Detroit's beloved rock sons - Sponge - will offer fans a rare treat when they perform their break through hit CD "Rotting Piñata" for the first time ever in its entirety - and in CD track order at Mt. Clemens' Emerald Theatre on Saturday, January 28.

Before Kid Rock became synonymous with Detroit ROCK, Sponge dominated MTV and national radio with their hits "Plowed" and "Molly/16 Candles," culled from the band's electrifying debut CD "Rotting Piñata." The CD went Gold, securing Sponge's place in Detroit's music history books.

Sponge went on to release 6 CDs, garnering additional hits including "Wax Ecstatic" and "Have You Seen Mary." The unforgettable performances by charismatic lead singer Vinnie Dombroski have earned Sponge a reputation as a "not to be missed" live act, and you have a chance to do exactly that in a couple of special upcomg live shows.

Admission for Sponge's Emerald Theatre show (located at 31 N. Walnut St.) is $15 in advance ($18 day of the show), and are available now at the venue's box office and Ticketmaster. A stellar line up of Michigan rock bands will open for Sponge, most notably Amy Gore and Her Valentines.

After the Emerald Theatre performance, Sponge will perform an intimate SECOND (and possibly THIRD) show inside the Emerald Theatre's Rock Room, playing hits from the band's entire music catalog. Admission for these shows is by donation with 100% of proceeds benefitting local Susan A. Komen 3- Day walking team "Trekking for Ta-Tas."

For more information on the shows, please contact the venue at 586-913-1921 or visit their website. More information on Sponge is available at spongetheband.com. We'll close with Sponge performing "Molly/16 Candles" on the Conan O'Brien Show in 1996.

Absolute Michigan is committed to helping our readers get more out of Michigan. To that end, we are adding an exciting new program featuring giveaways of products and services from all kinds of Michigan businesses. It's free, fun and all you have to do to be eligible is to be on our email list - sign up using the form below. We guarantee that we will not share your email address with anyone!

If your business is interested in participating, you can get all the information right here.

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I have a dream this afternoon that one day right here in Detroit, Negroes will be able to buy a house or rent a house anywhere that their money will carry them and they will be able to get a job.

~Martin Luther King, June 23, 1963 Detroit, Michigan

Martin Luther King Jr, Walk to Freedom Detroit Michigan, 1963

The quotation above comes not from Dr. Martin Luther King’s famous "I Have a Dream" speech, but rather from the massive Great March on Detroit (also known as the Walk to Freedom and the Freedom March) that happened 2 months earlier.

On June 23, 1963, an estimated 125,000 people marched down Detroit’s Woodward Avenue carrying placards and singing “We Shall Overcome.” National and state leaders who marched along with Reverend King included United Auto Workers president Walter Reuther, former Michigan governor John B. Swainson, and Detroit mayor Jerome Cavanagh. The march ended at Cobo Hall where the Reverend King was cheered by thousands of marchers when he emphasized that segregation needed to end.

King called the Great March “one of the most wonderful things that has happened in America.”

You can click to read the full text of King's speech and also hear some of the speech here and listen to some of King's last Detroit sermon. There’s a few pictures of the march at the Detroit News including this shot of the crowd on Woodward Ave from above (sorry – no direct link scroll down and look for it). You can also get a shot of King speaking at Cobo from Wayne State University.

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We featured Chrysler's Super Bowl ad smash Imported from Detroit (starring Eminem) and the fantastic Grand Rapids Lip Dub (starring pretty much the entire city of Grand Rapids) on Absolute Michigan when they came out, but it looks like we may have missed the best of them all! Mark writes:

Billed as the first lipdub to feature senior citizens, this clip of a Grand Rapids retirement community drew national attention in July. The clip was produced with help from students at nearby Grand Valley State University.

It features his grandparents, but with 1.2 million views, Mark's not alone and we think you'll agree, this is one awesome video... (if you have another we missed, post it in the comments)

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Hope For The Future by Flint Foto Factory

Last week Gov. Rick Snyder appointed Michael Brown as the emergency manager for the city of Flint under Public Act 4. A state-appointed review panel recommended a state takeover for the city of Flint, citing recurring cash flow shortages and other financial deficiencies. Flint had an estimated $15 million deficit in 2010 and is projected to have a $7 million deficit in 2011. The Flint Journal explains that:

Brown is under no illusion that fixing the city's long-standing financial problems will be an easy task.

"I know it's a major challenge, there's no glossing it over," Brown said hours after his appointment was announced by Snyder's office. "I think there's a long road ahead and we've got a lot of work to do."

Under state law amended in March under Snyder's administration, emergency managers can strip local elected leaders of their power and have unilateral authority to cut pay, outsource city services, merge departments and, as a last resort, change employee contracts.

Flint Emergency Manager Michael Brown

Brown eliminated pay and benefits for the mayor and Flint City Council, ousted numerous appointees of Flint Mayor Dayne Walling and also canceled City Council meetings until further notice. Brown was interim mayor for six months in 2009 and is the current President of Prima Civitas and director of the Flint Area Reinvestment Office which he founded.  He will receive a salary of $170,000 for the position. There's a special page now on the City of Flint website where you can view orders of the Emergency Manager.

You can hear an interview with Michael Brown from Michigan Radio and also a series of video responses from Cindy Shafran's blog.  Follow the discussion at Flint Talk and check out more stories from Flint on Absolute Michigan.

In 2002 the state took over Flint, and Engler appointed Ed Kurtz who issued over 120 directives during his 2 year tenure. Last week the state also took the first steps toward a takeover of Detroit, and Jack Lessenberry notes that the Michigan Emergency Manager law may be placed on hold due to a ballot measure. You can also hear Jack Lessenberry's thoughts on the Flint and Detroit takeovers and hear what Mayor Dave Bing and other Detroit officials to say about that and share your thoughts below.

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This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave.
~Elmer Davis

Today's photo and quotation is provided by luna.nik and I think that it pretty much sums up what is asked, what is given and what we are called to remember and honor on Veterans Day and all the year long.

If you don't get a chance to get out to Veteran's Day parades or ceremonies to hear some veterans speak, you can see some interviews with veterans from the Southfield Veterans Commission that were produced as part of the Library of Congress Veterans History Project. This one features Herbert Howard of Southfield and there are many more right here.

Much more Michigan Veterans Day information.

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It's been a loooong time since our last Photo Friday on Absolute Michigan, but when I realized I had a photo saved by sharona 315 사론아 (Sharon Lanzetta-Foster) and that she was part of next Saturday's Exposure Detroit November Show, I figured it was an excellent time to dust the feature off!

Check this shot out bigger and see more of her work in sets including Michigan Central Station, Fall Walks and Black & White (slideshow).

Dive into her Flickriver.

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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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Game 4 - Can we all agree that Nelson Cruz should not be pitched to?

It's one of the best games I've ever been involved in. Great plays by both teams. Just didn't come out the right way.
~ Detroit Tiger manager Jim Leyland

While we agree with Leyland that last night's game was one of the most exciting playoff games in recent memory, the 7-3 loss to the Rangers on Nelson Cruz's second 11th inning walkoff HR was heartbreaking and places the Tigers in a do or die situation.

With closer Jose Valverde and setup man Joaquin Benoit ruled out for tonight, it all rides on Justin Verlander's shoulders this afternoon. While the position is pretty bleak, you can certainly say that there's nobody else who should be in this position. Play ball!

Game 3 - Tigers Win 5-2!

"The only way I don't play tomorrow is if I wake up and I'm dead."
~ Victor Martinez (more on V-Mart)

Following losses in Game 1 & 2 in Texas, many were already writing an obituary for the battered Tigers. After a convincing 5-2 win last night at Comerica, "bruised but not beaten" is the verdict. Following a Victor Martinez solo shot in the 4th to even the score, the Tiger bats woke up and delivered 11 hits including three homers in support of a stellar 7 1/3 inning outing by Doug Fister. Of course there's no way we won't give you the link to this gem - Detroit legend Aretha Franklin singing the National Anthem.

Game 4 starts today at 4:19 PM, and we're declaring today & tomorrow Michigan Leave Your Workplace Early Day!

Games 1 & 2 of the ALCS Tigers vs Rangers

We had a long weekend of baseball in the series, and here's not much you can say about the 2 losses other than "At least it's a 7 game series." Game 1 was a 3-2 loss, but the real loss was rightfielder Magglio Ordonez who was lost for the rest of the season to a broken ankle. Once again a Justin Verlander outing was spoiled by rain, and the Tiger ace summed it up by saying "Quite frustrating. I really felt as a team, we were starting to get into a rhythm there. We were starting to swing the bats better, and it just killed the momentum."

Tonight's game was a hard-fought post-season classic that ran 11 innings with a great performance from Max Scherzer and Jose Valverde pitching out of a 9th inning jam. The Ranger bats proved too much for Ryan Perry who surrendered 3 singles in the 11th before Nelson Cruz hit the first official walk-off grand slam in post season history to give the Rangers a 7-3 victory in Game 2.

The series comes to Detroit for 3 games starting Tuesday night as Doug Fister takes the hill at 8:05 on FOX.

Game 5 - Tigers win the series 3-2!

Last night the Detroit Tigers went into Yankee Stadium and came out with a 3-2 victory.

Game 4 - Yankees win 10-1

There's not much you can say about last night's 10-1 drubbing at the hands of the Bronx Bombers. (except of course "Don't be sad Rick Porcello").

ESPN New York has video and this to say about the man who saved the Yankees season for at least one game:

As a ballplayer acquired in mid-career, Curtis Granderson was not favored to enhance the mythology of New York Yankees center fielders. Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Bernie Williams -- they were lifers, men who spent every big league day under the world's most recognizable cap.

...The Yankees dealt (Austin) Jackson after their 2009 championship season because they didn't think his future would match Granderson's present. And so it was fitting in Game 4 of the division series, on a night Jackson would fail to run down the winning two-run blast from Derek Jeter, that Granderson made two catches honoring the tradition of the Yanks' most celebrated position.

Two catches definitely saving four runs, and probably saving five, in a 10-1 thrashing of the Tigers that made a most improbable winner out of A.J. Burnett and pulled the Yankees from the brink of a devastating end.

"He saved the season," Alex Rodriguez said of Granderson. "Not once, but twice."

Tiger Skipper Jim Leyland agreed that the catch was a huge out in his postgame conference. It comes down to 8 PM on Thursday night in Yankee Stadium when Doug Fister will take the mound vs Ivan Nova who shut them down in Game 1. In the Game 5 preview at tigers.com, the observe that the Yanks haven't won a decisive Game 7 or Game 5 since Aaron Boone connected off Tim Wakefield in Game 7 of the 2003 AL Championship Series. Here's hoping that streak can continue!

Game 3 - Tigers WIN 5-4!!

Ladies and gentlemen, your conductor on the Tiger Rollercoaster is Justin Verlander, who threw 120 pitches, including five straight triple-digit fastballs to A-Rod in the EIGHT INNING.

The recap on the Tigers website notes that his 11 strikeouts were the most by a Tigers pitcher in the postseason since Joe Coleman in the 1972 ALCS. His 15 pitches at 100 mph or better is believed to be a career high. Here's video highlights from last night that include some of that heat, and also some photos from Game 3. Let's not forget Leyland's decision to start Ramon Santiago and Delmon Young's continuing offensive heroics.

Roar of the Tigers has a great post (with her awesome cartoons) on the first three games of the series, what it's been like watching them. Starring (of course) Max Sherzer as (I think) Godzilla, it's a must-read!

Tonight Rick Porcello gets his first postseason start. In other news, the Tigers have ALCS tickets on sale now!

Game 3 Preview

Tonight it's a do-over of Game 1's Battle of the Aces as Justin Verlander starts opposite C.C. Sabathia tonight at 8:30 at Comerica Park. Click that image to the right for a preview video from MLB TV. Kurt over at Bless You Boys wonders how this statement from Papa Grande makes you feel...

"It's over already, (Justin) Verlander has it tomorrow. The next day we have the celebration in Detroit. They have a good team, but I think that's it for them."

--Tigers closer Jose Valverde after the game.

Game 2 - Tigers win 5-3

The Tigers took control of the series last night on the strength of a strong outing by pitcher Max Scherzer, holding off a 9th inning Yankee rally and hanging on for a 5-3 victory to even the series at 1-1.

It was a power-pitching form the Tigers saw in Scherzer when they acquired him from Arizona in the trade that sent Curtis Granderson to New York. With a fastball that topped out at 98, five miles above his regular-season average, his changeup became a dangerous swing-and-miss pitch.

"He was really good, the best I've ever seen him," Teixeira said. "Great fastball, his changeup was really, really good, and the numbers don't lie. He just dominated us."

Also check out this cool article on the Tigers' use of social media.

Game 1 - Tigers lose 9-3

Not much to say about this one. As the Detroit Tigers recap relates what Doug Fister was thinking:

It was almost surreal in the Stadium as the game resumed in the bottom of the second inning on Saturday night with the same lineups for both clubs -- sans the starting pitchers -- and the score tied at 1. In the press box, Fister was announced as the replacement for Verlander. But Fister said it wasn't so surreal for him on the field.

"For me, that was a scheduled 8:37 start, and it wasn't anything different," he said afterward. "It's tied 1-1. It's basically a 0-0 ballgame in my head, just as always. I go up there facing the Yankee lineup, and it's no different for me if it's bottom of the first, top of the first. It's all the same."

Doug Fister by Keith Allison

Game .1667

The playoff opener between the Detroit Tigers and New York Yankees was suspended because of rain in the second inning Friday night, wiping out both No. 1 starters for a few days. The game will resume tonight at 8:37 PM with the score tied at 1, but neither Verlander nor Sabathia will be back on the mound until they get some rest.

"I do feel bad for the national audience," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "Certainly, it was really a marquee matchup. That's a little sad, but that's just the way it is." started for Detroit against in a highly anticipated matchup between two of baseball's best pitchers. The teams played for 30 minutes before the game was halted.

According to a rule adopted by Major League Baseball after rain and snow wreaked havoc with the 2008 World Series, the game is not postponed. So it will pick up Saturday night at the point of suspension - weather permitting - with the Yankees coming to bat in the bottom of the second inning.

Doug Fister now gets the start The forecast calls for rain through late Saturday night, so who knows if they will get it in!

Cabrera 1 by RichardDemingPhotography

Post-season Preview

Detroit Tiger slugger Miguel Cabrera captured the American League batting title with a .344 batting average. After batting .390 in August, Cabrera went .429 (39-for-91) from Sept. 1 onward, racking up 12 doubles, six home runs and 21 RBIs. He had just six hitless games from Aug. 1 on and carries a nine-game hitting streak into the playoffs. The Detroit Sports Site notes that the last Tiger to win the AL batting title was Magglio Ordonez who hit .367 in 2007, and that Cabrera joins Alex Rodriguez and Albert Pujols as just the third active player to win a batting title, HR title and RBI title in his career.

Cabrera wasn't the only person to close the season in style. Justin Verlander captured the "Triple Crown," leading the AL in  Wins (24), Strikeouts (250) and ERA (2.40). Jayson Stark of ESPN took a look at AL MVP candidates and thinks that the winner will be none other than the Tigers' just-about-unbeatable ace, explaining:

If the essential question is, "Which player has done more to change the face of his team's championship season than this man has?" the answer, for me, is: Nobody. Yeah, it may be true that if the Tigers didn't have him, they'd have some other ace. But as their GM, Dave Dombrowski, said, "I've had other aces. But they never had the year Justin Verlander has had."

Verlander certainly rolls into the post-season as one of the most dominant pitchers of recent years. Andrew Kulha of the Bleacher Report notes, however, that Verlander is not the only arm capable of mowing the Yankees down:

Since being traded to Detroit from Seattle, Doug Fister posted an 8-1 record with an incredible 1.79 ERA. Those two are arguably the best one-two pitching combo in baseball, and followed by either Max Scherzer or Rick Porcello, they create one of the best pitching rotations in baseball.

He feels that the Yankees won't know what hit them, and he's definitely right on Doug Fister who torched the competition in September, going 5-0 with a ridiculous .54 ERA for September and was named AL Pitcher of the Month. Mitch Albom and just about everybody else at the Freep expect the Tigers to surprise the Yankees.Before you cry "Homer" be sure to have a look at the picks of ESPN writers who are split nearly down the middle.

The Tigers are red hot, roaring into the post season having won 30 of their last 39, and they face the New York Yankees in the first round of the playoffs. The opener is TONIGHT at 8:37 PM in Yankee Stadium. MLB.com columnist Marty Noble thinks the opening duel between Verlander and Yankee ace C.C. Sabathia has the makings of a classic, and the article includes great video interviews with Verlander and Sabathia. He notes as others that both teams bring an incredible amount of hitting & pitching firepower to the game. Alex Remington at Yahoo Sports has 10 very interesting numbers for the Tigers/Yankees series including a surprising "0" - the number of times a Tiger pitcher started this year on short rest. That plus an average age of 31 for Yankee pitchers means that the Bengals are bringing the fresher arms to the battle!

All post-season you should definitely tune into to some of our favorite Detroit Tiger bloggers:

• Roar of the Tigers where Samara throws down some of the most hilarious comics and posts you've ever seen, backed by a big league knowledge of baseball. Today she's celebrating the wonders of autumn from Cabrera's batting title and the simple fact that the Tigers are wicked awesome!
• Mike at the The Daily Fungo has a roundup of everyone's predictions (with special guest) and you can also follow him on Twitter.
• Over at Bless You Boys, Kurt eyes the Yankees three-man playoff rotation of Sabathia, Ivan Noma and Freddie Garcia with no small measure of trepidation. There's also a post asking for favorite Tiger playoff memories that you'll want to check out.
• The Detroit Tiger Weblog is gearing up for the post season where they will feature (just as the regular season) posts on every game.

Much (much) more Detroit Tiger news, history and links at absolutemichigan.com/Tigers and Detroit Tigers on Michigan in Pictures! We'll take you out with this hilarious video from Fox Sports Detroit of the Tigers Division-clinching celebration a couple of weeks ago. Share your links, comments and such below and Go Tigers!

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The festival features award-winning wineries throughout the state of Michigan and across the globe showcasing more than 100 varieties of wine including Chardonnay, Merlots, Cabernet Sauvignon, Rieslings, Sparkling, dessert wines and many more. A neat feature is that the festival's on-site retail store has select wines available for purchase at the event, by the bottle or discounted by the case. In addition to wine sampling, there are also a number of food vendors along with seminars covering wine, food and other topics of interest. You will also enjoy continuous live music and special exhibits and displays throughout the weekend.

The Wine and Food Festival at Meadow Brook Music Festival is sponsored by Palace Sports & Entertainment, Kroger, The Michigan Grape and Wine Industry Council and is a part of the Belle Tire Concert Series. Tickets for adults are $18 in advance and $20 at the door and include free wine samples, a complimentary wine glass, wine and food seminars, exhibits and live music. Designated Driver tickets may be purchased for $10 and admission is free for those under 21 years of age. Tickets are on sale now at Palacenet.com, by calling 1-800-745-3000 or on the day of the event.

Absolute Michigan has a pair of tickets for the Wine and Food Festival. To be entered for this and in every one of the Festival Summer giveaways, just join our email list using the form below!

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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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Michael Zuhorski writes that he tries not to take photos that state the obvious.

He took this shot in Wyandotte and you can see more of his work in sets including Favorites, Up North/The Great Lakes, Black and White and Night (slideshow).

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Untitled by maggiesonmain

A little movie company called Disney announced that the blockbuster Oz will be filmed in Michigan! The AP reports:

A Sam Raimi-directed prequel to the story of "The Wizard of Oz" — called simply "Oz" — will be filmed later this year at a Detroit-area studio that recently opened on the site of a former General Motors truck plant and office complex.

Raleigh Michigan Studios said Friday the Disney film will be the largest feature to shoot in the state, which has been luring some major film projects in recent years thanks to a program that offered some of the most generous tax credits in the nation.

..."'Oz' was originally written in Holland, Michigan, and so it is fitting that our great state should be part of this new production," said Michigan Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville.

The film also represents a homecoming for Raimi, who grew up near Detroit and attended Michigan State University. He's known for such movies as "Spider-Man" and "The Evil Dead."

While the Michigan Film Incentive that brought this production to Michigan looks to be doomed, a bill was introduced last week to preserve the tax credit.

WOOD-TV has details on the cast for Oz which tells the story of the Wizard's arrival and rise to power. James Franco will play the Wizard with Mila Kunis & Rachel Weisz in the role of Wicked Witches East & West with Blake Lively as Glinda.  You can get the details on casting for extras for Oz: The Great and Powerful from MichiganActing.com.  It will come as no surprise that they are Looking for people age 18+  that are 4' 10" or shorter, but they're also looking for folks that are 6'8"+ as well.

While we don't have a video directly related, but this video of the University of Michigan Marching Band performing the Wizard of Oz last fall is pretty cool!

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Trovarsi (Ryan Kasak) writes: My life experience has taught me that life's truly unforgettable moments are quite forgettable without the reminder of an image. Peering into a photograph has always been an opportunity to reacquaint myself with a moment of my past and with the person I was when that moment occurred. This is the selfish reason for my photography.

Check this photo out bigger and also his sets including Architecture, Street Photography and Detroit (slideshow). See more of his work at Trovarsi Photography.

Dive into his Flickriver.

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Team Spirit of Detroit by Maia C

The Detroit Red Wings open the 2011 NHL Playoffs at home tonight vs the Phoenix Coyotes at 7 PM at the Joe Louis Arena.

It's their 20th straight NHL Playoff appearance, and Wikipedia tells us that the Red Wings are 2nd in Stanley Cup appearances with 24 and 3rd in wins with 13. Their last Cup win came in 2008 and while the Wings don't skate into the playoffs as an overwhelming favorite, they are seeded third in the West and expected to have a strong showing. A lot of the team's hopes rest on the health of leading scorer Henrik Zetterberg. Zetterberg won the Conn Smythe playoff MVP trophy in 2008 but was last seen wearing a knee brace after being hurt last week vs. Carolina and is out for (at least) tonight.

The Detroit News sportswiters issued their predictions and the Freep's Helene St. James has a very nice breakdown on the Red Wings' playoff chances. Michael Rosenberg writes that it feels like every team in the Western Conference (other than top seed Vancouver) feels day-to-day, saying:

The Wings have as good a shot as anybody. But they also have some concerns, starting with Zetterberg's knee. It sounds like the Wings might need to win this series without Zetterberg -- or at least, without a healthy Zetterberg. That's a concern, and the Wings already have more concerns about this Red Wings team than they normally do at this time of year.

The Wings allowed 241 goals, more than any other playoff team. Their goal differential of plus-20 was 11th in the league. Mostly, though, there is the sense that there is no bedrock there, no clear area of superiority.

During the playoffs you'll want to tune into the On the Wings blog along with Winging it in Motown and the official Detroit Red Wings blog. America Jr has a nice interview with Red Wings Chris Chelios at the Red Wings media event, but we'll take you out with the Red Wings 2010/2011 hits:

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The First State Election in Detroit, Michigan 1837. A painting by Thomas Mickell Burnham. Used courtesy of the Detroit Institute of Arts.

January 26 marks Michigan's 174th birthday as a state. Today, many residents of our country's fifty states take statehood for granted. For 1830s Michiganians, the road to statehood proved rough and rocky.

Do-It-Yourself

Michigan Territory petitioned the U.S. Congress for statehood in 1833. A petitioning territory would typically begin writing a state constitution after Congressional approval (This came in the form of an “enabling act.”). Michigan, however, gained no such approval. In May 1834, Congress tabled the matter. Two issues delayed the process: 1) Michigan's boundary dispute with Ohio (For more on this dispute, click: Toledo War.), and 2) the fact that Michigan statehood would upset the balance between free state and slave state Senators (Eventually, this matter would be resolved when Arkansas, a slave state, entered the Union around the same time as Michigan.). The Territory decided not to wait for Congress. In January 1835, the Michigan territorial legislature called for the aforementioned constitutional convention. Michigan looked to Tennessee for precedence. In 1796, Tennessee wrote a constitution and then demanded statehood, claiming statehood as a right that Congress couldn't deny. For Tennessee, the tactic worked.

Two Conventions

For Michigan, it wasn't so easy. Congress made statehood contingent on a compromise of the aforementioned dispute (For details, click: Toledo War.). If Michigan wished to become a state, then a convention of elected delegates had to formally agree to Congress's terms. Such a convention met in Ann Arbor on September 26, 1836. The delegates rejected the compromise. Michigan Governor Stevens T. Mason was not happy with this outcome. He knew that Michigan would never win the boundary dispute, and he saw nothing to gain by denying Congress. Through some political maneuvering, he and his fellow Democrats secured another body of delegates. On December 14, 1836, these new delegates met in Ann Arbor in what would be termed “the Frostbitten Convention.” This second convention assented to Congress's terms, and Michigan formally became a state on January 26, 1837. Truthfully, the second convention acted under a dubious legality. Neither the territorial legislature nor the U.S. Congress authorized it. The delegates were chosen through local caucuses, rather than through general elections. Some counties refused to participate. The outcome, however, was never officially challenged. Michigan Statehood: Our Documentary Heritage

The Great Seal of Michigan

The Archives of Michigan houses the original 1835 Michigan constitution, in addition to other documents from the early statehood and pre-statehood periods. Now, Seeking Michigan visitors can view these materials from their home computers. To access them, click:  early statehood documents.  These materials are all documentary treasures, representing the heritage of every Michiganian. Now, on the 175th anniversary of our state's constitution, would seem an appropriate time to review these treasures and reflect on the stories behind them. Sources consulted Michigan: A History of the Wolverine State (3rd Revised Edition) by Willis F. Dunbar and George S. May The Toledo War: The First Michigan-Ohio Rivalry by Don Faber “The Four Michigan Constitutions” by Frank Ravitch. In The History of Michigan Law, Edited by Paul Finkelman and Martin J. Hershock. See Also: For more on Michigan's first elected governor, Stevens T. Mason, click: Stevens T. Mason (Look! article)

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Here's that post from Michigan in Pictures...

Martin Luther King and the Great March to Freedom in  Detroit

I have a dream this afternoon that my four little children, that my four little children will not come up in the same young days that I came up within, but they will be judged on the basis of the content of their character, not the color of their skin.

I have a dream this afternoon that one day right here in Detroit, Negroes will be able to buy a house or rent a house anywhere that their money will carry them and they will be able to get a job.

~Martin Luther King, June 23, 1963 Detroit, Michigan

The quotation above comes not from Dr. Martin Luther King's famous speech, but rather from the massive Walk to Freedom that happened 2 months earlier in Detroit.

There's a few pictures of the march at the Detroit News including this shot of the crowd on Woodward Ave from above (sorry – no direct link scroll down and look for it)

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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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by Bob Garrett, Archives of Michigan

The Green Hornet's car, the Black Beauty. Photo by Bill Johnson. Taken at San Diego Comicon, July 2010

This weekend, the Green Hornet “flies” on to the silver screen. Seth Rogen will portray the latest incarnation of this beloved hero.

While the character may have a new coat of paint, his roots run fairly deep. They go back to 1936 – and a radio station in Detroit, Michigan.

A New Masked Man

By 1936, Detroit radio station WXYZ had already impacted popular culture. Three years earlier, WXYZ president George Trendle had developed a radio show about a new Western hero. This hero was the Lone Ranger. Now, Trendle wondered if lightning could strike twice.

In his memoir WXYie Wonderland (An Unauthorized 50-Year Diary of WXYZ Detroit), Dick Osgood describes the Green Hornet's beginnings. Osgood notes that the Lone Ranger appealed to children. According to Osgood, Trendle now wanted a radio program for “young people who are about to vote.” Osgood explains that this new program was to feature a modern-day hero who exposed corrupt office holders. Thus, the Green Hornet was born!

Family Business

The Green Hornet – like the Lone Ranger before him – wore a mask. The two heroes also shared a common surname. The Lone Ranger's real name was John Reid. The Green Hornet was the alter ego of newspaper publisher Britt Reid. The two masked men were, in fact, related (The Hornet was the Ranger's great nephew.).

Both also preferred “colorful” modes of transportation. While the Ranger rode a horse named Silver, the Hornet owned a car called “the Black Beauty.” Kato, his valet and sidekick, drove.

A closer look at the Black Beauty

Kato

In On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio, John Dunning states that Kato was “a master chemist” who created “gas guns and smoke screens” for the Green Hornet. Dunning also describes Kato as “blessed with keen intelligence” and “an expert in the secrets of Oriental combat.”

In the program's earliest years, Kato was identified as Japanese. Dick Osgood notes that Kato “changed miraculously overnight from Japanese to Filipino” after the United States entered World War II. According to Dunning, this isn't completely true, as “Kato was described as a Filipino of Japanese descent at least two years earlier.” Regardless, Osgood states that Raymond Toyo Hayashi, the Japanese actor who provided Kato's voice, “disappeared.” Osgood speculates that Hayashi may have been placed in a wartime internment camp. Regardless, Osgood recalls that “no one at WXYZ ever saw Raymond again.”

From Then Until Now

The Green Hornet radio program ended in 1952. In 1966, a Green Hornet television series debuted. Van Williams performed the title role, and Bruce Lee played Kato (Lee, of course, later became a star of martial arts films, including Enter the Dragon). The show ran for a single season but many viewers recall it fondly.

Of course, even cancellation can not stop the Green Hornet and Kato. As the two prepare to ride on the big screen, Michigan residents can feel a special tinge of pride. It all began, after all, with one radio station in Detroit!

Absolute Michigan's Green Hornet page contains a link to original Green Hornet radio programs. There is also a clip from the Van Williams/Bruce Lee tv series!

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He also sent this sweet video our way from Michigan's reigning bike video king, mattmtb1. Toggle the 720p HD, click full screen and be prepared to get a first-hand experience of Uncle Jimmi and his crew tearing it up!

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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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Johnny Knoxville and Palladium boots have a sweet 3 part video kicking back at the "pick & choose journalism" that portrays the Motor City as a modern day urban wasteland. Knoxville does a great job leading a tour that looks at the arts, food & music scene in Detroit with people like rapper Black Milk, Wayne Kramer of MC5 and Phil Cooley of Slows who says:

"If I move to New York, I have no say in what happens in that city and that's a ship I can't steer. If I'm here and I give a damn and I actually go out and am part of the community, I can make a difference."

While there's no doubt that Detroit faces some incredible challenges and that its future is anything but certain, more journalism that takes its time to actually see who's doing what in Michigan's largest city will go a long way to helping the D and our state as a whole turn the corner. We really hope you enjoy this video and stay tuned for more at absolutemichigan.com/Detroit.

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Dave Brubeck Quartet by Maia C

Subtitled “Flame Keepers – Carrying the Torch for Modern Jazz,” the Detroit Jazz Fest will feature a veritable “dean's list” of alumni who passed through the “schools” of Art Blakey, Horace Silver, Betty Carter, Ray Brown, Miles Davis and Gil Evans. “2010 artists Mulgrew Miller, Bobby Watson, Branford Marsalis, Terence Blanchard, Randy Brecker, and Benny Green were all in Blakey's band at one time or another,” says festival director Terri Pontremoli. “These musicians went on to develop their own bands, explore new territory and nurture a new generation of flame keepers,” she added. “In jazz, a lot of press is given to the veterans or to the young lions. I am happy to focus this year on these “middle men” who are in the peak of their creative and technical powers, making significant music in our time.”

Bobby Watson will reunite HORIZON with Terell Stafford, Victor Lewis, Edward Simon and Essiet Essiet. Michael Weiss's quintet will feature Randy Brecker in a tribute to Horace Silver, and Benny Green, along with Christian McBride and Greg Hutchinson will pay homage to Ray Brown. Maria Schneider, a clear disciple of composer/arranger Gil Evans, will bring her entire orchestra to town. In recognition of the 100th birthday of Django Reinhardt, the Hot Club of Detroit will perform. “Brownie Speaks” will feature 20-somethings Dominick Farinacci and Jonathan Batiste remembering Clifford Brown. A special tribute to Detroit's Pepper Adams will feature the great baritone saxophonist Gary Smulyan with another Detroit hero, pianist Barry Harris. “Defenders of the Groove” with vocalist Ernie Andrews, Detroit's Louis Hayes, Donald Harrison, Eddie Henderson, and Melvin Sparks are sure to tear it up. Vocalists this season include Tierney Sutton and Grammy-winner Kurt Elling with special guest Ernie Watts. The Manhattan Transfer will perform some of their recent Chick Corea material and then swing standards with the Detroit Jazz Festival Orchestra, under the direction of Dennis Wilson.

Other artists include pianist Danilo Perez, saxophonist Tia Fuller, Freddy Cole Trio, Scott Kinsey Quartet, Poogie Bell Band with Victor Bailey, and The Fabulous Thunderbirds. Newly signed Mack Avenue Records artist Kirk Whalum, joined by Lalah Hathaway and Robert Randolph, will perform the music of Donny Hathaway. Pumping the B3 in a Saturday night fish fry will be Pat Bianchi Trio and Mike LeDonne Quartet. The Mambo Legends Orchestra with former members of Tito Puente's band will get folks out of their seats.

The Detroit International Jazz Festival is the largest free jazz festival in North America. It has become a major tourist attraction, with 23% of its audience coming from out of state. It has a $90M economic impact on Detroit and showcases the city in its most positive light. In 2010, the festival has received support from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Erb Foundation and the Kresge Foundation. Major corporate sponsors include Chase, Carhartt, Absopure, Mack Avenue Records, DTE Energy, Meijer, Budweiser, Pepsi, Comcast and Fox 2. In addition, there is a growing base of individual support. Fans are encouraged to become Rhythm Section members by making donations of any size on line over the next few months, as philanthropist Gretchen Valade will match any gift by 50% to help sustain the festival as a free event. “We are extremely grateful to have the support of these institutions and individuals,” adds Pontremoli. “They are our life blood.”

Nightly after-hour jam sessions will be held at the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center, the official festival hotel.

For more information, including festival updates and details on how you can help “Carry the Torch”, visit www.detroitjazzfest.com.

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riesling, sunset, and walled lake by artsy_T

The new Michigan Culinary Tourism Alliance (details) is sponsoring the first-ever Michigan Wine & Food Showcase on Monday, April 19, 2010 at Shiraz Gardens in Bingham Farms. Two of Michigan's Master Sommeliers, Madeline Triffon and Claudia Tyagi, are closely involved with this project and are excited to celebrate Michigan Wine Month with this event.

Throughout the day, there will be a comprehensive selection of artisan food and wines from Michigan with lavish appetizers of local ingredients prepared by Shiraz Executive Chef Travis Waynick. Winemakers from all around the state will be on hand to discuss their wines and provide additional information about their winery operations. From 12:30-3:30 PM, the Showcase will be open to restaurant, retailer and distributor staff (contact Madeline Triffon at Shiraz for admission & info: 248-645-5289.) and from 6-8:30 PM, it will be open to the general public for $40 per person at the door. Members of the media are invited to attend any part of the Showcase at no charge.

The Michigan Wine & Food Showcase will feature more than 30 Michigan wineries and food vendors, including:

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a language we all understand by mlephotos

The Detroit Music Awards awards are similar to the Grammy Awards presented by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Award winners are determined by local musicians and music industry professionals in southeast Michigan, and presented in ten music genres; Folk/Acoustic, Blues, Jazz, Gospel, Country, Classical, Rock/Pop, R&B/Hip-Hop, Electronic and World. The DMA is the only local music awards in the nation to be presented by a not-for -profit organization. Voting is accomplished entirely via the internet.

Previous DMA events have featured electrifying performances and guest appearances by some of Detroit's most glittering music legends: Was (Not Was), Eminem with D12, The Clark Sisters, Kid Rock, Martha Reeves, Smokey Robinson, Bob Seger, Glen Frey, The Miracles, Grand Funk Railroad, George Clinton and Parliament, and Ted Nugent, among many others. The annual award show also spotlights outstanding emerging local musicians.

Detroit Music Awards (part 1) - Check out part 2 here.

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Michigan Central Station by MikeRyu

On Saturday about 4000 extra people dropped by Michigan in Pictures. The impetus was a New York Times story on Michigan Central Station. Although the Detroit City Council voted to demolish MCS last year, a massive budget hole, a lawsuit, and new council members who aren't quite as bulldozer-happy:

“I don't want to bulldoze it, then find out later there could have been a viable use for it,” said Charles Pugh, a newly elected member who took over as Council president in January.

Now preservationists, business owners, state leaders and community activists are taking what feels like a last stab at saving the 97-year-old building before it goes the way of New York's Pennsylvania Station or, more locally, Tiger Stadium and countless other pieces of old Detroit that have fallen to the wrecking ball in recent years. Among the recent proposals have been to turn the cavernous brick, steel and stone facade into an extreme sports castle; a casino; a hotel and office park; a fish hatchery and aquarium; an amphitheater; or a railway station again, with high-speed trains.

Just Another Sofa on the Streets
of Detroit by Cherie S.

While the story didn't have anything new for people who've been following the sad saga of Detroit's largest ruin other than a link to the Michigan Central Station Preservation Society, it does provide a nice lead-in for another national story. Last week in Examining Data That Would Downsize Detroit, NPR reported that with a quarter of Detroit's 350,000 buildings vacant or in shambles, Mayor Dave Bing wants to reshape the city by getting rid of them and relocating residents who live in desolate neighborhoods, saying it's too expensive to provide city services in areas that are like urban deserts. Bing's proposal is based on data collected by demographer Kurt Metzger, director of Data Driven Detroit, who explains the data:

"We had surveyors go out and actually collect information in every single parcel in the city of Detroit. And just to give you the real quick analysis, we found better than a third of the land - and that's of 139 square miles - we estimate better than a third of the land in the city of Detroit is either vacant land right now or contains buildings that need to be torn down. It's amazing. I mean, New Orleans is about 70 square miles. We're talking that better than 40 square miles, better than half of New Orleans is vacant land.

Now, of course its interspersed around the city, so that's where the issues about going into neighborhoods where there's a lot of vacant land. But a lot of one or two homes still left on streets. These are neighborhoods that are going to have to be gone into and trying to think about how do we start to move people into other areas."

An effort like this was discussed in Flint, but according to an article on mLive that contrasts the response of Flint & Detroit to population crash, Flint is no longer planning to do neighborhood relocation.

You can learn much more about Michigan Central Station on Absolute Michigan and Michigan in Pictures, and check out the Michigan Central Station slideshow from the photographers of the Absolute Michigan pool.

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Lost Landscapes of Detroit

If you have a favorite passage ... or wonder what a piece of footage it, post a comment about it with the time where it appears in the film. We're definitely interested in what people can tell us about this collection of Detroit commercials, file footage, ads and video!

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Tune in at mywheelsareturning.com.

Public Transport = Jobs

My friend Sally sent me an email with a link to PR for a PBS special titled “Beyond the Motor City“. She included the message:

“More cool stuff happening in Deeeetroit– our biggest and soon to be best city .” Enthusiasm is so undervalued!

Screen Grab from PBS's Blueprint America: Beyond the Motor City

The film debuts nationally on PBS on February 8 at 10 pm but there is a 2 minute preview at the Blue Print for America.   The film layouts the potential repeat of history where Detroit was once the envy of cities for its extensive streetcar system. Did not know that.

While Michigan dreams, those in Washington are taking their time debating the advantage of spending on public transportation, despite data that finds that recent stimulus spending on public transport was more effective than money spent on highways (Smart Growth America).

Maybe they just need a little nudge, contact your senators today. They are currently debating a jobs bill and need reminding that Public Transport = Jobs

Do you share Sally's excitement for Detroit? For Michigan? Comment below or at My Wheels Are Turning.

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perch by Jon DeBoer

Time's 'Assignment Detroit' project roots for city, CEO says in the Detroit News talks with Time Inc. Chairwoman and CEO Ann Moore who says:

Every American has a stake in the health of Detroit," Moore said. "Detroit holds lessons for all of us."

Assignment Detroit -- which has recently spawned a profile on Mayor Dave Bing in Sports Illustrated, Detroit public schools in Time and Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy in Essence -- aims to bring more positive national exposure to the city.

"We're taking a stake in Detroit," Moore said, acknowledging that journalistic ethics traditionally prohibit blurring the lines between journalism and advocacy.

"It's official. We're rooting for you."

Read on and check out Assignment Detroit from TIME, where recent features include Marketing 101: Fear of 'Detroit'?, Pistons and Red Wings: Could One of These Teams Be On The Move? and Hero or Villain? A Look at Detroit's History.

While you're at it, let us know what you think about an old media stalwart like TIME actively working on the behalf of its subject.

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