CELEBRATING OUR ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIFTH YEAR OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Ann Arbor, Michigan
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‘U’ regents to consider renovation for NCRB N. Campus Grove project also up for approval at Thursday meeting DAVID SONG/Daily
Valerie Traub, a professor of English and women’s studies, discusses the changing relationship between feminism and the economic and political culture at Lane Hall on Monday.
Scholarly feminism shifts focus to issues of sexuality Panelists celebrate 20th anniversary of women and gender institute By EMMA KINERY Dauly Staff Reporter
In celebration of the 20th anniversary of the University’s Institute for Research on Women
and Gender, a panel of feminist scholars looked back on the history of various academic departments related to feminism and considered the future of feminist research. Panelists explored key focuses of discussion over the past 20 years, including gender and sexuality. Kathleen Canning, professor of history, women’s studies and German, discussed how the focus of feminist theory has shifted
from an emphasis on the body to defining gender, and ultimately toward the study of sexuality. Canning said while instructing a recent course on gender and sexuality, students were most interested in components pertaining to sexuality. She noted that of the incoming class of women’s studies graduate students, about half of the students’ focus was on sexuality in some way. “Now I would say sexuality
is much more in the foreground than body or gender,” Canning said. Both the University’s Center for the Education of Women and the women’s studies major were established prior to the Institute for Research on Women and Gender’s founding in 1995. Patricia Gurin, a former professor of psychology and women’s studies, provided panel attendants with a brief history of the See FEMINISM, Page 3
By GEN HUMMER and ALLANA AKHTAR Daily Staff Reporters
The University’s Board of Regents will consider two North Campus construction projects at their monthly meeting on Thursday. The regents will vote to approve a $13 million proposal to renovate the North Campus Recreation Building and schematic designs for a $6.9 outdoor public space on North Campus. Built in 1976, the NCRB will be updated as a part of the larger initiative to improve the University’s unions and recreational sports facilities. The proposed NCRB renovation will add 18,000 square foot to the existing space — making room for a new gymnasium, cardio and group exercise spaces and a new entry to the building. A 50,000 square foot renova-
FINANCE
HEALTH
TCF Bank to end affiliation with University MCards will no longer link to TCF bank accounts starting in April By ANASTASSIOS ADAMOPOULOS Daily Staff Reporter
TCF Bank announced Monday that it will end its Mcard partnership with the University effective April 30. According to an e-mail distributed to students, TCF account holders will no longer be able to use an Mcard as a valid ATM or debit card. The announcement marks the end of an almost 14-year partnership between the University and TCF. Kim Broekhuizen, a University public affairs representative, said TCF informed the University last fall they would not renew their partnership. “While the features associated with TCF bank accounts held by students and employees won’t change after the contract ends, it will no longer be possible to use the Mcard as an ATM card,” she said. “Customers can still use their TCF Visa Check Card to access their accounts, including through ATMs.” Mark Goldman, TCF director of corporate communications, said the bank and the University have worked well together
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throughout their partnership. “Whenever our contracts with our various University partners are due to come up for renewal, we look at a variety of factors, including the length of agreement, service expectations and overall financial commitments,” Goldman said. “We ultimately make a decision that in the best interest of both the University and TCF.” Goldman said he could not comment on the process by which the decision was made or whether there were negotiations between TCF and the University for renewal. “The same benefits that students are receiving through the specially-designated student account with TCF will continue despite the exit of the relationship with the University,” Goldman said. According to a 2014 University finance department document, about 40 percent of new students open a TCF Bank account. The announcement also states that some of the bank’s ATMs will stay in University buildings. Goldman said the exact buildings and ATMs are up for consideration and TCF is working close with the University to keep as many as TCF ATMs possible. “This discussion is ongoing and we expect some kind of resolution in the very near future,” Goldman said. “And of course we are committed to letting our cusSee TCF, Page 3
tion of the existing building is planned to update the racquetball courts, restrooms and locker rooms. The project will also include electrical, heating and plumbing system upgrades. The improvements will be funded by the Student Life Student Fee for Facility Renewal. The $65-per-term student fee was approved by the regents in April 2013. The design phase of the project is scheduled to begin immediately, pending authorization from the Board, and will be contracted to Integrated Design Solutions in association with RDG Planning and Design. During February’s meeting, the Board approved a $21.4 million construction budget for renovations to the University’s Intramural Sports Building, also funded by student fees. Thursday, the regents with likely allow the University to move forward with seeking bids and awarding construction contracts. The IM Building was the first university recreational sports facility in the country, built in 1928. See REGENTS, Page 3
Researchers pilot process to slow organ deterioration
FDA approved the machine earlier this week for patients in need of transplant DAVID SONG/Daily
By MAYA SHANKAR
Black Lives Matter protestors hold up posters pertaining to the death of Aura Rosser as they file behind Ann Arbor Mayor Christopher Taylor at the City Council meeting at City Hall on Monday.
Following sidewalk debate, Council postpones decision Meeting continues despite silent protest over police brutality By LARA MOEHLMAN Daily Staff Reporter
The Ann Arbor City Council extensively debated changes to an ordinance that addresses the maintenance of sidewalks, specifically related to snow and ice removal policy. A vote on the amendment was ultimately postponed. Monday’s meeting proceeded amid a silent protest condemning police brutality surrounding the killing of Aura Rosser, an Ann Arbor resident who
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was shot by a police officer in December. Protesters held signs and remained silent during the meeting, and Council continued with the meeting as scheduled. The current city policy states residents must clear their sidewalks of snow within 24 hours if snow exceeds one inch. New language proposed would require residents to remove snow on their sidewalks within 24 hours regardless of the accumulation. During discussion, councilmembers argued that the current snow removal policy is difficult to enforce. Multiple amendments were proposed and additional changes were discussed after members of the public were allowed to express their concerns. These stricter amendments would directly
NEW ON MICHIGANDAILY.COM The Filter: ‘King Kunta’ from Kendrick Lamar MICHIGANDAILY.COM/BLOGS
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affect students living off campus, who could be subject to more severe consequences if a future ordinance were to pass. The Pedestrian Safety and Access Task Force recommended several changes to the ordinance. The changes to the ordinance clarify property owners’ responsibility in regard to snow and ice removal. The changes also seek to clarify the consequences for noncompliance. Councilmember Chuck Warpehoski (D–Ward 5) said he would support amending the ordinance, though he noted critics who argue a dusting of snow does not present a hazard to pedestrians. “Let’s have the conversation after we’ve tried it,” WarpeSee COUNCIL, Page 3
Vol. CXXIV, No. 82 ©2015 The Michigan Daily michigandaily.com
Daily Staff Reporter
A team of University researchers is successfully keeping lungs alive outside the body — with the help of a new machine. In a clinical trial, the University is working to evaluate a recently developed machine — called the XVIVO Perfusion System — to keep donated organs viable for transplant while they’re outside of the body. The machine was first developed in Sweden in 2011. The trial is in collaboration with Gift of Life Michigan, an Ann Arbor-based organ donation non-profit, and the Henry Ford and Spectrum health systems. When an organ is removed from a body under normal circumstances, the cells begin to deteriorate quickly, making the transplant process difficult. Not only do the organs have to be a match for the patient, doctors must also transplant the organs quickly before they are damaged. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the machine earlier this week for patients in need of a transplant. See LUNGS, Page 3
NEWS...........................2 OPINION.......................4 ARTS............................. 5
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News
2 — Tuesday, March 17, 2015
MONDAY: This Week in History
WEDNESDAY: In Other Ivory Towers Before You Were Here
TUESDAY: Professor Profiles Professor Campus Profiles Voices
THURSDAY: Alumni Campus TwitterProfiles Clubs Talk
Fashion blogging
What inspired you to start your blog? I’ve always been really interested in fashion and since the blogging scene in the fashion industry has become so big, I’ve thought about starting my own blog for a while. As I’ve become more serious about wanting to
pursue a career in fashion, I figured there was no better time than right now to launch a blog and start getting more involved in the industry. What is the focus of your blog? Currently, my blog focuses on my personal style, which I would describe as classic with a bohemian twist. I want to expand it soon to include more content about seasonal runway trends. I love watching and seeing pictures of the runway shows at fashion week, so I think it would be cool to incorporate content about that. I want my blog to be a source of inspiration for people looking for
new ideas, so updating content and introducing new topics is important. How does being in Ross School of Business give you a unique perspective on the fashion industry? I think being in Ross has helped me think of my blog from an entrepreneurial perspective and consider how I can develop it from a business standpoint. I am always looking for ways to increase my viewer base, so creating marketing strategy is really important in getting new readers and subscribers. -KATIE SARKESIAN
michigandaily.com
King Kendrick
will recite some of his works as part of the Zell Visting Writers series. Espada has published more than 15 books. WHO: UM Helen Zell Writer’s Program WHEN: Today from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. WHERE: Museum of Art
BY ZACHARY GREEN
Daily Arts Writer Zachary Green discusses the leak of one of Kendrick Lamar’s newest songs “King Kunta.” The song is featured on Lamars latest album, “To Pimp a Butterfly,” a title that payws hommage to Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird.”
WHAT: The authors of the 2011 World History Association Book Prize winner wil discuss their volume with a panel from the Department of History. WHO: Eisenberg Institue for Historical Studies WHEN: Today from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. WHERE: Tisch Hall 1014
Human rights Arab heritage lecture month
WHAT: Roger LeLievre will discusse his summer in Saulte St. Marie, Michigan. WHO: Osher Lifelong Learning Institute WHEN: Today from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. WHERE: Turner Senior Resource Center
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LSA freshman Kelly Guerin enjoys the warm weather playing catch on Palmer Field on Monday.
WHAT: Historian David L. Holmes will discuss the beliefs and practices of Gerald R. Ford and Richard Nixon. WHO: Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library WHEN: Today from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. WHERE: Gerald Ford Library
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WHAT: Beverly Gooden, victims’ rights advocate, WHAT: Jody Williams WHAT: Prof. Sa’ed will talk about domestic and Jared Genser will Atshan will deliver a violence and social justice. discuss the findings and keynote lecture for the WHO: Center for implications of a report Arab Heritage Month. Campus Involvement. they will submit to the The theme of the lecture WHEN: Today from UN Security Council is “Coming out as Gay, 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Resolution 1325. Coming Out as Palestinian.” WHERE: Michigan Union WHO: International Policy WHO: Trotter l Please report any Center WHEN: Today Multicultural Center error in the Daily from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. WHEN: 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. to corrections@ WHERE: School of WHERE: Rackham michigandaily.com. Social Work Building Graduate School
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Two months ago, Business sophomore Amanda Parker founded “Mittens and Manolos,” a fashion blog dedicated to showcasing her personal style with influence from her hometown, Alexandria, Va. Looking to expand her content, Parker plans to review runway trends for the upcoming summer season.
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THREE THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW TODAY
1
Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s Prime Minister, said there will not be a Palestinian state if he is re-elected, The New York Times reported Monday. The comments were made one day before Israel’s legislative elections.
2
The Michigan women’s basketball team earned an automatic bid into the WNIT. The Wolverines will host Cleveland State on Wednesday night at Crisler Center. >>FOR SORTS, SEE PG. 8
3
The suspect for the shooting of two police officers in Ferguson, Mo. last week, appeared in court, Reuters reported Monday. He did not enter a plea deal and did not make any statements during his court appearance.
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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.
McDonald’s employees detail burns, job hazards Workers across the country campaign for unionization and $15 an hour pay
The burns and other haz- ees, and will review the allegaards were detailed in complaints tions. “It is important to note announced Monday and filed that these complaints are part with U.S. Occupational Safety and of a larger strategy orchestrated Health Administration in recent by activists targeting our brand weeks. Workers cite a persistent and designed to generate media lack of gloves for handling hot coverage,” Heidi Barker Sa equipment and say they’ve been Shekhem, a McDonald’s spokesNEW YORK (AP) — McDon- burned while cleaning grills that woman, said in the statement. The complaints extend a cenald’s workers in 19 cities have filed have to be kept on. One worker complaints over burns from pop- says he was told by a manager to, tral theme of the “Fight for $15” ping grease, a lack of protective “put mayonnaise on it, you’ll be campaign, which has been to hold McDonald’s accountable equipment and other workplace good.” The complaints also detail a for working conditions at its hazards, according to labor orgalack of training for handling franchised locations. nizers. That would ease the way for The complaints are the latest hot fryers and slipping on wet worker negotiations and unionmove in an ongoing campaign to floors. VIRGINIA MAYO/AP A representative for the Labor ization across the company’s win pay of $15 an hour and unionEuropean Union High Representative Federica Mogherini, second right, participates in a bi-lateral meeting with Iran’s ization for fast-food workers by Department, Laura McGinnis, more than 14,000 U.S. resForeign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, left, in Brussels on Monday, March 16. publicly pressuring McDonald’s to confirmed the complaints were taurants, the vast majority of come to the bargaining table. The received by OSHA but said the which are run by franchisees. push is being spearheaded by the agency does not discuss ongoing McDonald’s and other fast-food chains, including Burger King Service Employees International investigations. In a statement, McDonald’s and Wendy’s, have said they’re Union and began more than two years ago. Already, it has included Corp. said the company and its not responsible for employment Sudoku Syndication http://sudokusyndication.com/sudoku/generator/print/ protests around the country and independent franchisees are decisions at franchised restaulawsuits alleging workers weren’t committed to providing safe rants. working conditions for employThe matter has reached the given their rightful pay. general counsel of the National gram for at least a decade in man Foreign Minister FrankLabor Relations Board, which exchange for the gradual lifting Walter Steinmeier urged his said late last year that McDonof international sanctions. international partners and Iran ald’s could be named as a joint Iran says the program is to “seize this opportunity” of EASY employer in complaints by aimed at generating electric- talks in Brussels and in Switworkers. Those complaints have ity and at medical research, zerland this week to finally yet to be heard, but whichever but many in the West fear the clinch an elusive deal. side loses is expected to appeal Islamic republic is trying to The world powers and Iran the decision. BRUSSELS (AP) — European covertly build atomic weapons. have set an end-of-March Kendall Fells, organizing powers and Iran made little “It’s always useful to talk but deadline to reach a framework director for Fight for $15, said progress late Monday toward we, the French, want a solid accord on the way ahead. the injuries at franchised and reaching an agreement to end deal,” said French Foreign MinSome officials have said company-owned restaurants the standoff over Tehran’s ister Laurent Fabius. “Certain persistent differences mean mostly came about because nuclear program as an end-of- points are yet to be resolved, we negotiators could settle for an understaffing and employees March deadline closes in. hope we will be able to resolve announcement that they’ve being told to work too quickly — “We’re still making progress them but as long as it’s not done, made enough progress to jusboth of which he said were the but there is a long way to go if it’s not done.” tify further talks. result of a computer system that we’re going to get there,” BritMogherini, who is negotiatSenior officials from the tracks sales and staffing metish Foreign Secretary Philip ing with Iran on behalf of the world powers will continue rics. Hammond said, after talks in world’s five nuclear powers negotiations with Iran in LauThe computer system was also Brussels with his French, Ger- and Germany, said that all sides sanne, Switzerland on Wednescited in lawsuits last year that man and Iranian counterparts were aware how important it day. allege “wage theft” by McDonplus European Union foreign is to seal a good deal and that Iranian Foreign Minister ald’s and its franchisees for the policy chief Federica Mogh- it was not clear whether “a Mohammad Javad Zarif, who denial of breaks and overtime erini. technical solution” to fill the represented Iran in Brussels, pay. That system has been key The talks were aimed at nar- remaining gaps can be found. will also hold several days of in the argument by labor groups rowing gaps in the positions “I see the elements for a deal discussions with U.S. Secretary that McDonald’s exerts enough between Iran and the world to be reached but I still see the of State John Kerry in Switzer© sudokusolver.com. For personal use only. CALM BEFORE THE STORM. puzzle by sudokusyndication.com control over franchised restaupowers, as part of a 15 month gaps that need to be filled,” she land this week, as momentum rants to be considered a joint negotiating process that could said. builds in the nuclear negotiaemployer. see Iran freeze its nuclear proAhead of the meeting, Ger- tions.
European powers, Iran talk nuclear agreement
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Little progress made towards finding a solution to weapons problem
News
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NEWS BRIEFS CALEDONIA TOWNSHIP, Mich.
15 year-old boy held for stabbing sister A 15-year-old western Michigan boy was ordered held Monday as authorities investigate the stabbing of his 13-year-old sister in their Caledonia Township home. Kent County Family Court Referee Lynn Perry made the ruling while acting on a motion from prosecutors, The Grand Rapids Press reported. Sheriff’s deputies found the girl with multiple stab wounds about 1 p.m. Saturday after her 15-year-old brother called 911. She was taken by an emergency helicopter to a Grand Rapids hospital. Authorities have not released the condition.
NEW ORLEANS
Real estate tycoon charged in murder Los Angeles prosecutors have filed a murder charge against real estate heir Robert Durst that could carry the death penalty. Prosecutors said Durst was charged Monday with firstdegree murder in the killing of his friend, Susan Berman. Durst was arrested in New Orleans over the weekend on a murder warrant and waived extradition to return to Los Angeles to face the charges. Berman had acted as Durst’s spokeswoman after his wife disappeared in 1982. She was shot in the back of the head in her Los Angeles home in December 2000 just before New York authorities planned to interview her about Kathleen Durst’s disappearance.
LOS ANGELES
Arrest warrant issued for cop An arrest warrant was issued Monday for a rookie Los Angeles policeman suspected of killing a man during a fight in Pomona while he was off duty. The murder warrant is for Henry Solis, 27, who should be considered armed and dangerous, according to a statement from Pomona police. Solis’ Volkswagen Jetta was found Sunday about four blocks from where the shooting occurred, and he may be driving a 1992 brown or tan Ford pickup truck with license plate number 4J79703, police said. Solis is suspected of shooting Salome Rodriguez, 23, of Ontario, around 3:30 a.m. Friday during a fight near Third and Main streets in this city east of Los Angeles. He died at a hospital.
KINSHASA, Congo
Diplomat freed from detention An American diplomat has been released after being detained in Congo during a raid in which journalists and democracy activists were also arrested, the Congolese government spokesman said Monday. Sunday’s detentions come at a time of rising tension in Congo, where some fear President Joseph Kabila is attempting to prolong his time in power after his term ends next year. The raid followed a news conference in Kinshasa to support a Congo’s Filimbi movement that aims to get more youths to participate in politics. Those arrested were suspected of being a threat to national security, according to Lambert Mende, the government spokesman. The U.S. diplomat was released overnight, Mende said, adding that the news conference was “no place for a diplomat.” He did not disclose the diplomat’s name or position and the U.S. State Department has not offered any additional information.
—Compiled from Daily wire reports
about 8,000 lung donors, but less than 2,000 of them are being used. University alum Fares AlghaDr. William Lynch, Univer- nem, a research assistant in the sity associate professor of sur- Extracorporeal Life Support gery, said with the system, the Lab, said the trial could have lungs are able to remain healthy lasting impacts for organ transoutside of a body for 15 to 16 plants. hours, which gives surgeons “There’s a weird disconnect more time to determine their now,” Alghanem said. “We’re viability for transplant. not using all the lungs avail“The main purpose is to able for transplant, but we’re get more lungs to transplant not able to give transplants to patients,” Lynch said. everyone who needs it.” Since the implementation In addition to keeping lungs of the system in 2011, nine viable outside a body, the other centers in the United machine also allows more lung States have been transplants to involved in this “Conceptually, occur. clinical trail, there’s no reason “You can take resulting in about we can’t take a the lungs for a test 68 lung transcancerous lung drive,” Lynch said. plants. out of a person, “By being able to The trial seeks keep them alive, take the lungs out to demonstrate cure the lung, and observe them the safety of the and then put it for a few hours, machine and back in.” surgeons would be the procedure to able to confidently ensure the FDA requirements transplant the lungs that may have been met. It also gathers get wasted currently because data that will allow scientists there is a slight doubt about to get an idea of the technique’s them and not enough time to efficiency. observe.” Through a process called ex Lynch said he is especially vivo lung perfusion, the lungs excited about the future possiare attached to a machine that bilities that could arise from the keeps them alive outside of clinical trial. the body. One tube from the “The real interesting future machine pushes fluid through is going to be when these kind the lungs, which pulls water of machines can support organs out of the lung tissue and keeps for a prolonged period of times,” it healthy. The other tube Lynch said. pumps air into and out of the Currently, lungs can only be lungs, allowing oxygen to cir- kept outside for hours, but it culate. is a possibility that soon there The machine was first used will be ways to keep them for a transplant at the Univer- viable for days. sity two weeks ago and involved “Conceptually, there’s no transplanting lungs that were reason we can’t take a cancerkept outside the body for 15 to 16 ous lung out of a person, keep hours, almost twice the amount them alive, cure the lung, and of time normally safe for lungs, then put it back in.” Lynch said. This clinical trial is a step in “Right now, we have about that direction, Lynch said, and 15 to 20 minutes to decide if the future of medicine could the lungs will work well in the change dramatically with this patient,” Lynch said. new technology. Since there is no time to Alghanem said the research observe the lungs before they could allow for a type of organ are transplanted, surgeons are bank, where organs are kept forced to be overly cautious. alive with machines like the Currently, only about 20 per- XVIVO Perfusion System, and cent of available lungs are actu- they could be readily available ally being transplanted. In the for transplant when needed. United States, there are about “This type of cutting1,600 to 1,700 lung transplants edge research inspires you to a year, but there are 160,000 want to push the boundaries people that would benefit from of medicine even further,” a lung transplant. There are Alghanem said.
LUNGS From Page 1
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REGENTS From Page 1 The project includes the addition of new racquetball courts, locker rooms and group fitness and weightlifting rooms, as well as infrastructure upgrades. “The project will preserve the history of the 87-year-old iconic facility,” said E. Royster Harper, vice president for student life, at the February regents meeting. “It will also promote the health and wellness of our students, faculty and staff.” North Campus Grove project The regents will also consider schematic designs for the North Campus Grove project, as well as grant the University authorization to award construction contracts.
TCF From Page 1 tomers and all of the campus community know when that decision and when that agreement is reached.” TCF currently has 18 ATMs in University buildings across campus, including in the Michigan Union and the Michigan League. Goldman said TCF is also working with the University to make the transition away from the partnership they have using the Mcards as seamless as possible and added that the bank still plans to serve the Ann Arbor community and the Uni-
The existing North Campus central lawn spans four acres and serves as the main outdoor gathering space on North Campus. The grove project will create an informal amphitheater and add a new central plaza to the lawn, as well as walkways, seating, trees and improved lighting, water and electrical infrastructure. The proposed improvements will facilitate more opportunities for outdoor events, activities and displays on North Campus. The regents approved the project at their meeting last April. The project will be funded by gifts and College of Engineering resources. Scheduled for fall of 2015 completion, the improvements are projected to create 27 on-site construction jobs.
versity’s students. “We are committed to doing everything we can to continue to help students and continue to serve the interest of the community,” Goldman said. “That could come in a variety of different ways, sponsorship of various charitable events as well as continuing to provide a compelling banking solution for the entire community.” The end of the partnership may not mean the end of the Mcard as a banking tool. “The University has been reviewing proposals to select a new banking partner and expects to finalize its decision in the near future,” Broekhuizen said.
FEMINISM From Page 1 development of these departments. Gurin, who began her tenure at the University in 1966, also discussed her experience with a particular University policy, the Michigan Mandate. Gurin said former University President James Duderstadt’s 1988 policy, which aimed to create a more inclusive community at the University, but didn’t address women as part of the framework. In response, Gurin participated in an assembly to address the issue. “He listened to that,” Gurin said. “That’s when President Duderstadt enunciated the women’s agenda, and IRWG comes along as a really wonderful place where it’s not just about women’s lives, it’s about women’s scholarship. Twenty years later, there is really an enormous amount of scholarship that has come out of IRWG.” Each panelist discussed their individual work and how it changed over time. Canning spoke first about her interest in feminist scholarship and the body, particularly what the definition of the body is and what it has meant throughout time. During the research for her article “The Body as Method? Reflections on the Place of the Body in Gender History,” Canning found that the definition is not fixed and is dependent on other elements. “I see the three terms: gen-
COUNCIL From Page 1 hoski said. “We are unable to enforce the ordinance in years that there is been frequent snow … The existing ordinance requires that each citation have a warning before it so if we are getting snow after snow after snow... we have property owners that can just ride that out without citation.” Councilmember Sabra Briere (D–Ward 1) offered a substitution amendment. Briere suggested Council consider removing language that implied a property owner must remove snow or ice immediately, as snow may fall
Tuesday, March 17, 2015 — 3 der, body and sexuality, as a set of moving parts that are almost always connected to one another, even if one or another might be very hegemonic at any given point,” Canning said. “So I see it as our task to actually dig down and try to excavate the ways to which the terms relate to each other.” As a psychologist, Gurin’s discussion concerned how feminist theory has become increasingly prevalent in the field of psychology. Twenty years ago, Gurin said feminist scholarship was alien in the field of psychology. Gurin also said gender has now become more than just a variable in research groups and that the movement away from binary gender has opened up psychology to more research. Today the focus is not as much on men or women, but rather different types of men and women as the groupings have become broader. Valerie Traub, professor of English and women’s studies, said she doesn’t see the study of feminism fading from academic spheres anytime soon. “Circulating within the humanities are a variety of criticisms about feminism’s fate: fears of the success of a conservative reaction against feminism within in the academy and without … ambivalence about feminism’s entanglement in academic knowledge, anxieties about the displacement of feminism,” Traub said. “My own sense is that announcements of the death of feminism in literary
studies are premature.” Many attendees were interested in how feminist studies expanded in disciplines beyond the humanities. As a psychologist, Gurin was able to speak on behalf of feminist practices in the medical field, but others discussed how feminist theory has been involved in business and engineering. Monday’s venue was filled with about 50 graduate students, many of whom were happy to make use of the forum to further their own studies. Engineering freshman Diana Thompson, who is in the women in science program, was also interested in where the two fields intersect. “I thought that this would kind of relate but not directly, so I could see a different perspective of where feminism is,” Thompson said. “Feminism in these fields is a lot different than engineering. It’s very much more theoretical.” Matthieu Dupas, a graduate student of French literature and gender studies in the Department of Romance Languages and Literatures, enjoyed the variety of disciplines involved in the conversation. “It was very nice to have feminist scholars coming in from different disciplines and together endeavoring to picture the evolution of the interdisciplinary fields of women’s studies,” Dupas said. “For us, these scholars are at the peak of their field, and so it’s very cool to have their perspectives.”
at inconvenient times such as in the middle of the night or day. After an extensive public hearing session in which eight residents expressed their concerns pertaining to this resolution, Ann Arbor Mayor Christopher Taylor said the need for clear sidewalks is crucial to the citizens of Ann Arbor and that standards should not be lowered. According to research by the Ann Arbor Pedestrian Task Force, changes requiring snow removal at any accumulation are necessary and would bring Ann Arbor to state standards. “What we’ve heard from the Pedestrian Safety Task Force is that truly dozens of Michigan
cities have an all snow standard,” Taylor said. “Buffalo has an all snow standard.” “... I think that we’ve heard today that our residents rely on the sidewalks for transit, and we should do all we can to ensure that they’re passable to all that need them, and although I appreciate a lot of what’s in here, I think walking back for me, walking back from that standard, is a place I’d rather not go,” Taylor said. Council will reevaluate this issue after a public hearing scheduled for April 20, where they hope to listen to more comments from members of the Ann Arbor Commission on Disability Issues.
Iran, European nations make little progress in talks Negotiations aim to freeze Iranian nuclear program BRUSSELS (AP) — European powers and Iran made little progress late Monday toward reaching an agreement to end the standoff over Tehran’s nuclear program as an end-ofMarch deadline closes in. “We’re still making progress but there is a long way to go if we’re going to get there,” British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said, after talks in Brussels with his French, German and Iranian counterparts plus European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini. The talks were aimed at narrowing gaps in the positions between Iran and the world powers, as part of a 15 month negotiating process that could see Iran freeze its nuclear program for at least a decade in exchange for the gradual lifting
of international sanctions. Iran says the program is aimed at generating electricity and at medical research, but many in the West fear the Islamic republic is trying to covertly build atomic weapons. “It’s always useful to talk but we, the French, want a solid deal,” said French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius. “Certain points are yet to be resolved, we hope we will be able to resolve them but as long as it’s not done, it’s not done.” Mogherini, who is negotiating with Iran on behalf of the world’s five nuclear powers and Germany, said that all sides were aware how important it is to seal a good deal and that it was not clear whether “a technical solution” to fill the remaining gaps can be found. “I see the elements for a deal to be reached but I still see the gaps that need to be filled,” she said. Ahead of the meeting, German Foreign Minister Frank-
Walter Steinmeier urged his international partners and Iran to “seize this opportunity” of talks in Brussels and in Switzerland this week to finally clinch an elusive deal. The world powers and Iran have set an end-of-March deadline to reach a framework accord on the way ahead. Some officials have said persistent differences mean negotiators could settle for an announcement that they’ve made enough progress to justify further talks. Senior officials from the world powers will continue negotiations with Iran in Lausanne, Switzerland on Wednesday. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who represented Iran in Brussels, will also hold several days of discussions with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in Switzerland this week, as momentum builds in the nuclear negotiations.
Opinion
4 — Tuesday, March 17, 2015
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Little white pebbles
he told me she was collecting little white pebbles. We sat on the green bench of our senior lawn and talked about blackness. She asked me if I had ever had that feeling that I was missing out. That feeling that creeps up on you when you realize there is something else. Something more. Something bigger than you. Or outside of you. You know the feeling, like you are almost there, but DANI not quite. Hovering under VIGNOS the threshold but needed someone to reach up from above and pull you through the ocean’s surface. She told me that’s what she needed. “I think that’s it,” she questioned. One more stroke. Sometimes that shallow pond is more similar to swimming from the ocean’s base with a bag of bricks roped around your feet. Or maybe it’s just someone peeling open your eyes. She asked that the feeling be lifted off of her chest. The boulder of darkness. Lift off. She told me it was just a white pebble. Perhaps jammed in the palm of her hand. Or caught beneath her fingernail. Or worst, caught in her ear. It seemed to me that it was lodged in her throat, or the tear duct of her eye. She told me it was nothing serious. Only white she said, not too dark, not too black. More translucent. It will pass. She called me one evening. I was sitting by a friend’s fire pit. Her more-than-a-friend at the time sat there too. Wearing yellow, I danced with the fire. My friend buzzed in my pocket. She asked me if I remembered her little white stone. The collection, she reminded me. Her little bag of
white stones that she kept beneath her bed. The ones that strapped her to Earth’s floor. “It seems we have a problem” she hushed over the phone. The little white stones, she had misplaced them. She thought she had tucked them away into a place where they would stay put. Where they couldn’t run too far. Or drag her down too hard. Wreak havoc. “I thought maybe I would pass them to my children one day, but it seems this may no longer be the case.” She hummed some more. “The stones have been replaced. Would you come over and see what I found. It’s hard to explain,” she told me. “Of course,” I said. I asked if I could tell her more-than-a-friend what had happened. She said he wasn’t a rock collector himself. He may not understand. Or maybe he just had too many to count. I left the fire and arrived at her front door. Down the steps. Her younger sister watched television. The middle child painted. A mother and friend took tequila shots. Unaware of where their sister and daughter and friend was taking me. Glassy eyes globed in milk. Ignore them, she told me. We descended down the staircase, past the rainbow cave and hookah pipes. Past the portraits of the four siblings, once jovial. Peering into the mother’s room, where a new boyfriend stood, staring into nothingness. The last photograph that normally hung on the wall was a picture of her “old” family with her father who had found another woman. The picture and frame had been removed. We arrived at the bottom of the stairs. She told me her light switch was broken. The door was also jammed, but if you push really hard you may be able to peer in. — Dani Vignos can be reached at dvignos@umich.edu.
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
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Defining ‘creative’
his semester, I was given the opportunity to write and direct my first short film. A narrative about mental health, it’s to premiere along with other student films at the Michigan Theater in April. This has been a passion project pent up in my head for so long, now one I can finally bring to life. As a creator, there is a certain responsibility to myself and KAREN to the narrative that bur- HUA dens me. In the past week, I have slept less than 24 hours, tossing and turning in anxiety, planning late at night to ensure everything could be as perfect as possible. We just finished filming this past weekend; I feel like I just gave birth. Despite the stress, I have learned more about creative teamwork than I ever have on any other project. “Creativity” and “artistry” have always been elusive concepts. How does one actually be creative? Are certain types of creativity more effective? To what extent can you label or self-identify as an artist? Quite paradoxically to its name, creativity can often be the most rigid. I am the writer and director — which in many cases could have been synonymous with dictator. In many instances, I would typically want complete, unhindered, uncontested control. I have this immense connection to the work I toiled over for so long; it is a story that has deep meaning to me, a creative vision that I want to bring to life exactly as it is in my head. I wanted to insist more takes when the image didn’t adhere word for word to the script. However, in this exactness, creativity becomes more of a science than the art it should be. Filmmaking is a process that requires creative decisions to come in the moment — and
also with the input of a team. To me, creativity always seems like an individual pursuit. Creativity means being introspective, tapping into deeper emotions and finding inner inspiration based on outside influence. Quite the contrary, especially as a firsttime director, I needed the input of individuals with far more experience than I had. Filmmaking is not — and cannot be — a solo process. The insight of the director of photography, producer, assistant director and other crew members are what enhance the vision. Since childhood, group work has always been the bane of every student, as it’s unlikely every group member will pull an equivalent weight and also see eye to eye on every decision. On a film set, though, collaboration is not what makes the process a nuisance. Rather, it is an integral, vital part of the creative process. I could have never completed this project without a team that, albeit with a few artistic disagreements, was so dedicated to putting its best interests into this movie. Essentially, in the process of translating work onto a screen, creativity becomes about the relinquishment of control and the contribution of a team. What I have struggled to learn is that creativity is not about perfection. Maybe I am just realizing this now, but it is a struggle many other creators have regularly as well. Now, I can only imagine how those in Hollywood could ever manage feature-length projects without the help of massive teams — it just wouldn’t be possible. It has been a difficult, incredibly stressful process putting my vision to life — but I am learning to relinquish control and trust others. For now, I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity and so immensely proud. And that’s a wrap. — Karen Hua can be reached at khua@umich.edu.
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Mike Mansfield’s birthday
Recently, 47 U.S. Senators sent a letter to the leaders of Iran in an effort to derail current negotiations with President Barack Obama. Forget party politics for a minute — this was an overt attempt by members of Congress to go behind the back of a sitting President while he was conducting foreign policy. This kind of action is unprecedented, and reflects the sorry state of affairs not just between Capitol Hill and the White House, but also between almost every branch and department of our federal government. Yesterday, March 16, would have been the 112th birthday of Michael Joseph Mansfield. He held many titles throughout his life — Marine Corps private, member of the U.S. House of Representatives, majority leader of the Senate and U.S. ambassador to Japan, among others. He presided over the Senate’s functions for 17 consecutive years — something no other majority leader has surpassed. Mansfield was a soft-spoken, humble, generous and pragmatic giant of his time. It’s the way he conducted himself within our nation’s capital that should be remembered on March 16, in the face of so much congressional stagnation and petty politics. A terrific biography written about Mansfield by Don Oberdorfer reveals the life of a man who spent much of his time trying to stay away from the limelight. Oberdorfer describes the Senator’s many accomplishments while he was a member of our nation’s Upper House — including the successful passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other Great Society programs, as well as a continuous objection to military escalation in Vietnam, advice that President Johnson unfortunately did not heed. Being a Democrat
or a Republican was much more of a nominal title back then, and Mansfield consistently stayed above party politics and led, for the most part, a very apolitical career. Legislative achievements aside, Mansfield may be most remembered for his remarkable persona. When President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963, Jacqueline Kennedy, the president’s widow, asked that Mansfield give a eulogy while the president lay in state at the Capitol. There was a reason Mansfield led the Senate through five different presidencies and served as ambassador to Japan — a job that is typically reserved for political benefactors — even after Ronald Reagan took office from Jimmy Carter in 1981. It could have been his humble beginnings: a boy from New York City raised in Montana by a distant aunt and uncle, only to run away at an early age and subsequently live in an orphanage for over a year. He worked as a coal miner without a high-school degree for almost a decade. His future wife, Maureen, convinced him to work his way toward a bachelor’s degree, and he went on to get his master’s and teach at the University of Montana. A few years ago, James Grady wrote a wonderful piece on Mansfield in Politics Daily. In it, Grady recalls an episode in which Mansfield “Caught a Democratic colleague breaking a promise to a Republican, (so) Mike used the rules of the Senate to give the Republican his promised fair shot.” There was little pettiness in the Mansfield Senate, very small-scale bitterness and hostility among its members; Mike regularly reminded his colleagues to, as Grady puts it, “Act like they belonged to ‘the world’s greatest
deliberative body.’ ” During the Watergate scandal, Mansfield made sure to make a non-partisan investigative committee to oversee the hearings, something that secured constitutional integrity throughout the process to remove a corrupt politician from the White House. Mansfield once said, “When I’m gone, I want to be forgotten.” This kind of modesty, statesmanship and respect for everyone surrounding him makes Mansfield a politician of his own kind, from a different era. Today, seldom do you see a member of government deliberately try to avoid taking credit, solely focusing on bettering the people of the state of Montana and the country that he fought for and loved. I wish I could truly express the excellence that embodied the life of Mansfield; however, I believe the best way to do that is to review his life, and realize that he was truly one of the greatest leaders to ever set foot in Washington, D.C. He is now buried in Arlington National Cemetery, in the same simple gravestone that marks the thousands of soldiers lying with him, still keeping watch over our nation and its lawmakers. I hope that those who work in our government, and those who aspire to one day be in our government, take notice of the lessons taught to us by Mansfield. The state of American politics is in fragile condition, constantly being tested by the extreme partisanship of our country’s leadership. Let us hope that the words and wisdom of Michael Mansfield can once again be realized, especially by the ones who walk in his footsteps. Ben Keller is an LSA freshman and Editorial Board member.
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Illuminate the darkness
rayvon Martin was killed during my first semester in college. I remember sitting in my civil rights history class, where our professor asked if any of us had heard the name. I knew the loose facts of the story, but it was still a little while JAMES before George BRENNAN Zimmerman became an anathema and hoodies a symbol of solidarity. Three years later, I ran into that same professor at a small gathering of students and faculty. I hadn’t seen him in some time, but the event was tragically fitting. Along with others, he had helped organize a space for us to watch the announcement from Ferguson about Darren Wilson’s indictment. After we listened to the decision, everyone sat quietly to observe a moment of silence for Michael Brown. The only sounds came from a woman in the front of the room, who was crying. As four and a half minutes passed, a professor asked if anyone had thoughts or reactions to share. Between tears, the crying woman asked, “When are our lives going to matter?” During my time in college, it has often been hard to believe life is genuinely improving for Black Americans. Between the deaths of Trayvon Martin and Mike Brown, there have been countless Black people killed by police and vigilantes: Renisha McBride, Jordan Davis, Eric Garner, Tamir Rice and more. The milestone of the nation’s first Black president has, in some ways, been overshadowed, and not just by the frequent destruction of innocent Black life. The Voting Rights Act has been gutted, statelevel bans on affirmative action have been upheld and it is likely that the Fair Housing Act is on the chopping block next. And this is just the past three years. It is very easy to look at American
history — especially as it is presented in schools — and see a clear progression toward racial equality. The end of slavery was followed by the end of segregation, which led to expanded voting rights, which was followed by the nation’s first Black president, etc., etc. The improved state of Black Americans from chattel slavery to explicit protection in the Constitution is undeniable, but a deeper understanding of the history and structural flaws of education, criminal justice, voting and other institutions muddy the waters. Neighborhoods and schools across the country are overwhelmingly segregated by race, with “Black” schools finding synonymy with “poor” or “violent” schools. Prisons, from local holding cells to federal penitentiaries to death row, are disproportionately filled with Black and brown bodies. Inequity in the education and criminal justice systems is nothing new when it comes to race in America, but these discrepancies are not necessarily stagnant. It could be argued that, if current trends continue, the average Black child born today will face worse discrimination than his or her parents. Perhaps this gloomy outlook is a bit cynical, even fatalistic. But as a realist, I don’t find it unreasonable to fear that our generation may hit a brick wall when it comes to racial progress. I don’t say this to be a provocateur or a contrarian, but to reflect the urgency of crisis and the necessity for action. At the very least, we must accept that a perpetually unequal society is possible; in December 2013, however, the Black Student Union decided it would not be inevitable. During a time when college students are criticized for “slacktivism” and general political apathy, the BSU has been able to convert national media attention into concrete progress. A new multicultural
center is on its way, and the University has been pushed harder for increased diversity than it has in years. Though many of the experiences discussed through #BBUM reflected a campus unwelcoming to Black students, perhaps most importantly — though less concrete — there has been a noticeable change on campus when it comes to discussions of race. Similarly, the killing of Michael Brown and attacks on protesters in Ferguson should not purely be seen for their horrors. The day after prosecutors chose not to indict Darren Wilson, hundreds of students and community members gathered on the Diag for a vigil. After a few short speeches, local activists moved the gathering into a planned march. Leaving the Diag, more than 1,000 people filled Ann Arbor’s streets, bringing downtown traffic to a halt. Massive anti-racism demonstrations like these have broken out across the country, and parallels with tipping points during the 1950s and 1960s are hard to ignore. During college, there has been no issue that I have studied or written about more than racism. It’s a poetic note that my undergraduate years began with the senseless murder of a Black 16-year-old and will conclude with the nation declaring “Black Lives Matter.” However, no matter the neat symmetry of my experiences, this isn’t poetry. This is the future of civil rights and civil liberties; this is the destiny of an entire people, both as a collective and as millions of individuals. This is a turning point. In explaining why he came that day to a community dialogue on Ferguson, a Black graduate student fought back tears as he told us: “This is my life on the line.”
Perhaps this gloomy outlook is a bit cynical, even fatalistic.
— James Brennan can be reached at jmbthree@umich.edu.
Arts
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
ALBUM REVIEW
Tuesday, March 17, 2015 — 5
FILM REVIEW
Kendrick’s new ‘Cinderella’ dazzles album surprises By BENJAMIN ROSENSTOCK Daily Arts Writer
Lamar’s ‘To Pimp a Butterfly’ is mandatory listening By ADAM THEISEN Senior Arts Editor
All of us have voices in our heads that tell us we’re not good enough. They feed into our insecurities, saying we’re not A strong enough, smart enough, To Pimp a talented enough, rich Butterfly enough, deter- Kendrick mined enough, Lamar sane enough to be success- Top Dawg ful, to do what we need to do. Kendrick Lamar hears these voices, too — probably much louder than most of us. But these voices don’t stop Lamar. Instead, they’ve fueled him, providing the unrelenting engine that has created To Pimp a Butterfly, an album that will never be forgotten by anyone who listens to it. You could compare To Pimp a Butterfly to other anti-fame albums, ones that express the dangers of celebrity. You could compare it to other records that seem to capture mental breakdowns on tape. You could even compare it to other trippy, paranoid masterpieces that have been produced in studios. But you won’t, because while there’s other music that tries to capture some of To Pimp a Butterfly’s essence, Kendrick Lamar’s latest work is so strong and singular, grabbing you by the collar and dragging you into its world from the opening seconds, that your mind won’t be able to focus on anything except what Lamar wants you to hear. The trajectory of the album can be summarized by a poem repeated and expanded upon by Lamar throughout the tracklist. Lamar’s self-doubt and conflict leaves him “screaming in the hotel room,” surrounded by evil. So he goes home (to Compton? To Africa? To his true inner self? All are possible interpretations). “But that didn’t stop the survivor’s guilt,” Lamar says, so he realizes he needs to teach others about his message of respect, unity and love. The biggest reveal of To Pimp a Butterfly is just how deep Lamar’s post-fame depressive spiral was. Opener “Wesley’s Theory” recalls Kendrick’s early dreams of hitting it big and reminds him that the rise is the easy part — it’s staying on top that’ll stress you to the point of insanity. Next, on “For Free?” Lamar is berated by women who attack his insecurities over a classic jazz beat. Additionally, “u” simulates a true breakdown in a hotel room, as Lamar hears a drunk former friend from his neighborhood tear him to shreds for abandoning where he came from. Lamar raps these verses with theatrical pathos that he’s brought before on songs like “Sing About Me,” and these tracks are just as intense. But Lamar saves his sharpest barbs for celebrity, record companies and the culture of fame. The album’s character of Lucy (possibly short for Lucifer?) tempts Lamar on “For Sale?” Lucy promises to move Lamar’s mother out of Compton and into a mansion — all she wants in return is trust, loyalty and a signed contract. Considering how wide in scope the album is, it’s incredible that the songs of To Pimp a Butterfly are somehow even more cohesive than the songs of the good kid, m.A.A.d city. good kids’s subtitle, “A Short Film by Kendrick Lamar,” was well-deserved — when you closed your eyes, you really could see Compton — but the singularity of Lamar’s creative vision is even more mature and more intense on this latest release. Every song plays a very specific role in the overall statement that To Pimp a Butterfly’s narrative makes. While on its
TOP DAWG
Does gravity exist for Kendrick Lamar? Read on to find out!
own, “The Blacker the Berry” may have sounded like a complete indictment of the streets Lamar comes from, in context, it’s presented as one of many aspects of the Black experience. Lamar sweats blood through his verses, alternating between proud and self-hating as he spits lyrics so deep that even Michael Chabon could only scratch the surface when he annotated them for Genius. Lamar fans who got angry and disappointed every time dozens of drunk people sung along to “Swimming Pools” at house parties, have no fear: While To Pimp a Butterfly is far too dense and layered for every part of Lamar’s message to be immediately and completely understood, there’s no way that any of these tracks will be mistaken for commercial turn-up party anthems. Lamar unequivocally eschews anything that would even remotely sound like a Mike Will Made It or DJ Mustard joint, even messing with previous single “i” enough that none of these songs will be played on the radio. Instead, he brings in artists like Thundercat and Terrace Martin, who ground the disorienting trippiness of songs like “Wesley’s Theory” and “King Kunta” with strong bass, jazz instruments and afrocentric beats. The only credited A-list cameo comes from Snoop Dogg on “Institutionalized,” but even he is raspy, nearly unrecognizable and gone in a flash of smoke. In fact, there’s not even a Black Hippy member to be found — a very noticeable omission that doesn’t bode well for the future of rap’s best collective. The most non-Lamar bars actually go to the little-known Rapsody, who delivers a verse of pride and love on “Complexion.” Lamar’s music touches on subjects including racial identity, the plight of inmates, Black beauty, the trials of fame, gang violence, police brutality, personal depression, the need for love and unity among all races and many more. Lamar spends To Pimp a Butterfly’s 80 minutes sharing almost all of his thoughts, and what he has to say is fascinating, a little schizophrenic and scattered, and incredibly smart. The combination of the sheer power of Lamar’s rapping with the hypnotic jazz fusion production makes it impossible to tear yourself away from the record and commands an endless number of listens. Lamar’s talent makes it feel like you’re pulled entirely into his own separate world, but everything his says has relevance in our own. The most perfect, beautiful moment on To Pimp a Butterfly comes on “i.” After the confusion, anger and heavy, heavy darkness of the first 14 tracks, we hear the familiar voice of the same pastor who began this track when it was released six months ago. Except on that old release, the pastor said “He’s not a rapper; he’s a writer!” On this proper album track, he introduces Lamar as “the number-one rapper in the world.” It’s hard to understate exactly how important that difference is. For a while, it seemed like Kendrick Lamar was maybe too good for hip hop, preferring to be talked of in the company of dead white guys instead of 2Pac, Nas or Kanye. But that change, coupled with the faux-live setting that places Lamar right in
the heart of his neighborhood and disarms any accusations of selling out for radio play, confirms the emergence of Lamar’s true inner self, the Lamar we’ve been waiting the whole record to hear. “i” ’s catharsis of selfacceptance, of putting the gun down and embracing love, creates a truly glorious moment. However, as the song goes on, Lamar’s audience doesn’t necessarily accept his message of love with open ears, and Lamar doesn’t exactly take their mixed reaction kindly. The unified clarity of the album doesn’t last long. An argument breaks out between fans, and Lamar stops the music, admonishing his crowd to “save that shit for the streets” and proceeding to deliver an a capella lecture/verse on the word “Negus.” On To Pimp a Butterfly we hear a certain kind of militancy in Kendrick Lamar — not militancy in the traditional Black Panther sense, but an indestructible conviction in his message that refuses to allow dissent. 12 years ago, Jay-Z released his “final” album, titled The Black Album. If Hov hadn’t taken that name, it would’ve been an appropriate descriptor for To Pimp a Butterfly, a release that overflows with knowledge of Black history, attempts to cover as many parts of the Black American experience as it can and name-checks everyone from Moses to the Black Panthers to Malcolm X, MLK, Nelson Mandela and 2Pac. Nowhere is this more apparent than the album’s closer, “Mortal Man.” 12 minutes long and dedicated to Nelson Mandela, “Mortal Man” ’s verses deal with Lamar’s fear of being abandoned by his fans. “When the shit hit the fan, is you still a fan?” he asks. The actionsspeak-louder-than-words message and the line “How many leaders you said you needed then left ’em for dead?” ring true, but Lamar might be a little too paranoid about the public’s potential betrayal. Of Michael Jackson, he says, “That nigga gave us Billie Jean, you say he touched those kids?” Hm. “Mortal Man” ’s lengthy outro that closes To Pimp a Butterfly is a conversation between Lamar and 2Pac, who’s recreated from old interview tapes. They discuss the future of Lamar’s generation, and Lamar explains a metaphor that “a good friend” wrote describing Lamar’s world. In the metaphor, which gives the album its title, there are enlightened “butterflies” and bitter “caterpillars” who are trapped in cocoons of their own environments and try to “pimp” the butterflies. The mission of the butterfly, Kendrick says, is to shed light on the caterpillars in order to end the “eternal struggle.” “What’s your perspective on that?” Lamar asks 2Pac. Pac doesn’t answer, and thus ends To Pimp a Butterfly. After taking in the whole album, you may be ready to follow Lamar to the ends of the earth, or you may dismiss him as an overdramatic egotist, but one thing is indisputable: To Pimp a Butterfly is mandatory listening from a rapper whose trials, tribulations and immeasurable ambition have helped create a once-in-a-lifetime record, one whose words, if their creator achieves his goal, will inspire and endure for generations.
It’s hard to justify a live-action remake of an animated movie like 1950’s “Cinderella” — a movie that doesn’t particularly B+ need to be retold despite Cinderella its abundant number of Rave & Quality 16 adaptations. To remake a film like “Cin- Walt Disney derella,” one Studio Motion would expect Pictures the filmmakers to take a different approach, perhaps shifting the viewpoint to that of Anastasia, one of the evil stepsisters, or presenting the story in a historical setting with a feminist perspective, as 1998’s “Ever After” did. Ironically, though, 2015’s “Cinderella” succeeds so well precisely for the opposite reason. Instead of nixing the fantastical elements, the fantasy is piled on, and the film is a vivid and colorful live-action remake instead of a dark or gritty interpretation. Ella (Lily James, “Downton Abbey”) finds herself in the care of a wicked stepmother (Cate Blanchett, “Blue Jasmine”) and two cruel stepsisters, Anastasia and Drizella (Holliday Grainger, “The Borgias” and Sophia McShera, “Galavant,” respectively) after both of her parents pass away. Here’s where the story changes a little: Rather than meeting Prince Charming for the first time at his lavish ball, Ella meets him during an afternoon
of horseback riding in the forest, and he misleadingly introduces himself as Kit (Richard Madden, “Game of Thrones”), an apprentice who works at the castle. This change benefits the logic of the story, for the most part. When Kit goes home and finally does throw the ball, he opens it to all eligible maidens for the purpose of finding Ella. The film rarely attempts to inject feminism into a story that naturally denies its female protagonist her agency, but putting Ella and Kit on more equal footing aids the storytelling and makes their love more credible. With Kenneth Branagh’s (“Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit”) direction, the camera makes circular pans around Ella and Kit, drawing a natural parallel between their horses circling around each other as they meet in the forest and their later dizzying dance scene. There’s nothing complex, exactly, about their love, but there rarely is in a fairy tale. The film puts other slight spins on the original. In the hands of a gloriously unlikable Blanchett, Lady Tremaine is both entertaining and a little more tragic than the 1950 stepmother; Chris Weitz’s (“The Golden Compass”) script insinuates that Tremaine’s resentment for Ella is born out of grief and a deep-seated jealousy of Ella’s late mother, whose place Lady Tremaine will never be able to fill. When a man arrives to tell the family of Ella’s father’s death, he says to Ella, “He spoke only of you and your mother.” The pain on Lady Tremaine’s face in that one shot signals the beginning of the disdain Ella will face in her
stepmother’s servitude. The film is also occasionally quite funny, especially when Helena Bonham Carter (“Les Misérables”) appears as the Fairy Godmother who revitalizes the film with a self-aware spin on the character, turning a passing lizard and goose into the footman and coachman of Ella’s pumpkin carriage. The coachman, with a nose resembling a goose’s beak, says, “I can’t drive; I’m a goose,” and though it’s silly, the coachman’s perplexed delivery earns laughs. The willingness to indulge the fantastical aspects of Cinderella’s story is also its greatest flaw. The film’s existence in the first place is a little hard to justify, since it stays so close to the 1950 version, hardly giving Ella any complexity beyond the obvious emotions: sadness at her parents’ passing and happiness when she’s with the prince. When the film does try to go more complex, elaborating on Ella’s embarrassment at her lack of noble standing, it falters a little, especially because this film’s Prince Charming never cares even slightly about whether or not the love of his life is a princess. The main conflict feels forced as a result. Thankfully, though, the preservation of the original film’s sense of adventure overrides any major flaw “Cinderella” might have. Always fun and featuring a dazzling array of bright colors and costumes, the movie might not deliver a daring new take on the original story, but its traditional nature is what makes the film so appealing.
FILM REVIEW
‘Red Army’ elevates sports documentary By CATHERINE SULPIZIO Senior Arts Editor
Early on in “The Red Army,” Viacheslav Fetisov, the legendary defenseman of the Red Army ice hockey club A and star of the documen- Red Army tary, refuses State Theater to cooperate with Gabe Sony Pictures Polsky (“The Motel Life”), Classics the documentarian. Wry smile on his lips, he checks his phone, making a crack about American work ethic, as Polsky — unable to restrain himself — pelts him with questions. The comedic dance between director and star is just one facet of humor in “The Red Army,” Polsky’s film about the iconic Russian hockey team and its Soviet-era backdrop. It’s funnier than you would expect: kids sing propaganda songs, onscreen lyrics marked by a bouncing hammer-and-sickle, Fetisov slings jabs at Polsky, a dictatorial coach’s habit of hitting his players draws audience laughs. Yet for its levity and flashy graphics, “The Red Army” still wields a hefty thematic load as it explores the politics that played out on ice, as well as the aesthetics of an aggressive, beautiful sport. Cultural critic Roland Barthes wrote in “The World of Wrestling” that in the U.S., “wrestling represents a kind of mythological combat between Good and Evil … the ‘bad wrestler’ always presumed to be a Red.” This maxim latches easily onto ice hockey, especially during the monumental 1980 Winter Olympics when American “underdogs” (as if the U.S. could ever be the humble long shot) defeated the Soviet Union in Lake Placid, New York. Amid Russia’s recent invasion of Afghanistan and plunged deep in the Cold War, both media and President Jimmy Carter took every advantage to situate the game within ideological significance as athletes were blown
into symbolic manifestations of Communism versus Capitalism. For the U.S., this grand narrative spawned “Miracles on Ice,” but for the Russians, it was a frustrating — yet small — battle lost. Up until 1972, the beloved coach Anatoli Tarasov led the team, which is where “Red Army” elevates a sports documentary into a sophisticated look at the art underlying the game. Tarasov’s brand of coaching drew inspiration from maestros of ballet and chess alike to create the complex plays that defined the team’s technical prowess. The film deftly characterizes what makes Russian hockey so distinct from its clunky rivals’ type of play — that is, the team’s point of intersection between individual talent and collaborative, spontaneous creativity. At times it appears like the team shares one hyperactive brain, especially as they weave labyrinthine and graceful passes up and down the rink, gliding as quickly as synapses firing off, leaving opponents stupefied.
The aesthetics of an aggressive, beautiful sport on ice. The test point for a documentary is its ability to draw the viewer into its niche universe, to assimilate them into its rhythms of local culture. “Red Army” achieves this and more, by not only exploring the close-knit dynamics of the team, but by tracking the interposition of world politics on a group of talented players who just want to, well, play hockey. After the spectacular failure of the Olympics that played out on the global media stage, the Soviet Union immediately regrouped their patriotic sport par example by radically restructuring: a swath of longstanding mem-
bers are out, and Viktor Tikhonov, Tarasov’s successor, doubles down. Intractably embedded in politics, the Red Army Team was actually an official part of the Soviet Army during the era and Tikhonov plays the general with the full brunt of his government-sanctioned authority. Training lengthens and intensifies, and the idyllic relations between the team start to crumble. “Red Army” draws its narrative work from interviews with the core team members who don’t hold back in their criticism of Tikhonov, a figure who encapsulates the worst impulses of his government. Isolated for 11 months of the year and treated with little compassion (a teammate recalls not being allowed to visit his dying father) the team culls viewer sympathy easily. Intriguingly though, the film doesn’t shy away from the logistical success of Tikhonov’s tactics — a slew of wins follow. While never becoming an allegory, “Red Army” elegantly aligns these tailing years of the Soviet Union with the team’s own declining morale, as team members ultimately defect to U.S. teams with much resistance from their own government. Through its final leg, “Red Army” explores questions of national identity. Far from being opponents of Russia, the players retain a complicated solidarity with not just their country, but with the state they were shaped by. Even as 1991’s failed coup brings a wave of economic freedom, this post-Union period is marked by lawlessness and corruption, which Fetisov and his teammates mourn. Similarly, the team’s various moves to the U.S. are portrayed with vex, but “Red Army” still finds a quietly triumphant ending, as five members reunite in Detroit’s own Red Wings team, bringing their elaborate style of hockey to American ice. For the sheer breadth of thematic ground “Red Army” moves through, its run time of 76 minutes could have felt slight. Yet just as its subject springs to life through feats of astonishing choreography, “Red Army,” too, displays remarkable talent in spinning its far-flung narrative threads together.
Arts
6 — Tuesday, March 17, 2015
TV REVIEW
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
FILM REVIEW
‘Stars’ for a cause ‘Timbuktu’ unnerves Comedy Central charity event raises awareness for autism By HAILEY MIDDLEBROOK Daily Arts Writer
In a room packed with entertainers who tell jokes for a living, it’s sometimes hard to see the bigger purpose. The fact is that A+ people laugh at misfortune — Night of Too comedians make light of atrocities Many Stars such as Ebola TV Special virus or dictator Kim Jong Un. Comedy Central When not joking about deathly serious matters, they impersonate the most glamorous and ridiculous of Hollywood — stars like Kim Kardashian (who, coincidentally, tops Kim Jong Un in a Google search of her first name). With a parody platform that alternates between topics too terrible to believe and celebrities living unimaginable lives, a gaping space is left for reality. Few Americans (thankfully) are affected by North Korean politics and even fewer by Justin Bieber’s 21st birthday antics. What they are affected by are the unglorified challenges in life: For one in every 68 children and their parents, this means living with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Laughing at tragedy and mockery may allow a person to escape the moment, but is that all comedy can do? The folks at New York Collaborates for Autism (NYCA) didn’t
think so. With its motto, “NYCA sees the possibility and creates the path,” the non-profit organization strives to dramatically improve the lives of people living with ASD through innovative programs, helped by partner charities and collaborations. “Night of Too Many Stars” was the brainchild of a collaboration with Comedy Central, airing first in 2006 as a marathon broadcast flooded with A-list comedians and performers. This year’s lineup included Steve Carell (“The Office”), Paul Rudd (“Parks and Recreation”), Maya Rudolph (“Bridesmaids”), Chris Rock (“Everybody Hates Chris”) and Adam Sandler (“Happy Gilmore”) to name a few, all raising awareness and funds for NYCA. Hosted by Jon Stewart (“The Daily Show”), the 2006, 2012 and 2015 shows have collected well over $18 million for NYCA through ticket sales for the live show in New York City’s Beacon Theatre, online donations and (perhaps the best way) miscellaneous celebrity auctions. Currently on Comedy Central’s website, bidders can enter to win the chance to be drawn into an episode of “The Simpsons,” or bid on a gold rotary phone signed by “Call Me Maybe” babe Carly Rae Jepsen ($230 current bid) and a “World’s Best Boss” mug signed by Steve Carell ($750 current bid). And unlike throwing down hundreds of dollars for a birthday candle blown out by J-Biebs, the money is going towards an excellent cause — allowing hundreds of people diagnosed with ASD access to proper education and the attention necessary to live a happy, fulfilling life. If the online auctions are fun, the live auction on the show was even better. Between watching stand-up
acts like Amy Schumer’s fantastic riff on being a “real” woman in Hollywood, audience members could buy an endorsement from Chris Rock (won by designer Tommy Hilfiger for $35,000) or the chance to “commit a crime” with British comedian John Oliver.
Commit a crime with John Oliver. Good humor and grand donations aside, the best part of “Night of Too Many Stars” was when the real purpose took the spotlight. Owen Suskind, a teenager with ASD, had grown up reenacting scenes from Disney’s “Aladdin” with his father as a way to communicate. He would play Jafar while his father acted as Iago, the parrot who’s voiced by Gilbert Gottfried (“The Celebrity Apprentice”). In the most heartwarming appearance in the show (surprising even Jon Stewart), Gottfried brought Suskind onto the stage to reenact an “Aladdin” scene with the real Iago. Though Gottfried forgot his lines — “Ah fuck, it was 20 years ago!” — Suskind filled in for both parts, his megawatt smile outshining the celebrities on stage. Though we seek comedy to forget the seriousness of life, moments like these remind us that our basic routines — like pretending to be Disney characters — are the most powerful, because they make us who we are. “Night of Too Many Stars” is unique because though it has a stacked roster of celebrities, the stage is given to the real allstars in our lives.
Classifieds RELEASE DATE– Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle
FOR RENT
Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis
ACROSS 1 Device in a jogger’s armband, maybe 5 Off-mike comment 10 Deck swabbers 14 Emperor with a bow 15 Language of 14Across 16 Mayberry kid 17 Bureau of Indian Affairs purview 19 Heating or cooling outlet 20 Nationality suffix 21 BB-shaped veggie 22 Pay attention to 23 1989 handheld gadget release 29 “Magic Mike” actor Channing __ 30 Disparaging 31 Have yet to pay 32 Prof’s aides 34 Stat for Madison Bumgarner 35 Chaplin of “Game of Thrones” 36 Manhattan landmark, and a hint to this puzzle’s circles 39 Word before drill or engine 41 Clothes drier 42 Fish-on-the-line sign 43 “__ knows?” 44 Gentle gaits 46 Implicit 50 Mr. Wilson’s bane 53 Comparable 54 Modern, in Berlin 55 Through 56 “__ go bragh!” 57 Polynesianthemed restaurant chain 61 Data unit 62 Ready to hit 63 Event with specials 64 1930s heavyweight champ Max 65 Oddballs 66 Mined materials DOWN 1 Sharply focused 2 Empire conquered by Alexander the Great
3 “Murder on the __ Express” 4 Driver’s lic. info 5 “Midnight in Paris” writer/director Woody 6 Light lunches 7 “Give __ rest!” 8 Racket 9 Come to a halt 10 “Philadelphia” or “Chicago,” e.g. 11 Test type 12 Force to make a commitment 13 Tennis match part 18 Theoretical evolutionary link 22 Bovary’s title: Abbr. 24 Helen Keller, to Anne Sullivan 25 In this world 26 Young lady 27 Alter to fit 28 Passing remark? 33 Planetarium projections 35 Liver or kidney 36 Longtime newsman with the catchphrase “And that’s the way it is”
37 Prison uprising 38 Filmmaker with a distinctive style 39 F on a DVD player, perhaps 40 Informal “Understood” 44 Sardine container 45 Writer/illustrator Maurice 47 Pricey hors d’oeuvre
48 Spiky winter hanger 49 Pokes fun at 51 West Coast NFLer 52 Hooks up with 56 Partner of flow 57 License plate 58 Postal worker’s beat: Abbr. 59 Grandpa Simpson 60 Brandy bottle letters
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By ZAK WITUS Daily Arts Writer
“Timbuktu” transports us. Not simply in the sense of transporting us through space and time, as any film does, but in the sense of transporting us into a Aforeign consciousness. To Timbuktu tell its story, Michigan “Timbuktu” Theater intervenes in the nor- Cohen Media mal flow of Western con- Group sciousness. This begins with simple changes of scenery (vast and mostly empty desert Better than ‘American Sniper.’ backdrops, black and silent des- damentalist militants are still ert nights, sand-colored cities, killing people for seemingly humans with brown skin liv- ridiculous reasons, like playing ing in tents, etc.) and ends with music or smoking cigarettes. changes in our cultural and ide- But American audiences cannot ological filters through which avoid noticing that these miliwe experience life. Whether tants’ victims are not Ameriand to what degree these deep- cans, but Africans. (Indeed, er changes endure after the film the United States is never menhas ended is up to you. tioned in the film.) “Timbuktu” stations viewThe film’s slow pace builds ers in the highly volatile city tension gradually, accenting of Timbuktu, Mali, located key moments of action and vioin northwestern Africa. The lence (similar, in this regard, infamous black flag that most to “Foxcatcher,” and the polar Americans will associate with opposite of the “Fast and Furithe Islamic State appears in the ous” series). The strict economy first few minutes of the film. of dialogue and the effective Interestingly, the characters use of silence may irk (and never call this ruling band of perhaps intrigue) those of us Islamic jihadists by that name accustomed to rapid-fire conor any of its variations (IS, ISIS versation, either in our personal or, Obama’s preference, ISIL). lives or in film. As it turns out, That’s because the militant everything need not always be jihadists occupying Timbuktu communicated so explicitly in this film are not in fact ISIS, or done so obviously. Indeed, but Ansar Dine. To many Amer- “Timbuktu” demonstrates great icans the difference may appear reservation in dialogue, and yet negligible – these Islamic fun- the precise diction along with choice of shots and other nonverbal elements develops into a language that communicates more than the most verbose Hollywood motion picture. Call: #734-418-4115 One might think that the Email: dailydisplay@gmail.com stark cultural differences between us (e.g., Westerners) and them (e.g., the characters in “Timbuktu” and the people they represent) would overwhelm us to the point of not understanding basic aspects of the drama. Not so. The weight of the drama hangs heavy on THESIS EDITING. LANGUAGE, organization, format. All Disciplines. us all the more. Though we 734/996-0566 or writeon@iserv.net may not fully agree with, say, Kidane’s retaliation against the fisherman who slayed his cow, if we allow ourselves to be cinematically immersed in this other world and its people’s way of life, we can understand
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the causes and motives of his action. “Humiliation” is the key word here, as elsewhere in this film, to describe the enduring, underlying cause that moves the people toward desperation and then toward evil. But I don’t wish to mislead: You won’t be spoon fed any easy moral truths in “Timbuktu.” If you’re looking for that, I hear pirated copies of “American Sniper” are now available. Where “American Sniper” failed, “Timbuktu” succeeds: The film invites us to empathize with its characters, including the Muslims. It does not invite empathy with the so-called “terrorists,” although there’s certainly room for that; rather that is to invite us to empathize with the ordinary folk, like the poor fisherman, the orphan shepherd boy or the odd-but-wise rooster lady. By empathizing with these characters, we extend our minds across the artificial boundaries set between ourselves (e.g., the U.S.) and other peoples, and we recognize that “they” are fundamentally just like “us.” “Timbuktu” doesn’t let one drop of blood go unnoticed: It’s almost as if the filmmakers are crazy enough to believe that human blood is sacred! (an idea for which Hollywood war movies rarely have regard). Instead of Call of Duty-style shootouts killing faceless, soulless nonentities, “Timbuktu” makes you realize that when you kill your enemy, an actual person dies. This highly sensitive treatment of human life might challenge our gun-slinging, American cowboy sensibilities, but it’s worth experiencing if for no other reason than to appreciate the contrast.
STYLE RECAP
New Miu Miu collection By CAROLINE FILIPS Daily Arts Writer
Since its founding in 1993, Miu Miu has been intellectualturned-fashion-mogul Miuccia Prada’s outlet for her playful, girlish side. The brand prides itself on being a cheekier version of its older, more sophisticated parent brand, Prada, and often does so in a bold, whimsical fashion. For its fall ready-to-wear line for Paris Fashion Week, Miu Miu showcased its strengths — opting for a collection consisting of vibrant colors, conspicuous prints, bold statement jewelry and its signature over-the-top footwear. While a vast majority of fashion houses showcased ’70s inspired collections, Miu Miu wasn’t overtly subject to a specific decade, though it did feature the era’s exaggerated blouses and generous amounts of gingham. Pastoral button-downs mimicked 19th-century fashion, A-line dresses channeled the mod ’60s and metallic outerwear
added a futuristic flair. If anything, the show exuded mainly ’80s vibes with chunky jewelry and a soundtrack fresh out of a John Hughes film. Overall, the collection offered uber-feminine silhouettes, with no pants in sight and figure flattering cinched waists. The show’s overarching theme seemed to be one of refined chaos, shying from any succinct minimalism and brimming with energy. The collection’s overzealous, youthful overtones extended to the accessories as well, featuring footwear in a Candyland-esque color scheme, accentuated with clunky heels and belts. Smaller handbags complete with braided handles also stood out. The quintessential quirkiness of Miu Miu defined the collection, as it included polished separates contrasted by avant-garde additions. Ultimately, a refreshing departure from common fall shades of jewel tones and greys, Miu Miu’s coquettish aesthetic is arguably PFW’s biggest standout.
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Tuesday, March 17, 2015 — 7
Officers testify in Boston trial Police reflect on moments leading to suspect’s arrest
BOSTON (AP) — Three police officers on Monday described an onslaught of gunfire and bombs thrown during a violent confrontation with the Boston Marathon bombers days after the deadly attack and one suspect’s furious escape in a stolen car that ended with him dragging his brother’s body through the street. The testimony by Watertown officers came hours after jurors in the federal death penalty trial of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev went to see the bullet-ridden boat he was found hiding in the evening of April 19, 2013. Earlier that day, shortly after midnight, one officer spotted a carjacked Mercedes SUV on a quiet residential street. That set off a frenzied clash in which Dzhokhar and his older brother, Tamerlan, hurled explosives at police, including two pipe bombs and one pressure-cooker bomb similar to those used near the marathon finish line that killed 3 people and injured more than 260 others, the officers testified. Joseph Reynolds, the first officer at the scene, said he “locked eyes” with the SUV driver, who was later identified as Tamerlan Tsarnaev. Reynolds said Tamerlan got out of the car and began firing at him. “All I could see was muzzle f lashes,” he said. “I couldn’t count it. It was nonstop.” The shots continued as other officers began to arrive, Reynolds said.
He saw a wick and a lighter and then watched as an object f lew through the air, landed in the street and exploded, he said, shaking him to his knees. “I could feel all the debris landing on top of me,” he said. Sgt. Jeffrey Pugliese said he cut through backyards to get closer to the bombers, and he eventually could see their feet illuminated by car headlights. He said he aimed at the ground near their feet in the hope that the bullets would ricochet into their ankles. But Tamerlan saw him and came charging up the street, firing at him, said Pugliese, who fired back. The two men came face to face, with only 6 to 8 feet separating them, Pugliese said. But Tamerlan had a problem with his pistol, the officer said. “He kind of looked at his gun. He looked at me. We looked at each other,” Pugliese said. “I think out of frustration, he threw his gun at me.” Pugliese said Tamerlan began to run away, but he tackled him. Tamerlan struggled as three officers tried to handcuff him, even though he was wounded and bleeding, Pugliese said. That’s when they saw the stolen car speeding toward them with Dzhokhar behind the wheel, Pugliese said. The officer stepped out of the witness box to demonstrate how he tried to pull Tamerlan out of the way and how he rolled over to get himself out of the car’s path. “The black SUV, it was right in my face,” he said. “I looked down, and I saw the front wheels were over Tamerlan.”
JEFF ROBERSON/AP
St. Louis County Prosecutor Robert McCulloch, left, speaks during a news conference as St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar listens Sunday, March 15, 2015, in Clayton, Mo. McCulloch said 20-year-old Jeffrey Williams has been charged in the shooting of two St. Louis-area officers.
Ferguson prosecutors prepare to try police shooting suspect Williams declines to make statement during trial briefing
CLAYTON, Mo. (AP) — The man accused of shooting two police officers last week in Ferguson appeared in court Monday, a day after his arrest on charges that he fired on the men during a late-night protest. Williams, 20, did not make any statements during the brief hearing. St. Louis television station KTVI said a judge read the charges — felony assault, armed criminal action and a weapons offense — and gave Williams a list of possible private attorneys. His next appearance was set for March 31. Williams is accused of shooting the two officers Thursday outside
Ferguson’s police station, which has been the scene of protests since last summer’s fatal shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown. Williams told investigators he was not targeting law enforcement and had been aiming instead at someone with whom he was in dispute, authorities said. “We’re not sure we completely buy that part of it,” St. Louis County Prosecutor Robert McCulloch said. Williams used a handgun that matches the shell casings at the scene, McCulloch said. He was being held on $300,000 bond. Ferguson activist Derrick Robinson said Sunday that Williams told him during a jail visit that he had been robbed earlier on the day of the shooting and returned to the protest zone to retaliate. On Monday, Robinson referred
inquiries to Wiliams’ lawyer, who did not immediately respond to an interview request. The shooting happened as a demonstration outside the police department began to break up. The protest followed the resignation of city Police Chief Tom Jackson in the wake of a Justice Department report that found widespread racial bias in the city’s police practices. Protesters did not recognize Williams as one of their own, and he was not well known among neighbors. Brittany Ferrell, 26, a protest leader with the group Millennial Activists United, said no one in her group knew Williams, and they checked with other frequent protesters, who also had not heard of him. John Gaskin, a St. Louis
NAACP leader, said of Williams, “I don’t know him. I’ve never seen him.” On Monday, no one answered the door of the north St Louis County home Williams listed as his address on court records, and several neighbors said Monday they did not know him. The home is about 5 miles northeast of the police department. According to 2014 county court records, Williams lived in the nearby community of Jennings, parts of which border Ferguson. But no one answered the door at that home either. Online state court records show a man by the name of Jeffrey Williams at the address police provided Sunday was charged in 2013 with receiving stolen property and fraudulent use of a credit/debit device.
ARTS
Marina and the Diamonds mines new depth in ‘Froot’ Pop musician balances bubblegum and meaning in latest album By REGAN DETWILER For The Daily DON RYANY/AP
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown signs an automatic voter registration bill, Monday, March 16 in Salem, Ore.
Oregon adopts automatic voter registration system New protocol aims to broaden participation SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Seventeen years after Oregon decided to become the first state to hold all elections with mail-in ballots, it took another pioneering step on Monday to broaden participation by automatically registering people to vote. Gov. Kate Brown signed a bill that puts the burden of registration on the state instead of voters. Under the legislation, every adult citizen in Oregon who has interacted with the Driver and Motor Vehicle Services Division since 2013 but hasn’t registered to vote will receive a ballot in the mail at least 20 days before the next statewide election. The measure is expected to add about 300,000 new voters to the rolls. “It just changes expectations for who’s responsible for making elections work,” said Barry Burden, a professor of political science at the University of Wisconsin in Madison and director of the Elections Research Center. “In every other state it’s the responsibility for the voters to make sure it happens.” Some other states have considered such legislation but none has
gone as far as Oregon. Minnesota nearly implemented automatic voter registration in 2009 before the plan was vetoed by Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who said “registering to vote should be a voluntary, intentional act.” Similar concerns were raised by Oregon’s minority Republicans. “Simply because it makes us unique or makes us first does not necessarily mean that it actually improves on what we’re doing,” said state Sen. Jackie Winters, a Republican from Salem. Oregon Republicans also voiced worry about potential voter fraud, the cost of implementing the measure, and whether the DMV can ensure personal information remains secure. Information the DMV has on file, such as age, residential information, signature and citizenship status, will be transferred to the secretary of state, who will then automatically update registration information. When it came up for a vote in the state Senate last week, all Republicans and one Democrat voted against it. The Democrats hold a 18-12 advantage in the Senate so the bill easily passed. State Sen. Elizabeth Steiner Hayward, a Portland Democrat who carried the bill in the Senate, said there were rumblings the
measure was a “secret plot” to enroll more Democrats. But she denied that was true. Oregon already has one of the highest voter registration rates in the nation — 73 percent of Oregonians were registered to vote and 70 percent of them cast ballots during the 2014 general election. Tony Green, spokesman for the secretary of state, said the legislation is expected to eventually capture all unregistered voters who are in the DMV database after taking actions such as obtaining or renewing a driver’s license. Two years ago, when the measure was first proposed, Green said there were questions about whether the Driver and Motor Vehicle Services Division records were confidential under federal law. The legislative counsel determined the secretary of state and the division could share information as long as it was for legitimate government purposes, he said. People eligible to vote will get a postcard saying they’ve been registered and have three weeks to opt out. They’ll be automatically registered as unaffiliated but can select a political party from the postcard and return it to election officials through the mail. Automatic registration is not uncommon in other countries.
With the release of her third A album, Froot Froot, Welsh-born Marina and musician the Diamonds Marina and theDiamonds Atlantic Records appears to have found her artistic center. Froot features bubblegum pop beats juxtaposed with lyrics steeped in meaning, ranging from intimate personal reflection to dark social commentary. It’s impossible to take a good look at Froot without Marina’s previous two albums in mind. Marina first came into the spotlight with her 2010 debut album The Family Jewels, which fell somewhere along the lines of electronic indie-pop, being reminiscent of Lily Allen or The Ting Tings. Branded as more personal by the alternative music press, the album secured her place as opener for Katy Perry on her California Dreams Tour and Coldplay’s Mylo Xyloto Tour. Her 2012 album Electra Heart leans much more heavily toward pop. With tracks “How To Be A Heartbreaker,” “Bubblegum Bitch” and the popular “Primadonna,” the album’s themes are centered in a ruthless depiction of American culture and especially its expectations for women. Without listening to the lyrics, Electra Heart might seem like an album filled with top-down convertible, feel good pop beats, but Marina’s highly intellectual and socially charged words create a different picture. Her second release definitely widened the artist’s
audience with its pop sound, but also served to upset some of her original fans who liked what was perceived as her more personal side. Interviews with the musician reveal that this is exactly what she’s about: she’s an artist whose work is highly personal, but is also created within a broader social and musical context – and she knows it. She explains Electra Heart in an interview with music website The Line of Best Fit that “when I was projecting cynicism, or when I was being snarky or whatever, I was myself all the time.” She emphasizes her personal relationship with her music again in a 2013 Huffington Post interview, Marina said of her music, “I’ll always be present because I’m writing it.” The artist, who will turn 30 years old later this year, seems to have matured with Froot. After years of unhappiness and a lack of self-assuredness, her latest release opens with the song “Happy,” with peaceful, dreamy, yet still slightly melancholy melody and lyrics of vulnerability and self-acceptance that communicate, “So now you know, you know it all/That I’ve been desperately alone,” but that “I’ve found what I’ve been looking for in myself.” She lets listeners know right away that although she’s faced hardship and regret, she’s at peace. Without a dull moment, Marina picks things up straight away with the title track “Froot,” which appeals to her pop side with a fast, electronic and swinging beat. Its candy sweet, feel good sound is reminiscent of some kind of hybrid of Katy Perry’s “California Gurls” and ABBA’s catchy ’70s beats. Similarly, listeners won’t be able to keep their shoulders from swaying to subsequent tracks “Blue,” “I’m a Ruin” and “Can’t Pin Me Down.” These tracks are fun and upbeat but with an edge, “Blue” and “I’m a Ruin” being about bad relationship habits and “Can’t Pin Me Down” playing with some ideas about the American female archetype she explored in Electra Heart.
While she does let her pop tendencies show with Froot, Marina doesn’t forget the explicitly personal and insightful musician she’s always been. Even her brightest, lightest songs have an underlying eeriness because of the electronic minor vocals she incorporates into the harmonies of all her songs. In addition, no matter how happy and light her melodies and beats may seem, Marina’s lyrics are always steeped in critical introspection or insightful social commentary. Directly appealing to her darker side are tracks “Solitaire” and “Weeds,” both covering deeply personal subject matter, using bass beats and dreamy electronic sounds in the background to create a heavier, more serious tone. “Solitaire” pairs sweet, twinkling, chimelike instrumentals and echoing vocals with lyrics describing the emptiness of consumerism and materialism, saying “I see people and cars covered in gold / And I’m happy to be on my own.” So many songs with weighty lyrics about bad habits, mistakes and a certain cynicism do seem a little unexpected in the context of the album’s opening track, “Happy.” It seems like this song should be at the end of the album, the conclusion to all of the inner turmoil expressed throughout the rest of the collection. Instead, Froot ends with “Immortal,” its dark sounds and lyrics dealing with issues of human life’s meaning in context of its brevity, making sure listeners know she’s not to be taken lightly as an artist and a mind. Froot is undoubtedly a step forward for Marina and the Diamonds. She clearly has reached a level of self-acceptance as an individual and an artist with songs appealing to both pop elements and deeply personal elements, and not without the streak of intellectual social commentary that she’s become known for. People who aren’t yet Marina fans are sure to gain a newfound respect for her as an artist if they give this album a serious listen.
Sports
8 — Tuesday, March 17, 2015
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
BASEBALL
Michigan battling through March ups and downs By BEN FIDELMAN Daily Sports Writer
JAMES COLLER/Daily
Freshman forward Dylan Larkin was a unanimous selection as Big Ten Freshman of the Year on Monday.
Larkin, Hyman lead All-Big Ten honorees By ZACH SHAW Daily Sports Writer
Despite ending the regular season on a sour note, the Michigan hockey team found a small bit of consolation Monday. Forward Dylan Larkin was unanimously selected the Big Ten Freshman of the Year, and was joined on the All-Big Ten first team by senior forward Zach Hyman and freshman defenseman Zach Werenski. Meanwhile, junior forward Andrew Copp and sophomore defenseman Michael Downing picked up second team honors. Larkin led all freshmen in the conference with 43 points (15 goals, 28 assists) and became the first Wolverine freshman since 2008 to top 40 points in a season. Playing on Michigan’s most productive line throughout the season, Larkin never missed a beat adjusting to the college game, which Berenson attributed to his speed. “What’s most impressive about him is his skating,” Berenson said. “His quickness off the mark is as good as anybody. One step, and he’s moving, whereas some guys you watch and it’s two or three or four steps and they get some speed, and he’s already past them. “We knew about his puck touches and scoring ability and skill level, but I didn’t know he would be this quick off the mark, and he does it every night.” Joining him on both the first
team and the All-Freshman team is his roommate, Werenski. The freshman led all Big Ten defensemen with nine goals and rose to become Michigan’s top defenseman despite graduating high school a year early. Both highly touted well before arriving to campus, the pair led their respective units throughout the year, exceeding even the highest expectations. “Early in the fall, I felt we had two impact freshmen,” Berenson said of the pair. “That’s what we got, which is hard for them because they had to live up to a lot of expectations — and they’ve handled it really well. I think either one of them could’ve won (Freshman of the Year), but good for Dylan, no surprise here.” Also unsurprising is Hyman’s unanimous selection on the first team. The senior had a breakout season, leading the Big Ten with 49 points and drawing serious consideration for the Hobey Baker Award, given to the nation’s top player. More surprising might be Michigan State goaltender Jake Hildebrand’s selection as Big Ten Player of the Year. The junior paced the conference with six shutouts, a .930 save percentage and a 2.12 goalsagainst average, propelling an
otherwise-mediocre Spartan team to a late-season surge and a second-place Big Ten finish. But still, with a mix of playmaking ability, teamfocused efforts on both ends of the ice and a flurry of highlight reel goals, Hyman presented a compelling case for voters, including Berenson. “Absolutely, as deserving as anyone (for the award),” Berenson said. “But you can make the case for anyone else up there in the conference. There’s (defenseman Mike Reilly) from Minnesota, (Hildebrand) from Michigan State, (forward Casey Bailey) from Penn State — I’m sure they were all up there in people’s minds. But the player we see every day, it’s pretty hard to say anyone’s any better than he is.” In total, Michigan led the Big Ten with five honorees, while Minnesota had four, Michigan State had two and Penn State added one. Berenson sees the quantity of awards as a reflection of what the team has done, and what it’s capable of down the road. “To me, this is team time,” Berenson said. “As much as we’re happy for the players that win the awards, they’ve got to realize that the reason they won the awards is because they had a good team around them.”
“His quickness off the mark is as good as anybody.”
With the bulk of its nonconference season behind it, the first quarter of the season was very much an NOTEBOOK up-and-down experience for the Michigan baseball team. It has shined in an eight-game winning streak and slumped in losses to sub-.500 competition, but the record reflects that the Wolverines are heading to the Big Ten portion of their schedule with three more wins than they did at the same point last year. By getting off to quick starts in games, grooming a serviceable bullpen and allowing freshmen to step up when injuries occur, the team has accumulated a 11-7 record. Michigan has scored during its first turn at bat in five of its last six games, often kicking the opposition into catch-up mode in the early innings of the game. Staples at the top of the lineup include junior Jacob Cronenworth, freshman Jake Bivens, sophomore Carmen Benedetti and senior Jackson Glines.
“One of our offensive goals is to score first,” said Michigan coach Erik Bakich. “When you can jump out to an early lead it gives you more opportunities to take chances on the bases. It’s just a good feeling to pitch with a lead and hit with a lead — it’s kind of the old adage to get ahead and stay ahead. I think our hitters come out every game ready to play and have quality at-bats.” This season, the Wolverines have outscored opponents by a total of 13-6 in the first inning, which has ended up being the third-highest-scoring frame for Michigan. INJURIES LINGER FOR KEY PLAYERS: Junior shortstop Travis Maezes has remained unable to play in many of the Wolverines’ games since the team traveled to Savannah, Georgia in late February. Recently, Bakich has inserted him in the lineup for a few games, but Maezes hasn’t been able to make it much longer than his first at-bat without retreating to the bench for a replacement. The team is calling his ailment a “lowerbody injury.” In an effort to cut down on the amount of ground
Maezes has to cover defensively, Bakich shifted him to third base, pulling Eric Jacobson, who usually plays second base, to anchor shortstop for Michigan. “(Maezes) was shut down all weekend,” Bakich said. “He tried to give it a go in the first game on Friday, but after his first at-bat, (he) realized that he just wasn’t able to contribute to the team the way he wanted to. I know he’s very frustrated, but he’s one of the best players in the country and a huge part of our team.” An injury to look for in the coming week is to Lamb, who was shaking his arm after being taken out of the game last Friday. Bakich said Lamb will undergo tests this week to determine the extent of the injury. The Wolverines have also long been awaiting the return of junior left-hander Evan Hill, who has been rehabbing a knee injury for a number of months. It has been the goal to have the team’s ace return to the Michigan rotation early in Big Ten season. Still, Hill will not be available to pitch in next weekend’s series against Nebraska.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Michigan earns WNIT bid By BRAD WHIPPLE Daily Sports Writer
The Michigan women’s basketball team’s season will continue for at least a little while longer. Monday night, the Wolverines earned the Big Ten’s automatic bid into the WNIT. The invitation marks their sixth straight postseason bid — the longest streak in program history. Michigan will host Cleveland State in the first round of the tournament Wednesday night, with game time yet to be announced. The Vikings (10-6 Horizon League, 19-12 overall) are coming off an appearance in their conference tournament semifinals, when they lost by 12 to Wright State. If the Wolverines (8-10 Big Ten, 16-14 overall) advance past Wednesday, they will play the winner of Friday’s matchup between Toledo and Wright State. Other teams in Michigan’s
2015 WOMEN’S NIT
region include Akron, Missouri and a team the Wolverines defeated in December: Eastern Michigan. The WNIT berth comes after a blowout loss to Michigan State in the Big Ten Tournament, eliminating any chance of reaching the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three years. For much of the 2014-15 season, Michigan appeared to be a contender for the NCAA Tournament with an impressive resume that included an overtime win against Ohio State, a comeback victory against Northwestern and a regularseason sweep of in-state rival Michigan State. After posting a 5-2 record in January, though, the Wolverines found themselves in a downward spiral during February. En route to going 3-6 that month, Michigan couldn’t finish a comeback bid against thenNo. 21 Rutgers, relinquished a
sizable lead over Ohio State in Columbus, lost at the buzzer to Northwestern at home and couldn’t hold together long enough against Minnesota in double overtime. With a poor February showing and an embarrassing conference tournament performance, it was inevitable that the Wolverines would be heading for the WNIT. This year’s WNIT appearance is Michigan’s second straight and seventh overall, and the second under the tutelage of coach Kim Barnes Arico. Last year, the Wolverines hosted the first two rounds before suffering a third-round loss at Bowling Green. Michigan’s best run in the tournament came during the 2009-10 season under then-coach Kevin Borseth. During that campaign, the Wolverines earned an at-large bid and hosted every game they played, ultimately losing in the semifinals to Miami.