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RESEARCH

POMPON PEP

Technology set to boost cell display efficiency VICKI LIU/Daily

LSA sophomore Ann Ludka, member of the University pompon team, rehearses in the Michigan League Wednesday.

LSA theme semester looks at ‘U’ athletics, academia Courses examine sports from varying perspectives By JENNIFER CALFAS Managing News Editor

As the University’s historically successful football program receives criticism from media and fans alike, the “Sport and the University” theme

semester couldn’t have come at a better time. Following theme semesters titled “India and the World” and “Understanding Race and Ethnicity,” the Fall 2014 semester strives to continue a 20-year tradition of focused studies within the school. After a committee was formed several years ago to discuss the curricula offered related to sport and physical activity, the ideas for the Fall 2014 theme

semester came into fruition. English Prof. Anne Curzan, one of the theme semester’s leaders and faculty liaison to the Athletic Department, said the theme offers a unique perspective to tie together athletics and academics — two defining aspects of the University’s culture. “We decided it would be really fun to sponsor a theme semester on sport and the University to highlight all these intersections — and to see what

departments would come up with related to the theme,” Curzan wrote in a statement. “And it has been exciting to see the range of events and topics that have come together around this theme.” In conjunction with the theme semester, a series of lectures, panels and film screenings will take place throughout the fall. Some students are taking courses offered within the See THEME, Page 2A

Researchers overcome technical hurdle in construction of longer-lasting diodes By IAN DILLINGHAM Daily News Editor

Students often stare at their phones in class. They may not realize they’re actually looking at thousands or millions of tiny red, green and blue dots called pixels, but they most likely realize — as their batteries are slowly depleted — that these displays are major power drains for modern smartphones. That is where researchers in the University’s Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science come in. New findings published this week in Nature Communications may allow smartphones to run longer on less power thanks to advancements in light-emitting diodes — LEDs — the building blocks of color displays on smartphones and the source of count-

HOSPITAL

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Health System to expand with new facilities After regents’ approval last week, UMHS will increase operating space By AMABEL KAROUB Daily Staff Reporter

The University of Michigan Health System is making moves to meet increasing patient demand. The University’s Board of Regents approved a plan last Thursday to build four new operating rooms in the UMHS Department of Surgery. The renovation will cover more than 24,000 square feet and cost about $23 million. The expansion is due to be completed in Spring 2016. The new operating rooms will encompass an area previously taken up by neurology clinics, which will be relocated to University Hospital South, adjacent to the main hospital. In addition to the new operating areas, the

expansion will make room for new storage units, offices and a staff lounge. “This investment in adult operating room capacity will improve patient access and our overall ability to accommodate the growing number of patients who seek our care,” said Anthony Denton, acting chief executive officer of the University of Michigan Hospitals and Health Centers, in a press release last week. “The result will be a better experience for patients and our care team.” Surgery Prof. Michael Mulholland, chairman of the Department of Surgery, said the renovation reflects the yearly increase in patients at UMHS of approximately 4 percent per year over the last 20 years. Not including the expansion, UMHS has 66 operating rooms. As the number of patients increases, so does the number of surgery cases. In the past fiscal year, the number of surgical cases at UMHS rose by 3.8 See UMHS, Page 2A

less other forms of artificial light. The research was conducted in the lab of Stephen Forrest, the Paul G. Goebel Professor of Engineering and former vice president of research for the University. Traditional LEDs are constructed with a mixture of indium, gallium, nitride and other inorganic compounds. In contrast, organic light-emitting diodes — OLEDs — are carbonbased. In 1998, Forrest and his team demonstrated the first phosphorescent OLEDs, a subset of the OLED family that has been shown to be about four times more efficient. However, these PHOLEDs suffered from a crucial flaw: They degraded under blue light. While they performed well with red and green wavelengths, it turned out blue light was of too high an energy, breaking covalent bonds between molecules in the diode and rendering it useless. Mobile phone manufacturers are currently able to incorporate the efficient PHOLEDs to See TECHNOLOGY, Page 2A

Student-run business to expand to other schools University alumni provide campuses with local deals ALLISON FARRAND/Daily

Michael Blanding discusses his book, “The Map Thief,” about E. Forbes Smiley III, who stole millions of dollars’ worth of antique maps from libraries around the country.

Journalist recounts tales of infamous art dealer Michael Blanding shares experience investigating “The Map Thief” By TOM MCBRIEN Daily Staff Reporter

Stories of daring map thefts may call to mind fantastical Hollywood films featuring Nicolas Cage, but a lecture

delivered Wednesday evening by author Michael Blanding detailed the real-life thefts of infamous rare map thief E. Forbes Smiley III. Blanding recounted his experience researching the events that led to Smiley’s eventual arrest in 2005, including an interview with Smiley himself for Blanding’s book, “The Map Thief.” Smiley, a respected and charismatic art dealer, was often given nearly unrestricted access to

libraries’ and museums’ collections of rare maps — access that allowed him to steal a total of 97 maps, together worth about $3 million. Blanding, an investigative journalist, explained his own fascination with maps. “I think maps reach people on a number of different levels. They can be looked at as beautiful art objects, but at the same time they have real historical value,” he said. “You See JOURNALIST, Page 2A

By MICHAEL SUGERMAN Daily Staff Reporter

For the past four years, the student-created discount card LegendsCard has provided University students with their “key to VIP treatment at your favorite local businesses,” according to its website. Business junior Josh Katzman has been the company’s CEO since 2013. Last week, he hosted the unveiling of the physical card’s fourth iteration. “People just love them,” he said, adding that he feels the cards add a special air of exclusivity and cool. The company branded its newest card to resemble a matteblack ace of spades. A LegendsCard costs $20 and comes with a free mobile app. The company currently pairs with 37 See BUSINESS, Page 2A

ArtPrize in the b-side An in-depth look at the yearly Grand Rapids art competition

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News

2A — Thursday, September 25, 2014

MONDAY: This Week in History

TUESDAY: Professor Profiles

WEDNESDAY: In Other Ivory Towers

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

THURSDAY: Student Profiles

FRIDAY: Photos of the Week

MICE TO BE IN ANN ARBOR

Pest for a pet The story goes, “If you give a mouse a cookie, he’s going to ask for a glass of milk.” In the case of LSA senior Clara Jones, if you give a student a mouse, she’s going to treat it like her own it. For a while, Jones and her roommates had been talking about getting a pet. “We had been throwing around some bigger animals that you obviously can’t have in an apartment, like a fox,” she said. “But that was a joke.” Then, the unexpected happened. One of Jones’ roommates, a graduate student studying environmental engi-

TECHNOLOGY From Page 1A emit red and green light on phone displays but have used the less-efficient fluorescent OLED for blue to extend the display life. In the most recent study, however, Forrest’s lab demonstrated a longer-lasting version of the blue PHOLED, with a tenfold increase in lifespan compared to previous models. Yifan Zhang, a former student in the lab, and Jae Sang Lee, a current Ph.D. candidate, authored the recent publication. Lee said he was inspired by his desire to create something very useful and efficient and to fill a gap in PHOLED production that the industry has been unable to address. In standard OLEDs, electrons are essentially passed

neering, recovered an orphaned wild mouse over the weekend while on a local trip, and was given the option to keep it. “She texted a picture of a tiny little baby mouse, and said, ‘Do you guys want a mouse?’ I responded in all caps, ‘YES,’” Jones said. Jones raised mice as pets when she was younger, but this situation was different. The mouse wasn’t storebought; he was recovered in a very weak and fragile state. The next step was to do some research, Jones said, after which the

along the diode in a single line. The PHOLED takes advantage of what Forrest called a “quantum trick,” which allows four times more electrons to be transferred between molecules. “What makes them so efficient is that what sits in the middle of each molecule is a heavy metal atom — iridium or platinum,” Forrest said. “That’s what made the OLED display industry possible in many respects, because they needed high efficiency.” However, because these transfers excite the molecule into a state of high energy, they can result in collisions that can cause a single molecule to become twice as excited. This unstable state, which is determined by the energy of the electrons, has traditionally led to a breakdown of the diode in the case of blue light. Forrest’s group over-

THEME From Page 1A theme semester, including several taught by lecturer John Bacon, a prominent sports journalist and New York Times bestselling author. “There are few places that are suited to study ways to think about sports,” Bacon said. “That’s what’s great about the University: it’s a wonderful place for ideas.” Physics Prof. Dave Gerdes, coorganizer of the theme semester

UMHS From Page 1A percent. Mulholland said the increase relates to both the aging

JOURNALIST From Page 1A can look at what’s going on in the Crimean Peninsula right now, and it’s the same thing that England and France were doing while fighting over North America hundreds of years ago. Maps have real power and real effects on people’s

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roommates were able to estimate that the mouse was seven to 10 days old. As a result, Jones and company have had to make some special accommodations. “Baby mice need mom’s milk, which we obviously don’t have, so we have kitten formula that we dilute,” Jones said. “We have to feed him every two hours. So we’ve been dividing up the nights between us.” “They also don’t know how to poop on their own,” she added. “We have to rub its butt until it poops, which is a less pleasant part of having him. But

came these constraints by increasing the area that the electrons had to spread out over the emissive layer of the diode, thereby lowering the probability of such collisions. Implementation of the blue PHOLED into consumer electronics such as smartphones, tablets and televisions, could take three to five years, according to researchers. Once implemented, the new diodes could reduce energy consumption in these devices. Forrest said the new PHOLEDs could easily be incorporated into current manufacturing techniques, as their structure is very similar to that of their predecessors. “The equipment, the process, the time is basically identical in what is used today in mass-producing

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you gotta do that.” As far as housing for the little guy, the newly named Pickles is currently situated in a blue, 10-inch by 10-inch plastic box. “He just curls up within crumpled tissues,” Jones said. “He sleeps. His eyes aren’t even open yet.” The box lies on top of what was formerly a fish tank heater — Jones said this kind of heat is necessary to maintain a suitable body temperature.

— MICHAEL SUGERMAN

CORRECTIONS In the Sept. 23, 2014 article “CSG talks Ferguson, starts budget discussion,” the original article incorrectly stated that the CSG budget was finalized. Additionally, the previous version failed to say that the amendment to the Statement of Student Rights did pass. In the Sept. 22, 2014 article, “Voter guide: 55th Assembly District has likely Democratic win,” the original article incorrectly referred to the 55th assembly district as the 55th congressional district.

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these appliances,” Forrest said. Additionally, Forrest said OLEDs could eventually play a greater role in increasing energy efficiency, as they could be adopted in building

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In the Sept. 21, 2014 article “Students host event inspired by study abroad experience,” the original story misattributed statements from LSA sophomore Andrea Banner, incorrectly attributing them to Meaghan Shokar, public relations chair of the SSA. Additionally, a statement was attributed to LSA senior Jenny Chuang that did not properly reflect her comments about the event.

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along with Curzan, said courses spanning several different departments show the breadth of perspectives from which sports can be analyzed — ranging from themes within psychology, women’s studies, economics and medicine. A marathon runner himself, Gerdes emphasized the relevance of mixing academics with athletics. “Sports and academics are two things Michigan does very, very well,” Gerdes said. “It can give both students and faculty a better appreciation for what’s going on

over in the athletic campus and realize that it’s not in some ways as much of a world apart as it may appear.” Several events sponsored by the theme semester have already occurred, including a kickoff panel featuring prominent varsity coaches and LSA faculty members, and a lecture by Bacon during Parents Weekend. At the kickoff, Michigan basketball coach John Beilein, one of the panelists, gave advice to students and student athletes alike on how to achieve success

and face defeat. He called failure a “fertilizer for growth” and recalled his acronym, “WIN” — what’s important now. As a wellregarded coach whose team has had successful March Madness performances over the last two years, Beilein also offered advice on how to strive to grow in spite of success. Beilein serves as an example of how the Athletic Department will contribute to the semester. Curzan said the department will sponsor several events, including a lecture by University alum Andrea

Joyce, a prominent The Michigan Daily (ISSN 0745-967) is published Monday through Friday during the fall and winter terms by sports students at the University of Michigan. One copy is available free of charge to all readers. Additional copies may broadcastbe picked up at the Daily’s office for $2. Subscriptions for fall term, starting in September, via U.S. mail are $110. Winter term (January through April) is $115, yearlong (September through April) is $195. University affiliates er, which are subject to a reduced subscription rate. On-campus subscriptions for fall term are $35. Subscriptions must will take be prepaid. The Michigan Daily is a member of The Associated Press and The Associated Collegiate Press. place Oct. 30. Overall, Curzan anticipates that we need to see athletics and the theme semester will create a academics as inherently or necesdialogue about the intersection of sarily at odds with each other,” sports and academics at the Uni- Curzan said. “And many of us versity. combine sport and academics in “At Michigan, you find pas- our personal lives in complemension for academics and passion tary, productive, fun and often for athletics and we don’t think inspiring ways.”

patient population and the variety of services available at UMHS. The last time the hospital added operating rooms was during the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital renovation in 2011. With the

growing patient population, Mulholland said it is likely they will renovate again soon. Additional expansions are on the horizon to allow UMHS to meet the growing patient demand.

These plans include expansion of facilities for short-stay patients, the Emergency Department and Mott. “We need more operating rooms, we need more patient beds and we need more hospital

rooms,” Mulholland said. “I think sometime in the near future we’ll expand again some other way.” The expansion follows UMHS’s recent opening of the Northville Health Center — a

100,000-square-foot facility constructed at a cost of $39 million — on July 15. In total, UMHS receives about 2 million outpatient visits per year across 41 UMHSowned or leased locations.

lives.” Rare maps are like rare pieces of art in many ways, but one important difference between the two is the fact that map creators typically drew up to several dozen copies of the same work. These copies are often uncatalogued, which can make it difficult to determine whom to return a stolen map to if multiple copies have been report-

ed missing. For example, Blanding told the story of when a map of the Great Lakes — a copy of which the University owns — was recovered from Smiley’s stash. “The librarians all got together at the FBI office in New Haven, and there was a bit of a fight between the libraries — being librarians, it was a very quiet fight — over who it

actually belonged to,” he said. A copy of that map was later sold for $750,000. Another map that Smiley stole is an untitled map published along with Hernán Cortés’ letters that depicts the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan. Published in 1524, it is the oldest map of any city in North America and one of the few firsthand sources of informa-

tion on Tenochtitlan, which was destroyed by Cortés a year after the map’s making. Smiley would eventually plead guilty to stealing irreplaceable items, but due to his cooperation with the FBI, was given only three-and-a-half years in prison. He now lives in Martha’s Vineyard. Information student Caitlin

Moriarty, who attended the lecture, said stories like this are a good way to get introduced to archiving. “These are kind of like the horror stories associated with this field,” she said. “If there were a ‘CSI: Archives,’ this would be it. I think it’s one of the more entertaining and accessible aspects of this field.”

Selling the cards, he explained, is often reliant upon word of mouth. The company promoted its 2014 launch on its Facebook page, culminating with a “block party” at Zaragon Place. Katzman estimated that 200 people were in attendance. With regard to signing local businesses on to give students deals, Katzman said it’s a matter of initiative. He noted this was most evident this summer when the company expanded to include Indiana University. Indiana University sophomore

Dylan Reider volunteered to stay at school two weeks after finals to build LegendsCard’s brand and bring on businesses in Bloomington. “We want to continue to expand, just as Michigan has in the last several years,” Reider said. Reider said he met with more than 70 business owners in that two-week span, ultimately signing 10 of them. Since then, he has partnered with five more. “He went out and he signed clients,” Katzman said. “That’s

what it’s all about. That’s the overarching theme of the whole ‘college entrepreneurship’ thing. It doesn’t have to be the craziest idea in the world, but it’s really just about naturally taking initiative.” At the moment, campus representatives at three other schools are in the fledgling stages, working on expanding LegendsCard to their respective communities: Claremont McKenna College, the University of Maryland and the University of Southern California.

BUSINESS From Page 1A Ann Arbor businesses to provide clients with discounts. These locations include Charley’s, Frita Batidos and Bivouac, among others. Cardholders must renew their LegendsCard membership annually. Katzman has ordered 500 cards each year for the last two years, and he said he has sold out of his supply both times.

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Sports

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

Thursday, September 25, 2014 — 3A

Green to be featured vs. Gophers By GREG GARNO Managing Sports Editor

Lost in the quarterback competition on the Michigan football team is the end of a competition at another position: running back. While fifth-year senior Devin Gardner and sophomore Shane Morris compete for the starting gig under center, Derrick Green is seeing the bulk of the carries in the backfield over De’Veon Smith. Green, who received 14 carries compared to Smith’s four against Utah, has earned the bulk of snaps all season despite Michigan coach Brady Hoke saying both sophomore backs would split carries. Green has received the majority of touches — 64 to Smith’s 28 — throughout the year. Now, Hoke has owned up to Green’s featured role in the backfield. “Well, I think Derrick, when you look at carries over the course of the year, Derrick’s averaging 6.1 yards per carry, which tells you a little something,” Hoke said at his Wednesday press conference. “But DeVeon’s averaging 6.9. I think we have two very capable backs. “Now, has Derrick been the guy who’s been featured? He’s got more snaps, so I’d say so.” Green’s role is important since Michigan has run the ball 152 times, 40 more than it has passed. The Wolverines run enough that nearly every passing play the Wolverines call is out of play action or on a type of zone read. Green, though, has dealt with a line that has struggled to open holes. Against Utah, he had to avoid running through the tackles, and against Miami (Ohio), he bounced outside often instead of using his 5-foot-11, 220-pound frame to run up

B1G LIFE, B1G STAGE

ANN ARBOR’S JUG FOOTBALL MICHIGAN HAS WON 22 OF 23 AGAINST THE GOLDEN GOPHERS

“” EIGHT STRAIGHT WINS IN BIG TEN OPENERS

YOU DON’T WANT THEM TO COME OVER AND TAKE THE JUG OFF THE SIDELINE — BRADY HOKE

RUBY WALLAU/Daily

Sophomore running back Derrick Green has received the majority of carries this season, and he has rewarded coaches by averaging 6.1 yards per rush.

the middle. Green’s speed has improved, thanks in part to slimming down in the offseason. But his size and speed may not matter against the Golden Gophers’ run defense, which is considered its strong suit. Minnesota allowed just 69 yards rushing to San Jose State last week and this season is holding opponents to 3.7 yards per carry and just four touchdowns. “I think Tracy Claeys, their defensive coordinator, really does a nice job, and being with (head

coach) Jerry (Kill) a long time, there’s a lot of familiarity,” Hoke said. “I think the kids always play hard and they’re ready for us. Obviously, we want to gain the line of scrimmage better. “We’ve got to make sure when we’re in our combo blocks and those type of things that we’re getting to the second level. I think the verticalness that we need to play in the running game and the directness of the running game will be very important. They don’t want you

“I would say we’ve just got to play our best football.”

on the edges, and they’ll work like heck to have everything funneled as the run game goes.” Minnesota won’t be caught off guard come Saturday, though, since it too relies on the run — even more so than Michigan. The Golden Gophers ran for 387 yards against San Jose State last weekend, attempting seven passes and completing only one. Running back David Cobb sees the bulk of carries, 92 thus far, but quarterbacks Chris Streveler and Mitch Leidner have also combined for more than 50 carries. “I know what they like to do,” Hoke said. “We have to play our best, so I don’t know. … I don’t look at it that way. I would say we’ve just got to play our best

football.” Note: Wednesday, Hoke said he would not release who his team’s starting quarterback will be until game time. “We’ll wait (to announce that) until game time,” he said. “We have an idea of what we want to do, but what’s best for us and the program, and what we’re trying to get done.” Both Gardner and Morris have been getting reps at first team, but Hoke indicated the pair would not split snaps. He also noted that no matter who starts at quarterback, freshman tackle Mason Cole and redshirt sophomore tackle Ben Braden would not switch sides on the line.

BY THE NUMBERS Run Game vs. Minnesota

Games in which Michigan has allowed fewer than 100 rushing yards.

Rush yards by Minnesota vs TCU, its only sub-100 output and only loss.

170

Rushing yards for Derrick Green vs. Appalachian State, a career high.

391

Total rushing yards for Green, good for fifth in the Big Ten.

Coaches prep for B1G’s second year By ERIN LENNON Daily Sports Writer

BIG TEN HOCKEY MINNESOTA, THE INAUGURAL CONFERENCE CHAMPION, REACHED THE NCAA TITLE GAME BUT FELL TO UNION MICHIGAN FINISHED THIRD IN 2013-14 BUT LOST TO BOTTOM-SEEDED PENN STATE IN THE BIG TEN TOURNAMENT YOU WANT TO BE TOUGH? TAKE OFF YOUR MASK AND THEN I’LL KNOW HOW TOUGH YOU REALLY ARE — BADGERS COACH MIKE EAVES, RELAYING A MESSAGE FROM RED BERENSON

“

SHANA TOVA!

NOW LET’S ALL SKIP CLASS

DETROIT — When asked how far away his hockey program is from becoming a revenueproducer, Penn State coach Guy Gadowski was abrupt. “We are,” he said. After only one season in the Big Ten, Penn State sold out its allotment of student season NOTEBOOK tickets for its second season in Pegula Arena in just three minutes — with more than 95 percent of last year’s season ticket holders renewing subscriptions — proving that, if nothing else, interest is on the rise. “The Big Ten conference attracts great hockey players on its own, so that’s a big factor,” Gadowski said. “We have a lot going on at Penn State that we’re really proud of. The facility is one, the atmosphere of the student section is another, and the University itself. I feel all of those factors are helping us improve and improve.” Outside of the inevitable media and recruiting boosts, the inaugural season of Big Ten hockey proved the gap between a fledgling program in Penn State and the storied ones in Michigan and Minnesota wasn’t so large after all. Teams that want to compete for a national championship need to play high-caliber teams during the conference schedule to improve, “like osmosis,” said Badgers coach Mike Eaves. This league is on its way — if it’s not already there — to being that kind of test, they said. Of course, with hindsight at 20/20, the helms of each program spoke of positive takeaways from the first year in the Big Ten, despite some of the glaring disappointments. “If you’re as good as your last game, well, we weren’t very good last year,” said Michigan coach Red Berenson. Whereas it was considered second-class in the Big Ten

FILE PHOTO/Daily

Michigan coach Red Berenson‘s teams have failed to reach the NCAA Tournament in consecutive seasons, but they looked poised to make a return this spring.

prior to last season, Ohio State — which notched wins over every conference opponent except Michigan — could play spoiler in March despite the losses of forwards Ryan Dzingel and Max McCormick. For now, the Buckeyes remember blowing a 4-2 lead to Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship, narrowly missing an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament by falling in overtime. “Obviously, we’re bitter,” said Ohio State defenseman Sam Jardine. “We’re motivated. Focus this summer has been clear throughout. We’re ready to go now. And ever since that game happened, we’ve wanted to make amends.” Finally, there were those who spoke of pure excitement among their teams, namely the freshmen. Michigan’s eight newcomers are poised to make an immediate impact, while Wisconsin will need all 11 of its freshmen to fill key voids left after last season. There will be

growing pains, but late-season conference drama has primed eagerness. “They’re like puppies in a box,” Eaves said. “They’re going to try get out of the box and you gotta try and put them in day after day until they figure it out.” GLORIOUS GOALTENDING: Perhaps more than any other conference in the nation, the Big Ten boasts talent in net from top to bottom. Last season, Minnesota goaltender Adam Wilcox was crowned the Big Ten Player of the Year over stellar forwards from his own team and over other standout netminders like Wisconsin’s Joel Rumpel and Michigan State’s Jake Hildebrand. Meanwhile, four Big Ten goalies finished in the top eight in the nation in save percentage. “Goaltending is just off the charts,” Eaves said. “They’re big, they’re athletic, they work

at their position.” All of this is to say: expect low-scoring, tight games come January. There were four goaltenders from four different teams — Wilcox, Rumpel, Hildebrand and Ohio State’s Christian Frey — selected to the Big Ten preseason watch list. That’s a list that doesn’t include Michigan sophomore Zach Nagelvoort, who, despite a stellar freshman campaign, is still competing with junior Steve Racine for the starting job. Tough as these goaltenders may be, Berenson was quick to remind his fellow coaches that goalies used to play without masks. “You want to be tough?” Eaves said, relaying Berenson’s mantra. “Take off your mask and then I’ll know how tough you really are.” PRESEASON POLLS: Coaches met early Wednesday morning to vote on the Big Ten Preseason Coaches

Poll, pegging reigning champion Minnesota as the team to beat, followed by Michigan and Wisconsin. Rounding out the conference, Ohio State, Michigan State and Penn State polled in the same order they finished last season, at four, five and six, respectively. Both Copp and sophomore forward JT Compher were unanimous selections as Big Ten players to watch. Compher, the 2013-14 Freshman of the Year, will likely flank Copp — who will center Wolverines’ top line — creating a one-two punch that could earn the duo matching honors at the end of the season. Copp earned All-Big Ten Honorable Mention after finishing second on the team in scoring with 29 points in his sophomore campaign behind Compher. Minnesota contributed five Big Ten players to watch, including three unanimous selections in Wilcox, sophomore forward Sam Warning and senior forward Kyle Rau.

Opinion

Page 4A — Thursday, September 25, 2014

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

More than sticks and stones

Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890. 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 tothedaily@michigandaily.com PETER SHAHIN EDITOR IN CHIEF

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KATIE BURKE MANAGING EDITOR

Unsigned editorials reflect the official position of the Daily’s editorial board. All other signed articles and illustrations represent solely the views of their authors.

Renewing faith

t was spring semester in Ann Arbor, and if you remember this past spring at all, you may not remember it as your typical spring. Still, the grass was green and the pink blossoms were blooming in the courtyard of West Hall. That Friday, the sun was out and birds were chirping. We wore sweaters. I had just gotten out of a physics lecture in Dennison and OMAR was walking back home MAHMOOD along the glass pane walls of Dennison. A dead bird lay upon the pavement. The students gave it a wide berth, some girls running away in fright with their hands over their eyes. I walked up to it and kneeled down. This was the second one I had seen in as many days. It was lying there, pristine, not broken, just dead. Birds are beautiful. In a single family, there are all the colors of the wind. As long as he can look upon a bird, the poet’s ink may never run dry. Pitiful that a bird is best admired dead. Here was a blue-winged warbler. Its yellow feathers transitioned beautifully to larger ones that sprouted into wings of gray touched by blue. Its tail then took that blue and carried it to the end, ever more vibrant. The blue-winged warbler has streaks of black that run from its eyes to its ears. As I examined the warbler, I saw that its beady black eyes were scrunched up. And the black streaks that ran from them were tears. Something came over me, and I felt I should give the bird a proper resting place. There was a tree by there, and so I carried the bird, holding it with twigs, to the base of the tree. I dug a little hole with another stick that I found there in the mulch. To my relief, no one really bothered to stop and watch. I dropped the bird into the little hole and packed a little mound over it. Then I ringed the place with sticks and placed a stone where the bird’s head was. As I stepped back, I thought a final send-off had not yet been performed. I looked about and saw that there were pink petals from blossoms all over the pavement, swirling about in the wind. I walked back to the archway in the courtyard in West Hall, where there were so many of these petals. Back at the little grave, I sprinkled them over the bird, and no sooner had they hit they ground than they flew away in the wind. No, that wouldn’t do. I had to put flowers on the grave, I had to do it right. So now I crossed a line. There were a couple red tulips growing on that island. By now it was just me. Classes had ended a while ago. And so I walked back, snapped a single tulip stem, and lay the flower on the mound. I lingered a little, and then saw fit to leave. As I headed back, a voice called out, “Hey!

What was that?” I turned on my heels and saw a grounds worker walking up to me. He had a hardened look, a fatherly one. Aside from that, I hardly remember him, as much as he impressed me that day. I imagine he had a balding crown, his hair speckled gray, and he wore a cap. And there was an undeniable dignity about him. He asked again, “What was that?” I became uncomfortably aware, at that moment, of how silly I was being moments earlier, saluting a dead warbler on the pavement of Dennison. I might romanticize these little things, but I am not immune to escape tactics either, and I did not want to do my physics problems. “A bird,” I said. I expected I would be in trouble. I had messed up the mulch, snapped twigs off the tree, even plucked a good rose. “Oh, bless your soul. Bless your soul! I thought it might have been a mole, or a chipmunk. I’ve seen a couple around here.” He spoke earnestly. He meant it. I thanked him, and explained that I had found the bird dead. It had flown into the glass walls of the Dennison tunnel. He was sorry. We shook hands. His were calloused, rough. I asked him his name, which I have forgotten. But I’d rather hold on to his story. He was a cancer survivor. Nineteen years ago, he had been diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. He took off his cap and showed me the scar that ran across the top of his forehead. When he was diagnosed and given a death sentence so long ago, his daughter was five years old. Today she is a student at the University where he kept the grounds, and he was a proud father. Before we split, we promised to keep each other in our prayers. Faith is not easy. But whenever I meet someone like that man, my faith is renewed. In my time in Ann Arbor I’ve had such fleeting encounters, each of which I carry with me. I rarely take names away. Often all I take are some words. Sometimes one glance is enough. Since meeting the grounds worker, I’ve begun to notice the litter on our campus. Every time I walk to class I see Slurpee cups, straws and all, on the lawns of churches. The Diag is trashed with candy wrappers, dug in between leaves of grass. I see cans of soda, burger wrappers, Styrofoam. Once a piece of litter catches my eye, I cannot keep that grounds worker out of my mind, and I cannot bear to walk past it without picking it up and throwing it away. And if it hurts me to walk by without picking it up, how could someone cast it aside and walk away? If we all just picked one piece of trash up off the ground on the way to class, just once every day, we might be worthy of our grounds staff. Or maybe we just need to talk to them.

Faith is not easy, but sometimes random encounters help renew my faith.

— Omar Mahmood can be reached at syedom@umich.edu.

EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS Barry Belmont, David Harris, Rachel John, Nivedita Karki, Jacob Karafa, Jordyn Kay, Aarica Marsh, Megan McDonald, Victoria Noble, Melissa Scholke, Michael Schramm, Matthew Seligman, Paul Sherman, Allison Raeck, Linh Vu, Meher Walia, Mary Kate Winn, Daniel Wang, Derek Wolfe

“

NOTABLE QUOTABLE

All I do know is Dave Brandon should not be let to make another decision at Michigan. Period.”

— Former Michigan quaterback Michael Taylor said to Detroit’s 105.1 FM on Tuesday morning regarding the current state of the Michigan Football Program.

eaves disintegrated beneath soles of exhausted feet hurrying to return to dorms. The crinkled pages clasped within my hand reflected the luminosity of the streetlight overhead. Classmates disappeared into shadowy MELISSA vapors of the SCHOLKE evening, but I idled in the crisp air reviewing the introductory letter I was required to write for my first-year writing course. One sentence in particular claimed my attention: “I think far more often than I speak, and I’m uncertain about almost everything.” Originally, the statement was intended to provide an explanation for the demure personality and restraint I regretfully expected to display during future class discussions. Yet, as I later stood in the same spot — ready to hand in my final — I realized I was certain about one thing. Although my voice is seldom heard in a room, words are of the utmost importance to me. They’re sacred entities. I hoard caches of words upon my shelves, and I treasure expressive lyrics far more than any melody. Perhaps my identities as an overzealous bookworm and an English major make me biased. However, whether written, spoken or texted, words are more than symbols on a page. Wrapped up in a few syllables are the essences of who we are as people. Words are the suitcases in which we transport our passions, our memories, our traumas and our regrets throughout our lives. When the individuals around us use words carelessly, the emotional baggage we may harbor is snatched from us, scattered across the ground and exposed to the world. For each individual, I imagine there’s at least one word or phrase capable of unearthing repressed

feelings of insecurity or oppression when its syllables smack their ears. As students, we understand some words are derogatory or offensive, and we’d never intentionally utter them directly to another person. Yet when our conversations assume lighter tones, the magnitude of these words can be dismissed, and this impulsive language can have a negative effect on those around us. During my past few years here at Michigan, I’ve encountered unintentionally stinging words far too frequently; however, I was thrilled to learn action was being taken to remedy this problem and improve our campus culture. Recently, an initiative known as the Inclusive Language Campaign commenced with a kick-off event. In partnership with the Expect Respect campaign, the Inclusive Language Campaign centers upon the goals of creating a more “positive campus climate” by raising awareness about the language students utilize in their lives. Elizabeth Zollweg, North Campus project manager and a member of the Inclusive Language committee, noted that words carry tremendous weight. In a brief interview, Zollweg stressed that “we don’t know the stories and experiences of those around us,” and as result, we cannot fully comprehend the indirect effect our words have. This point strongly resonated with me. Pamphlets listing some of the language the ILC deems “exclusionary” that has been heard around campus were distributed at the kickoff, but one cannot determine what another would deem “exclusionary” by merely considering an individual’s gender, race or sexuality. For example, I certainly detest any language that belittles women, trivializes

sexual assault or references female anatomy as an insult. However, words that inflame invisible wounds sting the most. As an individual plagued by anxiety, hearing classmates jokingly accuse others of being “crazy” or “insane” instills in me the paralyzing fear these words will someday be hurdled in my direction. Likewise, every instance I hear “faggot,” “fag,” “that’s so gay” or “no homo,” I infuriatingly remember each moment these slurs and derogatory statements were used to degrade and attack a person I consider my dear friend and brother. However, Zollweg stressed the list of exclusionary language is not exhaustive, and the ILC isn’t meant to eliminate vocabulary. Rather, it’s designed to illustrate words and actions do matter, to continue engaging students and to ensure students have the authority and the responsibility of stepping in and saying something in reaction to offensive language. One step for further engagement includes a program called Change It Up! that provides bystander intervention training to incoming freshmen. Like many, I’ve lacked mindfulness when I speak or write, and I’ve struggled with intervening in scenarios where I encountered exclusionary language. However, with the formation of the ILC and its subsequent initiatives, I believe Wolverines will learn their words aren’t only important in term papers. Rather, thinking deeply and empathetically about the words we use defines our environment and the well-being of those with whom we interact.

Whether written, spoken or texted, words are more than symbols on a page.

— Melissa Scholke can be reached at melikaye@umich.edu.

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“W

Kegs and regs

anna shotgun?” That’s the typical wakeup call from my roommates on gamedays, the proverbial Saturday morning rooster during the fall. “Shotgunning” beers and “handlepassing” hard ELI liquor are CAHAN staples of my rowdy tailgate moments. These drinking habits lie in stark contrast to what I remember from freshman year: waiting in the omnipresent keg line for a small, filthy cup of flat beer and chugging it as fast as physically possible. Pulling from a triple-distilled bottle of pure class was a rare delicacy back then. Oh how the times have changed. Nov. 1, 2011, the Michigan Liquor Control Commission rolled its their “keg tag registration” law. The law requires retailers to keep records of keg purchasers, and purchasers to affix tags to their kegs until returned. Rep. Mark Meadows (D–East Lansing), stated at the time that the law “creates a paper trail for police to hold the buyer accountable … identifying the individual who’s really responsible for the problem.” The intent of the law was to curb “out-of-control college parties and blind pigs.” A secondary objective was to staunch the supply of alcohol to minors, and reduce binge drinking. The law, however, has not had that effect. According to an owner at Champions, it has reduced keg purchases at some campus liquor stores by up to 95 percent, though it has done little to slow underage drinkers. In the absence of kegs, party hosts have resorted to buying cases of beer and hard liquor. While the Department of Public Safety stopped keeping statistics on Liquor Law Violations at the end of 2012, the 2014 Annual Security Report shows that, in the year following the keg registration law, citations for LLVs increased dramatically. This includes a 10-percent increase

in “referrals for disciplinary action” (colloquially known as dorm “write-ups”), a 16-percent increase in total citations, and a 239-percent increase in citations on “public property.” These were calculated by comparing 2012 LLVs to 2011 LLVs, as reported by DPS. Public property, in the tailgate context, refers to the sidewalks and areas in between parties. These numbers are codified by the experiences of various students on campus. In regards to the efficacy of the law, Business senior Jordan David, a member of a fraternity, noted that “in the absence of kegs, (upperclassmen) have a lessened responsibility to take ownership … result(ing) in the purchases of exorbitant amounts of cans to replace it. That has facilitated even more drinking and alcohol consumption.” Indeed, in the context of a college party, it is important to understand that the real “regulators” of drinking at the party tend to be older students, who are responsible for alcohol acquisition and distribution. As keg registration laws have dissuaded keg-leasing, cans have introduced a fortuitous opportunity for reduced host liability. Furthermore, addressing whether the proliferation of cans has accelerated drinking behaviors at parties, David said “prior to the keg ban, you had to wait in line behind six people to fill up one cup of beer. Now, there’s an overabundance of cans at every pregame and party we attend, with easy access and no constraints … Binge drinking has definitely increased because there are many more games surrounding a beer can rather than a cup of beer.” Suffice it to say, anecdotal accounts support the idea that keg registration laws have done little to curb binge drinking, large parties or underage drinking. Yet despite these campus

experiences, scientific studies continue to emerge which demonstrate the efficacy of keg registration laws in lowering binge drinking. A 2011 study from the Journal of Adolescent Health clearly indicates the negative correlation between per-capita beer consumption and the institution of keg registration laws. It appears that the confounding factor here is cost. Since kegs are typically much more economical on a price per fluid ounce basis than cans (about 45 percent cheaper in some cases), it seems logical that the introduction of liability would, across the general population, dissuade drinking rather than suffering the significant premium for cans. However, with a significant body of students from wealthier backgrounds than those contained within the study, party hosts can (and do) bite the cost bullet. So the question remains: how we can reduce underage and binge drinking on campus? The danger of such activities is obvious: manifested acutely in the forms of trauma and asphyxia, and chronically as developmental and addiction issues. Well, the Interfraternity Council got it right in February, banning hard liquor from open parties. Further steps in this direction would be prudent, as hard liquor is a key culprit behind dangerous and debilitating binge drinking. University authorities must take a stance on these issues: they must be held responsible to draft better, bespoke policies in lieu of ineffective and inadequate broad keg registration laws. A plea from a former football star is hardly enough to influence students to “Stay in the Blue.” Especially when they’ll have to go watch Team 135’s offense two hours later.

Cans have introduced a fortuitous opportunity for reduced host liability.

— Eli Cahan can be reached at emcahan@umich.edu.

Weekend Roundup

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

Thursday, September 25, 2014 — 5A

The complete CAMPUS autumn 2014 EVENTS Thursday, 9/25 reading list By EMILIE PLESSET Weekend Roundup Editor

ALLISON FARRAND/Daily

3 THINGS By LAUREN BAGI Weekend Roundup Contributor Fall is officially here in Michigan, so instead of moping around over the end of summer weather, get outside and take in all that Ann Arbor has to offer this fall. No matter what you are interested in — from squirrel-feeding to opera — there are plenty of activities to ring in this season of apples, donuts, cider, football and great weather.

Comedy This weekend, The Second City comedy troupe will be in town. This improv-based sketch comedy group serves as a training ground for great comedians. Just ask Tina Fey, Chris Farley or Stephen Colbert! This is a great opportunity for procrastination while having a laugh with friends. Tickets are $20 for students, which is a great deal to watch future

to kick off the fall season

celebrities poke some fun at you and your friends. The Second City will perform at The Ark at 8 p.m. on Sept. 26 and 27.

WeatherFest For all you out-of-state students worrying about the weather Michigan delivers, especially the snow and polar vortexes, visit the WeatherFest this Sunday, Sept. 28, on the Diag from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Meet weather and climate enthusiasts from organizations such as the National Weather Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and more to discuss climate change. The event will feature fun weather activities and opportunities to network with the nation’s leading meteorologists, climatologists and physical scientists. For all you interested in pursuing a career in the natural sciences, this is a must, and for those of you who just want to learn

more about the climate, this is a great way to get out and enjoy the weather while we still can.

Cider Mill One of the greatest qualities of Ann Arbor in the fall is the abundance of cider and donuts available to be consumed at all times. Check out the Dexter Cider Mill or the famous Wiard’s Orchards in Ypsilanti. If you are carless, there is an Ann Arbor bus route that goes to the Dexter Cider Mill — all you need is your Mcard to enjoy the delicious aromas of fall. Once you have arrived at the cider mill, stay awhile and enjoy the off-campus atmosphere for a bit of stress relief before returning to campus and the mountains of work you have to do. As always, there is plenty to do in and around Ann Arbor, so spread your wings and try some new activities this fall!

If you somehow find enough free time during the day or are looking for a book to curl up with before bed, here are some novels you should read this fall.

The Cuckoo’s Calling by J.K. Rowling J.K. Rowling, writing under the pseudonym “Robert Galbraith,” moved from the wizarding world of Harry Potter to the world of struggling private investigator Cormoran Strike. After the death of supermodel Lula Landry is ruled a suicide, her suspicious brother hires Strike to determine what may have really led to her death. If you want to read more about Strike, Galbraith released “The Silkworm,” the second Strike mystery, earlier this summer.

Orange is the New Black: My Year in a Women’s Prison by Piper Kerman Whether you spent a solid three days watching the second season of “Orange is the New Black” on Netflix this summer or haven’t seen an episode, Piper Kerman’s memoir is a fast and interesting read. While the television show is loosely based on her experiences, Kerman’s book does an amazing job

of telling her real story and reflecting on her sense of shared humanity with the women with whom she was locked up for a year.

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Confronted by the growing threat of Middle East militants, President Barack Obama implored world leaders at the United Nations Wednesday to rally behind his expanding military campaign to stamp out the violent Islamic State group and its “network of death.” “There can be no reasoning, no negotiation, with this brand of evil,” Obama told the General Assembly. In a striking shift for a president who has been reluctant to take military action in the past, Obama declared that force is the only language the militants understand. He warned those who have joined their cause to “leave the battlefield while they can.” The widening war against the Islamic State was just one in a cascade of crises that confronted the presidents, prime ministers and monarchs at the annual meeting of the U.N. General Assembly. Also vying for attention was Russia’s continued provocations in Ukraine, a deadly Ebola outbreak in West Africa, and the plight of civilians caught in conflicts around the world. “Not since the end of the Second World War have there been so many refugees, displaced people and asylum seekers,” U.N. SecretaryGeneral Ban Ki-moon said as he opened Wednesday’s session. In a rare move, Obama also chaired a meeting of the U.N. Security Council where members unanimously adopted a resolution requiring all countries to prevent the recruitment and transport of would-be foreign fighters preparing to join terrorist organizations such as the Islamic State group. The American-led military campaign in the Middle East was at the center of much of the day’s discussions. After weeks of airstrikes in Iraq, U.S.

planes began hitting targets in Syria this week, joined by an unexpected coalition of five Arab nations: Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. There were more U.S. and coalition airstrikes Wednesday on both sides of the Syrian-Iraqi border. U.S. and allied planes and drones hit a dozen targets in Syria that included small-scale oil refineries that have been providing millions of dollars to the Islamic State, the U.S. Central Command said. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates took part in addition to U.S. aircraft. France has also taken part in strikes in Iraq, and British Prime Minister David Cameron’s office announced that Parliament was being recalled to London to debate whether to join the campaign, too. The Islamic State has made lightning gains in Iraq this year and now moves freely across the increasingly blurred border with Syria. The group has claimed responsibility for the beheading of two American journalists and a British aid worker, sparking outrage in the West and contributing to an increase in public support for military action. Shortly after Obama’s remarks, France confirmed that Algerian extremists allied with the Islamic State group had beheaded one of its citizens after the French ignored demands to stop airstrikes in Iraq. French President Francois Hollande, who was in New York for the U.N. meetings, said the killing underscored why “the fight the international community needs to wage versus terrorism knows no borders.” U.S. officials say they are concerned that foreigners with Western passports could return to their home countries to carry out attacks. And even as Obama welcomed support for the resolution to deter foreign fighters, he said more must be done. “The words spoken here today must be matched and translated into action,” he said. The threat from the Islamic State group has already drawn

Obama back into conflicts in the Middle East that he has long sought to avoid, particularly in Syria, which is mired in a bloody three-year civil war. Just months ago, the president appeared to be on track to fulfill his pledge to end the U.S.-led wars he inherited in Iraq and Afghanistan. Obama sought to distinguish this current military campaign from those lengthy wars, declaring that he has no intention of sending U.S. troops to occupy foreign lands. He also pressed Middle Eastern nations to look beyond military action and take steps to reject the ideology that has spawned groups like the Islamic State and to cut off funding that has allowed that terror group and others to thrive. “No external power can bring about a transformation of hearts and minds,” Obama said in his nearly 40-minute address. Apart from the Middle East, the president was particularly blunt in his condemnation of Russia’s actions in Ukraine. He accused Moscow of sending arms to pro-Russian separatists, refusing to allow access to the site of a downed civilian airliner and then moving its own troops across the border with Ukraine. Still, Obama held open the prospect of a resolution to the conflict. While he has previously expressed skepticism about a cease-fire signed this month, he said Wednesday that the agreement “offers an opening” for peace. If Russia follows through, Obama said, the U.S. will lift economic sanctions that have damaged Russia’s economy but so far failed to shift President Vladimir Putin’s approach. The chaotic global landscape Obama described Wednesday stood in contrast to his remarks at the U.N. one year ago, when he touted diplomatic openings on multiple fronts. At the time, the U.S. was embarking on a fresh attempt to forge an elusive peace between Israelis and Palestinians and there were signs of a thaw in the decadesold tensions between the U.S. and Iran.

Friday, 9/26 Musicology Lecture by Mark Clague

After surviving a terrorist bombing that killed his mother, Theo Decker’s fate is changed as he is bounced around to different friends and family members throughout his childhood. As he grows into a teenager and later into adulthood, the one thing that remains a constant guiding force in Theo’s life is his possession of a small, 19th-century painting masterpiece called The Goldfinch. Tartt brings great emotional depth to the development of her characters as the reader follows their lives over the years.

Paper Towns by John Green

5 p.m. Burton Memorial Tower Habitat Skate Night

8-10 p.m. Yost Ice Arena

Saturday, 9/27 Michigan Football vs. Minnesota

3:30 p.m. The Big House

Women’s Soccer vs. Michigan State

7 p.m. UM Soccer Stadium The Second City

If you felt strangely out of the loop for not having read “The Fault in Our Stars” this summer, this is your chance to stay on top of pop culture fandom and prepare yourself for next summer’s release of the second John Green movie adaption. His novel Paper Towns follows Quentin Jacobsen (known as Q) as he follows a series of hidden clues left for him by his runaway friend.

CHECK OUT MORE CONTENT ONLINE: WWW.MICHIGANDAILY.COM

8 p.m. The Ark

Sunday, 9/28 Michigan Quidditch’s Round Robin Tournament

12 p.m. Riverside Park

Guided Tour: Impositions on Photographic Portrait

2-3 p.m. UMMA

Obama calls for support at U.N. to help fight ISIS Classifieds In opening address, Secretary-General highlights global refugee crisis

Helicon Outdoor Film: “Fantastic Mr. Fox” 9 p.m. UMMA

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Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle

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Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis

ACROSS 1 Stick on the ground 5 “Notes on a Scandal” Best Actress nominee 10 Legal suspension 14 “How awful!” 15 Villa on the Volga 16 After the bell 17 *Hobby shop purchase 19 Rte. 66 goes through it 20 African capital with a metro 21 *World Wildlife Fund symbol 23 Health care org. 24 Matter, in law 26 Burning sign 27 “Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown” channel 28 Glittery strand 30 Utter 32 Sweet and sour 36 Extremely dry 37 Common sports injuries ... and a hint to hidden words that span both parts of the answers to starred clues 41 Die down 42 Kenyan’s neighbor 43 John of England 45 Spurred 49 Showy wrap 50 Yale alum 53 Batteries for mice 54 Something to grind 55 *Florida city with over 400 miles of canals 58 Lets up 60 European range 61 *“Movin’ Out” choreographer 63 Flight unit 64 Movie toy in a cereal box, e.g. 65 Inner: Pref. 66 Hoopla 67 Early stage 68 Sauna phenomenon

DOWN 1 Alley prowler 2 End of many a riddle 3 Mauritius’ ocean 4 Movie trailer? 5 Banned pesticide 6 Notable Old West brothers 7 Sweet Sixteen org. 8 Holiday dishes? 9 Ones working around the clock? 10 Disorderly sort 11 “Be well!” 12 Its 2011 landing marked the end of the Space Shuttle program 13 Pined 18 “Because we’re worth it” sloganeer 22 Relaxed remarks 25 “Anything __?” 29 Fla. University named for a pope 31 Actress Shire 33 Vikings seek them, briefly

34 Rock genre 35 Total 37 Silicon Valley city 38 Yet to be used 39 Epic tale 40 Hanger hangout 41 Online program 44 Japanese electronics giant 46 Aquafina rival 47 Puts forth

48 Coup target 51 Game most people lose 52 Novelist Shaw 53 Kate’s sitcom pal 56 Old Bruin nickname 57 Shouts of support 59 Polite interruption 62 Raid target

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6A â€” Thursday, September 25, 2014

The Michigan Daily â€” michigandaily.com

the b-side B

The Michigan Daily | michigandaily.com | Thursday, September 25, 2014

D N A R G E P H RIZE T The world of contemporary art has historically been dominated by a small sliver of individuals: art curators, writers, and aficionados. The conversation about this fast growing field is expanding, catalyzed by events that allow contemporary art to be more accessible to the general population. In Michigan, the Grand Rapids ArtPrize, a radical, in-yourface international art competition with the goal of promoting discourse over contemporary art, has pushed boundaries to bring the medium into its rightful place in the sun. ArtPrize was founded in 2009 by Grand Rapids native Rick DeVos III, son of 2006 gubernatorial candidate Dick DeVos II, and a small group that wanted to find a way to bring contemporary art to a historically conservative city. The concept was masterfully simple: encourage contemporary artists to make agreements with downtown venues, which could range from an actual museum to a small family-owned shop, and create a work of art to compete for a grand prize. The only qualifications are that the artists must be over 18 years old and that the venues are within the dictated ArtPrize district. Otherwise, anyone can participate. Exhibitions Director Kevin Buist has been with the organization since

the beginning. Since ArtPrize is independently organized between the artists and the venues, who connect on ArtPrize’s website, Buist’s role is to provide support for the collaborative process as well as organize speakers and the judges for the event. Since Buist has been with the organization since 2009, he’s seen how ArtPrize has grown in the last five years. “It was really disruptive. People loved it, people hated it, people didn’t know what to think about it,” Buist said about the 2009 event. “It was very radical because the criteria was very open, anybody could be an artist and any place in downtown Grand Rapids could be a venue.” Buist noted that there remains a very stark distinction between contemporary art and other artistic media, which is what ArtPrize aims to change. “(ArtPrize) operated as a foil to how things typically work in the contemporary art world,” Buist said. “Even very cultured people don’t really know what’s going on in that weird little world, which I think is a problem. We really wanted to cross those wires, to open up that conversation again and get this exchange happening across those various divisions that have formed naturally over the years, and the public vote opened

that and opened a lot of debate.” The artists who participate in ArtPrize have come from nearly every state and more than 30 countries in the past. In 2013, there were 1,524 art entries, which ultimately boiled down to participation at 169 venues. 400,000 visitors came to ArtPrize last year from across the state and the world. Originally, ArtPrize awards were solely based on public vote. In 2010, Juried Awards were implemented alongside the Public Vote Awards, adding an interesting distinction between what the public voted for and what art experts liked. New for 2014 is a restructured prize system with five awards for both the Public and Juried Prizes: Twodimensional, Three-dimensional, Time-based, and Installation prizes, each for $20,000, and two $200,000 grand prizes. Placing the public vote against the jury vote has become a central component of the event, adding an intentional tension between the two. Todd Herring is Director of Marketing and Communications at ArtPrize, and oversees the planning and execution of the event’s awards and manages critical discourse events, print materials and the general art design for promotional materials. He joined the ArtPrize team in 2011

after attending the event in 2009 and volunteering in 2010. “What’s changed with ArtPrize is the nature in how people engage the event and explore it,” Herring said. “The idea of this conversation about art and why it matters is something that is always relevant and always surprisingly accessible. It’s changed, for a lot of people, how they view contemporary art.” Through the event’s focus on community-based interaction, Todd noted the ease with which community members can become involved, whether through voting, providing a venue for an exhibition, or simply attending and enjoying the art. “Play that out over six years and what you have is 400,000 visitors who are ready for that experience and are looking forward to the ability to participate in the conversation,” Herring said. “They’re more willing to yield to the artists and what they’re trying to accomplish through their work. What ends up happening is a strange, beautiful meeting that was called to order by a basic inspiration to be creative and collaborate.” Historically, Grand Rapids and west Michigan have been a bastion of political and social conservatism which, on its face, might be expected to clash with ArtPrize’s support for

Arts Festival foste

radical, disruptive art. Both Herring and Buist noted that while the political orientation of everyone involved in ArtPrize is incredibly varied, everyone is willing to invest in things that will change and impact the Grand Rapids community. This diversity allows for administrative decision-making to go through many opinions and find the best solution to please everyone. In terms of the art that is featured and the reactions visitors have to it, that at least is beyond the control of the ArtPrize staff and completely relies on the individual artists, which is part of the exciting beauty of the event. “(ArtPrize) can be quite explosive at times, and it’s a really exciting thing to watch,” Herring said. “It’s the artist’s job to tell us what’s wrong with the world and what’s changed in the world, and they do that very much here. There have been very controversial projects that support and bring to life every possible political view that you can imagine.” “What you end up getting is having the understanding that artists have a lot to say and they do so in a way that’s different than what the news media does, and is different than what you see in anywhere else in the world.” See ARTPRIZE, Page 3B

rs growth in Grand

by Kathleen Davis ,

DESIGN BY YENNY HOANG

Daily Arts Writer

Rapids

2B — Thursday, September 25, 2014

the b-side

FASHION COLUMN

TV NOTEBOOK

Free yourself from the ‘no white after Labor Day’ prison W

NETFLIX

Where’s the beef?

Television binging without the guilt Shows with cheap cliffhangers are best for marathoning By CHLOE GILKE Daily TV/New Media Editor

My name is Chloe, and I’m a binge watcher. I say this with no shame or regret. Where others might brag about their two-minute mile or impressive collection of Beanie Babies, I speak with the same pride about my television viewing habits. I watched the entirety of “Lost” (yes, 121 episodes) in the course of a single lazy June. I caught up with “Breaking Bad” in the two weeks before the fourth season’s premiere. One of my friends (no doubt worried about my mental health) tries to justify my habit, saying: “You’re a film major. For you, it’s like studying.” But there’s no need for explanation. It’s not all work, and I can only write about a fraction of the endless stream of television I watch. Sometimes, it’s just fun to watch an entire season of “Justified” in one sitting. The luxury of being able to binge on TV is a relatively recent development. Even ten years ago, catching up on TV meant parking yourself in front of the TV for 6 p.m. reruns or spending $70 on DVD boxsets. The term du jour was “marathon,” and I actually prefer this one, since it makes TV viewing seem like an impressive hobby. Sure, it’s a hobby that involves staring at a little screen and little to no physical movement, but just like a running marathon, a television marathon is a test of endurance and willpower. The first few miles are pretty easy, but as I approach the finish line, it’s increasingly difficult to maintain the momentum I took for granted at the beginning. (This is as good a time as any to mention that I am not an actual runner.) The semiotics of the word “binge” point toward negativity and guilt. Like eating three chocolate cakes,

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binging a season of television is by definition excessive, not impressive. Binge is the word of group meetings, circles of chairs and downcast eyes. Despite all the progress that TV has made into being considered a legitimate medium, and the university courses and nonfiction books dedicated to exploring its merits, consuming television in large quantities is still stigmatized. But there’s no shame in enjoying television however you please — Netflix built its entire business model on subscribers’ love of viewing episodes one after another. With its first hit original drama, “House of Cards,” Netflix took an enormous gamble in putting all thirteen of its episodes online at once. Theoretically, viewers could spend a single day marathoning the episodes, and then forget all about them. For “House of Cards,” this wasn’t the case. The hype was practically inescapable, and a series that might have been mediocre fare on an established network like HBO catapulted Netflix (and “House of Cards”) to prestige cable status. The spoiler grace period was extended beyond that of a network series. (I didn’t watch “House of Cards” until a few months ago, but miraculously, nobody spoiled me about That One Thing That Happened). Netflix smartly called the episodes “chapters” — just like a book, it’s up to the viewers when and how to watch episodes. With other Netflix releases like “Orange is the New Black” and “Arrested Development,” the same viewing flexibility is offered. If you’re a trained marathon viewer like me, you can let episodes play one after another. If not, they’ll always be waiting. Binge culture has also helped some network series garner a larger live audience. “Breaking Bad” had a niche audience in its earlier seasons, but Netflix marathon viewing helped its ratings climb to unprecedented highs for its final episodes. Even eleven months after its series finale, “Breaking Bad” is still the

second most watched series for U.S. subscribers. For series that have a slow build, the marathon strategy can be crucial for building a fanbase. “Scandal” initially struggled to find an audience on ABC, but a Netflix release made it easy for viewers to catch up for season two’s fantastic Defiance arc. While it was on the bubble of cancellation after its first season, “Scandal” is now headed into its fourth year with some of the highest ratings on television. I count myself as one of the “Scandal” converts. I underestimated the show after its lackluster pilot, but all it took to correct that misjudgment was a few days of marathoning. The phenomenon isn’t just limited to good shows. It can’t be a coincidence that series like “The Walking Dead” see massive ratings growth with each season, while similar shows that are less easy to find on streaming platforms (like BBC America’s “In the Flesh”) have smaller audiences. Simply, binging translates to continued viewing. Many critics claim that marathon viewing is an insult to the television medium. Instead of fully immersing yourself in the narrative, some say that it’s better to parse out episodes one by one, letting their subtleties sink in while you carry about your normal life. The traditional method is okay, too. Sometimes marathoning isn’t feasible, and with shows like “Mad Men,” the slow pacing pairs nicely with slow viewing. But with series like “The Walking Dead,” where cliffhangers are cheap and zombie thrills are best enjoyed while finishing calc problem sets, it’s pretty ridiculous to adhere to such a code for viewing. Not all television is art worth deliberating, and there is no ideal way to watch television. Watching at whatever pace feels right, letting the episodes take as much (or as little) breathing room as they require, is the way to go. After all, marathoning TV isn’t an assignment (well, maybe it is for me). There’s no shame in running a fast race.

hile packing to move back to Ann Arbor I made the rookie mistake of only bringing what ended up being 85 percent shorts, 10 percent pants and 5 percent miscellaneous ERIKA pajama botHARWOOD toms that haven’t made sense since the late ’90s. My hometown is an hour away from A2 and I fig ured I’d make it back there in time before Michigan turned uncomfortably cold. What I forgot was that this state is almost always uncomfortably cold despite the month or season, and with complete disregard for the contents of my closet. While I’d typically shrug my shoulders and writhe into a pair of cut offs regardless of the forecast, exclaiming, “it’s still summer dammit!,” the past couple of weeks have been a very literal pain in my ass — because what are cutoffs if not healthy exploiters of one’s behind — and this is the year of the booty after all. So I was prematurely forced into pants and left with few options. I had one pair of your standard blue jeans, which are ill-fitted thanks to either a positive f luctuation in my weight (doubtful, since I lived off Ramen and SpongeBob mac and cheese this summer) or because they actually belong to an anonymous friend to whom they will most likely never be returned. My second pair, a slim-fitted, f loral-printed, hikes-up-the-

crotch-way-too-far-afteryou’ve-been-sitting-for-a-sec trouser from Zara that I got over the summer for work. And lastly, white skinny jeans. While I’ve been alternating between the blue denim and the white jeans, I’ve unarg uably become co-dependent on the latter, with one co-worker noting “you’ve really been rocking those white pants lately.” Was it a compliment? We’ll never know. But she was right — I’ve really been rocking the shit out of them. And I haven’t limited the absence of color to my bottom half, but gone so far as to white out my wardrobe as much as I can. White shoes, white button-ups, white bra if I’m feeling like making a statement. It looks crisp and fresh and makes me feel very Kim-K-after-she-met-Kanye, which to me and a few other people (e.g. Kris Jenner) is

In a world of pajamas and crop tops, white should be OK. considered a good thing. As I walked to meet my boyfriend at a friend’s house the other day, he came down the stairs and told me “Rob noticed you were wearing white pants and said, ‘doesn’t she know it’s after Labor Day?’ ” “Of course I know it’s after Labor Day!” I defended. “Besides, that’s so dated!” We proceeded to go to dinner, but I didn’t let it go. “More people should be

wearing white year round,” I proclaimed, my gospel falling on deaf ears. “What about winter whites? I can keep going on about winter whites.” For the sake of my relationship, I didn’t keep going on about winter whites. But what really is everyone’s problem with a post-Labor Day closet full of white? According to a very thorough Google search, the whole “no white after Labor Day” schtick started over a hundred years ago as a way for crotchety ladies to disting uish women of new money from those of old. It had to be done. Yet here we are, decades and decades later still upholding an old white lady rule that has no relevance beyond 20th century society, which really had nothing going for it except, like, playing field hockey in f loor length skirts. Coco Chanel wore white year round and the ever-perfect presence of winter whites aka those of the off-white and cream variety have become sartorially acceptable, and yet falls and winters are still saturated by darker palettes. As a wearer of primarily blacks and neutrals, opening the doors to make wearing white past late summer a socially acceptable custom has truly become my pilgrimage (in addition to adopting a pug and telling everyone I know to get Venmo). In a world where we don’t take a second glance at the resurgence of crop tops and let pajamas become haute couture, there’s ample room for all white wardrobes. Or, at the very least, me and my white jeans. Harwood is avoiding drinks that stain. To join her, e-mail

EVERYTHING WILL BE ALL RIGHT IF YOU JUST CLICK “FOLLOW.”

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FESTIVAL REPORT

ARTPRIZE From Page 1B

COURTESY OF FOREVER FESTIVAL

Adventure Club was among the many acts performing at Freedom Hill Amphitheater in Sterling Heights last weekend.

Bass-blasting sets at Forever Festival Flux Pavillion and more bring EDM to Sterling Heights By ARIANA ASSAF Daily Staff Reporter

Last weekend’s Forever Festival at the Freedom Hill Amphitheatre in Sterling Heights was one big adventure. As a junior from California, it’s kind of a shame that I haven’t really explored other parts of Michigan yet. But this isn’t the first time the tantalizing idea of a music festival has led me to do crazy things, and driving an hour east of my University bubble seemed to be — and was — simple and more than worth it. Besides, I was looking for an excuse to take a break from yet another (disappointing) football Saturday. The aura and setup of the festival was interesting, to say the least. There were Lululemons sprinkled among more traditional rave tutus, an exasperated but meager crowd of patrons planning a coup to get themselves closer to the stage, and even weird bell pepper and mozzarellastuffed burgers. A bored usher tried f lirting with me just moments before someone else asked me point-blank if I had any crack. Clearly a wholesome combination. As it turns out, aside from the asshole security guards and the overwhelming consensus that the pit needed to be opened up to allow more people in, the festival was curated quite well. Unlike larger ones where you have to trek what seems like miles between stages only to be rewarded with too-short sets and too-long wait times, Forever Festival had picked a select few strong groups to play for substantial periods of time. By the time we arrived, Caked Up was already living it up on stage. Like many of the artists I would see that day, I was not familiar with this duo. A little post-festival research showed they rose in popularity relatively quickly, especially after their remix of “Wrecking Ball” went viral last October. Even in the awkward amphitheater setting, the duo’s hold on the audience was impossible to ignore. Around 5:00, the venue was still more than half empty, and with strictbordering-on-combative security g uards severely limiting the capacity of the pit, feelings of irritation could have easily undermined the intended party atmosphere. Any brave soul who attempted to jump the f limsy dividing fence between the first row of seats and the pit would be swiftly — oftentimes harshly — escorted out. But even when things took a turn toward aggression (a tussle ended in a 90-pound girl being

Thursday, September 25, 2014 — 3B

momentarily knocked to the ground), the fans already in attendance still really looked like this was the performance they’d been looking forward to. Caked Up has clearly mastered the art of variety, even within a sometimes narrow genre. At times, its music is slowed down and sexy, at others its rapid-fire urgency demands a whole new kind of attention. Oscar Wylde and Vegas Banger danced behind their turntables with just as much animation as the fans, enjoying themselves as though they were in the audience watching their favorite DJ perform. Remixing old favorites like “Party Up (Up In Here),” “Move Bitch” and even “Heads Will Roll” really got people to get down with their bad selves. It was a smart move for Wylde and Banger in their effort to continue drawing in new fans using familiar tunes with a twist. Eventually, this goodtime group gave way to something slightly more ominous. Destroid, made up of Excision, Downlink and KJ Sawka, is a live bass music band that adds notes of metal to its mostly EDM sounds. Having never heard of — let alone seen— the group before, my first thought when they came on stage was, “Holy shit, they have robots!” It’s true; Destroid leaves no detail left out when it comes to portraying its story of aliens taking over the world with bass music. This is the tale that helped define the band’s mission statement, and it’s ever-present in the performance. Destroid’s style is a bit hard to digest, but not necessarily in a bad way. The songs remain energetic while spiraling into slow, deep rumbles that make the experience quite unlike anything else. I’m not all about the monster voices and creepy chimes warning of the impending annihilation, but at least it was theatrical. Adventure Club followed, blasting an explosive remix of “We Dem Boyz.” By now the amphitheater was full and, despite the somewhat defective setup, the crowd’s energ y was great and the performers continued to impress. Fortunately, we snuck our way to the front of the crowd waiting for more room to open up in the pit just in time to be let in, and thus got to enjoy Adventure Club from within the most electrifying area of the whole amphitheater. I generally believe that the more crowded a show is, the better (to an extent). Here, there was so much room that a boy with a semi-obvious Napoleon complex back-f lipped every single time the bass dropped, yet I didn’t feel like I was swimming in empty space. Nothing could bring down the good vibes as Adventure

Club spun its remix of Foxes’s “Youth.” I recognized “Gold” featuring Yuna and “Crash” from their 2013 EP, and everyone had a blast listening to them intersperse snippets of Martin Garrix’s anthemic “Tremors” with the group’s own music. The camaraderie was palpable: Adventure Club shared with us its new, ultra-dynamic and perfectly spastic song “Fame,” and we all shared with each other the sweat that comes with raging for hours in pseudo-Indian summer humidity. One group even gleefully reunited with its hip-shaking, tutuwearing, fairy-polar-bear friend midway through the set, and somehow I felt so glad for all of them. Christian and Leighton carefully sounded out their last notes with a mash up of “Summertime Sadness” and “Crave You,” and headliner Flux Pavilion came on to contribute to the end of their set and see them off. Flux Pavilion’s cheeky Brit personality and humor shines through the music as he plays. He started right off with beats that made the whole place vibrate and blasted the audience with mist/fog so thick you couldn’t see your own hands in the air like it was his favorite thing to do. Turns out, it was one of our favorite things for him to do, too. Dizzying strobe lights somehow shined their way through the mist. Though we’d been going all day (for some festival-goers, this was their second day), no one thought to stop dancing. He was too good! At times his music got so frantic you almost didn’t know which of the twelve competing beats to pick up on and dance to — it was a brilliant exercise in following along. My g uess is he was just having a little fun fucking with us, especially when he mentioned he didn’t realize the thunderstorm that had been roaming across Michigan all day “was really you g uys.” We all cheered at his compliment and applauded the joke. According to Flux, “You come for the music, you stay for the puns.” At Forever Fest, in the delightful fashion of music festivals, I dipped my toes into the musical streams of different artists I probably wouldn’t have had much regard for otherwise. Yes, I absolutely lost my shit when Flux put on Skrillex’s “Recess,” and it was cool to hear two different artists mess with “Heads Will Roll” during their sets. But watching some g uy in an astronautesque suit attempting to twerk while crowd-surfing to Caked Up’s trap-y stylings and temporarily entering an alien-infested universe are just two examples of the great experiences that made me want to stay in those worlds. With any luck, I’ll go back one day.

Rick Beerhorst is a Grand Rapids-based artist who has participated in ArtPrize since its first year. Beerhorst was born and raised in Grand Rapids and attended Calvin College until his itch to create art inspired him to drop out and move to New York City. After living there for a few years, Rick moved back to west Michigan to finish his undergraduate degree and attend graduate school. In the process, he met his wife of 26 years and had six children. In 2005, he and his family sold two-thirds of their belongings and their house and moved to New York. Ultimately though, Grand Rapids was home, and they made the move back a year later. Beerhorst is known for his folk art-influenced painting style, typically portraits of young wome n, which is a style he’s worked with for about 30 years. In 2010, his installation “Plan B” won the Best Use of Urban Space award at ArtPrize, and outside of Grand Rapids he’s had paintings featured in exhibitions all over the continental United States. “A lot of times, the art world is frustratingly a very small conversation,” Beerhorst said. “With ArtPrize, suddenly all these people from all over the place are coming downtown to look at art. It’s making a much larger conversation that what would normally happen in this little ecosystem of art museums and galleries and alternative

spaces.” Beerhorst’s 2014 ArtPrize installation is, at the core, a painting that measures 12 feet long and eight feet tall, that is a double portrait of two women in front of a view of the city of Grand Rapids. Along with it is a Plexiglas display case filled with items that helped create the painting, like photographic references, painting tools and drawings. Part of the installation will be a documentary film of how the work was made, edited down to a five minute loop. Visitors will be able to interact with the installation by filling out one of many postcards provided, where individuals are encouraged to write their address and a hope they have for their respective hometowns. After three weeks, Beerhorst and his crew will mail the cards back to the writers around the world. Beerhorst has been working on this project since the middle of January, with his team of a dozen others. The project required $20,000 worth of funding, made possible by donations from local companies. Beerhorst is confident that ArtPrize has initiated a change in the contemporary art world for the better, and is eager to see the effects events like these will have in years to come. “One of the reasons Egypt developed such a rich and incredible cultural legacy was because the Nile River flooded every year. When it flooded, it pushed all this really fertile soil onto the banks, and the Egyptians were able to grow incredible food, and with the food came society and culture,” Beerhorst said. “If

you think of that metaphorically, a city like Grand Rapids, which in some ways is just one more small Midwestern town, is affected by this cultural overflow that happens here year after year. Eventually, the cultural soil gets deeper and deeper, so more things can take root here.” In terms of whether or not the popularity of ArtPrize will overcommercialize the event, Herring denies the possibility, noting the unique independent structure. “Everything has the potential to become too commercialized. The one thing that ArtPrize is really rooted in is the fact that we’re independently organized as an event, the organizers don’t play any role in deciding what art gets into the event or where it goes, it’s up to the artists and the venues to form their own decisions,” Herring said. “Because of this model, the platform in which we deploy each year, we as an organization can’t control what kind of art shows up, where it shows up, and how it plays out. We don’t even have the opportunity to insist upon that (commerciality), and that’s the beauty of the event.” It’s this unique combination of independent organization and public involvement that the ArtPrize team hopes will inspire the creation of similar contemporary art exhibitions around the United States and around the world. “I can see ArtPrize becoming a hub for events like this around the world,” Herring said. “We’ve created a model truly disruptive of the world of contemporary art and how it’s been for a long time.”

COURTESY OF ARTPRIZE

ArtPrize, an independently run organization, hosts a festival each year in Grand Rapids, MI.

SINGLE REVIEW “I love myself!” Yes, you should, Kendrick. We do too. KenA drick i Lamar’s Kendrick Lamar first single off his Aftermath/Interscope forthcoming album hit the airwaves earlier this week, titled “i.” It’s the first new music we’ve heard from the celebrated artist since his 2012 breakthrough record, good Kid, m.A.A.d City. The track pulls a sample from the Isley Brother’s 1973 soul hit, “That Lady,” giving the song a funky undertone as Lamar’s raspy voice raps over it. The new single was first alluded to in mid-September when Lamar released the track’s cover art, detailing two men dressed like a Blood and

a Crip with their hands in the shape of hearts rather than their respective gang symbols. The artwork implies the song’s message of peace and unity, and with lyrics as inspiring as ever, Lamar speaks honestly about the impoverished world of his childhood. By offering up his personal experiences in his lyrics, Kendrick Lamar performs a sort of activism that can offer hopefulness to others in the face of similar adversity. The song’s constant remains in the uplifting chorus, a repeating and sometimes interrupted “I love myself.” Building in intensity but maintaining a consistently funky jazz bass, the song is a fourminute reminder that Kendrick can be missed but never forgotten. Still remaining somewhat individualized in an industry

AFTERMATH/INTERSCOPE

built for sonic homogeneity, “i” is a strong reminder of what makes Kendrick Lamar’s music so addictive and interesting: he gives you the sounds you want to hear without sacrificing his intended message or artistic desires. So while this 27-yearold hit-machine diligently puts the final touches on his forthcoming album, the world will have to just sit back and bob their heads quietly as they chant: “I love myself.” —AMELIA ZAK

TRAILER REVIEW NBC’s timeless “Saturday Night Live” has produced the Chevy Chases, the Chris Farleys, the Will A Ferrells of The Skeleton the comedy world. Twins That’s Roadside Attractions expected from “SNL,” though, to be fair. What’s rarely expected, however, are two recently retired alums teaming up for a compelling, heartwringing drama. Kristen Wiig (“Bridesmaids”) and Bill Hader (“Superbad”) seem to pepper real laughs within a main dish of familial conf lict. The opening frame shows an eye-level two-shot of Wiig sitting next to a book-wielding Hader. Asking his sister if she has read “Marley &

ROADSIDE ATTRACTIONS

Me,” Wiig replies, “Yeah, it’s so sad,” effectively sabotaging the ending for the irked brother. This moment best captures why their onscreen chemistry will work: Because it will both test (and hopefully validate) their noncartoonish acting chops and leave room for extemporaneous play a lá “SNL.” Wiig showed her capacity

for compassion in “Bridesmaids” while Hader can exude a gentle seriousness as captured in countless interviews. In tandem, the onscreen estranged siblings will surely stir the pot, react to a shattered pot and then ideally pick up the pieces with equal parts warmth and stomach-aching laughs. —ANDREW MCCLURE

the b-side

4B — Thursday, September 25, 2014

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

DOWN WITH PUTIN

NICHOLAS WILLIAMS/Daily

Pussy Riot speaks to programming directors at the Washtenaw County Youth Detention Center.

NICHOLAS WILLIAMS/Daily

Nadya and Masha display cards made for them concerning Vladimir Putin.

Pussy Riot’s palatable punk mission Can these Russian activists make the genre popular again? By GIANCARLO BUONOMO Senior Arts Editor

I’m the youngest of three children, and therefore had the luxury of hanging out with my siblings’ friends and learning all sorts of deliciously mature words and habits. Once, when I was 11 or 12, my sister had some of her high school friends over, who usually tolerated me and my questions about bongs and thongs and other big-kid stuff. There was one guy who fascinated me, named Jason. He wore black Doc Martens, a belt made of rounds of ammunition, a white cutoff T-shirt, and was crowned by a mohawk with spikes like the blades of a ceiling fan. Being young and curious and without much decorum, I poked him on the shoulder and asked, “Are you punk?” He turned towards me slowly,

and spoke in a tone both pained and condescending. “No, I’m a human being.” Thus began my history of not understanding punk. I’m not unusual in this — arguments over the origins and aesthetics of the genre occur among both academics and members of the movement. This is made even more confusing by the diverse, often contrasting sub-genres of punk: hardcore, street, pop, gutter and many more. Each one has its own sound, its own style, its own convictions. So I was nervous, to say the least, when I walked into the palatial lobby of the Michigan Theater last Thursday, where the most recognizable and lauded punk practitioners were making an appearance: Pussy Riot. Two of the founding members — Nadya Tolokonnikova and Masha Alyokhina — would be giving a Penny Stamps Distinguished Speakers lecture about their music and activism. I walked out two hours later, saying, “That wasn’t that bad,” as if leaving a doctor’s office after receiving a round of vaccinations. My relief didn’t come from some

conservative dread at having to listen to two of the most famous feminists in the world denounce patriarchy and homophobia. In fact, their views, and their imprisonment because of those views, is what drew me to them in the first place. Rather, it was a version of imposter syndrome. Who was I to take up a seat in the audience and cheer for these women? And furthermore, who were any of us to go see them? I half expected Pussy Riot to come onstage wearing their signature balaclavas, and then chastise us all for taking time to see them when we could be out protesting or volunteering or fighting the power. Instead, Pussy Riot’s lecture was … a lecture. They came onstage with warm, almost shy smiles. They spoke with both wit and passion about feminism, Russian politics, conceptual art, Heidegger, American prisons. They thanked all 1,700 of us for listening to them. They laughed, often. While listening to these two strong, beautiful women discuss Plato’s concept of technê and Joseph Kosuth’s “Art after Philosophy,” I almost forgot the video

screened before they came on stage — horrifying footage of them being pepper-sprayed, whipped and otherwise brutalized by the Russian police and paramilitary Cossacks, just for holding a public protest. The engaging, even fun, lecture was a far cry from the last punk event I went to. That was a hardcore show at a friend’s house, where the audience could have fit on a school bus and the lead singer kicked me in the solar plexus. In fact, Pussy Riot’s global recognition — a LennonOno Grant for Peace, thousands of followers on Twitter, speaking engagements at major American Universities — seems decidedly unpunk. Well, what is punk? As I mentioned before, it’s a slippery term, but there are a few defining characteristics. Jesse Prinz, a professor at CUNY, attempts to categorize these fundamentals in his essay “The Aesthetics of Punk Rock.” According to Prinz, the defining pillars of punk are irreverence, nihilism and amateurism. By informing the sound, lyrics, fashion and media of punk, these traits form the characteristic anti-authoritarian zeitgeist

of the larger genre. But the problem with punk is that each band’s definition of “authority” is different. For example, The Dead Kennedys wrote songs that pilloried the Reagan Administration and the cultural conservatism of the ’80s. It’s hard to argue with their choice of opponents. But for every band like the Dead Kennedys, there’s a band whose beef is with political correctness, like Dwarves and their album “Thank Heaven for Little Girls.” Because punk is about subversion, even the most openminded observer will inevitably take issue with what some band subverts. It goes without saying that becoming a “fan” of any band or genre is risky. Which is why Pussy Riot is, in many ways, the ideal punk band. On the one hand, they’re as punk as you can get. Their sloganeering, technically inept music is so DIY that they don’t even record it — they just play it in impromptu public performances. They protest authority and tradition. They went to fucking jail because of their music. They’re proof that punk is like quicksand: the harder you fight

it, the stronger it gets. At the same time, they don’t just fight “The Man.” They tackle the evils of society: sexism, homophobia, censorship, abuse of prisoners. And they’re really earnest in what they do. After their lecture, Nadya and Masha went to the Washtenaw County Youth Deterntion Center to visit inmates, and a few days later, were at a massive rally in New York City to protest climate change. They are thoughtfully, rather than mindlessly, transgressive. During the Q&A section of the lecture, a balding, middle-aged man went up to the microphone, only to launch into an impassioned lecture of his own. He addressed the appalling number of youths in Michigan serving life sentences in prison, and then urged the audience to vote for some candidate who had pledged to address this problem. Many in the audience booed him, and one girl next to me whispered “oh my god, just shut up.” Maybe he was just a disrespectful showboat. Maybe he was inspired by Pussy Riot. Either way, the guy pissed off a large audience by proclaiming his beliefs. Sounds pretty punk to me.

EPISODE REVIEW “The Wedding” is an episode certainly worth the wait. After six episodes of contemplative and insightful A (yet frusOutlander tratingly Saturdays chaste) television, at 9 p.m. “OutStarz lander” has finally given viewers what they’ve been waiting for: Jamie and Claire’s first romantic encounter (and a glimpse at what’s under Jamie Fraser’s kilt). Respectful and consensual sex scenes are a rare occurrence on cable television, and sex scenes that are directed toward female viewers even more elusive. The steamy scenes are hardly gratuitous, and beautifully depict the intimacy and growing bond between Claire and Jamie on their wedding day. Well, for Claire, her second wedding day. The episode opens with a poignant reminder of Claire’s affections for her husband back in the 20th century, and her pre-wedding

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activities are troubling. While Jamie defends Claire’s honor to his scrappy friends, Claire’s bachelorette party involves getting blackout drunk, alone. Rightfully, Claire is upset that she’s tossed around like an object and married off at someone else’s convenience. But as she learns more about Jamie — his protective nature and humble confidence, his scars and smiles, the electric chemistry they share — Claire falls in love

bit by bit, minute by minute. Claire’s falling for Jamie was inevitable. But the episode wasn’t afraid to let Claire shed her hesitance as slowly as she wanted, to let her go from blocking Jamie’s kiss to initiating relations herself. “The Wedding” depicts sex, intimacy and love from the woman’s perspective, and it’s top-notch television that a viewer of any gender can appreciate. —CHLOE GILKE

MUSIC VIDEO REVIEW The opening scene of the music video for Jennifer Lopez’s new single “Booty (feat. Iggy Azalea)” Cwarns the Booty audience J.Lo & Iggy Azalea to prepare themCapitol selves for “Full Immersion,” and, frankly, the warning is necessary. What follows the cinematic countdown sequence is a veritable onslaught of ass, a deluge of derrière only occasionally interrupted by shots of the women they’re attached to. And I use that problematic phrasing because this video does everything in its power to subsume J.Lo and Iggy Azalea’s artistic personae under their status as sex symbols.

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I thought the “booty wave” characterizing recent pop releases had reached its logical conclusion with Nicki Minaj’s “Anaconda” video, and in a certain sense, it did. Sure, Nicki heavily emphasized her rump, but she did it in a way that was clever, colorful and, above all,

asserted the uniqueness of her personality and aesthetic. J.Lo’s “Booty” is simply flat and lifeless in comparison — stunned into senselessness by the barrage of butt, you stumble away without having seen anything new or even particularly exciting. —ADAM DEPOLLO