October 19

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October 19, 2011

Volume 63 | Issue 6

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

Occupy Wall Street Week 5 Update FOTINI SACHPATZIDIS News Editor

Homecoming King David De Rosa and Homecoming Queen Stephanie Miles

Fall Festival Homecoming Week 2011 KIM BUI Editor-in-Chief

INSIDE FOLLOW US ONLINE !

Hilda Adeniji | The Pace Press

Homecoming week started off with a bang on Oct. 12 with Fall Fest on the NYC campus. Taking over the Student Union, courtyard, Multipurpose Room and gym, there were vendors, entertainment, free food and prizes available throughout the day. Also in celebration of Oktoberfest, traditional German food was served, as well as carnival snacks.

Students listened to DJ Spynfo spin music as they were able to take pictures in a photo booth, get intricate henna tattoos by a henna artist, have their fortune told and make personalized gifts such as dog tags, t-shirts and signs. Prizes that many were raving about were the custom build-a-bears that were gone after minutes of opening to students, as well as custom mini fish tanks and goldfish pets that student waited hours for. Inflatable obstacle courses and laser tag took over the lower level gym as students could compete in teams against one another. Class competitions continued throughout the week with color wars, along with free events, the pep rally and anticipation of the annual homecoming concert hosted by Programming and Campus Entertainment (P.A.C.E) Board and the University.

“I believe that we are successfully bringing school spirit back. Homecoming was bigger than any other year I’ve been here. Also, the pep rally that we put together alongside with SDACA was really great. There was a big turn out and it was bigger then any pep rally I’ve seen at Pace in the last 3 years...We want to take every event to the next level [and] P.A.C.E Board will continue to put on the biggest events that Pace ever seen! We want to continue to make sure that our events are big and keep students proud to be a part of Pace,” said P.A.C.E Board president Eleni Efstratiades.

NEWS Homecoming spreads school spirit on campus PAGE 2-3 Tweet us @thepacepress

While Occupy Wall Street (OWS) protesters took their message to Times Square, protesters worldwide sparked riots in Rome, Italy and other demonstrations took place in other parts of Europe in the fifth week of demonstrations against Wall Street and the 99 percent.

OWS protesters were asked to leave Zuccotti Park to allow a mandatory clean up ordered by Mayor Michael Bloomberg, which has been home to those involved in the cause for several weeks on Oct. 12. While supporters of the movement were willing to voluntarily clean the site, Deputy Mayor Cas Holloway informed organizers on Oct. 14 that the park’s owners, Brookfield Properties, postponed the clean up.

While they secured their headquarters, protestors left their home in Lower Manhattan Oct. 15 and marched to Midtown and assembled in Times Square. The crowd swelled to 5,000 people, making it one of the largest gatherings since the movement.

Police arrested several people including three for pushing down police barriers, five for wearing masks and 42 for blocking the sidewalk according to The Wall Street Journal.

In Rome, protesters back lashed at their government by setting cars on fire and destroying the city to fight against corporate greed. A group of 5,000 people also protested in Frankfurt, Germany and plan to camp out in front of the European Central Bank.

As widespread support for the cause continues, it is clear that word is spreading beyond city limits and infiltrating countries worldwide.

ARTS Comic Con strikes NYC again PAGE 6-7

FEATURES Social media influences Knox and Anthony trials PAGE 10

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NEWS

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October 19, 2011

P.A.C.E Board presents Fall Fest 2011 1.

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1. Greek Council President Yahdon Israel and his infamous megaphone made announcements throughout the day on events and prizes.

2. Students pose with their personalized build-a-bears.

3. A henna artist provided intricately designed henna tattoos.

4. Students show their excitement as they filled the Multipurpose Room to assemble their own personal fish tanks.

5. “Wacky Hands,� were a hit with students making on-the-spot wax hand sculptures.

6. Artists were on-site taking orders for personalized airbrushed t-shirts.

7. C-Level Gym was filled with inflatable obstacle courses and laser tag.

8. Students competed against each other in the game Dance Dance Revolution.

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all photos by KIM BUI | The Pace Press

NEWS

October 19, 2011

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HOMECOMING CONCERT Wynter Gordon, Big Sean and Busta Rhymes University celebrates school spirit on NYC Campus

ERICK MANCEBO Staff Writer Wynter Gordon, Big Sean, and headliner Busta Rhymes were all on hand for the Homecoming Concert to help University students get into the homecoming spirit on Oct. 13. The concert, which was presented by Pace Programming and Campus Entertainment (P.A.C.E.) Board, was part of a variety of events lined up for the annual Homecoming Week.

Students attending the concert were first greeted by the sounds of Hot 97 FM’s Street Team, which included DJ Spynfo, who was spinning hits from the late ’90s and early ’00s to much applause. As the audience grew in numbers, DJ Spynfo played more contemporary hits such as LMFAO’s “Party Rock Anthem.”

Once the crowd was amped, DJ Spynfo introduced Wynter Gordon. Gordon made her way onstage in a Mickey Mouse jacket and fur hat. Opening her set with “Til Death,” the first track off her EP With the Music I Die, she proved that she’s much more than just a pretty face with her great live vocals. Gordon also debuted her live band at the University’s homecoming, a great addition to the heavily electronic vibe of her music.

Gordon continued her set with her biggest single to date, “Dirty Talk” and “Drunk on Your Love,” before performing a brand new song for the first time ever.

The audience seemed to enjoy her new material, and was especially impressed when she performed an acoustic cover of Katy Perry’s “E.T.” Before finishing her set, Gordon took pictures with fans by jumping off stage and posing in front of the barricade. Some diehard fans shouted for Gordon to perform “Toyfriend,” a track from David Guetta’s One Love which Gordon co-wrote and sang vocals on, but Gordon’s time was up.

After a short intermission, Big Sean hit the stage. Fans were shouting for Big Sean from the moment Gordon had left the stage and were finally treated to a glimpse of the rapper when he jumped on stage, sending his fans into an absolute frenzy.

After performing a couple of his hit songs, Big Sean slowed things down to address the crowd personally. Speaking of his success he said, “It was cool because my mom never really had money, and since we was [sic] 13-years-old, she was gathering money for my studio sessions … but having her roll up in a nice ass car in New York City in the middle of Times Square and her seeing ‘Big Sean—Sold Out’ across the marquee, that shit really touched her... I swear I’m [going to] prove that I was born to do this shit.”

Whatever one may think of his music, it would be foolish to deny his ability to connect with an audience and inspire them. Shortly before finishing his set, Big Sean jumped off the stage to take

pictures with every section of the audience.

Before leaving the stage he said, “My grandma, 91-years-old, she’s paralyzed in a wheelchair and she’s got a smile on her face every day, and it’s because she set out goals in her life and she accomplished every single one of them.”

After Big Sean left the stage, DJ Spynfo spun a few of the latest hip-hop hits before Busta Rhymes was finally announced. The audience was so riled up by this point that the barricades, which had moved several feet from their original placement, had to be readjusted. Busta Rhymes took to the stage and the crowd went absolutely insane.

Like the two performers before him, Busta Rhymes had a special talent for connecting with and exciting the audience.

From the moment he took to the stage, he captivated the everyone. As a special treat, he performed his verse from Chris Brown’s hit single “Look at Me Now,” an insanely fast-paced rap that most people couldn’t even hope to imitate. After the verse, Spliff Star, Busta’s sidekick said, “That shit ain’t just in the studio... This shit is live on stage!” to many roars from the audience.

Busta Rhymes’ performance was successful because of his ability to entertain the audience, as well as become a part of the audience seamlessly. At one point between songs, he looked over to his DJ and said, “I feel like dancing. Gimme my dancing music,” before dancing by himself on stage while the rest of the audience cheered on. While engaging the audience and asking which song he should perform for his finale he complained, “I got so many hits I can’t even choose.”

By the end of the night, everyone in the audience was still dancing along to the rapper’s greatest hits. “I think the show as a whole was great performance wise,” freshman Samus Cho said. Cho says she was surprised that she enjoyed the performances from Wynter Gordon and Big Sean as much as she did, “I loved it, it was nice.” However, like most University students, she appreciated Busta Rhymes’ performance the most, “He did a lot of throwback songs, which was when he was at his peak so it was good to hear all of them.”

Buzz after the show was extremely positive and Gordon was a standout. After the concert, Gordon wrote on her Twitter, “Had the best fucking time at Pace!! The crowd was live!”

As the headliner though, much of the praise at the end of the night was for Busta Rhymes. As freshman Nourin Lalezari stated, “Busta Rhymes was the best! He definitely had the best performance!”

Read The Pace Press’ exclusive interview with artist Wynter Gordon on PAGE 8

Top: Wynter Gordon reaches a high note during her opening set.

Center: Spliff Starr & Busta Rhymes perform some of Busta’s greatest hits.

Bottom: Big Sean gets the audience excited for the night. all photos by HILDA ADENIJI | The Pace Press

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October 19, 2011

Seven students arrested in SAT cheating scandal in Long Island JOANNA GONZALEZ Staff Writer Seven Great Neck North High School students of Long Island, N.Y. were arrested Sept. 27 for allegedly cheating on the SAT exam. Sam Eshaghoff, a Great Neck North High School alumnus and current Emory University college student, allegedly impersonated six students which included one girl, and took the exam for them between 2010 and 2011.

Eshaghoff allegedly used fake I.D.s, passed through security and received up to $2,500 in payments and rewards for producing scores that spanned from 2100 to 2300.

The investigation began when rumors went around in the area that students were hiring third parties to take their SAT exams.

Investigators narrowed the search down by targeting students who scheduled their tests outside of the school district. Discrepancies between SAT scores and the students’ overall academic performance were key clues that lead to the students who were involved.

The Education Testing Service (ETS) handwriting analyst also double checked and verified that six of the tests were written by the same person. Four of the students who received scores from

Eshaghoff are now enrolled in college while the other two students have yet to graduate high school.

All of the students were let go without bail on misdemeanor charges since they are considered minors.

Eshaghoff could face up to four years in prison for “scheming to defraud, criminal impersonation

...I don’t condone cheating, but it makes you think about the kind of society we’re ] living in that pressures students so much that they have to resort to cheating.

and falsifying business records,” according to Abcnews.com.

Whether the parents of the indicted students were accomplices is being closely examined as well. The amount of money the students paid Eshaghoff would never be enough to pay for an SAT prep course that ranges from about $1,600 to $8,000. Evidently, the idea of paying less for someone else to take the exam and for a guaranteed grade seemed reasonable and convenient for these students.

Eshaghoff’s attorney, Matin

The era of no banking fees ends MONA KHALDI Contributor Bank of America is instituting a five dollar monthly fee on debit card users for transactions to compensate for the money lost after the Durbin Amendment, which capped the fee for transactions from 44 cents to 21 cents. This charge will be implemented in 2012.

The fee does not apply if you only withdraw from ATMs, keep a minimum of $20,000 in your bank account, or if you have of mortgage with the bank.

“I don’t really know the exact details of it, but it’s pretty unjust from what I understand. They’re charging you more money to use your own money. Also, what happens if you run it through as credit? I don’t know. It just sounds as stupid as doubling the price of Netflix.

I’m sure it’ll change soon,” junior Derrick William Meyer said.

On July 21, 2010, legislation passed the Dodd Frank Wall Street Reform Act, the Consumer Protection law, and along with the Durbin Amendment which limited debit card fees.

By taking the fee from 44 cents per transaction to 21 cents, the bank looses half of its profit and “a bank has a right to profit,” Bank of America Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Brian Moynihan stated in an interview on CNBC. By limiting the fees a bank can charge, the bank is unable to cover the high costs of bank services. These services will now be covered by the new fee which includes securing a safe system, playing for fraud prevention measures, covering fraud

Emouna, claims that his client has pleaded not guilty as, “cheating on tests is something that should be handled in schools, not in criminal courts,” reported Cnn.com. According to Emouna, this is the first case of its kind in the U.S., making it difficult for prosecutors to decide the outcome and consequences Eshaghoff deserves.

losses and operating the complex debit card system.

This new fee will make Bank of America a $1 billion profit.

“This is exactly why we need the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau that we set up that is ready to go,” President Barack Obama said in an ABC interview.

“I’m using the bank, it’s my choice, I can take my money elsewhere. So, if they need to latch on a small fee, it’d be like going to an ATM and getting charged a service fee,” junior Tom Devlin said.

Bank of America has needed to be bailed out twice in the past few years. The reason for being bailed out is the same reason why Bank of America needs to charge: it is still trying to pick itself up.

In the past three years, Bank of America’s stock has dropped 50 percent.

CEO Moynihan says that the recovery from the 2008 mortgage meltdown and real estate crash takes time and the recovery takes not months, but years and this fee is crucial.

The Durbin Act was intended to protect consumers, not harm them, yet somehow the banks have made their way around this fee limit.

Moynihan again, defends the fee by saying that it provides a flat fee, one that is out in the open and that every customer knows is there.

People may soon not have a choice in the fee. Since many banks have begun to consider this flat fee option, customers will have to wait and see how it will affect them and their banking options.

-Eric Peña,

Senior

“I think it’s both parties’ fault, the administration should be more conscious and aware so that these types of things don’t happen, as for the students, they should know better,” business major Elizabeth Randall said.

ETS, who administers the SAT exams through College Board, does not nor has ever penalized or persecuted students for cheating on exams and instead discards of the test. Tom Ewing, a spokesman for ETS, claims that there are about 2.25 million SAT tests taken every year, with 1,000 of those canceled

due to students copying off of each other according to Abcnews.com “I don’t condone cheating, but it makes you think about the kind of society we’re living in that pressures students so much that they have to resort to cheating,” senior Eric Peña said.

In an effort to combat cheating, some schools such as Georgetown University make an effort to get in contact with that particular student’s school and guidance counselor to reassure that there are no inconsistencies with the prospective student’s scores and overall academic stance.

Many colleges, such as Fairfield University and DePaul University have converted to test-optional policies, stating that they have become less inclined to base their future students off of SAT scores according to Bloomberg. com.

Not only have students prevented other students from getting into a good college, but they’ve also jeopardized another student’s potential scholarship money, taking from both the government and the particular college as well.

Hopefully, future tests administered by education officials will include stricter security measures. By focusing more closely on security, cheating would not be an option for test takers.

Chris Ward released as Executive Director of Port Authority SAMANTHA MEYERS Contributor Executive Director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Christopher Ward, is leaving his position at the end of October.

His contributions to the Tri-State area were felt by many in the community.

Ward won the vote of stakeholders, transportation advocates, real estate developers and unions according to Capital New York.

“The unions will lose someone who they can really count on,” freshman Daidria Harris said.

Ward stimulated the development of the stalled World Trade Center (WTC) site and memorial. He also cut the costs of the multibillion-dollar plan for the Port Authority Trans-Hudson (PATH) WTC station according to The New York Daily News.

“Maybe New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo is jealous of Ward,” Harris said. “Because he’s doing such a good job and people seem to really like him.”

Candidates such as Gov. Cuomo’s Deputy for Economic Development Patrick Foye claims to be interested according to Crain’s New York Business.

Potential candidates mentioned include former Head of the Lower Manhattan Construction Command Center Charles Maikish, Silverstein Properties Executive Janno Lieber, who was a deputy in the U.S. Department of Transportation, and Sharon Greenberger,

the City’s Department of Education’s Chief Operating Officer (COO) and former School Construction Authority Head. There are no plans to replace Ward at this time.

“I feel Gov. Cuomo should at least meet with Ward and let him know the reasons for dismissal. We all need more information for why he’s being fired because to work without security isn’t good,” Professor Edward Green said.

In August, Ward announced higher

The unions will lose someone who they can really count on.

-Daidria Harris, Freshman bridge and toll fees in order to keep the Port Authority’s transportation and real estate network moving. Gov. Cuomo and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie were unhappy with both outcomes according to The New York Times.

Although there is no further word of what Port Authority might do next, Gov. Cuomo decided to go forward with Ward’s plans to reconstruct the Tappen Zee Bridge.

“It’s terrible, the way politicians are.

They don’t need to give a reason to fire him, but that’s how it works,” Prof. Green said.

October 19, 2011

NEWS

Students unite through “Telling My Story” project NICOLE MORALES Contributor University professor and Director of Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) Denise Santiago is giving students a chance to tell and relate their stories of struggle and hardship with the “Telling My Story” series featured on OMA’s website. What began as Prof. Santiago’s “project to assess student’s writing skills,” turned into more of an outlet for her students instead of an assignment.

“Instead of an academic based paper, I’d have them write a self reflection paper,” Prof. Santiago said. “But the more and more I read their narratives...I said there is something that can really be made of these narratives.”

Her idea of trying to incorporate the narratives into a larger scheme began. At first Santiago had “all these lofty ideas with all of these different stories in it.”

While it may have been a constructive way to showcase the narrative, the idea did not pan out as she had hoped. She dismissed the idea and thought that a more effective way to publish the stories were to “post it on our website. They are on the multicultural office of affair’s website.”

The experiences vary from homelessness to immigration, to dealing

with gender identity issues and even education. Some of the stories are so profound that they have stuck with Prof.

Santiago for life. “One former student I had that was undocumented was sexually assaulted, that was the way in which she and her family were able to get their residency in this country even though for years they had tried before to do it,” Prof.

Santiago said. “It took the sexual assault to be granted residency and everything else in between.”

Not all of the narratives are so tragic.

The mission is more of being able to have students with all different backgrounds and experiences that can find a common ground through their experiences. The purpose is to catch “a glimpse of the lives of young men and women,” Prof.

Santiago said. She does not only want to focus on stories that deal with racial prejudice for lower-class and minorities, but also non-minorities who may and may not be of wealth and status.

The series also reflects the diversity of the University community as well as the CUNY community, for which Santiago is also a professor. It showcases a sense of tolerance and unity within NYC. Santiago’s current course at the University, “Latinos in Cross Culture,” an anthropology lecture and discussion that helps Latinos and non-Latinos alike

become more familiar with American relationships with Latin American countries, narratives of Latinos and their struggles. The “Telling My Story” narratives fit nicely within the course material and general public as well because they allow peers to share stories of experience much like those they read in their textbooks.

Since not all of the narratives are chosen to be a part of the series, Prof.

Santiago described the process that she uses to screen the narratives. “It seems to be the uniqueness of the experience,” Prof. Santiago said. “It’s interesting there’s no rhyme or reason. There was one paper; I was reading on the subway and I started crying.”

As Prof. Santiago pointed out, there isn’t an exact formula for choosing papers. Just the same way, she does not require that it be exactly the five page minimum nor will she alter ones paper grammatically for the series. She notes that she likes to “leave the typos to give the reader the flavor of the paper.”

Prof.

Santiago also heavily encourages anyone to submit their narratives based on events and situations they have experienced and should be thought of as more of a journal than an assignment.

Brooklyn Judge ruled FDNY discriminated against minorities JOANNA GONZALEZ Staff Writer Brooklyn Judge Nicholas Garaufis, ruled that an individual monitor of higher power be ordained to oversee the FDNY’s hiring process for a span of 10 years due to the lack of diversity in the city’s fire deparment, on Oct. 5.

After research and investigation, Judge Garaufis, who was appointed in Feb. 2000 by former President Bill Clinton, concluded and accused NYC, particularly Mayor Michael Bloomberg, that the FDNY is discriminatory and has remained 97 percent white for decades, in a city where more than half of the population bears a colored or ethnic profile. Judge Garaufis also conjured that out of the 11, 200 firefighters in the department, only nine percent were black or Hispanic (1,008), according to The New York Times.

“I’m shocked about this, I think it’s ridiculous that the FDNY is made up of 97 percent white males. They should base their decisions on qualifications and qualifications alone,” junior Amanda Delia said. Like Delia, others are astonished about the ruling and would have never thought the FDNY was comprised of mostly white males.

“I am amazed that I personally only know white males that are in the fire department, and I too haven’t noticed,” junior Ronak Shah said.

The Vulcan Society, a black fraternal FNDY organization feels that the FDNY has been very discriminatory toward citizens of color. They claim that they’ve been fighting with the department over this subject for about a decade.

Along with the hiring process, members of the Vulcan society who joined the Federal Justice Department expressed that the examining process was also geared more toward the white male, testing for the SAT intelligence rather then logical and physical ability, This past August, Judge Garafuis ruled in favor of the Vulcan Society who filed a lawsuit against the FDNY about the matter. “That this discrimination has been allowed to persist in New York City for so long is a shameful blight on the records of the six mayors of this city who failed to take responsibility for doing what was necessary to end it,” Judge Garaufis wrote in his Oct. 5 memorandum and order.

Apparently this is not the first time a judge has ruled in favor of minorities.

In 1973, it was ordered to NYC that one black firefighter must be hired for every three white males, according to The New York Times.

Although there have been past cases against the FDNY in relation to the unjust practices in hiring minorities, it seems that the FDNY has not accomplished anything on this dilemma until Judge Garafuis made a ruling.

“The judge was not elected to run the city, and you can rest assured that we’ll be in court for a long time,” Mayor Bloomberg stated to The New York Times.

Instead of coming to a consensus, Mayor Bloomberg refuted the judge’s position. Marx LaVorgna, a Bloomberg representative defended this accusation as reported by The New York Times, with evidence that the FDNY has taken plenty of measures to recruit minorities in 2006-2007.

FDNY Comissioner Sal Cassano, also declared that the division has enlisted twice as many black males than it did the previous year by advertising dates of the entrance exams on radio stations and areas that may attract such communities.

The FDNY, being the nation’s largest fire department, pays a yearly salary of $40,000 a year and after five years increases to $100,000. In an effort to enroll more minorities, it no longer requires a college degree, as long as they have graduated from college and have previously held a full-time job or served in the military.

“In a way it’s good, but in another way it’s bad. It’s awesome that the judge is trying to make the FDNY diverse, however I believe it is too much power for one person alone. It would be a good idea if there was a committee for this,” freshman Nedinia Lopez said.

Judge Garaufis has required both sides of the case to come up with a list of contenders to be considered for the monitor position. The dispute will be followed up on Oct. 20.

The monitor’s job will include supervising all the legal documents and hiring processes, granting legal control to authorize, investigating and analyzing all hiring procedures and applications, as well as administering the firefighter entrance exams.

As of now, the changed administered exams were ruled in favor of the Vulcan Society back in 2009 by Judge Garafuis, will not be distributed until Jan. 2012, thus prolonging the new enforced method of admitting new fire fighters.

“It’s sad that this [was not] dealt with a long time ago,” junior Boski Patel said.

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THE PACE PRESS

Editorial Board Kim Bui Editor-in-Chief Kaitlynn Blyth Associate Editor Ivonna Thompson Managing Editor Hilda Adeniji Creative Director Fotini Sachpatzidis News Editor Stephanie Hansen Arts Editor Craig Held Features Editor Kate Hamzik Copy Editor

Leucepe Martinez Advertising Manager Brian Rentas Web Editor Nazary Nebeluk Circulation Manager Michael Oricchio Faculty Consultant

Staff Sarah Aires Abby Beatson Betty Fermin Joanna Gonzalez Erick Mancebo Anthony Mastroianni Bethany O’Grady 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 New York, NY 10038 www.pacepress.org editor@pacepress.org Copyright 2011

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2011 NAZARY NEBELUK Circulation Manager New York Comic Con (NYCC) is a grab bag of entertainment, merchandise and self-promoting, ironically leaving little time for the thing that’s supposed to draw people in—comics. The floor of the Jacobs Javits Convention Center might be the only place where you’ll find a room full of people to whom the exact definition of the word convention matters, if only for semantics.

The biggest booths at NYCC were Hasbro Inc. and Rockstar Games. One was promoting a new line of toys, the other “Max Payne 3.” Marvel spent more time promoting their upcoming movie, The Avengers than any of their comic book story lines.

It seems poor Miles Morales hasn’t even gotten an arch nemesis yet, and already it is old news.

These certainly may be the same interests of a crowd of people drawn to a “Comic Con” but not so true to the spirit of the event. “New York Nerd Con” would be a better tag line. As comic book heroes have become a part of pop culture, and their symbols become a part of fashion, people really need a convention for this one particular interest. We don’t hold conventions for primetime television shows.

A comic’s convention is somewhere a fan might turn to in the hopes of connecting more with his or her medium of choice, speaking with creators and understanding the industry better. The chances of

that happening at NYCC are slim to none. With an ever-growing crowd of people, it’s hard to find time to connect with any one individual, no matter how much you enjoy his or her work. With numerous panels and screenings over the weekend, panels always get filled up with attendees lining up hours before.

Brands also play a big role at NYCC. It seems that NYCC is growing more and more commercialized each year—which isn’t a surprise. It’s always been a for-profit run by Reed Exhibitions.

This may be what separates it from the nonprofit San Diego Comic Con, which has always seemed to have an air of inclusion. NYCC attendees are bombarded with ads from the start—from their passes to their last step off the show floor. It’s this incessant need to peddle something that makes one wonder whether this was a good idea at all.

Every booth at NYCC had something to sell as well. Merchants were trying to sell attendees wares and every company is trying to advertise what they’re selling outside the Javits Center. It should now be called the “New York Nerd Trade Show,” but that’s not as catchy and so the name stays.

There is no better place for fans of comics, “Doctor Who” and other cultural items to meet and greet, but the future of Comic Con might not make that possible. Or due to increasing demand, we may all be asked to wait in line and pass through a conveyor belt that sells us bits of our childhood nostalgia.

October 19, 2011

DC Comics was on top form with their entire roster of writers and artists out to promote the new 52. “Arkham City” demos were available to play and the game looks better then ever. With the announcement of Nightwing as a playable character and a Sinestro Corp skin for Batman, this game is shaping up to be the definitive Batman experience.

Marvel took the time to remind everyone there’s an Avengers movie coming out, and it’s going to be pretty sweet. Their new Ultimate Universe is swinging along fine and with “X-Men : Regenesis” and a rumor that “Phoenix” will be coming back to life, the Children of the Atom may be brought into focus.

“Just Dance 3” debuted for the Microsoft Kinect, with attendees taking to the stage to bust a move and dance along with the latest release.

Frank Miller, the comic legendary behind “Sin City” and “Batman: The Dark Knight Returns,” stopped by to showcase his new book “Holy Terror” about a superhero that takes on Al-Qaeda and announced the release of more “Sin City” books for Dark Horse Comics.

Legendary Entertainment, makers of The Dark Knight and Watchmen, talked about their upcoming Mass Effect movie and gave out t-shirts to promote it.

Whether you care about the game or not, this looks to be the next great sci-fi epic. Goodbye Luke, Hello Sheppard.

CRAIG HELD Features Editor Marvel and DC, without a doubt the largest comic book publishers, have attempted to shift the focus from the lagging print comic industry in order to gain a wider audience with animated television and movie adaptations of their most popular books.

DC Comics presented at NYCC on Oct. 14 a panel on their three latest animated works Catwoman, Batman: Year Zero and Justice League: Doom. Actress Eliza Dushku, the new voice of the feline villain was on hand to premiere the Catwoman animated short to an extremely receptive audience.

Attendees were also treated to a trailer for Justice

League: Doom, an adaptation of a popular series in which the group almost meets their end.

Marvel’s animated division announced a multitude of projects including “Mockingbird” and “Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H.” on Oct. 15. The trailer for “Ultimate Spider-Man,” the latest animated incarnation of the web-slinger that will air next year on Disney XD, elicited a great response from the audience and looks to be a great addition to the ever expanding Spider-Man franchise after being pushed back for production issues. The panel closed with the second season premiere of “The Avengers” which only supplemented the immense hype surrounding Marvel’s live-action film The Avengers to be released next summer.

The Cultyard, where art and street culture collide at NYCC featured artists and vendors such as Kidrobot, Mishka, Art Whino, Johnny Cupcakes and many others.

The Anime Festival floor, a lowkey area within the choas of NYCC featured additional artists and work based around popular anime characters. all photos by HILDA ADENIJI| The Pace Press

ARTS

October 19, 2011

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FOOD&COMICS

COLLIDE AT COMIC CON KIM BUI Editor-in-Chief No matter what planet you’re from or what your krypotonite may be, everyone loves food. A food panel featuring Marvel talent scout C.B Cebulski, chef and owner of NYC restaurant wd-50 Wylie Dufrense, “Wonder Woman” writer Brian Azzarello, Spanish culinary aficionado David Macho and Foodspotting’s Amy Cao filled to capacity as New York Comic Con (NYCC) attendees waited to talk about comics, food and their love for the two worlds.

From discussing the creative process of developing comics to discovering new foods and recipes, panelists shared their thoughts and views on things such as superheroes and food, how to make the perfect poached egg, how Batman likes his steak and much more.

“I’ve been a comic lover since I was a kid. I think that [comics and food are] both very creative endeavors. I can see how there’s certainly overlap in the thought process, the labor and the work…I think you can see that in any creative work, there’s crossover from whether it be drawing, cooking, etc.,” chef Dufrense said.

In addition to working for Marvel, Cebulski also runs Eataku, a Tumblr blog following his passion for food and travel.

Cebulski also shared that Marvel will re-release a Marvel themed cookbook originally created in the ’70s, featuring their favorite superheroes, characters and recipes from celebrity chefs.

“The original book was very simple recipes that anybody could make … It was more a ‘schtick’ thing…they had illustrations of characters with the foods and very simple recipes, nothing too glamorous. We dug up the book and we loved it,” Cebulski said.

“Especially with my passion for food, and some of the other people at Marvel, we decided to kind of re-do it, and we’re going to do it where we’re getting a lot of the chefs that we know and love to recreate a dish based on their favorite Marvel character. We’re going to have two components; one is going to be a digital component and a print component so in addition to the book, we’re going to

tradereadingorder.com have each of the chefs in a studio, kind of with a host, creating the recipes. So that’s going to go up on Marvel.com and be available in digital library, hopefully in the same time the book comes out so you can read the recipe and watch the actual chef do it themselves,” Cebulski added.

When asked about selecting chefs and recipes that Marvel was interested in featuring Cebulski said, “It’s hard.

Every chef wants Spider-Man, every chef wants Wolverine, we’re trying for diversity so we’re looking for chefs with a bigger comic book background…we want someone to do Doctor Strange, we want someone to do Cloak and Dagger…

I’m going to be upset if someone doesn’t do like a Doctor Octopus dish.

“I have chefs that I like, some that are unknown chefs and some are famous chefs and it’s trying to find that balance. One chef I’d really love to have contribute, no offense to the chefs reading this, but is José Andrés from Spain…he’s such a personality and so outgoing and having him on a Marvel.com segment would be amazing, [seeing] the things he could come up with is having him do something with Doctor Strange with all the gastronomy he does is bizarre..and [that] would just be incredible,” Cebulski said.

“THE HEART, SHE HOLLER” STEPHANIE HANSEN Arts Editor Adult Swim on Cartoon Network is known for its obscure programming featuring cartoons like “Home Movies,” “Family Guy” and “The Oblongs” as well as original programming which include “Robot Chicken,” “Venture Brothers” and “Aqua Teen Hunger Force.” Adult Swim continues to push the envelope with their original programming and at NYCC they proved that they have no plans of stopping.

“The Heart, She Holler” is Adult Swim’s very first miniseries, with each episode ending on a cliff

hanger. The show is produced by PFFR, the same production team that wrote, directed, produced and starred in “Wonder Showzen.”

“The Heart, She Holler” panel at NYCC featured comedians Patton Oswalt, Kristen Schaal, Heather Lawless, actors Joe Sikora and Leo Fitzpatrick along with executive producers John Lee and Alyson Levy who are a part of PFFR. The panel was run by none other than comedian David Cross, who is most famous for playing Tobias Funke on “Arrested Development.”

Panel-goers were treated to a screening of the premiere episode of the show. The plot consists of a dead father leaving the town to his secret son (Oswalt) who grew up away from the modern world.

The father’s two daughters (Schaal and Lawless) want control of the town for themselves.

It is a classic plotline, yet nothing about the

show is conventional. Oswalt’s character is found in a wall, covered with hair and a mud doll. Schaal and her dead father were “in cahoots,” and Lawless has a supernatural Carrie-like power. The show pokes fun at the south, and definitely has a bit of southern gothic style.

The panel itself was lively as Oswalt and Lee stole the show with their wise cracks that had the audience laughing constantly. Overall, the members of the panel had great energy and kept the crowds interest.

As far as “The Heart, She Holler,” for those who aren’t into the sometimes disturbing and strange shows on Adult Swim, it might be a show to skip.

For those who already enjoy the ever-growing weirdness of Adult Swim shows, this show might just be a hit.

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October 19, 2011

The Pace Press interviews homecoming artist Wynter Gordon IVONNA THOMPSON Managing Editor Recently wrapping up her summer tour with Patrick Stump, R&B artist Wynter Gordon is a rising singer and songwriter who draws in and keeps fans like there is no tomorrow. Hailing from NYC, Gordon brings a unique taste of pop and R&B that is refreshing and fun for all listeners.

She recently released her latest single entitled, “Still Getting Younger” off of her EP With the Music I Die. Other notable songs off of the EP include “Dirty Talk,” “Til Death” and “Buy My Love.”

The Pace Press caught up with Gordon and asked her about her upcoming plans.

The Pace Press (TPP): Will “Still Getting Younger” be the last single off of your EP With the Music I Die? Wynter Gordon (WG): I think so, I think “Still Getting Younger will be the fourth and final single before we put out an album or start working on more music. It’s actually my favorite song on the EP so I’m happy about that.

TPP: Do you have any plans to release an album in the near future?

WG: Yeah, early 2012. I’m also working on some more music like secret projects and stuff which everyone will hear in due time.

TPP: Do you plan on doing a tour with that upcoming album or is that still in the works?

WG: I toured with the EP this summer with Patrick Stump we did a U.S. tour. I definitely will be touring more in the future with the album [and] with all of my music I’ll be touring.

TPP: As an artist you keep in really close contact Wynter Gordon performing at the NYC Homecoming Concert. with your fans, aside from the “Wynter Warriors” Ivonna Thompson | The Pace Press

and social media, what are other ways that you connect with them?

WG: A lot of my fans they DM me, or I give them an email, they hit me up personally with their issues and things like that…I come and talk [to them] so I can relate. They come see me at the shows and we kick it literally eat and stuff [and] have a good time.

TPP: Are there any artists who you want to work with but haven’t yet?

WG: There’s an artist named [singer] Jessie and the Toyboys, Masha, [rapper] Mz. Bratt and [singer] Labrinth a UK artist.

TPP: Are there any artists who you are currently working with both for singing and writing tracks?

WG: Nov. 17 the track on Tyga’s album [entitled] “The Fame” with me Tyga and Chris Brown. I’m working with Steve Valentine and Laidback Luke on my next single. It’s going [to be] in the works for the next couple of months and after that I will have a lot more releases.

TPP: How excited are you to be performing at the Pace University Homecoming Concert next week?

WG: I’m really really happy. I know Big Sean he’s a good friend so it’s nice to be performing amongst friends and I have my band with me and after the tour I’m just so excited to be able to perform with my band now and my music is evolving and I’m really showing all those sides of me now. I’m just happy [to perform] there and was asked to do it.

TPP: Is there anything else that you would like to add?

WG: Everyone bring your party hats, we’re going to have a good time and thanks to Pace for having me!

50/50 is guaranteed to please 100 percent of audiences DAMIEN MORGAN Contributor Based on true events from screenwriter Will Reiser’s life, the film 50/50 displays the traumatic experience that a cancer patient goes through just to make it through to the next day.

The film is about friendship, love, survival and humor in the most unlikely places that will make anyone leave the theater with a smile.

Adam (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is a 27-yearold writer for a radio show. He is a calm person that takes every precaution not to get injured in life, until he gets the diagnosis that changes his life.

With a tumor slowly growing on the vertebrate of his lower back, he soon learns that even being a safe person in life couldn’t stop him from having only a 50/50 chance of survival.

Accompanied by his best friend Kyle (Seth Rogen), Adam starts to learn to look on the brighter side of life and to have fun despite his illness.

Breaking up with an abusive girlfriend, going out to clubs, picking up girls and smoking all the medicinal marijuana they can get their hands on, Adam and Kyle are both living life to the fullest.

Suddenly, when Adam starts to think nothing of the cancer that is eating away at his back, life gives him a wake up call. While going through chemotherapy, he befriends two

older gentlemen who are also looking at cancer as just another hill in life.

When he goes to the doctor for a routine check-up, Adam realizes one of his new friends never shows up.

The reality of cancer taking a life from right in front of his eyes is too much for Adam to handle, and reminds him of what his tumor can really do to him.

This hurtful reality is the kind of heart wrenching feeling that one will get throughout the film, along with many others. Rogen, as always, does an amazing job at lightening the mood with hilarious moments alongside a very talented cast.

Anyone can easily relate their life to a moment in 50/50 or to one of the characters in the film. Whether it’s an abusive relationship with a significant other or knowing someone who has battled cancer themselves, this film has everything that could possibly be put into a single film.

With this being just a taste of what someone will experience in this meaningful film, there is still much more to be seen in it.

The movie, which was released on Sept.

30, is a must see.

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October 19, 2011

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Mates of State member describes life as an indie musician Jason Hammel sits down with The Pace Press to discuss music and life on tour OLIVIA BETETA Contributor Mates of State have been making music since 1997. The band is comprised of married couple, Kori Gardner and Jason Hammel. The American indie pop duo has released six full length albums and three EP’s. Their most recent album Mountaintops was released in early September.

The duo continues to record and go on tour with their two young children in tow.

Jason Hammel, half of the popular indie band, took a few minutes out of his packed schedule to talk to The Pace Press about everything from his latest album Mountaintops, to raising kids on the road.

For those who missed the band when they played at Webster Hall on Oct. 12, expect to see them this spring flooding the streets with their enticing tunes. Make sure to pick up a copy of their latest album out now.

The Pace Press (TPP): What was so different about Mountaintops as opposed to previous recordings?

Jason Hammel (JH): [For] Mountaintops, it took a while to find a muse. Some of our other records we just started writing and had an album, [for] this one there were starts and stops. We would get really inspired for three or four songs and then we’d stop for a couple months, move to a different location and do another three or four songs. Also, technically this was the first album we produced ourselves and ended up recording a lot of stuff ourselves. So when we took the sounds to mix, it sounded more cohesive. Self-producing was a big step and a big difference from a lot of the other records we did.

TPP: Well you can definitely hear that signature “Mates” sound on a lot of the tracks, but getting back to inspiration—did you guys have difficulty finding inspiration on this album and where did you find it?

JH: Honestly I can say that we both started doing martial arts and meditating and those are kind of two broad ends of the spectrum that teach you about fighting, physical fighting and resting and being still and focusing on

controlling your mind and your thoughts. It sounds like those two things are opposite and in a sense they are but they are really the same thing because they both take an immense amount of discipline and hard work and I think the record semantically held true to similar concepts.

TPP: Wow, that’s really unexpected. That idea of hard work can be heard in your song “Basement Money,” which basically describes all the work you have to do as an indie artist to survive in this economy. How has the economical decline affected you as an artist?

JH: Well, people have less money to spend and plus you can get music for free online so record sales are down for everybody and we’re included in everybody. And then you can see it in shows, people have less money to spend on t-shirts and stuff and that’s where we make a lot of our living. We’re effected by it, but we’re also in the mindset where you’re going to have a lot of peaks and valleys.

Every time we make a record, we’re kind of going out on a limb to get it made financially, it’s not cheap to make a record if you draw it out over lots of time, money starts to run out and then you have to go on tour again. Also, we’re trying to branch out and do a lot of different projects that help that cause too. Ultimately we’re affected like everyone else.

TPP: Speaking of other projects, you’ve previously looked to your fans to make music videos and have an active role in your music. Do you have anything like that in the works?

JH: Actually we made three videos for Mountaintops and we want to make another one for the song, “Unless I’m Led,” and we’ve actually toyed with the idea of having people submit videos again. I don’t know if we’re going to do that again, but with technology now it’s really easy and great for people to be involved for another aspect of our band. We’ve done stuff with titles and t-shirt designs, and you can get direct feedback from the people who are interested. It’s really exciting and we like getting people’s input on our music as the process is happening.

TPP: It’s great that you guys allow your fans to have such an active role in your music. Now I heard a rumor that you guys actually bring your kids on tour with you, do you ever find it strange having kids on tour with you?

JH: I don’t think so at all. I mean we had kids for a reason;

we actually wanted to have children. Most people think that when you have kids you have to settle down, stay home and be boring, for us it was ‘no you don’t. You can do exactly what you want to do as long as you’re involved in their livelihood and their development you don’t have to compromise anything. We’ve always believed that. We are musicians through and through and we’re going to make music because that’s what musicians do.

TPP: Do you feel it’s difficult to have a “regular” life with your non-stop touring and recording?

JH: It does get difficult, but overall it’s [not as] difficult than anybody else’s life, you just have to find a way to make it flow. It’s really not that crazy it’s just a bit different for us, it’s just not normal; I don’t think it’s abnormal, just irregular. But I also think we are of a modern age, I didn’t grow up the way my parents grew up and I definitely don’t want my kids to grow up the same way I grew up, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be upstanding individuals.

TPP: What do you find is the best part of your job and with that in mind, what advice would you offer other up and coming artists?

JH: The best part for me is playing live. I love that hour and a half we’re on stage every night because it’s where you connect, where you really feel like you’re expressing a song and connecting with the listener. As far as what people who want to be musicians, you just have to play and play all the time. Don’t get hung up on making it and getting signed to a label because the only way you can make it and get signed to a label is if you’re really good and the only way to get good is to play. So the only sure way to have any success in music is to play and play a lot, don’t ever stop playing and if you never stop playing I guarantee you will find listeners.

TPP: Last question, what are your plans after this tour?

JH: Well we are home for two weeks then we’re going out for another three to four weeks on the west coast.

Then we’ll take December off for the holidays and head off for another spring tour [and] maybe go to Europe and do some more summer stuff. Then we’re going to start making another record in the mean time.

Iggy Pop and Stooges biography disappoints true fans Head On does little to capture rock legends’ eccentricity

STEPHANIE HANSEN Arts Editor

Iggy Pop and the Stooges are true rock legends. With their obscure stage antics and simple, but mesmerizing sound, they paved a new way for rock music. In September, author Brett Callwood’s biography about the legendary band, “The Stooges: Head On,” was released.

One would expect the biography of one of the most outrageous bands in history to be equally outrageous.

Sadly, it was not. The book included a foreword by Alice Cooper. It’s simple and sweet and the fact that it’s Cooper gets the reader excited for a sick twisted ride with The Stooges.

Instead of a gnarly rollercoaster ride, the reader is subjected to something less like a ride and more like sitting in a rocking chair.

The book should have opened with some crazy twisted scene of Iggy Pop making out with David Bowie covered in peanut butter, and then back tracking to how they got to that point. Something like that would have given this book as much excitement that the band gave to music.

It begins by talking about members of the band, how they met and what they were like in high school, among

explodinginsound.com

other things. The book continues on to discuss the various bands that each member was in before finally coming together to form The Stooges.

There are a few fun stories in the mix, like the one about Iggy Pop splitting his pants at a show, but the other stories are underwhelming.

While reading the book it doesn’t really seem like reading, but more just waiting for something to happen— but it never does. The book goes on about the band and their disgusting living situation and suddenly they’re meeting with David Bowie.

Even things that seem like they would make great stories end up falling by the wayside, like Iggy Pop and his 14-year-old girlfriend, but it is just barely mentioned.

Everything in the book is treated that way. Every interesting bit of information or crazy story is thrown away by poor writing and the ill-conceived structure of the biography.

The book is about 200 pages, but it wasn’t worth going past page 90. It seemed pointless to continue reading. To a true fan of what The Stooges did, and who they were in the punk rock world, this biography was blasphemy.

“The Stooges: Head On” showed no “Lust for Life” when it came to the life of The Stooges.

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OWS draws comparisons to Arab spring, European summer PATRICK DEHAHN Contributor After the spring uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa and summer protests in Europe, the Occupy Wall Street (OWS) protests are beginning to refer themselves as a movement like those in the past year. The names of the other protests “Arab Spring” and “European Summer” have inspired protesters to call Occupy Wall Street the “American Fall” or sometimes the “American Autumn.”

According to Occupytogether.org, there are currently protests happening in 1,476 cities as of Oct. 13. The OWS protest taking place in Zuccotti Park has over 500 people staying there while tens of thousands of people have participated in weekly marches. It’s only a matter of whether or not people can take this protest seriously as they did with the “Arab Spring” and the “European Summer.”

While the OWS protesters have numerous issues they are standing up for, their main message has been the fact that they’re protesting against the strong relationship between big business and the government.

Assistant Director and Events Coordinator for the Center of Community Action and Research (CCAR) Daniel Botting isn’t sure about the potential of the OWS protests. “There is potential, they need to stick around if they want to get support from politicians,” Botting said.

“It’s going to be a real change if it continues. It depends

on the staying power.”

Botting refers to the Tea Party and their ability to work with politicians. He doesn’t see OWS potentially working with politicians as, “Occupy Wall Street, their image and their politics, there is a disparity between Occupy and the political officials in this nation. They need to find common ground if Occupy Wall Street wants change.” Botting states that he’s “not sure about this [possibility] at this point as Occupy has their own ideals and don’t see their areas of common ground.”

With the question of the OWS movement having the chance of eventually affecting U.S. policies, there’s an unknown answer but the potential can be there. Botting stresses the point of sustained power and willingness to work with people. “The longer they are there, the longer the media is covering it, the great[er] the influence and the greater the cohesive message is, they will be able to affect policies. They’re getting more focused and they’re not as nearly as chaotic as in the beginning,” Botting said.

“I think it’s impossible for this movement to not have an effect. It’s too big, and people are extraordinarily passionate. No one is leaving until change happens,” junior Kaitlynn Cornell said.

Depending on how long the protesters stay, Botting believes it will take months in order for the OWS protesters to consider themselves a movement like those in the Middle East and Europe.

Junior Alireza Vaziri believes people have had enough.

“People are being inspired by recent events in London and in the Middle East,” Vaziri said.

Cornell agrees, “If anything, this movement will be far larger, and go on much larger. It’s not just taking over the nation; it’s spreading across the Atlantic to London, Dublin, Sydney, Perth and elsewhere. This is the start of something big.”

Vaziri stated on the possibility of the government and big business working with the protesters, “If they are out there for longer than two months, through the winter, or even for a year, the higher-ups in the government and big business might end up talking to them.”

“The banks and big business will not give a chance for the audience to discuss their issues. With the unemployment, issues with the banks, it’s for the government to solve,” Botting said.

Botting is referring to a recent situation where politicians may work with the needs of the protesters as he refers to the Democrats attempting to connect with OWS in supporting President Barack Obama’s jobs bill. He stresses the point of finding common ground. “If there are issues politicians feel they can stand behind Occupy Wall Street’s, there will be change,” Botting said.

“Eventually, yes, I do believe such a talk is inevitable.

Of course this will have an effect on the political world; this is history in the making,” Cornell said.

Social media breeds early conclusions in trials LEANN MOREAU Contributor

Recently, social media has intently focused on two court trials. Amanda Knox and her ex-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito were tried and then acquitted in Italy of allegedly killing Knox’s roommate Meredith Kercher, while Casey Anthony was tried and found not guilty of allegedly murdering her two-yearold daughter Caylee.

If they were convicted on all charges, both crimes could’ve ultimately ended the lives of both women. Anthony’s prosecution was based off of evidence found in the trunk of her father’s car that she occasionally used which had been abandoned two weeks before Caylee was reported missing. The prosecution used a new controversial smell test to determine that the odor in the trunk of the car was from a decomposing body and a hair was also found, but a DNA match could not be determined to be specifically linked to any members of the Anthony family.

A knife found at Sollecito’s apartment, which was used during the trial as evidence, was later determined by forensics as the wrong kind of blade for the wounds that were inflicted to Kercher. There were also bloody footprints at the crime scene that were wiped up and bagged as evidence, as well as an overlap and contradictions in the statements made by Knox during her intensive initial questioning by the police.

With both cases having equal coverage and little physical evidence, two prime differences emerge between them that could determine where the American audience’s loyalty lies: where each woman was tried in court for her alleged crime and the identity of the murderer.

Anthony allegedly killed her daughter in Florida and was tried there while Knox’s trial was held in Italy and her victim was her roommate. Caylee’s young age and alleged death at the hands of her mother are what drew the attention of the social media to begin with. Before any evidence was really found at all, it was decided that Casey was the murderer in this tragedy.

These publicly viewed court cases for events that have no direct effect on the audience watching them is a new form of entertainment, an industry revolutionized by OJ Simpson and other celebrity court cases. America followed the trial of Simpson from watching his police chase to the not-guilty verdict. Although his case was widely watched because he was a former NFL star, he changed the way that Americans view court cases in the justice system.

The court case of OJ paved the way for Anthony to become infamous and Knox to be jeered and adored because of their trials. Books and movie deals have been thrown at them, with the same kind of reaction given to their hearings.

The public eagerly awaits Knox’s account of her three years in an Italian prison while demanding that Anthony not get a cent for any future projects.

As the nation waits for the next high profile case to follow around the clock on CNN, our undivided attention and eventual dismissal of these characters brings to light a deeper issue for the American public: the nation’s celebrity focused culture.

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Occupy Wall Street through the eyes of a University student PATRICK DEHAHN Contributor Junior Caitlin Richardson took part in the Occupy Wall Street protest at Zuccotti Park. “We [the protesters] want to get rid of the corruption [between the government and big business] and make a democratic revolution,” Richardson said.

The Pace Press (TPP): What was it like when you and the other Occupy Wall Street protesters took to the Brooklyn Bridge?

Caitlin Richardson (CR): I was on the roadway of the Brooklyn Bridge, we all went onto it. Half of the protesters were on the pedestrian walkway and half went on the roadway. As we were walking, there were people on the pedestrian walkway jumping onto the roadway.

The NYPD stopped us and made an announcement stating [that] we were going to be arrested for disorderly conduct and some kind of obstruction. I talked to people around me and we were like, ‘arrests?’ and we ran. I hauled myself up to the pedestrian walkway by putting a leg up and people helped me up. The buses came for the arrestees and I went back to the plaza. When I went back to the plaza (Zuccotti Park), I had feelings of rage. I was against the idea of what an American can do to another American, of what a police officer can do to a protester. I started to shout my favorite chant, ‘Show me what democracy is like’ and then people would repeat by saying, ‘This is what democracy looks like.’ Cops started to circle us at the square; they were closing in on us. Then it started to rain! The NYPD grabbed us and put us on the side of the sidewalk.

TPP: Going back to the beginning, what did you first think when you found out about the protests?

CR: When I first passed by it in a taxi that night, I was intrigued. I was very interested in it, so I started going down there. At first, I wondered the validity of it as I wasn’t so sure about everything. I talked to people, heard their issues. I saw their issues and connected them to my own.

TPP: Tell me about the Student Walkout and Occupy Wall Street march.

CR: I’m so excited, you don’t even know. We’re marching with the NYSR, the New York Student Rising. It is basically students leaving class, administration leaving and we’re marching to City Hall (It was later changed to Foley Square as the NYPD wouldn’t let them go near City Hall) to stand up against raising tuition, massive amounts

The Pace Press had the chance to talk with Richardson about taking part in the different protests that have occurred since Occupy Wall Street began on Sept. 17 and how she feels the NYPD is handling the situation. of debt. We pay for better education to have a better future and it’s a struggle to pay it back. It connects to Occupy Wall Street in this sense. It is important that we have the right to live. In this country, we have the right to live but how can we have the right to live when we can’t even afford to live?

TPP: Can you share about what kind of movement this is?

CR: It‘s not a socialist movement. It’s not a communist movement. We want to get rid of the corruption and make a democratic revolution. There is a massive wealth gap, there’s the 99 percent and the 1 percent who are wealthy.

They have the right to a great life and we have to struggle to have one. This movement was inspired by the Egyptian movement and the uprisings in the Middle East and in Europe. The thing is that the United States is so massive with all the 50 states. It’s going to be so hard to get all 50 states. But there are already so many “Occupys” in Boston, Kentucky, California, New Hampshire, even internationally in London and Germany.

TPP: What are your feelings on the meeting in Foley Square and the march to Zuccotti Park?

CR: I think the meeting in Foley Square was brilliant. There were speakers, musicians, poets, artists; all different people from different places that all had a common goal. I found it quite powerful to walk among other students but when we reached Foley Square to the mass of others, we were cheered on. When we joined them, there was such a sense of equality, strength and power. At first I was worried about the march returning to Zuccotti Park only for the reason that my freedom was [in] jeopardy and I didn’t want to spend the night behind bars. However, the police were quite controlled and we walked behind the barricades as to not obstruct traffic or whatever they felt we obstructed. The march was filled with rage. I felt it, people next to me felt it, and those on the sidewalk felt it. No one could escape chanting “This is what democracy looks like” or “ Corporate Greed has got to go.” Even those standing on the sidewalk passively as we stormed by became active through their joining in

(Bottom, Left): Protesters gathered in front of New York County Federal Court.

(Top, Right): OWS protester’s sign takes patriotic tone.

on the chants. I believe that the march was successful in terms of spreading the message. People from Pace came. I marched along side of them. We want change together. The fact that I was able to gather anyone at all makes me feel that anyone can turn a passivist into an activist. Also, The NYPD handled the march very well, or at least till night fell.

TPP: Once getting to Foley Square, what did you do?

What were some of the thoughts going through your head?

CR: After finally getting to the square, I was in a bit of shock and awe. The immense amount of people that were there not only amazed me but inspired me. Change is possible.

TPP: What happened afterwards? Did you partake in some of the mini-marches?

CR: After standing, staring into the sea of revolutionaries I wasn’t sure what to do. By that point I had been completely separated from those I knew and marched with. I began to make my way through this vast ocean of thought and allow myself to become a sponge of information. I wanted to listen to people, speak to people, hear people, understand people, be the people. I would join conversations about the environmental laws that need to be implemented then switch tides to another group where students are being encouraged to drop out of college, another wave then about JP Morgan and Chase funding the NYPD, then off to the music I went. I always found myself next to music. I suppose it’s because I love music but I also believe that music is in collaboration with revolution and change. Music can inspire and lead people. I was never in one place for too long that day. I wanted to soak up as much information as I could but also spread my beliefs too. I did partake in a mini march that attempted to truly march on Wall Street. That did not turn out so well considering they began to beat protesters once again and not just with threats of arrest, but with sticks and mace. The NYPD is being allowed to abuse their power without consequence. You know, being a cop is just another job. In fact, our government, banks, and corporations are after their pensions too. The day when cops will march among us and not kettle us is a day that marks progression. There is much left to be done and said—day 20 of the occupation and we are not going anywhere.

all photos by Patrick deHahn

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October 19, 2011

FEATURES

Former ‘Girl Next Door’ designs Halloween costume line CRAIG HELD Features Editor

Consumers are no strangers to the concept of the celebrity fashion line. Jessica Simpson, Nicole Richie and Gwen Stefani have hawked their goods for years but former “Girls Next Door” star and television personality Bridget Marquardt has thrown her hat in the ring but in her own way.

The Pace Press (TPP): What gave you the idea to do a line of costumes?

Bridget Marquardt (BM): I’ve always designed my own costumes while at the [Playboy] mansion for all of the parties and events there. And, I always thought it would be so much fun to have my own costume line one day! After talking to some friends about it one weekend, I realized, I didn’t know what I was waiting for!

I started taking meetings that next week and to my delight, people in the industry were interested in collaborating with me. I spoke with a few different companies before deciding to go with Roma Costumes.

TPP: What’s your favorite costume from the line?

BM: It is so hard for me to pick a favorite! Every time we were working on a particular costume, I would say “This is my favorite” and then we would move on to the next one and I would be like… “Oh wait, this is my favorite…” but if I really had to pick…I like the details on the pirate costume and I like that it can be worn as a two piece or a three piece costume.

But I also think the sexy Hef and peacock are pretty original...see what I mean, it’s too hard to pick! Just when I thought I was committing to an answer, I had to add a “but” in there!

TPP: What’s your favorite Halloween candy?

BM: Candy corns are a standard must have at Halloween time but they are not my favorite...I love chocolate and peanut butter and chocolate and caramel! So Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Twix, Snickers, Milky Way....yum! My mouth is watering just thinking about it! I also love sour candy! Sour Patch Kids, Starbursts, Skittles!

TPP: Do you have any plans to branch out into a regular fashion line?

BM: I don’t have any plans to branch out into a normal fashion line but I do want to expand on the Halloween brand; more costumes next year and adding accessories, shoes, make up, etc!

Marquardt teamed up with designer Sam Fard of Roma Costume to create her own line of Halloween costumes. Named, Bridget by Roma, the collection ranges from the classic sexy secretary and pirate to quirky newcomers like a feminized Hugh Hefner and an interesting two-piece with fruity details.

TPP: What else have you been up to since “Girls Next Door?”

BM: My boyfriend and I shot a pilot for our own reality show, which took a little to pitch, develop, shoot, etc. After getting it all done, the networks wanted “more drama,” this is something I refused to do. Nick and I don’t have a lot of drama in our life. We are very happy and have a lot of fun. I don’t want to add drama to our lives, not even just for a show. So, I’ve been working on some other TV projects and it looks like I’m pretty close to signing a deal on a new T.V. project, its still to early to dish all the details though.

TPP: Do you still keep in touch with Hef, Holly and Kendra?

BM: I still keep in contact with Holly mostly. Her and I speak, text, tweet multiple times a week. I still keep in touch with Hef as well. I pop over to the [Playboy] mansion every now and then to see how he is doing or [to] attend an event. I rarely see or talk to Kendra anymore, our schedules are completely different and I think she stays pretty busy with the baby!

ONLINE To see more costumes and also for a chance to enter the “Bridget By Roma” twitter contest, please visit Romacostume.com Or follow Bridget on twitter:

@Bridget