Monday, May (, 2UIY- e ivenigan ua n

5 VIEWT




oI T '

Conceited cancer center
Plonors lose sight of cause
It looks like the University's Can- Yes, we all like to be laud
cer Center will remain nameless praised for our good deeds, b
and will not be receiving a $13.3 a childish need, a juvenile re
million gift from a local donor, as the ment that undermines the va
University refused to name the cen- our actions. The magnitude o
ter after the donor. Although Farm- Vattikuti's charitable offer
ington Hills businessman Raj accomplish is immeasurabl
ttikuti will not confirm or deny number of people he could1
the allegation that he withdrew his absolutely huge and he coul
generous offer because the Universi- those people in incredible
ty refused to name the cancer center Perhaps his money would fur
after him, center director Max Wicha research programs or procedu
confirmed the story. Wicha patients who could not afford
explained that the University denied The possibilities are endle
Vattikuti's request for the naming exciting; he could be a part
because that would require a dona- ing lives. Is there a greater
tion of a much greater size, like the Saving even one life or imp
$56 million it took to name of the the life of one cancer patie
ncer center at Vanderbilt Universi- always be a greater accompli
or the $225 million for the name than simply having one's nan
of the cancer center at the University orate the University's cancerc
of Utah. The University did, howev- As hospitals and medical
er, offer to name a smaller cancer across the country struggle t
program after Vattikuti, but he money, donors continue to
refused. So much for altruism now more demands. Donors try
that charity has an agenda and a can- leave a mark on the medical
cer center has a price tag on its should control important asp
name. their gifts such as distributi
When did the joy of giving purpose, not petty issues like
become the joy of having one's name recognition. The situation sc
in lights? Perhaps donations like this cliches about actions speakin;
are part of good business strategy or er than words and speaking
a symbol of ultimate success, but while carrying a big stick. Th
good deeds - even of the $13.3 mil- of a medical center is unimpo
lion-type - based in such reasoning patients, doctors, nurses and
are undermined by the underlying lies, but its services and ca
self-interest. When a generous offer vital. Donors - especially
is withdrawn because the donor will with resources as large as $13
not get enough publicity, the gift lion - must understand thi
es all glory and becomes an ugly donations could save milli
dmand, a failed business transac- lives and are worth far moret
tion. It becomes a man trying to buy cheap recognition.
the rights to name the University's Mr. Vattikuti, I sincerel
cancer center after himself, not a you rethink your decision tc
man trying to make a difference in draw your generous donation
the lives of cancer patients. Will Vat- cancer center. Make a differ
tikuti adopt another pet cause? One lives of cancer patients; dot
where his donation is simply more make a name foryourself.
*sible? The significance of the gift
smuddled when the giver's motiva- -Lauren
tion is selfish. Daily Editoria

Jed and
ut it is
equire-
alue of
of what
could
e. The
help is
ld help
ways.
nd new
res for
d them.
ss and
of sav-
honor?
roving
nt will
shment
ne dec-
center.
centers
o raise
make
ing to
J world
ects of
on and
e name
creams
g loud-
softly
e name
tant to
d fami-
are are
those
.3 mil-
at their
ons of
han just
y hope
o with-
ito the
ence in
n't just
Strayer
1 Writer

I

A sense ofplace: Home is where the shwanky van is
ike Aristotle's polis, truth, is the home of many. not paradise, but it's close Have
Ann Arbor is almost a That's because, like a few enough for my tastes. It's a thing
city-state unto itself. hundred other people this sum- place. And a sense of place is nos i
It's indie enough to keep the mer, I live in a house with a not a location as much a state B
economy local (Ben and bunch of crunchy of being. must
Jerry's be damned!), small and co-opers. Being a Some of my I'll w
chill enough to walk almost share-holding mem- housemates have S
everywhere, tolerant enough to ber of the Intercoop- interesting states of Ann
accommodate our bleeding erative Council, at being - and a lot or a
hearts - and filled with the moment I share house pride. The sch
enough distractions to keep us meals and I share former president of Wier
all coming back. For some of expenses. I pay rent the house, who mod
us, its the only place we really as a proportion of we'll call "Chuck," have
feel at home. And now that the my yearly income is one of those zeal- city.
pace is slower and the weather and had to abandon ous coopers. On a mun
conducive to wearing shorts, all personal property. JOSH drunken bet (proba- be f(
I'm not going to write about Kidding. WICKERHAM bly) el presedente goal
anything too important. So Some of us may i enloco climbed to the the r
there! have aspirations for TH 13ClT} top of the smoke plac
Having spent some time a socialist paradise, stack near the Hill etly1
stalking the streets and meet- but the co-ops are only social- where he hung a sign that of t
ing the freaks, crawling into ism light. If anything, the read "Mich House Rocks tows
special spaces and working emphasis is on cooperation. Harder." "Chuck's" fun was expl
long nights at the Daily while Imagine that. Where else is it short-lived, however, because ence
fantasizing about breaching that everyone in your imme- the cops were waiting for plea
the University tunnel system, diate environment gladly for- him on his descent. Obvious- surr
I've learned a few things sakes other priorities to give ly not keen to cooperative city
about this town and met a few back to their community? ideals, the capitalist pigs beat sipa
interesting people. Moreover, Few places have the sense of him to a pulp and arrested sens
I've sought a sense of place in community that co-ops pro- him. He has the scars to take
this schizophrenic city. And vide. If I suddenly moved out, prove it. what
found it. I think I'd suffer an identity Or there's the interesting Y
Since we all have to live crisis. anomaly in Minnie's co-op, the
someplace, and someplace is That's because there is purple house next door to -
better than noplace (i.e. the always something going on. Mich, where the majority of i
mall, South Quad or Wolverine Always an interesting story to the men affiliated with the
Towers), something must be be told. Always something house this summer are gay. Mi
said about my abode, which, in crazy to be involved with. It's Imagine that! A gay majority.


THE BOONDOCKS BY AARON MCGRUDERI
stwa SA i sOas
5555 ASOW
555 5 0 ' { lt

Feeling the burn
I's May and the weather1
is beautiful. Everyone's
sprawled out on thes
Diag in spite of the con-
struction. People smile at
each other. They laught
sometimes. I even saw one
guy flying a kite. So what's1
happened to that fierce
Wolverine sprit we all knowa
and love? Well, the usualI
stoics might be in hiding,:
but there's still one place on
campus to find drudgeryI
and grim determination:l
The Central Campus Recre-
ation Building.+
Don't try telling people
at the CCRB that it's+
springtime. They're stone-
faced and quietly glisten
with sweat. They're well-'
oiled machines toiling at ...
well-oiled machines. The
stationary bicycles whir in
sync with the Ellipse
machines in the basement
exercise room. Other than
that? Dead silence. So what
do you think happens when
an idiot blunders along,
someone who can't quite
figure out how to use the
StairMaster or the bench
press?
Nine o'clock Tuesday
morning and the exercise

room was about half full. machir
No one looked up as I Using 1
dropped my bag on the port, I
floor and climbed onto one the pe
of the StairMas-
ters. Now, I would .
say the StairMas-
ter is the most
straightforward.
machine at the
CCRB. You just
step on and then
walk in place.
Couldn't be easier. KATIE
I started fumbling MULCRONE
with the buttons -T!.A; Y
on the machine, K' :'-.
wondering if any-
one would help me. No one get a r
looked up. I continued to my ba
play around, pressing the Cline.
"Fat Burner Plus" button I sl
and entering my weight as over m
999 pounds. Still nothing. I little
decided I'd have to try hard- Nothin
er to get their attention. ed, I b
"Damn it!" I muttered, and sw
striking the StairMaster's time w
LCD panel with both fists, point
One girl on an Ellipse took a
machine looked over but did- as far.
n't say anything. The rest of could
them glistened on in stony somett
silence. Okay, fine. Now it disapp
was actually pretty hard for up at t
me to come up with a wrong I'd bec
way to use the StairMaster cise ro

ie but I managed it.
the side bars for sup-
lifted both legs from
dals at once, then
pressed them back
down to the floor.
This was not easy.
Also, it kind of hurt
my back. A couple
of girls on the
Ellipse machines
gave me weird
looks but no one
took pity on moron
girl. Didn't want to
let their heart rates
drop, I guess. Since
the frog act failed to
eesponse, I settled on
ck-up plan: Patsy
lid my headphones
y ears and hummed a
under my breath.
g happened. Frustrat-
egan to hum louder.
vay my hips a little in
ith the music. At this
a girl came in and
StairMaster machine
away from me as she
get. I guess that's
iing, but I was pretty
ointed when I looked
he clock and realized
en down in the exer-
om for a full ten min-

utes
lovir
belt
the
me,
had
"Wi
mys
to s
a lit
tion
coul
roo
wou
wee
faili
deri
don
gun
Ma
bou
ed
Ric
on,
Lift
melt
wou
die-
cou
don
that
Ma

e you ever heard such a
? We're kind of like Lati-
n California.
Iut I digress and suppose I
find some time to play, so
rap things up.
.ince we're all stuck in
Arbor for some reason
nother this summer -
ool, work, Biener's
ners (or perhaps a post-
ern hiatus) - we all
our special spaces in the
Some of these places are
dane, while others can't
iund anywhere else. My
is to seek out some of
more interesting people,
es and spaces in our qui-
bustling city. The bubble
his fine little college
n is just the place to
ore the persistent pres-
of the past, and the peo-
and events that shape our
oundings and make the
spin. So sit back kiddies,
a Beck's, summon up a
e of place and come on,
it easy - really. That's
t summer is for.
Your place is your own.
-E-mailfeedback to Josh at
ickerh@umich.edu. Lethim
va place where yoi/nd the
soul of the cit. And stop by
ch/Minnies tofind out what
the shwanky van is.
Crazy ... crazy for ...
ng you ..." I was really
ing it out now. Two of
Ellipse girls glared at
but they probably just
sweat in their eyes.
orry ... why do I let
elf ... worry ..." I tried
ound like I was gasping
ttle. No one paid atten-
. Apparently a bomb
Id go off in the exercise
m and these die-hards
ld never notice.
Disappointed that this
k's prank was such a
sre I headed home, won-
ng what I should have
e differently. Squirt
s? Water balloons?
ybe I should have
nced around and shout-
encouragement a la
hard Simmons ("Come
lift those arms up! Lift!
t! Feel that yucky fat
sing away!"). Yeah, that
ld definitely annoy the
hards. Richard Simmons
ld annoy anyone. I just
't know if I'm ready for
kind of self-abasement.
ybe next time.
-Kati' Mulkrone can
rkacelnia e-mail at
kmsulcron ( uaich.ed