WSN121411

NYU’s Daily Student Newspaper

washington square news Vol. 39, No. 52

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2011

Stepping out of the NYUAD bubble

3,182 2,968

ED I APPLICATIONS TO NYUNY

By Jaewon Kang

2,850 2,754

ED I APPLICATIONS TO NYUAD

332 214 0

3,500

NYU Early decision i applications Class of 2015

Class of 2016

R NYUAD continued on PG. 3

By Maximilíano Durón

Have you ever thought that the clothes or accessories you wear could change a life? Several companies are working to spread social activism by harnessing the power of the consumer. With the holiday season coming up, gifts from these companies will not only keep you in style but they also help spread the word about ways to help out the global community.

Common Threadz

The university saw a 7 percent increase in Early Decision I applications this year.

Including NYU Abu Dhabi, a total of 3,182 students applied for ED I, in comparison to 2,968 applicants to the Class of 2015.

NYU New York saw about a 3 percent increase from last year, while with 332 ED I applicants, NYU Abu Dhabi saw a 55 percent increase of ED I applications.

Shawn Abbott, assistant vice president of undergraduate admissions, said he was surprised to see the increase in first round applicants.

“If anything, I anticipated a decline in early applications this year, as Harvard and Princeton are two of our competitors and one might think that some of our would-be applicants would have ap-

R ADMISSIONS continued on PG. 3

Changing a life with the clothes on your back

A wide array of graphic tees cover the pages of Common Threadz, an online store that provides orphans and other vulnerable children with uniforms, shoes, food, mentors and more. The shirts feature the designs from both upand-coming artists and the orphans.The whimsical designs benefit the development and empowerment of these marginalized children. Each sale of an orphan-designed shirts goes to feeding a child for one month.

These shirts are a fun way to make a statement and support

NYU sees 7 percent increase in ED I apps

TOTAL EARLY DECISION I APPLICATIONS

By Jaewon Kang Since NYU Abu Dhabi opened last fall, members of the NYUAD community have seen shifts in Part TWO student life of a two-part and academseries about ics. Despite the living AT NYU u n c e r t a i n t y Abu Dhabi they still face at the rapidlychanging campus, students still report feeling a strong bond with their fellow peers on campus. It is this close-knit community, some students say, that has defined their time in Abu Dhabi, and that will shape the campus’ future.

In the second part of the WSN series, students and faculty share their experience of living in Abu Dhabi and their hopes for the university as it continues to evolve.

nyunews.com

children in need.

Krochet Kids International The past year, this company has expanded its presence on television and online through an advertising campaign in partnership with Bing. Krochet Kids, started by three friends who learned how to crochet in high school, is a nonprofit organization that began after one of the founders spent a summer in Uganda. By empowering people to rise above poverty, Krochet

R CHARITY continued on PG. 5

Hayden UVL winner finds second life in musical theater

By Tony Chau

When one door closed, another opened for Tisch freshman and the Ultra Violet Live winner of Hayden Hall Andrew Bridges.

A New Hampshire native, Bridges suffered a knee injury at the age of 13 when he was playing lacrosse, which barred him from playing sports for over a year. With the extra time on his hands, he decided to tap into another one of his interests: theater.

“I was like ‘Well, I like doing theater. I might as well try it a little more,” he said.

The following summer, Bridges auditioned for the British musical “Oliver!” in an outdoor theater program and landed the part of the Artful Dodger.

As he became more involved in musical performance, he cultivated his skills by taking advantage of two nearby professional theaters.

“I got to do a lot more theater than a lot of kids because [for] a lot of kids, the only option they had was their high school,” Bridges said. “I was fortunate

enough that I had those theaters, so I could go elsewhere and work with professional directors.”

Even after his knee healed, Bridges continued to do musical performances and eventually applied early decision to Tisch

last year.

“I just decided I really wanted to be in the city because obviously, for theater, this is the theater capital of the world,” Bridges

R BRIDGES continued on PG. 3

COURTESY OF ANDREW BRIDGES

Andrew Bridges found musical theater after a sports injury.

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Washington Square news | WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2011 | nyunews.com

on the side

Compiled by the

WSN staff

to our wonderful staff WSN would not have been able to complete another successful semester without the hard work of our devoted staff.

Many thanks go out to the ones that make this paper great each and every day. We couldn’t have done it without you!

Washington Square News Editor-in-Chief JAYWON ERIC CHOE Managing Editor

KELSEY DESIDERIO Deputy Managing Editor

RUSSELL STEINBERG Assistant Managing Editor

KIRSTEN CHANG Creative Director

TERKA CICELOVA senior staff

university JAEWON KANG city/state AMY ZHANG arts CHARLES MAHONEY features AMANDA RANDONE sports JAMES LANNING multimedia LAUREN STRAUSSER enterprise ARIELLE MILKMAN special issues FRANCIS POON brownstone JAKE FLANAGIN copy jack brooks senior editors elizabeth gyori,

amanda shih

deputy staff

university gentry brown, julie

devito, susannaH griffee city/state hanqing chen, brian

tam, emily yang music parker bruce film/books stefan Melnyk entertainment jonathon

dornbush theater ERIC SHETHAR features EMILY MCDERMOTT dining SARAH KAMENETZ fashion CARRIE COUROGEN sports SANCHAY JAIN, DANIEL

HINTON production MERYLL PREPOSI multimedia DAVID LIN copy MAXIMILÍANO DURÓN,

JESSICA LITTMAN

opinion page

opinion editor JOHN SURICO deputy opinion editors ATTICUS

BRIGHAM, MARIA MICHALOS

advertising business manager

REBECCA RIBEIRO sales manager

Stefanie Yotka

SNAPSHOT

ON THE WIRE

circulation manager

MEagan Driver

university sales coordinator

A reeking wreck

Thousands of onions spilled onto a highway last week in Sacramento, Calif., when the truck driver transporting them crashed. The driver was traveling north when he tried to maneuver around a curve, lost control and hit the median strip instead. The spill closed the highway for several hours as the entire area was engulfed in a strong smell that gave police and witnesses watery eyes. The truck driver was taken to a local hospital after the accident. — UPI

Emilia Mironovici sales representatives

Kaitlyn O’Brien, MICHAEL RYAN, Melissa Ynegas

advising DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

MICHAEL SUMMERS editorial adviser

keith leighty University of California, Berkeley

Data shows overall increase in enrollment, underrepresented minorities — The Daily Californian

The city’s holiday spirit is on full display, as the temperature continues to drop.

PHOTO BY BRITTANY ELIAS

GOT SOMETHING TO SHARE? EMAIL US AT TIPS@NYUNEWS.COM

University of Minnesota

Course offers undergrads a lesson in stem cells — The Minnesota Daily

EDITOR-AT-LARGE

KATIE THOMPSON 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 Kelsey Desiderio at managing@nyunews. com or at 212.998.4302.

nyunews.com

nyunews.com | WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2011 | Washington Square news

3

NYUAD continued from PG. 1

Stepping out of the NYUAD bubble THE NYUAD ‘BUBBLE’ Though life within the walls of NYUAD has stared to blossom, there is a distinct boundary between the campus and the outside world. While the campus bears the NYU name, it shares little similarities with the New York City life coveted by students on the Square.

NYUAD sophomore Mohammed Omar admitted that his experience at NYUAD has been “remarkably different” from what he had envisioned his college experience would be.

“In Abu Dhabi, there’s not a lot to do as students,” he said. “What do we do on weekends here? We have beach, we have [sporting events], we have cinema. And that’s pretty much as much far as it goes.”

Because there are limited activities for students in Abu Dhabi, he said a part of getting used to the city was learning to keep himself busy.

“We live, for a moment or at least last year in the beginning, in a bubble,” he said. “Our places we used to go were: downtown campus, our campus [and] our residence halls.

We go between those places.”

NYUAD sophomore Juan Beltran agreed.

“The city itself tends to be hard to dive into, [and] we are still learning where to go and what to do,” he said.

In a city that is mostly made up of migrant workers, NYUAD students noted that they have had limited interactions with the local community. “[The] university provides us with everything,” Blacklock said. “It’s more challenging to meet people outside the university. Sometimes I feel like I’m in a bubble because everybody you see is from NYUAD.” Though these relationships are

not easily attainable, the university is slowly working to build ties with the outside community through projects like Summer Academy programs that hold public lectures for local students.

Beltran said some students feel the pressure of the outside world as the success of this unprecedented campus is closely monitored — some students refer to NYUAD as a fishbowl.

“The idea of the fishbowl grew out of the constant expectation we felt had been placed on us,” Beltran said. “Rhetoric on the degree of our potential, the administration’s expectation from us and the government’s hope for us, made it feel like if our every move was being observed.”

LIFE OUTSIDE THE BUBBLE Despite the secluded nature of the campus, life goes on for students in the UAE. Like at any NYU college campus, students wrestle with the issues faced by all young adults. But living in a conservative Middle Eastern nation adds a palpable layer of complexity.

Beltran said having a romantic relationship in Abu Dhabi hasn’t been as difficult as he thought it might be. But he said he and his girlfriend feel uncomfortable with public displays of affections outside the university.

“The reality of having a relationship in Abu Dhabi is complicated, the kind of custom that isn’t really explained, but you just get a feel for,” he said.

In the past, concerns have been raised by members of the NYU community about social freedom in the Emirates.

According to the 2010 Human Rights Report from the U.S. Department of State, the law does not permit the joining or formation of

BRIDGES continued from PG. 1

Hayden UVL winner finds second life in musical theater

said.

Despite his enthusiasm for performing, it took some convincing on the part of his good friend and fellow Tisch freshman Sommer Carbuccia for him to audition for the competition.

“He has one of the most amazing sounding voices I’ve heard,” Carbuccia said.

Bridges said he was shocked to win the preliminary, during which he performed his rendition of Jason Robert Brown’s “Someone to Fall Back On.” “I literally wasn’t even really thinking that I would win,” he said. “I never won anything by performing before, so that was definitely a very cool feeling.”

Despite Bridges’ stunned reaction, the win came as no surprise to Miles Burns, a voice coach who has known Bridges for over 10 years.

“I wish I could say that I am surprised by his accomplishment, but I’m really not surprised,” he said. “He has always exceeded expectations so it is something that I have come to expect.”

Whether he comes out victorious or not in February, Bridges said he simply wants to pursue his passion.

“I just know I love to perform,” he said.

Tony Chau is a staff writer.

Email him at university@nyunews.com.

labor unions.

In April, over 100 NYU faculty members signed a petition to NYU President John Sexton and NYUAD vice chancellor Alfred Bloom, urging the university to formally condemn the detainment of five pro-democracy activist in Abu Dhabi. The university refused to condemn the acts.

In the UAE, homosexuality is criminalcourtesy of nyuad ized by civil and Sharia Life outside the walls of NYUAD was a culture shock to some students. law, the report said.

Blacklock, who is gay, said he has not been discrimiOmar thinks many students are THE FUTURE OF NYUAD nated against because of his sexuBy fall of 2014, NYUAD will have worried because of the changes that ality while in the UAE. opened its permanent campus and happen on these shaky grounds.

“I don’t see that there’s blatant have graduated its first class.

But, he fears that they may lose the discrimination, but it’s just ... not As the university continues to value of opportunity and forget the really talked about,” he said. “I grow, students are excited yet privileges they have. don’t feel like I need to talk to ev- anxious.

Blacklock, too, thinks some deerybody I meet about it.”

NYUAD sophomore Joshua Shir- velop a sense of entitlement with Blacklock did recognize that ley said he is struck by how much opportunities and access given to political and social changes has happened over the last year them at NYUAD. takes place very differently in and how much he has grown.

“We’ve got really different kinds Abu Dhabi.

He recalled feeling less at home of reactions to being here,” he “I think that being here, and when he went back to Australia said. having different kinds of people than he did in the Middle East only As for Blacklock, he has loved his and different kinds of openness, is after a year. He also remembers the experience so far. He added that he cool,” he said. isolation he felt being more than wants to help the university imHenry said there is a need for 7,000 miles away from his family prove and shape the community improvement in the country but when his home in Brisbane was by encouraging his peers to think thinks it is a hypocritical for Amer- nearly flooded. critically about their purpose in icans to condemn Abu Dhabi for “I could never have known what Abu Dhabi and why their experithese issues. was coming my way in freshman ence is a global is important on a “It allows Americans to ig- year, nor how I would deal with global scale. nore very similar problems in it,” Shirley said. “The entire experi“[NYUAD] is something that’s the United States, lack of equal ence of NYU Abu Dhabi is unique constantly changing and re-evalurights for gays and working con- — it has never been done before ating,” Blacklock said. “I still wake ditions for immigrants,” he said. and no one knows what to expect up and look out my window. I’m “It’s frustrating to hear people next.” just like, ‘Where am I,’ but in a complain about the UAE and the “Every time you think you know beautiful way.”

Arab world more generally as what’s coming, you [realize] you’re though things are great in the standing on shifting sands,” he Jaewon Kang is university editor.

United States.”

Email her at jkang@nyunews.com. added.

ADMISSIONS continued from PG. 1

NYU sees 7 percent jump in ED I applications plied early to Harvard or Princeton and not to NYU,” Abbott said.

Despite this increase, Abbott said it is still too early to predict how many Regular Decision applications the university will receive.

“While we did not necessarily project a 55 percent increase for Early Decision I, we are not surprised that as more and more students from around the world learn about NYU Abu Dhabi, more and more of them are choosing to apply,” NYUAD spokesman Josh Taylor said.

But Taylor said it is premature to draw significant conclusions from two years of data.

For Class of 2016 applicants, the university changed a portion of its application. This year, students who chose to apply to both NYUNY and NYUAD had to indicate their primary and alternate choice. In the past, applicants could apply to both campuses without making such a distinction. Students can still be admitted to both campuses.

Abbott said the change was made to better illustrate the portal campus structure of NYU, and if an applicant is admitted to their primary portal campus, their admission is binding.

Of the ED I applicants who applied to NYUNY as their primary choice, about a quarter asked to be considered for NYUAD. For the 125 ED I applicants who indicated NYUAD as their first choice, about 38 percent asked to be considered for NYUNY. There was yet another change to the admissions process this year.

For the first time, students could apply directly to the Liberal Studies Program, and 185 ED I applicants applied directly to LSP. Of these students, about 77 percent applied to the Liberal Studies Core Program, and 23 percent expressed interest in Global Liberal Studies.

Liberal Studies Dean Fred Schwarzbach said though the school did not know what to expect for ED I, he was impressed by the

number of applications to the Core Program.

“More important is that our pool includes great candidates who are going to thrive at NYU,” he said.

Jane Morgan from Tennessee applied to the College of Arts and Science for art history in late October.

“NYU has been my first choice since my sophomore year of high school,” she said.

Morgan, who attended NYU Precollege over the summer, said her experience removed all her slight doubts, and she is now nervously waiting her decision.

“I am happy with what I turned in,” Morgan said. “I think my first-hand experience gave me more to write about.”

Early Decision I applicants will be notified on Dec. 15. Early Decision II and Regular Decision applications are due on Jan. 1.

Jaewon Kang is university editor.

Email her at jkang@nyunews.com.

nyunews.com | WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2011 | Washington Square news

5

Features

edited by AMANDA RANDONE features@nyunews.com

Thoughtful gifts on the cheap

RECIPE

Warm up your winter with some sweet apple crisp

By Jessica Littman

The holiday season is a time for celebration and joy, but finding (and affording) the perfect gift can also make this time of year stressful. Try some of these lost cost (or free) and creative ideas to lighten the load of giving gifts this winter.

Give a foot massage This may sound like a small present, but it’s not every day that we get a foot massage. This isn’t something that most enjoy doing, so giving one shows that you really care (and makes your loved one feel warm, pampered and cozy) without ever having to splurge.

Lessen the load of a loved one Give the gift of being a good friend this year to someone who is especially overstretched during the holiday season. If you have one family member who does all the cooking, offer to host the meal yourself, or help out with the work. Never underestimate the value of free baby-sitting for parents who need to get out and do holiday shopping or attend an end-of-year work party.

Give a donation in someone’s name Through GlobalGiving.org, you can donate to causes like saving the environment and ending world hunger. When you check out on the website click, “Donate in honor of someone.” Then, fill out

the recipient’s information. If you can’t give much or want to make your gift more about the cause and less about the money, simply select the option to hide the amount you’ve donated on the card that Global Giving generates for the recipient.

Plan a special day Take your loved one on a special, daylong adventure or date. If you’re somewhere warm for the holidays, this could include a walk and a picnic. If not, you could plan to go to a museum, make dinner, and watch his or her favorite movie.

This shows that you appreciate the person without loosening your wallet too much — and you get to enjoy the date as well.

By Emily McDermott Passed down from generation to generation, this sweet apple crisp is a family favorite and is easy to bake. Not only will it engulf your apartment with its warm, cinnamon smell, but everyone will love the decadently crisp and crumbly top with baked apples underneath. For a delightful treat, serve it warm and topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Jessica Littman is a deputy copy chief. Email her at jlittman@nyunews.com.

This crisp requires few ingredients.

Grandma’s Apple Crisp

knife will do the trick.

You will need:

18” x 8” pan 1/2 cup softened butter 1 cup sugar 3/4 cup flour 1 tsp. cinnamon (optional) 6 to 8 peeled apples (depending on their size)

Make something Though homemade gifts can be corny, if you truly put time and effort into making something unique for a loved one, they will be sure to cherish it. And if you have a friend who’s hard to buy for, the best option may be making your own gift instead of scouring the mall.

EMILY MCDERMOTT/WSN

1. Preheat oven to 350 F and grease pan.

2. Combine softened butter, sugar, flour and cinnamon with a pastry knife until crumbly. If you don’t have a pastry knife, two forks or a fork and

3. Peel and slice the apples. There should be enough to completely cover the bottom of the pan.

4. Put the apples into the pan, pour the crumbly mixture on top and loosely pack the mixture around the apples.

5. Bake for one hour. Remove and let stand briefly to cool, but not too long — it tastes best when served warm.

Emily McDermott is deputy features editor. Email her at emcdermott@nyunews.com.

CHARITY continued from PG. 1

Changing a life with the clothes on your back

VIA COMMONTHREADZ.COM

Kids has set up two sites in Uganda and Peru to give workers a fair wage and make hats.

Each piece is hand-signed by the artisan who made it, bringing the consumer a little closer to the creator. With a new set of hats to come in early December, keep these hats in mind as winter sweeps through the city.

Bead for Life

VIA KROCHETKIDS.ORG

VIA OUTOFPRINTCLOTHING.COM

Making a donation is a great gift idea that keeps giving.

With an assortment of beaded jewelry and loose beads.

Bead for Life gives women in Uganda the chance to lift themselves out of the poverty that has ravished their communities. The women create their own beads from recycled paper, making them into wearable jewelry. The organization also makes soaps and lip balms from shea nuts. The goal of this nonprofit is to make these women financially independent in 18 months. The organization teaches women how to support themselves and their families by launching small businesses and new markets. It also provides training in entrepreneurship and helps women start saving accounts and give support through business funds. Beads are not just for children anymore — these so-

phisticated, handcrafted beads will transform any style into one that is forward-thinking and socially responsible.

Senhoa and Coco Rocha The brand’s name comes from two Vietnamese words, “sen” (lotus) and “hoa” (flower) — which rises from an ugly, impure environment to become beautiful. Drawing inspiration from that, Senhoa fights against human trafficking by supporting victims in Cambodia with financial opportunities, selfempowerment programs and social reintegration. As part of its new company, Senhoa partnered with Coco Rocha to design seven unique pieces of jewelry created by women who have survived human trafficking. Senhoa gives 100 percent of its proceeds to run its programs. Whether you buy one of the special Coco Rocha pieces or a standard Senhoa accessory, you will help combat one of the world’s lesser-discussed traumas affecting women.

FEED Started by model and activist Lauren Bush, granddaughter of former President George H. W. Bush, FEED is a nonprofit

that sells tote bags, accessories, clothing and teddy bears to benefit the United Nation’s World Food Programme. Each product is marked with a number that represent the consumer’s contribution. For example, purchasing products marked with a “5” will result in five school meals for the WFP’s School Feeding Program. With beautiful scarves and convenient burlap totes, FEED is one way to help hungry children around the world and still stay fashionable.

Out of Print Out of Print is an online retailer that turns famous novels like “Catch-22” or “The Great Gatsby” into fashion, whether it be with shirts, sweatshirts, accessories or stationery. The organization features iconic and mostly out-of-print book covers on their products. For each item sold on the site, Out of Print will donate one book to an underprivileged community through their partner, Books For Africa. Let your inner nerd shine as you help this cause by rocking your favorite novel.

Maximiliano Duron is a staff writer. Email him at features@nyunews.com.

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Washington Square news | WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2011 | nyunews.com

SPORTS

edited by JAMES LANNING SPORTS@nyunews.com

Nesci ties school win record in Violets’ rout

By Russell Steinberg With the clock winding down and the Violets in control of the game, NYU head coach Joe Nesci’s intensity stayed the same. He still waved his arms, clapped his hands and barked orders at his players.

That determination is one of the reasons he has been so successful in his 23 years on the NYU bench.

And with the Violets’ 78-55 home win over the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts Tuesday night, Nesci notched career win number 409, moving him into a tie with Howard Cann for most victories obtained in school history.

“I’m proud of the time I’ve spent here,” Nesci said after the game. “And I’m certainly proud of the young men I’ve been able to interact with over the course of these years.”

The one who contributed the most to number 409 was junior Carl Yaffe, whose 27 points and 10 rebounds led the Violets to victory.

Senior Andy Stein and junior Kyle Stockmal were the other two Violets in double figures.

“They were pressuring us a lot and we were able to push the ball up and get better shots,” Yaffe said of the Trailblazers’ defense.

The scoring came early and often for

Yaffe, who knocked out the first seven points of the game.

By halftime, he had scored 17 of NYU’s 39 points.

By the time the second half heated up, NYU had pulled away.

Its lead jumped from 23 with 15:30 left to 26 with 7:22 left, and finally to 31 with 3:21 left as the Violets kept attacking on offense priyanka katumuluwa/wsn and staying strong on Nesci’s 409 wins ties him with Howard Cann. the other side of the floor.

“It was our defense again,” Nesci said. the number.”

Even if he wasn’t aware, his players “We were able to hold them to a low shooting percentage. That was the key.” were happy to be on the court for their A balanced night, offensively, didn’t historic win.

“He takes a lot of pride in coaching,” hurt either. As a team, the Violets tallied 22 assists on 28 made baskets. Stockmal Yaffe said. “As a player, it’s fun to play led the way with four, and a trio of other for a coach that enjoys winning.”

After a few more days of practice, Violets had three a piece.

By the time Nesci emptied his bench NYU will take some time off before at the end of the night, the game was playing again on Dec. 30 in a home tilt well in hand. When the final buzzer against Hamilton College. Tip-off is set sounded, the public address announcer for 8 p.m. told the crowd, and Nesci, of the NYU Russell Steinberg is deputy coach’s feat.

“I didn’t know,” Nesci said. “I knew managing editor. Email him I was getting close but I didn’t know at rsteinberg@nyunews.com.

priyanka katumuluwa/wsn

Yaffe scored the first seven points of the game.

Read us online nyunews.com

nyunews.com | WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2011 | Washington Square news

OPINION

edited by JOHN SURICO opinion@nyunews.com

BOROUGH BELIEFS In 2007, Obama said, “We’re not a nation that locks people up without charging them.” As president, he has only eroded Americans’ due process rights.

In public health, Obama recently blocked the Environmental Protection Agency smog regulation that sought to decrease groundlevel ozone pollution containing lung-irritants powerful enough to cancel school recesses. Last week, the Obama administration overruled the Food and Drug Administration’s recommendation to allow Plan B to be made available without a prescription to those under age 17. This reactionary decision counteracts efforts to reduce teen pregnancy and targets a disenfranchised group in our population.

Highlights of Obama’s long litany of bipartisan posturing and policy retreats include: continuing illegal foreign occupations, refusing to federally recognize same-sex unions by ironically defending a policy of separate but equal, authorizing a four-year extension of the Patriot Act and capitulating to conservative demands to obliterate our social safety net by selling out Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.

Apologists cannot blame obstructionist Republicans for Obama’s shortcomings. Obama did not capitalize on the commanding majorities he had in the Senate and House of Representa-

countability.

Obama should advocate for the impoverished instead of leaving them facing foreclosure and chronic joblessnes. Unfortunately, he has broken promises and disappointed his constituents in this and many other policy areas.

In foreign policy, the administration abandoned efforts to try Khalid Shaikh Mohammed in federal court, opting for clandestine military tribunals at Guantánamo. This way, evidence that is extracted by torture in illegal detention, inadmissible in federal court, could be used under the lenient evidentiary rules of military commissions.

Such policy has been the rule, not the exception.

Obama has recently announced that he will veto a bill authorizing the capricious, indefinite military detention of Americans suspected of supporting terrorism (even those captured in America), not because it infringes on Americans’ civil liberties, but because it does not grant the executive total power to detain whoever it wants.

This neo-fascist effort to eliminate one of the most basic protections of citizenship correlates with his authorization of assassinating American citizens involved in terrorist activities and stands in stark contrast to his campaign promises.

Voters deserve better than Obama

By Atticus Brigham “A nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous,” President Barack Obama said at his 2009 inauguration. Since being sworn in, he has disproportionately served morally corrupt, moneyed interests while failing to implement promised reforms.

With a quarter left in Obama’s first (and hopefully last) term, those who embraced him in 2008 should see that his campaign has proved a bait and switch, peddling “hope and change” snake oil to a desperate public.

Obama parrots the politics of plutocrats even as 15 percent of Americans are on food stamps, income inequality continues to rise, banks use bailout money for bonuses, and the nation has the lowest tax rates in over 50 years. He has betrayed the core values of progressives in an unsuccessful bid to curry support from those who vilify him as a socialist zealot and is seemingly impervious to populist demands for Wall Street’s financial ac-

The New York Times Syndication Sales Corporation

tives when he came into office.

The administration’s assumed political immortality is steeped in identity politics that conflate descriptive with substantive representation. Obama’s unfaltering support among blacks and guiltridden latte liberals reflects his skin tone more than his policies.

He pushes corporatist agendas in the belief that liberals have nowhere else to go.

This is only true if voters continue to settle for mendacious campaigning and spineless governing. The public must not succumb to the cynical logic of electing the lesser of two evils. Instead, the disillusioned must force those in office to implement reforms by threatening their right to vote representatives out of office.

Obama’s inaugural forecast was accurate. Our nation has not been prosperous during his tenure, while the private interests who incited this global recession have flourished.

Progressives deserve a candidate with competency, conviction and credibility. Someone must stop the systematic defrauding and gouging of taxpayers. In the words of Willie Stark in “All the King’s Men,” “Nail Em Up!” Atticus Brigham is a deputy opinion editor.

His column, “Borough Beliefs” is about law, ethics. Email him at abrigham@nyunews.com.

500 Seventh Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10018 The new york times crossword & daily sudoku For Information Call: 1-800-972-3550 For Release Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Edited by Will Shortz Across 1 “Mamma Mia” singers 5 Sheath of connective tissue 11 Buddy, for short 14 Object of pity for Mr. T 15 Parthenon goddess 16 Sock-in-the-gut reaction 17 1960 Jerry Lewis fairy tale spoof 19 UV ray-blocking stat 20 Once known as 21 Stephen of “Still Crazy” 22 Suit to ___ 23 Reality show featuring Whitney Houston and her then-husband 28 Help pull off a crime 29 $5 bills, slangily

ANSWER S W A P

P A G E R E L I E F

A L E C

S K E L E T O N S

I S T C A A L L I P C H O P G T H O A H U I T E M

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30 Radius neighbors 31 Judge’s wear 32 Poppycock 33 “Ciao for now!”

34 NBC show with skits, in brief 35 Part of a bray 36 Mrs. Gorbachev 37 Eurasian range 39 M.D. concerned with tonsils 40 Backyard pond fish 43 Great Chicago Fire scapegoat Mrs. ___ 45 “Just as I suspected!”

46 “Hor.” neighbor, on old TVs 47 Second offer, as on eBay 48 Flair 49 Poems of praise 50 Healthy delivery, perhaps

53 Some QB turnovers: Abbr.

54 Rap’s Dr. ___ 55 Norma ___ (Sally Field role) 56 Up to, in ads 57 Bowl over 62 Suffix with ethyl 63 Got back, as hair by a Rogaine user 64 Nephew of Abel 65 ___ Bingle (Crosby) 66 Think creatively 67 Invitation letters

Down 1 N.Y. Jets’ org.

2 Avril Lavigne’s “Sk8er ___” 3 Rhett and Scarlett’s child 4 Firm, as pasta 5 A way off 6 Antismuggling org.

7 Cold dessert 8 People profiled in People 9 Furniture TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE decoration B A G S S P A T 10 Small battery A U R A L N A D A 11 Dish often served with P S I L O V E Y O U franks A S S B E E 12 Suspended ore M O P T B A R N U M conveyor, e.g.

E S O R E L E N E 13 Side with the N T B A R A B I T ball S R O D B R U T E 18 Brain wave monitor, briefly L U X E A B L E R 22 Van Gogh’s M I N E R B O A S “Sunflowers” A N G S O E R setting L D P H L E V E L 23 Granola servings I R T E E N T I D Y 24 Black, in poetry O U T G O U S E R 25 With no room to S E A S M A N E spare

1

2

3

4

5

14

6

9

10

11

18

25

28

29

31

32

34

60

61

30

36

38

39

40

45

47

46

48

49

51

53

42

27

33

44

50

41

22

26

35 37

13

19 21

24

12

16

20

43

8

15

17

23

7

No. 1108

52

54

55

56

57

58

59

62

63

64

65

66

67

Puzzle by Scott Atkinson

26 High-pitched double-reeds 27 Salesman’s exhortation 33 Daiquiri fruit 35 Corporate head?

36 Post-op program 38 Claude of “Casablanca” 41 Cookie with creme in the middle

42 ___-bitsy 43 Traveled like Sputnik 44 Like Simba or Nala 45 “Solve for x” subject 46 First spacecraft to reach Uranus and Neptune 48 Cause to see red

51 Sat

52 Comment during a cold snap 57 Popular party day: Abbr.

58 Vegas action

59 Meadow mother

60 Part of U.S.S.R.: Abbr.

61 Recipe amt.

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Washington Square news | TUESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2011 | nyunews.com