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.

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!

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.

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.

The Purple Gang - Jewish Organized Crime from J-Grit (The Internet Index of Tough Jews) begins:

The Purple Gang was to Detroit what Al Capone and his gang were to Chicago. From the late 1920s until their demise in the the early 1930s their members were the leaders of the city's underworld.

One characteristic of this group that made it quite unique was that it was the only Jewish crime organization to completely control the criminal underworld of a major American city. While other American Jewish gangsters worked within cross-ethnic alliances, the Purple Gang dominated Detroit entirely on its own. Like its criminally minded contemporaries, the Purple Gang was engaged in various criminal enterprises including bootlegging, hijackings, gambling operations, narcotics and kidnappings. And plenty of homicides were committed along the way.

Spawned from the Hasting Street neighborhood known as Paradise Valley in Detroit's Lower East Side, most of its core members went to Bishop School where each were placed in the division for problem children.

You can read on for the story of how a group of misfits kept Al Capone out of Detroit. Also see Detroit's infamous Purple Gang from the Detroit News Rearview Mirror and The Purple Gang: Bootlegger's Paradise from True Crime TV. If you're the knowledgeable type, you might want to head over to Wikipedia's entry on The Purple Gang and do a little editing!

Abandoned Richardsonian Romanesque House in Detroit
( Former James Scott Mansion )
by Derek Farr

Michigan has 29 land bank authorities - more than any state. The Detroit News reports that Michigan is going to try to use these land banks to spur redevelopment and garner nearly $300 million:

With the federal money expected to come in January, cities such as Detroit and counties such as Oakland are starting land bank agencies for the first time. The state filed for the Housing and Urban Development funding through a coalition that includes 12 city governments and eight counties. It's a national competition, and the overall fund totals $1.9 billion. Battle Creek, Benton Harbor, Hamtramck, Highland Park, Kalamazoo, Lansing, Pontiac, Saginaw and Wyandotte also would be targeted for revitalization.

The Michigan Land Bank Fast Track Authority would provide land bank services in Detroit; Oakland County, including Pontiac; and Kent County, including Grand Rapids, until local land banks are ready to take over.

Under the plan, the Michigan land banks aim to buy and redevelop more than 6,000 foreclosed, abandoned and vacant properties. The land banks also envision razing 2,500 structures and rehabilitating or building 1,500 homes.

There's also an effort to encourage urban gardeners to develop empty city lots and allow homeowners to buy inexpensive vacant lots next to their property. "We expect (Detroit's land bank) to be the most aggressive developer in the city," said Douglas Diggs, interim director of the city's land bank office.

Good news for Michigan cities! Check out the Abandoned slideshow from the Absolute Michigan pool for some likely suspects for the money!

Check out this cool YouTube preview:

Get Google Earth right here and check out Google Earth Blog for tons more about Google's amazing 3D browser.

Photo: Planet Detroit by paulhitz

It Must be Maker Faire time!
by Erik Charlton

In Maker Faire Detroit 2010, Dale Dougherty of Make Magazine announces the first-ever Maker Faire Detroit, July 31-August 1, 2010 at The Henry Ford Museum :

Last summer, after our Maker Faire in the Bay Area, I had a couple of speaking engagements in the Detroit area. One was at a Go Tech meeting in Ann Arbor, at the A2 MechShop. I had many people asking about a Maker Faire in Detroit and insisting that it would mean a lot to a region that was going through hard times. On the same trip, I met with curators at The Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn and they too were interested in seeing a Maker Faire happen. Walking through the museum, I saw not just the creations of American makers, but the workshops of people like Thomas Edison and the Wright Brothers, not to mention Henry Ford. I couldn't help but think what inspiration today's makers would find in the 100-year old legacy of the Model T, along with so many other important examples of how technology has changed our lives.

I'm happy to announce today that we have partnered with The Henry Ford Museum to create a Maker Faire in 2010 in the Detroit area. The dates will be July 31-August 1, 2010.

I look at it as a wonderful opportunity to showcase the technical and creative talent of the region, which was once the most productive city in America. Detroit needs to retool and rethink its opportunities, and quite frankly, I find this an exciting opportunity to be part of. If the manufacturing skills and design prowess of Detroit can be married to the tools for communication and expression that the Internet provides, something big will come of it. Already today, you can see the seeds growing. There's the emergence of hackerspaces like I3 Detroit and All Hands Active, co-working spaces like A2 MechShop and the Tech Brewery, and a thriving craft scene around Handmade Detroit. Add to that initiatives such as the tech incubator known as TechTown at Wayne State University and the excellent higher education system in Michigan.

Get all the details on Maker Faire Detroit at makerfaire.com and check out this awesome video from the Bay Area Maker Faire:

The contest is now complete and our winner has been notified. Even if you were not a winner we encourage you to support Michigan business and check out their Ultimate Holiday Shopping Packages.

The Baronette Hotel & Novi's Twelve Oaks Mall are offering a unique holiday shopping experience with their Ultimate Holiday Shopping Package. The package is available Thursday through Sunday through January 10, 2010 and includes overnight hotel accommodations, breakfast, drinks and appetizers at the Baronette’s nightly cocktail reception as well as a VIP shopping card and special welcome gift from Twelve Oaks. The shopping card offers various discounts ranging from buy one get one free to 10 percent savings at more than 50 stores.

Packages start at $109 per night. Call 800-395-9009 and mention the Ultimate Shopping Package for more information.

The Baronette and Absolute Michigan have teamed up to offer one lucky winner a FREE Ultimate Holiday Shopping Package and entering couldn't be easier. All you have to do is send an email to absolutemichigan@gmail.com with the subject "Ultimate Holiday Shopping Package" with your name and city & state. We'll select the winner next Monday!

Abandoned Pontiac Silverdome by Derek Farr

The Detroit News reports that the long-shuttered Pontiac Silverdome has been sold for a mere $583,000 as the home for a soccer league. However, with a cost over $55 million to construct:

"This was a giveaway," said David J. Leitch, a broker with an Auburn Hills based realty firm.

"The property alone, at $10,000 an acre, should have gone for more than that. And you have the Silverdome, its contents, and the infrastructure already in place. I had estimated it would probably go for between $1.2 million and $3 million. I can't believe it."

Such sentiments weren't uncommon Monday, after city officials unsealed bids showing the property that was home to the Detroit Lions was sold at auction to an unnamed Canadian company that plans to bring a soccer league to the stadium. The company's name will be released when the sale is finalized within 45 days, said Fred Leeb, the city's emergency financial manager. Leeb acknowledged the sale "is not a windfall," but said the Silverdome's $1.5 million upkeep drained the beleaguered city's finances.

Go to about 1:20 in the video to get past the auction promo. Much more about the Pontiac Silverdome on Michigan in Pictures!

You can also download Detroit Pistons pumpkin stencils of - can you believe how dramatically changed the 2009-2010 Detroit Pistons are?? - Arron Afflalo, Chauncey Billups, Michael Curry, Richard Hamilton, Amir Johnson, Jason Maxiell, Antonio McDyess, Tayshaun Prince, Rodney Stuckey, Rasheed Wallace and Hooper. Then carve one and send the photo of it to Pistons.com for their Pistons Pumpkin photo gallery.

Here's a video from last year's opener...

Even the undead enjoy Michigan apple cider!

A Dubs (Alan) runs the blog Faded Detroit.

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

Dive into his Flickriver.

The week-long series of beer-centric events will be held at participating venues in Detroit, with satellite events at Metro-Detroit brewpubs. These events will consist of brewery tours, tasting flights, meet-the-brewer sessions, food pairings, and a wide array of other unique activities. Events will be hosted by Detroit Beer Week staff and the Detroit Beer Barons, a group of Metro-area brewery personalities.

“We wanted to stay away from the traditional ‘drink this beer, get a keychain’ –type promotions, and instead focus on events that give value to the consumer and to the venue hosting the event,” stated Jon Piepenbrok, principal organizer of the events, AKA Chief Imaginationer.

The grand finale of Beer Week is the Inaugural Harvest Festival, hosted by the Michigan Brewers’ Guild and Metrotimes on Saturday, October 24, in Eastern Market.

While the Guild is not organizing Beer Week events, they have given their full support and cooperation to the organizing committee. “When the Guild announced the Harvest Festival in Eastern Market, we not only saw an opportunity to promote Michigan Beer in southeast Michigan,” stated Jon Piepenbrok, “but to promote the Great City of Detroit, as well; and the Guild has been extremely supportive of our efforts, even including information about events on their website at www.michiganbrewersguild.org.”

The participating venues include Slow’s Bar BQ, Foran’s Grand Trunk Pub, Park Bar, Motor City Brewing Works, Traffic Jam & Snug, Atwater Block Brewery, Detroit Beer Company, Wolfgang Puck Grille, Michael Symon’s Roast, 24Grille, and Fender’s Pub at the Omni Hotel.

A complete, updated list of events and information can be found Facebook.

Michigan’s thriving brewing industry contributes over $24 million in wages with a total economic contribution of more than $133 million. In terms of overall number breweries, microbreweries and brewpubs, Michigan ranks #6 in the nation – thus supporting its claim as “The Great Beer State.”

The Michigan Brewers Guild exists to unify the Michigan brewing community; to increase sales of Michigan-brewed beer through promotions, marketing, public awareness and consumer education; and to monitor and assure a healthy beer industry within the state. For more information, including a list of Michigan microbreweries, log on to www.michiganbrewersguild.org.

The ticket giveaway is now over with and our winners have been notified.... Tickets for the show are on sale now! So even if you didn't win we urge you head to Detroit for wonderful evening of top notch entertainment.

About the Show

It's here, and it's "AN ELLE OF A SHOW" (TIME Magazine). The hilarious MGM film is now a smash hit musical, and now LEGALLY BLONDE THE MUSICAL is coming to you. Legally Blonde follows sorority star Elle Woods, an underestimated blonde who doesn't take "no" for an answer. When her boyfriend dumps her for someone more "serious," Elle puts down the credit card, hits the books, and sets out to go where no Delta Nu has gone before: Harvard Law. Along the way, Elle proves that being true to yourself never goes out of style. After turning Broadway and MTV hot pink, this “Feel-Good Song and Dance Juggernaut” (New York Magazine) is “The Best New Musical Around!” (WOR).

For complete inforamtion about the show and the national tour visit the official Legally Blonde The Musical website.

About Broadway in Detroit

Broadway in Detroit and Nederlander Detroit have been bringing the Detroit area the Best in Broadway Shows since 1961 to fabulous venues including the Fisher Theatre, Gem Theatre and the Detroit Opera House. For a full list of events go to www.BroadwayInDetroit.com.

Video from the Road

Check out Legally Blonde on Tour YouTube Channel. Backstage behind-the-scenes footage shot by cast members of Legally Blonde The Musical National Tour!

Footage of the girls taping the Bonnie Hunt Show

Also, on YouTube is the Legally Blonde The Musical channel from the Broadway production with several videos featuring scenes from the show.

You can also join Legally Blonde The Musical on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Nature Bar by SCOTTS WORLD

Time, Inc. bought a house in Detroit:

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

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

Beautiful View - MCS by MikeRyu

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

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

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

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

AMERICA'S HOTTEST DANCE SHOW

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

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

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

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

Keep up to date with the latest info:

Join So You Think You Can Dance on Facebook

Becomes friends with So You Think You Can Dance on MySpace

Slows by farlane

A few weeks ago NPR had an interesting feature titled Despite Tough Times, Some See Opportunity In Detroit that looked at how Detroit's dramatic downturn has created some amazing opportunities for starting businesses.

Phil Cooley says the city is wide open for new ventures and is tolerant of his mistakes and successes. "It's lovely to be able to afford to do that here, one, because the community is so forgiving. And two, because it's less expensive than other places. So it's affordable," he says.

Music producer Chris Koltay was drawn to Detroit from Cincinnati by the vibrant music scene and the cheap real estate. He says he knew he could afford a whole building. He found one across the street from Slows for just $38,000. The recording studio is packed with guitars, keyboards and microphones.

Koltay has made a loft in the back of the building and for a year lived there without hot water. "It was gnarly, but whatever. Now I'm golden. And it's so wide open, and I think that's beautiful. I've never seen a city that has this kind of opportunity for growth, and I think that's beautiful," he says.

Check out some Detroit commercial real estate listings from Loopnet, follow the Detroit rebirth via Model D and get links from Absolute Michigan's Real Estate & Development section for Southeast Michigan.

Investors find real estate gold in Detroit from CNN explores a similar phenomenon in the Detroit housing market.

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

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

Dave Brubeck Quartet by Maia C

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

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

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

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

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

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

Plan on it for 2009!

"It's lonnng gone" --Harwell by b.plus

Tigers a big source of pride in Motown from MLB.com says that:

...For all the upheaval going on around this bruised piece of the Midwest, the Tigers' little piece of it has almost become a separate reality. And they've received such a boost from their fan base that they can't help but wear the Detroit name with pride.

"I've never been in anything like this," said shortstop Adam Everett, whose wife is from the area. "I just know that this is a hard-working town and people are passionate. Going through what a lot of these families are going through, it's not easy."

More than 40 years after the 1968 world champion Tigers helped unite the city and the suburbs for one tremendous summer amidst a year of civil unrest and tension in Detroit and across the country, this year's Tigers are providing a different kind of reminder of the social impact a team can have.

Nothing now will compare to the stories of Willie Horton taking to the streets of Detroit during the riots of 1967, trying to calm down rioters, or of Mickey Lolich being summoned to his post by the Michigan Air National Guard that summer. It's a different situation the city and region face now. It isn't violence, but seeming hopelessness the area is battling.

Yet it's a time when a first-place team has again become a diversion, and a source of pride in a city that others want to put down. As a team defying expectations, somehow getting through so many of its own issues, the Tigers are proving to be a fitting sanctuary for a few hours.

Click through to this excellent article for more including a video report and GO TIGERS!!!

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

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

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

Red, White and Chrome Dream Cruise by kelley girl

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

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

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

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

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

Waiting room, Michigan Central
Station by jeanpierrelavoie

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

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

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

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

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

world's largest stove by detroit am

The Nation's Oldest State Fair was officially first held in 1849, only twelve years after Michigan attained statehood. At the onset it was customary, in fact, for the fair to be held one year in one city, the next year in another, and there was always a hot contest to be the city selected. The Michigan State Fair settled down at the present fairgrounds in 1905. The 2009 Michigan State Fair will be held August 28th - September 7th.

Popular attractions include the FREE Concerts under the stars in the Band Shell, daily parades, competitions, horse shows, agricultural displays, arts & crafts, racing pigs, rabbits & poultry, dairy exhibits, carnival midway rides & games and the world's largest stove.

Michigan State Fair Home Brewing Competition

The Michigan State Fair Home Brewing Competition has become one of the largest and fastest growing competitions anywhere. From 324 entries in fifteen beer-only categories in 2004, the Michigan State Fair Home Brewing Competition has grown to 721 entries in all 28 beer, cider and mead categories in 2008, making it one of the largest competitions anywhere and definitely the largest single state competition anywhere. The size and growth of this competition is an indication of the vitality and strength of the home brewing and craft brewing community here in Michigan

Upper Peninsula State Fair Escanaba: August 18 - 23

The 2009 Upper Peninsula State Fair opens Monday, August 17 @ 5:00 pm. Plan now to attend to the UP's biggest event. Check this site for fair times, admission prices, and cost of specific events. The 2009 Fair: Aug. 18-23 (preview night Aug. 17th)

Escanaba received the honor of being named the location for the Upper Peninsula State Fair in April, 1927. Michigan Gov. Fed Green signed Act 89, which stated, "An annual state fair at the City of Escanaba, which shall have for its main purpose the exploiting, and encouragement of improved methods in agriculture and industrial pursuits I hereby authorize."

I started this 2 weeks ago and it just kept growing. I heard Dumars traded Mason and Hooper to the Lakers for Jack Nicholson's sunglasses and the "D" from the "HOLLYWOOD" sign.

Below are my brief thoughts and links - please add your own in the comments...

John Kuester for Michael Curry It was obvious that despite being an all-around nice guy, Curry wasn't ready to be a head coach. I don't know much about Kuester, but the word is that he had a lot to do with the Cavs offense and he has a reputation as a guy who is great at building contenders (great article - must read). I'm going to believe that it is a solid move to bring in a builder in what will likely be a rebuilding year.

Charlie V and Ben Gordon and Chris Wilcox for Sheed and 'Dice and Amir and (not pictured) Arron Afflalo and Walter Hermann I cried a little when Rasheed left and even more when McDyess did. Two solid players and great clubhouse presences who will be missed. I never formed an attachment to Afflalo and Hermann - though I did like his energy and regular-guy vibe - and despite his massive upside, Amir Johnson never seemed to have the confidence of the organization.  At the end of the day, the NBA is a young man's game and the Pistons certainly got younger here. I love Charlie Villanueva (except for the typing his name part and especially the Twitter addiction - twitter.com/cv31) but I worry worry that Ben Gordon is a sign that Rip is on the trading block. Wilcox definitely brings some potential but he seems like a trading chip ... unless (perish the thought) Jason Maxiel is.

The end of the Allen Iverson era I'm pretty sure there are choirs of angels singing about this ... or at least a special Automotion dance.

The Pistons rookie class The class of '09 seems to be doing well. Austin Daye will need to bulk up, DaJuan Summers seems to be proving his critics wrong and as the first Swede in the NBA, Jonas Jerebko seems destined for glory.

Thoughts? Comments? Links? Share them below!

ABOUT THE DETROIT WINDSOR INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

The DWIFF brings truth to the term "International", with an event that spans two metropolitan, international cities!

Our Inaugural event in 2008 was a huge success as we brought a bit of fun, film, fame and friendship to downtown Detroit! Film lovers mingled with film makers throughout the wonderful spaces of Detroit's University Cultural Center and in downtown Windsor. Wayne State University, College for Creative Studies, the University of Windsor, the Scarab Club, the DIA, the Detroit Public Library all combined in the perfect "campus" to celebrate film, friends and the future of our creative economy.

Winners of the 2009 Festival Announced

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Click here for directions to St. Andrews Hall in Detroit.

Interesting Facts

Paolo sang with The Rolling Stones at the Isle of Wight in 2007, duetting with Mick Jagger on the Robert Johnson classic “Love In Vain.” “At the rehearsal, Mick was like, ‘I hope we can remember it, its been years since we played that tune.’ Paolo also supported Led Zepplin in the O2 Arena as part of a tribute to Ahmet Ertegun.

About Paolo Nutini

If you think you know Paolo Nutini, think again. His two million selling 2006 debut album, These Streets, established the young Scotsman as a leading light amongst the new wave of singer-songwriters. Paolo's extraordinary follow up, Sunny Side Up, casts him in a whole other light.

"Musically where I'm at, I dont really have a genre or style that I feel a part of," explains Paolo. "It's a bit of a random mish mash. I honestly wanted it all to come out, and not harness it, not manipulate it. I just wanted it to be organic, and so immediate it's in your face and you can't help but take it all in."

The first single from the 22-year-old's new release is "Candy" - a heart tugging ballad written after an argument with his girlfriend, when it suddenly occurred to him that the fault lay with him. Watch the cinematic video below, and be sure to pick up a copy of Sunny Side Up available everywhere today. - read more

You can also check out this interview with Paolo from Isle of Wight Festival 2009 on YouTube by Absolute Radio DJ Ben Jones. Watch the clip to find out Paolo's reaction to becoming the first ever solo Scottish male to have a #1 album in the UK with his new release Sunny Side Up. The twenty-two-year-old musician also discussed what it was like to share the stage with The Rolling Stones.

Michigan Film Festivals

TCFF 2008 by tcfilmfest

Mitten Film Project & Festival
1st Tuesday of every month, Royal Oak

The Mitten Movie Project is committed to showcasing world class movies in Detroit, headquarters of the MiniDV Revolution.

Waterfront Film Festival
June 2009 in Saugatuck
Outstanding independent films from all over the United States are screened in casual, intimate settings every June in the resort village of Saugatuck. The Waterfront Indie Screenplay Competition is seeking screenplays that can be produced for under 5 million dollars, and that can be shot in Michigan. More about the Saugatuck Waterfront Film Festival from Absolute Michigan.

Detroit Windsor International Film Festival
June 25-28, 2009 in Detroit

The Detroit Windsor International Film Festival takes place at venues all around Detroit and Windsor and seeks to engage the community in the growth of the film culture of the region and to promote storytelling through film, video, games, the web, music and other channels through panels, workshops, special events, a job fair and (of course) screenings of all kinds of films!

Traverse City Film Festival
July 28-August 2, 2009 in Traverse City

The festival presents fulls days of the best independent, foreign, and documentary films available in several indoor movie houses and free, classic movies on a giant, inflatable outdoor screen overlooking Grand Traverse Bay. Panel discussions with directors, writers, actors, and other members of the film industry are offered daily.

Ann Arbor Film Festival
March 2010 in Ann Arbor
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.

American Dreamz by East Lansing Film Festival

East Lansing Film Festival
March 2010 in East Lansing
The ELFF was created in 1997 in cooperation with the City of East Lansing and Michigan State University, and is the largest and most diverse film festival in Michigan to screen independent and foreign feature, documentary, short and students films from around the world. The festival also holds the Lake Michigan Film Competition that gives cash awards to the filmmakers whose film was either filmed, produced, or financed in the states that border Lake Michigan.

Find out more about the 2008 East Lansing Film Festival right here on Absolute Michigan.