"Part of the appeal of the tattoo business to me is seeing how people are transformed after getting their first tattoos. There is the fear building up to it, a bit of anxiety, but then I have seen it transform people. It is empowering for people, it makes them more confident and if they are getting art that is meaningful to them it really boosts their self esteem."
~Dana Forrester

Lucky Monkey Tattoo Parlour in downtown Ann Arbor is owned and operated by award-winning rocker and PR doll, Dana Forrester, who says that she's continually inspired by the creative spirit and talent emerging from our great state. While Michigan has long been known for Detroit's Motown music legacy, the Mitten is also a hot bed for some of the nation's most skilled visual artists - including tattooists!

Since opening in 2002, the Lucky Monkey has inked clients from Egypt, Germany, Brazil, Japan, Australia, including numerous high profile clients including Eddie Spaghetti (The Supersuckers), Darren McCarty (Detroit Red Wings), Jazz drummer Terri Lyne Carrington (Herbie Hancock/Arsenio Hall Show), Vinnie Dombroski (Sponge/Crud/The Orbitsuns), Spike from channel 955's Mojo In The Morning show, Wrestler Eddie Venom, and thousands of other satisfied customers.

Talented tattoo artists Brian Massey, Steve Flores, and Finn, and "the coolest shop guys ever" - Sam Felix and Casey Jones, are dedicated to performing the highest level of customer service and artistry. Lucky Monkey Tattoo is an officially licensed body art studio, and all Lucky Monkey Tattoo artists and staff are certified in Bloodborne Pathogens (Disease and Infection Control).

For their giveaway which will be awarded next Wednesday, November 2, they will give our winner a Lucky YOUR Monkey prize pack which includes a $50 Lucky Monkey monkey gift certificate (good towards the cost of a tattoo), a Lucky Monkey Tattoo Tshirt and full color sticker! To sign up, just make sure your email is on our list - form in the blue box at the top of the article!

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The Big Chill by Lon Horwedel | AnnArbor.com

On Saturday (December 11 2010) the University of Michigan Wolverines met the Michigan State University Spartans in The Big Chill at the Big House (Wikipedia entry). A world-record smashing crowd of 113,411 saw the Wolverines pummel the Spartans 5-0, and UM AD Dave Brandon left open the possibility of future hockey at Michigan's largest stadium:

"That's not something you do every year," Brandon said after the six-minute fireworks display that capped Saturday's day-long festivities. "You've got to make it special."

Michigan officials made sure the inaugural outdoor hockey game inside the 83-year-old Ann Arbor landmark was memorable. Fireworks highlighted a pre-game ceremony that also included a stealth bomber flyover and followed each of Michigan's five goals.

Microphones were placed at ice level, piping the sounds of the game into the stadium's bowl to provide fans a more traditional hockey experience. There were video highlights played on the end zone scoreboards throughout the game, leading up to a choreographed fireworks display set to music from "The Big Chill" movie.

Here's the highlight reel from the game and you can see video of the record-setting crowd below!

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Untitled by flatgraphic

In the late 19th century, an interloper was committing thievery across Michigan.

Glimpsed now here, now there, the miscreant evaded capture, flitting away. Finally in the late 1880s the state responded to residents' outrage and levied a bounty on the culprit's head.

Its tiny, fluffy head: the offender was the English or house sparrow.

“This detestable bird is an imported resident,” said Charles Chapman in his 1881 “History of Washtenaw County.” The English sparrow had been introduced in Brooklyn in 1852 in the hope that it would eat harmful insects. It quickly spread across the continent. Wikipedia notes that today it is the world's most widely distributed wild bird.

Chapman continued: “A few pair first made their appearance here in 1873; the streets of Ann Arbor are now overrun with them, and they are gradually making their way to the country. Wherever they locate they drive out the martin, blue-bird, swallows … They are a seed-eating bird, and in portions of Europe do great damage to the crops of the farmer.”

Read on at the Ann Arbor Chronicle!

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President Obama at Michigan Stadium
photo by Sam Wolson/Michigan Daily
(video below)

ANN ARBOR —  President Barack Obama took a break from the constant political storms in Washington, D.C., to address the University of Michigan (U-M) 2010 spring commencement ceremony today. And thunderstorms rolling across the Midwest rewarded him with a break in the weather, as nearly 85,000 graduating seniors, U-M students, families and well-wishers enjoyed overcast skies and a humorous, but reflective speech on American politics that could well have been delivered in a political science lecture hall.

The crowd that packed into Michigan Stadium —  the gridiron popularly known in Ann Arbor as the “Big House” —  more than doubled that of typical commencement ceremonies, in no small part because of Obama's popularity and intrigue among this student body, and young Americans in general. Early morning showers dropped spring rains on southeast Michigan, but the precipitation stopped in earnest by 9 a.m., two hours before the ceremony was to begin.

Adhering to a punctual schedule, Obama entered the stage shortly before 11 along with Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm (a close ally of the President who may someday seek a cabinet position or a Supreme Court nomination once term limits end her governorship) and U-M President Mary Sue Coleman, and took a seat between the two. School of Music, Theatre & Dance senior Mary Martin then opened the ceremony with a performance of “The Star Spangled Banner,” followed by a Reflection from Samir Mohammed Islam, a senior from the College of Literature, Science and the Arts (LSA, which is U-M's largest school).

Following remarks by esteemed faculty members, the spotlight turned to LSA Senior Alex Marston, a D.C. native and third-generation Michigan student whose grandparents met in Angell Hall during the 1940s. His speech on the topic of “change” seemed fitting with Obama just feet away from him, and the cameras focused on Mr. Change whenever the word was used.

“We desire change, but we fear it too,” Marston said. “After (Obama) took office, he found resistance to change,” at which the President whispered something to Gov. Granholm and laughed. Marston alluded to changes in U-M's football program, a new coach and the team's fall from grace over the past three years. The senior also lamented that, for today's graduates, change will mean no more visits to the popular Ann Arbor bar Good Time Charlies, or Zingerman's Deli, and its world famous pastrami sandwiches. “But still, we must embrace change and follow the lead of Michigan graduates to change the world.”

Coleman then honored the nation's 44^th President with an Honorary Doctor of Law degree before thanking Obama for making the trip on Air Force One: “Congratulations to a group of graduating students so exceptional that we had to show you off to the President of the United States. … President Obama, welcome to the Big House,” she said to thundering applause.”

Just after 11:30, Gov. Granholm took the podium (adorned with the President of the United States seal) and applauded Obama: “On behalf of our 10 million citizens, thank you for supporting our auto industry — Ford, General Motors, Chrysler. They all have bright futures now, whereas one year ago much darker clouds than these loomed overhead.” Granholm mentioned a recent visit by Vice President Joe Biden to promote Michigan's electric battery sector. “We could not change Michigan from the rust belt to the green belt without your support, Mr. President,” she continued.

About 10 minutes later Obama rose and drew nearly 30 seconds of applause before opening his speech. He smiled, answered, “I love you back” and then pronounced, “It's great to be here in the Big House. Go Blue,” admitting that he wanted to start things off with a cheap applause line.

Political science

Obama began his speech on a humorous note: “I am happy to join you all today, and even happier to spend a little time away from Washington. Don't get me wrong — it's a beautiful city. And it sure is nice living above the store; can't beat the commute,” he joked. “It's just that sometimes, all you hear in Washington is the clamor of politics — a noise that can drown out the voices of the people who sent you there.”

He reads 10 letters a night from ordinary citizens, including one from a kindergarten class in Virginia, which asked the leader of the free world a series of innocent questions. “One asked, ‘How do you do your job?' Another asked, ‘Do you work a lot?' Somebody wanted to know if I wear a black jacket or if I have a beard — clearly getting me mixed up with that other tall guy from Illinois. And then there was my favorite: ‘Do you live next to a volcano?'”

But after tickling the crowd's funny bone, Obama adopted the conciliatory, unifying stance of the change-maker he's aspired to be in the White House. He admitted that the debate over the size of government is a legitimate one that has existed since this country's beginnings; he called on cable news pundits and others to keep the political debate civil, and he admitted that these issues of political tone are nothing new.

“Before we get too down on the current state of our politics, we need to remember our history. The great debates of the past all stirred great passion. They all made some angry. What is amazing is that despite all the conflict; despite all its flaws and frustrations, our experiment in democracy has worked better than any other form of government on Earth.

Obama's call for a good government, of the people, seemed suitable for a political science class, if not a campaign rally: “Government is the police officers who are here protecting us and the service men and women who are defending us abroad. Government is the roads you drove in on and the speed limits that kept you safe.”

And then the President made perhaps the only allusion to the stormy issues of the day that are certainly on his mind as he flies back to Washington.

Senator Barack Obama in Michigan #3
by radiospike photography

“Government is what ensures that mines adhere to safety standards and that oil spills are cleaned up by the companies that caused them. Government is this extraordinary public university — a place that is doing life-saving research, catalyzing economic growth, and graduating students who will change the world around them in ways big and small.

Shortly after noon today, Obama wrapped up his speech, calling on U-M's graduates to be tomorrow's leaders, and protectors of democracy. And after the seniors filling the football field in a sea of black gowns were officially declared graduates, they honored tradition and tossed their black caps into the air. Formal above the waist, many graduates wore tennis shoes — even Bermuda shorts — below.

U-M a collegiate leader

Ross Business School by JSmith Photo

President Barack Obama is the third sitting U.S. president to deliver a graduation commencement speech in Ann Arbor, following Lyndon Johnson in 1964 and George H. W. Bush in 1991. Johnson used this setting to outline the pillars of his Great Society legislation, which marked the 1960s. Bill Clinton also spoke to U-M's graduates after he left the White House. Video images of Johnson and Bush both appeared on the jumbotron during today's ceremony.

Though they weren't commencement speeches, John F. Kennedy stopped for a midnight rally at the University of Michigan 50 years ago while on the 1960 campaign trail and introduced the Peace Corps. (“Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country,” he said in that recognizable Bostonian accent.) And U-M alum and Grand Rapids native Gerald Ford (the only Michigan native to sit in the Oval Office) launched his unsuccessful re-election campaign here in 1976.

While U-M has taken its lumps on the gridiron in recent years, and all but ceded state basketball bragging rights to Tom Izzo and Michigan State, the university continues to be a national collegiate leader. University president Mary Sue Coleman, who took over the reigns in 2002 following Lee Bollinger's tenure, launched “The Michigan Difference” campaign, which raised $3.2 billion — the most ever by a public university.

The university's value to the state of Michigan is equally immense. The U-M Health System, which serves 1.7 million patients each year, boasts a medical school, three hospitals and more than 120 health centers and clinics. U-M spends over $1 billion annually on research, which has resulted in 2,521 discoveries, 1,184 patent applications and 83 startups. U-M is part of the University Research Corridor, a collaboration with Michigan State and Wayne State universities to accelerate statewide economic development.

Michigan Stadium, which opened in 1927 and was the first college stadium to use electronic scoreboards, holds a capacity of 106,201.

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Holga: Riverside Park by Matt Callow

Wisconsin and Michigan are alike in many ways; they both border Lake Michigan, feature smallish but fierce mammals as mascots, and are shaped roughly like mittens. One more unfortunate similarity is that each harbors a stretch of river that has earned a reputation for repeated, unexplained drownings. Many of the victims in both states have been college students, leading to speculation about serial killers and supernatural causes.

Wisconsin's river of death is the Mississippi where it flows past La Crosse. Starting with the death of a doctor in the 1800s, the river has claimed frequent lives, many of them students at UW-La Crosse. The apparent cause is always simple drowning, and the most recent occurred in late September 2007. Strangely, it was three days after a man and his son reported that a man-sized, bat-winged creature almost flew into the windshield of their truck. A similar creature, Mothman, was sighted around Point Pleasant, Virginia in the 60s before a local bridge collapsed and killed many, leading some to surmise that these winged things are harbingers of death. (See Strange Wisconsin, More Badger State Weirdness)

Michigan's similarly dangerous waters flow in the Huron River near Peninsular Park, in an area where a large old paper mill once commanded the river's power. According to writer James Mann in the Ann Arbor News, drownings were a yearly occurrence there throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and many victims were students at the present Eastern Michigan University. It got to the point where the school would not permit its enrollees to dip even a toe into the Huron's chill waters.

The river then turned its siren-like attention to other citizens who were still foolhardy enough to dive in. One man whose identity was never discovered was found in late September, 1930. The red-haired man, thought to be a vagrant, had tattoos on his arm -- a lovely lady's face and an ornament in the shape of a shield -- but no one ever stepped forward to claim him.

Michiganders and Wisconsinites alike can only hope the Huron and Mississippi have had their fill of human bodies. Weird Michigan's advice? Always use the buddy system, and watch out for strange flying things overhead.

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Ann Arbor Street Fair by Photo Credit Peter Leix

Established in 1960, the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair is the Original of the now four award-winning Ann Arbor Art Fairs:

• The Ann Arbor Street Art Fair, the Original
• The State Street Area Art Fair
• The Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair
• Ann Arbor's South University Art Fair

Together, the fairs attract over 500,000 attendees from across the nation. The Original Fair was named the Number One Art Fair in the country by AmericanStyle magazine readers survey (October 2004) and has made the Top Ten Fairs and Festivals list every year since.

Our mission is to increase public knowledge and appreciation for contemporary fine arts and fine crafts by creating opportunities that connect artists, the Ann Arbor community and the general public to their mutual benefit, culminating in a top quality juried street art fair.

The Street Art Fair is set on North University Avenue and on the University of Michigan's Central Campus, amidst most elegant architecture and beautifully landscaped pedestrian walkways, including the landmark Burton Carillon Tower.

Interested in learning more about our history? Check out these sections from Street Beat, a unique, quirky guide to Ann Arbor and the Art Fair. You may download Street Beat in its entirety.

To celebrate 50 years of originality, the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair is exhibiting original posters, art, and photographs spanning its first half-century. Visitors to the exhibit can explore the history of the Fair through narrative panels chronicling each decade from its humble beginnings to its place today as one of the most highly regarded art fairs in North America. Included in the exhibit is an original retablo by artist Nicario Jiminez depicting the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair. Also check out the online collection of images from the history of the Fair that is a part of AADL's picture Ann Arbor collection.

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cseeman (Corey) is the Library Director at the Kresge Business Administration Library at the University of Michigan (Corey's homepage)

You'll definitely want to check this photo out background bigalicious or in his cool Tulip slideshow. His sets include Birds of Saline, Fiddlers Restrung (not to be confused with the Saline Fiddlers) and Lighthouses of Michigan (slideshow) that is helpfully broken down into Lighthouse of Lake Michigan, Lighthouses of Lake Huron, Lighthouses of Lake Erie and Lighthouses of Lake St. Clair.

You can also check out his Flickriver.

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Morels ! by cedarkayak

The latest issue of Midwest Living feature on the Best Midwest Food Towns served up a platefull of restaurants in our region that might entice the culinary tourist. Their editors selected Traverse City as the #2 town and Ann Arbor #3. Also featured were a collection of recipes from Traverse City including Morel Mushroom Cream Sauce With Pasta and a Creme Fraiche from Shetler's Dairy.

The Detroit City Council's proposal to demolish Michigan Central Station as a means to bring in Federal stimulus dollars seemed to many to have all the brilliance of a plan to get rich quick by selling both your kidneys. Now the Detroit News reports that developer Manuel (Matty) Moroun is proposing to lease Michigan Central Station to the United States government for redevelopment. The Department of Homeland Security offices for Customs and Border Protection are seeking to lease almost 50,000 square feet of space in the Detroit area to house personnel.

Of surprise to nobody - outside of State government at least - the Detroit News is reporting that Michigan's agricultural industry is bucking the trend of decline:

The state's overall agricultural industry -- which includes not only farming but also food processing and biofuels, wineries and beer-making -- grew 12 percent to $71.3 billion in revenue in 2007, following several years of single-digit growth; 2008 figures are not yet available.

...Some 100 agri-food businesses have started in Michigan during the past five years, according to the MDA.

Imagine what we could do if we really invested in building and promoted our agricultural bounty.

Edward Vielmetti has a tasty post that includes Michigan's morel festivals and the book How to Find Morels by Milan Pelouch. Even more about morels at Absolute Michigan keyword morel!

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Thursday April 30th at the Magic Bag in Ferndale features Rachael Davis, My Dear Disco, Nervous But Excited, and Chris Bathgate. ACLU of Michigan staff attorney Jay Kaplan will discuss what his organization's LGBT project is working on to help the cause of LGBT victim rights. Tickets are $10 at the door and the show starts at 8pm.

Friday May 1st in Ann Arbor is Nervous But Excited and Breathe Owl Breathe will play at The Ark. Coalition for Adoption Rights Equality (CARE) President Beverly Davidson will discuss House Bill 4131 that could allow for second-parent adoptions in Michigan. Tickets are $15 at the door and the show starts at 8pm.

Saturday May 2nd at the Insideout Gallery in Traverse City is Kalamazoo-based old time string-bang Who Hit John? (pictured above) will be there along with songwriter Michael Beauchamp and Cmoon, featuring local freestyle artist Cnote, Moon Beam and Adam Reid. Triangle Foundation Victim Service Director Melissa Pope will discuss various legal and political issues. Tickets are $15 at the door, $12 in advance.

Here's their promo video...

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Where's Waldo? by murn

On her blog Relish, photographer Myra Klarman has posted Marching toward FestiFools 2009, a great collection of photographs from snooping around the studio over the last several weeks to document the massive “behind-the-scenes” effort that goes into creating the 1-hour spectacle that is the annual FestiFools.

FestiFools 2009 takes place in Ann Arbor this Sunday (April 5) at 4 PM sharp in downtown Ann Arbor (Main St., between Washington and William). You can get all the details at festifools.org and even volunteer to help if you want.

Here's a great slideshow of FestiFools photos from the Absolute Michigan pool on Flickr!

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ballin' by Beth☮♥♬

With the 2009 Final Four taking place in Detroit, it's probably fitting that both the University of Michigan Wolverines and Michigan State Spartans have received NCAA Basketball Tournament bids

It's the first NCAA tournament bid for the Wolverines since 1998, a #10 seed in the South Region with a draw of Clemson (23-8). UM takes a record of 20-13 into the 6:10 PM game on Thursday (Mar 19).

The Spartans (26-6) secured the #2 seed in the Midwest region. This is the 12th consecutive bid and they will face Robert Morris in the opener. Despite a disappointing loss to Ohio State in the Big Ten tourney, they are expected to do well after playing one of the toughest schedules in the country.

More UM & MSU Links (add more in the comments below!)

• Green & White from the Lansing State Journal and mLive's UM Wolverine's page.
• University of Michigan and Michigan State at rivals.com
• Michigan State & University of Michigan and at ESPN's Clubhouse
• The blogs: MGoBlog & Spartan Tailgate
• YouTube: Michigan State Spartans opening video & University of Michigan team celebrates with fans on Selection Sunday

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More pics from the A2FF

The Ann Arbor Film Festival returns March 24 - 29, 2009. It's the longest-running film festival of its kind in North America and is internationally recognized as a premiere showcase for creative, inspiring, and influential films of all types: avant-garde and experimental, story-based narratives, documentaries, and animation. The New World of Independent Cinema trailer features music by Mark "Why Yes I Was in Devo" Mothersbaugh and was animated by Absolute Michigan Flickr pool member Martin Thoburn.

You can become a fan of the A2FF Facebook page and buy tickets and get all the details at the 47th Annual Ann Arbor Film Festival home page. In addition to a full schedule and film trailers, they have some cool features like How to Festival and the buzz, which shows you what tickets are hot.

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Matt (iraceonpedals) says he's a guy who loves to travel, ride bikes, take pictures, be with his dog, girl and finds most things generally interesting.

In addition to his sets like A-Deuce (slideshow) and his collection of photos from Northern Ireland (which I of course can't link to it being all Michigan, all the time and all), I think you'll find The Adventures of Ripley Rockwilder (and friends) interesting, including her latest in Dotbama's Secret Service.

View this photo large to see the crazy duck explosion and check out Matt's Flickriver!

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To read an excerpt from the book visit newsstand.com.

Fore more information regarding the author Michael Rosenberg visit his website www.michael-rosenberg.com. Dig a little deeper into the following articles and reviews on these websites: The New York Times, Chicago Tribune and mlive.com.

The Michigan Notable Books program annually selects 20 of the most notable books published in the year. The selections are reflective of Michigan's diverse ethnic, historical, literary, and cultural experience. You can click to view more Notable Books featured on Absolute Michigan and learn more about the program at www.michigan.gov/notablebooks.

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Born in Detroit, Michigan, in 1945, Seger moved to Ann Arbor as a young boy. He began singing at the age of four. His father (who played six instruments) bought him a bass ukulele, and Seger learned how to play it by the time he was ten. At the age of fifteen, Seger started writing songs and playing guitar. His first band, called the Decibels, played high school dances, parties and small clubs. In 1968, Seger and his band signed a major record contract. The following year, “Ramblin' Gamblin' Man” was Seger's first national hit record.

Despite a big hit, Seger enjoyed only limited success. Critics suggested he was just a “one-hit wonder.” Seger was popular in the Midwest, especially Michigan, but as one observer wrote in 1976, “he just doesn't seem to be cutting it” elsewhere in the nation. Despite these observations, Seger kept writing and singing songs--and things improved.

In a few years, Seger was back on the national scene with a series of hit records. The album Night Moves sold 6 million copies and was his first Top 10 album. Seger's next album Against the Wind rose to number one on the Billboard 200 top album chart. Soon Seger's songs (“Old Time Rock & Roll,” “Like a Rock” and “Shakedown”) appeared in movies and television commercials, giving him more national recognition.

In 2004, Seger, who took a decade off to raise a family, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Three years later, he released a new album and went on a national tour. Although older than most rock and rollers, Seger said it was “fun to go to work again.”

Today, Seger still lives in Michigan. He has sold more than 50 million records and the Detroit Free Press called him Michigan ‘s number one entertainer. When asked recently what he wanted to be remembered for, he said, “I held true to what I liked about music.”

To learn more about Michigan's music history call (800) 366-3703 or visit www.michiganhistorymagazine.com for more information.

Couldn't resist, just for old times sake...

Sherman, to the wayback back machine....

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Stylized by Ralph Krawczyk Jr

Neil Young was just a few days shy of his 23rd birthday in 1968 when he performed a now-legendary solo show at the Canterbury House in Ann Arbor. You can read about the show and listen to some of the album Sugar Mountain: Live At Canterbury House 1968 (includes links to order).

As you follow the ongoing saga of the auto industry, I'm sure you're thinking "Well, what does this mean for advertising? Will I see as many car commercials?" No? Curiously enough, Advertising Age is thinking about such matters and notes that General Motors is planning to slash roughly $600 million in spending by 2012 and support only half of its eight brands. The article details GM's planned spending and also that of Ford & Chrysler and is worth a read. Another worthy read is In Michigan's auto belt, it's nail-biting time from the Christian Science Monitor.

Forbes reports that Michigan is leading the way ... in unemployment. Along with Rhode Island, Michigan clocked in with a seasonably adjusted unemployment rate of 9.3% in October. The "good" news is that a dozen more states saw rates above 7%, so I guess we're not all alone.

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The photo is Heading home for the holidays by Kathy, and we at Absolute Michigan hope that you have a chance to share good food, drink and fellowship with those you love over the Thanksgiving holiday.

We'd also like to wish a Happy Thanksgiving to all of you who contribute to Absolute Michigan with your photos, video, writing and presence. We are very grateful that you choose to share some of your selves with us.

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Zombie Walk Detroit by Wigwam Jones

If you happen to suddenly find yourself surrounded by hordes of flesh eating zombies don't be alarmed. October 26 is 'World Zombie Day' and around 50 cities including Ferndale and Ann Arbor will be participating in zombie walks. Why you may ask? First of all to have fun but better yet is to help those in need. Zombies as social activists? Thats right, the walks also serve as food drives with participants and spectators being encouraged to bring non-perishable food that will be donated. Food collected from the Ferndale walk will benefit the Ferndale Food Bank and Gleaners and food from the Ann Arbor walk will benefit Food Gatherers a local food bank. Can you feel the zombie love? The third goal to the event is to get into the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest organized walk. Whatever, why not, go for it, def encourages participation...

To get more information on the Ferndale zombie walk visit Zombie Walk Detroit

To get more information on the Ann Arbor zombie walk visit Zombie Walk A2

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...except for last weekend of course, when politics was a welcome relief for UM and MSU fans. After getting pasted by a combined 91-24, the state of Michigan is assured of a Big Ten victory on Saturday as the Michigan State University Spartans travel to Ann Arbor and the Big House to face the University of Michigan Wolverines for bragging rights and the Paul Bunyan Trophy. You can read all about the trophy and the game at Michigan vs Michigan State Football Rivalry from Absolute Michigan.

Over there to the right is just a bit of The Best Thing I Saw on These Internets This Week: The Season of Much Woe by Samara Pearlstein of Roar of the Tigers. Relive all the shock, all the outrage, all the Spazzosaurus and be sure to tell her how cool it is so she'll do the next installment!!

Darren McCarty by radiospike photography

The Detroit Bad Boys are getting ready for the NBA season to start and report that power forward Jason Maxiell will test the waters of free agency next year. Bummer, but hopefully that means he plays harder than ever. In their 2008-09 Pistons Preview, they say (only half-jokingly) that the biggest offseason move was the Flip Saunders for Amir Johnson trade. Over at Ball Don't Lie, crazy Canadian blogger turned crazy Canadian blogger with a Yahoo contract J.E. Skeets has a Pistons season preview that says the Pistons may miss Flip in crunch time and Need4Sheed feels it's Larry O-Brien or Bust for the Pistons core of Billups, Prince and Rasheed.

Finally, in some depressing news, the Detroit Red Wings waived 36-year-old Darren McCarty. If he clears waivers, he'll be assigned to Grand Rapids.

For those of you who are thinking that I forget to mention the Detroit Lions, I didn't.

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Fallen Beauty by lorainedicerbo

Welcome to 'The Week' for October 20-26. This is where we will be posting comments such as news items, interesting blog posts, cool video and media, coming events, new web sites added to Absolute Michigan and other items of note.

We invite you to do the same!

Temps are dropping and most areas have already experienced their first frost with snow coming up in the forecast. With this change in weather it is a great week to check out the The Michigan Story Festival in Mt. Pleasant on October 24 - 25. The two-day Michigan Story Festival offers a complete showcase of the power of storytelling in all its art forms. Michigan Story Festival is one of the only storytelling festivals to integrate the stories of many cultures and traditions. There is also the History, Mystery & Haunting: THE WHITNEY RESTAURANT in Detroit on October 25th for an evening to be remembered! First enjoy a three-course meal at this beautiful, 5-star restaurant. Later, Kathleen Tedsen and Beverlee Rydel, authors of "Haunted Travels of Michigan" will tell the Whitney story and, in association with paranormal team HIGHLAND GHOST HUNTERS, will share their experience and evidence collected during a two-night investigation. You may be in for a surprise! Photographs, Video & Audio Presented. A ghost hunt will follow.

Also be sure to check out our massive Michigan Haunted Houses, Mazes & Attractions page that features all kinds of haunted houses, corn mazes and scary attractions from all across Michigan.

Also, this Saturday the Michigan State University Spartans travel to Ann Arbor to play the University of Michigan Wolverines at The Big House. Check out our Michigan vs Michigan State Football Rivalry page for a ton of information on this much anticipated annual football game!

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gothic splendor by dnj_Brian

Nathan Bomey of the Ann Arbor Business Review has an interesting piece showcasing how Michigan's three research universities have a direct and significant impact on our state's economy.

One of every $50 earned in the state of Michigan can be attributed to the economic impact of the state's three research universities, according to a new report.

"The economic impact of them is growing even at a time when the wages in the state are declining and the state budget support is declining," said Patrick Anderson, CEO of East Lansing-based Anderson Economic Group, which conducted the study.

The University Research Corridor - which consists of the University of Michigan, Michigan State University and Wayne State University - registered a net economic impact of $13.3 billion in 2007, up 3.5 percent from 2006, the report concluded.

Continue reading: State's universities drive economic development in the Ann Arbor Business Review at mlive.com

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Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds by Amy Loo Who

Established in 1960, the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair is the Original of the now four award winning art fairs together attracting over 500,000 attendees from across the nation. Among the many accolades received by the fair is the Number One Art Fair rating in the country (October 2004) and Top Ten Art Fair (October 2005, 2006 and 2007) by the AmericanStyle readers survey.

The 49th annual Fair will take place July 16-19, 2008 on the Ingalls Mall Lawn by the Burton Memorial Tower, North University, and the Diag on the Central Campus at the University of Michigan. The Fair will feature 170 juried artists, five New Artists from local universities and colleges, the Potters Guild and an array of free art activities and performances for the whole family to enjoy.

View Larger Map

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Locally grown salad! by jpwbee

Taste the Local Difference says that baby salad greens are ready to pick! Mixed greens are high in Vitamins A and C, potassium, calcium, phosphorus and (hopefully) crunchiness. Fresh picked greens have the highest nutritional content, but you can keep them fresh by wrapping them gently in slightly damp paper towels and then placing in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.

Another name for mixed baby greens is mesclun. The name originated in Provencal, France and it describes a salad that includes a combination of textures, tastes and colors. Edible flowers like nasturtiums, marigolds, violas, and chive blossoms are often added to mesclun mixes.

Mixed Greens with Baked Goat Cheese Toasts

For the Vinaigrette
1 Tbsp. Champagne vinegar
1 shallot, finely minced (about 2 Tbsp.)
Fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

For the Toasts
12 thin slices baguette, diagonally cut
1 1/2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 lb. fresh goat cheese without a rind, at room temperature
1 tsp. coarsely chopped fresh thyme

Mix olive oil, goat cheese & thyme, spread on lightly toasted baguette and bake until cheese is just brown.

For the Greens
6 oz. mixed baby salad greens
About 1/2 cup loosely packed unsprayed edible flowers, such as nasturtiums, marigolds or chive blossoms (optional)

jpwbee says she got the greens in the photo above in February from the hoop house at Brines Farm. You can buy their products on Saturdays at the Ann Arbor Farmers Market!

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There's pretty much zero chance that I'm NOT going to post a link to an article titled "Proton beam group forms". More here.

The photo is Attacked by a lamp post (150) by caterpillars. It's part of her Detroit show. Yow.

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Plumeria by IShutterToThink

Named after former Michigan regent Frederick C. Matthaei, Sr. and his wife Mildred, who donated 200 acres of land, the Matthaei Botanical Gardens are operated by the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Spring is a great time to visit and watch the Gardens come to life. Here is a downloadable Visitor Guide to help you enjoy your time there.

Exploration of the Gardens begins at the Visitor Center where you will find trails which all start and eventually loop back to the building. A visit to the unique Alden B. Dow commissioned Conservatory includes the Tropical House, Warm Temperate House, Bonsai & Penjing Collection and the Arid House.

Besides the beautiful plant life, onsite artwork, both visual and performance is important to the overall experience. The integration of the art with plant life is a interesting way to view the works and take in their messages.

The library and resource center, with over 3,200 cataloged books provides visitors a chance to learn all about plants and the issues surrounding them.

Here is a list of all of the trails, display gardens, natural areas and other exhibits throughout Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum.

You may be interested in their 28th Annual Spring Plant Sale being held May 2-4 or in checking out the calendar of events.

Enjoy an August, 2007 video sldeshow by videoexchange over at YouTube.

Check out a collection of 360 ° virtual tours of some of the gardens and natural areas.

The Huron Valley Chapter of the American Institute of Architects has created podcasts to accompany a walking tour of Ann Arbor. Included is a Matthaei Botanical Gardens podcast. There is also a downloadable 'Ann Arbor Guide to Architecture' which includes a map and description of each entry.

Here are a ton of pics from Flickr to entice you to visit the Matthaei Botanical Gardens.

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Tonight in NCAA action, fifth seeded Michigan State will attempt to pull off an upset over the #1 seed Memphis. You can read the NCAA's preview of the game or just paint your monitor green & white with Spartan Tailgate, the Enlightened Spartan, mLive's MSU section and greenandwhite.com.

Be sure to also check out our Michpics March Madness features on the Breslin Center and Crisler Arena.

Photo courtesy MGOBLUE and in honor of the teams, we gave our header a little shake and bake:

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Opening Day by Tanguay

Established in 1963, this internationally-renowned festival showcases independent and experimental film and video and is the oldest of its kind in North America. Each year the festival attracts entries from artists worldwide and screens more than 100 films. Every year they select a four-hour program of awarded and highlighted films for the Ann Arbor Film Festival Tour that travels around the country from March through December to college classrooms and auditoriums, art theaters, and museums.

Thousands of influential filmmakers have showcased early work at the AAFF, including luminaries such as Kenneth Anger, Agnes Varda, Andy Warhol, Yoko Ono, Gus Van Sant, Barbara Hammer, Lawrence Kasdan, and George Lucas.

The Festival came under fire in 2006 and was used as a mechanism to end all state funding for the arts. The AAFF fought back and won in December 2007. Read all about the 'Censorship Controversy'. While you're there read about the the cultural and economic impact that the film festival has on Michigan. As a result of the cuts in funding and censorship attempts the festival nearly went belly up but thanks to the creative folks that work to keep the festival going it survived.

"As part of the Endangered campaign, the volunteers and staff of the Ann Arbor Film Festival performed several Acts of Audacity, which can be viewed here. The acts were chosen by donors, who voted each time they made a contribution."

ArtFilmTalk.com has an audio interview with Christen McArdle that is worth a listen.

"Christen McArdle is the Executive Director of the Ann Arbor Film Festival, the oldest festival of its kind in North America showcasing avant-garde, documentary and independent films from around the world. We talk about the festival's fundraising campaign and the censorship controversy the festival has been involved with."

This year's festival will feature special programs and guest speakers including Hustler magazine publisher Larry Flynt, cinematographer-filmmaker Ellen Kuras, and artist Steve Kurtz. Larry Flynt will join producer-director Joan Brooker-Marks for the screening of her documentary Larry Flynt: The Right to be Left Alone, which plays on Saturday, March 29 at 7:30pm at the Michigan Theater.

Sunday the festival presents "Made in Michigan" which features 8 films by Michigan based filmmakers.

"The State of Michigan is home to a rich tradition of not just talented artists, but also an incredible breadth and diversity of styles. The films in this program present some of the most creative and colorful voices from the festival's home state."

For your viewing pleasure watch part 1 of 6 "2004 Michigan Television Highlight of Ann Arbor Film Festival" produced and directed by Christopher McElroy. Wander over to the AAFF YouTube page for the rest of this show and many other AAFF vids.

For much more on the AAFF, check out aafilmfest.org, the AAFF MySpace Page, the AAFF on Flickr as well as this great set on Flickr by William Couch. You may also want to register on the AAFF B-Side Community Home where you can track the festival buzz, create your personal calendar, rate and review films, and get recommendations for great films at the festival. Registration is not required to view the schedule or film list.. Another site of interest for Michigan film fanatics is MichiganFilm.org, a web site that highlights independent films from Michigan filmmakers and seeks to network those filmmakers and actors together. If you'd like to check out previous years award winners click on over to IMDB for a run down.

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Ethiopian food is naturally low fat due to preservation issues and their menu includes poultry, lamb, beef and a wide range of vegetarian dishes. They also feature a full bar, the spicy teas of the country and (of course) Ethiopian Coffee!

Note that Quality is guaranteed by Seifu Lessanwork, personal butler to His Majesty, the Emperor of Ethiopia!

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ode to moonball by postpurchase

postpurchase writes:

another image from the full moon rise from last november. unfortunately, ann arbor is located just in the right spot to receive seemingly continuous cloud cover generated by lake michigan in the winter months. i want to test my new lens out on something other than gray... aarrghh. hoping some miracle will clear the skies for the upcoming lunar eclipse on feb 20th...

In addition to a lot of diagrams taking you through the eclipse that show how a lunar eclipse works, NASA's page on the February 20th Lunar Eclipse says:

A total eclipse of the Moon occurs during the night of Wednesday, February 20/21, 2008. The entire event is visible from South America and most of North America (on Feb. 20) as well as Western Europe, Africa, and western Asia (on Feb. 21). During a total lunar eclipse, the Moon's disk can take on a dramatically colorful appearance from bright orange to blood red to dark brown and (rarely) very dark gray.An eclipse of the Moon can only take place at Full Moon, and only if the Moon passes through some portion of Earth's shadow.

They say that mid-eclipse is 10:26 PM EST - here's hoping for an eclipse miracle!

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Fleetwood Mohawk by aTanguay

Food at the Fleetwood Diner is, as one might expect, no-frills, hot as blazes and delicately flavored with whatever else has been on the grill all day. This is a good thing. Come here for all manner of eggs, bacon, sausage, etc., burgers the way you want them, greasy fries, BLTs, tuna sandwiches and more. Don't miss the Fleet's most famous meal, Hippie Hash, a dizzying fry-up of shredded potatoes, onions, tomatoes, and broccoli all bound together with feta cheese and some kind of meat if you want it.

The Fleetwood has no official web site, but satisfied customer Jim Rees maintains a great Fleetwood Diner site with history, photos, links and updates like No news is good news. The Fleetwood has not been torn down for a parking garage. The Fleetwood has not gone out of business. It's still there, serving up food and coffee 24 hours a day.

Check out the original Fleetwood in Ann Arbor, the Fleetwood in Lansing and the latest Fleetwood in Kentwood (Grand Rapids) on our Absolute Michigan Map of Michigan.

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