Oct9 by The Pace Press

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October 9, 2013

Volume 65 | Issue 4

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

University prepares for Homecoming 2013 MELISSA VARGAS Contributor

The fall semester is in full swing and University Homecoming events are already underway. Two big events have already happened on campus—the Study Abroad Fair and Career Services’ Job and Internship Fair, which seemed to be a success for many. Now it is time to be prepared for the Homecoming festivities. There are many events to attend, where students can go to meet

HOMECOMING Continued on PAGE 2

Acidcow.com

Zimbio.com Homecoming headliner B.o.B.

Homecoming opener French Montana

Pace Presents wows with acoustic show IRENE SCHULTZ Arts Editor The University adopted an open mic night feel this past week at the Michael Schimmel Center for the Arts. The Pace Presents Series, which typically offers a variety of classically mature performances to older aged audiences, is trying a new experiment here at the University. Instead of presenting professional and wellknown artistic performers, the Acoustic Underground show was created in order to identify and promote singer/song-writers in the New York area. On Thursday, Oct. 4, the inaugural session of this new experiment took place in the Schimmel Center as part of the 2013-2014 Pace Presents Series. The show consisted of three unique beginning artists who each did a set with a 10-minute intermission in between. The house was less than full. The setting was very casual and did not include an elaborate set or lighting design. Only one spotlight shone on the main performer. The stage and practically empty audience established a basement of a bar kind of atmosphere. The first to perform was Brooklyn native Melanie Penn, who awkwardly admitted as she entered the stage with her own acoustic guitar “I did see a lot of you before the lights went on and I don’t think a lot of you are students from Pace.” Penn worked the New York Broadway theatre scene for twelve years before becoming an independent singer/songwriter and releasing her first album. She began singing a song off her first album, during which the percussionist Ryan Vaughn who accompanied her onstage, along with a pianist and electric guitar, tied a rope of bells around his leg to shake as he used his hands on the drum, cymbal and egg shaker. Penn explained her method of song writing to the audience. “I tend to write about nature a lot and I think it’s because I spent my entire life in New York City so I don’t see it very much,” Penn admitted. Penn’s sweet feminine voice created a sound of summer sunshine fun or the music of a child’s car ride. Her voice had a

Fiction Family Reunion SHANNON MCMAHON News Editor

Phoebe Lyng and Lindsey Knapp backstage facebook.com/PacePresents good quality and tone. However, it was difficult to completely understand the lyrics she was singing. Receiving only one standing ovation from a single audience member, Penn’s performance received the least positive reaction and feedback. The second performer immediately confessed as he entered the stage, “The last time I played at a college I played at a frat.” Singer Andrew Rose Gregory, who grew up in Virginia, embodied a true hippy vibe with his long hair and free-spirited personality. With his talk of kayaking, birds and clouds, the country boy was a heartwarming breath of fresh air to the city music scene. Ben Davis, the eccentric head banging barefooted bass player attracted the

HOMELESS STUDENTS Continued on PAGE 6

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Jon Foreman of alternative rock band Switchfoot, and Sean Watkins of folk/bluegrass band Nickel Creek have come quite a way since releasing their fortuitous first full-length selftitled album, Fiction Family in 2009. Just a few short months ago they celebrated the successful launch of their second album, Fiction Family Reunion. Recorded over the span of two years, the latest album shows immense growth, with the biggest difference being new band members, bassist Tyler Chester and drummer Aaron Redfield, expanding the folk family and giving the album a fuller sound. Original members Foreman and Watkins recently took some time out of their busy tour schedules to disucss their musical journeys both inside and outside of Fiction Family. The Pace Press: So how did you and Jon decide to form the band and pursue this project together? Sean Watkins: We live near each

Continued on PAGES 8, 9

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October 9, 2013

Barilla pasta chairman blasts gay family unit Pasta giant faces backlash after offensive comments

NOAM SCHULDENREIN Contributor Guido Barilla, chairman of Barilla pasta, recently announced to the public that he does not want gay couples involved in advertising or promoting his products. His remarks stirred controversy and infuriated many individuals across the country. Following the remarks, a number of people have refused to buy Barilla products. “I would never do a commercial with a homosexual couple, not because I don’t respect gays, but because we don’t agree with them,” said Barilla. “Ours is a classic family where the woman plays a fundamental role…If gays don’t like it, they can go eat another brand.” Apparently, he made these comments because he values the “traditional family,” leading individuals to believe that he does not believe gay individuals are an accurate representation of a “traditional” family. This has left many questioning whether or not the chairman of one of the most famous pasta companies is homophobic. Given his casually controversial remarks, many are labeling him exclusively homophobic. His comments triggered an immediate public response, prompting a flood of Twitter hashtags ending in #boycottbarilla. Furthermore, Barilla also said that he doesn’t support gay adoption. While he generally respects gay marriage, saying that while he “absolutely doesn’t respect adoption in gay families,” he respects gay marriage because it “concerns people who want to contract marriage.” Barilla maintained that he doesn’t respect gay adoption because it “concerns a person who is not the people who decide to marry.” The fact that the chairman of one of the most well-known food companies is so insensitive has left many individuals uncomfortable and angry. Despite the fact that Barilla apologized profusely for his comments following the public’s outrage, most people are not buying his apology and are still planning on boycotting Barilla products. Most people believe that his comments towards gay families are unforgivable. According to Rich Ferraro, vice-president of communications for GLAAD, “Homophobia is bad for business-plain and simple.”

Chairman Guido Barilla

metro.us

Pace Homecoming 2013

Photo Extravganza, Oktoberfest and French Montana

Opening act DJ Earworm

cnn.com MELISSA VARGAS Contributor

continued from FRONT PAGE and mingle with others in the University community. From Oktoberfest and the Pep Rally to the Homecoming concert, there are many events to choose from. Frankie Valdez, sophomore, shared, “I am looking forward to homecoming, for the festivities leading up to it, like the homecoming concert and Oktoberfest.” The many different events have already been posted up on the University’s homecoming website. On Oct. 18 is the Homecoming Welcome Reception, which will be located at the Student Union. Join Dean Nira Herrmann as she kicks off Homecoming Weekend at a complimentary cocktail reception and showcase of the University’s musical theater students as they perform a private concert just for the community in the new Performing Arts building at 140 William Street. As a part of Homecoming, students will be able to purchase tickets to Broadway shows starting from $45. This year there are a variety of shows students will have access to, including Wicked, Motown, Annie, Lion King, Matilda, and Newsies. “Homecoming is a great opportunity for students, parents, alumni, and faculty to connect at various events, while showing Pace pride and celebrating the new school year,” said junior Marisch Perera.

One of the most anticipated homecoming events is the homecoming concert. Two years ago popular artists such Big Sean, Busta Rhymes and Wynter Gordon performed and one year ago the headliner was rapper 2 Chainz, but that was not all. There was also a surprise appearance by the one and only Kanye West himself. This surprise had a lot of the students who did not attend homecoming concert regretting their decision. Now this adds more thrill and excitement to see if there will be any surprises at this year’s concert. This year the homecoming concert is on Oct. 17 from 8pm to 2am. Doors will open at 8pm, and no reentry will be permitted after 11pm. Students who have night classes need not worry as they will have plenty of time to make it to the concert before the main acts come on. Tickets are $15 for University students and $25 for non-students. DJ Earworm and French Montana will be opening up the show while B.o.B will headline. “I am super excited to see the homecoming concert! There are always tons of surprises,” shared sophomore Chanda Daniels. So whether students are into Broadway shows, concerts or just want to share University spirit with friends, the Programming and Campus Entertainment Board and Student Development and Campus Activities have set up a wide arrangement of activities students can be part of.

INFO BOX: Homecoming events include: Oct. 7- 11: Homecoming King and Queen voting. Make sure to Cast your vote! Oct. 14: From 11:00am-4:00pm there will be the annual Photo Extravaganza with T-Bone, the school mascot. Join in the fun and take a picture with the famous T-bone and the picture might even end up being the photo of the week! Oct.16: From 12:00-5:00pm, the University will have their annual Oktoberfest will take place in the Courtyard, Student Union, and Frankfort Lot. Join in for an afternoon of authentic Oktoberfest food, and various fun activities and games.

October 9, 2013

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“ObamaCare” dispute results in government shutdown Healthcare debate causes government workers become furloughed

radioboston.wbur.org TAYLOR FALLS Contributor This past week the republican party amended a bill to be passed through the Senate to delay the enactment of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, commonly known as ObamaCare. Despite republican opposition, the act was put into effect on Tues., Oct. 1 with the push of the Obama Administration. Preceding the enactment, late Monday night, the public was informed that the government had been declared in a temporary shutdown because of the unresolved debate over the funding of the upcoming fiscal year. Republican officials argued that ObamaCare would create a deficit in the annual budget, which resulted in halting all government activity until a compromise is reached. Republican Speaker of the House, John Boehner spoke to USA Today and accused democrats and President Barack Obama of being parochial and not compromising with the republicans. “This is part of a larger pattern: the President’s scorched-Earth policy of refusing to negotiate in (a) bipartisan way on his health care law, current government funding or the debt limit.” The republican view on the matter is to limit funding for ObamaCare, which will in turn limit the function of the act or even abolish the act entirely. That is their primary goal in the debate. Their initial approach was to delay the Act for a year, hoping that after a year there wouldn’t be enough funding to enact the Bill. President Obama and the Democratic Party have completely shot down the idea and every following compromise since, saying they will not be brought to the negotiation table with a gun to their heads. Democratic officials are pushing ObamaCare to be operating in full effect as soon as possible. President Obama specifically declared that he is in full support of enacting the bill no matter the circumstance. The President stated in a speech to inform the American people of the reason for the government shutdown, saying,

“Republicans in the House of Representatives refused to fund the government unless we defunded or dismantled the Affordable Care Act.” His ultimate goal is to keep the bill in effect and restart the government with the Republican’s support. The shutdown is affecting more than just the officials; many government jobs are currently working with no pay

over a disagreement on Medicare. Relative to the last shutdown, the expected cost per day is averaged at about $300 million. Individuals will not be allowed a range of governmental functions, from being able to visit public parks like the Statue of Liberty in New York City, to filing for a passport, until further notice. The only way to solve the problem is to have a formal debate and negotiation

“I think it is completetely ridiculous that both political parties cannot come up with a compromise” -Hope Reichard, Freshman

until the government is up and working again. They will likely receive back pay but as of right now no pay is given to workers. “I think it is completely ridiculous that both political parties can not come up with a compromise, this is why George Washington’s policies stated that it was unconventional to more than one party running government,” stated freshman Hope Reichard. Jasmyn Peterson, freshman, offered her opinion on the matter stating, “I think it’s careless and irresponsible. The Republicans are acting as though if they cant get their way no one can have any way, it’s not even shutting down what they are fighting for, its affecting parts of the government that are crucial for operating of the country.” This is a first in 17 years that the government has been put in a full shutdown, the last time being in 1996

between democrat and republican house members. Regardless of the debates and government shutdown, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was put into effect on Oct. 1 and is up and running. Everyone in the United States has access by logging on to HealthCare. gov. Individuals can choose from different plans and options that are affordable and adequate as a form of health care. So far, the one central complaint with the online program is that the government underestimated the initial reaction individuals would have by logging on as soon as the program went up. The site, for many, has had problems with glitches and slow processing, but it is to be expected in such an early stage. No deal has been made to date, and the government remains in a state of shutdown.

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THE PACE PRESS EDITORIAL BOARD Olivia Beteta Editor-in-Chief Erick Mancebo Associate Editor

October 9, 2013

Apple steals Coca-Cola crown

Tech giant rises above coke as most valuable brand

Nicole Morales Copy Editor Damien Morgan Creative Director Shannon McMahon News Editor Irene Schultz Arts Editor Thatiana Diaz Features Editor Omnia Khamis Advertising Manager Sarah Aires Web Editor Michael TJ Williams Social Media Manager Stephanie Hsu Faculty Consultant

coroflot.com ELIZABETH POORAN Contributor There is a new most valued brand in town. Apple has made it to the top of Interbrand’s Best Global Brands list for this year, topping Coca-Cola. Coca-Cola had been in first place since 2000, when most people still considered Apple to be a fruit. Now the company lies in third place with a value of $79.2 billion while Apple rose 28 percent to $98.3 billion. Google takes second place with a value of $93.3 billion.

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.

“Apple is innovative. They have a great marketing team... and they were able to break records” -Vanessa Lopez, Sophomore

The Pace Press welcomes guest editorials and letters from students, faculty, administration and staff. The Pace Press reserves the right to not publish any submitted material, both solicited and unsolicited. All submissions must include the author’s full name and contact information. The Pace Press 41 Park Row, Rm. 902 New York, NY 10038 www.pacepress.org editor@pacepress.org Copyright 2013

overtaken Nokia in 2012. The list shown displays the top 10 firms for 2012 and 2013 respectively. Jez Frampton, the CEO of Interbrand mentioned a memorable quote stated by Henry Ford: “If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.” They didn’t know that they’d soon have this necessity for a car, until Ford gave it to them. In this sense, millions of Apple consumers didn’t know that they’d need an iPad or iPhone, until Apple gave that to them. Vanessa Lopez, sophomore, stated “It isn’t surprising

Factors such as customer loyalty, brand influence and financial performance are what determined the companies’ ranking. CNN reports that Apple’s boost in ranking could be credited to its rising presence and popularity in China. Samsung was able to top Apple in the total number of smartphones sold worldwide. However, during the first weekend of the new iPhone release, over nine million units were sold, compared to the five million sold after the release of the iPhone 5 last year. The number of tech brands featured on the list has been increasing over the years as technology continues to advance. Other notable companies on the list include IBM, Microsoft, McDonald’s and Facebook down in fifetysecond place. This marks its second year on the list. Speaking of Facebook, Coca-Cola still remains far ahead of Apple pertaining to the number of “likes” each has on Facebook, which is a shocking 73.2 million to just 9.8 million for Apple and 15.1 million for Google. Facebook is also the only social network site that is currently on the list. Nokia, which once had the largest share of the mobile device market, fell dramatically to fifety-seventh place; the biggest decline the list has ever had, while Blackberry made it completely off the list. Samsung Electronics Co. had

[that Apple is now the most valued brand]. Honestly, a lot of us are obsessed with Apple products. I have a MacBook and an iPhone and most of my friends have Apple iPhones and computers. And Apple is innovative—they have a great marketing team and they were able to break records on their release of the iPhone 5.” With Apple releasing a new phone almost every year, the craze continues, the lines outside the Apple store get longer, and consumers continue to empty their wallets. The new iOS7 update that was released last month may have been but a minor change with new graphics for some people, but for others it was a whole new experience. From that one can conclude that the Apple craze will continue to go on as long as they continue to introduce new ideas to the market. Apple has come a long way since CEO Tim Cook was appointed. Cook is thirty-fifth in place on Forbes’ Most Powerful People list. Just last year, it had been named the most valuable company in history in terms of market capitalization. Frampton stated, “Tim Cook has assembled a solid leadership team and has kept Steve Jobs’ vision intact--a vision that has allowed Apple to deliver on its promise of innovation time and time again,” expressing great confidence in Apple’s current CEO.

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October 9, 2013

ARTS

Music and art come together in Broken Circle Foreign film premieres to great reviews in the US

MICHAEL TJ WILLIAMS Social Media Manager The Broken Circle Breakdown has just been selected as Belgium’s official selection for the Academy Award for the Best Foreign Language Film. Felix Van Groeningen directed and co-wrote this drama that stars Veerle Baetens and Johan Heldenbergh. The foreign film has already garnered various international accolades including the Panorama Audience Award at the 2013 Berlin International Film Festival, in addition to the Best Actress in a Narrative Feature and Best Screenplay for a Narrative Feature at the 2013 Tribeca Film Festival. The film focuses on the relationship between tattoo artist Elise (Veerle Baetens, The White Queen) and bluegrass musician Didier (Johan Heldenbergh). Elise and Didier connect through their mutual interest for American music and culture, and they unexpectedly fall in love at first sight. Their great love affair is challenged when their daughter suddenly becomes ill with terminal cancer. There are numerous American references in the film that make this Belgium film more relatable to audiences in the United States. “Will the Circle be Unbroken” and “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” are two of the American songs that are featured in the movie and former President Bush is depicted twice on the television screen: Once for his post-9/11 speech and the other for his statement on vetoing stem-cell research. In addition, all of the songs are sung in English. Jyliann Davis, sophomore, explained, “The movie seems very American for a foreign film because of the bluegrass music and the singing in English. We can definitely relate to the music sung throughout in addition to relating to the universal situations the main characters are in.”

Themes of death, the American dream and religion are seen throughout this film. Didier gives a very powerful speech that speaks out against religion saying, “The world is obsessed with religion.” Didier continues, “God is the most evil person in literature,” describing him as a killer and a homophobe. No matter what beliefs someone may have, this particular scene in the movie has the power to make someone reevaluate their views, especially when audiences see the tragic experiences the family goes through. Veerle Baetens, with the stunning eyes of Julia Roberts and the strong presence of Hilary Swank, stars as the female lead Elise. She gives a gut-wrenching performance as a mother who just lost her daughter to cancer. She was recognized for her acting accomplishment at the 2013 Tribeca Film Festival, where she was awarded Best Actress in a Narrative Feature. The jurors at the Tribeca Film Festival stated, “We’ve selected a woman who shows herself to be a totally committed and fiercely versatile actress. Veerle Baetens’ character goes from a sunny free spirit to grieving wife and mother, and no matter where we are in the course of that journey, this actress shows us the light burning inside her character, one that both sustains and destroys. She is the heart and soul of the movie, and her performance is nothing short of a tour de force.” Baetens and Heldenbergh both give great performances and share great chemistry onscreen. They portray characters that drastically change throughout the film after the unexpected happens, twice. The young actress, Nell Cattrysse, plays the role of their daughter Maybelle. Her character goes through all the steps of a cancer patient, and through this role, Cattrysse is a promising newcomer to the film industry. Cattrysse can be seen in another film with Baetens this upcoming month called Het Vonnis.

Lead actor Heldenbergh co-wrote the successful play that The Broken Circle Breakdown is actually based on. Director Felix Van Groeningen and Carl Joos then adapted the play for the screen. Groeningen’s directing has earned him a spot in Variety’s “10 European Directors to Watch.” This is only his fourth feature, and he uses unorthodox camera shots throughout the film to show the passing of time. Additionally, he is able to simultaneously alternate between past and present without confusing an audience’s perception of time. Bluegrass music is a vital component to this film. The bluegrass songs and the film’s score were composed by Bjorn Eriksson. Baetens and Heldenbergh do their own singing in the film, truly giving it an authentic feel. The soundtrack has been number one on the soundtrack charts in territories where it’s already been released and in Belgium, it has become the best-selling soundtrack of all time. The film’s two lead actors are also part of the Broken Circle Breakdown Bluegrass Band, and they have an upcoming tour in Europe that is already sold out through 2014. Savannah McCauley, sophomore, said, “I am not a huge bluegrass fan, but I feel that it is necessary to the storyline and helps to intertwine the two main characters. The film looks really good because of the bluegrass music, the contrasting characters and the unique cinematography. It is on my list of movies to see.” Yahoo Movies described the movie in a review as, “A brilliant heartbreaker… A cross between Walk the Line and Blue Valentine.” The Broken Circle Breakdown has been picked up by Tribeca Film following its run at the 2013 Tribeca Film Festival. The movie is scheduled to be released on Nov. 1 at Sunshine Cinema in New York, which will then be followed by a national release.

imdb.com

ARTS

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October 9, 2013

Pace Presents series off to a good start Django’s Dream MAX ONOFRE Contributor This month in New York, the 9th Gypsy festival was celebrated again from Sept. 19 - Oct. 5. On behalf of the Pace Presents series at the Michael Schimmel Center for the Arts, the University was able to have a musical performance to take part in the month long celebration. Stephane Wrembel, a guitarist and composer from France, set up the performance. It was titled “Django’s Dream,” part of a swing festival dedicated to the music of Jean “Django” Reinhardt. After introductions were said, Alfonso Ponticelli took the stage. Immediately, the empty stage was filled as he began playing. Reinhardt is famous for inventing an entirely new style of jazz guitar technique by using only the index and middle fingers on his left hand, that has since become a living musical tradition within the French Gypsy culture. Wrembel put it best when he stated that, “DJango’s music is guitar. Without guitar, there is not music.” The leads of each set heavily featured the guitar, and while all of them centered on the theme and sound of gypsy music, each had their own style that was brought on by their individual cultural influences. Alfonso Ponticelli, a guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, and leader of Chicago’s Swing Gitan, was the first act of the swing festival. Ponticelli’s music is profoundly influenced by the Spanish style of flamenco, as well as being inspired by the passionate music of Italy during childhood vacations.

IRENE SCHULTZ Arts Editor continued from FRONT PAGE eyes of every audience member as he was completely immersed in his music, which he played from his button-up shirt covered instrument. The same pianist and electric guitarist joined Gregory and Davis onstage Gregory performed covers in addition to his own songs. Gregory does many covers of artists including Bob Dylan and Lana Del Rey. His most popular song was titled “New Year’s Eve,” which told the humorous story of a tragic holiday he experienced with a girl when he was less than sober. The audience reacted with audible laughter to amusing lyrics along the lines of “your dress was so small and my drink was so tall.” Gregory is most famous for making comedy music for YouTube videos as his day job. He is the creator of the viral YouTube sensations “AutoTune the News” and “Songify This” with his brothers. Gregory also lives in Brooklyn, NY, along with Penn who accompanied him onstage

acousticguitar.com

During his time on the stage, Ponticelli played solos to start out with, only including his guitar. He then called forward a bassist, another guitarist, and a drummer, adding to his musical style. The smooth tones of jazz were eloquently placed in the background, while a jittery flamenco and gypsy theme were put in the foreground, alluring audience members to sway their heads and enjoy the music without having to think. The next act was Kamlo, whose real name is Pierre Barre. While Kamlo was born in France, his family moved to Spain when he was very young. Because of this, his gypsy music has inspirational roots of both the French tones and the Spanish ones. Kamlo has worked with Eva Slongo, a violinist, for many of his albums, and was able to get her to come with him as a special guest. As both Kamlo and Slongo played the time away, their music calmed and entranced the audience. Finally, to the joy of many, Stephen Wrembel

came out. James King, a member of the audience, said his son had recommended the show because of Wrembel. “Michael told me that if I wanted to listen to the best, then I had to see Stephen. He couldn’t believe how perfectly timed my trip to New York was,” King gleefully stated. His family comes from Gypsy roots, and recently he had decided to find out a little more about the culture. Wrembel, who learned the spirit of Gypsy music at French campsites in the countryside, is an icon to the followers of Gypsy music. He was even recruited by Woody Allen to score the theme song to the film, Midnight in Paris. And Wrembel sure played up the part of the idol, spellbinding the audience to listen to his catchy and riveting music. Like the others, he knew how to fill the theatre with a powerful sound. At the end of the night, the audience was gifted with a final act of all three performers combining into one singular spectacle. Ponticelli, Kamlo and Wrembel, accompanied by Slongo and the band, astounded the audience by performing together on the stage and giving an amazing culmination to the show. At the opening of the show, the stage was empty, abandoned and small, but by the close of the night, these men managed to fill not only the stage but the audience with a burst of energy worthy of the Gypsy swing festival.

Acoustic Underground

for a beautiful duet of a Hebrew testament love poem song. The final performer was a strong female vocalist Phoebe Lyng. As soon as she began to sing, it was clear that the best was saved for last. Lyng featured the most mature voice out of the artists, which can be attributed to her theatre and Broadway background as a child growing up with acting parents. Born and raised in Manhattan, a lot of Lyng’s work is geared toward causes. For example, several of her songs have been donated to CD’s that benefit the poor and sexual abuse victims of NYC. As she said, “Songs are a way to pray without it being ‘prayer-y’.” Commenting on her donated songs and charity work, Lyng described it as a powerful and magical experience to be able to help. She explained one of her songs called “Washington Heights” was a prayer to new beginnings and a fresh start. Lyng’s friend Lindsay Knapp joined her onstage to sing the higher soprano harmony as the background vocalist. Again, Vaughn, the talented percussionist, impressed with a tambourine tied to the bottom of his foot, a maraca in the shoe of his opposite foot and a rain stick in his hands. Each song in her set was about a different experience with a different guy she had dated. This made her performance comic and relatable. Lyng described it as “basically singing my diary to anyone who

will listen.” The funniest song of her set was entitled “Bad Date,” which recalled her first and last online dating experience. The same bass player Davis had previously walked in on her practicing this song in the green room before the show started and was snagged to join her in improvisation during the hilarious song. The song and its relatable lyrics made the audience laugh the hardest out of the entire evening, causing her to receive the biggest applause. Lyng left the audience with one last piece

“I tend to write about nature a lot and I think it’s because I spent my entire life in New York City so I don’t see it very much” -Melanie Penn

of advice. She explained how being raised by struggling actors persuaded her to pursue a steady good job with benefits. Admitting, “Recently I did the whole leave the day job to pursue the dream.” She advised “Whatever it is that you do that you can’t because of your day job don’t give it up because its happier. Scarier. But happier.” These words of inspiration emphasize the exact reason for the new acoustic underground experiment. Pace Presents will host the second acoustic underground this winter in which University students are encouraged to participate in order to promote their own songwriting talents and become one step closer to achieving their artistic dreams. Acoustic Underground: Session 2 will take place on Feb. 27 at 7:30 pm.

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October 9, 2013

ARTS

Haunted Houses frighten NYC this month

Blackout

blackoutnyc.com

Nightmare: Killers 2

STEPHANIE PITERA Contributor

sammymena.com Blood Manor

Times Scare

With Halloween quickly approaching, many University students are looking for ways to have some good, scary fun. Fortunately for students, New York City is home to some of the most horrifying haunted attractions in the country. For many, haunted house visits are a fun tradition that makes the Halloween season all the more enjoyable. “I love the thrill of going to a haunted house. It’s like an adrenaline rush, it’s amazing,” said freshman Ashley Unangst. One of the most twisted haunted houses in the city is Blackout. Unlike traditional haunted houses, Blackout does not feature ghosts, witches, clowns, or zombies. Instead, the attraction works to terrify those who choose to walk through by simulating real-life fears and scenarios. Freshman Parker Stanley, who has been to dozens of haunted houses, was one of the brave few to visit blackout. “I personally didn’t find blackout scary, but I did see about three other people walk out of it on the brink of tears and a mental breakdown. It was unlike anything I had ever done before,” Stanley said. Unlike most haunted houses, at Blackout, the actors are allowed to touch those who walk through. However, this attraction is not for everyone. In order to enter blackout, you must be at least 18 years of age and sign a mandatory waiver. If at any time the attraction becomes too intense, thrill-seekers are encouraged to scream a safety word, which allows him/her to be escorted out of the building. However, no refunds will be given to those who choose to leave the house early. This year’s Blackout is located at 164 Eleventh Ave, between 22nd and 23rd streets. Admission is one of

downtowntravler.com

the most expensive in the city at $65 per ticket. Blood Manor, located at 163 Varick Street, has been named “the scariest place in the city” by Access Hollywood. HauntWorld.com also named it one of the top haunted houses in the country. With over 5,000 square feet of different rooms and passageways, patrons walk through the house in groups of six. Unlike Blackout, the actors at Blood Manor are not allowed to touch those walking through. Tickets can be purchased for $35 at the door. However, the manor offers student discounts on Oct. 13, 17, 20, and 24 with the presentation of a valid high school or college ID. Students receive a $10 discount on student nights. Nightmare: Killers 2 is another haunted house that offers discounts to students. On certain nights in October, students are given $20 admission upon showing a valid school ID. This attraction is the sequel to last year’s extremely successful Nightmare Killers. When asked how they liked Nightmares: Killers 2, many university students said it was the best haunted house they had been too. Those who decide to walk through the house also get to choose whether or not the actors are allowed to touch them. If patrons are ok with being touched by actors, staff members draw two ‘X’s” on their forehead. The house is located at 107 Suffolk Street, between Rivington and Delancy. Regularly priced admission is $35 when purchased at the door, or $30 when purchased in advance. New York City’s only year-round haunted house, Times Scare, is another option for students looking for something fun to do during the Halloween season. Located in a real haunted building in the heart of Times Square, Times Scare is popular among both tourists and New York residents. The building is located at 42nd and 8th streets and includes both the haunted house and full-service restaurant, the Crypt Café. Admission to Times Scare is $27.

tscare.com

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October 9, 2013

ARTS

Ficton Family comes back with second album Fiction Family Reunion

Fictionfamily.com Tyler Chester, Jon Foremsn, Sean Watkins and Aaron Redfield.

SHANNON MCMAHON News Editor continued from FRONT PAGE other in North San Diego, and I grew up there and lived for seven years in the neighboring town from Jon’s. We were aware of each other’s bands, being local bands, but we never met each other until we played a show in downtown San Diego, called the Street Scene. We were playing opposite each other in the same area. I went back and thought, “this is stupid that I don’t know these guys and we live so close together!” So I found their dressing room, and we chatted and traded numbers and said, “hey we should write songs and hang out.” And usually you do that and nothing ever happens, but we ended up running into each other at a coffee shop that we both go to all the time a month or so later and ended up both taking some time off and started writing songs together and thought we’d make an EP. Then we had seven songs, and then we thought oh, why don’t we just make it 10 songs and make it a record. So, it just kind of evolved over time into something that we wanted to put out into the world. TPP: How did you manage to record two albums with commitments to other bands and touring? SW: The first one was very much kind of an accident almost—we just started recording songs we’d been writing and then after a while we had enough to make a record. It was probably close to a year and a half or so—it was a while—when we were home and both off. We did a lot of emailing of songs back and forth and then we finished it and had the record done, and we gave it to Jon’s management. They gave it to a couple record companies and one wanted to put it out. And so we thought, this is cool, let’s block off a month or two and play some shows. The second was about

two and a half years, so we just recorded it till we had enough songs and found a time slot in between tours. We try to play as much as we can, but it’s tough. Jon Foreman: You figure out how to do the things you love. I’m really fortunate to have a job that I love, both in Fiction Family and Switchfoot and playing solo music. I feel like all three of them are different outlets that allow me to say different things and I appreciate all three for different reasons. And so the element of balancing is just a matter of trying to make sure that nothing gets in the way of the other. TPP: When did you pick up other members Tyler Chester and Aaron Redfield? SW: When Jon and I made the first record it was just he and I on the tracks for the most part. My sister was on a couple—she played violin on a couple—but when it came time to tour we needed some people to help play other parts. So, Aaron is a drummer that plays with Jon a lot when he does solo things, and Aaron suggested we get Tyler to play bass and other keyboards and other things. So, we sort of hired them as our band to come out on tour in early ‘09 and the record came out and it quickly became apparent that this was a four piece band—we loved it so much, and loved each other so much we just kind of assimilated them into the band and now it’s the four of us, and any less than the four of us and it’s not Fiction Family. TPP: How do you know when a song is “done”? SW: It’s hard to know. A lot of times the writing process is elusive. A lot of times with Jon he’ll have a record and write a song down and he’ll send me a mp3 of it and sometimes I’ll have something done and play it for the guys and sometimes there’s comments made and sometimes I’ll say, “that’s great the song is done, we just have to record it.” You just have to be

sensitive to each other and not be afraid to speak your mind. It’s a delicate thing sometimes, but things are really good between us and we know when a song is done. And if it isn’t done, sometimes we just let it sit for a while and come back to it and have some ideas. And sometimes the song is too done—you’ve added too much to it, and you need to take something away. It’s tough. I think you just have to trust each other’s judgment. It’s all about communication and trusting each other. JF: [laughs] That’s probably the hardest question you’ve asked! I don’t know that you ever know when it’s done, you just kind of stop. You can be done with a lyric, you can be done with a melody but when you’re recording, especially now days, you can always add something more onto it. You can also make horrible mistakes trying to make something better. Sometimes you’ve got to put the paintbrush down and step away from the canvas, just walk away.

TPP: Have you ever thought of touring Fiction Family exclusively and more extensively after the success with “Heavy and Light” tour? SW: Yeah, it’s been really great. The “Heavy and Light” tour was kind of the only real touring we did for this, and that was with a lot of other people and it was a really fun tour. I hope we can do a tour at some point that’s just us, sort of a headlining tour where we can play more. We played maybe a half hour every night. But the response was really good and people seem to like the new music and everything seems great. JF: Yeah, Sean, Aaron and Tyler have different musical projects so Fiction Family is kind of what we do whenever it works out in everyone’s schedule. Hopefully it wont be too long before we get back together for another tour. TPP: Jon—there’s been a few Switchfoot

Amazon.com Fiction Famlily album cover.

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October 9, 2013 shows here in NYC, and the energy is always really amazing. How did you become such a good performer— were you always comfortable on stage? Are you ever hard on yourself when you make a mistake? JF: You know, that’s a great question. When I first started making music I hated being on stage, because I’m not driven to play music to be in front of people. I just love music and love the songs and the spotlight felt really uncomfortable. In fact, that’s one of the reasons I like going into the crowd—because it feels more comfortable being off stage than on stage. So over the first few years of playing music I realized that, at first you think: there’s wrong notes, there’s chaos, strings break, guitars go out of tune, what happens—it’s not the way I want it, it’s not the way I planned it, it’s not the way I spent all my time recording it. But over the years I’ve kind of learned to embrace the chaos and recognize that that’s a beautiful part of music. Live music is chaos. It’s finding the harmony within the chaos, and for me that became what I enjoyed about live music. TPP: How would you say this album different from the first Fiction Family album? JF: That’s a good question. The first Fiction Family record was primarily Sean and I on off time just working in our respective home studios, which consists of a couple microphones and a couple guitars and we’d play whenever we got a chance. And realistically, there’s no pressure on it, no thought of, “oh this has to come out.” It’s just, this is just for fun, two friends working on music for fun. We toured that first one and we ended up touring with Aaron and Tyler and joined forces with them and ended up thinking this is so special, this particular concoction of musicians that we’ve found, we’ve gotta make another record. And so the second record is much more of a band, and a lot of the songs—most of the songs— were recorded all in one room together one take, vocals included; so you can hear the drums in the vocal mic, the vocals in the drum mic, and it’s all just one sound. It’s just basically a live band. We really wanted to capture that magic that you feel live. TPP: Is there a level of recognition or fame you can get these days while still maintaining an honest identity? Fiction Family’s music is very transparent, but I don’t know that it’s possible for everyone to achieve the same level of success while being as straightforward and honest with music and performing. It seems more likely that you have to change your name, move towns, and maybe even come out wearing a meat dress to earn any recognition or fame these days. SW: There’s a whole lot of ways getting attention. You can hire someone to be your publicist, you can do some crazy things, you can get arrested or make a record that’s shocking in some way. For Jon and I, the attention we want to get is to get our songs out and who we

are and anything more than that would seem a little over the top. It’s just not who we are. JF: I don’t necessarily have a definitive answer. I think I would quote E.E. Cummings, and say “being yourself in a world that tries to turn you into everyone else is the hardest part.” For me it’s always a temptation to try and put a mask on, because it’s a lot easier to be rejected for a mask than for who you really are. But, masks can be difficult to wear. You can kind of be behind the mask and be a different persona, but for me that’s never been my strong point, I’m not a good actor. I kind of just have to wear it on my sleeve and put my cards down and be myself. TPP: Do you anticipate more Fiction Family and records to come? SW: Yeah, we’d definitely love to make more records. I know that if it at some point it makes sense and we’ve got some time to make more of a commitment of it, then that would be really cool. It’s hard to see right now but maybe in a year or so we’d see what our situation would be, and we’d wan to do that, it’s just a matter of when and if it’s possible. TPP: How did you decide to leave college and pursue music? Did you ever have any doubts about it as a career path? JF: Well, I never thought of it as a career path. For me, it was just something that I loved to do. I’ve been bands ever since junior high. I was in a Led Zepplin cover band and that was the beginning of it for me. I knew music was always going to be part of my life, I just didn’t expect that I’d ever pay rent with it. SW: I grew up playing bluegrass and it’s tough to make a living playing bluegrass. There’s not very many people that make a living playing bluegrass—most of them have a day job, or play on the weekends. Making a living playing bluegrass is sort of unheard of. I always planned on having something else. I grew up playing in Nickel Creek, and we did that for like 10 years as kids before we started traveling and touring and making money that way. I sort of had the idea in the back of my head until I was like 21 or 22. I went to college in San Diego to do music composition. We made the first Nickel Creek record and I was basically given the choice of going to school and trying to tour or just not go to school, and I did music and that’s what I decided to do, and I’m really glad I did that. I don’t know what I would’ve done. I wasn’t always sure, but once I dove into it I was hooked. TPP: Sean mentioned that he’s been making music since he was a kid. Jon, when did you start writing songs? What’s your songwriting process like now, and how has it evolved for you? JF: I remember writing songs even when I was a little kid, just banging away on the piano—I don’t think I’d call it songwriting. You’re just

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Radiou.com Above: Foreman and Watkins, Below: Foremsn, Chester, Watkins and Redfield

Relvantmagazine.com experiencing the music, I think the joy of experiencing music is what I’m still aiming for—to express that feeling you have when you first pick up an instrument. And so junior high was certainly when I started to learn how to play guitar and try and get better at it. I think now I equate music and songwriting with archeology, where every day you wake up and you dig and some days you’re going to discover a lost city or an artifact and other days you’re just get dirt going to get dirt, and you’re going have to be content with either one. I try to dig in new places, places that will surprise me. The process of songwriting hasn’t changed much since the beginning; it’s just the songs that come up vary from which soil you’re digging in. TPP: Sean also mentioned he was on a career path toward composition. Jon, if you weren’t playing music, what would you be doing now? JF: I think I’d still be playing music. I certainly wanted to graduate from college that’s a path that I didn’t take but I still loved my time in school. I think if I wasn’t doing music professionally, I’d probably be a teacher somewhere. TPP: Maybe a professor? JF: [laughs] Oh, come on. I’d probably be teaching preschool kids or something. TPP: You both play with siblings. Does it get hard? I imagine it’s probably a blessing and a curse. SW: Yeah I think it can be tough, but it can also be really really great and sort of a life saving thing on the road. There’s actually a lot of bands with siblings in them. If you start doing it young and you both love it then it’s great. Sara and I love it, we’re lifetime musicians. I count it as a real blessing, I’m sure Jon does too; it’s really great to share something like that with your sibling. JF: Yeah, it is a blessing and curse, absolutely. I wouldn’t trade it for the world, and I love being in a band with my brother. But there’s certainly moments that you’re frustrated and upset with somebody, and it’s you’re brother. I think it’s good to remember that your

disagreements come from being passionate about different ways of achieving the same goals. The idea that you both decided that the music be as great as it can be in a live show and the band is represented well and your disagreements about how that is done into minor differences amidst major similarities is really the basis in any relationship—marriage, friendship and congress even. It’s trying to figure out what we have in common, rather than differences. TPP: Do you have any advice for aspiring student musicians? When do you know it’s really worth the shot to take a risk and pursue music exclusively? SW: It depends on where they’re at and what they want to do. I always tell people that are writing songs, playing the piano and playing guitar—write as much as you can, play as much as you can, whether it’s at coffee shops, a bar, or singing with someone, whatever, just get out there and get out on stage and get in the thick of it. If you’re writing songs, don’t be afraid to write bad songs—just write something, get something down and be productive. Get yourself out there. JF: Well, for the first question of how to do it, I would say do it with joy. Joy is an incredible motivator. Don’t do it because you might make money, don’t do it because you might get connections, don’t do it for any of those reasons. Do it because you love it. Write a song because you love it. Play, practice, rehearse and get the blisters on your fingers, go to open mic—but all of this, do it out of joy, because joy is a great motivator. The second question, when it’s time to take risks—for me, there were very few risks that we took. There was never a point where we questioned whether it was the right decision. Dropping out of college, all of these things, we were on tour all the time and my professors didn’t really like that. I think there’s a misunderstanding that if you’re paid less or there’s less people there it doesn’t matter as much. I would disagree and say it doesn’t matter whose there because that’s putting too much control in the hands of others. Define what means the most to you. Define what it’s worth to you, and then don’t let anyone take that definition away.

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October 9, 2013

Real Housewife advocates martial rape in new book NORA COTTOM Contributor Reality TV is one of the biggest guilty pleasures of this generation. This genre of TV tries to give us a glimpse at the lives of real people and their lifestyles as the viewer sees and hears a variety of different opinions, personalities, habits and attitudes of the stars of these shows. While the spotlight shines on the stars of these programs, their quick and short celebrity time has provided them the opportunity to create their own clothing lines, spin-off shows and recently of publishing their own books. The Real Housewives is a reality show following a group of the elite and rich women of different cities across America. It has continuously signed seasons renewals. The Real Housewives of New Jersey, in particular, displays the lives of women in New Jersey surrounding a theme of Italian family drama . Recently, cast member Melissa Gorga used her time in the spotlight to publish a book titled Love Italian Style: The secrets to my hot and happy marriage. The book is about her beliefs and her advice on how to keep a marriage together and a husband happy. This book has spurred a large controversy regarding her views on marriage and whether or not she is “advocating marital rape,” as stated in an article on Jezebel. According to the Jezebel article, Gorga is suggesting a sexist, gender biased and even a level of male dominance in marriage to her readers. The article, along with many

others, suggests readers are being told to submit sexually and mentally to their husbands. Gorga states, “ When gender roles are confused, sexual roles are, too. If he’s at the sink and then changing diapers, then who throws down in the bed? Joe is always the man doing masculine things… I’m the woman and I do female things including the housework.” Her husband believes he should have no part in the child care process saying, “I don’t feed babies, or change the diapers. My father never wiped my ass, and I don’t wipe my babies’ either.” He also shares his thoughts on sex, which brought up the controversy on martial rape

that people are over the drama or over their favorite stars, such as Gorga, putting out their opinions in books and other ways of communicating to the public. She isn’t the first housewife or reality star to publish a book. In fact, a book released by another New Jersey housewife, Theresa Giudice, on Cooking recipes and advice has a startling 4 ½ stars on Amazon. On the show, her husband has made numerous offensive remarks about autism as well as lesbian and gay comments. It didn’t have a negative effect on the show at that time or the sales/ratings of her book. An argument in defense some may say of Gorga’s book is that it is freedom of speech. Everyone is entitled to his or her own thoughts, opinions and judgments. Is anyone allowed to make the judgment when it is all taken too far? Also, doesn’t all of social media, the Internet and blogs offer the same convenience for all to speak their mind and therefore be subject to scrutiny? It comes down to just what is acceptable to the individual alone. A person agrees, or disagrees and they add up to different groups that share a similar opinions or attitudes. Bottom line, teality shows entertain the general public and are always spawning controversial ideas and thoughts. Any fan nonetheless is affected by what the stars say and do on and off the shows as Gorga’s new book clearly shows. This in the end affects ratings both negatively and positively. It is up to the viewer to decide whether to continue watching. For now, it doesn’t appear that housewives are going anywhere.

“If your wife says ‘no,’ turn her around, and rip her clothes off. She wants to be dominated.” -Joe Gorga (husband) saying, “Every girl wants to get her hair pulled once in a while. If your wife says “no,” turn her around, and rip her clothes off. She wants to be dominated.” While all these quotes may imply a male dominated relationship, will her opinion and viewpoints really affect the show and her fans? Her book was released on Sept 17 so it may be hard to tell. So far, the book only has two stars on Amazon. According to bravoratings.com, Season 5 of The Real Housewives of New Jersey has been down 11% relative to Season 2. Could this be due to the fact

NBA All Star Weekend 2015 to be held in New York City

Fans react to games being at both Madison Square Garden and Barclays Center MAX ONOFRE Contributor For the first time ever the famous NBA All-Star Game, an exhibition game hosted annually by the NBA, which matches the Eastern Conference with their Western Conference counterparts, will be played in two different stadiums. When the All-Star Game comes to the East, to New York for the first time since 1998, the Games will not be played in just one stadium, but instead, they will be hosted at Madison Square Garden and the Barclays Center. Mayor Bloomberg remarks that in New York, “We’re lucky enough to have two world-class arenas, and the only thing better than having All-Star weekend at Madison Square Garden

or the Barclays Center is having it at both of them.” However, this change has created a stir among fans. Never before has there been two locations for the AllStar games. Even if the stadiums are only just over five miles apart and being connected by a handful of subway stops, some fans are not content with the change. Going out to the crowd of basketball fans around the University, we wanted to know how they felt about this change. Luke Horn, a sophomore, was excited. “Dude, it’s going to be in New York. Who cares? Plus, more spread is more fan space,” he exclaimed. His friends were equally excited but some, like junior Nadir Soniq, were a bit confused as to why there had to be two different stadiums. Nadir questioned this idea, “Why are we wasting money for two stadiums? It just seems pointless and what is happening to the tradition. No one else has done this. We don’t need to be the ones to be annoying about it.” So, the displeasure comes from the lack of following traditions and the waste of money. This idealism seems to go along with what other fans are bothered with. There is tradition in their games. The NBA All-Star Weekend began back in the Boston Garden on Mar. 2, 1951, and in all of these years, the fans along with the rest of the NBA have

AP Photo/Tina Fineberg

built traditions. The question lies in whether or not this split of stadiums is breaking these traditions. Although Mayor Bloomberg argues and fully believes that this separation will bring in more tourism, with the wider spread of fans many are still not content with his decision. Unfortunately for Mayor Bloomberg, customary habits for the fans are a big deal. From Sunday night football to the ceremonial first pitch in a baseball game, fans live in this fundamental traditionalism. While the idea of spread, a boost in the tourism and the new locations seems wonderful, the change has been a bit drastic for some. Still, the four previous times that New York has hosted the NBA All-Star Weekend, it has been hosted at Madison Square Garden and that is not changing. The first game will still be played in Manhattan’s prestigious Garden while the preliminary events will happen at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center. Barclays has only been around since Sept. of last year, but has gained much attention as it is state of the art, and easily competes with the Madison Square Garden. Jordan Cruch, a freshman, says, “As long as the games go well, and things are well planned, it doesn’t really matter, does it? The NBA is okay with this and people are just being dumb.” After hearing the reaction of many of the basketball fanatics here at the University, it seems that these “traditions” set are more fondly cared of by the older fans, whereas the younger fans find it good that things are changing. And as Cruch pointed out, the NBA has responded well to this change. NBA Commissioner David Stern affirms this idea. “New York offers an extraordinary opportunity to host NBA All-Star events at two world-class venues,” said Stern. “We look forward to celebrating our game with basketball fans across the entire city, in all five boroughs.”

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October 9, 2013

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Celebrity Twitter beef: Pubilicity stunt or real tension? Jimmy Kimmel vs. Kanye West, Rihanna vs. Teyana Taylor

www.digibuzzme.com JULIE PRY Contributor Tension was most certainly in the air—or in this case, the Twitter timeline—for a handful of certain celebrities this past week. Celebrities like Kanye West, Rihanna and Kevin Durant have been spotted this past week in turning those infamous 140 characters into what is commonly known as “twitter beef.” “Twitter beef,” or Twitter drama, is taken to a whole new level when you have one of Hip-Hops greatest rappers angrily ranting about one of television’s most watched comedians. With such big names hashing out their drama on Twitter for all to see, some questions must be taken into consideration. This so called Twitter beef can just be a way for these certain celebrities to get more followers and attention. Or these people truly do not care that the whole Twitter population is reading their every angered thought. For anyone who has not yet seen the Twitter tension themselves, it goes a little something like this: “JIMMY KIMMEL IS OUT OF LINE TO TRY

AND SPOOF IN ANY WAY THE FIRST PIECE OF HONEST MEDIA IN YEARS,” Kanye West ferociously wrote on his public Twitter page which has almost ten million followers. It was in response to a spoof Jimmy Kimmel had aired on his show earlier that week, mimicking a recent interview with the

Regardless of whether each celebrity’s Twitter feud was a publicity stunt or not, they all succeeded in one thing, which was the attention that they received from their followers. BBC and Kanye, the spoof had Kanye played as a young boy drinking a milkshake and talking nonsense as he answered the interviewer’s questions. The famous “Yeezus” rapper continued to use the social networking site to bash what Jimmy Kimmel had thought was just a joke. Another tweet posted by Kanye went, “YOU CAN’T PUT YOURSELF IN MY SHOES. YOUR FACE LOOKS CRAZY…IS THAT FUNNY?...OR IF I HAD A KID SAY IT WOULD IT BE FUNNY?” Who knows

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hot97.com if the Twitter rants are just reaches for attention or if Kanye West simply does not care what a single soul—or Twitter follower—thinks. Another celebrity caught up in the life of Twitter beef is none other than rebellious pop star Rihanna. Rihanna had put on a show for her almost 32 million followers when the diva decided to start poking fun at the notas-famous pop star Teyana Taylor. For whatever reasons they may have had, the two ladies went back and forth arguing about topics such as whose forehead is bigger and who makes more money. Rihanna went on and changed her cover photo on Twitter to an image comparing the two stars’ net worth, side by side, clearly showing Rihanna was the wealthier of the two. In return, Teyana Taylor changed her cover photo to a photo shopped image of a beaten up Rihanna (the image released after the Chris Brown assault) getting punched in a boxing ring by Teyana herself. The two went back for some time, exchanging tweets like “I hate broke bitches” from Rihanna and “petty is petty and shade is shade, bitch knew what the f--k she was doing” from an angry Taylor. We can all pretty much agree that yes, all this Twitter beef spewing from

the keyboards of celebrities is social networking entertainment at its finest. There’s an odd pleasure in scrolling through your timeline and feeling as though you’re sitting front row for celebrity fight after fight. On one hand, it’s amusing to follow and gossip about the drama that goes on in the depths of the celebrity Twitter realm. On the other hand, it almost seems ridiculous that celebrities fighting over their foreheads attracts so much attention from your normal, everyday person. Each and every Twitter feud was about something totally incomparable to any of the real issues going on in America today, which the Twitter followers must realize. Regardless of whether each celebrity’s Twitter feud was a publicity stunt or not, they all succeeded in one thing, which was the attention that they received from their followers. Instead of forehead sizes and comedy skits, maybe the next celebrity twitter feud will be about the terrorist attacks in Kenya or something that actually matters. Celebrities are very powerful and influential beings, and if they debated over things that actually mattered instead of their own personal net worth, the public would receive much more than just entertainment and a few laughs.

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October 9, 2013

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University students shine on YouTube as they travel the world on a budget

COURTNEY MICHELLE JOHNSON Contributor

Two of the University’s frugal students, Damon Dominique and Joanna Franco, have taken a passion that would usually be on the more expensive side and broadcasted it as something that most budgets can fit. Dominique and Franco run a very upbeat and perky travel show web series called Damon and Jo on a Dime. The series runs weekly episodes every “Travel Tuesday” on their YouTube channel DamonAndJo, which is also accompanied with their Tumblr and Facebook pages. A study abroad program through the University is where the inspiration behind Damon and Jo on a Dime first arose. “The idea for Damon and Jo on a Dime was created when we were both studying abroad in Paris, France through one of the university’s exchange programs,” said Damon and Joanna. “We both already had such an urge to travel to see what else is out there, and since we were already in Europe, we figured we’d make it a point to see as much of it as possible.” Early on, they encountered a common issue with their desire to travel the world: lack of extensive funds. “The only problem was that we didn’t have any money,” they said. “We spent our nights researching the cheapest ways to get around Europe on a dime.” Dominique and Franco’s travels were initially received with astonishment. “When we started traveling, our families and friends would constantly ask us, ‘how can you afford to travel so much’ and that ‘they wish they could do the same,’” said Damon and Joanna. “We would both look at each other shaking our heads like ‘what are you talking about? Clearly, we’re not rich. You can do the same. In fact, we’re going to show you how.’ And thus, Damon and Jo on a Dime was born.” In a recent episode, Damon and Jo were able to travel to the equator from where they were staying in Ecuador, their favorite destination so far, for a whopping $3.40 for the entire trip. “Ecuador was one of those countries that had never been one of our ‘must visit’ countries but after living there for three weeks we realized that it was our kind of city - 70ºF every day, scenic mountains and rain forests and the cheap prices made it the best place we visited this summer,” said Damon and Joanna. “The adventure is poppin’ too; we’re talking rainforest canopying, volcano scaling, butterfly catching and beach surfing all in the same week.” The pair have proven that these mind-blowing vacations are possible on a student budget, but these trips would never occur without learning some life lessons along the way. One of the most prevalent lessons they have learned is to persevere. “One of the main life lessons we have ever learned is that you can’t give up when things go wrong,

because they will,” said Dominique and Franco. One asset that the web series possesses is its versatility. Their videos are not limited to just traveling cheaply. One can also learn a bit about the country they explore and enjoy a bit of comedy in the process with the fun facts they share about the country they are visiting and humor. Dominique and Franco have some great tips for other students who love to travel. “It’s already a great thing that we live in New York, because ravel deals tend to be cheaper than from a rural or suburban city and we’re so close to many big cities on the East Coast,” they said. “You can easily take a day trip with a Chinatown bus and be in Philadelphia, D.C., Baltimore, or Boston in a few hours; the best part is that it only costs about $10-20 each way: that’s like a meal at the Caf.”

“I think becoming aware that you’re choosing how you live your life... is the first step to deciding what is and what isn’t important in your life and thus, managing your time better.” -Damon Dominique The eclectic web series has afforded them many other opportunities, which are equally as marvelous as their travels. Damon has modeled for American Eagle and Joanna was featured on the Rachael Ray Show. Damon and Jo on a Dime has also been featured on the 20 Something lifestyle blog as well as Gimmie Some Mo’ Travel. Dominique and Franco’s success and achievements, while going to school full time, have taught them some killer time management skills. Damon, for example, strongly dislikes hearing others say they ‘don’t have time.’ “I’m currently taking a year off from Pace, but I still take courses at The School of Practical Philosophy and Fluent City and hold two jobs, said Damon. “One of my biggest pet peeves is when someone says “I don’t have time;” everything in your life is a choice, I think becoming aware that you’re choosing how you live your life, rather than thinking that you’re being forced, is the first step to deciding what is and what isn’t important in your life and thus, managing your time better.” Joanna has too become fluent in the art of time management. “Traveling as a full-time student has honestly improved my time management skills like I can’t even express,” said Joanna. “I’m an RA at John Street, interning part-time in video production, working part-time, doing homework and research papers, attending networking events, and traveling for our series. You have to find a way to make it happen because no one will make it happen for you.”