History month a busy time for local groups
There aren't enough days in February for Rina Risper to influence as many people as she would like during Black History Month. "People should do things (to celebrate black history) regardless of February," said Risper, the creator of a predominantly black poetry group and publisher of a local biweekly multicultural magazine.
'Vagina Monologues' celebration week begins
"If your vagina could talk, what would it say?" asked "The Vagina Monologues" co-director and human biology junior Lori Carlin of the group of 16 women who met at Espresso Royale Caffe for Vagina Open Mic Night. One of the women began to answer, "My vagina would say ?" as a man walked by with a bewildered look on his face.
Mechanical medicine
Marilyn Williams ordered an appetizer quesadilla for lunch and a to-go box for the leftovers. There would definitely be leftovers, she said. "About one section and I'm full," said Williams, of Lansing. The 52-year-old is adjusting to her new life since receiving gastric bypass surgery on Nov.
High court to reopen case on abortion
The U.S. Supreme Court will reopen a challenge to the constitutionality of partial-birth abortion, the court announced Tuesday. The Bush administration has pressed the high court to reinstate a 2003 federal law banning partial-birth abortion. President Bush signed the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act in 2003, prohibiting a physician from delivering an unborn child's body and then puncturing the back of the child's head with an instrument to collapse the skull.
Innovations: Analyzing allergies
Name: Assistant Professor Venu Gangur Department: Food Science and Human Nutrition and MSU's National Food Safety & Toxicology Center Type of research: How and why people develop food allergies Date of research: Gangur has about four ongoing projects, and most of them began in 2001. Basics of the project: Allergies begin with a process called "sensitization," which can potentially occur when a person's immune system comes into contact with certain food proteins for the first time. A certain antibody can react with these food proteins, which increases the likelihood of an allergy developing, Gangur said.
WEB EXTRA: Council discusses property acquisition
Council members went into executive session 45 minutes into the East Lansing City Council meeting Tuesday night to discuss property acquisition and the status of labor negotiations. The property acquisition involves part of downtown East Lansing not associated with East Village, said Ted Staton, East Lansing city manager. He said revealing anymore information on the subject would compromise the city's interest in the matter. A resolution to honor the passing and legacy of civil rights pioneer Coretta Scott King was delivered Tuesday evening by Councilmember Kevin Beard.
Community relations, tuition focus of State of Student speech
The university should lower tuition costs and educate students about cheating and plagiarizing, said student government officials during the inaugural State of the Student Address at Tuesday's joint ASMSU assembly meeting. ASMSU is MSU's undergraduate student government. Andrew Schepers, chairperson of ASMSU's Student Assembly, and Robert Murphy, chairperson of ASMSU's Academic Assembly, both spoke about the state of the organization and future goals they plan to pursue. Murphy began the address by "challenging the Michigan Legislature" to increase higher education funding and denouncing the Faculty Voice report — a document that proposes to reorganize the Academic Governance system, which could decrease student representation in academic matters. "I cannot stand idly by while the report calls for diminishing or eliminating the voice of students," Murphy said in his speech.
ASMSU selling out untrue; facts omitted
The column by Philip Moon, "ASMSU is selling out its constituents with Mobile Campus service" (SN 2/09), failed to press the importance of several points about the bill passed by Student Assembly. The most important being that bill 42-60 does not force MSU into a contract with Mobile Campus.
Unwanted children worse than abortion
With all the same old regurgitated pro/anti-choice letters lately, I thought I'd take a third angle at it. I'm pro-abortion, meaning I don't only think that there should be a choice, but that it should be done more often. The hard-core religious right always goes on about the right to life, but what about the rights of the parents (notice not just mother) to life, liberty and namely the pursuit of happiness? Whether the pro-life crowd is willing to admit it or not, unwanted pregnancies ruin lives, especially teen pregnancies.
Don't totally get rid of it
Don't take it out. Totally Takeout, or TTO, is the on-campus meal service that uses a point system to allow students to pick meal items to go.
Free speech in question for college newspapers
Advocates of student journalism are saying college newspapers should get a written understanding of who controls their editorial content after the U.S.
'Freedomland' underserving of good actors
By Justin Kroll For The State News There are so many things wrong with the new film "Freedomland" that it's surprising so many quality actors are in it.
Expert: Be careful using caffeine
Dear Dr. D, I am confused about the effect caffeine has on your body. I have read that it is good because it kicks up your metabolism and helps burn more calories.
Alumni to create MSU 'Chicken Soup' book
By Missy Kayko For The State News Many college students grew up reading or hearing about the "Chicken Soup for the Soul" books. Now, MSU's Student Alumni Foundation, or SAF, wants to give students and alumni the same experience of college memories.
Owner brings Middle Eastern culture, food to E.L.
Bassam Mahmowd's dream was to own a restaurant. And since he heard America was the land of opportunity, he decided to give it a shot.
Coach brings new philosophy to dugout
By Alex Altman For the State News Led by a new head coach and a field of experienced players, the MSU baseball team will trust its "do things the right way" philosophy as it searches for its first Big Ten championship since 1979.
From the road
After a trip to Columbus' Value City Arena, women's hoops reporter Ethan Conley hopes Breslin Center never changes its name. Ohio State's Value City Arena is like every other brand spanking new sports venue in the world.
Professor recalls living with Cheney
Jacob Plotkin was never invited on quail hunting trips with the vice president. But he isn't bitter. "We're not in the same social circles," said Plotkin, 64, a retired MSU mathematics professor and Vice President Dick Cheney's former college roommate. From his small office in Wells Hall, Plotkin talked about the brief time he spent with Cheney at Yale University before the vice president dropped out. "Like the movie 'Citizen Kane,' everybody wants this 'Rosebud' moment," Plotkin said.
Participants in pregame clash must miss games
Officials have decided to take action against Izzone member Bobby Brock and University of Michigan reserve center Amadou Ba after the two were involved in an altercation Saturday, the Big Ten wrote in a statement Tuesday evening. Brock, a communication sophomore, will be withheld from one-and-a-half men's basketball games and Ba will not see playing time for one-and-a-half games.