Detroit News Photographer John T. Greilick writes about nationally ranked power tumbler, Corey Whitfield. He was a street tumbler, but as a high school student started eating lots of fast food and putting on the pounds. At 5 feet, 9 inches, he topped out at 240 pounds two and one-half years ago. Then he found the All World Gym, trained hard and today is a world-class tumbler weighing in at a just 140 pounds. John writes:

I've recently completed my first multi-media web feature, a two minute video on Corey Whitfield, 21, of Detroit demonstrating his skills as a nationally-ranked power tumbler and trampolinist. The audio track is Corey rapping about power tumbling and how it turned his life around.

And a great first feature it is!

check out The Amazing Corey Whitfield by John T. Greilick
Read the companion story Upside down by Detroit News writer Briana Gorman
Visit All World Gymnastics

LSG writes:

Former Red Wing Larionov will be signing copies of his DVD "Farewell from Moscow - The Igor Larionov Farewell Game" from 11:30am to 1 pm. A portion of the proceeds from DVD sales will benefit the Igor Larionov Youth Hockey Charitable Foundation.

According to the official Igor Larionov website:

"Farewell From Moscow: The Igor Larionov Farewell Game" DVD will leave sports fans feeling like they were in Moscow alongside hockey legend, Igor Larionov and a roster of the NHL's finest when he stepped on to the ice for his final game on December 13, 2004.

Touted as one of the greatest sports moments in sports history, Larionov's farewell game was captured in its entirety and has been incorporated as part of the fast-paced, cutting-edge DVD.

Jim Byers of the Toronto Sun describes Igor as both remarkable and a rebel in his article entitled "The art of aging gracefully".

In a career spanning a remarkable 27 years, Igor Larionov did just about everything you can do in hockey. He won Olympic gold medals for the Soviet Union in 1984 and 1988. He won three Stanley Cup rings. He skated with some of the greatest players in history. Next year, he becomes eligible for induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

But Larionov is just as well known as a rebel, working with Slava Fetisov and others to break down the barriers that prevented his countrymen from playing in the NHL. He has been called the most politically important athlete of the 20th century.

Read Larionov Benefit Charity Signing
Also read The art of aging gracefully in the Toronto Star

Today Michigan in Pictures features this amazing photo entitled South Manitou Island, taken by Flickr photographer rdmegr.

farlane writes:

When I logged on briefly last night to see what photos had been added during the day. Just about the first thing I saw was this amazing photo of South Manitou Island from the air. In addition to the freighter, the photo clearly shows the beautiful natural harbor that made South Manitou an early Great Lakes settlement and the North Manitou Shoal lighthouse (aka “the Crib”).

Read South Manitou Island and view this very cool photo!
View other pictures on Michigan in Pictures with the 'aerial' tag
Fly over to keyword 'aerial' on Absolute Michigan (type any word into that top right box: food, hiking, boat, etc.)

Or at least instructions on how to build same. Yes, you read that right. It's a bike AND a lawn mower (kind of like the old Saturday Night Live skit that proclaimed, "It's a floor wax AND a dessert topping.") Y. writes:

WHEN BUILDING YOUR BIKE-MOWER, keep some things in mind. The mower must be propelled forwards, but the direction of application of force on a standard pedal bike is downwards. That spells "a better workout than wrestling a bull."

Read Building Your Bike-Mower and check out the photos of this ingenious invention
Also read Steam Powered Lawn Mowers by The Self Site featuring The Leyland Steam lawnmower: late 1890s (found in the comments section of ypsi-dixit's post)
Also check out these would-be bike-mowers from the 26th Annual Ann Arbor / Saline Classic Bicycle Swap Meet (I think not!)
Pedal your way through the results of keyword search 'bike' on Absolute Michigan
Check out Sparta Town and Country Days including Lawn Mower Races

Vacuum's Edward Vielmetti tells us:

Reliable berry-picking informant Kate reports that Makielski Berry Farm is now open for the 2006 season with blackberries and raspberries available.

The thorns on the blackberries were ferocious--my legs look like I've been playing with a whole litter of needle clawed kittens (the raspberries were much more kid-friendly picking). But I can handle a little pain for berries!

She includes a blackberry buckle recipe from the farm ("buckley goodness").

Don't delay if you want blackberries, as the season is nearing it's end.

Meanwhile, Kitchen Chick (and Joe) headed for Detroit's Historic Eastern Market in search of some Louisiana Creole. Here's what they found:

When we told the woman we wanted to find Louisiana Creole, she gave us a knowing nod of approval. It's a bit of a walk from the market, but manageable. You can also drive it. There is free street parking - as long as you don't park too close to the fire hydrants.

This bare-bones restaurant primarily offers everything as carryout, with two fast-food style tables for those out-of-towners like us who have no place to carry it out to. One wall holds the numerous restaurant reviews and awards Louisiana Creole has gathered during their 30+ years. I told the woman ahead of us that it was our first time here. "Oh, you're in for a treat," she said. When I asked her what was her favorite dish, she paused for a moment then said the red beans and rice, warning me that they came a bit sweet. And the cornbread. Make sure to get some cornbread.

Journey with them to experience, albeit second hand, Louisiana Creole. It's the next best thing to being there.

Read Makielski Berry Farm is open for 2006 by Vacuum
Pick your way through the results of keyword search 'berries' on Absolute Michigan (type any word into that top right box: food, hiking, boat, etc.)
Also read Louisiana Creole - Detroit including food photos!
And finally, visit the Creole Gallery in Lansing

Meteorologist Bill Steffen writes:

How many planets are there? Good question. Up until 1930 it was eight...then Clyde Tombough discovered Pluto (a name suggested by a little girl in England). When it was first observed, it was thought that Pluto was five times bigger than the Earth. Now we think Pluto might even be smaller than our moon. With the discovery of a 10th planet, Xena (actually bigger than Pluto), by Michael Brown last year...scientists have been rethinking what a planet really is.

Read Poor Pluto's Planetary Position Precariously Preserved
Read Kansas farm boy who discovered Pluto celebrated as American folk hero in the Duluth News Tribune
Also search NASA's Hubbel Space Telescope site for articles on and images of Pluto

FTR writes:

Underneath my birdfeeder, some sunflowers had sprouted from the black oil suflower seeds we feed birds over the winter. I was letting them (and the grass around them) grow in hopes of them flowering. Though they never got very high, it looked like a few were developing flower buds. Then Saturday afternoon, I looked out the kitchen window and saw a young woodchuck standing among them, eating each one of them right down to the ground.

After polishing off our flowers, he ran to the bushes along our backyard shed. I went to investigate, and I saw well-worn paths behind the forsythias and a small mound bulging from under the shed.

According to this Wikipedia entry:

The Groundhog (Marmota monax), also known as the Woodchuck, or the Whistlepig (particularly in the Southern United States), is a rodent of the family Sciuridae, belonging to the group of large ground squirrels known as marmots.

Read Gotcha by Find the River
Read How Development Impacts Wildlife by Absolute Michigan
The findings of searching keyword 'wildlife' on Absolute Michigan (type any word into that top right box: food, hiking, boat, etc.)

michpics writes:

The photo is one of a large set that reminded me of a recent conversation with a friend who told me we can't have any fun anymore - the world moves too fast and our work and free time are all tied together with email and cell phones and beeping reminders (or something like that).

Look at and read Central Lake, Michigan - all week long in 1973 by Michigan in Pictures
And look at View-Master Shipping also by Michigan in Pictures
Also read Riding the Dunes by Northern Michigan Journal's Andrew McFarlane