March 20

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March 20, 2013

Volume 64 | Issue 14

THE PACE PRESS SERVING PACE UNIVERSITY’S MANHATTAN CAMPUS SINCE 1948

DON’T “COM” US DOWN SARAH AIRES

News Editor On March 13, a Wordpress post by former communications department chair Dr. Barry Morris went “viral”amongst the University’s communication students. In the post, entitled “Don’t COM me down,” Dr. Morris exposed some problematic issues within the department that students have been speculating on for semesters – primarily the noticeable lack of professors and space in communications classes making it difficult to fulfill the major’s requirements for a timely graduation.

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NEWS St. George residents struggle without hot water Page 3

ARTS Ecstatic music festivals offers genre fusing music for all Page 10

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FEATURES Makeup for men a booming industry Page 13

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UNIVERSITY NEWS

March 20, 2013

STUDENTS SPEAK UP

Communications professors and students outraged over cut classrooms hashtag “DontComMeDown.”

A tweet containing a link to the post was retweeted nine times by students and then continued to travel through students’ other profiles including Facebook. The tweet has sparked a plethora of responses from students on social media, many of them providing their own calls to action to friends and fellow communications majors to contact the dean The blog post read in part: “As you know, we have been interviewing candidates for new teaching positions. to dispute the change to the department.

Junior Stephy Araujo, a communications major, is currently in Dr. Morris’ CommuniWe were promised one and had a chance at two. As of this morning Dr. Kolluri was told cation and Pop Culture class where she first received the blog post via email. that there was little chance of us being allowed to hire either, because other departments Of the injustices in the department, Araujo said, “ We are investing our time, money, have greater need. It was also confirmed to me that we are being bumped from our two large lecture halls of 120 students to rooms that house 80 because another program has & faith in Pace to provide us with a higher education, so when we can get screwed over “outgrown” the smaller rooms. We have filled those lecture halls every semester for the they are already excluding us, when really, Pace should be providing us with the services past six or seven years on the second day of registration, so we “outgrew” them several and the classes to graduate on time—in four years.”

This semester, there were only 17 communications major classes offered—for, at last years ago. The net result for you is that when you go to register in a couple of weeks, there will be 80 fewer seats just in two of your REQUIRED courses (111 and 114) than count, 490 communications major students and many of these courses overlap in their timeslots. Part of the issue becomes how many students choose to register for these coursthere were this semester.

There is little that we, as a faculty, can do about this (although we are trying). I had es. The nearly 500 students who count communications as their major do not include hoped over the past couple of years that it was the administration’s personal dislike for communications minors, or undecided students still exploring majors at the University. me that motivated them to frustrate our intentions, but it turns out that they apparently Of these 17 classes, Dr. Morris teaches Intro to Mass Media, Intro to Communication and Communication and Pop Culture, three courses with over 100 seats and held in the don’t value YOU as assets of the Pace community.

You need to go directly to the Dean’s office and the Provost’s office, and tell them you lecture halls, which have now apparently been offered to other departments.

The department designated with “greater need” is the Physician’s Assistant program, are tired of not being able to get into the classes you need. You need to remind them that despite the fact that communications students fill out the lecture hall spaces with 120 communication studies as a major needs to be taken as seriously as majors with 1/4 of our population. You need to remind them that our students are among the most (if not seats often within days after registration. On the University website, the Physician’s AsTHE most) inexpensive to put in a seat for the tuition dollars you pay. You pay the same sistant admissions page ironically highlights the fact that, “the program is highly comamount for your seat as the students who need, expensive labs, rehearsal space, machin- petitive and enrollment is currently limited to 80 students each year” – less than one fifth of the size of the communications department. ery, etc. That you are a bargain, does not mean you are cheap!”

The University also failed to notify the communications department heads of the Dr. Morris, who served as the department chair for over a decade, released this statechange before releasing the fall class schedules. ment by his own initiative, and not by the encouragement of the department. He disDr. Morris noted, “They A.) have given us no reason why PA is more important to the tributed the post amongst students in his classes by email and then on Twitter with the [University] than COM--which it must be since we got booted-- and B.) didn’t tell us. We learned that we had been moved by looking at schedulings draft schedule of classes for fall.”

One could argue that it is not the responsibility of the University to discuss scheduling arrangements with specific professors; however, the decision places a burden on communications advisors who now will be issuing substitutes as well as struggling ASHBERY, CANNON, OWENS, WILLIS, GILL, AND ROSE to assist students in creating mock schedules for those who need to complete the necessary coursework for graduation. The issue could be resolved temporarily by allowing students to “sign in” to closed courses; however with lack of space, it would distress professors and counteract the “Pace Promise,” which boasts small classroom size.

Students have long complained of the University’s bureaucratic structure, which often leads to back and forth email exchanges or the incessant badgering of department heads. Dr. Monday, April 8, 2012, by midnight Satish Kolluri, the current communication studies department chair declined to comment specifically on Dr. Morris’ decision to post a blog highlighting the issue, but insisted everything within the department’s power is being done to “sustain the dramatic nyenglishawards@gmail.com growth of the department.”

Professors speaking up against injustices in policy are a rarity, not often seen at the University.

Taylor Eastman, a junior communications major said, “I’m so happy he finally spoke up. I think everyone in the [communicaRm. 1512, 41 Park Row, or tions] major really respects him and it’s awesome to see that he http://www.pace.edu/pace/dyson/academicagrees with how we feel and we’re not alone.” Eastman continued, departments-and-programs/english---nyc/student“Also I feel like no one understood that it wasn’t the department’s fault—it was Pace in general. It’s good to know who we should activities-and-resources/writing-awards/ be expressing frustration too, because obviously complaining to the teachers will get us nowhere when they feel the same way.”

You must be a NYC undergraduate English A large concern becomes whether or not professors will be understanding of students’ frustration with the lack of classroom or Film and Screen Studies (FSS) major or minor, or an space in the upcoming semester in the event that the decision is undergraduate Pace student in any major who has taken (or not reversed. is taking) a 300-level ENG or LIT course or any FSS course.

Of his fellow colleagues, Dr. Morris said, “In my estimation, Also you must be enrolled during the current academic-year, their cooperation has been unequaled, and I am immensely proud of them.” either in Fall 2012 or Spring 2013, or both.

While the reassurance can assuage some students’ disgruntlement especially for those students who will be entering their seFiction, Poetry, Creative nior years in the fall of 2013, the sheer lack of consideration of communications majors by the University is disheartening.

Nonfiction, Literary and Film Criticism & Journalism. The

SARAH AIRES News Editor continued from PAGE 1

New York English Department

Creative Writing, Journalism & Literary and Film Criticism Awards Spring 2013 Application Deadline Electronic Submission (only) Application Guidelines

Eligibility:

Award Categories:

David A. Bickimer-Promise of Learnings / Academy of American Poets Prize, established by John Ashbery, will also be awarded in the Poetry category.

Writing Awards Director: Prof. Eugene Richie (erichie@pace.edu)

UNIVERSITY NEWS

March 20, 2013

St. George dorm residents struggling without hot water ERICK MANCEBO Features Editor

Residents of the Brooklyn Heights dorms began experiencing reduced water pressure and temperature on Mar. 8, prompting many of them to take abridged or priority-area-only showers. Education Housing Services staff, who maintain the residence (the University only leases rooms for students), were alerted of the situation, but were unable to rectify it going into the weekend. For seven days, students found that there was little to no hot water available for showers, sometimes finding the water discolored or dirty.

What followed was a week-long affair that left many students frustrated and angry with the University and EHS. Students had no formal response from EHS or University staff until Mar. 11. Students opened their inboxes on Monday to find a message from Zaibis Munoz, the University’s residence director that read in part: “If you are currently experiencing any discoloration in your water, low pressure or no hot water we are working to resolve the issue. There are workers present in the building today trying to remedy the problem.”

The communication ended with an invitation for students to reach out with questions or concerns. As the week progressed with no sign of a solution, however, students began lashing out.

“How about fix the showers,” read a vandalized flyer for the LGBTQA and Social Justice Center’s Bathroom Equity Workshop on the 12th floor hallway.

Other students took a less confrontational approach and loudly lamented the access to warm water in elevators and hallways. Most, however, simply began ditching the cold and sometimes sediment-filled water in the building in favor of the clean water available at other locations.

“Some of the issues I experience[d]...[were] cold water, low pressure, and brown water,” said sophomore Teresa Davi. “Definitely an issue for showering purposes. These issues impacted one, my hygiene, and two, it was just an overall inconvenience. I’ve been commuting to Long Island to shower for the past two weeks. Some of my friends have their showers working so I showered there as well.”

On Mar. 14, EHS staff communicated directly with students via email. The email, from Lindy Emerson, an EHS residence director, thanked residents for their patience and offered an explanation: “Construction being done by the city outside of our building (on Henry and Pineapple Street)..

Caused sediment to get into the pipes that have caused multiple blockages for hot water throughout the building.”

The email directed students to sign up to use unoccupied rooms in the Clark building that had been made available to residents for hot showers. It also directed students to Eastern Athletic Club.

“The hot water issues are...inconvenient to the entire community at EHS,” said Bridget Mathis, a sophomore. “It’s not much of a surprise though, given the standards to which EHS keeps the building­—I’ve seen horror stories with their showers shooting out browned water. I personally have had broken doors (and been locked in my room), and been stuck in their elevators for almost an hour.

The hot water is no different.”

On Mar. 17, another email was sent out to students advising that some rooms were again experiencing a lack of hot water, or reporting brown water. The issue has still not been resolved.

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Students opt for nontraditional classroom MICHAEL “TJ” WILLIAMS Features Assistant

The University offers a wide variety of courses, in addition to the opportunity to study in more specialized areas. Many students have chosen to pursue these specialized opportunities in independent itudy, in order to learn more about specific topics and work closely with experienced professors to complete further research on these subjects.

The purpose of independent study is “to encourage qualified students to undertake research and study beyond the normal offerings.

In independent study, there is an instructor matched with a student to complete research on a specific topic. It is up to the student and instructor to explain why the study is needed, and to demonstrate why the objectives of the study could not be achieved in courses already established at the University.

Numerous factors must be considered when applying for an independent study, including: the reason for applying, the topic of the study, a brief description of how one plans to research and develop their study, how the study will meet the requirements of their degree, and a method of performance appraisal and grading.

There are a couple of admission requirements for independent study. Applicants should have already earned 60 credits towards their degree, which is categorized as junior status at the university.

Students applying for Independent Study should have a minimum overall GPA of 3.00 as well, which equates to a ‘B’ average.

Independent studies cannot be used to receive credit in another course listed in the University Catalog, but will appear on an official transcript as an Independent Study. Additionally, an independent study cannot be used to fulfill an elective requirements.

The first step to beginning an Independent Study is to develop the potential curriculum and discuss all the aspects with a potential instructor advising the study. Then, after the Independent Study is academically prepared and ready to be proposed, the student must complete an independent study Application. This application needs to be signed by the student, instructor, department chair, and the academic dean. The independent study application can be found on the university’s website.

Surprisingly, many students at the University are not exactly sure what Independent Study is, or that it is offered at Pace. When asked about the opportunity, Freshman Tatiana Tilearcio was unaware that it is offered to students, and feels it is important to increase awareness.

“I think it is important that people know about Independent Study. There are some majors that need things not offered in the current classes at Pace. That is the reason some people transfer. Maybe if they knew about Independent Study, they wouldn’t transfer.”

Independent study is not made known to students upon arriving at the university, but if it were, perhaps the university’s retention rate would increase.

Tilearcio continued, “I would take an Independent Study in HTML because even though it’s briefly covered in CIS, I want to learn about it more in-depth but not to the extent of the computer majors. I want a class to cover HTML for Advertising and Marketing majors, which now I know I can achieve in an Independent Study. Brand awareness and product development are two other courses I might consider as an Independent Study too.”

An independent study can be any subject that is approved and that contributes to the degree a student is obtaining. Independent Studies are likely to differ among different majors.

Dexter Scott, another freshman at the university, also did not know about independent study, but expressed interest. “I’d probably take an independent study in film production, like learning to be a producer and all that behind-the-scenes stuff.”

Independent studies offer students more opportunities to conduct more in-depth research on a specific topic that can supplement their anticipated degree, in a unique one-on-one relationship with a professor. Completing an independent study also allows university students to take full advantage of their college experience, and ultimately, to take full advantage of their education.

For more information on beginning an Independent Study at the University, contact a professor that could serve as a possible instructor. University students should discuss what they want to achieve within their specific independent study and how they will go about developing a curriculum for it.

For more details, visit the Office of Student Assistance, and log onto the University website to obtain an independent study Application.

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March 20, 2013

WORLD NEWS

Chavez’s death continues to cause controversy in Venezuela ANA SOSA Contributor On Tuesday Mar. 5 it was announced that Hugo Chavez, the president of Venezuela, died from a heart attack in the city of Caracas. He was 58 years old. Though heart attacks are not uncommon for men of this age, Chavez had been suffering from other health related issues that contributed to his death. In 2011, Chavez announced to the citizens of Venezuela that he would be undergoing surgery for a cancerous abscessed tumor in his pelvis. When the cancer cells came back a year later, he was forced to undergo more surgery, in addition to chemotherapy and radiation. The type of cancer that Hugo Chavez suffered from was never specified, but he was in critical condition before he ultimately lost the battle against the disease.

On Friday Mar. 8 supporters of Chavez lined up in front of the military academy of Caracas in order to catch a glimpse of their late leader’s casket. The line of funeral attendees stretched 1.5 miles down the streets of Caracas; some aficionados camped out on the streets for two days before the event just to be closer to his body. Many cried, many chanted, and many found solidarity in the crowd. Other streets of Caracas were deserted; the country’s was intently focused on Chavez’s death.

The citizens of Venezuela weren’t the only ones affected by his passing. His funeral was attended by important world leaders, celebrities, and other relevant public figures.

Raul Castro, Cuba’s head of state, and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran’s head of state, were just a couple of the iconic faces seen amongst the elite crowd of individuals. Sean Penn and Rev. Jesse Jackson were also spotted at the funeral.

Hugo Chavez’s body was originally going to be embalmed and put on display, very much like the bodies of Mao Zedong, Ho Chi Minh, and Vladimir Lenin. However, because the body was not prepared in time, it has been decided that it will not be available for permanent viewing.

The Venezuelan electoral commission announced during the event that a new presidential election is to take place on April 14. According to the Venezuelan Constitution, Diosdado Cabello, who is currently the president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela’s National Assembly, was intended to become Venezuela’s interim president. However, on December 8, 2012, Hugo Chavez stated that if he was not able to complete his presidency due to his health, Vice President Nicolas Maduro should be sworn in as president of Venezuela. Nicolas Maduro, who will be running for president in the coming election, has been the interim president of Venezuela since March 8. The government has followed the late president’s wishes to put Maduro in power, despite the fact that it is against the constitution’s protoco.

Governor Henrique Capriles, Maduro’s contender in the future election has blamed the socialist party for manipulating Hugo Chavez’s death in order to give Maduro an unfair advantage in the election. He insisted that the government is “fraudulent” for disrespecting the constitution, an accusation to which Maduro responded by calling him a “fascist.” There is growing tension between the two parties as of now, and the election looks like it will be a tumultuous event, attended by a very divided Venezuela.

Though Chavez’s funeral displayed a large percentage of supporters known as “Chavistas,” a large portion of the Venezuelan population are happy to see Chavez go.

Those who were not fans of Chavez primarily blamed him for running a dictatorship masked under a socialist government, for the rising inflation of the Venezuelan Bolivar, and the unnecessary recession of the economy. In 2010, the CIA world factbooks gave Venezuela one of the highest inflation rates in the world at 29.1%.

When Senior Arianne Esposito—who was born and raised in Venezuela— was asked how she felt about the leader’s death, she responded “I felt freedom and anxiety, because with his death I imagined a better political and socio-economic future for my country. I thought about the millions of people who have died under his ‘dictatorship’ where there was only violence, hatred and destruction. I think a lot of Venezuelans are relieved and hopeful at the prospect that things could be different in a not so distant future.”

Junior Jamilla Pipersburg, who lived in Venezuela for some time, was asked the same question, and shared a different perspective of Chavez: “I thought that his death was sad because of the economic danger that Venezuela is currently in. When a political force dies it is the people who are left picking up the pieces. With elections looming we can only hope that the new electorate takes into consideration the current state of affairs and improves them. I cannot say if Mr. Chavez was a good or bad president, but I think new government has a tough job ahead of them. Pipersburg had seen the development of her city under the rule of Chavez. Loyal supporters praise him for using the revenue from Venezuelan oil to improve education and implement health care programs. In 2009 the poverty rate went from 62% down to 29% according to the World Bank.

It is not uncommon to find these two different viewpoints from Venezuelan citizens.

It is up to the people of Venezuela, however, to elect a leader that will bring prosperity to the country.

Many are hoping for a new economic strategy that will bring down the inflation, poverty and crime rate. Others are wishing for another figure like Chavez that will implement “Chavismo” with the same passion.

The US government hopes for a leader that will improve the ties between the USA and Venezuela.

NATIONAL NEWS

Flatbush protests continue PATRICK DEHAN Staff Writer

NYPD have increased their controversial presence in Brooklyn after a police shooting of 16 year-old Kimani Gray two weeks ago has ignited nightly protests calling for justice and positive change in the relationship between police and the Flatbush community.

Mar. 18 marked a full week of protests in the East Flatbush area.

The makeshift candlelit memorial set up home on the street corner of 55th street and Church Avenue. Most nights, participants have gathered for a vigil. Recently, they have been accompanied by NYPD cop cars patrolling Church Avenue with silent flashers on, mounted cops on horses, police officers standing in pairs on each street corner and riot cops with zip cuffs.

Mar. 11, marchers ransacked a Rite Aid and protesters threw bottles and rocks at the Brooklyn 67th precinct. Numbers grew Tuesday night as families came and chanted against the police. Chants such as “NYPD-KKK how many kids will you kill today?” were heard.

There has been debate over whether or not these could be called protests or riots.

University student Caitlin Richardson says, “You can call yourself a nonviolent protest all you want, but if the NYPD is there in riot gear, you are no longer a nonviolent protest, you are a riot.”

On the other hand, student Sam Krushinsky states, “I think that they are disrespectful to the family and [their] mourning. The trashing of the Rite Aid in the midst of what was a peaceful vigil bothered me because there was no reason for that. And what has escalated from that, I think is a little much.”

Alireza Vaziri, senior, said, “The members of the community need to control themselves and not let their emotions get the best of them.”

Brooklyn City Councilman Jumaane Williams wanted to have a community meeting.

He has been a voice to try to calm Flatbush residents after violence, looting and arrests.

Protesters who went to the precinct were approached by rows of barricades and riot cops in front of the police station. Since then, numbers have died down but protests have continued. The Twitter hashtag #BrooklynProtest has trended across the United States.

The loss still felt all around Flatbush occurred on the night of Mar. 9, when around 11:30 p.m. two plainclothes police officers approached Gray after he walked away from a group of friends in East Flatbush. The NYPD says they saw Gray suspiciously adjust his pants, raising their concern to question him.

Shortly after walking up to him, Gray had reportedly pulled out a gun at them, resulting in the two officers shooting the teenager. The city’s medical examiner’s officer shared he was hit with seven bullets with three in the back. Gray was pronounced dead after arriving at a local hospital.

Witnesses in the area have come up to claim that he was not holding a weapon. A New York Times source told Gray’s sister Mahnefah that he was only fixing his belt.

Vaziri added, “The death of Kimani Gray is not something novel to me.

Since I have been living in New York City, there have been many incidents were police officers have gunned down members of the community. This situation is a bit more difficult to accept knowing how young Kimani Gray was.”

The NYPD is following standard police procedure and is conducting an internal affairs investigation. Even with Gray having a questionable criminal background, many Flatbush residents are calling for an independent investigation of the shooting. Posters for this investigation can be seen all along Church Avenue in front of storefronts and business windows.

Vaziri says, “I do believe that the over policing and the stop and frisk movement has placed the citizens of these communities in a stressful situation. Police officers are racially profiling.”

Kimani Gray’s wake and funeral will take place Mar. 22 and 23.

Photo by Patrick DeHahn

Steubenville athletes convicted CAITLIN MCNAMARA Copy Assistant On Mar. 17, Ma’Lik Richmond and Trent Mays, two high school football players from Steubenville, Ohio, were found guilty of raping a heavily intoxicated, 16-year-old girl.

Mays, 17, and Richmond, 16, were charged with digitally penetrating the West Virginia girl, first in a car and then in a house after a alcohol fueled party in August 2012.

Under Ohio Law, digital penetration is considered an act of rape.

Both offenders were tried in a juvenile court, with Mays sentenced to a minimum of two years in a juvenile correction facility, and Richmond sentenced to a minimum of one year. Both could be held in detention until the age of 21 and both are required to register as sex offenders.

The victim, whose name has been withheld, stated that she had no recollection of what occurred the night of her attack. She testified she was “too embarrassed to ask what happened that night because she didn’t remember.’”

The case has gained media attention due to graphic photos that were taken of the victim, and the alleged split it caused in the Steubenville community. Mays was also convicted of distributing a nude photo of a minor. The case became more disturbing when a sub-cell of the hacking group, Anonymous, leaked a video of Steubenville students who had witnessed the treatment of the victim, laughing and joking about the incident.

Members of Anonymous also par-took in a silent protest and released a statement directed at those who intended to dismiss the case, such as the football team, the parents, and the coaches.

When the verdict was announced, the boys broke down sobbing, apologizing to their families.

It has not been reported if they apologized to the victim, who was not in the courtroom when the verdict was given.

The victim’s mother did issue a statement saying, “…her daughter will persevere and move on, adding that she has pity for Mays and Richmond.”

NATIONAL NEWS

March 20, 2013

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Book reveals how food giants hooked nation on salt, sugar, and fat SHANNON MCMAHON News Assistant New York Times reporter Michael Moss’s book Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us examines the success of food companies at hooking consumers on their foods by manipulating the content of products with no concern for the potential health impact.

With the American obesity epidemic continuing to rise, Moss decided to take a closer look at the role of the processed foods that we eat in large quantities.

“I was really, really interested in how the food industry was responding to the growing consumer concern about the obesity crisis,” Moss said. “And I was lucky enough to run into a trove of internal documents that really open the door on their scheming, their plotting, their planning.”

This “plotting and planning” involves meticulous research to determine what’s called the “bliss point.” Rather than balancing health and taste concerns, food companies will add more salt, sugar, or fat to their products until they reach the optimum level of tastiness; the point at which the food is so delicious that consumers will continue to eat—even if they’re already full.

Food executives argue that it is all just business, and that that they are accountable to sell as many products as possible for the sake of their stockholders. According to Moss, these executives feel they owe more to their stockholders than to their consumers, who are slowly destroying their bodies by eating these unhealthily constructed foods in excess.

According to Moss, food scientists that work with processed foods are in agreement that health concerns are secondary to both flavor, and the profits associated with that flavor.

While researching his book, Moss had the opportunity to sit down with Kellogg’s executives to taste their food before all of the additional unhealthy ingredients like salt, sugar, and fat were added in, and both he and the executives found the processed foods utterly repulsive without the concealing abilities of the three key additions.

Upon tasting Cheez-Its he remarked: “We couldn’t even swallow those without the salt. It stuck to the roof of our mouths.”

On frozen waffles Moss said, “They tasted like straw without salt.”

The worst, he reported, were cornflakes: “Before I could say anything, the Kellogg’s spokesman got this abhorred look on her face and said ‘metal… I taste metal.’ And I did too.”

Kellogg’s chief scientist then explained to Moss that the main function salt often plays is hiding the unpleasant tastes “inherent” to processed foods.

Salt levels are even higher for products marketed to the Latino community. According to Moss, that’s because Latino consumers typically discover their salt “bliss point” at a much higher point on the scale. For the African-American community, both the sweet and salty bliss points are greater. For children, sugar bliss points are extremely high.

Upon hearing about the carefully constructed “bliss points” junior Nancy Albino said, “The first thing that came into my mind was corporate crime. Take tobacco companies for example: they knew that their products were addictive but kept adding additional components that made them more so. I made the link between tobacco companies and those companies—although it seems like a stretch—they’re compromising the health of their consumers. By purposely manipulating your product to make it more addictive and less healthy, that is corporate crime.”

When asked if, after reading the information contained in Moss’ book, she would stop

eating these unhealthy foods, Albino was pensive.

“Honestly, no. If I knew that something was potentially life threatening but if I felt it was addictive and I still liked it, I still wouldn’t stop having it. I may find it to be manipulative-but would I stop eating cornflakes? Probably not. After a while, I would probably be desensitized to it,” she said.

Melanie Bernier, a second year graduate student embraces the freedom to choose what she consumes.

“There should be more awareness about this, but it’s a slippery slope for government to get involved in food. Ultimately, I think people should be educated from the beginning—the same way we’re educated about alcohol, cigarettes, and other drugs. I think it’s a choice though, you can choose to eat healthier.”

By achieving these bliss points, researchers create products people simply cannot stop eating. According to Moss, this is what has contributed to what can be called the greatest health crisis in the United States.

Michael Moss appearing on Politics Nation with Al Sharpton on MSNBC MSNBC.COM

TSA announces new policy allowing knives on flights despite opposition SHANNON MCMAHON News Assistant On Mar. 5, the Transportation Security Administration announced that they will be implementing changes in its current regulations to allow knives with blades shorter than 2.36 inches and no wider than a half-inch to be transported in carry-on luggage on airplanes. Sports equipment such as hockey sticks, pool cues, small novelty bats, lacrosse sticks, and up to two golf clubs will also be allowed.

Despite growing opposition from airlines to TSA’s new policy, the agency’s administrator, John Pistole, has made it clear that he will continue to stand by the new regulations.

“I have to make sure that TSA’s focus is on those things that are most destructive to the aircraft,” Pistole said in a statement. “It is not pocket knives. It is those non-metallic improvised explosive devices, the bombs that are very small. They are concealable and they are well designed.”

Razor blades, ice picks, scissors and box-cutters— items similar to those used by the 9/11 terrorists in the 2001 attacks—will still be banned. Full-sized baseball bats will also remain on the prohibited carry-on list.

The change came after a TSA working group insisted that the items do not pose safety threats. Pistole said that they are trying to focus more on items that can be a terrorist threat.

Jazmine Hill, junior, believes that banning box-cutters and allowing knives is counter-productive.

Hill said, “I think it’s dangerous. For you to not allow box-cutters, but to allow knives is ridiculous, and you’re putting people at risk,” said Hill. “Imagine what could happen if someone gets into a fight on a plane, and they just happen to have a knife on them.”

As for the likelihood of the policy being carried out in

the coming months, Hill is doubtful.

“I think too many people are going to be against it, and there would be a lot of backlash for airlines that allow stuff like that.”

The new policy has drawn massive criticism and concerns, most notably among three major U.S. airlines, several pilots and concerned flight attendants.

Delta, the world’s second-largest airline, was the first to speak out challenging the policy.

In his letter last week, Delta’s CEO Richard Anderson said that although the airline has a strong relationship with the TSA, he is not in agreement with the agency’s recent decision and shares the “legitimate concerns” of apprehensive flight attendants. Anderson also made a point of mentioning that small knives have been banned from commercial planes for the past 11 years.

US Airways CEO Doug Parker also urged Pistole to “reconsider” the policy, writing in a letter, “In particular, seeking input before implementing a change in policy that might place our flight attendants’ safety at risk would have provided a more thoughtful path to the desired outcome of secure and safe air travel.”

The Flight Attendants Union Coalition, which consists of nearly 90,000 flight attendants, launched a wide campaign to block the TSA policy change just two days after it was announced. Flight attendants posted a petition on the White House’s “We the People” website, asking the Obama administration to “tell the TSA to keep knives out of the cabin.” The petition now has more than 26,200 signatures.

“Our nation’s aviation system is the safest in the world thanks to multi layered security measures that include prohibition on many items that could pose a threat to the integrity of the aircraft cabin,” the coalition said in a

statement recently. “The continued ban on dangerous objects is an integral layer in aviation security and must remain in place.”

After meeting with the Flight Attendants Union Coalition recently, Pistole said that he “agreed to disagree” with the Coalition’s take on the new policy.

In contrast, the Air Line Pilots Association, the largest airline pilots union in the world, which represents nearly 51,000 pilots, has announced its support for the TSA’s new carry-on policy change.

“ALPA supports TSA efforts to streamline security and shift focus to individuals who intend to do harm. This will standardize TSA policy with the international community,” the organization recently announced. “Common sense risk-based security screening initiatives, like Known Crewmember and Pre-check, are the answer to protecting our nation’s air transportation system. These TSA initiatives increase resources for screening so that they focus on the real security threats instead of objects.”

Junior Alexandra Aviles supports ALPA’s position, and does not see the major harm in the new policy.

“I don’t care, to be frank. I feel like I would never be in a situation on a plane or in an airport to be afraid of a knife that small. That’s really small. How much damage can something that small cause?” Aviles said.

Although the policy change is currently projected to begin next month, there is currently a growing movement to overturn the decision. Airlines and flight attendants are now joining with lawmakers to pressure the Transportation Security Administration, attempting to compile and pass a “No Knives Act” in Congress.

Barring any further action, the policy will commence on Apr. 25.

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March 20, 2013

OPINION AND EDITORIALS

Study Abroad Tips from abroad JESSAMIN CIPOLLINA Contributor Once I felt I had conquered the Big Apple, I knew it was time to move on to the next city: London, United Kingdom.

What better way to live on the other side of the world, while keeping up with my studies of course, than applying to study abroad for an entire spring semester at Regent’s College in London! After maybe three days in the UK, I realized very quickly that even though we speak the same language, we all lead very different lives. The rushed pace that comes with living in the city is still here, yet it all feels slowed down by about half. The people here hold a much calmer and more trusting demeanor – if you someone for directions, they will actually stop and give you in-depth directions! As far as public transport goes, the Underground are definitely tricky to navigate at first (NYC is spoiled with its “grid” layout of the subways).

But the trains here make ours look like prehistoric trash; cushioned seats, garbage cleaned up regularly and friendly train conductors, not to mention escalators at every station to get in and out of the tube in an orderly fashion. Between facing cars on the wrong side of the road and spending pounds of pounds, studying abroad has allowed me to experience a new world, an opportunity that does not come around too often.

No matter where you decide to go, the first order of business in being in a new country is doing the traditional touristy activities. I’ve seen Buckingham Palace and St. James Park, had afternoon tea at the Wolseley Café and the Ritz, and took a lovely boat tour that went past the London Eye and the Shard building. Next on my list is visiting the Tate Modern and National galleries (for my fellow art buffs), as well as taking a

big bus tour around London just to make sure I see absolutely everything this city has to offer.

The best perk of deciding to study in Europe is the ability to travel to just about any other European country. Most countries are only a train or a plane (or a really long bus) ride away.

The most popular places include Paris, Rome, Stockholm, and Ireland – I’ve also been able to visit Brussels, Belgium and Amsterdam in Holland. Find a cheap hostel to stay in and some adventurous friends and you are guaranteed to have some of the best weekends of your life.

The study abroad department at Pace has a laundry list of places all over the world that students have the ability to visit. Oscar Matos is a second semester junior studying at Nova School of Business and Economics in Lisbon Portugal, describes study abroad as “a wanderlust of opportunity that is also scary, confusing and frustrating, but definitely worth it. He also mentions, “Living away from your primary influences of culture, family, friends and all things familiar can be exhilaratingly freeing.”

Trea McElhone, a second semester sophomore, is studying with Global Learning Semesters in the Semester in Europe program, which includes taking a trip to 8 different countries in Europe at the end of the semester. “It’s been so amazing meeting other people who are interested in traveling and experiencing new cultures,” she says of the program. “I’ve already been on two side trips to Dubai and London, and aside from our big program trip I plan on going to Greece, Poland, and possibly Egypt. Flights are super cheap and experiencing vast amounts of different cultures within such a small proximity has been absolutely incredible.” Her advice to students interested in studying abroad: “If anyone has a chance to study abroad, they shouldn’t think twice about it! It has honestly been the most amazing experience of my life!”

Omnia Khamis, a second semester junior also studying in London, describes study abroad as “an enlightening experience,” as well as, “exhilarating, thought-provoking, eye-opening, unfamiliar, and absolutely humbling.” She has learned a lot since being in London. “You become so consumed in your world back home and forget there is so much beautiful out there. So go out and explore! It gives you a new perspective of life and who you are and it makes you appreciate where you came from! Many students around the world would do anything to be in our shoes and study in NYC. I’m so grateful to have this opportunity.”

Submersing myself in another culture has given me a better perspective on how people are so vastly different all over the world. No matter what your major is, studying abroad is an opportunity that every student should take advantage of at least once before graduation. It is possible to fall in love with another country, while at the same time appreciating your own; all you need is a passport and a sense of adventure.

Are you ready to see the world?

For more information, visit www. pace.edu/studyabroad or email studyabroad@pace.edu.

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.

THE PACE PRESS EDITORIAL BOARD Fotini Sachpatzidis Editor-In-Chief 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 SHANNON MCMAHON News Assistant CHRISTIAN GOMEZ Arts Assistant Irene Schultz Arts Assistant MICHAEL TJ WILLIAMS Features Assistant THATIANA DIAZ Features Assistant

STAFF Julia Yeung Caitlin McNamara Shyam Nooredeen Patrick deHahn Daniel Depasquale

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

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

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March 20, 2013

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Korean Director Park Chan-Wook breaks into American cinema with “Stoker” OLIVIA BETETA Arts Editor

The newest psychological thriller from Park Chan-Wook comes in the form of Stoker. The film begins with India, played by Mia Wasikowsha, drumming away on the piano in an almost frantic manner as a spider begins to crawl up her leg. India is both surprised and fascinated by this creature. In the film, Wasikosha delivers a monologue that reveals more about India’s “talents.” “My ears hear what others cannot hear, small far away things people cannot normally see are visible to me. These senses are the fruits of a lifetime of longing, longing to be rescued, to be completed. “ After this opening scene, the audience begins to experience the world as India does. Director Park does this with stunning visuals and exquisite audio accompaniment every facet of India’s world becomes a part of the viewer’s throughout the duration of the film. It is soon revealed that Richard, India’s father and best friend played by Dermot Mulroney, has died in a tragic automobile accident on her 18th birthday. It is at the funeral that the long-gone Uncle Charlie, played by Matthew Goode, enters the picture.

Uncle Charlie is charming, well spoken and multitalented and soon India’s mother, Evie, played by Nicole Kidman, is falling over herself to garnish attention from this seemingly flawless man. Highly unstable and obviously lonely Evie is eager to invite Charlie for an extended stay. India, while at first weary of Charlie, begins to realize the vast similarities between them. Her initial distrust turns into infatuation as Charlie reveals himself bit by bit.

The film is a visual masterpiece and although dialogue is sparse it is poignant. The real greatness of the film came from Park’s story telling. Best known for movies such as Oldboy and Lady Vengance, Park has always had a talent for adding suspense and drama in an otherwise simple scene. Through excellent framing and editing, Park and his constant counterpart, cinematographer Chung ChungHoon, were able to capture the essence of the film all the while using unconventional shots and striking cinematography. Paired with an incredibly engaging soundtrack an air of anticipation and excitement was created.

In a roundtable interview with Wasikowsha, Goode and Park the film was further disceted to develop a better understanding of the piece and the roles each had in creating it. Through the interview it was revealed just how important the little things matter to the acclaimed director. It is Park’s dedication to every minute detail that creates an experience with the film. Both actors spoke of Park’s extensive storyboards and his process for bringing the actors closer to their characters. Goode commented, “He is so fastidious I’ve never seen anyone come to pre-production with 90 percent of the film properly made in his mind and drawn out frame by frame…He story boarded the hell out of it beautifully, not stick men, like beautifully drawn with a team of people doing it and so you know he was like we cant start filming in this location yet because I haven’t got the color of the walls to the same of this eggshell.”

In the case of Wasikowsha, Park would send her pictures of famous painting or photographs he felt reminded him of India. Soon Wasikowsha was sending Park back photos and through this the two created a dialogue the two could really understand. This being the first English-speaking film for Director Park from the outside it would seem as if it was a struggle for the actors to work with under someone who didn’t’ speak the language. Goode said, “ultimately if you break it down to it’s bear bones it’s just listening and responding and that’s being captured by the camera, so that’s not me being facetious.” The storyboards along with a translator and some over zealous pantomiming helped Goode and Park really communicate.

This communication was key in understanding the dense characters that are Charlie and India.

Through them the film delves deeper into what is evil and when does it begin. It begs to question whether evil is born or if it is made. “I mean, it’s all about what Director Park called bad blood and the idea whether it’s predisposition or in the family bloodline to do these acts,” said Goode. “… And Charlie, my whole thing with him was he’s isolated, he’s lonely…And so you wanted to get the confusion for me for an audience of very masculine and adult, but almost an innocence to him in his own little world.”

The isolation is something India understands and as it brings the two together a familial relationship becomes sexually charged and the audience is drawn into the crossfire. Wasikowsha said,” the dynamic between her [India] and Charlie, as a very isolated person, I think it was the first time she’s ever had an experience of somebody knowing her, and in turn, her knowing someone, and there’s a real connection there that is very foreign for her and something that I think she’s excited by, but also fearful of. And again, you don’t quite know who’s in control of that dynamic between the two of them. Who’s the hunted and who’s the hunter?”

Park also elaborated on the idea of a sexual relationship between India and Charlie. In Stoker the relationship is alluded to but never acted on. In his Korean films Park has never been one to censor himself, however this film is much more tame than his others. Park said, “It to do with the fact that at the center of it, the protagonist is a young girl. To expand on that, to have the audience coming to see this film, young girls India’s age; I didn’t want to make a film where they would frown and be put off by the violence and other extreme expression. That’s why I exercised restraint myself. My ultimate goal was to create something that was aesthetically elegant and something that teenage girls India’s age would find to be beautiful.”

The film is widely appealing on multiple levels. The screenplay, written by Prison Break star, Wentworth Miller, left itself to be molded to Park’s vision. The two together created a film that was more than simply a thriller it’s a tale of growing up and understanding the world as it truly is. India’s ending monologue sums up the film but also stands to describe the transition into adulthood. “Just as the skit needs the wind to billow I’m not formed by things that are of myself alone. I wear my father’s belt tied around my mother’s blouse and shoes, which are from my uncle. This is me. Just as a flower does not choose it’s color we are not responsible for what we come to be. Only once you realize this for you become free. And to become adult is to become free.”

All photos courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures

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March 20, 2013

“Switched at Birth” breaks record with ASL epiosde

Slate.com

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PATRICK DEHANN Staff Writer

BC Family’s hit television show Switched at Birth created and aired a historic episode done nearly entirely in American Sign Language. The only heard dialogue was in the very beginning and end of the show. Before the episode started, two of the main characters introduced it by addressing viewers there is “nothing wrong with their television sets” and to enjoy the show.

The rest of the episode worked around the plot with its characters using ASL and subtitles for non-ASL users. There would sometimes be music to add to the essence of the scenes. The plot also hinted at some history of deaf culture, resembling an almost identical uprising the all-deaf Gallaudet University experienced when students protested against their administration.

The Pace Press had the opportunity to speak Lizzy Weiss, the executive producer of the show, over email.

The Pace Press (TPP): What is your role or connection to the show, ‘Switched at Birth?’

Lizzy Weiss (LW): Creator and Executive Producer of the show -- I wrote the pilot (created the characters, the set-up, and the world) and run the show with my partner, Paul Stupin. That means we make all the everyday decisions, approving stories, costumes, props, locations, and the final cuts of the episodes.

TPP: What was the process in approaching, writing and completing the all-

ASL episode of SAB? LW: We thought about the episode more visually, and we only did one “A” story (the story of Carlton closing), instead of cutting away to other stories. Every scene had to have a deaf character in it, to give us our point of view. Though it was more complicated than other episodes, we have of course done ASL scenes many times, so it was mostly a matter of scope and quantity of these scenes -- more deaf actors, more interpreters, more care and thought about how the captions would appear onscreen, etc.

TPP: How difficult was it to get an episode to be entirely done in American Sign Language, if it was at all difficult? Was there hesitancy?

LW: No hesitancy from the network, but we as writers worried if we could pull it off. We were scared and excited. But it was our 39th episode, so it was a good time to do something that challenged us and kept us on our toes.

TPP: How do you feel about the episode now that it is completed and has aired?

LW: We are very proud of it and the response from our fans -- both deaf and hearing -- has been tremendous. I loved in particular the enthusiasm from Gallaudet and the deaf community as they remembered their 1988 victory. Overall, it exceeded our expectations.

TPP: Do you want, or does the show plan to have more of these episodes?

Why? LW: Who knows? If there’s a compelling reason to tell the story that way, we would certainly do it again.

News Teams throughout the globe assemble for “Anchorman 2”

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CHRISTIAN GOMEZ Arts Assistant

t has almost been a decade since the comedy classic Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy had audiences falling over with laughter. The long awaited sequel is in production with the original cast, along with the addition of Harrison Ford, who is set to play a legendary reporter along the lines of Tom Brokaw. Little is actually known about the film beyond the change of setting, relocating from the former 1904 German colony San Diego to New York. Director Adam McKay has jokingly let slip that there may be a custody battle and bowling in the long awaited sequel, but little of the actual plot is known for sure.

Plot aside, the question that moviegoers seeing the teaser trailers for the first time is: does Will Ferrell still matter and resonate with audiences? “Will Ferrell basically fell off the face of the world until the Anchorman 2 announcement. This film will be the deciding factor if he still has a career as a comedic actor or has become just another Eddie Murphy or Adam Sandler,” said University freshman, Dexter Scott.

In the past few years, Will Ferrell hasn’t had the most success, with a string of films that have done less than spectacular at the box office. From Everything Must Go to Casa De Mi Padre, films where Will Ferrell is the leading actor, have not stood up to the quality of his earlier films.

2012’s The Campaign was the last big film for Will Ferrell where he starred in alongside Zach Galifianakis, and while commercially it did well, critically it received very mixed reviews stating it lacked the smart wit known of Ferrell and Adam McKay films.

The last few years have seen Will Ferrell tackle fewer films and increase his producing credit with the HBO show Eastbound & Down, Funny or Die shorts and even the recent action fantasy movie Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters that was torn apart by critics.

Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues is not the only film Will Ferrell is working on. The Internship staring another duo with a less than stellar track record of late, Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson, has credited Will Ferrell as a character in this bland and uninteresting looking film.

Aside from the previously mentioned there is one other film currently in post-production for Ferrell where he will star alongside Adam Sandler in Three Mississippi.

There is no information beyond title and the identity of the lead cast members, but hearing Will Ferrell acting alongside Adam Sandler is scarier for most fans than exciting. Adam Sandler as of late has seen disappointment from films like Jack and Jill to Bed Time Stories. This once notoriously funny actor/comedian has burned out amongst fans. “Will has to decide now if he is going to go down the road of Adam Sandler and choose bad movie after bad movie or move on to something other than comedy,” Scott continued. “I’m excited for Anchorman 2 but I know it will either be amazing or awful. He is trying too hard lately, but if Anchorman 2 does turn out to be good, he needs to have his next film be something other than comedy and explore more serious roles to keep a good reputation.”

Anchorman 2 is meant to be bigger and better than the original with a larger budget and a cast filled with big name stars, but this increase in cast size does not give hope to everyone. “The addition of Harrison Ford seems unnecessary. And the way they are approaching the film to include more musical numbers doesn’t appeal to me, “ said freshman Kevin Montes .

Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues has no confirmed release date but will be in theaters later this year.

March 20, 2013

REVIEWS

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material these women were given to work with is extremely disappointing. Kunis’ charcter Theodora turns into the ugly green witch, reminiscent of the 1939 version, because she became jealous after learning Oz had no intention of marrying her. Because of his denial, she becomes dead inside (her heart is destroyed) and bent on causing as much destruction as possible. Evanora may be the “evil” witch, but there is no real power to her. Her character never establishes any real danger aside from some evil flying primates. Glinda is the picture of ideal femininity with her flowing blonde hair, white virginal gowns, and her docility and kindness.

All three witches have no real power to the bumbling idiot that is Oz, when they should be the picture of strength and power. They are all reliant and affected by a man, especially Glinda who is aware of Oz’s, lies proving she’s no idiot, yet is still helpless. Oz is a man glorified for getting as many girls as possible, using them for his own gain, and suffering no real consequences - of course he’s going to win in the end.

The town’s women are not given any power; their contribution to the war effort is sewing, while the men are inventing and fighting. In the end the evil Evanora’s punishment is the stripping of her beauty. She is turned into an ugly old witch by Glinda, and flies off screeching into the

night. This is only time an old woman is prominent in the film. There are tons of old men depicted as the “Tinkers” who are the engineers who help Oz build inventions. The theme of this version of Oz seemed to be “youth and beauty are what’s valued most in women, while strength and ingenuity are what’s valued most in men.” Also that this is still a man’s world because women are so darn fragile and unintelligent.

If taken as a fun, good-time flick, then Oz: The Great and Powerful is worth seeing. All ages were represented in the theater, and all ages seemed to enjoy it. Though it is expensive, seeing it in 3D is worth the money. It wasn’t one of those films that use it for a few scenes and then it’s useless seen by The Amazing Spider-Man. It’s exciting and beautiful with those silly little glasses on. Though children would enjoy the film, the costume choices did not seem appropriate for childern, which was surprising from Disney. The subsub title for this film should be “Cleavage City” because all three of the witches’ costumes were a far cry from The Wizard of Oz. The film is funny, and silly, and unfortunately frustrating.

Baum’s “Wizard of Oz” stories featured such strong female characters who were smart, clever, and sometimes very evil, which is why it’s such a shame that Raimi’s version completely missed the mark.

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New “Oz” movie wows audience with the images but lacks with the women of the Emerald City T

CAITLIN MCNAMARA Staff Writer

he Wizard of Oz is easily one of the most beloved films in American cinema history. Based on the novels

by L. Frank Baum, the 1939 film and other adaptations have brought the magical world of Baum’s fiction into the mainstream. The most recent adaptation is Disney’s Oz: The Great and Powerful. What sets this version apart from the famous Judy Garland flick, is that the 2013 story is a prequel: the tale of how Oz became the wonderful wizard of Oz. Directed by Sam Raimi, best known for his work on the Toby Maguire-Spider Man Trilogy, the film stars James Franco as the protagonist, a circus magician/con-man named Oscar Diggs who goes by the nickname “Oz.” Mila Kunis stars as a witch named Theodora, who is the sister of Rachel Weisz’s character Evanora, a witch who isn’t who she pretends to be. Michelle Williams stars as Glinda the Good Witch.

The major difference of this newest Oz film is mostly in the context. There is no Dorothy, Tin Man, Lion or Scarecrow – though there are some cheeky nods to them in the film. This is a prequel story not based on any of Baum’s novels, so it fills in a few gaps that the 1939 film opens up. This is the story of a carnival magician who makes his money off smoke, mirrors and blind tricks. Oz want’s to do something great with his life, but all he seems to do is crush the dreams of little girls and break the hearts of female circus performers. It’s not until he is swept away in a tornado and crashes in the land of Oz that he seem to find a purpose; and even that takes awhile.

Overall the film was fun. It was great fun to watch, as Franco does not take himself too seriously in the role, allowing a thought-free movie experience. However there doesn’t seem to be any deeper meaning. Upon further reflection, the movie’s direction itself is quite troubling. The use of CGI is rather beautiful, even for those who hate 3D, this film was well suited for the format. The 3D was in fact genuinely enjoyable and cleverly used. It should be added that some of the details were strikingly constructed, while others were prominently lacking. The China Doll is so realistic, it’s as if a real doll has come to life. On the other hand one scene of Franco and his flying- monkey friend Frank, strolling down the yellow brick road left a lot to be desired. The biggest flaw with the film however, are the female roles.

This isn’t to say that the fantastic actresses cast for the roles were awful, but this film missed a huge opportunity to feature strong, empowered, and independent women. The

All photos courtesy of Disney

“21 & Over” is the newest success for Green Hat Films WILLIE WILLIAMS, ERICK DURAN & CHRISTIAN GOMEZ Contributors & Arts Assistant

From the writers of The Hangover series comes the newest college party movie appropriately titled 21& Over.

The film’s theme focuses on the loss of innocence and the transition into adulthood during one’s 21st birthday, The film begins with friends Miller, Miles Telle, and Casey, Skylar Astin, arriving on the campus of Northern Pacific University intent on surprising their good friend Jeff Chang, played by Justin Chon, for his 21st birthday. The plan, as is always the case with 21st birthdays is to drink until the point of no return and then drink some more. For this group they must make sure to accomplish all the drinking and return Justin Chon’s character the next morning to his strict father for a medical school interview.

As expected things go horribly wrong, Chang consumes far too much too quickly and while atop a mechanical bull, which ends with vomit and urine engulfing all nearby extras. Jeff Chang passes out and begins the second half of the film where random strangers generally abuse the group of friends. His state of unconsciousness and intoxication leaves the other two stuck trying to find their way back to his house and encountering all sorts of Weekend at Bernie’s style hijinks that will stay with the characters for a lifetime.

The trailers have a remarkably similar tone to Project X but luckily 21 & Over sets itself apart from Green Hat Films tween movies by kicking off the action and humor rather quickly. The film follows the cliché of college films where mistakes

abound and every scene is mostly a setup for more drinking to make the easy to avoid mistakes believable.

Cliché and generic plot aside, audiences will find themselves surprised that the film is actually funny and worth viewing even though the plot does not bring anything new to the table.

The laughs come fast and frequent thanks to the well-written script and acting from the young trio of up and coming actors. The cast comes off as believable in their roles and have a good chemistry that makes audiences believe Milles Telle and Skylar Astin are trying for their friend to have a good birthday. What’s even more impressive is the improv that the actors added during shooting of the film that makes their relationship seem more

realistic and are very funny. This movie will definitely attract a younger audience in their teens and early adulthood. All in all, this is a great movie about friendship.

At a special press junket the cast themselves answered a variety of questions regarding the movie. A common inquiry the cast heard was what it was like to film a movie where the entirety of the time is spent partying and drinking. Of course the cast members seem quite merry when talking about the film. All three members agreed that although this was a comical film they did learn something from filming. All were in agreement with Chon when he said, “Always chase your dream and don’t be afraid to speak up, because there’s someone always there to listen.”

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March 20, 2013

Ecstatic Music Festival CHRISTIAN GOMEZ Arts Assistant

T

he Kaufman Center again will host the Ecstatic Music Festival from Jan. 25 to Mar. 21. Composer-led record label, New Amsterdam teamed up with the Kaufman Center in 2011 to create the Ecstatic Music Festival a concert series that attempts to bridge the gap between classical and contemporary music by encouraging radically different musicians to collaborate on performance.

120 composers and performers from diverse musical backgrounds joined together for 11 entirely original collaborations. The collaborations from musicians of such diverse backgrounds is what sets the Ecstatic festival apart from the many other generic music festivals that have appeared in the past few years. The collaborations create opportunity for many of today’s top artists to show off their abilities by playing genres new to them and experiment in unknown territory.

Trying something new is the overarching theme of the festival which encourages experimentation among the many musicians.

The collaborations encouraged are meant to help create a musical future where artists can defy convention and experiment with their music. Lydia Kontos, executive Director of

the Kaufman Music Center believes that “The Ecstatic Music Festival offers an unparalleled opportunity to see artists you love doing something completely new, or get engaged by artists who are new to you for the first time.”

With an increase in performers, Judd Greenstein, CoDirector of New Amsterdam Records and this year’s curator for the festival says, “This year’s festival is broader than ever, in terms of the kinds of artists, both composers and performers, you’ll encounter.” With such a diverse group of performers, this year the festivals collaboration focus will be the most interesting yet.

Among the pairings Deerhoof, Dal Niente and Marcos Balter played Feb. 20. Deerhoof has been called “the best band in the world” by Pitchfork and has received praise for their originality from The New York Times. Brazilian composer, Marcos Balters work has been called “minutely crafted” and

“Utterly lovely” by The Chicago Tribune. Dal Niente has been praised as “a model of what contemporary music needs” by the Chicago Tribune. All of these artists coming together will no doubt offer a truly original show.

Carla Kihlstedt, Ice Causing a Tiger and Face the Music performed an hour set on Jan. 26. Carla Kihlstedt is a multiinstrumentalist, vocalist and composer and is joined with the International Contemporary Ensemble to perform “At Night We Walk in Circles and Are Consumed by Fire.” The song cycle which was written with Kihlstedt and nine members of ICE, is based on images, impressions and textures from the dreams of the composers.

DJ /rupture and Zs have played a two hour show on Feb. 2, which was comprised of improvisation by /rupture and many new songs by Zs. DJ /rupture’s mixes “capture the spirit of the best bootleg mixes, bumping brash and without borders” by VIBE Magazine. Zs has been called as one of “the strongest avant-garde bands in New York” by The New York Times.

Feb. 23 saw the performance of Laurel Halo, Julia Holter and Daniel Wohl with Transit. The Composer, a performing trio came together along with Wohl’s Transit ensemble for an hour long show that merged electronic and acoustic elements. According to NPR Wohl’s music is believed to be “shaping our contemporary music scene.”

Simone Dinnerstein and Tift Merritt have an upcoming show Mar. 21. Pianist Simone Dinnerstein will be joined by singer-songwriter Tift Merritt in what they are calling “Night” a collaboration bringing the worlds of folk, rock, and classical together.

Night will feature new songs from Brad Mehldau and Patty Griffin alongside Tift’s own songs and selections by Bach and Schubert.

Internet radio station Q2 Music along with WNYC will be providing the digital arm of the Ecstatic Music Festival, taking the New York based festival and offering it to an international audience. Ecstatic is partnered with multiple online radio outlets allowing for a broad audience outside of New York to be able to listen in on the many concerts scheduled for the following weeks. The Festival continues at the Kaufman Music Center’s Merkin Concert Hall which is famous for its intimate space and outstanding acoustics. The Ecstatic Music Festival will close its doors Mar. 21; there is still time to catch a show that will be radically different from the average music festival.

All drawings by Audrey Hawkins inspried by Ecstatic Music Festival

ARTS

March 20, 2013

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The Return of “Game of Thrones” Fans return to Westeros for the third season of HBO’s hit series

C

CAITLIN MCNAMARA Staff Writer

lear your Sunday night schedules because the third season of HBO’s fantasy drama, Game of Thrones, is premiering Mar. 31. That’s right, another season of battles, blood and breasts is nearly upon us and it’s an event you won’t want to miss. For those out there who don’t watch the show, now is the time to get into it. There are only two seasons to catch up on: no excuses. If this season is anything like the last two, then surely it will be an epic one.

Based on the series A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin, the show title gets its moniker from the first book of the series. There are going to be seven books in total, so far only five have been released. This season is roughly based on the first half of A Storm of Swords.

Those who have read the books are familiar with the characters to premier and the plot of this season, but the rest of the population is just dying to know what’s up.

Daenerys Targaryen was her usual badass self, using her dragon’s fire power to escape from the House of the Undying. Then she locked up Xaro Xoan Daxos, that big guy that wanted to marry her, and stole all his worthy possessions to buy a ship.

Catelyn Stark let Jamie Lanister go, which really bothered her son Robb, in the hopes that there could be a trade for her daughters Sansa and Arya. Catelyn took precautions, sending him with Brienne of Tarth, the towering female knight who had more than proven she was capable of defending herself.

Speaking of Robb Stark, he got married and not to his betrothed but instead to Talisa Maegyr, who most will probably recognize as the field nurse. This is bound to stir up some drama in season three, as Robb’s former future father-in-law is known to have a temper.

Jon Snow, Ned’s bastard son, is captured by the Wildlings after he doesn’t kill the fiery redhead Ygritte. Jon plays complacent and tries to gain their trust as he is brought to their leader, who we will be introduced to this season. Perhaps a more romantic element will be added to the plot between Jon and Ygritt, she seems more than interested in spending some time together under a bearskin blanket.

Theon Greyjoy tries to return to his pillaging roots in order to prove his alliance with his family and not with the Starks. He has his men head up to Winterfell, sack the place, and pretends that he has killed the youngest Stark boys to establish that he’s a man now. In the end however, he gets hit on the head by one of his men. Roose Bolton, supposedly one of Robb Stark’s bannermen, offered Theon’s men clemencies if they gave up their leader, which they quickly take advantage of.

The youngest Starks, Bran and Rickon, leave Winterfell with servants Hodor and Osha, and make their way north in search of Jon Snow in hopes he can help them survive the oncoming winter.

Arya escapes with the help of Jaqen H’ghar, who then changes his face.

Sansa is still a prisoner to Joffrey, who decides to marry Margaery Tyrel instead. Petyr Baelish promises to help her escape.

Farther north beyond the wall, Jon’s Snow fellow brother in black, Samwell Tarly, gets caught in the middle of a full fledge White Walker parade; who appear to be half frozen zombies.

Last season was jam packed with action, and so much was left open for this season. This season we can look forward to new characters such as Mance Rayder, the King beyond the wall, Baeric Dondarrion, the lighting knight, and Olenna Tyrell, the Queen of Thorns.

In the extended trailer released by HBO there’s a montage of images – battle scenes, people with serious faces, and Joffrey being his usual bratty self. As far as trailers go, this is pretty typical. We do, however get an image of Daenerys, on her brand new boat with a large dragon flying around, in which we see how her dragon babies have grown. This will be an exciting addition to the show, as last season Daenerys had to constantly protect her vulnerable dragonets.

Now, the fun can begin.

So make sure to reserve the T.V. from your roommates Sunday, Mar. 31 promptly at nine o’clock. Game of Thrones Season 3 is sure to be the best one yet.

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FEATURES

Students break into fashion H

GODWIN OSCAR OSEI Contributor

ave you ever flipped through the pages of your favorite fashion magazine or streamed your favorite designers’ fashion week show and thought to yourself, ‘How do I get a job working in the industry’? Well, if you are a student at Pace University in New York City, the possibilities are endless.

New York City, known as the fashion capital of the world, holds its title as the stomping ground for the fashion industry; hosting the powerhouses of the industry such as leading fashion establishments Valentino, Michael Kors and DKNY, fashion magazines like Vogue, ELLE, and W and powerhouse fashion public relations firms like People’s Revolution, and KCD Worldwide. As an inquiring mind into the fashion industry you have to think about the benefits you would acquire from the industry and the hard work you have to be willing to put in to receive those benefits.

Certainly working in the fashion industry has its perks, but it requires dedication. It takes a village to put together the monthly issues of your favorite fashion magazines or the effortless garments and grand fashion shows you see by your favorite designers but somewhere in that village, there is a place for an aspiring beginner who dreams of breaking into the fashion industry.

As a newbie looking to start in the industry, internships are your best friend.

They are what prospective employers look at to judge your experience and your ability to function in a job position. A simple ‘fashion internship NYC’ Google search brings up great websites that advertise open internship positions.

Websites like freefashioninternships.com and the Marketing/PR section of craigslist.com post internship listings daily as well.

Ann McGaffigan, a University junior who has previously held internships at Valentino and Maison Martin Margiela suggested that students “apply to the internships at every showroom you can find. Also in some cases companies will not have an internship listing posted and you will have to directly e-mail the department head for information. You can often find the contacts through the business’ website.” The process of applying to internships is tedious, yet

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rewarding. Personalized cover letters and organized résumés are a must. It gives the potential employer the chance to review your work, so you want it to be as straightforward as possible. You can’t be expecting to land your first internship working at Marc Jacobs. You have to be open to the option of finding internships at small start-up fashion brands. Those are the places where you get to experience the daily grind of an up and coming company.

By now if you are thinking you have no chance in the industry because you have no fashion experience, fret not as junior junior Kristie Dash, who is currently interning at Vogue advises, “You have to start somewhere and you just have to find someone to give you a chance. Think about all the things you did in high school and are currently doing in college and figure out a way to relate that to the internship you are applying for. If you want to be a fashion writer and aren’t writing for the school paper or a blog of your own, get something going.

You have to show that you have taken initiative”. If you have no experience you certainly have to take the prerogative to do something creative to make yourself stand out from your competition. If you are interested in being a fashion photographer you can start your own street style blog. That’s how most of the young photographers at Fashion Week started their careers. If, instead, you want to be a stylist start your own style blog and put together pictorials with your friends. If you want to be a fashion editor, start your own blog critiquing editorials and runway collections. Essentially blogging is the stepping stone into modern fashion and if you want to build some experience, that’s the right way to begin.

Model and Project Runway host Heidi Klum’s famous line ‘In fashion one day you’re in, and the next day you’re out’ holds true in every sense. As Kristie Dash puts it “Once you have your foot in the door somewhere, if you work really hard, your supervisor will notice and be appreciative.” The smallest detail like printing out your supervisor’s daily agenda before they get to the office shows that you care about your job. If you do not show some sort of initiative and hard work, then you’re out. Someone else from NYU, Parsons or FIT will be waiting to fill your spot. v

University AOK class engages students through community outreach THATIANA DIAZ

Features Assistant Registration for the Fall semester is just around the corner and it is important to remember that AOK 1 is a requirement in order to graduate. An AOK 1 offered every semester that has the beneficial option of being a writing enhanced course as well is Web Design for Non-Profit Organizations, which has a moving experience behind the workload.

Web Design for Non-Profit Organizations course is a community engagement course in the Seidenberg School that began in 2002 for developing basic Web sites for non-profit organizations. Since 2009, the course evolved into the paradigm of localized mobile Web-based device (like iPads and iPhones), film and movie, photography and studio, video and Webcam systems, and of non-Web speech systems, for projects in the semester. The projects are focused on helping higher-functioning individuals with

disabilities like autism, cerebral palsy and Down syndrome at AHRC New York City— an agency for helping individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities in the city. University students essentially help the individuals with disabilities from young adults to old adults in presenting dreams and hopes, in person-centered miniature movie-production storytelling of themselves, through the technology tools.

In short, Pace students empower the individuals with disabilities to be productive and recognized as any other people in society, an experience of learning that is often unforgettable for students.

One course, on a Tuesday, is one in which the students are paired to high school individuals and young adults with disabilities. The other course on Thursdays is one in which they are partnered to young adults, mid-aged adults and older adults with disabilities. The individuals with disabilities are from AHRC New York City. Though the individuals with disabilities are at first hesitant about coming to class, they quickly

WEB DESIGN COURSE continued on PAGE 13

FEATURES

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New York men embracing wonders of makeup

M

VANESSA VITIELLO Contributor

o i s t u r i z e r­— c h e c k .

Foundation—check. Eye makeup—done. Finally, blush and lips. Perhaps this is the usual morning or “going out” beauty routine for most ladies out there.

Nowadays this can also be considered routine for not only women, but men as well. Male makeup is an up and coming market that is forcing its way in the crazy and exciting fashion and makeup industry. While many men are open about their makeup use, one set back that still remains is if everyone is accepting this new movement.

Of course, men wear makeup on TV and in movies, and the ever fabulous and stereotypical drag queens wear it, too. But now they are joined by college students, businessmen and dads alike. Perhaps this trend hasn’t spread to small suburbs throughout our country, but it sure is apparent in New York City.

Freshman Laron Lacend has been exploring with the use of makeup, and learning from some of his friends how to apply it. Although he admits he isn’t a professional at application, he did say, “I would like to go to cosmetology school. Makeup has always fascinated me, the way it can transform a person.” Laron isn’t the only guy who can be spotted at the University wearing makeup. While he says that he normally puts on makeup for fun or if he’s in the mood, one of his friends uses makeup on a daily basis. Laron goes for a dramatic look including “Red lipstick, the color of power, mascara, darkened eyebrows, and blush, lots of blush.”

Yet with his friend, the style he goes for is a natural, clean look. At the University, you’ll find men who wear small amounts of makeup that freshens their look, while others go a little bolder. One thing that remains the same throughout this novel trend, however, is the social stigma directed towards males who wear makeup.

In New York City, one of the fashion capitols of the world, where most people who deviate from social

norms find acceptance, the stigma is still a challenge for some men.

When asked about stigmas towards male makeup wearers, professional makeup artist, Bella Matos admitted there are “absolutely [stigmas]. It’s a fear of being perceived as feminine, because being a woman is ‘bad.’”

Whether you hate the idea of a man wearing makeup, or love that men and women can now share shadows and liners, we must realize that this evolving market is affecting the industry of makeup as a whole as well.

Walking into a Sephora, male fragrances or moisturizers are easy to spot, but concealer and shadows, not so much. As a former student at the Forever Makeup Academy and now studying in Paris, France, Matos said she often finds males shopping for makeup either for the use of their artistry or personal use. She believes some companies such as MAC, makeup forever, and Cover fx certainly are catering to the males who are interested in the use of their products. Of course, more clients equal more money, so the makeup industry would be foolish to not begin promoting the use of male makeup in one form or another.

Professionals though, haven’t been affected yet, Matos answers that she and others have “no new techniques.

They are using the same ones being taught for 20 years from drag queens and male celebrity grooming.”

All in all, makeup for men is here. While there are still ‘manly men’ who wouldn’t dare let foundation touch their five o’clock shadow, the amount of men who are willing to give it a shot, or have already fully embraced the use of makeup is increasing. Even though there are still social stigmas about men wearing makeup, the industry is certainly ignoring them and pushing on to market to the new men in their lives. As Lacend says, “it’s fun!

When I have my makeup on I am in a sassy mood!” v

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continued from PAGE 12 become enthusiastic about coming to class on-site with university students at the university and partnering with them on projects of storytelling. They are generally enthusiastic about taking neighborhood tours, such as to the Barclays Center, to the Comics Museum, to the Museum of Natural History, to the Museum of Natural History and to the Seaport and to Yankee Stadium; they are eager to be at the university after one meeting with students. There are a number of the individuals with disabilities who cannot attend the classes but who are Skyping with the students weekly. The students are matched to the individuals with disabilities by the professor and the nonprofit organization, based generally on personal interests and prior projects of service of the students.

Throughout the semester, students post blogs on the e-Portfolio system on their in-class experiences with their individuals, and they post evolving examples of their miniature movie-production projects of visual storytelling weekly. They also post their own impressions of media news, encouraging and discouraging, relating to disability rights stories and of the relevance of technologies. At the end of the course, all of the movie production projects of storytelling are presented to the families of the individuals with disabilities, and to other individuals with disabilities and staff of AHRC New York City, at the facilities of the organization in the city. A number

of the projects are submitted to film festivals in the city and a few of the projects

by University students were recognized and showcased at key festivals, such as the Sprout Film Festival. The projects of the course have also been recognized with the national Jefferson Award for Community Service.

Most students dread the extra hours required outside of schedule class times for AOK 1 classes. This class is scheduled as other courses, in the period of the class the course is flexible for the students. They are free to do the projects of visual storytelling of the semester in any creative or imaginative manner compatible to the individuals with disabilities partnered with them. They are not confined to the class labs to do the projects and may be in locations of the neighborhood to do them. Seidenberg Professor of Information Technology Jim Lawler, PhD, ensures that one does not have to have expertise in technologies in order to do well in the class and also shares his opinion on his course, “My AOK community engagement courses can be one of the best if not the best courses at the University. In the 102W course, they can broaden their experience and exposure with individuals with disabilities, who are frequently marginalized if not neglected in society.” Students agree with the first comment on Dr.Lawler’s rate my professor page being “Best class I’ve ever taken at Pace.” v

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Don’t call me, maybe: The age of the backlash MICHAEL TJ WILLIAMS Features Assistant

Singer Carly Rae skytopradio24.com

“Call Me Maybe”, Obama, and HBO’s “Girls” all have shared one commonality among each other this past year: they’ve produced a backlash. Nowadays, society is prone to go from enthusiastically supporting a song, person or trend for example, to quickly reacting both violently and negatively towards that same thing they just previously loved. The United States of America has officially entered the ‘Age of the Backlash’.

Carly Rae Jepsen’s single “Call Me Maybe” was released on Sept. 20, 2011 in Canada. Although it topped the charts there, it was not until Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber tweeted about the song that it garnered international attention. The song’s catchy lyrics and upbeat music led to it becoming a fan-favorite and one of the most played songs of the summer.

Numerous music videos were made for this very likable tune too. There is the official one starring Carly Rae Jepsen herself, but the U.S. Olympic Swimmers also created their own rendition for the 2012 Olympic Games and then a homemade video starring Selena Gomez, Justin Bieber, Ashley Tisdale, Ariana Grande and other singers became a YouTube sensation too.

“Call Me Maybe” rose quickly to the top of several music charts, but it was not long until it became the most hated song of the year and Carly Rae Jepsen became the most annoying singer of the year. That, is a result of the aptly-named “Age of the Backlash.”

Freshman Savannah McCauley said, “Any song that comes out with the word ‘catchy’ attached to it will surely become annoying in a good three months.”

From instantaneous love to disastrous hate, Jepsen faced the unfortunate wrath of society’s backlashing tendencies. Her following single, “Good Time” with Owl City, did not help her case at all.

Carly Rae Jepsen and “Call Me Maybe” were not the only entertainment to receive such backlash though. Lady Gaga experienced a very similar situation when she released “Born this Way,” which shared far too many similarities to Madonna’s 1989 classic, “Express Yourself.” Also, when Jennifer Lopez came out with “On the Floor” featuring Pitbull, there was a controversy between her single and fellow Latin pop singer Kat DeLuna’s “Party O’Clock,” since the lyrics and music were quite comparable.

University Professor Sarah Blackwood offered more examples: “Some other ‘backlashes’ that have been significant this year have been reactions to Lena Dunham’s television show “Girls” (critics

loved it, then they started critiquing its enabling privilege), the young writer Jonah Lehrer (formerly beloved wunderkid caught plagiarizing/fabricating), or the band Mumford and Sons (their mass popularity like catnip to ‘discerning’ music critics looking to eviscerate popularity).”

“The Age of the Backlash” also relates to YouTube sensations, like “Gangnam Style” by PSY. This was the go-to dance at parties until of course, a new song came out such as Bauuer’s take on the “Harlem Shake.” Then, everyone hated “Gangnam Style” and loved the “Harlem Shake.”

“But,” countered Prof. Blackwood, “We also continue to see backlash against the backlash-- think (again!) Lena Dunham’s “Girls” (critics claiming that despite its privilege and whiteness, it is doing some interesting cultural work), or Beyonce’s masterful handling of the potential backlash from her odd GQ interview and inaugural lip-syncing ‘scandal.’”

President Obama has produced a backlash too. Everyone was ecstatic when Barack Obama took the presidential office in 2008, having made history by being the first black president. Eventually though, the American citizens became very frustrated with his policies, losing their interest in this “trend,” not really caring about the position he holds as President of the United States.

Jamie Bukowski, junior at the University, said, “I think that perhaps people get bored with things that they’re exposed to frequently… Everything is so easily accessible today, that people become bored very easily.”

Prof. Blackwood echoed a similar sentiment.

“On one hand, certainly the rush-to-judgment of these types of critical opinions is enabled by an attention-deficient news cycle, which is not necessarily friendly to carefully-thought-out cultural analyses. But, on the other hand, I have no problem with rapid articulation of critical judgment about popular culture,” said Prof.

Blackwood, before adding, “Listen, the goal isn’t to all arrive at the ‘truth’ about any popular cultural artifact, but rather to continually engage in the process of meaning-making. That, I think, is at the heart of ‘the backlash.’

“I also personally love counterintuitive thinking,” she continued, “So, as an English professor I love to do things like explore how complicated and fascinating the Twilight novels are (it’d be so BORING and EASY to be an English prof who scoffs at them, right?!) or to think about how pieces of pop perfection like “Call Me, Maybe” help us understand complicated affective states like nostalgia or joy.” v

New “Boastcards” app targets spring breaking students THATIANA DIAZ Features Assistant Postcards are old school with the easy sharing of photos on instagram but now there is a new app in town called “Boastcards” that is bringing back the fun in telling your story. Boastcards CEO Daniel Dotterer sat behind a desk for almost two years and was unexpectedly let go by the company. He embarked on a road trip that included multiple brushes with death, the law, and bathing in icy stream. Daniel wanted to share this adventure and show all his friends. Then it dawned on him to use his photos to make his own postcards.

The response to these personalized postcards was nothing short of amazing to his friends and family. “Being able to share these moments, it felt as if my family and friends were on this once-in-a-lifetime adventure with me.”

In Late July 2010, Dotterer returned from this long trip and began on this new venture joined by Angelica Estevez who shared this lust for life and sense of adventure. They took this vision and molded it into Boastcards.

Boastcards is a site where you can use one of their stock photos/postcard templates or upload your own pictures of the world. You have the ability to customize them with their extensive tools and photo graphics to create cool photo effects.

The site was made into the convenience of an app so you can quickly upload any picture off your phone and make it into a postcard. This is not an epostcard that one would receive through email, these are physical post cards for the low price of two dollars each to anywhere in the world, which includes postage.

The website saves the addresses every time so if you have one favorite person to send postcards to, there is no need to put in an address every time. The company is very positive that once you

send a postcard, you will continue to send more so they let you send your first card out for free. Along with helping those who do not have the best budget, they cater to the environmentally friendly by using a cardstock that is made in the USA at a carbon neutral paper plant that uses renewable energy sources to power it’s facility. One would come to the conclusion that with the low price and environmental stewardship that the card would be of low quality, but it the exact opposite. Thick heavy paper is used to print high quality images with a glossy finish to achieve an authentic postcard look and feel.

To make a boastcard is pretty simple. First you begin by picking a size then move onto uploading your image, which you can take a photo with your camera or upload any image you have created to use. There is a useful step to crop your photo to your preference of the card. Then, comes the fun part of application.

You are able to edit your photo with special effects, color correction, makeup, wrinkle corrector, and add text. In the next step, you put in the message and address for the recipient and at last, you review and checkout. After your done, you are able to upload your card onto Facebook for everyone else to see. The whole process only takes minutes from start to finish with the simple touch of your phone.

The app is just up and coming so it is unclear whether it will be a success or not. However, university students think it will be a hit. Deliana Acosta ‘14 shares, “I love the substantiality of postcards and to be able to do one at a quick speed is pretty awesome.” Ruth Espinal ’14 adds, “I could see it being big for students who are studying abroad and even on vacation like Spring break.” Along with the positive input, this company has close to 1000 likes and funny pictures for fans on Facebook that has them rising towards success. v

After reaching out to Boastcards, they have created the promo code “PaceRulez” for students. This should be good for buy two postcards, get one free. Please note, the first postcard you create is free with download.

Use the QR code above to download the app from the iTunes store.

TECHNOLOGY

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PlayStation4 tackles mobile trends CHRISTIAN GOMEZ Arts Assistant On Feb. 20 Sony Computer Entertainment unveiled to a packed Manhattan Center full of Journalists and game developers the next generation of video games with the long rumored PlayStation 4.

The New PS4 is the most powerful console to date with technical specifications that resemble that of top of the range PC’s, and included a wealth of new features that Sony believes will change how people play games.

The console was very vague on the exact specifications but what was known are welcome additions, such as 8gb GDDR5 memory which in English means the console will be extremely fast.

The increased demand on social media integration in video games can no longer be ignored. Sony focused much of the press conference on discussing the new social integration build into the console; users are able record game play for playback later, live streams of a play sessions are possible without the hassle of having a capture box or separate computer. View live game play from friend’s sessions and take control of a friend’s game over the internet and new game prediction software is now built into the console; similar to iTunes genius this feature is remarkable in that the console will learn via the games you play.

As the software learns it will preload games to your system so when a user wants to try something new a quick purchase from the PlayStation Network store and you will be able to play it instantly without waiting for long download times.

Sony during the press conference shows signs of learning from the mistakes made during the PS3 launch which was littered with technical problems due to the overly complex cell processor. The cell processor may have been able to produce impressive graphics but made the job of game developers harder as it was far more difficult to program for in the first few years of the consoles life. The launch line up is also vastly improved from the PS3’s with more games that are set to launch and use the PS4’s major new features, allowing better graphics but more importantly allowing for more mechanics to be possible in games.

Price was also a major issue when the PS3 was released, retailing at $600 in the United States. The PS4 is set to retail below $400 with no exact amount set, regardless this is a step in the right direction by Sony and something fans will be very thankful for.

“Sony’s definitely learned from their last console about price, I didn’t get a PS3 because it was so expensive and ended up loving my Xbox 360 last generation,” said Freshman Bradford Terry.

The PlayStation 4 is the second console of this new generation following the launch of the Wii U last holiday season. PS4 is the far more powerful console and has a bigger focus on the every gamer, opposed to the Nintendo demographic of children and longtime fans. The PS4’s ideology is no longer to impress with graphics like the PS3 or with “innovative” controls like the Wii and Wii U, but rather to focus on third party game developers. The shift in focus is a smart one for Sony and gives promise that games at launch and in the following years will be far higher quality than that of the PS3 and Wii Us launch.

Many members of media felt concerns leading up to the press conference for Sony about the relevancy of console gaming with the rise of mobile games and with the less than stellar sales of the Wii U some believe that console gaming is coming to an end. These ideas and doubts are similar to the statements back in the 70’s on gaming being nothing more than a fad. Now in 2013 video games have reached a new level never dreamed of during the early days. Sales of video games have surpassed that of movies and shown that video games are here to stay; consoles will not die because you can play a game on your phone as you ride the train. There will always be a demand for high quality games that are more than throwing birds at pigs for a dollar.

Among fans the biggest part of the announcement of the PS4 is what will be possible in this new generation of gaming. “It’s the little things that give me hope in this console, the sleep mode feature and the ability to play used games is great. It was rumored that the PS4 wouldn’t allow this forcing you to be stuck with a game and it is nice to know that Sony did not do that to gamers,” said Freshman James Evans. v

Top right, lead architect Mark Cerny unveils the PS4

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Smartphone innovation driving HD demands COURTNEY JOHNSON Contributor High-definition display is quickly taking over the world. High definition resolution is a better, clearer display resolution than the standard format.

High definition resolution has quickly spread to many different types of devices such as smart phones, laptops, tablets and other hand held devices.

The impact of high definition display is so strong that HD has now become the “norm” for most technology. Freshman Niara Walden believes that this is due to the better quality of HD. “It’s a much better quality,” said Walden. “You can see everything better, so people would want to pay more to get a better experience from their device.”

Sophomore Maria Ortiz believes that HD is the way of the future. “Every year we advance in technology and especially in entertainment because that’s where a lot of the money is in selling electronics and when you get that big hype, everything has to be HD,” said Ortiz. “[Whether it’s] your TV, Blu-ray player, computer or cellphone, every screen you see has to be HD.” Ortiz believes we no longer have a

real choice between high definition and standard definition. “There’s not a lot of standard resolution products left, so you have to choose an HD one,” said Ortiz.

“Almost every phone available is HD and has a touch screen too, there really is no choice.”

Most people, such as Walden, find it hard to name one device they use that doesn’t use high definition resolution.

“My computer, iPhone and TV are, so I would say [I can’t],” said Walden.

Ortiz, however, sees the difference between high definition and standard definition resolution on a regular basis.

“My phone is low definition, but I do want to get the iPhone because the screen does look a lot better,” said Ortiz.

“Everything is HD now; I don’t think my phone can keep up with everything that is going on.”

One great advance in the high definition area can be seen in the new Apple MacBook Pro series. Apple is now manufacturing their new 13 and 15 inch MacBook Pro’s with Retina display.

The Retina display will enhance the screen so that the user will not see any pixels on the screen.

This will greatly improve the quality of pictures and videos created and

viewed using the Apple MacBook Pro series. The Retina display also makes the MacBook Pro laptops the highest resolution laptops in the world.

Walden sees the benefit of the retina display screens.

“I feel like it will make the pictures more realistic because you don’t see pixels in everyday life,” said Walden. “It will also benefit photographers who don’t want their photos to look awkwardly pixelated.”

The high definition revolution, however advanced it may be, can still most widely be seen in television sets. HDTV is now the standard for television viewing. HDTV, however, is about to become more advanced with the development of the new 4K HDTV resolution, also called Ultra HD. This Ultra HD is equivalent to four 1080 pixel screens, or four standard HDTV screens.

As with any new advance in technology, the question of whether it is necessary must always be considered.

Ortiz believes that the advance is a bit over the top.

“What is the difference, really,” said Ortiz. “Would it make the picture seem as if it’s coming out of the screen? I

don’t believe we would be able to tell the difference.”

It is apparent from the new advances in display that the necessity for technology creators to make their devices HD is critical. Walden, however, feels that discretion should be used between which devices should and shouldn’t have HD displays.

“It depends on what the device is,” said Walden. “If it’s just an iPod then it doesn’t need to be HD because you mainly listen to music on it, but if it’s a phone or camera then I could see why that would need to be HD because it does make a difference.”

One could say that in the world of video and display, with all of the advances being made, we have been spoiled by high definition resolution.

“I feel that we are spoiled in a way, because we watch [standard resolution] and we can’t really make out what’s going on, because we are so used to HD,” said Walden.

“I think that in a way we have been spoiled, but we don’t notice it,” said Ortiz. “Everything is HD now; it’s just the way it is, even Dunkin Donuts now has an HD screen menu.” v

The Best of For New York City Info/Events: SHANNON MCMAHON News Assistant Whether you’re a celebrity enthusiast, a news junkie, or simply enjoy random thoughts and useful information, chances are there is an account on Twitter that is just right for you. As junior Monique Rivera puts it: “Twitter is great to find out the news, or to just vent and share random thoughts.”

While the popular social networking site can be slightly confusing at first, with its vast amounts of information and constant updates, it is ultimately a website that is worth looking further into if you have not already.

Whether you are new to twitter and are wondering who to follow, or have been a member of the Twitter-sphere for a while now, there are a few basic accounts that you should consider following.

• OLV (@olv) Bio: OLV is the best source for information about TV & movie filming locations as well as celebrity events.

OLV, a very recent addition to Twitter, is intended for users who are looking to find more info on filmings around different areas—with a specific focus in New York. Followers can use info provided on the twitter account 24/7 to meet celebrities, or in some cases, appear in films and TV shows.

• I Love Free Concerts (@FreeConcerts) Bio: The best free concerts and ticket giveaways in New York City (New Website Coming in March 2013). #Freeconcerts Yet another recent addition to Twitter, I Love Free Concerts tweets exclusive information about free concerts, special events, and parties in the NYC area.

• The Pace Press

(@ThePacePress) Bio: The Pace Press is a student-operated, weekly newspaper run out of Pace University’s New York City campus.

Entertainment News: • Vulture (@Vulture) Bio: Devouring culture.

For all entertainment info, visit Vulture. Tweets include recent celeb news, television recaps, giveaways, movie reviews, and recommendations.

For Humor: • Your Away Message

• The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) Bio: The Hollywood Reporter (THR) is the premier destination and most widely-trusted resource for entertainment news, reviews, videos and analysis.

For anyone looking to learn more about pop culture and recent entertainment news, The Hollywood Reporter is a great pick.

THR offers up to date celeb info and reviews daily.

(@YourAwayMessage) Bio: likes: puppies, summer, my girls, cupcakes! dislikes: thunder, paper cuts, war, indian food.

Be still, our 90s-loving hearts! Your Away Message consists of day-to-day tweets that detail the drama of the 90’s in a style reminiscent of your old AIM profiles, with some added elements of fictional 90’s characters drama.

• PopBytes (@PopBytes) Bio: When culture pops, I wipe it up ... PopBytes is updated daily with all things celebrity and entertainment ... since September 2003!

• 90s Girl Problems (@90sGirlProblem) Bio: Things we LOVE: Scrunchies, AIM, Saved By The Bell, VHS movies and the boys on Dream Phone. Call us on our landline!

Similar to Your Away Message, this account is meant for followers who are overcome with a broad nostalgia for all things 90s.

• Elbloombito (@ElBloombito) Bio: I speaky the spanish.

Elbloombito is a parody account that offers followers regular tweets of Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s thoughts in some form of Spanglish.

Graphic by Damien Morgan | Images apple.com, twitter.com