Timothy Butler, associate professor of Global Supply Chain Management, discusses the Southeast Michigan Purchasing Managers Index on WDET's Craig Fahle Show. The index, which is compiled and analyzed by Wayne State University\'s School of Business Administration, surveys purchasing managers from 350 local companies and gauges local economic activity. The PMI clip begins at 52:24.

Students from the Blackstone LaunchPad, Wayne State University\'s student entrepreneur program, and other colleges around the Metro Detroit area will showcase their business models at Wayne State\'s Get Launched! Event Nov. 15. Get Launched! allows today\'s students to showcase tomorrow\'s next great business model. Their business ideas range from mobile apps and social media technology to retail and automotive engineering, and everything in between.

Retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, speaking at a symposium on judicial election and selection at Wayne State University earlier this week, urged Michigan to change the way it chooses judges from an electoral system to one of merit-based selection as is done at the federal level. Michigan is one of 39 states that has elected judges rather than judges selected by legislatures and then given life tenure to insulate them from political influence. http://michiganmessenger.com/34629/oconnor-change-judicial-elections-in-michigan http://new.whtc.com/news/articles/2010/feb/10/justice-oconnor-calls-new-system-judge-selection/ http://www.record-eagle.com/statenews/local_story_041071029.html http://www.freep.com/article/20100209/NEWS02/100209027/1004/News02/Justice-OConnor-speaks-at-Wayne-State-event http://detnews.com/article/20100210/POLITICS02/2100361/Ex--Supreme-Court-Justice-O-Connor--Change-way-Mich--elects-judges http://www.metrotimes.com/blog/newsblawg.asp?perm=975

Crime, poor schools and a lack of employment are common themes Detroiters point to as reasons why more than 200,000 people have left the city in the past 10 years. Brian Raveau, 23, said he worries about his fiancée walking home at night from Wayne State University. "I've had a pleasant experience," he said about living near WSU where he also attends school. He said Detroit needs to create a better image to get people to want to move to the city. He said getting rid of abandoned buildings will help.

Law professor Peter Henning comments on unusual, heightened interest in GM stock. The company is privately held following the bankruptcy filing of its predecessor corporation. From almost record lows, the stock gained 37 percent in one day Friday. "This certainly has all the hallmarks of market manipulation, but it's very hard for the S.E.C. to prove," Henning said.