Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., got the support he needed when the Iraq Study Group Report was released Wednesday, calling on the Bush administration to make changes in policies regarding the war in Iraq. The report, which is sometimes referred to as the Baker report, is a 160-page bipartisan book calling for the removal of U.S.
The four-part harmony of the MSU men's a cappella group, The Accafellas, can be heard reverberating off the walls of the Music Building at night. The nine men are preparing for the performance of a lifetime: They have received the honor of singing Christmas carols at the White House. Unlike other groups, which apply to sing in arguably the most famous house in the world, the group was offered the honor from the White House associate director of visitors.
The time at which an MSU student enrolls for classes in a given semester is significant. Whether it's at the end of a semester or the beginning of the school year, students are eager to make sure they have a spot in a certain class to obtain that all-important degree. However, when it comes to enrollment, a caste system does exist.
Most other newly elected Michigan lawmakers never have the same opportunity as Democratic Rep. Mark Meadows: A head start. "It was very cool to cast my first vote," he said.
Three Republican members of Eastern Michigan University's Board of Regents resigned Tuesday. The board is similar to the MSU Board of Trustees, except members are governor-appointed, rather than elected by the public, said EMU spokesman Ward Mullens. The Associated Press reported the three members signed a letter saying they were frustrated by the administration's hiring decisions and the disconnect among campus groups. The three members, including board chairwoman Karen Valvo, made up a Republican majority on the eight-person board. "It came as a surprise to students," student body President Daniel Cicchini said.
Residence dining halls across campus celebrated the end of the semester by giving students a special meal with more selection and options Wednesday evening. Carolyn Roy, dining service manager for Shaw Hall, said the holiday dinner is a meal with more options than normally presented. "It changes students' moods because it's getting dark at 5:30," Roy said.
Communication senior Megan Bensette has a car, but when she is with 8-year-old Samara Keyton, she usually takes a CATA bus to the mall. Keyton, a Lansing resident, insists on riding the bus because she prefers it to a car, Bensette said. Bensette is a volunteer for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Lansing, a nonprofit organization that provides adult role models for young children.
Students going home for break and looking for work may hear an extra jingle in their pockets because of a rise in seasonal employment in the retail industry this holiday season.
A new contest is trying to get people to think outside the chocolate and vanilla box. The competition, sponsored by the city of East Lansing and Melting Moments, is asking people to invent a new ice cream flavor for the city's 100-year celebration next year. "It's going to be something where the community can get involved and be a part of the centennial," said East Lansing spokeswoman Mikell Frey.
With the push of a button, a remote controlling your stereo, DVD player and television can turn on the electronics all at once. RevolutionAudio, unlike other sound systems, allows the user to have television, computer or any other electronic devices hooked into one sound system.
In spite of Michigan's dreary economy, the number of jobs is increasing in the Midwest and other U.S.
The MSU livestock judging team finished in third place at the North American International Livestock Exposition in Louisville, Ky. This is the team's seventh event this season and they have always finished among the top teams, where most of these competitions have up to 30 teams competing. Besides this most recent finish, the group has also placed fifth overall at the American Royal in Kansas City, Mo., and third at the National Barrow Show in Austin, Minn. The team is sponsored by the Department of Animal Science at MSU. This was the team's last event of the season.
Large companies, such as General Motors Corp. and Crest, are evolving the way they promote their products to keep up with the fast-paced lives of college students. "Our consumer is our boss," said Kevin Bass, marketing manager for Crest.
MSU's fall commencement ceremonies will be held Friday and Saturday at Breslin Center. This semester's class will consist of 2,566 students and MSU President Lou Anna K.
Senior design students from the MSU College of Engineering presented ideas to Lansing-area professional consultants about the future construction of an underpass beneath two railroad tracks near the intersection of Farm Lane and Service Road. Civil engineering professor Roger Wallace said the underpass will make it easier for cars to enter the university on the south side of campus, which is accessed via Farm Lane. The students were responsible for coming up with preliminary designs for the underpass — meaning students needed to illustrate to the consultants their ideas for the underpass' structural, hydraulic, environmental and geotechnical foundations, Wallace said. "One of the major problems is that Farm Lane self-crosses two sets of railroad tracks, and so there are a number of delays in addition to the safety hazards that are there," Wallace said.
Future Michigan elections might continue campaign calls to voters and try to duplicate what has been considered a successful year. About 38 million voters showed up at the polls — about 6 million more voters than the previous midterm election, Michigan Secretary of State statistics show. John Truscott, spokesman for former Republican gubernatorial candidate Dick DeVos, said the DeVos campaign used automated calling to get people out to vote, and it appears to have worked. "While people complain about it, it leads to record levels," he said, adding that robo calls are cheaper than television or radio advertising.
The Michigan House of Representatives passed a bill last month to replace the current local cable television system with a statewide franchising system.
The MSU Board of Trustees will vote Friday to establish an endowment that would provide support to departments focused on central nervous systems disorders in the College of Human Medicine. The fund will support departments, such as neurology and ophthalmology but can be used to provide additional assistance in similar areas of research.