Arbor Update

Ann Arbor Area Community News

Demo in Defense of Family Housing

Posted by Ari Paul on 22. July 2004

KEEP FAMILIES IN FAMILY HOUSING!!!

Demonstration tomorrow! March through Art Fair!
Friday, July 23, 12:00-1:00
March from Rackham to the Presidential mansion.

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Abu Ghraib a Drop in the Bucket

Posted by Ari Paul on 22. July 2004

Apparently, the photos of U.S. torture in Abu Ghraib was not a portrait of a few bad apples, but a representation of coalition policy.
“The US military has found 94 cases of confirmed or alleged abuse of prisoners by its troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, a Senate hearing has been told, ” the BBC reports.

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U-M Basic Computing Package: "Whoa--upgrades!"

Posted by Brian Kerr on 22. July 2004

In September, the Basic Computing Package (BCP) that is available to all registered students, staff, and faculty of the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor campus only) will be getting a kick in the pants. A PDF-format listing of services & allocations effective September 2004 is available, along with a relatively information-free FAQ. Highlights of the forthcoming changes to the BCP include:

  • Larger IMAP e-mail box—increasing from 50 MB to 200 MB
  • More IFS space—increasing from 50 MB to 1 GB
    • Additional space available at $1 per GB per month
  • Unmetered dial-in access—some quotas eliminated for statewide dial-up, and
  • Printing quotas—reduced for faculty and staff.

A decent overview of the BCP and what precisely the hell you can do with it can be found in the following ITCS document: Understanding Your Basic Computing Package.

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The Right to Work (for Less)

Posted by Ari Paul on 21. July 2004

UAW President Ron Gettelfinger debunks the myths of the National Right to Work campaign:

For an organization that claims to defend the rights of individuals, National Right to Work is surprisingly unconcerned about employer abuse of pro-union workers. National Right to Work fails to point out that without a union contract, American workers are employees-at-will who can be fired at any time for any reason—or for no reason at all.

The only right National Right to Work is interested in defending is the right not to join a union. The group is trying to convince the labor board to make it easier for a minority of union opponents to overturn the results of successful card check elections.

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Michigan Jobs/Companies Update

Posted by Ari Paul on 21. July 2004

A Michigan economy update from the Detroit Free Press, General Motors Corp.’s second-quarter profit rose 49 percent, Northwest Airlines lost a lower than expected $182 million, and Ford plans to continue cost cutting that could include job reduction even as their profits tripled.

The First Same-Sex Divorce

Posted by Ari Paul on 21. July 2004

Interesting news from the other side of the Ambassador Bridge, “One of the first gay couples married in Ontario has filed what is believed to be Canada’s first same-sex divorce,” the BBC has reported.

Family Housing Residents Organizing

Posted by Rob Goodspeed on 21. July 2004

I recieved this email from a resident of family housing who is helping create an organization called the “Family Housing Residents Organization”:

From: bpetrede (at) umich.edu
Date: Wed, 21 Jul 2004 01:25:24 -0400
Subject: saving family housing

Hello,

Family housing is being taken away from families due to the administration’s inaction in finding housing for single undergraduates due to the increasing size in incoming freshmen classes. This has been a documented problem since 1998 and nothing has been done. The administration has decided that they will use a portion of family housing to house single undergraduate students they no longer have room for. They did not tell family housing residents until after leases were signed. They have offered some compensation $500 or moving costs (undergraduates are being offered $500 plus $500 in Entree Plus), extended lease termination, and the offer of letting some families transfer to different sections while keeping thier current rates the same until next year. This was all done quickly and without transparency. This does not make up for the loss that families are facing in regards to community, security, and what they believed to be the terms of thier lease. Some families were not offered the
transfer option, some were, but could not be accomodated, others who applied for family housing were denied in order to make space for single undergrads (unbeknownst to them).

Family housing residents are upset and we are taking action. Housing will not give us any definitive answers or help us. We are setting up a group called Family Housing Residents Organization have a negotiations team and we are creating a platform. Many people at the University are not aware of these changes. I don’t imagine that the undergraduates are completly happy with this situation either. Family housing is a close knit, diverse, community, home to people of many ethnic backgrounds, family situations, graduate married students with or without children, a few single grad students, domestic partners and undergraduate students who are married and/or have children. Family housing must be saved for families, we are trying to make people aware of the situation and the impact of it on residents of family housing.

Thank You, Barbara

P.S.
If you would like to be added to our e-mail list to keep current on the situation, please e-mail me back with the e-mail address you prefer to be contacted at.

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Superman: Who Needs Him?

Posted by Brian Kerr on 20. July 2004

Found in today’s AA News Police Beat:

Pizza delivery drivers fight off robbers

Two pizza delivery drivers fended off would-be robbers early today outside an Ypsilanti Township home, according to the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Department.

Two employees of Pizza Perfect were making a delivery in the 600 block of Hayes Drive shortly after midnight when they were confronted by three men, Sheriff’s Cmdr. Dave Egeler said. They said they were approached from behind, but fought off the robbers without giving up the pizza or money, Egeler said.

The would-be robbers then ran off, and the pizza employees went to the address to make the delivery, Egeler said. The woman who answered the door said she did not order any pizza, Egeler said. No arrests have been made.

Thanks ago due to George for the tip.

Area Superheroes Attack; Art Fair Bingo

Posted by Brian Kerr on 20. July 2004

Noted journalist Clark Kent got a little Kryptonite-addled over the weekend, apparently—Man In Superman Costume Attacks Motorists:

“He was in costume, and it was a pretty terrible Superman costume at that,” said Mark Majewski, who witnessed the incident. ... The motive for the attack was not known, according to police.

Thanks to George for shining the batsignal on the Superman story.

Additionally, this year’s Art Fair Bingo game is now available as a ready-to print two-board PDF.

Couch Ban Update

Posted by Rob Goodspeed on 20. July 2004

“... my e-mails are 3-to-1 against it.”
—Bob Johnson, D-1st Ward

“If this was about aesthetics, I’m not for it … I don’t think aesthetics is a reason to enact an ordinance.”
—Marcia Higgins, R-4th Ward

In a sign internet-fueled advocacy is making an impact, Ann Arbor city council decided yesterday to delay voting on a controversial ban on couches on porches until August 16, as previously reported on this website. This from today’s Ann Arbor News:

Several Ann Arbor City Council members want the fire chief to show them that the college-town couch on the front porch is really a fire hazard.

Their questions, raised at Monday night’s meeting, ended up delaying a vote on a proposed ban on upholstered furniture outdoors until Aug. 16.

Many council members said couches being an eyesore will not be enough to get their vote. ...

The city proposes a $100 fine for upholstered or other furniture designed primarily for indoor use found on residential unenclosed, exterior porches or balconies.

Wood, metal or plastic furniture or outdoor patio furniture with weather resistant cushions are exceptions.

The ban, which was up for its first reading Monday, was proposed by the Fire Department, which says upholstered furniture outdoors is a fire hazard.

Jason Mironov, the president of the University of Michigan’s Student Assembly, attended Monday’s meeting and applauded the council for putting off any vote until after students had returned from summer break.

Mironov said he was against the ban, because couches create “a sense of community” and some students can’t afford to buy replacement furniture.

“We feared this would be railroaded through while the students were out of town,” Mironov said. The postponement “sends a clear signal that student opinion does matter.”

> AANews: Questions delay vote on outdoor couch ban

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