Since I posted it, 195 people have downloaded the 2002 U-M earnings spreadsheet.

Yes, even the Review has (some) dissent: Matt Mulder breaks from the rest in the Review blog, calling the argument that affirmative action helped Jayson Blair lie “inadvertently racist.” He concludes: “Blair is corrupt, he is a liar, and he should have never been hired in the first place. But that, to be clear, is to say nothing nor having anything to do with the color of his skin.”

What a suprise – one of wealthiest towns in metro Detroit – and the nation – has a high school with the best advanced placement program in the country. Bloomfield Hills’ International Academy High School tops Newsweek’s list of public high schools with the highest ratio of IB/AP test takers to the entire senior class in 2002. Both of Ann Arbor’s high schools made the list of 737. What I find baffling is how the only criteria for “Top High Schools” is the number of AP test takers, when similar evaluations of colleges take into consideration a broad variety of variables. Nevertheless, here’s the Michigan schools on the list:

1. International Academy* Bloomfield Hills , Mich 6.323
149. Andover Bloomfield Hills , Mich. 2.086
256. Lahser Bloomfield Hills , Mich. 1.707
272. Grosse Pointe South Grosse Pointe Farms , Mich. 1.660
291. Troy Troy , Mich. 1.606
382. Grosse Pointe North Grosse Pointe Woods , Mich. 1.418
442 . Pioneer Ann Arbor , Mich. 1.353
462. North Farmington Farmington Hills , Mich. 1.320
560. Okemos Okemos , Mich. 1.211
605. Groves Beverly Hills , Mich. 1.148
635. Novi Novi , Mich. 1.106
654. Jenison Jenison , Mich. 1.078
685 . Huron Ann Arbor , Mich. 1.043
699. West Bloomfield West Bloomfield , Mich. 1.036

DetNews: “Oakland school named the best”

In the Ann Arbor News story “Downtown on foot can be tough going,” a private consulting firm brainstormed how to make towntown more pedestrian-friendly. Unfortunately, some of their proposals would make the ‘downtown’ area quite boring – and would probubly solve the traffic problem by keeping people away. Here’s the proposals:
“Others proposals included better enforcement of jaywalking rules; prohibiting bicycles from sidewalks; eliminating right turns on red lights; eliminating book tables and outdoor seating on sidewalks; improved signs at intersections; more visible overhead crosswalk signs; lower speed limits; and designated bike-dismount areas where foot traffic is high and street space is narrow.”

Other stories of note:
> Fire has destroyed the Dawn Farm substance abuse recovery facility in Ypsilanti.
> The University has confirmed Tim Slottow as chief financial officer.
> “Jewelry store adds sparkle to South U”
> And, Madras Masala, an ‘Indian-style’ restaurant plans to open next to Cafe Ambrosia next month.

Some local news outlets finally picked up on some old news:
> CH4: ““U-M students’ junk nets over 25,000 pounds
> DetNews: “Budget cuts squeze U-M”

Also, fed up with a highway-happy legislature, local leaders have created the Detroit Area Regional Transportation Agency (DARTA) without the legislature’s approval. Maybe this will lead to a world-class regional light rail system centered in Downtown Detroit, serving to curb sprawl and stimulate new development. Oh, wait – this is Detroit.

The Ann Arbor News ran a story yesterday (not online) about the mini-controversy stirred up by Chetly Zarko’s Op-ed piece in the Wall Street Journal alleging the University covered up research they did in the early 1990s about diversity. (Read memo on Zarko’s website.) Here’s an excerpt:

“[U-M spokeswoman] Peterson said the 1994 study did conclude that underrepresented minority students continue to have concerns about the “chilliness” of the campus climate. “We have never argued that discrimination does not exist; on the contrary, it is the continued segregation of high schools and the great impact that one’s race has on one’s life experiences that makes racial diversity on our campus such an important part of the educational process,” she said.

Here’s a story about a highly talented minority reporter for the New York Times …who helped turn in Jayson Blair.