Arbor Update

Ann Arbor Area Community News

Adams, Famous For Saigon Execution Photo, is Dead

Posted by Ari Paul on 19. September 2004

Eddie Adams, one the greatest American war-time photojournalists, has died.

Comment [1]

Battle of Area Jewish Community

Posted by Ari Paul on 18. September 2004

Tensions are rising again on the pages of the Ann Arbor News over the protests against the Israeli Government by the Jewish Witnesses for Peace.

Neal Elyakin and Jeff Levin write:

Who are these extremists anyway? This is the same group whose members publicly called the Ann Arbor City Council the “Ku Klux Klan Council,” the president of the Jewish community a “filthy swine,” and other Jewish leaders “purveyors of slime (with) money and power.” Though they claim that they act out of concern for the Jewish community, they advertise their repugnant actions on Web sites like aljazeera.info and electronicintifada.net. Their leader, Henry Herskovitz, mourned the imprisonment of Sami al-Arian, a supporter of Islamic Jihad who called Jews “monkeys and pigs.” Even their name is misleading – many of the Jewish Witnesses for Peace are, in fact, not Jewish.

But Harry Clark retorts:

The Sabbath vigils conducted at Beth Israel Congregation by Jewish Witnesses for Peace and Friends have been criticized for treating religious worship as political activity. However, synagogues may also serve as Jewish national as well as religious institutions, because modern Israel is central to Jewish religious belief.

Jewish Theological Seminary President Ismar Schorsch writes in “The Sacred Cluster: The Core Values of Conservative Judaism,” “the centrality of modern Israel heads our list of core values… Conservative Jews … visit Israel (and) support financially every one of its worthy institutions. Israeli accomplishments on the battlefield and in the laboratory, in literature and politics, fill them with pride.”

The “Core Values” were echoed by Beth Israel Congregation Rabbi Robert Dobrusin in his sermon last Yom Kippur, the most important Jewish religious holiday. Referring to Jewish “foundational myths,” the rabbi stated that “the two most vital places of myth (are) the State of Israel and the synagogue,” and that “insuring the survival of the Jewish State is among (our) greatest responsibilities.”

Comment [11]

Saturday Looks Good to Me Record-Release Show Tonight!

Posted by Brandon on 17. September 2004

Tonight at the Blind Pig, lauded local indie popsters Saturday Looks Good to Me take the stage to celebrate the release of their new album Every Night (Polyvinyl Records). Featuring lush instrumentation, catchy beats, sweet boy/girl vocals, Fred Thomas’ sharp lovelorn lyrics, and at times a slightly-retro aesthetic, SLGTM is one of the area’s best bands. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll dance, you’ll fall in love.

Record Release Party
SATURDAY LOOKS GOOD TO ME
w/ The Sunshine Fix
and The All Night Push
$8 Cover
Doors 9:30 p.m.
18+

Comment [2]

MOSES Rally for Regional Unity and Accountability

Posted by Murph on 17. September 2004

MOSES (Metropolitan Organizing Strategy Enabling Strength) will be holding a rally at the University of Detroit Mercy’s Calihan Hall on Sunday, September 26 from 3:30-5:00 pm; the University of Michigan will be providing bus transportation from Ann Arbor.

A similar MOSES rally in September 2002 drew 5,000 people and focused on the “Fix it First” approach to infrastructure spending that became Jennifer Granholm’s policy upon winning the gubernatorial race later that year. MOSES hopes to draw 7,000 people to this year’s rally, which, among other regional issues, will support recent calls to refocus SEMCOG’s activities on existing urban areas rather than fringe development.

From MOSES’ website,

The theme of this year’s rally is “Can You Hear Us Now?: A Rally for Regional Unity and Accountability.” Our goal is to address issues such as urban revitalization, adequate health care, regional public transportation, and infrastructure repair while preserving natural areas from unwanted development, as well as ensuring the civil rights of Michigan residents, including immigrants and other ethnic minorities.

We hope you can join us as a sign of unity and commitment to the bi-partisan spirit that helped to make our state great.

UMich students, staff, and faculty have priority on the buses, but free parking is available at Calihan Hall. The buses will leave from North University, across from the Michigan League, with the first bus leaving at 1:30pm and the last bus no later than 2:00pm or when full, and will return to the same location after the event. Greg Markus, Professor of Political Science, is the contact for bus reservations and other event questions.

U-M President address announcement abysmal

Posted by Brian Kerr on 16. September 2004

Human beings across campus have just received what appears to be an early draft of an e-mail announcing President Coleman’s address next week:

President Mary Sue Coleman will present her first university-wide address on Monday, September 20, in Rackham Auditorium, from 3:15-4:00 PM. All students, faculty, staff, and other friends of the University are invited to attend.

She will discuss her priorities and aspirations for the University, current initiatives underway, and the future opportunities and challenges facing the University of Michigan.

A reception in the lobby of the Rackham Building will follow her address.

This event is co-sponsored by the Faculty Senate and the Office of the President.

One initiative not currently underway—English 125. For the morbid, the text of this message appears to be a mangled expansion of the Record’s event announcement (which itself contains at least one extra instance of that long-suffering word, ‘at’).

Comment [14]

Cobb speaking in Ann Arbor, Thursday, 16 September

Posted by Murph on 15. September 2004

Hot on Nader’s heels, a Huron Valley Green Party press release states:

David Cobb received the nomination of the Green Party of the United States at the national convention in the Milwaukee this past June. He will be speaking in Ann Arbor on Thursday Sept. 16th at 7:30 pm (along with local Green Party candidates) as part of a national tour.

The platform of the Cobb campaign is based in the values of the Green Party; Ecology, Non-Violence, Grassroots Democracy and Social Justice. He opposes the Iraq war, and calls for an immediate withdrawal of the U.S. Military as a first step towards a foreign policy based in nonviolence and diplomacy. The campaign also calls for a universal, single-payer health care plan, the legalization of same-sex marriage, energy independence, and a rapid transition to clean, renewable energy sources.

However, the press release doesn’t state where he’ll be speaking, nor does Cobb’s website. Further information as it becomes available.

Update 9:55 PM by Brian Kerr—one Donn Fresard wrote to inform us that (I quote the message in its entirety):

“Just so you know, it’ll be in B122 of the MLB.”

Since that’s a small basement classroom, it seems that the commentor below might be on the ball.

Comment [3]

Fresh public information resources: City of A2 minutes, County traffic counts

Posted by Murph on 15. September 2004

Two local datasets have recently come online for easy public access:

Updates!

Posted by Rob Goodspeed on 13. September 2004

—I’ve posted a few thoughts on voting on the Goodspeed Update. The deadline to register for the Novembe 2 election is October 4th!

—President Mary Sue Coleman will address the campus Monday, Sept. 20.

—There is a special election tomorrow, Sept. 14. On the ballot is a millage for special education in Washtenaw County.

Comment [2]

Site Library: June Gin's letter about the Cool Cities Initiative

Posted by Brian Kerr on 11. September 2004

June Gin, a doctoral candidate in U-M’s School of Natural Resources and Environment and a member of the VOICE coalition, has contributed a letter to this site’s library called Ann Arbor and the “Cool Cities Initiative”: A City for Whom?

The letter has also been forwarded to the City Council and Planning Commission.

Reminder: MSA 9/11 Conference Tomorrow

Posted by Brian Kerr on 10. September 2004

Just a reminder: MSA’s “academic conference” on 9/11 (previously covered on Arbor Update) is tomorrow.

The conference required preregistration and is open to students only.

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