When a student mentioned her fear of balloons, an un-sympathetic professor had a field day.
The response was deafening. The requests were overwhelming. The viewers spoke and we listened. Now, here in its un-edited format, is Rodney’s original Balloonatic video. Thanks to a generous grant from the Geliophobia Foundation, the film is completely restored and re-mastered with painstaking, frame-by-frame care.
Lansing’s Roma Bakery had their busiest day of the year on Fat Tuesday, making traditional Polish paczkis with an Italian twist. Click on the slideshow to see more.
There has been much excitement on Cypress Mountain within the last week. Americans Shaun White and Seth Wescott both took home gold medals. Both snowboarders defended their championship title set back in Torino in 2006. Shaun White astonished the judges with his difficult tricks, including his gravity-defying Double McTwist 1260.
A proud Torah Bright won Australia’s first gold of the Vancouver games in women’s halfpipe Thursday, ending the long-standing American domination of the sport.
Typical Asian eyes are not popular anymore in Korea. Koreans want to have big, round eyes like Americans. The most popular surgical procedure is to enhance the eyes, known as Double Eye Lid surgery. The surgery became popular when Koreans, especially women, realized that it is not expensive considering how much it changes their life style, and moreover, personality. Having big eyes is every Korean woman’s dream and it can happen with a simple $600 operation where a small incision is made above the eye to create an artificial double lid.
South Korea has the highest percentage of cosmetic surgeons out of anywhere else in the world. It is estimated that almost sixty percent of women between the ages of twenty and thirty years old have either done or are planning to do cosmetic surgery. Because of its popularity and cost, which is getting even cheaper, people from Southeast Asia, Japan, and China go to Korea just for the plastic surgery. One of the many reasons why Korean women get Double Eye Lid surgery is so they can look like western women. Nowadays, Korean women are very exposed to western fashion magazines, TV shows and movies more than ever before. They believe the western look is exotic and attractive so they try to imitate it by getting eye surgery and wearing American-brand clothing.
I interviewed MSU Koreans and asked their thoughts about the eye lid surgery (None of them have done the surgery… yet.) Anyways, I know every woman, including me myself, wants to look prettier and no one can deny that fact. I am not opposed to any cosmetic surgery but I just think women should feel more confident with their natural beauty. AND, KOREAN MEN! stop looking for girls who have perfect, big and round eyes. They should look their faces into the mirror seriously, right? Anyways, my point is that instead of going to surgeons and get an information about procedures, why don’t we thank to our parents for raising a real beauty?
Yes! TWO of my favorite Americans came to my hometown to see me and to experience the Korean culture they never had before. I am very blessed to have such friends who flew over 20 hours just to have a great time… with me! I wanted to share the best time we ever had in our lives with my classmates of JRN 400, a.k.a you guys!
Michigan will be the 38th state to put out the flame on cigarette smoking in public establishments. Opinions are varied on the potential ban.
“Personally I don’t like to smoke,” said one bar patron.
When asked if the ban would affect business revenue, Buffalo Wild Wings East Lansing general manager, Aaron Jackson agreed that initially the ban would cause a slight decrease in sales, but eventually the ban would be insignificant. “It is not competitive, since all businesses have to abide by the ban, so we’re all going through the same thing, ” he said.
East Lansing residents offer differing opinions toward Michigan becoming the 38th state to ban smoking in work places.
On December 18, 2009, Gov. Granholm signed a smoking ban bill into law. The new law is called the Dr. Ron Davis Law, and it will be enacted on May 1, 2010. The Dr. Ron Davis Law will officially ban smoking throughout the state of Michigan joining 37 other states’ fight against smoking. Smoking will be banned in all public places which include workplaces, restaurants, and even the local watering hole.
“THE Team” best of everything: Jessica Griggs, Paige Kim, Portia Mckenzie, Mollie Rehner
“Honestly, I didn’t know about him before I began this project,” she said. “I learned the impact he had on South Africa and then how he related to Martin Luther King Jr.”
The idea of the competition began nine years ago, when Anne Crain, a specialist in the Eli Broad College of Business, was approached by colleagues about doing a competition to celebrate King.
“They wanted to start a program to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., his life and his legacy,” Crain said. “But they wanted an event that would bring people together of all different backgrounds and that would celebrate how Dr. King’s life and ideas have influenced people of different cultures and of different generations.”
The idea was to create a case competition to assign students a hero whom they must compare to the work of King.
“Case competitions are common in business education,” she said. “They took the case competition format and applied it to multicultural heroes and to Dr. King by giving students a list of heroes they could select from and then give a case as to why their hero should be inducted into the Multicultural Heroes Hall of Fame.”
The Hall of Fame isn’t an actual place, but more of an idea, Crain said. Previous inductees include Mother Teresa and Susan B. Anthony.
This year’s competition began on Jan. 20 when 10 teams applied. Each team was assigned a hero by the competition’s officials. Due to the amount of teams, three were eliminated in early February based on dress rehearsals.
The final culmination of their work was on display in the Eppley Center on Wednesday night. Teams tried different presentation formats to win over the four business college judges. From acting to singing to PowerPoint presentations, each team desperately wanted to educate the audience of several hundred about their assigned hero while taking home the top prize.
But it was Colunga-Santoyo’s group, History in the Present, who combined effective visuals with a rap from teammate and accounting freshman Kashif Bhatti, which won over the judges with their presentation of Steven Biko, the South African activist who fought apartheid.
Colunga-Santoyo expressed the importance of recognizing how many important people shaped civil rights along with King.
“You learn so much from this event,” she said. “We know about Dr. King, we know about Rosa Parks, and yet there’s so many people out there who did things for other people. They did things that contributed for their own civil rights movements and their particular countries and they need to be recognized.”
Colunga-Santoyo’s group took home the $1,500 grand prize while the second place team won $600 and third place won $300.
Overwhelmed following the award, Colunga-Santoyo wasn’t quite sure what she’s do with the money.
“I’m either going to pay off my computer, use it for spring break, or buy gifts for my family,” she said with a laugh. “I have three options and I haven’t decided which one yet.”
Interactive map: Learn about the histories of the 2010 Hall of Fame nominees
Jim Seguin, Lane Blackmer, Jayna Salk and Chris Vannini
Facebook ignited in rageful comments by MSU students in late January. An unexpected image had leaked, a redesigned Spartan helmet logo, and it was not well received.
More information came from the university, which disclosed that the logo was part of a new marketing campaign the Athletic Department had undertaken in collaboration with Nike. The department wanted to create a unified look among university athletics, which would be unveiled in April 2010.
The proposed new spartan logo included elongation in the back, among other updates.
MSU Athletic Communications employee Paulette Martis guesses someone saw the redesigned logo on the U.S. Patent Web site, and said that the information was not meant to be leaked before the official unveiling of the Athletic Department rebranding and marketing strategy.
In response to the outcry among students, faculty, fans and alumni MSU Director of Athletics Mark Hollis released a statement on Feb 5 regarding the lack of image consistency within the athletic department and a plan to fix the problem. He insisted that input from the MSU community was highly regarded in the decision-making process.
As a testament to the importance of the community’s support, Hollis declared that the athletic department will keep the current Spartan logo for the new brand design.
A similar discussion was sparked by the outcry over the proposed new logo, though it has not received the same response. On Feb. 12, the MSU department of University Relations decided to choose on a specific shade to make the official Spartan shade of green.
The department is trying establish a consistent image that reflects the University’s commitment to hard work and excellence. The first commercial released under the campaign highlights some of the University’s achievements and demonstrates some of the trademarks of the new campaign, like the angled text at the end of the video.
Although the department has been working on redeveloping their image since last year, Assistant Vice President for University Relations Heather Swain said the new official shade of green was chosen out of “a desire to reach back into traditions.” The shade is similar to that of the Spartan Marching Band jackets.
In an effort to use resources efficiently, Swain said that MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon insisted the university would not go immediately repaint the campus. Instead, colors will be updated as things are replaced or repainted.
East Lansing- The Big Ten is taking its competitive nature and bringing it to the community. This rivalry is moving off the playing field and challenging students to get involved in a different way, The 2010 Big Ten Blood Drive Challenge.
The MSU Union is kicking off this competition between the Big Ten schools. Students are getting involved in hopes to get MSU a win for this challenge.
During the Winter, blood donations are down because it also happens to be flu season. The Big Ten Blood Challenge is important to healthy students, not only to win the competition, but to give back to the community.
The Rivalry between the Big Ten is fierce and Michigan State hopes pull off the big W.
“THE Team” best of everything: Jessica Griggs, Paige Kim, Portia Mckenzie, Mollie Rehner
Valentine's Day is Sunday, Feb. 14, and local businesses are getting prepared for the holiday.
Valentine’s Day falls on a Sunday this year. For the people at B/A Florist, this means staying open an extra day this week.
The shop was bustling Friday morning. There were many orders to be delivered before offices closed on Friday.
Workers in the shop said it was nice that Feb. 14 fell on a Sunday this year because it spread the orders out over the whole weekend and provided an entire extra day of business.
Valentine’s Day is undoubtedly great for florists, candy shops and jewelry stores, but what about everyday people? Many love the holiday, but some could do without it.
Other local businesses get in on the holiday spirit as well. Harper’s Restaurant and Brewpub, for instance, has a ½ off pizza and draft beer special for Valentine’s Day.
Snow piles up on MSU's campus. Despite a blizzard dubbed "Snowmageddon" and "Snowpocalypse," students were unhappy to learn classes hadn't been cancelled.
MSU Landscape Services’ headquarters looks less like an office and more like a command center when a snowstorm is on its way.
“Our favorite channel this time of year is The Weather Channel,” said Gerry Dobbs, MSU’s landscape manager of 30 years.
Landscape Services oversees the collaboration between several MSU departments to facilitate snow removal on campus. MSU Police and Custodial Services assist with this process.
“These guys are really great to work with,” Dobbs said. “They know that 40,000 people are depending on them and they’re not going to let them down.”
Three emergency response teams are called in during storms to ensure campus stays open and safe for students, faculty and visitors. Dobbs says the teams are very efficient— regardless of the severity of the snowfall.
Workers are maintaining about 50 miles of roadways and 100 miles of sidewalk this year. At six cents per square foot of snow removal, the teams work quickly and efficiently to get the job done.
“A lot of people actually prefer to cut through campus during big storms,” Dobbs said.
Landscape Services also coordinates with roofers on campus to prevent injuries from falling icicles.
“We’re constantly on the look-out for safety concerns on campus,” Dobbs said.
Jim Delinescheff, a Landscape Services group leader on North Campus, has been on the front lines of snow removal at MSU for 35 years. The fact that campus hasn’t closed for snow in 25 years is a testament to how well the workers do their jobs, he said.
“When you talk about the campus, it’s a city,” Delinescheff. “We’re really dealing with the same situations as any city. Only we do it better.”
Hot spots on campus, such as intersections, the main library, the Wharton Center andBreslin Center, are pre-treated with salt water to decrease reaction time when road salt is spread. MSU is one of the few schools in the country that produces its own salt brine treatment.
Last year, the University purchased about $130,000 of salt from Detroit Salt to use on roads, sidewalks, parking lots and ramps.
The Snyder/Phillips cafeteria is one of the most popular places students can eat on campus. This story shows the different types of food options and what students think about this cafeteria.
Jane
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Michigan State University News 