Headlines

Do you have an opinion? 10-26

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
  I caught sight of a little blurb of yours in the January 1 edition of your newspaper, and this reminded me (yet again!) to send you a quick note.
 
Therese Hercher, MSU  Dept. of Epidemiology

VIOLENCE
I pray we can all start making better choices in our lives by making better decisions but until then I hope God has mercy on the souls that make bad choices. God made mankind to give life and not take it.

Lenny McDonald, Lansing, MI

REV. DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
January 16th is the only national holiday that commemorates the peace and justice work of a U. S. citizen.  I’m a Vietnam veteran and for me,
 

Arnold Stieber, Grass Lake, MI 

 

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Amboseli: Lioness of Potter Park Zoo 1989 – 2011

LANSING, MI – It is with heavy hearts that Potter Park Zoo announces the death of Amboseli, a 22-year-old female African Lion; one of the oldest lions in captivity.
 
“Amboseli had so much personality and touched everyone here at the zoo in some way,” says Dr. Tara Harrison, veterinarian at Potter Park Zoo. “She’ll surely be missed around here.”
 
Amboseli arrived at Potter Park Zoo in 1989 from Gladys Porter Zoo when she was five months old. She lived a good portion of her life with her brother, who was transferred along with her as a cub.

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Author Discusses “The New Jim Crow”

Dr. Michelle Alexander
LANSING, MI — On January 17, 2012, Michigan’s Fair Chance Coalition and the Michigan Legislative Black Caucus will be bringing Professor Michelle Alexander for the kick-off for the statewide statue to “Ban the Box” on employment applications.  They will also discuss employment and other consequences of a conviction and the barriers that those convictions bring to communities.  The Fair Chance Coalition is  working to change state and local laws that currently reduce employment opportunities for individuals with prior convictions.  They have built a broad based movement, with leadership from formerly incarcerated individuals and those in the legislature.

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Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol

Studio: Paramount Pictures (133 mins) 
Plot:    The IMF is shut down when it’s implicated in the bombing of the Kremlin, causing Ethan Hunt and his new team to go rogue to clear their organization’s name.
Cast:   Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Paula Patton, Simon Pegg
Rating:     PG-13
Bottom Line:     ***
 
By Jonathan  McMillan
 
In recent years the James Bond franchise was rebooted, making it more contemporary. And for the better part of the last decade, Jason Bourne has pretty much dominated the spy movie genre with Hollywood’s rendition of The Bourne Trilogy.
“Mission Impossible – Ghost Protocol,” the fourth installment in the Mission Impossible saga, was rumored to be a reboot due to the feeling from critics that the “franchise is played out and its star over-exposed” after “Mission Impossible III” was released.
 

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A Man on a Journey

By Tracye D. Bryant
 
Many people dream of doing big things in life.  As a kid some envision becoming a doctor, a lawyer or even a police officer.  For one Trinidadian man, his dreams of being able to help provide for his family placed him on a journey he never thought possible.  
 
Garth Anthony Voisin moved to the United States more than 10 years ago from his native Trinidad and Tobago.  Growing up in a faith-filled family, Voisin knew early on that in life if you work hard, you will reap the rewards.  
 

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Mother Flippin’: One Funny Mother – The New Year is pounding on the front door.

By Tashmica Torok
 
Many of us hear the knocking and we dive for under the couch.  I fling the door wide and leave it open.  I love new opportunities.  I love new fresh breath.  I want it to swirl up inside my home and blow the unwanted out through the back door.
 
We all have some leftover unwanted from this year.  
 
It is a time for reflection.  It is.  Some may scoff and say, it’s just another day.  Or the pessimist might say resolutions fail.  I say, ideas do die without action.  The order of the day is lists checked twice.  Santa had a fail proof plan.

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Ask Tamara: Should I Ask For a Raise?

Dear Tamara:
 
I have not received a raise or cost of living increase in three years. This year we were told that because of the economy annual increases are again, “not in the budget.” 
 
During this time the cost of living has greatly increased. My rent has gone up and my son’s daycare went from $150 to $180 a week. I really need a raise or some type of increase to continue to make ends meet. How should I approach my supervisor about getting a raise?
 
More Than a Dollar Short

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Your Other 8 Hours: Why Most New Year’s Resolutions Are Guaranteed to Fail

By Robert Pagliarini,
Tribune Media Services
 
Nearly all of us make the same mistake when it comes to New Year’s resolutions, one that practically guarantees we’ll fail miserably. Sadly, it’s not just New Year’s resolutions that we blow. Anytime we try to change our behavior, we make the same disastrous mistake. No mas! In the next two minutes, you’ll learn a strategy that you can use to reach any goal or to change any habit. Even the biggest goals, like stopping smoking and getting out of debt, are achievable with this approach.

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Some things to consider… COLORING YOUR PERCEPTION

By Vanessa Loy 
 
(BPRW) — Few people realize how color influences their perception, but its affects are everywhere. Think about the inside of a typical buffet or fast food restaurant, with its bright lighting and bright pastel colors. 

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