This past week I was listening to This Week in Tech, a podcast that talks about the latest tech news stories. They were talking about an article from CNet.com about the possible new DMCA law (copyright law). Out of the blue they quote from and give high credit to a professor from Wayne State University, Jessica Litman. It took my by surprise that 1) a WSU Prof was quoted in a national news article and 2) it was given notice by the tech-media giants (in my book, anyways).

Link to TWiT Episode #51
Link to the CNet Article
Link to Jessica Litman’s Home Page
(more…)

I found this here:
“‘If you are somebody who has lost a job, you need to vote for a change.’ That quote belongs to Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm, that Democrat, from November of 2004.

This year, Granholm is facing a stiff challenge from Republican Dick Devos, and it seems she cannot even go to a DC fundraiser for herself at Vernon Jordan’s place without the Michigan Republicans’ “jobs clock” there to remind her that her State is losing one job every 20 minutes.

Quips MRP Chairman Saul Anuzis: ‘I hope the jobs clock sitting outside the fundraiser serves as a reminder to the Governor that in the 2 hours she spends hobnobbing with fellow Democrats, Michigan will lose another 6 jobs.’

Tick, tick, tick, tick… ”

Well put, and well noted.

My wife and I just got back from an alchohol induced, salt-chlorinated water adventure in Mexico. To my surprise while flipping through the channels in our room up popped channel 7 news from Detroit. Wow, I proclaimed, I cant beleive that we get Detroit News all the way down here!
After watching for a couple minutes I realized that this channel was the American channel and the Detroit news was chosen at that time slot.
So imagine you are in Mexico from England, or France, or Australia and you are flipping through channels while your loved one rubs blue sun burn healing stuff on your back and you see News from Detroit. You sit and watch for a few minutes because you have always wondered what its like in Detroit. After 15 or 20 minuts you realize wow, I never want to go to Detroit! The streets are not safe cause the cops have to work the halls of the schools!
I sat and watched the news from an out siders perspective last week. I was shocked! Detroit looks bad, real bad. As I wandered around the resort and met people from around the world I proudly told them I was from Detroit. Now I know why every one of those people would cringe, or ask “really, you live in Detroit”?
We were upset when Jimmy Kimmel when he made fun of Detroit. We need to focus on ourselves first. The negative reporting of the city of Detroit by the Detroit News Media needs to stop! They are making Detroit look really bad. Every city has issues. Most cities sweep these issues under the rug to manage their perception. The Detroit News Media forced us to where our issues on our sleeves.

So wedding season has begun . . . Model D has a really great article about the uniqueness of a Detroit wedding and/or wedding reception. Being a girl, I’ve had my moments of dreaming about my wedding with no regards to the groom. However, I am torn between a dozen locations throughout Detroit. Being Hindu, I wonder if they would allow me to put up tents atop the Guardian Building and build the ceremonial fire . . . or on one of the huge ships on the river . . .

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Choose your flavor, originally uploaded by lilpup.

From Metroblogging Detroit flickr group

I was lucky enough to be invited along to the premier of documentary film on Tiger Stadium, “Stranded at the Corner”, at the Gem Theater in Detroit. Just seeing the theater was a treat enough for me, but to share it with a packed house of die hard supporters was an experience I will not soon forget. The documentary featured clips from the Stadium’s glory days to the controversy surrounding its abandonment today. Seeing clips of a packed Detroit brought tears to my eyes even though I had never experienced a game at Tiger Stadium. What struck me most was the issue of race in the debate. The history from the perspective of black Detroit was featured, where admission was restricted and then segregated. There is a definite concern that saving Tiger Stadium is not high on the agenda of black Detroiters as Tiger Stadium is seen as “white” history. It is awful to see preservation of historic buildings as a racial issue, but I suppose it should be taken into consideration . . .

There was an interesting topic on one of the nightly news shows this evening about increased ridership on mass transportation systems around the country last week that officials say was due in part to record-high gas prices.

One of the points mentioned in the broadcast centered around U.S. citizens’ gas price threshold — how high we are willing to allow prices to go until a significant number of us turn from cars to mass transit.

According to the piece, energy economists speculate that gas prices would need to raise another $0.25 – 0.75/gallon for this significant change to occur.

What’s your gasoline threshold? What’s the most you are willing to pay at the pump before you start using alternative means of transportation? (Or are you already?)

When life consist of going to work, studying for finals, sleeping, studying for finals, thinking about finals, worrying about finals and so on, it doesn’t take much to make your day. Imagine my thrill to find out that not only is tomorrow Free Cone Day at Ben & Jerry’s, but the Detroit shop IS participating.

YUM!

Ben & Jerry’s Woodward Ave.
1014 Woodward Ave.
Detroit, MI 48226
313-964-2185

It’s a great day to be a Detroit sports fan. Whether our teams win or lose today, it’s not very often you get the chance to watch 3 Detroit sports teams without overlapping coverage.

Oilers at Red Wings – The Wings lost today 4-2 evening the series at 1 game apiece. Even though the Wings lost, I still feel that we were very competitive and the game could have gone either way. I’m not too concerned with the loss, but possibly surprised a bit at just how well Edmonton matches up with Detroit. The Oilers have done an excellent job of clogging up the netural zone and preventing Detroit from playing the puck-possession style of hockey they’re used to. Instead, they have been forced to dump and chase the puck. I still feel Detroit will win this series in 6 games.

Tigers at Seattle – The Tigers look to sweep the series against the Mariners today with young Verlander on the mound. After last night’s pitching gem by Nate Robertson, Verlander will look to keep it rolling against Seattle. Detroit has been most impressive with their winning of close games by 1 or 2 runs, and their bullpen has been unbelievable the last week or so. At last look, they’re 1.5 games behind the White Sox in second place in the A.L. Central and they are atop the A.L. Wild Card, ahead of Baltimore by half a game.

Bucks at Pistons – The Pistons begin their “real” season tonight, against the Bucks at the Palace. Detroit is the odds-on favorite to win it all this year, and of course I agree with that assessment. They have the best starting five in the league and one of the most underrated benches as well. With Detroit playing Flip’s “liberation offense” as Bill Walton puts it and maintaining their great stock defense, I honestly feel that the only worry for the Pistons is the health of their key players. If this team stays healthy, there is no team they can’t beat, including the Mavs and Spurs. Go Pistons – Go Detroit! It’s great to be a Detroit Sports fan today!

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Skyline, originally uploaded by Allan M.

From the Metroblogging Detroit Flickr Group.

We will try to feature a photo from the group once a week, so join and share your photos.

BTW Allan M, this is an amazing photo.