s " a a w w w w w w - I -. . 9 @6 Wedne Ssda, :obr8,208 - .h Mc inDiy 7 new rules the " erule 142: Don't Magazine Editor: use the Mason Jessica Vosgerchian Hall elevator if Editor in Chief: you're only going Andrew Grossman up one floor. rule Managing Editor: 143: If a course Gabe Nelson doesn't allow any Photo Editor: absences, it's all Chanel Von Habsburg- right to try to con- Lothringen taminate the pro- Junk Drawer: fessor with your Brian Tengel cold. rule 144: Center spread design: "Debate watch- Hillary Ruffe ig ing parties are Cover photo: only worthwhile Chanel Von Habsburg- C y w;T . Lothringen if people pay .attention to the Gradstude The Statement is The Michigan a n t h . C Daily's news magazine, distrib- debate., uted every Wednesday during the - E-mail rule submissions to academic year TheStatement@umich.edu THE EDITOR'S NOTEBOOK with JESSICA VOSGERCHIAN A look at the big news events this week and how important they really are. Conveniently rated from one to 10. OBAMA'S CELEBRITY Who says Barack Obama has nothinggoing for him but celebrity? In the days before Michi- gan's fall voter registration deadline, the Illinois senator dispatched Jay-Z, Bruce Spring- steen and Michigan Heisman Trophy winner Desmond Howard for a final push to nab new voters. Jay-Z exhorted a packed Cobo Hall to pick Obama in what he called "the most 2 important election in your lifetime." No word yet on whether McCain's camp will respond with a rally by one of its high-wattage supporters. You know, like ... er ... Jon Voigt? Minimum injustice Ever buy a muffin when all you wanted was coffee just so you'd meet the minimum for a credit card purchase? You didn't have to. TrevorCalero I Daily Staff Writer 3 AN UNDIGNIFIED LONG LIFE Tiger Stadium will live to see yet another day as of Tuesday when the Detroit City Council again voted against full demolition of the downtown landmark. Yet, if Tiger Stadium itself had a say, it might envy the fate of Yankee Stadium. A swift and dignified demise complete with celebrity tributes certainly beats the eight years Tiger Stadium has had of weeds growing up through its seats. Maybe there is hope yet, though, Jack Kev- orkian is running for Congress in Oakland County. All School of Architecture junior Allison Grimmwanted last Friday wag a Very Berry Smoothie from Stucchi's - a simple request, only $4.79 with tax. But as she strolled into the State Street ice cream shop with only plastic in her pocket, Grimmended up pay- ing $0.21 more to reach the store's $5 minimum for credit and debit card purchases. It's not uncommon for stores like Stucchi's to require customers to spend a certain amount when paying with a credit card. But such rules are explicitly against the contract agreement stor- eowners sign with companies like Visa, MasterCard and American Express to be able to accept those credit cards. According to the Mas- terCard Rules, presented to all businesses that wish to accept MasterCard as a form ofpayment, "amerchantmust not require, or indicate that it requires, a minimum or max- imum transaction amount to accept a valid and properly presented card." Every major credit card company stipu- lates similar rules. Tristan Jordan, a spokes- man for MasterCard, said the rules are laid out in the con- tract agreement that every merchant signs. "Our rules are designed for merchants to follow," he said. "They are communicated to the merchants. It's part of their choice to do business." Jordan said MasterCard implemented the rule over 40 years ago when the company was created, to ensure that customers have freedom of choice in how they pay. "Merchants don't need to accept cards, they are invited to do so if it's the right deci- sion for business," he said. "Part of that decision is to play by the rules that are established by MasterCard." But even though it's clear- ly a violation of the contract agreement, many Ann Arbor businesses don't play by the rules, unknowingly or inten- tionally breaking the agree- ment. Like most liquor stores charged per transaction var- in Ann Arbor, Blue Front on ies.Buthesaid the advantages Packard Street and Sgt. Pep- of accepting cards outweigh per's on East University both the cost of transaction fees have $5 minimums. Middle for most merchants. Kingdom and Kai Garden, "My ' position is that both Chinese restaurants accepting cards is a choice," located on Main Street, Jordan said. "The fees are have $10 and $5 minimums, small in comparison to the respectively. Many other enormous value merchants cafes and convenience stores get for accepting them." have varying credit card But Grimm, 21 cents short minimums, as well. of that $5 minimum and still Butwhenasked abouttheir cravinganice-coldberrybev- erage, had noideathatsetting a credit card minimum was a breech of contract. "I'm aware that So how did she overcome it's against the this obvious dilemma? "Just charge me five dol- rules, but I have lars," she said without miss- . ing a beat. to do somethig Stucchi's manager Kate to survive." Budden said more than one- third of the store's transac- tions are made with credit cards. And because Stucchi's minimums, most business only has two items on its owners refused to be inter- menu that cost over five dol- viewed, while others seemed lars - $5.29 for a banana split to change their minds about and $5.18 for a large, home- the firmness of their credit made waffle cone with three card policies. scoops - Budden has suggest- "I don't know, they don't ed many ways for costumers have cash I still take the to reach that minimum. credit card," Kai Garden "Sometimes I'll say 'OK, Manager Tina Yen said ner- well do you just want to vously when informed about charge it for five dollars,' the violation. "First time, I even though it's not five dol- give it to you." lars," Budden said. "Or what Eddie Galyana, owner of I always say is buy your Strickland's Market on Ged- friend's and have them pay des Avenue, said he is com- you cash." pletely aware of the contract Stucchi's owner Kevin agreement that restricts set- Phelps strictly enforces his ting a minimum for credit $5 credit card minimum. card transactions, but he still With two laminated signs has had a $5 minimum for that read, "Credit Card the past four years. Minimum $5.00," in large, "I'm aware that it's against black letters, a small, hand- the rules, but I have to do written reminder of the something to survive," he rule taped above the credit said. "Credit card companies card machine and a lengthy, are not giving us any choice detailed message about the at all." minimum titled, "Everyone Galyana said he is forced Read," posted on the employ- to set the minimum because ee bulletin board, employees the transaction fees he is like Budden never forget the required to pay, totaling over store's policy. $800 a month, negate the The notice on the bulletin benefit of sales less than $5. board located in the back of Jordan said merchants the ice-cream parlor explains individually negotiate trans- Phelps' reasoning behind set- action fees with their banks, ting the minimum, even giv- so the amount they are ing employees tips for getting Shop. Donate. Volunteer. Offering reusable household items, appliances, furniture, sporting goods, electronics and building supplies at affordable prices. Stucchi's on State Street strictly enforces a $5 minimum for credit and debit card purchases MCCAIN, EXIT STAGE RIGHT For months, we've been hearing about how Michigan is the crucial swing state in this election, a de-industri- alized bastion of Reagan Democrats where Obama and McCain would fight down to the wire for the presidency. But with polls looking increasingly hopeless, McCain's camp announced last week it was effectively throwing in the towel here, moving its Michigan staff to other states. Without the cam- paign's help getting out the vote Elec- tion Day could be a bloodbath for the state GOP. Kinda makes you wonder why you're still plugging away on that phone bank for Obama, doesn't it? more money out of custom- ers who need to meet the requirement. "For every credit or debit card swiped on the machine, I am charged on average ($0.40). This is why there is a $5 minimum charge," the note reads. "If you have a shake ($4.87) and they want to charge it, ask if it is OK to make the total $5 or offer something else like a bottled water, etc." "I just think it's really stu- pid cause he's forcing people to buy stuff that they don't really want," Budden said. "It's so inconvenient for the majority of people trying to charge." But with more and more people dropping cash for credit cards in this growing paperless society, Budden said setting a minimum at an ice cream parlor has become an everyday annoyance. "It happens at least ten times a day," she said. "They try to charge it and they give you this indignant look like, how dare you not take dad- dy's credit card." But if a business does, indeed, refuse to accept daddy's credit card, you can report it. If notified of a business that sets a credit card mini- mum, MasterCard works with the merchant's bank to force them back into compli- ance, first by sending a letter reportingthe rule violation. "I think that the vast majority of cases just takes a letter," said Jordan, the Mas- terCard spokesman. "But there are other things that we can do." Ultimately, they can ter- minate a merchant's abil- ity to accept MasterCard, but Jordan said it "rarely comes to that." After solving her cred- it card issues, and finally acquiring what she had been desperately craving, Grimm flirted with the possibility of reporting Stucchi's to the credit card companies. "I was twenty-one cents short of five dollars," Grimm said in disgust. "Yeah that's kind of ridiculous." But at least she got her smoothie. Phone (734) 222-7880 2420 S. Industrial Hwy, Ann Arbor, MI 48104 www.recycleannarbororg HOURS: Men-Sat 9-5Sun 10-2 Donation pick-up available. Call for detals.