Observer issue #1

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JANURY 28, 2016 VOLUME XXXVI, ISSUE 1

Student Usage of CPS Increases

By STEPHAN KOZUB Asst. News Co-Editor

For the first time in recent memory, Counseling and Psychological Services (CPS) ha a wait list for appointments last semester.

The wait list, although not for those seeking initial psychological evaluations, affected all of the students seeking treatment and therapy sessions following their initial evaluations.

According to data provided by CPS, there has been a 20 percent increase in the utilization of CPS compared to this time last year.

This rise keeps with a national trend of more college students seeking counseling and psychological services at their colleges.

While the waitlist in some cases had students waiting for up to two weeks, it was addressed, and a wait list does not exist for the time being.

Regarding the wait list happening again, Jeffrey Ng, Director of CPS, said that it’s hard to predict.

“There’s so many moving parts and variables,” Ng said. “Part of it is dependent on what our resources are from year to year, which varies based on the number of doctoral trainees we have. Obviously, it also depends on students’ need and request for services.”

“That said, based on local and national trends, there probably will be more students seeking counseling services than less, and as a department, we need to continuously figure out effective ways to respond to that,” Ng continued.

“With the growing residential population, in all likelihood, there will be commensurate increase in student need for mental health services.”

This increase in the student population also poses a potential problem to both CPS and the health of the student body because unless the services are expanded to accommodate more people, a wait list for treatment and therapy see CPS pg. 2

PHOTO COURTESY OF BØRNS

The Observer interviewed the artist BØRNS before his headlining Winterfest performance, on Jan. 29.

Getting to Know BØRNS, WinterFest Headliner

By ADRIANA GALLINA Editor-in-Chief

What should Fordham Lincoln Center expect out of Garrett Borns, better known by his stage name BØRNS, on Jan. 29?

“You never really know how a BØRNS show is going to go. Sometimes there’s piñatas, exotic dancers…But most of the exotic dancers are in the audience so it’s really up to you,” Borns said jokingly.

Borns has a gentle speaking voice and long locks. Despite his talent and success, he somewhat shyly told me, “I’m bad at talking about myself, fun fact.” But I didn’t find it to be the case.

He has been compared to who

many think are the greatest musical artists of all time, Michael Jackson and David Bowie.

“Those are two really big influences of mine. I grew up listening to them and still do to this day. They are two of the best artists that ever lived,” Borns said. “[The comparison] is a huge compliment.”

Borns spent some time living in New York before moving out to L.A. When asked which city he found more inspiring and conducive to his work, he diplomatically responded: “Well, I’ve lived in L.A. longer.”

“I’ve had more time to kind of explore out here. And I feel like L.A. is probably more conducive to the work I’m doing right now. There’s lots of space, lots of room to think.

There’s the ocean, the fruit trees,” he said.

Borns doesn’t have a favorite spot to write. “It’s kind of wherever—I guess whenever inspiration strikes.”

But he did end by saying, “I really do love New York though. I love the pace of it and the people there are really great.”

BØRNS, a Coachella virgin, will be playing at the infamous week long concert for the first time on April 15 and again on April 22. He will play alongside artists like Ellie Goulding, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes, Guns N’ Roses among others.

“Well, I’ve never even been to Coachella—I’m not even sure what

to expect. I’ve seen pictures and videos,” Borns said.

He then flipped the script, asking if I’ve ever been to Coachella— I’ve only ever been to a couple of concerts in my life, many at Six Flags. Although I didn’t admit my inexperience with concerts to him, I politely responded that I hadn’t been either.

“Well, I’m really excited,” he continued. “I know it’s a really big honor to play there. It’s a really amazing lineup of musicians and good acts. I’m definitely stoked.”

When asked about the first musical gig he played, he said, “my first gig, oh gosh, I don’t remember.” see BØRNS pg. 10

Alumna Makes Off-Broadway Debut

By RACHEL JARVIS Arts & Culture Editor

SPORTS

ARTS & CULTURE

Sixth Player Wanted

ASL & Broadway

Get to the games

The game-changing combination in Spring Awakening

Page 16

Page 10

OPINIONS

FEATURES

#OscarsSoWhite

Eloisa James Exposed

Film Industry Needs Overhaul

Moonlighting as a romance novelist

Page 6

Page 8

On Jan. 26, 2016, Ariella Mastroianni, Fordham College at Lincoln Center(FCLC) ’13, will be making her Off-Broadway debut as Rebecca in “Sixty Days,” written and directed

by John Faughnan (“To Redemption”) at Cherry Lane Theatre: a theatre that has seen the likes of James Earl Jones (“The Pretenders”), Barbara Streisand (“Purple Dust”) and Dennis Quaid (“True West”). However, before Ariella found herself Off-Broadway, she was a journalism and philosophy double major with a minor in design at Fordham College Lincoln Center, and was one of the first online editors for The Observer.

Here, Ariella chats about her time at Fordham, her current line of work as an agent assistant and her upcoming performance.

THE OBSERVER: How did you

become an agent assistant?

ARIELLA MASTROIANNI: It was

kind of an accident. I used to be managed by somebody who works in Columbus Circle. He called me one day and he said “Ariella,” and I said, “Sid! Hi, how are you?” and he said, “Listen, you’re smart right?” I was thinking, “I hope so, I mean like I’m in school we’ll see about that.”

He said, “My assistant needs to take off and I was wondering if you can just come in and handle the phones because I’m going to be away.” I said, “Yeah, but I don’t know what to do” and he was like, “just answer the phones. Just take messages and answer the phones.” I said, “I’m capable of that.” So I went in the next day to his office. When the first phone call came in and I went to put the phone on speaker, I pushed the phone right off the desk. It was one of his really great voice-over agents calling for one of the kids because

THE STUDENT VOICE OF FORDHAM LINCOLN CENTER

we managed kids and it was just off the desk. I was so nervous. I ended up becoming his assistant because his assistant who I was filling in for ended up quitting like a month later, so I kind of just fell into that job, and then I just moved around after that. I worked at a music agency and then I got linked up with my boss and we just stuck together the last few years.

O: And working at this agency al-

lows you time to rehearse or go on auditions if you need to?

AM: Oh no, being on the agency

side, it’s tough. I remember my first year being an agent assistant… usually all agencies open at 10 a.m. but I would be there earlier and would stay there until 10 or 11 at night. I never took a day off and never left for lunch. I was always at my desk, see ALUMNA pg. 7

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News

January 28, 2016 THE OBSERVER

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Panel Addresses Gun Violence Issues Spike Lee, Deepak Chopra and others speak in Pope Auditorium, as part of NY Peace Week

By CECILE NEIDIG Asst. News Co-Editor

As a part of New York Peace Week, activists gathered at Fordham Lincoln Center’s Pope Auditorium on Wednesday, Jan. 20, to rally against gun violence. Speakers included New York City Public Advocate Letitia James and Council Woman and Chair of the Public Safety Committee Vanessa Gibson. Tony Award-winning poet Lemon Andersen performed as well as Impact Repertory Theater. A discussion against gun violence was moderated by Associate Professor of Political Science at FCLC Christina Greer, Ph.D. On the panel were Director Spike Lee, author Deepak Chopra, Founder and CEO of LIFE Camp Erica Ford, a student activist and a mother who lost her son to gun violence.

LIFE Camp’s New York Peace Week hosted events Jan. 15-22 in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy of nonviolence in activism.

Ford, opening the event at Fordham on Wednesday evening, called for peace. “If we could have peace for one week, then we could have peace for two weeks, then we could have peace for three weeks, then we could have peace every day of our lives,” she remarked.

Ford asserted that to bring peace, the mindset that violence can be used as a resolution must change and that a system that deals with gun violence must be present in all communities.

James echoed the need for change and called on young people to instill the change. “Young people have stood in the way of tanks at Tiananmen Square, young people organized Civil Rights movements and young people were part of Black Lives Matter. It’s the young people who are here who are going to increase the peace on the streets of New York City and all across this nation,” she said.

The black lives lost to gun violence, James said, are often ignored.

“We have got to work together to

CECILE NEIDIG / THE OBSERVER

Spike Lee took the microphone to address the issue of gun violence. achieve peace, because gun violence on our streets is not equal opportunity. The victims of gun violence are young black men of color in our communities.” James also mentioned that young black men are five times more likely than a young white man to die from gun violence.

James emphasized the need to invest in communities that are plagued by gun violence and divest in gun retailers, like Walmart. “Gun violence is eroding the future of an entire

generation,” James concluded.

Councilwoman Gibson also spoke on the need for investment in these communities by way of offering positive opportunities for young people, and affirmed the immediacy for which action needs to be taken.

“If not us, who? If not now, when?

We cannot wait,” she professed to Pope Auditorium. Gibson acknowledged the need to stand “for fairness, for justice, for opportunities for our young people. Giving them a

pathway to success and reducing that pipeline to prison that we know exists in our communities.”

In facilitating panel discussions with Lee, Chopra and Ford, Greer asked for discourse on the most effective ways to end gun violence and promote peace. “I think we’re doing it right now,” Chopra replied. He claimed that the more people talk about this issue, the more people can then spread the knowledge through media.

Lee implored that to promote peace and end violence, “For me... we just have to come to the place, no matter how much you hurt, we have to bring value back to life,” and that “many of us are only vocal when the cops are shooting us.”

This week’s events marked the sixth annual proceedings of LIFE Camp’s New York Peace Week, but the first year that Peace Week is on the city’s calendar.

20 Percent Increase in Students Seeking CPS CPS FROM PAGE 1

sessions could likely happen again.

For the students on the wait list, Ng said, “I think the more important variable is how long students are waiting, and are they waiting so long that their motivation to seek care diminishes.”

“One of the things we do with students who are on our wait list is check in with them regularly,” Ng said. “We follow up to see if things have worsened, how they’ve been doing, if they’re still interested in counseling, etc. When we got to the point last semester where we had a wait list, we also asked students if they were interested and able to take a referral for an off-campus provider, and if so, we’d coordinate and facilitate the referral process for them.” Ng also highlighted the group counseling services that CPS offers, which do not have a participant cap, as a resource for those on the waitlist.

While a specific reason for the increase in CPS utilization is not known, Ng believes it is a result of a larger student population, as aforementioned, as well as shifting attitudes toward mental health on campus.

“I think that one of the reasons is due to the fact that we’ve been doing a lot as an institution to destigmatize help seeking. I think there have also been larger cultural and generational shifts in terms of how mental health, seeking help and therapy is perceived,” Ng said.

“There’s more students who are

ELIZABETH LANDRY /THE OBSERVER

For Jeffrey Ng, director of CPS, last semester marked the first time he had to deal with a wait list at LC.

willing to seek out treatment.”

Additionally, Ng also commented on the theory that the rise in CPS utilization at Fordham, as well as at several universities, is due to today’s college students having less resilience, or having a harder time handling the demands of college, than the college students of the past.

“There’s certainly a lot of speculation and dialogue in the media about whether or not students might be more vulnerable, are less

resilient and have less skills for coping with the stressors and challenges that come with college life,” Ng said.

Ng, however, also stated he’s “not sure if these findings or theories are conclusive or absolute,” and has observed that many students are actually “more resilient.”

“There certainly are students who, based on what we’ve seen, seem more resilient,” Ng said.

“We’ve worked with many students

who are incredibly resilient and can persevere through tremendous adversity. But I think the media tend to highlight the segment of the population that perhaps are not as resilient or don’t have the skills for coping with some of the demands that come with college life.”

For Dean of Freshmen Joseph Desciak, the rise in CPS utilization is “good news” for the university, because it means that more students are taking his advice to seek help

from CPS if they feel they require their services.

Regarding handling stress and the idea of decreased resiliency among college students, Desciak drew attention to the review system for students at the end of each semester.

“At the end of the semester we [the assistant deans] review cases of students who may not have academically performed as well as we would like, and then we make recommendations to to the dean, Father Grimes, on how we think we should proceed in these cases,” Desciak said. “And I would say at least 50 percent of the time, students that we know of are really suffering from some undue stress.” He explained that this usually means a student having a GPA lower than a 2.0.

Desciak also noted that there has not been a noticeable increase in the amount of students being reviewed, possibly disproving the alleged decline in student resilience.

For students seeking to utilize CPS, Ng outlined many options, including psychological evaluations accompanied by individual as well as group counseling and therapy.

Additionally, CPS offers crisis walkins, as well as consultations for students concerned about fellow students and friends. For situations where CPS believes that a student requires “more intensive or longer term care than we can provide,” CPS can provide customized referrals to providers in the community, according to Ng.

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THE OBSERVER January 28, 2016

News

3

News Consumption Habits of LC Students

By REESE RAVNER Asst. Features Editor

Good news! (Pun intended.)

Young people are paying attention to the news. A 2014 survey by the American Press Institute (API) revealed that, contrary to popular assumption, millennials—anyone born between 1981 and 1997—are “active news consumers, with particular attentiveness to breaking news.”

The Observer conducted a survey asking respondents to rate, on a scale of one to five (five being the most often), how often they pay attention to the news. Of the responses, 12.9 percent of Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) students ages 18-22 rated their news consumption a level five, 41.9 percent rated it level four, 25.8 percent rated it level three, 9.7 percent rated it level two and another 9.7 percent rated it level one.

According to the API study, 18 to 29-year-olds are 55 percent more likely to look into the details of breaking news than they are for a week-old or longer news story.

This Millennial interest in the most recent news is perhaps relevant to the fact that in today’s “digital world,” young people are accustomed to getting new information quickly, and new news tends to be the most accessible. We can set the homepage of our Internet browsers to a site with news updates such as Yahoo; we can skim headlines while scrolling through our Twitter apps—even set preferred Twitter accounts to send tweet notifications directly to our lock screens; we can quickly access CNN, Wall Street Journal and Daily Mail highlights, among others, via the Discover feature on Snapchat. The best way to reach young people is to bring the content to them.

Kyle Kilkenny, FCLC ‘19, an avid reader of several news sources, said, “I think it’s good that there are some things that are free to access...I used to subscribe to Newsday when I was home, and then I just didn’t read it because, you know, normal high school kids just don’t have time to

ELIZABETH LANDRY /THE OBSERVER

Pictured here, Eileen Kelley, FCLC ‘17, is a supporter of Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign.

read newspapers.” The same could be said about college students, which is why so many access news online and through social media, where the information is typically condensed to focus on the most important details.

Research by the Pew Research Center revealed in 2013 that 45 percent of 18 to 29-year-olds consume news on Twitter and in 2015 found that 61 percent of millennials get their political news on Facebook.

Think about it: Besides an aunt’s excessive posts or those deliciouslooking one-minute recipe videos, what does one typically see on their Facebook feed? Video shares of current political and social issues such

as gun violence, police brutality and minimum wage.

Dr. Gwenyth Jackaway, associate chair of the Department of Communication and Media Studies at FCLC, noted that a benefit regarding the spread of news and information on social media is that “people are already on social media. Many young people might not be directly connected to CNN or…Fox or [other direct news sources], but maybe someone in their network is.” Jackaway pointed out that this causes news to be spread to those who may not make a conscious effort to check the news.

“Another benefit,” she added, “is when people are passing along

political news, they may add [commentary] so that fosters not only the sharing of news but the discussion of news.”

Sabrina Diamond, FCLC ’19, said, “it’s just the easiest thing— we’re already on Facebook and Twitter all the time.” She commented that news on social media can be personalized. “We can subscribe to certain people’s views…so we get it from our friends whose opinions we trust.”

Another popular site that many young people, including Diamond, use for news is BuzzFeed. “I go on BuzzFeed for a multitude of reasons.

I like it for the news it makes the news really accessible and it seems

like its target demographic is people my age so the language that they use and the graphics that they use…is appealing to my generation,” Diamond said.

Jackaway expressed concerns that news on social media may be limiting our exposure to views different than our own. “There’s the sad reality that people tend to flock in groups of shared political sentiment so [people are] sharing coverage of a political event that’s skewed in the direction of whatever their political orientation is and we start to live in an eco-chamber where we’re only hearing the sentiments of the people we agree with,” she said.

For those who solely rely on social media for their news, “It’s less likely for people to be getting access naturally in their social media feeds to the other side (or the other sides, because there’s not always just two),” Jackaway said.

Andrea Dixon, an adjunct professor in the Department of Communication and Media Studies at FCLC, conveyed similar sentiments.

She commented that “traditional media” sources, such as NPR, the New York Times and more, tend to be the sources that “break major stories.” Social media and “niche” websites, such as BuzzFeed and Vice, “court traditional media” by “repackaging” major news stories to present them in new ways that engage young people.

Her concern lies in the fact that these sites, while tailored with characteristics that attract young people to access more information, may cause young people to lack access to multiple perspectives. “More information is meant to broaden perspectives,” she said. “It is very important that young people are educated in civic and political life.”

The expansion of news to social media and more millennial-friendly outlets encourages young people to take an interest in current events.

However, this new attentiveness to news comes with the responsibility for the young adult to seek out information on all sides. A self-motivated desire to be informed will allow each of us to be stronger voters.

New Head of Mission and Ministry Appointed “ One of the things

By CONNOR MANNION News Co-Editor/ Asst. Literary Editor

“The first thing I noticed about New York is the cold!” Michael C. McCarthy, S.J. and the new vice president for Mission Integration and Planning, said. He hails from a much warmer area of the country, California, where he taught and administered at Santa Clara University, which calls itself the “Jesuit University of Silicon Valley.” McCarthy now comes to Fordham to lead Mission Integration and Planning, a rebranded name for University Mission and Ministry.

McCarthy is familiar with the mission of the Jesuits, having entered the novitiate in his second year at Stanford at age 19. “Over the course of my time as a Jesuit, I’ve spent a lot of time in education, with my Ph.D. from Notre Dame in patristics, or early Christian theology.”

“I’ve been a faculty member at Santa Clara for the past 12 years, and in administration for the past five years as the executive director of the Ignatian Center for Jesuit Education.”

As McCarthy says, he reached a crossroads during his tenure at Santa Clara. “I thought [I] would either stay there my whole life or switch, and I think it’s good for a human being to experience new places and new challenges, which is what ultimately led me to Fordham.”

But he feels comfortable here, despite having moved across the country. “There’s something comfortable

that’s important for Jesuit universities is for the ethos to permeate all parts of the University, not just in ministry.”

MICHAEL MCCARTHY, S.J., NEW VP FOR MISSION INTEGRATION AND PLANNING

CONNOR MANNION /THE OBSERVER

Michael C. McCarthy, S.J., has rebranded the Mission and Ministry to Mission Integration and Planning.

to me about a city, being in New York in particular.”

Another change McCarthy brings is the renaming of Mission and Ministry. “One of the things that’s important for Jesuit universities is for the ethos to permeate all parts of it, not just in ministry,” he said.

“What’s being signaled in the change of the name is that mission is something that everyone takes part in, so our role will be to see how we

can support all offices on campus and strategically plan how we can best live the Jesuit mission.”

Despite this push for strategic integration, McCarthy believes there will be no real change to the offices already under Mission and Ministry: Campus Ministry, the Dorothy Day Center for Service and Justice and Global Outreach.

While McCarthy’s office is located in Cunnife House, the location of executive administration at Ford-

ham including Joseph M. McShane S.J., president of Fordham University, he expects to visit Lincoln Center often. “My first goal is to meet people at Lincoln Center, which is even more in the city than [Santa Clara],” he said.

“The next thing would be to ask how the various programs in Mission Integration and Planning at Lincoln Center can do better. For instance, Global Outreach really wants to establish itself there and

create more student involvement,” he said.

Despite his high-ranking position, McCarthy also hopes to directly interact with students as a faculty member, if possible. “My hope would be that I could teach. When I started in administration at Santa Clara, I didn’t have the opportunity to teach, and I hope there will be more opportunity for that here.” He added he would be happy to teach in whatever the theology or classics department would need of him, “mostly because you can really learn what the university is when engaging with students on that level,” he added.

McShane, passing by McCarthy’s office, stated that he is a “fantastic addition to the university and a wonderful man. Despite the fact he’s from California,” the lifelong New Yorker added jokingly.

Opinions

Tyler Burdick — Opinions Co-Editor tburdick1@fordham.edu Areeg Abdelhamid — Opinions Co-Editor aabdelhamid1@fordham.edu

STAFF EDITORIAL

M

the crunch and feeling the stress. Perhaps, even more important than study and exercise spaces, is the wait for mental health treatment.

According to data provided by Counseling and Psychological Services

“Can it really really be said that we care for the whole of every person?”

(CPS), there has been a 20 percent increase in the utilization of CPS compared to this time last year.

There is currently a waitlist to seek services that are promised to each and every student. We commend the University for destigmatizing mental health, but implore them to make sure they invest monetarily in gaining more full-time CPS staff.

As the number of students increases at Fordham Lincoln Center, so should the resources available to us. As our campus grows

Observer the

GROWING PAINS FOR FCLC’S RAMILY

any of our seniors remember a time when Fordham Lincoln Center was a more intimate-sized Ramily, though as many can attest, this is no longer the case. Even with the additions of the new McKeon residence hall, a new law school, and some expanded study spaces, we still have difficulty accommodating the hundreds of additional students that make up this ever-growing campus.

It may be as simple as the fact that the line to get chicken strips at the Ram Cafe now stretches out the door. The fact that the on-campus gym only has five treadmills to be shared by over a thousand resident students. And the fact that one of the largest study spaces on campus, Maloney Law Library, is confined to only law students during finals, leaving both undergraduates and members of the seven graduate programs on campus to share a subterranean library. Even if we have a planned student center coming in fall 2016, right now we are feeling

January 28, 2016 THE OBSERVER

in the number of students, the University must ensure that the whole person of each and every student is taken care of in true Jesuit fashion.

The idea of “cura personalis,” Latin for “care for the whole person,” is often only used in academic terms as rationalization for the core curriculum.

Many of us could assume the phrase means we are to learn in all subjects to become a more fullyformed person. This is only partially the case.

“Cura personalis” means each student is to be given consideration for their unique circumstances and concerns. Of the thousands of students attending Fordham Lincoln Center, every one of them comes from a different yet equally valid point in their lives. And every one of them should be afforded an equal amount of consideration. Going forward, the University needs to make sure that they have the resources to respond to every concern with equal deliberation.

Otherwise, can it really be said that we care for the whole of every person?

Editor-in-Chief Adriana Gallina Managing Editor Ben Moore News Co-Editors Ana Fota Connor Mannion Asst. News Co-Editor Stephen Kozub Cecile Neidig Opinions Co-Editors Tyler Burdick Areeg Abdelhamid Asst. Opinions Editor John McCullough Arts & CultureEditor Rachel Jarvis Asst. Arts & Culture Co-Editors Elena Ciotta Morgan Steward Features Co-Editors Alanna Kilkeary Hansini Weedagama Alysha Kundamal Literary Co-Editors Jessica Vitovitch Erika Ortiz Asst. Literary Co-Editors Kayla D’Angelo Connor Mannion Sports Editor Matthew McCarthy Asst. Sports Editor Mohdshobair Hussaini Copy Editors Brianna Goodman Kaitlyn Lyngaas Tyler Burdick Erika Ortiz Luca Vettori Layout Editor Elodie Huston Asst. Layout Co-Editors Sabrina Jen Katie Maurer Multimedia Producer Jesse Carlucci Photo Co-Editors Jessica Hanley Hana Keningham

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Asst. Photo Editor Andronika Zimmerman Online Editor Ben Moore Business Manager Victoria Leon Faculty Advisor Prof. Amy Aronson Faculty Layout Advisor Molly Bedford Faculty Photo Advisor Amelia Hennighausen Faculty Multimedia Advisor Devin Curry Faculty Literary Advisor Amy Benson PUBLIC NOTICE

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POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

HANA KEININGHAM /THE OBSERVER

Germany admitted more than 1 million refugees in 2015, putting other European nations such as Britain and France to shame. A number of political factors have allowed France and Britain to take in relatively few refugees-- notably, French politician Marine Le Pen’s xenophobic rhetoric and British Prime Minister David Cameron’s desire to avoid earnest discussion of solutions for refugees altogether.

• Letters to the Editor should be typed and sent to The Observer, Fordham University, 113 West 60th Street, Room 408, New York, NY 10023, or e-mailed to fordhamobserver@gmail.com. Length should not exceed 200 words. All letters must be signed and include contact information, official titles, and year of graduation (if applicable) for verification.

• If submitters fail to include this information, the editorial board will do so at its own discretion.

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• Opinions articles and commentaries represent the view of their authors. These articles are in no way the views held by the editorial board of The Observer or Fordham University.

• The Editorial is the opinion held by a majority of The Observer’s editorial board. The Editorial does not reflect the views held by Fordham University.

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THE OBSERVER January 28, 2016

Opinions

5

Our City’s Homeless Are in Trouble City-provided shelters are not in acceptable condition

HANA KEININGHAM /THE OBSERVER

A new executive order gives police the power to label homeless people in the streets as “mentally ill,” removing their right to refuse to be forced into a homeless shelter.

STEPHAN KOZUB Asst. News Editor

Here we are. Another December has passed, another season of giving gone until next year. With this time came joyous Christmas parties, myriad retail outlets filled with discount-crazed shoppers, and for some, generosity toward the less fortunate.

Last December, however, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed an executive order for the municipal governments of the state to round up their homeless and bring them to shelters, using force if necessary.

Although Governor Cuomo told NY1 that “it’s about love. It’s about compassion. It’s about helping one another and basic human decency,” I beg to differ.

As Associate Professor of Public Affairs at Baruch College, Thomas J. Main, who studies homelessness, said to the New York Times, “We’re talking about scooping people up who might be resistant. And then what are you going to do? Restrain them at the shelter?”

While the preceding policy for New York City, called Code Blue, allowed the homeless to be brought

to shelters if they voluntarily came or if they were deemed a danger to themselves or to those around them under the New York Mental Hygiene Law, Cuomo’s executive order makes this policy much more aggressive by permitting force.

Just as the Mental Hygiene Law was already used under this preceding law, the police officers that will be collecting the homeless in freezing temperatures under the new policy are required to interview and determine the mental stability of individuals they believe to be in need of psychiatric care before bringing them to a shelter. Under this law, the homeless cannot simply be rounded up and brought to shelters against their will.

By permitting force in bringing the homeless to shelters, Cuomo is removing their right to deny shelter, criminalizing not going to a shelter and threatening to use the Mental Hygiene Law to determine that the homeless are mentally ill and a danger to themselves for not going to a shelter in freezing temperatures.

Despite the noble goal of trying to shelter all of the homeless across the state, Cuomo’s philosophy that the homeless should be required to go to shelters in freezing weather and that the state’s shelters can currently accommodate every homeless person

ignores the reality of the state’s shelter system.

While Mayor Bill de Blasio did recently unveil a program to improve the conditions of New York City’s shelters, they are currently far from ideal.

As Observer.com reported in March 2015, the City Department of Investigation “surveyed 25 shelter facilities operating under the umbrella of the Department of Homeless Services and uncovered 621 violations of sanitation, fire and building codes, and a population of residents complaining of discomfort, fear and unresponsive landlords and management companies.”

This report was “replete with photos of mold, rodents—living and dead—overcrowded rooms, smashed windows, ruined walls and rustedout elevators and stairs, but also contains a plan to clean up the entire citywide network of 161 buildings housing 11,900 families.”

The report also stated that “at its worst, DHS is turning a blind eye to violations that threaten the lives of shelter residents.” Additionally, the report claimed that “many shelters operate with existing violations that make life unsafe for its children and family residents.”

Given these deplorable conditions, reminiscent of the workhouses

and prisons in industrial England recorded by the likes of Charles Dickens, it becomes absurd to consider a homeless person mentally unstable or making the wrong choice for not wanting to go to a shelter.

To provide some statistics, the Coalition for the Homeless reported in the year of 2009–2010, six homeless people, all non-sheltered, died from “excessive or natural cold.”

Eight people, however, were killed in homicides in shelters in the same year. Based on these numbers, it would appear to be in the city’s best interest to improve the shelter system first before trying to take on even more individuals.

Essentially, Cuomo’s executive order will not do any good if the shelters do not have the capacity to accommodate and serve all of the homeless, and if, as statistics show, shelters actually present a more dangerous environment than a freezing city street.

The most puzzling part about the policy, however, is that less than a month after Cuomo signed the executive order, he stated on Jan. 13 that “people have been attacked and victimized in some shelters, and some would rather stay outside in the frigid cold than risk entering—and they are right to do it,” in his State of the State address. This statement was

Please recycle me when you’re done.

accompanied by the announcement of a plan to review and improve New York City’s homeless shelters.

At the same time, the executive order will continue to be implemented. Rather than improve the shelter system first, and then mandate that all the homeless be taken into the improved shelters, the homeless will, for the time being, continue to be brought to shelters with unacceptable conditions. The worst part is that even Cuomo himself seems to disagree with his own policy of demanding that all of the homeless be sheltered in the state’s current system.

The main thing that needs to be kept in mind is that the homeless deserve nothing less than to be treated as fellow human beings. To say the homeless do not have the right to refuse shelter out of alleged concern for their safety while dozens are allowed to remain and drown in their homes in evacuation zones during natural disasters such as Superstorm Sandy is an unacceptable double standard.

The homeless deserve to be given safe, humane living conditions— something that is not being provided to them nearly enough—and should have the right to reject being subjected to altogether deplorable living conditions.

6

Opinions

January 28. 2016 THE OBSERVER

www.fordhamobserver.com

The Oscars: A Dilemma of Diversity TYLER BURDICK Opinions Co-Editor

When it was announced that no actors of color were nominated for an Oscar at this year’s Academy Awards show, there was an understandable amount of outrage. Many saw the snubbing of popular actors such as Will Smith, Samuel L. Jackson, Idris Elba and Michael Jordon to be nothing short of a travesty, and some, such as Spike Lee and Jada Pinkett Smith, have called for an outright boycott of the ceremony.

From this debacle, it became clear that underrepresentation is causing a very large problem in the film industry, and until recently, there just hasn’t been a large push to change the way things are done. For one reason or another, the “Academy,” as it is colloquially referred to, has always been seen as the ultimate judge of quality in the film industry, and their approval has been highly sought after and revered by actors, actresses and directors like dogs begging for a juicy steak.

But in this reverence, we forget that the Academy is comprised of normal people, and people have preferences. The global, digital-only publication Quartz reported that, based on an investigation conducted by the Los Angeles Times, 94 percent of Academy members were found to have been white as of 2012.

Roughly 77 percent of the group were male, and only 14 percent were younger than 50. There are two other essential pieces of information regarding the group of people that nominates and ultimately chooses the winners of the Academy Awards—their names are not public record and membership is a lifetime commitment. This means that internal changes regarding membership cannot happen in short periods of time, and what we are seeing now is the glaring weakness of the Academy—there are simply not enough people from varied walks of life to qualify current members to accurately judge the artistic creations of our time.

If the Academy was comprised primarily of critics in their early 20s, we just might see more action

PHOTO COURTESY OF AL SEIB /LOS ANGELES TIMES VIA TNS.

For the second year in a row, the Academy Awards is being criticized for the lack of diversity in its nominations.

flicks like “Transformers” or “Pacific Rim” up on the nomination board, so we can’t truly fault individuals for having preferences. However, we can certainly identify when these preferences stand in the way of fair representation.

When “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” merchandise hit toy stores, it soon came to light that manufacturers were specifically asked not to include the female character of Rey, despite her arguably being the film’s main protagonist.

Her most notable exclusion was in the most recent Star Wars version of Monopoly, where all four of the playable pieces represent male figures, and her spot was taken by the character of Finn, played by John Boyega. The unavoidable fact is that Star Wars merchandise is and always has been marketed toward young males, and a female figure is often seen as unrelatable to the targeted

audience. It’s an antiquated notion, but it’s one that has defined the toy industry for years and the reason why we don’t see female action figures, which sadly means that fair representation takes a bit of a hit.

The Academy, too, has shown that it has a very particular taste in film over the past few years. The term “Oscar Bait” refers to a film specifically made to catch the Academy’s attention during awards season, and it’s a very real thing. Films that glorify one side of important American historical events continuously hog all the attention when it comes time to discuss potential nominees, and these have included “American Sniper,” “Lincoln” and “Argo.” In fact, every single one of these films deserves more scrutiny for how it presents the ‘good and moral American’ in opposition with his less-than-reputable foe, but this simply doesn’t happen. Instead,

these films demand an obnoxious command over Oscar nominations, with “American Sniper” having six nominations at last year’s awards while “Selma” only had two. (“Selma” only won Best Original Song.) In this environment, it is no wonder that a film like “Straight Outta Compton,” which presents rap culture through a strictly black lens, does not garner more attention—there is no relatable element for the Academy to latch on to. They are the boys turning their noses up at potential Rey action figures.

This is not to say that “Straight Outta Compton” deserved a nomination—that is not for me to decide.

However, it is far too naive to assume that a critical body comprised of a white majority will review a film dealing with issues of black culture as favorably as it would a film that is far more relatable to their creative palette.

Because of this, the Academy is becoming less and less relevant. Last year, UCLA released a report on the state of diversity on Hollywood and found that, in 2013, more than half of all typical moviegoers identified as a minority. The social climate of the nation is changing, and whites are projected to become a minority by the year 2045, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. What we’re seeing isn’t so much racism on the part of the Academy but rather a presentation of the opinion of a self-important vocal minority. Some steps are being taken already, but the overwhelming presence of white members and the fact that lifetime memberships are being granted retroactively will make change come in only short, gradual steps. Without serious change, there will come a day when the Academy can no longer claim to represent the opinions of the American public.

Hollywood Is Out of Ideas, and We Are in Trouble JALEN GLENN Staff Writer

One of the more humorous moments of “Back to the Future Part II” occurred when the (holographic) shark from “Jaws 26” “eats” Marty McFly in 2015. Through this scene, director Robert Zemeckis was more than likely poking fun at the “Jaws” franchise, which at that point included four films. Yet, this scene’s significance extends beyond its comedic value.

Zemeckis has stated that “Back to the Future” was not meant to have a sequel, but the enormous returns of this film raised the question as to why not. So Universal funded the creation of two more films, not to mention a theme park ride and a television show. What the previously mentioned scene illustrates, then, is precisely how the contemporary Hollywood system operates—it consumes material, and reproduces such material over and over and over again. This point is further reinforced by the fact that although Marty was “eaten,” he was still nevertheless allowed to continue about his business in 2015.

And such business will continue, as a planned “Back to the Future” musical is currently in the works.

JESSICA HANLEY /THE OBSERVER

Constant regurgitations of plot are rampant in Hollywood.

At the same time, this scene also demonstrates excellent foresight on Zemeckis’s part. While we have not yet had 26 Jaws films (surprisingly), Hollywood has nevertheless managed to produce 24 James Bond films in the meantime— not to mention eight Harry Potter films, seven Fast and Furious films, six Lord of the Rings Films, five Transformers films, four Hunger Games films and countless other remakes, sequels and prequels. Therefore, by 1989, Zemeckis foresaw a 21st century industry trend. More strikingly, though, Zemeckis, perhaps

unintentionally, pinpointed the year that will be seen as a turning point in Hollywood’s history: 2015.

Seven of the highest-grossing films of 2015 were based on preexisting content. While this number is lower than it was in 2012, in which 10 of the highest-grossing films, according to Box Office Mojo, came from some other content 2015’s significance lies with the film that not only helped Hollywood have a record year at the box office, but also the film that is currently on track to, according to The Hollywood Reporter, become the second

highest-grossing film of all time (not adjusted for inflation): “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.”

Negative reception of “The Force Awakens” is generally attributed to the fact that the film is one big reproduction of George Lucas’s original space opera from 1977. A droid is installed with valuable information and is stranded on a desert planet. An individual of this planet finds said droid and is propelled into a life-changing adventure as a result. Did I mention there is also a giant planet-destroying weapon as well?

While I enjoyed seeing what I believed was the best “Star Wars” film since 1983, part of me cringed when the Resistance acknowledged that the aforementioned planetdestroying weapon was just “bigger” than the original Death Star. In the same moment, I came to grips with the meaning behind this scene: that it was the template for “Star Wars,” and more broadly, Hollywood, going forward.

Sure this is the same story, but it’s bigger. Bigger characters, bigger cameras, bigger explosions, bigger screens—and all for a bigger ticket price. And this latter point is most salient. Hollywood executives may employ the box-office receipts of franchise films, such as “The Force Awakens,” as justification for the constant reproduction of

the same storylines, characters and themes. However, when we adjust these returns for inflation, none of these films place within the top 25 highest-grossing films of all time.

The one that comes closest is “The Avengers” at 28. Thus, although people are spending more money at the movies, this does not mean that more people are going to the movies.

This is not to suggest that Hollywood has only recently begun to lack originality. One of the “Big 5” awards handed out by the Academy every year is Best Adapted Screenplay, which is given to, as the title indicates, the best screenplay that is adapted from another source. This award has been part of the annual ceremony since its inception, and the presence of this category suggests that Hollywood has always acknowledged its deficiency in regards to originality.

But we are living in a time of hyper-unoriginality, where the same antagonists re-emerge—the Dark Side and the First Order—with the same goal—capture a droid and defeat the protagonist—and the same means to their end—a planetdestroying weapon. And that, my friends, is scarier than Darth Vader—or Han Solo—being your father, as fewer and fewer original voices will be given the opportunity to be heard.

Arts & Culture

Arts & Culture Editor Rachel Jarvis — rjarvis2@fordham.edu

January 28, 2016 THE OBSERVER

Mastroianni, FCLC ‘13, to Star Off-Broadway

From journalism to philosophy to graphic design to Off-Broadway, Ariella Mastroianni, FCLC ’13, is a Jill-of-all-trades.

“ Do something outside of your comfort

ALUMNA FROM PAGE 1

because my boss—she’s a veteran agent. She’s been in the business for years. She represents Al Pacino and Arnold Schwarzenegger for personal appearances, so she works with a lot of high profile people and that’s how it is. You get in there and it’s really tough and kind of terrifying at times, but you stay there for hours so I really don’t have time, or I didn’t have time, especially when I was starting, to pursue anything else.

zone, because as a performer that’s what you have to do... And you can’t do that by living life as yourself.”

– ARIELLA MASTROIANNI, FCLC ‘13, on why it’s important to take risks as a performer

aside; I wanted to focus on truly giving myself to my job and I’m trying to best understand it as much as possible and really take advantage of it. But then I just didn’t feel like myself, so I reconnected with people. I called [Faughnan] up in the fall and we got drinks, and he was working on another play at Cherry Lane that was his theatre premiere because he mostly does film writing.

And he recently gave me a call and said, “I’m doing another play. I want you to read for it.” So that’s how it happened.

O: How do you think you apply

philosophy and journalism to what you’re doing now as an agent assistant or to performing?

AM: Well, journalism—I write

emails all day. My boss handles personal appearances; what we do is find our artists jobs, and in order to do that, we have to pitch it, and in order to pitch it, you have to be able to simplify things and have your nut graph and have your lead and you have to give them the parts of the story that are most important for them to buy and for them to sell to an audience.

Philosophy is just an overall skill. But, with both disciplines you take yourself out of a situation, and that’s what I love about philosophy and journalism and that’s what I love about acting. And that’s why it’s important to me to have done both things, because you’re really giving people an opportunity to step up outside themselves and consider the overall presence of the picture, maybe not even the big picture, but give them a glimpse of what it could seem like to someone else. I feel like we can’t live our lives in a tunnel vision. What we know is that we’re here together, so we need to figure out the best way to live among each other.

O: You’re going to be in an Off-Broad-

way play next week. Tell us a little bit about the show, “Sixty Days.” Online it says, “it’s a story about an unconventional marriage between a man and a woman.”

O: Do you consider yourself an ac-

tress first or a journalist first?

PHOTOGRAPH BY CATHERINE POWELL

Mastroianni plays Rebecca in “Sixty Days” at Cherry Lane Theatre AM: That’s it. It’s a very simple plot The writer I met not at Fordham, idea. The actual play is very basic; but during college. I still took private what you read is essentially the plot. acting classes, and there was a kid in It very much is a story that relies on my class who was a part of an indie performance and script. It shows psychological thriller, and he liked how you can have a very gray area my work in the class so he asked me with something—it’s not always to read for it, so I worked with him on resolved and it’s not always black or that project. It was called “Chrysalis.” white and that’s what the couple is going through. I play the woman’s O: Oh yeah, I saw that on your IMDB best friend who she comes to and account. seeks advice, and I’m an optimist but AM: Yeah, that’s in post-production, I’m also very dissatisfied with dating. but there I met the writer/director.

So I’m also in a gray area because The director was Alexia Oldini, but I want to be in love, but everybody she co-wrote it with John Faughnan, makes me miserable, and we have a who was the star. He acted and wrote whole moment in act two when we it, and then somewhere along the go back and forth just about how not way we did that film and we kinda simple things are. So that’s what it lost touch. And then this last year I is, there are dramatic elements and realized I really wanted to get back it gets intense, but the plot is very into performing, because I put it simple.

AM:An actress—I’m an accidental

journalist. I was horrible at writing, and because I was horrible at it, I knew that was the one thing I wanted to achieve…Really the point of college is to find out who you are and take advantage of the brilliant people who are there and all the different things they might offer. Because you never know—you might walk into a science class and think, “Actually, science is really cool. I want to be a chem person.” But, actress first.

O: What advice would you give

students who are, like you were, pursuing degrees in other fields but are also still acting or dancing or still really engrossed in the performing arts world?

AM: I honestly would suggest using

college to tap into those parts of themselves, and then take advantage of the city. That’s the thing about

Fordham—we’re not isolated. It’s a building on 60th, we’re right in the heart of it. Let’s say you have two classes a day; it’s like five hours of your day, and you can take advantage of the rest of the day to audition or to write. I also really encourage people to focus on the holistic aspect.

I encourage actors to write and to create their own content or direct, or writers to perform, just to get a sense of the full range of what your art is. I would advise that students just take advantage. Do something outside of your comfort zone, because as a performer that’s what you have to do.

You have to push yourself to different limits, and you have to see the world through other people’s eyes. And you can’t do that by living life as yourself.

O: That is such a good point. What

are your plans for afterward? After your show closes, what are your short-term or long-term goals?

AM: I think it’s up in the air right

now. I know what I want to do. I’m in an interesting position because of my job, and I do love what I do. I do love my boss a lot. I feel like I love my boss more than I love the industry.

She’s such a special person. She’s just very direct, very simple. She knows what the business is. I definitely want to continue performing. How I’ll get there, I don’t know. I’m going to keep myself open and keep doing things that challenge me.

You can purchase tickets to see Ariella in “Sixty Days”, running Jan. 26-29, 7 p.m. nightly, online at www. cherrylanetheatre.org.

Who is Avenue Eight, the WinterFest Opening Act?

By SABRINA POLKOWSKI Contributing Writer

Opening WinterFest this Friday is Avenue Eight, a ten-piece band featuring one of Fordham’s own Franco Giacomarra, Fordham College Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’19, who started the band with his brother and a friend when he was in seventh grade.

A fusion of funk, alternative, pop and rock, Avenue Eight has played mainly covers in the past, but plans to debut about eight original songs at WinterFest that they hope to record within the next few months for an album. “All of our songs sound really different, which is for better or for worse, because we all have lots of different influences,” said Giacomarra of the band’s sound. “I’d say

we’re poppy, with some rock and some funk thrown in there too.”

Some originals the audience should look out for: “Planet W,” “Get Up on The Get Down” and “Days to Come.”

Giacomarra described the band as “very large with a lot of energy” and is hoping the audience will have a good time during their set. Avenue Eight is comprised of Franco Giacomarra (bass, vocals), Stefano Giaco-

marra (drums), Matt Coakley (keyboard), Justin Toto (guitar), Matt ‘Fitz’ Fitzpatrick (trombone), John Gabryss (trumpet), Murphy Agger (trumpet), Joe Gilbert (alto saxophone), Felipe Ranjo (hand percussion) and Ossi Onu (backing vocals/ auxiliary percussion).

Audrey Fenter, FCLC ‘19, and Emma Hasselbach, FCLC ‘19, didn’t respond to interview requests.

IF YOU GO

WinterFest Concert WHEN: Friday, Jan. 29, 5:00 p.m.

WHERE: Pope Auditorium PRICE: $5.00 pending availability  Avenue Eight along with Audrey

Fenter and Emma Hasselbach will open for BØRNS.

The Comma Interrobang

Ray Bradbury Was Right

By ALYSHA KUNDANMAL Features Co-Editor

It’s one of those days that scares me. You know the days when changing out of your pajamas seems like too much effort? Those days when laying in bed, clutching your iPhone and scrolling through various newsfeeds are the only source of brain stimulation for the day. And then, you reach a point when dragging your thumb down the touchscreen no longer produces any more new information. You move from the, now-boring, Twittersphere to the land of filtered photos— Instagram. Again, you notice how your habitual thumb motion fails to deliver any new media. Disappointed, you hope the familiar white “F” floating in a blue square will provide

you with the will to keep your eyes open for another five minutes. As a new wave of disappointment crashes over you, you freeze. You let the scariest thought possible creep into your brain. You pry your iPhone from your near-permanently bent fingers and succumb to the horrible realization that you need more social media to check. Your main three or four portals no longer seem like enough. Maybe Ray Bradbury had a point—too much technology is dangerous, and can overrun society. It frightens me that this was exactly me this afternoon—staring, refreshing, wishing. Staring at my 3.5 inch technicolor display. Refreshing each social media

application home screen. Wishing people would update each medium so I could catch a glimpse into their lives. Perhaps a social media detox is necessary. However, the very thought of staying off of it for a prolonged amount of time gives me anxiety. What if I miss the artsiest Instagram EVER? What if I miss a hilarious fight on Twitter? What if I miss an uproar over the new Facebook update? Being kept in the dark is one of my least favorite things. If darkness is to be allowed, it must be accompanied by the faint glow of an Apple-manufactured screen.

Maybe I need help.

8

Faces of Fordham

January 28, 2016 THE OBSERVER

www.fordhamobserver.com

HANA KENINGHAM/THE OBSERVER

8.6-point on 9.8 Georgia Italic cutline goes right herey, with some more information photo.

SITTING DOWN WITH FORDHAM’S SHAKESPEARIAN-IN-RESIDENCE

Eloisa James, Also Known As Professor Mary Bly Professor by day, romance novelist by night

By GRACE THOMPSON Contributing Writer

She could have been researching for her next academic work as a scholar of early modern theater; she could have been writing the next in her long line of bestselling romance novels or grading her students’ Shakespeare papers, but instead Mary Bly, Ph.D., spent her entire Thursday creating a single, delectable chocolate trifle.

She transformed herself for the afternoon into one of the Regency heroines from her historical romance novels, following a custard recipe from a centuries-old cookbook.

She boiled milk, added sugar, beat the eggs and combined them. Thickening the custard without corn starch meant whisking it madly over a low heat, and when it was finally thick enough, she added brandy and poured it over the chocolate cake she had spent the morning baking. On top she layered cherries and the whip she had made the day before.

There are plenty of grocery stores near her Upper West Side apartment that carry corn starch, but that’s not the point. Mary Bly thoroughly enjoys the process of creation.

In the same way, under the romance-writer pen name Eloisa James, she enjoys writing her books, mixing ingredients together into a delicious happy ending. In the literary world, many would consider romances trifles—sweet, rather than mentally nutritious—but Eloisa is as thoughtful and creative in writing her stories as she is in making her trifle. It’s pure fun for her; if her stories were desserts, she would be licking her fingers as she wrote.

Although she is an expert in the Renaissance, Bly writes historical romances set in the Regency period. “I know too much about the Renaissance period,” she told me, “I have to be deliberately inaccurate at times, especially about gender relations, and that would really bother me in my own area of expertise.” She describes herself as “tinkering with historical fact.” In her novel “Three Weeks With Lady X,” for example, the heroine has a job as an interior designer. “I couldn’t really figure out who was doing that work, and that really interested me, because there were a lot of people making a lot of money and then buying old estates and remaking them. So somebody is doing that work, and I assume it’s men, but I couldn’t find any, so might as well be a woman.”

Nevertheless, her novels still reflect the historical pe-

“ It’s pure fun for her; if her stories

were desserts, she would be licking her fingers as she wrote”

THOMPSON ON BLY’S PASSION FOR COOKING, AND ROMANCE

riod in interesting ways, and writing has become Bly’s way of creatively answering her own questions of what living back then would have been like. “Some part of the conflict has got to rise out of the historical period. I’ve done a lot of novels in which it’s come out of what was known about this kind of illness in the period, and you have to spin a plot out of that. So, for example, I wrote a book set in the Georgian period, in which the heroine was frigid, and I didn’t know why, I just thought it was a good way to start. They were already married, and as the thing was going along I figured it could be because her wig, which you wore all the time, also to bed, she was allergic to the powder in it. But it took a long time, like months, to figure out exactly, and it was really fun once I figured it out.”

Solving the problem is just as much fun for her as discovering what it is. For her novel “When the Duke Returns,” part of the conflict arises from the fact that the hero’s father has just installed wooden pipes for the toilets, which have rotted and left the house smelling of sewage.

For Bly, “that one was fun because I had to figure it out.

I know that happened, I don’t know how they dealt with it, so I made up a whole company of men in London who basically excavated toilets, and they charge a lot for this incredibly filthy job. It was fun writing their language— they were some east-enders.”

That process of creating characters is another one she thoroughly enjoys. She thinks about her characters for months or years in advance, imagining what they would say and how they would act. When she tells me about them, she talks as if they’re acting independently of her, as if she’s discovering them and she’s thrilled by their actions. She tells me proudly of the husband of the woman who’s allergic to her wig, “that night that they both figure

out, he cuts off all her hair. He just cuts it off right in the bath. That was the solving of that.” I feel as if she’s filling me in on some gossip—a secret from their marriage that she just has to share.

At ten to five, I’m standing in the rain in a small crowd outside the Independent Film Channel center, on 6th Avenue in the West Village, where they’re showing a documentary about the hugely profitable and warmly welcoming romance industry, which features Bly as a beloved writer. Bly arrives with an umbrella, gives me an air kiss and then greets the many friends and colleagues waiting out front for her. At five, we are ushered into theater one, a large room with brick walls. It’s a jovial atmosphere; people greet their friends and chat with strangers. One of the employees gets up to check that everyone’s in the right room—“Theater one is ‘Love Between the Covers’ ”—and throughout the room claps, snaps and cheers abound.

The filmmaker, Laurie Kahn, introduces the documentary, and then the film begins. In it, Bly talks to her readers at a Romance Writers of America conference, writes in her living room, teaches a class at Fordham, tells an aspiring writer to add more sex to her novel. She informs the interviewer, “Romance is one of the only meritocracies left. Cooking is a meritocracy, and romance is a meritocracy.”

Afterward, the rain is coming down harder, so we scuttle to the subway and take the train uptown to her apartment. Her husband Alessandro and daughter Anna are lined up by the door to greet us, but our first welcome is from Lucy, an energetic dachshund who races into the hallway and back into the apartment, jumps onto the plump, bright red couch, looping through not one but two sitting rooms. The wooden floors are laid with beautiful, intricately designed rugs and lined with bookshelves, and trays of food are arranged throughout. The place feels warm and cozy.

After mingling a bit, I received instructions from Mark Bly, a Fordham professor and distant relative of Mary Bly: “Try the trifle. It’s incredible.” So I spoon myself some trifle and move over to a group of writers from the Romantic Times magazine. “She made it herself,” one of them tells me excitedly, “It’s a Regency trifle, just like one of her heroines would make.”

Bly fell in love with romance during fifth grade choir practice, when she borrowed a classmate’s copy of “The

www.fordhamobserver.com

Novels

Pleasures Triology Potent Pleasures 1999 Midnight Pleasures 2000 Enchanting Pleasures 2001

THE OBSERVER January 28, 2016

The Duchess Quartet Duchess in Love 2002 Fool For Love 2003 A Wild Pursuit Your Wicked Ways 2004

Flame and the Flower,” by Kathleen Woodiwiss. Her parents, however, were National Book Award-winning poet Robert Bly and short story author Carol Bly, who insisted that for every romance she read, she also had to read a classic. So, as Bly wrote in an op-ed for The New York Times, she had “finished Mark Twain’s works by the time she was thirteen.” Growing up, she watched her parents toil over literary pieces for years and realized she had no desire to suffer so much over a single work. “My dad was Bach,” she told me, “I watched him write a poem and then rewrite it for 25 years. And I’m not gonna do that.”

As a child, she would sometimes write plays for her siblings to act out, which always involved some sort of romance.

In her early 20s she wrote a romance novel, but no one would publish it, so she continued her education at Harvard, Oxford and Yale. She married another academic, Italian literature professor Alessandro Vettori, and they had a son, Luca. Bly desperately wanted a second child, but Vettori insisted they couldn’t afford it, so, in a (successful) attempt to pay off her student debts, Bly wrote her first published romance, “Potent Pleasures.” She took lessons from the several romance authors she had been reading, including Katherine Coulter and Judith Mcnaught, and successfully implemented their techniques in her own books. Since then, she has published over 30 books, 12 of which have been New York Times bestsellers.

Unlike her parents, Bly writes almost exclusively for enjoyment—her own, and her readers’. One of the most important ingredients in her novels is “reader satisfaction moments”— her readers are “reading for something that’s deeply satisfying, and often that has a tinge of revenge in it, against the men in your life or the whatever in your life. It’s got a tinge of, like, ‘and up yours too.’”

Another important ingredient of her romance novels is fast pacing. “The key when you’re writing genre fiction is that when the person puts down the chapter, you want them to wake up and open it up just to read one chapter before they go to work. It’s not the cliffhanger every chapter, but you’re holding enough back, and the momentum is such that they can’t.

That just ‘I gotta, I gotta, I gotta.’” Each novel is paced to keep the readers engaged, and to take them on an emotional journey with the characters. Bly says one of her favorite comments is, “You’re crack for intellectuals.” Her novels are so enjoyable that people just don’t want to stop reading.

The day after the screening, I am back at Bly’s apartment, sitting in a window nook in her kitchen. The walls are purple, the table is covered with a flowery pink tablecloth, and the window looks down into the street below, which grows darker as the November light fades into evening. She’s wearing a purple v-neck with “Pride and Prejudice” printed on it and peacock feathers extending up toward her shoulders. There is a bright streak of red at the front of her short, strawberry-blonde hair.

On the wall behind her is framed the poem “Mary Bly,” by her godfather, James Wright. “I remember when it was anthologized and showed up in a school book of all places, when I was in sixth grade,” she explained to me, “I said that was me, and the teacher said I was fibbing, and my mother had to go in and straighten her out.”

After reading countless articles about the romance industry and learning that the chair of her department told Bly she wouldn’t get tenure if people knew about her novels, I expect her to be a bit defensive of her genre and her writing. But she is not. When I ask her if she would like more acceptance from the literary world, or the world at large, she replies, “I don’t really care very much. I think there is an enormous difference between literature and genre fiction, and I think some writers get confused about that, whereas I honestly think there’s an enormous difference. You know, literature can change the world. Literature can change the way an entire country thinks about war. Literature is “Catch-22”—it’s a just war, we all think differently afterward. Teaching something like that or teaching Shakespeare, you can see, you know, “Romeo and Juliet” arguably changed the way all of England thought about marriage; it’s a turning point in the history of companionate marriage, so-called.”

That kind of world-changing literature is what her parents sought to create, and it is clear she has a deep respect for those works; but she does not want the stress associated with trying to write them. “Romance is not going to do that,” she emphasizes “Romance is a very small thing, and its triumphs are very small.” She does rejoice in those triumphs, though, in the fact that her books can “change one person’s world.” She gets letters from “a lot of doctors, a lot of people in stressful situations, people who are dying, or whose parents or siblings are dying, who are reading great literature but reach a point when they’re too tired. A lot of people in the military, a lot of women fliers, for example, cause it’s stressful and it’s tiring, and there are long, long, long, sandy afternoons when you’re doing nothing and you don’t want to read blood and guts or deep literature.”

It occurs to me that the type of people reading her novels are the type of people that the great literature is written about. She replies to every one of those letters.

The Essex Sisters Series Much Ado About You Kiss Me, Annabel 2005 The Taming of the Duke Pleasure for Pleasure 2006

HANA KENINGHAM/THE OBSERVER

HANA KENINGHAM/THE OBSERVER

HANA KENINGHAM/THE OBSERVER

HANA KENINGHAM/THE OBSERVER

The Desperate Duchesses Series Desperate Duchesses An Affair Before Christmas 2007 Duchess by Night When the Duke Returns 2008 This Duchess of Mine A Duke of Her Own 2009 Three Weeks With Lady X 2014 Four Nights With a Duke 2015

Faces of Fordham

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The Happily Ever Afters A Kiss at Midnight 2010 When Beauty Tamed the Beast 2011 The Duke is Mine The Ugly Duchess 2012 Once Upon a Tower 2013

She also emphasizes that romances are quite feminist. They represent interesting, strong women, and they give an extremely positive view of women’s sexuality. “A romance can be incredibly feminist,” she tells me, “and I’ve gotten a lot of letters that said, ‘I decided I don’t need to take this, X, horrible thing anymore.’ Those are triumphs, they’re just much smaller triumphs. But they’re just as good in their own way.

Romance has a huge effect on literacy, for example, because it’s read in domestic abuse shelters.”

Bly insists, “I don’t have a talent for great literature,” although she has not yet tried to write it. When I ask why she is so sure, she replies, “The shape of my brain, the way I shape sentences, is very good for what I do, but I don’t have that kind of harsh incisiveness that I think great literature often has. I have a natural turn towards the nostalgic and the sentimental, and I write treacle really really well.” In Bly’s eyes, that doesn’t make her any less of a great writer.

She enjoys the freedom that comes from writing romance.

“It’s the most creative genre there is, if you ask me. ‘Cause you’re free. You can do anything in these books. Nobody is going to go after you, you’re not reviewed in the New York Times book review. You can do anything.” And so she does. In her novel, “When Beauty Tamed the Beast,” for example, her hero is based on Dr. House, from the TV show “House.” “I was in a plane and the show was on, and I thought, ‘This guy is so arrogant, but if he didn’t have all those tests what would he do?’ Back in the Regency you couldn’t, so I had to find a doctor who was that arrogant. I read like four years of scripts of Dr. House, and then I wrote a whole series about medicine in that period—he’s dealing with an epidemic—and those are all historical. So I found a doctor, Dr. William Withering, in the period, so you have the Dr. House character merge into this real historical character.”

House is not the only outside influence in this book: she also incorporates TS Eliot’s “The Love Song of J Alfred Prufrock” throughout the entire novel.

For another novel, “This Duchess of Mine,” Bly “took a whole part of a Pratchett novel, and [she] wove it into one of [her] books, and if you love Pratchett you can pick it up just enough to recognize it and salute it.” That book landed her a seat on the memoir panel for Terry Pratchett at Comiccon. She also sometimes incorporates characters from older novels into her new books, and she and another writer, Julia Quinn, have even had characters enter each other’s books. Bly likes including so many different references because it means that a reader “could pick it up on a lot of different levels: pop culture, historical, literary, and that is fun because I get lots of different letters then, and it’s also more of a challenge for me. It’s a real challenge. It’s fun.”

Despite all the fun she has with romance, Bly considers herself first and foremost a professor. When she interacts with readers or keeps up her active social media presence, she describes herself as having “a very, very ironclad Eloisa front to the world.” She does love her readers, and she’s not just acting as Eloisa, but when she goes on tour, she has to “tone down the instinct to teach, or the sort of high-wired way that New Yorkers talk to each other, which is sort of my natural. I fit in with academics, and academics don’t talk to each other in the way that everyone else does, so I just try to be more observant so that people can hear me rather than being afraid.”

Because of her parents’ literary success, being in the spotlight is not new for Bly. “We never went out to dinner without people interrupting us,” she tells me, “I lived on a farm and there were lots of people, and people would hitchhike there all the time.” With the release of her memoir, “Paris in Love,” her own family entered the spotlight, but Bly says that “the teflon Eloisa protects” her life as Mary Bly, with academics, publishers, writers and her family, “whereas it does leave readers kind of distanced.”

That private life is of major importance to her, and she balances it with her romance world with surprising grace. While publishing at least a novel a year, she also garners her students’ adoration (every student I talked to sings her praises), raises her two kids, travels extensively, replies to every letter from her readers, maintains her presence in the world of academia and hosts large numbers of people regularly. One of her co-workers described her as “the most efficient woman I know,” claiming that she “lives in a time zone different from that of regular mortals” and that she must have “three extra days to her week.”

Bly sees it differently. While she is incredibly efficient, she has also been learning to enjoy wasting time—she’s even considering writing a book about it. Her day of baking wasn’t unusual— she actually cooks for 15-20 people every Sunday. Like her parents, she hosts writers and poets, as well as Luca, now a junior at Fordham, and several of his friends. For her, “that means a lot of planning and a lot of thinking and a lot of putting your energy otherwise than on your book, or on the things that you think are terribly, terribly important. But they’re getting done too. It’s really interesting.” It is clear that Mary Bly enjoys not only the process of cooking and the process of writing, but also the process of living.

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Arts & Culture

January 28, 2016 THE OBSERVER

www.fordhamobserver.com

Deaf West Comes East With “Spring Awakening”

By MORGAN STEWARD Asst. Arts & Culture Editor

In 2006, Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater created a Broadway musical that challenged all previous notions of what it meant to be on Broadway. Now, “Spring Awakening” has returned to Broadway, six years after the original production’s closing date. The revival production began its very limited engagement at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre on Sept. 27, 2015 and continued to push the boundaries of live theater— the entire production is performed simultaneously in American Sign Language and spoken English.

“Spring Awakening,” set in late 19th-century Germany, is the story of a group of young teenagers’ sexual awakening. The musical explores controversial themes of teenage pregnancy, child abuse, suicide and homosexuality using alternative rock music to capture and reflect the teenage angst felt by the characters. The revival is produced by Los Angeles-based Deaf West Theatre, an organization which aims to bring deaf culture and deaf education to the performing arts.

This is not the first time Deaf West Theatre has brought its innovative production style to Broadway. In 2003, Deaf West’s production of “Big River” also made it to Broadway, running for a very limited engagement at the American Airline Airlines Theater. “Big River” is based on the novel “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”

by Mark Twain and centers around Finn’s travels with Jim, his friend and runaway slave. Michael Arden, who played Tom Sawyer in the 2003 production, went on to become

OONA MURLEY/THE OBSERVER

“Spring Awakwning” incorporates American Sign Language.

a director for Deaf West Theatre Company and is now the director of “Spring Awakening”.

The cast of the revival production of “Spring Awakening” is composed of deaf, hard of hearing and hearing actors. However, all members of the ensemble, despite their hearing capabilities, use American Sign Language. Each character played by an actor that is deaf is partnered with a hearing actor

that concurrently speaks what their partner signs.

The partners move throughout the scenes together, with the deaf performer acting as the lead and the hearing performer acting as a visible representation of their characters’ subconsciousness. This partner system helps the viewers understand how the confused and turbulent mind of the teenagers process information and make

choices given their repressed and heavily monitored upbringing.

The “Spring Awakening” revival cast is faced with an incredibly challenging task— expressing song lyrics filled with emotion and depth using American Sign Language.

The actors must find a way to move beautifully and fluidly, while performing exact, specific motions that somehow manages to retain the feeling of the emotionally-charged lyrics.

Spencer Liff, an Emmy-nominated choreographer and fellow Broadway performer, choreographed the new production. Instead of just being incorporated into other dancing, the American Sign Language becomes the choreography. Liff uses the American Sign Language as a physical embodiment of the emotions the characters are feeling.

Each word being signed is packed with emotion to give a visual and audial representation of what the characters feel. For the heavier, angry, fast-paced songs, lyrics are signed using quick, jerky motion to mimic the inner anguish felt by the characters. For the sweet, softer love songs of the production, lyrics are signed slower and more gracefully.

At times during duets between love interests, each character will physically sign on the other person, tracing a finger along their partner’s forehead to show their love and compassion for one another.

The revival of “Spring Awakening” played its final show on Jan. 24, 2016. However, Arden and the show’s producers released a statement in which they revealed their plans to take the production on a national tour starting in 2017.

BØRNS, Garrett Borns cont.

BØRNS FROM PAGE 1

“To be honest, I can remember my first magic show more than my first musical gig,” he said.

“There were about five or six kids,” he recalled. Borns was no older than ten. “It was my first Grand Illusion Show and I was pretty nerve-racked,” he said. He wore a silky vegas dealer shirt that had the suites of cards printed on it. “It was a very flashy shirt,” he remembered.

He didn’t think there was anything extraordinarily different that got him into magic.

“It’s just like an early fascination of, ya’ know, magic. There were some local magicians in my town that I grew up in and they had gigs performing in restaurants so I just worked on my repertoire and was like why don’t I have a gig at a restaurant?”

Borns’ magical forte was card tricks.

Magic was just one of the artistic endeavors he got into as a kid. He explored the visual arts, like painting, and later focused filmmaking.

“I just enjoy making things and creating things,” he said.

For Borns, there was no turning point in the distinction of calling himself an aspiring artist versus simply calling himself an artist. He said, “I think I always knew I was going to support myself as an artist in some way or another.”

“Fear Regret. Live Today.” One Documentary Filmmaker’s Message to All College Students

By DANIEL VILLAR Contributing Writer

“When you look in the mirror every day, do you see the person you always wanted to be or do you see someone else?” These are just some of the haunting and reflective words with which filmmaker and avid explorer of the world Michael Reese leaves his viewers in his film “I Fear Regret: A Personal Transformation.”

Before setting out on an 18.5-month journey across all seven continents, Reese led a quiet and ordinary life. He was following the same typical pattern that many of us believe our society dictates us to follow–graduate from college, get a job, settle down and start a family with a significant other and work until retirement. The problem with this “normative” series of events is that it leaves barely any room for happiness, which just doesn’t seem to factor into the equation until after you’ve spent a good two-thirds of your life going through the motions.

“This has never made a lot of sense to me because you can’t dictate the way that someone develops psychologically,” Reese said. “They have to do it on their own because everybody’s different.”

Reese didn’t want to go through the motions. The path he saw himself going down was not one that he wanted to pursue. He had crippling debt that he spent 10 years working at a cubicle job and sometimes even working second jobs in the evenings or weekends to pay off. Finally, he was able to pay off his student loans.

Then Reese had the chance to create a more meaningful life for himself, and he decided to do so by traveling around the world.

“As I looked at the amount of pictures and videos I was accumulating, I realized that when I’m old and grey I don’t want to have to look over 100,000 or 200,000 pictures and videos,” Reese admitted jokingly. “I

PHOTO COURTESY OF MICHAEL REESE

Reese quit his job to travel the world and visited all seven continents.

wanted to find a way to condense it somehow.” The result, a 57-minute documentary, narrated by Reese, presents us with these beautiful pictures and video clips of the explorer’s voyage toward self-discovery.

Interspersed with text every so often to provide information pertinent to a certain country being presented, we’re able to feel as if we too were on the trip with him, taking in all of the amazing scenery and anecdotes.

Traveling, however, is more than just photographs. Reese points out that the purpose of travel is to meet people and learn about their history and culture. The lessons one can learn abroad are invaluable, such as not to come to conclusions too

quickly.

For example, images in the media that depict South America as being poorly developed are refuted once presented with the extensive transportation system present in the Colombian city of Medellín, which has two airports, a metro, a cable car and outdoor escalators. “Bus systems in South America are pretty efficient and well run, arguably better than most of what you’d see in the U.S.” Reese argued.

He also points out in his film that the cost of living in some South American cities is lower than that in North America. Compare the 25 cents it costs to ride on Cuenca transit to the $2.75 fare charged by the

MTA for a single subway ride.

Other lessons inspired by the film include to focus on things that are larger than yourself, never pass up an opportunity to gain wisdom, no matter what the source, not to be afraid to tackle difficult or controversial issues, money not equating to happiness and to never take for granted the time you are given on this planet. “Don’t do the knee-jerk reflex that society tells you to,” Reese cautioned.

“Take the time to explore a little and take the less travelled road.” The filmmaker urges college students to do study abroad while they’re in college, and possibly even not to go into the working world right after college

by taking a year off to travel or enroll in the army.

“Whatever you feel is necessary, whatever feels right,” he stated. “Don’t be pressured into doing something because that’s what society tells you to do. You gotta go with your gut.”

As far as traveling advice goes, Reese believes that a schedule isn’t necessarily required. “You just want to let it all kind of flow,” he stated.

He also reminds us not be quick to pick a favorite.

“Each place you go to has something special and unique about it, so if you ever get a chance to travel don’t compare, just enjoy each one for what it is,” Reese remarked. And if you’re worried about a language barrier, fear not. Even if you travel to an area where English isn’t spoken, you can still communicate through body language or hand signals.

Worst comes to worst, you can just take out a paper and pen and draw something. Just make sure to talk to people.

“You have to have no fear at all.

That’s the best way to go about it,” Reese reasoned.

Today, Reese is focusing on the one thing that he’s always had a tremendous passion for – film.

The filmmaker loves being both on camera and behind it, and has just finished the first draft of his first feature film, which will be going around to film festivals. “I’m gonna set up all the pins, hope I bowl a strike, and continue playing the game,” he stated confidently.

Reese’s documentary “I Fear Regret: A Personal Transformation” is available for rent on his website, fearregret-livetoday.com, for $1.49, allowing access for 30 days and expiring 72 hours after you begin viewing it. Upon purchase of the rental, Reese will even e-mail you the Excel spreadsheet that he used to plan his trip around the world so that you, too, can get a head start at planning yours.

Features

Features Editors Alanna Kilkeary—alannamartine@gmail.com Alysha Kundanmal––akundanmal@fordham.edu Hansi Weedagama––hweedagama@fordham.edu

January 28, 2016 THE OBSERVER

GO! New York City Reflection Home is where the heart is

CONNOR MANNION /THE OBSERVER

There is a lot to see in the Bronx if you just walk around or know where to look. If you feel at home in the city, NYC will offer you all you want.

CONNOR MANNION /THE OBSERVER

Through our visit with a graffiti studio, we learned of its cultural value to Bronx communities.

CONNOR MANNION News Co-Editor

I’ve never called myself a New Yorker. I’ve lived here for the past three years, I’ve eaten at countless restaurants and visited neighborhoods. I’ve seen everywhere from Alphabet City to the Ukrainian Village – and I still think of myself as a tourist on an extended vacation. I never took the time to invest my energy in the place I called my home for the past three years. This is part of the reason I went on GO! NYC, the most local of all the projects offered by Global Outreach.

I spent 10 days traveling around New York, mainly the Bronx, with 10 Rose Hill students and a recent Fordham graduate, to try and invest in the New York that I never tried to know.

I’m still not sure I can call myself a New Yorker, but I feel like I’m home again.

In many ways, GO! NYC is the most flexible of all the projects.

As my project leader Colette Berg, Fordham College at Rose Hill (FCRH) ‘16, said, “The project is really what we make of it.” We tried to make as much of it as we could, beginning headlong with a Midnight Run around the heart of Midtown Manhattan.

The purpose of a Midnight Run is to provide food, clothing and toiletries to the homeless of New York, and it is done through driving around to various designated drop-off points. For this purpose, a team of volunteers would need a dedicated driver of a university vehicle: the driver being myself and the vehicle being a Ram Van, which could double for a military grade tank in another life. So, careening this behemoth around Time Square tourists was my introduction to the project.

But this was not to speak of the main routine we settled into, which involved a much quieter setting: elementary school. I’m kidding about the quiet, but it was very jarring to go from driving around Manhattan

It was very jarring to go from driving around Manhattan to reading with third graders and helping them with their vocab. to reading with third graders and helping them with their vocabulary. But it’s a nice routine to settle into, and I miss it a lot now that I am back at school. I don’t believe I will be able to go back to St. Ann’s Church to visit the kids I worked with, but it changed me.

Another thing to note here, especially if someone reading this is considering a GO! project, is not to think of this as helping others. It is more of an opportunity to educate yourself. In fact, a reading that all project teams are asked to read enforces this even before the project: “To Hell With Good Intentions” by Ivan Illyich.

CONNOR MANNION /THE OBSERVER

In Yonkers, we saw that poverty is not limited to the city.

I did not know much about the Bronx and its recent and ongoing struggle with the monster of gentrification. Mainly, this is most apparent from our visit to the neighborhood of Port Morris, where a high-rise developer is attempting to rebrand it as “The Piano District,” because he’s building on top of an old piano factory.

Also ignoring that the name of Port Morris is tied into the history of the United States, as the neighborhood is actually named for the author of the preamble of the Constitution, Governor Morris, who lived in this area before the city became the city we know.

I didn’t know that before the project, and I imagine if there was any respect paid to history by the forces of gentrification, there wouldn’t be a push to rebrand.

But that is why I did this project, to try and teach myself to have respect for New York and to not feel like a tourist anymore in my own city. I educated myself. I took pictures of lifelong Bronx residents

demanding rights in their community in the face of impending re-zoning of their neighborhood.

I saw poets who sang about their love for the Boogie-Down-Bronx next to obscure modern art. Most of my subway commutes gave me a beautiful view of the sky. I sat and read next to my team, cooked with them, laughed with them and recognized with our inherent privileges as students on this project in Manhattan. We learned to fall in love with New York all over again, and want to fight for justice in the place our team calls home.

One of the last days on the project, we visited the Catholic Worker in Lower Manhattan. There was a poster with a quote from Cornel West on the wall: “Never forget that justice is what love looks like in public.” I don’t know how long I will be in New York since this is my final semester at Fordham, but I do want justice for it.

Maybe, just maybe, I’ll call myself a New Yorker in the upcoming weeks.

www.fordhamobserver.com

THE OBSERVER

January 28, 2016

Features

12

Top Artists to Watch in 2016 To Your Beautiful” or “Stars” (or her whole album, “Know-It-All”).

By KATHLEEN-MAE RAMAS Contributing Writer

2015 brought us some amazing new musical talent, but 2016 is already looking like a year for every genre under the sun. Combing through the archives of underground talent, press attention, the blogosphere and a variety of social media, we’ve come up with a list of talented, fresh new artists to look forward to in 2016. Themes of production for the year include a retro feelings, where many artists are finding themselves reverting back to older beats, rhythms or styles from decades past, finding gems in the history of our vintage soundscape.

So, when you’re feeling some type of way, check out these new artists to either get you on your feet, help you relax or satisfy your craving for the contemporary.

If you’re in the mood to be nostalgic or angsty…

JESSICA HANLEY/THE OBSERVER

Bleached performing a set at one of their latest concerts.

If your in the mood to get out of the city...

Listen to Aurora (stylized as AURORA). At 19-years-old, this Norwegian folk slash indie pop singer has captivated the hearts of many, who are heralding her art as the “next best thing” to the likes of Lorde and Halsey. With raw, tantalizing vocals softly spread out over rhythmic basslines and spacey melodies, listening to AURORA immediately transports you to a fantastical worldjust like something straight out of a fairytale. Many agree that her voice has an air of innocence, and her tone is almost childlike in nature though mature in its skill. And if the sound isn’t enough to make you a fan, critics say that the lyrics definitely will. With thought provoking words and themes so deep and dark for someone that began writing lyrics at the age of 12, her ability to create a heartfelt, empathetic connection is astounding. To dip your toes in her silky sound, try listening to “Runaway” or “Running With the Wolves.” Her first album, “All My Demons Greeting Me As A Friend” releases on March 11, 2016.

COURTESY OF NPK P3 VIA FLICKR

Aurora is an effervescent performer.

If you’re in the mood to wind down and vibe out...

Listen to Post Malone. This one’s pretty obvious. Hailing from Dallas, Texas, Post Malone has rapidly been gaining popularity since the latter end of 2015 for his single, “White Iverson,” which he originally released on Soundcloud. With heavy bass beats, catchy choruses and a vibe that screams a chill day on the beach with your friends, his music has permeated the rap and hip-hop scene, enticing both connoisseurs of those genres and devoted pop junkies alike.

He has grown to be a more highly-

COURTESY OF TY WRIGHT VIA FLICKR

COURTESY OF DISNEY VIA FLICKR

Post Malone jamming to “Too Young.”

Alessia Cara at the American Music Awards.

demanded artist and less of a hidden gem.With his rapid rise to fame in 2015, 2016 is the year to watch and see what Post Malone can really do. To get a taste of his style (besides “White Iverson”), listen to “Too Young” and “What’s Up.”

try vocals. Beginning her career as a YouTube content creator, it was only a matter of time before her unique style and sound would capture the attention of a record label. Her relatable lyrics and down-to-earth persona make her that much easier to listen to, whether you want to sit on the couch and chill out with friends, or scream-sing the words “I’ll be here” in the shower. Much like Post Malone, although her success has already been noted for the end of 2015, 2016 is the year that audiences and listeners all over the world are looking at her to see what this talented girl can continue to create. To get a feel for her rich sound, check out “Scars

If you’re in the mood to sing in the shower or chill out at home all day…

Listen to Alessia Cara. This 19-year-old Canada native has rocked the top of the charts of today’s R&B hits since the end of 2015. With her hit single, “Here,” people all over the country were bumping to her slow jam vibes and hypnotically sul-

Listen to Bleached. Do you like garage rock? Are the ‘90s your spirit era? Do girl bands rock your socks?

Then this is definitely the band for you. This three-piece girl group has single-handedly encompassed all that is ‘90s grungey yet beachy vibes, vintage garage band feels, girl power and the reincarnated love child of Joan Jett, Courtney Love and Karen O. The tone is incredibly consistent with early, OG garage rock-a heap of passion, a touch of whiny, and a hint of soul-all which make for great, angsty tracks. With harsh and heavy guitar, raw and almost raspy vocals and simplistic chord progressions that help keep the focus on the lyrics of the classic ‘life problems’ thematics, this band is truly a beloved blast from the past. To check out their rad vibes, listen to “Dead in Your Head” or “Love Spells.”

If you’re in the mood to dance, dance, dance…

Listen to Clairity.

Another one to add to your throwback Thursday playlist. If you dig retro techno styles, lots of synth keyboard and feeling like you’re floating through hyperspace, you should definitely give Clairity a listen. With hypnotic synth beats, curious sound effects and a seriously heavy ‘90s vibe, nostalgia runs free with her montage-worthy tracks. Discovered by none other than Ke$ha’s mom, she is quickly becoming 2016’s rising electronica queen. (One of her songs was featured on the hit show, “Teen Wolf!”) Reverting back to the roots of her genre, she takes a spin in the right direction, a little farther away from the EDM anthems we hear on the radio and in the club. Critics find it a refreshing twist to the electronic dance genre, and we couldn’t agree more. To get in the groove, check out “Velcro” and “DNA.”

The Search For Cheaper Textbook Options

By MARYANNA ANTOLDI Staff Writer

It’s that time of year again! The beginning of the spring semester means reuniting with friends, experiencing new classes and professors, and finding a way to purchase textbooks without breaking the bank.

We got student experiences and compared prices from the Fordham University Lincoln Center Bookstore with other sites such as Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Chegg.

Mariella Sypa, FCLC ‘19, ordered all of her books on Amazon for this semester after the school bookstore overcharged her last semester. “I got stuck buying a $200 plus textbook at the bookstore when I could have rented it for less than half of that,” she stated. “Now I want to rent from Amazon as much as possible or look into one of those online sites like Chegg.”

Amazon offers college students many benefits, such as free two-day shipping after signing up for Amazon Student. However, after the free six-month trial expires, Amazon will upgrade you to Amazon Prime where you will pay $49.50 a year for it instead of the original price at $99.

One major decision students face is whether to rent or to buy a certain textbook. Felicity Richards, FCLC ‘19, chooses to purchase books that only apply to her major. “If I rent, I prefer to buy new books simply because then I can actually take my own notes,” she said. Renting seems to be the cheaper option rather than purchasing a book new, because if it does not prove a necessity after the

Textbook Vendor Price Comparisons

SABRINA JEN/THE OBSERVER

A comparison of Maryanna Antoldi’s potential book totals for the semester.

semester ends, it can be returned.

Samantha Wei, FCLC ‘19, will continue to order from the school bookstore because she feels that its prices are reasonable. “I think the textbook industry as a whole is an overpriced industry, but [it] can do so since schools require certain books and only one publisher prints that required textbook,” she said.

Wilson Leon, the bookstore’s manager, admitted that it does not price check with online sites such as Amazon. Instead, it is more competitive with other retailers that “offer textbooks of a similar value and quality.”

“Offering students affordable textbooks is a top priority of the bookstore, which offers a variety of textbook options including rental, used, digital and new, and is dedicated to helping students find the

course materials they need in the format that best suits their learning style and budget,” he stated.

In addition, Leon mentioned that the FCLC bookstore believes firmly in having the right textbooks for classes on the shelves at all times.

“Online textbook competitors do not provide that type of guarantee or level of commitment and service to campus-specific textbooks, or accept financial aid. When an online textbook retailer runs out of a book, they may re-order, but they may not.

The Fordham University Lincoln Center Bookstore guarantees that every student has the book he or she needs, even if that means reordering a single copy.”

While textbook prices pose as a major problem each semester, there is also the question of whether the professor who required a certain

textbook will actually use it in class.

Students such as Sypa run into issues where professors require specific, costly textbooks and never use them in class.

“One of my professors said we could only buy or rent a new copy of his own book last semester,” she explained. “I was really upset by the end of the course, because his book was essentially the same as the free slides he sent us. It felt like he just ordered it to make money.”

However, Ashar Foley, adjunct professor of communication and media studies at FCLC, focuses on the prices of each book she requires before making her syllabus. “I choose textbooks for my courses after taking into consideration both what other instructors have used in the past and what is available on the market. I absolutely do look at the prices of the

textbooks that I choose for my classes—I have to purchase them myself!”

Foley does not like to spend an exorbitant amount of money on the books she uses in class either, especially if it will be irrelevant for her students beyond the course.

Foley is also one of many professors who utilizes Blackboard as a means to post some assigned readings for students to access rather than purchasing a book that will only be used for a short period in class.

“The ethical rule of thumb for PDF use is that, if assigning more than two chapters from a book, teachers should require their students to buy that book. Otherwise, I use PDFs to ensure that we read a range of material, outside of and in addition to the main textbook. I use PDFs to ensure that [my students] read a range of material, outside of and in addition to the main textbooks. Making PDFs is easier these days than ever before.”

So, while some students are continuing to purchase their textbooks through the Fordham University Lincoln Center Bookstore, others are deciding to use online providers such as Amazon or Chegg. While some professors require multiple books and rarely use them in class, others are recognizing the struggle to find cheap textbooks and are making a conscious effort to ensure that books they require will be utilized as much as possible in class. Furthermore, with the expensive prices of textbooks in mind, students want to make the most economic decisions possible when purchasing required materials for class.

www.fordhamobserver.com

THE OBSERVER January 28, 2016

Features

13

Getting My Bikini Body Without A Gym Michelle Quinn Staff Writer

Before college, most students are already aware of the term “Freshman 15.” What most students are not aware of is that the Freshman 15 might not come as early as freshman year, and may instead decide to sneak up on students around sophomore or junior year.

In a frenzy to find the nearest gym, students quickly realize how expensive gyms in Manhattan can be. Between classes, jobs and extracurricular activities, there is often not enough time for the gym. Instead, students are forced to either use the school’s fitness center, which offers a small selection of equipment to work with, or the alternative option to work out in their dorm rooms. How could anyone possibly get a good workout in a dorm room?

A 23-year-old Australian personal trainer by the name of Kayla Itsines came up with a solution to every college student’s same workout dilemma: the Bikini Body Guidelines (BBG). The workout was created as a way for people to commit to a workout for three months because it only consumes about 30 minutes of their day. Even though the workout is geared toward young females, anyone can complete the

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY CONNOR MANNION /THE OBSERVER

Kayla Itsines came up with a solution to every college students’ workout dilemma.

workout and feel noticeably sore the following day.

The program can be purchased for a one-time fee of about $70, and can be repeated as many times as the customer is willing. Itsines also offers a H.E.L.P eating guide plus the workout guide for a bundle price of about $120.

The workout is broken up into four sessions that are seven minutes each. In each session, there are

four different exercises which a person performs as many times as he or she can within those seven minutes.

This workout can be performed anywhere, with the use of one dumbbell. Itsines recommends using equipment like a medicine ball and an exercise mat, but these items can be replaced with a dumbbell or a heavy textbook and a bath towel. Even jumping rope can be

done by jumping up and down and swinging your hands as if there were a real jump rope present.

As someone who has tried countless ways to stay in shape, I can tell you that this program has been the easiest way to do so, and free of injuries. Because it is only 30 minutes long, there is no excuse as to why it just does not fit into my schedule today or tomorrow or the next day. In addition to that, I can

roll out of bed on to the space of my floor between my roommate’s bed and my bed, where I can begin my workout.

Many of the movements can be modified and can be done with a lower weight or no weight at all using all body movements. This guarantees a lot less strain on your joints and your muscles, which is a huge plus if you are prone to injuries like I am!

What initially drew me into the program was Itsines’ Instagram, which boasts photos of women from all over the world who post progress pictures every four weeks.

I encourage everyone to check out her Instagram page to check out the drastic progression some of these women have made, including the slimmer ones who went from skinny to fit. Just think, some day one of those women could be you!

The BBG community is filled with many loving and supportive strangers who have quite the impact on each other. I know every time I visit some of their Instagram pages, I feel a surge of inspiration and cannot wait for the following day to do my next workout. So if you are like me and have little patience for long workout programs or crowded gyms and wish to see quick results with little equipment and little time, but are willing to put in a lot of effort, then BBG might just be the workout for you.

The Faces Behind The Dorothy Day Center

By LYDIA BENNER Staff Writer

It was five years ago that the residents pass the decorated office everyday on their way to classes when they werte getting away from the cold. Commuters may pass the office on their way to the library.

But just what does the Dorothy Day Center for Service and Justice do?

According to Crawford, the Dorothy Day Center provides “service and social justice opportunities for students,” allowing them to connect with not only their school community, but the New York City community as a whole.

Jamie Saltamachia, assistant director, added to Crawford’s statement about the opportunities students have to volunteer, including

EXCERPT FROM FORDHAMOBSERVER.COM

Head to fordhamobserver.com to check out the full video interview.

the Urban Plunge summer program and service learning classes.

Saltamachia explained how the

services students do are based off of the Jesuit ideal of being for and with others, a characteristic that is a

staple of Fordham University.

Kenice Miller, FCLC ‘17, described the Urban Plunge program more in depth, describing how it focuses on the history of the Lincoln Center campus, which allows incoming freshmen to learn more about where they are living and taking classes.

Hunter Blas, FCLC ‘17 and social justice leader, explained the difference between the two different service learning programs.

According to Blas, integrated service learning programs are integrated in the course, so when “[a student] registers for the course, it’s going to say it has required service learning.”

These programs are run entirely by the professor, who chooses where and when the students spend their

time volunteering and bringing social justice to New York City.

The other service learning program involves seminars, which are five meetings throughout the semester “where [students] work with other students as well who signed up and they go over the cultural context of Lincoln Center and Fordham.”

When asked about the namesake of the center, Dorothy Day, Saltamachia described her as a “radical, Catholic, advocate journalist, the cofounder of the Catholic Worker Movement, and she was really grounded in her faith as justice.”

Like Dorothy Day, students of Fordham University are encouraged to use their faith, whatever they may believe in, to drive the work that they do by expanding and exploring social justice.

Reflection on the Egyptian Revolution: My Experience

By HEND ELMADBOLY Contributing Writerr

It was five years ago that the Tunisian government toppled due to the weeks of protesting after the selfimmolation of Mohamed Bouazizi. I remember being in ninth grade as I sat apprehensively watching the Arabic news channel on satellite with my father. Both of us were in awe of what the young men and women of Tunisia had just accomplished. Zine el Abidine Ben Ali, like several of his counterparts across the region, had been in office since 1987. Within 27 days of protesting by resilient young Tunisians, Ben Ali fled to Saudi Arabia. As we watched Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi take over as interim president, my father laughed, “This is how it starts.

One fell, now the rest will follow.

They’re 10 million. We’re 90. We’re next.” He was optimistic about what was to come.

And my father was right. A week after, on Jan. 25, 2011, millions of Egyptians took to the streets, hand in hand, loudly chanting “down with military regime, down with Mubarak.” Be it in the tents

“ This is how it starts. One fell, now the rest will follow. They’re 10 million. We’re 90. We’re next. ” –

of Tahrir Square or in front of the United Nations Headquarters, we were united. We had no idea what we were on the brink of doing; we only knew that we had enough of the years of tyranny.

Thirty years of corruption and abuse left Egypt as a shell of what it had the potential to be. Blame was distributed among upper-level government officials as well as the head of the autocracy of three decades, Hosni Mubarak. Jan. 25 was so much more than the Square.

The Egyptian youth on every street in every city, county and village were begging to be listened to.

It’s often thought of as the revolution of the youth, the true driving force behind the movement, who currently make up close to 60 percent of Egypt’s population.

Through social media and the power of the internet, Egyptians

MR. ELMADBOLY

mobilized to Tahrir to fight for basic human rights. In an ever so characteristic Egyptian style, protesters made up witty one-liners and clever puns to make light of the situation.

Like always, we turned the large gathering into a social event, finding that a cup of tea with a stranger going through the same problems seemed to soothe our collective pains. Egyptians saw what the Tunisians had done as a glimmer of hope. Like my father said, our 90 million could surely accomplish what 1/9th of us had done.

Unfortunately, it was also five years ago on January 26, 2011, when the government ordered security forces to shut down the party in Tahrir. The celebratory atmosphere quickly turned dangerous. Tear gas and physical beatings from plainclothes officers paralyzed the crowds. The beautifully manicured

lawns of the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities, located in the heart of Tahrir Square, became a makeshift detainee site. As the nation watched in shock, my parents and I huddled together for second-by-second updates from family. That night, we all cried.

It took three days for Mubarak to make his first statement. By then it was already too late. Twenty five young Egyptians had been martyred in the Square and they would be avenged come hell or high water. The next day, the number of those killed by security forces jumped from 25 to 100, and for each protester killed, thousands replaced them. Media and Internet blackouts became more frequent as Mubarak promised not to run in the next election.

But still, it was not enough.

Thirty years of abusing the lower classes that were meagerly getting by on less than two dollars a day would not be forgotten by a few more open-ended promises—promises that sounded too reminiscent of the “change” that was supposed to come for the past three decades.

Egyptians had been hearing this story for far too long and we weren’t impressed. Besides, at that point, we had dug ourselves too deep.

Stopping then would guarantee some sort of repercussions. The only acceptable way this would end was with Mubarak being ousted. We weren’t going anywhere.

Within the week, the Egyptian Armed forces came out in support of the people, refusing to use violent force to empty the square. They stood with us in Tahrir, hoisting children on their tanks for photographs and distributing food and water. The people and the army were hand in hand against their oppressors—and with a square that was becoming increasingly full each day, protesting in Tahrir turned into a waiting game.

We waited and waited. President Obama called for democracy. International leaders worldwide tiptoed around the situation, not wanting to step on the toes of the government that had not yet resigned. The Egyptians were indifferent. At no point were we doing this for the approval of the West. This was for us. This was for our children.

Five years ago on Feb 11, 2011, Omar Suleiman, acting vice president went on state TV to announce the resignation of Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak. It was five years ago that the Egyptian people took command of their future.

Sports

Sports Editor Matthew McCarthy-mmccarthy80@fordham.edu

January 28, 2016 THE OBSERVER

Which Team Will Win Super Bowl 50?

The Broncos will square off against the Panthers on Feb. 7.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MARK REIS/ COLORADO SPRINGS GAZETTE VIA TNS

Peyton Manning will partake in his fourth Super Bowl against the Carolina Panthers.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DAVID T. FOSTER III/CHARLOTTE OBSERVER VIA TNS

Jonathan Stewart has led a powerful Panthers ground game to the Super Bowl.

BY SPORTS STAFF

On Feb. 7, the Denver Broncos will face off against the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50. Here are the teams our sports writers think will win the biggest game of the year.

By THOMAS O’CALLAGHAN Staff Writer

Following a near perfect season at 15–1, the Carolina Panthers have aspirations of hoisting this year’s Lombardi Trophy, and they seem to be the most complete team that the National Football League (NFL) has to offer. The Panthers rank second in the league in rushing yards per game at 142.6, first in points per game at 31.3 and sixth in defensive points allowed per game at 19.3.

Carolina has overcome almost every challenger brought to them, with the exception of the Dec. 27 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. However, as the one-loss 2007 Patriots would tell you, near-perfection brings its own challenges.

In the situation of dominant teams steamrolling through the regular season, media often refer to a lack of “gut checks” or “character building.” This is no coincidence; playing with ease can be a blessing and a curse. Teams need challenging games to test their character so they know they are capable of rising to the occasion when facing challenges on the biggest stage, and it is possible that this dominant team could fall short of their goal.

Despite this obstacle, they seem well-equipped to make a Super Bowl win probable.

By ALEXANDER DIMISA

By CONNOR MANNION Staff Writer

Contributing Writer

No quarterback has been to more Super Bowls than Peyton Manning in recent years. Since 2006, Manning has competed for the championship four times, and this is by far the best team that he has led. They have the number one defense, and experienced Super Bowl players in several key positions. While Manning has only come away with one Super Bowl ring, this season things are different, and everything is pointing to them taking home the Lombardi Trophy.

The Broncos have several X factors that will lead them to victory; the first of them is head coach Gary Kubiak. Kubiak has worked with several Super Bowl winning coaches, and using what he learned from them, he is 14–4 as the Broncos’ head coach and seems ready for his shot at the championship. The Broncos also have a defense that is able to stifle any quarterback, and change the pace of any game. On the other side of the ball, they have a multitude of players with playmaking ability, including Peyton Manning who is 38–10 as the Broncos’ starter. The Broncos have the experience, skill, and knowledge to beat the Carolina Panthers.

By MOHDSHOBAIR HUSSAINI Asst. Sports Editor

A landmark Cinderella story is set to conclude at Super Bowl 50 with the Carolina Panthers coming out victorious against Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos. In their game against the Patriots, Denver brought an extremely strong defense that Carolina will need to prepare for in their match-up. However, there were a number of flaws in their offense that allowed the Patriots to nearly send the game into overtime.

The Broncos have not been at their strongest this entire season and barely made it out of the American Football Conference Championship Game with a win.

This is also interesting, given comments that this may be Manning’s last shot at the ultimate title for American football. At the conclusion of the AFC game, Manning was overheard telling Patriots coach Bill Belichick that this would likely be his last AFC game. In contrast to the Broncos’ near-loss, the Panthers destroyed the Cardinals 49-15.

While there is still a lingering question of Manning not performing as well as in his earlier years, there is no question of Cam Newton’s continued high level of performance, which will ultimately let the game fall in Carolina’s favor.

And the winner of this year’s Super Bowl will be…the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers are driven by the talented quarterback Cam Newton, who can manage almost anything on the field. He owns the ninth-highest quarterback rating in the NFL, which is an indicator of his ability to dominate in many ways. Newton creates a nightmare for any opponent, with his ability to either pass for a gain or to do it all himself by rushing for yardage.

In week 15, when it looked like the Panthers’ winning streak may come to an end, Newton worked his way into Giants territory with less than two minutes to go to pull his team within field goal range.

The field goal unit ended up sealing the victory. Moreover, the Panthers finished the regular season with the best record in the league (15–1), which is yet another reason why they are the team to beat. Having defeated both the Seattle Seahawks and the Arizona Cardinals this postseason, only one opponent remains: the Denver Broncos. These two teams have the top defensive efficiency ratings in the league (according to ESPN), which makes this Super Sunday matchup ever more exciting.

By MATTHEW MCCARTHY Sports Editor

For the fourth time in his career, Peyton Manning has led his team to the Super Bowl. For the second time, he will emerge victorious in the big game. Manning and the Broncos have recently hit their stride on the offensive side of the ball, while the defense continues to be the best that the NFL has to offer. During the 2015 regular season, the Broncos’ defense allowed the fewest yards in the league, while giving up the fourth fewest points. However, the defense isn’t the only facet of their game firing on all cylinders. Despite struggling during the regular season, the Broncos’ offense has picked up during the last two postseason games, Furthermore, this Broncos team also has what will be the deciding factor in the contest: experience.

Denver has made it to the playoffs every year since Peyton Manning joined the team in 2012 and has played in two of the last three conference championship games. They are a disciplined squad that knows what it takes to win a championship under immense pressure. The Broncos are prepared to look past the distractions that encompass the weeks leading up to the Super Bowl and leave San Francisco as Super Bowl 50 champions.

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Sports

January 28, 2016 THE OBSERVER

www.fordhamobserver.com

ANDRONIKA ZIMMERMAN /THE OBSERVER

Elodie Huston, FCLC ‘18, posing in a table top pose.

ANDRONIKA ZIMMERMAN /THE OBSERVER

Huston posing in downward-facing dog, a basic yoga pose.

Yoga: The Perfect Dorm Room Exercise Three poses that can easily be done inside your suite

By ELODIE HUSTON Layout Editor

Winter Storm Jonas ravaged the streets of midtown Manhattan recently, leaving frigid temperatures and a horrid substance called snow in its wake. Cooped up in their apartments and dorm rooms, Fordham Lincoln Center students were left to contemplate a pressing question: Just how are we supposed to get our heart rates up?

For those of us who are lacking in square footage, but still have tons of energy, the answer is simple: yoga.

Because it does not require any prior training, teammates or equipment, yoga is an easily accessible workout for college students. During a season in which it is tempting to stay indoors, vinyasa yoga in particular offers a way to beat the cold and stay active.

Vinyasa yoga calls for practi-

tioners to coordinate each of their movements with breath. The different parts of breath are matched with the various ways our bodies move.

Lengthening, rising and straightening are paired with inhalations while any folding of the body or deepening of a pose is done on an exhale. The combination of breath and movement naturally builds heat in the body, essential for cold days.

During my two years as a certified yoga instructor, I’ve seen that every body and schedule demands a specialized workout. With this in mind, here are a few accessible and dynamic poses with modifications.

Table Top Pose (With Arm and Leg Extensions) To come into table top pose, start on your hands and knees, placing your knees hip width (roughly two fists) apart. Stack your shoulders

over your wrists and hips over your knees, distributing your weight evenly throughout your limbs. Roll your shoulders away from your ears and press back through your tailbone, lengthening your spine. As you direct your gaze to the floor, come into a steady breathing pattern. On your inhale, reach your right arm forward, concentrating on keeping your weight evenly distributed as you exhale. On your next inhale, raise and straighten your left leg, this time paying attention to tightening your core to stabilize. Remain extended for five breaths and release on an exhale.

Downward-Facing Dog (With Knee Raises) To perform downward-facing dog, assume the table top posture once more, this time placing your hands slightly in front of your shoulders. Tuck your toes beneath your

feet and press through the balls of your palms, lifting your pelvis toward the ceiling as you exhale. Roll your shoulders away from your ears as you press back, lengthening your spine. Find balance in the pose by bending or straightening your legs until your weight is evenly distributed between your upper and lower body. As you inhale, raise your heels and release on your exhale, working them toward the floor. To amp up the heat, shift your weight forward as you inhale, bringing your shoulders in line with your wrists as your knees bend to hover two inches above the ground. Exhale and lengthen, returning to the downward facing dog posture.

Warrior Three Pose (With Crunches) To come into warrior three pose, begin by standing with your feet

together, big toes touching, raising your hands toward the ceiling as you inhale. Tuck your tailbone in as you exhale, lengthening your spine. On your next inhale, raise your right leg, keeping your foot flexed and knee bent in a 90-degree angle. As you exhale, extend your raised leg behind you, bending at the hips. Keeping your arms and leg extended, lower your chest until it is parallel with the floor. Stay extended for three breaths before returning to a standing position, keeping your leg raised and bent.

It is important to remember that every pose can and should be modified to best fit your body. Whether you are practicing with a class of 30 students or alone in your dorm room, it is important to recognize that poses will look different on every body.

The best practice will come from focusing on what feels right, not what looks right.

If you have a great story idea, send it to fordhamobserver@gmail.com

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Sports

January 28, 2016 THE OBSERVER

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Everyone Is to Blame for Violence in the NFL Recent events have left fans wondering why violence continues to define the NFL

By THOMAS O’CALLAGHAN Staff Writer

At a time in which the character of the participants in the National Football League (NFL) is being brought into question, there have been calls to hold owners, coaches and players accountable for their own actions. There has been an attempt to crack down on serious incidents of player misconduct on and off the field, but fiery personalities have led to games, seasons and perhaps even careers being called into question.

Many NFL fans are looking to point a finger at one single source of player misconduct to chastise, but the tough answer is that there is responsibility on every hierarchical level.

Some notable incidents occurring within the last month have included New York Giants star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. in their season-ending Week 15 loss to the Carolina Panthers. Additionally, the American Football Conference (AFC) Wild Card Game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals on Jan. 9 contained a number of contentious moments.

These games were characterized by unsportsmanlike conduct, consisting of ongoing chatter between opposing players (Beckham and Panthers’ cornerback Josh Norman) and illegal hits throughout the Steelers-Bengals bout. Many pundits are demanding culpability for these actions, but in reality there are many people at fault for this unacceptable behavior.

Throughout the Giants’ loss to the Panthers at MetLife Stadium on Dec. 20, Odell Beckham Jr. and Josh Norman were going at each other.

The exact details of the conflict are unknown, but the plays on the field appeared to show Norman’s physical (and perhaps penalty-worthy) defense getting under Beckham’s skin.

In many of the plays following the Giants’ first drive, Beckham returned the physicality at nearly every opportunity.

This chippy play resulted in words being exchanged and eventually

PHOTO COURTESY KEITH ALLISON VIA FLICKR

A Buffalo Bills player is injured after a big hit by the Washington Redskins earlier this season.

punches thrown on Beckham’s part, for which he received a one-game suspension handed down by the NFL. Norman received fines in excess of $25,000 for his actions, which he is appealing. Despite his allegations of verbal threats, Beckham appeared to be the aggressor in the most important game of New York’s season.

Then head coach Tom Coughlin refused to take action by removing Beckham, saying, “to depict this as Odell Beckham being wrong and the only one wrong, is not right… it’s not the way it was.” Despite many questioning the second-year receiver’s temperament, Coughlin defended his player and the decision to leave him in the game. “I will not defend [Beckham’s] actions [Dec. 20] because they were wrong. But I will defend the young man and the quality of his person.” Perhaps it was Coughlin’s responsibility to bench Beckham, or other coaches’ and teammates’ duty to attempt to reign Beckham in, but

in the end it comes down to personal accountability.

Another breakdown of player conduct occurred on a bigger stage during the AFC Wild Card Game on Jan. 9, in which key mistakes were made on the parts of Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict and cornerback Adam Jones. With a little over a minute left in the game and the Bengals leading 16–15, Cincinnati fumbled the ball and Pittsburgh recovered, leading to a monumental collapse. The Steelers drove to midfield with less than 30 seconds left when Burfict laid a vicious hit on wide receiver Antonio Brown, which drew a 15-yard penalty for unnecessary roughness.

The call led to outrage on the part of many Bengals players and coaches, eventually leading to a confrontation between personnel from both teams.

Bengals’ cornerback Adam Jones verbally confronted and grabbed Steelers’ assistant Joey Porter, which resulted in a second 15-yarder for

unsportsmanlike conduct. These miscues gave the Steelers 30 free yards and put them into field goal range, concluding with a successful 35-yard attempt from Steelers’ kicker Chris Boswell to win 18–16. Lack of self-control on the part of the players was a major disruption to the team, in this case prolonging the playoff drought that has bedeviled the Bengals and their fans for decades.

It is the responsibility of the head coach to dole out discipline in the form of benching; unfortunately it was too tough for Coughlin to make the call to relieve their best receiver against the best team in the NFL this season. It is the responsibility of fellow teammates to police their peers and be voices of leadership because rash, petulant actions of individual players is a detriment to the team as a whole. In fact, the league has long held a tradition of not disciplining players for violent hits, because it’s what the fans want to see.

Despite numerous cries for im-

proved safety in the NFL, the league is slow to change rules regarding violent contact. A league devoid of dangerous tackles and contentious flare-ups between players would not lead to the end of critical outcry.

Despite many former players coming out against the high-risk style of play, many analysts and casual fans have called the safer NFL “soft” and “boring.” As long as the viewers are tuning in, dangerous play is not going to end any time soon. While fans certainly have a huge impact in the development of the NFL game, it is really not the fans’ choice. In the end, it is the decision of the players to hold themselves accountable because they are not only setting examples to children that idolize athletes, but they are professional athletes, which connotes a certain manner of behavior. When you are hired to do a job, it is implied that you are to act in a certain way befitting your employment, and it is no different for pro athletes.

Basketball Game Attendance Continues To Be a Problem

By MOHDSHOBAIR HUSSAINI Asst. Sports Editor

This season, Fordham basketball has created excitement on campus.

Many have looked at the success that Coach Jeff Neubauer has brought the men’s basketball program. Others, however, argue that the continued success of Fordham women’s basketball coach Stephanie Gaitley is just as commendable.

Gaitley hasn’t just set goals for her team—she has achieved them.

Despite her success, not too many students have been showing up to the Lady Rams’ games.

For the past three Lady Rams home games, the average turnout has been approximately 1,320 attendees. The opponents in these games were Davidson, George Mason, and Saint Joseph’s. The turnout for each game was as follows: 334, 2,410 and 1,215 attendees, respectively. The problem is that these home games were all at the Rose Hill Gym, which has a capacity of 3,200 attendees, more than double the averages.

Granted these conference games were during winter break, even the turnout for games during the fall semester was poor. During the previous semester, when Fordham hosted Caldwell, Lafayette, Dela-

PHOTO COURTESY OF ROBERT COLE/FORDHAM SPORTS

Fordham’s Lauren Holden calls a play on the court earlier this season.

ware, Delaware State, Temple and Central Connecticut, the Rose Hill Gym crowd never surpassed 2,000 attendees. In fact, the number of attendees at games against Caldwell, Delaware, Temple and Central Connecticut did not exceed 600.

When asked, Coach Gaitley expressed the importance of better attendance. She described the Rose Hill Gym “as a major sixth man” on the court. “We need to protect our home court,” Gaitley said. It may be a small arena in comparison to other Division I schools, but “its

close-knit environment makes it a major advantage.”

Now in her fifth season at the helm of the Fordham women’s basketball team, Coach Gaitley has produced the positive results that many students want. This was a team that only three years before her arrival, went an entire regular season not winning a single game.

She revamped the program into a national power, bringing home three consecutive 20-win seasons, the school’s first Atlantic-10 Women’s Basketball Championship

in 2013–14 and even an NCAA Championship Appearance in 2014.

Even though the Fordham women’s basketball team has struggled during the early stages of this season, the 8–11 overall record is quite misleading. “I think if we were to play the schedule we did before conference play now, we would have won more games. We now have more experience,” said Gaitley.

This is a team whose roster consists mainly of underclassmen. To be exact, 10 out of the 16 student-athletes are either freshmen or sophomores. Coach Gaitley accentuated this point: “We were young and we had to try different combinations until we found our niche.”

Ever since these Lady Rams found their niche mid-season, they’ve showcased a more rejuvenated offense. Senior forward Samantha Clark leads the team with 12.5 points per game (PPG) and 8.9 rebounds per game (RPG). Junior guard Hannah Missry averages 10.6 PPG, the second most on the team. as well as 37 percent from beyond the arc and 95 percent shooting from the free throw line.

“Our junior class is stepping up,” Gaitley said. This not only guarantees better chances this season, but for next year as well. When asked about Clark, Gaitley voiced a positive opinion of the senior:

“Sam is playing some of her best basketball.”

Coach Gaitley and her squad are starting to put the right pieces together and it is definitely working.

The team is currently 3–3 in Atlantic-10 play, which ties the school for fourth place. “It’s a tough league, and you’ve got tough teams,” Gaitley stated. Despite that, Fordham is just as capable competing in this competitive conference. “We are the underdogs just because of our personnel and depth.” The chemistry that this squad developed has already produced victories against Davidson and Saint Joseph’s.

There is still a lot of basketball to be played until the Atlantic-10 Championship in March. Despite the tough, early-season road losses against Princeton and St. Bonaventure, Coach Gaitley is sure that “playing on the road will pay off later on in the season.”

That leaves one recurring problem: home game attendance. When the spotlight was brightest, the Fordham women’s basketball team produced results. Coach Gaitley even emphasized the school’s marketing campaign. “We have giveaways, we bend backwards. Now it’s the students’ opportunity to give women’s basketball a chance.” With the women’s team hosting five more league matchups, a packed Rose Hill Gym could be quite the game changer.