Amelia Eramya/Lead Designer

Social networking has become the platform of our generation — sadly.

Although the number of users may suggest otherwise, social networking has hindered day-to-day, face-to-face, interpersonal communication.

I deleted my Facebook in December as an experiment to see who I’d keep in contact with over winter break while visiting my sisters in Las Vegas.

Ultimately, I didn’t talk to many friends. I talked to people I worked with more than my own roommates.

Not to say I have burned bridges and cut the ties with friends I solely kept in touch with via Facebook, but it did prove to show me exactly who my friends were.

Upon returning to Mount Pleasant, I saw my roommate at our apartment. We exchanged the “hellos” and “how are yous” before I asked her how things were going with her boyfriend. You know, the usual.

She replied, “Oh, we broke up.”

Oops. If I still had my Facebook account, I would have known.

But because of a website with more than 845 million users, a website that is the epitome of our generation, a website where it’s acceptable to have your fetus as your profile picture, I did not know my roommate and her boyfriend broke up.

The point of social networking websites is to connect people through multiple channels — updates, photos, links, branding and promotion — but in the very act of doing such connecting, it has hindered the ultimate skill people should have — verbal communication.

As a journalist, social networking and the Internet are permanently bookmarked in my brain. But it has hurt the one thing I looked forward to in my daily life.

It is no longer a goal to personally speak to someone about their days, their lives, what they’re doing, who they’re with, etc. If you want to know anything, just check Facebook, right?

It has not only killed the core of human interaction, but it has structured people to become self-absorbed. If only there were a “no one cares” button to click.

Too often do I have friends come up to me asking me why they can’t find me on Facebook. And too often do I get a pat on the back and told, “You’re smart, I wish I could do that.”

To think people check their news feed more than they pick up a newspaper or read an article online scares me for the future of our world.

Noam Chomsky, who is sometimes referred to as “the father of modern linguistics,” said we are born with a innate blueprint for language.

My 9-year-old niece already has a Facebook. I didn’t activate mine until my freshman year at Central Michigan University. I don’t intend on not returning to Facebook, but since deleting it, I have yet to consider reactivating my account.

I do miss the photos, the statuses worth liking and the ability to learn more about what my friends think is interesting.

But what I don’t miss, as Grizzly Bear so kindly put it via Twitter, is: “Every time I log into Facebook there’s a newborn baby picture I feel obliged to ‘like.’”

The coalition, named Michigan Energy, Michigan Jobs, has until July 9 to gather 322,609 signatures in order to file the petition to the Secretary of State. If approved, Michigan voters will vote on the initiative in the Nov. 6 elections this year.

In 2008, a law was passed that requires 10 percent of Michigan’s electricity to come from renewable sources by 2015. According to a state report, less than 4 percent of the state’s electricity currently comes from renewable sources.

The Detroit Free Press reported Michigan Energy, Michigan Jobs plans to spend more than $1 million to collect about 500,000 signatures between now and the deadline in July.

The coalition describes itself as “a bipartisan coalition of Michigan businesses, labor organizations, health care advocates and other groups” on its website.

“This proposal will help us build a clean energy industry right here in Michigan, so that Michiganders can buy Michigan energy, and we can stop exporting our money and our jobs,” according to the group’s website.

The coalition argues the amendment, which would be Section 55 of Article IV of the state’s constitution, would bring around $10 billion to the state if passed.

A mid-Michigan tie

A 30,000-acre wind turbine farm constructed and managed by Chicago-based Invenergy LLC is in the process of being built in Gratiot County outside of the Village of Breckenridge.  Once completed, it will be the largest in the state of Michigan.

Jeff Ostrander, Breckenridge village manager, said there will be 133 wind turbines in Wheeler, Bethany, Emerson and Lafayette Townships when the project is completed.

Ostrander said further expansion won’t be an option in the four townships, because the current plan will max out their power grid.

“There’s not enough capacity in the current power grid in this immediate area to tranfer the power to surrounding areas,” he said.

The Michigan Energy, Michigan Jobs initiative calls for incentives to bring green energy to Michigan, making it easier for businesses to hire local workers. It also caps yearly utility-rate increases related to the new energy standard at 1 percent in an attempt to protect consumers from larger bills.

Locally, renewable energy sources have been gaining popularity.

Union Township Zoning Administrator William Woodruff said the township uses four wind turbines to help power the township.

“The turbines account for about 10 to 15 percent of the electric energy use at the township hall,” Woodruff said.

The Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe also began installation of their first wind turbine last fall. The turbine supplies power for heating and air conditioning in homes across the reservation. It is a project coordinated through the tribe’s Housing and Planning Departments, Seventh Generation Cultural Center, the United States Department of Energy and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

At the time, knowing little of the destruction our country had just faced, those words said by my classmate “John” did not wear on me.

Webster Elementary decided not to inform students of the terrorist attacks. They also did not allow students to go home for lunch that day — with the exception of one.

“John” was the only student allowed to go home that day, because he lived mere blocks away, allowing him to watch the attacks on TV.

I did not think anything of his comment because I had no idea what the kid was talking about, so I brushed it off and went on with my day.

Upon entering my home, I found my mother and sisters glued to the TV. Before me, planes crashed into the twin towers and people were running and screaming — chaos and catastrophe filled the screen.

I was in shock.

There we were, along with millions of others watching, knowing there was nothing we could do.

My family is from the Middle East, which led many to automatically associate us with terrorism.

Since that day, racism has become a part of my life.

The next day in class, we sat in a circle and discussed the tragedy while it was fresh in our minds. After realizing the meaning behind what John said, I felt hurt and belittled by his words.

His 11-year-old rendition of the tragedy was not objective and his perspective may differ now. Either way, it was hurtful to be associated with terrorist who left an unsettling mark on our country.

I am not a terrorist. I am Chaldean. My family is from Iraq and I am not related to Osama bin Laden.

Since then, being Chaldean became a difficult task. At first, people assumed I was related to Osama bin Laden. I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve heard the statement, “So does that mean you’re related to Osama bin Laden,” followed by a giggle.

Sept. 11, 2001 was a tragic day for millions not only nationwide, but worldwide. It was a rude awakening for me that individuals who are also terrorists do exist, and they are here for war.

The frequency of me having to explain this to someone is very high, but the assumption that I am related in some way has changed my life forever.

It requires him to notice intricate details and possess a sense of technical knowledge, though he is not on his way to a medical degree or a mechanic’s certificate.

The Ohio junior is working on a custom camera firmware, initially developed for the Canon EOS 5D Mark II, automating and porting its features to fit his camera, a Canon EOS Rebel T1i (500D).

He took the relatively regular camera and helped exploit its potential far beyond its abilities out of the box.

Currently, the firmware supports several types of Canon cameras including the EOS Rebel T2i (550D), the T1i (500D), and the 60D.

Coutts, as well as others across the world working on the firmware, uses a custom firmware called Magic Lantern, developed by Trammell Hudson.

Hudson, who is currently the vice president of Two Sigma Investments, LLC, a finance and technology firm, developed the firmware for independent filmmakers.

“Hudson noticed the potential of 5D Mark II for filmmaking at a much lower price than professional video cameras and tried to overcome the main limitations of the standard firmware, the most glaring one being lack of manual audio control,” said 28-year-old Romania native Alex Dumitrache.

Dumitrache is developing Magic Lantern for 550D and 60D, and is also assisting Coutts in working on the firmware.

“I speak to Alex on a daily basis,” Coutts said. “I’d be nowhere if he didn’t answer all of my questions.”

Coutts discovered the firmware on a developmental forum online, started by a developer nicknamed Chuchin, and since then has attempted to convert it to his camera’s body.

To date, the thread is now 80 pages long, with Coutts’ updates and builds on codes for more than 2,000 followers.

With his first update, Coutts said there were at least 100 downloads of the code.

“I started looking into helping out with the developing, but gave up a few times when I couldn’t figure out how to make the source code compile,” Coutts said. “I can easily spend 10 hours straight on it.”

He said when he first started getting into the code, he did not sleep for four days in a row.

“It’s really time consuming,” he said, “And that is an understatement.”

The firmware features multiple functions. One example is magic zoom, where the camera shows a magnified section of the image on the screen to help with focusing. The firmware also features bit rate control, which either lets you “double” the card capacity or bypass the 12-minute recording limit.

The firmware also features Kelvin White Balance, a feature which removes unrealistic color cast from available light, and clean ISO values, which reveal how fast a camera reacts to light, on cameras that do not have such features in standard firmware, Dumitrache said.

Additionally, the firmware includes a trap focus function. This feature allows the camera to take the photo when the subject is in focus and offers motion detection, which is useful for photographing lightning and birds.

Coutts said he is constantly working on codes, testing and seeking errors to maintain the firmware’s development.

The Fenwick senior began as the first intern for Aphrodite Salon and Boutique, 214 S. Washington St., May 21, where she works with the owners to bring the newest fashion to town.

McGinn is an apparel merchandising and design major, and working in a boutique is something she has always wanted to do.

“I heard about the boutique from a professor,” McGinn said. “I had never heard of them before because they’re still trying to get their name out there.”

The salon and boutique, made up of 10 rooms and two bathrooms, is owned by Lois Breidenstein, 60, of Mount Pleasant. Breidenstein also owns The Bird Bar and Grill, 223 S. Main St., and has kept the bar in the family for its third generation since 1933.

Breidenstein’s daughters, Rachel Blizzard, 29, of Mount Pleasant, and Allison Curtiss, 35, of Shepherd, run the salon and boutique, which was known as the Dondero House while the two were growing up in Mount Pleasant.

The house was filled with novelties and knickknacks in every room, some even themed in holiday decorations before it was rented out, Breidenstein said.

She bought the home in 2009.

“Mom has always wanted to own the Dondero House,” Blizzard said. “She loved this house.”

In October 2009, Curtiss started a salon business in the home. Blizzard decided to add a boutique to the location in November.

“What’s awesome about our place is we try to be different,” Blizzard said. “We just try to make it an overall experience for the client.”

The boutique carries brands such as Lucky, Big Star, Silver and Kid Rock’s “Made in Detroit” line and offers a variety of jeans, shirts, dresses, sunglasses, jewelry and other gift items.

“People come in for one thing and ask about another,” Blizzard said. “You might leave with jeans and feathers in your hair.”

Curtiss said she is constantly searching for new fads and styles popular within the fashion industry.

“It’s fun to be able to bring in different things before other people do,” Curtiss said.

Blizzard and Curtiss said most of their clientele is regular, and a lot of passersby simply walk in to see what is inside the salon and boutique.

McGinn and Blizzard keep improving the boutique’s selection by researching new clothes and companies to do business with.

“To tell you the truth, I have found a new niche in my life,” McGinn said. “I absolutely love it and I like supporting small businesses.”

Festival Vice President Robin Curtis said it was a collaboration to make both events bigger and better.

“We’re hoping for success on both sides,” she said.

The Summer Festival will begin with the carnival at 3 p.m. Thursday at Island Park, 331 N. Main St. After the start of the festival, the first concert of Max and Emily’s annual summer concert series will begin at 7 p.m. in the street outside of the downtown eatery, 125 E. Broadway St.

Le Tour de Mont Pleasant will begin Friday with a sponsor reception at the CMU Events Center and the races will begin 8 a.m. Saturday.

“Summerfest provides after-race activities for our guests,” said Chamber of Commerce President Lisa Hadden. “It’s perfect for us that racers will have something to do.”

Hadden said almost 300 racers are registered for the third annual Tour, and she expects the number of participants to double by the start of the race. There were 400 racers in 2009 and 600 in 2010.

“We’re expecting more because we added the time trial event on Saturday,” she said. “There will be nonstop action.”

Hadden said the race will begin at 5:30 p.m. Racers will begin biking every 30 seconds on a 4-mile course.

Along with the time trial, there will be nine other road races for racers of different levels and ages.

“Most Michigan races are level D or E,” Hadden said regarding the rankings of the USA Cycling organization. “We’re on level B, which is a really high ranking, so we get a lot of national racers.”

In addition to having a high-ranking race in Michigan, Hadden said Le Tour de Mont Pleasant holds the largest children’s race in the state.

April Osburn, vice president of membership programs for the Chamber of Commerce, said there were 110 participants at last year’s children’s race.

“We can accommodate up to 120 children, ages 3 to 9, and they can be on tricycles all the way up to regular bikes,” she said.

The Summer Festival consists of a carnival from Thursday to Sunday, food and beverage pavillions all weekend, a flea market from Friday to Sunday and a coed softball tournament on Friday and Saturday.

Curtis said there will also be a parade through downtown Mount Pleasant 7 p.m. Friday beginning and ending at Sacred Heart Parish, 209 S. Franklin St.

A full calendar of the weekend’s events can be found at the Tour’s website.

NALC and the U.S. Postal Service have teamed up to collect food items for the past 18 years throughout Mount Pleasant, Isabella County and the U.S.
Jeff Smith, delivery supervisor at Mount Pleasant’s USPS office, 813 N. Main St., said the drive began in California, and has reached more than one billion pounds of items collected nationwide.

“It’s good for the community,” Smith said. “Everything that is collected stays within the community.”

Food Pantry supervisor Irene Lopez-Casillas said a total of 4,961 food items were collected for this year’s drive.

Mount Pleasant resident Dan Brough was one of multiple letter carriers to deliver several boxes of items to the Food Pantry on Saturday.

“I know everybody is really appreciative of it,” Brough said. “Residents just leave the stuff by their mailboxes, and we pick it up.”

Lopez-Casillas and several volunteers organized the items dropped off by letter carriers Saturday morning.

Lisa Moody, 38, of Blanchard, volunteered to assist the pantry in organizing the items donated. Moody said she was there since 11 a.m. and expected a big turnout.
“I think it’s great,” she said. “It’s definitely helping the community.”

Moody’s 17-year-old son Quentin, also of Blanchard, helped with the organizing.

“Now (he) knows why I’m always tired,” Lisa said, laughing.

Two other volunteers worked alongside the mother and son to sort the items for the region’s hungry despite Saturday’s gloomy weather.

“Even though our economy is bad, it’s great to see how many can give,” Lisa said.

Seeing a friend go through a breakdown is tough.

I’ve seen my sister go through divorce, my other go through bankruptcy, and now my brother is going through separation.

What do I do? I listen.

Whether it sounds ridiculous or not, or if I disagree with it, I still listen and give my advice when needed.

Do not push anything on your friend because that will only make things worse. Although your help and concern is needed, it might be necessary to let your friend crash and burn.

I know that sounds terrible, but people learn from their mistakes, and if that’s what it takes to help your friend realize there are other options, then so be it.

- Amelia

What should you do if you have a crush on one of your professors?

Nothing.

It does not make a difference in the situation whether the professor is single or has a ring on. Dating a professor could never end well.

Realistically, what is the best that could happen? You guys begin dating and then you become Mrs. Professor and live out the rest of your days in sunny Mount Pleasant? Pass.

You just need to remind yourself that it is simply a crush. People fall in and out of them all the time. And while it may seem like he is flirting with you on occasion, it is probably because you have a heightened sense of fantasy when it comes to this person.

But you should enjoy it. Crushes can be really fun, and it provides a lot of good day-dreaming material for when you’re bored in one of his lectures. But actually trying to make something out of your longing just is not practical.

Treat him like a movie star: Completely unattainable, but still fun to look at.

- Chelsea

Costs increased from $10,000 in 2008-09 to $20,000 in 2010-11. Security was intensified throughout the facility to increase the safety of the facility and surrounding areas, said Derek van der Merwe, senior associate athletic director.

He said it was also to establish emergency action plans, while creating clear communication and response strategies.

“As attendance increases for games, adjustment to security will be necessary,” van der Merwe said.

He said football game attendance has averaged between 8,000 to 12,000 students.

The security cost per game is $4,200 and includes one supervisor, 31 uniformed and 15 non-uniformed security guards. The employees work throughout the facility in different roles: gates, bag check, press box, concourse, stands, field security and parking lot security.

STT Security, a privately owned security organization, along with the five local police agencies, help secure the safety of attendees at major on-campus events.

Van der Merwe said the private security firm manages the primary support during home football games.

“We have all the local agencies assist us during home games,” said CMU Police Chief Bill Yeagley. “We utilize those officers in a variety of capacities.”

Yeagley said the agencies assign between two and four officers each.

Van der Merwe said the local and campus law enforcement meet the morning of each home game to review policies and emergency action procedures.

“All ushers, concession workers, ticket takers, game day workers and other staff have been trained on the emergency action plan,” he said. “All play a critical role in protecting our fans and providing them with a positive game day experience.”

About two months ago, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security examined the venues and stadiums on campus to determine how best to keep it secure, Yeagley said.

“The policy changes have ensured that we are keeping pace with recommended best practices for a stadium of our size,” van der Merwe said.

In addition to increasing security, the athletics department has worked to develop a comprehensive emergency action plan, he said. This is done by holding joint-training exercises between local and campus law enforcement officials.

“When you have 30,000 to 40,000 people congregating in a small area, you have to have effective communication strategies, emergency response plans, evacuation strategies and coordinated responses,” van der Merwe said.

The Fenton senior is vice president of the Big Brothers Big Sisters registered student organization. She said she first got involved as a freshman.

“I got involved with the RSO first,” Izzi said. “My roommate’s older sister was the president and I’ve been in love with the organization ever since.”

She said her involvement in the group has changed her for the better.

“I was in Chicago recently and I was thinking, ‘What would I get for my little?’” She said. “I don’t know if I would have thought like that before.”

The program works as the name indicates, a big, a group member, is set up with a little, a child.

Once a match is made, a big will spend time with their little and attempt to provide a role model for their development.

BBBS President Maria Schmidtke, an Ortonville senior has also been for several years.

“Three years ago it was so small,” Schmidtke said. “I’ve watched it grow and have seen all the things we can do.”

Izzi said she is also involved with the local BBBS chapter, Big Brothers Big Sisters in the Heart of Michigan and this past summer made a one-year commitment to one little.

“I try to meet with a little at least once a week,” she said, “and if I can’t, then every other week.”

Izzi and her little spend their days together at the park, out to eat or watching movies at her apartment.

There are a few things Izzi said she tries to instill in her little.

“I try to show her how important school is and to do well in school,” she said. “I also try to teach her good manners.”

Big Brothers Big Sisters provides several events for children to attend, such as the Halloween party last year that drove home the significance of Schmidtke’s work.

“That was my first experience seeing a big and a little interact, just to see what we did as an RSO, seeing the work paid off and the looks on the kids faces as they interacted with their big was so worth it,” Schmidtke said.

Izzi believes her time in the organization has helped her grow not only as a person but as a leader.

“Having a little shows you how important it is to be a good influence because they are looking up to you,” Izzi said. “It is one of the best experiences of my life. It’s awesome.”