Housing Slump? Yes Way...

I thought building was illegal during winter anyways. Because the tools freeze to your hands. Not that that's a bad thing...

Lower Peninsula Schools to move summer break to winter mos.

It is 9 degrees right now. Above zero. A million schools are closed, including the mighty universities of Grand Valley and Western Michigan.

My sliding balcony door is open about a foot, because the heat radiating upwards from the first and second floors is enough to evaporate my standing toilet water every 90 minutes.

Is it really that cold?

The answer is no. Unless you're a sissy.

The only thing that should be at a standstill right now is crime.

This is not completely awful...

...even if 50% of it was shot within a 1/4 mile area.



I debated featuring this instead, if only because of its hilariously unbecoming soundtrack.

Holy Wah

In other news, a fire extinguisher-discharging underwear model from Michigan Tech injured three police officers. Here.

Warm Winter

For Yoopers, winter--often the eight-month curiosity that gives Trolls cabin fever--is undoubtedly a booster of morale and economy. Many business strategies and events are planned around winter. But a well overdue snowfall that has failed to meet UP standards may prove ruinous.

When only four years ago, Lake Superior froze over completely for the first time in 20 years, this year's winter follows the trend started by preceding seasons (2006), which the National Weather Service declared "one of the five warmest years on record."

Notably, snow mobile sales and rentals are down as well as ski hill patronage. Mackinac Island usually takes in chilled pilgrims, who cross Lake Huron on foot, ski, and snowmobile by following a path marked by Christmas trees. But currently the lake is a patchwork of ice chunks, floating free like cereal in a half-eaten bowl. Michigan Tech's Winter Carnival celebrations are also in jeopardy. Each year, students and community brave the brisk and build intricate two-story snow and ice sculptures, play broomball (hockey with brooms, shoes, and a ball) outdoors, and ski, snowshoe, sled, etc. more frequently. The marquee attraction, snow statues, take a month to build, and this year, event planners have had to bring in snow from around the Keweenaw area and dump it on campus.

Whether to blame global warming or el nino is a moot point for many Yoopers. A late arrival could mean a late stay or a short series of heavy storms, and, given past experiences, it's difficult to expect anything less.

Yooper - A resident of the Upper Peninsula.
Troll - A resident of the Lower Peninsula (under the Mackinac Bridge).

Take Off, Hey

Dey told me to write with da clicky words. So here you go and stuff.