July 11, 2013 by The Michigan Daily

Weekly Summer Edition Ann Arbor, MI

MichiganDaily.com

ONE-HUNDRED-TWENTY-THREE YEARS OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM

inside

Thursday, July 11, 2013

Faculty prepares for Prop. 2 in fall

BUILDING BORDERS

NEWS

Online Expansion MOOCs seek to broaden higher education possibilities. >> SEE PAGE 2

NEWS

UM Wireless

Supreme Court to rule on cases involving ‘U’

MWireless will completely overtake its predecessor this coming August. >> SEE PAGE 7

By PETER SHAHIN Daily Staff Reporter

OPINION

From the Daily: Higher tipping fee for disposing trash in landfills would help the state. >> SEE PAGE 4

ARTS

Hova’s Crown Jay Z’s latest LP aspires to royal status and lands slightly short. >> SEE PAGE 11

SPORTS

Football Tickets Implementation of dynamic pricing could bring in millions. >> SEE PAGE 12

NEWS .................................... 2 OPINION ............................... 4 CLASSIFIEDS......................... 6 CROSSWORD........................ 6 ARTS ......................................9 SPORTS.................................12

MARLENE LACASSE/Daily

An Ann Arbor construction worker continues development on former Borders Bookstore building Wednesday. The space will house five restaurants and two offices.

Two cafés to open in Michigan Union Starbucks and Au Bon Pain will join other Union eateries By AMRUTHA SIVAKUMAR Daily News Editor

On Monday morning, University Unions announced that cafés Starbucks and Au Bon Pain would replace Amer’s Mediterranean Deli and the University Club, respectively, at the Michigan Union. In late April, University Unions announced the final list of tenants that would occupy the Michigan Union’s ground floor court, Michigan Union Grill. While Wendy’s, Subway and Panda Express would continue to serve the Union — with Wendy’s and Subway expanding — Pizza Hut, Mrs. Fields, Freshens and Auntie Anne’s faced expiring leases. Ahmo’s Gyro and Deli would

also be moving into the MUG. Changes hit above ground as well. As the winter semester wound down to a close, so did Amer’s tenancy in the first floor of the Michigan Union. The announcement also marked the close of the University Club, a sit-down restaurant located also on the first floor. The University Club began operation in 1937, providing students with healthy alternatives to fast food lunch options. In a University press release, Susan Pile, director of the Michigan Union, cited a diminishing customer base and faltering revenues as reasons for the Club’s closing. Pile said she believed that the Club no longer met “the needs of today’s students,” because sit-down lunches did not appeal to the contemporary student lifestyle. Moreover, she noted that the University Club model did not “allow the space to be more used

by students,” as the Club space was primarily limited to lunch hours and other selective events. “We really feel that this is actually going to allow for a much more interactive and engaging kind of space through all hours of the day than we’ve had in the past,” Pile said. She added that the café would maintain a performance area so programming and events — such as weekly poetry slams and acoustic performances — could continue to take place. The Michigan Union Board of Representatives, the selection committee for the prospective Union tenants, was impressed by Au Bon Pain’s success around other college campuses and their provision of detailed nutritional charts. The Boston chain is known for its fast-service soups, sandwiches and breakfast entrées and its ready-made deli selections. See UNION, Page 6

This fall, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear a new case regarding affirmative action in Michigan, Schuette v. Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action. The case, to which the University is a party, has the potential to have sweeping effects for both the standing of popular referendum and affirmative action policies across the nation. The Michigan Civil Rights Initiative, a state constitutional amendment that outlawed the use of race, gender, and a number of other factors in college admissions, was adopted with 58 percent of voters for the measure. However, the Michigan Civil Rights Commission, then chaired by nowregent Mark Bernstein (D-Ann Arbor), alleged a campaign of disinformation and deception by proponents of the MCRI. In August 2006, a District Court judge ruled that supporters of the MCRI had “engaged in systematic voter fraud by telling voters that were signing a petition supporting affirmative action,” but refused to remove it from the ballot since the MCRI’s supporters had not technically violated the Voting Rights Act of 1965. After the passage of the initiative, a group of University students and faculty filed a suit See FACULTY, Page 8

2 NEWS

Thursday, July 11, 2013 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

‘U’ continues to expand online course offerings with Coursera

New research by a team that includes Paleontology prof. Daniel Fisher could apply carbon-dating

Office hours: Sun.-Thurs. 11 a.m. - 2 a.m. 734-763-2459 opt.3

News Tips Corrections Letters to the Editor

news@michigandaily.com corrections@michigandaily.com

tothedaily@michigandaily.com or visit michigandaily.com/letters

Photo Department Arts Section Editorial Page Sports Section Magazine Advertising Department Classifieds Department

photo@michigandaily.com arts@michigandaily.com opinion@michigandaily.com sports@michigandaily.com statement@michigandaily.com Phone: 734-764-0554 display@michigandaily.com Phone: 734-764-0557 classified@michigandaily.com

EDITORIAL STAFF Elliot Alpern

ealpern@michigandaily.com

Managing Editor

Aaron Guggenheim PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY MARLENE LACASSE/Daily

LSA senior Sara Boer engages in a discussion for an online pharmacology class in the Law Library Wednesday.

professors have already posted classes, with subjects ranging from thermodynamics, classical music and science fiction. The curriculum is designed by the professors with assignments that are completed and submitted online. Coursera provides online forums where students can connect with each other and ask questions to be answered by the professor. Because online classes often times see high enrollment figures, professors often face the challenge of answering a high volume questions.

Music, Theatre & Dance Prof. Kevin Korsyn said his Coursera class is structured with eight 90-minute lectures posted online. Throughout the semester, as more and more questions pile up, Korsyn will post response videos that address the most common questions. “I think that instructors need to have realistic expectations about what can be accomplished in each setting,” Korsyn said. “An online course for 10,000 students cannot have the same intimacy as a seminar for ten people, but this is

also true for live lectures that have several hundred students.” Former University President James Duderstadt said a major advantage of online classes is that they are like textbooks, in that students can access and learn from them at their own pace. Duderstadt said as a public institution with a mission of reaching out to those who might not be able to afford a college education, the University is better positioned than many private colleges to expand their free online classes. See ONLINE, Page 6

Professor aids in carbon-dating project to monitor illegal elephant poaching

Daily News Editor

Business Manager 734-418-4115 ext. 1241 mhulteng@michigandaily.com

Newsroom

Daily Staff Reporter

By TUI RADEMAKER

MERYL HULTENG

CONTACT INFORMATION

By WILL GREENBERG

Research requires more funding to have forensic applications

KATIE BURKE

Editor in Chief 734-418-4115 ext. 1251 kgburke@michigandaily.com

Classes provide opportunity for public access to higher education

While the average student traverses the Diag between classes, a new generation of students can simply navigate with a mouse and a keyboard. In April of 2012 the University announced its partnership with the online course company Coursera and in July of that year began offering free ‘massive open online classes’ to individuals seeking an education without the University price tag. The courses are not intended to serve as a replacement for the traditional education experience and thus do not offer credit but instead award a certificate of completion. Coursera currently offers 395 online courses and has a total enrollment of over four million. The website has partnered with 83 educational institutions including Northwestern University, University of Maryland, University of Minnesota, Ohio State University, Pennsylvania State University, University of Illinois and University of Wisconsin. A handful of University

420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1327 www.michigandaily.com

methods used to study prehistoric animals to fight modern-day elephant poaching. Using standard carbon-14 dating methods on seized ivory tusks, Fisher and his colleagues can now predict the date of an elephant’s death, indicating whether or not the material was extracted before the ivory trade was banned in 1975. Kevin Uno, a former researcher at the University of Utah, is the lead author of the paper detailing the discovery.

The illegal ivory trade is one that has seen significant growth in the past several years as demand in Asia has increased. Thure Cerling, a geology professor at the University of Utah who worked with Fisher on the project, said some estimates predict that the illegal trade could amount to a billion-dollar underground market. “There are now something like 30,000 African elephants a year that are being killed by poachers,” Fisher said. “It’s really

a serious problem. And that’s from a population of only a few hundred thousand and so at this rate they could be in really dire straits.” The carbon-dating used by the research team relies on changing carbon-14 levels in the atmosphere. Cerling said that in the 1950s and 1960s the U.S. and the Soviet Union both engaged in numerous above-ground nuclear weapons tests which doubled the atmosphere’s carbon-14 levels. See POACHING, Page 8

Managing News Editor aguggenh@michigandaily.com SENIOR NEWS EDITORS: Amrutha Sivakumar, Tui Rademaker

Eric Ferguson

Editorial Page Editor opinioneditors@michigandaily.com SENIOR EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR: Megan McDonald

Greg Garno

Managing Sports Editor sportseditors@michigandaily.com SENIOR SPORTS EDITORS: Jeremy Summitt, Alexa Dettelbach

John Lynch

Managing Arts Editor

jplyn@michigandaily.com SENIOR ARTS EDITORS: Kendall Russ, Max Radwin

Marlene Lacasse

Managing Photo Editor

photo@michigandaily.com

Austin Reed

Managing Design Editor

design@michigandaily.com

Meaghan Thompson

Managing Copy Editor

copydesk@michigandaily.com

BUSINESS STAFF Leah Louis-Prescott

Sales Manager

The Michigan Daily (ISSN 0745-967) is published every Thursday during the spring and summer terms by students at the University of Michigan. One copy is available free of charge to all readers. Additional copies may be picked up at the Daily’s office for $2. Subscriptions for fall term, starting in September, via U.S. mail are $110. Winter term (January through April) is $115, yearlong (September through April) is $195. University affiliates are subject to a reduced subscription rate. On-campus subscriptions for fall term are $35. Subscriptions must be prepaid. The Michigan Daily is a member of The Associated Press and The Associated Collegiate Press.

Thursday, July 11, 2013 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

NEWS 3

Former Borders Books building to welcome many new tenants Several restaurants to occupy vacated Liberty St. corner By WILL GREENBERG Daily Staff Reporter

Though the building that housed Borders Books on East Liberty Street now features boarded-up windows and ongoing construction, the space will soon be home to several new restaurants and offices. Five new restaurants will move into the first floor, while Prime Research and the University’s School of Information will occupy the second floor. The 44,000 square-foot building

is currently undergoing extensive interior and exterior renovations to accommodate the new tenants, including the addition of an entrance on Maynard Street and walls to divide the new businesses. Brendan Cavender of Colliers International — the company representing the building owner — said construction would be completed in time for tenants to move in September. 5,296 square-feet of the property have been leased to Takashi Yagihashi, a chef who fuses Japanese and French cuisine and has owned and run multiple restaurants across the country. Yagihashi, who spent nine years in Ann Arbor, will open another location of the Slurping Turtle, a sit-down ramen restaurant based in

Chicago. Joining the Slurping Turtle will be Knight’s Steakhouse, which is opening its second Ann Arbor location. Owner and manager Don Knight said he looks forward to sharing the space with Yagihashi and other restaurants within the complex. “(It’s) a win-win for both of us,” he said. “Think of the car industry: they put everything right next to each other and people tend to flock to places where there’s more options.” The last three restaurants that will join Knight’s Steakhouse and the Slurping Turtle have yet to be named. Prime Research, a strategic communication research firm, will take 20,000 square-feet on the

second floor. Cavender said the area has become a popular location for technology companies as they are able to find a large pool of young talent coming out of the University. Despite Prime Research predominantly operating remotely through the Internet and news, Julie Beach, senior accounting and human resources manager, said Ann Arbor was chosen as a strategic location for the business. “Here at Prime Research, having a good education is important and so obviously having our business in a town that is located nearby the University of Michigan was one of the big pushes for us to originally choose Ann Arbor for our North American operation,” Beach said. East Liberty Street has seen 10 businesses close in the last two

years, raising the question of the viability of opening a business there. Cavender said he is not worried about these new businesses seeing success, as many of the recent closures were due to factors besides location. “We track volumes of sales figures of all the other restaurants down there and all of them are very healthy,” Cavender said. “It was easy to blame Borders when they closed for the decline but in my opinion that’s not what closed these other businesses.” Don Knight said he was enthusiastic about the location, as the area has been making a come back. “More people are getting up there,” Knight said. “They don’t just stick to Main Street anymore.”

4 OPINION

Thursday, July 11, 2013 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

Real justice Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890. 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 tothedaily@umich.edu

KATIE BURKE EDITOR IN CHIEF

ERIC FERGUSON EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR

ELLIOT ALPERN MANAGING EDITOR

Unsigned editorials reflect the official position of the Daily’s editorial board. All other signed articles and illustrations represent solely the views of their authors.

FROM THE DAILY

Decreasing dumping State should protect environment by increasing fee

ichigan is known for its many lakes and dense forests — and to some, its remarkably cheap landfills. At the moment Michigan’s tipping fee —the cost the state charges to dump trash in Michigan landfills — is only 21 cents per ton, which is remarkably low when compared to its neighbors. The corresponding fee in Wisconsin is $12.99, and just over the Canadian border Windsor charges a whopping $64. Michigan’s low tipping fee is a cause for concern, as it encourages other states and Canada to shunt their trash into Michigan. Since so much of Michigan’s identity as a state is based in its natural beauty and the state is always in need of more money, Governor Snyder and the state legislature should raise the tipping fee in order to preserve the environment. Moreover, they should also take a variety of steps to ensure that as little recyclable material as possible finds its way into landfills. With the current tipping fee, about 20 percent of the solid waste disposed of in Michigan landfills last year came from out of state. Since it’s so low to begin with, raising the tipping fee would likely increase the amount of revenue the state gets while simultaneously acting as a disincentive for other states (or countries) to cart their trash all the way to Michigan for disposal. This would not only lengthen the life of Michigan’s existing landfills, but could also encourage other state governments — including our own — to consider programs that would reduce the amount of trash produced in the first place and in the future. One way to do this would be

to expand the bottle deposit program. Currently, there are no deposits on disposable water bottles and other beverage containers — such as energy drinks and Arizona iced tea cans — that are as large or larger than the 12oz cans and 20oz bottles that currently have deposits. Seeing as Americans consume about 38 billion disposable water bottles each year and only 38.6 percent of disposable water bottles were recycled in the U.S. in 2011, such a measure is sorely needed. Additionally, the state should encourage cities and local governments to provide recycling receptacles for public use alongside trash receptacles, akin to the ones found on campus in the Diag

and elsewhere. Placing recycling cans next to trashcans makes recycling incredibly easy. The state could also consider incentivizing businesses — particularly those that sell canned beverages — to provide recycling containers for their customers’ use. Allowing trash to be imported into Michigan puts the quality of one of this state’s greatest assets — its environment — at risk. By raising the tipping fee for garbage, offering a deposit for a larger variety of drink containers and making recycling receptacles more commonly available, the state would both make money and lessen the need for more landfills in the long run.

wo years ago, after the verdict was released in the infamous Casey Anthony trial, Facebook and Twitter suddenly exploded with millions of newly minted criminal justice experts writing things like, “Well, our justice system certainly has a JAMES lot of flaws,” and BRENNAN asking questions like, “What kind of country are we where someone who is clearly guilty walks free?” The same will probably be said of some other case where the jury ends up disagreeing with whatever decision the media lays down before all the facts are in, but that is criminal justice in America. One of the most vital aspects of our criminal justice system — as defined through hundreds of years of both English and American common law — is the presumption of innocence until guilt is proven. In a criminal trial, the judge will instruct the jury that, unless the prosecution has proven guilt of the defendant beyond any reasonable doubts, the defendant can’t be found guilty. In our criminal justice system, the entire burden of proof rests on the prosecution — the defense does not have to prove innocence. Our culture outside of the courtroom, however, is far different. In a world of perp walks, Court TV, talking heads and social networks — where everyone finds their inner legal expert — all the key aspects of the greatest justice system developed are tossed aside in favor of sensationalism and mistruth. Sir William Blackstone, in his 1765 work “Commentaries on the Laws of England,” wrote the now famous expression, “the law holds it better that 10 guilty persons escape, than that one innocent party suffer.” Blackstone’s “Commentaries” is one of the single most influential pieces of writing when it comes to American law, as many of our founding fathers and earliest judges and lawyers were trained under the ideals he expressed. The very foundation of criminal law is that justice should be served, but under no circumstances should a punishment be served to an innocent person. This means every so often, a guilty man may walk free. Our justice system isn’t perfect, but neither are any others. The criminal justice system doesn’t become an abysmal failure when someone like Casey Anthony or O.J. Simpson walks free. The criminal justice system truly fails when millions of young men

and women are sent to jail for petty, nonviolent crimes, ruining their chances of regaining a normal life. The criminal justice system truly fails when the death penalty remains in existence despite hundreds of innocent people being put to death or scheduled to be put to death based on shaky evidence. The criminal justice system truly fails when those who are rich and powerful regularly skirt justice while the poorest in society are given underpaid, overworked public defenders and forced into guilty pleas.

Everyone finds their inner legal expert. In the U.S., the number of incarcerated citizens per capita is higher than anywhere else in the world — even more so than China, Cuba and Iran. The only country that may come close to the U.S. is North Korea, where the numbers are unknown. Even then, some estimates still have the U.S. as number one when it comes to prisoners per capita — even ahead of the most notoriously abusive communist regime in the world. Furthermore, the only three countries in the world with a higher number of executions in 2011 than the U.S. are China, Iran and Yemen. Even Saudi Arabia — a country under Sharia law — executes fewer people than the U.S. Our criminal justice system, on paper, should be the brightest beacon of freedom and democracy that we have to offer, built on a fair and balanced system of laws and a refusal to convict the innocent. Instead, it has been transformed into a menacing, horrific monster willing to imprison the poorest and weakest among us. In the next year or two, National Football League player Aaron Hernandez may go to trial for the murder charges he currently faces, and if he does, it will certainly be one of the mostcovered cases in recent memory. If, by some chance, the man is acquitted, save your fingers the typing — it’s not because he’s famous. If anything, his ability to afford a good lawyer, the fact that he appears white, and weak evidence — not his celebrity — is what may acquit him. A football player getting off on murder isn’t the crux of what’s wrong with criminal justice in the U.S., despite what your aunt says on Facebook. The real problem is, well, everything else. —James Brennan can be reached at jmbthree@umich.edu.

Thursday, July 11, 2013 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

A remedy abroad

n the plane to Buenos Aires I had no idea what was in store for me. A million emotions darted through me while I nervously sat on my 11-hour flight. I had never been south of Mexico ever in my life, let alone without my parSARA ents. Was I crazy SHOUHAYIB for going to a country where I didn’t know a single soul? It was too late to turn back. I reclined my seat and closed my eyes. I woke up to a flight attendant telling me we were preparing for landing. I looked out the window and saw greenery, and thought to myself, “Hey, this really doesn’t look any different from home.” Man, was I wrong. I instantly felt like an alien when I tried to catch a cab at the airport. My Spanish definitely was not as good as I thought. Argentinians have a distinct accent where they pronounce all words with a “Y” or a double “L” as a “J”. So words like “ella,” meaning “her,” would sound like “eja”. It tripped me up a lot. Eight years of Spanish only got me here? Sheesh. I was scared and I was worried. I didn’t know if I could muster the courage to make mistakes and risk looking like an idiot while trying to speak a foreign language. I remembered a quote by Eleanor Roosevelt that I had framed on my nightstand back home in Michigan. It said, “Believe in yourself. You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you stop to look fear in the face … you must do that which you think you cannot do.” I carried this quote in mind for the first few weeks of my five-month journey. It slowly became a part of my everyday actions and me. I tried things I normally wouldn’t try and I experimented with my limits. I was able to travel to Chile, Uruguay, Colombia, Bolivia and Peru during my stay. I never imagined I would be that fortunate to backpack with my friends like that. It changed my life and how I viewed the world around me. It made me feel free and powerful, like I had the world at my fingertips. For my fellow Wolverines — or any college students for that matter — who are interested in studying abroad, I have a few words for you: Take the path less traveled. Most people choose to go to Spain

or Europe to study abroad. Try something different. Studying abroad opens your eyes, and as cliché as it sounds, it truly does broaden your horizons. If you didn’t have the opportunity to grow up in an ethnic home it’s your chance to adopt a new culture. Live at a home-stay if you have the opportunity — you won’t regret it. I lived with a 70-year-old seamstress whom I grew to love like my own grandmother. I owe my Spanish proficiency to her — she didn’t know a lick of English. By studying abroad you can connect to the native people of the country you’re in and most importantly it helps teach you about yourself. It teaches you about your fears and how much you’re willing to push the limits of your life.

It’s a big world out there. Go explore it. I was afraid I wouldn’t make friends. In retrospect, I was silly for thinking that. I made three extraordinary friends from all over the U.S. during my program, from Washington D.C., Texas and North Carolina — all of whom I have visited after my abroad experience. They became my family away from home. I will love and cherish them for the rest of my life. They’re the kind of friends I want at my wedding. Truthfully, before Argentina, I felt lost. I had gone through some things leading up to my departure and I wasn’t the happiest me I could be. The beautiful city of Buenos Aires was the remedy I needed. I finally felt like me again. I fell in love with South America and it will always be a region of the world that I hold close to my heart. It helped me discover who I was and what I was capable of. My college experience never would have been the same if it weren’t for study abroad. It was the time of my life still to this day. I wish there was a way I could pay it back, because I am forever indebted to the happiness and fulfillment it gave me. Regardless of where you choose to go, it’s a big world out there. Go explore it. —Sara Shouhayib can be reached at sarasho@umich.edu.

OPINION 5

Context is everything

hen it comes to the Internet, context is everything — but

that’s not always the most obvious thing in the world. Last February, 18-year-old Justin Carter of Austin, ERIC Texas, was FERGUSON arrested in connection to a post he made while arguing on Facebook about the online multiplayer game League of Legends. His parents and attorney claim that the comment — “I’m fucked in the head alright. I’ma shoot up a kindergarten / And watch the blood of the innocent rain down / And eat the beating heart of one of them.” — was made in sarcastic jest, as it was followed by “JK” and preceded by a comment implying that Carter was crazy. The police saw it quite differently, however, and as a result Carter is facing up to 10 years in prison on charges of making a “terroristic threat” despite police finding nothing in his house that would have enabled him to carry it out. There are several things wrong with this situation, one of which is what Carter said. Teenager or adult, friend of Carter or complete stranger, it takes a particularly depraved sense of humor to see a joke about shooting up a kindergarten and not be at least slightly perturbed. What is far more concerning, though, is that law enforcement seems to have arrested him on the basis of a single e-mail containing an isolated screenshot sent by someone in Canada. Even so, this anonymous vigilante could have saved lives if they had alerted authorities to someone who was actually planning a Sandy Hookstyle massacre. But thanks to multiple failures to understand

“

one Facebook post’s worth of twisted sarcasm, the cost of this zealous person’s effort to protect the public has become a family’s suffering and months of a young man’s life. Carter’s case is just the latest evidence showing that both law enforcement and the general public have trouble distinguishing between online sarcasm and online threats. In 2010, police in California issued a stern warning to the public about the Internet meme character “Pedobear” being a mascot for pedophiles. This was probably lost amid hysterical laughter from anyone aware of its common use as a way to mock people online who come off as inappropriately interested in young girls. Even more recently, 18-year-old aspiring rapper Cameron D’Ambrosio was arrested after posting lyrics referencing the Boston bombings to his wall on Facebook and threatened with up to 20 years in prison. This lack of understanding has even shown itself at the University, when campus police reacted with praiseworthy speed this past Valentine’s Day to reports of a man — Engineering student Albert DeFluri — in Angell Hall wearing a gas mask. Apparently, it wasn’t until well after police had been dispatched that anyone made a connection between DeFluri’s gear and the Grumpy Cat sign hanging around his neck, which read “Love is in the air? Get out the gas mask.” Admittedly, it’s slightly ridiculous to suggest that every questionable statement and public behavior should be checked for Internet-specific references before alerting police. One man’s jest can all too easily become another’s threat. But if police are trying to prioritize public safety and have any respect whatsoever for freedom of speech, they have to look at the whole picture once they have confirmed there’s

no immediate threat. That’s not happening enough right now. While DeFluri wasn’t arrested or otherwise detained for his stunt, D’Ambrosio was held until a grand jury dismissed his case. Moreover, Carter’s comment was made in an argument with another gamer regarding a game whose players are notoriously enthusiastic — something I can attest to, having heard my housemates screaming various obscenities about the very same game almost daily over the past school year.

People often don’t get the Internet. Context doesn’t inherently render what Carter or D’Ambrosio posted on Facebook harmless in the eyes of the public or of law enforcement. It doesn’t lessen the anxiety bystanders must have felt when seeing a man in a gas mask walking around campus. What it does do in an online setting is change the meaning behind a person’s words in a way that’s not obvious unless you know something about the communities that person identifies with. From rappers to gamers to Memebase fanatics, the sheer variety of on and offline communities — each with their own in-jokes and rhetorical norms that range from the absurd to the downright disturbing — is overwhelming. Law enforcement must be able to identify when one of these communities is relevant to a case. Otherwise, they risk arresting and threatening to prosecute even more people for making threats they never actually made. —Eric Ferguson can be reached at ericff@umich.edu.

NOTABLE QUOTABLE

Trusting Obama w/ border security is like trusting Bill Clinton w/ your daughter. — Rep. Tim Huelskamp (R-Kan.) in a tweet Wednesday after a House GOP meeting about the party’s immigration reform strategy.

6 NEWS

Thursday, July 11, 2013 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

operation — till 2 a.m. during the fall and winter semesters. Pile said, based on recent memory, she could not recall another eatery that remained open through the Union’s hours. LSA senior Adam Kleven, chair of the Michigan Union Board of Representatives, noted that the new cafés were “a positive change” from the student perspective. Despite an anonymous Facebook campaign and efforts to discuss lease extensions,

UNION From Page 1 “That approach fits right in with the values that are important to our community: sustainable practices, a large, varied menu and easy-to-find nutritional information,” Pile said. Unlike other eateries operating out of the Union, Au Bon Pain will be open through the Union’s hours of

University Unions requested that Amer’s vacate their Union location at the expiration of their lease — after 19 years of service. “Au Bon Pain wants to ensure student needs are met in terms of food selection and social space,” Kleven said. “Starbucks is undeniably popular and will increase the number of students who come into the Union.” Architectural renovations will

Classifieds RELEASE DATE– Thursday, July 11, 2013

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle

Call: #734-418-4115 Email: dailydisplay@gmail.com

PARKING

NORTH CAMPUS 1‑2 Bdrm. ! Riverfront/Heat/Water/Parking. ! ! www.HRPAA.com 996‑4992 !

SUMMER PARKING BEHIND 420 Maynard St. $100/Mo. Call 734‑418‑4115 ext.1246

THE 2ND FLOOR NEW Up Scale Apartments, Right on Central Campus, S. University Ave. *Limited Apartments Left* Apartments come with the BEST Service, Amenities and All at Reasonable Rates Visit us at www.The2ndFloorSU.com

Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis

ACROSS 1 Shake, as one’s tail 6 Apple polisher 11 “Ri-i-ight!” 14 Patient’s share 15 Els only about six feet above the ground 16 Big name in kitchenware 17 Bugs 19 Animation collectible 20 “Double Fantasy” artist 21 Carnation spot 22 Booked solid 23 Bugs 26 Says it isn’t so 29 Annual Queens sports event 32 Seals, as a deal 33 One may be given to a detective 36 __ diet 37 Bugs 41 “Don’t Bring Me Down” rock gp. 42 Hits the trail 43 Mongolian tent 44 Try to better understand, as difficult prose 46 Bandleading brothers’ name 48 Bugs 52 Moo juice 54 Lofty nest 55 Get-up-and-go 58 Kerfuffle 59 Bugs 62 X, at times 63 “Peer Gynt” playwright 64 Lincoln’s side 65 Withered woman 66 With 67-Across, San Diego Zoo attraction 67 See 66-Across DOWN 1 Letter before Foxtrot 2 Pork purchase 3 Bridesmaid’s coif 4 “American __!”: animated sitcom

5 Ornamental embroidered hole 6 Bait 7 Projecting window 8 Popular tat spot 9 Conk out 10 “It’s a go!” 11 Words before disappearing, perhaps 12 Fires 13 First word from Robin 18 Laddie’s turndowns 22 “My man!” 23 Pedestal sculpture 24 8 or 64, e.g. 25 “Ri-i-ight!” 26 Choir support 27 Place for élèves 28 Any day now 30 __ nous 31 Vile 33 Object of Indy’s quest 34 Sea side 35 Tags on bags 38 Impact sound 39 Camp staffer

40 Rochester’s bride 45 Antlered critter 46 Place of honor 47 Like small coffeemakers 49 Madame Gorbachev 50 Atomic number of nitrogen 51 Bush adviser Scowcroft

52 It has roots and branches 53 Think tank output 55 Unable to merely walk past a mirror, say 56 Brand that once sported a reptile 57 Flying talker 59 “Get it, man?” 60 Slugger’s stat 61 Transfer __

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:

accompany the incoming tenants as they move into the spaces. Though specific details regarding interior changes are unavailable, Pain said the Union would maintain its historic elements — such as its brick walls, arches and windows. Renovations will commence at the end of August. Starbucks and Au Bon Pain have both signed binding 10-year leases with the University.

“PRIME” PARKING FOR SALE 2013‑14 Great Locations: 721 S. Forest $1500 1320 S. University $1500 511 Hoover $720 Parking for less than the rest! Call 734‑761‑8000

FOR RENT

SERVICES WHY RUIN YOUR SUMMER? POISON IVY located, identified, removed, controlled 734‑476‑4970

CHILDCARE ! NORTH CAMPUS 1‑2 Bdrm. ! ! Riverfront/Heat/Water/Parking. ! ! www.HRPAA.com 996‑4992 !

xwordeditor@aol.com

07/11/13

! STERLING 411 LOFTS has limited summer only bed spaces avail. starting at $500 all inclusive. Lease dates are May 3rd – August 13th, 2013. 2 blk. from Central Campus and downtown. 734‑998‑4400 www.4elevenlofts.com ! STERLING 411 LOFTS – The first 10 people to sign will receive $1,000. Reserve your 2013‑14 bed space at U‑ M’s Best housing. Sold out early for the last 3 yr(s). 2 blk. from Central Campus and downtown. 1 – 4 bdrm apt. with May to May or August to Au‑ gust lease terms avail. Rmmte match‑ ing, prkg and private baths available. Rates starting at $675. 734‑998‑4400 www.4elevenlofts.com !!LG. RMS., Hill St. off State. Prkg. For Male. $475/mo. 845‑399‑9904 ARBOR PROPERTIES Award‑Winning Rentals in Kerrytown, Central Campus, Old West Side, Burns Park. Now Renting for 2013. 734‑994‑3157. www.arborprops.com

07/11/13

CENTRAL CAMPUS, FURNISHED rooms for students, shared kitch., ldry., bath., internet, summer from $350, fall from $500. Call 734‑276‑0886.

CHILDCARE FOR ROOM & board 10 blocks from Law Quad. Great for student schedule. If you like kids, call Renee 734‑904‑1498.

ONLINE From Page 2 “In a sense, (private universities) got the early visibility but I think it will be the large public universities that, if this outreach really is as successful as many people hope it will be, I think the lead will rapidly shift to public universities like Michigan and University of California,” Duderstadt said. However, he added that the online classes are only courses, not a “college education”. Duderstadt said there was an “enormous” difference between online and traditional classes, noting factors like the high level of self-motivation needed to complete online courses. “Most of the learning in true universities, like Michigan, is an endeavor that depends very heavily on people-to-people and human interaction,” Duderstadt said. “That’s not something you can replicate at a distance.” Business Prof. Gautam Kaul, who recently added a finance class to Coursera, said the goal of MOOCs is not to replace the classroom. The three goals are to provide public access, experiment with the current technology and to advertise the University. “We don’t want to be in the game of making education a commodity,” Kaul said. “We want to be in the game of being known to experiment with technology to enhance learning.” He said as a professor, creating a curriculum for an online class has helped him become a better instructor, since he had to reconsider the different ways students learn. Duderstadt said as the University continues to learn from experimenting with MOOCs, it is difficult to determine the future of online material due to the rapidly changing technology they are faced with. “What we don’t want to do is say, ‘Five years from now every classroom on the campus will have taped all the video lectures that our faculty gives and that’s how you go to class,’ because we would be terribly wrong.” Duderstadt said.

‘U’ to alter connection possibilities MWireless will replace UM Wireless in August By AMRUTHA SIVAKUMAR Daily News Editor

Starting in the fall, choosing which wireless network to connect to will be simpler. Information and Technology Services has announced that they will be disbanding the UM Wireless Network — curbing the options for networks to MWireless and MGuest. According to the ITS website, MWireless provides University affiliates with greater security when connecting to the wireless network, as compared to other networks. MWireless encrypts all data transmitted between the wireless device and the Access Point, whereas UM Wireless encrypts only the uniqname and password entered during login. Andy Palms, ITS executive director of communication systems and data centers, said the high encryption standards of MWireless are important to students, as the old network allowed hackers to access all information transmitted wirelessly apart from the password. Although MWireless was implemented in 2008 in accordance with the latest security standards at that time, ITS decided to retain the dated UM Wireless Network for nearly five years. Palms said he understands that University affiliates were accustomed to authenticating to the network via the UM Wireless network splash page and that the additional time required to initially set up MWireless discouraged users from transitioning to the new technology. “The downside of MWireless is that it is just not what people are used to,” he said. However, after initial authentication, MWireless

automatically connects wireless devices to the network when in a University Wi-Fi hotspot — eliminating the need to periodically input uniqname and password. To promote MWireless, ITS began an advertisement campaign that included displaying informative posters throughout campus. Furthermore, the UM Wireless Network splash page and the ITS webpage encouraged users to switch over to the new network as their default choice. “I think it’s been up in front of people for quite a while,” Palms said. “We’re really trying to encourage people to (use) MWireless.” The reason for choosing to disband the dated network now was twofold, Palms said. Firstly, he said ITS wanted to provide users to with a “transition period” to adjust to new technologies. Although the exact number of users remains unclear, Palms said he believed that roughly 60 to 70 percent of University affiliates used MWireless as their primary network. Additionally, the transition allowed ITS to prepare its systems for the introduction of Eduroam — a worldwide network access implemented to facilitate educational interaction among institutions. By choosing to retire the UM Wireless Network, additional network capacity could be allocated to Eduroam. Eduroam will likely be introduced by October 2013, Palms said. Currently, the MGuest network serves as an alternative for wireless users without a uniqname and Kerberos password. Palms said the purpose of each authentication method became more confusing with the number of networks that remained available. “There’s no particular need that the UM Wireless meets for people anymore that can’t be met by (MWireless and MGuest),” he said.

Thursday, July 11, 2013 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

NEWS 7

8 NEWS

Thursday, July 11, 2013 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

POACHING From Page 2 Since the testing was discontinued, the levels have been declining due to the balancing effect of the world’s oceans and ecosystems. These trackable changes give researchers like Fisher and Cerling clues as to when layers of ivory were formed. “What we do is take a small sample of that material bordering the base of the tusk (and) measure the amount of carbon-14 in that sample using accelerator mass spectrometry,” Fisher said. “In certain circumstances that measurement all by itself may be enough to determine the date of death of the animal.” The individual testing of samples from seized ivory shipments costs about $500, Cerling said. However he said this is a small price to pay, considering both the magnitude of the poaching problem as well as the millions of dollars that are associated with the illegal industry. However, cost is also what is preventing the research from going any further. Cerling said a lack of funding has stopped the team from applying their carbon-dating method to suspect ivory outside the laboratory. Yet Cerling says they must continue to pursue funding as the poaching problem persists. Just last week, five tons of ivory worth $20 million in the Philippines was seized, he said.

Fisher said up until now, it’s been nearly impossible to convict ivory smugglers because they can claim that the ivory was extracted before the bans in 1975 and 1989. But this carbon-dating method could provide evidence against them. “You find the shipper and you say ‘so what’s up with these tusks in the clothing (shipment)’ and they say ‘oh oh yeah yeah well we had some space in the shipment. No need to worry about that that’s old ivory… so it’s perfectly legal’ and we say ‘hmm we’ll see about that’,” Fisher said. George Wittemyer, a professor of ecology at Colorado State University who is involved with the study and has conducted extensive research on African elephants in the past, said this new method has the potential to ease the poaching problem by providing precise data. He said one of the main questions that this research could answer is exactly how illegal ivory is being obtained. If the tests indicate that the seized ivory is from elephants who have died in the last few years, they will have evidence of current and active poaching. Likewise, if the ivory appears to be taken from animals killed within the last 20 years, the researchers will be able to infer that it is coming from storehouses. “We’re very interested in how this ivory being is procured,” Wittemyer said. “This is an important technique to help us identify the mechanisms of the trade.”

FACULTY From Page 1 against the state of Michigan defending the right of higher education institutions to use affirmative action policies in their admissions procedures. The case, Cantrell v. Granholm was later combined with Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action v. Granholm by the U.S. District Court of Eastern Michigan. The District Court ruled summarily in both cases in favor of the state. The CDAA successfully appealed to the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court, which reversed the District Court’s ruling. In November 2012, a 15-judge panel ruled 8 to 7 to uphold the reversal of the District Court’s ruling. However, it stayed its own ruling from taking effect pending the Supreme Court’s review, which it granted on March 25. The nation’s highest court will hear the case in its autumn session of this year. The coalition argued that MCRI is a violation of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution since it allegedly prevents minority students from fully exploring and using their experiences with race in the college admissions process. Their argument also relies on precedent set in Grutter v. Bollinger and Gratz v. Bollinger, historic cases in which the University was the party — and bearing the name of former University President Lee Bollinger — which defined the legality and parameters of affirmative action programs across the nation. In their initial filing with the Supreme Court, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette and the associated petitioners rebuffed both the reasoning of the coalition and the Sixth Circuit Court, writing, “It is exceedingly odd to say that a statute which bars a state from “discriminat(ing) ... on the basis of race” violates the Equal Protection Clause because it discriminates on the basis of race and sex. Yet that is precisely what the en banc majority held here.” While the future of affirmative action hinges on the outcome of the case, the court is expected to be equally interested in determining what power courts can have in overturning popular referendum. While the

Sixth Circuit Court, sitting en banc, upheld overturning the MCRI, the Ninth Circuit Court did not support a challenge to California’s Proposition 209 in 1997 — another ban on affirmative action. Reconciling these two conflicting circuit court precedents will be one of the chief tasks of the Supreme Court as the eight justices consider the case. Justice Elena Kagan, an appointee of President Barack Obama, recused herself from the case due to perceived conflicts of interest from her time as Solicitor General. As the case’s hearing draws closer, both the University and other parties are considering preparing briefs for submission to the court. After the passage of the MCRI, University President Mary Sue Coleman publicly promised to challenge the initiative in court in a dramatic speech on the Diag. In a December interview with The Michigan Daily, when asked whether she would have any concerns about reinstating a policy the majority of voters opposed, Coleman said she would not commit herself to any course of action before the court ruled. “There’s a pretty robust argument going on in the legal community about constitutional amendments and what this means,” Coleman said. “I wouldn’t want to opine on that yet until we’re faced with it.” As Coleman is stepping down from her role as president next year, the decision of whether or not to reinstate affirmative action programs will likely fall to her successor, pending the court’s ruling. Because the University is listed as a respondent in the case, University spokesman Rick Fitzgerald could only offer limited comment on the administration’s legal strategy in approaching the case. He emphasized that though the University continues to support affirmative action, it cannot take any action as long as the MCRI remains in effect. Michigan State University, also a party in the case, is currently preparing its brief for submission to the Supreme Court. MSU spokesman Jason Cody said the school would likely be filing its brief some time in August but was unable to comment further since it is still

being written. Though the University has not made a move to file a brief, Philosophy Prof. Carl Cohen, one of the University’s most senior tenured faculty and an outspoken critic of affirmative action policies, has filed a joint amicus curiae brief with other opponents from across the country. While the brief draws heavily on reasoning from the Texas Association of Scholars in its opposition to affirmative action policies, Cohen said he focused his portion of the brief more on the constitutionality of popular referendum — which he sees as the most important issue of the case. “I was amazed at the decision of the Circuit Court,” he said. “The people of the state of Michigan have the right to determine policy of the state of Michigan within the frame of the United States Constitution. The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals denied them that right and decided on their own view of the matter that this was not appropriate decision making for the people of the state.” Citing James Madison’s Federalist Papers, Cohen also said the Sixth Circuit Court had exercised its “will” rather than its “judgment,” and that popular referendum must be answerable only to the strictures of the Constitution itself in judicial review. Since the central question is the power and legal standing of a popularly adopted referendum, Cohen said he could see some of the court’s liberal justices supporting overturning the Sixth Circuit Court’s decision in the interests of popular sovereignty. “I don’t think people fully understand what’s at issue here,” Cohen said. “People think ‘are they for affirmative action or are they against it?’ But that’s not the issue here — the issue is the right of the people to make a decision against certain policies whether you like that policy or don’t like that policy.” He added that he saw it as likely that the court will, in the end, reverse the Sixth Circuit Court’s ruling. “An honest of the intellectual or civil community will say, ‘Look, whatever I may think about affirmative action, I think it’s reasonable for the people to decide whether they want it or don’t want it.’ ”

Thursday, July 11, 2013 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

ARTS 9

THE SUMMER IS STILL YOUNG! AND THERE’S STILL ART TO BE COVERED.

Email arts@michigandaily.com to request an application to Daily Arts.

ELEKTRA

Ol’ Dirty Master of Fury

Reflecting on ‘Tears for O.D.B.’ By JOHN LYNCH Managing Arts Editor

J. Cole, When you let “Tears for ODB” go, I questioned your voice and virtue as always and debated the merits of your title. I heard you again approximating Tupac — and missing Tupac — with your roughly earnest form, already attentive to the “latest and greatest” and “hip-hop prestige” that could come back soon with Born Sinner (and did). But to be honest, the song didn’t do much more than compel me to dig back into Russell Jones for the first time with old ears. Ol’ Dirty Monster of Twisting Persona and Hysteria would have suited Russell better, but Jack Kennedy and M.L.K. and I can see the clout in three initials. When you have a chance, note the ruckus he followed with on track two of Enter the Wu-Tang. Then note that you can’t resurrect ruckus from a fabricated grave, so don’t try. Your first week sales

are proof enough that it’s okay to be Jermaine. Wu-Tang is for the children, and do you also judge people by their favorite Clan member? Personally, I’d rather my son or daughter be a GZA, though I could learn to enjoy the rabid singularity of an O.D.B. sans drugs. Then again, what O.D.B. would there be without drugs? And what would art be without the drug of confidence? Maybe true artists must die young with their vigor burning in a downward-spiraling flame. Now, show me an album opener that tops one of Ason Unique’s and I’ll show you a recent Wayne song that doesn’t mention beating up a pussy. Return To The 36 Chambers begins with an Oscarworthy soliloquy — a nearly-fiveminute act that gave him and his crackling intonations of mayhem their first proper introduction. On “Recognize,” the Bastard’s enthusiasm manages to eclipse that of guest Chris Rock, turning The Neptunes’ production into a podium for his everlasting schizo

Sudoku Syndication

shouts. Look at the manic face on the food coupon ID cover of his debut album. Here Jones began the shortened process of documenting his troubled fury and mastering his profane and comic art — stimulating minds on “Raw Hide” and acting as the doped tour-guide of the “Brooklyn Zoo” in his mind. Then look at how he stands on the front of Nigga Please like a potbellied Rick James returned from a wilderness trip with no razor, staring stoically at the sky and awaiting a tractor beam to take him back to his planet. I bet he’s back there now, joining Van Gogh and Hendrix and Kerouac to chase fleeting, spontaneous visions in a boundless arena. Meanwhile, I sit here writing to you about your tears. “Good Morning, Heartache” is the one that really gets to me. There may never be a purer incarnation of tortured soul. Best, A Lamenting Critic

http://sudo

SUDOKU MEDIUM

3 1

6 2

5 6

2 6

1 8

IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.

Generate and solve Sudoku, Super Sudoku and Godoku puzzles at sudok

10 ARTS

Thursday, July 11, 2013 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

Ciara finds her voice on fifth LP Self-titled album finds R&B star at her shimmering best By KAYLA UPADHYAYA Managing Arts Editor

For some reason, Ciara has never received the commercial success her talent warrants — whether from Amismanagement, poor timing, adverse pop Ciara trends or, most Ciara likely, all of the fucking above. Epic But through it all, Ciara’s self-confidence has

always been the cornerstone of her music. Ciara’s latest eponymous release — her most concise and coherent album to date — oozes with the confidence that has yielded some of her best work. A three-word review of Ciara might look something like: “Needs. More. Ballads.” “Body Party” — the best R&B slow-jam since Usher’s “Climax” — is the obvious crowning jewel, and it’s hard not to crave more of the trickling, electro-backed ballads we fell in love with back in 2006 when CiCi gave us “Promise.” But still, it’s hard to complain about an album so full of intoxicating spunk. CiCi’s at her best when she’s at her most self-pos-

Sudoku Syndication

sessed, and on Ciara, she knows exactly who she is. She occasionally shows her more tender side, as on the shimmering lead single “Body Party.” Other tracks explode with her ferocity, and sometimes both sides collide. On the super-layered “Super Turnt Up,” synths trill and steely beats pound, and Ciara throws smooth, swaying vocals on top of it all, only to transition three minutes in to a snarling rap that’ll have you getting your stank face on. Ciara’s self-assurance gives way to girl-power anthems, like in the male-gaze rejection “Keep On Lookin’” or “Read My Lips,” a buoyant summer jam entirely dedicated entirely to cunnilingus (!!!). CiCi enters full HBIC-mode on the swagger-filled revenge ode “I’m Out,” which thumps with her signature brand of feisty female empowerment. The track features a thrilling, punchy verse from Nicki Minaj. Say what you will Goodies. about her own music, but Minaj’s highlight, as Nicki spends half dynamic guest spots often have her verse praising her partner in the power to make a song some- a moment of sisterly solidarity: “I times even to steal it. Her techni- told CiCi I was getting her / I told cally tantalizing rapping perfectly the bitches can’t see her, no retina complements CiCi’s sexy bangers. / I told her if you go in there’s no But it’s the second Minaj- letting up / See they could kick http://sudokusyndication.com/sudoku/generator/print/ backed track “Livin’ It Up” that you while you’re down but you’re offers the album’s emotional getting up.”

EPIC

“Cause this one is for the girls making progress,” Nicki spits. Ciara undeniably fits under this category, with her latest release asserting more than ever she doesn’t need to stand on anyone else's shoulders. From the self title to the unwavering lyrics, she has her voice figured out.

SUDOKU HARD

I WUMBO. YOU WUMBO. HE, SHE, WE WUMBO.

7 9

3 9

2 3

SHOUTOUT PATRICK STAR.

7 9

2 5

DAILY ARTS WUMBOES.

1 5

AND I FIND IT HARD TO CONCENTRATE.

4 3

Email arts@michigandaily.com to learn more.

Generate and solve Sudoku, Super Sudoku and Godoku puzzles at sudokusyndication.com!

Thursday, July 11 , 2013 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

ALBUM REVIEW

BMagna Carta... Holy Grail Jay-Z Roc Nation

ROC NATION

Basquiats.

Jay-Z falls short on mediocre ‘Grail’ By STEVEN TWEEDIE Daily TV/New Media Editor

Jay-Z’s 12th studio album, Magna Carta... Holy Grail, has arrived with the polished sheen of a birthday present you enjoy for a few months and then quickly forget. “We should make like four more, since we’ve got time,” Jay-Z says in a Samsung promo for MCHG, suggesting to contributing producer Timbaland that they should crank out some more tracks. “I think I’m ready now — like before was just the warm-up.”

Well, not exactly. The best part of MCHG is its grounded production, and unfortunately the worst part is Jay-Z. Glimmers of intense effort from the album’s producers thankfully make up for the sheer lyrical laziness on Jay-Z’s part, and somehow this unbalanced cocktail results in a host of good — but not great — tracks. Jay-Z has both the influence and money to enlist the help of hip hop’s most celebrated sound crafters, and in this regard Magna Carta... excels. It’s a conglomeration of talent that’s never in danger of failure, while

simultaneously never in sight of greatness. Jay-Z puts together a team full of safe bets on his album, but his kingship over mainstream rap prevents him from unhindered progress. Producer Travi$ Scott’s efforts on the song “Crown” — easily the most experimental song on the album, featuring demonic screeches and sheer authoritative heaviness — demonstrate Jay’s willingness to dip and swirl a toe around in the “greatness pool,” and he lays down a couple of solid verses for good measure. We get a glimpse of the post-Watch The Throne Jay-Z, and it never feels

like he’s struggling to keep up. But overall, the consistency just isn’t there. While Kanye West’s perfectionist approach clearly pushed Jay-Z to his pinnacle on the joint venture Watch The Throne, the same can’t be said for Magna Carta... Holy Grail. At the same time, the hours upon hours of studio sessions with Kanye seem to leave a deep impression on Hov, tempting the mainstream rapper to perhaps explore some waterfalls along the way. But without Kanye’s guiding hand, Jay trades the risk of greatness for widestream acceptance. Because of this, MCHG is a very good, very traditional hip-hop album. It falls short, however, because today’s Jay-Z lacks the emotional investment pervading his previous work. Despite a life of pure luxury, Jay tries to convince us that he’s still edgy — even though he can frequently be seen palling around with President Obama — and makes laughable references to his continued dabblings in the drug game. Gangly pop-culture references (“Got me feeling like Brody from ‘Homeland’ ”) slow down his verse in “F.U.T.W.” and demonstrate Jay-Z’s strained attempts to stay relevant. But this strain makes more sense when you realize that Jay-Z appears to have approached Magna Carta... Holy Grail from a business — not artistic — standpoint. With a commercial deal with Samsung that guaranteed the album’s platinum status before it was even released, MCHG is every inch a well orchestrated, manufactured success. An album that travelled down the assembly line, pausing in front of some of hip hop’s best producers, before Jay-Z turned his attention to an impressive marketing scheme. The man’s smart — deceptive even — in his attempts to gather Yeezus-level hype, including legendary producer (and Yeezus

Hova puts business before music on 12th studio album. Even with its lyrical weaknesses, Magna Carta... Holy Grail still arrives in a pristine package dripping with some phenomenal production that will get plenty of welldeserved radio play. People will likely take comfort in the album’s traditional roots, adding it to their summer playlist for a couple of months before ultimately moving onto the next popular hip hop installment. Though others, like Kanye West, have tugged at their artistic chains until they break, Magna Carta... Holy Grail proves that Jay-Z is perfectly content to just make a run for it every now and then before being yanked back by his utter complacency.

LINKING TO GREAT ARTICLES IN 140 CHARACTERS OR LESS! FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @MICHDAILYARTS

ARTS 11

architect) Rick Rubin in his promotional videos (even though Rubin didn’t work on any of the album). Jay-Z certainly is a shrewd businessman. But at the end of the day, Jay had to stop listening to the instrumentals, close the door to Samsung’s boardroom and put some lyrics down. And with a contented bravado that lacks any bite, he settles for name-drops and referencing his many riches in a way that is not only boring — it’s truly tiring. The album’s opening track, “Holy Grail,” begins with Justin Timberlake’s clean vocals — a safe bet following “Suit & Tie” — followed by one of the most lifeless verses Jay-Z has ever written (“Blue told me remind you n**** / f*ck that sh** y’all talkin’ ‘bout / I’m the n****”).

12 SPORTS

Thursday, July 11, 2013 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

‘M’ could make millions after dynamic pricing By GREG GARNO Managing Sports Editor

Because they stand to make $5 million. Any more questions why the Michigan athletic department shouldn’t implement dynamic ticket pricing for football tickets? Last week, Michigan announced that all single-game football tickets would be subject to a new dynamicticket pricing policy — which will determine the price of the ticket based on the demand for the ticket. The policy will only affect singlegame tickets and not season tickets or student tickets. “Dynamic pricing is a practice that has become standard across the sports and entertainment industry after gaining acceptance through airlines and hotels,” said Hunter Lochmann, chief marketing officer for Michigan Athletics, in a statement to the athletic department.

But just how much of a difference will the policy have on ticket prices? Endzone tickets for games against Notre Dame or Ohio State are already projected to cost more than $100 from a standard $65 ticket and could go for more. The estimated total revenue for the athletic department is $5 million, according to Jesse Lawrence, a contributor to Forbes and founder of TiqIQ — a live-event ticket-pricing aggregator and search engine that provides flexible buying and selling options. Nearly 80 percent of ticket sales go to students and alumni, according to Lawrence, leaving 21,700 available seats, or 20 percent. Michigan estimates that intial dynamic price of tickets could range from no increase — like Sept. 14 against Akron — or a $130 increase — like Sept. 7 against Notre Dame. “They (the consumers) are going to pay more anyways,” Lawrence said. “It’s just a question of who’s

GOLF SPECIALS

making the money? Is it the school or is it the broker?” The athletic department is set to release tickets on July 31 to the public, at which point it could decide to withhold a percentage of those tickets for a later time. Lawrence said he estimates that the athletic department could make up to another million dollars should they hold on to the tickets while the price goes up. “If they wanted to be as greedy as possible, they probably would have jacked it up higher than that,” Lawrence said. “The market would have dictated that the demand would be enough to absorb the prices.” Both Lochmann and the athletic department did not estimate on new revenue, since the number of tickets available is unknown. However, Lochmann said in an interview with Crain’s Detroit Business that he expects less than 10,000 singlegame tickets to be available. “We’d be happy if we netted over $1 million,” Lochmann said to Crain’s. Dynamic pricing was used originally by entertainment and hotel industries before it expanded into sports, where teams from the NFL to Major League Soccer make use of the computer program’s input. Michigan will use QCue, a computer program that “determines what drives sales using variables such as start time, opponents, etc. to set more accurate prices from the onset and maximize demand across the house.” Professional sports teams like the MLB’s New York Mets or the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks, among many, use QCue to capture opportunities to raise prices.

MARISSA MCCLAIN/Daily

This year’s Notre Dame tickets could cost $130 more than the origianl price of $65.

The University of California, one of the first collegiate programs to implement dynamic pricing, also uses QCue to suggest ticket prices. The University of South Florida and Georgetown University use dynamic ticket pricing as well. On Monday, Purdue University announced that it too would use dynamic pricing for football season. “One of our guiding principles is to drive change and innovate and in this case, it’s a win-win,” Lochmann said to The Daily. “Creating extra value for our season ticket holders and also creating more revenue to support our 900-plus studentathletes across 31 teams.” The use of dynamic pricing is expected to help athletic departments, much like professional teams, recuperate profits lost to secondary ticket markets like StubHub

or Ticketmaster. According to the athletic department, an aggregate of secondary market average ticket prices for the same endzone seats against Notre Dame cost as much as $133 more as of June 26. Michigan is the second most valuable football program according to Forbes, worth a $120 million. Only Texas, worth $133 million, is valued to be more. Lawrence said he believes the additional revenue would be enough to make the Wolverines the most valuable program. “There’s so much money to be made in the whole college football ecosystem that to think that they would not maximize revenue is a bit naïve frankly,” Lawrence said. “It is business, even though it’s a collegiate program. They’re obviously dedicated to making as much profit as possible.”

Buy a smoothie and receive one of greater or equal free. Limit One offer per customer with coupon. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Valid at Barry Bagels Ann Arbor location ONLY.

Barry Bagels Westgate Shopping Center 2515 Jackson Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 48103 (734) 662-2435 www.barrybagels.com

Expires: July 17, 2013