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31st Metro Detroit Youth Day set for July 17 on Belle Isle

Community 06-18-2013 Hits:91 Michigan Chronicle Staff - avatar Michigan Chronicle Staff

31st Metro Detroit Youth Day set for July 17 on Belle Isle

  Metro Detroit Youth Day celebrates youth, focuses on reducing crime, and emphasizes education The 31st annual event takes place Wednesday, July 17 on Belle Isle WARREN – (June 13, 2013) – For more than 30 years, Metro Detroit Youth Day (MDYD) has welcomed Detroit’s youth for a day of encouragement, fun, guidance, and to award college scholarships. On Wednesday, July 17 from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Belle Isle will host more than 34,000 students from Flint to Windsor, and Ypsilanti to Detroit. “The main goal of Metro Detroit Youth Day is to reduce crime and bullying by bringing together metro Detroit’s youth for a day of positive experiences, fun and constructive activities, sports workshops, exposure to Michigan’s colleges and universities, and much more,” said Ed Deeb, co-founder and chairman, of Metro Detroit Youth Day; and chairman of the Michigan Food and Beverage Association. Deeb added, “When we started Metro Detroit Youth Day 31 years ago, it was to instill peace in the community following altercations. It is truly a success story about people and organizations working together for harmonious relationships and a better community. We must continue to work together to also protect our youth and inspire them to do the most good.” This year’s event features workshops, clinics, entertainment, contests, dignitaries, and more, including the following: Reduce Crime With an emphasis on reducing crime, MDYD will offer four workshops for students focused on student and general crime, health and wellness, anti-bullying, and entrepreneurship. Sports MDYD will include sports clinics including martial arts, golf, tennis, weight lifting, boxing, track and field, football, basketball, and more. New to Metro Detroit Youth Day this year are partnerships with The Detroit Pistons and the NFL Alumni Detroit Chapter/Gridiron Institute. The NFL Alumni Detroit Chapter and the Gridiron Institute have partnered with the 2013 MDYD to present their 2013 Youth Football Clinic for metro...

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Thrill of victory: Success among many feels better

Community 06-18-2013 Hits:55 Michigan Chronicle Staff - avatar Michigan Chronicle Staff

Thrill of victory: Success among many feels better

  Success feels good, but it is better when people win in big groups—even if the chance of success is the same, a new University of Michigan report indicates. Researchers found that people feel happier and more satisfied if their accomplishment is against competitors in larger groups than identical success among smaller groups. "Success among larger pools is associated with more positive emotional reactions because people perceive the performance as more indicative of real superiority," said Ed O'Brien, the study's lead author and a U-M doctoral student in social psychology. In other words, the win against many competitors represents their "true" abilities, not an outcome that might be described as a "fluke" with fewer individuals seeking victory, O'Brien said. O'Brien and Linda Hagen, a doctoral student in marketing at U-M's Ross School of Business, conducted five studies to understand people's reaction to victories depending on the number of competitors in different scenarios, holding constant the chance of success. In one experiment, participants read about a runner who placed in the top 10 percent of a race with few (20) or many (20,000) competitors, and estimated how happy he felt. They also rated how prestigious they thought the race was. The results indicated that participants thought the runner would be happier placing among the top 10 percent in a race with many runners, as well as consider it a prestigious race compared with the smaller event. Using the same race example, another experiment asked participants to rate what they thought the runner would infer about his true running abilities after the victory and winning future races. The participants thought the runner's victory against many people was significantly representative of his real running abilities and future success than the same win versus fewer people. "These findings suggest...

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NATIONAL PROGRAM OFFERS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY INTERNSHIPS (AND JOBS) TO LO…

Community 06-18-2013 Hits:149 Michigan Chronicle Staff - avatar Michigan Chronicle Staff

NATIONAL PROGRAM OFFERS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY INTERNSHIPS (AND JOBS) TO LOW INCOME YOUNG ADULTS

  Nationwide (BlackNews.com) -- Year Up is a one-year, intensive training program that provides low-income young adults, ages 18-24, with a combination of hands-on skill development, college credits, and corporate internships. Their program emphasizes academic and professional rigor, setting expectations high for quality of work and professional behavior. A strong structure guides students through the steps necessary for achieving success in the classroom and the workplace. For the first six months of the program, students develop technical and professional skills in the classroom. Students then apply those skills during the second six months on an internship at one of Year Up's 250+ corporate and government partners. Students earn up to 23 college credits and a weekly stipend, and are supported by staff advisors, professional mentors, dedicated social services staff, and a powerful network of community-based partners. Since its founding in 2000, Year Up has served over 6,000 young adults. For more details on how to apply, visit: www.findinternships.com/2013/06/year-up-it-internship.html To search hundreds of other internship programs, visit: www.FindInternships.com  

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Detroit's Michigan Science Center to unveil new 'Science of Rock 'n' Roll' …

Community 06-18-2013 Hits:93 mlive staff - avatar mlive staff

Detroit's Michigan Science Center to unveil new 'Science of Rock 'n' Roll' exhibit

  DETROIT, MI - Get ready to rock at the Michigan Science Center. The museum, at 5020 John R, will unveil to the public Thursday a new exhibit called "The Science of Rock 'n' Roll" that show visitors how science and technology have changed the way music is made today. The exhibit is expected to included "a series of fun, engaging musical displays" and all visitors to "create their own compositions, remix famous songs and even use state-of-the-art technology to record themselves as singing, guitar playing and drumming rock stars," according to a press release. For complete story click here

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Apple joins Facebook and Microsoft in revealing US surveillance requests

News Briefs 06-18-2013 Hits:49 theGauardian staff - avatar theGauardian staff

Apple joins Facebook and Microsoft in revealing US surveillance requests

  Tech giant promises that iMessage, FaceTime, location details and Siri requests remain private in effort to reassure customers. Apple has joined rivals including Facebook, Google and Twitter in calling on the US government to allow it to publish more details of the secret court orders its receives to disclose customers' information. The company gave more details of its dealings with US authorities Monday as it sought to reassure customers in the wake of the scandal surrounding the National Security Agency's Prism surveillance program. For complete story click here

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Michigan Consumers may Save due to SCOTUS decision

Community 06-18-2013 Hits:98 Michigan Chronicle Staff - avatar Michigan Chronicle Staff

Michigan Consumers may Save due to SCOTUS decision

  AARP: Supreme Court Decision May Save Money for Michigan Consumers on Prescription Drug Costs AARP is hopeful a U.S. Supreme Court decision today will end pay-for-delay prescription drug agreements that cost consumers and taxpayers billions of dollars a year in Michigan and across the nation. Pay-for-delay agreements involve brand name and generic drug manufacturers entering into arrangements that pay the generic drug manufacturer to delay bringing its lower-priced alternative to market. This practice not only denies consumers access to lower-cost treatment options as soon as possible, but also prevents competition, said Joyce Rogers, AARP Senior Vice President, Government Affairs. AARP, which filed an amicus brief in the case, is pleased the High Court’s decision recognizes that pay-for-delay arrangements may violate antitrust laws, Rogers said. Given that in Michigan more than 120 million prescriptions were filled in 2011, pay-for-delay agreements for Lipitor and other drugs (including other popular prescriptions like Nexium, Plavix, Provigil and Cipro) can hit consumers in their pocketbooks. In 2011, Michigan had about 1.2 million uninsured people. “The delay and lack of low-cost options reverberates throughout the health care system – including Medicare and Medicaid – and is especially burdensome for consumers,” Rogers said. “AARP is hopeful this decision will lead to an end to such agreements and that ultimately courts will find them anticompetitive and illegal, promoting more competition and helping reduce prescription drug costs for programs like Medicare and Medicaid as well as for consumers and other payers of health care.” Ending these harmful agreements is an example of a responsible way to reduce Medicare costs without cutting benefits or forcing seniors and future retirees to pay more. AARP has long advocated for ending these agreements that excessively extend patent monopolies and can result in patients foregoing needed treatment because of the high cost of brand name drugs. These agreements also artificially inflate health...

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Audi 5: Could This Be the Making of a Classic?

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Gotta love ’em.


There’s just something about “big body” coupes that stirs up all kinds of emotions when you see one of the road.


It’s an appeal that dates back years for a lot of us to cars like the Acura Legend coupe during the mid-’90s. Remember those?


Now, chances are you’ll find few if any automakers using “big body” in a brochure to describe one of their automobiles. Well, at least not yet. But as soon as you hear the term it immediately conjures up images of a two-door sport sedan with a whole lot of road presence and an interior to match.


You know, the kind of car that either makes you reluctant to pull up next to it at a light because of what you’re driving, or eager to catch it on the road to see who’s behind the wheel.


Yep, that pretty much describes the Audi A5.


STILL GOT IT


Even after nearly two years on the market, the A5 still has the kind of appeal that’s more akin to a cool concept car than an actual production model. And with a sticker that starts out around $44,000, that’s pretty impressive. Often, the star power of cars hovering around that price point wears off after a while with so many other cool new rides vying for attention on the streets.


The appeal of the A5, however, just seems to keep getting stronger the more you see it on the road.


Key styling cues include the coupe’s long hood, short rear deck lid, a low sweeping roofline, which gives the coupe those great proportions. Then, of course, there’s Audi’s new signature headlights — the daytime running lights with the strip of eight LEDs on each side, and the optional Bi-Xenon headlights.


How cool are those when you see them on the road?


Inside, the A5 is classic Audi with more of a sportier feel that sets you up for the coupe’s performance capabilities with all the extra comfort and convenience stuff we’ve come to expect from the German automaker.


TAKE A SEAT


Audi engineers went to great lengths to ensure that the A5’s cockpit was focused on enhancing the driver experience behind the wheel like bringing together the instruments and the center console as one unit.


The interior’s a showcase of details that are as pleasing to touch as they are to look at.


The instrument panel features details such as droplet-shaped surrounds for the speedometer and rev counter, typical of Audi, with a few new details.


Powering the A5 I tested was Audi’s new 3.2-liter FSI engine, which produces 265 hp and a superb torque of 243 ft. lbs. And a run I had driving back from LA to Vegas in the coupe allowed me the opportunity to get a feel for what the A5 is really capable of.


According to Audi, the 3.2-liter A5 clocks a 0 to 60 mph time of 6.1 seconds. Not lighting fast when matched against a new Corvette I caught the attention of during my Vegas run, but the A5’s still a thrill to drive.


The Audi coupe is available in a siix-speed manual or automatic transmission.


While my A5 test drive was pretty much limited to driving from LA to Vegas and in and around Hollywood, you quickly get a feel for the ride and handling capabilities of the car.


Audi credits a lot of the coupe’s ride handling to engineering elements such as the wheels being located by a five-link suspension arrangement with upper and lower wishbones. The A5 also features a completely new running gear with structural elements like mounting the wishbones on a subframe, which is firmly bolted to the body giving the car a very solid and comfortable feeling on the road.


The A5 is equipped with Audi’s latest quattro permanent all-wheel drive and brake assist, which automatically senses emergency braking and applies maximum available power boost to reduce overall stopping distance.


WHAT ELSE?


For the 2010 model year, Audi has added a 2.0T quattro. While true performance buffs will likely opt for the S5, which dishes out 354 horsepower and 325 lb-ft. of torque — a much more viable competitor for that ’Vette I encountered driving back from Vegas to LA. The A5 lineup also now includes a Cabriolet model for those who prefer a little more open air when driving.


Standard equipment includes 18-inch alloy wheels along with automatic three-zone climate control, the MMI information and operating system, an audio system with CD player and separate screen, and an automatic trunk.


In addition to Audi’s bi-Xenon headlights, options include the advanced key system, which includes keyless access for the doors and trunk, and keyless engine starting, the advanced Audi parking system with rearview camera, and Audi’s infotainment system.


The infotainment system houses the navigation system with DVD including MMI and standard Sirius Satellite Radio and a premium sound system by the Danish hi-fi specialist Bang & Olufsen.


Nice.


Whether it’s technology, performance or styling, the A5 has all the makings of those “big body” coupes that we’ve grown to love. Classic? Well, only time will tell, but with the A5’s styling there’ll definitely be a lot of us eyeing the coupe’s progress in shooting for that status.

 

HIGHLIGHTS
Pricing: $44,000 (base on model tested)
MPG: 18 city/27 hwy
Standard 18-inch wheels
Optional Bang & Olufsen audio system
Available “S” model

Marcus Amick is a national automotive lifestyle writer and automotive consultant.

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