buckshot.jones, another fantastic Detroit storyteller writes: "This is Detroit, straight up. Justbeamensch (Donald Jones) has one of the best collections of the odd and funky in the City of Detroit. Take a cruise through his photostream and you gather a sense of the soul of the city."

The photo is part of Donald's Detroit Greeting Cards at the Book Beat set (slideshow) which are available for purchase at The Book Beat in Oak Park (248-968-1190). His other sets include Murals in the City, Flora and State Fair.

Take a ride down his Flickriver.

danenmolly (Molly) is a friend of mine from the real world and her husband Dane is a pilot - hence the rare photo opportunity showing The Whaleback and North Lake Leelanau taken from high above Lake Michigan's Manitou Passage.

Be sure to check this out bigger and you can see more from this flight in her Fishtown - Leland - Good Harbor - Manitou Islands - Leelanau Peninsula set (slideshow). Her other sets include Aerial Photographs and Lake Michigan Sunsets.

Dive into her Flickriver.

It's Lansing's Birthday! by Eridony

2009 is the Sesquicentennial of the City of Lansing. The Lansing 150 Grand Finale is next Friday (Nov 20) immediately following Silver Bells in the City from 8-11 PM in the Lansing Center. This event concludes Lansing’s year long Sesquicentennial Birthday Party and will include free entertainment and a free reception.

As part of the celebration they are holding an "I AM LANSING" contest. Area residents, businesses and organizations can submit photos, videos and/or essays about Lansing and judges will decide the Best Lansing Story. The winner will receive a $500 cash prize and you can enter until midnight this Friday! Head over to lansing150.com for all the details!

The City of Lansing history page (and the City of Lansing) begins:

In the winter of 1835, two brothers from Lansing, New York plotted the area just south of downtown Lansing, naming the territory "Biddle Town." Most of this land was in a floodplain and underwater for much of the year. Despite the condition of the land, the brothers returned to New York to sell the plots to unsuspecting individuals wanting to test their fortunes in a new land. The group of settlers arrived to Mid-Michigan only to find their plots submerged under several feet of water. Nevertheless, many in the group chose to stay and established what is now Metropolitan Lansing. They christened the town "Lansing Township" after their home village in New York.

You can get a ton more great old photos of Lansing from Seeking Michigan, check out a sweet view of Lansing from the Lansing standpipe in the late 1800s on Michigan in Pictures and learn lots more about Lansing at absolutemichigan.com/Lansing!

Photo: Bird's eye view of the city of Lansing (Mich.); 1866. Courtesy Seeking Michigan.

Life Magazine has a feature titled WWII: How Detroit Won The War that provides an excellent photographic look at how the Motor City retooled to become "The Arsenal of Democracy". Photos include Chrysler's Tank Assembly, Dodge's military vehicle production and Willow Run Bomber Plant where more than 18,000 B-24 Liberators were built between 1940 and 1945. They note that the auto industry's contribution to the war effort was valued at more than $50 billion worth of materials - an astounding 20% of the nation's war production.

You can see a ton more photos of the Willow Run Bomber Plant right here that provide a fascinating look into what Charles Lindbergh called "the Grand Canyon of the mechanized world." Here's the story of Willow Run (and how many newsreels did this guy voice??):

Photo Credit: Library of Congress photo LC-USE6- D-008797, Howard R. Hollem, photographer. Production. B-24E (Liberator) bombers at Willow Run. Looking up one of the assembly lines at Ford's big Willow Run plant, where B-24E (Liberator) bombers are being made in great numbers. The Liberator is capable of operation at high altitudes and over great ranges on precision bombing missions. It has proved itself an excellent performer in the Pacific, in Northern Africa, Europe and the Aleutians. Ford's Willow Run Plant, Michigan

More shipwreck features on Absolute Michigan. Also see more about the Edmund Fitzgerald and even more shipwrecks on Michigan in Pictures.

Rob the Photog (Rob Gingerich) is a former TV news photographer (and current TV production manager) who loves macro photography. He also says he has a fondness for things covered in dust, rust, cobwebs, etc and that the older he gets, the more he becomes interested in old things.

He invites you to view this photo bigger. His sets include Vacation 2009 (in Manistee),East Lansing Art Fest 2007, MSU Hockey (of Michigan State University's 2006-2007 National Championship hockey team) and My Best (slideshow).

Dive into his Flickriver (where this photo is appropriately first!).

Wind farm in Ubly Michigan by Ray Dumas

The 2nd annual Conference on Michigan's Future will be held Friday November 13 through Sunday, November 15, 2009 at Crystal Mountain Resort near Traverse City.

The conference will explores visions of a sustainable future for Michigan, from the critical challenges facing our economy to strategies for developing a stable, enduring economic, energy and environmental future. It features forty speakers providing high-powered, cutting-edge presentations including Robert Costanza, Albert Bates, Thomas Greco, Richard Douthwaite, Patrick Moore, Harvey Wasserman, Richard Gilbert, Soji Adelaja, Joe Welch, and Dan Scripps.

Last year Absolute Michigan talked with Crystal Mountain GM Jim MacInnes about the last year's conference and you can watch it right here:

Photo Credit

The photos in the video are from the Absolute Michigan pool on Flickr. If you mouse over them you can see title and photographer's name and you can click to see more great work from them.

This photo by photofrenzy2000 seemed perfect for the day before Halloween. See it bigger in his slideshow and check out his sets including Robinette's Photowalk 09, Holland Flickr Photo Walk, 2008 Hessell Antique Wooden Boat Show and Michigan Waterfalls (slideshow).

You can also explore his Flickriver.

Just learned that this motel was used as a set in the movie, "Road to Perdition" starring Tom Hanks.

Check this photo from richwyllis out bigger and also have a look at his sets including Moonset at Sunset and HDR Images (slideshow). He also took a recent trip to the UP and got some sweet shots along the Chapel River in the Pictured Rocks.

Jump into his Flickriver.

Even the undead enjoy Michigan apple cider!

A Dubs (Alan) runs the blog Faded Detroit.

His sets include Detroit in Black & White, Faded Detroit: City wide and Tiger Stadium Demolition.

Dive into his Flickriver.

the biggest pumpkin in Michigan by farlane

Halloween season of course means pumpkins, and if possible, the bigger the better!

The largest pumpkins are Cucurbita maxima. They were cultivated from the hubbard squash genotype, crossed with kabocha-pumpkin types by enthusiast farmers through intermittent effort since the early 1800s.

Weigh-off competitions for giant pumpkins are a popular fall festival activity. It's hard to believe that just 30 years ago, 460 pounds was the world record for the largest pumpkin until Howard Dill (of Nova Scotia) broke the record in 1981 with an almost  500 pound pumpkin. Dill patented the seeds as Dill’s Atlantic Giant and he's really the father of all the giant pumpkins today, most of which are borne from crossing and re-crossing his patented seed with other varieties. In 1994, the Giant Pumpkindom passed the 1,000-pound mark and the current record is from September 2007, when Joe Jutras of Rhode Island whelped a 1,689-pound monster!

Michigan's largest this year (pictured right) was 1489 pounds, grown by Ken Sweet of Washington, Michigan. It was carved by Frankfort master carver Ed Moody. Speaking of Frankfort & pumpkins, here's a video from a few years back showing who wins when giant pumpkin meets car! As promised, here's the pumpkin slideshow from the Absolute Michigan pool on Flickr!

ArtPrize 09-Open Water no.24 by deviant_anomaly

ART PRIZE 2009-0032 by RichardD72

AND THE WINNER IS... by rkramer62

DETAIL FROM WINNERS CANVAS by bitsorf

The first-ever ArtPrize in Grand Rapids has ended with Open Water no. 24, a 6' x 19' oil painting by Ran Ortner being chosen as the winner by public vote from 1,262 artists who exhibited at 157 venues across the city. A former pro motorcycle racer, Ortner will receive a quarter of a million dollars for his finish. The Freep reports:

Ortner said he was stunned by his win. “Wow. Exhilarating, captivating, ridiculous. Can’t get my head around it.”

It means a lot to him that those choosing his work were not professional art critics but people who were moved by his work. “There’s been a heart connection here,” he said.

And it has been good for those who voted, Ortner said. “All of a sudden, those who know nothing about art have an opinion that matters,” he said. “It really has a life larger than anything anybody anticipated.”

ArtPrize 2009 Winners

1. Ran Ortner – Open Water no. 24
2. Tracy Van Duinen – Imagine That!
3. Eric Daigh – Portraits
4. David Lubbers – The Grand Dance
5. Bill Secunda – Moose
6. Nessie Project – Nessie on the Grand
7. John Douglas Powers – Field of Reeds
8. Sarah Grant – The Furniture City Sets the Table for the World of Art
9. Jason Hackenwerth – Ecstasy of The Scarlet Empress
10. Michael Westra – winddancer 2

You can get some more links to coverage at Who won ArtPrize? on the ArtPrize blog and stay tuned to absolutemichigan.com/ArtPrize for news about ArtPrize 2010!

Check out this video below for some scenes from the Winners Celebration - the close of this dance number is really impressive!

More videos can be found at ArtPrize 2009 Absolute Michigan.

Luminous Light Huntress (Tamara Jacobs) says that she loves landscape photography, especially waterfalls. Also that she's a tree hugger* in a major way and aims to merge her passion for the environment with her love of landscape photography.

Judging by the photo above, she seems to be well on her way. You can see this photo bigger in her incredible Waterfalls set (slideshow). Her other sets include Natural Landscapes, Man Made Scenics, My Favorites and Porcupine Mountains.

Dive into her Flickriver.

*I know that "tree hugger" has become some sort of dirty word or smear, but what in the heck is really wrong with having a deep love and respect for the natural world?

ART PRIZE 2009 by RichardD72

Michigan has taken the national stage with one eye on the ArtPrize competition in Grand Rapids and the other on it's burgeoning and award winning wine industry which gaining credibility amongst wine experts and wine lovers. This is truly a positive and a definite 180 degree flip from most of the national news our state receives as of late.

ArtPrize garners national attention in the New York Times

The New York Times reports on the competition and the overwhelming positive response and impact on Grand Rapids in their article Eyes on the ArtPrize by Micheline Maynard. The article also takes note of several of the exhibits including some of the final top 10 entries. The winner of ArtPrize drew over 1,200 artists and has had about 32,000 people register to vote on the works. The winner will be awarded 250,00 with a minimum of $7,000 for the nine runners-up.

No matter who wins, the 17-day competition has spurred a lively debate in Grand Rapids, a city of about 200,000 with a tradition of interest in art. It is home to several museums and a college of art and design.

“Every conversation I’ve had here for the past two weeks has been about art,” said Dustin Dwyer, a correspondent for Michigan Radio, a public radio network, who is based in Grand Rapids and has reported on the competition since its inception earlier this year. “From that perspective, it’s a success. But are we rewarding good art? That’s up for question.”

Be sure to check out Absolute Michigan on Location - ArtPrize and the Absolute Michigan's ArtPrize 2009 Page.

Michigan wine continues to gain ground as a world class product

The 45th parallel yielding good wine from Michigan, ABC reports.

Other national news regarding Michigan wines and wine trails

Off the beaten wine trail: Explore four emerging regions - USA Today

Leelanau Peninsula, Michigan: The state's 56 wineries are spread across Michigan along four wine trails, but most of the best grapes are grown near the eastern shore of Lake Michigan and its bays.

Exotic vacations may be closer than you think: Napa Valley-esque wine tastings - CNN

If it's wine you want, find an alternative to Napa Valley in Michigan's Leelanau and Old Mission peninsulas. Here you'll discover more than 850 acres of land and more than 20 wineries for your choosing.

The area offers tastings and gourmet meals, and Kantrowitz says, "The region is particularly known for its great pinot blancs."

The new Napa Valley: Taste one of Obama's favorite wines at this Michigan winery - Examiner.com

The rumor is that Michigan is soon to become the new Napa Valley. With climate changes potentially affecting the California coastline, Napa vineyard owners are looking to Northern Michigan to grow their grapes.

Part of the appeal of Northern Michigan is the colder climate on the 45th Parallel where grapes for rare ice wines flourish. For more information on why wines do so well along the 45th parallel, read the Chicago Tribune’s story on this region.

Best North American Wine Destinations - Digital City

8. Traverse City, Michigan
Traverse City lends itself to making Baco Noir and Cabernet Franc, thanks to grapes that grow near the shores of Lake Michigan, offering a unique climate. The rest of the state's wines come from Michigan wine country, where you can also find rare fruit and ice wines.

According to Michigan Wines - The Official Website of Michigan's Wine Industry:

Michigan's wine, grapes and grape juice products and related industries ...

... produced nearly $790 million of total economic value to the State of Michigan in 2005

... paid more than $42 million in state and local taxes in Michigan, and an additional $42 million in federal taxes

... account for more than 5,000 jobs across the state, for a payroll of more than $190 million

Check out their collection of photos of Michigan's vineyards and wineries.

Herbert Jeffries has acted, sung, even ridden--his way to the top of the entertaining world.

In the 1930s, when white singing cowboys like Gene Autry and Roy Rogers carved out names for themselves, Jeffries decided there should be black cowboy films* especially since there had been many African American cowboys in the American west.

Born in Detroit in 1911, Jeffries raised money for his first feature film. Playing the part of Bob Blake, a fearless singing cowboy, Jeffries became this country's first African American film hero when Harlem on the Prairie opened in 1936. Nicknamed the "Bronze Buckaroo," Jeffries did all his own riding and performed all his own stunts. After starring in three more cowboy movies, Jeffries left movies to start singing with Duke Ellington's orchestra. With that band as his backup, he recorded "Flamingo," which sold fourteen million copies and propelled him to the top of the jazz world.

After running a club in France for a decade following World War II, Jeffries returned to the United States where he continues to perform. In 1995, at the age of eighty-three, Jeffries recorded a Nashville album of songs entitled, The Bronze Buckaroo (Rides Again).

Among his many awards and recognitions, Jeffries earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and induction into the Western Performers Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. According to one observer in 2004, "The man is a marvel. In appearance and in voice, he seems a person half his age. . . . His voice sounds stronger now than it has ever been."

Here's Herb Jeffries singing Happy Cowboy in the 1938 movie "Two Gun Man From Harlem":

For more about Jeffries, check out herbjeffries.com. To learn more about other important African Americans in Michigan, order the book African Americans You Need to Know or subscribe to Michigan History or Michigan History for Kids by calling (800) 366-3703 or visiting www.michiganhistorymagazine.com.

jiant@flickr (Scott Jones) took this photo with a Holga 120 at the Upper Tahquanemon Falls in October of 2006.

He doesn't have any sets, but you can check out his other Holga shots or dive right into his Flickriver.

Click here to view the embedded video.

What is 350?

350 is simply the number of parts per million that scientists have identified as the safe upper limit for carbon dioxide (CO2) in our atmosphere. For all of human history until about 200 years ago, our atmosphere contained 275 parts per million of carbon dioxide. Right now, we're pushing 400 and all that CO2 is trapping heat, melting glaciers, contributing to the spread of disease and in general, screwing things up to a point where we could very well create our own demise. But 350 is more than a number--it's a symbol of where we need to head as a planet. You can get much more information at 350.org (including this nifty animation that makes it simple).

Right now, the 350 movement is focusing on a planetary day of action on October 24, 2009 to send a clear message to world leaders that the solutions to climate change must be equitable, grounded in science and meet the scale of the crisis. Have a look at the October 24 map to see some of the events that are slated for Michigan.

jmbarclay (Jim Barclay) says he first discovered photography when i was about 7 years old and his father brought home his new 35 mm camera and dark room equipment. He spent many hours watching the images come to life in the chemicals under the glow of the orange bulb.

Check this photo out bigger in his Flint - Michigan slideshow. Also see his other sets including bldg, vintage and up north.

Dive into his Flickriver.

Editor's Note: Today is of course Monday. Some wires got crossed on Friday apparently.

The Nature Bar by SCOTTS WORLD

Time, Inc. bought a house in Detroit:

Why would we ever do such a thing? Because we believe that Detroit right now is a great American story. No city has had more influence on the country's economic and social evolution. Detroit was the birthplace of both the industrial age and the nation's middle class, and the city's rise and fall — and struggle to rise again — are a window into the challenges facing all of modern America. From urban planning to the crisis of manufacturing, from the lingering role of race and class in our society to the struggle for better health care and education, it's all happening at its most extreme in the Motor City. (Read TIME's Detroit stories.)

As a story, Detroit has been misunderstood, underreported, stereotyped, avoided and exploited for decades. To get it right, we decided to become stakeholders. Over the next year, we intend to flood the D-zone with journalists, photographers, videographers and bloggers from TIME and TIME.com, Fortune and Fortune.com, CNNMoney.com, Money, even Sports Illustrated. Some will live in the house — dubbed the "D-Shack" after Detroit-area native Kid Rock dropped by with a housewarming gift of a Gothic D (for the mantel) plus a keg of his Badass Beer — and others will stay there while reporting.

Beautiful View - MCS by MikeRyu

With questions such as "How do you survive in Detroit" (below) and What do you love or hate about Detroit answered by city residents and profiles from the Telway Diner's 85 cent burgers to urban farming supported by the kind of in-depth reporting (and national audience) that one of the world's largest news organizations can bring, I really think we'll find Assignment Detroit to be a phenomenal boon for Detroit and all of Michigan.

Be sure to visit Assignment Detroit to watch and read and explore Michigan's largest city through fresh eyes.

You might also stay tuned to AbsoluteMichigan.com/Detroit for features on the Motor City and definitely check out the Detroit Slideshow from the Absolute Michigan pool on Flickr (most recent).

Photo: The Corner, Kaline's corner, Michigan & Trumbull...Tiger Stadium by MichiPictureGuy

Yesterday the last of Tiger Stadium was taken down. For more than 100 years, Michigan & Trumbull aka "The Corner" was the address of Tiger baseball, home to greats from Cobb, Greenberg & Kaline to Gibson, Trammel & Whitaker.

Last night Absolute Michigan pool photographer Ken Jacoby said "I want you to do a post tomorrow titled "Tiger Stadium is no more" and it was funny to see the coincidentally titled Tiger Stadium is no more in this morning's Freep. Check it out for a cool video by Marcin Szczpanski of the final demolition.

On Absolute Michigan & Michigan in Pictures we've done a lot of posts about the old ballpark. Some of my favorites:

• Tiger Stadium at the Corner of Michigan & Trumbull
• Tiger Stadium, in Pictures
• What Will Happen to Tiger Stadium?
• A belated 97th birthday tribute to "The Corner" which features a song by Ben Hassenger
• and Photo Friday: At the old ball game... by kcjacoby which is the gateway to a ton of photos taken by members of Exposure.Detroit who were lucky enough to take a tour of the stadium two years ago.

You can get some more Tiger Stadium posts at Michigan in Pictures and also check out the Tiger Stadium slideshow from the Absolute Michigan pool.

YouTube has some nice videos including Talkin' Baseball: Tiger Stadium, Last Game at Tiger Stadium, and Ernie Harwell's memories of Tiger Stadium. Here's Jeff Daniels doing the Tiger Stadium segment from The Story of America's Classic Ballparks:

This photo depicts apple pickers in the Old Mission Peninsula. It was taken in the early 1890s. (The caption on the front of the photo gives the year as “1894.” However, identifying information on the back gives the year as “1891.” The exact date, then, is uncertain.) Definitely click the photo for a larger view!

Michigan’s Fruit Belt

Michigan’s “fruit belt” strides the shore of Lake Michigan. The Lake itself plays a key role. It functions as a moderating body, preventing temperatures from getting too cold in the fall and too hot in the summer. It also provides the frequent rainfall that fruit farmers require. This climate combines with rich soil and regional topography to provide ideal fruit-growing conditions.

The Growth of an Industry

Michigan’s fruit industry started to boom about the time of the Civil War. By then, Chicago’s growing population had provided a ready market. Transportation improvements (notably the expansion of railroads) provided greater access to this and other population centers.

In Grand Traverse County (where the photo above was taken), the fruit industry grew as the lumber industry declined. In 1872, Grand Traverse County yielded 3,241 bushels of apples. Thirty years later, that number had increased to 276,000 bushels for a single year! Around the same time, Grand Traverse County had become Michigan’s number one county for cherry production.

Some Current Numbers…

Michigan continues to be a leader in fruit production. In the year 2000, it ranked third nationwide in apple production. The state also ranks first in the production of blueberries and red tart cherries and fourth in the production of sweet cherries. Many other fruits, including peaches, plums, grapes and strawberries, grow abundantly here. For more information, click Michigan Agricultural Commodities to visit the Michigan Department of Agriculture’s Commodities Site.

Also check out absolutemichigan.com/apples for some great links and recipes!

*Squeeg* says that photography is her business and if you live in the West Michigan area and are looking for a photographer to give her a call.

Her sets include Grand Haven and The River (slideshow).

PS: Enjoy the beautiful weather this weekend!

On Monday the 2000th photographer (Sam Mrdeza) joined the Absolute Michigan pool on Flickr.

The pool is where we get most of the photos for Absolute Michigan and Michigan in Pictures and it's not at all a stretch to say that without Sam and the other 1,999 shutterbugs who have contributed almost 80,000 pictures, Absolute Michigan would be the barest shadow of itself. Thank you all.

If you're a photographer, click that link above to join them and make sure to click through and check out other work by the photographer when you see a photo you like on Absolute Michigan. If you just like photos, why not check out the slideshow from the Absolute Michigan group below!

Today I'm at the Michigan Downtown Conference in Lansing. This morning I'll be posting some updates from the conference as I'm able. This afternoon I'm on a panel with Julielyn Gibbons, Ryan Knott and Bigby Coffee co-founder Bob Fish, talking about new media marketing and promoting our downtowns.

capital evening by cmu chem prof

Downtown Lansing

Flash back to last night at 9 PM. I checked into the Radisson and then went out to walk around downtown Lansing. I spent some time talking to a guard at the city jail about the "vibe" downtown (or lack thereof).  She said that when there are events, the area is humming but that on nights when there's no planned festivities, it's ghostly.

Over on Facebook, Bill Palladino noted that in his travels, state capitols are seldom (Austin TX, go get a drink of water)  happening places. Richard pointed out several others that were doing well. In any case, I think there's something a little sad about a city that is supposed to be the heart of Michigan with shuttered storefronts, perpetually torn up sidewalks and lack of life.

Durant Hotel by detroitsky

Dan Kildee, Keynote Speaker

"Our ability to make progress is determined in large part by our ability to work together"

Dan Kildee is the Genessee County Treasurer and director of the Genessee County Land Bank who has worked to use Michigan's new foreclosure law for community development and neighborhood stabilization. He's also pretty proud that he drew Rush Limbaugh's ire for his plan to reduce the size of Flint (and ultimately cities across the country) to reduce their size and increase the ability to deliver services.

Dan notes that even in our terrible economy, it's easier to build on a green field than to reinvest in our cities. He says that Michigan's foreclosure system had a large role in creating our downtown problems by setting up a system that rewarded speculators. Now, he says, the system allows cities to treat urban land as if it has value and to apply community values and vision.

He had a very interesting talk in which he looked at the toolbox that is available to Michigan downtowns and some success stories from Flint including the redevelopment of the Durant Hotel in Flint as rental housing for students and young professionals. He notes that 70% of Michigan's population lives on 8% of the land and that an overwhelming 97% of Michiganians feel that redevelopment in existing urban centers is preferable to building new. With a decent set of tools, he says all that's missing is a bias on the part of lawmakers and our laws to support this pattern of development.

Lansing Mayor Virg Benaro asked us to close our eyes and imagine when the auto industry was in its heyday and how we built great cities during that time. Now, as the auto industry contracts we are still left with these great cities, but what are we doing to preserve and restore them. He then talked about how East Lansing and Lansing - two one horse towns driven by MSU and the Capitol could be 10 times the city if they worked together. He also called for cities and their surrounding communities to cooperate and build the brand of Lansing, Grand Rapids, Detroit and other cities.

Why Live in Detroit? by Derek Farr

Niche Marketing: Success through creativity and collaboration

A panel with Elissa Sangalli Hillary (Executive Director of Local First in Grand Rapids),
Claire Nelson (Co-Owner & Operator of the Bureau of Urban Living & cofounder (with Liz Blondy) of Open City Detroit) and Liz Blondy (Founder of Canine to Five Detroit Dog Daycare) talking about what they do and how small business can be a driver of vibrant downtowns.

Elissa noted a commonly cited statistic (view graphic) that shows 73% of dollars spent at a local business stay in the community as compared to 43% if you spend your money at a national chain. She discussed some strategies they are using to give small businesses access to pooled advertising and purchasing.

Claire talked about her small business and how Detroit offered an opportunity to start a business that would have been impossible in New York City where she moved from. She talked about the importance of creating a climate that's business friendly and also - through events and collaboration - draws folks to burgeoning downtowns. She also drew a laugh by noting that small business in Detroit doesn't face too many threats from national chain stores.

When Liz Blondy came on I lost wireless, making me again think that about the best thing a downtown can do is to deliver a free wireless cloud. She explained her philosophy of focusing on free networking and and promotional efforts rather than exclusively advertising. Small actions like referring waiting customers to another business to pass the time cost nothing and reap big rewards. Wireless is apparently back.

Heightened Senses (Dennis) is from Grand Rapids.

Be sure to check this photo out bigger and check out his sets including 2.27.09 (great winter shots), Kalamazoo Walk and 9.7.2009 Labor Day Weekend (slideshow).

Here's his Flickriver.

susiej35 (Susan Lucas) is a high school art teacher.

Be sure to check her photo out bigger and in her Michigan Fair 2009 set (slideshow). Some of her other sets are Bower's Farm, Belle Isle, TTV and Super hero gets attacked by the giant weimaraner!.

"We've extended our efforts to stay connected with travelers. Social media allows us to get the Pure Michigan message out to potential visitors on other platforms," commented George Zimmermann, Vice President of Travel Michigan, a business unit of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. "It opens another line of communication with travelers."

In addition to the most popular state tourism Web site, michigan.org, visitors now have other means to stay up-to-date on Michigan tourism deals, discounts and events.

Connect and get the inside scoop on where the fish are biting, what greens are running fast and how you can make your visit Pure Michigan at the newly launched blog, Pure Michigan Connect. Read about bloggers' experiences along the nation's longest fresh water coastline or experience at a small town celebration. Take a minute to comment on the blog posts, or submit one of your own.

Follow @PureMichigan on Twitter for the latest events and breaking news, along with some fun behind-the-scenes information on all the things going on with Michigan tourism. Search hashtags #puremichigan, #MIevents, #MIdine, #MIgolf, #MIfish, and #MIwine, for all the latest.

Join the Pure Michigan Fan Page on Facebook to stay up-to-date on all the latest events in Michigan and talk to others with the same love for Michigan. The fan page is another great resource for planning a trip.

In addition, visitors can now enjoy all the photos from the Pure Michigan Photo Contest on Flickr, or watch all of the Pure Michigan commercials on YouTube.

Michigan.org continues to be a source for Michigan travel information, featuring more than 12,000 attractions, events, hotels, resorts, restaurants and other tourism-related businesses.

Travel Michigan, a division of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, is the State of Michigan's official agency for the promotion of tourism. Travel Michigan markets the state's tourism industry and provides valuable visitor information services.

Dave Brubeck Quartet by Maia C

For more than a quarter century, the Detroit International Jazz Festival has entertained millions of fans with jazz legends ranging from Herbie Hancock to Yusef Lateef and Ron Carter. Today, it ROARS on six stages over four days, with blues, gospel, R&B, and one of the finest jazz lineups on the planet. The 2009 festival takes place this weekend and is the 30th annual. Mark Stryker writes:

Detroit's remarkable jazz history has a lot of heroes, but none loom larger than the three incomparable Jones brothers from Pontiac, who came roaring out of the local scene at midcentury to become major influences -- Hank as a pianist, Thad as a composer, arranger and bandleader and Elvin as a drummer.

So it's only fitting that the 30th anniversary edition of the Detroit International Jazz Festival, which runs Friday through Monday, would pay homage to the first family of Detroit jazz with the subtitle of "Keepin' Up with the Joneses."

Hank, the eldest and only surviving brother, who still plays beautifully at age 91, headlines an opening night double-bill with Chick Corea, and artist-in-residence John Clayton has written a 30-minute commissioned suite for big band and jazz quintet that honors the Jones brothers. On a deeper level, the entire weekend lineup is deep with other famous jazz families, from the Brubecks to the Heaths.

Other featured performers are Wayne Shorter, Corea, Clarke & White, Dave Brubeck, the Clayton Brothers Quintet and Christian McBride (complete schedule via the Freep.)

Be sure to enjoy this report from the 2008 Detroit International Jazz Festival hosted by Jim McClain and shot and produced by Scott Allman for Absolute Michigan.

Plan on it for 2009!