presidential forum | about 175 students attend, 3A | Beer pong Customized tables make game more of a tradition for some, 1B
a deaf world| Awareness Week celebrates deaf culture, heritage, 3A
Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009
Central Michigan Life
Mount Pleasant, Mich.
[cm-life.com]
Parking problems plague students across campus Police chief: no formal complaints issued By Jake May Senior Reporter
Students are complaining that parking is a problem at Central Michigan University. The parking lots behind Moore Hall and the Music Building are congested,
packed full with nowhere for incoming cars to go. So is the lot north of the Towers near Pearce Hall. Some students are angry, blaming faculty members for not taking advantage of faculty-only lots. Specifically, a new lot adjacent to the Education and Human Services Building. It is available to faculty and staff members only, but many are not using it, said East Tawas sophomore Taylor Phillips. Instead, he said
they continue to park in Lots 22 and 33 by habit. “Maybe our teachers need to be more educated,” said Phillips, who parks his car at the back of Lot 33 every day. “They have another parking lot that would place them even closer to the buildings they teach in anyway. Why wouldn’t they want to park there? They are just making it really hard for us to get to class on time.” CMU Police has sold 10,940 parking permits for
By the numbers... w Student permits: 8,794 w Faculty permits: 2,146 w Spaces on campus: 11,196 w Lot 33: 971 spaces w Lot 22: 873 spaces (22 designated spaces for faculty) w EHS Building: 297 spaces the 2009-10 academic year. Of those, 8,794 are students and 2,146 are faculty members, said CMU Police Chief Bill Yeagley. There are 11,196
parking spaces on campus. Lot 33 holds 971 spaces, designated as an all-student lot. Lot 22 holds 873 spaces, 22 of which are designated parking for faculty members. The EHS building lot holds 297 spaces, all designated for faculty and staff parking only. Yeagley said the new EHS lot has been, at most, threequarters full. That leaves about 75 of the 297 available parking spaces empty on any weekday.
A ‘Bug’ sundae
Yeagley said there have not been any formal complaints filed at the police department.
‘Ridiculously full’ Since the EHS Building lot’s opening two weeks ago, many students were issued tickets. Yeagley said the sign at the lot’s entrance was incorrect, stating students were eligible to park. The sign was changed Tuesday,
A parking | 2a
Thursday crucial day for Michigan state budget By Edward Schutter Staff Reporter
Although Michigan budget cuts have yet to be finalized, lawmakers expect to meet the Thursday deadline for $1.2 billion in budget cuts. “All of the budgets are in various stages right now,” said Liz Boyd, spokeswoman for Gov. Jennifer Granholm. “No balanced budget plans have reached Gov. Granholm’s desk yet.” If the state does not finalize cuts, it must pass a continuation budget by the Thursday deadline, or it will experience a partial government shutdown. Boyd said the state is trying to avoid a shutdown at all costs. “Everyone is working right up to the budget deadline to get this done because we do not want a government shutdown,” she said. As of Tuesday evening, the Senate had adjourned and the House remained in talks to resolve issues.
chris bacarella/staff photographer
Traverse City freshman Aly Jarosz laughs as she smears ice cream toppings over the windshield of a Volkswagen Beetle with her bare hands for an ART 126 class project Monday afternoon outside Anspach Hall. The class covered an entire vehicle in ice cream toppings to turn it into a ice cream sundae.
Students douse Volkswagen Beetle with ice cream, toppings for extra credit By Eric Dresden Student Life Editor
Brittney Koenig, Seth Blackey and Ally Jarosz all ran up to Koenig’s Volkswagen Beetle and started licking the chocolate topping off it. While the scene seemed uncommon for those walking past, about 40 people surrounding the car Monday afternoon outside Anspach Hall, the
[inside] NEWS w New Greek GPA policy not a big issue for groups, 3A w Grad student union meeting Thursday, 5A
sports w Women’s basketball guard Brandie Baker granted a medical redshirt after suffering injury, 6A
CM-LIFE.com w Check for a video of the presidential search forum.
weather w Sunny High 58/ Low 27
group had already seen something like it in ART 126: Introduction to the Visual Arts. “It was a work by Allen Kaprow, called ‘18 Happenings in Six Parts,’ and one part had a Volkswagen with jam on it and people were licking it off,” said Ben Mepham, the group’s instructor and assistant professor of art. Mepham said he showed the picture in class and Koenig brought the idea to him about recre-
ating it. He said if the group did it, he would give each student extra credit. “(Mepham) said to do something different (than just putting jam on a car), so we turned it into a chocolate sundae,” said Koenig, a Highland freshman. Blackey, a New Hampshire freshman, said the A sundae | 2a
No need for backup? Michigan revenues are at their lowest in 45 years. The state expects to be short nearly $3 billion of its yearly budget for the next fiscal year. More than half will be covered by stimulus money, which leaves $1.2 billion to overcome. Some of the budget cuts may include aid to cities and townships, Medicaid and state help for the mentally ill. “We will not need backup plans because they are very confident that the deadline will be met,” said Abby Rubley, spokeswoman for House Speaker Andy Dillon, D-Redford. Political science instructor Alper Dede said he does not expect all the money to come from budget cuts. “A parallel policy is increasing taxes,” he said. “It’s not just budget cuts.” The state is expected to tax items such as bottled water and vending machine items. Granholm suggested cutting spending by more than $800 million, which would leave the rest of the deficit up to raising taxes. metro@cm-life.com
profile
Financial officer once a lieutenant colonel Burdette spent 28 years in the U.S. Army By Emily Pfund Staff Reporter
Editor’s note: This is the first story in an occasional series on senior officers about what they do or have done outside their work at Central Michigan University. If you do not know who David Burdette is, he probably does not mind. “We’re the behind-the-
scenes people,” said Central Michigan University’s vice president of Finances and Administrative Services. “If we’re doing our job right, no one needs to know. It’s when we’re not doing our job that you’ll hear about it.” Burdette oversees many departments in the university, including Residence Life, facilities management, budget and planning, financial services, office of student accounts, payroll, health services, general counsel, recreation and Special Olympics. “I watch other people run everything,” Burdette said. But there is something most
students might not know about Burdette. Before beginning his career in administration, Burdette served in the U.S. Army for 28 years, attaining the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, the thirdhighest rank. “I defended the coastal United States. I prepped for Vietnam, but never went,” he said. His first experience with violence was in Attica, N.Y., in 1971 at the Attica prison riot, which he said was “terrible.” His unit worked blizzard duty in Buffalo, N.Y., during the A burdette | 2a
paige calamari/staff photographer
David Burdette, CMUS’s vice president of Finances and Administrative Services, speaks about his time at CMU Sept. 22 in the Finance and Administrative Office of Warriner Hall.
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2A || Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009 || Central Michigan Life
WEATHER FORECAST
EVENTS CALENDAR
Today
thursday
w Save A Life Tour take place from 3 to 9 p.m. at Finch Fieldhouse Room 110. Admission is free.
w “How to Prepare, Pay and Stay in College” w ill be presented from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Mount Pleasant Hi gh School, 1155 S. Eli zabeth St. w Wednesday Night Praise is from 8 to 9:15 p.m. at the Wesley Foundation, 1400 S. Washington St.
Thursday w The Changing Role of Women, part of Hispanic Heritage Month, will present a movie and discussion from 1 to 2 p.m. and 5 to 6 p.m. in the Bovee University Center Auditorium. w “The Living Others,” will be shown from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Wesley Foundation. w Bruce Bonnell, a faculty artist, will present a program from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. in the Staples Family Concert Hall. Admission is $3 for students and $5 for the general public.
Corrections Central Michigan Life has a long-standing commitment to fair and accurate reporting. It is our policy to correct factual errors. Please e-mail news@cm-life.com. © Central Michigan Life 2009 Volume 91, Number 17
online media Video See a video online of the presidential search forum.
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friday
w Dana Alexander and Jason LeVasseur will perform at 8 p.m. in Carey Hall’s Real Food on Campus. Admission is free.
CM-LIFE.COM
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High 58/Low 27 Sunny
Today
w Deaf Games will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Student Activity Center Small Sports Forum.
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PHOTO OF THE WEEK
chris bacarella/staff photographer
Students lick ice cream toppings off a Volkswagen Beetle during an extra credit opportunity for their ART 126 class Monday afternoon outside Anspach Hall. The students covered the Beetle with ice cream toppings to reproduce a form of art from the 1960’s called “performance art.”
sundae| continued from 1A
plan was to get supplies and throw it over the vehicle as a random ‘happening,’ like Kaprow’s art. But the group did not plan on licking it until Mepham jokingly said to the group that is what the original art was about. “We’re driving it to the car wash. It’s a good thing we filled it with window washer fluid,” he said. Jarosz, a Traverse City fresh-
man, said getting extra credit was a bonus. “It was so much fun, I’m really glad (Koenig) did it,” she said. “(Talking about the picture) was my favorite part of lecture.” Becca Ennerking stopped by to get the extra credit, not expecting many people to be there. But she was surprised when she saw the group throwing chocolate syrup, whipped cream and sprinkles on the car. “It’s kind of laughable — I thought it was a joke,” said Enneking, a Maple Rapids freshman. studentlife@cm-life.com jake may/staff photographer
parking| continued from 1A
and all students who were issued tickets do not have to pay them. “Those tickets will be void as long as the students come to the police station and tell us about it,” Yeagley said. “Hopefully, now that it is open to faculty only, this will open more parking spaces in Lots 22 and 33 for everybody, and there won’t be as many problems between faculty and student parking needs.” Alpena senior Kristen Boyk has parked in Lot 33 for the last four years. Each year, she said the lot has become more full. Boyk has had more trouble finding a parking spot, she said. The most time it has
taken was 15 minutes. “It’s ridiculously full,” she said. “I don’t understand why faculty are still parking in this lot. I don’t think they should. The front commuter lot (Lot 22) is horrible, too. I used to park there sometimes, but it is even harder to find a spot in that lot. It’s just not fun parking basically on Mission Street when my class is in Pearce Hall.” Steve Smith, director of CMU public relations, said if students have an issue, they need to submit a formal complaint to the CMU Police Department. “If people have a permit to park in those parking lots, which all faculty members do, and they are not violating the law,” Smith said. “then I don’t see a problem here.” university@cm-life.com
Dilon Arnett, 11, sits in the back of his father’s truck as they drive back to the house at 7 p.m. Sept. 20 at the Arnett Farm on South Shepherd Road after a backhoe broke down and his grandfather, John Arnett, came out with parts to fix the 1975 John Deere rider. The family bought the equipment brand new and have only used handy work to keep its quality up since its purchase.
burdette| continued from 1A
Blizzard of ’77 and later spent several days on flood duty in Corning amd Elmira, N.Y. In 1984, he led an 800-man unit to Alaska for field exercises. “I did a summer tour and a winter tour in Alaska,” Burdette said, “and I much preferred the summer one.” Experiences Burdette retired in 1995 and said his experiences in the military had a huge effect on the way he does his job. “It taught me how to motivate and be challenged by oth-
er people, how to make better decisions under pressure and to be confident in those decisions,” he said. John Fisher, associate vice president of Residences and Auxiliary Services, said he can see Burdette’s military experiences affect his position now. “I see positive evidence in his organization and communication skills,” he said. Fisher said he sees Burdette using the chain of command, which he said is a good thing even in civilian life because everyone is in communication that way. Because of his military experiences, Burdette places a lot of emphasis on teamwork in his job.
“I have a saying that goes, ‘The star of the team is the team.’ I say it all the time and I really try to live my life by that,” he said. “It’s all about getting the job done and taking care of the troops. You hear that (in the military) all the time, ‘just take care of the troops.’” Barrie Wilkes, vice president of Financial Services and Reporting, said he does not know too much about Burdette’s military career, but can see how it affects his personality. “I think his views on leadership come from his military background,” he said. “He’s very involved as a leader, very active.” university@cm-life.com
inside life Central Michigan Life
3A Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009
New GPA requirement has little impact on Greeks CMU adopted policy in July to oversee grades By Alex Washington Staff Reporter
Prospective members of Central Michigan University’s Greek organizations had to submit grade release forms in order to receive a bid into a fraternity or sorority this fall. In July, CMU adopted an academic standards policy for fraternities and sororities, requiring prospective members
to have a 2.5 GPA. “What we do, we have a grade release form that interested students must fill out,” said Tom Idema, assistant director of Student Life. “We use the high school GPA for freshmen and, as long as they have a 2.5 cumulative GPA from high school, then they can rush.” Fraternities have experienced little trouble with the new rules. They have a rolling recruitment and can continue to recruit potential members throughout the year. Fraternities have to ensure their potential members sub-
mit the grade release form before offering bids. So far, two have tried to offer bids to students whose GPA did not meet the requirements. “In general, when fraternities do bid a potential new member whose GPA is below a 2.5, they are unaware of it,” said Chris Dutot, Phi Kappa Tau President and Midland senior. Sigma Tau Gamma President Carl Fraser said looking at a student’s GPA is helpful when selecting new members. “GPA is a good indicator of what potential members are
going to be like in your chapter academically,” the Richmond senior said. Though it is too early to be sure, Idema said the GPA requirement does not seem to have an effect on fraternity recruitment, and Fraser and Dutot agree. “It was a successful recruitment semester for Phi Kappa Tau, as well as other fraternities despite the new requirement, and I think asking for a higher GPA standard does more good than bad,” Dutot said. Sororities unphased There were not any notice-
able changes during sorority recruitment. According to Idema, sororities have not been affected by the new GPA requirement because of their formal recruitment structure. “When the sororities began their formal recruitment process, the women interested had to fill out the grade release form ahead of time,” Idema said. “When it came time for recruitment, we knew that every woman interested had the grades.” studentlife@cm-life.com
body language
[Life in brief] Andean Textiles exhibit in the UC
The Multicultural Education Center is putting on a display of Andean Textiles in its office at the Bovee University Center Room 125. The collection is on loan from Sociology, Anthropology and Social Work department faculty member Sergio Jorge Chavez. The display is available from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday and Wednesday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday and Friday.
Paint a portrait
The art department is sponsoring a session of portrait art from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. today. The University Art Gallery will provide the materials and instruction for participants to paint a selfportrait of themselves at a work station. The free event will take place at the West Gallery of the University Art Gallery.
Klezmer Concert
Klezmer, a Eastern European Yiddish music style, is coming to Mount Pleasant at 3 p.m. Sunday at ArtReach in downtown Mount Pleasant. The group Heartland Klezmorim will perform a playlist of its upbeat, dance-ready Klezmer music at the ArtReach Center. ArtReach is at 319 S. University Ave. at the corner of Illinois St. Central Michigan’s Jewish Community Association and Temple Benjamin, with the Jewish student organization Hillel and the financial support of the Ravitz Initiative, will host the event.
Free concert
On the Fly Productions is sponsoring a free concert at Carey Hall’s Real Food on Campus dining commons in the Towers. Musicians Jason LeVasseur and Dana Alexander will perform from 8 to 9:30 p.m. today at the RFoC. Both artists play several instruments. LeVasseur plays the guitar, sings and plays harmonica, while Alexander is a well-known singer and songwriter.
photos by chris bacarella/staff photographer
American Sign Language instructor at Central Michigan University Kevin Cramer signs to students Tuesday night during Deaf World, a deaf awareness event held at the Student Activity Center.
Two aggravated assaults reported
Deaf Awareness Week celebrates culture, heritage Event provides role reversal for students By Heather Shovein Staff Reporter
Nicole Jeffrey said she felt nervous as she tried to adapt to a world much different from her own. Jeffrey, a Northville sophomore, tried to carry out daily activities, such as going to the bank or participating in a classroom while being the only person who could hear. Jeffrey, along with about 150 other students, participated in
the Deaf World event Tuesday night, where students learned how it felt to live in the nonhearing world. Deaf World gives people insight into everyday life, Jeffrey said. “It’s more of a respect thing,” she said. The event allows students to swap shoes with someone in the deaf community, said Crystal Kline, vice president of the American Sign Language Society. “Deaf World gives the students a small understanding of A deaf world | 5a
Week’s events continue to increase understanding By James Falls Staff Reporter
Several other events are coming up for those interested in participating in Deaf Awareness Week. A silent lunch with communication disorders instructor Kendra Miller will begin at noon today on the front lawn of the Health Professions Building and the deaf games with the American Sign Language Society will begin at 6
Macomb senior Sara Renke signs with Zeeland junior Johanna Slusser during Deaf World Thursday night, a deaf awareness event held at the Student Activity Center.
heritage, not necessarily those who cannot hear. “It draws attention to the differences between the culture,” the Illinois senior said. “This way hearing people can understand why deaf people
p.m. in the Student Activity Center. The last event for the week is ASL Rocks! at 6 p.m. Thursday. American Sign Language Society President Mallorie Ceisel said Deaf Awareness Week celebrates culture and
A week | 5a
Students voice what they want in a president at forum About 175 attend open forum Monday night Staff Reports
Saginaw sophomore John Ketchum wants CMU’s next president to keep an open mind. “I want a president who has a keen eye for diversity,” said Ketchum, a representative for CMU’s NAACP chapter. “I also want them to be aware and understand that not everybody is majoring in everything and to keep in mind that I don’t want to pay a lot of money for somebody else’s major.” Ketchum and others expressed their ideas at the presidential search forum Monday night hosted by the Student Government Asso-
ciation. Of the roughly 175 students who attended the forum, about 80 percent were SGA members. SGA President Jason Nichol said SGA represents the student body, so he was not concerned that most of the students were members. The committee consisted of Trustee Sarah Opperman, former chairman of Academic Senate and Interim Associate Dean of the College of Education and Human Services Ray Francis, President of Isabella Bank and Trust Rick Barz and community member-at-large Tim Brockman. Ketchum was assured that diversity, his biggest concern, would be a focus under new leadership. “Diversity is absolutely key,” Opperman said. “It is something that was high-
lighted under (former University) President Michael Rao, and our job is not done.” The committee told the crowd it was hoping a new president could not only uphold levels of diversity, but take it to more advanced levels. Student connection Others want to see a president more connected to the student body. “I’m looking for someone who will work with the Greeks and the SGA more,” said Hesperia sophomore Killian Richeson. “I would really like a president who could go out of their way to do this.” One of the biggest concerns voiced by students was that a new president would have to understand the situation in Michigan.
CM-Life.com w Check the Web site for a video on the forum. “I want a president who is conscious of my wallet and overall situation,” Ketchum said. The committee did its best to assure students that would be taken into consideration. Brockman said the committee hopes candidates will be sensitive to the current economic situation. However, it was emphasized that the new president would not necessarily have to come from Michigan to do the job. “We’re looking for someone who has the ability to work in the political setting in Lansing,” Opperman said. The students agreed an out-of-state choice could help provide perspective,
suggesting that such a pick could provide a new outlook for the university. Having a voice The forum gave students confidence that the committee was taking their ideas seriously. “I liked how when students asked questions, they asked questions back,” Ketchum said. “It assured me that they wanted to know what we thought.” Having a trustee in attendance furthered the students’ belief that they were being heard. “The trustee member that was there had a very busy schedule,” Richeson said. “The one-on-one dialogue makes me believe they’ll take our ideas and wishes to heart when making decisions.” university@cm-life.com
David Veselenak, Managing Editor | news@cm-life.com | 989.774.4343
The Mount Pleasant Police Department reported two cases of aggravated assault over the weekend. The first was a domestic case involving a mother and her 11-year-old son at 1309 Ward St. The child told police he felt he had been inappropriately punished. The second case took place at a trailer park, 505 S. Bradley St. The incident involved a physical confrontation between a resident and the manager of the park. There were no injuries or arrests in either case. Both are under review by the Isabella County Prosecutor’s Office.
Central Alert system registration
There will be locations set up across campus over the next several days for students interested in signing up for the Central Alert system. The times and locations are as follows: from 2 to 7 p.m. today in the Park Library lobby, from 2 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the RFOC and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday in the Bovee University Center. Students also can register online by logging in at myaccount.cmich.edu and clicking on “Central Alert.”
CMU Homecoming Run and Walk
Registration forms for the CMU Homecoming 5K and 1-mile Fun Run/Walk can be picked up at the Student Activity Center, the Special Olympics Building or at somi.org. Registration fees are $11 today and $15 after. The event will take place 8 a.m., Oct. 10 at Finch Fieldhouse. All event proceeds will go toward Special Olympics Michigan.
If you have an interesting item for Life in Brief, let us know by e-mailing news@cm-life.com
voices
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” – The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
Central Michigan Life
4A Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009
[cm-life.com/category/voices]
Brian Manzullo, Editor
in
Chief | Will Axford, Voices Editor | Matthew Stephens, Presentation Editor | Lindsay Knake, Metro Editor | David Veselenak, Managing Editor
EDITORIAL | Students had the chance to voice their opinions but refused to participate
Unused opportunity
T
he Student Government Association held a forum Monday night regarding what students wanted out of the next university president. But fewer than 200 students showed up. And nearly 80 percent of them were part of SGA. The student body was given a chance to voice its opinion about something important at Central Michigan University. Yet the students refused to show up. The forum was specifically held for students to give input on what they would like to see in candidates for the top position on campus. Board of Trustees member Sarah Opperman and Interim Associate Dean of the College of Education and Human Services Ray Francis were at the forum as well. Both are on the presidential search committee. Students had a chance to
tell them directly what they wanted to see for the future of CMU. The forum was one of the few instances that students were given a direct chance to influence policy at CMU. SGA President Jason Nichol was there specifically for student input. As someone who is a part of the presidential search, Nichols takes to heart students’ ideals and opinions.
The university president is an important part of the university. The president sets the policies and goals of the university, shaping its future. There is nothing happening on campus he or she isn’t a part of. It is understandable if some students have homework. But such poor attendance sends the overall message that students could not care less who their CMU president is. This is arguably the most important issue on campus this academic year. More important than the new tailgating policy, which is a huge controversy among students. Don’t like the tailgating policy? Guess who will be addressing the issue when appointed. Rather see your tuition money go to something else besides a medical school? Too bad. If you didn’t show up to the forum, you have nothing to complain about. Every student was given an opportune moment, and most did nothing with it. Some students may complain that
the forum had nothing to do with the actual selection of the president. That is nothing but an excuse for laziness. All the committee members are busy people and took time out of their day to listen. It is easy to dismiss the next university president as no one of consequence. Most students are in a rush to graduate and move on with their lives, leaving very little time for attention to the school administration. But once students enter CMU, they will always be involved with the school. The university president molds CMU’s reputation, one that carries with every graduate through their resumes and in the work place. The new university president will be appointed by the end of 2009, early 2010. No one knows what policies will be put into place. But the tragedy lies with the students; the administration may not have a clear idea of what they want. And this time, it is not the administration’s fault.
ASHLEY WEISS [CARTOON]
Sherri Keaton Senior Reporter
Being aware of abuse I have never been hit by someone who said they love me. But I have felt every blow given to my sisters, aunts and friends who were punched for being too independent, and kicked for not making dinner just right. I have been with them on the kitchen floors, bedrooms and basements, where they lay bruised, but undefeated. Because they decided to walk away. Not everyone has had the opportunity to leave though. This means you also should take a look at your own relationship patterns and see if you are in a healthy one, or a vicious cycle of abuse. Because domestic violence never affects just an individual, but everyone. Trust me, I know. A very close family member of mine was in a verbally and physically abusive relationship. Every time she woke up, her boyfriend found ways to crumple her self-esteem and knock her down. He didn’t care that his toddler daughter looked on just a few feet away. This tolled on her emotions and through our endless phone calls and “what-shouldI-do” moments, she came out of the relationship. Before children, finances and strong emotional attachments become a deciding factor in staying in a relationship, ask yourself some questions first: Does my partner tease me in a hurtful way in private or in public? Does my partner call me names? Does my partner act jealous of my friends, family, or co-workers? If these questions apply to you, do some soul-searching and find your way out of this relationship. Because you are worth more than that. And when this month ends, don’t let your concern end about your friends, family, others or yourself. Domestic violence is used by one person in a relationship to control the other. And that is never love and never will be. Let the cycle end now.
[our readers’ voice]
Who are the racists? Black men die an average of seven years earlier than white men. Native Americans are five times more likely to contract diabetes than the rest of the U.S. population. Fifty-five percent of blacks live 5 years after diagnosed with cancer compared to 65 percent of whites. Black infant mortality is three times greater than that for whites. African American girls are more than three times more likely than white girls to show signs of puberty by age 8. Almost 900,000 African Americans would not have died during the 1990s if they received the same treatment as whites. None of these inequities are due to genetic factors – they are the effects of disparities in income, access to medical care, residential segregation and discrimination.
In light of these inequities, which are evidence of racism, who are the racists? In order to answer this, we have to define which actions are racist. When we determine this, we should have a better idea of who the culprit is. I think we can agree that a racist is someone who supports racism. Since racism is so engrained in this society, anything we do that does not actively fight it is maintaining the status quo and supporting racism. Racism has to be actively fought because inaction will not save the lives of those who die unjustly because of differential treatment. You may be thinking, that would mean that everyone’s racist because the majority of our actions aren’t going against racism. I am saying that everyone is racist, but only to the extent that we are not actively fighting the status quo. If the aggregate of all our actions best explains to current condition, then it is more accurate. But it’s not accurate because it
groups everyone with the prejudiced bigots and there are important differences. There may be differences between those who actively try to increase the inequalities and those who allow them to persist, and we may want to change what we call ourselves to a less direct term, but the fact remains that we are perpetuating racism. This fact makes it more likely to get us to stand up and do something about it. If you claim you are not responsible for the racial inequities that exist, instead saying we need to find the “real racists” that we can point our fingers to and who are responsible for the current realities, you need look no longer. You don’t even have to leave your home. Just head to the mirror and point away. If you feel as uncomfortable with calling yourself racist as I do, it’s about time you take a stand. Cyrus Azizi President, Alpha Kappa Delta: International Sociology Honor Society, CMU Chapter
C M Y o u |What has been your favorite class this semester and why?
Central Michigan Life Editorial Brian Manzullo, Editor in Chief David Veselenak, Managing Editor Matthew Stephens, Presentation Editor Eric Dresden, Student Life Editor Lindsay Knake, Metro Editor Sarah Schuch, University Editor Andrew Stover, Sports Editor Tim Ottusch, Assistant Sports Editor Ashley Miller, Photo Editor Will Axford, Voices Editor Caitlin Wixted, Lead Designer Advertising Lindsey Reed, Katie Sidell Advertising Managers Carly Schafer, Shawn Wright Multi-Media Marketing Coordinators Professional staff Rox Ann Petoskey, Production Leader Kathy Simon, Assistant Director of Student Media Neil C. Hopp, Adviser to Central Michigan Life
Matt Hoffman Columnist
What’s my age again? Problems with being older but still looking young
I was born in 1986, but I look like I was born in 1990. Like many people my age, I don’t look as old as I am. At best, I’d say I look 19 ... maybe 20. This is a double-edged sword, both a blessing and a curse. The curse of having a baby-face is multipronged, manifesting itself in several ways. First, buying alcohol or cigarettes is an extremely challenging endeavor. It usually consists of the clerk staring at me then looking at the longer-haired version of me that’s on my driver’s license, trying to determine if I’m the same person. “May I see a second piece of identification, please?” The clerk asks. This is where it gets tricky for me because my only other ID I have is my Central Michigan ID and my hair is even longer in that picture. I produce my CMU ID and watch as I and the ID are scrutinized further but, in the end, it almost always works out and I get my booze or smokes. I’ve only been turned down once. However, having difficulty buying alcohol and cigarettes is the least of my worries when it comes to looking as young as I do. The worst part about it is trying to meet girls. Because I look as though I am only 19 or 20, I have found it always a little awkward trying to talk to girls. “Hey, I’m Mike.” Cue the “how old is this kid, anyway?” look. “Hello…” I usually can sense the suspicion of my age and try to find a way to smoothly slip that I am in fact 23 into the conversation, though I usually feel as if it comes out like this: “I’M 23! I PROMISE!” But whether that is the case or not is a completely different story. Looking young is something I have always been self-conscious about because it is often a hassle but, as to anything, there is another side of the coin. One advantage of looking young is that I don’t have to shave much. Maybe twice a week. This, in itself is a two-sided coin because, as my friends can attest, I long for the beard, if only for the NHL Playoffs. I am often reminded of the benefits of looking 19 at 23 when I am home from school by my parents or aunts, uncles or grandparents. It usually begins with me complaining of being what I call “hassled” by liquor store clerks, though I know they are just doing their job and protecting themselves, when trying to buy beer and someone will say, ‘Michael, you’ll sure be happy you had such a hard time at your age, because at 40, you’ll look 30.” Looking young also reminds me that I am young. I don’t want to become a “real adult” too fast. Yes, I want to graduate college, get a job, have my own place, etc. But I also want to enjoy myself while I can. I am only 23 once, even if I look like I’m 19.
[letters to the editor]
“Sociology. I get to talk about different issues in society that some people are afraid to talk about.”
“My favorite is CDO 494. I get real clinical experience for what I’m going into.
Roman Slappey
Amanda Bruski
Detroit sophomore
Alpena junior
I am really enjoying BCA 288. I’m a film geek and we get to look at films and pull a information out (of them).
“My acting class. It allows me to step out of my norm and try something different, be someone new.”
Robin Chan
Jenifer Hardin
Flint freshman
Detroit freshman
Chris Bacarella/staff photographer
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Central Michigan Life || Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009 || 5A
[News] g o i n g b eyo n d t h e bo r d e r s
Graduate Student Union moving forward with negotiations ship meeting, the turnout was so huge, everyone could hardly fit inside,” the Midland graduate student said. “It’s encouraging to see that only a couple weeks into the semester, we’ve got the type of power that I believe can push the top dogs of the university to do what they know in their hearts is right for CMU.” The meeting is Thursday in the Bovee University Center St. Clair and Huron rooms. The union will elect officers and adopt a bargaining platform for the general goals and pri-
By Sherri Keaton Senior Reporter
The Graduate Student Union has made progress to have contract negotiations available for graduate students. It also will host a 7 p.m. Thursday meeting to discuss bargaining with the administration. GSU Director of Union Relations Mike Hoerger said the optimism for the group has been encouraging. “At our last general member-
week |
you’re immersed in deaf culture,” Kline said. A lot of students will find themselves saying, “I can’t do this, this is too much,” Kline said, but that is the purpose of the event. Kline, a Greenvile senior, said feeling overwhelmed is not an uncommon reaction for students who participate because the environment is so different. But the event emphasizes that immersion to show students what a person who cannot hear in the speaking world goes through daily. The ASL professors at CMU are the creative minds behind the events of Deaf Awareness Week at the university and
continued from 3A
what deaf people go through in everyday life,” said Kevin Cramer, event coordinator and communication disorders instructor.
Troy sophomore Patrick Campbell helps with a fundraiser for the Invisible Children Schools for Schools program Thursday afternoon in the lower level of the Bovee University Center. Campbell, the president of the Invisible Children’s club, traveled to Uganda in August of 2007. “Part of my heart is still in Uganda,” he said.
Role reversal Stations were set up in the SAC and students rotated from station to station to understand what it feels like to go to the bank or car dealership and learn in a classroom with a deaf teacher who uses an interpreter. “It’s a total role reverse —
deaf world |
paige calamari/ staff photographer
Seeing the invisible
One student’s journey goes beyond the borders, back home By Sherri Keaton Senior Reporter
He sometimes wears a maroon and white hat with a stitched map of Africa on it. A green button lies in the heart of Uganda, along with multi-colored bracelets that never come off, as a constant reminder to Invisible Children Club president Pat Campbell of those who are invisible. The Troy sophomore’s commitment grew two years ago in his high school senior class after watching a documentary called “Invisible Children.” It described children in Uganda being kidnapped from their homes, trained and forced to kill close family members in preparation for killing enemies. According to the Invisible Children Web site, some 20,000 children have been abducted by the Lord’s Resistance Army, a group of armed insurgents against the Ugandan government, led by Joseph Kony. Children have been snatched, raped and turned into killers for the past 23 years, and the conflict has displaced about 1.8 million people in all. “For me, it wasn’t really that I chose this — it was like it chose me,” Campbell said. Inivisible Children is a national group that makes documentaries about waraffected children in east Africa to help end the longest-running war in Africa, according to its Web site, invisiblechildren.com. His journey
During a semester-long fundraising project called “Schools for Schools,” Campbell won a challenge by raising $8,000, and he went with another student to Uganda after graduation. “This was the most eyeopening experience in my life, because it is really hard to explain when people ask how it was,” Campbell said. Campbell said he never traveled outside the United States before. “It was just like all eyes were on me, and some people would say ‘munu’ a lot — the Ugandan word for white people,” he said. Campbell spent a night in an internally displaced persons’ camp. “That night kind of changed my life, I stayed with a man who told me his story, and this solidified what I have been put on this earth to do. From then on, my time in Uganda has gotten me on the track to where I am now,” he said. Current plans Campbell has big plans for the Invisible Children Club this year. “We’re in the process of rebuilding 11 secondary schools that have been ransacked by the war,” Campbell said. Campbell’s experiences abroad also transformed his life at home. “We appreciate him in everything he does and he inspires me everyday because of his accomplishments,” said Campbell’s mother, Patricia. “In a lot of ways (Pat) brought us together, which spiked our interest to get more involved.” His father, Theodore Campbell, said his son has a huge heart. “His determination rubs off on other people,” Theo-
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dore said. University of WisconsinWhitewater senior M’Lyssa Hoops became involved with Invisible Children because of Campbell. “He was incredibly inviting and warm when I first talked to him. I don’t know how many times I have called him when I needed help,” Hoops said. Different path Pat was not always so sure of himself. He was a high school lacrosse player who wanted to play in college, then he fractured his spine. “I would have done anything to make it out to major league, but I would never have met my friends now, or gone to Uganda,” he said. Campbell is majoring in cultural anthropology with a minor in global justice. He wants to study other cultures and work with humanitarian organizations. “I’m Catholic, I don’t read the Bible or go to church as much as I should, but one verse that sticks in my head all the time is when he said take care of the orphans, widows, and poor and you will be taken care of,” Campbell said. “Nobody wants to look back on their death bed and say, ‘What have I done?’ I want to be able to say, ‘What haven’t I done?’” news@cm-life.com
dent Natalie Gordinier would like to know more about sign language. “I don’t know a lot about sign language, but I know a few words and some letters,” the Madison Heights freshman said. “It would be awesome to learn sign language so I can communicate with more people.” Fabiano Hall Residence Assistant Justine Easter offered her residence to attend these events.
continued from 3A
behave differently and have different perspectives.” Learning sign language According to signgenius. com, an estimated 2 million people use sign language as their native language. The language not only uses hand motions, but also gestures, body movements, facial expressions and hand positions. Campbell Hall Vice Presi-
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cm-life.com See the Web site for the complete story.
orities for the contract the GSU will be bargaining for at the meeting. “We’re going to discuss and introduce new officers and members will provide feedback on issues,” said Ferndale graduate student Alyssa Warshay. university@cm-life.com
Cramer has been putting on the Deaf World event for nine years. The first year, Cramer did it in a class with about 20 students. The second year, he needed two classrooms, and the event continued to grow. It is nice to see the turnout, Cramer said. The event venue changed this year to accommodate more students. Deaf World took place in the Bovee University Center Rotunda last year and the room was just packed, Cramer said. “It’s a wonderful thing,” Cramer said. studentlife@cm-life.com
“I told my residents to knock on my door if they were interested in attending these events,” the Detroit junior said. “I wouldn’t mind showing my residents a new experience.” Celebrations of Deaf Awareness Week are observed by various international, national, state and local organizations, and include events and public campaigns that draw attention to deaf people, their accomplishments and their issues. university@cm-life.com
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SPORTS Central Michigan Life
6A
Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009
[cm-life.com/category/sports]
Symptoms of swine flu show at Tulane Core crisis handling possible cases By Tony Wittkowski Staff Reporter
Ashley Miller/photo editor
Junior linebackers Matt Berning, left, Nick Bellore, middle, and senior cornerback Kirkston Edwards converge on Akron quarterback Matt Rodgers during CMU’s 48-21 win Saturday at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.
Getting defensive CMU currently leads the Mid-American Conference in scoring defense By Andrew Stover | Sports Editor
W
hat a difference a year can make. Last year, the football team’s defense was in shambles. It ranked last in the Mid-American Conference in total defense (423.8 yards per game) and eighth out of 13 teams in points allowed per game (30.2). But through four games on the 2009 schedule, the numbers tell a different story. CMU is ranked first in scoring defense, giving up five points fewer than any team in the conference per game (16.8). As far as yardage, the Chippewas have made the leap from last to first, giving up 274 yards per game. The closest contender in the MAC is Ohio, giving up 60 more yards per game. And the shutout against Alcorn State was CMU’s first since it beat Akron 42-0 in 1996. Senior defensive end Frank Zombo said experience and team chemistry made the difference. “We got a lot of guys who have played a lot of football. A lot of seniors,” he said after last week’s win against Akron. “This is the closest group I’ve been around, especially defensively. It really is like a brotherhood on our defense. Guys really care about each other and, (when) we play, we don’t want to let the person next to us down.” The defense took pride in holding Akron to negative yardage in the first quarter against Akron, Zombo said. A core Group Coach Butch Jones said depth chart stability has played a huge role in the defense’s success. “Last year, we were disrupted from game to game with different starters,” he said. “This year, we’ve been able to establish some continuity.” One particular statistic that has vastly improved is the pass defense. Last year, the MAC’s worst unit gave up an average of 287.2 passing yards per game. But in the first third of 2009, CMU ranks fourth in the conference, giving up just 161 yards passing per game. CMU has maintained atop its perch in the rushing defense category. Zombo said the defense, particularly the defensive line, has a renewed demeanor. “It’s just a mentality. If you
notice, our defense is just swarming,” he said. “Coach (Butch) Jones really put a lot of p r e s s u r e Frank Zombo on our (defensive) line. If we play our game, we can destroy an offense.” Junior middle linebacker Matt Berning leads the team in tackles (32), just three ahead of junior outside linebacker Nick Bellore. Regarding the upcoming game against Buffalo and the rest of the year, Berning said spectators will see the same philosophy from the defense. “We’re going to come out swinging in the first quarter, second quarter, third quarter,
same thing (as Saturday),” he said. “There is not any secrets to what we’re doing. As long as you’re playing fast and violent football, there’s really not a whole lot you can scheme up to that.” Getting off the field Arguably the most telling statistic in the Chippewas’ favor is their performance on third downs. Last year, opponents converted on third downs 43.3 percent of the time. This year, that number is down to 28.6 percent, first in the MAC. “The formula is the same since I came here,” said defensive coordinator Tim Banks. “Number one, we want to stop the run. Number two, we want to pressure the quarterback. And number three, we want to get off the field. I think the formula
Banks did take a lot but, really, truly when we watch film, it was us.” Berning said the defense has an incredible amount of respect for Banks. “He’s been under fire a lot, and his loyalty to us is unbelievable,” Berning said. “We’re now starting to reap the fruits of our labor. The calls are always right. We have a lot of confidence in our defensive coordinator.” Banks said he and the players are accountable together. “We’re a family, first and foremost. It’s never just them. It’s never just me,” he said. “We’re all in this thing together. But at the end of the day, my job is to put the kids in the right positions, and its their job to execute, and they’ve done that.”
On campus As for CMU, the university’s core crisis, which handles school closings and the safety on campus, handles possible swine flu cases. “The core crisis is meeting regularly to monitor the situation.” said Steve Smith, director of public relations. The sports community also is convinced the cases can be handled without problems. It is what will occur outside John Mason of the locker room that worries CMU’s head athletic trainer, John Mason. “We don’t have control over what they do outside once they leave,” Mason said. “We’ll do things to maintain locker rooms, weight rooms and showers, but it’s up to the students to keep up with their personal hygiene.” An e-mail was released to make students aware of ways to stay healthy. Certain things were listed, such as not sharing towels, washing hands and covering your mouth with your sleeve instead of your hand when you sneeze.
sports@cm-life.com
sports@cm-life.com
Matthew Stephens/presentation editor
Junior linebacker Nick Bellore led the team in tackles Sept. 12 against Michigan State.
is working at a rapid pace this year.” In CMU’s only loss of the year against Arizona, the Chippewas held the Wildcats to one touchdown. Despite threatening to score touchdowns, Arizona was forced to kick four field goals. Jones said third down success will become more important as the season goes on. Defending Banks Banks, entering his third year at the position, was under scrutiny coming into the season regarding his unit. Even with the statistics favoring the defense this year, Zombo said his coordinator was never the problem. “Coach Banks has really never been the problem,” he said. “It really was execution. We’d watch film and it’d be one guy messing up. Coach
Student athletes have to worry about more than just their competition this fall. The H1N1 influenza virus, often called swine flu, has been gaining a lot of attention. At Tulane University in New Orleans, many of the Green Tide’s football and volleyball players have shown signs of the virus. Dr. Greg Stewart, the director for sports medicine for TU, handed out questionnaires and talked to those who showed symptoms. “At this time, none have been confirmed,” Stewart said. But the symptoms that appeared in training camps prior to the beginning of school were clear. Between 60 and 70 percent of those student athletes from Tulane at camp possessed the symptoms: fever, sore throat, runny nose and overall body ache. There are 65 Tulane athletes believed to have swine flu thus far, which includes 32 on the football team, six on volleyball, 11 on baseball and other miscellaneous sports. Stewart also said it was interesting in this circumstance since normally a treatment was considered individual. “It forced us to do team medicine,” he said. At TU, student athletes with symptoms who participated in out-of-season sports such as baseball, which starts in the spring, were treated for their symptoms instead of swine flu. “It’s going to hit somebody in the middle of the season,” said Dr. Jeff Kovan, director of sports medicine at Michigan State University. “We’ll just have to get them away from other teammates until 24 hours (passes).”
Baker suffers season-ending injury; given medical redshirt Staff reports
The women’s basketball team lost last season’s MidAmerican Conference Freshman of the Year before the season started. Sophomore guard/forward Brandie Baker suffered an anterior cruciate ligament tear in her left knee while playing in a pickup game on Sept. 3 during open gym at Rose Arena. She is scheduled for surgery to repair the
torn ACL on Monday. “I was going up for a layup, turned and twisted my knee,” Baker said. “I’m extremely mad about it. I was planning to play this year.” Baker said she will be awarded a medical redshirt and return with sophomore eligibility for the 2010-11 season. Coach Sue Guevara was unavailable for comment while she was on a recruiting trip.
The injury comes at a time where the team has lost two starting guards, Angel Chan and Latisha Brandie Baker Luckett, last season to graduation, creating a question as to who will fill the guard and point guard roles for the upcoming season.
Baker, the second CMU player to be named MAC Freshman of the Year, led the team with 102 assists while playing in 31 games last season. She played in 1,111 minutes, setting a program record, and finished third on the team in points (12.1) and sixth in rebounds (5.9). While at Flint Hamady High School, Baker led the team to four district titles and two MHSAA semifinal appearances while finishing
Andrew Stover, Sports Editor | sports@cm-life.com | 989.774.3169
second in the school’s alltime scoring list with 1,145 career points. The Flint native also placed fourth in Michigan’s Miss Basketball voting, was an Adidas AllAmerican and a McDonald’s All-American nominee during her senior year at Hamady. CMU finished fourth in the MAC West last season with an overall record of 1814 (9-7 in the MAC), including a 67-59 win over Akron
in the first round of the MAC Tournament in Cleveland, Ohio. The Chippewas will play an exhibition game against Saginaw Valley State University on Nov. 1 at Rose Arena. They officially open the 2009-10 season Nov. 13 in Chicago, Ill. at DePaul.
Compiled by Staff Reporter Aaron McMann. sports@cm-life.com
Change coming | The NIV Bible is looking at updating some items in the next few years, 5B
campus vibe
B
Central Michigan Life
Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009
[cm-life.com/category/vibe]
The ART of
BEER P
NG
Photos By Chris Bacarella and Libby March/Staff Photographers
This is a short collection of beer pong tables that can be found on the campus of Central Michigan University.
The art of the re-rack
Custom tables make tradition more than a game for some
F
Sometimes after a few shots are made, it becomes apparent that in order to continue your success, one must get a new look to the cups in beer pong. Here are some of the more popular as well as unheard of re-racks:
By Luke Dimick | Staff Reporter
The ‘Three-Two-One’ After a few shots are made, this is the most simple way to get your rack to look like it did at the start — form a triangle.
or some Central Michigan University students, beer pong is not just a drinking game played on a table. It is a way to display their work of art. For Andy Miller and Dan Nemets, their beer pong table is something simple. It features Miller High Life’s “Girl in the Moon” image made completely out of a recycled table, black spray paint, bottle caps and epoxy. “We tried to stay traditional,” Nemets, a junior from Saugatuck, said. “It’s just caps and epoxy. It’s the fire and brimstone of the beer pong culture.” Their 3-by-8 foot table cost more than $200 to make, not counting the money collectively spent on beer for the bottle caps. “The caps, we saved for over two years,” Miller, a junior from Utica, said. “Between us and some friends, we’ve collected over 5,000 caps. It took me six weeks to lay down all the caps and get it finished. The epoxy alone took four days to dry.” Miller’s inspiration for the table came from antique Miller High Life memorabilia passed down to him from his grandfather. “He got stuff from distributors that consumers shouldn’t have,” Miller said. “Granted, Miller is my name, but it’s also a family tradition. I’m happy to say I now have a personal piece to contribute.” The dark side of the moon Chosun Holliday decided to go with a musical theme for his table. The Birmingham sophomore’s table features Pink Floyd’s 1973 “Dark Side of the Moon” album cover. The triangles on each side of the table are used to perfectly outline a rack of cups. “It started out as a maroon door we found in my buddy’s basement,” Holliday said. “We just painted it black and traced the triangles and rainbows. We actually colored in the rainbows with crayons.” Holliday said his housemates’ love for Pink Floyd was his inspiration for the sharp and simple table. “It took three or four days to make,” he said. “When we first painted it, we left it outside to dry and it started to rain, so we had to pull it in real fast to make sure it didn’t get ruined. It was a close call.” A ’70s experience Tom Alty’s psychedelic table, featuring the number 908 glowing in the middle and yellow dots for cup placement at both ends, represents the address where he resides. “The fluorescent paint glows well under the black light, so we bought a whole bunch of spray paint and went wild,” the Clarkston junior said. “We did the walls and every-
w Look at the story of four roommates as their year continues to unfold, 3B
Another basic re-rack, this one incorporates two cups going forward and two through the middle allowing for a tighter area to throw toward.
‘Diamond plus one’ Just add one extra cup facing the competitors. It’s that simple.
‘Two-One’ A baby brother to the ‘Three-Two-One,’ this one is a little bit further into the game.
‘Straight Line’ This is a little bit less defined in the number of cups you can have but, usually with about two to three cups, this re-rack can be a good strategic move.
‘State’ Three cups on one side, with two cups next to them on the right or left, in between, giving players a chance for a possible triangle nearly any cup they make.
‘House’ Two-by-two cups to make a square. Then take the last cup and put a roof on your nice two-story building.
thing. I like our table because it has personal touch and the fact that anyone can write on it makes it pretty cool.” CMU pride Both of Nikki Van’s beer pong tables show his school spirit and pay tribute to Central Michigan University pride. “I came up with my idea for the smaller table because I wanted one to be travel size,” the Portage junior said of his foldable table. “Each table took about eight hours to make and nothing was stenciled or anything. I did everything by hand. I just get things done quickly.” Pimp my table Evan Lyons and Kevin Thinnes table features lighted Smirnoff Vodka bottles on both sides with a television in the middle\. Between the television and the Smirnoff bottles, their table has been an investment of thousands of dollars. “We got the idea for the table from a picture we saw online,” Thinnes, a sophomore from Novi, said. “The table took about a month to put together after we got all the vodka bottles.” studentlife@cm-life.com
[inside] Following Four Freshmen
The ‘Diamond’
Movie Making Skills
Michigan film industry Tax
w A Novi senior will be in the upcoming film “Whip It,” starring Ellen Page and directed by Drew Barrymore, 4B
w The tax credit studios get for coming to the state could be changing soon, 4B
‘Bozo’ As many cups as you want in a line giving you a straightforward approach to the game.
Common cures for a hangover Students give insight into the morning after a long night By Taylor Hills Staff Reporter
Your night may start off slow — a few beers at an apartment, maybe a game of beer pong or two. Two games quickly turn into the best three-out-of-five and, the next thing you know, you are entering a tournament. After losers drink all, a quick text throws you into the next party and, before you know it, you are at a bar buying the next round of Jagerbombs. Then you wake up and make the conclusion you have made every weekend since school started: “I am never drinking again.” The hangover. Something as simple as a stomach ache or a pounding headache are bound to happen. “When you have a hangover, it feels like someone is doing construction work ... in your head,” said Bloomfield sophomore Nick Thompson. Andrew Trygstad, a Grant junior,
Stopping the hangover To prevent yourself from having the type of morning Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis had in the hit summer film, here is what you can do: w Get some rest w Drink water, room temperature Coke w Drink vitamin water w Take some Tylenol or Pepto Bismol said he cannot even explain it simply. “Waking up and feeling like you have been hit by a minivan is what happens to me,” Trygstad said. The comeback So what can one do when they wake up with a hangover and realize they have a group meeting to go to, or a final project to finish? Bay City sophomore Katie Schrems and Scotts junior Meg Redford said tons of water and plenty of sleep will help. Newaygo sophomore Danny Staten said he has a different way of getting over the tenacious headaches and stomach pains. A Hangover | 4B
2B || Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009 || Central Michigan Life
cm-life.com/category/vibe
[campus collage]
Tweets of the week
ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
NEW STUFF DVDs 1. “How I Met Your Mother: Season 4” 2. “Monsters vs. Aliens” 3. “Superman/Batman: Public Enemies”
behind glenn beck’s celebrity TACOMA, Wash. (MCT) — Firebrand Fox News talk show host Glenn Beck returned to his Northwest roots on Saturday, speaking and signing books at Seattle’s Safeco Field and, later, receiving a ceremonial key to the city of his former hometown of Mount Vernon. Amid protests, petitions and threats of shopping boycotts, the mayor of the Skagit County city best known for its tulips proclaimed the day as “Glenn Beck Day,” igniting a firestorm against the conservative television and radio commentator known for his plain-spoken, some-
CDs 1. “Black Gives Way to Blue” Alice in Chains 2. “Brand New Eyes” Paramore video games 1. “Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days” Nintendo DS 2. “Gran Turismo” PS Portable 3. “Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2” PS3
TOP FIVES box office
RANT
1. “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” $25 million 2. “Surrogates” $14.9 million 3. “Fame (2009)” $10 million 4. “The Informant!” $6.6 million 5. “I Can Do Bad All By Myself” $4.7 million
times inflammatory views. Beck, whose meteoric rise in American pop culture in recent months has landed him on the cover of Time magazine and Forbes’ list of richest celebrities, and won him legions of fans and foes alike, lived most of his childhood in the town of about 30,000 roughly an hour’s drive north of Seattle. His father operated a bakery in old downtown, and Beck attended a private Catholic school through the eighth grade. At 13, Beck won a contest that landed him his first broadcast gig as a deejay for a local radio station. But one of the defining moments in Beck’s early life in Washington — an event still shrouded in mystery — occurred in the waters of South Puget Sound three decades ago. On May 15, 1979, boaters found the body of Beck’s 41-year-old divorcee mother, Mary, floating about two miles north
Eric Dresden Student Life Editor
singles
So lately, as I’ve been walking through the hallways, I’ve noticed a number of people just singing out loud as they listen to their iPods. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love singing out loud. But there is a time and a place. These places include the shower, a vehicle, your house or apartment, not to mention a concert. But Anspach Hall... I don’t think that’s a great venue to promote your musical prowess. So, for those of you thinking about belting out a tune while walking through campus, I think I speak for everybody walking by you when I say just sing in your head.
albums 1. “The Blueprint 3” Jay-Z 2. “I Look to You” Whitney Houston 3. “The Resistance” Muse 4. “Man on the Moon: The End of the Day” Kid Cudi 5. “The Time of Our Lives” Miley Cyrus
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RECIPE
BEAT WRITER PICKS
quit your singing
1. “I Gotta Feeling” Black Eyed Peas 2. “Run This Town” Jay-Z, Rihanna & Kanye 3. “Down” Jay Sean ft. Lil’ Wayne 4. “You Belong With Me” Taylor Swift 5. “Empire State of Mind” Jay-Z & Alicia Keys
of the Asarco smelter at Ruston. A day later, the body of the man who reportedly had taken Beck’s mother fishing was found washed ashore near Vashon Island’s Tahlequah Ferry Dock. The man’s small boat also was found beached at Maury Island, with a small dog, personal items and an empty bottle of booze inside. Years later, during his radio and television broadcasts and in interviews, Beck consistently has described his mother’s death as a suicide, part of a running thread in the fabric of his personal story of salvation — the hallmark of his broadcasts. Beck’s stepbrother also killed himself, Beck has said. “My mom wasn’t mother of the year,” Beck told his audience last year. “My mother, my mother had real deep, deep problems. She was doing her best, but she left the family to deal with suicide when I was 13 years old.”
music
video games
Toro & the National Guard
Aion (PC)
A rag-tag band of incredibly skillful musicians and songwriters, Kalamazoo’s Toro & The National Guard is one of the most fun and talented bands in Michigan right now. Blending elements of country, folk, indie rock and good ole’ rock and roll, Toro & The National Guard are an incredibly diverse and underappreciated group of musicians. Featuring vocal work from Julia Toro, Andy Caltin and Grant Littler, beautiful pedal steel playing from Bill Winks and some brilliant drumming from Adam Danis, Toro put on a remarkably tight and charismatic live show that is not to be missed! -Ben Weissenborn
Ever want to grow wings and fly away? Don’t lie, you know you have. “Aion,” a new massively multiplayer online role-playing game from NC Soft is offering its players the chance to do just that. “Aion” is a fusion of Korean and American approaches to MMORPGs, a development decision that the developers are hoping will make it into a hit on both sides of the Pacific. While Swords-and-Sorcery MMORPGs all live in the shadow of “World of Warcraft,” this game’s unique aerial setting and player versus player combat might allow it to carve a niche of its own. -Connor Sheridan
recipe and photo courtesy of recipezaar.com
Mama’s zucchini pie Ingredients: 4 cups zucchini, sliced 1 cup sweet onion 1 tbs. olive oil 1 tsp. oregano 1/2 cup parsley, chopped 2 cloves of garlic, chopped 1 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. pepper 2 tbs. Dijon mustard 2 eggs 8 oz. monterey jack cheese 1 prepared pie crust
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Saute zucchini, onions and garlic in olive oil until soft. Stir in parsley, oregano, salt and pepper. Remove from heat. Beat the eggs and then add the cheese to the beaten eggs. Pour into the veggie pot and combine. Spread dijon mustard on bottom of pie crust. Add zucchini mixture to crust. Bake for 35-40 minutes.
www.CentralReviewMagazine.org
We Want Your
Writing! The Central Review is once again accepting fiction, art,creative non-fiction and poetry submissions for the Fall semester magazine.
The Central Review is a student literary magazine published once a semester and is open to all CMU graduate and undergraduate students.
THE WINNERS WILL EARN A
All Submissions
CASH
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will automatically be considered for our Student Writing Contest. There will be a $100 prize for poetry & prose.
All Submissions All submissions must be electronically submitted by the date below, to the Central Review website. Website: www.centralreviewmagazine.org (Winner cannot be employed by Student Publications).
-ONDAY /CTOBER TH s 0Complete Instructions at www.centralreviewmagazine.org For More Information, Email the Editors at
toste1rb@cmich.edu
6:30 to 8 p.m. Plachta Auditorium in Warriner Hall Central Michigan University
cm-life.com/category/vibe
[VIBE]
UPDATE | CM Life checks in with freshmen
Union City freshman Shelby Miller, left, throws her hands up in celebration and screams alongside fellow color guard members after the band director named their section the best marchers of the day. jake may/staff photographer
Freshman four continue delving into schoolwork, college life By Brad Canze Senior Reporter
Editor’s note: This is a continuation of a story following four freshman girls starting their college careers at Central Michigan University. To see other stories on these students, check cm-life.com. Union City freshman Shelby Miller managed to get some peace and quiet this past weekend, a rarity when sharing a bedroom with three other girls. Two of her roommates, Kaylee Boos of Shelby and Carla Raymond of Coldwater, had both gone home for the weekend. Amanda Green of Shelby went to the Upper Peninsula to spend time with friends. “It was nice,” Miller said of her weekend. “I just relaxed on Friday night, and had alone time.” However, Miller had reasons to stay on campus. A member of the Central Michigan University Marching Band’s color guard, she had to perform at halftime of the football game, with the added challenge of teaching the routine to high schoolers. “It was nice because it was a simpler one,” Miller said. “But it was fun because it was Band Day and we got to teach the routine to high school bands.
But it was cold and it was wet, and not fun to spin a flag in.” Miller said despite her extra commitment to the color guard, her classes are going well. However, she did miss classes last week due to illness. “I don’t know how much I missed,” Miller said. “I guess I’ll find out. I’ve been keeping up with the homework, though.” Keeping up Miller and Raymond had a test last week in MTH 105: Intermediate Algebra and, although they are not in the same section, they help each other with homework. “With our math online, we help each other,” Miller said. Raymond, who has been speaking the language for years with her native-speaking mother, also had a test in German, which she said went well. Green said the several tests she has taken in the past few weeks went well, although she has studied minimally. Boos said she struggled during the first exam for AST 111: Astronomy, despite three hours of studying for it. Minimal problems The girls said living together has been going well, and problems between the four have
been kept to a minimum. “I think the only problem we have is with cleaning. Only three-quarters of the room actually cleans,” said Miller, as she looks over and shares a smirk with Raymond and Green, referencing the only roommate not in the room to hear the comment. Though all four have meal plans and eat regularly at Real Food on Campus in Carey Hall, that often does not cut it. Boos said so far this year, she has spent $120 in FLEX at the C3 Convenience Store in the Towers. Green eats several times a night after dinner, usually consisting of, to her roommates’ confusion, microwaved white rice with ranch dressing mixed in. “She eats like that all the time,” Miller said. “Every night, it’s rice and ranch. It’s gross.” Boos went home this past weekend to spend time with her family, friends and boyfriend, Shelby High School senior Sean Mead, before her 18th birthday Wednesday. She said there are no concrete plans for a celebration yet, but some of her relatives may take her to the Soaring Eagle Casin and Resort, 6800 Soaring Eagle Blvd. studentlife@cm-life.com
game review
‘Scribblenauts’ an original puzzle By Connor Sheridan Staff Reporter
For those who say innovation and experimentation are never to be found in mainstream games, there is “Scribblenauts.” Developer 5th Cell (who previously worked on the DS touchscreen-focused title “Drawn to Life”) has released a new puzzle game that is best described as extremely original. “Scribblenaut’s” central feature is its protagonist Maxwell ,who s able to write anything down and have it appear in the game world. This may sound like a gimmick, but the extent to which the possibilities presented are explored is surprising and very amusing. The game is composed of more than 200 bite-sized puzzles, and each one is an established scene with a few characters, items, and a simple instruction such as, “Knock all the bottles down without using guns or cheating.” It’s then entirely up to the player to decide which of the game’s thousands of supported objects and characters to write in to work toward accomplishing the objective. The game’s most amusing moments often come as a result of unplanned inter-
‘Scribblenauts’
HHHHH w System: Nintendo DS w Genre: Puzzle, brain teaser actions. For example, in one puzzle which required getting rid of several rats in a restaurant, I “scribbled” in a bottle of poison to drop next to a rat. The chef, standing near the rat, must have mistaken it for a bottle of vanilla extract, because he immediately snatched it up and ran over to his oven, where he used it, ate the “spiced” dish, and collapsed to the floor. I eventually solved the puzzle by dropping a mouse trap next to an unreachable rodent, then grabbing the rest and tossing them in the preheated oven. Ratatouille is served. While “Scribblenauts” has ingenuity in spades, it’s not without flaws. Overly-sensitive touchscreen controls make it difficult to control Maxwell than to create and manipulate any of his creatures. In particular, some jumping and vehicle-based puzzles were hit-or-miss. And while the game encourages lateral thinking by making myriad solutions available
courtesy photo
for each puzzle, in most cases, there are one or two boringly simple methods that solve the problem under the level’s object creation “par.” That being said, the inclusion of a challenge mode, which requires each puzzle to be solved three different ways without using any object twice, drives home the simple beauty of the game’s concept. If the player just forges ahead and only plays each puzzle once with the most obvious solution, it likely won’t be a very memorable experience. But if one takes some time to disregard the given objective and see the wild interactions that happen with a bit of patience and imagination, it can be a much appreciated breath of fresh air. studentlife@cm-life.com
Central Michigan Life || Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009 || 3B
opinion
Always yearning for more My best friend once told me during a minor panic attack that I was having about never being able to have a boyfriend I wouldn’t cheat on. That when you find that boy you truly and passionately love — that she had miraculously found at the tender age of 15 — cheating never really crosses your mind. That once wise advice was sooner or later shot down. Why is this? Why is it that we are never fully satisfied? No matter how content we seem with our relationship on the outside, we are always yearning for more. Is it more love that we want? More risk? More arguments? Or just more of that feeling that the first year always embraces in youthful relationships? I thought it was only me. I thought I would always remain the unfaithful twit that boys hated to fall for. When in reality, we all are constantly thinking this in the back of our minds. Don’t get me wrong, I want nothing more than to find the perfectly handsome love of my life someday outside of a quaint coffee shop on the streets of, say, Chicago, helping me get into a taxi on my way to my picturesque office overlooking the beautiful city. But, as we all know, this is just enchanted pish-posh that will only happen to a very few of us; cheaters definitely not included. I do not want to sound like a pessimistic and unhappy single girl constantly judging myself and others, or one of those dark, narcissistic writers who always thinks they are correct. I am just a hopeful girl that wishes someday her best friend will be right. I look at other couples that seem to be so content in their world of sweet banter and inside jokes, that they do not even realize what they are smiling about in a place of complete and utter bliss. But do these ideas of love perfection ever have a faulting moment in which either
Taylor Hills Columnist one of them wants to jump in bed with the woman in the front of him in line as he is getting the household groceries, or a man driving by with his ripped shirt and dirty, yet perfectly placed hair on one of the fastest motorcycles you have ever seen. And if these feelings are actu-
ally felt, is this okay since both partners are feeling the same way? And as we know, it is completely different to feel them than opposed to actually take the action in performing them. Perhaps someday, I will get the opportunity to meet this couple who can candidly tell me that they have never wanted anything more than to spend the rest of their lives flawlessly happy with a certain person but, until then, I will go to sleep tonight knowing that I am not the only girl who has had many second, and a bit dirty, if I may add, thoughts. studentlife@cm-life.com
4B || Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009 || Central Michigan Life
Michigan film tax credit cut proposed in legislature
eyes on films
BCA professor: Too soon to tell if it’s a good idea By Chelsea White Staff Reporter
libby march/staff photographer
Novi senior Laura Van Valkenburgh has been an extra in several movie productions, including Drew Barrymore’s upcoming release, “Whip It.”
Music theatre student an extra in ‘Whip It’ Novi senior in movie scheduled for Friday release By Joe Borlik Senior Reporter
Not many Central Michigan University students have had Drew Barrymore and rapper Eve spit beer on them. For Novi senior Laura Van Valkenburgh, it is all part of her job. Van Valkenburgh worked as a featured extra and standin for the Drew Barrymore roller-derby comedy “Whip It,” filmed in various parts of Michigan including Ann Arbor, Detroit and Novi. In one scene, Eve grabs a beer and spits it on a crowd of people, one of them Van Valkenburgh. “She kept apologizing, it was so funny,” Van Valkenburgh said. “Drew (Barrymore) had to spit on us, just to show Eve how to do it.” “Whip It,” which stars Ellen Page, Barrymore, Eve and comedian Jimmy Fallon, is about Page’s character, Bliss, who deals with moving to a small town by finding a roller-derby team. “Whip It” hits theatres Friday. Van Valkenburgh and nine other women were cast as “derby girl hopefuls” in scenes where Ellen Page tries out for the derby team. After being on the set a number of times, Van Valkenburgh’s casting company informed her they wanted her to work as a stand-in for Kristen Wiig and Juliette Lewis, both of whom are in the movie. In one scene, she had to dunk Ellen Page underwater for a hot tub scene filmed at Jimmy Fallon’s character’s
hangover| continued from 1B
“When you have a hangover, just keep on drinking,” he jokingly said. “Actually, drink an entire can of room temperature Coke and then just keep chugging it until it is gone is what helps me.” Many people think potassium will help cure the common hangover. “Drinking lots of water will help. I prefer Vitamin Water Revive because it has potassium,” said Geoff Bitson, a Twin Lake junior. According to GoAskAlice. com, a question-and-answer Web site from Columbia University, the only real solution is to practice prevention before and during your nights of drinking. Pacing yourself and giving your body a chance to process the alcohol is an obvious alternative. This means, however, no quarter bounce or beer pong, and especially no beer bongs or keg stands. Though everyone has their own reasons and theories for the ultimate cure for a hangover, a simple resolu-
cm-life.com/categoriy/vibe
[VIBE]
“It’s really fun being by celebrities but, after being around them for a couple hours, you realize they’re just normal people.” Laura Van Valkenburgh, Novi senior house in Ypsilanti. Not just ‘Whip It’ Van Valkenburgh got her first role as a movie extra in the 2005 Bollywood film “Vannela,” through her uncle who worked with the assistant director. Since then, she sent her resume to an extra agency and has not stopped getting phone calls to work on projects. Since the age of six, she has been involved in theatre and has since been in movies, TV shows and plays. Van Valkenburgh and her roommate, Taylor Alfano, also worked as extras in the Kim Cattrall comedy “Meet Monica Velour,” filmed throughout Michigan last year. She had to make out with a guy on a table for a grad party scene in “Meet Monica Velour.” “It was awkward at first but, after the fifth and sixth takes, it was second nature,” Van Valkenburgh said. Working with the pros Being on set also gives Van Valkenburgh a chance to network with others in the industry. Van Valkenburgh, who also played a cheerleader in the pilot of HBO’s “Hung,” has had lunch with Drew Barrymore, joked around with Jimmy Fallon and has hung out with Thomas Jane. “It’s really fun being by celebrities but, after being around them for a couple hours, you realize they’re just tion came from Newaygo sophomore Seth Knight. “It is easy — just don’t
normal people,” she said. Most recently, Van Valkenburgh worked as a featured extra in “Trivial Pursuits,” a comedy starring Chris Gorham that was filmed in Ann Arbor over the summer. Ann Arbor sophomore Marla Moore also did extra work in “Trivial Pursuits” and “Whip It.” “(Extra work) is a good stepping stone if you want to get your foot in the door and see what actors do,” Moore said. foot in the door Right now, Van Valkenburgh is focusing on completing her degree in music theatre and said she will pursue a career in the entertainment industry. She recently had to turn down an extra role in the upcoming remake of the 1984 action movie “Red Dawn,” filming in Royal Oak and Detroit, to focus on school. Although she said many people do make being a movie extra their careers, the long hours may be too much. Movie extras are paid minimum wage with time-and-ahalf and stand-ins are paid about double that, she said. Although she has yet to see “Whip It,” she said she cannot wait. “I think ‘Whip It’ will be a good movie,” she said. “Drew Barrymore also directed it and she wanted no negativity on the set.” The movie will begin screening at 12:01 a.m. Friday at Celebration! Cinema, 4359 E. Pickard St. studentlife@cm-life.com
drink,” Knight said. studentlife@cm-life.com
The tax credit bringing many Hollywood studios to Michigan could soon see some major changes. Senate Bill 404, a bipartisan proposal that would top the film tax credit off at $50 million and reduce the available refunds by 7 percent, is being discussed. The refundable film tax credits would be cut to 35 percent from their current rate of 42 percent. The bill was introduced on March 25 and is sponsored by State Sens. Nancy Cassis, RNovi; Jud Gilbert, R-Algonac; Tom George, R-Kalamazoo; and Mickey Switalski, R-Roseville. “We recognize that Michigan has a significant, large deficit of $2.8 billion, and part of what’s contributing to that is the giveaway money to Hollywood producers,” Cassis said.
The bill would keep the film tax credit at $50 million, which would scale back a little on overly generous giveaway money, she said. “These movie producers are currently not paying taxes in Michigan, but are still getting money,” Cassis said. The bill would restore funds to other areas of the state, such as police, fire and Medicare, she said. Cassis said the bill also would support commercial ads and more jobs. “We would be able to provide credit for commercials to be done here, and we would hire 90 percent of Michigan workers first,” she said. In the long run, Cassis said, Bill 404 would recognize all the refundable credits that are not necessarily vital and giving relief to other businesses. Gilbert said even though the majority is not in favor of the bill, it is still necessary. “The bill is necessary because films last for a short duration, which means the money will run out before anyone gets the subsidy,” Gilbert said. He said the bill would divert money into a tax relief.
“If the bill passes, people will see gradual employment increases in small businesses with longer durations,” Gilbert said.
Change may not be noticeable yet Kevin Corbett, a broadcast and cinematic arts professor, said it is too soon to tell if the bill should be approved. “It’s probably going to be at least five years before we can tell if the state needs to cut back on the film tax credit,” he said. Corbett compared Bill 404 to a study on New Mexico’s current film tax rate. The study from Ernst and Young showing New Mexico’s film tax rate results at 35 percent was a five-year study, which meant it took five years to tell if the tax rate was working for the state or not, Corbett said. “Michigan’s current rate at 42 percent has only been in effect for 18 months, so it’s too soon to tell if we need to lower it or not,” he said. The bill will not produce more jobs in Michigan or provide stamina for Michigan filmmakers, he said. metro@cm-life.com
Shopping is only a click away Staff Reports
Shopping for cheap, unique clothes has never been easier. If you want to spice up your wardrobe with cheap non-designer pieces, online stores are the way to go. Online stores such as Charlotte Russe, Forever 21, Urban Outfitters, and American Eagle and browse the sales. “I like Urban Outfitters (urbanoutffitters.com) because we don’t have a lot of those in Michigan, and I also like Forever21 because they have a lot of clothes and they all fit the same,” said Clarkson sophomore Kaity Jerolamon. Jerolamon said some online stores tend to have better online sales than they do
More online stores: w w w w w
freepeople.com karmaloop.com senseoffashion.com topshop.com modcloth.com
in the store, and you don’t have to worry about wasting your gas driving to the store. “Some pros would be that you don’t have to drive out to the stores, since there is not a lot available to us in Mount Pleasant, it’s way more convenient (to shop online),” Jerolamon said. Stores sometimes have more unique clothing not offered in the stores. If you’re not a fan of shipping and handling, some stores even give you a cheaper option to
get your purchases sent to the store where you can pick them up later. Elizabeth Thompson, a Flint sophomore, said there are some cons, such as paying for shipping and not knowing how it will fit, but she still shops online. “Modcloth (modcloth. com) has a lot of vintage one of a kind clothing,” Thompson said. Jerolamon said she also has a few favorites she likes to shop at. “Fred Flare (fredflare.com) is also a unique online store and Glamour Kills (glamourkills.com) has a kind of punk rock type of clothes,” Jerolamon said. metro@cm-life.com
cm-life.com
Central Michigan Life || Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009 || 5B
[news]
City Commission postpones Crisis line expanded in area Mission Street redesign United Way 2-1-1 line available 24/7
The Mount Pleasant City Commission postponed a decision Monday on a Michigan Department of Transportation proposal to remove left-hand turns on Mission Street at intersections on Broomfield Street and Blue Grass Road. The plan is designed to make Mission Street safer at both intersections and will establish indirect left-hand turns, also known as “Michigan Lefts,” from Blue Grass Road to the intersection of Mission Street and Appian Way. The city’s Planning Commission, Downtown Development Authority, area businesses and residents have previously expressed concerns about the design. “You have to have some option — otherwise, traffic will continue to build,” said Rich Morrison, Mount Pleasant director of community services. Morrison and other city staff and groups are working on a “grid network” to alleviate traffic on Mission Street, he said. Concerns include pedestrian safety, vehicle traffic and a lack of entry to local
businesses, such as those in the Stadium Mall, Morrison said. Terry Palmer, the manager for the Bay Region of MDOT, said the design is meant to create a safer environment for drivers and pedestrians at the intersections. He said adding left-hand turns are successful in Michigan. “Michigan built a lot of these,” he said. “They are all across the state.” A dangerous place According to MDOT, the Broomfield and Mission Street intersection has the most accidents in the Bay Region 13 county area. In the past ten years, 1,500 vehicle accidents and 25 pedestrian incidents were reported. The Commission requested additional design elements for its next meeting at 7 p.m. Oct. 12 at City Hall, 320 W. Broadway St. The two-phase project would be carried out in 2011 and 2012, and will be funded mainly by a federal safety grant. Details of the project include removing the left-hand turns on Mission Street at the intersections of Blue Grass
By Taylor Hills Staff Reporter
Road and Broomfield Street. Phase one of the project will cost $2.5 million. MDOT will pay $230,000 of the cost and the city will pay $22,000. Phase two of the project will cost $1.9 million, $171,000 from MDOT and $16,500 from the city will be required. Commissioner David McGuire believes the proposal has potential. “If there’s room to tweak this plan, I don’t want to turn it down,” he said. Commissioner Sharon Tilmann said she was against the plan. “We have respected members of staff telling us not to go there,” she said. Citizens who attended the meeting voiced their displeasure at the proposed design. Mount Pleasant resident and former director of planning and community development Tony Kulick said he was worried the indirect left turns would lead to traffic problems for businesses. “I’m just worried that this may not be the right answer for what we need in Mount Pleasant,” he said.
Operators are now on the line for a expanded crisis line in northeast Michigan. The UnitedWay has launched a 2-1-1 Call Center that offers information and referral services for community members of Midland, Gladwin, Clare, Isabella and Gratiot counties. “I want to provide people within the community with resources and support through the maze of health and human agencies,” said Scott Redman, executive director for the program. By dialing 2-1-1, the United Way provides information and referral for basic human needs, physical and mental health, employment support, support for older Americans and people with disabilities, children, youth and families.
Translation necessary? His House Christian Fellowship Pastor Matt Schantz said Biblica will probably keep updating the Bible as scholarship advances and languages change. He said the updated changes will not make a significant difference because the current translations are accurate and the English language has not changed significantly over the past couple decades. “When I read an ancient document that’s been translated, I want it to communicate in today’s words exactly what the authors intended,” he said. “I want the translation to be as accurate as possible while still being readable in a vernacular that is current.” Reader said throughout the 20th century, more than 100 different biblical translations were released and many differ greatly, but a perfect translation will never be produced. Some translators are concerned with producing literal
studentlife@cm-life.com
Girls has good end-of-summer feel ‘Album’
By Ben Weissenborn Staff Reporter
One of the most hyped and blogged-about bands of 2008 not only lives up to the hype, but is one of the strongest releases 2009 has seen. Girls, a group of four drugaddled, San Francisco-based musicians, released “Album,” its debut record. First things first: Girls does not have the most original sound; its borrows heavily from mid- to late-sixties rock and roll. However, it’s the group’s distinct approach (wild, ragged and under the influence) that makes “Album” such a strong and enjoyable listen. This earnest sense of heartbreak, longing and nostalgia permeates “Album” to its core, but is never trite or overwrought. “Album” does a brilliant job of bringing to mind the group’s hometown and lifestyle: a sunny bay town, late nights spent partying, promiscuity, post-party diner
metro@cm-life.com
translations, while others are concerned with what would sound best to a modern ear, he said. “I have no quarrel with producing a new translation, but I don’t think, at this point in time, we need another,” Reader said. “We’ve already got a dozen good ones.” Jeremy Priest, a pastoral associate at St. Mary’s University Parish, 1405 S. Washington St., said it takes a great deal of effort to make a new translation of the Bible and an updated version may not be necessary. “Maybe this will be the greatest Bible translation ever and everyone will like this one, but my guess is that won’t happen,” he said. studentlife@cmich.edu
HHHHH w Artist: Girls w Genre: Rock and roll visits, watching the sunrise in a nearby park, all done with a contrasting sense of recklessness and beauty that shines through the band’s music stylistically and lyrically. One of the album’s strongest tracks is the seven-minute centerpiece, “Hellhole Ratrace,” which switches halfway through
from hearbroken-lullaby to a blinding, noisy shoegaze masterpiece at the blink of an eye. “Album” was released at one of the most fitting times of year for the band’s music: the end of summer. The loss present in the music bring to mind the recent loss of summer and nostalgia for warm, carefree summer nights. Luckily, we have these songs to accompany the cold mornings and crunch of leaves beneath our feet. studentlife@cm-life.com
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The world’s most popular English-language evangelical Bible is getting an update. Biblica, an organization that translates and distributes the Bible, and evangelical publisher Zondervan said earlier this month that an updated translation of the New International Version Bible will hit stores in 2011. The NIV Bible, originally translated by conservative evangelical Protestants and available in 46 countries, was first published in 1978 and later updated in 1984. In 2005, the Bible was released as Today’s New International Version, or TNIV, and included “inclusive language,” meaning it eliminated masculine or feminine pronouns believed by translators to not be supported by original manuscripts. The gender neutrality resulted in more than 3,000 spots, where words such as “father,” “son,” “man,” “brother” and “he” had vanished. “How do you want to talk about God as the father if you want to be gender inclusive?” said philosophy and religion
Professor William Reader. Once the new NIV comes out, the TNIV and the 1984 NIV will no longer be published.
cidal thoughts and group sessions, among others. “I think it is a great resource to offer because there are so many people that could benefit,” said Toni Guzman, a Sterling Heights junior. Previously, the Listening Ear provided the call line for Isabella County. Now the service is opened up through the United Way to Gratiot, Clare and Gladwin. The line remains confidential and anybody can call 24 hours, seven days a week. Another service Miller and Redman wanted to encourage is that people can call the number if they want to volunteer or donate and do not know where to go. “If you have something to offer, whether it be time or even an item, call our line and we will provide you with answers,” Redman said. “Everyone can benefit and should call here first.”
music review
NIV Bible to be updated in 2011 By Joe Borlik Senior Reporter
Kickoff On Sept. 10, the Northeast Michigan Call Center kickoff was held where more than 150 people were in attendance from all five counties. “This event was a way to announce and get the word out about a really great service in our community,” said Communications Director Holly Miller. For college students specifically, the hot line offers answers for many financial questions and concerns, as well as providing resources for unplanned pregnancy, sui-
SA VE
By Hilary Farrell Senior Reporter
About 68 percent of the callers have concerns falling under basic human needs such as housing, utilities, food and clothing, Redman said. “Increasing community awareness and interacting and referring agencies that provide the most updated and accurate information (is one way to improve the service),” he said.
MOST SPIRITED CHIPPEWA FAN?
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Eat Fresh... Eat Healthy! ANY REGULAR 6 inch value meal
5
$ 00 y
for onl
With purchase of drink. Exp. 10/10/09 Not valid with any other offer. One per customer.
GREAT TASTING!
MADE YOUR WAY! OPEN LATE!
Adjacent to Campus CAMPUS COURT PLAZA
NEXT TO BTAN
CM-Life.Com
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If you think you’re the most loyal soldier in the Maroon Platoon, stop by the Central Michigan Life tent at Homecoming Tailgating on October 10th. We will take your picture and enter you into our weekly “MOST SPIRITED CHIPPEWA FAN” Contest. CM Life editors will post the images after each home game and then invite CM LIFE readers and CMU fans to go online at cm-life.com and vote for their choice of the most spirited fan. The readers choice favorite each week will be featured in CM Life and on our website, and will win $100 plus and IPOD Nano, compliments of
Chris Herzog
CMU Bookstore.