ONE-HUNDRED-TWENTY-FOUR YEARS OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Ann Arbor, Michigan
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Freshman found dead in Baits II residence JAMES COLLER/Daily
Joshua DuBois, a former faith adviser to President Barack Obama, speaks about his book, The President’s Devotional, at the Ford School Monday. Dubois also spoke and answered questions regarding the role religion plays in the Oval Office.
Former pres. advisor talks faith Obama’s spiritual guide discusses recent book
ity, Joshua DuBois, President Barack Obama’s former advisor on faith-related topics, provided a contrast. DuBois spoke a before a packed auditorium at the Ford School of Public Policy with an air of sincerity and venerable confidence. In 2008, DuBois was 26 years old and working for the Obama campaign as a commonplace
By YARDAIN AMRON Daily Staff Reporter
Though he worked in a White House often characterized by seniority and confidential-
legislative correspondent when he sent the president an inspirational e-mail with a spiritual quote from Psalms and a poem from Wendell Berry. “I wondered who was thinking about his soul,” DuBois said. “You know, who was helping him cultivate that aspect of himself separate from his formal work running for president.”
Obama enjoyed the devotional so much that he asked DuBois to send one every day. He later chose DuBois to head the Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships in 2009, making the 27 year old the youngest head of a White House office in history. Fast-forward six years and more than 1,000 emails, DuBois See FAITH, Page 3
UMPD: No threat to public safety, no injuries found during autopsy By TAYLOR WIZNER Daily News Editor
University Police are investigating the death of a freshman student who was found deceased in his Baits II Residence Hall dorm room last night. UMPD identified the student as Music, Theatre & Dance freshman Thibault deSaintPhalle, an 18-year-old male from California. At about 12 a.m. Monday, a well-being check was requested
SENATE ASSEMBLY
ANN ARBOR
Faculty body discusses IT consolidation Members express concern regarding effects of cutbacks By STEPHANIE SHENOUDA Daily Staff Reporter
Despite a modest turn out, there was no shortage of conversation at the Senate Assembly’s monthly meeting, which was held at Palmer Commons Monday night. Following a quick approval of previous minutes and the agenda, Astronomy Prof. Sally Oey addressed the group about IT Rationalization, a “parallel effort” to the shared services initiative, scheduled to roll out 2014. Though not implemented yet, the administration’s plan is to consolidate IT services offered throughout the different departments within the University as part of their efforts to improve efficiency and cut $120 million in costs by 2017. The project aims to decrease redundancy by generalizing IT staff. While Oey — a member of the Senate Assembly Committee on University Affairs — said there’s room for standardization within some of the University’s IT departments, she expressed concern about how the cutbacks would impact departments with more specialized technological needs. Representing the Department of Astronomy, Oey also said she feels the needs of her departments are “falling through the cracks” and the effects the unit is already feeling are “exceedingly painful.” A representative from the University of Michigan, Dearborn campus said she was surprised to learn these rollbacks
WEATHER TOMORROW
hadn’t already taken place on the Ann Arbor campus, since Dearborn already implemented these changes on that campus without staff input. SACUA member Finn Larsen said he understood the concerns but wasn’t surprised the administration had chosen to consolidate IT support staff because “personnel is where the money is.” Though some concerns about rationalization are not yet resolved, there are plans underway to invite Chief Information Officer Laura Patterson to an upcoming assembly meeting so the group can express their concerns to the University’s technology czar. When Social Work prof. Karen Staller, chair of SACUA, asked the group if they felt their deans had been open with them about the consolidation process, the reply was a brief outburst of laughter. Department administrators were issued a gag order last week, which insisted that they do not talk about how individuals would be effected by the Shared Services Center, a similar effort. The meeting continued on with a follow-up discussion of benefits, introduced at last month’s meeting when Laurita Thomas, vice president of human resources, answered the faculty’s questions regarding the changing benefits policies. Adjunct Law prof. Scott Masten led the follow-up discussion, which ultimately resulted in the unanimous passing of a resolution addressing the committee’s communal frustration with the administration’s lack of transparency. Larry Jones, a non-voting representative for University retirees, said he wholeheartSee CONSOLIDATION, Page 3
HI: 47 LO: 35
for deSaintPhalle, who University Police say had not been seen by friends all weekend. When Housing Security officers entered the student’s dorm room, they found the 18-year-old deceased in his bed. University Police say there is currently no indication that the death represents a public safety threat, but is being investigated nonetheless. The Washtenaw County Medical Examiner conducted an autopsy on deSaintPhalle this afternoon and found no injuries. The toxicology results of the autopsy are still pending, and the process could take several weeks. Police declined to comment on the person who requested the well-being check.
City Council debates crosswalk ordinance Council approves first reading of changed ordinance By MATT JACKONEN Daily Staff Reporter
NICHOLAS WILLIAMS/Daily
LSA junior Simon Rivers, coordinator of the Riding for Rosa event, leads the march from the Central Campus Transit Center Monday to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Rosa Parks Minority Lounge in Stockwell Residence Hall.
Students honor Rosa Parks at commemorative event Lounge named for civil rights leader celebrates 40th anniversary By ALEXANDRA DITOMMASO For the Daily
There was only silence as students marched in cold weather from the Central Campus Transit Center to Stockwell Residence Hall. The march was held to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Rosa Parks Lounge in Stockwell Residence Hall. Students — most of whom are diversity peer educators — sought to honor the civil rights icon during the subdued march. Once at Stockwell, participants listened to a lecture by Spectrum Center founder Jim Toy and viewed a performance by the Educational Theater Company.
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Students arrived at the Central Campus Transit Center clad in matching T-shirts bearing Parks’s mug shot and reading “#RideforRosa.” They then silently marched toward Stockwell Hall with posters with the same words: “Ride for Rosa.” The Rosa Parks Lounge is one of the many cultural lounges in residence halls, including the Umoja lounge in Alica Lloyd Residence Hall and the César Chávez lounge in Mosher Jordan Residence Hall. The lounges are designed to be safe spaces for students who are underrepresented on campus, according to LSA junior Igra Nasir, a diversity peer educator for Oxford Housing. At Stockwell, Toy spoke to the audience about his experiences with social inequality and his activism work for civil rights, LGBTQ issues and opposition of the Vietnam War. “I’ve come to believe that the struggle for any justice connects to all the struggles for all justice—gender justice, race
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justice, class justice, religious justice, political justice,” Toy said. Toy said it’s important to continue fighting for justice not just here at the University, but also after graduation. “This event is continuing the work that Mrs. Park engaged in and the work that Dr. King did,” Toy said. “And it is here and it is now, and it’s up to us to keep this moving.” Following Toy’s speech, ETC performed a sketch titled “What If,” which questioned what the world would be like without formative leaders like Parks and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. LSA freshman Arielle Hehir, a member of ETC, said the sketch described the ripple effect of change. “The whole show said how much it’s needed to have one person say ‘I’m going to stand up for this’ because then you have so many other people joining in saying ‘I can stand See MARCH, Page 3
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The Ann Arbor City Council attempted to come one step closer to solving the city’s evident pedestrian safety issues Monday night. The city council approved the first reading of the ordinance to repeal the city’s crosswalk ordinance, which has been criticized for conflicting with the state traffic code. Only Mayor John Hieftje, Christopher Taylor (D–Ward 3) and Margie Teall (D–Ward 4) voted not to approve the first reading. The ordinance differs from the Michigan Uniform Traffic Code in that Ann Arbor’s code adds that a driver must stop at a crosswalk even if a pedestrian is on the curb waiting to cross a street. The state code explains that drivers should yield the right-of-way when a pedestrian is in a crosswalk on the half of the roadway on which the vehicle is traveling, or when the pedestrian is approaching closely from the opposite site of the freeway Should the ordinance pass, the driver of any vehicle would no longer be legally obliged to stop at pedestrian crossings or yield to pedestrians waiting to walk. It would mean that drivers must stop only when a pedestrian is actively crossing in a crosswalk. Craig Hupy, the city’s interim public services area administrator, told the council that the repeal would not change where and how they place crosswalks, but it would change how signs around crosswalks are marked, See ORDINANCE, Page 3
NEWS............................ 2 OPINION.......................4 SPORTS......................... 5
ARTS............................7 SUDOKU........................ 2 CL ASSIFIEDS.................6
News
2 — Tuesday, November 19, 2013
MONDAY: This Week in History
WEDNESDAY: In Other Ivory Towers Before You Were Here
TUESDAY: Professor Profiles Profiles
THURSDAY: CampusProfiles Clubs Alumni
Prof. tells of inspiration
What do you do outside the classroom? I have a 6-year-old daughter, and she and I have done violin lessons together and we spend quite a lot of time on that. It’s a method of learning music where the parent learns with
the child. I’m not taking lessons any more, but the method is that the parent helps the child practice so we work on that everyday. What sparked your interest in classical art and archaeology? When I was a child, I grew up in England, and at school I learned Latin, which is the language of the ancient Romans. I got interested in the Romans, and we had the option to study ancient Greek so
— EMILIE PLESSET
ALLISON FARRAND/Daily
LEFT: Lauren Bacans, a field organizor for Planned Parenthood, addresses students about women’s benefits under the Affordable Care Act at the School of Public Health Monday. RIGHT: Sally Winn Feminist for Life Vice President speaks at a Students for Life Event about her feminist idols at the Chemistry Building Monday.
Blood Battle
WHERE: 2145 Hubbard WHEN: Sunday at about 11:55 p.m. WHAT: There was a twovehicle accident that resulted in no injuries, University Police reported. One driver was cited for disregarding a stop sign.
WHAT: The 32nd annual competition between the University and Ohio State continues with the Blood Battle. Make an appointment at the Red Cross’s website to contribute by donating blood. WHO: Blood Drives United WHEN: Today from 8 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. WHERE: Michigan Union
WHERE: Northwood II WHEN: Monday at about 2 a.m. WHAT: A student reported that around 12:45 a.m., she observed an unknown male looking in her room window, University Police reported. Later an officer was unable to locate anyone.
Chinese directors WHAT: Yi Sicheng, organizer of a Chinese independent film festival, and two film directors will be interviewed about their work. WHO: Center for Chinese Studies WHEN: Today at 12 p.m. WHERE: School of Social Work Building
Political Artist branding This workshop/ Science careers WHAT: seminar will explain how
WHERE: Shapiro Library WHEN: Sunday at about 4:30 a.m. WHAT: A subject was found passed out in the men’s restroom, University Police reported. He was awoken and asked to leave the premises.
WHAT: Students interested in careers in political science are invited to schedule an appointment with a career advisor from the Career Center. Topics can include how to land an internship, how to carry out a job search, and career goals. WHO: The Career Center WHEN: Today from 1 p.m.to 3 p.m.
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CAMPUS EVENTS & NOTES
WHERE: Fletcher Carport WHEN: Monday at about 4:10 a.m. WHAT: A University fleet vehicle was damaged while parked in the structure over the weekend, University Police reported. There are currently no suspects.
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I studied that as well. Also, my parents were both teachers, and they had long summer holidays so we would pack up the car in the summer and take the ferry over to France. So, the classical past has always been part of the physical and educational environment for me. I’ve always had an interest in history, and the Greeks somehow caught my imagination.
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Peeping Tom
FRIDAY: Photos the Week Week Photos of the
DUELING VIEWS
CLASSICAL TRAINING
Lisa Nevett is a classical art and archaeology professor in the University’s Department of Classical Studies and has worked at the University since 2003.
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aspiring musicians can create a recognizable brand by honing and displaying their strongest skills. Hosted by Studio Teal Founder and former Art Director for Team Detroit Jon Dones. WHO: MLibrary Copyright Office WHEN: Today from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. WHERE: Art and Architecture Building, room 2104
THREE THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW TODAY
1
On Sunday, body freedom activist Gypsy Taub protested the ordinance against public nudity in San Francisco, the SF Gate reported. Part of the protest involved announcing her upcoming naked wedding to fiance Jaymz Smith.
2
The enviornmentalism and enviornmental justice movements, once seperated by class and focus, are coming together to tackle all aspects of climate change. SEE OPINION, PAGE 4
3
Scientists of the UK Natural Environment Research Council announced that young deer should be shot when their mothers are shot by hunters, because their chances of survival diminish when the are orphaned, the BBC reported.
mjslovin@michigandaily.com arube@michigandaily.com
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Zimmerman charged with assault Forum connects local after attacking girlfriend, property transit agencies to public Girlfriend calls police, claims pointed a shotgun at her in their home
out of my house. Do not push me out of my house. Please get out of my house.” Seconds later, she told the dispatcher, “You kidding me? He pushed me out of my house and locked me out. ... He knows how to do this. He knows how to play this game.” APOPKA, Fla. (AP) — George Zimmerman was Moments later, Zimmerman called 911 from inside the charged with assault Monday after his girlfriend called barricaded house to tell his side of the story. deputies to the home where they were living and claimed “I have a girlfriend, who for lack of a better word, has he pointed a shotgun at her during an argument, authori- gone crazy on me,” Zimmerman said. ties said. Zimmerman then said he never pulled a gun on his The girlfriend, Samantha Scheibe, called 911 in the girlfriend, and that it was Scheibe who smashed a table early afternoon to say that Zimmerman had smashed a at the home they shared. He also told the dispatcher that glass table, threatened her with the shotgun and ulti- Scheibe was pregnant with their child and that she had mately pushed her out of the house, according to an arrest decided she would raise the child on her own. When report. After pushing her out, Zimmerman barricaded Zimmerman started to leave, “she got mad,” he said. the door with furniture and refused to leave, saying that Seminole County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Denhe would talk to police by phone, authorities said. nis Lemma said at a news conference that Scheibe wasn’t The arrest was the latest legal problem for Zimmer- pregnant. man since he was acquitted in July of criminal charges in Deputies used a key provided by Scheibe to unlock the the fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin, an unarmed black door and they were able to push through the barricade of teen. The case sparked accusations that Zimmerman had items, Lemma said. racially profiled Martin and led to nationwide debates “She was very concerned for her own safety especially over the so-called Stand Your Ground defense laws in having the weapon pointed at her and then being pushed Sudoku Syndication http://sudokusyndication.com/sudoku/generator/print/ Florida and other states. out,” he said. “You point your gun at my fricking face,” Samantha Lemma says Zimmerman was compliant and unarmed Scheibe is heard telling Zimmerman on a 911 call. “Get when deputies came to the house. “The easiest way to describe it is rather passive. Clearly, he’s had the opportunity to encounter situations similar to this in the past,” he said. Zimmerman was charged with domestic HARD aggravated assault with a weapon, domestic battery and criminal mischief. His first court appearance was scheduled for Tuesday afternoon. He will be housed in a single-person cell and guards will check on him hourly, Lemma added. Scheibe told deputies that the ordeal started with a verbal argument and that she asked Zimmerman to leave the house. Her account in the arrest report says he began packing his belongings, including a shotgun and an assault rifle. She says she began putting his things in the living room and outside the house, and he became upset. At that point, the report says, he took the shotgun out of its case. Zimmerman told his girlfriend to leave and smashed a pair of her sunglasses as she walked toward the front door, the report says. Scheibe told deputies that he pushed her out of the house when she got close to the door. Benjamin Crump, the attorney for the Martin family, was at Harvard Law School on Monday with the teen’s mother, Sybrina Fulsudokusolver.com. For personal use only. puzzle by ©sudokusyndication.com GOOD LUCK, SHERLOCK. ton, to speak at a symposium about his legacy and self-defense laws. Crump said they found out about Zimmer-
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Forum for Ann Arbor residents dispells transportation confusion By WILL GREENBURG Daily Staff Reporter
The Hatcher Graduate Library played host Monday night to the Washtenaw Area Transportation Study’s transit forum with city planners, local residents and representatives gathering to hear status updates on the current projects. Guests were greeted with food, drinks and 18 different representatives from The Connector high-capacity transit project, Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority and Clean Energy Coalition all gathered together for the first forum of its kind to inform the public on the county’s current transit projects and answer questions. WATS Director Ryan Buck said it’s hard for area residents to attend each individual meeting for various initiatives and the forum was a good opportunity to inform the public. Buck said the projects have various timelines and roadblocks to overcome but that funding is an issue across most initiatives. “Funding is the most critical issue facing transportation planners and transportation infrastructure right now,” Buck said. “It’s critically and chronically underfunded.” Project leaders shared optimism for their plans, the most notable being the commuter and high-speed rail projects as well as The Ride’s urban core focus. Alex Bourgeau, an intermodal transportation coordinator at the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments, said the forum was a great opportunity to disentangle the rail projects going on in southeast Michigan. There are currently three major projects: the highspeed rail program, the MITrain Southeast Michigan Commuter Rail Service, and the Washtenaw and Livingston Line, commonly referred to as WALLY. The MITrain cars and track, which includes the WALLY line, are complete and should start running special trains next year between Ann Arbor and Detroit for major events, such as Detroit Tiger’s games or the Ann Arbor Art Fair, Bourgeau said. The line is roughly two to three years away from regular service, he said. Meanwhile, Bourgeau said the high-speed rail line should reach speeds of 110 miles per hour between Detroit and Chicago along some portions of the track and should be
finalized by 2017. He said in addition to being faster, the line should help clear up congestion in high-traffic areas such as outside Chicago where freight, commercial and other rail all converge. “Really, the two services in this corridor could complement each other,” Bourgeau said. Ann Arbor resident Keith LaSalle was excited about the prospect of the new rail services. However, he stressed having a concrete plan before he could fully support the projects. “I love the concept — if done properly and if the planners are fiscally responsible in making it happen,” LaSalle said. Expanding bus services The expansion of AAATA bus services, also known as TheRide, was another point of interest for many at the forum, with Michael Benham, TheRide’s special assistant for strategic planning, sharing a plan that would expand service by 44 percent. Benham said the much needed improvements will add routes and increase service and frequency. “We’ve got people walking down Washtenaw Avenue after 11 (p.m.) because they can’t catch a bus,” Benham said. “We’ve got people in (Ypsilanti) who can’t get to the grocery store on a Sunday or Saturday, so the needs there are critical.” At the time, Benham said the changes would go much smoother if the Ann Arbor City Council approved adding Ypsilanti Township into the AAATA, which represents multiple municipalities. Tuesday evening, the council did approve the township’s membership. Now, a millage is needed to approve the plan. State Rep. Gretchen Driskell (D–Saline), who attended the forum, said she is concerned about the additional funding need for the project, but supports an increased emphasis on public transportation. “The state has historically been more oriented towards road construction versus alternative modes of transportation, transit, non-motorized, like biking,” Driskell said. “There is definitely movement recognizing the importance of transit.” Other booths at the forum, such as the Clean Energy Coalition’s Bike Share program and the Program to Educate All Cyclists, focused on promoting bike riding in Ann Arbor, and booths from the Ann Arbor Project Management Services Unit and Washtenaw County Road Commission shared results from recent projects.
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FAITH From Page 1 has authored The President’s Devotional, a collection of his favorite 365 e-mails interspersed with lessons he learned while at the White House. During a question-andanswer session, DuBois explained how careful he was not to politicize the meditations based on any national or international circumstance. Instead, he presented quotations he hoped would connect Obama to personal prayer, allow him to see
CONSOLIDATION From Page 1 edly agreed with the group’s questioning of the validity of benefit-based savings, which Masten said outside consultants sometimes over-project. The meeting concluded with a presentation on “The Teaching Evaluation Project” by Mika LaVaque-Manty, representing the Academic Affairs Advisory Committee to the Provost. He sought input and feedback after compil-
MARCH From Page 1 up with you’ and the more you expand the more voices you have heard, and the more voices you have heard, the more things that
ORDINANCE From Page 1 as well as how they mark the crosswalks themselves. The repeal is currently sponsored by Councilmembers Sally Hart Petersen (D–Ward 2), Sumi Kailasapathy (D–Ward 1), Jane Lumm (I–Ward 2), Mike Anglin (D–Ward 5) and Stephen Kunselman (D–Ward 3). The original resolution to repeal the ordinance was backed by Hieftje, but he later rescinded his sponsorship. Lumm echoed the sentiments of many on city council, as well as of many residents, noting the confusion between the standardized traffic code for the state and Ann Arbor’s. “By having a local ordinance in Ann Arbor that’s unique in Michigan,” Lumm said. “We are asking for trouble and placing folks at an unnecessary risk — risk caused in part by the confusion caused by having a unique ordinance coupled with a pedestrians-rule mindset that creates a false sense of security for pedestrians and cyclists.” Petersen said the average number of pedestrian crashes signifi-
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compassion for enemies abroad and in Washington, and lighten the seriousness of his post. Recently, DuBois left his post at the White House with the support of the president to write and promote his book. He also founded a consulting firm, Values Partnerships, which assists private and nonprofit partners in the religious community in solving problems. Regardless of their standing in society, DuBois encouraged audience members to make their presence known. “Just be bold; that’s the main thing,” DuBois said. “There’s no
minimum age requirement for boldness.” Deva Madhava Das, a spiritual leader of the Bhakti Yoga Society, said after the event he enjoyed DuBois’ perspectives on divine topics. “I’m appreciative of it because in my spiritual practice I’m very immersed, so I don’t get out-and-about in terms of ideas as often as I used to,” Madhava Das said. “So, it’s refreshing to hear the perspective of faith and God’s relationship in people’s lives who aren’t immersed daily in cultivating their relationship.”
ing data related to the change in the way the University evaluates professors. Some of LaVaque-Manty’s findings included disproving several myths, such as professors “buying” good reviews by handing out good grades, and that the transition from paper to electronic was a “disaster” — only partially true. he said. LaVaque-Manty said these evaluations are more important to non-tenured and junior professors, but the hope is that they eventually outweigh reviews on
websites such as “Rate My Professor,” which he called problematic because of their impact on the University’s reputation despite the site’s lack of accreditation. The University currently has about 30,000 courses and 3,643 instructors reviewed on the website. The general response from the group was that evaluative data requires further examination before it can be deemed conclusive. The next Senate Assembly meeting is scheduled for Dec. 9.
can be changed,” Hehir said. The event was orchestrated by LSA junior Simon Rivers, diversity peer educator for Stockwell. Rivers said the event was a chance for students of all races to gain a better understanding of the nation’s racial history. “(The event was) important
for everyone because it’s a part of history, it’s a part of United States history, and black history is celebrated during February, but it should be celebrated at all times,” River said. “It’s every day. I just want people to recognize that as far as we’ve come, we have even farther to go.”
cantly increased between 2009 and 2012 the current ordinance’s passage. While that may not be due to the ordinance, she said city council should be able to agree that safety did not increase under the ordinance as it was supposed to. “It is too dangerous to arm pedestrians with the notion that they rule,” Petersen said. “It just hasn’t worked.” Taylor responded to the argument that the two might be related, stating that nothing is inherently unsafe about the current language of the ordinance. Kailasapathy said the problem with the proposed solutions to the traffic issues is that they often ignore the need for a larger police force — something she hopes the council will consider that option in the future. “Whenever the issue of hiring more police comes up, we always seem to hear that level one crimes are down, and there’s really no need for more police hires,” Kailasapathy said. “This just shows that there are other quality of life issues involved here such as pedestrian safety and making sure that speeding limits are enforced.”
Kailasapathy further noted that the repeal of the ordinance is simply step one, and that other steps will need be taken to ensure safety through means of infrastructure and enforcement. Safety on Seventh, a group founded by Ann Arbor resident Chris Hewett, is composed of residents that attempt to inform other residents of the traffic problems and pedestrian safety issues in Ann Arbor. Hewett and his group argue that most of the safety issues stem from a lack of enforcement of traffic laws, mainly speeding. Hewett told the council Monday night before the vote that the lack of respect for pedestrians has become alarming and will continue to be a problem —regardless of the council’s decision on the ordinance. “The fact is the city of Ann Arbor still has major traffic and pedestrian issues that must be addressed,” Hewett said. “Personally, I find it disgusting that Ann Arbor continues to allow pedestrians to be hit and cars to drive at speeds upwards of 70 miles per hour on our neighborhood streets.
UN climate chief calls on coal industry to invest in renewable energy sources Diplomat says companies need to help reduce emissions WARSAW, Poland (AP) — The top U.N. climate diplomat on Monday told the coal industry it should leave most of the world’s remaining coal reserves in the ground and start investing in renewable energy sources. Speaking at a coal summit on the sidelines of a U.N. climate conference in Warsaw, Christiana Figueres said the coal industry needs to change radically to help reduce the carbon emissions that scientists say are warming the planet. “The world is rising to meet the climate challenge as risks of inaction mount, and it is in your best interest to make coal part of the solution,” Figueres said. The coal event was seen as a provocation by climate activists, who used a crane to reach the ministry’s roof, where they unfurled banners criticizing Poland’s — and the world’s — reliance on coal and other fossil fuels. Police used another crane to take them down, as panelists at the coal summit said that the people in the room, not the people on the roof, have the possibility to change the coal industry. Coal industry officials at the event didn’t directly address her remarks but said the world
cannot do without coal because in many countries it’s the only available energy source. “A major aim of the summit has been to encourage open and constructive dialogue on the climate challenge — we’re not going to meet our climate objectives if we are not all part of the solution,” the World Coal Association, which organized the event, said in a statement. Polish Economy Minister Janusz Piechocinski, whose country generates about 90 percent of its electricity from coal, said: “You cannot have a lowemissions energy transformation without talking about coal.” Coal accounts for less than 30 percent of the world’s energy supply but more than 40 percent of energy emissions, according to the International Energy Agency. Figueres, who was criticized by some climate activists for attending the conference, noted coal’s role in economic development since the industrial revolution but said it’s come at “an unacceptably high cost to human and environmental health.” She said aging, high-polluting coal plants must be closed and new plants should implement technologies that allow for emissions to be trapped before they are released into the atmosphere. Such technologies are expensive and currently not widely used. To bring down CO2 emissions to levels that would avoid dan-
gerous levels of warming, most of the existing coal reserves must be left in the ground, Figueres said. “Some major oil, gas and energy technology companies are already investing in renewables, and I urge those of you who have not yet started to join them,” Figueres said. Back at the U.N. conference later Monday, she told reporters she didn’t expect any major shift in the industry’s deployment of capital anytime soon. “They really need to do a major, major rethink,” Figueres said. “So I don’t expect them to stand up immediately and go, ‘We are ready for the challenge right now,’ but I do expect them to take the message very seriously.” That message was echoed by U.S. climate envoy Todd Stern. “The world runs significantly on fossil fuels right now and that’s not going to change overnight,” he said. “But at the same time if we’re going to get a grip on climate change ... the balance of energy in countries all over the world is going to have to tilt much more toward non-fossil sources.” Coal emissions have declined in the U.S. as some power plants have switched to lower-priced natural gas. But they are growing fast in China and India to meet the energy needs of their fast-growing economies.
Tuesday, November 19, 2013 — 3
Toronto Mayor causes scene at hearing to limit his powers Despite his controversial past, Ford says ouster is politically-motivated TORONTO (AP) — Amid cries of “Shame! Shame!” scandalplagued Toronto Mayor Rob Ford was stripped of the last of his meaningful powers Monday after a heated City Council debate in which he argued with members of the public, charged hecklers and knocked a councilwoman down. Ford called the move a “coup d’etat” and vowed an “outright war” in next year’s mayoral election. “What’s happening here today is not a democratic process, it’s a dictatorship process,” the 44-year-old mayor declared. The council lacks the power to remove Ford from office unless he is convicted of a crime. Instead, members sought the strongest recourse available after recent revelations that Ford smoked crack cocaine and was drunk at public events.
Ford later said in a TV interview Monday night on the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. that he was “finished” with alcohol, acknowledging that his drinking had resulted in “excessive, stupid, immature behavior.” Earlier Monday, the council voted overwhelmingly in favor of slashing Ford’s office budget by 60 percent and allowing his staff to move to the deputy mayor, who now takes on many of the mayor’s former powers. Ford now effectively has no legislative power and no longer chairs the executive committee, although he retains his title and ability to represent Toronto at official functions. The debate became raucous after Ford paced around the council chamber and traded barbs with members of the public. The speaker asked security to clear the gallery and a recess was called, but not before Ford barreled toward his detractors, mowing into Councilor Pam McConnell. Another councilor asked Ford to apologize. Ford said he was rushing to the defense of his brother, Councilor Doug Ford, and accidentally knocked
McConnell down. “I picked her up,” he said. “I ran around because I thought my brother was getting into an altercation.” Visibly shaken after Ford ran her over, McConnell, a petite woman in her 60s, said she never expected the chaos that broke out. “This is the seat of democracy. It is not a football field. I just wasn’t ready. Fortunately, the mayor’s staff was in front. They stopped me from hitting my head against the wall. I just need to sit down,” McConnell said. The motion to strip Ford of his powers was revised from a tougher version to ward off potential legal challenges by letting Ford keep his title and represent the city at official functions. The city’s lawyer said Ford was not reduced to being “mayor in name only.” “Obviously I cannot do the job with eight people in the office with a quarter of the former mayor’s budget,” Ford said. Council members said it was necessary to restrict the mayor’s powers given his erratic behavior.
Hong Kong struggles with effects of black market ivory trade Government unsure of how to eliminate large deposits of illegal ivory HONG KONG (AP) — When Hong Kong intercepted yet another huge shipment of illegal African ivory in early October, it added to a growing headache for authorities: What exactly do you do with one of the world’s biggest stockpiles of elephant tusks? Government warehouses in the former British colony are holding more than 30 metric tons of ivory seized since 2008, as customs agents intercept a surging amount of endangered animal products being smuggled to mainland China to meet demand from the country’s newly wealthy. The latest shipment, 189 tusks worth $1.5 million hidden in soybean sacks in a shipping container, was one of four major busts this year. Ivory is known as “white gold” because of the rich prices it commands on the black market. Hong Kong has put values of between $1,000 and $2,000 a kilogram on ivory it seized this year. A 2011 report by the International Fund for Animal Welfare said buyers in China were paying up to $2,400 a kilogram. Conservation groups, worried the ivory pile presents a target for theft and fails to send a signal that Hong Kong is serious about cracking down on the trade, urge the govern-
ment to destroy it. Authorities are resisting, instead preferring to dole out small amounts to schools to raise conservation awareness. “As long as that ivory is kept anywhere, it will always be a temptation for people to get their hands on it,” said Grace Ge Gabriel, the fund’s regional director. IFAW and 15 other animal welfare and conservation groups wrote to Hong Kong’s leader and customs commissioner after the October seizure, urging them to follow the example of countries that destroy confiscated ivory. Because the ivory trade is illegal, its size worldwide is hard to pin down. Samuel K. Wasser, director of the Center for Conservation Biology at the University of Washington, calculated it was worth $264 million from 2000-2010. He said the amount now is likely to be far higher based on the soaring amount confiscated globally. IFAW estimates 35,000 elephants a year are killed by poachers for ivory, risking extinction of the animal in the wild. Demand is fuelled by China’s booming economy, which has created a vast middle class with the ability to buy ivory carvings prized as status symbols. “The Chinese market remains the paramount destination for illicit ivory,” according to a report this year by the U.N., the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species and wildlife trade monitoring
network TRAFFIC. It said China’s involvement has been growing since 1996 despite “increasing levels of law enforcement.” In their letter, the groups pointed to “high profile ivory destruction measures” over the years. Kenya held the world’s first large ivory bonfire in 1989, torching 12 tons in an event that drew international attention and helped lead to a global ban the following year on ivory sales between countries. Zambia set fire to 9.5 tons in 1992 and Gabon burned nearly 5 tons in 2012. In June, the Philippines became the first Asian country to destroy its stocks when it burned and crushed more than 5 tons of ivory worth an estimated $10 million confiscated since 2009. The United States last week destroyed more than 6 tons of ivory tusks, carvings and jewelry seized over 25 years and urged other nations to follow suit. Hong Kong’s stockpile is several times bigger. Destroying it would be a mammoth task. The government won’t disclose the exact amount, though says the bulk of it is made up of 32.6 tons seized since 2003, with amounts rising sharply in recent years. Some 7.2 tons have been confiscated so far in 2013, double the amount in 2011. Other busts this year include $5.3 million in ivory, rhino horns and leopard skins from Nigeria in August; $2.2 million of ivory from Togo in July; and a $1.4 million shipment from Kenya in January.
Opinion
4 — Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890. 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 tothedaily@michigandaily.com MELANIE KRUVELIS ANDREW WEINER EDITOR IN CHIEF
and ADRIENNE ROBERTS
EDITORIAL PAGE EDITORS
MATT SLOVIN 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
Fair use(ful) Greenlighting Google Books keeps education open and accessible
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fter eight years of trial, U.S. Circuit Judge Denny Chin ruled Nov. 14 that Google did not infringe upon copyright laws when it began scanning texts into Google Books, its massive, searchable online library. The judge said Google acknowledges that it did not receive explicit permission from authors to publish certain texts since receiving acceptance from millions of authors would prove unfeasible. The company acted within the “fair use” exception to copyright infringement. The ruling has made it easier to legally obtain, share and use books for educational information and creative stimulation — a major victory toward achieving open, accessible education. Other courts in cases like this should accept the broad definition of fair use in order to continue this trend of accessible resources for the public good. The fair use exception to copyright infringement has four requirements: First, it must produce creative stimulation while not using the text for personal profit. Second, the text must be published, not private. Third, the source may only use a fraction of the whole text, and, fourth, use of the text cannot harm the market for purchasing a novel. Google Books fulfills all of these requirements, as the judge rightly decided. Potential readers are able to quickly search, purchase or rent copies of books, so people can easily find specific books while also discovering recommendations for other texts. Or, as Chin wrote, “Google Books digitizes books and transforms expressive text into a comprehensive word index that helps readers, scholars, researchers and others find books.” Opponents, notably the Author’s Guild, the organization that originally filed the suit against Google, claim the search engine fails under the fair use provision by providing too many direct quotes from a book, allowing Google Books users to read a text in its entirety through its online previews. However, Chin denied this, arguing, “Google Books does not supersede or supplant books because it is not a tool to be used to read books.” Users can see a only few pages of a novel per preview and a portion of each novel is never scanned into the system, proving that using Google Books to
read an entire work is seriously impractical, if not impossible. The innovative Google project is beneficial to authors. After searching a book, users can click on a link to purchase a copy from various online sellers. Since the engine allows easy access to find and purchase texts while also allowing readers to find new texts based on recommendations, authors actually have the opportunity to generate a greater profit. Additionally, many of the technical texts that may be useful to students are not products that were written with profitable intent. The ruling also helps the University in its contribution to HathiTrust, an innovative project that connects the online libraries of the University and other major academic institutions. Because the University was an original contributor to the online database, this case establishes a precedent for the HathiTrust project. The decision also encourages the University to continue digitizing texts, furthering opportunities for public knowledge. In making this ruling, Chin encourages public learning. By definition, fair use allows the use of copyrighted text if it mutually benefits every party, and in this case, it does. Allowing Google Books to continue use creates a legal precedent that will encourage
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Kaan Avdan, Sharik Bashir, Barry Belmont, James Brennan, Eric Ferguson, Jordyn Kay, Jesse Klein, Melanie Kruvelis, Maura Levine, Aarica Marsh, Megan McDonald, Victoria Noble, Adrienne Roberts, Paul Sherman, Daniel Wang, Derek Wolfe
VIEWPOINT
Campus is no place for hatred At the Victors for Michigan launch event Nov. 8, a T-shirt was sighted with the message “Victors for Moral Antigayism,” alongside an image of a cross. While we don’t know the individual who chose to make and wear this message, nor his motivations, we invite him to meet with us as leaders of our respective faith-based groups. We welcome the opportunity to share with him why we feel there’s no place at the University of Michigan — or anywhere — for hatred or anti-gay activism, especially associated with a religious symbol. As faith leaders on this campus, we seek to create positive spaces for students to deepen their religious and spiritual beliefs, while also respecting the diversity of views and identities that exist on this campus. Messages like this serve to intimidate and alienate other students, at an event that was intended to bring our victors together in a positive, affirming space. We support and reinforce this student’s right to hold strong religious beliefs that guide his morals, ethics, values and actions. Associating a cross, however, with an antigay message does not represent the values of many of our Christian and other faith-based groups on campus. Many of our organiza-
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tions are actively inclusive of the LGBTQ community, and several are certified allies through the Spectrum Center’s Ally Development Training program. The Victors event was about showcasing “the Leaders and the Best” that this campus offers. The presence of an anti-gay message had no place at the event or on this campus. We look forward to continuing to work in partnership with Student Life and the Office of Development to ensure our motto of Expect Respect is upheld on our campus. Kelly Dunlop is the associate director of Campus Catholic Ministry. Ernestine Griffin is the minister for Unity On Campus Ministry. Reid Hamilton is the chaplain of Canterbury House. Dr. Bruce D. Martin is the executive director of the Ecumenical Center & International Residence. Bob Roth is the Chaplain and Director of the Wesley Foundation. Mohammed Tayssir Safi is the chaplain and director of The Felicity Foundation. Tilly Shames is the executive director of Hillel. Paul and Stacey Simpson Duke are campus ministers at The Gathering (American Baptist Campus Foundation). Sue Sprowls is the campus pastor for Lord of Light Lutheran Campus Ministry.
NOTABLE QUOTABLE
There’s been some level of information available, but it’s clear we didn’t communicate enough info early enough to include people in the process.” — University spokesperson Rick Fitzgerald said to The Michigan Daily in response to concerns regarding the shared service transition.
Is an engineering education disconnected from reality?
n a recent night in the library, a former computer science student, Claire, who asked to have her name changed for publication due to concerns about her academic career here, shared a story with me that hit JULIA close to home. ZARINA “(Majoring in) engineering was a very negative experience for me,” she disclosed. “From the very beginning, I felt completely overwhelmed, like I didn’t have the skills or the support to succeed.” She described her inability to reconcile what she had always heard about college — that it was supposed to be the best four years of a person’s life — with her own experiences, which seemed to be polar opposite from that expectation: “The environment was beyond stressful. I felt that I worked literally all the time for very little outcome. It seemed like everyone around me was unhappy and worried about failing.” And when it comes to the rigor of the curriculum, Claire said the attitude among some of the professors was, “ ‘Well, we did it this way when we were in school, so you should have to as well.’ ” “I was miserable.” Claire has since switched her degree program and although her story is just one of many, statistics indicate that her experiences may unfortunately not be unique or even uncommon. At the University, 20 percent of the entering class of engineers will transfer or not complete their degree — a number that, while much lower than the national average, is still 10-percent higher than the drop-out rate of the University as a whole. Nationally, fewer than half of students who enter science, technology, engineering and math fields complete their degrees within six years. These statistics enforce the idea that many elements of our current standard of engineering education are outdated and in need of overhaul. It’s no secret that engineering is difficult. Recent studies have shown that engineering majors study on average 19 hours per week compared to the 14 hours per week
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put in by their peers in business and social science programs. Although this workload might be necessary for students to master some of the complex subjects they study, it contributes to the idea that engineering is an inaccessible field. Social standards within the field, and perceptions of engineering on the outside, often reinforce this idea. More than 85 percent of the schools in the Princeton Review’s 2012 ranking of schools with the “least happy students” are engineering colleges. The stereotype of the ruthless professor who designs their curriculum as a kind of trial by fire to weed out those who do not spend every waking moment studying is commonly addressed both in popular culture and by students. Last year, a screenshot of an e-mail sent out by the professor of an upperlevel computer-programming class here at the University was widely circulated on Facebook. “Don’t plan to have a social life or engage in extracurricular activities until you’ve completed the first project,” the e-mail read. “Until then you won’t really know how much time this course requires of you.” Fortunately, e-mails like that are not the norm, but many students, and nearly 40 percent of those from minority backgrounds across the United States, report feeling unsupported in STEM programs and discouraged from pursuing them. Besides being socially outdated, the current perceptions in engineering are holding the field back in many other ways as well. In a 2009 report commissioned by the University analyzing trends in engineering education, professors and faculty argued a point that appears to be a serious issue for STEM fields: The foundation of engineering instruction is tailored to meet the needs of a “post-World War II industrial manufacturing economy.” The obvious problem with this standard in the United States is that we no longer have an economy reliant on industrial manufacturing. Economists and educators describe our engineering focus as
shifting correspondingly: We have gone from building infrastructure to building industries to building information systems and social improvements. The needs of both students and companies have changed drastically in the past few decades. Today’s engineering students have never lived in a world without Internet access or cell phones; today’s employers value diverse backgrounds, global perspectives and socially conscious, engaged employees nearly as much as they value technical skills. Currently, there is still a degree of mismatch at the education level engaging students in this reality. A system that largely measures performance based on a few individually taken exams each year might be a good indicator of how well students can memorize information, but large lecture halls alone do not foster the kinds of creative environments that will develop the skills today’s engineering students need and demand. Many top-ranking schools like the University recognize this fact and actively support programs that are interdisciplinary, modular and global, and they value entrepreneurism and collaboration. This needs to be the standard across the board, however. There are still far too many departments and institutions that are teaching to the needs of a bygone era, and although they may have long track records of success, it is not enough to rest on past or current accomplishments. We as an engineering community will continue to succeed — to attract the best, brightest and most unconventional thinkers — only if we can adapt. Technology is both self-destructive and self-perpetuating. It’s a cycle of evolution; the products and systems that we create demand better and more efficient creators, users and developers. Why should we waste any time in creating an education system to match those needs?
STEM fields will continue to succeed only if their leaders can adapt.
—Julia Zarina can be reached at julmilton@umich.edu.
Keeping the movement inclusive
ecently, there has been a great deal of discussion on campus about diversity. With the vast majority of students hailing from white, upper-class backgrounds, the University of Michigan, one of the top universi- KATE ties in the coun- LARAMIE try, is severely lacking in a diverse student body. Our University’s failure to create a more inclusive, diverse campus has been the source of understandable concern and contention among minority and lowincome students, and their allies. Student groups have taken it upon themselves to educate and fight for the creation of a future University that’s not so obviously dominated by one student demographic. I’ve seen many parallels between the fight to diversify our campus and the push of the environmental movement to build a more inclusive atmosphere toward one no longer dominated by white individuals of privileged backgrounds. Since the inception of mainstream environmentalism in the 1960s, the movement has become stamped as a crusade of the upper-middle class — those who have both the time and money needed to support environmental lobbying, campaigns and protection. While the hippie culture of the 60s and 70s instigated a societal shift that emphasized a greater appreciation and concern for the preservation and protection of the natural world, the movement also brought a stereotyped portrayal of the environmentalist as a white, liberal college student of the Woodstock era. But this established rhetoric
overlooks the fundamental difference between “environmentalism” and “environmental justice.” While environmentalism brings forth images of conservation, national parks and protecting endangered species, environmental justice is increasingly associated with people: Communities on the frontlines of the fight against private and governmental agencies that do little to ease the catastrophic impacts of pollution, mining, industrial disasters and other environmental degradation. For years the two have stood apart: Environmentalism dominated the media as a campaign to halt global warming and save the planet, while environmental justice received little attention from the mainstream, as is typical of coverage of low-income and minority communities. However, much like the importance many University students have placed on the inclusivity and diversity of our campus, the mainstream environmental movement is making strides to more accurately represent the actual individuals who are most impacted by environmental degradation. As the realities of climate change become ever more apparent and the destruction of a century of fossil fuel use continues to take its toll, the communities that are most drastically affected are those of low-income and minority status — the very groups that are so often pushed aside when debating environmental initiatives. Environmental justice is a crucial part of the environmental movement. Saving the planet isn’t just about protecting biodiversity
and preventing the ice caps from melting — it’s also about preserving the viability and longevity of our own societies. Those who are most affected by the realities of environmental destruction need a voice the most because, while the environmental movement has long been portrayed as one solely valued by the privileged upper-class, it’s members of the frontline communities whose lives are most at risk by our failure to protect the natural world. It is these people who’ve been least represented throughout the environmental movement. I look around our campus and I see many white faces — I myself am one of them. Most students that attend our institution have never known poverty or hunger. Like the face of the environmental movement, the face of University is one of privilege. But the growing push for change in both institutions is encouraging. While I fulfill the stereotype of being both a University student and an environmentalist, I truly believe that it’s of utmost importance that both our college and the environmental movement incorporate all peoples of all backgrounds and statuses. A society cannot be strong — it cannot protect its people, resources or natural spaces — when it is led by only a few. The society of tomorrow is diverse, and the representation of our institutions and our movements, whether they be higher education or environmental justice, should reflect this reality.
Minorities are underrepresented in environmental discussions.
— Kate Laramie can be reached at laramiek@umich.edu.
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Sports
Toussaint’s job may be in jeopardy after concussion Daily Sports Editor
By MINH DOAN Daily Sports Writer
Indiana ended the Wolverines’ season with a 2-1 overtime victory during the tournament in a game where Michigan was missing its two starting center backs, freshman Lars Eckenrode and sophomore Jack Brown. Indiana’s win also hurt the Wolverines’ chances because the Hoosiers wouldn’t have made the tournament by virtue of their losing record — they took an at-large spot away from the bracket. Also in the tournament are No. 1 Notre Dame, No. 8 Akron and No. 17 Marquette. Michigan lost to each this season during their tough schedule. Notre Dame goes into the tournament as the No. 3 seed while Marquette grabbed the No. 9 seed. In-state rival No. 20 Michigan State seized the No. 11 seed. The top seed in the tournament is No. 2 UCLA out of the Pac-12, which has three of the top four seeds in the tournament.
ADAM GLANZMAN/Daily
Fifth-year senior running back Fitzgerald Toussaint suffered a concussion last week and didn’t play against Northwestern.
petition,” Hoke said. “We’ll see where we shake out at the end of the week with who will be the first back in.” In Toussaint’s absence, Green earned the start against the Wildcats, and he handled the bulk of the carries. Together with Smith, the two running backs totaled 120 yards on 27 carries — Green 79 yards on 19 carries, Smith 41 on eight. That was a major upgrade on the previous two weeks, when the Wolverines failed to gain positive yardage on the ground. The freshmen running backs did several things well, Hoke said. But a lot of the production is a credit to the offensive line, which managed to get a push for the first time in weeks.
“We were in the black this time, which is where you want to be as an offense,” said fifth-year senior left tackle Taylor Lewan. “That’s huge, you can’t just be a onedimensional offense.” Hoke said the embattled interior of the offensive line established the line of scrimmage and strung together combination blocks to the second level. At the same time, offensive coordinator Al Borge’s use of bubble screens pulled in the linebackers, which opened up more running lanes. The offensive line’s targeting — finding the right defender to block and then executing that block — was the best Hoke has seen all year. “You know what I’m going to say, we weren’t perfect,” Hoke said. “But we got movement.”
‘M’ finding ways to win close contests By ALEJANDRO ZÚÑIGA Daily Sports Editor
The Michigan hockey team has done more than enough to earn its top-five ranking, beating three different ranked teams during non-conference play and NOTEBOOK avoiding bad losses. Ten games into the season, though, the Wolverines have also benefited from their fair share of luck. Good teams find a way to win, but No. 5 Michigan (7-2-1) has made just about every game an ordeal. In the Wolverines’ last seven contests, they’ve gone 5-2. Each and every one of those was decided by a single goal, the longest such streak in the NCAA. That penchant for high-pressure games was in full effect last weekend against Nebraska-Omaha. On Friday, the Wolverines carried a 2-1 lead into the third period before surrendering two goals in a three-minute span. The teams were deadlocked for the rest of the frame despite a relentless Michigan attack. The following night, the Wolverines dominated the second period, twice opening up two-goal leads. Then the Mavericks scored a pair, and Michigan needed a late winner to escape. Michigan coach Red Berenson lamented the defense for its miscues, which left goaltenders Zach Nagelvoort and Steve Racine out to dry on several occasions. But as they’ve done all year, both netminders performed well enough for the Wolverines to win. “The only reason we have a winning record is because of our goals against and our save percentage,” Berenson said. COUNT ‘EM: Freshman forward JT Compher starred in the U.S. National Team Development Program last year, tallying 18 goals and 32 assists in 52 games for the under-18 squad. He played well for the Wolverines through
Wolverines left out of NCAA Tournament The season is officially over for the Michigan men’s soccer team after it was left out of the NCAA Tournament field on Monday afternoon. The Wolverines (3-3 Big Ten, 8-7-1 overall) were on the outside of the selection show looking in after bowing out in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament last week against Indiana. They hoped that their body of work over the season, which included signature wins over tournament teams like Creighton, Wisconsin and Indiana, would be enough to get into the tournament. But the NCAA selection committee did not deem their overall season worthy of an at-large bid. Five Big Ten teams made the NCAA Tournament, including the Hoosiers, who earned an automatic bid after winning the Big Ten Tournament on Sunday.
By ZACH HELFAND
For the better part of three seasons, fifth-year senior Fitzgerald Toussaint has been the running back of choice for Michigan coach Brady Hoke’s football team. He powered a resurgent downhill running game in 2011. In 2012, he toiled through a forgettable season, which ended with a leg injury, but his job was never in danger. Now, 10 games into 2013, Toussaint’s position is in jeopardy as Michigan prepares for Iowa. As Toussaint sat out every snap against Northwestern on Saturday — due to complications from a concussion, Hoke said Monday — freshmen running backs Derrick Green and De’Veon Smith were the motor behind the Wolverines’ best rushing performance in weeks. This week, Toussaint is still listed as the starter on the depth chart. But that could soon change. “I think we’ll have a pretty good decision to make at the end of the week,” Hoke said. On Saturday, Hoke said Toussaint remains the starter for now. On Monday, Hoke clarified that Toussaint missed practice last week with a concussion. Toussaint participated in practice later in the week but not enough to convince coaches he was prepared for the Wildcats. Hoke said Toussaint shouldn’t miss any practice this week as Michigan gets ready for the Hawkeyes. Typically, the team practices on Sunday, but Hoke instead chose to use that day for film study and positional meetings. When full practice resumes, the three backs will fight for the starting job. “I think we always have a com-
Tuesday, November 19, 2013 — 5
PAUL SHERMAN/Daily
Freshman forward JT Compher scored the first two goals of his career last week.
the first eight games of the season, but one thing was notably absent: goals. That all changed in Omaha, where Compher scored his first two of the season. On Friday, he recorded his sixth assist by feeding senior forward Luke Moffatt for Michigan’s first goal of the night. Minutes later, Moffatt fired a shot off the post, and Compher slapped the rebound into the net. “I knew it was just a matter of time,” Berenson said. “I was hoping he would score sooner rather than later. I’m glad he got it over with.” Compher didn’t need any help the following night. Defending aggressively on the penalty kill, the freshman poked the puck away from a Nebraska-Omaha attacker before racing down the ice. He then used a smooth backhand-forehand deke to tally his second goal of the weekend. “I wasn’t surprised when he
came back with another one,” Berenson said. “He’s played well right from day one, but it’s nice as a good player to get rewarded with some points.” SZUMA SKATES: Michigan was exposed defensively for the first time all season against the Mavericks, but the struggles were magnified by a lack of available personnel. Last week, junior defenseman Mike Szuma suffered an upperbody injury and didn’t travel with the team to Omaha as a result. The Wolverines only had six defenders available for the two-game series. Michigan gave up three goals for just the second time all season on Friday and surrendered three more Saturday. Szuma skated Monday, and Berenson said his progress will be assessed throughout the week before he determines whether the defenseman will be available for the Wolverines’ upcoming game Friday against Niagara.
With the offensive line getting a push, Green and Smith had the running style to gain yards. Green, listed at 5-foot-11 and 240 pounds, had been largely unable to use his size to overpower defenders, but he showed more power on Saturday. Hoke said he doesn’t know how much Green currently weighs. Smith, listed at 5-foot-11 and 224 pounds, is also a bruising back. Toussaint, meanwhile, weighs just 200 pounds. Does that mean Green and Smith are best suited to Michigan’s offense? “That’s a hard question because Fitz has done so good at some of the things the last couple years, three years,” Hoke said. “And so there’s a fit for all three of them.”
PAUL SHERMAN/Daily
Michigan coach Chaka Daley was left out of the NCAA Tournament.
Michigan steamrolls Broncos By SHANNON LYNCH Daily Sports Writer
In a season of transition, the Michigan women’s basketball team is taking small victories on the court and turning them into wins. Such was the case on Monday night in Kalamazoo, Mich. as the Wolverines established a formidable lead over Western Michigan by focusing on collecting rebounds. Michigan defeated the MICHIGAN 73 45 WMU Broncos for its second consecutive victory against in-state opponents, 73-45. After trailing from tipoff to the first media timeout, the Wolverines took a 10-9 lead on back-to-back baskets from junior forward Shannon Smith and freshman guard Siera Thompson. After Michigan took the lead, it never relinquished it. By the end of the first half, the Wolverines had out-rebounded the Broncos, 35-15, after going on a 24-2 run spanning seven minutes. Three former Wolverines sat in the crowd and watched the quick transformation unfold: Sam Arnold, Jenny Ryan and Rachel Sheffer. Sheffer is a current Bronco who, after hanging up her maize and blue basketball jersey, headed to Western Michigan to play volleyball in her last year of eligibility. Tonight, though, she cheered for her former team and coach. “It was an exciting night, and any time we can have those three back in the crowd, it really gets our team fired up,” said Michigan coach Kim Barnes Arico. Junior forward Nicole Emblad took command on the court with eight points and tied her career-high 13 rebounds, while also leading the offense with four assists. Junior forward Cyesha Goree, who kept the Wolverines in the game early on with their first four points, recorded her second double-double of the season, with 13 points and a career-high 15 rebounds.
ERIN KIRKLAND/Daily
Junior forward Cyesha Goree finished wth 13 points and 15 rebounds Monday.
“Offensively, we weren’t knocking down shots right away at the beginning of the game, but I think Cyesha did a really good job of getting on the board early on,” Elmblad said. “So I think that the turnaround was a combination of our defense and knocking down shots on the offensive end.” Michigan shot 58 percent from the field in the second half, and with just over 10 minutes left, doubled Western Michigan up with a 62-31 lead, its biggest of the night. The Wolverines never allowed the Broncos a chance to fathom a comeback after gaining the lead – Goree, Smith and Thompson all scored in double figures, and Michigan out-rebounded Western Michigan by 30. “What’s really exciting is that rebounding stat,” Elmblad
said. “That’s one of our points of emphasis – getting to the glass not only on the offensive end, but boxing them out and getting defensive rebounds.” Senior forward Val Driscoll got some playing time in the second half, scoring eight points in 13 minutes, her career high. Junior forward Nicole Flyer, a walk-on and former rower, also saw time off the bench in the second half and contributed two points off free throws. Their contributions, while small, added to the 18 bench points Michigan racked up against the Broncos. “I thought the other night Shannon just didn’t miss a shot, and you know that’s not going to happen night in and night out,” Barnes Arico said. “It’s nice when you have everybody contributing.”
Sports
6 — Tuesday, November 19, 2013
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
5 Things We Learned: Iowa State By DANIEL FELDMAN
Zak Irvin and his 6-foot-6, 200pound frame more minutes if it appears Levert doesn’t have his shot. Conversely, depending on McGary’s return to playing shape, a big lineup with McGary and either redshirt junior Jon Horford or fifth-year senior forward Jordan Morgan might see more time later in games.
Daily Sports Writer
1. Mitch McGary is not at 100 percent. Despite playing in his first game of the season, sophomore forward Mitch McGary is not close to being the player the nation saw in the NCAA Tournament last year. Just five days ago, McGary took part in a 60-minute practice for the first time since his back injury, after being limited to individual practices and workouts with a coach on the side. It wasn’t until Saturday that McGary took part in his first full practice. According to Michigan coach John Beilein, McGary has only had one-and-a-half days of reps with the first team before Sunday’s game. Knowing that, it’s clear that McGary will need some practice and, more importantly, game action early on to get back in playing shape. Such was the reason that McGary played only 22 minutes, divided into 3-5 minute spurts. One of the reasons that McGary was able to play was because he didn’t feel sore after Saturday’s practice and said he felt comfortable enough in warmups before the game to give it a go. And with that, Beilein was willing to let him. And Beilein, for the most part, was rewarded as McGary put up nine points, six rebounds and four steals. “Let’s just get him in the game, right, and see where it goes.” Beilein said. “As long as we don’t overtax his body and get him in and out, and a suggestion was to keep him on the bike in between to just keep him warm, as he gradually gets into playing shape.” 2. There’s still no clear go-to option late in the game. Though sophomore guard Nik Stauskas did score 15 points in the second half – out of his team-high 20 – and was the Wolverines’ hot hand in the game, he’s still not the person to take the last shot for Michigan. In fact, even Beilein doesn’t know who that person will be moving forward. And that’s OK.
4. Derrick Walton Jr. gained experience he’ll need down the road. Playing in his first away game in college, freshman guard Derrick Walton Jr. looked impressive. Pouring in 13 points, Walton showed off his flash against the Cyclones, getting to the basket on several occasions. But at the same time, he looked like the rookie he is. After banking in his first shot of the game from behind the arc, Walton cooled as he missed his next four attempts from deep. Still, Walton improved his career high in points for the third straight game, after scoring 12 and six points the two previous games. “In an environment like this, our freshmen are definitely going to learn a lot, cause it’s their first game on the road,” Stauskas said. “For all of us, it’s just a bonding opportunity, it’s a time to get better on the road. Really come together when everyone’s going against you.” 5. Bold Prediction: McGary will start each game in Puerto Rico. PATRICK BARRON/Daily
PATRICK BARRON/Daily
Sophomore guard Nik Stauskas became Michigan’s go-to scorer down the stretch.
Sophomore forward Mitch McGary scored nine points in his first game of the year.
Michigan had its chances throughout the game. Despite letting the game get away in the final five minutes, Beilein and Stauskas both echoed the sentiment that the team was getting good looks and shots. It was just that they weren’t falling. Perhaps that was due to the crowd. Perhaps that was due to Beilein’s core three of Stauskas, sophomore forward Glenn Robinson III and sophomore guard Caris LeVert playing a combined 108 minutes and just being tired. Whether it was from any of those or not, Michigan was able to learn a lesson on Sunday:
3. LeVert can’t be relied on every game.
Classifieds
replacing the late-game heroics of Tim Hardaway Jr. and Trey Burke will be difficult, but having the question come about now, in November, will benefit the team in the long run. “Obviously, we have a new team this year,” Stauskas said. “Last year, we were really reliant on Tim and Trey to step up in (these late-game situations). I think we’re perfectly fine with guys this year with stepping up. We have a lot of guys that are capable of doing that. I don’t think we’re too worried about that.”
Call: #734-418-4115 Email: dailydisplay@gmail.com
After averaging 20.5 points in Michigan’s first two regular-season games, LeVert finally fell back to earth a bit on Sunday. Though he did play a career-high 37 minutes, LeVert regressed back to the mean, scoring just five points on 2-for-9 shooting. Despite putting on 15 pounds in the offseason, LeVert looked overmatched late in the game when defensive switches forced him to guard Iowa State’s Melvin Ejim, a 6-foot-6 power forward that constantly used his 220-
pound body to back up and postup at the hoop. Needing shooters and height to battle him and Georges Niang, though, Beilein had to keep LeVert on the floor as Michigan started to fade and then attempt to come back late in the game. But unlike in the Wolverines’ game against South Carolina State, LeVert didn’t go 6-for-7 from beyond the arc. Instead, he went 1-for-5 as Michigan struggled, shooting just 8-for-29 from three. Though it was just one game, LeVert’s struggle could force Beilein to give freshman guard
Beilein made an interesting point in his postgame press conference on Sunday. Speaking about bigs in college basketball, he said that they can’t play for more than three to four minutes because of how quick the game is currently. Given that, why wouldn’t Beilein start his best big man, even if he’s not in his best playing condition at the moment? Michigan will play at least two games – and possibly three – this week and, with McGary barely getting any time recently with the first team, it marks the perfect opportunity for him to get minutes with them, even if he’s playing just a couple minutes.
Recruiting Rundown By JAKE LOURIM
RELEASE DATE– Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle
FOR RENT
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32 Billy Joel’s 48 Aspirations DOWN 1 Major mix-up musical daughter 49 Herb that tastes 2 “__ your life!” 33 Reminder notes like licorice 3 Passion, in Pisa 37 Apple computer 51 Reverberation 4 Issues 38 Roosevelt’s chat 52 Ark helmsman 5 Signs up spot 53 Spring flower 6 Part of PGA: 40 Short-short skirts 54 Rex Stout’s Abbr. 41 Like soda water stout sleuth 7 Letters on a 43 Natural ability Wolfe Soviet uniform 44 Cleveland NBAer 55 Chocolate dog 8 Islands tuber 47 Easy basketball 56 Wedding vow 9 Kazakhstan score words border sea 10 Keys at the keys ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE: 11 Westley portrayer in “The Princess Bride” 12 Punk rock subgenre 13 Bear lair 19 Ancient Britons 21 Belg. neighbor 24 Do more work on, as a persistent squeak 25 In unison 27 Revise 28 Gymnast Comaneci 29 Collect bit by bit 30 LAX posting 31 Has the nerve 11/19/13 xwordeditor@aol.com
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Daily Sports Writer
Michigan target Da’Shawn Hand dealt the Wolverines a major blow to the 2014 recruiting class when he put on an Alabama hat and said “Roll Tide!” on Thursday. Hand, the No. 1 overall recruit according to Rivals.com, was leaning toward Michigan, according to many experts. When he committed to Alabama, he bolstered the Crimson Tide’s No. 1 class and hurt Michigan’s, leaving the Wolverines with four-star defensive lineman Malik McDowell (Southfield, Mich.) as their best remaining defensive-line target. The news wasn’t all bad for Michigan, though. Four recruits — linebacker Michael Ferns, quarterback Wilton Speight, defensive back Brandon Watson and wide receiver Freddy Canteen — signed their national letters of intent last week, meaning they can participate in spring practice as early enrollees. Only five 2014 recruits remained in their teams’ state playoffs going into the weekend. Here’s an overview of how they did: Jabrill Peppers, defensive back/running back: Paramus Catholic (N.J.) 55, Notre Dame (N.J.) 14; Ranking: ESPN (2) Scout (4) Peppers scored on a nine-yard run and a 50-yard punt return to lead No. 4 Paramus Catholic to a 41-0 first-quarter lead and a 55-14 win. He sat out for most of the last three quarters as his team advanced to the semifinals of the New Jersey Non-Public Group IV tournament. The win sets up a showdown Saturday against No. 2 Don Bosco Prep,
ERIN KIRKLAND/Daily
Michigan coach Brady Hoke has some talented recruits coming in next year.
where Peppers played his freshman year before transferring to Paramus Catholic. Wilton Speight, quarterback: Collegiate School (Va.) 19, Liberty Christian (Va.) 31; Ranking: ESPN (128) Scout (NR) Speight’s playoff run ended last week with a loss to Liberty Christian in the state title game. He completed 14 of 27 passes for 152 yards and four interceptions. The yardage and interceptions were his worst numbers of the season. He did, however, throw three touchdown passes for 56, six and eight yards, accounting for all of Collegiate’s scoring. Chase Winovich, linebacker/ running back: Thomas Jefferson (Pa.) 13, Central Valley (Pa.) 23; Ranking: (NR) Winovich rushed for 142 yards and a touchdown in defeat. Thomas Jefferson’s season and 11-game winning streak ended in the Western Pennsylvania Class AAA semifinals.
Maurice Ways, wide receiver: Country Day (Mich.) 28, Marine City (Mich.) 33; Ranking: (NR) Ways caught a 48-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter of Country Day’s loss in the Michigan Division 4 quarterfinals. Marine City scored the game-winning touchdown pass with 45 seconds left to eliminate the Yellow Jackets. Noah Furbush, linebacker: Kenton (Ohio) 46, Triway (Ohio) 6; Ranking: (NR) Furbush recovered a fumble as Kenton advanced to the third round of the Ohio Division IV state playoffs. Last week, Furbush was named the Western Buckeye League’s defensive lineman of the year and won first-team All-League honors. His team, which has outscored its opponents this season by a combined score of 556-92, faces a showdown against fellow unbeaten Bryan (Ohio) on Friday.
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Arts FINE ARTS COLUMN
FILM REVIEW
Night on the Dnepr is worth the search
T CINEDIGM
There is no spoon.
Young actors shine in ‘Short Term 12’ Cretton captures long-term suffering of youth By KAREN YUAN Daily Arts Writer
“Short Term 12” has a happy ending. This isn’t a spoiler: You can tell from the start. Set at a foster care facility, the A movie revolves around Grace Short (Brie Larson, “Don Jon”), Term 12 the hardened At the yet maternal Michigan 20-something supervisor and Cinedigm her relationships with the kids she cares for and her fellow supervisor and boyfriend Mason (John Gallagher Jr., “Margaret”). The film opens with newcomer Nate (Rami Malek, “The Master”) arriving for his first day of work at the facility, Short Term 12, named for the year-long period the children officially stay for, though many stay much longer. Standing outside the building with Grace and Mason, Nate’s told to lose his tie and to remember to say “no” to the kids.
It fills him and the audience with trepidation — what goes on inside those doors? The world within Short Term 12 is filmed with incredible tenderness; warmth pervades the entire movie. The first look inside the building is a montage of children, and it feels as if we’re spying on something private, as if we’re rifling through a stranger’s childhood diary. Through doorways, we watch each room’s inhabitants wake up: A girl sits at a bathtub, slowly shaving her leg; a tall teen sprinkles food into a fishbowl, watching it intently; a tiny boy with red hair lies curled up and facing the wall. Earlier, Grace finds out from her doctor that she’s pregnant. This is not good news; she schedules an abortion immediately, even though her interactions with the kids tell the audience she should keep the baby. Larson stands out in this conflicted role, but the child actors are the film’s silver lining. Jayden (Kaitlyn Dever, “The Spectacular Now”) is at once caustic and vulnerable, and ultimately the one to reconcile Grace with her pregnancy. Marcus is all woundup tension and dark brooding, played by Keith Stanfield in his break-out role. Stanfield is an unexpected
gem. In one scene, he expresses his hurt to Mason through a rap written by the actor himself, which makes it all the more impressive and a unique contender for Best Original Song at the Oscars. It’s raw, emotional and expletive-heavy, with the camera slowly edging toward his eyes. It’s also the first take shot for the scene. Director Destin Cretton (“I Am Not a Hipster”) adds montage after montage of the characters doing small, mundane activities that never actually grow tiresome. Time passes. The vignettes are parentheses of quiet in the terrible lives the characters have endured. The cinematography, with its washed-out primary colors, is gorgeous. Then, there are moments of pure catharsis. Grace and Jayden vandalize the car of the latter’s abusive father together. The redhaired kid from earlier, Sammy (newcomer Alex Calloway), breaks out of the building again and again to flee past its gate. Each time, he hollers joyously, and each time he lets himself get tackled by the supervisors pursuing him. The message is a little cheesy: People heal each other. But we embrace these movies with bleeding hearts because it’s true.
ALBUM REVIEW
Is Bugg the new Bob? By HANNAH WEINER Daily Arts Writer
Jake Bugg is 19. At 19, he has released two albums, neither teeny-bopper stuff or acoustic songs drenched in sappy love say- B+ ings. At 19, he’s had two mature, Shangri La distinguished Jake Bugg albums resigning themselves Island to a corner of rock ‘n’ roll. At 19, Bugg has already been compared to Bob Dylan by critics. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Jake Bugg’s self-titled first album was released in late 2012 and, since then, the English singersongwriter has received incredible critical acclaim. Jake Bugg skyrocketed to No. 1 in the UK charts. So, where did that leave Bugg? Thirteen months later, for the release of Shangri La, Bugg teams up with Rick Rubin, the masterful music producer who produced Kanye’s Yeezus and Eminem’s The Marshall Mathers LP 2 this year. Funnily enough, Rubin’s sound doesn’t quite mesh with Bugg’s original sound on his debut album, on which he sang profound and insightful lines like, “Something’s changing, changing, changing” (sound familiar?).
Shangri La is timeless. Shangri La has a spunk and liveliness that his debut album lacked. It’s rooted in a sound from the 1960s; the first track, “There’s a Beast and We All Feed It,” could
Tuesday, November 19, 2013 — 7
ISLAND
Bugg finds his wings.
easily be the soundtrack for girls in colorful dresses, smoking cigarettes on shag carpet. Which isn’t to say its only appeal is nostalgia; Bugg’s musical talent is utterly undeniable, especially considering his age. Yet, as an album, the tracks feel less than cohesive. Bugg’s sound constantly jumps from decade to decade. Most startling is his transition from angsty pop-punk in “What Doesn’t Kill You” to a sound that channels gentle 1970s singersongwriters in “Me and You.” Bugg somehow goes from, “What doesn’t hurt / Sometimes you feel you’re up against the world,” to “We can wait so patiently / ’Cause they won’t catch you and me.” It’s hard to tell what he’s feeling or what message he wanted to send. But Bugg’s indecision seems to convey something deeper about being misunderstood. His frustration comes in all shapes and forms on Shangri La: lyrically in the sophisticated love songs, sonically in his abrasive moments of punk-rock and even transitionally when he just can’t decide what story he wants his album to tell. Bugg’s aggravation in being misunderstood slaps listeners in the face, as if he’s completely rejecting the label of “East Midland’s Bob
Dylan.” Even despite his refusal of the Dylan label, Bugg speaks to a generation of frustration and misunderstandings — a generation that has been denied their own. He’s more than just Dylan; he’s all of the Brit-rock musicians who spoke truisms to an exasperated youth. Among electrically charged songs, Bugg’s sage words seem to delve into the poetry that inundated the songs from the 1960s. A song about youthful love? Check. A song about lower-class desperation? Check. A song about the insincerity of society? Check. In a single album, Bugg creates an encyclopedia for this generation’s problems — even though they’ve been paralleled from generation to generation. This revival of the idea of “generation to generation” came at the right time for Bugg. And even if he’s not exploiting it, he’s just a talented, young dude with a guitar singing really graceful and poignant lyrics about growing up. That might just be enough for all of us who are “one ‘n’ the same,” feeding “a beast eating every bit of beauty.” And Jake Bugg, he’s the one who “better speak it.”
he first time I saw Kuindzhi’s Night on the Dnepr, I was 10 and had just landed a few days prior in a snowy St. Petersburg airport, a week before Christmas. It was the first time I had seen the Russian city under a blanket of frost. I had spent ANNA summer SADOVSKAYA after summer walking up and down the banks of the Neva River, watching tour groups ushered on and off cruise liners, but I had never seen the water so cold and dark. That day we were running late as always, and while my mother tried (to little avail) stuffing my 5-year-old brother into a snowsuit, my grandma read us the history of St. Petersburg’s largest collection of fine Russian art: The State Russian Museum. I was highly skeptical when my grandmother promised me it would be one of the most exciting days of my life. Filled with a decade’s worth of angst, I moped and pleaded to go back to the circus instead. I had visited St. Petersburg three times before, always for a couple months at a time, yet, somehow, I managed to evade the Russian Museum until my 10th birthday, something my grandmother was astounded to learn. Soon, we were climbing from the depths of the bustling metro station, battling a gust of wind. Already exhausted from the grueling 15-minute ride, I began making up reasons why the Russian Museum was a huge mistake. Seeing as I felt myself a connoisseur of the city and had never visited the infamous arts
center, it was simply not worth the time. Also, considering how cold and snowy it was, we would probably end up having to barricade ourselves in one of the galleries, waiting out the storm overnight. My mother and grandmother pretended to hear me out as I presented my well-founded case and continued on their way toward the bright yellow building in the distance. I prepared to sit the time away in the lobby, refusing to partake in the day-long museum haul. Somehow, though, the security guards were less welcoming than the cold, so I decided to find a safer seat within the confines of the canvased walls.
Paintings don’t have to be flashy to inspire. The first few rooms were exactly what I expected: Paintings of wealthy lords, haughty emperors and princesses graced the walls, their jewelry winking in the drawn-on light. Their faces harsh with the strokes of an experienced painter, the men and women all stood, solemn, regal. I was unimpressed. Biding my time and searching for a seat to curl up in, I found my way into a smaller room, one adorned with beautiful landscapes and grandiose still-lives. Already turning the corner, I nearly missed the dark canvas. Its pitch-black sky, highlighted only by an eerie moon’s green rays, made the painting new and unlike all the gaudy, richly colored compositions. I tried to
pick out shapes within the stillness of its night, but only cobbled cabins and a glowing river took form. The light looked so soft. It looked so dimly bright that I wanted to run to the next convenience store and recreate the priceless work with a 15-ruble paint set. The painting, in all honesty, is not the most stirring use of technique; it doesn’t possess intricate details or the whimsical imagination of its artist, yet it’s still unlike any I’ve seen. Kuindzhi’s paintbrush has created something so masterful it ended up in a world-renowned museum and something simple enough to interest a cold and grumpy little kid. It’s surprising: As much as the history of art interests me, I rarely become attached to a certain painter or his work. I prefer to revel in the collective beauty of fine art, to experience firsthand the hypnotic effect of a room hushed by the presence of centuries worth of artists’ lives. Whenever I stumble upon another piece of work that careens me back in time, to the December day in a nearly empty Russian Museum, I know that I’ve found another painting to add to my tiny collection of favorites. That day, I looked for Kunidzhi’s work in every room. My grandmother saw my piqued interest and began plotting my full cultural immersion into Russian art immediately. But for me, it never was, and still isn’t, about technicality. It’s not about finding the most talked-about painting, the most famous artists. It will always be about me, a small girl at heart, running around searching for a feeling she got from staring at a drawing of the moon. Sadovskaya is painting. To critique her, e-mail asado@umich.edu.
MUSIC NOTEBOOK
Bronson subverts rap tropes By JOSH FRAZIER Daily Arts Writer
So far, this has been a stellar yet problematic year for hip-hop fans. The rap landscape features artists as diverse and varied as ever. Aging, creative talents like Pusha T and Danny Brown dropped their major label debut albums. Southern rap and auto-tuned crooning converge in artists like Future and Rich Homie Quan to create an exciting subgenre. From the polarizingly creative Yeezus to the resurgent comeback of Marshall Mathers, long-time music industry heavyweights have returned with triumphant comeback albums. Despite this surge of creativity, the tone of mainstream rap music remains unfortunately similar to years past. What all of these artists have in common is extremely dark, sometimes violent, often misogynistic content. The glorification of money and violence coupled with the degradation of women has been a familiar trope in rap music for far too long. Rap music has ceased to be fun. Enter: Action Bronson, the most enjoyable rapper making music today. Casual rap fans might recognize the Queens-based emcee from his verse on “1 Train,” the A$AP Rocky posse cut that features Bronson rapping about fixing college football games and comparing a woman to a Chilean horse. This nonsensical, off-the-cuff style is an unconventional staple for Bronson, as his stream of consciousness lyrics are absurdly detailed, and often, quite frankly, absurd. His recent collaboration mixtape with producer Party Supplies, Blue Chips 2, is one of the most engaging rap releases of the year. Bronson is not your typical rapper. The son of Albanian immigrants, the bearded, overweight emcee is a former chef with a passion for food and humorous anec-
dotes. He draws comparisons to Ghostface Killah for his similar voice, delivery and storytelling abilities, but his ability to transport listeners into his bizarre world is unparalleled. In one verse on “Flip Ya,” Bronson’s references drift from Aladdin, to Vanna White, to “Saved by the Bell,” demonstrating his spontaneous delivery and eccentric subject matter. Action Bronson’s beat selection also sets him apart from his rap peers. Calling his instrumentals unusual is a dramatic understatement: They are downright weird. Blue Chips 2 sees him sample sources as diverse as John Mellencamp, Allen Iverson’s infamous “practice” rant and a Phil Mickelson commercial, among other unlikely inspirations. Bronson’s charm comes from his creativity and unpredictability.
Chef turned rapper. There is a certain cult of personality that surrounds Action Bronson’s larger-than-life persona. His lyrics are so over the top, so detached from everyday life that they create an entertaining distraction from the mundane. Bronson’s exaggerated storytelling is clearly embellished, yet its intense detail allows the listener to visualize his world, creating a reality truer than the gritty portrayal of street life found on so many other rap records. Bronson sounds like he has fun in the studio, and his easygoing demeanor and gripping stories demand the listener’s attention. Rhymes about excessive spending, drug dealing and exotic women are extremely common in rap verses today, a typical point of criticism about rap’s lack of thoughtful content. Bronson makes no attempt to stray away from this stereotypical
subject matter; his lyrics are full of chauvinistic statements, conspicuous consumption and criminal activity. The difference between many mainstream rappers and Bronsolino, as he calls himself, is the lighthearted nature of his lyrics. Bronson injects humor into stereotypical rap content, and his combination of storytelling ability and his entertaining delivery allows otherwise played-out scenarios to become hilariously vivid. Bronson makes no attempt to be taken seriously by his audience, yet his abilities demand that hip-hop fans respect his talent. Other rappers are paying attention. LL Cool J, Lloyd Banks and Styles P are some prominent New Yorkers who have been featured on Bronson tracks within the last year. Blue Chips 2 features guest verses from contemporary stars like Ab-Soul and Mac Miller, further solidifying Bronson’s credibility as a rapper. One guest verse on the latest mixtape stands out more than any other. “Rolling Thunder” promised to feature a “legendary special guest,” and when a Cam’ron appearance fell through, Bronson found a worthy replacement: himself. That’s right, there is a track on Blue Chips 2 by Action Bronson, featuring Action Bronson. The average rapper can’t get away with such a bold yet inane proclamation of talent. His commitment to his wellcrafted persona is full of braggadocio, yet Bronson has the natural ability and the originality to back up his boasts of greatness. Talented rappers are a dime a dozen, but where Bronson shines as an artist is in his role as an entertainer full of imagination. Action Bronson’s talent persists despite his comedic tone and constant punchlines; he is too good to be a joke. Anyone can rap about success and women, but only one man can have credibility while rapping about having a past life as a rabbi and teaching a dolphin how to shoot a gun.
Arts
8 — Tuesday, November 19, 2013
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
FROM THE FILTER
Under the radar, rapper Styles P holds his own To stay relevant, Yonkers-based rapper evolves By LEJLA BAJGORIC Daily Arts Writer
During the walk from my apartment to class the other day, “Nobody Believes Me,” from Styles P’s memorable debut album, A Gangster and a Gentleman, came on my shuffle. Naturally, I had to spend the rest of the day strictly listening to Styles P, The LOX, Ruff Ryder music and such. Though Yonkers-bred SP has continued making music throughout the years, achieving both underground and mainstream attention and acclaim, it’s safe to say that he is no longer topping the Billboard charts. Actually, his last album Float sold right under 4,000 copies in its first week. This isn’t to say that SP’s skills lost their potent control and sway. If anything, this statistic can be used to criticize the direction of present day hip hop. Continuously being praised for maintaining his authentic, gutter character despite the business’s shift towards a softer, more pop-sounding, chorus-dependent trend, the Phantom has only solidified his position with this consistency. Sometimes, however, we forget about artists like Styles P when listening to their music becomes a conscious task — something that isn’t handed to us on XXL covers or on repeat on the radio. So when I was fatefully reminded of the Ghost’s endearing grittiness thanks to my iPod, First seen on I had to
the filter
NATURE SOUNDS
Working out.
do a little research on his recent endeavors. Turns out, he released a single that very day, featuring fellow New Yorker Action Bronson and Massachusetts based Ea$y Money. “All I Got” is the result of three raw rappers not only collaborating but also delivering on each of the song’s verses. And did I mention Statik Selektah produced it? He samples a classic Big L track (I’ll let you find out which one it is on your own) and effortlessly makes it known that it is, in fact, a Statik song with his signature scratching. “Now all these wack rappers
is beyond me / And the fact they think they nice — that alarms me / But like alchemist, I smoke calmly / The army couldn’t harm me.” You tell ’em, Styles. The juxtaposition between SP and Action is noteworthy though. Action is part of the “new New York,” acting as one of the biggest names reestablishing New York’s presence in rap right now. Though SP has made it more than evident that he isn’t going anywhere just yet, the world is ready for a new sound, our own generation’s take on the New York lifestyle that has been influential in
the genre of rap since day one. As the chorus of “All I Got” goes, “I ain’t got it all but I’m good with all I got.” SP may not have it all — he’s missing a few worthy platinum plaques on his living room walls — but even he reaffirms himself that one of the things he is content with is his position in an ever-changing genre, business, game, that will always respect the wise words of our favorite gangster and gentleman. — An original version of this article ran on the Daily Arts blog, the Filter on Nov. 11.