Vol. 42, No. 4 TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2014 nyunews.com

WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWSNYU’s Daily Student Newspaper

Interactive crossing guard Pop Pop creates enjoyable environment for New York City pedestrians. Three master’s students in Tisch created the guard, which has received generally favorable reviews from city residents and NYU students alike. In the future, the interactive guards may be able to conduct short games with pedestrians as they wait to cross the street.

STORY ON PAGE 3

MLK Week kicks off

in Kimmel Center

Forward Kupferberg brings skills to basketball court, focuses on team unity

KUPFERBERG continued on PG. 8

MLK continued on PG. 3

BRYAN NELSON FOR WSN

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

FELIPE DE LA HOZ/WSN

COFFEE on PG. 4

Work, play come together at popular coffee jointsStudents share their favorite coffee shops near campus, which offer more than just a place to do homework. Some spots give student discounts as well.

DREAM TEAM on PG. 7

Student club pushes for financial aid for all studentsThe DREAM Team @ NYU argues for the importance of making higher education more accessible and supportive for undocumented students.

By ALYS MURRAY

A 6-foot-6, 220-pound for-ward with a strong inside game, Evan Kupferberg has be-come a rising star on the NYU basketball team. The team leader, whose entire life has been dominated by the love of a game, said his Marvel comic book-hero superpower would be the ability to attract fouls. But, at the risk of sounding like the opening monologue of a “30 for 30” special, there is more to LS sophomore Kupfer-berg than basketball.

More than his dream to play one-on-one with Lebron James and his memories of crush-ing the number one-seeded

University of Rochester last season, Kupferberg is a young man dedicated to something greater than the game.

Kupferberg’s manner dis-tinctly lacks ego — his reply to, “Why do you play basket-ball?” was, “I was always the tallest.” When asked why bas-ketball has stood the test of time in American culture, he talked about the giants of the past with the enthusiasm of a child memorizing player stats off Upper Deck cards before reigning himself in with an embarrassed sigh and saying, “It’s just really special. These guys really play.”

But that humility has to come from somewhere. For

Kupferberg, that somewhere is not so much a place, but an idea — the idea of home. His family, season ticket holders

Kupferberg has represented the Violets for two seasons.

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By ANDREW SPOHN

NYU’s celebration of African Heritage Month and Martin Luther King Jr. week began on Feb. 3 with an opening ceremony celebrating Ghanaian art. The festival, co-sponsored by NYU’s African Heri-tage Month and Africa House, fea-tured visual and performing arts by students and a catered dinner from Harlem’s Accra Restaurant.

A committee of undergraduate students planned the festival. Jes-sica Guerrero, associate director of the Center for Student Activities and the student’s faculty advisor, explained why the event focused on Ghanaian culture.

“The AHM Planning Committee members were inspired by their study abroad experience at NYU Ac-cra,” Guerrero said. “The students felt that the NYU New York campus could greatly benefit from learning more about Ghanaian culture.”

The evening’s Ghanaian explora-tions commenced with visual art pieces recounting students’ visits

ON THE SIDE COMPILED BY THE WSN STAFF

2 WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2014 | NYUNEWS.COM

An abandoned lookout tower now features graffiti at the Marin Headlands near San Francisco.

PHOTO BY WARD PETTIBONE

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Editor-in-Chief NICOLE BROWN

Managing Editor

MICHAEL DOMANICO

Deputy Managing Editor

CASEY DALRYMPLE

Assistant Managing EditorsTATIANA BAEZJONATHAN KESHISHOGLOU

Creative DirectorCICEK EREL

Special Issues DirectorLYANNE NATIVIDAD

SENIOR STAFFnews KAVISH HARJAI, ANN SCHMIDTarts CLIO MCCONNELLfeatures BRYNA SHUMANsports FRANCISCO NAVASmultimedia FELIPE DE LA HOZcopy THOMAS DEVLIN, PAIGE MANKINweb KIMBERLY HARTsenior editors TONY CHAU, ARIANA DIVALENTINO, MICHELLE LIM, STEFAN MELNYK, NEELA QADIR, DANIEL YEOM

DEPUTY STAFFnews LARSON BINZER, SCOTT MULLEN, AFEEFA TARIQbooks/theater DYLAN JARRETTfilm IFE OLUJOBIentertainment BOB TEOHmusic JAKE FOLSOMthe highlighter blog VALERIE NELSONfeatures HANNAH TREASURE beauty & style DANA RESZUTEKviolet vision blog GIANNA COLLIER-PITTSdining CHANDLER WESTsports CHRIS MARCOTRIGIANOmultimedia HANNAH LUU, LAWRENCE WUvideo ALEX LINZMEIER

OPINION PAGEopinion editor PETER KEFFERdeputy opinion editors CHRISTINA COLEBURN, OMAR ETMAN, NINA GOLSHAN

ADVERTISING BUSINESS MANAGERELLEN MCQUEEN

CIRCULATION MANAGERCHLOE COFFMAN

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HANQING CHEN, JONATHON DORN-BUSH, JAEWON KANG, RACHEL KAPLAN, JORDAN MELENDREZ, JONATHAN TAN

About WSN: Washington Square News (ISSN 15499389) is the student newspaper of New York University. WSN is published Monday through Thursday during NYU’s academic year, except for university holidays, vacations and exam periods.

Corrections: WSN is committed to accurate reporting. When we make errors, we do our best to correct them as quickly as possible. If you believe we have erred, contact managing editor Michael Domanico at managing@nyunews.com or at 212.998.4302.

TODAY ON CAMPUS

Flaubert in the ruins of Paris

Forum in counseling psychology

Craft FairThe Oxfam chapter of NYU will host a craft fair in the Kimmel Center for University Life. Items made by local artists will be on sale, and all profits will be donated to relief in the Philippines. The fair lasts from 5 to 8:30 p.m.

TODAY’S EVENTS ARE FREE FOR NYU STUDENTS.

STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS

LATE GREATS

Throughout the history of rock and roll, only a handful of musicians have reached such iconic status as Lou Reed. Though well-known for his work with the Velvet Under-ground, Reed’s solo albums have also proved influential for many other artists. The marvelous fiction writer Neil Gaiman particularly recom-mends 1973’s “Berlin,” and his word is as good as any.

In his nearly century-long life, Pete Seeger changed not only

the genre of American folk music, but arguably made

the world a better place. The singer-songwriter was known

for such anthems as “We Shall Overcome” and “If I Had

a Hammer (The Hammer Song),” but some of his earlier

work is definitely worth a listen. Try out the 1956 album

“Love Songs for Friends and Foes” for starters.

Quite possibly the most prolific film critic in history, Roger Ebert pioneered in the genre of writing such that he was the first ever to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism. We recommend reading 1997’s “Questions for the Movie Answer Man,” in which Ebert’s answers perfectly showcase the intel-ligent panache for which he was known and how he did his best work.

James Gandolfini is renowned for his six-season stint as mob-ster Tony Soprano in the HBO

series “The Sopranos.” How-ever, he had a few opportuni-ties to play weaker characters,

and he managed the roles with typical charm. As Big Dave in the Coen brothers’ “The Man

Who Wasn’t There,” Gandolfini is the perfect loud-mouthed

foil to Billy Bob Thornton’s soft-spoken Ed. It is a revelation to

watch Gandolfini’s lighthearted

Philip Seymour Hoffman was a tremendous actor who often chose ambi-tious roles to play. Perhaps his best work can be seen in Bennett Miller’s “Capote.” Hoffman won an Academy Award for his portrayal of the film’s eponymous protagonist, and it is not hard to see why. Truman Capote’s journalistic work was marked by chilling beauty, and Hoffman tackled the

character with a similar profound sense of awe-inspiring naturalism.

Steinhardt psychology professor Rezarta Bilali will give a presentation on group reconciliation. Bilali’s discussion begins at 9 a.m. in Kimball Hall.

Yale comparative literature professor Peter Brooks will discuss French writer Gustave Flaubert’s connec-tion to the Parisian ruins of the late 19th century in La Maison Française at 7 p.m.

COURTESY OF SONY PICTURES CLASSICS

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NYUNEWS.COM | TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2014 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS 3

By CASSANDRA CASSILLAS

On the corner of Waverly Place and Broadway, there lives a sentient crossing sign. His name is Pop Pop.

Three class of 2014 master’s stu-dents in technology and design at NYU’s Interactive Telecommu-nications Program — Alexandra Coym, Sam Slover and Steve Cor-dova — invented Pop Pop, who debuted in mid-December.

“We did this project because we think more and more street objects are going to become connected and data-aware,” Slover said. “Rather than focus on utilitarian purposes, we’re more interested in how these types of connected objects can

brighten life in a city and make people more connected to their city and each other.”

Pop Pop has web and physical computing aspects which allow him to experience a range of six emotions and react in real time to situations including rain, jaywalkers and traffic.

“We chose to focus on pedes-trian signals due to their omni-presence and their traditional role of helping people navigate the hectic streets of New York,” Slover said.

On Pop Pop’s website, one can get a feel for the spirit of the project, including who Pop Pop is supposed to be to New York City residents. Pop Pop is designed to be a caring older

gentleman who makes sure pe-destrians walking through his intersection are safe and happy, according to the website.

Pop Pop does not have official approval from the city, but he has received positive feedback from the students he helps on the way to class. Pop Pop has already made an impression on Steinhardt soph-omore Fabian Luna.

“I really think he embodies what I expected when I moved to New York City,” Luna said. “He’s cool, he’s unique, and you can’t find anything else like him anywhere. I love him, and I love that something like that exists.”

He’s also getting notice from non-NYU students, like 45-year-

old Michael Ford, a long-time Manhattan resident.

“I walk this way to work ev-eryday and have for the last five years. One day I look up and instead of a little man, this machine is telling me to ‘have a fun day,’ and then a face ap-pears,” Ford said. “It’s pleasant. It breaks the routine. I wish more things in life were like Pop Pop.”

The trio is pleased with their creation and the warm welcome he has received.

“We’re most proud about the positive reactions Pop Pop gar-nered when he was out on the corner of Broadway and Wa-verly Place,” Slover said. “There were crowds waiting to interact

and say hi.”The team also has plans to

expand the idea of a sentient crossing sign in others direc-tions, such as explaining local history, leading short group games or interactive trivia while pedestrians wait to cross.

“We want to get people away from being so closed off toward each other, and we think that a fun shared experience around a personified street object can be a great way to do it,” Slover said. “Less looking down at your phone, more looking up and interacting with your city and fellow people.”

Cassandra Cassillas is a staff writer. Email her at news@nyunews.com.

Students’ travel experiences in Africa influence featured art

MLK continued from PG. 1City fire raises questions about university’s evacuation policies

Interactive crossing guard connects walkers on Waverly

By MARIYA KARCELOVA

As NYU students know, at the sound of a fire alarm, evacua-tion begins immediately. How-ever, with the use of fire-resis-tant construction in modern high rises, evacuation is not always the best option in the event of a fire.

According to the New York City Building Code, several provisions must be followed in order for a building to be deemed fire-resistant. These buildings are made from ma-terials that prevent or delay the spread of hot gas, heat and flames throughout the floors. In buildings that are fire-resistant, residents may be safer by staying in their apartments or rooms instead of evacuating.

This past January, a fire in a fire-resistant high rise in Hell’s Kitchen brought evacuation into question. A resident who was attempting to evacuate died from smoke inhalation. According to The New York Times, the resident would have survived if he had stayed in his home instead of leaving.

NYU has several modern high rises, such as Gramercy Green residence hall. However, the policy for students when a fire alarm goes off remains evacu-ation. Beth Morningstar, direc-tor of strategic assessment and communications in the office of the executive vice president at NYU, said the university’s poli-cies on fire emergencies aligns with New York State education law, requiring college dorms to be evacuated when a fire alarm

sounds. The practice of evacuat-ing the building using the clos-est stairwell was developed with the NYU Environmental Health and Safety and the New York City Fire Department, explained Kate Baier, senior director of residen-tial life.

“This policy covers all NYU residence halls, except for Brittany Hall,” Morningstar said. “The FDNY has approved a different fire alarm system for Brittany, which was re-cently renovated to include an installation of what is called a two-way voice fire alarm system.”

If the two-way system de-tects a fire, the alarms on the affected floor and those on the floors above and below go off. Only the residents on those floors are required to evacuate. Hayden residence hall will have a similar sys-tem installed while it is being renovated later this year.

CAS sophomore Ruby Zheng, who lived in the penthouse at Gramercy for her fall semester, described her experiences with building evacuations.

“The worst part was just that going down the stairs took a really long time, about 15 minutes,” Zheng said. “I’m not sure how that would play out in a real fire, but I don’t think it would be very safe.”

Stern sophomore and for-mer Gramercy resident Jane Somuah expressed her view based on her experiences with building evacuations.

“I would say that I did feel safe living on the top floor,” Somuah said. “In the event that I would have been in the middle of an evacuation, I don’t think I would feel more or less safe than anyone else on any other floor.”

Mariya Karcelova is acontributing writer. Emailher at new@nyunews.com.

to Accra and the singing of the Na-tional Black Anthem.

“We were looking for artists who studied abroad in Accra to create anything that came from that [experience],” Steinhardt senior and co-chair Aisha Ab-delmula said. “I wouldn’t say it was more of a selective process, but it was more how we felt con-nected to those people.”

Following the art show, students prayed, demonstrating Ghana’s non-denominational spiritual his-tory. Guests enjoyed an authentic Ghanaian dinner, which featured dishes such as wache, pepper sour chicken and plantains.

After dinner, a student recited a poem about African diaspora. After the poem reading, students danced and performed music in traditional and modern Ghanaian styles. The event’s co-chairs said the main theme was solidarity among those of African descent.

“It’s always been this theme of transnational solidarity, which is our theme for the month,” Stein-hardt senior and co-chair Deria Matthews said. “I feel like when you talk of any black national leader, they always embody that transnational solidarity.”

Abdemula said black Amerians should celebrate their individuality.

“Being a black person in the States sometimes means you’re a representation for [all blacks], and that shouldn’t be the case,” Abde-mula said. “When we talk about leaders building that bridge, that is part of highlighting how diverse we are.”

Students who attended said the art successfully conveyed these messages.

Gallatin junior Giovanna Olmos said the art inspired her and encour-aged her to explore African cultures.

“[I] came here for the food, [but] left here with a lot more,” Olmos said.

Sydney-Paige Patterson, a student in the Graduate School of Arts and Science who studied in Accra as an undergraduate, was impressed by how accurately Ghana was portrayed.

“I loved hearing about every-one’s stories in Ghana,” Patter-son said. “I also loved the art, music and spoken word.”

Both co-chairs said they were satisfied with the turnout and that they are looking forward to other MLK week and AHM events.

Andrew Spohn is a staff writer.Email him at news@nyunews.com.

Ghanaian artwork is on display for MLK week’s opening ceremony.NATHAN HO FOR WSN

Covered windows show where fire occurred in Hell’s Kitchen high rise in January.

HANNAH LUU/WSN

4 WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2014 | NYUNEWS.COM

DINING EDITED BY CHANDLER WEST DINING@NYUNEWS.COM

Neighborhood coffee shops offer discounts, board games

Four easy ways to spice up stir fry options

‘Little Paris Kitchen’brings French home-

cooking to dorms

By KATE MARIN Manhattan features a para-

dise of frothy, caffeinated concoctions. Coffee shops are not difficult to come by, but finding a go-to joint can be a daunting task. Location, qual-ity, price and atmosphere all play a role in finding your spe-cific cafe soulmate. This list of student-favorite cafes around campus may help guide you in the right direction.

Kopi Kopi NYC, 68 W. Third St., between Thompson Street and LaGuardia Place

Just blocks away from Wash-ington Square Park, Kopi Kopi NYC is a convenient and comfortable place for a quick study break. This cafe offers a selection of Indonesian coffee blends, all made with the high-est quality of fair trade beans. Kopi Kopi offers free Wi-Fi, and there are plenty of outlets

throughout the cafe to support your charging needs. The shop offers a 15 percent student dis-count with an NYU ID, plus if you check in on Yelp you will receive a buy one, get one free coupon on your first visit.

“If I have a break in between two classes, I love to walk down to Kopi Kopi to catch up on homework and have a cappuc-cino,” Tisch sophomore Maria Strycharz said. “Their espresso is amazing and gets me through a quick study break before head-ing back to campus.”

La Colombe Torrefaction, 400 Lafayette St. between Fourth Street and Astor Place

La Colombe Torrefaction is a spacious shop that provides a perfect date atmosphere or a friendly meeting place. The cafe houses a small bar area and intimate seating arrange-ments. In addition to its back-to-the-basics atmosphere, La

Colombe baristas excel in beau-tifully crafted latte art that can impress any coffee lover you decide to bring along.

“I like Colombe because it does exactly what it says it does — make coffee. No frills, no gimmicky stuff sold right next to the reg-ister,” CAS sophomore Kenzi Abou-Sabe said. “It’s small enough to feel homey, and I can have a conversation with friends in there for hours.”

The Uncommons, 230 Thomp-son St. between West Third and Bleecker streets

If you are looking for some-thing a little more out of the or-dinary, The Uncommons is the first and only play cafe in the city. This cafe offers custom-ers a library of games to enjoy while sipping on a hot drink. Customers have access to any and all of the games for a rental fee of $5 per person per day. For the more dedicated customer,

you can purchase a $150 six month membership for unlim-ited game rentals, table reserva-tions and a 10 percent discount on purchases. The Uncommons opens at 8 a.m. and closes at midnight on most days, so stu-dents can stop by to grab a cof-fee before class or make a night of food, drinks and plenty of board games.

“The Uncommons definitely holds up to its name,” LS sopho-more Natalie Hoffman said. “I love board games and I love coffee so this cafe is one of my favorites.”

Fair Folks & a Goat, 96 W. Houston St. between Thomp-son and LaGuardia

The owner’s love for both cof-fee and art comes to life at Fair Folks & a Goat. Half of this cafe is reminiscent of your typical coffee shop, and the other half features an assortment of items from local artists. However, the most unique aspect of Fair

Folks & a Goat is their monthly membership. For $25 a month, subscribers receive unlimited drinks and discounts on items in the shop. Fair Folks & a Goat is also conveniently located only a few blocks from the Kim-mel Center for University Life. A membership at Fair Folks & a Goat will not only fuel your caf-feine addiction, but support a local organization and the work of regional artists.

“What really got me on board was their unique membership,” LS freshman Tiffany Liu said. “It’s a really good deal. Plus, when you sign up, you can choose be-tween two organizations where some of the money will go to-ward. Like I said, it’s a good deal especially for coffee junkies and college students.”

Kate Marin is astaff writer. Email herat features@nyunews.com.

By CHANDLER WEST

Many students who are interested in improving their cooking skills this se-mester may struggle with the confines of small dorm kitchens and a lack of specialized cooking equipment. These students can find a fun solution in Ra-chel Khoo’s “The Little Paris Kitchen,” published by Chronicle Books in 2012.

Khoo, a food creative from the United Kingdom who studied patis-serie at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and later hosted her own cooking series on BBC, developed the “120 simple but classic French recipes” from her small Parisian kitchen with only a miniature oven and two gas rings.

The book’s recipes range from “French Basics” and “Everyday Cook-ing” to “Snack Time” and “Aperitif.” All the recipes can be prepared with mini-mal space and equipment.

The section titled “Sweet Treats” is

particularly enticing, mostly due to the author’s training in patisserie. Khoo includes simplified adaptations of classic French desserts including crème caramel, crème brûlée and apple millefeuille.

The savory recipes such as the spring lamb stew, the ratatouille and the creamy potato bake allow even inex-perienced cooks with limited resources to prepare impressive meals. They lend themselves to both dinner parties for large groups of friends and single-serv-ing suppers for busy weeknights.

The author also utilizes her British background with recipes for British clas-sics such as bangers ‘n’ mash, but brings these full circle with a touch of French style or influence.

The book also provides a helpful guide to French basics in the back, ex-plaining the rudimentary elements of the cuisine to cooks who may be unfa-miliar with them. The explanations are accessible and direct, with entertaining personal anecdotes from the author sprinkled throughout.

The book itself is enjoyable to flip through. With thick pages and stun-ning photography by David Loftus, the steep $35 price tag is not regrettable, especially if roommates share one copy. Some readers may find the abundance of photos of the author herself in cute Parisian cafe scenes a little superfluous, but others will appreciate these photos and the picture of Parisian lifestyle that they create.

A well-written cookbook, “The Little Paris Kitchen” will likely play a part in transforming dorm cooking from a nui-sance to a joy.

Chandler West is dining editor.Email her at cwest@nyunews.com.

by ILONA TUOMINEN Stir-fry, a quick and easy

meal, provides delicious options for all types of diets. Here are a few dorm kitchen friendly recipes for the stu-dent who has only 10 min-utes to spare. All of the fol-lowing dishes are paired well with a serving of white rice or noodles and can serve two people.

Chicken Stir-Fry

1. The night before, prepare by mixing 1 1/2 pound of 1-inch thick uncooked chicken pieces, 1/4 cup of honey, 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon of sesame oil and a pinch of salt and pepper into a plastic con-tainer. Leave in the refrigerator.

2. Take out a wok, the best pan for stir-frying, and turn stove to high heat. Throw in about 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in the wok and add the chicken with the sauce. Stir constantly for about eight minutes or un-til all of the chicken is cooked.

3. Reduce heat to low and add 2 tablespoons of oyster sauce. Stir again to coat the chicken evenly, and serve immediately.

Vegetable Stir-Fry

1. Chop an assortment of vegetables of your choos-ing. Try a cup of broccoli, green pepper, onion, mush-rooms, peas and 2 cups of Chinese cabbage, but feel free to experiment.

2. Throw about 2 table-spoons of vegetable oil into a wok over high heat.

3. Add the peppers and onion for initial flavoring while stirring constantly. Then add the rest of the vegetables. Stir constantly for another two minutes and finally add the Chinese cabbage as well as any salt and pepper. Stir for another minute or two and then serve immediately.

Cashew and Pea Stir-Fry

1. Cut and prepare 2 cups of snow peas and ½ cup cashews.

2. Throw about 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil into a wok over high heat.

3. Add snow peas, 1/2 cup of radishes and a 4-5 chopped scallions. Stir continuously until the peas are tender-crisp, or around three minutes. Add the sauce and stir to coat well. Remove from the heat and stir in cashews.

4. Add the mixture of 1 table-spoon of soy sauce, 1 table-spoon of rice vinegar and 1 teaspoon of chili-garlic sauce. Serve immediately.

Tofu and Green Bean Stir-Fry

1. Mix a tablespoon of soy sauce, vinegar and sugar and set aside in a small container.

2. Cut 2 cups of tofu into small chunks.

3. Throw about two table-spoons of vegetable oil into a wok over high heat.

4. Add the tofu, gently stir for two minutes and let sit for an-other minute. Then stir again for another three minutes or until slightly golden.

5. Pour the tofu from the wok into a bowl and return to the stove with the heat reduced to medium.

6. Throw in a teaspoon of vegetable oil and add a cup of green beans and a cup of garlic. Stir and cook for about one minute. Now add the soy sauce mixture. Stir for another minute. Add the tofu and stir. Serve immediately.

Ilona Tuominen is astaff writer. Email herat dining@nyunews.com.

A good wok is essential for good stir-fry.

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“Little Paris Kitchen” is fit for your dorm.

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NYUNEWS.COM | TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2014 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS 5

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Anthology format allows for creativity, flexibility

Nathan’s ‘12 O’Clock Boys’proves too broad in focus

Movie, book adaptations reach Broadway stageBy CLIO MCCONNELL

In the age of prolific publica-tion, creating original products can be a challenge. This year, the Broadway community is lift-ing ideas from other media and retrofitting them for the stage. Theatergoers can look forward to adaptations from film and litera-

ture — including “Rocky,” “Bul-lets Over Broadway” and “Of Mice and Men” — coming to the Great White Way in 2014.

With the recent news that a Broadway version of “Frozen” has been greenlit, it is not sur-prising that other films are mi-grating to the stage this season. In fact, “Frozen” is not Disney’s

only new animated addition to live theater — “Aladdin” is due to start previews on Feb. 26 at the New Amsterdam Theatre.

While several children’s books and movies have become big hits on Broadway — “The Lion King” has been filling seats since 1997 — there has recently been a move toward grownup filmfare taking the stage.

First of these will be “Rocky,” based on its Oscar-winning namesake from 1976. Sylvester Stallone, who starred in and di-rected the movie, co-wrote the libretto for this new Broadway musical, which begins previews next week. The talented cre-ative team behind this effort includes director Alex Timbers, who agrees that the project in-volves a strange premise. Hope-fully the gritty moodiness of the film will carry over without becoming a melodrama.

The next film-to-stage transfor-

mation is Woody Allen’s 1994 “Bul-lets Over Broadway.” This dramedy, set in the New York theater scene of the 1920s, may be just campy enough to work at the St. James Theatre. Starring “Scrubs” alum-nus Zach Braff, the show will open in April after a month of previews, with Allen contributing a new script that is sure to add some me-tadramatic flare.

Broadway will not only re-work films this spring — lit-erature will receive a makeover as well. “The Bridges of Madi-son County,” a musical taken from the pages of Robert James Waller’s popular novel, will have music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown, an underdog fa-vorite in the theater world. The book, written in 1992, tells the story of a love affair between a lonely housewife and a travel-ing photojournalist.

Around the same time as “Bridges,” one more work of lit-

erary fiction will grace the New York theater scene: John Stein-beck’s heartbreaking “Of Mice and Men,” a story that rivals “Death of A Salesman” in its disillusioning portrayal of the American Dream. The stage pro-duction stars Hollywood favor-ites James Franco as George and Chris O’Dowd as Lennie. Anna D. Shapiro directs this revival of an ad-aptation — “Of Mice and Men” de-buted on Broadway in 1937 — and previews start on March 19.

Performing onstage brings characters to life, letting them fly off the page in a way that no other medium can. With any luck, this season’s adaptations will boost theater’s relevance, and perhaps even encourage composers and playwrights to offer up newer material for next year.

Clio McConnell is arts editor. Email her at cmcconnell@nyunews.com.

By J.R. HAMMERER Every day they ride. They

speed through city streets, disorienting cars and pe-destrians as they weave in and out of traffic. The 12 O’Clock Boys, the titu-lar community of Lotfy Nathan’s debut documen-tary, are a different kind of gang. They don’t steal, they don’t fight, they don’t vandalize — they ride their dirt bikes through the impoverished streets of inner-city Baltimore like self-described “gangsta Evil Knievels,” pulling wheelies at high speeds.

They create chaos for the traffic cops who do not chase them for fear of en-dangering motorists. Rid-ing dirt bikes is more than a hobby for these boys. It is a way to transcend their surroundings, to rise above the lower-class dredges they are submerged in. They are a fascinating bunch, but Nathan fails to give them meaning.

As a documentarian, Na-than pulls himself in two different directions. On one hand, he wants to cap-ture the appeal of being in the gang and what endows the members’ riding with glory through the lens of the camera. On the other, he attempts to use them as a gateway into gang culture at large, to find what mo-tivates people to join and what that lifestyle involves.

The two approaches are not exactly contradictory but, combined, they are less than illuminating.

To show the romance of the gang, the film fea-tures a lot of slow-motion shots of the bikers pulling tricks — a higher quality version of the videos they post on YouTube. Nathan’s entryway into gang life is Pug, a young boy entering adolescence who stands at the center of “12 O’Clock Boys.” He all but worships the riders and is continual-ly trying to integrate him-self into their circle.

Nathan wisely juxtaposes Pug with his mother, a single parent raising five children who desperately tries to keep them safe. Out there, they “learn all the right ways to do all the wrong shit,” she says in the film.

Both Pug and his mother are engaging, affecting presences, and the mean-ing of the film can be found within these two. Nathan , however, does not look deep enough into the hopes and fears that moti-vate them.

Furthermore, Nathan casts his net too far. The gang members, cops, other bikers, former bikers, motorists and pedestrians all express their anger over the commotion. This community-wide debate actually muddles the film’s points because Nathan takes everyone at face value.

This approach does not

make much sense if the film’s purpose lies mainly in deconstructing the gang’s appeal and how these thrill seekers find solace in risky behavior.

“12 O’Clock Boys” is short, barely reaching 75 minutes, but by encom-passing too many view-points, the film lacks an analysis of how they weave together. Nathan’s heart is in the right place, but the film could benefit from a more focused and disci-plined vision.

J.R. Hammerer is astaff writer. Email himat film@nyunews.com.

By NIVEA SERRAO Television miniseries have long been

a part of the entertainment world. From the slavery saga in ABC’s “Roots” to NBC’s adaptation of “Jesus of Naza-reth,” the genre turns serialized story-telling into a must-watch event with cultural relevance. Recent additions include FX’s “American Horror Story” and HBO’s “True Detective,” with both series drawing large live viewing num-bers — a blessing in a time with low broadcast numbers.

Historically, when a miniseries came to a close, the show would end as well, but this is no longer the case. With the introduction of the anthology series — a type of show that follows differ-ent characters in different episodes or seasons — showrunners like Ryan Murphy (“American Horror Story”) and Nic Pizzolatto (“True Detective”) freely stick to their original premises and retain the flexibility of new storylines and characters.

Having recently wrapped up its third season and already renewed for a fourth, “American Horror Story’s” popularity proves that anthology dramas can be successful. The format allows showrun-ners to not only explore different time periods and historical contexts, but also play with the style of how to tell the story. Similarly, the critically acclaimed series “True Detective” makes use of both the past and the present to create crisscrossing timelines.

Moreover, anthologies offer a range of possibilities of potential plots and character arcs. Because they don’t have to commit to characters or settings beyond a season, showrunners may eliminate characters without worrying about the effects on future seasons. The ability to change casts has led to some interesting twists and bold char-acter turns that traditional television

rarely attempts.The lack of long-time commitment also

serves as a perfect draw for big name ac-tors looking for a stint in television. “True Detective”’ boasts an all-star cast with Woody Harrelson, Michelle Monaghan and Matthew McConaughey. FX’s “Fargo” adaptation has drawn the likes of Martin Freeman and Billy Bob Thornton. The production schedule of a miniseries may be appealing as actors have the freedom to work on other projects.

While miniseries are not always suc-cessful, the anthology series approach can prove quite lucrative for a network by allowing the writers to revamp every-thing for the second season.

Most of the successful anthologies include some aspect of horror or the paranormal and an exploration of the darker side of society. Some-thing about the disturbing themes of these series is easier to swallow in short bursts. After all, whether it is the violent teenage witches of “American Horror Story: Coven” or the occult-themed murder at the heart of “True Detective,” viewers can only gaze into an eerie looking glass for so long.

Nivea Serrao is a staff writer. Emailher at entertainment@nyunews.com.

Lizzie Brocheré stars in FX’s “American Horror Story.”

COURTESY OF FX

Nathan’s subject, Pug, sits atop his dirt bike.

VIA FACEBOOK.COM

The cast of “Bullets Over Broadway” poses for the camera.VIA FACEBOOK.COM

6 WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2014 | NYUNEWS.COM

THE NEW YORK TIMES CROSSWORD & DAILY SUDOKU

ACROSS

1 Insurance giant with a duck in its ads

6 “I messed up!”

11 Food preservative, for short

14 Pack animal

15 Eagle’s nest

16 Big name in jeans

17 Being extravagant and self-indulgent

19 Comfort ___

20 Place to relax

21 Baseball count

22 North American finch

24 “Ragged Dick” author

27 Site of Kubla Khan’s “pleasure dome”

30 ___ terrier

31 Pirouette

32 Barbershop symbol

34 Pocket watch accessory

37 Illumination in “The Star-Spangled Banner”

41 Adam’s ___ (water)

42 Gorgons43 One of Spain’s

Balearics44 “Survivor”

immunity token46 King Arthur’s

resting place47 All-malt beer52 Jeweler’s

eyepiece53 Feminine name

suffix54 Terrier’s bark57 Cause of

inflation?58 Scotch whisky

brand62 Mop & ___ (floor

cleaner)63 “Raw” or “burnt”

color64 It’s moving at the

movies

65 Lombard Street feature

66 “The Wrestler” actress Marisa

67 Blender setting

DOWN 1 “___ right with

the world” 2 1960s hairstyle 3 Volcanic emission 4 Bordeaux buddy 5 Be lovey-dovey 6 Valletta is its

capital 7 It’s not used to

make matzo 8 “It’s c-c-cold!” 9 2008 U.S. govt.

bailout recipient10 Record spinner11 Fancy gold

jewelry, e.g.12 Ergo13 Opera’s Mario

Lanza, for one18 Expert23 Suffix with glob24 “Listen up!,”

old-style25 Archipelago parts26 Green-lighted27 Bonus, in ads28 Barracks

no-show29 “Good job!”32 “The Lord is my

shepherd …,” e.g.

33 Assn. or grp.34 Not make the

grade?35 Rice-shaped

pasta36 Noggin38 G

39 Be concerned, slangily

40 Letter-shaped shelf support

44 Jackanapes

45 Like most jigsaw puzzles

46 I.R.S. employees: Abbr.

47 French beach

48 Stirs up

49 Continental cash

50 Flood barrier

51 Creator of the game Missile Command

54 Petri dish gel

55 Storm

56 Hightail it away

59 Managed care plan, for short

60 Co. with the motto “Think”

61 Australia’s national bird

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Edited by Will Shortz No. 1231Crossword

Recent death emphasizes SIF importance in NYC

STAFF EDITORIAL

WSN welcomes letters to the editor, opinion pieces and articles rel-evant to the NYU community, or in response to articles. Letters should be less than 450 words. All submissions must be typed or emailed and must include the author’s name, address and phone number. Members of the NYU community must include a year and school or job title.

WSN does not print unsigned letters or editorials. WSN reserves the right to reject any submission and edit accepted submissions in any and all ways. With the exception of the staff editorial, opinions ex-pressed on the editorial pages are not necessarily those of WSN, and our publication of opinions is not an endorsement of them.

Send mail to: 838 Broadway, Fifth Floor New York, N.Y. 10003 or email: opinion@nyunews.comSUBMITTING TO

IMMIGRATION

DREAM team seeks higher education for all

Entrepreneurs kindle journalistic vigorMEDIA

NYUNEWS.COM | TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2014 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS 7

OPINIONEDITED BY PETER KEFFEROPINION@NYUNEWS.COM

EDITORIAL BOARD: Peter Keffer (Chair),

Christina Coleburn (Co-chair), Omar Etman (Co-chair),Nina Golshan (Co-chair)

Email the WSN Editorial Board at editboard@nyunews.com.

By MARIA-MONICA ANDIAand MARK PUTTERMAN

Millions of people who have come to the United States seeking safety and opportunity for themselves and their families are unable to obtain legal resi-dential status because of our country’s broken immigration system. This un-documented community contributes to American society every day through its presence, work and tax money. Yet, due to their status, undocumented individuals are unable to fully par-ticipate in American society. They are ineligible to vote, undocumented fami-lies lack access to government support systems, and undocumented students are unable to receive federal loans and financial aid to attend institutions of higher education.

In light of the failure of federal and state politicians to deliver the re-forms for which the undocumented community has been fighting, we as members of the DREAM Team @ NYU hope to build support in our university community in order to create equal access to NYU for un-documented students.

Each semester, the DREAM Team

receives a handful of emails and messages from undocumented high school and college students looking to apply or transfer to our univer-sity. For those who have outstanding personal and academic records, ac-ceptance to NYU is not the problem. The issue is affordability, and current NYU financial aid policies, coupled with federal and state aid restric-tions, make it essentially impossible for undocumented students — even those who have been accepted — to afford an NYU education.

The first step in increasing accessibil-ity would be extending financial aid el-igibility to undocumented applicants. Such a change would be a necessary continuation of our university’s dem-onstrated commitment to diversity, and would enhance every student’s educational experiences by incorporat-ing individuals with distinct perspec-

tives into our learning community. Indeed, similar changes have already been made at a number of American universities in deference to the value of equal access to education.

The DREAM Team believes in the educational rights of undocumented students. Students who have grown up, attended school and made their lives in the United States deserve the same educational opportunities. It is unacceptable that higher education is all but inaccessible for undocumented students because of their ineligibil-ity for government financial aid and the precarious economic situations of many undocumented families.

While the financial burden of higher education faces countless Americans, undocumented students face a series of unique structural barriers to higher education. In recognition of this fact, and inspired by the principle of equal opportunity, we urge the NYU com-munity to take further steps in creat-ing a more diverse and inclusive envi-ronment on campus.

Maria Monica-Andia and Mark Putterman are guest columnists. Email them at dream.team.club@nyu.edu.

By OMAR ETMAN

Journalism, as an institution, suf-fers from booms and busts. The blogging generation, despite being overpopulated, is helping spur re-surgence in the online field. More and more news appears online, however, it is easy to get lost in the overflow of content. The same arti-cle on Syria can be found authored by 17 different people, undermin-ing the stability of established news sources that rely on original commentary to thrive. But from enormous quantity comes inevita-ble quality. As the success of blogs such as Ezra Klein’s demonstrates, readers and sharers are learning to better discern between the good and the bad.

Last week, Klein, creator of the Washington Post’s widely read Wonkblog, announced that he is leaving the established paper to pur-sue a new, more autonomous — and lucrative — venture. Vox Media, the up-and-coming media conglomerate funding Klein’s project, agreed to be a hands-off participant in the opera-tion. Wonkblog, under a new name yet to be decided, will find itself free from the historic weight of the Post.

Around 2008, journalism lost its footing. Technology evolved rapidly as newspaper writing and distribu-tion stagnated. Clunky iPad apps and bloated websites did little to benefit the cause. Now, as major industry play-ers are finally realizing the necessity of a strong online presence, high-caliber journalists are leaving, having come to the same realization years earlier.

Klein’s move is not without prece-dent. Andrew Sullivan, founder of one of the first major political blogs, split from online news source The Daily Beast early last year. In his first six months as an independent blogger, his team raised almost 80 percent of their $900,000 goal from subscription fees, nearly matching the yearly fund-ing they were receiving while work-ing under Tina Brown at the Beast. Shortly after, statistician Nate Silver left The New York Times because “he

went against the grain,” in spite of the fact that his blog, FiveThirtyEight, at-tracted 20 percent of the paper’s on-line traffic in the days surrounding the election. Around the same time, Glenn Greenwald left The Guardian, and Kara Swisher and Walt Mossberg of AllThingsD left the The Wall Street Journal. In each instance, personal brand trumped storied legacy.

Unfortunately most of the blogs on the web are not Wonkblog. Everyone is looking for an audience, and the Internet provides a good place to find one. But buried beneath the seemingly endless nonsense that infiltrates our Facebook news feeds is gold. Klein’s success proves the merits of entre-preneurial journalism. That he has found such favorable reception so quickly — he is only 29 — is further evidence, providing hope for young, amateur writers who want to achieve similar success. Klein’s transition will continue to make waves in the journal-ism community, all the while threat-ening the supremacy of established players. Major American newspapers should take notice. Journalism, at least when unencumbered, is alive and well.

Omar Etman is a deputy opinion editor. Email him at oetman@nyunews.com.

This past Sunday, Philip Seymour Hoffman was found dead in his West Village apartment with a hypodermic needle in his arm. We cannot hope to attribute the cause of Hoffman’s death to an avoidable event. What we can do is suggest policies that will protect others from the same fate. It is time for New York City to in-troduce safe-injection facilities. The increasing rate of heroin overdoses demands that necessary and mean-ingful action be taken.

New York City has always been at the forefront of public health initiatives. Officials have already implemented syringe exchange programs in each of the boroughs, which provide clean needles in exchange for used ones, but these efforts are not enough. More direct assistance, which SIFs provide, would serve to address the problem. SIF clinics assist drug users in the injection of drugs obtained by other means. The facility staff does not actually administer the drug, but rather gives advice on safer injection methods, provides first aid when required and monitors patients to prevent overdoses.

SIFs are not a new concept. Switzerland and the Neth-erlands were both early adopters of heroin-assisted treat-ment and included them as part of their national drug policies in the early 2000s. Both countries have seen their heroin usage steadily decrease, with new heroin users in the Netherlands nearly non-existent. SIFs have consistently reduced dangerous injection behaviors and lowered the number of overdoses among users of the clinics. Further-more, SIFs have regularly acted as pathways for drug users to seek rehab facilities and drug treatment programs.

The federal law obstructing the construction of SIFs, the Controlled Substances Act, was designed to prevent the cre-ation of crack houses, not hinder the creation of facilities that may lower future drug use. Given the proven effective-ness of SIFs, it would be unlikely that any responsible fed-eral government would try to derail a program of this kind.

We will never know if Hoffman’s death could have been prevented. Somebody of his stature probably would have not set foot in a public SIF. Nevertheless, New Yorkers have never been given the option. SIFs have been proven to work. They lower the risk to the drug-user and provide a path to treatment. Safe injection facilities are by no means a panacea, but they do lower the risk substantially. The introduction of SIFs would be a bold but necessary an-nouncement from the mayor’s office.

8 NYUNEWS.COM | TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2014 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS

SPORTS EDITED BY FRANCISCO NAVASSPORTS@NYUNEWS.COM

Big wins, losses for FIFA soccer transfers

for the Miami Heat, attended every single one of his high school games. That dedication planted the seeds of this idea in his head from the time he was a child. As he grew up, however, he took that mantle upon himself. The deep-rooted sense of belonging that home provides has pushed him toward his planned career in real estate — a career he will share with his father — and has bled into his work on the court with his teammates and coaches.

He never talks in terms of wins and losses and never men-tions breaking records or win-ning championships. Instead, he spoke about the team. He talked about the place where he and his teammates have found a home in this city of millions of people — the NYU Basketball program.

“We play really well together, that’s our greatest strength,” Kupferberg said. “One of our team mottos is ‘Team First,’ and

we’re sticking to it ... My team-mates make me a better person.”

The star athlete distinguished himself with this mentality. When all is said and done, he recognizes that the sport he plays would lack meaning with-out the lives that are changed as a result, and that is what makes not only a great athlete, but also a great person.

Alys Murray is a contributing writer. Email her at sports@nyunews.com.

Kupferberg, team prioritize collaboration KUPFERBERG continued from PG. 1

By MICHELLE TRAN

The deals are done. Contracts are signed. The money is paid. The trades are finalized.

As the 2014 January transfer window for FIFA soccer play-ers comes to a close, here is a look back at the most reward-ing signs and the most shocking losses that general managers scrambled to make before the Feb. 1 deadline.

One of the biggest signs that made headline news in the English Premier League was Manchester United’s profit-able gain of Chelsea’s attack-ing midfielder, Juan Mata. The departure of the 25-year-old Spaniard left Chelsea fans ques-tioning current Chelsea and former Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho. Mourinho let go of the two-time EPL Player of the Year, trading him to their English rivals at a Manchester United record transfer sale of a whopping 37 million euros.

With new and younger Chel-sea players like Oscar coming on to the pitch and making a greater impact than Mata did, the decision to sell the interna-tional star appeared evident in the stats. However, David Moyes, ManU’s general manager, and fans at Old Trafford seem happy with the new arrival and hope to incorporate Mata into the at-

tack in order to create a more lethal offensive system.

A major signing came to the Italy Serie A from CSKA Mos-cow’s in the form of the free transfer of Japanese internation-al Keisuke Honda to AC Milan. Currently 10th in the Serie A, AC Milan has struggled to grab a successful foothold within the league. Major changes were ap-parently necessary both on and off the pitch. The club even de-cided to boot their current man-ager, Massimiliano Allegri, and replace him with recently re-tired star Dutchman and ex-AC Milan midfielder Clarence Seed-orf. Honda will hopefully help Seedorf rejuvenate the attack-ing line with players like Kaka.

The transfer of Newcastle’s star midfielder Yohan Cabaye to France’s Paris Saint Germain proved to be one of the most shocking losses, disappointing fans and teammates alike. A ma-jor scorer and playmaker for the BPL team, Cabaye’s departure from Newcastle will prove to be a fatal hit for Newcastle manager Alan Pardew. Pardew had issued statements early in the transfer window, promising fans that the Magpies will not sell their star player. However, the French in-ternational was lured back to his homeland at the going price of 23 million euros.

Another major misstep during the transfer window happened when EPL team Liverpool missed out on their chance to sign star Ukrainian winger, Yehven Ko-noplyanka. The inability to sign an explosive player like Kono-plyanka caused another loss for the Liverpool chief managing director, Ian Ayre, who was not able to secure high-profile Egyp-tian winger, Muhammad Salah, weeks before. Reds fans are out-raged that Liverpool’s deal with the 24-year-old Ukrainian failed to pull through before the dead-line, leaving Liverpool without a strong presence on the flanking regions in their game. Currently standing in fourth place in the BPL, Liverpool needed these ma-jor signs in order to claw their way into the coveted top three.

Michelle Tran is a staff writer. Email her at sports@nyunews.com.

England winger Wilfried Zaha was transferred in January.

VIA WIKIPEDIA.ORG