Random Thoughts

I haven't done one of these in awhile ... it's brief random thoughts for Random Topic Fridays!

Marquette Roundabout Nears Completion

The controversial Marquette Roundabout that the Michigan Department of Transportation has been constructing is nearing completion. Much of the inner-workings of the roundabout are built - all that remains are the two exit lanes, one entering the bypass from Front Street and the one exiting the bypass and entering Front Street. I must admit, when I first entered the roundabout this evening, I didn't go in the right lane. Oops! But I didn't think it was fully functional yet. There is definitely going to be a learning curve for everyone when this thing officially opens. Yes, there are still detractors of the roundabout - people blaming the city of Marquette for going forward with this type of intersection. But these folks don't understand that this is an MDOT project - the city of Marquette had nothing to do with it (although the endorsed the project from the beginning). More complaints state that it's a waste of money and there was nothing wrong with the old intersection. And another common complaint is that bigger trucks will have difficulty traversing the roundabout as well as winter plowing concerns. They're all legitimate concerns, but all one has to do is do a little research on-line and find that all of those misconceptions that people have brought up are exactly that - misconceptions. People are just afraid of change and something new. In time, people will get comfortable with the roundabout and there'll be no further complaints.

A Racial Firestorm

A story broke on the news earlier in the week about an interracial couple dealing with threats from two townspeople in their community they just moved to. It kind of hits home to me because its my mom's hometown and the one community we frequently visited as a kid and the Fourth of July celebrations. Two men came to the front door of this couple's house and told them not to get comfortable where they are and to move on, all because the male was black. Well somehow, this story made the local news and has created quite the firestorm of comments on the website of the local TV station. This town's credibility took a serious hit with this story - I don't care if it only involved the two idiots making threats. In this day and age, you can't be making threats at someone of a different ethnic background. We're living in the 21st century, not the slavery era. It's shameful what these two individuals did and thankfully, they were apprehended by police for their actions. Not only did they make threats, but they did damage to the woman's car, by removing the radiator cap, cutting the emergency brake line, and draining the oil from her car. How immature and senseless is this. If you don't like someone moving into your community, you keep it to yourself. Everyone is free to live where ever they like. After all, this is a free country.

Last Month of Summer

And sadly, we're beginning to enter the final month of the summer season. I am sure many people in the south and the east are glad that summer is nearing an end, because it's been so hot. Well, we've definitely had our fair share of warm days here in the U.P., but nothing like those two areas of the country have faced. I just love summer in the U.P. - there's nothing like it. And I tend to get a bit depressed at this time of year when I know that summer is coming to a close. All of the greenhouses are closing up shop for the summer around here now and all of the summer gear is on clearance. The grass is beginning to dry up and some of the flowers are starting to die off. The days are slowly getting shorter. And a major, clear sign that fall is around the corner - the goldenrod is getting taller and taller. Oh well, it happens every year and it's just one of those things we have to accept. The nice part is that fall is usually quite nice in the Upper Peninsula, even though we tend to get our fair share of colder days sooner than we like. But hey, it's the U.P. We're used to it by now.

Deadliest Catch : Season Finale

So last night brought the final episode of the season for Discovery's number one show, Deadliest Catch. To sum it up, it was basically an episode reflecting on the season as a whole for all five of the boats featured. Obviously the big story of the season was about Captain Phil and his untimely death. It's going to be very difficult for many people close to Captain Phil and the Cornelia Marie to be without his presence. Sure, he was only a crab boat captain, but he was such a huge individual in that industry. He knew the tricks of the trade which was no surprise considering he got started in crab fishing at the age of 17 (even earlier if you count the trips he had with his dad). I'm sure if Deadliest Catch didn't pan out as a show earlier on, Captain Phil's death wouldn't have an affect on the everyday man like it does today. But the show is huge, drawing record numbers. Captain Phil became a celebrity, whether he liked it or not. And when the headlines came out last winter about his initial stroke and eventual death, entertainment news websites picked that story up. Phil Harris was a special individual; not only was he blunt and often said what he thought, but he also had a softer side and really did care about people. He was a larger-than-life individual and his presence will truly be missed on that show. I know I certainly will miss him; after all, he was my favorite captain.

So it will be interesting to see what becomes of the Cornelia Marie. His two sons, Jake and Josh, want to continue as part of the Cornelia Marie. As of last word, they are looking to buy their dad's share of the boat and continue the Harris legacy - possibly even going so far as to captain the boat. But those ambitions will take time and money, something they're a bit short on as of now. Hopefully we haven't seen the end of the Cornelia Marie on the show because even without Phil, that boat deserves to continue and many more stories need being told from on that deck.

As for the F/V Northwestern, Edgar Hansen is making louder grumblings about taking a break from the boat to devote more time to being with family, and to give his body a break. He is relief captain to his brother Sig, but he's mostly on deck and in charge of everything that goes on there. He's been crab fishing since he was 18 years old - and this past season was his 22nd. His kids are growing up and he's rarely there to be a part of their activities. His body is aching more and more with each passing year so it'll be interesting to see whether or not he ends up taking a break during the upcoming crabbing seasons. Edgar's shoes are very difficult to fill and would leave an incredible hole on the Northwestern's crew. Sig Hansen definitely has his work cut out for him if in fact Edgar takes a break this upcoming season.

On the F/V Time Bandit, the Hillstrand brothers are encountering a dilemma of their own. Retirement is quickly approaching both Johnathan and Andy - who've spent many years as captain and on deck of their own boat. They are looking for a successor to take over their boat; someone with leadership and the knowledge of running a boat. Johnathan's son, Scott was a likely successor, however, he hasn't quite shown the willingness to learn more of the operations involved, such as learning the engine room and knowing what it's like to be in the wheelhouse. Fellow deckmate Mike Fourtner became the leading candidate but then it all seemed to get to his head and his ego really swelled to unimaginable proportions. A minor feud broke out between Scott and Mike on deck, who began jabbing back and forth at each other because by rights, Scott should get first dibs on becoming the successor, yet Mike was handpicked by Johnathan and Andy. So needless to say, don't expect to see both Johnathan or Andy out of the wheelhouse anytime soon.

As for the F/V Wizard, there really weren't a whole lot of surprises on deck this season. They hauled away an incredible amount of crab and came home with big bucks. Don't expect too many changes to the crew on deck heading into the new season this winter. As for the new boat featured on the show this year, the F/V Kodiak was really a fun boat to watch. It was captained by "Wild Bill" Wichrowski - a sharp-tongued man who really got off to a poor start with the King Crab season, but hauled away an incredible amount of Opilio crab that netted big bucks for his crew. There was so much happening on this boat from a dysfunctional crew on deck to a member of the Discovery Channel camera crew getting seriously ill from seasickness. Despite all of the shenanigans that went on, they really had a successful crabbing year. I really enjoyed the dynamic of this boat and hope it gets filmed again in the upcoming new crab seasons.

So there we have it, the end of another Deadliest Catch season. The break in between seasons is a long one; we have to wait until next April for new episodes to return. But what can you expect, the height of the crab season is during the winter. Let's hope the upcoming crab seasons are successful and safe for all of the crews out on the Bering Sea. Because after all, what we've seen on the show, it's no wonder that job is one of the deadliest in all the world.

Hand Injuries at Work

Where I work, we deal with several different pinch points and constrained spaces. We also deal with a lot of moving equipment, so the dangers exist in regards to potential injuries. I was standing above this rather large bin into which a conveyor belt drops material into. The conveyor stopped because a roller which has a sensor on it stopped moving. A bunch of dirt had built up around it, so I had to take a hose and spray water around the roller to remove the dirt build-up to get the conveyor going again. In front of this roller, a spray bar had been installed, but it wasn't doing a very good job in keeping the dirt build-up at bay (a spray bar is basically a pipe with nozzles installed on it to keep a conveyor pan free of dirt and mud). So I went to temporarily remove the spray bar, but it was stuck in the mud. I quickly yanked up on the spray bar when I caught by thumb on some metal that was sticking out. Instant pain. The white part of my thumbnail has a rather large blue spot on it and its still quite sore. I imagine it will be sore for a few days if not longer. But I can guarantee its not broken, otherwise I know it'd be in excruciating pain. Still, it's no fun to have a hand injury.

This isn't the first time I've gotten fingers bruised. It seems like it was only three or four months ago when I suffered a similar injury with the middle finger on my right hand. I've pinched fingers against a bar and a wall while trying to unclog a feeder and I've even jammed a thumb while yanking on a chain valve to open it. Finger and hand injuries are common in the line of work that I do. Luckily and thankfully, I have yet to break a finger - and its not something I'd want. Hopefully I can keep these injuries to a minimum and try to be more careful on the job.

Our department has a nice streak going for it, though. We are currently three years and two months since we've last experienced a lost-time accident. A lost-time accident consists of an employee being injured on the job and being out of work for a day or more because of that injury. The last time it happened was when an individual fell through an opening in the floor. Luckily he survived but was severely injured and missed quite a bit of time from work. He's back to work but he still experiences discomfort from the injuries he suffered in the fall. The sad part about that particular incident was that this employee basically fell right into a trap. The area around the hole in the floor had not been barricaded off. A maintenance employee lifted a covering off the hole and had left the area. Thus, leading to the individual in our department falling about ten feet to the level below. Certainly a scary situation and hopefully one that none of us will have to encounter in the future.

So it's easy to see how a person can get hurt while working at a mine. After all, we do wear hardhats in case falling objects hit us in the head. But they're mainly there in case we bump our heads into anything, because we certainly do have our fair share of constrained areas. Mining is not for everyone. It's hot, dirty, there's a potential for injury, and there's often a lot of heavy lifting. It's not glamorous that's for sure. At least it pays well; or I should say, it better pay well, anyways.

Sulfide Mining in the U.P.

Plans for new mines are in the works in several Upper Peninsula locations - and these plans aren't met with a lot of optimism. There is definitely a hardcore group of anti-mining activists who do not want to see the U.P.'s unblemished land destroyed by mining activity. I can't say I totally blame them, particularly if these mines are being developed in their own backyard. With that being said, we must take a look at both sides of the issue. I will say this, I have an opinion about the prospect of new mines in the U.P., a rather strong opinion at that. However, I plan to stay unbiased in this blog. Here is my attempt to be fair and balanced.

Kennecott Eagle Minerals Company is developing a new mine just outside of the town of Big Bay, within the Yellow Dog Plains. They propose to mine nickel and copper and plan to extract it from the ground by using sulfide chemicals. Construction on the facilities at the mine site have started this summer with total completion of the project to be between one to two years. Mining is expected to start at the Eagle site by 2012. A separate facility will be used to grind and refine the product where it will then be shipped to a smelter. That separate facility already exists, albeit in a rundown condition at this time. It's called the Humboldt Mill which is located just outside of Champion. It's an old mining facility once used for the same purpose that Kennecott proposes. However, it's sat idle since the mid 1990's. Kennecott proposes to spend $80 million on site remediation and upgrades at the mill. They certainly are planning to pump plenty of money into these two sites to get their operations going.

Plans by Kennecott for mining at the Eagle Minerals site have been under scrutiny ever since the company put their plans out there to the public. The main source of concern for the anti-mining activists is regarding the method in which the company proposes to extract the ore from the ground. Sulfide chemicals are hazardous if not properly used. There is concern that if a spill of some sort were to occur, the Yellow Dog River could become contaminated, thus ruining a natural fish habitat. The Yellow Dog River also discharges into Lake Superior, so there's a risk of further contamination down the line into the big lake. Other concerns the anti-mining group bring forth include the destruction of the Yellow Dog Plains, which currently is a pristine, natural forestland enjoyed by the general public (it's state-owned land). This is land that has been untouched by human activity such as mining equipment to this point. This particular mine site is only expected to produce 6-8 years worth of minerals, meaning these are not expected to be long-term jobs. And lastly, Kennecott apparently doesn't have a great track record when it comes to mining projects such as this one. The Flambeau Mine in Ladysmith, Wisconsin was a Kennecott-operated facility and has been the source of contamination by sulfide mining. I cannot say I know much about that facility and anything I say about the circumstances that took place there would be a total lie. I will say that there is a bit of "he said, she said" between Kennecott and the anti-mining activists regarding the Flambeau Mine. Kennecott says complete remediation has taken place on the site, while the anti-mining activists claim that site will always be contaminated and never returned to its natural state. Needless to say, it's a point of contention for many.

As for a positive when it comes to the Eagle Minerals Project, it has the chance to bring hundreds of good, paying jobs to the area - something that is sorely needed. Does anyone recall what Michigan's unemployment rates are these days? Yep, we're dead last in the nation with the highest rate. And especially in the Upper Peninsula, these kinds of jobs are difficult to find. The Upper Peninsula's heritage is built on mining and this project and several others down the line could be an extension of that heritage. It allows several individuals and families to stay in the area instead of leaving to look for work. Does it involve a fair amount of risk? Absolutely. Most jobs in the mining industry are risky. And this project is unlike any other mine site in Michigan. You could say its unprecedented because of the means in which the ore has to be extracted. The state of Michigan did pass very strict sulfide mining laws in anticipation of this project, so it's not like they're turning the other cheek. They will be following up on this as the mine begins operation.

Whether or not you're for or against the mine, at least we can all agree on one thing - this project has had the community talking for nearly ten years. And even though Kennecott has just started construction on the mine, it'll likely be discussed for many more years to come. You see, the people of the Upper Peninsula are passionate about their land. If they see someone coming in to potentially destroy what they've come to love and enjoy about it, they are going to say something about it. Let's just hope that Kennecott is able to keep its promises and return the land back to the way they found it once all of their mining activity ceases.

David Archuleta New Music

It's a big week for David Archuleta music fans as the first song from his new album "The Other Side of Down" became available for download from iTunes, Amazon.com, and David Archuleta's official website. The song is titled "Something 'bout Love" and features a different sound than us fans are accustomed to. But it's a very radio-friendly song and I have no doubt in my mind that it'll be a big hit. It's definitely upbeat and a very fun song. The song touches on the subject of love and the difficulties that encounter it. From tearing you up, to breaking your heart, and it bringing you to your knees, but yet don't give up because it'll set you free when everything works out right. I enjoy it because it's the perfect positive message from David Archuleta. No matter how bad things might be, always look to something positive because usually things work out in your favor.

Since the song has been released to the public for download, it has managed to sneak its way up on the iTunes top downloaded chart. Right now there are several incredible songs that "Something 'bout Love" will have to overcome. But as excitement continues to build over the album's release later in the year and as more radio stations play the song, more and more people will enjoy listening to the songs and the downloads will gradually increase. Right now, you have the hardcore Archie fans downloading the song and soon, you'll have the casual music fans begin to download the song. Hopefully, the song will become a big hit and it'll become David's second platinum song. Time will tell.

I mentioned that "Something 'bout Love" features a different sound than what we're used to. I was reading up on a few websites that mentioned the song incorporates an auto-tune feature. Auto-tuning is used to enhance an artist's voice in a particular song. It is believed that Cher was the first artist to use the feature back in 1999 when her song "Believe" became a mega-hit world-wide. Do I necessarily believe that David's voice needs to be auto-tuned? Not in the very least because his vocals are so pure and stunning as it is. However, to make the song radio-friendly and fun as it is now, the auto-tune feature was used. I don't think it's a bad strategy in the least and it could produce great results for David with this song and the album as a whole.

So if you are a fan of David Archuleta and his music, be sure to check out his new song "Something 'bout Love" now available from iTunes, Amazon.com, as well as DavidArchuleta.com . His sophomore album is expected to be released sometime in September or October so you can bet that the song will continue to get increased exposure as more radio stations pick it up and David starts making more appearances across the country discussing the album. David remains my favorite contestant ever from American Idol and you can bet when the album is released, I'll be buying it. I still enjoy his self-titled debut album to this day.

Catching Up on Movies

Do you consider yourself a fan of movies? Whether it's horror flicks, action, adventure, romance, comedy - if you're a fan of one or all of those genres, then you can probably call yourself a movie lover. As for myself, yes, I do enjoy certain movies. However, it's been at least five years since I last stepped foot in a theater. So more often than not, when there's a movie I'd like to see, I either have to go rent it or wait for it to show up on TV. Over those past five years, I've missed a lot of good movies, I figure. I think the last movie I went to see was the re-launch of the Batman series in 2005. I had planned on going to see "The Dark Knight" a few years ago but never made it. Hopefully now I'll get an opportunity to catch up.

My cable TV bill went up $30 last month - so I made a call to my cable company to see if I could get a better bundle package. My bundle was only for a year, and it began when I moved into my house. Needless to say, it had expired, which was why the bill went up $30. So I called to see if I could get a better deal, which now the new bundle package is expected to last until 24 months. I was able to get the same price as I had before, but now with both HBO and Cinemax movie channels.

I had Cinemax before and I was never all that impressed with the showing of movies they had on their assorted channels. I could never find anything all that interesting to watch and they featured a lot of older films. My parents had all of the HBO movie channels at their house and it seemed like I could find something on those channels to watch. So hopefully, instead of being bored by the usual channels on my basic line-up, I can flip channels over to the movie side and try to catch an interesting flick on there. As I mentioned, I have a good five years of catching up to do.

Wild Dreams

It was a humid night and I had the window fan going the entire night. It seems that when I have the fan going full blast, I have a difficult time sleeping because it gets to be quite noisy. But with the fan at the lower speed, it's not so loud. Still, with it being so humid, I didn't have a peaceful sleep. Lots of tossing and turning, especially later in the morning. And I had some wild dreams, too. It's really amazing how these dreams can correlate to what's going on in your real life. I had visions of being back at high school, yet I wasn't in high school - but with my old classmates as we were having a reunion. The reunion isn't for another two weeks yet, but it's still on my mind.

And then I got to dreaming about "her." She's a mysterious girl that had entered my dreams and I honestly have no idea who she might be. This isn't the first night I dreamed about her either as I recall I had similar dreams about this female the previous night. She had brown hair and was very attractive. She was attracted to me and it seemed as if we were an item. We were acting like a couple fresh into a relationship. And then suddenly I woke up and realized it was all just a dream. I was mad at myself for waking up so soon and disappointed, too, that it wasn't for real. I wonder if it's a sign that things are about to change in my favor? I have been single for quite awhile now and have been making strides in finding my life-long partner. We shall see if it was a premonition.

It's amazing how our brains continue to think as we sleep, yet it's disappointing how we are not able to remember these dreams as clearly as we would like. Sometimes we are lucky enough to wake up and remember these dreams quite vividly. But for me, I went back to sleep as soon as I woke up, and most of these dreams were earlier at night. But I do recall another glimmer of a dream where I was in charge of a bike race of sorts in my neighbor's backyard. The yard is bordered by a variety of jackpine, and the race course I was creating zig-zagged these trees, like a slalom course. I was in charge of the entire operation and I think that's where this girl entered into my dream, as she started helping me out and talking to me. And then suddenly we were in item. I can't remember exactly what happened anymore, but it's something along those lines.

And then the reunion dream. We were at our old school, yet we were all aged. I saw many good friends and we were taking a walk out to the playground. Heck, we even started playing on many of the items in the playground. But yet everything looked so old and worn. Everyone was talking about the next day's activities, yet I couldn't be involved because I had work the next day - a 12-hour shift in fact. But it was just so weird to be thinking about it when the event hadn't even taken place. Yet it's still very much on my mind.

So there you have it, the power of our dreams - there is nothing like it, if we happen to remember what went on. I know this isn't the first time I wrote about an epic dream on my blog, but I experienced several of them that I could remember and so I thought I would share them with you all. I wonder if that girl will enter my dreams for a third night? Maybe the humid conditions and uncomfortable sleeping weather played a part in these dreams. Tonight I'll be back in the comforts of my house with central air, so I have to believe that I'll sleep somewhat better. I guess I'll find out again tomorrow morning who or what took place in my dreams, if I happen to remember.

Small Town Celebrations

The Upper Peninsula is comprised of many small towns that are dotted across the peninsula. I guess you could say there isn't one large city located here, because Marquette is even considered small at 20,000 people. Whatever the case, the U.P.'s many small towns help give the peninsula its character and honestly, it wouldn't be the U.P. without them. And even though these communities are small, the people within them definitely know how to have a good time. More often that not, each community has one or two town gatherings that allows everyone to get together and celebrate the community. Some communities may call it a founder's celebration or a homecoming event. Whatever the case, it brings everyone together and even gets people used to live in that one particular community to come back from time to time. It's an event unlike any other.

Several communities across the U.P. hold celebrations on the Fourth of July that bring many members of the community together. Marquette, Ishpeming, Big Bay, Trenary, Munising, Gladstone, Escanaba, Michigamme, and Curtis are just a few that hold Fourth of July celebrations that are great community-wide events. For many years, my family and I went to the small town of Trenary and took part in the activities there. Trenary is a small town of roughly 250 people made most famous for its Trenary Toast (made by the Trenary Home Bakery) and the Outhouse races in the winter. And it seems most recently, the Fourth of July celebration has taken a backseat to the more popular Outhouse Classic which takes place in later February. The Outhouse Classic draws thousands of people to this small town. And yet I find the Fourth of July celebration to be much more appealing. For one, it takes place in the summer season and you're not freezing your behind off. And it also incorporates a couple of my favorite things about a town celebration: a parade and fireworks. It brings together not just people from the Trenary community itself, but others from Chatham, Eben, Rapid River, Sundell, and Forest Lake. Just one example of what a community-wide event like a Fourth of July celebration can do.

And then there are "Founding"-type events held in a variety of U.P. communities. Following the Fourth of July, the city of Negaunee holds a week-long Pioneer Days celebration. Not only do they have a parade and cap the entire week off with fireworks, but there's also an alumni baseball tournament which helps bring members of the graduating classes of Negaunee back to take part in the tournament. I know there's two separate classes in the baseball tournament, one for the older graduating classes and one for the most recent graduating classes. Either case, it still looks like a great event had by everyone. I kind of wish they'd do something similar in our community, yet our area is so much smaller than Negaunee and our graduating classes weren't nearly as big. Still, I'm sure it'd be fun however we'd get it to work. Negaunee's Pioneer Days has all kinds of events tied into that one week so it's definitely a celebration everyone of all ages can enjoy.

In my hometown of Chatham, during July 31 to August 2, the Chatham Homecoming Celebration will take place in conjunction with the Alger County Fair. Years ago, both events were separate from each other and took place during different weekends. It was decided to combine both events into one weekend and help draw a bigger crowd to both events and that turned out to be a great idea. More people than ever attend the combined event, which includes a variety of activites in three days. One of the highlights for me is the Homecoming Parade which takes place along the highway in Chatham. It's not the biggest parade in the world, yet it's always fun to see the different floats that people put in the parade. And if you have kids, they'll certainly pick up their fair share of candy from the parade! More often than not, there's several old cars, horses, and old farming equipment that people put on display in the parade. And then you get to see many familiar faces on the variety of reunion floats. It's honestly one big reunion celebration and it's neat to see an event bring so many people back to such a small community. There's nothing like it, to be honest.

I just scratched the surface on just a few of many events that take place across the Upper Peninsula in its small towns. It you are interested in finding out about a specific event taking place in the U.P., please leave a comment for me after this blog and I'll try to find out some information for you. Either that, or you can search on-line and you should be able to find some information about a specific event. Whatever the case, it's quite easy to find something to do in one of Upper Michigan's communities. It's why I consider summer to be the U.P.'s best season to enjoy.

John Stamos and Other Celebrities

It's random topic day here at Luke's Ponderings, and today I want to discuss a recent event that had Marquette, Michigan in the national spotlight. It's regarding the John Stamos extortion plot, where two individuals were accused of extorting $680,000 from John Stamos over supposed incriminating photos of Mr. Stamos. The trial wrapped up yesterday and the two accused, Allison Coss and Scott Sippola, were found guilty of extorting Mr. Stamos. It's an unfortunate event that lead John Stamos to the Upper Peninsula - and despite trying to keep his name clear of any wrongdoing, hopefully he enjoyed his visit away from the courtroom.

One individual asked Mr. Stamos how the city of Marquette was treating him. His response, "it's a beautiful little town." I couldn't agree more and I know many other people who have visited have felt the same way. As I said, it's unfortunate it took a trial like the one he dealt with for him to visit here. Because the Upper Peninsula, not just Marquette, is a beautiful place. It's also unfortunate how two greedy individuals could've given the Upper Peninsula a black eye by their attempted extortion plot. However, I'm sure many people out there who are familiar with the U.P. and it's people realize we're not all like that. There's only a few bad eggs; yet it's always the bad eggs who give us bad press.

And then I got to thinking about other celebrities who have visited the Upper Peninsula at some point in their lives, for less negative circumstances. The Rolling Stones made a visit to Marquette when one of their former band members, who was from Marquette, passed away. Kirk Gibson, former Detroit Tigers player and current manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks, has snowmobiled in the Upper Peninsula. Ted Nugent, musician and spokesperson, has hunted in the U.P as well as performed and given speeches. There was also a rumor that Madonna owned a camp on Lake Michigamme at one point in time, but I don't know if that was ever true at all. And several musicians and artists have performed at shows in casinos in Bark River and Sault Ste. Marie, as well as on Northern Michigan University's campus. I mean really, if you think about it, it's extremely rare for A-list celebrities to visit the U.P., but it's not inconceivable for other lower list celebrities to come up here. Some people may not recognize them nearly as much as they might in more populated areas.

As for Coss and Sippola, they are out on bond until sentencing in the fall. They face the potential of five years of prison time for their attempted extortion plot. It's rather strange of them pulling off such a stunt when the supposed incriminating photographs were never found. All that we saw was a photo of Stamos posing with Coss. And Mr. Stamos poses with fans all of the time, just as he did outside of the courthouse in Marquette this week. Needless to say, it was a dumb move on Coss and Sippola's part, no matter what financial situation one might be in. Sippola built a ritzy home in Marquette Township and his nightclub in Marquette wasn't doing so hot. There's speculation he was trying to extort this money from Stamos just to make ends meet. Whatever the case, he and Coss were caught red handed. Now they'll likely be sentenced at least a few years, if not more, of jail time.

Songs I Dig - 18

The Songs I Dig is back again this week with another variety of songs that I find myself enjoying at the moment. Just as we had a couple of weeks ago, you are going to find that all of these songs are different from each other - and probably a few of them you might not have seen on this blog in the past. But I've opened my eyes to a new genre of music and I'm sure this won't be the last you'll of these kinds of songs. It also helps to listen to some radio stations that play modern music and aren't stuck in the 1980's and '90's! So, with that being said, here are this week's Songs I Dig.

Jason Derulo - "Ridin' Solo" : The first time I was introduced as to whom Jason Derulo was is when he performed on American Idol earlier this year. I must admit, I enjoyed his performance then. One of the songs he sang was "Whatcha Say," which became a huge hit and was played quite frequently on the radio and needless to say, it was very catchy. Now he's got this new song out called "Ridin' Solo." It's a song I first heard when I was driving home from work one night and immediately, I found it enjoyable to listen to. At that time, I didn't know who had sung it but the singer had an interesting sound to his voice. Come to find out, it was Jason Derulo. The song is a sort of anthem to single people. Part of the lyrics are "living my life, ain't got stress no more." It's really catching on and is quickly becoming Jason's latest hit.

B.o.B (f. Hayley Williams) - "Airplanes" : This was another one of those tunes that played quite heavily during my vacation down to Wisconsin three weeks ago. I've never been much of a fan of rap music and generally, I still have that same reaction. However, I've become more accepting of it recently, and it's because of songs like "Airplanes." It's a song that has a profound message. My most favorite part of the song is the chorus, which Hayley Williams sings. I can't say that I was all that familiar with Paramore's music before, but I may have to check it out after hearing Williams' singing in "Airplanes." She's got a sweet, almost angelic sound to her voice. It really suits this song well and presents a pleasant contrast to the rap-style the rest of the song has. It's easy to see why this song is as popular as it is.

Ke$ha - "Your Love is My Drug" : So let me start off by saying that I was never a KeSha fan in the beginning. In fact, when I heard some of her music, I thought it was odd and kind of annoying. I guess the best way to describe her vocals is half-singing/half-talking, kind of a rap singer, if you will. But yet her songs are nothing like typical rap. I don't know, it's rather hard to explain. But what drew me into her song "Your Love is My Drug" is the beat and the sound to the song. It's definitely a song that's extremely catchy and will get your toes tapping, that's for sure. KeSha herself seems to be a unique person outside of her music and I can't say I've really heard her do interviews or put herself out there. All that I know is that she's a performer and lately, has been doing quite well. But I can say with certainty that I am starting to warm up to KeSha as an artist.

Ryan Star - "Breathe" : What perfect timing to feature this song on the SID blog, because it's quite new. And it's a song I am really, really enjoying. In the new Luke's Pondering's era, my plan for the SID blog is to only feature three songs in each edition. But tonight when I heard this song on the radio, I had to include it. When I first heard the song a few weeks back, I almost thought it was David Cook's newest song, because they have a similar sound. But in fact, the artist's name is Ryan Star. Ryan isn't all that new to the music industry. In fact, his newest album, titled "11:59," is his fourth since 2005. He also appeared on the CBS Reality Series "Rockstar: Supernova" but ended up being eliminated. But "Breathe" could be his biggest hit yet. It's a sweet sounding song with a rock edge. It's also a song with a great message, mainly dealing with the release of fear and stress in one's life. Be sure to check out his video of the song, where he features unemployed people who are struggling due to the state of the economy. It really hits home, that's for sure.

Well folks, that'll wrap it up for this edition of the Songs I Dig. It was another great edition with a variety of songs. Hopefully next week, you can look forward to the same. Enjoy!

Deadliest Catch : Phil's Life Ends

The ongoing drama on Deadliest Catch continued last night when Captain of the Cornelia Marie, Phil Harris, passed away. In the last few episodes, we saw the effects of the stroke that Phil endured. And despite the incredible odds that were against him, Phil was making great progress. The doctors were beginning to make plans to move Phil to a rehab center in Seattle where he could continue his progress. He was still paralyzed on one side of his body, yet he was beginning to return to the Phil of old. He even demanded ice chips from his son Jake, despite being told from the nurse that he had enough. He was also craving a cigarette, but thankfully nobody gave into his demands. And then we watched some real emotional and heart-to-heart moments Phil had with his two sons, moments that I'm sure left very few people watching with dry eyes. In one moment, Phil told Josh how sorry he was that he couldn't be a better father to the boys. That's when Josh told him that he was the best father possible and he learned everything he needed to know to be a man. We also saw Josh break down in tears, the first time so far during this ordeal. I just can't imagine what that moment must've been like for Josh and even now, being able to watch it again on TV.

A few days later, however, Phil's condition changed drastically and ultimately, he lost his life. The doctors did all that they could for Phil - even commenting that they've worked on him for an hour and they couldn't do anymore. Josh had to make the decision when it was over. It was then when he had to make the difficult call to his brother, Jake, to tell him that their father had passed away. What makes this so heartbreaking is that Jake flew down to Seattle and entered a rehab facility for his addiction to pain medication (this was revealed 3-4 episodes back). It seemed that Phil was doing so much better, Jake felt it was the right to get better and start a new chapter in his life. I'm sure he never thought his dad would pass away, considering how well he was doing.

Considering the delicate situation that this was, Discovery really presented the last few episodes in a classy way. I am sure they could have shown more than what really aired in these episodes. But the story was already being told in a perfect way. These episodes really were a tribute to Phil and showed what a great individual he really was. The cameras were still rolling throughout this whole adventure and ultimately, it was Phil who wanted his ordeal with the stroke to be captured. And when it truly was the end of his life, it represented the end of his story. The 2009-10 crab season was already a tough one as it was for many of the boats featured on the show. But the death of Captain Phil made it that much tougher.

In next week's episode, we get to see the reaction across the fleet to the passing of Phil Harris. And this is while they are all trying to capture Opilio crab during a major winter storm. I am sure it'll add that much more stress to an already difficult season. The season is quickly coming to a close and many of the boats will be grinding it out to capture as much crab as they can before the end of the season. That means the crew on deck as well as the captain will be working without very little sleep, sometimes as little as a few hours out of 48. That's the life of a crab fisherman which really gives us all a little bit of insight as to why it's the most dangerous job in the world. Who knew a show about crab fishing could be so darn captivating.

RIP Phil.

Busy Times

I hope everyone visiting Luke's Ponderings has enjoyed the increase in blog topics since the re-branding started on June 1. June 2010 goes down as the month with the most blogs since I started blogging. Needless to say, July has started off rather slow on the blogging front for me. After I've completed this blog, it'll only make for the third blog entry of the month. But lately these days, I've found it extremely difficult trying to find time to blog. There's just been so much going on that it's been hard to fit in time to sit in front of my computer and type! Which is why tonight, I'm actually getting a head-start on tomorrow's blog topic (which is Luke's Tuesday). And I know lately I haven't really been following along to the specific days in which each topic is supposed to be. That is why I created the new graphics to accompany each blog topic so it'll be easier to see where it fits in. And, for the most part, they've all been in order except for when I've missed a day (or two, or lately three).

One of the bigger projects I've been working on is a new deck off the back of my house. With a plan I created at one of the home improvement retailers in Marquette, I created a design for a 10' by 16' deck. I started by tearing out the old set of cement steps and then with the help of my dad, we leveled the area where the deck was going to go. I will say this, the old steps broke apart fairly easy with a sledge hammer until I got to the steps themselves, which were solid concrete. There's no way I was able to break them apart unless I totally ruined my back. So my dad and I took a four mile drive to a local hardware store and rented a jack hammer for a little less than an hour. It only cost me $22 to rent and it was such a handy thing to use to break up those steps. I'm glad my dad thought of renting such a machine!

Then, while my dad and I were both on vacation from work, we started building the deck. I decided that instead of pouring cement for the foundation of the posts, I was going to use the block foundations, where the posts sit ontop of. The challenge with these is that you have to get them all level, and that proved to be very time consuming. However, we finally got all six blocks leveled and we began to assemble the deck. We ran into our fair share of issues along the way that slowed us down - but what project doesn't have delays? We're not the fastest do it yourself-ers in the world, but by the time our vacations were over with, we had built the entire deck and stairway. All that we had to do is build the railings around the deck and we'd be all set.

It took us a couple of more days to build the railings around the deck and now all we have left is the railings along the stairs. Once that is completed, the deck project will officially be done! So we don't have much more until my first major project on this house is completed. All in all, I'd say the deck project was very worth-while and I'm glad I decided last year that I wanted a new deck back there. It offers much more privacy than the deck off the front and it's also the cooler side of the house and that deck will mostly sit in the shade. I'm definitely looking forward to spending many warm summer days back there.

U.P. Tourism Seasons

With the lack of high-paying, skilled jobs in the Upper Peninsula, many people resort to the ever-growing tourism industry in the U.P. to make a living. They could be doing this by owning a gift shop, providing tours of a specific destination, owning a small cafe/restaurant near a destination, and even helping to promote that particular destination, such as owning a website. Whatever the case, more and more people are relying on the tourists that come to the U.P. to take in nature's beauty. And there really is a ton to see, peninsula-wide.

And in the U.P., every season is a different tourism season. Let's start with winter. Obviously we deal with lots of snow, the north more than the south (with the help of Lake Superior) - but it's pretty far reaching where ever in the Upper Peninsula you go. The winter season caters to the skiers and snowmobilers the most. I would say by far, the snowmobilers are the largest group to come to the U.P. in the winter time. With hundreds of groomed trails by a variety of snowmobile clubs across the peninsula, it's easy to spend several days exploring the U.P's wilderness by snowmobile. Snowmobilers come from Wisconsin, Lower Michigan, and all throughout the Great Lakes and the United States. During some winters when many other areas are lacking snow, the first place they head is to the U.P. where a lack of snow usually isn't a problem. And if you don't own a snowmobile but would like to experience a ride on one, you can find places to rent them. So the snowmobilers do like our wintry conditions, but we cannot discount the skiers, snowshoers, and mushers who also make the trek to the Upper Peninsula and enjoy the best snow conditions Michigan has to offer.

As the snow begins to melt and the winter sports enthusiasts begin to put away their gear for the season, it's time for many to get prepared for the warm season that lies ahead. The Upper Peninsula draws up a variety of tourists during the warm season. Let's start with one of the more extreme groups, like the rock climbers who search out rock walls and rugged hills to climb. Then you have mountain bikers looking for treacherous trails to ride. You can also find hikers in the same camp as the bikers - trying to seek out the most isolated spot to explore. Then there's the casual sight seekers or families, enjoying the spectacular sights and sounds that the peaceful Upper Peninsula has to offer. Swimming and water sports are big on many of the inland lakes as well as the Great Lakes that surround the peninsula (even though Lake Superior is often chilly). And let's not forget camping - a great family activity. There are a variety of campgrounds that cater to many different people across the U.P. I mean, there is just a ton of things to do during the Upper Peninsula warm season. And I'm sure I'll go more in depth with some of these in the future.

Lastly, as the summer season begins to wane, the leaves begin to change across the Upper Peninsula and turn spectacular shades of red, orange, and yellow. The Upper Peninsula is one of the best locations in the country to view fall colors. The Porcupine Mountains in the western U.P. is noted as being one of the best areas but really, you can't go wrong anywhere you go. The Copper Country has some fabulous viewing areas as well as near Munising in the central U.P. The leaves begin to change sooner in the North and they gradually begin to shift southward. And along those lakeshore areas like Marquette, the peak foliage period is usually the last of them all. Typically, viewing of the fall colors at their peak is in early October, but that tends to fluctuate depending on the weather. But more often than not, early October is a safe bet.

So as you can see, you really can't go wrong when visiting Michigan's Upper Peninsula. It's also quite clear why people are taking advantage of the opportunities that tourists bring when they visit and in trying to help promote the U.P. even more. There is just so much to see and do up here and often times, people only have a short amount of time to spend. That's why it's very important to continue promoting the U.P. and what it has to offer so people can keep returning. You really can't go wrong by spending some vacation time in the Upper Peninsula.

The U.P. is for Bikers

I just got back from a long bike ride and the journey to and from this particular destination became inspiration for this week's U.P. blog. No, the destination isn't part of the theme, but bike riding in general. The Upper Peninsula is quickly becoming known as a biking hotspot. The city of Marquette, in particular, is being ranked in mountain biking magazines yearly for its hospitality and accessibility to some of the best mountain biking trails around. And that's not only for the city of Marquette but for the entire peninsula, which has some of the most scenic and picturesque locations in the country. And people in the U.P. as well as the state as a whole are opening up to the idea of Michigan becoming a biking destination.

For those who have followed my blogs recently, you know that I've harped on the lack of divided highways in the U.P. Well, what the state isn't doing to increase vehicular capacity, they seem to be making up for with the biking community. On several U.P. highways, the Michigan Department of Transportation has started to pave previously graveled shoulders. This offers a much more safer situation for both bikers and vehicles as they both aren't trying to compete for a driving surface to drive on. Slowly but surely, more and more graveled shoulders in the U.P. are becoming paved offering more miles for bikers to travel on the side of U.P. highways. U.P. highways have always been opened to bikers trying to traverse the peninsula - but the shoulders weren't wide enough to provide a safe driving situation. But MDOT has become more proactive to help alleviate this situation.

Its not only the wider shoulders along highways that makes the U.P. more appealing. Several areas in the U.P. are beginning to hold bike races to draw up more interest in biking not only here in Upper Michigan but in the Great Lakes region as well. The Superior Bike Fest is an event that takes place in Marquette each summer. There are races that cater to all ages and what makes this event so unique is that it takes place right in the heart of downtown Marquette. Several downtown streets are blocked off so the Superior Bike Fest can hold their races here. It really creates a unique atmosphere and bikers are always excited to come back to such a distinctive race. Another popular event is the Ore to Shore Mountain Bike Epic that takes place in the middle of August. This is another biking event that caters to all ages and provides a few different race course lengths. The longest race starts in Ishpeming and ends in Marquette near the Lake Superior shoreline. Much of the trail in the Ishpeming and Negaunee areas takes place along former mining grounds, hence the name, Ore to Shore (Iron Ore/Lake Superior Shore).

For more information on the plethora of biking opportunities that exist in the Upper Peninsula, all one has to do is to do a search on Google. Try "Upper Peninsula Biking" or "Upper Peninsula Mountain Biking." There are a variety of sites that feature content on U.P. biking opportunities. As for the two biking events I already mentioned in this blog, those websites will be featured at the bottom of this entry. So there you have it, if you're a biker and are looking for new territory to explore, come on up to Michigan's Upper Peninsula. I'm sure you'll be happy with what you find in Michigan's Great White North.

Ore to Shore Mountain Bike Epic - http://www.oretoshore.com/
The Superior Bike Fest - http://www.superiorbikefest.com/index.php