella Adler Studio, where she left an impression on Tom Oppenheim, the artistic director of the studio.

“Rachel encourages me to feel extremely hopeful at the creative possibilities that are available to young, talented ambitious young people

these days,” Oppenheim said.

When Helson was 15, she discovered the four of her aunts had or were recovering from breast cancer.

“I wanted to do something to help,” Helson said. “So I did the only thing I knew how to do, which was put on a show and had all the proceeds go to the Susan G. Komen Foundation.”

Helson first put on the charity show in her hometown of Louisville, Ky. When she came to NYU she wanted to bring the show to Broadway and, after a relentless search, found a theater that would host the show for just one night. She even managed to get some stars involved.

“Neil Patrick Harris ended up flying out for the show to narrate it,” Helson said.

After the success of this show, Helson got an internship with a casting

Courtesy of Tandem

Rachel Helson produced “Reasons to be Pretty” at age 20. agency and became involved with “Reasons to be Pretty,” the show she eventually received the Tony nomination for as one of its producers.

While Helson’s new project, lost the Webby to the Onion News Network, Helson is excited about the show’s success.

R HELSON continued on PG. 4

R GREEN continued on PG. 3

Whedon, ‘Avengers’: a perfect match

By Jonathon Dornbush

On paper, “The Avengers” could fall apart instantly. It combines the protagonists of five films from four directors, throwing some of the biggest names in Hollywood together for a true summer spectacle.

With all of the expectations that need to be met, it would take a real world Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) — the leader of the Avengers — who possessed a reverence for the source material to successfully pull off such an ambitious venture.

“I’m not nearly as intelligent as Nick,” director Joss Whedon said in a conference call last week. “But [I did] feel that responsibility to get these people

... to come up with their best stuff and play off each other as well as possible.”

Insuring the film’s many big personalities worked in concert provided a challenge for Whedon. With a cast ranging from Robert Downey Jr. to Scarlet Johansson to Mark Ruffalo, Whedon had to also balance some of the most iconic comic book heroes, including starkly different characters like Captain America (Chris Evans) and The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo).

“The DNA of the Marvel movie began with ‘Iron Man,’” Whedon said. “The way that I can reconcile the different styles [of the previous directors

R AVENGERS continued on PG. 5

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Washington Square news | Thursday, may 3, 2012 | nyunews.com

inside wsn

Compiled by the

WSN staff

OUR 42 Reasons to be thankful 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,

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

opinion page

opinion editor olivia gonzalez deputy opinion editor ATTICUS

BRIGHAM, SANCHAY JAIN

advertising business manager

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keith leighty EDITORS-AT-LARGE

jaywon choe kelsey desiderio russell steinberg KIRSTEN CHANG francis poon terka cicelOVa About WSN: Washington Square News (ISSN 15499389) is the student newspaper of New York University. WSN is published Monday through Thursday during NYU’s academic year, except for university holidays, vacations and exam periods.

Corrections: WSN is committed to accurate reporting. When we make errors, we do our best to correct them as quickly as possible. If you believe we have erred, contact managing editor Jaewon Kang at managing@nyunews.com or at 212.998.4302.

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nyunews.com | Thursday, may 3, 2012 | Washington Square news

Students strive to create change in policies of the state

ESPRESSO continued from PG. 1

Espresso book machine brewing books at NYU bookstore When the installation is complete, the system will allow the bookstore to print copies of books that they do not currently have on their shelf. Users who wish to produce a limited number of copies of their own work will be able to pay to self-publish books. They will also be able to create a custom cover and assign an ISBN number to the book on the spot.

“Our editing and publishing themed events in the store have been successful, and we see this as a natural extension of that,” Christopher said.

The machines are leased and rented by On Demand Books, LLC in partnership with Xerox. So far they have installed the machines in 21 university bookstores in the U.S. and Canada, including the University of Washington, University of Pittsburgh, University of Arizona and University of Missouri.

The company also partners with the individual publishers to provide the licensing needed to publish works without violating copyright laws. The machine first downloads the published content that is available online, then prints in the publisher’s format.

For self-published authors, the bookstore will work to print the book by helping them to create the cover and

By Julie DeVito

receive an ISBN number. It will next provide copies either on the bookstore shelf or available for printing.

“I think it’s a great idea, and it would certainly be helpful not only for those who are in writing-oriented majors but really for any major,” said CAS sophomore Sophie Kleeman who is minoring in creative writing.

“It might not be something I would use myself, but if it’s easily accessible I’d be interested to see what kind of work comes out of it.”

Jason Beatty, vice president of Sales at On Demand Books, said the success of the machine will continue as the popularity of self-publishing grows.

“The number of installed EBMs continues to increase on a yearly basis and the number of inquiries from around the world continues to grow,” Beatty said.

Julie DeVito is university editor.

Email her at jdevito@nyunews.com.

Julie DeVito/WSN

The machine is designed as a low-cost, automatic printer.

Come Friday, more than 200 middle and high school students from all five boroughs of New York City will gather at the National Museum of the American Indian for the bi-annual New York Civics Day to present their proposals to improve New York State.

The first Civic Day was held in 2008. Civic Day in New York began in Spring 2011 when it was held at Columbia University by the nonprofit organization Generation Citizen. Each event occurs toward the end of a school semester after the students work on their projects to help improve an issue in their community.

Teams present at the event, and the best projects are selected.

Previous winners have ranged from a proposal to curb public drinking to a project to stop child abuse.

The event, which will be moderated by New York State Senator Daniel Squadron, will also feature about 30 judges who will decide the winner.

These schools have worked this semester in conjunction with Generation Citizen, which strives to empower young people to solve

Students share experience interning abroad

By Sherina Motwani As many students at the Washington Square campus take advantage of internship opportunities available in New York, those in study abroad sites have option of choosing among a wide variety of internships.

“Different study abroad sites have different laws about internships,” said CAS Dean Richard Kalb, who also serves the adviser to the CAS Presidential Honors Scholars Program that requires its members to study abroad.

For instance, NYU in London offers internship opportunities in various fields for credit but has specific visa requirements students must meet. NYU in Florence, however, offers a mandatory community service credit.

Each global center also offers students with easy access to Beyond The Classroom experiences that range from internships to community service options, but only a smaller pool — in comparison to thousands in New York — of other students competing for these coveted positions.

But many students say they think international work experience is invaluable and see NYU Abroad make the process both straightforward and rewarding.

This semester, Gallatin sophomore Alexis Bramhall worked at Project Syndicate in Prague where she helped develop the company’s social media platforms following the launch of their new website.

“Their staff is from several different countries,” Bramhall said.

“They publish in seven languages

File photo by Emily McDermott

University’s global sites, including NYU Ghana, provide students with opportunities to intern and engage in community service.

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,and they incorporate writers from all over the world. If that’s not a global network, I don’t know what is.”

CAS sophomore Feyisola Akinnawonu, who plans to go abroad next spring, has begun to look for internship opportunities with organizations that are already at other study abroad sites.

“I’m definitely interested in finding internship opportunities with American organizations that have branches in Prague,” she said.

Akinnawonu added she is interested in interning in Ghana, where she visited with her scholars group during spring break.

However, some students have encountered unexpected difficulties with their internships.

Stern sophomore Simon Fung, who is currently studying abroad, dismissed the option of interning abroad entirely because he favors having more time to travel and learn about Central Europe.

“My semester abroad is less about pursuing my professional endeavors,” he said. “I want to save that stuff for New York, where summer jobs and junior recruiting are just a couple months away.”

Sherina Motwani is a foreign correspondent. Email her at investigative@nyunews.com.

problems in their communities.

“At New York Civics Day, we hope that students have the opportunity to engage with decision makers, realize that their voices matter and get helpful feedback on their projects,” Generation Citizen executive director Scott Warren said.

Drew Levinson, a CAS junior and the chapter director of Generation Citizen at NYU, has spent the spring semester working with an eighth grade class at The Holmes School on Long Island.

He has taught the class about the importance of civic action and has worked with them on their project regarding public loitering and drinking for Civic Day. “Seeing the kids recognize their potential power and act on it is undoubtedly the most rewarding aspect of this program,” Levinson said. “These kids are only in eighth grade and are constructing letters to local papers and organizations articulating their issue and raising awareness via petitions and questionnaires.”

Though winning would be a confidence boost, he said it is more important to understand the motives behind the event itself.

Ellen Krant, the teacher of the

Courtesy of Drew Lombardi

Over 200 middle and high school students will meet on Friday. eighth-grade class, said she has seen a change in the way students view their community and their ability to change it from working with Generation Citizen.

“Students have begun to realize that they do have a voice, and they simply needed to learn how to use it,” Krant said. “The ultimate goal was to raise awareness in the community and learn how to identify individuals that will help them solve community problems. Both of these goals were achieved.”

Julie DeVito is university editor.

Email her at jdevito@nyunews.com.

GREEN continued from PG. 1

Apple green livery cabs will populate the city by June 18,000 new Boro Taxi permits and cars, 6,000 of which will be dispatched in June.

The new apple green Boro Taxis will also contain credit card machines and global positioning systems to make traveling easier for cab drivers and cab riders.

According to Allan Fromberg, TLC deputy commissioner for public affairs, the green color will help distinguish the cabs.

“The main purpose of the color is to be seen at a distance, and to help communicate to passengers that this is a safe, legal form of transportation, unlike the providers of unlicensed, illegal livery service,” Fromberg said.

The Boro Cabs would address the persistent problem of hailing cabs in outer boroughs. According to Fromberg, over 97 percent of all taxi pickups take place in midtown Manhattan and at the airport, with the remaining 3 percent taking place everywhere else. That measly percentage is in fact where 80 percent of the city’s residences and businesses are located. As a result, Fromberg predicts that the new cabs will have little effect on yellow taxis.

“Today, there are over 100,000 illegal livery pick-ups throughout the city,” Fromberg said. “The boroughs are voting with their feet, and they want and deserve hail taxi service, and it was the mayor’s vision to help them get it.”

via Twitter

Bloomberg introduced the grannysmith colored green cabs last Sunday.

But the new green color is causing a stir among residents and students who use taxi services.

“It’s a waste of money and resources,” Tisch freshman Andelys Aragon said. “There are so many problems within the city that they could be spending this money to fix.”

Yet others think the new color is exciting and will enliven the city.

“It kind of lends itself to the whole environmentally friendly idea and the go green mentality,” Manhattan resident Dan Croffer, 33, said.

Tatiana Baez is staff writer.

Email her at cstate@nyunews.com.

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Washington Square news | Thursday, may 3, 2012 | nyunews.com

features

edited by jessIca littman features@nyunews.com

Renowned international writers converge on NYU

By Esha Ray

As a part of the week-long PEN World Voices Festival of International Literature, La Maison Française of NYU hosted an eye-opening discussion yesterday featuring French novelist and NYU professor Eugène Nicole and French-Iranian journalist and author Lila Azam Zanganeh.

The PEN World Voices Festival is an annual event that brings writers from around the world to New York City to discuss the power of the written word. Now in its eighth year, the festival is taking place from April 30 to May 6 in various venues across the city. Participants include American and international famed writers such as NYU professor E.L. Doctorow, playwright Tony Kushner and festival cofounder Salman Rushdie.

“The idea is to give voice to foreign writers,” PEN director Laszlo Jakab Orsos said. “Most of them are barely known here in the States, and that’s part of our mission, to represent the lesser known, unknown, yet amazing writers in all corners of the world.”

Wednesday’s event was part of a series called Lunchtime Literary Conversations. The event focused on the works of Nicole and Zanganeh, particularly Nicole’s novel titled “L’œuvre des mers” and his critical works on Proust, as well as Zanganeh’s “The Enchanter: Nabokov and Happiness,” which is a literary criticism on Vladimir Nabokov and his works.

Wendi Liu for WSN

PEN invites writers to discuss the power of the written word.

Both writers discussed and analyzed each other’s works, particularly focusing on the intersection of their ideas, and the anxiety of influence, which according to Zanganeh revolves around how one can be a writer when one’s writing is continuously a homage to another’s writing.

“In order to write and pay homage fully, it doesn’t just require admiration but also irreverence and a measure of disrespect,” Zanganeh said, reflecting on her research and writing process. “I don’t like [Nabokov] as a poet, for instance. And the truth is he hated women writers. So just to be a women writer and to decide you’re going to write about Nabokov, it required a lot of irreverence.”

Nicole’s own massive saga, “L’œuvre des mers,” is a combination of autobiography, history and the mythology of the small French islands of Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the North Atlantic, where he grew up.

“I felt a responsibility to write about this place where I was born and where my ancestors had been living, which is not only unknown to the general public but also to French people, which had not entered French literature,” Nicole said.

Among the attendees was Ella Waldmann, a first-year American literature graduate student at Columbia University and an avid fan of Zanganeh’s work. “[Zanganeh’s book] is amazing, truly amazing,” Waldmann said.

“I’m really interested in Nabokov as well, and I feel in some strange way related to Lila. I admire her.”

The PEN World Voices Festival continues until this Sunday, with several other NYU institutions, including the Deutsches Haus and the Glucksman Irish House, hosting events on May 3.

Esha Ray is a staff writer.

Email her at features@nyunews.com.

HELSON continued from PG. 1

Tisch alumna’s web series nominated for Webby Award “It’s very exciting to me that the pilot has over 50,000 views on YouTube,” Helson said. “I’m just like, ‘Wait to see what I have next up my sleeve, 50,000 people.’”

The show is about a therapy group for recovering celebrity stalkers. The main characters stalk David Hasselhoff, Ann Coulter and Chuck Norris, among other celebrities.

Helson came up with the idea for the show based on personal experience.

The first season, which aired on Blip.TV last year, consisted of nine episodes, each seven to eight minutes long. Helson co-writes, stars in and executive produces the show.

“StalkTALK” was created specifically for Internet distribution instead of traditional television.

“Any industry can be frustrating in that it’s really hard to break into,”

she said. “But with new media, you can create your own content, produce it the way you want to produce it and distribute it by yourself.”

Helson’s success is especially impressive given that “StalkTALK” is her first foray into television and film.

“I love the theate; the theater will always be my first home,” Helson said. “But I would like to work in an industry where I can pay my bills doing what I love to do and the theater is not so conducive to that unfortunately.”

Helson plans to return to the theater eventually, but right now she is concerned with her plans for “StalkTALK” season two.

Jessica Littman is features editor.

Email her at jlittman@nyunews.com.

Take a break from city drivers: Best biking tours around the city

By Esha Ray

Biking in New York City is one of the cheapest and healthiest ways to escape the treacherous traffic of the streets. Here are some great activities that are sure to challenge and entertain cycling enthusiasts or beginners.

Tour de Staten Island Challenge yourself in this 21.5mile, free bike tour on Staten Island, starting and ending at the Richmond County Bank Ballpark on May 12 at 9 a.m. Ride at your own pace by following the painted arrows on the route and a cue sheet handed to you at the start of the tour. Bikers get a great view of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Boardwalk and a challenging climb through the greenbelt.

Pier 54 As the city’s only designated area for beginner cyclists, Pier 54 is officially reopening on May 12. Bike New York will hold free classes for adults behind the pier’s large steel arch, so bikers can have a good time without dodging speeding cabs. The space, which is part of Hudson River Park, will also be open during regular park hours for those looking to take a leisurely ride.

Coney Island Variety Show Escape Manhattan for a while and bike to Coney Island’s Variety Show on May 16 with fellow cyclists. If you can wake up in time, meet at 6:30 a.m. at 718 Cyclery in Gowanus and take a group ride through Brooklyn to reach Coney Island in time for some fun on the boardwalk, fried treats and a great show. The ride is free and the variety show is $12. Make sure to bring extra money for food and drinks.

Bike to Work/School Day May 18 is Bike to Work Day, when cyclists across the country join together to ride for their health and their environment.

Join the Transportation Alternatives organization at commuter stops across all five boroughs for free iced coffee, fruit and snack bars. Pledge to Bike to Work by sending in an RVSP online for a chance to win two free tickets to the 2012 NYC Century Bike Tour on September 9.

Rachel Kaplan/WSN

Leave behind the hostile city environment on a relaxing bike tour.

Bike Expo New York In the three days preceding the 2012 TD Five Boro Bike Tour, Eastern Mountain Sports is hosting Bike Expo New York from May 3 to 5 at Pier 36 in Basketball City.

The expo features vendors, live performances and free bicycle classes for all ages and will give biking enthusiasts a look into the city’s cycling culture.

Esha Ray is a staff writer.

Email her at features@nyunews.com.

nyunews.com | Thursday, may 3, 2012 | Washington Square news

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ARTS

edited by JONATHON DORNBUSH ARTS@nyunews.com AVENGERS continued from PG. 1

Director Joss Whedon ideal to helm of summer blockbuster “The Avengers” is that] my own style is smack dab in the middle of what all those guys did.”

Some fans have expressed concern that Whedon would not be allowed to include his signature quirky and pop culture-laden writing into such a pre-established property. The writer and director is perhaps best known for his witty dialogue and strong characterization in original projects like “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Firefly.”

“Dealing with an established universe ... it’s not hard for me to fall into the cadences of these people,” Whedon said, assuaging those fears. “It’s a lot easier when you’ve seen them being acted in the other movies.”

Nailing down who these characters are was an essential goal for Whedon, but he had a clear picture of what he

wanted to do with the summer blockbuster. While fans will decide for themselves on May 4 if Whedon crafted such a film, the director’s love for the material and desire to do it justice is undeniable.

“I think ‘The Avengers’ is the kind of movie that I grew up wanting to make and thought they had stopped making,” he said. “All my life I wanted to do something that was steeped in character, in love with the genre that it was portraying, had intelligence, had real acting ... this is an old fashioned movie. It’s a little bigger than life, but it’s very human.”

Jonathon Dornbush is arts editor. Email him at jdornbush@nyunews.com.

Brooklyn music festival acknowledges the arts

By Matthew Levine With summertime slowly approaching, anticipation for music festivals has reached a fever pitch.

Concert junkies have started planning their upcoming road trips across the country to see their favorite bands play in the unbearable heat of the summer season.

While Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza are established as the peak of music festival excitement, Crossing Brooklyn Ferry, a brand new three-day music and film festival in Brooklyn, hopes to draw a similarly impressive crowd.

Curated by Bryce and Aaron Dessner of rock group The National, Crossing Brooklyn Ferry will take place at the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s Peter Jay Sharp Building at 30 Lafayette Ave. from May 3 to May 5. Consisting of an impressive musical line up, performances will occur at the Howard Gilman Opera House, BAMcafé and BAM Rose Cinemas.

Headliners for Thursday include The Walkmen, a Harlem-based indie rock band. The rest of the lineup includes Twin Shadow, which will bring its haunting synth sound to the festival, and Brooklyn’s own, folksy Sharon van Etten.

St. Vincent will top Friday’s lineup, as her baroque pop and art rock sounds are sure to highlight the day’s events. Friday will also feature the dream-pop sounds of The Antlers and the experimental style

of Tyondai Braxton, former guitarist and vocalist of Battles. Chris Keating of Yeasayer, and Joakim, will perform a closing disc jockey set.

Saving the best for last, Saturday boasts an incredible lineup. Beirut’s signature blend of indie pop, world music and electronica serves as the headliner. Adding their support to the closing day lineup is Deerhunter’s Bradford Cox’s and Shara Worden’s respective solo projects, Atlas Sound and My Brightest Diamond, respectively. Patrick Mahoney and Nancy Whang, both previously of LCD Soundsystem, will D.J. sets afterward to close the festival.

While the music serves at the festival’s chief focus, Crossing Brooklyn Ferry also offers an exceptional array of short films for any attendee who desires a break from the musical festivities. The film lineup includes shorts from indie heartthrob Joseph Gordon-Levitt, experimental filmmaker Jonas Menkas and Bill Morrison and his cat Gene.

The short film screenings will take place at BAM Rose Cinemas each day of the festival.

With an excellent lineup of both musical and film acts, the Crossing Brooklyn Ferry festival will hopefully prove worthy of returning next year and adding itself to the list of famous summer music festivals.

Matthew Levine is a contributing writer.

Email him at music@nyunews.com.

via Myspace

The Walkmen headline at the Crossing Brooklyn Ferry Festival.

Courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures

Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Captain America (Chris Evans) prepare to save the world in “The Avengers.”

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Washington Square news | Thursday, may 3, 2012 | nyunews.com

ARTS The best and worst of this year’s Tribeca Film Festival

By Alex Greenberger

“Wavumba” is a lyrical feast for the eyes, reminiscent of the visual poetry in Terrence Malick’s “Tree of Life” and Ernest Hemingway’s “The Old Man and the Sea.” Rarely are such stories ever captured on film with such finesse and grace in the narrative form, and such stories are almost never brought to life in the documentary genre.

Not every film at Tribeca is “Wavumba,” however, as the festival has a tendency to include lesser movies. “Jack and Diane” is a case where the audience must wonder just how this terrible work got selected as a competition film.

Bradley Rust Gray’s film about a summer lesbian love affair replaces the parts of indie romances that are worth caring about with strange lupine interludes. Yes, there are some-

Although the Tribeca Film Festival has never quite been up to par in terms of quality with other festivals like Sundance, it has always displayed a wide spectrum of perspectives.

“Wavumba” is one such film that earns the festival its reputation of encouraging diversity. “Wavumba” was quite possibly the best film at this year’s festival. The documentary deserved to win the award for Best New Documentary Director for Jeoren van Velzen’s stunning story. Van Velzen tells the fascinating spiritual journey of Masoud, an elderly fisherman in a small African island community who wants to catch one big shark before the rainy season begins.

how werewolves involved in the narrative. How they mesh with the love story is beyond even the most astute viewers.

Not even decent performances from Juno Temple and Riley Keough as the title protagonists could save this mess. “Jack and Diane” is the most disappointing film of the festival — it is a tangled mess that unfortunately came to light because of its star power.

With films like “Jack and Diane,” one must wonder how Tribeca selects its films, but with films like “Wavumba,” one must still have faith in the festivals’s diamonds in the rough.

Alex Greenberger is a staff writer.

Email him at film@nyunews.com.

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The New York Times Syndication Sales Corporation 620new Eighth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10018 The york times crossword & daily sudoku For Information Call: 1-800-972-3550 For Release Thursday, May 03, 2012

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54

58

67

68

35

36 40

45 48

55 59

63

31

39 44

46

66

8

14

16

41

No. 0329

49 56

60

57 61

62

64

69

65 70

71

72

73

74

75

Puzzle by Milo Beckman

33 Puerto Rico, e.g.

35 Come from ___ 38 “Woe is me!”

40 Handy sort?

41 It can be dunked 42 Soak 43 Electrician’s alloy 44 Kind of power 48 Commence hostilities

50 Push back further 51 Demonstrates 52 Takes care of 54 Ate like a bird 56 Waikiki wear 59 Slip on 61 ___ Mawr

64 An apple with a bite out of it, for one 66 Nail 67 Pooh pal 68 Blue state?

69 Two-time opponent of 32Across 70 Org. for Agassi

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nyunews.com | Thursday, may 3, 2012 | Washington Square news

OPINION

edited by olivia gonzalez opinion@nyunews.com

French politics

Sarkozy bears burden of establishing his value

By Sameer Jaywant

PARIS — Nicolas Sarkozy is running out of options. The current President of the French Republic, who has faced a grueling first term and an uphill battle for reelection, came in second place in the first round of the elections.

For the first time in the history of the Fifth Republic, the incumbent does not hold the pole position going into the head-to-head second round, an ominous indicator that Sarkozy might become a one-term president. His nemesis, François Hollande of the Parti Socialiste, garnered approximately 1 million more votes and 28 percent of the overall electorate — compared to 27 percent for Sarkozy. Opinion polls show Hollande leading the president 55 percent to 45 percent in a matchup like the one that will take place on May 8. Nonetheless, the race is not over, and Sarkozy still has a few cards left to play, including his trump card — himself.

First, he needs to capitalize on the 15 million first-round votes cast for smaller party candidates who are now out of the running. A common French saying around election time

is “Dans le premier tour, le peuple choisi leur candidat: dans le deuxième, leur president,” which translates to, “In the first round, the people vote for their preferred candidates. In the second, they choose their president.” The implications of this are large — Sarkozy must convince the 45 percent of the electorate that did not vote for either him or Hollande that he is their best choice, a tough sell to the French people, many of whom are disillusioned with the perceived “politics as usual” nature of the two lead candidates and who might choose a third route — abstention.

The task is not impossible, however, as some voting patterns from the first round could bode well for the president. Most importantly, the race for third place, which had been bitterly contested between far-left, populist candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon and extreme-right, xenophobic candidate Marine Le Pen, was decisively won by Le Pen. One unlikely but potentially game-changing move for the president would be to win the endorsement of Le Pen for the second round, a call to arms that would decisively swing the vote in his favor.

Finally, and somewhat counter intuitively, Sarkozy needs to take full advantage of the most crucial aspect of his campaign — himself. Hollande has been strategically running an anti-Sarkozy campaign, which has been largely successful to this point but which also shows major exploitable weaknesses. Hollande has had to consistently remain vague on his policy proposals, choosing to rehash principles of the Socialist Party into indirect hints at what his presidency would entail instead of laying out a socially and economically responsible — but less popular — plan to the French people. Sarkozy must find a way to effectively communicate the implications of a Hollande victory to his people. He needs to compare himself to Hollande, a vague sketch of a politician who has promised an economic paradox: increasing public-sector jobs as well as education spending while simultaneously balancing the budget by 2017. In the final stretch of a historic election, Sarkozy’s most unpopular facets could end up giving him the edge he so desperately needs.

Sameer Jaywant is a foreign correspondent.

Email him at opinion@nyunews.com.

SELF-DISCOVERY

Senior reflection: Experimentations in Autobiography

By Frankie Wofford

As I finish four years of education at NYU, I have been reflecting on the courses I benefited most from.

There was one class in particular that changed the way I approached my life, called Experimentations in Autobiography taught by Laura Levine. I sought out some of her past students to hear what they had to say, and they, too, had similar stories.

The class requires handing in 15 to 20 pages of writing each week. I am dyslexic, therefore writing terrifies me. One 20-page paper at the end of the semester is scary enough. What was I thinking? My mother, adviser and close friends who knew I was dyslexic told me this class would kill me, but each person I talked to who had taken Levine’s class said the same things: “It changed my life,” or “The best class at NYU, by far.”

I misspell everything and consistently and unknowingly switch words around like, “Will you please pass the syrup maple.” As you might

SUBMITTING TO

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have guessed, I was always self-conscious about how my brain works differently than most people. I think visually, therefore, I translate images into the foreign language called words.

Levine’s whole technique is summed up in the word abundance.

When she was in graduate school she struggled with writer’s block because she only wanted to produce perfect work. She then learned a technique where you simply write, write and write, without editing yourself. Then you can go back, find the diamonds in the rough and expand on what could be a page or sentence or even a word that inspires you.

The 15 to 20 pages a week became easy. When editing of the self does not occur, and writing about anything inspirational the pages fly.

I began to remember things about my past which would have most likely been lost forever. Another girl in the class found her old journals and would flip through the pages to find moments to expand on.

The two things a student must be warned about for this class are Levine’s strict attendance policy, and that once you get into the flow of this class, you will not want to stop, thus making study time for your other classes nearly non-existent.

This is coming from a person who had never taken a writing class before, who would do anything to get out of papers and who had no confidence in language-based eloquence whatsoever.

Levine helped me, somewhat, undo the sterility college inculcates us with. In a class of about 20 students we saw each person’s essence, by being encouraged to bring their embraced self forward. Not one person had similar writing styles, and every person affected me differently — and brilliantly. It really does sound cheesy, but you know how when you see someone’s journal, you have a burning desire to read it? Imagine, suddenly, you could.

Frankie Wofford is a contributing columnist.

Email him at opinion@nyunews.com.

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Staff Editorial

NFL must provide better care to retired players

Despite the NBA and NHL playoffs’ recent kick off, it was the National Football League that dominated sports headlines yesterday.

In the morning, the league announced the suspensions of four current and former New Orleans Saints’ players who took part in the team’s bounty program in which injuring opposing players was monetarily incentivized. The lengths of the suspensions — including an entire season for defensive captain Jonathan Vilma — seem to be primarily concerned with sending a message for future players.

A few hours prior to the suspensions, the NFL announced that 12-time Pro Bowler and future Hall of Fame linebacker Junior Seau was found dead in his home, reportedly from a gunshot wound to the chest in what police are currently calling a suicide.

Although seemingly unrelated, these events are inextricably linked to the league’s role in promoting current and former player health and safety. Commissioner Roger Goodell has made statement after statement stressing his desire to prioritize player safety. But Goodell’s actions do not match the promise of his words.

Life expectancy among NFL veterans is remarkably lower than the national average. Also Alzheimer’s Disease, bipolar disorder and depression are seen in much higher rates among NFL veterans. The health benefits players receive are not enough to combat the effects of concussions and other brain injuries sustained on the field of play.

Yes, the bounty was disgusting. But trying to get rid of violence in the NFL is like trying to get rid of trans fat in donuts. By its very nature, football is incredibly violent. If Goodell means the words he speaks, he would invest more in providing retired players the proper welfare that they need. He would not be making a concerted effort to extend the NFL season to an 18-game, rather than 16-game, season. He would accept the correlation between concussions in players and the sport he oversees and would be attempting to combat it by improving equipment and medical care.

It should not take a bounty program or a former star’s tragic suicide for the NFL to wake up and do more to promote player safety because the players, who are the foundation of the NFL’s revenue, have deserved it all along.

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 | Thursday, may 3, 2012 | nyunews.com

SPORTs

edited by daniel hinton sports@nyunews.com

Shortened NBA regular season filled with drama, surprises

By Sebastien Van Heyningen The shortened NBA regular season has already ended and now the playoffs are off to a quick start. While the top eight teams in each conference battle each other in the first round and the lottery teams prepare for the upcoming draft, WSN reviews one of the most entertaining regular seasons in recent memory and hands out some special awards to those players that have truly impacted 2011-2012 season.

Nowhere to go but Up Award: the Charlotte Bobcats The Bobcats only won seven of 66 games for a winning percentage of 10.6 — the worst in NBA history. That means the Bobcats are statistically the worst team to ever play in the NBA. Ironically, franchise majority owner Michael Jordan can now boast that he has had a heavy hand in both the best — ’95 to ’96 Chicago Bulls — and worst — ’11 to ’12 Bobcats — teams to ever grace an NBA court. The team did not look historically bad coming into the season, but injuries and a shortened training camp doomed the Bobcats, who now have nowhere to go but up from the lowest of lows.

Biggest Headache Award: Dwight Howard (center, Orlando Magic) LeBron James had The Decision on July 8, 2010, and Howard ruined his image by holding the Magic hostage with Indecision 2012. Howard came into this year with the ability to opt out of his contract at the end of the season. Next season was not soon enough though, so he demanded a trade at the end of 2011 only to change his mind a few weeks later. At the trade deadline, Howard decided to stay on the Magic for one more year, waiving his opt-out clause after a day — a decision that pitted him against Mitt Romney for the most flip-flops in a career.

Not one to leave the spotlight easily, Howard demanded another trade, called for his coach to be fired and sat out the rest of the season to remedy a medical problem he had been playing with all year. Grow up, Dwight, before it is too late to save what popularity you have left.

Heart and Soul Award: Greg Stiemsma (center, Boston Celtics) This is the antithesis to the Biggest Headache award. It goes to a player who performed well all year, battled through adver-

sity and gained a large following among fans.

This season’s Heart and Soul award has to go to Stiemsma.

The Stiemer’s rookie season came after extended stints in Turkey, South Korea and the NBA D-League. He was brought in to help a Celtics team that could not rebound or defend the rim earlier in the season. On December 28, 2011, Greg came off the bench for his first NBA action. He played 20 minutes and recorded six blocks.

The block party continued all year and only Oklahoma City Thunder center Serge Ibaka has averaged more blocks per 48 minutes than Stiemsma. Keep in mind, this is a player who never averaged more than 12 minutes per game while attending the University of Wisconsin, but now he plays almost 15 minutes each night for a legitimate contender to reach the NBA Finals.

To add to his legacy, Stiemsma has battled injuries all year and is currently playing on a bruised foot in the Celtics’ first-round series against the Atlanta Hawks.

Sebastien Van Heyningen is a staff writer. Email him at sports@nyunews.com.

Courtesy of Keith Allison

Dwight Howard announced in March that he will not opt out of his contract and stay with Orlando Magic.