Saturday, September 21, 2024

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Commentary

COMMENTARY

'Digital first impressions'

What is reality? Can we hold it in the palm of our hands? Do we see the world objectively, or do our perceptions transform this black and white world into a subjective fantasy that is viewed differently by every eye on the planet?

COMMENTARY

A new NCAA business model

There’s a multi-million dollar business not paying its workers what they’re worth. This business has a television channel dedicated to perpetuating sales, a sweet deal with advertisers and it pays its administrators well, yet it pays its workers next to nothing. You’re outraged and with good reason; that’s unfair to the workers.

COMMENTARY

Repealing helmet law not a good idea

The motorcycle equivalent of “click it or ticket” might not be around much longer. The Michigan Legislature is working toward the repeal and replacement of Michigan’s motorcycle helmet laws.

COMMENTARY

A little diversity would help

I always have felt there was a lack of things to do in East Lansing. I don’t know whether that stems from having lived here for a decent amount of time, or if I’m not looking hard enough, but it seems the city simply lacks a strong (nonstudent/MSU) culture.

COMMENTARY

Food program great way to promote health

With the elimination of the Michigan Earned Income Tax Credit and the release of a study from the Basic Economic Security Tables for Michigan that shows minimum wage isn’t enough to live off of, low-income individuals and families have had little reason to be positive recently.

COMMENTARY

A student in search of sangat

Sangat is an important concept in Sikhism. In English, it roughly translates to “company.” From an early age, a line from my first morning prayer stuck out: Japji Sahib. Those who surround themselves with sangat stay true to their values.

COMMENTARY

City cuts handled well, still cause for concern

Students and the fire department have a love-hate relationship: Students love it when the fire department arrives but hate that something went so wrong they had to call the fire department. Students and police traditionally have a contentious relationship because the police bust parties, and students like parties.

COMMENTARY

A ‘close and loud’ discussion

When I heard the city of East Lansing and MSU had selected Jonathan Safran Foer’s “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close” for the 2011 One Book, One Community program, I was simply glad I recognized the title.

COMMENTARY

Budget done early, but contains flaws

It’s admirable that for the first time in years, Michigan’s budget was ready in May. Gov. Rick Snyder should be commended for following up on his campaign promise to prioritize a state budget that attacks the state’s $1.5 billion deficit. It’s not often we see follow-through on a campaign promise.

COMMENTARY

What happened to music?

U2 has topped the charts with affected guitar riffs and spectacular, hair-raising crescendos for as long as the current student body at MSU has been able to appreciate music. In a month they will give a performance at Spartan Stadium, which raises the question, “What musicians will stand the test of time?”

COMMENTARY

Provisions don’t belong in budget bill

What do stem cells, domestic partnerships and the state budget all have in common? Nothing, according to Gov. Rick Snyder’s legal team. Two provisions in the state budget, one that would create additional state-level oversight for stem cell research conducted by universities and another that would ask universities to eliminate health care coverage for domestic partnerships were deemed unconstitutional by the governor’s legal counsel.

COMMENTARY

We can’t live on cuts alone

Why aren’t tax increases more commonly mentioned as a possible solution to America’s debt? I understand no one wants to give up anything; we’re conditioned not to. It’s the American way of life to hold on to everything you have so tightly they have to bury you with it. But we’ve been cutting and hacking and slashing at government spending for the last six months. Has it gotten us anywhere? It doesn’t look like it.

COMMENTARY

Lounge outdated, still worth keeping

The Women’s Lounge inside the Union is an outdated ideal that (kind of) divides men and women. That’s no reason for it to go anywhere. The Women’s Lounge shouldn’t be eliminated because it is a piece of MSU tradition that still is in use — although those uses have evolved as times change. In addition, the options for replacing it don’t service students effectively.

COMMENTARY

The joy of stealing fire

Through its many sharing instruments, the Internet has allowed all of us to be Promethean. It only takes one person with a little know-how to buy a video or some music and then distribute the entire thing across the Internet to anyone who wants it.

COMMENTARY

Legislators misstep with health care bill

Public employees should start stocking up on aspirin, vitamin C and antibacterial soap because in all probability they won’t be able to afford getting sick in the future. The Michigan Senate passed a bill last week that forces public employees and teachers to pay at least 20 percent of their health care premiums, starting January of next year.

COMMENTARY

Win the game, Mr. president

Dear President Barack Obama: I was relieved to hear Navy Seals killed the man responsible for the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The world is a safer place now that the functional head of al Qaeda cannot order the mass murder of innocent people.

COMMENTARY

Sparrow’s nicotine policy hazy, invasive

Smoking is widely acknowledged as being bad for your health. But is it also bad for your wealth? If you want to work in medicine, it might be. A new policy at Lansing’s Sparrow Hospital requires that prospective employees have to be nicotine-free. At first glance, it’s an example of a hospital practicing what it preaches: health.