News Blips: Auto sales reached a historic high in July, Freman Hendrix whomped Kwame Kilpatrick and Steve Yzerman returns for a 22nd season.

Study: Raising Fuel Economy Standards Would Increase Employment
The Great Lakes IT Report informs us that the National Environmental Trust has released an economic study showing that raising Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards to 36 mpg would reverse this downturn even if oil prices remain high, creating 15,000 new autoworker jobs while maintaining the same profit growth.
National Environmental Trust web site
Report Summary
Full Report

MSU to Offer New Video Game Design Program
Starting this fall, Michigan State University will offer a new game design and development program. The Specialization in Game Design and Development brings together students from computer science, studio art and telecommunication, information studies and media to explore the history, social impacts, technology, design fundamentals, and team-based production of digital games. Fun Fact: The average game now costs about $20 million to produce.
Specialization in Game Design and Development from MSU

More Michigan Moms Working from Home
The Detroit News has a feature on the growing trend of mothers who are raising children and telecommuting or running home businesses (one assumes that there are also fathers doing the same thing). The feature also reports that Michigan had about 357,000 woman-owned businesses in 2004, accounting for half of Michigan's privately owned companies, a 20% increase from 1997.

Schooners are the New Great Lakes Classrooms
A pair of features profile a pair of schooners used as classrooms. The Wisconsin-based S.V. Denis Sullivan (on the Ontonagon River last weekend) takes people on the Great Lakes to help them learn about the science and history of the lakes. The Inland Seas will be docked at the Muskegon Channel wall Aug. 10-11, providing free dockside tours and a paid science sailing trip.
Read Schooner a Superior draw in the Ironwood Daily Globe
Read Tall ship coming as part of Lake Michigan tour in the Muskegon Chronicle
Web site for the Schooner Inland Seas

Reduced Rates for Lake Michigan Ferry
The Lansing State Journal reports that the Lake Express ferry has dropped the cost of transporting a vehicle on the ferry's 11 PM EDT departure from Muskegon to Milwaukee from $59 to $40 for August. It has increased the fuel surcharge $1.50.
Lake Express Ferry web site

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