Dave and some like-minded individuals created SolarYpsi in 2005 with the hope of making their hometown a solar power destination through tying solar power generation to the electrical grid.

Their web site showcases real-time reporting of electrical production via solar panels, tracking panels are located on top of the Ypsilanti Food Coop, the Riverstreet Bakery, Ypsilanti City Hall and an Ann Arbor Transportation Authority bus stop.

Here's Google's Search Story Creator in case you want to try your hand. Head over to absolutemichigan.com/solar for more Michigan solar information.

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We continue our Michigan's 175th Birthday Bash giveaway today. What's more, we've had so much fun doing a giveaway a day that we're going to see just how long we can keep things going with our new program called The Daily Michigan that will feature a giveaway a day from the Great Lakes State! It all starts on Monday so tune in!

In celebration of Michigans 175th birthday, we'll be featuring some tweets to #mich175 that we like, paired with photos from our Absolute Michigan pool on Flickr! They'll also be on our Absolute Michigan Facebook page! Reload for updates, share YOUR thoughts in the comments below, in our Flickr group or on our Facebook and Happy Birthday to Mamma Michigan!!

bethanylouise (Reware Vintage)  How's it going, Michigan? Having a good birthday? #Mich175

photo: dunescape by tbug2

MMFlint (Michael Moore) RT @imajoebob You are aware that Corn Flakes were created 2 reduce one's sex drive? I shudder thinking what was behind Fruit Loops.#Mich175

photo: Phototherapy, breakfast cereal and the Battle Creek Sanitarium courtesy Willard Library

epeep yet another reason to celebrate the #mitten :D!!! Fossils of #mastodons have been found in 250+ locations in #Michigan. #Mich175 #mittenlove

Photo: Painting the Mastodon by kafka4prez

freep (Detroit Free Press) Why is #Michigan is called the Wolverine State? Story has to do with being as bloodthirsty and gluttonous as wolverines #Mich175. Get the story at  gulo gulo: The Wolverine and Why Michigan is the Wolverine State on Michigan in Pictures.

photo credit: Gulo gulo by anikarenina

HuffPostDetroit We've been loving your MI facts all day! MT @stabenow: Rosie the Riveter was a real woman from MI who built planes for the war #Mich175 (see Lansing’s Rosie the Riveter: Geraldine Hoff Doyle from Absolute Michigan)

photo: The Real Rosie the Riveter from Seeking Michigan

Sheplersferry @anellah Us, too! "I love Michigan because it has more lighthouses than any other state in the US." #mibirthday #Mich175

Photo: "September Gale" Grand Haven Breakwater Lighthouse is located in the harbor of Grand Haven, Michigan by Michigan Nut (the second most popular photo in the Absolute Michigan pool!!)

hayleyscomment @PureMichigan @stabenow One of my favorite mitten state facts: We are the 2nd most agriculturally diverse state in the country! #Mich175

photo: Carrots by amzakem

MackenzieRauch One of my favorite things about Michigan is fall time. Especially the donuts and cider! Happy birthday, Michigan! #Mich175

photo: happle bokeh wednesday eve! by mlephotos

@glamorousmoms Great things about Michigan..our rising arts and fashion industry, our auto companies and our GREAT talented hard working people! (glamorousmoms.com right out of Detroit)

photo: Detroit Auto Show 2012-6147 by RichardDemingPhotography

@DrinkMichigan Did you know? Frankenmuth Brewery (@fb1862) is one of America's oldest breweries & is known as Michigan's Original Craft Beer. #mich175

photo: Frankenmuth Brewery HDR edit by SL Morrison

@Alexis Shull You helped me develop my love of cherries, wine, lakes, whitefish, automation,music, food, culture & more! Happy Birthday Michigan! #mich175

photo: Traverse City, Michigan Cherry Orchard by Pamela Bevelhymer

Continue in the Absolute Michigan pool on Flickr!

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Clouds are Cooler than Smoke by Jon DeBoe

I guess it's Coal Week on Absolute Michigan. After taking a look back at the history of coal mining in the Saginaw Valley on Tuesday, we're back on the subject with news from the Great Lakes Echo.

Michigan coal-fired plants to close; wind and air to step up by Nick McWherter of the Capital News Service says that Consumers Energy will close seven coal-fired power plants in Michigan and has cancelled construction of another to focus on clean energy. In their news release on the topic, Consumer's President & CEO John Russell said that their investments - part of a $6.6 billion plan to add value to customers and improve the environment - were projected to create more than 2,000 construction jobs in Michigan and provide significant emissions reductions. Environmentalists concur:

“There are simply smarter ways to produce energy then relying on coal,” said Bruce Nilles, national director for the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign. The inherent costs associated with mining and burning coal make clean energy more attractive, he said. Economically and environmentally, coal does not make sense.

Michigan is now in position to make strides in clean energy throughout the state, he said.

“There is a significant shift going on in the electric sector,” Nilles said. “Michigan has a chance to really be at the forefront. It has one of the oldest coal fleets in the country; many of these plants are literally teetering. It presents a tremendous opportunity to put people back to work and eliminate all the pollution that today is having such profound impacts across the state of Michigan.”

The motivation for the decision is Michigan’s Clean, Renewable and Efficient Energy act. Established in 2008, the act requires utilities to supply 10% of their energy via renewables by 2015. Consumers is the second largest utility in the state and is at 5% renewable generation right now. Last month they also started construction of their first wind-farm, the Lake Winds Energy Park, part of a $1 billion investment in Mason County. Follow that link for details and a video from the Muskegon Chronicle.

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These visitors have generated $605 million of additional revenue, and between 2009 and 2010, the tourism industry grew by $2 billion, enough to generate an additional 10,000 jobs in Michigan. The campaign also generated $43 million in state tax collections, creating a return on investment (ROI) of $4.32 for each dollar Michigan spent on tourism advertising. Resident leisure travel rose 6.1% to $6.3 billion, and non-resident leisure travel that Pure Michigan ads are targeting rose 21.1% to $6.4 billion, the first time non-resident spending has exceeded Michigan resident spending for leisure travel.

While the state and national economies and overall tourism spending floundered in 2009, Michigan received 2% of all the tourism spending in the United States, good for a rank of 14th nationally, a success many credit to the Pure Michigan advertising campaign. George Zimmermann, VP of Travel Michigan says:

"Most Americans know Florida, California and Hawaii. We are just the opposite. We’ve only done a national campaign for just three years, with a modest budget. Michigan also is starting from a negative image of the Rust Belt, the depressed auto industry and urban decay in Detroit. The image of the state is much more favorable after visitors have seen the Pure Michigan ads.”

We encourage you to read on at Bridge for some other thoughts on the campaign including some criticism from Michael LaFaive of the Mackinac Center for Public Policy.  They have a second feature that looks at how Pure Michigan stacks up against other state tourism promotion efforts.

One thing is clear, it's important to agree upon the numbers, because if the ROI is that high, Michigan would be foolish not to continue funding Pure Michigan.

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University of Michigan ~ West Hall
by Trish P. - K1000 Gal

The Saginaw News reports that as state support has dropped over the last 30 years, Michigan’s 15 public universities have compensated by raising tuition, fees and room and board, adding $3,000 each semester in tuition in the last decade alone. As need rises, so has student debt:

The average university student will leave college owing $20,000 to $24,000 in loans.

Over the past 10 years, the number of Michigan State University students applying for aid has gone up 23 percent, said Val Meyers, associate director of financial aid. “People who used to be able to pay themselves and didn’t bother to apply are now applying because they need some help,” she said, given rising costs and the struggling economy.

...At the same time, state scholarships and grants have been reduced. The Legislature ended the $4,000 Michigan Promise scholarship in 2009, and the Michigan Competitive Scholarship decreased its funding, Meyers said.

Tough times have forced those in Lansing to cut and cut again, and while higher education is 3rd in terms of general fund dollars:

Lou Glazer, president of the Ann Arbor-based think tank Michigan Future, notes Michigan ranks 49th in the nation in per-pupil spending for higher education.

“It’s a big mistake,” Glazer said. “Disinvesting in universities is not smart.”

Of the 15 states that have the highest college attainment rates, 13 have the highest incomes, he said.

This is an extremely interesting read about a critical issue to Michigan's future  - read more.

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Mallory Horton Waters Plants in the
GreenHouse at Harvesting Earth Urban
Garden by Michigan Municipal League (MML)
Click for slideshow from MML!

Last week we featured Urban Farming and the Gift of Detroit. Detroit is not the only Michigan city that is turning to urban farming as a means of economic development and simple subsistence.

The Kings of Flint is a documentary that features Jacky and Dora King, of King Karate. Jackie and Dora are also Master Gardeners who see farming as not only a means of self defense - Jackie points out that historically martial arts students have also been farmers - but also as a way to revitalize Flint. They use the discipline of farming and hard work to help their students prepare to meet the challenges that growing up in Flint present.

Jacky King and Dora King by MML

In six years, the Kings have grown their urban gardening program from nothing to a program that now encompasses 16 former vacant city lots in Mt. Morris Township and Genesee Township. Last year they involved more than 900 volunteers and paid workers. In this feature in Farm World, Michigan State University instructor Troy Hale who co-produced the documentary with fellow MSU Communication Arts and Sciences teacher Geri Alumit Zeldes explained:

“We found out that the Kings are a couple of interesting characters. We just started going up and started to capture what we could capture. The Kings are really passionate about it. The main thing for them is these kids, teaching them some life skills. I think it’s a sense of community, as well."

They use hoop houses to farm all year round, selling the fruits, vegetables and eggs they harvest at the Flint Farmers Market. You can learn more including how you can support their efforts at the Harvesting Earth Educational Farm web page.

An article from MSU about the project explains that Zeldes, a Flint native, was fascinated with the idea of sustainable agriculture and the city's initiatives in revitalizing its community.

Students sharpened their investigative reporting skills and learned how to shoot and edit their own video. They traveled to Flint about twice a month to gather footage and interview the Kings, residents and local government officials.

...The documentary also includes a full-length music video completely shot and edited by MSU and performed by Flint residents Willie White, Ian Reddington, Hakim Gillard and Desiree Brown.

"In Michigan, I think Flint is known as a terrible city with lots of crime and it's going nowhere, but there are actually people trying to change it," said journalism student Alyssa Firth, who is the webmaster and a producer of the film.

There's a whole bunch more videos and last summer the Great Lakes Echo ran some of the documentary footage exploring different facets of the story. Settle back and watch a 13 minute version of a Michigan success story:

The Kings of Flint 13min. Cut from Troy on Vimeo.

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Brother Nature Produce Urban Farm
by Michigan Municipal League (MML)

A couple of weeks ago NPR Weekend Edition had an interesting feature on urban farming in Detroit:

Detroit is a surprisingly green landscape during the spring and summer months. The site of many houses that are crumbling, boarded up or missing altogether is tempered by community gardens and even some urban farms.

There are some serious urban gardeners in this country, but few can match the agricultural output of Paul Weertz.

"I farm about 10 acres in the city, and alfalfa's my thing. I bale about a thousand bales a year," he says.

...Weertz has been buying abandoned homes and vacant parcels in his neighborhood, where lots go for as little as $300. He's been encouraging young people who want to farm to move into the neighborhood. Weertz's neighbor, Carolyn Leadley, runs Rising Pheasant Farms when she's not caring for her 10-month-old son.

"We're definitely micro-farming, but we're making a living off a sixth of an acre," Leadley says. "I've been very pleased — pleasantly surprised at how much I've been able to pay myself per hour. We took on an employee. I'm like, 'OK, We're a real business now. We have to pay taxes and do things right.' "

Click through to listen to the feature and see some photos, and speaking of photos, the MML has several more photos from the Brother Nature Farm in Detroit which is mentioned story. Speaking of Brother Nature, check out this awesome video about Brother Nature Farm!

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Vanishing Point by e.rabior

Business Week reports that Michigan made some major moves toward high-speed rail yesterday:

A high-speed passenger train service between Chicago and Detroit took two big steps forward Wednesday with a $196.5 million federal grant to Michigan and the state's acquisition of a 135-mile stretch of track.

The U.S. Department of Transportation announced that it has awarded Michigan the funds for signal and track improvements on the rail line between Kalamazoo in western Michigan and Dearborn in suburban Detroit.

..."Investing in rail service will spark economic development in communities along a corridor linking Detroit and Chicago, two vital Midwest cities," Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder said in a statement. "A faster, reliable passenger rail system is a priority for younger generations and vital to Michigan's ability to compete globally as businesses look to locate or expand."

Snyder added that the rail upgrades will speed freight transportation for Ford and other companies. You can read the complete release from the Department of Transportation forecasting that this will create 800 new jobs in Michigan.

You can see the Wolverine in action right here. It's the train that runs three Detroit-Chicago routes daily. That's a neat video showing just how fast a 95 MPH train is, but this fantastic timelapse from 1988 shot with a Super-8 from trainluvr is too good to pass up! Here's Amtrak's Michigan schedule too.

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Soo Aerial by Marge Beaver

Pasty.com's Day in History for October 4th says that Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan was founded on this day in 1641. Michigan History Magazine expands on this, relating that French Jesuits Isaac Jogues and Charles Raymbault held the first Christian services in Michigan at Sault Ste. Marie on that date. As you'll see in a moment, it's not really possible to get a date for the founding of the Soo, but everyone has to have a birthday, right?

Of course the Soo Locks are the first thing most people think of when they think of the Soo. You can see a webcam of the locks, and while your browser may have a problem with the secure certificate they use, it's a US government certificate and site so you're probably safe. saultstemarie.com relates that that the first lock was built way back in in 1797 by the Northwest Fur Company. It was just 38 feet long and remained in use until it was destroyed in the War of 1812, forcing boats again to portage around the rapids. Read on for much more.

The history page on on the Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan website:

Sault Ste. Marie is the oldest city in Michigan, and among the oldest cities in the United States. Over the course of history, the flags of several sovereign nations have flown over the Sault.

Over 2,000 years ago, Native Americans began to gather here for the wealth of fish and fur found along the rushing waters of the wide, turbulent river that linked the Great Lakes of Superior and Huron. Spring and fall were important seasons for these original settlers, and they called the area “Bahweting,” or “The Gathering Place.”

...In the 1600s, French missionaries and fur traders began to venture into the beautiful territory. The traders began calling the wild area Sault du Gastogne. In 1668, the legendary Jesuit missionary and explorer Fr. Jacques Marquette renamed this burgeoning European settlement Sault Ste. Marie, in honor of the Virgin Mary—the first "city" in the Great Lakes region.

While there is some debate on the exact meaning of "Sault," scholars of early French note that the word translates into jump, referring to the place where one needs to "jump", or put into the St. Mary’s River. This translation relates to the treacherous rapids and cascades that fall over 20 feet from the level of Lake Superior to the level of the lower lakes. Hundreds of years ago, this prohibited boat traffic and necessitated an overland portage from one lake to the other. This is how Portage Avenue, the main street running along the river, acquired its name.

Ashmun Street in 1888 courtesy Seeking Michigan

Some other good sites for area history include Sault Historic Sites,  the History & Culture of the Sault Tribe, and Sault Ste Marie, Michigan in Wikipedia. You can get links to Sault businesses and website and also articles for the Soo at absolutemichigan.com/Sault including Sault Ste. Marie: The Gathering Place, which offers more in depth history and a larger version of the photo above. Other good sites for modern day information are the Sault Area Chamber of Commerce,  Sault Ste Marie at michigan.org, the Soo Evening News and the EUP News blog.

You can see some pictures from the Soo at saultstemarie on Michigan in Pictures. Seeking Michigan has some great old photos of the Soo from the Archives of Michigan, but the best I found were from the Facebook page of I Love Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, particularly the History of Sault Ste Marie Michigan in Photographs and this gallery from Soo photographer Glenn W. Gregg. There's also 200+ Soo photos in the Absolute Michigan group on Flickr.

If you grew up in the Soo (which I didn't) I bet you'll love this video featuring photos & Bob Seger's Main Street from ILovetheSoo. While I enjoyed that one a lot, the one below features some of those great photos from Glenn Gregg.

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by Michael Lesich

The Red Scorpion Tower by jacalynsnana

Michigan is transitioning from its 20th Century industrial roots to a global, interconnected, knowledge- based economy. Decisions about the future of our state’s economic direction are being made in the boardrooms of private companies and the halls of our state capitol. The most important innovation of my lifetime, the Internet, relies increasingly on a solid broadband infrastructure (land-based and mobile), to carry exponentially increasing traffic. Robust and universal access to the Internet is vital to the companies and residents of Michigan and the United States. However, we are still a long way from that critical goal.

As an owner of a small IT company, I know firsthand the benefits that come from readily available broadband access. We embrace telecommuting, remote access, and online education. We have the ability to hire the best person for the job, regardless of their location. Today’s knowledge workers, and their employers, benefit from telecommuting arrangements that reduce traffic, increase productivity, and enhance the quality of the products and services they provide.

In a recent USA TODAY Op-ed Julius Genachowski, Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, correctly identified how universal broadband can stimulate job creation and economic growth. He focused on the ability of businesses to hire work-from-home employees, using the example of at-home call centers. "Twenty percent of call center jobs in America today are at-home jobs, powered by broadband," he wrote. "The ability to work from home provides new employment options for returning veterans, people with disabilities, and parents who need flexible work schedules."

Jobs4America, a coalition of companies calling for legislation to improve job creation in the U.S., has announced that 100,000 new call center jobs will be created in the U.S. over the next two years, including "300 new jobs in Holland, Michigan." These jobs and many like them would not be possible if not for broadband Internet access. Citing a study by Novo 1, Chairman Genachowski explained that "returning a call center to the U.S. from overseas can save companies about 15%." That savings means companies have more revenue to invest in expanding business and hiring new staff.

Broadband infrastructure efforts over the past 20 years have led to entire new industries and advancements. However, the growth and availability of broadband access has been largely focused on areas with a high population density. Rural areas and remote destinations were initially cost prohibitive. Advances in land-based and wireless mobile broadband technology have improved performance and lowered the cost to provide these services to a wide area. But we are a long way from universal access to all Americans, and this must quickly change in order to be competitive in a global marketplace.

Broadband increases local job growth (from 10 Ways Broadband Helps Rural Communities)

According to PEW Research, 35% of adults in the US use smartphones, and do much of their internet access on these devices. Increasingly, these users now expect access to the internet everywhere they go. When it is not there, many will not return. When it is not there, companies will not expand to those areas.

When it comes to education for students of all ages, internet access is increasingly at the core of the curriculum. Many students have better access to the internet and technology at home than they do at school. Providing Internet access at all schools across this country should be a priority for every educator and legislature. A student population accessing online courses, reference materials from around the world, and participating in collaborative endeavors with students across the globe represent the future of education, far beyond the walls of libraries of schools past.

Linda Teeter of the Michigan Action Center succinctly lays out the benefits of Bridging the Digital Divide in Michigan. "If every household, school, and community in Michigan had high-speed wireless broadband we would be able to boost productivity, rapidly improve communication speeds, and provide our children with the type of technology and education they need to succeed in an ever-evolving job market." She also includes several recent infographics from the Internet Innovation Alliance that "show how mobile broadband can benefit many aspects of rural communities as well as health IT" and can spur job creation.

With reliable high-speed Internet, Michigan businesses anywhere will be able to compete worldwide. Without reliable and universal high-speed internet, we will be competing with other states and even countries that have made the decision to put knowledge and information into the hands of their citizens. In these troubling economic times, we cannot afford to handicap our local businesses by failing to expand this critical 21st Century Infrastructure.

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X Marks the Spot - TEDxDetroit by slaytercreative

The 3rd annual TEDx Detroit takes place next Wednesday (September 28). TEDx events are locally planned & independently organized, designed to capture the flavor of the incredible TED conferences that bring together the finest minds in the world to share ideas with the power to change attitudes, lives and ultimately, the world.

TEDx Detroit will feature some of the region's leading creators, catalysts, entrepreneurs, artists, technologists, designers, scientists, thinkers and doers sharing what they are most passionate about - positive ideas for the world from Detroit & Michigan. Some of the featured speakers include Julie Clark, a former English and art teacher from Detroit, started The Baby Einstein Company in her basement, Bobby Smith of En Garde Detroit who has used fencing to connect with thousands of kids and Rob Bliss, the 22 year old social event wunderkind Grand Rapids who has created the world's largest pillow fight, zombie walk and LipDub video.

They have closed pre-registration but will announce how to get remaining tickets tomorrow right here, and they will also soon have information about how to watch live on Wednesday! There's more TEDx coming around the state. Check out TEDx Flint (October 22) and stay tuned to Absolute Michigan for information about more!

Here's a video taking you inside a previous TEDx Detroit. You'll also want to check out Why do we produce TEDx Detroit? by Charlie Curve.

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Maker Faire Detroit 2010 by OnInnovation

Absolute Michigan had the chance to talk with a few of the makers who will be at the event and Marc Gruether, Chief Curator of The Henry Ford about Maker Faire. Marc told us that a few years ago, Dale Dougherty of MAKE Magazine was looking to grow the movement and Maker Faire. He turned his eyes to the Midwest and was struck by Detroit's unique assets. Through a Twitter post, they heard Dale was visiting and invited him to tour of the Henry Ford. Dale said. "Wouldn't it be kind of cool if Maker Faire could happen here?" and the rest is history.

While many folks might think that a partnership between an entity like the Henry Ford that is all about the past and Maker Faire, a celebration of maker culture that is very much rooted in the here & now is incongruous, Marc explained:

"Make Magazine and Maker Faire are optimistic and venturesome and very much about the present. If you're a museum professional, you understand that while your resources are from the past, these artifacts have power and relevancy in the here and now. At the Henry Ford we have phenomenal materials that can inform the present, and I think that the combination of Maker Faire Detroit and the museum create an environment where ideas can collide and churn and everything leverages everything else. It's a solid whole.

Last year I was watching some of the younger makers and the conversations that were taking place between them and around the works of some of the great makers from the past like Thomas Edison and the Wright brothers.

Dale's notion was not to import an event from somewhere else. Maker Faire Detroit is a user generated event. The participants are the content are important to our region due to the particular sense of adventure that's in our museum and in the factories, tool and die shops and garages of the area. This event pulls innovators out of their garages to share their work with the public in a highly interactive fashion."

Maker Faire by Maia C

Matt Gryczan is a maker from Grand Rapids who will be introducing Space Age Building Blocks - wooden blocks that when stacked create an arch like the Gateway Arch in St. Louis. Matt told us, "I was an early subscriber to MAKE magazine, and I read with a lot of envy a few years ago about what makers were going at the Bay Area Maker Faire near San Mateo, Calif. It was 'art festival meets science fair' only the demonstrators just did the cool part of the project and chucked the boring cardboard displays. I couldn't believe the opportunity that we had when MAKE launched a Maker Faire in Detroit. We really know how to invent in Michigan and the Midwest, and I'd say this fair does more to spark interest in science and technology in youngsters and adults than a truck full of textbooks."

Fellow maker Nicholas Britsky of i3 Detroit agreed, adding "This event is a great opportunity for Detroit for a number of reasons. The first is recognizing Detroit as a center of innovation and creativity both currently and in the past. The second is it gives a typically underground or very under reported group of individuals a chance to show off their projects to the public. Finally, it inspires kids to start building and hacking at home and showing them that it is possible to remix normally household supplies and hardware store buys to make cool new things."

Ouch, watch who's hand you burn with that by jadonk

Nicholas is taking three projects to Maker Faire. One of the coolest are and invention called Monster Shoes that allow kids to strap a contraption on their feed and leave tracks around Maker Faire in the shape of monster foot prints.

Marc concluded, "It's like any event, and in some sense the same as being an entrepreneur. You do all your planning but these things have a life of their own. What emerges is a powerful thing."

Make Magazine has a neat post from last year titled Making Detroit: Changing the Story that is well worth a read. Many more in their "Making Detroit" section! You can see tons of cool videos on the Maker Faire Detroit web site. We'll leave you with a great video from Leo LaPorte of TWit Live.

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Golden Sunset on Lake Superior by unifiedphoto

The Detroit Free Press has launched a summer-long feature on the Great Lakes, water and Michigan. It starts with an interesting read by John Gallagher entitled Water shaped Michigan's past: Now it's a key to state's future that looks at the economic impact of the lakes and their potential as a source of new jobs and technology. It begins:

Michigan grew up on the Great Lakes. It can grow anew from their cool, abundant waters -- if they are used wisely and protected.

The greatest natural resource in all of North America and perhaps on our planet, the sweet water seas brought people to Michigan's peninsulas and moved Michigan ore, timber and manufactured goods to markets around the world.

The lake waters nourish our crops, slake our thirst, cool our machinery and change our weather -- sometimes rather abruptly. They provide fun, fish and spectacular vistas for millions of people.

In a world where 1 in every 6 people lacks daily access to fresh water, the Great Lakes are a treasure of immeasurable value.

And yet they have been exploited, depleted and polluted. They are threatened by invaders, foreign and domestic, some already in the waters or on the way, others on dry lands.

Where (in my opinion) it gets interesting and requires a whole lot of thought is the point when you start to think about the Great Lakes as an exportable commodity. When I read things like "Michigan has more water than Saudi Arabia has oil," I get scared. Thankfully there are some positive signs:

In the past year or two, all sorts of efforts have begun in Michigan to create a blue economy -- purifying water, recycling it, measuring how clean or dirty it is and providing water-based expertise to the world. The market for water technology is estimated at $500 billion a year and growing.

"We're sitting on liquid gold," said Dave Egner, director of the New Economy Initiative, a coalition of nonprofit foundations hoping to steer Michigan toward a new economic future.

Read on at the Freep and have a look at the New Economy Initiative as well. If you have the time, check out the trailer for one of my all-time favorite films, Waterlife by Kevin McMahon. It's a spell-binding look at the state of the lakes shot in beautiful HD. The official trailer is below and you can watch a longer version here.

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Painting A Picture Of Optimism by DetroitDerek Photography

Later this week (April 27-29) the 3rd annual  Future Midwest Conference kicks off in Detroit. It's the largest digital business conference in the Midwest and  seeks to accelerate business and cultural transformation by uniting community passions with emerging technologies. In 2011, they've selected Eastern Market in Detroit as the conference venue. In this interview, conference co-founder Adrian Pittman explains that:

FutureMidwest is a digital business conference that focuses on the impact of technology in five areas:

• Integrated marketing: How to integrate digital platforms into a well-rounded marketing mix
• User experience: How to create an engaging experience across a variety of digital media
• Mobile: How it's impacting information exchange and user access and how to utilize it
• Business Intelligence/Analytics: How to define metrics that matter most and apply them
• Regional growth: How the Midwest is participating in the information age

The conference features 2 full days of presentations, panels and exhibitions about technology, social media and how all of this ties into creating a new future for the Midwest. The 2011 conference debuts  Funded by Night, one-day competition to fund tech startups where 25 companies will create to will compete to win a $100,000 convertible note from two local venture capital firms Detroit Venture Partners and Ludlow Ventures.

Any video with a space cow in it has to be good, and the 2010 conference video is no exception!

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reboot by TerryJohnston

Full Disclosure: I saw these folks in action on the behalf of Absolute Michigan Community sponsor The Center for Michigan and was quite impressed with their work!

Birmingham-based agency Brogan & Partners is offering one small business in Michigan the tools and support to reinvent and refresh its brand through the Michigan Business Reboot Contest. The contest is a chance for Michigan-based businesses to win a $75,000  marketing and public relations makeover  that includes marketing strategy, creative, social media and public relations. The deadline is next Friday (April and all you have to do to enter is to explain in 250 words or less (or with a video) why your company deserves a reboot.

So much of Michigan's current "brand"  is tarnished with the endless stream of cuts and losses that we thought it would be a good idea to ask Brogan's Creative Director Laurie Hix about the assets she thinks Michigan companies should be basing their brands on in 2011:

"Every Michigan's business brand should be based on their competitive differentiator. Of course, that differentiator needs to connect to its target audience, but you can't pander to your audience. Just like a teenager trying to be in the popular group shouldn't try to be something he is not. If it's not based in truth your brand will have no foundation and will crumble. And in today's era of social media you will be called out on it.

So what assets should Michigan companies be basing their brands on? What they excel at and what sets them apart. But admittedly, when you are beaten up like many Michigan businesses feel, sometimes it's hard to step away, look at yourself honestly, peel away the layers and see what makes you different. That is where an agency like ours can help."

Click the button for a shot at a reboot and add any thoughts you might have about the assets YOU are branding on below!

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Vineyard by ramjetgr

Michigan Radio Morning Edition host Christina Shockley is asking those in the know What's Working in Michigan? There's no better time to take a look at things that are already happening to improve our state's economy and our lives. Here's a snapshot of a few of the voices:

Linda Jones, the Executive Director of the Michigan Grape and Wine Industry Council on Michigan Wine: Success in a Bottle: "It combines our second and third largest industries: agriculture and tourism. Michigan is a long-standing fruit-producing state, especially on the west side of the state, but increasingly throughout Michigan we are planting wine grapes with new varieties that are being developed."

jibba jabba scribba scrabba rail jam 17 by emperley3

Scott MacInnes, the City Manager of Houghton on Turning winter in the U.P. into a tourist destination: "People around here live up here because they enjoy the weather. We do three or four special events in the downtown. We have Michigan Tech's Winter Carnival, which is a huge mid-winter festival for us up here. So we just have a lot of neat activities going on that really make the winter go by fast and make it enjoyable."

Rick Wilson, Heritage Sustainable Energy on Wind energy takes off in Michigan: "One of the things that I like to think, and that I believe, is that it's a homegrown source of power that is critical to our everyday lives. Traditionally, here in Michigan, 80 percent, I think, of our power, especially in Lower Michigan, is coming from large, somewhat archaic (not all of them, but, you know) coal-fired facilities. They may not even be located in Michigan. Some of them are located down in the Ohio River Basin and Indiana and surrounding states. So, to have, not only renewable generation here in our home state, but also just power that's generated right here in our back yard is something that's important for us as a community and as a state."

Read more stories from Michigan Radio and post what you think is working below!

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Fading to Sky by Jeff Casemier

The Grand Rapids Press reports that four of West Michigan's leading companies are launching a design hub this summer in Grand Rapids that is modeled after other successful programs in other cities:

Dubbed GRid70, the concept will bring together creative professionals from Amway, Meijer Inc., Steelcase Inc. and Wolverine World Wide Inc. at 70 Ionia Ave. SW, where they will share ideas while drawing inspiration from the urban environment.

The goal is to capitalize on the region's sometimes unheralded design expertise by mixing creative teams from different industries and, hopefully, spawning the sorts of "happy accidents" that inspire innovation, new products and different ways of thinking.

...GRid70 was born from a group of about 30 West Michigan CEOs who formed a committee, called What's Next, to develop ideas for bolstering the area's economy, reputation and its attractiveness to potential employees and entrepreneurs.

"This puts a stake in the ground that communicates the area's design strengths not only to Grand Rapids, but to the world," said Carol Coletta, who heads CEOs for Cities, a Chicago-based urban consulting firm hired by What's Next.

Read on to learn about the new Masters of Design Methods program that will be housed in the building. Also see Michigan design hub opens in Grand Rapids in Business Week, the GRid70 Facebook, a brief explanation of the concept and this video from WZZM TV-13:

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Read on for a report on last night's Town Hall meeting but we definitely want to start off by featuring High Five for Film Incentives. Deep Blue Pictures takes a road trip to hear from some of the people and businesses who are benefitting from the incentive. When you hear numbers like 200 jobs at one company and 6,000 room nights at one hotel, you have to take note. Tip: Stick around for the closing song. Amazing work!

Not Your Average Point & Shoot
by photofrenzy2000

The Detroit Free Press has a report on last night's overflowing Michigan Film Town Hall Meeting:

More than a thousand strong, members of Michigan's movie industry came together Thursday evening in a dramatic show of unity, gearing up for a massive lobbying campaign in Lansing to save their livelihoods.

..."We spawned the growth of a new industry in Michigan that might be 1/20th or 1/10th of the 21st-Century economy," said Andy Meisner, treasurer of Oakland County, who helped create the tax breaks. "Can you put a price on bringing young people back to Michigan?"

(and from the other side of the argument)

Though the industry has generated $649 million in spending in Michigan since April 2008, John Nixon, Snyder's budget director, has said the incentives are too much of a drain for a state facing a $1.8-billion budget deficit. Since the program began in April 2008, Michigan has approved $304 million in tax credits for 202 productions, paying out $96 million so far.

The Detroit News has a report as well. On the video front, America Jr was on the scene and has some videos from including Jeff Daniels & Mitch Albom addressing the crowd and some interviews with attendees. There's lots more at absolutemichigan.com/Film!

What do you think? Post a comment, Tell Rick on Facebook or  head over to Rick's Wrong (About the Michigan Film Industry Tax Credit).

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The budget process has just begun, but already Michigan is feeling the pain with news that the big-budget movie featuring Iron Man, the Hulk and Captain America -  The Avengers has decided not to shoot in Michigan.

"They were all set to come here," said Chris Baum of Film Detroit, a division of the Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau. When producers couldn't get confirmation that they would still qualify for the incentives, they decided to pull out of the state, Baum said.

You can see Mitch Albom discussing the issue in a video below. He asks in  his excellent article on how (and why) Michigan should fight this if  any other field grew 100 times over -- from $2 million to $225 million -- in two years and if any other field kept our young, bright minds from leaving or brought more attention to the beauty and talent of our state. The answer is definitely "Heck no!" and  I think Albom makes a great case for what a baffling move this is on Snyder's part to shoot our booming media production industry in the head. Mitch writes that the paltry $25 million allocated to the program will do little:

Either way, he kills the future of the film/TV/video game industry here. With such a low cap, few new projects will come. Many have pulled out in the last few days. Studios just washed millions down the drain. Folks who moved here to be part of a growing industry will leave again.

And we look like fools. Imagine a state that yells, "Come on in!", leads the nation in a program -- then three years later shuts it down. Would you want to do business here?

Learn about Snyder's thinking right here and see how the Center for Michigan reads Snyder's budget. One thing is sure - the numbers don't add up, something that is puzzling given Snyder's "Nerd" reputation. WLNS reports that:

Ernst & Young has found that Michigan's film incentives generate nearly 6 dollars in economic activity for every dollar spent. It also shows the production of movies and TV shows in Michigan during 2009 and 2010 generated 812 million in economic output and more than 6,000 full-time equivalent jobs. A senate fiscal agency previously said the incentives generate 10 cents in new tax revenue per dollar spent. Governor Snyder's budget proposal calls for the elimination of the film tax incentive program and orders a 25 million dollar cap on film credits starting later this year.

In case anyone is keeping track, that is well above the $3 figure we've heard for Pure Michigan. Here's Mitch talking about the issue.

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Mack-in-touch Apples by ( Jennifer )

A month ago, Absolute Michigan participated in the the Creating Michigan Culinary Destinations conference (read our live blog) where the Michigan Culinary Tourism initiative was launched. For the video below, we spoke with Melody Johnson of the International Culinary Tourism Association, keynote speaker Ari Weinzweig of Zingerman's, Linda Jones of the Michigan Wine & Grape Council and a number of attendees to get a sense of what culinary tourism can mean for Michigan.

Check out the Michigan Culinary Tourism page for links to foodie tours and other resources.  We're also wondering about your thoughts on how culinary tourism can play a role in Michigan's future - let us know your thoughts and interesting culinary experiences in the comments!

This video features photos from several photographers from the Absolute Michigan pool: blondieyooper, richard deming photography, photoshoparama, oldog_oltrix, southen, detroit derek, trish p and jennifer. Stay tuned to absolutemichigan.com/Culinary for the latest on Michigan's booming epicurean industry!

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Crow's Nest by Jeff Gaydash

Great Lakes Echo has a cool series about City Recycling in the Great Lakes Region that looks at how brownfields and abandoned industrial centers are being reborn in our region. About a month ago, Courtney Morra wrote Former truck factory could make Michigan a movie star, an in-depth feature on the Raleigh Michigan Studios reconstruction project well underway at the General Motors Pontiac Assembly Center (video from employees on last day). LA based Raleigh Studios is  the country's longest-running film studio with over 2 million square feet of production space. The project is slated for opening this year and  will add significantly to their capacity and create over 5,000 new jobs:

The studio will be equipped for 3D animation and special effects, and serve as a learning center for Michigan film students. Students are expected from the nearby Detroit College for Creative Studies and Oakland Community College.

...The new studio's financing includes $11.1 million in Michigan Film Infrastructure tax credits, according to a report from Crain's Detroit Business.

“The infrastructure credit was put in place to encourage the building of film infrastructure projects, including studios, sound stages and post houses,” said Michelle Begnoche, a communications representative from the Michigan Film Office. “Approved applicants receive a 25 percent tax credit against their Michigan business tax.”

There is a Raleigh Michigan Studios site that is apparently coming soon, but you can get information on the Raleigh Michigan Studios Facebook. There's also a section at raleighstudios.com that includes a studio map, location,  a photo gallery and information about the unique design of 9 sound stages (175,000 sq. ft.) and support space. You can also get more at Raleigh Michigan Studios on mLive including this video tour & interview with the devleopers.

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Cafe Society portrait by William Hosner

Jennifer Goulet, president of Artserve Michigan says that art can be a concrete economic development tool (ArtPrize anyone?) and create cities where young, talented professionals want to live. She explains:

Arts and cultural institutions, attractions, museums, galleries, concert halls and so forth contributed 15% of the state's cultural tourism revenues - it was 1.8 billion dollars. More than golf courses. And I think putting it in that context, that's a major contributor to the state.

All of those businesses are adding jobs in local communities. Those are all job-holders that are paying taxes locally and at the state level. They are people who are buying groceries, and buying gas, and shopping in their local communities.

In this fantastic documentary, Michigan Radio Arts & Culture Reporter/Producer Jennifer Guerra talks with all kinds of people from Dan Austin of the website Buildings of Detroit about the some of America's finest architecture and the phenomena of "ruin porn" to Traverse City artist Bill Hosner who started a cool Café Society project that uses art to create scholarships for baristas in Northern Michigan.

One of the many artists interviewed was cellist Andrea Moreno Beals of Breathe Owl Breathe. She kicks this video off and you should check it out as well!

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We say Detroit Auto Show, you say..?

We're going to continue to call the 2011 North American International Auto Show the "Detroit Auto Show" until we receive a convincing argument to stop. "North American International Auto Show" is just too long and NAIAS sounds like some kind of acronym thought up to make everyone happy that doesn't. The NAIAS history page (where you can see a video from last year) doesn't explain why the Detroit Auto Show changed its name after 82 years in 1989. Concept Carz suggests that it was because Detroit Auto Show became an international event that year, but  BMW, Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and Volvo first joined the show way back in 1957.

Blogging the Detroit Auto Show

Once again one of your best outlets for unabashed car love with a healthy dose of humor is the  2011 Detroit Auto Show on Jalopnik.  They have a tasty feature on the best concept cars of 2011 and a great video tour of the show with ex Volvo & Ford designer Peter Horbury.

Get daily updates on mlive's Detroit Auto Show - Concept Cars, New Vehicles, Rumors, Pictures, Videos. Over at Autoblog they pile up the photos as fast as the car companies can dish them out. If you're a gamer, you might want to climb into the Call of Duty Black Ops Jeep Wrangler,    but most will probably want to see the editors' top 5 vehicles (#1 is the Hyundai Veloster). If you like your cars easy on the environment, check out  Autoblog Green where you can go inside the manufacturing of a Tesla Motors roadster. Pretty much everyone with a blog is covering it of course, from Cars.com to Motor Trend to Popular Mechanics. We were going to run down newspaper coverage as well, but it's enough to give you the links to the Detroit News Auto Show pagesand the Freep's NAIAS coverage.

Detroit Auto Show Photos

The NAIAS has a photo tour of the 2011 show and a nifty virtual show floor.  The photo at the top right is murcielago roadster by joojanta from the Absolute Michigan pool. He has a great set of photos called NAIAS 200x with more. You can see a whole lot more by checking Detroit Auto Show and/or NAIAS on Flickr. The blogs & papers above are another great source of photos of production cars and concepts as well.    If you'd like to step back in time, check out this Detroit News Rearview Mirror feature The Detroit Auto Show: from beer gardens to tabernacles to Cobo Center.

Detroit Auto Show Video

Once again, the blogs and papers above have video. For more, we turn to a YouTube search on Detroit Auto Show (see the most recently added NAIAS videos).

NAIAS Detroit 2011 Highlights - AutoMotoTV:

Attending the Detroit Auto Show

The NAIAS web site - ok, so I'll type it - has everything you need to know about attending the public show and tomorrow night's black tie charity preview. If you do attend and take pictures or video, we'd love it if you'd share them with us on Flickr and YouTube!

Anything else to add or ask? Post it in the comments!

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I LOVE Lake Michigan by lorijohernandez

The Prima Civitas Foundation is a non-profit economic & community development collaborative that seeks to help the State of Michigan re-invent itself for the 21st century by creating the network that is necessary for local, regional, and state growth in today's knowledge-based economy. They're offering a $2500 prize in their I Love Michigan Video Contest about which they say:

Do you love skiing "up north?" Do you love campfires and making s'mores at a state park? Do you love swimming in the Great Lakes? Tell us why you love Michigan! Better yet, show us! Submit your original video to our I Love Michigan video contest and you could qualify to win cash prizes! Be original, be funny or be serious. It's up to you! Video submission begins November 1 and ends January 31.

If you're interested, check out the contest rules and also have a look at their video explaining how the contest works.

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Need a new home? Here's 500 abandoned ones all
in the same area by DetroitDerek Photography

Once boasting a population of nearly 2 million, the population of the city of Detroit stands at somewhere between 750,000 and 800,000 residents. Detroit Free Press has a good look at Detroit Mayor Dave Bing's plan to offer incentives next year to concentrate city residents in core areas that will serve as population centers for a newly configured city. It's part of his Detroit Works Project and he says:

"We're going to be encouraging them to move and put themselves in a better situation. ... They are much better off moving into a more dense area so that we can provide them with the services they need: that would be water, sewer, lighting, public safety -- all of that," Bing said. "We think that getting our city to be more dense with its population is the right route."

...City officials say they have identified at least seven to nine population centers that would encompass two-thirds of the city's 139 square miles. That would leave about 45 square miles, though some of that land is already public park space. The availability of strong schools, nonprofits, churches, parks, community development organizations and medical centers -- along with housing stock, income and many other indicators -- will continue to be considered in developing the neighborhood plan, officials say.

Bing says there will be incentives for people to move, but many in the city worry that relocation will not go well. You can read Bing's interview with the Freep and hear what the Mayor is saying about "rightsizing" Detroit below (thanks Rethinking Detroit for the find):

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by Liz Pacheco

Michigan may be one important step closer to offshore wind energy by the end of the year.

In early November, state Rep. Dan Scripps, D-Leland introduced a bill to regulate wind farms in Michigan's Great Lakes waters. The legislation proposes that the state fully oversee offshore wind projects—from initial proposals from developers, through approval and construction.

Proponents say it ensures that Michigan controls who, where and how offshore wind projects are developed.

“If we can put together and have enacted a comprehensive framework, we'll be first in the Great Lakes region,” said Scripps. “There is a huge advantage in doing this for support for onshore job potential. If we don't, and someone else beats us, we'll have lost the opportunity from an investment and jobs standpoint.”

Both Republican and Democratic representatives support the bill. Some advocates are hopeful it can pass in the lame duck session before the new governor and many new legislators take office in January.

“The governor wants to try to get this done to have on her desk to sign it,” Scripps said. “A lot of the pieces are in place, a lot of the questions answered…I know there's going to be a big push.”

Offshore wind faces other development hurdles

It could make Michigan the first state with comprehensive offshore wind development legislation. But even if it passed, offshore wind farms likely are far in Michigan's future.

Before wind towers can be built right in the Great Lakes, “a lot has to be done to get the cost for offshore wind down; a lot of leasing and permitting has to be in place,” said John Sarver, co-chair of the Great Lakes Wind Collaborative. Speaking theoretically, “let's assume we will have legislation in place by the end of the year. There will be years of process, studies and evaluation before construction will start.”

These five Wind Resource Areas are at least 6 miles off shore
away from shipping lanes and sensative habitat and are
covered in 148 feet of water or less.
Photo: Michigan Great Lakes Wind Council

The bill is based on the policy recommendations made in an Oct. 1 report by the Michigan Great Lakes Wind Council, an advisory board created by Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm in September 2009 to explore the power source.

Michigan owns 40 percent of the water surface —more than any other state in the region. This makes the Great Lakes a huge untapped resource for the state.

Michigan State University Land Policy Institute [in a 2009 study] identified 322,000 megawatts of potential, Sarver said.

One megawatt is enough electricity for 225 to 300 homes, giving the Great Lakes the potential to provide energy to millions of Michigan homes.

The council's report presented a more realistic outlook and recommended the most favorable areas for Michigan offshore wind projects.

“Our original charge was to find the most favorable and the least favorable [locations],” said Michael Klepinger, the council's staff director. “That language was inserted there on purpose, so we wouldn't stand around arguing about all the stuff in the middle.”

Strong winds, sensitive habitats, shipping channels help define development sites

Five areas were identified as priority places for offshore wind. All are at least six miles offshore and avoid waters not fit for wind towers, like shipping lanes and sensitive fish and wildlife habitats.

The report also polled community support for offshore wind and recommended legislation for leasing and permitting lake bottoms to offshore wind developers.    

“The government made it clear to the council that they were to look at the statewide public need,” said Klepinger, “not just the needs of the people sitting on the beach or the needs of people sitting in high rises in Detroit.”

More than 575 residents attended the five public meetings held all over the state; 480 participated in the surveys. Nearly two-thirds of these participants showed support for commercial offshore wind farms with the understanding they would help meet the state's renewable energy portfolio. That's a law requiring that 10 percent of Michigan's electricity must come from renewable energy by 2015.

Those opposed to offshore wind worry about impacts on tourism, habitats, property values and the use of the lakes for private gain. Problems such as noise,were also concerns.

Other states also covet Great Lakes wind potential

Michigan isn't the only Great Lakes state working to develop offshore wind projects.

In New York, the state power authority has created a timeline for wind tower construction starting in 2013. Power would be produced in 2015-2016. Unlike Michigan, New York won't need to pass legislation to facilitate their projects, although they will still need to work with federal regulators such as the Army Corps of Engineers.

Click through to Great Lakes Echo for a poll, reader comments and other stories.

In Illinois, a grassroots organization has sparked the discussion on offshore wind energy. Earlier this month a task force under the nonprofit group Citizens for A Greener Evanston received permission from the city council to review offshore wind projects for Lake Michigan, including two submitted proposals.

Despite already receiving proposals, “we know we're not going to be the first” in offshore wind power from the Great Lakes, said Kevin Glynn, a member of the Renewable Energy Resources Task Force with Greener Evanston.

However, not being first gives Evanston the opportunity to learn from its neighbors.   “We're trying to study what's happening in the other states and…what's been going through the legislative,” said Glynn. “We told [the city council] to copy what Ohio and Michigan are doing” in terms of legislation.

Cooperation among states has been an important part of offshore wind development in the Great Lakes.   The Great Lakes Wind Collaborative was established to facilitate discussion and Sarver said that states and provinces have been talking for years, both about offshore and onshore possibilities.

While offshore wind energy is still years in the future, those involved in the projects are excited about its potential. “Everyone benefits,” said Sarver. “There's an advantage getting away from heavy dependence on coal power and diverse resource base.”

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Lansing, Michigan, USA by Mario.Q

Next American City partnered with IBM and its SmarterCities initiative to encourage citizens across the nation to share how their cities are addressing the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century. The prize for the city with the most posts to the SmarterCities Scan was a profile on their website, and Lansing, Michigan, blew the competition away. Their profile of Lansing by Ivy Hughes is a great read and shows why Lansing just might be Michigan's most overlooked success story.

For years, various groups have been trying to change the Greater Lansing Region's image as another Rustbelt city, but these efforts have really taken off in the last few years. Kiplinger recently ranked Lansing as one of the “10 Great Cities for Young Adults”; several Greater Lansing Region businesses have made Inc. magazine's 5,000 fastest-growing companies; Michigan State University (MSU) was chosen as the home base for a the $500 million Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) and is ranked only second to MIT in nuclear physics; and, in 2009, MSU made Entrepreneur magazine's list of “Top Colleges for Business.”

penthouse by TerryJohnston

The author lists some of the factors that make Lansing worthy of this honor including Development, Culture, Ideas, Entrepreneurship and Sustainability, saying:

Changing a city best suited for cars into a walkable, bikeable community is, at the very least, a challenge but several organizations are working to increase the number of bike lanes, walkways and shared use paths. The region's bus system, CATA, is one of most effective transportation systems among communities similar in size to the Greater Lansing Region and is a major player in the effort to shift the ratio of cars to people on the street. Discussions regarding the incorporation of a light rail system into the region's long-term transportation plan have just begun.

Sustainability is the driving force behind these transportation efforts and is the catalyst for the region's vast community garden network and the inspiration for the city's first urban garden — Urbandale farm. Many neighborhood organizations are working to increase the visibility and viability of sustainable eating in the region.

They close with:

...a big thank you to the groups continuing to make the Greater Lansing Region a place we all want to be. They are: #lovelansing, Capital Area Michigan Works!, Accelerate Lansing, YSG Lansing, Capital Gains Media, Keep Learning, LEAP, Grand River Connection, Mid-Michigan Tweet Ups, Prima Civitas, Impression 5, City of East Lansing, NOISE, MSU Catalyst, Walk and Bike Lansing; Greater Lansing Business Monthly; Help Make Mid-Michigan Walk and Bike Friendly!; Lansing Walking & Bicycling Task Force; Arts Council; Lansing Happy Hour Club; and a plethora of hardworking neighborhood associations.

Read more at Next American City and also check out the Lansing tag at Smarter Cities for some of the Capital City's many assets! There are videos there highlighting all kinds of things about the Greater Lansing area such as the many festivals which draw over 1/2 million people a year to the region and this one from Greater Lansing. While it's definitely idealized, it shows the amazing range of offerings the region holds.

Greater Lansing from Leap, Inc. on Vimeo.

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Municipal by Jon DeBoer

A show that's on our radar on is Under the Radar Michigan. In each episode, host Tom Daldin takes you around Michigan to check out the places and talk to the people that are pushing Michigan forward.

In this episode, Tom visits Hopcat, Founders Brewery and the B.O.B. in Grand Rapids and then heads up north to Cadillac's Mitchell State Park and Chef Hermann before heading east to check out new economic and housing developments in Port Huron and also a cool lodging option: the retired Coast Guard Cutter Bramble.

You can check other episodes out on their YouTube and make suggestions for where they should go next on the Under the Radar Michigan Facebook.

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In a matter of hours, we find out which artist from ArtPrize's Top 10 walks away $250,000 richer, and winner of ArtPrize 2010, a 19-day event that has transformed Grand Rapids into an art-lover's paradise. Did you see the splash of coverage on the "Today" show today? How cool.

Join us tonight as we cover every moment of tonight's big announcement, live.

It all starts at 5:20PM 10/7/2010... Tune in, it should be really cool!!!

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mcs by buckshot.jones

David Byrne of Talking Heads fame was in Detroit to perform the title track for This Must Be The Place by Paolo Sorrentino, one of the big budget pictures now filming in Detroit. In his journal entry Don't Forget the Motor City he relates his thoughts & photos as he wanders the city, mostly by bike. It's well worth your time. He also writes:

A few weeks ago I watched a documentary called Requiem For Detroit by British director Julian Temple, who used to be associated with the Sex Pistols. It's a great film, available to watch on YouTube, that gives a context and history for the devastation one sees all around here. This process didn't happen overnight, as with Katrina, but over many many decades. However the devastation is just as profound, and just as much concentrated on the lower echelons of society. Both disasters were man-made.

We've got the documentary below. Featuring a wealth of great historical and present day footage & music, knowledgeable experts on the city's history and even Mitch Ryder, it's an unflinching look at what created the amazing fall of the city, from the rise and dominance of the auto industry to its catastrophic, slow-motion fall. Setting the stage, the narrator intones:

"Not since the last days of the Maya have the Americas witnessed a transformation as traumatic as that which has befallen the Motor City. Here time seems to be running backwards. What was once the frontier city of the American Dream, the Paris of the Midwest, is now in its strange beauty the first post-American city. It's a darkly cautionary tale for the entire industrialized world.

But as you listen to the buzz of cicadas among the wildflowers and prairie that have reclaimed one third of the city, it is possible to feel you've traveled a thousand years into the future, and that amidst the ruins of Detroit lies a first pioneers map to the post-industrial future that awaits us all."

That, I think it the thought I'd like to leave you with. Yes, Detroit is a city that has fallen to perhaps the lowest depths that any US city has ever fallen. However, many of the challenges that Detroit is facing are those that we will all have to face as we run into the hard realities of wanting to spend more than we have, being equipped to make things that nobody wants and having cities that are built for purposes that no longer exist. Detroit is a cautionary tale about changing before you are forced to change to be sure, but within its story lies the hope of a thousand stories of people working to create a new way of being.

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