Applying for a passport can be one of the most daunting tasks anyone ever pursues. For some New Yorkers, that might be an issue of the past. New York has followed in the footsteps of Washington and adopted an “enhanced” driver’s license that would substitute the passport requirements for New Yorkers during North American land and sea travel.
How would you feel if you were going to be sued for copyright infringement for simply posting a clip of your favorite show on YouTube.com? Fortunately, Viacom decided to take an easier route last year by filing a $1 billion copyright infringement lawsuit against YouTube for what they say is unauthorized viewing of more than 150,000 clips of its programming from MTV, Comedy Central and other networks.
A homeless person might often be perceived as lazy and unintelligent, although that’s not always the case. Most people don’t choose to be homeless — it’s just a result of a series of setbacks. According to Patrick Patterson, vice president of operations in Lansing for Volunteers of America, there are 3,200 homeless people in Lansing, in a given year.
If money grew on trees, life would be a lot less stressful. Last Wednesday, a Lansing administrative law judge ruled that Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan did not make the case to raise rates for individuals who buy their own health insurance.
Another public official, another foolish scandal. Former Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann resigned May 14 after serving only two years in the position. The 46-year-old Democrat made the decision after threat of impeachment because of an extramarital affair and an ongoing sexual harassment investigation in his office.
Politicians lie. They make promises about what they will do if they are elected and many of them don’t deliver when they get into office.
China has long held a tight grip on its Internet and media, restricting them from doing things such as displaying graphic images or criticizing their government. After an earthquake shook the ground of China’s Sichuan province, in an effort to gain more support from countries around the world, the Chinese government began slacking on Internet and media restrictions they once tightly upheld.
In 30 days, same-sex couples in California will enjoy the same benefits as heterosexual couples. On Thursday, the justices of the California Supreme Court ruled 4-3 to overturn the voter-approved ban on gay marriage which will allow same-sex couples to jump the broom. Sixty-one percent of California’s voters approved the proposal in 2000 which stated “only marriage between a man and women is valid and recognized in California.” As the nation’s most populous state, California just might have set precedent for other states.
It’s official. Green is the new black. If ever there was a time to conserve energy, that time is now. The residents of Juneau, Alaska realized this, but only after an April avalanche depleted more than 80 percent of their electrical supply. After such a loss, the 31,000 residents of Juneau are going to extremes to conserve every little bit of energy they can. Thus far, the city has cut its electrical use by more than 30 percent.
As the cost of getting an education goes up with each passing year, it seems as though it’s getting harder for students to get loans unless their credit is in near perfect condition. Some students are looking for new ways to pay for college other than borrowing from banks and government agencies.
Some college students think just having one major is a ton of work, but an increasing number of seniors are graduating with double and even triple majors. According to the Lansing State Journal, 424 students graduated from MSU with multiple majors in 2003.
Gas prices don’t seem to be lowering any time soon, but Michigan residents could be seeing a little relief at the pump this summer. After Sens. Hillary Clinton, D-NY, and John McCain, R-Ariz, suggested a tax break on gas, local Republican lawmakers are pushing for their own version of a gas tax holiday by proposing to temporarily eliminate Michigan’s sales tax on gas for the summer driving season.
Welfare has long been associated with the poor, the disabled and elderly, or those who are too lazy to find work, but with the country in a recession, the Bridge Card is becoming a common card in the purses and wallets of wealthier families. Swiped like a credit card at checkout, a Bridge Card is the debit card that replaced the paper food stamps in 2001.
Sex is everywhere — it’s in magazines, movies, music videos, on the Internet and many other mediums. Ignoring it won’t make it go away. Democratic state lawmakers are introducing legislation that would require health insurance plans that cover prescriptions to also include coverage for contraception.
The U.S. military branches have had their fair share of scandals in the last few years. But now for the latest shocker: felons in the military.
Public figures are increasingly resorting to unique Internet domains in an effort to relate to the masses. First, it was the pope — with a snazzy Web site that tracks his every move — and now it’s the presidential candidates.
Guess what today is. Apart from the obvious “Tuesday,” many people might not know what falls on April 22. After all, unlike major and secondary holidays that receive a lot of fanfare when individuals might enjoy a day off, Earth Day doesn’t do much. Not a lot of guidance from Hallmark this time.
Money makes the world go round, and in the case of MSU students, it keeps the campus looking up-to-date. The MSU Board of Trustees recently voted to raise room and board rates by 5.25 percent effective by the next academic year. Incoming and returning students can expect to see a price increase of $350, which means it will cost about $7,026 each year for a double room and an unlimited meal plan.
Costco Wholesale Corp. and the Dalai Lama aren’t often mentioned in the same sentence. But his holiness and several business leaders, including Costco’s co-founder Jeffrey Brotman, were together Monday in Seattle for a business-inspired talk. Preaching the same peace and karma that he’s known for, the Dalai Lama offered business advice to eager ears.
This is so high school. Bomb threats and other warnings were commonplace when we were in high school, especially after the shootings at Columbine High School in 1999. Oftentimes it wasn’t more than a false alarm used to get out of class on a nice day or to skip a test.