NYU’s Daily Student Newspaper
WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS Vol. 40, No. 27
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012
NYU releases admission rates for New York, Abu Dhabi NYU NY
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CLASS OF 2015 CLASS OF 2016
NYU AD
TOTAL NUMBER OF APPLICANTS
TOTAL NUMBER OF STUDENTS ACCEPTED
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By JAEWON KANG NYU saw a modest change in the acceptance rate for the class of 2016, its fifth consecutive year of receiving a record-breaking number of applications. NYU NEW YORK According to the Office of Ad-
missions, NYUNY offered admission to about 35 percent of almost 43,000 applicants. This marks approximately two percent increase from last year’s 33 percent admit rate for the class of 2015. This year, the university implemented several changes in its admissions process. For the first time, applicants were required
Professor unveils Utopia to modern readers By JONATHAN KESHISHOGLOU When Sir Thomas More wrote “Utopia” in the 16th century, he envisioned a perfect society, built on openness and transparency. Gallatin professor Stephen Duncombe is bringing More’s ideas — and text — into the 21st century with “Open Utopia,” an open-access, online edition of More’s book. Duncombe created the site as an innovative way to read, understand and interact with “Utopia.” “The guiding principle of More’s society [in ‘Utopia’] was that all property should be common property, so ... by making it easily downloadable from the
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site, I’ve done my best to honor this ideal,” Duncombe said. Duncombe had the idea for the site several years ago when he was asked to teach a seminar on political imagination at Moscow
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to indicate their primary choice of campus — either New York or Abu Dhabi. Shawn Abbott, assistance vice president of admissions, told WSN last December that the university made this change to better illustrate the portal campus structure of the university. About 96 percent of applicants
to NYUNY selected the New York campus as their primary choice of interest. This number includes students who applied exclusively to NYUNY. The remainder selected NYUNY as their alternate choice of campus to NYU Abu Dhabi.
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New York green policies at new low By ANDREW KARPAN
The Environmental Advocates of New York issued their annual Voters’ Guide, naming 2012 as one of the worst in recent years for the state’s environment. The guide divided all of the proposed bills regarding environmental problems from 2012 into Super Bills, Tree Bills and Smokestack Bills. The guide defines the Super Bills as those that should be legislative priorities, Tree Bills as those that will benefit New York’s environment if passed and Smokestack Bills as those that may cause harm to New York’s environment if passed. It also includes a summary of all the bills, how far each bill was able to reach in the legislative process and the votes of all the assembly and senate members. The report pointed to 2012 as one of the worst years for New York with the reasoning that the state passed three Smokestack Bills in Congress and failed to
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Outside the box, inside the Square
By DYLAN JARRETT Pedestrians at Washington Square Park are bound to see a variety performers. From dancers and pianists to singers, there is always something to watch. Twice a year, however, you can walk through the park and see something special — a full-length performance of a Shakespeare play. Shakespeare in the Square, NYU’s student-run Shakespeare company, has been presenting the Bard’s plays in the park for two years. The troupe has performed both comedies and tragedies, making them available to NYU’s student body and the general public. Their next production, “Romeo and Juliet,” will be performed on Oct. 27 and 28.
Shakespeare in the Square was created two years ago by Dan Hasse and Rose Bochner, who is also one of the producers of this year’s “Romeo and Juliet” rendition. The company’s goal is to present Shakespeare in an outdoor setting, giving everyone who walks through Washington Square access to the show. The troupe includes approximately 15 students, working as actors, designers, directors and crew. Any NYU student is able to audition for the biannual productions. “That’s a thing we like to stress,” Hasse said. “Even though this is a Shakespeare company, anyone can audition.” This emphasis on inclusiveness is the driving force within the company. Their intention is to break down the separation
between audience members and the players. “The whole point is being with the audience, and we’ve found that Shakespeare works best when the actor really uses the audience to his advantage,” said company co-director and Tisch junior Noam Tomaschoff. Both Hasse and Tomaschoff cited this as one of the most amazing parts of their production of the play. Tomaschoff said it will attract passersby. “During the Capulet ball, the men in the cast are going to be asking women on stage to dance with them,” he added. These components are missing in ordinary proscenium stage, which is the type of theater setup where the main part
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Oct. 18, 7 p.m. Skirball Center for the Performing Arts | 566 Laguardia Place
Oct. 19, 5 p.m. What Goes Around Comes Around | 440 Lafayette St. at Astor Place
The Academy of American Poets is hosting its 6th Annual Poets Forum, a three-day series featuring more than 30 contemporary American poets. Today the forum kicks off with the Poets Forum Chancellors Reading, which offers a rare opportunity to hear readings by 15 of the most acclaimed poets of our day.
This vintage and new clothing store is hosting a students-only shopping event. Students with a valid ID will receive 20 percent off. For those who cannot make it to the event on Friday, the store sale will continue through Sunday. RSVP to astor@whatgoesaroundnyc.com.
LEVY, SEBASTIEN VAN HEYNINGEN multimedia GLORIA LEE, JONATHAN TAN foreign correspondent
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POETS FORUM
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Oct. 20, 2 - 4 p.m. Washington Square Park
SCAVENGER HUNT
HappyDoll.org, a nonprofit that helps connect children around the world, is hosting a scavenger hunt this Saturday. The participation fee is $20, but expect cotton candy, popcorn and great prizes. All profits benefit HappyDoll.org. RSVP at info@happydoll.org.
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Kicked out of the pool but not off the dance floor
After making a video spoof of the song “Gangnam Style,” 14 lifeguards from the El Monte Aquatic Center in Southern California were fired. Pool supervisors claimed that the lifeguards broke a policy regarding misuse of a city pool. Their video, “Lifeguard Style,” has more than two million views on YouTube. The lifeguards have also received support on Facebook from rapper PSY, the original creator of “Gangnam Style.” The mayor of El Monte, Andre Quintero, suggested that the lifeguards be rehired. Other council members have not objected to the mayor’s suggestion. — NBC NEWS
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Harvard Law School to conduct interviews over Skype — THE HARVARD CRIMSON
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A model at NY Fashion Week on the runway at the Zang Toi Spring 2013 collection show.
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FRANCIS POON 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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Green advocates name 2012 one of worst years in environmental legislation pass any Super Bills. It also stated that both houses of the Legislature passed fewer bills this year than in any year since at least 1914. “For the first time, since 2006, not a single Super Bill was signed into law,” said Saima Anjam, government affairs program associate for the Environmental Advocates. “Bills like the ‘Global Warming Pollution Control Act,’ which would place limits on [carbon dioxide] emissions and an amendment that would close a loophole on hazardous waste disposal all passed in the Assembly but died in the State Senate.” David Frank, a NYU assistant professor of bioethics, also said 2012 was generally a bad year for environmental politics. “Politicians and the broader public discourse focused almost exclusively on immediate economic problems, often doing little in response to these while also ignoring long-term and short-term environmental concerns,” Frank said. Gallatin senior Robert Raymond said it is unfortunate that the government does not recognize the long-term consequences of current environmental issues. “People need to understand how grave the problems are,” he said.
The Voters’ Guide also scored every member of the New York State Legislature based on the bills they supported or opposed. It named Assemblyman and State Senate candidate Sean Hanna of Mendon, a Rochester suburb, as the winner of their Oil Slick Award, giving him the lowest score out of all the assembly and senate members. The guide also stated that he has opposed all bills that would limit greenhouse gas pollution in New York. “He’s voted against every bill we’ve supported and for almost every bill we’re against,” Anjam said. Hanna, currently a Republican member on the State Assembly’s Environmental Conservation Committee and a former regional director of the Department of Environmental Conservation under Governor Pataki, questioned the validity of the scoring. “[The Environmental Advocates of New York is] comprised of fringe Democrat activists, and they hurt the environmental cause by alienating entire populations of reasonable people,” Hanna said in a statement. COURTESY OF ED YOURDON
New York suffers from lack of pollution policies.
Teens avoid sex talk with parents, study finds By TANAY HUDSON Sex is usually a taboo topic between family members, but not in the Donath household. “My children did and still do, at 26 and 29, talk to me about sex,” said Robin Donath, a professor for the School of Social Work. “We had many conversations, some with my daughter alone, and some with my son, but many of the conversations were during dinner.” Donath’s testament of open conversation between parents and their children about sex echoes a sentiment from a recent study. The NYU Center for Latino Adolescent and Family Health, in collaboration with Planned Parenthood and Family Circle Magazine, conducted a national survey that focused on communication between teens and parents about sex and sexual health. The survey, which was released Oct. 2, revealed that teens are less comfortable than their parents when having these conversations and that parents need to discuss pregnancy and STD prevention more often with their teenage children. The participants included 2,000 parents and teens. Donath’s children go against the norm that the survey implies, as she explains that her daughter began questioning her about sex since the age of three. “I have to add that my daughter went to an all-girls school where they taught them to put condoms on [using a banana] starting in fifth grade, and her school was the first in New York City to provide condoms in the nurses office for the girls to take without any questions asked,” Donath said. “Both my children had environments that were supportive about discussing sex openly.” The survey was commissioned in support of Let’s Talk Month, which is a part of a national effort targeted at supporting communication between parents and their teens about sex. “Our hope is that we can reach parents of teens and assist their efforts in raising healthy teens,” said Dr. Vincent Guilamo-Ramos, an NYU professor and co-director of CLAFH. “CLAFH wants
what all families want — to ensure that teens remain healthy, avoid unplanned pregnancies, do well in school and work towards a productive future.” According to the survey, 42 percent of the parents claimed that they have discussed how to reject sexual advances with their teens many times, while only 27 percent of the teens agreed with that claim. Furthermore, 34 percent of the teens said they have never spoken to their parents about rejecting sex or did so only once. An even smaller percentage said that they never planned to talk about sex-related topics with their parents in the future. NYU students did not seem surprised about the survey’s findings and can actually relate to them. “I don’t find them surprising at all,” CAS sophomore Alma Gonzalez said. “Most of the time kids have to resort to the Internet to find out info or [to] their health classes [for information] and some health classes don’t go as in depth as they should.” Steinhardt sophomore Jenna Longman concurs with the survey. “I definitely agree with the section that says that they wouldn’t talk to their parents about [sex] because I wouldn’t,” Longman said. Donath said she cannot relate to these results, saying that her children were very comfortable talking to her about sex and still are at ease discussing the topic. “My kids and I often discuss, sometimes with lots of humor, many of the sex discussions we have had over the years,” she said. “We [also] discuss STD’s as well quite openly. My son comes to me for info as well, much more than he does to his father. They trust that I know the information.” The results of this survey will be used to inform a story that will be featured in Family Circle magazine, whose readership of 13 million is comprised mostly of mothers with teenagechildren. Dr. Guilamo-Ramos said he would be incorporating the results into his teaching as well. Tanay Hudson is a contributing writer. Email her at university@nyunews.com.
Andrew Karpan is a staff writer. Email him at cstate@nyunews.com.
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University sees slight change in acceptance rate for class of 2016 I
found out the day I started spring break senior year. I found out earlier than everyone else since I was awarded the MLK scholarship. It was honestly one of the happiest moments of my life. — DOMINIC DELUQUE, CAS FRESHMAN FROM MIAMI, FLA.
Even though it may seem as if there is no campus at NYU and that people hardly ever get to know other students, I have found that there is in fact, a campus. It may not necessarily be a traditional college campus where everyone attends classes and lives buildings within each other, but there is indeed, a campus around Washington Square Park where most of the classes are held and residence halls no more than a few blocks away. — SOPHIE HSU, STEINHARDT FRESHMAN FROM BURLINGAME, CALIF. I
am a bit of a loner and I was scared the city would have way too many people barging into my life. I am happy with my choice now though. The crowded city offers nice solitude and anonymity that I wouldn’t have at another campus. — NIRA MARTINEZ, LSP FRESHMAN FROM BAYONNE, N.J.
“[The class of 2016] will arguably be the most diverse, at least geographically and ethnically, that we have welcomed in quite sometime,” Abbott said. “In New York, a record-breaking 16 percent of this year’s class will hold passports from outside the United States while the percentage of African-American students and the number of Latino and Latina students are each the largest we have seen in recent history,” he added. In its second year to offer two rounds of Early Decision, NYUNY saw about a four percent decrease in the admittance rate of ED students. Approximately 31 percent of ED applicants were accepted to the university this year. For the first time, students were also able to apply directly to Liberal Studies Program — a two-year program for those who complete the rest of their education in one of NYU’s undergraduate schools. Abbott said that in addition to admitting students who apply directly, the university will likely refer students to LSP if the admissions committee believe they will be a better match for the program. But because of NYU’s policy on not reporting admission data for each school, he said the university will not release data specifically for LSP. NYU ABU DHABI In its third year since welcoming the inaugural class, NYUAD offered admission to 1.3 percent of applicants to the class of 2016. Marking a two percent decrease from last
year’s freshmen class, the rate is one of the most selective among higher education institutions. In comparison, Harvard University’s admittance rate is 5.9 percent while Stanford University’s is 6.6 percent. Of the 15,518 applicants to NYUAD’s class of 2016, about 15 percent of students selected NYUAD as their primary choice of interest. The remainder selected NYUAD as an alternative choice to NYUNY. “We remain gratified, albeit unsurprised, by the growing interest in NYU Abu Dhabi,” said NYUAD spokesman Josh Taylor. “We believe it shows an incredible thirst not just for NYUAD, but for the very notion of the Global Network University, and we are excited to see this grow next year when NYU Shanghai comes online.” To its class of 2016, NYUAD accepted roughly 4 percent of its ED applicants, about double the university’s overall admission rate. Applicants to the class of 2017 will be able to apply to NYU Shanghai, which is scheduled to open for the fall 2013 term. Students will have the option of expressing interest in one, two or three campuses, Abbott said. The application went live on July 1 and is due by Nov. 1 for ED I applicants and by Jan. 1 for ED II and Regular Decision applicants. Jaewon Kang is managing editor. Email her at jkang@nyunews.com.
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WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012 | NYUNEWS.COM
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Subway station becomes site for architectural exhibition
WHAT’S IN YOUR BAG?
By PAIGE BROTT
Over the next month, traveling through the West 4th Street subway station will be a stunning visual experience. As you swipe through the turnstile, “Design by New York,” a design and architecturefocused exhibition, awaits. “Design by New York” is the American Institute of Architects New York Chapter and The Center for Architecture’s annual member showcase. The exhibition includes photographs of 188 architectural projects designed by New Yorkbased architects. The exhibition is part of Archtober, New York City’s Architecture and Design month-long festival, which includes lectures, building of the day tours, exhibitions and programs. This display is inspired by station domination, an advertising strategy companies use to promote their products in subway stations. Instead of publicizing consumer goods, “Design by New York” creates a marketing campaign for groundbreaking design and focuses on the creative talent of New York-based architects. Established architects submitted their projects based on their emotional and personal connection to them. Projects of all scales and from all over world are represented, including schools, memorials, transportation structures, retail spaces, conceptual designs and cultural institutions. Rick Bell, executive director of AIA New York, said the subway station serves as the perfect location to incorporate design into the public domain. “Having six different lines
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Brea Mosley is always prepared in Southern California style. By BRIA MARIETTE
COURTESY OF CENTER FOR ARCHITECTURE
The West 4th Street subway station is now home to a photo exhibit. coming from and leading to different parts of the city attracts a diverse group of people, complementing the diversity of buildings [and] cities, around the country and from all over the world displayed in the show,” he said. The selection process for the work included in the exhibit was entirely democratic and inclusive. “No curator said ‘no’ to any project,” Bell said. Photographs that stand out in the exhibition include those of the Aurora House in Oregon, designed by contributing architect Andrew Heid. Heid’s work is dedicated to the radical exploration of nature, ecology and urbanism through innovative architecture. CAS sophomore Raka Sen, who is studying urban design and architecture, appreciates
the concept behind “Design by New York.” “I think this concept of incorporating design into everyday life and public domain is really great,” Sen said. “The modern architect doesn’t receive that much credit unless they are among the highest in the upper echelon of architects.” To visit “Design by New York,” enter at the station at the corner of West 3rd Street and 6th Avenue. The exhibition is free with subway admission and will be on display through Nov. 4. For a complete guide to Archtober events, visit www. archtober.org or stop by the Center For Architecture at 536 Laguardia Place. Paige Brott is a staff writer. Email her at features@nyunews.com.
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Gallatin professor creates online, interactive version of Sir Thomas More’s ‘Utopia’ State University. He reread “Utopia” in preparation for the course and reached a different understanding than he had in the past. “I didn’t read ‘Utopia’ as a plan for a new society, but instead I understood it as a prompt for getting readers to imagine new societies on their own,” Duncombe said. “I came to realize that ‘Utopia’ is ... an open work.” Duncombe’s website includes a feature called Social Book, which was implemented with the help of the Institute for the Future of the Book, an organization focused on the future of books in the digital age. With Social Book, readers can add their own notes and ideas into the margins of the text for others
users to read and discuss. Along with Social Book, users of Open Utopia can express their ideas through Wikitopia, a wiki site designed specifically for “Utopia.” The site serves as a platform for collective authorship. “Readers become writers, drafting individual and collective new visions of Utopian societies,” Duncombe said. Users have the option of creating a utopia of their own, which have lead to personal web pages like Promethealand and Techtopia. Users can edit and add to other users’ utopias, an option that keeps with More’s principle of all property, including ideas, belonging to the community.
“Open Utopia” includes audio book and e-book versions of More’s text, along with several other formats. The site also contains videos, pictures and maps that enhance the experience of “Utopia,” with more content being added regularly. “I like the way this [‘Open Utopia’] takes advantage of the inherently collaborative nature of new media,” said Gallatin freshman Leor Freedman, who has used the site. “Open Utopia” is available at theopenutopia.org. Jonathan Keshishoglou is a staff writer. Email him at features@nyunews.com.
Brea Mosley is a stylish CAS sophomore pursuing a double major in journalism and politics. Mosley, an active member of the NYU community, is a college leader in the College of Arts and Science College Cohort Program. She dedicates one day every other week to speaking with a group of freshmen, and she works with an academic adviser to plan events for the group throughout the semester. She can be spotted around campus with an oversized black tote bag, which contains the essentials to get her through the day. 1 LOS ANGELES LAKERS HEADPHONES Mosley carries around a pair of purple, gold and white headphones, which she often uses on the subway. While tuning out the noise on the train, she also remains true to her West Coast roots by supporting her favorite team, the Lakers. 2
POST-IT NOTES Mosley always carries miniature
yellow Post-it notes in her bag. She uses them throughout the day to jot down ideas for events and biweekly activities for her freshman group. The Post-its help Mosley stay organized and efficient. 3
MAYBELLINE LIP STAIN Like most girls, Mosley wants to stay looking good all day long. A pink Maybelline lip stain is a staple in Mosley’s bag. Because the product lasts for 16 hours, she only has to apply it once in the morning. 4
SOCKS Perhaps the most peculiar thing that can be found in Mosley’s bag is a pair of socks. She keeps them in her bag in case she ever goes to visit a friend. Since Mosley prefers to take her shoes off when she is in someone else’s home but does not like to walk around barefoot, she is always prepared with an extra pair. Bria Mariette is a contributing writer. Email her at features@nyunews.com.
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Places to catch fall’s transforming leaves
By PRIYA KAMDAR When Starbucks puts the Pumpkin Spice Latte back on the menu, there is no doubt that it is finally fall. Along with all of the pumpkins, scarves and warm drinks, the changing of the season ushers in the gorgeous transformation of leaves. While New York City may not be the most obvious place to experience fall foliage, there are quite a few stunning sites worth exploring. Here are the top five spots to take in the autumn leaves. FORT GREENE PARK Frequently visited by poet Walt Whitman in the 19th century, this is one of Brooklyn’s oldest and loveliest parks. Home to almost 40 different kinds of trees, this park is the perfect place for any nature lover. Be sure to follow the Tree Trail, a marked pathway with helpful descriptions of the wide range of foliage. The peak time to see the leaves change here is the last week in October through the first week in November. PROSPECT PARK A 585-acre oasis in the heart of Brooklyn, this park is another masterpiece by Frederick Law Olmstead and Calvert Vaux, the same architects who designed Central Park. The sugar maples across the south side of the 60acre lake are some of the first to change to a brilliant orange in the fall. A bonus: The reflection of the trees in the ponds and lake creates a beautiful effect.
THE NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN Whether you walk, take the garden’s tram or canoe, The New York Botanical Garden offers 50 acres of beautiful views. With more than 30,000 trees, many approximately 200 years old, the botanical garden has a unique selection for any visitor. Take a look at the What’s Beautiful Now section under the Garden and Plants tab on the garden’s website before heading over and exploring. WAVE HILL Located on the Hudson River in the Bronx, Wave Hill is a 28-acre public garden and cultural center. The park is perfect for walks full of beautiful scenery. Check out the Notable Trees section of the website before heading over to see a select group of special trees in their gardens. Peak viewing time is the last week in October through the first week in November. EMPIRE STATE BUILDING For a unique view of the city’s foliage, head up to the 86th or 102nd floor of the Empire State Building. Both floors feature panoramic views, perfect for seeing miles of changing trees. There is an additional fee for the 102nd floor, but the scenic perspective from the top deck makes the price worth it. Priya Kamdar is a contributing writer. Email her at features@nyunews.com.
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New exhibition displays architecture that could have been By ALYSSA NOUD To witness the exhibition “Past Futures, Present, Futures” in action, visitors to the Storefront for Art and Architecture gallery need only walk by. The interactive installation is a presentation of the last 200 years of the architectural proposals in New York City. Using the designs of invited architects and artists, the exhibition seeks to recreate some of Manhattan’s unrealized architectural projects and provide an alternative idea of the city’s future. Artists, architects, writers and policy-makers have re-enacted 101 design proposals for the city to create a depiction of what the architectural future could have been. Past proposals will be on display between Oct. 6 and Oct. 26. Beginning Oct. 26, the exhibit will add re-enactments of the past projects. By the end of the exhibition, a total of 202 architectural designs will be on display. Because the original projects never materialized, the artists and architects are free to reimagine a utopian space and time for their reconstructions. “The exhibition is a machine to create the desire for a better future,” said Eva French, curator for the exhibition. “It pushes the boundaries of technology, legibility and materiality to create a totally new experience about what it is to go into a historical exhibition and what one takes from it.” The gallery features sensorial spaces, or makeshift rooms where television screens show images of the futuristic architectural designs. The rooms include mirrored blinds, each dedicated to a year in the past. When flipped over, the panels reveal contextual information about New York, Western culture and the world in relation to the year on the panel. There is no predetermined order to the unveiling of the panels so visitors witness the projects, along with the expression of time, in a disruptive manner. “Past Futures” is not static — it is constantly growing as time passes. “The contextual information and the images
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Architects display innovative designs for the city. that the architects produced for the text are somehow related to a certain time and shows that this time is not exactly linear, but rather juxtaposed,” Minguez-Carrasco said. To truly grasp the concept of the exhibition, Minguez-Carrasco recommends that viewers stay for at least one hour. It is not until viewing the exhibition in full that one can begin to make connections between the past, present and future. The idea is for each individual to create their own way of understanding the utopian desires of each project and create their own context for understanding a redefined history. “[The exhibition] was really different and unique,” said Stern freshman Yana Sinkevich. “The design and technology made it captivating in a way and made me feel like I was transported to the future where these projects were real.” “Past Futures, Present, Futures” is on display at Storefront for Art and Architecture, 97 Kenmare St., through Nov. 24. Alyssa Noud is a staff writer. Email her at features@nyunews.com.
NYU student starts summer camp for finding inner beauty
By CARRIE COUROGEN
Are you going to be fabulous today, or are you going to let everything else get in the way? It’s a question Gallatin senior Lauren Berninger poses for many young girls struggling with self-esteem and confidence issues. It’s also a question she often asks herself. Berninger is the founder and director of Finding the Fabulous, a summer camp and monthly outreach program helping girls ages eight to 12 find their inner beauty and build confidence. Growing up as a pastor’s daughter in Lincoln Park, N.J., Berninger said she often found herself surrounded by the children of her community. She heard younger girls frequently discuss problems with dieting and the desire for the ideal bikini body. Troubled by the dangers associated with negative body image, Berninger began researching. She discovered that 70 percent of girls will avoid normal daily activities, such as going to school, if they don’t feel good about the way they look. “It just knocked me over,” Berninger said. When she was 18, Berninger founded a week-long summer camp with intensive workshops to explore these issues.
After beginning with just 12 campers, Finding the Fabulous has now grown to host approximately 60 girls. A monthly Fabulous Sisterhood outreach program touches an extra few hundred each year. In 2013, Berninger will launch the Fabulous Ambassador program to spread the camp’s message across the country and welcome the inaugural camp’s graduates back as counselors. Berninger said she has learned just as much from the girls as they do from her. “It’s given me a confidence that I can impart to these girls and say ‘Don’t let anyone tell you differently. Your ideas are worth something and there is value to that,’” she said. Berninger has worked closely with Gallatin Writing Program director and professor Dr. June Foley, who helped Berninger complete a guidebook for camp counselors as an independent study project. “She’s an extraordinary young woman with vision, and what’s even rarer, the ability follow through and bring a project to fruition and even develop it over time,” Foley said. In addition to serving as director of Finding the Fabulous, Berninger commutes daily from New Jersey and works five days
a week for women’s media brand ClaudiaChan.com, which is a site dedicated to informing, inspiring and igniting women to have positive feelings about themselves. “It’s a lot of making lists,” Berninger said about keeping her schedule orderly. “I have lists everywhere, in my pocket, on my computer, on my phone, taped to my wall. And at the end of the day, I just always tell myself, ‘you can handle it.’” Studying at Gallatin helps, too. The opportunity to apply schoolwork to her real-world pursuits attracted her to the school and makes balancing school and Finding the Fabulous more rewarding. After graduation, Berningner plans to continue working on Finding the Fabulous and to pursue a Master’s degree in poetry. “It’s going to take sacrifice. I’m not going to be bringing home a huge paycheck at the end of every week, but right now that’s OK,” she said. “I think it’s important enough, and I think other people will see its importance and want to get involved with that.” Carrie Courogen is a senior editor. Email her at ccourogen@nyunews.com.
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WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012 | NYUNEWS.COM
THE NEW TIMES The New York TimesYORK Syndication Sales Corporation CROSSWORD & DAILY SUDOKU 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10018 For Information Call: 1-800-972-3550 For Thursday, October 18, 2012
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Across Blather Q1 Ignores the teleprompter Q2 109 acres, for Vatican City Lords … or subjects Over there Musical interlude Q3 Fancy basketball scores Florida city, informally Fighter of pirates, in brief British interjection “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” libation Awaited someone’s arrival before going to bed
28 Get back on the horse 30 Only Semitic language that’s an official language of the European Union 32 Trypanosomiasis transmitter 33 Member of the singing Winans family 34 Blood-___ 35 Q4 38 Corrode 41 Currency exchange premium 42 Fits 46 Accuse formally 48 Reliable profit center 49 Q5 50 Early wielder of a bow and arrow 52 One of the Nereids in Greek myth
ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE L I A R O N M E T H U M O L I D U E T E S T N E S S T M E A G I N G E N D E N E O E R R S V A S E A L E X
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38 Linda who married Paul McCartney 39 Bedroom piece 40 Company newbie 43 Beat, journalistically 44 Visual olio 45 Smitten with 47 Rations
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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 | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS
OPINION
EDITED BY CHRIS DINARDO OPINION@NYUNEWS.COM
ELECTION STAFF EDITORIAL
Voter ID laws stifling democracy By PADMINI PARTHASARATHY My parents are immigrants. They shouldered the burden of taxes and student loans and waited in long lines in dingy, bureaucratic offices to become American citizens. My father takes civic participation to heart and goes to the ballot box every year on a chilly November day to participate in democracy. But today it feels like people’s voices are lost more than ever in the din of partisanship. Democrats and Republicans alike redraw district lines in the shapes of amoebas and gimpy legs and glock pistols to muffle voices. Money talks. Voter intimidation is at an all-time high as unauthorized people stand near ballot boxes, claiming to “True the Vote.” According to a study done by the Department of Justice, only 26 people out of 197 million voters were convicted of or plead guilty to voter fraud from 2002 to 2005. It is a non-issue that has been made an issue for political gain. Lawmakers in Pennsylvania have cited fraud as a reason for disenfranchising voters whom cannot present photo identification at the polls. This disproportionately affects students, the elderly and those below the poverty line, many of whom could not have obtained a valid ID in time for the election.
More efforts were being made in Ohio to curb early voting, which again, disenfranchises those who cannot afford to leave work on Election Day. The Supreme Court struck down those efforts yesterday. In this case, the Democrats favored early voting because it was politically advantageous. Even though they claim moral high ground, I have no doubt in my mind that if the situation was reversed, they would go to the same lengths to prevent early voting. Politics is a grab for power and then a fierce protection of that position for as long as it is institutionally allowed. People wonder why voter turnout is low in this country. They wonder why the electorate is apathetic, why young people don’t participate in their democracy. Silly questions, all of them. Even I, a relatively political young person, sometimes see the whole thing as futile. My vote will be a grain of sand on a beach of votes. Yet not all votes are equal. The votes of the rich and the votes of those who live in certain districts are more valuable and powerful. Why should I bother fighting to make my voice heard when it’s so difficult to do so, and my relative influence is so minute? But this is precisely the point of democracy. I’m fighting for my voice on the
assumption that you are, too. All those grains of sand together form beaches that stretch for miles. And this is why I say — we must fight together. We need to fight and keep fighting to participate in our government. So many have shed blood and sweat for suffrage, because it was their government. It is our government, too. We have a huge stake in these local, state and national elections. Regardless of politics and partisanship, democracy is the people’s struggle to form a more perfect union, a more perfect government. And to do so, we all must play our role. The media must serve as the immune system of government, shedding light on every effort to prevent citizens from voting. The justice system must protect citizens’ rights, as they have done with the recent overruling of both the Pennsylvania voter ID law and the Ohio early voting law. And every citizen must fight and continue to fight to know what is happening and to cast their ballot in November, rain or shine — like my father, who fought so long to do so because he believed this was his country, too. Padmini Parthasarathy is a contributing columnist. Email her at opinion@nyunews.com.
GOVERNMENT
Congressional term limits solution to corruption By IAN MARK In 458 B.C., the Roman Republic was in crisis and losing a war. The government called on Lucius Cincinnatus, a farmer and former politician, to form a dictatorship and lead the war effort. Cincinnatus assembled an army and won the war. He then resigned his command and returned to his farm. Cincinnatus’ story is notable because it is so rare now for politicians to turn down power. Today, more than 60 members of Congress have served more than 20 years each. These long-serving career politicians inevitably lose touch with their electors and become more focused on keeping power than exercising it for their constituents. They have made a career out of running for office; they have made it their job to win elections, not to govern. When the ancient Greeks established their version of democracy, they rotated their entire council of 500 every year. In the Roman Republic that Cincinnatus served so nobly, elected magistrates had terms of one year, after which they could not hold that same office for 10 years. The founding fathers also believed in term limits. When Benjamin Franklin led the writing of Pennsylvania’s constitution, he included a plural executive
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that consisted of 12 citizens who served three years, then were banned from office for four. The fifth article of the Articles of Confederation, the predecessor to the Constitution, states that no one shall serve in Congress more than three years in any six-year period. When the Constitution did not include term limits, George Mason declared, “nothing is so essential to the preservation of a Republican government as a periodic rotation.” Yet here we are in 2012, still with no congressional term limits. This has opened our government to corruption. To win re-election and remain in power, Congressmen need money. In 2010, 85 percent of available House seats and 83 percent of Senate seats went to the candidate that spent the most money. This is where lobbyists come in. A simple quid pro quo arises: In exchange for supporting bills favorable to various lobbyists, Congressmen earn themselves the financial backing of the corporations these lobbyists represent. The result: Congressmen serve the corporations that pay the lobbyists instead of their constituents. Members of the House of Representatives are supposed to represent the districts they come from, but every year they spend working in Washington D.C. is a year away from their constituents. How
can they represent a place they spend so little time in? The solution is simple: Change the law so that elected federal officials may only serve one term. The length of that term should be debatable, but the benefits of this system are not. Officeholders would spend their time actually doing the job they are supposed to, instead of campaigning for another term. Lobbyists would be figuratively neutered, as campaign donations would no longer be a sufficient carrot to hang in front of representatives. Only 16 percent of the country approves of Congress, yet if the 2012 election follows the pattern of the last 30 years, incumbents will win over 90 percent of the seats available. Name recognition and the monetary advantages that come from holding such a high office means most challengers will not be funded by lobbyists, and only a few will receive significant assistance from their party. Instituting a one-term limit for elected officials would help curb corruption, inject new ideas into our national government and break up the chokehold Democrats and Republicans share on seats. Ian Mark is a staff columnist. Email him at opinion@nyunews.com.
Parents, teens need better communication about sex A new study released by NYU’s Center for Latino Adolescent and Family Health demonstrates a surprising reluctance among teenagers to go to their parents to talk about sex. According to the study, just 27 percent of teenagers said they discussed how to reject sexual advances with their parents. What is more surprising is that 42 percent of parents said they had discussed these issues with their teens. Parents and teens are either not communicating at all or they are not communicating well enough to walk away from these discussions with the same ideas. Sexual education is essential for young people, even before the teenage years. Health classes in schools offer important information and support, but teens and adolescents must also discuss these issues with their parents. Talking about sex does make some people uncomfortable — according to the study, 50 percent of teens feel uncomfortable discussing sex with their parents while 19 percent of parents feel uncomfortable. However, early and frequent discussion can easily lead to bringing up issues that would otherwise be awkward and help foster a support system. Although parents may be more than willing to engage their children in an open discussion regarding sex, the timeliness of this discourse is incredibly important. Once their teenage sons and daughters breach the pubescent threshold and enter the realm of awkward adolescence, the opportunity for establishing a candid conversation has passed. If parents wait too long to bring sex talks to the dinner table, their children will become as inhibited and uncomfortable about the topic as they become about their changing bodies, and the subject will become taboo. What exactly the parents talk about is also important. The study showed that most parents address sex and sexuality in some form with their children, but less than a third talk about birth control and sexual orientation. Knowing how the body works and changes is not enough — teens need information about how to prevent unwanted pregnancies and STDs. Furthermore, if they are questioning their sexual orientation, they have to be informed that this is normal. Only an open discourse with parents will make teens eventually feel comfortable coming to them for often much-needed advice on sex. Teens may feel more uncomfortable discussing the issue than parents, but parents are the ones who are responsible for overcoming these barriers with frequent and open conversation.
Email the WSN Editorial Board at editboard@nyunews.com. EDITORIAL BOARD: Chris DiNardo (Chair), Jessica Littman (Co-Chair), Christopher Drake, Sanchay Jain, Sasha Leshner, Peter Murphy, Raquel Woodruff and Richard Zhang.
Send mail to: 838 Broadway, Fifth Floor New York, NY 10003 or email: opinion@nyunews.com WSN welcomes letters to the editor, opinion pieces and articles relevant to the NYU community, or in response to articles. Letters should be less than 150 words. All submissions must be typed or emailed and must include the author’s name, address and phone number. Members of the NYU community must include a year and school or job title.
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NYUNEWS.COM | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS
ARTS
EDITED BY STEFAN MELNYK ARTS@NYUNEWS.COM
Indie favorite John Hawkes returns in fascinating drama By NORA BLAKE Most films featuring a severely disabled protagonist are tear-jerking, heart-wrenching dramas that leave the viewer feeling guilty for his or her own pampered life. But “The Sessions” is a notable exception to this rule. After achieving much critical acclaim from Sundance Film Festival, the movie — based on a true story — involves the trials and tribulations of Mark O’Brien (John Hawkes), a poet and journalist from Berkeley, Calif. O’Brien’s passion lies between the margins of typewritten pages, and despite his easygoing personality and quick wit, his life-long polio affliction has crushed many of his dreams. Confined to an iron lung for breathing support and a special gurney to help him move, O’Brien often loses sight of the fundamental aspects of being human. Hawkes, the indie film master who gained acclaim for his roles in “Winter’s Bone” and “Martha Marcy May Marlene,” succeeds in appealing to the hearts of his viewers but not bogging them down in sappy drama. The secret to his allure emerges in his myriad facial expressions and near-perfect imitation of the real O’Brien’s voice. News clips in the film featuring the reallife O’Brien show just how well Hawkes slips into the timbre of the crippled writer’s voice and the style of his limited movement. Driven by curiosity and courage, O’Brien figuratively takes a leap into the unknown. Asked by a local newspaper to cover a story regarding the
disabled and sexuality, he reflects on his own inexperience. He hires a sex surrogate (Helen Hunt), a professional therapist who assists those who are sexually deficient. With the support of his surrogate family, consisting of his priest, home care aid and therapist, O’Brien discovers a once-dormant aspect of his character. The sessions he embarks on not only allow him to discover his sexual prowess but also help him to accept his present condition and future prospects. Just as Hawkes lights up the screen in his depiction of O’Brien, the supporting cast does an equally superb job in interpreting their characters. Hunt is sweet and helpful as the woman who ultimately opens up O’Brien to new possibilities. Although other aspects of her character, such as her family life, are underdeveloped, the relationship that the character develops with her patient shines. O’Brien’s priest (William H. Macy) and home care aid Vera (Moon Bloodgood) also enhance the story and are perfect complements to O’Brien’s offbeat and charming personality. The viewer never sinks into mere pity for the protagonist, mostly because of his ambitious and heartfelt desire to feel alive again. With the awards season fast approaching, there is little doubt that this film will be featured prominently in many categories. With its masterful handling of a heavy subject, “The Sessions” is a film that will win over its viewers and leave them with rousing inspiration. Nora Blake is a contributing writer. Email her at film@nyunews.com.
French film offers moviegoers unique viewing experience By BOB TEOH After an absence of more than 10 years, French director Leos Carax has returned to the spotlight with his fantastic film “Holy Motors,” a strong contender at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival. Carax’s innovative style makes it difficult to analyze what works and what doesn’t. “Holy Motors” constantly tugs and twists the audience’s perception of what is real, resulting in varied experiences for each viewer. Staged in the stunning city of Paris, the film follows Oscar (Denis Lavant), an enigmatic character whose mysterious job allows him to lead parallel lives and identities. At the back of his limousine, which is driven by his trusted chauffeur, Celine (Edith Scob), Oscar uses makeup, elaborate costumes and props to take on a different persona. He then unleashes himself on Paris, playing out a series of complex, bizarre scenarios. Oscar’s first assignment is an action sequence on a soundstage. Clad in an outlandish green outfit and gruesome latex mask, he takes on the persona of the monstrous Monsieur Merdre and proceeds to wreak havoc on unsuspecting Parisians. Other sequences involve Oscar — now in the role of a gangster — killing a snitch, acting out a deathbed melodrama and providing his shy daughter with life advice. Each vignette is equal parts funny, trippy and outright disturbing. As Oscar reinvents, and in some cases, resurrects himself for every sequence, the film never differentiates between reality and fantasy. Every character seems to be an actor in a play. Even the film’s most static figure, Celine, puts on a mask at the end of the film. Carax invites viewers to see life as a performance. Every day, we wake up and put on a mask for
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Gibbard’s solo album derivative but worthy
COURTESY OF BARSUK RECORDS
By ANDREW KARPAN To say Ben Gibbard dominates his band, Death Cab for Cutie, would be an understatement. He is the band. It is his voice that defines their sound and his downheartedly earnest lyrics that earned them their fans. Gibbard’s debut solo record, “Former Lives,” is not the first time he’s worked without the rest of Death Cab, but it deserves to be given a chance. The record starts out slowly, with declarative tracks like “Dream Song,” which doesn’t sound very different from any of the wellproduced indie-pop-hop Death Cab has done. This is slightly disappointing, as “Dream Song” sounds like an overdone version of Open Door’s “I Was Once a Loyal Lover” but with half of the heart. The lead single, “Teardrop Windows,” does manage to invoke the folk-country music structure that Death Cab would never make. Unfortunately, the diversion stops there and lyrically yields to the typical tearjerker material that follows it, like “Lily” and “Bigger than Love.” The first vaguely memorable cut finally comes with “Something’s Rattling (Cowpoke),” which utilizes horns, catchy guitar picking and harmonized choruses to sound something like Bon Iver
would write, minus any folksybeard emoting. “Lady Adelaide” throws in a few interesting studio-produced touches, but ultimately proves to be an unsuccessful experiment. The more memorable “Duncan, Where Have You Gone?” brings in a grand-guitar psychedelic sleaze. Overall, the stories sound nice and are produced with as much zeal as anything Gibbard has done post-“Plans.” The sounds are nothing new — anyone who hopes for something on the level of Hibbard’s former band, The Postal Service, will be disappointed — and the most novel thing about “Former Lives” lies in the songwriting. Gibbard chooses to tell more defined stories, even if half of them are in a similar style to the band Mewithoutyou’s insomnia style narratives. This is a world away from the ambiguous pining introspection that makes many Death Cab songs feel so typical. Maybe Gibbard is just dumping surplus songs to keep his name alive and busying himself with the next Death Cab album. It is a pity he thought these songs deserved to be dumped. Andrew Karpan is a contributing writer. Email him at music@nyunews.com.
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COURTESY OF LES FILMS DU LOSANGE
the people around us, making us question whether our identity is truly ours. Carax’s use of imagery and sounds is spectacular. From aerial shots of Oscar in an empty cemetery to a close-up of him putting on his makeup to uncomfortable silences and lavish musical numbers, the film presents the character’s life as a spectacle. Lavant’s wonderfully schizophrenic performance is one of the key reasons for the film’s success, demonstrating devotion to each persona as he gracefully sheds and reassumes identities. And yet it is impossible to analyze “Holy Motors” from a distance. The film is an intellectually interactive experience that can take on different meaning depending on the audience. For this unique reason, it is important to see the film with an open mind and a willingness to let your perception be distorted. Bob Teoh is a staff writer. Email him at film@nyunews.com.
Frigid weather cannot stop Square Shakespeare company of the stage is framed. With the late October performance dates, this version of “Romeo and Juliet” may also distinguish itself with a foreseeable presence of rain. However, this troupe knows performing outside carries inherent risks. “Do you remember the blizzard last year?” Hasse asked, referring to the snowstorm last fall. “That was [during] our performance of ‘Macbeth.’” The weather didn’t scare off the audience, though. “We did it ... and people showed up,” said Hasse. But he admitted that they stopped halfway through the performance for the actors’ safety.
The company has learned from the past, and continues to apply its knowledge to each performance. “We built in coats to our wardrobe,” Hasse said about precautions taken to prevent a similar experience this year. “All the costumes have that additional layer if we need it.” “Romeo and Juliet” will be the company’s fifth production. Performances will be in Washington Square Park on Oct. 27 at 1 and 4 p.m. and Oct. 28 at 3 p.m. For more information, see facebook.com/shakespeareinthesquare. Dylan Jarrett is a contributing writer. Email her at theater@nyunews.com.
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WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012 | NYUNEWS.COM
SPORTS
EDITED BY THE WSN STAFF SPORTS@NYUNEWS.COM
Violets drop two of three in past week
Verlander strikes out Detroit Tigers’ competition in playoffs By EVAN KENDALL
FILE PHOTO BY MARGARET EBY
The Violets have been held scoreless in three out of four matches. By FRANCISCO NAVAS The past week has been a busy one for NYU men’s soccer as they faced two consecutive University Athletic Association rivals — University of Washington at St. Louis Huskies and University of Chicago Maroons — on Oct. 12 and 14. The Violets ended the weekend with one loss and one win. Another loss came for the men as they fell 2-0 to the Kean University Cougars at home in Gaelic Park. This result leaves the Violets with a 10-3-1 record and still atop their conference. They share the top spot with three teams: Brandeis, Carnegie Mellon and Emory. Both matches over the weekend were decided in the final minutes of the game, with the latter ending in overtime. The first game of the Midwestern trip resulted in a loss at St. Louis. The Violets had two big chances to score, delivered by seniors forward Kyle Green and midfielder Ryan Horch. Only a short time after Horch’s wide shot, with 10 minutes left in the game, Washington’s forwards combined a short pass and a one-touch kick that went past senior goalie Jonas Poster into the back of the net. At Chicago University, sophomore midfielder Nimo Bergstroem, who came back from injury, scored the Violets’ only goal in regular time off across from senior captain Niki Chow.
NYU and Chicago entered overtime tied at one goal apiece. In combination with senior forward Paolo Luciano, McNitt-Gray was determined to end the contest. Luciano’s short pass inside the box cleared the way for a big kick off the left foot of McNittGray into the left corner only one minute and 40 seconds into overtime. “I thought our win in Chicago was crucial. We did extremely well with overcoming adversity from Friday’s loss as well as the weather and rain delays during Sunday’s game,” said sophomore midfielder Mickey Ingerman, who missed Wednesday’s game due to a concussion. “We’ve put ourselves in a great position for the rest of the UAA. It’s as simple as this. Win the UAA games at home, and you win the UAA.” Upon returning home, the Violets were shut out in a loss for the second time in three games, despite having a 14-7 advantage in shots and having taken four more corners. The Violets are not used to such a string of losses, considering their brilliant record this season. “Losing always hurts, regardless of how many games you’ve won in between,” Ingerman said. The Violets will play again at home against Richard Stockton College on Monday, Oct. 22. Francisco Navas is a contributing writer. Email him at sports@nyunews.com.
The year was 1988, and the Los Angeles Dodgers were in the NL Championship Series against the highly favored New York Mets. The Mets had beaten them 10 out of 11 times that season already, so it was all but impossible for the Dodgers to steal four wins in a bestof 7 series. But the impossible happened: the Dodgers took the series to Game Seven and won, with superstar Orel Hershiser tossing a complete game shutout to push Los Angeles to the World Series. It’s worth noting that the shutout was the fourth game that Hershiser pitched in the series. Hershiser started Game 1, throwing eight and one-third innings and allowing only two earned runs; he started Game 3, hurling seven innings and giving up only one earned run; and he closed out Game 4, entering the game to make the final out and record the save. Hershiser finished the NL championship series with a 1.09 ERA, phenomenal by any standard in any era of baseball. Hershiser’s incredible performance continued beyond the NLCS. He took his momentum into the World Series against the Oakland A’s, pitching a complete game shutout in Game 2 and another complete game in the decisive Game 5 in which he allowed only two earned runs. Hershiser didn’t just pitch well — he was the example of greatness that his team looked at whenever they needed motivation to succeed.
Now, 24 years later, the magic is back, and it has taken the form of a pitcher on the Detroit Tigers named Justin Verlander. You may know Verlander as the guy who won the American League MVP and Cy Young awards last season, becoming the first to do so since Roger Clemens in 1986. But you should know him as the pitcher who has brought his ’88-win Tigers one game away from the World Series with complete mastery on the pitching mound. Verlander has pitched in three games so far this postseason, and his numbers are remarkable: 24 and one-third total innings, two earned runs (0.74 ERA), 10 hits, 25 strikeouts and most importantly, three wins. He has reached the pinnacle of pitching greatness, and it’s because of him that the Tigers have seemingly danced through the playoffs so far. Hitters fear him on the mound, and teammates play with more confidence knowing a win is almost guaranteed. Only time will tell if Verlander can bring the World Series back to the AL in Detroit, but based on what we’ve seen so far, the chances seem to be in his favor. I know it’s a little late for a World Series prediction, but at this point, I’m fully confident that neither team in the NL can beat Verlander and the Tigers in a seven-game series. Evan Kendall is a contributing writer. Email him at sports@nyunews.com.
Argentina, led by Messi, rises through ranks of world soccer By FRANCISCO NAVAS
There are two kinds of Argentineans. Those who watched a young Diego Maradona score with his left foot, right foot, head — from a distance — and even with his hand. Then there are those who did not. As different as their outlooks may be in regards to the country’s national sport, they both have the same desire and the same dream: to watch the two-time World Cup winners and internationally fourth-ranked Argentinean team return to their former glory. Since their victory over West Germany in 1986, the world-renowned Argentinean squad, with Jorge Burruchaga, Jorge Valdano and the illustrious Maradona, has not been able to triumph on the International scene. Argentianian hopes have been slowly withering since the 1990 World Cup, when on the 85th minute West Germany scored on an undeserved penalty kick. Maradona’s banishment from the 1994 World Cup for his alleged use of ephedrine left his squad in the Round of 16 in 1994. Then their old rival, the Netherlands, left a star-studded ’98 squad in the quarter finals. Bad leadership under an indecisive Marcelo Bielsa and Jose Pekerman saw Argentina out in the group stage in ’02, in ’06 by penalty kicks against Germany and, most recently, in the unspeakable massacre in South Africa in 2010. How much hope is left in my Argentinean countrymen? As a fan who has lived through four World Cups, I’m already tired of the false hope and the talk that the Argentine Football Association officials and players have thrown at us. Yes, the inherent pride in an Argentinean soccer fan keeps the flame of hope lit, but it can only last so long. The young Argentinean who never saw his country win the cup, like me, can boast on having the strongest offense in the world, “The
COURTESY OF CARNAVALBOQUENSE
Diego Rivero and Lucas Parodi fight for the ball in Argentina’s Primera División. Trident” of Lionel Messi, Gonzalo Higuain and Sergio Aguero, but I must admit that expectations have never been met. The last chapter of La Copa America was closed in another embarrassment for Argentina in 2011. As a fan, I can finally rest knowing my team is going somewhere. Argentina has been nothing but convincing under their new defensive-minded coach Alejandro Sabella. There have been little hiccups here and there, but the goal scoring power in team captain Messi gives fans an idea of tenacity in the team. Today, Argentina won’t need an 89th minute goal from now 40-year-old retired Boca Juniors forward Martin Palermo to carry them to the World Cup. There are six months left of qualifying matches, but the fresh-faced Argentina squad gives hope to the entire nation, and I’m sure they will take us to Brazil in 2014. Francisco Navas is a contributing writer. Email him at sports@nyunews.com.