It was a big week for Absolute Michigan as we added our 5000th link on Tuesday afternoon! We're looking forward to working to promote Michigan Week 2006. Speaking of big numbers, we ran across Bethanne at Clever Titles Are So Last Summer, who posted her 500th post and spent the whole week developing an amazing showcase of Michigan bands and musicians.

Like a hibernating bear (or Godzilla) the Michigan Legislature seemed to rouse from its long slumber to begin to take action. While they did not answer a call from the Michigan Human Services League for a Michigan Earned Income Credit (Michigan is one of just five states that tax families of four with annual incomes below $14,000), they did surprise most of us by moving to raise Michigan's minimum wage.

Some apparent good news that Michigan's unemployment rate dropped to the lowest level since September 2002 was tempered by the fact that the drop was due to less people in the workforce. The state signed $35.5 million in tourism and business-marketing contracts, released the results of the MEAP test and announced a collaboration with Microsoft on the development of a course to explain the global economy to our students (one for our political and business leaders was somehow not announced).

Retirees showed up en masse to protest GM's plans to shift a portion of their health care burden to them and then Jack Lessenberry talked with Sean McAlinden, chief economist at the Center for Automotive Research, about GM's options. The Oakland Press suggested that Michigan might finally be in a position to get a handle on health care.

Don't forget that March means maple syrup in Michigan and have a great weekend!