November 17, 2010
Serving The Community Since 1948
volume lXv Issue IX
The Pace Press StuffYourPace unable to help you stuff your face Anonymous Twitter account told to ‘cease and desist’ natalie gavilanes executive editor
If you haven’t seen StuffYourPace on your Twitter feed lately, that’s because they have been forced to shut down. “Due to pending legal issues…[we’re] being forced to cease & desist,” the unknown user tweeted on Oct. 6. The account was created to give students the heads up on where the free food was on campus. While publicizing the free nosh fests, it also was a plausible promotional tool for University-wide events. When The Pace Press interviewed StuffYourPace April 15, they fully explained their intentions for the account. The interview was conducted via direct message to preserve anonymity. “I like free food. There is so much that goes to
briankuritzky.wordpress.com
University grad student completes Ironman qUinn wasson staff writer
university alumnus Brian Kuritzky participated in the Great floridian triathlon oct. 23. Kuritzky completed the triathlon without training and helped raise $100,000 for the breast cancer charity susan G. Komen for the cure. Kuritzky’s athletic background mostly lies in soccer, “i’ve played soccer since i could walk,” Kuritzky said. He played for cornell university’s varsity team while getting his undergraduate degree and attempted to play soccer professionally in turkey, israel, italy
and Holland, but had trouble “hooking on with a team.” after playing soccer, Kuritzky moved back to New York and started working in the securities division of Goldman sachs. He also ran the NYc Marathon—he took a friend’s spot after she dropped out 10 days before the race—and completed it without training. it was a conversation about soccer that made Kuritzky’s want to compete in the triathlon. Continued on Page 9
waste here at Pace. I wanted everyone to get the opportunity to stuff their face, free of cost,” the entity said. When asked whether the University has given formal approval of the account, this particular user relied on the fact that no one had complained, but that was then. “#PaceU follows @StuffYourPace. I take that as an approval and have seen no signs of dislike of it other than the stronger security at certain events. I’ve overheard Pace [administration] talk highly about the benefit to clubs, because of the extra promotion I do for their meetings through Twitter,” the user said. It remains unclear who is exactly responsible for shutting the account down, but students have definitely noticed the absence.
“it is nobody’s business but my own why i attend certain campus events. if the University doesn’t want me to go simply for “food,” then they shouldn’t try and lure me with it.” –Colton Childs, junior
“i always used stuffYourPace. it was really helpful and a good way to learn about events as well! it needs to come back.” – Johanna Rodriguez, sophomore
“in order to catch the students’ attention, you offer food for many events. this is the purpose and it works most of the time — it makes sense. if the certain event wants to serve food only after the meeting is done then that’s a smart choice, but simply banning stuffYourPace is inappropriate and not fair for students who do end up going for food and learn something worthwhile.” –Cindy Gamboa, junior
see tHe talent oF aMateUR nigHt on page 3 • RiHanna sHoUlDn’t get so LOUD on page 7
Find Us Online! Check out:
Visit our newly designed website at Pacepress.org!
Become a fan of The Pace Press on Facebook!
Follow us on our Twitter page @thepacepress!
NEWS
2
November 17, 2010
CCAR and GallopNYC host therapeutic horseback riding event University students volunteered to give lessons for disabled children jaMes RYDeR staff writer
the center for community action and research (ccar) led by student outreach coordinator alyssa feldman and GallopNYc hosted an event Nov. 12 to teach handicapped children therapeutic horseback riding at the Kensington stables in Brooklyn. GallopNYc is a New York based therapeutic riding organization for disabled children, which provides riding lessons for low income families. after meeting with the GallopNYc staff, the university volunteers were given an orientation regarding the stables, the horses and how GallopNYc conducts their training sessions. the orientation horse, spindoctor, was groomed by volunteers and then saddled up. GallopNYc orientation leader sarah Jane, explained some basics about horses and horseback riding, such as not standing behind a horse you are unfamiliar with and how to properly assert your dominance over the animal and gain control of any situation. volunteers were able to ride the horse as if
they were the child in training, with two other volunteers at their side and another volunteer leading the horse around the enclosure where sessions take place. two volunteers are required at all times on either side of the horse. depending on the task and severity of the child’s disability, volunteers were asked to hold onto the child and his or her saddle.
students were really enthusiastic. i was moved to see that so many students signed up to return to volunter on their own time. -Alyssa Feldman, student in one of the lessons, volunteers were asked to run alongside spindoctor as it trotted with a child on its back. they were asked to hold onto weighted balls that the child passed back and
forth between the two volunteers on either side of the horse, in order to work on his balance. the child was then asked to post, a traditionally english-saddle riding technique wherein the rider stands and sits to the rhythm of the horse’s trot, to the beat of music played on iPod speakers. Kensington stables located near Prospect Park in Brooklyn, is a separate entity from GallopNYc, hosting the space for riding lessons and allowing GallopNYc to rent horses for the duration of sessions they have with children. GallopNYc volunteer coordinator ellen dry said, “we offer our program at three locations in New York city: Kensington stables in Brooklyn, Lynne’s riding school in forest Hills and Jamaica Bay riding academy in the Bergen Beach area of Brooklyn. we operate six days a week, often running from 10 a.m. until 6:30 p.m. on weekdays [with] a shorter schedule on sunday in [Queens, only].” No prior horseback riding experience is necessary to volunteer. “students were really enthusiastic,” feldman said. “i was moved [to see] that so many
Business start ups try to “get serious” in event presented by The Hatchery jessica laRosa staff writer
the university hosted the Hatchery’s “are You serious?” event which is a fast-paced pitch competition for new business models Nov.11. the Hatchery provides entrepreneurs in the early stages of business with expert feedback from investors. this event followed the Hatchery’s model, the Gauntlet, which is a process that gives innovators five minutes to present their business models to a panel of highly experienced investors. the innovators then take another five minutes to provide positive and negative feedback and score each presenter on a 22-point scale. six business models were presented at the “are You serious?” event, including: online travel guide rolling Globe, a data storage and management system for companies called arxscan and vPulse, which provides telemedicine over the internet through video conferencing technology. the other models included culture Matchup, an online event-based social network community for people who enjoy the arts as well as Mergeskill, an online matchmaking site that targets skilled professionals, entrepreneurs and investors. Lastly, there was tour spot, whose model was a business to house content for big brands and develop mobile applications around the content. the panel was made up of four judges: Managing Partner at the Hatchery david Blumenstein, chief executive officer (ceo) & founder of xiv river Bill reinisch, three time serial entrepreneur Kirill sheynkman and co-founder & ceo of skillslate Bartek ringwelski. the Hatchery required each contending group to present a PowerPoint presentation, with slides that included the business’ team, what the product and service does, what issue it is looking to solve and address, the solution and the addressable market. the PowerPoint’s also required the competitive landscape, any current customer, client, pilot pipeline, revenue stream or source, financial pro-
jections, how much investment was sought and how the money will be spent. the winner of the contest was culture Matchup, with 15 out of 22 points. representing culture Matchup was the company’s founder aaron Buzali. culture Matchup’s aim is to partner with arts organizations to invite members to shows, concerts, openings and other events in the various arts. the target demographic for culture Matchup is geared towards professionals around age 50, with large disposable incomes. Membership is on an invite-only basis and costs $49.95 per year with a seven-day free trial. those interested may be invited to join by existing members of the site or any partner arts organizations. according to Buzali, “arts organizations average 3,700 people on their mailing lists,” which, when collaborating with the lists of various organizations, would make up culture Matchup’s clientele. the runner up for the contest with 12 points was Mergeskills, being represented by ceo and co-founder John Polis. their business is to “help people find others they don’t know, but they want to know,” Polis said. after each presentation, the panel did a brief question and answer session to give advice to any entrepreneurs in the audience on how to prepare for a very short pitch session like the Gauntlet. the Hatchery hosts the Gauntlet monthly at different college campus locations. all business innovators can have the opportunity to present their pitches and have them critiqued by panelist judges.
[students] signed up to return [to volunteer] on their own time. it’s rare that an organization motivates students like that. “[GallopNYc] has locations around the city such as Queens and Brooklyn. Now that [ccar has] worked [with GallopNYc], we plan on working with them in the future.”
ONLINE For those interested in becoming involved with Kensington Stables can email: ellen@gallopnyc.org
SFT first year student passes away at St. George residence hall ivonna tHoMPson News editor
New York conservatory for the arts screen, film and television (sft) first year student Michael simmons fell to his death from the st. George residence Hall on Nov. 7 at approximately 2 a.m. the investigation of events leading up to simmons passing is still ongoing. educational Housing services (eHs) vice President christy Gaiti-chatfield sent out a resident—wide email regarding his passing. the morning after simmons’ passing, eHs offered counseling services to all residents. until simmons’ family arrived in NYc from his hometown of tempe, ariz., sft students could not comment on simmons’ passing.
sft students placed candles, letters and bouquets of flowers in memory of simmons outside of the st. George. friend of simmons and sft first year student Kayla richards said, “we met the first week [of the semester]. He was one of my best friends.” eHs and sft held a vigil at cadman Plaza Park near the st. George in Brooklyn Heights on Nov. 12. sft students gathered together and reminisced about their memories of how they met simmons, the time they spent with him and how he loved to live life. Gaiti-chatfield said, “it is with great sorrow that the eHs staff reports the passing of a New York conservatory of dramatic arts st. George resident early this morning. we extend our deepest sympathies to the student's family and friends.”
THE GAUNTLET For those interested in presenting at The Gauntlet, submit your PowerPoint and summary pitch to pitch@hatchery.vc
sFT first year student Kayla richards mourns the loss of fellow classmate michael simmons. photo by ivonna tHoMPson
NEWS
November 17, 2010
3
Annual “Amateur Night” spotlights talented University students RUveena viRk staff writer
the university’s P.a.c.e. Board (Programming and campus activities Board) hosted its annual amateur Night Nov. 11 at the Michael schimmel center for the arts. amateur Night featured undergraduate students dancing, singing, playing instruments and rapping. the talent competition featured prices ranging from $400 to $1,000 for the grand prize. the university put a twist on the night by letting the audience take on the role of judges, giving them glowsticks and urging them to shout out their feedback. amateur Night host and famous comedian Marc curry of aBc’s hit 1990s show “Hangin’ with Mr. cooper” announced the performances and teased the audience between acts. upon entrance to the schimmel center students were given sparkling wristbands — blue for university students and yellow for guests. the students were also given two small glowsticks. audience members who liked the act held up the green glowstick and red if they disliked the act. the screen on the stage with the P.a.c.e. Board logo encouraged the crowd to cheer for their favorite contestants. the audience was also encouraged to yell "Booo!" when needed. dJ spynfo played music to rouse the crowd and urged them to "fist pump in their seats" as they waited for the show to begin. celebrity guest curry started the night with jokes about the audience and the judges. throughout the show he also made fun of the performers by mimicking their acts in a comical way. the acts varied not only in content but also style. from free-verse raps to originally written and composed songs, the ratio of original content to a performance of existing material was surprisingly large. Highlights for originally composed works were celine du tertre and evan sager's original duet titled "stay with Me."
du tertre sang the vocals while sager played the guitar. when announced that the two were a couple, the crowd “aww-ed” and waved their green glowsticks in time with the music. one audience member shouted, "aw girl, he'll stay with you!" du tertre and sager won the title of "Best Group Performance" and $500. all the students who performed rap songs also had original work. although most of the performers had original music, lyrics or choreography, two prizes went to non-orignal vocal performances. the “Best vocal” went to Polly elsey for singing adele's "Make You feel My Love." she took home $400. the winner of “overall Best Performance” was Jennifer Josephs, who sang Jennifer Hudson's "and i'm telling You" and won $1,000. curry had already impressed the audience by announcing Joseph's past participation in The Lion King, yet her voice was what received a standing ovation. while it seems that vocals stole the night, their were a number of dance acts. the audience went “gaga” for Melody flores’ choreographed performance of “Bad romance.” flores’ outfit, make-up and eccentric movements stunningly mimicked Lady Gaga. the group shakti did a Bollywood dance number combining different Hindi songs. the winner of the $400 “Best Non-vocal” prize was christiana fushcetto who danced to John Mayer's “free falling.” the audience had another chance to participate before the show and during intermission. dJ spynfo asked people to come out to the stage to hold various dance contests with $25 to $50 prizes. the dance contests ranged from freestyle to dance hall. the audience served as the judges once again. the show had an approximate turnout of over 300 people. the majority were freshmen and seniors, which matched up nicely with the performers, who were either freshmen or seniors. with the exception of a comedy act, no one was “Boo-ed” offstage. the audience held up their green glowsticks far more often than the red ones.
3
1
2 4
1. Host Marc Curry and the winners of Amateur Night pose for a photo after their performances. 2. Duet Celine du Tertre and Evan Sager sing their original song “Stay With Me.” 3. DJ Spynfo gets the Amateur Night crowd hyped and excited during the show between acts. 4. Contestant Polly Elsey takes a breath as she sings Adele’s “Make you Feel my Love.”
all photos by David clark
NEWS
4
November 17, 2010
Professor Herman appointed NYS member of Permanent Sentencing Commission stePHanie Hansen staff writer
pace.edu
university criminal justice Professor susan Herman has been appointed as a member of the new Permanent sentencing commission of New York. chief Judge Jonathan Lippman announced oct. 13 that the creation of the Permanent sentencing commission was “charged with conducting a comprehensive and ongoing evaluation of sentencing laws and practices and recommending reforms to improve the quality and effectiveness of statewide sentencing policy” according to a New York state united court system press release. Prof. Herman said, “i believe that my background as an attorney who has been deeply involved in a range of criminal justice areas and particularly victims' issues, has given me a important perspective to bring to the commission's work. “i am looking forward to examining New York's sentencing structure and working towards recommendations that will improve our justice system.” as far as achieving the set out goals of
the commission, Prof. Herman said, “it's a little too early to comment on the priorities of the commission because we haven't met yet. our first meeting is in early december.” Judge Lippman strongly believes that the New York is in need of a sentencing reform. in the press release, chief Judge Lippman said, “fairness and consistency in sentencing are fundamental principles of justice and essential to public trust and confidence in our judicial system. the establishment of this permanent sentencing commission is a critical step toward achieving the goal of substantive, comprehensive sentencing reform.” New York county district attorney (da) cyrus vance said, “there is no onesize-fits-all model for criminal sentencing. in all cases, our goal is to provide clarity in sentencing, prevent crime, protect the public and ensure justice.” the commission will be located at the John Jay college of criminal Justice in Manhattan. John Jay Professor Martin f. Horn will serve as the commission’s executive director.
GOALS OF THE COMMISSION 1. Simplify the complex sentencing statutes which have not been revised in more than four decades. 2. Promote more transparent sentencing “so that litigants, judges, crime victims and the public have a clearer picture of actual time and offender is likely to spend in custody.” 3. Assess the categories of offenses and to determine when greater or lesser sentences might be necessary. 4. Bettering the programs for offenders during and after their release and to expand funding for alternatives to jail for the purpose of improving public safety. 5. Increase the focus on the victims in criminal situations by broadening victim participation in sentencing. 6.Review proposed changes in sentencing laws and provide feedback and information to the Governor and Legislature. 7.Lastly, to collect and analyze reliable data on sentencing in order to craft sentencing policies.
MTA upgrades WWI dated switches on the Long Island Rail Road nazaRY nebelUk staff writer
the Long island rail road (Lirr) completed restoration of the signal and switch control system at the Jamaica, Queens Junction stop. the purpose of the project was to replace the world war i (wwi) era mechanical switch system with a new 21st century computer system. according to the Metropolitan transit authority (Mta) website, “the new state-of-the-art signal system upgrade brings computerized microprocessor-based technology to Jamaica’s critical switching area and centralizes the switching and signal control from three antiquated signal towers.” Previously, switches had to be thrown by hand and the
controls for them were scattered across three signal towers. Now, train directors will be able to flip switches with the click of a mouse from one centralized control hub. the system is also meant to insure quicker recovery times in case of emergency—such as this past august when there was a fire in one of the signal towers, caused by high voltage entering the system and damaging the wires. the new system will control 208 switching machines, 144 signals and cost approximately $56 million, all of which was funded by the Mta capital program. the project took two weekends to complete and forced mass transit riders to seek alternate options during the iNG NYc Marathon. some marathon participants rented rooms in Manhattan to make sure they were not late. other par-
ticipants took cabs to the starting point in stated island or simply left earlier and tried to use alternative trains. according to the Mta website, “the running of the 2010 iNG New York city Marathon went off without a hitch over the weekend and the Mta played a key role.” No service was available at the Jamaica Junction stop and all service between the atlantic avenue stops in Brooklyn and the usual routes from there, which pass through Jamaica, were cancelled. the service changes were announced on the Lirr website sept. 27. the new switch and control system will increase the volume of trains able to pass through the Jamaica line every day and will make trains run more precisely as they will be monitored by computers.
Students give their opinions on the L.I.R.R. changes
i go home on the weekends and the service changes happen during that time. it’s just really difficult to deal with and a hassle.
-Courtney Ridgeway, senior
the l.i.R.R. really hasn’t affected me. i haven’t used it too much. -Vinny Cataldo, junior
i usually drive home to long island on the weekends. so i haven’t witnessed anything too bad about the l.i.R.R. -Jessica Margolin, junior
it’s been a nightmare because of the construction at jamaica there are more crowded trains and delays.
-Caitlin Meuser, senior
November 17, 2010
5
OPINION AND EDITORIALS 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 arising out of use or relevance to any information contained in this section.
CAROLINE CRAIG
Recycling as it relates to consciousness had a moment to examine them, i’m referring to the beautiful new recycling signs placed above every trash area. it is clear to me that the university is trying to progress toward a greener future and understands that there are some messages that need to be made extra clear for the community to notice them. Largely made possible by director of facilities Management and associate member of GreenPace Bill Link, these new signs are there to
editorial board lynn Rickert Editor-In-Chief natalie gavilanes Executive Editor
STAFF WRITER
there is something new at the university. to figure out whether or not you have felt its presence, check yourself for the following symptoms: do you feel the need to recycle more? do you now understand that soiled papers and bottle tops cannot be recycled and that throwing a piece of dirty trash in the recycle bin can contaminate the whole thing? do you have subtle urges to reduce and reuse? do you think it’s contagious? for those of you who have not
the pace press
make sure everyone recycles. Now if only we could get rid of the misplaced recycle symbols on the garbage cans for a more fitting image — a landfill or something. if i could make a wish for anything in regards to this, however, it would be that the university community would come together and reduce our waste almost entirely to recyclables and reusables. so why should we recycle? everyone has their own reasons. some do it to keep reusable materi-
als from adding to our landfills and polluting the earth. still others recycle for money or to avoid legal consequences. i even like to hope that the anguish i express when i see people throw a bottle or can in the trash prevents them from doing so again. in addition, i would like to make one point: people should recycle because it is the smallest and easiest action one can take to reconcile for the unsustainable way we live now. i think that recycling is a symbol of the new consciousness that is retaking our generation. this is the consciousness that helps us realize that putting something in a trash can does not mean it disappears into a black hole, but rather exists anywhere from months to millennia, unless it is burnt up and sent into our atmosphere. this consciousness means knowing that we could have avoided using that piece of garbage in the first place. it is the realization that the things we buy had to come from somewhere and be made or harvested by another human being. if i may be so bold as to suggest: it is a baby step in an effort to understand that the excesses, inequalities and artificiality with which we now exist are not parts of the way we hope to continue to live. c’mon students, staff and faculty: recycle! it’s really just the first step. for more information on what GreenPace is up to, check out Pace.edu/sustainability. then take the second step and get involved in your community!
Do you have an opinion? want to share it with your classmates? send it to editor@ pacepress.org and it could end up here!
kim bui Associate Editor kaitlynn blyth Managing Editor ivonna thompson News Editor katherine Riley Features Editor brian Rentas Arts Editor kate Hamzik Copy Editor Hilda adeniji Digital Illustrator leucepe Martinez Business & Ads Manager Dj Mcerlean-Hopson Web Editor Rachel Menth Distribution Manager Mark Mcsherry Faculty Consultant
staff Mel Bailey Anneliese Blommestein Stephanie Bouvia Cristina Cerbelli Caroline Craig Kimberly Cung Joanna Gonzalez Stephanie Hansen Craig Held Erica Kelly Jessica LaRosa Nazary Nelebuk Bethany O’Grady Jessica Owens James Ryder Amanda Schiavo Vibha Solanki Christa Tandana Ruveena Virk Quinn Wasson Julia Yeung
The Pace Press is the student newspaper of Pace University’s New York City Campus. It is managed and operated entirely by members of the student body as it appears above. The Pace Press welcomes guest editorials and letters from students, faculty, administration and staff. The Pace Press reserves the right to not publish any submitted material, both solicited and unsolicited. All submissions must include the author’s full name and contact information. The Pace Press 41 Park Row, Rm. 902 NewYork, NY 10038 www.pacepress.org editor@pacepress.org Copyright 2010
November 17, 2010
6
ARTS
Mongolian Monkfish dive into the New York City music scene katHeRine RileY features editor
as Mongolian Monkfish take the stage Nov. 23 at sullivan Hall, the audience’s urge to stand up and dance will be as natural as the force of gravity. Monkfish's fresh, funky and soulful tunes from their yet-to-be-titled album will debut at this popular downtown music venue. the band consists of New York residents, singer Jamie Khalifa, guitarist Gianni Barbera, bassist Nick coletti and drummer sam Lebreton. Khalifa and Barbera's chemistry on the stage can be seen from a mile away. this duo has been playing together since the early days of high school; both are constantly feeding on each other’s ideas and energy. coletti and Lebretton also were high school band mates, joining forces with their now singer and guitarist. their styles fit perfectly with Khalifa's and Barbera's, all of them have a classic funk rock, blues and soulful background. “the first time we played together was remarkable. i have played with a lot of people before and it usually takes a while to get into the groove of things with musicians that you’ve never played with before. we were just improvising and jamming the first time we got together, the first thing we played together was gold. we all felt something,” Barbera said. Monkfish have a musical "it" factor that most current popular music lack. this factor is the ability to appeal to a wide range of age groups. "when my father listened to Mongolian Monkfish he said the band has the potential to achieve a rock revival. He also added that when turning on the radio these days typically one hears commercial lyrics and guitar riffs. these boys have intelligent lyrics mixed with innovative and en-
photo by katHeRine RileY
From left to right: Gianni barbera, sam lebretton, Jamie Khalifa and Nick Coletti
ergetic tones," senior taedra Podenti said. Monkfish combine their music inspirations to create their unique style. “in terms of vocal style i learned a lot listening to Jimi Hendrix. there is a conventional soul and funk style in my voice as well, definitely inspired by Marvin Gaye, George clinton and Michael Jackson. as a band we are inspired by the red Hot chili Peppers, sublime and many [1990s] rock bands,” Khalifa said. Monkfish’s music is different from any popular music currently out there. concerning the state of pop music today, Barbera said, “when you turn on the radio these days, it’s honestly sometimes God-awful. a lot of bubble gum stuff. they sell sex and the majority of people don’t write their own music.”
Khalifa was eager to express his opinion on the matter. “it is popular to everyone’s ears but mine. there is a serious lack of soul and music talent and it is commercialized. Many of the songs i hear that are dubbed ‘popular’ are full of computer-edited auto, the singer’s voice seriously altered,” he explained. “traditionally when we have played publically previously, people don’t know what to expect, and then our music speaks for itself,” Barbera said predicting how the band will be received by the crowd at sullivian Hall. attendees of the concert on Nov. 23 are likely to be instantly hooked to "Mark Martino" and its 1970s style funky guitar riffs. this song was inspired by the band's good friend Mark Martino. Monkfish was playing at a
party, jamming and experimenting with a new song. Martino could not help but dance to the beat, and from there Khalifa was inspired and started singing about his friend busting a move. “we had a bunch of people over at Gianni’s house that have never heard us before and when we started playing, they were shocked. it was the first time seeing people react to our music like that,” Khalifa said. the song "Girls" was born when Monkfish were at practice and playing around with the bass line of the popular Beastie Boys song of same name. coletti inverted the baseline, creating a new sound for their own “Girls” song. Barbera fills the song in with background vocals perfectly harmonizing with Khalifa. “anyways” is Monkfish’s blues
ballad, reminiscent of a Beatles meets Janis Joplin type sound. Khalifa erupts in vocal solos as the rest of the band backs him up and the rhythm changes intensely throughout the song from fast to slow. “i love playing ‘anyways.’ we tear up the song in a way that nobody does these days,” Khalifa said. this will be the first time the band performs this song live. these three songs will be also accompanied by many more crowd pleasers at sullivan Hall. More upcoming shows include trash Bar on dec. 12 and the shrine on Jan. 21.
LISTEN Check out their songs at: myspace.com/ mongolianmonkfish
Escape The Fate packs out The Studio at Webster Hall lUke beRgsteDt coNtriButor
Post-hardcore band escape the fate played an intimate show at the studio at webster Hall on Nov. 6. the show was in support of the band’s new self-titled full length, which was released on Nov. 2. this show was made “for the fans,” said frontman craig Mabbit, in appreciation for their continued support over the band’s six-year career. in lieu of charging for tickets to the show, the band approached the show in a new way in order to combat illegal downloaders. those who purchased their
new cd at Best Buy in union square received a ticket the show. escape the fate fans had four days to purchase the album and surprisingly, quite a few fans showed up for the event. in regards to the show, escape the fate put on a great performance for their fans. to those with a more educated understanding of music, they performed well. escape the fate played about an hour-long set, going on stage around eight o’clock in the evening. this early set time was shocking in comparison to most rock bands who start around ten o’clock with shows that end in the early morning. though the band played pretty
well, to some, escape the fate appeared to be taking advantage of the musical knowledge of a young fan base. the musicians are actually far more skilled than the music they are playing. for example, lead guitarist Bryan “Monte” Money is a reasonably well skilled guitarist. Having ten second solos in his three minute 30 second songs, his fans cheered as if it were eddie van Halen himself. Monte could easily show the full extent of his musicianship if he didn’t structure his work to a younger fan base. drummer robert ortiz had a few seconds of complicated drumming patterns within his songs, but rarely showed them
within the set that night. craig Mabbit’s vocals were fairly accurate. the popular modern trend of having a moderate feminine whine to clean vocals was definitely more apparent live. the band’s music is all in the same verse, chorus, verse format, and it was easily played at the show. the band’s concert sounded almost exactly like how they recorded their work — even having the extra sound effects from the record on stage, escape the fate’s show was well executed. almost each note played and sang was accurate. though the lead vocals were occasionally too whiney, the band’s songs were
performed well. with the crowd getting equally involved, the band closed the show with a stage dive from the lead singer to the cadence of cheers from the crowd. unfortunately, one may wonder if the band was really playing with the entirety of their musical skill and to the fullest of their art form or whether they were conforming to their teenage fan base when they could have a wider fan demographic. though escape the fate executed their show quite phenomenally, it would seem that their sound and their dynamic would be better suited for an older audience.
ARTS
November 17, 2010
7
Terrible Things release debut album inspired by town fires kiM bUi associate editor
terrible things, a supergroup comprised of musicians fred Mascherino (taking Back sunday, the color fred) Josh eppard (coheed and cambria) and andy Jackson (Hot rod circuit), bring audiences a new band and a new sound. after writing a few songs inspired by a chain of arson events in his hometown in Pennsylvania. Mascherino started what would later turn into terrible things. first working with Jackson and adding eppard to the line up, the members found themselves working together on what would later be their debut album under a new band name. the self-titled album starts off with a slow, raw acoustic introduction, easing the listener into the 11-track record. transitioning into “revolution,” you are brought out of that transit state of mind and awakened with guitar riffs and pounding drums. with joint choruses of “this is not a revolution,” supporting Mascherino’s voice, the song is more of a chant, hearing the crying voices for a revolution. “up at Night,” is one of the tracks that carries with the theme Mascherino originally had with a few of the songs, with lines like “Burning/ Burning bright/ our eyes wide open/ i bet you could see our town from space that night/ we keep on all the lights/ we keep them burning bright.” “up at Night” and “Not alone” are more of the faster paced tracks in comparison to the rest of the album. “Lullaby,” “Been Here Before” and “the arsonist’s wife” are all a bit
slower, but that allows the listener to focus more on the lyrics. revolving around the idea of a young couple coping with these arson fires set in their town, if you listen closely, you are able to pinpoint the songs that involve the theme heavier than others. “Lullaby” picks up with drums and guitar after a few seconds, while Mascherino belts, “the city sleeps/ except for you and me/ ‘cause we know better.” “Hills of Birmingham” has a steadier rhythm and has Mascherino hitting higher notes while singing on this track more than others. the self-titled track “terrible things,” encompasses the sound that the band came together to form. it has the full sound of the band, alternating between guitar riffs, solos and drums. transferring vocals between members also brings diversity to the song. the closing track of the album, “the arsonist’s wife,” starts with slow guitar strums and builds up to where you can hear Mascherino using all his might to sing. terrible things is a project that allowed its members to break away from the artistic direction and sound of their former bands and allowed them to start from the ground up, building their style and sound into something new for everyone. their next New York city tour date will be dec. 19 at Highline Ballroom with supporting bands valencia, automatic Loveletter and Mercy Mercedes.
The Pace Press was able to sit down with frontman Fred Mascherino to talk about the band, the album and other (not so) terrible things. The Pace Press (TPP): Do we have a little while? I’m not cutting into another interview am I? Fred Mascherino (FM): No, no.We can take all the time you need. Rock ‘n’ roll has no schedule. [laughs] TPP: [laughs] Very true. So how did you come to be on the “Goodbye, Goodnight” tour with Mae? FM: Everyone in the band has come from other bands and we’ve all at one time or another crossed paths with Mae and thought that they were an awesome band and little did we know that they liked us too, so they asked us to come on this farewell tour and it’s been a really great tour so far so we couldn’t be more excited. It’s the perfect tour. The fact that we just came out with a CD, it’s the perfect tour to be on. TPP: How did you, Andy and Josh come together, since you were all in bands prior to Terrible Things? FM: That was how we knew of each other. Andy, I had only met a few times, but I was on the road playing acoustic and he saw me play and asked me if I had considered doing another band, and I said I had, if found the right people. And he said he would be interested. He lived in Alabama and within about two weeks he was in Philly playing with me. We tried a few different people out in the rhythm section, and I was a good friend with Josh Eppard and I thought he
photo by kiM bUi
would be perfect for this. It’s the funnest [sic] band I’ve ever done, we just have a blast every night and it’s kind of filled a huge hole for me and I’m super thankful that we got it together. TPP: Was there a certain reason for keeping it to just a few members in the band? FM: Well, we are looking for a bass player and we’re playing with one of my friends, Brian Weaver [from Silver Tide] and he may wind up joining, but we all agreed that we’re going to take Continued on Page 8
Rihanna gets “Loud,” should’ve stayed quiet Going back to her pop star roots, the Barbados beauty might have hit a few road blocks cRaig HelD staff writer
rihanna has emerged and shed the darkness of her last album, Rated R, to deliver yet another album, Loud. this record is rihanna’s attempt to win back the fans she scared off with Rated R, but her effort tends to fall flat. the Barbadian pop star, who has released an album every year since 2005, returns to her pop roots. Loud starts with some promise, as the opening track “s&M” is an average dance track. while rihanna tries to shock listeners with lyrics that state, “sticks and stones may break my bones, but whips and chains excite me,” we come to realize that “s&M” is nothing new in rihanna’s lexicon. rihanna has made a career out of attempting to shock the masses, but in an age where Lady Gaga wore a meat dress to an awards show and demi Lovato is in rehab, rihanna’s edge is lost. the second track on the album and her latest single, “what’s My Name,” utilizes popular rap artist, drake. the song is far more relaxed and incredibly catchy, which explains its debut at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. it is at this point, however, that the album loses its steam. “cheers (drink to that)” is quite possibly the oddest song to be included on a pop album in years. it samples avril Lavigne’s song “i’m with You,” but fails to make a lasting impact. Beyond the initial novelty of sampling an eight year old song, “cheers” is just plain boring. there is a slight glimmer of hope on Loud and it is within
amazon.com
rihanna’s sequel to “Love the way You Lie,” her hit duet with eminem from this past summer. “Love the way You Lie (Part ii)” focuses on the female perspective of the story and has the potential to be a somewhat touching ballad. where the original made its mark as an ode to domestic abuse, “Part ii” attempts to rationalize how a relationship can become so sour.
with a decent melody and fantastic vocals on rihanna’s end, the song is great for the first two minutes. once eminem arrives, it becomes a feeble attempt to rekindle the success of “Love the way You Lie.” “Part ii” is strong enough to stand on its own but eminem’s appearance weighs the middle down and crashes any momentum the song might have. the album fails to have many redeeming points beyond this. the inaugural single, “only Girl (in the world)” seems to usher in a new era for rihanna. she had finally stopped trying to be artistic and is attempting to make good pop music. it appears that once again, a pop star has tripped over her own pretensions. the biggest disappointment of the album is the absence of rihanna’s collaboration with producer david Guetta, “who’s that chick,” which leaked several weeks ago. the song, which is a part of Guetta’s new album, is a fantastic dance track that would have fit perfectly with “only Girl” and “s&M.” instead, we are left to wonder what could have been. it seems that rihanna has fallen into the trap that many pop stars have faced after releasing a critically acclaimed pop album. with Rated R, we were treated to a new sound with actual content. every track had a reason for being on that album. in comparison, Loud is a hodge podge of potential singles, not a cohesive album. it remains to be seen if the album will make as much of an impact as her earlier work but to a generation that is downloading singles off itunes, no one quite cares about the filler.
ARTS
8
November 17, 2010
Devendra Banhart presents “Seja Marginal, Seja Heroi” betHanY o’gRaDY staff writer
“seja Marginal, seja Heroi” is the exhibit by artist and musician devendra Banhart currently on display at the as if Gallery in Harlem. “seja Marginal, seja Heroi” consists of over 70 drawings completed by Banhart in Brazil in 2006. the collection was initially shown as an installation at the Mazzoli Gallery in italy. Banhart’s drawings on display at the as if Gallery are done on a variety of materials ranging from parchment paper to notebook paper; some of which has seemingly been torn right from the pages of Banhart’s personal journals. at first glance, his drawings appear to be nothing more than doodles and scribbles that pose the dilemma of whether or not “seja Marginal, seja Heroi” can be deemed “art.” Yet there is an underlying mysticism emanating from the feeble lines dancing on Banhart’s notebook pages that suggest a deeper meaning to the collection. affixed to one of the walls at the as if Gallery is a watercolor painting
of five bananas bunched beneath the text, “seja Marginal, seja Heroi,” which means “Be Marginal, Be Heroic” in Portuguese and is a statement that embodies tropicalia, a Brazillian art movement that Banhart has adopted in both his visual and musical styling. the apparent lightness of Banhart’s drawings exemplifies some of the major themes of tropicalism, a movement that boasts all things spiritual, pacifistic and natural as an antifascist response to government. throughout the collection, images of flowers and plants sprawl across serene landscapes and character drawings of owls and other creatures of the earth fly beneath the glass cases they are displayed in. the concepts of love and peace are deeply implemented in the show as well. one of the first series of drawings presented at the as if Gallery is a group of six blue pads of construction paper with the words “love,” “love,” “o,” “above all,” “love” and “love” written on each of them. adjacent to this assembly is a paper placard with the words “amor” and “humor” drawn in the center of the page, ac-
companied by the image of a lamb and tiny vines bordering the text. Placing the words “amor” and “humor” next to each other is an idea Banhart borrowed from oswaldo de andrade. andrade is said to be the founding poet of tropicalism and a man that influenced Banhart to adopt the movement. another tropicalia artist that Banhart alludes to in “seja Marginal, seja Heroi” is caetano veloso, a Brazilian musician who can be compared to elvis. the very last image in the collection is of veloso’s smiling face. Banhart’s use of thin lines and muted colors are met with intricate detailing to represent vibrant images. while many of the drawings are simplistic in their nature, the artist charges the fine lines consistent throughout the show with a remarked assuredness. the images are gentle and small, but speak loudly of the power humanity has when they are one with nature and love. “seja Marginal, seja Heroi” runs through Nov. 27.
asifgallery.com
VISIT Check out As If Gallery’s website to find out more information on “Seja Marginal, Seja Heroi” asifgallery.com
New project by music veteran trio is anything but terrible From Page 7 our time in adding another person — mainly because it’s been so great with the three of us already. TPP: How would you describe your sound compared to all of your previous bands? FM: We just try to rock as hard as we can with as much energy as we can fit on the stage and I think that when the crowd picks up on that, that it really turns into something. Even on [the] record you hear that energy. We don’t use a lot of the modern techniques like autotune and drum sampling because we want it to sound like a rock band still, so I’d put us as more of an old school band doing it the old fashion way, but my goal is to come out with something more real in the end. TPP: How did you get the name Terrible Things? FM: There’s a song on our album called “Terrible Things,” but when we decided that was going to be the band name, I went back and rewrote all the verses to make it fit who we were trying to be…I wanted to put something about redemption in there…the lyrics are “We’re doing terrible things,” but I wanted to make it a song of redemption because that’s sort of what this is. We all had our successes and we’ve all had a couple years of trials and now that we’re
together I feel like it’s the happiest any of us have been in a few years and it’s a really awesome feeling. TPP: Is there a theme to the album? FM: There was a series of really bad arson fires in the town I grew up in about a year and a half ago and there were actually forty-nine fires in a short period, where normally there’s 1 a year, so someone was basically trying to burn our town down.They caught a few people and said it was over and it kept happening, so it was a bit of a mystery, but it is over luckily. It’s a happy ending. But I was really bothered and upset when it was going on so I wrote a few songs about it, not thinking “Oh this is for an album” or anything. This is for me to get over this, or partially that this is for the town. But a couple songs turned into the 12 songs on the record. But Andy got involved in the writing and Josh, but Andy had a special interest in it because his house burned down a few years ago and he lost everything he owned, so when I told him about the concept I had been working on he definitely felt like he could add to that, so I got him and Josh both involved and we all wrote this together. TPP: You said that you wrote a few songs without the intentions of them being on an album, but what were the first few songs you wrote?
FM: The first one was actually called “Steel Town,” because my town of Coachville, Pa is a depressed steel town. The steel mill closed and it kind of decayed from there on and set up a situation where it was very easy for someone to set up forty-nine fires without getting caught, which is terrible. But that was the first song, and the song “Up At Night,” which is on the record is the most storytelling of it. We kept it pretty opened because we wanted it to be relatable to everyone, but the lyrics are “I bet you could see our town from space at night,” and that was sort of how it felt. Like, the police kept saying “Just leave all of your lights on,” which we felt was not going to do much because the fires kept happening, so I was picturing this little town with all of its lights on and little fires everywhere and [where] it seemed like no one was noticing that this was going on but maybe from space someone could see it and see this little lit up part of the globe…just a way of putting it into perspective and making us feel small but at the same time it was that big that you could notice it. TPP: So do you think if listeners listened close enough that they could find a storyline within there as well? FM: Yeah. It’s basically a couple going through this in their town and they aren’t able to sleep at night be-
cause the fires always happened at night so that’s [why it is called] “Up At Night.” And there’s another song, “Hills of Birmingham,” where the lyrics are “We’ll sleep when we are dead.” I tried to just get across the feeling of uneasiness and sort of being tortured by it. TPP: So a lot of new bands get caught up in the fun of touring and having a little too much fun sometimes, where you have a lot of experience in touring, so what do you like to do on your time off and days off from tour? FM: Yeah, I manage to avoid a lot of the craziness and try to actually see stuff. It’s funny, we’re a new band and normally we have a really small guest list because we’re playing in small clubs, but we’ve been doing this for so long that we know so many people in every town. I always think like, “Well when we get to Ohio I won’t have any guests,” but then the phone starts ringing...I mostly just go out and get a bite to eat with friends. I do still manage to hang out until really late at night, but it’s usually doing something pointless or hanging out at the club. But we don’t get too crazy. We’re a pretty low-key camp.
merch, don’t spend it that night. [laughs] Pretend it’s a night where you didn’t do well and just keep living real mellow. You [can] have a good night and you can really blow it, thinking “Oh let’s get a few extra hotel rooms,” I see that all the time. I don’t really have a rhyme or reason, but somehow I’ve managed to do this for fifteen years now. TPP: Being in music for so long — and not saying that you’ll ever stop— but if you weren’t in music, what other careers do you think you would pursue? FM: Unfortunately there’s not much else I know how to do. [laughs] I would probably be parking cars for a living or something that would be really horrible. I mean, I’ve dug ditches for a living, I’ve done blacktop, I’ve painted houses…it’s a musician’s life. Doing what you love, you have to fill in the holes with whatever you can get.
TPP: What would your advice be to new emerging bands? FM: I would just say [that] the night that you make a lot of money at
amazon.com
FEATURES
November 17, 2010
9
Alumnus completes ironman and raises $100,000 for breast cancer From Page 1 “over some friendly banter at work, i stated that soccer players would thrive in other competitions, while other athletes’ skills, both physical and technical, could only lead to success in their respective sport,� he explained. “i [said] that the endurance one gains from playing soccer would provide me with the mental and physical fortitude to even complete an ironman [triathlon], without formal training. at that point my friend and colleague challenged me to go through with it. “this was three weeks before the ironman and part of the deal was that i could not formally train for it, which i did not,� Kuritzky added. with the maximum allowed time for a triathlon being 17 hours and 30 minutes, Kuritzky’s friends decided that for every minute he finished under 16 hours, $1 would be pledged to susan G. Komen for the cure. the selection of the charity was an easy choice for Kuritzky as he lost his mother to breast cancer when he was 15 years old. Kuritzky’s friend offered to pay for all his entry fees for the triathlon and travel arrangements if he finished the race in less than 16 hours. if he went over 16 hours, he would have to pay his friend back. “i have zero history as a swimmer or cyclist,� Kuritzky said. He also does not own a bike and had only swam a few times before the race. “Before the 112 miles i rode for the ironman, my biking experience amounted to riding a mile to a deli or to soccer practice for high school,� Ku-
ritzky said. when the cycling portion of the race came, he felt nothing but pain. “the bike was by far the worst part,� he said. “it crushed me.� when the marathon portion finally came to an end, Kuritzky crossed the finish line with a time of 15 hours, 30 minutes and 26 seconds. “for me, there was no alternative to not finishing. i only worried that i was going too slowly. if i had stopped when i reached the pain threshold, i would not have finished the first lap of the bike,� Kuritzky said about giving up during the race. Kuritzky has not yet decided if he will try another triathlon, but stated that he is “intrigued� by the idea of seeing what time he could accomplish if he actually trained. “Many people have emailed me saying, ‘You’ve inspired me to sign up for this race/triathlon.’ i hope people are inspired by this story to affect positive change, whatever form that comes in. anything is possible if you set your mind to it,� Kuritzky said.
ONLINE To learn more about Kuritzky’s experience and to donate, visit his blog at: briankurtizky.wordpress.com
briankuritzky.wordpress.com
XXX QBDF FEV SFHJTUFS
REGISTER
FOR SPRING Q (SBEVBUF SFHJTUSBUJPO CFHJOT /PWFNCFS
Q 6OEFSHSBEVBUF SFHJTUSBUJPO CFHJOT /PWFNCFS Q 5VJUJPO BOE GFF QBZNFOUT EVF +BOVBS Z
4FF ZPVS BEWJTFS OPX UP QMBO ZPVS 4QSJOH DPVSTFT *G ZPV EPO¾U LOPX XIP ZPVS BEWJTFS JT WJTJU XXX QBDF BEWJTFST $MJDL ²3FTPVSDFT GPS 4UVEFOUT³ GPS BEWJTFS FEV B DPOUBDUT BOE PUIFS IFMQGVM JOGPSNBUJPO 7JTJU XXX QBDF FEV .Z1BDF UP MPH JOUP ZPVS 1BDF 1PSUBM BOE DIFDL GPS IPMET "MM IPMET JODMVEJOH *NNVOJ[BUJPO $PNQMJBODF BOE 1BTU %VF #BMBODF IPMET NVTU CF DMFBSFE CFGPSF ZPV DBO SFHJTUFS
10134
0ODF BMM IPMET BSF DMFBSFE ZPV NBZ SFHJTUFS POMJOF BU XXX QBDF FEV .Z1BDF PS JO QFSTPO BU BOZ DBNQVT 04" 4UVEFOU "DDPVOUT 0GžDF
2010
XX XX QBDF FEV SFHJTUFS 'PS NPSF JOGPSNBUJPO QMFBTF WJTJU X If you have questions, please call (8 (877) 77) OSA-1830 O S A-183 0 or visit the OSA/Student O S A/ Student Accounts Offices at: One P Pace ace Plaza, New York York City; Administration Administration Center, Center, Pleasantville; Graduate Graduate Center, Center, White Plains
FEATURES
10
November 17, 2010
University graduate earns top honors...at White Castle stePHanie Hansen staff writer
for the past 10 years, fast-food restaurant chain white castle has been inducting loyal customers, dubbed “cravers,” into their Hall of fame. the most recent inductee is university alumnus victor Gradowski. this year, the Hall of fame had 1,350 nominees with only 13 inductees chosen. Gradowski was one of them and will be inducted Nov. 16 for eating at white castle every friday for the past four years. His friday night meals include five cheeseburgers and a few orders of onion rings. stories from the Hall of fame range from tales of love, family outings, songs and movies about the fast food chain. regardless of the different personal stories, all members have been regulars at white castle for years. “this is the first time i’m hearing about it so honestly it seems like a surreal story. it sounds like something out of a goofy madefor-tv movie and a weird way for white castle to get publicity,” junior Jillian Magee said. all new inductees win a trip to the white castle headquarters in columbus, ohio and are treated to a private dinner at the ohio Historical society. white castle has had 6,629 loyal customers try to get into the Hall of fame since its creation in 2001, but only 67 people have been inducted.
“i didn’t even know that existed. it is interesting that the consumption of junk food is praised in this country when we have an obesity rate higher than any other country in the world. i find it pretty disgusting,” junior Marni fritz said. five people involved with the movie Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle, depicting two “stoners” determined to get to white castle despite multiple mishaps, were recognized by the fast-food chain. director danny Leiner, writers Jon Hurwitz and Hayden schlossberg and actors John cho (Harold) and Kal Penn (Kumar) were inducted into the Hall of fame. other inductees include a pastor who, on easter sunday night took 200 members of his congregation to white castle at 2:30 a.m. when the church service was over and ate meat despite it being Lent. two friends who wrote “the white castle Blues” in 1977 a song on an album that sold more than 500,000 copies were inducted. also inducted, was a woman who fell in love with a man who worked the night shift at white castle. they broke up and he was no longer working there, they ran into each other one night at the white castle and have been married for 32 years. since, on white castle’s website there are “craver favorites.” People who visit the Hall of fame can “agree” with a white castle “craver” tale similar to “liking” something on facebook.
delish.com
those interested in seeing who’s who in the hall of fame visit: whitecastle.com/cravers/hall-of-fame
Xbox, Nintendo and PlayStation go head to head this Holiday season Game consoles introduce new technology for a controller free, motion detecting gaming experience alex RUFino coNtriButor
a battle has begun for the digital gaming system crown. Microsoft’s Kinect for xbox 360, Playstation Move and the Nintendo wii MotionPlus all have news ways in which video game players can interact with the
games they are playing. the Kinect enables users to interact with the game using body gestures. the Playstation Move has a wand-like controller that promises a new level of control for the players and the MotionPlus is an expansion device for the wii that allows users to cap-
ture complex motion more accurately, xbox’s Kinect, available for $130, is the newest of the three motion-gaming devices and lets you control all your games and movies with hand and body movements using no controller at all. when playing music, you can use
xboxkinectconsole.com
voice commands such as “play,” “pause” and even “fast-forward.” currently available Kinect games are mostly fitness games such as “dance central” and “Your shape: fitness evolved.” “with the Kinect the whole body has [to] move, no controller is necessary. if you move your hand, your foot or your head, it reacts. Plus a new xbox with the Kinect included is only $300 which is not bad,” sophomore ryan ciasu said. wii’s MotionPlus, released in July 2009, is an add-on that makes wii controllers capable of sensing movement far more accurately. the device has a great advantage since it was the first one to be released and has a wider game lineup than xbox or Playstation. some games that are available to be played with the MotionPlus include “wii sports resort,” “red steel 2” and “tiger woods PGa tour 11.” the MotionPlus device has a price tag of $20 as an add-on, or $40 for a controller with built-in MotionPlus, the cheapest of all three consoles. Official Nintendo Magazine has called the device “100 percent accurate” and stated the movements are “captured extremely accurately.”
“i prefer the MotionPlus because it’s affordable for everyone, plus Nintendo has more classic games that i enjoy like Mario [the super Mario Bros. franchise],” junior Larry summers said. Playstation’s Move, released in september at a price of $130, combines both a motion-controller and a camera working together. the system tracks the controller’s movements and replicates them on screen with a high level of accuracy. some games available to play with the Playstation Move include “the shoot” and “Heavy rain: Move edition.” as for the gaming community, reception has been fairly mixed. “the wii is better and has better games, more variety and besides you must buy a new xbox 360 in order to use the Kinect,” avid gamer and junior steven francckiewicz said. Many technological factors will influence buyers seeking these consoles. Microsoft, Nintendo and Playstation all share the same factor of integrating motion into the game play experience that change the way games are played.
FEATURES
November 17, 2010
11
iPhone expands to Verizon Wireless as AT&T worries about losing customers Mel baileY staff writer
apple have confirmed that the iPhone will be available to verizon customers January 2011. the iPhone has been an exclusive product to at&t customers since June 2007. speculation about apple’s iPhone expanding to the verizon wireless network left verizon customers anxious and at&t struggling to keep up in the race for best phone offered by a network. Gleacher & company analyst Brian Marshall stated in an interview with Bloomberg television the downfalls of the iPhone being offered by verizon. “clearly when the iPhone comes to verizon early next year, i think that’s going to be problematic to post paid net ad growth at at&t,” Marshall said. the network move may not come as a complete surprise to people who use apple products. apple struck a deal with verizon earlier this year to allow 2,000 verizon stores to sell the iPad. Beginning oct 28, verizon issued a monthly access plan to iPad customers of up to 1GB data. “at&t is securing all the upgrades for the iPhone 4, locking in all those customers for the next couple years,” Marshall said. “although i got my iPad
photo illustration by HilDa aDeniji
through apple, i would get the iPhone from verizon. i had at&t and it sucks,” junior irvin vazquez said. “verizon has already come out and said that they definitely are
going to be a tiered service on 4G,” chandan sarkar of auriga securities said. iPhone offers will be sectioned into packages and users will pay more or less for their data
plans depending on how much they wish to use them. there is sure to be a stir in sales for verizon as well as some catch-up being played by at&t. time will tell if the iPhone’s ar-
rival on verizon will gross the initial sales number of 1.7 million iPhone 4’s sold within the first three days of its debut at at&t.
Kik Messenger connects Android, Blackberry and iPhone users due to its success, Kik Messenger has already announced that they will be introducing new features soon. the first feature to be released will include minor improvements for some bugs, battery life and simpler registration. this update on the program will also include a new block feature. “after using the messenger, it was a little creepy being connected with people without my consent,” cavalieri said.
“i like it because it lets everyone use it, not just people with blackberries. it’s like bbM, but for every phone — android, blackberries and iPhones.” -Dana Cavalieri, student androidcommunity.com
PatRick De HaHn coNtriButor
Kik Messenger is a free messenger application that was released in april 2010. Kik Messenger, similar to BlackBerry Messenger (BBM), allows Blackberry, android and iPhone users to all message each other. according to Kik.com, this new free messaging platform has reached more than one million users in 15 days. this past summer, the Kik messenger application had 300,000 users. a newer and simpler version of the Kik Messenger application was released oct 21.
shortly after the release of the updated application, Kik Messenger became the number one free application on itunes, Blackberry app world and on the android Market. “i like it because it lets everyone use it, not just people with Blackberries. it’s like BBM, but for every phone— android, Blackberries and iPhones,” freshman dana cavalieri said. People may start to make the switch from paying for texting on their cell phone bills to using this free, unlimited messaging application “i would only switch from texting to all Kik if everyone got Kik,” cavalieri said.
another new feature will be “1,000 words,” which will introduce profile pictures, picture messaging and profile updates. “sneaky rhino” is a project that Kik Messenger has worked on for the past 16 months. according to Kik.com, “it is an incredibly powerful technology” that will enable a connection between smartphones and computers, or television. only time will tell if the success of Kik Messenger is as successful as BBM.
November 17, 2010
12
FEATURES
Thanksgiving Day Parade marches in NYC for 83rd time Daniel lee HUe coNtriButor
it is hard to wait all day for your much anticipated thanksgiving meal. ease the wait by watching the annual Macy’s thanksgiving day Parade at 9a.m. this parade is many americans’ tradition and his year marks its 83rd time around. “My family is über close and we will have 40 to 50 people spending the week… every day of the week is like a thanksgiving dinner. every thanksgiving day we play the parade [on every t.v. in the house], while people are cooking, chilling, and talking,” freshman cody egan said. traditions like egan’s are deeply rooted and began with the first parade in 1927. the parade has stayed true to form, still being hosted to this day. the parade makes its way south from central Park west and 77th street to columbus circle moving along central Park south toward seventh avenue. the parade ends at sixth avenue and 34th street in front of Macy’s Herald square. for those of us still in NYc for thanksgiving day, attending the parade is a definite must. with last year’s crowd at over 3.5 million people, the parade is an exciting and fascinating outdoor event where you can experience some quality time with your family. for die-hard parade enthusiasts, if the parade itself does not fill your appetite for holiday festivities, consider attending the parade balloon inflation on the eve of thanksgiving day. You can observe the inflation of the 25 balloons from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. near the american Museum of Natural History just off central Park west between 77th street and 81st street. some of the highlights of this year’s parade include performances by Kanye west, Gladys Knight and the cast of the Broadway hit musical American Idiot. digital illustration by Hilda adeniji
Tips you’ll be thankful for to plan your perfect Macy’s Day Parade 1. For the best view try arriving around 6:30 a.m. near the parade route. 2. Make sure to bundle up because it is an extreme rarity to experience a warm Thanksgiving Day in NYC. 3. For those less willing to stand in the weather for the entire two hours it takes to view all the festivities, booking a hotel room along the parade route is an excellent idea to view the celebration indoors. This option is also great for those with small children to keep them out of the cold and off your shoulders. 4. Parking is more pricey on a day like this so consider using the subway because the accessibility and cost make it less of a hassle than driving.