W27 Newspaper November by Vivrant Magazine

W27

VO L 43 I SSUE 84 NO V 2010

OFFICIAL FIT NEWSPAPER

The Technology Issue

“Toto, We’re not in Analog Anymore.” Investigating the New World Digital has Created

Dying to Work for Alexander Wang? This FIT Alum Already Does!

The Borough’s Best Pies Homecoming Recap

Heather Alina Viggiani

OCT

2010

W27

Editor-in-Chief

Patrick Greene Deputy Editor

Keely-Shea Smith Managing Editor

Sarah Dill Treasurer

Julie Daly Secretary

Jaclyn Rubiella

Publicity Team Manager

Veronica Heras Danielle Pacelli Kevia Wright

Senior Section Editors

Hello Readers,

W27Newspaper.com

The following is an anecdote scribbled into my notebook, just for you:

Dorelle McPherson

Executive Website Manager

Nicole Tan

Content and Social Media Manager

Advertising Edgina Desormeau

Advertising Promotions Manager Ad Team:

Kevin Buitrago Olivia Grow Lauren LaDeau Art Zhang Qingyun Art Director

Harlan Bontrager Jenny Djaafar Kimberlyn Bailey Designers

Kara Zisa William Chung

Illustrations Director

Illustrators Christopher Gawiak (Cover) Anastasia Davydov Katherine Duran Ella Fastiggi Ryookyung Kim Siva Jack Sernvongsat Venus Wong Kara Zisa

Contributing Writers Jenna Amatulli Kimberlyn Bailey Jaclyn Bloomfield Raquel Rose Burger Harlan Bontrager Patricia Braga Alexander Cavaluzzo Julie Daly Fernanda DeSouza Sarah Dill Sofia Dimovska Georgeanna Dwiggins Sydney Edwards Ryann Foulke Kristina Gabler Laura Gabrielsen Christopher Gawiak Meaghan Hartland Veronica Heras Amena Kazmi Alyssa Kyle

Alexandra Lippy Davita Louie Patrick McGrath Dorelle McPherson Krystin Mertz Marissa Mule Caroline Nelson Matthew Nesbitt Danielle Pacelli Terrence Phearse Danielle Plotkin Keely-Shea Smith Nicole Tan Claycia Tweed Samantha Vance Megan Venere Taisa Veras Rene Waddell Venus Wong

John Simone

Editorial Faculty Advisor

Albert Romano

I have no idea what time it is. I have a sick feeling of anxiety creeping up through my stomach and into my throat, blowing steam out of my ears. A green light flashes on the top corner of my phone, which informs me that an email, missed call, text message, Facebook notifcation or some other important piece of social candy is patiently awaiting me. Normally this would warrant the simple unlocking of the screen to reveal said life-changing information, but instead the light taunts me. My phone is broken. About 20 minutes ago, I was at The Container Store finalizing the order for the new newsstand that you plucked this newspaper off of, and when the yearlong effort (yes, you read that correctly) got officially confirmed – I kind of tossed my phone as I shouted with glee; followed by the black screen of death. It is a sheer miracle that I once visited this Verizon store, I mean did you know that it was even possible to get somewhere without Google maps? Irony? Yes, I think so. My broken phone threw me into a state of utter analog shock and vulnerability right in the midst of preparing this, The Technology Issue. An issue that delves into the new-found dependence we have on all things electronic. Maybe my phone fail was a cruel joke from the universe, I did require the writers to really go outside their digital comfort levels on many accounts to test their own relationship with the high-tech, low-touch world we live in.

Caught cell-handed.

has circled the word “2morrow” in a paper and taken two points off for using text-speak? Or that you only need to put an “f +enter” to navigate to Facebook in your browser thanks to how often you frequent the site? I know I’m not. Let the pendulum swing. Until next time!

Well, I hope that this issue (the penultimate under my tutelage), makes you question the role that technology plays in your own life. Are you comfortable knowing that something as fragile as a phone owns your existence? That your teacher

We would like to thank our advertisers for their support!

Advertising Faculty Advisor Want to be a published writer? Write for your school! Contact us at: w27newspaper@gmail.com W27 is the student newspaper of the State University of New York: Fashion Institute of Technology, published under the auspices of the FIT Student Association. We invite letters to the editors, which must be signed and typed. Names will gladly be withheld upon request. Letters to W27 or its editors are assumed to be intended for publication in whole or in part, and therefore may be used for such purposes. Opinions expressed in letters do not necessarily reflect those of the FIT Editorial Board.

To inquire about advertising, please email W27Advertising@gmail.com.

W27 has made a commitment to sustainability by choosing this recycled newsprint.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

FASHION INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Here All The Time:

Welcome to the Boardroom by Alexandra Lippy pg 4

Faculty Spotlight by Samantha Vance pg 4 Emre Ozsoz

Commuter’s Corner by Laura Gabrielsen pg 5

Business & Technology by Kristina Gabler pg 8 PRSSA

FITing in the Industry by Terrence Phearse pg 12 Allison Ullo

NEW! A Flea-ting Chance by Ryann Foulke pg 13 Future Mode by Marissa Mule pg 14 Sportswear Industry Profile by Taisa Veras pg 14 Aaron Ruff

Restaurant Review by Julie Daly pg 22

Music Review by Danielle Plotkin pg 22

Book Review by Davita Louie pg 22 Super Sad True Love Story

Venue Review by Georgeanna Dwiggins pg 22

Book Review by Davita Louie pg 22 Super Sad True Love Story

TV/Movie Review by Patricia Braga pg 23 The Indie Girl by Fernanda DeSouza pg 23 Catfish Venue Review by Georgeanna Dwiggins pg 23

Outside Your Borough pg 24-25 Best Pie Shops

Month in Review by Alexander Cavaluzzo pg 26

Campus Musings by Venus Wong and Samantha Vance pg 28

WTF pg 29

Hot This Month:

Comic by Siva Jack Sernvongsat pg 30

Style on 27 by Nicole Tan and Harlan Bontrager pg 31

Perfect FIT pgs 4-9

Haute Culture pgs 21-23

A City Slicker’s Homecoming and Tailgate Party by Sydney Edwards Technical Design: An In-Depth Look by Dorelle McPherson A Queen And Her Crown: Amber Alert by Matthew Nesbitt Honoring Survivors At The 2010 Breast Cancer Walk by Meaghan Hartland Organ Donation At The Center Of A Class Project by Sofia Dimovska Getting The Dirt On FIT’s New Washers And Dryers by Alyssa Kyle

Cyber Bullying By Laura Gabrielsen iTunes Is Keeping Up With The Joneses by Danielle Plotkin

Dear Industry pgs 10-12

Op-Ed: An International Perspective To The Inner-workings Of FIT by Nicole Tan

FIT Speaks pgs 27-30 The Virtual Love Experiment by Jaclyn Bloomfield, Christopher Gawiak and Patrick McGrath

How Technology Is Reshaping The Industry by Caroline Nelson Mobile Apps For Dummies by Megan Venere A Cautionary Tale For Being A Good Virtual Applicant by Nicole Tan Blogging: The New Career Frontier By Jenna Amatulli

Feature:

pgs 15-19 NEW COURSES FACES AND PLACES A Review-Centric Generation

By Keely-Shea Smith

Textile Technology Is Redefining The Concept Of Clothing By Kimberlyn Bailey Going Without Technology For A Day By Claycia Tweed

Tech Non-Users By Georgeanna Dwiggins Textbook Trends: Going Digital By Veronica Heras Asia: The Future Of Technology By Alyssa Kyle Angel Can Be Quite The Devil By Danielle Pacelli Technology Shaping Communication At It’s Basic Level By Krystin Mertz

NOV

PERFECT FIT

2010

W27

WELCOME TO THE BOARD ROOM: A TICKET TO THE SUNY CONFERENCE

Alexandra Lippy In the second installment of this new column, W27 gets the scoop on a SUNY-wide conference held the weekend of October 30-31st. Celeste Weins, FITSA president, clues us in on the hot issues, debates and of course the bottom line.

ach semester, the SUNY schools get together their student governments to establish what each campus’ needs are and determine a clear focus on which ones need the most attention. This fall, money talks with both main issues dealing with financial concerns. The first topic? Rising tuition costs. In the past three years, SUNY has cut $634 million from its schools. Specific to FIT, however, SUNY has cut both the base aid for all community colleges, as well as a $75/ student cut in the New York State Tuition Assistance Program. To put this in perspective, ideally, about one third of the tuition “pie” should be funded through SUNY aid with another third from the county and the

balance made up by each student. However, due to recent cuts, each student’s tuition has been raised. The second issue addresses outside funding to schools and the stipulations that need to surround it. “The role of private and public organizations assisting schools to a certain degree is in debate,” says Celeste Weins. “An example of this would be if Microsoft was to donate money to build a computer lab. The question is whether this is acceptable.” A current example of a project that needed outside funding is our landscaping enhancement. As reported in October’s issue of W27, the project has been a long, drawn -out job. Weins suggested a reason for this: FIT had to find someone to contract these projects, to then put out bids for funding, and finally, receive the bids before the project can begin. She has made it a point to investigate ways to shorten this process.

away; a new committee was established that really gives back. Students were in favor of supporting the Water Justice Alliance that will provide purified water to regions around the world. A community college council committee was added, giving each campus representation. “We have to remember that FIT is a part of SUNY and SUNY is one of the largest state university systems in America. To know that we are a part of the only state student government association program is so beneficial to our school,” adds Weins. There will be a spring conference of the same nature; you know W27 will have you covered. If there is an issue you’d like brought to the table there, please feel free to email us at W27tips@gmail.com. Don’t miss December’s Welcome to the Board Room, it will recap an FIT board meeting in detail.

The weekend wasn’t all about how much we can take

FACULTY SPOTLIGHT: EMRE OZSOZ

Samantha Vance

rofessor Emre Ozsoz, Assistant Professor in Economics, received his BA from Franklin and Marshall College after emigrating from Turkey at the age of 18. He later received his MA and PhD from Fordham University. An author of a book and a few scholarly journal entries on dollarization, a topic that involves the fascination behind foreign currency being pegged against the US dollar, this is one busy prof. This mild-mannered and slightly unconventional professor is always very prepared and is considered to be easy going. Last year he even allowed his students to vote for his new son Devin’s name. Samantha Vance: What do you like to do in your free time?

EO: My friends and I pushed my car over a mile to a mechanic because we thought it broke down, but the next day the mechanic told us it was just out of gas. We hadn’t even checked the gauge. SV: What is your favorite movie? EO: Wall Street, the original SV: What is the most interesting place you have ever visited? EO: Dubai, United Arab Emirates because of all the wealth and glamour. SV: Do you have any pets? EO: No, allergic to them.

Emre Ozsoz: Ride my scooter; it helps me clear my head. I also enjoy fishing.

SV: What is your favorite color?

SV: What is your favorite TV show?

SV: What is your biggest fear?

EO: Curb Your Enthusiasm and Men of a Certain Age

EO: That my boat will break down, I’ll drop my phone in the water and then a storm will come.

SV: Do you know any foreign languages?

EO: Navy blue

EO: Besides Turkish? German, English and some Japanese

SV: What is your favorite band?

SV: What is your favorite food? EO: Mexican.

SV: What is the strangest thing you’ve seen in New York City?

SV: What is something crazy you did in college?

EO: A homeless man with an iPod.

EO: U2.

Wholesale Copies, Inc. Full Service Copy Center Serving the FIT Community

Featuring the latest in color and black & white digital printing. Full service in-house bindery. For price quotes and expert advice: Call: (212) 779-4065 - ask for Jim, Chris, or Audrey Email us at sales@wholesalecopies.com Mention this ad for 15% OFF your first job (Offer thru 1/31/11 - new customers only)

Wholesale Copies, Inc. 1 E. 28th St., 4th Fl., NY, NY 10016 Open Mon. - Thurs. 8:30-6:00 PM Fri. 8:30-5:00 PM Visit us online at: www.wholesalecopies.com

Dr. Ozsoz; courtesy photo.

PERFECT FIT

FASHION INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

COMMUTER’S CORNER: HOW DOES TECHNOLOGY SHAPE YOUR COMMUTE? Laura Gabrielsen

s a commuter, I enjoy finding new ways to pass the time each and every day; I spend an average of three hours traveling to and from FIT each day, so the challenge isn’t a small task. I remember my first semester at FIT, it took me quite a while to figure out how I was going to pass all that extra time. It’s not as simple as sticking to one specific activity. I first began with a book – not as entertaining as I had anticipated. Next, I chose to bring my laptop with me. I really enjoyed this for a while. I used to watch television shows that I had rented from my local library. After a while though, this became tedious. The laptop was bulky; it wasn’t always necessary for classes, and keeping up with library rentals was difficult. Plus, I always catch the person sitting next to me trying to watch what I was watching!

In addition to musical accompaniment, I also love to play games. Tubes, my favorite, is a game where you connect different shaped pipes in a specific amount of time so that the water won’t leak through. Then there’s always good ole’ Sudoku. I think I have game envy of Blackberry users and that block game that I see so many people playing. It blows my mind how long they can keep playing. I’m also getting envious of Kindle and iPad users, the devices are lightweight and convenient (if you finish one book, onto the next!) so I just might have to snatch my dad’s Kindle one day to test it out. Every commuter has to go through different trials and errors to figure out what entertains them the most and to literally “weigh” out the options (some devices are much heavier than they are entertaining).

Traditional Hot Yoga All Classes $8 All Morning Classes $6 with Student ID! (6:30am to 12pm)

Of course, without my iPod, I’d be lost.

Mon-Thurs: 6:30a, 10a, 12p, 4:30p, 6:30p, 8:30p Fri: 10a, 12p, 4:30p, 6:30p, 8:30p Sat-Sun: 10a, 12p, 2p, 5p, 7p 115 W. 27th St, btw 6th & 7th Ave, 3rd Floor yogatothepeople.com Illustrated by Ella Fastiggi for W27.

NOV

PERFECT FIT

2010

W27

FIT HOMECOMING GETS AN APPROPRIATE MAKEOVER

Sydney Edwards

All photos courtesy of FITSA Department of Health and Wellness.

ne usually imagines floats, football games, and cheerleaders when homecoming comes to mind, but “homecoming is more than just queens” as many FIT students displayed on the back of their Tiger t-shirts. This year, instead of football, we had volleyball, and we had to actually bus boys in to even out our ratio and, school spirit is just a growing concept here, but on October 21st in the FIT gymnasium, our “non-traditional” students had the perfect homecoming. As students entered the basement, they were greeted by our student body president, as well as, other members of FITSA. Each person was offered bags, embellished with the Microsoft logo, blue and white pom-poms and a t-shirt, which was a raglan style with the FIT Tiger on the front and said FITSA ‘10 on the back. Before the volleyball game could begin, the FIT gospel choir sang the national anthem, which created just the right amount of enthusiasm amongst the crowd. Soon the Tiger ladies were announced and the seniors were given flowers for the senior night presentation. Once the players were announced. the battle of the cats, the FIT Tigers vs. the Manhattan College Panthers,

volleyball game began. The bleachers were filled with handsome SUNY Maritime boys (that’s right – boys!), decked out in their dapper military uniforms surrounded by giddy FIT girls, who acted as if they had not seen men in years. They waved, they cheered, the teams dove for the volleyball. At halftime, Ms. FIT graced everyone with her presence and helped out with the raffle. FIT students won gift cards to various places around the city including restaurants and clothing stores. As the game got close to the end you could hear chants from the Maritime boys, “F-I-T!, Go F-I-T!” Soon the whole bleachers were chanting and yelling –and not for nought, FIT took the win! Expectations were exceeded at the game. “It was so much better than I thought it would be. I actually really enjoyed myself,” said Myriah Jackson, a first semester FIT student. After the game, it was time for the Cheerleaders and the Dance Team to perform their routines. Once the performances were complete everyone

transferred from the gym to the Great Hall for the homecoming after-party. Not only were there FIT students but the Maritime boys, and students from other schools. The Great Hall was completely converted into a hip New York club. The DJ played music that kept everyone excited, while the full-stocked free food buffet kept the energy up. Unfortunately, unlike many New York clubs, the Great Hall’s party ended at midnight, and all Maritime boys and FIT girls had to hasten their Cinderella good byes and happy endings. “I don’t go to FIT but I had fun at the after party. Everyone was having a good time dancing, laughing, and eating and it helps that all the girls were beautiful too. The only thing that would have made it better is if it lasted longer,” said Lavell Giles, a BMCC student. Though a Homecoming King and Queen was not announced, the students in attendance seemed to behave like royalty. Here’s to FIT making homecoming their own each and every year.

PERFECT FIT

FASHION INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

TECHNICAL DESIGN: CHANGING THE PLAYING FIELD OF FASHION

Dorelle McPherson As a part of the design team or even a production team at some companies, technical designers must know the inner workings of a garment and how to properly size a garment for the firm’s target market. Knowledge of design, textiles, communication and pattern-making, make up a catalog of the knowledge needed to succeed in Technical Design. Many firms discovered the need for such a position through trial and error over the years, while others jumped on the band wagon from the start.

Students pattern making; courtesy of the FIT brochure committee.

ashion design is yet another industry that is changing by means of new and innovative technologies. Over the past 20 years, a new profession– which focuses on the technical aspects of building a garment, has emerged with a bang. Since the days when the technological and manufacturing presence in the USA began to shift overseas, Technical Design and the position of the Technical Designer has become key to the manufacturing processes of many design firms, which is why FIT began offering this field of study as a major last year. A technical designer’s job can be defined as the liaison who effectively translates a designer’s ideas by giving them size and detail specifications, measurements and construction details, to the firm’s manufacturing team.

Firms that use technical designers usually manufacture overseas. Hong Kong, Shanghai, India, Mexico and even Korea, countries where some of the largest manufactures of US apparel reside, need a point of contact that can effectively transcribe the manufacturing processes and properly execute many of the styles we see on the runway and, ultimately, in the stores. This is the number one reason for the explosion in this job market. Computer Aided Design, also known as CAD, is also a field that has helped the Technical Design aspects of a fashion house become more innovative and vital within the firm. A company called Gerber Technologies, part of the Gerber Scientific Group is an innovator in computer programs. It has integrated the Technical Design, Pattern Making and Manufacturing fields and made them a vertical computerized operation. Computer programs like Web PDM (Web Product Data Manager) is able to take a fashion technical package (sketches, measurement and details on fabric, trim and finishing) and translate it overseas in an instant using an online web system. This same information system is in place to actually plot and correct patterns in an instant with just a few

clicks on a mouse. This fast turnaround via technology has made it possible for many retailers to create the rapid turnarounds of product placement on the shelves, adding to their commercial success. The next innovation in Web design software is the creation of the 3-D fit model. This collaboration between companies like AccuMark and Vstitcher, along with Gerber Technologies, is able to take the 2-D flat pattern –complete with technical measurements– and turn it into a 3-D image that is wrapped around a virtual fit model. Fit corrections can be done in an instant via international video conference call. With all of this innovation, it is no wonder that FIT would offer the first SUNY BS in Technical Design. FIT started the Technical Design Degree program two semesters ago, now has close to 60 applicant and is still growing. On October 28th 2010, Deborah Beard, Acting Associate Chair of the re-christened Technical Design department (it used to be called Patternmaking) gave an information session for FIT Students interested in learning more about the BS major, covering the ins and outs of the field and the major. The intent to grow the program is energized by the growing market for technical designers in the work force. StyleCareers.com, one of the key industry fashion job search sites, lists an average of 80 jobs daily in Technical Design. An entry level Technical Designer can make $40,000 annually and it is a profession that reaches the six-figure salary mark for seasoned professionals. A few bridge courses and core courses are specifically designed to give the student the right tools to enter the work force as a technical designer.

THE JOURNAL OF AMBER ALERT: FROM CONWAY TO CARTIER

Amber Alert

ow, what an amazing journey this has been for me as Miss FIT 2010. When I was just a young girl from Upstate NY dreaming of being the couture buyer for CVS, I never thought I would become such an international sex symbol. Attending the Fashion Institute of Technology for Fashion Merchandising Management was one of the best decisions of my life and, in between making

Macy’s Power Points and drunken one-night stands at Tempest Bar, I was able to show the world what I’m made of by competing to become Queen of FIT.

always allowed me to grow as an individual and even let me borrow her sequined bra last year! Just kidding, but thanks anyway President Brown. *winky face*

After winning the Miss FIT 2010 Pageant, I was not prepared for what was to come. Countless booty calls from Aramark employees and even a $12 shopping spree at Conway was just the tip of the iceberg. I went on to compete in other local pageant competitions and won titles including Ms. Yonkers International 2010 as well as Ms. Lincoln Tunnel Ultimate Grand Supreme. This success landed me guest appearances on the popular TV shows including Jon and Kate Plus 8 as Asian Baby #6, Sister Wives as Wife #4, and even had a surprise guest spot on Dateline NBC: to Catch a Predator.

For those of you young ladies wanting to fight for the crown of Miss FIT 2011, and who would like to try and be as beautiful as me, keep on the lookout for posters around campus regarding special meetings and audition times. Xoxo, Amber Alert

I get thousands of emails a day asking me about where I get my fashion inspiration. I would have to say that Jon Benet Ramsey and Buffalo Bill are my idols. They have always had vibrant color palettes, and haven’t been afraid to incorporate sparkle or use alternative fabrics. I would not be here without a few special people in my life. I would first like to give a special thanks to the poster of Emilia Earhart in the C-Building computer lab for providing years of motivation to reach for the stars, and to Ratika from the C-Building café for her words of wisdom. But most importantly, I would like to thank the “Big J” upstairs who hears my prayers Amber Alert at Homecoming and winning her crown last and leads me on the right path, Joyce Brown. She has May; courtesy photos.

NOV

PERFECT FIT

2010

W27

PRSSA NABS FINALIST SPOT IN NATIONAL COMPETITION

Christina Gabler

he FIT chapter of PRSSA, the Public Relations Student Society of America, was one of five finalist teams in the o.b. mighty small challenge, which was part of the Keep America Beautiful, Great American Cleanup, the goal of which was to have small teams of college students positively impact the environment. “In addition to collecting 60 pounds of litter, 375 pounds of newspapers and 150 pounds of recyclable metal at one of New York City’s community gardens, the team also painted fences, collected 28 pounds of plastic bottles for recycling and planted more than 20 trees,” stated a press release on the club’s website regarding the four students involved on the FIT team. Working with the organization, Grow NYC, the team was able to plant a variety of vegetables, which will become available to New Yorkers who cannot normally afford fresh produce. Small teams of 2-5 college students entered from across the county

starting in March of this year and finished their projects for the judging phase which lasted from June 8 until September 21. Voting on the website lasted from September 22 until October 14. The finalist teams were competing to win a $5,800 check to the charity or organization of the winning team’s choice as well as a check with equal value donated to the local Keep America Beautiful Affiliate. Though PRSSA did not claim the top prize, the club’s president Alyssa Dreifus expressed, “that does not stop us from participating in the contest again next year!” PRSSA is involved with many interesting events throughout the year and will be holding its 2nd Annual Speed Dating Event on Friday, February 18th.

The club on the project site; courtesy photo.

FIT STUDENTS FIGHT BREAST CANCER STEP BY STEP

Meaghan Hartland

n October 17th, 320 FIT students walked in the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk. We have proudly been participating as a campus in this event since its start, 17 years ago and each year countless students have come out to help support this worthwhile cause. This year, students met early on that Sunday morning to sign in and catch a bus that would take them to Central Park where the festivities took place. It was on this trip that students spoke about why they were going to the event. Nikesha Worrell said that she “always wanted to do the breast cancer walk” and that she “wanted to support all of the survivors.” FIT was also lucky enough to have a 2004 graduate and survivor, Kera Reid, walk “in memory of those who didn’t survive.” Once at the Park, students could visit booths to gather information about the sponsors or sign up to walk A quilt at the walk; photo by Veronica Heras.

in memory of a loved one who died of the disease. There were vast numbers of survivors, both men and women, who spoke about their experiences coping with it. They spoke with radiant hope for a cure that lifted the spirits of the walkers. The walk started with a chills-worthy ribbon cutting ceremony done by all of the survivors that were present. The walk itself was much like one big party in motion, and there were people who dressed up, made signs and sang songs. Throughout, there were also volunteers to cheer walkers on and help keep them motivated to reach the finish line. In total, the Fashion Institute of Technology students raised an astounding $13,000, hopefully a cure is in sight.

PERFECT FIT

FASHION INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

A CLASS PROJECT WITH A STRONG MESSAGE: ORGAN DONATION

Sofia Dimovska

“B

y being an organ donor I am leaving a tremendous gift when I pass, and potentially saving someone’s life,” says Ashley Larmond. Larmond, an FIT AMC student, has a newfound appreciation for organ donation thanks to it being the subject of a PR campaign (and class term project) called Give Life. The Principles of Public Relations class, led by Professor Loretta Volpe, has rolled out an extensive list of events and tools to ensure the entire campus is aware of the alarming statistics surrounding this life-and-death cause.

According to the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network, the waiting list as of Halloween weekend is reported to be 109,301 people. New York has the lowest number of registered donors, putting the 9,600 New York residents awaiting organ donation at smaller odds. Of course this issue is a personal choice, but high profile guests at events and information tables on campus all are ways that the class hopes to spread the facts to be sure each choice is an educated one. “Organ donation by a single individual can save up to

eight lives. A donor who additionally is a registered eye and tissue donor can save or improve up to fifty lives,” announces a press release on the event. As Larmond urges, “It is our responsibility to take care of our environment including the people in it. We are all going green; this is just another form of recycling! It’s important to make the decision now because tomorrow isn’t promised to anyone.” Please visit W27newspaper.com for a list of upcoming events and coverage of events past.

LAUNDRY MADE EASY Alyssa Kyle

washing machine that can text? It’s true. FIT wants to minimize the amount of time laundry takes out of your life by updating its laundry rooms in residence halls with the latest innovations in technology. “All residence halls got new washers and dryers that will save almost one million gallons of water a year–and will alert you via e-mail or cell phone when your wash cycles are complete,” said Dr. Joyce Brown, our college president, in an email to students in the beginning of the academic year concerning various improvements going on around the FIT campus.

Illustrated by Ryookyung Kim for W27.

The Laundry View Monitoring System will be ready to run for students in Kaufman and Coed residence halls by move-in day next Spring.This useful system will allow students to log onto the appropriate website, and see a virtual representation of the laundry room. An image will show which machines are out of order, which are vacant or in use and even how much time is left until a load is done. Students will even be able to sync their

Want $100 to Target? Got a dorm room door to decorate? Enter our Holiday Door Prize Competition. Submit your bedazzled, bow-filled, boisterus bonanza of a door and our readers will cast their votes on our website for the best one. Send to W27web@gmail.com VOTING CLOSES 12/1/10

cell phones with the washer, so a text message is sent alerting them that their load is complete. Many students are eager to see this system transform their laundry experience. Taylor Ruckh, a Resident Assistant at Kauffman Hall explains how this feature is convenient and helpful for all students. “Knowing how much work we get at this school you tend to lose track of time…being products of our generation, we all have our phones on us and respond to text messages. It would be nice to get a reminder to change your laundry when in the middle of studying or doing a project.” Not only will the website provide students with the status of the laundry room, but it will also display a variety of helpful laundry tips such as removing stains. On top of everything else, the website will show the total gallons of water saved on the FIT campus due to new high-efficiency washers. The new systems are ecofriendly, efficient, and make small yet tedious,everyday tasks easier for students living on campus.

NOV

DEAR INDUSTRY

2010

W27

TECHNOLOGY’S INFLUENCE ON THE FASHION INDUSTRY Caroline Nelson life, it also has a tremendous effect on the fashion industry. Although new technology is not glitch free, everyone from high-end designers to fast-fashion consumers have found innovative ways to embrace it. Fashion GPS, founded in 2004, is changing the way fashion shows are coordinated through e-mail invites and digital seating confirmations. According to Leah Chernikoff of Fashionista.com, 80% of Mercedes Benz Fashion Week’s shows and 184 New York Fashion Week shows were managed by Fashion GPS this year, up from 40 shows last year. Dorelle McPherson, owner of Front of the House (FOTH) Media and creator and owner of Vivrant Magazine, experienced the program first hand this season. In order to use Fashion GPS one must first register for the service. Once logged into the database, designers can search by specific affiliation and forward links to their show invites. In addition, as they can use Fashion GPS as a “tracking process” to make showroom appointments and track the whereabouts of sample loans. After receiving a seating assignment one can check-in using a barcode that can be scanned from any smart phone and printed on site, instead of waiting on long lines. McPherson found that the biggest disadvantage to this process was what she called an “RSVP frenzy.” If someone were attending multiple shows in a day they would have a lot of emails to keep a handle on since multiple confirmations are sent after RSVP’ing. Nonetheless, McPherson found it very cost effective because, “It’s eco-friendlier...it allows [designers] to use information technology for their benefit so that they have the quickest response time from editors and people they know are going to the show.”

“T

he new world order,” that’s how David Wolfe, Creative Director of the Doneger Group, described technology in his FIT presentation on October 25th. These days it’s impossible to complete a day without updating your Facebook status. As much as technology affects daily

For runway designs to be successful, fashion brands need to embrace the Internet as an essential marketing tool. Rita Polidori O’Brien, Vice President of Business Development for 9Threads and publisher of Earnshaw’s Magazine, stresses the importance of social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter to promote what she calls a “frequency of engagement with the end user,”

that in turn, “gives [one] many opportunities to talk about [their] unique selling point.” She went on to discuss the importance of planning the content of a social media page in the same light magazine content is planned. This keeps social media messages relevant to the consumer’s needs. Apps have improved the consumer shopping experience as well. Shopkick, an app created in the summer of 2009, awards “kickbucks” to customers who check in, enter, or use their iPhones to scan products at Best Buy, Macy’s, American Eagle, Sports Authority, and Simon Malls in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Chicago as well as select retailers in other major cities. These “kickbucks” can be redeemed for discounts, gift cards, and charitable donations. Multimedia Computing for AMC Professor Jerry Lore thinks that this app has the potential to be successful with young people if it is promoted through word of mouth and viral videos. Lore also feels that there is tremendous growth potential in the fashion apps sector. Professor Lore’s belief that “the fashion industry is becoming more tailored to target markets,” is represented by the popularity of Threadless.com. Threadless allows users to join a community of T-shirt designers who create and bid on their favorite styles. As reported by Rosemary Feitelberg for Women’s Wear Daily’s April 20, 2010 article Crowdsourcing Catching On With Fashion Pack, “Threadless now receives 150 design submissions daily, which are edited by an in-house team before being uploaded to be scored by the online community. Each Monday, nine to 12 of the most popular new styles are released for purchasing.” It seems that this “new world order” has truly impacted all aspects of the fashion industry. One day consumers will most likely be able to order a coat straight off the runway using an iPad. Until then, the aforementioned advances in technology should keep consumers and industry professionals alike thoroughly engaged.

APPS FOR DUMMIES Megan Venere

e are the technology generation. We all knew the inner workings of a VCR by age two, and have since graduated to laptops and iPhones. New mobile technology such as Facebook for “insert smart phone here” and Foursquare emerge on a near-daily basis. Creating these innovative applications is like learning a foreign language to most, but you might be surprised to find out that it’s not as hard as it seems. Professor CJ Yeh, club advisor of the Media and Design Club at FIT, is extensively involved in independent web design and has been creating and cultivating web apps for over four years. Yeh has been the brainchild of many “create your own art” apps, including one titled “Avatar.” Having nothing to do with James Cameron’s boxoffice smash hit, Avatar allows users to create digital representations of themselves, much like a Mii on the Nintendo Wii. On October 28th the Media and Design Club invited Libby Clarke and Robert Contursi, two notable Adobe Flash developers, to speak to its members about web design and app creation. The presentation dove head first into the vast realm of creating content for the web. The process for creating websites and web apps, it turns out, are closely intertwined. Both focus intently on “user experience,” or, the overall satisfaction a user receives from utilizing a particular website or app. According to Clarke there are five key steps in the “Web Design Cycle” of app creation: Information Gathering, Planning, Visual Design, Testing/Delivery and Maintenance.

Information gathering jump starts the cycle and involves in-depth research of specific demographics for a potential application. In addition, this step is where the “persona”, or the hypothetical end-user, is formulated. Next is the planning stage, which consists of creating storyboards of how an app will ultimately work. Basically, this step is where developers go through the motions of what will happen when someone sits down to use an app. Moving forward, the visual design phase involves making style guides and design patterns for an app. In essence, this is when the app takes form and the graphical interface is created. Development, or performing mock-ups and test solutions, comes next and is when a lot of the bugs and kinks are worked out before release. The following step includes testing and delivery. This is when the end-user for the app is taken into greater consideration and where developers analyze whether the app will still work for its intended audience. After release, the final step is somewhat ongoing. App maintenance requires checking up on an app and making sure it continues to function properly. Keeping on top of ever-changing technology and checking user statistics is also a key function of app maintenance. Obviously there is a lot more that goes into creating applications involving coding and technical vocabulary that would take many hours in a web design class to fully understand. However, the process for creating websites and web applications is nearly identical to

Apps On the Horizon Square For the entrepreneur in us all, Square is the new affordable way to accept credit card transactions on-the-go. Plug the free credit card reader into your phone’s headphone jack and swipe away. Touch screens act as a signature pad and transaction receipts can be emailed to customers on request. (Think any Apple store purchase.) Chase Bank Deposit slips be gone! Once a feature only elitist CEOs could utilize, Chase Bank’s new mobile app upgrade allows anyone with an active account to deposit checks via smartphone. Two quick snapshots from the phone’s camera and checks are instantly deposited and ready to access. Tabbed Out By far the coolest up-and-coming app for the 21+ crowd. Tabbed Out allows users to open bar tabs with registered establishments and pay through their mobile devices (even after they leave the bar!) Currently being tested in Austin, TX, Tabbed Out is headed to the Northeast by 2011.

what any FMM or AMC student does in his or her major area classes; develop a product that pleases and benefits the end-user. Whether it’s developing a new pair of platform pumps or the next hot iPhone app, we are all connected by using these similar techniques in our respective fields.

DEAR INDUSTRY

FASHION INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

HOW TO BE A GOOD VIRTUAL APPLICANT

Nicole Tan

etworking – something heard so often at FIT it makes me gag, almost to the point of regurgitating my morning coffee. A word that gravitates between superficial and common decency, we can’t help but admit knowing faces gets you places. Where better to start than the digital labyrinthine of intricate, yet not-so-personal, connections; the Internet. Today, an applicant’s biggest concern lies in the portrayal of their digital selves. Just as a company molds its homepage to represent its brand image, so should applicants online. “Think about what your Facebook looks like, or anything you blog about. Does it represent you?” said Bucky Keady, Vice President of Human Resources at Time Inc. Social media has enabled the world to uncover everyones deeply closeted secrets, making background research more personal than ever before. “[Employers] do Google you[MDASH]they can find anything from your Facebook to credit reports,” said Andrew Cronan, Director of the Career and Internship Center, “My advice is, don’t put up anything you don’t want your Grandma to see.” The influx of technology has certainly sent many job applicants in a flurry of panic, carelessly jumping on the bandwagon to be connected in a tangled web of contacts. This has sparked the Career and Internship Center to incorporate planned workshops for the digital-savvy world. Although none of these seminars have yet to come to fruition, some key advice commonly given to students is to make connections via professional networks such as LinkedIn, upload résumés in “.pdf ” form to prevent formatting mishaps and create

websites showcasing their digital portfolio. Just like marketing a product, an online presence simply isn’t enough. Applicants have to advertise and promote themselves to gain an edge. Keady encouraged using Search Engine Optimization (SEO) as one advantage. Certain keywords mentioned in the body copy of a résumé or cover letter result in a higher hit ratio in global databases, such as Google. One must keep in mind though, that job banks have a very low success rate. “It might be easy to apply for jobs in your pajamas, but it’s not very effective,” mentioned Cronan. Despite the craze of being online, recruiters always assure that good content trumps anything else. “If an applicant is wasted in a picture, then yes, I would be hesitant to hire them,” said Thomas Waller, an editorial assistant at Allure Magazine, “but I’m more of a traditional person, who [prefers] a good cover letter and résumé,” Waller also said that he rarely Googles applicants. Knowledge, curiosity and experience were still frontrunners in being a good applicant, virtual or not. His words were echoed by Keady, “You can have edgy stuff out there, I don’t care about that. But is it smart?”

Traditional Hot Yoga All Classes $8 All Morning Classes $6 with Student ID! (6:30am to 12pm)

“The world of work evolves, each generation changing the workplace,” said Cronan. Every industry is undergoing a transition period where the lines between someones personal and business lives are blurred. Without any ground rules, except those from previous generations, the importance of virtual applications seems to be one for us to mold and make our own. The digital age is, after all, created by our generation.

Mon-Thurs: 6:30a, 10a, 12p, 4:30p, 6:30p, 8:30p Fri: 10a, 12p, 4:30p, 6:30p, 8:30p Sat-Sun: 10a, 12p, 2p, 5p, 7p 115 W. 27th St, btw 6th & 7th Ave, 3rd Floor Graphic by Heather Viggiani for W27.

yogatothepeople.com

NOV

DEAR INDUSTRY

2010

W27

FITting IN THE INDUSTRY: ALLISON ULLO Terrence Phearse well as creating pattern boards and seasonal charts. Allison’s motivation derives from her insatiable love for the products and her goal of delivering good products to the Wang customer. Allison got her job at Alexander Wang—believe it or not—through a guy she was dating at the time. He introduced Allison to a job recruiting agency called JBCStyle. The first stint that came Allison’s way was a temporary position for Ann Taylor and Ann Taylor Loft. As time progressed, Allison’s statuesque chassis landed her in contact with Alexander Wang and soon became the brand’s fit model. That’s when she got to be the living dress form for a collection of one of New York’s hottest new designers. After some time in this position, she put her FIT training and Presidential Scholar leadership skills to good use and moved into her current position.

ust last year, Allison Ullo was a Fashion Merchandising Management student here at FIT, spending her “sick” days not catching some rays at Central Park or standing in a sample sale line, but traveling from one modeling gig to the next. Now, she can proudly say the Alexander Wang Fall 2010 collection “was based off [her] body.”

She appreciates working at a smaller brand for its family feel. Besides, there is never a dull moment working with [Alex]. Allison fulfills her duties in product development trying on clothes, working on the budget, and as a step-in as design assistant if needed. It is safe to say that Allison has found her niche in a brand that she loves. “It takes patience and lots of communication. It’s so easy for something to fall apart if you don’t communicate,” she says. She still does some fit modeling these days, but on a personal basis rather than in front of the entire “tech” team for all to scrutinize.

The FMM alum who studied product development and pursued a concentration in Asian studies, now works for Alexander Wang and the Product Development Coordinator. Her duties include working with the Sales and Merchandising teams as well as COO and CFO to maintain the seasonal budget for RTW as

So how did someone just one year out of school get to be in this position so quickly? Well, for starters, it was always fashion for Ms. Ullo. After shadowing a buyer in middle school, Allison’s dreams of being a designer began to crystallize. These experiences led the Pennsylvania-native to New York City with sights

Allison Ullo acting as Alexander Wang’s fit model; courtesy photo.

set on FIT. While at FIT, Allison interned with Lauri Eisenberg as an assistant stylist, at Giorgio Armani in wholesale operations, and Kirnazabete.com, the companion website to a fashion store in Soho. As a student, a typical day at FIT meant going to classes, attending meetings for the I Love New York club (where she served as the Communications Officer), and at Phi Theta Kappa, and occasionally landing a modeling gig. Allison Ullo attributes her success at Alexander Wang to a strong work ethic that she developed while at FIT, saying that the only difference between now and then is the physical place she’s in – an office and not a classroom. “FIT prepares you for exactly how it will be when you graduate. It’s the same feel of how your life will be in the city once you graduate,” she says. One teacher stands out in particular for her. “Professor Naomi Gross [from FMM] was a favorite of mine. She is an amazing professor, and so knowledgeable and helpful.” says Ullo. She advises “working really hard to have a good GPA. It will only prepare [you] for a great work ethic. And Network! Network Network!” Specifically, the alum points out that LinkedIn is “ much more professional than stalking your past contacts on Facebook, or emailing them every six months to see what they are up to now.” What’s on the horizon for this FIT success story? Her short term goals are to utilize her resources and to continue to grow and take advantage of whatever comes her way. Until then, the next time you find yourself drooling over an Alex Wang design, consider the fact that someone sitting in the same seat as you right now had a huge hand (and entire body, for that matter) in creating it.

INTERNATIONAL FASHION BLOGGER CONFERENCE Jenna Amatulli W27‘s self-proclaimed tech pioneer, Jenna Amatulli, had the good fortune of attending this year’s Independent Fashion Blogger’s Conference held right here in New York City. Below, she accounts for the tips, tricks and other nuggets of information collected from some of the most influential people toting fashion’s hottest trend; their own personal blog.

hen I came to college, I had the intention of graduating with my degree in AMC and becoming a wildly successful magazine editor – comparable to a young Anna Della Russo. Clearly, I was optimistic. As my freshman year progressed, naturally I had a quarter-life crisis. I’d come to learn that magazines, and the future of print in general, were in grave danger. I learned that I might be going into an industry that in ten years would be obsolete. So what’s a girl to do when she’s told her lifelong dream is likely to become a dismal reality? Well, I improvised. Seeing that the Internet is where everyone can be found, I turned there. I already knew that my obsession with every fashion blog under the sun had to mean something. Through plenty of Internet creeping, I began to realize that these blogs are crucial marketing tools in the social media sphere and they are gaining popularity every day. I had the privilege of attending the Independent Fashion Blogger’s Conference on September 9th and learned that the websites I already frequented - Blogspot, Wordpress,

Livejournal – were all platforms people were using to gain notoriety and earn a living. The conference had a quantity of speakers ranging from BryanBoy (the Marc Jacobs handbag prodigy) to Rumi Neely (fashiontoast.com) to Susie Lau (stylebubble.com) to my personal favorite, Emily Schuman (cupcakesandcashmere.com). Each had much to bring to the table and I’m here today to pass the wisdom they impressed on me to you - the new, potential generation of bloggers. The first thing discussed was content, or rather, what exactly to write about. Choosing a blog topic that’s going to become lucrative depends on being true to yourself and your personality through an original idea. If you try to fake it or feign interest in a topic, your readers will see right through the façade. BryanBoy brought himself notoriety because of his outlandish outfits and even more outlandish personality. He channeled his personality into what he wrote so it would translate to his readers. Another topic the conference discussed was how the hell anyone makes money blogging. And surprise, surprise – it’s not easy. Money generated from a blog is solely dependent on readership. The panel stressed that even though being successful is rare, it’s not completely impossible. Advertising was the driving force behind much of their income. In order

to nab an advertiser, your blog has to complement the profile of that company and also be something that the readers trust. One speaker, Gala Darling, told how she attracted advertisers later in her career, but gained a solid following and good income through weekly podcasts. By utilizing other media, in addition to her blog, she’s cultivated her own brand that is both successful and fun. The usage of Google’s AdWords and search engine optimization were used by virtually all of the bloggers as well, but it really all comes down to readership. Lastly, there’s the question of how to attract followers. The bloggers at the conference never begged for readers and they had no secret method of obtaining them. Word-of-mouth, interesting topics, and pretty pictures all played into each becoming ‘Internet celebrities.’ In essence, you need to be you; be interesting and be original. All in all, blogging is a rising force to be reckoned with. It is in fact a blossoming career that is very prevalent in today’s Internet and iPad-driven society. Our generation is immersed in a world that is very high-tech and everyone needs to learn how to keep up with ever-evolving trends. So here’s to you, my fellow exploratory peers – may you find your real career in this virtual world.

THREAD ACCOUNT

FASHION INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

FLEA-TING CHANCE: MARKET GPS Ryann Foulke New column alert! W27’s resident vintage style authority, Ryann Foulke has been tasked to help our readers navigate the sometimes daunting world of flea market shopping. She’s known to stumble upon some really great finds so look out for her advice each month, it just might land you a brag-worthy item. First stop? Hell’s Kitchen! 39th St. Between 9th and 10th Ave. Open every Saturday and Sunday, all year. Hours are about 10am to 6pm

on’t be alarmed by the devil at the gate. You’re in Hell’s Kitchen now.

Home to one of the most reliable flea markets in Manhattan, Hell’s Kitchen, is not nearly as scary as it sounds. Amy’s Bread and the Cupcake Café are just blocks away, not exactly the food of the devil or seedy gang ridden establishments. In order to maneuver the flea market you should really get to know the different types of booths, for there are a few different types at the year-round, rain-or-shine market. Allow me to break it down for you. From Fleas to Fendi: The clothing, all vintage, mainly consists of your average floral polyester 70’s dresses and satin and sequin 80’s prom-esque ones, but hidden within the racks there is Celine, YSL, Ports, Dior, Ralph Lauren, and Gucci. That is what I usually go for, and unless you are overly daring or on the hunt for next year’s Halloween, that’s my recommendation to you. Just do yourself a favor and don’t fall for the fake Louis Vuitton bags. Fur Land: If you need a fur coat, Hell’s Kitchen is the absolute best place to be. The prices are pretty decent and the owners are often willing to barter. There

are knee-length mink coats and cropped white rabbit ones, whatever style you prefer the vendors most often can supply. Along the same thread, there are more leather boots and saddlebags than all of Texas and hipsters’ closets combined. Baubles and Bangles: At the market there are mainly two types of jewelry: vintage and ethnic. On the vintage side, there are enormous jeweled cocktail rings, chunky gold chains by the pound, glittering rhinestone necklaces, and dozens of different style bracelets. As for the ethnic jewelry, there are hundreds of glass and gold bangles as well as stone pendants. Antiquing: There are actually some really great finds in the furniture and glassware department. Inexpensive chairs and dressers are scattered all over the place. There are a lot of kitschy plates and glasses, but there are some really great vintage bowls and tins. The last time I went, I found the most amazing metal letters, which were about four feet high. I could immediately envisage my first initial standing proudly in my bedroom as the perfect art but unfortunately, they didn’t have an “R.”

Traditional Hot Yoga All Classes $8 All Morning Classes $6 with Student ID! (6:30am to 12pm)

Canal St.: Skip this please. If you want pashminas whose cost is the same as the age of the child laborer making them – sure, head on down to Canal Street. Don’t waste your time on these booths and their “Doir” or “Channel” sunglasses. If all of this shopping makes you famished, fear not. I hear the lemonade in Hell’s Kitchen is fantastic and there are hot dogs, hamburgers, fries interspersed throughout. Not to mention, hundreds of restaurants down the block, it is on 9th Ave after all.

Mon-Thurs: 6:30a, 10a, 12p, 4:30p, 6:30p, 8:30p Fri: 10a, 12p, 4:30p, 6:30p, 8:30p Sat-Sun: 10a, 12p, 2p, 5p, 7p 115 W. 27th St, btw 6th & 7th Ave, 3rd Floor yogatothepeople.com Ryann showing off her latest flea find; courtesy photo.

NOV

THREAD ACCOUNT

2010

W27

FUTURE MODE: SPORTSWEAR Marissa Mule

ES: Yes, I always grew up loving fashion. I lived in Madrid and loved seeing women’s makeup and hair. Women who wear heels inspire me. I used to go to the market in Madrid with my mother and I loved shopping and finding new inspirations. I started designing at the age of 18, but really got into it at the age of 27. I loved art all of my life because I enjoy being creative.

hey say fashion is ever-changing. That’s why I chose to write this column. Fortunately enough, I was granted the opportunity to grab a cup of coffee with an actual designer from FIT, Eugenio Solanillos. He has two couture labels and a gives great insight into the Fashion Design major concentration, Sportswear. Read up fellow FIT designers, for he is a great inspiration and designer.

Marissa Mule: Who is your inspiration?

MM: Why did you chose a sportswear concentration?

Eugenio Solanillos: I don’t really have a specific inspiration. Instead, I am inspired by what is going on in the world, colors, scenes, movies and culture. Sometimes food even inspires me. MM: What are your strengths/challenges? ES: I have many strengths. I am very good with color and work well with texture. The way I cut is one of my major strengths, and I have a very big imagination which helps to strengthen my projects and designs. To be honest, I don’t have many challenges. If I don’t get something right away or have anything in my mind it doesn’t stop me from designing. I am a fighter. I love to fight.

Balenciaga. Both of them really knew how to dress women. They have a simple and chic style. Their designs are timeless.

ES: The sportswear concentration is a really good program and I like it a lot. The professors are very knowledgeable and focus on creativity. I like designing high-end sportswear couture. My inspiration for my sportswear collection is equestrian.

MM: What is your favorite thing about FIT?

MM: What are the names of the labels for your designs?

ES: My favorite thing about FIT is working. You can get so much out of FIT. There is so much access to jobs and the outside world.

ES: My apparel line is Cobos and the label for my handbags is Carmela Bond. Carmela Bond is the name of my cat who is also my inspiration. My cat stays with me when I design and sketch. I started this label in 2004 when I made a handbag for a final in one of my classes.

Eugenio Solanillos’ designs; courtesy photos.

MM: What is your dream job?

MM: How much does your personal style reflect your aesthetic?

ES: My dream job is to open my own atelier. I want to custom-make for people and design handbags.

ES: I love simplicity. The simpler the better. The more complicated designs are such a mess. Simplicity is key.

MM: Who is your style icon?

MM: Did you always grow up loving fashion? At what age did you start designing?

ES: My style icons are Gianni Versace and Cristobal

DESIGNER PROFILE: AARON RUFF OF DIGBY & IONA Taisa Veras AR: We took a look at a wide range of existing pieces and boiled it down to tailor a story that worked for the Madewell customer. The accessory designer, Joyce was really into letting me experiment, so from there designing the exclusive piece was a pretty fluid process. TV: What’s your favorite piece from this capsule collection? Why? AR: Both the metal jewel necklaces are easily my favorites. They’re big chunky statement pieces that go really well the aesthetic of the garments.

et’s face it, designer collaborations with box stores are reaching the point of ubiquity. With that being said, we couldn’t help but get excited at the thought of up and coming jewelry designer Aaron Ruff getting together with J. Crew’s hipper sister, Madewell for a quirky and eclectic line. Get caught up with the Maine native and you will find out where the cool kids are, what furniture and jewelry have in common and where the name of his own line, Digby & Iona came from. Taisa Veras: Congratulations on your collaboration with Madewell! How did the opportunity to design for such a cool retailer come to you? Aaron Ruff: It was very lucky circumstances; a few of the apparel designers there had D&I pieces and mentioned the line in a development meeting. TV: What was the design process like? What was your inspiration for that specific collaboration? Did you have the Madewell customer in mind while you were designing it?

TV: There are a lot of emerging jewelry designers based in Brooklyn and since you’re based there, why do you think that Brooklyn is becoming the home base for a lot new designers and artists? AR: Hmm, I suppose because that’s where the cool kids live? In all seriousness the Brooklyn design scene is really developing into something amazing. I think that there’s a big movement right now to embrace more traditional methods of hand production that, coupled with inexpensive studio space, has really helped the scene flourish. TV: You’re based in Brooklyn but you’re from Maine, which is very different from Brooklyn. How has your upbringing in Maine influenced your jewelry designs? AR: My childhood in Maine is at the heart of all my designs. 99% of the time I’m living out some childhood fantasy or ambition through my collections.

problems with a woodworker’s mentality. I’m sure a classically trained jeweler would be appalled at my methods, but I was mainly self-taught so it was all out of necessity. TV: The name you chose for your line “Digby & Iona” is named after two quiet seaside towns in Nova Scotia, why did you choose a brand name that maintains your anonymity? AR: I thought it would be more romantic for people to believe there were two people behind the line, a male and female influence, sort of like a Charles and Ray Eames partnership. I was also interested in creating a little bit of mystery behind the brand where customers could fill in their own interpretation of the story rather than use my own name (plus I really don’t like my name!) TV: Would you want to collaborate with other jewelry designers and/or fashion designers? If yes, which ones? AR: Collaboration has always been a great experience for me, although I think I’m a bit too difficult to partner with a fellow jewelry designer, I prefer to work with designers outside of my field. I’ll be working with Alice Saunders of Forest Bound to create a line of handbags for Spring ‘11. Check out his designs for Madewell and his own line on the web. And for more from Taisa Veras, go to amahzingblog.com.

TV: You studied furniture construction at Parsons – which, because they do not offer that at FIT, we can forgive you for. How do you apply what you learned from that major to the construction of your jewelry? AR: After making the transition from furniture to jewelry four years ago I still tackle production Aaron Ruff and one of his designs; courtesy photos.

FEATURE

FASHION INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

THE TECHNOLOGY ISSUE

Technology–something that seems so immediate and current in nature, has actually been ever-changing since the beginning of time. Now, just as then, there are benefits and disadvantages to technology; a love-hate relationship, if you will. W27 has worked diligently to sort out the best and worst that technology has to offer for our generation.

Illustrated by Christopher Gawiak for W27.

REVIEW-CENTRIC GENERATION Keely-Shea Smith

hanks to the World Wide Web, what once seemed like a daunting college search is as easy as a click of the button. The art of ‘stalking’ websites like Yelp!, College Prowler, and Ratemyprofessor.com has revolutionized the way students gather information and opinions on potential college and professor choices.

• Girls - “There are a good number of girls who are models. I’ve found that most of the girls date older, professional guys rather than FIT guys.”

The web now offers almost unlimited information for the curious and caters to the Type A streak in all of us. AMC Professor John Fraser says, “It is a part of our culture to go online to check out, buy, select, and gather as much information as possible.” Prior to applying to FIT, many students choose to research the campus, not only on Fashion Institutes’s main website, but review sites as well. These sites offer insightful (and often comical) feedback. Yelp reviews on The Fashion Institute range from the content student saying, “Such a great place to get an education” and the bitter folk saying, “oh FIT, you stole my soul, my dough and 4 years of my life.”

However, useful the Internet may be, visiting the college campus still plays a large part in student’s application process. “I don’t think other student’s opinions would have influenced my decision to apply or not to apply to FIT. In the end, I visited the school and that was better than any review,” said Amanda Brown, a second year Fashion Merchandising major at FIT.

The best overall college review site is College Prowler, which provides honest, relate-able and accurate reviews of FIT from a student’s prospective. The site covers all aspects of the school including, but not limited to:

• Sports - “Recently the school cut the funding to the basketball team. There were flyers around the school saying: ‘Cut the s#!% administration, not the basketball team.’”

Brown is not alone. While gathering input for this article, many students were asked if they thoroughly researched the college before applying. Some had done no research at all and claimed that FIT had been their college of choice for many years. Others had dug deep into Internet review pages in order to get the inside scoop. The newest trend in online reviews is ratemyprofessor. com, which provides student reviews of staff members rated on a scale of 1 to 5. Students can now rate past teachers and view their professors for the upcoming semester. The prospect of being able to

get a glimpse of professors before a final schedule is submitted for the semester seems like a gift from the college gods. But some students question: When it comes to information, how much is too much? Emily Campchero, a second year Advertising and Marketing Communications student said, “I use ratemyprofessor.com after I get my professors, but I don’t change my schedule around. I don’t really trust other people’s opinions when it comes to that.” Campchero brings up a valid point. Internet savvy isn’t only for the students on a campus with ‘technology’ in its name. Even Professors have fallen victim to “stalking” their own reviews on ratemyprofessor.com. Fraser said, “Oh sure, I’ve looked up myself. I use it more for fun than as a serious evaluation tool, though.” In an age where a battery of user reviews can be found on literally every decision we make, the trick just might be in taking that grain of salt. Whether looking for insightful information or simply a good laugh, the Internet is chock full of resources useful to students. Though many reviews give helpful feedback, some seem to be written out of spite. The trick is being able to weed through the personal rants to find the helpful tips.

NOV

FEATURE

2010

W27

TEXTILE TECHNOLOGY IS REDEFINING THE CONCEPT OF CLOTHING

Kimberlyn Bailey

he textiles that construct our clothing have trying to reduce that consequence… I always tell my often been referred to as a “second skin,” a students that the consumer is looking for the benefits duplication of ourselves. And why not? Our of the material and the industry needs to be careful human skin, after all, is a contemporary reflection of of how we achieve those.” One textile finishing ourselves: the scars that grace the faces of our troops company, Jeanologia, is cognizant of this type of overseas, the bronzed coloring from a sunny season thinking. Jeanologia introduced an industrial washing just passed and the dark swooshes beneath our eyes machine that relies on air rather than chemicals to from late night homework all suggest who we are on create varying shades of denim and a new method to a micro level. Likewise, our second skin is carefully distress jeans through laser cutting instead of harmful woven by who we are on a macro level: the sociological chemical abrasives. With these and other changes, movements that have led to “green” fabrics, the LEDCotton Incorporated concluded in its 2009 report that infused threads that pop “The cotton textile industry’s “It used to be that the stars wear in performance negative environmental which mirrors our obsession textiles were developed footprint can be reduced at least with spectacle and most 50 percent.” by manufacturers, given to importantly the textile Shrinking in Size, Growing technology that makes this consumers and they would Concerns all possible are very telling say ‘Here it is. Use it.’” The tensions between the of the times. macro and micro aspects of “It used to be that the – George Ganiaris garments makes visualizing textiles were developed by the thousands of individual manufacturers, given to threads at times staggering, but with new progressions consumers and they would say ‘Here it is. Use it.’” in technology the micro to macro gap is bridging explained Professor George Ganiaris of the Textile even farther into molecular territory. Nano, literally Development and Marketing department at FIT. meaning “one billionth part-of,” is the manipulation “What happened in the last 35 years is the market is of matter on a molecular scale, atom by atom, and its now driven by consumers where they decide what offspring nanotechnology has advanced into fashion they want… and development is actually coming from production. Nanotechnology is actually becoming the market place.” The technologies that create our ordinary, as Ganiaris explained, “A lot of the finishes modern fabrics are progressing as fast as we are in a that you see out there, like the ones where you drop constant adaptation to our modern desires. liquid on it and it comes off, is from nanotechnology. Textile Advancements are “Going Green” I would imagine 20 percent of all of textiles use nanotechnology.” The word technology spurs images of glossy, hypermodern gadgets that twinkle with the marvels of the future, which textile technology certainly has its share of, however our more socially conscious desires culminate in forms that are a bit less flashy – often limited to the diminutive print of a garment’s label. “People are so concerned about the petroleum that is used to drive cars, while they don’t realize that the synthetic fabrics they are wearing are made from petroleum too! It’s on the label. I don’t see how people so rarely make that connection,” observes Professor Jeffrey Silberman, FIT’s Chairperson for the Textile Development and Marketing Department, who outside of his efforts at FIT works in various roles toward increasing demand for natural fibers. Speaking in his capacity as Executive Director for the International Forum of Cotton Promotion, Silberman says, “We don’t care where the cotton is grown or if it is long or short staple. We like organic, we like conventional, we like BT cotton. What we don’t like is polyester.” BT or Bacillus Thüringen cotton is a GMO (genetically modified organism) species of cotton, which can defer bugs without using dangerous chemical pesticides. Despite the good these varieties are making towards sustainable production, an estimated 20 billion gallons of chemicals, 33 trillion gallons of oil and one trillion gallons of water are used annually for all global fiber production according to a 2009 report by Cotton Incorporated. But strides are being made to reduce those figures with technological advances. Ganiaris explained, “In dyeing fabrics, what we are trying to do is use lower ratios of water to fabric where we’ve reduced it from a 10 to 1 ratio to a 4 to 1 ratio. The more water you heat up, the more energy is expended, and so we are

how to make batteries in a different way from before,” explained Professor Yi Cui in a Stanford press release. Whereas conventional batteries utilize a capital-intensive process, these new textiles provide three times as much energy through simply dipping fabrics into a special nanoparticle formula. The military also hopes to increase the protection factor and decrease the weight of body armor with nanotube-infused textiles. These new fabrics work to deflect rather than absorb ballistic impacts, as Australian mechanical engineer Dr. Liangchi elaborated to Nanowerk.com, “When a bullet strikes body armor, the fibers absorb the impact energy to prevent the bullet from penetrating. However, this can still cause non-penetrating injury so the best material for body armor should have a high level of elastic storage energy that will deflect bullets.” Researchers under Liangchi have concluded that a piece of nanotube fabric the same thickness as a fine t-shirt has the capacity to repel the effects of a .358 inch revolver bullet.

Perhaps the most intriguing application of nanotechnology for the military is also the most morally dubious. The Imperial College of London and Duke University have joined to develop what could be called invisible cloaking. David Schurig, a physicist at Duke, attempted to simplify the science in a speech at the Science Cabaret conference, explains “In essence, the electromagnetic fields are confined to the threads of the cloth and cannot reach outside the compressed region.” Light is neither absorbed into nor reflected away from the threads; they are simply guided The militaristic moral “People are so concerned past. implications are mounting, but about the petroleum that the technology continues to be developed.

The absorbance-resistant fabric, as Ganiaris mentioned, is formally called is used to drive cars, while nanowhiskers. One of its addition to individual they don’t realize that the In developers, David Sloane, concerns about invisibility explained this more clearly in synthetic fabrics they are cloaking, grander concerns a ScienCentral video, “When are being made about wearing are made from you wash a peach, very nanotechnology. Ganiaris often the water rolls right clarifies, “The concerns you petroleum too! It’s on off. That’s because on the there is that the particles the label. I don’t see how have fruit’s surface, there are all are so small that if they get out these little pointed whiskers people so rarely make that into the environment, then they surrounded with cushions can affect the micro-organisms connection,” of air that cohesively prop in terms of reproduction and up the liquid drops to let – Jeffrey Silberman everything else.” Thus, further them roll off. We’ve utilized research is being done into the same idea.” Don’t be the consequences of utilizing surprised the next time you spill something on the nanotechnology before the entire industry dives in carpet and it darts around the room like a puck in a head first. game of ice hockey. Implications aside, all these developing Of course, the military is implementing these developments in its drive for improved, state-of-theart uniforms. Giving new meaning to the term “power suit,” University of California, Berkeley has created textiles that will power soldier’s equipment through harnessing the electromagnetic energy given off through the friction in everyday movement. Japanese company Konarko has also integrated solar strips into fabric at five times less the cost of traditional solar panels; a deal only sweetened by the fact that enough sun hits the Earth every hour to satisfy our energy consumption for a year. Stanford University has taken a new approach to energy storage. “We have been trying to revolutionize battery performance. Recently, we started to think about

nanotechnologies are a stand-alone symbol of American ingenuity in times when everything seems to be going overseas. Ganiaris explained, “A lot of these niche products are manufactured here in the US because there are quality issues and issues that target a specific end use that we have to have, so we have to perform. You’ll find that nanotechnology won’t go overseas… Nanotechnology started here and it seems like it is going to stay here.” Designers Innovating the Runway Progressions in textile technology are not confined to those with science degrees, doing university research and wearing,white coats; designers are making their

FEATURE

FASHION INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

own technically creative innovations on the runway. No While Miyake’s work was all about simplifying a longer strictly repurposing process, Turkish designer “You’ll find that different references into their Hussein Chalayan’s 2006 clothing; they are crossing the nanotechnology designs were about teetering lines into new territories. to the edges of complexity won’t go overseas… in design. The collection Japanese designer Issey appeared normal at first, as a Nanotechnology started Miyake, created a new textile of models paced down technology he calls A-POC here and it seems like it is gaggle the runway in high-necked (An acronym for “a piece of Victorian garments, but the going to stay here.” cloth”) in which computers garments soon animatronically aid in knitting or weaving – George Ganiaris deconstructed and entire garments with no reconstructed themselves into sewing necessary. Miyake revisited a more complex different silhouettes and details. Referencing looks version of A-POC in 2008 to create new products from each decade in aesthetic vignettes all compressed that are infiltrating the home furnishings market: chic, into minutes, he posed the body as imprinted with body-hugging jackets that can morph into a chair and history, yet entirely contemporary. a tube of paper that can be slowly stripped away to reveal a paper armchair,are only a few examples of how Miyake has created a sort of phantom architecture in his furniture creations.

Behind the stunning visuals of the show was a messy tangle of wires neatly tucked away; Chalayan’s 2009 collection employed the latest circuitry, in which he

infused sparkling crystals with LED lasers to create a miniature laser light show on his jackets. Chalayan explained in a video for Fashion TV, “It’s kind of a commentary on the idea of spectacle, the idea of celebrity and sun worship.” That makes sense; the garments themselves were practically an after-thought, while the light show they created almost became the clothes. Notably, Katy Perry, Michael Jackson and Kanye West have all donned light-up clothing recently. Theoretically and technologically, Chalayan is proving to be progressive in every sense of the word. What all these scientists and designers are really working toward is redefining what is meant by “second skin.”. It’s inevitable that these technological progressions will only continue to develop and who knows? Perhaps further along the line nanotechnology, LED’s, sustainable methods and A-POC technology will be advanced enough as to carry over from our “second skin” to the skin itself.

AN UNPLUGGED DAY Claycia Tweed If you’ve been reading along, it seems that life without the Internet or a cell phone is nearly unbearable. But instead of just speculating, researching and opining, W27 wanted to experiment with this scary thought. That’s where this brave soul steps in, surrendering her ability to go online or use a cell for an entire day. Landlines, movie schedules in the newspaper and missed connections are among the issues with becoming unplugged; read on. Non-Tech Day: Friday The Challenge: To last all day in class without the accompaniment of texting, and then plan to see a movie with friends across town that night. Going into it, I’m most worried about the logistics of getting everyone together without the use of my cell!

(they are all stored in my cell) so I wrote down the ones that I was planning on meeting up with on a piece of paper. I then fished out an old analog watch because I usually check the time with my cell phone. Friday Morning: The day is here, and I am a little nervous. Just a few hours into the day, my hand wanders to my coat pocket where I usually keep my cell phone to check my texts and emails only to come up empty handed and feeling rather deflated.

Wednesday Night: I’m a major planner, I checked online for show times for Paranormal Activity 2 at local theatres. This made me wonder how inconvenient it can be to plan a night out to the movies in advance; there are newspapers, but for new releases you’d have to wait until the day it began showing to find out. With the Internet, however, you can get that information and more days or weeks in advance.

Friday Afternoon: I made it through the school day without too much of a hitch (I actually found it easier to concentrate in class without the thought of my phone needing to be checked.) On my way home, feeling proud of myself quickly ended. The 1 train was running on a schedule that only made sense when you didn’t try to make sense of it. There was so much “train traffic” that we sat motionless in between stations longer than we actually traveled. I was so tempted to turn my phone on to play a game or something to kill time. Watching all of the other people on the train happily using their iPhones and Blackberries was like slow torture.

Thursday Night: I’m ashamed to admit that I don’t know any of my friends’ phone numbers by heart

Friday Evening: I called the local bus line’s phone number as soon as I got home to find out the

scheduled time of the bus at the stop closest to my apartment. Typically, I’d use my smartphone to check the timetables from the bus’s website; it’s amazing how easy and convenient the Internet makes small tasks throughout my day. I tried calling my friend Jenn to see whether she and our other friends were already waiting for me. The phone just rang before going to voicemail. Just my luck! I decided to change clothes then try her again. Right after the called ended, Jenn had dialed me back. She’d managed to borrow her mother’s car for the night. I had been a moment away from going to catch the bus and wasting even more time on public transportation. We all ended up together anyways and the movie was everything we had hoped for on Halloween weekend (creepy and scream-worthy). Reflections: When Saturday morning came, I was a kid on Christmas morning checking back into my virtual world ASAP. After peeling through my multiple notifications, missed calls, emails and texts, I realized that despite the day’s frustration, it was nice being free of constant notifications. But I think I still prefer a more connected lifestyle.

TECH NON-USERS. WHAT’VE THEY GOT TO LOSE? Georgeanna Dwiggins

tribe-like mentality. Communal villages where agriculture is shared. A deep emphasis on a relationship with nature. Sounds like the counter-culture hippie views of the 1960s, right? Well these characteristics are still very much in the works today in so-called “eco-villages” created by green anarchists, or Neo-Luddites. (referred by whom?) And it isn’t the establishment that they abstain from – it’s technology. The term Neo-Luddite comes from the social movement of the Luddites in early 1800s Britain who destroyed mechanized looms in protest of the Industrial Revolution and the changes it brought to their lives. Today, Neo-Luddites harbor the same contempt of modern technology as those they borrowed a moniker from. Back in the day, the term may have been associated with drugs and free love, but today’s group of anarchists simply denounce and refuse to use modern technology, seeing it as the root of social problems. It is their belief that modern devices like television and computers remove people from the direct experience

of life and disrupts a sense of community. NYU student Kelly Burke, a regular blogger on the relationship between Gen Y and our technology, adopted a Neo-Luddite stance toward technology as a social experiment last December. Burke started to manifest physical symptoms of withdrawal during the week in which she didn’t use electronic media like television or social networking sites. She stated that she had what seemed like an abundance of free time, and that she took a ton of naps and felt lethargic– the opposite of using it in the productive way she had anticipated. She also felt very disconnected from her social life. That was also a complaint heard loudly from students at Pennsylvania’s Harrisburg University this past September when the university shut down access to all social media sites for a week as an experiment. Some students recalled feeling a “panic mode,” while some eased the feeling of disconnection by sneaking off to a local hotel to gain free internet access or utilizing the mobile web on smart phones.

Would you feel that same overwhelming need to log in to check a Facebook page if you were forced to take a break? If so, maybe “taking a break” is something you need to do. We all know that sites like Facebook distract us from the daunting tasks we face as college students, and now there is help that doesn’t require moving to the desert and learning how to grow your own food sustainably. That’s where new blocking applications come in. Maybe even Neo-Luddites could see the beauty in a web application such as “Mac Freedom” or “Anti-Social.” These programs allow the Internet to be blocked completely, in the case of “Mac Freedom” or to lock yourself out of access to social media sites through“Anti-Social” for hours at a time. If you want to test your resistance to your virtual life, online maybe these sites are worth looking into. There’s no harm in trying to disengage –albeit temporarily. And with finals just around the corner, fewer distractions may even result in higher grades. What’ve you got to lose?

NOV

FEATURE

2010

W27

ATTENTION STUDENTS: CHANGES ARE COMING TO THE TEXT BOOK INDUSTRY

Veronica Heras

hat do Steve Jobs, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Senator Chuck Schumer have in common? They believe that the textbook industry needs reform. In 2007, Steve Jobs, co-founder and CEO of Apple, spoke about the advantages of free online textbooks and resources. He said that unlike print textbooks, information would be more up-to-date while saving the state and students money by not purchasing expensive print versions, money that can be used for other educational needs. Last fall, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger launched the digital textbook initiative for high school math and science classes. He said that textbooks are published in six year cycles, therefore the information that students are receiving is outdated. In January of this year, the initiative entered Phase 2. Higher Education, Higher Price According to the Student Public Interest Research Group, a national network of non-profit, statewide student advocacy organizations, the cost of textbooks has risen at four times the rate of inflation. It’s no surprise than that the annual drop-out rate isn’t going down either. On October 21, 2010, SPIRG, held The Affordable Textbooks Day of Action. The event brought together over 40 colleges across the country with one aim – a chance at more affordable textbooks and other educational sources. The event’s efforts were to educate professors, deans and other faculty about open source textbooks and the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA).

Illustrated by Katherine Duran for W27.

hear this as a complaint from many peers who are also struggling with tuition and book payments.” AMC student Tyler Hill shares the same sentiment, “Sometimes I buy books we don’t even use and then I am left with a $100-plus book. When this happens it can be very frustrating to only get a few bucks back for your textbook that you didn’t even touch.” To Keep or Not to Keep?

Open source textbooks are a great online option that offers free digital access to high-quality college texts under a license, as well as low-cost print options. “Free” or “low cost” are words every college student wants to hear.

“I would be hesitant [to use electronic textbooks] because I am very big on keeping my textbooks... I am interested in having textbooks available for students who prefer them,” said Blasia Antinoro, a first semester FMM student.

The HEOA that went into effect in July of this year, enforces textbook affordability regulations. These regulations encourage colleges to inform students during registration time on what textbooks are required for the courses. Getting a heads-up on the total cost of the semester can help students better plan for it financially.

Luckily for students like Blasia, who prefer the traditional textbooks but still want to save money, there are options. Before publishers and Senators began to listen to college students’ concerns over the affordability of textbooks, students had to come up with their own ways to save a few dollars every semester.

For publishers, these regulations require disclosure of pricing information and a description of content revisions to professors. They need to unbundle those expensive study-packs consisting of textbook, CD-ROM and workbook, so that students can purchase only what they need.

School clubs have taken the poster announcements of books for sale that you find in on bulletin boards in the stairwells and around campus, to another level. Colleges have student-run websites and Facebook pages dedicated to buying and selling textbooks to each other. By eliminating the middleman, students have a better chance at a getting a good deal.

By way of these regulations, professors will know as much as possible about the text they are requiring students to purchase ahead of time. In fact, one of the biggest frustrations for students is when they are asked to buy a book and then it is never used; that might be because the professor and student didn’t know enough about the book before it was chosen.

Selling the books back to the campus bookstore is another good option. The bookstore can give up to 50% of the original price of a new book. This is money you can use towards the whole set of new books you need for the next semester. Online booksellers like Amazon.com and ebay.com, is another option students have.

“My textbooks range from $80 to $180, said FMM senior Hetal Sanghvi. “A lot of the times I would buy a book that is really expensive because the professor would highly recommend it, but then end up not using it. This causes frustration on my part because I’m already paying high out of state student tuition. I have to shell out more money that ultimately gets wasted. I

Probably the best options for students who need the textbook for only one semester is textbook rentals. Chegg.com is an online text book rental company founded in 2007. The company is now the leader in that market. According to Chegg, they can save a student an average of $500 annually. The company might be doing well but that hasn’t stopped its

Speaking of Books: Digitalization of FIT Library Amena Kazmi So maybe we don’t yet belong to a bookless campus of the distant future, but the library at FIT sure isn’t slacking off when it comes to incorporating technology into its operations. With more than 150 workstations, including both PC and MAC scanning stations, digital photo-copiers and computer labs, the library provides access to a large collection of e-books, which is accessible at the FIT website. The library also purchases a large amount of ematerial, including digitalized versions of books and data bases. With the growing number of e-book readers like iPads and Kindles, easy access to digital data facilitates making the process prompt and more effective. Even Library Director, Professor N.J Wolfe has a preference for electronic information in certain instances in his personal life. “I enjoy reading my copy of the New York Times online during my commute. It’s convenient and another way to go environmentally friendly,” he says. The library also provides access to Fiddle, the data image site, which is effectively replacing slide projectors. Illiad is another feature, available to the students, which offers an interlibrary loan system. Not only can students borrow a physical book from all 64 SUNY campuses, they can also check it out digitally. With the expansion of digital data centers there are certain aspects of the library gradually phasing out. These include print picture files, which are now more accessible through the digital image library. There is no more duplicating of books, only one copy is available physically, or digitally and text books are no longer purchased by the library. The library ranks among the highest when compared to others of its kind. It is not unusual for students from Parsons as well as other schools to access it. Surveys and feedback have rated the library as one of the best resources on campus. Professor N.J Wolfe also asserts, “We offer a great depth of research here and the library is definitely one of our more prized assets. While we are low on funding, we continue to improvise in order to replenish our resources and provide greater student satisfaction.”

co-founder and chairman Osman Rashid to work with global publishers Wiley & Sons and McGraw-Hill to take part in a new digital start-up called Kno. Kno is a two panel tablet computer dedicated to an interactive version of a textbook. These include note-taking and highlighting capabilities. Kno could well be a sign of where the industry is heading. Publishers have had to start playing nice. It’s a business, so now they need to match new student needs. The Association of American Publishers has committed to continue to collaborate with higher education in order to create much needed savings and help students succeed. Mc-Graw Hill Higher Education announced in October the launch of Create, a platform that allows professors to create their own custom textbook or etextbook from 50,000 resources. The professor can now format the book to their syllabus and include only information that is important to the class. Maybe this would eliminate the problem of using only a small portion of a book which nevertheless must be purchased at full price.

FEATURE

FASHION INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

A Technological FIT Colleges across the country are considering, or are already working on becoming 100% e-book campuses. For example, Daytona State College in Ohio is working with publishers and electronic readers to work out affordable deals for students that could work out to as low as $20 per book. Gilfus Education Group, an education consulting, technology and research service, predicts that by 2011 there will be a greater adoption of eTextbooks and platforms by faculty and students. Etextbooks offer a number of benefits. The material is more flexible and can easily be edited; it’s interactive; it’s a better teaching tool for faculty teaching online courses,;it’s portable, and –most importantly, the material is up-to-date. It is especially significant at FIT that the text is as up to date as possible in the rapidly changing industries we study. When asked how they felt about FIT becoming an etextbook campus, students were eager and ready to try it. “I would rather do that, it seems easier to carry, understand, organize and have a better/exciting way to learn (sometimes) dull material,” said sixth semester FMM student, Stefan Riera. “I’m all for it!” agreed Svetlana Skvirchak, an AMC fifth semester student.

There is no denying that more and more people are using electronic readers – just a ride in the subway proves that. In July alone, Amazon announced that for the previous three months, sales of e-books for its Kindle device were greater than the sales of hardcover books. The company’s first quarter revealed that the number of E-books sold tripled YTD sales. So What About Us? Our very own bookstore has been reasonably quick to adapt to all of these changes. To avoid having to go to many different sites to buy, sell or rent textbooks or e-textbooks, parent company Barnes & Noble at FIT now offers these options at a single website. This year B+N also introduced book rentals. What’s great about renting books is that there is no dealing with mailing back, you just stop by and drop off your book when the semester is over. You are allowed to highlight and take notes on your rental as long as the book is in good condition upon return. By renting you can save up to 50% off new cover prices. The e-textbooks available might not be compatible with portable electronic readers just yet, but they work on both Mac and PC. The e-textbook looks, in layout and design, just like a textbook. Students can highlight text, print out pages and even take notes directly on the computer. Perhaps the best feature is the keyword search. Now you won’t have to go to the glossary or

index page to look up terms. In August, Barnes and Nobles introduced Nookstudy, a software for MAC and PC, that allows you to organize texts in a single location. There are also a number of free e-books on Nookstudy.com. What’s next? Looking towards the future, maybe Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Steve Jobs are onto something. As modern as students today believe they are, they did grow up using heavy, soon-to-be outdated, 500-page textbooks. It’s what they are used to and is therefore comfortable. Initiatives like the one in California, that introduce students to online learning in high school, or even earlier, can prepare the college students of the future to easily adapt to school using this technology. Students are not the only ones that would need to adapt. “Where I see resistance will be coming from is most of the faculty members of these institutions where they are used to the traditional textbooks and the learning curve may take some time to transition into the e-book phase,” said AMC Professor Jerry Lore. For an industry that has had little-to-no real shakeups for a very long time, to arrive at the technical age with changes both swift and drastic, time will tell how that will play out.

ASIA: LOOK NO FURTHER FOR THE FUTURE OF TECHNOLOGY Alyssa Kyle Sure, international students on campus are recognized by a certain flair for style, an accent or even a different language being shared with other students of their background, but another way to spot them can be their tech savvy. After all, it is said that certain Asian countries are at least five years ahead of us in many technological arenas, so W27 thought it might be interesting to contact some of these students to see how the US matches up against their hometown digital offering.

Korea, but she also finds them to be more reliable. Although the subways do not run 24 hours in Korea as they do in NYC, they run on a strict schedule right down to the minute. “I miss my transportation, and using my cell phone in the subway,” she adds. Sunny also explains how the subways in Seoul City have cell phone reception and WIFI capabilities. Wouldn’t it be so nice to have that capability in NYC?

ransportation is one form of technology that students from Asian countries, find different. Won Sun, known as “Sunny,” says that she finds the public transportation here to be very dirty. Sunny is from South Korea, and lived in Seoul City. Not only does Sunny feel that the subways are cleaner in South

Naomi Hirano, a new student at FIT, who lived in a number of diverse Asian countries feels that the technology in transportation in Tokyo is more efficient.

Yiqun Zhou, known as “Sage,” found a different angle on the technology differences in the US vs. China. The main difference she found lies in the popular brand

names of technology. For example, in China Nokia cell phones are the most common type of phone. People in China mainly use their cell phones for calls and text messages. The majority of students at FIT walk around with their Blackberry or iPhone always at hand bringing up Facebook and Twitter during every break. Sage also said that Apple computers are not as common in China because they are expensive. The funny thing about that is if anyone from the US orders an Apple product and tracks it’s shipping, they would find that it is sent from China. Technology usage is as varied as the cultures in which they thrive.

ANGEL CAN BE QUITE THE DEVIL Danielle Pacelli

hether you’ve had a “paperless” teacher, or the experience of taking an online course, chances are you have come across the various challenges linked to the Angel Learning System. Everything, from drop box errors to your mailbox randomly emptying itself out, will leave you ripping out your hair and losing sleep. So why do we use it? Well, mainly because (A) Blackboard (the previous academic website) bought it, and (B) all of the SUNY schools adopted it. And because, at least in theory, an electronic classroom is very beneficial, so the problematic Angel software is that much more frustrating, knowing the potential of such a tool. Second year AMC student, Jennifer Hernandez, speaks for a majority of the student population in observing, “it’s a little complicated, but it can be convenient.”

Step up Gregg Chottiner, FIT’s Chief Information Officer. He strongly feels that the main issue is usage. He stresses, “I know we probably have to continue improving how people are trained to use it, the faculty.” As it turns out, SUNY Albany is the actual host for Angel, and FIT is actually only responsible for providing the Internet connectivity behind it (which is a whole other issue unto itself). In the event that you have an issue with it, your options are to give up and find another way to do what you’re trying to do, or you can call or email the SUNY help desk. You then get to play the waiting game. If your issue occurs on the weekend, there is a good chance it will not be resolved until sometime Monday at the earliest. Chottiner seemed to be quite surprised when I told how problematic Angel can be. As his job is officebased and not in the classroom, he rarely even

sees Angel, and is forced to rely solely on hearsay for feedback. That is where he feels another big problem lies. If people are having issues, which a lot of faculty and students are, they aren’t reporting it. Lack of communication will only lead to a lack of a resolution. Chottiner finds this very frustrating, and began forming solutions to get to the bottom of this. One thing he suggests is utilizing Ask IT. “We have something called ‘Ask IT,’ where you can actually send in any questions, comments and concerns, and it will be answered in 48 hours,” he says. When Angel is used properly and it is operating correctly, it can offer everything from real-time grades to your teachers’ lectures. In the future, it is possible that SUNY may go back to using Blackboard, or try an entirely new kind of software, but for now, we’ll just have to make do, and get help when we need it.

NOV

HAUTE CULTURE

2010

W27

TECHNOLOGY SHAPING COMMUNICATION AT ITS BASIC LEVEL Krystin Mertz

afés originatred in Western Europe and were originally made as a place to forge social relationships, indulge in conversation, and interaction.Today, when you walk into one nowadays all you see is people bent over their laptops, headphones inserted, and cell phones face up on the table flashing a signal light. The bright screen of Facebook or Twitter glare back into eyes that probably haven’t left the screen but to pause for a sip of grande latte. Many are living in their own little bubble of non-communication, disconnected with the rest of the world and missing the many possible relationship opportunities around them. Sound familiar? As our relationships with technology grow more intimate and interpersonal relationships decline, when will it end? Can people even communicate nowadays without having a cell phone at hand to relieve awkward silences, taking a phone call, or interrupting a conversation via text? On the flip side though, what are the positive impacts that technology has brought to communication? Students were ready to opine. “Yes, I think that relationships are suffering, people are analyzing everything. When you text, words can get lost in translation and even a simple ‘Okay’ is analyzed. Everything is analyzed,” says senior Kate Quenzer, when asked how communication is changing us. Wiith the growing numbers of smart phones being introduced, the World Wide Web is handy at your fingertips 24/7. You’re now able to check Facebook, update your status or text a friend in class, on line at Starbucks, and unfortunately, even in the bathroom if you please. “People are becoming overwhelmingly comfortable sharing their personal lives with the online world and are at the same time becoming less comfortable with face to face socialization,” says student, Hillary Soletic. Conversely, could it also be providing more positive influences than we think? Many English professors want students to embrace blogging, and the concept of “I,” writing about yourself, and your own experiences. “It is a wonderful way to share your voice with the public and develop a studied writing persona that can benefit you in all aspects of your writing life,” says Professor Tombro, who teaches English at FIT.

And What Happened to Handwriting? These days, everything is typed, especially with the convenience of sitting down at a computer and hacking away at the keys. “Snail Mail” and writing letters has become almost obsolete because in this fast-paced land of “just hit send,” nobody has the patience to actually wait for a letter to arrive in the mailbox for what seems to be an eternity. Fortunately there is someone who still believes in the power of something handwritten. Professor Elizabeth Hunter, who teaches public relations classes at FIT, is a part-time calligraphy enthusiast, and is also a member of Society of Scribes in NYC. The thought of writing a letter can be so romantic, especially in adding a personal touch to a document that can be very impersonal. “It doesn’t have to be beautiful, but in this environment of texting, having a little personality in your work will get it to the top of the pile,” says Hunter, insisting there is still a place in the world for the written document, and that it can make a positive impression within the work environment. For example, say you have a document that you want to forward to the president of your company instead of just sending it away. Adding a little handwritten note (in “Technology has provided students with so many more ways to communicate and students are far more literate than ever before because technology makes them have to communicate,” said Dr. Brian Fallon, Director of the writing studio here at FIT. “In some ways it’s possible to think that technology may be

Hunters case, a beautifully addressed note in calligraphy) shows that you aren’t just another person in a seemingly vast crowd of employees. Hunter provides some tips for improving your handwriting and letters: • Take pride in your stationary, make it elegant and business-like • It’s okay for stationary to be seasonal, but keep it professional • Keep your notes brief, get to the point! •Watch your posture • Remember not to hold the pen too hard, your hand has to move flowingly and freely One thing that Hunter specifically points out? “Sloppy presentation represents sloppy thinking!” She also live by the motto, “content is king,” recommending that a cell phone shouldn’t be the only thing to have on you at all times. “I suggest everyone have a style guide at their desk, forever.” You should look up words and constantly check your spelling and grammar at all times, a misspelled word shows that you are unprofessional. “I look things up 100% of the time, I don’t assume I know” says Hunter. So the next time you decide to break out that pen and paper, or even forward a document over, don’t forget to put a simple yet professional, personal touch to make it stand out.

creating an alternative space to dive into things that way. Ultimately, it is providing more ways for us to express opinions, ideas and our experiences.”

NEW CALENDAR FEATURE Can’t keep track of all of the events on campus? We’ve got them all in once place!

Introducing: The first interactive, completely compiled calendar on campus. Once you see an event you are interested in, share it with your own Google Calendar. Time Management just became impossibly easy.

W27Newspaper.com

HAUTE CULTURE

FASHION INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

CYBER-BULLIES ON THE RISE Laura Gabrielson

n terms of the bullying of the pre-digital era, children used to be made fun of on the playground and teens were made fun of at lunch or between class time. There was always someone to witness the act, adding, be it small, a sense of accountability to the actions of the bully. As the cyber world becomes more and more popular, its dangers grow as well. It is an extremely powerful tool used for intimidation and the lack of physical surroundings limits ones chances of getting caught. It leads to fleeting vicious rumors, lies, threats, harassment and embarrassment. Each of these characteristics hits home to every young person’s most important concern, social acceptance. On October 20, 2010, we honored the many deaths by suicide resulting from gay abuse. Not all of these suicides were due to cyber-bullying, yet it does not put any lesser importance on the issue of bullying in general. Students and faculty were seen wearing purple all over campus showing their spirit. These acts truly showed everyones’ support for the families who lost and the issues at hand. Kayla Bonczek, a 2nd year FMM student, feels as though “cyber-bullying has reached horrific heights.” “The Internet is such a vast place and setting restrictions seems nearly impossible. Schools should focus on acceptance.” She feels that events like Spirit Day help to show others “it’s okay to be whoever you truly are.” AMC Professor, John Fraser, mentions “wearing the purple band is one way to show my support for those brave young people who have had to endure attacks and to show that hateful speech in any from will not be tolerated.” Schools must focus on equality to help fight this matter. The tremendous amount of diversity at FIT helps create a community of extremely aware students. Our community is one that understands and many students are truly able to relate to the issues of bullying. Of the catalysts for this national day of recognition, perhaps the one receiving the most attention is the death of Tyler Clementi. Clementi was an 18-yearold student at Rutgers University who fell victim to his roommate Dahran Ravi’s intrusion of positioning

a hidden camera to record Clementis’ sexual liaison with another male. A streaming live video on the Internet of Clementi having the sexual encounter followed. The humiliation was too much for Clementi to handle. He then jumped to his death at the George Washington Bridge. Ravi and friend (and suspected accomplice), Molly Wei, are both faced with charges of transmitting sexual images without consent and may face up to five years in prison. While technology can be held accountable for the act, it can also be held accountable as a counseling tool in its aftermath. Shortly after Clementis’ death, sex columnist and author Dan Savage began a YouTube channel called “It Gets Better.” This channel enables gay adults to post videos in order to help gay teens. They discuss topics such as the problems of bullying and how to deal with it. Following his YouTube channel, Savage quickly began the It Gets Better Project. The website states that many LGBT youth cannot picture what their lives may be like as openly gay adults; this project let’s them do just that. Setting aside the LGBT community for a moment, many straight teens have also been significantly affected by cyber-bullying. Social networking site Formspring.me allowed cyber-bullies to contribute to the suicide of Long Islands native Alexis Pilkington. She was a 17-year-old living in West Islip and she took her life after many vicious taunts posted ver the Internet. Another young teen Phoebe Prince, a 15-year-old Irish immigrant faced horrific bullying over the Internet. She had just moved to South Hadley, Massachusetts and was immediately the recipient of nasty emails and online messages. Pressure is definitely rising to prevent these unfortunate attacks. According a Pew Research Center study conducted this year; 2% of the 12-17 year -lds they interviewed have experienced online harassment. These affected students need help and support. The behavior must be recognized as unacceptable. FMM student, Kristen D’Angelo, shared her feelings about cyberbullying.,“It is worse than regular bullying because the bully doesn’t have to be direct with the victim, yet the victim still feels pain. Anything that is put on

THE MUSIC INDUSTRY CONTINUES TO BE SHAPED BY THE DIGITAL AGE Danielle Plotkin

f you think hard about all of the industries that have been turned upside down by technological advances, surely music will rank among the top contenders for most changed. But has the change been so dramatic that the industry will plateau for a while? Like the unexpected bridge towards the end of a melodic song, the music industry is changing key just a bit as of late. It’s getting social. Digital music pioneer, Apple, has jumped on the social network bandwagon. The iTunes developer has established a music-based network called “Ping.” Now “friends” on Ping, similar to friends on Facebook, can interact over shared musical tastes. This new feature allows friends to not only view the concerts they plan on attending but also make the tickets available immediately via Live Nation at the click of a mouse. In addition, they may “follow” musicians, research their whereabouts and purchase their tickets. User-generated content provides the stage for next new Internet music tools. If you can’t get enough of remixed music, visit ccMixter.org; you’ll also find music remixed by fellow users. Do you love listening to college radio stations? At Onepitonic.com, not only can you listen to college radio stations, but you can listen to fresh and ripe indie music that has

been handpicked from audiophiles, all while reading curated reviews and viewing artists’ profiles. If you are interested in legal torrents, go to clearbits.net, which hosts thousands of music files, videos, photos, and audiobooks. As innovative, trend-setting students, we always want the newest things, so why should it be any different when it comes to our music? Be the first in your set to know of emerging artists who are breaking onto the scene by visiting, PureVolume.com, where you can also create profiles to interact with artists and each other, as well as track and share music you like with fellow fans. Ultimately, if you became entranced with a song you heard over the weekend at that club you attended, then dance-industries.com is the site for you! Download the songs that get your booty bumpin’ for free. It’s all the rage! It is only natural that an art form with such social underpinnings reverts back to its true roots and embraces social media. While live music will assuredly remain something enjoyed by groups of people, the new digital relationship-building capabilities can help get more of those people together.

the Internet can be seen by so many people, so the humiliation is multiplied by thousands.” The Internet has allowed us to become extremely impersonal. It enables hostile and mean-spirited people to say anything they feel without having to face the consequences face-to-face. Claudia Huerta, another FMM student, says “Cyberbullying is coward’s bullying.” She couldn’t have said it any better. She also said, “there is a comfort to cyber-bullying, being able to delete, block, and reject people and comments. It is not fool roof, but it allows for a way out.” She says she had been bullied as a young girl, for being shy, for being a book nerd of sorts and much more. This goes to show that people will pick on the silliest of things when you think about it. Is it really that weird or “not cool” for someone to read a book? Bullies have learned to take advantage of new technology in order to cause pain to their victims. These cyber-bullies have one central goal: to intentionally embarrass others, harass, intimidate, or make threats over the Internet. Dealing with cyber-bullying may be difficult, but there are several procedures you can take to protect yourself and those close to you. According to the US CERT, United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team, we must be careful where we post our personal information. If you limit the number of people who have access to your personal information and details about your life, you are reducing your exposure to bullies. US CERT also suggests avoid escalating the situation. They state that responding with hostility is likely to provoke the bully, so just ignore the situation. You should definitely document all online activity including dates and times. In addition, print copies of any evidence of bullying. Lastly, the US CERT recommends reporting cyberbullying. If you are being harassed or threatened report the activity to the authorities. A great starting point is your local police department as well as school officials. While these are some great tips, the best of all is to do whatever you can to limit your exposure to bullying of any kind in your online doings.

NOV

HAUTE CULTURE

2010

W27

REVIEWS RESTAURANT: YAFFA CAFÉ

Julie Daly

heetahs and zebras and cows, oh my! The 97 St. Marks Place (between 1st Ave & Ave A) eclectic décor is not so much frightening as +1 (212) 674-9302 it is alluringly dazzling. There are carpeted Hours: Sun-Sat 12am-11:59pm Nearest Transit: 1st Ave. stop on the L line walls, shiny pink tabletops, twinkling string lights, and fountains. There’s also outdoor seating in a garden out back when the weather permits. The atmosphere of this restaurant is what I love the most. Every time I go, I notice something I hadn’t before. That’s not to say the food isn’t worth the trip, because the food is indeed what first led me to Yaffa Café. Despite its name, Yaffa Café is in fact a restaurant as opposed to a café. The menu offers a delicious array of hot and cold sandwiches, wraps, salads, pasta dishes, and more. With the exception of the entrees smothered in cream sauces, I’d say the food here is ideal for the health-conscious customer. If I had to offer one bit of advice, I’d suggest you order something that comes with a salad, so you can try their homemade carrot dressing. I have friends who can vouch for the fact that the Goat Cheese & Veggie Wrap, Chicken Dijon, Sunshine Burger, and Sangria are all menu items worth trying.

The highest priced entrée on the menu costs $14.95, but most others average around $10. If you’re going to order a drink or two with your meal, I’d expect to spend upwards of $30. To save a few bucks, head over between 12 and 4 pm on weekdays for their $7.95 lunch special, or go during happy hour to save on drinks. Please note that there’s a $20 minimum on credit cards, so be sure to have cash on you if you don’t expect to spend that much money. Yaffa Café is open 24/7, so it’s perfect for a late night bite after an evening out in the East Village, or better yet, for an early morning coffee while you catch up on the latest Sartorialist blog posts, utilizing the available WiFi. If nothing else, after dining here, you can say that you ate at the restaurant located directly across from the two buildings on the cover of Led Zeppelin’s Physical Graffiti album.

The eclectic interior; courtesy photo.

MUSIC: BEATS BELOW THE STREET

Danielle Plotkin

t’s November and you’re probably squirming in your seats listening to your professors lecture about draping or the 4 Ps of marketing, anxious for Thanksgiving break. These lectures may sound enticing to some, but for the rest of us, why not ease the pain by listening to some new ear candy? A diverse batch of delectable albums are dropping this month, making that November break itch, a little more bearable. If you simply cannot wait until 2011 for No Doubt to release their newest reggae-influenced album, have no fear, a new catalog release is here! On November 2nd, No Doubt releases a lower-priced greatest hits collection at just $7.98. In the hip-hop arena, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy,, Kanye West’s fifth album will drop on November 22nd. With a name like that, the album promises to reveal Kanye’s struggle with his inner demons. His 34-minute feature film for the single Runaway already fulfills that promise with many

references to a disturbed West. Perhaps the most intriguing speculation about the album is rumors of a track entitled “Popular” which samples the song “Popular” belted by Kristen Chenoweth of the smashhit Broadway musical, “Wicked.” Kristen and Kanye... can you say unlikely duo? As fresh independent artists enter the realm where innovation and edginess is conceived a.k.a. the New York music scene, sometimes certain musicians stick out in our minds. This is no exception for Brooklynbased My Pet Dragon, an indie song-and-dance group, which ingeniously mixes paradoxical influences including traditional Indian sounds with elements of electronica and folk. Featuring Indian dancer/actress, Reena Shah who plays the percussion and enthralls the crowd with her cultural dances, her lead- singer husband, Todd Michaelson and a bassist, guitarist, and drummer, this band conceives an ethereal, enchanting sound. Check them out at http://www.myspace.com/

mypetdragon. If you like what you hear, catch them on the 6th at Cameo Gallery in Brooklyn. Speaking of indie bands that rock, the CMJ Music Marathon was in full swing this past month from October 19-23. This fabulous festival consisted of a whopping 1,200 live performances. That’s a lot of music... so I’ve handpicked my personal favorite featured artists. DOM, a low-fi fuzzy-pop band who specializes in singalong lyrics, and danceable beats employs a good sense of wit, as conveyed in their lyrics, “it’s so sexy to be living in America.” U.K. producer, Gold Panda mixes tracks with a mid-tempo thump, soothing warpish instrumentals with a steady hip-hop beat, and actual “family conversations.” Ultimately, Canadian electro-psychedelic group, Gobble Gobble will liven up any Thanksgiving dinner with hyperactive vocals, and backing tracks that sound like they come from a Nintendo 64 game.

BOOK: JUDGING BY THE COVER:

SUPER

SAD

TRUE

LOVE

STORY by GARY SHTEYNGART

Davita Louie

n the future, there is no denying that fashion will remain important no matter what, even if the key to being in style is just how vulgar and exhibitionist you are willing to be. In Gary Shteyngart’s fictional world, girls are clad in seethrough onionskin (get it?) jeans and the future of undergarments lies in “Total Surrender” panties that come off with the click of a button for nice, easy access. You can’t say you weren’t warned. Gary Shteyngart’s third and best-selling work of fiction, Super Sad True Love Story, may not just be a satire echoing the sentiments of Orwell’s classic 1984, but actually a scary look into our near future. Using the conceits of exaggeration and humor, Shteyngart

Book cover art; courtesy of Random House.

really hits the nail on the head. You may not find flying cars anywhere in this novel, but allusions to an end of America-as-we-know-it, and eternal indebted to the Chinese could presage an all-too-real scenario in the coming days. Protagonist Lenny Abramov lives in a world fueled by technology, even working for a life extension company that picks people who are worthy and fit enough, to live forever. Despite his profession, Lenny is hung up on the past and would be perfectly content reading his “smelly” books. Enter Eunice Park, an unexpected oposite to Lenny and his disdain for his own times. Eunice represents all things young and data-obsessed. Through Lenny’s journal entries and Eunice’s emails,

not only do we gather insight into their mismatched love affair, but we are shown the polarizing views of what the world once was and what the world is rapidly becoming, and how people react to it. Still in limbo over how I feel about the novel, I will say that Shteyngart delivers a viable vision of life in his fictive world while maintaining compassion for his characters, which despite the age they live in, still evoke very real emotions. In the end though, regardless of all the satirical references, if Super Sad True Love Story proves one thing, it’s that the more technological our society gets, the lonelier people become. Now let’s all take a minute to put aside that Blackberry.

HAUTE CULTURE

FASHION INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

MOVIES & TV Patricia Braga With Thanksgiving drawing nearer, it only seemed appropriate to center this month’s TV and Movie Review around the notorious eat-yourself-silly holiday. Reminisce over past turkey-day themed television series episodes that are more than likely available on Hulu and/or iTunes. Then get a few tips on which movie to catch this Thanksgiving weekend. Love and Other Drugs Blair was dealing with her “daddy left me for a guy” Turkey Day Epic Episodes We will be the first to admit that as much as we love issue. Only on Gossip Girl! Friends- “The One With All the Thanksgivings” those serious Oscar-worthy movies, we are always up Seinfeld- “The Mom and Pop Store” to watch a bad, but good, romantic comedy. This time, When it comes to Friends, there are so many turkey What better way to take a break from your overlywe follow the story of the adorable Anne Hathaway episodes that it’s hard to choose the funniest. affectionate old aunt Gert than watching the hot mess and Jake Gyllenhaal. The premise is the player who However, this one has won the prize because there’s of Seinfeld? In this Thanksgiving episode we follow was never able to fall in love until he met the right certainly nothing funnier than Monica’s turkey dance George and the aftermath of buying a used car, and girl...Cheesy? Yes. Entertaining? Definitely. or Joey getting his head stuck in the bird. Oh Friends, Jerry trying to crash a Thanksgiving party wearing how we miss you. 127 hours cowboy boots (don’t ask). How I Met Your Mother- “Slapsgiving” We get teary eyed just from watching the trailer of this movie. James Franco gives the performance of his career In this episode, Marshall starts the Slapsgiving Flicks Dropping This T-Day Break in the movie based on the true story of the mountain tradition, where he has to slap Barney by the end of climber who had to amputate his own arm after being the holiday. This terrifies him. Meanwhile, we enjoy Tangled trapped in a Canyon. Prepare yourselves before watching watching Ted and Robin deal with the awkwardness When we first heard that Disney was working on their this, it’s sure to be Best Picture of the Year. of post break-up sex. Slapsgiving ends in one of version of Rapunzel, we prayed for Elton John music Marshall’s hilarious story-telling piano compositions. Morning Glory and old school cartoons. But after seeing the trailer for Grey’s Anatomy- “Thanks for the Memories” Oh Rachel McAdams, we get so frustrated with you. Tangled, we are afraid that this is how Disney is going This girl has so much potential but insists on doing There are so many good things about this episode that to tell fairy tales from now on – comedic and in 3-D. these silly romantic “comedies.” This time she plays it’s hard to pick just one. Let’s start with George being Still, we can’t wait to get in touch with the 10-yeara TV show producer who struggles balancing her olds inside of us and watch this movie already. kidnapped by his brothers, to Dr. Burke performing work and personal life. As relatable as this story is, a “surgery” on a turkey – this episode is sure to Due Date we already know that this Devil Wears Prada wannabe make you feel that maybe your family is not that There is something about these unrealistic scenarios won’t be a critical success. dysfunctional after all. that director Todd Phillips somehow makes it work. Gossip Girl- “Blair Waldorf Must Pie” Starring the hilarious Zach Galifianakis (you know, Alan from The Hangover), this comedy follows two Let’s go back to season 1, a time when Little J guys on their road trip to L.A. Along the way they didn’t have the raccoon eye get-up yet, the Van der deal with exploding cars, injured dogs, and even Jamie Woodsens didn’t have a home to spend Thanksgiving Foxx. We are just really hoping that hunky Robert in, and found themselves in the far away land of Downey Jr. makes this movie the new Hangover. Brooklyn. Meanwhile, back on the Upper East Side,

INDIE FILM: CATFISH

Fernanda DeSouza

t’s 2010. The equation lies here: computer + Internet = Facebook. It’s inevitable:

Catfish is a documentary about Nev Schulman, a New York based photographer who receives a painting of his work done by a fan, Abby Pierce, an eight-year old from Ishpeming, Michigan. Abby proved to be a talent in her little town. Nev becomes involved with Abby’s family, speaking to her mother Angela on the phone to discuss Abby’s work. Nev goes as far as to have growing feelings for Abby’s half-sister, Megan Faccio and the two become involved in a what you can call a “semi-long-distance-relationship.” Everything runs smoothly between the two until Nev starts to notice some quirks with Megan. She begins

to send him recordings of what she claims to be her singing (as she is a musician and dancer) but turns out that she took the audio from a YouTube video. She makes excuses for not being able to talk on the phone and starts making up certain information that does not match up to what she previously stated. Nev and his friends become so curious that they, in spite of their uncertainty, decide to fly out to Michigan to meet Abby, Angela, Megan and the rest of the family in person.

plays a part of our lives, more specifically Facebook. At what point does sharing who you truly are over a social networking site become creepy? Nev was a vulnerable project throughout this documentary, not knowing where the whole story would end and how he would be affected by it. What he finds is extraordinary and unthinkable. It truly makes you wonder: because technology has evolved this much, who is it that you are really talking to on the other side of the screen? That’s the real mystery.

What Nev finds ends up turning his virtual romance upside down.

Catfish is now playing at Regal Union Square Stadium 14 850 Broadway

The quality and directorship of this documentary is sloppy. But the material is nothing less than intriguing. It brings up the issue of how much the Internet

MUSICAL VENUE: MUSIC HALL OF WILLIAMSBURG

Georgeanna Dwiggins

ave you noticed the page in the Village Voice showing concerts from “The Bowery Presents”? Have you noticed that they “present” some great concerts? Unfortunately, most of the these well-known acts tend to gravitate toward the more expensive side. Speaking personally, unless I totally love an artist that forty or so dollars won’t be coming out of my college student pocket. So what is there to do? Well on that very same page is a place that may be able to be a bit more frequented, and still let you see some

pretty big names like The Music Hall of Williamsburg. Located in hipster central (even cited as such on the sometime-reliable Wikipedia) this venue is right off the Bedford Avenue stop of the L train. Electronic rock duo Phantogram is who I made the venture to Brooklyn to see on a Friday night. This energetic duo has opened for the likes of The xx and Yeasayer, and are known to break into frantic dancing when creating psychedelic beats on keyboard and guitar. It was impossible not to join in on the dancing, but the hardwood floor, sticky with spilled Pabst Blue Ribbon,

made it a bit difficult. Other than that mishap, the venue was everything it needed to be. There was plenty of space for me and fellow concert goers to dance on the very spacious lower level, and also seating on an upper tier for people to just watch the show. The crowd you’ll find here is entertaining to say the least and definitely will provide for a hilarious weekend night accompanied by some great music.

NOV

OUTSIDE THE BLOCK

2010

W27

OUTSIDE YOUR BOROUGH:

BEST PIE SHOPS For this month of one of our most-popular monthly features, it only seemed appropriate to pay homage to the second best part of Thanksgiving dinner (after the Turkey of course). Pies! Our staffers became experts on the crusty confections and are hear to give you the real dish.

QUEENS By Rene Waddell MARTHA’S COUNTRY BAKERY 3621 Ditmars Blvd., Astoria, NY, 11105 (Corner of Ditmars Blvd. & 37th St.)

+1 (718) 545-9737 Hours: Sun-Thurs 6am-11pm, Fri & Sat 6am-1am Nearest Transit: Ditmars Blvd. stop on the N/Q train

Walking into Martha’s, I felt a little bit of stress melt away as I was reminded of suburbia and the more carefree Saturday afternoons I’d once indulged. After being greeted at the door, I took in the busy, yet jolly, atmosphere and pleasant décor. Martha’s, a space I consider extra roomy compared to any café in Manhattan, still appears quaint, with a “mom and pop shop” feel to it, and outdoor and indoor café style seating. The air, subtly wafting tasty aromas lets you focus on nothing besides the many scrumptious baked goods- I was actually relieved I only came for pie! In this season of pie, thanks to Martha’s, my new favorite is cranberry walnut! Fresh tart cranberries compliment the sweet sticky pie with crisp crust and candied walnuts. Other flavors of Martha’s personal, yet shareable sized pie tartlets are apple, cherry, blueberry, lemon meringue, and pecan pie (all $3.75). Martha’s also offers full sized pies ($12-14) coming in the same flavors, plus some crumb variations. You have the choice of getting a table, taking your favorite baked goods to go, or just popping in for the coffee bar (coffee starts at $1!).

LONG ISLAND By Christopher Gawiak BRIERMERE FARMS 4414 Sound Ave., Riverhead, NY 11901

+1 (631) 722-3931 Hours: Sun-Sat 9am-5:30pm Nearest Transit: LIRR to Riverhead stop on the Ronkonkoma line

Located in Riverhead, Long Island, Briermere Farms is every fruit-pie fanatic’s haven. With flavors ranging from apple-rhubarb to blueberry cream, it can be a daunting task to pick out a top favorite. However, for $25.00, one can purchase their pride and joy, the strawberry cream pie. Weighing in at almost 5 pounds, filled with a secret cream recipe, topped with a proverbial mountain of fresh strawberries, and glazed with home made strawberry syrup, it’s guaranteed to make anyone’s mouth water. Now, in case you’re wondering how your pants will fit after this, fear not! Brieremere is 100% all natural, with all ingredients grown and harvested on the farm. They’re so passionate about the quality and freshness of their ingredients that the strawberry cream pie is only available for only 2 months a year! http://www.briermere.com

Illustrated by Kara Zisa for W27.

OUTSIDE THE BLOCK

FASHION INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

BROOKLYN By Samantha Vance

MANHATTAN By Julie Daly

LADYBIRD BAKERY (Formerly Two Little Red Hens Bakery) 1112 8th Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11215

LITTLE PIE COMPANY 424 W 43rd St., Manhattan, NY 10036 (Btwn 9th and 10th Ave.)

+1 (718) 499-8108 Hours: Sun 8am-5pm, Mon-Fri 7am-7pm, Sun 8am-5pm Nearest Transit: 7th Ave. stop on the F train

+1 (212) 736-4780 Hours: Sun 10am-6pm, Mon-Fri 8am-8pm, Sat 10am-8pm Nearest Transit: 42nd St./Port Authority stop on the A/C/E train

You don’t even have to go inside Ladybird to experience the atmosphere of this cozy old-time bakery. The outside has wooden benches and chairs that look like they belong in a different century. However, the bright blue door and floral glass paintings on the window let you know that it is a lively, friendly neighborhood sweet spot.

Celebrating their 25th Anniversary this year, Little Pie Company has been successfully serving up something sweet in the Theater District since they opening their doors in 1985. Upon entering, the scent of freshly baked pies and cakes overcomes you, adding to the delight of an autumn day. Their signature pie is Sour Cream Apple Walnut, which is a nice step up from the traditional apple pie we all love this time of year. Their other popular pie flavors include Montmorency Cherry, Three-Berry, Pumpkin, and Mississippi Mud, which are all baked with natural ingredients and 0 grams trans fat. You can try a slice for $4, but if you’re looking to go all out, the larger pies run from $22 to $30 and would be something great to take home to your families for an upcoming holiday dinner. Pies and cheesecakes can also be shipped to friends and relatives that live out of town.

Inside you will find similar classic furniture and a very tiny counter atop a large glass case of artfully decorated cupcakes, tarts, and pies. The walls are decorated with aprons on strings, oversized flowers, mirrors and old photos. It is safe to say that this is the most adorable bakery I have ever seen. But make no mistake; all the cutest things in the world don’t determine whether or not the baked goods make the cut. Luckily Ladybird has had plenty (more than 15 years) of experience baking homemade goodies and pumpkin pie just happens to be one of their specialties. I was so delighted by the classic taste and texture of the pie and the interesting nut and streusel topping they added. This yummy slice came at the very reasonable price of $2.50. They successfully put a tasty spin on an already delicious classic. It was definitely one of those “just like mom’s” moments. Mary Louise Clemens opened Ladybird in 2006 when she decided to amicably leave her partner Christina Winkler and their bakery, Two Little Red Hens, after a very successful 14 years. She maintained the location of Two Little Red Hens in Park Slope, Brooklyn and changed the name to symbolize new ownership and to allow the loyal customers of the bakery to help choose the new title. I would now consider myself one of those loyal customers.

TriBeCa is home to a second Little Pie Company shop, located at 295 Greenwich Street. http://www.littlepiecompany.com/

THE BRONX By Claycia Tweed CONTI’S PASTRY SHOPPE 786 Morris Park Ave., Bronx, NY 10462

+1 (718) 239-933 Hours: Sun 7am-5pm, Mon 8am-6pm, Tues-Fri 7am-7pm, Sat 7am-8pm Nearest Transit: Bronx Park East stop on the 2 train, or Morris Park stop on the 5 train

Conti’s Pastry Shoppe has been thriving deep in the heart of the Bronx for almost 90 years. The atmosphere is very warm and cozy, the staff is equally friendly. Many of Conti’s desserts are made from original recipes carried on since it’s opening in 1921. Their Boston cream pie has a reputation that proceeds itself; it’s light and moist but not too sweet. If you are no in the mood for Boston creme pie, you can try one of their other flavors including: apple, cherry, blueberry, coconut, and pumpkin. As an added bonus these pies come at a great price, small pies are $10 and large pie are $12. NEW JERSEY By Raquel Burger

http://www.contispastryshoppe.com

MR. TOD’S PIE FACTORY 1760 Easton Ave., Somerset NJ 08873

+1 (732) 356-8900 Hours: Sun 9am-5pm, Mon Closed, Tues-Sat 7am-8pm Nearest Transit: NJ Transit to Bound Brook stop on the Raritan Valley line

This bakery is all about homemade desserts with an extra special touch to them. They sell cobblers, cheesecakes, and cupcakes but they are known for their irresistible pies. Mr. Tod’s Pie Factory pie flavors include: apple, peach, buttermilk coconut, sweet potato, pecan, pumpkin, cherry, french apple, chocolate pecan, and blueberry. By far the best is the sweet potato pie because of its creamy texture and sweet and extraordinary taste. Though they don’t sell individual slices they do offer mini pies that fit in the palm of your hand for $2.75 each. The regular 10- inch pies are sold for $25.00 each. By request any of their pies can be made with splenda for a healthier option. Mr. Tod’s long term goal is to make the company a household name and he is already on his way. You can order online at www.whybake.com or stop by their store. You don’t want to miss out on the incredible flavors and personal experience this bakery offers.

STATEN ISLAND By Marissa Mule BELLA CARINI PASTRY SHOP 1743 Richmond Rd., Staten Island, NY 10306

+1 (718) 351-1588 Hours: Sun 7am-8pm, Mon-Thurs 7am-8pm, Fri & Sat 7am-9pm Nearest Transit: South Ferry stop off the 1 train, take the Staten Island Ferry to Staten Island, SIR to Dongan Hills stop

Bella Carini Pastry Shop is new to Staten Island, but has been in the business for decades. Everything is baked fresh, right in front of you, and are a great dessert for any occasion. Their most famous pie is a mixed fruit pie, which is perfect for any holiday! Other pies include blueberry, cherry, keesh, coconut, pumpkin and apple. The pumpkin pie is made with potato filling, and cheese. Prices for pies range from $7 - $10. Bella Carini’s cakes are their specialty because they are designed for specific occasions, and holidays. The bestselling cake is called “The Checkerboard,” because it is made with chocolate moose, and canolli cream. Prices for cakes range from $14.00 - $20.00.

NOV

OUTSIDE THE BLOCK

2010

W27

MONTH-IN-REVIEW SHIFTS OF POWER

Alexander Cavaluzzo The 2006 Midterm elections, when George W. Bush, was in office there was a surge of Democrats taking control of the House and Senate. Now, four years later, the exact same fickleness has reared its head. Even though the buzz about the 2012 elections has been in the air, Obama still has two years of his first presidential term left, and now has the task of managing a divided House and Senate. This will prove particularly challenging moving forward when the Bush-era tax cuts expire and long-standing problematic fiscal issues must be addressed, probably affecting many social programs like Social Security and Medicare. Thankfully, amidst the sturm und drang of the elections, New York State did not see (Crazy) Carl Paladino become Governor. Rather, we welcome Democrat Andrew Cuomo to take the reigns from David Paterson. Of course, ever the gentlemen and gracious loser, Paladino took to the stage, brandishing a baseball bat, saying “You can grab this handle and bring the people with you to Albany, or you can leave it untouched, and run the risk of having it wielded against you. Because make no mistake. You have not heard the last of Carl Paladino.”

Graded Midterms The Midterm elections came and went, with results that did not (or should not have) shocked many. In spite of Jon Stewart’s efforts with his “Rally to Restore Sanity” during the last weekend of October, conservative candidates swept the elections. The House now has a Republican majority, holding 239 seats to the Democrats’ 185. The Senate still has a Democrat majority even though they lost six seats, but just barely; Republicans took control of those seats, and now their voice is even stronger. It is certainly no surprise that two years after Americans wished to see Obama make changes in the White House that they have now turned to the other party; there’s a natural ebb and flow to the collective political consciousness of this country, with the last few elections illustrating that point.

miasma that is the mortgage system needs to be reassessed, or even altered. Before the threat of foreclosure, which seems like a “quick fix” for most banks, homeowners should be offered fair and timely loan modifications. If the government became more involved with these proceedings, banks might not have the potential to take advantage of homeowners. Terror Alerts Intensify Terror threats in the Western world have considerably escalated within the past month. In France, officials have confirmed an audiotape produced by Osama Bin Laden, threatening them if they do not take their troops out of Afghanistan.

Subprime Rib

“If you want to tyrannize and think that it is your right to ban the free women from wearing the burqa, isn’t it our right to expel your occupying forces, your men from our lands by striking them by the neck?” says Bin Laden, referring to the new country-wide ban on the religious garb in France. While it did not change immediately upon the tape’s release, France’s terror alert is now red, the second highest. The American media has yet to confirm whether or not the speaker is in fact Osama Bin Laden, but fake ones have never been broadcast.

The financial crisis has impaired, upset and confounded almost everyone, but did you ever think a bank could foreclose on your house, even if it was not mortgaged? The Sun Sentinel in Fort Lauderdale reported that Bank of America did exactly that to Florida homeowner Jason Grodensky in September. “I feel like I’m hanging in the wind and I’m scared to death,” said Grodensky. “How did some attorney put through a foreclosure illegally?” The answer? “Robo-signing.”

The looming threat of Bin Laden notwithstanding, the US must now deal with a relatively new antagonist: al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, a recently developed arm of the umbrella terrorist organization that targets the government and Western interests in Yemen and Saudi Arabia. The man who attempted the Christmas Day terror plot to blow up a Northwest Airlines passenger jet headed to Detroit has been linked with al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.

To explain the situation, let’s look back a little; during a fire sale in 2008, Bank of America bought Countrywide, a subprime mill that was the biggest originator of mortgage loans in the US. Countrywide sold and approved mortgages to people, then compiled all the mortgages into a bond that they would then sell to investors. Homeowners would make monthly mortgage payments, and then investors would get their money through Countrywide.

It is suspected that terrorists associated with the group were responsible for the explosives headed to Chicago via Yemeni cargo planes that were apprehended before any damage was caused.

When the financial crisis started, homeowners could not afford their monthly payments, and thus investors would not get their money, so Bank of America would foreclose on the homeowners’ properties. As more and more people became late on their payments, naturally Bank of America would foreclose on thousands of houses at a daily rate. With thousands of foreclosures processed per day, they began to be done improperly, i.e.: not by humans, but by machines. This “robosigning” led to affidavits being signed without any research, or in some cases outright forged documents. Bank of America said in early October that they would stop foreclosing until the errors in the paperwork was corrected and the problem was resolved. After what they deemed a “thorough review” after about a week, they said they found no problems and resumed foreclosures. Of course, this cannot be taken as a guarantee, and it should fall to the government to hash out some of these problems. The Obama administration’s role so far has been to support the banks during this crisis, but more attention needs to be paid to the taxpayers, who are now at great risks. It is not as simple as telling Bank of America, for example, to double-check their work; the swirling

“We ... know that al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula continues to plan attacks against our homeland, our citizens, and our friends and allies,” said President Obama. “Going forward, we will continue to strengthen our cooperation with the Yemeni government ... to destroy this al-Qaeda affiliate.” Want to Get Your B.A. in G.A.G.A.? In a spectacularly novel approach to academia, a University of South Carolina professor has planned a course for the Spring 2011 semester entitled “Lady Gaga and the Sociology of Fame.” Mathieu Deflem, scholar of sociology admitted “Little Monster,” proposed the course, hoping to “unravel the sociologically relevant dimensions of the fame of Lady Gaga.” College academia has always embraced unusual subjects for study, especially from pop culture (several universities still have courses on Buffy, the Vampire Slayer in their catalogues) so this course on the most famous current pop singer should come as no surprise. We can only wait to see if the Lady herself will be a guest lecturer.

Symbol of the Republican party, courtesy of the GOP; Countrywide gets bought out by Bank of America; courtesy of New York Times; Lady Gaga cover art, courtesy of Streamline/Interscope Records.

FIT SPEAKS

FASHION INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

THE VIRTUAL LOVE EXPERIMENT:

THE WRAPUP When W27 had the idea of debunking the myth that online dating is for hopeless eternal bachelors and bachelorettes, we knew it would have to be at the cost of willing participants’ bravery, vulnerability and honesty. Three staffers stepped up to the challenge and set up profiles on the popular free dating website “OkCupid” and have been blogging about their experiences throughout on W27Newspaper.com. So now that you’ve gotten wound up to the big D-A-T-E, the wait is over. (And if you haven’t read their amusingly sincere blogs, put this paper down, go to the nearest computer and do so now.) We covered three scenarios, with a single girl looking for her man, a single guy looking for his man and the ever-so-hard-to-find single straight male from FIT. Illustrated by Anastasia Davydov for W27.

Jaclyn Bloomfield | W4M

h online dating, what a roller-coaster ride you have taken me on! First off, there were tons of controversial and personal questions like, “Is contraception morally wrong?” and “Are you looking to have children with the partner you find?” Then, there were bizarre messages, like the one from a man, who tried to be a modern-day Shakespeare. It has been nothing but interesting to say the least! As part of this little social experiment, I had to take the cyber world of OkCupid and make it a part of my real life. This made me very nervous. Cyberspace is one thing, but reality is another. In my short life, I have never been on a blind date. This date wasn’t completely blind because I had seen his pictures on his profile and talked to him for a couple of weeks, but I still had never met him, and we didn’t have any mutual friends, who could give me all the dirt about him. I felt so awkward in the days prepping for this date. Things that I haven’t worried about in a long time were now suddenly popping up, like the inevitable question, “What should I wear?”

Some of my favorite pieces in my wardrobe are my fur jackets and vests, and my roommate and friends said that’s a first date no-no. That immediately lowered my confidence, for in my opinion, there is never a wrong time to sport some foxy, faux fur. They told me not to dress too trendy or fashion forward. On the contrary, I was supposed to appear to be a laid back effortless beauty. Unsure of how much I agreed with that, I decided to go with the best of both worlds: a tunic, leggings, and killer stilettos. Another thing that scared me, and boggled my mind was the actual greeting. Should I shake his hand? Hug him? Just say hi? I was so unsure. I guess I tend to over-analyze things because when I look back now, I made a pretty big deal out of nothing. Before I left I decided I was just going to go with flow! The date itself was pretty successful. I met up with him for dinner at a restaurant on the Upper West Side called Josephina’s. The food and the ambiance made for just the right setting, and the conversation was consistent and interesting. He had a gorgeous smile, and was truly a great guy, and he even picked up the

Patrick McGrath | M4M

other users. Call me a sissy – I was afraid of rejection.

hy wouldn’t you want to join an online dating website?” This is a question I have been exploring for the past few weeks, after joining OkCupid.

The wonderful thing about OkCupid is that people, like myself, who have a fear of reaching out to others, are all on the site for the same reason- to find a match. Soon after creating my account, I discovered that people on the site are serious. Within 24 hours I had already been contacted by users, some with definite compatibility, and some whom I hope to never find myself in a dark alley with.

“W

Consider OkCupid to be your virtual best friend, who’s setting you up on a blind date. It’s a virtual catalog of potential beaus, and matches are formed based on your preferences and personality after answering a series of questions. Then, based on your personality, you are given percentages of “matched” compatibility. The fun has just begun. Once you are finished setting up your account, it is kind of a waiting game (well, it was for me). Being that this was my first time on a website like this, I had my reservations about making the initial contact with

Christopher Gawiak | M4W

few weeks back, as you all know, I was assigned “The Virtual Love Experiment”, where I was to make an online dating profile and attempt to find a potential date. For those of you who followed my blog, you know that I ran into all sorts of shenanigans, and failed miserably at finding a date online. However, I wouldn’t consider it a total failure, as I technically was never able to legitimately finish the experiment by finding a date. After only two weeks, I ended up meeting somebody outside of the online

This is not your grandparents’ high school sweetheart romantic courtship, nor is it as shallow as Grindr. After connecting with a user through messaging back and forth, we became Facebook friends, and from there, we exchanged numbers and have been talking and texting, and we plan to go on a date soon.

dating realm, and I decided to shut down my profile, as I did not feel comfortable pursuing someone while simultaneously seeking dates online. Since then, things have been going great. As much as you’d love to hear all the details of my relationship, I find it more appropriate to go back to the issue at hand. My experience with online dating, although fruitless and brief, was nevertheless enlightening in regards to our society’s evolution. While there is this huge stigma attached to the online dating world, many people have been too ignorant to actually see what it’s about and what it encompasses. It’s actually quite similar to any other

tab after I insisted that I pay for myself. With all things considered, there was still something missing. Special things, like fire, passion, butterflies, and the ever-so-important spark weren’t there. With the lack of those qualities present, a second date probably won’t happen, unless it’s on platonic terms. That initial spark is just so crucial. It’s not one of those things that can be grown over time or forced. To me, it differentiates a friend from a significant other. When it comes to regular dating, I think the initial draw to a person is through that physical attraction. It’s the quality that gets you to notice them right away. The after portion is when you get to know them personally, and their personality is what keeps you around. When you date online, it’s the opposite; you find out who a person is by they way they decided to portray themselves first. You can’t really see if the spark is present until you go out and meet them in the real world. Overall, online dating was a great experience. Will I continue with it? Maybe I will because I have met a few great people. But, will I find my next beau? The odds are against me. OkCupid was the icebreaker for me to make a connection with someone, who I would have never met otherwise. It offered us a base of knowledge about each other, including the type of relationship we were both looking for so there was no misunderstanding. If you haven’t yet considered joining an online dating website and are looking for a partner, what’s stopping you? I have been blogging about my time on OkCupid on the W27 website, and I will continue to update regarding my budding relationship and our upcoming date. Keep reading to find out if this will be a match made in heaven, or if I’ll have to go back to the drawing board!

social networking site, the key difference being that you are allowed and expected to ask someone out on a date. That being said, I now have a more thorough understanding of the online dating world, and I can say that there is absolutely nothing wrong with someone creating an online dating profile. It’s a huge world out there, and people are growing more and more estranged from each other on a daily basis. As for me, I guess it’s predictable that in this instance, I would advise you to keep an open eye in the real world. You never know who you’re going to meet.

NOV

FIT SPEAKS

2010

TECHNOLOGY: A FRIEND OR FOE? by Venus Wong Face it. We have all been there: You promised yourself you’d finish the 10 page term paper at least a week before the deadline, and somehow it just didn’t work out. Now, it is 9:00 the night before it’s due, and you find yourself sitting in the library freaking out (just a little bit, you KNOW you will somehow get it done, right?). “Well, this is going to be really easy,” you think to yourself, “I’ll just Google a bunch of information and cite them here and there.” (THANK GOD for Google!) And while you’re at it, it wouldn’t hurt to open up a new tab on your browser and check your Facebook for just one split second, would it? Oh crap, your ex “is in a relationship.” Again. You immediately pick up your vice of being a Facebook stalker and start investigating the other person’s page. You look at his or her profile, and go through every single picture he or she was tagged in, dating back to 2006. It took you a few minutes (or hours) to realize what you were in the library for, and you finally closed the tab. It was then that a friend texted you about this concert taking place in Brooklyn tonight; everyone was talking about it on Twitter apparently. There is NO WAY that you are missing it! You felt a slight remorse for storming out of the library without accomplishing anything, but then again, you can always come tomorrow! “Tomorrow, I will get a Venti Iced Americano from Starbucks and I won’t be procrastinating like this!” you tell yourself. I CANNOT tell you how many times I found myself in the same situation. Now don’t get me wrong, I am extremely grateful for living in this day and age: All the modern technology we have enables us to communicate with others promptly and retrieve information at the snap of a finger. Thanks to the Internet, I need not fret when I miss a “Glee” episode. Advice can be obtained without even asking personally for it. If it weren’t for review websites, I would have never known that a certain fancy-looking restaurant down in East Village serves unauthentic Asian food, which tastes like sewage and charges a 20% gratuity, nor could I ever discover some of my favorite hangout spots in Chinatown through word of mouth. That being said, all the technology in our generation can bring out some of the worst addictions in us: I frequently squander my precious youth by

Illustrated by Venus Wong for W27. abusing the refresh button on Facebook, and resist the urge to reactivate my cell phone every few minutes during class just to see if someone has texted me. Some of us can speed-text like nobody’s business, but end up using “u” instead of “you” and mistyping “your” for “you’re” in essays. I cannot help but wonder: Are you wearing all the technology, or is the technology wearing YOU? Would I be better off if I had lived like my grandparents did when they were young? When they could enjoy every moment, without having to tweet about every minuscule detail in their lives? When they took pictures for the sake of remembrance, not for flaunting them on Facebook the morning after? Let me know if you feel the same way.

Yours truly, Venus (a.k.a. Fishball)

INFORMATION AVALANCH! by Samantha Vance Have you ever logged onto the Internet with a set agenda, and then looked at the clock three hours later only to realize that you’re still Google-ing or Facebook-ing, and that you’ve accomplished nothing? That answer is most likely yes. It happens to me nearly every week. The truth is that we are nearly powerless before the temptations of the Internet. Subconsciously, we consume tens of thousands of media advertisements on a daily basis. Do you ever feel like you’re drowning in all this information? You’re not alone; nearly everyone is dealing with a severe information overload. The only problem is, we’re addicted! When we log onto Facebook, Twitter, or email, we immediately become more aware and connected. Spending even a few minutes without the Internet causes a wave of panic to come over us. As a result, we end up texting or checking our Facebook at inappropriate times (like during class). Although we think that this constant connectivity is making us more in the know or efficient, it actually delays our productivity. When we attempt to cram too much information down our throats at one time, we understand less of it. The barrage of data we are constantly exposed to carries a cost, both physically and mentally.

a huge waste of time. In addition, try taking your name off those calling and mailing lists that you aren’t interested in (it typically only takes a few minutes). Don’t spend too much time on Facebook or blogs. Instead, practice giving yourself a daily or weekly allowance of time on those sites. Try to make a list of more fun productive things to do with your time. Many students, who engage in a hobby or sport, spend considerably less time on the net. When using search engines specificity can go a long way. Being able to filter out even a few thousand of those links will save you a lot of time and headaches. Take a few minutes to learn the Boolean search terms (using operators like AND, OR and NOT); these will produce valuable results as opposed to 10,000 useless links. Also, check out metacrawler.com, it searches the search engines for you and provides better results. Oh, and when it comes to our smart phones, my only advice is to PUT IT DOWN! Bite the bullet and leave it in another room for a while. It’s okay, I promise, and all of your precious apps will still be there when you come back for it.

But the questions remain: How are we supposed to filter all of this junk? Do we even have a choice as to how much data we consume? and, How can we cure our hopeless crack-like addiction to our technology? First of all, when it comes to giving your email out online, DON’T. Second, if you are inclined to just pass it around at least designate a junk email account for spam. Spending all that time sifting through your email is just Illustrated by Kimberlyn Bailey for W27.

Even though our awesome lives are clearly worth updating every five seconds, and there are tons of facts and knowledge at our fingertips, sometimes it is better to just give it a rest. At least now, when our minds are ready to jump back into the sea of information, they won’t be receiving thousands of useless links and hits. So, go forth and Facebook, Tweet, email, and search more efficiently! Consider yourself cured.

W27

FIT SPEAKS

FASHION INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

OP-ED

INTERNATIONAL ADMIN NEEDS TO CHANGE

Nicole Tan

The following is an opinion piece submitted by an FIT student on behalf of an organization. These views belong to said student and organization and do not represent the views and belief of the paper as a whole. Dear Departments at FIT, As an International student, one is already on foreign soil and at a disadvantage. We are unable to work, apply for jobs or internships (until a certain time in our degree), and in some cases, we are forced to overcome language and cultural barriers. Yet, we chose to come to New York, and particularly FIT in hopes of a bigger, better, and brighter future. Ever since I got here, however, there have been very few departments willing to aid one in their college and/or career track. Based on personal experience, I have concluded that departments here are fragmented, each dishing out various answers to a question, with phrases like, “don’t quote me” or “this has nothing to do with our department” at the end of each discussion. This is then proceeded by directing you to another office, which probably has a ‘better idea.’ Upon discussing one’s woes with a fellow international student, I discovered he was made to settle his bill over the summer, when calling overseas was expensive, time-consuming, and stressful. Made to dial between the registrar, financial aid and bursar’s office, a simple task was suddenly exhausting due to the lack of cooperation between each department.

On another occasion, armed with questions for the Office of International Advisers, regarding an interest in work programs, I was shunted away by “the meetings are on the dates in that leaflet [pointing to a stand], I can’t give you any more information.” The meeting turned out to be redundant, as it conflicted with my study abroad program, something I had highlighted as my biggest concern. This leads me to question the validity of an answer from an assistant at the front desk, for what answer is legitimate where no staff has the desire or willingness (some are seen with their earphones in the AMC office) to help students? As a whole, it shames me, an Advertising and Marketing Communications major, to say that there is certainly a kink in the public relations sector of FIT. Communication is lacking between each department, and among faculty and students. From technological fronts of blasted emails ignored by students, to meeting face-to-face with unpleasant assistants, who never seem to let you pass the line between office cubicles, there doesn’t seem to be much awareness on this issue. I would like to see a change or explanation, as this is an issue impacting every student’s life, particularly international students, who are already barred from enough opportunities.

“By that date they will probably have switched to robot interns.”

“Free impregntions! Take one!”

“Plates are NO microwavable, people. Jeez!”

“I’d like to see what their doughnuts of the future would look like.”

NOV

2010

W27

FASHION INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

STYLE ON 27 By Nicole Tan and Photography by Harlan Bontrager In terms of personal style, the dichotomy between fashion creators and fashion adapters is what really makes our student body so interesting. On one side of the coin, you’ve got the the everpopular Celine popping up by way of the front pockets, Parisian chic a la head-to-toe black. You’ve got hints of the critically acclaimed collaboration between Jason Wu and cashmere authority Tse with a drapey sweater/hood confection. Then, we have the innovators who, rather than looking to the top designers, treat dressing as an adventure each day. Extreme pattern play, the relaxed “non-statement” and even a Sponge Bob beanie defy the word trend. Where the two shall meet, no one knows. But isn’t that what makes fashion so much fun?

Trend Makers

Carly Rosenrook, Sophomore, Fashion Design Describe your closet in one word: Psychedelic. One fashion item you cannot live without? A button down shirt. Magazines or blogs you read? I guess Elle. Do you have a blog of your own? No.

Lisa Sokol, Advertising and Marketing Communications, Sophomore Describe your closet in one word: Pirate-hooker. One fashion item you cannot live without? Cigarettes. Wait, no...black leather. Magazines or blogs you read? Nylon - I used to work there! Do you have a blog of your own? No.

Syma Parvin, International Trade and Marketing, Junior Describe your closet in one word: Eclectic. One fashion item you cannot live without? Fur- I was a vegetarian for 10 years after watching Babe. Then I went to a BBQ and felt fur and that everything changed. Magazines or blogs you read? Nylon and online shop NastyGal (www.shopnastygal.com). Julia Pleadin, Fashion Design, Sophomore Do you have a blog of your own? No. Describe your closet in one word: Matt Tedford, Illustraion, Freshman Ostentatious on crack Describe your closet in one word: Mismatch. One fashion item you cannot live without? Color. One fashion item you cannot live without? Black. Magazines or blogs you read? Oyster Magazine, Magazines or blogs you read? Nylon, Vogue, W French and Italian Vogue. Magazine... all of those. Do you have a blog of your own? No. Do you have a blog of your own? Mattedford.blogspot.com.

Trend Takers

Allie Yurkevich, Production, Sophomore Describe your closet in one word: Eclectic One fashion item you cannot live without? Shoes Magazines or blogs you read? The Sartorialist, The Cut, fashionista.com, Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, W Magazine Do you have a blog of your own? No.

Suong Phan, Fashion Design, Senior Describe your closet in one word: Weird. “Holy shit.”

Monica Grau, Fashion Design, Freshman Describe your closet in one word: Packed. One fashion item you cannot live without? Black platform ankle boots One fashion item you cannot live without? Magazines or blogs you read? The usuals, big Great underwear. titles. WWD Magazines or blogs you read? Don’t really read mags- But I guess Intima- a Do you have a blog of your own? Yes. http;//monnier00.tumblr.com lingerie and beachwear magazine. Do you have a blog of your own? No, I don’t blog! I don’t have time for that shit!

Brandon Seah, Fashion Merchandising Management, Freshman Describe your closet in one word: Messy. One fashion item you cannot live without? Converse. Magazines or blogs you read? I hardly do. But probably Jackandjil.com. Do you have a blog of your own? Yes I do, but I’d rather not give it out.