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6F - The Michigan Daily Footbal Saturday - October 23, 1999


A NOBEL
ACCOMPLISHMENT
Prof. emeritus captures
Nobel Prize for physics

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Football Saturday
October 23, 1999 11

By Jodie Kaufman
Di St Rerter
Unisersity physics Prof. emeritus
Martinus Vlttnan won the Nobel
Prizc for physics Oct. 12, marking
the flost time a University staff
member has received the prestigious
international award.
"You don't drean for things like
this," 69-year-old Veltman said fol-
lowing the announcement of his
award, from his home in the
Netherlands.
The Royal Swedish Academy of
Sciences, the deemers of Nobel
Prizes, recognized Veltman's parti-
cle physics theory on firmer mathe-
matical foundations, which he com-
pleted between 1969 and 1971 while
at the University of Utrecht in
Holland.
Veltman retired from the
University in 1997 after serving 16
years in the physics department,
where he specialized in applied
physics.
\'eltman plans to write a book
explaining his theories.
His research is an "extension of
the mathematical models that are
used to explain what particles do,"
he said.
Veltman's findings have enabled
physicists to predict mathematically

properties of the sub-atomic parti-
cles that make up all matter in the
universe and the forces that hold
these particles together.
His theories also laid a foundation
for the discovery of quarks in 1995
by a group including Veltman's
University colleague Homer Neal. a
physics professor and former inter-
im University president.
Veltman's work has been crucial
to further understand nature and the
universe, said colleague and physics
Prof. Myron Campbell.
"We made a big stride forward,"
Veltman said.
No one knows exactly who nomi-
nated Veltman and his co-winner
Prof, Gerardus t' Hooft of the
University of Utrecht.
"It is a unique system where any-
body can nominate anybody, we do
not know who nominated Veltman or
how many times he was nominated
and was not successful," said Ctirad
Uher, chair of the physics depart-
ment.
"The entire institution should be
delighted. Veltman is a high achiev-
ing scientist, and this award is the
product of 15 years of research,"
Uher said.
While at the University, Veltman
"drew a very large graduate and

Physic Prof. emeritus Martinus Veltman speaks with report
Nobel Prize winner for physics will present the coin for toda
Stadium,
undergraduate population," Uher said Akhoury,
said. professor at th
Veltman had an "attitude of the University
utmost scientific standards and rig- Bollinger also
ors, which he injected into his stu- toward Veltma
dents," Uher said. ments.
During his 16-year stay at the "This is anc
University, Veltman graduated five for Dr. Veltma
doctoral students. him on this ret
"Veltman can stork effectively and itive contributi
get his ideas listened to," said tile physics,'
physics Prof. Jens Zorn. written statem
Long-time friend and colleague Veltman arr
Ratin Akhoury said "this piece of work Tuesday for ar
is absolutely tery fundamental, and The physics d
eventually many people will recognize the event.
Veltman because of this award." Veltman als'
The opportunity to work with providing an
Veltman "gave us great insight into research and ta
what the correct directions in Prize Friday.
physics are. - Dails Staf
"We all tried to learn from him," cont

few teams
without
mascot
By Marta Buill
Daily tafReprter
From Sparty to Purdue Pete to Bucky
the Badger, it seems nearly every univer-
sity has a mascot dancing on its sidelines
and rallying its fans. That is, every
school except Michigan.
The student mascot at Michigan State
DANNY KAUCK/Da y University, known lovingly to his fans as
ers Wednesday. The Sparty, said he enjoys showing his
ay's toss at Michigan school spirit. The 7-foot tall costume of
green armor weighs 40 pounds and lim-
who is also a physics its most upper body movement, but "the
e University. smile of a child and the cheer of the
President Lee crowd" keep Sparty fited up, the student
expressed his regards behind the costume said.
n for his accomplish- "It would be great to see every BinTen
university with a mascot said Sparty,
extraordinary moment who wished to remain anonymous It's
n and we congratulate an integral part of a major university to
cognition of his defin- have an icon he said, adding that he
ons to theoretical par- would have liked a mascot skirmish dut-
Bollinger said in a ing the Michigan vs. Michigan State
ent Oct. 12. game on Oct. 9, but Michigan's lack of a
ived in Ann Arbor on mascot leaves him with no one to fight.
reception in his honor. "I think a lot ofthei are pretty cheezy.
lepartment is hosting It's a little more classy to not have some-
one running around in a costume,' said
o presented a lecture, University student Kyle Marshall, an
overview of his LSA senior. "We don't need some guy
ilking about the Nobel running around in a furry suit to get us
enthused about the game" he said.
T Reporter Yae/ Kohen "I guess mascots are there to help
ributed to this report. fans get into te gamebut I gdon't
think it's secessary as Michigan
MUILY, Stadium," LSA senior Mike
Abramson said.
I ITSIn 1992, former Athletic Director J.P
Weidenbach made a statement regard-
ing the issue of a miascot after a
ORMATION. Uniersiy student made repeated
- requests to be the University of
Michigan oascot.
"The issue of a mascot as been
reviewed in the past and has been
rejected by the Athletic Department
M / 0P administratiotn and oard in Control
of Intercolegite Athletics,"
Weidenbach said in a letter to the
student.
"A mascot is not part of the
'Michigan tradition.' Both our men's
and women's athletic programs have
enjoyed success without the necessity
! of introducing a mascot.
E STAU RANT But at one time, the University did have
mascots running around campus. At the
eaers '9 dedication of Michigan Stadium in 1927,
two live wolverines paraded around the
stadium. The two animals, named
rMagazine'"Bennie" and "Biff," lised in a small zoo
nge Salsa Division nearthe Natural Histo Museum.
Former Athletic Director Fielding
Yost acquired the wolerines for the
University after a long search. But
when they became too vicious for their
surroundings, they were moved to the
Detroit Zoo.
Notre Dame University also had live
AN CAFE mascots at one time. The leprechaun
on e Ann Arbor See MASCOTS, Page 10F

By Aaron Rich
Daily Arts Writer
Apparently there are not many
new ideas floating around
Hollywood (or New York) these days,
and more filmmakers are finding it
acceptable to recycle old stories or
groups of old stories and call the end
result original. This is at least true
with the glut of reunion and wedding
films that has recently hit screens.
-Newest of the
s bunch^° is "The
Best Man," the
directoral debut
The Best of Malcom Lee
Man - who's claim
** to fame until
now was that he
At Showcase is Spike Lee's
first cousin.
The new
director might
tell you that the
"idea" for this
film came from
"The Big Chill"
or "My Best Friend's Wedding" -
yeah, Malcom, more like the story
came directly from their pages. In
fact, there is very little "inspiration"
here, as "The Best Man" is just a
remake of the same story (except
here the friends are black, not white,
and they come together over a wed-
ding rather than a funeral).
Stock characters abound in this
Hardknox
on anticipc

flick. Harper (Taye Diggs) is a novel-
ist who has never been published
before, yet has a following the likes
of Tom Wolfe. His best friend from
college, Lance (Morris Chestnut),
who plays for the New York Giants,
is getting married to another good
friend of his, Mia (Monica Calhoun).
When he arrives in New York for
the festivities, his friends Murch
(Harold Perrineau) and Quentin
(Terrence Howard) let him know that
they have read his soon-to-be-pub-
lished book. They pull out of the
novel that his heart still belongs to
college-flame Jordan (Nia Long).
The group does everything in its
power to make sure the two get
together - despite the fact that
Harper is in a happy relationship
with a woman outside the clan.
Mixed in are many typical scene of
the friends reminiscing as if they
haven't seen each other for many
years (yet, curiously, they have).
Everything that we expect to see
and hear appears on screen. Will
there be a moment when everyone
asks Lance how he can stand being a
celebrity? Yes. Will Harper and
Jordan almost hook up, and then get
sidetracked ? Yep. Will ,somebody
sake a really ridiculous life choice
(such asrdatingra stripper after expe-
riencing her two-minute lap-dance)?
Yes again. There is no weepy tennis
shoe sequence, though.

And it's a shame this all has to
happen because the film is rather
amtfsing and has moments of great-
ness. Many of these moments
involve the always solid (and solid-
chested) Diggs. He has the ability to
use his face to convey great emotion
and good comedy. His Harper is
believable in our world, if not a bit
too overwritten.
Other characters, such as Mia and
Murch's girlfriend, Shelby (Melissa
De Sousa), are-so underwritten that
they are nearly transparent. When
they are on screen, the comparative-
ly little we know about them ruin all
chemistry and drive.
Mixed into all of this junk are a
few moments of great filmmaking by
Lee (it should be clear that these
moments are only few and far
between). He throws in a few great
bits of creative editing (so creative
and fun that they stick out from the
rest of the mundane technique). He
also uses pop music and dance well
to help us meet the characters and
the situation.
This might notbe the best first
work, but it is definitely not the
worst.
Young Lee still has a lot to learn
from his older cousin (good or bad,
Spike's films are at least inventive
and fresh). First lesson will hopeful-
ly be no more reunion pies. We've
had enough.

Lee's 'Best Man' recreates
standard reunion story line

Monica Calhoun and Morris Chesnut pre-party before the big day in "The Best Man."

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fails to break ground
ated self-titled release

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Wih all she hype surrounding Hardknox, their self-
tithed debrut albums is a major disappointmsent. How NME
labeled the album, 'Furious, brutal and heavier than
Metallica in a bad nsood," is a mmystery. The fact that
Hardknox took three years to make seems even more
amazing.
The combination of Steve P
(Skycutter and Immortal Minds) and
*x Lindy Layton (Beats International
Hardknox andI Normsamn Cook partner) had
Hardknox immense promise and at times fol-
Jive Electro lows through. But for the most part,
they fall into the ever-present clichis
Reviewed by of electronic music.
Daly Arts Wr-tr -Drawing frommany influences,
AndyKor"n"Hardknox" comes at the listener
hard, but in no way can their
approach be compared so Metallica, bad mood or not.
Most of the songs feature female vocals with a record-
ed male voice.
Both of these, while commonly used tools in electron-
ic music, can produce some unique moods. At the end of
"Resistance is Futile," a fast paced romp with a woman
rapping fast and cool admist sonic space noise in the
background, a man's giddy and nervous voice comes in.

finishing touches on a song reminding us that resistance
to death is futile while at she sui unietelling us not so
worry about death too much.
Hardknox unfortunately throws away creativity and
goes straight for the point. In "Who's Money, " a boun-
cy track with a bass line that will make even the most
concentrated head bob, a voice repeats the rave-friendly
phrase, "The bitch better have my money."
Is is hard not so laugh upon hearinsg this when you are
automatically drawn to imagine a car full of glowstick-
waving kids in wide legged pants putting the phrase into
every song off their favorite party mix.
And that's the style Hardknox uses too often. They por-
tray themselves as dark, hard-nosed futurists but have a
hard time pulling it off because the music has already
been played. When they slow things down on "Just Me
N' You," they create the only real magic on the album.
The song, half Tricky, half Prodigy, sounds new, but the
mood doesn't last past the track. Even when they try
throwing in heavy guitar distortion to heighten the
aggression, it just doesn't seem to work.
When all is said amd done, Hardknox create a standard,
aggressive electronic album. The album sounds great but
it fails to break any new ground.

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