Why the University of Michigan doesn’t have a mascot.

U-M president Mary Sue Coleman explains how the university is responding to state budget crisis with hundreds of millions of dollars in cuts.

Plus: U-M focuses on quality, affordability, cost control with historic reduction in state funds

When Michael Jonas learned he was HIV positive, he returned from Florida to his home in Jackson, Mich., to die. That was a decade ago, but Jonas is still alive, taking antiviral drugs and planning his future. His is one sign of progress in the 30 years since doctors first recognized the disease we now know as AIDS, but there’s still much to contend with.

“Scientists thought these were dead galaxies that had finished making stars a long time ago,” U-M researcher Alyson Ford said. “But we’ve shown that they are still alive and are forming stars at a fairly low level.”

*Metathesis is a fancy word for a pretty common habit of speech.

It’s popcorn – movie season, and our film critic has his must – see list ready.

U-M weather expert professor Perry Samson responds to questions about extreme weather, including hurricanes, tornadoes and thunderstorms.

A veteran wins France’s highest honor for his WWII service; Lucy Liu seizes the day; Jalen Rose opens a charter school in Detroit; U-M changes its trespass policy; an entrepreneur sells paper shoes; and more.

In Major League Baseball, teams often face the choice of whether to pay millions for a couple of outstanding stars or to fill the roster with solid but less spectacular players. What they stand to gain — and lose — with either choice might surprise you.