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.
The events of this week especially should make people question what “humane” treatment of animals really means. Students Promoting Animal Rights, or SPAR, took the opportunity this weekend to protest the Royal Hanneford Circus at Breslin Center. Members of the student group claim the circus employs cruel practices and treatment of its animals, despite the circus’s denials.
What makes the university system in the U.S. worthwhile is the diversity and variety that each institution offers to prospective students. One school might offer a great engineering program while another may specialize in liberal arts. The variety makes choosing a school an important and exciting decision.
Getting into MSU or the University of Michigan is an achievement. And it should stay that way. If a proposed bill in the Michigan Legislature is passed, the top 10 percent of graduating students from every state high school would be offered admission to each of Michigan’s public universities.
“Pave paradise and put up a parking lot” seems less like a catchy song lyric and more like a bleak reality. A report from the National Parks Conservation Association warns that Congress must spend about $100 million in land purchases during the 2009 fiscal year to help preserve the beauty of about 55 national parks.
In an effort to increase available jobs and give Michigan a quick economic boost, Gov. Jennifer Granholm signed legislation Monday that would make the state the most financially attractive to movie makers.
A proposed bill that would allow bars to stay open until 4 a.m. might seem like a two-hour legislative bonus to many college students. The bill states that bars and restaurants could remain open an extra two hours for an annual $2,500 fee.
We’ve all done it. There’s no shame in admitting to it. Students sometimes need that stimulating distraction during labs and lectures to keep from going insane. Most commonly, people choose to read a newspaper (or, more commonly, play the sudoku or crossword puzzles), text message or use laptops for something other than taking notes.
As thousands of people gathered at Cedar Fest on Saturday night through Sunday morning, the mood was distinct. People were waiting for something to happen. Glass bottles, rocks and anything else were thrown into the crowd and at helmet-clad police officers, who stood vigilant nearby. About four fires were reportedly started in the area. Some officers used intimidation and threats of arrest in order to control participants.
MSU administrators are discussing a proposal that would cut Welcome Week by changing the move-in dates for incoming freshmen and transfer students. The proposed plan would bring new students into the dorms starting Sunday with the first day of class on the following Wednesday.
Existing is starting to get a little too expensive. Not only are people having to limit their driving, but they also need to watch the cost of what they eat.
Americans know going to court isn’t always about the pursuit of justice. It’s more like hitting the jackpot. Cynical but true. Outrageous multimillion-dollar settlements or damage amounts awarded in lawsuits are normal in the U.S. judicial system. That’s because in civil lawsuits, there are compensatory rewards — to pay for medical bills or attorney fees — and then there are punitive damages, which are monetary punishments inflicted on litigants.
Legislation making its way through the Michigan House of Representatives could soon allow the wrongly convicted to sue the state for at least $50,000 for each year they spent in prison, a law similar to those already in existence in 22 other states.
There’s still time to sign. Don’t be fooled into thinking otherwise. Students who haven’t already signed a lease for the fall shouldn’t be worried about trying to put a roof over their heads next year. Despite what the leasing offices and landlords of East Lansing have to say, there are enough rooms and apartments to assure everyone will find a place to live, on and off campus.
Making a stand takes guts. And for a group that’s been playing nice, it’s difficult to say whether MSU’s Graduate Employees Union has what it takes. As negotiations between the university and the GEU continue, union members are planning possible “job actions” and a “strike platform” in case the two parties can’t produce a contract by the end of the semester.
Paying for someone else’s ideas seems like a weird concept. But that’s what copyrights do: They’re protections that regulate the use or reproduction of all kinds of intellectual property — books, music, visual art and other things. As part of the protection, copyright holders are sometimes entitled to royalties, or fees paid by a third party using the copyrighted material. But other times, the context in which copyrighted material is used falls under “fair use,” which means it might not be necessary to pay those fees or seek the copyright holder’s permission to use it.
Prosthetic limbs might soon become obsolete thanks to new discoveries in reconstructive medicine. Doctors studying regenerative medicine recently have come to the conclusion that every cell in the human body has potential to regenerate — they just have to be prompted to do so.
There’s no disputing the fact that human rights are a cause worth the fight. The hubbub occurring between China and Tibet is no exception. But in a time when everyone is doing business with China in some way, the world’s reactions to its treatment of the Tibetan people must be carefully contemplated.
Almost two years later, Michigan is still haunted by the supposed “nondiscriminatory” constitutional amendment that, in the eyes of many, doesn’t come close to making everyone equal.