A2 City Reflections by Behind
My Blue Eyes ~~ Stevie Exxxx

Before we go into some positive economic stories from Michigan, here's The Big Fat Auto Bailout Collapse from The Daily Beast and Mitch Albom saying Hey, you senators: Thanks for nothing:

There ought to be a law — against the hypocrisy our government has demonstrated. The speed with which wheelbarrows of money were dumped on Wall Street versus the slow noose hung on the auto companies’ necks is reprehensible. Some of those same banks we bailed out are now saying they won’t extend credit to auto dealers. Wasn’t that why we gave them the money? To loosen credit?

Where’s your tight grip on those funds, senators? Where’s your micromanaging of the wages in banking? Or do you just enjoy having your hands around blue-collared throats?

The carmakers did get a modicum of hope on Saturday, and the Wall Street Journal looks at considerations facing the White House in what appears to the likely granting of funds to the carmakers from the financial bailout package. You can also check out Gov. Granholm, former governor Mitt Romney, former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina, Wal-Mart president Lee Scott and Google CEO Eric Schmidt discussing the auto bailout and the wider economy on Meet the Press (if you want to skip the Rod Blagojevich-fest that leads off, scroll to 20:30).

One of the items lost in the general shroud of gloom hanging over Michigan last week was the news that MSU was awarded $550-million nuclear physics project by US Energy Department. Michigan State University will be the site for a new $550-million research Facility for Rare Isotope Beams that will employ at least 300 people. The equipment:

...would be at least 1,000 times more powerful than the machines now running at MSU's National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory. In some cases, 100,000 times more. It will be used to provide intense beams of rare isotopes for researchers which will lay the groundwork for study in a number of fields, including treating cancer and providing technology for border security.

Last week also saw the launch of the Keep Michigan Working program, a partnership of state, local and community officials designed to assist workers and businesses with challenges posed by the economic downturn. Head over to mLive to read more about the program that will focus on attracting businesses through financial incentives and developing a workforce to support emerging industries like alternative energy, life sciences and information technology. Be sure to also check out the info on the Keeping Michigan Working site including a list of high-demand jobs & job facilitators in your area of Michigan.

I had hopes yesterday that I'd be able to include the Lions triumphantly fighting off NFL history in this feature. I think we all could have guessed how that turned out. However, even though they moved to 0-15 and a heartbeat from "worst team ever", Lions kicker Jason Hanson set an NFL record for most career field goals over 50 yards. Congratulations to a real class act! Here's Jason Hanson's Wikipedia page and also his player bio from the Detroit Lions.