NYU’s Daily Student Newspaper
washington square news Vol. 42, No. 73
tuesday, october 7, 2014
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technology
gender issues
NYU partners with job recruiters
Panel explores women in academia
By Sharika Dhar Contributing Writer
Recruit continued on PG. 3
photo by amina sayeed
Dr. Barnett Rubin discusses the war in Afghanistan as part of his lecture titled “America’s Latest Orphan: Afghanistan What does the Future hold for the Country?” hosted in the NYU journalism building on Oct. 6.
STORY ON PAGE 3
music
La Roux brings crowd to life at NYC show By Jean-Luc Marsh Contributing Writer
Electronic artist La Roux performs a vibrant set on Oct. 4 at Terminal 5. brimming with potential. Yet it was the group’s lead vocalist, Tiffany Roth, who stole the show with her charismatic stage presence and
provocative dance moves. “Get dirty, get slimy,” Roth said to a steadily growing crowd. It was a directive that mostly went unheeded, prompting her
Best cookbook adaptations Chefs at popular establishments make restaurant-level recipes easy for the home cook. story on PG. 4
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inside this issue
photo by blair cannon
photo by sangjun bae
La Roux, the musical persona of Briton Elly Jackson, wowed the crowd at a packed Terminal 5 on Oct. 4. Performing songs from all parts of her career, Jackson electrified her audience with a variety of sounds. The opening band, Midnight Magic, got the crowd fired up for La Roux’s performance. The Brooklyn-based group, which was formed in Los Angeles, had an infectious strain of disco dance-floor fodder that made for an unexpected and extremely effective introduction. Of particular note was the brass section that accompanied the group, adding extra panache to songs already
to yell at the crowd once again to start dancing. The second time, the crowd complied. Following a 30-minute break after the end of Midnight Magic’s performance, Jackson took the stage draped in a red trench coat with a black jumpsuit underneath and bathed in a cool blue light. Soon, the opening tones to the highlight of her new album “Trouble in Paradise,” “Lay Me Down Gently,” began to play. In what became a trend throughout the night, Jackson constantly cycled between her newer material and the songs from “La Roux,” her critically acclaimed and commercially successful debut album. A noticeable dichotomy was
Roux continued on PG. 5
The role of women in academics was discussed during a panel hosted by NYU’s Law Women on Oct. 6 in Vanderbilt Hall. The panel is part of their ongoing series called “Day in the Life.” The panel, which included NYU Law professors Lauren Roth and Catherine Sharkey, along with NYU professor and American Civil Liberties Union staff attorney Lee Rowland, gave students the opportunity to listen to and engage with women who have high-profile jobs in the field of academia. One major topic of discussion was how to balance the challenges and rewards of a typical workday in academia. “After class, I leave time for students to access me, although most of my time is spent commenting on their writing and preparing for the next day,” Roth said. “The hard thing about being a junior staff member is finding time to get pieces published.” Students and other attendees also heard from Roth about the difficulties of working as an academic compared to other legal fields that the panelists had worked in previously. “I loved and sometimes miss the fast pace of employee benefits law and litigation,” Roth said. “I was happy to work long hours with relevant legal issues. Self-motivation and isolation are challenging in academia, but if I’m working in isolation, it’s on a subject that I enjoy.” The consensus among panelists was that working in academia allows for more independence. “When I was in practice doing appellate litigation, I was surprised by how intellectually [engaging] it was,” Sharkey said. “Now, I can set up [my] own research agenda and pursue it.” Several students in the audience
WOmen continued on PG. 3
Mimes take center stage in play
Tennis duo heads to Nationals
“Topography” showcases the emotive potential of miming at the Wild Project through Oct. 19.
Laila El Dessouki and Carmen Lai will compete from Oct. 9 to 12.
Story on PG. 5
staff photo by shawn paik
Lynxsy, a mobile recuiting app and website, is now partnering with the Wasserman Center for Career Development to promote awareness of startup recruiting resources. Their first event will be a “Day in the Life” Twitter event on Oct. 10. Co-founders Connie Wong and NYU alumna Susan Zheng created the web and mobile platform that aims to connect students with employers. Lynxsy’s Campus Ambassador program has announced partnerships with various universities. Launched in 2013, the program curates a network of over 200 high-growth companies and various organizations that startups look to for hiring. “There’s a black hole of resources when it comes to
By Ilana Berger Contributing Writer
story on PG. 8
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The trip This summer I spent two weeks in Jamaica. beach and swimgenerally consisted of tropical drinks, the outside of my ming with fish. The few times I ventured eter away there hotel there was a shocking contrast. A kilom houses barely was a huge amount of poverty. There were elets for a livstanding and people selling friendship brac conditioned air tiful ing. At my hotel, people stayed in beau beach. It is rooms and left plates of uneaten food on the often ignorant incredible how these two worlds can coexist, of each other. Staff photos by Hannah Luu
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today on campus Author Reading/Signing with Meryl Meisler Meisler, the author of “A Tale of Two Cities: Disco Era Bushwick,” will read and discuss her new work, a study of Bushwick, disco and the unlikely relationship of disco divas and Charles Dickens. The reading will be from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the NYU Bookstore.
Pride Month: Dialogue Arts Project Workshop The NYU LGBTQ Center will hold a pride month event about the Dialogue Arts Project. The event will take place in room 802 of the Kimmel Center for University Life at 6 p.m. and will include live performance poems and interactive exercises that focus on creative writing.
On the Gelatinous: Three Movements A squirrel sits atop of the feet of Mahamta Ghandi while eating a strawberry.
PHOTO BY Sangjun bae
Kyla Wazana Tompkins, a professor of English and gender and women’s studies at Pomona College, will discuss the relationship between movement and food textures from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on the fourth floor of 20 Cooper Square. today’s events are free for NYU students.
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KRISTINA BOGOS, rachel kaplan, CLIO MCCONNELL, jordan melendrez, jonathan tan About WSN: Washington Square News (ISSN 15499389) is the student newspaper of New York University. WSN is published Monday through Thursday during NYU’s academic year, except for university holidays, vacations and exam periods. Corrections: WSN is committed to accurate reporting. When we make errors, we do our best to correct them as quickly as possible. If you believe we have erred, contact the managing editors at managing@nyunews. com or at 212.998.4302.
nyunews.com | tuesDAy, october 7, 2014 | Washington Square news
Lecture discusses Afghan stability
Recruit continued from PG. 1
By Rachel Cao Contributing Writer
The role of America in Afghanistan was scrutinized in a lecture hosted by NYU’s Center for Dialogues on Oct. 6. It was held at the Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute. “America’s Latest Orphan: Afghanistan. What Does the Future Hold for the Country?” was led by Barnett Rubin, director at NYU’s Center on International Cooperation and former senior adviser to the special representative of the president for Afghanistan and Pakistan in the U.S. State Department, opened his lecture by discussing the next steps for Afghanistan as the United States pulls out. “The president’s job description does not entail reforming and creating a new Afghanistan,” Rubin said. “The most important thing for stabilizing a country is to maintain a sufficient level of funding to support the unity of the national government, and to build a coalition of regional powers that would be
photo by amina sayeed
supportive of Afghanistan.” Rubin said counterterrorism missions in the region have stalled efforts to stabilize it. “Missions to stabilize and missions to counterterrorism cannot coexist, and, in my experience, the mission to counter terrorism will always win,” Rubin said. “Yet we cannot ignore how the absence of a certified government or external funding has led to weak institutions.” Rubin said, despite Afghanistan’s listing as one of the 10 poorest countries in the world, the American government’s desire to reform Afghanistan would not justify nation-building. “Whatever interest we have in Afghanistan doesn’t justify the $100 billion we’d sacrifice and the inevitable lives that would be lost,” Rubin said. “Additionally, the oppor-
tunity cost, such as spending our money for domestic investment or countering terrorism in other places, would be too costly as well.” James Ferrari, from the Foreign Policy Association, attended the lecture and said he agrees with Rubin’s description of boundaries in regard to our responsibilities to Afghanistan. “I think our goal in the Middle East should be concentrated in democracy and watching for countries who are violating humanitarian rights instead of nation-building,” Ferrari said. “I believe through foreign groups and organizations, we can together aid Afghanistan toward stabilization.” Rubin concluded his lecture with a positive perspective on the future of Afghanistan. “Afghanistan is not going to be the United States’ orphan because
By Andrew Mei Contributing Writer
photo by calvin falk
Rows of surveillance cameras line the ceiling at the West Fourth street MTA station. believed the installations will help record sexual assault, but remains unconvinced that they will be an effective deterrent. “Cameras can help the detection of sexual assault cases,” Coons said. “But the nature of sexual assault remains a largely impulsive decision. I don’t know if the presence of cameras in subway cars will nec-
essarily suppress the spontaneous acts of a sexual assaulter.” While no cameras have been installed in the cars yet, the MTA has updated its website to include information about sexual misconduct. A form on the homepage also allows victims to file an anonymous report on an incident of harassment, which
step,” Yates said. “My mindset has been about studying law rather than teaching it. I don’t like the idea of closing any doors. I wanted to preserve the option of academia.” Email Ilana Berger at news@nyunews.com.
Email Sharika Dhar at news@nyunews.com.
it’s not our child, it belongs to itself,” Rubin said. “It has a leader with a vision now, Ashraf Ghani, that will create some opportunities that I hope they will make use of.” However, Samea Shanori, a first-year transfer student from Afghanistan, said a last-minute effort should be made in creating a national identity through establishing educational opportunities. “I really liked Rubin’s idea of promoting education, and I think expanding it through programs nationwide will be great for Afghanistan,” Shanori said. “I agree with him that troops and military response would be the wrong method, but promotion of education does still involve a sort of nation-building.” Email Rachel Cao at news@nyunews.com.
will be forwarded to the police for investigation. LS freshman Nigel Wright said he believes that, although the motives behind the idea are good, the effects will probably not be as expected. “I believe that the installation of the cameras is a good idea, but I just don’t see it being effective,” Wright said. “The sheer amount of people on crowded subways will be hard to monitor, and in addition, tracking down the perpetrators even if they are caught will be a lot of work.” Changes will also be made to MTA public service announcements in order to better inform passengers of how to report incidents of sexual assault. Wright added that, in addition to installing cameras, the MTA should publicize the issue more. “The citizens of New York need to be more conscious of sexual assault and how to deal with it,” Wright said. Email Andrew Mei at news@nyunews.com.
Women continued from PG. 1
NYU Law hosts panel on gender gap
asked about the issue of gender gaps in the legal field and wondered if they existed to the same extent in academia. “The imbalance is definitely less in academia,” Roth said. “There tends to be a bigger gender gap in social sciences, but it is welcoming to women who want
to push forward.” Sharkey emphasized this point when asked what advice she would offer current law students. “Try to cultivate faculty recommenders,” Sharkey said. “Getting involved while in law school is important.” NYU Law student April Yates
said she found the panel enlightening because, though she said she is planning on joining a law firm in the future, she is still considering going into academia. “I learned that the nature of law is that you constantly have to be prepared for the next
Lynxsy connects grads to startups startups,” Zheng said. “Unlike larger companies, startups have little to no support for recruiting, and many jobs are given through a referral basis.” This problem prompted Zheng and Wong to found Lynxsy through New York’s Techstar accelerator program in the fall of 2013. Lynxsy focuses on placing recent college graduates into positions at startup companies, such as 99dresses, Tough Mudder and Kinnek. The program provides connections exclusively for nontechnical positions, including business development, sales and marketing jobs. Candidates must apply to Lynxsy’s program and, if they are approved, receive specific job alerts and matching services. Lynxsy’s recruitment process also incorporates a unique trial period, during which candidates and employers can become familiar with one another before mutually committing to a full-time position. With larger companies, students often hear about work expectations and office culture through word of mouth or recruiting events. Zheng notes that this is not the case with startups, however. Lynxsy’s two- to three-month trial period allows candidates to test the waters at a startup before committing to a position. Stern alumna Jenny Liang found a job as a marketing assistant at the startup Mobile Commons through Lynxsy. “It was very frustrating at times because a lot of startups don’t recruit college graduates or don’t have the HR resources to respond to job applications,” Liang said. Liang said Zheng and Wong provided her with help on her résumé and interviews. “[They] were both really nice and genuinely interested in helping me find a position that would match my skills and interests,” Liang said. “They met with me several times to fix my résumé, help prepare me for interviews and figure out how to best tell my personal story.” Stern freshman Kyle Wright also sees value in using Lynxsy. “As someone who might want to work at a startup one day, I can see how [Lynxsy] would be a great resource to help me navigate the startup world,” Wright said.
Barnett Rubin (center) talks to students and faculty at his lecture on the state of Afghanistan.
MTA to increase surveillance in subway cars The Metropolitan Transportation Authority plans to install surveillance cameras in over 900 new subway cars running on the A and F lines. Announced on Oct. 1, the cameras are a part of a new initiative to combat sexual assault. Recent data from the office of New York City public advocate Letitia James reveals that about 3,000 women reported sexual misconduct on subways between 2008 and 2013. These reports cited the majority of sexual assault incidents to have happened on the 4, 5 and 6 trains during morning rushes. MTA spokesman Kevin Ortiz said he hoped the plan would tackle a variety of safety concerns. “This is just the next logical step moving forward, in terms of installing cameras on our trains to address this issue but other safety issues, as well,” Ortiz said in a statement on Oct. 1. CAS professor Ted Coons said he
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Washington Square news | tuesDAy, october 7, 2014 | nyunews.com
dining
edited by rebecca riddle dining@nyunews.com
photoS by Sangjun bae
An array of cookbooks are displayed at a local Barnes & Noble bookstore.
Chefs make restaurant dishes accessible through cookbooks By Dhriti Tandon Contributing Writer
There is nothing better than being able to enjoy delicious, restaurantquality food at home without having to pay the price for high-class dishes. Luckily, several New York City restaurants have cookbooks that include their signature dishes.
Junior’s Cheesecake Cookbook ($16.95 on amazon.com) Junior’s Restaurant multiple locations Junior’s Restaurant co-owner Allen Rose has transformed the restaurant’s intricate cheesecakes into recipes with just a few simple steps. The detailed directions and easy-to-understand language make the cookbook popular among dessert bakers. Not all cakes are photographed, but many have clear pictures that help the home cook with the presenta-
tion of scrumptious desserts. The Junior’s cookbook offers more than just cheesecakes — its coffee cake recipe is also a reader favorite. “This cookbook looks amazing,” said Naomi Kadish, a CAS freshman and die-hard cheesecake fan. “I would be interested to try the Skyscraper Cheesecake, it sounds like a cool new twist on traditional cheesecake.”
Union Square Cafe Cookbook ($13.32 on amazon.com) Union Square Cafe 21 E. 16th St. Just a 15-minute walk from Washington Square Park, this Union Square restaurant is a go-to spot for many NYU students. Ironically, the decades-old cookbook is known for mastering contemporary dishes such as sandwiches, gnocchi, pastas, tarts and even bar nuts. Written by restaurant owner Danny
Meyer and former executive chef Michael Romano, the cookbook recipes rely on very simple ingredients. The directions are explicit, but the book only consists of a few black and white pictures. Readers have their own favorite recipes from the cookbook. “I can guarantee that you will love their take on dreamless potato and spring onion soup,” CAS junior Ayesha Ruprell said.
Eat Me: The Food and Philosophy of Kenny Shopsin ($16.88 on amazon.com) Shopsin’s 120 Essex St. Kenny Shopsin, often referred to as having a loving hippie heart, is known for his food philosophy and the eccentric way he describes it. The recipes in his book make use of simple ingredients, available to every home cook. His pancake recipes
are a favorite among the cookbook’s readers. Not only does his cookbook provide simple and elegant recipes for delicious meals, but also it gives great insights into Shopsin’s food philosophy. The book explores his ideas about matters, such as how he believes a restaurant should be run and how important cooking is. Steinhardt freshman Anna Springer is appreciative of how Shopsin links his food to his real life experiences. “‘The Food and Philosophy of Kenny Shopsin’ reads more like a conversation between friends than a cookbook,” Springer said. “The book itself is full of personality and great recipes.”
The Babbo Cookbook ($25.69 on amazon.com) Babbo Ristorante 110 Waverly Place In his cookbook, restaurant
owner Mario Batali delivers recipes for famous Italian dishes that can be found at his well-known restaurant, Babbo Ristorante. The clear and concise directions in the cookbook are complemented with lovely visuals of the finished dishes, which help readers get a taste of what they will prepare. The book is known for its pastas and delightful Italian desserts, but it should be kept in mind that some dishes use ingredients that may not be readily available for all home cooks. CAS freshman Alice Zhu appreciates the book’s simplicity. “His recipes are quite easy to understand and utilize in real kitchen, which makes it one of the popular cooking books,” Zhu said. Email Dhriti Tandon at dining@nyunews.com.
Local eateries offer affordable meals under $10
By Avia Hawkins Contributing Writer
Atomic Wings Atomic Wings is a great place in New York City to buy 10 buffalo or boneless wings for $9.95. On top of the great price, there is a diverse selection of sauces, including barbecue, honey mustard, teriyaki and sweet and tangy sauce. The chain, which began in New York, also has a wide variety of delicious, cheap eats, such as sandwiches, burgers, wraps, soups and chili. You can find locations throughout Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens, or have your food delivered to your door by Seamless. 179 W. Fourth St. and 184 First Ave.
The Hummus & Pita Co.
This healthy and delicious eatery opened its Union Square location over the summer. At The Hummus & Pita Co., you can choose whether you want falafel, gyro, shawarma, chicken or steak, and then you can fill your pita, wrap, bowl or platter with toppings of your choice. These tasty options are all available for under $10 with complimentary hummus. 815 Broadway and 585 Sixth Ave.
Burger Joint At Burger Joint, you can buy a juicy, tasty hamburger for $7, a cheeseburger for just 50 cents more, and a bacon burger
location at West 56th Street is a cool, small spot inside the luxury hotel Le Parker Meridien. Be sure to try one of their delicious shakes when you visit. 33 W. Eighth St. and Le Parker Meridien, 119 W. 56th St.
C Bao STAFF PHOTO BY SHAWN PAIK
The Hummus & Pita Co. is located at 815 Broadway. for $8.50. The restaurant only takes cash, but it is worth every penny. Although the West Eighth Street location is much closer to NYU, the Burger Joint
When you are in the mood for dumplings, wontons or filled buns known as baos, C Bao is an affordable spot that offers options full of flavor. Baos range in price from $4.75 to $6.75, and noodles from $6.95 to $9.95. Customers can eat at the restaurant, but another option is to order a meal box that contains meat, rice and soup, and costs
just $8.95, for delivery. 108 W. 14th St.
Taqueria Lower East Side At this Mexican restaurant, people flood in for the tacos, tortas, burritos, enchiladas and tostadas. The dishes are well seasoned with cilantro and onions, and include options such as steak, barbecue, fish, beans and potatoes. The prices range from $3 to $10. They also serve $2 Mexican sodas to compliment the selection of dishes. Taqueria offers an incredibly spicy sauce to boost the flavors of the food. 198 Orchard St. Email Avia Hawkins at dining@nyunews.com.
Purchasing food made easier with mobile app
By Amanda Morris Contributing Writer
For those who are tired of waiting to get their check at a restaurant or struggle with how much to tip, Jeff McGregor and Gennady Spirin’s app, Dash, may solve those problems. Since its launch in November 2013, Dash has grown to include 35 venues throughout the city and has been funded by top tech investors and restaurateurs. The company plans to continue expanding and will be launching 19 venues in Chicago on Oct. 17. The app allows customers to link their smartphones with their credit card to pay, view and split
their tab. It is compatible with iPhone and Android devices. Director of marketing at Dash Michael Jones, 27, said the future of the app is looking bright. “2015 is really focused on expansion for us, with plans to launch in 15 additional markets,” Jones said. The company plans to continually change the app itself based on the feedback they receive. “We’re highly focused on finding ways that we can improve the product to give Dash users a better night out,” Jones said. “The features we develop are largely based on user feedback and requests, so we always encourage folks to reach out and let us know how we can improve the service.”
Upon opening the app, a location-based list of restaurants that accept Dash appears, allowing users to scroll through their options. Users can also search for a restaurant by name or view the locations of all the available restaurants. After choosing a restaurant, the app allows users to check in with a push of a button, which alerts the staff and the server and then seamlessly links the tab to Dash. Dash is not a mobile ordering app, however, and it leaves the personal interaction between the server and patron intact. In the restaurant, Dash updates the bill in real time so that customers can keep track of how much they are
spending. Customers can also easily pay a tip, which is calculated as a percentage or by inputting a custom dollar amount. Dash makes it simple to split the bill with others as well — friends can invite each other onto a single Dash bill so they can split it. The co-founders of Dash came up with the idea for the app on New Year’s Day when the two were out to brunch at a busy restaurant and had trouble getting the waiter’s attention. “Everyone knows how frustrating that end-of-meal wait time can be, and how easy it is to leave a credit card at the bar after opening a tab,” McGregor said. “Dash eliminates both of those problems.”
The idea of using an app to pay is still a new concept, and some restaurants are still forming their opinions. As far as revolutionizing the dining experience, Greek grill Village Taverna feels it is still too early to really see the effects. “We’ll see how the app develops and give it time to see how people react,” a representative of Village Taverna said. Jones is confident the app will have a positive impact. “Dash allows people to focus on what’s important when dining out — great food and amazing company,” Jones said. Email Amanda Morris at dining@nyunews.com.
nyunews.com | tuesDAy, october 7, 2014 | Washington Square news
5
arts
edited by alex greenberger arts@nyunews.com
Interpretation of Hercules’ labors portrayed in new play By Porter Yelton Contributing Writer
The husband gone to war, the wife struggling to run a farm by herself, the young, pregnant daughter unfit to be a mother — these stories have been told before. However, in Leegrid Stevens’ play “The Twelfth Labor,” these archetypal characters take on new personas to create a fresh outlook on wartime farm life. Set in the 1940s, amid World War II and its aftermath, “The Twelfth Labor” mirrors the twelve labors of Hercules. Stevens adds a new spin on the classic tale by arguing that the twelfth and final labor remains elusive — he believes the human struggle never truly ends. Following Stevens’ concept, “The Twelfth Labor” tells the story of Esther (Lynne McCollough), a stern and sour-faced mother fighting to hold down the family farm while her husband (Jed Dickson) is held as a prisoner of war in Japan. The play’s central conflict oc-
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“The Twelfth Labor” plays at the Gene Frankel Theatre through Oct. 11. curs as a result of the pregnancy of their mentally handicapped daughter, Cleo (Erin Treadway). From the first moments after the lights dim, the minimalist, wooden set, reminiscent of Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town,” transforms into a clear representation of the family’s prairie home. Adelpha (Cynthia Babak), O’Meggie (Amy Bizjak) and Almittie (Michael Huston), the three gossiping women in town, instantly grasp the audience’s attention. The actors’ wittiness and dedication to
tures a climactic mother/daughter struggle — its presence seems unnecessary for the overall flow. As a result, what begins and develops as a beautifully executed and emotionally jarring plot becomes a somewhat convoluted, drawn-out performance. However, despite the play’s questionable length, gripping performances by McCollough and Hightower make the final act worth the wait. By the play’s conclusion, Cleo clearly represents how humans take their own lives and gifts for granted, taking an overall somber ending and creating inspiration for living a better life. As she says in the show’s final scene, quoting Scarlett O’Hara’s character in “Gone with the Wind,” “After all, tomorrow is another day.” “The Twelfth Labor” is playing at the Gene Frankel Theatre, 24 Bond St. through Oct. 11. Email Porter Yelton at arts@nyunews.com.
Mimes go outside the box on stage
Roux continued from PG. 1
La Roux performs new songs, old hits
discernible between the two bodies of work, however, as is liable to happen with any fiveyear gap between records. The tracks from “Trouble in Paradise” were generally tamer than those in her 2009 debut. The album’s aggressive, ’80sinflected synth-pop made for the more riveting songs in the set. Even Jackson has mellowed since her early days — the flaming coiff of hair that previously defined her now lay combed over to the side and slightly blonder. In spite of this, several newer tracks — notably “Uptight Downtown” and “Sexotheque” — were particularly effective. The set closer, “Silent Partner,” provided and upbeat end to the show. In the end though, the cuts from “La Roux” — “Quicksand,” “I’m Not Your Toy” and “In for the Kill” — had the largest impact on the audience. It seems that Jackson was aware of this, choosing to utilize the two biggest tracks from her debut as the encore performance, which were “Tigerlily,” a dark
their actions, especially those of Huston, act as elements of cohesion throughout the play. As the dramatic focal point, Treadway fearlessly pursues the complications of her character, embodying Cleo’s series of dreams, fantasies and stories that morph into her one collective experience. Treadway so convincingly portrays the convulsions and abruptness of Cleo’s realities that one believes they are indeed very real. Her performance is ultimately only outshined by that
of McCullough, who outstandingly channels Meryl Streep’s meaner, stronger character in the film adaptation of “August: Osage County.” Despite limitations due to the theater’s small space and inability to accommodate a full curtain masking the stage, scene changes and entrances flow seamlessly and without trouble. However, there is often confusion about which locations represent the points of entrance — the boundaries of the house are often lost on the audience. At the culmination of the play’s third act, Dickson gives a rousing, multi-minute monologue that never lags or becomes uninteresting. Grappling with vivid recollections of life in a Japanese prisoner of war camp, Dickson’s emotion is so captivating that the play should have ended with the monologue. While the final act displays the best, most genuine acting in the entire play — it fea-
By Ariana DiValentino Social Media Editor
photo by blair cannon
La Roux sings and plays guitar at Terminal 5 on Oct. 4. electro-odyssey with tropical tinges, and “Bulletproof,” the end-all anthem of the 2000s. The set proved that some songs never wear out their welcome, and “Bulletproof” still has the ability to make everyone dance like it is 2009. It is a feeling that cannot be manufactured, and for that, La Roux deserves particular commendation. Email Jean-Luc Marsh at music@nyunews.com.
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Mime is, to say the least, a niche style, and probably not one you would expect to come across as the main attraction of a production. “Topography,” presented by Broken Box Mime Theater, is exactly that — an artistic, understated and unpretentious performance consisting entirely of mimes. It may be surprising to learn that, in 2014, mime has a place in the New York independent theater scene. In a city full of rock ‘n’ roll Euripides adaptations and performance art based on screaming, it is unexpected to see a genuinely classic art form without self-consciously modernized twists and embellishments. This is not to mention the rarity of performing an inherently quiet genre on stage. Those who hate mimes will probably not have their opinions changed by “Topography.” The show is completely mimed, presenting a traditional performance of this art form — white faces, black lipstick and all. For those who do not know much about mimes, this performance will be a pleasant introduction. Broken Box’s cast includes very talented and well-practiced mimes who flawlessly execute their choreography. The program is structured in a series of vignettes that tell an array of sto-
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In “Topography,” performers wear classic black costumes and white mime makeup. ries varying in length and subject matter, from a serial about three nerdy kids’ adventures within their favorite role-playing game to a darker sketch about the foreboding visions a fortuneteller has about one of her clients. The tone varies from poignant to comedic, and the humor alternates between situational and traditional mime silliness. Though the vignettes had little to do with each other thematically, the show is well-arranged overall. Comedic scenes provide relief to more somber ones, and stories broken up into serials are well-paced, although some of the longer narratives become hard to follow. The writing is undeniably creative, with the short “Shadow” standing out, telling the story of a failing relationship in a way that no other medium would be able to replicate.
Washington Square News
The performance space is used well, positioning actors as both characters and environments in a way that is enlightening, not overwhelming. Soft indie music and mellow instrumentals complement the stories while adding a more contemporary feel. Creative use of light helps to tell the stories and bring the art of mime into the 21st century. “Topography” proves that mime is very much alive as an art form, and it tells compelling stories in novel ways. If this is contemporary miming, the style of performance may find itself in vogue. It certainly is not be weirdest thing onstage in New York. “Topography” is playing at the Wild Project, 195 E. Third St. through Oct.19. Email Ariana DiValentino at adivalentino@nyunews.com.
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nyunews.com | tuesDAy, october 7, 2014 | Washington Square news
opinion
edited by CHRISTINA COLEBURN opinion@nyunews.com
technology
Apple’s efforts strengthen personal privacy By Tommy Collison Contributing Columnist
On the heels of the celebrity nude photo leak, Apple released a full report on its commitment to user privacy. The statement, which followed the announcement of the new iOS 8 software, asserts that data on Apple devices is so secure that even company employees cannot access it. This means that personal information cannot be given to law enforcement, even with a valid warrant. The security changes were met with praise from civil liberties groups — and with good reason — but response has not been universally positive. In a briefing, FBI director James Comey said he could not understand why Apple would “allow people to place themselves beyond the law.” Other police officials were unequivocal in their condemnation. “Apple [iPhones] will become the phone of choice for the pedophile,” said John Escalante, head of the Chicago Police Department’s Bureau of Detectives. The negative presumption is that, under the protection of Apple’s new, stringent regulations, users with bad intentions will turn to the iPhone to
engage in illicit activities. Outgoing Attorney General Eric Holder agreed, saying companies like Apple could thwart law enforcement’s ability to do its job. While criticisms of Apple’s hypersecurity sound reasonable, it is important to remember that physical obstacles — doors, locks, walls — also prevent law enforcement from doing its job. One must ask if Apple has an obligation to make user info available if the police have a warrant, and whether the public can trust Apple’s new encryption if it is truly as strong as the company says. Warrants are certainly part of effective policing, but granting law enforcement access to all the data on a device that stores so much personal information is bound to lead to abuses of power, including domestic phone data-mining, which was found unconstitutional in De-
cember 2013. Police officers tracked down criminals before smartphones existed — the restoration of personal privacy will not lead users to commit crimes any more than the invention of the deadbolt did. In its privacy report, Apple makes bold claims. In the smartphone market, the tech giant uses superior consumer privacy as another way to beat Google, their main competitor. Additionally, iPhone software is closed-source and proprietary, so software engineers have no way of independently verifying the claims that Apple is making. Ultimately, there is little stopping Apple from inserting a security vulnerability into a future software release. Apple is hoping that consumers will accept the image of a benevolent handler of personal data at face value, however, and they would be right to. Apple deserves praise for making consumer privacy a standard, especially because these changes come in the wake of government attempts to do away with any semblance of online privacy. Email Tommy Collison at opinion@nyunews.com.
animal rights
WWF should not only endorse cute animals By Adnan Zarif Contributing Columnist
While walking through Brooklyn last week, I saw an advertisement for the World Wide Fund for Nature encouraging those passing by to donate to help save the world’s panda population. The photo of the panda in the ad was especially endearing. When I went home, I visited the organization’s website. The WWF’s site has a gift center where patrons can donate money to adopt a species. The featured animals are tigers, sloths, polar bears, elephants and pandas. Browsing through the site, it is striking how fortunate these animals were to have been born cute in some way. I began to wonder how the WWF fundraises for endangered insects and other species that are not as beautiful, such as bees or spiders. It turns out the WWF does not deal with these animals at all. The species that the WWF seeks to protect are marine animals, primates and big cats, and it seems too
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idealistic that endangered species are all extremely popular among the general public. The site features no information about honeybees, which have had their population decrease by 30 percent in the last 10 years. It has been widely studied that the decrease in bee populations has been dramatic, and will likely have far-reaching consequences. According to the Department of Agriculture, bees lead to increases in crop value by $15 billion each year, and “about one mouthful in three in our diet directly or indirectly benefits from honeybee pollination.” Knowing this information, why does the WWF not allocate resources to save bee populations? They are, after all, a keystone species. The WWF does not explain
on its website how it selects the animals it tries to save, but generally features the cute mammals in its campaigns. The WWF’s neglect of unconventional but important animals runs disconcertingly deep. Their Living Planet Report, a biannual publication that attempts to analyze the health of the Earth, does not even consider insects. The report claims “all terrestrial and freshwater species populations can be assigned to one of five major biogeographic realms,” which are fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. There is no mention in the report of insect populations, despite the fact that insects are the most diverse animal group on Earth and constitute more than half of all living species. The issue here is simple: the WWF needs to demonstrate less aesthetic bias in the animals they support and include insects and other less striking animals in their funding. Importance should trump cuteness. Email Adnan Zarif at opinion@nyunews.com.
staff editorial
Exam stress relief falls on both students, university
Midterm season is quickly descending upon the NYU community. In a perfect world, the only responsibilities during the next few weeks would be exams — and even then, tests alone would make for a sufficiently busy schedule. Unfortunately, college students’ obligations outside of the classroom do not subside when academic pressure escalates. In this stress-inducing city, it is important for students to know which pressure-relieving strategies work best for them, as well as which resources are available to help them get through October. According to Gregg Henriques, a professor of psychology at James Madison University, college students live in the “age of anxiety,” marked by increasing classification of stress-related mental conditions. Rates of depression are higher than ever, in part because of the rapid evolution of technology and the accompanying information overload. Nowhere is that more felt than in New York. The realities of life in New York City are not always conducive to the expectations some students have for college. New York City is an isolating city, a fact often learned the hard way. For students in their late teens who are not yet fully matured and socially adjusted, the transition to city life can be difficult. In addition to academic stress, social stress among college students is high — sudden separation from parents and friends from home leaves a void typically filled with an excess of social contact. But in New York City, where genuine social contact is the only thing that is not offered in excess, that void becomes larger. During test time, when walking uptown to visit a friend seems like a distraction from studying, time management is crucial. While the health center has been given awards for its services based on comparative standards, the resources available have been criticized by the student body. Students should try to take advantage of resources such the Stressbusters program, which offers “Take a Break Tuesday” and “Wind Down Wednesday,” as well as normal walk-in hours. With the possibility of services being overbooked, however, students should form external support networks as well. We must find individualized means of addressing stress-related problems and learn to tackle struggles in healthy ways, such as talking with friends and professors, sleeping enough and eating full meals. NYU is not uniquely stressful, but the combination of adjusting to social life and academics in New York City can exacerbate feelings of anxiety. Students must learn healthy and productive ways to stay calm and collected, like exercising and going outside for fresh air. Strategies for anxiety management extend far beyond midterms — they are life skills that need to regularly be drawn upon.
Email the WSN Editorial Board at editboard@nyunews.com. EDITORIAL BOARD: Christina Coleburn (Chair), Omar Etman (Co-chair), Adam Fazlibegu (Co-chair), Tess Woosley (Co-chair) illustration by jourdan enriquez
Send mail to: 838 Broadway, Fifth Floor New York, N.Y. 10003 or email: opinion@nyunews.com WSN welcomes letters to the editor, opinion pieces and articles relevant to the NYU community, or in response to articles. Letters should be less than 450 words. All submissions must be typed or emailed and must include the author’s name, address and phone number. Members of the NYU community must include a year and school or job title.
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nyunews.com | tuesDAy, october 7, 2014 | Washington Square news
sports
edited by CHRIS MARCOTRIGIANO SPORTS@nyunews.com
FIFA 15 excels in realistic graphics
By Bobby Wagner Contributing Columnist
FIFA 15 made a splash in the video game market on Sept. 23. The release comes just in time for college students who are supposedly studying for midterms, but who really need that 20 minutes of stress relief that a FIFA contest provides. As a nerdy kid who was raised on Nintendo 64’s Super Smash Bros. and NFL Blitz 2001, I needed to take a moment to myself when I first unwrapped FIFA 15 and put it in my PlayStation 3. What I saw was the vast improvement of video games over the years. In just 15 years, gamers have gone from appreciating boxy character faces and inanimate conversation scenes to expecting games to look and sound as realistic as the person playing next to them. I felt like I could have been in a commercial where my roommate was getting paid by Electronic Arts for every time he said the word realistic while describing the game. FIFA 15 boasts only a few new features in comparison to its predecessor, FIFA 14. The online play, game modes and settings are more or less the same as they always have been. What has been improved in new FIFA installations is the realism of motion. Whereas other games like NCAA Football and MLB The Show series have trailed off and become more like cartoons, FIFA has reinvented their brand year by year and continues to cater to the demands of its international users. Player movement has incorporated physical aspects of momentum and speed so that users are not always left asking where players come from or how their
Tennis duo heads to Nationals By Anne Cruz Contributing Writer
via wikipedia.org
FIFA 15, the newest version of the video game, hit stores Sept. 23 opponent can possibly move faster when they have the ball. Also, both casual and serious soccer fans can genuinely judge the ability of a player on his FIFA ratings. Some will say that FIFA 15 is just another game. The culture surrounding it, however, is far from negligible. Video games that are as successful as FIFA are part of a larger culture that encourages camaraderie between users, specifically in our younger generation. FIFA, Madden, NBA 2K and games of other genres like Super Smash Bros. or the Batman series are all just a mechanism of goals and rewards that players use for enjoyment. That can be extremely important for a stressed college student, or one who is struggling for an opening line with a prospective friend in the elevator. So, next time I am procrastinating on an essay and screaming “goal” for a minute straight like a Mexican soccer announcer, do not tell me to get back to work. Let me enjoy my reprieve, and know that we could probably all use one. Email Bobby Wagner at sports@nyunews.com.
Sophomore Laila El Dessouki and junior Carmen Lai, who were named NYU Athletics’ athletes of the week on Oct. 6, are gearing up for the United States Tennis Association/ITA National Small College Championships from Oct. 9 to 12 in Sumter, South Carolina. NYU’s women’s tennis had successful individual performances at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Northeast Regional Championships in Geneva, New York, from Sept. 27 to 29. Thanks to this incredible duo, the Lady Violets were able to attain the Regional Doubles title. This season marks the first time NYU women’s tennis has produced an ITA champion, let alone two. The pair will earn ITA All-American honors and were named UAA athletes of the week on Sept. 29 for their achievements. In the Small College Championships, El Dessouki and Lai will compete against doubles champions from the seven other ITA regions within the United States. The National Small College Championship comprises schools within NCAA Divisions II and III. In the days leading up to Nationals, the Lady Violets attribute their success to their peers. “The support of our teammates and our coach has been amazing,” El Dessouki said. Lai agreed with her teammate, expressing gratitude toward the team.
STAFF PHOTOS BY SHAWN PAIK
Laila El Dessouki (left) and Carmen Lai (right) stand on the tennis court. “I’m so thankful for all the support and encouragement from my coaches and teammates,” Lai said. Senior Alexandra Ziarko expressed the elation of the team at El Dessouki and Lai’s performance. “My teammates and I couldn’t be more excited for Carmen and Laila,” Ziarko said. “This is a huge accomplishment for NYU women’s tennis. Although they are new to our team, we feel as if we’ve known them forever. They are an integral part of our team, and we wish them another great run.” In regards to their upcoming competition, Lai and El Dessouki are focused on preparing mentally and physically in order to end their fall season with the best performance possible. “We are trying to stay injury-free and positive for our upcoming tournament,” El Dessouki said. Lai echoed El Dessouki, but emphasized the need to continue to hone their skills. “Right now we are trying to stay healthy and improve our weaknesses in order to have better performance in Nationals,” Lai said. The players are scheduled to begin the tournament on Thursday, Oct. 9, in a match against
STAFF PHOTO BY SHAWN PAIK
Lai (left) and El Dessouki (right) are NYU’s athletes of the week. the second-seeded Washington and Lee University. Over the fall season, Lai and El Dessouki have consistently persevered with a record of 7-2 in their last nine matches. With these performances, the Lady Violets have proven NYU’s growing presence in collegiate tennis. Email Anne Cruz at sports@nyunews.com.
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