"I am standing awkwardly by caterpillars

Over half of all Michigan's public university graduates leave the state within one year of graduation. Michigan Radio Intern Lauren Silverman will probably be one of them. Lauren has launched a new series for Michigan Radio called Generation Y Michigan that explores why young adults in Generation Y are or aren't leaving Michigan. You can hear them during Morning Edition (M-F, 5-9 am) and All Things Considered (M-F, 4-6:30 pm) throughout the following several weeks.

In addition to the on-air features, there's also a blog at GenerationYMichigan.org where listeners can discuss this issue, take part in polls, and view supplementary articles, photographs and essays on the topic. It includes great features like Where Generation Y Is Headed and Why They Leave. In addition to Lauren's posts, there are also some from guest bloggers. I thought it was pretty cool that I found a now generation Y student from my hometown asking provocative questions about whether you actually leave Michigan, even when you do:

...Exposure to other environments should not be confused with brain drain. Michigan needs people who care about it but who also have perspective about how things are done in other cultures outside of Michigan, no matter how close or far.

In my opinion, convincing native young minds to stay might not always work. But travelers from distant places should know that Michigan offers opportunity. I can’t put my finger on it, but I’ve sensed it more and more over the past few years. There’s a burgeoning energy here. The cost of living isn’t bad, and we have at least one of everything! If it’s intelligence you crave, Ann Arbor was named the 4th smartest city in the U.S. in 2008 by Forbes.com. If it’s natural beauty you want, we have 3,052 miles of Great Lakes shoreline. When you’re in Michigan, it’s hard to get more than a few hours away from any one of the lakes.

Furthermore, Michigan stays with you as you go. Everyone I speak to who leaves misses it. Michigan invites your return. Even if I leave after I graduate, Michigan will stay with me.

We'll close with a cool slideshow about why they leave and urge you to visit generationYmichigan.org for much more!

Grand Rapids International Wine Festival by farlane

Shannon writes:

From my perspective, the show was a huge success. We had a blast tasting not only Michigan wines, but comparing them to their worldwide counterparts. I am happy to say that the local wine held up very well. I was particularly blown away by the number of young people at the show. This really excites me, as I am a huge advocate of getting the 21-30 something crowd more involved with wine.

I was really impressed that at every Michigan booth, there was representation from the winery -- most of the time it was the actual owner or winemaker.

They'll almost certainly be back in 2010 - stay tuned at  grwinefestival.com!

Scoreboard by mollyali

The Game between the Michigan Wolverines and the Ohio State Buckeyes starts at noon on Saturday, November 21, 2009. It doesn't have quite as much on the line, but it's always a big one. Read on for the our massive post on history of this rivalry with tons of links to historical and present-day info.

Originally posted November 11, 2006

According to ESPN, UM vs Ohio State is the #1 rivalry in sports. As even today a picture of Woody Hayes is enough to send me into the berserkergang, I'm not going to argue.

Both Michigan and OSU cruised to victories yesterday, setting up a November 18, 2006 showdown of #1 vs. #2 teams and causing ABC television execs to do the ad dollar dance. We are gathering links, stories, video and more.

1940 UM vs. OSU Program Cover
from the Art of Football
Bentley Historical Library

ESPN says that when Ohio Stadium opened in 1922, Michigan christened it with a 22-0 thumping of the Buckeyes. Wikipedia chronicles this historic rivalry (and what does it say that the rivalry merits a page?), saying that many refer to it as simply "The Game". Since 1935, it's been the final regular season game on both schools' schedules. This year, as is often the case, both schools are at the top of college football's rankings, adding fuel to the fire. The best site on the UM vs. OSU Rivalry from the UM Bentley Library and the OSU Library.

The two modern symbols of the rivalry were OSU coach Wayne Woodrow Hayes and UM coach Bo Schembechler. Bucknuts, an OSU fan site, says Woody Hayes was a "hot-tempered, difficult, and aggressive man". I think they also described the surface of the sun as "a bit warm". Hayes was the perfect arch-enemy: he hated Michigan (check the Bucknuts link or scroll to the comments for a great story illustrating this) and Michigan hated him back. What many may not know is that Schembechler was an assistant to Hayes at OSU from 1959-1963. There really isn't a great site about Bo, but Wikipedia's entry on Bo Schembechler probably has the best info including great trivia like the two teams have evenly split the last fifty seven meetings (from 1949 to 2005), with 27 wins apiece and three ties. Tiebreaker!
There's a whole lot of multimedia out there. The best video we found is at the bottom of the article. On the photo front, you can click the photo to the left for a great shot from Andrew Morrell. There's a great set of photos from Michigan vs. Ohio State 2003. and (just added) photos from the 1927 UM vs. OSU game opening Michigan Stadium on Michigan in Pictures. You can hear "The Voice of Michigan Football" Bob Ufer recite Burying Woody Hayes and other classic calls.

On Google video, there's a great 3 minute intro to an hour-long special from TFN on the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry. From YouTube, you can see the 1968 thrashing at the hands of OSU and Desmond Howard running back a 91 yard punt return in his Heisman season. On the musical front, you can learn about the history of the Hail to the Victors song and see it sung from the top of Ohio Stadium. There's also a photo montage to The Victors. On the slightly strange side, how about Jean Luc Picard's orders regarding the Buckeyes? (Check out this photo of Patrick Stewart at the game!)

When you put together "musical" and "strange" and add a triple the recommended dose of "Ohio State", you get something that we have to give an "R" rating but also have to admit is pretty darn funny. Via Deadspin (language, crude humor) was a link to Schembechler in good spirits, back cheering for Wolverines in an Ohio newspaper. In the article, Bo reacts to a band called The Dead Schembechlers (language, crude humor x2). All we can say is that if it turns into a battle of the bands, Michigan could be in trouble.

U of M vs. Ohio State
by Fellowship of the Rich

Radio, Television & News

The game will be shown on ABC at 3:30 PM on Saturday, Nov. 18. For radio stations, check out Michiguide.com's University of Michigan Sports Radio list.

In Let the Hype Begin Michigan TB Mike Hart says: "It feels great. It's going to be probably the biggest game in everyone's lives on our team. It's a huge game. We're undefeated, they're undefeated. We're playing for a Big Ten championship and a national championship. I don't think there's a bigger game out there."

The Freep's sports blog has History Lessons by Bill McGraw that talks about the history of the rivalry and adds that ESPN Classic will show seven of the best recent games starting this morning at 10 a.m. (1974) and 2 p.m. (1995), but they won't be airing one of the best in memory - 1969, when the 12th-ranked Wolverines upset the top-ranked Buckeyes, 24-12.

University of Michigan Wolverines Blogs & Forums

the M Zone
M Go Blog
Blue Cats & Red Sox
Michigan Football Saturdays
UM Official Athletic site
The Fort
Schembechler Hall
Mr Wolverine

Ohio State Buckeyes Blogs & Forums

BuckeyeCommentary.com
Around the Oval
OSU's Beat Michigan Week site
The Buckeye Extra
The Horseshoe Lounge
Official OSU Athletics site
OSU Expat Blog

Here's a cool Bo Schembechler commemorative video from last year:

Click here to view the embedded video.

All that reading make you thirsty? Check out the First Annual Ohio vs Michigan Wine Clash!

Scroll down to tell folks in the comments. Please keep them brief and friendly! Subscribe to Michitwitter via RSS or check out Absolute Michigan on Twitter!

Photo: You with the camera, enough pictures!! by Daylily18

Pistons Shoe by Kevin.Ward

The almost completely revamped Detroit Pistons open the 2009-2010 season tomorrow night at Memphis (who will possibly be sporting their brand new Allan Iverson). On the subject of the dramatically changed Pistons including the not-so-dearly departed AI,  Natalie at Need4Sheed (repping the D regardless of where Sheed is now) had a great Detroit Pistons 2009-2010 Season Preview:

Key Losses: Antonio McDyess, Rasheed Wallace, Amir Johnson, Arron Afflalo, Chauncey Billups (does that still count) (I say "YES"), head coach Michael Curry (a good loss) and possibly the best loss in Pistons history, the end of Allen Iverson in red, white and blue.

Key Additions: Ben Gordon, Charlie Villanueva, Chris Wilcox, Austin Daye, DaJuan Summers, Jonas Jerebko and Ben Wallace.

"One thing is sure, they may not be slotted to make the ECF like they used to, but this Pistons team is going to be fun to watch."

Read on, check out another cool 2009-10 Pistons preview from Pistonpowered.com and meet the new guys in a rather offbeat manner in Absolute Michigan's Offseason Primer.

Party Like It's 1999 2004?

Alert observers may notice two more names from the Pistons 2004 championship to join Tayshaun Prince and Rip Hamilton on this year's squad. Pistons.com blogger Keith Langlois has a nice post about Ben Wallace & Chucky Atkins that quotes new Detroit Pistons head coach John Kuester:

“(Fans) couldn’t see all the things he did from a positive standpoint,” Kuester said. “He has been a great role model for our young point guards. He’s really done an outstanding job of running the team in practice. He’s challenged both (Stuckey and Bynum) every day in practice and I’m very impressed with what he did on the court and off the court.

“It’s huge, for me being a first-year coach and having people I can trust in the locker room. That’s where Rip Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince (are important) and I’ve talked about Ben being such a good influence on our bigs. Chucky has to fit into that category also. I’ve been very impressed with what he’s done so far.”

Along those lines, Matt at Detroit Bad Boys thinks that Chucky Atkins probably made the roster more for what he can do as a role model for Stuckey & Will Bynum than anything else. Over at the Freep they have declared that the Pistons will be a clanking machine if Rodney Stuckey doesn't step up to become a premier point guard, so here's hoping that Atkins (and Wallace) can provide a whole lot of veteran leadership (and maybe a few boards a game).

Speaking of the official Pistons web site, they've added a new Detroit Pistons Twitpic feature to their Twitter that offers some interesting glimpses behind the scenes.

If you're looking to get more in front of the scenes, how about opening night at the Palace this Friday vs the Oklahoma City Thunder? They have upper deck seats for just $15 and it's a benefit for breast cancer research at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute.

Keep up with Pistons news & links all season long at absolutemichigan.com/Pistons and we'll see you out with the first of a three part series "Pistons Recharged" (thanks Detroit Bad Boys for the find and here's part two and part three)

Not the Upper Peninsula, but the Northern Peninsula. by Jenna Belle

NPR ran a special series a few weeks back exploring the culture, traditions and economy of Michigan's Upper Peninsula that we felt was worth bubbling back up. In addition to the articles there are also audio pieces worth checking out in - Michigan's Upper Peninsula: A Trip U.P. North.

Articles

Often Left Out, U.P. Ducks Michigan's Worst Woes

If there's a Michigan map in your mind, it probably looks like a mitten. The Upper Peninsula — separated from the rest of the state by the Great Lakes — often gets left off the map entirely. While that can be irksome, the remote nature of Michigan's northern section can also insulate it from the rest of the state's economic distress.

Initially, Michigan's Upper Peninsula

This week's puzzle is in honor of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Because U.P. is short for Upper Peninsula, each answer has "U" and "P" in it. The first clue is: "U" and "P" are the initials of a common two-word phrase naming something holding a street lamp. What is it?

Pasties: The Meaty Center Of 'Yooper' Food

The meat turnovers were brought to Michigan's Upper Peninsula by immigrant miners from Cornwall, England. "Yoopers" — the local population — are very opinionated about them. A pasty isn't just a meal — it's a heritage. Here's the recipe, too.

In Michigan's U.P., Visitors Welcome, Just Don't Stay

Folks from Michigan's Upper Peninsula — or "Yoopers," as they call themselves — want you to know how lucky they are to live in such a beautiful place, how hard it is to do that, how their jokes about themselves are funnier than anything you've heard — and why you shouldn't move there.

Audio and transcripts from the series

What's A Yooper? [5 min 20 sec]

The people of Michigan's Upper Peninsula are nicknamed Yoopers. Weekend Edition Host Liane Hansen explores what defines the Yooper identity.

U.P. TV Anchor Moonlights At Target [4 min 39 sec]

Host Liane Hansen profiles TV Anchor Vicki Crystal of Marquette, Michigan. Crystal not only works as a full time anchor and reporter, but she also works part-time at Target.

Iron Mine At Core Of U.P. History, Culture [7 min 52 sec]

Host Liane Hansen visits the Cliffs Natural Resources iron ore mining operation near Ishpeming Michigan. Mining has long been a part of the U.P. economy, and Cliffs has been operating there since 1847.

U.P. County Tops State Unemployment Rate [3 min 56 sec]

Michigan's Baraga County has the state's highest unemployment rate, and at around 25 percent it's the third highest in the nation. Host Liane Hansen speaks with Baraga Village Manager Roy Kemppainin.

The Civil War That You Never Heard About [2 min 15 sec]

Stories about war are common. Unusual is the true story of an American war with no casualties. One of the spoils of the Toledo War was the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. And the early 19th century combatants were the Michigan and Ohio militias. Host Liane Hansen talks to State Representative Mike Lahti about the often-forgotten war.

In Contrast, This U.P. Town Is Thriving [6 min 30 sec]

In a country that's seen its share of downtown decay, central Marquette seems to be thriving. There's a bustling farmer's market, and along Washington Street there are coffee shops and quirky businesses including hockey and bingo supply stores. Host Liane Hansen pays a visit to Getz's Clothiers, a business dating from the 1880's that now draws 80 percent of its sales from online business.

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.

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.

Scroll down to tell folks in the comments. Please keep them brief and friendly! Subscribe to Michitwitter via RSS or check out Absolute Michigan on Twitter!

Photo: You with the camera, enough pictures!! by Daylily18

I thought it would be good to open with a brief excerpt from panicky screaming with Roar of the Tigers - click through for the full version with 100% more panic. Samara says she doesn't deal well with tight pennant races ... something that could be good for some more interesting photoshopping today at Roar of the Tigers.

The 2009 Detroit Tigers have worked tirelessly over the last week to create a dramatic pennant finish. After putting the Minnesota Twins two games back, the Tigers have failed to close the race out with three straight losses and are tied with the Twins on the last day of the season. Minnesota  meets the Kansas City Royals while the Tigers face the Chicago White Sox at 1 PM at Comerica Park. The forecast is for clouds, some showers and 50s as Justin Verlander takes the mound. I suspect, however, that it will be more of a question of whether or not the Tigers bring their bats to the game today ... and especially, Mack Avenue Tigers is looking at YOU Miguel Cabrera. Here's the win/lose/tie scenarios from the Freep.

Although we've come down to the final day of the season, Detroit News columnist Jerry Green says 2009 is far from legendary as pennant races go. Some - such as 1967alpennant.com - consider the '67 race in which the Tigers, Twins and Red Sox battled to the final out.

Speaking of pennant races, Mike McClary at The Daily Fungo is trying to deal with his nervousness by looking at the exciting 1987 pennant race in which the Tigers came from behind to swipe the pennant from the Blue Jays. Here's October Surprise part 8 when the Tigers pulled ahead by beating the Jays in the 12th inning as Trammel singled home Jim Walewander (never thought I'd hear that name again). See them all in the Blast from the Past section.

If you're the optimistic sort - or you just want a chance to see some playoff baseball - you can still get tickets for the possible home games vs the Yankees on Sunday and Monday.

There's little left to say but "C'mon Tigers - let's get this job done!" ... although of course you can't say "Panic" and "Detroit" without bringing in David Bowie. Here he is in the Diamond Dogs era...

This Saturday the University of Michigan Wolverines travel to East Lansing to play the Michigan State University Spartans at Spartan Stadium. The rivalry between the two teams and their fans is intense and the Lansing State Journal takes note of this in their article "Rivalry ingrained in players from families - Intense feelings have bubbled up since childhood."

Wikipedia says that the Paul Bunyan-Governor of Michigan Trophy is awarded to the winner of the annual football game between the University of Michigan Wolverines and the Michigan State University Spartans. U of M holds the series edge at 67-29-5, and the trophy has been in Ann Arbor until last year when the Spartans defeated the Wolverines 35-21 and ended a five-game losing streak in the series. Relive the Spartan 2008 victory through this slideshow from the Detroit Free Press.

The game takes place at Noon EST and pits the 1-3 Spartans vs the No. 22 ranked 4-0 Wolverines. Although Michigan has the unbeaten record and the national ranking, the home team has won the last 12 out of 17 games and the Spartans are desperate for a win following a 3 game losing streak. That being said Michigan hasn't lost to Michigan State in consecutive seasons since 1967.

You can read a transcript of a live chat with Shannon Shelton and Mark Snyder, who will cover Saturday's game on the Detroit Free Press's website. Another transcript is available at mlive.com "Live chat: Join Michigan football beat writer Dave Birkett at noon to talk Michigan-Michigan State." Also at mlive.com you can listen to "The Press Box Podcast: There's pressure on Wolverines, Rodriguez to beat Spartans." The Lansing State Journal's Assistant Sports Editor, Barry Kiel and MSU beat reporter, Joe Rexrode discuss the upcoming match-up against Michigan in this streaming video.

MSU vs U of M Video Spirit Rally

Choose sides and get in on the discussion over at SpartanTailgate.com or MGoBlog. These are great resources with all the news and updates you need regarding MSU and U of M sports.

Michigan in Pictures has a couple of posts from awhile back about Spartan Stadium in East Lansing (where Saturday's game will be played) and Michigan Stadium aka The Big House.

Somewhere we have to note Whack-a-Wolverine from the Lansing State Journal and we definitely want to hear what YOU think about the rivalry and the game!

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:

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.

***The contest is now complete and our winner has been notified***

AMERICA'S HOTTEST DANCE SHOW

Summer sensation SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE kicked off its fifth season with a two-night, four-hour season premiere Thursday, May 21 & 27 and concludes with a two-night, four-hour season finale August 5 & 6 on FOX. Hosted by Cat Deeley, the original dance competition series will inspire and amaze viewers as dancers skilled in styles ranging from hip-hop to ballroom compete to be named America's Favorite Dancer.

Last season's winner, Joshua Allen, danced off with a $250,000 cash prize, the title of America's Favorite Dancer and an offer for a featured dance role in the upcoming Adam Shankman film "Step Up 3-D."

Tickets for the tour are on sale and available at Ticketmaster.com

Check out more videos including video profiles of the top 10 dancers on the So You Think You Can Dance website

Keep up to date with the latest info:

Join So You Think You Can Dance on Facebook

Becomes friends with So You Think You Can Dance on MySpace

More than 150 beers from some of Michigan's finest microbreweries and brewpubs. Live music. Food available for purchase. Rain or shine.

The first-ever Michigan Brewers Guild U.P. Oktoberfest is coming September 12 . . . and it’s crossing the Big Mac bridge to do so! The excitement is taking over the heart of the Upper Peninsula and spreading!

Though Michigan craft beers have long been established in the Upper Peninsula, September 12 in Marquette unveils the first U.P. craft beer tasting event sponsored by the Michigan Brewers Guild. Set in the historic beauty of Marquette’s lower harbor at Ellwood Mattson Park, this singular beer event summons the great tastes of Michigan craft brews to the heart of the U.P. Just in time for Michigan’s craft brewers to unveil their fall-winter offerings, the U.P. Oktoberfest is sure to be the number one beer-lovers regional event this fall.

TICKETS

Purchase online or call 877-772-5425. For an updated list of ticket outlets please visit the MASH, at www.mbgmash.org. The cost to attend is $30 in advance, $35 at gate. Limited ticket availability. Advance ticket purchase encouraged. Includes 12 drink tokens. Additional tokens available inside festival. Must be 21 or over.

On September 1, 1980, Emil and Mary Petri hosted a Labor Day picnic to remember. Their guests included Republican Presidential candidate Ronald Reagan and Michigan Governor William Milliken. (That’s Mary Petri seated in the middle, between the two.)

In the original Detroit News report, Emil Petri noted that he “had been approached by friends in the Republican party” about hosting the barbecue. The Petris agreed. On the Friday before the party, they learned that Reagan and Milliken would also appear!

Emil was an Allen Park steelworker who had been laid off earlier in the year. The economy was in a downturn, and many of Petri’s neighbors were also unemployed. The blue-collar neighborhood had traditionally been a Democratic stronghold. Reagan listened to the neighbor’s stories as he munched a hot dog and sipped a Stroh’s Light.

Reagan gained at least one vote: Mary Petri’s. While Emil identified himself as a Republican, his wife had traditionally voted Democrat. After the party, she declared that she’d be voting for Reagan that year. “This wasn’t staged,” she said of their encounter. “Nothing was held back.”

Reagan and Milliken both made personal contributions to the Petris’ picnic. Reagan donated a hunk of kielbasa, while Milliken brought some potato salad.

The Archives of Michigan contains many photographs of state and national political figures. The Archives also houses Michigan Executive Office records, while the private papers of many governors (including William Milliken) can be accessed at the University of Michigan’s Bentley Historical Library. Those interested in Ronald Reagan can visit the web site of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.

"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.

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Photo: You with the camera, enough pictures!! by Daylily18

Each summer, Mother Nature brings us hot, humid days and nights that barely cool off. Thankfully, Michigan-born businesses offer some relief in the form of sweet, refreshing treats.

Photo credit: Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm at the Faygo Plant, October 2006 (Photo Courtesy of the Granholm Leadership Fund)

FAYGO

There’s Faygo, which has been making its colorful pop in Detroit since 1907. Started by Russian brothers Ben and Perry Feigenson, Feigenson Brothers Bottling Works first offered drinks in fruit punch, strawberry and grape flavors. These flavors were inspired by frosting recipes that the men created when they worked as bakers. In 1921, the Feigenson brothers shortened the company name to Faygo. Faygo’s Web site has a more detailed history and recipes for adding Faygo to everything from ribs to cauliflower soup. Looking for some entertainment while you enjoy your pop? Check out the Faygo Boat Song (You Tube link) and the Faygo Kid (You Tube link). These old commercials may bring back some memories!

VERNOR’S

Are you in the mood for something a little less sweet? Perhaps you’d like a glass of ginger ale. Detroit pharmacist James Vernor invented Vernor’s ginger ale in the 1860s. With a close eye on quality, Vernor’s went from being sold only at a fountain in Vernor’s pharmacy to gaining fans in new markets in Ohio and New York. Now owned by Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc., Vernor’s tells its story on the Vernor’s Web site. For a more indepth look, take a look at Lawrence L. Rouch’s The Vernor’s Story: From Gnomes to Now, a 2004 Michigan Notable Book. The Images of America series has published Vernor’s Ginger Ale by Keith Wunderlich, complete with factory photos, promotional images and shots of the company’s one-time mascot, the gnome. Both books are available at the Library of Michigan.

Cover to The Vernor's Story by Lawrence L. Rouch

POP VS. SODA

Not sure if you should call these drinks pop or soda? Check out The Pop vs. Soda Web Page, which shows that Michigan is clearly a green state. (On the site’s interactive map, green represents people who use the term “pop,” as opposed to “coke” or “soda.”)

Faygo Root Beer Takes Top Honors

Absolute Michigan would like to add to the article and point out that Bon Apetit has named Faygo Old Fashioned Root Beer as their favorite Root Beer.

Old-fashioned root beer is the newest restaurant drink trend—suddenly, it's on menus everywhere. What sets these sodas apart is that they're caffeine-free and usually sweetened with cane sugar, not corn syrup: Think root beer returning to its roots. Style varies from sweet to dry and from mild to zingy. The satisfying and complex flavors can come from cinnamon, vanilla, sassafras, ginger, licorice, cherry—and even wintergreen to balance out the sweetness.

They describe Faygo Old Fashioned Root Beer as being "Dry and crisp, with a frothy head, a good bite, and a long finish."

Saline Summer Sunflower Super Set...Sweet by Andy Tanguay

Throughout each month we post items of Michicentric interest to our Michitwitter page. In case you missed them here is a look back at just a few of those items for the month of August. If you find these interesting there are plenty more for you to check out. We encourage you to add any news items, events, links to vids, podcasts or whatever you find interesting about the Great Lakes State!

The photo featured in this post in from the Absolute Michigan flickr pool and is by Andy Tanguay. Andy has the following to say regarding his photo "Saline Summer Sunflower Super Set":

You know, I think a monkey hopped up on PCP could take a nice shot in this location. So here's mine...Ooo Ooo ooo Oooo ah ah ah.

A sunflower farm just west of Saline Mi at sun down. Literally miles and miles of blooming sunflowers right at their peak. The farmers are nice enough to post a sign saying help yourself to pictures, just don't take any flowers. The farmer came out to greet us. I guess all these go to feed...like bird seed and such.

We'd like to draw attention to two new excellent festivals that were held at the Grand Traverse Commons. Both the Traverse City Wine & Art Festival and the Traverse City Microbrew & Music Festival were great successes and we encourage to check them out next year!

A Sampling from Michitwitter August 2009

The ongoing discussion of urban farming continues as mlive.com reports in - Food among the ruins: A compelling argument for urban farming in Detroit

Detroit may be the best positioned city in the world to become a totally self-sufficient city, according to investigative historian Mark Dowie.

In a piece this month for Guernica magazine, Dowie suggests that a combination of unique factors and opportunities make Detroit a prime location for urban farming to flourish.

With electric vehicles greatly gaining momentum as the future of the auto industry, Michigan is poised to reap big rewards and jobs. The freep.com reports - Battery grants could mean big job boost for Michigan

Michigan stands to get $1.36 billion of a $2.4-billion federal grant program designed to spur manufacturing of batteries and other components for electric vehicles in the United States, creating up to 6,800 jobs in the next 18 months and up to 40,000 in the state over the next 11 years.

The Freep also unveiled the much anticipated Chevy Volt and it's mind blowing projected m.pg. rating. Read - GM touts Volt with 230 m.p.g. city rating

The electric-drive Chevrolet Volt is expected to get a rating of at least 230 miles per gallon in city driving, General Motors Co. announced this morning.

The results come as GM pushes to bring the new technology to market in late next year. Later this week, the company is officially announcing its battery assembly pack plant in Brownstown Township.

The world lost a legend that had Michigan ties specifically in Kalamazoo. Read Legendary guitar-maker Les Paul left mark in Kalamazoo on mlive.com.

When Gibson Guitar's Parsons Street factory cranked out its last Les Paul guitar, Marvin Lamb had to have it.

Lamb started working for Gibson in 1956, at age 16.

He hand-drilled holes in the tops of early Les Pauls to screw in the stop tailpiece. He installed the first tune-o-matic bridges on the single-cutaway, solid-body guitars.

He sweated at 225 Parsons St., on Kalamazoo's north side, in the late 1960s and early 1970s, when Gibson employees made 200 to 300 Les Pauls a day.

Michigan's film incentive program is being debated and WZZM13.com brings us up to date in their article Bad for Michigan? Lawmaker wants to eliminate film incentive.

A battle over whether to keep Michigan's film incentives is about to begin at the state Capitol.

Tuesday morning, several production workers will rally in Lansing to show legislators that they believe the incentives are worth continuing.

Proponents of the film incentive program have strong views of why it needs to stay. Read Backers say talk of film credit cuts costing Michigan in the Detroit News.

Film executives and producers say talk in Lansing of reducing or eliminating Michigan's aggressive film tax incentive is causing Hollywood's bankrollers to hesitate before investing in the Great Lakes State.

Already, industry insiders say, the state has lost hundreds of millions in film spending to other states since talk of cutting or scrapping the credit surfaced late last year, a charge led by Sen. Nancy Cassis, R-Novi, chairwoman of the State Finance Committee. Others warn that cutting the credit could push business away from Michigan's fledgling industry simply because there hasn't been enough time to build a sufficient infrastructure -- studios and such -- capable of supporting long-term business.

Michigan rock-roll bad boy Kid Rock is pure Michigan and continues to put his money where his mouth is. Check out Kid Rock chips in $20K to rev up Arts, Beats & Eats in the Freep.

Kid Rock has stepped up with a crucial assist for Arts, Beats & Eats.

The Oakland County rocker has invested about $20,000 in sponsor funds via his fashion line, Made in Detroit, helping defray costs for one of the area’s signature fests.

AB&E, which runs Sept. 4-7 in downtown Pontiac, had lost more than $400,000 in funding this year, mostly because of Chrysler’s pullout from its title sponsor role.

Also check out the vid below, "Kid Rock: Detroit's angel?" from cnn.com.

In a move that dumbfounded local residents Peta announced that they want to commandeer Grand Haven's lighthouse to promote vegetarianism and the unethical treatment of fish. The Detroit News reports PETA wants Grand Haven lighthouses for fish empathy center.

Grand Haven's Lake Michigan lighthouses are the prime location sought by an animal rights group for its anti-fishing campaign headquarters.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has applied through a federal program to take over the structures and lighted catwalk that are frequently photographed for dramatic sunsets, thick winter ice and crashing waves.

The area gets nearly 2 million annual visitors, including anglers casting lines into the Grand River channel and heading out in boats for Great Lakes salmon.

"We want to renovate the Grand Haven lights as a memorial to the billions of fish killed annually by sport fishermen, as well as for their flesh (commercial fishing industry)," said Lindsey Rajt, manager of PETA's campaigns department. "We also want to make it a fun and educational place."

AJ's Music Cafe in Ferndale made the Guinness Book of World Records in August. Read Ferndale cafe sets record for longest concert in the Detroit News.

A little cafe in downtown Ferndale has set a Guinness World Record.

AJ's Music Cafe was notified Wednesday that its 288-hour Assembly Line Concert, held in March to promote awareness of American automakers, set a new Guinness World Record for the longest continuous concert by multiple artists.

Automakers recently saw some positive movement which is good news for Michigan. Read J.D. Power predicts U.S. auto sales will hit 1 million in August.

A leading automotive research company is predicting that U.S. monthly auto sales will rise above the 1 million mark for the first time this year in August, due mainly to the government's Cash for Clunkers program.

If you like apples 2009 is offering up a bumper crop. Check out Michigan apple harvest quite the treat in the Detroit News.

Branches of Michigan apple trees are bowing under the weight of the healthiest crop in at least 10 years.

Ideal weather conditions -- cool temperatures and lots of rain -- have apple growers anticipating one of the state's best seasons since the 1990s, according to the Michigan Apple Committee, and that could mean lower prices at the grocery store.

The Detroit News reports some good news for the Great Lakes in their article $1 billion proposed in 2010 for Great Lakes restoration.

Congress is poised to nearly double its funding commitment to the Great Lakes, adding up to $475 million for restoration that would deter invasive species, clean up polluted sites and create jobs in Michigan and the region.

Welcome to a very special Photo Friday on Absolute Michigan, the 75,000th photo in the Absolute Michigan pool on Flickr!! I can't tell you how amazingly cool it is that so many people have graciously allowed us to use their photos to help tell the stories of Michigan. Thank you, all of you.

[ JARED ] (Jared Fossum) says that photography is a passion of his and he posts photos of anything that he thought was interesting or for a moment made him stop, look, and think about it.

His sets include Fake TTV & Canon S3 IS (slideshow) and while he hails from Minnesota (wherever that is) he has a few more photos from the Upper Peninsula.

Check out his Flickriver.

Detroit-based indie rockers The High Strung, whose penchant for playing live music in libraries was the subject of a This American Life feature, were invited to play a show at the Guantanamo Bay library this summer. They said yes. What followed is documented in a Vanity Fair article, written by the older brother of one of the bandmembers.

Visit their website thehighstrung.com and friend them on MySpace....

Check out the YouTube video: WATCH ME SUSTAIN: THE HIGH STRUNG LIBRARY TOUR DOCUMENTARY Promo Trailer (short version)

Red, White and Chrome Dream Cruise by kelley girl

The 15th annual Woodward Dream Cruise happens this Saturday, August 15, 2009 in Detroit, Michigan. It's billed as the world’s largest one-day celebration of car culture, and with more 1.7 million visitors and over than 40,000 muscle cars, street rods, custom, collector and special interest vehicles, it delivers. Be sure to check out their Woodward Dream Cruise history page!

Speaking of history, Michigan in Pictures has an excerpt from Cruisin' the Original: Woodward Avenue from Arcadia Publishing that features some excellent photos from the 1950s. Did someone say photos? Check out this Flickr slideshow of Woodward Dream Cruise photos.

The Detroit News are official sponsors of the event and are featuring extensive Woodward Dream Cruise coverage of the activities, photo galleries, live video on Cruise day and live blogging as the event unfolds. Do not miss their Interactive: Your guide to the Woodward Dream Cruise.

Absolute Michigan's video correspondents Scott Allman and Jim McClain visited the Woodward Dream Cruise in 2008 and got some great shots of the cars along with interviews with the interesting and colorful characters that make up the world's largest one-day car event:

It's definitely worth clicking over to see the high quality version.

Waiting room, Michigan Central
Station by jeanpierrelavoie

Over on Michigan in Pictures today we featured a link to an incredible panoramic walkthrough of Detroit’s Michigan Central Station by Montreal photographer Jean-Pierre Lavoie. The Detroit News had a feature on Lavoie that explains:

In Lavoie's past, he was an electrical engineer with an interest in cameras.

Now he's a former engineer who shoots stills and panoramas for businesses, museums and his own amusement. Recently, he shot Stevie Wonder's performance at the Montreal Jazz Festival; it's on his Web site.

The side-to-side, up-and-down, 360-degree process involves a high-end camera, a fisheye sort of lens, a tripod, a computer program and patience. The computer stitches together the images, but it's up to the photographer to make sure the proportion remains correct when a nearby object gives way to a distant one.

Run (don't walk) to check this out and if you want to see what this was before time and neglect had their way, check out the video below!

It also looks at the proposed elimination of the Michigan Department of History, Arts & Libraries (HAL). In a move that lies somewhere between shortsighted and Visigoth, Michigan's Governor has proposed eliminating HAL to save - drum roll please - 2 million dollars. As columnist Jack Lessenberry notes in his essay Saving Our Past from Politicians, that's roughly 1/10th of one percent of the money that is necessary to close our budget gap:

Our state has its own great library too, the Library of Michigan in Lansing, which has been around, in one form or another, since before we became a state. It contains 5.6 million priceless books, documents and records, all in a wonderful building in Lansing.

Any citizen can use the library and check out material from it. Additionally, thanks to federal matching funds, the state library system is able to subscribe to online databases that allow Michigan residents to access a vast array of resources from across the world.

...(Governor Jennifer Granholm) has issued an executive order transferring control of the library to the Department of Education. And that‘s not just a meaningless bureaucratic procedure. Along with it comes dramatic cuts, and a real chance that the library’s extensive collections will be scattered.

James Seidl, who directs a consortium of 49 libraries on southern Michigan was deeply appalled. “Distributing or removing these collections destroys 180 years of collecting, cataloging an preserving materials,” he told the Toledo Blade last week. (read article)

...What that would probably do is end all arts grants funding in the state, which means we would lose matching federal funds as well. The state librarian would be fired. The popular Michigan History magazine would stop publishing. The library would also stop allowing patrons to check out books, which, as respected Lansing columnist Susan Demas noted ironically (read her column), is sort of why libraries exist.

Michigan residents enjoy countless benefits from HAL. I strongly urge you to join the Save the Michigan Dept of History, Arts & Libraries Facebook group and share the link with your friends and urge them to apply some pressure to your Michigan representatives. History is a treasure that we hold for our children and as Jack notes, the lesson of Alexandria is too important to ignore.

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Photo: You with the camera, enough pictures!! by Daylily18

mikesophia is one of tens of thousands of people taking in the 2009 Traverse City Film Festival. He snapped this shot of one of balloon artist Jason Hackenworth's fanciful sea creatures on the opening night of the festival and we're using it today on a brief article about how the festival is bringing inspiration to the lives of youths in our On Location: Traverse City Film Festival coverage.

The photo is part of Mike's Traverse City Film Festival set. His other sets include Birds and Nature (slideshow).

Check out Mike's Flickriver.

See an interview with Jason Hackenworth over on TED.

Michigan Uncorked is a regular column by Lorri Hathaway and Sharon Kegerreis, writers who are passionate for Michigan and authors of award-winning From the Vine: Exploring Michigan Wineries. Learn all about Lorri & Sharon and their book at www.michiganvine.com.

Adam Kolodziejski made his first batch of wine from wild grapes found along the Tobacco River. A biology major at Central Michigan University in 1968, Adam picked the grapes, threw some yeast on them and drank the juice. “It was really bad wine,” Adam laughingly grins.

More than 40 years later Adam has had plenty of time to fine tune his craft. We tasted several delicious, handcrafted wines made with Chambourcin, Chancellor, Vidal, Riesling, Baco Noir and Muscat in Adam’s impressive 2,500 square foot winemaking facility in Rose City.

The high elevation of surrounding Ogemaw Hills gives Adam plenty of airflow for his vineyard located on nearby farmland. While he patiently waits for his vines to mature and tries to outsmart the deer, raccoon and birds that ate his first harvest, he brings in grapes from Lemon Creek in Berrien Springs. Soon, a small vineyard will complement his Rose City tasting room in northeast Michigan.

Married to Nationally-Acclaimed Poet Nancy Kolodziejski, Adam says they are a match made in heaven. “I’m polish; she’s a blond,” he chuckles.

While Nancy focuses on the tasting room ambiance, Adam keeps busy managing his vineyard and crafting his wines. He also runs his successful, 39-year-old Admin Industries, manufacturer of industrial dock equipment and supplies, and holds a patent on the dock leveler.

Expect familiar and not-so-familiar wine varieties when you visit Rose Valley Winery. Adam is keen on growing cold-hardy grapes, including native-to-Michigan Edelweiss, St. Pippen and Frontenac. Above all, though, expect to meet one of Michigan's newest winemakers who is passionate for making great wine.

Rose Valley’s wines can also be sampled, along with several other Michigan wines, at the inaugural Tawas Uncork’d and Untap’d event at East Tawas Harbor Park on August 1 from 12:00 to 6:00 p.m.