ONE-HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIVE YEARS OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM Friday, October 23, 2015
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FOREIGN AFFAIRS
‘U’ hosts bootcamp to support new NGOs DELANEY RYAN/Daily
Gov. Rick Snyder speaks on cyber security, including his own experience with identity theft, at the 11th annual Security at University of Michigan IT conference at Rackham Auditorium on Thursday.
Snyder talks cyber security during Rackham address Governor joins IT experts for annual conference on internet protection
Thursday to speak on a topic he says nerds know best: cyber security. “First of all, I am proud to say I am a nerd,” Snyder said. “One subset of that is being a techie. Technology is something that’s critically important, that’s transforming our lives, and it’s not going to go back, it’s only going to continue to advance.” Snyder spoke at the 11th annual Security at the University of Michigan IT conference at the
By EMMA KINERY Daily Staff Reporter
Gov. Rick Snyder, the selfproclaimed “one tough nerd,” came to the University on
University, hosted by University Information and Technology Services. The conference focused on cyber security this year in honor of October’s status as National Cyber Security Awareness Month. “For everything we do to say we’re advancing information technology taking it to the next level, I think it’s equally important that there’s a corresponding effort to encourage better cyber security,”
Snyder said. University President Mark Schlissel introduced Snyder, and recognized the governor’s high value on educatoin. Snyder recieved his B.A., MBA and J.D. from the University as well as a honorary degree. “He’s persistent. It doesn’t matter what the climate is, he’s going to work to achieve goals he has for the citizens of this state and I’ve learned from See SNYDER, Page 3
Weiser Center, William Davidson Institute partner for development abroad By CAMY METWALLY Daily Staff Reporter
For four days this week, thousands of miles away, the University took the international stage in Slovakia. The Weiser Center for Emerging Democracies and the William Davidson Institute at the University partnered together to sponsor a bootcamp in Bratislava, Slovakia, on leadership for nongovernmental organizations. From Oct. 20 to Oct. 23, the program welcomed participants from 20 NGOs in countries transitioning to democracy. Rachel Brichta, Weiser Center communications specialist, said the partnership demonstrated how units across campus can have interdisciplinary missions. “Both of our missions have
POLITICS
ARTS
UMASUNA grapples w ith life and death Japanese dramatists bring avant-garde theater to the ‘U’ By COSMO PAPPAS Daily Arts Writers
Editor’s Note: All quotes from the interview with Ushio Amagatsu were translated from English to Japanese Sankai Juku: and from UMASUNA: Japanese back to Memories English by Midori Before Okuyama History and Yasuko Oct. 23-24, Takai. 8 p.m. Butoh looms large in the Power Center for story of the the Performing Arts post-war $12 (students) -$54 avant-garde arts in Japan. The brainchild of Hijikata Tatsumi and Ohno Kazuo, Butoh is an experimental movement in dance that established a novel visual and physical vocabulary in dance. Slow, controlled movement and striking, often unnerving costume define this genre that strives “to find, in the depth of each human being, a common sense, a serene universality, even if, sometimes, it refers to cruelty or brutality.” For those first-generation
WEATHER TOMORROW
innovators in Butoh, violent and unsettling images were the order of the day. But for Ushio Amagatsu, the director and founder of Sankai Juku, the world-renowned Butoh troupe founded in 1975 and based out of Paris, doesn’t draw its inspiration from violence in the pursuit of this universality. “I was born by the sea,” Amagatsu said in an interview via email. “Boundary between land and sea, a changing color from dawn to a blue sky, on the contrary, from red sunset to blue that is further darkened deeper, and the repetition of them that we may call as ‘eternity’ ... These impressions still dwell upon my mind.” Where Amagatsu departs from the violence and grotesquerie of the firstgeneration of Butoh dancers, he emphasizes the imperceptible, the uncanny, the eternal. Particularly so in Sankai Juku’s upcoming performance in Ann Arbor: UMUSUNA: Memories Before History. “Umusuna is a Japanese word that means a place of one’s birth. When I apply this word to the whole of human being, the earth itself becomes Umusuna,” Amagatsu said. “I believe that the relationship between the place of birth and people is always deeply affected by a certain natural element, and I don’t think this relationship changes at present, and in the future as well, as it didn’t change in the past.” See UMASUNA, Page 5
HI: 69 LO: 44
strengthening democracy and civil society at our core, and so the fact that we’re able to work together and then find a partner overseas to do this together really shows that Michigan has so much to offer and these kinds of partnerships can really make an impact in the world,” Brichta said. The Pontis Foundation, an NGO in Slovakia, provided instructors to train participants with the goal of improving the managerial capacity of the organizations. Activities and workshops targeted five different areas: advocacy and public policy building, management, marketing strategies, planning and sustainability, and communication and negotiation. “Many NGOs have a clear idea of what they want to achieve, but sometimes it’s far more difficult to figure out how to achieve,” Political Science Prof. Anna Grzymala-Busse, Weiser Center program director, wrote in an e-mail to The Michigan Daily. “This workshop will provide See BOOTCAMP, Page 3
College Democrats hear from MDP chair Brandon Dillon stresses importance of youth involvement By BRIAN KUANG Daily Staff Reporter
AMANDA ALLEN/Daily
Etienne Hirsch, a director at the French Institute of Health and Medical Research, speaks about his research on Parkinson’s disease at the Udall Center for Parkinson’s Disease Research Symposium in Kahn Auditorium on Thursday.
University holds inaugural symposium on Parkinson’s Conference speakers pitch alternative approaches to study the disease By LYDIA MURRAY Daily Staff Reporter
The University hosted its first Parkinson’s disease research symposium Thursday, which focused on creative ways to approach the disease’s treatment. William Dauer, director of the Morris K. Udall Centers of Excellence for Parkinson’s Disease Research, a collaboration between several universities, said the center aims to study topics outside of mainstream Parkinson’s research.
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“The key theme is to look beyond the traditional focus to other aspects of the disease, to other chemical transmitters that are affected to try to better understand how those play a role is the disease,” he said. Etienne Hirsch, director at the Institute for Neurosciences at the French Alliance for Life and Health Science, delivered the conference’s keynote address in the Biomedical Science Research Building’s Kahn Auditorium. Hirsch’s talk focused on the ways in which brain cell deterioration causes symptoms associated with Parkinson’s, touching on his own research. He emphasized the role of glial cells, inflammatory cytokines and apoptosis, the automatic response within cells to destruct when they sustain a certain level of damage.
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Glial cells help maintain homeostasis, or stability, in the brain. Inflammatory cytokines are proteins that signal cells to cause inflammation. He said while those three elements are not always viewed as pivotal to understanding the disease, he hoped to convince the audience that looking at Parkinson’s disease in this way would provide a new way to think about treatment. In talking about his experiments, Hirsch said he found that a certain heat shock protein, HSP60, was responsible for increasing the amount of cellular degeneration. Heat shock proteins are a type of protein within the body that are produced when a cell experiences stressful conditions. “From this experiment, See PARKINSON’S, Page 3
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Despite the keynote speaker delivering his address through Skype instead of in person and the presence of a tracker for the Republican Party, the College Democrats heard from the head of Michigan’s Democratic Party on Thursday about how young people can become involved in politics. MDP Chair Brandon Dillon, who was elected in July after former chair Lon Johnson stepped down to run for Congress, was originally scheduled to speak in the Michigan Union. An upcoming event with presidential candidate Martin O’Malley, the former governor of Maryland, conflicted with the plans and led him to Skype in to the event instead. O’Malley is slated to appear in Dearborn, Mich. on Friday as part of a conference hosted by the Arab American Institute. During the appearance, he will discuss policy issues affecting Arab Americans and how they can be a part of the discussion during the 2016 campaign season. “(Even with the schedule conflict), Dillon still wanted to support students and reach out to us,” said Public Policy senior Max See DEMOCRATS, Page 2
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News
2 — Friday, October 23, 2015
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student S. Marie LaFata-Clay reads her poem “Superwoman versus Wonderwoman” at the Skazat! Poetry Series, a monthly open mic and poetry reading event, at Sweetwaters Cafe on Tuesday. (EMILIE FARRUGIA /Daily)
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CAMPUS EVENTS & NOTES
Conflict management
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Laughter and its Interdiction
WHAT: Jacqueline Doneghy will discuss conflict management skills and techniques. WHO: Learning and Professional Development WHEN: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. WHERE: Administrative Services Building
WHAT: Jacqueline Bowman will discuss the skill sets to possess in order to achieve educational goals. WHO: Center for the Education of Women WHEN: 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. WHERE: 330 E. Liberty Street
WHAT: San Duanmu discusses his project to develop a system to automatically transcribe phonetic tones. WHO: Department of Linguistics WHEN: 1 p.m. WHERE: 473 Lorch Hall
WHAT: Prof. Peter Janz will analyze scenarios of laughter in Heine’s “The Rabbi of Bacherach” and in Kafka’s “A Report to an Academy.” WHO: Comparative Literature WHEN: 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. WHERE: 3308 Modern Language Buidling
ICPS Workshop
Applied economics
WHAT: The Intercultural Communication Program Suite workshop will focus on how an individual’s culture and family history make them who they are today. WHO: Office of Academic Multicultural Initiatives WHEN: 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. WHERE: 3009 Student Activities Building
WHAT: Yale University Prof. Nicholas Ryan will analyze gaps in energy efficiency using experimental evidence from Indian manufacturing plants WHO: Department of Economics WHEN: 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. WHERE: 1028 Dana Building
Ecology lecture WHAT: Stanford University Prof. Kevin Boyce will discuss the fossil record of plant physiology and its impact on the evolution of terrestrial ecology and environments. WHO: Earth and Environmental Sciences WHEN: 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. WHERE: 1528 Clarence Cook Little Building
Guest piano masterclass WHAT: Italian concert pianist Giacomo Scinardo, who has appeared as a soloist internationally, will lead a masterclass Friday WHO: School of Music, Theatre & Dance WHEN: 7 p.m. WHERE: Earl V. Moore Building, Britton Recital Hall l Please report any error in the Daily to corrections@ michigandaily.com.
THREE THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW TODAY
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The Federal Communications commission voted on Thursday to cap costs of prison phone calls, The Huffington Post reported. Experts anticipate leading phone providers will fight against the new legislation.
2
In 2015, minority enrollment for the freshman class increased 2.8 percent. The Daily’s Editorial Board discusses ways in which the administration can implement strategies to further this drive. >>SEE OPINION, PG. 4
3
Volkswagen announced it will investigate whether older models of the car were affected by emission-cheating software, The New York Times report. According to the car company, at least 11 million cars were affected by the rogue device.
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MUSIC
Celebrating the eighth birthday of Radiohead’s ‘In Rainbows’ Remembering Radiohead’s seminal seventh studio album BY RACHEL KERR Daily Arts Writer
Last week, Radiohead’s In Rainbows celebrated its eighth birthday, and while most of you were getting drunk at a tailgate, I sat serenely in my room playing the album on repeat. Just kidding, I was drunk, too, but I did listen to it later that night while nursing my hangover. And while eight years may seem like an insignificant milestone, this album changed things — how artists released music, how listeners purchased music, and how affected I could be by music. So, I’m about to tell you something really embarrassing. And
let me preface it by saying I used to be a huge asshole. Like, I’m still an asshole, but I’m no longer an Explosions in the Sky is better than Godspeed You! Black Emperor asshole. So, when I was that ripe age of 16, I went to Coachella for the first time. It was the year a naked woman danced on me at an A$AP Rocky show, and it was the year I saw someone smoke crack for the first time — at a Modest Mouse set, no less. It was the year of Snoop D. O. Double G and Dr. Dre, but more importantly, of Radiohead. However, it was not the year I saw Radiohead perform. You wanna know why? Because I sat through Noah Gallagher, the Shins and Bon Iver only to get into an argument with someone in the crowd as Thom Yorke started singing. After proclaiming, “Fuck Radiohead fans!” I weaseled my way out of the sea of people and bought pepperoni pizza instead. Who the fuck did I think I was?
I have since come to my senses and, after extensive listening, can confidently conclude that I prefer OK Computer to Kid A – because it really does say a lot about a person – and yet still can’t articulate what exactly made In Rainbows the most affecting Radiohead album to date. Maybe because it was, for the first time, equally as innovative as it was accessible to the listener. With their previous projects, I quite literally felt like I was translating code from a computer (see Kid A). But with In Rainbows, I didn’t have to think. I could just listen. The experience became purely visceral, a product of the haunting melodies and calming lyrics. It may not have been their most cohesive project, but that’s because every song stands strongly on its own. Maybe because Radiohead’s “pay-what-you-want” purchasing method completely changed the artist’s relationship with the label and the listener, as well as the digital downloading world forever. In October 2007, the band announced the release of the album without backing from a record label. Ten days later, it’s up on their website to download, for whatever price you wanted to pay. Remember, this was 2007. YouTube had just turned two, and the iTunes we knew and loved was just a shadow of itself. Streaming services didn’t exist yet. And here you have one of the most iconic rock bands of the 21st century giving away their music for free. In turn, the monster that is the modern day listener was created; the one who insists free music is not a privelege, but a right, and lives off of leaked album downloads. And this demand produced the methods for which we now listen to music: Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, etc. Or maybe just because that “Nude”-“Weird Fishes / Arpeggi”“All I Need” segment of the album is some of the most beautiful music I’ve ever heard. Whatever the reason, I thank you Radiohead. And happy belated, In Rainbows.
MATT VAILLIENCOURT/Daily
LSA freshmen Dingan Chen and Renee Li play the game Twister for the first time at the fourth annual UMMA Student Late Night on Thursday night.
UMMA embraces ‘Throwback Thursday’ with ’90s programming “Late Night” exhibit showcases art from 1990s BY ANNA HARITOS Daily Staff Reporter
The 1990s came back to life in an exhibit featured at the University of Michigan Museum of Art’s seventh annual “Late Night” event Thursday, hosted by the UMMA Student Programming and Advisory Council. This year’s iteration of Late Night — where the art museum stays open until 11 p.m. instead of its usual 5 p.m. closing time — asked that students in attendance don traditionally ’90s garb as part of the night’s activities. Throughout the evening, students ventured throughout the art museum, where they partook in a scavenger hunt, photo booths, stamp making and ’90s-themed trivia games. WCBN 88.3 FM, the University’s student-run radio station, piped in ’90s tunes for the duration of the event. LSA senior Jean Rafaelian, one of the event coordinators, said one of the benefits of Late Night is that it works to “draw in people that might not normally
come into this space.” “Sometimes artwork feels elitist to people, and that it’s not easy for them to understand it, which I get because I’ve had to take classes to understand a lot of things,” Rafaelian said. “But that doesn’t mean that it’s not a cool place to come do homework, enjoy free programming, grab a coffee and soak up the art.” Upstairs in the A. Alfred Taubman Gallery, an exhibit called “Come As You Are: Art of the 1990s” was the main attraction of the evening. According to the UMMA website, the collection is considered to be the museum’s first to examine art of the 1990s in its historical context. “The exhibition ... focuses on three principal themes — debates over ‘identity politics,’ the digital revolution and globalization — and explores a range of geopolitical milestones and social issues through the perspective of artists working at that time,” a description on the website reads. The exhibit contains more than 64 pieces by 46 artists, and draws its name from the 1992 Nirvana song of the same title. Some say “Come As You Are” was the anthem of the ’90s. The featured artwork includes everything from classic oil paintings to glass jars with preserved crabs.
Art & Design freshman Kara Calvert said she was impressed by some of the pieces’ symbolism and the materials to create them. “One of my favorite things about a new exhibit is that you’ll never know what you’re going to see,” Calvert said. “I really like ‘Lick and Lather’ pieces, by Janine Antoni. They’re really cool; this artist created two casts of her face — one of them was out of chocolate and the other out of soap, and to finish the piece she licked the chocolate and took a bath with the other one.” The event also featured pieces by famous photographers from the 1990s. LSA senior Robyn Green said some of the photos had appeared in courses she has taken, which made both the art and her classwork more relevant. “Two of these were featured in my two separate courses,” Green said. “That gives me a broader context of the art and what it means to have the art featured in a space — which, in an odd way, gives it more agency to me.” Green also said she appreciates UMMA’s efforts to offer late night programming. “I think what they’re doing is great because I wouldn’t necessarily have time in my day to see this exhibit,” she said.
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BOOTCAMP From Page 1
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LSA junior Hanna Barish presses buttons made by students at the seventh annual UMMA Late Night on Thursday.
SNYDER From Page 1 this,” Schlissel said. “Finally, I’ll always be impressed with how he gets away with going to public events without wearing a necktie.” Though Snyder noted that the crowd of roughly 150 attendees probably shared his views on the necessity of increasing cyber security, he said it was a big issue in the state of Michigan and around the world. “In the state of Michigan alone, we’ve seen a huge escalation in the number of times we’re attacked,” he said. “One, I think there are more attacks, but secondly I think we’re better at recognizing we’re attacked. I think in many cases we were probably being attacked and we didn’t even know it.” Currently the state of Michigan’s government experiences about 2.5 million cyber attacks every day, according to Snyder. He said if a cyber attack occurs, people are at risk of losing both confidential information and their reputation. Citing his own personal experience with identity theft, he asked attendees to raise their hands if they, too, had been affected, with a majority of people in the crowd acknowledging they had. “What do you do about (cyber threats)?” he said. “Well, you have to be proactive, and I’m proud to say at the state of Michigan I think we’re a leader in this country.” He said Michigan has a competitive advantage compared to other regions
because of the state’s public universities and colleges, as well as their ability to collaborate with one another. “In terms of advantages, we’re sitting upon one of the greatest advantages in the world: the University of Michigan,” Snyder said. Along with Snyder’s remarks, several experts on cyber security spoke throughout the day, discussing issues faced by many institutions, such as universities. During a panel discussion in the afternoon, Jen Miller-Osborn, cyber threat intelligence analyst for Palo Alto Networks, said the education sector is the third most victimized sector in the country for cyber attacks for both student data and research. “From a nation-state perspective, universities are also a really big target,” Miller-Osborn said. “They target college students and professors, too, and it makes perfect sense: You’re working in a research institution.” Miller-Osborn said previously in her career, she would receive e-mails with resumes and requests for internships that contained hidden viruses. Randy Hegarty, enterprise security IT manager in Pennsylvania State University’s information security office, cited his own experience dealing with a network breach during the panel. Last year, the FBI notified Penn State’s College of Engineering that information had been compromised since 2012. “Earlier, someone called it an
unprecedented threat with an unprecedented response,” Hegarty said. “Basically, that’s where our institution took this because it was a deep concern.” Tom Winterhalter, supervisor of the FBI Detroit Division’s Cyber Squad, said universities and individuals can prevent threats by building up the security of their network through measures such as making complex passwords. “So many students use very simple passwords,” Winterhalter said. “At one university, which I will not name, many people still had their passwords still set at ‘123456.’ ” In his speech, Snyder urged attendees to take action on the issue, citing as one example the Civilian Cyber Corps, a new organization composed of citizens willing to collaborate with one another if Michigan were to experience a broad attack. Snyder said he foresees the organization as a precursor to a long-term solution which he hopes will eventually be a specialty team within the National Guard. “How do you deal with the issue after it’s already happened? How do you hit restore? How do you get back up? It’s an area (in which) I think we’re woefully inadequate,” Snyder said. “I don’t think most organizations are really fully prepared to respond if they have a huge attack happen to them. The smaller ones we can manage, but if we had a big one or we had one that affected sectors of our economy or something, we are not prepared for that one.”
FILM
Sorkin studies myth of Apple’s Jobs By JAMIE BIRCOLL Senior Arts Editor
I proudly admit that most of the technology I own was made by Apple. I can’t thank Steve Jobs and Apple enough for them: they’re elegant yet simple enough for my technologically challenged brain to comprehend. But these words “elegant” and “simple” do not apply to Steve Jobs himself, or, at least, that’s how we have come to remember him in the four years since his death. No doubt, Jobs defined a generation of tech for laymen and has proved a cultural icon — but is he a complex, sometimes self-hating conundrum, too intricate and secretive to deconstruct? Screenwriter Aaron Sorkin (“The Social Network”) and director Danny Boyle (“Trance”) seem to think so, as they attempt to separate the myth from the man in “Steve Jobs.” Admittedly, this is not your typical biopic, and Sorkin deserves all of the credit in the world for breaking with such a contrived structure. Rather than simply watching a retelling of his life, we follow Jobs (Michael Fassbender, “X-Men: Days of Future Past”) and his coworkers and friends (or are they enemies?) at three different product launches in 1984, 1988 and 1998. Sorkin relies on dialogue and several flashbacks to fill in the details we missed between each showcase. This plays to his strength, as he fills the scenes with rich dialogue with a classic Sorkinian bite. But what we gain in distinctive story structure, we lose in direct narrative continuity. One can view “Steve Jobs” almost as three separate, 40-minute short films. We don’t really need anything that comes before or after each segment because they are completely self-contained, and any otherwise missing information is filled in through a flashback. And before each segment begins, we get a montage of news stories that catch us up on the inter-launch years and set the stage for what’s to come. Technically speaking, it all works, but the separated segments keep us at a distance. We cannot see Jobs himself grow and his relationships evolve; instead, we are forced to simply accept that something has changed, “Oh he’s nice to his daughter now. That’s cool.” This distance may be Sorkin and Boyle’s attempt to reflect Jobs’s mind within the narrative structure itself. The story makes
very clear that Jobs is locked into each event, his mind zoned in on one objective: success. And anything that hampers that success must be expunged. Boyle and Sorkin provide us with glimpses into his mind — images and videos often appear on walls, and brief cuts back to previous segments are roughly inserted to reflect his emotional conflict — as further endorsement of this idea. But, then again, Sorkin’s ego may have just kicked in and he decided to be different for the sake of difference (you know, because he’s Aaron Sorkin). (As the camera follows Jobs around the various theaters, I couldn’t help but recall the long tracking shots of “Birdman;” both films share a theme of closed, contained spaces as reflections of the psyche.) But the Sorkin-Boyle dynamic ultimately proves somewhat disappointing — they’re just too mismatched. “The Social Network” works so well because Sorkin’s cold, disconnected character could be reflected in David Fincher’s cold, calculated direction. Boyle, by contrast, uses the camera in a more embracive fashion, and he is always sympathetic to his characters, even when his characters are complete scum (see “Trainspotting”). Boyle is forced to look at Jobs in two lights: one as the misanthropic boss and one as the father and friend learning to be a decent human being. And the contrast between the two from a filmmaking standpoint is quite stark. Let me explain. There’s a scene early on where Jobs confronts Andy Hertzfeld (Michael Stuhlberg, “Pawn Sacrifice”), an original Macintosh developer, in front of several other Apple employees for failing to properly set up the demo computer. The camera circles around the two characters, and we see the fear on the other employees’ faces and sense the dread instilled by Jobs. We understand that this environment is, quite simply, toxic all the way around. The film shines in moments like these. But in scenes where Joanna Hoffman (Kate Winslet, “Insurgent”), another member of the original Macintosh team, tries to lecture Jobs about being a more sympathetic individual, the camera does a standard close-up shot countershot; it’s just not nearly as much fun nor as telling and impactful as the scene could be. But where the structure fails, the performances elevate. Fassbender will undoubtedly receive an Oscar nomination for his work here. He immerses himself in the character and balances the forcefulness
Friday, October 23, 2015 — 3
of the character with subtlety, but no less drive, in his quieter, more earnest scenes. And Jeff Daniels (HBO’s “The Newsroom”) as former Apple CEO John Sculley demonstrates incredible charisma, representing a formidable opponent to Fassbender. The climactic, tense confrontation between the two after Jobs’ dismissal from Apple proves electrifying, the film’s finest moment. Seth Rogen (“The Interview”) as Steve Wozniak displays considerable range and heart. We get the sense that the Jobs-Wozniak relationship seems the most at risk to Jobs’s toxicity. It’s clear the two have some kind of respect for each other, or maybe an almost fraternal obligation to each other, and at times they seem to truly care. But the two are so diametrically opposed in their desires — Jobs demands control over Wozniak and his ingenuity, where Wozniak yearns for some kind of recognition for his success and role in transforming computing, if not from the public then at least from Jobs — that their dynamic will eventually crumble beneath them. It’s a deeply interesting relationship, one that deserves a bit more exploration than the film devotes to it. So is “Steve Jobs” a success? Yes and no. The film is rooted in dialogue rather than images, so those who prefer to see rather than hear will be disappointed. However, the dialogue is, on the whole, absorbing and thoroughly entertaining. And the film is worth seeing for Fassbender alone. But in attempting to deconstruct the myth that is “Steve Jobs,” the filmmakers almost mythologize him further. Not until the very, very end does Jobs become something beyond a narcissistic, sardonic tyrant. His many verbal assaults are so effective, so biting and, for better or worse, so funny that we sometimes lose the perspective that Jobs is for the most part not a good person. That Jobs died four years ago only further muddies this portrayal, as we can look on him more fondly now that he’s gone. When dealing with biopics, even ones as different as this, one must always separate reality from the art: “Steve Jobs” is not a true reflection of Steve Jobs, but a study of the myth of Steve Jobs. It’s an important distinction to remember as you watch the film. “Steve Jobs” isn’t a biography, but it ventures into deeper waters than any standard biopic could. “Think different” was Apple’s slogan back in 1997, and, at the very least, “Steve Jobs” does.
training in accounting, government relations, publicity and writing grants — the nitty-gritty details that are often pretty prosaic but can make or break an NGO.” The NGOs in attendance traveled from 12 different countries for the bootcamp. According to Grzymala-Busse, some are based in authoritarian societies, while others are in newly emergent democracies. However, they all share similar challenges stemming from skeptical government officials and legal limitations. Due to the harsh political climate in several of these countries, the names of specific participants and NGOs are not being released, only the attendees’ countries. Groups from Albania, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Moldova, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Tunisia and Ukraine participated in the program. Grzymala-Busse pointed to Russia, where NGOs cannot receive foreign aid, as an example of the structural challenges many of the organizations in attendance face. “I hope this highlights the problems — and the potential — of NGOs, even when they have to work in a difficult environment,” Grzymala-Busse wrote. Nathan Rauh-Bieri, program coordinator for the Education Initiative at the William Davidson Institute, said he thought the program demonstrates the University’s global presence. Ronald Weiser, former U.S. ambassador to Slovakia and Weiser Center founder, helped fund the bootcamp and was also a guest speaker. Amy Gillett, vice president of the Education Initiative at the William Davidson Institute, and Marysia Ostafin, Weiser Center program manager, travelled to Slovakia to facilitate the event. “I think that the housing of centers like the Weiser Center and the William Davidson Institute shows Michigan’s commitment to global engagement and also to excellence in pedagogy,” Rauh-Bieri said. “I think that’s what this program is really trying to deliver.”
PARKINSON’S From Page 1 we have shown that HSP60 isn’t used, it is released, and that HSP60 killed the neurons,” Hirsch said. “You see that when you apply AraC on the treatment of HSP60 you reduce the degree of normal degeneration.” AraC refers to a protein known to block cancer by stopping cell division. Hirsch also touched on experiments focused on mitigating problems with gait and balance, which is associated with Parkinson’s disease. Some research has held that the disorder might stem from the pedunculopontine nucleus or PPN, a part of the brain stem. Hirsch said through research on monkeys, his team was able to conclude that a popular method of treatment, dopamine, may not always be effective if the gait and balance issues do in fact stem from the PPN. “What can we learn from the animal involvements of gait disorders?” he said. “PPN cholinergic lesion can cause dopamine resistant gait deficits.” Neurology Assistant Prof. Vikas Kotagal, who presented a shorter talk later in the event, said the innovations Hirsch spoke of about were important in finding new ways to treat the disease. “I think that the work that he’s presenting is very fundamental to the hypotheses that led to the creation of this out of the box idea for the Udall Center,” Kotagal said. “It relates to leading to clinically significant outcomes for patients with Parkinson’s disease.” Hirsch’s keynote address was followed by seven other shorter presentations on Parkinson’s disease presented by other professionals working in the field, which Dauer said was another focus of the event. “One of our goals is to support younger investigators and to help foster their careers in Parkinson’s, which is one of the key reasons we structured the symposium the way we did,” he said.
DEMOCRATS From Page 1 Lerner, chair of the College Democrats. “Despite some technical difficulties, it all worked out.” Through a projection of a Skype video chat onto the wall of the Parker Room of the Michigan Union, Dillon told the crowd of about 30 that if they wish to run for office, he would encourage them to do it, even at a young age. He recounted his first electoral bid for County Commission when he was 30 years old that ultimately failed by only 100 votes. “If you’re thinking of running for an office, go talk to somebody that currently holds that office, whether it’s the school board, county commissioner or state representative,” he said. “The first thing you should realize is that if you want to do it, then you’re probably just as qualified as anybody else.” Dillon ultimately found electoral success in running for Kent County commissioner and, subsequently, the state’s House of Representatives. He served as the commissioner for one year and as the representative for Michigan’s 75th district for four years before resigning to serve as MDP chair last August. “We’d love for you to become part of the Democratic Party,” he said. “We want young people to become more of a part of the party structure.” Dillon also shared his goals to reshape the Michigan Democratic Party as its chair, with more emphasis on grassroots and youngvoter input rather than what he called a “top-down approach.” The eventual goal: retake the State House and governor’s office. He said a recent survey would be set the tone for a new statewide Democratic strategic planning initiative that will begin this Saturday. “We’ll be getting input on what we need to do better, what our challenges are, and how we can get young people and nontraditional Democratic voters to come out,” Dillon said. Also present at the event was LSA sophomore Grant Strobl, president of the University’s chapter of Young Americans for Freedom, who was recording the event. “It’s not something we’ve had in the past,” Lerner said, regarding Strobl. “But we hope to persuade people in other political student organizations.” When contacted by The Michigan Daily Thursday evening, Strobl acknowledged he was recording the event on the behalf of the Michigan Republican Party.
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Opinion
4 — Friday, October 23, 2015
Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890. 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 tothedaily@michigandaily.com JENNIFER CALFAS EDITOR IN CHIEF
AARICA MARSH and DEREK WOLFE EDITORIAL PAGE EDITORS
LEV FACHER MANAGING EDITOR
Unsigned editorials reflect the official position of the Daily’s editorial board. All other signed articles and illustrations represent solely the views of their authors.
FROM THE DAILY
Dedicated to diversity As statistics improve, ‘U’ should keep striving for inclusivity
A
ccording to the University’s newly released statistics, minority enrollment for the freshman class of 2015 is 12.8 percent — the highest rate since 2005 — creating hope that University President Mark Schlissel’s new diversity initiatives will prove successful. Along with a 2.8-percent increase in overall minority enrollment from 2014’s entering class, socioeconomic diversity also improved, with the number of low-income students rising to 10.2 percent of the freshman class. While these numbers are promising, the University must continue to improve its diversity statistics through proactive initiatives or risk being seen as uninviting to students of all backgrounds. The University has a complicated and storied history when it comes to achieving a diverse student body. In 2003, the Supreme Court heard two cases concerning affirmative action at the University. Grutter v. Bollinger upheld the constitutionality of the Law School’s “holistic approach” in its use of affirmative action. Opposingly, the Court decided in Gratz v. Bollinger that a point-based system used by undergraduate admissions was not narrowly tailored enough to reach the University’s goal of diversity. Subsequently, in 2006, Michigan voters passed Proposal 2, which effectively banned affirmative action across the state. This, in addition to tuition hikes and other deterrents, have led to the decreasing minority enrollment at the University. In 2005, minority undergraduate enrollment was at 13.8 percent, but by 2006 it had dropped to 12.4 percent. Last year, the University was criticized as the school’s student body has slowly become both wealthier and whiter. At the beginning of his tenure at the University, Schlissel outlined several initiatives aimed at increasing the falling rates of racial and socioeconomic diversity. In 2015, the University provided incoming freshmen with an 8.1-percent increase in financial aid packages, sent acceptance letters that included financial aid packages and also increased recruitment in areas that traditionally received less attention from University undergraduate admissions. Other initiatives include creating long-term partnerships with K-12 districts to support bright students who aspire to attend the University and introducing a new scholarship called H.A.I.L. for high-achieving students of lower socioeconomic status. A comprehensive plan detailing even more diversity recruitment policies is due at the end of this calendar year, and is set to be rolled out in September 2016. While many of Schlissel’s new initiatives focus on the price of college, the most important steps will be the ones centered on making the campus inclusive. In 2014, then-University President Mary Sue Coleman claimed that Michigan’s diversity issue was not from a lack of minority applications, but rather the challenge of converting accepted students into enrollees. Critics charge that the University has stopped
seeming accessible to underrepresented minorities and lower-income students, both financially and by lacking a campus atmosphere that fosters tolerance and diversity. The University has begun to combat these criticisms by planning to relocate Trotter Multicultural Center to Central Campus by 2017 and increasing the Black Student Union’s budget. In addition to official University endeavors, students hope they can change the mindset that campus is unwelcoming to minorities and lower-income students. LSA and Engineering junior Will Royster began a program called the Michigan Institute for the Improvement of African American Representation through the BSU to encourage minority high school students to view the University as both an attainable and attractive goal. The University has largely relied on both official recruitment trips and student-run programs like these to show minority students that our campus is worth aspiring toward. Increased efforts in these areas should obviously be a priority on the administration’s part. While the new diversity initiatives are promising, the University must remain aggressive in their plans to increase the number of both minority and lower-income students, especially those from the state of Michigan. It is especially important for the University to once again feel accessible to students of all backgrounds. As a public school, the University has an obligation to the people of the state to offer a world-class education and campus that is accessible to all backgrounds. The more diversity the campus has to offer, the more diversity it will be able to attract. While increases in financial aid and scholarship money are a step in the right direction, students will only enroll at the University when they feel a sense of belonging on campus. Diversity does not stop at admissions, and the administration must continue to implement programs on campus that create a more inclusive environment. The University has fallen behind in attracting minority and low-income students, and rectifying the issue must remain a top priority of current and future administrations.
EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS Claire Bryan, Regan Detwiler, Ben Keller, Payton Luokkala, Aarica Marsh, Adam Morton, Victoria Noble, Anna Polumbo-Levy, Melissa Scholke, Michael Schramm, Stephanie Trierweiler, Mary Kate Winn, Derek Wolfe
I
Take a sick day
get sick twice a year — in late September and early March, right around the time when the daily amount of sunlight changes at the equinox. Other than the semiannual cold and mild allergies in August, I’m in pretty good health for the rest of the year. While it’s nice to know when I can expect a cold to be coming on — I think it has to do with my Vitamin D levels — it SUSAN doesn’t make being sick LAMOREAUX any easier, especially since these times of year coincide with a pretty heavy load of schoolwork. I can try to be prepared — by carrying tissues, eating even more fruits and veggies than usual, and fitting in adequate hours of sleep every night — but it still sucks for that week or so when I’m not up for much other than lying around in bed yet still need to drag myself to class. According to Lisa Sturm, managing director of the infection control and epidemiology at the University of Michigan Health System, September and October are when University
Health Services sees the greatest number of illnesses among students. People are coming back to campus from all over, resulting in a general trading of germs going on in town. People touch the doors of classrooms, desktops, keyboards and public-access computing stations, the spines of books in the libraries, maybe a squirrel as they’re crossing campus, the backs of seats — the list is endless. And on every one of those surfaces there are plenty of germs to be concerned about. So what’s the best way to avoid getting sick? Sturm recommends a couple of commonsense measures that, for all their simplicity, get overlooked far too often: washing your hands regularly and being sure to cover your cough. “Your best defense is your own personal hand hygiene,” she said. In other words, if you don’t have a sleeve or handkerchief to cough into, catching a sneeze in your hands is far preferable to nothing at all. Just be sure to wash your hands soon after, since you don’t want to then spread those germs onto other people. It’s a good idea to carry a pocketsized bottle of hand sanitizer in your purse or backpack, so it’ll be on hand if you need it. And in the present day more than ever, it’s important to keep up to date on vaccines, including the seasonal flu vaccine, as flu
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The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
That’s not very ladylike
rowing up with three brothers, it was never surprising to me when people told me that I wasn’t very “girly.” I was used to being called a tomboy when I was younger and was even applauded by my mother for not being a “girly girl.” Now, instead RACHAEL of being a muddy LACEY sixth grader proudly refusing to wear skirts like the other girls, I’m a college senior who convinces herself that yoga pants and a white v-neck is a perfectly acceptable first-date outfit. I’m the kind of person who will announce midsentence, “Hold on, I have to fart,” and depending on the company, leave or not leave the room. I’m the kind of person who fails to go an entire day without using some form of profanity. At this stage in my life, it appears as if I have evolved from the realm of “not girly” to the even more complicated label of “not ladylike.” Being constantly separated into a different category than other girls has sometimes made me feel like there actually is some part of me that will never be able to relate to other women. I find myself believing that all the things society labels as girly or ladylike are actually true of most women and that I’m awkwardly stuck in some in-between space with the rest of the people who will never figure out how
to put on eyeliner. But even while writing this, I struggled to figure out what it even means to be ladylike. Does it mean that I should wake up early every morning to shower, blow-dry my hair and put on makeup? And am I supposed to know that I should have a “winter shade” and “summer shade” of makeup? Because I have a permanent shade of see-through tinged with pink, which unfortunately is not a shade available in stores. Does it mean I should chew with my mouth closed while I eat salad and sip Moscato? (Don’t get me wrong, I love both salad and Moscato. I also love eating burritos at 2 a.m. because Captain Morgan is telling me to listen to my heart). Does being a lady mean that I have to shave my legs every single day instead of when I feel like it might clog the drain if I wait too much longer? (And on that note, does it mean I have to shower every day?) I should be perfectly spotless at all times, right? And speaking of spotless, I should never acknowledge the messy presence of periods, because periods are dirty and gross, right? Ladies don’t announce, “Be right back, gotta change my Diva Cup.” Instead they say, “Sorry, I need to use the restroom,” right? Because anything that may or may not inconvenience anyone in any way should be prefaced with “sorry,” right? Does it mean I should never raise my voice? Yelling isn’t ladylike, is it? In fact, I probably just shouldn’t be angry at all, ever. Does it mean instead of being blunt with someone, I should smile, nod and
try to figure out how to do what I want anyway, but without them knowing? In fact, I should smile more, shouldn’t I? Does it mean I have to get rid of any “extra” piercings and tattoos? Does it mean I should stop listening to rap? What kind of music does a lady even listen to? Seriously. I have no idea. Should I leave my soccer sweats and Target v-necks at home and trade them in for “form-fitting” (read: cutting off blood circulation) jeans and a lacy shirt? And should I hobble around on heels because it makes me look more feminine? If these are the things that decide whether I’m a “lady” or not, then by society’s standards, I most definitely am something else. Sure, I love dressing up, getting pedicures with my mom and belting out Taylor Swift songs when I’m driving alone. Heck, I even like rainbows and unicorns and the color pink. I always say please and thank you because my parents taught me how to be a decent human being. But all of these things have zero to do with me being a woman, or a girl or a lady. The fact that I’m perfectly comfortable pooping in public or talking about pooping in public does not make me any less or any more of a woman. I’m pretty sure the only thing that makes someone ladylike is having two X-chromosomes, and even that’s not always true. This burping, swearing, brutally honest person is a woman. A girl. A lady, dammit. — Rachael Lacey can be reached at rachaelk@umich.edu.
TIM MCKAY AND MIKA LAVAQUE-MANTY | VIEWPOINT
Students need data, too
How do you decide what courses to take, what majors to pursue and what requirements to tackle? If you are a typical, bright Wolverine, you ask your friends, an advisor or maybe even a professor. You check out the course guide and hope, hope, hope that the instructor has provided more than a three-sentence description, or maybe even linked a syllabus. You check out ratemyprofessor.com, knowing its data is not perfect, but realizing it’s better than nothing. Wouldn’t it be nice to know more? When you’re considering a class, it would be good to know who takes it. What courses do they take before, at the same time and after? What do they go on to major in? How do they do in the class — what’s the grade distribution? How have your fellow Michigan students rated this course, its workload and how much they learned? How have they rated the instructor? The University has all this information, but doesn’t currently share it with the students. It’s hoping to, and we think it’s a great idea. The creepy aspects of the Information Age receive a lot of attention, and for good reason. Many of us worry about the things governments and corporations know about us through the data they collect, sometimes behind our backs. But the digital footprints we leave have a positive potential, too. When information is collected and shared openly, it can be used for justice and equity, not just efficiency and profit. Here at the University, within our campus community, students should be able to use data to learn from the experiences of
their peers. In 2012, we served on the Senate Assembly’s Academic Affairs Advisory Committee, a part of the University’s faculty governance. This group asked then-Provost Philip Hanlon to support emerging efforts to use data in support of teaching and learning at the University. He immediately did so, and the Learning Analytics Task Force was created. His successor, Provost Martha Pollack, has continued this support, and Michigan is now one of the nation’s leaders in using data to improve higher education. For three years, LATF has worked to promote the use of data to improve teaching and learning at Michigan — to better understand our diverse student body and the challenges they face, to personalize learning, even in courses with thousands of students, and to create actionable information for faculty, staff and especially students. These efforts led to the creation of the Digital Innovation Greenhouse, which develops digital learning tools from innovation to infrastructure. One of DIG’s tools is version 2.0 of the so-called Academic Reporting Toolkit, which provides rich quantitative data about courses, who takes them, how they do and what else they do. The University is hoping to make part of this tool available to students, too. LATF also conducted analyses of other existing information tools on campus, including the student course evaluations. All this work has helped to create a community of learning analytics researchers, with internationally recognized leadership in the field.
Students are gradually becoming involved in our efforts. Some have participated in design jams to brainstorm new tools (students know what they want better than we do). Some have helped us explore the immense amounts of data the University had the foresight to start collecting in a systematic way 20 years ago. But it’s time to take a bigger step — to enable all students to take advantage of more of the information we have. The first step is for the University to share some of it with students. This is happening slowly, but stay tuned — we’re excited about what the learning analytics community has developed for students to make even better decisions about their time at the University. An even more important step, however, is to have you, the students, as our partners. We believe appropriate access to relevant information is essential to the principles of beneficence, justice and transparency that have always guided our University community. To this end, we invite students, student groups and student government to join us in these important conversations as partners in collecting, exploring, improving and acting on data.
season runs for pretty much the entire academic year. Perhaps just as important are vaccinations against meningitis, which Sturm says is surprisingly common among Michigan’s student body. It’s impossible to avoid germs and viruses altogether, of course, and most of us do tend to fall sick at some point during the school year. But, by keeping yourself in good health and keeping your hands clean, you can reduce your chances. And if you do find yourself sick, Sturm recommends “the old adage: rest, chicken noodle soup and fluids” as the best treatment for the common cold. While it’s understandable that no one wants to take time off for being sick and risk missing out on important material, Sturm says it’s sometimes necessary. If you’re feverish or sick enough to vomit; if you’re blowing your nose every other minute and can’t stop sneezing; or if you have diarrhea, you should probably stay home. The good news is that with bed rest and a few doses of chicken noodle soup, most mild colds clear up within a few days. For more serious illnesses, it may become
necessary to seek out professional health care from UHS or another healthcare provider. UMHS staff, Sturm says, are required to take time off if they’re sick, and aren’t allowed to return to work until they remain free of symptoms for 24 hours or more. Perhaps that sort of policy would serve our student body well, as it would ensure that the most active germs would be contained within our apartments, dorm rooms, houses or lofts. Of course, staying home poses another challenge, as your being ill requires roommates, housemates, friends and significant others to dance around you for fear that whatever you have might be catching. But at the end of the day, if you’re truly too sick to attend class and perform well, you’ll probably be glad you refrained from hauling yourself across campus, just so you could sneeze on classmates, doorknobs desks and any bold squirrels who came too near. “You’re not helping anybody, and you’re not helping yourself either. You’re not resting,” Sturm says. “Please don’t do us any favors! … Stay home.”
Ultimately, only you can make the decision, but when you’re that kind of sick, you’ll probably know. For me a couple of weeks ago, the need to stay home was signaled by a lasting headache, runny nose and a nap that took up most of my Friday afternoon. That day, I opted to trade homework for bed rest, and on Saturday I did it again. By Monday, I was ready to return to classes and the general buzz of activity on campus, but I was also really glad I’d taken time for rest when I needed to. And trust me — if you’re sick enough to be wondering whether you should sleep in, chances are you’re leaning the right way. E-mail your professors to let them know you’re not feeling well, and ask whether there might be extra-credit opportunities you could use to make up your attendance. Then kick back with a tall glass of orange juice, a handful of tissues and maybe some of next week’s assigned reading. Or, y’know, just take a nap. I’m pretty sure you’ll be glad you did.
Tim McKay is the Arthur F. Thurnau Professor of Physics and Astronomy in LSA, Director of the LSA Honors Program and the chair of the Learning Analytics Task Force. Mika LaVaque-Manty is an Arthur F. Thurnau Professor, an Associate Professor of Political Science and Philosophy, and a member of the Learning Analytics Task Force.
— Susan LaMoreaux can be reached at susanpl@umich.edu.
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Arts
Friday, October 23, 2015 — 5
TV REVIEW
FILM REVIEW
‘Bridge of Spies’ ‘Truth Be Told,’ new good, not great NBC show is stale Latest Spielberg drama fails to live up to promise
By DANIELLE YACOBSON For The Daily
By CONRAD FOREMAN Daily Arts Writer
It’s Spielberg. It’s Hanks. Of course “Bridge of Spies” is pretty damn good. But not great. In the thick of the Cold B War, insurance lawyer James Bridge of B. Donovan Spies (Tom Hanks, “Toy Story”) Dreamworks is called to an Studios unorthodox patriotic duty: Rave & Quality 16 Defend a Soviet spy in order to demonstrate the fairness of the U.S. legal system. But, although the task was set as a formality and a nod to his ability, Donovan defies his bosses, his family and, in many an eye, his country, when his involvement with the case leads him to the Supreme Court and, ultimately, Berlin. Given the current climate of U.S.Russian relations, Cold War politics feel especially relevant. War movies with huge directors and stars are about World War II, Vietnam. Spy movies are supposed to thrill, twist and intrigue at every turn. “Bridge of Spies” carries a fast pace, but there’s no mystery to solve and no world to save. The significance is understated, yet understood. This was a world perhaps on the brink of destroying itself, and these were the men taking measured steps to avoid destruction.
DREAMWORKS STUDIOS
Power suit.
Though he begins fighting for the rights of a Soviet, Donovan truly fights for the American ideal. He instills a hard work ethic in his young associate. He advocates extension of basic rights, and embodies basic humanity. He cannot decline a call to duty. He refuses to leave any man behind. Director Steven Spielberg and cinematographer Janusz Kaminski have won two Academy Awards each, working together on “Schindler’s List” and “Saving Private Ryan.” The mastery shows. A pair of shots juxtapose children jumping a chain link fence and people fleeing over the Berlin Wall. A cut between the courtroom and the classroom comments on education and governance through allegiance and obedience. Hanks is one of the best actors of our time, but the performance won’t go down as one of his best. The film is about the big picture; like its main character, “Bridge of
Spies” sacrifices personal consequence to serve a greater purpose. Minimization of familial drama was the right decision (especially anything that might have been between Donovan’s daughter and his young associate), though a deeper understanding of Soviet spy Rudolph Abel (Mark Rylance, “The Other Boleyn Girl”) might have made a richer emotional arc. Perhaps his anonymity was part of the point, but because his motivations aren’t explored, his exchanges with Donovan don’t impact as strongly as they could. Based on a true story, the film highlights an era that can be easy for us to overlook, since the war never heated up. The quality of filmmaking, from shot composition to editing to acting, is top notch. But “Bridge of Spies” won’t move you like “Schindler’s List,” won’t scare you like “Jaws,” and won’t amaze you like “Jurassic Park.” It isn’t great.
Truth be told, it’s hard to find a redeeming quality in NBC’s latest sitcom. Originally titled “People Are Talking,” the series preD miere of DJ Nash’s “Truth Truth Be Be Told” completely missed Told the mark. Domi- Series nated by clichés, Premiere the dry script is Fridays at further suffo8:30 p.m. cated by the stiff actors’ attempts NBC to deliver what could only be interpreted as “comedy” with the help of an overused laugh track. While “Best friends. Real talk. Uncensored” may be the show’s slogan, viewers should utilize their uncensored, real talk and warn their best friends to stay far, far away. Mitch (Mark-Paul Gosselaar, “Saved by the Bell”) and Russell (Tone Bell, “Bad Judge”) are best friends and neighbors. Paired with Mitch’s wife Tracy (Vanessa Lachey, “Disaster Movie”) and Russell’s wife Angie (Bresha Webb, “The American Mall”), the multiracial couples pass commentary on race and ethnicity as they go about their daily encounters. For these characters, a trip to pick up Chinese food immediately leads to questioning the authenticity of the waitress’s Chinese accent. Though the show advertises an outlet for candid and witty dialogue, the premiere falls short on both fronts, as the characters shy away from any controversial comments as soon as
a sensitive topic is breached. The sitcom attempts to use Mitch and Russell’s dynamic friendship to challenge everyday racism, but rather than encouraging their confrontations to become a social norm, their frank remarks are instead coined as “uncensored.” For example, when a valet assumes that a luxurious sports car belongs to Mitch, who is white, (though it actually belongs to Russell, who is African American), Mitch takes the opportunity to point out the valet’s inadvertent mistake. However, instead of delivering a witty comment to this effect, Mitch aggressively accuses the man of being a racist, to which the valet responds that it was actually the John Mayer CD that tipped him off. The friends awkwardly shy away, the laugh track plays and the show quickly moves on to a completely unrelated scene, contradicting the original premise of “real talk.”
Truth be told, it’s hard to find a redeeming quality. The script continues to barely scratch the surface of various stereotypes, as weak punchlines are delivered about stealing their Jewish neighbors’ “ethnically ambiguous” babysitter on a Friday night. Clearly, the cultural remarks on racism and religion are supposed
Deerhunter’s latest LP feels like spring By SELENA AGUILERA For The Daily
As I sat down in Starbucks, I stuck my headphones in my ears to be completely immersed in Deerhunter’s new release, Fading Frontier. A My expectations were pretty low, Fading considering this was their sev- Frontier enth album since Deerhunter the band formed in 2001. The 4AD increasing trend is that bands sell out after their third or fourth album as their music boils down to simple four-chord progressions with repetitive lyrics that are dull and shallow. I only suspected Deerhunter to follow the trend since their time was past due. After ignoring the girls that were
shrieking about their pumpkin spice lattes and pressing the “Skip Ad” button, Fading Frontier started flooding into my brain. Within seconds, every low expectation that nested in my head was washed away. I guess I shouldn’t have underestimated the band’s musical talent considering their second record, Cryptograms, was recorded in a matter of two days and the bands four members are all proficient in more than one instrument. Frontman Bradford Cox also stated (likely to spite pop culture) “… I decided to be gay, so I never have kids who love Taylor Swift,” just to have a spoken promise to us that Deerhunter will never sell out. Deerhunter will never succumb to pop culture and no album Deerhunter has released has broken that promise. Fading Frontier was released after Cox sustained serious injuries
from a traumatic car accident. In the haze of his post-accident depression, Cox wanted to release something that put out a good vibe, contrary to the previous albums filled with the usual anger and angst. The band succeeded with songs like “Breaker” and “Snakeskin” that resemble the catchy tunes that reached the top of the charts in the ’80s. They put out a “feel good” vibe, and when they’re playing no one dares to turn them off. The songs surge calming energy through your veins. Cox expressed that he wanted the record to feel like the first day of spring after a long winter, and that’s exactly what it feels like. The first song, “All the Same,” lets you enter a world where worry disintegrates from your body like seasonal depression disappears on that first sunny day. The music is sensual, and you can’t help but to
UMUSUNA From Page 1 Amagatsu uses Butoh as a medium with which to explore the prehistory of the individual, linking the movement of dancers’ bodies to a primordial human “correspondence with gravity,” using Amagatsu’s phrase, that begins in the womb. “I basically think that Butoh is a dialogue with gravity. That is not repulsion to gravity, but it is closer to conformity with gravity. Therefore, a little careful way of corresponding with gravity is necessary. In this view, some people might say our dance is a slow-motion, but it’s not,” Amagatsu said. “It is a result of careful correspondence with gravity.” Related to this, Amagatsu said in an interview with “Vogue Hommes 98-99,” that “dance is composed of tension and relaxation of gravity just like the principle of life and its process. An unborn baby who is floating inside mother’s womb faces to the tension of the
COURTESY OF UMS
“Worst strep throat ever.”
gravity as soon as s/he is born.” The whole excerpt is available in the UMS program booklet for the performance. Sankai Juku’s spectacular achievements are founded on an aesthetic that weds form and content, the doing and the saying seamlessly. The choreographic technique
Butoh itself communicates the primordial conflicts with which Amagatsu and the rest of the company are interested. With Amagatsu at the helm, Sankai Juku explores what Jean Viala and Nourit Masson-Sekine call “a kind of human archaeology” in their book “Butoh: Shades of Darkness.”
to offer comedic relief, but they are instead overused and often tasteless. Without any original humor or insight, the script falls flat and fails to follow a clear direction. Every scene seems to touch on a different stereotype, and there are at least three discrete storylines within the first episode alone. Not only does jumping from topic to topic lose the viewer’s interest in the cluttered plot, but it fails to establish any emotional connection between the characters. Even Mitch and Russell, whose bromance is at the center of the sitcom, severely lack chemistry and depth. Perhaps the most disappointing flaw in “Truth Be Told” is the abundance of tropes that plague the premiere’s plotline. Looking through a significant other’s texts and hiring a hot babysitter have been the premises of one too many comedies already, like “Friends” and “How I Met Your Mother.” The audience has seen both these scenarios play out before, and there are no surprises this time around either. Moreover, for both plots to be crowded into a single episode gives the impression that the writers don’t have anything new to say from the beginning. From the stilted acting to the cringe-worthy jokes, Friday night’s premiere of “Truth Be Told” was disappointing in every way. The 22-minute episode seemed to drag on as each failed attempt at comedy felt more uncomfortable than the last. In order to recover post-viewing, watching a classic episode of “Friends” is the perfect way to remember what an enjoyable experience a sitcom can be.
ALBUM REVIEW
4AD
Doesn’t look like they caught any.
close your eyes and sit in euphoria while listening to it. The lyrics go a long way toward setting the record’s emotional tenor, with the words in songs like “Leather and Wood,” where Cox chimes, “I believe the sun will rise/ In the east now/ I believe we will find/ That elusive peace now,” summoning a feeling of
serenity when the music vibrates in your eardrums. Each song off Fading Frontier is composed so wonderfully that it regulates your heartbeat. It has you in a state of meditation without realizing it. The known indie rock style Deerhunter has contrasts with the futuristic alien sound in certain songs like “Ad
Astra,” and “Duplex Planet,” creating an out of body experience with each listen. Listen to Fading Frontier with no distractions from beginning to end with your eyes closed. It will feel like you are traveling among the stars. Deerhunter never disappoints, and Fading Frontier is out of this world.
Arts
6 — Friday, October 23, 2015
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
STYLE COLUMN
FILM REVIEW
‘Jobs’ mythologizes Oh boy, Man Repeller tosses it By RACHEL KERR Daily Arts Writer
Y
ou know the drill. Class just ended, and conveniently, Drake’s latest album is still fresh on the charts. You’re alone. You pop in your headphones, pretending to resonate with the joyous camaraderie that comes with having “a really big team” and you’re troubled by the CAROLINE obstacle that FILIPS is your dearth of “really big rings” — crucial to cohesively accessorize the aforementioned squad. During my Drizzy-powered strolls, I prefer to envision a flustered Drake relentlessly demanding rings at a Cartier or Tiffany’s boutique each time I hear “Big Rings” (music video ideas!) rather than attempting to relate his triumphant lyricism to my life. Jokes aside, I cherish my solo walks to class. It’s my amble of comfortable solitude; a saunter to recharge, re-center and, when time permits, stop for the essential overdose of caffeine that prompts my loquacity in awkward discussion sections. But, a successful stroll cannot be endured without some sound synching with my strides. Oftentimes, I decidedly jam to my perfectly curated playlist entitled ‘hype walk to class’ to ensure a journey through the Diag that is of the hype variety. But last week, I forwent my methodical after-class routine and opted for the musings of the Man Repeller podcast “Oh boy” per recommendation of my Senior Arts Editor. For those who don’t know (for starters, help yourself and hop off the laggard train, life awaits), Leandra Medine is the founder of/subversive queen behind the gloriously feminist, intelligent, quippy and style-centric entity that is the Man Repeller website. She’s the patron saint of the individual and the steadfast champion of the indescribable. She simply can’t be defined; and though she can’t be
placed into a characteristic box, she reminds you that you shouldn’t even attempt to reduce her, yourself or others to any rigid definition. For nearly five years, Medine has given her cult followers what we don’t know we need when we don’t know we need it. She has revolutionized how we think and talk about fashion with her stunning irreverence and amendments to our collective sartorial vernacular (remember when we all abused the term “arm party” in 2012? Yeah, she started that). Her ingenious collection of words and concepts can be found within the site’s “Dick-shun-ary,” likely to soon rival Oxford’s. Yet, the MR universe isn’t all witty banter: sometimes, she gets really deep (see: Is Kim Kardashian the New Jeff Koons?) Her baby of a blog extends to Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tumblr presences, and since its late-August debut, boasts a podcast with over 50,000 iTunes downloads. In the same vein of Medine’s eclecticism, “Oh boy”s impressive assortment of guests and topics covered deems it a space where anything goes and everything’s understood. Each hour-ish long episode is a conversation between either Medine, or the site’s resident filmmaker Jay Buim, and a relatively well-known woman holding an enviable position in the creative workforce. Of the nine episodes currently available for streaming, guests have ranged from Amy O’Dell, online editor of Cosmopolitian magazine, to Kiran Gandhi, drummer for singer M.I.A. who made headlines in early August for running the London Marathon sans tampon. Other guests include immersion journalist Rebecca Harrington, fashion virtuoso Stacy London, startup-veteran Payal Kadaka, entrepreneur Jordana Kier, actress Whitney Cummings and MR deputy editor, Amelia Diamond. Essentially, it’s your ideal phonebook of boss women whose numbers you don’t have, a mere download away. Besides the obvious benefits
of devoting most of my time to absorbing the insightful wisdom of inspiring women, “Oh boy” revs me up for class more than any Drake song ever could; the ambition and life/work passion imbued within each chat is infectious. Though still under the multi-faceted umbrella of style, these portable life lessons don’t merely focus on the latest trends, they’re intimate one-onones ranging from the creative perils of self-doubt to the grit behind the glossy-façade of success. Each conversation delves into the life’s work of wildly accomplished women and fashion’s greater context — it’s a voice of reason and realism through the comedic lens. It’s brilliant. Fashion, in short, is confusing and complex. Yet, if you look at the ever-expanding industry today, it’s clear we’re moving past the catty and sassy and into an era of acceptance and accessibility. Two weeks ago, supermodel Gigi Hadid called out body-shaming trolls on Instagram. Six years ago, Olivier Rousteig took the reins of prestigious French design house Balmain, and made it viewable and enticing to Millenials. For the duration of her career from co-founding TrendMicro to her current stint at Instagram, fashionmaven Eva Chen has consistently reminded us that fashion can, and needs to be, nice. Anomalous leaders like Hadid, Rousteig, Chen and Medine are redefining fashion’s negative connotations of insularity with an inviting openness and refreshing realness. Sure, certain spheres of luxury’s inherent exclusivity will never change (read: you’ll still probably spend most of your life on the waiting list for a Birkin). But fear not, there’s a kind, new generation committed to getting real. For now, it’s still a time to be alive. But even Drake agrees, Medine and her podcast are onto something — fashion’s inclusive era. Filips is feenin’ for Leandra Medine’s phone number. To sate her with a random string of numbers, e-mail carofil@umich.edu.
Classifieds RELEASE DATE– Friday, October 23, 2015
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle
Call: #734-418-4115 Email: dailydisplay@gmail.com
FOR RENT
Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis
ACROSS 1 Locale of TV’s Krusty Krab restaurant 7 “The Hitch-Hiker” director Lupino 10 Meatless lasagna ingredient, perhaps 14 “I wanna go too!” 15 Presumed threats to letter carriers 17 “ ... according to my abilities” 18 Half, statistically 19 Familiar material, on the base? 21 __ loss 22 The Hammer of baseball 26 Backbone of capitalism, on the base? 31 Natural mole fur hue 33 Balm source 34 Hand analog 35 Fruity quaffs 36 “Actions speak louder than words,” e.g. 38 Short pooch, for short 39 It’s hardly a smash 40 Lowlands feature 41 __ metabolism 42 Disciplinary action, on the base? 46 Undemonstrative sort 47 Med. recording 48 Important find, on the base? 56 Cleaned, in a way 59 Lethargy cause 60 One assessing sentiment 61 Digital image format 62 It keeps the team together 63 Calculating 64 Studio equipment DOWN 1 Companion to Artemis 2 Simplicity 3 Related 4 2014 Best Rock Album Grammy winner
5 Spring (from) 6 Mean 7 Teen __ 8 “And there you have it!” 9 Old 10 Problem for a conductor wannabe 11 1930s-’40s slugger 12 Limited 13 Mil. morale booster 16 Oaf 20 Lacking color 23 Best for consumption, perhaps 24 Panasonic headquarters city 25 Staircase support 26 Southwestern community 27 No. twos 28 Perennial political debate subject 29 Priest in 1 Samuel 30 N.T. book written by Paul 31 Soothing applications 32 Add to the family
36 “What a piece of work is a __!”: Hamlet 37 Legendary fighter 38 Broadway flier 40 Coins of old Venice 41 Colorful tropical perennial 43 Clearasil target 44 Guys 45 Mrs. Miller’s partner in a 1971 Altman film
49 Scribbles 50 Hamilton’s undoing 51 Modest sentence 52 November honorees 53 Rylan of “Guiding Light” 54 Currency of Iran 55 Doesn’t shut up 56 Le Carré figure 57 Ply with flowers and chocolate 58 JFK was one
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I proudly admit that most of the technology I own was made by Apple. I can’t thank Steve Jobs and Apple enough for them: they’re B elegant yet simple enough for Steve Jobs my technologically challenged Universal brain to compre- Pictures hend. But these Rave & Quality 16 words “elegant” and “simple” do not apply to Steve Jobs himself, or, at least, that’s how we have come to remember him in the four years since his death. No doubt, Jobs defined a generation of tech for laymen and has proved a cultural icon — but is he a complex, sometimes self-hating conundrum, too intricate and secretive to deconstruct? Screenwriter Aaron Sorkin (“The Social Network”) and director Danny Boyle (“Trance”) seem to think so, as they attempt to separate the myth from the man in “Steve Jobs.” Admittedly, this is not your typical biopic, and Sorkin deserves all of the credit in the world for breaking with such a contrived structure. Rather than simply watching a retelling of his life, we follow Jobs (Michael Fassbender, “X-Men: Days of Future Past”) and his coworkers and friends (or are they enemies?) at three different product launches in 1984, 1988 and 1998. Sorkin relies on dialogue and several flashbacks to fill in the details we missed between each showcase. This plays to his strength, as he fills the scenes with rich dialogue with a classic Sorkinian bite. But what we gain in distinctive story structure, we lose in direct narrative continuity. One can view “Steve Jobs” almost as three separate, 40-minute short films. We don’t really need anything that comes before or after each segment because they are completely self-contained, and any otherwise missing information is filled in through a flashback. And before each segment begins, we get a montage of news stories that catch us up on the inter-launch years and set the stage for what’s to come. Technically speaking, it all works,
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but the separated segments keep us at a distance. We cannot see Jobs himself grow and his relationships evolve; instead, we are forced to simply accept that something has changed, “Oh he’s nice to his daughter now. That’s cool.” This distance may be Sorkin and Boyle’s attempt to reflect Jobs’s mind within the narrative structure itself. The story makes very clear that Jobs is locked into each event, his mind zoned in on one objective: success. And anything that hampers that success must be expunged. Boyle and Sorkin provide us with glimpses into his mind — images and videos often appear on walls, and brief cuts back to previous segments are roughly inserted to reflect his emotional conflict — as further endorsement of this idea. But, then again, Sorkin’s ego may have just kicked in and he decided to be different for the sake of difference (you know, because he’s Aaron Sorkin). (As the camera follows Jobs around the various theaters, I couldn’t help but recall the long tracking shots of “Birdman;” both films share a theme of closed, contained spaces as reflections of the psyche.) But the Sorkin-Boyle dynamic ultimately proves somewhat disappointing — they’re just too mismatched. “The Social Network” works so well because Sorkin’s cold, disconnected character could be reflected in David Fincher’s cold, calculated direction. Boyle, by contrast, uses the camera in a more embracive fashion, and he is always sympathetic to his characters, even when his characters are complete scum (see “Trainspotting”). Boyle is forced to look at Jobs in two lights: one as the misanthropic boss and one as the father and friend learning to be a decent human being. And the contrast between the two from a filmmaking standpoint is quite stark. Let me explain. There’s a scene early on where Jobs confronts Andy Hertzfeld (Michael Stuhlberg, “Pawn Sacrifice”), an original Macintosh developer, in front of several other Apple employees for failing to properly set up the demo computer. The camera circles around the two characters, and we see the fear on the other employees’ faces and sense the dread instilled by Jobs. We understand that this environment is, quite simply, toxic all the way around. The film shines in moments like these. But in scenes where Joanna Hoffman (Kate Winslet, “Insurgent”), another member of the original Macintosh team, tries to lecture Jobs about being a more sympathetic individual, the camera does a standard close-up shot countershot; it’s just not nearly as much fun nor as telling and impactful
as the scene could be. But where the structure fails, the performances elevate. Fassbender will undoubtedly receive an Oscar nomination for his work here. He immerses himself in the character and balances the forcefulness of the character with subtlety, but no less drive, in his quieter, more earnest scenes. And Jeff Daniels (HBO’s “The Newsroom”) as former Apple CEO John Sculley demonstrates incredible charisma, representing a formidable opponent to Fassbender. The climactic, tense confrontation between the two after Jobs’ dismissal from Apple proves electrifying, the film’s finest moment. Seth Rogen (“The Interview”) as Steve Wozniak displays considerable range and heart. We get the sense that the Jobs-Wozniak relationship seems the most at risk to Jobs’s toxicity. It’s clear the two have some kind of respect for each other, or maybe an almost fraternal obligation to each other, and at times they seem to truly care. But the two are so diametrically opposed in their desires — Jobs demands control over Wozniak and his ingenuity, where Wozniak yearns for some kind of recognition for his success and role in transforming computing, if not from the public then at least from Jobs — that their dynamic will eventually crumble beneath them. It’s a deeply interesting relationship, one that deserves a bit more exploration than the film devotes to it. So is “Steve Jobs” a success? Yes and no. The film is rooted in dialogue rather than images, so those who prefer to see rather than hear will be disappointed. However, the dialogue is, on the whole, absorbing and thoroughly entertaining. And the film is worth seeing for Fassbender alone. But in attempting to deconstruct the myth that is “Steve Jobs,” the filmmakers almost mythologize him further. Not until the very, very end does Jobs become something beyond a narcissistic, sardonic tyrant. His many verbal assaults are so effective, so biting and, for better or worse, so funny that we sometimes lose the perspective that Jobs is for the most part not a good person. That Jobs died four years ago only further muddies this portrayal, as we can look on him more fondly now that he’s gone. When dealing with biopics, even ones as different as this, one must always separate reality from the art: “Steve Jobs” is not a true reflection of Steve Jobs, but a study of the myth of Steve Jobs. It’s an important distinction to remember as you watch the film. “Steve Jobs” isn’t a biography, but it ventures into deeper waters than any standard biopic could. “Think different” was Apple’s slogan back in 1997, and, at the very least, “Steve Jobs” does.
BOYFRIEND JEANS ARE ONTOLOGICALLY DESTRUCTIVE By CATHERINE SULPIZIO Senior Arts Editor
Consider the boyfriend jean that has gained a new popularity on campus, where hardly a passing period can go by without a stream of (female) students crossing the Diag in the loose, tattered jeans that sit attractively low on the torso. When we left for summer, jeans were still sealed up and adhered tightly to the leg. A few months brings a new silhouette and a new aesthetic. But is the boyfriend jean new? The boyfriend jean ostensibly belonged to a boyfriend, stolen by the gamine who takes off with his sweatshirt and baseball cap too. But this isn’t crossdressing so much as dress-up that brings femininity into sharp relief (that angular hip, the slip of tan thigh, etc.). The boyfriend jean writes its story on its leg: here is evidence of a partner, a brash sartorial confidence and a life ruggedly had, evinced by the holes that limbs poke out of. In short, the jean signifies authenticity, a scything through layers that mask the body, an emergence of organic flesh through all that fabric and a refusal to care about all
this. If Adam and Eve clothed themselves with his-and-her fig leaves out of shame, boyfriend jeans illustrate that now what is his is also hers and can be tossed aside without shame. Boyfriend jeans show a commodity displaced from its ideal market, used long after it cycles out of fashion and until it can no longer work. Boyfriend jeans are anti-capitalist. Of course, the boyfriend jean rarely has that backstory: Boyfriends, at least the boyfriends of well dressed female ilk, are about as likely to wear the stonewashed, slightly frumpy fit of dad jeans required for a good “boyfriend” jean as a chain wallet or neon windbreaker. The boyfriend wears jeans as tight as yours (this is 2015 gender equality) and maybe has a waxed pair too. We bought our pairs from Urban Outfitters or Citizens of Humanity. Therefore, this skin is rendered inauthentic when its emergence is prefigured by a factory that carefully fixes an identical set of holes onto an identical set of jeans, sewn for female bodies. In this way, boyfriend jeans render the skin that it reveals as artificial as the nature of itself. Boyfriend jeans are ontologically destructive.
Sports
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Friday, October 23, 2015 — 7
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Michigan has depth, but Excitement builds for ‘M’ experience in question By KELLY HALL Daily Sports Writer
By JACOB GASE Daily Sports Editor
After barely escaping with a .500 record and missing the postseason for the first time since 2010, the Michigan men’s basketball team likely views last season as a year to forget. Upset losses to the New Jersey Institute of Technology and Eastern Michigan and subsequent injuries to star guards — namely then-junior Caris LeVert and thensophomore Derrick Walton Jr. — left the young Wolverines in shambles. But while starting several freshmen may have seemed like a drawback last season, it may come as a blessing to Michigan this year. The Wolverines return all five starters from last season and nine total players who averaged at least 10 minutes. Throw in redshirt freshman forward D.J. Wilson, freshman forward Moritz Wagner and a newly-eligible transfer in redshirt sophomore guard Duncan Robinson, and Michigan has a rotation that could extend as deep as 12 players. In fact, a recent ESPN study ranked the Wolverines as the third-most experienced powerconference team based on percentages of returning minutes and possessions. Depth still can’t be confused with experience, though, and Michigan coach John Beilein is well aware of that. “Compared to last year, they’re still not an experienced team,” Beilein said. “Yes, we do have four guys that have played a lot of college basketball— the four scholarship juniors and seniors — but we have so many young guys
that were thrown in there.” The “young guys” — six players who logged minutes last year but still have three or more years of eligibility remaining — make up over 40 percent of Michigan’s returning minutes. Some of them, including sophomore guard Aubrey Dawkins and sophomore forward Ricky Doyle, showed flashes of brilliance last season, but all still have plenty of room to grow. And for most of them, “room to grow” has a literal meaning. Many of the returning players were in Ann Arbor this summer building muscle with strength and conditioning coach Jon Sanderson, whose famed “Camp Sanderson” program has shaped the physical gains of former Wolverines and current NBA players including Trey Burke, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Nik Stauskas. “We couldn’t physically intimidate anybody last year, because we were just babies out there,” Beilein said. “Some of these giraffes and young thoroughbreds are turning into bigger animals, bigger people, and they’ve got to be able to use that now.” LeVert, who has experienced the fruits of Camp Sanderson, hopes that his young teammates’ physical gains can make up for their relative lack of experience. “Just the sophomores in general (have impressed me),” he said. “All those guys have made huge improvements in the weight room and on the court as well. I think it’ll really be an advantage
to us playing with Duncan and D.J. this year, who didn’t play last year.” LeVert and Walton are finally back to full strength, so instead of being thrust into starting roles too early, the beefed-up sophomores will likely find themselves coming off the bench. Though the experience statistics may be a bit misleading because of last year’s chaos, the versatility on this year’s bench cannot be ignored. From Chatman to Robinson to sophomore guard MuhammadAli Abdur-Rahkman, the bench will be full of players who can play multiple positions and have done so in game action. “I think it’ll be an advantage to us, just the versatility we have, with a lot of guys such as D.J. or Kam or Duncan who can all play two to three spots,” LeVert said. “I think that’ll really pay dividends to us late in games and late down the stretch of the Big Ten season.” Beilein may not be ready to call his team experienced, but he can take solace in the fact that he can turn to his bench in the case of an injury or late-game substitution without worrying about throwing a rookie into the fire. At the same time, though, he knows the growing will never stop. “Whether you’re here, high school, the pros, there’s always something next,” Beilein said. “It’s never like, ‘Hey, we made it.’ ”
“All those guys have made huge improvements.”
At one point during a somewhat zany practice on Thursday, Michigan men’s basketball coach John NOTEBOOK Beilein was doing push-ups with assistant coaches LaVall Jordan and Jeff Meyer at centercourt. At another point, a mock wrestling belt with a big block ‘M’ emblazoned on it was handed over to junior forward Sean Lonergan, who “won practice” the day before. The season hasn’t started yet, but excitement for the upcoming year is already showing up on the practice court. After Thursday’s practice concluded, the Michigan men’s basketball team hit the halfway point in its allotted 30 days of preparation for the regular season. Halfway in, the Wolverines have more answers than they did 15 days ago, but plenty of work remains ahead of them. MO SMILES: Though Moritz Wagner is just 18 years old, there has been a lot of talk surrounding the forward from Berlin, Germany. During the Wolverines’ open practice on Thursday, the freshman bounded up and down the court with a grin on his face. “We just love coaching that kid so much and the teammates love him,” Beilein said. “Especially for a kid who’s 18 years old and from a foreign country, learning the English language on the fly. I can’t think of a better transition so far.” His progress as a college student in a foregin country has been incredible, but he’s still in transition on the court. At times, he shows flashes of athleticism. Other
times, he looks downright awkward. Beilein is still impressed, mentioning that he unexpectedly denied senior guard Caris LeVert the ball in practice, but later explained to his coach that it would have been a bad mismatch for LeVert. According to Beilein, that type of two-steps ahead thinking showedcased Wagner’s impressive basketball IQ. “We’re trying to teach him two positions,” Beilein said. “At 6-foot-10 and a half, he can play inside or he can play in the middle. (He) just hasn’t shown that physical ability to rebound yet. He will. He’s really a talented young man.” WEIGHT WATCHERS: It’s impossible to note the advances Michigan has made in the offseason without mentioning weight gain and lean muscle mass. Most of the Wolverines stayed in Ann Arbor over the summer to train, so it’s no surprise that some players have put on 20 pounds of muscle. For Wagner, the adjustment to American food and weight lifting made an impact right away. He made the jump from 211 to 228 pounds over the course of three months. “Sandman (strength and conditioning coach Jon Sanderson) really got (Wagner) on a good program gaining weight,” said freshman Brent Hibbitts, Wagner’s roommate. “He hadn’t really lifted much back in Europe, so once he started here and got a hang of all the lifts, he really saw improvements.” Beilein has noticed gains on both sides of the ball for sophomore forward D.J. Wilson, but his growth is affecting his play as well. “He’s 235 (pounds) now, and he’s trying to play at 235 instead
of trying to play like he’s still 190,” Beilein said. “When you grow up that long and you’re 170, 180, 190, and all of a sudden you’re 235, there’s some habits you have that he’s trying to change so he can use that hard work he’s done for a year in the weight room.” Fellow sophomore forward Ricky Doyle hasn’t put on quite as much weight, but he has readjusted his muscle mass. “He came in country strong,” Beilein said. “He didn’t lift a lot of weights, but he was still strong walking in the door. I think one of his bigger issues was to just change the muscle mass and make it more productive as opposed to just having 250 pounds. … He’s probably in the best condition he’s been in.” Rounding out the group is redshirt sophomore guard Duncan Robinson. Robinson sat out last season due to NCAA transfer rules, so he had more time and energy to focus on conditioning throughout the year. “I would say that a lot of (my improvements) are physically,” Robinson said. “I put on about 20 pounds, which is pretty big. I’ve been working with Coach Sanderson a lot, which has been big for me. Just adjusting to speed and the physicality of play.” ZAK IS BACK: Beilein confirmed that junior forward Zak Irvin will be back shooting on Friday. After having minor back surgery in early September that was expected to keep him out for six to eight weeks, he’s right on schedule. In open practice Thursday, Irvin participated in passing drills, but had a bigger role encouraging his teammates throughout scrimmages.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Wolverines prepare for road games Freshman class stands out early By JASON RUBINSTEIN Daily Sports Editor
Prior to his team’s seasonopening sweep against Mercyhurst, Michigan hockey coach Red Berenson said his main worry was that the Lakers had already played four games, while the Wolverines had played only one exhibition. Even though Michigan escaped the weekend unscathed, Berenson can’t use that logic any longer as the Wolverines travel to upstate New York for games against No. 18 Union (2-0-2) and RPI (1-3) on Friday and Saturday, respectively. “I like the fact that we came from behind,” Berenson said. “We’ll get a tougher test this weekend, but we got a couple of games under our belt. We have something to prove on the road. We weren’t very consistent last year.” Winning the first two games already marks a change for the 11th-ranked Wolverines (2-0). They began last season with a loss to Ferris State and then split a series with New Hampshire. The quicker start this year could be due to a much-improved defensive unit. Freshmen Nick Boka and Joseph Cecconi have looked capable of playing substantial minutes, while junior Nolan De Jong looks like a completely different player after extensive offseason workouts. If the Mercyhurst series was any indication, it already appears that Berenson has found four lines capable of scoring each night. Seniors Justin Selman and Boo Nieves, along with freshman Kyle Connor, have formed an imposing first line that is capable of scoring a goal on any given shift. The trio tallied a combined eight points in the opening weekend.
By CHRIS CROWDER Daily Sports Writer
JAMES COLLER/Daily
Boo Nieves was Michigan’s best forward in the team’s first two games of the season, Red Berenson said.
“Playing with Kyle is super easy,” Nieves said. “He knows what to do out there. Justin and I have a lot of chemistry off the ice, which definitely translates on the ice. Kyle listens. He absorbs everything, and he’s been so easy to play with.” Added Berenson: “I think they are establishing themselves as a line that can score and shut another team’s line down. I thought Boo was our best
“We have something to prove on the road.”
forward over the weekend, and Kyle Connor was our most dangerous.” And once you deal with that line, juniors Alex Kile, JT Compher and Tyler Motte are no piece of cake, either. All are highenergy players who aggressively throw their bodies at open pucks, giving opposing units fits. If that’s not enough, freshmen Cooper Marody and Brendan Warren played well beyond their years, combining for three points. The two youngsters are paired with sophomore Tony Calderone, who leads the team in shots with 11. That’s three legitimate lines for Berenson to roll out, and juniors Evan Allen and Max
Shuart — both fourth-line players — tallied a goal and an assist, respectively. “We’re definitely deep this year,” Nieves said. “Everybody brings something unique which makes us tough to play against.” But No. 18 Union — which defeated No. 8 Boston University earlier this year — and RPI, which beat No. 4 Boston College, present Michigan with a much tougher challenge. And the Wolverines know that. “Every game is important, especially these non-conference ones,” Nieves said. “They’ve definitely kept us out of the tournament the last few years. “We’re going in with a business-type mentality.”
Over the past year, Michigan women’s basketball coach Kim Barnes Arico and her staff searched near and far for some of the best women’s basketball talent in the United States. In their quest, the coaching staff may have compiled the best recruiting class in program history. The Wolverines lost three impact seniors last season in forward Cyesha Goree, guard Shannon Smith and forward Nicole Elmblad, but this year’s freshman class is prepared, and is expected to make an impact right away. Michigan originally had commitments from four players in the espnW 100 recruiting rankings — center Hallie Thome (No. 64) and guards Nicole Munger (No. 68), Naomi Davenport (No. 76) and Lauren “Boogie” Brozoski (No. 85). Those recruits, along with 3-star forward Sam Trammel, gave the Wolverines the 14th-best recruiting class in the nation according to ESPN. Davenport, however, didn’t follow through on her November commitment, and is now attending Trinity Valley Community College in Texas. Barnes Arico attributes the success in recruiting to the opportunities the University presents academically, the work of her assistant coaches to scour the country for talent and the identity of the program. And thanks to those attributes, even without Davenport, the rest of the freshmen bring loads of potential for Barnes Arico to be excited about. “I really think (this class can be special),” Barnes Arico said. “They were a top recruiting class in the country. They’re a special group of kids. Freshman year is going to be tough. Some are going to be backing up, some are more experienced kids, so they’ll be getting the minutes they’ll get later in their career.” Barnes Arico knows that this
group of freshmen is unique and ready to handle the pressure of Division I competition. Compared to last year’s freshman class, which Barnes Arico said struggled at times in the first few weeks of practice, this year’s class is in shape and has bought into the Michigan philosophy of striving to be the hardest-working team in America. The rest of the team has begun to take notice as well. “I love our freshman class,” said senior guard Madison Ristovski. “They’re super talented and bring a lot of energy to practice, and they’re always willing to learn and ask us questions.” Added sophomore guard Katelynn Flaherty: “They don’t really act like freshmen — they’re always willing to compete and ready to go.” Barnes Arico has already praised her quartet of newbies. She touts Brozoski’s (2015 Gatorade State Player of the Year in New York) quickness and ability to handle the ball at the point guard position, commends Munger’s toughness, notes Trammel’s strength inside and leaves practice saying, ‘Oh, my goodness’ after seeing the 6-foot5 Thome (the Gatorade State Player of the Year in Ohio) play. Brozoski and Thome may be the two who earn the most minutes out of the four freshmen. Barnes Arico’s feelings about Thome’s ability and the whole freshman class are a combination of excitement and reservation. But she knows that it is only their first year, and that she can’t think too far ahead, so she is focused on the present with the hope for the future in sight. Barnes Arico says she can get a pit in her stomach thinking about the possibilities, but she is looking forward to developing her players to ensure they meet or exceed expectations. “They’re a special group,” Barnes Arico said. “By the time they’re juniors and seniors, I think they’ll do something special at Michigan for sure.”
8 — Friday, October 23, 2015
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Wolverines look to make most of bye-week timing By JAKE LOURIM Managing Sports Editor
Michigan football players have seen and been through a lot since they stepped on campus, since coach Jim Harbaugh was hired last December, even since the start of the season seven weeks ago. But none of them — nor anyone outside the program — had ever seen anything like what happened Saturday night. By now, the final play that lifted Michigan State to a 27-23 win over the Wolverines at Michigan Stadium is famous. Michigan will have to move on from that and play five more games — but it won’t get the chance this weekend, with a bye week between now and next Saturday’s game at Minnesota. The off week could let the sour taste from last weekend’s loss linger for a few more days, but it could also allow the Wolverines to heal physically before heading into the back half of their schedule. “It’s a good and a bad thing, because you get to rest your bodies for a whole week, and you’re just focusing on one team for two weeks,” said junior running back De’Veon Smith. “Yeah, you want to get the taste out of your mouth, but in a way it’s a good thing, because
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De’Veon Smith believes the timing of Michigan’s bye week will be beneficial.
we can go back and look at all of our mistakes and correct them all.” In the past, the effects of bye weeks have worked both ways. Last year, Michigan lost coming out of both — including a 35-11 loss to Michigan State — but in 2013, the Wolverines recovered from an
ugly seven-turnover performance at Notre Dame to cruise past Purdue, 44-13. But because of the circumstances of last Saturday’s game, they have never had to bounce back in quite the same way. Minnesota (1-2 Big Ten, 4-3 overall), also has a bye Saturday after a loss, albeit a less dramatic one. “Our group’s glad that we got the off week,” said Golden Gophers coach Jerry Kill on Tuesday on the Big Ten coaches’ teleconference. “We gotta get some bodies healed up, and we’ve been banged up pretty good, so we’re hoping this week allows us to heal up and start the preparation for Michigan.” The Wolverines will make a similar effort by taking Thursday, Friday and Saturday off this weekend, giving the players a chance to go home or relax in Ann Arbor. They did, however, have practice Tuesday and Wednesday, perhaps to avoid a hangover after the devastating loss. When Michigan goes back to work next week, it will focus on fine-tuning the details. Those details looked as sharp as they could be when the Wolverines won five straight games and shut out three consecutive opponents, but the team pointed to small issues in the loss to Michigan State. “When you’re blowing teams out, when you’re shutting teams out, winning by 30 points, I feel like there’s a little bit more leniency,” said fifth-year senior offensive lineman Graham Glasgow. “I feel like it’s like, ‘Hey, you got the job done, but just step with the right foot next time.’ “Now it’s really serious. I’m taking it very seriously. A lot of the upperclassmen are. You just can’t make mistakes anymore.” Yes, a Big Ten title chase is still within reach. But the Wolverines’ backs are up against the wall. “Anything can happen to any other team that we play,” Smith said. “Our dreams are still alive of winning the Big Ten championship, so that’s our focus.”