OK, here’s the deal. When someone asks for input, there’s an expectation that it will be used when making decisions. But when decisions seem to be made already, input has little impact.
The state Legislature is set to vote on Michigan’s energy future as early as this week. There are two paths our lawmakers can choose. One path promotes renewable energy use and the production of renewable energy technology. The other path promotes pollution and sends money and jobs out of our state.
It’s all downhill from here. Judging photo submissions solely on attractiveness, Collegehumor.com will now narrow the field down to 64 contestants who will be entered into a tournament bracket. Users of the Web site will then vote to determine who wins each round, and the tournament champion will receive $10,000.
It’s deja vu. Controversy surrounding the Danish cartoons that depict the Muslim prophet Muhammad first appeared more than a year ago, and was resurrected last month by a group of Danish newspapers exercising freedom of speech yet again.
In a recent editorial titled Waterboarding contradicts U.S. ideals, intent (SN 3/11), The State News criticized President Bush for vetoing the ban on waterboarding, claiming it “emphasized the flexible morals and hypocrisy” of the current administration.
The Graduate Employees Union, which represents teaching assistants, is in the midst of negotiating a new contract with the university. Many graduate students choose to come to MSU thanks to competitive assistantship funding and benefits.
Even the Vatican has gone green. Monsignor Gianfranco Girotti, the Roman Catholic Church’s secondary authority on sins and penance, listed “ecological” offenses along with genetic manipulation and drug use as modern sins in an interview last week with a Vatican City newspaper.
The State News story “Project plan might displace half of East Village residents” (SN 2/27) included incomplete information and one inaccuracy we wish to correct. East Village will allow more students to reside closer to campus at a rent rate students can afford.
Research, networking and of course wicked no-holds-barred gossip: The Internet is good for a lot of things. Two months after its introduction to MSU, the online burn book that is JuicyCampus.com is the new home for filthy hearsay.
The Detroit Red Wings didn’t acquire any offense at the 2008 NHL trade deadline, which is bizarre because this team really stinks at scoring … no offense.
President Bush’s veto of a bill banning waterboarding last week emphasized the flexible morals and hypocrisy of his administration. Bush said Saturday that he vetoed the legislation — which would limit CIA interrogations to the 19 techniques permitted in the Army Field Manual — because it would ban practices that have prevented attacks.
Resign. Any way you look at it, there’s no bouncing back from the onslaught of scandals involving Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick. Sex, money, corruption — it’s all there and it’s made national news.
There are certain behaviors and habits that are only socially acceptable at college. Depending on your future career, walking out of the house in sweatpants won’t be acceptable. People won’t be as sympathetic if you fall asleep in a meeting as your peers are when you’re drooling in your history class. And to some, going to the bar during the week might just look like pure desperation rather than an attempt to socialize with your peers. I’m not condoning overindulgence in these behaviors, but you should enjoy them while you can.
You could feel it coming before Ralph Nader even uttered the words announcing he is running for president. Regardless of the fact that he was basically a nonfactor in the 2004 election results, Democrats were ready to attack Nader for having the audacity to run again for public office.
Looking back on it now, there’s a rosy nostalgia attached to a student’s first few days at MSU. Often forgotten — or repressed — are the actual overwhelming and difficult experiences newcomers face.
The real question concerning Zimbabwe dictator Robert Mugabe’s honorary degree is why was it awarded in the first place? During the 1980s, prior to the award, Mugabe was linked to the ethnic massacre of more than 20,000 civilians.
We all know East Lansing is looking to throw students into housing farther away from campus — it is no secret. With the continuation of plans for the East Village project and the proposed City Center II project, we have begun to hear more and more grumbling from students and a handful of East Lansing residents. However, the university has been silent.
It would seem as if our electorate has already let the Republicans win the health care debate: They have successfully framed the issue as one of “free market” versus “socialism.” The comments posted on my column from two weeks ago are perfectly good evidence of this. The entire debate was about how a government bureaucracy was going to make health care completely inefficient in this country.
I wish to dispel the belief that graduate teaching assistantships are not “real jobs” and thus that TAs have no right to a fair contract. Walking down the B wing of Wells Hall on a Monday, Wednesday or Friday, you will find packed lecture halls and benches full of students. The same time on Tuesday or Thursday you will find a near-empty hallway. Many students in mathematics can attend three 50-minute lectures each week and be successful. I teach those who need something more.
No one would consider giving honors to a ruthless violator of human rights. But that’s the position in which MSU has been placed. One of the university’s honorary degrees is held by Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe — a man who is thought to have killed a number of innocent citizens in his own country.