Barnard Bulletin December 2012 V2

THE BARNARD

Marissa Mayer Alice in Wonderland Women in Comedy The First Latina Princess Hillary Clinton The Scream & More

BULLETIN DECEMBER 2012

Letter from the Editors

BEYOND THE GATES Campus is aglow — strings of lights wrapped around banisters and doorways, College Walk decorated in its season’s best, and students’ bedroom lights glowing long into the night. The pre-finals season has quickly replaced all fa-la-la-la-la-ing with late-night study sessions and hurried, freshly printed drafts of theses. Yet, at the risk of sounding like a Well Woman email, finals can present the perfect opportunity to take a break from the end-of-the-semester blues by exploring. Manhattan is its best around December; just think: outdoor ice-skating, holiday markets, Max Brenner hot chocolate being sold in said markets, peppermint flavored anything...

The Bulletin presents its 2012 Holiday Issue, designed to encourage everyone to put down the books and close the laptops — if only for an afternoon. These articles strive to promote further exploration of our surroundings, even during this busy season. Whether it’s discovering a nearby museum, carving out time to take advantage of campus resources and guest speakers, reflecting upon the successes and failures of the nation’s leaders, interacting with the art surrounding us during our daily commutes, or even taking a moment to watch and then critically examine the newest Disney princess, taking time away from the library is critical to make it through this most-demanding season.

We hope you each have a fun, safe, and relaxing holiday season.

Until 2013,

CHRISTINE PETRIN Editor-in-Chief

RAY ROGERS Managing Editor

DECEMBER / 2012

in this issue

PHOTOGRAPH BY ANA BAUTISTA

POLITICS & OPINION

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

from the white house to a Disney castle - re-

Catherine & Heathcliff will make you scream

examine women today

for more + the music & dance scenes at

Hillary Clinton / 12

Barnard

BEHIND THE SCENES / 5

Marissa Mayer / 13

the clock / 28

Lina Smorra and Lyndsay Patterson make

first latina princess / 14

the scream / 29

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR / 3 MASTHEAD / 4

oscars / 30

their Bulletin debuts in this month’s double issue #TRENDING GIFT GUIDE / 6

CENTERPIECE

barre-nard / 31

New York City the museum: unconfined

women in comedy / 32

art & transportation / 15

WBAR / 33 Nicholas R. museum / 34

get ready, these are a few of our favorite [holiday] things!

NEW YORK CITY LIVING

erotic classics / 36

a sleepover on the street, a new iPod? and an BEAR ESSENTIALS / 37

FEATURES

awkward first date - we give you our only-in-

as the year comes to a close, take a look back

NY stories

at past memories perhaps while whipping up

SNL / 20

SPOTLIGHT

a fresh batch of baked goods

jaded? / 22

Miriam Q&A / 38

Barnard bites / 10

playbutton / 24

advice i’d give / 11

dating diary / 26

THE CALENDAR / 39 what we’re looking forward to over break

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BEHIND THE SCENES PHOTOGRAPHS / ANA BAUTISTA MODELS / LINA SMORRA & LYNDSAY PATTERSON CREATIVE DIRECTOR / MEGAN MAQUERA SUPERVISING EDITOR / CLEO LEVIN

http://thebarnardbulletin.com

#HOLIDAY GIFTS 1.

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20 Things That Make This Holiday Season Cheerful

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1. Gingerbread Pinkberry 2. IPad Mini from Apple 3. Gap’s Colorful winter-wear 4. Dior’s Holiday make-up pallette 5. Rebecca Minkoff’s Holiday Collection 6. Deborah Lippman’s Nail Lacquer 7. Kissed Caramel Vodka by Smirnoff 8. Les Miserables, the movie 9. Starbucks holiday drinks 10. Cole Hann “Chelsea” pumps

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11. Victoria Secret’s Holday pajama sets 12. Bendel’s 24 Karat Gold chocolate 13. The Rockefeller Center Chrismas tree 14. Ugg’s newest line of loafers 15. Kate Spade’s sassy accessories 16. Dylan’s Candy Bar’s Holiday treats 17. Common Goods Scratch Map 18. 3-3PO Mimobot USB Drive 19. Madewell Camera Clutch 20. Japanese “Chaleur” Iron Stamp

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HAPPY HOLIDAYS

&

GLORIOUS NEW YEAR LOVE, THE BULLETIN

FEATURES Barnard Bites For The Holidays

A

By Amanda Brown

round this time of year, nostalgia settles in as thoughts of warm mugs of hot chocolate and that comfy couch at home wiggle their way into the minds of cramming students. With these two recipes, you can recreate that relaxed, holiday feeling in your dorm room, suite, or apartment, without making any major grocery store purchases. Kitchen Sink Holiday Cookies are an amalgamation of what-

ever kind of cookie additions your heart desires. Other than staples such as butter, an egg, vanilla extract, flour, and cocoa powder, everything else can be snagged from the dining hall in the John Jay Fro-Yo Sta-

tion (think: brown sugar, shredded coconut, and chocolate chips).

Thick, Parisian hot chocolate requires no store-bought ingredi-

ents unless you’re inclined to use high quality chocolate. Or add

something special such as fleur de sel or cinnamon sticks since

John Jay has all the bittersweet chocolate you’ll need, and whole

milk is readily available in all of the dining halls. So, don’t let

the winter doldrums get the better of you! Whip up a

quick batch of holiday-themed cookies, wrap yourself in

a blanket, and settle down with a warm cup of hot

chocolate. The massive pile of work on your desk can

wait, if only for a little while.

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1 cup shredded coconut

2 cups whole milk

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

½ cup bittersweet chocolate

½ cup cashews chopped

Optional additions:

1 cup white chocolate chips or chunks ¾ cup M&M’s in festive colors

2 tbsp. light brown sugar

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Pinch of sea salt chocolate

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Mix in the cocoa powder, flour, and salt.

Add in the chocolate, mixing it constantly at a low boil until

Add in any or all of the optional additions or anything else you

melted and steaming.

think might mix well.

If desired, add sea salt and/or sugar.

Scoop about 2 tbsp. of the mixture for each cookie onto the

Serve in mugs and add a little milk if it’s too thick.

sheet, making sure none are touching.

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Advice I’d Give My Fifteen-Year Old Self

By Kelly Kang

I

n December 2011, United Nations Reso-

ing out what will happen, all the scenarios you in stressed and overwhelmed, and reminded

lution 66/170 created The United Nations play out in your mind – they’re useless. And us that “Nothing is perfect in life. Nothing and International Day of the Girl Child “to that’s a good thing. Relax and let the future ar-

recognize girls’ rights and the unique challeng-

rive on its own time and in its own way. Allow

no one.”

If I could revisit myself at fifteen-years

es girls face around the world.” As this past Oc- yourself to be astonished.”

old, a period of infinite awkward situations

tober 11 was the first Day of the Girl, the UN

The Bulletin decided to pose the same ques-

and mindless mood swings, I would grab my

called for an end to child marriage, “stressing

tion to the women on campus. President Spar

then-self by the shoulders and advise her to

education as one of the best strategies for pro-

weighed in, saying “that the people who domi- have some dignity. If I had possessed dignity,

tecting girls against this harmful practice.” In nate your life now won’t actually dominate

I would not have bent for misguided societal

honor of the Day of the Girl, leading women in your life forever.” When asked if she would go expectations. I would have had the self-respect a diverse range of fields contributed to a CNN

back and correct the mistakes she made, she

to understand that I can be wrong, and that

special titled, “‘To my 15-year-old self ’: Things replied, “No. It’s trite to say, but wisdom does

oftentimes the advice of others is golden. In

I wish I’d known.”

come from making mistakes. The key is to real-

a counter-intuitive manner, I would have had

As women such as Oprah and Arianna

ize them as mistakes, not fatal errors, and then

enough self-respect to not be prideful.

Huffington deliberated on their own lives, and

figure out how best to pick up the pieces and

the mistakes they all made, perhaps the wisest

move ahead.”

piece of advice came from Robin Bernstein, a historian at Harvard University. In a manner

Yet, this is something I continually fight through today. I am beginning to understand

An unnamed professor noted that a woman’s that, like Christiane Amanpour, another contraditional “duty to get along and facilitate”

tributor to the CNN feature, “Perhaps the

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that is only fitting for such an adept historian, inhibits women even today. She added, “Don’t most important thing I could say is to never Bernstein reflected on the vast amount of at-

ever say no to yourself. Let somebody else say be thrown by failure and mistakes. Each and

tention that is given to the future: “I have bad

no…we censor ourselves.” This sort of censor-

everything that happens…is a valuable, life-

news for you: You’re not clairvoyant. Not even ship leads to a greater underestimation of our-

learning tool.” Indeed, life is not the culmina-

a little. You have no idea how the future will

tion of perfect decisions and sound wisdom,

unfold. But it will unfold, slowly and quickly

selves.

Lydia Young, the supervisor of Hewitt dining

but rather a narrative of lessons and achieve-

and slowly again, in ways that you cannot now hall, responded passionately, stating that, “No

ments that stem from a series of wince-worthy

begin to imagine. So stop trying to guess what’s matter how hard it is, it is doable.” She lament- mistakes made at fifteen and beyond. coming next. All the effort you put into figur-

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POLITICS & OPINION

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lthough Obama has been elected for another term as President of the United States, Hillary Clinton has decided not continue her role as his Secretary of State. Obama’s former opponent turned premier diplomat, Clinton played a diplomatic hand in events surrounding the Arab Spring. With her negotiation, the U.S. aided in Libya’s overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi and Egypt’s transition to a democratically elected government. In addition, she forged peaceful relationships between the United States and Burma and negotiated the release of Chinese civil rights activist, Chen Guangcheng, from detainment. Just recently, she has proved an instrumental player in the peace talks surrounding the conflict in Gaza and Israel.

However, since the good that men do is ‘oft interred with their bones, as Americans reflect upon Clinton’s performance over the past four years, we must pay particular attention to her missteps and oversights. The blot on her otherwise stellar tenure as Secretary of State was the September 2012 attack on the American consulate in Benghazi, Libya.

Four Americans were killed, including Libyan-loved ambassador Chris Stevens. Initially perceived as a riot in response to an American-made video deriding the Prophet Muhammad, the true motive behind the consular attacks was left ambiguous for weeks after the event. Obama declared the consulate attack to be the work of terrorists, but received flack for explaining the incident in roundabout and inconclusive ways. People also railed him for the lax security of the American consulate in Benghazi––a strange fact for the consulate in a country with a growing al-Qaeda presence. The Obama administration was also criticized for trying to conceal the truth of what happened in Libya. The unclarity of it all prompted the Republican candidate for president, Mitt Romney, to use the Benghazi attack

as fodder to undermine Obama in the 2012 presidential debates. Romney cited that the President did not state that this was a terrorist attack as soon as he should have. These vicious back and forths were inconclusive, and there is still ambiguity as to what really happened in Benghazi. Mrs. Clinton, however, took full fall for the consulate attack. She stated, “I’m responsible for diplomats’ security,” and said that all U.S. consulates abroad are under her oversight. Why did she take such unequivocal blame for the attack?

The Secretary of State is one of the most

important members of the President’s Cabinet, and the position entails close interactions with the President. Their jobs are two sides of the same coin as the Secretary deals primarily with the United States’ interactions abroad, while the President focuses more on domestic issues. Although Clinton and Obama began their political relationship as competitors, perhaps Clinton took the fall for the attacks as a way to divert negative attention from Obama because he was in the midst of a campaign for reelection. This might have been an attempt to relieve him of culpability that Republicans were sure to criticize him on (which they did anyway), and keep his image clean for potential voters. What have Secretaries of State in the past done with similar disasters in foreign !"#$%&''#!()$*$$

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affairs?

The Iran Hostage Crisis of 1979-1981 was an event that also demanded the attention of the Secretary of State. One of the largest diplomatic failures in U.S. history, Secretary Cyrus Vance navigated a different path with the predicament in Iran than Secretary Clinton did with Benghazi. Vance refused to carry out President Jimmy Carter’s initial plan to rescue the American hostages because it required much military action. Vance did not want to jeopardize the diplomatic negotiations he had been working on with the Iranian captors by partaking in a violent rescue mission. Ultimately, the military plan did not go though; however the tension of opinion between Vance and Carter reflects quite a different relationship between president and secretary than the one that Obama and Clinton share. The difference in roles that the Secretary of State has played in the past demonstrates the flexibility that the position requires, and that because the relationship between the secretary and the president is so interrelated, there is room for both agreement and friction. Vance clearly felt a greater tie to his own principles than he did to President Carter’s. Clinton, on the other hand, stood by President Obama by transferring the blame from his shoulders to her own, whether she truly believed the consulate attack was her fault or not. However, because consulate security is so complex, it would be nearly impossible to place all the blame on Clinton for the Libyan breach. It is her responsibility to oversee such foreign hubs from a bird’s eye view, but there are many others who are involved in the operation of consulate safety abroad. To accept culpability for such an attack on American foreign ambassadors reveals Clinton’s rectitude and dedication to the greater good for her administration and party. Obama’s next Secretary of State has large shoes to fill.

Marissa Mayer

By Rebecca Deczynski sans baby-bump rejects a crucial opportunity to advocate for women who wish to simultaneously work and start a family. Why didn’t Mayer take advantage of her position as a businesswoman and a mother to show that the two aren’t mutually exclusive?

“Why didn’t Mayer take advantage of her position as a businesswoman and a mother to show that the two aren’t mutually exclusive?”

Mayer herself was the one who ultimately decided to use a pre-pregnancy photo; she had declined to pose for the cover—which is unsurprising, considering that she is undoubtedly busy running a $5 billion company, all the while attempting to maintain privacy despite her highly public job. Although Mayer can opt to protect her personal life from the media, her status as a high-profile CEO prevents her from ever completely hiding her private life, namely her pregnancy. And with the ultimate feminist goal of giving women unconditional sovereignty of their own bodies, one questions why

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Mayer should be pressured to showcase her pregnancy for the public.

By overemphasizing Mayer-as-mother, the media, and perhaps society as a whole, subsumes the importance of her position as a businesswoman for the importance of her reproductive cycle. She is a successful businesswoman, and the successes in her work and career are anything but sparse: graduate of

A

Stanford University, Google’s first female engi-

t 37 years old, Yahoo! executive

job and personal life. After Mayer was named

neer, board member of the New York City Bal-

Marissa Mayer is the youngest

CEO, she appeared on the October cover

let and the San Francisco Museum of Modern

CEO of a Fortune 500 company—

of Fortune—the same month her baby was

Art. Truly, the media’s focus should be on her

and a new mom. Mayer’s decision to accept

due— but her cover photo noticeably lacked

work, not the status of her pregnancy.

the CEO position in June 2012, just months

a pregnant physique as she decided to submit

And yet, while women who wish to have

before her due date in October, demonstrated

a pre-pregnancy picture instead. The mo-

children and hold a high-powered position can

on a national level the challenges so many ev-

tives behind the feature were questioned: why

look to Mayer as inspiration, it is ultimately re-

eryday women face as they strive for a balance

didn’t she proudly pose with her baby-bump?

strictive for people to expect Mayer to be the

between job and family, or more generally,

Some argue that using an image of Mayer

spokeswomen for all pregnant businesswomen.

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Disney’s Princess Sofia: (almost) Latina?

S

By Ray Rogers least. Hollywood, media, and cartoons all

racial society. But, it’s not. And, as the tweeter

on November 18th in a made-for-TV have a long history of erasure of culture and

aptly pointed out, this is precisely the prob-

ofia, Disney’s latest Princess, debuted

color in favor of White characters. Take, for

lem: Disney made a decision to half-endorse

Princess. She is a little girl with light brown example, The Last Airbender, where the main

Sofia as a Latina princess, and they seem to

hair, huge blue eyes, and white skin. The plot character, Aang, is indisputably meant to be

have drawn what appears to be a stereotypical

is predictable: Sofia’s mother, Miranda, finds of Asian descent, and yet, Hollywood cast

Princess (Read: White) in order to reinforce a

movie, Sofia the First: Once Upon a

true love while buying a slipper, and then

a white child to play the role. The other two “universal” image. heroes, Katara and Sokka, were also cast as

After receiving incredible pushback from

white actors, despite their definitively not

advocacy groups and the online community,

white appearance in the cartoon. In fact, the Disney’s Senior Vice President of Original

promptly marries a King with her little tot in

only character cast as a person of color was

Programing and General Manager of Disney

Zuko, the enemy. In so doing, the culture of

Junior Worldwide released a statement on

“whitewashing” associates White with Good

their Facebook page: “Some of you may have

and Anything-Else with Bad.

seen the recent news stories on whether Sofia

In light of the mass media’s tendency to

is or isn’t a ‘Latina princess.’ What’s impor-

whitewash everything, Vargas’s concern is

tant to know is that Sofia is a fairytale girl

well taken. Disney could have put more effort

who lives in a fairytale world.” Right, so So-

into creating a character who had more La-

fia is nothing more than a cartoon, and she

tina culture surrounding her; merely stating

is make-believe. Thank you for clearing that

that she is Latina is not enough. However, this

up, Disney.

tow. The Evil Stepsisters are jealous of the new half of the debate is also rather reductive. To

Ultimately, Disney’s fumbling an-

princess, Sofia, and there is an Evil Villain

say that every Latina must have dark brown swers and responses to the entire cultural,

plotting to take over the land of Enchancia.

skin, dark brown hair, and brown eyes simply racial, and ethnic discussion surrounding

Fear not, however. *Spoiler Alert* The movie

is not an accurate reflection of reality. Latinas their latest invention leave something to be

ends happily, achieved with the help of three cannot be defined or reduced to a singular

desired. In an interview with Fox Latino, Alex

Fairy Godmothers, and an uncanny ability to narrative or singular phenotype. Some Lati-

Nogales, President and CEO for the National

speak to animals. Creative genius.

nas do have light skin, light brown hair, and Hispanic Media Coalition, said: “We need

What’s different about this little blue-eyed blue eyes. Therefore, some Latina girls must more heroes right now that are very identifibe able to identify with Sofia’s appearance. Yet

able... we’re in a time where Latinos are tak-

keted her as a Latina Princess. The execu-

there’s still something off about how Disney

ing the blame for everything that is wrong

tive producer for the movie, Jaime Mitchell, approached the marketing and production of

with America. This is not a time to pussyfoot

told Entertainment Weekly: “She is Latina.”

this character. One tweet captured the true

around. If you’re going to promote this to the

A statement which seems clear enough, but

problem with this version of whitewashing: public, and to Latinos in particular, do us a

people took to the blogosphere and Twitter in “@Latina There are fair-skinned Latinas ...

favor and make her a real Latina.” Of course,

What’s problematic is Disney saying they

Nogales is referring to a problem that runs

an outrage. If Sofia is Latina, why hadn’t Dis-

ney made her just a tad darker, perhaps with made her blanquita so kids could identify deeper than presenting a Princess with darkbrown eyes, and something that was more readily identifiable à la Dora the Explorer?

er skin and eyes.

with her =(.”

Mitchell’s statement that Sofia is definitively

Disney was incredibly soft and unprepared

Carmelina Vargas, an aspiring musician, Latina contradicts the Vice President of Dis- to make any assertion that Sofia, other than tweeted: “Wake me up when Disney’s first ney Junior’s programming, Joe D’Ambrosia.

the spelling of her name, is Latina. Disney

#Latina princess looks like me smh.” This

The VP is quoted by Entertainment Weekly failed to produce a Latina Princess, in essence.

concern was commonly expressed, as angry

as saying: “We never actually call it out [So- And yet, despite the emotionally tumultuous

tweets poured out, claiming that Sofia is not

fia’s ethnicity]. When we go into schools [to

waters, Disney will move forward with their

relatable, and in essence, implying that she is

talk to young students about the show], what

kind-of Latina, mostly make-believe Prin-

not perhaps truly Latina, or, at the very least,

I find fascinating is that every girl thinks that

cess. A weekly show is set to debut in 2013,

not Latina enough.

they’re Sofia.” This statement would potential- and with its arrival, another slew of criticisms

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N

ew York City is a place filled to the

out their commute. One of their major projects

map on the floor of the Chambers Street/Park

brim with people in a rush – every-

involves continually installing new permanent

Place stop, Artemis, Acrobats, Diva and Danc-

one wants to get where they’re going

artistic works at subway stations across the city.

ers at Lincoln Center, Eric Fischl’s homage to

and get there fast. People walk from crowded

To date over one hundred artists have created

the circus at Penn Station, the mosaic collage at

streets into crowded subway stations without

original works specifically designed for the

DeKalb Avenue, and the explosion of marbles

noticing that art is all around them.

subway station. Commissions are generally

at the 42nd Street Port Authority Bus Terminal.

The transit system in this city is practically

open-ended, and the works range from intri-

The program gives New Yorkers an opportu-

exploding with original art. Beauty and cre-

cate and brightly colored mosaics, which play

nity to engage with art being produced around

ativity are scattered throughout the network

off the surroundings, to shadow boxes and

the city. To some, one of the joys of public art is

in permanent visual art installments, poetic

bronze sculpture. These projects are most of-

just happening upon it without knowing it was

works, independent musicians, and even the

ten meant to celebrate the unique qualities or

there, but for those who want to seek out these

stops themselves.

history of the station’s location, giving voyagers

works, Arts for Transit has a very user-friendly

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This tradition of artistic expression has been

the opportunity to engage with the culture of a

catalogue of all their products both online and

a part of the subway system since it first opened

neighborhood even if they only pass beneath

through iPhone and Android apps.

in 1904. The original tile art was produced by

it. Works like Primavera, a glass mosaic at the

The Arts for Transit commission also has a

Heins & LaFarge, an architectural firm hired

191st Street station or the eponymous Memo-

myriad of other projects that include posters of

after several high profile successes design-

ries of Twenty-Third Street enchant subway-

original works celebrating different locations

ing the Cathedral of St. John the Divine and

goers with rich and vibrant images of the very

in the city and the MTA’s role in connecting

major elements of the Bronx Zoo. The group’s

best of the communities they represent and

New Yorkers with their community and their

work is gorgeous and ornate, the product of an

imbue metro rides with a much deeper sense

surroundings. They are also responsible for

age when high speed transit was a privilege of

of travel.

Art Cards, the long and thin transit-themed

the upper classes. The stations they designed

Even more inspiring are some exhibits which

posters found in most subway cars. The cards

starkly contrast the less aesthetically-focused

don’t describe a section of the city, but instead

have recently been themed around the great

later additions to the system. These older sta-

whimsically and fantastically celebrate the sub-

diversity of people who use New York transit,

tions include elements like the bas-relief cor-

way system itself. Tom Otterness’ installment

and they emphasize the subway itself as a uni-

ner tiles in select stations, like the sailing ship

of bronze miniatures at the 14th street and 8th

fying element within the city.

at Columbus Circle and Alma Mater at 116th

avenue station is easy to overlook, but a keen

The arts commission works to bring many

Street, while stations like Port Authority Bus

eye will begin to spot dozens of figures scat-

diverse forms of creative expression into the

Terminal-42nd Street, built in the mid-1930s,

tered around, on the floor, climbing railings,

subways through avenues like its music pro-

have little or no artistic element in their design.

and hanging from the ceiling. The characters

gram. The vast majority of live musicians play-

As time went on, and the subways became

are charming and sweetly shaped, but the

ing in heavily frequented subway stations are

less a novelty and more a banal element of ev-

scenes they’re involved in have an uncertain

members of Arts for Transit’s Music Under

eryday life, less and less attention was paid to

dark element to them. The harmless and play-

New York (MUNY) program. Over 350 groups

the system’s appearance and upkeep. So by the

ful figures of Life Underground are meant to

and soloist musicians selected from an audition

end of the 20th century, many stations were in

make people feel seedy and uncomfortable.

process each spring perform in 30 different lo-

shambles. Since then, the Metropolitan Trans-

They focus on subway lore and include features

cations throughout the transit system. Perform-

portation Authority has been pushing a mas-

like an alligator peeking out from the sewers

ers range from opera singers to Cajun bands,

sive rehabilitation effort that created, among

to eat a man and people sneaking under fences

but are united by the excellent quality for which

many other programs, the MTA Arts for Tran-

to collect dropped change and watch construc-

they were

sit initiative.

tion.

This project has quickly taken a very visible role in the subway goer’s experience, placing them in interaction with many types of media through-

A few notable mosaics are the expansive world

selected and by their commitment to making everyone’s time in the subway station a little less unpleasant.

Arts for Transit’s Poetry in Motion program features poster cards displaying selected poems scattered throughout subway cars. Although the program disappeared four years ago due to apparent lack of public interest, it was reinstated this January per rider requests.

Since its return, the program has been a popular hit, currently featuring Kevin Young’s “Ragtime.” All of these initiatives seek to transform a trip on the subway into something deeper, a culturally engaging journey through the city of New York.

The MTA Arts for Transit program has had a clear commitment to excellence through its nearly thirty year history. But these works are not displayed in galleries or museums – so does this make them “low art”? Are they valued less because they are viewed by the public, not just by the cultured? Because they cannot be bought? Because they are associated with the grime of the subway? Does this matter in terms of their artistic value - is the value of art been dictated by the frame it’s in?

Regardless of how we define public art, it has nevertheless made simply moving through each day in New York City an enriching experience. These works still have the power to give us that overwhelming sense of possibility that being able to take miles-long journeys underground in only a few minutes no longer can.

They keep alive that wonder that the New York subway system, one of the first in the world, used to have.

The long and short of it is that art and trains belong together because they serve the same purpose. They both have the power to take us somewhere. Maybe it’s not always where we’re headed, but what New Yorker doesn’t want to be in two places at once? Proclaiming the program’s long awaited return, a poster with the MTA’s tagline, “improving, nonstop,” announced, “Poetry is back in Motion: Many of you thought parting was not such sweet sorrow, so we’re bringing poetry back in a very artful way. Hopefully, you’ll feel transported.”

HOW TO DO IT:

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by Nina Sabado

The Big Apple is known as more than just The City That Never Sleeps; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a vibrant place full of events happening all throughout the island every single day and night. Most Saturday mornings, for example, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be able to see a line of fans starting in front of the NBC building and winding down a few blocks. Ranging from the casual fan to the outright devotee, including Louis Klein who has been to over 600 tapings, they wait hours and hours for the chance to get a standby ticket for SNL.

S

aturday Night Live, more commonly known as SNL, is a tele-

the chances are of getting into SNL.

vised live sketch comedy show originally produced by NBC

The standby line, however, is not for the faint-hearted. But armed

Studios. Each new episode is hosted by a celebrity guest and

with patience, luck, and the advice from fellow fans and SNL standby

features a song performed by a guest singer or band.

line veterans, you just might be able to attain the Holy Grail: actually

Needless to say, with a variety of guest stars like Joseph GordonLevitt, Mick Jagger, Daniel Radcliffe, and Elton John, some would

sitting in the SNL audience at either the dress rehearsal or the live performance.

seriously consider donating that pesky second kidney for a chance to

First, this requires dedication. Make sure that you really want to

see their favorite celebrities. Thankfully, the distribution of the SNL

see the guest star performing that night, as this will definitely take

standby tickets ensures that we never have to make that choice.

some time. Even if you end up getting a ticket, keep in mind that the

At 7 am on the day of the show, the standby tickets are distributed

number of empty seats might be small in the first place. Sometimes,

at 30 Rockefeller Plaza. People get a number and are told to return at

fifty people might be able to get in, and other times only two. It really

the designated call time, depending on whether they choose the dress

depends on the showing. You never know whether you’ve made it or

rehearsal or the live performance. The lower the number is, the better

not until you’re actually in your seat.

1 2 3

Arrive early to get in line.

Make no mistake; there are some hardcore fans out there who have been in line since the Wednesday of that week. Unless you’re willing to be unreasonable, you’ll never beat them. But getting into line at 9 pm on Friday is vastly different from getting into line at 12.

Needless to say, the earlier you are, the better.

4

Know what you want.

When the attendant arrives, you’re faced with a choice greater than whether to part with your kidney or not. Will you attend the dress rehearsal or the live performance? The live performance has all the finished edits on the sketches, but the dress rehearsal has additional skits that never make it to the final cut.

Come Prepared.

Don’t underestimate the fickle New York weather. “Bring blankets, plenty of warm clothes, and perhaps buy a lawn chair,” advises Ellie Williams, BC ‘16. But more than that, you will be bored. While you might be able to talk to (possibly awesome) neighbors in your line, bring things to keep you entertained.

Know who the guest star is.

Çakıl Güldal, BC ’16, was planning to leave at around 2 am on Saturday morning to see Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane perform on SNL. “While we were getting ready to hit the line,”Çakıl says “I went on twitter and saw that the line already had like 300 people.”

5 6

Anticipate Mutiny.

Although Fiona Rowan, BC ’16, had been in line since 10 on Friday night, she hadn’t anticipated the stampede that came when it was crunch time. “Everyone who was behind us ran and then ended up getting tickets before us, even if they had only been there since 5 am,” she says.

Bring a partner in crime.

Whether it’s to hold your place in line while you rush to the nearest Starbucks bathroom, or to alleviate your boredom, braving the SNL standby line isn’t worth it unless you have a story to tell and a friend to share the experience with.

Finding a genuinely good time can be an arduous task. Difficult, but not impossible—especially if you love to laugh. Taking on the SNL line, and knowing what exactly you’re getting into, is not only an interesting way to spend the weekend, but can also result in a memorable story to share with friends. The jealous stares you’ll get from peers will be well worth the long, long wait. Or so you should hope.

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Jaded?

By Josephine McGowan

In a room overlooking the skyline of a sparkling city, a speaker readies a podium that stands before rows of empty seats. The PowerPoint, marked by bullet points of microcosmic life lessons, shines brightly on a crisp white screen. The speaker for the night is prepared, and she is in jovial anticipation for her speech as well as an engaging discussion with students. She has arrived from across the country to Barnardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Diana Center to give insight and inspiration. They are scheduled to attend her session about women in the workplace. The hour nears for them to arrive, and every detail is set.

After thirty minutes of waiting, it is clear: only one person shows up for the session.

This is an extreme example of Barnard and

them.

students are often left over-stimulated, and ul-

Columbia students’ surprisingly mediocre par-

The infectious atmosphere that CU ema-

timately, over-booked. With classes and club

ticipation in the events. At Barnard, the Athena

nates may, at times, substitute for other missed

activities that inevitably coincide, it is no won-

Center for Leadership Studies hosts workshops

opportunities. Hannah Boysko, BC ’13, admits

der that events are somewhat poorly attended.

throughout the beginning of the semester, and

that though she has missed some special events

Though it is generally advisable to prioritize

though almost all of the workshops are well

because she is so busy, she “can’t help but feel

work, students should be proactive in fitting

attended and praised, the previous situation

lucky to be here and privy to so much culture

these events into their schedules.

makes one wonder why it is that students can

and knowledge that you can’t help but absorb

be ambivalent about these unique opportuni-

while on campus.”

“It might be a nice idea for students to be more intentional in the way they think about

ties that are often unavailable at other colleges

special events on campus,” Dean Hollibaugh

and universities.

said. “[Students can] help one another to ac-

Barnard’s First-Year Dean, Lisa Hollibaugh, believes that students’ general reluctance to participate in these opportunities lies in the fact that that some feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of events that happen on campus and end up attending very few events, or even none. “[S]tudents feel very busy and may find it difficult to believe that they can make time for an opportunity, no matter how interesting it may sound,” Dean Hollibaugh said. “It’s exciting to hear from students who have made the effort and have been rewarded with the rich experience of hearing from extraordinary people like Valerie Jarrett, Oprah, and Elie Wiesel.”

The recent talk that featured Elie Wiesel was an exception to the “jaded” mentality. Viewer demand was so wide that some were directed to a separate room to watch Wiesel speak “live” from a television screen. It is likely because the status of the speaker passes a certain critical point of prominence, which other leading people in the field do not. A business execu-

“The lofty promises of insight and connections may breeze easily by us, or they may be buried beneath piles of ancient texts and problem sets.”

tive, compared to a world leader, who has come

range their schedule.

planned into their weekly or monthly calendars.”

Abigail Lewis, the Associate Director of the Athena Center, observes that a skill that should be taught to students is how to prioritize the opportunities that are offered to them. She proposes a new methodology that may help students with organizing the infinitesimal options.

“I think that we could do a better job at helping students figure out which events are available,” Abigail said. “It may be useful to have a coordinated calendar, so that students know that each week there is a list of every event that is happening on-campus. It could be one place where students can look at and compare the opportunities that they may have otherwise missed.”

She also stresses the importance of making an effort to become a part of the greater community; a piece of advice that is particularly salient while in New York City, where people can be lost in the busy shuffle of millions.

to Barnard to give a lecture, simply may not be prominent enough to cause students to rear-

tively look for one or two events that could be

It is difficult to determine whether or not This very same atmosphere may be what

we are jaded by the endless brigade of e-mails.

most hinders students from attending these

The lofty promises of insight and connections

Yet, the recent World Leaders Forum at Bar-

events. Melina Iacavou, BC ’15, had often con-

may breeze easily by us, or they may be buried

nard, which featured Prime Minister Yingluck

sidered how to best take advantage of them.

beneath piles of ancient texts and problem sets.

Shinawatra of Thailand, President Atifete Jah-

“The selection and frequency of such events is

Either way, as Barnard and Columbia students,

jaga of the Republic of Kosovo, and former

overwhelming,” she said. “I know that I would

we should be cognizant of the effects of count-

President of Finland Tarja Halonen had only

usually have to restructure my day and week to

less opportunity. As in the example of the ses-

about 300 students, professors, and guests

accommodate the attendance of these academ-

sion with almost no attendees, it is important

combined. Though there were many that at-

ically enriching events. The benefits that they

for students to remember that commitment to

tended, the student population was not widely

offer are immeasurable, but the problem lies

attending is crucial to organizers of any event.

represented. Events such as these serve as a re-

in the fact that this university is so demanding

The next time an e-mail comes in, take a sec-

minder of the excellence of our university, but

that many benefits are lost.”

ond look at it. It may just be the one hour that

time and commitment are wont to overshadow

Indeed, the “problem” with Columbia is that

THE$BULLETIN$*$$

bn$$*$DECEMBER$2012

changes your perspective entirely.

”?

WH

A

T ON

S ’ T

A L Y P BU T “ A

by Carly Cheton

$15.00 to $50.00.

artists are guaranteed that their work will be

The

cherished as a structured means of artistic ex-

mechanisms

Disclaimer:+The+Bulletin+does+not+own+any+of+the+images+on+this+page

contain 2 gigabytes

E

pression.

of memory, and

Musicians aren’t the only ones attracted to

maintain a unique

Playbutton. Major names like Barneys and Ar-

quality: they lack

mani have trusted the company with their own

the

to

promotions. Here, the function of the MP3 is

switch between the

capacity

tied to the form of the button, serving as an

tracks of an album

intersection between the realms of music and

or playlist.

fashion.

Although listen-

Barnard sophomore, Camille Newton, a

ers are able to fast-

Social Media and Marketing Intern for Play-

forward through a

button, recalls her first encounter with Play-

song, they are not

button. “I think it’s an interesting eye-catcher.

granted

easy

I remember when I didn’t know what a Play-

transition between

an

button was and I saw it at Barneys. I thought,

tracks. Critics find

‘What is that? That’s so strange.’”

this to be the fatal

The idea of expression sets the promotional

flaw of Playbut-

tone for many companies’ renewed ambition.

ton.

Technology

Playbuttons serve as a projection of individual-

magazine, Wired,

ity, setting a precedent for a new kind of pro-

deemed the Play-

motion. “I think, overall, every company is try-

button to be a

ing to tell a story. Music’s a really good way of

“technological step

doing that,” Newton says.

backwards” in its

To say that Playbutton’s benefits lie in its

“limitation” of only

marketing strategies would be an understate-

playing an entire

ment of the product’s universality. The users

veryone loves to show off their musi-

album. This review

hold the company’s ultimate purpose in their

cal tastes. Whether it be through a car’s

disregards the company’s motive in promoting

palms. Buttons can be purchased displaying

blaring bass, Bieber Fever t-shirts, or

such a feature. A motive deeply grounded in

fun, non-franchised designs that “go more

the cultural values of the past.

towards expressing who you are and who you

the recently popular method of Spotification, there is a powerful social current that compels

The artistic entity of the ‘album’ was once a

people to share what they like to hear, in hopes

principle that the music industry greatly em-

Playbutton’s current goals, as expressed by

that others may enjoy it as well. The up-and-

phasized. The order of songs, and the flow of

Newton, are maintaining growth and sharing

coming company Playbutton has experienced

music were manipulated at the artist or band’s

their product. These aspirations should be met

great success with this trend recently, with the

discretion, and they suspended the listener in

with nothing but success, for Playbutton pro-

help of their pocket-sized product.

might be,” according to Newton.

an atmosphere solely manipulated by the mu-

vides an avenue for the music-savvy to share

The button behind the company’s name is

sicians. In experiencing an album from begin-

what they are experiencing in a captivating

an MP3 player with a clever design and mis-

ning to end, listeners were told a musical story.

fashion, and has an honorable goal in mind.

sion. Controls on the back of the button play,

They were carried on whatever current the art-

Even while companies and musicians are get-

pause, fast-forward, and rewind the song’s.

ist or band chose.

ting in on the marketability of the buttons, the

The buttons featured in the company’s online

Now, the sacred nature of album flow is

store come in ‘closed’ and ‘open’ assortments.

threatened. Because iTunes and other mu-

‘Closed’ buttons are chosen primarily by mu-

sic programs allow the purchase of singular

After all, says Newton, “You’re not going to

sician and company promotions, and do not

tracks, music consumers fail to find any worth

wear a button if you don’t want somebody to

leave room for users to choose which tracks are

in an album as an ordered entity, which sullies

notice it.”

featured on the device. ‘Open’ buttons are more

the artistic integrity of musicians everywhere.

personalized--they display a graphic, and users

Playbutton ultimately seeks to preserve integ-

can upload their own tracks. Prices range from

rity in the light of iTunes’ dominance. Featured

THE$BULLETIN$*$$

bp$$*$DECEMBER$2012

users themselves are granted the greatest benefits of the Playbutton.

Illustration+by+Allison+Cohen

Dating Diary

by Sara Miller I have been a fan of dating books ever since my mother gave me Mars and Venus on a Date. “You could use some help,” she said, handing it over during one of my breaks from school. It definitely clarified some common doubts or confusions, and it pointed out important issues to keep one from going too insane. But, these books are more useful as a guideline or cheat sheet, and are not meant to be literally interpreted. No one actually follows them word for word… or, at least, I didn’t think so … until a certain incident over the summer.

It had been a pretty dry couple of months after my boyfriend and I broke up, and, although I was living in a frat house for the summer, I wasn’t looking to get with anyone. Taking a

familiar.”

in this book called The Game.”

Oh boy, what is he getting at?

“You know when animals mate they’re attracted to each others smell?”

“Oh yeah! I’ve read that book.” Another guy chimed in.

“The Game?!” I exclaimed, “Are you kidding

healthy hiatus was more like it, using the alone

“Right, I’ve heard that one before.”

time to work on myself and blah blah blah. So,

“You know what else? When lions mate they

you could imagine my surprise when I got an

pull on each other’s manes.” He proceeded to

e-mail from Josh, the new guy at work who just

reach up the back of my hair line and pull gen-

He quickly found a PDF of the entire book

graduated from Northwestern.

tly. A shiver shot down my spine and I giggled

and we ctrl-F’d the section right away. It was

me?!”

“Nope, it’s like a dude’s Bible to dating. Here, I’m gonna find it online.”

“He took my arm and gently kissed the inside of my elbow. Again that shiver made my legs weak. It was kind of hot, but kind of weird. He went on...”

“Rebel Without a Cause is playing at Bryant Park tonight. I’ve never seen it. Wanna go?”

nervously. It was kind of hot, but kind of weird.

called The Evolution Phase-Shift Routine and

He didn’t miss a beat.

it had 6 steps that consisted of, in order, talking

Umm, YES! I was more than excited to be

“You know what else I heard? The back of

about smell, the lion’s mane, biting the sensi-

hanging out with the cute new boy. Even my

your knees and the inside of your elbows are

tive inside of the elbow, telling her to bite your

boss thought he was attractive, saying, “Wow,

really sensitive, let me show you.” He took my

neck, and step 6 - the kiss.

that’s a good looking kid. They usually hire

arm and gently kissed the inside of my elbow.

Josh had stuck strictly to the script provided

such gnomes for his job.”

Again that shiver made my legs weak. It was

by the author, Neil Strauss, and the scary thing was it almost worked.

I met him outside the building and noticed

kind of hot, but kind of weird. He went on,

the way his arm brushed against mine as we

“You know what else feels good? Bite my neck.”

walked the few blocks to the park. The con-

He tilted his head and pointed to the area.

versation was easy enough and once the movie started, we leaned back on our elbows. I won-

“I am NOT biting your neck!” I declared, remembering we were coworkers.

The next day at work I played it cool, tried not to act any different and of course avoided him at all costs. But at the end of the day we inevitably ran into each other as we left the of-

dered whether his hand was inching closer

“Come on, just bite my neck.” He smiled his

fice. On the subway uptown I turned to him

to mine, but of course, I figured we were just

wonderful smile, his eyes sparkling under a

casually and said, “Oh! I read something really

friends. Besides, he was new to the city and

street light.

interesting last night that I thought you’d like,”

probably just looking for someone to hang out with.

Fast forward to the subway ride back up-

“No way!” I grabbed his arm and pulled him

I had his attention so I continued, “Have you

to the end of the block where we would part

ever heard of The Evolution Phase-Shift Rou-

ways.

tine?”

town. Imagine the sweltering train, the beads

He touched my arm ever so gently and said,

of sweat trickling down my spine and the

“I’ll see you tomorrow.” The spot he touched

growing wet circles under my armpits. I tried

was still hot when he turned the corner.

His face turned bright red and he responded, “Yeah...I’ve heard of it...”

“Really interesting stuff! Neil Strauss, great

to play it cool although I was melting, and of

I ran home to the frat house and stomped

writer!” He started to whistle nervously so I

course he seemed completely devoid of sweat.

up the stairs. I burst through the door where

asked, “How many times have you used that

That’s why my insecurity was through the roof

a bunch of the guys were hanging out. “HOLY

routine?”

as we walked back up onto the street and he

SHIT!” I fell onto the couch.

said: “You smell!”

“Oh, umm, do I smell bad?”

“No, neither good nor bad, but you know how people’s houses have like a certain smell?”

I nodded and bit my lower lip, blushing, “You smell like something, you have a smell.”

“Where have you been?” One of the guys asked.

“Have you ever been called out on it before?”

“Nope.”

I described to them the unexpected events of the night that were kind of hot, but kind of weird. I was turned on and confused.

“Wait a minute,” Billy from Long Island said, “I’m pretty sure I’ve heard this one before...”

“What do I smell like?”

“WHAT?” I asked, turning bright red.

“I don’t know I can’t place it, but you smell

“Yeah, at least the lion’s mane part...I read it

THE$BULLETIN$*$$

“Oh, once or twice...”

br$$*$DECEMBER$2012

“I told you I live in a frat house...right?”

He laughed, “Man, I just want to jump out of this train and run like 10 miles.”

Suffice it to say, we became friends and were able to joke about it later, but he never pulled a stunt like that again...that I know of.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT The Clock

I

By Cleo Levin

nside the small world of galleries, there’s typically an equally

a fabulous brunch nearby, and then had to wait in line for an hour—

small, select group of five to ten people who wander through

but it was worth it, it was fascinating,” they can tell their spouses over

every hour, setting Chelsea’s trendy, yet sedate pace. Occasion-

dinner. Or a bleary-eyed Tisch student returning at 6 AM can brag to

ally, however, an exhibition takes New York by storm, and suddenly

his roommate, “I was in there for twelve hours; it was totally surreal.”

these quiet spaces attract hordes of people with lines wrapping around

In other words, a large part of the appeal is in the expedition itself,

blocks — sometimes the mile-long lines even need security detail.

and creating a personal narrative around the viewing of the piece.

“The Clock,” a 24-hour film and sound montage, by artist Chris-

Another facet, which is perhaps most appealing to film buffs, is the

tian Marclay, took the gallery world by storm pushing it into the less

trivia component of the piece. With the age of the auteur came a gen-

sedate, more lively category. Marclay’s piece first premiered two years

eration of film lovers whose prerogative it is to create a comprehen-

ago at the Paula Cooper Gallery, and it is set to make its public return

sive knowledge of all film: the good, the bad, and the ugly. It is their

at the Museum of Modern Art from December 21st until January 21st.

dream to be given a tantalizing, two-second taste of a film—a flash of

“The Clock” is a functional piece of art; it literally acts as a time-

a face, which they then have to identify. Film buffs can sit and parse

piece, counting down the hours, minutes, and seconds of the day.

out the recognized and unrecognized bits and pieces of films that are

With shots of wristwatches, alarms, and clock towers, as well a pleth-

woven throughout the 24 hours. And even those who are less in tune

ora of characters announcing the time—clips that are mainly drawn

with the filmic world can still enjoy singling out the zany style of Ku-

from classic cinema, including: “On the Waterfront,” “A Clockwork

brick or the inimitable tone of Don Vito Corleone. The pop culture

Orange,” and “The Godfather”—every real-time minute of footage is

references and challenges may be yet another facet of the piece that

either displayed or declared in reel time on the screen.

has created a cult following of the piece.

The piece’s concept may sound slightly fractured—one long, pell-

This past July, when the piece came to Lincoln Center, The New

mell, collaged mess—which it probably would be if Marclay had

Yorker published an article wittily entitled, “Is ‘The Clock’ Worth the

conceived of “The Clock” simply as an assemblage. But, as many re-

Time?” This seems to be a loaded question. Was it worth hours of my

viewers have commented, the piece resembles a narrative film in and

contemplation? As one of perennial impatience, I didn’t think so. But

of itself, and critics have commended the artist’s use of sound in the

I was so hurried by the time that I got in, that perhaps I missed the

piece as a means of creating the narrative. Through careful selection,

piece’s purpose? What about those that enjoy the wait, the contempla-

Marclay builds suspense around pivotal periods, like noon or mid-

tion, the process? Perhaps for them it is worth a visit. If you want to

night with sound mixing; he bleeds music through various clips to

take the time, chances are, that time will be repaid.

raise emotions, and he quiets the action for dinner and children’s bedtimes. Marclay’s careful curation of the sound leads the audience to draw connections between shots that may otherwise have seemed unconnected.

Yet, with conceptual pieces such as “The Clock,” a question naturally arises: is the message successfully translated to the audience? While certain viewers may find a blinking neon sign to be a powerful commentary on corporate America, others may Which inevitably points to the critical individual interpretations of the viewer.

Photograph%by%Rhea%Schmid

arts%&%entertainment

find it to be no more provocative than the McDonald’s arches.

Ultimately, however, if the abstract narrative and themes of continuity are not exactly jumping out, the piece can be still be understood through two facets. This first is the appeal of “The Clock” as an art experience. Journeying into the New York art world is an adventure, and people love to come back with a story. Two elderly retirees can make an afternoon of it, “We had

THE$BULLETIN$*$$

bs$$*$DECEMBER$2012

The Scream

F

By Rachel Dunphy

our versions of Edvard Munch’s mas-

sea, and bridge. The scene is based on an ex-

is forced to come face to face with all of the

terpiece, The Scream, exist today.

perience of Munch’s, and to complement the

things he is not.

One is housed in the Munch Mu-

painting, he inscribed a poem of the incident:

No matter how much civilization, how

seum in Oslo. The Norweigian

many people and buildings we

National Gallery holds two

“I was walking along the road with two of my friends. The sun set /

surround ourselves with, we are

more. And the last, a pastel fin-

the sky became a bloody red. And I felt a touch of melancholy /

all alone in nature. We are will re-

ished in 1895, is currently on

I stood still, dead tired / over the blue-black fjord and the city hung blood

main a lie, no matter how many

display in midtown Manhattan

and tongues of fire. My friends walked on / I stayed behind

times we repeat it. And this can

at the Museum of Modern Art.

/ trembling with fright, I felt the great scream in nature.”

be so unfathomable that it be-

Drawing heavily from a cy-

comes horrific. It’s an honest, and

cle of paintings, The Frieze of

maybe even emblematic image,

Life- A Poem about Life, Love

but not a wholly redemptive

and Death, for which Munch

one.

is well known, MoMA has

Walking about the exhibit,

created a small exhibit show-

glimpses of some of the mu-

casing The Scream. Running

seum’s permanent collections,

through April 29th, the show

Impressionism, Expressionism,

focuses on themes of death,

Cubism, are visible through

fear, grief, horror, and isola-

open doorways. One of these

tion, all of which are central

glimpses is brilliantly used to

to the artist’s work. The walls

display The Scream directly

around the exhibit are appro-

across from Van Gogh’s Starry

priately painted a dark grey,

Night, so viewers must turn in

and on them hang paintings

the exact opposite direction

with names like Evening Mel-

from Munch’s depiction of na-

ancholy, Jealousy I, The Sick,

ture to experience a radically

or Two People: The Lonely

different view of it. Both art-

Ones. This is not an uplifting

ists observed a power and a life

collection, but it is a deeply

in the natural world that most

emotional and utterly en-

people miss, but while to Van

trancing one.

Gogh, nature’s power was en-

Munch did the majority of

couraging and even restorative,

The$Scream$by$Edward$Munch,$1895

his work in the late 19th and

Munch found it devastating.

early 20th centuries. Although

Munch created an image that

he lived mainly in Norway,

captures pure dread so well that

he spent a large portion of

people have returned to it for

his youth in Berlin where he

generations. It expresses beau-

became familiar with German Expressionist

The piece is full of the overwhelming sensa- tifully the absolute epitome of suffering in all

contemporaries like Vassily Kandinsky and tion of seeing oneself clearly in the world. The human life. But while this image is honest, it Alexei von Jawlensky. Like these artists, his curved lines of the main figure reflect the forms is not necessarily true. Munch stares into the work is not known for being wholly political of the landscape, water and sky, sharply con- face of nature and it eclipses him. He finds or wholly commercial. Instead, his paintings trasting the geometric shapes and straight lines

himself overwhelmed, and that terrifies him.

are entirely emotional, and none more so than of the quay he stands on, and the two dark fig- But one can be overwhelmed with joy as easily The Scream. It is a deeply troubling image of

ures in the background. This is a man who has

as with fear, so perhaps Munch’s message is a

a hairless figure crying out in horror, eclipsed come, perhaps for the first time, to the jarring cautionary one. Life doesn’t have to be the way by the intensely powerful dark lines in the sky, realization that human society is an illusion. He THE$BULLETIN$*$$

bt$$*$DECEMBER$2012

he saw it.

Oscar Bait

By Adrienne Nel the film “appears to be Oscar-bait incarnate.”

Just a few weeks later, Robert De Niro, Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence hit the big screen in David O. Russell’s Silver Linings Playbook. This adaption from the best-selling novel by Matthew Quick is predicted to make a stir as a touching comedy about love. Silver Linings Playbook gives Monty Python’s catchy tune a whole new meaning as the characters learn to always look on the bright side of life.

December weather won’t be the only thing giving moviegoers chills this season. The most festive month of the year will bring a variety of flicks sure to make you warm and toasty despite the subzero temperatures.

The first to look for is Michael Haneke’s Amour, a French film about a couple in their eighties. Pleasing crit-

“Silver Linings Playbook gives Monty Python’s catchy tune a whole new meaning as the characters learn to always look on the bright side of life.”

F

ics as a Cannes Film Festival gem, this flick is about the strength and bonds of love, and is guaranteed Oscar-bait. Soon to follow the release of Amour is the highly anticipated debut of Les Miserables. Directed by The King’s Speech’s Academy Award-winning director, Tom Hooper, it’s filled with a star-studded cast including Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham Carter, and Russell Crowe. This film is a timeless tribute to the strength of human spirit, and it definitely holds a spot as a prospective Oscar nominee.

Wrapping up December is the motion picture version of Yann Mar-

rom Magic Mike to The Dark Knight Rises, directors have

tel’s coming-of-age novel about a boy who finds himself sharing a life-

given moviegoers something to talk about this season. The

boat with a hyena, an injured zebra, an orangutan, and a hungry Bengal

year has been filled with gems such as Beasts of the Southern

tiger. Directed by Ang Lee, Life of Pi is expected to be one of the “most

Wild and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, which uncharacteristically

marvelous images seen on screen” this season, opines film critic Anne-

found a home in the summer Top 20. Considering that Wes Anderson’s

Katrin Titze. Lee’s adaptation is thought to resemble the work of the

Moonrise Kingdom grossed more than movies starring Tom Cruise or

Lumière brothers as a result of its “visually splendid features”, stated

Adam Sandler, we can expect another interesting Oscar season. The

New York Times film critic, Anupama Chopra. With its release in 3D,

fall opened up with a myriad of genius works, such as The Master and

Life of Pi has already been classified as a must-see.

As 2012 comes to a close, there will be much to discuss with regards

are anxiously anticipating what the final months of 2012 will reel in.

to the upcoming Oscars. Luckily, the wait is shorter than expected. The

Lincoln, which premiered this past, provides a dramatic portrayal of

Academy of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences announced that the of-

the tumultuous Civil War era and is a rumored frontrunner for a best

ficial date for the 85th Annual Academy Awards nominations is January

picture award after its secret screening at the New York Film Festival.

10, 2013, five days earlier than expected. This gives moviegoers a longer

Not to worry, Spielberg’s Lincoln is free of any supernatural elements.

period to see the nominated films, which makes it official…this year,

The Hollywood Reporter’s award analyst, Scott Feinberg, wrote that

we have no excuse to skip out.

THE$BULLETIN$*$$

cu$$*$DECEMBER$2012

Illustration+By+Safa+Siddiqui

another Ben Affleck flick, Argo, with much more to come. Audiences

Barre-nard

H

By Lauren Wingenroth

undreds of Barnard students par-

I think so many non-dancers and beginning

dance majors. Beginning-level technique

ticipate in dance classes each se-

dancers take dance classes at Barnard is be-

classes for non-dancers are popular, just like

mester: students who use dance as

cause of how personally invested all the teach-

any other intro-level classes for any subject.

a relaxing and fun way to fulfill their physi-

ers are in their students, regardless of their skill

Part of the uniqueness of Barnard’s program

cal education requirement, students who have

level or experience,” says Zoe Tippl, a Barnard

is that it truly treats dance like any other aca-

trained at prestigious institutions and danced

sophomore and dance minor.

demic subject.

with professional companies, and everyone in

The department gives students the opportu-

Open enrollment in any class seems not

between enjoy the variety and quality of the

nity to foster personal dialogues with profes-

only normal, but also expected at Barnard; yet,

classes Barnard’s dance department offers.

sors in various venues. Dance is one of the few

other school’s with top-notch dance programs

Still, the number of dance majors each year

disciplines where it is recommended to take

do not necessarily have open-enrollment. Un-

rarely tops 15. Barnard’s department is re-

the same class more than once, maybe even

like most dance programs, the Barnard dance

garded as one of the best in liberal arts schools

every semester. For this reason, students may

major receives a B.A. rather than a B.F.A. This

throughout the nation, and yet, no audition is

take classes with the same professors multiple

is what really makes Barnard special, since the

required to be a dance major. One could start

times, and can form strong relationships with

college is able to maintain the highest caliber

her dance training at Barnard and graduate

them.

of training within a B.A. program while also

with a degree – a timespan almost unheard of

Since the Barnard dance program is situated

in the professional dance world. The questions

within a liberal arts school and not a conser-

remain: how does Barnard pull this off and

vatory, it allows non-dancers and non-dance

The Dance Department gives the rare op-

what makes this department so special?

giving dancers access to the distinct freedom of a liberal arts education.

majors to participate in all of its class offer-

portunity for a non-dancer to be a part of an

Most notably, Barnard’s distinguished fac-

ings, and it allows dance majors flexibility

incredible program, regardless of experience

ulty attracts dancers to the department. Dance

while choosing their classes, so that students

or coordination. As a result, the beginning

professors at Barnard have reached the highest

can take into account the physical demands

ballet, modern, and african dance classes are

level of achievement in their fields: they have

of their schedule. “The Barnard dance depart-

extremely popular. For students who are in-

danced for some of the most prestigious dance

ment is special because students get to decide

terested in dance but aren’t ready to leave the

companies including New York City Ballet,

for themselves how intense their program is.

comfort of their desk for the studio, there are

Paul Taylor, Twyla Tharp, American Ballet

Students can simply take one or two classes, or

many other options: one may enjoy Dance in

Theater, and Boston Ballet. Some have also

can make a schedule that gives conservatory

New York City, a brief history of dance corre-

received the highly esteemed Guggenheim fel-

level rigor in a liberal arts school,” says Gina

sponding to performances in the city through-

lowships and Bessie awards, and they can be

Borden, a Barnard junior and dance major.

out the semester, or interdisciplinary classes

found performing their own work at theaters throughout New York during the semester.

The principles of a liberal arts education

like Applied Anatomy, Choreography for the American Musical, or Performing the Politi-

that dancing non-dance majors have access to

cal. Either way, the department invites those

but they are also personable and dedicated

all classes. In fact, some of the most involved

who believe themselves to have two left feet to

to the success of their students. “One reason

and most experienced dance students are not

discover that they are wrong.

Photographs*by*Triana*Kalmanoff

dictate how the dance program runs, namely

Not only are these professors distinguished,

THE$BULLETIN$*$$

cl$$*$DECEMBER$2012

Women Aren’t Funny

By Karl-Mary Akre

G

irl power exists in laughter! Just ask

mor, yelling out odd phrases and pulling car-

Sarah Silverman, Rachel Dratch,

toon-like faces. This type of humor is tired,

Tina Fey, Amy Poheler, Maya Ru-

and if Jess didn’t have a fantastic supporting

dolph, Kristen Wiig, or even the classic Lu-

cast, then New Girl would not have gotten

cille Ball from the famed show I Love Lucy.

another season.

Like all comedians, these females have a sig-

The problem is that the men in Jess’s life

nature “umph” that makes us all look twice,

are infinitely funnier than Jess and her best

raise our eyebrows, and choke on our spit. If

friend Cece. This is due to the writers who

you haven’t kept up with TV this semster and

have, so far, developed Schmidt and Nick

are wondering what shows to catch up on

as actual people instead of stereotypes, like

over break, the following comedies, which

Jess. Ironically, Jess’ roommates have a loud-

not only star women, but have also been cre-

er, more defined voice than she does. This

ated and/or written by women, might be a

season, New Girl features Jess as unemployed

good place to start.

with an actual personality emerging— flaws

As one of the most critically acclaimed

and all. The writers are trying to push its lead

television shows, 30 Rock proves that funny

toward finding her voice, which will (hope-

women on television can yield success. Since its 2006 debut, the show has won and has been nominated for countless awards. Tina Fey, former cast member and Head Writer for Saturday Night Live, created 30 Rock, and she stars as one of the show’s protagonists: Liz Lemon. Bearing resemblance to Fey, Liz is the creator and Head Writer of TGS with Tracy Jordan, a sketch comedy show on NBC. Liz, a workaholic with an addiction to unhealthy food, an aversion to glamor, and a

Disclaimer:+The+Bulletin+does+not+own+any+of+the+images+on+this+page

notable lack of luck with boyfriends, is the epitome of every unlikable stereotype about a woman in charge, but she wears this unlikability like a badge of honor. The key to the show’s success, however, lies in the ability of everyone to relate to and appreciate Fey’s ability to poke holes in the idea of the “new age” woman that Liz claims to be. Moreover, the show’s purely ridiculous situations satirize the absurdity of our times.

Like 30 Rock, The Mindy Project was created by its leading actress, Mindy Kaling. The Mindy Project breaks the mold on another count as the first American series with a South Asian-American lead. Set in New York City, the show follows Mindy—a cute, talkative Ob/Gyn obsessed with romantic comedies, pop culture, and fashionable ensembles.

Mindy has a more self-aware approach to

garnering laughs as she owns up to her ultra-

fully) make New Girl funnier and prove that

feminine personality.

female stereotypes aren’t needed for laughs.

Instead of slipping into a well-known ste-

If comedy is a vast land with few rules,

reotype of a vapid 30-something, à la Sex and

then television is a tiny island constrained

the City’s Samantha, Mindy is genuine in her

by regulations. Funny women are stranded

performance as a woman who is accomplished,

between these two domains along with the

but still desires a normal social life. Unafraid,

limits that are always placed on them. What

Mindy rants about celebrity crushes, such as

is safe and unsafe for these characters to ex-

Michael Fassbender, and being a strong woman

plore? Mostly, the typical women in comedy

of color. One of her most successful and honest

have to maintain a certain degree of famil-

episodes revealed the predicament of Halloween

iarity before they can be taken seriously as

costumes for women: sexy or funny? By touch-

funny. They often have to be heterosexual,

ing on common issues that modern women deal

sexually inhibited, and unlucky in love. Save

with, The Mindy Project is both a comedy and a

Mindy, most females are not women of col-

forum for female audiences to see a woman con-

or. In fact, today’s female entertainers aren’t

front similar everyday dilemmas. Undoubtedly,

nearly as representative of real women as

Mindy Kaling’s acting and writing work on The

they could be. That said, the funny women

Office as Kelly Kapoor suggests that she’ll hit her

we do have are attempting to create their own

“funny” stride as The Mindy Project progresses.

niches, so as to avoid slipping back into safe

New Girl was also created by a woman, and

stereotypes.

it stars Zooey Deschanel as its protagonist. De-

So the question remains: Are women fun-

schanel plays Jess, a young school teacher with

ny? The answer: it doesn’t matter! According

a penchant for retro haircuts and turning mo-

to these shows, audiences do find women

ments into songs. Truthfully, the only humor-

funny enough to keep tuning in every week.

ous aspect of Jess is her lack of self-awareness

And for those who don’t think women are

when everyone rolls their eyes at her outlandish

funny? Nobody cares. There’s a new age of

behavior. She embodies a well-known television

comedy dawning upon us, one trending to-

stereotype, which doesn’t favor reality. Her job

wards depicting comedic women in more

is predictable and her happy-go-lucky attitude

diverse ways. And these women are here to

comes off as childish. Jess has “quirky girl” hu-

stay.

THE$BULLETIN$*$$

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WBAR

By Nina Sabado dent body.

“The station is in a much better place than it was a couple years ago,” says Madeline, the other College Rock Music Director. “WBAR has really had a renaissance. We’re also working on reclaiming our status as the only hub for independent music uptown. I think that the line-ups for our concerts are definitely helping with off-campus draw, and we’re working hard to make sure they get even more awesome.”

C

This year, the biggest problems the radio ompletely student-run and located

favorite radio shows,” she says.

station faces include WBAR’s underground

in the basement of Reid Hall for

As well as boasting a greater number of neighbors, (“rats”, says Joe), and turning ap-

those who are brave enough to ex-

shows, WBAR makes music available to more plicants away after they applied for shows.

“When I saw how many applicants we had, I

plore the dark recesses of the Quad’s lost un-

people than ever. Individual DJs can see how

derground, WBAR is Barnard’s free-form ra-

many people are tuning into their shows at any freaked out a little bit,” says Chuck. “I didn’t

dio station. WBAR can be found on 8.79 FM given time, and all agree that their audience want anyone to feel unwelcome in the station just because we did not have enough space

or online at their website. The station features

has expanded since last year. But the num-

a wide range of genres—from rock to punk,

ber of people listening isn’t the only way a DJ in the schedule to give him or her a show.”

world music to folk. Each features quirky

knows that they’ve reached a greater number However, she encourages students who were

names that hint at the diversity of their indi-

of people. Receiving requests from listeners, turned down to reapply next semester, as

vidual student DJs.

both university students and people around WBAR always provides more opportunities

Individual staff members of WBAR have the world, can be equally important. “When a for students DJ every semester. their favorite shows. Joe Bucciero, one of the DJ knows how someone is responding to the two College Rock Music Directors, recom-

music that he or she is playing,” shares Chuck,

Nicole-Juliet Friedman, the Community Affairs Director, envisions a positive future

mends a show near and dear to his heart. “it becomes more of a communal experience.” for her remaining four years at WBAR, “not “Well, I’ll plug my own show—Better Than Pleasure, Saturdays from 12-2 pm.” He con-

A huge part of the greater awareness stems only as a fun activity to participate in, and a from the changes that the radio station has

great station to listen to, but also as a way to

tinues by urging listeners to look at the dif- undergone. WBAR is much more popular bring the Barnard and Columbia community ferent programs’ pages and playlists to find

around campus, with more DJs, events and together.”

music and a genre that fits his or her mood. visibility in general than in years past. Unlike

“April 2013 will mark our twentieth birth-

“There’s a lot of variety in the kinds of music before, WBAR worked out the previous kinks day, and we are planning a big celebration,” that are played on WBAR. It’s also fun to turn

in the streaming, and the radio shows are now

says Chuck. “We have gotten in contact with

on the station randomly and listen for a bit—

on 24/7.

WBAR alumni and heard stories from them

you might learn something new.”

But the entire experience hasn’t entirely of different eras of WBAR’s history. WBAR

Chuck Kostelic, the Personnel Director and been smooth sailing. When Chuck started

has always been and will continue to be a space for musically minded people to meet

General Manager of WBAR, recommends

as a DJ in the first semester of her freshman

the 12-4 pm block of shows on Mondays,

year, WBAR had a significantly smaller pres- and listen to music together. Our plans for

which includes Marine Musicology, Madeline

ence. Many students were unaware that the next semester keep growing, so you will have

Steinberg’s mostly guitar-focused rock music

radio station was around because it was hid-

show, and City Slang, Golnar Nikpour’s rare

den away in the basement of Reid. However,

punk and hardcore records show. “Our sched-

WBAR hosted successful concerts in the past and for sharing their passion with the world,

As long as people have a love for music it seems like there will always be a place for

we have a programming guide in the station

their presence on campus, gaining the sup- WBAR and its students.

for any listeners that are looking for their new

port of both the administration and the stuTHE$BULLETIN$*$$

cn$$*$DECEMBER$2012

Photography*by*Jor

ule is available on the website (wbar.org) and few years and, in doing so, was able to build

to stay tuned for more details.”

Disclaimer:+The+Bulletin+does+not+own+any+of+the+images+on+this+page

The Fundamental Unity of

Culture & Discovering Eternity

D

Roerich Museum Review igital manipulation of photos, a

“photographers are desperate to get that

violation of the National Press

one, ‘perfect’ shot.”

Photographers

More recently, Pulitzer Prize finalist Allan Detrich resigned in the midst of a

Association’s

The pressure on photographers is

scandal involving nearly a hundred doc-

(NPPA) Code of Ethics, is the second

hardly new. Fourandsix, a software com-

tored photos. In one, a basketball was

manifestation of photojournalism bias

pany that has developed programs to “de-

superimposed on a shot of two players

and has particularly devastating conse-

termine image authenticity,” has chron-

jumping dramatically in the air—an al-

quences. As Ms. Covert explains, “The

icled some interesting and unexpected

teration with little detrimental effect on

public seeks drama… there is a lot of

historical examples of manipulation,

the objectivity of viewers, but mislead-

competition [among photojournalists]

some dating as far back as the Civil War.

ing nonetheless. In a more infamous case,

to produce the images that appear in the

The classic photograph of the regal Abra-

Reuters photographer Adnan Hajj cloned

media.” Often, one photograph becomes

ham Lincoln? A composite of President

smoke pillars in a photograph taken of

the defining image of a conflict, and

Lincoln’s head on John Calhoun’s body.

the aftermath of an IDF airstrike on Bei-

rut. Reuters subsequently “killed” the photo,

translating the reality he or she witnesses into

harmlessly, President Obama has reenacted his

but the implication of the photograph created

an honest testimony to the viewers.

presidential addresses to still cameras after the

a false conception of the strike that could not

The presence of a photographer, by default,

LA Times photographer Brian

creates a new situation. Have you ever smiled

Walski was fired after combining two separate

for a camera? Counted to three and jumped

Photographers, too, take part in the staging,

photographs he had captured in Basra, with

with friends on the click of the shutter? Once a

trying to capture that perfect image. Crimean

the altered photograph showing a soldier who

camera is present, reality is altered. Your smile

War photographer Roger Fenton was purport-

appeared to be pointing a gun at an Iraqi fa-

becomes a specific and calculated pose; the

ed to have moved cannonballs from a ditch

ther and infant. In reality, the British solider

jump is precisely orchestrated.

onto the road for dramatic effect. Gioacchino

be undone.

actual presentation, a tradition that has long been standard procedure.

featured in the photographs was indicating

Altobelli is famous for his photograph of a

to the surrounding civilians to take cover. LA

reenactment of Italian troops storming Porto

Times Director of Photography Colin Crawford called the action “totally unacceptable” and recognized that “he [Walski] violated our trust with our readers.”

Photographs are occasionally manipulated by photo editors. TIME Magazine received backlash for enhancing a photograph of O.J. Simpson in which the lower color saturation made Mr. Simpson look darker and more menacing. The changes were made even more obvious by the unfortunate presentation of the TIME cover alongside Newsweek’s unaltered image on newsstands. In another scenario, Fox News presented digitally altered photographs of two critical New York Times reporters on television, their faces manipulated to appear

The photographer is aware of the distance between viewers and the situation and is tasked with translating the reality he or she witnesses into an honest testimony to the viewers.

more sinister.

Pia, staged a day after the actual attack.

Ruben Salvadori, an Italian photojournalist, notes the constant need of the photographer to “seek drama where there is none.” Mr. Salvadori’s recent project juxtaposes the dramatically violent images we see in the media with the full context of the scene: the subjects in the photographs surrounded by tens of crouched photographers with sophisticated cameras and flashes. This second image reflects the new reality of the changed situation brought about by the presence of the photographers.

The obstacles to an accurate photograph are heightened by the temptations to add drama, to reflect personal bias, to emphasize the photograph’s importance, or to choose the irrelevant, but more aesthetic picture.

Photographs running on the front page—

Significant work is being done on the pho-

which sometimes provide a viewer’s only per-

tographic and editing end to prevent the dis-

spective on the story—present particular prob-

Political actors take advantage of this, and

semination of these errors before they reach

lems. Former deputy managing editor at the

cameras are the stage on which they perform.

the audience. NPPA’s Code of Ethics lays some

Boston Globe, Michael Larkin, notes, “When an

The images in the news that we assume are

groundwork for honest photographic report-

image reflects ‘a crucial moment in a course of

precise snapshots of reality, often turn out to

ing. Many photojournalists are standing strong

events,’ editors make the decision to publish it.”

be carefully orchestrated events coordinated

in the fight to capture and relay accurate infor-

This quote was used as the tagline of an article

to send a particular message. Ms. Covert de-

mation, and editors are carefully coordinating

he published to explain his decision to run an

scribes how “subjects stage news images, ex-

with photographers to ensure these steps are

emotionally charged photograph of an infant

actly as they would be staged for a play or a

taken. On the technological front, Reuters has

accidentally killed in an Israeli airstrike. Dick

movie.” A photograph of General Nguyen

been working with Adobe and Cannon to de-

Rogers of the San Francisco Chronicle explains,

Ngoc Loan executing a Viet Cong prisoner was

velop software that would track changes made

“Editors focus on the immediate decisions.

captured on a public street; the execution was

to digital images.

What’s the best picture for tomorrow’s cover?”

originally supposed to take place indoors, but

The real work, however, falls on us as recipi-

It is the obsession with presenting the dramatic

was moved outside in order to be captured on

ents of the news and viewers of these images.

picture—and not necessarily the most accu-

film. Rescue workers embedded in regional

As Mr. Farid warned, “[we] don’t remember,

rate—that leads to claims of bias.

conflicts have been known to show dead bod-

‘It’s a fake’ … [we] remember the picture.” We

ies to cameras rather than evacuate them as

should question the picture, judge the picture,

Much less obvious is the fourth category: The crucial role of the photographer.

The

quickly as possible. “Miraculously surviving,”

but we should not rely on the picture. Just as

photographer is aware of the distance between

meticulously clean, children’s toys are placed

we have learned to doubt what we hear and we

viewers and the situation and is tasked with

atop the rubble of bombed buildings. More

read, let us begin to doubt what we see.

THE$BULLETIN$*$$

cp$$*$DECEMBER$2012

Erotic Classics

By Hannah Miller

“

People are more liberal and open with their sexuality, and erotic

”

mash-ups celebrate this greater acceptance of human desire.

M

ash-up novels are the latest

tardizing beloved, classic novels. However,

trend in literary culture. They

there are others who applaud erotic mash-

combine pre-existing literature,

ups, claiming that these new books unlock

usually a classic novel, with another genre to

the sexuality that is so stifled within the

create a single, fluid narrative that entwines the

originals, and they manage to convey it in a

novel’s original text with additions by another

creative and pleasurable manner. So would

author. The first well-known mash-up to hit

Emily Brontë be turning over in her grave

shelves was Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, a

if she knew that Heathcliff and Catherine

parody of the Austen classic in which Elizabeth

were engaging in bondage and S&M?

and Darcy fall in love while defending them-

There’s no doubt that the au-

selves against an invasion of the undead. The

thors of these classics would probably be

book generated a large amount of publicity and

a bit appalled if they knew what was hap-

even reached number three on the New York

pening to their literary masterpieces, but it

Times bestseller list.

doesn’t really matter since that situation is

With this level of success, it’s no surprise that

an impossibility. Our current day and age

other authors rushed to make their very own

is completely different than 1847, which is

mash-ups with the hopes of skyrocketing to Wuthering Nights is set to be released in Janu- the year Wuthering Heights was published, success. The most popular of these parodies ary. Both of these mash-ups, which claim to

and Heathcliff ’s brooding nature took thou-

typically introduce science fiction or horror capitalize on the intense sexual tension already

sands by storm. People are more liberal and

into the classic texts, thereby producing results present within these novels, contain elements

open with their sexuality, and erotic mash-

such as Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters

of BDSM, graphic sex scenes, and new plot

ups celebrate this greater acceptance of hu-

and Little Women and Werewolves. Recently,

twists.

man desire. Additionally, these mash-ups

however, there’s been a change in the mash-up

Two innovations have helped generate this get people interested in the classics, maybe

trend. Rather than inserting vampires or gob-

new wave of erotic mash-ups: the publication enough to inspire them to read the original

lins into a classic novel, writers have now been of Fifty Shades of Grey and the increasing popu- texts. Today, when people are more likely adding something wildly different: steamy sex

larity of eBooks. A controversial international

to peruse Facebook than Faust, if a book is

scenes.

bestseller, Fifty Shades has introduced the term

unique enough to garner readers, it has lit-

A London-based publishing house, Total-E- “mommy porn” into our lexicon, and has taken

Photographs*by*Lise*Sarfati

Bound, has released a slew of these mash-ups, away some of the shame and secrecy associated

erary value.

So if you’re interested in seeing what a

with erotic versions of Pride and Prejudice, with erotica; eBooks, on the other hand, pre- mash-up is like, or if you just want to fanNorthanger Abbey, Sherlock Holmes, and Jane serve secrecy, as they allow readers to purchase tasize about what Heathcliff looks like clad Eyre. This trend extends beyond the Pond and

and peruse erotica from the safety and ano-

in leather, pick up a copy of Jane Eyre Laid

into the United States, which has also seen

nymity of their Kindles, iPads, and computers.

Bare or Wuthering Nights. Although, you

a sensual twist placed on two classics by the Brontë sisters. Jane Eyre Laid Bare hit shelves

Like Fifty Shades, erotic mash-ups such as might have a little trouble finding them at Jane Eyre Laid Bare, have been criticized for Book Culture.

over the summer, and the highly anticipated being poorly written and tasteless, and for basTHE$BULLETIN$*$$

cq$$*$DECEMBER$2012

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cr$*$DECEMBER$2012

SPOTLIGHT role model for me. Even now when I’m racking my brain for the motivation to finish a race or a long run, I imagine going into his room to get a well-deserved high five. It was worth almost anything to impress him. I’m sure the sheer fact he’s run a few marathons inspired my decision to try for New York this year.

BB: Why did you decide to run the NY Marathon?

MG: It was a matter of ‘opportunity knocking.’ This was the first year Columbia Road Runners was given spots in the New York Marathon. It’s incredibly hard to get entry. How could I say no?

BB: What was your most difficult moment in training?

MG: Starting long runs is always hard for me. There’s something about realizing I have another however-many-miles-to-go that always makes me whiny or hesitant. Once I was out the door and across College Walk, I was usually OK. By then, I start thinking ‘every step is a step closer to finishing. Finishing is a step closer to eating. Almost there…’

BB: What has been the most rewarding aspect of training?

MG: The day I did my first 18 mile race—I remember sitting on my floor and calling my mom. Neither of us could believe I had done it. The most rewarding aspect of training was setting and achieving goals; the little ones (like going to bed earlier) and the bigger ones (like making Momma proud!)

BB: What are your thoughts on the race’s cancellation? Are you disappointed?

7 Questions for MIRIAM GLECKMAN-KRUT

Just after Hurricane Sandy forced the cancellation of the New York Marathon, the Barnard Bulletin (BB) chatted with Miriam Gleckman-Krut ‘14 (MG), who had been devotedly preparing to run the race for the first time. The passionate Columbia Road Runner discusses training, the importance of time-management, and the devastation left by Frankenstorm.

MG: At the end of the day, I’m proud of the City’s decision. The day Bloomberg cancelled it, I believe it was the Friday before the Marathon, was spent in incapacitating moral qualm for me. As much as I wanted to convince myself I had worked hard enough to “deserve” the cheers at the finish line, I couldn’t shake the images from the news reports. For me, it came down to two things: firstly, as my dad pointed out, I personally wouldn’t have enjoyed running through wreckage. In fact, I probably wouldn’t have been able to stand it at all. I had this image of breaking down sobbing somewhere in Queens. And secondly, if the marathon wasn’t pulling financial and human resources from the relief efforts, that meant that qualified personnel were being brought into the City to deliver water and medical aid to what might amount to a parade running through a disaster zone. It was a hard decision for the City and for the New York Road Runners. And I, by no means, lose any ounce of respect for people who were planning on running; I just personally think it was the right decision.

BB: How do you time-manage your job, classwork, and extracurriculars with training?

MG: I make lots of to-do lists! I once had a mentor that told me “you have time for anything you make the time for.” It sounds pretty intense, I suppose, but I think it makes sense to me. If it means something to me, I’ll find the time to make it happen.

Also, exercise makes me think and sleep better. If I take more than a day off, I go a little crazy. My friends tell me I just wasn’t made to sit still for very long.

BB: Will you run the marathon next year?

BB: How did you get involved in marathon running?

MG: I’m planning on it!

MG: I started running cross country in my junior year of high school. I’m pretty sure I didn’t like running very much when I first started. My coach was—and remains—a huge THE$BULLETIN$*$$

As told to SABRINA SINGER

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DECEMBER 2012

The Calendar Sunday 30

Monday

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Thursday

Friday

Saturday 1

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ONE DIRECTION AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN

NEW YEAR’S EVE 2

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The Moth: Ho, Ho, Ho: Stories of the Naughty or Nice

ANDREW BIRD & SANTACON

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FALL BREAK BEGINS 23

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Disclaimer:+The!Bulletin+does+not+own+any+of+the+images+on+this+page.

CHRISTMAS

HIGHLIGHTS

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5 10

ANDREW BIRD GEZELLIGHEID

RADIO CITY CHRISTMAS SPECTACULAR

SANTACON

At Riverside Church, the piece focuses on instru-

It has the words “Christmas” and “Spectacular” in

Post-Halloween blues? Take your pick of a goofy

mental violin music amplified by victrola horns.

the title. What more could you want? It even runs

red suit or a sexy reindeer costume and relive the

all month long!

festivities.

THE!BULLETIN!0!

ct !0!DECEMBER!2012

THE BARNARD

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BULLETIN DECEMBER 2012