ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIVE YEARS OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM Wednesday, November 25, 2015
Ann Arbor, Michigan
michigandaily.com
FRIENDSGIVING
GOVERNMENT
Dingell addresses concerns at VA hospital
ALLISON FARRAND/Daily
There’s a new Thanksgiving tradition. Dubbed “friendsgiving,” the occasion allows friends to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday together a few days ahead of the traditional family feast. In recent years, the unofficial holiday has become increasingly popular, especially among millennials. LSA senior Breah Dean hosted a gathering for a group of six friends, who met last semester while studying abroad in Switzerland. “There was one guy in our group. I ran into him on the street and we talked for like five minutes,” LSA senior Marissa Henry said. “And then Breah came, and happened to run into us, too. And then we got really excited because it’s very rare that we all see each other randomly so we thought, ‘Friendsgiving, let’s do it. Everyone’s doing it, we all like food, no one’s gonna say no.’ ”
Study: Parents, teens want additional e-cig regulation Michigan does not restrict sale to minors By ALEXA ST. JOHN Daily Staff Reporter
More than 75 percent of teens and adults say e-cigarettes should carry restrictions similar
to traditional cigarettes, according to a C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health published Nov. 16. Commonly known as vaping, e-cigarettes simulate the feeling of smoking a traditional cigarette. The battery-powered device delivers nicotine, which is often flavored, as well as other
chemicals in the form of vapor rather than smoke. Matthew Davis, professor of pediatrics and internal medicine and director of the National Poll on Children’s Health, said the poll asked teens aged 13 to 18, as well as their parents, about their attitudes toward e-cigarettes and what they thought would be
approporiate for regulating the devices. Currently, few restrictions exist with on how e-cigarettes are marketed. “These (potential) restrictions would entail the prohibition of e-cigarette use in public spaces that would be similar to See E-CIG, Page 3A
Surgeries resume after contamination caused cancellations, postponements By SAMANTHA WINTNER Daily Staff Reporter
U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D– Dearborn) sent an inquiry Monday to the director of tzxzhe VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System regarding dozens of surgeries for veterans that were cancelled or rescheduled in the past few weeks because of a potential equipment contamination. Though concerns with sterilization of surgical equipment were also raised in 2014, Dingell said in an interview Tuesday that she recently began receiving calls from concerned constituents about what appears to be a similar issue. According to Derek Atkinson, a public affairs official for the Healthcare System, nurses at the hospital began noticing inorganic
BUSINESS
PHILANTHROPY
Italian eatery to fill former Five Guys spot Piada aims to attract students through fastcausal model By EMMA KINERY Daily Staff Reporter
Five Guys is out and one Italian restaurant is moving in. Piada Italian Street Food is set to open in spring 2016 on State Street in the former home of Five Guys Burgers and Fries. The burger shop closed in June after financial troubles, and the building has been vacant since. Piada currently operates in two cities in Michigan, as well as in a number of other states. Matt Eisenacher, director of marketing for Piada, said Ann Arbor was an attractive city for the restaurant brand to expand into for two main reasons. “Ann Arbor is just a good food community, a good food culture,” Eisenacher said. “The community really appreciates good food and seeks better food
options. Two, we just heard from a lot of people as we moved into Michigan — and obviously we’re in Toledo and Cleveland as well — we just kept hearing ‘Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor’ over and over again so really we just had our eyes so I’m finding the perfect site.” In addition to Ann Arbor food culture, Eisenacher believes the business will thrive because of the city’s young residents. “Especially younger generations are looking to put more of their fingerprint on the food that they’re choosing,” he said. “They like the fact that they can choose what goes into their meal, and two, they like the fresher options. The younger generation realizes they can get better food without having to empty their pockets for it. We seek to provide fresh or food at an affordable price and obviously I think that’s something that appeals to college students.” LSA sophomore Alex Ngo, who worked at the Troy, Mich., Piada for five months before See ITALIAN, Page 3A
particulate matter several weeks ago on the cases containing surgical equipment that had previously been sterilized. The system has been working to determine the cause and solve the problem since that time. “Our O.R. nurses, as part of their normal inspection process perhaps, would notice one of these little micro particulates. Essentially — just to kind of give you an idea of what you’re looking at — it’s almost like a speck of pepper in the case that would house the equipment, but not on the equipment,” he said. To rectify the situation, Atkinson said the Healthcare System opted for a “surgical stand-down” the week of Nov. 11 — cancelling and rescheduling veteran surgeries to later dates at the Healthcare System or at the University. In Dingell’s letter to the Healthcare System, which followed a phone call with Robert McDivitt, the hospital’s director, she posed several questions about actions the hospital is taking to address the situation and ensure See VA, Page 3A
Giving Blue Day calls on students to contribute Development staff aim to top $3.2 million in donations during 24-hour event By TANYA MADHANI Daily Staff Reporter RUBY WALLAU/Daily
Ann Arbor resident Jerry Quigley empties cans from recycling bins in front of the Michigan Stadium before the Rutgers game on Nov. 7.
One man’s trash: A look at ‘canning’ culture in A2
Residents earn extra income by cashing in on bottle deposits By GIANCARLO BUONOMO Daily Arts Writer
Ann Arbor, on a football Saturday, is one big party. Swarms of maize-and-blue-clad fans carouse on lawns and spill out
into oncoming traffic. The air is thick with the aroma of charcoal-grilled hot dogs and hormonal sweat. So thick, it seems to catch and hold cellphone signals like flies in a web. Everyone drinks a Great Lakes’ worth of beer, vodka, tequila, boxed wine and more beer, until it’s time to head in a mass exodus to the stadium. After they leave, it’s a ghost
town. Plastic bags drift along like tumbleweeds. Thousands of beer cans litter the streets, overflow from garbage barrels and fill giant, leaking bags on the sidewalk. But by sundown, most of these cans will be gone. A small economy, a culture even, springs up in Ann Arbor on football Saturdays. Each game day, dozens of individuals canSee CANNING, Page 3A
The University will conduct its second annual Giving Blueday on Tuesday, a 24-hour event during which students and alumni are encouraged to donate to campus organization and programs. The event is a spinoff of Giving Tuesday, a global movement dedicated to philanthropy and giving back to communities and is inspired by Black Friday events. “When it comes to philanthropy, Michigan students are no strangers to accomplishing great things,” wrote E. Royster Harper, vice president for student life, in an e-mail about the event to the student body Tuesday. “From supporting medical treatments for underserved populations, to funding community service trips See GIVING BLUE, Page 3A
bookstores galore Scenes from the iconic shops that house literary treasures
» INSIDE
WEATHER TOMORROW
HI: 54 LO: 48
GOT A NEWS TIP? Call 734-418-4115 or e-mail news@michigandaily.com and let us know.
NEW ON MICHIGANDAILY.COM Girl’s Guide to Thanksgiving MICHIGANDAILY.COM/SECTION/ARTS
INDEX
Vol. CXXV, No. 36 ©2015 The Michigan Daily michigandaily.com
NEWS......................... 2A OPINION.....................4A S P O R T S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7A
SUDOKU.....................2A CL ASSIFIEDS...............6A T H E S TAT E M E N T. . . . . . . . 1 B
News
2A — Wednesday, November 25, 2015
MONDAY: This Week in History
TUESDAY: Campus Voices
WEDNESDAY: In Other Ivory Towers
Counseling service experiences 4.1 percent attendance bump CAPS offers, such as the Stress Management Clinic, are “intentionally based on what we see students need.” Berkeley panel talks affordable housing crisis As part of the Berkeley Arts Festival, a panel staged a teachin Sunday to address the “affordable housing crisis” in Berkeley, Calif. and discuss issues related to gentrification, student housing and rising price tags in the area, the Daily Californian reported. Panelists referred to the Berkeley Student Cooperative as a model for affordable housing.
FRIDAY: Photos of the Week
THURSDAY: Twitter Talk
NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
Northwestern University’s Counseling and Psychological Services saw a 4.1-percent increase in use between the 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 school years, the Daily Northwestern reported Tuesday. The statistic also reflects a 24.2-percent jump in attendance within CAPS’ Stress Management Clinic, a program which clinic coordinator Henry Perkins said includes workshops “designed to provide Northwestern students with information about stress, stress management and to teach specific stress management skills.” Courtney Albinson, CAPS’ associate director for outreach and education, said the programs
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
The BSC is a nonprofit housing group that, according to its website, works “to provide a quality, low-cost, cooperative housing community to university students, thereby providing an educational opportunity for students who might not otherwise be able to afford a university education.” It is the largest student housing cooperative in the United States. BSC owns 20 properties, with an average rent of $730 per month. BSC President Austin Pritzkat noted that the monthly rent fee has actually been lowered over the last three years to account for inflation. —MICHAEL SUGERMAN
BASSOON BOOGIE
Editor in Chief 734-418-4115 ext. 1251 jcalfas@michigandaily.com
Corrections
Letters to the Editor
corrections@michigandaily.com
tothedaily@michigandaily.com
Arts Section
Editorial Page
arts@michigandaily.com
opinion@michigandaily.com
Sports Section
Photography Section
sports@michigandaily.com
photo@michigandaily.com
Display Sales
Classified Sales
dailydisplay@gmail.com
classified@michigandaily.com
Online Sales
Finance
onlineads@michigandaily.com
finance@michigandaily.com
Managing Editor
lfacher@michigandaily.com
Managing News Editor
gringlas@michigandaily.com
SENIOR NEWS EDITORS: Shoham Geva, Will Greenberg, Amabel Karoub, Emma Kerr, Emilie Plesset, Michael Sugerman ASSISTANT NEWS EDITORS: Jackie Charniga, Alyssa Brandon, Katie Penrod, Sami Wintner, Gen Hummer, Emma Kinery, Tanya Madhani, Lara Moehlman, Lea Giotto, Isobel Futter
EMILIE FARRUGIA/Daily
School of Music, Theatre & Dance graduate student Joseph Swift plays the bassoon during the SMTD performance at Hill Auditorium on Tuesday.
Dining Out exhibit
Stories of Mothers Lost
WHAT: The Blood Battle is an annual blood drive competition between the University and the Ohio State University. WHO: Blood Drives United WHEN: 12 a.m. to 11:45 p.m. WHERE: Michigan Union, League and Pierpont Commons
WHAT: Blueprint Literary Magazine will host an on-campus writing group to encourage participation in the National Novel Writing Month contest, which ends Nov. 30. WHO: Blueprint WHEN: 12 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. WHERE: Duderstadt Center
WHAT: Historian Jan Longone curated an exhibit celebrating the history of the restaurant dining experience. The exhibit will feature historic guidebooks about eateries. WHO: University Library WHEN: 8 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. WHERE: Harlan Hatcher Graduate Library, Clark Library
WHAT: The White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood will host a memorial for women who have died of pregnancyrelated complications. WHO: Institute for Research on Women and Gender WHEN: 8 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. WHERE: Lane Hall Gallery, first floor
Lives of the Great Patriotic War
Women in science
WHAT: This exhibition showcases the lives of Jewish Soviet soldiers during World War II. WHO: Department of Judaic Studies WHEN: 8 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. WHERE: Hatcher Graduate Library
News Tips news@michigandaily.com
Sam Gringlas
Blueprint for NaNoWriMo
WHAT: Get more information about study abroad experiences, the application process, and scholarship and financial aid opportunities. WHO: Center for Global and Intercultural Study WHEN: 5 to 5:30 p.m. WHERE: G155 Angell Hall
Newsroom 734-418-4115 opt. 3
Lev Facher
Blood Battle 2015
WHAT: Dug Song, CEO of the local company Duo Security, will host companies like Google, Arbor Networks, and more at an “Ann Arbor Tech Homecoming” to promote opportunities in the area. WHO: Duo Security WHEN: 4p.m. to 6 p.m. WHERE: Babo Market
Business Manager 734-418-4115 ext. 1241 rfilipp@michigandaily.com
EDITORIAL STAFF
CAMPUS EVENTS & NOTES
“Technology Ready, Set, Homecoming” Go Global
420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1327 www.michigandaily.com JENNIFER CALFAS ROSE FILIPP
THREE THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW TODAY
1
After five protestors were shot at a Black Lives Matter sit-in over the death of 24-year-old Jamar Clark, two men were arrested, while two other suspects remain at-large, the New York Times reported.
2
Ann Arbor: a booklover’s paradise. In this Midwestern town, one writer recounts tales from five shops as scenes unfold before her like ... well, like scenes from a book. >> FOR MORE, SEE THE STATEMENT
WHAT: The exhibit features comic panels of women in STEM fields. WHO: Natural History Museum WHEN: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. WHERE: Ruthven Museums Building • Please report any error in the Daily to corrections@ michigandaily.com
At least 11 people have died in a bomb attack in Tunisia. The blast hit a bus transporting Tunisian presidential guards, and the government has declared a state of emergency, Reuters reported.
3
Aarica Marsh and Derek Wolfe Editorial Page Editors
opinioneditors@michigandaily.com
SENIOR EDITORIAL PAGE EDITORS: Claire Bryan and Regan Detwiler ASSISTANT EDITORIAL PAGE EDITORS: Mary Kate Winn, Melissa Scholke, Stephanie Trierweiler, Ben Keller
Max Cohen and Jake Lourim Managing Sports Editors
sportseditors@michigandaily.com
SENIOR SPORTS EDITORS: Max Bultman, Minh Doan, Jacob Gase, Simon Kaufman,Jason Rubinstein, Zach Shaw ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITORS: Chloe Aubuchon, Chris Crowder, Kelly Hall, Ted Janes, Kevin Santo, Brad Whipple
Adam Depollo and Chloe Gilke Managing Arts Editors
adepollo@michigandaily.com chloeliz@michigandaily.com
SENIOR ARTS EDITORS: Jamie Bircoll, Kathleen Davis, Catherine Sulpizio, Adam Theisen ARTS BEAT EDITORS: Alex Bernard, Karen Hua, Jacob Rich, Amelia Zak
Allison Farrand and Ruby Wallau Managing Photo Editors
photo@michigandaily.com
SENIOR PHOTO EDITORS: Luna Anna Archey, James Coller, Virginia Lozano ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITORS: Amanda Allen, Zach Moore, Sam Mousigian
Emily Schumer and design@michigandaily.com Shane Achenbach Managing Design Editors Ian Dillingham Magazine Editor statement@michigandaily.com DEPUTY MAGAZINE EDITORS: Natalie Gadbois STATEMENT PHOTO EDITOR: Luna Anna Archey STATEMENT LEAD DESIGNER: Jake Wellins
Hannah Bates and Laura Schinagle Managing Copy Editors
copydesk@michigandaily.com
SENIOR COPY EDITORS: Emily Campbell and Emma Sutherland
Amrutha Sivakumar Online Editor amrutha@michigandaily.com Kaylla Cantilina and Katie Colosimo Managing Video Editors Carolyn Gearig Special Projects Manager
BUSINESS STAFF Hussein Hakim Finance and Operations Manager Claire Ulak Production Manager Jordan Yob Marketing Manager Matt Pfenning UAccounts Manager Asja Kepes Local Accounts Manager Colin Cheesman National Accounts Manager Anna He Special Guides and Online Manager Claire Butz Layout Manager The Michigan Daily (ISSN 0745-967) is published Monday through Friday during the fall and winter terms by students at the University of Michigan. One copy is available free of charge to all readers. Additional copies may be 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 are subject to a reduced subscription rate. On-campus subscriptions for fall term are $35. Subscriptions must be prepaid. The Michigan Daily is a member of The Associated Press and The Associated Collegiate Press.
Q & A: Professor to attend UN Climate Conference in Paris Faculty and students to join observational delegation Nov. 30 By JACKIE CHARNIGA Daily Staff Reporter
Paul Edwards, a professor in the School of Information and the Department of History, is a member of the University’s observational delegation that will attend the United Nations 2015 Climate Change Conference in Paris from Nov. 30 through Dec. 11. Edwards, along with two other faculty members, was responsible for selecting the eight students who will join him in the delegation. In a Q&A with The Michigan Daily, Edwards discussed his history with the conference, changes to the negotiation structure and the fact that, despite the terrorist attacks
earlier this month that killed 130 in the region, the conference will still be held in Paris. The conference will be attended by world leaders including President Barack Obama. The Conference began in 1992 when countries signed an international treaty for its creation. Their target goals, which include set limits on global temperature increases and greenhouse gas emmission reduction, have continued to change with each years’meeting. What is the significance and structure of the conference? This is the 21st conference of parties to the framework convention on climate change that has been meeting every year since 1995. The convention is essentially an agreement to agree — or try to agree — of the world’s nations. Back when it was signed in Rio in 1992, all the parties to the convention said we will meet and negotiate an agreement to stop climate change and adapt to its effects. What is your history with the
Climate Change Conference? Essentially the Kyoto Protocol was signed in (1997), but it was not actually enforced for (almost) another 10 years, until 2005. It’s been very weak and ineffective but at least it was something. In Copenhagen in 2009, which I also attended with the first U-M delegation, there was a lot of hope in Copenhagen that there would be a binding agreement coming out of that — it was right after Obama had been elected — but that has not happened. It’s billions of dollars that were pledged in Copenhagen that was never delivered and will never be delivered. The thing that did come out of Copenhagen was a kind of plan to keep the planetary warming to less than 2 degrees centigrade. How has the conference changed? There has been kind of a really important change in the way the whole association is structured. It used to be that the countries were grouped into various categories and then essentially assigned a sort of target that everyone would have to reach. It was more of a top-down approach, but this time, it’s much more bottom-up, where every country has put together its own independent, nationally determined contributions, which is basically a statement of what it’s planning to do to slow climate change and adapt to the effects. Why aren’t you staying for the full conference? A big feature of these conference meetings is that they have enormous side events of all kinds. Demonstrations and exhibitions by corporations and international organizations, all kinds of really interesting things happen that aren’t formally part of the meeting, but with the attacks, the government is trying to discourage large gatherings. They cancelled most of these. Some of them will happen anyways — people will defy the police — hold those meetings no matter what, but it’s not prudent. The delegation will discuss their experience Jan. 21 at North Quad.
RYAN MCLOUGHLIN/Daily
LSA sophomore Jesse Arm defends his actions against the staged simulation of a West Bank checkpoint held in the Diag by SAFE during the Central Student Government meeting in the CSG chambers on Tuesday.
SAFE representatives call for dismissal of CSG member Group deems Jesse Arm’s conduct inappropriate during Diag demonstration By JACKIE CHARNIGA Daily Staff Reporter
At a Central Student Government meeting Tuesday, representatives from Students Allied for Freedom and Equality called on on the body to dismiss a representative for his conduct toward SAFE demonstrators on the Diag. The demonstration occurred last Thursday and featured two 8-by-12-foot mock walls to represent the 25-foot security wall that separates Israel and the West Bank. During the CSG meeting on Tuesday, SAFE members played a video of the interaction between demonstrators and CSG representative Jesse Arm, an LSA sophomore. “You’re not serious about this, with these signs here,” Arm said in the video. “It’s disgusting. Take it down, you’re not serious.”
In the video, a member of SAFE said she would take down the mock wall when the real wall was taken down in Israel. SAFE member Devin Jones, an LSA senior, said Arm was demonstrating conduct unbecoming of a regular student, let alone a CSG representative. “For you to think you have some type of right to come up to us and vent in that way is irresponsible,” Jones said. “Palestinians deal with this sort of abuse every single day.” Jones said Arm and other students verbally targeted SAFE because of a terrorist attack that occurred earlier that day in the West Bank, during which three people were killed. Jones said the organization could not have foreseen before they planned the demonstration. “We reserved it a month in advance,” he said. “We were talking about specific Palestinian suffering in result of state policy, and you wanted to point to the tragedy of that day. We’re being held to a double standard that should not exist for a student group.”
Arm responded to the allegations by apologizing to SAFE, saying he acted emotionally because a friend of his was killed in the terrorist attack — the dead included Ezra Schwartz, an American taking a gap year in Israel. Arm said he does not believe in censorship, but does believe in his right to challenge the protesters on behalf of constituents who may feel similarly to him. “I felt I questioned the taste, timing, and appropriateness of this display. I specifically proposed that at the time, as opposed to an incendiary protest portraying students as terrorists,” Arm said. “I represent students who felt marginalized and unsafe by the protest. I don’t think I’ve done anything to jeopardize my position on this assembly.” CSG representative Branden Shafer, an LSA senior, said he was concerned by Arm’s assertion that he acted in accordance with those he represents by asking SAFE to take the wall down. Read more online at michigandaily.com
News
3A — Wednesday, November 25, 2015
VA From Page 1A patient safety. “While recognizing you are cancelling and moving surgeries to ensure no veterans are being put at risk, this situation is still concerning and raises questions about the source of this particulate matter and what actions are being taken to correct the problem,” she wrote. Dingell told the Daily she does believe the hospital both cares about its patients and is trying to handle the situation appropriately, but at the same time, it is her job to investigate the concerns of her constituents. She is currently awaiting a response to the questions she posed in her letter Monday. “I have an obligation to make sure that the veterans are being taken care of and that the hospital has the resources they need,” she said. Atkinson said patient safety is the hospital’s utmost priority, and it is currently operating on a limited surgery schedule while working to resolve the issue. He said any patient currently scheduled for surgery is being given the option to have their procedures done with any of the Healthcare System’s community partners, such as the University, though the stand-down period is over. During the stand-down period, the Healthcare System invited national and regional experts to help identify what could be causing the particulate matter to appear on sterilized equipment. Atkinson said they concluded the particulate matter likely originated from a
E-CIG From Page 1A restrictions on smoking traditional cigarettes, would include labeling these cigarettes with warning signs of potential health hazards, and would also include some restrictions on the advertising and marketing of e-cigarettes,” Davis said. Results from the 2014 National Youth Tobacco Survey indicated that more than 4.6 million students under the age of 18 reported being current tobacco users, and of those, 2.4 million reported using e-cigarettes. They survey also revealed that e-cigarette use is trending steeply upward. From 2011 to 2014, e-cigarette use among high school students increased by nearly 800 percent, and e-cigarette use among young adults has increased as well. Data released in October of this year by the National Center for Health Statistics National Health Interview Survey indicated that nearly 22 percent of adults ages 18 to 24 years old have tried an e-cigarette at least once. Davis said many states are considering additional e-cigarette restrictions, though every U.S. state except Michigan and Pennsylvania already prohibits the sale of e-cigarretes to minors. Davis was specifically interested in what the level of public support would be for those additional restrictions or — in the case of e-cigarettes — taxes. Despite the Ann Arbor City Council’s April 2014 ordinance to restrict outdoor smoking — including with e-cigarettes — in certain locations, a complete ban on e-cigarette use on campus has not yet followed suit. According to the Tobacco Free College Campus Initiative, as of October, 769 college campuses
ITALIAN From Page 1A coming to the University, said she thinks the setup of the restaurant will appeal to college students. “I love the setup of Piada because it is similar to Chipotle in the sense that people call it the ‘Italian Chipotle’ when you stand in line and order, the ingredients are right in front of you and the team members walk you down the line and make the food fresh in front of you,” Ngo said. “I think people would enjoy Piada a lot because it’s like wraps, salads and pasta bowls to go and it is relatively cheaper than other casual fast-food restaurants. Piada is also one of those restaurants you can never have too much of, so I think it’ll fare well with the budget-conscious col-
water main break in the area. However, Dingell said Tuesday afternoon the hospital had not identified a specific cause of the problem when she last spoke with the director on Monday. In the letter, she probes the hospital to determine the cause of the problem. “As of (Monday) at 12:30, they didn’t know what was causing it,” she said. “We just need to find out the problem, we’ve got to make sure they’ve got the resources … and it’s our responsibility to raise awareness.” If the complication was in fact caused by a water issue, Dingell discussed looking into whether there is a problem with the hospital’s pipes. She also mentioned constituents were wondering if the presence of the particulates could be related to construction on site. In the letter, Dingell also specifically asked what steps the hospital has taken to protect patient safety. Atkinson said since Monday the system has replaced some pieces of equipment and installed more filters in the water system that serves the sterilizers. He also stressed that no veterans have been put in harm’s way: whenever a nurse would spot particulate matter near equipment, the Healthcare System would use a different set of equipment and send the potentially contaminated case back to be re-sterilized. “I think we (have) made a lot of progress, but we’re still working to completely resolve the situation,” he said. “We see this as a proactive measure, and we applaud our nurses — they do a diligent job of inspecting the cases to make sure they are prepped and ready to go for surgery.”
across America prohibit the use of e-cigarettes anywhere on their campus. However, only the University of Michigan Health System and the School of Dentistry have banned the use of e-cigarettes so far. Though teens and parents notoriously disagree on many topics, Davis said when it comes to e-cigarettes, it seems that teens and parents agree about what should be done. “I’m impressed by the high level of support for restrictions on e-cigarettes among these younger teens today, and even if that support decreased somewhat (when students go off to college), the level of support for restriction would still be quite high,” he said. Along with support for restrictions, Davis’ research also found that upwards of 80 percent of teens and parents believe allowing the use of e-cigarettes could instigate use of other tobacco products. He also noted that, despite popular belief, using an e-cigarette is not necessarily less harmful than using other tobacco products. Though potential long-term risks associated with e-cigarette use are unknown, exposure to nicotine at a young age can harm brain development, encourage addiction and lead to further use of tobacco products, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “The manufacturers of e-cigarettes say that their products are safer than traditional cigarettes because they have fewer different types of chemicals that traditional cigarettes have,” Davis said. “However, no long term testing on health is available for e-cigarettes because they are still a fairly new product and we don’t know what long term use may do in terms of any health problems.”
lege students here in Ann Arbor.” Several other fast-casual restaurants have also opened in Ann Arbor recently, such as Pieology and Salads Up on East Liberty Street. For students interested in working at the new Piada, the company offers a tuition assistance program for employees. “For supervisors and above — there’s three levels that we have of supervision here at our restaurants — we offer $1,000 back per quarter with a maximum of $2,000 per year,” Eisenacher said. Though the opening is months away, people can sign up as a pre-opening VIP member by following the restaurant on social media or signing up on their website. Piada will choose about 1,500 people to eat for free the week before the opening.
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
THOUGHT BUBBLE RITA MORRIS/Daily
“I’m originally form Ohio, but since coming to U of M I’m a total convert to Michigan sports and I love the school. My parents are coming up to visit. My dad has never been to a football game and I’m going to take him to the Ohio State game.” —School of Education Ph.D. candidate Katie Shoemaker
CANNING From Page 1A vas Ann Arbor looking for cans and bottles that they can recycle for a 10-cent deposit. They call themselves “canners,” and practice “canning.” Each game day, the cycle takes place — thousands of cans are discarded by fans and canners pick them up, clean them off and collect their deposit. For a whole season’s worth of home games, I followed canners around Ann Arbor. All have their own reason for canning, their own successes and strategies, their own struggles with the system, their own story. I met 73-year-old Jerry Quigley, an Ann Arbor resident, outside the Big House during the Michigan State game on Oct. 17. As clouds loomed overhead, he dragged a folding shopping cart behind him as he picked through the recycling bins, sometimes waiting for a fan to chuck a can into the bin before removing it. Short and lumbering, his wide smile shone through a dense gray beard and black stumps where several teeth had once been. He wore a crushed baseball cap bearing the name of the ship he fought on during the Vietnam War and yellow-tinted sunglasses. Born and raised in Chelsea, Mich., after the war he returned to Ann Arbor and hasn’t left. Quigley now just cans for the exercise and to help pay the rent for his small apartment — he makes the rest of the payment by doing odd-jobs for his landlord. I strolled along with him as he made his rounds of the bright blue bins. Fans occasionally glanced at him, but no one intervened. I asked a poncho-clad usher if he cared that Quigley was canning right in front of the entrance. “Hey, it’s a public space, you know,” he replied with a shrug. Michigan has an unusually generous deposit system. Since the Michigan Beverage Container Act was enacted in 1978, Michigan has charged a 10-cent deposit on carbonated beverage containers, compared to the usual 5-cent deposit in the 10 other states with bottle bills. The containers can then be exchanged for the deposit at many grocery and liquor stores. The only catch is that the containers must be purchased in state. “I’ve had times when I collected a bunch of cans from Ohio State fans and then had them rejected when I tried to return them,” Quigley said. Some people do “can” simply as a hobby. I met Ann Arbor residents Tim, Brian and Pat as they were scavenging the sidewalks of East University Avenue during the Northwestern game Oct. 10, all of them 40-something men, scruffy, dressed in dirty T-shirts, jeans, sturdy work boots and canvas gloves. All three declined to give their last names. “We’re just in it for some cigarette and sandwich money,” Pat said. “It’s just about good company and some extra money in the pocket,” Tim added. I was not expecting this. I had assumed that all canners must be homeless or desperate. But
GIVING BLUE From Page 1A for your fellow students, many of you are part of student organizations that support amazing causes here at U-M and beyond.” Last year, the University surpassed its goal of raising $1 million from at least 1,000 donors — amassing about $3.2 million from 5,437 donors, half of whom were new. Judy Malcolm, senior director of executive communications in the Office of University Development, said the goal this year is to surpass that amount. “We went way beyond it in terms of dollars and donors,” she said. “Introducing new donors was really fabulous … many of
these guys are just friends out for a jaunt. They all have day jobs doing construction and carpentry. They’re all from the city — Tim’s house is actually just about a mile down Packard Street. They clearly regard themselves as a different breed of canner “None of us drink,” Pat said. While there are some small timers, for sure, many canners are also, by necessity, after larger paychecks. I met Ann Arbor resident Anthony Taylor after he drove past me in a beat-up sedan during the Northwestern game. Strapped to every square inch of the car’s exterior were bulging bags of cans. The trunk was propped open to accommodate more bags. Thin, with a close-cropped beard, Taylor is decked out in Michigan gear: blue sweatpants, Wolverine zip up, block ‘M’ hat. He is 46 years old. He has a regular job at a chain restaurant in town, but regularly cans for money to support his seven children. His strategy is to raid various fraternity pregames after everyone has left and haul away hundreds of cans and bottles. In the hierarchy of “canners,” he considers himself a notch above guys like Tim and Pat, who can only carry a light load. “I’ll let guys on foot clean up the cans — aluminum is lighter than glass, you know?” he said with a slight smirk. “I’m in it to win it.” I walked with him into backyard of the house, through a giant blue tarp acting as a curtain. It’s a swamp — the ground has turned to mud from so much spilled alcohol and crushed cans float on it like lilypads. Taylor was trying to break his record of $245. He always starts by gathering any intact cans and bottles that he can find, ones that the foot soldiers haven’t scavenged yet. He digs through the trash bins the fraternity had set out, picking out half-full cans and pouring out the contents before stuffing them in his bag. These will get deposited at Lucky’s Market on South Industrial Highway, where he can deposit $25 worth of containers per day, per the store’s policy. He claimed that he’ll get hassled if he hauls this much into Meijer. I asked him whether this is, technically, stealing. “Students aren’t going to go get the deposit — they’re too busy,” he replied. He notes that he leaves behind any unopened beers he finds. As a canner with a vehicle, Taylor can not only deposit more intact cans, but also make money off scrap aluminum. Crushed cans are not redeemable for deposit. However, many local junk yards will pay for scrap aluminum by the pound. Anthony picks out the good cans from the bins, and then takes the whole garbage bag, which now contains mangled cans and bits of trash that he’ll have to pick out later. Sometimes, he said, he gets hassled by residents for picking through their garbage, even though sidewalk bins are technically in the public domain. “Everyone has their own criminals,” he said. I help him drag a few grimy bags out to his car and ask if he’s
OK with me including him in the story. He replies that he’s fine with it as long as it won’t prevent him from canning. “This is a good hustle,” he said. “A legitimate hustle.” That same day, I met one of the on-foot canners. Brian, 50 years old, has been canning on and off for four years. He asked that his last name not be used. For most of his adult life, he worked a string of odd jobs. He has been plagued with health problems for much of that time: peripheral artery disease, diabetes, glaucoma and, most recently, right forearm and left shoulder injuries from a slip on an icy sidewalk in Ann Arbor. “I don’t want to have to collect disability, but there’s a limit to what I can do,” he tells me. The problem, Brian said, is that he’s been rejected for disability support multiple times. He’s too ill to work a normal job, so he has to make do with canning. “This is my sole source of income,” he said. He lives in subsidized housing on North Main Street and cans most days and every football game day. He needs $300 per month to pay for rent and food. He has no car, so he needs to make regular bus trips to Meijer and Kroger every evening to drop off his cans. Through the getDowntown Program, the Ann Arbor Transit Authority offers something called a “go!pass,” which employers in downtown Ann Arbor can buy in bulk and distribute to their employees. According to the getDowntown website, the pass gives holders unlimited access to fixed bus routes and discounts on other commuting services, as well as many downtown stores. But Brian, being unemployed, isn’t eligible for a go!pass, which he said frustrates him. Later on, I would explain his situation to getDowntown program director Nancy Shore. She said though he couldn’t get a go!pass, he might be eligible for “Fare Deal,” which cuts the normal $1.50 bus fare in half for low-income individuals. Until then, he must pay $3 every day for a pass — an equivalent to 30 cans Brian has to find and lug around before he can make any money that day. He spotted a can in my garbage, lifted it out, and looked disappointed. “All these Arizona Iced Tea cans lying around — it drives me crazy,” he says. In Michigan, only carbonated beverage containers — beer cans, soda bottles, etc. — have a deposit on it. Every day, Brian finds hundreds of wine bottles, iced tea cans and milk cartons, but can’t use them. Brian said he was anxiously following a bill introduced in the Michigan Legislature in March by state Sen. Rebekah Warren (D–Ann Arbor), currently awaiting hearing in the Senate Natural Resources Committee. The bill, Senate Bill 199, would amend the original bottle bill to include noncarbonated beverage containers eligible for deposit as well. In a interview, Warren said the bill has received considerable support from environmental groups, but also some opposition
from smaller retailers who lack the resources to handle and clean more containers. “Our bottle bill is almost 40 years old now, so we’re just trying to modernize,” Warren said. “The original bill only included carbonated beverages because that’s what people were drinking back then. Now, people drink lots of bottled water and energy drinks, and I wanted to find a way to get those recycled.” Warren said she did not introduce the bill with canners in mind. However, she added that she was happy to learn that it could have a positive effect on them. “If there are folks out there who can supplement or make an income by returning more of these containers and getting them out of landfills, that’s wonderful,” she said. But there are also some canners, unlike Brian, who just need to make some quick money. I met Ann Arbor residents Amanda James and Felicia Hamilton during the Michigan State game Oct. 17. They had a shopping cart filled with cans, and were weaving in and out of pregamers like running backs, picking up any can that someone dropped. Occasionally, the students would just hand the cans, freshly drained, to the women. Electro-soul blasted from the speakers, and Felicia occasionally stopped canning to dance along to the music. They asked me if they could bum a cigarette, and we got to talking. Both women grew up in the city. “Born and raised!” James shouted. They paused to gently heckle a few MSU fans who passed by, and then explained their motives. Neither of them is a habitual canner, but they said they needed money to help Hamilton rent a U-Haul and pay a $1,350 security deposit. She has to move to a cheaper house in Ann Arbor, she said, because she was expecting to receive a Section 8 voucher from the city that fell through. “Housing access, and you can print this, is full of shit,” Hamilton said. I spoke with Weneshia Brand, a manager at the Ann Arbor Housing Commission, about that issue. She said the city issues Section 8 vouchers to help low-income residents pay rent with money comes from the federal government. Funding is scarce right now, and the voucher waitlist is about five years. Until then, James and Hamilton said, they have to make ends meet in whatever way they can. “And this is free money,” James added of canning. “The best free money.” Most of the canners I met had a scrappy pride in what they were doing, even if it often seems tedious and grimy. But their work is simultaneously a symptom of economic and political shortcomings and a cure for the massive amount of waste Ann Arbor produces on football game days. It is “free money” for those without more conventional means. But given the amount of recycling and cleaning that gets done by canners, we should at least ask ourselves: Who is it really “free” for?
them students, and that was really fantastic.” The outstanding support from donors, Malcolm said, means that they understand the spirit of philanthropy. “We are often surprised by how many people don’t realize that the University is a public institution,” she said. “It is nonprofit. Often, the students ask why the University would raise money and we really take our great success to mean that people understand the power of philanthropy and support the University and what it’s doing.” To increase donations this year,Malcolm said the University is working closely with student groups to help them with fundraising tactics and spreading
awareness about the event. The University is currently collaborating with 108 student organizations for Giving Blueday. “One thing we found in the past we’re delighted with is that students get a better idea of philanthropy,” Malcolm said. “We think it’s important that they understand that fundraising isn’t just throwing money mindlessly in a bucket. They learn by being donors on Giving Blueday or by fundraising. They learn that they can accomplish things, make an impact by fundraising or by being a donor with a gift of any size.” Last year, students donors raised $157,000 out of the $3.2 million total. In her e-mail, Harper encouraged even greater student participation this year, noting
that each student donation will be matched through a $40,000 donation made by alumni and parents. Any area of the University, such as the health system, or programs like Semester in Detroit, are eligable to recieve donations. Organizers are also encouraging students to promote the fundraiser and thank donors for their contributions via social media. Leading up to the event, the University and student organizations have sent out regular e-mail blasts to notify potential donors about Giving Blueday, as well as used social media challenges to encourage student participation. “We’ve really put the word out all over campus,” Malcolm said. “All the colleges at the University are participating.”
Opinion
4A — Wednesday, November 25, 2015
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
JULIA MILTON-ZARINA | VIEWPOINT Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890. 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 tothedaily@michigandaily.com JENNIFER CALFAS EDITOR IN CHIEF
AARICA MARSH and DEREK WOLFE EDITORIAL PAGE EDITORS
LEV FACHER 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.
Facebook is starting to scare me
A
t least five of my friends shared or posted about it. Apparently, when asked about terrorists, Russian president Vladimir Putin said, “To forgive the terrorists is up to God, but to send them to him is up to me.” Given what I know about Putin (which is limited to the popular image of him riding a horse shirtless, various hunting expeditions and general BRETT male bravado), it seemed GRAHAM plausible, so I shrugged and moved on. Here’s the problem, and this is not a joke: Putin never said that, and the line is from a Denzel Washington film from 2004. Originally tweeted by Russia Today news anchor Remi Maalouf, this false quote was shared millions of times by Americans, loving its boldness and action-hero feel. With comments like “This guy is the man” and “Oh no he didn’t!” a handful of my Facebook friends reveled in the news. Similar posts (and from similar friends) have claimed that the same “crisis actor” can be shown in photos in the wake of the Paris attacks, shootings at Aurora and Newtown, pumping out fodder for conspiracy theorists (several sources have confirmed that these are three different people). Take your pick of posts that make you the least bit suspicious, run a Google search and, more often than not, it will turn out to be ridiculous or nonsense. What stands out isn’t the fact that misinformation runs rampant in the world of social media — this is, unfortunately, a given. What stands out is, as Charles Spurgeon said, “A lie can travel halfway round the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.” (Not Mark Twain, I looked it up.) Corrections and fact checks will never spread like wildfire. So why does this scare me? Facebook has already become the social media platform most prone to isolating one’s point of view, with volatile comment sections and questionable sources. In one study about political polarization, social scientists found that “roughly speaking a Facebook user has five politically like-minded friends for every one friend on the other side of the spectrum.” People become more daring behind a keyboard. Facebook users are more liable to scroll past posts with which they disagree with or unfriend the person altogether. Twitter and Instagram seem to escape this seriousness, likely due to the youthfulness of its audience (less chance for serious argument among teenagers sharing vines than adults sharing politicized statuses). Combine all of this potential for hostility with misinformation and a general disregard for fact-checking; now, add in the fact that 2016 is an election year. That’s
why Facebook is starting to scare me. Having said this, social media remains an incredible outlet for political engagement. The introduction of candidates to younger audiences, with greater activity through apps like Snapchat and Instagram, will do wonders for millennial voter turnout. Candidates may live-tweet debates, but where’s the account live fact-checking, and why isn’t it the most important? Social media cannot be a haven for inaccuracies and false statements on issues of importance — a Vladimir Putin quote is relatively harmless in the grand scheme of things, but imagine the havoc a well-placed Hillary Clinton misquote could wreak. This past January, Facebook announced it would label suspected hoaxes and fake news with a warning and reduce the frequency of posts with misinformation in the news feed. If this is happening on a regular basis, either my settings are messed up or the plan of attack isn’t working. The questionable material I see posted every day is as prevalent as ever. And simply put, change on this front cannot come from the organization itself — it has to come from responsible Facebook users who question sources, who share corrections and who refuse to allow friends with whom they disagree to disappear into a bubble of falsities and demagoguery. I’ve seen it happen and it’s not pretty. One reason this strikes me now more than ever is the ongoing discussion about coddling that I have seen shared on my timeline by Facebook friends of other generations. The Washington Post asked, “Are colleges coddling students or just leveling the playing field?” and the Atlantic bemoaned, “The Coddling of the American Mind.” In a recent Wall Street Journal editorial titled “The Rise of the College Crybullies” by Roger Kimball, my generation is accused of hiding behind trigger warnings, and is said to be overly sensitive and politically correct. As a student at a large, liberal, public university, let me say that instances of racism and sexism, even in its subtlest forms that I may not understand, take a toll on my peers. Students and their ability to learn are affected. I’m proud to be a part of the generation ensuring that during these formative years of education, people have a safe space to live and learn. This isn’t coddling, it’s just decent. Every generation, political base and ideological faction walls themselves in, on Facebook and otherwise, from people with whom they disagree. Millennials, instead of walling ourselves in with false sources and Facebook posts — the kind that paint the world in black and white, beget conspiracy theories and refuse to be corrected — have chosen inclusive language and tolerance.
The questionable material I see posted every day is as prevalent as ever.
— Brett Graham can be reached at btgraham@umich.edu.
Have a happy and safe Thanksgiving break!
“
NOTABLE QUOTABLE
No one understands the anger more than us, but if you choose to speak out, we urge you to be peaceful.”
The ever-changing “other”
I am the granddaughter of refugees. My grandmother, Mara Ilona Grinbergs, was born in 1938 in Riga, Latvia, on the eve of World War II. Within a year, under the terms of a secret pact signed with Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union would invade her country, beginning a period of almost 50 years of oppressive occupation for the small Baltic state. In the years that followed, the Soviets and the Nazis imposed successive regimes of terror in the country, forcibly deporting tens of thousands of people and murdering nearly 200,000 in the gulags and concentration camps. Among these people were my grandmother’s family, friends and neighbors. It’s estimated that by the end of World War II, almost one-third of Latvia’s original population had been killed, deported or had fled the country to avoid such a fate. Similarly, it’s estimated that 90 percent of Latvia’s original Jewish population had been systematically murdered in one of the worst instances of genocide in modern history. My grandmother was among those lucky enough to escape. She ate grass to avoid starvation, walked barefoot in the winter because she had no shoes and survived bombings that leveled the cities in which she sought refuge. After the war, and for the rest of her childhood, my grandmother lived in a refugee camp in Germany. She came to the United States only after immigration laws were enacted that recognized refugees and set quotas for their entry into the country. Today, nearly 80 years later and despite a completely different political context, it’s difficult not to draw parallels between the ongoing humanitarian crisis affecting
Syrian refugees and the situation my grandmother and so many others faced at the beginning of World War II. Both politicians and society at large in the United States (and many other countries) have a long history of deciding who the “other” is in our nation. Who is defined as “other” is constantly changing, but the designation is often rooted in fear, discrimination and a lack of understanding; one that has always been arbitrary at best, given that the vast majority of Americans descended from immigrants at some point in their family lineage. At various times in U.S. history, the definition of “other” has included people from Irish, Mexican, Japanese, African, Italian, Arab and a multitude of other backgrounds who have been subject to discrimination, forced internment, deportation, xenophobia and rejection from the communities in which they lived and worked. In 1939, the “other” included German and Eastern European refugees; at the beginning of World War II, the majority of Americans surveyed in Gallup polls opposed allowing German and Jewish refugees, including children, into the country. Today — as evidenced by recent statements made by a number of U.S. and international politicians (including 31 state governors) that their countries and states will not accept Syrian refugees — this definition of the “other” includes 3 million Syrians fleeing their homes to escape the terror and violence of ISIS. From a political perspective (at least in the United States), these state-by-state declarations barring Syrian refugees are legally unenforceable, as the final say on immigration matters falls to
the federal government. From a humanitarian perspective, we still have much to do to if, in the future, we hope to say we were not implicit in a human rights crisis of such massive and horrific proportions. If you ever have wondered what you would have done to help during the humanitarian crisis of World War II, or of any other atrocity, the time to find out is now. Good places to start are: 1. Learn about the ongoing situation in Syria and about who the refugees are. Spread facts, not fear, and foster support. 2. Contact your elected officials and demand that your home state and city publically support accepting Syrian refugees. 3. Through your state’s Department of Social Services, find out the name of your local contracted refugee service provider and donate and volunteer. For the Detroit area, this provider is the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants. 4. Support one of the wellestablished aid organizations currently assisting Syrian refugees as we enter winter months. These include: United Nations Human Rights Council, Unicef, Medecins Sans Frontiers, International Rescue Committee and Save the Children. Last year, in a lecture given at Hill Auditorium, the acclaimed author and activist Alice Walker made a plea to thousands of students, faculty and community members hailing from around the world that rings true to me today more than ever: “Hope never to say yes to another person’s suffering. Hope never to make the mistake that they are not you.” Julia Milton-Zarina is a 2014 alumnus.
EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS
Claire Bryan, Regan Detwiler, Ben Keller, Payton Luokkala, Aarica Marsh, Anna Polumbo-Levy, Jason Rowland, Lauren Schandevel, Melissa Scholke, Rebecca Tarnopol, Ashley Tjhung, Stephanie Trierweiler, Mary Kate Winn, Derek Wolfe
The rent is in fact too damn high
F
irst off, happy Thanksgiving! In my last column, I discussed growing economic disparity right here in Ann Arbor. I mentioned that we’re the eighth most economically segregated city in the nation. I mentioned that ZACHARY the incomes of the top 10 ACKERMAN percent of our residents are growing, and growing fast, while the exact opposite is true of our bottom 10 percent. And I mentioned that a couple working two full-time jobs at minimum wage can’t afford to live here, nor can a public school teacher. What I didn’t mention was a solution. So what can we do? Well most immediately, we can try to lower our housing costs. For all the ways Ann Arbor is unique, there’s one specific way that’s very relevant to this particular conversation. And that is that we’re a hot real estate market. So hot, in fact, that back in July, Ann Arbor was ranked the ninth hottest market in the United States — a ranking that matches us with some of the largest cities in the country. To put that ranking in perspective, in Ann Arbor, the average house will only spend 61 days on the market before sale. In Manhattan, that number is 73 days. We’re moving faster than a real estate market that doesn’t sleep. And that means Big Apple prices in a small Midwestern city. Now, as students, we probably have a good five to 10 years before we start to use the word “buy.” For now, most of us are renters. But we exist in that same world — demand for housing is demand for housing. A Harvard study shows that, after the last recession, homeownership is steadily falling while rental demand is surging nationally. In Ann Arbor, homes are being bought up at higher prices and middle-class
residents are being pushed into the rental market. That means students and professionals are competing for the same type of apartments. That also means the average onebedroom unit will cost $1,244 per month, almost double the monthly rate of East Lansing. It’s clear people want to live here. But are we really giving them or ourselves a chance? The short answer is no, or not yet. This huge demand for housing doesn’t have the supply to match it. Common sense, Economics 101 and that same Harvard study all say that if supply increases to match demand, price will lower. Here in Ann Arbor, we can’t legally grow our city limits outward. We’re about 29 square miles, and that number won’t ever change much. That means we need to invest in denser housing — townhouses over McMansions and some high-rises downtown. That said, I believe all things should be done in moderation — saturation is good, oversaturation is bad. After all, it was a real estate bubble that caused our last financial crisis. But at the end of the day, we work in a market and so we have to work with the market. Now, the laws of supply and demand have been around for more than 300 years. But Ann Arbor is a hub of technological and social innovation. Our response to a crisis in affordability should be innovative, too. So a question: What do a young tech entrepreneur, public school teacher, artist and retiree all have in common? The answer is they all have pretty similar incomes. Right now, Ann Arbor’s housing market works great for the wealthy. And the Ann Arbor Housing Commission provides public housing for our neighbors most in need. But there’s a missing middle to the housing market — a middle that
would satisfy the needs of young tech entrepreneurs, public school teachers, artists and retirees alike. Luckily, we have some options. The most straightforward is to sell or lease public land — parking lots or old facilities — to private developers at below market rate. This lowers the cost of construction to such a degree that the new landlords can, in turn, rent the new units at below market rate. Potential partners are already itching to get going. These public-private partnerships spread responsibility for the community across government and business while hedging both sides’ investments. Want to spread the responsibility further? We can put the power right in the hands of the residents themselves. Neighborhood cooperatives have the power to regulate sale price, ensuring prices only increase at a set rate. In fact, we already have thriving townhouse cooperatives here in Ann Arbor. These issues are by no means isolated to Ann Arbor. These are issues facing every cool and desirable city across the United States. But the solutions will never come naturally. They will come as a result of dedication and commitment. And they will succeed as a result of thoughtful design. It’s an uphill battle and it will take time. But it’s the change we need. Because you should graduate and feel like you can afford to stay here. You should live a full life and feel like you can afford to retire here. And for all those years in between, you and all your neighbors should live comfortably, free from the undue burden of high rents and high mortgages created by an overburdened housing market.
What do a young tech entrepreneur, public school teacher, artist and retiree all have in common?
— Zachary Ackerman can be reached at zdack@umich.edu.
CONTRIBUTE TO THE CONVERSATION
— The family of Laquan McDonald said in a statement issued through their lawyers before a video of McDonald’s death in Chicago was released yesterday.
Readers are encouraged to submit letters to the editor and viewpoints. Letters should be less than 300 words while viewpoints should be 550-850 words. Send the article, writer’s full name and University affiliation to tothedaily@michigandaily.com.
Arts
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Wednesday, November 25, 2015 — 5A
ALBUM REVIEW
Arca’s ‘Mutant’ far from an easy listen
FILM REVIEW
By MATT GALLATIN Daily Arts Writer
STAGE 6 FILMS
“Look, it’s some sex and gore over there!”
Sex, gore, charm in ‘Final Girls’ Offbeat horror film takes a satirical look at the genre By MADELEINE GAUDIN Daily Arts Writer
Somewhere between “Scream” and “Wet Hot American Summer,” we find “Final Girls,” an offbeat movie about horror movies. B+ Taissa Farmiga (“The Bling Final Girls Ring”) plays Max, a high Stage 6 Films school student Available floundering after the death on Google of her mom, a Play, iTunes B-list scream queen played by and Amazon Malin Acker- Instant Video man (“Watchmen”). She’s coerced into a screening of her mom’s most famous movie, “Camp Bloodbath,” when a freak accident theater fire (because those happen apparently) causes Max and her friends to escape through the screen and into the world of the movie, a campy teen slasher with a Michael Myers-type villain. It doesn’t take long for the resident horror movie nerd to make
himself known and dish out some serious survival strategies. Per usual, a girl’s protective armor is her virginity. Interestingly enough, there doesn’t seem to be a good way to survive if you’re a boy. Adam Devine’s (“Pitch Perfect”) anachronistic jock character is killed unceremoniously and the movie nerd himself (Thomas Middleditch “Silicon Valley”) is killed twice. Unlike “Scream,” “Final Girls” follows the rules it’s critiquing. Max decides to keep Nancy (her mom’s character) alive by keeping her chaste. If Max and her friends can survive by making it to the final credits (granted it is unclear how they came to that realization), so can Nancy, right? But this attempt is made futile by the fact that Nancy is also “the shy girl with the clipboard and the guitar,” a new rule seemingly created only to validate the deaths of virgin characters. Not only do you have to be a virgin to survive “Camp Bloodbath,” but you also have to be the “right” kind of virgin. “Camp Bloodbath” looks like someone put an Instagram filter on a low-budget remake of “Halloween.” Everything is cast in a golden light that screams nostalgia, and the final fight scene is a grand machete battle set against purple fog and pink lightning. It’s
as visually striking as it is overthe-top. The exaggerated palate sets the world of “Camp Bloodbath” outside the bounds of reality, and it therefore allows the plot to bend in unrealistic ways. The title “Final Girls” is a little misleading — Max is the only girl who actually gets to survive until the end. And while all of the real-world girls come back to life in time for the sequel, Max is the only one privileged with the final battle, a fact that is disappointing for anyone expecting a badass five-on-one takedown of the creepy masked killer. Amid all the sex and gore, “Final Girls” manages to find some poignancy in the relationship between Max and Nancy. Following a gory run in with Billy, the masked killer, Max and Nancy share a moment where Nancy is allowed to voice the fears of her off-screen counterpart — not being a part of her daughter’s life. The scene is clunky and a little confusing (no one in their right mind empties their heart out next to a half-dead maniac with a machete), but it establishes the film as something more than just a 21st century “Scream.” Despite some plotholes and inconsistencies, “Final Girls” is a charming, poignant satire of teen slasher movies.
The Venezuelan producer Alejandro Ghersi, known as “Arca,” works on the edge of reality. When he teamed up with the celes- Atial artist Björk to produce her Mutant album Vulnicu- Arca ra, he described it as a natural Mute fit. Musically, this makes sense: both artists create coded and complex music, and the emotions attached are difficult to identify. Longing is the general theme of Vulnicura, but Björk’s longing is far more alien and nuanced than the emotion we typically describe it as. Delicately balancing cosmic production and affecting string arrangements, she walks the line between our world and the beyond. A new version of the album, Vulnicura Strings, strips away everything but the strings and the vocals — a humanizing move for the enigmatic artist. Arca’s new album Mutant is the sonic antithesis to Vulnicura Strings. Gentle orchestras are replaced with huge industrial sounds. Where Björk sings, Arca roars. It’s an angry departure from Earth. But while Vulnicura Strings and Mutant are musical opposites, they feel similar. Both grow and contract like living, breathing creatures. This kind of contradiction is what Arca thrives on. The most vulnerable track on the album, “Gratitud,” uses a harsh metallic tone to create warmth. “F*ggot” is both delicate and severe, mixing dance music synths and industrial tones with peaceful bells and choir. It’s an attempt to take ownership of the derogatory term and attach a positive connotation to it, much like hip hop has done with “n*gga.” Much of Mutant deals with (while never actually vocalizing) this struggle over sexuality. Arca said that he had a difficult time accepting he was gay, a truth brewing quietly inside until reaching a cathartic roar. Open-
MUTE
“Hidey-ho neighbor.”
ing track “Alive” marches with this confident defiance, looking his demons in the face and embracing them. The cathartic roar takes form in “En,” a song that grows and churns to climax in a beastly growl. This is the frightening cry of a man who has been restrained and outcast for too long — a mutant, you could say. Even during his most visceral moments, though, Arca never leaves the dark, alien world that Mutant inhabits. Interestingly, Arca called Mutant a very “social” album. Many of the songs are apparently evocative of a friend or moment in his life. While only Arca can know the personal stories behind these tracks, one thing is clear: Arca has some eccentric friends. Beyond his Björk collaboration, he added production to Kanye’s Yeezus, a number of FKA Twigs’ releases and Kelela’s Hallucinogen, all of which are on the forefront of futuristic music. Traces of these artists are everywhere in Mutant. The terrifying screams from the title track are reminiscent of Kanye’s on “I Am a God.” FKA Twig’s consuming sensuality seeps through tracks like “Front Load” and “Extent.” “Snakes” is a reference to the zodiac symbol Arca and Björk share. Compared to his previous releases, Mutant is the most sweeping. The minimalism of his debut album Xen felt like a
trip through outer space; Mutant feels like an arrival to a far away planet. Visually, it invokes a futuristic dystopian city (think “Terminator” or “Blade Runner”). Arca has been moving in this direction since the beginning of his career. His earlier, more approachable mixtapes Stretch 1 and Stretch 2 were strongly influenced by hip hop. Stretch 2’s “Brokeup” included vocally altered rap verses that resembled rapper/producer Madlib’s alter-ego Quasimoto. This kind of genre association and vocal presence disappeared as Arca progressed, as did any comfort his music once had. By the time Xen was released, Arca had become a genre to himself, and Mutant expands further into unexplored musical territory. Standout tracks like “Vanity” and “Soichiro” plunge you into that dark dystopian world like a bad trip. “Vanity” is particularly mesmerizing, swelling with symbols and high pitched tones that alternate between floating idly and racing like a roller coaster. That said, Mutant is far from an easy listen. It demands stamina and weighs heavily on the listener. It’s also one of the best electronic albums of the year, a major accomplishment in a time of plenty of high-quality releases. Arca has proven himself to be a powerful voice in the future of music.
STYLE NOTEBOOK
2015 AMAs: Best and worst dressed By Daily Style Writers
The 2015 American Music Awards, hosted by J-Lo herself, was filled with just the right amount of rain (#Belieber), wins (TSwift needs to give it a rest), shade (Nicki Minaj) and Jared Leto we could all hope for. Here’s the Daily Style Squad’s rundown of who dominated the fashion department at the event, as well as the celebrities that should have traded their “outfits” for garbage bags (Harry Styles would have been better off ). BEST- TYGA Never have I ever regarded Tyga as a fashion ideal. Yet, in the wake of last night’s sartorial tragedies, Tyga restored my dwindling faith in Hollywood’s fashion elite. Needless to say, I was wholly disappointed with the women’s fashion. I’m unsure why stars — who have nearly every designer and gown at their fingertips — are shying away from elegant silhouettes and opting for borderline Forever 21-esque frocks and separates. But alas, young Nguyen-Stevenson stood out from his male counterparts in a sharp navy suit and kept it casual sans tie. As for happy endings — just as a fashion fairytale would have it — he and Kylie were spotted canoodling at Bieber’s after party. Shouts out to Tyga for winning bae back with sleekness and sophistication. — Caroline Filips BEST- NINA DOBREV My best dressed from the 2015
AMA’s undoubtedly goes to Nina Dobrev. Dobrev looked absolutely stunning in a white gown and jacket by Zuhair Murad. The look was completed with bright floral accents, embellishing the top of the gown along with the borders of the jacket. Dobrev took the award for classiest last night by a long shot, yet she still managed to be one of the sexiest looks on the carpet. Job well done goes out to Nina and her stylist, as she completely stole the show. — Julia Doyle WORST- Z LA LA Who’s Z La La? She’s the woman in the weird upsidedown octopus costume on the red carpet. Completed with an excessive head piece similar to a tulip, it would have been best that it never bloomed. Let’s leave the sea animals in the ocean and the Gaga-ing to the O.G. — Christian Kennedy WORST- GWEN STEFANI Alas, Gwen, I used to love you, too. Remember the Harajuku era, when you were rocking the offbeat schoolgirl vibes and we all pretended to like it? I can’t pretend anymore. Stefani threw me for a loop with profound poof of the batwing-on-steroids variety. As for her bottom half, I’m usually pro pants-less style choices, but the exposed leotard was more tacky than tasteful. — Caroline Filips BEST- DNCE Joe Jonas and band rocked coordinated outfits with maroon and grey tones. Jinjoo Lee’s knee-high maroon boots and sunglasses along with Jack
Lawless’s black leather pants complimented Cole Whittle’s felt shirt. Jonas’s blue hair and printed button-down added just the right amount of pop for the band’s first red carpet appearance. — Christian Kennedy WORST- HARRY STYLES Three words: attack of floral. Not sure what Harry Styles was thinking or trying to prove in his hideous, cheap imitation Hawaiian pantsuit. While, I will admit, this outfit may be awesome for escaping the paparazzi and camouflaging into a Hawaiian landscape, for the purposes of every other event in life, it’s a tragic waste of time, fabric and celebrity influence. Harry, oh Harry, has Zayn’s departure affected you so much that you’ll show up at AMAs dressed like you’re having an existential midlife crisis at the tender age of 21? But I digress; let’s take a step back from the clearly tragic pattern and move on to the hem — that is, the flared pants. WHY? Why are you doing this to yourself and millions of pre-teen girls who are still obsessed with you? For the sake of the world, throw this repurposed Ikea bedspread out and move on. — Mariam Sheikh BEST- DEMI LOVATO Demi Lovato looked effortlessly chic at the AMA entrance last night. Her ’20s-inspired wavy dark brown hair was immaculately done, and it complemented her sequin-printed long gown. The dress was completely backless with a slit that came up nearly to
DEF JAM RECORDINGS
J-Lo at her fashion J-Lowest.
her hip (can you say bold?). Lovato’s makeup was daring with a black smoky eye and burgundy lipstick. She completed her old Hollywood glam look with a jeweled clutch and black rings. Overall, she would have even given Poot a run for her money. — Carly Colonnese BEST- NICK JONAS Whoever categorized the “groufit” as something grotesque and lame is surely eating their words right now, since ex-Jo-bro and former high-profile Disney star proved them ever so wrong last night. Donned in, you guessed it, a grey suit with an aggressively grey turtleneck, not only did Jonas redefine an Urban Dictionary definition, but he channeled “Hotline Bling” Drake in the best possible way. While he may be a dead Red Devil killer (#SpoilerAlert), he and his style will forever be in our hearts, minds and camera rolls. — Mariam Sheikh WORST- JENNY MCCARTHY Everything about Jenny
McCarthy’s outfit was too much. From the lipstick-red dress and boots, the stark contrast to her pale complexion, her whiteblonde curls, white nails and nude lip, to the Halloween-esque oversized belt, McCarthy stood out in the wrong way. The belted dress and thigh high boot combination was more something Daphne Blake would wear than a former host of “The View.” Even for the red carpet, her look was too red. — Emma Kinery BEST- SELENA GOMEZ Selena Gomez stunned in a red sequin Givenchy midi-dress and Jimmy Choo strappy sandals. Her sleek middle part and long dark tresses paired perfectly with the sparkling ensemble. Her makeup — a deep red shadow and dark liner to match her power stare — made for one of the best looks of the night. The low-backed dress made Gomez appear elegant and confident; surely a certain exboyfriend noticed. Along with her new album Revival, many
have witnessed Gomez’s unbelievable fashion revival. Credits are due to all-star stylist Kate Young (other clients include Sienna Miller, Dakota Johnson and Michelle Williams) who has the sartorial expertise to follow Gomez’s fervent return. — Mara MacLean BEST- CIARA For all intents and purposes, I want to clarify how anomalous this best dressed categorization is. Ciara, a now irrelevant celebrity in everyone’s book, did a complete 180 when she stepped out in what may be the best Reem Acra gown of all time. Congrats, Ciara; you have officially come back into the relevant mainstream, and your style is one to be reckoned with. It takes a certain amount of preparation and guts to step out in a sheer, black, floor-length, strategically embellished dress. The risk was well worth the reward, as she looked amazing in every way. — Mariam Sheikh
Arts
6A — Wednesday, November 25, 2015
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
TV REVIEW
MUSIC NOTEBOOK
‘Chicago Med’ is Still dark and twisted on Ye’s masterpiece standard ER fare By MELINA GLUSAC Daily Arts Writer
Latest in “Chicago” franchise another stale medical show By ALEX INTNER Daily Arts Writer
Over the course of the past few seasons, NBC has shifted their programming following a decade of a low-rated shows. Riding off of the mas- C sive success of the “The Chicago Voice,” the Med network built a schedule out Series Premiere, of procedur- Tuesdays als, following at 9 p.m. a similar strat- NBC egy to CBS’s in the early 2000s (which led to the launch of “CSI” and “NCIS,” among others). A major part of that plan has been the “Chicago” block, created by the mind behind NBC’s other big franchise, Dick Wolf (“Law & Order”). Starting with the respectable hit “Chicago Fire” in 2012, the network has created a group of shows that don’t bring in the audience of an “NCIS,” but do keep the lights on in what used to be difficult timeslots for the network. The premeiere of “Chicago Med” solidified the show as a representative entry of the franchise. It’s as generic as they come, but it will find an audience who enjoys medical dramas with help from a post-“Voice” timeslot. “Chicago Med” follows a group of doctors at the fictional Chicago Medical. In the pilot, a subway train derails downtown, causing the hospital to overflow with patients. Witnessing the accident is the new trauma fellow, Dr. Connor Rhodes (Colin Donnell, “Arrow”), who’s in his first day on the job. The cast also includes S. Epatha Merkerson (“Law and Order”) as Chief of Services and Oliver Platt (“Fargo”) as the Chief of Psychiatry.
NBC
“It looks like he’s dead.” “He’s going to be all right.”
The show is a generic medical procedural, and it relishes the genre’s tenants; it’s full of the clichés that have defined dramas like “ER” and “Grey’s Anatomy.” There’s a cute male doctor attracting the female staffers, morally ambiguous medical decisions, patients who die and doctors who save their patients in heartwarming fashion. There’s nothing in this show that hasn’t been done better before. The episode’s main story involves a surrogate mother with a critical brain injury. The baby’s parents, who have power of attorney, have to make a decision about a surgery which could save the surrogate’s life, but puts their child at risk. It was too familiar to have an emotional impact. And how many times have medical shows put children in danger? The episode has a little girl come into the ER and go through a death scare. It doesn’t take enough time to establish her as a character instead of a type, which means the story lacks emotional impact and feels too familiar. “Chicago Med” delivers its exposition in a clunky and forced way, which doesn’t help. Throughout the episode, it uses specific lines of dialogue to relay the backstory of characters. For
example, when characters talk to pregnant ER-doctor Dr. Natalie Manning (Torrey DeVitto, “One Tree Hill”), they emphasize that she’s a single mother by saying the line “we’re not going to let you do this single mother thing by yourself.” This type of dialogue hits the viewer over the head with information that, while necessary, could have been delivered in a less on-the-nose manner. Still, the drama showed that it’s capable of revealing character facts without talking down to the viewer. In the pilot’s last act, Dr. Manning is in the locker room looking at a picture of her dead husband and she explains what happened and how much she struggled. This is how you deliver information to the viewer. Show without telling, and maybe lead the viewer to feel something while you’re at it. “Chicago Med” is not a bad TV show; it just falls into many of the tropes of the medical drama, while not doing anything new with them. The show will attract viewers who like the doctor genre and people who already watch the “Chicago” franchise. However, if a viewer doesn’t find himself within those groups, he shouldn’t bother.
I have been listening to so much Kanye West lately. Something about this preThanksgiving grind has had me craving his artful aggression. The countless tests, papers and homework assignments on crack — all are last-minute feats of strength designed to tickle our academic resilience. We’re burned out but we’re fighting to hold on. In these trying times, we need squirrel-ized, soulful Chaka Khan samples with brilliant, mordant lyrics on top. We need robot cacophony. We need a little Kanyeezy time. Yeezus, West’s last album, has proven itself a prodigious stitch in the quilt of hip hop. By now, we all know those indecipherable opening moans on “Black Skinhead.” Uh huh, honey, we have seen that god-awful “Bound 2” video, and we’re well aware of the fact that “Blood on the Leaves” has a drop to make Skrillex weep for 40 days and 40 nights. Only a madman would dispute that Yeezus is, indeed, one of the best albums of the decade. Maybe West would go so far as to say “of all TIME.” But this month marks the five-year anniversary of West’s oft-overlooked fifth album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. A complex, disturbing beast it is, written on the heels of several embarrassing public incidents (shake it off, Taylor). Fantasy pulls from combating genres, opaque themes and synths galore. West has shelved the work as a mere “apology
album” — a conglomeration of ways he wanted to better himself at the time it was created, which entailed a Hawaiian hiatus and necessary hairstyle improvements. But Fantasy is so much more than that. The album is wild at its best: “Monster” is the violent peak of its zany energy, armed with Jay-Z and Nicki Minaj’s undeniable verbosity. The incomparable “POWER” dips into King Crimson’s 1969 prog-rock fixture “21st Century Schizoid Man,” and it’s accented with West’s increasingly belligerent, mounting power. “Hell of a Life” gives us the height of fame’s sinful pleasures, and we feel the throwback groove of “Devil in a New Dress” with Rick Ross. Taken at surface value, Fantasy feels hype. Fun. Flirty.
We all need a little Kanyeezy time. The thematic nadir comes, though, when West flirts with heavier subject matter. “Blame Game,” featuring John Legend, deals with infidelity and other personal qualms. And “So Appalled” is as catchy as it is serious, a cathartic ode to West’s outbursts. Ironically, Fantasy’s bleakest products are some of its best, an assertion summed up superbly on (my personal favorite) “Runaway.” Watching the VMAs with
STYLE NOTEBOOK
Adele’s style is too much for us peasants By CARLY COLONNESE Daily Arts Writer
Classifieds RELEASE DATE– Wednesday, November 25, 2015
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle
Call: #734-418-4115 Email: dailydisplay@gmail.com
FOR RENT
SERVICES
! NORTH CAMPUS 1-2 Bdrm. ! ! Riverfront/Heat/Water/Parking. ! ! www.HRPAA.com !
DEFENSE OF FACULTY misconduct cases Nachtlaw.com 734‑663‑7550
Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis
ACROSS 1 Stop the launch 6 Perfume compound 11 Sailor 14 Off-the-cushion shot 15 Usually multilayered dessert 16 Load off one’s mine? 17 Yorkshire pudding or bangers and mash 19 Sundial topper 20 Classic Belafonte song opening 21 Not tricked by 22 Homeric classic 24 Where heros are made 26 __ button 28 Sufferer healed by Jesus 31 Game-ending declaration 35 Bledel of “Gilmore Girls” 37 Creative output 38 Where billions live 39 Watch someone’s kids 40 Lightweight shirts 43 Television 44 Ellington’s “Take __ Train” 46 “Et alia” lang. 47 Letter-erasing key 49 Genre of the ’60s hits “Pipeline” and “Wipe Out” 52 Wyoming’s __ Range 53 Benjamin of “Law & Order” 54 Ibuprofen target 56 Trapdoor location 58 Capital south of Lillehammer 60 Ottawa-based law gp. 64 Not in the clergy 65 Wholeheartedly, or words that can precede the first and second parts, respectively, of 17-, 31- and 49Across 68 __ well 69 Actress Téa 70 “Inferno” poet 71 Opposite of post-
72 Diving ocean birds 73 Prince Charming’s mount DOWN 1 More than just passed 2 See 25-Down 3 Frenzied revelry 4 Low-tech card file 5 “No more details, please” 6 Sharing a common culture 7 Low on the Mohs scale 8 Highway officers 9 WWII area 10 Symbol of losses 11 Dead weight in a portfolio 12 Opera number 13 Senator Harry 18 Sun, in Sonora 23 Peru’s largest city 25 With 2-Down, “Hulk” star 27 Did something 28 Endures 29 Philanthropist Yale 30 “Everybody Loves Raymond” actor
32 French-speaking island country 33 Connect with 34 Consumed 36 Pierre’s toast 41 Elephant ancestor 42 Son of Adam 45 __-American 48 Ogles obliquely 50 Sculptor’s medium 51 French port on the Strait of Dover
55 Sell a bridge to, say? 56 Producer’s nightmare 57 Hideaway 59 Word sung after the ball drops 61 Construction area marker 62 Remote button 63 Begged 66 Not ’neath 67 Canine doc’s deg.?
ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:
5 BEDROOM House May 2016 1119 S. Forest ‑ $4200 plus utilities. Showings Scheduled M‑F 10‑3 24 hour noticed required DEINCO PROPERTIES 734‑996‑1991 APARTMENT ON A horse facility. New one bedroom, 15 min from main campus. Must be an accomplished horse person. Light farm and horse work and farm sitting in exchange for rent. Email all inquiries to jchaconas@ccim. net
DEFENSE OF STUDENT sexual misconduct cases Nachtlaw.com 734‑663‑7550 THESIS EDITING, LANGUAGE, organization, format. All Disciplines. 734/996‑0566 or writeon@iserv.net
ARBOR PROPERTIES Award‑Winning Rentals in Kerrytown, Central Campus, Old West Side, Burns Park. Now Renting for 2016. 734‑994‑3157. www.arborprops.com
xwordeditor@aol.com
11/25/15
FALL 2016 HOUSES # Beds Location Rent 6 605 E. Hoover $4350 6 716 E. Kingsley $4320 5 1019 Packard $4350 4 852 Brookwood $2600 4 1010 Cedar Bend $2400 2 935 S. Division $2100 Tenants pay all utilities. CAPPO/DEINCO 734‑996‑1991 HIGH RISE STUDIO Apt Tower Plaza; Panoramic view, 24h secu‑ rity, ldry, water/gas incld, central campus. Available now! Contact 734.395.5288 SUBLETTING 1350 GEDDES Winter Semester 2016 $795 per month Email: btcook@umich.edu WWW.CARLSONPROPERTIES.COM 734‑332‑6000
HELP WANTED
CHECK OUT OUR COOL
WEBSITE. By Victor Barocas ©2015 Tribune Content Agency, LLC
11/25/15
TUTOR NEEDED for 1‑on‑1 tutoring for HS math and sciences. Call 734‑434‑1228
my mom some five years ago, I vividly recall West standing completely alone on stage, little white piano in front of him. He stepped up and just started banging it with one finger, hitting these minimalistic, raw chalk-sounding notes that held both nothing and the world. This was the apology song to Swift, “Runaway.” And then the beat dropped, woven with repeated yells of “Look atcha!” (A part that still gives me chills, if I’m in the Yeezy mood.) Mom said, “What the hell is this? Why would you want to toast to douchebags?” Melina said, “I have no idea.” Melina thought, “This is absolutely incredible.” There are a lot of people that don’t “get” Kanye West. They’re either so distracted by his colorful behavior, his marriage to the ever-eloquent Kardashian dame or they simply dismiss his music as “noisy rap crap.” But I can’t urge those listeners to move past these preconceived notions enough. Start with “Runaway.” Start with “Gorgeous.” Start with My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Though it doesn’t hit as high of a mark as Yeezus, it’s essential Kanye because it is so listenable — hostile, depressing, erratic and dark. It’s human, above all else. Then again, “human” is not an apt moniker for West. He calls himself a God, a hybrid of Jesus and himself. But when I think about Kan, one barely audible exclamation from the intro to Jay-Z’s “Lucifer” plays over and again in my head: “Kanyeezy, you did it again! You a genius!” And I can’t hear anything else.
www.michigandaily.com
With the release of “Hello” and her new album, 25, Britishsinger/songwriter Adele has regained the world’s attention after a three-year hiatus. Adele is back with a vengeance, as a complete vocal and fashion powerhouse. Known for her vintage-esque looks and mod-glam makeup and hair, Adele’s personal style has cultivated something analogous to her very essence. Adele’s first album, 19, was released in 2008 and, as she ages, so does her style. She does so gracefully, as each year her clothing choices continue to raise the bar. She never fails to dress for her maturity or her body type. As someone who intrinsically dresses conservatively, her style has evolved into something polished and true to herself. The phrase “dressing conservatively” often suggests negative connotations, but in Adele’s case, the phrase is synonymous with a semblance of class in its purest form. It seems that Adele’s go-to outfit for red carpet events is a Little Black Dress. For this, I can’t blame her; everyone looks amazing in black dresses. She loves mixing it up from the simple, more toned down LBD to variations with lots of sequins, sparkles, lace and beading. Of course, fancy or casual, Adele never fails to look flawless. Adele makes up for her heavily black — and what some would call minimalistic or plain — wardrobe with her retro hair and makeup. Her go-to makeup includes a matte face with heavy contoured cheekbones, subtle nude eyes and impeccably precise black winged eyeliner (seriously, teach us peasants your ways!). Her effortlessly pouted lips are often colored nude, or occassionally red. Adele has played around with her hair — bangs, no bangs, blonde or brunette. She tends to stick with medium to short cuts,
always styled with big volume (think Jackie O hair). Even after years of hiatus, Adele hasn’t deviated from her style norm and signature cat eye in the emotional music video “Hello.” Whatever her hairdresser does now needs to stay, because she looks incredible not only in the music video, but all throughout her 25 press tour. The green-hued black-andwhite music video opens with a sunglass-clad Adele in her newly lobbed (long bob) blonde locks blowing across her face, donned in a fringe-inspired fur coat with a plaid shirt underneath. Between her hair blowing and the shaggy coat, Adele adheres to her vintage-esque roots by dressing in a way that comes straight out of the ’70s. Although the world knows of Adele’s weight loss (from nixing her smoking habit, going vegetarian and taking up jogging), Adele dresses in loose clothing and billowing coats to cover her frame, so viewers can’t explicitly tell how much weight she has lost. When shots of her complete body are shown, the camera is very far away, diminishing her overall size. Unlike other celebrities who go through major health transformations and subsequent weight loss (think Jessica Simpson and Jennifer Hudson) who are known to have very publicly showcased their fitness goals and achievements, “Hello” does quite the opposite. It also calls into question the way Adele displays her inherent sexuality in her musical and personal style. Taking cues from older eras of entertainment and music, she uses not her body or her clothing choices, but instead her face, eyes and talent to evoke emotion from her listeners. Like many other students here at the University, I can’t get enough of Adele (and “Hello”). With the first track from her new album, I can’t wait to see what the album holds, as well as what fashion Adele explores in future work.
Sports
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Wednesday, November 25, 2015 — 7A
‘M’ embarks on “business trip” Viewing guide to MEN’S BASKETBALL
By SIMON KAUFMAN Daily Sports Editor
PARADISE ISLAND, The Bahamas — The Atlantis Paradise Island resort has all the makings of a perfect weeklong getaway spot. Palm trees line the property, balconies overlook the ocean, and get this: the resort UConn vs. doesn’t just feature a lazy Michigan river — it has Matchup: a crazy river, UConn 3-0; too. But don’t Michigan 2-1 tell that to When: Caris LeVert Wednesday as his team 9:30 P.M. gets ready Where: for the Battle Paradise 4 Atlantis Island, Bahamas tournament. The senior TV/Radio: guard didn’t AXS TV come to the Bahamas so the Michigan men’s basketball team could relax. “They know we’re here on a business trip,” LeVert said of his teammates. “We know that we didn’t have a great game on Friday (against Xavier), and we’re here to redeem ourselves and play a great tournament.” Michigan’s first test will be No. 18 Connecticut, a team that, like the Musketeers did on Friday, will challenge the Wolverines’ big men down low. The Huskies (3-0) feature center Amida Brimah, who’s averaging eight rebounds and nearly nine points per game. Against Xavier, Michigan (2-1) got outrebounded, 47-29, and its bigs tallied 11 fouls and just nine points. But Michigan coach John Beilein sees Brimah as a different kind of big man than what the Wolverines saw from the Musketeers. “They’re not as apt to throw
the ball in to (Brimah) the way that the traditional post-up that you saw with (Xavier forward) Jalen Reynolds,” Beilein said. “It’s more that he’s playing behind the defense. They’re lobbing it to him, so it’s a four (players) out, one (player) deep type of approach — very unique to what I’ve seen before.” Beilein also knows Brimah will be a factor defensively, calling him “as good a shot blocker as there is.” The 7-foot junior is third in the country in blocked shots, averaging 4.3 per game. Offensively, Connecticut has been led by a duo of fifth-year graduate student transfers. Guard Sterling Gibbs comes to the Huskies after playing two seasons at Seton Hall, and forward Shonn Miller opted for Connecticut after playing four years at Cornell. The two are pacing 16 and 13 points per game, respectively, and Miller
has also been a force on the boards, using a 6-foot-7, 220pound frame to grab more than six boards per contest. “They hit the jackpot with the fifth-year guys,” Beilein said. “That’s a huge advantage to have guys that have those type of numbers and all of a sudden have for another year.” Connecticut has also gotten major contribution from younger players in guard Rodney Purvis and forward Daniel Hamilton. Purvis starts at guard alongside Gibbs and is the Huskies’ biggest threat from deep, shooting 47 percent from 3-point range. Hamilton, while not as consistent a shooter, poses a threat solely in his versatility. “He’s a point guard one minute,” Beilein said. “Then he can play a ‘1,’ a ‘2,’ a ‘3’ or a ‘4’. They can go small, and he can play ‘4’ or he can play the ‘5’
even. There’s a lot of versatility that you see.” Hamilton’s ability to play different spots makes him a tough matchup, one that will likely fall to Michigan’s best defender: LeVert. Beilein said he has ideas as to how to stop Hamilton, but didn’t specify what they were. If Michigan’s big men underperform again, Hamilton may be the least of the Wolverines’ worries. Junior forward Mark Donnal has started at the ‘5’ in each game so far, but Beilein hinted earlier in the week that he was reevaluating that spot in the starting lineup and wanted to shorten the rotation across the board. Sophomore Ricky Doyle has been Michigan’s most efficient big and could slide into Donnal’s starting spot. If Doyle can’t step up, though, it could be a rocky start to the Bahamas business trip.
Battle 4 Atlantis By LEV FACHER Managing Editor
PARADISE ISLAND, The Bahamas — Don’t let the fancy resort and tropical destination fool you — the Michigan men’s basketball team views its southward swing to The Bahamas over the Thanksgiving holiday as a business trip. The Battle 4 Atlantis, hosted by the Atlantis Paradise Island Resort just off the shores of Nassau, Bahamas, packs a punch in its lineup this year. The tournament features No. 10 Gonzaga, No. 18 Connecticut, No. 25 Texas A&M, Syracuse, Texas, Charlotte, Washington and Michigan. Round 1 Michigan takes on No. 18 Connecticut at 9:30 p.m. EST on Wednesday. The game will be broadcast on AXS TV, and caps off the first tournament quadrupleheader of the week. Round 2 If the Wolverines beat the Huskies, they’ll play either Charlotte or Syracuse the following day. A win would pit them against that game’s victor in a 3:30 p.m. matchup, broadcast on ESPN. Lose to Connecticut, and they’ll tip off once again at 9:30 p.m. against the loser — another AXS Broadcast. Round 3
LEV FACHER/Daily
John Beilein’s team is treating its time in the Bahamas as a business trip and a time to improve.
ICE HOCKEY
With two wins, the Wolverines will play on Friday against whichever team in the group of Texas, Texas A&M, Gonzaga and Washington escapes the tournament’s first two days with
a 2-0 record. Regardless, they’ll play one of those teams in the final round. At 2-0, Michigan would play at 3:00 p.m. on ESPN. If the Wolverines beat Connecticut but lose on Thanksgiving Day, they would play at 12:30 p.m., also on ESPN. A first-round loss followed by a win would have them tip off at 7:00 p.m. on AXS, and two losses would result in a 9:30 p.m. tip on AXS to close the tournament. Breakdown: Michigan faces another tough test Wednesday in Connecticut center Amida Brimah. At 7 feet, he presents another physical, low-post presence — he won’t score as much as Xavier’s 6-foot10 Jalen Reynolds did on Friday, and the Huskies’ offense won’t run through him, but he’ll present a major issue on the glass at both ends of the floor. The Wolverines should feel better about playing Syracuse the next day. Michigan got past Jim Boeheim’s trademark 2-3 zone last December at Crisler Center, and the Wolverines’ deep, experienced backcourt has the patience and shooting ability necessary to find space around the perimeter to win the game from the 3-point line. Charlotte, meanwhile, is a program looking to retool under first-year head coach Mark Price. And while Texas A&M posts a stiff secondary challenge in the other bracket, it’s tough to envision any team in the field handling Gonzaga and Kyle Wiltjer, a 6-foot-10 forward who has clear star potential in the NBA. The Bulldogs are the clear favorites in this tournament, and the Wolverines wouldn’t fare well against Wiltjer if they faced him.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Michigan announces 2016 Unbothered by struggles, seven-man recruiting class Flaherty has career game By KEVIN SANTO Daily Sports Writer
With the conclusion of the early signing period, the Michigan hockey team has added seven players who will don the maize and blue sweater for the 2016-17 season. During the past two campaigns, the Wolverines have brought in freshman classes that made immediate impacts on the ice. In 2014, freshman forward Dylan Larkin was a catalyst behind a high-powered Michigan offense. He tallied 47 points, good for second on the team in scoring. On the opposite end of the ice, freshman defenseman Zach Werenski finished seventh in points and had the highest tally of any defenseman on the team. Werenski also finished plusnine and quickly established himself as one of the young leaders in the Wolverines’ defensive zone. This season, the freshman impact is even more impressive. Forwards Cooper Marody, Kyle Connor and Brendan Warren are Michigan’s top three point scorers with 11, 10 and nine, respectively. And though freshmen defensemen Joseph Cecconi and Nicholas Boka’s statistics aren’t eyepopping, the pair has stepped up to play every game so far. Now, Michigan coach Red Berenson has brought in seven skaters that could likely have the same influence in 2016. The seven-man group includes five players from the United States National Team Development Program — forwards Will Lockwood, Nick Pastujov and James Sanchez, along with defensemen Griffin Luce and Luke Martin. Lockwood, a Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, native, is the son of former Wolverine forward Joe Lockwood. The
young forward has accumulated 13 points in 20 games with the U-18 squad. Though he may be considered undersized at 5-foot11, 172 pounds, Lockwood is said to have good hands and an impressive hockey IQ. Pastujov has accumulated just two goals and three assists through 20 games with the USNTDP this year, but his performance on the ice in 2014 is much more encouraging. The prospect from Bradenton, Florida, finished fourth in scoring last year after racking up 30 points in 45 games. Rounding out the forwards from the USNTDP, Sanchez — an Illinois native — has notched two goals and two assists in 20 games this season. The three forwards have all been classified as fourthto sixth-round NHL Draft candidates on the NHL Central Scouting Preliminary 2016 Players to Watch list. Martin and Luce, the defensemen, have each played every game of the season with the USNTDP and have tallied seven and three points, respectively. Luce may be the most collegeready recruit in the class, as he was projected to be a potential second- or third-round pick by NHL Central Scouting. The five skaters earned a silver medal together during the U-17 World Hockey Challenge, and the chemistry they established could be invaluable during their transition to Yost Ice Arena next year. This season, every freshman played with at least one other player on the team — whether fellow rookies or Wolverine veterans — prior to arriving in
Ann Arbor, and it appears to be paying dividends. The final two recruits — defenseman Christian Meike and forward Steven Merl — share experience in the United States Hockey League. Merl currently plays for the Bloomington Thunder, but also spent time with the Muskegon Lumberjacks in 2014. Through 15 games this year, Merl has lined up primarily at center, accumulating one goal and two assists. He hails from Bloomfield, making him one of two Michigan natives in the class. Meike’s numbers have been the same as Merl’s after recovering from a significant injury in 2014. One concern is that he may be undersized for a defenseman at just 6-foot, 172 pounds. But his recovery from injury is encouraging, and he has scored one goal and notched two assists in 10 games this season for the Sioux City Musketeers. While the 2016 class has big skates to fill after the production from freshmen in the last two seasons, Michigan associate head coach Billy Powers is confident in the group he has brought to Ann Arbor. “You’re always recruiting based on your needs, and we feel strongly that we’ve added the right pieces and most importantly the right kind of kids,’’ Powers told MGoBlue. com. “Our current freshman class has stepped in and had an impact on our team, and a big part of it is their character. We feel like we’ve found a group to come in next year with similar qualities. You’re going to see the right kind of kids, and that is going to help our program.’’
“We feel strongly that we’ve added the right pieces.”
By BRAD WHIPPLE Daily Sports Writer
Something felt a bit off about Katelynn Flaherty’s shot throughout the first couple games of the Michigan women’s basketball team’s season, so the sophomore guard put in a few more reps on the Crisler Center hardwood, sinking baskets late into the night. She needed every extra minute she could get in front of the basket. Ten days ago against Detroit, Flaherty had her weakest performance of the season with a scoreless second half and four total fouls. After that win, though, senior guard Madison Ristovski said she believed Flaherty would fall back in line. Four days later, Flaherty led the team with 19 points against Xavier. And four days after that, with more practice under her belt and a few extra nights of shooting, the upward trend continued in the Wolverines’ 119-61 victory over South Carolina Upstate. That turnaround made quite a statement, too, as Flaherty etched her name in the program’s record book with a career-high 34 points. With 65-percent shooting, Flaherty joined seven other players in the program’s history to have scored at least 34 points in a single game — including former guard Shannon Smith, who scored 36 points against Ohio State last season. Despite small turbulence to start the season, the stat sheet will show that Flaherty has recuperated. For her, it has been a mental game that has progressed substantially.
“She’s an incredible player,” said Michigan coach Kim Barnes Arico. “(But) she’s kinda been disappointed in the first couple games that her shot hadn’t been falling the way that she’d been working on it.” Against the Spartans, her shots did fall the way she wanted, but not initially. She started the game by missing three straight 3-pointers and a jumper before drawing a foul, stepping to the line and sinking two free throws. After that, Flaherty was unstoppable with the finesse of her dribbling and quick transitions on the fast break. “I think that (Detroit) was a good game for me to go through,” Flaherty said. “It changed my whole mentality coming into games going forward. Especially going 0-for4 in the beginning (of Monday’s game), it doesn’t faze me. I just keep shooting.” And Flaherty kept shooting Monday. It didn’t seem like she would miss. It seemed that Flaherty just needed to see the swish of the ball through the basket — even if it was just a free throw. In the end, it’s about confidence with Flaherty, and one basket could be the tipping point for a phenomenal night. “Maybe the free throws kinda calmed her down a bit, and she didn’t miss after that,” Barnes Arico said. “Every time she shoots it, I think it’s going in. I think probably everybody on our bench thinks it’s going in. When she misses, we’re surprised that she misses it.” Flaherty missed just seven of 20 shots, but Barnes Arico thought her four assists were her most impressive stat line.
“She’s an incredible player.”
Flaherty’s distribution set up freshman guard Boogie Brozoski for a career-high 16-point night. In turn, Brozoski had five assists, the most important one coming with 1:23 left in the game. Ten seconds after subbing in, redshirt senior guard Halle Wangler got wide open at the top of the key and scored a long jumper off a pass from Brozoski. Wangler’s first career basket made the bench uproar in excitement, sending players and coaches jumping on their feet. Twenty-one seconds later, she added her first career rebound as well. Without Brozoski, Wangler wouldn’t have had that shining moment. Without Flaherty, there’s no telling if Brozoski would’ve produced similar results. Ultimately, Flaherty’s career night paid dividends for the performance of her other teammates. “She was making extra passes, and she wasn’t forcing her shot,” Barnes Arico said. “I was really happy with the way she moved the ball.” Barnes Arico said she didn’t know how many points Flaherty had when she subbed out in the final six minutes, nearing 40 points. The fourth-year coach said Flaherty would likely play all 40 minutes of a game if she could, but Flaherty admitted that it wouldn’t be to score more points. “I just want to do what’s best for my team, and just help my team win in whichever way I can,” Flaherty said. “I think when (I) have high scoring games, I also want to work on other parts of my game, whether it’s sharing the ball, getting the ball in other people’s hands or working on defense.” No matter how Flaherty spends every minute on the floor, though, she needs to do one thing. Just keep shooting, and the rest will fall in place.
8A — Wednesday, November 25, 2015
Sports
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Harbaugh, Rudock participate in annual grave walk They joined Michigan fans at Forest Hill Cemetery By MAX COHEN Managing Sports Editor
Jeff Holzhausen laughed when he heard that Jim Harbaugh might be interested in joining his yearly tradition. Each year since 1997, Holzhausen has gathered a
group of Michigan fans to walk to the graves of former Michigan announcer Bob Ufer and former Michigan coach Fielding Yost before the Wolverines play Ohio State. Former Michigan coach Bo Schembechler’s grave was added in 2007 after he passed away before the Ohio State game in 2006. But never had there been a participant of Harbaugh’s stature. Holzhausen first heard of Harbaugh’s interest in attending six weeks ago, but he didn’t fully believe the Michigan
football coach would actually show up until he did. His appearance meant a great deal to Holzhausen. “You’re going to tell me the guy’s a flight risk to the NFL when on a Tuesday night before the biggest game of the year, he’s out here?” Holzhausen said. Holzhausen estimated that 200 people showed up to the Forest Hill Cemetery Tuesday night. Harbaugh joined in right as the group arrived at the grave of Schembechler, his former college coach. When Harbaugh arrived, Holzhausen said, he spoke a few words about Schembechler. He attributed all of his success to things he learned from Schembechler, and discussed how much his college coach meant to him. Then Holzhausen handed Harbaugh a maize and blue hammer and a buckeye nut. It has been a tradition for Holzhausen and his friends to smash a buckeye nut when they tailgate before Michigan football games, and they did the same thing when they first walked to Schembechler’s grave in 2007. Harbaugh joined their ranks in the tradition Tuesday. But after Harbaugh left and much of the crowd dispersed, there was one more surprise visitor for Holzhausen. That was Michigan fifth-year senior quarterback Jake Rudock, who also showed up at the cemetary. As a transfer to Michigan, he had never taken part in the tradition, but his father told him about it when they talked on the phone Monday. “My dad had found out about
LUNA ANNA ARCHEY/Daily
Jake Rudock learned a little bit about Michigan history when he attended the annual grave walk Tuesday night.
it and said it’s just a pretty cool thing,” Rudock said. “He’s never heard of anything like that.” Rudock has made his mark on Michigan history in his lone year playing for the Wolverines, becoming the first quarterback in team history to throw for more than 250 yards in three consecutive games Saturday. But while he’s in Ann Arbor, Rudock
“My dad found out about it and it’s just a pretty cool thing.”
has also taken the opportunity to learn about Michigan history. His family members frequently tell him new facts, and he hears tidbits from fans as well. Tuesday night, Rudock got to experience the history firsthand. He walked to Schembechler’s grave, and like Harbaugh, smashed the buckeye nut. Rudock then walked with Holzhausen and the group to the graves of Ufer and Yost. The fans in attendance made sure to watch out for Rudock when he walked on the icy trail of the cemetery, just days before the biggest game of his career.
“If Jake slips, someone throw yourself under him,” one member of the group joked. Rudock paid his respects at the graves before heading back to the rigor of game week. Holzhausen was impressed by both Harbaugh and Rudock during the tradition. “Both of them, it talks about their commitment to Michigan, their love of Michigan,” Holzhausen said. After the coach and his quarterback showed up, it will not be difficult for Holzhausen to rank his favorite moments from the 19-year tradition. “1A and 1B,” he said.
Wolverines look for better defense against Ohio State By JAKE LOURIM Managing Sports Editor
Six weeks ago, Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh reached into his bank of allusions for a motivational tool. That week, the Wolverines took on Michigan State, which had dominated them for the previous two years by an average of 23.5 points. Harbaugh urged his team to move past that history, referencing a quote from “The Lion King”: “The past can hurt. You can either run from it, or embrace it and learn from it.” Fast forward to this week, when the No. 10 Michigan football team (6-1 Big Ten, 9-2 overall) hosts Ohio State, and the quote applies again — especially for Michigan’s defense. The Wolverines have kept the past two meetings with the Buckeyes close, losing on a last-minute two-point conversion in 2013
and falling behind only late in the game last season. But the defense has been the issue, allowing 42 points in each of those games. “You can’t worry about the past,” said junior safety Dymonte Thomas. “The past is the past for a reason. The only thing you can do is look forward, so the only thing we’re looking forward to is the game Saturday.” The Buckeyes have averaged 471 yards in the past two games against Michigan, including 313 on the ground at 7.4 per carry. Quarterback J.T. Barrett broke his foot in last year’s game, but only after totaling 265 yards and three touchdowns. He will be back under center against Michigan on Saturday. “But this year, we’re a new team,” Thomas said. “We’ve got a new coaching staff. And we’ve got a lot of players stepping it up this year.”
ALLISON FARRAND/Daily
Jarrod Wilson and Michigan’s defense will look to improve against Ohio State.
While the Buckeyes gashed two solid Michigan defenses in the past two years, this year’s edition is even better. Despite struggles against opponents such as Minnesota and Indiana in the second half of the season, the Wolverines appear to be back on track after a strong performance at Penn State. They’re focused on replicating games like those, not specifically on improving from two lackluster performances against Ohio State. “If we do our techniques and our fundamentals, it’s kind of hard to beat us,” said senior safety Jarrod Wilson. “So we’re just worried about ourselves.” Neither the coaches nor the players have discussed past games against the Buckeyes, according to Wilson, but they still have their keys to this week’s game. They have to limit Ohio State’s “explosive players,” as Wilson called them: Barrett, running back Ezekiel Elliott and wide receivers Michael Thomas and Braxton Miller. In preparation for Saturday’s game, Michigan watched different clips of every game the Buckeyes have played this season. That practice helps the Wolverines stay focused on this week, though no game of the rivalry exists in a vacuum. Wilson, who is from Akron, Ohio, still talks to former players about their careers. Their record against Ohio State is always one of the first topics to come up. Wilson, meanwhile, is 0-3, which gives him extra motivation for Senior Day on Saturday. “It’s always an extra edge — one last time to give it all I got and hopefully come out with a win,” he said. Recent history is not on Wilson’s side, but that’s only history. The Wolverines are confident this year will be different. “Of course,” said junior defensive end Taco Charlton. “That’s why we’re playing. It’s a new year, new game.”
statement THE MICHIGAN DAILY
NOVEM B E R 25 , 2015
2B
Wednesday, November 25, 2015 // The Statement
THOUGHT BUBBLE
BOOK S ON BOOK S!
In a sentimental mood B Y N A B E E L C H O L L A M PAT
I
truly admire J.K. Rowling. I realize this isn’t the most controversial statement, and it’s probably a sentiment that most people share. Her crowning achievement, to me, was the ascension of her books to actual pop culture phenomenon. Where today we line up outside movie theaters for midnight premieres, we waited then outside Borders for midnight releases. Where we wait months for the trailer of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” we waited years for the release of “Deathly Hallows.” This is what amazes me about Harry Potter. The concept of books being a bona fide national obsession among people our age seems to have been a casualty from TV and film’s rise to the top of the pop culture food chain. More people binge-watch than read for pleasure, and it’s not for lack of time. Yet, we’ll always have Harry Potter. And truthfully, the series’ quality is irrelevant. The things we held close to our chest in childhood we hold even closer in our adulthood. An objectively bad movie (“Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace”) is considered an all-time classic (by me) simply because of its association with a faintly remembered youth. The power of sentimentality is one of my favorite things about life. It makes me incredibly, inexplicably happy that we look at everything from our formative years in the most crimson of rose-tinted glasses. It’s why I defend “The Office” so fiercely and
love Batman like I love my grandmother. There’s a VHS tape of the Backstreet Boys’ official Black & Blue tour sitting somewhere in my house; I watched it over and over as a child, and I’ll never get rid of it. And no one will ever convince me that “Space Jam” got bad reviews. Is this worth it, though? Do we lose some sort of critical edge if we turn a blind eye to the things we grew up with? To grow up playing football would likely lead to a reluctance to answer uncomfortable conversations about concussions in the sport. To spend one’s youth going hunting would likely translate to a reluctance toward gun control. Unfortunately, it seems sentimentality is often our biggest obstacle to change, as well. To be sure, this is a long line to draw. Assigning sentimental value to certain concepts is a naturally human occurrence, but it can also be dangerous. I grow too attached to movies, books, shows, people, things from my childhood for which I can often never see the other side, and I’ve been alarmed at the degree to which this is true. It’s odd, I know, to analyze the idea of being attached to things from your childhood, and it’s something probably no one has ever done before because no one has ever even thought about why it’s necessary, but I think it’s worth noting. It’s a concept that’s so universal, so ingrained that we never stop to think about why it is such, and that in itself is an important process.
LUNA ARCHEY/DAILY
“My initial vision (for the store) was from growing up in New York City, in Brooklyn, and seeing the Fourth Ave. bookstores. It’s funny that I just happened to be by these famous bookstores. What interested me was that the booksellers were so knowledgeable about everything they had — the places were often swamped with things you couldn’t find — but the owners knew where everything was. I’m kind of the same way now. I can locate anything if you ask for it. The difference between them and me is that I am literate. They were illiterate, but they knew books. They knew what the books were and what they were worth, but they didn’t ever read them! – JEFFREY PICKELL, owner of Kaleidoscope Books & Collectibles
THE Magazine Editor: Ian DIllingham Deputy Editor: Natalie Gadbois Design Editor: Jake Wellins
COVER BY LUNA ARCHEY
Photo Editor: Luna Anna Archey Creative Director: Cheryll Victuelles Editor in Chief: Jennifer Calfas
statement Managing Editor: Lev Facher Copy Editors: Hannah Bates Laura Schinagle Emma Sutherland
Wednesday, November 25, 2015 // The Statement 3B
C A M P U S CO N F L I C T S & CO N V E R S AT I O N S
ON THE RECORD
“Given the widely publicized xenophobic fearmongering by some high-profile Republican presidential candidates this fall, I find it hard to believe that your decision was based solely on a desire to protect Michiganders.” — Daily Columnist VICTORIA NOBLE in an open letter to Michigan Governor Rick Snyder after his decision to not allow more Syrian refugees into the state ***
“It happens every year.” — CSG elections director BENJAMIN REESE, a third-year law student, in reference to the comical variety of write-in candidates — including Jim Harbaugh, Ben Carson, and Bernie Sanders — that appeared on ballots during the most recent Central Student Government elections this week
THE LIST
B U Z Z F E E D, B U T B E T T E R
ACTUAL THANK SGIVING DINNER CONVERSATION TOPICS We get it. For many, Thanksgiving is tough. Negotiating political and generational differences around a turkey-laden table can often be a stressful mindfield. Here are a few suggestions for destabilizing conversation topics.
1
ADELE
2
T H E W E AT H E R
“Isn’t her voice just lovely?” Grandma says, to dispel Grandpa’s impassioned rant about the refugee crisis.
It’s been an unseasonably lovely fall, hasn’t it? Bring up climate change at your own caution.
3 SPORTS 4 A L E X A N D E R H A M I LTO N
The Bears are doing the thing and playing the game swell.
Our nation’s greatest founding father? And the Broadway musical about his life? Jackpot.
5
T H E S E P OTATO E S
Mmmm. Wow. Is there extra butter in these? Really makes the difference!
Dear Google: Dressing for success BY EMMA KERR Dear Emma, As a woman, I’ve been encountering situations where I feel like I have to reconcile two very different sets of expectations for myself. Professionally, women are becoming more able to have significant roles as leaders in society. But then personally I feel like I’m supposed to do the opposite and take up as little space as possible (both in conversations or, literally, in the room) and be, well, pretty all of the time. How do I deal with feeling like I have to be two different people and walk this fine line? Sincerely, Finding a Fit *** Dear Finding a Fit, Women engage in this kind of self-monitoring almost constantly, spending valuable time and space in our minds on trivial concerns such as our appearance. It’s the age-old celebrity complaint: Splash the word “anorexic” over my face on your magazine’s cover, then put me on “baby-watch” if I gain five pounds. Women just can’t win sometimes. We are liberated and equal and free to do what we want as women — but those of us who go to bars are expected to wear the same skin-baring clothing in the Skeeps line, snow or otherwise. As women, our sexualities are policed. We are supposed to be attractive but walk, like you said, a very thin line — careful not to breach into the dreaded territory of “slut.” It’s like this. Society: You should be a young, sexy, attractive woman. You are a sexual being. Flaunt it. Enjoy being objectified — it’s a compliment. *Woman wears hella cute body con mini-dress with iridescent sequins around the v-neck top* Society: You’re dressing too provocatively, your dress is too short, too much of your cleavage is exposed. It’s like you’re asking for it. Slut. How can anyone respect you professionally if you dress like that? This is part of being a woman: mastering this
dichotomy. We are perpetually dealing with the systematic, daily commercialization of our bodies. But as we encroach (theoretically) more and more into the professional world, how are we to behave? I walked into my always-chatty 11:30 a.m. class a few weeks ago wearing the same shoes I always wear, the same pair of fleece leggings I slip on when it’s a little chilly out, and the red button down flannel shirt I wear in the fall. My bangs are growing out so I put my hair in a bun to keep it out of my eyes — nothing out of the ordinary. A male student approached me and asked me a) if I had an exam coming up or something of that nature or b) if I was sick. I have been asked maybe a dozen times in my life if I am sick on the days I don’t wear makeup or don’t straighten my hair (which are often). These men, the ones that ask me this, clearly have spent no real time with a woman. They have specific expectations for my appearance and they are more than willing to make it known when those expectations are not met. It’s that moment two days into midterms when your male friend whispers about a female fellow classmate’s armpit hair, scowling and scrunching up his nose. It’s the girl not wearing the bikini she loves and it’s the girl next to her, wearing the bikini, whose body is automatically scrutinized by everyone walking by. I catch myself doing it. So talk to other women about this. If I feel like I can’t walk into class with my hair in a bun without being assumed to have fallen ill, other women have experienced this. The expectation to look “good” (good as defined by some other absurd standard) while performing to the same (higher?) caliber as men in your position exists. And this is just one example of the conflicting expectations society has for women. Be conscious of it, talk about it, make others aware of this feeling of duality, share your experience. Don’t let these confusing expectations determine how you will behave. Sincerely, Emma
ILLUSTRATIONS BY CHERYLL VICTUELLES
4B
Wednesday, November 25, 2015 // The Statement
Wednesday, November 25, 2015 // The Statement
SAN PHAM/ Daily
Dawn Treader Book Shop, E Liberty St.
LifeBetweenShelves:
Scenes from Ann Arbor bookstores
Hannah Bates, Co-Managing Copy Editor
LUNA ANNA ARCHEY/ Daily
Kaleidoscope Books & Collectibles, N 4th Ave.
I
have bought more books in the past month than I have time to read. They pile on my nightstand, my desk, and the corners of my bedroom, and I tell myself I’ll read them when I no longer have to read for my classes. But then I find a book that I simply consume, all at once, as if time doesn’t exist until it’s finished. I didn’t expect my quest to visit bookstores in Ann Arbor to land me with a bunch of new titles. Then again, try to spend time in any local store and leave empty handed — it doesn’t happen. As a child I grew up next to a Borders in Ann Arbor before the company went out of business. My mother would take me and my brothers, and we’d each go home with new books, excited to curl up on the couch and start reading. I’d nearly forgotten what that felt like until now.
Borders is out of business, but local bookstores thrive in Ann Arbor. They cater to every appetite, every niche, and I’ve only ventured to five of them. What possibilities exist for book lovers in this town! Endless run-ins with bookish strangers in the coziest kinds of spaces. As winter descends upon this city, I’ll retreat to the bookstores and their old-book smells, clacking typewriter keys, and burning incense. Or, I’ll stay in — make tea, curl up with a book and devour it. Winter is coming. I enter Dawn Treader on a Thursday. In the early evening, it has just begun to rain, and I fear, combined with the wind, there may be no leaves on the trees by the time I leave. Heavily discounted book carts line the entryway, a lure for the forlorn bibliophile. Inside, a bowl of candy sits on the
counter next to the register with no one behind it. I want a miniature Milky Way. A woman with a sprawling, circular metal tree necklace sits on the floor with stacks of books around her. I can’t tell if she works here or not, but she’s lost in thought and doesn’t look up. As I head farther back, the smell of once-damp pages and literary dust sets in. I breathe. It’s as though every corner I turn may hide a some new figure — an older gentleman with a thick green coat and a beanie, a couple that turns to one another and remark, “books on books!” I pace the store’s maze-like footprint a few times to get the general layout. Up and down, down and up, there are faces everywhere I turn; yet somehow, the quiet settles around me. I venture deeper into the cavernous depths, past the glass cases filled with yellowing pages. A life-size Egyptian statue
stands watch. Immensely large African masks hang throughout, staring. Cultural artifacts fill the place — there are even Star Trek cutouts in the Sci-Fi section. A humming sound buzzes from above me. I look up. Glass ceiling panes are the backdrop to Star Wars battleship replicas, as if the ships were truly within the gray sky. I pause to watch them in flight and feel lucky to have noticed. No buildings or birds obscure my view. It’s just me, a life-size Captain Jean-Luc Picard, and the soaring Millennium Falcon. The humming follows me through the store. At one point, a section of squeaky floor groans at me. Amid the lack of voices, I smile at this misplaced cry. I make my way to the fiction aisle. Stools dot the floor every few paces, like a self-service setup for the ceiling-high shelves. I stop directly in front of the “F” section and begin eyeing it for my writers. A Faulkner catches my eye. Grabbing a stool to retrieve it, I realize my backpack blocks the whole aisle. As I look down, a young man with blond hair and a stubby ponytail momentarily meets my eyes before darting behind another shelf in a Houdini-esque vanishing act. Just as I begin to believe that the store facilitates acts of illusion, he materializes on my other side. I take down the “The Sound and the Fury,” and despite its crumpled cover, I want it. It smells that certain way: a bit like my grandfather’s house and cool, earthy dirt. To leave the aisle, I dance around the man with the blond ponytail, and head to the front. A man now stands behind the register, and he lets out a big sigh as I approach the counter. Me too, I want to say. Winter is coming. Before heading out the door, I turn from the counter to see if the man with the ponytail found what he was looking for — he’s holding a book fraying along its amber spine, and the pages are close to his face. I put the Faulkner in my backpack, though I worry about the condition of the cover. The wind whips through the open door, and leaves scatter on the welcome mat. I leave without taking a miniature Milky Way. With one backward glance to where the man stood before heading out the door, I notice that he’s gone: no ponytail or frayed edges in sight. Simply vanished. You can lock me out, but I can’t lock you in. Another Thursday, and old-book smell accosts me. This, I think, is what happiness smells like. Inside Kaleidoscope Books & Collectibles there are piles of books everywhere I look, floor to ceiling, and the aisles are so tight that I tread cautiously to avoid knocking down any prized items. I say hello to the store owner in the center of the room, hidden by a labyrinth of books, shelves, and glass cases. “Is there anything in particular you’re looking for?” he asks. “I’m just looking around,” I say, but soon realize I am so overwhelmed by the number of books that I don’t know where to start. I let my hands wander over titles I have never heard of, picking up books with embossed covers and faded pages. To enter one aisle, I push against a door that emits a tremendous squeak. Almost on instinct, I search for the classics. After the owner helps a man looking for old Spiderman comics, he once again directs his attention at me. I ask him if he has any poetry. The first book he placed in my hands was a heavy edition of a classical poet, whose name I didn’t quite catch. “This just came in today,” he tells me. I am reminded of medieval illuminated manuscripts with their gold leaf and Celtic knots. The cover is green, and I am in love. All I can muster in response to the book was, “So beautiful.” Beautiful, because I didn’t know who the poet was and I didn’t want to admit that. He shows me a copy of “Wuthering Heights,” to which I respond, “Beautiful, it’s beautiful.” I tell
him I have a much less beautiful copy of “Wuthering Heights.” The book rests next to a stack of huge, elegant Bibles. While I am tempted, it’s a bit out of a college student’s price range — after all, it was a collectible. I drop my backpack to slip between the set of shelves and get a closer look. Behind one shelf, piles of posters and books are scattered on the ground. I wonder if the owner knew, or if he cared. As I look — and impulsively touch every volume that intrigues me — the owner calls me over to look at a series of chapbooks filled with poetry. He gestures to a colorful one with big, loopy lettering on the front and tells me how it’s his own publication, a story he had told his son when he was four years old that made his son want to be a writer. “Really?” I ask. The chapbook is called, “The Day He Refused to be Silent.” I thumb through, and comment on how great it was that his son had published it for him. He shows me another one, which I flip over to see who wrote it. “Who is Isaac?” “That’s my son.” He tells me this was the work that had truly made his son a writer, and that it was about his wife. His wife had fallen and hit her head, and she didn’t have a high chance of surviving. He explained to me that the day she was out of the hospital, Isaac had presented the chapbook. He says it’s a very special thing — no matter how successful he becomes as a writer. This will always be the best thing. I buy Isaac’s chapbook. As he rings me up, my eyes continue to wander around the shop. “What a cool cash register,” I tell him. It looks vintage with its large, round keys and still rang sharply when the drawer opens. “You know, there’s a whole basement, too,” the owner says. “How do I get to it?” “Downstairs. You want to go downstairs?” “Sure.” As we walk down the stairs together, I have second thoughts. I ask if people actually visited the basement, and he says they do, every day. He fiddles with a set of keys. “It won’t lock me in here, will it?” I ask, jokingly. “You can lock me out, but I can’t lock you in.” We both laugh. The door shuts behind me — the deadbolt blocking the door from fully closing — and I stand alone in the basement. I breathe in the musk and start exploring. In addition to the books, there are artifacts and collectibles everywhere. I stumble upon a stack of old Sports Illustrated Magazines and think of my dad. In one corner, two old gumball machines rest against each other, both full of colorful candy melted against the glass. I find a poster that reads, “It’s difficult to soar with eagles when you work with turkeys.” I laugh aloud and consider buying it. After a while, the air begins to taste too stale and stagnant to continue browsing. Flipping the lights off, I head back up the stairs. The owner is sitting outside the shop, next to a table of books. We wish each other well and I am on my way, clutching Isaac’s chapbook at my side.
5B
Do you know Mary, Queen of Scots? There is no one inside except the man behind the counter as I walk through the propped-open door of Motte & Bailey. I offer a small hello, almost a squeak, reluctant to disturb the quiet. I start to slowly circumnavigate the store; it seems logical, as most of the books reside along the outskirts of the store. The walls and shelves create small nooks while the center of the store remains open. I can see straight to the back. The cascading towers of literature do not obstruct my line of sight. Books are pulled from their shelves and stacked on the floor in an almost deliberate fashion, placed carefully next to an inviting chair, as if a reader had just left for tea and planned to come back. Some of the books are gold-plated and intricate. There are many cases of large, deeply colored volumes. Along the ceiling, black, chalkboard-esque quotes line the walls: Some books are undeservedly forgotten; none are undeservedly remembered. — W.H. Auden. I can’t agree more. Among the sections Naval History and the Civil War, I search for titles I recognize but feel too young or unsophisticated for this kind of market. Suddenly self-conscious, I feel a little foolish for even stopping to look here, as if someone unseen may judge me for pretending to be interested. A man with a bulky coat — despite the sunshine and warm breeze — comes in and asks about two books. The man behind the counter seems flustered, and says he had meant to put the books in sleeves before the bulky-coat man came in. “I’ll do that right now,” he says, standing. As he got to work, the other man grabs a seat near the front of the store, the children’s section and loudly asks, “Do you know about Mary, Queen of Scots?” “I’m looking for her, but she’s not in here,” the man continues, after a pause. He must be flipping through a book I cannot see, and based on the volume they used in the otherwise silent store and the manner in which they addressed each other, I begin to believe they’ve forgotten my presence. Unnoticed, I sit in a chair in a little nook, one of the ones that appeared staged or recently abandoned, and gaze at the collection. The spines read “Ancient Greece,” and though I am not exactly interested, I appreciate the breadth of what’s in front of me. I sit back and breathe. The two men exchange anecdotes about Mary, Queen of Scots, and I contemplate the muskiness and the clutter of the bookstore — I expect it from a place that sells rare and used books. It smells as though the books come from loving homes, placed peacefully on end tables of rooms with fireplaces next to pipes stuffed with tobacco. A boxed trilogy of Lord of the Rings is within reach. I grab for it in recognition, but it is as costly as it was lovely. Feeling guilty for not having bought anything, I pick up a business card on my way out, the smallest gesture of appreciation and thanks I can muster. As I leave the men laugh loudly together, and I begin to wonder if the man in the coat frequently buys books from Motte & Bailey. Maybe the two had known each other for years, and I had just caught a glimpse of friendship. See BETWEEN, Page 8B
SAN PHAM/ Daily
Motte & Bailey Booksellers, N 4th Ave.
6B
Wednesday, November 25, 2015 // The Statement
Personal Statement: Chronic by Jake Wellins, Senior Design Editor
ILLUSTRATION BY JAKE WELLINS
I
was walking to my 9:00 a.m. lecture on a brisk fall morning in Ann Arbor. However, I had stopped at a bench outside of South Quad and was unable to join the throngs of students headed to their classes. I couldn’t walk because I was cripplingly nauseated. While nausea is normal for me (particularly in the morning) this was far more intense than my normal levels. I had already blown through the normal remedies that get me through these episodes — pepto bismol and nearly a sleeve of saltine crackers — in an attempt to get to class without throwing up. My mind wandered to the joint in the small pocket of my backpack. Nothing else would fix my nausea enough to allow me to walk. I pulled the joint out of its container and smelled the familiar, calming smell. I lit it and inhaled deeply, and a smile began to creep onto my face. I was able to put down the now nearempty sleeve of saltines and hold my head high without fear of throwing up. The constant negative force my stomach normally exerts onto me faded away and I was able to get to class (on “Michigan Time”) with a smile on my face. *** In fifth grade I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. My symptoms started manifesting in the third grade, which is when my parents began having me tested for various diseases that cause constant nausea. I was nauseated at school, while exercising, after eating, and a lot of times in between. After two MRIs and two colonoscopies, my gastroenterologist finally determined that it was Crohn’s, a disease that affects the lining of a person’s digestive tract and can cause nausea, abdominal pain, and other symptoms. I was given a prescription for the biggest pills I’d ever seen and told the disease would be with me for the rest of my life, but that symptoms could be managed through medication, diet, and exercise. Crohn’s is chronic, and manifests in each patient differently. Some experience flare-ups: periods (spanning hours to days) of intense nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting. My version of the disease is less intense, with the primary symptom being constant nausea. In high school, my disease took a turn. My intestine, when stressed, began blocking food from passing through my colon at a point known as a stricture. This caused intense radiating pain to my back and stomach, and sent me into bouts of writhing pain that could last for hours or an entire day. I went to the emergency room too many times in attempts to understand what was causing the pain. During the summer after my sophomore year of high school I had surgery to unclog three strictures. While the surgery alleviated the episodes for about a year, they eventually returned. This time, the pain was not caused by blocked food, but instead from stress. My gastroenterologist told me that my mind had associated the feeling of high stress with the pain that I felt during those painful episodes, and was now causing me to feel that pain when high stress occurred. The advice I received was to stay as stress-free as possible. Not easy, or realistic for a high schooler applying to college. In addition to the pills I took every day, I was put on a bi-monthly infusion, a dialysis-like procedure in which an anti-inflammatory drug was pumped into my system over several hours. My current medication was re-evaluated. But not much seemed to help the nausea or my stress. It was entirely up to
me to stay healthy and pain free. *** Growing up in San Francisco, I saw plenty of drugs and alcohol. Kids in my high school grew facial hair as fast as they could to get fake IDs for parties on the weekends. Looking back, it makes me recall the song “Super Rich Kids” by Frank Ocean. However, my friends and I were never around these kids. We were always in other parts of the city, playing video games or Ultimate Frisbee. As such, I hadn’t ever had drugs or alcohol before my first semester at Michigan, living on the backside of Markley. Freshmen year, as I was exposed to various mind-altering chemicals, I began finally understanding why people in San Francisco were so determined to get me to try marijuana because of my stomach. Marijuana makes my stomach disappear, and makes my constant nausea dissipate, even if it’s only for a few hours. However, I didn’t start really using marijuana to help my stomach until the summer after freshman year. The summer after freshman year, my dad went with me to get a medical marijuana card in California. Above Amoeba Records in the Haight — San Francisco’s hippie district — sits an office that helps anyone (with a legitimate reason) obtain a medical card. The doctor (incidentally, a graduate of the University of Michigan Medical School) discussed my Crohn’s symptoms and told us that I was “the quintessential patient” for medical marijuana. Later that week, I purchased gummies from a dispensary that had a high amount of Cannabidiol (CBD), the chemical in marijuana that helps abate migraines and other types of pain. I didn’t try them right away. I was nervous, because my only experience with edibles had been seeing my hall mates from Markley couch-stuck for hours on end. On a trip to Boston that summer though, I desperately needed help. I awoke for a morning flight with extreme nausea. I finished packing for the flight, but could not even stomach a slice of toast: the only thing I could eat was saltines. My dad came up to me and told me to take one of the gummies. I obliged. I had to do something. It tasted horrible, still cold from the fridge, and took several minutes to choke down. And like all edibles, it took about forty-five minutes to kick in. I barely made it through the Uber ride and through airport security, and I continued to eat saltines and Pepto Bismol just to keep myself from throwing up. I was slouched while walking, disheveled, and clearly in pain. Finally, we were in line to get our tickets scanned to get onto the plane. But then, in the middle of checking in, something incredible happened: I straightened my posture, looked up at my dad, and for the first time all day, I smiled. “It’s working,” I said. He smiled back at me and I started laughing; I couldn’t help myself. I found my seat and fell into a contented sleep because my stomach had finally disappeared. *** Most people use marijuana to feel good and have fun. It’s fun for me too, but much more importantly, it is the most effective drug for me in my fight against Crohn’s. I honestly don’t know if all the prescription drugs I take really help prevent serious Crohn’s flare-ups. But I do know that medical marijuana lets me participate in any activity I want without fear of my stomach preventing me from enjoying my college experience.
Wednesday, November 25, 2015 // The Statement
I
Personal Statement: Crushing Facebook by Regan Detwiler, Daily Opinion Editor
ILLUSTRATION BY CHERYLL VICTUELLES
walked into the second floor study room of the School of Education ready to do some research for a final paper I was writing; I had put myself in just the right mindset to sit down and finish a good portion of work. Surveying the area, I found the seat of my choice: a table to myself tucked away in the far corner, facing the tall, leaded windows that reached all the way to the high ceilings, allowing the crisp evening light of spring to shower me as I eagerly delved into primary sources. My thoughts were like a jagged slab of marble, hard, strong and heavy, waiting to be chiseled into a softly nuanced sculpture. I settled into my spot and breathed it all in. I brought out my computer and opened Facebook. The magic was gone. I realized this about five minutes into empty-heartedly scrolling through my news feed; each post I saw acted not as the careful tap of a chisel but as a hammer’s blow. My thoughts were tiny pebbles chaotically, helplessly scattered on the floor. I had had enough. For a while I had fantasized about deleting my Facebook, which my best friend from back home, Madi, bravely had done during our junior year of high school. “I felt like it was taking over my life,” she told me when I e-mailed her about writing this article. “I felt addicted to checking it at least every hour.” It hit me then, also, that I spent at least five minutes on social media every time I sit down at my computer. That’s over an hour every week and almost forty hours over a school year spent mindlessly scrolling through my news feed — forty hours of what I saw then as wasted time I could have spent on schoolwork or simply daydreaming. What’s more is that the moments within those forty hours usually made me feel pretty horrible. I became extremely pessimistic: posts from high school friends claiming to have found their “people,” posts from my friends at Michigan who seemed to have found better, cooler lives than I had, and any other posts you could think of seemed to me like purposeful attempts by others to shove their apparent happiness in my face — me, who was struggling through freshman year, trying to push my way through the massive undergraduate population in an effort to find my niche. What was wrong with me? Why couldn’t I find the perfect group of friends who understood me completely, who went with me to the perfect party with other perfect people whose portraits complemented my perfect social media profile? It’s exhausting to relive those thoughts as I write them, and I’m sure they’re just as exhausting to read. They were certainly exhausting to experience; I realized during that moment in the School of Education how unnecessary it was to put myself through that. Facebook seemed to be the place where all of my anxieties manifested themselves, and so the only solution for me seemed to be to get rid of it. I closed my computer screen and called my mom, with whom I’ve had countless con-
7B
versations about the advantages and disadvantages of living in an age of such constant connectivity. I gave her a heads up that I was going to delete my profile — not deactivate, delete. As in, it would be gone forever. So I did it. The deed was done. Five years of carefully curated photos, pages I’ve liked and groups I’ve joined gone forever, wiped from the record. I felt all at once liberated and breathless, like that feeling of getting a haircut and seeing too-long swaths of your hair lying on the ground, so impossibly detached from your head. Just like that, my Facebook, the most stylish accessory to my life, the force that legitimized my social relevance was gone, impossibly detached like chopped locks of hair. Later Madi would tell me her experience was a similar one, that the decision to delete her Facebook was a sudden realization of what was right for her, and the emotion that immediately followed reflected this — it was one of arresting relief. “Deleting it wasn’t going to be the end of the world,” Madi told me. “Life would go on. And that was very empowering.” She’s right — not having a Facebook wasn’t a big deal as the excitement of life in Ann Arbor fizzled with everyone engulfed in final coursework. I had already made most of the friends I would that year, so Facebook wasn’t as relevant to me then as it had been in the beginning of freshman year. It lacked importance in a similar way when I returned home to my old summer job for the summer, as I already knew most of my coworkers. Though I was working full time, most of my friends from home were gone for long periods of time, either on vacation or doing some kind of internship or study program. I had a lot of time to myself, which I filled by reading, journaling and exploring Columbus with our family’s old film camera. Not having Facebook was such a deliberate action that it influenced the way I saw my time. By purposefully omitting from my life something that wasted so much time, I began to see each moment not as disposable but as a blank space characterized by myriad possibilities: did I want to fill it with wonder? Perplexity? Frustration? Vivacity? Serenity? Despite good-hearted coaxing from coworkers to make a Facebook again, I finished the summer glad that I had stuck to my instincts and not submitted to external pressures. Being Facebook-less allowed me to appreciate those moments in transition that we usually fill with social media blather. And even if I was “on my phone” for a moment, it would be reading an article on my news app or finding an obscure Instagram account (my admitted social media kryptonite). It wasn’t until I settled back into university life that I began to question my choice. I’m living in a single this semester and I’ve found I’ve had to be very deliberate about my social life. For this and other reasons, it just seemed like having a Facebook made sense. It would be practical. One night I was feeling a similar impulsivity to what I felt that fateful evening in the School of Education. So far my new profile tells me I have 262 friends.
8B
Wednesday, November 25, 2015 // The Statement
BETWEEN From Page 5B They wrote something genius. My nose drips. In an instant, it has gotten cold outside, and the winter breeze swirls yellow gingko leaves around in harsh circles. Inside Literati, I stare at the checkerboard floor, and am hyper-aware of the cadence of my sniffling in contrast to the smooth tunes of Norah Jones. I scan the chalkboard headings over the shelves, each in their own unique font, but eventually approach a short table of books near the door. One title, “Redeployment,” features the silhouette of a soldier and sports one of Literati’s iconic handwritten recommendations. ...this book is not a beach read, but the writing is powerful, the stories will stick with you, and your perspective on our current wars and most importantly our veterans will/may never be the same. Highly recommended. — Mike. I pick it up and stuff it under my arm. Eavesdropping, I listen to a silver-haired woman explain to a gentleman that the store has three floors. The main floor is mostly fiction, the basement is nonfiction and the upstairs is a coffee shop with a section for young readers. I find myself inexplicably nodding in agreement. The woman turns to me and asks if I need any help. “I’m just looking,” I respond. But the woman spots the book under my arm. “Trying to decide?” she inquires. “You’ve got that look about you.” She smiles the way my grandmother did, without showing her teeth but with her eyes bright from behind her glasses. As I pick up a copy of a book one of my former professors had written, the three women working in the store try to decide if they can put the chalkboard “events” sign back outside. “Is it still drizzling?” one ponders. “No, but the wind gusts keep knocking it down,” another replies. I retreat to the basement of the store and stop to see the latest news on Literati’s Rheinmetall typewriter, a blue-gray fixture perched on a low table in the corner by the stairs. A short poem about spring is the only text on the page, but many snippets of text are posted on the wall behind the machine. Typewriter rule #6 stated, “If you type something genius, you’ll make it on to our wall of fame.” Beneath that, someone had pasted a tiny message: something genius I bolt back up the stairs and pay for both my selection and an overpriced Moleskine planner that I don’t really need. I exit the store toting a Literati bag and head down Fourth Avenue. As I fight my way through the blustery Ann Arbor afternoon, I can hear one of the two people smoking in a huddle near the side of a building: “I see those bags all the time these days.”
SAN PHAM/ Daily
Crazy Wisdom Bookstore and Tea Room, S. Main St.
I want something spicy. Incense perfumes the inside of Crazy Wisdom. I linger near the front of the store because there is truly so much to look at, and I’m distracted by the presentation of mandala coloring books for adults. On top of the shelves, headshots of spiritual teachers Meher Baba and Ram Dass, among others, line the wall. In the front window, up high, owl and dolphinshaped bells adorn a short metal tree. I don’t realize they’re bells until I nudge the tree and hear one jingle. Nearby, a book titled “Owls: Our Most Charming Bird” perches on the shelf. It features striking illustrations — biologically correct, by my estimation. A bearded man wearing a T-shirt that reveals a sleeve tattoo on one arm asks the young woman working at the counter if he can look at some jewelry. He’s interested in red garnet, specifically a piece with seven stones. I don’t look to see, but I imagine the gemstones as seven little beady eyes. Who is he shopping for? I wonder. Crazy Wisdom houses a multitude of stones, crystals and gems. I approach an impressive display of amber jewelry enclosed in glass. I think of my younger brother; he once bought a necklace here for a girl he liked, and I remember how the woman tenderly opened the glass case to let us grapple over which one the girl would like best. The store holds itself as a bedrock of holistic health and spirituality. Each artifact on display has a short description next to it that details its history or healing properties: The Hindu deity Ganesh is the god of good fortune and success. Black onyx supposedly protects people, transforming their negative energies. I can understand why these things might be profitable. Nearby, many non-book related objects are for sale: cards and hand-sewn journals, bundled sage to “protect your home,” incense and all of the extras for burning it, dream catchers, patchouli soaps and essential oils. I laugh when I notice a sign that reads, “Salt chunks are not to be rubbed on your skin.” Perhaps the people who bought salt chunks were yearning for something to heal them, whatever their ailment may be. I draw squiggles on a Buddha board and examine quill pens, ink and wax stamp seals. Fancy mortar and pestles
fill an entire display. Near the back of the store, Celtic music becomes audible. A blond woman asks two employees if they have any Tarot cards that deal with the sun sign. “There is an astrological deck,” one of the women responds. She had short brown hair and explained how she learned a lot about astrology from the cards. “I like the art, too,” she added. A grand, wood-paneled staircase leads to the Tea Room of Crazy Wisdom. Instead of Celtic music, horns blare through the speakers. At the top of the banister, there sits a collection of lavish, handmade mugs with bulbous bellies and stones glazed to the handles. They are colored with the most beautiful gem tones, and I touch many of them lightly, thinking about the one I once bought for my mom, even though I wanted to keep it for myself. I walk up to the counter to order some tea, self-conscious of the way my boots sound on the hardwood floor in the empty room. “What do you recommend?” I ask the woman behind the counter. She has the softest black ringlets framing her face, and she leans across the counter to look at the tea list with me. “What do you like?” She rattles off with a few of her favorites, like Earl Grey or English Breakfast, when I interject: “I want something spicy.” “Spicy? Hmm … hang on.” She flips the menu to read it and apologizes to me. “This is my first day of work.” “Oh, welcome,” I say, though I immediately wonder what qualifies me to welcome her here. I eye her to see if she could sense it. I pour tea from the white pot, spilling on the table just slightly. After soaking it up with a tiny napkin, I take a sip. Bitter and earthy — not what I wanted, but it’s warm, and I feel grateful nonetheless.
SAN PHAM/ Daily
Literati Bookstore, E. Washington St.