Published Works

With an expertise in English literature and experience working as a painter and writer, my interests spawn cinema, visual arts, theater, television, music, toys, New Delhi, New York and more.

Scroll down to get a glimpse of my published clips featured in Time Out New York, The Post and Courier, The Toy Insider, The Toy Book, The Licensing Book, Elite Daily, Syracuse New Times, and The NewsHouse.

Documentary Films

‘Watermark’ a film on how water marks our lives

BY VARUNI SINHA

Post and Courier: June 2 2015 7:24 pm

In the barren delta of the Colorado River what used to be a stream has left quiet footsteps in sand on its forgotten way to the ocean.

A native laments that once upon a time, these waters had fish and the desert was green. This is one of the stunning scenes in “Watermark,” presented by the Sierra Club Robert Lunz Group as part of Piccolo Spoleto at 7 p.m. June 4 in the MUSC Baruch Auditorium, 284 Calhoun St.

Filmmakers Jennifer Baichwal and Edward Burtynsky “show how water shapes us and how we shape water.” They show what water is, how it connects living beings, how we use it, how it makes life possible every day and how it is impacted by humankind.

In this 92-minute film, photographer Burtynsky puts together a collage of spectacular ultra-high definition video.

“Burtynsky creates work that has terrible beauty about it,” said Mark Sloan, director of the Halsey Institute. Sloan co-organized a screening of the film at the Charleston Music Hall in November.

“It’s work that is incredibly compelling visually. Yet when you actually understand what’s going on in the image, it is very disturbing. It is a kind of a push-and-pull technique.”

The film takes us to the construction site of the world’s biggest arch dam, the Xiluodu in China. The dam is six times bigger than the Hoover Dam near Las Vegas. The water that it harnesses whips and lashes against the walls of the dam like a sea monster. The sound of the waves inundates the film’s soundtrack, another high point of “Watermark.”

Yet, it is this dam that has displaced a million workers in China, taken away their land, homes and livelihoods. Dam-building is not without serious controversy.

In another sequence, the film takes the viewers to Allahabad, India, where 30 million pilgrims bathe in the holy waters of the Ganges River at the same time in the belief that the water will wash off their sins and make them pure. Yet in the same land, chemicals from the leather tanneries of Dhaka bleed into the river.

“Watermark” brings together 20 such stories from 10 countries. “The film is not an urgent call-to-action film, imposing its judgment on the audience, egging them to act now,” Sloan points out. “It informs people about the consequences of human beings’ life on the planet and urges them to come to their own conclusion about the importance of water.”

Published in The Post and Courier on June 2 2015 7:24 pm

Available Link

http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20150602/PC2106/150609822

Animated Films/Kids Entertainment

Feel the Pulse of the Forest in Disney’s The Jungle Book

BY VARUNI SINHA  
The Toy Insider: April 15 2016

As a child, watching Wolfgang Reitherman’s 1967 film made me fall in love with Mowgli the man cub, living the life of a wild animal in a deep, dark forest. And now, Jon Favreau’s live-action Disney epic adventure, The Jungle Book, brings the young hero to life once again, re-imagined for today’s audiences.

The film gives new meaning to the concept of 3-D, and is well worth the increase in ticket price. It draws audiences into the belly of the forest, with deep green trees pressing in all around them and wildlife pouring across the screen. Just like Mowgli (Neel Sethi), viewers will be thrust into a first-person view, feeling as if they are crawling on the forest floor as they live by the rules of the forest.

The film’s plot remains close to the 1967 animated film: A human child, Mowgli, is abandoned in a forest. Bagheera (Ben Kingsley), a black leopard, delivers him to a pack of wolves that adopt him. Shere-Khan (Idris Elba), a wicked tiger, demands the man-cub for himself. But the wolves banish Mowgli to a man-village when the tiger turns bloodthirsty. It’s all strikingly familiar, but fresh and vibrant at the same time.

What’s different in this adaptation of the story is the slow development of Mowgli as he comes of age by facing the dangerous forest all alone. Depicted through acts of bravery and self sacrifice, Favreau’s The Jungle Book is a true tale of discovery. For Mowgli, it’s as much about discovering the human inside the animal, as it is about the animal inside the human.

Emotion is the center seat of this tale. Fear, friendship, power, love, honesty, betrayal, and kindness are all feelings that kids—along with Mowgli—will learn to distinguish.

Some scenes may be a bit intense for younger viewers. Like an instance when Kaa (Scarlett Johansson) the snake hypnotizes Mowgli, tightly wrapping her tail around him while spewing a chilling tale of his father’s tragic death. But overall the film delivers a visually stunning, feel-good experience.

Special kudos goes to the voice actors, including Bill Murray (Baloo) for his playful rendition of a mischievous bear and Scarlett Johansson (Kaa), whose hissing sounded undeniably menacing and lethal throughout the film.

Bill Pope’s painting-like cinematography colors the narrative from beginning to the end. Dark canvases paint a life-like texture to the forest, highlighted by contrasting colors like red and yellow. This treatment gives the film a dark vibe, but just like the Harry Potter series conveys the brilliance of life through a fight against the dark forces, The Jungle Book celebrates the abundance of it.

The film brings man to the level of the beast. Both live like equals—an important lesson for kids to learn. In fact, the entire film will make kids feel like they are living in a village of animals with unique personalities—not just talking creatures. Overall, The Jungle Book is a must-watch, full of alluring beasts of all shapes and sizes. But in the end, it’s not the size of the beast that matters, it’s believing in our own self worth that will make you king of the forest.

Theater/Literature

The many iterations of ‘Sleeping Beauty’

BY VARUNI SINHA

The Post and Courier: May 21 2015 10:45 pm  

Maria Tatar, author of “The Annotated Brothers Grimm,” has compared fairy tales to memes, cultural units that are memorable and easy to refashion. Many of these stories are about transformations, such as frogs turning into princes. And in the more than 400 years since French author Charles Perrault wrote “Sleeping Beauty” in 1697 (itself a recast of a 14th-century prose romance called “Perceforest”), his tale has been retold innumerable times. Here’s a sampling of the many adaptations:

1890: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky composes a ballet score that fuses together Perrault’s original story and the Brothers Grimm version. It features Puss in Boots, Little Red Riding Hood and other French fairy tale characters.

1959: Maleficent, with her pale, batlike green skin, emerges as the most remarkable character of Walt Disney’s film adaptation. The score and songs are based on the 1890 ballet.

1987: Cannon’s short-lived attempt to do battle with Disney resulted in this odd American-Israeli co-production starring Morgan Fairchild, former Go-Go Jane Wiedlin and, in the title role, Raquel Welch’s daughter Tahnee Welch.

2007: The award-winning Canadian short “Sleeping Betty,” drawn entirely in Indian ink, includes Queen Victoria, Henry VIII, a court jester and a many-eyed extraterrestrial each trying to rouse the title character.

2011: The cult TV series “Once Upon a Time” plunks various fairy tale characters — including Princess Aurora, as Sleeping Beauty is known — into the unchanging town of Storybrooke, Maine.

2013: Carlo Colla and Sons Marionette Company premieres the version that will appear at Spoleto Festival USA, based on the 1890 ballet and Perrault’s original. Little Red Riding Hood, Puss in Boots, the Seven Dwarves and other characters from French fairy tales appear in the story. Also, the kiss that awakens Sleeping Beauty is insignificant to the plot.

2014: Sleeping Beauty shifts to a supporting role in the hit film “Maleficent,” which revisits the story from the perspective of the evil (or is she?) queen, played by Angelina Jolie.

Published in The Post and Courier on May 21 2015 10:45 pm

Available Link

http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20150521/PC2106/150529805/1147/the-many-iterations-of-x2018-sleeping-beauty-x2019

Education/Classical Music

Symphoria Program aims to help children learn

BY VARUNI SINHA

Syracuse New Times: Aug 27, 2014

Symphoria will visit at least four middle schools in the coming school year to put its music-making skills to use in the classroom.

Catherine Underhill, the managing director of the orchestra, said Symphoria will provide music as part of an interdisciplinary educational experience linking science, math, environmental issues and other subjects designated by teachers.

"This is one way for us to create a band of future musicians and to develop a new audience that appreciates the orchestra," she said.

The Central New York Community Foundation made an $18,000 grant to Symphoria, the organization that succeeded the Syracuse Symphony, to promote this unusual initiative. It was the first grant from the foundation to Symphoria; Central New York Arts provided money for the program.

"This is an opportunity for teachers to use music creatively. There is no fixed format for instruction. In a pilot program that Symphoria initiated this summer, music was used by a school in Auburn to teach chemistry, and in North Carolina to teach earth science," Underhill said.

This pilot program has been designed by Becky Dodd, a teacher at Liverpool Middle School, and David Amidon, a scientist at the State College of Environmental Science and Forestry, and his colleagues. One aim of the program is to teach music in an innovative way.

In March, the group performed at the Carrier Theater, at the Oncenter, to demonstrate the possibilities to schools and community members. The performance included visuals projected onto a digital screen. Amidon assumed the role of narrator and described to the audience what they were going to see and hear. The images displayed were scenes from nature, and the music was based on classical compositions inspired by nature. When the audience saw trickling water, the orchestra played a melody using the sound of dripping water. When it saw a bird, the orchestra made music with bird songs.

Through Beethoven's Symphony No. 6, Pastoral, evoking the sound of a thunderstorm, or the Winter movement of The Four Seasons, by Vivaldi, the audience was made aware of the role of nature in their cities. The musicians hoped to bring to life local environmental issues.

"Symphoria's musicians will participate in workshops with school students," Underhill explained.

At Liverpool Middle School, Dodd's students worked with musicians Alan Kolsky, Sonya Williams and Kit Dodd from Symphoria, learning how to capture the sounds of raindrops, rivers and wind with assorted instruments. The children were then taught to write their own music.

Amidon used the orchestra to raise environmental awareness in students at LaFayette Middle School. He drew attention to the condition of Onondaga Lake. The children of the two schools then interacted with each other to share ideas.

"We at Symphoria are happy with the response we have received from schools and hope to extend the program to other schools in Madison and Onondaga counties," Underhill said.

Symphoria's multimedia program will likely begin in schools in February and March 2015, although more money is needed. Underhill noted that participating schools would be charged a nominal fee.

"Musicians at Symphoria are adapting well to changing times," said Katrina Crocker, speaking for the foundation. It was impressed by this new educational endeavor, she said.

"This is an effort to demystify the orchestra and make it more accessible to the audience. Symphoria remains committed to re-establishing a fine orchestra in Syracuse," Underhill said.

Published in Syracuse New Times on Aug 27, 2014

Available Link

http://www.readperiodicals.com/201408/3425721341.html

Headphones/Product Review

Try Everything and Listen to Anything with Disney Zootopia Headphones

BY VARUNI SINHA

The Toy Insider: June 17, 2016

From Shakira’s Try Everything, to Lt. Judy Hopps’ sharp hearing (that can pick up parking violations from a block away), to the roars and rumbles in the mammal metropolis—sound sure makes the Zootopia world go ’round. That’s why Disney Zootopia Headphones, from eKids, styled with character graphics from the film, is just the right gift for every Zootopian at heart.

With Sly Guy Nick Wild’s foxy ears popping out on each side of the headphones, kids will surely be in style while adding in some Zootopia role play fun. And these headphones do more than just look great. The sound quality is great, with volume limiters to ensure kids’ ears aren’t damaged while they listen to their favorite tunes. Plus, the soft and cushy fit of the headband and ear covers will keep kids comfortable. Don’t know about the sly guy, but these headphones simply won me over!

With noise-canceling headphones popping up everywhere for adults, it’s important to remember that kids’ ears need to be protected. These headphones guarantee great sound quality but at levels that modulate to take care of kids’ sensitive ear drums. The headphones also adjust easily to heads as large as Mayor Lionheart’s or as small as Mr. Big’s fist-size skull (or kids ages 3 and up).

I also liked the attention to detail in the headphones’ Zootopian styling. Just like Nick the fox could touch the assistant Mayor Bellwether’s woolly crop and get tickled in the film, kids can touch Nick Wild’s hair growing out of the headphones’ crown, and have a laugh (after all, what goes around comes around)! Another cool element is Nick’s nickname scrawled across the headband.

And hey, why should kids have all the fun? Even though these super cool headphones are meant for children ages 3 and up, they are really great for all Zootopians at heart, people like you and me, who love to try everything.

Documentary Films 

The graphic, gripping 'Return to Homs' puts a burning Syria on display

By VARUNI SINHA
The NewsHouse: September 25, 2014 - 4:54 pm

Review: Syrian director Talal Derki paints a violent reality of the ongoing Syrian unrest with the documentary 'Return to Homs.'

A nation is burning right now. As we sit in our pretty little homes fuming over petty little problems, millions in Syria are being snuffed out. And as we glance at the newspaper, a country where a civil war rages since 2011 finds no place. It is old news.

Talal Derki’s documentary Return to Homs, which screened at the Syracuse University Human Rights Film Festival last Saturday, is a reminder to the world to act.

Derki’s film tells the story of 19-year-old Abdul Basset al-Sarout, the goalkeeper of the Syrian soccer team, and his 24-year-old friend Ossama, a media activist. They are young and gifted, and once, a long time ago, they had dreams. Today, they are branded terrorists by Bashir al-Assad’s dictatorial regime. Like many other Syrians, the two took to arms and joined a nationwide revolution against Assad.

They could either flee their country or get killed. It wasn’t an easy choice, Derki says, in a film that tails the two soldiers from 2011 to 2013.

Frame by frame, the camera follows their day-to-day activities: buying weapons, planning combat, firing, bombing, fighting, burying a dead friend, then another, fighting Assad’s troupes, protecting innocent civilians, making five minute phone calls to distressed kith and kin, more weapons, more fighting…

Frame by frame, the city of Homs is grazed down. The film opens on what resembled a city. Now it’s a battleground. Houses and roads look intact still. But soon, they have holes in them; their roofs crumble, and entire buildings come cascading down. Basset laughs as he tells his friend he was on the top floor of one that decided to crash just then. His laughter is his only escape.

Frame by frame, Derki’s film in its portrayal and act of filming on battleground is brave. The lens of the camera does shudder once, when a sniper blasts.

In one scene, Ossama visits a military hospital. What we see resembles a torture chamber. Dead bodies — hacked, mutilated, bleeding — fill the screen. By now, our eyes feel cold and get accustomed to the violence in Derki’s film.

But then, you see a father cry hollow as he looks at the corpse of his son. A boy, perhaps six or seven years old, lies still in the center of an empty room.

In another scene, Basset tells his comrades they must stay home with their wives and children if that is what they want. But to join him means betting away their life.

The film exposes real fears, real frustrations.

Basset is their leader, their hope. He mustn’t be weak, even when his friends, four brothers and two uncles die. But he breaks down and cries like a schoolboy when his leg is severely injured during combat.

In the next scene, however, he is fighting again. And every time his men are pushed out of Homs, he gathers soldiers and strength to return to Homs again.

This is a story of hope. And even though it may appear like an anthology of gore, it urges us to condemn violence.

Published in The NewsHouse on September 25, 2014 - 4:54 pm

Available Link

http://www.thenewshouse.com/blog/graphic-gripping-return-homs-puts-burning-syria-display

Theater

Stan Gill wears many hats

BY VARUNI SINHA Special to The Post and Courier

May 31 2015 10:46 pm

Stan Gill arrives early for rehearsal at Footlight Players Theatre. It’s a trying spring day, but with his team still trickling in, the 65-year-old Gill decides to lug the equipment from his car himself. You can’t miss his sprightly gait, his restless eyes awaiting the rest of the crew. With “Princess and the Pea,” “Rumpelstiltskin” and “Mark Twain’s Final Tour” all appearing in this year’s Piccolo Spoleto Festival, he doesn’t feel like waiting.

The Detroit-born Gill has written 70 plays, including 30 musicals for children, and has served as the founder and artistic director of seven academic and professional theaters. He is also the director of Sprouts Children’s Theatre, the company behind the children’s musicals at Piccolo this year. But when he was 15, Gill dreamed of working for NASA.

“Science was my first love, even though I had started writing plays,” he said. “I had to pick a major in which I could maintain a 4.0 average; otherwise, they would send me off to war in Vietnam.” And that’s how he chose theater.

“I have always thought of theater as something that enriches our lives,” he said. “Furthermore, giving children an experience of seeing quality live theater with the actors, drama, costumes, sound and lighting ensures an educated future audience.” Gill said there is much work still to be done, judging from the amount of bad theater out there.

One big component of Sprouts productions is that it allows children in the audience to interact with the performers. Another is that adults can also enjoy the shows, many of which Gill writes, performs in, produces, designs and directs.

“Writing and teaching are the only aspects of theater that I enjoy the most,” he said. “They are each challenging and call for a global perspective.”

Actor Billy Turner, who has appeared in Sprouts productions, said Gill’s passion is obvious.

“There is a way in which Stan works that he really loves theater and cares about it,” Turner said. “And when he works with his team, he brings out that love in each one of us, bringing out the best in each artist.”

In “Mark Twain’s Final Tour,” Gill portrays local interviewers, foreign tour guides and Satan himself, as well as the title character.

“In college I decided to portray Mark Twain for Michigan State University, and it sold out,” Gill said. “I did it again and again, and every time it sold out. What I enjoyed was performing aspects of Twain’s writing that he didn’t perform himself. Mark Twain was one of the first stand-up comics, and (playing) him feels like talking to an old friend.”

Gill’s team had arrived, and it was time for rehearsal. On his way into the theater he bumped into a friend, a Sprouts colleague, and described how he recently played a stepsister in “Cinderella.” And with a few laughs, he quickly escaped into his dream world.

Published in The Post and Courier on May 31 2015 10:46 pm

Available Link

http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20150531/PC2106/150539857/stan-gill-wears-many-hats

New York Toy Fair 2016

Best of Toy Fair 2016: Big Play That Packs Up to Go

BY VARUNI SINHA

The Toy Insider: Feb 26 2016

At the 113th North American International Toy Fair, big fun comes in small packages. Your busy summer lives are about to become way easier with companies offering up light, easy-to-carry, foldaway gear for on the go outdoor play. With hectic schedules and spontaneous trips to solve cabin fever, toys like these offer plenty fun activities for kids and families while camping, on vacation, or even at the playground.

Mega Rocket (Diggin Active)

Get ready to flex some muscles with the Mega Rocket, from Diggin Active. Kids can put down those phones and tablets, and get out and throw this 6-foot rocket up to 100 feet into the sky can be truly exhilarating, loosening up those shoulders from a long day of hunched over texting. Perfect for backyards, pools, or the beach, this toy can inflate and deflate in seconds, fitting into any bag, any size (You’ll certainly be able to find it in mine this summer!)

Family Camping Board Games (Education Outdoors)

Whether you’re getting ready to trek 2000 miles from Georgia to Maine along the Appalachian Trail or just setting up a tent in your backyard, the new Appalachian Trail Special Edition Game will keep you thinking on your feet. A trivia game, designed for kids ages 8 and up, it tests knowledge of camping skills, trail first aid, and plant and animal identification.

Education Outdoors has also introduced a new Camp Travel Edition of its classic Camp Board Game. This game comes in a big zip-locked bag—which means even the packaging is super light. Designed for kids ages 4 and up, the game includes 99 fun facts and 100 questions that challenge a family to embark on a forest adventure together. The game allows kids to play at one level and adults to play at another, so everyone is challenged!

Beach Bucket (American Plastic Toys)

Next time it’s time to build sand castles on the beach, no need to drag a big bundle of toys along, just pack up this one (affordable!) set. Designed for kids ages 18 months and up, the Beach Basket is a light, portable plastic wonder that carries everything from buckets and shovels to tropical fish molds. The top of the basket works as a sand sifter, allowing kids uncover shells and other hidden wonders. The basket’s container has enough holes to let the water drain out once kids are done beaching around, so they aren’t leaving puddles back at the beach house.

Toy Monster Eezy Peezy Monkey Bars (National Sporting Goods)

I know it’s not always easy to find a safe playground with swings and monkey bars wherever you live, so it’s great when the playground can come to you. National Sporting Good’s Toy Monster Eezy Peezy Monkey Bars are designed for kids ages 3 to 6. Eager to climb out of their crib, or climb onto a tree, this tower is the right fit for growing kids. The monkey bars have interlocking connectors with double-locking springs that help kids develop motor skills, teach them balance, and challenge them to use of their muscles. The tower is durable, lightweight, and super easy to assemble. It’s made of quality plastic that can sustain 150 lbs and is also UV-resistant. And when it’s raining or snowing, you can set it up indoors!

Blast Pad and Blast Pad Jr. (Marky Sparky)

The Blast Pad is a missile launcher designed for kids ages 8 and up. Made of lightweight plastic and rubber, the missiles sound more daunting than they actually are, but the launchpad is serious business. It extends up to 3 feet and is forever ready to launch a missile vertically using advanced telescoping technology. The kit comes with a blast pad and three assistant blast pads. All the parts (including those in the Junior version) store neatly into the base making it easy for travel. The kit requires no batteries and is virtually indestructible—so blast away like there’s no tomorrow!

Vtooth 1000 (GLD Products)

Vtooth 1000 combines outdoor, indoor, and digital play into one cool electronic dartboard. The board comes with an easy to use wall mounting bracket that makes on-the-go play super convenient. Vtooth 1000 has high quality thermoplastic construction (for protection outdoors), an integrated LED display, and comes with a free app that offers new games and playing options. The app also helps record stats to improve your game or compete with other players on the internet. The dartboard can be easily connected on iOS and Android devices via Bluetooth. Vtooth comes with two sets of starter darts and requires batteries to operate.

One-Touch Tent (Pacific Play Tents)

All tents are relatively easy to carry and foldaway, but for those of you looking for instantaneous set up, the One-Touch Tent is almost magical. True to its name, the tent has a specially designed frame that pops right up with a single touch. The tent is lightweight and offers parents on-the-go convenience. Using its four stylish options, families can camp it up with the One-Touch Beach Banana, the One-Touch Lil Nursery Tent, the One-Touch Tent, or the new Presto Tent.

TreePod (Slackline Industries)

You don’t need to be a hammers-and-nails kind of person to set up the TreePod. All you need is a sturdy tree branch to hang the prop. This hanging treehouse is made of waterproof durable material, and has a zip-up door, mesh windows, and a roll-out ladder offering kids a ready-to-use hideaway. However, if finding a tree gets difficult, or kids just want to camp out in the backyard, they can purchase the Treepod stand separately. Made of steel and standing 8.5 feet tall,  the stand can stand up to 500 lbs. The tent is 7.5 feet tall and 5 feet wide, and comes in four bright color options.

Published in The Toy Insider on February 26 2016

City Life/Popular Culture 

Bike Month Events in New York City

BY VARUNI SINHA

Time Out New York: May 5 2015

Cycle through the city this May with these outdoorsy events, all in celebration of bike month

May is Bike Month, so that means it’s time to experience the quintessential sights of NYC on two wheels. This May you’ll find biking events sprinkled all across the city, so you can roll through it one cyclist-loving event at a time. Veer toward Central Park by night for Moonlit Roads, compete in a real race, cycle for a cause, or simply grab the handlebar for the love of it—it’s up to you.

RECOMMENDED: The best ways to bike New York

The Red Hook Criterium No.8

Red Hook is strictly for the pros. Professional road racers, track specialists, bike messengers and urban cyclists from the world over are drawn to this premier competition. With well-oiled muscles and machines, each participant has eyes set fiercely upon the finish line, though it takes serious training, challenging levels of fitness and specialized gear to be part of the game. Fixed-gear track bicycles are compulsory, and so is the dexterity to maneuver through labyrinthine streets. All athletes must check in at 11am. Your first chance to qualify will be at 12:30pm and your last chance at 6pm. Men will circuit 24 laps through 30km and women 18 laps through 22.5km!

Bike Expo New York

Two days before the TD Five Boro Bike Tour, one of the most prestigious cycling events in town, 60,000 cyclists and more than 100 exhibitors participate in a roaring workshop. Whether you want to get started with urban cycling, learn how to fix a flat tire, figure out how the basics of cycling or get the gear to prepare for a professional race, this expo is a one-stop shop. Sales, giveaways, demonstrations, talk shows, contests and entertainment will show you how much fun you can have on two wheels!

Central Park Moonlight Ride

There is something awesomely metal about riding your bike in the light of the moon. Admittedly, it would be way more metal if the bikes in question were Harleys and not fixies, but it’s still pretty badass. Join the Time’s Up crew for its midnight sojourn.

17th Annual Blessing of the Bikes

You need only believe in the benefits of biking at this nondenominational service presided over by Reverend Julia Whitworth. After the blessing, take your spiritually enhanced set of wheels for a spin with fellow cyclists.

TD Five Boro Bike Tour

Cyclists: For one day the city is yours. This 32,000-strong tour spans all the boroughs and five bridges, over the course of 40 automobile-free miles, courtesy of a partnership with the NYC Department of Transportation. Regular registration is already sold out, but you can still volunteer (visit fbbt.bikenewyork.volunteerhub.com). Starts at Franklin St at Church St.

Bike the Branches

For the past two years, bikers have scavenged through Brooklyn for this daylong event. This year you can investigate 11 new bike paths filled with awesome destinations and pit stops, like Smorgasburg, Sixpoint Brewery, the Brooklyn Museum, and Prospect Park. If you don’t have a bike, don't worry—registrants get a 24-hour Citi Bike pass or have the option of walking or running the paths. After your trek, check out the block-party at Central Library where live musicians will play and prizes will be awarded.

Brooklyn Bike Jumble

This semiannual event returns to Park Slope, giving local cyclists a chance to peruse all kinds of bikes and the gear that goes with them. Technicians from Recycle-a-Bicycle will appraise rides, and you’ll also find local vendors peddling street-ready models, as well as individual components and accessories.

CycloFemme

This global women's-cycling day salutes current female cyclists as well as pioneers who changed the meaning of womanhood in athleticism and spun new records. Each member of CycloFemme takes an oath to inspire one more woman to become a part of this tribe of female bikers. A global cycling event celebrating broads on bikes, rides will take place in different cities across the globe. Register for free online to connect with riders close to you.

East Coast Greenway’s Four-Island Ride

Explore four islands of New York City through a guided bike tour. You will never see Manhattan, Randalls and Roosevelt islands—and Queens (which, as we all know, is on Long Island)—the same way again. Cover 26 miles, easily paced at just 10 miles per hour. The adventure begins with a ride north, crosses Willis Avenue Bridge into the Bronx, turns southeast onto Randalls Island, takes the RFK Bridge to Queens, travels farther south to Roosevelt Island and then heads back to Manhattan. Many stops feature cherishable landmarks, like the new Four Freedoms Park on Roosevelt Island. Just donate $20 to East Coast Greenway to participate in the ride. Each contribution goes a long way toward building the 2,900-mile trail from Maine to Florida.

Bike Home from Work Party

Meet at the archway underneath the Manhattan Bridge, on Water St between Adams and Pearl Sts, Brooklyn (bikenyc.org/event/7188). Detour to Dumbo and join the celebration at the third annual Bike Home from Work Party. Transportation Alternatives hosts this block shindig, which features nibbles from such vendors as Rice & Miso Everyday and Brooklyn Brewery; booths staffed by Recycle-a-Bicycle, Bicycle Habitat and other cycling-centric spots; and a reflective-clothing fashion show. And if you took up the Bike to Work Challenge from May 1 to 22, and took it very seriously, you could be among the lucky winners receiving an award.

Published in Time Out New York on May 5, 2015

Available Link

http://www.timeout.com/newyork/things-to-do/bike-month-events-in-nyc

Trend Story/Toy Industry

New Collectible Toys Stack Up

BY VARUNI SINHA

The Toy Book: Jan 19 2016

Whether it‘s seashells at the beach, multi-colored rocks, or big colorful feathers, kids love to collect odds and ends. For more than a decade, toy companies have cashed in on this quirky habit by introducing toy lines with small price points and big collectibility. In 2016, collectible toys are projected to get smaller in size, but larger in variety and number. With many new offerings already lined up, kids will have a lot more to choose from.

What’s New in 2016?

Moose Toys, a strong contender in the collectibles category for eight years, is getting ready to make a new introduction in the boys‘ collectible category. The company has seen recent success with Shopkins, a line of grocery-themed micro-collectibles with a whimsical appearance, which the manufacturer will continue to grow in 2016.

”We have an exciting new Shopkins segment lined up, new series of toys will continue to come out, as well as an expansion of the Shoppies dolls, who will be interacting a lot more with the characters in the play set,” says Paul Solomon, CEO of Moose Toys.

Blip Toys, on the other hand, is getting ready to flood the market with three collectibles lines, starting with Palace Pets Sweetie Tails, a continuation of the successful Disney Palace Pets inspired by the animal best friends of Disney Princesses. Blip Toys will also launch a brand new collectible line called Sugar Pop in June, and plans to re-launch Squinkies in the fall. ”One of the things that people loved and remembered about Squinkies was their rubbery, tactile nature,” says Rick Mershon, vice president of sales at Blip Toys. ”In 2016 we will differentiate the Squinkies in yet another way. It will be something about the way
they play.”

Kids will also be on the lookout for Num Noms, from MGA Entertainment, which are miniature food toys with customized scents; Batman and Superman Power Poppers from Imperial Toy, which are foam figurines that can be shot into the sky; and Yo-kai medals, from Hasbro, which Yo-kai Watch fans can use to summon their favorite characters.

What’s Trending?

Girls are delving even deeper into collectibles, with toys such as Shopkins, Kitty in My Pocket, and Palace Pets growing in number. ”I feel that collectibles were for a long time action figures like He-Man that targeted boys,” says Ann Kienzle, owner of specialty toy store Play Logan Square. ”This is beginning to change and girl-heavy collectibles are likely to continue in 2016.”

Kienzle also forecasts a rise in superhero collectibles with the huge influx of TV shows and movies themed on the caped crusaders. Superhero toys are easily relatable to all age groups and hence strong sellers, she points out. Star Wars collectibles, however, are an anomaly in that regard because of the perennial interest that fans exhibit in the brand.

Decreasing SIZE

As new brands join the collector‘s cart, the category is getting bigger, but the size of the physical product is shrinking. ”Size impacts affordability, which makes Shopkins so successful,” says Kienzle. ”The key for collectibles is that kids need to be able to save up money in a short amount of time and buy the toys in bulk, otherwise they begin to lose interest.”

However, size is not a sure-shot factor for popularity. ”While micro-collectibles are crowding the market, just making a small-sized collectible toy is not a guarantee for success,” says Ali Barajas, vice president of marketing for Moose Toys.

Creating an entertaining hook, such as telling a back-story for the toy or brand, is one way to draw an audience to a collectible.

”Size certainly adds to the cute factor of the Shopkins,” says Solomon. ”However, other factors like the everyday characters they are styled after, the extensive play pattern that offer role-play opportunities like cooking or shopping, and keeping the newness alive, is what works for Shopkins.”

Artistic VS. Play Value

A collectible by definition is a toy that a child would find attractive enough to buy repeatedly, build a display of, and trade. Hence, the way a collectible appears to a child is an important marker for the toy‘s success. The artistic value of the toy also helps distinguish it from the competition.

”With our micro-collectibles we like to focus on styling the eyes in a distinct way,” says Mershon. ” It‘s something that Disney has mastered as a business—creating a look of the eye, the shape and size of the pupil—that can be owned.”

Another factor that played into the success of the Squinkies, Power Poppers, and Shopkins is the tactile texture of the toys that kids associate with the brand. ”Kids are tactile by nature so the touching factor creates another way in which they can interact with the toys,” says Barajas. ”Shopkins have a softer texture, and spongy feel. Some Shopkins even have fluff. It gives kids something different from hard plastic.”

Solomon adds that Shopkins stand out because of their pint-size, their cute getup, their endearing aura, and happy looks, styled after distinct influences from Australia.

Blind Bag Packaging

Packaging plays an important role with collectibles, according to Kienzle, because it allows the brand to show off its entire range, communicate the idea behind the series, and keep the buyer hooked.

”Blind box is another big packaging trend that prompts kids to buy more,” she says. ”Kids love the element of not knowing what they are going to get. And if packaging adds a layer to the toy like a mini-mall or vending machine, that‘s always a plus.”

The blind bag has always interested kids with toys like My Little Pony, Shopkins, Care Bears, Hello Kitty, and Palace Pets, according to Mershon. ”It‘s the same effect that we wish to recreate with Squinkies,” he says. ”To make visual noise, with just a little tweak in the packaging to make our toy stand out in the collectibles aisle.”

Adding another layer through packaging allows manufacturers to get creative. Hasbro showcases a collecting book and Yo-kai medals in their packaging which allows fans to not only organize their collection, but also summon more Yo-kai characters into the video game. The Shopkins Scoops Ice Cream Truck is a play set that allows kids to play with the truck but also allows them to use the vehicle to display all their Shopkins characters.

Social Media Matters

While packaging allows manufacturers to create visual noise, digital media is a way to reach your target audience, according to Mershon. ”You can see millions of views on YouTube of blind boxes being opened,” he says. ”Kids get excited just watching other people unbox product. Social media has thus become an important marketing strategy in the sale of collectibles.”

Apps and TV series are another way to create great digital content around a toy. One example is the Care Bears & Cousins TV series that recently launched on Netflix, or the free Disney app that allows fans interested in Blip Toys‘ Palace Pets to discover the back-stories of these characters. ”Within two months of the app‘s launch, 2 million copies of the app were downloaded, going to show how focused the target audience for this product is within the Disney fan club,” says Mershon.

Social media is also an information source, helping kids understand what a toy or game is about, how it plays, and how many followers it attracts. YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook also allow kids to share their toy collections instantly with others.

Why Love Collectibles?

Kids are attracted to collectible toys for reasons as varied as the kids themselves. But, collecting starts in the preschool and elementary school stage when kids begin to notice and compare the toys they own to those of their friends. Mershon points out that this age is ripe for collecting.

Sometimes there is no definitive way of knowing what kids might like or dislike. ”When we started toying with the idea of Palace Pets, the pets to consider were traditional pets like puppies, kitties, and ponies,” Mershon says. ”However, what sold were exotics like tigers. On the other hand, with another brand called Whimsy Pets in the micro-plush segment, the kitties and ponies were the hot favorites.”

Kienzle stresses the social importance of collectibles, because sharing and trading are a part of the process of owning such a toy, while Moose Toys‘ Solomon says the success of collectibles is the success of the idea behind the line, as well as its timely execution, artistic rendition, marketing, packaging, and continued interest in the toy, which works almost like an intricate formula.

Trends usually come and go in a three-year wave. Micro-collectibles might be the new fad of the day, but collectibles always have the potential of becoming classic keepsakes if created and invested in with care.

Life/Family/Love

Why You Can’t Begin To Know Your Parents Until You Know Yourself

BY VARUNI SINHA

Elite Daily: Nov 18 2015

Growing up, I was never friendly with my parents, even though they were super cool, liberal professors who allowed me to do whatever I wanted.

I grew up in a freethinking university campus in the heart of New Delhi, India, on a delectable hill dotted with trees.

The campus included libraries, debating societies, theater and art.

I grew up with friends, colleagues and family who were like me.

I became the lion of my cubbyhole. The freedom, love and support I got were so omnipresent, I had no idea what life was like without them.

With no real battles to fight, I was keen to fight my parents. I always believed I was right, and was forever suspicious of their safe ways.

But my dad, a social scientist in the best university in India, grew up in a part of the country infested by rioting, corruption and poverty. His childhood was spent in a tiny room, overstuffed with brothers, sisters, cousins, aunts and uncles.

They were all being supported by his father.

My mom grew up in a tiny, insignificant village in the Himalayas, where girls are married off at the age of 16 and go to school just to pass the time. She is now a professor of Japanese language and literature, as well as a writer and translator.

I was intelligent and hard-working. That made me want to chase my dreams in art, literature and writing in America. I had also recently married a guy I loved who lived in the US.

I was so excited to enter this new phase of life that I didn't know I would continue to look back for a long time.

Just to get started, there were many “firsts” to encounter.

I had never traveled independently, lived alone, cooked for myself on a daily basis, did laundry, figured out my finances, figured out medical insurances, thought about loans or been married.

Here I was, in an alien land, about to learn the ropes of life in a completely different culture.

I had a crash course in becoming an adult in the first few months after I moved to Syracuse to pursue a professional digital journalism program.

I had to find an apartment to live in, but I didn't know what to look for. I was impatient, so I ended up going for a bad, expensive option.

The roof leaked, sanitation was substandard, my bedroom window opened to a dumpster and before I knew it, I had a bedbug infestation. I had to find a lawyer to break my lease and get me out of that living hell.

The thing is, I was terrified of what would happen if I couldn't fix it.

I was living away from my husband, so I would take a five-hour Greyhound bus ride to Brooklyn every Friday to meet him and manage things at home. Between a hectic graduate school schedule, travel and home duties, I had no time for him.

The worst Syracuse winter — coupled with unsafe city grounds where poverty and homelessness are serious concerns — made staying outdoors after dark dangerous. I would think back to the days when I would shut my parents up every time they offered advice on night outs.

During this strenuous time, it was my parents’ phone calls that gave me the strength to continue on.

I was so overwhelmed with my own problems, I couldn’t offer any help to my husband.

It was then that I realized my parents had always been there for me, battling through their lives, fears and doubts, without ever letting me notice their tired eyes.

I was entering a new phase of my life.

It started with a phone call to my mom, asking her how she was. Understanding her existence, her hopes and her fears gave me a fresh perspective.

My dad and I started writing long emails to each other, and often connected on Skype in a way we had never connected in person. I began to understand the struggles of a man in his 50s.

I finally got to find out his dreams and anxieties.

It was in these moments that I pushed myself to actually listen.

It’s not important to figure everything out and speed through your days. It's important to stand still and assimilate who you are and where you are headed.

Conversations with my parents opened that door.

After one year of staying away, I went to India for a short visit.

I felt eternally grateful for the twinkles in mom and dad's patient eyes as they sat there, listening to the stories of my life in a new country.

Then, I quickly shut up and made them talk.

This time, I listened.

Theater/City Life

Redhouse Moves Toward The Center Of Syracuse Arts 

BY VARUNI SINHA and KEVIN FITZPATRICK  

Syracuse New Times : Wednesday, August 13 2014

The Redhouse Arts Center is planning to move to a new address and role in the heart of downtown Syracuse.

After 10 years at 201 S. West St., the center will pump life into the Salina-Jefferson corridor, near the Landmark Theatre in the former Sibley’s department store. In an unusual 50/50 partnership with developers Robert Doucette and Richard DeVito, owners of Paramount Realty Group LLC.

“There is no question in my mind that one of the keys to downtown modernization is the arts,” Doucette said. 

The building will be refurbished in an $18.7 million project that includes 60 apartments on the upper floors and City Center, a home for live theater, film, retail and restaurants on the ground floor. The City Center portion of the project will cost $5 million; Redhouse hopes to move in by September 2015.

“We want to be seen as a leader in Onondaga County for arts organizations,” William Hider, the Redhouse board president, said at a news conference on Aug. 6. “We want to go from being an art house to truly being the Redhouse Arts Center.”

Since 2011, Redhouse has grown from 30 percent occupancy for its shows to 92 percent. Its operating budget grew from $500,000 to $2.5 million.

“We are suffering from success and are hungry to grow. Our only limitation is space,” Hider said. “We don’t have any room in this building to build sets. So if we build a set, we have to build around a stage, delaying rehearsals, making us inefficient.”

The new facility will have three theater spaces, 400- and 100-seat theaters and a 60-seat theater lab space; two movie theaters, 115- and 45-seat, for independent and foreign films; three rooms for rehearsals and classes; a box office and concessions; dressing rooms; two scene shops; a costume shop with laundry and storage; props and set storage; and housing for up to 18 artists. Each space will be available for rent, with reduced rates for non-profits.

Redhouse has raised about $2 million of the needed $5 million. Two grants from the state are pending.

The goal is that Redhouse will depend less on donors within 10 years and he able to support itself within 20 years. It has added 12 employees since 2011 and plans to hire three full-time and about 11 part-time employees. In the next six months, it plans to hire a full-time person who can schedule, market and curate programs at the movie theatres.

Overall however, the intent is for Redhouse not to offer more shows to enable others to use the facility, said Stephen Svoboda, executive artistic director at Redhouse.

“One of the things I believe in is that we have got to work together,” he said. “Instead of duplicating efforts or all of us paying for ticketing systems, let’s work together. Instead of saying, ‘I have a rehearsal space that is empty from 9 to 3 every day, but it’s mine,’ I want to make it available to everybody else.”

Sharing human resources could help arts organizations maintain full-time jobs and benefits, he said.

The new facility will have parking for at least 500 cars.

“Every time I talk to someone who doesn’t come to Redhouse, it’s an issue of parkling,” Svoboda said.

The Redhouse is considering options for its building on West Street.

“We could either sell it to generate money for the endowment, rent it to a firm to develop artist housing, convert it into a third movie screen or turn into a local music venue connected to Subcat (studio),” Svoboda said.

Published in Syracuse New Times on August 13, 2014

Available Link

http://www.syracusenewtimes.com/redhouse-moves-toward-center-syracuse-arts/

Toys/Reviews

Shopkins Scoops Ice Cream Truck is a Sweet Treat on Wheels

BY VARUNI SINHA  

The Toy Insider : October 6, 2015

As the leaves begin to change color, winter draws close, and you wish for one last summer day, the Shopkins Scoops Ice Cream Truck, from Moose Toys, could be your only respite. With this cool truck you can drive around Shopville selling icy treats to Shopkins—your special range of household and grocery store-themed characters to collect, share, and trade.

The Scoops Ice Cream Truck is a colorful play set for kids 5 and up, which includes one truck, a signboard, two cups, two cones, an ice cream stand, two cooler bags (big enough to fit Shopkins as large as Wendy Wedding Cake), and two Shopkins exclusive to this play set: Wally Water and Kylie Cones. (Don’t forget to check them off your collector’s guide!)

Kids love the Shopkins because of the intricate detailing of each adorable figure, and trust me—with this ice cream truck, you’ll get scoops of it! Kids will delight in the mini cones, apple, carrot, heart, strawberry, sundae, and price tag details that are neatly embossed at the bottom edge of the truck. The Shopkins logo flashes right above the headlights, crowns the wheels, and is etched in the center of the steering wheel. Snowflakes are drawn on the surface of the icy-blue coolers, and sunrays and hearts are splashed all over the truck in yellow and pink, including the roof.

So, let’s get started. Take out your truck and place Wally Water, an icy cool water bottle (complete with beads of sweat) and Kylie Cones, a waffle-cone ice cream treat (trying hard to balance scoops of chocolate and vanilla with strawberry topping on his head) in the driver’s and passenger seats, and get ready to roll. Like their season one, two, and three companions, these two Shopkins can also be used as pencil toppers once you’re done playing with them.

Open the roof of the truck and set it upright to display a colorful menu painted inside. You’ll find a heart-shaped ice cream cone, an ice cream biscuit, a sundae, an ice-lolly, two more flavors of ice cream in cones, a soda pop in a can and a bottle, popcorn, and even more offerings.

Inside, the truck has a cooler, which kids can open and close to (pretend) keep their Shopkins freezing cold; a sink to wash the fruit; and yellow bowls to mix different flavors together. The truck is very spacious, so kids can easily fit the two cooler bags on the floor and use the counters to display other items for sale. You can also pack everything inside the truck, if you wish to drive to another spot to sell the ice cream (or to store your Shopkins between playtime).

The Scoops Ice Cream Truck play set offers great play value. In addition to the truck itself, kids can have fun with the ice cream stand, a mini merry-go-round with an umbrella on top and cones instead of seats to give your Shopkins a little spin while they enjoy their treats. You can also use the speaker horn on the roof to tell the Shopkins that you’re here and place your signboard right where you park the truck to show that you’re open.

What’s great about the truck is that every child will decorate it in his/her own unique way. The truck’s interior serves as a playroom of sorts, offering little nuggets of surprise for kids to discover. The truck is a great way to display Shopkins fruit, candy, sundaes, shakes, or cones that kids have tastefully collected over time. So, if you know any Shopkins connoisseurs, the Ice Cream Scoops Truck is the best present you could ever give them.

Cinema 

'Ship of Theseus': Different fragments, one life

BY VARUNI SINHA 

The NewsHouse: October 18 2014 10.30 am

Review: The Indian film, featured at the 2014 Syracuse International Film Festival, asks philosophical questions and presents beautifully orchestrated answers.

In ancient Greece, a ship became reason for much confusion. The Ship of Theseus, a thirty-oar structure, had been preserved for a long time. Then decay lead to a restoration process, where its old, sagging parts were replaced one by one.

Philosophers posed a valid question — if each part of the old vehicle is now something new, does it still remain the original Ship of Theseus? This thought experiment lies at the core of Anand Gandhi’s film of the same name, which screened at the Syracuse International Film Festival last weekend.

A blind woman takes to photography when she loses her ability to see. She makes spectacular images. She trusts her inner eye. Gandhi, through the use of intricate dialogue and detailed camera shots, shows the world as it appears to the blind as they touch it and feel it.

Actress Aida Elkashef dons the walk and the talk of a blind woman with ease. In one scene, she looks straight toward the camera, her white, infected cornea exposed. But even though they blot her face, making her look peculiar, it seems as though she has something special that we can never have.

Technology has enabled people like her to detect color, understand light and depth, set up her camera and produce the images that she wants to take. The same technology also allows her to undergo an operation. She gets a donor and soon she can see again.

“You didn't sign up for this,” her husband remarks. She only realizes the meaning of his words later.

She is so overwhelmed by the sense of sight that she is unable to make a single good photograph. Where she found her muse in the backyard, she now plans trips to find inspiration in the exotic. Gandhi asks: Is her Ship of Theseus dead?

The film changes gear and focuses on another character, an ascetic who fights for animal rights. He believes in the equal existence of all beings, even a centipede, which may appear insignificant to many giant human feet that can easily squash it. He picks up the insect and places it on a leaf.

Gandhi weaves many such scenes in the film’s narrative that etch the character and the circumstance without any further explanation.

However, contradiction, which is the catalyst of this film, steps in. The man, fighting a legal battle to end the cruelty against animals used in lab experiments, finds out that he suffering from liver cirrhosis.

He has taken a vow to never eat medicines churned out of torture chambers, so he refuses to undergo treatment. He decides to end his life by refusing to eat anything.

However, one of his disciples asks him if this is not violence against himself. If experiments are conducted on a few lab rats, then is it not with the aim of reducing suffering of many?

In the end, when the pain gets unbearable, the ascetic gives in. Gandhi’s direction and use of contradictory moments like this one push the audience to don their thinking caps.

Gandhi’s film now shifts its gaze to the life of an ordinary stockbroker who accidentally uncovers organ trafficking.

The man has just had a kidney transplant, thanks to someone who was kind enough to donate his organs. But he finds himself in a fix when he suspects that his kidney might be stolen.

Whether or not that might be the case is unimportant. The doubt urges him to help a poor laborer whose kidney was stolen. The stockbroker who was earlier unwilling to move a muscle for any social cause travels to another country to find the culprit.

In the end, money settles the matter for the poor man, who doesn't wish to have his organ back when his perpetrator promises to pay him for his loss. He now wonders: Is human life so cheap?

A scene where the stockbroker and his friend are trying to convince the laborer to fight for his rights and not settle for money, and where the poor man is running away into the labyrinths of the slum — pathways so narrow that he physically gets stuck — is a vivid cinematic depiction of poverty by Gandhi.

Poverty is shrewd, her character serpentine, inhuman, self-defeating.

The last segment of the film is equally poignant. All the characters that received organ donations — the blind woman, the ascetic and the stockbroker — have assembled for a movie screening organized by a non-government organization. All the organs, all parts of the Ship of Theseus, are in one room in different bodies.

Then the ship becomes one body through a film made by the man who donated his organs after death. He was a mountaineer who filmed during his expeditions.

The film’s symbolic structure can be lost to an audience looks at these three stories and the visual imagery as standalone pieces of art. The organs serve as a connecting link.

As we see the camera zooming into caves, it uncovers greater depths. The tunnel of the cave emerges from the dark end and we begin to understand how it twists and turns. Perhaps the only way to understand life is to learn how to climb through the cave.

Published by Varuni Sinha on The NewsHouse on October 18, 2014 at 10.30 am

Available Link

http://www.thenewshouse.com/blog/ship-theseus-different-fragments-one-life

Puppets/Theater

A magical dance on water

BY VARUNI SINHA and NATALIE PIONTEK Special to The Post and Courier

June 2, 2015 6.49pm

What began in the rice paddies of 11th-century Vietnam has evolved into an intricate dance of puppets on water. Spoleto Festival audiences will have a chance to experience this 1,000-year-old art form, one that is practiced only in the land of its origin, in over a dozen performances by Vietnam's Golden Dragon Water Puppet Theatre at the College of Charleston Stern Student Center Garden.  

Eight to 10 puppeteers stand waist deep in water hidden behind a bamboo screen that is made to resemble a village temple. It is from here that they manipulate their puppets, which dance and glide through a four-square-meter pool of water. Nigel Redden, the festival’s general director, said the performance would take place in “a natural setting outdoors that closely resembles their native rural setting.”

The puppets enter the stage from the east, or the “door of life,” and exit toward the west, or the “door of death.” They are carved from fig trees that grow in Vietnam, and vary from 12 to 40 inches in size. Strings are attached to the head and arms, the only parts that are allowed to move. The smaller puppets are maneuvered with bamboo poles, while a floating circular disc is used to manipulate the larger ones.

The art of Vietnamese water puppetry dates back to 975 AD and is richly steeped in the tradition of rice cultivation. During the off-season, when the rice fields were flooded and the rice had been harvested, farmers created water puppets to entertain themselves. The water puppets tell stories, or vignettes, often pertaining to mythology shared among Vietnam, China and neighboring countries.

One popular vignette featured in the Golden Dragon Water Puppet Theatre show is the tale of a boy, a water buffalo and a flute.

“The boy comes out and travels all along the water playing a country melody on his flute,” the theater’s producer Avril Helbig said. “As he and the buffalo are walking and swishing through the water, this butterfly comes out and plays with them, and sits down on the buffalo and then on the hat of the little boy. The flute takes on the characteristics of this butterfly and then also this folk melody.”

The water puppet theater’s orchestra consists of percussion, string and wind instruments. Often, an instrument represents a specific character in the story. One of the musicians will play a flute unique to Asian culture, the sao truc, to represent the boy. The sao truc is made of a single stick of bamboo with carved holes and is close in range to the modern piccolo with a bright and crystal-clear tone.

Another instrument audiences will hear is a one-stringed zither called the dan bau. Unlike many Vietnamese instruments, which have a Chinese or other Asian counterpart, the dan bau is unique to Vietnamese culture. The dan bau is made of a long wooden bar with mother of pearl inset. A curved stick at one end is moved back and forth to manipulate the pitch of the instrument, and on another end a small, bell-shaped box made of water buffalo horn amplifies the sound.

“The dan bau produces a spacey kind of tone or timbre,” said Daniel Ferguson, an ethnomusicologist from Hunter College. “(It produces) a floating, not really precise tone, but an ethereal feeling, which is one of its charms. Then, when the player uses the left hand on that stick, he causes certain types of vibrato or pitch bending that add a slightly spookier sound.”

Published by The Post and Courier on June 2, 2015, 6.49 pm

Available Link

http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20150602/PC2106/150609831/magical-water-dance

Human Interest

Two individuals, 46 mountains, one week: A climb to fight depression

BY VARUNI SINHA 

The NewsHouse: September 12, 2014

Two Clarkson University students hike all 46 Adirondack High Peaks to raise awareness for suicide prevention.

Kolby Ziemendorf, a mechanical engineering alumnus from Clarkson University, lost his high school classmate Greg Lombardo to depression and suicide in 2010. Rattled by this tragic incident, Ziemendorf, 22, struggled to find answers.

While sitting in church one day, an idea came to him: a way to honor Lombardo’s life. He would climb 46 peaks of the Adirondack Mountains in seven days to help raise awareness on this sensitive issue.

“This climb is symbolic. A climb through the ups and downs of depression to remain firmly positive.”
- Kolby Ziemendorf

Catherine Zarnofsky, 22, an innovation and entrepreneurship alumna from Clarkson, joined him as his climbing partner. 46 Climbs became their mission to raise more than $10,000 for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

“This climb is symbolic," Ziemendorf said. "A climb through the ups and downs of depression to remain firmly positive."

The duo started their hike on Sept. 8, the first day of the National Suicide Prevention Week. Even before they started, they had raised the money they promised.

Ziemendorf and Zarnofsky were presidents of their campus outing club. Rock climbing, caving, ice climbing, caving, canoeing, backcountry skiing, kayaking and hiking were all second nature. But even this outgoing duo admitted that ascending 46 mountains is a daunting task.

“Ten minutes of running would easily tire me out,” Zarnofsky said.

Last year, after one-and-a-half years of dedicated work, they climbed 46 Adirondack peaks and earned the prestigious Adirondack 46er title. This time, Jan Wellford, who holds the world record for climbing the peaks in the fastest time, has acted as their coach and guide.

“Both of us have been training like ultra-marathon runners,” Ziemendorf said. “Every day this summer, we woke up before 6 a.m. to get two hours of exercise before work, and returned home to finish our double for the day. Then we drove down to the Adirondacks to practice on field every weekend.”

The two look forward to meeting their friends and family at Whiteface Mountain on Sept. 14. The Clarkson Outing Club members will act as Sherpas, managing base camps and supplies. The trek, if successful, will make Zarnofsky the fastest female Adirondack 46er.

Even though they are attempting the peaks for the second time, seven days is a challenge. The trails could be wet or dry; they could be injured or encounter coyotes or bears; and climbing in winters would mean carrying a heavier gear, they said.

“In moments of doubt, I tell myself that our cause is bigger than our nerves,” Zarnofsky said, adding that they work well as a team, motivating and pushing each other in moments of weakness.

“You are not weak in seeking help, and the distance to the top is not infinite,” Ziemendorf said. He said that 85 percent of people who seek treatment for depression are cured. They are supporting AFSP because it provides research, education, outreach programs and support to victims and their families.

On Sept. 3, a man jumped off the seven-story Harrison Street garage in downtown Syracuse. Zarnofsky and Ziemendorf’s 46 Climbs is an effort to reach out to that man before he stands on that rooftop, they said.  

Earlier this year, Zarnofsky injured herself while climbing Allen Mountain. She had to take a nine-week break and said she felt like giving up.

“But Kolby helped me accomplish a 28-mile day in ten hours,” she said. “Only if you have been in the deepest valley, can you ever know how magnificent it is to be on the highest mountain."

The two are already on their way, averaging 27 miles a day. Their longest day is 35 miles and their shortest is 17 miles. In seven days, they will cover 189 miles total. You can follow their trek through a spot tracker system on their website.

“Two individuals, 46 mountains and one week,” is Catherine and Kolby’s message to climb on. They hope to set up a nonprofit with the help of Clarkson University to address the cause and pass the torch to future student 46ers. 

Published in The NewsHouse on September 12, 2014

Available Link

http://www.thenewshouse.com/story/two-individuals-46-mountains-one-week-climb-fight-depression

Review/Magic Show

Magician Howard Blackwell Swallows Needles 

BY VARUNI SINHA Special to The Post and Courier

May 30 2015 7.35pm

“It is strange how magic can pull you in so deep that you forget the world around you,” said Howard Blackwell as he shred a long thread into several pieces. “But it would be real magic if life were like this.” Then the conjuror rolled the pieces together to unravel the original thread, not broken anymore.

A magician from the hills of East Tennessee, Blackwell began his career at age 14 and has performed since in 19 countries. During a recent show at the Threshold Repertory Theatre, he performed classic magic routines in his own signature style. He often put his assistant in a box that he sawed and pierced with knives and swords, only to reveal that she had vanished, or separated into two parts or stayed inside untouched.

His show would have been incomplete without loud rounds of applause, an excited audience willing to participate and more than a few naughty jokes. It also would have been incomplete without gasps of wonder when he pulled out a dollar note signed by an audience member from a lemon that he cut open, or when the name of a man that a woman had kissed for the first time popped right out of a locked box.

From the very beginning, Blackwell declared himself more daring than the master illusionist Harry Houdini by swallowing more than 20 needles and a roll of thread. Houdini had performed this feat only once, he said, as he spewed the threaded needles from his mouth. The audience watched awestruck.

Sidney Sheldon once said, “There is magic, but you have to be the magician. You have to make the magic happen.” Blackwell made it happened last week during Piccolo Spoleto. And it will happen four more times, at 7:30 p.m. May 31; noon June 6; and noon and 7 p.m. June 7.

Published in The Post and Courier on May 30, 2015 at 7.35pm

Available Link:

http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20150530/PC2106/150539891/

Human Interest/Local News

Brooklyn on Tech: SU alums build a platform for future leaders

BY VARUNI SINHA
The NewsHouse: October 5, 2014

The new nonprofit organization provides students with resources to succeed in today's technology-centered society.

Brooklyn on Tech, a nonprofit dedicated to building the next generation of technological entrepreneurs, held its first "Tech Flex Launch” in Dumbo, Brooklyn this Friday.

Founded in 2013 by two Syracuse University alumni, Jessica Santana and Evin Robinson, the nonprofit’s focus is Brooklyn.

“It’s not a secret. There has been an effort to address the digital divide, but there’s still a lack of meaningful participation in tech-related fields by those from historically underrepresented backgrounds,” Santana said.

The two left home in 2007 to study information technology and management at SU’sSchool of Information Studies. Every year when they came home, they found Brooklyn more tech savvy, more connected than before.

“Today, when people think of Brooklyn they think of Dumbo and Williamsburg. Advertising and management firms have started locating their offices here. But, what stands out still is a lack of local talent,” Robinson said.

Brooklyn on Tech was born with the idea to give back to community, they said.

The organization commemorated Charles Bonello and Matt Harrigan from Grand Central Tech; Brandon Whitney and Ethan Uttech from ioby; and Fiaza Issa from the NYC Department of Small Business Services with the “2014 Brooklyn on Tech Flex Economic and Community Impact” award.

It is their way of recognizing people who have, through their work, brought about a positive change in Brooklyn and New York City.

They also emphasized that not many enrichment programs focused on high school students. They wanted to tap into an age group that had been a turning point in their own lives.

Every year, Brooklyn on Tech will select 20 public high school students that exhibit rare talents and entrepreneurial traits for a yearlong Tech Flex program. With this goal in mind, they welcomed their twenty Tech Flex Scholars for 2014 at their inaugural event. 

These twenty students will be exposed to new trends in technology, connected to mentors and thought leaders in an industry of their choice, and offered professional and leadership opportunities to grow.

JPMorgan Chase, Lockheed Martin, General Assembly and Shapeways are some of the organizations that Brooklyn on Tech has connected with to provide mentors.

Syracuse University’s iSchool has had an instrumental role to play in their journey so far.

“We were given the resources to allow our ideas to develop into tangible plans. A lot of business-oriented competitions like Panasci and Idea allowed us to apply our skills and aim higher,” Santana said.

She said that with schools like Newhouse School of Public Communications, Whitman School of Management and the iSchool, SU is a cradle for future leaders.  

“To me, entrepreneurship means opportunity,” Robinson said. “A lot of entrepreneurs see opportunity where other people don’t. At the same time entrepreneurs build opportunity for themselves and for others,” he said.

That is what Brooklyn on Tech aims to do with young thinkers. The individual could be an artist or a mathematician. It doesn’t matter. Technology is simply used to add another dimension to their innate talent.

“Growing up, I felt that I was not just an ordinary consumer of technology. I had a burning desire to develop and innovate, rather than just use,” Robinson said.

Santana and Robinson pointed out that since technology is shaping the future of every field in today’s market, it is crucial to master it.

“It is important to realize its transformative power, its ability to break down barriers and build bridges,” they said.

The two urge youngsters to understand that the path to entrepreneurship is built on sacrifice and hard work. If you would like to make donations to Brooklyn on Tech, you can do so at their website.

Published on The NewsHouse on October 5, 2015

Available Link

http://www.thenewshouse.com/story/brooklyn-tech-su-alums-build-platform-future-leaders

Visual Arts/Pottery

Cone 10 Studios hosts ‘Plate It Up!’ ceramics exhibit

BY VARUNI SINHA  Special to The Post and Courier

May 25 2015 10:04 pm

In a unique Piccolo Spoleto exhibit of chinaware, ‘Plate It Up!’ brings together 30 ceramicists to create an ideal dining room table. Dinner plates, soup bowls, teapots, salt and pepper shakers, salad and charger plates, dessert bowls, vases, mugs and placemats crafted by different artists feel very much a part of one complete set. While some pieces are hand-molded, others are wheel thrown, but they all fit well with each other and with the food they are meant to serve.

Observing the patterns on the china, you will notice floral decorations and miniature trees. Some of the charger plates are shaped like leaves caught afloat in the wind, while others are like corals submerged underwater. What ties all the unusual shapes together are four recurring shades: Brown, green, black and white seamlessly merge into one another to create an earthy atmosphere.

Artists working at Cone 10 Studios believe that with the spate of home kitchen expansions and a renewed interest in cooking, people these days are paying more attention to the finer details of plating. Visitors are invited to use their imagination to guess the functionality of the bowls or plates they see on display.

While each piece has a distinct design, Miyako Fujiwara’s cup and saucer set of six stands out amongst many of the wares. Sculpted in white, it is a collection of miniature cups placed over a stone-like, matted surface of a placemat crafted by Deb Mather. Susan Gregory’s black and white geometric impressions on a dinner plate and Bob Meddick’s three-plate set also form a fine addition to the exhibit.

Jurors from the culinary and visual arts will examine the exhibit and name winners. Priced mostly between $50 and $200, the ceramic pieces at Cone 10 Studios, an upper peninsula atelier located at 1080 Morrison Drive, can be a refreshing way to add a few changes to your home decor. The cups and plates are on show 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. every day until June 5. 

Published in The Post and Courier on May 25, 2015 at 10.04 pm

Available Link

http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20150525/PC2106/150529501/cone-10-studios-hosts-x2018-plate-it-up-x2019-ceramics-exhibit

Visual Arts

Artist grapples with life challenges through therapeutic art

BY VARUNI SINHA

The NewsHouse: November 2, 2014

Brett Rewakowski did not have it easy growing up. One by one, everyone who was close to him decided to leave. 

At 10 years old, his father had a heart attack. In college, his best friend died in a car crash. In his twenties, a hunter shot and killed his cousin. Years later after a fine party, his friend’s girlfriend insisted she wanted to drive. She was slightly drunk. On the way back, she flipped the car over, killing them both.

This pattern has continued.

“Art for me became therapy. A means to express feelings difficult to talk about and create something that would stay,” 39-year-old local artist Brett Rewakowski said.

A schoolteacher, landscape designer and painter, he also collects Star Wars toys. He's built an entire museum of Star Wars collectibles that he claims could be the second largest on the East Coast.

But, Rewakowski is more interested in reselling these toys and turning in the profits to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. He said the foundation had built a swimming pool for a friend’s family who had been suffering from cancer.

“His wish made others happy even after his death. That is what I try and achieve through my work. I have raised hundreds of dollars for them and I wish I could do more,” Rewakowski said.

Rewakowski mostly paints on pieces of wood. “A canvas is a plain white square, but every piece of wood is different,” he said. The texture of wood guides him in his paintings.

“The tree wants to tell a story, and I help tell it,” he says.

“When Brett paints on wood, he and nature are working together,” his sister Amy King, 49, explained. She said that once the two spent days traveling together, and he later documented the trip scene by scene in a painting. 

But, her favorite is the painting of a waterfall where Rewakowski had proposed to his wife. The painting holds center stage in Brett’s drawing room, a museum of landscape imagery.

A cascade of white and blue is displayed on a big canvas next to the living room window. From there you can also see another waterfall that Rewakowski has built with his hands in the garden.

However, you will see canvases of cloth are restricted to the living room. His studio on the contrary looks like a carpenter’s workshop. He said he prefers painting on bark.

The artist’s technique with wood, he said, is his silent rebellion against consumerism. In today’s world of disposable everything, trees are a constant for Rewakowski.

“You could shoot a tree five times, and it still lives,” he says. He paints on wood because like nature his muse, he likes to recycle.

Like a tree, the artist grows new leaves every season. In 2013, Rewakowski challenged himself to make a hundred paintings in a hundred days. Most of these paintings were landscapes.

“Brett loves to paint the sunrise and sunset, waterfalls, rolling hills and woods,” Sherry, 24, his student who has also modeled for his works, said. “Even when I model for his, I am just a small figurine, in something larger, more majestic,” she said.

Earlier this year, Rewakowski embarked on yet another adventure, this time three-dimensional art. “I was at a show at Sterling Stage where an artist had put on display 3D works. A person from his booth wearing 3D glasses came to my booth and told me my works were 3D too,” Rewakowski said.

When viewed through a 3D glass some colors in his paintings go forward and some backward. This technique has already influenced his style, he said. Rewakowski has started building a new body of works exploring the third dimension.

He said that when people see the colors dancing on the canvas, they often think that it is a trick. According to Rewakowski, they are so used to seeing paintings that are static, that they keep trying the glasses on, scratching their head in amazement, smiling, laughing.

And that is what thrills the artist. He said he enjoys making his audience smile.

Rewakowski also makes customized works based on photographs of loved ones or pets. He said giving happiness to others is his driving point.

“When someone buys my work, I have made a connection with that person beyond words,” Rewakowski said.

At the end of the day, by reaching out to trees or human beings, Rewakowski said he is embracing life and therefore defeating death. He cannot forget the presence that death has had in his life, and so he tries to capture moments in life that will remain immortal through his art. 

The man’s peculiar obsession with death developed his art and also the reason behind his Star Wars collection.

Rewakowski’s father suffereds a heart attack because of smoking. In 2000, Rewakowski who smoked a pack a day decided to quit. He said he diverted every
$5 bill to buy a toy instead.

His paintings, his toys, his love for trees are a living testament to artist’s resilient spirit, his friend Philip Impaglia, 23, said.

“Let’s face it, life is really full of negatives. You can focus on those or on the positives,” Rewakowski said, as he wears his 3D glasses to start something new.

One thing is certain. With or without those glasses, people like him have the ability to look beyond. 

Published on The NewsHouse on November 2, 2014

Available Link

http://www.thenewshouse.com/story/artist-grapples-life-challenges-through-therapeutic-art

Review/Poetry Reading 

John Lane opens Sundown Poetry Series in Dock Street Theatre courtyard

BY VARUNI SINHA  Special to The Post and Courier

May 28 2015 4:57 pm

The Dock Street Theatre courtyard opened the Piccolo Spoleto Sundown Poetry Series today with John Lane, of Spartanburg. Lane has authored several books of poetry and prose, inspired in part by his love of nature. “The Old Rob Poems” (2015) and award winning “Abandoned Quarry: New & Selected Poems” are two of the books Lane revisited this week in Charleston. His first novel, “Fate Moreland’s Widow,” was recently reviewedin The Post and Courier.

Lane’s interest in environmental science and literature allow him to teach interdisciplinary courses at Wofford College that merge the humanities and sciences. His poetry, like his life, encompasses many moods and flavors. Lane’s experiences include years as a chef and white water kayaking.

He joked that he might suffer from “literary ADD,” which is why he never sticks to a specific genre. His poetry can be about the crocodile hunts he embarks upon with his biologist friends, or the first time he saw wild horses gesture with a “swift nod of freedom.”

At 15, Lane wrote poems about an invented 80-year-old man called Rob, a simpleton from the mountains who lamented social change. On visiting a Walmart store for the first time, Rob “notices how his niece walks aisles, as his great grandfather must have walked under Chestnut trees.”

The series schedule also includes Valerie Nieman, Joseph Zealberg, Quitman Marshall, Kendra Hamilton, Warren Slesinger, Julia Koets and John Repp. The intimate courtyard is an ideal setting where sparrows chirp, the evening breeze flows and flowers lean toward the resonating voice of the poet.

 Published in The Post and Courier on May 28, 2015 at 4.57 pm

Available Link

http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20150528/PC2106/150529277/1093&source=RSS

New York Toy Fair 2016

Best of Toy Fair: Cool Collectibles That Are Actually Useful

VARUNI SINHA

The Toy Insider: February 25th, 2016

While Batman and Superman are always ready to save the world from one big baddie or another, new evidence suggests that crime may be on the decline. Instead, our trusted heroes are turning their focus to helping us when we really need it: springing to life when our iPhones die, leaping into action when our tummies are rumbling for a sandwich, and swooping down with gloves off when we’ve got an itch we just can’t quite reach.

At the 113th annual North American International Toy Fair, tons of incredibly detailed action figures and statues of pop-culture icons were on display, but some collectibles do more than just look great. From geeky grill accessories, to nerdy key holders, these collectibles take charge of hardcore domestic responsibility in a gallant way—and they look great doing it. With these new products, it’s not who they are, but what they do that defines them. 

Finders Keypers (Elephant Gun)

No matter how many times we try to keep keys in the right place, they always manage to get back in jeopardy again. Finders Keypers are the solution. These detailed action figures are not only designed to serve as incredible collectibles, but also as keepers for keys. Finders Keepers Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and the Batmobile are the latest in this line, just in time for the upcoming Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice film.

Star Wars USB Car Chargers (ThinkGeek)

Think of BB-8’s chirpy whistle or Darth Vader’s asthmatic breathing next time phones near you run out of battery. ThinkGeek’s USB Car Chargers feature these two iconic characters complete with lights and sounds. The BB-8 USB Car Charger will spin its head around and make beeping sounds, just like the real Droid; while Vader will hiss and puff. Both will easily plug into a 12V vehicle power adapter, and come this spring, they’ll be ready to lend some force to any dying phones in your care.

Harley Quinn Drinkware and Bar Accessories (Cryptozoic Entertainment)

Life isn’t easy. Trust me, superheroes–and villains—know that really well! After an exhausting day of backbreaking work you might need a cool drink to take it easy. Allow the DC Comics Harley Quinn Bottle Opener to pop your top and kick things off. This cool collectible, along with the DC Comics Harley Quinn’s Mallet Corkscrew, and Harley Quinn Glass Charm will be pleased to meetcha this year!

Star Wars Pouch Sandwich Shaper ( Kotobukiya )

Star Wars Pouch Sandwich Shapers will send your hunger packing with the new BB-8, Stormtrooper, and Millennium Falcon, now included in this popular line-up from Kotobukiya. This easy-to-use equipment will stamp your sandwich with a fun character or vehicle mark, keeping the force strong. Compact and light, they’re great for picnics, parties, and everyday lunches. Plus, the Luke Walker and Kylo Ren Lightsaber Chopsticks, and a Silicone Ice Tray are extra treats to look out for this year!

Superman and Batman Leg Lamps (NECA Toys)

The Superman Leg Lamp and Batman Leg Lamp stand 20-inches tall, serving as a bedside lamps, looking after their fans at night. I can’t guarantee if they’ll keep bad dreams away, but their dashing, young looks can keep some up, up, and awake. Both lamps feature classic Superman and Batman art to add a heroic glow to your room. Each lamp comes with a 10-inch shade, and light-up with a 40 Watt bulb (not included).

Game of Thrones Dragon Egg Bookends (Dark Horse)

Game of Thrones Dragon Egg Bookends, from Dark Horse, will guard your books like a true Targaryen. Covered in scales just like Daenerys Targaryens’ magical eggs in the TV series, they serve as statuesque collectibles and also help organize books by saving them from falling off the shelf. Each egg stands 7 inches tall on its decorative base. Retailing at $149.99, they’ll be ready to scorch the shelves in March.

Star Wars Grilling Tools (Underground Toys)

May the force be with you while you grill. Be it the Death Star BBQ, the Darth Vader Lightsaber BBQ Tongs, the Yoda Lightsaber BBQ Tongs, the Darth Vader Oven Glove Twin Pack, the Millennium Falcon Spatula, or the Death Star Kitchen Timer, these toys are no child’s play for a Star Wars connoisseur.

Human interest/Local news

iSchool entrepreneur to expand local tech startup to West Coast

By VARUNI SINHA
October 26, 2014

Andrew Farah, a Syracuse University alumnus, rose to fame when he and his colleagues at Rounded Development created Density, a product that helps customers and small business vendors measure traffic at their shops.

“We used a simple wireless router to count every time any customer enters or leaves the shop premise,” Farah said.

This August, Farah and his partner Ben Redfield have moved to San Francisco, California to tap into a new market. However, most of their staff at Rounded and Density continues to operate at Tech Garden, their main office in Syracuse. 

Farah, from McLean in Northern Virginia, came to Syracuse University to complete his undergraduate and graduate studies.

“During my stay here over the last five years, I have seen the city undergo an incredible change,” Farah said. “From a freshman who never went downtown to a grad student who spent most of his time downtown, to a business owner where our company was located in downtown.”

Syracuse, however, needs a lot more revitalization and excitement, to continue its path of progress, Farah said.

He said that his product Density aims at helping small business owners, a segment which is often ignored. According to Farah, Density has a sound foundation in Syracuse with employees that see their families and a future, here in the city.

“We don’t want to lose them just because somebody said that all the hot startups are elsewhere,” Farah said.

Moreover, the cost of rent and running a company in Syracuse compared to San Francisco is much lower.

“In economic terms, we retain and hire people in Syracuse. We pay rent and are located in downtown when a lot of companies move to greener pastures in upstate New York,” Farah said.

Farah and his company care very deeply about quality design software development and their clientele in CNY.

“Both Density and Rounded also bring a lot of youthful exuberance to the city which can be very infectious. We receive a lot of graduate students, ace developers, who would love to move to NYC but who eventually choose to work with us,” Farah said.

He said that when a group of youngsters exhibit raw energy and enthusiasm to work their ass off to chase their ambition - that is infectious. That atmosphere cannot be manufactured.

Farah did not always know that he wanted to run a company.

“A good question to ask yourself, when you are confused about what you want to do, is who you want to help?” Farah said.

He said that doing something locally was his driving point.

“I started off as a writing major, developed a penchant for design and Photoshop and then got hooked onto Web design. But that was just my foundation for iSchool,” he said.

Farah said that programs at the School of Information Studies played a crucial role to help him realize his passion for startups. Programs like the 22-week sandbox helped make his business ideas a reality.

Sometimes meeting like-minded people can trigger ideas. Sometimes ordinary circumstances can help shape extraordinary brands.

“It started with Café Kubal. My colleagues and I would visit three times a day. On some days it would be very crowded, on others not. Why is there no way to know how many people are there in a location? We became obsessed,” Farah said.

That is how Density was born. Innovation is however about constant change and getting out of your comfort zone.

“Home was North Virginia, it was Syracuse, now it is San Francisco,” said Farah.

Startups are the love of Farah’s life.

“They are a flexible organism, which allow you to take a decision on Monday morning, and implement it by Monday afternoon,” he said. 

Even though the young entrepreneur is proud of what Density has achieved, his new challenge is to try and make it relevant to a more crowded market like San Francisco where an average consumer is more desperate when he or she can visit a busy coffee shop, restaurant or bar. 

Exciting times lie ahead. 

Published on The NewsHouse on October 26, 2014

Available Link

http://www.thenewshouse.com/story/ischool-entrepreneur-expand-local-tech-startup-west-coast

Educational apps/Visual Arts

Color, Collage, and Create With The Very Hungry Caterpillar

BY VARUNI SINHA

The Toy Insider: June 23, 2016

Arts and crafts are a major part of summertime fun, but they’re usually reserved to an indoor setting where the mess can be contained and the scissors, glue, crayons, etc., are already located. But now, kids can take that arts and crafts studio with them anywhere they go—without having to drag along all the tools or making a mess. With The Very Hungry Caterpillar—Creative Play, an app from The Eric Carle Studio and StoryToys, kids can color, collage, and create art inspired by the style of Eric Carle.

With gentle music playing in the background and a palette of rich colors and textures to work with, kids are likely to tap into their inner Carle in a snap. Enter the app and find more than 40 textured swatches based on Carle’s hand-painted collage illustrations, as well as solid bold swatches. The app also features all of the wonderful animals from Carle’s popular books, including Mister Seahorse, Brown Bear, The Very Quiet Cricket, The Mixed Up Chameleon, and of course The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Plus, like a caterpillar that grows bigger with every bite, the app will grow with seasonal surprises and more templates throughout the year.

While doodling around on this app, I stuffed this hungry caterpillar with layers of texture and cartons of color. Navigating this app is simple: Kids can use their fingers to lay colors and patterns into empty spaces. By applying varying pressure onto the screen, they can even create different strokes for a more detailed creation. Needle-thin strokes appear when kids press lightly, or they can create fatter lines when they apply more force.

Kids can tap on different textures, which will instantly splash across the screen like a giant origami. Then they can drag their fingers on the screen to cut out the shape they want. A dotted line will help them along the way to finish the loop. If kids get briefly distracted—as kids do—or need to take a break, this intuitive app senses it: the music momentarily stops, prompting kids to finish the work they started.

This inspiring app lets kids explore the same techniques that Carle used as an artist, but also allows them to get creative, experiment, and discover their own style.

This app lets kids cut shapes and arrange them in layers to make a basic collage, as well as figure out how to group and ungroup objects as if they were sticking them together with glue. They will learn how to create patterns with fingers and learn how to perfect their strokes. Kids will begin to learn about colors and shapes, in addition to all that imagination building. And if they have iPad Pros with the Apple Pencil, they can even challenge themselves to more advanced levels of drawing, or simply start out by etching more details. The app also offers support for Force Touch on relevant devices.

All artists begin their journey with a technique called contouring, where they learn to draw the outlines of objects they see in real life by following its contour with their eyes and re-creating the outline on paper without looking at it. This simple exercise in hand-eye coordination is also a part of The Very Hungry Caterpillar—Creative Play experience, which sharpens kids’ developmental skills, including their motor skills and depth perception.

Once kids are satisfied with their masterpieces, they can wrap their masterpiece into a frame and place it on their gallery wall, curated by a The Very Hungry Caterpillar himself. Whether they’re an aspiring artist, or just a fan of Eric Carle, kids will love creating whatever they can imagine with this app.

Artist Profile/Visual Arts

Talking to the dead: Artist's exhibit explores afterlife

By VARUNI SINHA
The NewsHouse: October 28, 2014

Fernando Orellana's interactive artwork at the Everson Museum draws from ghost folklore.

When a person dies, three to four months later, his house and belongings are often sold off in an estate sale.

“These are weird places. People act like vultures scavenging through all of people’s leftovers. Usually if you go there, a little late, all that is left are the dishes and silverware. The stuff that no one wants,” Fernando Orellana said.

The man visits these sales. He goes around observing the house of the dead. And tries to piece together what that person must have been about.  Was he an academic? Was she a cook? Then from the pile of trash that everyone has left behind he picks up an object and goes home.

“I make interactive art, art that has a user interface. With these objects that I collect I make the same thing - machines that can record if the dead owner will ever return,” Orellana said.

The man wears a sincere expression. The New York based artist often fiddles with new and traditional media to convey his ideas.

“These machines have an infrared sensor, a thermometer and an instrument to measure electromagnetic waves. If two of the three go off, the machine will start working and a ghost could be around,” Orellana said.

These ‘Techno-effigy’ machines as he calls them are displayed at the Everson Museum until Jan. 11. They are picked from estate sales within a 50-mile radius in Syracuse. They are currently on display at an exhibition the artist calls “Shadows”.

“The show is actually for the dead, not for us,” he said. 

“My obsession with ghosts started in 2005 when I moved to Schenectady. We moved to a house that was behind a graveyard. And when I went to the basement to do my laundry, six feet under, I was on eye level with the dead,” he said.

That is when the artist started toying with a bizarre idea: What would it be like to design a user interface for a ghost, and how do you design an object for someone who doesn't have a body?

“If there is such a thing as a ghost then it has to be an accumulation of memories that they had while they were living. If the ghost wished to interact with the world that they have left, they would do so through something familiar,” Orellana pointed out.

So, the object that he picks up has to be something that seems very personal to the departed, he said.

Orellana said he enters the house observing, listening, and piecing together a story. He never talks directly to the family, out of respect for the dead.

Usually, he observes patterns of collectibles. Orellana once entered a house that had bells all over the house. Another had piles and piles of books.

“But I picked up the bell that must have been used at the fireplace. The house with the books had to be an academic. So, I thought my machine should have a dictionary,” he said.

Orellana said that he goes around hunting these objects, picking what he thinks makes sense. However, this one time he is sure that the object called out to him.

When he entered the house he found that everything had been picked clean. He said he was about to leave, when he said he heard a tune. He walked toward a corner of the house, where he found a box that would open and close with a chime. Inside was a collection of recipes.

The machines are simple. The recipe box, the bell, or the dictionary is each attached to the three detectors, which will set in action a lever if they detect any outwardly presence. The box will chime, the bell will immediately start ringing and the dictionary will turn a page.

“The dictionary sitting was next to ‘Leave Her to Death’ the book that references Hamlet, in which the ghost tells Hamlet, ‘leave her to heaven, do not obsess over her.’ So I knew I had to pick up this object,” he said.

Some viewers have firm Christian beliefs. “I do believe in after life, but in the presence of a definite heaven or hell. If something like a machine measures a ghost, it will be a record of something I don't know. I am curious to see what happens,” Kelly Cooney, a 42-year-old local teacher remarked.

A mineral collection, a peanut butter maker, a recipe book, a little child of Prague, a doll collection, a hammer with its nuts and bolts and a hundred year old piano are the other techno-effigies on display.

“This is my way to pay homage to the dead,”Orellana said.

Even though the man has built machines to measure ghosts, Orellana believes there is no way to know for sure what we become once we die.

“I believe in afterlife, but it is hard to have a conversation about it. Humans have a limited vocabulary and mind to visualize it. I think everything that we know, including religion is an approximation,” he said. 

Orellana’s method to detect ghosts may seem familiar. Ghost hunters in TV shows and films about the paranormal often use infrared detectors, thermometers and electromagnetic waves.

He admits that he has based his machines on folklore, television shows, cinema, and pseudoscience. He said that he has also spoken to a few paranormal researchers. However, such research is not concerned with ghosts but extrasensory perception, telekinesis, and the sixth sense, he said.

“These machines are like the Horcruxes in Harry Potter. The way Voldemort’s life is preserved in objects called Horcruxes that he was most fond of, like his diary, Orellana’s machines also preserve the essence of the owner,” Jason Webb, 36, a media student said.

One such machine is a hundred-year-old piano, which Orellana said, came with the tune "When Irish eyes are smiling". Music that is connected to our senses would enthrall the living and the dead, the artist said.

The piano sits center stage in the exhibit and has been programmed to go off every 90 minutes. Viewers get a scare, startled how the keyboard manages to play itself.

It is sheer coincidence that there is a substantial Irish population here in Syracuse, Orellana said. Perhaps, we may wonder if the ghost is playing them a tune. 

Published on The NewsHouse on October 28, 2015

Available Link

http://www.thenewshouse.com/story/talking-dead-artists-exhibit-explores-afterlife

Toy Review

StarLily Brings Sparkling Fantasy to Life

VARUNI SINHA
The Toy Insider: Sept 30, 2015

StarLily, My Magical Unicorn, from Hasbro, is a mystical unicorn with sparkling eyes, velvet skin, fluttering wings, and a colorful horn that will make kids believe in the power of fairy tales.

Ideal for kids ages 4 and up, StarLily is an intelligent, animatronic toy coated in milky white fur. Her silky gold, purple, and pink mane is spread neatly around her propped-up ears, and her sky blue hooves are dotted with stars. She also has a soft tail colored just like her hair, and she carries a lilac colored crystal locket around her neck that bears a message of friendship.

StarLily comes to life right out of the package (and right after you add her batteries!) as a spectrum of bright lights blaze through her horn. Her eyes blink open, her wings begin to flutter, and she croons into a song.

StarLily features lots of movement: she can lift her front hoof, bat her eyelashes, and move her neck in rhythmic gestures. She can also be manually re-positioned, so kids canmake her sit, stand, or lie down. However, at times she does fall off to sleep, so you will have to stroke her neck to wake her up.

This unicorn is likely to carry kids on magical, fantasy adventures with their dream pet. To bring their dreams to life, StarLily interacts with kids as they engage with her, and kids will learn more about her mysterious ways as they spend more time with her. Kids can tickle her cheeks and watch her shake her head, stroke her back to make her wings flutter, hug her close for a loving nuzzle, or touch her horn for more fun responses.

StarLily comes with her favorite sweet treat, a Sugar Berry. When she gets hungry, her horn will emit a green glow, and kids can place the Sugar Berry in her mouth to hear her express her gratitude through happy eating sounds.

StarLily is no stranger to the charms of the digital age. Kids can download StarLily, My Magical Unicorn app on their smartphones or tablets and use it to communicate with her. Equipped with this app, kids will enter the enchanted FurEver forest and play adventurous games together with StarLily. They can travel to the Rainbow Falls to play in the water or visit Sugarberry Orchard to get a few treats. The Crystal Caverns feature even more games to play, and kids can win magical charms, which they can use to decorate The Wishing Tree, a beautiful home where StarLily lives.

Most fairy tales end with a happily ever after, and trust me—your kids will enjoy that blissful chapter with StarLily. As they spend time with this unique unicorn, kids will learn to treat her with kindness, loving the peace and harmony that she brings along. At the end of the day, it will be a happily ever after for your entire family.

Local News/Human interest

New SU startup aims to make college more affordable

By VARUNI SINHA
The NewsHouse: October 13, 2014

Cuselight is an eCommerce platform that lets students share books and resources across campus.

Higher education in America demands deep pockets. Even if you find one house and many roommates, decide to walk to school everyday and get the loan you want, you know that money will still trickle out. For many, textbooks, electronics, furniture, clothes and the list to survive on campus is endless.

One Syracuse University student is hoping to make college more affordable through his website called Cuselight.com.

It is an eCommerce platform that will allow students to share anything from books to furniture that they often throw away once college is over,” Aldrine Ashong-Katai, the creator of the SU startup, said.     

“During one semester I had to pay $650 just on books. I felt that it was outrageous. I was mad. I thought to myself that I know that someone somewhere has the book that I need, but I don't know them,” Ashong-Katai said.

He said his company would make sure students get the products in good time and shape and at a place that is safe. It will allow subscribers to meet the other party beforehand to make sure that the book or gadget they wish to purchase satisfies their need and is in good working condition.

“All you need is an ‘syr.edu’ domain to connect with others on campus. Then log onto the Cuselight website and start sharing,” Ashong-Katai said.

He said being a college student is the only criteria. Ashong-Katai pointed out that students did not have any real, affordable options on campus. He said sadly, bookstores also make a big profit out of resale items.

“Let’s say a student buys a book for $100 that he doesn't read at all. At the end of the year, he wants to sell it to the bookstore. But the store will only buy it for $10,” he said.

At the same time, there is another student looking to purchase that exact book and given the situation he will end up going to the bookstore and lose money, he said.

“Then there is Amazon, Craigslist and eBay, but you get the books after a couple of days or a week and at a steep price,” he said.

Cuselight will deliver the product the next day and at a cheaper price, because students will be dealing with students, he said. He said it is the first business model of this kind.

The company is also trying to create jobs on campus. Ashong-Katai said that he would be responsible for appointing a representative who will help carry out the transactions safely.

“Each party will pay ten percent of the cost of the item. This money that will go toward supporting the students working for Cuselight,” he said. In that sense the business is sustainable and mutually beneficial, he said.

It is good money for students looking for jobs, which can be hard to come by, Ashong-Katai said.

Ashong-Katai is in the process of procuring a permit to operate with his representatives on school property. Until then, he said, the online portal and its services are free, he said.

“My goal is to take Cuselight to college campuses all over the country. And even though it is in a pilot stage right now, I have launched it in Upstate Medical, Brooklyn, Ithaca and Utica college,” he said.

Ashong-Katai said that he wants to empower students. “Education is everything, but sometimes, students miss out on opportunities because of lack of resources, lack of money,” he said.

Moreover, Ashong-Katai’s business plan is a model that once set in action, will run on its own. He is in his final year at the School of Information Studies, at the Kauffman program that allows young entrepreneurs like him to develop their ideas, and set up their companies.

“Being able to really analyze your environment and make improvements is a rare skill. That is a mark of an entrepreneur,” he said.  “But to take ideas from inception to actualization is what I have learned at Whitman and the iSchool.”

He said his company is his way to give back to community that has made him who he is. 

Published on The NewsHouse on October 13, 2014

Available Link 

http://www.thenewshouse.com/story/new-su-startup-aims-make-college-more-affordable

Indian cinema/Filmmaking  

Newhouse professor Tula Goenka on Indian films beyond Bollywood

By VARUNI SINHA 
The NewsHouse: January 26, 2015

Goenka’s new book offers a glimpse at the largest movie business of the world including its diversity and contemporary trends.

With indie cinema like Lunchbox, Titli and Liar’s Dice entering the Oscars for India this year, the Indian film industry is more than Bollywood. Tula Goenka’s new book, Not Just Bollywood: Indian Directors Speak, offers a rare glimpse of the largest movie business of the world, its sheer diversity and contemporary trends.

Goenka, a filmmaker and professor of film production, goes behind the scenes to paint the scene. She interviews 28 leading Indian directors to talk about films from the filmmaker’s point of view.

“A director is the vision of a film,” Goenka said. “Especially in India, directors are often auteurs of their works. They ideate, write, shoot, edit and produce. I was looking for directors like Rituparno Ghosh and Yash Chopra who had changed the industry in some way. Individuals who had an impact on storytelling and were actively making movies," she added.

Goenka came to America in the mid 1980s to study filmmaking. She worked with directors like Mira Nair, Spike Lee and James Ivory. When she went home after seven long years, India and her films had changed dramatically. She wanted to catch-up, but Indian bookstores offered little.

“I wanted to write the book that I did not find,” she said. “Today, books on Indian films and Bollywood are plenty. But, few capture the varied range.”

In her book, Goenka showcases how Bollywood or the commercial films that are made out of Mumbai have coexisted with gritty independents, art-house films, middle cinema and a multidimensional regional cinema.

“The Tamil and Telgu film industry sometimes makes more movies than the Hindi industry, Goenka said. “However, limitations of language and distribution don't allow many of these films to carry over to a wider audience.”

She pointed out how one of the biggest changes for Indian cinema occured in 2001 when the government recognized the moviemaking business as an industry. Earlier Indian films were funded by ‘black’ or undeclared money.

“People could now get bank loans, corporate funding came in, and the industry became more professional," Goenka explained. "The other big change was the opening of multiplexes. No longer did one film have to reach the grandfather, the grandmother, the parents, the aunt, the uncle, and the children – all at once. You could now have niche marketing."

This is what led to the birth of Indie cinema as we know it today, according to Goenka. Such films captured niche themes. Works could be in Hinglish or Tinglish. They could be urban or not. For example, Nagesh Kuknoor’s cinema is not meant for the rural audience. The technology of distribution was changing how films were made and digested.

“Now that the corporates have come in, films are becoming cutting edge, sophisticated and hip," Goenka said. However, many of these investors want to put in less money and want to create a big splash and earn more. So, a lot of young directors are getting their debut film like never before."

Goenka is all praise for young directors like Onir, one of the few to cover LGBT issues through cinema in an open way. She also applauds Nagesh Kuknoor’s works, a director who wants to try every genre and Anurag Kashyap who is an industry in himself.

In her book, Goenka has strayed clear of unnecessary jargon and criticism.

“I didn't want to write a scholarly book on cinema," Goenka said. "I am a filmmaker and I make documentaries. In my line of work, you allow the artist to talk, rather than impose your worldview on them."

“I decided to interview 28 directors because 28 is a great number. I tell people that if you start on a full moon day and you read one chapter each day it’s 28 days,” Goenka smiled.  

Published on The NewsHouse on October 26, 2015

Available Link

http://www.thenewshouse.com/story/newhouse-professor-tula-goenka-indian-films-beyond-bollywood