Guess who's bizzackl, nah it ain't Face or none of those cats, it's me. So I've been running around the country so I've mised a lot of local dish, but here is my recap of stuff that mattered for the past week and change and or should matter in the near future.
An agreement between the University and GEO has been reached. Below is the snippet of the official GEO statement:
Sisters and Brothers,

I write with the good news that last night we ratified a settlement
on
our health care grievance. Under this settlement:

1. GradCare premiums will NOT be increased in 2004.
2. GradCare Level 2 (for people away from Ann Arbor) will cover
maternity care.
3. People choosing other plans (MCare, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, etc)
will pay the increased premiums previously established by the U.
4. Those who wish to change to GradCare may do so by submitting a new
enrollment form to Benefits by December 15.
5. People who miss this deadline, but still wish to switch, will
still
be able to up to March 1, 2004, by a still-to-be-determined method.

Complete information, and updates, will be available at the GEO website .

But in case you missed it Aubrey Henrietta published an editorial entitled, "The union that cried wolf: GEO’s fairy-tale folly." The editorial though short, definitely ruffled some feathers. Today's Daily features a battery of responses. They pretty much cover all the bases, but I was more amused by the editorial by Jon Ochemanek. If I wasn't lazy and the editorial was well thought out I would respond by complining figures on undergraduate debt and then projected accumulated debt in PhD programs, which most GSIs are and then we can discuss what the compensation is for with GSiing. Now it is one thing for someone to work to pay for school, but working there remain a large number of privleged students whose only job is it cover beer money. Doesn't Michigan teach critical thinking anymore?

Now onto stuff that actually matters:
This week is Aids in Black and Brown Week at University of Michigan. The event concentrates on HIV and AIDS in the Latino and Black communities. A full list of events in provided below here from the CAAS website.
Check out some of these events, they are designed for our communities and will enlighten us about what we need to do throughout the diaspora to get this deadly virus under control!

There are also a number of events that will likely be of interest to people including the following:
"History of Native Americans at the University of Michigan"

Tuesday, December 2nd
Angel Hall Aud C
7:30-9:00pm
This event features commentaries and information on U of M's secret societies such as Michigamua, Phoenix, and the Vulcans.

Congressman John Dingell will hold a community forum on Tuesday at 7pm. The event will be held from 7-9pm and will be in the Pendelton Room of the Union. It is sponsored by the Ann Arbor Area Committee for Peace, The College
Democrats, and Anti-War Action.

On a national tip, Vanguard Media the company responsible for Savoy, Heart and Soul, and Honey filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy! This may not concern a lot of people but as far as magazines go these ones were pretty progressive and aimed at the expanding Black community concerned with health and upward mobility (for lack of a better term). The loss, or at best postponement of young good Black media, continues to occur.

And since I'm still stuffed on turkey from Turkey day I figured I'd include a commentary from Black Commentator on "Thanksgiving, " aka Thankstaking to some. It's a great long essay.
Aight, that's all for now!