NYU’s Daily Student Newspaper
WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS Vol. 40, No. 41
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2012
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New score system in place for UVL
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
By TATIANA BAEZ
VIA STRIKEDEBT.ORG
STRIKE DEBT AIMS TO PAY OFF LOANS A New York-based movement launched its flagship program, Rolling Jubilee. STORY on PG. 3
JONATHAN TAN/WSN
COURTESY OF MBCAISR
ISRAEL-PALESTINE CONFLICT IN DEBATE: Student groups take sides on the long-standing conflict in the Middle East. STORY on PG. 7
GUIDE TO GIFTING: UNION SQUARE HOLIDAY MARKET Find great presents at some of the market’s best shops. STORY on PG. 4
FILE PHOTO BY JONATHAN TAN
CAS sophomore remembered, mourned by hundreds at Union Square Family, friends and NYU community members gathered at a memorial on Union Square West in honor of CAS sophomore Kyle Larson, 20, who was struck and killed by a truck on Wednesday, Nov. 21.
UVL continued on PG. 3
STORY ON PAGE 3
Violets win tournament, still undefeated By FRANCISCO NAVAS By winning both games this weekend, the NYU men’s basketball team became champions of the 2012 Hamilton College Thanksgiving Tournament. The tournament was held in Utica and Clinton, N.Y. The Violets won their first-round match against the Utica College Pioneers 78-57, and they went on to defeat the Hamilton College Continentals 69-58. Adding to their previous victories, NYU continues their undefeated start to the season with a 4-0 record. In the win against the Pioneers, 16 players saw time on the court and 13 scored. Six players finished with at least two assists, totaling 22 overall. Sophomore guard
MBASKETBALL continued on PG. 8
Ultra Violet Live is starting a new scoring method this year, according to the Inter-Residence Hall Council. The new rules state that winning a preliminary no longer guarantees a spot on the UVL final lineup. All UVL preliminary scoring is now standardized with a 50-point rubric based on originality, personality, stage presence and overall performance. All of the preliminary contestants will be compared to each other, and the 15 highest scores will be selected for UVL. Regardless of contestants’ place in their preliminaries, they could be beat by a competitor from a different preliminary. Olivia Baackes, president of IRHC, said the new change resulted from complaints the council has received over the years. “The biggest complaint we
Art in odd places, making sense with noses By ALENA HALL At first glance, the exhibit on the fourth floor of the Museum of Arts and Design is simple. Hidden projectors display artwork descriptions onto empty white walls, and there is no tangible artwork in sight. At this one-of-a-kind exhibit, “The Art of Scent,” visitors must lean into the walls to take in the art on display, which appeals specifically to their olfactory perception. There are 12 pockets indented in the walls, and each resembles the impression of a human head and collarbone. Viewers lean into the indents and place their nose inside the wall’s depression while a sensor emits a scent. The room is silent as visitors glide from one pocket to the next. In the next room, voices set the room abuzz with commentary. After experiencing the artwork privately, museumgoers gather at a glass center table with scent blotters. Fragrant reservoirs in the table display information about the scents the
COURTESY OF ALENA HALL
Vistiors at the Museum of Arts and Design follow their nose through the exhibit. gallery introduced minutes earlier, and visitors gravitate to the mounted tablet generating a word cloud of ways to describe their exhibit experience. Almost two years in the making, “The Art of Scent,” the innovative exhibit project of first-time curator Chandler Burr, opened to
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WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2012 | NYUNEWS.COM
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In response to “Infidelity in politicians less important than policies” (Posted Nov. 21, 2012) “I am sure there are more countries and more government officials all over the world who indulge in these morally questionable acts and keep it under wrap.”
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— Moha Mehta In response to “NYU community remembers Timekeeper” (Posted Nov. 20, 2012) “Votta will surely be missed. However, I think we should take the time to erect a proper memorial. Even if it takes longer, the memorial clock really should be placed at the corner of Washington Square East and Washington Place, if at all possible.”
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1 6 to 7:30 p.m. NYU Bookstore | 726 Broadway
BOOK TALK
Sumner Jules Glimcher, former director of the Department of Film, Video and Broadcasting at the NYU School of Continuing and Professional Studies, will read and discuss his biography, “A Filmmaker’s Journal.” The event is free and open to the public.
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7:30 p.m. NYU School of Law, Vanderbilt Hall, Greenberg Lounge | 40 Washington Square South
8 to 9 p.m. Frederick Loewe Theater | 35 W. Fourth St.
MILITANT OF MEMORY
The NYU School of Law and the NYU Center for French Civilization and Culture host “Militant of Memory,” a discussion between journalist Peter Hellman and author and Nazi historian Serge Klarsfeld, whose work focuses on the Holocaust in France.
NYU NEW MUSIC ENSEMBLE
The NYU New Music Ensemble presents an electronic music and dance performance with multimedia elements. The performance is directed by Esther Lamneck and choreographed by Douglas Dunn. Admission is free.
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Two turtle doves and 88 pounds of gold
A pure gold revolving tree decorated with Disney characters is now on sale at a jewelry store in downtown Tokyo. The tree is almost eight feet tall, three feet in diameter, and is constructed with 88 pounds of pure gold. It is also covered with pure gold-plate, hand-carved designs of 50 popular Disney character silhouettes including Mickey Mouse, Tinker Bell and Cinderella. A ribbon made of gold leaf is draped on the tree, which is worth 350 million yen or about $4.2 million dollars. — NBC NEWS
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Students prepare for Thanksgiving celebrations as they slice applies for a pie.
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NYUNEWS.COM | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2012 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS
UVL continued from PG. 1
Campus-wide competition to implement new scoring system had last year was that the competition was just way too long, [the Polytechnic Institute of NYU],” Baackes said. “Since we added Poly and commuters and somebody from NYU Abu Dhabi is coming, we figured it was only fair ... to shorten the show this year.” She added that it also raises the stakes for the competitions. But Ted Raymer, Gallatin sophomore and president of Greenwich Hotel residence hall, said the changes are unfair to competitors. “I think it’s unfair of NYU to ask people to commit so much of their time and energy into something then deprive them of the chance they normally get to be in the final competition. But it’s expensive, so it makes sense that they’d restrict it like that,” Raymer said. Neha Sundaram, a Stern senior and president of Commuter Students Council, agreed. Last year, UVL began including the commuter and off-campus students, and CSC created Commuters Got Talent not only to give these students an opportunity to showcase their talents but also to pick their representative for the university-wide competition. “I wasn’t aware of the change until the day of the show so we had actually advertised for
Commuters Got Talent under the premise that the first-place winner would go on to UVL,” Sundaram said. “I guess next year, we will have to make sure that contestants know well in advance that they are not guaranteed to go on.” But Sanjana Sinha, a CAS freshman and president of Weinstein residence hall, said the new system is fair. “I know it might seem unfair to the contestants who won and don’t get a chance to compete in the final, but in terms of keeping the show appealing to the audience, I think it’s a fair idea,” Sinha said. “It’s not like the scoring is going to vary that much. In terms of judging I think it’s very even.” “I think people are equally willing to participate, equally willing to compete. If it will affect it in any case, I think it will make more people want to compete because it makes it so much more competitive,” she added. All of the residence halls will have their preliminaries by end of the semester, and UVL is scheduled to take place February 2013. Additional reporting by Kristina Bogos and Kevin Burns. Tatiana Baez is a deputy university editor. Email them at university@nyunews.com.
NYU Madrid students help homeless By NATASHA BABAZADEH MADRID — Five NYU Madrid students have been devoting a couple of hours each week to volunteer for Bokatas, a Madrid-based nonprofit organization funded by Caritas Parish Vicar Caritas I and Universidad Pontificia de Comillas. The NYU volunteers are among the more than one hundred volunteers in the program, with locations in three Madrid offices. The Bokatas volunteers help the homeless and the socially excluded. They provide these individuals with food, beverages and blankets as well as support and company. The main objective of the organization is to show these individuals that society has not forgotten them. Through the volunteer work, students create a bond with the homeless of Madrid. Volunteers offer bocata sandwiches to individuals, which opens up conversation and leads to the exchange of personal stories. The closest Bokatas headquarters to NYU Madrid is located down the street at the Church in Plaza de los Sagrados Corazones. At this location, students meet up on Mondays and Thursdays from 8:30 to 11:30 p.m. They spend the first hour making several types of bocadillos, or bocatas for short. Bocadil-
Family, friends of Kyle Larson, 20, gather at Union Square By KAYANA JEAN-PHILIPPE and JULIE DEVITO
On Saturday night, hundreds of people from the New York City community gathered at Union Square West to commemorate the life of 20-year-old CAS sophomore Kyle Larson. The memorial, hosted by New York City resident John Rios in association with the New York Long Board Association, was an opportunity for family, friends and strangers alike to remember Larson and the importance of skateboard safety. Larson’s parents were present at the memorial. According to the New York Police Department, Larson was riding his skateboard along Union Square West when he reportedly lost control and was struck by a 2004 Mitsubishi Delivery Truck. The police department responded to a call at 11:15 a.m. and arrived at 37 Union Square West. The operator of the truck remained at the scene while Larson was brought to Beth Israel Medical Center where he was pronounced dead on arrival. While police say investigations into the cause of the accident are ongoing, eyewitnesses have reported that a passing cyclist caused Larson to lose control of his skateboard. Members and friends of the NYU community grieved with the Larson family.
“The New York University community was saddened to learn of the death of Kyle Larson, an undergraduate student at the College of Arts and Science,” director of Public Affairs Philip Lentz said. “We extend our condolences to his family.” CAS senior and fellow commuter Anton Alicante remembers Larson as a talented student who loved his board. “From our conversations, he truly enjoyed riding and wouldn’t even let the poor weather deter him from riding back to Penn Station,” Alicante said. “I can’t tell for sure how I will feel when I return to our class this week. It’s still hard to even think of this as reality. As much as NYU is such a large school, he will most definitely be missed.” CAS junior George Georgiadis attended Manhasset High School with Larson, where they shared the same group of friends. “I have difficulty eulogizing him because simply using superlatives to describe Kyle does not truly capture him,” Georgiadis said. “Simply put, another promising young man’s life [is] cut short by tragedy.” Kayana Jean-Philippe is a deputy city/state editor. Julie DeVito is a senior editor. Email them at cstate@nyunews.com.
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los are sandwiches made from baguettes and different types of meats and cheeses. A very typical and traditional Spanish bocadillo is “tortilla de patatas,” which is an egg and potato omelette. They also make coffee and pack snacks such as cookies and crackers. Depending on the number of volunteers present during the night, they split themselves up into groups of two or three. Each group takes a specific, predetermined route through the city. If cars are available, they drive; otherwise, they resort to public transportation or walking. The routes and the homeless individuals who receive the deliveries. This consistency helps ensure the development of personal relations and the well-being of the homeless. By volunteering and personally aquainting themselves with this vulnerable segment of the population in Madrid, students also become acquainted with many local Spaniards. NYU Madrid student and Stern junior Jonathon Louie said working with Spaniards is different than working with New Yorkers. “Although it is impossible to generalize, I’d say for the most part that Spaniards are very friendly,” Louie said. “They prioritize introductions and establish a level of comfort for everyone.” “I’ve noticed that the home-
less people are very different here in Spain than in New York City,” Louie added. “The homeless here are normal everyday people but ... lost their jobs and were evicted from their homes.” Students also work alongside local Spanish students, which gives them opportunities to further practice the language and delve deeper into the culture. Academic coordinator for NYU Madrid, Allison Rohe, contacted Bokatas over the summer to figure out an agreement for students to volunteer. Rohe encouraged students to participate in extracurricular activities while studying abroad. “It is important for students to take an active role while studying abroad here in Madrid,” Rohe said. “Learning should not end in the classroom.” “Getting involved in our local society is not only mutually rewarding for both the volunteer and the beneficiary, but it is also an excellent way for students to form part of the local community,” Rohe added. “Students experience true Madrid and Spanish culture, that which cannot be taught in a classroom.” Natasha Babazadeh is a foreign correspondent. Email her at university@nyunews.com.
Movement in New York aims to abolish American loans By ANDREW KARPAN
Strike Debt, a New York-based offshoot of the Occupy movement that was founded this summer, has been moving forward with its goal of raising awareness of Americans’ debt and paying it off. Earlier this month, the group launched their flagship program called the Rolling Jubilee. Along with online donations, the proceeds of the Rolling Jubilee fundraiser at Greenwich Village’s Le Poisson Rouge has topped more than $420,000, Strike Debt said. With this, the group aims to buy debt and help liberate debtors at random. “We believe people should not go into debt for basic necessities like education, health care and housing,” said Rolling Jubilee’s website. Bruce Tuckman, a Stern professor and a former managing editor for prime services at Lehman Brothers, said even though Strike Debt would face less practical obstacles than federal debt forgiveness, the group’s activity is mostly symbolic. “[Strike Debt] can certainly choose to forgive these debts rather than to seek repayment,” he said. “The amount of debt forgiveness will be too small to have any noticeable macroeconomic effects.” The group currently aims to purchase medical debt and hopes to also buy credit card debt and tuition loans. However, the group said federal regulations prevent most loans from being traded.
“We cannot buy these loans because there is no secondary market,” Strike Debt said on their website. “It may be possible to buy private tuition debt of some sort that is not guaranteed by the federal government.” Hannah Cohen, a Gallatin freshman, remained undismayed. “As somebody who already has to pay incredibly high tuition, I’d love for anybody with bills to pay to get a break,” Cohen said. “No matter how much they borrow, everyone deserves another chance.” But Josephine Smith, an assistant professor of Finance at Stern School of Business, raised some concern at the idea of debt forgiveness as a whole. “[There’s] the issue of moral hazard, which we faced during the financial crisis,” Smith said. “If borrowers begin to believe that this sort of bailout program will exist for them, they will be incentivized to take excess risk knowing that their loans might be forgiven in the future.” Conan Garbuz, 33, who has paid off some of his college loans, said he thought the program was a good idea but considered it a bit idealistic. “Even if they could forgive some of the loans, there’s still all the rest,” Garbuz said. “Do they have enough money to buy all of that?” The organization plans to hold an Open House for New Yorkers on Dec. 1. Andrew Karpan is a staff writer. Email him at cstate@nyunews.com.
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WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2012 | NYUNEWS.COM
FEATURES SCENT continued from PG. 1
Museum exhibit incorporates olfactory perception, not visuals
COURTESY OF ALENA HALL
Exhibit visitors describe their experience by adding to a word cloud. the public at the Museum of Arts and Design in Columbus Circle on Nov. 20. The exhibit incorporates a variety of scents, from Aimé Guerlain’s “Jicky” (1889) to Daniela Andrier’s “Untitled” (2010), and attempts to find a way to capture and present the history of an ephemeral substance. Burr selected 12 scents to represent different aesthetic schools, specific eras and the historical evolution of olfactory art. When Burr approached the New York art community with his expertise as the former perfume critic for The New York Times and his ideas for sharing the art medium with the public in a tangible manner, Museum of Arts and Design director Holly Hotchner decided to pursue the concept. She brought in designers Elizabeth Diller, Ricardo Scofidio and Charles Renfro — the designers behind the brand Diller Scorfidio + Rengro, which designed the High Line Park — to assist the project. Diller used her extensive background in effects and atmosphere creation to display Burr’s art selection in the gallery space. Museums typically inspire the
dominant use of the visual sense, overshadowing the remaining four. To highlight the art of scent, Diller needed visitors to close their eyes and turn off everything else. “In the end, the walls are a delivery system,” Diller said. “There is nothing but the scent and the wall. The focus is on the pockets of air coming out of the wall.” Burr’s goal in creating this exhibit was simple. “We are going to do for scent what has been done for the past 30 or 40 years for photography as a medium to have [scent] accepted and recognized as a true and completely legitimate and equal medium to paint, music, literature and architecture,” he said. The Museum of Arts and Design will host a series of programs until Feb. 24 in coordination with “The Art of Scent,” including discussions with perfumers in thesixthfloorartstudios,scentcreationby various olfactory artists and scent-related activities for children. Alena Hall is a contributing writer. Email her at features@nyunews.com.
Bomb shelter museum visits NYU By JANE GAYDUK Standing inside the dark confines of a large, gray box with only a narrow exit, the sound of one’s breathing is interrupted when a small screen begins a 15-second countdown. A video shows children dropping their toys in a field in Sderot, Israel, as an approaching air raid thunders, drowning out their laughter. Explosions muffle the screaming of civilians running for the nearest bomb shelter. On Wednesday, Nov. 21, the Jewish Enrichment Center’s Reunion hall at 38 W. 13th St. was transformed into a temporary multimedia art exhibition site. An installation aptly titled “The Bomb Shelter Museum,” a bomb shelter turned into a theater, occupied central space in the hall. “What’s not really appreciated is how ... terrible and stark and traumatic these bomb shelters are,” said Craig Dershowitz, executive director of advocacy group Artists 4 Israel, after scenes of obliterated homes, blood-stained streets and terror-stricken mothers came to a conclusion. “You’re crammed in [the shelter]. There is no ventilation. There are no windows. Obviously, there’s no heat or air conditioning. There’s no bathroom,” he said. “You could be in there for 10 minutes. You could be in there for eight hours, 10 hours, all day.”
Artists 4 Israel is an organization that sends artists to cities in Israel, like Sderot, to paint murals over the exteriors of these bleak bomb shelters stationed anywhere from playgrounds to bus stops. “Any artistically credible thing is better than the ugly, grey, cold, heartless shelter,” Dershowitz said. The shelter, transiently stationed at the Jewish Enrichment Center, has many hearts — small paper ones scattered on the floor. They reflect light from the grim video reel looping in a pitch-black mist. “Those represented my heart breaking ... every time I hear of a missile being fired,” said Natalie Soloman, assistant director of special programs at the Birthright Israel Alumni Community. Soloman, Dershowitz and other artists collaborated to set up the exhibition in 48 hours. Soloman had spent the morning cutting construction paper into the shape of hearts. For Soloman, this exhibition is part of an effort to focus on children in Israel who are affected by Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and ultimately, to humanize a reality conflated by the abstract politics of war. The shelter has already been installed at many universities, including NYU. “This grey box has traveled on a 24-foot flatbed truck around Queens, New Jersey and Manhattan and has been
in Washington Square Park,” Soloman said. ”[It has helped people] come up with their own sense of truth.” In the coming weeks, “The Bomb Shelter Museum” will travel to Rutgers University and to Miami, Fla. for Art Basel, the second-largest contemporary art fair in the world. Dershowitz hopes the exhibit will unite people if only in a simple realization. “The actuality of being in a bomb shelter is terrifying and utterly scarring to the human psyche,” Dershowitz said. Jane Gayduk is a contributing writer. Email her at features@nyunews.com.
COURTESY OF JANE GAYDUK
Artists turn a bomb shelter into a mobile theater.
Guide to gifting: stops to make at the Holiday Market By TANAY HUDSON
Last week, the 19th Annual Union Square Holiday Market returned with over 100 merchants. The holiday market is a staple for one-stop shopping during the holiday season. At the market you can find a great variety of vendors that sell everything from organic baked goods to handmade jewelry. Here are some of the best vendors and products at the market for everyone on your list.
MABROUK IMPORTS For those who like Egyptian-inspired art Mabrouk Imports offers products based on Egyptian artwork. The merchandise includes Egyptian miniature sets, handmade Christmas ornaments ($9), Greek chess sets ($75), spa sets ($12), pins ($3 to $5), handmade mother of pearl boxes designed with Egyptian art ($25), handmade glass perfume bottles ($10) and more. You can find great gifts any relative or friend who loves Egyptian-themed artwork.
SHAYA NYC, INC. For the jewelry-lover Shaya NYC, Inc. offers fine handcrafted jewelry constructed to form basic geometric shapes, and the necklaces, bracelets, rings and bangles all feature a unique hammered texture. With a price range of $15 to $125, this jewelry comes in rose gold, gold filled, gold plated, solid gold and sterling silver. Owner Shaya Mehubad, whose name means “gift” in Hebrew, designs all of the jewelry, and names each piece after the woman who inspired it. Shaya NYC has great gifts for loved ones, especially if Mehubad sells a piece of jewelry with the same name as the recipient of your gift.
HIMALAYAN VISION For the meditator This vendor sells merchandise based on Tibetan spirituality and culture, while also incorporating Hindu and Buddhist symbols. Himalayan Vision’s wallets ($3 and up) and handmade elephant and owl statues ($7) are all adorned with beautiful, colorful designs. The shop also offers bracelets and earrings ($15), necklaces ($55) pure wool hats ($10), wall adornments with Tibetan symbols, replica clocks ($45) and singing bowls for meditation. One of their most interesting products is a Tibetan cultural hat, a wool hat with colorful Tibetan patterns, which start at $65.
FILE PHOTO BY JONATHAN TAN
The Union Square Holidary Market hosts a number of diverse vendors every year. NIRVANNA DESIGNS For those who want a warmer winter Nirvanna Designs offers a variety of creative and trendy handmade, wool accessories. They have a line of animal hats complete with animal faces and ears that are so long that they provide pockets — a popular gift for kids. Nirvanna Designs also offers animal mittens with panda and bear designs. One of their top sellers is the opera hood, a fleece-lined hat that also serves as a shawl
($70). One of the vendor’s newest products is the text and tuck arm warmers — fleecelined gloves that expose the fingers, making it possible to text while keeping warm. The Union Square Holiday Market is open until Dec. 24. It is open Mondays through Fridays, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m. and Sundays, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tanay Hudson is a contributing writer. Email her at features@nyunews.com.
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Wonderful ways to welcome winter 1. 13TH ANNUAL WINTER’S EVE AT LINCOLN SQUARE On Monday, Nov. 26 at 5 p.m., the Lincoln Square Business Improvement District and sponsor Time Warner will host the 13th Annual Winter’s Eve at Lincoln Square, New York City’s largest holiday festival. This festival will not only begin with a neighborhood tree lighting ceremony with singer and songwriter Suzanne Vega, but also feature in-store activities, food tastings and free entertainment. The tree-lighting ceremony will be held at Dante Park at Broadway and 63rd Street and the fun will continue along Broadway from Time Warner Center to 68th Street.
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2. WINTER’S EVE FEATURING ¡RETUMBA!
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. music including guaguancó from Cuba, bomba and plena from Puerto Rico, and merengue from Dominican Republic. Admission to the event is free. 3. LIGHTING OF THE WORLD’S LARGEST MENORAH From Dec. 8 through 16, celebrate Hanukkah with the lighting of the world’s largest menorah at Grand Army Plaza at Fifth Avenue and West 59th Street. This 32-foot-high, gold-colored, 4,000-pound steel menorah will be illuminated every evening at 5:30 p.m. during the holiday. For the Sabbath, the lighting will be at 3:30 p.m. on Friday and 8:30 p.m. on Saturday. 4. MANHATTAN: CHRISTMAS — HOLIDAY LOOP
Get into the winter spirit with ¡Retumba! a multi-ethnic, all-female Afro-Caribbean dance and percussion ensemble who have been performing throughout the United States for almost 30 years. The group will perform at the David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center on Monday, Nov. 26. Their performance incorporates folkloric
1. VIA LINCOLNSQUAREBID 2. VIA RETUMBA.ORG 3. COURTESY OF REKHA MURTHY 4. COURTESY OF ALB 5. COURTESY OF JIM PENNUCCI
The holiday season has officially begun, and New York City is beginning to show holiday cheer. Decorations are being displayed, holiday lights are being hung in windows and ice skating rinks are open. This year, experience all of the holiday magic New York has to offer. Here are the top five activities and events to get you into the holiday spirit
On Dec. 15, join the New York Shorewalkers on a walk down scenic pathways to experience the beauty of New York City during the holiday season. During this tour, you will walk east on 57th Street to the East River and down First Avenue to 42nd Street, then west
across 42nd Street through Grand Central Terminal and finally to the Hudson River. The walk is slow and relaxed, so it can last five to six hours. Be sure to bring lunch, water and binoculars or a camera with optical zoom lens. This event is free for participants. 5. HOLIDAY LIGHTS TOUR From Nov. 30 through Jan. 5, you can take a night tour of New York City’s best holiday lights. The tour includes stops at Times Square, Lincoln Center, the Time Warner Center, Columbus Circle, the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, Central Park and the Central Park Zoo and the Holiday Market at Bryant Park. This tour also takes patrons to Christmas window displays at some of New York City’s most famous stores such as FAO Schwartz and Lord & Taylor. Tour Shuttles depart daily at 7 p.m. on the west side of Seventh Avenue between 50th and 51st streets. Ticket prices range from $69.99 and $79.99, so consider saving your tour for a special family holiday outing.
Tanay Hudson is a contributing writer. Email her at features@nyunews.com.
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DOWN 1 Decide against making any changes 2 Catcher’s stance 3 Company that makes Scrabble 4 Jeans maker Strauss 5 Awesome, in slang 6 Fable writer 7 Get worse, as losses 8 Month after mayo 9 Slangy request for a high-five 10 Kind of cord or column 11 Male turkey 12 Suffix with expert 13 Beatty of “Charlie Wilson’s War” 16 Frito-Lay product once sold in a 100% compostable bag 21 The salesman in “Death of a Salesman” TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE 22 Author Calvino Y B A G S C A M S A Y N O W T O N I C 25 Rump H O T J R L Y N C H 26 Deborah of “The King and I” B R U I S E A R M 28 Bank holding: M A M T O O M O A Abbr. A F P E W B A W L 29 Sunni rival V A D I S M A R A T 32 California’s I N O N T H E R I T Z second-busiest S S T O O D P A T airport, after A S H P E I LAX I C I E R A N N E S 34 Fugitives T H E L O T U N H 36 Pottery oven S R A D I O C O D E 37 Poet Pound M S K I N D I V E R 39 Media Y E N S E N A D A monitoring grp. 44 Pro’s opposite 45 Mexican snack 46 Some cameras, for short 47 Frankie Valli’s “___ Take My Eyes Off You” 49 Alphabetically first state: Abbr. 51 Seaport SE of Roma 55 Traveler to Cathay 59 Supply-anddemand subj. 60 Sting operative … or a hint to 20-, 24-, 39- and 55-Across 63 Make obsolete 66 Portent 67 Actress Thurman 68 Flies 69 Festooned with bathroom tissue, informally 70 Campus in Troy, N.Y. 71 Leather worker 72 Sailors 73 ___ Andreas fault
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No. 1022
53
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59 61
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Puzzle by Joel Fagliano
40 Move aimlessly 41 26-Down’s role in “The King and I” 42 1950s TV innovation 43 “___ our agreement …” 48 Whom “Dewey Defeats” in a classic Chicago Tribune headline
50 “Little Women” author 52 Takes place 53 See 58-Down 54 Hurting 56 Bill worth 100 smackers 57 More peculiar 58 With 53-Down, Willy Wonka employee
61 Swerve 62 Finales 63 Kellogg’s Cracklin’ ___ Bran 64 The Cavaliers of the A.C.C. 65 Its atomic symbol is Sn
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 | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2012 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS
OPINION
EDITED BY CHRIS DINARDO OPINION@NYUNEWS.COM
DEBATE: PRO-ISRAEL STAFF EDITORIAL
Moral nations stand with Israel By MIA APPELBAUM, MICHAEL HARRIS and BLAIR HART NEWMAN Some may be shocked to hear that Hamas recently murdered six Israeli citizens, but we need only to look at the Hamas charter to understand the nature of such an atrocity. “The Day of Judgment will not come until Muslims fight the Jews, when the Jew will hide behind stones and trees. The stones and trees will say, ‘O Muslims, O Abdullah, there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him,’” the charter proclaims. Hamas, which has governed the Gaza Strip since 2007, is an anti-Semitic terrorist organization that strives to annihilate world Jewry, and it will do anything to achieve its goal. This is why, after showing an enormous amount of restraint, the Israel Defense Forces decided to launch Operation Pillar of Defense on Nov. 14. The goal of the operation was to selectively assassinate Hamas’ leadership and to severely maim its rocket-launching capabilities. Luckily for the innocent civilians that live in the Gaza Strip, the IDF is one of the most moral armies on
Earth, so it worked diligently to keep civilians out of harm’s way. However, Hamas devised a plan to manipulate the IDF’s unwavering morality in its favor. Turning a gruesome act into a commonplace strategy, Hamas terrorists often kidnap Palestinian children and deliver them to launch sites in the Gaza Strip. In doing so, Hamas ensures that the IDF does not eliminate its military capabilities at that location. This act not only harms Israel’s inalienable right to protect itself but also violates the basic human rights of the Palestinian residents of the Gaza Strip. It is no wonder that some of the world’s largest democracies were appalled by Hamas’ war crimes and took an undeniably pro-Israel stance in this most recent conflict. President Obama recently expressed support for “Israel’s right to self-defense in light of the barrage of rocket attacks being launched from Gaza against Israeli civilians.” The United States — one of the many moral nations — knows that a rational foreign policy means it should unequivocally oppose terrorism. Why does any of this matter? Because
immoral nations around the world have taken a strong stance against Israel’s right to defend itself. These nations, like Iran, which has called for Israel’s annihilation, and Syria, which is currently committing a genocide against its own people, have a strong influence over global politics and have even brainwashed a minority of the U.S. public to support Hamas’ aggression against Israeli civilians. If one truly wishes to combat Hamas and its anti-Semitic platform, then one must separate fact from fiction and understand that Israel is the only party in this conflict that maintains a moral compass. As the only democracy in the Middle East, Israel stands as a light unto the nations that can, and will, protect itself and all innocent civilians from the horrors of war. In this recent clash of civilizations, we have decided to unequivocally stand behind the State of Israel. Mia Appelbaum, Michael Harris and Blair Hart Newman are contributing columnists. Email them at opinion@nyunews.com.
DEBATE: PRO-PALESTINE
Backed by U.S., Israel oppresses Palestinians By SAMANTHA WISCHNIA and ALAA YOUSEF Supporters of the Israeli assault on the people of Gaza have placed a disproportionate focus on the rockets fired into Israel and have demonstrated a willful blindness to the tragedy on the other side. The Palestinian death count stands at 167. In total, the Israeli military injured over 1,200 Palestinians. Compared to the six Israeli deaths, one can see that this is not a war between two equal adversaries; it is an ongoing massacre by a military powerhouse against a relatively defenseless population. Those who support Israel’s aggression, including the U.S. government and media outlets, emphasize Israeli casualties and insistently label attacks from Gaza as acts of terror. Put into context, however, it is clear that Gaza’s missiles are the desperate attempts at resistance by a people who were made refugees in 1948 and have been systematically oppressed ever since, with U.S. taxpayers helping foot the bill. In defense of Israel’s attack on Gaza, some observers have cited Hamas’ rocket attacks, as if the matter were clear-cut and the slightest incursion were reason enough to justify an outright invasion. But these rockets, which have killed far fewer civilians over the past decade than
SUBMITTING TO
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Israel’s Operation Pillar of Defense killed in a few days, cannot be discussed outside the context of Israel’s blockade of Gaza. The blockade began in 2006 and has rendered the strip of land an “open-air prison” according to Noam Chomsky, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Israel controls everything that goes in and out of Gaza, including essentials such as food and medical supplies. Between 2007 and 2010, Israel calculated the bare minimum caloric intake that Gazans would need to qualify as “nourished” and has only allowed this amount since the blockade. This is only part of the picture of oppression left undiscussed by popular media, the extent of which would make it much harder to dismiss Gaza’s missiles as offensive or terrorist. One fact of particular interest for WSN readers is that Israel’s occupation is made possible by U.S. political and economic aid, including $3.1 billion in military assistance this year alone. Beyond their primary failure to acknowledge the siege and occupation of Gaza, supporters of the Israeli assault have also misconstrued the conflict’s timeline. Gaza’s rockets are not the decisive factor that forced Israel to respond. In fact, they were preceded by Israeli offensives, such as the shooting of 13-year-old Hameed Abu Daqqa
while he played soccer in Khan Yunis, the murder of an unarmed and mentally disabled man who unknowingly approached a border fence, and the assassination of Ahmed Jabari, the leader of Hamas’s military wing, who was working on a truce agreement at the time of his extra-judicial murder. Despite Israel’s clear initiation of this bloody conflict, the U.S. government maintains that Israel’s assault is merely self-defense, and media coverage has thus far obliged in repeating this fiction. But as Chomsky stated, “When Israelis ... claim that they have to defend themselves, they are defending themselves in the sense that any military occupier has to defend itself against the population they are crushing ... That’s not defense. Call it what you like, it’s not defense.” Israel broke the recent ceasefire Saturday morning, killing an unarmed protester and injuring 19 people. We hope Israel will permit the re-establishment of a ceasefire soon. But even if that holds, the suffering of the Palestinians will not end as long as Israel, with full U.S. government backing, persists in its illegal blockade and occupation — the true source of the violence. Samantha Wischnia and Alaa Yousef are contributing columnists. Email them at opinion@nyunews.com.
Strike Debt unlikely to affect change with debt forgiveness plan Strike Debt, a product of the Occupy Wall Street movement, is introducing an atypical fundraising effort titled Rolling Jubilee, which could very well mean the complete disappearance of debt for a few fortunate individuals. The group buys people’s accrued debt, including outstanding medical bills and student loans, and instead of collecting on them, eliminates them completely. It’s the godfather of all fairy godmother ideas. NYU students are all too familiar with the scope of this debt problem. Every year, we are faced with an ever-growing mountain of tuition bills, so a group willing to put on the harness and scale up the peak on behalf of others is a welcome sight to many. Debt forgiveness on a large scale is a noble goal, however, this is just a modicum of what is required to affect change. While the practice of buying up third-party debt and simply forgiving it is a virtuous act in theory, the idealism of it is inevitably trounced by the ineffectual practicality of such an endeavor. The intentions reflect a popular sentiment that nobody who wants an education, requires medical care or falls victim to deceitful financial practices should be crushed by the weight of their impending budget shortage. But a sentiment requires direct action to make a difference. Strike Debt’s debt-forgiving plan does not seem up to the task of performing a large-scale venture for millions of Americans. We should understand the movement not as a practical solution but as a criticism of our society’s debt-based economy. Forgiving debt stands out when most third-party organizations buy it as a way to profit from consumer struggles. Strike Debt’s actions push back against predatory practices in the institutional world, providing a safeguard against greed in finance, education and health care. This movement, therefore, stands as just one initiative in the greater scope of the Occupy movement. If anything, we can hope that striking debt will raise the profile of a system bent on the well-being of their bank accounts over their consumers. As such, it can be one small step towards alleviating the economic pitfalls of an unsustainable status quo.
Email the WSN Editorial Board at editboard@nyunews.com. EDITORIAL BOARD: Chris DiNardo (Chair), Jessica Littman (Co-Chair), Christopher Drake, Sasha Leshner, Peter Murphy, Raquel Woodruff and Richard Zhang.
Send mail to: 838 Broadway, Fifth Floor New York, N.Y. 10003 or email: opinion@nyunews.com WSN welcomes letters to the editor, opinion pieces and articles relevant to the NYU community, or in response to articles. Letters should be less than 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.
WSN does not print unsigned letters or editorials. WSN reserves the right to reject any submission and edit accepted submissions in any and all ways. With the exception of the staff editorial, opinions expressed on the editorial pages are not necessarily those of WSN, and our publication of opinions is not an endorsement of them.
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NYUNEWS.COM | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2012 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS
SPORTS
EDITED BY THE WSN STAFF SPORTS@NYUNEWS.COM
Grizzlies surprise with league-leading start
COURTESY OF LINDSEY TURNER
The Memphis Grizzlies have won nine of their last 11 games. By KARTHIK RAMAKRISHNAN If someone had predicted in the summer that the Memphis Grizzlies would be atop the NBA standings at the end of November, they would have been ridiculed endlessly. The notion was so ridiculous that no one entertained the idea let alone vocalized it. But here we are, nearly a month into the regular season, and the rugged Grizzlies are leading the league with a 9-2 record, hot off a victory against the star-studded Los Angeles Lakers. The young squad has performed with high energy and lively ball movement, and their impressive performance has surprised many. The Grizzlies’ star player Rudy Gay has contributed much to his team’s success. Averaging 20 points and nearly six rebounds per game the crafty small forward has proven reliable, sinking clutch shots in the end of games to seal victories. So far, Gay has shown that he can compete with the league’s best. On Nov. 11, he posted 21 points, eight rebounds and five assists against LeBron James and the Miami Heat; three days later, he dropped 28 points, six rebounds, and five assists against the Oklahoma City Thunder despite being hounded by Kevin Durant. Gay has served Memphis well throughout the years, but there has always been a sense that there was something holding him back. This season, with more talent to support him, Gay has the perfect opportunity to break out and become an elite player. By continuing to score high and excel both offensively and defensively, Gay may be able to achieve superstar status and help maintain his team’s winning position. Memphis’ frontline also accounts for much of the team’s success. Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol form the best big-man duo in the NBA, overshadowing even Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol — two Lakers who
have struggled to develop chemistry. Randolph and Gasol complement each other almost perfectly. Randolph has a solid post game, while Gasol defends the rim and passes superbly, and both guys are elite rebounders and competent shooters. Many young squads have issues on the defensive end, but the Grizzlies’ defense has proven its worth against championshipcaliber teams. Memphis ranks seventh in the NBA in opponents’ points allowed. Mike Conley and Tony Allen average nearly two steals each per game, and their quick hands and reflexes have troubled many guards. Gasol and Randolph also provide a formidable frontline with solid post defense and shotblocking ability. Given the teams’ track record so far, the main question is: Will the Grizzlies’ unprecedented success continue? They will most likely not finish the regular season atop the Western Conference but rather end the regular season somewhere in the middle of the playoff pack, perhaps as the fourth or fifth seed. The team’s most glaring issue is its bench. Head coach Lionel Hollins plays every bench player less than 20 minutes each game, despite having Josh Selby, who shot 64 percent from 3-point range in his first five games, and Hamed Haddadi, a 7’2” big man with potential. Memphis can very feasibly win the first round of the playoffs, but seeing the squad advance any further is unlikely. Nevertheless, they should be applauded for surprising most fans and performing with high intensity on both ends of the court, as their work ethic will propel them in the future while the younger players grow and develop. Karthik Ramakrishnan is a staff writer. Email him at sports@nyunews.com.
MBASKETBALL continued from PG. 1
Men’s basketball defeats Utica Pioneers, Hamilton Continentals on way to championship Adam Xu led the way with six assists while also scoring a career-high seven points in 19 minutes of play. “Our bench provided exceptional minutes, especially our younger guys,” said junior guard and captain Ryan Tana. “They stepped in and were ready from the get-go.” The Violets turned over the ball only 10 times, compared to the 20 turnovers NYU had given up in their season opener against the State University of New York at Geneseo. Senior forward and captain Carl Yaffe had a strong performance, scoring 14 points on 60 percent shooting. Yaffe is shooting an outstanding 63 percent so far this season and is leading the team with 14.7 points per game. Besides the high amount of assists, NYU scored 27 points off of Utica’s 21 turnovers. The Violets also beat Utica on both the offensive and defensive glass, outrebounding their opponents 36-30. Yaffe led the team with nine rebounds. The Violets only relaxed their defense with 16 minutes left in the game, when they had a 12-point lead. This allowed Utica to come within two points on a 10-0 run in two minutes, but NYU went on to outscore Utica by 19 through the rest of the half. In the final game of the tournament, NYU faced the host team, Hamilton. Even though the Violets were only up four points at the beginning of the second half, the Violets ended the game with an 11-point lead by shooting 63.2 percent in the half. Yaffe came up big in the second game with 22
COURTESY OF NYU ATHLETICS
Senior forward Carl Yaffe earned MVP honors. points on 62 percent shooting, and he was perfect from the free throw line. Senior forward Max Wein also scored in the double digits, finishing with 10 points. For his performance over the weekend, Yaffe was awarded the tournament’s MVP honors. He and senior center Devin Karch, who put up 15 points against Hamilton and 13 against Utica, were the only Violets selected to the alltournament team. The men return to the court on Monday, Dec. 3 against New Jersey City University at the Coles Sports Center at 7 p.m. Francisco Navas is a staff writer. Email him at sports@nyunews.com.