Monday, May 18, 2026

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COMMENTARY

Civil war in Iraq leaves U.S. helpless

In a turn that should surprise no one, violence erupted in Iraq during the weekend. Sunni gunmen killed 21 Shiite men in front of their families, while elsewhere in the war-torn country, car bombs erupted killing 200 and further wounding 250. As the situation in Iraq steadily crumbles, U.S.

FEATURES

Revived pottery club sells crafts

Spirituality and meditation are constant themes in Kate Lewis' artwork. Sitting in the Kresge Art Center's ceramics room last Tuesday, she worked on her fourth installation piece — this one is centered around leaves. The leaves created by the English and studio art senior look real, as if it's possible to hear the breeze blow through them on a crisp fall day.

FOOTBALL

Caulcrick, Thornhill had say in coaching search

Many MSU players were upset that the university didn't inform them of John L. Smith's firing last month until after an announcement had been made to the media. MSU officials didn't want that to happen again. So, the day before the Spartans played Penn State, Mark Hollis, senior associate athletics director and one of the lead directors of the coaching search, met with junior linebacker Kaleb Thornhill and junior running back Jehuu Caulcrick and asked them what the players were looking for in a new coach. While neither player would reveal what he told Hollis went wrong during Smith's tenure, both appreciated their input was sought. "I just want to thank (the administration) for involving us, letting us have a say in what we thought would be beneficial for this program," Thornhill said Monday. Caulcrick said Dantonio will be a players' coach like Smith — albeit a more hard-nosed one — but one who should help address the problems the players saw with the program. "Thinking about all the stuff that we mentioned to him that we needed," Caulcrick said, "Coach Dantonio is the guy that we were talking about."

FOOTBALL

Front & Center with Becky Dantonio

Newly named head football coach Mark Dantonio and his family — wife Becky and daughters Kristen, 14, and Lauren, 12 — are returning to East Lansing after leaving in 2000 for Ohio State. During Monday's press conference, Becky wore a necklace from the Spartans' 2001 Citrus Bowl appearance, for which her husband was MSU's defensive secondary coach and associate head coach.

MSU

Renovated dorms to offer a variety of dining choices

Students will have seven different food stations to choose from next fall in the new marketplace style cafeteria in the renovated Snyder and Phillips halls. "Students will have a multiplicity of choices to pick from with this marketplace setup," said Bruce Haskell, associate director of university housing dining services.

FEATURES

SN Style: Belt it out in style

This season, creating stylish outfits is a cinch — as long as you have a waist-defining belt. WOMEN For a trendy and effortless look, buckle a belt over a jacket, cardigan, dress, sweater, billowy blouse or tunic. These wide belts create a glamorous hourglass silhouette and are the perfect accessory for just about any occasion.

FOOTBALL

Cincinnati matched MSU's offer, but coach wanted more support

Mark Dantonio's salary just doubled, and then some. But if you think his decision to become MSU's third football coach in five seasons was solely about the money, think again. Several Ohio media reported Monday that Cincinnati had offered to match MSU's $1.1 million contract, but Dantonio went with the Spartans anyway. Why? One likely reason: Institutional support.

FOOTBALL

Star recruit likes Dantonio, but is it too late?

When Keith Nichol was offered a football scholarship by former MSU head coach John L. Smith two years ago, he didn't toil over the decision for six months like most recruits — he accepted the offer right away and planned to play for the Spartans in 2007. Since the Lowell High School quarterback's decision, it seems like everything in the MSU football program has changed.

MSU

Officials: Web site porn is coincidental

Visitors to the Lansing City Council's Web site are in for a surprise if they click on the headline to view the council's newsletter. When visitors access the Web site at http://council.cityoflansingmi.com/cnews.html, the Lansing City Council's newsletter page appears.

COMMENTARY

Forgiveness doesn't just mend fences, also improves health

"Pass the turkey, please," my voice carried anything other than holiday bliss as I watched my older brother smear gravy on his face for the pure pleasure of watching me bite my tongue. I sat there, staring straight ahead and fighting the little voice urging me to revert back to my 12-year-old conflict resolution plan: the karate chop. I took a breath while assuring myself it had never really resulted in much more than my body in some variation of the human pretzel and giving my brother the satisfaction that he had pushed the right button. Leave it to the holidays to thrust us back into the family setting where we all learned how to deal with conflict and forgiveness in the first place. Here I am, age 21, and still hashing it out with my 24-year-old brother, confirming that conflict isn't something one can outgrow; rather, it's a human problem. Most of us can dig up some family grudge, but often we don't stop to think about implications of these daily conflicts, especially when we drag them out for weeks, months and even years. A study by the University of Michigan showed that in those 45 and older, forgiveness was linked to better mental and physical health.

FOOTBALL

Word on the street

"He seems to be the right fit for us at this point because we need someone with defensive experience.

FEATURES

Knitting relaxing pastime for creative MSU men, women

You know you've seen them. Maybe not every day or every week, but you've seen them. You could be at a residence hall floor meeting, taking a walk in the park or having a cram session at the Main Library — and someone pulls out their yarn and needles. Of course, MSU students who knit have heard the old-lady lines — a lot. "I get grandma jokes all the time," psychology and German sophomore Claudia Molter said. Molter has been knitting since her grandmother taught her at around age 9, and she said it's a crafty way to give gifts and make items to donate. "My friends — probably because they do it, too — they all like it," she said.

MICHIGAN

Playboy model sneaks into city's Web site

When Lansing City Council Web site visitors view the council's newsletter, they ordinarily find information about how the council is amending its rules. But one click on the council's headlining link, and visitors will be sent to a pornographic Web site with a picture of a naked woman on the page. The Lansing City Council's Newsletter Web site at http://council.cityoflansingmi.com/cnews.html takes visitors to a photo of Feather Frazier baring it all in a 2002 photo for Playboy magazine.