Campus store offers discount prices

Buying computer hardware and software can leave your pocketbook pretty bare, but there's an outlet on campus to help ease the pain. To help students who need to bargain shop, the MSU Computer Store, located in the Computer Center next to the Administration Building, offers hardware and software at discounted prices for MSU students and faculty and staff members. Allan Evans, Computer Store sales associate and electrical engineering junior, said everything the store sells is new. "We have Dell, Apple, Compaq, IBM, Gateway and Toshiba" as far as computers go, he said, adding the store carries both desktop and laptop computers. Since 2001, incoming freshmen are required to have an Internet-ready computer, able to connect to MSU's Ethernet.

BREAKING NEWS: Area deals with outages

The major power outage that simultaneously struck cities such as New York and Cleveland has turned the Lansing area into a ghost town. Even at rush hour traffic had slowed to almost nothing - with police directing traffic during the first few hours of the blackout. The Niagara Falls region of the United States lost power at about 4:15 p.m.

Granholm asks for patience of Michigan residents

Gov. Jennifer Granholm assured state residents that Michigan's electricity would be turned back on as soon as possible - as early as midnight for some areas including Lansing.Granholm said she had no received requests to designate any part of Michigan a state of emergency.In a studio at the Communication Arts and Sciences building at MSU, Granholm reaffirmed President Bush's statement that the power outage, covering much of the northeast, was not a terrorist attack.Requesting Michigan's residents to conserve water, unplug appliances, stay off the road and treat all traffic lights as four-way stops, Granholm asked residents to unite."This is an instance where we are all in this together," Granholm said.

BREAKING NEWS: 'U' in water crisis following power outages

The power outage that paralyzed major U.S. and Canadian cities Thursday, has caused an immediate water crises on MSU's campus, according to an MSU water expert. "At this point we're in a water crises because all of our suppliers that supply our water wells are out of power," said Ronald Flinn, assistant vice president of the Physical Plant.

BREAKING NEWS: Smoker back on team

The rehabilitation process of senior signal caller Jeff Smoker has allowed the once-troubled quarterback full reinstatement to the program, athletics department officials stated Wednesday.Smoker had been indefinitely suspended, later admitting to a substance-abuse problem, after the seventh game of last season.

Smoker: Great to be back

It used to be a weekly routine for Jeff Smoker - talk football with reporters after practice. But in his first appearance after being reinstated Wednesday as a member of the Spartan football team, the senior signal caller seemed withdrawn and not amused with questions that circled around a substance-abuse problem that led to a suspension last season. Smoker looked so caught up in relief of being back on the squad since October that he headed for the locker room without realizing he had left behind his helmet. Nevertheless, Smoker remained willing to reprove himself and handle the attention of being a quarterback. "I learned to just move on and realized that I was responsible for things that happened last year," Smoker said.

A lifetime of wars will lead to collapse like Roman Empire

In my lifetime I have been in contact with a number of wars. I was born right after World War II, so perhaps I am a product of that homecoming and a return to quieter times.

News briefs

Researchers work to fight wind, soil erosion Researchers at MSU are working on a lower intensity tillage system which will help to maintain a crop's nutrients and combat wind and soil erosion. When liquid manure is placed on fields, the substance slides through wormholes and other permeable surfaces.

Police briefs 08/13/03

'S.W.A.T.' predictable summer fodder

"S.W.A.T." proves summer action films follow the same, tired good-guys-with-guns- beating-up-on-bad-guys formula.

Tours to demonstrate holistic farming plans

Understanding the practice of whole farm planning is the focus of a series of farm tours around the state of Michigan. Whole farm planning takes a holistic approach to the upkeep of a farm - dedicating time to areas such as soil quality and pest management. The first tour starts Aug.

Masterminding

When authorities and psychologists get the opportunity to examine the thoughts of a criminal mastermind, they normally jump at the chance. That's why the FBI should allow the release of the papers of Ted Kaczynski, better known as the Unabomber. Kaczynski recently asked the FBI to release personal papers, a bomb and other materials seized in his arrest.

Elite schools have fewer low-income students

The majority of students admitted to the nation's most elite colleges come from the most privileged quarter of the U.S.

Don't hide trial

The FBI believes it is possible for a person to be a "threat to national security" but not be a terrorist.

President has chance to do some good

In this, my final column of the summer, I'd like to write an open letter to the leader of our country. Dear Mr. President, Well, your first term is nearing its end.

'U' professors refuse obligation to use books

Reviewing textbooks is an easy way for professors to find course material and make some extra money on the side, MSU officials say. The university does not deal with North West Publishing, which has recently been criticized for its policy of contractually obligating professors to make the reviewed textbook mandatory for their classes.

Buses to solve crowding issue

The reflection of a bus driver's face normally can't be seen by the passengers riding in the back of the bus. But with one of Capital Area Transportation Authority's four new 60-foot articulated buses, the image is clear each time the bus turns another MSU street corner. "It's kind of like a Tilt-A-Whirl," said Pat Gilbert, director of marketing for CATA, about the new buses.

Bike impoundment policy disputed

A meeting between three students and MSU Department of Police and Public Safety about the bike impoundment policy has left the issue unresolved and the students unsatisfied. Anthropology graduate student Angela Jancius, her husband Daniel Sturm and genetics graduate student Paolo Struffi met with MSU police Deputy Chief Mike Rice on Thursday to discuss ways MSU police's bike impoundment tactics could be improved. "He observed everything with a cost-benefit analysis," Jancius said about Rice.

Return of couple not yet known

Expectations of when the once-missing couple will return to their families or to MSU remained uncertain Tuesday.

Jordan, Bird might play against 'U'

Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and Scott Skiles might match up against Tom Izzo's Spartans this fall in what would be the greatest exhibition game played on the Breslin Center hardwood. Rumors circulated Tuesday on campus about the NBA legends competing against the Spartans in the preseason Magic Johnson All-Stars game Nov.