4A - Friday, September 21, 2007
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KARL STAMPFL IMRAN SYED JEFFREY BLOOMER
EDITOR IN CHIEF EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR MANAGING EDITOR
Unsigned editorialsreflectthe official position of the Daily's editorialboard. All other signed articles
and illustrations representsolely the views of their authors.
F .. . 5 R5 .. yExA {
Out of control
Price hike for contraceptives will exacerbate problems
Even though students are taught as early as middle school
about the importance of contraceptives, female students
at colleges across the country are finding it increasing-
ly difficult to obtain effective methods of birth control. Passed
in January 2006, the federal Deficit Reduction Act has made it
tougher for drug manufacturers to sell their products at discount
rates to specific buyers - including universities. Several health
service departments at universities have had to raise the prices
of brand-name birth control up to $55 a pack - no small matter
considering some packs used to cost as little as $5. Because of
this unintended consequence the Deficit Reduction Act, female
students' finances and health rights are now in danger.
01
I think I got a B in Econ 101. Igot an A,
however, in keeping taxes low."
- President Bush in a news conference yesterday. Reports from Michael Roston of the Huffington Post, however, show
that Bush actually got a C- in economics at Yale University, as reported yesterday at usatoday.com.
Marketing machine
This Tuesday, we will witness
the biggest event in the his-
tory of man (what moon land-
ing?), the release of
"Halo 3." I will sit,.
glossy-eyed with
my mouth agape as
I turn on my Xbox
360 console and
play the earth-shat-
tering video game.
This piece isn't
about me and my KEVIN
addiction to "Halo,"BUNKLEY
though. This is
about a simple little
video game that will change the way
the entertainment industry operates.
For those who may not be aware,
"Halo" was created by Microsoft
subsidiary Bungie Studios in 2001
and has since sold 5 million copies
worldwide. Its sequel, aptly named
"Halo 2," has sold 9 million copies.
The series chronicles an epic battle in
the future between Earth and a race
of aliens, and Earth's fate depends on
the actions of the Master Chief, the
helmet-clad protagonist. His helmet
has made Microsoft a lot of money.
An analysis by Wedbush Mor-
gan, a business consulting firm, pre-
dicted that in the first three days of
the game's release, 3 million copies
will be sold. That would make it the
biggest video game opening ever,
shattering "Halo 2's" record of $125
million in sales. Microsoft says that
at least 1 million people have pre-
ordered a copy of the game, not bad
for a product that Microsoft is spend-
ing $10 million to market. Microsoft
is on to something: Games should be
marketed just like movies, and "Halo
3" will prove that it works.
The marketing campaign began
Dec. 4 - ten monthsbefore the release
date - with a television ad during an
ABC "Monday Night Football" broad-
cast that was viewed by 8 million peo-
ple. The ad has since been viewed on
YouTube 3 million times. The helmet
of the Master Chief has been slapped
on bottles of Mountain Dew's new
Game Fuel soda as well as Burger
King's soda cups and French fry con-
tainers, Gamestop and Comcast ads,
7-Eleven Slurpees, Samsung products,
Microsoft Zune players, Linkin Park's
world tour, a NASCAR stock car and
a Pontiac GXP coupe. As tiresome as
the comparison may be, "Halo 3" has
become the marketing equivalent of
"Star Wars."
Microsoft's willingness to throw so
muchmoneyat asingle productreveals
how desperate it is for profit. For each
fiscal year that both the original Xbox
and the Xbox 360 have been in stores,
Microsoft has lost money on them.
What other company would sacrifice
profit just for market exposure?
The strategy is part of a new trend
in the $11billionvideo game industry:
turning a niche market into one with
mass appeal. While it hasn't worked
for Microsoft yet, it has worked for
Nintendo, whose Wii console has sold
11 millionunits inthe 10 months it has
been on the market (it took the X-box
360 two years to reach that plateau).
Yet, Microsoft's plan all along was to
overtake Nintendo and Sony with its
secret weapon, "Halo 3." It's been a
long three-year wait, but Microsoft
is confident enough in this brand's
appeal to have reportedly spent $50
million developing "Halo 3." The
budget for this summer's box-office
hit "Superbad" was $20 million.
Everything Microsoft has done
with the Xbox 360 up to this point
has been in preparation for the "Halo
3" release on Sept. 25. The other ele-
ment to Microsoft's strategy is the
inverse of what the industry used
to follow. It used to be that console
sales drove themselves: That's how
it worked for Nintendo in the days
of Super Nintendo and Nintendo 64,
because these machines were worlds
ahead of their predecessors. Now,
with Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft
releasing a console every three years,
sales have become dependent on the
games, and that's what will save the
Xbox 360. Thousands of people will
be so compelled to play "Halo 3" that
they will break down and purchase a
$350 console just to do so.
0
0
Will 'Halo 3' be
bigger than
'Star Wars'?
This is only the beginning. The
arrival of "Halo 3" legitimizes the
place of video games near the top
of the entertainment world. Their
growth is bigger than movibs, way
bigger than television. Don't expect
this trend to dissolve quickly, either:
Spending this kind of money to sell a
game is the new trend that's here to
stay. With box-office numbers slip-
ping, TV ratings diluted amongst
countless cable networks, "Halo 3" is.
the blockbuster title the video game
industry needed to make itself known
as the new big thing.
The thousands of people that line
up at their local Best Buy come Tues-
day will be ushering in a new era.
"Halo 3" might have something in
common with "Star Wars" after all.
Kevin Bunkley is an assistant
editorial page editor. He can be
reached at kevrbunk@umich.edu.
"
The surge in brand-name prescription
prices is the result of the Deficit Reduction
Act revoking pharmaceutical companies'
ability to offer reduced rates on their drugs
to student health services unless they offer
the same incentive to Medicaid providers.
This legislative move, many doctors fear,
will cause women to turn away from pre-
scription birth control methods that have
proven to be 99.7 percent effective against
pregnancy in favor of less reliable, less
expensive methods.
Such a move would make young women
more susceptible to unexpected pregnan-
cies, which presumably would interfere
with their education and be a further
strain on their finances, at the very least.
Affordable birth control stops these prob-
lems before they start, whereas unafford-
able birth control threatens to exacerbate
those and other problems like unplanned
pregnancy, abortion and poverty.
Ironically, the legislative act responsible
for the increase in birth control pricing,
which is an attempt to reduce the defi-
cit, turns out to cost more money in the
long run. The medical expenditure due
to unplanned pregnancies and abortion
exceed the cost of providing affordable
birth control in the beginning. According
to recent research from Princeton Uni-
versity's Office of Population Research,
America spends $5 billion a year in medi-
cal expenses stemming from unplanned
pregnancies, yet it saves $19 billion a year
from birth control methods. Further, every
dollar the government spends on safe sex
services saves $4 in social services meant
to support unplanned pregnancy in the
first year alone. Affordable birth control
is not only cost effective for the individual
but also for the country at large.
Addingto the irony, this increase in birth
control prices seems tobe a step backward
for health care. With the ideas of expanded
health insurance and universal health care
gaining ground with the American public
and certain presidential candidates boast-
ing their potential in the future, it seems
counterintuitive for the legislature to pass
a measure that hikes prescription costs.
Instead of making health care more acces-
sible, lawmakers are turningitinto aluxury
available to those who can foot the bill.
Contraceptives comprise a vital part of
fundamental health care and everyone
should be able to exercise their reproduc-
tive rights in an affordable and effective
way. One of the steps to ensure this goal
must be for legislators to fix this flaw in
the Deficit Reduction Act. Students' repro-
ductive rights and health care should not
suffer from an unforeseen legal techni-
calities.
ALEX PROSPERI E
Greek bashing baseless and shameful
SEND LETTERS TO: TOTHEDAILY@UMICH.EDU
Since freshman year, I have been
a proud and active member of Sigma
Phi Epsilon. So you can imagine
my outrage at Theresa Kennelly's
column in Tuesday's Daily, which
said things like: "I can think of sev-
eral things you can do to change
your life other than choosing some
Greek letters." (Rushing into trou-
ble, 09/18/2007). Rushing gives a
student an opportunity to meet new
people and experience a different
aspect of college life. I can't speak
for everyone, but I know it changed
a lot of people's lives for the better.
I won't lie. Hazing does happen
in the Greek community, but the
stereotypical "frat-like" pledging
and hazing that people assume is
widespread occurs at a very low
rate. But I'm not writing to talk
about rush or hazing. I'm writ-
ing to secure the integrity of my
house as well as all the other great
fraternities and sororities on cam-
pus. SigEp is a national anti-hazing
and anti-pledging fraternity. Don't
believe me? I have yet to take a sip
of alcohol at the University.
We are built around the Bal-
anced Man Principle, which holds
three cardinal principles - virtue,
diligence and brotherly love. Broth-
ers go through the Sigma, Phi and
Epsilon challenges to gain more
knowledge and assume greater
leadership in the house. Our house
holds things like community ser-
vice, intramural participation and
bonding experiences in the highest
regard. We have brothers involved
in Indian American Student Asso-
ciation, The Michigan Daily, the
Interfraternity Council, Circle K,
The Detroit Project, campus orien-
tation tours and Dance Marathon,
among others. That's just from one.
fraternity.
Year after year Greeks are paint-
ed asbrainless alcoholics, more con-
cerned with the next mixer than the
next midterm. And year after year,
we smile and point to statistics that
show, once again, that the Greeks
on average have higher GPAs than
the campus as a whole.
Kennelly mentions that Greeks
are more into drinking than phi-
lanthropy. Such a generalization is
unfair. Mine is one of several hous-
es that have never faced social pro-
bation for alcohol-related issues,
and .there are a great number of
Greeks on campus who don't even
drink. The Michigan Alpha chap-
ter of SigEp participated in nearly
4,300 hours of community service
last year alone and raised upwards
of $14,000 for various charities.
Again, SigEp isn't alone in
achievements. Every year, Phi
Gamma Delta does a rivalry run to
Columbus to raise money for the
American Cancer Society. This year
it has teamed with Pi Kappa Alpha
to make the event even bigger.
Speaking of big events, Greek Week
is one of the largest student-run
philanthropic events on campus.
Kennelly decries the Greeks
for their drunken mess on State
and Hoover on football Saturdays.
Is there no other drunken mess
around campus? Some of the best
moments in my memory of SigEp
come from football Saturdays, and
once again, I don't drink. For a
writer to tell anyone in the Greek
community that there is a more life
changing decision than choosing to
go Greek is a shot in the gut to all
of us.
To understand the Greek com-
munity is to recognize the diversity
that the University strives to pro-
mote.
Alex Prosperi is an LSA sophomore
and a Daily sports writer.
Picture of Greek life
painted inaccurately by
both sides of the debate
parties. I don't rei
when I chose myl
I planned to "char
As a University
system for what
to meet (some) ai
(warm) beers, pla
TO THE DAILY: and get a few (s
As I glanced through the Daily on Tuesday can do somethini
and came across Theresa Kennelly's column that's a plus. But,
(Rushing into trouble, 09/18/2007), I couldn't better) organizat
help but groan. I groaned, not because I want to make a di
am sick of hearing the same, tired brand of ers (the Ginsberg
Greek bashing every fall, but because I was of the values of t
already anticipating the same, tired brand of realized; the trad
Greek praise in response. that remind me m
In the Daily, only the polar opposites are than an organizat
expressed, insinuating an "us vs. them," country.
"Greek vs. non-Greek" dichotomy. So far this Nevertheless, i
semester, both sides have either expressed while I still cared
blind praise or blind criticism of the Greek
system. Lacking from the discussion is a Jeremy Levine-I
critical look at the Greek system from an LSA senior
insider, an opinion I argue is shared by the
majority of Greeks on campus.
I rushed and joined a fraternity in the fall Apple's cal
of my freshman year and was later elected to
the executive board. For awhile, it was great: estimate d
I felt cool as hell rocking the letters, the par-
ties were awesome and I felt like I had a mil- factor in if
lion friends. In this sense, Kennelly misses
the target in her biased analysis: At their TO THE DAILY:
core, Greek houses are social institutions It is a stretch
that provide valuable social networks. And, that there was a
let's be honest, unhealthy binge drinking is a or demand of ApI
college problem, not just a Greek problem. recent price red
On the other hand, Carlie Kleinman-and rest of us, 09/18/
Chris Kane, speaking on behalf of the Inter- price of the.iPhon
fraternity Council and the Panhellenic Asso- of Apple's capacit
ciation, also need to face reality (Greek life pick a price. If A
offers unique opportunities, 09/19/2007). another product,
Inevitably, as we broaden our perspectives, game with consui
we realize the Greek system is an elitist insti- tifiably be outrage
tution based on a long history of racial and or not they took E
ethnic exclusivity. We realize that we don't The most wor
get along with some of the people in our the article is th
houses. Is brotherhood and sisterhood really numbers of stud
about life-long friendships and connections by a class with aI
to people you can't stand? We also realize that algebra.
our one, single philanthropic event each year
is in essence a psychological justification for William Wilcox
weekend after weekend of mixers and date LSA senior
gret any of my decisions, but
letters, this isn't really how
nge my life."
, we need to take the Greek
it is: a great opportunity
mazing people, have a few
ay (every) intramural sport,
ort of) free T-shirts. If we
g good for the community,
there are plenty more (and
ions to join if you actually
fference in the lives of oth-
Center, for example). Most
he Greek system are never
itions are silly little secrets
sore of "The Little Rascals"
ion of future leaders of this
it was a really fun two years
d.
Murray
pacity to
emand is biggest
phone price cut
of the imagination to say
any radical shift in supply
ple's iPhone to warrant the
uction (Economics for the
2007). This is because the
.e is determined by the laws
ty to estimate demand and
pple ever wants to release
it is engaged in a repeated
mers. So consumers can jus-
ed by the price cut, whether
con 101.
risome point brought up in
e fact that there are large
ents who are intimidated
requirement of high school.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Readers are encouraged to submit letters to the editor. Letters should be under 300 words and must include the
writer's full name and University affiliation. The Daily reserves the right to edit letters for clarity, grammar and
space, and all submissions become property of The Michigan Daily. We do not print anonymous'letters. Send let-
ters to: tothedaily@umich.edu.
ALEXANDER HONKALA
.5
f/g
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MORE ONLINE
BLOGS
Read Theresa Kennelly's
response to commentary
about her column on Greek
life (Rushing into trouble,
09/18/2007) at michigandoily
com/thepodium.
Editorial Board Members: Ben Caleca, Mike Eber, Brian Flaherty, Kellyn Jack-
son, Gavin Stern, Jennifer Sussex, Neil Tambe, Radhika Upadhyaya