Arbor Update

Ann Arbor Area Community News

No UMich buses over Thanksgiving

Posted by Murph on 24. November 2004

The University’s buses won’t run Thanksgiving Day or Friday this year, due to budget cuts. In the past, the buses have only stopped on Christmas Day and New Years Day; the Fourth of July and Memorial Day are also being added to the list of bus-free days. Parking and Transportation Services director David Miller noted that the buses cost “five times as much” on holidays as on a normal weekend; presumably that number is a per-rider figure.

AATA buses will not run on Thanksgiving Day, but will run a normal schedule on Friday.

The Daily’s editorial staff decries the holiday bus cuts, noting that the savings are a mere $10k, insignificant in the face of, for example, this year’s $400k price tag of increased bus service to Northwood. Compared to the hardship imposed on North Campus residents, a significant number of whom are not, in fact, leaving town, the Daily feels that the savings are not large enough to justify the lapse. This planner agrees.

Scammers target TCF account information

Posted by Murph on 24. November 2004

At least three students have filed complaints this week with DPS about fraudulent activity on their TCF bank accounts. Two residents of Northwood report replying to an e-mail asking them to update their account information, and later noticing $500 missing from each of their accounts. A resident of Baits reports $2000 in ATM withdrawals were made, but no information is given on whether an e-mail scam was involved.

TCF Bank provides information on avoiding and on reporting account fraud.

See also:
> DPS Daily Briefing for 24 November.

(Thanks to George Hotelling for the tip.)

Bill before Granholm may allow liquor price hike

Posted by Murph on 24. November 2004

Governor Jennifer Granholm is considering House Bill 4458, which would allow retail liquor stores to raise prices above the standard set by the state Liquor Control Commission (LCC).

Currently, liquor prices are fixed across the state of Michigan—the LCC serves as a wholesaler, resells to retailers, and establishes a price for each brand and size that allows the retailer a 17% profit. (The LCC provides a searchable price database.) Therefore, while beer and wine prices may vary widely with location, liquor costs the same everywhere.

The Bill currently before Granholm would loosen up this restriction—but only on the top end. While the current legislative text (MCL 436.1229) specifies that retail liquor “shall be sold at a price fixed by the commission”, the new text would read “shall not be sold at less than the minimum retail selling price fixed by the commission”. Retailers would therefore be able to raise the price above the commission’s price, but not lower it; consumers would not, therefore, see any price reduction, as competition would only serve to limit increases in price, and not to decrease it.

See also:
> Detroit Free Press, 24 November: Liquor Prices: Changes would favor retailers over state and public (Editorial)
> Lansing State Journal, 17 November: Retailers could soon charge more for liquor
> Central Michigan Life, 17 November: Retailers up in the air about possible liquor prices bill

Mother of Jesus Appears on Toast, Sells for a Mere $28,000

Posted by Ari Paul on 23. November 2004

Can you spot the image of the Virgin Mary in this piece of toast?

Comment [3]

Flags at half-mast for Lance Cpl. Hanks, Wednesday

Posted by Murph on 23. November 2004

US Flags will be at half-mast tomorrow for Lance Cpl. Michael W. Hanks, a Marine from Gregory, MI (about 25 miles northwest of Ann Arbor).

Hanks was killed last Wednesday just outside of Fallujah, in the middle of his second tour to Iraq.

Ann Arbor Public Schools' Achievement Gap

Posted by Dumi Lewis on 23. November 2004

Ann Arbor is once again in the national news… unfortunately it is for the Black-White academic achievement gap. Time covers the gap which has been the subject of much attention on a local level, but never reached the prominence of the gaps that are often spoken about in urban areas. Ann Arbor is one of the highest performing districtsin the state, but also has one of the largest achievement gaps in grades and MEAP scores between races.

Comment [2]

Moses, Civil Rights Leader, to Receive Honorary Degree

Posted by Ari Paul on 23. November 2004

Civil rights leader Robert Moses will receive an honorary degree from the University of Michigan at winter commencement.

Comment [2]

U-M Receives $44 Million for Diabetes Center

Posted by Ari Paul on 23. November 2004

From the Michigan Daily:

Dee Brehm is no stranger to needles. For the past 55 years, the McLean, Va., resident has injected herself with insulin more than 100,000 times and pricked her finger with a personal blood monitor more than 60,000 times in an effort to control her Type 1 diabetes.

Yesterday morning, she and her husband took a shot at ending the disease forever. Bill and Dee Brehm gave the University of Michigan Health System $44 million to accelerate the search for a cure to the disease that has plagued her since she was 19 years old.

Divestment event at Union

Posted by Matt Hollerbach on 22. November 2004

The following e-mail is being circulated by the controversial student organization SAFE. The event is sure to raise some eyebrows (and emotions)...

(PLEASE FORWARD WIDELY)

**

“TIME TO DIVEST FROM ISRAEL (IT CAN’T BE THAT CONFUSING)”
MICHIGAN UNION
ROOM 2105A
TUES., NOV. 23 – 8PM.

LEARN, ASK, PARTICIPATE

sponsored by SAFE (Students Allied for Freedom and Equality)

**

TO BE DISCUSSED:

1. U OF M’S INVESTMENTS WITH COMPANIES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO VIOLATION OF PALESTINIAN HUMAN RIGHTS.

2. U OF M’S INVESTMENTS WITH COMPANIES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE DESTRUCTION OF IRAQI SOCIETY; IRAQ IN CONNECTION WITH ISRAEL.

3. THE MEANING OF DIVESTMENT. A GOOD STRATEGY FOR ACTIVISTS ON CAMPUS?

4. CONCRETE STRATEGY FOR THE MONTHS AHEAD – KEEPING THE ISSUE ALIVE.

**

Comment [18]

Berkeley study indicates Florida electoral fraud

Posted by Matt Hollerbach on 22. November 2004

A new report from UC Berkeley details the findings of a scientific analysis of the significant increase in votes for Bush in certain Florida counties from 2000 to 2004:

The Effect of Electronic Voting Machines on Change in Support for Bush in the 2004 Florida Elections

Summary:

  • Irregularities associated with electronic voting machines may have awarded 130,000 excess votes or more to President George W. Bush in Florida.
  • Compared to counties with paper ballots, counties with electronic voting machines were significantly more likely to show increases in support for President Bush between 2000 and 2004. This effect cannot be explained by differences between counties in income, number of voters, change in voter turnout, or size of Hispanic/Latino population.
  • In Broward County alone, President Bush appears to have received approximately 72,000 excess votes.
  • We can be 99.9% sure that these effects are not attributable to chance.

UC Berkeley: The Effect of Electronic Voting Machines on Change in Support for Bush in the 2004 Florida Elections

Comment [1]

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