A lot of things went on outside the bubble of Tech in the past week. Here are a few important events taking place throughout the nation and the world.
General Motors will wind down operations of its Hummer brand following the failure of its sale to a Chinese company, Tengzhong. According to reports the deal is said to have failed because of the Chinese government’s unwillingness to complete the deal. GM agreed to sell the division last year, shortly before going into bankruptcy protection. Under the original terms of the sale, Tengzhong was going to take an 80 percent stake in Hummer, with the remainder of the company sold to a Hong Kong entrepreneur.
The US Senate passed a bill totaling $35 billion designed to improve the job market and decrease the unemployment rate. Over $15 billion of the funds would go towards allowing businesses hiring unemployed workers to exempt a 6.2 percent Social Security tax and give them an additional $1000 credit if workers stay on for a full year. The bill received support from 55 Democrats, 13 Republicans, and 2 Independents. This bill follows months of legislative gridlock on Capitol Hill, with both sides voting along party lines.
On Tuesday Feb. 23, the student body at the University of Mississippi voted the Star Wars character Admiral Ackbar, the leader of the Rebel Alliance, as their favorite to be the new on-field mascot for the University. The on-field mascot position has been vacant since the administration stopped use of the old mascot.