South EndW E E K L Y

WAY N E S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y ’S S T U D E N T N E W S PA P E R S I N C E 1 9 6 7 T H E S O U T H E N D . WAY N E . E D U D E T R O I T , M I C H I G A N

TheAUGUST 22 - 28, 2012

Jon Adams / The South EndThe Wayne State Student Senate meets

Aug. 16 to discuss the new OneCard rewards program and campus dining guide.

EMILY MORMANThe South End

Floors of the Student Center Building were evacuated shortly after 2 p.m. on Aug. 14 after a disturbance on the fifth floor.. At 2:52 p.m., police gave the all-clear for people gathered outside to re-enter the building. A Student Center worker who wished to remain nameless said a worker on the fifth floor of the building told him that there was an irate man who “seemed very dangerous.” Wayne State Police Chief Anthony Holt said the man was in the Housing Office and didn’t like the answer he received from housing staff about a problem he had. He became upset, causing a worker to feel threatened enough by the man to call police. The worker left the office, and when she came back, the man was no longer there. Police detained the man at the north end of the building, Holt said. He was released because there was no weapon found on him and no verbal threat was made, Holt said. “Based on that, there was no crime that he could be held on,” he said. Officers were running through the hallways telling people to leave certain floors, though the order to officially evacuate the building was not given, Holt said. WSU Police Department officers were inside and outside the building. One officer carried club-like instruments into the building. When a call of that nature comes in, Holt said, officers are quickly dispatched and begin to look for the subject of the call. “I’d rather have way too many (officers) than not enough,” Holt said.

Police say housing dispute was cause for

disturbance

Student Center areas evacuated

CAMPUS

Members resolve confusing wording, layoutSenate fixes eBills

Woodward Dream Cruise

returns, draws huge crowd

METRO

SEE A&E, PAGE 8

ANNIE DERBABIANThe South End

Around this time of year, the thing on every student’s mind is making sure everything is set before classes start – making sure the eBill is paid, getting the refund check to buy books and supplies and putting money on the OneCard. Sometimes the payment process can be confusing, so the Wayne State Student Senate has been working to clear up some of the muddiness associated with the eBill. Student Senate President Taz Ahmed recognized that the wording and layout of the eBill released by WSU can be confusing and said that WSU bursar Sheila Stewart is working to clarify it. The revamped eBill will be launched Oct. 1 with visual improvements and more distinction as to which awards or scholarships were applied to

which semester. Ahmed passed around a copy of the new eBill at the Aug. 16 Student Senate meeting and asked for suggestions from the Senators; he said he will continue to gather information to help the bursar. Although financial aid will be disbursed Aug. 20, the eBill’s “deadline” is the 15th of each month to encourage students to pay as soon as possible. Concerns were raised about late fees, but as long as the bill is paid by the due date, then no late fees will be incurred. Another university service improved by senators is the OneCard, which will signify more to students this fall with the new rewards program that was first proposed last winter. Students will be able to accrue points, similar to the way a credit card does, by making purchases with their OneCards, swiping in at WSU

events like Thursdays in the D and many other ways. Points will accumulate and may be used toward prizes or events that have yet to be determined. “Basically the whole point is to promote student life on campus, and at the same time, make that OneCard that you have a bit more handy, aside from just swiping it in the parking structures,” Ahmed said. Dean of Students David Strauss said the rules and regulations are currently being finalized and that Computing & Information Technology is working out the kinks of the bar code reader system from the test run. Another test is scheduled for this week, and following that, the point structure will be released. Among improvements to the accessibility of eateries around campus for students is the implementation of kosher, vegetarian and vegan options

in the Yousif B. Ghafari dining hall. The website shops.wayne.edu is in the process of being launched, Strauss said, which will provide a comprehensive guide to students that features the hours, locations and services featured at the campus restaurants and businesses. The website will also offer an emailing list to sign up for deals, as well as staying in touch through social media connectivity. College of Education representative and webmaster Brandon Shamoun announced that on Sept. 25 from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., the Secretary of State will have a mobile site set up in the flagpole court on Gullen Mall. It will allow students to register to vote in the Detroit area, get a WSU license plate, become an organ donor,

SEE SENTATE ON PAGE 2

SENATE

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staff contact list

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFEmily Morman • emilymorman@gmail.com

MANAGING EDITOR Donna Musolli • donnamusolli@gmail.com

DESIGN EDITORCorey Wheeler • corey.wheeler@wayne.edu

NEWS EDITORSJordan Vitick • jordan.vitick@gmail.com

Jonathan Shihadeh • jonathanshihadeh@gmail.com

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITORNick Pizana • dv6425@wayne.edu

SPORTS EDITORFuad Shalhout • dw8385@gmail.com

FEATURES EDITORKerri Jansen • kjansen@wayne.edu

COPY EDITORSAnnie Derbabian • annieadjective@gmail.com

Sydnee Thompson • thompsonsydnee@gmail.com

MULTIMEDIA EDITORJon Adams • ed6239@wayne.edu

ADVERTISING MANAGERNatalie Dixon • ndsouthend@gmail.com

letters to the editors

The South End welcomes letters to the editors regarding all inquiries and concerns from the Wayne State community.

Please limit letters to 500 words. All submissions are subject to editing and may be published. Please email

emilymorman@gmail.com.

corrections

The South End corrects all factual errors published online or in print. Please email emilymorman@gmail.com.

online policy

The South End publishes articles online and in print. Visit our website at thesouthend.wayne.edu. While we support

the right to free speech and expression, there are guidelines for morally and socially acceptable content. Comments

and feedback deemed offensive are subject to editing or removal.

publication

The South End is published Wednesdays during the fall and winter semesters by Wayne State University students.

Copies are available free of charge at various locations throughout campus. The Student Newspaper Publication

Board, established by the Wayne State University Board of Governors, acts as the publisher of The South End. The board

establishes and insures compliance with publication, editorial and news reporting guidelines. All complaints, comments

and suggestions concerning the student newspaper should be directed to doso@wayne.edu.

2 •

NEWS

Lawyer ordered to pay $4.5M to U-M graduate

Andrew Shirvell accused of defamation for actions on his blog

JEFF KAROUBThe Assoicated Press

DETROIT — A jury on Aug. 16 awarded a gay former University of Michigan student body president $4.5 million in his lawsuit against a former Michigan assistant attorney general who posted about him in an anti-gay blog. The U.S. District Court jury ruled in favor of Christopher A r m s t r o n g , who c la imed he su f f e red distress after a blog created by Andrew Shirvell accused him of enticing minors wi th a lcohol and recruiting people to become homosexual. “ I ’m ju s t i n c r e d i b l y humbled by what happened today,” Armstrong told The Associated Press. “This is truly a victory — not just for myself, but for a lot of other kids out there.”

Shirvel l , who was representing himself, said the jury award was “grossly excessive” for what was “clearly protected speech ... and activity.” “This should have been thrown out,” Shirvell said, adding that he plans to appeal. “Juries give short shrift to First Amendment rights.” Ar mstrong accused

Shirvell of defamation as well as emotional distress for his actions on the blog, in Facebook posts and during visits to the Ann Arbor campus. Then-Attorney General Mike Cox fired Shirvell in 2010 after he criticized Armstrong, who graduated last year. Shirvell has said he viewed his blog “as a movement to

get” Armstrong to resign. Shirvell argued he was acting within his First Amendment rights and that his statements were either true or protected because of Armstrong’s role as a public figure. Armstrong’s attorney, Deborah Gordon, had said she would drop the lawsuit if Shirvell apologized and retracted his comments. Shirvell said that was

d i s i n g e n u o u s , since it wasn’t unt i l c los ing arguments that a multimillion-dollar award was brought up. Shirvell said he’s unemployed and “there ’s no way I could possibly ever pay such a judgment.” G o r d o n said the jury couldn’t make him apologize, so the money was the only answer. “We needed him to retract the f l a t -out fabrications he had come up with about Chris,” Gordon said.

METRO

Photo by Anthony DeGuzman Jr.

AUGUST 22 - 28, 2012 THE SOUTH END

submit a change-of-address form and anything else that can be completed at an established SoS site. Shamoun said this is especially convenient for students who live on campus but are not from the Detroit area because this will allow them to update their information so they can vote without having to return to their previous area of residence, using Kalamazoo as an example.

Strauss also gave an update on TurboVote, commending Shamoun and Senator Adham Aljahmi’s work on giving it mileage and having it featured on WDET radio’s The Craig Fahle Show. WSU is a national partner with TurboVote and is one of four colleges in Southeast Michigan to offer the Netflix-like voting service aimed at college students but available to the public. Users can request a registration form or absentee ballot through the mail, much like requesting

a DVD, and once it is sent back, the registration or voting process is completed, which would increase the likelihood that students will exercise their power to vote. The WSU Legacy Leaders and Campus Connector s f re shman mentoring program was also discussed. There are about 15 freshman to every Legacy Leader (student mentor) and Campus Connector ( faculty/staf f mentor) . Any freshman entering the campus will have both a peer and adult mentor to ask about navigating the

university. Even the administration is getting in on this, Strauss said, citing Marketing and Communicat ions Vice President Michael Wright and Board of Governors secretary Julie Miller as having signed up as Campus Connectors. Strauss also talked about the upcoming Thursdays in the D kickoff Sept. 6 with featured artist Dev and the cleaning up of the Student Activities Budget Committee website to make applying for funds as easy as clicking “request funding.”

SENATEFROM PAGE 1

Courtesy CNN.comInstead of taking the inexpensive route and apologizing, Shirvell chose to uphold his actions as acting within his First Amendment rights. The U.S. District Court ruled in favor of Christopher Armstrong, who claimed he suffered distress.

• 3

LISAK

FAREEA KHALIQContributing Writer

Multiple sclerosis is a prevalent disease that affects about 250,000 to 350,000 Americans, according to the National Institute of Health. This disease afflicts the brain and spinal cord, which make up the central nervous system, and causes the inflammation of the meninges, a lining of cells that cover the surface of the brain. Though this is, as yet, an incurable disease, MS has many treatment and therapeutic options for patients. A group of Wayne State researchers, along with colleagues in Canada, has found a possible pathway that leads to disease progression – which could lead to new therapies for patients. WSU School of Medicine neurology associate chair and professor Joyce A. Benjamins, neurology professor Robert P. Lisak, neurology and immunology & microbiology assistant professor Samia Ragheba, neurology research assistants Liljana Nedelkoskaa and Jennifer Barger all contributed to the study. The main idea behind the study was “to see if B cells from patients with MS make substances that could be secreted that could damage CNS cells,” Lisak said. B cells are a type of lymphocytes, or white blood cells, that produce antibodies, which help the body in immune responses.

I n patients with multiple sclerosis, however, the B cells produce molecules that damage oligodendrocytes, which make myelin, Lisak said. Myelin is a type of insulation for the axons of the nerve cells, neurons, in the CNS. If these protective coats are damaged and degraded, chemical communication between the brain and the rest of the body will be halted. Therefore, body movements such as walking, talking or bladder and bowel

control are greatly hindered. Benjamins said damage is not only done to the myelin sheath, but also to the neurons in a region of the brain called gray matter due to the dense population of neurons. Areas of gray matter are also called the cerebral cortex, and it is seen that damage in this area occurs early in the progression of the disease. The experiment to investigate B cells was conducted with the help of Canadian counterparts, Lisak said. “Our collaborators in Montreal isolated and cultured B cells from the blood of seven patients with MS and four healthy individuals,” Lisak said. The liquid from the cultures was sent to WSU where it was put in CNS culture. By analyzing the results, researchers found that the liquid from the B cells of MS patients killed oligodendrocytes, but not from the liquid of normal individuals. This lead to the researchers’ conclusion that

Multiple sclerosis breakthrough raises hope for improved therapies

New research begins to grasp progression of crippling illness

AUGUST 22 - 28, 2012THE SOUTH END

MEDICINE

Money woes risk Detroit safetyCOLUMN

Politicians, residents ponder new taxes to address police deficit

CHRISTINA CLARKStaff Columnist

Detroit is a disaster. Well, at least that’s what most outsiders think.

Detroit, according to FBI crime rates, ranks as the second most dangerous city in America. With an unemployment rate of 11.1 percent and a rapidly-declining population to boot, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, it’s not difficult to understand the sentiment.

But the city isn’t all bad. It’s like a broken

clock: pretty to look at and still able to be fixed. It will take time and hard work, but in the end, someone will find the reason it isn’t ticking and then propose a solution to fix the problem.

Right now, Detroit is on step No. 2, but agreeing on a solution is presenting itself as more of an issue.

On Aug. 7, the Detroit City Council voted 7-2 against placing a public safety proposal on the Nov. 6 ballot, meaning that no Detroiter will have a say in whether an increase in taxes for safety is what the city needs.

The proposal would have raised property taxes by 8 mills, increasing the city’s already high tax rate of 67.43 percent for primary homeowners. This tax money would have raised $56 million for public safety for five years.

These funds would also allow the city to hire more police officers, firefighters and medical workers – three things that the city really needs, especially after the police department’s 2012-13 budget cuts.

“You have to reinvest in this Police Department,” Police Chief Ralph Godbee said in an interview with the Detroit Free Press. “Any city across the country that you look at that is successful, they make a significant investment in public safety. The only question that was asked was, give the citizens an opportunity to say yes or no.”

When the council chose to keep his proposal off of the ballot, they eliminated one option for Detroiters; Councilman Kwame Kenyatta’s “no” vote was because of his support of an alternative for the city.

“Certainly there is a strong argument to make that Detroit’s public safety services leave much to be desired,” Kenyatta said. “However, in a region already suffering the burdens of a rapidly-declining population, it is imperative that we explore alternatives that potentially produce the same results of the police millage without taxing more citizens out of our city.

“In my opinion, that option comes most practically packaged in the form of the casino tax, which is already scheduled to appear on the ballot in November of 2012. If approved, the casino tax would generate over $250 million for public safety services,” he said.

The casino tax would generate that amount by establishing a 26 percent waging tax on the city’s three existing casinos and on the fourth casino once it is built, Kenyatta explained in the same statement. The casinos would be responsible for supplying their share of the levy and eliminating the need for a tax increase, meaning no tax increases for the people, extra income for the city and a new casino to lure in the tourists.

The latter idea is probably why Toledo and Windsor built casinos of their own. Why would people come to Detroit and risk being blown away for their winnings when they can go to safer neighborhoods to play the slots?

According to the Michigan Gaming Control Board, “(The) aggregate revenue for the three Detroit casinos for the month ended July 31, 2012, was down by 6.75 percent when compared to the same month last year.”

It should be noted, however, that the aggregate revenue was up 0.5 percent when compared to June 2012.

It seems that there is a vicious cycle. Can the city create more revenue if the streets are as dangerous as the world thinks they are?

Both proposals would provide money to keep an adequate police force for the city of Detroit, and therefore would contribute to cleaning up the city. The question is: Which one is the better way to go?

It’s obvious why the council decided to reject the police millage proposal. If it had been accepted, it would mean asking cash-strapped citizens for money that they may not have.

But with something as important as their safety, it should be voters who decide which one the city selects. After all, the worst thing Detroiters can say is “no.”

MS patients’ B cells secrete some sort of molecules or substances that directly attack CNS cells. These results are quite relevant and important for the study of progression. Lisak said these results show a new way through which B cells can damage neurons in MS; this novel pathway can lead the direction of how future therapies and treatment target the disease.

“We want to...identify what molecules the B cells make that cause this damage,” Lisak said. “This would help to focus new treatment against B cells and specific molecules.” With further experimentation and data collection, scientists will be one step closer in creating new treatment options for patients inflicted with multiple sclerosis.

THECURRENT

M I K E S TO B B EThe Associated Press

A TLANTA — All b a by b o o m e r s should get a one-time blood test to learn if they have

the liver-destroying hepatitis C virus, U.S. health officials said Aug. 16.

It can take decades for the blood-borne virus to cause liver damage and symptoms to emerge, so many people don’t know they’re harboring it . Baby boomers account for about two-thirds of the estimated 3.2 million infected

Americans.More than 15 ,000

Americans die each year from hepatitis C-related il lnesses and the number has been growing, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Unless we take action, we project deaths will increase substantially,” CDC director Dr. Thomas Frieden said in a call with reporters.

Hepatitis C virus is most commonly spread today through sharing needles to inject drugs. Before widespread screening of blood donations began in 1992, it

was also spread through blood transfusions.

The virus can gradually scar the l iver and lead to cirrhosis or liver cancer, and is the leading cause of liver transplants. It can trigger damage in other parts of the body as well.

It’s possible some people were infected in ways other than dirty needles or long-ago blood transfusions. Some experts say tattoos, piercings, shared razor blades and toothbrushes, manicures and snif fed cocaine may have caused the virus to spread in some cases.

However i t happened, health of f icials said baby boomers are five times more l ikely to be infected than other adults.

Officials said they decided to issue the recommendations after seeing the number of Americans dying from hepatitis C-related diseases nearly double from 1999 to 2007.

Another reason: Two drugs hit the market last year that promise to cure many more people than was previously possible.

Previously, test ing was recommended only for people

considered at highest risk, like current and former injection drug users.

About 3 percent of baby boomers test positive for the virus, the CDC estimates. Of those, some manage to clear the infection from their bodies without treatment, but still have lingering antibodies that give a positive initial tes t resul t . That ’s why confirmatory tests are needed.

Sti l l , only a quarter of infected people are that lucky. Most have active and dangerous infections, health officials said.

“I have met too many patients who were diagnosed with hepatitis C at the time they developed liver cancer or when they needed a liver transplant,” said Dr. Andrew Muir, a Duke University physician who is a leader in an advocacy organization called the National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable.

The CDC call for testing is “a bold and important move,” Muir said in a statement.

T he recommendat ion applies to people born from 1945 to 1965 who have not already been tested. They should get a blood test at their next visit to the doctor, Frieden said.

The CDC proposed the new guidelines earlier this year and made them final on Aug. 16.

4 •

NEWSHEALTH

CDC calls for hep-C testingOrganization estimates 3 percent of baby boomers test positive

AUGUST 22 - 28, 2012 THE SOUTH END

Illustration by Jon Adams / The South EndThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 1 in 30 baby boomers have the liver-destroying hepatitis C virus. More than 15,000 Americans die each year from hepatitis C-related illnesses, and the number has been growing. The virus can be spread through dirty needles, blood transfusions and mother-and-child contact.

• 5AUGUST 22 - 28, 2012THE SOUTH END

WSU, MIT professors’ study examines

memory retentionCollaborative study showed pictures to subjects, focused on retention styles of children, adults

RAAGINI SURESHContributing Writer

Adults and children process newly learned information differently, according to a collaborative study between Wayne State and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Functions related to memory appeared similar between adults and children except for the area of learning and education.

WSU Institute of Gerontology and Department of Pediatrics assistant professor Noa Ofen was the lead author of the study titled “The Development of Brain Systems Associated with Successful Memory Retrieval of Scenes” and published in the Journal of Neuroscience. Participants—children and adults, ranging in age from 8 to 22—were shown pictures of indoor and outdoor scenes.

“There were over 100 pictures, and the indoor ones consisted of kitchens, living rooms, and bedrooms, while the outdoor scenes consisted of beaches, mountains, and forests,” Ofen said.

Participants were aware that they would need to recall the scenes later, and they were asked to study them. Soon after, they were shown pictures of these same scenes mixed with pictures of new ones. Subjects were then asked whether they had seen each picture before.

While the participants were identifying whether they had

seen the pictures before or not, researchers used functional magnetic resonance imaging to determine which parts of the brains were hard at work. MRIs take advantage of magnetic fields and pulses of radio wave energy to create accurate pictures of the brain, according to the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory. MRIs are largely useful in generating three dimensional images, even though they are non-invasive.

Increased neural activity in areas of the brain result in increased oxygen flow to those areas. The phenomenon is called the blood-oxygen level-dependent effect. The BOLD effect allowed the research team to check for changes in oxygen flow using MRI scans in order to determine which portions of the brain were being used by the participants of the study.

Researchers examined which regions of the brain were used by participants, both young and old, when correctly identifying whether they had seen the picture before, which is called a “hit.”

“As we compared, we kind of stuck together all the brain images we had to find out what the brain was doing, and contrasted it with what the brain was doing when it correctly identified a new picture,” Ofen said.

According to the study, recognition memory improved with age.

When asked what the

primary difference was between recognition of scenes for adults and for children, Ofen said the “prefrontal cortex was more engaged” when the adults correctly identified pictures they had seen before.

“This goes along with what I have seen in previous studies,” she said. “And it’s because adults’ memory is richer and has more detail. It’s likely that these richer memories are achieved by having better brain memory systems.”

Daniel Schacter, a memory expert and psychology professor at Harvard University, said he agrees.

“Memory is not a simple replay,” he told CNN. “The bits of information that we recover from the past are often influenced by our knowledge, beliefs and feelings.”

The response of the parietal cortex was also monitored, and there appears to be no significant difference between the usage of the parietal cortex in adults and in children.

“That makes sense, because there’s been a convergence of evidence that the prefrontal cortex develops later than other brain regions, both functionally and structurally,” John Gabrieli, study researcher, MIT Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences professor and McGovern Institute for Brain Research investigator, told MIT News. “But this is the first study that asks how this area matures and contributes to learning.”

RESEARCH

NEWS

6 •

Court sides with teachersMichigan Court of Appeals rules state law toward school employees unconstitutional

EDUCATION

JEFF KAROUBThe Associated Press

DETROIT — Devon Dudash works part-time selling fragrances at a suburban Detroit department store, but the sweet aromas don’t mask her desire to find full-time employment as a teacher.

“I started applying a week before I graduated in May,” said Dudash, who lives in Livonia. “No interviews yet — and I’ve probably applied to 25 positions. ... All in Michigan.”

Her efforts come as the Republican-led Michigan Legislature debated and approved changes requiring public school employees to pay more for their pensions and ending fully paid-for state-provided health coverage in retirement for new hires. Some lawmakers seek further legislation that would end pensions for new teachers and push them into a 401(k)-style retirement plan.

The state is, in effect, asking Dudash and others to invest in their retirement — with less financial help. Supporters say the moves are necessary to save a severely-strained Michigan Public School Employees Retirement System, and the measures passed Aug. 15 will cut more than $15 billion from a $45 billion liability on the system.

Critics say the changes put too much on the backs of incoming and current educators, and fear they will discourage

potential employees from looking for jobs in Michigan — or pursuing a teaching job at all.

“Your retirement health care is taken away. You’re paying a lot more into your retirement fund. Your current wages and benefits are slashed ... and they expect you to be miracle workers — all the ills in society you should address and solve,” said David Hecker, president of the American Federation of Teachers Michigan. “Common sense tells you, would you give second thoughts about going into teaching given the scenario I outlined?”

Under the bill, fully-subsidized health care premiums for new employees will be replaced by $2,000 deposited into a health reimbursement account, and up to 2 percent matching contribution into a 401 (k) account to be used toward the purchase of retiree health care or other purposes. It also allows existing employees to opt out of retiree health care coverage, and their 3 percent contributions made to date would be credited to their 401(k) account.

The measure also calls for a third-party group to conduct a study due by Nov. 15 that would determine, among other things, the cost of ending pensions for new hires. Some lawmakers and officials with Gov. Rick Snyder’s administration have argued such a plan would cost billions to implement, but many want to

make it happen.The Michigan Court of Appeals

handed AFT Michigan and other unions a victory — a day after the Legislature approved the teacher benefits measure — by ruling unconstitutional a state law forcing school employees to pay 3 percent of their salary toward retiree health care. The contribution was put into place in 2010, and unions representing teachers filed suit.

In 2011, retired Ingham County Circuit Judge James Giddings, who was hearing the case before he stepped down and returned to finish the job, ruled that school employees were paying into a system that may not ultimately benefit them.

The contribution was instituted as part of an effort to save hundreds of millions of dollars for the state. The state has continued to collect money for the fund, now worth more than $500 million, but hasn’t spent it.

It isn’t clear how the ruling could affect the new legislation awaiting Snyder’s signature or whether the case will be appealed to the Michigan Supreme Court. But Dudash said the changes in Lansing complicate an already challenging job search, which began with advisers at Central Michigan University telling her and other teaching students that it would be easier if they looked out of state for work. The reason? Teachers

aren’t retiring, and an increasing number of qualified teachers are competing for fewer available positions.

Her plan is to serve as a substitute teacher for a while, but she’ll consider looking beyond Michigan for work if a permanent position proves elusive. She said even that presents problems — namely, student loans that tether her to home in order to save money on living expenses.

She takes some solace in the fact that she hasn’t had any benefits taken away, so she hasn’t gotten accustomed to a higher standard of living.

“I don’t really know any different — this is just how it is for me right now,” Dudash said.

The grass isn’t necessarily greener elsewhere, state officials say. State Budget Director John Nixon said in a release that every state is facing “massive liabilities” in funding their retirement systems. Michigan, he said, “has taken a giant step forward in solving one of the biggest problems facing our state and nation.”

Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville said smaller sacrifices help preserve a larger system, for future and current workers.

“Everybody takes some kind of a hit when the economy goes down,” he said. “I don’t think this is anything that anybody likes but it’s the reality of the health care marketplace right now.”

AUGUST 22 - 28, 2012 THE SOUTH END

• 7

A&E

AUGUST 22 - 28, 2012THE SOUTH END

‘The Campaign’ brings political humor, satire

Will Ferrell, Zach Galifianakis play political rivals in summer comedy

ANTHONY DEGUZMANContributing Writer

It’s that time again, folks, and if you’ve been watching television, reading the newspaper or surfing the Internet, you know exactly what I’m talking about. Heck, I can’t even watch my cooking shows on YouTube without being reminded of it. It’s election time! That means hearing candidates sling mud at each other hoping to win the hearts and minds of the people. So it was perfect timing for this little slice of irreverence, “The Campaign,” to hit theaters.

“The Campaign” is a comedy starring Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis as two political rivals hoping to win the seat of their district. As you can imagine, this movie lampoons the very process by which we elect our leadership and the influence that corporations have over it but does it in a way that is refreshing and palatable. From Farrell’s loud-mouthed, sex-crazed Cam Brady to Galifianakis’ soft-spoken, loveably dim-witted Marty Huggins, the two display a sort of comedic chemistry that works very well.

The story itself is fairly predictable,

especially if you’ve seen Ferrell’s previous works. His Brady has reigned as congressman for four terms unopposed until Galifianakis’ Huggins makes his bid to run against him. Initially a stooge of a couple of corporate fat cat brothers played by Dan Aykroyd and John Lithgow, Huggins then begins to understand the price that some politicians pay for their careers. Brady also undergoes his own trials and faces his own demons. Even so, this movie is laden with scandal and raunch that Ferrell’s movies often have (Who remembers the testicle scene from “Step Brothers?”). The comedian made sure that this movie had plenty of that to go around.

I’m sure that many of us have been bombarded with enough political ads that we simply have stopped paying attention (I mean, come on YouTube, I just wanted to watch my cooking shows) but “The Campaign” gives us a reason to look at it through a lens of satire that will certainly keep us amused all the way to November. And with that, I approve of this message.

REVIEW

Fash Bash exhibits art,

fashion at DIAMetro Detroiters enjoy one of Detroit’s

most popular annual fundraisers

NATALEY OLIVERContributing Writer

The Detroit Institute of Arts opened its doors Aug. 16 to host its signature fundraiser Fash Bash. Fash Bash quickly became one of Detroit’s most popular and successful fundraisers, drawing a much sought-after “who’s who” crowd from metro Detroit to enjoy an evening of art and fashion. This year, the celebration continued the success of last year’s record-breaking event. Guests were treated to a one-of-a-kind night with emphasis placed on the Neiman Marcus “Art of Fashion” show, which was held in the Great Hall.

“So many people look forward to these events,” said Teri Brock of Southfield, Mich., a model and student at Wayne State. Brock was excited when she was chosen to walk the runway at Fash Bash this year.

“As a model, you never know when or where your next job will be,” she said. “Here in Detroit, we don’t get the same events like New York or Chicago; most models here in Detroit love being a part of Detroit and Detroit fashion, but we would love to have the opportunity to branch out to larger markets.”

Fash Bash is just one of the many programs put on by the DIA, which has recently won favor through a millage earlier this month that offers residents of the surrounding counties—Wayne, Macomb and Oakland—free admission into the museum. The new funds will also support extra programming for older visitors and students, as well as expand operating hours.

On Aug. 2, organizers announced that the tickets at the top three levels for the DIA’s signature fundraiser were sold out. But “Fashionably Late” tickets, priced at $75, were still available, providing access to the party at 8:15 p.m., a live feed of the fashion show on the steps of the museum and the post-fashion show “Paparazzi Party Afterglow.”

Guests who were able to grab a ticket to the Fashionably Late pre-show cocktail party and the post-show Paparazzi Party afterglow were able to dance the night away and enjoy an assortment of exotic appetizers and Moët Champagne.

“Last year, I remember walking down Woodward right past the DIA while the event was going on, and I wanted to be a part of the celebration,” WSU student Jason Flowers said. “And now I am here.”

FASHION

Courtesy Everyman PicturesGalifianakis and Ferrell team up for

their first big-screen project together.

Nataley Oliver / Contributing Writer Fash Bash is more than your typical art show,

featuring live models with painted bodies.

SPORTS

8 • AUGUST 22 - 28, 2012 THE SOUTH END

Newest release from singer Allen Stone reminiscent of ‘60s soul

Stone’s self-titled album brings moving tracks, heartfelt lyrics

EMMANUEL SMITH Columnist

Allen Stone blindsided me. He caught me off guard with such a nostalgic,

soulful sound that I wasn’t able to turn his music off. The fact that he’s white and from the small town of Chewelah, Wash., added nothing to my amazement.

Instead, his pinpoint expression of ‘60s and ‘70s soul music is what threw me and kept me glued to my laptop for the entire duration of his self-titled sophomore album.

Stone’s influences scream through with every note. The Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin and especially the Stevie Wonder in him echo in all 11 tracks.

There’s no mix-matched construction or cheap imitation, either – just the type of

music that comes from a man who knows how to translate decades of record playing into something he can bellow from his lungs.

The son of a preacher who spent most of his youth singing in the choir, Stone also writes all of his own songs, gracing his tightly-built backing tracks with lyrics ranging from, “If you want me to love you, all you have to do is say so,” from the track, “Say So,” to “What’s it gonna take? How many hearts you gonna break till you find satisfaction?” from the track “Satisfaction.”

He hits the highs and the lows of the relationship spectrum, but he does it with so much swing and funk that you forget you’re being told these life lessons by a 24-year-old. The maturity and progression of his sound throughout the album is nothing short of amazing.

The second-to-last track, “Unaware,” is proof that drums, keyboard, bass, guitar and a couple of horns are all you need for a backdrop. In a time where most singers want to touch a bit of every genre, Stone blossoms in the basics. In the goosebump-inducing track, Stone sings about the growing financial troubles of

our age: “Every day the deficit grows, you spend more than you own. Papa always said to me, keep a close eye on your authority. ‘Cause you say that you care, I was unaware.” By the time you get to the 3:30 mark, and the keyboard solo dances in, you’ll be blessed with a heartbreaking cry that will make you wonder why you have never heard of Stone before.

“Blue-eyed soul” is a thing of the past. Stone’s vocal range doesn’t just place him in a category above artists like Robin Thicke, Mayer

Hawthorne and Justin Timberlake, but it also places him toe-to-toe with powerhouses Usher and John Legend. His live instrumentation and organic sound burrows him into a spot of his own, free of pop music’s unsure hand. While he will never replace the sound of the greats he adores, he does a wonderful

job making a mark and raising the bar for other small town folk finding their way through music.

You’ll be able catch Allen Stone in concert at the Magic Bag Theatre in Ferndale on Nov. 13.

REVIEW

ALLEN STONEALLEN STONE

ATO RECORDS, LLCITUNES & OFFICIAL STORE:

$7.99

Dream Cruise offers day of muscle cars, ‘50s nostalgia

METRO

NICK PIZANAThe South End

With rumbling engines and glossy paint jobs, metro Detroiters celebrated the 17th annual Woodward Dream Cruise. The one-day event, which began as a way to raise money for a soccer field in Ferndale, happens on the third Saturday in August, this year falling on Aug. 18. In the years since its first ride, the Dream Cruise has picked up big-name sponsors such as Chevy and BP, helping it grow into one of the largest one-day car events in the world.

Thousands of muscle cars clustered America’s first highway as motorists from all over the globe filled the air with exhaust fumes and a pervasive sense of ‘50s nostalgia; many of their hotrods were remnants of the Motor City’s heyday. On either side of the avenue, the foot traffic of spectators took in the automobiles with designs that awed with coolness or amused with humor, while navigating merchandise tents. Although the actual Dream Cruise only lasts one day, many enthusiasts camp out on Woodward Avenue before the Dream Cruise and linger there afterward.

Woodward Dream Cruise returns for its 17th year

Nick Pizana / The South EndOn either side of Woodward Avenue, the foot

traffic of spectators took in the automobiles with awe-inspring designs.

A&E

SPORTS

• 9AUGUST 22 - 28, 2012THE SOUTH END

FEATURES

Hardware for your soft wearFrom breath-catching masks to self-cleaning fabric,

stylish tech finds new home in textiles

KERRI JANSENThe South End

What are you wearing?Jeans, a T-shirt, maybe a hoodie? You can

do better.I don’t mean pulling out the fancy suit or

little black dress. With modern technology, you can make your clothes work for you.

Do you ever feel as if your cell phone is an extension of your arm? With new clothing that can collect and store electricity, then relay it to your favorite device, you’d never have to set it down – not even to charge a dead battery.

Adding electronics to clothing can be a challenge; you’d need flexible, lightweight components that are also strong enough to survive repeated laundering. Sewing in wires

and sensors isn’t enough; scientists are aiming for high-tech gear that is indistinguishable from ordinary fabric.

One solution is to dye the fabric with a special ink that conducts electricity. Other garments build up a charge by harvesting mechanical energy from the movements you make while wearing them; one gadget made to be inserted in shoes to collect energy from walking costs only a few dollars.

If you have a bit more money to burn, you can buy a pair of Levi jeans for $200, with a built-in pocket docking station for your iPod. A second pocket holds retractable headphones. Sounds handy, but to someone who has—on two occasions—lost electronics to the vicious spin cycle after forgetting to check her pockets, that seems like an accident waiting to happen.

There’s even a conceptual mask that turns your breath into energy with tiny wind turbines, photos of which have been bouncing around the Internet recently due to the mask’s similarity to the mask worn by the villain

Bane, whom many will recognize from

the recent Batman flick “The Dark Knight Rises.”

Other souped-up garments blast away water and actively fight to keep stains from sticking to the fabric. A new variety of cotton can clean itself when exposed to sunlight – set your dirty socks outside for a couple hours, and they’re good for another wearing. And, of course, athletes have been training and performing in special gear for years that gives them an extra edge – decreasing drag, increasing speed or stimulating muscles.

More recently, scientists have been developing smart clothing that can monitor a person’s vital signs, complete with specially developed software algorithms to cancel out the data irregularities caused when clothing shifts around whatever it’s monitoring. The idea is that a doctor could keep an eye on a patient’s condition without hovering around him constantly or weighing him down with clunky hardware.

Even the U.S. military has its eye on a

uniform that can detect wounds and relay a signal to medical workers. Though at this point such a uniform is only speculative, its existence could encourage targeted first aid and speed treatment time for critical injuries.

Whenever new technology is invented, inevitably someone will adapt it for entertainment. Online retailer ThinkGeek offers a wired baseball cap that detects Wi-Fi signal strength. Some shirts are painted with patterns that, when viewed through a smartphone’s camera with a certain app, display an animation or small game, for anyone who’s ever been frustrated with a boring, rigid T-shirt design (anybody?). And a studio in the Netherlands is marketing a “dress that flirts,” which changes transparency based on the wearer’s heartbeat, making a night at the club even more of an adventure.

I’m all for cutting-edge tech, but I think a see-through dress may be going a bit too far. Still, I’m excited to see what functional fashion science comes up with next. Personally, I’m holding out for an invisibility cloak.

COLUMN

Illustration by Jon Adams / The South End

“A new variety of cotton can clean

itself when exposed to

sunlight – set your dirty

socks outside for a couple hours,

and they’re good for another wearing.”

10 • AUGUST 22 - 28, 2012 THE SOUTH END

SPORTSSPORTSFEATURES

DMC helps fight local bath salt breakoutToxicologist fights, helps outlaw synthetic drug abuse in Michigan

KAITLYN BOURQUEContributing Writer

Until earlier this summer, the term “bath salts” didn’t mean anything particularly significant to the average citizen. In fact, unless one were an athlete or a Bath and Body Works enthusiast, one probably didn’t think about them often, if at all. Now, of course, the image that comes to mind at the mention of bath salts more likely than not focuses on details of the recent media craze surrounding a handful of bizarre incidents better suited for a zombie flick than real life.

But while the so-called epidemic of bath salt abuse may be news to the public, Susan Smolinske of the Michigan Children’s Hospital Poison Control Center has been aware of the problem since late 2010, when a bath salt trend surfaced in Marquette County.

“We were called by a concerned citizen in Marquette County who said, ‘I just wanted someone to know that there’s an epidemic of bath salt exposures in this county. I know someone who died from it – what can you do to help me?’” Smolinske said.

As Smolinske knew the toxicologist at Marquette’s own hospital, she was able to investigate the call herself. As it turned out, the hospital was seeing one to two cases of bizarre behavior in patients.

“They come in basically agitated, delirious, needing sedation,” Smolinske said.

The Poison Control Center’s increased involvement in substance abuse enabled Smolinske to collaborate with the Michigan Department of Community Health on the matter.

“They were interested that we’d had one death, and we had several cases at the time. They asked us to do some prospective surveillance,” she said. This would allow poison control to track the occurrences of hospitalizations. “Together with the health department,we created a data collection form for hospitals to use when a case presents itself.”

The health department also empowered the poison center with the authority to be the collection agency for the investigation, making it mandatory that hospitals report the cases directly to them.

“So it became a reportable disease in a way, just like measles is a reportable disease. So bath salt abuse became a reportable disease for January through March of 2011,” Smolinske said.

The data collected was much more detailed

than is typical of poison control. Through obtaining extensive history on the patients, they were able to find that most of the patients had underlying psychiatric disorders and/or were previous intravenous drug abusers, which gave them an idea of the pattern of the abuse.

The data also led Smolinske and her team to discover that there was only one store in Marquette selling the drug, a head shop on Main Street called “The Back Room.”

“Through our study the health department was able to take our data and say, ‘we’re declaring an imminent health threat, and this store cannot sell this anymore.’ So they sent the Michigan State Police, and before that the police had purchased and analyzed a sample; (they) found out which of the cathinones it contained, and they went in and seized the products and said ‘you can’t sell them anymore.’ And it just stopped,” she said.

In spite of this success, alternatives to the drug have since been developed and are back on the shelves of this store. Because loopholes in the law allow such manipulation to occur, the PCC and the health department have worked with the Michigan legislature to pass four bills which went into effect July 1, one of which makes it easier for the health department to declare an imminent health hazard and to act more quickly in response to drug abuse of epidemic proportions.

The logistics of integrating the poison center are still being figured out, but Smolinske is confident that the new law will make the process of monitoring such drug abuse much more expedient. With the continuously increasing popularity of the designer drug phenomenon, their timing could not be better. In addition to the bath salt craze is an increasing prevalence in the use of synthetic marijuana, or Spice.

“We quickly noticed that as the bath salt went down, the synthetic marijuana went up – it’s just marketing and retailing,” Smolinske said. “And then it jumped from head shops to

gas stations to convenience stores. The market got bigger and the number of places you could buy it got bigger – and the fact that it was not a pure powder anymore, that it was a smokeable green-looking-stuff, opened the market to the younger population.”

“So now we’re noticing that now half of our cases of this synthetic pot are teenagers because they think they can get away from it,” she said, “and also they perceive it to be safe because they can buy it and it is legal.”

Where Spice is a designer drug alternative to marijuana, bath salts are the designer equivalent of harder drugs like cocaine, ecstasy and even LSD. But while the difference between the effects of pure marijuana and cocaine are significant, their designer drug counterparts seem to have eerily similar clinical effects.

“The ingredients they’re putting in them are basically unknown pharmacology,” Smolinske said. “We don’t know how they work; no one’s studied them. But the presentation seems to be the same.”

Eerier still are the implications of synthetic marijuana as it affects the brain. Because the majority of cases are teenagers whose brains are still developing, health professionals have no real way of knowing if their psychotic episodes are wholly resultant of ingesting the drug, or if they have underlying psychological imbalances that the drug merely triggered.

The good news, however, is that the issue is beginning to be seriously addressed. Because of Smolinske’s role in noticing the bath salt epidemic in Marquette and notifying the

proper authorities, a legislative gate has opened for the Poison Control Center and the health department to collaborate more thoroughly with hospitals in order to better follow trends of abuse and hopefully eliminate them.

“We were actually shown the legislation before they did it and were able to craft some of the language,” Smolinske said. “It’s a little unique; it basically said that instead of banning individual substances – there’s several hundred variations of marijuana substitutes and bath salts – we’re going to look at the chemical structure. There’s five chemical classes, so we’re going to ban them all. So impacting law has been an important outcome.”

Smolinske is a pharmacologist and board-certified applied toxicologist. She is the managing director of the Detroit Medical Center Children’s Hospital of Michigan Regional Poison Control Center, as well as a professor of Pediatrics and Pharmacology/Toxicology. She was named Health Policy Champion by the Michigan Department of Community Health for her role in fighting the bath salt epidemic in Marquette.

For immediate advice on possible poisoning, toxic substance, or any other environmental hazard emergency, call the following toll-free number. Nurses, pharmacists and doctors are available to offer assistance 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Children’s Hospital of Michigan Regional Poison Control Center 1-800-222-1222.

For more information, visit the Poison Control Center website: www.childrensdmc.org/PoisonControl.

RESEARCH

Jon Adams / The South EndSusan Smolinske of the Michigan Children’s Hospital Poison Control Center investigates bath salt usage through data collection.

SPORTS

WSU Student Veterans Organization hosts

golf fundraiserOuting raises money for student group that supports student veterans in their

endeavors to earn degrees

LUKE TOWLERSenior Writer

LIVONIA – Wayne State’s student-veterans leave the military and enter WSU classrooms aspiring to achieve a degree after risking their lives to earn one. But many veterans who attend WSU never get the chance to walk toward the podium while wearing a cap and gown to receive a handshake and diploma due to the high dropout rate for veterans.

To provide funding for various resources that WSU’s Student Veterans Organization needs – and to hopefully decrease the student-veteran dropout rate – the SVO held its second annual golf outing for veterans Aug. 18 at the Idyl Wyld Golf Course.

Patrick Hannah, the SVO president of WSU, said that last year, the SVO held 15 community service events; they support the Michigan Veterans Foundation and the Toys for Tots program. But the SVO’s service work doesn’t stop there.

“During the holidays we provide greeting cards and Christmas cards for military men and women still serving overseas and for those who are stuck in the VA hospital over the holidays,” Hannah said.

WSU’s student-veteran graduation rate is almost 50 percent.

The SVO does a specific orientation for veterans every year “so all the incoming freshmen get not only a comprehensive veteran’s specific orientation, but they also visit the resource center and learn about all of the things that we do,” he said.

Since every student-veteran is aware of the resources that the SVO provides, then why do veterans continue to drop out?

“Studies have shown that veterans drop out mainly because they feel like they don’t fit in at the university,” Hannah said.

Hannah said the solution to the problem is to raise awareness and to get more people involved in the organization.

“The more people we get involved and the more people who know about us, I think the more

successful we will be,” he said. But Tim Duff, the SVO’s executive vice

president, believes that many student-veterans drop out because of two things: the struggle of transitioning from the military to the classroom and older veterans who haven’t adapted to modern technology.

“When we check into a new duty station, they give you a list. They say, ‘This is what you need to go do.’ At Wayne State, they don’t give you a list. They say, ‘Oh, hey, how’s it going, welcome,’ and then you just find your way around … and some veterans get caught up and lost in that shuffle,” Duff said.

“A lot of them are older veterans as well that are not as used to the technology,” he said. “They have problems with using Blackboard and email, which can be simple things, but to an older veteran, who wasn’t used to growing up with a computer at school, it’s really different.”

Duff believes that by offering student-veterans guidance and direction through the SVO, they will be more successful and have a better chance of graduating.

“Having a community where they can come into a resource center and talk to other veterans, who have been in school for a couple years, to help them acclimate to the situation; it really helps,” he said. “The support they can get will really drive them to success, and help them with graduation.”

In addition to the putting contest, 50/50 raffle, silent auction and steak dinner, the second annual golf outing for veterans featured tips from the WSU golf team, as well.

WSU golfer Tyler Haksluoto, who received WSU’s 2011-2012 “Overcoming Adversity” award, attended the outing to show the SVO, and others who went to the event, how a student-athlete approaches the game of golf.

“We enjoy being out here, and giving back is something simple we can do,” Haksluoto said. “And in the end, we can look back and say ‘Hey, we helped out with all of these events, and they enjoyed it.’”

GOLF

• 11AUGUST 22 - 28, 2012THE SOUTH END

ASTROLOGY

• 12AUGUST 22 - 28, 2012THE SOUTH END

MADAME LAZONGA

ARIESMake sure you drink plenty of fluids this week, as someone will sneeze on your food and give you that head cold that’s been going around. Be extra nice to your waiter and hope that will minimize your bad karma, but don’t rely on that to save you. But as horrible as colds are, they give you plenty of time to meditate, so get a box of extra soft tissues and a blankie and treat yourself to some cheesy movies. After a week of sniffles and sneezes, you’ll come back better than ever, but make sure you keep a bottle of hand sanitizer on you at all times.

March 21 - April 19TAURUS

The atmosphere outside might be dreary, but it’s going to be the exact opposite for your love life! Taking a chance to be spontaneous and trying a new restaurant or activity will definitely work out for you this week.That quiet stutter and that spilled glass of wine will win you endearing smiles and a lot of positive energy this time around as your new companions make it their mission to know you in the most intimate way possible. So let your inhibitions trickle away as you become the life of the party. Cheers!

April 20 - May 20

GEMINIThe past will make an unwelcome return this week when you bump into an ex in public... and they have a new partner that is twice as hot as you are. Ouch! Don’t despair, though. Remember how much of a loser this person was and realize that you’re better off just as you are now: without them. While it always hurts to know that someone you loved has moved on, chances are you’ve moved on too. So snuggle up to the guy or girl you’re currently with and remember that everything happens for a reason. Someone will have a great job connection for you, so keep your eyes peeled, and stay humble.

May 21 - June 21

LEOA local disaster will have you aching to donate your hard-earned money this week, but hold back on the impulse, as someone isn’t who they say they are. Get lots of extra opinions from the people you value and respect to help root out the thief, and then give your generous gift to the people who need it most. Your generosity will create plenty of good karma for you, so be content in knowing everything you’ve done will benefit you, too.

July 23 - August 22

LIBRAThis week you will run into an old friend, but you will be reminded why you stopped talking to them in the first place. Do not attempt to rekindle the flame of friendship or romance because you will end up getting burned. In some cases, people grow a part for a reason. Get out there and make some new buddies! Frequent your local coffee shop, grocery store or shopping mall, and make some new acquaintances. Be warned, if you come on too strong you may look like a creep.

September 23 - October 22

AQUARIUS

You will be a monster this week, annoying those around you and generally being an unpleasant person to know. This is the result of one bad day you will experience early in the week. Just try to stay calm and try to remember the good things in your life: things like your adorable pet, a close friend or the fact that you don’t go to college at Western Michigan University. Counting your blessing can sometimes make you realize that life can get much, much worse.

January 20 - February 18PISCES

Remember that story Grandpa told you about having to walk to school uphill both ways in a blizzard? Well, that journey is your life this week – you’re going to have to trudge an unpleasant path for a cause that’s important to you. Be forewarned, it’s really not going to be fun. You’ll need a thick skin, but eventually you’ll reach your destination. It’ll be there where you’ll discover whether it was worth it.

February 19 -March 20

SAGITTARIUS

Someone will approach you this week with a wild proposition or opportunity. This offer will seem scary and foreign to you but I assure you it will play out in your best interests and even open a new chapter in your life. Stick through the pain! It will take weeks of planning and hard work, but with enough mental focus and physical fortitude you will achieve your goal. Do not be afraid to ask others for help, there have been many who are following the path you are trying to take and their advice will save you from frustration and the stink of failure.

November 22 - December 21

VIRGO

You will come to the realization that something or someone that you love dearly is actually hindering your progress to self-actualization. This will not be a fun week to say the least. Do not attempt to root out the problem; it will make itself clear at an unlikely time. Keep calm and soldier on, the world may seem to be crashing down, but the start of a new journey will soon be underway. Try distracting yourself with a creative activity. Finger painting is relaxing.

August 23 - September 23

SCORPIOThis week you will find love at the service counter at your favorite lunch establishment. A weird thought for some but let it happen. If you trust them with your food you can trust them with your heart. This person has been a silent admirer for quite some time, but not in the “murderer” kind of way. Take a chance. Invite that person out for a cup of coffee. They work at a coffee shop, you say? Take them out for a liquid that they don’t serve.

October 23 - November 21

CAPRICORN

This will be a week full of creativity and new ideas. These thoughts will hit you like a splash of cold water. Try to channel these new ideas into a creative outlet. Start that blog you have been keeping on the back burner, cook that recipe you found on Pinterest or work on that art project that has been sitting in your closet for six months collecting dust. Be warned: If you do not find a creative outlet for this stream of new ideas you could burst into a fit of frustration. Nothing violent but unpleasant none the less.

December 22 - January 19

CANCERYour cash will be strapped as bills suck up your savings. You might feel tempted to panic, but avoid that. The money is gone now, but you’re a go-getter who’s going to get a lot of opportunities to replace what you’ve lost. Keep your eyes wide open, and you’ll find ways to create profits legally. And when the dollar bills are raining down on you like a bad rapper video, treat yourself to a little something - you deserve it. Just make sure to stow the rest where you won’t feel tempted to blow it on Twilight merchandise to decorate your dorm room.

June 22 - July 22

“LET ME PROVID E YOU WITH MUCH-NEED ED ADVICE FOR THE DAU NTING U NCERTAINTY OF

YOUR FUTURE.”

MADAME LAZONGA’SFUN FACT BLAKE LIVELY WAS BORN AUG. 25, 1987, WHICH MAKES HER A LEO,TOO.