The Purchase Independent 12/7/2012 by The Purchase Independent

thePurchase

INDEPENDENT

278

DECEMBER

7th 2012

CABARET

stump, ingby the kevin night seeing an astounding produceducation advocate: tionhigher of “Cabaret” right here at Purchase! That’s right- “Cabaret” has npypirg officially arrived! This student-run producWhen the Affordable College tion will making its grand debut on Nov. 29 Reduction & Access of 2007 andCost will be running until Dec. 2.Act Everyone set chances to expiretoonseeJuly 2012, the haswas FIVE this1stincredible federaland government had a has five-month musical, ordering tickets never been easier.over Just go to:to pay for keeping the debate how www.cabaretatpurchasecollege student loan interest rate at 3.4%. This .brownpapertickets.com pay-for fight focused a much-needed andmainstream you can place your order with ease. spotlight on rapidly rising There is even an option to purchase tickets student loan debt levels. Lawmakers for special seating on the stage, ensuring forcedmiss to address thatwere you won’t a single higher swing oreducation step by affordability. However, theYour spotlight lost those Kit Kat Klub dancers. “Cabaof steadilywill declining state-level and ret”sight experience be enhanced with intimacy lots of laughs, along with a federaland investment in higher education, “mocktail service.” which prompted the student loan debt what with. exactly is “Cabaret” crisis So to begin about? Meet Jesse Penber, a Junior Theatre According to the New York Fed and Performance major and the director of Bureau of Economic Analysis, student “Cabaret.” He called the show “the story of debtKlub, has arisen 511% from theloan Kit Kat deliciously seedy 1999 night-to to look at rising tuclub2011, in thepointing heart of us Berlin.” “Thefees, storywhich of ‘Cabaret’ alternates ition and are up 559 percent between Cliff Nationally, Bradshaw, who comes to from 1985. college revenue Germany in search of something to write generated by tuition recently surpassed about,” Penber said. “He goes there to get that of public dollars, which means stusome new experiences, and he does in the dents are carrying more more of form of Sally Bowles, who is aand nineteenthe cost of attending college. Students year old English singer performing at the New Klub. York State are there’s feeling the pinch. Kitin Kat Then Fraulein Schneider HerrtheSchultz, are in In 2011,and both SUNYwho Chancellor love, andthe it does protect and Newnot York Statethem.” Governor were He went on to explain, “It’s a very successful in passing NY SUNY 2020, dark storyline, and between that there is which annually raised tuition $300 for commentary from the Kit Kat Klub, and consecutive years, thefive dancers have their own totaling stories.” a $1,500 tuition increase. Meanwhile, thetreks averAs this musical’s storyline age student across the country now through the history of Germany, there ispays so much be said for quality ofeach the cast overto $1,000 on the textbooks year, andwhich crew has of grown studentsat who put of thisintwicehave the rate piece together and managed to keep the flation. Clearly, we need to have more historical accuracy and believability in tact. inclusive conversations that address the “Cabaret” stars Gina Amico, Billy increasing of higher education Manton, Miiko costs Valkonen, Tony Mita, and coupled with decreasing aid available. Laura Meltzer, who play Sally, the Emcee, Cliff, Herr Schultz, and Fraulein Schneider respectively. The production team includes the assistant directing of James Mcdermott,

music by Juno Arreglado with piano by Rebecca Chin, choreography by Cyndi Harder, costumes by Jessica Dimartino, lighting After design by Jane Dibartalo, and stage much debate, Congress management by Helena Hadden. voted to keep federal student loan intertheanother musical ‘Urineest rates“Quoting at 3.4% for year, buttown,’ this is not a happy musical,” Penber did so at the expense of the Federal said. “No one has a happy ending. ThePell best Grant did not they canprogram, hope for which is to escape thereceive misery $1.2isbillion it was fordo.” in Presithat 1938, and notallocated all of them dent Obama’s budget. Unfortunately, Along with a dark storyline, this musical is alsopolicy considered pretty raunchy the leftover conversation quicklyto say the least. Penber expressed the sexuality became less about rising tuition and deof “Cabaret” to be a prominent aspect, as some of the characters are actually sex addicts, and the number “Two Ladies” is a humorous ode to having two partners in

A member of the Soul Voices Ensemble belts out a note.

STUDENT DEBT by rachel weiss What good is sitting alone in your INCREASE room? Especially when you could be spend-

bed. However, Penber was never concerned with crossing the line while directing. “There’s no such thing as too far in ‘Cabaret,’” “If about humans do it, it’s creasing aid, he andsaid. more “Know not too extreme. Humans betray Before You Owe” policies further en-each other, have sex with other for reasons couraging student loaneach debt. other than love, humans have obsessions, While “Know Before You Owe” and humans die.” policies areSumming noble inuptheir to in this attempt production educate students about financial aid three words, Penber used, “Desire, regret, options, they fail to offer real and double-edged.” Want to solutions find out the true definitions of those words? Buy your to the student debt crisis. Specifically, ticket today and get ready for a thrilling they do not provide public investment performance! (continued on page 7)

thePurchase

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NOVEMBER

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CABARET

y o u r. i n d y @ g m a i l . by rachel weiss

What good is sitting alone in your room? Especially when you could be spending the night seeing an astounding production of “Cabaret” right here at Purchase! That’s right- “Cabaret” has officially arrived! This student-run production will making its grand debut on Nov. 29 and will be running until Dec. 2. Everyone has FIVE chances to see this incredible musical, and ordering tickets has never been easier. Just go to: www.cabaretatpurchasecollege .brownpapertickets.com and you can place your order with ease. There is even an option to purchase tickets for special seating on the stage, ensuring that you won’t miss a single swing or step by those Kit Kat Klub dancers. Your “Cabaret” experience will be enhanced with intimacy and lots of laughs, along with a “mocktail service.” So what exactly is “Cabaret” about? Meet Jesse Penber, a Junior Theatre and Performance major and the director of “Cabaret.” He called the show “the story of the Kit Kat Klub, a deliciously seedy nightclub in the heart of Berlin.” “The story of ‘Cabaret’ alternates between Cliff Bradshaw, who comes to Germany in search of something to write about,” Penber said. “He goes there to get some new experiences, and he does in the form of Sally Bowles, who is a nineteenyear old English singer performing at the Kit Kat Klub. Then there’s Fraulein Schneider and Herr Schultz, who are in love, and it does not protect them.” He went on to explain, “It’s a very dark storyline, and between that there is commentary from the Kit Kat Klub, and the dancers have their own stories.” As this musical’s storyline treks through the history of Germany, there is so much to be said for the quality of the cast and crew of students who have put this piece together and managed to keep the historical accuracy and believability in tact. “Cabaret” stars Gina Amico, Billy Manton, Miiko Valkonen, Tony Mita, and Laura Meltzer, who play Sally, the Emcee, Cliff, Herr Schultz, and Fraulein Schneider respectively. The production team includes the assistant directing of James Mcdermott,

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR editor-in-chief: Róisín McCarty

layout editor: Melissa Foster

music by Juno Arreglado with piano by Rebecca Chin, choreography by Cyndi Harder, costumes by Jessica Dimartino, lighting design by Jane Dibartalo, and stage management by Helena Hadden. “Quoting the musical ‘Urinetown,’ this is not a happy musical,” Penber said. “No one has a happy ending. The best they can hope for is to escape the misery that is 1938, and not all of them do.” Along with a dark storyline, this musical is also considered pretty raunchy to say the least. Penber expressed the sexuality of “Cabaret” to be a prominent aspect, as some of the characters are actually sex addicts, and the number “Two Ladies” is a humorous ode to having two partners in

bed. However, Penber was never concerned with crossing the line while directing. “There’s no such thing as too far in ‘Cabaret,’” he said. “If humans do it, it’s not too extreme. Humans betray each other, have sex with each other for reasons other than love, humans have obsessions, and humans die.” Summing up this production in three words, Penber used, “Desire, regret, and double-edged.” Want to find out the true definitions of those words? Buy your ticket today and get ready for a thrilling performance!

senior staff writer: Alyce Pellegrino

writers:

This is our penultimate issue of the semester! We’ve finally made it, despite all of the bumps and detours and other cliché metaphors. We have a number of two and three credit academic internships open for the Spring semester. If you’re interested, email your.indy@gmail.com with your resumé, and a sample relevant to the position. We are always looking for contributors, whether interns or not, so don’t hesitate to stop by a meeting, or send in an article. We want to give you the voice you deserve. Good luck with the end of the semester, and see you next week!

Dylan Green Rebecca Kaplan Essence McClanahan Noelle Moore Jake Murphy Cara Nuzzo Mike Reluzco Tommy Roach Kevin Stump The Purchase Independent is a non-profit news magazine, paid for by the Mandatory Student Activity fee. We welcome and encourage submissions from readers. The Independent is a forum for campus issues and events, to give students the voice they deserve. Any opinions expressed are those of the writers, not those of The Independent, its editors, or the PSGA. The deadline for submissions is every Friday before midnight, and accepted pieces will be published the following Thursday. Publication of submissions is not guaranteed, but subject to the discretion of the editors. No anonymous submissions will be considered, but we will accept use of pseudonyms on a case-by-case basis. Send all submissions and inquiries to your.indy@gmail. com. Back page quotes can be submitted to formspring. me/indybackpage or put in the Back Page Box that hangs on the office door. Our office is located on the first floor of Campus Center North, room 1011. Staff meetings are held in the office every Monday night at 9:30; anyone is welcome.

print manager: Tommy Roach

copy editor: Stephanie Spencer

artwork by: Mark Zubrovich

cover photo by: Jake Murphy

web design by: Tommy Roach Cindy Mack

thePurchase

INDEPENDENT

277

NOVEMBER

29th 2012

CABARET

by rachel weiss In This issue:

What good is sitting alone in your room? Especially when you could be spending the night seeing an astounding production of “Cabaret” right here at Purchase! That’s right- “Cabaret” has “Argo” officially arrived! This student-run production written will making its grand by Dylan Greendebut on Nov. 29 and will be running until Dec. 2. Everyone page 5 has FIVE chances to see this incredible musical, and ordering tickets has never been easier. Just go to: www.cabaretatpurchasecollege Culture Shock to be in The Stood .brownpapertickets.com and written you can placeNuzzo your order with ease. by Cara There is even an option to purchase tickets page 6 for special seating on the stage, ensuring that you won’t miss a single swing or step by those Kit Kat Klub dancers. Your “Cabaret” experience will be enhanced with intimacy and lots of laughs, along with a “mocktail service.”to the new study zones Reactions So what exactly is “Cabaret” written by Alyce Pellegrino about? Meet Jesse Penber, a Junior Theatre page and Performance major and the director of 8 “Cabaret.” He called the show “the story of the Kit Kat Klub, a deliciously seedy nightclub in the heart of Berlin.” “The story of ‘Cabaret’ alternates between Cliff Bradshaw, who comes to Germany in search of something to write about,” Penber said. “He goes there to get some new experiences, and he does in the a meeting: form Come of Sallyto Bowles, who is aMondays, nineteen- 9:30, CCN1011 year old English singer performing the Apply for an internship: atyour.indy@gmail.com Kit Kat Klub. Then there’s Fraulein Like and us on Facebook: facebook.com/purchaseindy Schneider Herr Schultz, who are in love, and it doesBackpage not protect them.” music by Juno Arreglado with piano by Submit quotes: formspring.me/indybackpage He went on to explain, “It’s a very Rebecca Chin, choreography by Cyndi Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/purchaseindy dark storyline, and between that there is Harder, costumes by Jessica Dimartino, commentary from the Kit Kat Klub, and lighting design by Jane Dibartalo, and stage the dancers have their own stories.” management by Helena Hadden. As this musical’s storyline treks “Quoting the musical ‘Urinethrough the history of Germany, there is so town,’ this is not a happy musical,” Penber much to be said for the quality of the cast said. “No one has a happy ending. The best and crew of students who have put this they can hope for is to escape the misery piece together and managed to keep the that is 1938, and not all of them do.” historical accuracy and believability in tact. Along with a dark storyline, this “Cabaret” stars Gina Amico, Billy musical is also considered pretty raunchy to Manton, Miiko Valkonen, Tony Mita, and say the least. Penber expressed the sexuality

Cinemasai:

Senate Update

Library Zones

looking for, you’ll have more luck WIN “THE GAME” you’re with books like The Rules of the Game

by alyce pellegrino

It’s not too thick, but right off the bat, it can been seen that reading this book is going to be a commitment. It takes itself seriously. It has a black leather cover, with gold on the rims of the pages, and a thin piece of red satin as a bookmark. The font on the front of the book is also gold, as is the image of a man with a drink and a number of women in various poses; the book reads The Game: Penetrating the Secret Society of Pick-Up Artists by Neil Strauss. Strauss, who writes for Rolling Stone and previously The New York Times, documents his time in and rise to the top of the life of the pick-up artists, or “seduction community,” in this autobiographical account as Style. It was released back in 2005, and since then, has been stirring quite a number of waves with the ladies. Most times when I have heard this book talked about it is with disgust. This is a book that is all about teaching men how to get women into bed with them through manipulation. Well, yes and no. The Game may have some of these elements, but really it is the story of six men living together in California, and how their competition really fucked them over, literally and figuratively. Yes, this book does have step by step instructions that Mystery, you may remember him from VH1’s The PickUp Artist, taught to Style to bring him from Neil to the head honcho he would become. But if that is the type of book

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by Strauss or The Mystery Method by Mystery. Personally, I have to say I really enjoyed this book on two levels. The first was that I got to see the techniques these guys used to get women interested, in real scenarios. I know the terms they use, what these terms mean, how they work, and why they choose each one for each woman. There have been many times when I’ve been able to use this knowledge to my advantage. The second was that these series of events that unfolded, from Straus being taught by Mystery, to Style being Mystery’s equal kept me right on reading. Another thing that should be taken into consideration? Not all of these guys are just looking to bang chicks. Some of the men who started off in this novel really wanted to learn to up their self esteem, or just wanted to be able to talk to women they perceived to be far out of their league. So before slapping a negative connotation on a book you haven’t read yet, give it a go. But stay away from those other books because those are the ones that you will turn your noses up at. You may remember him from VH1’s The Pick-Up Artist, taught to Style to bring him from Neil to the head honcho he would become. But if that is the type of book you’re looking for, you’ll have more luck with books like The Rules of the Game by Strauss or The Mystery Method by Mystery. Personally, I have to say I really enjoyed this book on two levels. The first

was that I got to see the techniques these guys used to get women interested, in real scenarios. I know the terms they use, what these terms mean, how they work, and why they choose each one for each woman. There have been many times when I’ve been able to use this knowledge to my advantage. The second was that these series of events that unfolded, from Straus being taught by Mystery, to Style being Mystery’s equal kept me right on reading. Another thing that should be taken into consideration? Not all of these guys are just looking to bang chicks. Some of the men who started off in this novel really wanted to learn to up their self esteem, or just wanted to be able to talk to women they perceived to be far out of their league. So before slapping a negative connotation on a book you haven’t read yet, give it a go. But stay away from those other books because those are the ones that you will turn your noses up at.

CINEMASAI: ARGO by dylan green Only the most passionate and determined celebrities are capable of reestablishing themselves in a new vein of filmmaking, especially in modern day Hollywood. Over the course of the last decade, Ben Affleck has slowly shed his previous persona of “hunky action hero,” proving that he is the biggest threat behind the camera, having directed lauded crime dramas “Gone Baby Gone” and “The Town.” “Argo,” his third film as director, sees Affleck’s directorial hand expand into based-on-true-events espionage, with help from legendary special effects artist John Chambers ( John Goodman) and aging film mogul Lester Siegel (Alan Arkin). It gives audiences a fast-paced and appropriately tense, but historically un-balanced, thrill ride that’s sure to put Affleck in the running for his first directorial Oscar come February. But it’s not for the reasons you may think. In 1979, upwards of 50 American embassy workers stationed in Tehran, Iran were kidnapped by local Muslim students/extremists and held hostage for 444 days in the aftermath of the Shah Ayatollah’s emigration to the United States. Six managed to escape and found refuge in the Canadian ambassador’s house. Tehran, Iran. 1979. In the wake of the Shah Ayatollah’s emigration to the United States, upwards of 50 American embassy workers were kidnapped by lo-

cal Muslim students/extremists and held hostaged for 444 days. Out of options and on the ropes, the CIA entertains a farfetched idea from operative, Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck) and supervisor, Jack O’Donnell (Bryan Cranston): infiltrate Tehran, with himself and the six hostages posing as a Canadian filmmaker and his crew, and smuggle them out of the country. Let’s get the accolades out of the way: “Argo” is very suspenseful. Arkin and the cast are well-rounded, but Goodman and Arkin have excellent chemistry and steal every scene they’re in, putting Affleck on the map as a directing talent to watch. He knows how to hold attention. Okay? Okay. Let’s get to the grime. With all of its pro-American espionage -- which has surprisingly been lacking in Hollywood movies as of late -- “Argo” isn’t exactly what I would call a balanced effort. Not in terms of pacing or plot-- writer Chris Terrio strings together a narrative that moves along at a consistent clip here. The balance is lacking in terms of perspective of these political events. At the time of the hostage crisis, Iran was a country that saw ruler after ruler mistreat the people that they had been elected to cater toward, and the last of whom, Mohammad Reza Pahiavi, had been overthrown by the people of Iran. The United States, interested in the oil Iran was sitting on, sent in their own puppet ruler, the Shah Ayatollah Khomeini, who wasn’t exactly greeted with open arms, leading to his emigration to the US. Where is the perspective from the people of Iran on this

crisis? Why were none of the students or extremists focused on? Why were none of their points or voices heard? Context is everything in a situation like this, and parts of “Argo” play out as if the political situation in Iran doesn’t really matter. Granted, this is an American production with an American perspective and, yes, Iranian culture has much tighter restraints, but films like “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” and even “Skyfall” let the heroes/villains (if you could even tell the difference) stand on even ground. The lack of context from the other side paints the motives of the Iranian Revolution as cartoonish-ly evil at best. While much of “Argo” exhibits this kind of “Go Team USA” approach to cinematic historical fact checking, Affleck’s overall production does exactly what it sets out to do: entertain audiences with a ludicrous, true CIA spy story that is well acted and directed in an Oscar bait “this is based on a true story and will be up for a lot of awards in February” kind of way. And, at the end of the day, a well-made, even if politically onesided, spy thriller is better than another Nicholas Sparks adaptation, I guess.

29 November 2012

NATIVITY DEBUNKED by mike reluzco

You don’t have to be Catholic, or even Christian, to know the Nativity scene. Its depiction is well known, to the point where I think I actually grew up with a Lego nativity. In case you have no idea what I’m talking about, the scene involves a swaddled baby Jesus, lying in a pig’s feeding trough. He is surrounded by his mother, Mary, and his adopted father, Joseph, as well as some eastern wise men, and a couple of animals. There’s an optional angel as well, generally depicted as singing. Generally, the Vatican is pretty slow on the uptake. It took until 1992 to get them to admit that the Earth did, in fact, revolve around the sun. They then posthumously pardoned Galileo. So now, Pope Benedict XVI is dispelling myths of the Nativity about 2010 years after the fact. At this rate, the Vatican might actually be up to date with current science and studies by the year 3000. The Pope recently wrote a book, Jesus of Nazareth-- The Infancy Narratives, which cites that Jesus was, in fact, born some time between 2-7 BCE. He also corrects, based on scripture and season, the idea that animals and angels might be present in the manger where Jesus was born. The Pope’s statement has registered several popular Christmas characters defunct, but the reasoning behind his research is not to debunk anything, or to increase sales of new Nativity scenes. In-

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stead, Pope Benedict XVI hopes to look more at Jesus as a historical figure, studying various scholarly sources to rectify popular mistakes regarding scripture. Still, don’t throw out your little donkeys, oxen, and angels. Pope Benedict is a man of tradition, and encourages all Christians to celebrate Christmas as they traditionally would.

PSGA UPDATE by cara nuzzo

At Senate this week, the mainstage at Culture Shock was approved to be moved into the Student Center. Along with moving the mainstage Kathryn Wilson and Aidan Diekmann, the MECs, have a whole new layout planned for the annual festival. Wilson and Diekmann plan to move the usual outdoor tents and rides to the area between the Stood and the VA, adding in an inflatable TV for gaming tournaments and moving screenings, as well as additional rides and activities with the money saved by not renting a mainstage. Also, a smaller secondary stage will be put outdoors for music, student acts, and clubs. There was some debate between the senators over the maximum capacity of the Stood and the issue of it being on probation. Some Senators were concerned about the amount of people attending Culture Shock who are not Purchase students. “If we are getting to the point where it looks like maximum capacity is going to be reached at that point it would be student priority,” says Katheryn Wilson, “but you can only have two

registered guests to begin with, since we can control the amount of people that are coming in.” Others were concerned with losing the Stood because of a violation during Culture Shock, however, Greg Rutkin the Coordinator of the Student Center, sheds some light on the issue. “The Stood is not on probation there is no set probation period,” says Rutkin, “but we are having a heavy revision of security in order to keep the Student Center running. So [probation] is kind of the wrong term for it.” “We’re not going to lose the stood because someone is drinking,” says Wilson, “that’s just something that’s going to be handled as it’s happening. Their rights will be taken away not ours .” In Executive reports, John Fallot shared his idea to change the “Paid by Your Mandatory Student Activities” fee slogan to “Paid for by You.”

(continued from cover)

in higher education. A number of these policies have popped up in New York State. Governor Cuomo and SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher recently outlined their Smart Track campaign, which claims to help students reduce debt by providing them with tools and services, but does not actually provide aid itself. In the New York State Senate, Chair of the Senate Higher Education Committee Senator Kenneth Lavalle (R), was successful in passing The 2012 College Affordability Plan through the Senate. The law’s main component provides state government-backed student loans at a lower interest rate. However, the plan does not actually make college more affordable by providing aid to students or lowering tuition. “Know Before You Owe” policies have also made a federal showing. In the U.S. Senate, Senator Durbin (DIL) and Tom Harkin (D-IA) introduced the Know Before You Owe Act of 2012, which would ensure students understand the full range of their available loan options. Senator Al Franken (D-Minn.) introduced the Understanding the True Cost of College Act of 2012, which helps prospective students understand the true cost of college by creating a uniform financial aid award letter. These two examples embody the breadth of the national conversation among policy-makers, education over investment. U.S. House Representative, Janice Hahn (D-CA36), came one step closer when she introduced the Student Loan Grace Period Extension Act. The act, which hasn’t yet left committee, seeks to extend student loan grace peri-

ods from six to 12 months, helping those repaying student loans save money. Yet, it provides no actual aid to students and only addresses the problem at the tail end. To be fair, “Know Before You Owe” policies do help to inform consumers and keep the conversation of college affordability and student loan debt on the table. Still, they are not adequate policy solutions on their own. These policies put forward the false choice of more debt or less education. The conversation among policy-makers needs to be about lowering tuition and investing in programs like the NYS Tuition Assistance Program (TAP). TAP has failed to keep pace with rising tuition for over a decade and for the first time in its history, does not cover full instate tuition for eligible students forcing already strained institutions to pick up the bill as part of NY SUNY 2020. Nationally, the class of 2011 graduated with a 5 percent increase in student debt from the previous year. Offering whitewashed policies that do not decrease the amount of debt that students` take-on will only continue to cripple young people and grow the national debt. Rising tuition and decreasing financial aid are obvious root-causes driving student loan debt past $1 trillion. According to the Project on Student Debt, 60% of students in New York graduated with an average student loan debt of $25,851 in 2011. Students can simply not afford more policies that do not actively address rising tuition coupled with decreasing state and federal aid available.

CONMAN CONFETTI by jake murphy Thanksgiving Day is a time of tradition for the United States, especially in New York City, when Macy’s has the Thanksgiving Day Parade. People flock through the streets staring at the rolling floats, or giant balloons of their favorite cartoon character. Always, when you look up, you see the flying confetti raining down. This year, however, the confetti wasn’t so festive. Some of the confetti used for the parade this Thanksgiving was documents, strips of shredded paper with sensitive information such as Social Security Numbers, police reports, and license plate numbers. Most of the shredded pieces are believed to have come from the Nassau County Police Department, although they do not know why it was used, or where whoever did it got it from. Macy’s, in charge of the parade, has said that they did not officially use the documents, and only use multi-colored confetti which is bought and not shredded. This raises quite a bit of concern. The confetti was released on the official parade route, although no one has confessed to throwing it out of a window, yet. The Nassau County Police Department has issued a statement saying that they will be investigating the matter as it is a breach of security.

29 November 2012

LIBRARY ZONES by alyce pellegrino

The start of the 2012/2013 academic school year was met with a number of new developments on campus. The Quad was gone, the Stood was on probation, and so were the PSGA internships. And while those have had an impact on student’s lives to a certain extent, a much quieter change has also been put into place. The Purchase Library is right in the middle of campus life. At any given time a large number of people can be found there trying to cram for tests, working on projects, or hurrying to class. This number tends to double ten to fifteen minutes before a class starts, specifically congesting the printers. While the library has always had sections marked as “quiet zones” in the upper levels near the front, new zones have been put into place this year throughout the building. Each zone is given a color and a title: yellow for the quiet zones, orange for the group study zones, and blue for the silent zones. The quiet zones are in the same places they have always been, while the group study zones are in and above the DMZ, with the silent zones taking up the entire bottom level of the building. “The impetus came from the user survey we administered in spring 2012,” said Patrick Callahan, director of

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the Purchase College Library. “Having a quiet place to study was the number one issue raised by students about the Library. The library staff discussed various ways to address the issue and looked at what other college libraries do. We decided that the best way to accommodate the needs of all our users was to have clearly defined study zones. That way students could be certain to find a silent area if that was their study preference, or a place to have a quiet conversation, or a place to work as a group.” The students seem to have quite a bit to say on the topic. From not being in the library enough to notice, liking the fact that these new zones exist, to thinking they are pointless, people are talking. “I like that they made extra quiet zones that aren’t just the cages, ‘cause I hate going to the cages,” said Arts Management and Cinema Studies double major, Stephanie Rappa. “Also, above the DMZ they made that group study, which is good ‘cause everyone talks up there anyway and I go up there with friends, or with groups for work. So I like that they made that designated that ‘you can talk here, but quietly.’ Also, I’m glad they specify to talk quietly, because sometimes people get rowdy, and I don’t like that.” In contrast, there are some that see these new zones as an inconvenience. “I would say there’s not much of a difference because, especially in the basement, there are couches,” said

Jackie Colello, a Creative Writing major. “People say it’s silent study, but who wants to be quiet while you’re sitting on a couch? And despite there being more quiet areas, um, I would say it’s not different around the space in the library other than the ones that were already there, like on the top levels of the library. And also, there’s not a lot of, group study areas, so that makes people more willing to break the rules if they need to talk about something.” Any time a library feels the need to dictate more quiet zone, it is for a specific reason, usually because too many people have complained about noise being a distraction. Whether this is the reason for the Purchase library creating these new zones or not, it is expected that any issue in regard to noise should cease. But perhaps that was wishful thinking. “Okay, I think that it is a major fucking problem and I’ll tell you why,” said Anthony O’Shea, a Cinema Studies major. “Especially the area, you know, right by where the movies are? The main set of computers? I have heard people get on the phone there and talk as if they are in the Stood. Like seriously, I am talking, like, full on projecting and screaming a full conversation. I’ve had people watch YouTube videos, or music videos, on full blast with no headphones. I would be fine with these designated areas if it was enforced, but it isn’t.” But for every student that feels like these zones have created a huge

problem, there are others who think the idea is a good one. Good, but flawed. “I’m pretty unopinionated because no one pays attention to them anyway,” said Derek Gaskill, a Gender Studies and Cinema Studies double major. “I don’t feel limited by them. I like the idea of them though.” For Callahan and the rest of the library staff the zones seem to be doing exactly what they were put in place to do. “So far, we think the results have been positive,” said Callahan. “The staff makes regular rounds to remind people of the expected behavior in each area, and the vast majority of students and faculty have been very cooperative. We get significantly fewer complaints about excessive noise than we have in the past and there seems to be more clarity about what is permissible in different areas of the building. The end of the semester will provide a major test of the concept so we will reassess after the semester and see if there is anything we need to adjust.”

MEMENTO MORI by mike reluzco

Take into consideration how awesome it might be to have a photographic memory. Now take into consideration the fact that soon, you’ll be able to have one. The recently announced Memoto camera is equipped to take photographs every thirty seconds, every day. This way, you’ll never forget even a fraction of your life. The camera clips to your clothing, or is worn as some sort of ugly jewelry, so it won’t miss a thing. The first use that comes to mind is a day of partying. Imagine how many more drunken blurry photos you’ll have of all of your friends. Every embarrassing thing they do will be caught on camera for you to remember fondly, even if you don’t remember it. Who did you sleep with last night? Why are you in the hospital with all of your toes broken? How did you end up waking up in the ventilation shaft? You can answer all of these questions and more just by carrying around a little camera, barely bigger than my thumb-nail (It should be noted that I have a particularly large thumb-nail). You’ll never have an excuse to forget your homework again. You’ll always be able to remember when your last bowel movement was, and you’ll know exactly what it looked like. You can finally show the world exactly what you do when you are alone in your room. The possibilities are endless.

But with great power, comes great responsibility. The Memoto camera will provide you with endless blackmail photos, which can be used to twist anybody’s arm. Similar to the Force, the Memoto has a dark side. You can catch your friends picking their noses, dancing nude on the table, and all kinds of other embarrassing or compromising things. Nothing is sacred anymore. As much as a boon this can be to those who forget, it can also be a curse to those around you. So, I leave you with this warning: always watch out for people with little squares clipped to their shirts. While the camera can be a brilliant tool for remembering what you’ve done, it can also be a gross invasion of privacy. 9

29 November 2012

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NOVEMBER

29th 2012

CABARET by rachel weiss

We have internship positions open for the Spring 2013 semester!

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Graphic Design music by Juno Arreglado with piano by Rebecca Chin, choreography by Cyndi Harder, costumes by Jessica Dimartino, lighting design by Jane Dibartalo, and stage management by Helena Hadden. “Quoting the musical ‘Urinetown,’ this is not a happy musical,” Penber said. “No one has a happy ending. The best they can hope for is to escape the misery that is 1938, and not all of them do.” Along with a dark storyline, this musical is also considered pretty raunchy to say the least. Penber expressed the sexuality of “Cabaret” to be a prominent aspect, as some of the characters are actually sex addicts, and the number “Two Ladies” is a humorous ode to having two partners in

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STUDY METHODS by tommy roach

You know what sucks about being a college student during the holiday season? You don’t get to have a lick of fun until the end of finals, which usually means Hanukkah is over, and you only have four days left until Christmas. That is an unfortunately short amount of time to enjoy all of the wonderful things that the holiday season has to offer. So, in an effort to keep spirits high, and put joy in every heart, here is a list of different tricks you can use to maximize efficiency, and get your studying done in a reasonable amount of time, freeing up your schedule to actually be able to go to that holiday party all of your friends are going to. Reward System:

You know what’s great motivation to actually get things done? The prospect of a reward. You know what good rewards are? Cigarettes and gummy bears, depending on your personal preference. If you’re reading a textbook, line-up cigarettes/gummy bears on the page at consistent intervals. Each time you read to another, have a gummy or a smoke. This also works for writing papers, if you do it by paragraphs. Stop Caring: Plug your headphones in.

Put some music on. Or, if you can’t help but sing along and you get distracted by music, just put your headphones on. People will leave you alone. Also, shut your

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phone off, unless you have a reason that you absolutely need it. Just shut the damn thing off. Your friends can talk to you about their relationship problems later. Relax: Try listening to ambient sounds.

The ocean. A forest at dusk. Whale calls. Anything that’s just relaxing white noise. The internet can even help you there, with websites such as rainymoods. com offering relatively easy solutions to finding this sort of thing. Incense works in a similar fashion, as does watching fish swim. Just calm the hell down, and create a healthy study environment for yourself. Something as mindless as cleaning your room before you study can make an entire world of difference.

use whatever websites you block for the amount of time you set it for. And if that’s not enough, apps like WriteRoom and Microsoft Word’s fullscreen’s function allow you to take over your entire screen, so distractions are further minimized. Nap Time: While this may literally seem

like the most counter-productive thing I could recommend, it’s probably that one piece of advice that you need to hear the most. If you’re still having a mountain of trouble getting your studying and papers done, the best thing you can possibly do is take a nap. Clear your head. Get some rest. Give your brain a break. If you don’t take care of your body, your body will get revenge on you when you least expect it, and most likely at your greatest inconvenience.

Health: All of your regular bodily

functions and hygiene needs are still there, even during finals. Take a hot shower. The mindless action of washing your body is relaxing on its own, and the heat and steam will probably help too. Spend some time with yourself romantically. You’re most creative when you’re at your sexual peak anyway, so it’ll probably get those “creative” juices flowing. Also, don’t forget to poop. There Might Actually Be an App For That: These days, there’s literally an app

for anything you could possibly want to do. You can track your girlfriend’s period on your iPhone, for fucks sake. Studying apps are not excluded from this. Have a Tumblr addiction you can’t kick? Download SelfControl. With it, you commit to a timer that WILL NOT let you

The main point I’m trying to drive home is that sometimes it helps to reward yourself, but other times you honestly just need a break. Try to find things that you can do that provide a happy medium between relaxing, staying healthy, and getting your work done. Everyone is different, and the sooner you find a system that works for you, the quicker you can get your studying done and go back to living your life.

SYRIA

by mike reluzco The Syrian military has declared that they have loaded the precursor chemicals to the deadly nerve gas, sarin, into bombs. The chemical weapons are currently prepared, and the military is waiting for orders from Syrian president Bashar al-Assad. The weapons have been primed for use on areas of rebellion in Syria. President Obama has declared that the use of these chemicals on their own citizens would “cross a red line for the United States.” The United States is one of 188 countries who are parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention, putting pressure on the international community to take action against the use of Syria’s weapons. US Secretary of State Clinton met with the Russian foreign minister on Thursday, and a UN representative to Syria came up with no concrete plans for dealing with Syrian threats. The bombs being readied by the Syrian military contain precursor chemicals to the deadly nerve gas sarin. Under the Chemical Weapons Convention, sarin is considered a Schedule 1 substance, meaning it has no constructive use. The gas is deployed as a vapor, which is tasteless and colorless, as well as being immediately absorbed by the skin. Sarin does not have a long shelf-life, so the threat of its use is fairly immediate.

While international attention is high, US Ambassador to Syria, Robert Ford, has said that the solution to the problem must be done “between Syrians, not Americans.” He goes on to state that this is a Syrian revolution, not an American war.

HANUKKAH WOES by rebecca kaplan Never before have I been surrounded by such a general air of cluelessness about Judaism and celebration of Jewish holidays. It’s been enlightening, and a bit depressing. My menorah looks cheap and shabby across from my roommate’s flashy Advent Calendar, which she has hung an entire month before Christmas will even start. I can now see why Jews for Jesus exists, and why my mom wanted to be Christian when she was younger. It’s nice. It’s sexy. The little tchotchkes they hang on their Pagan ritualistic trees are just adorable. The 1940’s glamour of Christmas songs on the radio – many of which, including Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas,” were written by Jews – dwarfs everything else on the radio during December. It’s all around me. It’s everywhere. You walk into A.I. Friedman’s to find a Christmassy paradise, full of ornaments and angels. I searched to find one single Hanukkah table amidst the glitz. It had one menorah, tacky and overpriced; a butter knife with a menorah on it; and paper plates with a Star of David. There was also one icicle mistakenly placed

there, the tag of which read “Santa’s Christmas Village.” How can I celebrate Hanukkah in all sincerity when nobody, not even the Jews I know, give a crap? A few days ago, a Jewish guy told me that he wasn’t planning to celebrate this year, because “I can’t support what Hanukkah has turned into with all of this Christmas stuff.” I asked him if he celebrated other Jewish holidays, and he said yes, the big ones: Passover, Yom Kippur, Rosh HaShannah. That’s fine. Whatever. But the thing I love about Judaism is the number of festival holidays, weird but still important, where we drink wine and laugh about that time thousands of years ago when we all almost died. If Hanukkah is somehow less of a holiday because of the comparisons it gets to Christmas, then what of Purim, or as it is known by less observant Jews, “the Jewish Halloween?” Maybe if everyone took a day to get sloshed on Manishewitz and eat cookies of tricornered hats, and otherwise have a rollicking good time, the world would be a better place. Well, probably not. Anyway, I am not declaring the death of Hanukkah at Purchase College. But it would be nice to not see every religion, every holiday, through the lens of the standard European Christian tradition. I guess what I’m trying to say is, Happy Holidays, Purchase. Jews too.

29 November 2012

NOELLE TELLS YOU MOORE:

HAIR COLORING

by noelle moore

Before you take the plunge and dye your hair an unconventional color, there are some things you should ask yourself. If you’re going for an intense color, and you want it to last, you are going to need to maintain and take care of it. If you can see yourself keeping one of these colors for a long period of time, then you need to take into account the cost of supplies. My hair, for example, falls to my shoulder blades, and that might not seem like much hair at all, but in terms of dyeing, it is easy to underestimate how much hair you have. I re-touch my hair generally once a month. By then, my roots have started to grow out enough that it’s made the whole ‘do look rather unpleasant. If I take proper care of my color, then I do not necessarily have to dye it again after a month, and may be able to wait a few more weeks. I, however, often choose to re-touch my whole head instead of riding the remaining color out. With that said, that means I have to buy one or more tubes of hair dye which adds up. This leads to the first question: Can you afford to maintain your vibrant hair color? Take into consideration the dye, special shampoos and conditioners, bleach, and repairing products. Can you alter your routine to cater to your dyed hair? Will you be bul-

lied out of loving the color if those close to you do not approve? If the answer is “no” to any of these, then you may want to reconsider to save yourself the frustration, and the cash. In terms of routine altering, I will tell you something that may seem unspeakable. I do not wash my hair in hot water. That’s right, I have to wash my hair in the coldest water I can stand. Bright hair is pain, y’all. I’ll go into that horror more next week! Also, in the next issue I’ll tackle the notorious fiend: bleach!

THE ESSENCE OF PURCHASE:

ATHLETICS

by essence mcclanahan Although the official Home opener for the Men’s and Women’s Basketball teams isn’t until this Saturday, the Men’s Basketball team has taken no time to get into the swing of things. Starting off their season with a string of away games, they will be returning home with a few noteworthy notches in their belts. Having defeated Hartwick College, which was ranked the number one Division III team within the eastern region earlier this year, this is also the same team that knocked Purchase out of the NCAA tournament only four years ago. The Panthers carried that momentum into the second day of the tournament, with a nine point win against

St. Joseph’s College of Brooklyn. “It was a very important game, it was also a great way to let everyone know that Purchase is a team to look at ” said Craig Davis, who captains the team alongside Amar Reynolds and John Presley. The three captains are returning to the court this year as seniors and have one clear goal in mind. “We just want to take the championship,” said Davis, who was noted as top scorer in the game against Hartwick. The third game of the season offered an unprecedented win against Manhattanville, something that struck a chord with Isaac Campbell, a junior who remembers the 2010 face off between the Panthers and Valiants at Madison Square Garden. “I remember how they were talking after the Garden, and it was good just to get out there and shut ‘em up,” said Campbell, who is playing his first season for the Panthers. He is also excited about the team’s new look. This years team will be sporting brand new uniforms, which players agree have helped to boost team moral. “There’s no egos. I look left, I look right and everyone’s my brother,” said Campbell.

KNOW YOUR HOME: THE LIBRARY & 24/5 by tommy roach Hey Purchase Peeps! How are y’all doing with those end-of-semester woes? Odds are, a good 75% of you are already in the “I just need to go home” mindset. I hate to break it to you, but we still have a few weeks of school left, and finals are coming. And you kind of need to do well on those. Thankfully, the library understands your need to do well, perhaps the best of all the buildings on this campus. Every semester as finals week draws near, the library opens its doors to students who have the urge to study at 4 am, at least on the weekdays. Once the semester starts coming to an end, the library begins to remain open 24 hours a day, 5 days a week. So if you find yourself waking up at 2:30 in the morning in a frantic panic attack, and you just have to study that one section in your Ocean Life in Peril textbook, congratulations! You now have a safe, quiet, well-lit space to go to and get all of your last minute cramming done. What’s really great about this option is that it allows individual students to comfortably study on their own frantic schedules. I personally don’t get anything done until about 9 pm on a regular basis, so having the option to stay in the library until the sun comes back up is a really helpful tool for me. So grab your books, pick a spot you like, and study your hearts off in the library at 3 am if that floats your boat. Bring a blanket, it’ll be cozier!

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29 November 2012