Michigan State University Blog - MSU Blog

Spartans hurt themselves in season-opening

noreply@blogger.com (The MBD) — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 14:36:00 +0000

Michigan State's football team:

allowed a blocked punt for a touchdown,
betrayed itself with silly penalties,
missed a short field goal,
threw a bad interception and
had two apparent scoring passes called back by the officials.

And that was just the first half!

Frustration ruled much of Saturday night for the MSU Spartans. MSU hung close and gave the favored California Golden Bears a game, but all those missed chances added up to a loss. In addition, it was a tough 2008 debut in coach Coach Dantonio's second season.

Just like all six losses last season, all of which came by a touchdown or less, the Spartans fought and stayed close but came up a couple plays short.

The result? Season-opening 38-31 loss to Bears

Backpack Coupons for Back to School

noreply@blogger.com (The MBD) — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 01:52:00 +0000

Back to School Coupons - Check out these great deals before heading back to the dorms or your apartment at MSU.

Backpack Coupons
Dorm Room Supply Coupons
Homeschooling Coupons
Jansport Backpack Coupons
School Uniform Coupons

Moving into a residence hall for the first time is one of the most exciting and hectic events a college student will experience. But this fall, a new move-in system at MSU is expected to alleviate the chaos.

Based on the last digit of a student’s room number, each new student has already been assigned a two-hour block of time to move in Aug. 20-21. “In the past many families would plan to arrive early to avoid the crowds, but this actually created larger crowds in the early morning hours,” said Lindsey LaTour, communications manager with University Housing.

“By spreading check-in times throughout the day the demand for elevators, carts, parking spaces and traffic congestion will lessen and make more of a less stressful event.”

To see the listing of new times, visit the housing Web site at www.hfs.msu.edu/uh/students/movein.html.

Contact: Lindsey LaTour, University Housing: (517) 432-3807

Hoop houses for season extension: Are they right for you?

noreply@blogger.com (The MBD) — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 01:52:00 +0000

Collaborative efforts by Michigan State University (MSU) and Michigan Food and Farming Systems (MIFFS) have developed a research and outreach program which tests the contributions of passive solar greenhouses (also known as high tunnels or hoop houses) to farm profitability.

This program, funded in part by USDA*, builds upon past efforts of Dr. John Biernbaum of MSU’s Department of Horticulture and his pioneering work at the MSU Student Organic Farm. Subsequent funding has further expanded the scope of this project.

You can find out more about this here: http://www.new-ag.msu.edu/

Save on Jiffy Greenhouses at BackyardStyle (use coupon: rachels5 to save $5.00 on purchase over $75)

MSU study finds that not all hearing aids are created equal

Consumers with hearing loss might think they are saving significantly more by purchasing over- the-counter hearing aids, but they most likely will be disappointed – or could be taking risks – when purchasing such aids, according to MSU research.

Professor Jerry Punch of the Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders and Susanna Love Callaway, a lifelong education alumna and international student from Denmark, published their study on over-the-counter hearing aids in a recent issue of the American Journal of Audiology.

Organic Potash for Gardening - Why it works

noreply@blogger.com (The MBD) — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 16:20:00 +0000

Potash is any "compound" that contains potassium. Potash can be sourced from plants such as comfrey or even from ashes left over from your last fire or bonfire. Potash can be gotten from chemical forms such as Nitrate of potash (potassium nitrate) or Sulphate of potash (potassium sulphate).

Most gardeners will agree that Potash is an amazing compound when it comes to gardening. The Potassium in Potash is key to helping plants produce beautiful, healthy fruit.

So in a nutshell:

Nitrogen increases foliage and plant growth and
phosphorous helps root structure,
potassium (K) produces fruit and flower

Organic Potash like Quick Solutions has additional enrichments added. Another way to get potash is from your fireplace. Wood ash is a great source of potassium. Potash is especially beneficial for lemon and citrus trees. You can sprinkle ash from your fireplace to help plants hold more fruit.

Just remember to let fire to burn out by itself rather than dowsing it with water because the wood ash will retain all its potassium it it is not dowsed with water. If you don't have a fireplace, the next best source is available from BackyardStyle.com.- Organic Potash from Espoma

The word "potash" is derived from the Dutch word Potasch, and originally referred to wood ash. Potassium carbonate, a basic chemical of pre-modern times, was extracted from it.

Today potash refers to potassium compounds and potassium-bearing materials, the most common being potassium chloride (KCl).

Cat Scratching ..it's Instinct

noreply@blogger.com (The MBD) — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 21:51:00 +0000

Mother Nature knows what's best.

Cats need to survive and thrive, so they have a remarkable need to scratch. It is a part of nature and a part of being a healthy, happy cat. Scratching is a necessary part of being a cat and here are the main reasons:

Cats need exercise and they need to exercise claws - Scratching works cat muscles and stretches cat limbs. This is similar to a human workout. Whenever your cat is scratching, your cat is getting a workout from shoulders to toes.

Cats need to Scent Mark - Special glands in your cat's paw pads release a scent during scratching. Every home has a special scent. Think about the neighbors, your mother's house and so forth. It's the same way with a cat. He or she has to make his or her home smell like home. Two purposes are served when a cat mark's his or her scent in thier home: (1) a cat's feelings of well-being and security are reinforced, and (2) your cat's place in this world is marked against intruders.

Cat's need to Visual Mark - Visual marks like torn couches and shredded fabrics tell co-beings to respect her or her place in the world. This is instinct at work, and no amount of sprays and repellents are going to convince you cat that she doesn't need to visual mark the spot. In her mind, territory marking is very important!
Cats need to hone thier claws - When a cat scratchs, the outer sheath that covers each nail is shedding off to reveal a new, sharp claw underneath. This is the way a cat's nails grow and renew themselves. Scratching with the front claws on a rough object helps this process along. Cats use their teeth to bite and pull off the old claw sheaths on their back paws.

Cat Condos, Furniture & Tunnels

Cat Scratching Posts and Ramps

Purple Martin Houses and Attracting Purple Martins

noreply@blogger.com (The MBD) — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 14:13:00 +0000

Purple Martins are the only bird species in Michigan that are entirely dependent upon human-supplied houses and nesting places for reproduction.

It is very hard to establish a Purple Martin living abode - so patience is a virtue.

Here are some tips to make your chances of success in attracting Purple Martins more likely.

Your Purple Martin house should be in the center of the largest open spot available on your premises. It should be located about 30-120 feet from your own home or other human houses. Place the Martin House where you can see it - but remember to keep the distance.

Listening to the beautiful song of the Martins is one of the truly relaxing and beautiful pasttimes - so make sure that your house is within earshot also!

There should be no trees within 40 feet of the Purple Martin House. The farther the Purple Martin housing is places from trees, the better. The pole that your house attaches to should be around 10 to 17 feet tall.

Don't attach wires to the house or pole. Predators can use the wires to access the housing. (like squirrels and Starlings)

If you are looking to have a Martin Colony next year ... NOW is the time to buy your house. In July and August this year's young will be scouting for next year's breeding sites! Use coupon: rachels5 to get $5.00 off of any of the houses featured in this article.

Buy at http://www.rachelsrobin.com/ or http://www.backyardstyle.com/

The pair-bond of the Purple Martin is monogamous. The male and female cooperate equally in building the nest out of mud, grass and twigs.

The female lays two to seven pure-white eggs at a rate of one egg per day.

The female incubates the clutch for approximately fifteen days, then the young hatch. The parents both feed the young continuously for a period of 26-32 days until the young fledge.

Happy 4th of July from the MSU Blog

noreply@blogger.com (The MBD) — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 00:32:00 +0000

Fireworks-related injuries are most common on and around holidays associated with fireworks celebrations, especially July 4th .

Thousands of people were treated in emergency departments in 2007 for injuries sustained from fireworks.

Fireworks Statistics

The following data and statistics show how important it is to practice safety
first when setting off fireworks. In the United States, fireworks statistics
show:

The highest injury estimates are for firecrackers (26%), rockets (21%) and
sparklers (11%).
Almost half (47%) of the injuries were to children under age 15.
Males represent 75% of all firework injuries.
Sparklers can heat up to 1800 degrees Fahrenheit, hot enough to melt gold
and account for three quarters of all fireworks injuries to children under
the age of five.
Parts of the body most often injured are the hands (32%), eyes (28%) and
head/face (16%).
Data from the United States Eye Injury Registry shows that bystanders are
more often injured by fireworks than operators themselves.
The National Fire Protection Agency states that fireworks pose a higher
risk of fire death than any other consumer product, three times that of
burning cigarettes.

Be careful while you are having fun!

An exciting new way to receive postal mail - via email

noreply@blogger.com (The MBD) — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 14:06:00 +0000

Web service Remote Control Mail systems are popping up everywhere and if you travel or work out of your home alot - this may be something you want look into.

I use Earth Class Mail - so I will specifically talk about them - but most of the remote mail / online snail mail systems are similar in functionality.

Happy Traveling this Summer on your Michigan Vacation!

Earth Class Mail opens your paper mail, scans it to PDF, and makes it accessible to you online if you desire. They don’t automatically open, or scan, any mail. (Indeed, one of the main reasons people like Earth Class Mail is that they can easily dispose of unwanted mail without its being opened.)

Instead, Earth Class Mail awaits your command: shred or recycle, or even forward-ship unopened. When you read your scanned mail online, you can have your paper version recycled/shredded or stored securely - OR for a small charge .. sent to you.

A tool like this was bound to crop up eventually, though I would imagine that many of us are not ready to let someone else open their mail. That said, the service is undeniably handy, especially for frequent travelers and small business owners.

Remote Control Mail (Earth Class Mail coupon) can cost as low as $9.99 per month for home use.
Another cool thing is that your mail will not go away.

Remote Control Mail Coupon
For a family or individual - Earth Class Mail rocks - but even better - the *business* use of digitized mail to increase productivity, especially for remote workers (51 million by 200 or road warriors, and to use digitized images to cut dramatically the $20+ lifetime cost of handling a document as paper.

There is a reason that major postal services around the world, giant private mail companies, and large enterprise customers are interested in Earth Class Mail is doing. With the convergence of digital imaging and the Internet, we’re advancing the revolution that email began.

Many of you may be concerned with security - Need not with Earth Class Remote Control Mail.
Earth Class Mail uses a Secure Online Mailbox.

Some companies advertising “Online” and “Paperless” PO Boxes do not hold your mail in a secure online mailbox – they actually email your mail in PDFs which can potentially become vulnerable to identity theft.

Earth Class Mail uses Security-Cleared Employees. Earth Class Mail uses or subcontracts only the most trustworthy employees. Many also happen to be handicapped veterans whose employment at good wages is something they support.
No Customer Information Can Be Captured in Any Way. Earth Class Mail bans all recording devices in the mail handling area. No phones, open computer ports, personal cameras, or any devices that could record or send information are allowed in secured areas. Not even a pencil is allowed.
I know of no similar security outside of top-secret government establishments. What’s more, once you ask Earth Class Mail to open a mail piece (i.e., in order to scan it for you), that piece is never outside a patent-pending sealed envelope unless both the mail piece and staffers in the area are on the Earth Class Mail security video.
You Have Complete Control Over the Level of Confidentiality. Earth Class Mail doesn’t open any mail without your consent. If a piece is ultra-sensitive, then you can either choose not to send it tothem or, if it’s already there, you can ask them to forward it to you unopened. Other companies open all of your mail because they don’t have the Earth Class Mail patent-pending technology that allows you to choose.
Earth Class Mail Knows Where Your Mail is at Any Time.
Unlike any post office or mail forwarding service, Earth Class Mail tracks every piece of mail in our system. Even the U.S. Postal Service can’t tell you where your mail is at any point in time — including after it’s been lost.
But Earth Class Mail can, which is why loss there is virtually unheard-of. Every piece of mail in the Earth Class Mail facility is bar-coded and tracked continuously from the moment it arrives to the moment it leaves.

Your mail is secure with Earth Class Mail.

Selling Pet Supplies for less - what an innovative idea!

noreply@blogger.com (The MBD) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 16:02:00 +0000

The cost of gas, gas prices are rising, can't afford gas etc.. and on and on and on.

Let's change the subject for a day and talk about companies that are trying to make a difference and lowering prices. GregRobert Pet Supplies is one of those companies and thier corporate headquarters are right here in Michigan.

If you haven't heard yet, GregRobert took a bold stance this week and slashed prices on every single product in thier massive inventory. From fish food to oriole feeders - they are not offering quantity discounts or volume savings.

What a breath of fresh air given the difficult economic times that we all face these days. Officially launched at 10pm yesterday evening, this new feature offering discounts for 2 or more of the same item is across the board. You can save even more if you purchase 5 or more and the prices are slashed to extremes if you purchase 10 or more.

My aunt works at GregRoberts and I asked her if she knew the reasoning behind the slashed prices. Summarized, she said that GregRobert was looking at growing marketshare and developing new jobs through unconventional ways. Helping people save money and keeping costs down for everyone is a win-win philosophy.

Some popular products that GregRobert offers are:

Excel Joint Ensure Moderate Care - 60 count Excel Joint Ensure Moderate Care Stage 2 contains Glucosamine

Kitty Wonderbox Disposable Litter Box The WonderBox is the only Disposable, Biodegradable, Multi-Use litter box

Premium Rabbit Food - Natures Promise Your rabbit will love the fresh grass smell and the garden veggie taste.

Check out the great prices on pet gates too!

Mosquito Control Around Water

noreply@blogger.com (The MBD) — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 18:13:00 +0000

Michigan is the water wonderland and during the summer months, that water means thousands of acres of mosquito breeding grounds.

There are health reasons to try to minimize the quantity of mosquitos that invade our living spaces - most notably West Nile Virus - but of course there are other concerns.

To get rid of mosquito larvae quickly the best method is to sprinkle Mosquito Bits in standing water throughout your property where the pests breed. This means birdbaths, creeks, water gardens, patio water gardens, places where puddles stay for long periods and other standing water areas.

The Mosquito bits will get rid of the mosquitos immediately. You should use the Mosquito bits with Mosquito Dunks, which will kill mosquito larvae for 30 days. Mosquito dunks are doughnut shaped products that float on water and slowly release bacillus thuringiensis, a natural pesticide that is lethal to mosquito larvae. Mosquito dunks are aethestically pleasing also.

Mosquito Bits is a microbial insecticide that is effective against mosquitoes. When spread over the water surface, the Bits release a biological mosquito larvicide at the water's surface. This larvicide gradually settles in the water where it is eaten by mosquito larvae growing there.

Mosquito Bits may be used in all types of standing water sites where mosquito larvae grow.

The Bits will give a quick kill within 24 hours.

Mosquito Dunks are registered for mosquito control use in all 50 States including Michigan, of course.

Raccoons and Skunks - Beware the Scarecrow is here!

noreply@blogger.com (The MBD) — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 12:26:00 +0000

The picture is not pretty... not pretty at all.

We have a raccoon that has made it's home in our neighborhood. Growing and growing each day ravishing him or herself on garbage.

It's not that our neighbors (or us) are careless about our garbage cans. It's because Mr. Raccoon is getting smarter and smarter and more daring.

Nothing worked until we met the scarecrow.

The scarecrow is a tricky little fellow that uses humane tactics to ensure that the raccoon looks elsewhere for dinner each night.

It is a motion detection sprinkler that can be setup to aim directly at the path that a pest would follow to get you to your garbage. It can also be setup to protect your flower beds or anywhere else that you want to keep pests out of.

The most interesting thing about it is that it WORKS. We have tried all the sprays and other gadgets to stop the raccoons, skunks and stray animals from demolishing our garbage to get a hidden morsel of food at the bottom and nothing has worked until Mr. Scarecrow.

In general, what is going to be sneaking around your yard in the middle of the night near your garbage? Probably noone except the pests that you are trying to get rid of. BUT .. just in case, it was very important that if a child or neighbor wandered there .. or a neighbor's dog ... that they wouldn't get hurt. The scarecrow just startles the intruder, sprays a little water from your garden hose and accomplishes the job. Doesn't hurt anyone.

Pretty impressive! Any comments on the Scarecrow?

Congratulations to the Detroit Red Wings

noreply@blogger.com (The MBD) — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 13:01:00 +0000

For Detroit Red Wing Posters - CLICK HERE

Hockeytown is home to the Stanley Cup – again!

Using a little Motown Hockey Magic, the Detroit Red Wings won the Stanley Cup for the fourth time in 11 seasons with a 3-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 6 of the NHL finals on Wednesday.

Brian Rafalski gave Detroit a 1-0 lead in the first period and Valtteri Filppula doubled it in the second.

2007-08 Stanley Cup Winner - Detroit Red Wings!
2006-07 Stanley Cup Winner - Anaheim Ducks
2005-06 - Carolina Hurricanes
2003-04 - Tampa Bay Lightning
2002-03 - New Jersey Devils
2001-02 - Detroit Red Wings
2000-01 - Colorado Avalanche
1999-2000 - New Jersey Devils
1998-99 - Dallas Stars
1997-98 - Detroit Red Wings
1996-97 - Detroit Red Wings
1995-96 - Colorado Avalanche
1994-95 - New Jersey Devils
1993-94 - New York Rangers
1992-93 - Montreal Canadiens
1991-92 - Pittsburgh Penguins
1990-91 - Pittsburgh Penguins

Hockey Gear Coupons

Get your Red Wings Fatheads HERE!

Henrick Zetterberg Wall Art (Fathead)

Coopers Microbrewery Kit Deals for Father's Day

noreply@blogger.com (The MBD) — Sun, 18 May 2008 00:18:00 +0000

It's a Beer Thing and a Spartan Thing!

One of the most popular hobbies in recent years has been small-scale brewing; producing high-quality beer at home. Millions of people have discovered the pleasures of creating, serving and drinking beer they make in their own "microbrewery".

Leading the way in the home microbrewery revolution was a commercial microbrewery in Adelaide, South Australia, the Coopers Brewery.

We think that a home brewing kit is one of the best Father's Day gifts there is.

If you get the kit for your Dad or husband on Father’s Day, he will be one lucky Dad!

And he can be drinking his own hand-crafted beer with his mates on Independence Day if he gets started right away. From the day he mixes and starts his brew fermenting, he will have to wait 7-10 days before bottling.

Then he must wait at least 3-4 days for the beer to naturally carbonate. Of course, as with anything this good, patience is rewarded. Dad's beer will continue to condition and improve for up to two months after it is bottled.

Experience Coopers homebrew.

It's easy with a Coopers home beer making kit!

Coopers beer kits are available in many delicious styles, including Lager, IPA, and Irish Stout. With the Coopers Micro Brewery Kit, beermaking is as easy as Mix, Brew, Bottle, Enjoy!

With Cooper's complete range of beer making supplies, you can customize your own Coopers homebrew.

Cheers! Spartan Fans!

Scholarship Experts - College Scholarships to MSU

noreply@blogger.com (The MBD) — Tue, 13 May 2008 01:32:00 +0000

Interested in attending Michigan State University - but need scholarship money?

There are a number of websites on the web that can help you find the scholarship money that you need.

Scholarship Experts has been helping parents and students find scholarships and free college money since 2001. They have a huge database of college scholarships and grad school scholarships that can provide you with accurate and timely MSU scholarship information. Scholarship Experts is a free service for you!
Fast webs college scholarship search is also a free service to find scholarships to help pay for your Spartan education. I especially liked Fast Webs because of all the extra information that you can find out. For example - learning how to make the most of education tax credits. The free scholarship search at Fastwebs is one of the most complete sources of local and college specific scholarships, FastWeb lists more than 1.3 Million Scholarships worth over $3 Billion.
Financial Aid for students Believe it or not, getting money for college (MSU or others) is not as confusing or complicated as you might think if you visit eStudentLoan. Learn about consolidation loans and much more. A Consolidation Loan allows you to combine all the federal student loans you received to finance your post high school education into a single student loan.

Consolidation can lower your monthly payment (now and in the future), offers the security of a fixed interest and provides the convenience of making one payment each month.
Take a look at Simple Tuition. They have a unique website that allows you to search for loans and get rates for college from competing lenders. Very easy to use website. It is free also.

Better Business Bureau Scam - Not what you think!

noreply@blogger.com (The MBD) — Fri, 09 May 2008 13:50:00 +0000

Quick post here:

http://www.thebluesmokeband.com/bbb.php Anyone have any similar issues with the BBB?

I am not sure what is true and what is not .. but the writer is 100% correct on one thing - there is an "obvious conflict-of-interest problem."

The BBB takes "subscription" or "membership" donations (donation? please) from businesses. This means that businesses are the BBB's source of income.

But businesses are their object of complaint!!!!

It doesn't seem to me that this should be legal?

Earth Class Mail Coupon and other Green Products

noreply@blogger.com (The MBD) — Mon, 05 May 2008 03:46:00 +0000

Tips on how to make our planet Green. We knew all of you Green and White fans would appreciate a bit of thought on how we can help Michigan and the rest of this wonderful planet.

Reduce unwanted advertising mail. Use Earth Class Mail!
Keep lint screen in dryer clean.
Use a trash bag in your car instead of throwing trash out the window.
Consider using cloth diapers or flushable diapers instead of disposal ones.
Urge your local community to start a curbside recycling program.
Start a recycling program where you work. Contact the Department of Natural Resources about the Waste Reduction Assistance Program
Insulate your waterbed by adding an inch of polyethylene foam around the edges and the bottom.
To remove rust, rub rust spots briskly with a piece of crumpled aluminum foil, shiny side up.
Give leftover paint to theater groups, schools or church groups.
Call your local humane society to see if they can use your old newspapers for animal bedding.
Check your smoke detector. Put a new battery in if it needs one. Some detectors contain small amounts of lowlevel radioactive waste. Return used or broken detectors to the manufacturer.
Use equal parts white vinegar and warm water to wash windows or glass. Dry with a soft cloth.
Install storm windows.
When using hazardous products, use only what is needed. Twice as much does not mean twice the results.
Arrange for a waste management presentation for your club or business.
Read publications that educate about long-term sustainability.
Educate your children about the environment.
Write a letter to the editor about your environmental concerns. .
Get involved in a local treeplanting effort.
Learn about global climate change.
Join an environmental organization.
Research environmental legislation and write to your representative.

Baseball Express Coupons

noreply@blogger.com (The MBD) — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 13:47:00 +0000

Spartans Clinch Series Win Over Iowa

Five Spartans each pick up two hits and MSU draws 11 walks in come-from-behind win!

I do not follow the Spartans baseball as well as the football, basketball and hockey - but recently was thrilled to see the Men's baseball team doing so well.

Michigan State got a bases-loaded walk from freshman Jonathan Roof to score the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning in MSU's 11-10 victory over Iowa this past Sunday.

Michigan State won three of four in the series, collecting its first Big Ten series win of the season. Junior Eric Roof went 2-for-4 with three RBI to lead the Spartans.

-----------------
The women seem to be holding thier own also!

Spartans Split Sunday Series with Penn State

Lesley Noel throws one-hitter victory in game one, as Mondo and Bracamonte tally homers.

Michigan State softball (26-25, 8-10) split games Sunday afternoon against Penn State (33-20, 6-10) in University Park, Pa., taking game one, 6-0, but dropping the second contest, 4-3.

Lesley Noel (14-16) allowed just one hit and struck out four in the complete-game shutout win in game one, while Gina Mondo and Jessica Bracamonte each homered.

In game two, a walk-off homer pushed the Nittany Lions past MSU, 4-3.

Go Spartans!

If you are a baseball or softball fan - check out these deals:

Beer Pong - For the love of the game

noreply@blogger.com (The MBD) — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 15:56:00 +0000

There are few sounds in this world more satisfying than the sound of a ping pong ball landing in a Solo cup.

Beirut or Beer Pong, as it known for short, requires minute precision and impeccable hand-eye coordination.

It also requires teamwork (it's a two-on-two game and you need both people to pull their weight to accomplish the sought-after "sendback"), strategy (the question of "to bounce, or not to bounce") and an unyielding commitment to excellence, many of the virtues espoused at Michigan State University.

It is for these reasons I nominate Beer Pong as the National Collegiate Pastime.
College football, as we've all found out this year, has its ups and downs. Baseball, as great of a game as it is, doesn't start until spring and can be really slow. Beer pong, not soccer, is the game of choice in my book.

Furthermore, pong encourages drinking in moderation. That's right.

You see, unlike flip cup, which has no real point other than going pedal-to-the-metal on intoxication highway, pong has a very simple system of checks and balances designed to curb excessive drinking.

As in any playoff system featuring single-loss elimination, pong carries with it the immediacy of its "win or go home" doctrine.

Quarters, kings, shotgunning, the ever-so-popular "drink the beer" - while each has its own merits, none of these have the same appeal as pong and require no real talents other than a high tolerance.

Furthermore, pong has become a nationwide phenomenon, sweeping across the nation's colleges with awesome alacrity.

Depending on where you play, the game has different rules and variations, including "Full Contact," a version in which every ball that ricochets off the table becomes "live." The player who can successfully recover the fumble and emerge from the pile, ball in hand, is awarded another shot.

Another popular twist is the "NBA Jam" rule, in which a player declares that his or her partner is "heating up" after three consecutive makes, resulting in that player shooting until he or she misses.

Pong does not discriminate against people by virtue of their athletic talent or physical prowess (or lack thereof). Many Bookstore basketball teams are doomed to an embarrassing failure from the outset by mere virtue of being short or slow. Pong provides a level playing field (literally) for all players of all creeds. It is the great equalizer.

For these reasons, and many more not enumerated here, pong is the sport of kings.

Brighton House for Rent

noreply@blogger.com (The MBD) — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 18:31:00 +0000

Hey - here is a quick post if you are looking to rent a home in the metro area.

Beautiful Brick Ranch Home on Large One Acre rolling Lot.
2800 Square Feet (800) Finished Lower Level
Two Miles West of Down Town Brighton
4 Bedrooms
2 Full Baths
2 Half Baths
2 Fire Places
1 Dining Room
1Family Room
1 Recreation Room
Main floor Laundry Room
1 Wood Deck, 2 ½ Attached Garage
New Carpeting and updates throughout! Two new bathroom upgrades.
Completely repainted.
Security Deposit $1200 with good credit
Rent $1695 with option to buy available

---------------------------------------------------
A friend asked me to post the above information for him

Here are some other helpful links for you Michiganders that are looking for a new residence (great time to buy :)

Good luck in your home search! and finally .. here is an absolutely FREE service that you will love if you are moving

Free Moving Company Quotes - Get multiple quotes instantaneously from multiple competing companies .. for FREE!

Garden Weathervanes - Sparty Style!

noreply@blogger.com (The MBD) — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 11:54:00 +0000

Michigan State Spartan Weathervanes - Gotta Love it!

Who is YOUR team? Spartans ! This MSU weathervane is handcrafted using 14 gauge solid steel with a beautiful, durable and scratch resistant copper vein powder coat and a baked on clear coat finish.

The textured finish gives the appearance of an old-time hammered copper look.

Choose from the following mounts:

Garden Mount: 60 inches long- pushes into the ground
Roof Mount: 15 inches long- conforms to roof pitch
Post Mount: 15 inches long- attaches to any vertical surface with a 3 x 3 inch mount plate
Deck Mount: 15 inches long- attaches to any horizontal surface with a 3 x 3 inch mounting plate

Got a Spartan Fan Dad? perfect gift for Father's Day - CLICK HERE to grab the coupon and then search for collegiate weathervane when you get to the site.

Choose from MSU Spartans University of Arkansas, Duke, Florida Gators, Florida State, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, University of Louisville, Michigan, MSU, Western Michigan, Central Michigan, Missouri, MSU Nebraska, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, MSU Oklahoma State, Penn State, Purdue, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A & M, Michigan State University Texas Tech, University of Wisconsin.

Spartans Knock Out Temple, 72-61, To Advance To Second Round

noreply@blogger.com (The MBD) — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 22:31:00 +0000

CLICK HERE to buy Tickets for the 2nd Round Michigan State Spartan Game

No longer a one-man show, Michigan State hopes its deeper bench will lead to a long run in this year's NCAA tournament. Tom Izzo Wins!

Go Green, Go White

Raymar Morgan led a balanced scoring attack with 15 points and the Spartans beat Temple 72-61 Thursday in the first round of the South Regional despite a sudden shooting slump from spark plug Drew.

Last year, Neitzel was the Spartans' only option on offense. Now, he's got scorers swarming all around. Chris Allen scored 12 points and fellow freshmen Kalin Lucas and Durrell Summers each added eight for fifth-seeded Michigan State, which will face the Pittsburgh-Oral Roberts winner Saturday at the Pepsi Center.

Go Spartans

"There were nine or 10 guys that were responsible for this win," Spartans coach Tom Izzo said.
Mark Tyndale scored 16 points for Temple (21-13), which was making its first trip to the NCAA tournament since losing to Michigan State in a 2001 regional final. Daymor Rocks!

Dionte Christmas, the Owls' leading scorer, was limited to three points, 17 below his average, on 1-of-12 shooting.

MSU depicts authority against Temple in the first round.

The Spartans' defense was so good that Temple eventually ditched its sets and let Tyndale just dart to the basket.

Drew Returns and is Alive and Well in Indianapolis

noreply@blogger.com (The MBD) — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 15:18:00 +0000

Drew Neitzel scored 28 points in Friday's victory over the Buckeyes. In MSU's loss last Sunday to Ohio State in the regular-season finale, he totaled only six points.

get MSU Collegiate Cool Stuff here

Spartans lived to breathe another day in the Big Ten tournament. "And I'll tell you, he couldn't have picked a better time to bring 'old Drew' back."

Neitzel found the dagger missing from his game this season, squeezing the life out of a gritty Ohio State team fighting for its NCAA tournament bubble existence with the assassin's cold heart that defined his junior season.

He buried a three-pointer just before the shot clock expired with 1:21 left, giving MSU a six-point advantage.

Making the shot was huge, but perhaps more important for the Spartans' current state was that Neitzel wanted the shot. When you're practically begging a natural born gunslinger to fire away, you're in trouble.

But the old aggressiveness was there along with the old swagger. Neitzel was pumping his fists, defiantly shaking his head at defenders as he rained three-pointers on their heads.

Go spartans!

Big Ten Tournament Tickets / MSU Basketball Tickets

noreply@blogger.com (The MBD) — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 15:28:00 +0000

Buy Big Ten Tournament Tickets - Session 1 (First Round) at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis IN on March 13 2008

Let's Hope that this changes our luck!

Big-time Spartan bragging rights and, more importantly, an invitation to the Big Dance will be up for grabs when the 2008 Big Ten Conference Tournament tips this March 13-16 in Indianapolis.

Some of the nation's best teams will be on hand — Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin and of course our beloved Spartans for example — looking to start March Madness off on the right foot.

Thu 03/13/08
Michigan @ Iowa Indianapolis, Ind. 11:00 a.m. CT
Illinois @ Penn State Indianapolis, Ind. 1:30 p.m. CT
Northwestern @ Minnesota Indianapolis, Ind. 4:05 p.m. CT

Fri 03/14/08
Ohio State @ Michigan State Indianapolis, Ind. 1:30 p.m. CT

Greg's Predictions:

Michigan State will win the Big 10 Playoffs in Indianapolis this upcoming week..

The Spartans will win with defense and rebounding.

MSU Spartans - Collectibles of the Game - Gotta See!

noreply@blogger.com (The MBD) — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 15:37:00 +0000

Plaxico Burress: Giants will win Super Bowl

noreply@blogger.com (The MBD) — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 15:59:00 +0000

Former Spartan Plaxico Burress made plenty of news leading up to Super Bowl XLII. With bold predictions and undaunted confidence, he told the papers like it was going to be,

Burress told a New York newspaper that the Giants would defeat the Patriots in the Super Bowl.

Jan. 29, 2008, New York Post: As he pulled his car up to the Giants Stadium tunnel to unload his bags, Burress was asked by The Post a direct question: Are you ready to make history? "You better believe it," the towering Giants receiver said.

And then, as he entered the stadium and turned left toward the Giants locker room, Burress was asked for his prediction. Burress never hesitated, flatly stating "23-17." Burress was a bit off - but the point was taken and he played a tremendous role in the upset victory.

Go Green, Go White

He didn't identify the winning team. He didn't have to, I guess.

Not sure if anyone noticed, but during a press conference last week, Burress sported a green Michigan State football t-shirt.

Spartans Live!