NYU’s Daily Student Newspaper
WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS Vol. 42, No. 96
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2014
nyunews.com STUDENT LIFE
Trans Week
analyzes social media use By ALANNA BAYARIN Staff Writer
STAFF PHOTO BY DANIEL COLE
Renee Stetson (left center), who served in the U.S. Army in Afghanistan, describes the restrictions on transgendered citizens in the military at NYU Trans Awareness Week’s panel, “Coming Out Trans and Social Media.”
When the temperature begins to drop, we typically focus most on intensive facial care. But what we always seem to forget is that our hands and nails also need intensive therapy. The cold weather paired with harsh indoor heating often results in dried, cracked fingers and nails — an experience that we should all aim to avoid this season. Equip yourself with these helpful tips to protect your precious hands. Be sure to invest in a good pair of gloves for the harsh winter months. The city wind will never be forgiving on vulnerable hands, so this accessory is a must. Aside from keep-
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
ing your hands toasty, gloves can act as a protective barrier to keep harmful germs away from nails. And if gloves are not your style, you can always go for mittens — or even a faux fur muff if you feel particularly adventurous. Exfoliating is not just for the face. Dry skin will eventually peel and cause extreme discomfort. There is no need to run out to the store to buy a special hand exfoliant when you probably have all the necessary ingredients already on hand. Mix equal parts brown sugar and olive oil — maybe even some mashed strawberries for its scent and acidity — and apply onto your hands.
NAILS continued on PG. 4 VIA NYU’S INTERNATIONAL STUDENT DATA
By AVERY CHANG Staff Writer
Global students increasing Students react to the news that the university accepts the highest number of international students. STORY on PG. 3
Alum brings unique play to stage By KAITLYN MITCHELL Contributing Writer
NYU alumnus Dan Kitrosser’s new play “Dead Special Crabs” ties his own neuroses to a whirlwind physical comedy ripe with homoerotic tension, a mystery serial killer, accidental incest and a manic cross-country journey down I-95 from Maine to Florida. Currently running Off-Off-Broadway at TBG Theatre, the production offers an unabashedly strange yet enjoyable plot. Kitrosser grew up in Philadelphia, where both his mother and father were lawyers. On the weekends, though, clowning around was quite literally the family pastime. His father Neil is a magi-
COURTESY OF AL FOOTE III
Cast members perform Dan Kitrosser’s “Dead Special Crabs.” cian and a clown. Until age 14, Kitrosser and his older brother Jeff performed routines with their father at synagogue functions. Neil was “Juggles the Clown,” his older brother
Iranian horror film captivates “A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night” is moody, but succeeds because of its atmosphere. STORY on PG. 5
Jeff was “Noodles” and little Dan was too young to wear makeup, so he was the ringmaster, “Monsieur Dumbo-bo.”
KITROSSER continued on PG. 5
ILLUSTRATION BY JOURDAN ENRIQUEZ
Prevent nails from winter weather damage
COMING OUT continued on PG. 3
THEATER
VIA KINO LORBER INC.
BEAUTY & STYLE
NYU’s Trans Awareness Week has officially started and on Nov. 18 the topic of discussion was “Coming Out Trans and Social Media.” Four active members of the trans community gathered in the Kimmel Center for University Life to participate in a panel discussion lead by Sasha Alexander, founder of Black Trans Media. Amos Mac, founder of trans culture magazine Original Plumbing, said his publication has changed the lives of many trans people. “With Original Plumbing, I get a ton of emails from people who are thankful and grateful,” Mac said. “People who are in a small town in Middle America, who read the magazine, and they keep it under their beds, and it inspires me.” Kim Watson, founder of transgender support group Community Kinship Life, said social media has
Goodbye NYC payphones The city’s plan to replace payphones with high-tech kiosks is a positive change. STORY on PG. 7
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WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2014 | NYUNEWS.COM
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Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. If you are in the mood for an upbeat song to blast on your way to school, or to dance alone to in your room, check out this indie-pop party anthem by Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. The Detroit band recently made an appearance at the Bowery Ballroom and filled the set with bubbles and synth-heavy sounds from its latest album “The Speed of Things.” Playing “If You Didn’t See Me [Then You Weren’t On The Dancefloor]” as its final encore, the band followed their own advice and joined the audience on the dance floor. It is impossible to not find the colorful chorus catchy, and Jr. Jr.’s electronic beat will definitely help you power through your next 10-page paper. Dana Reszutek, Managing Editor
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Dave Brubeck Because it is almost the holidays, jazz slowly starts creeping into my music repertoire, and Dave Brubeck is my go-to artist. His music is perfect for your morning commute, walking around campus or studying in the evening. Get your jazz fix with his “Dave Brubeck’s Greatest Hits” album, and you will feel calm, cool and collected — though not too cool — as the temperature starts to drop. “Take Five” is a personal favorite, but Brubeck offers cool jazz for any fan of the genre. Jordan Melendrez, Editor-at-Large
Screaming Maldini Founded across the pond in the land of fish and chips, British progressive pop band Screaming Maldini will certainly show up on your new list of favorites. With a mixture of playful lounge-style tracks, strong ballads and uplifting anthems, Screaming Maldini’s 2013 self-titled album is at once fun and educational for easy listeners and musical theorists alike. Countless key changes, time signature variations and bold instrumentation make this album a whirlwind of energy. Fan favorites include the tracks “Summer Somewhere” and “The Silver Mountain.” David Bologna, Beauty & Style Editor
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OPINION PAGE
Red Hot AIDS Benefit Series The latest in the Red Hot AIDS Benefit Series, “Red Hot + Arthur Russell,” features a diverse group of musicians including Jose Gonzalez, Robyn, Devendra Banhart, Phosphorescent, Glen Hansard, Hot Chip, Cults, Scissor Sisters and more. These artists cover a selection of songs and demos left behind by the eclectic New York musician and composer Arthur Russell when he died of AIDS in 1992. The compilation does a fine job of showcasing not only Russell’s wide-ranging, genre-spanning musical talents, but also that of the inventive artists paying him tribute. Some highlights include Blood Orange’s jazzy and rhythmic take on “Is It All Over My Face & Tower of Meaning,” and Rubblebucket and Nitemoves soaring, brass-laced interpretation of Russell’s previously unfinished song “Eli.” Ife Olujobi, Entertainment Editor
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TODAY ON CAMPUS Author Reading/Signing with Amy Bentley Associate professor in the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies Amy Bentley will discuss her latest book, “Inventing Baby Food: Taste, Health, and the Industrialization of the American Diet,” at 6 p.m. at the NYU Bookstore. A signing will follow.
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An Evening with Stephen Horne Accomplished silent film accompanist Stephen Horne will be discussing his work at 6:15 p.m. in the Michelson Theater at the Department of Cinema Studies. He will also demonstrate how he scores a variety of films.
Going Long: The Craft of Longform Tech Journalism Members of the Men Entering Nursing special interest group hosted a bake sale as a fundraiser for the Movember Foundation on the second floor of Kimmel on Tuesday.
STAFF PHOTO BY SHAWN PAIK
The Arthur Carter Journalism Institute will host the New York Tech Press Meetup at 6:30 p.m. on the seventh floor of 20 Cooper Square. The panel will feature journalists from The New Yorker, Forbes and New York Magazine. RSVP is requested. TODAY’S EVENTS ARE FREE FOR NYU STUDENTS.
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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 | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2014 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS
Financial crisis remains, says expert By OLIVIA WETZEL Contributing Writer
NYU visiting sociology professor Robert Brenner spoke about how the 2008 financial crisis continues to impact today’s economy during a discussion held on Nov. 18. “The financial crisis was responsible for the problems of the real economy, which only began to appear after the crisis hit,” Brenner said. “The Wall Street meltdown is an outgrowth of the declining economy.” At a lecture in the Jurow Lecture Hall, Brenner laid out the reasons why the fall of the rate of profit has had negative impacts on our economy. “If you’re a corporate owner and facing falling rate of profit, you have to be concerned to cut cost,” Brenner said. “This comes from a powerful attack by the employers on the unions. Not only to wages get reduced but governments naturally turn to help the corporations cut costs.” Brenner went on to explain how the attempts of the government to save the economy in the 1990s affected the current economic situation in the United States. “The idea was to make it possible for these entities to be able to spend and drive the economies,” Brenner said. “Make interest rates low, allow financial investors a big opening to invest privately in markets like the stock market or housing market, drive up speculatively the prices of, say, equities or
STAFF PHOTO BY REECA SORIANO
UCLA historian and professor Robert Brenner delivers his lecture on Nov. 18. housing. That would mean that the corporations have much increased market capitalization. This allows corporations and households who have no capacity really to borrow suddenly to be wealthy.” Brenner said corporations attempt to address economic problems by raising productivity and lowering wages. “They push down wages,” Brenner said. “They raise productivity by making workers work harder. No new machinery. In that way, they were able to somewhat raise their rate of profit. They were faced with problem they themselves created.” Brenner continued to describe how the economy went forward into the new millennium. “Paradoxically, the households of middle and working class people, their spending drove the economy,”
Brenner said. “In part, the economy was saved by its own weakness. Nobody is investing, employing, demanding loans. This opens the way to the next bubble, a bubble that is driven by the cheap cost of borrowing.” Brenner said he believes these kinds of bubbles have led to the current inequality of the classes. “There is incredible bubbling up and its supposed to drive the economy because people are supposed to get rich and spend, but we’ve had the worst economy ever,” Brenner said. “Rich people are being allowed to make money because interest rates are so low.” CAS freshman Aisha Bosula said she was impressed by the presentation and the use of graphics to explain concepts. “I thought it was really well delivered and the use of the graphs definitely made it more comprehensive,” Bosula said. CAS sophomore Nick D’Angelo said Brenner’s explanation of the United States’ economic history was comprehensive and shed light on the current state. “I thought it was a very fascinating economic analysis,” D’Angelo said. “It’s very alarming and the implications are certainly terrifying, but I thought it was a convincing case and it was a coherent economic history of the last 30 to 40 years.” Email Olivia Wetzel at news@nyunews.com.
COMING OUT continued from PG. 1
Panelists describe necessity of social media
helped her reach out to fellow members of the trans community. “One of my missions is to help folks before and after transitioning,” Watson said. “I would document every tiny detail of my [Gender Reassignment Surgery] on my WordPress blog to put myself out there to help and motivate the youth.” Famous trans YouTuber Ashton Colby, who joined the discussion via Skype from The Ohio State University, said even though social media can draw the trans community closer, at times it can be hurtful. “As large as social media is, there is always going to be a negative outlash,” Colby said. “There are negative comments that I get on YouTube, but for every negative comment I get, I get 10, 20, 50 positive comments.” Renee Stetson, a cadet at SUNY Maritime College who has served in the armed forces in Afghanistan, said the military is not a safe zone for the trans community. She is using social media to combat the current ban on trans people in the military. “My big cause is ban of transgender service in the military because my big goal was to become an officer, but I couldn’t because I was
STAFF PHOTO BY DANIEL COLE
YouTube personality Ashton Colby Skyped into the event. transgender,” Stetson said. “I get involved in a lot of activism that moves through social media about ending the ban.” Stetson said there is a caveat to the social media innovation because a lot of companies are charging users. “The more and more that social media services become pay-to-play ,the more they are difficult to access for a community that is kind of inherently resource poor,” Stetson said. “I think there are enough business models out there that there are always going to be some other scrappy upstart that you can move to.” Attendee Michael Formika Jones said he thinks social media is good for public matters, not personal relationships.
“I have an ex-boyfriend who became my ex-girlfriend through our relationship,” Jones said. “I still personally love social media for promotion of things that I do, but I don’t like it for relationships with people, because it’s impersonal.” Charlie Ferrusi, graduate student at the Global Institute of Public Health, helped organize the entire week of Trans Awareness Week events. He said the discussion about social media for the trans community was a conversation worth having. “Social media is literally a space for survival, affirmation and liberation,” Ferrusi said. Email Alanna Bayarin at news@nyunews.com.
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NYU Reacts: Increase of global students By ALEX BAZELEY Deputy News Editor
NYU is now the leading university for international students, according to a new report by the Institute of International Education. This year’s Open Doors report, which was released on Nov. 17 in partnership with the Department of State, shows that NYU has taken the top spot from University of Southern California, which held the position for 12 years. According to the study, NYU attracted over 11,100 international students in the 20132014 school year — a 19.2 percent increase over the previous year. Students shared their reactions upon learning that NYU was continuing to further its international reach.
“I think that each international student brings one facet of his culture when he arrives at college and this can’t do anything but benefit the education of others. It’s kind of a bring-and-share. I teach you about my culture and you teach me about your culture. In the end, both parties win.” — Shuaib Jewon, CAS freshman from Mauritius
“In your classroom, you have diversity of thought. You have students from everywhere who are also experiencing the city for the first time, or books for the first time. You’re doing so simultaneously, but through extremely different lenses, which I think makes the school unique.” — Alex Tartt, LS sophomore
“We should try and take a step back because this is a great step forward. We’re number one right now. Now why not use that to make a shift on campus and try to make people see that diversity is great, but community is what’s important.” — Thayer Mukherjee, CAS senior
VIA NYU’S INTERNATIONAL STUDENT DATA
A map on the university website shows where students are from.
“The incoming international students get a great education and learn about the American culture deeply, and NYU gets its academic level bettered. The best students from all around the world are making NYU an exceptional institution because everyone has a different and smart way of thinking.” — Sam Poirot, Poly freshman from France
“NYU’s goal is to become the global university, and in order to do that you need to have students who are from all over the world.” — Lauren Blackburn, CAS sophomore
“It gives this global aspect of knowledge, which is only possible with people coming from everywhere. At the end, it’s good for those who come, but above all, for the country.” — Rafael Cesar, GSAS student
“They could do a better job of doing international student stuff during Welcome Week, but in smaller groups, like by school. I do think it’s important for international students to have others around them when adjusting.” — Edie Freeman, CAS freshman from London Email Alex Bazeley at abazeley@nyunews.com.
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WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2014 | NYUNEWS.COM
BEAUTY & STYLE
EDITED BY DAVID BOLOGNA BSTYLE@NYUNEWS.COM
Students set standard for leggings as pants
By SOPHIE LEWIS Staff Writer
In a famous “Gossip Girl” scene that incited countless Tumblr rants, Blair Waldorf made a girl cry by saying “Tights are not pants.” Whether they are inspired by Blair or not, women continue to debate what can be classified as pants, and if leggings truly fit into that classification. Some people refuse to accept leggings as pants since they lack the typical weight and structure of a trouser. Some see leggings as being only appropriate as athletic wear, and others believe leggings are best worn in the privacy of one’s home. The debate has been heated in high schools and other institutions that have strict dress codes, as many principals have deemed leggings a distraction. This has sparked articles arguing that female students should not be punished for the inability of others to focus in class be-
cause of how they are dressed. Steinhardt freshman Cassidy Miller took a similar stance. “I think people should wear what they want to wear and shouldn’t be discouraged from wearing that just because it might ‘distract’ someone else,” Miller said. The belief among many college students is that leggings are perfectly acceptable as pants, but with limitations. Worn with a dress, oversized T-shirt or sweater, leggings are a comfortable alternative to everyday jeans. Most agree that leggings should not be worn with crop tops or even regularlength shirts, as a longer top is typically more flattering. CAS freshman Jessie Osterman noted the importance of not only the top, but also the legging itself and of the specific quality it must have. “It can’t be a thin legging. None of that Forever 21 stuff that’s see-through. It needs to
be thick,” Osterman said. “Athletica, go for it. But if you can stretch out a pair of leggings and see your hand through it, they should never be worn as pants.” Within some confines, it seems that college students love leggings. They provide a certain freedom and comfort that make getting out of bed for class more bearable, and they are versatile, so the fashion possibilities are endless. Leggings are typically much more affordable than pants or jeans and can be found at virtually any store — thin, inexpensive leggings are sold at H&M, Target and Asos while thicker, pricier leggings can be found at Nike and Gap. With a college student’s dream price point and a coziness perfect for class, it is safe to say that leggings are the new pants. Email Sophie Lewis at bstyle@nyunews.com.
STAFF PHOTO BY MANPREET KAUR
Leggings paired with an oversized sweater is a comfortable, warm outfit.
Costumes transform to daily wear
NAILS continued from PG. 1
By CAROLINE OGULNICK Staff Writer
STAFF PHOTO BY SHAWN PAIK
Nails and cuticles tend to become dry and cracked in the winter.
Winter takes toll on hands, treatments needed to smooth skin
Wash the mix off with warm water and your hands will be left feeling more supple and soft to the touch. Make sure to pack some lotion in your backpack or parka pocket before you leave home. Forego the heavy scented creams as they can dry out skin. Pick up a travel-sized moisturizer with a subtle scent — or no scent at all — to tote around with you. No matter how trendy that new pair of gloves may be, you do not want to keep them on at all times just to hide your dried out hands. Using only lotion will not be enough, however. Dry skin will cause the nail bed to peel and split. Tend to brittle nails with a rich cuticle cream. Cuticle cream moistur-
izes your nails, as well as softens and nourishes them. After treating yourself with a good cream, your nails will feel completely pampered and polished — a feeling that usually only comes after a full spa treatment. Be sure to keep your nails trimmed, as long nails will not only snag and break after becoming brittle this season, but also harbor germs that will multiply in your warm gloves. From time to time, apply a layer of protective gel polish infused with vitamins to promote nail strength and resilience. Email Avery Chang at bstyle@nyunews.com.
One of the most exciting aspects of Halloween is choosing your costume and shopping endlessly for each part of it. After one or two days of celebrating, however, you realize you have spent a ton of money on ears, tails and dress-up clothing that you probably will never wear again and the post-Halloween stress kicks in. Don’t fret, though, because there are many creative ways to incorporate pieces from various Halloween costumes into your everyday wardrobe. The quintessential schoolgirl costume is a Halloween favorite. It normally comprises a white blouse, plaid skirt, knee-high socks and glasses, which are all versatile items that can be reused to enhance your wardrobe. A white blouse is a basic essential, that you can layer under sweaters for a casual look with a blazer or motorcycle jacket. Plaid is a popular print for the fall and winter seasons, and incorporating it into your closet is a no-brainer. Pair your skirt with a sweater, tights and tall boots, and no one will guess that you bought it as part of your costume. If you channeled “101 Dal-
UNDER THE ARCH | 4:30 P.M. NEWS | 5 P.M. FEATURES | 6 P.M. ARTS | 6 P.M. PHOTO/MULTIMEDIA | 6 P.M. SPORTS | 6:30 P.M. OPINION | 7 P.M.
STAFF PHOTO BY SHAWN PAIK
Reuse an oversized coat as the perfect winter accessory. matians” this Halloween and went out as Cruella de Vil, you will not have any problems wearing your faux fur coat or bright red pumps again. Cruella’s signature coat is a great addition to your winter wardrobe that will make a statement and keep you cozy in the cold weather. The pumps will also spice up any evening outfit to give you a bold look. Mime costumes are another Halloween classic that merges into your closet well. You cannot go wrong with a high-waisted pair of leggings or jeans, so whether you had a pair before or not, getting your hands on another is definitely a perk. The black bowler hat is a great accessory for the fall and winter. Simply adding
the hat to any outfit will give it a casual yet classy vibe. The “Beetlejuice” costume is an old-time Halloween favorite that always steals the show. Although the costume is more on the quirky side, black-andwhite stripes are not hard to wear again. A black-and-white striped blazer can be thrown on top of an all black outfit to instantly update the look, and a pair of striped pants can effortlessly do the same. The two pieces are a unique addition to your wardrobe and offer some punk rock flair. If you rocked Rosie the Riveter this year, an all-denim outfit will definitely not go to waste. A denim shirt is a fundamental piece that is easy to style and use for layering. Whether you opted for flare or boyfriend jeans with your costume, the dark wash in either cut will provide you with endless outfit options for the fall and winter. As for the ears, tails and other Halloween accessories, it is a little more difficult to find a time to wear them again. Don’t throw them away, though, because they may come in handy for a themed party or as part of next year’s costume. Email Caroline Ogulnick at bstyle@nyunews.com.
SUnday pitch Meetings 838 BROADWAY, fifth floor
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ARTS
EDITED BY ALEX GREENBERGER ARTS@NYUNEWS.COM KITROSSER continued from PG. 1
Kitrosser talks new Off-Off-Broadway play
“Of course, I was the one not wearing makeup, and I was the one who turned out gay,” Kitrosser said. “It was work — we stayed up late. I remember being so exhausted.” The clowning proved to be a boon for Kitrosser’s work ethic. Before he recieved a Master’s in playwriting at The New School this year, he worked full-time in his 20s as a children’s storyteller. But he learned children are a tough crowd. “Kids will literally stand up, say ‘I don’t like this,’ and walk away,” Kitrosser said. “I learned very quickly that you have to keep an audience engaged.” He never stopped writing — Kitrosser’s children’s musical “Night of the Butterfly” received a 2009 Off-Broadway run. Fox recently optioned his 2013 New York Fringe Festival play “The Mumblings,” which
is about a straight woman married to a gay man. “Dead Special Crabs” retains the self-aware weirdness of his past plays. At a rehearsal on a rainy Sunday in October, actress Ellen David as Aunt Missy proclaimed to her nephew Loomer, “You couldn’t catch crabs with a $4 whore.” Equally hilarious quips are peppered throughout the performance. Director Kristin Skye Hoffman possesses a sharp eye for keeping the actor’s movements in check with the world created in the play. Kitrosser’s stage directions call for blocking that utilizes soldfashioned slapstick humor, as well as ever-changing minimalist scenery. It is a road trip, after all. But Kitrosser has not driven a car since he left Philadelphia in 2002. After getting his license at age 18,
a minor accident before leaving for college at NYU caused Kitrosser to swear off driving, although he still has vivid dreams about it. “I think this has a lot to do with the fact that this play has a lot of driving in it,” Kitrosser said. Driving is not the only personal element of the play for Kitrosser. “All these characters are completely naïve to their own self,” Kitrosser said. “They’re meeting themselves every day.” With influences from his colorful life shown clearly in his work, Kitrosser is meeting himself, too. “Dead Special Crabs” is playing at TBG Theatre, 312 W. 36th St. through Dec. 6. Email Kaitlyn Mitchell at theater@nyunews.com.
REVIEW
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Jean-Philip Grobler is currently on tour with his band, St. Lucia.
St. Lucia frontman speaks on latest tour By MATTHEW MAHONEY Staff Writer
VIA KINO LORBER INC.
Sheila Vand plays the nameless, electro-pop-loving vampire in “A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night.”
Noir film evokes Lynch, Jarmusch By ZACH MARTIN Staff Writer
Atmosphere is an important element in any great film, and it is a hard one to perfect. When pulled off correctly, it helps to establish a distinct mood and create an emotional connection with the audience. Directors like Jim Jarmusch and David Lynch are masters of atmosphere — they create unique and often unsettling worlds within the first 10 minutes of any given film. “A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night,” the debut film from writerdirector Ana Lily Amirpour, wears the influence of these auteurs on its sleeve and is the better for it. Amirpour takes viewers into the heart of Bad City, a derelict Iranian ghost-town, where they meet Arash (Arash Marandi), who Amirpour has called the “Persian James Dean.” He is a hip, young gardener who is forced to sell his ’57 Thunderbird convertible to drugdealing pimp Saeed (Dominic
Rains) to pay for his father’s drug habit. In the aftermath of this event, the characters become intertwined with the titular girl (Sheila Vand), an unnamed vampire who stalks the streets at night looking for an evil presence to feast on. The film’s collage of styles makes it a film student’s dream. It is a spaghetti Western meets “Nosferatu,” with some romance and surrealism thrown in. The characters are deliberately archetypical — Saeed is an overthe-top psychotic drug dealer and has the tattoos to prove it. Amirpour revels in the pure pulp of it all, and the amount of fun she seems to be having is easily felt by the viewer. It is hard not to smile when the main character prowls about on a skateboard to find her victim in one scene and dances to electro-pop in her bedroom in the next. Filmgoers anticipating a gory horror movie from the midnight movie circuit will be disappointed, however, as the film more closely recalls the
slow burn and stylized aesthetic of neo-noir films like “Drive.” In fact, the film’s slow movement is often to its detriment. There is very little in the way of plot momentum, and Amirpour does not seem interested in establishing motivations for her characters. Consequently, the film’s thematic concerns are overpowered by its stylistic flourishes. Amirpour makes up for the plot’s shortcomings with an evocative atmosphere and superb music selection. She has experience as a DJ and it shows. Each song selected fits its scene perfectly and contributes more to the mood than any additional dialogue would. If the music selection stands as any proof, the film succeeds because Amirpour put thought into the hypnotic mood she wanted to create. “A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night” is not a perfect film, but it is definitely the best feminist Iranian vampire Western ever. Email Zach Martin at film@nyunews.com.
Earlier this week Jean-Philip Grobler, the frontman of Brooklyn indie-pop band St. Lucia, spoke with WSN over the phone before performing the second of two sold-out shows at Chicago’s Metro. The band, which released its debut LP “When The Night” last fall, is currently wrapping up an extensive North American headlining tour that began in September. The tour will continue at Terminal 5 in New York tonight and Nov. 22. WSN: How has touring changed for St. Lucia since the first time the band went on tour about four years ago? JG: Well, this tour that we’re doing is the first tour on a bus, so our confidence level is a lot higher. We’re all sleeping on bunks every night. The payoff is that we get to spend a whole day in a city as opposed to a snapshot. It’s really great to go to big cities like Chicago, and being able to play two sold-out shows at the Metro, which is a big venue. It’s difficult to say, because a lot of things have changed. WSN: Earlier this year, the deluxe edition of “When The Night” was released with three new tracks. How did that release come about? JG: Those were three tracks that I had recorded for the album. For a long time, they were all in consideration for the album. I’m very album-minded, so I always keep in mind where a song is placed on an album, because where it’s placed can really affect how you experience the song. That’s why I re-
ally hate it when people go and buy an album and then listen to it on shuffle. I’m like, “Dude, the artist probably intended for that track to be there.” For example, “Cold Case” was originally intended to be the opening track of the album and then I had this whole flow of the album sketched out. Then I came up with “The Night Comes Again,” and I was like, “Well, this is so obviously the opening track and there was no way that ‘Cold Case’ could fit into the album, so maybe it’s not going to go on the album this time.” These other tracks fell out along the way. It wasn’t because I didn’t like the songs. It was just like putting a fight scene in the middle of a romantic love scene — it just felt a little bit out of context. WSN: So do you have any plans for next year? JG: Pretty much the whole time we’ve been touring, I’ve been hard at work on the follow-up. But I’ve been restricted, because the first album was made in my little non-glamorous studio that I had in Williamsburg, and I had all my instruments there. With this tour, I’ve been on vans, I’ve been in buses, I’ve been in hotel rooms. It’s been way more restrictive and I’ve only really been able to demo things and sketch them out to a point. I have a lot of thoughts and ideas, so once the tour is over, I’m planning on properly getting into the studio and really spending time recording stuff and casting sound — just having a bit of an adventure tearing apart the songs I have now. Email Matthew Mahoney at music@nyunews.com.
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WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2014 | NYUNEWS.COM
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Crossword ACROSS 1 Attempt 5 Places longshoremen work 10 Pickle flavoring 14 Mozart’s “___ Fan Tutte” 15 Internet giant that purchased Flickr in 2005 16 “The Time Machine” vegetarians 17 Drifter of literature 19 Flow stopper 20 Sorrowful 1954 Patti Page hit 21 Pragmatic person 23 Swiss/Austrian border river 24 Degree for many a 58-Down 26 One-third of a triptych 27 Cube creator 28 Potent potable in “Arsenic and Old Lace”
30 Parrot 31 It can take your breath away 32 Big ___ (hallux) 33 Nicole Kidman, hairwise 38 Brynner of “The King and I” 39 ___ Savage, player of the boy on “Boy Meets World” 40 Dr. J’s league, once, for short 43 1985 Prince hit 47 Screenwriter Sorkin 49 Pop singer Mann 50 Story assigners, in brief 51 “You had me at ___” (“Jerry Maguire” line) 52 Like preserved flowers and writers under deadline 54 Surrendered to gravity 55 Man or Mull
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56 One of the original Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees, whose name is a hint to the answers to the four italicized clues 59 Shoulder muscle, to a gym rat 60 Cornball 61 Forever and a day 62 Comes out with 63 Spanish “others” 64 Where Citigroup is C, for short DOWN 1 Astronaut Wally, the first person to go into space three times 2 Airbrush, e.g. 3 Attributes 4 Two-piece suit 5 Brunette no more, say 6 Bumbler 7 Tai ___ 8 German chancellor Adenauer 9 Unit of loudness 10 Rendered harmless, in a way 11 “Fighting” Big Ten team 12 Relax 13 Lilliputian 18 Vichyssoise vegetable 22 Plane’s parking place 24 Request for milk, maybe 25 Spilled the beans
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29 View from Windsor Castle 31 Christian in Hollywood 34 Prepares for proofing 35 Hayseeds 36 Court replays 37 Tea choice for TV’s Frasier Crane
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47 Starbuck’s superior 48 Greece/Turkey separator, with “the” 53 Bounce back 54 “The ___ the limit!” 57 Kiev’s land: Abbr. 58 Many a Fortune profilee, for short
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NYUNEWS.COM | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2014 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS
OPINION
EDITED BY CHRISTINA COLEBURN OPINION@NYUNEWS.COM
ARTWORK
Art pieces good investment for wealthy By RICHARD SHU Staff Columnist
A recent auction at famous New York auction house Christie’s set the record for the most valuable art auction in history, totaling $853 million worth of contemporary and post-war art. This was the fourth successive Christie’s auction to have broken this record, an indicator of the breakneck growth of the art market. Many pieces by young, relatively unknown artists have sold for hundreds of thousands of dollars at auction — often well over 3,000 percent of their previous market valuations. Perhaps most spectacularly, many of these pieces look absolutely ridiculous. Lucien Smith’s “Secret Lives of Men,” a spatter of blue dots across a white canvas, sold for $319,000. Oscar Murillo’s “Untitled (Drawings Against a Wall),” a furiously unintelligible black and blue scribble, sold for $401,000. They are obtuse, difficult to understand, yet they fetch obscene prices. The average person shudders at the thought.
But the average person does not think like an investor. Taken as an investment, art seems to do exceptionally well. Buyers and analysts consider art an exceptional hedge against inflation, with the potential for a very high return if the artist becomes popular. Many of the ultra-rich have up to 5 percent of their wealth in art. Young millionaires from Russia, China and the Middle East have pumped an extraordinary amount of new money into the market, snatching up pieces at several times their estimated value. Though they chase art for likely both aesthetic pleasure and social status, the investment aspect also plays a major role. As a result, there is a lot of peripheral investment activity around the art community in
order to bolster interest and keep prices up. Prominent buyers have a great deal of sway in recommending new artists to other buyers. Passionate collectors — sometimes six or seven competing for one piece — tend to bid up pieces out of passion. It is simply a matter of self-interest — the more valuable the art market’s as a whole, the more valuable one’s holdings are likely to be in the future. With a rough total valuation of only $15 billion, the art market is particularly susceptible to the influence of a few very wealthy individuals. Put simply, the art market is in a bubble. The combined aesthetic appeal and high promise of return have made art a very desirable investment for the extremely rich. Art’s skyrocketing prices are less a reflection of its merits and more a reflection of what a select few think the art will be worth later. The world of art has not gone crazy — it has just gone commercial. Email Richard Shu at opinion@nyunews.com.
CULTURE
Food culture, television misinterpreted By ADNAN ZARIF Staff Columnist
There is a fundamental misunderstanding of the direction food culture is headed. People are reading books such as “Medium Raw: A Bloody Valentine” by Anthony Bourdain and watching TV shows like “Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern” and are left thinking that this is what contemporary food culture has become. People are seeing pigs having their throats cut and bowels removed and are disgusted because they assume that this is what they must do if they want to be in the loop. But this is a misinterpretation. The chefs are not trying to dictate what people should be eating, or what food culture is. Shows such as “No Reservations” and “Bizarre Foods” feature their respective hosts traveling to faraway, under-traveled and often dangerous places for the sake of the viewer. They travel to these countries and take in the local food culture regardless of what it entails. When Andrew
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Zimmern travels to Tanzania, collects and drinks fresh blood from a calf and eats the coagulated tissue, he is not making any statements about what food should be and what real cooking is. The fact is that there are cultures around the world whose food customs might make those of us with a Western sensibility uncomfortable. There are cultures that slit the throat of animals to drink their blood. There are cultures that skin and grill guinea pigs. The purpose of depicting these sometimes grisly rituals in books and on television is a demonstration of tolerance. These shows are an attempt at education rather than posturing an attitude about food. Localism in food has also come
under similar, unwarranted criticism. Localism is the practice of consuming food that has been grown or produced nearby. The purpose of this is twofold. First, it is an attempt to support local farms and producers instead of large, industrial factories. The choice of locally grown foods is driven by the desire for organic, ethically produced food. This idea of thoughtfulness and choice in food selection is a notable trend. There is a growing exigency for consumers to think carefully about what they are eating. It is becoming less acceptable to eat whatever falls in your plate without thinking about the way it was produced. It is easy to mistake the occasional gore demonstrated by TV chefs and food critics as the new direction of food culture. These depictions are simply meant to inform the public of the real food practices of other cultures. The actual direction of food culture is that of selection and consideration on the part of the consumer. Email Adnan Zarif at opinion@nyunews.com.
STAFF EDITORIAL
LinkNYC benefits outweigh costs
Under a plan announced on Monday, Nov. 17, New York City’s antiquated payphones will finally be replaced by modern technology. The plan, called LinkNYC, will remove 6,400 payphones and install high-tech kiosks where you can charge your phone, access Wi-Fi, make domestic calls and video chat for free. Over the next 12 years, the kiosks are predicted to earn $500 million through advertising revenue, which will help ensure that taxpayers do not pay the $200 million cost of implementation. LinkNYC not only moves toward modernizing New York City, but also helps provide Internet access to underprivileged families who may not have access otherwise. Even though security concerns about the kiosks have arisen, the benefits of LinkNYC outweigh the risks. The kiosks, called Links, will be placed across neighborhoods in all five boroughs and will provide Internet access to lower income areas. As technology continues to grow and become an even bigger part of daily life, it is important that everyone has a reliable Internet connection. In addition, the Links will be monitored twice weekly for graffiti in order to ensure that they remain clean and untarnished, unlike the majority of payphone booths and other public facilities. Users of the new Links should take care, however. Using public Wi-Fi increases the chances of data interception and malware. While the average pedestrian’s Facebook update is probably not worth the effort of a malicious hacker, it would be wise to avoid sending sensitive information, such as credit card numbers and important business emails, through the Links. After all, the more security the city adds to its hotspots, the more difficult it will become for users to connect. The Links could also become targets for non-digital crime — by setting down their devices to charge, consumers make their smartphones tempting lures for thieves. Given concerns about government surveillance and electronic data-gathering, privacy becomes a concern with any public technology. This project is relatively harmless from that perspective, however, perhaps showing that the city government has learned from previous experiences. Despite the project’s corporate sponsorship, data from the Links will not be available to companies. Law enforcement would be able to access it, but thus far there is little word on what the requirements for doing so would be. Most New Yorkers are accustomed to outdated infrastructure and rundown public facilities, but this does not have to be the case. LinkNYC is an affordable way to bring the city into the modern age and provide greater Wi-Fi access. Even though some of the security concerns may be valid, they are still dwarfed by the benefits. New York City needs to adapt to an evolving world and leave its archaic payphones behind.
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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