It may be time for Super Bowl XLI here in the USA, but in China it's Ice Festival time. Meteorologist Bill Steffen blogged a photo of this amazing festival from 2005.

Closer to home, for our neighbors to the north the focus is on Bonhomme and Carnaval de Quebec or the Quebec Winter Carnival. Here's a bit of its history from the official website

Since the beginning of our French colony, the habitants of New France formed a rowdy tradition of getting together just before Lent to eat, drink and be merry. Already at this era, this intense period of revelry was designated as the Carnival - a word of Italian origin that signifies Mardi Gras. The tradition of celebrating at the end of January until mid-February is a custom long in progress.

The first large winter Carnival in Quebec, the world's snow capital, took place in 1894.

...The first official edition of the Quebec Winter Carnival took place in 1955. The Carnival snowballed into an undeniable manifestation for the entire Quebec population, and was an important vehicle for tourist and economical activity in the city.

And, here in Michigan, we celebrate the Ice and Snow with our own festivals. Here a just a few you may want to check out:

Third Annual Hunter Ice Festival in Niles
Visit Zehnder's Ice Fest in Frankenmuth
Visit Tip Up Town USA in Houghton Lake
Trap Attack Ice Fishing Festival in Brooklyn
Visit Frost Bite Open a golf tournament in Harrison


Read Harbin China Ice and Snow Festival by Bill's Blog
Read more about the Harbin Ice Festival at TravelChinaGuide.com
Visit the official website for Carnaval de Quebec

The photo is from the Absolute Michigan Pool on Flickr
Check out Darrin's Traverse City, Michigan set for more frozen photos

NOISE PhotoBlog's Jeremy Herliczek highlights one of our favorite programs, the Michigan Heart Gallery. This is the second year for the gallery which premiered at the State Capitol last week and will travel the state. Professional photographers donate their time to create these insightful portaits, that are also available online at Michigan Heart Gallery website.

So what is the Heart Gallery?

There are over 300 children in Michigan currently waiting to be adopted through the foster care system. Most of these children are African American, over the age of 8, or need to be adopted along with other brothers and sisters.

The Heart Gallery is a photographic exhibit of children in the foster care system who are waiting for a permanent family of their own through adoption. The Heart Gallery is used to increase awareness about adoption and to recruit families for these children. The exhibit reaches out to prospective adoptive parents and the community providing a beautiful way to learn about foster care and adoption.

Read Portraits with purpose by NOISE PhotoBlog
Visit 2007 Michigan Heart Gallery
Watch Fox2 News' Heart Gallery Offers Hope for Foster Children

This photo is from the Absolute Michigan Pool on Flickr!

Jack Lessenberry talks with John Conyers about his tenure on the House Judiciary Committee as well as his thoughts about the war in Iraq and whether or not President Bush should be impeached. Rep. Conyers has just become the Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, after having served for, as Jack puts it, "longer than most people have been alive", assuming his office in 1965. According to Wikipedia, he is also

"one of the 13 founding members of the Congressional Black Caucus, and is considered the Dean of that group."

and

"After Martin Luther King Jr.'s death in 1968, Rep. John Conyers introduced a bill in Congress to make King's birthday a national holiday."

In his interview with Jack Lessenberry, Rep. Conyers says that he believes President Bush has committed impeachable offenses, however he does not want to pursue impeachment hearings because he feels it will impede the progress of the Congress over the next year. Basically, he feels Congress doesn't have time to address this issue now with more important matters that need to be acted upon before the elections next year.

"Rather than seeking impeachment, I have chosen to propose comprehensive oversight," Conyers said. He wants a select bipartisan committee to look into alleged abuses and report back to the Judiciary Committee. But he didn't say what he would do if that didn't happen.

Read or listen to Essay: Conyers and the Committee - 1/29/07 by Jack Lessenberry's Essays and Interviews
Also read or listen to the companion Interview: John Conyers - 1/29/07 by Jack Lessenberry's Essays and Interviews
Visit the John Conyers, Jr. House of Representatives website
Read more about Rep. John Conyers at Wikipedia
Also read Peace Movement Strong on the Washington Mall by John Conyers about last Saturday's rally