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Magazine Editor:
Jessica Vosgerchian
Editor in Chief:
Andrew Grossman
Managing Editor:
Gabe Nelson
Photo Editor:
Chanel Von Habsburg-
Lothringen
Junk Drawer:
Brian Tengel
Center spread design:
Andy Brown
Cover photo:
Chanel Von Habsburg-
Lothringen
The Statement is The Michigan
Daily's news magazine, distributed
every Wednesday during the
academic year.
new rules
rule 161i Don't
leave your girl-
friend alone with
your drunk of an
uncle at Thanks-
giving dinner.
rule 162: It's not
cool to say "Go
blue!" to everyone
wearing a Michi-
gan sweatshirt at
the airport. rule
163: By virtue
of attending this
school, you have
to at least feign
interest in Michi-
gan football. You
can't get through
an interview with-
out being talked
to about it.
- E-mail rule submissions to
TheStatement@umich.edu
4
2
3
THE 'FROM SANTA' SACRIFICE
The New York Times reports that in order to get their children the latest hot toys, mothers
are refraining from buying the special items they used to pick up for themselves during their
holiday shopping. Says one mother: "I want her to be able to look back and say, 'Even though
they were tough times, my mom was still able to give me stuff.'"It's a sweet gesture, but
remember what happened to all your trendy toys? The Razor scooter you abandoned after a
week? And the Tickle Me Elmo that your little sibling ripped the arms off of? Moms - save
yourselves the heartache and get the kid a rubber kickball and some chalk.
TAKE-ME DOWN TO THE FORBIDDEN CITY
Guns N' Roses, the classic 80's band beloved by long-haired white guys everywhere,
finally released a new album after a15-year hiatis. The album, titled "Chinese Democ-
racy," reveals what enigmatic front man Aol xRose has been up to for almost two decades.
Secluded in his Malibu home, watching noth'ing but 24-hour international news during his
(alleged> plastic surgery bed stays, Axl shook his head in disgust at the affront to democ-
racy by the Communist Party of China Finally, Axl realized it was time for him to speak.
The world couldn't stand his silence any longer. Surely now, China will hold democratic
elections. Let the hairbangers rejoice! GNR is back - everything is going to be fine.
TRYING OUR CHANCES ABROAD
The number of University students who studied abroad rose by 20 percent for the 2006-
2007 academic years - more than double the average rate increase nationwide. In such
difficult economic times, an increase in trips abroad by young, broke college students
seems counter-intuitive. But really, it makes complete sense. It's called worker migration
- a phenomenon that has brought new workers to the United States for centuries. But
with unemployment rising quickly, what American student wouldn't want to scope out
the job market across the sea? In fact, with economies the world over feelingthe crunch, a
spry American might be an appealing hire in the cushy European Union. We're young, able
and willing to work without four weeksvof vacation time.
THE EDITOR'S NOTEBOOK with JESSICA VOSGERCHIAN
A look at the big news events this week and how important they really are. Conveniently rated from one to 10.
I'M NOT FROM MICHIGAN. But like many Uni-
versity students, my views on Ypsilanti were
shaped before I had ever visited it. Degener-
ate, dirty and scary are just a few of the adjec-
tives my peers have used to describe it. But I
figured the home of Eastern Michigan Uni-
versity must have its own college nightlife. I
decided to check Ypsi out for myself. So last
Saturday, a few of my friends (emphasis on
few seeing as many of my friends scoffed at
the idea of going to Ypsilanti) set out to expe-
rience the city's bar scene first hand.
We met at the Union to catch a cab and after
twenty minutes, a $23 fare and important
tips on choosing a cruise ship cabin from our
cab driver, we arrived at the first stop on my
list, THE CORNER BREWERY. My first thought
was "Where the hell are we?" The brightly
lit, brick building of The Corner Brewery
was surrounded by residential houses and
what appeared to be a vacant lot. Putting
my qualms aside, I entered the bar to find a
warm, inviting space with high ceilings, large
wooden booths and leather couches around a
fireplace.
After bellying up to the bar, we were imme-
diately greeted by a very friendly bartender
who made us feel right at home. The Corner
Brewery and Arbor Brewing Company share
an owner - and behind the scenes at the Ypsi
location ABC's signature beers are brewed.
I ordered a good wheat ale and took in the
crowd. Behind us sat two Eastern Michigan
students eagerly taking advantage of what I
think is the most unique part of The Corner
Brewery: it's BYOF (Bring your own food)
policy.
Soon I met the first of what I like to call
my "Ypsilanti friends" - Tony Nemetz, a
night shift dialysis cleaner at the University
of Michigan hospital. Our conversation topics
ranged from a cactus at the Botanical Gar-
dens named "the Old General" to Russia- Ger-
man relations, from smoking pot on the Diag,
to being assured I can say anything in Ann
Arbor "as long as I don't get rude or crude."
Bidding adieu to our fellow patrons, we
walked the short distance to the next bar,
SIDETRACKS, located on a much busier road.
The first detail to catch my eye was a sign
that touted an endorsement from one of
my favorite magazines, GQ: "One of the 20
burgers you must eat before you die." Put-
ting my vegetarianism aside, I ordered a
Stoli on the rocks (half priced, by the way.
Sidetrack has an incredible happy hour -
half off all drinks), and told the waiter to
bring me a burger.
As we were finishing the burger, we met
our second Ypsilanti friend, who encour-
aged us to take shots of Jameson and told us
not to put on airs here in Ypsilanti like they
do in Ann Arbor. Our new friend seemed
down on Ann Arbor and the snobbiness they
attributed to its residents, but he was happy
enough to spend a friendly spell with us. I
decided that I liked Sidetrack, which was a
bit darker, nosier and more crowded than
the last place and reminiscent of my favorite
Ann Arbor haunt, The Brown Jug. And the
burger was good. Not so good that I am will-
ing to break my vegetarian vows for good,
but enough to make me want to come back
for the rest of the menu.
With midnight approaching and still two
more bars to go, we left Sidetracks to grab
the Blue Cab we had called. Our destination
was THE TAP ROOM. Since the Tap Room in
the Union is my favorite spot and alcohol
only makes things better, I had been anx-
iously awaiting this one. But I was greatly
disappointed. Despite a man who looked
suspiciously like George Clinton sitting at
the bar and $2 well drinks all night, the place
sucked. The atmosphere was like Mitch's on
its worst night and the wait staff was slow,
Not even finishing the worst whisky coke I
had ever tasted, we paid the tab and left for
another place next door.
THE ELBOW ROOM reminded me of a high
TOP PHOTO: Behind the bar at Sidetrack on East Cross Street s
BOTTOM PHOTO: A game vf yvol in the Elbow Eovm at Sovals Washington Street.
Pict ure Michi gan.
There are some images that you're going to want to remember. The scene on the
Diag on election night. The time you held an audience transfixed. That play that
changed everything.
Now, you can keep those images.
Visit photo.michigandaily.com.
school party - one I wasn't invited to. Every-
one seemed to either already know each other
or want to know each other because of their
respective hipness. There were hipsters and
punks, men in American flag bandanas and
a man in a fedora who looked straight out of
The Sartorialist blog. I have to admit there
may have been a bit too much spiked hair,
fangs and leather for me. As one patron put it,
the clientele were more of a "fringe crowd."
As agirlusually described as smack dabinthe
middle, I was a little out of my element. Nev-
ertheless, the place was cool. Ithad remixes of
Beastie Boys songs playing and TVs showing
TV Carnage, a station that takes "hundreds of
hours of exceptionally bad TV" and streams
them together. I met a man who called him-
self "The Chad" who assured me that the best
part of the Elbow Room is "the drinking" and
another man who told me to "Be real. Be any-
body you want. Be unhomogenized."
I had certainly received alot of advice from
the Ypsilanti folk I met that night, and as Ileft
the Elbow Room reeking of smoke (something
I rarely allow except for the Jug), I contem-
plated my night in Ypsilanti. Was it different?
Yes. Did I enjoy it? Maybe. Was it worth $40
in cab fare? Definitely not. Ypsilanti allowed
me to escape from my peers at the University
for a night. Peers whom my new friends in
Ypsi would aptly describe as people who "like
to put on airs and wear a uniform when they
go out." I certainly met characters I would
never had met on South University Avenue or
Main Street.
Ypsilanti has a bar scene Ann Arbor does
not offer, but I'm not ready to give up my cor-
ner booth at the Jug just yet. For as much flak
as University students might get in Ypsilanti,
I still enjoy sipping on overpriced Stoli, dress-
ing to the nines and discussing Freudian slips
and the nature of evil with them on a Sat-
urday night. And not to mention keeping an
extra $40 in cab fare in my wallet.