This Detroit Free Press editorial recommends that you Feed your neighbors by buying Michigan produce. Amen.

Surfing the Great Lakes Movie
The San Diego Union-Tribune has an article on "Unsalted: A Great Lakes Experience," a documentary that filmmaker Vince Deur hopes will expose what could be the nation's best-kept surfing secret: great waves can be found in the Midwest. About 500-750 people surf the lakes at least once per year, with most of the activity about equally divided between Lakes Michigan and Erie.
Visit the web site for Vince Deur Productions

UM Students Building Solar House
The Detroit Free Press reports that students at the University of Michigan will construct a house made of solar modules they hope will be a blueprint for a more energy-efficient lifestyle in the future. Though the prototype will cost $500,000, the house is designed to be mass-produced and could cost $150-200,000.

Garden Information in the Palm of Your Hand
The Lansing State Journal reports on a new hand-held device called a Personal Science Assistant that allows visitors to the 4-H Children's Garden at Michigan State University can call up photos of certain plants, look at close-up shots of stems, seeds, roots and and access information on ways the plants are used, whether it's for medicine, makeup, art or eating.
Visit the MSU 4-H Children's Garden web site

Looking to the Bottom of the Great Lakes
The Canadian Press reports that a biologist from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee is searching the bottom of Lake Michigan for bacteria and fungi that develop anti-bacterial chemicals that could be developed into life-saving drugs for humans. Yi-Qiang Cheng and Melissa Barman have identified bacteria and fungi that appear promising.

Email Survey Says...
Free Press tech columnist Heather Newman reports that a new survey from America Online shows that Detroit-area users check their email an average of four times a day, spending about an hour each day. Detroiters are a bit more likely to have more than one e-mail address (80%-77%) and to check e-mail in the bathroom (5%-4%). The majority (of 200 surveyed) check peronal email at work.

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