Moose on the loose at Northern Michigan University

A moose with the thirst for knowledge paid a visit to the campus of Northern Michigan University in Marquette, Michigan Tuesday evening. The moose was believed to be a young bull moose. The young bull moose wandered onto the campus and even knocked out a ground floor window at Mager's Hall. Officers managed to chase the moose off of campus before any further damage was done (to the campus as well as the moose). The DNR was not surprised to hear about a moose doing such strange things as it is mating season right now.

Just another case of being dumb and in love, I guess.

Read the full story at The Mining Journal.

Online Sturgis Journal poll shows DeVos leading Granholm

An informal online poll on the homepage of the Sturgis Journal shows Dick DeVos leading Jennifer Granholm 57% to 38% with the remaining 5% of the votes cast as 'other.' It is a small sample size (442 total votes as of this morning), but it does tend to show what the residents of one of Michigan's poorer counties thinks. The residents of St. Joseph county are asking themselves if they are better off or worse off than they were 4 years ago. By looking at their votes and the mood around southwest Michigan I would have to say that folks around here believe they are worse off than they were 4 years ago. Granted this is a very small sample size, but I would wager that if you were able to poll 1,000 residents of St. Joseph county you would reach similar results.

The question is, how does the rest of the state feel? Are we better or worse than 4 years ago and how much does that affect your vote for governor of Michigan.

DeVos and Granholm to hold three televised debates

Speaking of pirates politics, I see that Dick DeVos and current Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm will be squaring off for three televised debates in October. The debates will take place October 2 in Lansing, October 10 in Grand Rapids, and October 16 in Southfield. It should be interesting to see what comes out of these debates regardless of who the pundits say "wins" the debate. Will Jennifer Granholm expound on how she is helping Michigan shake of the economic doldrums? Will Dick DeVos provide some clarity on his plan to turn Michigan around?

Hopefully instead of muddying the political waters with more rhetoric these two candidates for the next governor of Michigan will instead bring some fresh ideas on how to make Michigan better with some hard facts to back them up. Wouldn't that be a breath of fresh air in the realm of politics?

Via the Detroit Free Press.

Yar! It be the official Talk Like a Pirate Day

Does this have much (if anything?) to do with Michigan? Unless there were privateers trolling the shores of the Great Lakes (you never know) it probably doesn't. However, it is a Tuesday and we are crawling toward the end of summer on Thursday with nothing much to celebrate. So, with that being said, surprise your friends, family, and coworkers today by throwing out an "Arrr", "Ahoy", "Avast!", or "Aye Aye, Cap'n" today.

Visit www.talklikeapirate.com for more piratey fun!

Get your fall color fix in Michigan's Upper Peninsula

Want to get a jump on the fall color season? Head on up to Michigan's U.P. and take in the explosion of color that has its peak around the first week of October in the central and western portions of the Upper Peninsula. An article in The Mining Journal today suggests the last week of September and the first couple weeks of October as the "prime viewing season" for fall foliage in our Upper Peninsula.

My wife and I went to the U.P. around the last week of September once and the colors were spectacular. We stayed at the Big Bay Point Lighthouse Bed and Breakfast and were in awe of the wonderful fall colors and the deep blue backdrop of Lake Superior.

We took a day trip up in the Yellow Dog Falls area and up to a hill (I doubt it is considered a mountain) called, I believe, Gobblers' Nob or something of the sort. Just simply amazing blends of color contrasted with the deep green of the pine trees.

So, fill up on some of that cheaper gas, grab your camera and binoculars, bring some cash so you can stuff your face with pasties, and Go North.

Websites of interest: Official Directory of Michigan Fall Color Tours

Fall Color Tour information via www.NewsUpNorth.com

Down, down, down go Michigan gas prices

Gas prices across Michigan are averaging $2.303 per gallon this week (9/18/06). Here in southwest Michigan the price that I keep seeing is $2.27 for regular unleaded. As little as one month ago we were paying $2.921 here in Michigan. One year ago the price of fuel was at $2.733.

Once again the pundits and "experts" are making predictions about future gas prices. It is not a question of how high they will go, but of how low they will go. I read somewhere last week that someone is predicting that gas will go as low as $1.15 per gallon.

I highly doubt that will happen. With the drastic drop in gas prices at the pump I have already heard the OPEC rumblings about how to stop the plummeting prices for a barrel of oil.

The recent price drop is nice and I have low expectations for the price drop to continue for too much longer. Hopefully I will be pleasantly surprised.

Happy Monday! :)

Gas price data courtesy of AAA's Fuel Gauge Report.