NYU’s Daily Student Newspaper
WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS Vol. 42, No. 94
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014
nyunews.com
SOCCER
STUDENT LIFE
Marathon more than doubles donations
Violets end soccer seasons with losses By BOBBY WAGNER Staff Writer
This weekend marked the end of the NYU men’s and women’s soccer seasons as both teams fell in their respective playoff tournaments. The men’s team lost 1-0 at the hand of Rutgers University-Camden in the semifinals of the Eastern College Athletic Conference competition, while the women fell 2-0 to Amherst College in the first round of the NCAA DIII tournament. After pulling out a tight game a few days earlier, the men’s team traveled across state lines to Camden hoping to win in similar fashion, with resilient defense and impressive goalkeeping. The stat line of the game was resoundingly similar, as the Violets were outshot 16-7 and were only able to get three shots on net to Rutgers’ five. Unlike the last game, however, NYU’s opponent was able to sneak one goal in past sophomore goalkeeper Lucas Doucette. The Scarlet Knights’ goal came early in the 17th minute of the first half, when opposing forward Mike Ryan got right in front of the net and beat Doucette. Doucette had four saves on the day. The Violets could not rally and only scraped together a few chances at the end of the match. Freshman forward Malcolm Montilus led the team with two shots, and one on goal. His return next season will headline the maturation of a very young team, which had contributions Saturday from many underclassmen, as they have all season. The return of a slew of sophomores, including big minute players Doucette, captain Petter Aasa, forward Bryan Walsh, midfielder Ryan Cerqueria and forward Reece Barton should also help next season’s cause. Montilus, defender Ryan Llorente and forward Tommy Walters are three promising freshmen who played significant minutes this season. The team will certainly miss senior captain Mickey Ingerman and senior defender Justin Suter, but with an 11-7-1 finish for
SOCCER continued on PG. 8
By LINGYI HOU Contributing Writer
STAFF PHOTO BY SANG BAE
For 12 hours on Nov. 16, members of NYU’s greek life participated in its second annual dance marathon, raising money for the Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation.
More than 500 students gathered in Eisner & Lubin Auditorium to raise money to benefit the Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation at NYU’s second annual dance marathon on Nov. 16. The event, which was hosted by New York Dance Marathon, raised a total of $252,757.68 — over double what was raised last year. Founded in 2013 by members of NYU greek life, the NYDM is a yearlong fundraising challenge culminating in a 12-hour dance marathon. The proceeds are used to support pediatric cancer research and provide support for the families of children with cancer. All individuals who fundraised more than $250 during the year were invited to attend the dance marathon. This year’s marathon included more than 250 participants. The children whose treatment
DANCE continued on PG. 3
FEAUTURES
All-female ‘Julius Caesar’ breaks gender lines By DHRITI TANDON Staff Writer
In an attempt to reflect on Roman contemporary politics and modern day interpretations of gender, the Gallatin School of Individualized Study’s Roman Tragedies Festival featured an all-female production of “Julius Caesar.” The production was performed by the all-female Gallatin group, Show Us Womanish, created by junior Katherine Romans and alumna Ashley Thaxton. “We are seven people who are working to tell a story that was written over 400 years ago about an event that happened over 2,000 years ago,” Romans said. “When people ask us ‘Why female?’ we say, ‘Why not?’” The production’s name itself
was inspired by a quote in “Julius Caesar,” which describes their eccentric collection of an all-female cast to present the male-dominated epic. “One day we were in rehearsal and Cassius’ character spoke the lines, ‘And we are governed with our mother’s spirits; our yoke and sufferance show us womanish,’” Romans said. “We decided we liked the irony of the concept ‘show us womanish’ and began to call ourselves that.” The group members hoped to be explicit about their transformations from female to male characters and embodying multiple roles. “We decided very early on in our process that we did not want to hide any of our transformations from the audience,” Romans said. “We never wanted to
COURTESY OF KATHERINE ROMANS
Kelsey Burns practices for her role in “Julius Caesar.” deceive the audience or ‘pretend’ that we are not women ... We are all performing ourselves and our performance sometimes changes
depending on the context.” The members said acting out
TRAGEDIES continued on PG. 4
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WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014 | NYUNEWS.COM
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BLOGS
I spent my freshman year studying abroad at NYU London, and it was probably the best decision I have ever made. I had real high afternoon tea, met a baroness, went to football matches and met some homies. In class we talked about the Rosetta Stone and Greek art, and then we walked across the street and looked at the Rosetta Stone and Greek art. Basically, London is perfect.
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SNAPSHOT
TODAY ON CAMPUS Trans Awareness Week: “Mala Mala” Come to the NYU Gallatin Jerry Labowitz Theatre at 1 Washington Place at 6:30 p.m. for a screening of “Mala Mala,” a documentary about trans-identifying people and drag performers in Puerto Rico. Following the film, there will be a discussion featuring some of the activists and performers included in the documentary.
La Herencia Latina — Know Your Rights: Ending Police Violence in the US La Herencia Latina and the Incarceration of Education Coalition will discuss police brutality and intersectionality of identity at 7 p.m. in room 914 of the Kimmel Center for University Life. Food will be served.
“Cry Havoc”: An Exploration of the Trauma of War from the Perspective of a Military Veteran The Empire State Building is lit up red and green on a rainy Thursday night to note the 2014 Radio City Christmas Spectacular.
PHOTO BY HANNAH LUU
Filmmaker Stephan Wolfert combines his own experiences as a military veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder with the speeches of soldiers in works by William Shakespeare in “Cry Havoc.” The screening is at 8:30 p.m. at the Grand Hall of the Global Center for Academic and Spiritual Life. RSVP is requested.
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KRISTINA BOGOS, RACHEL KAPLAN, CLIO MCCONNELL, JORDAN MELENDREZ, KALEEL MUNROE, 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 | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS
CRIME LOG nov. 5 to 12
By CHRISTINE PARK Staff Writer The Department of Public Safety has received reports of 11 incidents of larceny, an incident of harassment and the confiscation of an illegal substance between Nov. 5 and 12.
Larceny At 8:45 a.m. on Nov. 6, a student said the guest she signed into Lafayette Street residence hall on Nov. 5 at 3:50 a.m. stole a watch from her room at 7:37 a.m. The student was successful in retrieving her watch back with the assistance of Public Safety. At 3:45 p.m. on Nov. 12, a student said his laptop and iPad were stolen between 10 p.m. on Nov. 11 and 9:30 a.m. on Nov. 12 at an office in the King Juan Carlos Center. The New York Police Department filed a report. At 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 11, a staff member reported that his headphones and portable game device were stolen from his knapsack, which he left in a locker room at Rogers Hall between 2 p.m. and 11 p.m. The NYPD filed a report.
At noon on Nov. 12, Public Safety was notified that a laptop was stolen from a common room at Brittany residence hall between 8:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Nov. 11. There have been six incidents of bicycle thefts, which have been reported at Schwartz Plaza, Tisch Hall, Coles Sports Center and several other locations on campus. All but the incident at Lafayette are still under investigation.
Harassment At 12:35 p.m. on Nov. 5, a student said an unidentified male scratched him on the neck at West Third Street just behind Bobst Library. The case was closed as there were no suspects and the student decided not to notify the police.
Controlled Substance At 12:15 a.m. on Nov. 6, Public Safety confiscated a small amount of marijuana from a dormitory room at Gramercy Green residence hall. The case was sent to judicial affairs. Email Christine Park at news@nyunews.com.
Hacking event capitalizes on Bitcoin
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By ALEX BAZELEY Deputy News Editor
A 24-hour Bitcoin hackathon hosted by the NYU’s Leslie Entrepreneurs Lab gave college students an opportunity to find innovative ways to incorporate Bitcoin into various platforms. The hackathon, which took place on Nov. 14 and 15, was the first of its kind to be hosted by NYU and featured nine teams made up of students from NYU, Columbia University, Yale University, CUNY, The King’s College, Cornell University, Pace University and Ohio State University. Bitcoin is a system that involves users mining — using software that creates bitcoins — for digital currency markers and selling them to the public, at which point they can be used to buy products. The system has seen a rise in popularity over the last two years, and developers are continually working to innovate and build around the system. Students presented their final projects at the hackathon, which included games, financial management and transaction-processing applications involving Bitcoin. Frank Rimalovski, executive director of the Leslie eLab, said not many of the students had much exposure to Bitcoin before the hackathon. He added that the eLab
COURTESY OF MATYLDA CZARNECKA OF HACKONAUTS
Nine teams from eight universities participated in the competition. had three goals for the hackathon. “One was to get students who might not otherwise work together to collaborate,” Rimalovski said. “The second was to get them some exposure to Bitcoin. The third was to get the startup community to come in here and to get the students to collaborate with them.” The hackathon featured three sponsors — Bloomberg, Chain and Blockchain — who were brought in to give the participants experience working with companies directly involved in the finance and Bitcoin world. Kevin Houk, a 19-year-old developer with Blockchain, explained to the students some of the systems they would be working with and let them bounce ideas off him. He said he felt it was important to help the students in a hands-on way and thought everyone benefited. “Bitcoin is really popular now,
and all the developers are shifting to develop on Bitcoin,” Houk said. “History has shown that where the developers go, there’s a direct lagged correlation with where all the consumers go. It’s only a matter of time before we see mainstream shifts.” Jordan Frankfurt and Ryan Skinner, both juniors at King’s, created a “Space Invaders”-type game that allows users to accumulate points and cash out their bitcoins at the end. Their project won first place in the competition, earning them $1,500 worth of bitcoins. “Our goal was to have fun and to learn something new,” Frankfurt said. “We did not go into this expecting to win or trying to win. People who like games, this will give them access into this whole new world of digital currency.” Email Alex Bazeley at abazeley@nyunews.com.
GSOC, NYU to start mediation By JOHN AMBROSIO News Editor
STAFF PHOTO BY SANG BAE
Participants raised $252,757.68 for the Andrew McDonough B+ foundation.
Greek life members get moving for charity
the money funded, the B+ Heroes, were also invited to join the party and perform in a talent show during the afternoon. NYDM co-executive director Jillian Haslett, a College of Nursing senior and member of Alpha Epsilon Phi, said the event was meant to support children who are fighting cancer. “Our fraternities and sororities have adopted 14 kids who are diagnosed with pediatric cancer this year,” Haslett said. “They are our heroes. All we do is for these kids. We want to help them and their family fight the cancer.” Sorority Alpha Epsilon Phi and fraternity Zeta Beta Tao were the top fundraisers and, for the second year, Alex Oliveira of Delta Phi Epsilon was recognized as the NYDM’s top individual fundraiser. B+ founder Joe McDonough, the father of Andrew McDonough, said the event was an important compo-
nent of the nonprofit’s efforts. “My son died because of leukemia, a kind of blood cancer, when he was 14, then me and my family decided to found this nonprofit to raise money to help family pay bill for their kids,” McDonough said. “NYDM is certainly one of the most important contributors. What they’ve done is just amazing. It takes my breath away.” Steinhardt sophomore Lilia Chu of Zeta Tau Alpha said she was happy to participate in the Dance Marathon because she saw where her sorority’s fundraising efforts were going. “These kids make me feel so inspired,” Chu said. “The Dance Marathon makes the donors really see where the money are going to and who we are helping.” Email Lingyi Hou at news@nyunews.com.
After failing to come to a prior agreement, the Graduate Student Organizing Committee has officially agreed to enter third-party mediation to push its contract negotiations with NYU forward. This news came after both sides failed to make substantial progress in their negotiations during two bargaining sessions on Oct. 22 and Nov. 11. GSOC, which is pushing for several changes to graduate student workers’ contracts including higher wages and health care benefits, made the decision to enter mediation on Wednesday, Nov. 12, during another bargaining committee meeting. “Due to the recalcitrance of NYU at the bargaining table, we have decided to accept the university’s procedural proposal that we enter non-binding mediation with a third party mediator,” a Nov. 12 statement from GSOC read. “Though we will be in mediation, to ensure a fair contract for all grad workers, we need to continue to place collective pressure on the university to fulfill our demands.” NYU spokesman John Beckman said the university was glad to
hear the news and looks forward to making progress. “We heard from the [union] this past week that they have agreed to make use of an impartial, nonbinding mediator,” Beckman said in an email. “We’re pleased with that development; previously, they had been unwilling to say ‘yes’ to using a mediator, which puzzled us.” GSOC spokesperson Lily Defriend said the union and administration made few advances during the bargaining meetings because the university refused to negotiate. “They made a counterproposal that we thought was unreasonable, we made modifications to our proposal and expected them to do the same,” Defriend said. “They then explained that they wouldn’t meet all our proposals, which we interpreted as meaning they expected us to drop some of our demands.” She added the union was upset that the university has not submitted a counterproposal during the most recent bargaining sessions. “It’s unacceptable that NYU has refused to make us a counterproposal since last May,” Defriend said. “There is growing frustration among the membership who have been waiting for a good contract
for months now.” Beckman declined to comment on specifics of the negotiation process, but said both sides must be willing to be flexible for negotiation to take place. “Nobody gets everything they want from a negotiation; identifying priority items allows both sides to focus their efforts and make progress,” Beckman said. Following the decision to move forward with mediation, bargaining committee member Shelly Ronen said the next scheduled negotiation session may not happen on the previously agreed upon date of Dec. 2 now that the mediator is in charge of scheduling. GSOC also held a demonstration on Friday, Nov. 14, in an effort to continue to put pressure on their negotiating partners. “The action was a group of GSOC members who went to Bobst to deliver letters to Terry Nolan. They were letters addressed to high school counselors advising them of the ongoing events at NYU and how that might affect undergraduate education,” Ronen said. “We’re escalating our attempt to put pressure on the university.” Email John Ambrosio at jambrosio@nyunews.com.
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WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014 | NYUNEWS.COM
FEATURES
EDITED BY HANNAH TREASURE FEATURES@NYUNEWS.COM
TRAGEDIES continued from PG. 1
Gallatin troupe brings new perspective to classic play
certain relationships with a unisex cast replaces the gendered perspectives of the play with humanist ones. “It allows people to see these stories as human stories and not gendered ones,” Romans said. “The two women characters in this play, Portia and Calpurnia, are married to Brutus and Caesar, and we see the experiences of those two couples as really universal to the experiences of both men and women in relationships.” Thaxton noted that the production had a positive response on opening night. “We received really great feedback from our audiences, particu-
larly about how we were able to communicate the text and the story, which was very validating to hear,” Thaxton said. CAS freshman Alice Zhu is appreciative of the unconventional manner in which the female cast presents the play. “I believe this production is one of the most creative spins on a Shakespeare play that mostly features male characters,” Zhu said. “I am really impressed by how the ‘manliness’ of the characters are not lost despite the fact that the entire cast is female.” This “Julius Caesar” production’s uniqueness will continue
COMING TO NEWSSTANDS
to gather interest, as the troupe intends to perform in January 2015 at the Lineage Performing Arts Center, located in Pasadena, California. Although they are uncertain about their plans after, members of Show Us Womanish hope to continue their work on Shakespeare plays. “We are not sure where Show Us Womanish will go next, but we don’t think that the journey will end here,” Romans said. “We hope to all continue working together in the future.” Email Dhriti Tandon at features@nyunews.com.
NOV. 20
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FRINGE
COURTESY OF KATHERINE ROMANS
Show Us Womanish rehearses for its Gallatin performance.
NYUNEWS.COM | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS
FEATURES
EDITED BY HANNAH TREASURE FEATURES@NYUNEWS.COM
Student life as: Nanny, babysitter By EMILY ANN HARRIS Staff Writer
For Tisch freshman Molly O’Brien, nannying is an ideal job. With a huge market in New York City and a pay that is often higher than a retail job, O’Brien knew she wanted to continue nannying at NYU after doing so in high school. “I was a babysitter/personal assistant for a family who owned a few businesses in Kentucky, and really enjoyed it,” O’Brien said. “I made more money than any of my friends with regular jobs and realized how much potential I had to be a nanny in New York.” O’Brien began applying for nanny jobs using websites like sittercity.com and had a phone interview with a family in New York City while she still lived in Kentucky. When she first moved to college, O’Brien even missed a few days of school to meet the family.
O’Brien works through the afternoon and into the evening on three weekdays, as well as full days on weekends. “I get a list of everything I need to do, and in what order and at what times,” O’Brien said. “It can include going to pick up items and drop off clothing to be sold or returned, or grocery shopping. Once all the activities are done and finally the crazy day is finished, I give the kids baths, set out clothes for the next day and help with dinner and bedtime routine.” Unlike other typical college jobs, nannying can have unconventional hours. O’Brien admitted that it is not always easy, but the reward is completely worth it. “Though there is so much stress and so little free time, I keep telling myself I couldn’t be making the amount of money I do and have the environment of work I do if it was retail,” O’Brien said.
CAS freshman Marissa Ablack also nannies. Ablack used the Wasserman Center for Career Development to find the family she nannies for. “People looking for nannies will post wanted ads on there, so I browsed a couple of options and submitted my résumé to a few different families,” Ablack said. “Within a day, I heard back from a family that was interested.” Much like O’Brien, Ablack has a tight schedule of mandatory items to complete for the day, even at 5:30 a.m. “I nanny five times a week in the mornings and two afternoons,” Ablack said. “Typically I’ll wake up around 5:30 a.m., take the subway to their home and come in as their parents leave for their jobs at around 6:30 a.m.” Though there are extensive time commitments and responsibilities involved in being a nanny, Ablack said the time
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STAFF PHOTO BY MANPREET KAUR
Marissa Ablack balances school with her job as a babysitter. spent getting to know a family creates a strong relationship. “Nannying, though, has always been the most fun of the jobs I’ve held, simply because you really de-
velop a relationship with the family you nanny for,” Ablack said. Email Emily Ann Harris at features@nyunews.com.
Graduate student reflects on book about Indian Railway By ANNA FERKINGSTAD Staff Writer
Anupama Sharma, a Wagner graduate student, achieved her goal of becoming a published author by the age of 30 with “Railonama.” The book, a short story collection published in August of this year, comprises a series of stories and poems about different journeys across the Indian Railway. The concept for Sharma’s book stemmed from her love of traveling. With a background in technology, however, Sharma transitioned her own anthology into an online project that collected tales about the Indian Railway from people around the world. Sharma received over 200 submissions for “Railonama,” but only published 45. A team of readers, who spent hours
PHOTO VIA FACEBOOK.COM
Anupama Sharma published “Railonama” in August. editing, helped Sharma narrow down the selection. Sharma said many of the submissions included unfamiliar information.
“You think you know a lot, and then you realize there is so much more to know about,” Sharma said. “It is important to be open, if you have a closed mindset then the world is different.” The most challenging part about writing a novel for Sharma was finding a publisher and getting the word out about the book. As a firsttime author, she taught herself the ins and outs of the publishing world through online research, and contacted writers asking for advice on finding a publisher. “Finding a publisher is not easy,” Sharma said. “Just like when finding a job, references help you most. So, if you know someone in the company, go ahead and approach them. As the world is, some people are helpful, some are not.” In addition to the actual production, marketing can strain a
student. The process of creating “Railonama” spanned a year and a half. “I had no idea how hard it would be,” Sharma said. “If it’s your first time as an author, there are a lot of things you don’t know about … there are so many publishers out there and there’s so many authors. It’s really hard to get their attention.” Sharma used Twitter, Facebook and blogs in the beginning to spread the word about the project and her website. “Being an author, once a book is out, you would want that tomorrow there are 10,000 sales,” Sharma said. “But I think it takes a lot of patience because people take time to read. Then they take time to come back and review.” The recent positive responses Sharma has received on her first book have prompted her
to consider a sequel. Due to the time-consuming process of publishing a book, however, she has decided to wait until she finishes her degree to work on her second novel. “I might, based on the response I’m getting, but definitely not while I am a student,” Sharma said. “This time I’ll plan it out properly.” Although Sharma did not always know she wanted to be an author, she is now considering alternative topics for additional works. “Once you become an author … you are always thinking about the next topic,” Sharma said. “You learn about it’s not just about what you want to write, it’s also about what the world wants to read.” Email Anna Ferkingstad at features@nyunews.com.
Juniors’ musical startup skyrockets after competition By NINA JANG Staff Writer
Transporting a bass guitar on a cramped Peter Pan Bus is no easy feat, which is why Stern junior Rohit Mittal and CAS junior Lindsay Heatley created Mitley. The online rental service where musicians can rent out their equipment for a daily fee, launching last spring, earned Mittal and Heatley an invitation to the Harvard Innovation in Business Competition on Oct. 18. They competed as finalists against a Columbia University and Harvard University joint-team and a Harvard graduate team. The competition was part of the Harvard Undergraduate Women in Business Conference. Mittal and Heatley took second place at the conference, and said there was a surge of interest in their site among the final-
ists and judges alike. “Our website traffic skyrocketed because all the people we met were genuinely interested in our idea,” Mittal said. Heatley knew the nature of the competition would be competitive, but was surprised by the other participants’ cooperative and kind nature. “Everybody was so nice and so welcoming,” Heatley said. “Rohit set the tone by going up to the other finalists and introducing himself to all teams, which is great since we were all a bit nervous but we got to let go.” The idea for the site came from Heatley’s personal blog, Crimson, as a platform for musicians to have access to equipment without breaking the bank. “Mitley was actually incarnated as something else in the beginning based on a blog I started when I was
a freshman,” Heatley said. “I reached out for an IT person and [Mittal] responded … We’re total opposites, but I think that’s why it works.” Mittal and Heatley work together in each aspect of their site, beginning with the musicians renting out equipment. After filling out an online form, Heatley approves the gear and lists it online. Mittal and Heatley then leave the exchange to the buyer and seller, providing the option for a Mitley Protection Plan in which the equipment owner will be reimbursed if the equipment is returned damaged. Mitley is a response to the difficulty of bringing equipment to the city, which may resonate with many out-of-state NYU students and anyone on a student budget. Heatley realized this while working as a DJ in the city. “Equipment costs so much on its
COURTESY OF MITLEY
Lindsay Heatley and Rohit Mittal launched Mitely March of this year. own, so from a DJ’s point of view like Heatley — you’re essentially losing money when you turn down gig opportunities because you don’t have
all the equipment,” Mittal said. Heatley and Mittal have spoken about expanding Mitley’s presence locally and gradually building up to other large cities, such as Los Angeles. Both students agree, however, that any future expansion will only be likely after first creating a solid community among NYU students and New York City musicians. “Featured Musicians” is a developing segment on the site, and showcases videos of local bands. Merchandise is also an area they want to expand into. Heatley and Mittal want to ensure that with each step toward expansion, quality is always the priority. “Until we get it right, we won’t stop trying to make the site better,” Heatley said. Email Nina Jang at features@nyunews.com.
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Crossword ACROSS 1 German auto whose logo depicts a rearing horse 8 ___ Sprockets, George Jetson’s employer 15 It’s played with mallets and wickets … 16 … with 108 cards 17 Fastened 18 Six years, in the U.S. Senate 19 Reply ___ (email option) 20 Chews like a beaver 21 Exams for H.S. juniors 24 Frilly, as lingerie 25 Autos 29 No ifs, ___ or buts 30 “Here, boy!” 31 One whose job is to park 25-Across 32 Silent “yes”
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33 Japanese rice wine 34 Swiss watch city 35 ___ and don’ts 36 … with a mat with colored circles 38 Like one after work?: Abbr. 39 Cousins of giraffes 41 Slippery 42 Prefix with cycle 43 “Don’t worry about it!” 44 Infomercial, e.g. 45 Additionally 46 ___ and sciences 47 Chaz Bono’s mom 48 Enter, as data 49 Place to get a perm 51 Counterpart of his 52 Test taker going “Psst!,” say 55 Brave deeds 59 … with dashes on paper
60 … with steelies and aggies 61 Plays the market 62 Watches secretly
DOWN 1 Dell and HP products 2 Mined rocks 3 Bird in “Arabian Nights” 4 Leg-building exercises 5 Biceps-building exercises 6 Achilles’ weak spot 7 When to expect takeoff, for short 8 Ornamental light fixture 9 Philippine island in W.W. II fighting 10 From square one 11 X-ray type 12 WNW’s opposite 13 81/2” x 11” paper size: Abbr. 14 Candied Thanksgiving food TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE 20 Playoff series finale … or O L E S A L E S O D an apt title K I N G B A D E P A for this puzzle considering the S I T T E R S M E W number and E S T E E M I N G length of its W A R D L I S T theme entries O C E C O S W A B 21 Box opener of R M A T H S H E B A myth S E T H E W H E E L S 22 … with cues and 22 balls E M A T U R A T E S 23 Season to taste, T E N S E R in a certain way T A T S K K I P E N D E R T A R A 24 Trickster of myth A D I M E A D O Z E N 26 With attentiveness K E V I N D U R A N T S M A R T P H O N E S 27 … with blackand-white disks
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PUZZLE BY GREG JOHNSON
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45 Oxygen-needing bacterium 47 Baseball shoe 31 Extremely feature 33 Pixy ___ (candy) 48 ___ Walsh, threetime Olympic 34 Neuter, as a male beach volleyball horse gold medalist 50 Convenience 37 Rip store 40 Book excerpt conveniences 44 Roses’ defenses 51 Pile 30 Crows’ cries
52 White Sox home, for short 53 ___ Solo of “Star Wars” 54 It’s stamped at the P.O. 55 “___ Pinafore” 56 They, in Paris 57 Corp. bigwig 58 Fig. in the form XXX-XX-XXXX
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NYUNEWS.COM | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS
OPINION
EDITED BY CHRISTINA COLEBURN OPINION@NYUNEWS.COM
ENTERTAINMENT
Allegations against Cosby compromise legacy By ANNIE COHEN Staff Columnist
Bill Cosby has been a fixture of American popular culture since 1965, when he became the first African-American to co-star on a dramatic TV series. Through his multiple iconic TV roles and his advocacy for children’s education, the name Bill Cosby has come to be synonymous with wholesome, enriching entertainment. Recently, however, Cosby has found himself mired in various controversies that threaten his sterling reputation. Whispers of alleged sexual misconduct including rape have existed for years, without much notice. It was not until comedian Hannibal Buress referenced the allegations during a performance this October that public opinion began to turn against Cosby. Since that incident, Cosby has canceled scheduled appearances on “The Queen Latifah Show” and “Late Show With David Letterman,” prompting further scrutiny. Yet another blow came on Nov. 10, when Cosby’s Twitter account posted a link to a meme-generator. The incident in-
volved people writing accusations of rape and discussions of rape culture over the images from Cosby’s meme generator, often while referencing his past works. Unfortunately, most of the accusations levied at Cosby boil down to a case of he said she said. But with accusations from 13 women, it seems only logical to conclude that Cosby is guilty of some degree of sexual misconduct. It is difficult to reconcile such a beloved figure with something as reprehensible as rape, especially given the significance Cosby’s work has had on entertainment. Cosby’s greatest television success came when “The Cosby Show” debuted in 1984. The show is widely credited with introducing an entire generation of Americans to the concept of an upper-middle class, loving black family — the likes of
which were virtually nonexistent on television. Some commentators even go so far as to suggest that Cosby’s ability to change negative racial attitudes contributed to Barack Obama being elected president. These achievements and his role as the consummate TV father make the current revelations about Cosby even more difficult to accept. In the end, the truth about Cosby’s sexual misconduct may never be known. While the public may never uncover the details surrounding the 13 accusations, the notion that the supposedly warm, caring father from “The Cosby Show” could be a rapist is particularly jarring. Many Americans, as well as people from other nations, were touched by his work. Cosby is an iconic figure, and his legacy is currently at stake. So many versions of him exist: from the wisecracking jokester and the gentle father to the sexual predator and the curmudgeonly old man. It remains to be seen which persona Cosby will ultimately be remembered for. Email Annie Cohen at opinion@nyunews.com.
HEALTH
Balanced sleeping schedule critical for students By MATTHEW TESSLER Staff Columnist
Humans need sleep. Young adults especially need it, and more of it if possible. While growth spurts may be over, teenaged brains are still developing, and they will not fully mature until a person’s mid-20s, at the least. While students are in school trying to expand their minds, the very structure of their brains is expanding at the same time. Young adults need to balance academics with their sleep, which actually aids in learning and development. It may often seem like these two activities are at odds with each other, but their correlation is important. Young adults have odd sleeping schedules, and it is not completely their fault. Developing brains of adolescents are wired to go to sleep later. When combined with heavy collegiate workloads, freedom from parental restrictions and the atmosphere of the city that never sleeps, it is no wonder that NYU students often go to sleep extremely late. While
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late bedtimes alone can be troubling, affecting everything from throwing off circadian rhythms to immune systems, this issue is compounded during the winter time. Moreover, students from warmer regions with longer days and shorter nights may not be aware of the effects the winter can have on one’s system. By going to bed late, young adults exacerbate these effects, which can lead to medical issues. Seasonal affective disorder — a form of depression caused by changes in seasons — is among the potential complications. It can be triggered by a variety of factors, including an unnatural sleep schedule and decreased exposure to light. Symptoms of seasonal affective disorder usually manifest during fall and winter, and deficient sleep during this period can
make individuals more vulnerable to depression. Research indicates that going to bed late when the sun sets later is not necessarily problematic. An 11 a.m. wake-up time gives one plenty of sunlight to maintain proper Vitamin D levels and circadian rhythm. Going to bed late when the sun goes down early is a recipe for disaster, however, because an 11 a.m. wake-up time means five hours of sunlight at the most. Students should be wary of seasonal affective disorder and take sleep seriously. Depression in the middle of a semester can jeopardize both academics and social life. In college, personal well-being is seldom prioritized. This should not be the case — sleep is an essential tool for physical and mental health. Sleeping in late for Palladium brunch rather than waking up to an early breakfast may seem preferable, but a balanced sleep schedule can literally make winter much brighter. Suspend late-night study sessions, close Netflix and go to sleep — your mind and body will be grateful. Email Matthew Tessler at opinion@nyunews.com.
STAFF EDITORIAL
Exotic dancers deserve fair wages
A New York district judge declared that Rick’s Cabaret, a strip club in Midtown Manhattan, owes 1,900 former dancers more than $10 million in back pay in a Nov. 14 ruling. The decision is a follow-up to a court case last year where it was ruled that Rick’s treated the dancers as employees, but failed to pay them minimum wage and unjustly collected fees from them. Considering the performers’ time at the club was tracked via an electronic fingerprint scanner, the dancers have ample evidence for the upcoming trial, where they are seeking $18.8 million. The class action lawsuit includes dancers who worked at the club from 2005 through late 2012, indicating the severe extent of the problem. While the performers are making progress toward compensation, the length of time that these labor violations span indicates that the city must increase its oversight of workers in vulnerable positions. Rick’s Cabaret initially attempted to dismiss Sabrina Hart and Reka Furedi, the two dancers leading the lawsuit, for “lacking moral character.” The defendants noted that Hart violated the club’s rules when she gave her phone number to a customer, who later became her husband. Hart’s violation of this rule neither implies that she lacks moral character nor that she should be disqualified from leading the lawsuit. Rick’s Cabaret’s attack on the dancers’ reputations only highlights its own lack of moral character. Not only did the establishment underpay its dancers, it also made them pay for access to its poles and stages. The Houston-based company that operates Rick’s Cabaret plans to appeal the court’s ruling. The company justified the back pay by calling the dancers “independent contractors” instead of employees, arguing that Rick’s Cabaret was within bounds to charge the dancers fees for the use of its performance venue, much like studio space. Instead of wages, their nightly earnings theoretically would come directly from patrons. Moreover, Rick’s Cabaret took a percentage of some of these earnings when patrons did not pay cash. The defendants’ attempt to discount the legitimacy of the dancers’ complaints by invoking questions of moral character is deplorably hypocritical. New Yorkers should not be swayed by their misleading tactics, which are nothing more than a self-serving distraction from the defendants’ own ethical shortcomings. Rick’s Cabaret cheated its dancers out of minimum wage for at least seven years, wrongly labeling them as independent contractors rather than employees when it required them to adhere to a number of company rules. Among the labor abuses, these dancers were denied health benefits and charged stage fees to dance for patrons. The $10 million plus back pay is long overdue and represents a victory for both fair wages and for workers in the adult entertainment industry.
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.
WSN does not print unsigned letters or editorials. WSN reserves the right to reject any submission and edit accepted submissions in any and all ways. With the exception of the staff editorial, opinions expressed on the editorial pages are not necessarily those of WSN, and our publication of opinions is not an endorsement of them.
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NYUNEWS.COM | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS
SPORTS
EDITED BY CHRIS MARCOTRIGIANO SPORTS@NYUNEWS.COM
BASKETBALL
SOCCER continued from PG. 1
Men’s, women’s basketball begin
Tourneys bring season closings
By KYLE LUTHER Staff Writer
The NYU men’s and women’s basketball teams began their seasons with the NYU Tip-Off Tournament on Nov. 15 and 16, at Coles Sports Center. The men’s team split their two games after winning their first round matchup and falling in a closely contested championship game. The Violets went into the tournament ranked second in the preseason UAA poll. The first game, against John Jay College, started off with five straight points by the Violets, and they cruised to a 37-25 halftime lead. The lead ballooned to 20 in the early minutes of the second half and at one moment, it was as high as 32. The Violets dominated each quarter and made sure the Bloodhounds never got back into the game. “It is always great to start the season off with a win, but to win by a large margin like we did speaks to how hard we have been working over the past month,” sophomore guard Joe Timmes said. “We have to continue working extremely hard and build off of the first game. I thought we played great team ball.” Junior point guard Max Ralby underscored the importance of getting off to a good start. “It feels good after a long month of practice to finally display all the hard work we have put in,” Ralby said. “It’s nice to come out with a big win first game. It feels good, but it is only one game. We know we still have a lot to im-
cessful on the floor at any time. We will value this type of team chemistry as we progress through the season.” The women’s basketball team will take on Springfield College in Massachusetts on Nov. 22, and the men’s team will take on both Manhattan and Brooklyn colleges, also on Nov 22.
such a young team, the path to meaningful postseason play is just beginning. The women’s team also saw its season dispatched on Saturday. The loss caps the team’s season at 11-61. This season marked the team’s first NCAA tournament berth since 2002, which is quite the farewell for its eight graduating seniors. The Violets conceded once in each half, and were unable to beat Amherst keeper Holly Burwick, despite six attempts on goal. Sophomore Violet goalkeeper Cassie Steinberg performed impressively despite her two goals allowed, saving seven shots and keeping NYU within striking distance. The offense struggled and, after a season of impressive offensive showings and total team games, it fell in a shutout in which it was close to scoring on a few occasions. Senior forwards Cami Crawford and Amelia Hammerl led the way in the attacking third, each putting two shots on goal. Crawford said the team experienced a whirlwind of emotions. “We are proud to have been selected to go to the NCAAs this year, and we know it will be a platform for the program to grow off of for years afterward,” she said. After such a long, impressive season, it will be difficult to start over in the fall of 2015 especially after losing a few of the team’s leaders. But with a solid group of underclassmen, many of whom have now tasted success and the NCAA tournament, the Violets should be a force to reckon with in the UAA next season.
Email Kyle Luther at sports@nyunews.com.
Email Bobby Wagner at sports@nyunews.com.
STAFF PHOTO BY SAM BEARZI
Maya Wasowicz, 14, dribbles the ball away from an opposing defender on Nov. 15. prove to [be] where we need to be, but it was great first win and a great start for us.” The Violets lost a nail-biter in the championship game 64-62 against Union College on Nov. 16. The game was evenly matched, and the teams finished with nearly identical field goal percentages, but a late layup by Union College broke NYU, as the Violets missed an opportunity to start the season 2-0. The women’s basketball team experienced success this weekend, securing a Tip-Off Tournament victory. In the first game, on Nov. 15, the Violets defeated Western Connecticut State University 71-49. The Violets never trailed after taking the first two points of the game. They finished the first half leading 35-16. The standout performance of the game came from junior forward Megan Dawe, who led all scorers with 20 points and was seven of 11 from the field. On Nov. 16, the Violets took the championship game 86-70 against SUNY Plattsburgh. The game remained close in the first half, with the Violets maintaining a five-point lead at the break. But in the second half,
STAFF PHOTO BY SAM BEARZI
Team Captain Evan Kupferberg jumps over the John Jay College defense on Nov. 15. the Violets were able to raise their field goal percentage from 37 percent in the first to 60 percent. The Violets outscored Plattsburgh by 11 points in the second frame and finished the game strong. Sophomore center Emily Rowe remarked on the number of players for the team that were able to contribute. “Winning this tournament shows the depth of our team,” Rowe said. “Anyone can be suc-
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