2A - Wednesday, January 11, 2012 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com 2A: - Wednesday, Januaryr,11, 2012 The.Michigan Daily - mich..an.,.y. WINTERFEST FUN CEje ichipan Daily 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1327 www.michigandaily.com JOSEPH LICHTERMAN ZACHARY YANCER Editor in Chief Business Manager 734-418-4115 ext. 1252 734-418-4115 ext. 1241 lichterman@michigandaily.com zyancer@michigandaily.com Here's to public speaking For many students, public speaking often invokes excru- ciating memories of stuttering through a class presentation. However for the University's chapter of Toastmasters - an organization that helps students improve public speaking skills and prepares them to interact with future employers and col- leagues - public speaking is exciting, competitive and an important skill for entering the professional world. Rackham student Suyang Dong, president of Toastmas- ters, said the club caters to a variety of interests and has a membership comprised of both University students and Ann Arbor residents. "It might surprise you that even though this is a student club ... it includes some staff and faculty members, or even people who just live locally or work locally," Dong said. "Some stu- dents just want to improve their public speaking skills ... some students ... come here wanting to have better professionalism in the future, to have an impact on their community." Students perform evaluations on one another, and the club's general evaluator provides feed- back based on the Toastmaster's official rubric, Dong said. Toast- masters also provide an oppor- tunity for students to compete against one another to test their newly developed public-speak- ing abilities. "We have two competitions each year," Dong said. "We have a competition called 'Humor- ous Speech,' and you basically just try to make people laugh..." Dong said. "And for winter semester, there's a speech called 'Inspirational,' when you try to inspire your audience to do something." If students win the competi- tion at the club level, they can go on to compete at higher lev- els against other Toastmasters chapters. -PETER SHAHIN Newsroon 734-41t-41t5 opt.3 Corrections corrections@michigandaily.com Arts Section arts@michigandaily.com Sports Section sports@omichigandaily.com DisplaySales display@michigandaily.com Inline Sales onlineads@mioiigandaiy.oo News nips nseemiohigandaily.com Letterstothe Editor tothedaily@michigandaily.com Editorial Page opinion@michigandaily.com Photography Section photo@michigandaily.com Classified Sales classifed@michigandaily.com Finance finane@mihigandaily.com Students contemplate joining student organizations at Winterfest in the Michigan Union yesterday. CRIME NOTES CAMPUS EVENTS & NOTES Breaking bad WHERE: 3330 E. Liberty Street WHEN: Monday at about 8:30 a.m. WHAT: An attempt was made to break into a locked office door at the Center for the Education of Women, University Police reported. The burglar couldn't break the lock. Rnnm rnidprc CnnrPrnp. Movie WHERE: Oxford Housing WHEN: Monday at about 4:25 p.m. WHAT: During winter break, a female student's money was taken from her room, University Police reported. Several people, including her roommates, could have entered the room during that time. A recent study found workshop screening that smoking-cessation products, like nicotine WHAT: Meeting focused WHAT: A free screening of gum, may not be as effective on identifying and solving Bill Maher's "Religulous", as previously thought, The the ever-present problem of with a short discussion New York Times reported. procrastination. afterward. Pizza will be Though the products are WHO: Counseling and Psy- provided. popular, they haven't been chological Services WHO: Secular Student Alli- p orevent een WHEN: Today at 4:15 p.m. ance proven to prevent relapses. WHERE: Michigan Union, WHEN: Tonight at 7 p.m. room 3100 WHERE: Angell Hall, room YouTube is more than 2271 cute kittens and music videos. Learn how Resume review Nerdfighters are building an online community to fight Folk concert WHAT: Students who are world suck. applying for jobs or intern- >> FOR MORE, SEE THE STATEMENT, WHAT: The folk band Paul ships can critiques from INSIDE EDITORIAL STAFF Josh Healy ManagingEditor jahealy@michigandaily.com Bethany Biron MnainoNes E ditor bion@michigandaitycomn ONEWS EDITOORS:Haey GlatthorHaleyGoldbergRayzaGoldmih, PaigetPearcy AdamRubenfire ASSISTANT NEWS EDITORS: Giacomo Bologna, Anna Rozenberg, Andrew Schulman, Peter Shahin,K.C. Wassman AshleyGriesshammerand opinioneditors@michigandaily.com Andrew Weiner Editorial Page Editors SENIOR EDITORIAL PAGE EDITORS: HarsNhata,Timothy Rabb, Vanessa Rychlinski ASSISTANT EDITORIAL PAGE EDITORS: Jesse Klein, Patrick Maillet Stephen Nes"itt Maneai" portsEditor neitt@michigandaity.on SORStOROT EDITOS EerttCoook,OBenoEstsZah Helfan,Luke Pasc, Neal Rothschild, Matt Slovin ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITORS: Steven Braid, Michael Laurila, Matt Spelich, Colleen Thomas,LizVukelich,DanielWasserman LeahBurgin ManagingArtsEditor burgin@michigandaily.com SENORToSotEDITORS:EllioAlper,JacobsAxelrad,oDavid Tao,Kyla Updhyya ASSTRANRTS E OsTRS: Lot Csert aM atEastonKel ly E,, Ate, adovskaya, Chloe Stachowiak Erin Kirkland and photo@michigandaily.com SEIO POT EITRSTrr oengraff, Todd Needle ASSISTANTPHOTOEDITORS:AdamGlanzman,AustenHufford, AllisonKruske Marlene Lacasse,AdamSchnitzer. Arjun Mahanti Managing Design Editor mahanti@michigandaily.com SENIOR DESIGN EDITORS:Krisit Begonja,Anna Lein-Zielinski Dylan Cinti and statement@michigandaily.com Jennifer Xu Magazine Editor DEPUTY MAGAZINE EDITOR: Kaitlin Williams ChristineChun and copydesk@michigandaily.com Hannah Poindexter copychiefs SENIOR CO PYEDITORS:JosephineAdams,BethCoplowitz Zach Bergson Online Editor bergson@michigandaily.com ImranSyed PublicEditor publiceditor@michigandaily.com BUSINESS STAFF Julianna Crim AssociateoBusiness Manager Rachel Greinetz Sales Manager Sophie Greenbaum Production Manager Sean Jackson special Projects Manager Connor Byrd Finance Manager Ashley Karadsheh client Relationships Manager The Michigan Daily (SSN 0745-967) is published Monday through Friday during the fall and wintertetrms by students at the University of Michigan. One copy is available free of charge to all readers. Additional copies may be picked up at the Daily's office for $2. Subscriptions for fall term, starting in September, via U.S.tmalare $110 Wint term(January through April)is $115, yearlong tSeptemberothrough Aprl)is$195.University affiliates are subject to a reduced subscription rate.On-campus subscriptions for falltermare$35.Subscriptionsmust bn aid. Picture Hittin' in (im)perfect the hosptial 0 WHERE:Boyer Building- WHEN: Monday at about 1:45 p.m. WHAT: A camera that had been missing since Novem- ber was reported stolen, University Police reported. Staff waited to notify police because they didn't know if a ,,n ffmember m-ove t. WHERE: East Medical Center WHEN: Monday at about 5:50 p.m. WHAT: A patient was dis- covered in possession of an unknown narcotic, Univer- sity Police reported. The drug has been sent to the stna noli efor anavnse Cebar Tomorrow Sound will be showcasing their new album, "Tomorrow Sound Now For Yes Music People." The folk group originated in Milwaukee in the 1970s. General Admis- sion tickets cost $15. WHO: Michigan Union Ticket Office WHEN: Tonight at 8 p.m. WHERE: The Ark career adviser on their resume. WHO: The Career Center WHEN: Tonight at 5 p.m. WHERE: Student Activities Building, room 3200 CORRECTIONS . Please report any error in the Daily to corrections@michi- gandaily.com. Hostess Brands Inc., which produces ~Twinkies, is preparing to file for Chapter 11 bank- ruptcy, The Wall Street Jour- nal reported. The company is more than $860 million in debt and previously emerged from bankruptcy in 2009. General Motors and Ford 7 report strong January sales 0 Consumers buy more small and midsize vehicles DETROIT (AP) - American consumers are buying cars at a brisk pace in January, continuing sales growth that began late last year, according to two industry executives. Mark Reuss, General Motors Co.'s North American president, said yesterday that rising sales seen by GM and the U.S. industry are continuingthrough the first10 days of the month. "I think we're off to a good start. I think the industry is off to a good start," Reuss said at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Erich Merkle, Ford Motor Co.'s top U.S. sales analyst, also said sales are going well so far this month. Neither executive would give specific numbers. November and December were among the strongest months last year for U.S. car and truck sales. Buyers were drawn by cheap loans and an improving economy. Pent-up demand also was robust last year because many people had to replace aging vehicles. The average age of a car on U.S. roads is approaching 11 years. GM's U.S. sales rose 13 percent last year, even faster than the industry as a whole, which saw sales climb 10 percent to 12.8 mil- lion vehicles. Sales could rise by another million this year, analysts say. So far, January sales are run- ning at an annual pace of about 13.5 million cars and trucks, says Jesse Toprak, vice president of industry trends for the TrueCar. com auto pricing website. . January normally is one of the lowest sales months of the year as bad weather and overspend- ing during the holidays keep buy- ers from visiting showrooms. But unemployment, housing starts, the stock market and consumer confidence all are rising, mak- ing car buyers more confident, Toprak said. "They do feel better about buy- ing a car now than they have in the last three years," Toprak said. He said people are buy- ing small- and midsize cars, as well as midsize crossover SUVs, which are based on car frames. Models selling well include the Toyota RAV-4 and Honda CR-V crossovers. Cars include the Ford Focus, Chevrolet Cruze and Honda Civic, he said. People who are replacing older models are downsizing, but spending alotofmoneyonsmaller vehicles by equipping them with extra features, he said. CARlOS OSORIO/AP The new Lincoln MKZ concept vehicle at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit yesterday. Lincoln impresses at Detroit auto show, grandpa befuddled 2013 MKZ signals Lincoln is now outsold by seven "They're doing the right other luxury brands, including things. People are going to innovative new Lexus and Infiniti. Presidents aspire to own a Lincoln again," since Bill Clinton have ridden in said Dave Sullivan, an ana- direction for Cadillacs. lyst with consulting group Saving Lincoln has been on AutoPacific Inc. The new design beleaguered brand Ford's back burner for a long reminds him of an Audi. time. The automaker decided Among the MKZ's features is DETROIT (AP) - Lincoln first to tackle more pressing an all-glass roof that opens auto- was once the pinnacle of luxury. matters like downsizing and matically and slides over the Continental limousines carried returning to profitability. After back window, giving both front presidents from Franklin Roo- a five-year turnaround, the com- and rear passengers a convert- sevelt to Ronald Reagan. Town pany is making money again. ible-like ride. It still has Lin- Cars ferried executives through CEO Alan Mulally has shed coln's split-wing grille, a tribute Manhattan. Athletes and rap- Ford's other luxury brands and to the 1938 Lincoln Zephyr and pers cruised around in Naviga- is ready to focus on turning Lin- one of the brand's most recog- or SUVs. coln into a real competitor that nizable features. But designers But over the last two decades, can attract wealthy buyers and toned it down after complaints the Lincoln lineup grew stale as fat profits. about the ungainly maw on the Ford transformed its other cars Fourteen months ago, Ford most recent Lincoln sedans. and trucks with new designs assigned a team of 180 design- The car is longer and wider, and features. Now it's finally ers and engineers to focus on giving it a more luxurious look, Lincoln's turn for an update, Lincoln full time. The company and it has an elegant, clean one that aims to show customers recently opened its first dedicat- dashboard with flush buttons the brand can make more than ed Lincoln design studio since for controls instead of knobs. hearses and airport limos. the 1970s. The concept car - in a rich red- It's been a long wait. For Buyers will see the fruit of dish brown dubbed "cognac" years, Ford saw more promise in those efforts at the Detroit auto - has cream leather seats perfo- other luxury brands it was buy- show, where Ford yesterday rated into a pattern that's meant ing, like Jaguar and Volvo. Many pulled the wraps off an MKZ to resemble champagne bubbles. Lincoln models became too sim- sedan that is close to the model "Our movement as a brand is ilar to their lower-priced Ford that will go on sale this fall. The toward something we call ele- siblings. Sales suffered. new MKZ is one of seven new or gant simplicity. It's something Lincoln sold a little more than revamped Lincolns due out by warmer and more restrained," 85,000 vehicles last year, down 2015, when the Lincoln brand said Lincoln Design Director 63 percent from the brand's peak will celebrate its 100th birthday. Max Wolff, an Australian who in 1990. At one time, it was the The 2013 MKZ is already get- was lured away from Cadillac to top luxury brand in the U.S. But ting some critical buzz. revitalize Lincoln. A 4 Detroit can avoid state-appointed emergency manager says Dillon 6 Deal between city, union officials must be reached by Feb. LANSING, Mich. (AP) - The city of Detroit has time to avoid having a state-appointed emer- gency manager put in place, but city and union officials had better move quickly to avoid significant state intervention, state officials said yesterday. A deal between city and union leaders to fix Detroit's finances, if reached by early February, could pre-empt the work of a state- appointed review team that has started digging into the city's finances, Treasurer Andy Dillon said. "I'm cautiously optimistic," Dillon said after the 10-member review team's first meeting. "I think there's a very good chance A that they are able to cut a deal on their own and that this review team's work could be suspended." The review team appointed by Gov. Rick Snyder is trying to determine if a financial emer- gency exists in Michigan's largest city. Members include Dillon, for- mer Wayne State University Presi- dent Irvin Reid, former Michigan Supreme Court Justice Conrad Mallett Jr. and former Detroit police chief Isaiah McKinnon. The team is expected to report back to Snyder by late February. The team's appointment came after a recent preliminary review found there was "probable finan- cial stress" in Detroit's city govern- ment. The team met for the first time yesterday and spoke afterward with media. Eight of the nine members said they believed the city could still avoid having an emergency manager appointed The only one who did not was Michigan Treasury Department official Frederick Headen, who said hedidn'twantto prejudgethesitua- tion before getting all the evidence. Jack Martin, an accountant named to the review team, partici- pated in the meeting by telephone and wasn't present at the news conference. The recent preliminary review from the state showed the city faces a nearly $200 million general * fund deficit for 2011 and has taken on mounting debt to keep the city afloat. Auditors had said Detroit could run out of money as early as April, but Detroit Mayor Dave Bing said recently that it won't because of cost-cutting and other measures takingeffect. Longer-term avoidance of a cash crisis likely depends on con- cessions not yet reached, Dillon said.