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The Michigan Daily - lekend, etc. Magazipe Asday October 21,,1999 "
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Little plastic slice
heav ~SReSn enal tdnt
October 2 I st Featured Restaurant
freebles, e adaches
The Michigan Dry--W ekend,
tt
violations of cinematic decency in a
melange of zanycategories. 1400 Chem.
Bldg. 7 p.m. Free.
Avant Garde Cinema Various directors
have their work assembled in this
Projectorhead presentation. MLB 4. 8
p.m. Free.
Stop Making Sense See Thurs. 9:15 &
11:15 P.m.
The Road Warrior (1981) Mel Gibson's
second interpretation of Mad Max, the
modern cinema's dopest postapocalyptic
character. State Theater, State & E.
Liberty. 12 am. $3.
MUSIC
Dr. Feelgood No, they're not CrOe, but
they want to be. Harpo's, Detroit. 7 p.m.
Price TBA. 313-824-1700.
James Taylor See Thurs. 8:30 p.m.
Kid Rock Yes, he'll bring the midget
along, too. Palace of Auburn Hills, 8 p.m.
$22.50 248-377-0100.
My Life With the Thrill Kill Cult Techno
dance grooves abound. St. Andrew's Hall,
Detroit. 9 p.m. $15. 313-961-MELT.
Taproot With special guest Factor 81.
Blind Pig, 208 S. First. 10 p.m. $5. 996-
8555.
THEATER
Three Days of Rain See Thursday. 8 p.m.
813: American Fiction See Thursday. 8
p.m.
---------------
Sunday
CAMPUS CINEMA
Antz See Sat. 10 & 11 a.m.
Springheeled Jack & the Pilfers. St.
Andrew's Hall, Detroit. 7 p.m. $10 313-
961-MELT.
James Taylor See Thurs. 7 p.m.
Doc Watson Another bluegrass legend.
The Ark, 313 S. Main. 7, 9 p.m. $25. 761-
1451.
THEATER
Three Days of Rain See Thursday. 8 p.m.
813: American Fiction See Thursday. 8
p.m.
ALTERNATIVES
Maudy Benz Author reads from her lat-
est, "Oh, Jackie." Barnes & Noble, 3245
Washtenaw. 2 p.m. Free.
Docent Tour See Thursday. 2 p.m.
Tea Ceremony The Museum of Art hosts
its monthly Japanese tea ceremony with
a flute concert beforehand. 3 p.m.
Museum of Art. Free.
--.-------.------ -
Monday
CAMPUS CINEMA
The Limey See Fri. 7:30 & 9:30 p.m.
MUSIC
Acoustic Open Mic Embarrass yourself in
front of people you don't know. Tap
Room, 201 W. Michigan. 9:30 p.m. Free.
482-5320.
A LTERNA TI VES
y w
By Alana Steingold
For the Daily
"Free movie passes...free T-
shirts... free phone cards..." These
are just some of the perks offered to
students who pass by Ulrich's, the
Union Bookstore or any other area
that draws steady student traffic.
Credit card companies hope that, by
giving away free gifts, they will
entice students into agreeing to apply
for a credit card, whether it be Visa,
MasterCard, Disco\ er, or American
Express.
What is the reason for this push on
plastic throughout campus, and why
target college students ?
Students are often drawn in by the
fact that they could use a new CD
holder or a phone card with 15 min-
utes of free calls, but do they realize
what they are really getting them-
selves into? One student said that she
"already had a credit card but really
wanted the free movie pass." First-
year LSA student Samantha Lander
stopped to fill out an application.
When asked why she completed the
application, she explained she "had
time before class."
Many of the tents and tables set up
to advertise various credit cards are
promotional events put up by local
marketing firms that farm their ser-
vices out to credit card companies. It
seems as though they will use any
method imaginable to get students to
apply.
Even when a repesenatire is not
present, there are signs, such as the
one in front of the Lnion Bookstore
reading, 'Pride for Michigan ...
Alumni Association of the University
of Michigan ... No Annual Fee"And.
the gimmick'? If you apply. you can
have your very own credit card with a
full-color picture of the Big House
on it.
One question for which thire is no
clear answer is why credit cards
appeal to students, e en additonal
cards for those who already have
them.. How often, for instance, are
credit cards used by the average stu-
dent ? Lander, for example, said she
only had one credit card that she used
mainly for books and emergencies.
and perhaps clothes, though very
rarely. When asked if she was going
to use the credit card that she just
applied for, she responded, "maybe.
but probably not."
The unenclosed area between
Ulrich's bookstore and the
Engineering Arch is a popular stomp-
ing ground for the credit card compa-
nies. However, the majority of stu-
dents pass by without hesitation, and
few even give the table a second
look.
In addition to offering free gifts.
(sometimes three gifts just for sign-
ing up), other incentives such as
reduced airfare for spring break are
shouted at students. As students con-
tinue to walk by. vendors repeat that
all they (students) haxe to do is apply,
and get a free gift --- in fact. if stu-
dents don't want the card when it
arrives, they can simply cut it up.
Remember. "No annual fee or oblig-
ation."
This might seem like shoddy busi-
ness sense, but once they're holding
it in their hands. few interviewed stu-
dents actually cut up the credit card.
It is often the case for them to hold
on to it, "in case of emergency.
Unfortunately. if that emergency
turns into "just this one time," even
that can turn into x- ell. I don't use it
all the time, and the spiral of excus-
es continues.
And this is here the credit card
companies do indeed flex their prof-
itabilitv-fom pople .ho cannot
pay their bills on tme> Bv charging
interest and late tees. te credit card
companies are able to make up al the
money they spend cix inc away gifts
with plenty to spare
Most people. including students
here at the University. get much more
than a free gift by applying for a
credit card. They are also getting a
gift that keeps on gix ing - bills to
pay on time, annual fees, interest
rates and more. And who would sus-
pect that one little, tiny piece of plas-
tic could ever do so much?
courtesy of Universal Pictures
Nia Long and Taye Diggs' know how to
set the mood in "The Best Mar."
Stop Making Sense See Thurs. 5 p.m.
Edge of Seventeen See Thurs. 7 p.m.
Sugartown (1999) Alison Anders's latest
quirky romp goes behind the scenes of
the not-quite-big-time music business.
Featuring several pop musicnhas-beens,
including Duran Duran's John Taylor.
Michigan Theater, 603 E. Liberty. 9:15
p.M.
The Limey See Fri. 4:30, 6:30 & 8:30
p. m.
MUSIC
Michigan Chamber Players Faculty string
players explore works by the ground-
breaking modern composer Arnold
Schoenberg. 4 p.m. Rackham Auditorium.
Free.
Poetry Reading Ed Morin and Kathleen
Ripley Leo read their poetry and conduct
Pietasters With special guest an open mic shindig. Guild House, 802
In the ingeniously titled"
her range by taking on a r
Monroe. 8:30 p.m. Free.
Tuesda
CAMPUS CINEMA
Edge of Seventeen See Thu
The Limey See Fri. 7:30 &
Sugartown See Sun. 9:15 l
MUSIC
Blind Pig Showcase Night Locz
don't suck. Possibly. Blind Pig
10 p.m. Free. 996-8555.
ALTERNATIVES
Dr. Barbara Luke Local auth
new book,"When You're Exi
Triplets or Quads." Borders
Arborland, 3527 Washtenaw.
Sharan Newman Author reac
copies of her latest historica
Difficult Saint." Aunt Agath
Fourth. 7 p.m. Free.
wednes
CAMPUS CINEMA
Faust (1960) An abridgec
restoration of the Goethe
by way of Gustaf Grundge
Michigan Theater, 603 E.
$5.50.
The Limey See Fri. 7:30 8
Sugartown See Sun. 9:45
MUSIC
Ben Harper and the innocent
rock with a funky groove. Hi
N. University. 7:30 p.m. $20
Mike Watt An electric perfoi
House, Pontiac.8 p,.m. $12.
Open Mic Acoustic & Electri
doesn't it? Tap Room, 201'V
p.m. Free. 482-5320.
courtesy of Warner Brothers
Matthew Perry and Oliver Platt make a cute couple in "Three to Tango" while learning not to wait until the last minute to CRISP.