February 6

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February 6, 2013

Volume 64 | Issue 9

THE PACE PRESS Serving Pace University’s Manhattan Campus Since 1948

Spike Lee tells students to

Nicole Morales Associate Editor Academy Award nominated director, writer, and producer Spike Lee paid the university a visit on Jan. 31 to lecture on the role of media and its role as a change agent for social justice. Lee took the stage at the Michael Schimmel Center for the Arts at the free event sponsored by numerous clubs and organizations that included the Office of Multicultural Affairs, Black Student Union, Urban Male Initiative, and Student Development and Campus Activities.

After an introduction from President Friedman, Lee took the stage to an excited and engaged audience. He began his lecture with how the media chooses to portray their idea of black culture through an example of the disgraceful Oxygen Network pilot “All My Babies’ Mamas” depicting rapper Shawty Lo’s 11 kids by 10 different women. He went on to mention that growing up, he and his friends never put each other down for getting straight A’s or talking properly as he notes seeing today. In reference to such examples of the black community putting each other down Lee said, “That shit is ignorant as hell.”

Later, the lecture drifted into the topic of his upbringing and the events that lead him to become a filmmaker that is able to vocalize the themes and issues in today’s generations. Despite being a proud New Yorker, Lee was originally born in Atlanta, Georgia on March 20, 1957. As a child he and his family moved to Brooklyn, first in the Crown Heights neighborhood before finally settling and buying a Brownstone for the shockingly low price of $40,000 in Fort Greene near Hoyt-Schermerhorn, a now heavily gentrified pricey neighborhood.

As Lee spoke of his childhood the audience became captivated in Lee’s wonderfully nostalgic and comical stories. His endearing style of storytelling was as prevalent in the lecture as it is in the colorfully depicted characters from his films. He mentioned his father as being a very passive kind man. He gave an example that if he and his siblings asked to jump out the window their father would tell them to have fun and not get hurt. His mother being a schoolteacher was more of the enforcer in the household. Midway through his reminiscence Lee described his life as the eldest child of five. His life would later be translated for the silver screen in his acclaimed film “Crooklyn” Lee went on to cite how Alfre Woodard accurately portrayed his mother. Even the little details of that film, including the oldest son who was a die-hard Knicks fan, mirrored Lee’s life. Much like the protagonist, Troy in “Crooklyn”, Lee was not fond of living in the south, making his decision to attend the prestigious historically black university Morehouse College in Atlanta all the more difficult.

As a student at Morehouse College, Lee described himself as an aimless mediocre student lacking motivation or drive. After a lackluster two years an advisor urged Lee to find something that would inspire

Superbowl draws single biggest audience ever Sarah Aires News Editor

The Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers faced off in the Mercedes Benz Superdome on Sunday night in Super bowl XLVII. The game’s highlights came complete with record breaking yardage, one unforgettable half-time show, a too-close-for-comfort comeback and a power outage that shocked players and fans alike. The game finished with a 34 – 31 Raven’s lead which serves as Baltimore’s only second Super Bowl title.

Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco felt the heat to bring home the win, especially with linebacker Ray Lewis’ retirement looming, and the country’s love for success stories hoping Lewis would end his career with a championship. Lewis is the only remaining player on the Ravens who competed during the Ravens’ last championship win in 2000. Flacco completed several incredible plays including a 56-yard touchdown to wide receiver Jacoby Jones, which gave the Ravens a staggering

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February 6, 2013

Voters speculate who will run for 2016 Presidential bid Anticipation rises as the country looks to the next presidential election Patrick Dehahn Staff Writer

The 2016 election is important as the country has elected a Democratic president for two terms following another eight years of a Republican Party presidency.

Beginning with the Democratic Party, Vice President Joe Biden and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have come up in political discussions throughout the country.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has also been considered after his involvement Hurricane Sandy relief and his participation in the country’s on-going debate over gun control.

Biden’s name is prevalent in the continuing speculation about who may run in 2016 after he received praise for his performance in the debates during the campaign. CNN interviewed Biden and asked him whether or not he considered pursuing a presidential bid. He answered, “I haven’t made that decision and I don’t have to make that decision for a while.” He ended with a reiteration of his commitment to the president.

CNN reporter Gloria Borger also asked if Biden was ready to contend with Clinton.

Biden then responded with, “Look, I haven’t made that judgment and Hillary hasn’t made that judgment.”

Hillary Clinton has also been a part of candidate talks after her lauded four years of diplomatic action as the most traveled Secretary of State in the United States. In the past, she’s run for candidacy against President Obama.

Many media outlets have asked about her thoughts on running for president in 2016 and Clinton has said, “Well, I am not thinking about anything like that right now.”

The New York Daily News reports she is looking forward to “catching up on about 20 years of sleep deprivation.”

Senior Zach Tierney commented on Clinton and Biden potential run saying, “While I’ve seriously appreciated the contributions those two have made to the party and to the country, I think it’s time for a changing of the guard in the Democratic Party. They have helped ease the transition of the Obama administration and been integral in shifting our framing of foreign and domestic policy.”

Tierney looks forward to Biden’s gun control legislation and thinks Clinton is “exhausted.” He also throws in New York’s Andrew Cuomo and Maryland’s Martin O’Malley as other contenders for the candidacy.

“Again, while I am in favor of someone outside of the current administration just for the sake of not letting the party get stagnant or complacent, I think Sec. Clinton is by far the best choice at this point. She’s brilliant, she’s more than qualified, she’s empathetic, and she’s got a good meme. Can’t go wrong there,” Tierney said.

A Public Policy Polling study was done to see what would be the most ideal presidential candidate in 2016 if they had the election today. Clinton had a 54 percent overall favorable rating and 79 percent specifically in the party. Biden was behind with 16 percent, Cuomo and O’Malley with less than 5 percent each.

Dana Cavalieri is disagreeable to the possibility of a Clinton or Biden presidency.

She cites Biden possibly having an issue with age and being a “gaffe-machine, as he is very outspoken,” and Clinton needing to be prepared for “her opponents to use Benghazi as an attack on her campaign” if she chooses to run.

“As for other feasible nominees, I wouldn’t mind seeing [Mayor of Newark] Cory Booker or Cuomo running,” she declares.

Within the Republican Party, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and Florida Senator Marco Rubio have been two constant names up for the presidential candidacy in 2016. Kentucky’s Senator Rand Paul has also been considered. The GOP is looking to Rubio to bring in the Latino vote and to Paul for his Tea Party connections.

New Jersey Governor Christie has been a contender for the GOP candidacy after Hurricane Sandy and his straight-forwardness with national and state political issues.

He commented on a run for the White House saying, “Life is life; you never know what it’s going to confront you with. But I’m asking for four years and I intend to serve four years.”

He boasted in an interview in the New Jersey Star-Ledger saying, “Yeah, you’re damn right I’d be more than ready.”

And with Florida’s Rubio, in one of the first straw polls, Washington State Republicans chose him as their choice in January. He won 37.4 percent for party nomination in the vote. He has not publically commented on any such intent for running, but the party is hopeful.

The Public Policy Polling study had Rubio ahead of the rest of the possibilities in the Republican Party. Rubio held together 21 percent of votes with Paul Ryan (16 percent), Mike Huckabee (15 percent), Jeb Bush (14 percent) and Chris Christie (14 percent) just behind him. With low GOP support, Christie would still have a close race with Clinton edging her out with 44 percent and 43 percent according to the poll.

Cavalieri expresses her support for Christie saying, “I love my governor. I’ve seen Christie speak at a town hall meeting in my hometown in Monmouth County and that was the moment I realized I could definitely see this man running for president.

However, like always, there are flaws.”

Tierney said, “As far as the Republican ticket, Chris Christie can not be our president. I was born and raised in Jersey and have watched this man rise about as high as I am comfortable with.”

Cavalieri on her support for Rubio said, “As a Republican, a young one at that, it’s clear the GOP must reach out better to minorities and the younger generation.”

Cavalieri goes on to state, “I hope Republicans learned something from this past election, and will fix its failure to reach out to the youth and minorities.”

telegraph.co.uk Presidential hopefuls Hilary Clinton and Vice President Joe Biden

Above photo: NBCLATINO.COM Below photo: Humanevents.com

Senator Marco Rubio (above) and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie (below.)

Who do you hope will run in the 2016 Presidential election?

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February 6, 2013

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Women in military now permitted in combat zones

Female military personnel now qualify for same positions as male counterparts Leeann Moreau Contributor In Nov. 2004, five women were attached to a Marine Corps unit in Ramadi, Iraq and were considered the first to be on equal footing as men in combat. In Feb. 2012, the Pentagon lifted a ban that allowed women to slide into 14,500 military positions in tanks, infantry, and commando units that had previously been out of their reach.

On Jan. 18 Leon Panetta lifted the ban preventing women from serving in combat positions such as infantry, armor, artillery, and combat units below the brigade level.

What this new bill does is allow for upward mobility in military ranks by women where originally there had been none.

Lifting the bad paralleled a lot of the sentiments that led President Obama to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, allowing gay soldiers to serve openly in the military. Both bills, while coming into legislation at the end of a war overlooked the fact that they have been serving in combat for years. Medics, military postal workers, military intelligence troops, and supply personnel were all positions that brought women close to the conflict.

Women have been an integral part of humanitarian aid and worked in combat as military police and medics. Plenty of women have been an integral part of warfare, and now they have the ability to take combat jobs that may be more physically draining but pay better.

Former arguments to the contrary have been that women would upset unit cohesion or be a distraction to the men they are fighting with, bringing down the overall quality of the troops, and slow the unit down. There is apparently a natural chivalry that most men in the military have been conditioned into, meaning that they are more likely to try and protect their female unit mate if they are under fire than a normal male counterpart.

Units will only come back to the base every 22 days with only an hour to shower and get refreshments.

Lonnie Richards, a Marine and junior at the university offered some insight. “My initial reaction was frustration because it’s become a debate of either or and not a debate of the middle ground. The feminist side sees it as a civil right issue as if sexism is the

only reason they’re not allowed. The other side is chauvinistic men who [believe] all women are too weak to do this job.”

The military and advocates of the bill expect to see women in combat by May 15th.

Richards had to go through three months of boot camp, two weeks of intensive school of infantry, and then Military occupation school which could be anywhere from two weeks to a year depending on the job they were assigned. Both sides express an understanding

“The feminist side sees it as a civil rights issue as if sexism is the only reason they’re not allowed to [fight in combat.] The other side is chauvinistic men who [believe] all woman are too weak to do this job.”

-Lonnie Richards,

United States Marine and Junior

that they need to keep the standards of the military.

Shane Kirk, a junior and Treasurer of the Student Veterans of America, states “I served on board fast attack nuclear submarines, where women were not allowed to serve at all. A few years ago the Navy began a prototype program allowing female officers to serve on board certain types of submarines, but not the fast attack type that I was on.

Women were not authorized to enlist or serve in the submarine force due to the sanitary and living restrictions placed on service members when living in shared tight quarters.”

Integration of women into higher ranks in the military is not a new concept; it has been a slow and gradual change over the past ten years.

Details of Heisman candidate Manti Te’o hoax continue to unfold Thatiana Diaz Contributor Twenty-one-year-old Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o led his team to the Bowl Champion Series (BCS) game and was runner-up for the Heisman Trophy. Te’o is now gaining attention for a topic far different from his athletic career. His reputation and fan base soared after the story was made public that his girlfriend, Lennay Kekua, passed away from leukemia in Sept. 2012, just hours after his grandmother Annette Santiago died. Despite the occurrences, Te’o went on to have an astonishing season, becoming one of the most inspirational stories in college football.

On Wednesday, Jan.17, a story by the sports blog Deadspin alleged that Manti Te’o’s girlfriend never existed. Both media and fans came to the immediate conclusion that Te’o was a part of the hoax as a publicity stunt. Te’o and Notre Dame have insisted that the linebacker was duped, a victim of “catfishing.” The term has been made popular by MTV’s show Catfish, which documents the experiences of individuals who have been in online relationships. As defined by the show’s creator, Nev Schulman, to “catfish” someone is to engage in an online relationship based on false information.

Manti Te’o told ESPN that he “wasn’t faking it” and he acknowledged that he had crafted stories about the woman he had called the love of his life. Te’o admitted to his “tailored” stories, including telling his father that he met “Lennay Kekua” in Hawaii, when in reality he never did. He later added that he feared people would think it was crazy for him to be involved with someone that he never met, so he stated, “I kind of tailored my stories to have people think that, yeah, he met her before she passed away.” Te’o said he only confirmed the week of Jan. 17 that he had been fooled.

It was confirmed the last week of January that Manti Te’o had no part in the hoax and “Lennay Kekua” was created by California native, Ronaiah Tuiasosopo. The Palmdale man who created the fictitious girlfriend of the Notre Dame linebacker said although the woman was fake, his feelings for the football star were not. Tuiasosopo, 22, spoke publicly for the first time regarding the allegations in an interview with Dr. Phil. The interview began with Tuiasosopo confirming that he was the one behind “Lennay Kekua.” Tuiasosopo said he considered Kekua another part of him and realized the more he communicated with Te’o, the more his own feelings become involved. The two shared “common values and bonded over faith and family,” he said. Later in the interview, the hoaxer verified that he is homosexual.

The face of Lennay Kekua was identified as 23-year-old Los Angeles marketing coordinator and graduate of California State University, Diane O’Meara. Her lawyer told Inside Edition that she was also a victim, and that she does not know Te’o but that photos of her were stolen and used to create the illusion of Te’o’s alleged girlfriend.

Despite the allegations that Te’o would have difficulty with the NFL draft after this hoax, he is getting support from NFL players, including Baltimore Ravens linebacker, Adrian Hamilton, who says he would welcome Manti to the team with open arms “cause the dude can ball. Hamilton explains that all the drama surrounding “Lennay Kekua” is irrelevant “cause it’s what Te’o can do on the field that matters.”

tv.yahoo.com Ronaiah Tuiasosopo, the man responsible for the Manti Te’o hoax.

globalgrind.com “Lennay Kekua” whose real identity is CSU student Diane O’Meara

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NEWS

February 6, 2013

New firearm reform proposals in wake of Sandy shooting

President Obama weighs in attempting to bridge gap between public opinions Shannon McMahon News Assistant President Obama has proposed a number of new restrictions on firearms, involving a ban on military-style semi-automatic weapons and a limitation on the size of ammunition magazines in the wake of the gun massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT that claimed the lives of 20 children and six school administrators. Gunrights groups, in turn, are accusing the president of disregarding the constitutional rights of American gun-owners.

On Jan. 16, President Obama highlighted gun control responsibility, delivering a series of executive orders. His plans included criminal background checks on all gun sales, a reinstatement of the assault weapons ban, and a 10-round limit on all ammunition magazines.“To make a real and lasting difference, Congress must act,” President Obama

While the ideas regarding gun control in the US appear to be making progress, the debate still continues and it remains to be seen what concrete decisions Obama will enforce on this heated subject.

“There’s always going to be the people that own guns, are protective of that and use them non-violently. Then there are people who are frightened by the rare but real experiences that have happened and don’t want guns to be available at all.”

-Lauryn Matovich,

Junior

said. “And Congress must act soon.”

President Obama stated that gun control proponents “have to do a little more listening” to second-amendment advocates in an interview with The New Republic, while also acknowledging that he has a “profound respect” for hunting as a pastime, and urging those who are in favor of stricter gun laws not to dismiss that tradition completely without considering the reasoning of gun owners who hunt for sport.

Asked if he has ever shot a gun, the President said, “Yes, in fact, up at Camp David, we do skeet shooting all the time. ... Not the girls, but often times guests of mine go up there. And I have a profound respect for the traditions of hunting that trace back in this country for generations.

And I think those who dismiss that out of hand make a big mistake.”

Acknowledging the cultural divide and clashing opinions on the issue, President Obama said, “Part of being able to move this forward is understanding the reality of guns in urban areas are very different from the realities of guns in rural areas.”

“If you grew up and your dad gave you a hunting rifle when you were ten, and you went out and spent the day with him and your uncles, and that became part of your family’s traditions, you can see why you’d be pretty protective of that,” the President said. “So it’s trying to bridge those gaps that I think is going to be part of the biggest task over the next several months.

Junior Lauryn Matovich said, “There’s always a positive and negative reaction to everything. There’s always going to be the people that own guns and are protective of that and use them non-violently.

Then there are people who are frightened by the rare but real experiences that have happened that don’t want guns to be available at all. I think Obama is trying to make the point that he understands this and does not want to single anyone out for their beliefs on the issue.”

Vice President Joe Biden, who is responsible for chairing the task force that generates the policy ideas that Obama has proposed, recently traveled to Richmond, VA, to consult with experts and public officials on the way forward.

“We talked about the need to expand mental health capacity across the country. We talked about access and we talked about resources,” Biden said. “But most the focus was on, what are the recommendations from these professionals about how we can detect earlier than later those folks who have the propensity” to commit acts of gun violence.

Biden said that the nation “has an obligation to act” after witnessing “what happened up in Newtown - beautiful little babies, six and seven years old, riddled -- riddled -- with bullets.”

Stirring up further controversy, the White House recently released a photo of President Barack Obama firing a gun, two days before he headed to Minnesota to discuss gun control.

The White House photo released is dated Aug. 4, 2012, and shows Obama shooting at clay targets on the range at Camp David.

Alexandra Leal, sophomore weighed in on the photo, saying, “I don’t see the controversy. He’s in a controlled area, and doing this as a hobby. This photo does not contradict anything that he’s been saying about gun control laws. He is doing this as a hobby, and has acknowledged the importance of this activity as a pastime. A major part of what he has been saying is that there must be stricter mental health screenings to those purchasing guns, not getting rid of American’s gun rights altogether.”

Graphic by Damien Morgan | Pace Press

February 6, 2013

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Opinion and editorials

THE PACE PRESS

DISCLAIMER: These opinions are expressed by contributors (students, faculty, administration and staff) to The Pace Press. These opinions are solely those of the individual writers and do not reflect the opinions of The Pace Press, the members of The Pace Press staff or Pace University. The Pace Press is not responsible and expressly disclaims all liability for damages of any kind of arising out of use or relevance to any information contained in this section.

Fotini Sachpatzidis Editor-In-Chief

Hello Pace University students and faculty, I’m pleased to announce that I will be the new Editor-in-Chief of The Pace Press. As a member of the school paper since my sophomore year, I’ve always enjoyed the fast-paced and fun environment that comes with writing for a newspaper. I’ve learned how to manage a newspaper with the help of previous Editor-in-Chief Nazary Nebeluk and my current staff of section editors. I also want to introduce our new Faculty Advisor, Dr. Stephanie Hsu, Assistant Professor of English in the Dyson College of Arts and Sciences, who will help guide and moderate the paper.

Here at Pace, both students and faculty are innovative and involved in activities outside of school work. This semester, my goal is to highlight school plays, events, professors and students that impact our school. With so many events occuring, we try our best to include everyone. I look forward to finishing my senior year as Editor and serving the Pace community. As always I encourage you to attend our weekly meetings and pitch any story ideas of interest. Our editors welcome any new writers interested in writing for either news, arts, features, or opinion. The Pace Press is a student newspaper, and it’s you all that keep us going.

Best wishes,

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Editorial Board

Katrina Abreu Ads Manager Nicole Morales Managing Editor Damien Morgan Creative Director Sarah Aires News Editor Olivia Beteta Arts Editor Erick Mancebo Features Editor Brian Rentas Web Editor Kathryn Bosch Circulation Manager Stephanie Hsu Faculty Advisor

Fotini Sachpatzidis Editor-in-Chief

Staff Julia Yeung Shannon McMahon

Shyam Nooredeen

The Pace Press is the student newspaper of Pace University’s New York City Campus.

It is managed and operated entirely by members of the student body as it appears above.

The Pace Press welcomes guest editorials and letters from students, faculty, administration and staff.

The Pace Press reserves the right to not publish any submitted material, both solicited and unsolicited.

All submissions must include the author’s full name and contact information.

The Pace Press 41 Park Row, Rm. 902 New York, NY 10038 www.pacepress.org editor@pacepress.org Copyright 2013

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February 6, 2013

ARTS

98 Degrees, New Kids on the Block and Boys II Men will all be on the Package Tour.

The return of the boyband: ‘90s edition Caitlin Mcnamara Contributor

Many may remember the good old days of denim maxi skirts, teen movies and perfectly coiffed boy bands singing and dancing in syncopation, otherwise known as the 90’s. For those who do remember rocking out to the decade’s finest boy bands on the, now horribly dated, Walk mans , it’s been a nostalgic few weeks since the announcement of “The Package Tour.” Starting in May, 90’s kids around the US and Canada can purchase tickets to see New Kids on the Block, Boyz II Men, and 98 Degrees “re-unite…to unite.”

New Kids on the Block announced the plans for the tour on a recent episode of The View, which of course made the ladies of the audience scream. The band surprised fans even more when onto the stage sauntered the legendary Boyz II Men and 98 Degrees.

It’s safe to say the audience uniformly self-combusted.

According to the aptly named “Package Tour” website, the tour will kick off in Uncasville, Connecticut on May 31, and plans to wrap up mid July - though dates have been added to the tour because of the expected high demand for tickets. NKOTB have also announced a new album called “10” due to drop on April 2. According to MTV.com, the bands all plan to perform separately in the line up starting with Boyz II Men, then 98 Degrees and finishing with New Kids on the Block.

Though no one seems to be complaining about this recent revival, one has to wonder,why now? Though they officially re-united in 2010, last year 90’s grunge band Soundgarden released their come back album “King Animal.” Their single “Live to Rise” made it’s way on the radio, although the album hasn’t been a favorite of the critics. Pitchfork.com gave the album a low 5.9, stating: “King Animal makes for a respectable display of Soundgarden’s proficiency, but lacks their once-imposing majesty.”

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thehollywoodinsider.com continued from PAGE 1 Jones, which gave the Ravens a staggering 21-3 lead by the end of the second quarter.

Jacoby Jones dropped jaws and made Super bowl history with his incredible touchdown that occurred less than a minute into the third quarter. Jones received the opening kickoff far into the Raven’s end zone, and ran it the entire length of the field making it the longest in the history of the Super bowl breaking Atlanta Falcons’ Eric Weems record of 102 yards for a kick-off return in the post-season in 2010. The touchdown gave the Raven’s a 28 - 6 lead and left most 49er’s fans left in the dust.

Beyonce’s half-time performance received impeccable reviews. Her set began with her song “Love on Top,” and transitioned into her female anthem “Crazy in Love” complete with signature booty shake. Beyonce was joined on stage by gal pals Michelle Williams and Kelly Rowland who all together form Destiny’s Child for a blast from the past with “Bootylicious.”

After the half-time performance and Jones’ touchdown, the Raven’s momentum seemed unstoppable until the power went out in the Superdome halting the game for 34 minutes and making this year’s Super bowl the longest in history. Speculations immediately arose of Beyonce’s performance causing the power outage though these claims have since been defunct. It was the first time this type of incident has occurred at the championship.

The power outage seemed to have given San Francisco some sort of kick-start seemingly almost serving as a half hour long “time-out” because once the power was restored, the 49ers gave the Ravens a run for their money. By the final quarter, the 49ers were only down by five and with minutes left in the game, were able to make it to the 7 yard line with a first down.

It looked like San Francisco was going to pull off the upset, but after several terribly called plays including three consecutive failed passes from 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick to wide receiver Michael Crabtree, the 49ers were unable to bring it home.

The Ravens were the more diligent team while the 49ers at first seemed distracted before finally regrouping and making an aggressive attempt at a win. Super bowl 46 certainly did not disappoint viewers, though one probably could not say the same for the lackluster commercials.

February 6, 2013

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ARTS

University represents at the Sundance Film Festival Park City showcased two students and a professor that made it on the big screen

University Junior Jake Robbins stepped out of his comfort zone to act in “Interior. Leather Bar.” variety.com Michael TJ Williams Arts Assistant

The streets of Park City were packed with celebrities this past week as they gathered for the 2013 Sundance Film Festival.

The university was well represented at the festival with one BFA Acting Professor, Julie Fain Lawrence (“Concussion”), and two students, Jake Robbins (“Interior.

Leather Bar”.) and Anna Friedman (“Milkshake”).

Julie Fain Lawrence portrayed the role of Kate Ableman in director/writer Stacie Passon’s Concussion, which received a great response at the Sundance Film Festival. This film focuses on a typical lesbian couple going through a mid-life crisis.

When Abby (Robin Weingert) gets a concussion from being struck in the head with a baseball, she realizes that her life cannot just be about the house and the family.

Consequently, her alter ego “Eleanor” is created.

Lawrence got involved with this film in the beginning stages and instantaneously fell in love with the script. She explained how director/writer Stacie Passon had such a clear vision for this film, and truly enjoyed working with her as well as the rest of the cast, including Robin Weingert (Deadwood).

Homosexuality is undoubtedly a common theme throughout the film. Lawrence explains, “Lesbian couples, gay couples, and straight couples are all a lot more similar than we think. All relationships go through the same thing.” This is certainly an important theme to take away from this film.

One of Lawrence’s favorite moments from the set is when director Passon just told the cast to forget the script and just go, which led to great discoveries for Lawrence’s character. “Concussion” was picked up by The Weinstein Company and is expected to be released sometime towards the end of the year.

Jake Robbins starred in a film titled “Interior. Leather Bar.” which also covers topics of homosexuality, but additionally explores sexual and creative freedom. This is an interesting film because filmmakers James Franco and Travis Matthews are attempting to creating a movie within this movie, in order to show the “lost 40 minutes” of the 1980 movie “Cruising”, which featured vivid intercourse scenes among homosexuals in this bar.

Robbins, one of the only straight men in the cast, was

attracted to his role in this film because it made him feel uncomfortable. As an actor, he explains how important it is to go out of your comfort zone and take a risk.

Additionally, this film was a work of James Franco and Travis Matthews. Robbins views Franco as a huge source of inspiration.

According to Robbins, Franco has a strong work ethic and has no problem switching between feature films and arts films. Just getting the opportunity to meet and talk to Franco was surely remarkable for Robbins, but he explains “getting oiled up” for the scenes was quite unforgettable too. In this film actors engage in sex that are not simulated.

Robbins explains, “I hope this film changes peoples’ views and have them sympathize with homosexuals more.

Why is sex between a man and woman considered normal?

Who cares if it is sex between a man and a woman or a man and another man? It doesn’t.”

Another University student who starred in a film featured at the Sundance Film Festival was Anna Friedman. She played Jeanette, the grunge girl, in David Andalman’s “Milkshake”. This film follows the tragic sex life of Jolie Johnson who strives to be what he cannot be, black.

Friedman has worked with Dave Andalman on three other films including “The Braggart”, but was especially interested in the role of Jeanette because it was a different type of role for her rather than the usual innocent girl she plays. She explains how working with Andalman was such a pleasure.

Friedman and the other actors were given a lot of room to explore their character, which is always a great experience for an actor. One of her most memorable moments on set was actually when fellow-actress Shareeka Epps taught her how to smoke a cigarette.

Friedman has a scene where she has to hold the carton, a lighter, and light the cigarette simultaneously, yet each time she kept dropping it all. Luckily, Epps was there to show her the ropes. A common concept found throughout this film is stereotypes.

Friedman explains, “I hope the audience learns from this film to not judge a book by its cover,” a very important life lesson.

Each actor had a tip for aspiring actors. Prof.

Lawerence said, “I know it’s cliché, but don’t give up. It takes time. Ultimately, always be true to yourself. Be who you are.”

The main suggestion for Robbins is to get involved.

He said, “If you want it bad enough, eat, sleep, and breathe it. Get involved, like with the shows at Pace. You just got to do it if you want it.”

Friedman had similar advice and wants to push her fellow actors. She suggested, “Be bold. Make them remember you. Those who take a chance are more likely to get a callback or even better, the role.”

imbd.com BFA Acting Professor Julie Fain Lawerence plays Kate in “Concussion”.

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ARTS

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February 6, 2013

Fans looking for“Girls” to represent the real Brooklyn

After harsh criticism creator Lena Dunham tries to add more diversity to show Erick Mancebo Feautres Editor

Actress slash Director slash Writer slash General Annoyance Lena Dunham makes a silly face at the camera and kisses her mohawked boyfriend before adjusting her ill-fitting dress and slouchily stepping up to the podium to accept her “Best Actress - TV Series, Comedy or Musical” Golden Globe, Robyn’s “Dancing On My Own” playing in the background.

After a speech worthy of Prince Albert, Duke of York—pre-Lionel Logue— Dunham waddles off stage and that’s that. Meet the voice of our generation.

At least, that’s how Dunham’s loosely self-referential heroine Hannah describes herself when she tells her parents, “I may be the voice of my generation … or at least a voice, of a generation.” This— Dunham’s accurate portrayal of every twenty-something’s arrogance teetering on crippling self-doubt—is what catapulted her to notoriety among fans of the show.

But, a few seconds into her speech and a season into her show, the brains behind HBO’s hit show Girls is revealed to be unremarkable at best, dangerously uninnovative and artificially narrow in perspective at worst. Ironically, “Dancing On My Own” is an all-too-fitting song for Dunham, who has come repeatedly under fire for her show’s unrealistic portrayal of gentrified Brooklyn and it’s reliance on stereotypical gay archetypes. Dunham’s Brooklyn is not the Brooklyn we know.

Let’s back up: during a wildly successful first season last year, the fanfare for Girls ran concurrently with critiques claiming that Dunham’s vision of Brooklyn fell short of the realities. There were absolutely no minorities, for one, in Dunham’s world.

Dunham brushed the accusations off as unfounded, before half-assedly adding that she doesn’t see race the way her critics do. It was the first test of Dunham’s

abilities to confront criticism and she failed miserably, claiming that as a “halfJew, half-WASP,” she was simply unable to depict the life of a modern-day AfricanAmerican woman or man. She stopped just short of commenting on whether or not she had any black friends.

The plot thickened when in an almost

lone black character of relevance on the show. It seems Dunham’s critics will have more time to criticize the show. In the meantime, we’ll move on.

Critics of the show have also noticed that Hannah, at least until recently, was paying absolutely no bills. (The end of season one alluded to the fact that her best

foursquare.com unmistakable nod to her critics (although it was said to have been filmed very shortly after season one), season two kicked off with Hannah straddling Donald Glover topless. The move fell flat with critics, however, who were unimpressed by the showy and deliberate stunt. Four episodes into the second season and Glover is the

friend Marnie was helping her make ends meet.) If “Sex and the City”—which Girls is often hailed as the 21st Century’s answer to—was criticized for being so flashy that it did not make any financial sense (1990’s Carrie Bradshaw would have been absolutely swimming in credit card debt), certainly Girls lies at the other end of the

spectrum. Hannah is unfathomably poor, too, but at least she’s doing it in believable thrift shop sandals. Carrie tried to pull it off in Manolo Blahniks.

And while we’re here; it is true “Sexy and the City” did a terrible job of portraying ‘90’s New York’s economy, but it did a lot better of a job portraying gay men at the time. “Sex”’s Stanford Blatch was indeed an anomaly in television at the time—he was a successful gay man who wasn’t motivated entirely by sex. Sure, he had relationships and they of course included sex, but Stanford was a far cry from the token over sexualized, promiscuous, and effeminate gay stereotype of the time.

Dunham’s Elijah is a return to poor form. If Stanford Blatch and “Will and Grace”’s Will Truman were two steps forward, Elijah a step back. Introduced in the first season, he takes a bit more of the spotlight in the second season by…having sex with Hannah’s best friend Marnie.

The encounter spurns an exploration of bisexuality, which is of course welcome discourse, but is discourse that stands on the shoulders of disgusting stereotypes.

The criticisms of Dunham’s Brooklyn, of course, are almost pointless. She is the artist and she is free to manifest her vision in the way she best sees fit. She truly does not owe anybody—including the black and gay communities—anything.

But as consumers, as the people to whom Dunham is catering to, as the living and breathing parts of the New York and Brooklyn Dunham is cashing off of, we also have a right to demand more accurate representations of ourselves, and to demand higher standards from the media we consume.

She has the option of ignoring those calls—truly, no hard feelings—or taking them into account as valuable feedback and working to construct a show that is not simply a white middle class woman’s reality.

Spike Lee and social justice continued: continued from PAGE 1 him over the summer and to choose a major. Lee went back to Brooklyn looking for a job to occupy his time, but in the hardship that was the summer of 1977 he was unable to find a job. One day when he went to visit a friend he was given a Super 8 camera. It came with a few rolls of film that helped him keep busy as he recorded what he saw on the streets of New York. His casual filming captured the essence of New York’s historic summer of 1977. He filmed New York City as the rise of the disco era began; with people doing the hustle in the street and the numerous block parties that detailed the summer. He also managed to capture the widespread fear instilled in New Yorkers over the “Son of Sam” serial murders taking place that summer. In addition, the summer of 1977 proved to be the hottest summer in New York City history, which caused a blackout. Lee remembers watching all the “blacks and Puerto Ricans loot” everything from diapers to televisions. Amazingly enough, he was able to catch all of these moments on film.

His collection of random footage became Lee’s first film as a student entitled ”Last Hustle in Brooklyn” and was enthusiastically received by his classmates. He returned to Morehouse in the fall with the intention of

pursuing film and saw a vast improvement in his grades.

He went from being a C- student to an A+ student citing the reason as finding “what I love.” Lee also notes that unlike many young directors, “Film found me.”

Lee agreed to host a number of “intelligent questions” after his lecture, with the only exception being that he would “not talk about Django” in reference to his controversial comments about the alleged overuse of racially offensive language in director Quentin Tarantino’s film Django Unchained.

When a student asked his opinion of what he felt of the use of racial slurs in the media, Lee was unable to contain his feelings. It sparked Lee to say, “Why use that word 200 times in a movie?” The theater burst into laughter and claps. He went on to say, “[There was] a film by a certain filmmaker and I thought the word was used excessively.” He said that he proceeded to ask the film’s producer Harvey Weinstein if he would allow a derogatory slur directed toward the Jewish community to be used in a film that often. “What bothers me is the inequality,” Lee says of the use of racial slurs in the media.

Lee continued to host a few more questions, as he actively engaged with the audience. Although, Lee left earlier than the event was said to run, the audience left inspired by Lee’s story of self discovery and inspirational

message to maintain a positive image to counter how the media may attempt to propel negative stereotypes.

Spike Lee lecturing at the Schimmel Theater Image courtesy of SDACA

arts

February 6, 2013

Picture clothing line adds flavor to any room Sarah aires News Editor

With four blank, white walls and stringent rules with what you can do with them, it is tough to exhibit creativity and self-expression in the dorms. Sure, the university bookstore offers the cliché dorm decor like banners and posters, but once those go up, the concern becomes what there is to do with the remaining ten feet of blank wall.

Trolling sites like Etsy and Pinterest and flipping through magazines are great ways to discover fresh new ways to decorate a dorm room. Many artisan crafters also provide stepby-step instructions for their products on YouTube accounts, and take into consideration cost and difficulty when demonstrating their crafts.

It is not a well-kept secret that bulletin boards and dry erase boards are great ways to stay organized and hang photos and mementos from memories past but for those who look for more unconventionally edgy designs, a photo “clothesline” is an adorable addition to any room. A photo clothesline allows you to display your pictures without crowding your desk or dresser with frames, or damaging dorm room walls with nails.

A lot of the necessary materials are thing found in most kitchens; scissors, twine, clothes pins, beads and of course photos.

Step 1) To begin, determine how much twine would be needed in order to cross the entire length (or width) of the dorm room, leaving about 6 inches extra on either site to be safe.

Step 2) Knot one end of the twine several times so that the knot is large enough that the beads will not slide off.

Step 3) Begin beading the twine – not enough to completely fill it as though it were a necklace or bracelet because it will be too heavy and likely fall or hang loosely. Leave several inches between each bead (you will adjust them on the clothes line hung.)

Step 4) Knot the other end of the twine once it has been beaded sufficiently.

Step 5) Adhere the twine to solid quality tack. Do the same for the other sides.

Step 6) Leaving a few beads between each picture, use the clothes pins to hang your photos. If you have a friendly relationship with your roommate, suggest you both put up alternating pictures – and put up some of you together.

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90’s boybands continued from PAGE 6

On the other hand CNN.com’s review by Jon Dolan, said the album “shows they haven’t forgotten how to stomp out the jams: Thayil is still a warlock guitar conjurer of the first order, and Cornell rolls around his multi-octave vocal range like some kind of backwoods metal-Mariah.”

2012 was also a big year for No Doubt, as they released their album “Push and Shove” to some fanfare. Rolling Stone gave the album three stars out of five saying, “The songs are catchy, but Gwen Stefani doesn’t have the voice, or the gravitas, for grandiose tunes.” Nevertheless, the community on Rolling Stone’s website gave the album a half star extra, and the album debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200.

The Spice Girls also made a bit of a comeback when they performed at the Closing Ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics. They then delighted fans, but not critics, with the Spice Girl Musical, Viva Forever. Though the band’s 2007-2008 reunion tour was a success, the girls seem to have no intention of getting back together.

With all this revival buzz, perhaps the boys of the 90’s thought this was the perfect time to re-dip their toes in the music scene. The Backstreet Boys even went on Good Morning America to announce their own reunion tour set to be held on a cruise ship. Perhaps everyone is jumping back on the bandwagon, or maybe it’s the recent resurgance of popularity.

The success of bands like The Wanted and One Direction has brought boy bands back into the spotlight. Both teenaged girls and college aged students alike seem to be obsessed with the catchy upbeat tunes these groups are turning out. It seems that the pros have come back to show these rookies how it’s done while making tons of money at the same time.

Whatever the reason, it doesn’t seem to be affecting how the public feels about the reunion. When asked about her feelings on the bands’ revival, senior Nairi Hartounian stated, “Even though I’m not really a fan, I think it’s awesome that they’re reuniting. A lot of people will be happy about it.” The boy bands are back and tickets are selling like hot cakes. Pre-sale tickets for “The Package Tour”came and went on January 25, but general tickets are on sale beginning February 2.

So whip out those platform sandals and crop tops because this “Summertime” it may be the last chance to be “True to your heart” and no one wants this extravaganza to “Pass them by.”

For more information about tickets and tour dates NKOTB, BIIM, and 98 Degrees, go to thepackage-tour.com today.

Toro y Moi escapes Chillwave with Anything in Return

pitchfork.com Nicole Morales Managing Editor If there’s a common thread throughout singersongwriter Chaz Bundick’s South Carolina based genre bending project Toro y Moi, it is that each of the three albums since his 2010 debut “Causers of This” carry an air of nostalgia, transporting listeners to a familiar yet distant time. The same can be said for his latest Jan. 22 release “Anything in Return,” which Bundick described in a 2012 interview with Pitchfork as a “sincere pop” album. The album has even garnered attention, praise, and support from Bundick’s friend and controversial rapper personality Tyler the Creator. The album marks Bundick’s strongest effort to break into the pop market with a blend of danceable beats and easy listening R&B grooves.

The album’s opener “Harm in Change” is aptly titled

for Bundick’s fairly recent move to California, as well as his attempt to break away from the chillwave mold he’s been placed in since his 2010 debut. The album starts off with the hazy bass pulsing opener featuring the vocals from Felecia Douglas of Brooklyn based band Ava Luna laid over a jazzy piano before moving into a faster paced 80’s inspired R&B dance track.

The buildup of the song combined with Douglas’ vocals lay the foundation for Toro y Moi’s evolution from experimental synth R&B to a solid pop potential R&B production. Following up the opener is “Say That” which features Bundick’s monotonous vocals over a danceable groove beat and catchy female R&B vocal sample that easily finds its way into your head.

The album’s first official single “So Many Details” is one of the strongest tracks on the entire album. The song showcases Bundick’s impressive production skills and vocal arrangements. The beat packs on a lot of layers, yet none of them overpower and instead complement one another. The easy bass line along with the cool xylophone and synth elements blend together seamlessly before ending with racy drums, creating a colorful canvas to which Bundick’s vocals paint a picture for listeners of the hardships in a relationship. The song stands out from the rest of the album as Bundick’s graduation from experimental production to a true understanding of the pop aesthetic.

“Rose Quartz” was one of the first songs to be heard from the album, with Bundick having debuted it at a number of festivals over the summer of 2012. The song starts off slow before exploding into a sensual silky R&B song that features an extremely catchy vocal sample repeating “I feel weak” as Bundick himself sings throughout the song. The songs placement on the album as forth marks the last of the songs on the album that resemble Toro y Moi’s last efforts.

“Anything in Return’s” first four songs give returning

Toro y Moi fans their fix of Bundick’s previous efforts’ presence through the use of samples and nostalgic beats, while the rest of the album moves deeper into Bundick’s vision for a pop influenced album.

“High Living” is the most West Coast inspired song, with the playful keyboard and slow bass drawl combined with Bundick’s hazy vocals that alternate to falsetto during the bridge. The track makes for a perfect late night jam, with its versatility ranging from late night drive anthem to the perfect party cool down song.

Its clear Bundick has decided to experiment with using his vocals as a prop as well. “Grown Up Calls” is one of the sexier tracks on the album marking Bundick’s maturity as an artist with the ability to convey his emotions lyrically. While Bundick has pointed out in the past that he is trying to improve as a lyricist, his efforts are solid in that he is able to create catchy hooks throughout each song on the album.

“Cake” is one of the album’s more upbeat pop tunes, a song written by Bundick for his girlfriend. The song’s production seems heavily influenced by The-Dream, an artist Bundick has cited as being a fan of in an interview with Pitchfork. The song fails to evolve much lyrically and sticks out from the other smooth jams on the album as an obvious pop effort.

“Day One” slips by on first listen, but after a second listen the song comes alive as a solid R&B track in its own right. The vocal breakdown hooks you along with the whining synth in the background and thick bass.

“Never Matter” is a upbeat 80’s synth jam that features almost frantic vocals. The song is at times reminiscent of tracks on Toro y Moi’s early singles June 2009 album. The production is impressive yet succeeds in overpoweringly weak lyrics. As a pop track this song would be reluctant to find success that the beat is still too experimentally nostalgic for mainstream pop audiences as well as the fact that the vocals are mismatched to a busy beat.

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FEATURES

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February 6, 2013

Tips for staying focused through the spring semester From careful planning to using school resources, these tips are guaranteed to keep you on track riddhi doshi Features Assistant

Although you wouldn’t be able to tell from the weather, the Spring semester is officially in high-gear. The new year and semester will provide a chance to break out the Toms while also breaking out of some bad habits. For students who were disappointed by their Fall semester grades, it is also a chance to do better and improve their GPAs. With this in mind, here are eight tips to help every student stay focused and on track for success come summer.

1) Go in with a clear goal

4) Spend time in the library

The best way to achieve something is to know what is to be achieved. Go into the semester with a specific GPA goal and figure out the grades needed in order to reach that GPA. A great resource for planning out GPAs is the Pace GPA calculator.

The library is a great place to focus. It is quiet and the seats are much more comfortable than they look. Use the library between classes to get that 20 minute retention review in.

Emily Jordan, freshman, can vouch for the library saying, “I actually enjoy the library because it is a great place to run into an old friend and catch up if you have an extra few minutes.”

2) Exercise daily

5) Review your notes

The Department of Health and Human Services recommends that the average adult engage in 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise daily.

Moderate exercise is defined as brisk walking, swimming, or the equivalent of the energy used to mow the lawn. The alternative to the 150 minutes of moderate exercise is 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity. Vigorous activity is defined as running, or aerobic dancing, such as Zumba. It is also recommended by health experts to do strength training at least twice a week. Strength training includes weight machines or rock climbing. All resident students have access to these machines in or near their respective dormitories.

3) Visit the Tutoring or Writing Centers As soon as there is a theory, formula, or concept that students do not feel comfortable with, they are advised to take a trip to the Tutoring Center, located on the 2nd floor of 41 Park Row. The Tutoring Center “engage[s] in…group tutoring, semester-end reviews, study skills workshops, and peer-led team learning discussion groups.” The Writing Center, located on the 2nd floor of the Birnbaum Library, employs professors, along with undergraduate and graduate students who peer-mentor and help with papers--from proper MLA and APA style, to basic grammatical and sentence structure issues.The mission of these centers is to help both undergrad and graduate students achieve their best. The suggested number of visits per class is between three and five times throughout the semester. Go to the center a few days before an exam or an assignment with reasonable expectations. Three appropriately spaced out visits to review material will help you absorb the information and make it stick.

The attention span of an average adult is roughly 20 minutes. This means most students can only actively pay attention for half a lecture. This is why it is so important to take notes; take notes and study them for about 20 minutes later in the day after class.

Review new definitions, formulas, and concepts. Just looking over the notes for 15-20 minutes after class will help to increase retention of material covered during class.

6) Get involved Getting involved forces students to structure their week, thus giving them reason to actually build time for homework into their daily schedule. This fights off the urge to procrastinate. Plus it will help build a greater network of friends so that you are more likely to know others in your classes. Having friends in classes always helps make

7) Make a “to-do” list Have a list of tasks that need to be completed for the next day. This will ensure that everything gets done on time reducing the need for unnecessary stressing. Keeping the list nearby at all times is also handy. Freshman Palak Shah said, “I keep a notepad and pen next on the headstand because I always remember something else that needs to be done once I am already in bed and do not want to get up.”

8) Put the phone away Even if the class syllabus does not say that students need to put their phones away, it’s the best bet. Phones are a distraction and we all know how easy it is to stay distracted once a Facebook or Twitter notification pops up.

Apple stumbles amid underwhelming device sales christian gomez Arts Assistant

In the past year, Apple has begun to decline in sales as well as in stock prices. Many sources such as CNET and The Huffington Post attribute this decline to the lack of innovation and the rate at which their products become obsolete.

With each product line releasing a new version on an almost yearly schedule, consumers are becoming less likely to buy upgraded versions of iPads or iPhones. This becomes especially difficult when the products are not too different from their predecessors.

Historically, the release of a new iPhone has been a major boost in sales for Apple, but with the release of the iPhone 5—which has had an admittedly lukewarm reception due to limited improvements—the company faced a device that sold under projections. After revealing this, the company’s stock plummeted almost 15 percent over the course of two days, triggering a flurry of news stories that tentatively suggested the “Apple bubble” of exponential growth and profits might finally be starting to burst. Right on cue, news broke this past week that Exxon Mobile once again surpassed Apple as the most valuable company in the world, after a year of the top spot belonging solely to Apple.

As Apple continues to falter just over a year after CEO and general public favorite Steve Jobs passed away, the company faces a growing number of users who resent the game of “Keeping Up With The Joneses” the company encourages. Freshman Valentina Sotomayor, an iPhone 4

user, saw no need to upgrade to the iPhone 5. “It really doesn’t have anything new and I don’t see the point in getting a new one when they’re basically the same.” When asked of her opinion on Siri [voice-command technology] and the improved camera—the only marked differences in the devices, save for the larger screen— Sotomayor responded, “I don’t see a use for Siri and have heard a lot of mixed things about it. I don’t think my current phone’s

An Apple employee preps iPhones for shipment theverge.com

camera is that bad and I can’t justify upgrading just for that.”

“Alliance, compliance and defiance” is the idea that consumers will ally themselves with a certain product or brand and comply with the products shortcomings but eventually defy the product and go for something else.

It appears Apple consumers have complied for the past two generations of the iPhone, which have had little to no real innovations while competitors such as Samsung have pushed for strong innovation in their android operating system phones. The Galaxy S3 and the Galaxy Note 2 both flaunt larger screens, multiple color options and more features than any of the current iPhones.

Apple’s faltering sales are not limited to their iPhone line, however, and continue to plague a number of different products, like the iPad and iPad mini. While the iPad mini saw a jump in holiday season sales, consumers have largely ignored the newest generations of iPads. The low upgrade rates for the devices suggest that the majority of iPad owners see no point in upgrading.

Sophomore and self-proclaimed Apple enthusiast Kevin Gonzales is an example of the low upgrade rate, and said, “My iPad is pretty great and I don’t really need a new one or an upgrade. Mine can do all the others do and… [I don’t need] an improved screen.”

The decline of Apple and its products can clearly be attributed to the lack of innovation in a majority of their products, combined with a consumer base no longer willing to comply with Apple’s steamroll-like yearly production cycle.

FEATURES

February 6, 2013

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Subway riders on edge after series of commuter deaths University students join in calls for MTA to consider safety issues riders face thatiana diaz Contributor Students returning to the city after a month-long break at home may find a new voice interrupting their morning commute. The tag, “Please stand away from the platform edge,” added hastily to a pre-recorded “There is a … train approaching the station” announcements, underscores a new anxiety New Yorkers face over the dangers of riding the city’s subways.

Indeed, an outbreak of subway deaths this year, from people being pushed onto the tracks to suicides, is reigniting calls for the MTA to move toward installing safety barriers and take other steps to protect commuters.

Politicians and an MTA board member joined Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer in asking the agency’s Inspector General to investigate the cause of the wave of deaths and the possibility of installing barriers.

“Our subway system is one of the largest and most traveled in the world, but we must also make it the safest,” said Stringer. So far in 2013, seven people have died after being hit by subways, and Stringer’s office projects a record-breaking 100 deaths this year if the trend continues. In 2011, out of a total of 146 commuters struck by trains, 47 were killed. And in 2012, the death rate steadily increased, with 55 killed out of 141 struck.

On the morning of Jan. 27, a man survived a suicidal leap into a Bay Ridge-bound R train in Brooklyn’s Fourth Ave./Ninth St. Station. Just days before, a woman jumped in front of an incoming 2 train in Times Square, where she died.

Suicide deaths in NYC’s subway system are not uncommon, with dozens every year, but a few recent high-profile cases of people being pushed to their deaths on subway tracks have stirred a lingering fear held by many city residents. On December 28th, a woman pushed a man to his death in front of a subway train. The man was standing on the elevated platform of a 7 train in Queens when he was pushed onto tracks. 31-year-old Bronx native Erika Menendez, who was said to have targeted the victim because of his religion, was charged with second-degree murder as a hate crime for this death.

On Dec. 3, 58-year-old Ki-Suck Han was shoved in front of a train in Times Square. That incident drew

even more outrage and disgust after the New York Post ran a picture (taken by a fellow passenger) of the victim struggling to get onto the platform as the train approached.

University senior Kristie Dash shared ,“When I am waiting on the platform now, I definitely think more actively about where I am standing in relation to the edge.”

The MTA’s only advice to commuters is to stay away from the platform edge. In 2012, the agency put up posters inside of subway cars informing riders of the previous years’ subway death rate, with the message “don’t become a statistic.”

But the MTA is also expanding its public education campaign, and will also examine other safety measures.

In the past The MTA has looked at installing platform barriers. In 2007, Crown Infrastructure Solutions, an architectural and engineering firm, began talks with the MTA to build out a full network of barriers with no charge to the MTA or transit riders, in return for being able to advertise on built-in screens. The barriers would have been see-through and extend from the platform to the ceiling, with sliding doors that line up with the doors on the subway cars. Systems in Paris and Seoul, among others including Path trains in neighboring New Jersey, have installed screen doors on some platforms to prevent people from going onto the tracks.

In an interview, Professor Yoo Kwang-Kien, of Korea’s National University of Transportation, said Seoul’s emphasis on safety, including the screen doors, has led to only one accident, death or injury, per one billion operation hours.

“The MTA really just never moved forward on their part. We got as far as we could,” Michael Santora, president of Crown Infrastructure Solutions stated. “We never got any negative feedback from them that it wasn’t a good system, it’s just that no one’s ever made a real move for it,” he said. New York Transit riders and Santora hope the increased focus on subway safety might reinvigorate interest in New York.

Deliana Acosta, a university junior, still thinks more should be done saying,“There should be more police officers patrolling the subways and even riding on them.”

The Transit Workers Union

Local 100 passed out fliers late January asking the public to sign a petition on its website urging the MTA to take action. The union is also telling its workers to slow down trains as they are pulling into stations. But the MTA is fighting that directive. “Slowing down trains would create crowding conditions on trains and platforms, and would actually create a more dangerous condition,” said MTA spokesperson Kevin Ortiz in an emailed statement to Epoch News. The agency is prepared to argue in court that slowing down trains will slow the entire system down, along with alleging that the Union’s directive hopes to purposefully sabotage the agency.

While the MTA moves at a snail’s pace to resolve the issue, however, Director of University Security Richard Abbinanti provided some common-sense advice to students. “Stay away from the edge of the platform. Don’t be confrontational with unknown persons, just walk away and seek help,” he said, adding, “You may want to stay upstairs by the token booth and wait until the train pulls in and then go down and catch the train.”

A woman disregards warnings to keep from the platform edge.

lucilleroberts.com

Alternative hotspots for the perfect night out in the city Angel’s Share, The Spotted Pig among editor’s picks for New York City’s best-of Fotini sachpatzidis Editor-In-Chief New York City nightlife has a little bit of everything to offer, from speakeasies to gastropubs, but there are always new spots to discover. Instead of going to your usual haunt, switch things up and grab food or drinks somewhere new for a change.

Channel your inner hipster and head to Union Pool in Williamsburg where the sneaker of choice is Converse and the atmosphere is laidback. If you happen to get hungry, walk to the taco truck in the back, which has a faithful following and a four star rating on Yelp.

Another Brooklyn go to spot is the Tea Lounge in Park Slope. A mix between Starbucks and someone’s living room, feel free to sit for hours on the plaid couches and try their long list of teas at pocket friendly prices. They also have live music ranging from local musicians to jazz ensembles during the week all for free.

If you haven’t tried the speakeasy trend, now’s your chance. With so many of them popping up, it’s hard to choose. Skip the long lines at Death + Co and make the trip to Angel’s Share in the East Village. This secret spot is hidden behind an unmarked door inside an unassuming Japanese restaurant. Once inside, enjoy their long list of specialty drinks or have the mixologist make you one according to your taste.

Just a neighborhood over, is April Bloomfield’s gastropub The Spotted Pig. It’s most famous for it’s flavorful hamburger, which was rated number three on the “15 epic New York burgers to eat before you die,” by Eater.com. The wait for a table may extend over 45 minutes but the burger alone is more than worth it.

Dance clubs are also making a comeback for 2013, making the trip to the Meat Packing District unnecessary. The EMM Group, known for hot spots such as Tenjune, has opened Finale downtown. Celebrities such as Bradley Cooper and Heidi Klum have already been spotted partying here and world class DJs spin into the wee hours. Williamsburg will also have its first major club that is currently in the works. “The club will have a main room

with a capacity of 1,000 people, a second room with a 300-400 capacity, and a rooftop that will accommodate up to 700 people with views of the Manhattan skyline,” according to dancingastronaut.com. The Space franchise, known for its wild parties in Ibiza, is opening a long awaited location in New York later in the year. A specific venue has not been chosen yet, but if it’s anything like the original, it will live up to the hype. In the meantime, check out some new places that may even become your favorites.

Angel’s Share in the Lower East Side

forkandshaker.com

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February 6, 2013

Features

Manhattan’s shrinking middle class spells trouble for students

erick mancebo Features Editor With the impending doom that is graduation day quickly approaching, last-minute trips up to the 14th floor of 41 Park Row, where Career Services is located, are becoming more common for students in their final semester. But even as they polish their interview skills in the hopes of finding full-time employment, these students face tough odds.

Last Sept., the unemployment rate for new college graduates was 6.3 percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Unsurprisingly, students with degrees in the arts and humanities had higher unemployment rates than their more successful counterparts, who studied for careers in health, education and agriculture and natural resources, according to thefiscaltimes.com And while it is true that college graduates are still finding employment more easily than those who only earned their high school diplomas or GEDs, college graduates are also feeling pressure from the lenders that financed their college educations.

Private school students (hi, look around) face even more pressure. These students typically have taken on many more loans, with some having financed almost all four undergrad years entirely through private loans, with very little financial aid from their universities, if at all.

And as if the odds weren’t already stacked against recent grads in the United States in general, those in New York face even larger hurdles. Students in New York City are facing an increasingly impossible-to-afford housing market. Last month a New York Times article revealed that the average Manhattan apartment costs almost $3,000 more than the average rental in the nation, and the average sale price is $1.46 million, compared to the nation’s average sale price of $230,000.

The high cost of having an NYC address is forcing recent grads—those lucky enough to find employment here, that is—to commute into the city from the outer boroughs or even the tristate area. Graduating senior Stephanie Kozofsky said these facts worry her.

“I absolutely am worried about the cost of living in NYC as a whole. Partly because I want to be able to live close to where I work but also I am hyper-sensitive to safety, and I am worried I will not be able to afford to live in a neighborhood where I feel safe walking home at night,” said Kozofsky.

Graduate student Caroline Acebo said she already feels like she might be pushed out of her current NYC residence. “My two

roommates and I are currently living in Manhattan,” said Acebo, “But because of rent, it’s starting to look like we’re being forced into the outer boroughs along with everyone else who isn’t a doctor, lawyer, or businessperson.”

The same New York Times article also addressed one of the city’s unique traits—the lack of a middle class. In other states, neighborhoods and even entire counties have clear separations.

New York City is, as the Times put it, “the only place in the United States where a $5.5 million condo with a teak closet and mother-of-pearl wall tile shares a block with a public housing project.”

Those who sought relief from the housing crisis in the outer boroughs are quickly finding that their escape from Manhattan is catching up with them. Gentrified neighborhoods have steadily been increasing in price, but even previously undesirable neigh-

I absolutely am worried about the cost of living in NYC as a whole.

-Stephanie Kozofsky, Senior

borhoods now see their housing prices skyrocketing due to increased demand from middle class New Yorkers migrating away from Manhattan.

Acebo said, “there are areas of Brooklyn that are almost as expensive as areas of Manhattan, which I find completely counterintuitive. My main concern is finding a place to live that’s safe, convenient, and not infested with hoards of roaches or rats or other unmentionables.”

The result of all of these factors is that few of the city’s highly ambitious students are able to complete in any of the arenas they want—graduates compete intensively for the few job openings available and fight even more aggressively for a chance to live in the city. All the while paying back tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of dollars back to lenders.

Someday, the competitive bubble may burst, and New York City will end up suffering in the long run. But for now, graduates seem to be flexible as long as they can keep a foot in the figurative door that is New York. “I am willing to commute if I cannot afford my bills, rent, and student loan payments,” said Kozofsky.

“Living in NY is wonderful.”

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