Monday, June 11, 2012
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
Medical amnesty bill now in full effect euan&M
Monday, June 11, 2012
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
11
FILM R EVIEW
Antciptedprequel not eXceptional
Officials concerned
with potential for
students getting
help from 'U'
By GIACOMO BOLOGNA
ManagingEditor
After years of debate and strug-
gle, Michigan House Bill 4393
went into full effect on June 1, cre-
ating a statewide medical amnesty
policy that prevents people under
the age of 21 from receiving Minor
in Possessionof alcohol citations if
they seek medical attention.
Medical amnesty has been part
of the buzz on campus recently,
with the' Central Student Gov-
ernment assembly passing two
resolutions in support of medical
amnesty earlier this year.
Diane Brown, spokeswoman
for the University's Department
of Public Safety, said DPS is com-
plying with the new law as with
any change to state law.
"Any time laws change, which
is not infrequently, we always
have refreshers or updates," she
said.
Brown added that medical
amnesty has not yet been invoked
and DPS does not expect it to be
invoked often duringthe summer.
Brown said she thinks stu-
dents have already been making
conscientious decisions concern-
ing drinking prior to the medical
amnesty bill.
"We believe that our University
students are already very smart,
and so they would have already
been calling to get help for a
friend," Brown said.
Mary Jo Desprez, administra-
tor of the Alcohol and Other Drug
Policy and Prevention Program,
said there is not much institu-
tional change that the University
needs to make, but students will
be informed of changes to the
law.
"For the last few years, we
(required) all incoming first-year
students and incoming transfer
students to take an online course
before they get to campus and in
that course ... you can put a link to
the law," Desprez said.
An explanation of medical
amnesty will also be included
in the Alcohol and Other Drugs
Policy, which gets distributed to
members of faculty, staff and stu-
dents every year.
"We certainly want students
to know that every barrier has
been removed for them to call if
they're concerned about a friend,"
Desprez said. "I think that's what
everyone hopes that the law will
do."
Desprez added that the law
could prevent students from get-
ting the help they may need from
the University.
"One unintended consequence
is that we lose the ability to touch
base with somebody who's had
an alcohol transport," Desprez
said. "That ticket usually gener-
ated ... an educational response,
which allowed us to connect
with that student and just find
out how alcohol has shown up in
their life."
LSA senior Sebastian Swae-
Shampine, assistant execu-
tive director of the University's
chapter of Students for Sensible
Drug Policy, said SSDP isn't cur-
rently concerned with promoting
knowledge of medical amnesty.
"We're not really trying to press
or advance the policy towards
students yet. That's the sort of
process that will be happening
moving into the next academic
year," Swae-Shampine said.
He added that SSDP has instead
been meeting with members of
the University's administration
to facilitate the implementation of
the new law.
In particular, Swae-Shampine
echoed the sentiments expressed
by Desprez that there is apossibili-
ty that the University could lose its
ability to contact students in risky,
alcohol-related situations.
"There's been a little bit of
resistance towards DPS just giv-
ing students free passes, which is
absolutelynot the case ofhow this
law is supposed to be implement-
ed," Swae-Shampine said.
He added that dialogue within
University administration is nec-
essary for the law to succeed.
"I think the biggest thing is ...
getting DPS and AOD - in one
level or another -connected with
each other, such that ifa student
presents him- or herself as a result
of over-consumption of alcohol,
they are having that important
conversation with a counselor,"
Swae-Shampine said.
In addition to protecting stu-
dents who have dangerously
consumed alcohol, the law also
protects people under the age of
21 who are afraid of being sexual-
ly assaulted but have been drink-
ing, Swae-Shampine noted.
"It protects minors who con-
sume alcohol or are in possession
of alcohol who feel like they're
under sexual assault or duress,
which I think is pretty ground-
breaking." Swae-Shampine said.
After years of watching
attempts to puta medical amnes-
ty policy in place at the University
and across the state but failing
to do so, Swae-Shampine said he
feels relieved.
"This is a fight that's been hap-
pening for years," Swae-Shamp-
ine said. "So it's just kind of like a
cathartic moment of release. Yes,
finallythis happens."
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'Pro
live
over
Once
metheu
highly
summej
tament
staying
directo
Scott's
franchi
its titu
sitic,
acid b
ing vi
rabid fa
murder
aged in
both co
metheus' fails to ("Alien vs. Predator" in theaters,
Supto hype can't but also the comics, "Superman/
up t yAliens," "Batman/Aliens" and
come averageness perhaps most hilariously, "Aliens
versus Predator versus The Ter-
minator"). "Prometheus," which
By DAVID TAO promised a reputable, high-con-
Senior Arts Editor cept answer to the questions left
behind in Scott's original 1979 cult
upon a time, "Pro- classic, was a rare prequel that
s" was one of the most had been embraced by fans as the
anticipated films of the answer that would revitalize their
r, a tes- pet franchise.
to the However, the major plot events
power of that connect the franchise with
r Ridley what's technically its latest install-
"Alien" ment aren't readily apparent until
se and At Quality16 late into the film. Initially, we're
lar para- and Rave introduced to Dr. Elizabeth Shaw
eyeless, (Noomi Rapace, "Sherlock Holmes:
lood-hav- Fox A Game of Shadows") and her boy-
llain. Its friend Charlie (Logan Marshall-
inbase has seen its favorite Green, "Brooklyn's Finest"), who
-loving xenomorph pack- find some cave paintings that tell
ato ignoble crossovers in them that aliens from a faraway
mics and on the big screen planet engineered humanity. They
secure a trillion dollars (literally)
from Weyland Corporation, owned
by super-rich, super-old Peter Wey-
land (Guy Pearce and several tons of
aging makeup, "The Hurt Locker")
and jet off to this mysterious solar
system. Along for the ride are David
(Michael Fassbender, "Shame") the
sociopathic android and a team of
mysteriously sourced "scientific
experts." No icky parasites to be
seen.
Visually though, similarities are
apparent almost immediately. A
few beautifully shot wide angles
are more reminiscent of the newer
Ridley Scott vehicles such as "King-
dom of Heaven," and capture some
incredible natural landscapes, but
the majority of the film occurs in an
abandoned cave complex, mysteri-
ous, dimly lit and as claustrophobic
as "Alien." The action of the two
movies is structured almost identi-
cally, butScott uses this predictabil-
ity to his film's advantage, lulling
audiences into a false sense of secu-
rity, until small, sudden departures
from what's expected scare you out
of your seat. We've seen a lot of this
before - the flamethrowers and the
spacesuits, the mysterious aliens
and the jars full of canned death -
but somehow all of it feels fresh, dif-
ferent and scary as hell.
The fact that the film manages
to instill jaw-dropping, nerve-
wracking tension into its viewers
shows that even in old age, Ridley's
still got it. What makes this a par-
ticularly proud accomplishment for
Hollywood's sage elder is the film's
hackneyed script, some of the most
atrocious screenwriting to ever
enter production. Written in large
part by Damon Lindelof (the guy
who ruined the "Lost" finale), the
stench of its flaws permeates the
entire film. Dialogue between char-
acters is often stilted. The char-
acters themselves are irrationally
motivated and completely unbeliev-
able (in a lot of cases, unbelievably,
hilariously dumb). Nitpickers, and
anybody else in the audience with
a healthy attention span and func-
tioning memory, will note the mul-
titude of plot holes and feel mildly
insulted by the film's conclusion,
which attempts to tie up all the loose
ends through a broad voiceover
tease to a potential sequel.
Even there, it's not quite a total
loss. Fassbender, as per usual,
turns in a fascinating perfor-
mance, battling through a few
crudely placed one-liners and
crafting a character that seems
not just inscrutable, or erratic,
but truly soulless. Rapace, to her
credit, does strong-willed and
stubborn almost as well as her pre-
decessor, Sigourney Weaver. Their
performances, and the film's tech-
nical execution, make it an enjoy-
able experience and slightly more
than another waste of money, even
if you do see it in 3-D.
EDITORIAL STAFF
Giacomo Bologna
gboogna@michigandaily.com
Managing Editor
Anna Rozenherg Mnaging News Editor
Adrienne Roherts Ed:trlPaedito
adob@mihigdaily.o
TCrolleegoas MnaginSportsditor
polho@michigaodaiy.,.
Ana Sdsaec Manageing ArtsaEditor
asdot@,ihimndiy.o.'
Shakespeare takes on arboretum
Thousands gather in A2 for green fair
fey
d
Ant
living
On
Mayor
12th a
celebr
in and
tal act
Ma
motor
where
could,
ronme
tions,
Main Street activities.
Hieftje said since starting the
stivlties attract event in the spring of 2001 after
his election, it has snowballed
denizens from along with technology.
across town "The fair continues to grow
every year," Hieftje said. "Dur-
ing this time span, we've seen a
By JOSH QIAN lot of growth in technology. The
Daily StaffReporter hybrids and the electric cars have
really come on."
n Arbor hopes to continue Hieftje said he is always
up to its name. thrilled with the home-grown
Friday night, Ann Arbor products citizens display at the
r John Hieftje hosted the fair.
annual Mayor's Green Fair "It's really gratifying to see
ating the city's leadership what a green community we have
1 dedication to environmen- and the way people in the city
ivism. have embraced the Green Fair,"
in Street was closed to he said. "And the crowd and ven-
vehicle traffic for the fair dors get bigger each year."
thousands of participants Hieftje added that Ann Arbor's
experience an array of envi- high number of college-educated
entally friendly demonstra- citizens and environmental orga-
live music and interactive nizations help make Ann Arbor
an eco-friendly city.
Approximately 50 not-for-prof-
it environmental organizations
were able to inform participants
about their work in the Environ-
mental Leaders area at the fair.
All organizations in the leaders
area have received recognition
from the Waste Knot Program -
which is given to organizations
that demonstrate a strong com-
mitment to waste reduction and
environmental protection - from
Washtenaw County.
The Clean Energy Coalition, a
local non-profit organization that
promotes technologies to create
healthier communities, hosted a
Clean Energy Expo at the fair.
Bonnie Schmick, communica-
tions manager for the CEC, said
her organization hosted the expo
to raise awareness about envi-
ronmental issues and promote
the accessibility of sustainability
options.
The CEC exhibits included
a collection of alternative fuel
vehicles, solar energy installa-
tions and green building materi-
als. Schmick said she was pleased
with how many people were ask-
ing questions.
"Our team is very passionate,
and being able to talk to people
one-on-one is an educational
opportunity for us," Schmick
said.
Gail Mann, an Ann Arbor tour-
ist from Yorktown, Va., said she
came to the fair in order to pursue
her interest in environment and
ecology.
"It has been really interesting
to see what Ann Arbor offers in
the area of environmental solu-
tions," Mann said. "The live owl-
demonstration at the fair and the
large number of activities here
really engaged me."
Kendra Furry
copydesk@m.higadaily.-com
BUSINESS STAFF
Brett Bergy sales Manager
JoeCrim Classified'sAccountExecutive
ConnorByrd Finance Manager
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copy chief
"All t
Back
lege Dr
Mendel
one of
speare's
famed
tions h
literal
when s
"A Mi
Night's
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As t
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"As w
By KELLY ETZ well, it was just a perfect match,"
Senior Arts Editor Mendeloff said.
"I don't do Shakespeare in my
he world's a stage..." other classes, this is my one oppor-
in 2001, Residential Col- tunity during the year," she added.
'ama professor Katherine "And soI find that very satisfying."
off took For the 12th season, Mendel-
f Shake- Shakespeare off has chosen another of Shake-
s most . t speare's comedies for the annual
quota- production - "The Merry Wives of
no a very Thursdays- Windsor" - lesser known, but fea-
direction Sundays turing one of the playwright's most
he staged through June outlandish and beloved characters:
dsummer 24,6:30 p.m. Falstaff.
Dream" The plot centers around Falstaff,
Nichols Nichols Arboretum who is woefully short on funds, and
um; the From $10 his excursion to Windsor, where
ral per- he woos two wealthy women, Mis-
ce of what has become a tress Ford and Mistress Page, in
eloved Ann Arbor summer the hopes of obtaining wealth once
Shakespeare in the Arb. again.
the artistic director of "It's the only play he wrote that
peare in the Arb, Mendel- has a middle-class setting," Men-
ng with current and previ- deloff said. "It's the closet to his
iversity students, faculty world of Stratford, growing up in a
n Arbor-ites alike, took full market town. I've tried really hard
age of the natural beauty to create that visually ... There will
abundant in the arbore- be peasants going by with wheel-
agaging a living backdrop barrows full of hay, there will be
e of the Bard's most lively women washing laundry in the
river, there will be children run-
we explored it, it just fit so ning around and playing."
To create and set the mood for
the production, Mendeloff trusts
the natural landscape to prompt
the audience into a different sort of
mind-frame.
'Merry Wives of
Windsor' to be
performed.
"It's a great opportunity to cele-
brate the natural world that Shake-
speare really is very connected
to in his writing, with the natural
world of the Arb," Mendeloff said.
"For example, last night at dress
rehearsal, we had a deer just walk
through a scene," Mendeloff said.
"The characters were pretending
to have horns and to be deer and
there was a real deer and you know
that's just an opportunity you don't
get often - these sort of serendipi-
tous opportunities of nature are
very special."
However, a living backdrop
is a constant surprise, running a
heightened risk of disruptions, like
the occasional erroneous jogger or
helicopter. As LSA junior Jennifer
Burks - who plays one of this year's
Mistress Page's - attested, nature
isn't always welcoming.
"Yes, we tend to deal with some
poison ivy issues and the occa-
sional falling down in the dirt, but
it's pretty non-hazardous," Burks
said.
There's also the unique place-
ment of the audience. Instead of a
sea of faces diluted by the shining
stage lights, the actors performing
are confronted with an audience
whose reactions can be clearly
seen and interpreted.
"You can see everyone's excited
expressions, from smiles to people
looking down at their phones and
texting, so it's different," Burks
said.
Even so, the picturesque back-
drop always outclasses the minor
inconveniences.
"I think that I'm spoiled now,"
Mendeloff said. "When I watch a
production of a Shakespeare play
like 'Midsummer', or 'As You Like
It' or a play that isset in nature and
I see it ... on a stage, I always feel
really sorry for them. There's just
nothing like the real thing."
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