Friday, March 29, 2013 - 5

The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com


EVENT PREVIEW
Mazaa to address
human trafficking

V REVIEW
Westenhoefer to bring
new stand-up to A2
By LENAFINKEL
DailyArts Writer

New student
organization to host
first fundraiser
By MAYANK MATHUR
For theDaily
Students of the University
of Michigan embody certain
qualities that make them part
of a distin-
guished group A2 Dhoom
of "the leaders
and best." One Saturday at
of those quali- 6:30 p.m.
ties is having At the Michigan
the courage
to lead the From $10
way down
a path that
hasn't been traveled before.
LSA junior Joshua George and
Engineering junior Anshul
Mehta are one step closer to
embodying this ideal after cre-
ating Michigan Mazaa, a new
student organization commit-
ted to addressing human traf-
ficking.
"Michigan Mazaa is a stu-
dent organization that is dedi-
cated to fighting the injustices
of trafficking," George said.
The group has partnered
itself with a well-known, global
human rights organization, the
International Justice Mission,
in an effort to gain credited help
in its stand against violence,
sexual exploitation, slavery
and oppression. The organiza-
tion is based out of Washington
D.C. but works internationally.
Michigan Mazaa is partners
with the student chapter.
Connecting with students on
campus is an important step in
the success of any student orga-
nization at the University. In
order for these organizations
to achieve their objectives, they
* FILM R EV1EWV

must connect with students
through their goals and values.
So, what makes human traffick-
ing a relevant issue for univer-
sity students?
"We're a generation that
doesn't know about many of
these issues," George said.
"When we formed our board,
we found out more about it,
and it resonated with people,
and we were able to create this
organization."
It only took one summer for
George to realize what a press-
ing issue human trafficking
is. He spent time wqrking for
another human rights organiza-
tion based in India.
"This past summer I had the
opportunity to go to India and
work in the red-light districts of
Mumbai," George said. "When I
came back to campus, I wanted
to continue working on this and
engage the community inside of
our culture and direct them to a
good cause."
"Why we chose to focus on
this issue is that none of these
people have a voice, and we're
providing them with a voice,"
said Mehta, Mazaa's director
of marketing, about the goals of
his organization. "We are liter-
ally their ambassadors to the
people who don't know these
facts and we're giving a voice to
the voiceless."
Mazaa has planned a week-
end filled with a variety of
activities in order to engage the
University and spread aware-
ness. In order to fulfill their
goal of raising funds to combat
human trafficking, the group
has organized its first event, a
weekend festival, which will
have three parts. The first is a
Festifall-like event on the Diag
that involves different groups
on campus that work against
human trafficking to get the

knowledge out about the issue.
Mazaa has also organized a
dodgeball tournament this Sat-
urday and Michigan's first ever
Bollywood dance competition,
A2 Dhoom, on Saturday night.
The organization has invited
colleges such as the University
of Texas, University of Mary-
land and Ohio State University,
among others, to compete in
the University's first-ever Bol-
lywood dance competition. The
University's very own Michigan
Manzil will perform an exhibi-
tion dance as well.
"It's really cool because
we get to use these different
events and use them for a good
cause and rally the community
around things that we enjoy -
such as dance and sport - and
remember that we direct our
energies to a good cause that
is fighting against human traf-
ficking," George said.
Tickets for the A2 Dhoom
Bollywood Dance Competi-
tion will be sold throughout
this week at the posting wall,
Mason Hall and on Mazaa's
official website. The dodgeball
tournament will be held at the
Sports Coliseum on Saturday.
All proceeds from ticket sales
will be used as donation to the
International Justice Mission
for their fight against human
trafficking.
"This is the first time that
a lot of things have been done;
this is the first that we're going
to have a Diag event solely for
the purpose of raising aware-
ness against human traffick-
ing," George said. "This is the
first time that Michigan is host-
ing a dance competition, and
this is the first time that we
are engaging the community
around this thought. This is the
first time, and we hope to run
with it in the future."


She's here, she's queer, so get
used to it ... or at least that's what
she used to chant back in college.
Gay activist
and comedi- Suzanne
an Suzanne Westenhoefer
Westen-
hoefer will Friday at8 p.m.
be in Ann
Arbor for The Ark
one night From $26
only, where
she plans on
watching the snow fall and reruns
of "Law and Order: SVU" and pos-
sibly going to her favorite "soup
place" downtown.
The funny lady started stand-
up back in 1990 after she moved
to New Jersey in hopes of pursu-
ing an acting career in New York.
About working as a bartender
there, she said, "I was overly out
at the time and would call out to
customers, 'Are you queer, want a
beer?"'
Though many told Westen-
hoefer how funny she was and
suggested she do stand-up, she
remained unconvinced and didn't
believe she could do it because
of her sexual orientation. But on
a dare, Westenhoefer entered
a stand-up contest and won. It
wasn't long before she began
working straight clubs all over
the city. So, when producers of the
"Sally Jessy Raphael Show" went
looking for "lesbians who didn't
look like lesbians" to come on the
show, she seized the opportunity
and became one of the first les-
bian comedians to ever appear on
television.
Since then, Westenhoefel- has
appeared on "Late Night with
David Letterman" as well as on
Bravo, GSN and Logo. But her
favorite appearance occurred
back in 1994 when she performed
inthe closingceremonyoftheGay
Games, or gay Olympics.
"I had just started stand-up,
and here I was on second base
in Yankee Stadium. You see your
face on the big screen and you feel
like Lady Gaga, you know?" West-
enhoefer recalled.
Now, she'll return to Ann Arbor
for a seventh time to perform her

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Westenhoefer was one of the first lesbian comedians to appear on television.

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Jilted Gypsy ... For Sale or pletely different. It's sort of a roll-
- a title she claimed "pub- ercoaster," she said.
made up, and should be Some of her material even
d." derives from everyday things, like
ugh Westenhoefer rarely how she didn't want to change the
e to enjoy the college town, name of her rescue cat because she
ks forward to her arrival. was afraid the cat already had that
downtown looks like the name inhis head.
city; I just want to lick all "I stayed with (the name Oliver)
rknobs," she said. outoffearthathewouldhavesome
identity crisis. Now, I realize that
was stupid. That's what.my show
's hereshe's sounds like - stupid things like
naming your cat because it feels
. get possessive over its names, but then
*ee 50 g realizing (the cat) doesn't care."
used to it. After Ann Arbor, Westenhoefer
continues her tour in Ohio, Penn-
sylvania, Oklahoma and the rest
of the United States. But her real
for the show itself, she dream is to combine her activist
d, "I have no clue what it roots, her stand-up career and her
about." But she added, "I desire to "tell people whatto do"in
y did six cities in six states a talkashow.
south, so I have a feeling "I would like to have a show
f that might slip in." that educates people about gay-
ugh she had a great time ness with songs and sock puppets.
n the south, Westenhoefer When it's 2013 and you're still
it disturbing to still hear answering question in Dallas like,
nts like, "You're my first 'Which one of you acts like the
I've met" in this day and man?',you need to educate.
that year is it again?" she "I want it to be enjoyable to
everyone - like you're learning
general, Westenhoefer's about gay sex, but you're laugh-
al comes from anything that ing. But I want it to be on real TV,
s in her life or in the world. notgay TV, where regular people,
ything happens between like my mom, my aunt and my sis-
d Cleveland (her show after ter are watching it, but they don't
bor), the show will be com- have to be embarrassed."


Weak writing drags down
Fey, Rudd in Admisssion'

By ANDREW MCCLURE
DailyArts Writer
Rewind to elementary-school
lunchtime. "Walking tacos"
assume the main entre role - a
mediocre meal
whose Fritos D
corn chips act
as saving grace Admission
for otherwise At Quality16
egregious slop.
That's the and Rave
rumor, at least. Focus
Unbeknownst
to all, the ques-
tionable lunch lady decided to
* replace said entree with hyper-
questionable sloppy joes - a'
downright airball of a meal. Paul
Weitz's "Admission" parallels the
same paradigmin morphingweak
expectations into pathetic ones.
But, hey, a kid's gotta eat, right?
The man who brought you the
novel virginity pact, director Paul
Weitz ("American Pie"), returns
to the silver screen with a film
whose humor equates to a Stifler-
less "Pie." Yikes.
He blindly stabs at "relevant"
source material with college
admissions and the lobotomized,
transcript-manic hopefuls, but
he falls lightyears shy as his film
instead drives into hackneyed ter-
ritory of sappy family estrange-
ment. Sometimes the sappy shit
works, and salty discharges fill a
theater, but would you weep at the
funeral of your pet rock? C'mon.
Portia Nathan (Tina Fey, TV's
"30 Rock") almost runs admis-
S sions at Princeton. She's a few
strong candidates away from
locking in the desirable Head
of Admissions promotion. She
works hard and fakes a smile.
Her 10-year, live-in male friend
doesn't share her obsession over
* their relationship, as he quietly
porks a spicy English professor.
Portia's oblivious.
Her final tour road trips com-
mence. She delivers the same

NEW MEDIA NOTEBOOK
Netflix releases new data
revealing Internet speeds

FOCUS
"What's the dirtiest thing you would doto Paul Rudd?"
old "Be Yourself" spiel for every cision in what she wants vexes
school until she comes to John viewers as she juggles work,
Pressman's (Paul Rudd, "This Is misery, estranged children and
40") alternative school. Instead more work. It's just no fun. You
of calculus, kids learn through hate to see Fey subject to such
action by building irrigation sys- bland scriptwriting, but post-"30
tems, for example, to "leave the Rock," she's currently unem-
planet better than when we found ployed, no?
it." The kids don't take kindly to In his recent, "This Is 40,"
Portia, deeming her a corporate Rudd demonstrated incompe-
witch. John introduces to Por- tence in a leading role. "Admis-
tia the silver lining in autodidact sion" served an encore to this
Jeremiah (Nat Wolff, "Stuck in trend. His evolution from snarky
Love"), her potentially long-lost nice guy ("40 Year Old Virgin,"
son. "Knocked Up") to flat-footed nice
guy ("I Love You, Man" to pres-
ent) leaves something void on the
This film is table. His humanitarian, nature-
boy personality at no point chal-
re'ected! lenges viewers and surely folds
duringlaugh opportunities.
Fortunately, Lily Tomlin ("The
Late Show") adds some depth and
Fey is an interesting phe- color as Portia's distant mother.
nomenon. She can kill as host of It's never a good thing, though,
an award show. She can kill as when a minor character leaves the
a spectacled teacher in "Mean sole good memory in a movie.
Girls." And she for damn sure can The film reaches too far and
murder as Liz Lemon on NBC's too short: too far in its mawkish
"30 Rock." But let's step back thematic elements of love and
and corner what common thread isolation; too short in its probing
allows her to succeed in these of the intricacies of college admis-
roles: self-deprecation and witty sions and, further, acceptance in
humility. "Admission" offers all life's lotteries.
none of this. Rather, it offers a The vile sloppy joe will suffice
dejected, unfunny, desperate and for now, but I'll be hungry again
entirely dull vegetable. Her inde- come recess.

By EMILY BODDEN
DailyArts Writer
The Internet has been buzz-
ing with the news of Netflix's
release of streaming analytics
for Internet providers in eight
countries. While the company
has tracked the average stream-
ing speeds in the United States,
for a while, this comparative
information was first published
publicly on March 11. Now, cus-
tomers can view which service
providers are most capable of
pumping undisrupted Netflix to
their screens, free of stuttering
or buffering.
The United States ranks as
the fastest of the eight countries
Netflix compared, yet, after tak-
ing a look at the actual numbers,
the information appears skewed
by the presence of Google Fiber.
Google Fiber averaged a Netf-
lix streamingspeed of 3.35 Mbps
(megabytes per second), which
is 0.98 Mbps faster than the next
fastest provider. The slowest
U.S. provider (Clearwire) only
averaged a speed of 1.25 Mbps,
which is 2.1 Mbps slower than
Google Fiber.
Though other providers fail
to match Google Fiber's speed,
the service is only available to
a small fraction of US. citizens.
Kansas City, Kansas and Kansas
City, Missouri are the only cit-
ies with access to Google Fiber
at the moment, with Olathe,
Kansas on the way. This stream-
ing speed, substantially higher
than the other providers, is what
rocketed the United States to the.
top of the company's list.
Looking even further at Net-

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new indexing site, each fastest when it comes to stream-
s average streaming ing can now be eliminated; the
sits in a faint gray font to answers are only a hyperlink
ht of the screen. Finland away.
highest rate of 2.57 Mbps But there are flaws within this
lowest average speed of system. As mentioned before, the
bps, which is still quicker way in which nations are present-
wo nations' fastest speeds. ed is deceptive. The United States
it does the site mean for is ranked No. 1 for individual pro-
irketing of Internet pro- viders (dueto GoogleFiber), but in
Now with the data to reality, based on overall average
I or expose providers' speed, the country comes in third.
it's sure to push compa- Not every provider spans the
work harder at providing entire nation. The lack of more
rates. Without a market specific geographic information
ed by ignorance, con- for each statistic can skew the
customers can view a results and paint unfair portraits
-by-month comparison of for certain companies. When
vailable providers in both looking at the rankings for Inter-
.nd a graphic representa- net providers in the United States,
Google Fiber would be the most
desirable. But if one doesn't live
in the aforementioned specific
. tp cities, one must be satisfied with
whichever providers are available
to them.
When the public becomes
led rankings. privy to once undisclosed data,
these statistics can both enlight-
en and dishearten. While con-
sumers may feel empowered
data also proves that, for and informed, the data can be
ly developed nation, the ambiguous and misleading. It
States could strive for also places immense pressure
digital information deliv- for improvement on the provid-
mid a crumbling physical ers who are listed. Whether the
ructure, increasing the result of free-market capitalism
d for faster and more effi- or coercion, once news breaks
ownload speeds would be that Internet providers could
ire way to connect citizens be doing better, these compa-
expansive nation. nies best hope they can respond
lix's ISP Speed Index also accordingly. It'll be interestingto
he possibility to challenge see whether Netflix's ISP Speed
perception. Public access Index plays a role in people's
information grants users choice of Internet, and whether
per hand. Any uncertainty such transparency results in
which provider is truly the overall market improvement.