The Michigan Daily - Monday, November 14, 1994 - 3
*Ginsberg 'howls' at censorship
Beat poet visits Ann
Arbor to promote his
new CD box set and
political agenda
By JOSHUA GINSBERG
Daily Staff Reporter
Allen Ginsberg, the controversial
Beat Generation poet, came to Bor-
ders Books and Music Shop yester-
day singing and reading his poetry to
promote his new CD set while railing
against government censorship.
Holy Soul Jelly Roll, a boxed an-
thology of Ginsberg's work from
1949-93, includes poems and songs
with musician Phillip Glass, a live cut
with punk band The Clash, and
*roughly a half hour of work with Bob
Dylan. It also includes several poems
by Blake, which Ginsberg converted
into songs.
One of the highlights of Holy Soul
Jelly Roll is the historic first reading
of Ginsberg's best-known poem,
"Howl." The poem sparked a 1957
Supreme Court ruling that the poem
is not obscene.
Ginsberg denied the rumor that he
would no longer read "Howl," saying
that he would continue to read it infre-
quently. "I only read it when there's a
state occasion, reading in a new state
or a new country or a fund-raiser.
Otherwise it becomes an act."
"It's interesting to listen to the
audience" in some of the record-
ings, said Ginsberg, noting the
laughter that some of his early po-
etry induced.
From the audience, he said, one
might believe that he was a comedian
rather than a poet.
Ginsberg voiced frustration that
his work is banned from the airwaves,
following a 1988 federal obscenity
statute.
"The radio and television is the
main market place of ideas," he said.
He asserted that the Federal Commu-
nications Commission by not allow-
ing him radio play is interfering with
his profession.
"People have developed an audi-
tory intelligence. They listen to Dylan
and Cobain on the radio ... exactly
where my work is being censored."
Ginsberg expressed concern that
the recent midterm election would
give more power to censorship orga-
nizations. During the reading, he
dedicated the poem, "Sphincter," to
Sen. Jesse Helms (R-N.C.), who was
a chief sponsor of the 1988 obscenity
law.
Releasing Holy Soul Jelly Roll is
an accomplishment for Ginsberg in
the sense that a major part of his
archives has become accessible to the
general public.
"I never thought it would be out in
my lifetime," he said.
Stanford University recently
opened a complete Ginsberg archive,
which contains more work with Dylan
and numerous recorded versions of
his poetry.
Ginsberg said reaction to Holy
Soul Jelly Roll has been very posi-
tive. He also noticed that he has been
attracting a larger high school-age
audience. He said he found it ironic
that during the hours that high
schoolers are reading his books, it is
illegal for them to hear them broad-
cast on the radio.
The promotional-reading and sign-
ing fit conveniently into Ginsberg's
schedule, he said. He was planning to
be in Ann Arbor for several reasons
including a retreat at Jewel Heart, the
Buddhist center in Ann Arbor, and a
reading tonight at Eastern Michigan
University with the Chinese poet Bei
Dao.
Ginsberg said he comes to Ann
Arbor at least twice a year due to his
involvement with Jewel Heart. He
plans on returning Feb. 16 for a ben-
efit reading with Phillip Glass. As far
as future projects, he mentioned the
possibility of releasing all of his Blake
songs on one set.
Poet Allen Ginsberg reads at Borders Book and Music Shop yesterday.
Blood battle moves to the
F.'t: vka 2S f !FT .
I -oK b' k s ~r ~ {, '1rr .
By JODI COHEN
Daily Staff Reporter
As the battle rages on, the two
teams are continuing to draw blood.
Unlike many battles, there haven't
been any fatalities. Instead partici-
pants are saving lives.
The 13th annual blood battle be-
tween the University and Ohio State
University enters its second and final
week today.
After collecting blood at various
residence halls last week, the drive
moves to the Union today and will
remain there until Friday.
In this event, sponsored by Alpha
Phi Omega (APO), a service frater-
nity, and the American Red Cross, the
two schools are competing to see
which college can collect the most
blood during a two-week period.
As of Thursday, the University
had collected 48 percent of its goal of
2,100 pints, while its rival had col-
lected 41 percent. However, Ohio
State had more donors every day last
week except Wednesday.
Each day of the drive, there is a
quota that the sponsors hope to reach.
Last week, many of the goals were not
met.
Student co-chair of the battle Katy
Vincent said, "We regret that we were
under goal in the dorms, but we need
to make goal in the Union. The entire
region is counting on us."
Recently, the blood supply level
in southeastern Michigan has been
very low.
Dick Folsom, area manager of the
donor resources center for the Ameri-
can Red Cross, said, "Even as re-
cently as two weeks ago, our blood
supply level was below the emer-
gency level."
The organizers have tried to
change some aspects of the drive this
year to appeal to more students. In the
'If you weigh 110
pounds, are 17 years
old, and eel well, there
is no reason why you
shouldn't give blood.'
-Neal Fry
Red Cross worker
past, it has taken two hours to donate
blood.
"This year, donation time has gone
down. There are not many waits at
all," Vincent said. Other APO blood
drive workers seem to agree that the.
drive is going well.
LSA senior Karen Wu said,
"People with appointments have been
pretty good about showing up. There
have been some walk ins. There are
not huge lines, but the beds seem to be
pretty full."
APO encourages appointments,
but also relies on walk-in donors.
About one-third of the donor spaces
are filled with appointments each day.
During the first four days of the
drive, residents of Mary Markley
Residence Hall donated the most
blood. The quota for that day was 160
pints, and 169 pints were collected.
RC junior Jonathan Choe, another
student who has been working at the
drive, said, "Things are going well for
Markley. The first two hours we had
50 units and that's putting us on track
for today. People are getting in and
out in about an hour. Today is going
really smoothly."
Many first-year students arrived
at the drive only a few hours before
their calculus exam scheduled for
Thursday night. They studied while
waiting in line, and while giving blood.
"I can't move, so why not study?
The drive was here and convenient
and I wanted to help it. The test is in
three hours so l'll be fine," Engineer-
ing first-year student Timothy
McTigue said.
Another donor agreed about the
importance of giving blood. LSA first-
year student Rebecca Akst said, "I
feel better now that I did it because I
know that if anyone needs it, I'm
helping out."
Students waiting in line to donate
had various feelings. One of the calmer
students, LSA first-year student Zarin
Daruwalla said, 'I'm not nervous. I
don't think it's anything different.
I'm just giving blood."
However, some students were
more frightened, especially those who
had never given blood before.
"I'm nervous. The fact that a
needle will be in my arm and blood
will be dripping out of me is scary,'
LSA first-year student,Jenel Steele
said.
Neal Fry, the Red Cross blood
drive representative at the Univer.
city, said, "It is just a pinch for a fewi
minutes, but the rewards are so grati
fying."
She also said, "If you weigh 110
pounds, are 17 years old, and feel
well, there is no reason why yoU
shouldn't give blood."
Now that the first week is over, the
drive will move to the Union from
1:00 until 6:30 p.m. each day this
week.
Fry said, "We are counting on tha
graduate students especially to come
to the Union."
Vincent said that she hopes to b
even more successful at the Union
than they were at the residence halls;
"Last week we didn't do as well as we
should have, but please come to the
Union so that we can beat OSU," she
said.
LSA first-year student Judith Hoffman and buddy Erica Wilcox look at an exhibit at the Hands-On Museum yesterday.
'U, students ore A2 museum
with men-en buddies
By SPENCER DICKINSON
Daily Staff Reporter
Yesterday, 22 University student
volunteers put aside homework as-
signments or afternoon naps and par-
ticipated in a group outing of the U-
M Best Buddies.
The students, paired with their
mentally challenged "buddy" ex-
plored the Ann Arbor Hands-On
Museum, learning about science and
getting to know each other better.
The Best Buddies program
matches local kids with mental im-
pairments with University students
who volunteer to spend time each
week just being a friend.
"The point is to create a friend-
ship," said Alexandra Ballin, an LSA
junior and program director. "We
look for committed students, then
match them with buddies based on
common interests."
Justin Birmingham, an LSA se-
nior enjoys playing basketball with
his buddy Alex Bloom. Jessi Light,
an SNRE first-year student, takes
walks and talks on the phone with her
buddy Cora Howling.
College buddies - as student vol-
unteers are called - make a year-
long commitment to a buddy found
through Best Buddies site co-ordinator
Gary Stelzer, who finds most of the
buddies through the Washtenaw
County School District.
Students are expected to call their
buddies weekly, and to plan an activ-
ity twice a month. The focus of the
program is individual interaction, but
twice per term students and buddies
all get together to compare notes, and
have fun as a large group.
The Hands-On Museum proved a
perfect location for the activity. Mu-
seum staffer Missi Mercer served as a
guide to the group. "We see two or
three groups of developmentally chal-
lenged people per month," she said.
"It's great when they find exhibits
that really turn them on."
The buddies were fascinated.
Popular exhibits included a dish-
shaped speaking device, a giant slinky
and a pipe organ.
Lisa Wachter enjoyed enclosing
herself in a giant bubble as Danielle
Lauzon, an LSA sophomore looked
on. "This is my second year in the
program," Lauzon said. "Lisa and I
go to the mall, and talk on the phone,
and last month ..."
"We went to a fair," Wachter in-
terjected. "We talk about my boy-
friends," she said.
Kari Rubel is a huge sports fan.
She likes to talk sports with LSA
senior Kelly Potts on walks in the Arb
or over dinner. "We like to listen to
songs together too," Rubel said.
Zach Woods said of buddy Paul
Schmitt, an Engineering senior, "He's
my friend, my best buddy. We talk
about anything we want."
The program provides support for
the buddies and their families through a
long-term relationship with a student.
LSA junior Emily Barkett has
known her buddy Joline Clayton for
more than a year. "I've met her fam-
ily, and I went to her birthday party. It
really is a lasting friendship and that's
what's important," Barkett said.
The museum outing went well,
and other group activities are planned
for later in the year. Stefanie Griffin,
program coordinator and an LSA stu-
dent, said, "We'll go caroling around
Christmastime, and we're hosting Best
Buddies Day."
Best Buddies Day is an event for all
the Michigan Best Buddies chapters to
meet for a day of fun and games.
fU
3045S. Stats Street o 4 doors South of Liberty,* 998-3480
Group Meetings
" Archery Club, 913-5896, Sports
Coliseum, 7-9 p.m.
Q U-M Ninjitsu Club, beginners
welcome, 761-8251, IMSB,
Room G 21, 7:30-9 p.m.
" U-M Shorin-Ryu Karate-Do
Club, men and women, begin-
ners welcome, 994-3620,
CCRB, Room 2275, 7-8 p.m.
" U-M Taekwondo Club, begin-
ners and other new members
national Students," sponsored
by International Center, Inter-
national Center, Room 9, 12
noon
Q "Interdating and Intermar-
riage: a Jewish Perspective,"
sponsored by Jewish Learning
Network, Michigan Union, Pond
Room, 8 p.m.
Q "Tenant Rights and the Ann
Arbor Tenants Union," spon-
sored by Rackham Student Gov-
ernment, Angell Hall, Room 35,
sored by Conservative Minyan,
Hillel, 8 p.m.
Student Services
" 76-GUIDE, peer counseling
phone line, 7 p.m.-8 a.m.
" ECB Peer Tutorial, Angell Hall
Computing Site, 747-4526, 7-
11 p.m.
U Campus Information Center,
Michigan Union, 763-INFO;
events info 76-EVENT or
UM*Events on GOpherBLUE
I