GRAND MARAIS, MICHIGAN - At a meeting of the Michigan Society of Speculative Science (MiSSS), Dr. Werner Unterseeboot of the Institute for Great Lakes Submarine Research announced that his advanced photographic analysis has confirmed the validity of the famous "Windy Beach Photo".

The photo was taken by an unidentified vacationer in the late summer of 2003 in the sleepy village of Leland on Lake Michigan and has been the subject of nearly unending controversy in scientific circles since it came the attention of the scientific community last year.

Appearing fiercely triumphant as he read from a prepared statement, Dr. Unterseeboot (himself the subject of much ridicule) declared "With this photo, my years of research are validated. Without question, we can say what everyone with eyes in their head has known all along: there is an active submarine presence in the Great Lakes. While I am not ready at this time to say who might be operating these vessels, it can no longer be questioned that they are in the Lakes".

The 87-year-old maverick researcher refused an interview, but an employee of the Institute speaking on conditions of anonymity related that the Institute has "literally thousands of photos of submarines from all over the Great Lakes" that will be released as they are validated to a special web site set up by the IGLSR.

Links to More April Foolishness

Click for 5 Amazing stories from Absolute Michigan!

Stunning Cherry Discovery - Researchers find startling new health benefit for cherries.

Sleeping Bear Awakes tells the story of what happened when the legendary Mishe-Mokwa, the sleeping bear of Sleeping Bear Dunes, woke up.

Fishtown Theme Park - Michigan's newest theme park opens in Leland!

Pyramids Unearthed tells of a dramatic discovery made by a kindergarten class at Pyramid Point.

Strange Tourist is a dramatic account of a "tourist" who came from a looong way!

Marc Rehmann of CQPolitics writes:

Republican challenger Dick DeVos is wasting neither time nor money in his bid to unseat Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm. Since mid-February, the wealthy businessman has continued to pour dollars into media advertising with the goal of "pulling his name recognition" to that of the incumbent.

Recent surveys of Michigan voters indicate that DeVos' early advertising binge is having an impact. Polls earlier this year showed Granholm with leads of between 10 percentage points and 20 points over DeVos. But since DeVos began running three TV commercials and online advertising on nearly all of the state’s major media outlets, that gap has closed significantly

Many pollsters are now pinning DeVos - the former president of the Amway consumer products company, founded by his father, and an heir to its fortune - within 5 points of Granholm.

Read the rest of MI Gov.: DeVos' Spending Spree Boosts Poll Numbers

I have to say that I'm seeing DeVos ads on every newspaper web site I go to.

Natalie over at Need4Sheed drew our attention to Detroit Bad Boys post For the new school: meet the "Prince of Darkness":

I'm always struck by how many young Piston fans there are nowadays as a result of the team's continued success. And in light of this being a relatively slow news day, I'd like to take some time out to provide the kee-ids a brief bit of Piston history. Specifically, I'm speaking to all of you born into the late 80s and early 90s, those only able to remember back to the days of Terry Mills in teal (shiver).

Now I may not be able to wax poetic about the days of Dave Bing and Bob Lanier (I'll leave that to the gen before me), but I can spin a yarn or two over the Bad Boys, circa 1988-1990 ... But rather than listen to me preach, I'll let the below list of quotes - and one famous poster shot - begin to tell the tale of the baddest of the Bad.

Includes such gems as Legendary Piston coach, Chuck Daly, on Laimbeer."He would drive people insane and then just walk away. He was like Gandhi."

Read the rest from Detroit Bad Boys and add your own memories!

Be sure to check out Natalie's own memories and the 30 MB Bad Boys Pistons Highlight video (take that Friday office productivity!)

Barry "iPod" Johnson writes: "Schools in the Pinckney Community School distriict of Pinckney, MI, are pioneering the use of podcasts in K-12 education.

Read Podcasting News: Michigan Schools Pioneering Podcasting including a link to the referenced article at Podcasting NEWS

Michigan in Pictures writes [about today's photo]: Octagon Barn, photo by argusmaniac.

Read the rest of the article and check out the barn photo!

Sasha writes: ...in the past few months, members of the small Topeka, Kansas congregation of the Westboro Baptist Church (www.godhatesfags.com) have shown up at military funerals around the country saying soldiers are being struck down by G-d for defending a nation that tolerates homosexuality. The group has protested at three Michigan funerals in the past few weeks, previously appearing in Flint and Flushing, and on Monday appearing at the funeral of Corporal Nyle Yates in Grand Ledge.

Read G-D Hates Me Because I'm Tolerant dot com
Also read DetroitWonk's post entitled BREAKING: Jill Carroll, Journalist and Ann Arbor Native, Has Been Released

neadfiles writes: I've seen it all now. A website where you can "chat" with the Almighty. I came away feeling like God hangs out all night in an AOL chat room. It's all in fun and you too can talk with the Big Man Upstairs at iGod.

Read Virtual God Online by neadfiles

Girl in the D writes [about this photo]: On a street near you

Here's your sign!

Jack Lessenberry writes: Babe Ruth played there. As did Ty Cobb and Joe DiMaggio and every other baseball star who ever graced the American League.

Millions of Michiganders saw their first major league baseball game in Tiger Stadium, a place that may be home to more memories than any other spot in our state. Yet for six years, it has sat empty.

Read (or listen to) Essay: Play Ball
Also listen to the companion Interview: Harry Glanz, Financeer who proposes to repurpose Tiger Stadium

Strange Origins writes: Scientists have believed for a long time that crustaceans known as Darwinulids have reproduced asexually since the Triassic, 200 million years ago, making them the longest-running asexual species in history. But now three males of the species have turned up - and scientists are rushing to explain them.

Read Riddle of the Darwinulids

Buddy Culver writes [about this podcast]: The rock, country, punk bliss that is the Desolations Angels. The rockin' momma's from Motown, The Mydols, and the electronic wizardry of The Cagey House.

Listen to The Buddy Culver Show Podcast #31

Ann Arbor is Overrated writes: Craigslist CEO and A2 native Jim Buckmaster tells The New York Times about the nightmarish winter in Ann Arbor that made him rethink his choice of careers. "One winter I lived in an informal housing arrangement. We decided we would spend the winter with no heat..."

Read But What About Homemade Marshmallows?

dfUNK writes [about today's photos]: The largest G.A.R. hall in Michigan in its day - an old style Veterans hall for yearly reunions and events sponsored by American Civil War Union Army vets.

Read Grand Army of the Republic and see all of the "not-so-grand"* photographs
* referring to the state of the building and not the quality of the photographs!

Natalie writes: Mr. Big Shot is back and Rasheed isn't the only one that's happy about it. Chauncey led the Pistons with 31 points 11 assists and 2 steals and Rasheed added 21 points and 10 rebounds to beat the Dallas Mavericks 97-90.

Read Big Shot Back On Track including a link to Rasheed's post-game inteview video

Dave writes: Citizens for Water Conservation has filed an appeal to the Michigan Supreme Court in its case, Michigan Citizens for Water Conservation v Nestlé Waters North America, Inc, asking the Court to put the rights of landowners who live on Michigan's lakes and streams, and the public who uses and enjoys them, back under the protection of established water law.

Read Supremes asked to stop water exporters

Dave writes: An idea that should go statewide -- and Great Lakes Basin-wide. Most yards do not need more phosphorus to support healthy lawns. The excess runs off into drains, lakes and streams and feeds algae blooms.

Read curb your phosphorus

GR Podcasts writes: Great tune from the Podsafe Music network!

Listen to Hard Times by Will Woodrow

Undercover Geek writes: I found the British Computer Society interview with Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web. It is pretty good.

Read "Isn't It Semantic?" - An Interview With Tim Berners-Lee

Atul writes: [T]here is a new book that has come out which looks at the changing environment from a business perspective. In his new book, "The Winds of Change" (Simon & Schuster), Eugene Linden talks about how the changes are real and how they could be drastic. He also criticizes the Bush administration.

Read More Support for The Need to Take Action on The Environment Now with links to MSNBC article and "60 Minutes" piece

Politics [Michigan] writes: Detroit News reports on the rapidly disappearing Michigan factory towns:

"We did everything we were supposed to," said Pat Hoisington, 59, who worked for Electrolux for 28 years before the refrigerator plant moved its operations to Mexico this year. "Why hurt your people like that?"

Read MI Factory Towns Fade

Shupac writes: During the last week, ...the bodies of domestic dogs, along with a few coyotes and foxes, have turned up almost daily along nearby roads. In spots that I drive or sometimes walk past. Some have been decapitated, some shot. Some had their feet bound with wire. The mad trapper theory is quickly falling by the wayside. And people are getting a bit scared, wondering if this slayer of canines will eventually turn his attention to them. These bloody finds have certainly made me look at the woodlots and stream bottoms of the township a bit more warily.

Read Scary Stuff
Maybe someone out there could help the authorities "hunt down this miscreant and stop him from hurting anyone else, whether four-legged or two."

Red Tape Blog writes: Science.gov, the "go to" Web portal for federal science information, now provides a free and convenient "Alert" service that delivers information about the most current science developments right to desktops each Monday.

...From the Science.gov homepage (http://www.science.gov), individuals can set up an account and let Science.gov do the searching for them.

Read New Science.gov Service Delivers Science Information to Desktops

GLRC writes: Every year freighters wash two hundred million pounds of refuse into the Great Lakes leaving the equivalent of underwater gravel roads along shipping lanes. The practice is called "cargo sweeping" and it's allowed in spite of U.S laws and an international treaty banning dumping in the lakes.

Read or Listen to CARGO 'SWEEPINGS' CALLED INTO QUESTION

Michigan In Pictures writes: The photos were taken February-April 1997 at altitudes of 600-1400 m above the lake (some as high as 3000 m) with hand-held SLP cameras using slide film.

Read Aerial Photographs of Lake Superior Ice and see a whole bunch of shots in the Great Lakes Ice Group Archives at Michigan Tech.

dfUNK writes: C19 style Beaux Art design.
Architects: Whitney Warren and Charles Wetmore with Reed and Sern.
Erected in 1913.

The architects are famous for designing one of the sister stations to MCS, Grand Central Station in New York City.

Read more about M.C.S. and check out the great photos

Mike Wendland writes [from Thailand]: Whew. After powering down and reinserting the battery and a quick prayer, the BlackBerry 8700 started working just like I was back home. E-Mail, SMS, phone calls, I'm connected again. The Samsung is another matter. But the BB is all I need.

Not that there was ever any possibilitty of being unconnected here in Thailand. I'm now about 480 miles north of Bangkok in the northern town of Chiang Rai, near the border.

Read The Net is everywhere including some photos of Thai Internet cafes

Leelanau Sports Guy writes: I know I would definitely check this out!

Read Sports in Theaters, Sweet! including a link to the CNET article.

Red Tape Blog writes: The Central Foreign Policy files consist of State Department telegrams determined to have permanent historical value from 1973-74, index references to paper documents created in 1974, and withdrawal notices for permanently valuable telegrams and index references which could not be released for national security or other reasons. Items released include a report of a TV interview with former Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Dayan concerning the West Bank, a report of an interview with the Syrian Defense Minister discussing Israeli nuclear weapons, and a summary of possible French reactions to Indian nuclear testing. As the State Department continues its declassification review, files for later years will be added to the online collection.

Read Central Foreign Policy Files, 1973-1974 Released

Find The River writes [about this photo]: Seen about half an hour ago along the edge of my driveway.

Click here to see The First One

Natalie writes: "The Rasheed A. Wallace Foundation and Detroit Pistons unveiled a renovated resource center at Kettering High School in Detroit on March 21 as part of NBA Cares and Read to Achieve. The program began in the auditorium, followed by a ribbon cutting ceremony featuring Pistons All-Star forward Rasheed Wallace and his wife Fatima and mother Jackie.

Read Sheed Schools People On And Off The Court - Rasheed Wallace And The Pistons Open Reading Center including a link to the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Video