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www.michianday.com Ann Arbor, Michigan Vol. CXVII, No. 12 @2006 The Michigan Daily
One prof's
plan to save
BigThree
LEFT: Pope Benedict XVI says he regrets that Muslims have been offended by some of his words In a recent speech In Germany. TOP
RIGHT: Angry Pakistani Muslims chant slogans after setting on fire the effigy of the pope Saturday. BOTTOM RIGHT: Father Dennis T.
Glasgow says mass at St. Mary Student Parish at 331 Thompson St. yesterday.
Pope strife touches campus
Professor says apology
for comments 'quite
significant' in history of
Catholic Church
By Kelly Fraser
Daily Staff Reporter
As the fallout from Pope Benedict
XVI's controversial remarks on the
Islamic faith last week continues to
worry world leaders, students on cam-
pus expressed regret for the rift creat-
ed between the Catholic and Muslim
faiths.
During a speech at a German univer-
sity last week, the pope quoted Manuel
II Palaeologus, a 14th century Byzan-
tine Emperor, who said the Prophet
Mohammad spread the religion of
Islam "by the sword."
The remarks have sparked outrage
and violence throughout the Muslim
world.
On Sunday, the pope apologized
that his remarks were misunderstood,
but did not retract them. Some in the
Muslim community have called for
additional apologies.
Yesterday, the pope issued a state-
ment urging mutual respect for reli-
gious beliefs and also denounced the
killing of a nun in Somalia, which may
have been connected to his remarks.
History Prof. Brian Porter, an expert
on the Catholic Church, said the pope's
apology is unprecedented.
"To many outside observers, the
apology may appear half-hearted, and
in some sense it was, because he said in
essence, 'I'm sorry you misunderstood
me,' " Porter said. "But in the context
of the Roman Catholic Church, (the
apology) is really quite significant."
Unlike previous popes, who have
used staff and consultants to write ser-
mons and speeches, Porter said Bene-
dict prides himself on writing all of his
remarks himself.
"I think he recognized very quickly
he made a very significant error," Por-
ter said. "But there are some words
that are very difficult to unsay."
Porter said that the pope could have
chosen to use many different examples
from within the Christian faith, such
as the crusades, to illustrate his point.
"Why he chose that example, I'm
truly bewildered," Porter said.
LSA senior Ellen Michaels, who is
Catholic, said an apology was neces-
sary.
"From what I've read he was severe-
ly repentant," Michaels said.
Michaels said the best way to mend
the rift created between Catholicism
and Islam would be for Catholics and
Muslims to step back and respect each
other's convictions.
"Both religions teach forgiveness
and tolerance, and I think the best way
to speak up is to exemplify those val-
ues," she said.
Rackham student Christopher
Blauvelt, who is the coordinator of
See POPE, page 7A
For the flailing auto
industry, could fuel-efficient
vehicles be the answer?
By Andrew Grossman
Daily Staff Reporter
Financial salvation for the Big Three
automakers lies with more fuel-efficient
cars, according to a University study
released Monday.
The study, authored by Walter
McManus, a scientist at the Universi-
ty's Transportation Research Institute,
found that Ford, General Motors and
DaimlerChrysler could increase com-
bined profits by up to $2 billion in the
2010 model year by aggressively build-
ing cars that go above and beyond fed-
eral standards for fuel efficiency. That's
almost two-thirds of General Motors
2005 loss of $3.4 billion.
If the companies choose to only meet
the federal standards, they could lose
up to $3.6 billion in profit, the study
says.
American automakers have strug-
gled recently as rising gas prices have
driven consumers away from the inef-
ficient trucks and sport utility vehicles
that formed the base of their business.
Car buyers have increasingly looked to
smaller Japanese cars that get better gas
mileage.
In the latest sign of the Big Three's
woes, Chrysler, the carmaker with the
third-highest market share in America
last year, announced Monday that it
would slash its third-quarter production
by 24 percent. This paves the way for
Toyota, a Japanese firm, to move into
third place at the end of the year, while
Chrysler will drop to fourth. It also
projected a $1.5 billion loss for its U.S.
division in the same quarter.
"Even the Big Three now acknowl-
edge that high gas prices and their over-
dependence on fuel-inefficient SUVs
and pickup trucks have accelerated
their financial freefall," McManus said
in a written statement.
The study looks at three different
potential gas prices: $3.10, $2.30 and
$2. It argues that the Big Three auto-
makers stand to increase revenues at
all three levels, even if prices fall from
their current national average of $2.50.
The major Japanese car companies
would likely see little change in rev-
enue because their products are already
fuel-efficient.
Spokespeople from Ford and Chrys-
ler said the companies are already
working toward producing more fuel-
efficient cars.
"Fuel economy has always been
important," Chrysler spokesman Jason
Vines said. "It's more important now
than ever before."
Chrysler is collaborating with Mit-
subishi and Hyundai on a new engine
that would boost its cars' gas mileage
substantially. The company also plans
to introduce its first hybrid in 2008, a
Dodge Durango SUV.
Ford, which recently announced plans
to offer buyouts to all salaried employ-
ees and cut 10,000 salaried workers,
also acknowledged the importance of
producing cars that use less gas.
"We recognize the competitive
advantage of building vehicles that are
aligned with consumer demand, includ-
ing vehicles that are fuel-efficient,"
Ford spokeswoman Kristen Kinley said
in a written statement,
In June, Ford backed down from a
pledge to produce 250,000 hybrid vehi-
cles a year by the end of the decade.
Instead, the company said it would
focus more on alternative fuels like
ethanol and bio-diesel.
See BIG THREE, page 7A
Crime spikes again for
start of fall semester
MIRROR, MIRROR
Several robberies
and incidents of
sexual prowling mark
the week in crime
By Ashlea Surles
Daily Staff Reporter
The first weeks of school don't
only bring the start of classes and
keg parties. They also usually bring
an increase in crime.
This year was no exception.
Last week alone there were six
robberies in Ann Arbor, mostly in
student areas - a dramatic increase
from the four-week stretch before
that, which saw only two robber-
ies. At least one student was taken
to the hospital as a result. There has
also been an increase in nonviolent
theft.
Police said the robberies were
isolated and do not represent a crime
spree. Police also said they have had
a high success rate apprehending
suspects, arresting three out of the
five so far.
"We've been on a roll. We've
caught everybody," Sgt. Brad Hill
of the Ann Arbor Police Depart-
ment said. "Sometimes we don't
catch anybody."
Hill said an increase in crime is
not unusual in the weeks after stu-
dents move in. During the same
period last year, there was only one
fewer robbery and one fewer break-
ing and entering incident. There
were 12 cases of breaking and
entering last week.
Last Monday, a man began a
series of robberies near the 1500
block of Patricia Avenue at about 11
p.m., when he pounded on a door,
claiming he'd been stabbed, they
left when the resident told him to go
around to the front.
Police suspect he was involved in
two more incidents, the first at about
1 a.m. A 21-year-old student living
on the 800 block of Arch Street said
she heard noises on the floor below
around that time. She went to the
stairway and saw the man look up
and begin to walk toward her, police
said.
He pressed a butcher knife to
her stomach and demanded money.
She gave him her wallet and he left.
See CRIME, page 7A
To one charity, old books
mean a better world
AARON HANDELSMAN/Daily
Ann Arbor resident Shonda Bottke talks yesterday with Yulia Nanansen, owner of Mosaic Sphere Studio.
The studio Is located at 100 N. 4th Ave.
'U' names chief health officer
r 'U' chapter resells
thousands of books,
donates profits to
literacy programs
Ekjyot Saini
Daily Staff Reporter
Two years ago, Sarah Simmons
found a bookmark in a used book.
Simmons, then a freshman in the
Residential College, didn't realize
how much that thin piece of card-
board would change her college
experience.
The bookmark was for better-
worldbooks.com, which sells used
books and donates the profits to
reading and literacy charities.
Shortly after finding the book-
mark Simmons organized a Better
World Books drive at the Univer-
sity to collect old texts for Books
for Africa, a charity that provides
books to 26 African nations.
"I don't know how many books
we collected, but it was difficult
seeing as we had to organize a cam-
puswide book drive by ourselves,"
she said.
Simmons went on to organize
more drives in her sophomore year.
She worked through Better World
Books to assist a local chapter of
Room to Read - a group that helps
establish schools and libraries in
Asia - and the Golden Key Inter-
national Honor Society.
Better World Books was started
in 2003 by three friends after they
graduated from the University of
Notre Dame. Co-founder Chris
Fuchs said he and his friends stum-
bled onto the idea of selling used
books online during their senior
year because they were strapped for
cash and without job prospects.
See BOOKS, page 7A
Better book
drives
The University, with1,000
books donated last year,
ranks 15 out of the 32 state
universities where Better
World Books runs drives.
Here are annual averages of
a few that donated more:
Michigan State
University - 3,000
books
Grand Valley State
University - 1,500
to 2,000 books
Western Michigan
University -1,500
to 2,000 books
Winfield will
keep responsibilities
as UHS director
By Kelly Fraser
Daily Staff Reporter
Robert Winfield is busy.
He's the director of Univer-
sity Health Services, works as
a physician, co-chairs the Infec-
tious Hazards Planning Group
and works with the pandemic
flu planning group, among other
jobs.
You can add one more to that
list.
University President Mary
Sue Coleman this week appoint-
ed Winfield the University's first
chief health officer.
Coleman created the position
as part of her initiative to improve
the health and well-being of staff,
students and faculty.
"Bob has the knowledge,
insight and skill to advance our
vision and commitment to the
health of the University commu-
nity," Coleman said in a written
statement.
Winfield will coordinate the
University's actions on campus
health and wellness. He will also
serve as spokesman on those
subjects.
In addition, he will be an
advocate for adequate health
care and plans to advance public
discussion on the topic.
The job makes him respon-
sible for all three of the Universi-
ty's campuses - Dearborn, Ann
Arbor and Flint.
Winfield will work alongside
two groups carrying out Cole-
man's initiative: the President's
Michigan Healthy Community
Task Force and the Michigan
Healthy Community Executive
Vice President Working Group.
"The style I will approach this
with is a style of encouraging
collaboration and mutual prob-
lem-solving;" Winfield said.
He said he will give 25 percent
of his time to his new post, 10 to
25 percent to seeing patients and
the rest to serving as director of
UHS. He plans to work between
50 and 60 hours a week.
Winfield said he is not yet sure
what he'll do in his first year as
chief health officer.
"It is too early to tell" he said.
"But there are a number of issues
I'm passionate about."
Winfield cited health insur-
ance, alcohol, tobacco use,
domestic violence, nutrition and
physical activity.
No additional staff will report
to him, Winfield said.