Michigan books offer up a good scare

We are coming up on Halloween which usually gets people in the mood to watch scary movies or read spooky books. You might be surprised at how many Michigan-based books or Michigan authors have written books with such a theme. Some of these I have read such as the Michigan Ghost Towns series. I find it interesting about the history of some of these towns and the circumstances that led to their founding and subsequent vanishing. Not exactly "spooky" material, but interesting history nonetheless.

The Michigan Chillers series is written for kids and I have not read them. However they seem to get rave reviews on Amazon.com and from local independent bookstores.

Enjoy!

Mayhem on Mackinac Island (Michigan Chillers)

MICHIGAN CHIILERS (MICHIGAN CHILLERS 12 BOOK SET) (Michigan Chillers)

Michigan Ghost Towns, Lower Peninsula

Haunted Michigan: Recent Encounters with Active Spirits (Ohio)

Thoughts on the third Granholm vs. DeVos debate

It is hard to adequately state my displeasure with these three debates fights that took place between Governor Granholm and her challenger, Dick DeVos. What a waste of time for the great people of the state of Michigan. Neither candidate did anything to solidify their positions on the economy, taxes, or education. While DeVos has done essentially nothing (in my eyes) as far as presenting a fact-based solid plan for Michigan's recovery you have to ask yourself a simple question in regard to Jennifer Granholm. Are you better off than you were four years ago?

You see, this is why voter apathy is so high these days. The negative campaigning and the mud-slinging debates make voters decide to not cast a vote at all rather than vote for one of the two major party candidates.

Granholm has the 8-9 point lead in the polls but is it because she has done such a good job or is it because DeVos has not done anything to garner our votes?

Read what the Detroit News and Detroit Free Press are saying about the debate.

The Detroit Tigers are in the World Series!

Did Christmas come early this year for Detroit Tigers' fans? I feel like I am in some "Field of Dreams" timewarp or something where things you wish for come true. I am still in a state of disbelief ever since Magglio Ordonez hit the game winning, series clinching, three-run homer on Saturday. Since June I have been reading books of all kinds about the past successes of the Detroit Tigers. The winning season that is 2006 got me interested in looking back at the previous Tiger teams and players.

Here are some of the books that I have read or intend to read:

Ernie Harwell : Stories From My Life in Baseball (Honoring a Detroit Legend)

Wire to Wire: Inside the 1984 Detroit Tigers Championship Season

The Detroit Tigers Reader

The Final Season: Fathers, Sons, and One Last Season in a Classic American Ballpark

The Tigers of '68: Baseball's Last Real Champions (Honoring a Detroit Legend)

Round 3 of the DeVos versus Granholm debate tonight

Governor Jennifer Granholm and her Republican challenger, Dick DeVos, square off tonight in the third and final (thankfully) debate. The first two debates have been an exhibition in good old mudslinging while not exactly swaying potential voters with their political rhetoric. Will either candidate present a detailed, fact-based plan for turning Michigan around? Judging by the previous debates and the heated war-of-words I would have to say - no.

I just wish that the two of them could set aside the rhetoric and provide the answers that Michigan voters are looking for. I don't care what Granholm has or has not done. I don't care what DeVos says needs to be changed in our state. I just want solutions, not more problems.

Here is my wishlist for tonight's debate:

• The number one issue in Michigan is the economy - I want specific plans from each candidate as to how they intend to turn Michigan's economy around for the long-term future.
• Taxes - how can DeVos throw out the SBT and keep necessary government services at their current levels? I think all of Michigan wants the answer to that, not just Jennifer Granholm.
• I want Governor Granholm to quit harping on the previous administration (John Engler) and blaming them for our current economic plight. If she would take ownership of our state's troubles and come up with a specific plan I think she could get back above a 50% approval rating and run away with the election.

Unfortunately, based upon the previous two debates I do not see any of the above three items being addressed with specifics.

Read what the Lansing State Journal is saying about Jennifer Granholm and Dick DeVos.

Watch the debate at 8pm tonight via the Detroit News' website.

Michigan gas prices down a few pennies

The average price for a gallon of unleaded gas in Michigan has dropped a few cents down to $2.157. There was a hiccup in prices last week as we saw southwest Michigan gas prices jump from $2.18 up to $2.25. For some unknown reason gas stations dropped their prices over the weekend. Not sure why, but I'll take it. Gas price data courtesy of AAA's Fuel Gauge Report.

Detroit has earliest recorded snowfall ever

Since the records for such oddities as "first snowfall of the year" have been kept, the previous recorded first snowfall of the season for Detroit was October 13, 1909. With the snow yesterday, October 12, a new record was set for the Detroit weather record books. Well Detroit, at least you aren't the U.P. Schools were canceled as some areas received 4-8 inches of snow and expected another 2-6 inches were possible today.

We had a couple of inches of snow in some spots yesterday. My son and I had just enough snow to build a little snowman at his Nana & Pawpaw's (grandma & grandpa).

Read the Detroit Free Press article.