CELEBRATING OUR ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIFTH YEAR OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM Friday, March 13, 2015
Ann Arbor, Michigan
michigandaily.com
ANN ARBOR
Poorly lit off-campus areas spark concerns With lighting moratorium now lifted, students lobby for changes ANDREW COHEN/Daily
Noam Bedein, head of the Sderot Media Center, presents Israeli children’s drawings about the realities of living under rocket fire during a talk at the Michigan Union on Thursday.
Israeli speaker highlights fear in border city Sderot ‘What would you do in 15 seconds?’ discusses impacts of rocket fire By LARA MOEHLMAN Daily Staff Reporter
If you were given 15 seconds to seek shelter from an approaching rocket, what would you do?
For Israelis living in Sderot, a city near the Hamas-controlled Gaza strip, this question is not a hypothetical one. Noam Bedein, a native Israeli photographer, is the director of the Sderot Media Center, a nonprofit media advocacy center dedicated to spreading the individual voices of Sderot to the international media and public. His presentation “What could YOU do in 15 seconds?” on Thursday evening drew roughly
30 people to the Michigan Union. Last October marked Sderot’s 15th year under Qassam rocket fire from Hamas. Bedein said that since August of 2005 — when Israel gave up the Gaza strip territory — more than 24,000 rockets have been fired from Gaza into Israel. Bedein focused on the normalizing effect that the constant threat of rockets has had on Israeli societies such as Sderot. “I came to this town to become
a student, not knowing too much about this rocket reality,” Bedein said. “I noticed how there’s no public office, government office or press center to speak out for the residents. I’ve established the Sderot Media Center to try becoming a voice and face of the region, pursuing this ongoing rocket reality, which somehow became acceptable.” In a photograph he shared with the audience, a playground See SDEROT, Page 2
By ANASTASSIOS ADAMOPOULOS and ANDREW ALMANI Daily Staff Reporters
Ann Arbor might soon see the light. During the Feb. 17 Ann Arbor City Council meeting, the City Council adopted a resolution that lifted a moratorium on the installation of new lighting that had been in effect in since 2005. The moratorium has been in effect since fiscal year 2006 and was adopted due to the increasing costs of DTE Energy lighting. With the moratorium lifted, several student governments are considering proposals to evaluate off-campus lighting after hearing student concerns about off-campus safety. There are two owners of off-campus streetlights in Ann Arbor — the city and DTE.
WELLNESS
CAMPUS LIFE
Campus group takes on local health issues
RIME works with clinics to increase awareness among low-income patients By NABEEL CHOLLAMPAT Daily Staff Reporter
Approaching its second year on campus, the student organization Redefining Innovation in Medical Engineering has devoted time to a diverse array of projects, from helping rural communities in India to working on health policy solutions for the Metro Detroit area. RIME is focused on providing medical solutions to patients in lower-income markets, according to Engineering freshman Colin Halow, a member of the group. This year, the group is planning to refocus its efforts locally. They are currently working with three clinics in the area — the HUDA Clinic, Cass Clinic and Hamtramck Clinic. Harish Kilaru, RIME cofounder and co-president, said he helped found the organization last year to develop medical devices for rural areas. Last year, RIME’s target area was in rural India. The group created a device that could diagnose jaundice, a yellow discoloration of the skin, from outside the skin. According to Kilaru, however, the device had issues
WEATHER TOMORROW
HI: 53 LO: 27
with actual implementation. “We realized it’s very difficult to design a product for a market that you can only visit once or twice a year,” Kilaru said. “It’s hard to understand what they value, and we had a lot of assumptions that we couldn’t validate until we went to the country.” This experience led the group to switch gears and focus closer to home. Projects in the works for this year include a rewards system to incentivize patients to refer others to clinics by offering discounts at places like the Salvation Army and food pantries. “We want to see whether the rewards are enough to incentivize people to tell their friends to go to the clinic,” Kilaru said. “We’re trying to increase the number of low-income patients that are utilizing primary care, and that issue stems from the fact low-income patients don’t often know where the clinic is.” The group is also developing a website for patients and providers that will provide information about which services are offered at individual clinics. The group’s members include undergraduates as well as graduate students. RIME is funded through Innovate Blue, and also received funds from last year’s Optimize Social Innovation Challenge on campus. Halow said he thought the organization’s work, especially the shift in focus to more local See HEALTH, Page 3
The city compensates DTE for the streetlights that DTE owns, both for their use and their maintenance. The city is responsible for the maintenance of the streetlights that it owns, but still pays DTE for the energy use. According to a streetlight whitepaper created by the Systems Planning Unit in September 2013, by the close of the 2013 fiscal year Ann Arbor had 7,437 streetlights. Of these DTE owned 5,234 while the city owned the remaining 2,203. The city began using LED streetlights in 2006, according to the whitepaper. LED lights are more expensive but have fewer maintenance and energy expenses, which makes them preferable. The moratorium does not mean that new lights have not been installed or that old ones have not been replaced in the city. The condition is that these replacements and installments do not cause a net increase in streetlight costs. The resolution for lifting the moratorium was introduced by Councilmember Stephen Kunselman (D–Ward 3) and See CONCERNS, Page 3
Conference focuses on impacts of depression Annual mental health event talks increased stress on college campuses By IRENE PARK
PAUL SHERMAN/Daily
Daily Staff Reporter
Mat Chavez, one of the recipients of a recent GoFundMe campaign , singing on the corner of North University Avenue and State Street on Wednesday.
Campaign for A homeless couple raises almost $7,000 2
Husband Mat Chavez arrested Wed. on assault and battery charges By ANASTASSIOS ADAMOPOULOS Daily Staff Reporter
A fundraising campaign initiated by a University student has raised several thousand dollars for an Ann Arbor homeless couple. On March 1, Kinesiology junior Michael Funkhouser began an online funding campaign aimed at raising $10,000 for Mat Chavez and his wife Danielle Chavez. Mat Chavez
GOT A NEWS TIP? Call 734-418-4115 or e-mail news@michigandaily.com and let us know.
usually plays guitar for donations on the corner of State and North University Street, outside of Walgreens. Funkhouser said he had seen the two on the street many times and had listened to Mat Chavez’s guitar playing, which he found to be very good. “I stopped to talk to him one day and I realized he had a really unique and really cool story and I started thinking of ways to help him out,” Funkhouser said. “And the next day I came back with the plan of videotaping his story and seeing if other people would take notice of it.” Since March 1 the campaign has attracted 245 donors who have contributed a total of $6,952 as of Thursday evening. Mat Chavez was arrested
NEW ON MICHIGANDAILY.COM Greek life releases statement on inclusion MICHIGANDAILY.COM/SECTION/NEWS
INDEX
Wednesday with charges of battery and assault, the Washtenaw County Jail confirmed on Monday. He was still being held as of Thursday at 5 p.m. Ann Arbor Police declined to provide exact details of the incident, and the Chavez couple was not available for comment. However, Funkhouser said he spoke to Danielle Chavez about 20 minutes after the incident took place. “Danielle told me that another homeless man spit in her face and Mat retaliated by hitting the guy,” Funkhouser said. “The homeless man then called the police on Mat and a warrant was issued for his arrest.” Funkhouser’s description of the incident could not be conSee CAMPAIGN, Page 3
Vol. CXXIV, No. 81 ©2015 The Michigan Daily michigandaily.com
According to a survey conducted by the American College Health Association in 2011, 30 percent of college students have reported at some point in the previous year feeling “so depressed that it was difficult to function.” The National Mental Health Institute states that depression may not only affect a student’s ability to function, but is also major health risk for suicide and other forms of self-harm. The University of Michigan Comprehensive Depression Center hosted the 13th annual Depression on College Campuses conference on Wednesday and Thursday to discuss how student wellness, and especially depression, can be addressed to allow students to perform their best. University President Mark Schlissel, who gave the welcoming remarks for the opening keynote Wednesday, said one-third of college students suffer from some type of mental health issues such as depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts, but only oneSee CONFERENCE, Page 3
NEWS...........................2 OPINION.......................4 ARTS....................5
SPORTS........................7 SUDOKU......................3 CLASSIFIEDS................6
News
2 — Friday, March 13, 2015
MONDAY: This Week in History
TUESDAY: Campus Voices
WEDNESDAY: In Other Ivory Towers
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
THURSDAY: Twitter Talk
FRIDAY: Photos of the Week
420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1327 www.michigandaily.com JENNIFER CALFAS DOUGLAS SOLOMON
Editor in Chief 734-418-4115 ext. 1251 jcalfas@michigandaily.com
Business Manager 734-418-4115 ext. 1241 dougsolo@michigandaily.com
Newsroom
News Tips
734-418-4115 opt. 3
news@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
EDITORIAL STAFF Lev Facher
Managing Editor
Sam Gringlas
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: Anastassios Adamopoulos, Tanaz Ahmed, Neala Berkowski, Alyssa Brandon, Nabeel Chollampat, Genevieve Hummer, Emma Kinery, Lara Moehlman, Carly Noah, Irene Park
More Photos of the Week online
LEFT LSA senior Anna Baumgarten performs in the play “The Goat or, Who is Sylvia? by Edward Albee presented by RC Players at the Keene Theater in East Quad Thursday. (San Pham/Daily) RIGHT LSA junior Rachel Berkowitz poses for a photograph with her white board during the This is What a Feminist Looks Like event hosted by Lean In at Mason Hall Wednesday. (Ruby Wallau/Daily)
CAMPUS EVENTS & NOTES
ON THE WEB... michigandaily.com
THE WIRE
University in top 20 in the world BY NABEEL CHOLLAMPAT
The University has been ranked the 19th best university in the world, according to the Times Higher Education World Reputation rankings released on Thursday.
THE WIRE
Former employee faces charges BY IRENE PARK
Steven Germinder, a former hospital employee, is facing charges for the receipt, distribution and possession of child pornography.
Holy War lecture
“Making the “Rome in Dead Modern” Cinema”
WHAT: James Siegel of Cornell University will speak about the history of Holy War and jihad in Sumatra WHO: Center for Southeast Asian Studies WHEN: Today at 12 p.m. WHERE: School of Social Work Building
WHAT: Discuss the Chinese tradition of relating the dead to the living in ancient poetic language and literature. WHO: Department of Anthropology WHEN: Today at 3 p.m. WHERE: Rackham
“Vain Labor” WHAT: Associate Prof. Achim Timmermann will explore the relationship between Christian and Jewish tradition in medieval art, the role of public images and monuments, as well as his research in moralizing in public imagery and ancient civic rituals. WHO: History of Art WHEN: Today from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. WHERE: Tappan Hall
Graduate School
WHAT: This edition of the Thomas Spencer Jerome Lecture Series will examine the role of Roman history in silent cinema. WHO: LSA Development, Marketing & Communications WHEN: Today at 4 p.m. WHERE: Angell Hall
“Infra-tecture” Masters recital lecture WHAT: Francisco Bedoy WHAT: Jeanne Gang, MacArthur Fellow and architect, will give a lecture focusing on the changing economic and development landscape of cities, as well as sustainability and capitalmarkets. WHO: Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning WHEN: Today at 6 p.m. WHERE: Museum of Art
on the tenor will perform a set featuring pieces from Handel, Lalo, Brahms, Guastavino and Soutullo. WHO: School of Music, Theatre & Dance WHEN: Today at 5:30 p.m. WHERE: Walgreen Drama Center, Stamps Auditorium l Please report any error in the Daily to corrections@ michigandaily.com.
City Council to discuss state ballot proposal on road funding Monday meeting to also include report on homelessness By ANASTASSIOS ADAMOPOULUS Daily Staff Reporter
The Ann Arbor City Council will meet Monday to discuss a number of topics, including a resolution to support a state ballot proposal for allocation of funds by the Michigan Department of Transportation, the annexation of the Nixon Farm and a report from the Delonis Center. Ballot Proposal 15-1 City Council will hear a resolution to support of State Ballot Proposal 15-1, a part of a proposal to improve Michigan’s roads passed earlier this year by the state legislature. Because the proposal includes amending the state sales tax from 6 percent to 7 percent, which changes the state constitution, it requires
THREE THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW TODAY
a statewide vote that will occur May 5. If passed, among other changes it will allow funds to be allocated to the counties of Michigan for a variety of infrastructurerelated improvements. According to the Transportation Revenue Sales Tax Ballot Proposal, Washtenaw County will receive an estimated $21,402,244 for the 2016 fiscal year, $25,339,238 for the 2017 fiscal year and $29,276,232 for the 2018 fiscal year and beyond. Of these funds, Ann Arbor would receive $9,193,546 for the fiscal year of 2016, $10,851,563 for the 2017 fiscal year and $12,509,579 for the 2018 fiscal year and beyond. Along with the sales tax increase, the ballot proposal would increase the fuel tax and modify tax credits and school funding, among other changes. The earned income tax credit will rise from 6 percent to 20 percent of the federal credit amount and eligibility for these credits will increase. Additionally there would be a $300 million annual increase
for the School Aid Fund, $100 million more for revenue sharing and more funding for community colleges. Universities will no longer receive funding from School Aid monies. In Ann Arbor, the funds for the proposal are slated for used on a variety of projects in the city like fixing roads. The state gas taxes will also be used for transportation. The legislation text notes that 24 percent of the City of Ann Arbor’s streets are classified as in poor condition. Nixon Farm Annexation Council will hear two resolutions: one resolution calls for the annexation of the Nixon Farm North, a 69-acre area and the other for the Nixon Farm South, a 41-acre area. Should City Council adopt the resolutions, the city of Ann Arbor would take on the designated areas of the Nixon Farms from the Ann Arbor Township. Each resolution requires eight votes to pass. The resolutions note that the City Planning Commission proposed the annexation at a meeting held Oct. 21, 2014. Delonis Center City Council will also hear an interim report on the winter expansion of the Shelter Association of Washtenaw County at the Delonis Center. The Warming Center expanded its operations to full-time hours from November to March. According to the report that will be presented to Council, the shelter required that all occupants register through the Housing Access of Washtenaw County and go through a screening test. The report notes that through Feb. 27, 2015, 488 unique individuals were screened at the Delonis Center and referred to the Warming Center. Subsequently, 367 people used the Warming Center 1, Warming Center 2 or the Rotating Shelter. Council will also hear about the challenges the Delonis Center faced that included reluctance of some people to go to the Warming Center and the refusal by some to go through the screening process.
1
Two police officers were attacked at a protest in Ferguson, Mo. on Wednesday night. St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar said the shots did not come from among the protesters, but from across the street, Reuters reported.
2
The Michigan men’s basketball team dominated Illinois in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament on Thursday, winning 73-55. It takes on Wisconsin today at the United Center in Chicago (12 p.m. Eastern, ESPN).
3
The Hubble Space Telescope has provided evidence of aurorae confirming the theory that Ganymede, one of Jupiter’s moons and the largest in our solar system, contains an ocean under its surface, The Verge reported.
SDEROT From Page 1 in Sderot featured a bomb shelter that was painted to appear like a caterpillar. “For me the sum of this entire presentation in one photograph … this is it… when you picture a playground and a bomb shelter in one photograph. What other country in the world has a bomb shelter right next to a playground?” Bedein asked. In a video clip he showed the audience, kindergarten students were seen playing outside when sirens went off. The students immediately ran inside to the nearest bomb shelter and began counting down. At the end of the countdown they sang a song. Bedein explained that the children are taught to sing the song to distract them from the sound of explosions hitting Sderot. Bedein, who dedicates much of his time to interviewing and photographing those affected by the threat of rocket attacks, told the audience that virtually everyone living in the western Negev region of Israel has his or her own unique story about an expe-
Aarica Marsh and Derek Wolfe Editorial Page Editors
opinioneditors@michigandaily.com
SENIOR EDITORIAL PAGE EDITORS: Claire Bryan and Matt Seligman ASSISTANT EDITORIAL PAGE EDITORS: Regan Detwiler, Michael Paul, Melissa Scholke, Michael Schramm, Mary Kate Winn BLOG EDITOR: Tori Noble
Max Cohen and Jake Lourim Managing Sports Editors
sportseditors@michigandaily.com
SENIOR SPORTS EDITORS: Max Bultman, Daniel Feldman, Rajat Khare, Erin Lennon, Jason Rubinstein, Jeremy Summitt ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITORS: Chloe Aubuchon, Minh Doan, Jacob Gase, Kelly Hall, Zach Shaw, 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 and James Coller ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITORS: Amanda Allen, Virginia Lozano, Paul Sherman
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 Managing Video Editor Carolyn Gearig Special Projects Manager
BUSINESS STAFF Madeline Lacey University Accounts Manager Ailie Steir Classified Manager Simonne Kapadia Local Accounts Manager Olivia Jones Production Managers Jason Anterasian Finance 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.
rience with a rocket explosion. Bedein also discussed the effect of media bias on the issue of coverage in Israel. He said many people know about the humanitarian issues in Gaza but not of those in Sderot or neighboring Israeli communities. Due to Israel’s missile defense system, Bedein said recent conflict has produced unbalanced fatalities — 72 Israeli deaths compared to the over 2,000 deaths of civilians in the Gaza strip. Since last summer, members of the University student group Students Allied for Freedom and Equality held candlelight vigils in response to the violence. The University’s chapter of J Street, a national organization advocating for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, also held a vigil in September. Siren systems implemented in Israeli cities warn residents of approaching rockets roughly 15 seconds before they hit the ground. Israel has also provided extensive funding to at-risk communities for bomb shelters, minimizing rocket fatalities as a result. At the end of his presentation, Bedein shared with the audience
several drawings from elementary school students in Israel who are under the threat of rockets. Many of them were addressed to children living in Gaza, asking for peace and showing support for children their own age who are under the threat of violence as a result of the conflict as well. LSA freshman Rachel Byrd said she had knew about the situation in Sderot, but found the presentation was still eye opening. “Those videos were pretty powerful, to see how normalized rocket fire has become in Israel and how little I knew,” Byrd said. “(The presentation) definitely made me want to look into different resources or different news outlets because I’ve definitely been getting different information than what I heard today.” LSA sophomore Ben Siegel was especially affected by the drawings Israeli children had made for Palestinian children. “What stood out to me the most would probably be that even through all these kids are going through, they still have this good sentiment towards Palestinians and they want peace even though they’re constantly under pressure,” he said.
BEGIN YOUR WEEKEND WITH THIS INSPIRING QUOTE FROM FORMER UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT JAMES BURRILL ANGELL ANGELL ENVISIONED THE UNIVERSITY AS PROVIDING....
“AN UNCOMMON EDUCATION FOR THE COMMON MAN.”
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
CAMPAIGN From Page 1
CONCERNS From Page 1
firmed Thursday evening. In a video that Funkhouser produced for the campaign, the couple explains that they became homeless after Danielle Chavez lost her job as a receptionist due to a persistent illness and Mat could not sustain them with his job as a carpet installer. In an interview Wednesday, the couple said since coming to Ann Arbor they’ve spent nights in their car when they had one, as well as at friends’ houses, hotels and on the streets. Every day, they try to collect enough money to be able to stay at a hotel for the evening, which they said they manage to do a little more than half of the time. On nights they don’t find a place to stay, Mat Chavez said they walk around the city and try to find a place open late, as well as remain in areas that are protected from the weather. In response to the donation campaign, the Chavez couple said they are very grateful to Funkhouser as well as for the donations, and did not expect such a response. “I’m still amazed because it’s good to see that there are really good people out there and that just really proves it,” Danielle Chavez said. “Anytime anyone’s discouraged and thinks ‘there’s only bad people out there’ — no, that is not true.” Mat Chavez echoed his wife’s gratitude. He noted, however, that though money has been collected through the campaign, he and his wife will not actually have the money for a few weeks after donations close. They still need money every day to sustain themselves. “Last Thursday we didn’t make it, and it was really cold outside, and I am walking around and I’m going ‘Oh my God! I have $4,000, but I don’t have $4,000,’ ” he said. Both told the Daily that they moved from Detroit to Ann Arbor about two years ago after becoming homeless because they said it is safer here for homeless people. “Plus, we had heard that there were services for homeless people here,” Mat Chavez said. “We found out, as we got here, that is not so much the case. But it is much easier to be homeless here.” The couple noted that most people in Ann Arbor treat them well and only a few have mistreated them. Danielle Chavez said she’s been screamed and spit at by people walking by her. Mat Chavez said he feels like the city almost doesn’t want homeless people to improve their situation, referencing the city’s actions this summer to bulldoze a homeless campsite in Broadway Park. The residents were told they were on the property illegally and had 48 hours to vacate. “Not only will they not build a bigger shelter, they won’t build another shelter, they won’t do anything but they want to come tear people’s tents down and their suggestion is ‘well leave, why won’t these people just leave,’ ” he said. He added that the decrease of funding to mental hospitals is a further problem for homelessness in Ann Arbor. Danielle Chavez noted that while Ann Arbor has better services for homeless people than other places, shelters and affordable housing are services that the city needs to improve. “You can get 24 free meals in a week here, but there is nowhere to sleep,” she said. Funkhouser said he believed the $10,000 funding target was enough to put the couple back on their feet. “With renting apartment and food every day and the everyday expenses, I figured that they would have a cushion instead of having to try and get back on their feet with, let’s say, $1,000,” he said. Funkhouser said he is optimistic about reaching the target and plans to stay in touch with the couple once the campaign is over to see if they need anything else. Mat and Danielle Chavez said they are uncertain about what they would do with the money from the donations, but their priority is to get off the street and find a place to live, though they don’t know where that would be. Mat Chavez also added that he plans on forming a band once the couple finds a place to live. “I have a lot of original music that I don’t play out here,” he said. “And after this experience I’m sure I’ll be able to write a lot more.”
seconded by Councilmember Jack Eaton (D–Ward 4). Safety The streetlight whitepaper notes that a Streetlight Deenergizing Pilot in 2010 found that the public believed more lighting increases nighttime personal safety and a lot of residents believed home thefts would be more likely in underlit areas. However the report also found that there is no correlation between crime and lighting on streets, whether that is crime committed against pedestrians or occurs in the neighborhood. The student community has also expressed concerns about streetlights. LSA junior Michael Fakhoury, chair of the Central Student Government’s Commission on Student Safety and Security, said many students have complained to CSG about lighting on campus. “There’s a lot of safety issues — there’s actually being safe, and the feeling of safety, which are two different things,” Fakhoury said. “A lot of the areas that are not well lit on campus are being explored right now. Obviously we’re taking it one step at a time and looking at different issues.” At the CSG meeting on Wednesday, a resolution regarding the moratorium and lighting was presented. Assembly Resolution 4-033 expressed support for the city’s removal of the moratorium, and called for the addition of new street lighting in areas where students have expressed grievances. CSG has begun collecting and analyzing data based off of student complaints, to establish a more comprehensive lighting recommendation to the city. “Before the moratorium was lifted, there wasn’t much we could accomplish at our meetings with the city,” Fakhoury said. “The city officials were very encouraging, telling us to look into this and gather data so they could examine it more and investigate these areas.” A map of lighting in the vicinity of Hill Street, Oxford Road and Geddes Road was included in the agenda. Other areas being investigated by CSG include South Campus and Kerrytown. “So we’re looking at areas where lighting is inadequate, and we’re welcome to receive any additional areas that students would want to see more lighting at,” Fakhoury added. “We’re gathering the data right now, and the points on this map represent areas that have more than 250 feet of space between lights, which is ridiculous … I welcome anyone to e-mail me with crossroads at areas of concern and we will definitely look into them.” LSA senior Serena Bidwell, a member of CSG, was one of the students who brought forward issues about lighting. “A lot of my friends have complained because we all live in off-campus housing, so the walks at night going home from the library or the weekends can feel very unsafe, and we shouldn’t feel unsafe on our campus,” she said. LSA Student Government’s Student Life Committee has also received complaints. Committee Vice Chair Arun Datta, an LSA sophomore, said in the past year, two students have submitted complaints, one for catcalling at night and the other for feeling unsafe while walking off campus. “They didn’t give a specific location, but it is pretty easy to understand that the whole off-campus area isn’t really
HEALTH From Page 1 areas, is important because a lot of smaller health issues are overlooked. “There are a lot of local problems that we seem to overlook, because everything is pushing toward global and holistic care, so we want to make sure that we actually pay attention to these small problems,” Halow said. Kilaru said the disparity
News lighted well,” Datta said. “LSA Student Government also held a walk along with administrators around campus recently, in which members of the government helped point out spots that need lighting.” Greg Bazick, the deputy chief of the Ann Arbor Police Department, also said that perception of safety seems to be greater in places that have more lighting. “While it’s generally believed in crime prevention circles that lighting is a very effective deterrent to crime, studies conducted over time by various organizations have not been able to establish an absolute correlation between lighting and crime from a statistical perspective. Results have been mixed.” Bazick added that he does not expect the AAPD to be impacted immediately by the lifting of the moratorium. “The department certainly wouldn’t discourage enhanced lighting in public rights of way, yet at the same time there is no data to indicate that those enhancements would affect substantive change in those areas from a statistical crime measurement perspective,” he said. Eaton also noted that citizens have raised safety concerns due to lack of lighting on some streets. He gave Packard Street, from its intersection with State Street until Stadium Boulevard, as an example of an under-lit area people have complained about. “We can’t instantly solve everybody’s desire to have welllit streets,” he said. “But we can start the plan by identifying which areas are high priority. And I believe that those will really be matters of safety.” Funding The lifting of moratorium has no immediate effect on the city aside from giving City Council the option to increase its budget for street lighting. If and when this increase will actually happen depends on the budget City Council is currently discussing for the fiscal years of 2016 and 2017. During the same City Council meeting last month, City Administrator Steve Powers suggested that City Council target which areas need relighting so that staff could incorporate lighting for those areas in the budget. The next budget meeting will take place March 23. Ann Arbor Mayor Christopher Taylor (D) said he expects staff to come back with a proposed policy for when the city should introduce or decommission streetlights depending on the immediate need. “Streetlight maintenance and the energy associated with it is a surprisingly large portion of our budget — somewhere in excess of $2 million a year,” Taylor said. “So cost containment is something that we will need to consider as we determine whether and where to place new streetlights.” Eaton said the lifting of the moratorium is an important first step, but nothing is going to happen quickly — and that assessing how to fund potential new lighting is an issue. “Lifting the moratorium is the first step in a multi-step process. Next we identify priorities and then we identify revenue that we can spend on that. It will take years to actually roll out what we fully intend to do,” he said. Councilmember Julie Grand (D–Ward 3) noted that the lifting of the moratorium is not attached with any funding and simply gives the city more flexibility when considering street lighting. “Really for me the only way we are going to have more funding for this is if we strengthen our tax base which means
between health care in rural countries often seems more pressing than domestic issues, even though it’s more difficult to solve. “Groups on campus are much more likely to have a much larger impact on a culture that they understand well, and serving low-income patients in Detroit is much more similar to what we understand,” Kilaru said. “And although it’s important to look globally, a lot of these problems still exist at home.”
Friday, March 13, 2015 — 3
CONFERENCE From Page 1 half of the students who suffer receive help. Schlissel emphasized the importance of a support network among students to prevent mental health issues. “We are broadening the way to address these illnesses and learning that peer support is vitally important among students,” Schlissel said. In September, Central Student Government and Counseling launched the Wolverine Support Network, a program designed to provide peer support for students on campus. Dr. John Greden, the executive director and founder of UMDC, said the amount of years the event has existed reflects the importance of addressing mental heath issues among college students. “People who attend keep saying we need to continue,” Greden said. Michael Young, former vice chancellor at the University of California, Santa Barbara, was the keynote speaker. During his speech, he said mental health issues are much more prevalent in modern university environments in the United States than they were in previous years. “Why are so many more students having psychological and psychiatric issues than in the past?” Young asked the crowd. Outlining the work of a committee on mental health he cochaired during his time in the UC system, Young said the higher rates might come from a com-
bination of factors: the lack of a wide availability of counseling and medication, the age of mental illness onset corresponding with the average age of the student body and students struggling to deal with failure. He also mentioned several other stressors that might contribute to higher incidence of mental health issues in recent years, such as helicopter parents, increasing global turmoil after the 9/11 terrorist attacks and a poor job market. Rick Warren, associate professor of psychiatry, led a workshop during the conference focusing on how self-criticism could affect students’ mental health. He said high self-criticism and low self-compassion both pose a high risk for developing depression. Warren said students can also put themselves at risk of depression when they connect their self-worth to achieving their goals and said students need to accept themselves unconditionally regardless of their performance. “Students need to set goals that are self-concordant,” Warren said. Self-concordant refers to the concept that individuals should pursue goals because they want to, not because they feel other people will approve. The conference also recognized two students for the Student Mental Health Advocate Award, LSA senior Siang-Chean Kua and Ashli Haggard, a senior at the University of Maryland, College Park. The two students were recognized for their leadership in campus mental health by rais-
ing awareness of mental health issues, advocating for mental health services and reducing stigma around mental illnesses. Kua wrote in an e-mail interview with the Daily that he was motivated to get involved in mental health issues on campus through volunteering at the University Hospital’s inpatient psychiatry unit. “I realized that a number of patients admitted into the unit were students like myself,” Kua wrote. “That helped me understand the scale of mental health issues to a greater degree and inspired me to do something on the student level.” According to Kua, there weren’t any University student groups dedicated to mental health at the time. He said this motivated him and several friends to establish a Michigan chapter of Active Minds, an organization focused on promoting student discussions about mental health to educate and encourage students to seek help. Kua, who is currently a member of Active Minds as well as the Healthy Minds Coalition, wrote that Active Minds aims to promote student dialogues as well as “reframe and reprioritize mental health on campus” using diverse methods including mobile applications, video series and monologues. “For the current semester, a mental health monologues event is currently being planned where we plan to have speakers discuss their own thoughts and experiences regarding mental health,” Kua wrote.
follow us on twitter for more news @MICHIGANDAILY
Opinion
4 — Friday, March 13, 2015
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
BARACK OBAMA | VIEWPOINT
Announcing the Student Aid Bill of Rights 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.
BRIAN TAUBER | VIEWPOINT
I choose not to be silent “I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” -Elie Wiesel This morning, I read of yet another act of anti-Semitism at one of this country’s absolute jewels of public education, the University of California, Los Angeles. During a hearing on Feb. 10 for a seat on the student Judicial Board, candidate Rachel Beyda was asked: “Given that you’re a Jewish student and very active in the Jewish community, how do you see yourself being able to maintain an unbiased view?” As a Jew, the obvious bigotry of this question offends me deeply. However, my decision to speak out goes far beyond this not-so-subtle attack that manifests in a variety of — and ever increasing — ways against Jews across campuses throughout the nation. A recent study by Trinity College and the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights under Law found that 54 percent of Jewish college students have been subject to or witnessed anti-Semitism during a six-month period. No, today, I am far more offended as an American and as one who values what this great country represents. I am offended for several reasons. For starters, these questions are a brazen violation of the spirit, if not the very text of the U.S. Constitution (see: First Amendment’s guarantee of freedom of religion), a document that embodies the very principles of our progressive democracy. To even entertain this question as one appropriate for a public body, student or otherwise, demonstrates a deep ignorance of the civic foundation on which this country was founded and, more importantly,
a body of laws that have evolved since their creation to expand the rights of and protections for other Americans as well. While the question at hand targeted the candidate’s Jewish heritage and community involvement, I am not the only one who should fear the audacity that the statement embodies. If asking whether being a Jew would cloud one’s judgment, what about asking if they were a Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, atheist? Heck, why not ask if other characteristics would influence their perspective, like being Black, Latino, Asian, Native American, even white? How about whether they are poor, rich, Democrat, Republican, independent? Substitute any of these classifications for Jew and you can get a sense of what real bigotry looks like. There is no justification for the question and no moral defense for distinguishing a Jew from any of the other classifications enumerated, no matter the context. The pinnacle of the questioner’s ignorance lies mostly with the arrogance of the presumption on which the question is based. To even suggest that one’s life’s experiences do not influence their perspective or that the resulting diversity of opinion is deleterious demonstrates a dangerous position that, unfortunately, is far too common on campuses today. To imply that the differences that shape us as humans contain an unacceptable bias equates to saying that opinions that vary at all from the speakers are to be summarily and justifiably dismissed. As an American, I cannot and will not accept this shameless attack on the values that we hold so dear. Today, I choose not to be silent. Brian Tauber is a 1992 University alumnus.
EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS
Claire Bryan, Regan Detwiler, Ben Keller, Payton Luokkala, Aarica Marsh, Victoria Noble, Michael Paul, Allison Raeck, Melissa Scholke, Michael Schramm, Matthew Seligman, Linh Vu, Mary Kate Winn, Jenny Wang, Derek Wolfe
O
On burning out
n the Wednesday before Spring Break, I had just come home from a difficult midterm, my brain more or less shriveled up and crusted along the edges. I was staring blankly in avoidance of an essay due the next day. I was also getting over a cold that was going around campus, hacking up a storm as usual. And I realized then that in the three years that I’ve been JENNY attending the University, WANG I’ve only taken one real semester off: the summer term of 2013. Every other term wherein classes were being taught, I had been studying something. I realized, too, looking forward into my “week off,” that I would have very little actual free time, as projects, exams, problem sets, papers, short stories and other assignments were going to be due promptly after the break. I hope I don’t sound like I’m needlessly complaining here. I’ve been apprehensive to write a column about “burning out,” as it seems petty — I just need to suck it up and plow through, right? Everybody else is doing exactly that. I also know asking anything of my professors is inherently self-centered — they, too, face institutional pressures and deadlines, many of which I’m sure are beyond my knowledge. I know that my EECS professors must go through the difficult task of shoving hundreds of students through a standard and strict curriculum; when projects are due or exams are coming up, the GSIs and instructors are right there with us, extending office hours late into the night. Still, I’ve heard plenty of anecdotal accounts about being sick to the point of hospitalization and facing professors who won’t be more accommodating. I’ve seen a classmate pass out due to lack of sleep. I know
of people who have taken exams with high fevers. I’m aware that, for people who struggle with depression or mood disorders, one of the most frustrating experiences is not being able to get work done because you are completely subjected to something — this feeling — that you should be able to suppress but always seems out of reach. To be a successful college student at any school, one has to have a mental and physical constancy that, as I’ve come to realize, is impossible to attain. I’ve sat in lectures unable to focus on the course material, all the while knowing that if I’m not keeping up now, I will be even more behind than I already am. For the last few weeks, even though I give myself ample hours to sleep, I am still tossing and turning and waking up before my alarm calls me. I end up more tired and groggy than ever. Every bit of time I spend kicking back is laden with guilt. I feel that if I’m not doing something “productive” with my time, I am going to face some irreversible consequence in the near future. I’m always anxious about something, even if I can’t see what it is. And so, in regards to the Spring Break we just had, I want to say this: this break was added to the calendar because we needed it. In the future, please, if we are expected to keep plowing through when school is in session, then at least let us have this short week to ourselves, with a more reasonable workload: less, not more, than what we are expected to finish during the rest of the semester. Give us this time to recover as much as we can from no sleep, physical illnesses and mental exhaustion. Allow us to spend this time with our family and friends, whom we have probably been neglecting during the semester. This was why Spring Break was originally added to our semester calendar. I hope this is not too much to ask. —Jenny Wang can be reached at wjenny@umich.edu.
IF YOU FIND YOURSELF LOOKING HERE, CONGRATULUATIONS! NOW LOOK UP AND TO THE RIGHT. ARE YOU NOW THINKING, “IS THIS REALLY A VIEWPOINT FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES?” IF YOU ARE, YOU’RE CORRECT. THE DAILY IS THE ONLY NEWSPAPER IN THE STATE TO PRINT IT!
In an economy increasingly built on innovation, the most important skill you can sell is your knowledge. That’s why higher education is, more than ever, the surest ticket to the middle class. But just when it’s never been more important, it’s also never been more expensive. The average undergrad who borrows to pay for college ends up graduating with about $28,000 in student loan debt. That’s why my Administration has worked hard to make college more affordable. We expanded tax credits and Pell Grants, enacted the largest reforms to the student loan program in history and fought to keep interest rates on student loans low. We’ve acted to let millions of graduates cap loan payments at 10 percent of their incomes, so they don’t have to choose between paying the rent and paying back their debt. I’ve sent Congress my plan to bring the cost of community college down to zero, because two years of higher education should be as free and universal as high school is today. And this week, I unveiled another way that we can help more Americans afford college. It doesn’t involve any new spending or bureaucracy. It’s a simple declaration of values — a Student Aid Bill of Rights.
M
It says: Every student deserves access to a quality, affordable education. Every student should be able to access the resources to pay for college. Every borrower has the right to an affordable repayment plan. And every borrower has the right to quality customer service, reliable information and fair treatment, even if they struggle to repay their loans. That’s it. Just a few simple principles. But there’s a lot that colleges, lenders and the people you send to Washington can and should do to live up to them. Consider the other actions I took this week. We’re creating a way for borrowers to ask questions about their loans or file a complaint and get a fast response. We’re going to require businesses that service loans to provide clear information about how much students owe and their options for repaying it, and help them get back in good standing if they’re falling behind, with reasonable fees on a reasonable timeline. We’re also going to take a hard look at whether we need new laws to strengthen protections for all borrowers, wherever their loans come from. If you believe in a Student Aid Bill of Rights that will help more Americans
pay for a quality education, I’m asking you to visit WhiteHouse. gov/CollegeOpportunity. Sign your name to this declaration. Tell your families, friends and fellow students. I’m going to ask Members of Congress, and lenders and as many business leaders as I can find. Because making sure that students aren’t saddled with debt before they even get started in life is in all our interests. This issue is personal to me. My grandfather had a chance to go to college because this country decided that veterans returning from World War II should be able to afford it. My mother was able to raise two kids by herself in part because she got grants that helped pay for her education. And Michelle and I are where we are today because of scholarships and student loans. We didn’t come from families of means, but we knew that if we worked hard, we’d have a shot at a great education. That’s what this country gave us. In America, a higher education cannot be a privilege reserved only for the few. It has to be available to everyone who’s willing to work for it. Barack Obama is the President of the United States.
A fuzzy definition
y last column generated a lot of backlash online, and many of the comments were valid. I admit that the way I presented my argument was wrong and uninformed. It was entirely, unequivocally and undeniably the wrong way to go about explaining my ideas. I should not have used irrelevant and personal anecdotes about spending JESSE habits to try and KLEIN stereotype socioeconomic classes. I should not have used my limited years of experience to describe an economic problem that has hundreds of facets and millions of stories. When I wrote my last column, it was obvious that I didn’t understand the social and economic juxtapositions of the middle class. Although I don’t fall into what most (if not all) people consider “middle class,” I truly felt middle class. I live in a 1,700-square-foot, one-story home my parents bought 30 years ago, before the dot-com boom made Palo Alto prime real estate. My dad drove a beat-up Mazda Protégé. My brother’s and my Halloween costumes were hand-sewn by our mom. Both of my parents worked every day and alternated waking up very early to go to work in order to get home earlier so that we wouldn’t need expensive after-school care. We led an economically conscious lifestyle (with a few splurges) so that my brother and I could have the opportunity to attend this great school. The way I lived fit all the social definitions of middle class I had ever heard. My mistake was that I believed those definitions and lifestyles fully and accurately described middle class. Walking around Palo Alto, many parts look similar to Ann Arbor: the sizes of the houses, the shops, the types of cars — plus or minus a few Priuses. I had lumped myself in as middle class and based my arguments on what I was familiar with. I thought I was middle class, regardless of income, because of my lifestyle. What I didn’t realize was that where I live gives me economic options other middle class families do not have. I was reminded repeatedly online that “middle class” is defined by social and economic factors. However, after doing the research I should have done in the first place, I found I was not the only one with misconceptions about what being middle class meant socially and economically. In fact, a recent CNN survey showed that 78 percent of people said they feel middle class. Only 38 percent actually were middle class in their respective areas. That survey is online for anyone to take and see where they stand on the economic ladder. The fact that CNN even has this tool should indicate that misconceptions on being middle class are common. This survey defined middle class as household incomes in the middle
fifth of each county. According to the Washington Post, a survey by the Pew Research Center “defines the middle class in the United States as any adult in a household whose income sits between 66 percent and 200 percent of the national median.” In this survey, most respondents also mislabeled themselves as middle class when they weren’t. I tried to find a universally agreed upon definition and could not. So why do so many people identify with the middle class? An article by The Atlantic focused on what language we use to describe middle class. It showed that, in the past, middle class meant you could eventually pay off your mortgage, settle the car loan, have a job with health care coverage and afford the occasional vacation. It didn’t matter where you lived, and if you worked hard and played your cards right, you were going to get a slice of that middle-class American Dream. Unfortunately, these days the old American Dream is harder and harder to relate to for the vast majority of Americans. In fact, according to Credit Suisse Global Wealth Databook, the United States has the most uneven distribution of wealth of any advanced nation. This stark inequality in the distribution of wealth has created pockets of America where the costs of living are drastically different, because people are paying for the privilege of their location. In certain locations, access to better education, leisure activities and job opportunities make that location more desirable and therefore more expensive. Thus, the cornerstones of what used to be a middle-class lifestyle have much more diverse price points. In certain places, a higher-than-national average household income can still struggle to meet these antiquated definitions of middle class. The easiest place to see the national discrepancy in cost of living is in real estate. Because of its expensive real estate and resources, the price of housing in the Bay Area can be 164 percent higher than that in Ann Arbor. A two-bedroom, 1.5-bath, 1,292-square-foot house is listed for $2.2 million in Palo Alto. In Ann Arbor, a similar two-bedroom, twobath, 1,495-square-foot house is listed for $269,900. That is a 715.12 percent increase for virtually an identical house, just in a different part of the country. But it is not just housing. The entire cost of living is more expensive in Palo Alto: groceries, health care, utilities and transportation. All in all, according to the Tax Foundation, $105.93 dollars in Michigan is only worth $88.57 in California — an approximately 20 percent decrease in purchasing power. Part of that increase in price is paying for the privilege of living in a desired location. Previously, I thought that sharing a middle-class lifestyle was enough to make me middle class. However, I had forgotten about the intrinsic value of living in one of those pockets of wealth. Thirty years ago, my parents bought a modest house to start a family; a house they are still
paying off; a house that, through the creation of Silicon Valley, has come to be worth nearly $2 million. I didn’t think about the ability to liquidate that asset when I cast myself as middle class. If my family’s economic situation ever drastically changed, we have the safety net of our location. We can sell our house, move somewhere cheaper with fewer resources and less prestige, and still be able to live comfortably. That is an option most middle-class families do not have. All of this points to the obvious conclusion that dissimilar incomes are necessary to support similar standards of living in different places. From the CNN survey, middle class in Ann Arbor is defined as a household income of $45,436 to $75,020 a year. In my hometown, Palo Alto, California, it’s $70,529 to $112,385. By this definition, I am not middle class. While both Palo Alto and Ann Arbor are socially similar towns, they are a good example of how the economic demographics of similar cities vary widely. Upper class living in expensive places resembles middle-class lifestyles elsewhere. It takes more than income to define the middle class. The middle class is fuzzy; it’s inconsistent. It’s relative. There is another definition of middle class that has little to do with economics. It is entirely political. According to the president, I am middle class. In the 2012 election, both candidates Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama denoted a $250,000 income as the cutoff for being middle class. Most economists believe this number is way too high. But it serves politicians to have a high cutoff for middle class. It makes them more popular, because they can appeal to a wider range of voters. The middle class has become a campaign platform for politicians to quote in order to get our votes. Every major policy Obama spoke about in his 59-minute State of the Union speech this January focused on helping the “middle class.” Declaring oneself as middle class has become a tired platitude uttered to get the most from our elected officials. I still struggle to define myself because the definition of middle class is so ambiguous. There are so many ideas, viewpoints, stereotypes and generalizations about the middle class that it is no surprise many people are puzzled about how they should label themselves. But as humans, we are hardwired to label everything. Unfortunately, I went viral. Although I have no desire to ever go viral again, it gave me the chance to delve into what being middle class really means and start an honest conversation on the topic. My mistake allowed me, and hopefully others, to learn. Online, my naïve perception of wealth was called the “Problem with America.” In the real world, there are a lot of problems with America, which, with any luck, can be fixed by learning from a few mistakes. — Jesse Klein can be reached at jekle@umich.edu.
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Arts
BOOK REVIEW
Friday, March 13, 2015 — 5
FILM NOTEBOOK
Poignant, political The importance of ‘Civilizations’ realism in film Mohsin Hamid’s new collection of essays offers cultural critique By KARL WILLIAMS For The Daily
Pakistani novelist and essayist Mohsin Hamid’s (“The Reluctant Fundamentalist,” “How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia”) newest book “Discontent and Discontent Its Civilizations: and Its Dispatches from Lahore, Civilizations: New York, and Dispatches London” is a collection of from Lehore, essays written New York, over the last 15 years. and London Referencing Mohsin Hamid Sigmund Freud’s seminal work, Riverhead Books “Civilization and February 24, 2015 Its Discontents,” Hamid’s book concerns itself with the various moral, political and aesthetic problems in post9/11, globalized society. Although originally from Pakistan, Hamid has been frequently displaced: he has lived invariably in New York, London and Lahore. Displacement features heavily in his essays; displacement is a primary feature of the “brutal phenomenon” called globalization, which “brings us mass displacement, wars, terrorism, unchecked financial capitalism, inequality, xenophobia, climate change.” Home has become an increasingly problematic notion and increasingly difficult to define. Hamid himself declares that he has “always felt (himself ) a half-outsider.” However, Hamid notes that cultural delineations have become illusory as that brutal phenomenon has grown in compass: “Yet what are these civilizations, these notions of Muslim-ness, Western-ness, European-ness, American-ness, that attempt to describe where, and with whom, we belong? They are illusions: arbitrarily drawn
constructions with porous, brittle and overlapping borders.” This theme permeates each of the essays in the book and provides Hamid’s greatest insights. In moments like these, Hamid’s voice reaches a pitch where its power soars. There is profundity without grandiosity, bravery without imprudence. Pakistan, both its political aspects and its personal impacts on the individual, is the subject of about half of the essays in the book. As both a Pakistani and a Muslim, Hamid is at his best when analyzing his birthcountry and his religion. Hamid fiercely combats the inane representations of Muslims that are frequently perpetuated in the West: “There are more than a billion variations of lived belief among people who define themselves as Muslim — one for each human being.” He emphasizes that religion isn’t a collective experience; it is reified by the individual. He denounces Islamophobia, and declares it as illogical and repugnant as racism. Islamophobia denies hybridity, variation and agency among every one who considers themselves a Muslim. It abstracts the individual from their own humanity and homogenizes them into a whole, thereby erasing what makes them human. The logic of Islamophobia doesn’t make sense, “For individuals are undeniably real. Groups, on the other hand, are assertions of opinion.”
He tears down the edifice of the Great American Novel. In the titular essay, Hamid elucidates the mythological and utilitarian qualities of civilization: “They (civilizations) allow us to deny our common humanity, to allocate power, resources and rights in ways repugnantly discriminatory.” The notion of civilizations as
disparate, dichotomized entities allows phenomena like slavery, genocide and colonialism to occur. It allows the innocent deaths of hundreds of Pakistani civilians at the hands of U.S. drones with barely a quiver of anger in the West while the vapid words of a pop star can cause eruptions of mass outrage. It is the conceptions of difference that create conflict, not inherent human difference. Hamid fights for humanitarian ideals in his essays, and he does so with prose that is utterly persuasive and with a voice that seems to carry the truth. While Hamid plays the role of political dissident frequently throughout his collection, he also plays a multitude of other roles: student, aesthete, father, moviegoer, etc. The collection does not always hold the severity and gravity of his political essays. There are lighthearted stories here too, such as one where he makes Toni Morrison pasta or another where his first child is born. His views on life and art are interesting as well, although undoubtedly not as fascinating as his political commentary. Not only does he dispel political myths, but he tears down the edifice of an infamous literary myth: the Great American Novel. Propelled by the question of the Great American Novel written by a women, Hamid finds that the categorization of literature into neat boxes opposes literature’s purpose. Hamid writes, “It’s a mistake to ask literature to reinforce such structures. Literature tends to crack them. Literature is where we free ourselves.” The Great American Novel is an impossibility because literature destroys the artifice that creates ideas like Americanness or European-ness. Literature doesn’t create the borders of exclusion; it destroys them. Hamid’s collection of essays displays a trenchant skill at cultural analysis. He writes with a pen that cuts through the illusory and exclusionary demarcations of culture. He advocates for the individual and the humanitarian. Hamid is a brave and acute writer, and these essays are ample evidence.
MUSIC NOTEBOOK
Background music? By CLAIRE WOOD For The Daily
Oftentimes, music sits in the background. It plays, and we listen — but not really. Sometimes, that’s where it belongs. While it may not seem in the background (frat grooves tend toward the rambunctious side), 2 a.m. party tunes certainly don’t take the forefront of our minds. Take Ke$ha, for instance. The only discernible impact of her 2012 release “Timber” is a mysteriously intense desire to jump up and down repeatedly. Jason Derulo contemplates how women “fit all that in them jeans,” and the Spice Girls announce that they “really really wanna zig a zig aaah.” What is zig-a-zigging, anyway? No clue, but the beat is fun and the melody is catchy, so we dance. Don’t get me wrong — I love the latest pop. And it’s no secret that college life is stressful. With packed schedules, tough academics and social lives, sometimes the only thing we want is to “Wiggle, Wiggle, Wiggle.” The Top 40 has flashy percussion and singable lines, and it’s just what we need. That’s what it’s there for: entertainment. And then, out of nowhere, some songs hit you square on. The first time I heard Macklemore’s 2012 single “Same Love,” I was pulling into an H.E.B. parking lot. “America the brave still fears what we don’t know.” I’m stuck — transfixed. I sit in my car, pulled between the painted yellow lines, listening. Macklemore has caught me off guard. It’s a simple sentence, yet the
COLUMBIA RECORDS
So an Irishman walks into a bar ...
potency is overwhelming. There is a beautiful juxtaposition to the work — gentle piano, soft drum, mellow vocals against scathing words. “Have you read the YouTube comments lately?” Macklemore asks. “The holy water that you soak in has been poisoned,” he warns. “Press play, don’t press pause,” he commands. His words sting with truth. “Same Love” criticizes public social norms and questions the righteousness of our morals. The lyrics impress on us to act. Macklemore doesn’t zig-a-zig with the Spice Girls or question female curvature with Mr. Derulo. He sends us a message. Two years later, Hozier shocks pop culture with his 2014 release “Take Me to Church.” The sound is as enticing as any chart-climbing hit; the lyrics, however, define it as more. “Every Sunday’s getting more bleak / a fresh poison each week,” Hozier sings. We hardly recognize the bitterness beneath the rhyming parallelism. “I’ll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies” — and we hear it again: a sharp religious criti-
cism masked by a groovy beat and strong vocals. Low piano backs accusations of “poisonous” corruption. Denunciation of religious deceit spills over tapping percussion. It is this meaningful quality that makes “Same Love” and “Take Me to Church” more than background music. They are not meant for late night dances or for the bar on the corner. These songs stop small talk. They make you hush your friends and turn up the volume. They make you sit extra long in the grocery store parking lot because Macklemore is speaking, and you certainly aren’t about to leave. Macklemore and Hozier are not alone. Artists across the world challenge us with their works. Nina Simone requested freedom in 1967, wishing to “break all the chains holding me.” John Lennon called for a new world in 1971, directing us to “Imagine all the people, living life in peace.” It’s the difference between Carly Rae Jepson’s “Call Me Maybe” and a call to action. Some songs sing — not to make you jump up and squeal, but to make you stand up and speak.
By BENJAMIN ROSENSTOCK Daily Arts Writer
As cinema evolves, movies seem to increasingly aim for realism. In 2014 alone, we’ve seen “Wild,” a movie that guides the audience through every grueling moment of Cheryl Strayed’s 1000-mile journey. For every breakneck blockbuster like “Edge of Tomorrow,” there’s a slower-paced movie like “Happy Christmas,” which uses Joe Swanberg’s signature improvised dialogue. Even the sci-fi flick “Coherence” aims for naturalism — director James Ward Byrkit let his actors play off each other without a script, and some of their frightened reactions are legitimate. Still, the film that most people recognize as an accurate depiction of reality is Richard Linklater’s “Boyhood.” “Boyhood” is such an important film because it eschews plot almost entirely in favor of the day-to-day. In a time when filmmakers are pushing the boundaries of what film can do, the most experimental thing to do, ironically, is portray life realistically. There’s one 2014 film that does this even more than “Boyhood,” though: “The Strange Little Cat.” Directed, written and edited by Swiss filmmaker Ramon Zürcher, “The Strange Little Cat” tells the story of one day in a cramped Berlin apartment. Starting in the morning and ending in the evening, the movie is essentially plotless; over the course of the afternoon, extended family members arrive and join in what seems to be a casual family dinner party. There’s Mother (Jenny Schily, “Sleeping Sickness”),
who spends most of the movie staring into space, suggesting some sort of inner turmoil that never gets explained. There’s Simon (newcomer Luk Pfaff ) and Karin (Anjorka Strechel, “My Friend from Faro”), the two visiting older siblings, and Clara (Mia Kasalo, “Die Kinder meiner Tochter”), a little girl who screams whenever the coffee grinder turns on. Many viewers might be bored by the movie, considering there’s pretty much no conflict. Luckily, at 72 minutes, it feels pretty tight and short, and in that short amount of time, the film is able to do some really fascinating things. “The Strange Little Cat” isn’t interested in the passage of time and change like “Boyhood” is, but it’s intrigued by finding the mystery and oddity in mundane moments. Mother tells a story about a man in a movie theater whose foot rested on hers without his knowledge. Karin tells a story about flicking pieces of orange peel, which always land with the white side facing up. These are simple, ordinary things that happen, but the way the stories are articulated, there’s a sense of strangeness, of otherworldliness. It sounds pretentious to say that a movie explores the beauty in the mundaneness of everyday life, but that’s really what this does. Rather than switching between characters during a dialogue, Zürcher usually keeps the camera focused on one person: the listener, more often than not. It feels psychologically probing, and the characters become incredibly intimate to us just because we’re seeing them in an unusual position. Modern cinema has shortened our attention spans and allowed our eyes to dart between all the faces
in the room in any given scene, so it’s refreshing to see the camera remain on one person for a long period of time. There’s one character in the film, Jonas (newcomer Leon Alan Beiersdorf), a young cousin who stands in doorways and just observes everything else going on with a blank look on his face. As undeveloped as the character is, I felt a kinship with him as I watched the long shots of his unchanging expression. It reminded me of every Thanksgiving — the moments when I’d lean against the wall and watch my family hurrying around the house in the early afternoon, preparing dinner, sometimes stopping to socialize, conversations peppered with big guffaws or small chuckles. No other film in recent memory has captured watching and listening as well as “The Strange Little Cat.” Sometimes it seems like we always think of life in such broad terms. When we watch our movies or TV and read our books, we look for commentary on big, important concepts like love, hate, God, war, success and failure. It makes sense that we’d want a movie to give us a new perspective on something important, but too often, that makes us forget everything else. Things like a stranger’s foot or the white side of an orange peel may seem inconsequential, but they become important through the sheer amount of space and time they take up in our lives. I think that’s why I loved “Boyhood,” and why I love “The Strange Little Cat.” These films seek to illuminate the parts of life that we never bother exploring because we’re always concerned with bigger things. Sometimes, though, we need to just pause and take everything in.
Arts
6 — Friday, March 13, 2015
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
TV NOTEBOOK
FILM COLUMN
Scared shitless
Second City & SNL Hilarity is everlasting at Chicago’s Second City improv
I
By HAILEY MIDDLEBROOK Daily Arts Writer
Tucked into a creaking corner of Chicago, a comedy club called The Second City waits for the sun to set and the stage to light up. My boyfriend and I had booked two tickets for the Sunday night show as a sort of grand finale for spring break in the Windy City. After dutifully shivering at the snowy Bean, stuffing ourselves with deep dish pizza and sipping expensive Intelligentsia coffee, one tradition of Chicago still remained unchecked: the comedy scene — specifically, improvisational comedy, trademarked through generations of talented actors at The Second City, whose sketches laid the foundation for NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” and launched dozens of stars into funnyman fame. If you haven’t heard of Second City, the performers probably wouldn’t blame you (though fans, including myself, may be seriously offended). In the late 1950s, a misfit acting troupe made its mark on the seedy outskirts of the University of Chicago, performing short comedy skits in the back of a bar called Compass. Though the gig began as a gimmick to sell more drinks, the “Compass Players” quickly grew in popularity because of their unique interaction with the audience: instead of strictly following script, the players would act out audience suggestions with on-spot improvisation. These scenes combined to set a movement into motion — timely, organic comedy, performed on a bare stage, with only bar stools as props. Heavily influenced by the Compass Players, The Second City soon opened its doors, housed in a cheaply renovated laundromat. It was 1959 and tides were shifting — Democrats were growing under charismatic John F. Kennedy a few years before his presidency, the Civil
This column is inspired by Andrew Eckhous’s The ‘Nevers’ and the ‘Haven’ts’. ’m scared shitless, you guys. I’m that girl on the cover of the “Scream” poster, the one with her hand over her mouth that most Yahoo Answers users seem to agree is Drew Barrymore. I’m Jessica Biel, loping through AKSHAY clothesSETH line after clothesline as the hot Texas sun swelters down my back as a chainsaw-wielding psychopath tries to turn me into living room upholstery. Of course, in this interpretation, Leatherface is Engineering Dean Dave Munson and his chainsaw is a freshly inked college degree, hellbent on making my existence as exciting as a stick of celery in a Xerox machine. I’m terrified because in approximately seven weeks, I will be sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with thousands of other 20-somethings, all scared shitless, while an old white person stands on a stage to make speeches about the future. I’m scared shitless because, in all likelihood, that same old white person made a version of The Future Speech last year, and will be doing so again in 12 months as he stares down the next legion of 20-somethings, all scared shitless. The funny thing is, I wasn’t all that bothered a couple days ago. Senioritis had set in the summer before fall term. And a sizeable portion of my soul was very much occupied counting down the maximum number of spaces on an Ahmo’s meal card I could check off before leaving Ann Arbor for good. Was I a little glum? Sure. It’s Ahmo’s. But still, no poo had yet been lost. Until, in the span of 24 hours, I devoured a three-course meal inventively labeled ‘Hollybrownwood.’ It roared out of the gates with Aziz Ansari’s “Live At Madison Square Garden,” followed
SECOND CITY CHICAGO
“One day, I’m gonna be on Saturday Night Live!”
Rights Movement was underway and love was on the minds of righteous, Elvis-rocking teens — staging a perfect storm of satirical comedy to sweep the nation.
Second City isn’t a one-hit wonder. The Second City wave wasn’t a one-hit wonder, nor were the actors it whipped out through the decades, among them Bill Murray (“Ghostbusters”), Mike Myers (“Austin Powers”), Steve Carell (“The Office”), Jason Sudeikis (“We’re the Millers”) and my personal favorite, Tina Fey (“Date Night”). Though the lineup has shifted, replacing now-famous stars with the fresh faces we saw on Sunday night, the show’s essence remains: in the end, it’s all about the actors and the audience, together seeking humor through laughs and flops. As Bill Murray said in an interview with the late Roger Ebert in 1990: “The reason so many Second City people have been successful is really fairly simple. At the heart of it is the idea that if you make the other actors look good, you’ll look
good. It works sort of like the idea of life after death. If you live an exemplary life, trying to make someone else look good, you’ll look good too. It braces you up, when you’re out there with that fear of death, which is really the difference between the Second City actors and the others.” In her book “Bossypants,” Tina Fey also comments on the unrelenting stage and the mutual trust between players: “I always liken it to basketball. If you get passed to once in a game, you have to learn to make that basket or you don’t get passed to again.” Both Fey and Murray would later be plucked from Chicago and dropped in New York for “Saturday Night Live,” Lorne Michaels’ live sketch comedy show that first aired in 1975 and recently celebrated its 40th anniversary. Fey would soon become the show’s head writer and a comedic icon. Murray would replace Chevy Chase (“National Lampoon’s Family Vacation”) and catapult his way to fame, proving that talent remains even when a star leaves. Perhaps the most remarkable thing about “SNL” is how it strikes a subject with pinpoint precision, year after 40 years — a feat that can only come from hours of practice on a tiny stage, whether in a dingy bar or the spotlighted Second City theater, using the energy of the audience to feed the flame.
Classifieds RELEASE DATE– Friday, March 13, 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 !
THESIS EDITING. LANGUAGE, organization, format. All Disciplines. 734/996‑0566 or writeon@iserv.net
2 & 3 BDRM APTS IN A HOUSE South Campus Fall 2015‑16 1015 Packard ‑ $1370‑$1930 + Utilities Call 734‑996‑1991 to sched a viewing
HELP WANTED
closely by a double whammy of Dev Patel — first, Neil Blomkamp’s “Chappie,” and then Some British Guy’s “The Second Best Marigold Hotel.” Watching all three in close succession is a bit like jumping off the Taj Mahal. Or, more accurately, jumping off the Empire State Building and through the dome of a Trump Organization Taj Mahal in Las Vegas. It’s smile-inducing hearing Ansari seemingly dig into issues of race, a topic his previous material always kinda prodded but never really managed to craft to its own designs. I say seemingly because, at first, the ‘being Indian’ jokes punch along with the typical irreverence we’ve come to expect from an hour of his comedy — heartfelt story followed by “That’s what you have to do when you’re an immigrant: Handle your shit! Kill some racist motherfuckers when you need to.” He’s letting the air out of the tires, deflating the stakes in the same way he’s been doing for a decade. And yet, for the first time, he offers us a reason why, as succinct as it is blunt: “I’m never going to have any of these stories to tell my kids about. Are you kidding me? My life is super easy because my parents did all the suffering for me.” The next hour is a brisk jaunt through relationship advice, the inherent creepiness of the male sex and a Ja Rule impression so good I googled Ja Rule for the first time in five years and learned he was born on a leap day and raised a Jehovah’s Witness by his mother. Not so much as a callback to racial commentary until the show ends in a hail of confetti. Ansari calls his parents onto the stage, wraps his arms around them and clasps the mic with his father’s hands. The first time I saw it, I cried. Not really, but I did walk away (closed the Netflix tab) with a feeling that ‘maybe Hollywood isn’t out to get my people’ (an actual note now scrawled on a corner of Ahmo’s wrapping paper), to pigeonhole them or glaze them into the fine, digestible powder of stereotypes. I didn’t walk away with any sort of realization, but with an acceptance that this unperturbed star-making machine — that almost never launches Indian-American talent — maybe, just maybe, it wasn’t caught in a tug-of-war: That grapple between the burden of honestly representing problems facing ‘my people’ or shoving them under the table. Does Aziz have to talk about being Indian just because he is Indian? By boasting “my last three roles were Randy, Chet and Tom” at Comedy Central’s roast of James Franco, is he thumbing his nose
at the fact that most people can’t fill 10 fingers with the names of recognizable brown stars working today. That there simply are no parts tailored for Indians? That “Slumdog Millionaire,” told by a white British guy, is and will forever be the last semi-interesting movie you saw about people from my country? I’m scared shitless, you guys. I’m scared shitless because in approximately seven weeks, I will no longer have a sounding board. I will no longer be able to sit down, put these questions on a piece of paper and have people look at them, think about them, even if for only a couple minutes. But above all, I’m terrified because an industry I want so desperately to be a part of still hasn’t answered them. Aziz’s specials have a calming effect. Any short man jittering around on stage impersonating a rapper is bound to. But this hour, and especially those first few minutes of jokes, went further because they were like his hand over my shoulder, a click in my brain that Aziz is being Aziz. He is saying “Maybe I’m not the vessel for your questions, as important as they may be. I haven’t really faced the harsh realities of racism. My parents made sure of that. Maybe I need to be the person I want to be.” “Slumdog Millionaire” is a movie I try to rewatch at least once a year. A) Because it’s a great fucking film, brilliant in its level of craftsmanship and smarter still in the depth of its performances. And B) Because it reminds me of what was the first and may be the last time in my life I get to watch an Indian man perform a song on Hollywood’s biggest stage on Hollywood’s biggest night. Then walk away with Hollywood’s greatest award. The film’s success gave my high hopes for its star’s, Dev Patel, career. He had been in virtually every frame of the picture. More than anything or anyone else, he had been the its emotional centerpiece, the needle round which the compass was built. I thought Hollywood would write movies to accommodate him. That the strength of this showing would prove this highlighted sliver of Indian culture is more than some exotic sideshow, enjoyed, lauded for one awards season and forgotten in the next. I wasn’t right. And Dev Patel’s career arc since “Slumdog” has been a storage bank of the reasons why. Part two of this column will be posted online on Sunday night. Seth is singing “Jai Ho.” To join in, email akse@umich.edu.
Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis
ACROSS 1 Principal introduction? 5 Ladybug lunches 11 Handle for a chef? 14 “Yikes!” 15 Bully 16 ’60s-’70s news focus, informally 17 Allowance for food, vet visits, etc.? 19 Old sports org. using colorful balls 20 Place to play 21 PC key 22 Some execs 23 Bedtime for bats? 27 Annual New England attraction 31 Mutt 32 “__ a traveler ...”: “Ozymandias” 33 Dolts 36 First Poet Laureate of Vermont 40 Threw a tantrum at ballet school? 43 You might wake up to one 44 Satirist once dubbed “Will Rogers with fangs” 45 Heavily sit (down) 46 Draft choice 48 Lost it 50 Decisive “Star Wars” victory? 55 Eclectic online reader 56 Slime 57 Treacherous type 62 Beads on blades 63 Answer to “What did people listen to during the Depression, señor?”? 66 Poetic preposition 67 Landlocked African country 68 When some ties are broken, briefly 69 Clear 70 Grant 71 Part of CSNY
DOWN 1 “Up in the Air” Oscar nominee Farmiga 2 Aircraft pioneer Sikorsky 3 Give in 4 Ideal world 5 Diplomatic VIP 6 Little, in Lille 7 Went after 8 Hastings hearth 9 Tab alternative 10 Play area 11 Muddled situation 12 Fife-and-drum corps instrument 13 It has a med school in Worcester 18 Avis adjective 22 Crooked 24 Awestruck 25 They might cause jitters 26 Snit 27 Maine forest sights 28 Arabian sultanate 29 Toy for an aspiring architect 30 Repeat 34 DOT agcy. 35 The “e” sound in “tandem” 37 Ceramic pot
38 Dinner on the farm, maybe 39 Enter, in a way 41 Where to nosh on a knish 42 Wire service?: Abbr. 47 Captivate 49 St. Petersburg’s river 50 More boorish 51 Comic Cheri 52 Single
53 Some floats 54 Essence 58 “Let’s do it!” 59 Cóctel fruit 60 They may be inflated 61 Author who created Zuckerman 63 Barbecue seasoning 64 Prefix with meter 65 Carpenter’s tool
ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:
2 BED. AVAIL. April 1st‑August 21st Furnished, Heat & Water & Free Internet 734‑761‑8000 primesh.com 4 BEDROOM HOUSE Fall 2015‑16 North Campus: Off Fuller by UM Hospital 2 Baths, Wshr./Dryer, 3 Prkg spaces, Pet & Smoke free. $2300 + utilities 1010 Cedar Bend Dr. 734‑996‑1991 6 BEDROOM HOUSE 511 Linden. East of CC Little btwn Geddes&South U. 2 Bath, Wshr./Dryer, 2 Prkg. spaces, Pet & Smoke free. Fall 2015‑16 $3,600 + utilities. 734‑996‑1991
xwordeditor@aol.com
03/13/15
ARBOR PROPERTIES Award‑Winning Rentals in Kerrytown, Central Campus, Old West Side, Burns Park. Now Renting for 2015. 734‑649‑8637. www.arborprops.com EFF, 1 & 2 Bedrooms Avail Fall 2015‑16 $750 ‑ $1420. Most include Heat and Water. Parking where avail: $50‑80/mo. Coin Laundry access on site/nearby. www.cappomanagement.com Call 734‑996‑1991 ROOM FOR RENT. In AA, close to downtown. No pets, no smoking. Call 734‑666‑3486
SUMMER EMPLOYMENT
By Marti DuGuay-Carpenter ©2015 Tribune Content Agency, LLC
03/13/15
WORK ON MACKINAC Island This Summer – Make lifelong friends. The Is‑ land House Hotel and Ryba’s Fudge Shops are looking for help in all areas be‑ ginning in early May: Front Desk, Bell Staff, Wait Staff, Sales Clerks, Kitchen, Baristas. Housing, bonus, and discounted meals. (906) 847‑7196. www.theisland‑ house.com
RELIEF CAREGIVER FOR medical foster home, about 25 hrs/mo, $9/hr lo‑ cated in Willis, MI. contact bizwiz808080@yahoo.com
PARIS FASHION WEEK RECAP
Rick Owens disrupts norm By ANDREW MCCLURE Daily Arts Writer
Rick Owens told the Los Angeles Times that he calls his clothes his “diary and biography.” After dropping out of Otis College of Art and Design, Owens said “fuck it” and enrolled in a nondescript trade college to learn patterns and how to drape — dude just wanted to roll up his sleeves. And so began his line that would’ve left ancient Greek maidens, Middle-earth warrior chicks and the showgirls in Kubrick’s “Eyes Wide Shut” agape. It’d be naive to call him derivative, as each piece, no more influenced than it is fresh, communicates his fascination with time and how solemn it can be. His “diary” actually pulls from all of these areas — dark and violent and mystic — and even his own Mexican blood. His dusty and fringed moccasin-like deerskin pieces swallow his models, wrapping them with asymmetric twists without suffocating or tightening gaits. Replete with quiet granite beiges, impenetrable blacks and lukewarm beiges, Owens tapers virtually nothing and drapes everything. He mar-
ries Roman tunics with skirts that hang ankle-length up front while cut at the knees in the back — both a way to showcase his form-fit boots and lock-in breathability.
Owens tapers virtually nothing ,drapes everything. The collection plays with shoulders over all else, Owens seeing them as the vertex for functionality and ingenuity. He hits extremes when one piece boxes in its wearer, shoulders jutting straight out nearly a foot, reminiscent of “Dr. Calgari” ’s somnambulist. When he’s not inflating the shoulders, he just gives them wings, as the back fabric spreads out, leaving the fronts of the arms still exposed. No matter the cut, you can bank Owens will rattle the cage with oblique seams to disrupt when things get too parallel, too perfect.
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Sports
FOOTBALL
Harbaugh’s first spring marked by competition By MAX COHEN Managing Sports Editor
After the Michigan football team’s practice Thursday, fifthyear senior cornerback Blake Countess recounted a story Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh told the Wolverines. The brother of Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh is in Ann Arbor to speak at a high-school coaches clinic Friday but took a few minutes Thursday to speak to his sibling’s team. According to Countess’ version of John’s tale, wrestling was a regular occurrence in the Harbaugh household when the brothers were growing up. The wrestling matches were of a cyclical nature. John is exactly 15 months older than Jim, so he tended to hit growth spurts first and win the brotherly battles. But then Jim would grow and defeat his brother, ending his temporary reign. The process always seemed to repeat itself. John might have thought the fighting ended when the brothers grew up, but that wasn’t the case in his brother’s mind. When Jim played in the National Football League and John was in the earlier stages of his coaching career, Jim took the entire family on vacation to Amelia Island, Florida. Jim, known for his competitive nature, used the beach as a chance to get the last word, to right the perceived wrongs of his youth. The brothers wrestled in the sand and Jim won the match, dunking John into the sand. “That was just crazy to me, that they were fighting as grown
men,” Countess said. Jim Harbaugh has been working this spring to apply that fighter’s mentality to his football team. At the end of every practice, a winner and loser are declared between the offense and defense. The way Harbaugh “rewards” the winning group adds to the drama. The winning unit, not the losing one, is tasked with running gassers for about 10 minutes after the day’s activities. It’s not meant as a punishment. In Harbaugh’s world, only the winners deserve the opportunity to get better. The losing side sits down to watch the winners run. Junior running back De’Veon Smith was one of the many players who originally thought running was a punishment for not succeeding in practice. It took fewer than five spring practices to reverse Smith’s mentality. The offense’s losses weigh on Smith when he watches his teammates run. He had never previously entertained the idea that he would have a desire to run gassers. “No, not at all,” Smith said. “There’s not a chance, ever. Last summer, we had a gasser test and that was the worst thing, I hated gassers. Seeing your teammates run the gassers instead of you because you lost is kind of frustrating.” The competition is even more magnified on special teams. Each rep is viewed as a one-onone battle between two players, resulting in the declaration of a winner and loser. Like on offense and defense, the
winners of many drills run. The coaches make sure the final results are distinct. Middle ground is nonexistent. “We know who won and we know who lost,” said redshirt junior wide receiver Jehu Chesson. But winning the spring practice battles may become a bit more difficult for Michigan’s offense after Thursday’s news that fifth-year senior offensive lineman Jack Miller won’t return for his fifth season. Miller started all 12 of the team’s games at center last season, carving out a role as a team leader. In a letter posted to his Twitter account, Miller cited a desire to start a new chapter of his life, stating that he had already accomplished all of his football-related goals at Michigan. He told ESPN that his decision had nothing to do with the team’s new coaching staff. According to players made available to the media after practice Thursday, fifth-year senior Graham Glasgow has taken over many of Miller’s reps. Glasgow started 11 of the Wolverines’ games last season at guard. In 2013, Glasgow started nine games at center. Glasgow will have plenty of time before the season opener on Sept. 3 to readjust to the position, if he ends up being the one charged with filling Miller’s position. His offensive teammates can only hope that the adjustment doesn’t take too long. A delay would mean more days of watching the defense run its victory gassers.
Friday, March 13, 2015 — 7
Rivalry to determine title By ZACH SHAW Daily Sports Writer
The Michigan hockey team’s weekend series against Michigan State is kind of a big deal. With a Big Ten championship, rivalry bragging rights, tournament seeding and senior pride on the line, the 19th-ranked Wolverines have plenty to play for in their regular-season MSU vs. finale. “I’ve heard Michigan it from many different guys Matchup: MSU 16-14-2; — this is why Michigan 19-13 you come to When: Friday Michigan,” 7:05 P.M.; said sophomore Saturday forward JT 5:05 p.m. Compher. Where: Friday “It’s almost at Munn storybook, two Ice Arena; games against Saturday at your rival for a Yost Ice Arena championship. TV/Radio: All of our goals Fox Sports can still be Detroit accomplished. You have no reason not to be excited.” That excitement begins Friday evening, when Michigan (11-7 Big Ten, 19-13 overall) travels to East Lansing to battle the Spartans (10-6-2, 16-14-2) before returning to Ann Arbor for the senior class’ final game at Yost Ice Arena. Both games will be of equal importance, as the Big Ten regular-season title hinges on this weekend’s results. Michigan State (34 points) and Michigan (33) can clinch with sweeps, or they can relegate control to Minnesota (33) or Penn State (31), who play head to head in Minneapolis. Adding to the intrigue are the contrasting strengths between the rivals. As strong and dominant as Michigan’s offense — No. 1 nationally — has been this season, Michigan State’s
defense has looked even more potent as of late. The Spartans posted consecutive shutouts last weekend, and they have allowed 16 fewer goals than any other team in conference play. With netminder Jake Hildebrand garnering national attention for his recent play in goal, the Wolverines have their work cut out for them. “He’s the best goalie in our league,” said junior forward Andrew Copp. “He’s going to stop what he can see, so we need to get bodies in front and traffic in front and then bang in rebounds and do what we can to disrupt his rhythm and flow to the game.” Added Michigan coach Red Berenson: “We’ve got a lot of respect for their team defense and their goalie. Their team is playing their best hockey in a couple years, and good for them. It was a matter of time, so now we’ve got to play our best hockey.” Though Michigan State’s aggressive defense has been known to shake up team’s rhythms, Michigan feels that, at this point in the season, the talent
is there. Now, it’s time to put it together and execute. “We need to play our game and play up to our potential,” Copp said. “Obviously we need to know their system and how to beat it, but if we play up to our potential and do what we’re supposed to do, that’s all we need.” Due to bad losses in the second half of Big Ten play, Michigan likely won’t be able to clinch an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament this weekend, instead relying on next weekend’s Big Ten Tournament to punch its ticket. But as the storied rivals battle in search of a storybook ending, the Wolverines know they can write their own script. “We know all the things that are at stake, but our number one goal is to play our best on Friday,” Berenson said. “We’ve got to go in and start better, execute better, compete better, and then we’ll worry about the outcome. If we don’t play well, we’ll get what we deserve. “We’re in a good spot, and now we’ve got to live up to it.”
JAMES COLLER/Daily
Red Berenson’s team has a Big Ten title on the line against Michigan State.
Sports
8 — Friday, March 13, 2015
Michigan opens the Big Ten Tournament with a blowout win over Illinois By JAKE LOURIM Managing Sports Editor
CHICAGO — The last time the Michigan men’s basketball team was on the court against Illinois, exactly one month ago, the Wolverines looked flustered. They coughed up a lead in the final minute of regulation and were outscored in overtime, 14-2, losing at the State Farm Center. The rubber match was Thursday at the United Center in the Big Ten Tournament, and Michigan (8-10 Big Ten, 16-15 overall) didn’t look scared one bit in a 73-55 rout of Illinois (9-9 Big Ten, 19-13 overall). Sophomore forward Zak Irvin spotted up and hit a long 3-pointer, freshman guard MuhammadAli Abdur Rahkman drove at Illinois center Nnanna Egwu for a layup and the Wolverines forced repeated bad shots on the other end — and that was just before the first media timeout. “They just threw the first punch, and we was just unable to answer,” said Illinois guard Rayvonte Rice. “Just gave it all we got. They were just a better team.” Michigan disappeared for the next few minutes, but that ended up being little more than a hiccup. It pulled ahead in the opening minutes, 12-2, before losing the lead entirely, then recovered quickly going into halftime ahead 40-23. Within six minutes, Illinois turned the 12-2 deficit into a 15-14 lead after a 3-pointer by Malcolm Hill. But the Wolverines never wavered, answering right away with junior guard Spike Albrecht’s 3-pointer to spark a 17-2 run and take the pro-Illinois crowd out of it for good. “That was the best part of the game to me — when we were up big, and they ended up answering, and we went right back up big,” said Michigan coach John Beilein. “That showed a lot of growth.” Michigan had another doubledigit lead — and this one stuck. The final result was the Wolverines’ third-largest margin of victory in a Big Ten Tournament game, as well as Illinois’ largest margin of defeat. Michigan now has under 24 hours to prepare for a quarterfinal matchup with No. 1 seed Wisconsin at noon Friday. “It’s definitely a big confidence boost,” Albrecht said. “We came out and played extremely well today, especially the younger guys, so I think they’ll have a lot of confidence going into tomorrow’s game.” Michigan finished with four scorers in double figures — freshman guard Dawkins (18), Abdur-Rahkman (15), Irvin (14) and senior forward Max Bielfeldt (10) — and shot 49 percent from the floor.
Irvin opened the second half with a turnaround jumper from the free-throw line. A moment later, Abdur-Rahkman drove at Egwu again, absorbed the contact and laid it in. The rout was on. As the second half went on, Illinois turned up its fullcourt pressure, but Michigan had no trouble breaking it. The Wolverines finished with just nine turnovers, never giving the Illini chances to make up the deficit quickly. Their undersized big men outhustled Egwu on the glass, and their perimeter defense limited the Illini to a season-low shooting percentage from long range (1-for13). “(Egwu is) a long, athletic guy, and on our inbounds plays we worked on spacing, cutting and all that stuff, and keeping him off the offensive glass,” Bielfeldt said. “I think we did a really nice job with just team rebounding and getting everybody out of there.” Their crisp passing dissected the press and led to fast-break opportunities — Michigan refused to slow down, bring the ball back out and milk the clock. The Wolverines’ aggressive, energetic play from wire to wire sent a statement from a team that came into the weekend as sizable underdogs. “We’re going to try and step up and keep getting better,” Dawkins said. “We’re not going to let a couple setbacks hold us back. We’re going to try and get better, no matter what the situation is.”
ONE
DOWN
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Young players step up when it matters most in openinground victory By DANIEL FELDMAN Daily Sports Editor
CHICAGO — Before Thursday’s game against Illinois, Michigan assistant coach Bacari Alexander wanted the Wolverines to be loose, but also to remember what happened the last time the two teams played — a heartbreaking 64-52 overtime loss for Michigan. “I gave the guys an acronym to kind of concentrate on today,” Alexander said. “And it was ‘payback.’ Each letter meant something.” While Alexander wouldn’t admit what each letter stood for, he was adamant in addressing what the game represented. “Everybody’s 0-0,” Alexander said. “(It’s the time of the year) where you want to preach new life. But the reality is they do have new life. The confidence you can have from that conversation you saw today. For the Wolverines, there’s nothing to lose. To have any chance at a NCAA Tournament bid, they’ll have to win the Big Ten Tournament. Even to make the NIT, they’ll need at least two wins. Thursday afternoon, the Wolverines faced a team in a different situation. Everything was riding on the game for Illinois. Being a bubble team for the Big Dance, the Illini needed to win. A loss would send them to the NIT. Aside from a 10-0 run early in the first half by
Illinois, that new life was evident. With Michigan’s starting five combining for 65 points, including 18 by freshman forward Aubrey Dawkins and 15 by freshman guard Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman, the Wolverines looked like a new team, playing their best basketball of the season in the 73-55 victory. Michigan looked relaxed. Throwing alley-oops, shooting uncontested 3-pointers due to great ball movement and even dishing over-the-shoulder, no-look passes, the Wolverines resembled a team finally finding its chemistry. With so many freshmen coming into this year’s team, there was no doubt there would be an adjustment period. And with injuries to junior guard Caris LeVert and sophomore guard Derrick Walton Jr., that period had to be accelerated. “They’re not worried about making mistakes, looking over their shoulder for someone coming in for them if they don’t make a shot or turning the ball over,” Albrecht said. “I tell them all the time: ‘Just go out there and play. Have fun. Who is else is going to play? You guys are going to play. Don’t worry about it.’ “There’s absolutely no pressure on us. … We’re playing just to have fun. If we continue to win games, anything could happen. There’s no pressure on us because no one’s expecting us to do any damage in this tournament.” While Alexander wanted the Wolverines to remember its past games Thursday, he knows being able to separate the season into different pieces helps too. “What we try to do is break the season down into segments: you’ve got the preseason, the regular season, the conference season and postseason,” he said. “And for our guys, when you can compartmentalize the season like that, it’s not so overwhelming.” Though the pregame message will carry a similar message for Friday’s rematch against Wisconsin, another team that beat Michigan in overtime this season, Alexander knows he’ll need a new creative method to express it. What that’ll be, though, is still to be determined. “I never divulge that stuff early,” he said.
PHOTOS BY ALLISON FARRAND
ON (TO) WISCONSIN The top-seeded Badgers await Michigan in secondround matchup By MAX BULTMAN Daily Sports Editor
CHICAGO — When the Michigan men’s basketball team took on Illinois in the second round of the Big Ten tournament
Thursday, it was a team with nothing to lose versus one with everything to lose. And in the Wolverines 73-55 blowout win, “nothing to lose” prevailed. Buoyed by a burst of energy at the start, Michigan was all over a sluggish Illini team from the opening tip. Friday, though, the Wolverines will face a much stiffer test when they take on No. 1 seed Wisconsin. The Badgers have only NCAA Tournament seeding position on the line, and
with their smart, veteran lineup, they’re a safe bet to be steady on the big stage at the United Center. But with a resounding win over the Illini in hand, the Wolverines aren’t ready to concede to the tournament favorites. “I think we match up pretty good,” said freshman forward Kameron Chatman. “I think we’re gonna come out with the same energy we did today and hopefully get the victory. … We’re not ready to go home yet.” The last time Michigan met the Badgers — a 69-64 Wisconsin win on Jan. 24 — just about everything was different for the Wolverines. They were still searching for an identity after junior guard Caris LeVert’s season-ending foot injury, and sophomore guard Derrick Walton Jr. was still in the lineup. Friday, with Walton doubtful, the Wolverines will be relying
on sophomore guard Zak Irvin, junior guard Spike Albrecht and freshman guard Aubrey Dawkins for their offense. To be fair, they were leaning on those three in the last meeting too. But Friday, the three are much safer bets to generate offense. Against the Illini, Irvin finished with 14 points, six rebounds and six assists. He made plays he wouldn’t have dreamed of making in late January, with timely passes through traffic and rebounds over much taller players. He scored 12 points on 5-for15 shooting in the earlier game against Wisconsin. Now, he’s evolved to a level where the Badgers won’t be able to rely on him simply throwing up a prayer with the shot clock dwindling. At the other wing spot, Dawkins has developed into a reliable shooter, a far cry from his three points on 1-for-3
“We’re not ready to go home yet.”
shooting in January. But while this isn’t the same Michigan team, this is the same Wisconsin team. And that’s what the Wolverines will be worried about. “They’re an extremely good team, they’re extremely fundamental and they can all shoot,” Albrecht said. “We’re just going to need to do some things to keep them to mix up defenses, keep them out of a good rhythm. “That’s the one thing about Wisconsin: They don’t beat themselves. You’re going to have to beat them.” The Badgers trot out a starting five that includes a National Player of the Year candidate in seven-footer Frank Kaminsky, a bona fide scorer in Sam Dekker, an athletic swingman in Nigel Hayes and a gifted backcourt of Josh Gasser and Bronson Koenig. With those five, Wisconsin can score from anywhere on the court. And it does. Kaminsky is one of the deadliest insideoutside threats in the nation, and he had a 22-point field day the last time he took on Michigan.
The tall task of guarding Wisconsin him could go to senior vs. Michigan forward Max Matchup: Bielfeldt, who Wisconsin has somehow 28-3; Michibeen able to gan 16-15 outperform When: Fribigger centers day 12 P.M. multiple times Where: United this season. Center But Kaminsky TV/Radio: is a different ESPN animal. “We’ve done a little crossmatching in the past where we put the ‘4’ on him and the ‘5’ on Nigel Hayes,” Bielfeldt said. “(We’ll) try to force him to do things he doesn’t want to do and just go from there.” It starts with keeping Kaminsky in check, but the Wolverines will need a herculean effort to upset the Badgers. They’ll need to do everything right and force Wisconsin to make mistakes. But they’ve still got nothing to lose. And with a win over Wisconsin, they could have everything to gain.