The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.co 2A - Wednesday, November 17, 2010 2A - Wednesday, November17, 2010 The Michigan Daily - michigandailycor MONDAY: TUESDAY: WEDNESDAY: THURSDAY: In Other Ivory Towers Michigan Myths Professor Profiles Campus Clubs FRIDAY: Photos of the Week A prof.'s protesting past The political climate on car today is quite temperate compar that of the 1960s, when Greg Ma a University professor of politica ence, was a college student. "I'm one of those sixties a types," Markus, who is also a rest professor at the Institute of S, Research, said in an interview week. Markus's work has been dir influenced by his own activism di his college years, he said. "I was active in student po ... mostly around the Vietnam' but also about environmental n ments and race and politics and < things," he said. Markus's research uses voter ticipation and public opinion to analyze political activism at "everyday people," with a partic interest in marginalized popula and how their race, ethnicity social class impact their activism. CRIME NOTES Unattended MacBook taken WHERE: Hatcher Graduate Libnray WHEN: Monday at about 9:45 p.m. WHAT: An unattended Apple MacBook was stolen from the 5th floor, University Police reported. There are no sus- pects. Valet driver misses mark WHERE: East Medical Center WHEN: Monday at about 12 p.m. WHAT: A valet driver acci- dentally crashed a customer's car into a pole, University Police reported. Estimated cost of damage is unknown. In addition to teaching at the Uni- versity, Markus said he stays involved in what he calls "real world politics" by serving as a community organizer in Detroit. In 2007, he founded The Detroit Action Commonwealth, an organization of roughly 2,400 people who volunteer at the Capuchin Soup Kitchen on the east side of Detroit. Markus said he often uses his expe- rience with the organization in his work at the University. "We meet every week and work on issues that affect indigent Detroi- ters -- some really basic issues - and I enjoy that a lot and I learn a lot from that," he said. "it informs my teaching and it informs my research." Some of Markus's other work includes studying a decline in politi- cal involvement of young people since the 1960s. An annual ISR survey of incoming University students, con- ducted since the 1960s, illustrates this drop, he said. Young people turned out at a much lower rate for this year's midterm elections than in the 2008 presi- dential election, Markus said. He explained that this apparent apathy is one of the main reasons he chose to go into teaching. "There's a reason young people aren't active and much of that reason is because there are political interests that like it that way, (they don't) want young people not to be engaged in politics," Markus said. "And so I try to be a small little counter voice in that." Though Markus spends much of his time teaching or volunteering in Detroit, Markus also takes time out of his busy schedule to train for sporting events like the Iron Man triathlon. "I like endurance sports - I use it as kind of a break from the other work that I do," he said. "I've competed in15 COURTESY OF Otto MARKUS Iron Man triathlons and will continue Prof. Greg Markus, who found his polititol roots aS to do that." student activist in the 1960s, now studies the decrease -SABIRA KHAN in political involvement among young people. 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1327 www.nmichigandaily.com JACOB SMILOVITZ KATIEJOZWIAK Editor in Chief Business Hanager 734-48-41i5 ext. 1202 734-48-41ia eat. 1241 smitenine@mietdgandailyeaom rrndbusineso@maiteeom CONTACT INFORMATION Newsroom OfficenhoUrs:sun.-Thurs. ia.m.- 2a.m. 734-418-411sopt.3! News Tips news@michigandaily.com Corrections corrections@michigandaiy.com Letters to the Editor tothedaily@michigandaily.com Photography Department photo@michigandaily.com Arts Section artspage@michigandaily.com Editorial Page opinion@michiandaily.com Sports Section sports@michigandaiy.com Display Sales display@michigandaily.com Classified Sales classied@michigandaily.com Online Sales . onlineads@michigandaily.com Finance finance@michigandaily.com EDITORIAL STAFF MattlAaronson ManagingEditor aaronson@michigandaily.com Jillian Berman Managing News Editor berman@michigandaily.com SENIORkNEWS EDT'ORS Nicole Aber, Stephanie Steinberg, Kyle Swanson, Eshwar ASSISTANT NEWS EDITORS: Bethany Biron, Dylan Cint Caitlin Huston,Lindsay Kramer, Joseph Lichterman,Veronica Menaldi, Elyana Twiggs Rachel VanGilder Editorial Page Editor vangilder@michigandaily.com SENIOR EDITOR IAL PAGE EDITORS: Michelle DeWitt, Emily Orley, Laura Veith ASSIS'ANTEDITORIALPAGEEDIORS:WillButler,WillGrundler,HarshaPanduranga Ryan Kartje ManagingSports Editor kartje@michigandaily.com SENIOR SPORTS EDITORS: Mark Burns, Michael Florek, Chantel Jennings, Tim Rohan, Nick Spar, Joe Stapleton ASSISANT SPORTS EDITORS: Ben Estes, Stephen Nesbitt, Luke Pasch, Zak Pyzik, Amy JamieBlock ManagingArtsEditor block@michigandaily.com SEIOARTSooEITlORS: CarolKaeki, Andrew apin, Jff Sanfor ASEIN AR TS DTOR:ristynAho Leah BrginSharon Jacob, Kavi Shekbar Pa ndey, David Tito MaxCollinsand photo@michigandaily.com Sam Wolson ManagingPhoto Editors SFsIOsPOanOITsO: rilBo,uMaissa clain ASSTT OTOEDTORS: ake FrommJed ch Anna Lein-Zielinskiand design@michigandaiy.com Sarah Squire Managing Design Editors SENIOR DESIGN EDITOR: Maya Friedman Trevor Calero Magazine Editor calero@michigandaily.com DEPUrY MAGAZINE EDITOR: Jenna Skoller MelanieFried and copydesk@michigandaily.com AdiWollstein copychiefs BUSINESSSTAFF Julianna CremsalesoManager SALES FORCE MANAGER:Stephanie Bowker MARKETING MANAGER: Gjon Juncaj Hillary Szawala classified Manager CLASSIFIEDAssisTrANT MANAGER:Ardie Reed Jason Mahakian Production Manager Meghan Rooney Layout Manager Nick Meshkin Finance Manager Chrissy Winkler Circulation Manager Zach Yancer web Project Coordinator The Michigan Daily (ISSN 0745-967) is published Mondayfthrough Friday during the fall and win termsby studentsat theUniversityofMichiganOnecopy isavailable free of chargetoall readers.Additionalcopies may beickedupat theOaily'sofficefor$2, Subscriptionsfor fallterm, sttig in aSeptembe, via U0..nails,,e 0110 Wintrerm (anary through April) is $115,yesang Septmber throthpiril>is$101. Uiestf y anfiliawtesae jsujur ttoareduced subscriorate On-campussubscriptionsfor fallterm are$35.Subscriptionsmust be prepaid.The Michigan Daily isa member of The Associated Press and The Associated CollegiatePress. CAMPUS EVENTS & NOTES Chair loses leg MI Favorite Orientation WHERE: Mosher-Jordan Comic event leader meeting Hall WHEN: Monday at about WHAT: Monthly open WHAT: Mass meeting 11:20 p.m. mic standup comedy night beirgstuentsterested WHAT: The leg of a chair was for students, with the eing orientation lead- broken in the dorm lobby, Uni- chance to win prizes. ers f fir summer 2011. versity Police reported. There WHO: University Unions WHO: Office of New are no suspects. Arts & Programs Student Programs WHE:Tonight at 8 p.nm. WH EN: Today at 7 p.m. WHEN:Toightgat WHERE: Kalamazoo Room, WHERE: Michigan TeMcia ege Backpack with League Underground The Michigan League wallet swiped Keisler conducts Tanoriia , , WH AT: Informational WHERE: Hatcher Graduate U'S ho activity about health bar- Library S hriers for the transgender WHEN: Monday at about 2:30 Orchestra community today. Prizes The long-anticipated offi- cial autobiography of Mark Twain was released yester- day, according to National Pub- lic Radio. While he was alive, the famous satirist dictated that he wanted his memoirs to be released 100 years after his death. The University of Califor- nia at San Diego recently published a survey of the hottest careers for recent col- lege grads. We preview the top 10 for you. as FOR MORE,SEE THE STATEMENT,INSIDE The Department of Agri- culture reported that 14.7 percent of Ameri- can households were "food insecure" in 2009, CNN.com reported. With 6.8 million homes having trouble putting food on the table, the United States is at its highest hunger rate in 15 years. p.m. WHAT: An unattended back- pack was stolen from the 3rd floor, University Police report- ed. The backpack contained textbooks and a wallet con- taining $60 and credit cards. There are no suspects. WHAT: Keneth Keisler will conduct the symphony orchestra comprisedmof facul- ty members from the School of Music, Theater & Dance in a performance that includes Beethoven's Fifth Symphony. WHO: University Symphony Orchestra WHEN: Today at 8p.m. WHERE: Hill Auditorium given include gift cards. WHO: Spectrum Center and OUTbreak WHEN: Today at 10 a.m. WHERE: School of Public Health CORRECTIONS 0 Please report any error in the Daily to corrections@michi- gandaily.com. MORE ONLINE Love Crime Notes?Get more online at michiandaily.com/blogs/The Wire Defense asks judge to acquit Do ou know Brian Mitchell in Smart case Attorneys for suspect say prosecution failed to make their case SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Defense attorneys asked a federal judge yesterday to acquit the man charged in the 2002 abduction of Elizabeth Smart, saying prosecu- tors failed to make their case. Brian David Mitchell faces federal charges of kidnapping and unlawful transportation of a minor across state lines for sexual activity. If convicted, Mitchell could spend the rest of his life in federal prison. Prosecutors rested their case yesterday. Defense attorneys con- tend prosecutors failed, in partic- ular, to prove the count relating to sexual activity. In court papers, Mitchell's attorneys said that sex was inci- dental to the trip made to Califor- nia during Smart's nine months of captivity. Smart was 14 at the time of the abduction. "To put it bluntly, Mr. Mitchell had no need of traveling outside of Utah for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity with Ms. Smart," the defense wrote. In a response, the government said it only has to prove sex was a motivating purpose for the trip. It's unclear when U.S. District Judge Dale Kimball will rule on the acquittal motion. Smart has said she was forced to marry Mitchell in a religious cer- emony and act as his wife, includ- ing having sex. She testified that she was raped after arriving in California in October 2002. But she also said Mitchell felt "inspired" to got to California, believing that he needed to "find a new city for a new wife." She said Mitchell recounted having a rev- elation that "seven different wives would come from seven different cities." Defense attorneys also noted that an FBI agent said Mitchell told him that he had chose to go the San Diego area because the winter climate would be warmer than Utah. Prosecutors argue that Mitchell was clearly motivated by sex. "The evidence is clear that the defendant intended to treat Miss Smart as his 'wife' in California, which treatment including raping and otherwise sexually abusing her," federal prosecutors wrote. "The evidence is clear that the defendant traveled to California with the intention of obtaining a new 'wife' in California, and part of Miss Smart's responsibilities as his 'wife' was to demonstrate sex for the new'wife.'" The filing came hours after Mitchell's defense attorneys began building their case, painting a pic- ture of a deeply religious man who became increasingly inflexible and lost in his own beliefs. Witnesses told jurors that Brian David Mitchell thought the world was descending toward the final days and followed "revelations" from God to change jobs, follow an alternative medicine and travel around the country homeless to test how others would treat the poor. "He felt that he had some kind of divine mission," said Karl West, whose parents allowed Mitchell to intermittently live in their Orem, Utah, home between 1999 and 2001. Learn from U-M medical experts about this health issue that affects 12 million Americans. Food Allergies Quick Study Lecture Thursday, November 18, 7 p.m. Kellogg Eye Center Auditorium, Ann Arbor Don't Want to get out of your sweats to attend this event? Join in via live stream from the convenience of your computer. Same date, same time, your dorm. This event is free for U-M students and Alumni Association members; and $20 for nonmembers. 8 .8.4 To register, visit umalumni.com/food-allergies 6 or call 800.847.4764. ALUMNIASSOCIATION UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN www.umatumni.com CHUPACABRA From Page 1A O'Connor said. "The characteristics and description in Mexico at times live up with characteristics of dogs described with having mange," he said. The legend people in most of Mexico and South America are familiar with describes the chupa- cabra as four-legged, scaly, rancid smelling, and fanged - much like the description of a coyote with mange. "Mange is a skin disease caused by a mite," O'Connor said. "When the mite burrows in the skin, the skin thickens. Hair falls out." The infected coyote's scabbing body develops "a bacterial infec- tion that makes the animal smell bad," and "their face skin swells, pulls back," making their teeth appear more prominent, according to O'Conner. O'Connor also noted that chu- pacabra translates to "goat sucker" in Spanish, which probably comes from an exaggeration of the notion that chupacabras mainly prey on livestock. It's likelythatthe severe- ly infected coyote subsists mainly on livestock because the disease is "quite debilitating," making it dif- ficult for them to hunt down their prey, O'Connor said. Wild animals typically catch the mange-causing mite from dogs, O'Connor said, though humans aren't at much of a risk. "In terms of being able to trans- mit mite bacteria to humans, there is a possibility of that," he said. "It's not common." He added that experiments show it's not easy to transmit the mite from a dog toa human. Though the mite can also cause human scabies, O'Connor said humans don't develop symptoms as severe as those experienced by coyotes or dogs because humans have had millions of years to co- evolve with the parasite. "When a parasite moves on to a new host and is able to survive, it's often very damagingto thatorgan- ism," he said. Through domestication, dogs have had thousands of years to co- evolve with Sarcoptic mange, so they're not at as high of a risk as wild animals of becoming severely infected. But now, new species like the feral monkeys and coyotes are being exposed to the parasite, O'Connor said. With the spread of mites between species, places like Aus- tralia could soon have their own version of the chupacabra. 4 "There's a mite problem in wombats that they caught from dingoes," O'Connor said. But will the legendary creature make its may to Ann Arbor? "Right now in Ann Arbor we're seeing a lot of cases of Sarcop- tic mange in red foxes. It's often fatal, as we see in coyotes," he said. "We found a dead, mangy fox here on North Campus," O'Connor added.